FORM SB-2
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
TASER INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Delaware
|
3699 | 86-0741227 | ||
(State or other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization) |
(Primary Standard Industrial
Classification Code Number) |
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number) |
7860 E. McClain Drive, Suite 2
Scottsdale, Arizona 85260 (480) 991-0797 (Address and telephone number of principal executive offices and principal place of business) |
Patrick W. Smith,
Chief Executive Officer TASER International, Inc. 7860 E. McClain Drive, Suite 2 Scottsdale, Arizona 85260 (480) 991-0797 (Name, address and telephone number of agent for service) |
Copies to:
Thomas P. Palmer, Esq
Jeffrey S. Cronn, Esq Tonkon Torp LLP 888 S.W. Fifth Avenue, Suite 1600 Portland, Oregon 97204 (503) 802-2018 |
Mark von Bergen, Esq.
Joshua E. Husbands, Esq. Weiss Jensen Ellis & Howard 2300 U.S. Bancorp Tower 111 S.W. Fifth Avenue Portland, Oregon 97204 (503) 243-2300 |
Approximate date of proposed sale to the public:
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an
offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act,
check the following box and list the Securities Act registration
statement number of the earlier effective registration statement
for the same offering.
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to
Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following
box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of
the earlier effective registration statement for the same
offering.
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to
Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following
box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of
the earlier effective registration statement for the same
offering.
If delivery of the prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to
Rule 434, please check the following
box.
The registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED FEBRUARY 14, 2001
PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS
1,000,000 Units
[TASER LOGO]
This is an initial public offering of units by TASER
International, Inc. Each unit consists of one share of common
stock and one redeemable public warrant to purchase one share of
common stock. We expect that the initial public offering price
will be between $9 and $11 per unit. Prior to this offering,
there has been no public market for our securities. We have
filed an application to list the units, the common stock and the
public warrants on the Nasdaq SmallCap Market under the symbols
TASRU, TASR and TASRW,
respectively.
The common stock and warrants will trade only as a unit for at
least 30 days following this offering. The representative of the
underwriters will then determine when the units separate, after
which the common stock and the public warrants will trade
separately.
Investing in these units involves significant risks. See
Risk Factors beginning on page 4.
The Securities and Exchange Commission and state securities
regulators have not approved or disapproved of these securities
or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any
representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
Paulson Investment Company, Inc. is the representative of the
underwriters. We have granted the representative the option for
a period of 45 days to purchase up to an additional 150,000
units to cover over-allotments.
PAULSON INVESTMENT COMPANY, INC.
The date of this prospectus is
,
2001.
Page 1 of the gatefold: The artwork depicts below the
company logo a side view of the ADVANCED TASER M26 with certain
parts labeled and a top view of the AIR TASER 34000.
Pages 2 and 3 of the gatefold: The artwork depicts a
pictorial diagram illustrating the effective range of the
ADVANCED TASER M26 compared to batons and chemical sprays over
distances of between zero and twenty feet.
Below the pictorial diagram are smaller photographs of the air
cartridges (ammunition), the probes, the dataport on the
ADVANCED TASER M26 and the AFID tags.
Below the smaller pictures the following captions appear:
The ADVANCED TASER M26 fires two small metal probes with
fine wires attached. When the probes make contact, small barbs
adhere to the target. Electrical signals are transmitted through
the wires into the body of the subject, impairing his ability to
control his body or perform coordinated action.
The ADVANCED TASER M26 records the time and date of every
firing. This data can be downloaded to a computer and used to
investigate potential misuse of the weapon.
The ADVANCED TASER M26 disperses 20-50 serial numbered
identification tags upon firing. These tags can be used to trace
the registered owner of the air cartridge used.
We have rights to the following registered trademarks:
TASER
®
and AIR TASER
®
. We also have the
following unregistered trademarks: TASER Wave
,
T-Wave
, AUTO TASER
, ADVANCED
TASER
and AFID
.
Each other trademark,
trade name or service mark appearing in this prospectus belongs
to its respective holder.
Proposed
Proposed Maximum
Maximum
Amount to be
Offering Price Per
Aggregate
Amount of
Title of Each Class of Securities to be Registered
Registered
Security(1)
Offering Price
Registration Fee
1,150,000
$
11.00
$
12,650,000
$
3,163
1,150,000
1,150,000
100,000
100,000
$
13.20
$
1,320,000
$
330
100,000
(ii) one warrant to purchase one share of common stock
100,000
1,250,000
$
16.50
$
20,625,000
$
5,157
$
34,595,000
$
8,649
(1)
Estimated solely for purposes of calculating the registration
fee in accordance with Rule 457(g) under the Securities Act
of 1933.
(2)
Includes 150,000 units which Paulson Investment Company, Inc.,
the representative of the underwriters, has the option to
purchase to cover over-allotments, if any.
(3)
In connection with the sale of the units, TASER International,
Inc. will issue to the representative warrants to purchase, in
the aggregate, up to 100,000 units.
(4)
Pursuant to Rule 416 under the Securities Act of 1933,
there are also being registered such additional shares and
warrants as may be issuable pursuant to the anti-dilution
provisions of the public warrants and the representatives
warrants.
The information in this
prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell
these securities until the registration statement filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus
is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting
an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or
sale is not permitted.
Per Unit
Total
$
$
$
$
$
$
PROSPECTUS SUMMARY
The following summary highlights selected information
contained in this prospectus. This summary does not contain all
the information you should consider before investing in the
units. Before making an investment decision, you should read the
entire prospectus carefully, including the Risk
Factors section, the financial statements and the notes to
the financial statements
.
Our Company
TASER International, Inc. develops, assembles and markets
less-lethal, conducted energy weapons primarily for use in the
law enforcement market. Our ADVANCED TASER weapon offers
improved performance over other less-lethal force options used
by law enforcement agencies. It can temporarily incapacitate
virtually any individual regardless of pain tolerance, drug use,
or body size factors that cause other less-lethal
options to have decreased effectiveness yet has a
comparable or lower injury rate and has had no reported
long-term, adverse after-effects.
The ADVANCED TASER uses compressed nitrogen to shoot two small
probes up to 21 feet. These barbed probes are connected to the
weapon by high-voltage insulated wires. When the probes make
contact with the target, the ADVANCED TASER transmits powerful
electrical pulses along the wires and into the body of the
target through up to two inches of clothing. These electrical
pulses impair voluntary muscle control so that the subject
cannot perform coordinated action.
Law enforcement agencies are increasingly adopting less-lethal
weapons, including pepper sprays, rubber bullets, and conducted
energy weapons such as TASERs. Effective less-lethal weapons may
increase the safety of law enforcement officers, decrease
suspect injuries, improve community relations, reduce litigation
and police department medical and liability insurance costs, and
potentially save lives.
Since its introduction in December 1999, over 350 police
departments in the United States have made initial purchases of
our products and 15 police departments, including San Diego,
Sacramento and Albuquerque, have purchased our products for
every patrol officer. In addition, at February 1, 2001,
more than 200 other police departments were evaluating the use
of the ADVANCED TASER.
The key elements of our growth strategy are:
Our corporate headquarters is located at 7860 East McClain
Drive, Suite 2, Scottsdale, Arizona 85260 and our telephone
number is (480) 991-0797. Our website address is
www.eTASER.com. Information contained on our website or any
other website does not constitute a part of this prospectus.
1
To expand sales in the law enforcement and corrections market,
which we believe to be the opinion leader for all other markets
for less-lethal weapons;
To expand into the related private security and military markets;
To expand into the consumer market;
To develop enhanced less-lethal weapons and technologies, such
as longer-range TASERs and TASERs with multiple shot
capabilities; and
To acquire related businesses that enhance our strategic
position.
This Offering
The number of shares of common stock outstanding after this
offering is based on 1,510,754 shares outstanding as of
February 12, 2001. The number of shares of common stock
outstanding after this offering assumes no exercise of the
representatives over-allotment option and does not include
an aggregate of 1,687,049 shares of common stock that may become
outstanding as follows:
Historical information regarding our securities has been
adjusted to reflect a 1-for-6 reverse stock split effected in
connection with our reincorporation in Delaware on
February 12, 2001. Except as otherwise indicated, all
information in this prospectus assumes no exercise of the
representatives over-allotment option or the
representatives warrants. References to we,
us, the company or TASER
mean TASER International, Inc., unless otherwise indicated.
2
Securities offered
1,000,000 units. Each unit consists of one share of common stock
and one public warrant to purchase an additional share of common
stock.
The common stock and public warrants will trade only as a unit
for at least 30 days following this offering. The
representative of the underwriters will then determine when the
units separate, after which the common stock and the public
warrants will trade separately.
Public warrants
The public warrants included in the units will be exercisable
commencing 30 days after this offering. The exercise price
of a public warrant is 150% of the initial public offering price
of the units. The public warrants expire on the fifth
anniversary of the closing of the offering.
We have the right, commencing three months after the closing of
this offering, to redeem the public warrants issued in this
offering at a redemption price of $0.25 per public warrant,
after providing 30 days prior written notice to the public
warrant holders, if the average closing bid price of the common
stock equals or exceeds 200% of the initial public offering
price of the units for ten consecutive trading days ending prior
to the date of the notice of redemption.
Common stock outstanding after this offering
2,510,754 shares
Use of proceeds
Repayment of debt, sales and marketing, research and
development, production tooling and working capital.
Proposed Nasdaq SmallCap Market symbols
Common stock
TASR
Units offered in this offering
TASRU
Public warrants included in
the units
TASRW
434,322 shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of stock
options outstanding as of February 12, 2001, with a
weighted average exercise price of $5.96;
52,727 shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of warrants
outstanding as of February 12, 2001, with a weighted
average exercise price of $4.71;
1,000,000 shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the
public warrants; and
100,000 shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the
representatives warrants and 100,000 shares of common
stock issuable upon exercise of the public warrants underlying
the representatives warrants.
SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION
3
Years ended December 31,
1999
2000
$
2,366,440
$
3,499,758
873,855
2,062,445
(1,329,478
)
(46,885
)
(1,610,299
)
(415,629
)
$
(0.52
)
$
(0.17
)
3,076,410
2,482,976
December 31,
December 31,
1999
2000
$
(2,355,782
)
$
(1,011,984
)
256,110
274,273
605,146
1,039,066
94,760
2,822,144
$
(2,194,432
)
$
(3,559,855
)
RISK FACTORS
This offering involves a high degree of risk. You should
carefully consider the following risk factors and all other
information contained in this prospectus before purchasing any
units. Any of the following risks could materially harm our
business, operating results and financial condition, and could
result in a decrease in the trading price of our units, common
stock or public warrants, or in a complete loss of your
investment
.
Risks Related to Our Business
We have no history of profitable operations and may incur
future losses.
Since our inception in 1993, we have incurred significant
losses. Our net losses for the years ended December 31,
1999 and 2000 were $1.6 million and $416,000, respectively. At
December 31, 2000, we had an accumulated deficit of
approximately $6.7 million. In addition, we expect our operating
expenses to increase significantly as we expand our sales and
marketing efforts and otherwise support our expected growth.
Given these planned expenditures, we may incur additional losses
in the near future. We may never achieve or sustain
profitability.
We are materially dependent on acceptance of our products
by the law enforcement and corrections market.
We have recently devoted significant resources to sales
opportunities in the law enforcement and corrections market. A
substantial number of law enforcement and corrections agencies
may not purchase our conducted energy, less-lethal weapons.
Despite the absence of reported long-term, adverse after-effects
from the use of our products, these agencies may be influenced
by claims or perceptions that conducted energy weapons are
unsafe or may be used in an abusive manner. In addition, earlier
generation conducted energy weapons may have been perceived as
ineffective. Sales of our products to these agencies may be
delayed or limited by these claims or perceptions. If our
products are not widely accepted by the law enforcement and
corrections market, we may not be able to expand sales of our
products in additional markets.
We have a limited operating history in the law enforcement
and corrections market.
Under an agreement with another company, we were prevented from
selling our products in the law enforcement and corrections
market until February 1998. We shifted our corporate focus to
this market only in late 1999. Due to our limited operating
history, we may not be able to attain significant sales in this
market.
We substantially depend on sales of a single product
line.
We derived the majority of our revenues from sales of ADVANCED
TASERs and related cartridges in 2000. A decrease in the prices
of or demand for this product line, or its failure to achieve
broad market acceptance, would significantly harm our business,
financial condition and operating results.
We may not be able to manage our projected growth.
We may experience growth that strains our managerial, financial
and other resources. Our systems, procedures, controls and
management resources may not be adequate to support our future
operations. We will need to continually improve our operational,
financial and other internal systems to manage our growth
effectively. If we are unable to manage our growth, our
business, operating results and financial condition could be
adversely affected.
We may face potential personal injury and other liability
claims.
Our products are often used in aggressive confrontations that
may result in serious, permanent bodily injury to those
involved. Although there have been no reported long-term,
adverse after-effects from the use of our products, our products
may cause or be associated with these injuries. A person injured
in a
4
We plan to relocate our product assembly operations from
Mexico to the United States by the end of the second quarter of
2001, which may adversely affect product availability and
cost.
We plan to terminate assembly operations with our turnkey
supplier in Guaymas, Mexico and relocate some production
equipment from Mexico to the United States. In anticipation of
moving our product assembly operations from Mexico, we have
initiated a parallel production capability in our new facility
in Scottsdale, Arizona. If we encounter delays or unforeseen
problems in this move, it may significantly adversely affect our
ability to produce and ship product and generate short-term
sales and cash flow. Also, assembly of our products in the
United States may result in an increase in our cost of products
sold.
We are materially dependent on independent distributors
for the sale of our products.
We sell our products primarily through a network of independent
distributors. Our arrangements with these distributors are
generally short-term. If we do not competitively price our
products, meet the requirements of our distributors or
end-users, provide adequate marketing support, or comply with
the terms of our distribution arrangements, our distributors may
fail to aggressively market our products or may terminate their
relationships with us. These developments would likely have a
material adverse effect on our sales.
We expend significant resources in anticipation of a sale
due to our lengthy sales cycle.
Generally, law enforcement and corrections agencies consider a
wide range of issues before committing to purchase our products,
including product benefits, training costs, the cost to use our
products in addition to or in place of other less-lethal
products, product reliability and budget constraints. The length
of our sales cycle may range from 60 days to a year or
more. We may incur substantial selling costs and expend
significant effort in connection with the evaluation of our
products by potential customers before they place an order. If
these potential customers do not purchase our products, we will
have expended significant resources and received no revenue in
return.
Most of our end-users are subject to budgetary and
political constraints.
Most of our end-user customers are government agencies. These
agencies often do not set their own budgets and therefore have
little control over the amount of money they can spend. In
addition, these agencies experience political pressure that may
dictate the manner in which they spend money. As a result, even
if an agency wants to acquire our products, it may be unable to
purchase them due to budgetary or political constraints. Some
government agency orders may also be canceled or substantially
delayed due to budgetary, political or other scheduling delays
which frequently occur in connection with the acquisition of
products by government agencies.
Government regulation of our products may adversely affect
sales.
Federal regulation of sales in the United States.
Our
weapons are not firearms regulated by the Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco and Firearms, but are consumer products regulated by the
United States Consumer Product Safety Commission. Although there
are currently no federal laws restricting sales of our weapons
in the United States, future federal regulation could adversely
affect sales of our products.
Federal regulation of international sales.
Our weapons
are controlled as a crime control implement by the
United States Department of Commerce, or DOC, for export
directly from the United
5
State and local regulation.
Our weapons are currently
controlled, restricted or their use prohibited by several state
and local governments. Our weapons are banned from consumer sale
or use in seven states: New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island,
Michigan, Wisconsin, Massachusetts and Hawaii. Law enforcement
use of our products is also restricted in Michigan, New Jersey,
Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Hawaii. Some municipalities,
including Omaha, Nebraska and Washington, D.C., also prohibit
consumer use of our products. Other jurisdictions may ban or
restrict the sale of our products and our product sales may be
significantly affected by additional state, county and city
governmental regulation.
Foreign regulation.
Certain foreign jurisdictions
including Japan, the United Kingdom, Australia, Italy and Hong
Kong prohibit the sale of our products.
We are dependent on key personnel.
Our success depends to a significant extent upon the continued
services of our executive officers and other key management,
sales and technical personnel. In particular, we rely upon
Mr. Patrick W. Smith, our chief executive officer, and
Mr. Thomas P. Smith, our president. The loss of the
services of any of our executive officers or other key
management, sales or technical personnel could adversely affect
us. We intend to purchase key-person insurance on the lives of
Thomas and Patrick Smith following this offering.
We may not be able to adequately protect or enforce our
intellectual property rights.
We have licensed or patented certain aspects of the technology
incorporated in our products. The validity and breadth of claims
covered in technology patents involve complex legal and factual
questions, and the resolution of such claims may be highly
uncertain, lengthy, and expensive. The scope of any patent to
which we have or may obtain rights may not prevent others from
developing and selling competing products. In addition, our
patents may be held invalid upon challenge, others may claim
rights in or ownership of our patents, and our products may
infringe, or be alleged to infringe, upon the intellectual
property rights of others.
We may face competition from larger, more established
companies.
The law enforcement and corrections market and other markets we
plan to enter are highly competitive. We face competition from
numerous larger, better capitalized and more widely known
companies that make other less-lethal weapons and products.
Increased competition may result in greater pricing pressure,
which could adversely affect our gross margins.
We may incur significant warranty costs if our products
have manufacturing defects.
We offer a lifetime warranty on our AIR TASER and ADVANCED TASER
weapons under which we will replace any weapon that fails to
operate properly for a $25 fee. We may incur significant
warranty costs if our products are defective in hardware or
workmanship and fail to operate properly for these or any other
reasons. In 2000, we recalled and replaced a series of ADVANCED
TASERs due to a defective component.
Our revenues and operating results may fluctuate
unexpectedly from quarter to quarter, which may cause our stock
price to decline.
Our revenues and operating results have varied significantly in
the past and may vary significantly in the future due to various
factors, including changes in our operating expenses, the timing
of the introduction of new products and services, market
acceptance of our new products and services, regulatory changes
that may affect the competitive environment for our products,
and budgetary cycles of municipal,
6
We depend on third-party suppliers for key components of
our weapons.
We depend on certain domestic and foreign suppliers for the
delivery of raw materials used in the production of our
products. Specifically, we depend on suppliers of
sub-assemblies, machined parts, injection molded parts, steel
castings, custom wire fabrications, and other miscellaneous
custom parts for our products. We do not have long-term supply
agreements with any of these suppliers. Although we believe that
alternative supplies for these materials and components are
available, any interruption of supply for any material
components of our products could significantly delay the
shipment of our products and have a material adverse effect on
our business, financial condition and operating results.
Foreign currency fluctuations may reduce our
competitiveness in foreign markets.
Although our policy of exclusively entering into
dollar-denominated contracts eliminates our risk of foreign
exchange losses, the relative change in currency values creates
fluctuations in product pricing for potential international
customers. These changes in end-user foreign prices may result
in lost orders and reduce the competitiveness of our products in
certain foreign markets. These changes may also negatively
affect the financial condition of some foreign customers and
reduce or eliminate their future orders of our products.
We are parties to a lawsuit involving the rights of a
former distributor of our products.
A former distributor of our products has filed a lawsuit in the
state of New York asserting certain rights of exclusive sales
representation with respect to our products. The former
distributor claims that he has the exclusive right to market and
sell our products to an extensive list of our current and
potential customers throughout the United States. We believe the
claims are without merit.
Risks Related to This Offering
We may use the proceeds of this offering in ways that do
not improve our operating results or the market value of our
common stock.
We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering for
repayment of stockholder and other debt, increased marketing
efforts, research and development and general corporate
purposes. Repayment of our debt will not directly improve our
operating results. Our management will retain broad discretion
and significant flexibility in applying the net proceeds from
this offering. If our management does not apply the proceeds
effectively, our business will be harmed.
You will suffer immediate dilution of your investment and
may experience further dilution in the future.
We anticipate that the initial public offering price of the
units will be substantially higher than the net tangible book
value per share of our common stock after this offering. As a
result, you will incur immediate dilution of approximately $8.15
in net tangible book value for each share of our common stock
included in the units you purchase. If any currently outstanding
options or warrants to purchase our common stock are exercised,
your investment will be further diluted.
There has been no prior market for our securities and a
public market for our securities may not develop or be
sustained.
Prior to this offering, you could not buy or sell our securities
publicly. If an active public market for our securities is not
sustained after this offering, the market price of our
securities may fall below their initial public offering price,
and the liquidity of your investment may be significantly
limited.
7
The initial public offering price of our units may not
accurately reflect their future market performance.
The initial public offering price of the units has been
determined based on negotiations between the underwriters
representative and us. The initial public offering price may not
be indicative of future market performance and may bear no
relationship to the price at which our units, common stock or
public warrants will trade.
The price of our securities may be volatile.
The stock market has recently experienced significant price and
volume fluctuations. The price of our securities may fluctuate
significantly in response to a number of factors, including:
Volatility in the market price of our securities could lead to
claims against us. Defending these claims could result in
significant costs and a diversion of our managements
attention and resources.
Future sales of our common stock by our existing
stockholders could decrease the trading price of our common
stock.
Sales of a large number of shares of our common stock in the
public markets after this offering, or the potential for such
sales, could decrease the trading price of our common stock and
could impair our ability to raise capital through future sales
of our common stock. Upon completion of this offering, there
will be 2,510,754 shares of our common stock outstanding. The
1,000,000 shares of common stock sold in this offering and the
1,000,000 shares of common stock reserved for issuance upon
exercise of the public warrants sold in this offering will be
freely tradeable without restrictions or further registration
under the Securities Act of 1933, unless such shares are
purchased by our affiliates, as that term is defined
in the Securities Act of 1933. An additional 1,687,049 shares of
common stock, including shares issuable upon exercise of the
representatives warrants, may become outstanding upon
exercise or conversion of options or warrants currently
outstanding or sold in this offering, subject to various lock-up
agreements prohibiting the sale of such shares for one year
following completion of this offering.
The exercise of previously issued options and warrants may
dilute your investment in our shares and impair our ability to
obtain financing.
In addition to the 1,510,754 shares outstanding as of
February 12, 2001, there are currently outstanding options
to purchase 434,322 shares of our common stock, 119,055 of which
are currently exercisable. We have reserved an additional
259,000 shares of our common stock for issuance pursuant to
options that may be granted in the future to key employees, and
others, under our 2001 Stock Option Plan. In addition, we have
issued warrants to acquire up to 52,727 shares of our common
stock. During the terms of such options and warrants, the
holders of such securities have the opportunity to profit from a
rise in the value or market price of our common stock, and the
exercise of these options and warrants could dilute the then
book value per share of our common stock. The existence of these
options and warrants could adversely affect the terms at which
we could obtain additional equity financing. Moreover, the
holders of the options and warrants may be expected to exercise
them at a time when we could obtain equity capital on terms more
favorable than those provided by the options and warrants.
8
We will need to comply with federal and state securities
laws to maintain the tradeability of our securities.
We must maintain in effect the registration statement filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission with respect to the units
and must also comply with the securities laws of a state for the
units, common stock and public warrants to be tradeable in that
state. If we do not comply with federal or state securities
laws, your ability to sell the securities offered by this
prospectus may be significantly reduced.
Certain of our directors or investors will personally
benefit from the use of the proceeds of this offering.
We will use the proceeds from this offering to repay a $1.5
million loan from a director who is also a stockholder and to
retire the interest accrued through March 1, 2001, on our
outstanding stockholder notes. In addition, if the
over-allotment option granted to the representative of the
underwriters is exercised in full, approximately $1.3 million in
stockholder notes, including a note issued to our chairman, will
be retired. This debt matures July 1, 2002.
We may need additional financing.
If revenues are less than expected, or if expenses exceed our
expectations, we may be required to find additional sources of
financing to continue or expand our operations. We could seek
additional financing from a number of sources, including, but
not limited to, possible further sales of equity or debt
securities and loans from banks, affiliates of the company, or
other financial institutions. We may not be able to sell any
such securities, or obtain such additional financing, on terms
and conditions acceptable or favorable to the company, or at
all, if and when needed by the company.
Our existing stockholders will continue to control
us.
Upon completion of this offering, existing stockholders will own
approximately 60% of our outstanding common stock. These
stockholders will continue to control most matters requiring
approval by our stockholders, including the election of our
directors.
We do not intend to pay cash dividends.
Any investors who have or anticipate any need for immediate
income from their investment should not purchase any of the
units offered hereby.
Provisions of our charter documents and Delaware law may
have anti-takeover effects that could hinder a change in our
corporate control.
Provisions of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws may
discourage, delay or prevent a merger or acquisition that a
stockholder may consider favorable. These provisions include:
Provisions of Delaware law, including provisions that prohibit
business combinations with entities holding greater than a
threshold amount of voting stock, also may discourage, delay or
prevent someone from acquiring or merging with us, which may
cause the market price of our securities to decline.
You should not rely upon our forward-looking
statements.
Some of the statements made in this prospectus discuss future
events and developments, including our future business strategy
and our ability to generate revenue, income and cash flow. In
some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by words
or phrases such as may, will,
should, expects,
9
USE OF PROCEEDS
We estimate that the net proceeds from the sale of the 1,000,000
units that we are selling in this offering will be approximately
$8,200,000, or $9,527,500 if the representative exercises its
over-allotment option in full, based on an assumed public
offering price of $10.00 per unit, and after deducting the
underwriting discount, expense allowance, and estimated offering
expenses of $650,000 payable by us.
We expect to allocate the net proceeds of this offering as
follows:
The debt we intend to repay includes:
Further, if the representative exercises its over-allotment
option in full, we will repay the principal on other outstanding
stockholder notes of approximately $1.3 million. Payment of
accrued expenses and payables includes deferred employee expense
reimbursement, accumulated interest, past due trade payables,
and other miscellaneous accrued expenses.
Pending such uses of the proceeds from this offering, we intend
to invest the net proceeds in interest-bearing, investment grade
securities.
10
The foregoing discussion is merely an estimate based on our
current business plan. Our actual expenditures may vary
depending upon circumstances not yet known, such as the time
actually required to reach a positive cash flow or to
successfully expand the market for our products.
DIVIDEND POLICY
We have never declared or paid any cash dividends on our shares
of common stock and do not anticipate paying any cash dividends
in the foreseeable future. Currently, we intend to retain any
future earnings for use in the operation and expansion of our
business. Any future decision to pay cash dividends will be at
the discretion of our board of directors and will depend upon
our financial condition, results of operations, capital
requirements and other factors our board of directors may deem
relevant.
11
Our quarterly operating results;
Changes in earnings estimates by analysts and whether our
earnings meet or exceed such estimates;
Announcements of technological innovations by us or our
competitors;
Additions or departures of key personnel; and
Other events or factors that may be beyond our control.
authorizing our board of directors to issue preferred stock
without stockholder approval;
providing for a classified board of directors with staggered,
three-year terms; and
allowing written stockholder actions only by unanimous consent.
Approximate
Approximate
Amount
Percentage
$
1,500,000
18
%
1,180,000
14
%
300,000
4
%
1,000,000
12
%
1,500,000
18
%
500,000
6
%
250,000
3
%
1,970,000
25
%
$
8,200,000
100
%
a $1,500,000 note at an interest rate of bank prime (9.5% at
December 31, 2000) plus 1% payable to a stockholder;
a $500,000 note at an interest rate of 18% payable to a private
investor;
a $189,980 note at an interest rate of 10% payable to a third
party vendor;
a $99,974 note at an interest rate of 10% payable to our
chairman;
a remaining balance of $94,000 on a note at an interest rate of
11% payable to a private investor; and
approximately $300,000 of accrued but unpaid interest on notes
to our stockholders, including our chairman and a director.
CAPITALIZATION
The following table sets forth our capitalization at
December 31, 2000 on an actual basis and on a pro forma
basis, after giving effect to our reincorporation in Delaware,
our related 1-for-6 reverse stock split, and the sale of
1,000,000 units offered hereby at an estimated price of $10.00
per unit and the initial application of the estimated net
proceeds therefrom. This table should be read in conjunction
with, and is qualified by, the financial statements and notes
thereto included elsewhere in this prospectus.
12
December 31, 2000
Actual
Pro Forma
(dollars in thousands)
$
100
$
125
300
190
268
$
983
$
$
2,822
$
1,325
1,890
1,310
4,720
(80
)
(80
)
(6,680
)
(3,560
)
4,640
$
(738
)
$
5,965
(1)
Subsequent to December 31, 2000, an investor advanced us
$500,000, which is due to be repaid with the proceeds from this
offering upon its closing or by July 1, 2002, whichever is
earlier.
(2)
Does not include (i) 434,322 shares of common stock
issuable upon exercise of stock options issued pursuant to our
stock option plans, which have a weighted average exercise price
of $5.96 per share, (ii) an additional 52,727 shares of
common stock issuable upon exercise of warrants outstanding,
which have a weighted average exercise price of $4.71, and
(iii) the shares of common stock underlying the units
issuable upon exercise of the representatives
over-allotment option.
(3)
Our accumulated deficit, which was $6.7 million at December 31,
2000, was reclassified into additional paid-in capital upon the
termination of our S corporation tax status in the first quarter
of 2001.
DILUTION
If you invest in our units, your interest will be diluted to the
extent of the difference between the public offering price per
share of our common stock and the as adjusted net tangible book
value per share of our common stock after this offering. For
purposes of the dilution computation and the following tables,
we have allocated the full purchase price of a unit to the share
of common stock included in the unit and nothing to the warrant
included in the unit. As of December 31, 2000, our net
tangible book value was a negative $3,559,855, or a deficiency
of $2.36 per share of common stock. Net tangible book value per
share represents the amount of our total tangible assets reduced
by the amount of our total liabilities, divided by the total
number of shares of common stock outstanding. Dilution in net
tangible book value per share represents the difference between
the amount per share paid by the purchasers of our units in this
offering and the net tangible book value per share of our common
stock immediately afterwards. Without taking into effect any
changes in the net tangible book value after December 31,
2000, other than to give effect to the sale of 1,000,000 units
in this offering at the assumed initial public offering price of
$10.00 per unit and the application of the net proceeds of this
offering, the net tangible book value of TASER as of
December 31, 2000 would have been $4,640,145, or $1.85 per
share. This represents an immediate increase of $4.20 per share
of common stock to existing stockholders and an immediate
dilution of $8.15 per share of common stock to the new investors
who purchase units in this offering. The following table
illustrates this per share dilution:
If the representatives over-allotment option is exercised
in full, dilution per share to new investors would be $7.76 per
share of common stock.
The following table summarizes as of December 31, 2000 the
differences between the existing stockholders and the new
investors with respect to the number of shares of common stock
purchased, the total consideration paid, and the average price
per share paid:
The above computations assume no exercise of outstanding options
or warrants to purchase common stock, the representatives
over-allotment option, the public warrants included in units
sold in this offering or the representatives warrants. To
the extent that these options and warrants are exercised, there
will be further dilution to new investors.
13
$
10.00
$
(2.36
)
$
4.21
$
1.85
$
8.15
Shares Purchased
Total Consideration
Average Price
Number
Percent
Amount
Percent
Per Share
1,510,754
60
%
$
3,199,898
24
%
$
2.12
1,000,000
40
%
10,000,000
76
%
$
10.00
2,510,754
100
%
$
13,199,898
100
%
MANAGEMENTS DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL
CONDITION
The following discussion of our financial condition and
results of operations should be read in conjunction with the
financial statements and related notes to the financial
statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. This
discussion contains forward-looking statements that relate to
future events or our future financial performance. These
statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and
other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of
activity, performance or achievements to be materially different
from any future results, levels of activity, performance or
achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking
statements. These risks and other factors include, among others,
those listed under Risk Factors and those included
elsewhere in this prospectus.
Overview
We began operations in Arizona in 1993 for the purpose of
developing and manufacturing less-lethal self-defense devices.
From inception until the introduction of our first product, the
AIR TASER, in 1994, we were in the development stage and focused
our efforts on product development, raising capital, hiring key
employees and developing marketing materials to promote our
product line.
In 1995 and 1996, we focused our efforts on promoting retail
sales and establishing marketing channels for the AIR TASER
product line. However, our marketing efforts were limited by a
non-compete agreement prohibiting the company from marketing or
selling our products to the U.S. law enforcement and military
markets. Accordingly, initial sales of the AIR TASER were
limited to the consumer market. While early sales in this market
were promising, by the end of 1996 we were unable to establish
consistent sales channels in the consumer marketplace, and sales
declined. In late 1996, we relocated our production facilities
to Mexico to reduce production costs.
In 1997, we introduced our second product line, the AUTO TASER.
The initial market response to the AUTO TASER suggested the
demand for this product would more than compensate for the
declining AIR TASER sales. Because of strong pressure from
pre-production orders, we accelerated the development of the
AUTO TASER. As a result of this acceleration, production costs
of the AUTO TASER far exceeded initial projections, and we
experienced a substantial amount of AUTO TASER returns due to
product defects.
The non-compete agreement that had precluded sales to the law
enforcement and military markets expired in 1998. During this
year, we focused our development efforts on the ADVANCED TASER
product line, a redesigned and enhanced version of the AIR
TASER, targeted primarily to the U.S. law enforcement and
corrections market. During 1998, in addition to $66,000 paid to
outside research and development consultants, we also incurred
substantial internal unallocated expenses associated with the
development of the ADVANCED TASER. Further, end-user sales of
the AUTO TASER continued to decline, and product returns
remained higher than expectations.
In August 1999, the AUTO TASER product line was formally
discontinued and we closed our production facilities in Mexico.
We outsourced the production of our remaining finished goods and
non-proprietary components to a third-party assembler. We
shifted our focus to completion of the ADVANCED TASER
development project and introduced the first ADVANCED TASER
units for sale to law enforcement customers in
December 1999. As a result of these activities and product
development expenses, we had accumulated a deficit of $6.3
million by December 31, 1999.
The first full year of the ADVANCED TASER product line sales was
2000. We spent the year focusing on building the distribution
channel for marketing the product line and developing a
nationwide training campaign to introduce the product line to
law enforcement agencies, primarily in North America.
14
Results of Operations
For the years ended December 31, 1999 and 2000, sales by
product were as follows:
Net sales.
Net sales increased $1.1 million, or 48%, from
$2.4 million for the year ended December 31, 1999 to $3.5
million for the year ended December 31, 2000. The increase
was due almost entirely to the first full year of sales of the
ADVANCED TASER, primarily to law enforcement agencies. The
increase in sales was partially offset by the decline in AUTO
TASER sales due to the discontinuation of this product line and
somewhat lower sales of the AIR TASER to consumers.
Cost of products sold.
Cost of products sold decreased
from $1.5 million in 1999, or 63% of net sales, to $1.4 million
in 2000, or 41% of net sales. The decrease in cost of products
sold as a percentage of net sales was due primarily to the lower
direct production costs associated with the AIR and ADVANCED
TASERs, which averaged 33% of gross sales as compared to 55% of
gross sales for the AUTO TASER, and a one-time charge related to
the phase-out of the AUTO TASER product line of approximately
$355,000 in 1999.
At December 31, 2000, our principal product costs included
the following:
In 2001, we anticipate that direct labor will represent a larger
portion of cost of products sold as we move final assembly to
our facility in Scottsdale.
Gross profit.
Gross profit increased $1.2 million, or
136%, from $874,000 in 1999 to $2.1 million in 2000. Our gross
profit margin was 37% of net sales in 1999 compared to 59% in
2000 due to increased sales of higher margin ADVANCED TASER
products and the write offs taken in 1999 as a result of the
phase out of the AUTO TASER.
Operating expenses.
Operating expenses decreased
$203,000, or 32%, from $634,000 in 1999 to $431,000 in 2000.
Operating expenses were 27% of net sales in 1999 compared to 12%
of net sales in 2000. This reduction in operating expenses is
due largely to the closure of our manufacturing facility in
Mexico in August 1999, and the associated reduction in staff
when we outsourced production and assembly. Operating expenses
are the indirect costs associated with producing our products,
such as rent on production facilities, engineering and support
salaries and other indirect manufacturing costs. We do not
anticipate proportionate increases in operating expenses in the
event our revenues increase.
Sales, general and administrative expenses.
Sales,
general and administrative expenses increased by $163,000, or
12%, from $1.4 million in 1999 to $1.5 million in 2000. Sales,
general and administrative
15
Interest expense.
Interest expense increased by
$88,000, or 31%, from $281,000 in 1999 to $369,000 in 2000. The
increase reflects the cost of the higher level of related party
debt in 2000 over 1999, primarily used to fund working capital.
In addition, we issued warrants and options in 2000 valued at
$26,000 to certain stockholders for loan guarantees.
Corporate tax status.
Prior to our re-incorporation in
Delaware in February 2001, we were an S-corporation, which
allowed all the tax attributes to flow through to the
stockholders. In February 2001, we changed our tax
reporting status to that of a C-corporation. When we
re-incorporated, all accumulated shareholder deficit was
converted to additional paid-in capital. As a result there are
no net operating loss carry forwards available to us.
Net loss.
The net loss decreased $1.2 million, or 74%,
from $1.6 million in 1999 to $416,000 in 2000. Basic and diluted
net loss per common share was $0.52 in 1999 compared to $0.17 in
2000. The reduced net loss in 2000 resulted primarily from
increased sales volume and increased gross margins attributable
to sales of the ADVANCED TASER line.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Liquidity.
We had a working capital deficiency of $2.4
million at December 31, 1999 and $1.0 million at
December 31, 2000. The improvement in working capital from
1999 to 2000 was largely due to the extension of short-term
related party debt to long-term debt. In both 1999 and 2000,
cash was used primarily to fund operating losses and for
investment in property and equipment. We have historically
addressed our working capital shortfalls through capital
investment and debt financing from related parties.
In 2000 we generated cash from operations of $66,000, primarily
as a result of a significant customer deposit of $440,000
received in December 2000. In 1999, operations consumed
$705,000 in cash. Although we anticipate that our cash flow from
operations will be at least break-even in 2001, we have not
historically generated sufficient cash from operations to fund
future growth or to repay our long-term debt that principally
comes due July 1, 2002.
We anticipate that, after the completion of this offering, our
cash resources will be adequate to meet our liquidity needs for
at least the next two years. There can also be no assurances
that our working capital objectives will be reached in the near
future, if ever. If additional capital is required, it may not
be available on favorable terms or at all.
Capital resources.
In the past, we have funded our
operating deficits primarily through indebtedness to related
parties. Our indebtedness to stockholders and related parties
totaled $2.9 million at December 31, 2000. The majority of
this indebtedness matures at the earlier of the completion of
this offering or July 2002. The indebtedness bears interest
ranging from 9% to 27%. A significant portion of this
indebtedness will be repaid from the proceeds of this offering,
including the representatives over-allotment option, if
exercised.
Capital commitments.
At December 31, 2000, we had no
material commitments for capital expenditures. Other commitments
include rental payments under operating leases for office space
and equipment, and commitments under employment contracts with
our chief executive officer, president, and chief financial
officer.
16
December 31
December 31
Product
1999
%
2000
%
$
80,000
3
%
$
2,152,000
62
%
1,327,000
56
%
1,240,000
35
%
608,000
26
%
24,000
1
%
351,000
15
%
83,000
2
%
$
2,366,000
100
%
$
3,500,000
100
%
Direct materials: Direct materials include raw materials and
sub-assemblies sold to our contract manufacturer for insertion
into the final production assemblies as well as supplies used in
production. Direct materials represent the majority of our cost
of products.
Direct labor: Direct labor represents the expenses incurred in
our Scottsdale, Arizona facility for the assembly and packaging
of sub-assemblies. Once finished, these sub-assemblies are sold
to our contract manufacturer for insertion in finished product.
