Exhibit 10.1
AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT made as of the 5th day of September 2001 (the "Effective Date"),
between Ambient Corporation a Delaware corporation with offices at 0000 Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx, XX ("Ambient") and Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxx ("Xxxxxxxx").
W I T N E S S E T H
WHEREAS, Xxxxxxxx currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of
Ambient under an Employment Agreement entered into as of September 18, 2000, as
amended on December 29, 2000, between Xxxxxxxx and Ambient (hereinafter, the
"Employment Agreement") and concurrently servers as Ambient's Chairman of the
Board of Directors; and
WHEREAS, Ambient and Xxxxxxxx desire to terminate Xxxxxxxx'x employment
under the Employment Agreement and his service on Ambient's Board of Directors,
all on the terms and conditions set forth herein.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the terms and conditions hereafter set
forth the adequacy and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties
agree hereafter as follows:
1. Resignation of Positions by Xxxxxxxx. Subject to the terms and
conditions set forth herein and in consideration of the Settlement Amount (as
defined in Section 3 below) and the releases contained herein, by his signature
below, Xxxxxxxx, as of the effective date, hereby resigns from his position as
Chief Executive Officer of Ambient and as director of Ambient and from any and
all other offices held in Ambient and its affiliates and subsidiaries including,
without limitation, directorships and executive management positions; Xxxxxxxx
acknowledges and agrees that his signature hereafter set forth below shall serve
as notice to the board of directors of Ambient and to its affiliates and
subsidiaries of such resignations.
2. Company Property. Except to the extent otherwise herein provided, on
the Effective Date, Xxxxxxxx shall return to Ambient all Ambient company
property then in his possession.
3. Settlement Amount. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein
and in consideration of the resignations and releases contained herein, Ambient
hereby agrees as follows (collectively, the "Settlement Amount"):
(a) remit to Xxxxxxxx, for the duration from the Effective Date
through June 5, 2002, the salary currently payable by Ambient to him
($275,000 per annum) in the manner and with such deductions and
withholdings customarily made by Ambient;
(b) acknowledges and agrees that the employee stock options for
1,000,000 million shares of Ambient's Common Stock, par value $0.001
(hereinafter, the "Common Stock") issued to Xxxxxxxx on December 29, 2000
and heretofore unvested shall, as of the Effective Date, immediately vest
and become exercisable and together with all other stock options for
Common Stock previously issued to Xxxxxxxx pursuant to the Employment
Agreement dated September 18, 2000 (which in total equal stock options for
an aggregate of 2,350,000 shares of Ambient's Common Stock), shall
continue to be
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exercisable (except to the extent herein amended) through September 5,
2005;
(c) forgive the unpaid balance of outstanding loans and advances
previously made by Ambient to Xxxxxxxx in connection with Xxxxxxxx'x
purchase of a residence in the Metropolitan New York area and for
Xxxxxxxx'x automobile in the aggregate amount of approximately $650,000;
(d) maintain payments as presently conducted in respect of health
care for Xxxxxxxx, his spouse and minor children through the earlier of
June 5, 2002 or the date on which Xxxxxxxx obtains health care in an
amount of a caliber consistent with that currently furnished through new
employment;
(e) remit to Xxxxxxxx the personal laptop currently used by him,
provided that Ambient make a back-up or copy of the database therein; and
(f) enable Xxxxxxxx to retain non-proprietary contents of his office
and the executive office chair, other than the other office furniture
therein.
4. Taxes. All taxes, withholdings and deductions payable or due in respect
of the Settlement Amount will be borne by Xxxxxxxx. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the Company will deduct from payments made under the Settlement
Amount amounts required to be withheld in respect of FICA and for medicare
payments.
5. Registration Rights. Xxxxxxxx shall have the right to have the Common
Stock issuable upon exercise of the above options (hereinafter, the
"Securities"), registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission under any
subsequently filed registration statement (SB-2 or other appropriate form)
pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended respecting the resale of
securities then held by Ambient's stockholders or other right-holders. Ambient
shall include in the registration statement filed any Securities then held by
Xxxxxxxx, subject to Xxxxxxxx executing any lock up or other agreement being
executed or complying with any restriction or limitation imposed on or agreed to
by the majority of selling shareholders in the registration statement.
