PERINI CORP
8-K, 2000-02-09
GENERAL BLDG CONTRACTORS - NONRESIDENTIAL BLDGS
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                                WASHINGTON, D.C.


                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934

                                February 9, 2000
                                (Date of Report)
                Date of earliest event reported: February 5, 2000



                               Perini Corporation
               ___________________________________________________
               (Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)



Massachusetts                 1-6314                         04-1717070

(State or other     (Commission File Number)   (IRS Employer Identification No.)
jurisdiction of
incorporation)

              73 Mt. Wayte Avenue, Framingham, Massachusetts 01701
               (Address of principal executive offices) (zip code)



       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (508) 628-2000

  (Former name or former address, if changed since last report) Not applicable

<PAGE>

ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS.

On  February  5, 2000,  Perini  Corporation  (the  "Company")  and  Tutor-Saliba
Corporation,  O&G Industries,  Inc. and National Union Fire Insurance Company of
Pittsburgh,  PA (the  "New  Investors")  entered  into a  definitive  Securities
Purchase Agreement (the "Agreement")  whereby the Company agreed to issue to the
New Investors an aggregate of 9,411,765  shares of common stock, par value $1.00
per share,  for an aggregate of $40,000,000 (the  "Transaction").  The Agreement
and the joint press release issued by the parties are attached hereto as Exhibit
10.1 and Exhibit 99.1,  respectively,  and are incorporated herein by reference.
It is  anticipated  that the  Transaction  will close during the first or second
quarter of 2000.

The Agreement  has been  approved by the Board of Directors of the Company.  The
Transaction is subject to various closing  conditions  including the approval of
the Company's stockholders.  In addition, the New Investors, the current holders
of the Series B  Cumulative  Convertible  Preferred  Stock of the  Company  (the
"Series B Holders") and the Company will enter into a Shareholders' Agreement at
the closing of the Transaction (the  "Shareholders'  Agreement") which gives the
three New  Investors  and two of the Series B Holders the right to designate one
candidate  each to be  nominated  by the Board for election as a director of the
Company.  The Shareholders'  Agreement will include provisions pursuant to which
each of the New  Investors  and Series B Holders  will agree to vote for and the
Company will agree to use its best efforts to have elected each of the nominees.
In addition, the Shareholders' Agreement will contain provisions relating to the
transferability  of the common stock held by the New  Investors and the Series B
Holders.

<PAGE>




                                   SIGNATURES

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


Date:   February 9, 2000                  PERINI CORPORATION

                                          /s/Robert Band
                                          -------------------------------------
                                          Robert Band
                                          President and Chief Executive Officer



                                       2

<PAGE>



                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit

10.1    Securities  Purchase  Agreement  by and  among  Perini  Corporation  and
        Tutor-Saliba Corporation,  O&G Industries,  Inc. and National Union Fire
        Insurance Company of Pittsburgh, PA, dated as of February 5, 2000

99.1    Press Release of Perini Corporation, dated February 8, 2000

                                       3





                          SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT


                          Dated as of February 5, 2000


                                      among


                               Perini Corporation,

                                       and

                            Tutor-Saliba Corporation

                                       and

                              O&G Industries, Inc.

                                       and

            National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh, PA.


<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                Table of Contents
                                -----------------

                                                                                                               Page
<S>                                                                                                            <C>



ARTICLE I Definitions.............................................................................................1

ARTICLE II Purchase and Sale of Shares............................................................................6
                      SECTION 2.01          Purchase and Sale of Shares...........................................6
                      SECTION 2.02          Time and Place of the Closing.........................................7
                      SECTION 2.03          Transactions at the Closing...........................................7

ARTICLE III Representations and Warranties........................................................................7
                      SECTION 3.01          Representations and Warranties of the Company.........................7
                      SECTION 3.02          Representations and Warranties of TSC................................21
                      SECTION 3.03          Representations and Warranties of National Union.....................23


ARTICLE IV [Intentionally Omitted]...............................................................................26

ARTICLE V Covenants and Additional Agreements....................................................................26
                      SECTION 5.01          Pre-Closing Activities...............................................26
                      SECTION 5.02          Covenants of the Company.............................................27
                      SECTION 5.03          HSR..................................................................28
                      SECTION 5.04          [Intentionally Omitted]..............................................28
                      SECTION 5.05          Stockholder Approvals; Proxy Statement...............................28
                      SECTION 5.06          Stock Exchange Listing...............................................29
                      SECTION 5.07          Transaction Proposals................................................30
                      SECTION 5.08          Access and Information...............................................30
                      SECTION 5.09          Confidentiality and Publicity........................................32

                      SECTION 5.11          Further Assurances...................................................32
                      SECTION 5.12          Directors' and Officers' Indemnification and Insurance...............32
                      SECTION 5.13          Shareholders Agreement...............................................33

ARTICLE VI Conditions Precedent..................................................................................33
                      SECTION 6.01          Conditions to Each Party's Obligations...............................33
                      SECTION 6.02          Conditions to the Obligations of the Company.........................34
                      SECTION 6.03          Conditions to the Obligations of Purchasers..........................35

ARTICLE VII Termination..........................................................................................40
                      SECTION 7.01          Termination..........................................................40
                      SECTION 7.02          Effect of Termination................................................42
                      SECTION 7.03          Termination by One Purchaser.........................................42

ARTICLE VIII Indemnification.....................................................................................42
                      SECTION 8.01          Indemnification of Purchasers........................................42
                      SECTION 8.02          Indemnification Procedures...........................................43
                      SECTION 8.03          Survival of Representations, Warranties and Covenants................43

ARTICLE IX Miscellaneous.........................................................................................44
                      SECTION 9.01          Severability.........................................................44

<PAGE>

                      SECTION 9.02          Specific Enforcement.................................................44
                      SECTION 9.03          Entire Agreement.....................................................44
                      SECTION 9.04          Counterparts.........................................................44
                      SECTION 9.05          Notices..............................................................44
                      SECTION 9.06          Amendments...........................................................46
                      SECTION 9.07          Successors and Assigns...............................................46
                      SECTION 9.08          Expenses and Remedies................................................46
                      SECTION 9.09          Transfer of Shares...................................................47
                      SECTION 9.10          Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction...............................48
                      SECTION 9.11          Third Party Beneficiaries............................................48
                      SECTION 9.12          Mutual Drafting......................................................48
                      SECTION 9.13          Further Representations..............................................48


</TABLE>
                                       ii
<PAGE>


        THIS  SECURITIES  PURCHASE  AGREEMENT  (this  "Agreement"),  dated as of
February 5, 2000, is entered into between Tutor-Saliba Corporation, a California
corporation  ("TSC"), O&G Industries,  Inc., a Connecticut  corporation ("O&G"),
and the National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh,  PA, a Pennsylvania
corporation   ("National  Union")  and,  collectively  with  TSC  and  O&G,  the
"Purchasers"),   and  Perini  Corporation,   a  Massachusetts  corporation  (the
"Company").


                                 R E C I T A L S
                                 ---------------

        WHEREAS, the Company is engaged primarily in the construction  business;
and

        WHEREAS,  Purchasers  propose  to invest $40  million in the  Company in
order to mitigate the continuing  effects of the Company's negative net worth on
its business and financial condition; and

        WHEREAS,  the Company wishes to sell,  and  Purchasers  wish to purchase
(severally  but not jointly),  an aggregate of 9,411,765  newly issued shares of
common stock, par value $1.00, of the Company (the "Common Stock"), each for the
consideration and upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this
Agreement.

        NOW,  THEREFORE,  in  consideration  of  the  premises  and  the  mutual
covenants herein set forth, the parties agree as follows:


                                   ARTICLE I

                                   Definitions
                                   -----------

        The terms defined in this Article I,  whenever  used in this  Agreement,
shall have the following meanings for all purposes of this Agreement:

1.01    "Affiliate"  has the meaning set forth in Rule 12b-2 under the  Exchange
        Act.

1.02    "Articles of  Organization"  means the Articles of  Organization  of the
        Company  as filed  with the  Office  of the  Secretary  of State for the
        Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as amended, restated or supplemented from
        time to time.

1.03    "Balance Sheet" is defined in Section 3.01(g).

1.04    "Benefit  Arrangement"  means any benefit  arrangement,  obligation,  or
        practice, whether or not legally enforceable, to provide benefits (other
        than  merely as salary or under a Benefit  Plan),  as  compensation  for
        services rendered, to present or former directors, employees, agents, or
        independent  contractors,  including,  but not limited to, employment or
        consulting agreements,  severance agreements or pay policies,  executive
        or incentive compensation programs or arrangements, sick leave, vacation
        pay,  plant  closing  benefits,   salary


<PAGE>

        continuation for disability, workers' compensation, retirement, deferred
        compensation,  bonus, stock option or purchase, tuition reimbursement or
        scholarship programs,  employee discount programs,  any plans subject to
        Section 125 of the Code, and any plans providing benefits or payments in
        the  event of a change of  control,  change in  ownership  or  effective
        control,   or  sale  of  a  substantial   portion   (including   all  or
        substantially all) of the assets of any business or portion thereof,  in
        each case with respect to any present or former employees, directors, or
        agents.

1.05    "Benefit Plan" means an employee benefit plan as defined in Section 3(3)
        of ERISA,  together with plans or arrangements  that would be so defined
        if they were not (i)  otherwise  exempt  from  ERISA by that or  another
        section,   (ii)   maintained   outside  the  United  States,   or  (iii)
        individually negotiated or applicable to only one person.

1.06    "Board" means the Board of Directors of the Company.

1.07    "Business  Day" has the meaning  specified  in Rule  14d-1(e)(6)  of the
        Exchange Act.

1.08    "By-Laws" is defined in Section 3.01(a).

1.09    "By-Law Amendment" is defined in Section 6.03(d).

1.10    "Closing" is defined in Section 2.02.

1.11    "Closing Date" is defined in Section 2.02.

1.12    "Common Stock" is defined in the third recital.

1.13    "Company" is defined in the first paragraph of this Agreement.

1.14    "Company Benefit  Arrangement" means any Benefit Arrangement any Related
        Employer  sponsors  or  maintains  or with  respect to which any Related
        Employer  has or may have  any  current  or  future  liability  (whether
        actual, contingent, with respect to any of its assets or otherwise) , in
        each case with respect to any present or former service providers to any
        Related Employer.

1.15    "Company  Plan"  means  any  Benefit  Plan  that  any  Related  Employer
        maintains  or  has  maintained  or to  which  any  Related  Employer  is
        obligated  to make  payments or has or may have any  liability,  in each
        case with  respect to any  present or former  employees  of any  Related
        Employer.

1.16    "Company Intellectual Property" is defined in Section 3.01(s).

1.17    "Credit Facility" is defined in Section 6.03(g).

1.18    "Disclosure  Schedule" means the Disclosure  Schedule  attached  hereto,
        which is divided by Section numbers  corresponding  with  specificity to
        the Sections  hereof and discloses  all matters  which are  inconsistent
        with the representations set forth in Section 3.01.

                                       2
<PAGE>


1.19    "Disinterested Majority" means the affirmative vote of a majority of the
        outstanding  voting power of the  Company's  Common  Stock,  voting as a
        single class,  excluding any  stockholder  that is or is an Affiliate of
        either (i) a Purchaser or (ii) a holder of Series B Preferred Stock that
        is exchanging its shares of such stock for Common Stock as  contemplated
        by Section 6.03(c).

1.20    "Environmental  Laws"  means  the  laws  of  all  Governmental  Entities
        relating to health or  pollution or  protection  of the  environment  or
        contained in any binding and enforceable regulation,  code, plan, order,
        decree or judgment issued, entered, promulgated or approved thereunder.

1.21    "Environmental Subsidiary" means Perini Environmental Services, Inc.

1.22    "ERISA" means the Employee  Retirement  Income  Security Act of 1974, as
        amended,  and  all  regulations  and  rules  issued  thereunder,  or any
        successor law.

1.23    "ERISA  Affiliate"  means any person or entity that,  together  with the
        entity referenced and at the relevant time, would be treated as a single
        employer  under Code Section 414 or ERISA  Section 4001  (including  any
        entities  excluded from the  definition  because they are not subject to
        U.S.  jurisdiction) and any general  partnership of which such entity is
        or has been a general partner.

1.24    "Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

1.25    "Filed Company SEC Documents" is defined in Section 3.01(f).

1.26    "GAAP" means United States generally accepted  accounting  principles in
        effect from time to time.

1.27    "Government Entity" means any foreign, federal, state, or local court or
        tribunal or  administrative,  governmental or regulatory  body,  agency,
        commission, division, department, public body or other authority.

1.28    "Hazardous Material" means any substance that has been designated by any
        Governmental  Entity or by  applicable  federal,  state,  local or other
        applicable law to be radioactive, toxic, hazardous or otherwise a danger
        to health  or the  environment,  including,  without  limitation,  PCBs,
        asbestos,  petroleum,  urea-formaldehyde  and all  substances  listed as
        hazardous   substances  pursuant  to  the  Comprehensive   Environmental
        Response,  Compensation,  and  Liability  Act of 1980,  as  amended,  or
        defined as a  hazardous  waste  pursuant to the United  States  Resource
        Conservation  and Recovery Act of 1976, as amended,  and the regulations
        promulgated  pursuant to said laws, but excluding  office and janitorial
        supplies properly and safely maintained.

1.29    "HSR Act" is defined in Section 3.01(c).

1.30    "Indemnifiable  Losses"  means any and all direct or  indirect  demands,
        claims, payments, obligations, actions or causes of action, assessments,
        losses, liabilities, fines,

                                       3
<PAGE>

        damages,  costs or expenses  paid or incurred,  of any kind or character
        (whether  or not known or  asserted  before the date of this  Agreement,
        fixed or unfixed,  conditional  or  unconditional,  choate or  inchoate,
        liquidated or  unliquidated,  secured or unsecured,  accrued,  absolute,
        contingent, or otherwise). Indemnifiable Losses shall include penalties,
        interest,  or any amount  payable  to a third  party as a result of such
        Indemnifiable   Losses.   Indemnifiable   Losses  shall  include  legal,
        accounting,  expert and other expenses reasonably incurred in connection
        with  investigating  or defending any of the  foregoing,  whether or not
        resulting in any liability, and all amounts paid in settlement of claims
        or actions in accordance with Article VIII.

1.31    "Indemnification Agreements" is defined in Section 5.12(b).

1.32    "Intellectual  Property"  means  trademarks,  trade names,  trade dress,
        service marks,  copyrights,  domain names, and similar rights (including
        registrations  and applications to register or renew the registration of
        any of the foregoing),  patents and patent applications,  trade secrets,
        ideas,  inventions,   improvements,   practices,   processes,  formulas,
        designs,  know-how,  confidential  business  or  technical  information,
        computer  software,  firmware,  data and  documentation,  licenses of or
        agreements  relating  to any of the  foregoing,  rights of  privacy  and
        publicity,  moral rights,  and any other similar  intellectual  property
        rights and tangible  embodiments  of any of the foregoing (in any medium
        including electronic media).

1.33    "Issuance" is defined in Section 5.05.

1.34    "Knowledge  of the  Company"  means to the actual  knowledge  of (i) any
        executive  officer or director of the Company or any  Subsidiary  of the
        Company or (ii) Robert Band, Ronald N. Tutor,  Dennis M. Ryan, Zohrab B.
        Marashlian, Craig W. Shaw, Michael E. Ciskey or Susan C. Mellace.

1.35    "Lien" is defined in Section 3.01(c).

1.36    "Management Agreement Amendment" is defined in Section 6.01(d).

1.37    "Material  Adverse  Effect" on or with  respect to a Person (or group of
        entities  taken as a whole)  means any  state of facts,  event or effect
        that  individually  (or in  aggregate  with all  other  states of facts,
        events and effects) has had, or would  reasonably be expected to have, a
        material adverse change in the business, properties,  prospects, results
        of operations or financial  condition of such Person (or, if applicable,
        of such group of Persons  taken as a whole),  or on the  ability of such
        entity (or group of Persons) to consummate the transactions contemplated
        hereby or to perform its obligations under the Transaction  Documents to
        which  it is or will be a party  or by  which  it or its  properties  or
        assets is or will be bound.

1.38    "Multiemployer Plan" means any plan described in ERISA Section 3(37).

1.39    "Outside Date" is defined in Section 7.01(b)(i).

1.40    "Owned Intellectual Property" is defined in Section 3.01(s).

                                       4
<PAGE>


1.41    "Pension  Plan"  means any plan  subject  to Code  Section  412 or ERISA
        Section  302 or  Title  IV  (excluding  any  Multiemployer  Plan) or any
        comparable benefit plan not covered by ERISA.

1.42    "Permit" is defined in Section 3.01(c)(i).

1.43    "Permitted  Liens"  means  those  Liens (i)  securing  debt  (including,
        without  limitation,  the  Credit  Facility)  that is  reflected  on the
        Balance Sheet or the notes thereto,  (ii) referred to in Section 3.01(g)
        of the Disclosure  Statement,  (iii) for Taxes not yet due or payable or
        being contested in good faith and for which adequate  reserves have been
        established in accordance with GAAP,  (iv) that  constitute  mechanics',
        carriers',  workmens'  or  like  liens,  liens  arising  under  original
        purchase price  conditional  sales  contracts and equipment  leases with
        third parties entered into in the ordinary course, or (v) Liens incurred
        or deposits made in the ordinary course of business consistent with past
        practice  in  connection   with  workers'   compensation,   unemployment
        insurance and social security,  retirement and other  legislation and in
        the case of Liens  described in clauses  (ii),  (iii),  (iv) or (v) that
        would  not  have a  Material  Adverse  Effect  on the  Company  and  its
        Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

1.44    "Person"  means and  includes  an  individual,  a  partnership,  a joint
        venture,  a  corporation,   a  trust,   limited  liability  company,  an
        unincorporated   organization,   a   Government   Entity  or  any  other
        organization or entity.

1.45    "Proxy Statement" is defined in Section 5.05.

1.46    "Purchase Price" is defined in Section 2.01.

1.47    "Purchasers" is defined in the first paragraph of this Agreement.

1.48    "Qualified   Plan"  means  any  Company   Plan   intended  to  meet  the
        requirements  of Section  401(a) of the Code,  including any  previously
        terminated plan.

1.49    "Registration Rights Agreement" is defined in Section 6.02(c)(i).

1.50    "Related Employer" means the Company and every ERISA Affiliate.

1.51    "Rights  Agreement" means that certain  Shareholder  Rights Agreement by
        and between the Company and State Street Bank and Trust  Company,  dated
        as of September 23, 1988,  as amended,  restated and  supplemented  from
        time to time.

1.52    "SEC" means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

1.53    "Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

1.54    "Shareholders Agreement" is defined in Section 6.02(c)(ii).

