Exhibit 10.1
EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT
AGREEMENT
THIS EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (this
“ Agreement ”) is made as of November 15, 2010,
between China Sun Group High-Tech Co., a Delaware corporation
(together with its successors and assigns, the “
Company ”), and Guosheng Fu (“ Executive
”).
Recitals
A. The
Company and Executive desire to enter into an agreement pursuant to
which the Company will continue to employ Executive as its Chief
Executive Officer subject to the terms and conditions of this
Agreement.
Agreement
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the
foregoing and the mutual covenants and promises contained herein,
the parties agree as follows:
1.
Employment
. The Company hereby engages Executive
to serve as the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, and
Executive agrees to serve the Company, during the Service Term (as
defined in Section 4 below) in the capacities, and
subject to the terms and conditions, set forth in this
Agreement.
2.
Duties
.
During the Service Term, Executive,
as Chief Executive Officer of the Company, shall have all the
duties and responsibilities customarily rendered by Chief Executive
Officers of companies of similar size and nature and such other
duties and responsibilities as may be delegated from time to time
by the Board in its sole discretion. Executive
will report to the Board. Executive will devote his best
efforts and substantially all of his business time and attention
(except for vacation periods and periods of illness or other
incapacity) to the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries.
With the consent of the Board, Executive will be permitted to serve
on the boards of other companies so long as such service does not
unreasonably interfere with his duties to the Company.
3.
Salary, Bonus and
Benefits. The Board shall make all decisions
related to Executive's base salary and the payment of bonuses, if
any. Executive's Annual Base Salary and other compensation
will be reviewed by the Board at least annually.
(a)
Base Salary.
During the Service Term, the
Company will pay Executive a base salary (the “ Annual
Base Salary ”) as the Board may designate from time to
time. The initial Annual Base Salary shall be at the
rate of $30,000 per annum in accordance with the Company's
customary payroll practices (minus all applicable
withholdings). Executive's Annual Base Salary for any partial
year will be prorated based upon the number of days elapsed in such
year. The Annual Base Salary may be modified from time to
time during the Service Term by the Board based upon the Company's
and Executive's performance.
(b)
Bonus Plan; Equity
Awards . Executive shall be entitled to participate in
any bonus plan as may be established by the Board from time to time
(the “ Bonus ”) . The Bonus, if
any, will be determined by the Board based upon the Company's
annual achievement of financial performance goals and other annual
objectives as determined by the Board in good faith for each fiscal
year of the Company. Subject to the terms of this
Agreement, the Company hereby agrees to grant to Executive One
Hundred Fifty Thousand (150,000) shares of the common stock of the
Company on each of December 31, 2010, 2011 and 2012 (each, an
“Award Date”) for an aggregate amount of Four Hundred
Fifty Thousand (450,000) shares of common stock (collectively, the
“Shares”). The parties agree that Executive
shall receive each such grant of Shares subject to
Executive’s Continuous Service on each Award Date,
respectively. “Continuous Service” means
that the provision of services by the Executive to the Company or a
related entity in any capacity of employee, director or consultant,
is not interrupted or terminated. Continuous Service
shall not be considered interrupted in the case of (i) any approved
leave of absence, (ii) transfers among the Company, any related
entity, or any successor, in any capacity of employee, director or
consultant, or (iii) any change in status as long as the individual
remains in the service of the Company or a related entity in any
capacity of employee, director or consultant. An
approved leave of absence shall include sick leave, military leave,
or any other authorized personal leave.
(i) Executive and, to
the extent eligible, his dependents, shall be entitled to
participate in and receive all benefits under any welfare or
pension benefit plans and programs made available to the Company's
senior level executives or to its employees generally (including,
without limitation, medical, disability and life insurance
programs, accidental death and dismemberment protection, leave and
participation in retirement plans and deferred compensation plans),
subject, however, to the generally applicable eligibility and other
provisions of the various plans and programs and laws and
regulations in effect from time to time.
(ii) The Company shall
promptly reimburse Executive for all reasonable, ordinary and
necessary business, travel or entertainment expenses incurred
during the Service Term in the performance of his services
hereunder in accordance with the policies of the Company as they
are from time to time in effect. Executive, as a condition
precedent to obtaining such payment or reimbursement, shall provide
to the Company any and all statements, bills or receipts evidencing
the travel or out-of-pocket expenses for which Executive seeks
payment or reimbursement, and any other information or materials,
which the Company may from time to time reasonably
require.
(iii) Executive shall be
entitled to paid vacation of up to 15 days per annum which shall
accrue pro rata during the applicable year and shall be entitled to
medical, disability, family and other leave in accordance
with Company policies as in effect from time to time for senior
executives.
