Document:

EX-10.bq - Employment Agreement

 

EXHIBIT 10.bq

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

     SBS Technologies, Inc. (“Company”) and Christopher J. Amenson (“Employee”)
agree, effective April 26, 2002:

	 	1.	 	Employment. Company employs Employee for the period
beginning on the date of this Employment Agreement as set forth
below, and ending three years from its date or upon discharge or
resignation of Employee in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement (the “Employment Period”). During the Employment Period,
Employee will serve in the position of Chief Executive Officer of
Company, or other management position as determined by the Company.
Employee will devote sufficient time and energies to the business of
Company to accomplish the duties assigned, will perform to the best
of Employee’s ability all duties assigned to Employee by Company and
will devote Employee’s best efforts to advance the interests of
Company. Employee will have the power and authority determined by
Company.
	 
	 	2.	 	Compensation. For all services performed by Employee for
Company during the Employment Period, Company will pay Employee the
salary and benefits set forth on Appendix “A”. Employee will be
entitled to participate in employee benefit programs established by
Company and applicable to all full-time employees. Employee will be
entitled to vacation, national holidays and paid sick leave in
accordance with Company policy and Appendix A. During vacation,
national holidays, and paid sick leave, Employee will receive
Employee’s usual compensation.
	 
	 	3.	 	Reimbursement of Expenses. Company recognizes that Employee,
in performing Employee’s duties hereunder, may be required to spend
sums of money in connection with those duties for the benefit of
Company. Employee may present to Company an itemized voucher
listing expenses paid by Employee in the performance of Employee’s
duties on behalf of Company, and on presentation of the itemized
voucher, Company will reimburse Employee for all reasonable expenses
itemized, including but not limited to, travel, meals, lodging,
entertainment, and promotion with respect to all activities approved
in advance by Company. Employee may receive advances from Company
for anticipated expenses. Employee agrees that the amount by which
an advance exceeds actual expenses (“Amount”) will be promptly
refunded to Company upon determination by Company that it is due,
that the Amount may be deducted from any payments of any nature
(including without limitation salary) owed by Company to employee,
and that the Amount will constitute a debt from Employee to Company,
enforceable by Company in all respects as if

 

 

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	 	 	 	Employee had executed a promissory note or other instrument
acknowledging the debt, bearing interest at a rate of 10% per year
from the date repayment is due, and payable in full on demand
without set-off or deduction.
	 
	 	4.	 	Sick Leave and Disability. Employee will be entitled to
sick leave for the number of days determined by Company (“Sick
Leave”). Employee will be considered to be disabled during any
period in excess of Sick Leave during which Employee is unable to
work because of illness or incapacity (“Disability
Period”). Employee
will be entitled to receive Employee’s full salary during Sick Leave
and will be deemed to be on leave, without pay, during the
Disability Period. If Employee is unable to work for a period in
excess of 90 days, Employee, at the discretion of the Board of
Directors of company, will be considered to have resigned. In no
event will Employee be entitled to payment or other compensation for
unused Sick Leave or Disability Period, unless required by law or
otherwise provided in a policy or employment manual adopted by
Company.
	 
	 	5.	 	Resignation and Discharge. Employee may resign or be
discharged pursuant to the terms of this paragraph. If Employee (i)
resigns, Employee must give 30 days’ notice to Company; (ii) is
discharged for cause (as later defined), Company may discharge
Employee immediately, without notice; or (iii) is discharged not for
cause from his responsibilities as Chief Executive Officer, Company
must give 30 days’ notice to Employee. If Employee is discharged
from his position as Chief Executive Officer not for cause, Employee
will be paid severance pay equal to six month’s base pay in effect
at the time of termination payable in monthly installments. For
two years following the termination period from the position of
Chief Executive Officer, whether voluntary or involuntary
termination has occurred, the Company agrees to continue to employ
the Employee as an advisor to the Board of Directors at an annual
rate of pay of $40,000.
	 
	 	 	 	For purposes of this paragraph, “for cause” means that during the
Employment Period, Employee, unless otherwise provided by Company
policy or Company employment manual, (a) is reasonably believed by
Company (i) to have failed to comply with any law, regulation or
policy, including without limitation securities or employment or
non-discrimination or similar laws, regulations or policies, and
that failure causes a significant financial, regulatory,
operational or public perception detriment to Company, (ii) to
abuse, as determined by the Company, alcohol or to use drugs,
(other than as prescribed by Employee’s physician), or (b) refuses
to submit to testing for alcohol or drugs, or (c) is reasonably
believed by Company to have committed or is charged with

 

 

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	 	 	 	any felony or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude, or (d)
through willful neglect, gross negligence, or malfeasance causes a
significant financial, regulatory, operational or public
perception detriment to Company. A determination by the Board of
Directors that Employee has failed to perform Employee’s
responsibilities to the satisfaction of the Board of Directors,
without one or more of the other elements set out in this
paragraph, is not “for cause”.
	 