1.55    "Shares"  means the shares of Common  Stock  purchased  pursuant to this
        Agreement.

                                       5
<PAGE>


1.56    "Stockholder Approvals" is defined in Section 5.05.

1.57    "Stockholder Meeting" is defined in Section 5.05.

1.58    "Stockholder Meeting Proposals" is defined in Section 5.05.

1.59    "Stock Purchase Warrants" is defined in Section 3.01(d).

1.60    "Subsidiary"  means,  with  respect  to the  Company,  any  corporation,
        limited or general  partnership,  joint  venture,  association,  limited
        liability   company,   joint  stock   company,   trust,   unincorporated
        organization, or other entity analogous to any of the foregoing of which
        a majority of the equity  ownership  (whether voting stock or comparable
        interest) is, at the time,  owned directly or indirectly by the Company.
        Subsidiary also means,  with respect to the Company,  any such entity of
        which a minority of the equity ownership is, at the time, owned directly
        or indirectly by the Company;  provided,  however,  that, in the case of
        such minority-owned entities, any representation or warranty that is not
        already  qualified to the Company's  Knowledge  shall be deemed to be so
        qualified.

1.61    "Superior Transaction Proposal" is defined in Section 7.01(d).

1.62    "Transaction   Documents"   means  this  Agreement,   the   Shareholders
        Agreement,  the Registration Rights Agreement, the By-Law Amendment, and
        the amendment to the Rights Agreement.

1.63    "Voting Security" means at any time shares of any class of capital stock
        of the Company which are then entitled to vote generally in the election
        of directors.

1.64    "Year 2000 Compatible" (and variations  thereof) means,  with respect to
        any computer  system,  that such  Computer  System (a) records,  stores,
        processes  and provides  true and accurate  dates and  calculations  for
        dates and spans of dates,  (b) is and will be able to operate on a basis
        comparable to its current operation during and after calendar year 2000,
        including,  but not  limited  to,  leap  years,  and (c)  shall  not end
        abnormally or provide  invalid or incorrect  results as a result of date
        data which represents or references (or fails to represent or reference)
        different centuries or more than one century.

                                   ARTICLE II

                           Purchase and Sale of Shares
                           ---------------------------

        SECTION 2.01 Purchase and Sale of Shares.  Upon the terms and subject to
the  conditions  set forth herein,  the Company agrees to sell to Purchasers and
Purchasers  agree  (severally  and not  jointly)  to  purchase  from the Company
9,411,765 shares of Common Stock for an aggregate  purchase price of $40 million
(the "Purchase  Price").  Each Purchaser shall purchase such number of Shares as
is set forth  adjacent to its name on Exhibit  2.01 hereto;  provided,  however,
that Purchasers shall be entitled to amend Exhibit 2.01 (i) to change the number
of shares each of them is purchasing in their sole, joint discretion, so long as
the number

                                       6
<PAGE>
of Shares to be purchased  equals  9,411,765  and (ii) to reflect any
assignment permitted under Section 9.07.

        SECTION 2.02 Time and Place of the Closing.  The closing (the "Closing")
shall take place at the  offices of  Goodwin,  Procter & Hoar,  Exchange  Place,
Boston,  Massachusetts  02109,  at 10:00 a.m. Boston time, on the third Business
Day following the first date on which the  conditions to Closing (other than the
conditions  which may only be satisfied at Closing) set forth in Article VI have
first been  satisfied or waived,  or at such other  place,  time and date as the
parties may agree. The "Closing Date" shall be the date the Closing occurs,  and
shall be effective as of 12:01 a.m. on the Closing Date,  unless another date is
agreed to in writing by the Company and Purchasers.

        SECTION 2.03 Transactions at the Closing. At the Closing, subject to the
terms and conditions of this Agreement,  (a) the Company shall issue and sell to
Purchasers  and Purchasers  shall  purchase the Shares;  (b) the Company and the
Purchasers shall enter into the Shareholders Agreement;  and (c) the Company and
Purchasers shall enter into the Registration Rights Agreement.

                                  ARTICLE III

                         Representations and Warranties
                         ------------------------------

        SECTION 3.01  Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company
hereby  represents  and  warrants  to  Purchasers,  except  as set  forth on the
Disclosure  Schedule or as  disclosed  in the Filed  Company SEC  documents,  as
follows:

                (a) Corporate  Organization.  The Company is a corporation  duly
        organized,  validly  existing and in good standing under the laws of The
        Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Company is duly qualified or licensed
        and, if  applicable,  is in good standing as a foreign  corporation,  in
        each jurisdiction in which the properties owned, leased or operated,  or
        the business  conducted,  by it require such qualification or licensing,
        except for any such failure so to qualify or be in good  standing  which
        would not  reasonably be expected to have a Material  Adverse  Effect on
        the Company and its Subsidiaries,  taken as a whole. The Company has the
        requisite  power and  authority  to carry on its  business  as it is now
        being  or  is  currently  proposed  to be  conducted.  The  Company  has
        heretofore  made available to Purchasers  complete and correct copies of
        the Articles of Organization and the Amended and Restated By-laws of the
        Company,  dated as of January 17, 1997 (the "By-Laws"),  in each case as
        amended, restated and supplemented.

                (b) Corporate  Authority.  Subject to obtaining the Stockholders
        Approvals, each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has (or will have at
        the time of such  act)  the  requisite  corporate  or  other  power  and
        authority to execute,  deliver and perform each Transaction  Document to
        which  it is or will  be a  party  and to  consummate  the  transactions
        contemplated  thereby.  The execution,  delivery and performance of each
        Transaction  Document by the Company and the consummation by the Company
        of the  transactions  contemplated  hereby

                                       7
<PAGE>

        and thereby have been duly authorized (or will have been duly authorized
        at  the  time  of  such  act)  by the  Board,  and  no  other  corporate
        proceedings  on the part of the Company are  necessary to authorize  any
        Transaction  Document or for the Company to consummate the  transactions
        so contemplated  (other than as expressly  provided in the terms of this
        Agreement and, with respect to the Issuance, the Stockholder Approvals).
        Each Transaction Document to which the Company is or will be a party is,
        or when executed and delivered will be, a valid and binding agreement of
        such party, enforceable against the Company in accordance with the terms
        thereof, assuming that each Transaction Document to which the Company is
        a  party  is a  valid  and  binding  agreement  of  the  Purchasers  (as
        applicable).

                (c) No Violations; Consents and Approvals.

                        (i) Assuming that the Stockholder Approvals are obtained
                and that the  Credit  Facility  is amended  as  contemplated  in
                Section 6.03(g),  the execution,  delivery or performance by the
                Company or any of its Subsidiaries of each Transaction  Document
                to which  any of them is or will be a party or the  consummation
                by the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  of the  transactions
                contemplated  thereby  (A) will not  result  in a  violation  or
                breach of the  Articles  of  Organization  or the  By-laws,  the
                articles or  certificate of  incorporation  or by-laws (or other
                organizational  documents)  of any of the  Subsidiaries  and (B)
                subject to the  governmental  filings and other matters referred
                to in clause  (ii)  below,  will not  result in a  violation  or
                breach of (or give rise to any right of termination, revocation,
                cancellation or acceleration under or increased payments under),
                or  constitute a default (with or without due notice or lapse of
                time or both) under,  or result in the creation of any mortgage,
                lien,  charge,  security  interest or encumbrance of any kind (a
                "Lien"), other than a Permitted Lien, upon any of the properties
                or assets of the Company and its  Subsidiaries  under (1) any of
                the terms, conditions or provisions of any note, bond, mortgage,
                indenture,  contract,  agreement,  lease,  license,  obligation,
                instrument,   offer,   commitment,    understanding   or   other
                arrangement  (each  a  "Contract")  or of any  license,  waiver,
                exemption,  order,  franchise,  permit  or  concession  (each  a
                "Permit") to which the Company or any  Subsidiary  is a party or
                by which any of their  properties or assets may be bound, or (2)
                any judgment,  order, decree,  statute,  law, regulation or rule
                applicable to the Company or any Subsidiary.

                        (ii)   Except   for   consents,    approvals,    orders,
                authorizations, registrations, declarations or filings as may be
                required  under,  and  other  applicable  requirements  of,  the
                Securities  Act,  the Exchange  Act,  and the  Hart-Scott-Rodino
                Antitrust  Improvements  Act of 1976, as amended (the "HSR Act")
                and filings under state  securities  or "blue sky" laws,  and as
                required by the American Stock Exchange,  no consent,  approval,
                order or  authorization  of,  or  registration,  declaration  or
                filing with, any government or any court,  administrative agency
                or  commission  or  other  governmental   authority  or  agency,
                federal, state or local or foreign (a "Governmental Entity"), is
                required with respect to the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries
                in connection with the execution, delivery or

                                       8
<PAGE>
                performance   by  the  Company  and  any   Subsidiary   of  each
                Transaction  Document  to  which it is or will be a party or the
                consummation  by  the  Company  and  its   Subsidiaries  of  the
                transactions  contemplated  hereby and thereby (except where the
                failure  to  obtain   such   consents,   approvals,   orders  or
                authorizations,  or to make  such  registrations,  declarations,
                filings or agreements  would not have a Material  Adverse Effect
                on the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole).

                (d) Capital Stock.  The authorized  capital stock of the Company
        consists of (i) 15,000,000  shares of Common Stock,  par value $1.00 per
        share,  of which an aggregate  of 5,682,287  shares of Common Stock were
        issued and  outstanding  as of the close of business on January 14, 2000
        and of which 4,135,094 shares of Common Stock were reserved for issuance
        upon the  conversion of the Series B Preferred  Stock as of the close of
        business on January 14,  2000,  and (ii)  1,000,000  shares of preferred
        stock,  $1.00 par value per share, of which (1) 100,000 shares of $21.25
        Convertible  Exchangeable Preferred Stock (the "$21.25 Preferred Stock")
        have  been  designated  and  99,990  shares  of  which  are  issued  and
        outstanding as of the close of business on January 14, 2000; (2) 200,000
        shares  of  Series A Junior  Participating  Preferred  Stock  have  been
        designated and none of which are issued or outstanding,  as of the close
        of  business  on January 14,  2000;  and (3) 500,000  shares of Series B
        Cumulative  Convertible Preferred Stock (the "Series B Preferred Stock")
        have been designated and 200,184 of which are issued and outstanding, as
        of the  close of  business  on  January  14,  2000.  As of the  close of
        business on January 14, 2000, there were outstanding under the Company's
        1982 Stock Option Plan and certain other Options  granted on January 17,
        1997,  January  19,  1998,   December  10,  1998  and  January  4,  1999
        (collectively,   the  "Company  Stock  Plans")  options  to  acquire  an
        aggregate of 696,500  shares of Common Stock  (subject to  adjustment on
        the terms set forth therein). As of the close of business on January 14,
        2000,  the Company had no shares of Common Stock  reserved for issuance,
        other than  916,610  shares of Common Stock  reserved for issuance  upon
        exercise of  outstanding  stock options  issued  pursuant to the Company
        Stock Plans, 662,186 shares reserved for issuance upon the conversion of
        the $21.25 Preferred Stock,  4,135,094 shares reserved for issuance upon
        the  conversion  of the Series B Preferred  Stock,  and  420,000  shares
        reserved for issuance  upon  exercise of stock  purchase  warrants  (the
        "Stock Purchase  Warrants").  As of the close of business on January 14,
        2000, there were outstanding  under the Company Stock Plans no shares of
        restricted  stock and no shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance of
        restricted stock. All of the outstanding shares of Common Stock,  $21.25
        Preferred  Stock and Series B Preferred  Stock have been duly authorized
        and validly issued, and are fully paid and  nonassessable.  There are no
        preemptive or similar  rights on the part of any holders of any class of
        securities of the Company or of any of its Subsidiaries.  Except for the
        Common Stock,  the $21.25  Preferred Stock, the Series B Preferred Stock
        and the Stock  Purchase  Warrants,  as set forth above,  the Company has
        outstanding  no  bonds,  debentures,   notes  or  other  obligations  or
        securities  the  holders  of  which  have  the  right  to  vote  (or are
        convertible or exchangeable  into or exercisable  for securities  having
        the right to vote) with the  stockholders  of the Company on any matter.
        Except as set  forth  above and in the  Rights  Agreement,  there are no
        securities  convertible into or exchangeable for, or options,  warrants,
        calls, subscriptions,  rights, contracts,  commitments,  arrangements or
        understandings  of  any  kind  to  which  the  Company  or  any  of  its
        Subsidiaries is a party or by which any of them is bound  obligating the
        Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  contingently or otherwise to issue,
        deliver or sell,  or cause to be issued,

                                       9
<PAGE>

        delivered or sold,  additional  shares of capital  stock or other voting
        securities of the Company or of any of its Subsidiaries.  Except for the
        Rights Agreement,  there are no outstanding  Contracts of the Company or
        any of its Subsidiaries to repurchase,  redeem or otherwise  acquire any
        shares of capital  stock of the  Company or of any of its  Subsidiaries.
        Except for shares of Series B Preferred Stock and shares to be issued in
        connection with this Agreement,  all securities of the Company have been
        registered  under the Securities Act and applicable state securities and
        blue sky law, or have been issued in reliance on an exemption therefrom.
        Since  January  14,  2000,  the Company  has not  redeemed or  otherwise
        acquired  any shares of its capital  stock or issued any  capital  stock
        (except upon exercise of options  issued or agreed to be issued prior to
        the date hereof under a Company  Stock Plan and for payment of dividends
        to the  holders of Series B Preferred  Stock) or any option,  warrant or
        right relating thereto.

                (e)  Subsidiaries.  Exhibit 21 to the Company's Annual Report on
        Form 10-K for the year  ended  December  31,  1998 as filed with the SEC
        (the "Annual Report") is a true,  accurate and correct  statement of all
        of  the  information  required  to be set  forth  in  Exhibit  21 by the
        regulations  of the SEC as of the date of such report and as of the date
        of this  Agreement.  Each  Subsidiary  has  been  duly  incorporated  or
        organized and is validly existing as a corporation or other legal entity
        in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation
        or  formation,  has the  corporate or other power and  authority to own,
        lease and operate its assets and  properties and to conduct its business
        as described in the Filed Company SEC  Documents and as currently  owned
        or leased and conducted and is duly qualified to transact  business as a
        foreign  corporation  or other legal entity and is in good  standing (if
        applicable) in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or
        its ownership,  leasing or operation of assets or property requires such
        qualification,  other  than any  failure to be so  qualified  or in good
        standing as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material  Adverse
        Effect on the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole. All of the
        outstanding  capital stock of each  Subsidiary has been duly  authorized
        and  validly  issued,  is fully paid and  nonassessable  and all capital
        stock  of  Subsidiaries  owned  by  the  Company,  directly  or  through
        Subsidiaries  (other than directors' qualifying  shares),  are free and
        clear of any Lien or  restriction  upon  voting or  transfer of any kind
        (other than the pledge of all of the capital  stock of the  Subsidiaries
        pursuant to the Credit  Facility and such transfer  restrictions  as may
        exist under federal and state securities  laws), and there are no rights
        granted  to or in  favor  of  any  third  party  (whether  acting  in an
        individual,  fiduciary  or other  capacity)  other  than the  Company to
        acquire any such capital  stock,  any  additional  capital  stock or any
        other securities of any Subsidiary.

                (f) SEC  Filings.  The  Company  has timely  filed all  reports,
        schedules, forms, statements and other documents required to be filed by
        it with the SEC  under the  Securities  Act and the  Exchange  Act since
        January  1,  1993 and up to the date  hereof  and it will  file all such
        documents  required to be filed before the Closing  (the "Filed  Company
        SEC Documents").  As of its filing date, each Filed Company SEC Document
        filed, as amended or  supplemented,  if applicable,  (i) complied in all
        respects with the applicable  requirements  of the Securities Act or the
        Exchange Act, as applicable,  and the rules and  regulations  thereunder
        and (ii) did not, at the time it was filed, contain any untrue statement
        of a material  fact or omit to state any  material  fact  required to be
        stated therein or necessary to make the statements  therein, in light of
        the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

                                       10
<PAGE>
                (g) Financial  Statements.  Each of the  consolidated  financial
        statements  (including,  in each case,  any related notes and schedules)
        contained  or to be  contained in the Filed  Company SEC  Documents  (i)
        complied as to form in all material respects with applicable  accounting
        requirements  and the published  rules and  regulations  of the SEC with
        respect thereto,  (ii) was prepared in accordance with GAAP applied on a
        consistent  basis  throughout  the periods  indicated  (except as may be
        indicated in the notes to such  financial  statements or, in the case of
        unaudited  statements,  as  permitted  by the SEC on Form 10-Q under the
        Exchange  Act) and (iii) fairly  presented  the  consolidated  financial
        position of the Company and its  Subsidiaries as of the respective dates
        thereof and the  consolidated  results of its operations,  stockholders'
        equity  and  cash  flows,  in  each  case  for  the  respective  periods
        indicated,  consistent with the books and records of the Company and its
        Subsidiaries, except that the unaudited interim financial statements are
        subject to normal  year-end  adjustments  which are not  expected  to be
        material in amount.  The  unaudited  balance  sheet of the Company as of
        September 30, 1999 is referred to herein as the "Balance Sheet."

                (h)  Undisclosed  Liabilities.  Except (i) as  disclosed  in the
        Filed  Company  SEC  Documents  or in  any  Section  of  the  Disclosure
        Schedule,  and, in either case,  reserved for in the Balance Sheet,  and
        (ii) normal and  recurring  liabilities  incurred  since the date of the
        Balance Sheet in the ordinary  course of business  consistent with prior
        practices and not prohibited by the Transaction  Documents,  the Company
        and its  Subsidiaries  do not have any liabilities or obligations or any
        nature, whether known or unknown, whether absolute,  accrued, contingent
        or otherwise,  and whether due or to become due, which would  reasonably
        be  expected  to have a Material  Adverse  Effect on the Company and the
        Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

                (i) Absence of Certain  Events and Changes.  Except as otherwise
        contemplated  by the Transaction  Documents,  since January 1, 1999, the
        Company  and its  Subsidiaries  have  conducted  their  business  in the
        ordinary course,  consistent with past practices, and there has not been
        any event,  change or development  which would reasonably be expected to
        have a Material  Adverse  Effect on the  Company  and its  Subsidiaries,
        taken as a whole.