(iv) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained above, the Company shall be
entitled to terminate or reduce any employee benefit enjoyed by
Executive pursuant to the provisions of this
Section 3(c) , but only if such reduction is part of an
across-the-board reduction applicable to all executives of the
Company who are entitled to such benefit.
4.
Employment
Term. Unless Executive's employment under
this Agreement is sooner terminated as a result of Executive's
resignation or termination in accordance with the provisions of
Section 5 below, Executive's term of employment
(“ Service Term ”) under this Agreement shall
commence on the date hereof and shall continue for a period of one
year, and at the end of each day it shall renew and extend
automatically for an additional day so that the remaining Service
Term is always one year; provided , however , that
either party may terminate this Agreement pursuant to
Section 5 below for any reason, with or without Cause
or with or without Good Reason, as the case may be, at any time
upon thirty (30) days prior written notice to the other party of
its decision to terminate (except in the event of termination for
Cause, whereupon Executive's termination shall be effective
immediately upon written notice thereof except for any required
grace periods for “Cause” as otherwise set forth
below)
5.
Termination.
Executive's employment
with the Company shall cease upon the first of the following events
to occur:
(b) Executive's
voluntary retirement at age 65 or older.
(c) Executive's
disability, which means his incapacity due to physical or mental
illness such that he is unable to perform the essential functions
of his previously assigned duties where (1) such incapacity
has been determined to exist by either (x) the Company's
disability insurance carrier or (y) by the concurring opinions
of two licensed physicians (one selected by the Company and one by
Executive), and (2) the Board has determined, based on
competent medical advice, that such incapacity will likely last for
a continuous period of at six (6) months.
(d) Termination by the
Company by the delivery to Executive of a written notice from the
Board that Executive has been terminated (“ Notice of
Termination ”) with or without Cause. “
Cause ” shall mean termination for any of the
following:
(i) Executive's
(A) commission of a felony or a crime involving moral
turpitude or the commission of any other act or omission involving
dishonesty in the performance of his duties to the Company or
fraud; (B) substantial and repeated failure to perform
duties of the office held by Executive as reasonably directed by
the Board; (C) gross negligence or willful misconduct with
respect to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;
(D) material breach of this Agreement not cured within ten
(10) days after receipt of written notice thereof from the
Company; (E) failure, within ten (10) days after receipt
by Executive of written notice thereof from the Company, to
correct, cease or otherwise alter any failure to comply with
instructions or other action or omission which the Board reasonably
believes does or may materially or adversely affect its business or
operations; (F) misconduct which is of such a serious or
substantial nature that a reasonable likelihood exists that such
misconduct will materially injure the reputation of the Company or
its Subsidiaries if Executive were to remain employed by the
Company; (G) harassing or discriminating against the Company's
employees, customers or vendors in violation of the Company's
policies with respect to such matters; and/or
(H) misappropriation of funds or assets of the Company for
personal use or willful violation of Company policies or standards
of business conduct as determined in good faith by the
Board.
(ii) Executive's
voluntary resignation by the delivery to the Board of a written
notice from Executive that Executive has resigned with or without
Good Reason. “ Good Reason ” shall mean
Executive's resignation from employment with the Company within
thirty (30) days after (i) a material diminution in
Executive's annual salary, duties, authority or responsibilities
from the annual salary, duties, authority or responsibilities as in
effect at the commencement of the Service Term, (ii) the
Company's failure to perform any material obligation undertaken by
the Company to Executive hereunder after Executive has provided the
Company with written notice of such failure and such failure has
not thereafter been cured within ten (10) days of the delivery
of such written notice or (iii) notice by the Company to
Executive that his primary place of employment is to be relocated
to a geographic area more than 50 miles from the principal
executive offices of the Company without Executive's
consent.
6.
Rights on
Termination.
(a) If during the
Service Term Executive's employment is terminated under
Section 5 above (x) by the Company without Cause
or (y) by Executive with Good Reason, then:
(i) The Company shall
pay to Executive, at the times specified in
Section 6(a)(iv) below, the following amounts
(collectively, the “ Severance Benefit
”):
1. the Accrued
Obligation;
2. Executive’s
Bonus earned up until the effective date of termination (the
“ Termination Date ”); and
3. All Shares due to
Executive as of December 31 of the year during which
Executive’s Continuous Service was terminated.
(ii) Payments and
benefits provided to Executive under this Section 6
(other than Accrued Obligations) are contingent upon Executive's
execution of a release substantially in the form of
Exhibit A hereto.
(iii) Executive shall
not be permitted to specify the taxable year in which a payment
described in this Section 6 shall be made to
him.
(iv) The Company shall
pay Executive the amounts specified in
Section 6(a)(i)(1) within thirty (30) days after
the Termination Date. The Company will pay, when
due and payable, the pro rata portion, if any, of Executive's Bonus
earned up until the Termination Date.
