Document:

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                                                                Exhibit  10(a)

                         EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

     THIS EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT is made this 1st day of December, 2004,
(the "Agreement") between Georgia Boot LLC, a Delaware limited liability company
(the "Company"), and Thomas R. Morrison (the "Executive").

                                    Recitals

     WHEREAS, Executive is employee "at-will" of the Company, which is now a
wholly-owned subsidiary of SILLC Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability
company ("SILLC").

     WHEREAS, the Company is proposed to be sold to and acquired by Rocky Shoes
& Boots, Inc., an Ohio corporation ("Rocky"), as a result of the consummation of
the sale of the Company and other subsidiaries of SILLC to Rocky (the
"Transaction"), as described in the Purchase and Sale of Equity Interests
Agreement, made and entered into as of December 6, 2004, by and among Rocky,
SILLC, and for limited purposes thereof, Strategic Industries LLC (the "Purchase
Agreement").

     WHEREAS, as a material consideration and inducement for Rocky to enter into
and perform the Purchase Agreement, Executive has agreed to simultaneously enter
into a Confidentiality, Assignment and Non-Competition Agreement for Key
Personnel (the "Key Personnel Agreement") and this Agreement with the Company.
The Company desires to retain the services of Executive as an "at-will" employee
pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

     WHEREAS, the effectiveness of this Agreement is conditioned upon the
consummation of the Transaction, and this Agreement shall have no legally
binding effect upon the Company or the Executive if the Transaction is not
consummated pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of these premises and the mutual and dependent
promises hereinafter set forth, the parties hereto agree as follows:

1. EMPLOYMENT. Upon the consummation of the Transaction, the Company, as a
wholly-owned subsidiary of Rocky, shall employ Executive and Executive shall
accept such employment upon the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth.

2.  DUTIES.

     (a) Executive shall be employed to serve as President of the Company,
subject to the authority and direction of the President and the Board of
Directors of the Company. Executive shall also serve as an officer of Rocky if
and as elected by the Board of Directors of Rocky.

     (b) Executive shall also perform such other duties and responsibilities and
exercise such other authority, perform such other or additional duties and
responsibilities and have such other or different title (or have no title) as
the Board of Directors of the Company or Rocky, as the case may be, may
prescribe from time to time.

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     (c) So long as Executive is employed under this Agreement, Executive shall
devote his full time and efforts exclusively on behalf of the Company and Rocky
and to competently, diligently and effectively discharge his duties hereunder.
Executive shall not be prohibited from engaging in such personal, charitable, or
other non-employment activities as do not interfere with his full time
employment hereunder and which do not violate the other provisions of this
Agreement. Executive further agrees to comply fully with all reasonable policies
of the Company as are from time to time in effect.

3. COMPENSATION.

     (a) Base Salary. As compensation for all services rendered to the Company
pursuant to this Agreement, in whatever capacity rendered, the Company shall pay
to Executive a base salary at the rate of $193,000 per year for services
performed from the consummation of the Transaction through December 31, 2005
(the "Basic Salary"), payable monthly or in other more frequent installments
consistent with the regular payroll practices for payment of similar executives
as determined from time to time by the Company. Thereafter, the Basic Salary may
be increased, but not decreased, from time to time, by the Board of Directors of
the Company.

     (b) Annual Cash Bonus Plan. The Executive shall also be included in an
annual cash bonus program in 2005 in a manner consistent with the plan to be
adopted by the Board of Directors of Rocky for 2005 for other similarly situated
officers of Rocky and its subsidiaries. For 2005, Executive will be eligible for
a bonus in the range of 16-35% (50% Georgia Boots/Durango/John Deere and 50%
Corporate) of Executive's Basic Salary; provided, if, during 2005, Executive is
terminated without cause by the Company, Executive shall be eligible for a pro
rata bonus based on the number of months Executive is employed by the Company
during 2005, such pro rata payment payable simultaneous with the payment of the
annual bonus payments, if any, payable to similarly situated officers of Rocky
and its subsidiaries under the cash bonus program for 2005. Subject to the
immediately preceding sentence, Executive must remain employed by the Company
through December 31, 2005 to earn the bonus, as the bonus plan will be based on
annual results. The cash bonus program is determined annually by the
Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of Rocky and may change in 2006
and future years.