Prior to 2000, direct labor included wages paid to employees in
our Mexico production facility.
Shipping expense: Shipping expense includes those costs
associated with shipping finished products to our customers.
This includes freight paid to ship orders, special handling
charges and related transaction fees.
BUSINESS
Company overview
We develop, assemble and market less-lethal, conducted energy
weapons primarily for use in the law enforcement and corrections
market. Over 350 police departments in the United States have
made initial purchases of our products and 15 police
departments, including San Diego, Sacramento, and Albuquerque,
have purchased our products for every patrol officer. As of
February 1, 2001, more than 200 additional police
departments were evaluating our newest product, the ADVANCED
TASER.
We sell two principal products. We introduced the AIR TASER in
1994 and targeted it primarily at the consumer market. We
designed the AIR TASER to look like a cellular telephone or
other consumer electronic item, rather than a weapon. The terms
of an agreement we signed with Electronic Medical Laboratories,
Inc., doing business as Tasertron and the original licensee of a
patent on certain technology used in our weapons, precluded us
from selling our products to United States law enforcement,
corrections and military agencies until February 1998.
After expiration of this agreement, we introduced the ADVANCED
TASER, an upgraded and redesigned version of the AIR TASER, to
appeal to the law enforcement and corrections market. It uses
the same basic operating principle as the AIR TASER but produces
four times the AIR TASERs power output. It is also
pistol-shaped to make it easier for police officers to use. The
ADVANCED TASER can be sold with an integrated laser sight and a
built-in memory option to record the time and date of up to 500
firings. We believe the ADVANCED TASER will also appeal to the
security, military and consumer markets, and intend to pursue
sales in these markets after further penetrating the law
enforcement and corrections market.
Industry background
The market for less-lethal weapons includes law enforcement
agencies, correctional facilities, military agencies, private
security guard companies and retail consumers. We believe law
enforcement officials are the opinion leaders regarding market
acceptance of new security products. In recent years, successful
new security products such as the GLOCK handgun and
the Mag-Lite flashlight were first marketed to and
accepted by police departments. We therefore focus on the law
enforcement agency segment of the market for less-lethal weapons.
Generally, each police force has a use-of-force policy that
dictates the level of force its officers can use to respond to
various situations. A police officer is trained to use only the
minimum force necessary to overcome the threat of injury or
violence posed by a suspect. For example, under most policies,
an officer may not use lethal force unless a subject poses a
threat of significant bodily injury or fatality to the officer
or other persons.
In fact, most police officers never deploy lethal force in the
course of their careers. While the vast majority of law
enforcement officers around the world are armed with firearms,
only a small percentage will actually ever use them. Many police
officers, however, must use less-lethal force on a regular
basis. Less-lethal force can range from a control hold to the
use of a baton, chemical spray, or other means to control a
subject that is actively resisting the officer.
Police officers are often injured while trying to subdue a
suspect with less-lethal force. Traditional tactics such as
using a baton or fist to control a suspect result not only in a
significant risk of injury to the suspect, but also a
significant risk that the officer will be injured. If an officer
can subdue a suspect from a safe distance using effective
less-lethal weapons, he greatly reduces the probability that he
or the suspect, as well as bystanders, will be injured during a
confrontation.
A variety of new less-lethal weapons have been developed to
address the need to temporarily incapacitate an attacker without
causing permanent injury or fatality. These weapons vary in
approach, but generally include stun guns, batons and clubs,
chemical sprays, rubber bullets, pepper balls and other impact
munitions. Each weapon has distinct advantages and
disadvantages, and law enforcement agencies
17
The ADVANCED TASER solution
All our products are designed to perform well in terms of the
above characteristics. We believe the ADVANCED TASER, however,
offers the best combination of these characteristics currently
available in a less-lethal weapon. This superior performance
could make the ADVANCED TASER the less-lethal weapon of choice
in many situations for law enforcement agencies and other
security services.
Most less-lethal weapons rely upon a pain response to be
effective. A less-lethal weapon that inflicts only pain may not
stop the most dangerous and aggressive suspects. The ADVANCED
TASER is designed to cause complete yet temporary physical
incapacitation, not just discomfort or distraction. In police
testing and field use, the ADVANCED TASER has incapacitated even
highly focused individuals who have demonstrated the ability to
fight through other less-lethal weapons that rely only on pain.
Batons and chemical sprays can only be used from close
distances, usually less than five feet. Rubber bullets, beanbag
rounds, and similar less-lethal impact weapons must be used at
distances greater than 30 feet to minimize suspects
injuries. Therefore, we believe that other less-lethal weapons
as a group are generally ineffective between five and thirty
feet. The ADVANCED TASER is designed to operate within this
range. Since it is equally effective at very close range, we
believe the ADVANCED TASER represents a more versatile
less-lethal weapon for encounters taking place within 21 feet.
In tests involving over 1,000 human volunteers and in hundreds
of field applications, the ADVANCED TASER has had no reported
long-term, adverse after-effects. In field uses, our technology
has been found to have a comparable or lower risk of injury to
officers and suspects than other less-lethal technologies.
Further, the recovery time from an application of the ADVANCED
TASER is generally less than one minute. In contrast, recovery
time from the application of chemical sprays can range from ten
minutes to one hour. Recovery time from the effect of impact
rounds can vary from hours to weeks, depending on bruising and
bone breakage.
The ADVANCED TASER is shaped and designed to function like a
standard handgun. Accordingly, it is easy for law enforcement
officers to use during stressful situations, since their
firearms training familiarizes them with the muscle movements
required for its operation. Further, the weapon requires no
maintenance other than a periodic battery check. The ADVANCED
TASER also does not leave contaminating residues, unlike
chemical sprays that may contaminate buildings, vehicles or
other closed facilities or officer uniforms.
18
The ADVANCED TASER operates effectively under a variety of
unfavorable conditions, such as wind and rain, that render
chemical sprays less effective. The ADVANCED TASER housing is
constructed of high tensile-strength polycarbonate to withstand
the rigors of typical police use.
The ADVANCED TASER incorporates features designed to reduce
inappropriate use. Our cartridges contain numerous confetti-like
Anti-Felon Identification tags, or AFIDs, which are scattered
when the unit is fired. AFID tags recovered from usage sites can
thus help identify the owner of the cartridge used. The ADVANCED
TASER we market to law enforcement and corrections agencies also
comes with a data port that records the exact time, date and
duration of up to 500 firings.
The ADVANCED TASER is sold to law enforcement agencies for
approximately $400 per unit. The air cartridge ammunition is
priced under $18 per shot. These prices are competitive with
impact munitions and most other specialized less-lethal weapons,
with the exception of the least expensive chemical sprays.
However, the indirect costs of decontaminating buildings,
vehicles, and uniforms resulting from the use of chemical sprays
can place the ADVANCED TASER at an overall cost advantage per
use.
In addition, litigation costs for law enforcement agencies can
be significant. Reducing the number of injuries and fatalities
caused by law enforcement officers may reduce the number of
suits filed against agencies for excessive use of force,
wrongful death and injury. Further, reducing officer injuries
minimizes medical claims and lost time for work-related injuries.
As with other less-lethal weapons, these characteristics,
particularly safety, may also have the benefit of increasing
goodwill between law enforcement agencies and their communities.
Community relations considerations can be particularly important
at a time when almost any interaction with police can be
videotaped and scrutinized by the media and the public.
Our strategy
Key elements of our strategy for growth include the following:
Our goal is to make the ADVANCED TASER the dominant less-lethal
weapon for use by law enforcement and corrections agencies. Law
enforcement officials are often viewed as experts with regard to
weapons and other security products. As a result, we believe
that widespread acceptance of the ADVANCED TASER in this market
will enhance its credibility and represents a necessary first
step toward expanding sales of our products in additional
markets.
After increasing our presence in the law enforcement and
corrections market, we intend to expand our penetration in the
private security, military and consumer self-defense markets. We
believe the same performance characteristics that will enable
our products to succeed in the law enforcement and corrections
market will also appeal to potential customers in these
additional markets.
We intend to improve our less-lethal weapons technology to
provide further growth and market opportunities. Among other
things, we intend to develop multiple shot capability and
greater effective range. These innovations may increase our
revenues by allowing us to sell upgraded less-lethal weapons and
accessories, both to existing and potential new customers.
19
We may acquire businesses that will complement our growth
strategy and enhance our competitive position in our markets.
However, we have no current plans for such acquisitions.
Markets
Law enforcement and corrections
Federal, state and local law enforcement agencies in the United
States currently represent the primary target market for the
ADVANCED TASER. According to United States Bureau of Justice
statistics, there were nearly 19,000 of these agencies in the
United States in 1996 that employed about 740,000 full-time,
sworn law enforcement officers. In 1995, the most recent year
for which statistics are available, industry analysts estimated
that the total number of non-administrative correctional
officers in the United States was approximately 450,000.
Acceptance of the ADVANCED TASER by United States police
departments has been fairly rapid since its introduction in
December 1999. We believe it could prove equally suitable
for use in correctional facilities. The ADVANCED TASER is
particularly useful in these confined and crowded settings since
it provides a means of bringing virtually any individual under
control without requiring the use of lethal force. We anticipate
that some of these officers will be armed with ADVANCED TASERs,
particularly as its performance attributes become more familiar
to the wider law enforcement community.
In the law enforcement market, over 350 police departments have
made initial purchases of the ADVANCED TASER for testing or
deployment. In addition, 15 police departments, including San
Diego, Sacramento, and Albuquerque, purchased enough of our
weapons to issue one to each of their patrol officers.
Private security firms and guard
services
In 1999, it was estimated that there were over 1.7 million
privately employed security guards or personnel in the United
States. They represent a broad range of individuals, including
bodyguards, commercial and government building security guards,
commercial money carrier employees, and many others. We believe
that security personnel armed with ADVANCED TASERs could be as
effective in many circumstances as those armed with conventional
firearms. At the same time, arming guards with ADVANCED TASERs
may reduce the potential liability of private security companies
and personnel.
A number of environments can prove problematic for the use of
conventional firearms. The use of conventional firearms in
airplanes, for example, poses a significant threat to the
integrity of the aircraft and the safety of the passengers.
Conventional firearms may also be inappropriate in subways,
buses, transit systems, banks and casinos. In many of these
crowded environments, the contamination associated with the use
of chemical sprays could also pose significant problems.
One large private security force overseas has ordered over 1,000
ADVANCED TASERs for delivery in Spring 2001. We are in the early
stage of pursuing additional opportunities for sales of the
ADVANCED TASER in private security markets, and have made only
limited sales to date.
Consumer/personal protection
In the late 1990s, industry sources estimated that 35 million
Americans owned handguns. We believe these handgun owners
represent one segment of a potentially large consumer market for
our products.
As a result of our shift in focus, the share of our sales made
to consumer markets fell sharply from 1999 to 2000. In 1999,
sales to consumers represented 88% of total revenues while these
sales dropped to only 32% of total sales in 2000. We expect the
relative share of sales to consumer markets to remain small in
the next few years. Given the size of the potential consumer
market, however, we believe consumer sales could contribute a
substantial portion of our revenues in the future, particularly
after the ADVANCED TASER becomes more established in the law
enforcement and corrections market.
20
Military
Military police forces may use the ADVANCED TASER for purposes
similar to those of civilian police units. Military
peace-keeping forces also perform policing functions, and the
ADVANCED TASER may prove an effective tool for these operations.
The ADVANCED TASER may also be used by armed forces to reduce
the possibility of civilian casualties resulting from combat
operations on battlefields consisting of both civilians and
combatants. We have yet to pursue sales opportunities in the
military market.
Products
Our weapons use compressed nitrogen to shoot two small
electrified probes up to a maximum distance of 21 feet. The
probes and compressed nitrogen are stored in a replaceable
cartridge attached to the base of the weapon. Our proprietary
replacement cartridges are sold separately.
After firing, the probes discharged from our cartridges remain
connected to the weapon by high-voltage insulated wires that
transmit electrical pulses into the target. These electrical
pulses, which we call TASER-Waves or T-Waves, are transmitted
through the bodys nerves in a manner similar to the
transmission of signals used by the brain to communicate with
the body. The T-Waves temporarily overwhelm the normal
electrical signals within the bodys nerve fibers,
impairing subjects ability to control their bodies or
perform coordinated actions. T-Waves can penetrate up to two
inches of clothing. The initial effect lasts up to five seconds
and the charge can be repeated for up to approximately ten
minutes by repeatedly firing the weapon.
Since all our weapons use the same cartridges, we can support
multiple platforms and still achieve economies of scale in
cartridge production. Our cartridges contain numerous colored,
confetti-like tags bearing the cartridges serial number.
These tags, referred to as Anti-Felon Identification tags, or
AFIDs, are scattered when one of our weapons is fired. We
require sellers of our products to participate in the AFID
program by registering buyers of our cartridges. In many cases,
we can use AFIDs to identify the registered owner of cartridges
fired.
We introduced our initial product, the AIR TASER, in 1994. We
designed the AIR TASER to look like a cellular telephone rather
than a weapon to target the consumer electronics market.
Currently, the AIR TASER product line consists of the AIR TASER,
a cartridge that shoots two small electrified probes up to
15 feet, an optional laser sight, and a number of
holstering accessories. We continue to target the AIR TASER line
to the consumer market.
We developed the ADVANCED TASER product line, launched in
December 1999, primarily for the law enforcement and
corrections market. The ADVANCED TASER M-26 is our primary
product in this market and is sold exclusively to law
enforcement and corrections agencies. The ADVANCED TASER M-26
offers the following improvements over the AIR TASER:
Our products are sold primarily through our network of
distributors at a wide range of prices. Our most inexpensive
consumer product is the entry-level consumer AIR TASER, with a
retail price of $99. Our high-end consumer model, the ADVANCED
TASER M18L with integrated laser sight, retails for $600.
The ADVANCED TASER M26 is currently our best selling item.
Distributors sell the M-26 to law enforcement and corrections
agencies for $400. Retail cartridge prices range from $16 to $30
per unit.
21
In addition to weapons and cartridges, we sell holsters,
attachments, cases and other accessories that complement our
core products. Although to date these accessories have generated
limited sales, they offer additional revenue opportunities and
attractive margins.
We offer a lifetime warranty on the AIR TASER. Under this
warranty, we will replace any AIR TASER that fails to operate
properly for a $25 fee. The AIR TASER is designed to disable an
attacker for up to 30 seconds, and we encourage users to leave
the unit and flee after firing it. As a result, we also provide
free replacement units to consumers who follow this suggested
procedure. To qualify for the replacement unit, users must file
a police report that describes the incident and confirms the use
of the AIR TASER.
We offer a no-questions-asked lifetime replacement policy on the
ADVANCED TASER. If the weapon fails to operate properly for any
reason, we will replace it for a fee of $25. The fee is intended
to help defray the handling and repair costs associated with
product returns. This policy is attractive to our law
enforcement and corrections agency customers. In particular, it
avoids disputes regarding the source or cause of any defect.
Warranty costs under both the AIR TASER and the ADVANCED TASER
replacement policies have been minimal to date.
Sales and marketing
Law enforcement and corrections agencies represent our primary
target market. In this market, the decision to purchase the
ADVANCED TASER is normally made by a group of people including
the agency head, his training staff, and weapons experts. The
decision sometimes involves political decision-makers such as
city council members. The decision-making process can take as
little as a few weeks or as long as several years.
United States distribution.
With the exception of several
accounts to which we sell directly, the vast majority of our law
enforcement agency sales in the United States occur through our
network of more than 25 independent regional police equipment
distributors. To service these distributors and assist us in
expanding sales to new ones, we retain two manufacturers
representatives that call on potential distributors. We
compensate our manufacturers representatives solely on a
commission basis, calculated as a percentage of the sales they
complete. Sales in the consumer market are made through
different independent distributors, dealers, and retailers. We
provide our distributors with performance-based incentive
programs.
International distribution.
As a result of our shift in
focus to the United States law enforcement and corrections
market, our international sales efforts are currently limited to
presentations and training seminars conducted by TASER
personnel. We recently began introducing the ADVANCED TASER in
Europe and parts of the Middle East, South America and Asia, but
have yet to devote significant resources to these markets. Sales
outside the United States and Canada accounted for 48% and 18%
of total revenues in 1999 and 2000, respectively. In 2001, we
expect international sales to account for approximately 10% of
our total sales.
We have worked in the past with more than 20 foreign
distributors. These foreign distributors purchase products from
us and resell them to sub-distributors, retail dealers or end
users. We continue to provide most foreign distributors with
short-term exclusive contracts to sell our products in a
designated region. Although many of these relationships are
inactive, we continue to ship products as ordered.
Training Programs.
Most law enforcement and corrections
agencies will not purchase new weapons until a training program
is in place to certify all officers in their proper use. We
offer an eight-hour class that certifies law enforcement and
corrections agency trainers as instructors in the use of the
ADVANCED TASER. We have certified over 2,500 law enforcement
training officers as ADVANCED TASER instructors. Our
certification program is designed to make it easier for
departments to comply with these training requirements.
Fifty of our certified instructors have undergone further
training and become certified as master instructors. We
authorize these individuals to train other law enforcement and
corrections agency trainers,
22
Communications.
In addition to our training programs, we
regularly participate in a variety of trade shows and
conferences. Our marketing efforts also benefit from significant
free news coverage. Other marketing communications include video
e-mails, press releases, and conventional print advertising in
law enforcement trade publications. Our website also contains
similar marketing information.
Manufacturing
After a review of our operating costs and changes in regulations
pertaining to the export of the technology used to produce our
weapons, we elected to move our final assembly operations from
our subcontractor in Guaymas, Mexico to our new facility in
Scottsdale, Arizona. We own all of the production equipment used
for the final assembly of our products in the Guaymas facility,
and expect to reinstall it in Scottsdale no later than
April 2001. We currently assemble the compressed nitrogen
containers used inside our air cartridges in our Scottsdale
facility.
Our Scottsdale facility has approximately 6,000 square feet of
assembly and warehouse space. We plan to employ between 15 and
25 assembly personnel by the end of 2001. After the move, our
production capabilities will support the assembly of 2,000
ADVANCED TASERs, 1,000 AIR TASERs, and 24,000 cartridges per
month on a single shift. We can expand our production
capabilities by adding additional personnel and a second shift
with negligible new investment in tooling and equipment. We
expect our Scottsdale facility and tooling to be sufficient to
support our current growth projections at least through 2003.
We currently purchase finished circuit boards and
injection-molded plastic components from third-party suppliers
in Phoenix. Although we currently obtain these components from
single source suppliers, we own the injection-molded component
tooling used in their production. As a result, we believe we
could obtain alternative suppliers without incurring significant
production delays. We acquire most of our components on a
purchase order basis and do not have long-term contracts with
suppliers.
Competition
In the law enforcement and corrections market, the ADVANCED
TASER competes directly with the conducted energy weapon sold by
Electronic Medical Research Laboratories, Inc., doing business
as Tasertron. Tasertron is the sole remaining manufacturer of
the original TASER weapon introduced in the 1970s. The ADVANCED
TASER also competes indirectly with a variety of other less
lethal alternatives. In the consumer market, the AIR TASER
competes directly with a conducted energy weapon introduced by
Bestex, Inc. in 1996, called the Dual-Defense, and indirectly
with other less-lethal alternatives.
Law enforcement and corrections market.
Tasertron had an
exclusive license to sell TASER products in the North American
law enforcement and corrections market until February 1998.
Compared to the Tasertron unit, our ADVANCED TASER offers
reduced size, additional power, and a more convenient
pistol-shaped design. We believe agencies choosing to employ a
conducted energy weapon will prefer to adopt a single weapon
system. Since its introduction, the ADVANCED TASER has competed
successfully against the Tasertron unit, even in agencies that
had previously purchased Tasertron units.
Other less-lethal weapons, sold by companies such as Armor
Holdings, Inc. and Jaycor, Inc., compete with our ADVANCED TASER
indirectly. Many law enforcement and corrections personnel
consider less-
23
Consumer market.
Conducted energy weapons have gained
limited acceptance in the consumer market for less-lethal
weapons. These weapons compete with other less-lethal weapons
such as stun guns, batons and clubs, and chemical sprays. The
primary competitive factors in the consumer market include a
weapons cost, its effectiveness, and its ease of use. The
widespread adoption of the ADVANCED TASER by law enforcement
agencies may help us overcome a perceived historic lack of
consumer confidence in conducted energy weapons.
Regulation
United States regulation.
The AIR TASER and ADVANCED
TASER are subject to the same regulations. Neither weapon is
considered a firearm by the Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco, and Firearms. There are, therefore, no firearms-related
regulations regarding the sale and distribution of our weapons
within the United States. In the 1980s, however, many states
introduced regulations restricting the sale and use of stun
guns, inexpensive hand-held shock devices. We believe existing
stun gun regulations also apply to our weapon systems.
In many cases, the law enforcement and corrections market is
subject to different regulations than the consumer market. Where
different regulations exist, we assume the regulations affecting
the consumer market also apply to the private security market.
Based on a review of current regulations, we have determined the
following states regulate the sale and use of our weapon systems:
24
The following cities and counties also regulate our weapon
systems:
United States export regulation.
Our weapon systems are
considered a crime control product by the United States
Department of Commerce. Accordingly, the export of our weapon
systems is regulated under the export administration
regulations. As a result, we must obtain export licenses from
the Department of Commerce for all shipments to foreign
countries other than Canada. Most of our requests for export
licenses have been granted, and the need to obtain these
licenses has not caused a material delay in our shipments. The
need to obtain licenses, however, has limited or impeded our
ability to ship to certain foreign markets. In addition, export
regulations prohibit the further shipment of our products from
foreign markets in which we hold an export license for the
products to foreign markets in which we do not hold an export
license for the products.
In addition, in the fall of 2000, the Department of Commerce
introduced new regulations restricting the export of the
technology used in our weapon systems. These regulations apply
to both the technology incorporated in our weapon systems and in
the processes used to produce them. The technology export
regulations do not apply to production that takes place within
the United States. After moving our final assembly to our
Scottsdale facility, these technology export regulations will no
longer apply to us but will still apply to certain of our
suppliers located outside of the United States.
Foreign regulation.
Foreign regulations are numerous and
often unclear. We prefer to work with an exclusive distributor
who is familiar with applicable regulations in each of our
foreign markets. Experience with foreign distributors in the
past indicates that restrictions may prohibit certain sales of
our products in a number of countries. The countries in which we
are aware of restrictions include Belgium, Denmark, Hong Kong,
Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the
United Kingdom. In Australia, Canada, and India we are also
aware that sales of our products are permitted to law
enforcement and corrections agencies but prohibited to consumers.
Intellectual property
We protect our intellectual property with a variety of patents
and trademarks. In addition, we use confidentiality agreements
with employees and some suppliers to ensure the safety of our
trade secrets. We hold a United States patent on the
construction of the gas cylinder used to store the compressed
nitrogen in our cartridges. This patent expires in 2015. We are
the licensee of a United States patent on the process by which
compressed gases launch the probes in our cartridges. This
patent expires in 2009. Using this compressed gas technology
instead of gunpowder prevents our products from being classified
as firearms by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. We
also have a broad-based patent application pending covering the
wave form of the energy we developed for the ADVANCED TASER.
We have several unregistered and federally registered
trademarks. We own the AIR TASER and TASER registered trademarks.
Research and development
Our research and development initiatives are led by our internal
personnel and make use of specialized consultants when
necessary. These initiatives include bio-medical research as
well as electrical
25
Employees
As of December 31, 2000, we had 16 full-time employees. Six
employees were involved in sales, marketing and training. Two
were employed in research, development and engineering. We also
employed four administrative personnel and four in production
support. Our employees are not covered by any collective
bargaining agreement, and we have never experienced a work
stoppage. We believe that our relations with our employees are
good.
Facilities
We conduct our operations from a modern 11,800-square-foot
facility located in Scottsdale, Arizona. The monthly rent for
this facility is approximately $11,000. Our lease expires on
January 1, 2006. We believe this facility will meet our
needs for the next three years and that additional space will be
available on reasonable terms upon the expiration of our current
lease or if we require additional space.
Legal proceedings
We are a defendant in a lawsuit filed in February 2000 by a
former distributor of our products in the Supreme Court of the
State of New York for the County of New York. This former
distributor claims the exclusive right to sell our products to
many of the largest law enforcement, corrections, and military
agencies in the United States and seeks monetary damages. We
signed no contracts with this former distributor. We also
believe that he has no reasonable basis for claims to informal
or implied contractual rights. As a result, we believe his
claims are without merit, and the litigation will have no
material adverse affect on our business, operating results or
financial condition.
Corporate information
We were incorporated in Arizona in September 1993 as ICER
Corporation. We changed our name to AIR TASER, Inc. in December
1993, and to TASER International, Incorporated in April 1998. In
February 2001, we reincorporated in Delaware as TASER
International, Inc.
26
Effectiveness:
temporary incapacitation of aggressive
suspects
Range:
variable distance over which the weapon is
effective
Safety:
low risk of injury or death
Ease of use:
simple operation, low maintenance and no
contamination
Dependability:
reliability in many environments,
product durability
Accountability:
tracking to reduce misuse of the
weapon
Cost:
low cost per use and possible reduction of
litigation expense
Effectiveness
Range
Safety
Ease of Use
Dependability
Accountability
Cost
Fully exploit the expanding law enforcement and corrections
market
.
Expand into private security, military, and consumer
markets
.
Develop enhanced less-lethal weapon technologies
.
Acquire businesses that enhance our strategic position
.
Increased effectiveness: the ADVANCED TASER has four
times the power of the AIR TASER and has proven effective in
incapacitating over 99% of volunteers tested.
Better accountability: the ADVANCED TASERs
memory system records the time, date, and duration of up to 500
firings. By downloading this information periodically, law
enforcement and corrections agencies can track every use of the
ADVANCED TASER. These agencies can use this data to investigate
potential misuse.
Ease of use: the ADVANCED TASERs familiar
pistol shape and integrated laser sight minimize the training
required for law enforcement and corrections officers and make
it easier to use.
State
Law Enforcement Use
Consumer Use
Legal
Legal, subject to restrictions
Legal
Legal, subject to restrictions
Prohibited
Prohibited
Legal
Legal, subject to restrictions
Legal
Legal, subject to restrictions
Legal
Prohibited
Prohibited (except for evaluation)
Prohibited
Prohibited
Prohibited
Legal
Prohibited
Legal
Legal, subject to restrictions
Legal
Legal, subject to restrictions
Prohibited
Prohibited
Legal
Legal, subject to restrictions
Legal
Prohibited
City
Law Enforcement Use
Consumer Use
Legal
Prohibited
Legal
Prohibited
Legal
Prohibited
Legal
Prohibited
Legal
Legal, subject to restrictions
Legal
Prohibited
Legal
Prohibited
Legal
Prohibited
MANAGEMENT
Directors and executive officers
Our directors and executive officers are as follows:
Phillips W. Smith
is the chairman of our board of
directors. Dr. Smith has served as a director since 1993.
Since January 1999, Dr. Smith has served on the board
of directors of Pentawave, Inc., a developer of cross-media
publishing software. From June 1991 to September 1997,
Dr. Smith served as the president and chief executive
officer of Zycad Corporation, a developer of engineering and
manufacturing applications software. Dr. Smith holds a
B.S.E. degree from West Point, an M.B.A. degree from Michigan
State University, and a Ph.D. in Business Administration from
St. Louis University.
Patrick W. Smith
is the chief executive officer and a
co-founder of TASER. Mr. Smith has served as our chief
executive officer and as a director since 1993. Mr. Smith
holds a B.S. degree in Biology and Neurobiology from Harvard
University, an M.B.A. degree from the University of Chicago, and
a Masters Degree in International Finance from the University of
Leuven in Leuven, Belgium.
Thomas P. Smith
is the president and a co-founder of
TASER. Mr. Smith has served as our president since April
1994 and as a director since 1993. Mr. Smith holds a B.S.
degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University
of Arizona and an M.B.A. degree from Northern Arizona University.
Bruce R. Culver
has served as a director of TASER since
January 1994. Mr. Culver co-founded Professional Staff,
P.L.C., a human resource management company, and has served on
its board of directors since April 1990. In March 1993,
Mr. Culver organized and has since remained the chief
executive officer of Culver Distributions, Inc., doing business
as California Distribution Company, providing warehouse and
distribution services to internet companies. Since
April 1997, Mr. Culver has served on the board of
Pentawave, Inc., becoming its chairman in October 2000.
Matthew R. McBrady
has served as a director of TASER
since January 2001. From August 1998 though July 1999,
Mr. McBrady served as a member of the staff of President
Clintons Council of Economic Advisers. In December 1997,
Mr. McBrady began working as a financial and analytical
consultant for Avenue A, Inc, an internet marketing
company, and served as its vice president of analytics from June
1999 through October 1999. Mr. McBrady taught
corporate finance courses at the University of Southern
California during the summer terms of 1997 and 1998, at Harvard
College from September 1996 through May 1997, and at Harvard
Business School during the spring term of 1998. Mr. McBrady
holds a B.S. in Economics from Harvard University, an M.S. in
International Economics from Oxford University, and expects to
receive a Ph.D. in Corporate and International Finance from
Harvard University in June 2001.
Karl F. Walter
has served as a director of TASER since
January 2001. Mr. Walter was a co-founder of Glock,
Inc., a subsidiary of GLOCK GmbH, an Austrian semi-automatic
pistols manufacturer. From January 1994 through February 1997,
Mr. Walter worked as a director of law enforcement sales
for Sturm Ruger Co., a firearms manufacturer. Since March 1997,
Mr. Walter has worked as the program manager for AV
Technology International, LLC, a builder of armored vehicles.
27
Kathleen C. Hanrahan
is our chief financial officer,
serving in that position since November 2000. Ms. Hanrahan
first joined TASER in January 1996 as an internal controls
consultant and became our controller in March 1996.
Our certificate of incorporation provides that we have no less
than three and no more than nine directors divided into three
classes (Class 1, Class 2, and Class 3), with
members of each class serving for staggered three-year terms. As
a result, only one class of directors will be elected at each
annual meeting of our stockholders, with the other classes
continuing for the remainder of their respective three-year
terms. Messrs. Phillips Smith and Bruce Culver have been
designated as Class 1 directors, whose term expires at the
2001 annual meeting; Messrs. Patrick Smith and Karl Walter
have been designated as Class 2 directors, whose term
expires at the 2002 annual meeting; and Messrs. Thomas
Smith and Matthew McBrady have been designated as Class 3
directors, whose term expires at the 2003 annual meeting.
Each officer serves at the discretion of our board of directors.
No officer is subject to an agreement that requires the officer
to serve TASER for a specified number of years. Mr. Thomas
Smith and Mr. Patrick Smith are Dr. Phillips Smiths
sons. No other family relationships exist among our directors
and executive officers.
Director compensation
Prior to 2001, directors were not compensated for their service
on the board. Beginning in 2001, independent directors will
receive $1,250 per quarter. In addition, in December 2000,
Messrs. McBrady and Walter each received options to
purchase 6,667 shares vesting ratably over four years at an
exercise price of $3.30 per share. Directors are also reimbursed
for expenses incurred in connection with attendance at meetings.
Committees of the board of directors
Our board of directors has a Audit Committee consisting of
Mr. McBrady and Mr. Walter, and a Compensation
Committee consisting of Mr. Culver and Mr. Walter. The
Audit Committee meets with management and our independent public
accountants to determine the adequacy of our internal controls
and other financial reporting matters. The Compensation
Committee reviews and recommends to the board of directors the
compensation and benefits of our officers, reviews general
policy matters relating to compensation and benefits of our
employees and administers the issuance of stock options and
discretionary cash bonuses to our officers, employees, directors
and consultants. We intend to appoint only independent directors
to the Audit and Compensation Committees.
Executive compensation
The following table sets forth information regarding
compensation awarded to, earned by or paid to our chief
executive officer for all services rendered to us during 1998,
1999 and 2000. None of our other executive officers earned in
excess of $100,000 in 2000.
Summary Compensation Table
Option grants in last fiscal year
We did not grant any options to our chief executive officer
during the year ended December 31, 2000.
28
Fiscal year end option values
The following table sets forth information regarding the number
and value of unexercised options held by our chief executive
officer on December 31, 2000. He did not exercise options
to purchase common stock during 2000.
Stock option plans
We have two stock option plans: the 1999 stock option plan and
the 2001 stock option plan.
The 1999 stock option plan is an incentive and stock option plan
which authorizes us to issue options to purchase up to 833,333
shares of our common stock. Under this plan, we have issued
options to purchase 143,322 shares at $0.24 to $7.20 per share,
including 10,000 options to Patrick W. Smith. We will issue no
further options under the plan. The plan is administered by our
board of directors. Subject to the provisions of this plan, the
board determines who will receive options, the number of options
granted, the manner of exercise and the exercise price of the
options. The term of incentive stock options granted under the
plan may not exceed ten years, or five years for options granted
to an optionee owning more than 10% of our voting stock. The
exercise price of an incentive stock option granted under this
plan must be equal to or greater than the fair market value of
the shares of our common stock on the date the option is
granted. The exercise price of a non-qualified option granted
under this plan must be equal to or greater than 85% of the fair
market value of the shares of our common stock on the date the
option is granted. An incentive stock option granted to an
optionee owning more than 10% of our voting stock must have an
exercise price equal to or greater than 110% of the fair market
value of our common stock on the date the option is granted.
The 2001 stock option plan is an incentive and stock option plan
which authorizes us to issue options to purchase up to 550,000
shares of our common stock. Under this plan, we have issued
options to purchase 291,000 shares at an average price of $8.33
per share, including 60,000 options to Patrick W. Smith. The
plan is administered by our board of directors. Subject to the
provisions of this plan, the board determines who will receive
options, the number of options granted, the manner of exercise
and the exercise price of the options. The term of incentive
stock options granted under the plan may not exceed ten years,
or five years for incentive stock options granted to an optionee
owning more than 10% of our voting stock. The exercise price of
an incentive stock option granted under this plan must be equal
to or greater than the fair market value of the shares of our
common stock on the date the option is granted. The exercise
price of a non-qualified option granted under this plan must be
equal to or greater than 85% of the fair market value of the
shares of our common stock on the date the option is granted. An
incentive Stock option granted to an optionee owning more than
10% of our voting stock must have an exercise price equal to or
greater than 110% of the fair market value of our common stock
on the date the option is granted.
Employment agreements
In July 1998, we entered into an employment agreement with
Patrick W. Smith pursuant to which he agreed to serve as our
chief executive officer. The agreement is for an initial
three-year term ending June 30, 2001, and is automatically
renewed for a two-year term unless we give Mr. Smith
one-year prior notice of termination, if the termination is
without cause. The agreement provides for annual base
compensation in the amount of $65,000, which amount may be
increased based on performance. In 2000, Mr. Smiths
salary was increased to $90,000. We may terminate this agreement
with or without cause. Should we terminate the agreement without
cause, upon a change of control or upon his death, our chief
executive officer is entitled to compensation equal to 12, 24 or
18 months of salary, respectively.
29
Name
Age
Position
63
30
33
55
30
54
37
Annual Compensation
Long Term Compensation
Securities Underlying Options
Name and Principal Position
Year
Salary
Bonus
(#)
2000
$
65,208
$
2,500
1999
$
49,161
10,000
1998
$
43,205
Number of Securities
Value of Unexercised In-the-
Underlying Options at Fiscal
Money Options at Fiscal
Year End 2000(#)
Year End($)(1)
Name
Exercisable
Unexercisable
Exercisable
Unexercisable
6,389
3,611
$
46,895
$
26,505
(1)
Based on the estimated fair value of our common stock as of
December 31, 2000, determined by our board of directors to
be $8.00 per share.
CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS
In 1998, Mr. Bruce R. Culver, a director of TASER, loaned
us $622,525. In March 1998, $150,000 of such amount was
converted into 20,833 shares of our common stock at an estimated
value of $7.20 per share. In December 1998, we issued
Mr. Culver a promissory note for $472,525, the remaining
amount due. The note bears interest at a rate of 10% per year
and matures July 1, 2002. In 1999, Mr. Culver loaned
an additional $150,000 to us at an interest rate of 10%, due
July 1, 2002. In 2000, Mr. Culver loaned an additional
$200,000 to us at an interest rate of 10%, due July 1,
2002. In total, outstanding notes due to Mr. Culver are
$822,525 in principal plus accrued interest of $140,794 as of
December 31, 2000, due July 1, 2002.
In January 1999, Mr. Culver loaned us $1,500,000. In return, we
issued him a promissory note for $500,000 at an effective
interest rate of 27.1% per year, and 1,666,667 shares of our
common stock at a price of $.60 per share. These shares were
subject to a repurchase agreement between Mr. Culver and us
that allowed us to repurchase the shares if we met certain
operating performance criteria. We met the criteria and
repurchased the shares from Mr. Culver in July 2000 in
exchange for a promissory note in the amount of $1,000,000. We
consolidated this note and the January 1999 note for $500,000
into a new note for $1,500,000 which carries interest at bank
prime (9.5% at December 31, 2000) plus 1% and matures
July 1, 2002.
In 1999, Mr. Phillips W. Smith, our chairman, worked as a
full time advisor to us and was compensated solely by an option
on 16,667 shares of our common stock at a price of $0.66 per
share.
In 1998, Mr. Phillips W. Smith loaned us $455,691 in the
form of a stockholder note at an interest rate of 9%. This note
is currently outstanding, and the maturity has been extended to
July 1, 2002 at an interest rate of 10%. Further,
Mr. Smith has deferred expenses in the amount of $99,794,
which has been formalized in a note bearing 10% interest, which
matures July 1, 2002. The accrued interest due
Mr. Smith for these notes was $119,045 as of
December 31, 2000.
30
PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS
The following table sets forth certain information regarding the
beneficial ownership of our common stock as of December 31,
2000, and as adjusted to reflect the sale of 1,000,000 units in
this offering, by:
As of such date, there were 1,510,754 shares of common stock
outstanding before giving effect to the sale of units in this
offering. We believe that, except as otherwise listed below,
each named beneficial owner has sole voting and investment power
with respect to the shares listed.
Shares Beneficially Owned
The address of each person in this table is
c/o 7860 East McClain Drive, Suite 2, Scottsdale,
Arizona 85260, (480) 991-0797.
As of December 31, 2000, we had nine stockholders.
31
each person or group of affiliated persons known to be the
beneficial owner of more than 5% of our outstanding common stock;
each of our directors;
our chief executive officer; and
all of our directors and executive officers as a group.
Number of
Percentage
Percentage
Shares
Beneficially
Beneficially
Beneficially
Owned Before
Owned After
Name of Beneficial Owner
Owned
This Offering
This Offering
388,479
23.1
%
14.5
%
361,584
21.5
%
13.5
%
491,146
29.2
%
18.3
%
217,674
12.9
%
8.1
%
123,796
7.4
%
4.6
%
1,111
*
*
1,111
*
*
1,599,433
95.1
%
59.6
%
(1)
Includes 20,833 shares subject to options or warrants that are
exercisable within 60 days.
(2)
Includes 11,250 shares subject to options that are exercisable
within 60 days.
(3)
Includes 31,061 shares subject to warrants that are exercisable
within 60 days.
(4)
Includes 11,250 shares subject to options that are exercisable
within 60 days.
(5)
Includes 3,333 shares subject to options that are exercisable
within 60 days.
(6)
Includes 1,111 shares subject to options that are exercisable
within 60 days.
(7)
Includes 1,111 shares subject to options that are exercisable
within 60 days.
(8)
Includes 94,481 shares subject to options or warrants that are
exercisable within 60 days.
DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES
Upon completion of the offering, our authorized capital stock
will consist of (1) 50,000,000 shares of common stock,
$0.00001 par value, and (2) 25,000,000 shares of preferred
stock, $0.00001 par value, of which there will be 2,510,754
shares of common stock and no shares of preferred stock
outstanding. The following description of our capital stock is a
summary and is qualified in its entirety by the provisions of
our certificate of incorporation and our bylaws, copies of which
have been filed as exhibits to the registration statement of
which this prospectus is a part.
Units
Each unit consists of one share of common stock and one public
warrant to purchase an additional share of common stock. The
common stock and warrants will trade only as a unit for at least
30 days following this offering. The representative of the
underwriters will then determine when the units separate, after
which the common stock and the public warrants will trade
separately.
Common stock
Holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote for each
share on all matters submitted to a stockholder vote and may not
cumulate their votes. Holders of common stock are entitled to
share in all dividends that the board of directors, in its
discretion, declares from legally available funds. In the event
of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, each outstanding
share entitles its holder to participate pro rata in all assets
that remain after payment of liabilities and after providing for
each class of stock, if any, having preference over the common
stock.
Holders of our common stock have no conversion, preemptive or
other subscription rights, and there are no redemption
provisions applicable to our common stock. The rights of the
holders of common stock are subject to any rights that may be
fixed for holders of preferred stock. All outstanding shares of
common stock are, and the shares underlying all options and
public warrants will be, duly authorized, validly issued, fully
paid and non-assessable upon our issuance of these shares.
Preferred stock
Our certificate of incorporation provides for the issuance of up
to 25,000,000 shares of preferred stock. As of the date of this
prospectus, there are no outstanding shares of preferred stock.
Subject to certain limitations prescribed by law and the rights
and preferences of the preferred stock, our board of directors
is authorized, without further stockholder approval, from time
to time to issue up to an aggregate of 25,000,000 shares of our
preferred stock, in one or more additional series. Each new
series of preferred stock may have different rights and
preferences that may be established by our board of directors.
The rights and preferences of future series of preferred stock
may include:
Public warrants
General
Each public warrant entitles the holder to purchase one share of
our common stock at an exercise price per share of 150% of the
initial public offering price of the units. The exercise price
is subject to adjustment upon the occurrence of certain events
as provided in the public warrant certificate and
32
Separate transferability
Our public warrants will trade only as a unit for a period of at
least 30 days following this offering. The representative of the
underwriters will then determine when the units separate, after
which the common stock and the public warrants will trade
separately.
Redemption
We have the right, commencing three months after the closing of
this offering, to redeem the public warrants issued in the
offering at a redemption price of $0.25 per public warrant after
providing 30 days prior written notice to the public
warrant holders, if the average closing bid price of the common
stock equals or exceeds 200% of the initial public offering
price of the units for ten consecutive trading days ending prior
to the date of the notice of redemption. We will send the
written notice of redemption by first class mail to public
warrant holders at their last known addresses appearing on the
registration records maintained by the transfer agent for our
public warrants. No other form of notice or publication or
otherwise will be required. If we call the public warrants for
redemption, they will be exercisable until the close of business
on the business day next preceding the specified redemption date.
Exercise
A public warrant holder may exercise our public warrants only if
an appropriate registration statement is then in effect with the
Securities and Exchange Commission and if the shares of common
stock underlying our public warrants are qualified for sale
under the securities laws of the state in which the holder
resides.
Our public warrants may be exercised by delivering to our
transfer agent the applicable public warrant certificate on or
prior to the expiration date or the redemption date, as
applicable, with the form on the reverse side of the certificate
executed as indicated, accompanied by payment of the full
exercise price for the number of public warrants being
exercised. Fractional shares will not be issued upon exercise of
our public warrants.
Adjustments of exercise price
The exercise price is subject to adjustment if we declare any
stock dividend to stockholders or effect any split or share
combination with respect to our common stock. Therefore, if we
effect any stock split or stock combination with respect to our
common stock, the exercise price in effect immediately prior to
such stock split or combination will be proportionately reduced
or increased, as the case may be. Any adjustment of the exercise
price will also result in an adjustment of the number of shares
purchasable upon exercise of a public warrant or, if we elect,
an adjustment of the number of public warrants outstanding.
Prior warrants
As of the date of this prospectus, we had issued and outstanding
warrants to purchase 52,727 shares of our common stock at a
weighted average exercise price of $4.71, the forms of which
have been filed as exhibits to the registration statement of
which this prospectus is a part.
33
Registration rights
All holders of registration rights contained in agreements with
us have waived such rights in connection with this offering. In
connection with this offering, we have granted Paulson
Investment Company, Inc., representative of the underwriters of
this offering, warrants to purchase shares of our common stock.
These representatives warrants, as well as the shares of
common stock and warrants included in the units issuable upon
exercise of the representatives warrants, are being
registered on the registration statement of which this
prospectus is a part. We will cause the registration statement
to remain effective until the earlier of the time that all of
the representatives warrants have been exercised and the
date which is five years after the effective date of this
offering. The common stock and warrants issued to the
representative upon exercise of these warrants will be freely
tradeable. We will bear all expenses incurred in connection with
the registration of the shares of common stock and warrants
included in the units issuable upon the exercise of the
representatives warrants.
Anti-takeover provisions of our charter documents
Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws include a number of
provisions that may have the effect of delaying or preventing a
change of control of TASER:
These provisions may deter hostile takeovers or delay changes in
control of our management, which could depress the market price
of our securities.
Transfer agent and public warrant agent
The transfer agent for our common stock and public warrants is
US Stock Transfer Corporation, Glendale, California.
34
number of shares to be issued;
dividend rights and dividend rates;
right to convert the preferred stock into a different type of
security;
voting rights attributable to the preferred stock;
right to receive preferential payments upon a liquidation of the
company;
right to set aside a certain amount of assets for payments
relating to the preferred stock; and
prices to be paid upon redemption of the preferred stock.
Our board is divided into three classes, with each class serving
a three-year staggered term, so that one-third of the board is
elected each year;
The authorized number of our directors can be changed only by
resolution of the board of directors;
We can issue preferred stock without any vote or further action
by stockholders;
Any action required or permitted to be taken by our stockholders
at an annual or a special meeting is valid only if it is
properly brought before the meeting, and written stockholder
action is valid only if unanimous; and
Our bylaws limit persons who may call a special meeting of our
stockholders.
SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE
This offering
Upon completion of the offering, we expect to have 2,510,754
shares of common stock outstanding, assuming no exercise of
outstanding options or warrants, or 2,660,754 shares if the
representatives over-allotment is exercised in full. Of
these shares, the 1,000,000 shares of common stock issued as
part of the units sold in this offering will be freely tradeable
without restrictions or further registration under the
Securities Act of 1933, except that any shares purchased by our
affiliates, as that term is defined under the
Securities Act, may generally only be sold in compliance with
the limitations of Rule 144 under the Securities Act. The
1,000,000 shares of common stock underlying the public warrants
issued as part of the units sold in this offering will also be
freely tradeable after exercise of the warrants, except for
shares held by our affiliates.
Outstanding restricted stock
The remaining 1,510,754 outstanding shares of common stock are
restricted securities within the meaning of Rule 144 and
may not be sold in the absence of registration under the
Securities Act unless an exemption from registration is
available, including the exemption from registration offered by
Rule 144. Holders of all of our outstanding restricted
shares of common stock have agreed not to sell or otherwise
dispose of any of their shares of common stock for a period of
one year after completion of this offering, without the prior
written consent of Paulson Investment Company, Inc., subject to
certain limited exceptions. Prior to the expiration of this
lock-up period, no shares of our outstanding restricted common
stock may be sold in the public market pursuant to
Rule 144. After the expiration of this lock-up period, or
earlier with the prior written consent of Paulson Investment
Company, Inc., all 1,510,754 of these outstanding restricted
shares may be sold in the public market pursuant to
Rule 144.
In general, under Rule 144, as currently in effect,
beginning 90 days after the date of this prospectus, a
person who has beneficially owned restricted shares for at least
one year, including a person who may be deemed to be our
affiliate, may sell within any three-month period a number of
shares of common stock that does not exceed a specified maximum
number of shares. This maximum is equal to the greater of 1% of
the then outstanding shares of our common stock or the average
weekly trading volume in the common stock during the four
calendar weeks immediately preceding the sale. Sales under
Rule 144 are also subject to restrictions relating to
manner of sale, notice and availability of current public
information about us. In addition, under Rule 144(k) of the
Securities Act, a person who is not our affiliate, has not been
an affiliate of ours within three months prior to the sale and
has beneficially owned shares for at least two years would be
entitled to sell such shares immediately without regard to
volume limitations, manner of sale provisions, notice or other
requirements of Rule 144.
Preferred stock
As of December 31, 2000, we had no shares of preferred
stock outstanding.
Options
Beginning 90 days after the date of this prospectus,
certain shares issued or issuable upon the exercise of options
granted by us prior to the date of this prospectus will also be
eligible for sale in the public market pursuant to Rule 701
under the Securities Act of 1933, except that
of
these shares are subject to the lock-up agreements discussed
above. Pursuant to Rule 701, persons who purchase shares
upon exercise of options granted under a written compensatory
plan or contract may sell such shares in reliance on
Rule 144 without having to comply with the holding period
requirements of Rule 144, and in the case of
non-affiliates, without having to comply with the public
information, volume limitation or notice provisions of
Rule 144. As of February 12, 2001, we had options
outstanding to purchase 434,322 shares of common stock which
have not been exercised and which become exercisable at various
times in
35
We intend to file registration statements on Form S-8 under
the Securities Act to register approximately 434,322 shares of
our common stock issuable under our stock option plans. These
registration statements are expected to be filed within three to
six months after the completion of this offering. Shares of our
common stock issued upon the exercise of stock options after the
effective date of the Form S-8 registration statements will
be eligible for resale in the public market without restriction,
subject to Rule 144 limitations and the lock-up agreements
discussed above.
Warrants
As of February 12, 2001, we had warrants outstanding to
purchase 52,727 shares of common stock which have not been
exercised and which are currently exercisable. Any shares issued
upon the exercise of these warrants will be eligible for sale
pursuant to Rule 144, except that these shares are also
subject to the lock-up agreements discussed above.
Representatives warrants
In connection with this offering, we have agreed to issue to the
representative of the underwriters warrants to purchase 100,000
units. The representatives warrants will be exercisable
into units at any time during the four-year period commencing
one year after the effective date of this offering. We will
cause the registration statement to remain effective until the
earlier of the time that all of the representatives
warrants have been exercised and the date which is five years
after the effective date of the offering. The common stock and
warrants issued to the representative upon exercise of these
warrants will be freely tradeable.
36
UNDERWRITING
Paulson Investment Company, Inc. is acting as the representative
of the underwriters. We and the underwriters named below have
entered into an underwriting agreement with respect to the units
being offered. In connection with this offering and subject to
certain conditions, each of the underwriters named below has
severally agreed to purchase, and we have agreed to sell, the
number of units set forth opposite the name of each underwriter.
The underwriting agreement provides that the underwriters are
obligated to purchase all of the units offered by this
prospectus, other than those covered by the over-allotment
option, if any units are purchased. The underwriting agreement
also provides that the obligations of the several underwriters
to pay for and accept delivery of the units are subject to the
approval of certain legal matters by counsel and certain other
conditions. These conditions include the requirements that no
stop order suspending the effectiveness of the registration
statement be in effect and that no proceedings for such purpose
have been instituted or threatened by the Securities and
Exchange Commission.
The representative has advised us that the underwriters propose
to offer our units to the public initially at the offering price
set forth on the cover page of this prospectus and to selected
dealers at such price less a concession of not more than
$ per unit. The underwriters and
selected dealers may reallow a concession to other dealers,
including the underwriters, of not more than
$ per unit. After completion of the
initial public offering of the units, the offering price, the
concessions to selected dealers and the reallowance to their
dealers may be changed by the underwriters.
The underwriters have informed us that they do not expect to
confirm sales of our units offered by this prospectus to any
accounts over which they exercise discretionary authority.
Over-allotment option
Pursuant to the underwriting agreement, we have granted Paulson
Investment Company, Inc. an option, exercisable for 45 days
from the date of this prospectus, to purchase up to an
additional
units
on the same terms as the units being purchased by the
underwriters from us. Paulson Investment Company, Inc. may
exercise the option solely to cover over-allotments, if any, in
the sale of the units that the underwriters have agreed to
purchase. If the over-allotment option is exercised in full, the
total public offering price, underwriting discounts and
commissions, and proceeds to us before offering expenses will be
$ ,
$ and
$ ,
respectively.
Stabilization
Until the distribution of the units offered by this prospectus
is completed, rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission
may limit the ability of the underwriters to bid for and to
purchase units. As an exception to these rules, the underwriters
may engage in transactions that stabilize the price of the
units. Paulson Investment Company, Inc., on behalf of the
underwriters, may engage in over-allotment sales, stabilizing
transactions, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids
in accordance with Regulation M under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934.
37
In general, the purchase of a security to stabilize or to reduce
a short position could cause the price of the security to be
higher than it might be otherwise. These transactions may be
effected on the Nasdaq SmallCap Market or otherwise. Neither we
nor the underwriters can predict the direction or magnitude of
any effect that the transactions described above may have on the
price of the units. In addition, neither we nor the underwriters
can represent that the underwriters will engage in these types
of transactions or that these types of transactions, once
commenced, will not be discontinued without notice.
Indemnification
The underwriting agreement provides for indemnification between
us and the underwriters against specified liabilities, including
liabilities under the Securities Act, and for contribution by us
and the underwriters to payments that may be required to be made
with respect to those liabilities. We have been advised that, in
the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission,
indemnification for liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933
is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and
is therefore unenforceable.
Underwriters compensation
We have agreed to sell the units to the underwriters at the
initial offering price of
$ ,
less the % underwriting discount.
The underwriting agreement also provides that upon the closing
of the sale of the units offered, Paulson Investment Company,
Inc. will be paid a nonaccountable expense allowance equal to
2.5 percent of the gross proceeds from the sale of the
units offered by this prospectus, including the over-allotment
option.
We have also agreed to issue warrants to the representative to
purchase from us up to
units
at an exercise price per unit equal to 120% of the offering
price per unit. These warrants are exercisable during the
four-year period beginning one year from the date of
effectiveness of the registration statement. These warrants, and
the securities underlying the warrants, are not transferable for
one year following the effective date of the registration,
except to an individual who is an officer or partner of an
underwriter, by will or by the laws of descent and distribution,
and are not redeemable. These warrants will have registration
rights. We will cause the registration statement to remain
effective until the earlier of the time that all of the
representatives warrants have been exercised and the date
which is five years after the effective date of this offering.
The common stock and warrants issued to the representative upon
exercise of these warrants will be freely tradeable.
The holders of the representatives warrants will have, in
that capacity, no voting, dividend or other stockholder rights.
Any profit realized by the representative on the sale of the
securities issuable upon exercise of the representatives
warrants may be deemed to be additional underwriting
compensation. The securities underlying the
representatives warrants are being registered on the
registration statement. During the term of the
representatives warrants, the holders thereof are given
the opportunity to profit from a rise in the market price of our
common stock. We may find it more difficult to raise additional
equity capital while the representatives warrants are
outstanding. At any time at which the representatives
warrants are likely to be exercised, we may be able to obtain
additional equity capital on more favorable terms.
38
Lock-up agreements
Our officers, directors and other stockholders have agreed that
for a period of one year from the date this registration
statement becomes effective that they will not sell, contract to
sell, grant any option for the sale or otherwise dispose of any
of our equity securities, or any securities convertible into or
exercisable or exchangeable for our equity securities, other
than through intra-family transfers or transfers to trusts for
estate planning purposes, without the consent of Paulson
Investment Company, Inc., as the representative of the
underwriters, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld.
Determination of offering price
Before this offering, there has been no public market for the
units and the common stock and public warrants contained in the
units. Accordingly, the initial public offering price of the
units offered by this prospectus and the exercise price of the
public warrants were determined by negotiation between us and
the underwriters. Among the factors considered in determining
the initial public offering price of the units and the exercise
price of the public warrants were:
The offering price stated on the cover page of this prospectus
should not be considered an indication of the actual value of
the units. That price is subject to change as a result of market
conditions and other factors, and we cannot assure you that the
units, or the common stock and public warrants contained in the
units, can be resold at or above the initial public offering
price.
LEGAL MATTERS
The validity of the securities being offered hereby will be
passed upon on our behalf by Tonkon Torp LLP, Portland,
Oregon. Certain legal matters will be passed upon for the
underwriters by Weiss Jensen Ellis & Howard, P.C., Portland,
Oregon.
EXPERTS
The financial statements as of and for the years ended
December 31, 1999 and 2000 included in this prospectus have
been audited by Arthur Andersen LLP, independent public
accountants, as indicated in their reports with respect thereto,
and are included herein in reliance upon the authority of said
firm as experts in auditing and accounting in giving said
reports.
39
Underwriters
Number of Units
Over-allotment involves syndicate sales in excess of the
offering size, which creates a syndicate short position.
Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase the underlying
security so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a
specified maximum.
Syndicate covering transactions involve purchases of the common
stock and public warrants in the open market after the
distribution has been completed in order to cover syndicate
short positions. The underwriters may also elect to reduce any
short position by exercising all or part of the over-allotment
option to purchase additional units as described above.
Penalty bids permit the representative to reclaim a selling
concession from a syndicate member when the units originally
sold by the syndicate member are purchased in a syndicate
covering transaction to cover syndicate short positions.
our history and our prospects;
the industry in which we operate;
the status and development prospects for our proposed products
and services;
our past and present operating results;
the previous experience of our executive officers; and
the general condition of the securities markets at the time of
this offering.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We have filed a registration statement on Form SB-2 under
the Securities Act with the Securities and Exchange Commission
with respect to the units offered hereby. This prospectus filed
as part of the registration statement does not contain all of
the information contained in the registration statement and
exhibits thereto and reference is hereby made to such omitted
information. Statements made in this registration statement are
summaries of the terms of such referenced contracts, agreements
or documents and are not necessarily complete. Reference is made
to each such exhibit for a more complete description of the
matters involved and such statements shall be deemed qualified
in their entirety by such reference. The registration statement
and the exhibits and schedules thereto filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission may be inspected by you at the
Securities and Exchange Commissions principal office in
Washington, D.C. Copies of all or any part of the registration
statement may be obtained from the Public Reference Section of
the Securities and Exchange Commission, 450 Fifth Street,
N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549, and at the commissions
regional offices located at Seven World Trade Center,
13th Floor, New York, New York 10048 and Northwestern
Atrium Center, 500 West Madison Street, Suite 11400,
Chicago, Illinois 60661. The commission also maintains a website
at http://www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy statements
and information statements and other information regarding
registrants that file electronically with the Commission. For
further information pertaining to us and the units offered by
this prospectus, reference is made to the registration statement.
We intend to furnish our stockholders with annual reports
containing financial statements audited by our independent
accountants.
40
TASER INTERNATIONAL, INC.
INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
F-1
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
To the Board of Directors of
We have audited the accompanying balance sheets of TASER
International, Inc. (an Arizona corporation) as of
December 31, 1999 and 2000, and the related statements of
operations, stockholders deficit and cash flows for the
years then ended. These financial statements are the
responsibility of the Companys management. Our
responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial
statements based on our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with auditing standards
generally accepted in the United States. Those standards require
that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable
assurance about whether the financial statements are free of
material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test
basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the
financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the
accounting principles used and significant estimates made by
management, as well as evaluating the overall financial
statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a
reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above
present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position
of TASER International, Inc. as of December 31, 1999 and
2000, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for
each of the years in the period ended December 31, 2000, in
conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the
United States.
Phoenix, Arizona
F-2
TASER INTERNATIONAL, INC.
BALANCE SHEETS
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these balance
sheets.
F-3
TASER INTERNATIONAL, INC.
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial
statements.
F-4
TASER INTERNATIONAL, INC.
STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS DEFICIT
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial
statements.
F-5
TASER INTERNATIONAL, INC.
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial
statements.
F-6
TASER INTERNATIONAL, INC.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
1. The Company
a. History and Nature of
Organization
TASER International, Inc. (TASER or the Company) was
incorporated and began operations in Arizona in 1993 for the
purpose of developing and manufacturing less-lethal,
self-defense devices. From its inception until the Company
commenced production in December 1994, the Company was in the
development stage. During the period leading up to the start of
production, the Companys activities included raising
capital, hiring key personnel and obtaining the necessary
licenses. All production costs during the period from inception
through December 31, 1995, consisting of research and
development activities and limited product manufacturing, were
expensed as incurred.
Through 1996, the Company was developing its signature product,
the AIR TASER, and establishing the marketing channels to
promote retail sales. Significant nonrecurring expenditures were
incurred, including research and development costs, the
development of marketing and sales materials, the purchase of
the licensing rights to the TASER technology and trademark, and
the relocation of the manufacturing operations to Mexico, which
resulted in significant operating losses.
In 1997, the Company introduced a new product, the AUTO TASER.
As a result of significant expenditures for research and
development, manufacturing difficulties, scrap, engineering
changes and other costs associated with the start up of this
product line, the Company continued to experience operating
losses in 1997, 1998 and 1999. This product line was
discontinued August 1, 1999.
In 1998, the Company formally changed its name from Air Taser,
Inc. to TASER International, Inc. and began development of its
ADVANCED TASER product, which was introduced for sale in
December 1999.
b. Financing
The Company has been financed primarily from bank financing,
usually guaranteed by major stockholders, and advances and
investment by a number of major stockholders. Since inception,
the Company has sustained significant operating losses and has,
at December 31, 2000, a deficit in working capital of
approximately $1,009,000. In addition, new capital will be
required to fund further product development, market
penetration, working capital and future operations. The Company
believes that additional financing will be available under terms
and conditions that are acceptable to the Company. However,
there can be no assurance that additional financing will be
available. In the event the Company is unable to obtain the
needed financing required, the two major stockholders have
guaranteed to fund working capital and operational cash needs
through at least December 31, 2001.
c. Initial Public Offering
The Company is contemplating an initial public offering
(IPO) of 1,000,000 shares of common stock at an estimated
price of $10 per unit, consisting of one share of common stock
and one warrant to purchase one share of common stock
(Note 10).
d. Reincorporation and Restatement
of Shares
In February 2001, the Company reincorporated in the State
of Delaware. In connection with the reincorporation, the Company
completed a 1-for-6 share reverse stock split. The accompanying
financial statements and footnotes have been restated for the
lower number of shares of common stock outstanding for all
periods presented.
F-7
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
a. Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents include funds on hand and short-term
investments with original maturities of three months or less.
b. Inventory
Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market; cost is
determined using the most recent acquisition cost method which
approximates the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method.
Inventories consisted of the following at December 31:
c. Property and Equipment
Property and equipment are stated at cost. Additions and
improvements are capitalized while ordinary maintenance and
repair expenditures are charged to expense as incurred.
Depreciation is calculated using the straight-line method over
the estimated useful lives of the assets.
d. Customer Deposits
The Company requires certain deposits in advance of shipment for
foreign customer sales orders. At December 31, 2000,
customer deposits consisted primarily of one foreign customer
sales order.
e. Cost of Products Sold
During 2000, the Company outsourced the assembly of its finished
goods, but continued to manufacture certain proprietary
components internally. Prior to August 1999, all finished goods
were assembled internally. At December 31, 2000, cost of
products sold represents net amounts paid to a vendor to acquire
finished goods sold to customers and the manufacturing costs,
including material, labor and overhead related to the
proprietary components the Company manufactures internally.
Prior to August 1999, costs of products sold included the
manufacturing costs, including materials, labor and overhead
related to finished goods and components. Shipping costs
incurred related to product delivery are also included in cost
of products sold.
At December 31, 1999, included within cost of products sold
is a one-time charge related to the phase-out of the AUTO TASER
product line of approximately $355,000.
f. Revenue Recognition
The Company recognizes revenues when products are shipped and
all sales are final. The Company charges certain of its
customers shipping fees, which are recorded as a component of
net sales.
On December 3, 1999, the Securities and Exchange Commission
issued Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) No. 101,
Revenue Recognition in Financial Statements
, which
provides additional guidance in applying generally accepted
accounting principles for revenue recognition in financial
statements. The issuance of SAB No. 101 did not have a
material impact on the revenue recognition method of the Company.
F-8
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
g. Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with
accounting principles generally accepted in the United States
requires management to make estimates and assumptions that
affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and
disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of
the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues
and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could
differ from those estimates.
h. Advertising Costs
The Company expenses the production cost of advertising as
incurred or the first time the advertising takes place. The
Company incurred advertising costs of $24,652 and $35,035 in
1999 and 2000, respectively. Advertising costs are included in
sales, general and administrative expenses in the statements of
operations.
i. Warranty Costs
The Company warrants its products from manufacturing defects for
their lives and will replace any defective units with a new one.
Included in accrued liabilities at December 31, 2000 is
$50,000 to cover estimated future warranty costs.
j. Research and Development
Expenses
The Company expenses research and development costs as incurred.
The Company incurred product development expense of $6,867 and
$7,137 in 1999 and 2000, respectively. Product development costs
are included in operating expenses in the statements of
operations.
k. Income Taxes
The Company, since inception, has qualified as an
S corporation under the Internal Revenue Code, and
accordingly, is not directly subject to income taxes. There is
no provision or benefit for income taxes reflected in the
accompanying financial statements, since items of taxable income
and losses are reported in the individual returns of
stockholders.
Subsequent to December 31, 2000, the Company reincorporated
in the State of Delaware and elected to be taxed as a C
corporation. Net operating losses (NOLs) prior to the change to
a C corporation accrued to the individual stockholders.
Accordingly, such losses are not available to reduce future
taxes payable by the Company as a C corporation.
Upon termination of the S status, the Company is required to
implement Statement of Financial Accounting Standards
No. 109,
Accounting for Income Taxes
(SFAS No. 109), which requires the calculation of existing
temporary differences between the financial statement carrying
amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective
tax bases. Management does not expect such implementation to
have a significant impact on the Company.
Had the Company been a C corporation in 1999 and 2000, no
federal or state income tax benefit would have been recorded for
the NOLs discussed above because their realizability could not
be determined as more likely than not. Accordingly, no pro forma
benefit for federal or state income taxes is recorded as if the
Company were taxed as a C corporation for any of the
periods presented. Additionally, the accumulated deficit at the
time of the S election termination will be reclassified to
additional paid-in capital.
F-9
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
l. Concentration of Credit Risk and
Major Customers
Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to
concentrations of credit risk consist of accounts receivable,
accounts payable and notes payable to related parties. Sales are
typically made on credit and the Company generally does not
require collateral. The Company performs ongoing credit
evaluations of its customers financial condition and
maintains an allowance for estimated potential losses. Accounts
receivable are presented net of an allowance for doubtful
accounts. Provision for bad debts was $32,250 and $72,905 at
December 31, 1999 and 2000, respectively.
For the years ended December 31, 1999 and 2000, sales by
product were as follows:
m. Financial Instruments
The Companys financial instruments include cash, accounts
receivable and accounts payable. Due to the short-term nature of
these instruments, the fair value of these instruments
approximates their recorded value. The Company does not have
material financial instruments with off-balance sheet risk.
The Company has notes payable to stockholders at varying terms
which, based on the short-term nature of the notes and financing
obtained from outside sources, the Company believes are stated
at their estimated fair market value.
n. Segment Information
Effective January 1, 1998, the Company adopted SFAS
No. 131,
Disclosures About Segments of an Enterprise and
Related Information.
This statement requires disclosure of
certain information about the Companys operating segments,
products, geographic areas in which it operates and major
customers. This statement also allows a company to aggregate
similar segments for reporting purposes. Management has
determined that its operations can be aggregated into one
reportable segment. Therefore, no separate segment disclosures
have been included in the accompanying notes to the financial
statements.
o. Stock-Based Compensation
The Company measures compensation costs related to stock option
plans using the intrinsic value method and provides pro forma
disclosures of net income (loss) and earnings (loss) per common
share as if the fair value based method had been applied in
measuring compensation costs. Accordingly, compensation cost for
stock options is measured as the excess, if any, of the fair
value of the Companys common stock at the date of
measurement over the amount an employee must pay to acquire the
stock and is amortized over the vesting period, generally three
years.
F-10
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
p. Comprehensive Income
Effective January 1, 1998, the Company adopted SFAS
No. 130,
Reporting Comprehensive Income.
This
statement requires that all components of comprehensive income
be reported in the financial statements in the period in which
they are recognized. During the years ended December 31,
1999 and 2000, the Company did not have any components of
comprehensive income.
q. Income (Loss) Per Common Share
Income (loss) per common share is computed in accordance
with SFAS No. 128,
Earnings Per Share
. Basic income
(loss) per common share is based upon the weighted average
shares outstanding. Diluted income (loss) per common share is
based on the weighted average shares outstanding and dilutive
common stock equivalents. As a result of anti-dilutive effects,
approximately 145,875 and 186,049 options and warrants were not
included in the computation of diluted earnings per share for
1999 and 2000, respectively.
r. Recent Accounting
Pronouncements
Effective January 1, 2000, the Company adopted SFAS
No. 133,
Accounting for Derivative Instruments and
Hedging Activities
. This statement requires that an entity
recognize all derivatives as either assets or liabilities in the
balance sheet and measure those instruments at fair value.
During 1999 and 2000, the Company did not have any derivative
instruments or hedging activities.
3. Property and Equipment
Property and equipment consist of the following at
December 31, 1999 and 2000:
F-11
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
4. Commitments and Contingencies
a. Operating Leases
The Company has entered into operating leases for office space
and equipment. Rent expense under these leases for the years
ended December 31, 1999 and 2000, was $147,655 and $93,241,
respectively. Future minimum lease payments under operating
leases as of December 31, 2000, are as follows:
b. Litigation
The Company is involved in certain legal actions and claims
arising in the normal course of business. Management is of the
opinion that it maintains adequate insurance and that such
matters will be resolved without a material effect on the
Companys financial position.
In February 2000, the Company was named a defendant in a
suit with a former distributor in the state of New York. The
distributor alleges unfair termination of the distribution
relationship and is seeking substantial damages. The Company
believes the case is without significant merit, and intends to
vigorously defend itself. In the opinion of management, this
dispute will not have a material adverse effect on the
Companys financial position.
c. Employment Agreements
The Company has employment agreements with its President, Chief
Executive Officer (CEO) and Chief Financial Officer (CFO). The
Company may terminate the agreements with or without cause.
Should the Company terminate the agreements without cause, upon
a change of control of the Company or death of the employee, the
President, CEO and CFO are entitled to additional compensation.
Under these circumstances, these officers may receive the
remaining amounts under the contract upon termination which
could total $510,000.
5. Income Taxes
Concurrently with the change in tax status as discussed in Note
2, the Company will adopt the provisions of SFAS No. 109.
Under the asset and liability method of SFAS No. 109,
deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the
future tax consequences attributable to differences between the
financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and
liabilities and their respective tax bases and operating loss
and tax credit carryforwards. Deferred tax assets and
liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates applied to
taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences
are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on the
deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is
recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment
date.
Management believes that the following estimated deferred tax
assets and liabilities would exist at December 31, 2000, if
the date of tax status change was effective on December 31,
2000. The Company
F-12
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
would provide a full valuation reserve for the deferred tax
asset because the Company has not sustained taxable net income
in any periods at sufficient levels to assure realization:
6. Line of Credit
During 1999, the Company had a line of credit with a bank with a
total commitment of up to $1,500,000. The line was used to fund
the Companys working capital needs, and was personally
guaranteed by two stockholders, had an interest rate of 10% and
was secured by virtually all of the assets of the Company. At
December 31, 1998, borrowings under the line were
$1,329,600. The line matured and was paid in full on
February 15, 1999.
7. Inventory Financing Agreement
The Company has entered into an inventory financing agreement
with its warehouser and minority stockholder. Under the
agreement, the Company has the right to sell its product to the
warehouser at a stated price up to quantities totaling the
lesser of $500,000 or the number of units sold in the last two
months. The Company repurchased the product once sold to a third
party at the stated price plus 2% per month (24% annually). In
June 1998, the agreement expired and the Company issued a
$189,980 note for the amount due. The note bears interest at 10%
and is paid monthly and matured March 31, 2000. As of
December 31, 2000, no amounts of principal have been paid
on this note and the balance is recorded as a current payable.
8. Notes Payable
At December 31, 1999 and 2000 debt obligations were as
follows:
F-13
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
At December 31, 2000, aggregate annual maturities of
long-term debt and capital leases were as follows:
During 1998, a significant stockholder loaned the Company
approximately $725,691. In March 1998, $150,000 was converted
into 20,833 shares of common stock at an estimated fair value of
$7.20 per share. In December 1998, the Company issued a
promissory note for $455,691, the remaining amounts due. The
note carried interest at 9% (increased to 10% in January 2001)
and its maturity was extended to July 1, 2002.
In addition, during 1998, another stockholder loaned the Company
approximately $622,525. In March 1998, $150,000 was converted
into 20,833 shares of common stock at an estimated market value
of $7.20 per share. In December 1998, the Company issued a
promissory note for $472,525, the remaining amounts due. The
note carried interest at 9% (increased to 10% in January 2001)
and its maturity was extended to July 1, 2002.
In January 1999, a stockholder loaned the Company
$1,500,000. In return, the Company issued a promissory note for
$500,000 at an effective interest rate of 27.12% to mature
October 31, 2000 and issued 1,666,667 shares of common
stock to the stockholder at a fair market value of $0.60 per
share. The stock issued was subject to a repurchase agreement
which allowed the Company to repurchase the shares issued at
cost if certain criteria were met. In July 2000, the Company
repurchased the 1,666,667 shares under the agreement in exchange
for a promissory note for $1,000,000. This $1,000,000 note and
the $500,000 note issued in January 1999 were consolidated
into a new note for $1,500,000 which carries interest at bank
prime (9.5% at December 31, 2000) plus 1% and matures
July 1, 2002.
In March 1999, the Company issued a promissory note to a
stockholder for $100,000 at an interest rate of 10% which
matures on July 1, 2002.
In March 1999, the Company issued a promissory note to a
stockholder for $99,794 at an interest rate of 10% which matures
July 1, 2002.
In July 1999, the Company issued a promissory note to a
stockholder for $50,000 to fund working capital needs at an
interest rate of 10% which matures July 1, 2002.
In May 2000, the Company issued a promissory note to a
stockholder for $200,000 to fund working capital needs at an
interest rate of 10% which matures on July 1, 2002.
In January 2001, the Company issued a promissory note to a
private investor to fund working capital for $500,000 at an
interest rate of 18% which matures the earlier of the close of
the IPO or July 1, 2002.
9. Stockholders Equity
a. Common Stock
Concurrent with the re-incorporation in Delaware effective
February 2001, the Company adopted a certificate of
incorporation and authorized the issuance of two classes of
stock to be designated common stock and
preferred stock, provided that both common and
preferred stock shall have a par value of
F-14
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
$0.00001 per share and authorized the Company to issue 50
million shares of common stock and 25 million shares of
preferred stock.
Additionally, effective February 2001, the Company declared a
1-for-6 reverse stock split of common stock. All references to
the number of shares, per share amounts, conversion amounts and
stock option data of the Companys common stock have been
restated to reflect this reverse stock split for all periods
presented.
b. Preferred Stock
The Company is authorized to issue up to 25 million shares of
preferred stock, $0.00001 par value. The power to issue any
shares of preferred stock of any class or any series of any
class and designations, voting powers, preferences, and relative
participating, optional or other rights, if any, or the
qualifications, limitations, or restrictions thereof, shall be
determined by the Board of Directors.
c. Warrants
At December 31, 2000, the Company has warrants outstanding
to purchase 42,747 shares of common stock at prices ranging from
$0.24 to $21.00 per share with an average exercise price of
$3.49 per share and a weighted average useful life of
3.58 years. A summary of warrants outstanding and
exercisable at December 31, 2000 is presented in the table
below:
In 2000, the Company issued 22,727 warrants to a stockholder as
a loan guarantee. The warrants are exercisable at $3.30 per
share and expire July 31, 2005. These warrants have been
recorded at fair value as additional paid-in capital and the
related expense recorded in the accompanying financial
statements.
In January 2001, the Company issued 5,000 warrants to a
private investor as a loan guarantee and 5,000 warrants to its
attorney related to the IPO. These warrants are exercisable at
$10 per share and expire January 1, 2006.
d. Deferred Compensation
During 2000, two non-employee Board of Director members received
their director fees for services relating to 2001 to 2004
through the issuance of 13,333 options at an exercisable price
of $3.30. These options have been recorded at fair value as
deferred compensation in the accompanying balance sheets and
will be amortized into expense over the next four years.
e. Stock Option Plans
The Company has historically issued stock options for various
equity owners and key employees as a means of attracting and
retaining quality personnel. The option holders have the right
to purchase a stated amount of shares at the estimated market
value on the grant date. The options generally vest over a
three-year period.
F-15
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
The directors of the Company adopted the Companys
1998-1999 Stock Option Plan. The 1998-1999 Plan was administered
by the Board of Directors which determined the employees,
directors or consultants which will be granted options and the
terms of the options, including the vesting provision which
typically is over a three-year period.
The 1998-1999 Plan and options previously granted were
voluntarily canceled by the recipients.
The Company has a 1999 Stock Option Plan (the 1999
Plan) that provides for officers, key employees and
consultants to receive nontransferable stock options to purchase
up to 833,333 shares of the Companys common stock. The
term of the options may not exceed ten years although most
options granted had an initial expiration period of between five
and seven years. In 1998, the Company had a similar plan which
was cancelled in 1999.
In 1999, the Company issued 16,667 five-year options to a
stockholder at an exercise price of $0.66 per share for
consulting services, and 3,959 ten-year options to a lender at
an exercise price of $7.20 per share for a loan guarantee. In
2000, the Company issued 4,697 ten-year options to a
non-employee at an exercise price of $3.30 per share for
consulting services, and 3,333 five-year options to a
stockholder at an exercise price of $0.24 per share for a loan
guarantee. These options have been recorded at fair value as
additional paid-in capital and the related expense recorded in
the year in which the service is provided in the accompanying
financial statements. In 2000, the 1999 Plan was cancelled.
A summary of the Companys stock options at
December 31, 1999 and 2000 and for the years then ended is
presented in the table below:
Stock options outstanding and exercisable at December 31,
2000 are as follows:
F-16
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
The Company measures the compensation cost of its stock option
plan using the intrinsic value based method of accounting
prescribed in Accounting Principles Board Opinion 25,
Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees
. Accordingly, no
compensation cost has been recognized for its stock option plan.
The weighted average remaining contractual life of those options
is approximately 6.64 years. Had the Companys compensation
cost been determined using the fair value based method of
accounting prescribed by SFAS No. 123,
Accounting for
Stock-Based Compensation,
the Companys net loss and
net loss per common share would have been adjusted to the
following pro forma amounts (amounts in thousands except per
common share amounts):
In January 2001, the Company adopted the 2001 Stock Option
Plan (the 2001 Plan) that provides for officers, key
employees and consultants to receive nontransferable stock
options to purchase up to 550,000 shares of the Companys
common stock. In January 2001, the Company issued 291,000
ten year options to employees, shareholders and consultants at
exercise prices ranging from $8.00 to $8.80 per share.
10. Subsequent Event
The Company intends to file an SB-2 registration statement
offering 1,000,000 units at an estimated initial offering price
of $10 per unit consisting of one share of common stock and one
warrant to purchase one share of common stock. Also, the Company
intends to issue to the representative of the IPOs
underwriters warrants which enable the representative to acquire
100,000 units for 120% of the IPO unit offering price.
F-17
You should rely only on the
information contained in this prospectus. We have not authorized
anyone to provide you with information different from the
information contained in this prospectus. We are offering to
sell, and seeking offers to buy, units only in jurisdictions in
which offers and sales are permitted.
Until
,
2001 (25 days after the date of this prospectus), all
broker-dealers that effect the transactions in these securities,
whether or not participating in this offering, may be required
to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to the
dealers obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as
underwriters and with respect to their unsold allotments or
subscriptions.
1,000,000 UNITS
[TASER LOGO]
PAULSON INVESTMENT
February [ ], 2001
Page
F-2
F-3
F-4
F-5
F-6
F-7
ARTHUR ANDERSEN LLP
1999
2000
Assets
$
54,905
$
206,408
121,921
312,681
158,167
221,169
14,043
24,535
349,036
764,793
256,110
274,273
$
605,146
$
1,039,066
Liabilities and Stockholders Deficit
$
112,000
$
100,000
1,664,774
124,574
19,176
22,171
517,629
532,589
62,317
539,329
189,980
189,980
138,942
268,134
2,704,818
1,776,777
74,781
2,778,219
19,979
43,925
2,799,578
4,598,921
2,889,590
1,889,590
1,180,182
1,310,308
(79,920
)
(6,264,204
)
(6,679,833
)
(2,194,432
)
(3,559,855
)
$
605,146
$
1,039,066
1999
2000
$
2,366,440
$
3,499,758
1,492,585
1,437,313
873,855
2,062,445
633,828
430,871
1,383,185
1,546,519
6,867
7,137
179,453
124,803
(1,329,478
)
(46,885
)
280,821
368,744
$
(1,610,299
)
$
(415,629
)
$
(0.52
)
$
(0.17
)
3,076,410
2,482,976
Common Stock
Additional
Total
Paid-in
Deferred
Accumulated
Stockholders
Shares
Amount
Capital
Compensation
Deficit
Deficit
1,359,239
$
1,389,590
$
1,177,856
$
$
(4,653,905
)
$
(2,086,459
)
1,666,667
1,000,000
1,000,000
151,515
500,000
500,000
2,326
2,326
(1,610,299
)
(1,610,299
)
3,177,421
2,889,590
1,180,182
(6,264,204
)
(2,194,432
)
(1,666,667
)
(1,000,000
)
(1,000,000
)
79,920
(79,920
)
13,917
13,917
36,289
36,289
(415,629
)
(415,629
)
1,510,754
$
1,889,590
$
1,310,308
$
(79,920
)
$
(6,679,833
)
$
(3,559,855
)
1999
2000
$
(1,610,299
)
$
(415,629
)
179,453
124,803
90,474
(190,760
)
607,165
(63,002
)
16,598
(10,492
)
(152,510
)
14,960
62,317
477,012
101,650
129,192
(705,152
)
66,084
(133,760
)
(99,759
)
(19,195
)
(16,266
)
(12,000
)
728,344
163,238
(1,329,635
)
1,500,000
(79,920
)
2,326
130,126
881,840
185,178
42,928
151,503
11,977
54,905
$
54,905
$
206,408
$
179,171
$
239,552
$
33,635
$
43,207
$
$
1,000,000
1999
2000
$
131,007
$
153,506
27,160
67,663
$
158,167
$
221,169
1999
2000
(000s omitted)
$
1,327
$
1,241
608
24
80
2,152
351
83
$
2,366
$
3,500
52
%
82
%
48
18
100
%
100
%
Estimated
Useful Lives
1999
2000
5 years
$
$
5,000
5 years
335,050
380,326
5 years
31,535
31,535
3-5 years
332,460
383,492
5-7 years
22,767
57,542
721,812
857,895
(465,702
)
(583,622
)
$
256,110
$
274,273
$
144,481
142,643
146,362
150,193
154,139
143,156
$
880,974
$
42,171
26,646
(68,817
)
$
1999
2000
$
1,678,010
$
2,878,010
61,545
24,783
112,000
100,000
39,155
66,096
1,890,710
3,068,889
(1,795,950
)
(246,745
)
$
94,760
$
2,822,144
$
246,745
2,809,359
5,308
3,589
3,888
$
3,068,889
Outstanding
Weighted
Average
Exercise
Expiration
Price
Warrants
Date
$
21.00
3,333
7/31/05
0.24
16,667
1/1/03
3.30
22,727
7/31/05
$
3.49
42,727
1999
2000
Weighted
Weighted
Average
Average
Exercise
Exercise
Options
Price
Options
Price
65,334
$
6.37
124,875
$
0.82
124,791
0.82
18,530
3.30
(65,250
)
6.38
(83
)
0.24
124,875
$
0.82
143,322
$
1.14
42,352
$
1.21
84,979
$
1.02
Outstanding
Exercisable
Average
Exercise
Average
Price
Options
Life(a)
Options
$
0.24
3,333
3.50
3,333
0.60
80,833
7.52
50,718
0.66
36,667
3.00
23,426
7.20
3,959
9.74
3,958
3.30
18,530
8.42
3,544
$
1.02
143,322
6.58
84,979
(a)
Average contractual life remaining.
Year Ended December 31,
1999
2000
$
(1,610
)
$
(416
)
(1,633
)
(440
)
$
(0.52
)
$
(0.17
)
(0.53
)
(0.18
)
Page
1
4
10
10
11
12
13
16
26
30
31
32
35
37
39
39
40
Statements
F-1
PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item 24.
Indemnification of Directors and
Officers.
Our certificate of incorporation allows and our bylaws require
that we indemnify our directors and officers who are or were a
party to, or are threatened to be made a party to, any
proceeding (including a derivative action if the director or
officer is not found liable to us), against all expenses
reasonably incurred by a director or officer in connection with
such a proceeding (including expenses, judgments, fines and
amounts paid in settlement), if the director or officer acted in
good faith, in a manner he or she believed was not opposed to
our best interests, and, with respect to a criminal proceeding,
had no reason to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful.
We have entered into separate indemnification agreements with
each of our directors and officers. The agreements provide for
mandatory indemnification for and limit the liability of our
directors and officers in serving us to the fullest extent
permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law. Specifically,
under the agreements, our directors and officers will not be
personally liable for monetary damages for their errors or
omissions, except for liability for the breach of a
directors or officers duty of loyalty to us or our
stockholders, for intentional misconduct or acts not in good
faith, for making any unlawful distribution, for any transaction
from which the director or officer derived an improper benefit,
or for violating section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended, or similar laws.
Our bylaws and indemnification agreements generally require that
we advance to our directors and officers expenses incurred by
them in defending a proceeding in advance of its final
disposition, provided that the director or officer agrees to
reimburse us for such advances if it is ultimately found that
the director or officer is not entitled to indemnification. In
addition, our bylaws permit us to purchase insurance on behalf
of our directors and officers against any liability asserted
against them in such capacity. We intend to obtain such
insurance.
Item 25.
Other Expenses of Issuance and
Distribution.
The following table sets forth an itemization of SEC
Registration, NASD filing and Nasdaq listing fees, and all other
estimated expenses, all of which we will pay, in connection with
the issuance and distribution of the securities being registered:
Item 26.
Recent Sales of Unregistered
Securities.
We have issued the following securities within the last three
years. The following information regarding our securities has
been adjusted to reflect a 1-for-6 reverse stock split effected
in connection with our redomestication in Delaware on
February 12, 2001.
II-1
(1) In March 1998, pursuant to an exemption under
Section 4(2) of the Securities Act, we sold shares of our
common stock as follows: 20,833 shares at $7.20 per share for an
aggregate purchase price of $150,000 to Bruce R. Culver; and
20,833 shares at $7.20 per share for an aggregate purchase price
of $150,000 to Phillips W. Smith.
(2) In January 1999, pursuant to an exemption under
Section 4(2) of the Securities Act, we sold shares of our
common stock as follows: 1,666,667 shares at $0.60 per share for
an aggregate purchase price of $1,000,000 to Bruce R. Culver.
These shares were subject to a repurchase option that was
exercised by us in July 2000 at the same price ($0.60 per share)
for an aggregate purchase price of $1,000,000.
(3) In September 1999, pursuant to an exemption under
Section 4(2) of the Securities Act, we sold shares of our
common stock as follows: 151,515 shares at $3.30 per share for
an aggregate purchase price of $500,000 to Bruce R. Culver.
Item 27.
Exhibits.
II-2
Item 28.
Undertakings.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act may be permitted to our directors, officers and
controlling persons pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or
otherwise, we have been advised that in the opinion of the
Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is
against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is,
therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment
by us of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or
controlling person of us in the successful defense of any
action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director,
officer or controlling person in connection with the securities
being registered, we will, unless in the opinion of our counsel
the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to
a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in
the Securities Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.
We hereby undertake to:
II-3
In addition, we hereby undertake to provide to the underwriters
at the closing specified in the underwriting agreement,
certificates in such denominations and registered in such names
as required by the underwriters to permit prompt delivery to
each purchaser.
II-4
Nature of Expense
Amount
$
8,649
3,960
8,000
125,000
125,000
150,000
145,000
65,000
1,250
18,131
$
650,000
Exhibit
No.
Description
1.1
Form of Underwriting Agreement
3.1
Registrants Certificate of Incorporation
3.2
Registrants Bylaws
4.1
Reference is made to pages 1-4 of Exhibit 3.1 and
pages 1-5 and 12-14 of Exhibit 3.2
4.2
Form of Common Stock Certificate*
4.3
Form of Public Warrant
4.4
Form of Unit Certificate*
4.5
Form of Warrant Agent Agreement*
4.6
Form of Representatives Warrant*
5.1
Opinion of Tonkon Torp LLP*
10.1
Employment Agreement with Patrick W. Smith, dated
July 1, 1998
10.2
Employment Agreement with Thomas P. Smith, dated
November 15, 2000
10.3
Employment Agreement with Kathleen C. Hanrahan, dated
November 15, 2000
10.4
Form of Indemnification Agreement between the Registrant and its
directors
10.5
Form of Indemnification Agreement between the Registrant and its
officers
10.6
1999 Employee Stock Option Plan
10.7
2001 Stock Option Plan*
10.8
Form of Warrant issued to Bruce Culver and Phil Smith
10.9
Licensing Agreement with respect to intellectual property dated
October 15, 1993, as amended, by and between the Registrant
and John H. Cover, Jr., and related documents
10.10
Promissory Note, dated January 23, 2001 payable to Phillip
Purer in the amount of $500,000 and related security documents
10.11
Promissory Note, dated December 31, 1998, payable to
B & M Distributing, Inc., in the amount of
$189,980 and related guarantee and security documents
10.12
Promissory Note dated October 24, 2000, payable to Bank of
America in the amount of $60,000 and related guarantee and
security documents
10.13
Form of Promissory Notes issued to stockholders
10.14
Lease between the Registrant and Norton P. Remes and
Joan A. Remes Revocable Trust, dated November 17, 2000
Exhibit
No.
Description
23.1
Consent of Tonkon, Torp LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)
23.2
Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP, independent public accountants
24
Power of Attorney. Reference is made to the signature page.
*
To be filed by amendment.
(1) File, during any period in which offers or sales are
being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration
statement to:
(i) Include any prospectus required by
Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
(the Securities Act);
(ii) Reflect in the prospectus any facts or events which,
individually or together, represent a fundamental change in the
information in the registration statement; and notwithstanding
the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities
offered (if the dollar value of the securities offered would not
exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low
or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be
reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission
pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act if, in the
aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more
than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set
forth in the Calculation of Registration Fee table
in the effective registration statement; and
(iii) Include any additional or changed material
information on the plan of distribution.
(2) For determining liability under the Securities Act,
treat each post-effective amendment as a new registration
statement of the securities offered, and the offering of the
securities at that time to be the initial bona fide offering.
(3) File a post-effective amendment to remove from
registration any of the securities that remain unsold at the end
of the offering.
(4) For purposes of determining any liability under the
Securities Act, treat the information omitted from the form of
prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in
reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of
prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to
Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act as
part of this registration statement as of the time it was
declared effective.
(5) For determining any liability under the Securities
Act, treat each post-effective amendment that contains a form of
prospectus as a new registration statement for the securities
offered in the
registration statement, and that offering of the securities at
that time as the initial bona fide offering of those securities.
SIGNATURES
In accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act of
1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to
believe that it meets all of the requirements of filing on
Form SB-2 and authorized this registration statement to be
signed on its behalf by the undersigned, in the City of
Scottsdale, Arizona on February 13, 2001.
Know all men by these presents, that each person whose signature
appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Patrick W. Smith
and Phillips W. Smith and each of them, his true and lawful
attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution
and resubstitution for him and in his name, place and stead, in
any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments
(including post-effective amendments) to this registration
statement, or any registration statement for the same offering
that is to be effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462(b)
under the Securities Act of 1933, and to file the same, with all
exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith,
with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and
authority to do and perform each and every act and thing
requisite or necessary to be done in and about the premises, as
fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in
person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, or either of them, or their or his
substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue
hereof.
In accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act of
1933, this registration statement was signed by the following
persons in the capacities and on the dates stated.
II-5
TASER INTERNATIONAL, INC.
BY:
/s/PATRICK W. SMITH
Patrick W. Smith,
Chief Executive Officer
Signature
Title
Date
/s/ PATRICK W. SMITH
Patrick W. Smith
February 14, 2001
/s/ THOMAS P. SMITH
Thomas P. Smith
February 14, 2001
/s/ KATHLEEN C. HANRAHAN
Kathleen C. Hanrahan
February 14, 2001
/s/ PHILLIPS W. SMITH
Phillips W. Smith
February 14, 2001
/s/ BRUCE R. CULVER
Bruce R. Culver
February 14, 2001
/s/ KARL WALTER
Karl Walter
February 14, 2001
/s/ MATTHEW R. MCBRADY
Matthew R. McBrady
February 14, 2001
EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit
No.
Description
1.1
Form of Underwriting Agreement
3.1
Registrants Certificate of Incorporation
3.2
Registrants Bylaws
4.1
Reference is made to pages 1-4 of Exhibit 3.1 and
pages 1-5 and 12-14 of Exhibit 3.2
4.2
Form of Common Stock Certificate*
4.3
Form of Public Warrant
4.4
Form of Unit Certificate*
4.5
Form of Warrant Agent Agreement*
4.6
Form of Representatives Warrant*
5.1
Opinion of Tonkon Torp LLP*
10.1
Employment Agreement with Patrick W. Smith, dated
July 1, 1998
10.2
Employment Agreement with Thomas P. Smith, dated
November 15, 2000
10.3
Employment Agreement with Kathleen C. Hanrahan, dated
November 15, 2000
10.4
Form of Indemnification Agreement between the Registrant and its
directors
10.5
Form of Indemnification Agreement between the Registrant and its
officers
10.6
1999 Employee Stock Option Plan
10.7
2001 Stock Option Plan*
10.8
Form of Warrant issued to Bruce Culver and Phil Smith
10.9
Licensing Agreement with respect to intellectual property dated
October 15, 1993, as amended, by and between the Registrant
and John H. Cover, Jr., and related documents
10.10
Promissory Note, dated January 23, 2001 payable to Phillip
Purer in the amount of $500,000 and related security documents
10.11
Promissory Note, dated December 31, 1998, payable to
B & M Distributing, Inc., in the amount of
$189,980 and related guarantee and security documents
10.12
Promissory Note dated October 24, 2000, payable to Bank of
America in the amount of $60,000 and related guarantee and
security documents
10.13
Form of Promissory Notes issued to stockholders
10.14
Lease between the Registrant and Norton P. Remes and
Joan A. Remes Revocable Trust, dated November 17, 2000
23.1
Consent of Tonkon, Torp LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)
23.2
Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP, independent public accountants
24
Power of Attorney. Reference is made to the signature page.
*
To be filed by amendment.
Exhibit 1.1
__________________ UNITS
TASER INTERNATIONAL, INC.
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
________________, 2001
Paulson Investment Company, Inc.
As Representative of the
several Underwriters
811 SW Naito Parkway, Suite 200
Portland, Oregon 97204
Gentlemen:
TASER International, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), proposes to sell to the several underwriters (the "Underwriters") named in Schedule I hereto, for whom you are acting as the Representative (the "Representative"), an aggregate of ___________ units (the "Firm Units"). Each unit will consist of one share of the Company's Common Stock ("Common Stock") and one redeemable purchase warrant substantially in the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (as hereinafter defined) (the "Warrants"). The respective number of Firm Units to be so purchased by the several Underwriters is set forth opposite their names in Schedule I hereto. The Company also proposes to grant to Paulson Investment Company, Inc. an option to purchase in the aggregate up to ____________ additional units, identical to the Firm Units (the "Option Units"), as set forth below.
As the Representative, you have advised the Company (a) that you are authorized to enter into this Agreement for yourself as Representative and on behalf of the several Underwriters, and (b) that the several Underwriters are willing, acting severally and not jointly, to purchase the number of Firm Units set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule I. The Firm Units and the Option Units (to the extent the aforementioned option is exercised) are herein collectively called the "Units."
In consideration of the mutual agreements contained herein and of the interests of the parties in the transactions contemplated hereby, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY.
The Company represents and warrants to each of the Underwriters as follows:
(a) A registration statement on Form SB-2 (File No. 333- ) with respect to the Units has been prepared by the Company in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), and the Rules and Regulations (the "Rules and Regulations") of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") thereunder and has been filed with the Commission. Copies of such registration statement, including any amendments thereto, the preliminary prospectuses (meeting the requirements of the Rules and
TASER International, Inc. Underwriting Agreement
Regulations) contained therein and the exhibits, financial statements and schedules, as finally amended and revised, have heretofore been delivered by the Company to you. Such registration statement, together with any registration statement filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Act, herein referred to as the "Registration Statement," which shall be deemed to include all information omitted therefrom in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in the Prospectus referred to below, has become effective under the Act and no post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed as of the date of this Agreement. "Prospectus" means (i) the form of prospectus first filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) or (ii) the last preliminary prospectus included in the Registration Statement filed prior to the time it becomes effective or filed pursuant to Rule 424(a) under the Act that is delivered by the Company to the Underwriters for delivery to purchasers of the Units, together with the term sheet or abbreviated term sheet filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b)(7) under the Act. Each preliminary prospectus included in the Registration Statement prior to the time it becomes effective is herein referred to as a "Preliminary Prospectus."
(b) The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the state of Delaware, with corporate power and corporate authority to own or lease its properties and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement. The Company does not own and never has owned a controlling interest in any other corporation or other business entity, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement. The Company is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in all jurisdictions in which the conduct of its business requires such qualification.
(c) The outstanding shares of each class or series of capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, have been issued and sold by the Company in compliance in all material respects with applicable securities laws; the issuance and sale of the Units, and the Common stock and Warrants included within the Units, have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and, when issued and paid for as contemplated herein, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable; and no preemptive rights of shareholders exist with respect to any security of the Company or the issue and sale thereof. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, neither the filing of the Registration Statement nor the offering or sale of the Units as contemplated by this Agreement give rise to any rights, other than those which have been waived or satisfied, for or relating to the registration of any shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company. The Company does not own or have the right to acquire capital stock or other equity securities of any other person representing more than five percent of the equity of that person, or otherwise control any other person.
(d) The information set forth under the caption "Capitalization" in the Prospectus is true and correct. The Common Stock conforms and the Warrants and the Representative's Warrants (as defined in Paragraph (d) of Section 2 hereof) will conform to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement. The forms of certificates for the securities comprising the Units conform to the requirements of the corporate law of Delaware. Except as described in the Registration Statement, there are no outstanding securities of the Company convertible or exchangeable into or evidencing the right to purchase or subscribe for any shares of capital stock of the Company and there are no outstanding or authorized options, warrants or
TASER International, Inc. Underwriting Agreement
rights of any character obligating the Company to issue any shares of its capital stock or any securities convertible or exchangeable into or evidencing the right to purchase or subscribe for any shares of such stock.
(e) The Commission has not issued an order preventing or suspending the use of any Prospectus relating to the proposed offering of the Units nor instituted proceedings for that purpose. The Registration Statement contains, and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto will contain, all statements which are required to be stated therein by, and will conform to, the requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations. The Registration Statement and any amendment thereto do not contain, and will not contain, any untrue statement of a material fact and do not omit, and will not omit, to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. The Prospectus and any amendments and supplements thereto do not contain, and will not contain, any untrue statement of material fact; and do not omit, and will not omit, to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Company makes no representations or warranties as to information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or any such amendment or supplement, in reliance upon, and in conformity with, written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representative, specifically for use in the preparation thereof.
(f) The financial statements of the Company, together with related notes and schedules as set forth in the Registration Statement, present fairly the financial position, results of operations, cash flows and shareholders equity of the Company at the indicated dates and for the indicated periods. Such financial statements and related schedules have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, consistently applied throughout the periods involved, except as disclosed therein, and all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of results for such periods have been made. The summary financial and statistical data of the Company included in the Registration Statement present fairly the information shown therein and such data has been compiled on a basis consistent with the financial statements presented therein and the books and records of the Company.
(g) Arthur Andersen LLP, who have certified certain of the financial statements filed with the Commission as part of the Registration Statement, are independent public accountants as required by the Act and the applicable published Rules and Regulations.
(h) There is no action, suit, claim or proceeding pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company before any court or administrative agency or otherwise which if determined adversely to the Company might result in any material adverse change in the earnings, business, management, properties, assets, rights, operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company or prevent the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, except as set forth in the Registration Statement.
(i) The Company has good and marketable title to all properties and assets, tangible and intangible, reflected in the financial statements (or as described in the Registration Statement) hereinabove described, subject to no lien, mortgage, pledge, charge or encumbrance
TASER International, Inc. Underwriting Agreement
of any kind except those reflected in such financial statements (or as described in the Registration Statement) or which are not material. The Company's ownership rights in its patents, patent licenses and other material technology is consistent with (i) the description thereof in the Registration Statement, and (ii) the business needs of the Company. All of the leases and subleases under which the Company holds properties, tangible or intangible, are in full force and effect conforming in all respects to the description thereof set forth in the Registration Statement. The Company has not received notice of any claim that is materially adverse to the rights of the Company under any of such leases or subleases.
(j) The Company has filed all federal, state, local and foreign income tax returns which have been required to be filed and has paid all taxes indicated by said returns and all assessments received by it to the extent that such taxes have become due and are not being contested in good faith. All tax liabilities have been adequately provided for in the financial statements of the Company, and the Company does not know of any actual or proposed additional material tax assessments relating to any of its historical periods.
(k) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, as it may have been amended or supplemented, there has not been any material adverse change or any development involving a prospective material adverse change in or affecting the earnings, business, management, properties, assets, rights, operations, condition (financial or otherwise), or prospects of the Company, whether or not occurring in the ordinary course of business, and there has not been any material transaction entered into or any material transaction that is probable of being entered into by the Company, other than transactions in the ordinary course of business and changes and transactions described in the Registration Statement, as it may be amended or supplemented. The Company has no material contingent obligations which are not disclosed in the Company's financial statements or elsewhere in the Prospectus which is included in the Registration Statement.
(l) The Company is not, nor, with the giving of notice or lapse of time or both, will it be, in violation of or in default under its Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws or under any agreement, lease, contract, indenture or other instrument or obligation to which it is a party or by which it, or any of its properties, is bound and which default is of material significance in respect of the condition, financial or otherwise, of the Company or the business, management, properties, assets, rights, operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated and the fulfillment of the terms hereof will not conflict with or result in a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, material contract or other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which its assets may be bound, or of the Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws of the Company or any order, rule or regulation applicable to the Company of any court or of any regulatory body or administrative agency or other governmental body having jurisdiction.
(m) Each approval, consent, order, authorization, designation, declaration or filing by or with any regulatory, administrative or other governmental body necessary in connection with the execution and delivery by the Company of this Agreement and the consummation of the
TASER International, Inc. Underwriting Agreement
transactions herein contemplated (except such additional steps as may be required by the Commission, the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD") or such additional steps as may be necessary to qualify the Units for public offering by the Underwriters under state securities or Blue Sky laws) has been obtained or made and is in full force and effect.
(n) The Company owns or possesses adequate rights to use or can acquire on reasonable terms, all patents, patent rights, trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights, trade secrets and licenses of any of the foregoing (collectively, "Intellectual Property Rights") that are described in the Prospectus or which are necessary to the conduct of its business; there is no claim pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company, or any of its officers, directors, employees or consultants, in their capacities as such, alleging any infringement of Intellectual Property Rights, or any violation of the terms of any license relating to Intellectual Property Rights, nor does the Company know of any basis for any such claim. The Company knows of no infringement by others of Intellectual Property Rights owned by or licensed to the Company. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the expiration of any Intellectual Property Rights would not have a material adverse effect on the condition, or on the earnings, business or operations of the Company, taken as a whole. The Company has obtained, is in compliance in all material respect with and maintains in full force and effect all material licenses, certificates, permits, orders or other, similar authorizations granted or issued by any governmental agency (collectively "Government Permits") required to conduct its business as it is presently conducted. No proceeding to revoke, limit or otherwise materially change any Government Permit has been commenced or, to the knowledge of the Company, is threatened against the Company, and the Company has no reason to anticipate that any such proceeding will be commenced against the Company. Except as disclosed or contemplated in the Prospectus, the Company has no reason to believe that any pending application for a patent or Government Permit will be denied or limited in a manner inconsistent with the Company's business plan as described in the Prospectus.
(o) The Company is in all material respects in compliance with all applicable Environmental Laws (as defined below). The Company has no knowledge of any past, present or, as anticipated by the Company, future events, conditions, activities, investigation, studies, plans or proposals that (i) would interfere with or prevent compliance with any Environmental Law by the Company or (ii) could reasonably be expected to give rise to any common law or other liability, or otherwise form the basis of a claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing or investigation, involving the Company and related to Hazardous Substances (as defined below) or Environmental Laws. No Hazardous Substance is or has been used, treated, stored, generated, manufactured or otherwise handled on or at any Facility (as defined below) and to the knowledge of the Company, no Hazardous Substance has otherwise come to be located in, on or under any Facility. No Hazardous Substances are stored at any Facility except in quantities necessary to satisfy the reasonably anticipated use or consumption by the Company. No litigation, claim, proceeding or governmental investigation is pending regarding any environmental matter for which the Company has been served or otherwise notified or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened or asserted against the Company or the officers or directors of the Company, in their capacities as such, or any Facility or the Company's business. There are no orders, judgments or decrees of any court or of any governmental agency or instrumentality under any Environmental Law which specifically apply to the Company, any Facility or any of the Company's operations.
TASER International, Inc. Underwriting Agreement
The Company has not received from a governmental authority or other person (i) any notice that it is a potentially responsible person for any Contaminated site (as defined below) or (ii) any request for information about a site alleged to be Contaminated or regarding the disposal of Hazardous Substances. There is no litigation or proceeding against any other person by the Company regarding any environmental matter. The Company has disclosed in the Prospectus or made available to the Underwriters and their counsel true, complete and correct copies of any reports, studies, investigations, audits, analyses, tests or monitoring, in the possession of or initiated by the Company, pertaining to any environmental matter relating to the Company and its past or present operations or any Facility.
For the purposes of the foregoing paragraph, "Environmental Laws" means any applicable federal, state or local statute, regulation, code, rule, ordinance, order, judgment, decree, injunction or common law pertaining in any way to the protection of human health or the environment, including without limitation, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, the Toxic Substances Control Act, the Clean Air Act, the Federal Water Pollution Control Act and any similar or comparable state or local law; "Hazardous Substance" means any hazardous, toxic, radioactive or infectious substance, material or waste as defined, listed or regulated under any Environmental Law; "Contaminated" means the actual existence on or under any real property of Hazardous Substances, if the existence of such Hazardous Substances triggers a requirement to perform any investigatory, remedial, removal or other response action under any Environmental Laws or if such response action legally could be required by any governmental authority; "Facility" means any property owned, leased or occupied by the Company.
(p) Neither the Company, nor to the knowledge of the Company, any of its affiliates, has taken or intends to take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed to cause or result in, or which constitutes or might reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of the shares of Common Stock to facilitate the sale or resale of the Units.
(q) The Company is not an "investment company" within the meaning of such term under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
(r) The Company maintains a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management's general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management's general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.
(s) The Company carries, or is covered by, insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as is adequate for the conduct of its business and the value of its properties and as is customary for companies engaged in similar industries.
TASER International, Inc. Underwriting Agreement
(t) The Company is in compliance in all material respects with all presently applicable provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, including the regulations and published interpretations thereunder ("ERISA"); no "reportable event" (as defined in ERISA) has occurred with respect to any "pension plan" (as defined in ERISA) for which the Company would have any liability; the Company has not incurred and does not expect to incur liability under (i) Title IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or withdrawal from, any "pension plan" or (ii) Sections 412 or 4971 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, including the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (the "Code"); and each "pension plan" for which the Company would have any liability that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified in all material respects and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification.
(u) The Company is in material compliance with all laws, rules, regulations, orders of any court or administrative agency, operating licenses or other requirements imposed by any governmental body applicable to it and otherwise as is applicable to its business; and the conduct of the business of the Company, as described in the Prospectus, will not cause the Company to be in violation of any such requirements.
(v) Each of the Warrants and the Representative's Warrants (as defined in Paragraph (d) of Section 2 hereof) have been authorized for issuance to the purchasers thereof or to the Representative or its designees, as the case may be, and will, when issued, entitle the holders thereof to the rights, privileges, and characteristics as represented in the most recent form of Warrants or Representative's Warrants, as the case may be, filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement; the securities to be issued upon exercise of the Warrants and the Representative's Warrants, when issued and delivered against payment therefor in accordance with the terms thereof, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid, nonassessable and free of preemptive rights, and all corporate action required to be taken for the authorization and issuance of the Warrants and the Representative's Warrants, and the securities to be issued upon their exercise, have been validly and sufficiently taken.
(w) Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its officers, directors or affiliates have caused any person, other than the Underwriters, to be entitled to reimbursement of any kind, including, without limitation, any compensation that would be includable as underwriter compensation under the NASD's Corporate Financing Rule with respect to the offering of the Units, based on any activity of such person as a finder, agent, broker, investment adviser or other financial service provider, and there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder's fee or other like payment in connection with this offering.
(x) The Company does not directly or indirectly control or have a material interest in any other business entity.
(y) No labor dispute with the employees of the Company exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor
TASER International, Inc. Underwriting Agreement
disturbance by the employees of any of its principal suppliers, customers or vendors, which, in any case, may reasonably be expected to result in a material adverse effect on the Company.
(z) There are no contracts or other documents which are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits thereto which have not been so described and filed as required.
(aa) There are no affiliations or associations, direct or indirect, between any member of the NASD and any of the Company's officers, directors or 5% or greater shareholder and no beneficial owner (as that term is defined under Rule 2720(b)(2) of the NASD Conduct Rules) of the Company's unregistered securities, regardless of time acquired or the source from which derived, has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any NASD member.
(bb) Other than as disclosed in the Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right (other than rights which have been waived or satisfied) to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Act with respect to any securities of the Company owned or to be owned by such person or to require the Company to include such securities in the securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement or in any securities being registered pursuant to any other registration statement filed by the Company under the Act.
(cc) The Company confirms as of the date hereof that it is in compliance with all provisions of Section 1 of the Laws of Florida, Chapter 92-198, An Act Relating to Disclosure of Doing Business with Cuba, and the Company further agrees that if it commences engaging in business with the government of Cuba or with any person or affiliate located in Cuba after the date of the Registration Statement becomes or has become effective with the Commission or with the Florida Department of Banking and Financing (the "Department"), whichever date is later, of if the information reported or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, if any, concerning the Company's business with Cuba or with any person or affiliate located in Cuba changed in any material way, the Company will provide the Department notice of such business or change, as appropriate, in a form acceptable to the Department.
2. PURCHASE, SALE AND DELIVERY OF THE UNITS.
(a) On the basis of the representations, warranties and covenants herein contained, and subject to the conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to the Underwriters and each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase, at a price of $ ________ per Unit, the number of Firm Units set forth opposite the name of each Underwriter in Schedule I hereof, subject to adjustments in accordance with Section 9 hereof.
(b) Payment for the Firm Units to be sold hereunder is to be made in New York Clearing House funds and, at the option of Paulson Investment Company, Inc. by bank wire to an account specified by the Company, or certified or bank cashier's checks drawn to the order of the Company, against either uncertificated delivery of Firm Units or of certificates therefor (which delivery, if certificated, shall take place in such location in New York, New York as may be specified by Paulson Investment Company, Inc.) to Paulson Investment Company, Inc. for the several accounts of the Underwriters. Such payment is to be made at the offices of Paulson
TASER International, Inc. Underwriting Agreement
Investment Company, Inc. at the address set forth on the first page of this Agreement, at 7:00 a.m., Pacific time, on the third business day after the date of this Agreement or at such other time and date not later than five business days thereafter as you and the Company shall agree upon, such time and date being herein referred to as the "Closing Date." (As used herein, "business day" means a day on which the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading and on which banks in New York are open for business and not permitted by law or executive order to be closed.) Except to the extent uncertificated Firm Units are delivered at closing, certificates for the Firm Units and for the common stock and warrants comprising such Firm Units will be delivered in such denominations and in such registrations as Paulson Investment Company, Inc. requests in writing not later than the second full business day prior to the Closing Date, and will be made available for inspection by Paulson Investment Company, Inc. at least one business day prior to the Closing Date.
(c) In addition, on the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company hereby grants an option to Paulson Investment Company, Inc. to purchase the Option Units at the price per Unit as set forth in the first paragraph of this Section 2. The option granted hereby may be exercised in whole or in part by giving written notice (i) at any time before the Closing Date and (ii) only once thereafter within 45 days after the date of this Agreement, by Paulson Investment Company, Inc. to the Company setting forth the number of Option Units as to which Paulson Investment Company, Inc. is exercising the option, the names and denominations in which the Option Units are to be registered and the time and date at which certificates representing such Units are to be delivered. The time and date at which certificates for Option Units are to be delivered shall be determined by Paulson Investment Company, Inc. but shall not be earlier than three nor later than ten full business days after the exercise of such option, nor in any event prior to the Closing Date (such time and date being herein referred to as the "Option Closing Date"). If the date of exercise of the option is three or more days before the Closing Date, the notice of exercise shall set the Closing Date as the Option Closing Date. The option with respect to the Option Units granted hereunder may be exercised only to cover over-allotments in the sale of the Firm Units by the Underwriters. Paulson Investment Company, Inc. may cancel such option at any time prior to its expiration by giving written notice of such cancellation to the Company. To the extent, if any, that the option is exercised, payment for the Option Units shall be made on the Option Closing Date in New York Clearing House funds and, at the option of Paulson Investment Company, Inc., by bank wire to an account specified by the Company, or certified or bank cashier's check drawn to the order of the Company for the Option Units to be sold by the Company in consideration either of uncertificated delivery of Option Units or delivery of certificates therefor (which delivery, if certificated, shall take place in such location in New York, New York as may be specified by Paulson Investment Company, Inc.) to Paulson Investment Company, Inc. Except to the extent uncertificated Option Units are delivered at closing, the certificates for the Option Units and for the common stock and warrants comprising such Option Units will be delivered in such denominations and in such registrations as Paulson Investment Company, Inc. request in writing not later than the second full business day prior to the Option Closing Date, and will be made available for inspection by Paulson Investment Company, Inc. at least one business day prior to the Option Closing Date.
TASER International, Inc. Underwriting Agreement
(d) In addition to the sums payable to the Representative as provided elsewhere herein, the Representative shall be entitled to receive at the closing, for itself alone and not as Representative of the Underwriters, as additional compensation for its services, purchase warrants (the "Representative's Warrants") for the purchase of up to ___________ Units at a price of $______ per Unit, upon the terms and subject to adjustment and conversion as described in the form of Representative's Warrants filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.
3. OFFERING BY THE UNDERWRITERS.
It is understood that the several Underwriters are to make a public offering of the Firm Units as soon as the Representative deems it advisable to do so. The Firm Units are to be initially offered to the public at the initial public offering price set forth in the Prospectus. Paulson Investment Company, Inc. may from time to time thereafter change the public offering price and other selling terms. To the extent, if at all, that any Option Units are purchased pursuant to Section 2 hereof, the Representative will offer them to the public on the foregoing terms.
It is further understood that you will act as the Representative for the Underwriters in the offering and sale of the Units in accordance with an Agreement Among Underwriters entered into by you and the several other Underwriters.
4. COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY.
The Company covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters that:
(a) The Company will (A) use its best efforts to cause the Registration Statement to become effective or, if the procedure in Rule 430A of the Rules and Regulations is followed, to prepare and timely file with the Commission under Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations a Prospectus in a form approved by the Representative containing information previously omitted at the time of effectiveness of the Registration Statement in reliance on Rule 430A of the Rules and Regulations, (B) not file any amendment to the Registration Statement or supplement to the Prospectus of which the Representative shall not previously have been advised and furnished with a copy or to which the Representative shall have reasonably objected in writing or which is not in compliance with the Rules and Regulations, and (C) file on a timely basis all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission subsequent to the date of the Prospectus and prior to the termination of the offering of the Units by the Underwriters.
(b) The Company will advise the Representative promptly (A) when the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto shall have become effective, (B) of receipt of any comments from the Commission, (C) of any request of the Commission for amendment of the Registration Statement or for supplement to the Prospectus or for any additional information, (D) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the use of the Prospectus or of the institution of any proceedings for that purpose, and (E) of the issuance of any order suspending trading of the Units, the Common Stock or the Warrants. The Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such
TASER International, Inc. Underwriting Agreement
stop order preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus or suspending trading and to obtain as soon as possible the lifting thereof, if issued.
(c) The Company will cooperate with the Representative in endeavoring to qualify the Units for sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as the Representative may reasonably have designated in writing and will make such applications, file such documents, and furnish such information as may be reasonably required for that purpose, provided the Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction where it is not now so qualified or required to file such a consent. The Company will, from time to time, prepare and file such statements, reports, and other documents, as are or may be required to continue such qualifications in effect for so long a period as the Representative may reasonably request for distribution of the Units.
(d) The Company will deliver to, or upon the order of, the Representative, from time to time, as many copies of any Preliminary Prospectus as the Representative may reasonably request. The Company will deliver to, or upon the order of, the Representative during the period when delivery of a Prospectus is required under the Act, as many copies of the Prospectus in final form, or as thereafter amended or supplemented, as the Representative may reasonably request. The Company will deliver to the Representative at or before the Closing Date, four signed copies of the Registration Statement and all amendments thereto including all exhibits filed therewith, and will deliver to the Representative such number of copies of the Registration Statement (including such number of copies of the exhibits filed therewith that may reasonably be requested), and of all amendments thereto, as the Representative may reasonably request.
(e) The Company will comply with the Act and the Rules and Regulations, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Units as contemplated in this Agreement and the Prospectus, and make all required filings thereunder to maintain compliance with such act with respect to the trading and issuance of the Common Stock, the Warrants and the Common Stock underlying the Warrants. If during the period in which a prospectus is required by law to be delivered by an Underwriter or dealer, any event shall occur as a result of which, in the judgment of the Company or in the reasonable opinion of the Representative, it becomes necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at the time the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or, if it is necessary at any time to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with any law, the Company promptly will prepare and file with the Commission an appropriate amendment to the Registration Statement or supplement to the Prospectus so that the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances existing at the time the Prospectus is so delivered, be misleading, or so that the Prospectus will comply with the law.
(f) The Company will make generally available to its security holders, as soon as it is practicable to do so, but in any event not later than 15 months after the effective date of the Registration Statement, an earnings statement (which need not be audited) in reasonable detail, covering a period of at least 12 consecutive months beginning after the effective date of the Registration Statement, which earnings statement shall satisfy the requirements of Section 11(a)
TASER International, Inc. Underwriting Agreement
of the Act and Rule 158 of the Rules and Regulations and will advise you in writing when such statement has been so made available.