6. Continuing Obligations. Notwithstanding Ambient's releases contained in
Section 7.2 hereof, Xxxxxxxx hereby acknowledges and agrees that the provisions
of Sections 8 and 9 of the Employment Agreement (Confidentiality and
Non-compete) shall continue in full force and effect, notwithstanding anything
to the contrary contained in the Employment Agreement, in accordance with their
terms and for the duration specified therein and nothing contained herein shall
be construed or interpreted as a waiver by Ambient or any of its affiliates or
subsidiaries of any right or remedy available to any thereof in respect of the
breach or non compliance by Isaacscon of his obligation thereunder.
7. Releases
7.1 In consideration of Ambient's agreements, Xxxxxxxx (and each of his
respective officers, directors, employees, shareholders, attorneys, agents,
heirs, successors, executors, personal representatives and assigns) does hereby
absolutely and unconditionally waive, release and forever discharge Ambient, its
respective affiliates, officers, directors, shareholders, employees, agents,
attorneys, insurers, successors and assigns, from any claims, demands,
obligations, liabilities, rights, causes of action and damages, whether
liquidated or unliquidated, absolute or contingent, known or unknown, arising
prior to or concurrent with the date hereof,
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including, any claim under the Employment Agreement generally, and Sections
4(b), 4(c), 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 thereof specifically. The foregoing
release shall not be construed as a waiver by Xxxxxxxx of the due and full
performance by Ambient of its obligations specifically undertaken pursuant to
this Agreement.
7.2 In consideration of the releases in Section 7.1 and the resignations
as set forth in Section 1 hereof, Ambient (and each of its officers, directors,
employees, shareholders, attorneys, agents, successors, executors, and assigns)
does hereby absolutely and unconditionally waive, release and forever discharge
Xxxxxxxx his respective affiliates, officers, directors, shareholders,
employees, agents, attorneys, insurers, successors and assigns, from any claims,
demands, obligations, liabilities, rights, causes of action and damages, whether
liquidated or unliquidated, absolute or contingent, known or unknown, arising
prior to or concurrent with the date hereof, except that the foregoing release
shall not release any claim or allegation against Xxxxxxxx which is found to be
based on fraud. The foregoing release shall not be construed as a waiver by
Ambient of the obligations of Xxxxxxxx to Ambient with respect to
confidentiality and non-competition contained in the Employment Agreement and
any undertakings of Xxxxxxxx pursuant to this Agreement.
8. Non-Disparagement. Neither of the parties (and their respective heirs,
personal representatives, successors, affiliates, subsidiaries, officers or
stockholders), shall disparage the other party hereto or their businesses.
9. Press Release. Immediately following the execution of this Agreement by
each of Ambient and Xxxxxxxx, Ambient shall issue a press release mutually
acceptable to the parties relating to Xxxxxxxx'x departure.
10. Reliance and Complete Agreement. The parties acknowledge and agree
that in the execution of this Agreement, neither has relied upon any
representation by any party or attorney, except as expressly stated herein.
Moreover, this Agreement shall represent the complete and entire agreement
between the parties, to the exclusion of any and all other prior or concurrent
terms, written or oral. No supplement, modification or waiver or termination of
this Agreement or any provision hereof shall be binding unless executed in
writing by the parties to be bound thereby.
11. Headings. Section and subsection headings are not to be considered
part of this Agreement and are included solely for convenience and are not
intended to be full or accurate descriptions of the content thereof.
12. Successors and Assigns. Except as otherwise provided in this
Agreement, all the terms and provisions of this Agreement shall be upon, and
shall inure to the benefit of, the parties hereto and their respective heirs,
personal representatives, successors and assigns.
13. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which
together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
14. Entire Agreement. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts. This
Agreement constitutes the entire agreement among the parties hereto with respect
to the subject matter hereof and supersedes any prior or contemporaneous
understanding or agreement, written or verbal, among the parties with respect to
the subject matter hereof.
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15. Governing Law; Jurisdiction and Forum. This Agreement, its validity,
construction and effect shall be governed by and construed under the laws of the
State of New York without reference to the principles of conflict of laws. The
parties hereby irrevocably consent to the jurisdiction of the courts of the
State of New York venued in New York County for all actions, disputes,
controversies, differences or questions arising out of or relating to this
Agreement.
16. Representation. Each of Xxxxxxxx and Ambient acknowledges that they
have had the opportunity to consult with legal counsel respecting this
Agreement. Each person executing this Agreement on behalf of a corporation
hereby represents and warrants that he has been authorized to do so by all
necessary corporate action.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties has set forth its/his signature
as of the date first written above.
Ambient Corporation
/s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxx By: /s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx
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Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx