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                                                              EXHIBIT 10.17

                                  AMENDMENT TO
                           EMPLOYMENT LETTER AGREEMENT

This Amendment ("AMENDMENT") to the Employment Letter Agreement ("AGREEMENT"),
is entered into as of the 11th day of June, 2001 ("EFFECTIVE DATE") between
United Industries Corporation, a Delaware corporation, or any successors or
assigns thereof (collectively, the "COMPANY") and Kent J. Davies ("EXECUTIVE").
Certain capitalized terms used herein are as defined in the Agreement.

Executive and the Company are parties to the Agreement dated March 28, 2001. The
Company and Executive desire to amend the Agreement pursuant to the terms and
conditions set forth below.

Executive and the Company, in exchange for good and valuable consideration, the
receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby mutually acknowledged, and intending
to be legally bound, hereby amend the Agreement as of the Effective Date in the
following respects:

1. Section 12, "Change in Control" is deleted and the following is inserted in
lieu thereof:

During the term of this Agreement, if a "Sale" of the Company shall occur, as
the term Sale is defined in Section 4.1(b)(iii)(w-z) in the United Industries
Corporation Stock Option Agreement (attached to the Agreement as Item 4
Exhibit), and if Executive's employment with the Company is terminated by the
Company for any reason other than for cause during the twelve (12) month period
following such Sale, then in lieu of the severance provisions set forth in
Section 11 of the Agreement, UIC will pay Executive:

     (a) base salary accrued through Executive's date of termination;

     (b) accrued incentive compensation determined in accordance with the
Company's incentive compensation plan in effect on the termination date, on a
pro-rata basis for the fiscal year in which the termination occurs, and

     (c) a severance payment equal to twenty-four (24) months of Executive's
base salary in effect as of the date of termination, payable in twenty-four (24)
equal consecutive monthly installments, beginning on the last day of the month
following the month in which Executive's employment terminates, provided that:

          (i) prior to the Company's commencing such payments, Executive signs a
          general release of UIC in substantially the form attached to the
          Agreement as ITEM 11 EXHIBIT, and

          (ii) any provision of Executive's current Noncompetition and
          Nonsolicitation covenants (as set forth in Item 9 Exhibit to the
          Agreement) to the contrary notwithstanding, Executive agrees that he
          shall continuously abide by such covenants for twenty-four (24) months
          from the date his employment terminates by reason of such Sale.

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

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the
aforesaid Effective Date.

UNITED INDUSTRIES CORPORATION                       /s/ Kent J. Davies
                                                    -----------------------
                                                    Kent J. Davies ("Executive")
By:   /s/ Robert L.Caulk                                                 7/23/01
      ------------------------
Name: Robert L. Caulk
Its:  President and CEO<Page>

                                                                  EXHIBIT 10.18

[UNITED INDUSTRIES CORP. LETTERHEAD]

February 2, 1995

Robert S. Rubin
16161 Surfview Court
Grover, Missouri 63040

Dear Bob,

Welcome to the United Industries team!

This Employment letter confirms your acceptance to become a Product Manager, for
the Spectrum Division of United Industries Corporation.

In this position, you will report to the Vice President, Marketing, and will
devote your full time and attention to the business and affairs of United
Industries. In our discussions, you indicated you are not subject to any legal
obligations which prevents you from joining our team.

Attached you will find exhibits which are integral to your employment:

          1.   Compensation
          2.   Business Ethics
          3.   Confidentiality
          4.   Intellectual Property
          5.   Separation

By signing this Letter-Agreement, you acknowledge there are no additional
understandings that are not expressed in this Letter. Please sign one copy and
return to me, and retain the second copy for your files. We are very excited
about you joining our team and we look forward to your start date of February
20, 1995.

Congratulations and Welcome Aboard,
UNITED INDUSTRIES CORPORATION

By  /s/ Richard A. Bender
   ----------------------------
   Richard A. Bender
   Vice President, Human Resources
       and Administration

                                                       Confirmed By:

                                                       /s/ Robert S. Rubin
                                                       -------------------------
                                                       Signature

                                                         2/3/95
                                                       -------------------------
                                                       Date

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                                    Exhibit 1

                              COMPENSATION EXHIBIT

     Your compensation will consist of: A. Fixed Salary; B. Incentive
Compensation; C. Benefit Programs as outlined below:

A.   Fixed Salary shall be at the rate of $66,000 per year, payable
semi-monthly.

B.   You will be eligible for Incentive Compensation. An award, determined by
management, is in recognition of the Executive's achievement of stated
performance goals or objectives. Mutually established objectives for the plan
year will be reviewed throughout the year with a final review at year's end.
This objective measurement of results will indicate performance for the plan
year and determine a payout ranging from 60 to 150% of your target of 10% of
your Fixed Salary Rate.

     This Award will be payable within 90 days after year end. Eligibility for
Incentive Compensation requires that you be employed at year end, and that your
employment is not terminated for cause prior to payment of any award of
Incentive Compensation.