                (j) Compliance with Applicable Laws. Each of the Company and its
        Subsidiaries  is in  compliance  with all statutes,  laws,  regulations,
        rules,  judgments,  orders  and  decrees  of all  Governmental  Entities
        applicable  to it, and neither  the Company nor any of the  Subsidiaries
        has received any notice alleging noncompliance except, with reference to
        all the  foregoing,  where the  failure  to be in  compliance  would not
        reasonably be expected to have a Material  Adverse Effect on the Company
        and its  Subsidiaries,  taken as a whole.  Each of the  Company  and its
        Subsidiaries  has all Permits that are required in order to permit it to
        carry on its  business as it is  presently  conducted,  except where the
        failure to have such Permits would not  reasonably be expected to have a
        Material Adverse Effect on the Company and its Subsidiaries,  taken as a
        whole. All such Permits are in full force and effect and the Company and
        its  Subsidiaries  are in  compliance  with the  terms of such  Permits,
        except where the failure to be in full force and effect or in compliance
        would not  reasonably be expected to have a Material  Adverse  Effect on
        the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole. This Section 3.01(j)
        does not relate to employee  benefits matters (for which Section 3.01(o)
        is applicable), environmental

                                       11
<PAGE>
        matters (for which Section  3.01(p) is  applicable)  or tax matters (for
        which Section 3.01(n) is applicable).

                (k) Title to Assets. The Company and the Subsidiaries have title
        to all material  properties (real and personal) owned by the Company and
        the Subsidiaries  which are necessary for the conduct of the business of
        the Company and the  Subsidiaries  as described in the Filed Company SEC
        Documents  and as currently  conducted,  free and clear of any Lien that
        would  reasonably be expected to have a Material  Adverse  Effect on the
        Company  and  its  Subsidiaries,  taken  as a  whole.  To the  Company's
        Knowledge,  all material  properties  held under lease by the Company or
        the  Subsidiaries  are held  under  valid,  subsisting  and  enforceable
        leases.  This Section 3.01(k) does not relate to  Intellectual  Property
        (for which Section 3.01(s) is applicable).

                (l) Litigation.  There are no civil,  criminal or administrative
        actions,  suits or  proceedings  pending  or,  to the  Knowledge  of the
        Company,  threatened,  against  the  Company or any of its  Subsidiaries
        that, if adversely  determined,  would  reasonably be expected to have a
        Material Adverse Effect on the Company and its Subsidiaries,  taken as a
        whole.  There  are  no  outstanding  judgments,   orders,   decrees,  or
        injunctions of any Governmental Entity against the Company or any of its
        Subsidiaries  that,  would be  reasonably  expected  to have a  Material
        Adverse Effect on the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

                (m) Contracts.  All of the Company's Contracts that are required
        to be  described  in the Filed  Company SEC  Documents or to be filed as
        exhibits  thereto are  described in the Filed  Company SEC  Documents or
        filed as  exhibits  thereto  and are legal,  valid,  binding and in full
        force and effect except to the extent that any failure to be enforceable
        would not  reasonably be expected to have a Material  Adverse  Effect on
        the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole. There does not exist
        under any Contract any violation,  breach or event of default,  or event
        or  condition  that,  after  notice  or  lapse  of time or  both,  would
        constitute a violation,  breach or event of default  thereunder,  on the
        part of the Company or any of the  Subsidiaries  or, to the Knowledge of
        the Company, any other Person,  other than such violations,  breaches or
        events of default as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material
        Adverse  Effect on the Company and its  Subsidiaries,  taken as a whole.
        The  enforceability  of all Contracts will not be affected in any manner
        by the  execution,  delivery or  performance  of any of the  Transaction
        Documents or the consummation of the transactions  contemplated thereby,
        and no  Contract  contains  any  change  in  control  or other  terms or
        conditions  that will become  applicable or  inapplicable as a result of
        the  consummation  of the  transactions  contemplated  hereby or thereby
        except for such  effects as would not  reasonably  be expected to have a
        Material Adverse Effect on the Company and its Subsidiaries,  taken as a
        whole.

                (n) Taxes.

                        (i) (A) All Tax  Returns  required  to be filed by or on
                behalf of each of the  Company  and the  Subsidiaries  have been
                filed;  (B) all such Tax Returns filed are complete and accurate
                in all material respects, and all Taxes (whether or not shown to
                be due on such Tax  Returns)  have been paid;  (C)  neither  the
                Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is currently the beneficiary
                of any

                                       12
<PAGE>
                extension of time within which to file any such Tax Return;  (D)
                no  written  claim  (other  than a claim  that has been  finally
                settled) has been made by a taxing authority that the Company or
                any of the  Subsidiaries is subject to an obligation to file Tax
                Returns or to pay or collect Taxes  imposed by any  jurisdiction
                in which such entity does not file Tax Returns or pay or collect
                Taxes;  and (E) all  material  assessments  for  Taxes  due with
                respect to  completed  and  settled  examinations  or  concluded
                litigation  have been paid. As used in this  Agreement,  "Taxes"
                shall  include all  federal,  state,  local and foreign  income,
                franchise,  property,  sales, excise and other taxes, tariffs or
                governmental   charges  of  any  nature  whatsoever,   including
                interest and penalties, and additions thereto; and "Tax Returns"
                shall mean all  federal,  state,  local and foreign tax returns,
                declarations,   statements,   reports,   schedules,   forms  and
                information returns relating to Taxes.

                        (ii) The Company and each of the  Subsidiaries  has duly
                and  timely  withheld  all  Taxes  required  to be  withheld  in
                connection with its business and assets, and such withheld Taxes
                have been either duly and timely paid to the proper governmental
                authorities or properly set aside in accounts for such purpose.

                        (iii)  (A)   Neither   the   Company   nor  any  of  the
                Subsidiaries  is a party to or  bound  by or has any  obligation
                under any Tax allocation,  sharing,  indemnification  or similar
                agreement or arrangement; and (B) neither the Company nor any of
                the  Subsidiaries  is or has been at any  time a  member  of any
                group of companies  filing a  consolidated,  combined or unitary
                income tax return.

                        (iv) (A) All taxable  periods of the Company and each of
                the  Subsidiaries  ending on or  before  December  31,  1996 are
                closed or no longer  subject to audit;  (B)  neither the Company
                nor any the  Subsidiaries is currently under audit by any taxing
                authority;  (C) no waiver of the  statute of  limitations  is in
                effect with respect to any taxable year of the Company or any of
                the  Subsidiaries;  and (D) correct and  complete  copies of all
                income  Tax  Returns,  examination  reports  and  statements  of
                deficiencies assessed against or agreed to by the Company or any
                Subsidiary since January 1, 1993 have been made available to the
                Purchasers for their review.

                (o) Employee Benefit Plans and Related Matters; ERISA.

                        (i)  Schedule  3.01(o)  contains a complete and accurate
                list of all  Company  Plans and  Company  Benefit  Arrangements.
                Schedule 3.01(o)  specifically  identifies all Company Plans (if
                any) that are Qualified Plans.

                        (ii) With respect,  as applicable,  to Benefit Plans and
                Benefit Arrangements:

                                (A)  the  Company  has  made   available   true,
                        correct,  and complete copies of the following documents
                        with  respect to all Company  Plans

                                       13
<PAGE>
                        and Company Benefit Arrangements to the Purchasers:  (1)
                        all current plan or arrangement documents, including but
                        not  limited to trust  agreements,  insurance  policies,
                        service agreements and formal and informal amendments to
                        each;  (2) the most recent Forms 5500 or 5500C/R and any
                        attached  financial  statements  and  related  actuarial
                        reports,  and those for the prior three  years;  (3) the
                        last  Internal  Revenue  Service  ("IRS")  determination
                        letter,  the last IRS determination  letter that covered
                        the qualification of the entire plan (if different), and
                        the  materials  submitted to obtain those  letters;  (4)
                        summary  plan  descriptions  and  summaries  of material
                        modifications,  and any  prospectuses  that describe the
                        Company  Benefit  Arrangements  or  Company  Plans;  (5)
                        written  descriptions  of  all  non-written   agreements
                        relating  to any  such  plan  or  arrangement;  (6)  all
                        reports  submitted  within the three years preceding the
                        date of this  Agreement by  third-party  administrators,
                        actuaries,  investment managers,  consultants,  or other
                        independent    contractors   (other   than   participant
                        statements); (7) all notices that the IRS, Department of
                        Labor or any other governmental  agency or entity issued
                        to the Seller  within the four years  preceding the date
                        of this  Agreement;  (8)  employee  manuals or handbooks
                        containing personnel or employee relations policies; (9)
                        the  most   recent   quarterly   listing   of   workers'
                        compensation   claims   and  a  schedule   of   workers'
                        compensation  claims of the  Seller  for the last  three
                        fiscal years;  and (10) any other  documents  Purchasers
                        has requested;

                                (B) the  Qualified  Plans  qualify under Section
                        401(a)  of the  Code,  and  nothing  has  occurred  with
                        respect  to the  operation  of any  Qualified  Plan that
                        could  cause  the  imposition  of any  liability,  lien,
                        penalty,  or tax under ERISA or the Code;  each  Company
                        Plan  and  each  Company  Benefit  Arrangement  has been
                        maintained in accordance with its constituent  documents
                        and with  all  applicable  provisions  of  domestic  and
                        foreign  laws,  including  federal and state  securities
                        laws and any reporting and disclosure requirements; with
                        respect to each Company Plan, no transactions prohibited
                        by  Code  Section  4975  or  ERISA  Section  406  and no
                        breaches of fiduciary  duty  described in ERISA  Section
                        404  have  occurred,  except  to the  extent  that  such
                        transaction or breach would not have a Material  Adverse
                        Effect on the Company and its  Subsidiaries,  taken as a
                        whole;  and,  to  the  Company's   Knowledge,   no  such
                        transaction or breach has occurred; and no Company Plan,
                        other than the Company's  employee stock ownership plan,
                        contains any security issued by any Related Employer;

                                (C) with  respect to each Pension  Plan,  (1) no
                        Related Employer has terminated or withdrawn  (partially
                        or fully) or sought a funding waiver, and no facts exist
                        that could reasonably be expected to cause such actions;
                        (2)  no  accumulated   funding  deficiency  (under  Code
                        Section  412) exists or has existed;  (3) no  reportable
                        event (as defined in ERISA  Section  4043) has occurred;
                        (4) all  costs  have been  provided  for on the basis of
                        consistent  methods in accordance  with sound  actuarial
                        assumptions  and  practices;  (5) the assets,  as of its
                        last valuation date, exceeded its "Benefit  Liabilities"
                        (as defined in ERISA Section 4001(a)(16)); (6) since the
                        last  valuation  date,  there have been no

                                       14
<PAGE>
                        amendments   or  changes  to  increase  the  amounts  of
                        benefits and, to the  Knowledge of the Company,  nothing
                        has occurred that would reduce the excess of assets over
                        benefit  liabilities  in such plans;  and (7) no Related
                        Employer has incurred  liability (other than for routine
                        contributions   not  yet  due)  with   respect   to  any
                        Multiemployer   Plan   nor   terminated   or   withdrawn
                        (partially  or fully)  from any such Plan,  and no facts
                        exist that could  reasonably  be  expected to cause such
                        result or actions;

                                (D)  there are no  pending  claims  (other  than
                        routine  benefit  claims)  or  lawsuits  that  have been
                        asserted or instituted by, against,  or relating to, any
                        Company Plans or Company  Benefit  Arrangements,  nor is
                        there  any  basis  for any  such  claim or  lawsuit.  No
                        Company  Plans or Company  Benefit  Arrangements  are or
                        have been  under  audit or  examination  (nor has notice
                        been received of a potential  audit or  examination)  by
                        any domestic or foreign  governmental  agency or entity,
                        and no matters are pending  with  respect to any Company
                        Plan   under  the  IRS's   Employee   Plans   Compliance
                        Resolutions  System  or  any  successor  or  predecessor
                        program;

                                (E)  no   Company   Plan  or   Company   Benefit
                        Arrangement  contains any provision or is subject to any
                        law that would accelerate or vest any benefit or require
                        severance,  termination or other payments or trigger any
                        liabilities  as  a  result  of  the  transactions   this
                        Agreement contemplates; no Related Employer has declared
                        or paid any bonus or incentive  compensation  related to
                        the  transactions  this Agreement  contemplates;  and no
                        payments  under  any  Company  Plan or  Company  Benefit
                        Arrangement  would,  individually  or  collectively,  be
                        nondeductible under Code Section 280G;

                                (F)  all  reporting,   disclosure,   and  notice
                        requirements  of ERISA and the Code have been  satisfied
                        in all  material  respects  with respect to each Company
                        Plan and each Company Benefit Arrangement;

                                (G) each  Related  Employer has paid all amounts
                        it is  required to pay as  contributions  to the Company
                        Plans as of the date of the Balance Sheet;  all benefits
                        accrued  under  any  unfunded  Company  Plan or  Company
                        Benefit  Arrangement  will have been paid,  accrued,  or
                        otherwise adequately reserved in accordance with GAAP as
                        of the  date  of  the  Balance  Sheet;  and  all  monies
                        withheld from employee paychecks with respect to Company
                        Plans  have been  transferred  to the  appropriate  plan
                        within 30 days of such withholding;

                                (H)  to  the   Knowledge  of  the  Company,   no
                        statement,  either written or oral, has been made by the
                        Related  Employers  to any  person  with  regard  to any
                        Company Plan or Company Benefit Arrangement that was not
                        in accordance  with the Company Plan or Company  Benefit
                        Arrangement  and that would involve a material  increase
                        in expense or liability under such plan or arrangement;

                                       15
<PAGE>
                               (I) the Related Employers have no liability with
                        respect  to any  Benefit  Plan  that  should  have  been
                        sponsored or maintained by any ERISA Affiliate;

                                (J)  all  group  health  plans  of  the  Related
                        Employers  materially  comply with the  requirements  of
                        Part 6 of Title I of ERISA ("COBRA"), Code Section 5000,
                        and the Health Insurance  Portability and Accountability
                        Act; the Related  Employers  have no liability  under or
                        with respect to COBRA for their own actions or omissions
                        or  those of any  predecessor;  the  Related  Employers'
                        voluntary employee beneficiary  association,  if any, is
                        exempt  from  tax and  complies  with  all  requirements
                        applicable  to it; no  employee or former  employee  (or
                        beneficiary of either) of a Related Employer is entitled
                        to receive any benefits,  including, without limitation,
                        death  or  medical  benefits  (whether  or not  insured)
                        beyond  retirement or other  termination of employment ,
                        other than as applicable  law  requires,  and Seller has
                        provided its method and supporting documentation for any
                        accounting  charge  it or  the  Related  Employers  have
                        calculated for such benefits;

                                        (iii) Schedule  3.01(o) hereto  contains
                                the most  recent  quarterly  listing of workers'
                                compensation  claims and a schedule  of workers'
                                compensation  claims of the Company for the last
                                three (3) fiscal years.

                (p) Environmental Matters.

                        (i) Hazardous Material. To the Knowledge of the Company,
                no  Hazardous  Material  has been  released  in, on or under any
                property (including the land and the improvements,  ground water
                and  surface  water  thereof)  that the  Company has at any time
                owned, operated or leased. Schedule 3.01(p) identifies all known
                underground  and  aboveground  storage tanks,  and the capacity,
                age, and contents of such tanks,  located on real property owned
                or leased by the Company.  Except as listed on Schedule 3.01(p),
                no  underground  storage tanks are  currently  located under any
                property owned, operated or leased by the Company.

                        (ii) Hazardous Materials Activities. The Company has not
                transported,   stored,  used,   manufactured,   disposed  of  or
                released,  or exposed  its  employees  or others  to,  Hazardous
                Materials in violation of any  Environmental Law in effect on or
                before  the  Closing  Date,  nor has the  Company  disposed  of,
                transported,  sold,  or  manufactured  any product  containing a
                Hazardous Material  (collectively,  "Company Hazardous Materials
                Activities")  in  violation of any  Environmental  Law in effect
                prior to or as of the date hereof and the Closing.

                        (iii)   Permits.   The  Company   currently   holds  all
                environmental   and   health   approvals,   permits,   licenses,
                clearances and consents (the  "Environmental  Permits) necessary
                for the conduct of the Company's  Hazardous Material  Activities
                and  other  business  of the  Company  as  such  activities  and
                business  are  currently  being  conducted.   All  Environmental
                Permits are in full

                                       16
<PAGE>
                force  and  effect.  The  Company  (x) is in  compliance  in all
                material   respects  with  all  terms  and   conditions  of  the
                Environmental  Permits and (y) is in  compliance in all material
                respects with all other limitations,  restrictions,  conditions,
                standards,  prohibitions,  requirements,  obligations, schedules
                and  timetables  contained  in the  Environmental  Laws.  To the
                Company's Knowledge, there are no circumstances that may prevent
                such  compliance  in the  future.  Schedule  3.01(p)  includes a
                listing and description of all  Environmental  Permits currently
                held by the Company.

                        (iv) Environmental  Liabilities.  No action, proceeding,
                revocation proceeding,  amendment procedure, writ, injunction or
                claim  is  pending,   or,  to  the  Knowledge  of  the  Company,
                threatened  against the  Company  concerning  any  Environmental
                Permit,  Hazardous  Material or any Company Hazardous  Materials
                Activity.  There  are no past or  present  actions,  activities,
                circumstances,   conditions,   events,  or  incidents  that  are
                reasonably   likely  to  involve  the  Company  or  any  of  its
                Subsidiaries  (or any  person  or  entity  whose  liability  the
                Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  has  retained  or  assumed,
                either by contract or operation of law) in any litigation  under
                the Environmental Laws, or impose upon the Company or any of its
                Subsidiaries  (or any  person  or  entity  whose  liability  the
                Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  has  retained  or  assumed,
                either by contract or operation of law) any liability  under the
                Environmental  Laws material to the Company and its Subsidiaries
                on a consolidated basis.

                        (v)  Environmental  Subsidiary.  As to the Environmental
                Subsidiary,   in  addition  to  the  other  representations  and
                warranties contained in this 3.01(p):

                                (A) The  Environmental  Subsidiary is not listed
                        as the generator of any Hazardous  Material on any waste
                        manifest  or other  document  prepared  pursuant  to the
                        Environmental Laws or by contract, and the Environmental
                        Subsidiary has not assumed, under the Environmental Laws
                        or by contract,  the  responsibilities or liabilities of
                        the generator of any Hazardous Material;

                                (B)  To  the  Knowledge  of  the  Company,   the
                        Environmental  Subsidiary has not performed any remedial
                        action taken pursuant to the  Environmental  Laws, where
                        the remedial  action is not, or it is alleged in writing
                        by any Person or entity that the remedial action is not,
                        constructed   and  operating  in  accordance   with  the
                        Environmental Laws or contract; and

                                (C)  There  are no  claims,  actions,  causes of
                        action,  or other  written  notices  pending  or, to the
                        Company's    Knowledge,     threatened    against    the
                        Environmental Subsidiary under the Environmental Laws or
                        contract,  arising from the  Environmental  Subsidiary's
                        provision  of  materials  or  services  to any Person or
                        entity,  that are not  subject  to  coverage  under  the
                        Environmental  Subsidiary's  insurance policies,  except
                        where such claims, actions, causes of

                                       17
<PAGE>
                        action or other written  notice will not have a Material
                        Adverse Effect on the Environmental Subsidiary.

