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                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.12

                                                               EXECUTION VERSION

                         EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

     THIS EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (this "Agreement") is made and entered
into as of January 28, 2004 by and among Thermadyne Holdings Corporation, a
Delaware corporation ("Holdings"), the subsidiaries of Holdings listed as
signatories hereto (together with Holdings, the "Employers"), and Paul D. Melnuk
("Employee").

                                    RECITALS

     Employers wish to employ Employee and Employee wishes to be employed by
Employers on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.

     NOW THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the foregoing recital, and in
consideration of the mutual covenants, agreements, understandings, undertakings,
representations, warranties and promises hereinafter set forth, and intending to
be legally bound thereby, Employers and Employee do hereby covenant and agree as
follows:

SECTION 1.     BASIC EMPLOYMENT PROVISIONS

     (a)  EMPLOYMENT AND TERM. Employers hereby employ Employee (hereinafter
referred to as the "EMPLOYMENT") as President and Chief Executive Officer of
Holdings and Employee agrees to be employed by Employers in such capacity, all
on the terms and conditions set forth herein. The Employment shall be for a
period (the "EMPLOYMENT PERIOD") that will (i) commence on January 28, 2004 (the
"EFFECTIVE DATE") and continue for at least two years thereafter (unless earlier
terminated as provided herein) and (ii) renew on the second anniversary of the
Effective Date and each anniversary of the Effective Date thereafter for a
one-year period, on the same terms and conditions contained herein (unless
earlier terminated as provided herein or Employee is timely provided a notice of
nonrenewal as provided herein), such that the Employment Period shall extend for
a period of one year from the date of each such extension. The Employers must
provide Employee with written notice not less than 90 days in advance of the
applicable anniversary of the Effective Date in order to avoid renewal of the
Employment Period on such anniversary as described above ("NON-RENEWAL NOTICE").
A Non-Renewal Notice shall be deemed given on the date it is received by
Employee. If Employers elect not to renew the Employment Period in accordance
with this SECTION 1(a), Employee shall be entitled to continue to receive from
Employers his then current Basic Compensation (as defined below), such amount to
continue to be paid in accordance with the payroll practices of Employers for a
period equal to six (6) months from the expiration of the Employment Period
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if Employers intend not
to renew this Agreement for any reason, but had not previously notified Employee
of any inadequate performance of his duties or responsibilities as assigned to
him by the Board, then Employers must provide Employee with written notice that
Employers intend not to renew this Agreement and such notice shall be provided
not less than 180 days in advance of the applicable anniversary of the Effective
Date; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the failure to provide such notice shall not
affect or otherwise prohibit Employers from terminating or not renewing this
Agreement as permitted hereunder.

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     (b)  DUTIES. Employee, as President and Chief Executive Officer of
Holdings, shall be subject to the direction and supervision of the Board of
Directors of Holdings (the "BOARD") and, as the President and Chief Executive
Officer of Holdings, shall have those duties and responsibilities which are
assigned to him during the Employment Period by the Board consistent with his
position. The parties expressly acknowledge that the Employee shall devote
substantially all of his business time and attention to the transaction of
Employers' businesses as is reasonably necessary to discharge his supervisory
management responsibilities hereunder Employee agrees to perform faithfully the
duties assigned to him to the best of his ability.

SECTION 2.     COMPENSATION.

     (a)  SALARY. Employers shall pay to Employee during the Employment Period a
salary as basic compensation for the services to be rendered by Employee
hereunder ("BASIC COMPENSATION"). The initial Basic Compensation shall be
$550,000 per annum. Such Basic Compensation shall be reviewed no less frequently
than annually by the Board and may be adjusted by the Board in its sole
discretion. Such salary shall accrue and be payable in accordance with the
payroll practices of Employers' subsidiary or subsidiaries in effect from time
to time.

     (b)  BONUS. During the Employment Period, Employee shall additionally
participate in an annual bonus plan, in accordance with the terms set forth in
Employers' Management Incentive Plan, providing for an annual bonus opportunity
of one hundred-percent (100%) of Employee's Basic Compensation for each fiscal
year ending during the Employment Period as follows: (i) if the Board determines
in good faith that Holdings meets or exceeds the Return on Invested Capital
Targets (as defined below) in accordance with its annual budget for such fiscal
year, Employee shall be eligible to receive a bonus equal to fifty-percent (50%)
of his Basic Compensation for such year, and (ii) if the Board determines in
good faith that Employee meets certain goals and performance objectives mutually
agreed upon by the Board and Employee ("PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES"), Employee shall
be eligible to receive a bonus equal to fifty-percent (50%) of his Basic
Compensation for such fiscal year. For purposes of this Agreement, the "RETURN
ON INVESTED CAPITAL TARGETS" shall be determined by the Board based upon
Holdings' annual budget for such fiscal year as approved by the Board. The Board
and Employee shall mutually agree upon Performance Objectives in writing each
year no later than thirty (30) days prior to the beginning of each fiscal year.

     (c)  BENEFITS. During the Employment Period, Employee shall be entitled to
participate in such employee benefit plans, programs and arrangements made
available to, and on the same terms as, other similarly situated executives of
Employers, including, without limitation, 401(k) plans, excess savings plans,
tax qualified profit sharing plans and any other retirement plans, health, group
life (with optional additional coverage), short term disability, long term
disability (not to exceed sixty-percent (60%) of Employee's Basic Compensation
otherwise payable to him for the applicable period), hospitalization and such
other benefit programs as may be approved from time to time by Employers for
their executives. Nothing herein shall affect Employers' right to amend, modify
or terminate any retirement or other benefit plan at any time on a company-wide
basis for similarly situated executives.

     (d)  STOCK OPTIONS. Holdings shall grant Employee stock options ("OPTIONS")
to purchase up to 175,000 shares of the Common Stock of Holdings (the "COMMON
STOCK") in accordance with the terms and conditions of Holdings' stock option
plan. The exercise price for the Options shall be equal to the closing bid price
per share of the Common Stock on the over-the-counter market as of the close of
business immediately preceding the date of grant. Subject in each case to
Employee's continued Employment until the applicable vesting date, one-half of
the Options will become vested and, subject to compliance with applicable
securities laws, exercisable in three equal annual installments on each of the
first three anniversaries of the date of grant, and the remaining one-half of
the Options (the "PERFORMANCE

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OPTIONS") will become vested and, subject to compliance with applicable
securities laws, exercisable in three equal annual installments on each of the
first three anniversaries of the date of grant each an ("INSTALLMENT DATE") if
Holdings achieves its Return on Invested Capital Targets in accordance with its
annual budget for the immediately preceding fiscal year. in the event any
Performance Options do not vest in any year due to the failure to meet the
Return on Invested Capital Targets for such year, such Options shall vest on any
subsequent Installment Date if Holdings has cumulatively achieved on such date
the Return on Invested Capital Targets for the current year, plus the Return on
Invested Capital Targets for the prior years for which such Targets were not
achieved (after taking into account any portion of such Targets achieved in such
prior years); PROVIDED, however, that if the Performance Options do not vest by
the final Installment Date, then such Options shall expire on such date.

     (e)  WITHHOLDING TAXES. The compensation and benefits to be provided to
Employee pursuant to this Agreement shall all be subject to withholding and
deductions for applicable federal, state and local taxes and other items, if
any, authorized or required to be withheld.

SECTION 3.     TERMINATION.

     (a)  DEATH OR DISABILITY. Employment of Employee under this Agreement shall
terminate automatically upon the death or total disability of Employee. For the
purpose of this Agreement, "TOTAL DISABILITY" shall be deemed to have occurred
if Employee shall have been unable to perform the duties of his Employment due
to mental or physical incapacity for a period of (i) 90 consecutive days or (ii)
120 non-consecutive days within any 365 day period.

     (b)  CAUSE. The Board may terminate the Employment of Employee under this
Agreement for Cause. For the purposes of this Agreement, "CAUSE" shall be deemed
to be (i) the conviction of a crime by Employee constituting a felony or other
crime involving moral turpitude, (ii) an act of dishonesty or disloyalty by
Employee that resulted in or was intended to result in gain to or personal
enrichment of Employee at any of the Employers' expense; (iii) the willful
engaging by Employee in misconduct which is injurious to any of the Employers;
(iv) Employee's failure to comply with the material terms of this Agreement; (v)
failure by Employee to comply fully with any lawful directives of the Board or
Employers; (vi) misappropriation by Employee of Employers' funds; (vii) habitual
abuse of alcohol, narcotics or other controlled substances by Employee; (viii)
gross negligence in the performance of Employee's duties and responsibilities
hereunder; (ix) failure to perform or adhere to the Code of Ethics adopted by
the Board, as the same may be amended by the Board from time to time, a copy of
which has been delivered to Employee as adopted by the Board as of the date
hereof; or (x) Employee relocates his primary place of residence more than
seventy-five (75) miles from the present location of Holdings' corporate
headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri (except if such relocation is expressly
requested by Holdings).

     (c)  WITHOUT CAUSE. Any of the Employers, acting alone, may terminate the
Employment of Employee under this Agreement without Cause.

     (d)  CONSTRUCTIVE TERMINATION. Employee may elect to terminate his
Employment under this Agreement upon a Constructive Termination Without Cause,
as defined below. For purposes of this Agreement, "CONSTRUCTIVE TERMINATION
WITHOUT CAUSE" shall mean a termination of the Employee's employment at his
initiative following the occurrence, without the Employee's prior written
consent, of one or more of the following events:

          (i)   any failure by the Employers to comply with any of the
     provisions of this Agreement, other than an isolated, insubstantial and
     inadvertent failure not occurring in bad faith

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     and which is remedied by the Employers within 30 days after receipt of
     written notice thereof given by the Employee;

          (ii)  any purported termination by the Employers of the Employee's
     employment otherwise than as expressly permitted by SECTION 3(b) of this
     Agreement;

          (iii) any failure by the Employers to comply with and satisfy the
     provisions of SECTION 6 hereof, or failure by any successor (whether direct
     or indirect, by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all or
     substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Employers to assume
     expressly and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the
     same extent the Employers would be required to perform it if no such
     succession had taken place, PROVIDED, in either case, that the successor
     contemplated by SECTION 6 hereof has received, at least 10 days prior to
     the giving of notice of constructive termination by the Employee, written
     notice from the Employers or the Employee of the requirements of the
     provisions of Section 6 or of such failure; or

          (iv)  if the Employers require Employee to relocate his principal work
     site to a principal work site that is more than seventy-five (75) miles
     from Employee's primary place of residence as of the date of this
     Agreement.

SECTION 4.     COMPENSATION FOLLOWING TERMINATION.

     (a)  DEATH. If the Employment Period is terminated pursuant to the
provisions of Section 3(a) above due to the death of Employee, this Agreement
shall terminate, and no further compensation shall be payable to Employee's
estate, heirs or beneficiaries, as applicable, except that Employee's estate,
heirs or beneficiaries, as applicable, shall be entitled to receive (i)
Employee's then current Basic Compensation through the end of the month in which
Employee's death occurred, (ii) a pro rata portion (based on a fraction the
numerator of which is the number of days Employee worked in the year of
Employee's death and the denominator of which is 365) of the bonus as set forth
in SECTION 2(b) which Employee would have been entitled to receive for the year
in which termination occurs if the performance objectives established in
Employers' Management Incentive Plan are achieved, and (iii) any unreimbursed
expenses pursuant to SECTION 5 below, and, thereafter, Employers shall have no
further obligations or liabilities hereunder to Employee's estate or legal
representative or otherwise, other than the payment of benefits, if any,
pursuant to SECTION 2(c).

     (b)  DISABILITY. If the Employment Period is terminated pursuant to the
provisions of SECTION 3(a) above due to Employee's total disability as
determined thereunder, this Agreement shall terminate, and (i) Employers will
continue the payment of Employee's Basic Compensation at the then current rate
until the earlier of (A) the benefits under any long-term disability insurance
provided by Employers commences or (B) 180 days from the date of such total
disability, (ii) Employers shall pay a pro rata portion (based on a fraction the
numerator of which is the number of days Employee worked in the year Employee
became totally disabled and the denominator of which is 365) of the bonus as set
forth in SECTION 2(b) which Employee would have been entitled to receive for the
year in which termination occurs if the performance objectives established in
Employers' Management Incentive Plan are achieved, and (iii) Employers shall pay
any unreimbursed expenses pursuant to SECTION 5 below. Thereafter, Employers
shall have no obligation for Basic Compensation or other compensation payments
to Employee during thc continuance of such total disability.

     (c)  TERMINATION FOR CAUSE OR VOLUNTARY TERMINATION. Tithe Employment
Period (i) is not renewed in accordance with the terms and conditions of SECTION
1(a) above or (ii) is terminated for Cause or voluntarily by the Employee for
reasons other than those described in SECTION 3(a) OR 3(d) above, no

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further compensation or benefits shall bc paid to Employee after the date of
termination, but Employee shall be entitled to receive benefits to which he is
or may become entitled pursuant to any benefit plan which by its terms survive
termination.

