Exhibit 10.4
AMENDED AND
RESTATED
EMPLOYMENT
AGREEMENT
This Amended and Restated Employment
Agreement (“AGREEMENT”) is made by and between Tesfaye
Hailemichael (the “Executive”) and Mitek Systems, Inc.,
a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) as of
September 18, 2006. The employment relationship herein
provided shall become effective (the “Commencement
Date”) as of the Closing Date (as defined therein) of the
Amended and Restated Agreement and Plan of Merger by and among the
Company, Mitek Acquisition Sub, LLC, a Wyoming limited liability
company, Parascript, LLC, a Wyoming limited liability company and
Parascript Management, Inc., a Wyoming corporation, dated as of the
date hereof (the “Merger Agreement”). In the event the
Merger Agreement is terminated prior to the Closing Date, this
Agreement shall be void and of no further force or effect upon such
termination.
RECITALS
The Company wishes to employ the
Executive as Chief Financial Officer of the Company, and the
Executive wishes to be employed as Chief Financial Officer of the
Company.
The Company and the Executive
previously entered into that certain Employment Agreement dated
July 13, 2006.
The Company and the Executive wish
to amend and restate the Employment Agreement dated July 13,
2006 in its entirety and to instead set forth in this AGREEMENT the
terms and conditions under which the Executive is to be employed by
the Company.
Now, therefore, for good and
valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are
hereby mutually acknowledged, the Company and the Executive hereby
agree as follows:
1.1 Term . The term of the
Executive’s employment under this AGREEMENT shall be for a
minimum one (1) year period commencing on the Commencement
Date and ending whenever terminated in accordance with the terms of
Article 8 of this AGREEMENT (“Termination Date”). The
period of time during which the Executive shall be employed by the
Company under this AGREEMENT shall be referred to as the Employment
Period.
1.2 Title . From and after
the Commencement Date, the Company shall employ the Executive as
Chief Financial Officer of the Company, and the Executive shall
have the duties, responsibilities and authority consistent with
such position, as described in Section 1.4 below and the
Bylaws of the Company.
1.3 Duties . From and after
the Commencement Date and for so long as he is employed under this
AGREEMENT, the Executive (i) shall devote his full
professional time and attention, best efforts, energy and skills to
the services required of him as an employee and Director of the
Company, except for paid time off taken in accordance with the
Company’s policies and practices and subject to the
Company’s existing policies pertaining to reasonable periods
of absence due to sickness, personal injury or other disability;
(ii) shall use his best efforts to promote the interests of
the Company; (iii) shall comply with all applicable
governmental laws, rules and regulations and with all of the
Company’s policies, rules and/or regulations applicable to
the employees of the Company; and (iv) shall discharge his
responsibilities in a diligent and faithful manner, consistent with
sound business practices and in accordance with the directives of
the Board of Directors of the Company. The Executive shall report
directly to the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and shall
actively participate in the preparation and presentation to the
Board of Directors of all financial reports regarding the business,
operations and prospects of the Company. In addition to the
Executive’s
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normal leadership responsibilities
during his employment with the Company, he shall (a) manage
all of the Company’s financial, treasury and audit
obligations, and (b) perform any other duties assigned to him
by the Company’s Board of Directors.
1.4 Obligations of Executive
. The Executive agrees and acknowledges that he owes a duty of
loyalty, fidelity and allegiance to act at all times in the best
interests of the Company, to not knowingly become involved in a
conflict of interest and to not knowingly do any act or knowingly
make any statement, oral or written, which would injure the
Company’s business, its interest, or its reputation, unless
required to do so in a legal proceeding by a competent court with
proper jurisdiction. The Executive further agrees to comply at all
times with all applicable policies, rules and regulations of the
Company, including, without limitation, the Company’s policy
regarding trading in its Common Stock, as may be in effect from
time to time.
1.5 Place of Employment . The
parties agree that the Executive’s place of employment shall
be in San Diego County, California.
1.6 Life Insurance . If
requested by the Company to do so, the Executive will cooperate
with the Company’s efforts to procure a “key man”
term life insurance policy on the Executive, with benefits payable
to the Company.
1.7 Indemnification . The
Company shall indemnify and defend the Executive in accordance with
its standard indemnification policy for officers and directors to
the maximum extent permitted by law.
2.1 Prohibited Outside
Activities . The Executive agrees and promises that during the
Employment Period, he will not be engaged in any other business or
as a consultant to or general partner, employee, officer or
director of any partnership, firm, corporation, or other entity, or
as an agent for any person, or otherwise, if such activity is
pursued for gain, profit, or other pecuniary advantage, without the
approval of the Board of Directors of the Company.
2.2 Investment . Nothing in
this Article 2 shall be construed as preventing the Executive from
engaging in the investment of his personal assets so long as such
investment activity does not require: (1) any participation on
the Executive’s part in the operation or the affairs of the
enterprise or enterprises in which such investments are made or
(2) the rendering of any services by the Executive to any such
enterprise.