     (c) Stock Options. At the consummation of the Transaction and the
effectiveness of this Agreement, Executive shall receive stock options under
Rocky's 2004 Stock Option Plan to purchase 20,000 shares of common stock
exercisable at fair market value per share at the date of grant, which options
shall vest based on the Executive continuing to be employed by the Company or by
Rocky or one of its subsidiaries at the rate of 25% of such option shares per
year of employment on each of the first, second, third and fourth anniversaries
of the date of grant. The options shall terminate on the earlier of the eighth
anniversary of the date of grant or until exercised in full or otherwise has
terminated in accordance with the terms of the 2004 Stock Option Plan.

4. BUSINESS EXPENSES; MOVING EXPENSES.

     (a) The Company shall promptly pay directly, or reimburse Executive for,
all business expenses to the extent such expenses are paid or incurred by
Executive during the term of employment in accordance with Company policy in
effect from time to time

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and to the extent such expenses are reasonable and necessary to the conduct
by Executive of the Company's business and properly substantiated.

     (b) The Company shall pay directly to, or reimburse, Executive for
reasonable moving expenses associated with the Executive's relocation, if any,
to Rocky's Nelsonville, Ohio office, including the payment of any realtors'
commissions in an amount not to exceed 6% associated with the sale of
Executive's primary residence, the expense of Executive's temporary housing for
a period of time not to exceed 3 months, and the expenses associated with no
more than 2 visits by the Executive's spouse and/or family to the Nelsonville,
Ohio area to examine housing and schools.

5. BENEFITS. During the term of this Agreement and Executive's employment
hereunder, the Company shall provide to Executive such insurance, vacation, sick
leave and other like benefits as are provided from time to time to its other
executives holding equivalent executive positions with the Company or Rocky in
accordance with the policy of the Company or Rocky and as may be established
from time to time.

6. TERM; TERMINATION. Executive is employed by the Company "at will" and
Executive's employment may be terminated at any time as provided below. For
purposes of this paragraph, "Termination Date" shall mean the date on which any
notice period required under this paragraph expires or, if no notice period is
specified in this paragraph, the effective date of the termination referenced in
the notice.

     (a) Executive may terminate his employment upon giving at least 14 days'
advance written notice to the Company and the Company will pay Executive the
earned but unpaid portion of Executive's Basic Salary through the Termination
Date. If Executive gives notice of termination hereunder, the Company shall have
the right to relieve Executive, in whole or in part, of his duties under this
Agreement and to advance the Termination Date from the date set by Executive's
notice to any earlier date within the notice period.

     (b) The Company may terminate Executive's employment without cause upon
giving 14 days' advance written notice to Executive. If the Company gives notice
of termination under this paragraph, the Company shall have the right to relieve
Executive, in whole or in part, of his duties under this Agreement at any time
during the notice period. If Executive's employment is terminated without cause
under this paragraph, the Company will pay Executive the earned but unpaid
portion of Executive's Basic Salary through the Termination Date and will
continue to pay Executive his Basic Salary for six months following the
Termination Date (the "Severance Period"); provided, however, that the Company
may terminate payment of the Basic Salary during the Severance Period if
Executive accepts other employment or if Executive breaches any provision of the
Key Personnel Agreement.

     (c) If the Company gives notice of termination under paragraph (b) above
during 2005, the Company shall be deemed to have waived the covenant set forth
in Section 2(a)(i) of the Confidentiality, Assignment and Non-Competition
Agreement for Key Personnel with respect to the Executive. In addition, if
during the term of this Agreement, the Company gives Executive notice of
termination relating to or arising from the Executive's refusal to relocate to
Rocky's Nelsonville, Ohio office, the Company will pay Executive the earned and
unpaid portion of Executive's Basic Salary

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through the Termination Date and will continue to pay Executive his Basic
Salary during the Severance Period and the Company shall be deemed to have
waived the covenant set forth in Section 2(a)(i) of the Confidentiality,
Assignment and Non-Competition Agreement for Key Personnel with respect to the
Executive.

