NEOPROBE CORP
10-Q, EX-10.2.58, 2000-08-11
IN VITRO & IN VIVO DIAGNOSTIC SUBSTANCES
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                                                                 EXHIBIT 10.2.58



                              EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT


     This Employment Agreement is made and entered into effective as of July 1,
2000 (the "Effective Date"), by and between NEOPROBE CORPORATION, a Delaware
Corporation with a place of business at 425 Metro Place North, Suite 300,
Dublin, Ohio 43017-1367 (the "Company") and DAVID C. BUPP of Dublin, Ohio (the
"Employee").

     WHEREAS, the Company and the Employee entered into an Employment Agreement
dated as of January 1, 1996 (the "1996 Employment Agreement"); and

     WHEREAS, the Company and the Employee entered into an Employment Agreement
dated as of January 1, 1998 (the "1998 Employment Agreement"); and

     WHEREAS, the Company and the Employee entered into an Employment Agreement
dated as of July 1, 1999 (the "1999 Employment Agreement"); and

     WHEREAS, the Company and the Employee wish to establish new terms,
covenants, and conditions for the Employee's continued employment with the
Company through this agreement ("Employment Agreement").

     NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements herein set forth,
the parties hereto agree as follows:

     1.  DUTIES. From and after the Effective Date, and based upon the terms and
         conditions set forth herein, the Company agrees to employ the Employee
         and the Employee agrees to be employed by the Company, as President and
         Chief Executive Officer of the Company and in such equivalent,
         additional or higher executive level position or positions as shall be
         assigned to him by the Company's Board of Directors. While serving in
         such executive level position or positions, the Employee shall report
         to, be responsible to, and shall take direction from the Board of
         Directors of the Company. The Board of Directors shall not require the
         Employee to perform any task that is inconsistent with the office of
         President or the position of Chief Executive Officer. During the Term
         of this Employment Agreement (as defined in Section 2 below), the
         Employee agrees to devote substantially all of his working time to the
         position he holds with the Company and to faithfully, industriously,
         and to the best of his ability, experience and talent, perform the
         duties which are assigned to him. The Employee shall observe and abide
         by the reasonable corporate policies and decisions of the Company in
         all business matters.

         The Employee represents and warrants to the Company that Exhibit A
         attached hereto sets forth a true and complete list of (a) all offices,
         directorships and other positions held by the Employee in corporations
         and firms other than the Company and its subsidiaries and (b) any
         investment or ownership interest in any corporation or firm other than
         the Company beneficially owned by the Employee (excluding investments
         in life insurance policies, bank deposits, publicly traded securities
         that are less than five percent (5%) of their class and real estate).
         The Employee will promptly notify the Board of Directors of the Company
         of any additional positions undertaken or investments made by the
         Employee during the Term of this Employment Agreement if they are of a
         type which, if they had existed on the date hereof, should have been
         listed on Exhibit A hereto. As long as the Employee's other positions
         or investments in other firms do not create a conflict of interest,
         violate the Employee's obligations under Section 7 below or cause the
         Employee to neglect his duties hereunder, such activities and positions
         shall not be deemed to be a breach of this Employment Agreement.
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     2.  TERM OF THIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT. Subject to Sections 4 and 5 hereof,
         the Term of this Employment Agreement shall be for a period of eighteen
         (18) months, commencing July 1, 2000 and terminating December 31, 2001.

     3.  COMPENSATION. During the Term of this Employment Agreement, the Company
         shall pay, and the Employee agrees to accept as full consideration for
         the services to be rendered by the Employee hereunder, compensation
         consisting of the following:

         A. SALARY. Beginning on the first day of the Term of this Employment
            Agreement, the Company shall pay the Employee a salary of Three
            Hundred Ten Thousand Dollars ($310,000) per year, payable in
            semi-monthly or monthly installments as requested by the Employee.

         B. BONUS. The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors will, on
            an annual basis, review the performance of the Company and of the
            Employee and will pay such bonus as it deems appropriate, in its
            discretion, to the Employee based upon such review. Such review and
            bonus shall be consistent with any bonus plan adopted by the
            Compensation Committee, which covers the executive officers and
            employees of the Company generally.

