Document:

Exhibit 10.16

 

AMENDMENT TO

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

BETWEEN

HESKA CORPORATION

AND

JOSEPH H. RITTER

 

This Amendment to Employment Agreement is dated effective as of January 1,
2008 (this “Amendment”) and amends the Employment Agreement dated as of May 1,
2004 (the “Employment Agreement”), between Heska Corporation, a Delaware
corporation (“Company”), and Joseph H. Ritter (“Employee”).  Unless otherwise defined in herein, all
capitalized terms used herein shall have the meaning ascribed to them in the
Employment Agreement.

 

RECITALS

 

Section 10 of the Employment Agreement permits the parties to
modify the Employment Agreement in writing, and the Employee and Company have
agreed to modify the Employment Agreement to the extent set forth in this
Amendment.

 

AGREEMENT

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing, and other good and
valuable consideration, including Employee’s continued employment with Company,
the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, Employee and
Company hereby agree as follows:

 

1.                                       Subsection 6(c)(iii) of
the Employment Agreement is amended and restated in its entirety to read as set
forth below:

 

(iii)         
The parties agree that for the purposes of this Employment Agreement, an “involuntary
termination” due to a “change of control” will be deemed to have occurred when
Employee is no longer employed by the Company’s successor following a “change
of control” because the Employee’s position is eliminated within nine (9) months
of the “change of control” or when Employee’s job authority, duties or
responsibilities are materially diminished within nine (9) months of the “change
of control” and Employee elects to resign; provided, however,
that prior to any such resignation, Employee shall give Company written notice
of the existence of the condition which Employee believes constitutes such
material diminution (which notice must be given within ninety (90) days of the
initial existence of the condition) and such condition shall remain uncured for
a period of thirty (30) days after the date of such notice.  For purposes of this subsection 6(c)(iii) and
without in any manner limiting the circumstances that may give rise to a
material diminution, Employee’s job authority, duties or responsibilities shall
be deemed to be materially diminished if, but not limited to, the following: (1) Employee’s
authority 

 

 

with
the Company or its successor is, or Employee’s duties or responsibilities are,
materially diminished relative to Employee’s authority, duties and
responsibilities as in effect immediately prior to such change; (2) Employee
suffers a material diminution in base salary as in effect immediately prior to
such diminution; (3) there is a material change in the geographic location
of Employee’s principal place of employment such that the new location results
in a commute for Employee that is greater than fifty (50) road miles longer
than Employee’s commute prior to the relocation; (4) there occurs any
material breach by the Company or its successor of any provision of this
Employment Agreement; or (5) any acquiring or successor company fails to
assume or be bound by the terms of this Employment Agreement in connection with
a change of control.

 

2.                                       Section 6(c) of
the Employment Agreement is amended by inserting immediately after Subsection
6(c)(iv) of the Employment Agreement a new Subsection 6(c)(v), which shall
read in its entirety as set forth below:

 

(v)         
If Employee is a “specified employee” within the meaning of Section 1.409A-1(i) of
the Treasury regulations as of the date of termination, then payments to
Employee hereunder shall not be made before the date that is six (6) months
after the date of termination (or if earlier, the date of death of Employee); provided,
however, that during such six-month period, Company shall make any and
all payments contemplated hereunder to the extent such payments do not exceed
two times the lesser of (i) Employee’s annualized compensation, based upon
the annual rate of compensation for the calendar year preceding the year in
which the date of termination occurs, or (ii) the maximum amount that may
be taken into account under a qualified plan pursuant to Section 401(a)(17)
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, for the year in which the
date of termination occurs; and provided further that any amounts deferred
hereunder shall be paid in a lump-sum amount at the expiration of such
six-month period.  It is the parties’
intent that no payment made or to be made hereunder shall be subject to the
provisions of Section 409A(a)(1)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended. Accordingly, notwithstanding any payment date or schedule
specified above, the parties agree to work expeditiously to amend this
Agreement to conform to their intent as set forth in this Section.

 

3.                                       All other terms and conditions of the
Employment Agreement shall remain in full force and effect. This Amendment,
together with the Employment Agreement, contains all the terms and conditions
agreed upon by the parties hereto regarding the subject matter hereof and
thereof. All prior agreements, promises, negotiations and representations,
either oral or written, relating to the subject matter of this Amendment or the
Employment Agreement not expressly set forth in this Amendment or the
Employment Agreement are of no force or effect.

 

2

 

4.                                       Any waiver, alteration or modification of
any of the terms of this Amendment or the Employment Agreement shall be valid
only if made in writing and signed by the parties hereto.

 

5.                                       This Amendment may be executed in
counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original but all of which
together shall constitute one and the same document.  This Amendment to the extent signed and
delivered by facsimile or other electronic means will be treated in all manner
and respects as an original agreement or instrument and will be considered to
have the same binding legal effect as if it were the original signed version
thereof delivered in person.

 

[Signature
Page(s) to Follow]

 

3

 

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

 

	
  HESKA
  CORPORATION

  	
   

  	
  EMPLOYEE

  
	
   

  	
   

  	
   

  
	
  By:
  /s/ John R. Flanders

  	
   

  	
  /s/
  Joseph H. Ritter

  
	
  Name:
  John R. Flanders

  	
   

  	
  Name:
  Joseph H. Ritter

  
	
  Title:
  VP, General Counsel

  	
   

  	
  Title:
  EVP, Global Business Operations

  

 

[Signature Page to Amendment to Employment Agreement]Exhibit 10.18

 

AMENDMENT TO

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

BETWEEN

HESKA CORPORATION

AND

MICHAEL BENT

 

This Amendment to Employment Agreement is dated effective as of January 1,
2008 (this “Amendment”) and amends the Employment Agreement dated as of May 1,
2000 (the “Employment Agreement”), between Heska Corporation, a Delaware
corporation (“Company”), and Michael Bent (“Employee”).  Unless otherwise defined in herein, all
capitalized terms used herein shall have the meaning ascribed to them in the
Employment Agreement.