(b) If the Company
terminates Executive's employment for Cause, if Executive dies or
is disabled (as defined in Section 5(c) above),
or if Executive resigns without Good Reason, the Company's
obligations to pay any compensation or benefits under this
Agreement will cease effective as of the Termination Date and the
Company shall pay to Executive the Accrued Obligation within thirty
(30) days following the Termination Date. Following such
payments, the Company shall have no further obligations to
Executive other than as may be required by law or the terms of an
employee benefit plan of the Company.
(c) Notwithstanding
the foregoing, the Company's obligation to Executive for payments
under either Sections 6(a) or (b) above
shall cease if Executive is in violation of the provisions of
Sections 8 or 9 below, to the extent permissible under
applicable law.
7.
Representations of
Executive. Executive hereby represents and
warrants to the Company that the statements contained in this
Section 7 are true and accurate as of the date of this
Agreement.
(a)
Legal
Proceedings . Executive has not been (i) the
subject of any criminal proceeding (other than a traffic violation
or other minor offense) which has resulted in a conviction against
Executive, nor is Executive the subject of any pending criminal
proceeding (other than a traffic violation or other minor offense),
(ii) indicted for, or charged in a court of competent
jurisdiction with, any felony or crime of moral turpitude,
(iii) the defendant in any civil complaint alleging damages in
excess of $50,000, or (iv) the defendant in any civil
complaint alleging sexual harassment, unfair labor practices or
discrimination in the work place.
(b)
Securities Law
. Executive has not been found in a civil
action by the Securities and Exchange Commission, Commodity Futures
Trading Commission, a state securities authority or any other
regulatory agency to have violated any federal, state or other
securities or commodities law.
(c)
Work History; Immigration
Status . Executive's resume, previously provided
by Executive to the Company, is complete and correct in all
material respects, and accurately reflects Executive's prior work
history. Executive has the full legal right to be
employed on a full-time basis by the Company in the jurisdiction in
which he is employed, and has provided the Company with evidence of
legal immigration status and will do so at any time upon
request.
(d)
Employment
Restrictions . Executive is not currently a party to any non
competition, non-solicitation, confidentiality or other
work-related agreement that limits or restricts Executive's ability
to work in any particular field or in any particular geographic
region, whether or not such agreement would be violated by this
Agreement.
8.
Confidential Information;
Proprietary Information, etc.
(a)
Obligation to Maintain
Confidentiality . Executive acknowledges that any Proprietary
Information disclosed or made available to Executive or obtained,
observed or known by Executive as a direct or indirect consequence
of his employment with or performance of services for the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries during the course of his performance of
services for, or employment with, any of the foregoing Persons
(whether or not compensated for such services) and during the
period in which Executive is receiving payments pursuant to this
Agreement, are the property of the Company and its
Subsidiaries. Therefore, Executive agrees that, other
than in the course of performance of his duties as an employee of
the Company, he will not at any time (whether during or after
Executive's term of employment) disclose or permit to be disclosed
to any Person or, directly or indirectly, utilize for his own
account or permit to be utilized by any Person any Proprietary
Information or records pertaining to the Company, its Subsidiaries
and their respective business for any reason whatsoever without the
consent of the Board, unless and to the extent that (except as
otherwise provided in the definition of Proprietary Information)
the aforementioned matters become generally known to and available
for use by the public other than as a direct or indirect result of
Executive's acts or omissions to act. Executive agrees
to deliver to the Company at the termination of his employment, as
a condition to receipt of the next or final payment of
compensation, or at any other time the Company may request in
writing (whether during or after Executive's term of employment),
all records pertaining to the Company, its Subsidiaries and their
respective business which he may then possess or have under his
control. Executive further agrees that any property situated on the
Company's or its Subsidiaries' premises and owned by the Company or
its Subsidiaries, including disks and other storage media, filing
cabinets or other work areas, is subject to inspection by Company
or its Subsidiaries and their personnel at any time with or without
notice. Nothing in this Section 8(a)
shall be construed to prevent Executive from using his
general knowledge and experience in future employment so long as
Executive complies with this Section 8(a) and the
other restrictions contained in this Agreement.