2.3 Civic and Charitable
Service . Nothing in this Article 2 shall be construed as
preventing the Executive from serving on civic or charitable boards
or committees, so long as such activities do not interfere with his
performance of his obligations under this AGREEMENT.
2.4 Other Board Service.
Subject to the approval of the Board of Directors of the Company,
the Executive may serve as a member of the board of directors of
other corporations or business enterprises, so long as such
activities do not interfere with his performance of his obligations
under this AGREEMENT.
3.1 Amount . From and after
the Commencement Date, the Company shall pay the Executive an
annual base salary (“Base Salary”), payable in
installments consistent with the Company’s payroll practices
and subject to normal withholdings. The initial annual Base Salary
shall be $225,000.00.
3.2 Adjustment . The
Executive’s Base Salary shall be subject to annual review and
adjustments during the Employment Period on or about the
anniversary of his Commencement Date. Recommendations for
adjustments, if any, shall be made at the sole discretion of the
Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors.
Any such recommendations shall then be considered by the Board of
Directors of the Company. If the Board of Directors determines that
the Executive’s Base Salary is to be increased, such increase
shall be effective as of each such anniversary date.
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4.1 Nature . Beginning
January 1, 2007, the Company shall pay to the Executive, in
addition to Base Salary, bonus compensation (“Bonus
Compensation”) on an annual basis on the terms and conditions
set forth in this Article 4.
4.2 Amount . The Board of
Directors shall set specific financial and other performance goals
(“Performance Goals”) for each fiscal year of the
Company. The amount of the annual bonus to which the Executive
shall be entitled shall depend upon the Company’s achievement
of such Performance Goals. If the Company achieves 100% of its
Performance Goals for a given fiscal year, then the Executive shall
be entitled to a bonus equal to 30% of his then-current Base
Salary. A bonus of 30% of Base Salary, payable to the Executive if
the Company attains 100% of its Performance Goals, shall be
considered the Target Bonus. If the Company achieves more than 100%
of its Performance Goals, then the Executive shall be entitled to
proportionate Bonus Compensation of up to 125% of the Target Bonus.
The maximum amount of the Bonus Compensation to which the Executive
shall be entitled for a particular fiscal year shall not exceed
125% of his Target Bonus, even if the Company achieves more than
125% of its Performance Goals. If the Company achieves less than
100%, of its Performance Goals, then the Executive shall be
entitled to the percentage of the Performance Goals reached
multiplied by 30% of the then-current Base Salary. For example, if
the Company achieves 90% of its Performance Goals, the Executive
shall be entitled to a bonus of 27% of his then-current Base Salary
(equal to 90% multiplied by 30%). Notwithstanding the foregoing,
the Executive shall not be entitled to Bonus Compensation for any
fiscal year in which the Company achieves less than 75% of its
Performance Goals.
4.3 Payment . If Bonus
Compensation is due to the Executive for a particular fiscal year,
such Bonus Compensation shall be payable to the Executive, subject
to regular withholdings, promptly after the completion of the audit
of the Company’s financial statements for such fiscal
year.
4.4 No Limitation on
Discretionary Bonuses . This Article 4 describes the Bonus
Compensation to which the Executive shall be entitled, dependent
upon the Company’s achievement of its Financial Performance
Goals. Nothing in this Article 4 shall be construed to limit the
ability of the Board of Directors to grant a discretionary bonus to
the Executive, regardless of the Company’s performance
against its Financial Performance Goals.
5.1 Group Insurance Plans .
From and after the Commencement Date, the Executive shall be
entitled to participate in the Company’s group medical,
dental, long term disability and short term disability insurance
programs on the same terms and conditions applicable to the other
senior officer(s) of the Company.
5.2 Retirement Plan . The
Executive shall be entitled to participate in the Company’s
401(k) retirement plan, under the terms and conditions of said
plan.
5.3 Health and Exercise . The
Company shall reimburse the Executive for the out-of-pocket expense
of an annual executive physical health examination and for monthly
dues for the Executive’s membership in a health and exercise
facility, if the Executive is a member of or joins the same, up to
a maximum amount of $3,000 annually.
5.4 Vacation . The Executive
shall be entitled to four (4) weeks of paid vacation in each
year of his Employment Period. Such vacation shall be taken at such
times as the Company and the Executive shall mutually agree, acting
reasonably, and with regard for the performance of the
Executive’s essential duties to the Company pursuant to this
AGREEMENT. Notwithstanding any Company policies regarding the
accumulation of vacation time, it is specifically agreed that the
Executive may accrue and accumulate vacation time without any
“cap” or limitation.
5.5 Other Fringe Benefits .
The Executive shall be entitled to any other fringe benefits which
are provided to the other senior officer(s) of the
Company.