	 	6.	 	Competition and Confidential Information Restrictions.

	 	A.	 	Competition Restrictions. Employee may not
during the Employment Period, and for a period of two years
following the termination of the Employment Period, anywhere
in the United States, directly or indirectly, own, manage,
operate, invest in, control, be employed by, participate in,
be a financial sponsor of, or be connected in any manner with
the ownership, management, operation or control of any
business that competes with a business conducted by Company
at any time during the Employment Period or which Employee
knows, during the Employment Period, that Company intends to
conduct. Employee acknowledges that this restriction is
necessary for Company’s welfare and protection in light of
the responsibilities assigned to Employee and Employee’s
status in Company, that Employee is fully and adequately
compensated for this restriction.
	 
	 	B.	 	Confidential Information. Employee
acknowledges and recognizes that Employee is, or will be,
employed by Company in a confidential relationship and may
receive and have access to the confidential business
information, customer names, contracts and other customer
data, business methods, techniques and trade secrets of
Company (“Confidential Information”). Employee may develop
ideas, conceptions, inventions, processes, methods, products
and improvements; and Employee may receive disclosures of
ideas, conceptions, inventions, processes, methods, products
and improvements made by other employees of Company (“Company
Inventions”). Employee may participate with Company in
improving and developing Confidential Information and Company
Inventions. Confidential Information and Company Inventions
developed on behalf of Company are neither commonly known nor
readily accessible to others and are used by Company in its
business to obtain a competitive advantage over Company’s
competitors who do not know or use the Confidential
Information or Company Inventions. Protection of the
Confidential Information and Company Inventions against
unauthorized

 

 

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	 	 	 	disclosure and use is of critical importance to Company in
maintaining its competitive position. Employee agrees that
Employee will not, at any time, during or after the
Employment Period, make any independent use of, or disclose
to any other person or organization, except as authorized
by Company in writing, any Confidential Information or
Company Inventions. Upon termination of the Employment
Period for any reason, Employee shall promptly deliver to
Company all drawings, manuals, letters, notes, notebooks,
reports, customer lists, customer data, mailing lists, and
all other materials and records of any kinds, and all
copies thereof, that may be in the possession of, or under
the control of, Employee pertaining to Company’s business
including any that contain any Confidential Information or
Company Invention.
	 
	 	C.	 	Business Relationships. Employee acknowledges
Company’s efforts to establish valuable business
relationships with its clients, customers and suppliers.
Employee recognizes that Company has invested resources in
the training and the professional development of Employee,
and Employee further recognizes Employee’s responsibility to
the Company when Company entrusts Employee with Confidential
Information. In view of Company’s efforts, Employee agrees
that unless Company authorizes Employee to do so in writing,
Employee will not, for a period of one year after termination
of employment with Company, solicit the purchase of products
or services directly competing with products and services of
Company from any person, corporation, business organization
or enterprise which: (i) has made any purchase of products or
services from Company within the two years immediately
preceding termination of former Employee’s employment
(“Customer”); or (ii) has been contacted by Employee during
the last 12 months of Employee’s employment for the purpose
of securing the purchase of products or services from Company
(“Prospective Customer”).
	 
	 	D.	 	Non-Solicitation of Employees. Employee is
aware that Company has a significant investment in its
employees. For a period of twelve months after termination
for any reason of Employee’s employment, neither Employee nor
any person or entity by whom Employee may be employed or of
which Employee may be an officer, director, partner, trustee
or control person, will directly or indirectly employ or
solicit to employ, or otherwise retain or solicit to retain,
any person employed by Company as of the date of Employee’s
termination of employment or during the twelve month period
thereafter, unless that person

 

 

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	 	 	 	has been terminated by Company without cause (as determined
in good faith by Company) before the time of the
solicitation, employment or retention.
	 