     (d)  TERMINATION WITHOUT CAUSE; CONSTRUCTIVE TERMINATION. If the Employment
Period is terminated pursuant to SECTION 3(c) OR 3(d) above, Employee shall be
entitled (i) to continue to receive from Employers his then current Basic
Compensation, such amount to continue to be paid in accordance with the payroll
practices of Employers for a period equal to 12 months, (ii) to receive (A) a
bonus equal to the average of the bonuses earned pursuant to the terms of
SECTION 2(b) in the two years immediately preceding the year in which Employee
is terminated, or (B) if this Agreement is terminated pursuant to SECTION 3(c)
OR 3(d) during the second year of this Agreement, a bonus equal to the bonus
earned pursuant to SECTION 2(b) in the year immediately preceding the year in
which Employee is terminated; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, in either case, that if no
bonus was earned in the applicable year(s) immediately preceding the year in
which Employee is terminated, then the bonus for such applicable year shall be
deemed zero for purposes of computing the bonus under this SECTION 4(d) and,
PROVIDED, FURTHER, that if this Agreement is terminated pursuant to SECTION 3(c)
OR 3(d) during the first year of this Agreement, then Employee shall not receive
a bonus under this SECTION 4(d), (iii) during such 12-month period, to continue
to receive the benefits to which he would otherwise be entitled during the
Employment Period pursuant to SECTION 2(c) above; PROVIDED that Employee shall
continue to make the same contributions toward such coverage as Employee was
making on the date of termination, with such adjustments to contributions as are
made generally for all Employers' employees, and (iv) during such 12-month
period, to a monthly automobile allowance as contemplated by SECTION 5 below;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that Employee shall no longer be entitled to participate in
any of Employers' 401K plans, excess savings plans, tax qualified profit sharing
plans or any other retirement plans. If Employee is entitled to receive a bonus
pursuant to SECTION 4(d)(ii) above, such bonus, if any, shall be payable in
twelve (12) equal monthly installments, to be paid on or before the fifth (5th)
day of each month, with the first monthly installment payment beginning in the
mouth immediately following the month in which Employee was terminated and
continuing thereafter for the next eleven (11) consecutive months. Employee
shall have the option to receive the present value of the compensation, bonus
and benefits (at a 12% discount) described in the immediately preceding sentence
in a lump sum payment, with such option to be exercised by Employee in writing
within ten (10) days of termination and Employer shall make such lump sum
payment within thirty (30) days of receiving the written notice from Employee.
In the event of Employee's death during such 12-month period, such continuation
of compensation, bonus, benefits and monthly automobile allowance shall cease
upon Employee's death. In the event Employee obtains employment elsewhere during
such 12-month period such compensation, bonus, benefits and monthly automobile
allowance shall continue for the period described above notwithstanding such
reemployment of Employee; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that Employers' obligations for
compensation, bonus, benefits and monthly automobile allowance shall be reduced
by the amount Employee receives from his new employer for compensation. bonus,
benefits and automobile allowance. The sums received by Employee under this
SECTION 4(d) shall be considered liquidated damages in respect of claims based
on any provisions of this Agreement or any claims arising out of Employee's
employment with Employers, and the commencement of the payment of such sums by
Employers shall not begin until Employee executes and delivers a general release
of all claims in form and substance satisfactory to Employers,

     (e)  CHANGE OF CONTROL.

          (i)   Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, if a
     Change of Control (as defined below) occurs and if Employee's Employment
     with the Employers is (A) terminated for any reason within one (1) year
     after the date on which the Change of Control occurs, (B) terminated by
     Employer as a Constructive Termination Without Cause, or (C) terminated as
     a result of the non-renewal of this Agreement by the Employers on the next

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     applicable anniversary date for renewal of the Agreement (each a "Change of
     Control Termination"), Employee shall be entitled (i) to continue to
     receive from Employers his then current Basic Compensation, such amount to
     continue to be paid in accordance with the payroll practices of Employers
     for a period equal to 24 months, (ii) to receive (A) a bonus equal to the
     average of the bonuses earned pursuant to the terms of SECTION 2(b) in the
     two years immediately preceding the year in which the Change of Control
     Termination occurs, or (13) if the Change of Control Termination occurs
     during the second year of this Agreement, a bonus equal to the bonus earned
     pursuant to SECTION 2(b) in the immediately preceding year; PROVIDED,
     HOWEVER, in either case, that if no bonus was earned in the applicable
     year(s) immediately preceding the year in which the Change of Control
     Termination occurs, then the bonus for such applicable year shall be deemed
     zero for purposes of computing the bonus under this SECTION 4(e) and,
     PROVIDED, FURTHER, that if the Change of Control Termination occurs during
     the first year of this Agreement, then Employee shall not receive a bonus
     under this SECTION 4(e), (iii) during such 24-month period, to continue to
     receive the benefits to which he would otherwise be entitled during the
     Employment Period pursuant to SECTION 2(c) above; provided that Employee
     shall continue to make the same contributions toward such coverage as
     Employee was making on the date of termination, with such adjustments to
     contributions as are made generally for all Employers' employees, and (iv)
     during such 24-month period, to a monthly automobile allowance as
     contemplated by SECTION 5 below; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that Employee shall no
     longer be entitled to participate in any of Employers' 401K plans, excess
     savings plans, tax qualified profit sharing plans or any other retirement
     plans. If Employee is entitled to receive a bonus pursuant to SECTION
     4(e)(ii) above, the amount of such bonus, if any, shall be doubled and
     shall be payable in twenty-four (24) equal monthly installments, to be paid
     on or before the fifth (5th) day of each month, with the first monthly
     installment payment beginning in the month immediately following the month
     in which Employee was terminated and continuing thereafter for the next
     twenty-thee (23) consecutive months. Employee shall have the option to
     receive the present value of the compensation, bonus and benefits (at a 12%
     discount) described in the immediately preceding sentence in a lump sum
     payment, with such option to be exercised by Employee in writing within ten
     (10) days of termination and Employer shall make such lump sum payment
     within thirty (30) days of receiving the written notice from Employee. In
     the event of Employee's death during such 24-month period, such
     continuation of compensation, bonus, benefits and monthly automobile
     allowance shall cease upon Employee's death. In the event Employee obtains
     employment elsewhere during such 24-month period such compensation, bonus,
     benefits and monthly automobile allowance shall continue for the period
     described above notwithstanding such reemployment of Employee; PROVIDED,
     HOWEVER, that Employers' obligations for compensation, bonus, benefits and
     monthly automobile allowance shall be reduced by the amount Employee
     receives from his new employer for compensation, bonus, benefits and
     automobile allowance. The sums received by Employee under this SECTION 4(e)
     shall be considered liquidated damages in respect of claims based on any
     provisions of this Agreement or any claims arising out of Employee's
     employment with Employers, and the commencement of the payment of such sums
     by Employers shall not begin until Employee executes and delivers a general
     release of all claims in form and substance satisfactory to Employers. The
     compensation, bonus and benefits received by Employee pursuant to this
     SECTION 4(e) shall be in lieu of any compensation, bonus and benefits due
     under SECTION 4(c) or SECTION 4(d).

          (ii)  For purposes of this Agreement, "CHANGE OF CONTROL" shall mean
     (A) any sale of all or substantially all of the assets of Holdings or of a
     majority of the other Employers, (B) any merger, consolidation or
     reorganization involving Holdings, unless the stockholders of Holdings,
     immediately before such merger, consolidation or reorganization, own,
     directly or indirectly, immediately following such merger, consolidation or
     reorganization, at least fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power
     of the outstanding voting securities of the corporation resulting

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     from such merger, consolidation or reorganization, in substantially the
     same proportion as their ownership of the voting securities of Holdings
     immediately before such merger, consolidation or reorganization, or (C) any
     other transaction (or series of related transactions) resulting in the
     stockholders of Holdings, immediately before such transaction (or the first
     of such series of related transactions), owning, directly or indirectly,
     immediately following such transaction, less than two-thirds (2/3) of the
     combined voting power of the outstanding voting securities of Holdings.

     (f)  PAYMENTS. In no event shall any payment to Employee under this
Agreement that constitutes a "parachute payment" within the meaning of Section
280G(b)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of! 9S6, as amended (the "Code"), exceed
299% of Employee's "base amount" of compensation, as defined in Section 280G of
the Code. If any such "parachute payment" would exceed 299% of such "base
amount," Employers will instead pay Employee 299% of the "base amount" and
Employers shall have no further obligation to Employee hereunder.

SECTION 5.      EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT.

     Upon the submission of properly documented expense account reports,
Employers shall reimburse Employee for all reasonable business-related travel
and entertainment expenses incurred by Employee in the course of his Employment
with Employers, including the ownership and use of a cellular phone. Employers
shall provide Employee with a monthly car allowance of $500; PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
that there shall be no cap on such monthly car allowance for so long as Holdings
continues to lease the BMW automobile that it leases as of the date hereof and
provides to Employee for use, and Holdings shall have no obligation to renew
such lease or to otherwise exercise any options to prolong Holdings' use of such
automobile beyond the current lease term. Unless otherwise expressly provided in
this Agreement, Employers' obligations under this SECTION 5 shall terminate upon
the termination of the Employment Period, except for any expenses eligible for
reimbursement hereunder that are incurred prior to such termination, in which
case such expenses shall be reimbursed on a prorated basis through the
termination date of the Employment Period.

SECTION 6.      ASSIGNABILITY; BINDING NATURE.

     This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the
parties, and their respective successors, heirs (in the case of Employee) and
assigns. No obligations of the Employers under this Agreement may be assigned or
transferred by the Employers except that such obligations shall be assigned or
transferred (as described below) pursuant to a merger or consolidation of
Holdings in which Holdings is not the continuing entity, or the sale or
liquidation of all or substantially all of the assets of the Employers, provided
that the assignee or transferee is the surviving entity or successor to all or
substantially all of the assets of the Employers and such assignee or transferee
assumes the liabilities, obligations and duties of the Employers, as contained
in this Agreement, either contractually or as a matter of law. Each Employer
may, without the prior written consent of Employee, assign its rights and
obligations under this Agreement, in whole or in part, including, without
limitation, the rights and obligations set forth in SECTION 7 through SECTION 9,
to any one or more of its affiliates or any entity that acquires a substantial
part of its assets or a successor by merger, consolidation or other corporate
restructuring. As used in this Agreement, the "Employers" arid "Holdings" shall
mean the Employers and Holdings as hereinbefore defined, respectively, and any
successor to their business and/or assets as aforesaid which assumes and agrees
to perform this Agreement by operation of law, or otherwise.

SECTION 7.      CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.

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     (a)  NON-DISCLOSURE. During the Employment Period or at any time
thereafter, irrespective of the time, manner or cause of the termination of this
Agreement, Employee will not directly or indirectly reveal, divulge, disclose or
communicate to any person or entity, other than authorized officers, directors
and employees of the Employers, in any manner whatsoever, any Confidential
Information (as hereinafter defined) of Employers or any subsidiary of Employers
without the prior written consent of the Board.

     (b)  DEFINITION. As used herein, "CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION" means
information disclosed to or known by Employee as a direct or indirect
consequence of or through the Employment about Employers or any subsidiary of
Employers, or their respective businesses, products and practices which
information is not generally known in the business in which Employers or any
subsidiary of Employers is or may be engaged. However, Confidential Information
shall not include under any circumstances any information with respect to the
foregoing matters which is (i) directly available to the public from a source
other than Employee, (ii) released in writing by Employers to the public or to
persons who are not under a similar obligation of confidentiality to Employers
and who are not parties to this Agreement, (iii) obtained by Employee from a
third party not tinder a similar obligation of confidentiality to Employers,
(iv) required to be disclosed by any court process or any government or agency
or department of any government, or (v) the subject of a written waiver executed
by either Employers for the benefit of Employee. In the event Employee believes
that he is free to disclose or utilize Confidential information under SECTION
7(b), he shall give written notice of the same to Employers at least 30 days
prior to the release or use of such Confidential Information and shall specify
the claimed exemption and the circumstances giving rise thereto.

     (c)  RETURN OF PROPERTY. Upon termination of the Employment, Employee will
surrender to Employers all Confidential Information, including, without
limitation, all lists, charts, schedules, reports, financial statements, books
and records of the Employers or any subsidiary of the Employers, and all copies
thereof; and all other property belonging to the Employers or any subsidiary of
the Employers, including, without limitation, company credit cards, cell phones,
personal data assistants or other electronic devices, provided Employee shall be
accorded reasonable access to such Confidential Information subsequent to the
Employment Period for any proper purpose as determined in the reasonable
judgment of any of the Employers.

SECTION 8.      AGREEMENT NOT TO COMPETE.

     (a)  TERMINATION FOR CAUSE. In the event that Employee is terminated for
Cause or voluntarily terminates his Employment with Employers other than as a
Constructive Termination, Employee hereby agrees that for a period of 18 months
following such termination, he shall not, either in his own behalf or as a
partner, officer, director, employee, agent or shareholder (other than as the
holder of less than 5% of the outstanding capital stock of any corporation with
a class of equity security registered under SECTION 12(h) or SECTION 12(g) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) engage in, invest in or render
services to any person or entity engaged in the businesses in which Employers or
any subsidiary of Employers are then engaged and situated within any country.
Nothing contained in this SECTION 8(a) shall be construed as restricting the
Employee's right to sell or otherwise dispose of any business or investments
owned or operated by Employee as of the date hereof.

     (b)  TERMINATION WITHOUT CAUSE OR FOR DISABILITY; CONSTRUCTIVE TERMINATION.
In the event that the Employment of Employee is terminated (i) by Employers
without Cause, (ii) due to the non-renewal of the Employment Period by
Employers, (iii) as a result of the total disability of Employee, (iv) by
Employee as a Constructive Termination Without Cause or (v) as a result of a
Change of Control Termination, Employee hereby agrees that during the period
that the Employers are required to make payment to Employee (regardless of
whether Employee accepts such payment, elects to receive a lump sum of such
payment, refuses to execute and deliver a general release as required hereunder
or if such

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obligation is reduced in any way due to Employee's employment elsewhere)
pursuant to SECTION 4(b), SECTION 4(c), SECTION 4(d) or SECTION 4(e), above, as
applicable, neither he nor any affiliate shall, either in his own behalf or as a
partner, officer, director, employee, agent or shareholder (other than as the
holder of less than 5% of the outstanding capital stock of any1 corporation with
a class of equity security registered under SECTION 12(b) or SECTION 12(g) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) engage in, invest in or render
services to any person or entity engaged in the businesses in which Employers or
any subsidiary of Employers is then engaged and situated within any country.
Nothing contained in this SECTION 8(b) shall be construed as restricting the
Employee's right to sell or otherwise dispose of any business or investments
owned or operated by Employee as of the date hereof.

