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EXHIBIT (e)(10)
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
THIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT is made as of the 1st day of May, 1987, be
and between TELEBASE SYSTEMS, INC., a Pennsylvania business corporation located
at 763 West Lancaster avenue, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania 19010 ("Employer"), and
JAMES E. COANE, an individual currently residing at 19 West Concourse,
Brightwaters, New York 11718 ("Employee").
BACKGROUND
Employer is desirous of employing the Employing the employee in an
executive, research, administrative and/or technical capacity, upon the terms
and conditions hereinafter set forth in this Agreement, and the Employee is
desirous of being so employed.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements
hereinafter set forth and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt
of which the parties hereby acknowledge, the parties hereto, intending to be
legally bound hereby, agree as follows:
1. EMPLOYMENT AND DUTIES. Employer shall employ the Employee and the
Employee accepts such employment for the term set forth in Section 3 hereof, on
the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement. The Employee shall serve
as President and Chief Executive Officer of Employer, if elected or appointed to
such office or position, and shall perform such other duties as shall be
assigned to him from time to time during the continuance of his Agreement by the
Board of Directors of employer (the "Board"). The Employer agrees to (i) give
his best efforts and skills to the business and interests of the Employer, (ii)
devote substantially all of his time and attention to the business of the
Employer, and (iii) comply, in all material respects, with all reasonable
policies and rules of Employer in effect from time to time.
2. COMPENSATION PACKAGE.
a. In consideration of the services to be performed by Employee
hereunder, Employee shall receive:
(i) From the date hereof until September 30, 1987, a
salary at the rate of One Hundred Fifteen Thousand Dollars ($115,000.00) per
year, and, commencing as of October 1, 1987, a salary at the rate of One Hundred
Twenty Five Thousand Dollars ($125,000.00) per year, payable in equal
semi-monthly or bi-weekly installments in accordance with Employee's accounting
procedures and practices in effect from time to time;
(ii) Pay scale or increases or other compensation in
accordance with policies established by the Board, and at the sole and complete
discretion of the Board;
(iii) Reimbursement for all authorized reasonable and
necessary expenses incurred by Employee in connection with the performance of
his duties hereunder;
(iv) Term life insurance, naming Employee's designee as
beneficiary, in the face amount, at all times, equal to twice Employee's then
current annual salary rate
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and additional benefits as approved by the Board, which may include medical,
dental and disability income insurance, sick leave and holidays;
(v) Paid vacation to be taken at such time or times as
shall not be disapproved by the Board, and in accordance with Employer's
policies and procedures in effect from time to time.
3. TERM. This Agreement shall continue in effect until three (3)
years from the date hereof (the "Expiration Date"), unless terminated sooner by
Employer for Cause or Disability, or pursuant to Section 4 hereof. Termination
for Cause shall mean termination by Employer of Employee due to Employer's's
dishonesty, fraud, embezzlement, defalcation or violation of Employee's
covenants contained in Section 6 hereof, or in clause (ii) or (iii) of Section 1
hereof. This Agreement shall terminate automatically upon the death of the
Employee. Employer may terminate this Agreement in the event that Employee for a
period of ninety (90) continuous days, or ninety (90) days in any year during
the term hereof (including any renewal term), becomes physically or mentally
unable to carry out his duties hereunder (herein referred to as "Disability").
In the event that Employer terminates this Agreement upon the occurrence of
Employee's Disability, Employer shall, for a period of one (1) year from the
date of termination, continue to provide Employee with such term life insurance
and such medical insurance as are in effect at the time of termination. Unless
written notice shall have been delivered by the party desiring to terminate this
Agreement, which written notice shall have been delivered not later than one
hundred twenty (120) days prior to the Expiration Date (including the Expiration
Date with respect to any renewal term), this Agreement shall be considered
renewed for regular periods of one (1) year.
4. TERMINATION.
a. Employer may terminate this Agreement at any time prior to
the Expiration Date (including the Expiration Date with respect to any renewal
term). Upon (i) termination of Employee by Employer prior to the Expiration Date
(other than termination for Cause or due to the Disability of Employee), or (ii)
termination of this Agreement upon the Expiration Date, unless Employer shall
have Cause to terminate Employee (including the Expiration Date with respect to
any renewal term), Employer will provide Employee, following the date of
termination, with (a) eighteen (18) months' salary, based on Employee's then
current annual base salary level, or (b) in the event of the sale of
substantially all of the stock of the Employer, or any public offering of
Employer's stock resulting in a sale of greater than fifty percent (50%) of
Employer's issued and outstanding stock (hereinafter "Change in Control"),
salary for the greater of eighteen (18) months or the number of months remaining
until the Expiration Date, (any such period of time being hereinafter referred
to as the "Benefit Period"), payable in accordance with Employer's payroll
accounting practices and procedures, and (c) continuation of all Employer paid
benefits, including life insurance (such salary and benefits being hereinafter
referred to as "Benefits") until the expiration of the Benefit Period.
b. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph a. above, upon
termination of Employee's Employment with Employer, (provided that such
termination does not occur after a Change in Control, in which case Employer
shall be obligated to provide Employee with full benefits throughout the
Benefit Period), and as a condition to Employer's obligation to provide
Employee with the Benefits, Employee will utilize his best efforts to obtain
employment. If, after three (3) months from the date of Employee's
termination, Employee has been or is thereafter offered a reasonable
employment position, in light of, among other things, Employee's education,
experience, and salary history, then Employer's responsibility thereafter for
the provision of Benefits throughout the course of the Benefit
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Period shall be to provide Employee with such Benefits, if any, as are
necessary, when added to the salary and benefit terms of such offer of a
reasonable employment position, to provide Employee with the same salary
level and level of Employer paid benefits as Employee received immediately
prior to termination by Employer. Upon termination of Employer's obligations
to provide Employee with Benefits, upon Expiration of the Benefit Period or
otherwise, Employee shall continue to be subject to the provisions of
Section 5 hereof.
c. Upon the termination of Employee, and in consideration of
Employer's agreement to provide Employee with the Benefits, Employee agrees that
during the Benefit Period, Employee shall at all times comply with the
provisions of Section 6 hereof.
5. CONSULTANCY.
a. Upon the termination of Employee's employment with Employer
for Cause, or due to Disability, or upon the Expiration Date, or if such
employment is terminated by Employee, or upon the expiration of the Benefit
Period, Employer shall have the option in its sole discretion to retain Employee
as a part-time consultant ("Consultant") in the field in which Employee has
worked or with which Employee has become familiar as a consequence of or through
his employment by Employer ("Consultancy").
b. In the event that Employer desires to retain Employee as a
Consultant, Employee shall hold himself available for a period of two (2) years
for not more than twenty-five (25) hours per month, for which Employer shall pay
Employee twenty-five percent (25%) of his monthly base pay at the time of
termination of Employee's employment with Employer, whether or not Employee is
called upon to render actual services in any such month for which he shall be
paid.
c. Employee shall render such advisory and technical
consultation assistance as Employer shall request, provided that such assistance
shall not exceed the number of hours per month agreed upon herein.
d. Upon sixty (60) days' written notice prior to the end of the
duration of the Consultancy, Employer as its sole option may renew Employee's
retention as a Consultant for additional yearly periods (up to a maximum of two
additional yearly periods) provided that a subsequent renewal (for a second
additional yearly period) shall be made upon at least thirty (30) days' written
notice. Each renewal shall be accompanied by either an increase in Employee's
renumeration by a sum equal to ten percent (10%) of Employee's Consultancy fee,
or a decrease in the number of hours per month for which Employee must hold
himself available by fifteen percent (15%), at Employer's sole option.
e. During the Consultancy period (including renewals), Employee
shall at all times comply with the provisions of Section 8 hereof.
6. RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS.
a. Employee agrees that during the term of his employment with
Employer (whether pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise), and during any
Benefit Period (pursuant to section 4 hereof), and during any period of
Consultancy (pursuant to Section 5 hereof);
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(i) he will not solicit for employment or employ for
his own or for another's benefit any employee, officer, director or consultant
of Employer; and
(ii) he shall not directly or indirectly on his own
behalf or as an officer, director, consultant, partner, owner, stockholder or
employee of any individual, partnership or corporation or other entity, engage
in any activity, in those states within the United States and those countries
outside the United States in which Employer or any of its subsidiaries then
conducts or during his employment had conducted any business, where such
activity is competitive with the activities carried on by Employer and its
subsidiaries during his employment by Employer or is, directly or indirectly,
concerned with soliciting, serving or catering to any of the customers of
Employer or its subsidiaries during his employment by Employer. Employee
acknowledges that the nature of Employer's activities is such that competitive
activities could be conduced effectively regardless of the geographic distance
between Employer's place of business and the place of any competitive business.
b. In the event that any part of this Section 6 shall be held
unenforceable or invalid, the remaining parts thereof shall nevertheless
continue to be valid and enforceable as though the invalid portions had not been
a part hereof. In the event that the area or period of restriction established
in accordance with this Section 6 shall be deemed to exceed the maximum area or
period of time which a court of competent jurisdiction deems enforceable, said
area or periods of duration shall, for the purposes of this Section 6, be
reduced to the extent necessary to render them enforceable.
c. The existence of any claim or cause of action of Employee
against Employer, whether predicated on this Agreement or otherwise, shall not
constitute a defense to the enforcement thereof by Employer of any covenant set
forth in this Section 6.
7. INJUNCTIVE RELIEF.
a. Employee agrees that any violation on his part of any
covenant in Seciton 6 hereof will cause such damage to Employer a swill be
serious and irreparable and the exact amount of which will be difficult to
ascertain, and for that reason, he agrees that Employer shall be entitled, as a
matter of right, to a temporary, preliminary and/or permanent injunction and/or
other injunctive relief, ex parte or otherwise, from any court of competent
jurisdiction, restraining any further violations of Employee. Such injunctive
relief shall be in addition to and in no way in limitation of, any and all other
remedies Employer shall have in law and equity for the enforcement of such
covenants and provisions.
b. Employee agrees further that even though his employment with
Employer may be terminated, he will at any time, either before or after such
termination, cooperate at the expense of the Employer with the Employer and its
counsel in the prosecution and/or defense or any litigation which may arise in
connection with any customer, supplier, or licensor or licensee of Employer, or
in connection with any copyright, trademark, trade secret, or patent rights of
the Employer.
8. ENTIRE AGREEMENT. This Agreement supersedes any and all prior
agreements between the parties and represents the entire understanding of the
parties hereto with respect to the employment of Employee and there are no other
agreements, warranties or representations except as herein provided. The parties
acknowledge that this Agreement shall not affect any prior, subsequent, or
contemporaneous agreements between the parties respecting Employer's
confidential information. This
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Agreement including this Section 8 may not be altered or amended except in
writing executed by both parties hereto.
9. ASSIGNMENT; BENEFIT. This Agreement is personal and may not be
assigned except that it shall inure to the benefit and be binding upon the
successors of Employer and personal representatives of Employee.
10. APPLICABLE LAW. This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of
the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Employer and Employee agree and do hereby
consent to jurisdiction of any court of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania which
has state-wide jurisdiction with respect to any proceeding arising out of or
relating to this Agreement or its subject matter, and further agree that the
mailing by registered mail of any process to the last known address of either
party shall constitute lawful and valid service of process thereof. In the event
any such suit is filed in any state or federal court in the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania, Employer and Employee shall not raise and hereby waive the
defenses of lack of personal jurisdiction or venue. In the event that such
process requires an answer or response thereto, the time in which Employer or
Employee must file and serve such answer or response shall be computed from the
day of its or his receipt of such process.
11. NOTICE. Any notice required or permitted to be given hereunder
shall be sufficient if in writing and if sent by certified or registered mail to
his residence in the case of Employee or to its principal office in the case of
Employer.
12. SEPARABILITY OF PROVISIONS. If any of the provisions of this
Agreement or the application of any of such provisions hereof shall for any
reason be held invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, such invalidity
shall not affect or impair any other provision hereof, it being the intention of
the parties hereto that such other provisions shall be and remain in full force
and effort.
13. WAIVER. The waiver by Employer of a breach of any provision of
this Agreement by Employee shall not operate or be construed as a waiver of any
other or subsequent breach by Employee of such or any provision.
14. TERMINATION OF PRIOR OBLIGATIONS. Employer and Employee hereby
agree that all prior or contemporaneous employment agreements between them shall
cease and terminate, and shall be null and void. Employer shall have no further
payment or other liability or obligation to Employee pursuant to any such prior
or contemporaneous employment agreement, whether oral or written.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have hereunto set their hands
and seals as of the day and year set forth above.
EMPLOYER:
Attest:
/s/ Joyce Rambo By: /S/ S.J. Melman
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Title: Chairman
EMPLOYER:
Witness: /s/ Joyce Rambo /s/ James E. Coane
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ADDENDUM TO EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
THIS ADDENDUM TO EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT is made effective as of the 14th
day of May, 1987 by and between TELEBASE SYSTEMS, INC., and JAMES E. COANE.
BACKGROUND
The parties hereto have entered into an Employment Agreement dated as
of May 14, 1987. The parties wish to set forth additional terms and conditions
relating to the Employment Agreement, which terms and conditions shall be a part
of the Employment Agreement as if contained therein. Capitalized terms used
herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings assigned to them in the
Employment Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements
hereinafter set forth and set forth in the Employment Agreement, the parties
hereto, intending to be legally bound hereby, agree as follows:
1. ADDITIONAL BENEFITS. Employer will provide Employee with use of an
automobile throughout the term hereof. Employer will pay for all automobile
insurance, and all operating costs associated with Employee's use of such
automobile in fulfilment of Employee's duties under the Employment Agreement.
Employer will reimburse Employee for reasonable housing costs until such time as
Employee permanently relocates to the geographic area of Employer's location, or
one (1) year from the date hereof, whichever occurs first.
2. STOCK OPTION. Employer hereby grants to Employee the option to
purchase four hundred (400) shares (the "Shares") of Employer's stock at a
purchase price of One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) per share (the "Purchase
Price"). Employee shall be entitled to exercise his option as follows: November
14, 1987 - 100; January 2, 1988 - 100; January 2, 1989 - 100; January 2, 1990 -
100 shares. Such other terms and conditions relative to Employee's stock option
hereunder shall be substantially similar to those terms and conditions to be set
forth in an Incentive Stock Option Plan (the "Plan"), proposed to be adopted and
implemented by Employer. A copy of the Plan, as currently proposed, is attached
hereto as Exhibit A.
3. COSTS OF SUIT. The prevailing party in a proceeding for damaged or
other relief arising out of an alleged breach of either party of any of the
terms or conditions of the Employment Agreement or this Addendum shall, in
addition to other relief, be entitled to reasonable attorney fees, costs and
expenses of litigation incurred in connection with such proceeding.
EMPLOYEE: EMPLOYER:
/s/ James E. Coane By: /s/ S. J. Melman
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Title: CHAIRMAN