(g) The Company will, for a period of five years from the Closing Date, deliver to the Representative copies of annual reports and copies of all other documents, reports and information furnished by the Company to its shareholders or filed with any securities exchange pursuant to the requirements of such exchange or with the Commission pursuant to the Act or the Exchange Act. The Company will deliver to the Representative similar reports with respect to significant subsidiaries, as that term is defined in the Rules and Regulations, which are not consolidated in the Company's financial statements. The Company will, for a period of five years from the Closing Date, deliver to the Representative notice of all meetings of its Board of Directors and any executive or similar committee thereof.
(h) No offering, sale, short sale or other disposition of any shares of Common Stock of the Company or other securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for shares of Common Stock or derivatives of Common Stock (or agreement therefor) will be made for a period of one year after the date of this Agreement, directly or indirectly, by the Company otherwise than hereunder, or pursuant to contractual obligations existing on the date hereof or pursuant to employee benefit plans in effect on the date hereof, or with the prior written consent of the Representative, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld.
(i) The Company will use its best efforts to qualify, subject to notice of issuance, the Units, the Common Stock and Warrants for listing on the Nasdaq SmallCap Market.
(j) The Company has caused each officer, director and holder of shares of Common Stock (including holders of securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for shares of Common Stock) to furnish to you, on or prior to the date of this agreement, a letter or letters, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters ("Lock-up Agreements"), pursuant to which each such person shall agree (A) not to offer, sell, contract to sell or grant any option to purchase or otherwise dispose of any shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock or other capital stock of the Company, or any options or other securities convertible, exchangeable or exercisable for Common Stock or derivatives of Common Stock owned by such person or request the registration for the offer or sale of any of the foregoing (or as to which such person has the right to direct the disposition) for a period of one year after the date of this Agreement, directly or indirectly, except with the prior written consent of Paulson Investment Company, Inc.; and (B) to give prior written notice to Paulson Investment Company, Inc., for a period of five years from the effective date of the Registration Statement, with respect to any sales of Common Stock of the Company pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act or any similar rule.
(k) The Company shall apply the net proceeds of its sale of the Units as set forth in the Prospectus and shall properly disclose such information with respect to the sale of the Units and the application of the proceeds therefrom as may be required in accordance with Rule 463 under the Act.
(l) The Company shall not invest, or otherwise use the proceeds received by the Company from its sale of the Units, in such a manner as would require the Company to register
TASER International, Inc. Underwriting Agreement
as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act").
(m) The Company will maintain a transfer agent and, if necessary under the jurisdiction of incorporation of the Company, a registrar for the Units and Common Stock and a Warrant Agent for the Warrants.
(n) The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or result in, or that has constituted or might reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any securities of the Company.
(o) Prior to the Closing Date, the Company will furnish to the Representative, as soon as they have been prepared by or are available to the Company, a copy of any unaudited interim financial statements of the Company for any period subsequent to the period covered by the most recent financial statements appearing in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
(p) The Company agrees to use its best efforts to cause (i) each of its directors, officers and shareholders and (ii) each person who acquires Common Stock of the Company pursuant to the exercise of any option, warrant or right granted under the Company's 1999 Employee Stock Option Plan or 2001 Stock Option Plan to sign an agreement that restricts such person from selling, making any short sale of, grant any option for the purchase of, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, any of such Common Stock, or any such securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock, for a period of one year after the date of the Prospectus without the prior written consent of Paulson Investment Company, Inc.; and the Company will (i) enforce the terms of each such agreement and (ii) issue and impose a stop-transfer instruction with the Company's transfer agent in order to enforce the foregoing lock-up agreements.
(q) The Company will (i) enforce the terms of each Lock-up Agreement, and (ii) issue stop-transfer instructions to the transfer agent for the Common Stock with respect to any transaction or contemplated transaction that would constitute a breach of or default under the applicable Lock-up Agreement. In addition, except with the prior written consent of Paulson Investment Company, Inc., the Company agrees (i) not to amend or terminate, or waive any right under, any Lock-up Agreement, or take any other action that would directly or indirectly have the same effect as an amendment or termination, or waiver of any right under any Lock-up Agreement, that would permit any holder of Common Stock, or any securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, Common Stock, to make any short sale of, grant any option for the purchase of, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, such Common Stock or other securities, prior to the expiration of one year after the date of the Prospectus and (ii) not to consent to any sale, short sale, grant of an option for the purchase of, or other disposition or transfer of shares of Common Stock, or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock, subject to a Lock-up Agreement.
(r) The Company will, between the date hereof and the date twenty-five days after the Closing Date, provide the Representative and its legal counsel, prior to their release, copies of all press releases, proposed communications with shareholders or other interested parties and
TASER International, Inc. Underwriting Agreement
other public announcements and will permit the Representative and its legal counsel to comment thereon prior to release.
5. COSTS AND EXPENSES.
(a) Paulson Investment Company, Inc. shall be entitled to reimbursement from the Company, for itself alone and not as the Representative of the Underwriters, to a non-accountable expense allowance equal to _____ % of the aggregate initial public offering price of the Firm Units and any Option Units purchased by the Underwriters. Paulson Investment Company, Inc. shall be entitled to withhold this allowance on the Closing Date related to the purchase of the Firm Units or the Option Units, as the case may be. In the event the offering is not consummated, any portion of the $25,000 advanced to Paulson Investment Company, Inc. that is unaccounted for will be returned to the Company.
(b) In addition to the payment described in Paragraph (a) of this
Section 5, the Company will pay all costs, expenses and fees incident to the
performance of the obligations of the Company under this Agreement, including,
without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the following: accounting fees
of the Company; the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company; the cost
of printing and delivering to, or as requested by, the Underwriters copies of
the Registration Statement, Preliminary Prospectuses, the Prospectus, this
Agreement, the Nasdaq SmallCap Market listing application, the costs of the due
diligence investigation of the principals of the Company, the Blue Sky Survey
and any supplements or amendments thereto; the filing fees of the Commission;
the filing fees and expenses (including any fees and disbursements) incident to
securing the required review by the NASD of the terms and conditions of the
underwriting arrangements; the listing fee of the Nasdaq SmallCap Market; and
the expenses, including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the
Underwriters, incurred in connection with the qualification of the Units under
state securities or Blue Sky laws. Any transfer taxes imposed on the sale of the
Units to the several Underwriters will be paid by the Company. The Company shall
not, however, be required to pay for any of the Underwriters' expenses (other
than those related to qualification under NASD regulations and state securities
or Blue Sky laws) except that, if this Agreement shall not be consummated, then
the Company shall reimburse the several Underwriters for actual out-of-pocket
expenses, including fees and disbursements of counsel, reasonably incurred in
connection with investigating, marketing and proposing to market the Units or in
contemplation of performing their obligations hereunder; but the Company shall
not in any event be liable to any of the several Underwriters for damages on
account of loss of anticipated profits from the sale by them of the Units.
6. CONDITIONS OF OBLIGATIONS OF THE UNDERWRITERS.
The several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Firm Units on the Closing Date and the Option Units, if any, on the Option Closing Date are subject to the accuracy, as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, of the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein, to the performance by the Company of its covenants and obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:
TASER International, Inc. Underwriting Agreement
(a) The Registration Statement and all post-effective amendments thereto shall have become effective and any and all filings required by Rule 424 and Rule 430A of the Rules and Regulations shall have been made, and any request of the Commission for additional information (to be included in the Registration Statement or otherwise) shall have been disclosed to the Representative and complied with to its reasonable satisfaction. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, as amended from time to time, shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been taken or, to the knowledge of the Company, shall be contemplated by the Commission and no injunction, restraining order, or order of any nature by a Federal or state court of competent jurisdiction shall have been issued as of the Closing Date which would prevent the issuance of the Units.
(b) The Representative shall have received on the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, the opinion of Tonkon Torp LLP, counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, addressed to the Underwriters (and stating that it may be relied upon by counsel to the Underwriters) to the effect that:
(i) The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the state of Delaware, with corporate power and corporate authority to own or lease its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement; the Company is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in all jurisdictions in which the conduct of its business requires such qualification, or in which the failure to qualify would have a material adverse effect upon the business of the Company. By virtue of and effective upon the filing with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on February ___, 2001 of the Certificate of Merger providing for the merger of Taser International, Inc., an Arizona corporation (the "Predecessor Company"), with and into the Company, all rights, privileges, franchises, patents, trademarks, licenses, registrations and other assets of every kind and description of the Predecessor Company were transferred to, vested in and devolved upon the Company, and all property, rights and every other interest of the Company and the Predecessor Company effectively became the property of the Company as they were of the Company and the Predecessor Company, respectively, immediately prior to such filing.
(ii) The Company has authorized any outstanding capital stock as set forth under the caption "Capitalization" in the Prospectus; the outstanding shares of Common Stock have been duly authorized and validly issued, are non-assessable and, to such counsel's knowledge, fully paid, and have been issued and sold by the Company in compliance in all material respects with applicable securities laws; all of the securities of the Company conform to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus; the certificates for the Common Stock, Units and Warrants are in due and proper form; the shares of Common Stock to be sold by the Company pursuant to this Agreement, including shares of Common Stock to be sold as a part of the Units, have been duly authorized and, upon issuance and delivery thereof as contemplated in this Agreement and the Registration Statement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable; no preemptive rights of shareholders exist with respect to any of the Common Stock or Preferred Stock or the issuance or sale thereof pursuant to any applicable statute or the provisions of the Company's Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws or, to the knowledge of such counsel, pursuant to any contractual obligation. The Warrants and the Representative's Warrants
TASER International, Inc. Underwriting Agreement
have been authorized for issuance to the purchasers of Units or the Representative, as the case may be, and will, when issued, possess rights, privileges, and characteristics as represented in the most recent form of Warrants or Representative's Warrants, as the case may be, filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement; the securities to be issued upon exercise of the Warrants and the Representative's Warrants, as the case may be, when issued and delivered against payment therefor in accordance with the terms of the Warrants and the Representative's Warrants, as the case may be, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid, nonassessable and free of preemptive rights, and all corporate action required to be taken for the authorization and issuance of the Warrants, the Representative's Warrants, and the securities to be issued upon their exercise, has been validly and sufficiently taken.
(iii) Except as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus, to the knowledge of such counsel, there are no outstanding securities of the Company convertible or exchangeable into or evidencing the right to purchase or subscribe for any shares of capital stock of the Company and there are no outstanding or authorized options, warrants or rights of any character obligating the Company to issue any shares of its capital stock or any securities convertible or exchangeable into or evidencing the right to purchase or subscribe for any shares of such stock; and except as described in the Prospectus, to the knowledge of such counsel, no holder of any securities of the Company or any other person has the right, contractual or otherwise, which has not been satisfied or effectively waived, to cause the Company to sell or otherwise issue to them, or to permit them to underwrite the sale of, any of the Units or the right to have any Common Stock or other securities of the Company included in the Registration Statement or the right, as a result of the filing of the Registration Statement, to require registration under the Act of any shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company.
(iv) The Registration Statement has become effective under the Act and, to the best of the knowledge of such counsel, no stop order proceedings with respect thereto have been instituted or are pending or threatened under the Act.
(v) The conditions for the use of Form SB-2 set forth in the general instructions thereto have been satisfied, and the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Act and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder (except that such counsel need express no opinion as to the financial statements and related schedules therein).
(vi) The statements under the captions "Risk Factors -- Federal, state and international regulation of our products may adversely affect sales," "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations," "Business-Company Overview," "Business-Intellectual property," "Business-Facilities," "Management-Stock option plans," "Management-Employment agreements," "Certain Transactions," "Description of Securities," and "Shares Eligible for Future Sale" in the Prospectus, and Item 24 of Part II of the Registration Statement, insofar as such statements constitute a summary of documents referred to therein or matters of law, fairly summarize in all material respects the information called for with respect to such documents and matters.
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(vii) Such counsel does not know of any contracts or documents required to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which are not so filed or described as required, and such contracts and documents as are summarized in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus are fairly summarized in all material respects.
(viii) Except as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus, such counsel knows of no legal or governmental proceedings pending or threatened against the Company.
(ix) The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated do not and will not conflict with or result in a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, the Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws of the Company, or any agreement or instrument known to such counsel to which the Company is a party or by which the Company may be bound.
(x) Each of this Agreement and the Warrant Agreement by and among the Company, the Warrantholders (defined therein) and U.S. Stock Transfer Corporation, as Warrant Agent, has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and is a valid and binding agreement of the Company enforceable in accordance with its terms.
(xi) No approval, consent, order, authorization, designation, declaration or filing by or with any regulatory, administrative or other governmental body is necessary in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated (other than as may be required by the NASD or as required by state securities and Blue Sky laws as to which such counsel need express no opinion) except such as have been obtained or made, specifying the same.
(xii) The Company is not, and will not become, as a result of the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the Prospectus, required to register as an investment company under the 1940 Act.
In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely as to matters governed by the laws of states other than Oregon or Federal laws on local counsel in such jurisdictions, provided that in each case such counsel shall state that they believe that they and the Underwriters are justified in relying on such other counsel. In addition to the matters set forth above, the opinion of Tonkon Torp LLP shall also include a statement to the effect that nothing has come to the attention of such counsel that has caused them to believe that (i) the Registration Statement, at the time it became effective under the Act (but after giving effect to any modifications incorporated therein pursuant to Rule 430A under the Act) and as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and (ii) the Prospectus, or any supplement thereto, on the date it was filed pursuant to the Rules and Regulations and as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements, in the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not
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misleading (except that such counsel need express no view as to financial statements, schedules and statistical information therein).
(c) The Representative shall have received from Weiss, Jensen, Ellis & Howard, P.C., counsel for the Underwriters, an opinion dated the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, substantially to the effect specified in subparagraphs (i), (iv) and (v) of Paragraph (b) of this Section 6. In rendering such opinion Weiss, Jensen, Ellis & Howard, P.C. may rely as to all matters governed other than by the laws of the state of Oregon or Federal laws on the opinion of counsel referred to in Paragraph (b) of this Section 6. In addition to the matters set forth above, such opinion shall also include a statement to the effect that nothing has come to the attention of such counsel that has caused them to believe that (i) the Registration Statement, or any amendment thereto, as of the time it became effective under the Act (but after giving effect to any modifications incorporated therein pursuant to Rule 430A under the Act) and as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and (ii) the Prospectus, or any supplement thereto, on the date it was filed pursuant to the Rules and Regulations and as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements, in the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading (except that such counsel need express no view as to financial statements, schedules and statistical information therein). With respect to such statement, Weiss, Jensen, Ellis & Howard, P.C. may state that their belief is based upon the procedures set forth therein, but is without independent check and verification.
(d) The Representative shall have received at or prior to the Closing Date from Weiss, Jensen, Ellis & Howard, P.C. a memorandum or summary, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative, with respect to the qualification for offering and sale by the Underwriters of the Units under the state securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representative may reasonably have designated to the Company.
(e) The Representative, on behalf of the several Underwriters, shall have received, on each of the dates hereof, the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, a letter dated the date hereof, the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative, of Arthur Andersen LLP confirming that they are independent public accountants within the meaning of the Act and the applicable published Rules and Regulations thereunder and stating that in their opinion the financial statements and schedules examined by them and included in the Registration Statement comply in form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the related published Rules and Regulations and containing such other statements and information as is ordinarily included in accountants' "comfort letters" to Underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial and statistical information contained in the Registration Statement and Prospectus.
(f) The Representative shall have received on the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, a certificate or certificates of the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief
TASER International, Inc. Underwriting Agreement
Financial Officer of the Company to the effect that, as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, each of them severally represents as follows:
(i) The Registration Statement has become effective under the Act and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued, and no proceedings for such purpose have been taken or are, to his knowledge, contemplated by the Commission;
(ii) The representations and warranties of the Company contained in Section 1 hereof are true and correct as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be;
(iii) All filings required to have been made pursuant to Rules 424 or 430A under the Act have been made;
(iv) He or she has carefully examined the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and, in his or her opinion, as of the effective date of the Registration Statement, the statements contained in the Registration Statement were true and correct, and such Registration Statement and Prospectus did not omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading, and since the effective date of the Registration Statement, no event has occurred which should have been set forth in a supplement to or an amendment of the Prospectus which has not been so set forth in such supplement or amendment; and
(v) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, there has not been any material adverse change or any development involving a prospective material adverse change in or affecting the condition, financial or otherwise, of the Company or the earnings, business, management, properties, assets, rights, operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business.
(g) The Company shall have furnished to the Representative such further certificates and documents confirming the representations and warranties, covenants and conditions contained herein and related matters as the Representative may reasonably have requested.
(h) The Units, Common Stock and Warrants have been approved for quotation upon notice of issuance on the Nasdaq SmallCap Market.
(i) The Lock-up Agreements described in Section 4(j) are in full force and effect.
The opinions and certificates mentioned in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in all material respects satisfactory to the Representative and to Weiss, Jensen, Ellis & Howard, P.C., counsel for Paulson Investment Company, Inc.
If any of the conditions hereinabove provided for in this Section 6 shall not have been fulfilled when and as required by this Agreement to be fulfilled, the obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be terminated by Paulson Investment Company, Inc. by notifying
TASER International, Inc. Underwriting Agreement
the Company of such termination in writing or by telegram at or prior to the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be.
In such event, the Company and the Underwriters shall not be under any obligation to each other (except to the extent provided in Sections 5 and 8 hereof).
7. CONDITIONS OF THE OBLIGATIONS OF THE COMPANY.
The obligations of the Company to sell and deliver the portion of the Units required to be delivered as and when specified in this Agreement are subject to the conditions that at the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued and in effect or proceedings therefor initiated or threatened.
8. INDEMNIFICATION.
(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the Act, against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which such Underwriter or any such controlling person may become subject under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto; or (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; and will reimburse each Underwriter and each such controlling person upon demand for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter or such controlling person in connection with investigating or defending against any such loss, claim, damage or liability, action or proceeding or in responding to a subpoena or governmental inquiry related to the offering of the Units, whether or not such Underwriter or controlling person is a party to any action or proceeding; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement, or omission or alleged omission made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, or such amendment or supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or through the Representative specifically for use in the preparation thereof. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have.
(b) Each Underwriter severally and not jointly will indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who have signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Act, against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company or any such director, officer or controlling person may become subject under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or
TASER International, Inc. Underwriting Agreement
supplement thereto, or (ii) the omission or the alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and will reimburse any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company or any such director, officer or controlling person in connection with investigating or defending against any such loss, claim, damage, liability, action or proceeding; provided, however, that each Underwriter will be liable in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission has been made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or such amendment or supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or through the Representative specifically for use in the preparation thereof. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which such Underwriter may otherwise have.
(c) In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation)
shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be
sought pursuant to this Section 8, such person (the "indemnified party") shall
promptly notify the person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the
"indemnifying party") in writing. No indemnification provided for in Section
8(a) or (b) shall be available to any party who shall fail to give notice as
provided in this Section 8(c) if the party to whom notice was not given was
unaware of the proceeding to which such notice would have related and was
materially prejudiced by the failure to give such notice, but the failure to
give such notice shall not relieve the indemnifying party or parties from any
liability which it or they may have to the indemnified party for contribution or
otherwise than on account of the provisions of Section 8(a) or (b). In case any
such proceeding shall be brought against any indemnified party and it shall
notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying
party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it shall
wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume
the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party and,
the indemnifying party shall pay as incurred the fees and disbursements of such
counsel related to such proceeding. In any such proceeding, any indemnified
party shall have the right to retain its own counsel at its own expense.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the indemnifying party shall pay as incurred (or
within 30 days of presentation) the fees and expenses of the counsel retained by
the indemnified party in the event (i) the indemnifying party and the
indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel,
(ii) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties)
include both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation
of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or
potential differing interests between them or (iii) the indemnifying party shall
have failed to assume the defense and employ counsel acceptable to the
indemnified party within a reasonable period of time after notice of
commencement of the action. It is understood that the indemnifying party shall
not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same
jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of more than one
additional separate firm for all such indemnified parties. Such firm shall be
designated in writing by Paulson Investment Company, Inc. in the case of parties
indemnified pursuant to Section 8(a) and by the Company in the case of parties
indemnified pursuant to Section 8(b). The indemnifying party shall not be liable
for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent but if
settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the
indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from and against
any loss or
TASER International, Inc. Underwriting Agreement
liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. In addition, the indemnifying party will not, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in any pending or threatened claim, action or proceeding in respect of which indemnification may be sought hereunder (whether or not any indemnified party is an actual or potential party to such claim, action or proceeding) unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such claim, action or proceeding.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is
unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under
Section 8(a)or (b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) referred to therein,
then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by
such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) in such proportion as
is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the
one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Units. If,
however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not
permitted by applicable law then each indemnifying party shall contribute to
such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative
fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in
connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof),
as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits
received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall
be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the
offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bears to the total
underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each
case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. The relative
fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the
untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged
omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company
on the one hand or the Underwriters on the other and the parties' relative
intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent
such statement or omission.
The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 8(d) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 8(d). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) referred to above in this Section 8(d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d), (i) no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting discounts and commissions applicable to the Units purchased by such Underwriter, and (ii) no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters' obligations in this
TASER International, Inc. Underwriting Agreement
Section 8(d) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint.
(e) In any proceeding relating to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any supplement or amendment thereto, each party against whom contribution may be sought under this Section 8 hereby consents to the jurisdiction of any court having jurisdiction over any other contributing party, agrees that process issuing from such court may be served upon him or it by any other contributing party and consents to the service of such process and agrees that any other contributing party may join him or it as an additional defendant in any such proceeding in which such other contributing party is a party.
(f) Any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses for which an
indemnified party is entitled to indemnification or contribution under this
Section 8 shall be paid by the indemnifying party to the indemnified party as
such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses are incurred. The
indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section 8 and the
representations and warranties of the Company set forth in this Agreement shall
remain operative and in full force and effect, regardless of (i) any
investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or any person controlling
any Underwriter, the Company, its directors or officers or any persons
controlling the Company, (ii) acceptance of any Units and payment therefor
hereunder, and (iii) any termination of this Agreement. A successor to any
Underwriter, or to the Company, its directors or officers, or any person
controlling the Company, shall be entitled to the benefits of the indemnity,
contribution and reimbursement agreements contained in this Section 8.
9. DEFAULT BY UNDERWRITERS.
If on the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, any Underwriter shall fail to purchase and pay for the portion of the Units which such Underwriter has agreed to purchase and pay for on such date (otherwise than by reason of any default on the part of the Company), you, as Representative of the Underwriters, shall use reasonable efforts to procure within 36 hours thereafter one or more of the other Underwriters, or any others, to purchase from the Company such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms set forth herein, the Firm Units or Option Units, as the case may be, which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters failed to purchase. If during such 36 hours you, as such Representative, shall not have procured such other Underwriters, or any others, to purchase the Firm Units or Option Units, as the case may be, agreed to be purchased by the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters, then (a) if the aggregate number of Units with respect to which such default shall occur does not exceed 10% of the Firm Units or Option Units, as the case may be, covered hereby, the other Underwriters shall be obligated, severally, in proportion to the respective numbers of Firm Units or Option Units, as the case may be, which they are obligated to purchase hereunder, to purchase the Firm Units or Option Units, as the case may be, which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters failed to purchase, or (b) if the aggregate number of Firm Units or Option Units, as the case may be, with respect to which such default shall occur exceeds 10% of the Firm Units or Option Units, as the case may be, covered hereby, the Company or you as the Representative of the Underwriters will have the right, by written notice given within the next 36-hour period to the parties to this Agreement, to terminate this Agreement without liability on the part of the non-
TASER International, Inc. Underwriting Agreement
defaulting Underwriters or of the Company except to the extent provided in
Section 8 hereof. In the event of a default by any Underwriter or Underwriters,
as set forth in this Section 9, the Closing Date or Option Closing Date, as the
case may be, may be postponed for such period, not exceeding seven days, as you,
as Representative, may determine in order that the required changes in the
Registration Statement or in the Prospectus or in any other documents or
arrangements may be effected. The term "Underwriter" includes any person
substituted for a defaulting Underwriter. Any action taken under this Section 9
shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any
default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.
10. NOTICES.
All communications hereunder shall be in writing and, except as otherwise provided herein, will be mailed, delivered or telecopied and confirmed as follows: if to the Underwriters, to the Representative of the Underwriters, Paulson Investment Company, Inc., 811 SW Naito Parkway, Portland, Oregon 97204, Attention: Chester L.F. Paulson; with a copy to Weiss, Jensen, Ellis & Howard, P.C., U.S. Bancorp Tower, Suite 2300, 111 S.W. Fifth Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97204, Attention: Mark A. von Bergen, Esq.; if to the Company, to TASER International, Inc., 7860 East McClain Drive, Suite 2, Scottsdale, Arizona 85260, Attention: Patrick W. Smith; with a copy to Tonkon Torp LLP, 888 S.W. Fifth Avenue, Suite 1600, Portland, Oregon 97204, Attention: Thomas P. Palmer, Esq.
11. TERMINATION.
This Agreement may be terminated by the Representative by notice to the Company as follows:
(a) at any time prior to the earlier of (i) the time the Firm Units are released to the Representative for sale by notice to the Underwriters, or (ii) 11:30 a.m. on the first business day following the date of this Agreement;
(b) at any time prior to the Closing Date if any of the following has occurred: (i) since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, any material adverse change or any development involving a prospective material adverse change in or affecting the condition, financial or otherwise, of the Company, the earnings, business, management, properties, assets, rights, operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, (ii) any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or declaration of war or national emergency or other national or international calamity or crisis or change in economic or political conditions if the effect on the financial markets of the United States of such outbreak, escalation, declaration, emergency, calamity, crisis or change would, in the Representative's reasonable judgment, make it impracticable to market the Units or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Units, (iii) the Dow Jones Industrial Average shall have fallen by 15 percent or more from its closing price on the day immediately preceding the date that the Registration Statement is declared effective by the Commission, (iv) suspension of trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange or the American Stock Exchange or limitation on prices (other than limitations on hours or numbers of days of trading) for securities on either such Exchange,
TASER International, Inc. Underwriting Agreement
(v) the enactment, publication, decree or other promulgation of any statute, regulation, rule or order of any court or other governmental authority which in the opinion of the Representative materially and adversely affects or may materially and adversely affect the business or operations of the Company, (vi) declaration of a banking moratorium by United States or New York State authorities, (vii) any downgrading in the rating of the Company's debt securities by any "nationally recognized statistical rating organization" (as defined for purposes of Rule 436(g) under the Exchange Act); (viii) the suspension or halt of trading of the Units, the Common Stock or the Warrants on the Nasdaq Stock Market or (ix) the taking of any action by any governmental body or agency in respect of its monetary or fiscal affairs which in your reasonable opinion has a material adverse effect on the securities markets in the United States; or
(c) as provided in Sections 6 and 9 of this Agreement.
12. SUCCESSORS.
This Agreement has been and is made solely for the benefit of the Underwriters, the Company and their respective successors, executors, administrators, heirs and assigns, and the officers, directors and controlling persons referred to herein, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder. No purchaser of any of the Units from any Underwriter shall be deemed a successor or assign merely because of such purchase.
13. INFORMATION PROVIDED BY UNDERWRITERS.
The Company and the Underwriters acknowledge and agree that the only information furnished or to be furnished by any Underwriter to the Company for inclusion in the Prospectus or the Registration Statement consists of the information set forth in the last paragraph on the front cover page of the Prospectus (insofar as such information relates to the Underwriters), the legends required by Item 502(d) of Regulation S-B under the Act and the information under the caption "Underwriting" in the Prospectus.
14. MISCELLANEOUS.
The reimbursement, indemnification and contribution agreements contained in this Agreement and the representations, warranties and covenants in this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect regardless of (a) any termination of this Agreement, (b) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or controlling person thereof, or by or on behalf of the Company or its directors or officers and (c) delivery of and payment for the Units under this Agreement.
This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Oregon. All disputes relating to this Underwriting Agreement shall be adjudicated before a court located in Multnomah County, Oregon to the exclusion of all other courts that might have jurisdiction.
TASER International, Inc. Underwriting Agreement
If the foregoing letter is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to us the enclosed duplicates hereof, whereupon it will become a binding agreement among the Company and the several Underwriters in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours,
TASER International, Inc.
By:________________________________
Patrick W. Smith,
Chief Executive Officer
TASER International, Inc.
Underwriting Agreement
The foregoing Underwriting Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of the date first above written.
As Representative of the several
Underwriters listed on Schedule I
PAULSON INVESTMENT COMPANY, INC.
By: ___________________________________ Authorized Officer
TASER International, Inc. Underwriting Agreement
SCHEDULE I
SCHEDULE OF UNDERWRITERS
Number of Firm Units to be Purchased
Paulson Investment Company, Inc.
Total
TASER International, Inc.
Underwriting Agreement
Schedule of Underwriters
Exhibit 3.1
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
TASER INTERNATIONAL, INC.
The undersigned, in order to form a corporation for the purposes described below, under and pursuant to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the "Law"), hereby certifies that:
1. The name of the corporation is TASER International, Inc. (the "Corporation").
2. The street and the mailing address of the Corporation's registered office in the State of Delaware is Corporation Trust Center, 1209 Orange Street, City of Wilmington, County of New Castle, State of Delaware 19801. The name of its registered agent at such address is The Corporation Trust Company.
3. The purpose of the Corporation is to conduct any lawful business, to promote any lawful purpose, and to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the Law.
4. (a) The Corporation is authorized to issue a total of 75,000,000 shares of two classes of stock: 50,000,000 shares of Common Stock, par value $.00001 per share; and 25,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, par value $.00001 per share.
(b) Holders of Common Stock are entitled to one vote per share on any matter submitted to the stockholders. On dissolution of the Corporation, after any preferential amount with respect to any series of Preferred Stock has been paid or set aside, the holders of Common Stock and the holders of any series of Preferred Stock entitled to participate in such distribution of assets are entitled to receive the net assets of the Corporation.
(c) The Board of Directors is authorized, subject to limitations prescribed by the Law and by the provisions of this Article 4, to provide for the issuance of shares of Preferred Stock in series, to establish from time-to-time the number of shares to be included in each series and to determine the designations, relative rights, preferences and limitations of the shares of each series. The authority of the Board of Directors with respect to each series includes determination of the following:
(i) The number of shares in and the distinguishing designation of that series;
(ii) Whether shares of that series will have full, special, conditional, limited or no voting rights, except to the extent otherwise provided by the Law;
Certificate of Incorporation
(iii) Whether shares of that series will be convertible and the terms and conditions of the conversion, including provision for adjustment of the conversion rate in circumstances determined by the Board of Directors;
(iv) Whether shares of that series will be redeemable and the terms and conditions of the redemption, including the date or dates upon or after which they will be redeemable and the amount per share payable in case of redemption, which amount may vary under different conditions or at different redemption dates;
(v) The dividend rate, if any, on shares of that series, the manner of calculating any dividends and the preferences of any dividends;
(vi) The rights of shares of that series in the event of voluntary or involuntary dissolution of the Corporation and the right of priority of that series relative to the Common Stock and any other series of Preferred Stock on the distribution of assets on dissolution; and
(vii) Any other rights, preferences and limitations of that series that are permitted by the Law.
(d) No stockholder of the Corporation shall be entitled to any cumulative voting rights. The Board of Directors is authorized, subject to limitations prescribed by the Law, by resolution to create, issue and fix the terms of any preemptive or antidilution rights of any stockholder.
5. The number, classification and terms of the Board of Directors and the procedures to elect or remove directors and to fill vacancies on the Board of Directors shall be as follows:
(a) The number of directors that shall constitute the whole Board of Directors shall from time to time be fixed exclusively by the Board of Directors by a resolution adopted by a majority of the whole Board of Directors serving at the time of the vote. In no event shall the number of directors that constitute the whole Board of Directors be less than three (3) or more than nine (9). No decrease in the number of directors shall have the effect of shortening the term of any incumbent director.
(b) The Board of Directors of the Corporation shall be divided into three (3) classes designated Class A, Class B and Class C, respectively, as nearly equal in number as possible, with each director in office at the time of such initial classification receiving the classification approved by a majority of the Board of Directors. The initial term of office of directors of Class A shall expire at the annual meeting of stockholders of the Corporation in 2001, of Class B shall expire at the annual meeting of stockholders of the Corporation in 2002, and of Class C shall expire at the annual meeting of stockholders of the Corporation in 2003, and in all cases a director shall serve until the director's successor is elected and qualified or until the director's earlier death, resignation or removal. At each annual meeting of stockholders beginning
Certificate of Incorporation
with the annual meeting of stockholders in 2001, each director elected to succeed a director whose term is then expiring shall hold office until the third annual meeting of stockholders after his or her election and until his or her successor is elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation or removal. If the number of directors that constitutes the whole Board of Directors is changed as permitted by this Article, a majority of the whole Board of Directors that adopts the change shall also fix and determine the number of directors comprising each class; provided, however, that any increase or decrease in the number of directors shall be apportioned among the classes as equally as possible.
(c) Vacancies on the Board of Directors resulting from death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal from office or other cause, and newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors, may be filled by no less than a majority vote of the remaining directors then in office, though less than a quorum, who are designated to represent the same class or classes of stockholders that the vacant position, when filled, is to represent or by the sole remaining director (but not by the stockholders except as required by the Law); provided that, with respect to any directorship to be filled by the Board of Directors by reason of an increase in the number of directors: (i) such directorship shall be for a term of office continuing only until the next election of one or more directors by the stockholders; and (ii) the Board of Directors may not fill more than two such directorships during the period between any two successive annual meetings of stockholders. Each director chosen in accordance with this provision shall receive the classification of the vacant directorship to which he or she has been appointed or, if it is a newly-created directorship, shall receive the classification approved by a majority of the Board of Directors and shall hold office until the first meeting of stockholders held after his or her election for the purpose of electing directors of that classification and until his or her successor is elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation or removal from office.
(d) A director may be removed from office before the expiration date of that director's term of office, with or without cause, only by an affirmative vote of the holders of 75% of the voting power of the then outstanding shares of capital stock entitled to vote thereon (the "Voting Stock"), voting together as a single class.
(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Certificate of Incorporation or any provision of the Law that might otherwise permit a lesser or no vote, and in addition to any affirmative vote of the holders of any particular class or series of the capital stock of the Corporation required by the Law or by this Certificate of Incorporation, the affirmative vote of 75% of the Voting Stock, voting together as a single class, shall be required to amend or repeal, or to adopt any provision inconsistent with, this Article 5.
6. (a) All of the power of the Corporation, insofar as it may be lawfully vested by this Certificate of Incorporation in the Board of Directors, is hereby conferred upon the Board of Directors. In furtherance of and not in limitation of that
Certificate of Incorporation
power or the powers conferred by the Law, a majority of directors then in office (or such higher percentage as may be specified in the Bylaws with respect to any provision thereof) shall have the power to adopt, alter, amend and repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation, and notwithstanding any other provision of this Certificate of Incorporation or any provision of the Law that might otherwise permit a lesser or no vote, and in addition to any affirmative vote of the holders of any particular class or series of the capital stock of the Corporation required by the Law or by this Certificate of Incorporation, the Bylaws of the Corporation shall not be adopted, altered, amended or repealed by the stockholders of the Corporation except in accordance with the provisions of the Bylaws and by the vote of the holders of not less than 75% of the Voting Stock, voting together as a single class, or such higher vote as is set forth in the Bylaws. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Certificate of Incorporation or any provision of the Law that might otherwise permit a lesser or no vote, and in addition to any affirmative vote of the holders of any particular class or series of the capital stock of the Corporation required by the Law or by this Certificate of Incorporation, the affirmative vote of the holders of not less than 75% of the Voting Stock, voting together as a single class, shall be required to amend or repeal, or to adopt any provision inconsistent with, this Article 6.
(b) Subject to the terms of any Preferred Stock, any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation must be taken at a duly called annual or special meeting of such stockholders or by written consent of all (but not less than all) stockholders entitled to vote in lieu of such a meeting.
7. A director of the Corporation shall not be personally liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for conduct as a director, provided that this Article does not eliminate the liability of any director for any act or omission for which such elimination of liability is not permitted under the Law. No amendment to the Law that further limits the acts or omissions for which elimination of liability is permitted will affect the liability of a director for any act or omission which occurs prior to the effective date of the amendment.
8. The Corporation may indemnify to the fullest extent not prohibited by law any person (an "Indemnified Person") who is made, or threatened to be made, a party to an action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative, investigative or other (including an action, suit or proceeding by or in the right of the Corporation), by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation or a fiduciary within the meaning of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 with respect to any employee benefit plan of the Corporation, or serves or served at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent, or as a fiduciary of an employee benefit plan, of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise. The Corporation may, in its sole discretion, pay for or reimburse the reasonable expenses incurred by any Indemnified Person in any such proceeding in advance of the final disposition of the proceeding. This Article 8 will not be deemed exclusive of any other provisions for indemnification of or advancement of expenses to an Indemnified Person that may be included in any statute,
Certificate of Incorporation
bylaw, agreement, general or specific action of the Board of Directors, vote of stockholders or other document or arrangement.
9. The election of directors need not be by written ballot unless a stockholder demands election by written ballot before voting begins at a meeting of stockholders.
10. The name and mailing address of the incorporator is Jeffrey S. Cronn, 1600 Pioneer Tower, 888 S.W. Fifth Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97204
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has signed this Certificate of Incorporation on the 5th day of January, 2001.