SECTION 9.      AGREEMENT NOT TO SOLICIT EMPLOYEES.

     Employee agrees that, for a period of two (2) years following the
termination or expiration of this Agreement, neither he nor any affiliate shall,
on behalf of any business engaged in a business competitive with Employers or
any subsidiary of Employers, solicit or induce, or in any manner attempt to
solicit or induce any person employed by, or any agent of, any Employers or any
subsidiary of Employers to terminate his employment or agency, as the case may
be, with any Employers or such subsidiary; provided that such limitations shall
not apply if the contact with the employee, agent or consultant is initiated by
a third party, not engaged or hired by Employee or any affiliate of Employee, on
a "blind basis" such as through a head hunter.

SECTION 10.     INJUNCTIVE RELIEF AND OTHER REMEDIES.

     (a)  Employee acknowledges and agrees that the covenants, obligations and
agreements of Employee contained in SECTION 7, Section 8, SECTION 9 and this
SECTION 10 relate to special, unique and extraordinary matters and that a
violation of any of the terms of such covenants, obligations or agreements will
cause Employers irreparable injury for which adequate remedies are not available
at law. Therefore, Employee agrees that Employers shall be entitled to an
injunction, restraining order or such other equitable relief (without the
requirement to post bond) as a court of competent jurisdiction may deem
necessary or appropriate to restrain Employee from committing any violation of
such covenants, obligations or agreements.

     (b)  In the event of Employee's violation of the provisions of SECTION 7
after the Employment of Employee is terminated for any reason, SECTION 8 or
SECTION 9, the right of Employee to receive any further payment pursuant to this
Agreement shall immediately terminate and the payments made to Employee
subsequent to the termination of Employee's Employment pursuant to this
Agreement shall be returned to Employers by Employee within thirty (30) days
after receipt of written notice from Employers of such violation. The injunctive
remedies and other remedies described in this SECTION 10 are cumulative and in
addition to any other rights and remedies Employers may have.

SECTION 11.     NO VIOLATION.

     Employee hereby represents and warrants to Employers that the execution,
delivery and performance of this Agreement by Employee does not, with or without
the giving of notice or the passage of time, or both, conflict with, result in a
default, right to accelerate or loss of rights under any provision of Any
agreement or understanding to which the Employee or, to the best knowledge of
Employee, any of Employee's affiliates are a party or by which Employee, or to
the best knowledge of Employee, Employee's affiliates may be bound or affected.

SECTION 12.     CAPTIONS.

                                        9
<Page>

     The captions, headings and arrangements used in this Agreement are for
convenience only and do not in any way affect, limit or amplify the provisions
hereof.

SECTION 13.     NOTICES.

     All Notices required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be in writing
and shall be deemed delivered, whether or not actually received, two days after
deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid, registered or certified
mail, return receipt requested, addressed to the party to whom notice is being
given at the specified address or at such other address as such party may
designate by notice:

                Employers:                Thermadyne Holdings Corporation
                                          Attn: Chief Executive Officer
                                          16052 Swingley Ridge Road, Suite 300
                                          St. Louis, MO 63017
                                          Fax:  636-728-3010

                                          and

                                          Thermadyne Holdings Corporation
                                          Attn: General Counsel
                                          16052 Swingley Ridge Road, Suite 300
                                          St. Louis, MO 63017
                                          Fax:  636-728-3011

                Employee:                 c/o Thermadyne Holdings Corporation
                                          16052 Swingley Ridge Road, Suite 300
                                          St. Louis, MO 63017

SECTION 14.     INVALID PROVISIONS.

     If any provision of this Agreement is held to be illegal, invalid or
unenforceable under present or future laws, such provisions shall be fully
severable, and this Agreement shall be construed and enforced as if such
illegal, invalid or unenforceable provision had never comprised a part of this
Agreement; the remaining provisions of this Agreement shall remain in full force
and effect and shall not be affected by the illegal, invalid or unenforceable
provision or by its severance for this Agreement. In lieu of each such illegal,
invalid or unenforceable provision, there shall be added automatically as part
of this Agreement a provision as similar in terms to such illegal, invalid or
unenforceable provision as may be possible and be legal, valid and enforceable.

SECTION 15.     AMENDMENTS.

     This Agreement may be amended in whole or in part only by an instrument in
writing setting forth the particulars of such amendment and duly executed by an
officer of Employers and by Employee.

SECTION 16.     WAIVER.

     No delay or omission by any party hereto to exercise any right or power
hereunder shall impair such right or power to be construed as a waiver thereof.
A waiver by any of the parties hereto of any of the covenants to be performed by
any other party or any breach thereof shall not be construed to be a waiver of
any succeeding breach thereof or of any other covenant herein contained. Except
as otherwise expressly set forth herein, all remedies provided for in this
Agreement shall be cumulative and in addition to and not in lieu of any other
remedies available to any party at law, in equity or otherwise.

                                       10
<Page>

SECTION 17.     COUNTERPARTS; REPRODUCTION.

     This Agreement may be executed in multiple counterparts, each of which
shall constitute an original, and all of which together shall constitute one and
the same Agreement, and any copy, facsimile or other reliable reproduction of
this Agreement maybe substituted or used in lieu of the original writing for any
and all purposes for which the original writing could be used, provided that
such copy, facsimile or other reproduction be a complete reproduction of the
entire original writing.

SECTION 18.     GOVERNING LAW.

     This Agreement shall be construed and enforced according to the laws of the
State of Missouri.

SECTION 19.     RESOLUTION OF DISPUTES; ARBITRATION.

     Any dispute arising out of or relating to this Agreement or Employee's
employment with Employers or the termination thereof shall be resolved first by
negotiation between the parties. If such negotiations leave the matter
unresolved after 60 days, then such dispute or claim shall be resolved by
binding confidential arbitration, to be held in St. Louis, Missouri, in
accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association. The
arbitrator in any arbitration provided for herein will be mutually selected by
the parties or in the event the parties cannot mutually agree, then appointed by
the American Arbitration Association. Judgment upon the award rendered by the
arbitrator(s) may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof. The
parties shall be responsible for their own costs and expenses under this SECTION
19.

SECTION 20.     PAYMENT UPON DEATH OF EMPLOYEE.

     In the event of the death of Employee during the term hereof, any unpaid
payments due either prior to Employee's death or after Employee's death shall be
payable as designated by Employee prior to his death in writing to Employers. In
the event of the death of all such persons so designated by Employee, either
prior to the death of the Employee or during any time when payments are due as
provided herein, or in the event Employee fails to so designate prior to his
death, or withdraws all such designations, said payments thereafter shall be
made to Employee's estate.

SECTION 21.     JOINTLY AND SEVERALLY LIABLE.

     Each of the Employers that have signed below is a party to this Agreement
and is jointly and severally liable for the obligations of Employers set forth
in this Agreement.

SECTION 22.     PRIOR AGREEMENTS.

     This Agreement supersedes any and all other employment or similar
agreements between Employee and Employers, including, without limitation, that
certain letter agreement, dated October 16, 2003, from Holdings to Employee (the
"LETTER"); PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the options granted to Employee to purchase
25,000 shares of Common Stock as set forth in the Letter shall survive this
Agreement in accordance with the terms of the Letter.

SECTION 23.     EMPLOYEE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.

     Employee acknowledges and agrees that (a) he has read this Agreement; (b)
he is fully competent to execute this Agreement which he understands to be
contractual; (c) he executes this Agreement of his own free will, after having a
reasonable period of time to review, study, and deliberate regarding its

                                       11
<Page>

meaning and effect and to consult with counsel regarding same; and (d) without
reliance on any representation of any kind or character not expressly set forth
herein.

                               * * * * * * * * * *

                                       12
<Page>

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed and delivered this
Employment Agreement as of the date first above written.

                                       EMPLOYEE:

                                       /s/ Paul D. Melnuk
                                       -------------------------------------
                                       Name:    Paul D. Melnuk

                                       EMPLOYERS:

                                       THERMADYNE HOLDINGS CORPORATION

                                       By:      /s/ Patricia S. Williams
                                                -----------------------------
                                                Patricia S. Williams
                                       Title:   Vice President & General Counsel

                                       THERMADYNE INDUSTRIES, INC.

                                       By:      /s/ Patricia S. Williams
                                                -----------------------------
                                                Patricia S. Williams
                                       Title:   Vice President & General Counsel

                                       VICTOR EQUIPMENT COMPANY

                                       By:      /s/ Patricia S. Williams
                                                -----------------------------
                                                Patricia S. Williams
                                       Title:   Vice President & General Counsel

                                       THERMADYNE INTERNATIONAL CORP.

                                       By:      /s/ Patricia S. Williams
                                                -----------------------------
                                                Patricia S. Williams
                                       Title:   Vice President & General Counsel

                                       TWECO PRODUCTS, INC.

                                       By:      /s/ Patricia S. Williams
                                                -----------------------------
                                                Patricia S. Williams
                                       Title:   Vice President & General Counsel

                                       13
<Page>

                                       THERMAL DYNAMICS CORP.

                                       By:      /s/ Patricia S. Williams
                                                -----------------------------
                                                Patricia S. Williams
                                       Title:   Vice President & General Counsel

                                       STOODY COMPANY

                                       By:      /s/ Patricia S. Williams
                                                -----------------------------
                                                Patricia S. Williams
                                       Title:   Vice President & General Counsel

                                       THERMAL ARC, INC.

                                       By:      /s/ Patricia S. Williams
                                                -----------------------------
                                                Patricia S. Williams
                                       Title:   Vice President & General Counsel

                                       C&G SYSTEMS HOLDINGS, INC.

                                       By:      /s/ Patricia S. Williams
                                                -----------------------------
                                                Patricia S. Williams
                                       Title:   Vice President & General Counsel

                                       C&G SYSTEMS, INC.

                                       By:      /s/ Patricia S. Williams
                                                -----------------------------
                                                Patricia S. Williams
                                       Title:   Vice President & General Counsel

                                       THERMADYNE ITALIA, SRL.

                                       By:      /s/ Patricia S. Williams
                                                -----------------------------
                                                Patricia S. Williams
                                       Title:   Vice President & General Counsel

                                       THERMADYNE AUSTRALIA PTY LTD.

                                       By:      /s/ Patricia S. Williams
                                                -----------------------------
                                                Patricia S. Williams
                                       Title:   Vice President & General Counsel

                                       14
<Page>

                                       THERMADYNE ASIA/PACIFIC PTE LTD.

                                       By:      /s/ Patricia S. Williams
                                                -----------------------------
                                                Patricia S. Williams
                                       Title:   Vice President & General Counsel

                                       THERMADYNE JAPAN, LTD.

                                       By:      /s/ Patricia S. Williams
                                                -----------------------------
                                                Patricia S. Williams
                                       Title:   Vice President & General Counsel

                                       THERMADYNE SOUTH AMERICA HOLDINGS, LTD.

                                       By:      /s/ Patricia S. Williams
                                                -----------------------------
                                                Patricia S. Williams
                                       Title:   Vice President & General Counsel

                                       THERMADYNE SOUTH AFRICA (PTY) LTD.

                                       By:      /s/ Patricia S. Williams
                                                -----------------------------
                                                Patricia S. Williams
                                       Title:   Vice President & General Counsel

                                       MAXWELD & BRAZE (PTY) LTD.

                                       By:      /s/ Patricia S. Williams
                                                -----------------------------
                                                Patricia S. Williams
                                       Title:   Vice President & General Counsel

                                       GENSET S.P.A.

                                       By:
                                                -----------------------------
                                                Patricia S. Williams
                                       Title:   Vice President & General Counsel

                                       TECMO SRL

                                       By:      /s/ Patricia S. Williams
                                                -----------------------------
                                                Patricia S. Williams
                                       Title:   Vice President & General Counsel

                                       15
<Page>

                                       OCIM SRL

                                       By:      /s/ Patricia S. Williams
                                                -----------------------------
                                                Patricia S. Williams
                                       Title:   Vice President & General Counsel

                                       DUXTECH PTY. LTD.

                                       By:      /s/ Patricia S. Williams
                                                -----------------------------
                                                Patricia S. Williams
                                       Title:   Vice President & General Counsel

                                       CIGWELD GROUP PTY LTD.

                                       By:      /s/ Patricia S. Williams
                                                -----------------------------
                                                Patricia S. Williams
                                       Title:   Vice President & General Counsel

                                       THERMADYNE BRAZIL HOLDINGS, LTD.

                                       By:      /s/ Patricia S. Williams
                                                -----------------------------
                                                Patricia S. Williams
                                       Title:   Vice President & General Counsel

                                       THERMADYNE VICTOR LTDA.

                                       By:      /s/ Patricia S. Williams
                                                -----------------------------
                                                Patricia S. Williams
                                       Title:   Vice President & General Counsel

                                       THERMADYNE CHILE HOLDINGS, LTD.