                (q) Takeover Law. The Company has taken all action  necessary to
        ensure that the provisions of Chapter 110F of the Massachusetts  General
        Laws will not be  applicable  to  Purchasers  or their  Affiliates  as a
        result of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.

                (r) Status of Shares.  Assuming the  Stockholder  Approvals  are
        obtained,  the  Shares to be issued at the  Closing  will have been duly
        authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company,
        and at Closing such Shares will have been validly  issued and,  assuming
        payment  therefor has been made,  will be fully paid and  nonassessable,
        and the issuance of such Shares will not be subject to preemptive rights
        of any  other  stockholder  of the  Company.  Assuming  the  Stockholder
        Approvals have been obtained, the Shares will be eligible for listing on
        the American Stock Exchange subject only to notice of issuance.

                (s) Intellectual Property.

                        (i)  The  Intellectual  Property  that is  owned  by the
                Company and its Subsidiaries (the "Owned Intellectual Property")
                constitutes all of the Intellectual  Property used,  intended to
                be used or held for use in  connection  with,  necessary for the
                conduct  of,  or  otherwise  material  to the  Company  and  the
                Subsidiaries,   except  for  Intellectual  Property  subject  to
                written or oral licenses, agreements or arrangements pursuant to
                which the use of  Intellectual  Property  by any  Company or any
                Subsidiary  is  permitted  by  any  Person  (the   "Intellectual
                Property  Licenses"  and,  together with the Owned  Intellectual
                Property,  the  "Company  Intellectual  Property").   The  Owned
                Intellectual  Property is owned free from any Liens  (other than
                Permitted Liens).  All material  Intellectual  Property Licenses
                are in full force and effect in accordance with their terms, and
                are free and clear of any Liens  (other than  Permitted  Liens).
                Immediately after the Closing,  the Company and the Subsidiaries
                will own or have the right to use all the  Company  Intellectual
                Property,  in each case free from Liens  (except  for  Permitted
                Liens  incurred in the ordinary  course of business)  and on the
                same terms and conditions as in effect prior to the Closing.

                        (ii) To the knowledge of the Company, the conduct of the
                business of the Company and its  Subsidiaries  does not infringe
                or conflict with the rights of any third party in respect of any
                Intellectual  Property. To the Knowledge of the Company, none of
                the  Company  Intellectual  Property is being  infringed  by any
                third  party.  There  is  no  claim  or  demand  of  any  Person
                pertaining  to, or any  proceeding  which is pending  or, to the
                Knowledge of the Company, threatened, that challenges the rights
                of the  Company  or any of the  Subsidiaries  in  respect of any
                Company Intellectual  Property,  or that claims that any default
                exists  under any  Intellectual  Property  License.  None of the
                Company  Intellectual  Property  is subject  to any  outstanding
                order,  ruling,  decree,  judgment

                                       18
<PAGE>
                or stipulation by or with any court,  tribunal,  arbitrator,  or
                other Governmental Entity adverse to the Company.

                        (iii)  The  Owned  Intellectual  Property  has been duly
                registered  with, filed in or issued by, as the case may be, the
                appropriate filing offices,  domestic or foreign,  to the extent
                necessary or desirable to ensure usual and customary  protection
                for Intellectual Property in the relevant jurisdiction under any
                applicable  law,  and the same  remain in full force and effect.
                The  Company  and the  Subsidiaries  have  taken  all  necessary
                actions to ensure usual and customary protection in the relevant
                jurisdiction  of the Company  Intellectual  Property  (including
                maintaining  the  secrecy  of  all   confidential   Intellectual
                Property) under any applicable law or any Contract.

                (t) Guarantees.  Section 3.01(t) of the Disclosure Schedule sets
        forth a description  of any  obligations  or  liabilities  of any person
        other than the Company or its  Subsidiaries  that are  guaranteed  by or
        subject  to a  contingent  obligation  of  the  Company  or  any  of its
        Subsidiaries.

                (u) Labor  Matters.  With  respect to  employees  of and service
        providers to the Related Employers:

                        (i)  the  Related   Employers  are  complying  and  have
                complied in all material  respects with all applicable  domestic
                and foreign laws respecting employment and employment practices,
                terms  and   conditions  of  employment  and  wages  and  hours,
                including without limitation any such laws respecting employment
                discrimination, workers' compensation, family and medical leave,
                the Immigration Reform and Control Act, and occupational  safety
                and health  requirements,  and no claims or  investigations  are
                pending or, to the  Knowledge  of the Company,  threatened  with
                respect  to such  laws,  either  by  private  individuals  or by
                governmental agencies;

                        (ii) no Related  Employer is or has been  engaged in any
                unfair labor practice, and there is not now, nor within the past
                three years has there been, any unfair labor practice  complaint
                against any Related Employer pending or, to the Knowledge of the
                Company,  threatened,  before the National Labor Relations Board
                or any other  comparable  foreign or domestic  authority  or any
                workers' council;

                        (iii)  no  labor  strike,  lock-out,  slowdown,  or work
                stoppage is or has been,  within the last three  years,  pending
                or, to the  Knowledge  of the  Company,  threatened  against  or
                directly affecting any Related Employer; and

                        (iv) all persons who are or were performing services for
                any Related  Employer and are or were  classified as independent
                contractors   do  or  did   satisfy  and  have   satisfied   the
                requirements  of law to be so  classified,  and the


                                       19
<PAGE>
                appropriate  Related Employer has fully and accurately  reported
                their compensation on IRS Forms 1099 when required to do so.

                (v) Brokers or Finders.  Other than Houlihan,  no agent, broker,
        investment  banker or other firm is or will be entitled to any  broker's
        or finder's  fee or any other  commission  or similar fee in  connection
        with any of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.

                (w)   Disclosure.   To  the   Knowledge  of  the   Company,   no
        representation or warranty by the Company contained in this Agreement or
        any of the other  Transaction  Documents,  or in any  certificate  to be
        furnished  by or on behalf of the  Company  pursuant  hereto or thereto,
        contains or will  contain  any untrue  statement  of a material  fact or
        omits  or will  omit to  state a  material  fact  necessary  to make the
        statements  contained herein or therein,  in light of the  circumstances
        under which they were made, not misleading.

                (x) Opinion of  Independent  Investment  Banking  Firm;  Special
        Committee.  The Special Committee of the Board (the "Special Committee")
        has  obtained an opinion  from  Houlihan  Lokey  Howard & Zukin  Capital
        ("Houlihan"),  in a form satisfactory to the Special Committee, that the
        financial  terms of the  transactions  contemplated  by the  Transaction
        Documents  are fair to the holders of the Common  Stock from a financial
        point of view. The Special  Committee has  recommended the execution and
        performance of this Agreement to the full Board.

                (y) Year  2000.  The  disclosure  as to Year 2000  Compatibility
        issues in the  Company's  Quarterly  Report on Form 10-Q for the  period
        ended  September 30, 1999, is true and correct in all material  respects
        and  does  not  omit to  state a  material  fact  necessary  to make the
        statements contained therein not misleading.

                (z) No Illegal or Improper Transactions. Neither the Company nor
        any Subsidiary has, nor has any director,  officer,  employee,  agent or
        affiliate of the Company or any Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, used
        funds or other  assets of the  Company  or any  Subsidiary,  or made any
        promise or  undertaking in such regard,  for (i) illegal  contributions,
        gifts,  entertainment or other expenses relating to political  activity;
        (ii) illegal payments to or for the benefit of governmental officials or
        employees, whether domestic or foreign; (iii) illegal payments to or for
        the benefit of any Person, or any director,  officer,  employee,  agent,
        affiliate  or  representative  thereof;  or (iv)  the  establishment  or
        maintenance of a secret or unrecorded fund; and, to the Knowledge of the
        Company,  there  have been no false or  fictitious  entries  made in the
        books or records of the Company or any Subsidiary.

                (aa) Insurance.

                (i) All  insurance  policies  to which the Company or any of the
        Subsidiaries  is a party or that  provide  coverage  to any  director or
        officer  of the  Company  or of any of the  Subsidiaries  (A) are valid,
        outstanding,  and enforceable, (B) are issued by an insurer that, to the
        Knowledge of the Company, is financially sound and reputable,  (C) taken
        together  provide  adequate  insurance

                                       20
<PAGE>
        for  the  properties,  assets  and  business  of  the  Company  and  the
        Subsidiaries for all risks normally insured against by a Person carrying
        on the same or similar  business  or  businesses,  (D)  comply  with the
        insurance  requirements  of all laws and  contracts to which the Company
        and any of the  Subsidiaries is a party or by which it is bound,  except
        where such failures to so comply would not be reasonably  likely to have
        a Material Adverse Effect on the Company and the Subsidiaries,  taken as
        a whole, and (E) do not provide for any retrospective premium adjustment
        or other experience-based liability on the part of the Company or any of
        the Subsidiaries.

                (ii)  Neither the Company nor any  Subsidiary  has  received any
        refusal of coverage or any notice that a defense  will be afforded  with
        reservation  of  rights,  or any  notice  of  cancellation  or any other
        indication  that any  insurance  policy is no  longer  in full  force or
        effect or will not be  renewed  or that the  issuer of any policy is not
        willing or able to perform its obligations thereunder, except where such
        refusals,  failures to renew or  cancellations  would not be  reasonably
        likely  to  have a  Material  Adverse  Effect  on the  Company  and  the
        Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

                (iii)  The  Company  and each of the  Subsidiaries  has paid all
        premiums  due with respect to all periods up to and  including  the date
        hereof and has  otherwise  performed all of its  obligations  under each
        policy to which such Person is a party or that provides coverage to such
        Person or any officers or directors thereof, except where the failure to
        do so would not be reasonably  likely to have a Material  Adverse Effect
        on the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

                (iv) The Company  and each  Subsidiary  has given  notice to the
        insurer of all material claims that may be insured thereby.

        SECTION 3.02  Representations  and Warranties of TSC. TSC represents and
warrants as follows:

                (a) Organization.  TSC is a corporation  validly existing and in
        good standing under the laws of the  jurisdiction  of its  organization,
        with all  requisite  corporate  power and  authority  to own,  lease and
        operate its assets and  properties  and to conduct  its  business as now
        being conducted.

                (b)  Corporate  Authority.  TSC has (or will have at the time of
        such  act) the  requisite  corporate  or other  power and  authority  to
        execute, deliver and perform each Transaction Document to which it is or
        will be a party and to consummate the transactions contemplated thereby.
        The execution,  delivery and performance of each Transaction Document by
        TSC and the consummation by TSC of the transactions  contemplated hereby
        and thereby have been duly authorized (or will have been duly authorized
        at the time of such act) and no other corporate  proceedings on the part
        of TSC are necessary to authorize any Transaction Document or for TSC to
        consummate the transactions so contemplated.  Each Transaction  Document
        to

                                       21
<PAGE>

        which TSC is or will be a party is, or when executed and delivered  will
        be, a valid and binding agreement of such party, enforceable against TSC
        in accordance  with the terms  thereof,  assuming that each  Transaction
        Document to which TSC is a party is a valid and binding agreement of the
        Company and each other Purchaser (as applicable).

                (c) No Violations; Consents and Approvals.

                        (i) The  execution,  delivery or  performance  by TSC of
                each  Transaction  Document to which it is or will be a party or
                the consummation by TSC of the transactions contemplated thereby
                (A) will not result in a violation  or breach of its articles or
                certificate of incorporation or by-laws (or other organizational
                documents) or (B) subject to the governmental  filings and other
                matters  referred to in clause (ii) below,  will not result in a
                violation   or   breach  of  (or  give  rise  to  any  right  of
                termination,  revocation,  cancellation or acceleration under or
                increased  payments  under),  or  constitute a default  (with or
                without due notice or lapse of time or both) under, or result in
                the creation of any Lien upon any of the properties or assets of
                TSC or the  Company  and its  Subsidiaries  under any  judgment,
                order,  decree,  statute,  law, regulation or rule applicable to
                TSC.

                        (ii)   Except   for   consents,    approvals,    orders,
                authorizations, registrations, declarations or filings as may be
                required under,  and other  applicable  requirements of, the HSR
                Act (and filings after the Closing,  if any, under Regulation D,
                Section  13(d)  and/or  Section  16 of  the  Exchange  Act),  no
                consent,  approval,  order or authorization of, or registration,
                declaration or filing with, any Governmental  Entity is required
                with respect to TSC in connection  with the execution,  delivery
                or performance by TSC of each  Transaction  Document to which it
                is or  will  be a  party  or  the  consummation  by  TSC  of the
                transactions  contemplated  hereby and thereby (except where the
                failure  to  obtain   such   consents,   approvals,   orders  or
                authorizations,  or to make  such  registrations,  declarations,
                filings or agreements  would not have a Material  Adverse Effect
                on TSC).

                (d)  Acquisition  for  Investment.  TSC is acquiring  the Shares
        being  purchased by it for its own account for the purpose of investment
        and not with a view to or for sale in connection  with any  distribution
        thereof,  and TSC  has no  present  intention  or  plan  to  effect  any
        distribution of Shares;  provided that the disposition of TSC's property
        shall at all times be and remain  within its  control and subject to the
        provisions of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement.  TSC
        is an  "Accredited  Investor"  within  the  meaning  of Rule  501(a)  of
        Regulation D under the Act.

                (e) Brokers or Finders. No agent,  broker,  investment banker or
        other firm is or will be entitled to any broker's or finder's fee or any
        other  commission or similar fee from TSC in connection  with any of the
        transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.

                                       22
<PAGE>
                (f) Proxy  Statement.  The information to be supplied by TSC for
        inclusion  in the  Proxy  Statement  shall  not,  on the date the  Proxy
        Statement  (or any  amendment  thereof or  supplement  thereto) is first
        mailed to stockholders of the Company and at the time of the Stockholder
        Meeting,  contain any statement  which, at such time and in light of the
        circumstances  under which it shall be made, is false or misleading with
        respect  to any  material  fact,  or omit to  state  any  material  fact
        necessary in order to make such  statements  made in Proxy Statement not
        false or  misleading.  If at any time prior to  Stockholder  Meeting any
        event  relating to TSC or any of its  Affiliates,  officers or directors
        should be discovered by TSC which should be set forth in a Supplement to
        the Proxy Statement, TSC shall promptly inform the Company.

        SECTION 3.03 Representations and Warranties of National Union.  National
Union represents and warrants as follows:

                (a)  Organization.  National  Union  is  a  corporation  validly
        existing and in good standing under the laws of the  jurisdiction of its
        organization,  with all requisite  power and authority to own, lease and
        operate  its  properties  and to  conduct  its  business  as  now  being
        conducted.

                (b)  Authority.  National Union has (or will have at the time of
        such  act) the  requisite  corporate  or other  power and  authority  to
        execute, deliver and perform each Transaction Document to which it is or
        will be a party and to consummate the transactions contemplated thereby.
        The execution,  delivery and performance of each Transaction Document by
        National   Union  and  the   consummation   by  National  Union  of  the
        transactions  contemplated  hereby and thereby have been duly authorized
        (or will have been duly authorized at the time of such act) and no other
        proceedings on the part of National Union are necessary to authorize any
        Transaction   Document  or  for  National   Union  to   consummate   the
        transactions  so  contemplated.   Each  Transaction  Document  to  which
        National  Union is or will be a party is, or when executed and delivered
        will  be, a valid  and  binding  agreement  of such  party,  enforceable
        against  National Union in accordance  with the terms thereof,  assuming
        that each  Transaction  Document to which National Union is a party is a
        valid and binding  agreement of the Company and each other Purchaser (as
        applicable).

                (c) No Violations; Consents and Approvals.

                        (i) The  execution,  delivery or performance by National
                Union of each  Transaction  Document to which it is or will be a
                party or the  consummation by National Union of the transactions
                contemplated  thereby  (A) will not  result  in a  violation  or
                breach  of its  articles  or  certificate  of  incorporation  or
                by-laws (or other  organizational  documents)  or (B) subject to
                the governmental filings and other matters referred to in clause
                (ii) below, will not result in a violation or breach of (or give
                rise to any right of  termination,  revocation,  cancellation or
                acceleration under or increased payments under), or constitute a
                default  (with or  without  due notice or lapse of time or both)
                under,  or  result in the  creation  of any Lien upon any of the
                properties  or assets of  National  Union or the Company and its
                Subsidiaries under any judgment,  order, decree,  statute,  law,
                regulation or rule applicable to National Union.

                                       23
<PAGE>
                        (ii)   Except   for   consents,    approvals,    orders,
                authorizations, registrations, declarations or filings as may be
                required under,  and other  applicable  requirements of, the HSR
                Act (and filings after the Closing,  if any, under Regulation D,
                Section  13(d)  and/or  Section  16 of  the  Exchange  Act),  no
                consent,  approval,  order or authorization of, or registration,
                declaration or filing with, any Governmental  Entity is required
                with respect to National Union in connection with the execution,
                delivery or performance  by National  Union of each  Transaction
                Document  to which it is or will be a party or the  consummation
                by National Union of the  transactions  contemplated  hereby and
                thereby  (except  where the  failure  to obtain  such  consents,
                approvals,   orders   or   authorizations,   or  to  make   such
                registrations,  declarations,  filings or  agreements  would not
                have a Material Adverse Effect on National Union).

                (d)  Acquisition  for  Investment.  Except  as  contemplated  by
        Section 9.07,  National Union is acquiring the Shares being purchased by
        it for its own account for the purpose of investment and not with a view
        to or for sale in connection with any distribution thereof, and National
        Union has no present  intention  or plan to effect any  distribution  of
        Shares; provided that the disposition of National Union's property shall
        at all  times be and  remain  within  its  control  and  subject  to the
        provisions of this  Agreement  and the  Registration  Rights  Agreement.
        National  Union is an "Accredited  Investor"  within the meaning of Rule
        501(a) of Regulation D under the Act.

                (e) Brokers or Finders. No agent,  broker,  investment banker or
        other firm is or will be entitled to any broker's or finder's fee or any
        other  commission or similar fee from National Union in connection  with
        any of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.

                (f) Proxy Statement.  The information to be supplied by National
        Union for  inclusion in the Proxy  Statement  shall not, on the date the
        Proxy  Statement  (or any amendment  thereof or  supplement  thereto) is
        first  mailed  to  stockholders  of the  Company  and at the time of the
        Stockholder  Meeting,  contain any statement  which, at such time and in
        light of the  circumstances  under  which it shall be made,  is false or
        misleading  with  respect  to any  material  fact,  or omit to state any
        material fact necessary in order to make such  statements  made in Proxy
        Statement not false or  misleading.  If at any time prior to Stockholder
        Meeting any event relating to National  Union or any of its  Affiliates,
        officers or  directors  should be  discovered  by  National  Union which
        should be set forth in a  Supplement  to the Proxy  Statement,  National
        Union shall promptly inform the Company.