     (d) The Company may terminate Executive's employment upon a determination
by the Company that "good cause" exists for Executive's termination and the
Company serves written notice of such termination upon the Executive. As used in
this Agreement, the term "good cause" shall refer only to any one or more of the
following grounds:

          (i) commission of an act of dishonesty, including, but not limited to,
misappropriation of funds or any property of the Company;

          (ii) engagement in activities or conduct clearly injurious to the
reputation of the Company or Rocky;

          (iii) refusal to perform his assigned duties and responsibilities;

          (iv) gross insubordination by the Executive;

          (v) the violation of any of the material terms and conditions of this
Agreement or any written agreement or agreements the Executive may from time to
time have with the Company (following 30-days' written notice from the Company
specifying the violation and Executive's failure to cure such violation within
such 30-day period); or

          (vi) commission of any misdemeanor involving an act of moral turpitude
or any felony.

     In the event of a termination under this subparagraph (d), the Company will
pay Executive the earned but unpaid portion of Executive's Basic Salary through
the Termination Date.

     A refusal by the Executive to relocate to Rocky's Nelsonville, Ohio office
will not constitute "good cause" for termination under this subparagraph (d).

     (e) Executive's employment shall terminate upon the death or permanent
disability of Executive. For purposes hereof, "permanent disability," shall mean
the inability of the Executive, as determined by the Board of Directors of the
Company, by reason of physical or mental illness to perform the duties required
of him under this Agreement for more than 180 days in any one year period.
Successive periods of disability, illness or incapacity will be considered
separate periods unless the later period of disability, illness or incapacity is
due to the same or related cause and commences less than six months from the
ending of the previous period of disability. Upon a determination by the Board
of Directors of the Company that the Executive's employment shall be terminated
under this subparagraph (e), the Board of Directors shall give the Executive 30
days' prior written notice of the termination. If a determination of the Board
of Directors under this subparagraph (e) is disputed by the Executive, the
parties agree to abide by the decision of a panel of three physicians. The
Company will select a physician, the Executive will select a physician and the
physicians selected by the Company and the Executive will select a third
physician. The Executive agrees to make

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himself available for and submit to examinations by such physicians as may be
directed by the Company. Failure to submit to any examination shall constitute
a breach of a material part of this Agreement.

7. NO CONFLICTS. Executive represents that the performance by Executive of all
the terms of this Agreement, as a continuing Executive of the Company, does not
and will not breach any agreement as to which Executive is or was a party and
which requires Executive to keep any information in confidence or in trust.
Executive has not entered into, and will not enter into, any agreement either
written or oral in conflict herewith.

8. JURISDICTION AND VENUE. The parties designate the Court of Common Pleas of
Athens County, Ohio, as the court of competent jurisdiction and venue of any
actions or proceedings relating to this Agreement and hereby irrevocably consent
to such designation, jurisdiction and venue. Such jurisdiction and venue is
exclusive. The parties further agree that the mailing by certified or registered
mail, return receipt requested, of any process required by any such court shall
constitute valid and lawful service of process against them, without the
necessity for service by any other means provided by statute or rule of court.

9. WITHHOLDING. The Company may withhold from any payments to be made hereunder
such amounts as it may be required to withhold under applicable federal, state
or other law, and transmit such withheld amounts to the appropriate taxing
authority.

10. ASSIGNMENT. This Agreement is personal to the Executive, and Executive may
not assign or delegate any of his rights or obligations hereunder. Subject to
the foregoing, this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of
the respective parties hereto, their heirs, executors, administrators,
successors and assigns.

11. WAIVER. The waiver by either party hereto of any breach or violation of any
provision of this Agreement by the other party shall not operate as or be
construed to be a waiver of any subsequent breach by such waiving party.

12. NOTICES. Any and all notices required or permitted to be given under this
Agreement will be sufficient and deemed effective three (3) days following
deposit in the United States mail if furnished in writing and sent by certified
mail to Executive at the address for Executive appearing in the Company's
personnel records and to the Company at:

                         Georgia Boot LLC
                         c/o Rocky Shoes & Boots, Inc.
                         39 East Canal Street
                         Nelsonville, OH 45764
                         Attention:  President of Rocky Shoes & Boots, Inc.

           with a copy to:

                         Curtis A. Loveland, Esq.
                         Porter, Wright, Morris & Arthur
                         41 South High Street
                         Columbus, Ohio 43215

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13. GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed under the
laws of the State of Ohio without regard to its conflict of laws rules.

14. AMENDMENT. This Agreement may be amended in any and every respect by
agreement in writing executed by both parties hereto.

15. SECTION HEADINGS. Section headings contained in this Agreement are for
convenience only and shall not be considered in construing any provision hereof.