                                       By:      /s/ Patricia S. Williams
                                                -----------------------------
                                                Patricia S. Williams
                                       Title:   Vice President & General Counsel

                                       SOLTEC SA

                                       By:      /s/ Patricia S. Williams
                                                -----------------------------
                                                Patricia S. Williams
                                       Title:   Vice President & General Counsel

                                       16
<Page>

                                       THERMADYNE DO BRASIL LTDA.

                                       By:      /s/ Patricia S. Williams
                                                -----------------------------
                                                Patricia S. Williams
                                       Title:   Vice President & General Counsel

                                       THERMADYNE INDUSTRIES, LTD.

                                       By:      /s/ Patricia S. Williams
                                                -----------------------------
                                                Patricia S. Williams
                                       Title:   Vice President & General Counsel

                                       THERMADYNE CYLINDER CO.

                                       By:      /s/ Patricia S. Williams
                                                -----------------------------
                                                Patricia S. Williams
                                       Title:   Vice President & General Counsel

                                       MECO HOLDING COMPANY

                                       By:      /s/ Patricia S. Williams
                                                -----------------------------
                                                Patricia S. Williams
                                       Title:   Vice President & General Counsel

                                       PROTIP CORPORATION

                                       By:      /s/ Patricia S. Williams
                                                -----------------------------
                                                Patricia S. Williams
                                       Title:   Vice President & General Counsel

                                       THERMADYNE WELDING PRODUCTS CANADA, LTD.

                                       By:      /s/ Patricia S. Williams
                                                -----------------------------
                                                Patricia S. Williams
                                       Title:   Vice President & General Counsel

                                       THERMADYNE DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V.

                                       By:      /s/ Patricia S. Williams
                                                -----------------------------
                                                Patricia S. Williams
                                       Title:   Vice President & General Counsel

                                       17
<Page>

                                       TWECO DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V.

                                       By:      /s/ Patricia S. Williams
                                                -----------------------------
                                                Patricia S. Williams
                                       Title:   Vice President & General Counsel

                                       VICTOR EQUIPMENT DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V.

                                       By:      /s/ Patricia S. Williams
                                                -----------------------------
                                                Patricia S. Williams
                                       Title:   Vice President & General Counsel

                                       PHILIPPINE WELDING EQUIPMENT, INC.

                                       By:      /s/ Patricia S. Williams
                                                -----------------------------
                                                Patricia S. Williams
                                       Title:   Vice President & General Counsel

                                       CIGWELD PHILIPPINES, INC.

                                       By:      /s/ Patricia S. Williams
                                                -----------------------------
                                                Patricia S. Williams
                                       Title:   Vice President & General Counsel

                                       THERMADYNE ASIA SDN BHD

                                       By:      /s/ Patricia S. Williams
                                                -----------------------------
                                                Patricia S. Williams
                                       Title:   Vice President & General Counsel

                                       PT CIGWELD INDONESIA

                                       By:      /s/ Patricia S. Williams
                                                -----------------------------
                                                Patricia S. Williams
                                       Title:   Vice President & General Counsel

                                       CIGWELD MALAYSIA SDN

                                       By:      /s/ Patricia S. Williams
                                                -----------------------------
                                                Patricia S. Williams
                                       Title:   Vice President & General Counsel

                                       18<PAGE>

                                                                 Exhibit 10.1

                                                            [EXECUTION COPY]

                        SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT

                  SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT (this "Agreement"), dated as
                                                       ---------
of April 13, 2004, by and between Applied Digital Solutions, Inc., a
Missouri corporation (the "Company"), and Satellite Strategic Finance
                           -------
Associates, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the "Investor").
                                                            --------

                  The Company wishes to sell to the Investor, and the
Investor wishes to purchase, on the terms and subject to the conditions set
forth in this Agreement, (i) shares (the "Shares") of the Company's common
                                          ------
stock, par value $.01 per share (the "Common Stock"), (ii) a Series A
                                      ------------
Warrant in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the "Series A Warrant")
                                       ---------       ----------------
and (iii) a Series B Warrant in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B (the
                                                            ---------
"Series B Warrant"). The Series A Warrant and the Series B Warrant are
 ----------------
collectively referred to herein as the "Warrants".
                                        --------

                  On the terms and subject to the conditions specified
herein, the Company will issue and sell two million (2,000,000) Shares to
the Investor at a purchase price per Share equal to the Share Price (as
defined below). The Series A Warrant will entitle the Investor to purchase
one million (1,000,000) shares of Common Stock, will have an exercise price
equal to the Share Price (subject to adjustment as provided therein) and
will expire on the sixtieth (60th) day following the Effective Date (as
defined below). The Series B Warrant will entitle the Investor to purchase
six hundred sixty six thousand, six hundred and sixty seven (666,667) shares
of Common Stock, will have an exercise price equal to 120% of the Share
Price (subject to adjustment as provided therein) and will expire on the
sixth (6th) anniversary of the Closing Date.

                  The shares of Common Stock into which the Warrants are
exercisable are referred to herein as the "Warrant Shares". The Shares and
                                           --------------
the Warrants are collectively referred to herein as the "Purchased
                                                         ---------
Securities", and the Purchased Securities and the Warrant Shares are
----------
collectively referred to herein as the "Securities".
                                        ----------

                  The Company has agreed to effect the registration of the
Registrable Securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"Securities Act"), pursuant to a Registration Rights Agreement in the form
 --------------
attached hereto as Exhibit C (the "Registration Rights Agreement"). The sale
                   ---------       -----------------------------
of the Securities by the Company to the Investor will be effected in
reliance upon the exemption from securities registration afforded by the
provisions of Section 4(2) of the Securities Act or Regulation D
("Regulation D") promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
  ------------
"Commission") thereunder.
 ----------

                  In consideration of the mutual promises made herein and
other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which
are hereby acknowledged, the Company and the Investor hereby agree as
follows:

<PAGE>
<PAGE>

1. PURCHASE AND SALE OF PURCHASED SECURITIES.
   -----------------------------------------

         1.1 Purchase and Sale of Shares and Warrants. Upon the terms and
             ----------------------------------------
subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions set forth herein,
the Company agrees to sell and the Investor agrees to purchase (i) two
million (2,000,000) Shares, (ii) a Series A Warrant and (iii) a Series B
Warrant. The purchase price for the Purchased Securities being purchased by
the Investor (the "Purchase Price") shall be equal to (x) the number of
                   --------------
Shares purchased by the Investor times (y) the Share Price. The closing of
                                 -----
the purchase and sale of the Purchased Securities (the "Closing") will be
                                                        -------
deemed to occur at the offices of Duval & Stachenfeld, LLP, 300 East 42nd
Street, New York, New York 10017, when (A) this Agreement and the other
Transaction Documents (as defined below) have been executed and delivered by
the Company and, to the extent applicable, by the Investor, (B) each of the
conditions to Closing described in Section 5 hereof has been satisfied or
waived by the Company or the Investor, as the case may be and (C) the
Investor shall have delivered the Purchase Price to the Company by wire
transfer of immediately available funds against physical delivery of duly
executed certificates representing the Purchased Securities being purchased
by the Investor. The date on which the Closing occurs is referred to herein
as the "Closing Date".
        ------------

         1.2 Certain Definitions. When used herein, the following terms
             -------------------
shall have the respective meanings indicated:

                  "Affiliate" means, as to any Person (the "subject
                   ---------                                -------
Person"), any other Person (a) that directly or indirectly through one or
------
more intermediaries controls or is controlled by, or is under direct or
indirect common control with, the subject Person, (b) that directly or
indirectly beneficially owns or holds ten percent (10%) or more of any class
of voting equity of the subject Person, or (c) ten percent (10%) or more of
the voting equity of which is directly or indirectly beneficially owned or
held by the subject Person. For the purposes of this definition, "control"
                                                                  -------
when used with respect to any Person means the power to direct the
management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether
through the ownership of voting securities, through representation on such
Person's Board of Directors or other management committee or group, by
contract or otherwise.

                  "Business Day" means any day other than a Saturday, a
                   ------------
Sunday or a day on which the New York Stock Exchange or commercial banks
located in New York City are authorized or permitted by law to close.

                  "Closing" and "Closing Date" have the respective meanings
                   -------       ------------
specified in Section 1.1 hereof.

                  "Common Stock" means the common stock, par value $0.01 per
                   ------------
share, of the Company.

                  "Debt" means, as to any Person at any time: (a) all
                   ----
indebtedness, liabilities and obligations of such Person for borrowed money;
(b) all indebtedness, liabilities and obligations of such Person to pay the
deferred purchase price of Property or services, except trade accounts
payable of such Person arising in the ordinary course of business that are
not past due by more than

                                     2

<PAGE>
<PAGE>

90 days; (c) all capital lease obligations of such Person; (d) all
indebtedness, liabilities and obligations of others guaranteed by such
Person; (e) all indebtedness, liabilities and obligations secured by a Lien
existing on Property owned by such Person, whether or not the indebtedness,
liabilities or obligations secured thereby have been assumed by such Person
or are non-recourse to such Person; (f) all reimbursement obligations of
such Person (whether contingent or otherwise) in respect of letters of
credit, bankers' acceptances, surety or other bonds and similar instruments;
and (g) all indebtedness, liabilities and obligations of such Person to
redeem or retire shares of capital stock of such Person.

                  "Disclosure Documents" means all SEC Documents filed by
                   --------------------
the Company at least two (2) Business Days prior to the date of this
Agreement via the Commission's Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and
Retrieval system (EDGAR) in accordance with the requirements of Regulation
S-T under the Exchange Act.

                  "Effective Date" has the meaning set forth in the
                   --------------
Registration Rights Agreement.

                  "Environmental Law" means any federal, state, provincial,
                   -----------------
local or foreign law, statute, code or ordinance, principle of common law,
rule or regulation, as well as any Permit, order, decree, judgment or
injunction issued, promulgated, approved or entered thereunder, relating to
pollution or the protection, cleanup or restoration of the environment or
natural resources, or to the public health or safety, or otherwise governing
the generation, use, handling, collection, treatment, storage,
transportation, recovery, recycling, discharge or disposal of hazardous
materials.

                  "ERISA" means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act
                   -----
of 1974, as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations
thereunder.

                  "Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
                   ------------
as amended (or any successor act), and the rules and regulations thereunder
(or respective successors thereto).

                  "Execution Date" means the date on which this Agreement
                   --------------
and each other Transaction Document have been executed and delivered by the
Company and, to the extent applicable, the Investor.

                  "GAAP" means generally accepted accounting principles,
                   ----
applied on a consistent basis, as set forth in (i) opinions of the
Accounting Principles Board of the American Institute of Certified Public
Accountants, (ii) statements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board and
(iii) interpretations of the Commission and the Staff of the Commission.
Accounting principles are applied on a "consistent basis" when the
accounting principles applied in a current period are comparable in all
material respects to those accounting principles applied in a preceding
period.

                  "Governmental Authority" means any nation or government,
                   ----------------------
any state, provincial or political subdivision thereof and any entity
exercising executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory or administrative
functions of or pertaining to government, including without limitation any
stock exchange, securities market or self-regulatory organization.

                                     3

<PAGE>
<PAGE>

                  "Governmental Requirement" means any law, statute, code,
                   ------------------------
ordinance, order, rule, regulation, judgment, decree, injunction, franchise,
license or other directive or requirement of any federal, state, county,
municipal, parish, provincial or other Governmental Authority or any
department, commission, board, court, agency or any other instrumentality of
any of them.

                  "Intellectual Property" means any U.S. or foreign patents,
                   ---------------------
patent rights, patent applications, trademarks, trade names, service marks,
brand names, logos and other trade designations (including unregistered
names and marks), trademark and service mark registrations and applications,
copyrights and copyright registrations and applications, inventions,
invention disclosures, protected formulae, formulations, processes, methods,
trade secrets, computer software, computer programs and source codes,
manufacturing research and similar technical information, engineering
know-how, customer and supplier information, assembly and test data drawings
or royalty rights.

                  "Investment Certificate" has the meaning specified in
                   ----------------------
Section 4.7 hereof.

                  "Lien" means, with respect to any Property, any mortgage
                   ----
or mortgages, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, deposit arrangement,
security interest, tax lien, financing statement, pledge, charge, or other
lien, charge, easement, encumbrance, preference, priority or other security
agreement or preferential arrangement of any kind or nature whatsoever on or
with respect to such Property (including, without limitation, any
conditional sale or other title retention agreement having substantially the
same economic effect as any of the foregoing).

                  "Market Price" means, as of a particular date, the average
                   ------------
of the Closing Prices for the Common Stock occurring during the ten (10)
Trading Day period ending on (and including) the Trading Day immediately
preceding such date, and (B) "Closing Price" means, with respect to the
                              -------------
Common Stock as of any Trading Day, the closing price on such date for the
Common Stock on the Principal Market as reported by Bloomberg Financial
Markets ("Bloomberg"), or if the Principal Market begins to operate on an
          ---------
extended hours basis, and does not designate the closing price, then the
last price at 4:00 p.m. (eastern time), as reported by Bloomberg, or if the
foregoing do not apply, the last closing price of the Common Stock in the
over-the-counter market on the electronic bulletin board for such security
as reported by Bloomberg, or, if no closing price is reported for such
security by Bloomberg, the last closing trade price for such security as
reported by Bloomberg, or, if no last closing trade price is reported for
such security by Bloomberg, the average of the prices of any market makers
for such security as reported in the "pink sheets" by Pink Sheets LLC
(formerly the National Quotation Bureau, Inc.).

                  "Material Adverse Effect" means an effect that is material
                   -----------------------
and adverse to (i) the consolidated business, operations, properties,
financial condition or results of operations of the Company and the
Subsidiaries taken as a whole or (ii) the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement or the other Transaction Documents.