Certificate of Incorporation
Exhibit 3.2
BYLAWS OF TASER INTERNATIONAL, INC.,
a Delaware corporation
Adopted January 6, 2001
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ARTICLE I: OFFICES .......................................................... 1 Section 1.01. Registered Office ....................................... 1 Section 1.02. Other Offices ........................................... 1 ARTICLE II: MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS ........................................ 1 Section 2.01. Place of Meetings ....................................... 1 Section 2.02. Time of Meetings ........................................ 1 Section 2.03. Annual Meetings ......................................... 1 Section 2.04. Special Meetings ........................................ 2 Section 2.05. Purpose of Special Meeting .............................. 3 Section 2.06. Notice of Meetings ...................................... 3 Section 2.07. Waiver of Notice ........................................ 3 Section 2.08. Quorum; Adjournment ..................................... 3 Section 2.09. Vote Required ........................................... 4 Section 2.10. Voting Rights ........................................... 4 Section 2.11. Proxies ................................................. 4 Section 2.12. Action in Writing ....................................... 4 Section 2.13. Closing of Books; Record Date ........................... 5 ARTICLE III: DIRECTORS ...................................................... 5 Section 3.01. General Powers .......................................... 5 Section 3.02. Number and Qualification ................................ 5 Section 3.03. Classes and Terms ....................................... 5 Section 3.04. Vacancies ............................................... 6 Section 3.05. Meetings ................................................ 6 Section 3.06. Committees .............................................. 8 Section 3.07. Telephone Conference Meetings ........................... 8 Section 3.08. Compensation ............................................ 8 Section 3.09. Limitation of Director Liability ........................ 9 Section 3.10. Resignation and Removal ................................. 9 ARTICLE IV: OFFICERS ........................................................ 9 Section 4.01. Selection: Qualifications ............................... 9 Section 4.02. Salaries ................................................ 10 Section 4.03. Term of Office .......................................... 10 Section 4.04. Chairman of the Board ................................... 10 Section 4.05. Chief Executive Officer ................................. 10 Section 4.06. President ............................................... 10 Section 4.07. Vice-Presidents ......................................... 11 Section 4.08. Secretary and Assistant Secretary ....................... 11 Section 4.09. Chief Financial Officer ................................. 11 ARTICLE V. CERTIFICATES FOR SHARES .......................................... 12 Section 5.01. Issuance of Shares and Fractional Shares ................ 12 |
Section 5.02. Form of Certificate ..................................... 12 Section 5.03. Facsimile Signatures .................................... 12 Section 5.04. Lost, Stolen, or Destroyed Certificates ................. 12 Section 5.05. Transfers of Stock ...................................... 13 Section 5.06. Uncertificated Shares ................................... 13 Section 5.07. Closing of Transfer Books: Record Date .................. 13 Section 5.08. Registered Stockholders ................................. 14 Section 5.09. Stock Options and Agreements ............................ 14 ARTICLE VI: DIVIDENDS ...................................................... 14 Section 6.01. Method of Payment ....................................... 14 Section 6.02. Closing of Books: Record Date ........................... 14 Section 6.03. Reserves ................................................ 15 ARTICLE VII: CHECKS ......................................................... 15 ARTICLE VIII: CORPORATE SEAL ................................................ 15 ARTICLE IX: FISCAL YEAR ..................................................... 15 ARTICLE X: AMENDMENTS ....................................................... 15 ARTICLE XI: BOOKS AND RECORDS ............................................... 15 Section 11.01. Books and Records ...................................... 15 Section 11.02. Computerized Records ................................... 16 Section 11.03. Examination and Copying by Stockholders ................ 16 ARTICLE XII: LOANS AND ADVANCES ............................................. 16 Section 12.01. Loans, Guarantees, and Suretyship ...................... 16 Section 12.02. Advances to Officers, Directors, and Employees ......... 16 ARTICLE XIII: INDEMNIFICATION ............................................... 17 Section 13.01. Directors and Officers ................................. 17 Section 13.02. Employees and Other Agents ............................. 17 Section 13.03. Good Faith ............................................. 18 Section 13.04. Advances of Expenses ................................... 18 Section 13.05. Enforcement ............................................ 19 Section 13.06. NonExclusivity of Rights ............................... 19 Section 13.07. Survival of Rights ..................................... 19 Section 13.08. Insurance .............................................. 19 Section 13.09. Amendments ............................................. 20 Section 13.10. Savings Clause ......................................... 20 Section 13.11. Certain Definitions .................................... 20 Section 13.12. Notification and Defense of Claim ...................... 21 Section 13.13. Exclusions ............................................. 22 Section 13.14. Subrogation ............................................ 22 ARTICLE XIV: DEFINITIONS AND USAGE .......................................... 23 |
BYLAWS OF TASER INTERNATIONAL, INC.
ARTICLE I: OFFICES
Section 1.01 Registered Office.
The registered office of Taser International, Inc. (the "Corporation") in the State of Delaware shall be that set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation or in the most recent amendment of the Certificate of Incorporation or in a certificate prepared by the Board of Directors and filed with the Secretary of State of Delaware changing the registered office.
Section 1.02. Other Offices.
The Corporation may also have offices and places of business at such other places of business both within and without the State of Delaware as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine or the business of the Corporation may require.
ARTICLE II: MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS
Section 2.01. Place of Meetings.
All meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation shall be held at its registered office or at such other place within or without the State of Delaware as shall be stated by the Board of Directors in the notice of the meeting. In the absence of designation otherwise, meetings shall be held at the principal executive offices of the Corporation in the State of Arizona.
Section 2.02. Time of Meetings.
The Board of Directors shall designate the time and day for each meeting. In the absence of such designation, all meetings of the stockholders shall be held at 1:00 p.m., Mountain Time.
Section 2.03. Annual Meetings.
Section 2.03-a. Business to be Transacted. Except as otherwise
required by law or regulation, no business proposed by a stockholder to be
considered at an annual meeting of the stockholders (including the nomination of
any person to be elected as a director of the Corporation) shall be considered
by the stockholders at that meeting unless, no later than sixty (60) days before
the annual meeting of stockholders or (if later) ten (10) days after the first
public notice of that meeting is sent to stockholders, the Corporation receives
from the stockholder proposing that business a written notice that sets forth:
(1) the nature of the proposed business with reasonable particularity, including
the exact text of any proposal to be presented for adoption, and the reasons for
conducting that business at the annual meeting; (2) with respect to each such
stockholder, that stockholder's name and address (as they appear on the records
of
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the Corporation), business address and telephone number, residence address and
telephone number, and the number of shares of each class of stock of the
Corporation beneficially owned by that stockholder; (3) any interest of the
stockholder in the proposed business; (4) the name or names of each person
nominated by the stockholder to be elected or re-elected as a director, if any;
and (5) with respect to each nominee, that nominee's name, business address and
telephone number, and residence address and telephone number, the number of
shares, if any, of each class of stock of the Corporation owned directly and
beneficially by that nominee, and all information relating to that nominee that
is required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for elections of
directors, or is other required, pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any provision of law subsequently replacing
Regulation 14A, together with a duly acknowledged letter signed by the nominee
stating his or her acceptance of the nomination by that stockholder, stating his
or her intention to serve as a director if elected, and consenting to being
named as a nominee for director in any proxy statement relating to such
election. The person presiding at the annual meeting shall determine whether
business (including the nomination of any person as a director) has been
properly brought before the meeting and, if the facts so warrant, shall not
permit any business (or voting with respect to any particular nominee) to be
transacted that has not been properly brought before the meeting.
Notwithstanding any other provision of the Certificate of Incorporation or any
provision of law that might otherwise permit a lesser or no vote, and in
addition to any affirmative vote of the holders of any particular class or
series of the capital stock of the Corporation required by law or by the
Certificate of Incorporation, the affirmative vote of the holders of not less
than seventy-five percent (75%) of the voting power of the then outstanding
shares of capital stock entitled to vote thereon (the "Voting Stock"), voting
together as a single class, shall be required to amend or repeal, or to adopt a
provision inconsistent with, this Section 2.03-a.
Section 2.03-b. Date and Time. Annual meetings of stockholders shall be held at such date and time as shall be designated by the Board of Directors and stated in the notice of the meeting.
Section 2.03-c. Election of Directors. At each annual meeting of stockholders beginning in 2001, the stockholders, voting as provided in the Certificate of Incorporation or in these Bylaws, shall elect directors to succeed directors whose terms are expiring, each such director to hold office until the third annual meeting of stockholders after his or her election and until his or her successor is elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation or removal.
Section 2.04. Special Meetings.
Special meetings of the stockholders, for any purpose or purposes, unless otherwise prescribed by statute or by the Certificate of Incorporation, may only be called and proposed by: (i) the Chairman of the Board; (ii) the Chief Executive Officer; or (iii) the Board of Directors pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the then-authorized number of directors. Such request shall state the purpose or purposes of the proposed meeting.
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Section 2.05. Purpose of Special Meeting.
Business transacted at any special meeting of the stockholders shall be limited to the matters stated in the notice of such meeting, or other matters necessarily incidental therefore.
Section 2.06. Notice of Meetings.
Notice of stockholder meetings shall be in writing. Such
notice shall state the place, date and time of the meeting and, in the case of a
special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called. A copy
of such notice shall be either delivered personally or mailed, postage prepaid,
to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at such meeting pursuant to
Section 2.13 hereof not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days before
such meeting. If mailed, it shall be directed to each stockholder at his or her
address as it appears upon the records of the Corporation, and upon such mailing
of any such notice, the service thereof shall be complete, and the time of the
notice shall begin to run from the date that such notice is deposited in the
mail for transmission to such stockholder. Personal delivery of any such notice
to a corporation, an association, or a partnership shall be accomplished by
personal delivery of such notice to any officer of a corporation or an
association or to any member of a partnership.
Section 2.07. Waiver of Notice.
Notice of any meeting of the stockholders may be waived before, at, or after such meeting in a writing signed by the stockholder or representative thereof entitled to vote the shares so represented. Such waiver shall be filed with the Secretary or entered upon the records of the meeting.
Section 2.08. Quorum; Adjournment.
The holders of a majority of the voting power of all shares entitled to vote, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of all business at meetings of the stockholders, except as may be otherwise provided by statute or by the Certificate of Incorporation. If, however, such quorum shall not be present or represented at any meeting of the stockholders, the stockholders entitled to vote thereat, present in person or represented by proxy, shall have the power to adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum shall be present or represented. At such adjourned meeting at which a quorum shall be present or represented, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the original meeting in accordance with the notice thereof. If a quorum is present when a duly called or held meeting is convened, the stockholders present in person or represented by proxy may continue to transact business until adjournment notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough stockholders originally present in person or by proxy to leave less than a quorum, and for the purposes of voting pursuant to Section 2.09 hereof, stockholders holding a majority of the voting power of all shares entitled to vote shall be deemed to be present in person.
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Section 2.09. Vote Required.
When a quorum is present or represented at any meeting, the vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of all shares entitled to vote present in person or represented by proxy shall decide any question brought before such meeting, unless the question is one that by express provision of statute or of the Certificate of Incorporation or of these Bylaws requires a different vote, in which case such express provision shall govern the vote required.
Section 2.10. Voting Rights.
Except as may be otherwise required by statute or the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, every stockholder of record of the Corporation shall be entitled at each meeting of the stockholders to one vote for each share of stock standing in his or her name on the books of the Corporation.
Section 2.11. Proxies.
At any meeting of the stockholders, any stockholder may be represented and vote by a proxy or proxies appointed by an instrument in writing, signed by the stockholder, and filed with the Secretary at or before the meeting. In addition, a stockholder may cast or authorize the casting of a vote by a proxy by transmitting to the Corporation or the Corporation's duly authorized agent before the meeting, an appointment of a proxy by means of a telegram, cablegram, or any other form of electronic transmission, including telephonic transmission, whether or not accompanied by written instructions of the stockholder. The electronic transmission must set forth or be submitted with information from which it can be determined that the appointment was authorized by the stockholder. If it is determined that a telegram, cablegram, or other electronic transmission is valid, the inspectors of election or, if there are no inspectors, the other persons making that determination shall specify the information upon which they relied to make that determination.
An appointment of a proxy or proxies for shares held jointly by two or more stockholders is valid if signed by any one of them, unless and until the Corporation receives from any one of those stockholders written notice denying the authority of such other person or persons to appoint a proxy or proxies or appointing a different proxy or proxies, in which case no proxy shall be appointed unless the instrument shall otherwise provide. No proxy shall be voted or acted upon after three (3) years from its date, unless the proxy provides for a longer period. Subject to the above, any duly executed proxy shall continue in full force and effect and shall not be revoked unless written notice of its revocation or a duly executed proxy bearing a later date is filed with the Secretary of the Corporation. A duly executed proxy shall be irrevocable if it states that it is irrevocable and if, and only as long as, it is coupled with an interest sufficient in law to support an irrevocable proxy.
Section 2.12. Action in Writing.
Subject to the terms of any preferred stock of the Corporation, any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation must be taken at a duly called
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annual or special meeting of such stockholders or by written consent of all (but not less than all) stockholders entitled to vote in lieu of such a meeting.
Section 2.13. Closing of Books; Record Date.
The Board of Directors may fix, or authorize an officer to fix, a date, not more than sixty (60) nor less than ten (10) days preceding the date of any meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation, as a record date for the determination of the stockholders of record on the date so fixed or their legal representatives shall be entitled to notice of and to vote at such meeting, notwithstanding any transfer of shares on the books of the Corporation against the transfer of shares during the whole or any part of such period.
ARTICLE III: DIRECTORS
Section 3.01. General Powers.
The business of the Corporation shall be managed by its Board of Directors, which may exercise all such powers of the Corporation and do all such lawful acts and things as are by statute or by the Certificate of Incorporation or by these Bylaws permitted, directed or required to be exercised or done by the Board of Directors.
Section 3.02. Number and Qualification.
The number of directors that shall constitute the whole Board of Directors shall from time to time be fixed exclusively by the Board of Directors by a resolution adopted by a majority of the whole Board of Directors serving at the time of that vote. In no event shall the number of directors that constitute the whole Board of Directors be fewer than three (3), nor greater than nine (9). No decrease in the number of directors shall have the effect of shortening the term of any incumbent director. Directors of the Corporation need not be elected by written ballot. Directors need not be stockholders.
Section 3.03. Classes and Terms.
The Board of Directors of the Corporation shall be divided into three classes designated Class A, Class B, and Class C, respectively, all as nearly equal in number as possible, with each director then in office receiving the classification that at least a majority of the Board of Directors designates. The initial term of office of directors of Class A shall expire at the annual meeting of stockholders of the Corporation in 2001, of Class B shall expire at the annual meeting of stockholders of the Corporation in 2002, and of Class C shall expire at the annual meeting of stockholders of the Corporation in 2003, and in all cases a director shall serve until the director's successor is elected and qualified or until his earlier death, resignation or removal. At each annual meeting of stockholders beginning with the annual meeting of stockholders in 2001, each director elected to succeed a director whose term is then expiring shall hold office until the third annual meeting of stockholders after his or her election and until his or her successor is elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation or removal. If the number of directors that constitutes the whole Board of Directors is changed as permitted by the
Bylaws - Taser International, Inc.
Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, the majority of the whole Board of Directors that adopts the change shall also fix and determine the number of directors comprising each class; provided, however, that any increase or decrease in the number of directors shall be apportioned among the classes as equally as possible. Notwithstanding any provision of the Certificate of Incorporation or any provision of law that might otherwise permit a lesser or no vote, and in addition to any affirmative vote of the holders of any particular class or series of the capital stock of the Corporation required by law or by the Certificate of Incorporation, the affirmative vote of 75% of the Voting Stock, voting together as a single class, shall be required to amend or repeal, or to adopt any provision inconsistent with, this Section 3.03.
Section 3.04. Vacancies.
Vacancies in the Board of Directors resulting from death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal from office, or other cause, and newly-created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors, may be filled by no less than a majority vote of the remaining directors then in office, though less than a quorum, who are designated to represent the same class or classes of stockholders that the vacant position, when filled, is to represent or by the sole remaining director (but not by the stockholders except as required by law); provided, however, that, with respect to any directorship to be filled by the Board of Directors by reason of an increase in the number of directors: (a) such directorship shall be for a term of office continuing only until the next election of one or more directors by the stockholders; and (b) the Board of Directors may not fill more than two such directorships during the period between any two successive annual meetings of stockholders. Each director chosen in accordance with this provision shall receive the classification of the vacant directorship to which he or she has been appointed or, if it is a newly-created directorship, shall receive the classification that at least a majority of the Board of Directors designates and shall hold office until the first meeting of stockholders held after his or her election for the purpose of electing directors of that classification and until his or her successor is elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation, or removal from office. Notwithstanding any provision of the Certificate of Incorporation or any provision of law that might otherwise permit a lesser or no vote, and in addition to any affirmative vote of the holders of any particular class or series of the capital stock of the Corporation required by law or by the Certificate of Incorporation, the affirmative vote of 75 % of the Voting Stock, voting together as a single class, shall be required to amend or repeal, or to adopt any provision inconsistent with, this Section 3.04.
Section 3.05. Meetings.
Section 3.05-a. Place of Meetings. The Board of Directors may hold meetings, both regular and special, either within or without the State of Delaware.
Section 3.05-b. Regular Meetings. As soon as practicable after each regular election of directors, the Board of Directors shall meet at the registered office of the Corporation, or at such other place within or without the State of Delaware as may be designated by the Board of Directors, for the purpose of electing the officers of the Corporation and for the transaction of such other business as shall come before the meeting. Other regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be held without notice at such time and place within and without the
Bylaws - Taser International, Inc.
State of Delaware as shall from time to time be determined by resolution of the Board of Directors.
Section 3.05-c. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, or a majority of the then directors, and shall be held at such time and place as shall be designated in the notice thereof.
Section 3.05-d. Notice. Notice of a special meeting shall be given to each Director at least twenty-four (24) hours before the time of the meeting. Said notice shall be in writing and state the place, date and hour of the meeting and the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called. Whenever any provision of law, the Certificate of Incorporation, or the Bylaws require notice to be given, any director may, in writing, either before or after the meeting, waive notice thereof. Without notice, any director, by his or her attendance at and participation in the action taken at the meeting, shall be deemed to have waived notice thereof.
Section 3.05-e. Quorum: Voting Requirements:
Adjournment. A majority of the Board of Directors then in office shall
constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and the act of a majority
of the directors present at any meeting at which a quorum is present shall be
the act of the Board of Directors, except as may be otherwise specifically
provided by statute or by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws.
If a quorum shall not be present at any meeting of the Board of Directors, the directors present thereat may adjourn the meeting to another time or place, and no notice as to such adjourned meeting need be given other than by announcement at the meeting at which such adjournment is taken. If a quorum is present at the call of a meeting, the directors may continue to transact business until adjournment notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough directors to leave less than a quorum.
Section 3.05-f. Organization of Meetings. At all meetings of the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board, or in his absence, the Chief Executive Officer, or in his absence, any director appointed by the Chief Executive Officer, shall preside, and the Secretary, or in his absence, any person appointed by the Chairman, shall act as Secretary.
Section 3.05-g. Action in Writing. Except as may be otherwise required by statute or the Certificate of Incorporation, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors of the Corporation or of any committee thereof may be taken by written consent in lieu of a meeting, if all members of the Board or committee consent thereto in writing, and the writing or writings are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board or committee.
Section 3.05-h. Absent Directors. A director may give advance written consent or opposition to a proposal to be acted on at a meeting of the Board of Directors. Such advance written consent or opposition shall be ineffective unless the writing is delivered to the Chief Executive Officer, Chairman or Secretary of the Corporation prior to the meeting at which such proposal is to be considered. If the director is not present at the meeting, consent or opposition to a proposal does not constitute presence for purposes of determining the existence
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of a quorum, but such consent or opposition shall be counted as a vote in favor of or against the proposal and shall be entered in the minutes or other record of action at the meeting, if the proposal acted on at the meeting is substantially the same or has substantially the same effect as the proposal to which the director has consented or objected, such substantial similarity to be determined in the sole judgment of the presiding officer at the meeting.
Section 3.06. Committees.
Section 3.06-a. Designation. The Board of Directors may designate one or more committees, each committee to consist of one or more of the directors of the Corporation. The Board may designate one or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee.
Section 3.06-b. Limitations on Authority. No committees of the Corporation shall have authority as to any of the following matters:
(a) Approving or adopting, or recommending to the stockholders any action or matter expressly required by law to be submitted to stockholders for approval; or
(b) Adopting, amending or repealing any bylaw of the Corporation.
Section 3.06-c. Minutes of Committee Meetings. Committees shall keep regular minutes of their proceedings and report the same to the Board of Directors when required.
Section 3.07. Telephone Conference Meetings.
Any Director or any member of a duly constituted committee of the Board of Directors may participate in any meeting of the Board of Directors or of any duly constituted committee thereof by means of a conference telephone or other comparable communication technique whereby all persons participating in such a meeting can hear and communicate with each other. For the purpose of establishing a quorum and taking any action at such a meeting, the members participating in such a meeting pursuant to this Section 3.07 shall be deemed present in person at such meeting
Section 3.08. Compensation.
Unless otherwise provided by the Board of Directors, directors shall be paid their expenses, if any, of attendance at each meeting of the Board of Directors or a committee thereof. Directors who are not employees of the Corporation shall be paid at least $500 for attendance at each meeting of the Board of Directors, or any committee thereof, unless a different sum is fixed by resolution of the Board of Directors. directors may also receive other compensation, such as stock options or grants, for their service as directors or committee members as determined by the
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Board of Directors. Nothing herein contained shall preclude any director from serving the Corporation in any other capacity and receiving compensation therefor.
Section 3.09. Limitation of Director Liability.
A director shall not be liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for dividends illegally declared, distributions illegally made to stockholders, or any other actions taken in good faith reliance upon financial statements of the Corporation represented to the director to be correct by the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation or the officer having charge of its books of account or certified by an independent or certified public accountant to fairly reflect the financial condition of the Corporation; nor shall the director be liable if in good faith in determining the amount available for dividends or distributions the Board values the assets in a manner allowable under applicable law.
Section 3.10. Resignation and Removal.
A director may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Secretary or Assistant Secretary. Such resignation shall take effect on the date of the receipt of such notice or at such later date as specified therein. A director of any class of directors of the Corporation may be removed before the expiration date of that director's term of office only by an affirmative vote of the holders of seventy-five percent (75%) of the voting power of the Voting Stock, voting together as a single class. Notwithstanding any provision of the Certificate of Incorporation or any provision of law that might otherwise permit a lesser or no vote, and in addition to any affirmative vote of the holders of any particular class or series of the capital stock of the Corporation required by law or by the Certificate of Incorporation, the affirmative vote of 75% of the Voting Stock, voting together as a single class, shall be required to amend or repeal, or to adopt any provision inconsistent with, this Section 3.10.
ARTICLE IV: OFFICERS
Section 4.01. Selection: Qualifications.
Section 4.01-a. Election: Qualifications. The Board of Directors at its next meeting after each annual meeting of the stockholders shall choose a Chairman of the Board, a Chief Executive Officer, a Secretary, a Chief Financial Officer, and such other officers or agents as it deems necessary, none of whom need be members of the Board.
Section 4.01-b. Additional Officers. The Board of Directors may choose a President, additional Vice Presidents, Assistant Secretaries and Assistant Treasurers and such other officers and agents as it shall deem necessary, who shall hold their offices for such terms and shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as shall be determined from time to time by the Board.
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Section 4.02. Salaries.
The salaries of all officers, and of the Chairman of the Corporation, shall be fixed by the Board of Directors on an annual basis.
Section 4.03. Term of Office.
The officers of the Corporation shall hold office until their successors are chosen and qualified. Any officer elected or appointed by the Board of Directors may be removed at any time with or without cause by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Board of Directors. Any officer may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Chief Executive Officer or the Secretary of the Corporation. Any vacancy occurring in any office of the Corporation by death, resignation, removal, or otherwise shall be filled by the Board of Directors.
Section 4.04. Chairman of the Board.
The Chairman of the Board of Directors shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors and of the stockholders and shall perform such other duties as he or she may be directed to perform by the Board of Directors.
Section 4.05. Chief Executive Officer.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation shall have general active management of the business of the Corporation. Unless the Board has elected a Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer shall preside at meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation and at meetings of the Board of Directors. The Chief Executive Officer may execute and deliver in the name of the Corporation any deeds, mortgages, bonds, contracts or other instruments pertaining to the business of the Corporation, except in cases in which the authority to sign and deliver is required by law to be exercised by another person or is expressly delegated by the Board to some other officer or agent of the Corporation; may delegate the authority to execute and deliver documents to other officers of the Corporation; shall maintain records of and, whenever necessary, certify any proceedings of the stockholders and the Board; shall perform such other duties as may from time to time be prescribed by the Board; and, in general, shall perform all duties usually incident to the office of the Chief Executive Officer.
Section 4.06. President.
The President of the Corporation shall have general active management of the business of the Corporation in the absence or disability of the Chief Executive Officer. He shall also generally assist the Chief Executive Officer and exercise such other powers and perform such other duties as are delegated to him by the Chief Executive Officer or Chairman, or as the Board of Directors shall prescribe.
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Section 4.07. Vice-Presidents.
Unless otherwise determined by the Board of Directors, the Vice Presidents, if any, shall, in the absence or disability of the President, perform the duties and exercise the powers of the President. They shall also generally assist the Chief Executive Officer and the President and exercise such other powers and perform such other duties as are delegated to them by the Chief Executive Officer or the President or as the Board of Directors shall prescribe.
Section 4.08. Secretary and Assistant Secretary.
The Secretary or Assistant Secretary shall attend all meetings of the stockholders and of the Board of Directors and shall record all the proceedings of the meetings of the stockholders and of the Board of Directors in a book to be kept for that purpose and shall perform like duties for the standing committees when required, and shall give, or cause to be given, notice of all meetings of the stockholders and special meetings of the Board of Directors, and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Chairman or the Board of Directors, under whose supervision he shall be.
The Assistant Secretary, or if there be more than one, the assistant secretaries in the order determined by the Board of Directors (or if there be no such determination, then in the order of their election) shall, in the absence of the Secretary or in the event of inability or refusal to act by the Secretary, perform the duties and exercise the powers of the Secretary and shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Chairman, or Board of Directors, may, from time to time, prescribe.
Section 4.09. Chief Financial Officer.
Section 4.09-a. Custody of Funds and Accounting. The Chief Financial Officer shall have the custody of the corporate funds and securities and shall keep full and accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the Corporation and shall deposit all moneys and other valuable effects in the name and to the credit of the Corporation in such depositories as may be designated by the Board of Directors.
Section 4.09-b. Disbursements and Reports. The Chief Financial Officer shall disburse the funds of the Corporation as may be ordered by the Board of Directors, taking proper vouchers for such disbursements, and shall render to the Chief Executive Officer and the Board of Directors, at the regular meetings of the Board, or when the Board of Directors so requires, an account of all his transactions as Chief Financial Officer and of the financial condition of the Corporation.
Section 4.09-c. Bond. If required by the Board of Directors, the Chief Financial Officer shall give the Corporation a bond in such sum and with such surety or sureties as shall be satisfactory to the Board of Directors for the faithful performance of the duties of his office and for the restoration, upon the expiration of his term of office or his resignation, retirement, or removal from office, of all books, papers, vouchers, money and other property of whatever kind in his possession or under his control belonging to the Corporation.
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ARTICLE V. CERTIFICATES FOR SHARES
Section 5.01. Issuance of Shares and Fractional Shares.
The Board of Directors is authorized to issue shares and fractional shares of stock of the Corporation up to the full amount authorized by the Certificate of Incorporation in such amounts as may be determined by the Board of Directors and as permitted by law.
Section 5.02. Form of Certificate.
The shares of the Corporation shall be represented by certificates, provided that the Board of Directors of the Corporation may resolve that some or all of any or all classes or series of its stock will be uncertificated shares as provided in Section 5.06. Certificates shall be signed by the Chairman of the Board or the President and by the Secretary or Assistant Secretary of the Corporation, certifying the number of shares of capital stock owned by him in the Corporation. If the Corporation shall be authorized to issue more than one class of stock or more than one series of any class, the designations, preferences, and relative, participating, optional, or other special rights of the various classes of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations, or restrictions of such rights, together with a statement of the authority of the Board of Directors to determine the relative rights and preferences of subsequent classes or series, shall be set forth in full on the face or back of the certificate which the Corporation shall issue to represent such stock, or, in lieu thereof, such certificate shall contain a statement that the stock is, or may be, subject to certain rights, preferences, or restrictions and that a statement of the same will be furnished without charge by the Corporation upon request by any stockholder. Certificates representing the shares of the capital stock of the Corporation shall be in such form not inconsistent with law or the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws as shall be determined by the Board of Directors.
Section 5.03. Facsimile Signatures.
Whenever any certificate is countersigned or otherwise authenticated by a transfer agent, transfer clerk, or registrar, then a facsimile of the signatures of the officers or agents of the Corporation may be printed or lithographed upon such certificate in lieu of the actual signatures. In case any officer or officers who shall have signed, or whose facsimile signature shall have been used on, any such certificate or certificates shall cease to be such officer or officers of the Corporation, whether because of death, resignation, or otherwise, before such certificate or certificates shall have been delivered by the Corporation, such certificate or certificates may nevertheless be adopted by the Corporation and be signed and delivered as though the person or persons who signed such certificate or certificates, or whose facsimile signature or signatures shall have been used thereon, had not ceased to be the officer or officers of the Corporation.
Section 5.04. Lost, Stolen, or Destroyed Certificates.
The Board of Directors may direct a certificate or certificates to be issued in place of a certificate or certificates previously issued by the Corporation alleged to have been lost,
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stolen or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the person claiming the certificate of stock to be lost, stolen or destroyed. When authorizing such issue of a new certificate or certificates or uncertificated shares, the Board of Directors may, in its discretion and as a condition precedent to the issuance thereof, require the owner of such lost, stolen or destroyed certificate or certificates, or his legal representative, to advertise the same in such manner as it shall require and/or to give the Corporation a bond in such sum as it may direct as indemnity against any claim that may be made against the Corporation with respect to the certificate alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed.
Section 5.05. Transfers of Stock.
Upon surrender to the Corporation or the transfer agent of the Corporation of a certificate for shares duly endorsed or accompanied by proper evidence of succession, assignation or authority to transfer, it shall be the duty of the Corporation to issue a new certificate to the person entitled thereto, cancel the old certificate and record the transaction upon its books; except that the Board of Directors may, by resolution duly adopted, establish conditions upon the transfer of shares of stock to be issued by the Corporation, and the purchasers of such shares shall be deemed to have accepted such conditions on transfer upon the receipt of the certificate representing such shares, provided that the restrictions shall be referred to on the certificates or the purchaser shall have otherwise been notified thereof.
Section 5.06. Uncertificated Shares.
Unless prohibited by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, some or all of any or all classes and series of the Corporation's shares may be uncertificated shares. Upon receipt of proper transfer instructions from the registered owner of uncertificated shares, such uncertificated shares shall be canceled and issuance of new equivalent uncertificated shares or certificated shares shall be made to the person entitled thereto and the transaction shall be recorded upon the books of the Corporation. Within a reasonable time after the issuance or transfer of uncertificated shares, the Corporation shall send to the new stockholder the information required by Section 5.02 to be stated on certificates. If this Corporation becomes a publicly held corporation which adopts, in compliance with Section 17 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, a system of issuance, recordation, and transfer of its shares by electronic or other means not involving an issuance of certificates, this information is not required to be sent to new stockholders.
Section 5.07. Closing of Transfer Books: Record Date.
The Board of Directors or an officer of the Corporation authorized by the Board may close the stock transfer books of the Corporation for a period not exceeding sixty (60) days preceding the date of any meeting of stockholders as provided in Section 2.13 hereof or the date for payment of any dividend as provided in Section 6.02 hereof or the date for the allotment of rights or the date when any change or conversion or exchange of capital stock shall go into effect. In lieu of closing the stock transfer books as aforesaid, the Board of Directors or an officer of the Corporation authorized by the Board may fix, in advance, a date, not exceeding sixty (60) days preceding the date for payment of any dividend, or the date for the allotment of
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rights, or the date when any change or conversion or exchange of capital stock shall go into effect, as a record date for the determination of the stockholders entitled to receive payment.
Section 5.08. Registered Stockholders.
The Corporation shall be entitled to recognize the exclusive right of the persons registered on its books as the owners of shares to receive dividends and to vote as such owners and shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or shares on the part of any other person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided in the laws of Delaware.
Section 5.09. Stock Options and Agreements.
In addition to any stock options, plans, or agreements into which the Corporation may enter, any stockholder of the Corporation may enter into an agreement giving any other stockholder or stockholders or any third party an option to purchase any of his stock in the Corporation, and such shares of stock shall thereupon be subject to such agreement and transferable only upon proof of compliance therewith; provided, however, that a copy of such agreement shall be filed with the Corporation and reference thereto placed upon the certificates representing said shares of stock.
ARTICLE VI: DIVIDENDS
Section 6.01. Method of Payment.
Dividends upon the capital stock of the Corporation may be declared by the Board of Directors at any regular or special meeting pursuant to law. Dividends may be paid in cash, in property, or in shares of the capital stock, subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation.
Section 6.02. Closing of Books: Record Date.
The Board of Directors or an officer of the Corporation authorized by the Board may fix a date not exceeding sixty (60) days preceding the date fixed for the payment of any dividend as the record date for the determination of the stockholders entitled to receive payment of the dividend and, in such case, only stockholders of record on the date so fixed shall be entitled to receive payment of such dividend notwithstanding any transfer of shares on the books of the Corporation after the record date. The Board of Directors or an officer of the Corporation authorized by the Board may close the books of the Corporation against the transfer of shares during the whole or any part of such period. If the Board of Directors or an officer of the Corporation authorized by the Board fails to fix such a record date, the record date shall be the thirtieth (30th) day preceding the date of such payment.
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Section 6.03. Reserves.
Before payment of any dividend, there may be set aside out of the funds of the Corporation available for dividends such sum or sums as the Board of Directors from time to time, in its absolute discretion, deems proper as a reserve or reserves for meeting contingencies, or for equalizing dividends, or for repairing or maintaining any property of the Corporation, or for such other purpose as the Board shall think conducive to the interest of the Corporation, and the Board may modify or abolish any such reserve in the manner in which it was created.
ARTICLE VII: CHECKS
All checks or demands for money and notes of the Corporation shall be signed by such officer or officers or such other person or persons as the Board of Directors may from time to time designate.
ARTICLE VIII: CORPORATE SEAL
The Corporation shall have no corporate seal.
ARTICLE IX: FISCAL YEAR
The fiscal year of the Corporation shall end on December 31 unless otherwise fixed by resolution of the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE X: AMENDMENTS
These Bylaws shall not be adopted, altered, amended or repealed except in accordance with the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation and these Bylaws. Unless a different requirement is mandated by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, adoption, alteration, amendment or repeal of these Bylaws requires the affirmative action of a majority of the directors then in office or the vote of the holders of not less than seventy-five percent (75%) of the Voting Stock, voting together as a single class, at an annual meeting of the stockholders or any special meeting of the stockholders.
ARTICLE XI: BOOKS AND RECORDS
Section 11.01. Books and Records.
The Board of Directors of the Corporation shall cause to be kept:
Section 11.01-a. A share register not more than one year old, giving the names and addresses of the stockholders, the number and classes held by each, and the dates on which the certificated or uncertificated shares were issued;
Section 11.01-b. Records of all proceedings of stockholders and directors; and
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Section 11.01-c. Such other records and books of account as shall be necessary and appropriate to the conduct of the corporate business.
Section 11.02. Computerized Records.
The records maintained by the Corporation, including its share register, financial records, and minute books, may utilize any information storage technique, including, for example, computer memory or microimages, even though that makes them illegible visually, if the records can be converted, by machine and within a reasonable time, into a form that is legible visually and whose contents are assembled by related subject matter to permit convenient use by persons in the normal course of business.
Section 11.03. Examination and Copying by Stockholders.
Every stockholder of record of the Corporation shall have a right to examine, in person or by agent or attorney, at any reasonable time or times, at the place or places where usually kept, and upon the showing of a proper purpose, the Corporation's stock ledger, a list of its stockholders and its other books and records, and to make copies or extracts therefrom.
ARTICLE XII: LOANS AND ADVANCES
Section 12.01. Loans, Guarantees, and Suretyship.
The Corporation may lend money to, guarantee an obligation of, become a surety for, or otherwise financially assist a person, if the transaction, or a class of transactions to which the transaction belongs, is approved by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors present at a lawfully convened meeting and such action: (a) is in the usual and regular course of business of the Corporation; (b) is with, or for the benefit of, a related corporation, an organization with which the Corporation has the power to make donations; (c) is with, or for the benefit of, an officer or other employee of the Corporation or a subsidiary, including an officer or employee who is a director of the Corporation or a subsidiary, and may reasonably be expected, in the judgment of the Board of Directors, to benefit the Corporation; or (d) has been approved by the affirmative vote of the holders of seventy-five percent (75%) of the Voting Stock, voting together as a single class. The loan, guarantee, or other assistance may be with or without interest and may be unsecured or may be secured in any manner that a majority of the Board of Directors approves, including, without limitation, a pledge of or other security interest in shares of the Corporation.
Section 12.02. Advances to Officers, Directors, and Employees.
The Corporation may, without a vote of the directors, advance money to its directors, officers, or employees to cover expenses that can reasonably be anticipated to be incurred by them in the performance of their duties and for which they would be entitled to reimbursement in the absence of an advance.
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ARTICLE XIII: INDEMNIFICATION
Section 13.01. Directors and Officers
Section 13.01-a. Indemnity in Third-Party Proceedings. The Corporation shall indemnify its directors and officers in accordance with the provisions of this Section 13.01-a if the director or officer was or is a party to, or is threatened to be made a party to, any proceeding (other than a proceeding by or in the right of the Corporation to procure a judgment in its favor), against all expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement, actually and reasonably incurred by the director or officer in connection with such proceeding if the director or officer acted in good faith and in a manner the director or officer reasonably believed was in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, the director or officer, in addition, had no reasonable cause to believe that the director's or officer's conduct was unlawful; provided, however, that the director or officer shall not be entitled to indemnification under this Section 13.01-a: (1) in connection with any proceeding charging improper personal benefit to the director or officer in which the director or officer is adjudged liable on the basis that personal benefit was improperly received by the director or officer unless and only to the extent that the court conducting such proceeding or any other court of competent jurisdiction determines upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability, the director or officer is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification in view of all the relevant circumstances, or (2) in connection with any proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person or any proceeding by such person against the Corporation or its directors, officers, employees or other agents unless: (A) such indemnification is expressly required to be made by law, (B) the proceeding was authorized by the Board of Directors, or (C) such indemnification is provided by the Corporation, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the Corporation under the Delaware General Corporation Law.
Section 13.01-b. Indemnity in Proceedings by or in the Right of the Corporation. The Corporation shall indemnify its directors and officers in accordance with the provisions of this Section 13.01-b if the director or officer was or is a party to, or is threatened to be made a party to, any proceeding by or in the right of the Corporation to procure a judgment in its favor, against all expenses actually and reasonably incurred by the director or officer in connection with the defense or settlement of such proceeding if the director or officer acted in good faith and in a manner the director or officer reasonably believed was in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation; provided, however, that the director or officer shall not be entitled to indemnification under this Section 13.01-b: (1) in connection with any proceeding in which the director or officer has been adjudged liable to the Corporation unless and only to the extent that the court conducting such proceeding, or the Delaware Court of Chancery, determines upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, the director or officer is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification for such expenses as such court shall deem proper, or (2) in connection with any proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person or any proceeding by such person against the Corporation or its directors, officers, employees or other agents unless (A) such indemnification is expressly required to be made by law, (B) the proceeding was authorized by the Board of Directors, or (C) such indemnification is provided by the Corporation, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the Corporation under the Delaware General Corporation Law.
Section 13.02. Employees and Other Agents
The Corporation may, to the extent authorized from time to time by the Board of Directors, provide rights to indemnification and to the advancement of expenses to employees and agents of the Corporation similar to those conferred in this Article XIII to directors and officers of the Corporation.
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Section 13.03. Good Faith.
Section 13.03-a. For purposes of any determination under this Article XIII, a director or officer shall be deemed to have acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding to have had no reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful, if his or her action is based on information, opinions, reports and statements, including financial statements and other financial data, in each case prepared or presented by:
1. one or more officers or employees of the Corporation whom the director or officer believed to be reliable and competent in the matters presented;
2. counsel, independent accountants or other persons as to matters which the director or officer believed to be within such person's professional or expert competence; or
3. with respect to a director, a committee of the Board of Directors upon which such director does not serve, as to matters within such committee's designated authority, which committee the director believes to merit confidence; so long as, in each case, the director or executive officer acts without knowledge that would cause such reliance to be unwarranted.
Section 13.03-b. The termination of any proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner which he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal proceeding, that he had reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful.
Section 13.03-c. The provisions of this Section 13.03 shall not be deemed to be exclusive or to limit in any way the circumstances in which a person may be deemed to have met the applicable standard of conduct set forth by the Delaware General Corporation Law.
Section 13.04. Advances of Expenses
The Corporation shall pay the expenses incurred by its directors or officers in any proceeding (other than a proceeding brought for an accounting of profits made from the purchase and sale by the director or officer of securities of the corporation within the meaning of Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or similar provision of any state statutory law or common law) in advance of the final disposition of the proceeding at the written request of the director or officer, if the director or officer: (a) furnishes the Corporation a written affirmation of the director's or officer's good faith belief that the director or officer is entitled to be indemnified under this Article XIII, and (b) furnishes the Corporation a written undertaking to repay the advance to the extent that it is ultimately determined that the director or officer is not entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation. Such undertaking shall be an unlimited general obligation of the director or officer but need not be secured. Advances pursuant to this Section 13.04 shall be made no later than 10 days after receipt by the Corporation of the affirmation and undertaking described in clauses (a) and (b) above, and shall be made without regard to the director's or officer's ability to repay the amount advanced and without regard to the director's or officer's ultimate entitlement to indemnification under this Article XIII. The Corporation may establish a trust, escrow account or other secured funding source for the payment of advances
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made and to be made pursuant to this Section 13.04 or of other liability incurred by the director or officer in connection with any proceeding.