16. BINDING EFFECT; ENTIRE AGREEMENT.

     (a) This Agreement is conditioned upon, and is effective only upon, the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement,
including but not limited to, the sale by SILLC and the purchase by Rocky, of
the Company. In the event the transactions contemplated by the Purchase
Agreement are not consummated pursuant to the terms thereof, this Agreement is
null and void and without effect with respect to either the Company or
Executive.

     (b) This Agreement when effective terminates, cancels and supersedes all
previous employment agreements or other agreements, including but not limited to
the EJ Footwear Management Incentive Plan Corporate Plan for Year Ending
September 30, 2005, relating to the employment of Executive and made by the
Executive with the Company or SILLC or their affiliates, written or oral, except
for the Key Personnel Agreement, and this Agreement contains the entire
understanding of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter of this
Agreement.

     (c) This Agreement was fully reviewed and negotiated on behalf of each
party and shall not be construed against the interest of either party as the
drafter of this Agreement. EXECUTIVE ACKNOWLEDGES THAT, BEFORE PLACING HIS
SIGNATURE HEREUNDER, HE HAS READ ALL OF THE PROVISIONS OF THIS EMPLOYMENT
AGREEMENT AND HAS THIS DAY RECEIVED A COPY HEREOF.

17. SEVERABILITY. The invalidity or unenforceability of any one or more
provisions of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of
any other provisions of this Agreement or parts thereof.

18. SURVIVAL. Section 8 of this Agreement and this Section 18 shall survive any
termination or expiration of this Agreement.

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     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of
the day and year first above written.

EXECUTIVE:                                  GEORGIA BOOT LLC

/s/ Thomas R. Morrison                      /s/ Gerald M. Cohn
--------------------------                  ----------------------------
Name: Thomas R. Morrison                    Name: Gerald M. Cohn
                                            Title: President and CEO<PAGE>

                                                             Exhibit 10.18

                              SEPARATION AGREEMENT

      This Separation Agreement ("Agreement") is made and entered into by and
between Kevin H. Jensen ("Employee") and Swift Transportation Co. Inc., its
subsidiaries, related companies, business affiliates and the directors,
officers, employees, agents, and successors of such entities (the "Company").

      1. Employee agrees to voluntarily terminate his employment with the
Company effective on June 24, 2005. Twelve (12) business days after receiving a
fully executed original of this Agreement from Employee (i) the Company will pay
Employee (by U.S. Mail) a check in the gross amount of $140,843 ($65,843 of
which is reimbursement of expenses incurred by Employee for which Employee has
provided receipts) less applicable withholdings and (ii) the Company will
forgive the Employee's indebtedness to the Company in the amount of $231,915 the
full amount of which will be recognized as taxable income to Employee; provided
that Employee has not revoked this Agreement as provided in Paragraph 4(G),
below. Employee agrees that the foregoing constitutes the entire amount of
monetary consideration provided to Employee under this Agreement.

      2. Employee represents that he has not filed any complaints, claims, or
actions against the Company, its officers, agents, directors, employees, or
representatives with any state, federal, or local agency or court and that
Employee will not do so at any time hereafter and that if any agency or court
assumes jurisdiction of any complaint, claim, or action against the Company or
its affiliated companies or any of their officers, agents, directors, employees,
or representatives on behalf of Employee, Employee will direct that agency or
court to withdraw from or dismiss with prejudice the matter as to any claim made
by Employee or on Employee's behalf.

      3. Employee hereby irrevocably and unconditionally releases and forever
discharges the Company and each and all of its officers, agents, directors,
employees, representatives, and their successors and assigns and all persons
acting by, through, under, or in concert with any of them from any and all
charges, complaints, claims, grievances, actions, and liabilities of any kind or
nature whatsoever, known or unknown, suspected or unsuspected (hereinafter
referred to as "claim" or "claims") which Employee at any time heretofore had or
claimed to have or which Employee may have or claim to have regarding events
that have occurred as of the date of this Agreement, including, without
limitation, any and all claims related or in any manner incidental to Employee's
employment with the Company or the termination therefrom or otherwise. All such
claims (including related attorneys' fees and costs) are forever barred by this
Agreement regardless of whether those claims are based on any alleged breach of
a duty arising in a statute, contract, or tort; any alleged unlawful act,
including, without limitation, discrimination or harassment of any kind; any
other claim or cause of action; and regardless of the forum in which it might be
brought.

      4. Employee hereby represents and agrees he:

            A.    has reviewed all aspects of this Agreement;

            B.    has carefully read and fully understands all the provisions of
                  this Agreement;
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            C.    understands that in agreeing to this document he is releasing
                  the Company from any and all claims he may have against the
                  Company;

            D.    knowingly and voluntarily agrees to all the terms set forth in
                  this Agreement;

            E.    was advised and hereby is advised in writing to consider the
                  terms of this Agreement and that he may consult with an
                  attorney of his choice prior to executing this Agreement;

            F.    has a full twenty-one (21) days from the date of termination
                  to consider whether he will execute this Agreement;

            G.    has a full seven (7) days following the execution of this
                  Agreement to revoke the Agreement and has been and hereby is
                  advised in writing that this Agreement shall not become
                  effective or enforceable until the revocation period has
                  expired; and

            H.    understands that rights or claims under the Age Discrimination
                  in Employment Act of 1967 (29 U.S.C.Section 621, et seq.) that
                  may arise after the date of this Agreement is executed are not
                  waived.

      5. Employee further represents and agrees that he does not rely and has
not relied upon any representation or statement made by Company other than those
specifically stated in this written Agreement.

      6. Employee agrees that he will not seek employment with the Company in
the future and that the Company is entitled to reject without cause any
application for employment with the Company made by Employee.

      7. Employee agrees to keep the terms and amount of this Agreement
completely confidential and Employee will not disclose any information
concerning this Agreement to anyone other than his family or advisors, provided
that he may make such disclosures as required by law or necessary for legitimate
law enforcement or compliance purposes.

      8. This Agreement shall be binding upon the parties hereto and upon their
heirs, administrators, representatives, executors, successors, and assigns, and
shall inure to the benefit of said parties and each of them and to their heirs,
administrators, representatives, executors, successors, and assigns. Employee
expressly warrants that he has not transferred to any person or entity any
rights, causes of action, or claims released in this Agreement.

      9. This Agreement shall not be construed as an admission by the Company of
any liability or wrongdoing whatsoever.

      10. Employee agrees to comply with the terms of the Company's Securities
Trading Policy in all respects, including in connection with his possible
exercise and sale of vested stock options. Employee acknowledges that a
"Blackout Period" currently covers Employee, which period will not be cleared
until, at the earliest, two (2) full

                                       2
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trading days after the Company publicly releases earnings for the second
quarter. The Company currently expects to release second quarter earnings on
July 18, 2005.

      11. This Agreement sets forth the entire agreement between the parties
hereto and fully supersedes any and all prior agreements or understandings,
written or oral, between the parties. This Agreement shall be interpreted in
accordance with the plain meaning of its terms and not strictly for or against
any of the parties. The parties agree that this Agreement is entered into under
applicable state law and it shall be construed and governed under the laws of
the State of Arizona. Should any provision of this Agreement be declared or be
determined by any court of competent jurisdiction to be wholly or partially
illegal, invalid, or unenforceable, the legality, validity, and enforceability
of the remaining parts, terms, or provisions shall not be affected thereby, and
said illegal, unenforceable, or invalid part, term, or provision shall be deemed
not to be a part of this Agreement.

      12. Any dispute arising under this Agreement shall be determined by final
and binding arbitration under AAA Employment Dispute Resolution Rules. The
arbitrator shall be selected by mutual agreement of the parties. If the parties
are unable to agree on an arbitrator within ten (10) days, the Arbitrator shall
be chosen pursuant to American Arbitration Association's Employment Dispute
Resolution Rules. All parties waive all rights to proceed in court or other
forum.

      13. Employee warrants that he has returned to the Company all Company
property, including computers, telephones, pagers and all proprietary
information, including, but not limited to, memoranda, books, papers, letters,
formulae, computer data, disks, manuals, price information, order forms, client
lists, customer pricing, contract terms, supplier lists, and other data (and all
copies thereof or therefrom) in any way relating to the Company's business and
affairs. Employee further agrees to keep confidential for a period of five (5)
years from the date of this Agreement all trade secrets, proprietary
information, and other confidential information of the Company that is not
publicly available.

      14. This Agreement consists of three (3) pages.

EMPLOYEE                                   COMPANY

                                           By:
-------------------------------------         ----------------------------------
                                           Title:
                                                 -------------------------------

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