                                     4

<PAGE>
<PAGE>

                  "Material Contracts" means, as to the Company, any
                   ------------------
agreement required pursuant to Item 601 of Regulation S-B or Item 601, as
applicable, of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act to be filed as an
exhibit to any report, schedule, registration statement or definitive proxy
statement filed or required to be filed by the Company with the Commission
under the Exchange Act or any rule or regulation promulgated thereunder, and
any and all amendments, modifications, supplements, renewals or restatements
thereof.

                  "NASD" means the National Association of Securities
                   ----
Dealers, Inc.

                  "Outstanding Registrable Securities" means, at any time,
                   ----------------------------------
all Registrable Securities that at such time are either issued and
outstanding or issuable upon exercise of the Warrants (without regard to any
limitation on such exercise).

                  "Pension Plan" means an employee benefit plan (as defined
                   ------------
in ERISA) maintained by the Company for employees of the Company or any of
its Affiliates.

                  "Permitted Liens" means the following:
                   ---------------

                  (a) encumbrances consisting of easements, rights-of-way,
         zoning restrictions or other restrictions on the use of real
         Property or imperfections to title that do not (individually or in
         the aggregate) materially impair the ability of the Company or any
         of the Subsidiaries to use such Property in its businesses, and
         none of which is violated in any material respect by existing or
         proposed structures or land use;

                  (b) Liens for taxes, assessments or other governmental
         charges that are not delinquent or which are being contested in
         good faith by appropriate proceedings, which proceedings have the
         effect of preventing the forfeiture or sale of the Property subject
         to such Liens, and for which adequate reserves (as determined in
         accordance with GAAP) have been established; and

                  (c) Liens of mechanics, materialmen, warehousemen,
         carriers, landlords or other similar statutory Liens securing
         obligations that are not yet due and are incurred in the ordinary
         course of business or which are being contested in good faith by
         appropriate proceedings, which proceedings have the effect of
         preventing the forfeiture or sale of the Property subject to such
         Liens, for which adequate reserves (as determined in accordance
         with GAAP) have been established.

                  "Person" means any individual, corporation, trust,
                   ------
association, company, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company,
joint stock company, Governmental Authority or other entity.

                  "Principal Market" means the principal exchange or market
                   ----------------
on which the Common Stock is listed or traded.

                  "Property" means property and/or assets of all kinds,
                   --------
whether real, personal or mixed, tangible or intangible (including, without
limitation, all rights relating thereto).

                                     5

<PAGE>
<PAGE>

                  "Purchase Price" has the meaning specified in Section 1.1
                   --------------
hereof.

                  "Purchased Securities" has the meaning set forth in the
                   --------------------
preamble to this Agreement.

                  "Registrable Securities" means the Shares and the Warrant
                   ----------------------
Shares, any other shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant to the terms of
the Warrants, and any shares of capital stock issued or issuable from time
to time (with any adjustments) in replacement of, in exchange for or
otherwise in respect of the Shares or the Warrant Shares; provided, however,
                                                          --------  -------
that "Registrable Securities" shall not include any such shares that have
been sold to the public pursuant to the Registration Statement or Rule 144.

                  "Registration Statement" has the meaning set forth in the
                   ----------------------
Registration Rights Agreement.

                  "Rule 144" means Rule 144 under the Securities Act, or any
                   --------
successor provision.

                  "SEC Documents" has the meaning specified in Section 3.4
                   -------------
hereof.

                  "Securities" has the meaning specified in the preamble to
                   ----------
this Agreement.

                  "Share Price" means $2.749.
                   -----------

                  "Subsidiary" means, with respect to the Company, any
                   ----------
corporation or other entity (other than an entity having no material
operations or business during the twelve month period immediately preceding
the Execution Date) of which at least a majority of the outstanding shares
of stock or other ownership interests having by the terms thereof ordinary
voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors (or Persons
performing similar functions) of such corporation or entity (regardless of
whether, in the case of a corporation, stock of any other class or classes
of such corporation shall or might have voting power by reason of the
happening of any contingency) is at the time, directly or indirectly, owned
or controlled by the Company and/or one or more of its Affiliates.

                  "Termination Date" means the earlier to occur of (i) the
                   ----------------
date on which all of the Warrants have expired and (ii) the date on which
all of the Warrants have been exercised in full.

                  "Trading Day" means any day on which the Common Stock is
                   -----------
purchased and sold on the Principal Market.

                  "Transaction Documents" means (i) this Agreement, (ii) the
                   ---------------------
Series A Warrant, (iii) the Series B Warrant, (iv) the Registration Rights
Agreement, and (v) all other agreements, documents and other instruments
executed and delivered by or on behalf of the Company or any of its officers
at the Closing.

                                     6

<PAGE>
<PAGE>

         1.3 Other Definitional Provisions. All definitions contained in
             -----------------------------
this Agreement are equally applicable to the singular and plural forms of
the terms defined. The words "hereof", "herein" and "hereunder" and words of
similar import referring to this Agreement refer to this Agreement as a
whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement.

2. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE INVESTOR.
   ----------------------------------------------

         The Investor hereby represents and warrants to the Company and
agrees with the Company that, as of the date of this Agreement and as of the
Closing Date:

         2.1 Authorization; Enforceability. The Investor is duly and validly
             -----------------------------
organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the
jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization as set forth below the
Investor's name on the signature page hereof with the requisite corporate
power and authority to purchase the Purchased Securities and to execute and
deliver this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents. This Agreement
and the other Transaction Documents to which it is a party have been duly
executed and delivered by the Investor and each constitutes the Investor's
valid and legally binding obligation, enforceable in accordance with its
terms, subject to (i) applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent
transfer, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws of general
application relating to or affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights
generally and (ii) general principles of equity.

         2.2 Accredited Investor. The Investor (i) is an "accredited
             -------------------
investor" as that term is defined in Rule 501 of Regulation D; (ii) is
acquiring the Securities solely for its own account ,and not with a present
view to the public resale or distribution of all or any part thereof, except
pursuant to sales that are registered under the Securities Act or are exempt
from the registration requirements of the Securities Act; provided, however,
                                                          --------  -------
that, in making such representation, the Investor does not agree to hold the
Securities for any minimum or specific term and reserves the right to sell,
transfer or otherwise dispose of the Securities at any time in accordance
with the provisions of this Agreement and with Federal and state securities
laws applicable to such sale, transfer or disposition; and (iii) understands
that an investment in the Company is speculative and involves a high degree
of risk of loss.

         2.3 Information. The Company has provided the Investor with
             -----------
information regarding the business, operations and financial condition of
the Company, and has granted to the Investor the opportunity to ask
questions of and receive satisfactory answers from representatives of the
Company, its officers, directors, employees and agents concerning the
Company and materials relating to the terms and conditions of the purchase
and sale of the Purchased Securities hereunder, and based thereon believes
it can make an informed decision with respect to its investment in the
Securities. Neither such information nor any other investigation conducted
by the Investor or its representatives shall modify, amend or otherwise
affect the Investor's right to rely on the Company's representations and
warranties contained in this Agreement.

         2.4 Limitations on Disposition. The Investor acknowledges that,
             --------------------------
except as provided in the Registration Rights Agreement, the Securities have
not been and are not being registered under the

                                     7

<PAGE>
<PAGE>

Securities Act and may not be transferred or resold without registration
under the Securities Act or unless pursuant to an exemption therefrom. By
executing this Agreement, the Investor represents that it has no agreement
or understanding with any Person (other than a Person to whom the Investor
has granted investment discretion over its assets) to sell, transfer and/or
grant rights in any of the Securities.

         2.5 Legend. The Investor understands that the certificates
             ------
representing the Securities may bear at issuance a restrictive legend in
substantially the following form:

             "The securities represented by this certificate have not been
             registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
             "Securities Act"), or the securities laws of any state, and may
             not be offered or sold unless a registration statement under
             the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws shall
             have become effective with regard thereto, or an exemption from
             registration under the Securities Act and applicable state
             securities laws is available in connection with such offer or
             sale."

             Notwithstanding the foregoing, it is agreed that, as long as
(A) the resale or transfer (including without limitation a pledge) of any of
the Securities is registered pursuant to an effective registration
statement, (B) such Securities have been sold pursuant to Rule 144, subject
to receipt by the Company of customary documentation in connection
therewith, or (C) such Securities are eligible for resale under Rule 144(k)
or any successor provision and the holder thereof represents in writing to
the Company that it is eligible to use such rule for public resales of such
Securities, the certificates representing such Securities shall be issued
without any legend or other restrictive language and, with respect to
Securities upon which such legend is stamped, the Company shall issue new
certificates without such legend to the holder upon request.

         2.6 Reliance on Exemptions. The Investor understands that the
             ----------------------
Securities are being offered and sold to it in reliance upon specific
exemptions from the registration requirements of federal and state
securities laws and that the Company is relying on the truth and accuracy of
the representations and warranties of the Investor set forth in this Section
2 in order to determine the availability of such exemptions and the
eligibility of the Investor to acquire the Securities.

         2.7 Non-Affiliate Status; Common Stock Ownership. The Investor is
             --------------------------------------------
not an Affiliate of the Company or of any other Investor and is not acting
in association or concert with any other Person with regard to its purchase
of Purchased Securities or otherwise in respect of the Company. The
Investor's investment in Purchased Securities is not for the purpose of
acquiring, directly or indirectly, control of, and it has no intent to
acquire or exercise control of, the Company or to influence the decisions or
policies of the Company's Board of Directors.

         2.8 No Short Position in Company Securities. Neither the Investor
             ---------------------------------------
nor any person trading on its behalf or at its direction has established or
maintained a short position in the Common Stock or any other securities of
the Company at any time during the period of fifteen (15) Trading Days
immediately preceding the Execution Date.

         2.9 Fees. The Investor is not obligated to pay any commissions,
             ----
compensation or other fee, cost or related expenditure to any underwriter,
broker, agent or other representative in connection with

                                     8

<PAGE>
<PAGE>

the transactions contemplated hereby, other than legal fees to its counsel.
The Investor will indemnify and hold harmless the Company from and against
any claim by any Person alleging that, as a result of any agreement or
arrangement between such Person and the Investor, the Company is obligated
to pay any such commissions, compensations, fee, cost or related expenditure
in connection with the transactions completed hereby.

3. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY. The Company hereby
   ---------------------------------------------
represents and warrants to the Investor and agrees with the Investor that,
as of the date of this Agreement and as of the Closing Date:

         3.1 Organization, Good Standing and Qualification. Each of the
             ---------------------------------------------
Company and the Subsidiaries is duly organized, validly existing and in good
standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or
organization and has all requisite power and authority to carry on its
business as now conducted. Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries is duly
qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction
in which it conducts business except where the failure so to qualify has not
had or would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

         3.2 Authorization; Consents. The Company has the requisite
             -----------------------
corporate power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations
under this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents, including without
limitation to issue and sell the Securities to the Investor in accordance
with the terms thereof and to issue the Warrant Shares upon exercise of the
Warrants. All corporate action on the part of the Company by its officers,
directors and stockholders necessary for the authorization, execution and
delivery of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under,
this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents has been taken, and no
further consent or authorization of the Company, its Board of Directors,
stockholders, any Governmental Authority or organization (other than such
approval as may be required under the Securities Act and applicable state
securities laws in respect of the Registration Rights Agreement), or any
other person or entity is required (pursuant to any rule of the NASD or
otherwise). The Company's Board of Directors has determined, at a duly
convened meeting or pursuant to a unanimous written consent, that the
issuance and sale of the Securities, and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby and the other Transaction Documents
(including without limitation the issuance of the Warrant Shares), are in
the best interests of the Company.

         3.3 Enforcement. Each Transaction Document has been duly executed
             -----------
and delivered by the Company and constitutes the valid and legally binding
obligation of the Company, enforceable against it in accordance with its
terms, subject to (i) applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent
transfer, moratorium, reorganization or other similar laws of general
application relating to or affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights
generally and (ii) general principles of equity.

         3.4 SEC Documents; Agreements; Financial Statements; Other
             ------------------------------------------------------
Information. The Company has filed with the Commission all reports,
-----------
schedules, registration statements and definitive proxy statements that the
Company was required to file with the Commission on or after December 31,
2002 (collectively, the "SEC Documents"). The Company is not aware of any
                         -------------
event occurring on or prior to the Closing Date (other than the transactions
effected hereby) that would require the filing of, or with respect to which
the Company intends to file, a Form 8-K after the Closing. Each SEC
Document, as of

                                     9

<PAGE>
<PAGE>

the date of the filing thereof with the Commission, complied in all material
respects with the requirements of the Securities Act or Exchange Act, as
applicable, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder and, as of
the date of such filing (or if amended or superseded by a filing prior to
the date of this Agreement, then on the date of such filing), such SEC
Document (including all exhibits and schedules thereto and documents
incorporated by reference therein) did not contain an untrue statement of
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading. All documents required to be
filed as exhibits to the SEC Documents have been filed as required. Except
as set forth in the SEC Documents or any schedule or exhibit attached
hereto, the Company has no liabilities, contingent or otherwise, other than
liabilities incurred in the ordinary course of business which, under GAAP,
are not required to be reflected in the financial statements included in the
SEC Documents and which, individually or in the aggregate, are not material
to the consolidated business or financial condition of the Company and the
Subsidiaries taken as a whole. The financial statements included in the SEC
Documents have been prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied at
the times and during the periods involved (except (i) as may be otherwise
indicated in such financial statements or the notes thereto, or (ii) in the
case of unaudited interim statements, to the extent they may exclude
footnotes or may be condensed or summary statements) and fairly present in
all material respects the financial position of the Company as of the dates
thereof and the results of its operations and cash flows for the periods
then ended (subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal year-end
adjustments).

         3.5 Capitalization; Debt Schedule. The capitalization of the
             -----------------------------
Company as of the date hereof, including its authorized capital stock, the
number of shares issued and outstanding, the number of shares issuable and
reserved for issuance pursuant to the Company's stock option plans and
agreements, the number of shares issuable and reserved for issuance pursuant
to securities (other than the Securities) exercisable for, or convertible
into or exchangeable for any shares of Common Stock and the number of shares
initially to be reserved for issuance upon exercise of the Warrants is set
forth on Schedule 3.5 hereto. All issued and outstanding shares of capital
         ------------
stock of the Company have been validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable, and all shares of capital stock issued by any Subsidiary
have been validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, free and clear of
all Liens other than Permitted Liens. No shares of the capital stock of the
Company are subject to preemptive rights or any other similar rights of
security holders of the Company or any Liens created by or through the
Company. Except as set forth or Schedule 3.5, there are no outstanding
                                ------------
options, warrants, scrip, rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of
any character whatsoever relating to, or securities or rights convertible
into or exercisable or exchangeable for, any shares of capital stock of the
Company, or arrangements by which the Company is or may become bound to
issue additional shares of capital stock of the Company or any of the
Subsidiaries (whether pursuant to anti-dilution, "reset" or other similar
provisions). Except as described on Schedule 3.5 hereto, neither the Company
                                    ------------
nor any of the Subsidiaries has any material Debt outstanding as of the date
hereof.

         3.6 Due Authorization; Valid Issuance. The Shares and the Warrants
             ---------------------------------
are duly authorized and, when issued, sold and delivered in accordance with
the terms hereof, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable, free and clear of any Liens imposed by or through the
Company and, assuming the accuracy of the Investor's representations in this
Agreement, will be issued, sold and delivered in compliance with all
applicable Federal and state securities laws. The Warrant Shares are

                                     10

<PAGE>
<PAGE>

duly authorized and reserved for issuance and, when issued in accordance
with the terms of the Warrants, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid
and non-assessable, free and clear of any Liens imposed by or through the
Company.

         3.7 No Conflict with Other Instruments. Neither the Company nor any
             ----------------------------------
of the Subsidiaries is in violation of any provisions of its charter, bylaws
or any other governing document or in default (and no event has occurred
which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute a default)
under any provision of any instrument or contract to which it is a party or
by which it or any of its Property is bound, or in violation of any
provision of any Governmental Requirement applicable to it, except for
violations of any provision of a Governmental Requirement that has not had
or would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect (any
such violation or default, a "Current Violation"). Except as set forth on
Schedule 3.7 hereto, the execution, delivery and performance of this
------------
Agreement and the other Transaction Documents, and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby and thereby (including without limitation,
the issuance of the Purchased Securities and the reservation and issuance of
the Warrant Shares) will not result in a Current Violation or result in the
creation of any Lien upon any assets of the Company or of any of the
Subsidiaries or the triggering of any preemptive or anti-dilution rights
(including without limitation pursuant to any "reset" or similar provisions)
or rights of first refusal or first offer, or any other rights that would
allow or permit the holders of the Company's securities or other Persons to
purchase shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company (whether
pursuant to a shareholder rights plan provision or otherwise).

         3.8 Financial Condition; Taxes; Litigation.
             --------------------------------------

                  3.8.1 The Company's financial condition is, in all
material respects, as described in the Disclosure Documents, except for
changes in the ordinary course of business and normal year-end adjustments
that are not, in the aggregate, materially adverse to the consolidated
business or financial condition of the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as
a whole. There has occurred no (i) material adverse change to the Company's
business, operations, properties, financial condition, or results of
operations since the date of the Company's most recent audited financial
statements contained in the Disclosure Documents or (ii) change by the
Company in its accounting principles, policies and methods except as
required by changes in GAAP or applicable law.

                  3.8.2 Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries (i) has
prepared in good faith and duly and timely filed all tax returns required to
be filed by it and such returns are complete and accurate in all material
respects and (ii) has paid all taxes required to have been paid by it,
except for taxes which it reasonably disputes in good faith or the failure
of which to pay has not had or would not reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect, and has no liability with respect to accrued taxes
in excess of the amounts that are described as accrued in the most recent
financial statements included in the Disclosure Documents.

                  3.8.3 Except as described in Schedule 3.8.3, neither the
                                               --------------
Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is the subject of any pending or, to the
Company's knowledge, threatened inquiry, investigation or administrative or
legal proceeding by the Internal Revenue Service, the taxing authorities of
any state or local jurisdiction (other than with respect to taxes which it
reasonably

                                     11

<PAGE>
<PAGE>

disputes in good faith or the failure of which to pay has not had or would
not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect), the
Commission, the NASD, any state securities commission or other Governmental
Authority.

                  3.8.4 Except as described in Schedule 3.8.4, there is no
                                               --------------
material claim, litigation or administrative proceeding pending or, to the
Company's knowledge, threatened or contemplated, against the Company or any
of the Subsidiaries, or, to the Company's knowledge, against any officer,
director or employee of the Company or any such Subsidiary in connection
with such person's employment therewith. Neither the Company nor any of the
Subsidiaries is a party to or subject to the provisions of, any order, writ,
injunction, judgment or decree of any court or Governmental Authority which
has had or would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

         3.9 Form S-3. The Company is eligible to register the Registrable
             --------
Securities for resale by the Investor on a registration statement on Form
S-3 under the Securities Act. To the Company's knowledge, there exist no
facts or circumstances (including without limitation any required approvals
or waivers of any circumstances that may delay or prevent the obtaining of
accountant's consents) that could reasonably be expected to prohibit or
delay the preparation, filing or effectiveness of such registration
statement.

         3.10 Acknowledgement of Dilution. The Company acknowledges that the
              ---------------------------
issuance of the Warrant Shares upon exercise of the Warrants may result in
dilution of the outstanding shares of Common Stock. The Company further
acknowledges that its obligation to issue Warrant Shares upon exercise of
the Warrants in accordance with the terms thereof is unconditional
regardless of the effect of any such dilution.

         3.11 Intellectual Property. The Company and the Subsidiaries each
              ---------------------
owns or possesses, licenses or can acquire or make use of, without undue
expense, all Intellectual Property that is necessary for the operation of
its businesses as presently conducted and as proposed to be conducted,
without any known conflict with the rights of others. The consummation of
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the other Transaction
Documents will not materially alter or impair, individually or in the
aggregate, any of such rights of the Company. To the Company's knowledge,
(i) none of its current products or services infringes upon any Intellectual
Property of any other Person, and no claim or litigation is pending or, to
the knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company contesting its
right to sell or otherwise use any product or material or service which has
had or would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and
(ii) the use by the Company of any Intellectual Property does not infringe
the rights of any third party to such Intellectual Property. There is no
violation by the Company with respect to any Intellectual Property owned or
used by the Company and the Company's rights to such Intellectual Property
are valid and enforceable and no registration relating thereto has lapsed,
expired or terminated or is the subject of any claim or proceeding that
could result in any such lapse, expiration or termination. The Company and
the Subsidiaries each has complied in all material respects with its
obligations pursuant to any agreement relating to Intellectual Property
rights that are the subject of licenses granted by third parties, except for
any non-compliance that has not had or would not reasonably be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect.

                                     12

<PAGE>
<PAGE>

         3.12 Registration Rights. Except as described on Schedule 3.12
              -------------------                         -------------
hereto, the Company has not granted or agreed to grant to any person or
entity any rights (including "piggy-back" registration rights) to have any
securities of the Company registered with the Commission or any other
governmental authority which has not been satisfied in full prior to the
date hereof.

         3.13 Fees. The Company is not obligated to pay any compensation or
              ----
other fee, cost or related expenditure to any underwriter, broker, agent or
other representative in connection with the transactions contemplated
hereby. The Company will indemnify and hold harmless the Investor from and
against any claim by any person or entity alleging that, as a result of any
agreement or arrangement between such Person and the Company, the Investor
is obligated to pay any such compensation, fee, cost or related expenditure
in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby.

         3.14 Foreign Corrupt Practices. Neither the Company, nor to the
              -------------------------
Company's knowledge any of the Subsidiaries nor to the Company's knowledge
any director, officer, agent, employee or other person acting on behalf of
the Company or any Subsidiary, has (i) used any corporate funds for any
unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expenses
relating to political activity, (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful
payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee
(including without limitation any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment,
kickback or other unlawful payment), or (iii) violated any provision of the
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended.

         3.15 Key Employees. Each of the Company's executive officers (as
              -------------
defined in Rule 501(f) of the Securities Act) (each, a "Key Employee") is
                                                        ------------
currently serving in the capacity indicated in Schedule 3.15 hereto. The
                                               -------------
Company has no knowledge of any fact or circumstance (including without
limitation (i) the terms of any agreement to which such person is a party or
any litigation in which such person is or may become involved and (ii) any
illness or medical condition that could reasonably be expected to result in
the disability or incapacity of such person) that would limit or prevent any
such person from serving in such capacity on a full-time basis in the
foreseeable future, or of any intention on the part of any such person to
limit or terminate his or her employment with the Company. Except as set
forth on Schedule 3.15, no Key Employee has borrowed money pursuant to a
         -------------
currently outstanding loan that is secured by Common Stock or any right or
option to receive Common Stock.

         3.16 Employee Matters. There is no strike, labor dispute or union
              ----------------
organization activities pending or, to the knowledge of the Company,
threatened between it and its employees (or between any of the Subsidiaries
and such Subsidiary's employees). No employees of the Company belong to any
union or collective bargaining unit. The Company has complied in all
material respects with all applicable federal and state equal opportunity
and other laws related to employment.

         3.17 Environment. To the Company's knowledge, neither the Company
              -----------
nor any of the Subsidiaries has any current liability under any
Environmental Law, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, do any factors
exist that are reasonably likely to give rise to any such liability that,
individually or in the aggregate, has had or would reasonably be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect. To the Company's knowledge, neither the
Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has violated any Environmental Law
applicable to it now or previously in effect, other than such violations or
infringements that, individually or in the aggregate, have not had and would
not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

                                     13

<PAGE>
<PAGE>

         3.18 ERISA. Except as described on Schedule 3.18, neither the
              -----                         -------------
Company nor any of the Subsidiaries maintains or contributes to, or has any
obligation under, any Pension Plan. The Company and each of the Subsidiaries
is in compliance in all material respects with the presently applicable
provisions of ERISA and the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended, except for matters that, individually or in the aggregate, have not
had, and would not reasonably be expected to have, a Material Adverse
Effect.

         3.19 Disclosure. No written statement, information, report,
              ----------
representation or warranty made by the Company in this Agreement or any
other Transaction Document or furnished to the Investor by or on behalf of
the Company or any of the Subsidiaries in connection with the Transaction
Documents or the Investor's due diligence investigation of the Company
contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any
material fact necessary to make the statements herein or therein, in light
of the circumstances in which made, not misleading. Following the issuance
of the press release and Form 8-K in accordance with Section 4.1(c) hereof,
and based upon the Company's view that any non-public information provided
to Satellite is not material, the Investor will not, to the Company's
knowledge, possess any material non-public information concerning the
Company. The Company acknowledges that the Investor is relying on the
representations, acknowledgements and agreements made by the Company in this
Section 3.19 and elsewhere in this Agreement in making trading and other
decisions concerning the Company's securities.

         3.20 Insurance. The Company maintains insurance for itself and the
              ---------
Subsidiaries in such amounts and covering such losses and risks as the
Company believes to be reasonably prudent in relation to the businesses in
which the Company and the Subsidiaries are engaged. No notice of
cancellation has been received for any of such policies and the Company
reasonably believes that is in compliance with all of the terms and
conditions thereof. The Company has no reason to believe that it will not be
able to renew any existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage
expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be
necessary to continue doing business as currently conducted without a
significant increase in cost. Without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, the Company maintains Director's and Officer's insurance in an
amount not less than $10 million for each covered occurrence and in the
aggregate.

         3.21 Property. Except as set forth in Schedule 3.21, the Company
              --------                         -------------
and the Subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all personal Property
and good and marketable title in fee simple to all of its real property
owned by them which, individually or in the aggregate, is material to the
business of the Company and the Subsidiaries, in each such case free and
clear of all Liens except for Permitted Liens. Any Property held under lease
by the Company and the Subsidiaries is held by them under valid, subsisting
and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not material and do not
interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such Property by the
Company and the Subsidiaries.

         3.22 Regulatory Permits. The Company and the Subsidiaries possess
              ------------------
all material certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the
appropriate federal, state or foreign regulatory authorities necessary to
conduct their respective businesses other than where the failure to possess
such

                                     14

<PAGE>
<PAGE>

certificates, authorizations or permits, individually or in the aggregate,
has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect. Neither the Company nor any such Subsidiary has received any notice
or otherwise become aware of any proceedings, inquiries or investigations
relating to the revocation or modification of any such certificate,
authorization or permit.