C.   Benefit Programs consist of whatever programs may be in effect from time to
time for executives of the Company subject to applicable eligibility
requirements. Benefit Programs may be changed as business needs dictate. A
summary of our current programs has been given to you.

                                    /s/ Robert S. Rubin
                                    ---------------------
                                    Signature

                                       2/3/95
                                    ---------------------
                                    Date

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                                    Exhibit 2

                             BUSINESS ETHICS EXHIBIT

The Company is an "equal opportunity employer", and does not practice and will
not tolerate unlawful discrimination or harassment of employees or applicants
for employment. Should you ever encounter such a situation, you agree to
promptly report, in writing, any incident of which you become aware, whether or
not directly affecting you, which you reasonably believe involves discrimination
or harassment of any kind. The Company agrees to fully investigate or take
whatever remedial or disciplinary actions may be appropriate. Every such written
report may be delivered or mailed in a sealed envelope addressed to the
"Personal and Confidential" attention of the President of United Industries
Corporation.

The Company strives to maintain the highest levels of professional behavior in
all aspects of our business and also to provide a safe and healthful environment
in which to work. Towards this end, the Company may from time to time deem
appropriate to conduct certain tests or examinations. These tests would all be
at Company expense and by agreeing to submit to these programs, you are
indicating both your willingness to participate and your support for goals in
mind. Subject to whatever legal restrictions or prohibitions may be applicable
at the time, if any: (a) you authorize every person involved in administering or
conducting such tests or examinations to furnish full reports to the Company,
and (b) such tests and examinations may include, but are not limited to
polygraph examinations (as permitted under law), testing or examination to
determine the presence of drugs, alcohol, contagious or non-contagious disease,
or physical or mental defect or impairment, and also testing and examination
relevant to aptitude in respect of employment opportunities, advancement,
classification, and reclassification.

                                    /s/ Robert S. Rubin
                                    ---------------------
                                    Signature

                                       2/3/95
                                    ---------------------
                                    Date

<Page>

                                    Exhibit 3

                             CONFIDENTIALITY EXHIBIT

During your employment and thereafter, you will regard as confidential all
information in respect of matters not generally known by the public (including
but not limited to salaries, sales programs, financial data) regarding the
Company and all of its divisions, and will not divulge that information, or make
use of that information yourself, for any reason or purpose.

                                    /s/ Robert S. Rubin
                                    ---------------------
                                    Signature

                                       2/3/95
                                    ---------------------
                                    Date

<Page>

                                    Exhibit 4

                          INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY EXHIBIT

You acknowledge that the Company is the sole owner of all inventions, concepts,
processes, methods, ideas, formulae, and techniques conceived or developed by
you, alone or with others, during the period of your employment, whether or not
during the usual hours of your employment, which may be applicable to or useful
in any business in which the Company or any of its divisions is engaged at any
time during the period of your employment. You agree to cooperate with the
Company, both during the period of your employment and thereafter, in respect of
whatever patent, trademark, copyright or other legal protection the Company
desires to obtain.

The Company may assign its rights under this Letter-Agreement to any party which
acquires all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company or
any of its divisions.

                                    /s/ Robert S. Rubin
                                    ---------------------
                                    Signature

                                       2/3/95
                                    ---------------------
                                    Date

<Page>

                                    Exhibit 5

                               SEPARATION EXHIBIT

Your employment as Product Manager shall commence on February 20, 1995. If we
terminate your employment without cause, then as consideration for you generally
releasing the Company by signing a general release, the Company will pay you an
amount equal to three months of your Fixed Salary Rate, payable in twelve (12)
equal consecutive monthly installments commencing on the last day of the month
following the month during which your employment terminates.

The Company acknowledges that you may terminate your employment at any time,
with or without cause, by notice to the Company to that effect. You agree to
continue to perform the duties of your employment for such reasonable period as
the Company may request, not exceeding 30 days, after the date of your
termination notice to the Company.

You acknowledge that the Company may terminate your employment at any time, with
or without cause, by notice to you to that effect. If the Company terminates
your employment without cause and if you sign the general release referenced
above, then the Company shall pay the amount stated in the first paragraph of
this Exhibit.

During your employment, and during the twelve (12) months period following
termination of your employment by you or by the Company, with or without cause,
(a) you shall not solicit or attempt to persuade any person (i) to terminate his
or her employment with the Company, or (ii) to decline employment with the
Company, and (b) you shall not be employed by and not be associated in any way
with any business which markets or seeks to market Competitive Products to any
account which has been a customer of any division or affiliate of the Company
during the twelve (12) months period preceding the termination of your
employment, "Competitive Products" are any products which compete with any
products sold or offered for sale in the ordinary course of business by any
division or affiliate of the Company.

                                    /s/ Robert S. Rubin
                                    ---------------------
                                    Signature

                                       2/3/95
                                    ---------------------
                                    Date

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