Section 13.05. Enforcement
Without the necessity of entering into an express contract,
all rights to indemnification and advances to directors and officers under this
Article XIII shall be deemed to be contractual rights and be effective to the
same extent and as if provided for in a contract between the Corporation and the
director or officer. Any director or officer may enforce any right to
indemnification or advances under this Article XIII in any court of competent
jurisdiction if: (a) the Corporation denies the claim for indemnification or
advances, in whole or in part, or (b) the Corporation does not dispose of such
claim within 45 days of request therefor. It shall be a defense to any such
enforcement action (other than an action brought to enforce a claim for
advancement of expenses pursuant to, and in compliance with, Section 13.01 of
this Article XIII) that the director or officer is not entitled to
indemnification under this Article XIII. However, except as provided in Section
13.12 of this Article XIII, the Corporation shall not assert any defense to an
action brought to enforce a claim for advancement of expenses pursuant to
Section 13.04 of this Article XIII if the director or officer has tendered to
the Corporation the affirmation and undertaking required thereunder. The burden
of proving by clear and convincing evidence that indemnification is not
appropriate shall be on the Corporation. Neither the failure of the Corporation
(including its Board of Directors or independent legal counsel) to have made a
determination prior to the commencement of such action that indemnification is
proper in the circumstances because the director or officer has met the
applicable standard of conduct nor an actual determination by the Corporation
(including its Board of Directors or independent legal counsel) that
indemnification is improper because the director or officer has not met such
applicable standard of conduct, shall be asserted as a defense to the action or
create a presumption that the director or officer is not entitled to
indemnification under this Article XIII or otherwise. The director's or
officer's expenses incurred in connection with successfully establishing such
person's right to indemnification or advances, in whole or in part, in any
proceeding shall also be paid or reimbursed by the Corporation.
Section 13.06. Non-Exclusivity of Rights
The rights conferred on any person by this Article XIII shall not be exclusive of any other right which such person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of the Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action in his or her official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding office. The Corporation is authorized to enter into individual contracts with any or all of its directors, officers, employees or agents respecting indemnification and advances, to the fullest extent not prohibited by the Delaware General Corporation Law.
Section 13.07. Survival of Rights
The rights conferred on any person by this Article XIII shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or other agent and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person.
Section 13.08. Insurance
To the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, the Corporation, upon approval by the Board of Directors, may purchase insurance on behalf of any person required or permitted to be indemnified pursuant to this Article XIII.
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Section 13.09. Amendments
Any repeal or modification of this Article XIII shall only be prospective and shall not affect the rights under this Article XIII in effect at the time of the alleged occurrence of any action or omission to act that is the cause of any proceeding against any director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation.
Section 13.10. Savings Clause
If this Article XIII or any portion hereof shall be invalidated on any ground by any court of competent jurisdiction, then the Corporation shall nevertheless indemnify each director and officer to the full extent not prohibited by any applicable portion of this Article XIII that shall not have been invalidated, or by any other applicable law.
Section 13.11. Certain Definitions
For the purposes of this Article XIII, the following definitions shall apply:
Section 13.11-a. The term "PROCEEDING" shall include any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether brought in the right of the Corporation or otherwise, and whether of a civil, criminal, administrative or investigative nature, in which the director or officer may be or may have been involved as a party, witness or otherwise, by reason of the fact that the director or officer is or was a director or officer of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, whether or not serving in such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification or reimbursement can be provided under this Article XIII.
Section 13.11-b. The term "EXPENSES" includes, without limitation thereto, expenses of investigations, judicial or administrative proceedings or appeals, attorney, accountant and other professional fees and disbursements and any expenses of establishing a right to indemnification under this Article XIII, but shall not include amounts paid in settlement by the director or officer or the amount of judgments or fines against the director or officer.
Section 13.11-c. References to "OTHER ENTERPRISE" include, without limitation, employee benefit plans; references to "FINES" include, without limitation, any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to any employee benefit plan; references to "SERVING AT THE REQUEST OF THE CORPORATION" include, without limitation, any service as a director, officer, employee or agent which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, employee or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants, or its beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner "NOT OPPOSED TO THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE CORPORATION" as referred to in this Article XIII.
Section 13.11-d. References to "THE CORPORATION" shall include, in addition to the resulting corporation, any constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger which, if its separate existence had continued, would have had power and authority to indemnify its directors, officers, and employees or agents, so that any person who is or was a director, officer or employee of such constituent corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position under this Article XIII with respect to the resulting or
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surviving corporation as such person would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its separate existence had continued.
Section 13.11-e. The meaning of the phrase "TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW" shall include, but not be limited to: (i) to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by any amendments to or replacements of the Delaware General Corporation Law adopted after the date of this Article XIII that increase the extent to which a corporation may indemnify its directors and officers, and (ii) to the fullest extent permitted by the provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law that authorizes or contemplates additional indemnification by agreement, or the corresponding provision of any amendment to or replacement of the Delaware General Corporation Law.
Section 13.12. Notification and Defense of Claim
As a condition precedent to indemnification under this Article XIII, not later than 30 days after receipt by the director or officer of notice of the commencement of any proceeding the director or officer shall, if a claim in respect of the proceeding is to be made against the Corporation under this Article XIII, notify the Corporation in writing of the commencement of the proceeding. The failure to properly notify the Corporation shall not relieve the Corporation from any liability which it may have to the director or officer otherwise than under this Article XIII. With respect to any proceeding as to which the director or officer so notifies the Corporation of the commencement:
Section 13.12-a. The Corporation shall be entitled to participate in the proceeding at its own expense.
Section 13.12-b. Except as otherwise provided in this
Section 13.12, the Corporation may, at its option and jointly with any other
indemnifying party similarly notified and electing to assume such defense,
assume the defense of the proceeding, with legal counsel reasonably satisfactory
to the director or officer. The director or officer shall have the right to use
separate legal counsel in the proceeding, but the Corporation shall not be
liable to the director or officer under this Article XIII for the fees and
expenses of separate legal counsel incurred after notice from the Corporation of
its assumption of the defense, unless (1) the director or officer reasonably
concludes that there may be a conflict of interest between the Corporation and
the director or officer in the conduct of the defense of the proceeding, or (2)
the Corporation does not use legal counsel to assume the defense of such
proceeding. The Corporation shall not be entitled to assume the defense of any
proceeding brought by or on behalf of the Corporation or as to which the
director or officer has made the conclusion provided for in (1) above.
Section 13.12-c. If two or more persons who may be entitled to indemnification from the Corporation, including the director or officer seeking indemnification, are parties to any proceeding, the Corporation may require the director or officer to use the same legal counsel as the other parties. The director or officer shall have the right to use separate legal counsel in the proceeding, but the Corporation shall not be liable to the director or officer under this Article XIII for the fees and expenses of separate legal counsel incurred after notice from the Corporation of the requirement to use the same legal counsel as the other parties, unless the director or officer reasonably concludes that there may be a conflict of interest between the director or officer and any of the other parties required by the Corporation to be represented by the same legal counsel.
Section 13.11-d. The Corporation shall not be liable to indemnify the director or officer under this Article XIII for any amounts paid in settlement of any proceeding
Bylaws - Taser International, Inc.
effected without its written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld. The director or officer shall permit the Corporation to settle any proceeding that the Corporation assumes the defense of, except that the Corporation shall not settle any action or claim in any manner that would impose any penalty or limitation on the director or officer without such person's written consent.
Section 13.13. Exclusions
Notwithstanding any provision in this Article XIII, the Corporation shall not be obligated under this Article XIII to make any indemnification in connection with any claim made against any director or officer: (a) for which payment is required to be made to or on behalf of the director or officer under any insurance policy, except with respect to any excess amount to which the director or officer is entitled under this Article XIII beyond the amount of payment under such insurance policy; (b) if a court having jurisdiction in the matter finally determines that such indemnification is not lawful under any applicable statute or public policy; (c) in connection with any proceeding (or part of any proceeding) initiated by the director or officer, or any proceeding by the director or officer against the Corporation or its directors, officers, employees or other persons entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation, unless: (1) the Corporation is expressly required by law to make the indemnification; (2) the proceeding was authorized by the Board of Directors of the Corporation; or (3) the director or officer initiated the proceeding pursuant to Section 13.05 of this Article XIII and the director or officer is successful in whole or in part in such proceeding; or (d) for an accounting of profits made from the purchase and sale by the director or officer of securities of the Corporation within the meaning of Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or similar provision of any state statutory law or common law.
Section 13.14. Subrogation
In the event of payment under this Article XIII, the Corporation shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of the director or officer. The director or officer shall execute all documents required and shall do all acts that may be necessary to secure such rights and to enable the Corporation effectively to bring suit to enforce such rights.
Bylaws - Taser International, Inc.
ARTICLE XIV: DEFINITIONS AND USAGE
Whenever the context of these Bylaws requires, the plural shall be read to include the singular, and vice versa; and words of the masculine gender shall refer to the feminine gender, and vice versa; and words of the neuter gender shall refer to any gender.
KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned Secretary of the Corporation, does hereby certify that the foregoing Bylaws were duly adopted as the Bylaws of the Corporation in accordance with the Delaware General Corporation Law on January 6, 2001.
Dated: January 6, 2001.
Bylaws - Taser International, Inc.
Exhibit 4.3
VOID AFTER 5:00 P.M. PACIFIC TIME ON __________, 2006
WARRANTS TO PURCHASE COMMON STOCK
W-_____ _________Warrants
TASER INTERNATIONAL, INC.
CUSIP ______________
THIS CERTIFIES THAT
or registered assigns, is the registered holder of the number of Warrants (the "Warrants") set forth above. Each Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase from TASER International, Inc., a corporation incorporated under the laws of the state of Delaware (the "Company"), subject to the terms and conditions set forth hereinafter and in the Warrant Agreement hereinafter more fully described (the "Warrant Agreement"), at any time on or before the close of business on __________, 2006 or, if such Warrant is redeemed as provided in the Warrant Agreement, at any time prior to the effective time of such redemption (the "Expiration Date"), one fully paid and non-assessable share of Common Stock of the Company (the "Common Stock") upon presentation and surrender of this Warrant Certificate, with the instructions for the registration and delivery of Common Stock filled in, at the stock transfer office in Glendale, California, of U.S. Stock Transfer Corporation, Warrant Agent of the Company (the "Warrant Agent") or of its successor warrant agent or, if there be no successor warrant agent, at the corporate offices of the Company, and upon payment of the Exercise Price (as defined in the Warrant Agreement) and any applicable taxes paid either in cash, or by certified or official bank check, payable in lawful money of the United States of America to the order of the Company. Each Warrant initially entitles the holder to purchase one share of Common Stock initially for $ [150% of the initial public offering price of the Units]. The number and kind of securities or other property for which the Warrants are exercisable are subject to further adjustment in certain events, such as mergers, splits, stock dividends, recapitalizations and the like, to prevent dilution. After three months following the closing of the Company's initial public offering, the Company may redeem any or all outstanding and unexercised Warrants at any time if the average Daily Price equals or exceeds $_____ [200% of the initial public offering price of the Units] for ten consecutive trading days immediately preceding the date of notice of such redemption, upon 30 days notice, at a price equal to $0.25 per Warrant. For the purpose of the foregoing sentence, the term "Daily Price" shall mean, for any relevant day, the closing bid price on that day as reported by the principal exchange or quotation system on which prices for the Common Stock are reported. All Warrants not theretofore exercised or redeemed will expire on _________, 2006.
This Warrant Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and conditions of the Warrant Agreement, dated as of ____________, 2001 (the "Warrant Agreement"), between
the Company and the Warrant Agent, to all of which terms, provisions and conditions the registered holder of this Warrant Certificate consents by acceptance hereof. The Warrant Agreement is incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and reference is made to the Warrant Agreement for a full description of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities of the Warrant Agent, the Company and the holders of the Warrant Certificates. Copies of the Warrant Agreement are available for inspection at the stock transfer office of the Warrant Agent or may be obtained upon written request addressed to the Company at 7860 East McClain Drive, Suite 2, Scottsdale, Arizona 85260, Attention: Chief Financial Officer.
The Company shall not be required upon the exercise of the Warrants evidenced by this Warrant Certificate to issue fractions of Warrants, Common Stock or other securities, but shall make adjustment therefor in cash on the basis of the current market value of any fractional interest as provided in the Warrant Agreement.
In certain cases, the sale of securities by the Company upon exercise of Warrants would violate the securities laws of the United States, certain states thereof or other jurisdictions. The Company has agreed to use all commercially reasonable efforts to cause a registration statement to continue to be effective during the term of the Warrants with respect to such sales under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to take such action under the laws of various states as may be required to cause the sale of securities upon exercise to be lawful. However, the Company will not be required to honor the exercise of Warrants if, in the opinion of the Board of Directors, upon advice of counsel, the sale of securities upon such exercise would be unlawful. In certain cases, the Company may, but is not required to, purchase Warrants submitted for exercise for a cash price equal to the difference between the market price of the securities obtainable upon such exercise and the exercise price of such Warrants.
This Warrant Certificate, with or without other Warrant Certificates, upon surrender to the Warrant Agent, any successor warrant agent or, in the absence of any successor warrant agent, at the corporate offices of the Company, may be exchanged for another Warrant Certificate or Certificates evidencing in the aggregate the same number of Warrants as the Warrant Certificate or Certificates so surrendered. If the Warrants evidenced by this Warrant Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder hereof shall be entitled to receive upon surrender hereof another Warrant Certificate or Certificates evidencing the number of Warrants not so exercised.
No holder of this Warrant Certificate, as such, shall be entitled to vote, receive dividends or be deemed the holder of Common Stock or any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise hereof for any purpose whatever, nor shall anything contained in the Warrant Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder of this Warrant Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof or give or withhold consent to any corporate action (whether upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or give or withhold consent to any merger, recapitalization, issuance of stock, reclassification of stock, change of par value or change of stock to no par value, consolidation, conveyance or otherwise) or to receive notice of meetings or
other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in the Warrant Agreement) or to receive dividends or subscription rights or otherwise until the Warrants evidenced by this Warrant Certificate shall have been exercised and the Common Stock purchasable upon the exercise thereof shall have become deliverable as provided in the Warrant Agreement.
If this Warrant Certificate shall be surrendered for exercise within any period during which the transfer books for the Company's Common Stock or other class of stock purchasable upon the exercise of the Warrants evidenced by this Warrant Certificate are closed for any purpose, the Company shall not be required to make delivery of certificates for shares purchasable upon such transfer until the date of the reopening of said transfer books.
Every holder of this Warrant Certificate by accepting the same consents and agrees with the Company, the Warrant Agent, and with every other holder of a Warrant Certificate that:
(a) This Warrant Certificate is transferable on the registry books of the Warrant Agent only upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Warrant Agreement; and
(b) The Company and the Warrant Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name this Warrant Certificate is registered as the absolute owner hereof (notwithstanding any notation of ownership or other writing thereon made by anyone other than the Company or the Warrant Agent) for all purposes whatever and neither the Company nor the Warrant Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.
The Company shall not be required to issue or deliver any certificate for shares of Common Stock or other securities upon the exercise of Warrants evidenced by this Warrant Certificate until any tax which may be payable in respect thereof by the holder of this Warrant Certificate pursuant to the Warrant Agreement shall have been paid, such tax being payable by the holder of this Warrant Certificate at the time of surrender.
This Warrant Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Warrant Agent.
WITNESS the facsimile signatures of the proper officers of the Company and its corporate seal.
Dated: ___________________, 2001 TASER International, Inc. By: ________________________________ Patrick W. Smith, Chief Executive Officer Attest: ____________________________ Secretary |
Countersigned U.S. Stock Transfer Corporation By: ________________________________ Authorized Officer |
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(TO BE EXECUTED BY THE REGISTERED HOLDER IN ORDER TO EXERCISE THE
WARRANTS IN WHOLE OR IN PART)
To: TASER INTERNATIONAL, INC.
The undersigned Registered Holder ( )
hereby irrevocably elects to exercise the right of purchase represented by the within this Warrant Certificate for, and to purchase thereunder, _______________ shares of Common Stock provided for therein and tenders payment herewith to the order of TASER INTERNATIONAL, INC. in the amount of $________________. The undersigned requests that certificates for such shares of Common Stock be issued as follows:
Name:___________________________________________________________________________ Address:________________________________________________________________________ Deliver to:_____________________________________________________________________ Address:________________________________________________________________________ and if said number of Warrants being exercised shall not be all the Warrants evidenced by this Warrant Certificate, that a new Certificate for the balance of such Warrants as well as the shares of Common Stock represented by this Warrant Certificate be registered in the name of, and delivered to, the Registered Holder at the address stated below:
Address:________________________________________________________________________ Dated:_____________, _______
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(TO BE SIGNED ONLY UPON ASSIGNMENT)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned Registered Holder ( )
hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto
Warrants evidenced by the within Warrant Certificate, and irrevocably constitutes and appoints
______________________________________________________________________Attorney to transfer this Warrant Certificate on the books of TASER International, Inc. with the full power of substitution in the premises.
Dated:__________________, ________
Signature:
Signature Guaranteed:
The signature should be guaranteed by an eligible institution (Banks, Stockbrokers, Savings and Loan Association and Credit Union with membership in
an approved signature Medallion Program), pursuant to S.E.C. Rule 17Ad-15.
Exhibit 10.1
EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
THIS EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (the "Agreement") is made and entered into this 1st day of July, 1998, to be effective as of July 1, 1998 between TASER International, Incorporated (the "Company"), located at 7339 East Evans Road, Scottsdale, Arizona 85260 and Patrick W. Smith (the "Executive"), residing at 15550 North Frank Lloyd Wright #1101, Scottsdale, Arizona 85260.
RECITALS:
WHEREAS, the Company wishes to provide for the continued employment of Executive as its President and Chief Executive Officer for the term, and on the conditions, set forth herein; and
WHEREAS, Executive desires to be assured of certain minimum compensation from Company for Executive's services during the term hereof and to be protected, and compensated, in the event of any change in the control affecting the Company; and,
WHEREAS, Company desires reasonable protection of Company's confidential business and technical information which has been developed by the Company in recent years at substantial expense.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises contained herein, the Company and Executive each intend to be legally bound, covenant and agree as follows:
1. EMPLOYMENT. Upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, Company hereby employs Executive as its President and Chief Executive Officer, and Executive accepts such employment. Except as expressly provided herein, the termination of this Agreement by either party shall also terminate Executive's employment by Company.
2. DUTIES. Executive shall devote his full-time and best efforts to the Company and shall fulfill the duties of his position which shall include such duties as may, from time to time, be assigned to him by the Board of Directors of the Company, provided such duties are reasonably consistent with Executive's education, experience and background.
3. TERM. Subject to the provisions of Sections 6 and 11 hereof, Executive's employment shall commence on the effective date hereof ("Employment Date") and continue through June 30, 2001, but shall be automatically extended, unless otherwise terminated in accordance herewith, for an additional two (2) year term commencing on July 1, 2001 through June 30, 2003, and thereafter, shall be automatically extended for additional consecutive two (2) year terms on each July 1, thereafter, unless either party gives written notice to the other of termination in accordance herewith. In any event, the Agreement shall automatically terminate, without notice, when Executive reaches 70 years of age. If employment is continued after the age of 70 by mutual agreement, it shall be terminable at will by either party.
4. COMPENSATION.
(a) 1998-2000 Annual Base Salary. For services rendered under this Agreement during the first year (July 1, 1998 through June 30, 1999) of this Agreement, Company shall pay Executive a minimum Base Salary ("Base Salary") (Base Salary shall mean regular cash compensation paid on a periodic basis exclusive of any and all benefits, bonuses or other incentive payments made or obligated by Company to Executive hereunder) at an annual rate of $65,000, payable in accordance with existing payroll practices of the Company. On July 1, 1999, Executive's Base Salary shall be increased at the discretion of the Board of Directors based on performance. In subsequent years, based upon extensions of this Agreement, Executive's Base Salary shall be adjusted annually based upon a performance and compensation review conducted by the Compensation Committee of the Company's Board of Directors, and negotiated and mutually agreed to, in good faith, between Executive and the Company's Board of Directors. Such review will be based upon both individual and Company performance and shall be completed by August 1 of each subsequent year. The foregoing 1998-2000 minimum Base Salary for Executive shall not prohibit Company's Board of Directors (or the Compensation Committee of Company's Board of Directors ), to set Executive's Base Salary during such initial three (3) year term at an annual rate greater than that prescribed above; however, in no instance shall Executive's Base Salary be less than that set forth above.
(b) Annual Year-End Cash Bonus. Executive shall also be eligible to earn an annual year-end cash bonus which shall be determined by a review at the discretion of the Company's Board of Directors.
(c) Fringe Benefits. In addition to the compensation and incentive payments payable to Executive as provided in Sections 4(a) and (b) above:
(i) Vacation. Executive shall be entitled to four (4) weeks paid vacation each calendar year. All such paid vacation shall accumulate, so that if Executive's full vacation is not taken in a particular calendar year, any unused portion shall be carried into subsequent years; however, such accumulation shall not exceed an aggregate of four (4) calendar weeks.
(ii) Long Term Disability. The Company shall also maintain (so long as such insurance is available at commercially standard rates) long-term disability policy on Executive providing for the payment to age 65 of benefit equivalent to seventy percent (70%) of Executive's annual Base Salary in the event Executive becomes permanently disabled as defined in Section 6(b)(ii).
2.
(iii) Other Benefits. The Executive shall be entitled to participate in all other benefit programs offered by the Company to its full-time executive employees, including, but not limited to, health, medical, dental and eye care; Southwest Airlines travel benefits; retirement benefits through the Company's pension and/or profit sharing plans; sick leave benefits; and accidental death and dismemberment coverages.
5. BUSINESS EXPENSES. The Company shall, in accordance with, and to the extent of, its policies in effect from time to time, bear all customary business expenses (including the advancement of certain expenses) incurred by the Executive in performing his duties as an executive of the Company, provided that Executive accounts promptly such expenses to Company in the manner prescribed from time to time by the Company.
6. TERMINATION. Subject to the respective continuing obligations of the parties pursuant to Sections 7, 8, 9, 10,11, 12 and 13, this Agreement may be terminated prior to the expiration of its then remaining applicable term only as follows:
(a) By the Company. The Company may terminate this Agreement under the following circumstances:
(i) For "Cause". Company may terminate this Agreement on thirty (30) days written notice to Executive for "cause", including, fraud, misrepresentation, theft or embezzlement of Company assets, material intentional violations of law or Company policies, or a material breach of the provisions of this Agreement, including specifically the repeated failure to perform his duties as required by Section 2 hereof after written notice of such failure from Company; however, in the event of termination related to Executive's performance, Executive's termination shall only be effective upon the expiration of a sixty (60) day cure period following a lack of corrective action having been undertaken by Executive during said cure period.
(ii) Without "Cause". The Company may terminate this Agreement upon twelve (12) months written notice without "cause." The Base Salary compensation due and owing by the Company to Executive following either of such early terminations of this Agreement shall be paid as set forth at Section 7(a)(iv) hereof.
(b) Death and Disability.
(i) Death. If Executive should die during the term of this Agreement, this Agreement shall thereupon terminate; provided, however, that the Company shall pay to the Executive's beneficiary or estate the compensation provided in Section 7(a)(ii) below.
3.
(ii) Permanent Disability. In the event the Executive should become permanently disabled during the term of this Agreement, this Agreement shall also terminate. For the purposes hereof, a permanent disability shall mean that disability resulting from injury, disease or other cause, whether mental or physical, which incapacitates the Executive from performing his normal duties as an employee, appears to be permanent in nature and contemplates the continuous, necessary and substantially complete loss of all management and professional activities for a continuous period of six (6) months.
(iii) Partial Disability. If the Executive should become partially disabled, he shall be entitled to his salary as provided herein for a period of nine (9) months. At the end of said period of time, if such Executive remains partially disabled, the disabled Executive's salary shall be reduced according to the amount of time the disabled Executive is able to devote to the Company's business.
(iv) Temporary Disability. In the event the Executive should become disabled, but such disability is not permanent, as defined above, such disabled Executive shall be entitled to his salary for a period of nine (9) months. If such temporary disability continues longer than said period of time, then the disabled Executive shall be deemed to have become permanently disabled for the purposes of this Agreement at the end of said nine (9) month period.
7. COMPENSATION PAYABLE FOLLOWING EARLY TERMINATION.
(a) In the event of any termination pursuant to Section 6, Executive's Base Salary shall be paid as follows:
(i) In the event of termination pursuant to Section 6(a)(i)
(for "cause"), Executive's Base Salary shall continue to
be paid on a semi-monthly basis for sixty (60) days from
the effective date of such termination and Executive
shall also be entitled to continue to participate in
those benefit programs provided by subsections
4(e)(iv-viii) (inclusive), for twelve (12) months
following such termination, at Executive's expense;
(ii) In the event of termination of this Agreement by reason of Executive's death, Executive's Base Salary shall terminate as of the end of the eighteenth (18th) month following the Executive's death;
(iii) In the event of termination of this Agreement by reason of disability, Executive's Base Salary shall be terminated as of the end the eighteenth (18th) month period following Executive's inability to perform his duties occurs; and
(iv) In the event of any termination by the Company pursuant to
Section 6(a)(ii) (without "cause"), Executive's Base Salary
shall be continued to be paid on a
4.
semi-monthly basis, but shall terminate at the end of the twelve (12) month period following such written notice of termination by the Company. In lieu of such continued semi-monthly Base Salary, the Company and Executive may agree to a lump-sum distribution to Executive pursuant to such termination in a form, substance and manner mutually acceptable to Company and Executive, pursuant to a written Severance Agreement then mutually negotiated between the Company and Executive in connection with such termination.
(b) In the event of termination by reason of Executive's death, disability, termination without cause, or any Change in Control, as defined at Section 11:
(i) Executive shall receive a pro rata portion (prorated through the last day Base Salary is payable pursuant to clauses (a)(ii), (a)(iii) and (a)(iv), respectively) of any bonus or incentive payment (for the year in which death, disability or termination occurred), to which he would have been entitled had he remained continuously employed for the full fiscal year in which death, disability or termination occurred and continued to perform his duties in the same manner as they were performed immediately prior to the death, disability or termination;
(ii) The right to exercise any unexpired and non-vested stock options previously granted Executive shall immediately vest and accelerate; and
(iii) Any and all payments owing to Executive arising from a termination of this Agreement resulting from a permanent or partial disability of Executive shall first be provided and paid pursuant to the Company's existing disability policy, as then in effect, but shall be further supplemented to the extent provided by this Agreement but all such payments due and owing to Executive arising from such permanent or partial disability shall not be cumulative or aggregated.
8. CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.
(a) For purposes of this Section 8, the term "Confidential Information"
means information which is not generally known and which is
proprietary to Company, including: (i) trade secret information
about Company and its services; and (ii) information relating to the
business of Company as conducted at any time within the previous two
(2) years or anticipated to be conducted by Company, and to any of
its past, current or anticipated products, including, without
limitation, information about Company's research, development,
services, purchasing, accounting, engineering, marketing, selling,
leasing or servicing. All information which Executive has a
reasonable basis to consider Confidential Information or which is
treated by Company as being Confidential Information shall be
presumed to be Confidential Information, whether originated by
Executive, or by others, and without regard to the manner in which
Executive obtains access to such information.
5.
(b) Executive will not during the term of this Agreement and following expiration or termination of this Agreement, use or disclose any Confidential Information to any person not employed by Company without the prior authorization of Company and will use reasonably prudent care to safeguard, protect and to prevent the unauthorized disclosure of, all of such Confidential Information.
9. INVENTIONS.
(a) For purposes of this Section 9, the term "Inventions" means discoveries, improvements and ideas (whether or not in writing or reduced to practice) and works of authorship, whether or not patentable or copyrightable: (1) which relate directly to the business of Company, or to Company's actual or demonstrably anticipated research or development; (2) which result from any work performed by Executive for Company; (3) for which equipment, supplies, facilities or trade secret information of Company is utilized; or (4) which were conceived or developed during the time Executive was obligated to perform the duties described in Section 2.
(b) Executive agrees that all Inventions made, authored or conceived by Executive, either solely or jointly with others, during Executive's employment with Company (except as otherwise provided above), shall be the sole and exclusive property of Company. Upon termination of this Agreement, Executive shall turn over to a designated representative of Company all property in Executive's possession and custody belonging to Company. Executive shall not retain any copies or reproductions of correspondence, memoranda, reports, notebooks, drawings, photographs or other documents relating in any way to the affairs of Company which came into Executive's possession at any time during the term of this Agreement.
Executive is hereby notified that this Agreement does not apply to any invention for which no equipment, supplies, facility, or trade secret information of Company was used and which was developed initially on the Executive's own time and: (1) which does not relate: (a) directly to the business of Company; or (b) to Company's actual or demonstrably anticipated research or development; or (2) which does not result from any work performed by Executive for the Company.
6.
10. NON-COMPETITION. Executive agrees that for a period of eighteen (18) months following termination of this Agreement for any reason (except in the case of termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 11 because of a Change in Control or any Business Combination or any termination of this Agreement without cause), he will not directly or indirectly, alone or as a partner, officer, director, or shareholder of any other firm or entity, engage in any commercial activity in the United States in competition with any part of Company's business: (a) that was under the Executive's management or supervision during the last year of employment by Company; or (b) with respect to which Executive has Confidential Information as defined in Section 8 of this Agreement.
11. "BUSINESS COMBINATION" OR "CHANGE IN CONTROL".
(a) Change in Control. For purposes of this Section 11, a "Business Combination" or "Change in Control" with respect to, or concerning, the Company shall mean the following:
(i) the sale, lease, exchange or other transfer, directly or indirectly of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company (in one transaction or in a series of related transactions) to a person or entity that is not controlled by the Company;
(ii) the approval by the shareholders of the Company of any plan or proposal for the liquidation or dissolution of the Company;
(iii) a merger or consolidation to which the Company is a party if the shareholders of the Company immediately prior to effective date of such merger or consolidation have "beneficial ownership" (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act")), immediately following the effective date of such merger or consolidation, of securities of the surviving corporation representing: (A) more than 50%, but not more than 80%, of the combined voting power of the surviving corporation's then outstanding securities ordinarily having the right to vote at elections of directors, unless such merger or consolidation has been approved in advance by the Incumbent Directors; or (B) 50% or less of the combined voting power of the surviving corporation's then outstanding securities ordinarily having the right to vote at elections of directors (regardless of any approval by the Incumbent Directors);
7.
(iv) any person becomes after the effective date of this Agreement the "beneficial owner" (as defined in Rule 13d-3 of the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of: (A) 20% or more, but not 50% or more, of the combined voting power of the Company's outstanding securities ordinarily having the right to vote at elections of directors, unless the transaction resulting in such ownership has been approved in advance by the Incumbent Directors; or (B) 50% or more of the combined voting power of the Company's outstanding securities ordinarily having the right to vote at elections of directors (regardless of any approval by the Incumbent Directors);
(v) the Incumbent Directors cease, for any reason, to constitute at least a majority of the Company's Board; or
(vi) a change in control of the Company of a nature that would be required to be reported pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, whether or not the Company is then subject to such reporting requirements.
(b) Incumbent Directors. For purposes of this Section 11, the term "Incumbent Directors" shall mean any individual who is a member of the Board of the Company on the effective date of this Agreement, as well as any individual who subsequently becomes a member of the Board whose election, or nomination for election by the Company's shareholders, was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the then Incumbent Directors (either by specific vote or by approval of the Proxy Statement of the Company in which such individual is named as a nominee for director without objection to such nomination).
(c) Executive's Option to Terminate This Agreement. It is expressly recognized by the parties that a Business Combination would necessarily result in material alteration or diminishment of Executive's position and responsibilities. Therefore, if, during the term of this Agreement, there shall occur, with or without the consent of Company, any Business Combination or Change in Control, Executive shall have an exclusive option to terminate this Agreement on twenty (20) calendar days' notice to the Company.
(d) Compensation Payable to Executive Upon Termination Following a
Change in Control. It is expressly recognized that
Executive's position with Company and agreement to be bound by
the terms of this Agreement represent a commitment in terms of
Executive's personal and professional career which cannot be
reduced to monetary terms, and thus, necessarily constitutes a
forbearance of options now and in the future open to Executive
in Company's areas of endeavor. Accordingly, in the event
Executive elects to terminate this Agreement in connection
with any Business Combination or Change in Control under this
Section 11:
(i) Executive shall be under no obligation whatever to seek other employment opportunities during any period between termination of this Agreement under this Section 11 and the expiration of Executive's then unexpired two (2) year term of this Agreement as it existed at the time of termination, or twenty-four (24) months,
8.
whichever is longer, and Executive shall not be obligated to accept any other employment opportunity which may be offered to Executive during such period;
(ii) During such unexpired term of this Agreement, or for twenty-four (24) months thereafter, whichever is longer, Executive shall continue to receive on a semimonthly basis, Executive's Base Salary then in effect upon the date of such notice to the Company hereunder;
(iii) In lieu of the continued cash compensation provided in Section 11(d)(ii) above, Executive may elect, in writing, to receive from the Company a lump sum cash settlement in an amount equal to 199% of Executive's then existing Base Salary (at the rate in effect immediately prior to such Business Combination); provided, however, Executive's election to receive a lump sum cash settlement from the Company, in lieu of the semi-monthly payments specified above, shall occur and be paid within 90 days of the termination of this Agreement arising from any such Business Combination or any Change in Control.
(iv) Executive's termination of this Agreement by reason of a Change in Control described in this Section 11 and the receipt by Executive of any amounts pursuant to subsection 11(d), shall not preclude Executive' continued employment with Company, or the surviving entity in any Business Combination, on such terms as shall then be mutually negotiated between Company (or any such surviving entity) and Executive following such termination;
(v) The right to exercise all unexpired and non-vested stock options in favor of Executive shall immediately vest and accelerate;
(vi) Executive shall be entitled to continue to participate in those benefit programs and perquisites provided by subsection 4(c) hereof, for twenty-four (24) months following termination, at the Company's expense; and
(vii) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement, or any
other agreement, contract or understanding heretofore, or hereafter,
entered into between the Company and Executive, if any "payments"
(including without limitation, any benefits or transfers of property
or the acceleration of the vesting of any benefits) and the nature
of compensation under any arrangement that is considered contingent
on a change in control for purpose of Section 2800 of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), together with any
other payments that Executive has the right to receive from the
Company, or any corporation that is a member of an "affiliated
group" (as defined in Section 1504A of the Code without regard to
Section 1504B of the Code), of which the Company is a member, would
constitute a "parachute payment" (as defined in Section 2800 of the
Code), the aggregate amount of such payments shall be reduced to
equal the largest amount as would result in no portion of such
payments being subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of
the Code; provided however, Executive shall be entitled to designate
and select among such payments that will be reduced, and/or
eliminated, in order to comply with the forgoing provision of the
Code.
9.
12. NO ADEQUATE REMEDY. The parties declare that is impossible to measure in money the damages which will accrue to either party by reason of a failure to perform any of the obligations under this Agreement. Therefore, if either party shall institute any action or proceeding to enforce the provisions hereof, such person against whom such action or proceeding is brought hereby waives the claim or defense that such party has an adequate remedy at law, and such person shall not urge in any such action or proceeding the claim or defense that such party has an adequate remedy at law.
13. MISCELLANEOUS.
(a) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of all successors and assigns of the Company, whether by way of merger, consolidation, operation of law, assignment, purchase or other acquisition of substantially all of the assets or business of Company and shall only be assignable under the foregoing circumstances and shall be deemed to be materially breached by Company if any such successor or assign does not absolutely and unconditionally assume all of Company's obligations to Executive hereunder. Any such successor or assign shall be included in the term "Company" as used in this Agreement.
(b) Notices. All notices, requests and demands given to, or made, pursuant hereto shall, except as otherwise specified herein, be in writing and be delivered or mailed to any such party at its address which:
(i) In the case of Company shall be:
TASER International, Incorporated 7339 East Evans Road Scottsdale, Arizona 85260
With a copy to:
Thomas P. Palmer, Esq.
Tonkon Torp, LLP
1600 Pioneer Tower
888 SW Fifth Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97204
(ii) In the case of the Executive shall be:
Mr. Patrick Smith 15550 North Frank Lloyd Wright, #1101 Scottsdale, Arizona 85260
Either party may, by notice hereunder, designate a change of address. Any notice, if mailed properly addressed, postage prepaid, registered or certified mail, shall be deemed dispatched on the registered date or that stamped on the certified mail receipt, and shall be deemed received within the fifth business day thereafter, or when it is actually received, whichever is sooner.
10.
(c) Captions. The various headings or captions in this Agreement are for convenience only and shall not affect the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.
(d) Governing Law. The validity, construction and performance of this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Arizona. Any dispute involving or affecting this agreement, or the services to be performed shall be determined and resolved by binding arbitration in the County of Maricopa, State of Arizona, in accordance with the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association.
(e) Construction. Wherever possible, each provision of this Agreement shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement shall be prohibited by or invalid under applicable law, such provision shall be ineffective only to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity without invalidating the remainder of such provision or the remaining provisions of this Agreement.
(f) Waivers. No failure on the part of either party to exercise, and no delay in exercising, any right or remedy hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right or remedy hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any right or remedy granted hereby or by any related document or by law.
(g) Modification. This Agreement may not be, and shall not be, modified or amended except by a written instrument signed by both parties hereto.
(h) No Conflicting Business. Executive agrees that he will not, during the term of this Agreement, transact business with the Company personally, or as an agent, owner, partner, shareholder of any other entity; provided, however, Executive may enter into any business transaction that is, in the opinion of the Company's Board of Directors, reasonable, prudent or beneficial to the Company, so long as any such business transaction is at arms-length as though between independent and prudent individuals and is ratified and approved by the designated members of the Company's Board of Directors.
(i) Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire Agreement and understanding between the parties hereto in reference to all the matters herein agreed upon; provided, however, that this Agreement shall not deprive Executive of any other rights Executive may have now, or in the future, pursuant to law or the provisions of Company benefit plans.
(j) Counterparts. This Agreement shall be executed in at least two counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original, but both of which, when taken together, will constitute one in the same instrument.
(k) Amendment. This Agreement may be modified only by written agreement executed by both parties hereto.
11.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed and delivered the day and year first above written.
TASER INTERNATIONAL, INCORPORATED
By: /s/ Phil Smith ------------------------------------ Its: Chairman |
EXECUTIVE
/s/ Patrick W. Smith ------------------------------------------ Patrick W. Smith |
12.
EXHIBIT 10.2
EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
THIS EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (the "Agreement") is made and entered into this 15th day of November, 2000, to be effective as of November 15, 1998 between TASER International, Incorporated (the "Company"), located at 7339 East Evans Road, Scottsdale, Arizona 85260 and Thomas P. Smith (the "Executive"), residing at 5140 East Paradise Lane; Scottsdale, Arizona 85254.
RECITALS:
WHEREAS, the Company wishes to provide for the continued employment of Executive as its Chief Financial Officer for the term, and on the conditions, set forth herein; and
WHEREAS, Executive desires to be assured of certain minimum compensation from Company for Executive's services during the term hereof and to be protected, and compensated, in the event of any change in the control affecting the Company; and,
WHEREAS, Company desires reasonable protection of Company's confidential business and technical information which has been developed by the Company in recent years at substantial expense.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises contained herein, the Company and Executive each intend to be legally bound, covenant and agree as follows:
1. EMPLOYMENT. Upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, Company hereby employs Executive as its Chief Financial Officer, and Executive accepts such employment. Except as expressly provided herein, the termination of this Agreement by either party shall also terminate Executive's employment by Company.