         C. BENEFITS. During the Term of this Employment Agreement, the Employee
            will receive such employee benefits as are generally available to
            all employees of the Company.

         D. STOCK OPTIONS. The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors
            may, from time-to-time, grant stock options, restricted stock
            purchase opportunities and such other forms of stock-based incentive
            compensation as it deems appropriate, in its discretion, to the
            Employee under the Company's Stock Option and Restricted Stock
            Purchase Plan and the 1996 Stock Incentive Plan (the "Stock Plans").
            The terms of the relevant award agreements shall govern the rights
            of the Employee and the Company thereunder in the event of any
            conflict between such agreement and this Employment Agreement.

         E. VACATION. The Employee shall be entitled to twenty-five (25) days of
            vacation during each calendar year during the Term of this
            Employment Agreement.

         F. EXPENSES. The Company shall reimburse the Employee for all
            reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by him in the performance
            of his duties hereunder, including expenses for travel,
            entertainment and similar items, promptly after the presentation by
            the Employee, from time-to-time, of an itemized account of such
            expenses.

     4.  TERMINATION.

         A. FOR CAUSE. The Company may terminate the employment of the Employee
            prior to the end of the Term of this Employment Agreement "for
            cause." Termination "for cause" shall be defined as a termination by
            the Company of the employment of the Employee occasioned by the
            failure by the Employee to cure a willful breach of a material duty
            imposed on the Employee under this Employment Agreement within 15
            days after written notice thereof by the Company or the continuation
            by the Employee after written notice by the Company of a willful and
            continued neglect of a duty imposed on the Employee under this
            Employment Agreement. In the event of termination by the Company
            "for cause," all salary, benefits and other payments shall cease at
            the time of termination, and the Company shall have no further
            obligations to the Employee.

         B. RESIGNATION. If the Employee resigns for any reason, all salary,
            benefits and other payments (except as otherwise provided in
            paragraph G of this Section 4 below) shall cease at the time such
            resignation becomes effective. At the time of any such resignation,
            the Company shall pay the Employee the value of any accrued but
            unused vacation time, and the amount of all accrued but previously
            unpaid base salary through the date of such termination. The



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            Company shall promptly reimburse the Employee for the amount of any
            expenses incurred prior to such termination by the Employee as
            required under paragraph F of Section 3 above.

         C. DISABILITY, DEATH. The Company may terminate the employment of the
            Employee prior to the end of the Term of this Employment Agreement
            if the Employee has been unable to perform his duties hereunder for
            a continuous period of six (6) months due to a physical or mental
            condition that, in the opinion of a licensed physician, will be of
            indefinite duration or is without a reasonable probability of
            recovery. The Employee agrees to submit to an examination by a
            licensed physician of his choice in order to obtain such opinion, at
            the request of the Company, made after the Employee has been absent
            from his place of employment for at least six (6) months. Such
            examination shall be paid for by the Company. However, this
            provision does not abrogate either the Company's or the Employee's
            rights and obligations pursuant to the Family and Medical Leave Act
            of 1993, and a termination of employment under this paragraph C
            shall not be deemed to be a termination for cause.

            If during the Term of this Employment Agreement, the Employee dies
            or his employment is terminated because of his disability, all
            salary, benefits and other payments shall cease at the time of death
            or disability, provided, however, that the Company shall provide
            such health, dental and similar insurance or benefits as were
            provided to Employee immediately before his termination by reason of
            death or disability, to Employee or his family for the longer of
            twelve (12) months after such termination or the full unexpired Term
            of this Employment Agreement on the same terms and conditions
            (including cost) as were applicable before such termination. In
            addition, for the first six (6) months of disability, the Company
            shall pay to the Employee the difference, if any, between any cash
            benefits received by the Employee from a Company-sponsored
            disability insurance policy and the Employee's salary hereunder. At
            the time of any such termination, the Company shall pay the
            Employee, the value of any accrued but unused vacation time, and the
            amount of all accrued but previously unpaid base salary through the
            date of such termination. The Company shall promptly reimburse the
            Employee for the amount of any expenses incurred prior to such
            termination by the Employee as required under paragraph F of
            Section 3 above.