	 	E.	 	Remedies. Employee and Company recognize that
irreparable injury may result to Company in the event of
breach or threatened breach of this paragraph of this
Agreement by Employee. If Employee commits a breach or
threatens to commit a breach of any of the provisions of this
paragraph, Company shall have the right and remedy, in
addition to any others that may be available, at law or in
equity, to have the provisions of this paragraph specifically
enforced by any court having equity jurisdiction, together
with an accounting therefor, Employee having specifically
acknowledged that any such breach or threatened breach will
cause irreparable injury to Company and that money damages
will not provide an adequate remedy to Company.

	 	7.	 	Invalidity. If any provision of this Employment Agreement is
later construed to be unenforceable or invalid, the remaining
provisions shall not be affected but shall continue in full effect.
If any term of this Employment Agreement is found to be
unenforceable or invalid by any court having jurisdiction, that
court shall have the power to reduce or revise the term and the
paragraph(s) shall then be fully enforceable.
	 
	 	8.	 	Assignment. Employee acknowledges that Employee’s services
are unique and personal. Accordingly, Employee may not assign
Employee’s rights or delegate Employee’s duties or obligations under
this Agreement. The Employer’s rights and obligations shall inure
to the benefit of and shall be binding upon Employer’s successor and
assigns.
	 
	 	9.	 	Personnel Policies. Company’s written personnel policies
apply to all of Company’s employees, including Employee, and
describe additional terms and conditions of employment of Employee.
Those terms and conditions, as Company may be revise them from time
to time, are incorporated by reference into this Employment
Agreement. Company reserves the right to revise the personnel
policies from time to time, as Company deems necessary. If any
personnel policy provision conflicts with a provision of this
Employment Agreement, the terms of this Employment Agreement shall
govern.
	 
	 	10.	 	Alcohol and Drug Testing. Employee agrees to comply with and
submit to any Company program or policy for testing for alcohol
abuse or use of drugs and, in the absence of such a program or
policy, to submit to such
testing as may be required by Company and administered in
accordance with applicable law and regulations.

 

 

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	 	11.	 	Binding Effect. This Employment Agreement constitutes the
entire understanding of the parties, may be modified only in
writing, is governed by laws of the state of New Mexico, and will
bind and inure to the benefit of Employee and Employee’s personal
representative and Company and Company’s successors and assigns.

 

 

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	DATED: April 26, 2002.	 	 	 
	 
	 	 	 	COMPANY:
	 
	 	 	 	SBS Technologies, Inc.
	 
	 	 	
By:
	/s/ Larry A. Bennigson
	 	 	 	Its: Chairman, Management Development

& Compensation Committee of the Board
	 
	 	 	 	EMPLOYEE:
	 
	 	 	 	/s/ Christopher J. Amenson
	 	 	 	Christopher J. Amenson

 

 

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Appendix A

to

Employment Agreement

Christopher J. Amenson

Employee

Position: Chief Executive Officer of Company, reporting directly to the Board
of Directors.

Compensation: $200,000 base annual salary.

	 	 	 
	
Benefits:	 	 
	
Standard Employee	 	 
	
Benefits:
	 	Medical insurance
	 	 	Dental insurance
	 	 	Life Insurance
	 	 	Long and short-term disability insurance
	 	 	Ten holidays per year
	 	 	Sick leave
	 	 	 
	
Optional Benefits:
	 	401(k) Plan
	 	 	Flexible Spending Account Program
	 	 	Supplemental Life Insurance

All Standard and Optional Benefits will be as provided by Company to employees
generally, and are subject to modification from time to time by Company.

	 	 	 
	Additional Benefits:	 	
Four weeks paid vacation per year
	 	 	
Immediate, full vesting under any employee plans

in effect at signing that require vesting

Stock Option Grant: Nonqualified stock options for 120,000 shares of common
stock, with exercise, termination and other terms as provided in an Option
Agreement (“Option Agreement”) and the 1993 Director and Stock Option Plan
under which it is issued, including the following:

     The Options will vest in three installments, vesting as follows:

	 	 	 	 	 
	50,000
	 	April 25, 2003
	40,000
	 	April 25, 2004
	30,000
	 	April 25, 2005

 

 

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All options will vest immediately prior to a change of control of the company.
In the event the position of the employee is changed from Chief Executive
Officer, or employee is discharged not-for-cause from the position of Chief
Executive Officer, all options not yet vested as of the effective date will
vest as of the effective date of change of position from the position of Chief
Executive Officer.

The Options will terminate ten years from the date of grant, and the exercise
price for the options will be the Nasdaq closing price on April 25, 2002.

 

 

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                                                                    EXHIBIT 10.1

                                    AMENDMENT
                           EFFECTIVE AS OF MAY 1, 2002

                                     TO THE

                           NOBLE DRILLING CORPORATION
               EQUITY COMPENSATION PLAN FOR NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTORS

                  WHEREAS, Noble Drilling Corporation, a Delaware corporation
("Noble-Delaware"), established the Noble Drilling Corporation Equity
Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors (the "Equity Plan"), and reserved
the right of its Board of Directors under the conditions specified in Section 6
thereof to amend the Equity Plan without obtaining shareholder approval; and

                  WHEREAS, Noble-Delaware entered into that certain Agreement
and Plan of Merger (the "Merger Agreement"), dated as of March 11, 2002, by and
among Noble-Delaware, Noble Corporation, a Cayman Islands exempted company
limited by shares ("Noble-Cayman"), Noble Holding (U.S.) Corporation, a Delaware
corporation ("Holdco"), and Noble Cayman Acquisition Corporation, a Delaware
corporation ("Merger Sub"); and

                  WHEREAS, pursuant to the Merger Agreement, on April 30, 2002,
Merger Sub merged with and into Noble-Delaware, with Noble-Delaware being the
surviving corporation and becoming an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of
Noble-Cayman, and each issued and outstanding share of common stock, par value
US$0.10 per share, of Noble-Delaware automatically became one ordinary share,
par value US$0.10 per share, of Noble-Cayman (collectively, the
"Reorganization"); and

                  WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 4.1 of the Merger Agreement, the
Assumed Plans (as defined therein) of Noble-Delaware were assumed by
Noble-Cayman at the Effective Time (as defined therein) and continue as plans
and agreements of Noble-Cayman; and

                  WHEREAS, the Equity Plan is an Assumed Plan as defined in the
Merger Agreement and therefore was assumed by Noble-Cayman at the Effective Time
and has continued as a plan and agreement of Noble-Cayman since the Effective
Time; and

                  WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 4.1(c) of the Merger Agreement,
which provides for necessary and appropriate amendments with respect to the
Assumed Plans, Noble-Cayman desires to amend the Equity Plan to reflect the
Reorganization;

                  NOW THEREFORE, Noble-Cayman does hereby assume the sponsorship
of the Equity Plan and does hereby amend the Equity Plan, effective from and
after the Effective Time, to provide for the Reorganization and to provide for
certain other changes as follows:

         1. All references in the Equity Plan to "Noble Drilling Corporation"
are amended to refer to "Noble Corporation," and all references to the "Company"
shall mean Noble Corporation, a Cayman Islands exempted company limited by
shares.

                                       1

<PAGE>

         2. The Equity Plan shall be renamed the "Noble Corporation Equity
Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors" and all references in the Equity
Plan to "Common Stock" or "shares of Common Stock" are amended to read "Ordinary
Shares," and all references to "stock" or "stockholders" are amended to read
"shares" or "members," respectively.

         3. Subsection 2(c) of the Equity Plan is deleted in its entirety, and
subsections 2(d) and 2(e) are redesignated as subsections 2(c) and 2(d),
respectively. The following shall be added as a new subsection 2(e) of the
Equity Plan:

         "(e) 'Ordinary Shares' means the Ordinary Shares, par value US$0.10 per
         share, of the Company, or any shares or other securities of the Company
         hereafter issued or issuable in substitution or exchange for the
         Ordinary Shares. "

         4. Subsection 4(a) of the Equity Plan is deleted in its entirety and
the following is substituted therefor:

         "(a) Number of Shares. Seventy-five thousand (75,000) Ordinary Shares
         are authorized for issuance under the Plan in accordance with the
         provisions of the Plan. Ordinary Shares issued pursuant to the Plan
         shall be shares of original issuance, as the Board of Directors, in its
         discretion, shall from time to time determine; provided, however, that
         if the rules of any stock exchange or stock market on which the
         Ordinary Shares are listed require member approval of the Plan as a
         prerequisite for listing on such stock exchange or stock market the
         Ordinary Shares issuable under the Plan, then no such shares shall be
         issued unless member approval is obtained."

         5. This Amendment No. 1 shall amend only those provisions of the Equity
Plan set forth herein, and those sections, subsections, phrases or words not
expressly amended hereby shall remain in full force and effect.

                                       2

<PAGE>

                  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this
Amendment to be effective as of the date first above written.

                                        NOBLE CORPORATION

                                        By: /s/ Robert D. Campbell
                                           -------------------------------------
                                           Robert D. Campbell,
                                           President

                                       3

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