         3.23 Exchange Act Registration; Listing. The Company's Common Stock
              ----------------------------------
is registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act and is listed on
The Nasdaq SmallCap or National Market (the "Nasdaq Stock Market"). The
                                             -------------------
Company currently meets the continuing eligibility requirements for listing
on the Nasdaq Stock Market and has not received any notice from the Nasdaq
Stock Market that it may not currently satisfy such requirements or that
such continued listing is in any way threatened. The Company has taken no
action designed to, or which, to the knowledge of the Company, may have the
effect of, terminating the registration of the Common Stock under the
Exchange Act or delisting the Common Stock from the Nasdaq Stock Market.

         3.24 Investment Company Status. The Company is not, and immediately
              -------------------------
after receipt of the Purchase Price for the Purchased Securities issued
under this Agreement will not be, an "investment company" or an entity
                                      ------------------
"controlled" by an "investment company" within the meaning of the Investment
 ----------         ------------------
Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Investment Company Act"), and shall
                                      ----------------------
conduct its business in a manner so that it will not become subject to the
Investment Company Act.

         3.25 Transfer Taxes. No stock transfer or other taxes (other than
              --------------
income taxes) are required to be paid in connection with the issuance and
sale of any of the Securities, other than such taxes for which the Company
has established appropriate reserves and intends to pay in full on or before
the Closing.

         3.26 Internal Controls and Procedures. The Company maintains
              --------------------------------
internal accounting controls, policies and procedures as certified by the
Company's Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer in the SEC
Documents.

         3.27 Embargoed Person. None of the funds or other assets of the
              ----------------
Company shall constitute property of, or shall be beneficially owned,
directly or indirectly, by any person subject to trade restrictions under
United States law, including, but not limited to, the International
Emergency Economic Powers Act, 50 U.S.C. Section 1701 et seq., The Trading
with the Enemy Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 1 et seq., and any Executive Orders or
regulations promulgated under any such United States laws (each, an
"Embargoed Person"), with the result that the investments evidenced by the
 ----------------
Purchased Securities are or would be in violation of law. No Embargoed
Person shall have any interest of any nature whatsoever in the Company with
the result that the investments evidenced by the Purchased Securities are or
would be in violation of law. None of the funds or other assets of the
Company shall be derived from any unlawful activity with the result that the
investments evidenced by the Purchased Securities are or would be in
violation of law.

4. COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY AND THE INVESTOR.
   -----------------------------------------

         4.1 The Company agrees with the Investor that it will:

                                     15

<PAGE>
<PAGE>

                  (a) file a Form D with respect to the Securities issued at
the Closing as and when required under Regulation D and to provide a copy
thereof to the Investor promptly after such filing;

                  (b) take such action as the Company reasonably determines
upon the advice of counsel is necessary to qualify the Securities for sale
under applicable state or "blue-sky" laws or obtain an exemption therefrom,
and shall provide evidence of any such action to the Investor at the
Closing; and

                  (c) (i) on or prior to 9:30 a.m. (eastern time) on the
Business Day immediately following the Execution Date, issue a press release
disclosing the material terms of this Agreement and the other Transaction
Documents and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby and (ii) on
the Business Day immediately following the Execution Date, file with the
Commission a Current Report on Form 8-K disclosing the material terms of
this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents and the transactions
contemplated hereby and thereby and including as exhibits this Agreement and
the other Transaction Documents; provided, however, that the Investor named
                                 --------  -------
therein shall have a reasonable opportunity to review and comment on any
such press release or Form 8-K prior to the issuance or filing thereof.
Thereafter, the Company shall timely file any filings and notices required
by the Commission or applicable law with respect to the transactions
contemplated hereby.

         4.2 The Company agrees that it will, during the period beginning on
the Execution Date and ending on the Termination Date:

                  (a) maintain its corporate existence in good standing;

                  (b) maintain, keep and preserve all of its Properties
necessary in the proper conduct of its businesses in good repair, working
order and condition (ordinary wear and tear excepted) and make all necessary
repairs, renewals and replacements and improvements thereto, except where
the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have, individually
or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect;

                  (c) pay or discharge before becoming delinquent (a) all
taxes, levies, assessments and governmental charges imposed on it or its
income or profits or any of its Property and (b) all lawful claims for
labor, material and supplies, which, if unpaid, might become a Lien upon any
of its Property, except where the failure to do so would not reasonably be
expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse
Effect; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to pay or
        --------  -------
discharge any tax, levy, assessment or governmental charge, or claim for
labor, material or supplies, whose amount, applicability or validity is
being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings being diligently
pursued and for which adequate reserves have been established under GAAP;

                  (d) comply with all Governmental Requirements applicable
to the operation of its business, except for instances of noncompliance that
would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate,
a Material Adverse Effect; provided, however, that the Company shall not be
required to comply with any Governmental Requirements, the

                                     16

<PAGE>
<PAGE>

applicability or validity of which is being contested in good faith by
appropriate proceedings being diligently pursued and for which adequate
reserves have been established under GAAP.

                  (e) comply with all agreements, documents and instruments
binding on it or affecting its Properties or business, including, without
limitation, all Material Contracts, except for instances of noncompliance
that would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the
aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect;

                  (f) provide the Investor with copies of all materials sent
to its stockholders, in each such case at the same time as delivered to such
stockholders;

                  (g) timely file with the Commission all reports required
to be filed pursuant to the Exchange Act and refrain from terminating its
status as an issuer required by the Exchange Act to file reports thereunder
even if the Exchange Act or the rules or regulations thereunder would permit
such termination;

                  (h) until the Effective Date of the Registration
Statement, restrict Key Employees from selling in excess of five thousand
(5,000) shares of Common Stock each, other than as may be agreed in writing
by the Company and Satellite Strategic Finance Associates, LLC in connection
with any 10b-5(1) trading plans; and

                  (i) maintain adequate insurance coverage (including D&O
insurance) for the Company and each Subsidiary.

         4.3 Reservation of Common Stock. The Company shall authorize and
             ---------------------------
reserve for issuance to the Investor, free from any preemptive rights, a
number of shares of Common Stock (the "Reserved Amount") that, on the
                                       ---------------
Closing Date, is not less than three million eight hundred twenty-five
thousand (3,825,000) shares of Common Stock. If, on any date following the
Closing Date, the Reserved Amount is less than (i) one hundred percent
(100%) of the Warrant Shares issuable upon exercise of the Series A Warrant
plus (ii) one hundred percent (100%) of the Warrant Shares issuable upon
exercise of the Series B Warrant (without regard to any limitation or
restriction on such exercise that may be set forth in the Series B Warrant),
the Company shall take action (including without limitation seeking
stockholder approval for the authorization or reservation of additional
shares of Common Stock) as soon as practicable (but in no event later than
the tenth (10th) Business Day or, in the event that stockholder approval is
required, the sixtieth (60th) day following such date) to increase the
Reserved Amount to not less than (i) one hundred percent (100%) of the
Warrant Shares issuable upon exercise of the Series A Warrant plus (ii) one
hundred and twenty five percent (125%) of the number of Warrant Shares
issuable upon exercise of the Series B Warrant (without giving effect to any
limitation on such exercise that may be set forth in the Series B Warrant).
While the Warrants or any portion thereof are outstanding, the Company shall
not reduce the Reserved Amount without the prior written consent of the
Investor. In the event that the Investor shall sell or otherwise transfer
all or any portion of the Investor's Warrants, each transferee shall be
allocated a pro rata portion of the Investor's Reserved Amount.

                                     17

<PAGE>
<PAGE>

         4.4 Use of Proceeds. The Company shall use the proceeds from the
             ---------------
sale of the Purchased Securities for the expansions and development of the
Company's businesses, including, without limitation, acquisitions, the
formation of strategic alliances and/or marketing efforts, in the ordinary
course of its business and consistent with past practice; provided, however,
                                                          --------  -------
that the Company shall not use such proceeds (i) to pay down, repurchase or
redeem any notes or securities issued by the Company or any Subsidiary, (ii)
to pay any dividend or make any distribution on any such securities, or
(iii) to repay any loan made to or incurred by any Key Employee or Affiliate
of the Company.

         4.5 Use of Investor Name. Except as may be required by applicable
             --------------------
law and/or this Agreement, the Company shall not use, directly or
indirectly, the Investor's name or the name of any of its affiliates in any
advertisement, announcement, press release or other similar communication
unless it has received the prior written consent of the Investor for the
specific use contemplated or as otherwise required by applicable law or
regulation.

         4.6 No Adverse Action. The Company and the Subsidiaries shall
             -----------------
refrain, during the period beginning on the Execution Date and ending on the
Termination Date, from taking any action or entering into any arrangement
which in any way materially and adversely violates the terms of this
Agreement or any other Transaction Document.

         4.7 Limitations on Disposition. The Investor shall not sell,
             --------------------------
transfer, assign or dispose of any Securities, unless:

                  (a) there is then in effect an effective registration
statement under the Securities Act covering such proposed disposition and
such disposition is made in accordance with such registration statement; or

                  (b) the Investor has notified the Company in writing of
any such disposition, received the Company's written consent to such
disposition and furnished the Company with an opinion of counsel, reasonably
satisfactory to the Company, that such disposition will not require
registration of such Securities under the Securities Act; provided, however,
                                                          --------  -------
that no such consent or opinion of counsel will be required (A) if the sale,
transfer or assignment complies with federal and state securities laws and
is made to an Affiliate of the Investor which is also an "accredited
investor" as that term is defined in Rule 501 of Regulation D, and such
Affiliate delivers to the Company a duly executed Investment Representation
Certificate in the form attached hereto as Exhibit D (an "Investment
                                           ---------      ----------
Certificate"), (B) if the sale, transfer or assignment is made pursuant to
-----------
Rule 144 and the Investor provides the Company with evidence reasonably
satisfactory to the Company that the proposed transaction satisfies the
requirements of Rule 144 or (C) in connection with a bona fide pledge or
hypothecation of any Securities under a margin arrangement with a
broker-dealer or other financial institution.

         4.8 Disclosure of Information. The Company agrees that it will not
             -------------------------
at any time following the Execution Date disclose material non-public
information to the Investor without first receiving the Investor's written
consent to such disclosure.

                                     18

<PAGE>
<PAGE>

         4.9 Quotation on Nasdaq. The Company shall (i) promptly following
             -------------------
the Closing, use its commercially reasonable efforts to include all of the
Shares and all of the Warrant Shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrants
(without regard to any limitation on such exercise) for designation and
quotation on the Nasdaq Stock Market, and (ii) use its commercially
reasonable efforts to maintain the designation and quotation, or listing, of
the Common Stock on the Nasdaq SmallCap Market, the Nasdaq National Market
or the New York Stock Exchange for a minimum of five (5) years following the
Closing Date.

         4.10 Restrictions on Issuances of Securities. The Company shall
              ---------------------------------------
not, during the period beginning on the date of this Agreement and ending on
the third Business Day following the Closing Date, issue any securities,
effect any recapitalization, reorganization, stock split, stock dividend,
repurchase or similar transaction, establish a record date for any such
transaction, or take any other action that would reasonably be expected to
affect the market price of the Common Stock. During the period beginning on
the date hereof and ending on the six-month anniversary of the Effective
Date, the Company will not issue Common Stock or securities exercisable or
convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock (other than securities
issued in accordance with the Company's stock option plan or employee stock
purchase plan) at a price or exercise or conversion price lower than the
lesser of the Market Price and the Closing Price (each as defined in the
Series B Warrant) in effect on the date of such issuance, or that have a
fluctuating conversion or exercise or exchange ratio, or that are subject to
"reset" or similar provisions requiring the issuance of additional shares of
Common Stock; provided, however, that the Company shall not be prohibited
                      ---------------------------------------------------
from issuing Excluded Securities (as defined in the Series B Warrant).
---------------------------------------------------------------------

5. CONDITIONS TO CLOSING.
   ---------------------

         5.1 Conditions to Investors' Obligations at the Closing. The
             ---------------------------------------------------
Investor's obligations to effect the Closing, including without limitation
its obligation to purchase the Purchased Securities at the Closing, are
conditioned upon the fulfillment (or waiver by the Investor in its sole and
absolute discretion) of each of the following events as of the Closing Date:

                  5.1.1    the representations and warranties of the Company
                           set forth in this Agreement and in the other
                           Transaction Documents shall be true and correct
                           in all material respects as of such date as if
                           made on such date (except that to the extent that
                           any such representation or warranty relates to a
                           particular date, in which case such
                           representation or warranty shall be true and
                           correct in all respects as of that particular
                           date);

                  5.1.2    the Company shall have complied with or performed
                           in all material respects all of the agreements,
                           obligations and conditions set forth in this
                           Agreement and in the other Transaction Documents
                           that are required to be complied with or
                           performed by the Company on or before the
                           Closing;

                  5.1.3    the Closing Date shall occur on a date that is
                           not later than April 16, 2004;

                                     19

<PAGE>
<PAGE>

                  5.1.4    the Company shall have delivered to the Investor
                           a certificate, signed by the Chief Executive
                           Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the
                           Company, certifying that the conditions specified
                           in this paragraph 5.1 have been fulfilled as of
                           the Closing, it being understood that the
                           Investor may rely on such certificate as though
                           it were a representation and warranty of the
                           Company made herein;

                  5.1.5    the Company shall have delivered to the Investor
                           one or more opinions of counsel for the Company,
                           dated as of the Closing Date, in substantially
                           the form set forth on Exhibit 5.1.5 hereto;

                  5.1.6    the Company shall have delivered to the Investor
                           duly executed certificates representing the
                           Shares, the Series A Warrant and the Series B
                           Warrant being purchased by the Investor;

                  5.1.7    the Company shall have executed and delivered to
                           the Investor the Registration Rights Agreement;

                  5.1.8    there shall have occurred no material adverse
                           change in the Company's consolidated business or
                           financial condition since the date of the
                           Company's most recent financial statements
                           contained in the Disclosure Documents;

                  5.1.9    the Common Stock shall be quoted and actively
                           traded on the Nasdaq Stock Market;

                  5.1.10   there shall be no injunction, restraining order
                           or decree of any nature of any court or
                           Government Authority of competent jurisdiction
                           that is in effect that restrains or prohibits the
                           consummation of the transactions contemplated
                           hereby or by the other Transaction Documents; and

                  5.1.11   the Company shall have effected a ten-to-one
                           (10:1) stock split with respect to its Common
                           Stock.