(b)
Ownership of
Property . Executive acknowledges that all inventions,
innovations, improvements, developments, methods, processes,
programs, designs, analyses, drawings, reports and all similar or
related information (whether or not patentable) that relate to the
Company's or any of its Subsidiaries' actual or anticipated
business, research and development, or existing or future products
or services and that are conceived, developed, contributed to,
made, or reduced to practice by Executive (either solely or jointly
with others) while employed by the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries (including any of the foregoing that constitutes any
Proprietary Information or records) (“ Work Product
”) belong to the Company or such Subsidiary and Executive
hereby assigns, and agrees to assign, all of the above Work Product
to the Company or such Subsidiary. Any copyrightable
work prepared in whole or in part by Executive in the course of his
work for any of the foregoing entities shall be deemed a
“work made for hire” under the copyright laws, and the
Company or such Subsidiary shall own all rights
therein. To the extent that any such copyrightable work
is not a “work made for hire,” Executive hereby assigns
and agrees to assign to Company or such Subsidiary all right, title
and interest, including without limitation, copyright in and to
such copyrightable work. Executive shall promptly disclose such
Work Product and copyrightable work to the Board and perform all
actions reasonably requested by the Board (whether during or after
Executive's term of employment) to establish and confirm the
Company's or its Subsidiary's ownership (including, without
limitation, execution of assignments, consents, powers of attorney
and other instruments). Notwithstanding anything
contained in this Section 8(b) to the contrary,
the Company's ownership of Work Product does not apply to any
invention that Executive develops entirely on his own time without
using the equipment, supplies or facilities of the Company or
Subsidiaries or any Proprietary Information (including trade
secrets), except that the Company's ownership of Work Product does
include those inventions that: (i) relate to the business of
the Company or its Subsidiaries or to the actual or demonstrably
anticipated research or development relating to the Company's
business; or (ii) result from any work that Executive performs
for the Company or its Subsidiaries.
(c)
Third Party
Information . Executive understands that the Company and its
Subsidiaries will receive from third parties confidential or
proprietary information (“ Third Party Information
”) subject to a duty on the Company's and its Subsidiaries'
part to maintain the confidentiality of such information and to use
it only for certain limited purposes. During the term of
Executive's employment and thereafter, and without in any way
limiting the provisions of Sections 8(a) and 8
(b) above, Executive shall hold Third Party
Information in the strictest confidence and shall not disclose to
anyone (other than personnel of the Company or its Subsidiaries who
need to know such information in connection with their work for the
Company or its Subsidiaries) or use, except in connection with his
work for the Company or its Subsidiaries, Third Party Information
unless expressly authorized by the Board in writing.
(d)
Use of Information of Prior
Employers, etc . Executive will abide by any enforceable
obligations contained in any agreements that Executive has entered
into with his prior employers or other parties to whom Executive
has an obligation of confidentiality.
(e)
Compelled
Disclosure . If Executive is required by law or governmental
regulation or by subpoena or other valid legal process to disclose
any Proprietary Information or Third Party Information to any
Person, Executive will immediately provide the Company with written
notice of the applicable law, regulation or process so that the
Company may seek a protective order or other appropriate
remedy. Executive will cooperate fully with the Company and
the Company's representatives in any attempt by the Company to
obtain any such protective order or other remedy. If the
Company elects not to seek, or is unsuccessful in obtaining, any
such protective order or other remedy in connection with any
requirement that Executive disclose Proprietary Information or
Third Party Information then Executive may disclose such
Proprietary Information or Third Party Information to the extent
legally required; provided, however, that Executive will use his
reasonable best efforts to ensure that such Proprietary Information
is treated confidentially by each Person to whom it is
disclosed.
9.
Noncompetition and
Nonsolicitation.
(a)
Noncompetition
. As long as Executive is an employee
of the Company or any Subsidiary thereof, and for a period ending
twelve (12) months following the Termination Date of Executive's
employment (the “ Restrictive Covenant Period
”), Executive shall not, directly or indirectly own, manage,
control, participate in, consult with, render services for, or in
any manner engage in any business competing with the businesses
then carried on or anticipated to be carried on by the Company or
its Subsidiaries (the “ Business ”) in any
geographic area in which: (i) Executive acted as an employee
of the Company or its Subsidiaries and had contact with the
customers of the Company or its Subsidiaries during the 12-month
period immediately preceding the Termination Date, and
(ii) the Company or its Subsidiaries is conducting business or
has conducted business during the Restrictive Covenant
Period.
(b)
Nonsolicitation
. As long as Executive is an employee of the
Company or any Subsidiary thereof, and during the Restrictive
Covenant Period thereafter, Executive shall not directly or
indirectly through another entity: (i) induce or attempt
to induce any employee of the Company or any Subsidiary to leave
the employ of the Company or such Subsidiary, or in any way
interfere with the relationship between the Company or any
Subsidiary and any employee thereof; (ii) hire or employ any
person who was an employee of the Company or any Subsidiary at any
time during the 12-month period immediately preceding the
Termination Date; (iii) induce or attempt to induce any
customer, supplier, licensee or other business relation of the
Company or any Subsidiary to cease doing business with the Company
or such Subsidiary, or in any way interfere with the relationship
between any such customer, supplier, licensee or business relation
and the Company or any Subsidiary; (iv) sol