         D. TERMINATION WITHOUT CAUSE. A termination without cause is a
            termination of the employment of the Employee by the Company that is
            not "for cause" and not occasioned by the resignation, death or
            disability of the Employee. If the Company terminates the employment
            of the Employee without cause, (whether before the end of the Term
            of this Employment Agreement or, if the Employee is employed by the
            Company under paragraph E of this Section 4 below, after the Term of
            this Employment Agreement has ended) the Company shall, at the time
            of such termination, pay to the Employee the severance payment
            provided in paragraph F of this Section 4 below together with the
            value of any accrued but unused vacation time and the amount of all
            accrued but previously unpaid base salary through the date of such
            termination and shall provide him with all of his benefits under
            paragraph C of Section 3 above for the longer of twenty-four (24)
            months or the full unexpired Term of this Employment Agreement. The
            Company shall promptly reimburse the Employee for the amount of any
            expenses incurred prior to such termination by the Employee as
            required under paragraph F of Section 3 above.

            If the Company terminates the employment of the Employee because it
            has ceased to do business or substantially completed the liquidation
            of its assets or because it has relocated to another city and the
            Employee has decided not to relocate also, such termination of
            employment shall be deemed to be without cause.

         E. END OF THE TERM OF THIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT. Except as otherwise
            provided in paragraphs F and G of this Section 4 below, the Company
            may terminate the employment of the Employee at the end of the Term
            of this Employment Agreement without any liability on the part of
            the Company to the Employee but, if the Employee continues to be an
            employee of the Company after the Term of this Employment Agreement
            ends, his employment shall be



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            governed by the terms and conditions of this Agreement, but he shall
            be an employee at will and his employment may be terminated at any
            time by either the Company or the Employee without notice and for
            any reason not prohibited by law or no reason at all. If the Company
            terminates the employment of the Employee at the end of the Term of
            this Employment Agreement, the Company shall, at the time of such
            termination, pay to the Employee the severance payment provided in
            paragraph F of this Section 4 below together with the value of any
            accrued but unused vacation time and the amount of all accrued but
            previously unpaid base salary through the date of such termination.
            The Company shall promptly reimburse the Employee for the amount of
            any reasonable expenses incurred prior to such termination by the
            Employee as required under paragraph F of Section 3 above.

         F. SEVERANCE. If the employment of the Employee is terminated by the
            Company, at the end of the Term of this Employment Agreement or,
            without cause (whether before the end of the Term of this Employment
            Agreement or, if the Employee is employed by the Company under
            paragraph E of this Section 4 above, after the Term of this
            Employment Agreement has ended), the Employee shall be paid, as a
            severance payment at the time of such termination, the amount of
            Three Hundred Eighty Seven Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($387,500)
            together with the value of any accrued but unused vacation time. If
            any such termination occurs at or after the substantial completion
            of the liquidation of the assets of the Company, the severance
            payment shall be increased by adding Seventy Seven Thousand Five
            Hundred Dollars ($77,500) to such amount.

         G. CHANGE OF CONTROL SEVERANCE. In addition to the rights of the
            Employee under the Company's employee benefit plans (paragraphs C of
            Section 3 above) but in lieu of any severance payment under
            paragraph F of this Section 4 above, if there is a Change in Control
            of the Company (as defined below) and the employment of the Employee
            is concurrently or subsequently terminated (a) by the Company
            without cause, (b) by the expiration of the Term of this Employment
            Agreement, or (c) by the resignation of the Employee because he has
            reasonably determined in good faith that his titles, authorities,
            responsibilities, salary, bonus opportunities or benefits have been
            materially diminished, that a material adverse change in his working
            conditions has occurred, that his services are no longer required in
            light of the Company's business plan, or the Company has breached
            this Employment Agreement, the Company shall pay the Employee, as a
            severance payment, at the time of such termination, the amount of
            Six Hundred Ninety Seven Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($697,500)
            together with the value of any accrued but unused vacation time, and
            the amount of all accrued but previously unpaid base salary through
            the date of termination and shall provide him with all of this
            benefits under paragraph C of Section 3 above for the longer of six
            (6) months or the full unexpired Term of this Employment Agreement.
            If any such termination occurs at or after the substantial
            completion of the liquidation of the assets of the Company, the
            severance payment shall be increased by adding Seventy Seven
            Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($77,500) to such amount. The Company
            shall promptly reimburse the Employee for the amount of any expenses
            incurred prior to such termination by the Employee as required under
            paragraph F of Section 3 above.