        SECTION 3.04  Representations  and Warranties of O&G. O&G represents and
warrants as follows:

                (a) Organization.  O&G is a corporation  validly existing and in
        good standing under the laws of the  jurisdiction  of its  organization,
        with all  requisite  power and  authority to own,  lease and operate its
        properties and to conduct its business as now being conducted.

                                       24
<PAGE>


                (b)  Authority.  O&G has (or will  have at the time of such act)
        the requisite corporate or other power and authority to execute, deliver
        and perform each Transaction  Document to which it is or will be a party
        and to consummate the transactions  contemplated thereby. The execution,
        delivery and  performance  of each  Transaction  Document by O&G and the
        consummation by O&G of the transactions  contemplated hereby and thereby
        have been duly authorized (or will have been duly authorized at the time
        of such act) and no other  corporate  proceedings on the part of O&G are
        necessary to authorize any Transaction Document or for O&G to consummate
        the transactions so contemplated. Each Transaction Document to which O&G
        is or will be a party  is, or when  executed  and  delivered  will be, a
        valid and binding  agreement of such party,  enforceable  against O&G in
        accordance  with the  terms  thereof,  assuming  that  each  Transaction
        Document to which O&G is a party is a valid and binding agreement of the
        Company and each other Purchaser (as applicable).

                (c) No Violations; Consents and Approvals.

                        (i) The  execution,  delivery or  performance  by O&G of
                each  Transaction  Document to which it is or will be a party or
                the consummation by O&G of the transactions contemplated thereby
                (A) will not result in a violation  or breach of its articles or
                certificate of incorporation or by-laws (or other organizational
                documents) or (B) subject to the governmental  filings and other
                matters  referred to in clause (ii) below,  will not result in a
                violation   or   breach  of  (or  give  rise  to  any  right  of
                termination,  revocation,  cancellation or acceleration under or
                increased  payments  under),  or  constitute a default  (with or
                without due notice or lapse of time or both) under, or result in
                the creation of any Lien upon any of the properties or assets of
                O&G or the  Company  and its  Subsidiaries  under any  judgment,
                order,  decree,  statute,  law, regulation or rule applicable to
                O&G.

                        (ii)   Except   for   consents,    approvals,    orders,
                authorizations, registrations, declarations or filings as may be
                required under,  and other  applicable  requirements of, the HSR
                Act (and filings after the Closing,  if any, under Regulation D,
                Section  13(d)  and/or  Section  16 of  the  Exchange  Act),  no
                consent,  approval,  order or authorization of, or registration,
                declaration or filing with, any Governmental  Entity is required
                with respect to O&G in connection  with the execution,  delivery
                or performance by O&G of each  Transaction  Document to which it
                is or  will  be a  party  or  the  consummation  by  O&G  of the
                transactions  contemplated  hereby and thereby (except where the
                failure  to  obtain   such   consents,   approvals,   orders  or
                authorizations,  or to make  such  registrations,  declarations,
                filings or agreements  would not have a Material  Adverse Effect
                on O&G).

                (d)  Acquisition  for  Investment.  O&G is acquiring  the Shares
        being  purchased by it for its own account for the purpose of investment
        and not with a view to or for sale in connection  with any  distribution
        thereof,  and O&G  has no  present  intention  or  plan  to  effect  any
        distribution of Shares;  provided that the disposition of O&G's property
        shall at all times be and remain  within its  control and subject to the
        provisions of this Agreement and the

                                       25
<PAGE>
        Registration  Rights Agreement.  O&G is an "Accredited  Investor" within
        the meaning of Rule 501(a) of Regulation D under the Act.

                (e) Brokers or Finders. No agent,  broker,  investment banker or
        other firm is or will be entitled to any broker's or finder's fee or any
        other  commission or similar fee from O&G in connection  with any of the
        transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.

                (f) Proxy  Statement.  The information to be supplied by O&G for
        inclusion  in the  Proxy  Statement  shall  not,  on the date the  Proxy
        Statement  (or any  amendment  thereof or  supplement  thereto) is first
        mailed to stockholders of the Company and at the time of the Stockholder
        Meeting,  contain any statement  which, at such time and in light of the
        circumstances  under which it shall be made, is false or misleading with
        respect  to any  material  fact,  or omit to  state  any  material  fact
        necessary in order to make such  statements  made in Proxy Statement not
        false or  misleading.  If at any time prior to  Stockholder  Meeting any
        event  relating to O&G or any of its  Affiliates,  officers or directors
        should be discovered by O&G which should be set forth in a Supplement to
        the Proxy Statement, O&G shall promptly inform the Company.

                                   ARTICLE IV

                             [Intentionally Omitted]


                                   ARTICLE V

                       Covenants and Additional Agreements
                       -----------------------------------

        SECTION  5.01  Pre-Closing  Activities.  From and after the date of this
Agreement until the Closing,  each of the Company and Purchasers  shall act with
good faith towards each other, and shall use all commercially reasonable efforts
to take or cause to be taken  all  actions  necessary,  proper or  advisable  to
consummate  the  transactions  contemplated  by the  Transaction  Documents  and
neither the Company nor any Purchaser  will take any action that would  prohibit
or materially impair its ability to consummate the transactions  contemplated by
the Transaction Documents.

        SECTION 5.02  Covenants of the Company.  During the period from the date
of this  Agreement and  continuing  until the Closing,  the Company agrees as to
itself and the  Subsidiaries  that,  except as provided  in Section  5.02 of the
Disclosure  Schedule,  or to the extent  that  Purchasers  otherwise  consent in
writing:

                (a)  Ordinary  Course.  The Company will conduct its business in
        the  ordinary  course in  substantially  the same  manner  as  presently
        conducted and the Company will use  commercially  reasonable  efforts to
        keep available the services of the current officers and employees and to
        preserve the relationships  with customers,  suppliers and others having
        business dealings with the Company.

                                       26
<PAGE>


                (b) Other Transactions. The Company will not, nor will it permit
        any of the Subsidiaries to, do any of the following (except as otherwise
        specifically contemplated herein or in any other Transaction Document):

                        (i) amend its Articles of Organization, By-laws or other
                organizational  documents  (except for immaterial  amendments to
                the  Articles of  Organization  or By-laws of any  Subsidiaries,
                provided  such  amendments  in no way  materially  and adversely
                affect  Purchasers or the rights granted or to be granted to the
                Purchasers under any Transaction Document);

                        (ii)  declare or pay any cash or  non-cash  dividend  or
                make any  cash or  non-cash  distribution  with  respect  to any
                securities  of the Company  (other than  payment of dividends in
                kind pursuant to the Series B Preferred Stock);

                        (iii)  redeem or  otherwise  acquire  any  shares of its
                capital  stock or issue any capital  stock (except upon exercise
                of  options  issued or  agreed  to be  issued  prior to the date
                hereof  under a Company  Stock Plan) or any  option,  warrant or
                right relating thereto;

                        (iv) incur any liabilities,  obligations or indebtedness
                for   borrowed   money  or  guarantee   any  such   liabilities,
                obligations or  indebtedness,  other than in the ordinary course
                of business consistent with past practice and as permitted under
                the Credit Facility;

                        (v) permit,  allow or suffer any assets or properties of
                the  Company to be  subject  to any Lien  other  than  Permitted
                Liens;

                        (vi) guarantee or otherwise become  contingently  liable
                for any obligation of any third party other than in the ordinary
                course of business;

                        (vii)  make any change in any  method of  accounting  or
                accounting  practice  or policy,  except as may be  required  by
                GAAP;

                        (viii)  enter into any  agreement  or take any action in
                violation  of the  terms of this  Agreement  or any of the other
                Transaction Documents;

                        (ix) settle any material  tax audit,  make or change any
                tax election or amend any Tax Returns; or

                        (x) agree, whether in writing or otherwise, to do any of
                the foregoing.

                (c) Employee Benefits. Except in the ordinary course of business
        and consistent  with past practice  (which shall include normal periodic
        performance  reviews and related  benefit  increases  and the  increases
        approved at the December 8, 1999 meeting of the Board of  Directors)  or
        pursuant to the existing terms of any collective  bargaining  agreement,
        the Company will not, nor will it permit any of the  Subsidiaries to (i)
        increase in any manner the

                                       27
<PAGE>
        compensation of any of the officers or other employees of the Company or
        its Subsidiaries;  (ii) adopt, amend,  terminate,  or increase liability
        with  respect to any  Company  Plan or Company  Benefit  Arrangement  or
        commit to do so; or (iii)  enter  into,  or  negotiate,  any  collective
        bargaining  agreement  with  respect to  employees of the Company or its
        Subsidiaries  except as  required  by law,  in which case the Company or
        such Subsidiary shall first notify Purchasers.

        SECTION 5.03 HSR. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth
in this Agreement, each of the parties agrees to take, or cause to be taken, all
actions,  and to do, or cause to be done,  and to assist and cooperate  with the
other parties in doing, all things necessary,  proper or advisable to consummate
and make  effective all necessary  filings  required  pursuant to the HSR Act as
soon as commercially practicable after the date of this Agreement, and shall use
their  best  efforts  to obtain  the early  termination  of the  waiting  period
thereunder,  provided  that  neither  the  Company  nor any  Purchaser  shall be
required to agree to dispose of or hold  separate  any  material  portion of its
business or assets.

        SECTION 5.04 [Intentionally Omitted]

        SECTION 5.05 Stockholder Approvals; Proxy Statement.

                (a) The Company  shall call a meeting of its  stockholders  (the
        "Stockholder  Meeting")  for the  purpose,  among  others,  of obtaining
        stockholder   approvals  for:  (i)  an  amendment  to  the  Articles  of
        Organization  increasing the number of authorized shares of Common Stock
        to at  least  as  many  shares  of  Common  Stock  as are  necessary  to
        consummate the transaction contemplated hereby and (ii) the issuance and
        sale (the  "Issuance")  of the Shares to Purchasers  and the exchange of
        the Series B Preferred  Stock for shares of Common Stock as contemplated
        by  Section  6.03(c)  (the   "Stockholder   Meeting   Proposals").   The
        Stockholder Meeting shall be held as soon as practicable but in no event
        later  than  the  Outside   Date.   For  purposes  of  this   Agreement,
        "Stockholder  Approvals"  shall mean, as to clause (i), the  affirmative
        vote of the holders of a majority of the shares of the Equity Securities
        entitled to vote thereon and, as to clause (ii), the affirmative vote of
        the  holders  of a  Disinterested  Majority  of  the  Equity  Securities
        entitled to vote thereon. Where so required by applicable  Massachusetts
        law or the Articles of  Organization,  Stockholder  Approvals shall mean
        the separate vote of each class of stock entitled to vote thereon.

                (b) The  Company  will  prepare  and  file  with the SEC a proxy
        statement   relating   to  the   Stockholder   Meeting  (as  amended  or
        supplemented and including documents  incorporated by reference therein,
        the "Proxy  Statement")  and shall use its  reasonable  best  efforts to
        respond to any  comments  of the SEC or its staff and to cause the Proxy
        Statement to be cleared by the SEC. The Company shall notify  Purchasers
        of the  receipt  of any  comments  from the SEC or its  staff and of any
        request by the SEC or its staff for  amendments  or  supplements  to the
        Proxy   Statement  or  for  additional   information  and  shall  supply
        Purchasers and their counsel with copies of all  correspondence  between
        the Company or any of its representatives,  on the one hand, and the SEC
        or its staff,  on the other hand,  with respect to the Proxy  Statement.
        The Company shall give  Purchasers and their counsel the  opportunity to
        review  the Proxy  Statement  prior to its being  filed with the SEC and
        shall give  Purchasers  and their counsel the  opportunity to review all
        amendments and  supplements to the Proxy  Statement and all responses to
        requests

                                       28
<PAGE>
        for additional  information and replies to comments prior to their being
        filed with,  or sent to, the SEC.  Each of the  Company  and  Purchasers
        agrees to use reasonable best efforts, after consultation with the other
        party hereto,  to respond  promptly to all such comments of and requests
        by the SEC.  After the Proxy  Statement has been cleared by the SEC, the
        Company  shall  mail the  Proxy  Statement  to the  stockholders  of the
        Company.  If at any time prior to the  Stockholder  Meeting  there shall
        occur any event that should be set forth in an amendment  or  supplement
        to the  Proxy  Statement,  the  Company  will  prepare  and  mail to its
        stockholders such an amendment or supplement.

                (c) The  Proxy  Statement  will not,  at the date  mailed to the
        Company's  stockholders  and at the  date  of the  Stockholder  Meeting,
        contain  any untrue  statement  of a material  fact or omit to state any
        material  fact  required to be stated  therein or  necessary in order to
        make the statements  therein,  in light of the circumstances under which
        they are made,  not  misleading.  The Proxy  Statement will comply as to
        form in all material  respects  with the  provisions of the Exchange Act
        and the rules and regulations thereunder,  except that no representation
        is made by the Company  with  respect to  statements  made therein as to
        information  concerning  Purchasers  or  their  Affiliates  supplied  in
        writing  by  Purchasers  or any of  their  Affiliates  specifically  for
        inclusion in the Proxy Statement.

                (d) Unless this  Agreement has been  terminated  (i) pursuant to
        Section  7.01(d)(ii) (based upon a failure of the condition set forth in
        Section 6.02(d)),  or (ii) pursuant to Section  7.01(d)(iii)  based upon
        the existence of a Superior  Transaction Proposal that the Board intends
        to accept,  the Board and the Special Committee shall recommend that the
        Company's stockholders approve the Stockholder Meeting Proposals and the
        Company shall use its best efforts to obtain the necessary  approvals by
        its stockholders of the Stockholder Meeting Proposals.

        SECTION  5.06  Stock  Exchange  Listing.   The  Company  shall  use  its
commercially  reasonable  efforts  to  cause  Purchasers  to  receive,  prior to
Closing, assurance from the American Stock Exchange (the "Exchange"),  in a form
reasonably  satisfactory  to the  Purchasers,  that: (a) in accordance  with the
rules of the Exchange,  all Shares will be eligible for listing on the Exchange;
and (b)  consummation of the  transactions  contemplated  herein or in any other
Transaction Document will not cause any securities of the Company already listed
on the American Stock Exchange to lose their listing privileges.

        SECTION 5.07 Transaction Proposals.

                (a) For purposes of this Agreement, "Transaction Proposal" means
        any inquiry, proposal or offer from any Person (other than a Person that
        is an Affiliate of the Purchasers) relating to (i) any purchase or other
        acquisition  from the Company of assets  representing 20% or more of the
        net revenues, net income or profits of the Company and its Subsidiaries,
        taken as a whole, (ii) any purchase or other acquisition of any class of
        securities of the Company for a purchase price in excess of $20 million,
        or   (iii)   any   merger,    consolidation,    business    combination,
        recapitalization,   liquidation,   dissolution  or  similar  transaction
        involving the Company (or any subsidiary whose business  constitutes 20%
        or more of the net revenues, net income or assets of the Company and its
        subsidiaries,  taken as a whole).  For  purposes of this

                                       29
<PAGE>
        Section 5.07, separate Transaction Proposals by Affiliates or by Persons
        in a "group" (as defined in the rules  promulgated  under  Section 13 of
        the Exchange  Act), as well as separate  Transaction  Proposals that are
        adopted by the Company as part of a plan of  financing  or  capitalizing
        the Company  shall be  aggregated  and treated as a single  proposal for
        purposes of  determining  whether such proposal or proposals  exceed the
        thresholds set forth in this Section 5.07(a).

                (b) At least ten (10) days  prior to either  (x)  accepting  any
        Transaction  Proposal  or (y) any  change  by the  Board or the  Special
        Committee in their respective recommendations concerning the Stockholder
        Meeting   Proposals  (if  following  the  receipt  of  any   Transaction
        Proposal),  the Company shall advise Purchasers orally and in writing of
        such Transaction  Proposal and the material terms and conditions of such
        Transaction  Proposal  and the  identity  of the Person  making any such
        Transaction  Proposal.  During  such ten day period,  the Company  shall
        negotiate  in good  faith to  determine  whether  Purchasers  can or are
        willing to make a proposal that is superior to the Transaction Proposal.
        Subject to complying with the foregoing provisions of this Section 5.07,
        the Special Committee and its  representatives and advisors on behalf of
        the Company may solicit  Transaction  Proposals and furnish or cause the
        Company to furnish  information  with  respect  to the  Company  and its
        Subsidiaries  to any  Person  and  may  participate  in  discussions  or
        negotiations regarding any Transaction Proposal.

        SECTION 5.08 Access and Information.

                (a) Access.  From the date hereof  until the Closing (and in any
        event subject to the provisions of Section  5.09(a)),  the Company shall
        permit  Purchasers (and their designated  representatives)  to visit and
        inspect  any of the  properties  of the  Company  and the  Subsidiaries,
        including the books and records of the Company and the Subsidiaries (and
        to make extracts and copies  therefrom),  and to consult with respect to
        and discuss the affairs, businesses,  finances,  operations and accounts
        of the  Company  and the  Subsidiaries  with  the  officers,  directors,
        employees,   affiliates  and  agents  of  such  entities,  all  at  such
        reasonable times and as often as Purchasers may reasonably request.