 

RECITALS

 

Section 10 of the Employment Agreement permits the parties to
modify the Employment Agreement in writing, and the Employee and Company have
agreed to modify the Employment Agreement to the extent set forth in this
Amendment.

 

AGREEMENT

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing, and other good and
valuable consideration, including Employee’s continued employment with Company,
the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, Employee and
Company hereby agree as follows:

 

1.                                       Subsection 6(c)(iii) of
the Employment Agreement is amended and restated in its entirety to read as set
forth below:

 

(iii)         
The parties agree that for the purposes of this Employment Agreement, an “involuntary
termination” due to a “change of control” will be deemed to have occurred when
Employee is no longer employed by the Company’s successor following a “change
of control” because the Employee’s position is eliminated within nine (9) months
of the “change of control” or when Employee’s job authority, duties or
responsibilities are materially diminished within nine (9) months of the “change
of control” and Employee elects to resign; provided, however,
that prior to any such resignation, Employee shall give Company written notice
of the existence of the condition which Employee believes constitutes such
material diminution (which notice must be given within ninety (90) days of the
initial existence of the condition) and such condition shall remain uncured for
a period of thirty (30) days after the date of such notice.  For purposes of this subsection 6(c)(iii) and
without in any manner limiting the circumstances that may give rise to a
material diminution, Employee’s job authority, duties or responsibilities shall
be deemed to be materially diminished if, but not limited to, the following: (1) Employee’s
authority 

 

 

with
the Company or its successor is, or Employee’s duties or responsibilities are,
materially diminished relative to Employee’s authority, duties and
responsibilities as in effect immediately prior to such change; (2) Employee
suffers a material diminution in base salary as in effect immediately prior to
such diminution; (3) there is a material change in the geographic location
of Employee’s principal place of employment such that the new location results
in a commute for Employee that is greater than fifty (50) road miles longer
than Employee’s commute prior to the relocation; (4) there occurs any
material breach by the Company or its successor of any provision of this
Employment Agreement; or (5) any acquiring or successor company fails to
assume or be bound by the terms of this Employment Agreement in connection with
a change of control.

 

2.                                       Section 6(c) of
the Employment Agreement is amended by inserting immediately after Subsection
6(c)(iv) of the Employment Agreement a new Subsection 6(c)(v), which shall
read in its entirety as set forth below:

 

 

(v)         
If Employee is a “specified employee” within the meaning of Section 1.409A-1(i) of
the Treasury regulations as of the date of termination, then payments to
Employee hereunder shall not be made before the date that is six (6) months
after the date of termination (or if earlier, the date of death of Employee); provided,
however, that during such six-month period, Company shall make any and
all payments contemplated hereunder to the extent such payments do not exceed
two times the lesser of (i) Employee’s annualized compensation, based upon
the annual rate of compensation for the calendar year preceding the year in
which the date of termination occurs, or (ii) the maximum amount that may
be taken into account under a qualified plan pursuant to Section 401(a)(17)
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, for the year in which the
date of termination occurs; and provided further that any amounts deferred
hereunder shall be paid in a lump-sum amount at the expiration of such
six-month period.  It is the parties’
intent that no payment made or to be made hereunder shall be subject to the
provisions of Section 409A(a)(1)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended. Accordingly, notwithstanding any payment date or schedule
specified above, the parties agree to work expeditiously to amend this
Agreement to conform to their intent as set forth in this Section.

 

3.                                       All other terms and conditions of the
Employment Agreement shall remain in full force and effect. This Amendment,
together with the Employment Agreement, contains all the terms and conditions
agreed upon by the parties hereto regarding the subject matter hereof and thereof.
All prior agreements, promises, negotiations and representations, either oral
or written, relating to the subject matter of this Amendment or the Employment
Agreement not expressly set forth in this Amendment or the Employment Agreement
are of no force or effect.

 

2

 

4.                                       Any waiver, alteration or modification of
any of the terms of this Amendment or the Employment Agreement shall be valid
only if made in writing and signed by the parties hereto.

 

5.                                       This Amendment may be executed in
counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original but all of which
together shall constitute one and the same document.  This Amendment to the extent signed and
delivered by facsimile or other electronic means will be treated in all manner
and respects as an original agreement or instrument and will be considered to
have the same binding legal effect as if it were the original signed version
thereof delivered in person.

 

[Signature
Page(s) to Follow]

 

3

 

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

 

	
  HESKA
  CORPORATION

  	
   

  	
  EMPLOYEE

  
	
   

  	
   

  	
   

  
	
  By:

  	
   /s/ John R. Flanders

  	
   

  	
  /s/
  Michael Bent

  
	
  Name:
  John R. Flanders

  	
   

  	
  Name:
  Michael Bent

  
	
  Title:
  VP, General Counsel

  	
   

  	
  Title:
  

  	
  Vice
  President, Controller and

  
	
   

  	
   

  	
   

  	
  Principal
  Accounting Officer

  
					

 

[Signature Page to Amendment to Employment Agreement]

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