            For the purpose of this Employment Agreement, a Change in Control of
            the Company has occurred when: (a) any person (defined for the
            purposes of this paragraph G to mean any person within the meaning
            of Section 13 (d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the
            "Exchange Act")), other than Neoprobe or an employee benefit plan
            created by its Board of Directors for the benefit of its employees,
            either directly or indirectly, acquires beneficial ownership
            (determined under Rule 13d-3 of the Regulations promulgated by the
            Securities and Exchange Commission under Section 13(d) of the
            Exchange Act) of securities issued by Neoprobe having fifteen
            percent (15%) or more of the voting power of all the voting
            securities issued by Neoprobe in the election of Directors at the
            next meeting of the holders of voting securities to be held for such
            purpose; (b) a majority of the Directors elected at any meeting of
            the holders of voting securities of Neoprobe are persons who were
            not nominated for such election by the Board of Directors or a duly
            constituted committee of the Board of Directors



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            having authority in such matters; (c) the stockholders of Neoprobe
            approve a merger or consolidation of Neoprobe with another person
            other than a merger or consolidation in which the holders of
            Neoprobe's voting securities issued and outstanding immediately
            before such merger or consolidation continue to hold voting
            securities in the surviving or resulting corporation (in the same
            relative proportions to each other as existed before such event)
            comprising eighty percent (80%) or more of the voting power for all
            purposes of the surviving or resulting corporation; or (d) the
            stockholders of Neoprobe approve a transfer of substantially all of
            the assets of Neoprobe to another person other than a transfer to a
            transferee, eighty percent (80%) or more of the voting power of
            which is owned or controlled by Neoprobe or by the holders of
            Neoprobe's voting securities issued and outstanding immediately
            before such transfer in the same relative proportions to each other
            as existed before such event. The parties hereto agree that for the
            purpose of determining the time when a Change of Control has
            occurred that if any transaction results from a definite proposal
            that was made before the end of the Term of this Employment
            Agreement but which continued until after the end of the Term of
            this Employment Agreement and such transaction is consummated after
            the end of the Term of this Employment Agreement, such transaction
            shall be deemed to have occurred when the definite proposal was made
            for the purposes of the first sentence of this paragraph G of this
            Section 4.

         H. BENEFIT AND STOCK PLANS. In the event that a benefit plan or Stock
            Plan which covers the Employee has specific provisions concerning
            termination of employment, or the death or disability of an employee
            (e.g., life insurance or disability insurance), then such benefit
            plan or Stock Plan shall control the disposition of the benefits or
            stock options.

     5.  PROPRIETARY INFORMATION AGREEMENT. Employee has executed a Proprietary
         Information Agreement as a condition of employment with the Company.
         The Proprietary Information Agreement shall not be limited by this
         Employment Agreement in any manner, and the Employee shall act in
         accordance with the provisions of the Proprietary Information Agreement
         at all times during the Term of this Employment Agreement.

     6.  NON-COMPETITION. Employee agrees that for so long as he is employed by
         the Company under this Employment Agreement and for one (1) year
         thereafter, the Employee will not:

         A. enter into the employ of or render any services to any person, firm,
            or corporation, which is engaged, in any part, in a Competitive
            Business (as defined below);

         B. engage in any Competitive Business for his own account;

         C. become associated with or interested in through retention or by
            employment any Competitive Business as an individual, partner,
            shareholder, creditor, director, officer, principal, agent,
            employee, trustee, consultant, advisor, or in any other relationship
            or capacity; or

         D. solicit, interfere with, or endeavor to entice away from the
            Company, any of its customers, strategic partners, or sources of
            supply.