         5.2 Conditions to Company's Obligations at the Closing. The
             --------------------------------------------------
Company's obligations to effect the Closing with the Investor are
conditioned upon the fulfillment (or waiver by the Company in its sole and
absolute discretion) of each of the following events as of the Closing Date:

                  5.2.1    the representations and warranties of the
                           Investor set forth in this Agreement and in the
                           other Transaction Documents shall be true and
                           correct in all material respects as of such date
                           as if made on such date (except that to the
                           extent that any such representation or warranty
                           relates to a particular date, in which case such
                           representation or warranty shall be true and
                           correct in all respects as of that particular
                           date);

                                     20

<PAGE>
<PAGE>

                  5.2.2    the Investor shall have complied with or
                           performed all of the agreements, obligations and
                           conditions set forth in this Agreement and in the
                           other Transaction Documents that are required to
                           be complied with or performed by the Investor on
                           or before the Closing;

                  5.2.3    there shall be no injunction, restraining order
                           or decree of any nature of any court or
                           Government Authority of competent jurisdiction
                           that is in effect that restrains or prohibits the
                           consummation of the transactions contemplated
                           hereby or by the other Transaction Documents;

                  5.2.4    the Investor shall have executed each Transaction
                           Document to which it is a party and delivered the
                           same to the Company; and

                  5.2.5    the Investor shall have delivered to the Company
                           the Purchase Price forthe Purchased Securities
                           being purchased by it at the Closing by wire
                           transfer of immediately available funds.

6. MISCELLANEOUS.
   -------------

         6.1 Survival; Severability. The representations, warranties,
             ----------------------
covenants and indemnities made by the parties herein and in the other
Transaction Documents shall survive the Closing notwithstanding any due
diligence investigation made by or on behalf of the party seeking to rely
thereon; provided, however, that the representations and warranties made by
         --------  -------
the parties herein and in the other Transaction Documents shall survive only
until the Termination Date. In the event that any provision of this
Agreement becomes or is declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be
illegal, unenforceable or void, this Agreement shall continue in full force
and effect without said provision; provided that in such case the parties
shall negotiate in good faith to replace such provision with a new provision
which is not illegal, unenforceable or void, as long as such new provision
does not materially change the economic benefits of this Agreement to the
parties.

         6.2 Successors and Assigns. The terms and conditions of this
             ----------------------
Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the respective
successors and permitted assigns of the parties. Nothing in this Agreement,
express or implied, is intended to confer upon any party other than the
parties hereto or their respective successors and permitted assigns any
rights, remedies, obligations or liabilities under or by reason of this
Agreement, except as expressly provided in this Agreement. The Investor may
assign its rights and obligations hereunder, in connection with any private
sale or transfer of the Purchased Securities in accordance with the terms
hereof, as long as, as a condition precedent to such transfer, the
transferee executes an acknowledgment agreeing to be bound by the applicable
provisions of this Agreement, in which case the term "Investor" shall be
deemed to refer to such transferee as though such transferee were an
original signatory hereto. The Company may not assign its rights or
obligations under this Agreement.

                                     21

<PAGE>
<PAGE>

         6.3 No Reliance. Each party acknowledges that (i) it has such
             -----------
knowledge in business and financial matters as to be fully capable of
evaluating this Agreement, the other Transaction Documents, and the
transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, (ii) it is not relying on any
advice or representation of any other party in connection with entering into
this Agreement, the other Transaction Documents, or such transactions (other
than the representations made in this Agreement or the other Transaction
Documents), (iii) it has not received from such party any assurance or
guarantee as to the merits (whether legal, regulatory, tax, financial or
otherwise) of entering into this Agreement or the other Transaction
Documents or the performance of its obligations hereunder and thereunder,
and (iv) it has consulted with its own legal, regulatory, tax, business,
investment, financial and accounting advisors to the extent that it has
deemed necessary, and has entered into this Agreement and the other
Transaction Documents based on its own independent judgment and on the
advice of its advisors as it has deemed necessary, and not on any view
(whether written or oral) expressed by such other party.

         6.4 Injunctive Relief. The parties hereto acknowledge and agree
             -----------------
that a breach by either of their obligations hereunder will cause
irreparable harm the other party and that the remedy or remedies at law for
any such breach will be inadequate and agrees, in the event of any such
breach, in addition to all other available remedies, the non-breaching party
shall be entitled to an injunction restraining any breach and requiring
immediate and specific performance of such obligations without the necessity
of showing economic loss.

         6.5 Governing Law; Jurisdiction. This Agreement shall be governed
             ---------------------------
by and construed under the laws of the State of Delaware applicable to
contracts made and to be performed entirely within the State of Delaware.
Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of
the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York in the borough
of Manhattan (for any claims initiated by the Investor) or in Miami-Dade
County (for any claims initiated by the Company), for the adjudication of
any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction
contemplated hereby, and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert
in any suit, action or proceeding involving the Investor or permitted
assignee of the Investor, any claim that it is not personally subject to the
jurisdiction of any such court, that such suit, action or proceeding is
brought in an inconvenient forum or that the venue of such suit, action or
proceeding is improper. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal
service of process and consents to process being served in any such suit,
action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof 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.

         6.6 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
             ------------
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, and all of which
together shall constitute one and the same instrument. This Agreement may be
executed and delivered by facsimile transmission.

         6.7 Headings. The headings used in this Agreement are used for
             --------
convenience only and are not to be considered in construing or interpreting
this Agreement.

         6.8 Notices. Any notice, demand or request required or permitted to
             -------
be given by the Company or the Investor pursuant to the terms of this
Agreement shall be in writing and shall be

                                     22

<PAGE>
<PAGE>

deemed delivered (i) when delivered personally or by verifiable facsimile
transmission, unless such delivery is made on a day that is not a Business
Day, in which case such delivery will be deemed to be made on the next
succeeding Business Day, (ii) on the next Business Day after timely delivery
to an overnight courier and (iii) on the Business Day actually received if
deposited in the U.S. mail (certified or registered mail, return receipt
requested, postage prepaid), addressed as follows:

         If to the Company:

         Applied Digital Solutions Inc
         400 Royal Palm Way, Suite 410
         Palm Beach, FL 33480
         Attn:  Scott R. Silverman
         Tel:   561-805-8000
         Fax:   561-805-0002

         with a copy to:

         Holland & Knight LLP
         701 Brickell Avenue, Suite 3000
         Miami, Florida 33131
         Mailing Address: P.O. Box 015441, Florida, 33101
         Attn:  Harvey A. Goldman, Esq.
         Tel:   305-374-8500
         Fax:   305-789-7799

and if to the Investor, to such address for the Investor as shall appear on
the signature page hereof executed by the Investor, or as shall be
designated by the Investor in writing to the Company in accordance with this
Section 6.8.

         6.9 Expenses. The Company and the Investor shall pay all costs and
             --------
expenses that it incurs in connection with the negotiation, execution,
delivery and performance of this Agreement or the other Transaction
Documents, provided, however, that that the Company shall, at the Closing,
           --------  -------
pay up to $40,000 in immediately available funds for all actual and
reasonable out-of-pocket expenses (including without limitation the
reasonable legal fees and expenses of Duval & Stachenfeld LLP) incurred by
Satellite Strategic Finance Associates, LLC ("Satellite") in connection its
due diligence investigation of the Company and the negotiation, preparation,
execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the other
Transaction Documents. At the Closing, the amount due for such fees and
expenses (which may include fees and expenses estimated to be incurred for
completion of the transaction and post-closing matters) may be netted out of
the Purchase Price payable by Satellite. In the event the amount paid by the
Company for such fees and expenses is less than the amount of fees and
expenses actually incurred by Satellite, the Company shall promptly pay such
deficiency (up to $40,000 in the aggregate) within thirty (30) days
following receipt of an invoice therefor. Notwithstanding anything herein to
the contrary, if the Closing does not occur otherwise than as a result of a
breach of this Agreement by the Investor or the failure of the Investor to
satisfy any closing conditions, the Company shall remain obligated to pay
the expenses of Satellite up to $40,000 in the aggregate.

                                     23

<PAGE>
<PAGE>

         6.10 Entire Agreement; Amendments. This Agreement and the other
              ----------------------------
Transaction Documents constitute the entire agreement between the parties
with regard to the subject matter hereof and thereof, superseding all prior
agreements or understandings, whether written or oral, between or among the
parties. Except as expressly provided herein, neither this Agreement nor any
term hereof may be amended except pursuant to a written instrument executed
by the Company and the holders of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the number of
Outstanding Registrable Securities, and no provision hereof may be waived
other than by a written instrument signed by the party against whom
enforcement of any such waiver is sought. Any waver or consent shall be
effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for
which given.

                         [Signature Pages to Follow]

                                     24

<PAGE>
<PAGE>

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Agreement as
of the date first-above written.

APPLIED DIGITAL SOLUTIONS, INC.

By:      /s/ Scott Silverman
         -----------------------
         Scott Silverman
         Chief Executive Officer

SATELLITE STRATEGIC FINANCE ASSOCIATES, LLC

By:      Satellite Asset Management, L.P., its Manager

         By:      /s/ Mark Sonnino
                  -------------------------------------
                  Mark Sonnino
                  Principal

ADDRESS:

         c/o Satellite Advisors, L.L.C.
         623 Fifth Avenue, 20th Floor
         New York, New York 10022
         Tel:  212-209-2000
         Fax:  212-209-2021

         With a copy to:

         Duval & Stachenfeld LLP
         300 East 42nd Street
         New York, New York 10017
         Attn: Robert L. Mazzeo, Esq.
         Tel:  212-883-1700
         Fax:  212-883-8883

Number of Shares to be Purchased: _______________

                                     25

<PAGE>
<PAGE>

                                  EXHIBIT D
                    INVESTMENT REPRESENTATION CERTIFICATE

Purchaser:        ______________

Company:          Applied Digital Solutions, Inc. (the "Company")

Security:         ______________

Amount:           ______________

Date:             ______________

         In connection with the purchase of the above-listed securities (the
"Securities"), the undersigned (the "Purchaser") represents to the Company
as follows:

         The Purchaser is aware of the Company's business affairs and
financial condition, and has acquired sufficient information about the
Company to reach an informed and knowledgeable decision to acquire the
Securities. The Purchaser is purchasing the Securities for its own account
for investment purposes only and not with a view to, or for the resale in
connection with, any "distribution" thereof for purposes of the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act").

         The Purchaser understands that the Securities have not been
registered under the Securities Act in reliance upon a specific exemption
therefor, which exemption depends upon, among other things, the bona fide
nature of the Purchaser's investment intent as expressed herein. In this
connection, the Purchaser understands that, in the view of the Securities
and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), the statutory basis for such exemption may
be unavailable if the Purchaser's representation was predicated solely upon
a present intention to hold these Securities for the minimum capital gains
period specified under tax statutes, for a deferred sale, for or until an
increase or decrease in the market price of the Securities, or for a period
of one year or any other fixed period in the future. The Purchaser is an
"accredited investor" as that term is defined under Regulation D promulgated
by the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act.

         The Purchaser further understands that the Securities must be held
indefinitely unless subsequently registered under the Securities Act or
unless an exemption from registration is otherwise available. In addition,
the Purchaser understands that the certificate evidencing the Securities
will be imprinted with the legend referred to in this Warrant under which
the Securities are being purchased.

         The Purchaser is aware of the provisions of Rule 144, promulgated
under the Securities Act, which, in substance, permit limited public resale
of "restricted securities" acquired, directly or indirectly, from the issuer
thereof (or from an affiliate of such issuer), in a non-public offering
subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, if applicable, including,
among other things: (i) the availability of certain public information about
the Company; (ii) the resale occurring not less than one (1) year after the
party has purchased and paid for the securities to be sold (subject to
certain "tacking" provisions); (iii) the resale being made through a broker
in an unsolicited "broker's transaction" or in transactions directly with a
market maker (as said term is defined under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended) and the amount of securities being sold during any
three-month period not exceeding the specified limitations stated therein.

                                     26

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         The Purchaser further understands that at the time it wishes to
sell the Securities there may be no public market upon which to make such a
sale, and that, even if such a public market upon which to make such a sale
then exists, notwithstanding the Company's best efforts obligation to do so
set forth in the Warrant, the Company may not be satisfying the current
public information requirements of Rule 144, and that, in such event, the
Purchaser may be precluded from selling the Securities under Rule 144 even
if the one-year minimum holding period had been satisfied.

         The Purchaser further understands that in the event all of the
requirements of Rule 144 are not satisfied, registration under the
Securities Act or an exemption from registration will be required; and that,
notwithstanding the fact that Rule 144 is not exclusive, the staff of the
SEC has expressed its opinion that persons proposing to sell private
placement securities other than in a registered offering and otherwise than
pursuant to Rule 144 will have a substantial burden of proof in establishing
that an exemption from registration is available for such offers or sales,
and that such persons and their respective brokers who participate in such
transactions do so at their own risk.

Date: ______________________

                                 [PURCHASER]

         ___________

                                     27

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