                (b)  Information.  The  Company  covenants  that  so long as any
        Purchaser  owns shares of Common Stock equal in number to at least 5% of
        the Shares sold to it on the Closing  Date,  the Company will deliver to
        such Purchaser the following:

                        (i) As soon as  practicable  and in any event  within 45
                days after the end of each quarterly period (other than the last
                quarterly  period)  in  each  fiscal  year,  (A) a  consolidated
                statement of income and  consolidated  statements  of changes in
                financial  position  and  cash  flows  of the  Company  and  the
                Subsidiaries  for such quarterly  period and for the period from
                the  beginning  of the  current  fiscal  year to the end of such
                quarterly  period,  and (B) a consolidated  balance sheet of the
                Company  and the  Subsidiaries  as at the end of such  quarterly
                period, setting forth in each case, in comparative form, figures
                for the  corresponding  periods in the preceding fiscal year and
                corresponding  figures for the budget for such quarterly period,
                all  in  reasonable   detail  and  certified  by  an  authorized
                financial  officer of the Company,  subject to changes resulting
                from  year-end  adjustments;  provided,  however,  that delivery
                pursuant to clause (iii) below of a

                                       30
<PAGE>
                copy of the  Quarterly  Report on Form 10-Q of the  Company  for
                such  quarterly  period  filed  with the SEC  shall be deemed to
                satisfy the requirements of this clause (i);

                        (ii) As soon as practicable  and in any event within 120
                days  after  the end of each  fiscal  year,  (A) a  consolidated
                statement of income and  consolidated  statements  of changes in
                financial  position  and  cash  flows  of the  Company  and  the
                Subsidiaries for such year, and (B) a consolidated balance sheet
                of the Company and the  Subsidiaries as of the end of such year,
                setting forth in each case, in comparative  form,  corresponding
                consolidated   figures  from  the  preceding  annual  audit  and
                corresponding  figures for the budget for such fiscal year,  all
                in reasonable  detail  together with an opinion  directed to the
                Company of independent public accountants of recognized standing
                selected  by  the  Company;  provided,  however,  that  delivery
                pursuant to clause (iii) below of a copy of the Annual Report on
                Form 10-K of the Company for such fiscal year filed with the SEC
                shall be deemed to satisfy the requirements of this clause (ii);

                        (iii) Promptly upon transmission thereof,  copies of all
                financial statements,  proxy statements,  notices and reports as
                it shall  send to its  public  stockholders  and  copies  of all
                registration  statements (without exhibits),  other than on Form
                S-8 or any similar  successor  form,  and all  reports  which it
                files  with  the  SEC  (or  any  governmental   body  or  agency
                succeeding to the functions of the SEC);

                        (iv)  Promptly  upon  receipt  thereof,  copies  of  all
                reports   submitted  to  the  Company  by   independent   public
                accountants in connection  with each annual,  interim or special
                audit of the books of the Company or any Subsidiary made by such
                accountants,  including  the comment  letter  submitted  by such
                accountants to management in connection with their annual audit;
                and

                        (v) With  reasonable  promptness,  such other  financial
                data as any Purchaser may reasonably request.

        SECTION 5.09 Confidentiality and Publicity.

                (a)  Confidentiality.  Each  of the  Purchasers  recognizes  and
        acknowledges  that it has in the past,  currently has, and in the future
        may possibly  have,  access to certain  confidential  information of the
        Company.  Each Purchaser  agrees that it will not disclose  confidential
        information with respect to the Company to any Person for any purpose or
        reason  whatsoever,   except  to  authorized   representatives  of  such
        Purchaser and to counsel and other  advisers,  provided,  however,  that
        such  advisers  (other  than  counsel)  agree  to  the   confidentiality
        provisions of this subsection  5.09(a),  unless (i) such  information is
        publicly known or becomes known to the public generally through no fault
        of  any  of the  Purchasers,  (ii)  is  independently  developed  by the
        Purchasers  without the use of the Company's  confidential  information,
        (iii) is disclosed without similar  restrictions to a third party by the
        Company  or  a  Subsidiary,  or  (iv)  disclosure  is  required  by  law
        (including  securities  law disclosure  requirements  and stock

                                       31
<PAGE>
        exchange rules), or the order of any governmental  authority under color
        of law,  or to  enforce  its  rights  under  this  Agreement;  provided,
        however,  that prior to  disclosing  any  information  pursuant  to this
        Section 5.09(a), a Purchaser shall, if reasonably  possible,  give prior
        written  notice  thereof to the Company and provide the Company with the
        opportunity to contest such disclosure.

                (b) Publicity. Prior to Closing, the Company and Purchasers will
        consult  with each other before  issuing any press  release or otherwise
        making  any  public   statements   with  respect  to  the   transactions
        contemplated  hereby and shall not issue any such press  release or make
        any such public statement prior to such  consultation,  except as may be
        required by law or by obligations pursuant to any listing agreement with
        any securities exchange.

        SECTION 5.10 Restrictions.  Each Purchaser covenants and agrees with the
Company that such Purchaser will not dispose of any of such  Purchaser's  shares
of the Shares except pursuant to (a) an effective  registration  statement under
the Act or (b) an  applicable  exemption  from  registration  under the Act.  In
connection with any sale by a Purchaser  pursuant to clause (b) of the preceding
sentence,  such  Purchaser  shall  furnish to the  Company an opinion of counsel
reasonably  satisfactory  to the Company to the effect that such  exemption from
registration is available in connection with such sale.

        SECTION 5.11 Further Assurances. Following the Closing Date, the Company
shall, and shall cause each of the  Subsidiaries to, from time to time,  execute
and deliver such additional  instruments,  documents,  conveyances or assurances
and take such other  actions as shall be necessary,  or otherwise  reasonably be
requested  by  Purchasers,  to confirm  and  assure  the rights and  obligations
provided  for in  this  Agreement  and  the  Transaction  Documents  and  render
effective the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby.

        SECTION 5.12 Directors' and Officers' Indemnification and Insurance.

                (a) The provisions with respect to indemnification  that are set
        forth in the bylaws of the  Company  shall not be  amended,  repealed or
        otherwise  modified  for a period of six years from the Closing  Date in
        any  manner  that  would  affect  adversely  the  rights  thereunder  of
        individuals  who are or, at any time  prior to the  Closing  Date,  were
        directors,  officers,  employees  or agents of Company  with  respect to
        claims  arising  from facts or events  that  occurred at or prior to the
        Closing.

                (b) Prior to the  Closing,  the Company  shall have offered each
        director of the Company the opportunity to enter into an indemnification
        agreement  in  a  form  reasonably  acceptable  to  such  director  (the
        "Indemnification Agreements").

                (c) For a period  of six  years  after  the  Closing  Date,  the
        Company shall maintain in effect the directors' and officers'  liability
        insurance  policies  maintained by the Company  immediately prior to the
        Closing;  provided,  however,  that the Company may substitute  therefor
        policies of at least the same coverage and amounts  containing terms and
        conditions  which are not materially less  advantageous  with respect to
        claims  arising  from facts or events  which  occurred  at or before the
        Closing;  provided further, however, that, in no event shall the

                                       32
<PAGE>
        Company be  required  to expend in any one year in excess of 125% of the
        annual premium  currently  paid by the Company for such coverage,  which
        current  premium amount is set forth on the  Disclosure  Schedule and if
        the premium for such  coverage  exceeds such amount,  the Company  shall
        purchase a policy with the greatest coverage  available for such 125% of
        the annual premium.

                (d) If the  Company  or any of its  successors  or  assigns  (i)
        consolidates  with or merges into any other  Person and shall not be the
        continuing or surviving  corporation or entity of such  consolidation or
        merger or (ii) transfers all or substantially  all of its properties and
        assets to any Person, then and in each such case, proper provision shall
        be made so that the  successors  and assigns of the  Company  assume the
        obligations set forth in this Section 5.12.

                (e) The foregoing  provisions of Section 5.12 are obligations of
        the Company and not of any of the Purchasers.

        SECTION 5.13 Shareholders Agreement. Each of the parties agrees (i) that
they will  enter into the  Shareholders  Agreement,  (ii) that the  Shareholders
Agreement  shall not become  effective  prior to the Closing and  (iii) that the
Exchange  Agreement to be entered into by and between the Company and holders of
Series B Preferred  Stock shall not restrict or impede the parties  thereto from
considering or accepting any Superior Transaction Proposal.

                                   ARTICLE VI

                              Conditions Precedent
                              --------------------

        SECTION 6.01 Conditions to Each Party's Obligations.  The obligations of
the Company and each Purchaser to consummate the  transactions  contemplated  to
occur at the Closing shall be subject to the  satisfaction  prior to the Closing
of each of the following  conditions,  each of which may be waived only if it is
legally permissible to do so:

                (a) HSR and Other Approvals. Any applicable waiting period under
        the HSR Act relating to the transactions  contemplated hereby shall have
        expired  or been  terminated,  and all  other  material  authorizations,
        consents,  orders or  approvals  of,  or  regulations,  declarations  or
        filings with, or expirations of applicable  waiting  periods imposed by,
        any Governmental  Entity  (including,  without  limitation,  any foreign
        antitrust  filing)  necessary for the  consummation of the  transactions
        contemplated  hereby,  shall have been  obtained  or filed or shall have
        occurred.

                (b) No Litigation, Injunctions, or Restraints. No statute, rule,
        regulation,   executive  order,  decree,  temporary  restraining  order,
        investigation,  suit, proceeding, preliminary or permanent injunction or
        other order shall have been enacted, entered,  promulgated,  enforced or
        issued by any  Governmental  Entity that presents a substantial  risk of
        the restraint or prohibition of the  transactions  contemplated  by this
        Agreement  or any of  the  Transaction  Documents  or the  obtaining  of
        material  damages or other relief from any one or more of the Purchasers
        in connection therewith.

                                       33
<PAGE>
                (c) Stockholder  Approvals.  The Stockholder Approvals have been
        obtained.

                (d) Management Agreement Amendment.  The management agreement by
        and among the Company,  TSC and Ronald N. Tutor dated  January 17, 1997,
        as amended on December 23, 1998 and  December 31, 1999 (the  "Management
        Agreement Amendment"), shall be in full force and effect.

        SECTION  6.02  Conditions  to  the  Obligations  of  the  Company.   The
obligations of the Company to consummate the transactions  contemplated to occur
at the Closing  shall be subject to the  satisfaction  or waiver  thereof by the
Company prior to the Closing of each of the following conditions:

                (a)  Representations  and Warranties.  The  representations  and
        warranties of each Purchaser that are qualified as to materiality  shall
        be true and correct,  and those that are not so qualified  shall be true
        and correct in all material  respects,  as of the date of this Agreement
        and as of the time of the Closing as though made at and as of such time,
        except to the  extent  such  representations  and  warranties  expressly
        relate to an  earlier  date (in  which  case  such  representations  and
        warranties  that  are  qualified  as to  materiality  shall  be true and
        correct,  and those that are not so qualified  shall be true and correct
        in all  material  respects,  on and as of  such  earlier  date)  and the
        Company  shall  have  received  a  certificate  signed by an  authorized
        officer of each Purchaser to such effect.

                (b)  Performance of  Obligations  of Purchasers.  Each Purchaser
        shall have  performed  or complied  in all  material  respects  with all
        obligations  and covenants  required to be performed or complied with by
        such Purchaser under this Agreement, and the Company shall have received
        a certificate  signed by the chief executive officer and chief financial
        officer of each Purchaser to such effect.

                (c) Closing  Deliveries.  Purchasers shall have delivered to the
        Company on or before the Closing the following:

                        (i) The Registration Rights Agreement, to be dated as of
                the date of the Closing,  in  substantially  the form of Exhibit
                6.02(c)(i), executed by Purchasers;

                        (ii) The Shareholders  Agreement,  to be dated as of the
                date  of the  Closing,  substantially  in the  form  of  Exhibit
                6.02(c)(ii), executed by Purchasers;

                        (iii)  Executed  and  conformed  copies  of  such  other
                certificates,   letters  and   documents   as  the  Company  may
                reasonably request and as are customary for transactions such as
                those contemplated by this Agreement;

                        (iv) $10 million by TSC by wire transfer of  immediately
                available funds as its share of the Purchase Price;

                                       34
<PAGE>

                        (v) $10 million by O&G by wire  transfer of  immediately
                available funds as its share of the Purchase Price;

                        (vi) $20 million by National  Union by wire  transfer of
                immediately  available funds as its share of the Purchase Price;
                and

                        (vii)  a  Certificate  of  the  Secretary  or  Assistant
                Secretary of each of the Purchasers dated as of the Closing Date
                certifying:  (1) that  attached  thereto is a true and  complete
                copy of the By-Laws,  or comparable  organization  document,  of
                such  Purchaser as in effect on the date of such  certification;
                (2) that  attached  thereto is a true and  complete  copy of all
                resolutions  adopted by the Board of such Purchaser  authorizing
                the execution,  delivery and  performance of the Agreement,  and
                that all such  resolutions  are in full  force in effect and are
                all the resolutions  adopted in connection with the transactions
                contemplated by this Agreement;  (3) that attached  thereto is a
                true  and  complete  copy  of  such   Purchasers'   articles  of
                incorporation, or comparable organization document, as in effect
                on the date of such certification; and (4) to the incumbency and
                specimen signature of certain officers of the Company.

                (d) Bring Down of Fairness Opinion.  The Special Committee shall
        have affirmed its  recommendation  to the Board that the Company execute
        and perform this Agreement after the delivery of a "bring down" fairness
        opinion  by  the  Special  Committee's   financial  advisor  in  a  form
        reasonably satisfactory to the Special Committee as of a date no earlier
        than three days prior to the Closing.

        SECTION  6.03   Conditions  to  the   Obligations  of  Purchasers.   The
obligations  of each Purchaser to consummate the  transactions  contemplated  to
occur at the  Closing  shall be subject to the  satisfaction  or waiver  thereof
prior to the Closing of each of the following conditions:

                (a)  Representations  and Warranties.  The  representations  and
        warranties of the Company set forth in this Agreement that are qualified
        as to materiality  shall be true and correct,  and those that are not so
        qualified shall be true and correct in all material respects,  as of the
        date of this  Agreement and as of the time of the Closing as though made
        at and as of such time,  except to the extent such  representations  and
        warranties  expressly  relate to an  earlier  date (in  which  case such
        representations  and  warranties  that are  qualified as to  materiality
        shall be true and correct,  and those that are not so qualified shall be
        true and correct in all  material  respects,  on and as of such  earlier
        date),  and Purchasers  shall have received a certificate  signed by the
        chief executive  officer and chief  financial  officer of the Company to
        such effect.

                (b) Performance of Obligations of the Company. The Company shall
        have performed or complied in all material respects with all obligations
        and  covenants  required to be performed or complied with by the Company
        under this Agreement,  and Purchasers  shall have received a certificate
        signed by the chief executive officer and chief financial officer of the
        Company to such effect.

                                       35
<PAGE>
                (c) Series B Preferred Stock.  Holders of the Series B Preferred
        Stock  shall  have  agreed  to  exchange  no less  than 100% of the then
        outstanding  face  amount of those  securities  (including  accrued  but
        unpaid  dividends) in exchange for Common Stock at an exchange  price of
        $5.50 per share of Common Stock. In addition,  the holders of the Series
        B Preferred  Stock shall have  approved the  amendments,  revisions  and
        waivers to the  certificate of vote for the Series B Preferred Stock and
        the Stock Purchase and Sale Agreement, dated as of July 24, 1996, by and
        among Richard C. Blum & Associates, L.P., PB Capital Partners, L.P., and
        Perini Corporation, as amended (the "Series B Purchase Agreement"),  set
        forth on Exhibit 6.03(c).

                (d) By-Law  Amendments.  The By-Laws shall have been amended and
        restated in accordance  with Exhibit  6.03(d) and such  amendments  (the
        "By-Law  Amendment")  shall have been approved and made effective by the
        Board, the Executive Committee and the holders of the Series B Preferred
        Stock, subject to Closing.

                (e) Due  Diligence.  Each  Purchaser  (other  than TSC) shall be
        fully  satisfied in its sole  discretion  with the results of its review
        of, and its due diligence  investigations with respect to, the business,
        operations,   affairs,  prospects,   properties,  assets,  existing  and
        potential liabilities, obligations, profits and conditions (financial or
        otherwise)  of  the  Company  (including  the  Disclosure  Schedule).  A
        Purchaser  shall be deemed to be so  satisfied  unless it  notifies  the
        Company in writing at or prior to 11:59 p.m.,  Eastern Time, on the date
        that is fourteen  (14)  calendar  days after the date of this  Agreement
        (the "Diligence Termination Time") that it is terminating this Agreement
        pursuant to Section  7.01(c)(iv)  because it is not so satisfied.  Until
        the Closing, the Company shall (and shall cause each of the Subsidiaries
        to) cooperate promptly and fully with Purchasers'  officers,  employees,
        counsel,   accountants  and  other   authorized   representatives   (the
        "Representatives")  and shall  afford  such  Representatives  reasonable
        access during normal business hours to all of its (1) sites, properties,
        books,  contracts  and records and  personnel  and advisers (who will be
        instructed by the Company to cooperate),  (2) such additional  financial
        and  operating  data  and  other  information  as to  its  business  and
        properties as the Purchasers may from time to time  reasonably  request,
        including  without  limitation,  access upon  reasonable  request to the
        Company's  Representatives,  major  customers,  vendors,  suppliers  and
        creditors for due diligence inquiry.  The Company shall (and shall cause
        each of the  Subsidiaries  to) furnish  promptly to the  Purchasers  all
        information  concerning  its business,  properties  and personnel as the
        Purchasers or their  Representatives may reasonably request on or before
        the  Diligence  Termination  Time;  provided  that  any  review  will be
        conducted in a way that will not interfere unreasonably with the conduct
        of the Company's business.  The Purchasers will keep all information and
        documents  obtained  pursuant to this Section  6.03(e) on a confidential
        basis subject to Section 5.09(a).

                (f) Poison Pill. The Rights Agreement shall be in full force and
        effect and not have been otherwise amended,  modified or supplemented on
        or after the date of this Agreement;  provided,  however, that the Board
        shall have amended or waived  provisions  of the Rights  Agreement  such
        that (i)  neither the  execution  nor the  delivery  of any  Transaction
        Document nor the fulfillment of the terms of any Transaction Document by
        the  Company  or any of the  Purchasers  nor the  issuance  of Shares as
        herein  and  therein  contemplated  will  cause  there

                                       36
<PAGE>
        to be a Stock  Acquisition  Date or a  Distribution  Date  and  (ii) the
        Purchasers  will not be deemed to be Adverse Persons (as those terms are
        defined in the Rights Agreement).

                (g) Credit  Facility.  The bank loan syndicate  representing the
        lenders to the  Company  pursuant to the  Amended  and  Restated  Credit
        Agreement,  dated as of January 17, 1997,  among the Company,  the Banks
        listed therein and Morgan  Guaranty Trust Company of New York, as Agent,
        as amended from time to time (the "Credit Facility"),  shall have agreed
        to  convert  the Credit  Facility  to a term loan and  revolving  credit
        facility,  substantially  in  accordance  with the  terms  set  forth on
        Exhibit 6.03(g)

                (h) Closing  Deliveries.  The Company  shall have  delivered  to
        Purchasers on or before the Closing the following:

                        (i) Opinion of Goodwin,  Procter & Hoar LLP, dated as of
                the Closing Date, in form reasonably satisfactory to Purchasers;

                        (ii) The Registration Rights Agreement,  executed by the
                Company;

                        (iii)  The  Shareholders  Agreement,   executed  by  the
                Company;

                        (iv) Certificate of the Secretary or Assistant Secretary
                of the Company dated as of the Closing Date certifying: (i) that
                attached  thereto is a true and complete  copy of the By-Laws of
                the Company as in effect on the date of such certification; (ii)
                that  attached  thereto  is a  true  and  complete  copy  of all
                resolutions  adopted  by the Board  authorizing  the  execution,
                delivery and  performance of the Agreement,  the issuance,  sale
                and delivery of the Shares, and that all such resolutions are in
                full  force in effect  and are all the  resolutions  adopted  in
                connection with the transactions  contemplated by this Agreement
                and the Transaction Documents;  (iii) that attached thereto is a
                true and  complete  copy of the Articles of  Organization  as in
                effect  on the  date  of  such  certification;  and  (iv) to the
                incumbency  and specimen  signature  of certain  officers of the
                Company;

                        (v)  Certificates  representing the number of the shares
                of Common Stock to be  purchased,  as described in Section 2.02;
                and

                        (vi)  Executed  and  conformed   copies  of  such  other
                certificates, letters and documents as Purchasers may reasonably
                request  and as are  customary  for  transactions  such as those
                contemplated by this Agreement and the Transaction Documents.

                (i) Tax Matters.  The Company  shall have received an opinion in
        the form of Exhibit 6.03(i) hereto,  from the Company's  independent tax
        advisors that a "change in ownership"  within the meaning of Section 382
        of the  Internal  Revenue  Code of 1986,  as amended,  and the  Treasury
        Regulations promulgated thereunder, shall not occur as a result of (i)

                                       37
<PAGE>

                the sale of  9,411,765  shares of Common  Stock for $40 million,
                (ii) the  exchange of 100% of the Series B  Preferred  Stock for
                Common  Stock at a price of $5.50 per share,  or (iii) any other
                transaction or occurrence prior to the Closing.

                (j)  Corporate  Proceedings.  All corporate  proceedings  of the
        Company  in  connection  with  the  transactions  contemplated  by  this
        Agreement  and  the  Transaction   Documents,   and  all  documents  and
        instruments  incident  thereto,   shall  be  satisfactory  in  form  and
        substance to Purchasers and its counsel,  and Purchasers and its counsel
        shall  have  received  all such  documents  and  instruments,  or copies
        thereof,  certified or requested,  as may be reasonably  requested.  The
        Special  Committee of the Board shall have recommended the execution and
        performance of this Agreement and the Transaction  Documents to the full
        Board  after  the  delivery  of  a  fairness   opinion  by  the  Special
        Committee's  financial advisor in a form reasonably  satisfactory to the
        Special  Committee and the full Board shall have approved such execution
        and performance.

                (k)  Material   Adverse  Effect.   6.65  No  event,   change  or
        development  shall exist or have  occurred  since the date hereof which,
        individually  or  in  the  aggregate  with  other  events,   changes  or
        developments, has had or is reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse
        Effect on the Company and the Subsidiaries,  taken as a whole; provided,
        however,  that  Material  Adverse  Effect with  respect to this  Section
        6.03(k)  shall not include (i)  changes in general  industry,  economic,
        regulatory, political or stock market conditions that affect the Company
        (or  the  markets  in  which  the  Company  competes)  in a  manner  not
        disproportionate  to the manner in which such  conditions  affect  other
        companies in the  industries  or markets in which the Company  competes;
        (ii) any circumstances or events  (including,  without  limitation,  any
        loss of personnel,  loss of customers, loss of suppliers or the delay or
        cancellation  of any orders for  products)  arising  primarily out of or
        resulting  primarily  from  actions  contemplated  by  Company  and  the
        Purchasers in connection  with this  Agreement  and/or the  transactions
        contemplated hereby; or (iii) changes in GAAP.

                (l) Chapter  110F.  The Issuance of the Shares  hereunder  shall
        have  been  exempted  from  the   provisions  of  Chapter  110F  of  the
        Massachusetts General Laws.

                (m) Listing.  The Shares shall have been approved for listing on
        the  American  Stock  Exchange,  subject  only  to  official  notice  of
        issuance, as required.

                (n)  Fundamental  Corporate  Changes.   Except  as  specifically
        contemplated  hereby, the Company shall not have caused or permitted (i)
        any change to the  composition of the Executive  Committee of the Board,
        or (ii) any change to be made to the duties, rights and responsibilities
        of the  Chairman.  Ronald S. Tutor  shall be serving as  Chairman of the
        Company.

                (o) Additional Conditions.

                        (i)  As to  TSC,  O&G  and  National  Union  shall  have
                delivered  at  the  Closing  their  respective  portions  of the
                Purchase  Price,  each  of O&G and

                                       38
<PAGE>

                National   Union  shall  have   executed   and   delivered   the
                Shareholders Agreement at the Closing.

                        (ii)  As to O&G,  TSC  and  National  Union  shall  have
                delivered  at  the  Closing  their  respective  portions  of the
                Purchase  Price,  each  of TSC and  National  Union  shall  have
                executed  and  delivered  the  Shareholders   Agreement  at  the
                Closing.

                        (iii)  As to  National  Union,  O&G and TSC  shall  have
                delivered  at  the  Closing  their  respective  portions  of the
                Purchase  Price,  each of O&G and TSC shall  have  executed  and
                delivered the Shareholders Agreement at the Closing.

                (p) Certain Events.  There shall not be in effect on the Closing
        Date (i)any  suspension or limit of trading in securities  generally on
        the American  Stock  Exchange  (including   automatic  halt  in  trading
        pursuant to  market-decline  triggers  other than those in which  solely
        program trading is temporarily halted), (ii) the imposition generally of
        minimum or maximum prices on such exchange or on The Nasdaq Stock Market
        or additional material governmental restrictions,  in either case not in
        force on the date of this Agreement, by such exchange or by order of the
        SEC or the National  Association  of Securities  Dealers or any court or
        other  governmental  authority,  (iii) the  declaration  of any  general
        banking moratorium by either Federal or New York State  authorities,  or
        (iv) any material adverse change in the financial or securities  markets
        in the United States or in political,  financial or economic  conditions
        in the United  States or any outbreak or escalation  of  hostilities  or
        declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war or other
        calamity or crisis,  the effect of any of which of the items referred to
        in  clauses  (i),  (ii),  (iii)  and  (iv) is such  as to  make  it,  in
        reasonable  judgment of any  Purchaser,  impracticable or inadvisable to
        acquire  the Shares on the terms and in the manner  contemplated by this
        Agreement.

                                  ARTICLE VII

                                   Termination
                                   -----------

        SECTION 7.01  Termination.  This Agreement may be terminated at any time
prior to the Closing,  whether  before or after the  Stockholder  Approvals have
been obtained:

                (a) by mutual  written  consent of all of the Purchasers and the
        Company;

                (b) by any Purchaser or the Company:

                        (i) if the  Closing  shall  not have  occurred  prior to
                April 5, 2000,  sixty days from the date of this  Agreement (the
                "Outside Date"); provided,  however, that the right to terminate
                this  Agreement  pursuant  to  this  clause  (i)  shall  not  be
                available to any party whose  failure to fulfill any  obligation
                under this  Agreement  results in the  failure of the Closing to
                occur;  and  provided  further,  that

                                       39
<PAGE>
                the  Outside  Date shall be  extended by no more than sixty (60)
                days  in the  event  that  the  conditions  to  the  Purchasers'
                obligations  to close cannot be satisfied due to events that are
                not within  the  control  of,  and have not been  caused by, the
                Company or the  Special  Committee,  for which  purposes  delays
                caused by review or  comments  by the SEC shall not be deemed to
                have been  within the control of or caused by the Company or the
                Special Committee; or

                        (ii) if the  Stockholder  Approvals  shall not have been
                obtained   notwithstanding   the   holding  of  a  vote  on  the
                Stockholder   Meeting  Proposals  at  the  Stockholder   Meeting
                (including any  adjournment  or  postponement)  contemplated  by
                Section  5.05   (provided  that  the  right  to  terminate  this
                Agreement under this Section shall not be available to any party
                seeking  termination  who at the  time  is in  breach  of or has
                failed to fulfill its obligations under this Agreement); or

                        (iii) if there shall be any statute,  law, regulation or
                rule  that  makes  consummating  the  transactions  contemplated
                hereby illegal or if any court or other  Governmental  Entity of
                competent  jurisdiction  shall have  issued a  judgment,  order,
                decree  or  ruling,  or  shall  have  taken  such  other  action
                restraining, enjoining or otherwise prohibiting the consummation
                of the  transactions  contemplated  hereby  and  such  judgment,
                order,   decree  or  ruling   shall   have   become   final  and
                non-appealable  (provided  that,  the party seeking to terminate
                pursuant to this Section shall have used commercially reasonable
                efforts to have any such order,  decree,  ruling or other action
                vacated or lifted);

                (c) by any Purchaser:

                        (i) if the  Company  shall have failed to perform in any
                material respect any of its obligations  hereunder or shall have
                breached in any respect any representation or warranty contained
                herein  qualified by  materiality  or shall have breached in any
                material   respect  any   representation   or  warranty  not  so
                qualified, and the Company has failed to perform such obligation
                or cure such  breach,  within 30 days of its  receipt of written
                notice thereof from such Purchaser,  and such failure to perform
                shall not have been waived in accordance  with the terms of this
                Agreement; or

                        (ii) if the Board or any committee  thereof withdraws or
                modifies  (or  publicly  announces  its  intention  to do so, or
                resolves  to do  so)  in a  manner  adverse  to  Purchasers  (as
                determined  by any  Purchaser in its  reasonable  judgment)  its
                approval or recommendation of this Agreement or the transactions
                contemplated  hereby or approves  or  recommends  a  Transaction
                Proposal; or

                        (iii) if any of the conditions set forth in Section 6.01
                (other than Section 6.01(c)) or 6.03 shall become  impossible to
                fulfill  (other than as a result of any breach by such Purchaser
                of the terms of this  Agreement)  and shall not have been waived
                in accordance with the terms of this Agreement; or

                                       40
<PAGE>
                        (iv) if any Purchaser  (other than TSC) is not satisfied
                with the Company  (including as to any matters  contemplated  by
                the Disclosure  Schedules or the Filed Company SEC Documents) as
                a result of its due diligence review and has given the notice in
                the manner required by Section 6.03(e);

                (d) by the Company:

                        (i) if  any  of the  Purchasers  shall  have  failed  to
                perform  in  any  material  respect  any  of  their  obligations
                hereunder   or  shall  have   breached   in  any   respect   any
                representation   or  warranty   contained  herein  qualified  by
                materiality  or shall have breached in any material  respect any
                representation or warranty not so qualified, and Purchasers have
                failed to perform such obligation or cure such breach, within 30
                days of its receipt of written  notice thereof from the Company,
                and such  failure  to  perform  shall  not have  been  waived in
                accordance with the terms of this Agreement; or

                        (ii) if any of the  conditions set forth in Section 6.01
                (other than Section 6.01(c)) or 6.02 shall become  impossible to
                fulfill  (other than as a result of any breach by the Company of
                the terms of this  Agreement)  and shall not have been waived in
                accordance with the terms of this Agreement; or

                        (iii) upon ten (10) days written  notice to  Purchasers,
                if all of the  following  conditions  have  been  met:  (x)  the
                Company has  complied  with the terms of Section  5.07,  (y) the
                Company has  received a  Transaction  Proposal  that the Special
                Committee   has   concluded,   based   on   the   advice   of  a
                nationally-recognized   investment  banking  firm  (which  shall
                include Houlihan),  is superior to the terms set forth herein (a
                "Superior Transaction Proposal"),  and (z) the Special Committee
                determines  in  good  faith,  after  consultation  with  outside
                counsel,  that it is  advisable to do so in order to comply with
                its  fiduciary  duties  to  the  Company's   stockholders  under
                applicable law.

        SECTION 7.02 Effect of Termination.  In the event of termination of this
Agreement by either the Company or any  Purchaser  as provided in Section  7.01,
this  Agreement  shall  forthwith  become  void and have no effect,  without any
liability or  obligation on the part of either  Purchaser or the Company,  other
than the  provisions  of this Section 7.02,  Section  5.09(a) and Article IX and
except to the extent that such termination results from the willful and material
breach  by a  party  of any of its  representations,  warranties,  covenants  or
agreements set forth in this Agreement.

        SECTION  7.03   Termination  by  One  Purchaser.   Notwithstanding   the
provisions  of this  Article  VII,  the  exercise  by any one  Purchaser  of its
termination  rights  under  Section  7.01 shall  relieve  such  Purchaser of all
obligations  under this  Agreement  (other than those set forth in this  Section
7.03,  Section 5.09(a) and Section 9.08) but shall not result in the termination
of this  Agreement if, within five Business Days of receipt of such  termination
notice by the other Purchasers,  one or more of the other Purchasers shall agree
to an  amendment  to Exhibit  2.01  pursuant to which all Shares  proposed to be
purchased  under this  Agreement  are

                                       42
<PAGE>

purchased by the other  Purchasers  (and provide a copy of such amended  Exhibit
2.01 to the Company).

                                  ARTICLE VIII

                                 Indemnification
                                 ---------------

        SECTION 8.01  Indemnification  of Purchasers.  The Company covenants and
agrees to defend,  indemnify  and hold harmless  each of the  Purchasers,  their
Affiliates  (other  than the  Company  and any of its  Subsidiaries),  and their
respective  officers,  directors,  partners,  employees,  agents,  advisers  and
representatives  (collectively,  the "Purchaser  Indemnitees") from and against,
and pay or reimburse the Purchaser  Indemnitees  for, any and all  Indemnifiable
Losses resulting from or based on (or allegedly resulting from or based on):

                (a) any litigation or claims  (including by any  stockholders of
        the Company in connection with any derivative actions, but not including
        any  litigation  or  claims  brought  or  made  by any of the  Purchaser
        Indemnitees  under  this  clause  (a))  resulting  from or  based on (or
        allegedly   resulting  from  or  based  on)  any  of  the   transactions
        contemplated by the Transaction  Documents,  provided that the indemnity
        provided in this clause (a) shall not include (i) losses  resulting from
        or based on the acts or omissions of Purchaser Indemnitees following the
        Closing,  or (ii) claims  resulting  from or based on a breach by any of
        the  Purchasers  of  its   obligations,   representations,   warranties,
        agreements or covenants under this Agreement;  or (iii) claims resulting
        from any contract,  obligation or other agreement  between a third party
        claimant  (other  than  a  stockholder,  whether  common  or  preferred,
        bondholder,  lender, director or officer of the Company (or an Affiliate
        of any of the foregoing)) and any Purchaser;  provided, however, that in
        no such case  shall  this  Section  8.01(a)  be  construed  to limit the
        indemnity   rights  that  a  Purchaser   Indemnitee   may  have  in  any
        other Transaction Document; or

                (b) any breach by the Company of any  representation,  warranty,
        covenant  or  obligation  of the  Company  hereunder  or under any other
        Transaction Document.

The Company shall  reimburse the  Purchaser  Indemnitees  for any legal or other
expenses incurred by such Purchaser Indemnitees in connection with investigating
or  defending  any such  Indemnifiable  Losses as such  expenses  are  incurred.
Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 8.01, the Company shall
not be liable to a Purchaser  Indemnitee in any such case to the extent that any
such loss, claim, damage,  liability or action arises out of or is based upon an
untrue statement or omission made in the Proxy Statement,  or any such amendment
or  supplement,  in reliance  upon and in  conformity  with written  information
furnished  to the  Company by such  Purchaser  Indemnitee  (or its  Affiliates),
specifically for use in the preparation thereof.

        SECTION 8.02  Indemnification  Procedures.  Promptly  after receipt by a
Purchaser  Indemnitee of notice of the commencement of any action or the written
assertion of any claim,  such Purchaser  Indemnitee shall, if a claim in respect
thereof is to be made against the Company, as the case may be (the "Indemnifying
Person"),  notify the Indemnifying  Person in

                                       42
<PAGE>
writing of the  commencement  or the  written  assertion  thereof.  Failure by a
Purchaser  Indemnitee  to so notify the  Indemnifying  Person shall  relieve the
Indemnifying  Person from the obligation to indemnify such Purchaser  Indemnitee
only to the extent that the  Indemnifying  Person  suffers  actual and  material
prejudice  as a result of such  failure  but in no event  shall such  failure to
notify  the  Indemnifying  Person  (i)  constitute  prejudice  suffered  by  the
Indemnifying  Person if it has otherwise  received  notice of the actions giving
rise to such  obligation  to indemnify or (ii) relieve it from any  liability or
obligation  that it may otherwise have to such Purchaser  Indemnitee  under this
Agreement. In case any such action or claim shall be brought or asserted against
any  Purchaser  Indemnitee  and it shall notify the  Indemnifying  Person of the
commencement or assertion thereof,  the Indemnifying Person shall be entitled to
participate  therein but the defense of such action or claim shall be  conducted
by counsel to the Purchaser Indemnitee, provided, however, that the Indemnifying
Person  shall not,  in  connection  with any one such  action or  proceeding  or
separate but  substantially  similar  actions or proceedings  arising out of the
same general  allegations,  be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one
separate firm of attorneys at any time for all Purchaser Indemnitees,  except to
the extent that local counsel,  in addition to regular  counsel,  is required in
order to  effectively  defend  against  such action or  proceeding  and provided
further that a Purchaser  Indemnitee  shall not enter into any settlement of any
such claim  without the prior  consent of the  Company,  such  consent not to be
unreasonably withheld or delayed.

        SECTION 8.03  Survival of  Representations,  Warranties  and  Covenants.
Except  as  provided  in  clauses  (a),  (b) or (c) of this  Section  8.03,  the
representations,   warranties,   covenants,  and  agreements  included  in  this
Agreement shall survive for a period of three (3) years: (a) the obligations set
forth in Sections 5.08 (Access and  Information),  5.09(b)  (Publicity) and 5.12
(Directors' and Officers' Indemnification and Insurance),  shall survive for the
periods  specified  therein  for the  performance  of the  covenants  set  forth
therein; (b) the representations set forth in Sections 3.01(n) (Taxes),  3.01(o)
(Employee Benefit Plans and Related Matters;  ERISA) and 3.01(p)  (Environmental
Laws) shall survive  until the date that is six (6) months after the  expiration
of the longest applicable  federal or state statute of limitations;  and (c) the
obligations  set  forth  in  Sections   5.09(a)   (Confidentiality),   and  5.10
(Restrictions), and Articles VIII (Indemnification) and IX (Miscellaneous) shall
survive indefinitely.

                                   ARTICLE IX

                                  Miscellaneous
                                  -------------

        SECTION  9.01  Severability.   If  any  term,  provision,   covenant  or
restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be
invalid,  void  or  unenforceable,  the  remainder  of  the  terms,  provisions,
covenants  and  restrictions  of this  Agreement  shall remain in full force and
effect and shall in no way be affected,  impaired or  invalidated.  It is hereby
stipulated  and declared to be the intention of the parties that they would have
executed the remaining terms,  provisions,  covenants and  restrictions  without
including  any of  such  which  may  be  hereafter  declared  invalid,  void  or
unenforceable.