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6.1 Number . Subject to the
approval of the Company’s Board of Directors, on the
Commencement Date the Executive shall be granted options
(“Options”) to purchase shares of the Company’s
Common Stock (the “Shares”) under the Plan (as defined
below) at the then-current fair market value of such Common Stock
as determined by the Company’s Board of Directors. The number
of Options to be granted to the Executive (“Initial
Options”) shall be equal to 1% of the Company’s
then-outstanding and fully diluted shares, the calculation of which
shall be determined by adding the following: (a) Shares issued
and outstanding at the time of the grant, (b) all Shares
available for issuance upon exercise of options currently
outstanding under any option plan of the Company, (c) Shares
reserved for issuance pursuant to options available under any
option plan, or amendment to any option plan, approved by the
stockholders of the Company at the stockholders’ meeting held
to approve the transactions contemplated in the Merger Agreement
(the “Plan”), (d) Shares reserved for issuance
upon the exercise of outstanding warrants of the Company and
(e) Shares resulting from the full conversion of the
convertible senior subordinated note issued by Plainfield Offshore
Holdings VIII Inc. The Board of Directors may, from time to time,
make additional grants of Options to Executive in its sole
discretion.
6.2 Vesting . The Initial
Options shall vest as follows:
6.2.1 Except as otherwise provided
in this AGREEMENT, none of the Initial Options shall vest until the
Executive has completed one full year of Service, as such term is
defined in the Plan.
6.2.2 On the date on which the
Executive completes one full year of Service, one-third (1/3
rd
) of the Initial
Options shall vest, and thereafter the remaining two-thirds
(2/3 rd ) unvested options shall vest
in equal monthly increments over the next 24 months.
6.2.3 As of the date of a Change of
Control, notwithstanding the vesting and/or exercise schedule of
any Options then held by the Executive (including, but not limited
to the Initial Options), all stock options then held by the
Executive shall become fully vested and shall be exercisable by the
Executive at any time in the one year and ninety (90) days
following such Change of Control as defined under
Section 8.6.
6.3 General Terms Pertaining to
Options . The Options shall be granted under, and subject to
the foregoing provisions and shall be governed by the terms of the
Plan (as it may be amended from time to time in the future) and any
option agreement issued to the Executive thereunder. All Plan
provisions not contradicted by the terms of this AGREEMENT
(including, but not limited to, provisions regarding timing and
manner of, and deadlines for, exercise) shall apply to the Options
to be granted to the Executive hereunder. If a conflict exists
between the provisions of the Plan and the provisions of this
AGREEMENT with respect to Options, the provisions of this AGREEMENT
shall control.
6.4 Initial Option Grant .
The granting of the Initial Options to the Executive shall be a
material term of this AGREEMENT.
Upon presentation of appropriate
documentation, the Company shall reimburse the Executive for
reasonable, out-of-pocket business expenses incurred by the
Executive in the course of his performance of his duties hereunder.
The Executive will submit expense reports for approval by the Chief
Executive Officer of the Company at least monthly.
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8.
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Termination of Employment
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The Executive’s employment may
be terminated in accordance with the following provisions and if
the Executive’s employment is so terminated, then, except as
specifically stated in this Article 8, all of the compensation and
benefits to which he was entitled shall cease upon the effective
date of such termination (the “Termination
Date”).
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8. 1 At the Election of the
Company With Cause . The Company may, immediately and
unilaterally, terminate the Executive’s employment and this
AGREEMENT “with cause” at any time upon written notice
to the Executive setting forth the reason(s) for such immediate
termination and stating that the termination is “with
cause.” For purposes of this AGREEMENT, the term
“cause” shall mean any and all of the
following:
a. the Executive’s commission
of a material breach or material non-performance of any of the
terms or conditions of this AGREEMENT, provided that the Executive
is given written notice of such material breach or non-performance,
and fails to remedy the same within thirty (30) days of his
receipt of such notice.
b. the Executive’s commission
of any act of theft, fraud or material dishonesty or misconduct
involving the property or affairs of the Company or the carrying
out of Executive’s duties hereunder.
c. the Executive’s conviction
of any felony.
d. the Executive refuses or fails to
implement or comply with any reasonable directive issued by the
Company’s Board of Directors and Executive fails to remedy
the refusal or failure within thirty (30) days of receipt of
written notice thereof.
If the Company elects to terminate
the Executive’s employment with cause, as defined above, the
Executive shall not be entitled to any further compensation or
benefits, all unvested Options granted to the Executive shall be
forfeited, and the expiration date for exercise of all vested
Options granted to the Executive shall be determined in accordance
with the terms of the Company’s Plan . Termination of
the Executive’s employment with cause pursuant to this
Section 8.1 shall be in addition to and without prejudice to
any other right or remedy to which the Company may be entitled at
law, in equity, or under this AGREEMENT.
8.2 At the Election of the
Company Without Cause . The Company may, immediately and
unilaterally, terminate the Executive’s employment and this
AGREEMENT at any time for any reason upon written notification to
the Executive. If the Compan