         Nothing in this Employment Agreement shall preclude Employee from
         taking employment in the banking or related financial services
         industries nor from investing his personal assets in the securities or
         any Competitive Business if such securities are traded on a national
         stock exchange or in the over-the-counter market and if such investment
         does not result in his beneficially owning, at any time, more than one
         percent (1%) of the publicly-traded equity securities of such
         Competitive Business. "Competitive Business" for purposes of this
         Employment Agreement shall mean any business or enterprise which:

         a. is engaged in the development and/or commercialization of products
            and/or systems for use in (1) intraoperative detection of cancer
            and/or (2) Activated Cellular Therapy for cancer, or



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         b. reasonably understood to be competitive in the relevant market with
            products and/or systems described in clause a above, or

         c. the Company engages in during the Term of this Employment Agreement
            pursuant to a determination of the Board of Directors and from which
            the Company derives a material amount of revenue or in which the
            Company has made a material capital investment.

         The covenant set forth in this Section 6 shall terminate immediately
         upon the substantial completion of the liquidation of assets of the
         Company or the termination of the employment of the Employee by the
         Company without cause or at the end of the Term of this Employment
         Agreement.

     7.  ARBITRATION. Any dispute or controversy arising under or in connection
         with this Employment Agreement shall be settled exclusively by
         arbitration in Columbus, Ohio, in accordance with the non-union
         employment arbitration rules of the American Arbitration Association
         ("AAA") then in effect. If specific non-union employment dispute rules
         are not in effect, then AAA commercial arbitration rules shall govern
         the dispute. If the amount claimed exceeds $100,000, the arbitration
         shall be before a panel of three arbitrators. Judgment may be entered
         on the arbitrator's award in any court having jurisdiction. The Company
         shall indemnify the Employee against and hold him harmless from any
         attorney's fees, court costs and other expenses incurred by the
         Employee in connection with the preparation, commencement, prosecution,
         defense, or enforcement of any arbitration, award, confirmation or
         judgment in order to assert or defend any right or obtain any payment
         under paragraph C of Section 4 above or under this sentence; without
         regard to the success of the Employee or his attorney in any such
         arbitration or proceeding.

     8.  GOVERNING LAW. The Employment Agreement shall be governed by and
         construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Ohio.

     9.  VALIDITY. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision or
         provisions of this Employment Agreement shall not affect the validity
         or enforceability of any other provision of the Employment Agreement,
         which shall remain in full force and effect.

     10. ENTIRE AGREEMENT.

         A. The 1999 Employment Agreement is terminated as of the effective date
            of this Employment Agreement, except that awards under the Stock
            Plans granted to the Employee in the 1999 Employment Agreement or in
            any previous employment agreement or by the Compensation Committee
            remain in full force and effect, and survive Plansthe termination of
            the 1999 Employment Agreement and except that the bonus
            opportunities granted to the Employee in paragraph 3 of the letter
            agreement dated February 16, 1995 remain in full force and effect,
            and survive the termination of the 1999 Employment Agreement.

         B. This Employment Agreement constitutes the entire understanding
            between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof,
            superseding all negotiations, prior discussions, and preliminary
            agreements. This Employment Agreement may not be amended except in
            writing executed by the parties hereto.

     11. EFFECT ON SUCCESSORS OF INTEREST. This Employment Agreement shall inure
         to the benefit of and be binding upon heirs, administrators, executors,
         successors and assigns of each of the parties hereto. Notwithstanding
         the above, the Employee recognizes and agrees that his obligation under
         this Employment Agreement may not be assigned without the consent of
         the Company.


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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed and delivered this
Employment Agreement as of the date first written above.


NEOPROBE CORPORATION                             EMPLOYEE



By: /s/ Michael P. Moore                         /s/  David C. Bupp
    -------------------------                    ------------------
   Michael P. Moore, Chairman                    David C. Bupp
   Compensation Committee



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                                    EXHIBIT A
                                    ---------



                     Non-salaried consultant to NuRigs, Ltd.







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