                                       43
<PAGE>


        SECTION 9.02 Specific Enforcement.  Purchasers, on the one hand, and the
Company, on the other, acknowledge and agree that irreparable damage would occur
in the event that any of the  provisions of this Agreement were not performed in
accordance  with  their  specific  terms  or  were  otherwise  breached.  It  is
accordingly  agreed that the  parties  shall be  entitled  to an  injunction  or
injunctions  to prevent  breaches of the  provisions  of this  Agreement  and to
enforce  specifically the terms and provisions hereof in any court of the United
States or any state thereof having  jurisdiction,  this being in addition to any
other remedy to which they may be entitled at law or equity.

        SECTION 9.03 Entire  Agreement.  This Agreement  (including the Exhibits
and Schedules  hereto) and the other  Transaction  Documents  contain the entire
understanding  of the  parties  with  respect to the  transactions  contemplated
hereby.

        SECTION 9.04 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more
counterparts,  all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement,  and
shall become effective when one or more of the counterparts  have been signed by
each party and  delivered to the other  parties,  it being  understood  that all
parties need not sign the same counterpart.

        SECTION 9.05 Notices.  All notices,  consents,  requests,  instructions,
approvals and other communications  provided for herein and all legal process in
regard  hereto  shall be  validly  given,  made or  served,  if in  writing  and
delivered  personally,  by  telecopy  (except  for  legal  process)  or  sent by
registered mail, postage prepaid, if to:


                           The Company:

                                    Perini Corporation
                                    73 Mt. Wayte Avenue
                                    Framingham, Massachusetts  01701
                                    Attn:  Robert Band, President
                                    Facsimile:  (508) 628-2960

                                    with a copy to:

                                    Goodwin, Procter & Hoar LLP
                                    Exchange Place
                                    Boston, MA  01209
                                    Attn:  Richard A. Soden, Esq.
                                    Facsimile:  (617) 523-1231

                           TSC:

                                    Tutor-Saliba Corp.
                                    Attn:  Ronald N. Tutor
                                    15901 Olden Street

                                       44
<PAGE>

                                    Sylmar, CA  91342-1093
                                    Facsimile:  (818) 367-9574

                                    with a copy to:

                                    Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering
                                    2445 M Street, N.W.
                                    Washington, D.C.  20037
                                    Attn:  Eric R. Markus
                                    Facsimile:  (202) 663-6363

                           National Union:

                                    National Union Fire Insurance Company of
                                      Pittsburgh, PA.
                                    c/o AIG Global Investment Corp.
                                    175 Water Street
                                    26th Floor
                                    New York, New York 10036
                                    Attn:  Chris Lee
                                    Facsimile:  (212) 458-2256
                                    with a copy to:

                                    American International Group, Inc.
                                    Law Department
                                    70 Pine Street
                                    28th Floor
                                    New York, New York  10270
                                    Attn: John Hornbostel
                                    Facsimile: (212) 363-8596

                           O&G:

                                    O&G Industries, Inc.
                                    112 Wall Street
                                    Torrington, Connecticut  06790
                                    Attn:  Raymond Oneglia; Kenneth Merz
                                    Facsimile:  (860) 626-6498
                                    with a copy to:

                                    Murtha, Cullina, Richter & Pinney
                                    185 Asylum Street
                                    City Place I
                                    Hartford, Connecticut  06103-3469
                                    Attn:  Timothy Largay
                                    Facsimile:  (860) 240-6150

                                       45
<PAGE>


or to such other  address or telex  number as any party may,  from time to time,
designate in a written notice given in a like manner.

        SECTION 9.06 Amendments.  This Agreement may be amended as to Purchasers
and their  successors and assigns  (determined as provided in Section 9.07), and
the Company may take any action  herein  prohibited,  or omit to perform any act
required to be performed by it, if the Company shall obtain the written  consent
of  Purchasers.  This  Agreement  may  not  be  waived,  changed,  modified,  or
discharged  orally,  but only by an agreement in writing  signed by the party or
parties  against  whom  enforcement  of  any  waiver,  change,  modification  or
discharge  is sought or by parties  with the right to  consent  to such  waiver,
change, modification or discharge on behalf of such party.

        SECTION  9.07  Successors  and Assigns.  All  covenants  and  agreements
contained  herein shall bind and inure to the benefit of the parties  hereto and
their  respective  successors and assigns.  Prior to the Closing Date,  National
Union may assign all of its rights and  obligations  to  American  International
Group,  Inc.  ("AIG") or any other  person the equity of which is,  directly  or
indirectly,  100% owned by AIG, without the consent of the other parties hereto,
and may assign up to 50% of the  interest  to be acquired by it pursuant to this
Agreement  to a third party,  subject to the written  consent of the Company and
TSC, which shall not be unreasonably  withheld (and, in either such event,  such
assignee  shall  become a  "Purchaser"  hereunder).  Except as  provided  in the
preceding  sentence,  no party may assign any of its rights under this Agreement
without the written consent of the other parties.

        SECTION 9.08 Expenses and Remedies.

                (a) All costs and  expenses  incurred  in  connection  with this
        Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be borne by the
        party  incurring  such  expense,  except  as set  forth in the next four
        paragraphs.

                (b)  Notwithstanding   Section  9.08(a),   (i)  if  a  Purchaser
        terminates  this  Agreement  pursuant  to  Section  7.01(c)(i)  (due  to
        material  breach of any  covenant or  agreement  or an  intentional  and
        willful  breach of any  representation  or warranty  by the  Company) or
        (c)(ii),  or (ii) if the Company  terminates this Agreement  pursuant to
        Section  7.01(d)(ii)  (by virtue of a failure of the condition set forth
        in  Section  6.02(d))  or  7.01(d)(iii),  the  Company  shall  pay TSC a
        termination fee of $750,000 (the "Termination Fee") within ten (10) days
        of such termination,  which Termination Fee shall be deemed to reimburse
        Purchasers for their legal,  accounting and other out-of-pocket expenses
        as well as the  damages  they  will  have  suffered  by  virtue  of such
        termination.

                (c) Notwithstanding  Section 9.08(a),  (i) if a Purchaser or the
        Company  terminates  this  Agreement  pursuant to Section  7.01(b)(i) or
        (ii), (ii) if a Purchaser  terminates this Agreement pursuant to Section
        7.01(c)(i)  (for reasons  other than as provided in Section  9.08(b)) or
        (c)(iii) (for failures of the conditions set forth in 6.03(a),  6.03(b),
        6.03(d),  6.03(f),  6.03(g) (provided that no amount shall be payable if
        the failure is not due to any fault of the Company),  6.03(h),  6.03(i),
        6.03(j),  6.03(k),  6.03(l),  6.03(m), or 6.03(n)), or (iii) the Company
        terminates this Agreement  pursuant to Section  7.01(d)(ii)  (other than
        for failure of a condition  set forth in

                                       46
<PAGE>

        section  6.02(d)),  the  Company  shall  reimburse  Purchasers  for  the
        reasonable   out-of-pocket   expenses  (including  reasonable  fees  and
        expenses of legal  counsel)  incurred by Purchasers  in connection  with
        this  Agreement  or the matters  contemplated  hereby (the  "Purchasers'
        Expenses"),  which  reimbursable  amount shall not to exceed $600,000 in
        the aggregate.

                (d) Notwithstanding  Section 9.08(a), if (i) either Purchaser or
        the Company  terminates  this  Agreement  pursuant to any  provision  of
        Section 7.01 (other than a termination  for which a Termination  Fee was
        paid  pursuant to Section  9.08(b) and other than a  termination  by the
        Company  pursuant  to Section  7.01(d)(i)),  and (ii)  during the period
        ending  twelve (12) months  after  termination  of this  Agreement,  the
        Company  enters into an agreement  relating to a  Transaction  Proposal,
        then immediately prior to consummation of such transaction,  the Company
        shall pay the Termination Fee; provided, however, that the Company shall
        receive a credit for any  Purchasers'  Expenses paid pursuant to Section
        9.08(c)  and it being  understood  that if the  Termination  Fee is paid
        pursuant  to  Section  9.08(b)  it  shall  not be  required  to be  paid
        subsequently under this Section 9.08(d).

                (e) Notwithstanding  Section 9.08(a), upon the occurrence of the
        Closing,  the Company shall reimburse the Purchasers for the Purchasers'
        Expenses,  which  reimbursable  amount shall not be subject to the limit
        set forth in Section 9.08(c).

        SECTION 9.09  Transfer of  Shares.(a)  Each  Purchaser  understands  and
agrees that the Shares have not been registered  under the Securities Act or the
securities laws of any state and that they may be sold or otherwise  disposed of
only in one or more transactions  registered under the Securities Act and, where
applicable,  such  laws  or as to  which  an  exemption  from  the  registration
requirements  of  the  Securities  Act  and,  where  applicable,  such  laws  is
available.   Each  Purchaser   acknowledges  that  except  as  provided  in  the
Registration  Rights  Agreement,  it has no  right to  require  the  Company  to
register the Shares. Each Purchaser understands and agrees that each certificate
representing shares of Common Stock shall bear the following legends:


        "THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED
        UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 OR THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE AND
        MAY NOT BE SOLD OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE
        REGISTRATION  STATEMENT UNDER SUCH ACT AND APPLICABLE  STATE  SECURITIES
        LAWS OR AN APPLICABLE EXEMPTION TO THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF SUCH
        ACT OR SUCH LAWS."

and Purchaser  agrees to transfer shares of Common Stock only in accordance with
the provisions of such legends. After termination of the requirement that all or
part of such  legend be placed  upon a  certificate,  the  Company  shall,  upon
receipt  by the  Company of  evidence  reasonably  satisfactory  to it that such
requirement  has terminated  and upon the written  request of the holders of the
Shares issue certificates for the Shares that do not bear such legend.

        SECTION 9.10  Governing  Law;  Consent to  Jurisdiction.  This Agreement
shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance  with the internal
laws of the

                                       47
<PAGE>

State of New York,  except to the  extent  that  Massachusetts  law  mandatorily
governs. Each of the Company and Purchasers  irrevocably submits to the personal
exclusive  jurisdiction  of the United  States  District  Court for the Southern
District of New York for the  purposes of any suit,  action or other  proceeding
arising out of this Agreement or any  transaction  contemplated  hereby (and, to
the extent permitted under applicable rules of procedure, agrees not to commence
any action,  suit or proceeding  relating hereto except in such court).  Each of
the Company and Purchasers  further agree that service of any process,  summons,
notice or document  hand  delivered or sent by  registered  mail to such party's
respective  address  set forth in  Section  9.10 will be  effective  service  of
process  for any  action,  suit or  proceeding  in New York with  respect to any
matters  to  which  it  has  submitted  to  jurisdiction  as  set  forth  in the
immediately preceding sentence.  Each of the Company and Purchasers  irrevocably
and  unconditionally  waive any  objection to the laying of venue of any action,
suit  or  proceeding   arising  out  of  this  Agreement  or  the   transactions
contemplated  hereby  in the  United  States  District  Court  for the  Southern
District of New York, and hereby further irrevocably and  unconditionally  waive
and  agree not to plead or claim in such  court  that any such  action,  suit or
proceeding brought in such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.

        SECTION 9.11 Third Party Beneficiaries. As provided in Section 5.12, the
directors of the Company are the intended  beneficiaries of that section of this
Agreement.  Except as  provided  in  Section  5.12,  nothing  contained  in this
Agreement is intended to confer upon any person or entity other than the parties
hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns, any benefit, right
or remedies under or by reason of this Agreement.

        SECTION 9.12 Mutual  Drafting.  This  Agreement is the mutual product of
the parties  hereto,  and each  provision  hereof has been subject to the mutual
consultation, negotiation and agreement of each of the parties, and shall not be
construed for or against any party hereto.

        SECTION  9.13  Further  Representations.  Each  party to this  Agreement
acknowledges  and  represents  that it has  been  represented  by its own  legal
counsel in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, with
the  opportunity  to seek advice as to its legal rights from such counsel.  Each
party further  represents that it is being  independently  advised as to the tax
consequences  of the  transactions  contemplated  by this  Agreement  and is not
relying on any  representation  or statements made by the other party as to such
tax consequences.



                  [remainder of page intentionally left blank]

                                       48
<PAGE>
        IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  each  Purchaser  and the Company  have caused this
Agreement to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.



PERINI CORPORATION                    TUTOR-SALIBA CORPORATION


By:                                   By:
   Name:                              Name:
   Title:                             Title:

O&G INDUSTRIES, INC.                  NATIONAL   UNION   FIRE   INSURANCE
                                      COMPANY OF PITTSBURGH, PA.

By:
   Name:                              By:
   Title:                             Name:
                                      Title:




                                       49
<PAGE>
                                  Exhibit 2.01

                           Purchase and Sale of Shares
                           ---------------------------

Tutor-Saliba Corporation                                               2,352,942

O&G Industries, Inc.                                                   2,352,941

National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh, PA.               4,705,882

================================================================================
TOTAL                                                                  9,411,765

                                       50
<PAGE>
                               Exhibit 6.02(c)(i)

                      Form of Registration Rights Agreement
                      -------------------------------------

                                [to be attached]

                                       51
<PAGE>
                               Exhibit 6.02(c)(ii)

                         Form of Shareholders Agreement
                         ------------------------------

                                [to be attached]

                                       52
<PAGE>

                                  Exhibit 6.03

                        Required Amendments and Revisions
                       Related to Series B Preferred Stock
                       -----------------------------------

1.      Deletion or waiver of Section 7.2 of the Series B Purchase  Agreement in
        its entirety.

2.      Deletion or waiver of Section 7.3 of the Series B Purchase  Agreement in
        its entirety.

3.      Replacement  of Section 7(b) of the Series B  Certificate  of Vote with:
        "On and  after  the  Closing  (as  defined  in the  Securities  Purchase
        Agreement,  dated January __, 2000, no action on the part of Corporation
        shall constitute a 'Special Default'."

4.      Deletion  of  Section  13 of the  Series  B  Certificate  of Vote in its
        entirety.

5.      Deletion or waiver of Section 7.20 of the Series B Purchase Agreement.

                                       53
<PAGE>

                                 Exhibit 6.03(d)

                          Terms of Amendment to By-Laws
                          -----------------------------

                                [to be attached]

                                       54
<PAGE>
                                 Exhibit 6.03(g)

                     Terms of Amendment to Credit Facilities
                     ---------------------------------------

                                [to be attached]

                                       55
<PAGE>
                                 Exhibit 6.03(i)

                       Form of KPMG Opinion Regarding NOLs
                       -----------------------------------

                                [to be attached]


                                       56

For Immediate Release                                           February 8, 2000

            PERINI ANNOUNCES $40 MILLION EQUITY INVESTMENT AGREEMENT
                               WITH NEW INVESTORS


Framingham, MA -- Perini Corporation (AMEX:PCR) (the "Company") and Tutor-Saliba
Corporation of Sylmar, CA, O&G Industries,  Inc. of Torrington, CT, and National
Union Fire  Insurance  Company of Pittsburgh,  PA, a wholly-owned  subsidiary of
American International Group, Inc., (collectively,  the "New Investors"),  today
announced  that the Company and the New Investors have entered into a definitive
Securities  Purchase  Agreement (the  "Agreement") with respect to an investment
transaction.  Pursuant to the  Agreement,  the New Investors  would purchase $40
million of common stock from the Company which  consists of 9,411,765  shares of
common  stock  at  $4.25  per  share.  Tutor-Saliba  Corporation  is  owned  and
controlled  by Ronald N. Tutor,  who also  serves as  Chairman of the  Company's
Board of Directors.

A Special  Committee of the Company's Board of Directors  approved the Agreement
after  receiving a fairness  opinion from  Houlihan  Lokey  Howard & Zukin.  The
Agreement permits the Special  Committee and the Company to solicit  alternative
offers for the Company.

The  transaction  is subject to approval by a majority of  disinterested  common
shareholders,  the exchange of 100% of the Series B Preferred Stock (which has a
current accreted face amount of  approximately  $40 million) for common stock at
an  effective  price of $5.50 per share,  satisfactory  renegotiation  of credit
facilities with the Company's bank group (on which an agreement in principle has
been  reached)  and  certain  other  conditions,  including  completion  of  due
diligence.  Subject to the  satisfaction  of  closing  conditions,  the  Company
expects to be able to close the transaction during the first or second quarter.

The  shares  of  common  stock   represented  by  this  equity  investment  will
approximate  42% of the Company's  voting rights,  and will also entitle the New
Investors  to  nominate  three  members  to the  Company's  Board of  Directors.
Following  the  exchange  of the Series B Preferred  Stock for common  stock the
former holders of those shares will control approximately 32.5% of the Company's
voting  rights and  continue to be entitled to nominate up to two members to the
Company's Board of Directors.


Robert Band, President and CEO, commented "Perini Corporation is very pleased to
announce  our  signing  of the  Agreement  with the New  Investors.  As has been
previously reported, the Company has been seeking to raise additional capital to
help restore its balance sheet net worth and improve liquidity.  This new equity
investment  together with the  conversion  of the Series B Preferred  Stock will
significantly  improve  the  Company's  balance  sheet  net  worth  and  provide
additional liquidity to support its ongoing core construction operations."

Nancy Hawthorne,  chair of the Special  Committee,  stated "This is an important
step in seeking additional capital on terms fair to disinterested  stockholders.
We continue to seek alternative proposals for the Company."

Perini Corporation, headquartered in Framingham, Massachusetts, provides general
contracting  and  construction  management  services  for the building and civil
segments of the construction  industry for public and private clients throughout
the United States and  overseas.  Office  locations  include  Boston,  New York,
Phoenix, Las Vegas, Detroit and Atlantic City.

The  statements  contained in this Release  that are not purely  historical  are
forward-looking  statements  within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities
Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,  including
statements regarding the Company's expectations,  hopes, beliefs,  intentions or
strategies regarding the future.  Forward-looking statements involve a number of
risks,  uncertainties  or  other  factors  that  may  cause  actual  results  or
performance to be materially  different from those  expressed or implied by such
forward-looking  statement.  These risks and uncertainties  include, but are not
limited to, the continuing validity of the underlying  assumptions and estimates
of total forecasted  project revenues,  costs and profits and project schedules;
the  outcomes  of pending or future  litigation,  arbitration  or other  dispute
resolution  proceedings;   changes  in  federal  and  state  appropriations  for
infrastructure  projects;  possible  changes or  developments  in  worldwide  or
domestic, social, economic, business, industry, market and regulatory conditions
or  circumstances;  and  actions  taken or omitted to be taken by third  parties
including the Company's customers, suppliers, business partners, and competitors
and legislative,  regulatory,  judicial and other  governmental  authorities and
officials.


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