2. DUTIES. Executive shall devote his full-time and best efforts to the Company and shall fulfill the duties of his position which shall include such duties as may, from time to time, be assigned to him by the Board of Directors of the Company, provided such duties are reasonably consistent with Executive's education, experience and background.
3. TERM. Subject to the provisions of Sections 6 and 11 hereof, Executive's employment shall commence on the effective date hereof ("Employment Date") and continue through June 30, 2001, but shall be automatically extended, unless otherwise terminated in accordance herewith, for an additional two (2) year term commencing on July 1, 2001 through June 30, 2003, and thereafter, shall be automatically extended for additional consecutive two (2) year terms on each July 1, thereafter, unless either party gives written notice to the other of termination in accordance herewith. In any event, the Agreement shall automatically terminate, without notice, when Executive reaches 70 years of age. If employment is continued after the age of 70 by mutual agreement, it shall be terminable at will by either party.
4. COMPENSATION.
(a) 1998-2000 Annual Base Salary. For services rendered under this Agreement during the first year (July 1, 1998 through June 30, 1999) of this Agreement, Company shall pay Executive a minimum Base Salary ("Base Salary") (Base Salary shall mean regular cash compensation paid on a periodic basis exclusive of any and all benefits, bonuses or other incentive payments made or obligated by Company to Executive hereunder) at an annual rate of $65,000, payable in accordance with existing payroll practices of the Company. On July 1, 1999, Executive's Base Salary shall be increased at the discretion of the Board of Directors based on performance. In subsequent years, based upon extensions of this Agreement, Executive's Base Salary shall be adjusted annually based upon a performance and compensation review conducted by the Compensation Committee of the Company's Board of Directors, and negotiated and mutually agreed to, in good faith, between Executive and the Company's Board of Directors. Such review will be based upon both individual and Company performance and shall be completed by August 1 of each subsequent year. The foregoing 1998-2000 minimum Base Salary for Executive shall not prohibit Company's Board of Directors (or the Compensation Committee of Company's Board of Directors ), to set Executive's Base Salary during such initial three (3) year term at an annual rate greater than that prescribed above; however, in no instance shall Executive's Base Salary be less than that set forth above.
(b) Annual Year-End Cash Bonus. Executive shall also be eligible to earn an annual year-end cash bonus which shall be determined by a review at the discretion of the Company's Board of Directors.
(c) Fringe Benefits. In addition to the compensation and incentive payments payable to Executive as provided in Sections 4(a) and (b) above:
(i) Vacation. Executive shall be entitled to four (4) weeks paid vacation each calendar year. All such paid vacation shall accumulate, so that if Executive's full vacation is not taken in a particular calendar year, any unused portion shall be carried into subsequent years; however, such accumulation shall not exceed an aggregate of four (4) calendar weeks.
(ii) Long Term Disability. The Company shall also maintain (so long as such insurance is available at commercially standard rates) long-term disability policy on Executive providing for the payment to age 65 of benefit equivalent to seventy percent (70%) of Executive's annual Base Salary in the event Executive becomes permanently disabled as defined in Section 6(b)(ii).
2.
(iii) Other Benefits. The Executive shall be entitled to participate in all other benefit programs offered by the Company to its full-time executive employees, including, but not limited to, health, medical, dental and eye care; Southwest Airlines travel benefits; retirement benefits through the Company's pension and/or profit sharing plans; sick leave benefits; and accidental death and dismemberment coverages.
5. BUSINESS EXPENSES. The Company shall, in accordance with, and to the extent of, its policies in effect from time to time, bear all customary business expenses (including the advancement of certain expenses) incurred by the Executive in performing his duties as an executive of the Company, provided that Executive accounts promptly such expenses to Company in the manner prescribed from time to time by the Company.
6. TERMINATION. Subject to the respective continuing obligations of the parties pursuant to Sections 7, 8, 9, 10,11, 12 and 13, this Agreement may be terminated prior to the expiration of its then remaining applicable term only as follows:
(a) By the Company. The Company may terminate this Agreement under the following circumstances:
(i) For "Cause". Company may terminate this Agreement on thirty
(30) days written notice to Executive for "cause", including,
fraud, misrepresentation, theft or embezzlement of Company
assets, material intentional violations of law or Company
policies, or a material breach of the provisions of this
Agreement, including specifically the repeated failure to
perform his duties as required by Section 2 hereof after
written notice of such failure from Company; however, in the
event of termination related to Executive's performance,
Executive's termination shall only be effective upon the
expiration of a sixty (60) day cure period following a lack of
corrective action having been undertaken by Executive during
said cure period.
(ii) Without "Cause". The Company may terminate this Agreement upon twelve (12) months written notice without "cause." The Base Salary compensation due and owing by the Company to Executive following either of such early terminations of this Agreement shall be paid as set forth at Section 7(a)(iv) hereof.
(b) Death and Disability.
(i) Death. If Executive should die during the term of this Agreement, this Agreement shall thereupon terminate; provided, however, that the Company shall pay to the Executive's beneficiary or estate the compensation provided in Section 7(a)(ii) below.
3.
(ii) Permanent Disability. In the event the Executive should become permanently disabled during the term of this Agreement, this Agreement shall also terminate. For the purposes hereof, a permanent disability shall mean that disability resulting from injury, disease or other cause, whether mental or physical, which incapacitates the Executive from performing his normal duties as an employee, appears to be permanent in nature and contemplates the continuous, necessary and substantially complete loss of all management and professional activities for a continuous period of six (6) months.
(iii) Partial Disability. If the Executive should become partially disabled, he shall be entitled to his salary as provided herein for a period of nine (9) months. At the end of said period of time, if such Executive remains partially disabled, the disabled Executive's salary shall be reduced according to the amount of time the disabled Executive is able to devote to the Company's business.
(iv) Temporary Disability. In the event the Executive should become disabled, but such disability is not permanent, as defined above, such disabled Executive shall be entitled to his salary for a period of nine (9) months. If such temporary disability continues longer than said period of time, then the disabled Executive shall be deemed to have become permanently disabled for the purposes of this Agreement at the end of said nine (9) month period.
7. COMPENSATION PAYABLE FOLLOWING EARLY TERMINATION.
(a) In the event of any termination pursuant to Section 6, Executive's Base Salary shall be paid as follows:
(i) In the event of termination pursuant to Section 6(a)(i) (for "cause"), Executive's Base Salary shall continue to be paid on a semi-monthly basis for sixty (60) days from the effective date of such termination and Executive shall also be entitled to continue to participate in those benefit programs provided by subsections 4(e)(iv-viii) (inclusive), for twelve (12) months following such termination, at Executive's expense;
(ii) In the event of termination of this Agreement by reason of Executive's death, Executive's Base Salary shall terminate as of the end of the eighteenth (18th) month following the Executive's death;
(iii) In the event of termination of this Agreement by reason of disability, Executive's Base Salary shall be terminated as of the end the eighteenth (18th) month period following Executive's inability to perform his duties occurs; and
(iv) In the event of any termination by the Company pursuant to
Section 6(a)(ii) (without "cause"), Executive's Base Salary
shall be continued to be paid on a
4.
semi-monthly basis, but shall terminate at the end of the twelve (12) month period following such written notice of termination by the Company. In lieu of such continued semi-monthly Base Salary, the Company and Executive may agree to a lump-sum distribution to Executive pursuant to such termination in a form, substance and manner mutually acceptable to Company and Executive, pursuant to a written Severance Agreement then mutually negotiated between the Company and Executive in connection with such termination.
(b) In the event of termination by reason of Executive's death, disability, termination without cause, or any Change in Control, as defined at Section 11:
(i) Executive shall receive a pro rata portion (prorated through
the last day Base Salary is payable pursuant to clauses
(a)(ii), (a)(iii) and (a)(iv), respectively) of any bonus or
incentive payment (for the year in which death, disability or
termination occurred), to which he would have been entitled
had he remained continuously employed for the full fiscal year
in which death, disability or termination occurred and
continued to perform his duties in the same manner as they
were performed immediately prior to the death, disability or
termination;
(ii) The right to exercise any unexpired and non-vested stock options previously granted Executive shall immediately vest and accelerate; and
(iii) Any and all payments owing to Executive arising from a termination of this Agreement resulting from a permanent or partial disability of Executive shall first be provided and paid pursuant to the Company's existing disability policy, as then in effect, but shall be further supplemented to the extent provided by this Agreement but all such payments due and owing to Executive arising from such permanent or partial disability shall not be cumulative or aggregated.
8. CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.
(a) For purposes of this Section 8, the term "Confidential Information"
means information which is not generally known and which is
proprietary to Company, including: (i) trade secret information
about Company and its services; and (ii) information relating to the
business of Company as conducted at any time within the previous two
(2) years or anticipated to be conducted by Company, and to any of
its past, current or anticipated products, including, without
limitation, information about Company's research, development,
services, purchasing, accounting, engineering, marketing, selling,
leasing or servicing. All information which Executive has a
reasonable basis to consider Confidential Information or which is
treated by Company as being Confidential Information shall be
presumed to be Confidential Information, whether originated by
Executive, or by others, and without regard to the manner in which
Executive obtains access to such information.
5.
(b) Executive will not during the term of this Agreement and following expiration or termination of this Agreement, use or disclose any Confidential Information to any person not employed by Company without the prior authorization of Company and will use reasonably prudent care to safeguard, protect and to prevent the unauthorized disclosure of, all of such Confidential Information.
9. INVENTIONS.
(a) For purposes of this Section 9, the term "Inventions" means discoveries, improvements and ideas (whether or not in writing or reduced to practice) and works of authorship, whether or not patentable or copyrightable: (1) which relate directly to the business of Company, or to Company's actual or demonstrably anticipated research or development; (2) which result from any work performed by Executive for Company; (3) for which equipment, supplies, facilities or trade secret information of Company is utilized; or (4) which were conceived or developed during the time Executive was obligated to perform the duties described in Section 2.
(b) Executive agrees that all Inventions made, authored or conceived by Executive, either solely or jointly with others, during Executive's employment with Company (except as otherwise provided above), shall be the sole and exclusive property of Company. Upon termination of this Agreement, Executive shall turn over to a designated representative of Company all property in Executive's possession and custody belonging to Company. Executive shall not retain any copies or reproductions of correspondence, memoranda, reports, notebooks, drawings, photographs or other documents relating in any way to the affairs of Company which came into Executive's possession at any time during the term of this Agreement.
Executive is hereby notified that this Agreement does not apply to any invention for which no equipment, supplies, facility, or trade secret information of Company was used and which was developed initially on the Executive's own time and: (1) which does not relate: (a) directly to the business of Company; or (b) to Company's actual or demonstrably anticipated research or development; or (2) which does not result from any work performed by Executive for the Company.
6.
10. NON-COMPETITION. Executive agrees that for a period of eighteen (18) months following termination of this Agreement for any reason (except in the case of termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 11 because of a Change in Control or any Business Combination or any termination of this Agreement without cause), he will not directly or indirectly, alone or as a partner, officer, director, or shareholder of any other firm or entity, engage in any commercial activity in the United States in competition with any part of Company's business: (a) that was under the Executive's management or supervision during the last year of employment by Company; or (b) with respect to which Executive has Confidential Information as defined in Section 8 of this Agreement.
11. "BUSINESS COMBINATION" OR "CHANGE IN CONTROL".
(a) Change in Control. For purposes of this Section 11, a "Business Combination" or "Change in Control" with respect to, or concerning, the Company shall mean the following:
(i) the sale, lease, exchange or other transfer, directly or indirectly of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company (in one transaction or in a series of related transactions) to a person or entity that is not controlled by the Company;
(ii) the approval by the shareholders of the Company of any plan or proposal for the liquidation or dissolution of the Company;
(iii) a merger or consolidation to which the Company is a party if the shareholders of the Company immediately prior to effective date of such merger or consolidation have "beneficial ownership" (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act")), immediately following the effective date of such merger or consolidation, of securities of the surviving corporation representing: (A) more than 50%, but not more than 80%, of the combined voting power of the surviving corporation's then outstanding securities ordinarily having the right to vote at elections of directors, unless such merger or consolidation has been approved in advance by the Incumbent Directors; or (B) 50% or less of the combined voting power of the surviving corporation's then outstanding securities ordinarily having the right to vote at elections of directors (regardless of any approval by the Incumbent Directors);
7.
(iv) any person becomes after the effective date of this Agreement the "beneficial owner" (as defined in Rule 13d-3 of the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of: (A) 20% or more, but not 50% or more, of the combined voting power of the Company's outstanding securities ordinarily having the right to vote at elections of directors, unless the transaction resulting in such ownership has been approved in advance by the Incumbent Directors; or (B) 50% or more of the combined voting power of the Company's outstanding securities ordinarily having the right to vote at elections of directors (regardless of any approval by the Incumbent Directors);
(v) the Incumbent Directors cease, for any reason, to constitute at least a majority of the Company's Board; or
(vi) a change in control of the Company of a nature that would be required to be reported pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, whether or not the Company is then subject to such reporting requirements.
(b) Incumbent Directors. For purposes of this Section 11, the term "Incumbent Directors" shall mean any individual who is a member of the Board of the Company on the effective date of this Agreement, as well as any individual who subsequently becomes a member of the Board whose election, or nomination for election by the Company's shareholders, was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the then Incumbent Directors (either by specific vote or by approval of the Proxy Statement of the Company in which such individual is named as a nominee for director without objection to such nomination).
(c) Executive's Option to Terminate This Agreement. It is expressly recognized by the parties that a Business Combination would necessarily result in material alteration or diminishment of Executive's position and responsibilities. Therefore, if, during the term of this Agreement, there shall occur, with or without the consent of Company, any Business Combination or Change in Control, Executive shall have an exclusive option to terminate this Agreement on twenty (20) calendar days' notice to the Company.
(d) Compensation Payable to Executive Upon Termination Following a Change in Control. It is expressly recognized that Executive's position with Company and agreement to be bound by the terms of this Agreement represent a commitment in terms of Executive's personal and professional career which cannot be reduced to monetary terms, and thus, necessarily constitutes a forbearance of options now and in the future open to Executive in Company's areas of endeavor. Accordingly, in the event Executive elects to terminate this Agreement in connection with any Business Combination or Change in Control under this Section 11:
(i) Executive shall be under no obligation whatever to seek other employment opportunities during any period between termination of this Agreement under this Section 11 and the expiration of Executive's then unexpired two (2) year term of this Agreement as it existed at the time of termination, or twenty-four (24) months,
8.
whichever is longer, and Executive shall not be obligated to accept any other employment opportunity which may be offered to Executive during such period;
(ii) During such unexpired term of this Agreement, or for twenty-four (24) months thereafter, whichever is longer, Executive shall continue to receive on a semimonthly basis, Executive's Base Salary then in effect upon the date of such notice to the Company hereunder;
(iii) In lieu of the continued cash compensation provided in Section 11(d)(ii) above, Executive may elect, in writing, to receive from the Company a lump sum cash settlement in an amount equal to 199% of Executive's then existing Base Salary (at the rate in effect immediately prior to such Business Combination); provided, however, Executive's election to receive a lump sum cash settlement from the Company, in lieu of the semi-monthly payments specified above, shall occur and be paid within 90 days of the termination of this Agreement arising from any such Business Combination or any Change in Control.
(iv) Executive's termination of this Agreement by reason of a Change in Control described in this Section 11 and the receipt by Executive of any amounts pursuant to subsection 11(d), shall not preclude Executive' continued employment with Company, or the surviving entity in any Business Combination, on such terms as shall then be mutually negotiated between Company (or any such surviving entity) and Executive following such termination;
(v) The right to exercise all unexpired and non-vested stock options in favor of Executive shall immediately vest and accelerate;
(vi) Executive shall be entitled to continue to participate in those benefit programs and perquisites provided by subsection 4(c) hereof, for twenty-four (24) months following termination, at the Company's expense; and
(vii) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement, or any
other agreement, contract or understanding heretofore, or hereafter,
entered into between the Company and Executive, if any "payments"
(including without limitation, any benefits or transfers of property
or the acceleration of the vesting of any benefits) and the nature
of compensation under any arrangement that is considered contingent
on a change in control for purpose of Section 2800 of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), together with any
other payments that Executive has the right to receive from the
Company, or any corporation that is a member of an "affiliated
group" (as defined in Section 1504A of the Code without regard to
Section 1504B of the Code), of which the Company is a member, would
constitute a "parachute payment" (as defined in Section 2800 of the
Code), the aggregate amount of such payments shall be reduced to
equal the largest amount as would result in no portion of such
payments being subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of
the Code; provided however, Executive shall be entitled to designate
and select among such payments that will be reduced, and/or
eliminated, in order to comply with the forgoing provision of the
Code.
9.
12. NO ADEQUATE REMEDY. The parties declare that is impossible to measure in money the damages which will accrue to either party by reason of a failure to perform any of the obligations under this Agreement. Therefore, if either party shall institute any action or proceeding to enforce the provisions hereof, such person against whom such action or proceeding is brought hereby waives the claim or defense that such party has an adequate remedy at law, and such person shall not urge in any such action or proceeding the claim or defense that such party has an adequate remedy at law.
13. MISCELLANEOUS.
(a) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of all successors and assigns of the Company, whether by way of merger, consolidation, operation of law, assignment, purchase or other acquisition of substantially all of the assets or business of Company and shall only be assignable under the foregoing circumstances and shall be deemed to be materially breached by Company if any such successor or assign does not absolutely and unconditionally assume all of Company's obligations to Executive hereunder. Any such successor or assign shall be included in the term "Company" as used in this Agreement.
(b) Notices. All notices, requests and demands given to, or made, pursuant hereto shall, except as otherwise specified herein, be in writing and be delivered or mailed to any such party at its address which:
(i) In the case of Company shall be:
TASER International, Incorporated 7339 East Evans Road Scottsdale, Arizona 85260
With a copy to:
Thomas P. Palmer, Esq.
Tonkon Torp, LLP
1600 Pioneer Tower
888 SW Fifth Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97204
(ii) In the case of the Executive shall be:
Thomas P. Smith 5140 East Paradise Lane Scottsdale, Arizona 85254.
Either party may, by notice hereunder, designate a change of address. Any notice, if mailed properly addressed, postage prepaid, registered or certified mail, shall be deemed dispatched on the registered date or that stamped on the certified mail receipt, and shall be deemed received within the
10.
fifth business day thereafter, or when it is actually received, whichever is sooner.
(c) Captions. The various headings or captions in this Agreement are for convenience only and shall not affect the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.
(d) Governing Law. The validity, construction and performance of this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Arizona. Any dispute involving or affecting this agreement, or the services to be performed shall be determined and resolved by binding arbitration in the County of Maricopa, State of Arizona, in accordance with the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association.
(e) Construction. Wherever possible, each provision of this Agreement shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement shall be prohibited by or invalid under applicable law, such provision shall be ineffective only to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity without invalidating the remainder of such provision or the remaining provisions of this Agreement.
(f) Waivers. No failure on the part of either party to exercise, and no delay in exercising, any right or remedy hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right or remedy hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any right or remedy granted hereby or by any related document or by law.
(g) Modification. This Agreement may not be, and shall not be, modified or amended except by a written instrument signed by both parties hereto.
(h) No Conflicting Business. Executive agrees that he will not, during the term of this Agreement, transact business with the Company personally, or as an agent, owner, partner, shareholder of any other entity; provided, however, Executive may enter into any business transaction that is, in the opinion of the Company's Board of Directors, reasonable, prudent or beneficial to the Company, so long as any such business transaction is at arms-length as though between independent and prudent individuals and is ratified and approved by the designated members of the Company's Board of Directors.
(i) Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire Agreement and understanding between the parties hereto in reference to all the matters herein agreed upon; provided, however, that this Agreement shall not deprive Executive of any other rights Executive may have now, or in the future, pursuant to law or the provisions of Company benefit plans.
(j) Counterparts. This Agreement shall be executed in at least two counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original, but both of which, when taken together, will constitute one in the same instrument.
(k) Amendment. This Agreement may be modified only by written agreement executed
11.
by both parties hereto.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed and delivered the day and year first above written.
TASER INTERNATIONAL, INCORPORATED
By: /s/ Phil Smith ------------------------ Its: Chairman ------------------------ |
EXECUTIVE
/s/ Thomas P. Smith ---------------------------------- Thomas P. Smith |
12.
EXHIBIT 10.3
EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
THIS EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (the "Agreement") is made and entered into this 15th day of November, 2000, to be effective as of November 15, 2000 between TASER International, Incorporated (the "Company"), located at 7339 East Evans Road, Scottsdale, Arizona 85260 and Kathleen C. Hanrahan (the "Executive"), residing at 6714 West Columbine Drive, Peoria, AZ 85381.
RECITALS:
WHEREAS, the Company wishes to provide for the continued employment of Executive as its Chief Financial Officer for the term, and on the conditions, set forth herein; and
WHEREAS, Executive desires to be assured of certain minimum compensation from Company for Executive's services during the term hereof and to be protected, and compensated, in the event of any change in the control affecting the Company; and,
WHEREAS, Company desires reasonable protection of Company's confidential business and technical information which has been developed by the Company in recent years at substantial expense.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises contained herein, the Company and Executive each intend to be legally bound, covenant and agree as follows:
1. EMPLOYMENT. Upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, Company hereby employs Executive as its Chief Financial Officer, and Executive accepts such employment. Except as expressly provided herein, the termination of this Agreement by either party shall also terminate Executive's employment by Company.
2. DUTIES. Executive shall devote her full-time and best efforts to the Company and shall fulfill the duties of her position which shall include such duties as may, from time to time, be assigned to him by the Board of Directors of the Company, provided such duties are reasonably consistent with Executive's education, experience and background.
3. TERM. Subject to the provisions of Sections 6 and 11 hereof, Executive's employment shall commence on the effective date hereof ("Employment Date") and continue through November 14, 2002, but shall be automatically extended, unless otherwise terminated in accordance herewith, for an additional two (2) year term commencing on November 15, 2002 through November 15, 2004, and thereafter, shall be automatically extended for additional consecutive two (2) year terms on each November 15, thereafter, unless either party gives written notice to the other of termination in accordance herewith. In any event, the Agreement shall automatically terminate, without notice, when Executive reaches 70 years of age. If employment is continued after the age of 70 by mutual agreement, it shall be terminable at will by either party.
4. COMPENSATION.
(a) 2000-2002 Annual Base Salary. For services rendered under this Agreement during the first year (November 15, 2000 through November 14, 2002) of this Agreement, Company shall pay Executive a minimum Base Salary ("Base Salary") (Base Salary shall mean regular cash compensation paid on a periodic basis exclusive of any and all benefits, bonuses or other incentive payments made or obligated by Company to Executive hereunder) at an annual rate of $75,000, payable in accordance with existing payroll practices of the Company. On November 15, 2001, Executive's Base Salary shall be increased at the discretion of the Board of Directors based on performance. In subsequent years, based upon extensions of this Agreement, Executive's Base Salary shall be adjusted annually based upon a performance and compensation review conducted by the Compensation Committee of the Company's Board of Directors, and negotiated and mutually agreed to, in good faith, between Executive and the Company's Board of Directors. Such review will be based upon both individual and Company performance and shall be completed by December 15 of each subsequent year. The foregoing 2000-2002 minimum Base Salary for Executive shall not prohibit Company's Board of Directors (or the Compensation Committee of Company's Board of Directors ), to set Executive's Base Salary during such initial two (2) year term at an annual rate greater than that prescribed above; however, in no instance shall Executive's Base Salary be less than that set forth above.
(b) Annual Year-End Cash Bonus. Executive shall also be eligible to earn an annual year-end cash bonus which shall be determined by a review at the discretion of the Company's Board of Directors.
(c) Fringe Benefits. In addition to the compensation and incentive
payments payable to Executive as provided in Sections 4(a) and
(b) above:
(i) Vacation. Executive shall be entitled to four (4) weeks paid vacation each calendar year. All such paid vacation shall accumulate, so that if Executive's full vacation is not taken in a particular calendar year, any unused portion shall be carried into subsequent years; however, such accumulation shall not exceed an aggregate of four (4) calendar weeks.
(ii) Long Term Disability. The Company shall also maintain (so long as such insurance is available at commercially standard rates) long-term disability policy on Executive providing for the payment to age 65 of benefit equivalent to seventy percent (70%) of Executive's annual Base Salary in the event Executive becomes permanently disabled as defined in Section 6(b)(ii).
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(iii) Other Benefits. The Executive shall be entitled to participate in all other benefit programs offered by the Company to its full-time executive employees, including, but not limited to, health, medical, dental and eye care; Southwest Airlines travel benefits; retirement benefits through the Company's pension and/or profit sharing plans; sick leave benefits; and accidental death and dismemberment coverages.
5. BUSINESS EXPENSES. The Company shall, in accordance with, and to the extent of, its policies in effect from time to time, bear all customary business expenses (including the advancement of certain expenses) incurred by the Executive in performing her duties as an executive of the Company, provided that Executive accounts promptly such expenses to Company in the manner prescribed from time to time by the Company.
6. TERMINATION. Subject to the respective continuing obligations of the parties pursuant to Sections 7, 8, 9, 10,11, 12 and 13, this Agreement may be terminated prior to the expiration of its then remaining applicable term only as follows:
(a) By the Company. The Company may terminate this Agreement under the following circumstances:
(i) For "Cause". Company may terminate this Agreement on thirty (30) days written notice to Executive for "cause", including, fraud, misrepresentation, theft or embezzlement of Company assets, material intentional violations of law or Company policies, or a material breach of the provisions of this Agreement, including specifically the repeated failure to perform her duties as required by Section 2 hereof after written notice of such failure from Company; however, in the event of termination related to Executive's performance, Executive's termination shall only be effective upon the expiration of a sixty (60) day cure period following a lack of corrective action having been undertaken by Executive during said cure period.
(ii) Without "Cause". The Company may terminate this Agreement upon six (6) months written notice without "cause." The Base Salary compensation due and owing by the Company to Executive following either of such early terminations of this Agreement shall be paid as set forth at Section 7(a)(iv) hereof.
(b) Death and Disability.
(i) Death. If Executive should die during the term of this Agreement, this Agreement shall thereupon terminate; provided, however, that the Company shall pay to the Executive's beneficiary or estate the compensation provided in Section 7(a)(ii) below.
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(ii) Permanent Disability. In the event the Executive should become permanently disabled during the term of this Agreement, this Agreement shall also terminate. For the purposes hereof, a permanent disability shall mean that disability resulting from injury, disease or other cause, whether mental or physical, which incapacitates the Executive from performing her normal duties as an employee, appears to be permanent in nature and contemplates the continuous, necessary and substantially complete loss of all management and professional activities for a continuous period of six (6) months.
(iii) Partial Disability. If the Executive should become partially disabled, he shall be entitled to her salary as provided herein for a period of nine (9) months. At the end of said period of time, if such Executive remains partially disabled, the disabled Executive's salary shall be reduced according to the amount of time the disabled Executive is able to devote to the Company's business.
(iv) Temporary Disability. In the event the Executive
should become disabled, but such disability is not
permanent, as defined above, such disabled Executive
shall be entitled to her salary for a period of nine
(9) months. If such temporary disability continues
longer than said period of time, then the disabled
Executive shall be deemed to have become permanently
disabled for the purposes of this Agreement at the
end of said nine (9) month period.
7. COMPENSATION PAYABLE FOLLOWING EARLY TERMINATION.
(a) In the event of any termination pursuant to Section 6, Executive's Base Salary shall be paid as follows:
(i) In the event of termination pursuant to Section
6(a)(i) (for "cause"), Executive's Base Salary shall
continue to be paid on a semi-monthly basis for sixty
(60) days from the effective date of such termination
and Executive shall also be entitled to continue to
participate in those benefit programs provided by
subsections 4(e)(iv-viii) (inclusive), for twelve
(12) months following such termination, at
Executive's expense;
(ii) In the event of termination of this Agreement by
reason of Executive's death, Executive's Base Salary
shall terminate as of the end of the eighteenth
(18th) month following the Executive's death;
(iii) In the event of termination of this Agreement by reason of disability, Executive's Base Salary shall be terminated as of the end the eighteenth (18th) month period following Executive's inability to perform her duties occurs; and
(iv) In the event of any termination by the Company pursuant to Section 6(a)(ii) (without "cause"), Executive's Base Salary shall be continued to be paid on a
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semi-monthly basis, but shall terminate at the end of the twelve (12) month period following such written notice of termination by the Company. In lieu of such continued semi-monthly Base Salary, the Company and Executive may agree to a lump-sum distribution to Executive pursuant to such termination in a form, substance and manner mutually acceptable to Company and Executive, pursuant to a written Severance Agreement then mutually negotiated between the Company and Executive in connection with such termination.
(b) In the event of termination by reason of Executive's death, disability, termination without cause, or any Change in Control, as defined at Section 11:
(i) Executive shall receive a pro rata portion (prorated through the last day Base Salary is payable pursuant to clauses (a)(ii), (a)(iii) and (a)(iv), respectively) of any bonus or incentive payment (for the year in which death, disability or termination occurred), to which he would have been entitled had he remained continuously employed for the full fiscal year in which death, disability or termination occurred and continued to perform her duties in the same manner as they were performed immediately prior to the death, disability or termination;
(ii) The right to exercise any unexpired and non-vested stock options previously granted Executive shall immediately vest and accelerate; and
(iii) Any and all payments owing to Executive arising from a termination of this Agreement resulting from a permanent or partial disability of Executive shall first be provided and paid pursuant to the Company's existing disability policy, as then in effect, but shall be further supplemented to the extent provided by this Agreement but all such payments due and owing to Executive arising from such permanent or partial disability shall not be cumulative or aggregated.
8. CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.
(a) For purposes of this Section 8, the term "Confidential Information" means information which is not generally known and which is proprietary to Company, including: (i) trade secret information about Company and its services; and (ii) information relating to the business of Company as conducted at any time within the previous two (2) years or anticipated to be conducted by Company, and to any of its past, current or anticipated products, including, without limitation, information about Company's research, development, services, purchasing, accounting, engineering, marketing, selling, leasing or servicing. All information which Executive has a reasonable basis to consider Confidential Information or which is treated by Company as being Confidential Information shall be presumed to be Confidential Information, whether originated by Executive, or by others, and without regard to the manner in which Executive obtains access to such information.
5.
(b) Executive will not during the term of this Agreement and following expiration or termination of this Agreement, use or disclose any Confidential Information to any person not employed by Company without the prior authorization of Company and will use reasonably prudent care to safeguard, protect and to prevent the unauthorized disclosure of, all of such Confidential Information.
9. INVENTIONS.
(a) For purposes of this Section 9, the term "Inventions" means discoveries, improvements and ideas (whether or not in writing or reduced to practice) and works of authorship, whether or not patentable or copyrightable: (1) which relate directly to the business of Company, or to Company's actual or demonstrably anticipated research or development; (2) which result from any work performed by Executive for Company; (3) for which equipment, supplies, facilities or trade secret information of Company is utilized; or (4) which were conceived or developed during the time Executive was obligated to perform the duties described in Section 2.
(b) Executive agrees that all Inventions made, authored or conceived by Executive, either solely or jointly with others, during Executive's employment with Company (except as otherwise provided above), shall be the sole and exclusive property of Company. Upon termination of this Agreement, Executive shall turn over to a designated representative of Company all property in Executive's possession and custody belonging to Company. Executive shall not retain any copies or reproductions of correspondence, memoranda, reports, notebooks, drawings, photographs or other documents relating in any way to the affairs of Company which came into Executive's possession at any time during the term of this Agreement.
Executive is hereby notified that this Agreement does not apply to any invention for which no equipment, supplies, facility, or trade secret information of Company was used and which was developed initially on the Executive's own time and: (1) which does not relate: (a) directly to the business of Company; or (b) to Company's actual or demonstrably anticipated research or development; or (2) which does not result from any work performed by Executive for the Company.
6.
10. NON-COMPETITION. Executive agrees that for a period of eighteen (18) months following termination of this Agreement for any reason (except in the case of termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 11 because of a Change in Control or any Business Combination or any termination of this Agreement without cause), he will not directly or indirectly, alone or as a partner, officer, director, or shareholder of any other firm or entity, engage in any commercial activity in the United States in competition with any part of Company's business: (a) that was under the Executive's management or supervision during the last year of employment by Company; or (b) with respect to which Executive has Confidential Information as defined in Section 8 of this Agreement.
11. "BUSINESS COMBINATION" OR "CHANGE IN CONTROL".
(a) Change in Control. For purposes of this Section 11, a "Business Combination" or "Change in Control" with respect to, or concerning, the Company shall mean the following:
(i) the sale, lease, exchange or other transfer, directly or indirectly of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company (in one transaction or in a series of related transactions) to a person or entity that is not controlled by the Company;
(ii) the approval by the shareholders of the Company of any plan or proposal for the liquidation or dissolution of the Company;
(iii) a merger or consolidation to which the Company is a party if the shareholders of the Company immediately prior to effective date of such merger or consolidation have "beneficial ownership" (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act")), immediately following the effective date of such merger or consolidation, of securities of the surviving corporation representing: (A) more than 50%, but not more than 80%, of the combined voting power of the surviving corporation's then outstanding securities ordinarily having the right to vote at elections of directors, unless such merger or consolidation has been approved in advance by the Incumbent Directors; or (B) 50% or less of the combined voting power of the surviving corporation's then outstanding securities ordinarily having the right to vote at elections of directors (regardless of any approval by the Incumbent Directors);
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(iv) any person becomes after the effective date of this Agreement the "beneficial owner" (as defined in Rule 13d-3 of the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of: (A) 20% or more, but not 50% or more, of the combined voting power of the Company's outstanding securities ordinarily having the right to vote at elections of directors, unless the transaction resulting in such ownership has been approved in advance by the Incumbent Directors; or (B) 50% or more of the combined voting power of the Company's outstanding securities ordinarily having the right to vote at elections of directors (regardless of any approval by the Incumbent Directors);
(v) the Incumbent Directors cease, for any reason, to constitute at least a majority of the Company's Board; or
(vi) a change in control of the Company of a nature that would be required to be reported pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, whether or not the Company is then subject to such reporting requirements.
(b) Incumbent Directors. For purposes of this Section 11, the term "Incumbent Directors" shall mean any individual who is a member of the Board of the Company on the effective date of this Agreement, as well as any individual who subsequently becomes a member of the Board whose election, or nomination for election by the Company's shareholders, was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the then Incumbent Directors (either by specific vote or by approval of the Proxy Statement of the Company in which such individual is named as a nominee for director without objection to such nomination).
(c) Executive's Option to Terminate This Agreement. It is expressly recognized by the parties that a Business Combination would necessarily result in material alteration or diminishment of Executive's position and responsibilities. Therefore, if, during the term of this Agreement, there shall occur, with or without the consent of Company, any Business Combination or Change in Control, Executive shall have an exclusive option to terminate this Agreement on twenty (20) calendar days' notice to the Company.
(d) Compensation Payable to Executive Upon Termination Following a
Change in Control. It is expressly recognized that Executive's
position with Company and agreement to be bound by the terms
of this Agreement represent a commitment in terms of
Executive's personal and professional career which cannot be
reduced to monetary terms, and thus, necessarily constitutes a
forbearance of options now and in the future open to Executive
in Company's areas of endeavor. Accordingly, in the event
Executive elects to terminate this Agreement in connection
with any Business Combination or Change in Control under this
Section 11:
(i) Executive shall be under no obligation whatever to seek other employment opportunities during any period between termination of this Agreement under this Section 11 and the expiration of Executive's then unexpired two (2) year term of this Agreement as it existed at the time of termination, or twenty-four (24) months,
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whichever is longer, and Executive shall not be obligated to accept any other employment opportunity which may be offered to Executive during such period;
(ii) During such unexpired term of this Agreement, or for twenty-four (24) months thereafter, whichever is longer, Executive shall continue to receive on a semimonthly basis, Executive's Base Salary then in effect upon the date of such notice to the Company hereunder;
(iii) In lieu of the continued cash compensation provided in Section 11(d)(ii) above, Executive may elect, in writing, to receive from the Company a lump sum cash settlement in an amount equal to 199% of Executive's then existing Base Salary (at the rate in effect immediately prior to such Business Combination); provided, however, Executive's election to receive a lump sum cash settlement from the Company, in lieu of the semi-monthly payments specified above, shall occur and be paid within 90 days of the termination of this Agreement arising from any such Business Combination or any Change in Control.
(iv) Executive's termination of this Agreement by reason
of a Change in Control described in this Section 11 and the
receipt by Executive of any amounts pursuant to subsection
11(d), shall not preclude Executive' continued employment with
Company, or the surviving entity in any Business Combination,
on such terms as shall then be mutually negotiated between
Company (or any such surviving entity) and Executive following
such termination;
(v) The right to exercise all unexpired and non-vested stock options in favor of Executive shall immediately vest and accelerate;
(vi) Executive shall be entitled to continue to participate in those benefit programs and perquisites provided by subsection 4(c) hereof, for twenty-four (24) months following termination, at the Company's expense; and
(vii) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement, or any other agreement, contract or understanding heretofore, or hereafter, entered into between the Company and Executive, if any "payments" (including without limitation, any benefits or transfers of property or the acceleration of the vesting of any benefits) and the nature of compensation under any arrangement that is considered contingent on a change in control for purpose of Section 2800 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), together with any other payments that Executive has the right to receive from the Company, or any corporation that is a member of an "affiliated group" (as defined in Section 1504A of the Code without regard to Section 1504B of the Code), of which the Company is a member, would constitute a "parachute payment" (as defined in Section 2800 of the Code), the aggregate amount of such payments shall be reduced to equal the largest amount as would result in no portion of such payments being subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code; provided however, Executive shall be entitled to designate and select among such payments that will be reduced, and/or eliminated, in order to comply with the forgoing provision of the Code.
9.
12. NO ADEQUATE REMEDY. The parties declare that is impossible to measure in money the damages which will accrue to either party by reason of a failure to perform any of the obligations under this Agreement. Therefore, if either party shall institute any action or proceeding to enforce the provisions hereof, such person against whom such action or proceeding is brought hereby waives the claim or defense that such party has an adequate remedy at law, and such person shall not urge in any such action or proceeding the claim or defense that such party has an adequate remedy at law.
13. MISCELLANEOUS.
(a) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of all successors and assigns of the Company, whether by way of merger, consolidation, operation of law, assignment, purchase or other acquisition of substantially all of the assets or business of Company and shall only be assignable under the foregoing circumstances and shall be deemed to be materially breached by Company if any such successor or assign does not absolutely and unconditionally assume all of Company's obligations to Executive hereunder. Any such successor or assign shall be included in the term "Company" as used in this Agreement.
(b) Notices. All notices, requests and demands given to, or made, pursuant hereto shall, except as otherwise specified herein, be in writing and be delivered or mailed to any such party at its address which:
(i) In the case of Company shall be:
TASER International, Incorporated 7339 East Evans Road Scottsdale, Arizona 85260
With a copy to:
Thomas P. Palmer, Esq.
Tonkon Torp, LLP
1600 Pioneer Tower
888 SW Fifth Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97204
(ii) In the case of the Executive shall be:
Kathleen C. Hanrahan 6714 West Columbine Drive Peoria, AZ 85381.
Either party may, by notice hereunder, designate a change of address. Any notice, if mailed properly addressed, postage prepaid, registered or certified mail, shall be deemed dispatched on the registered date or that stamped on the certified mail receipt, and shall be deemed received within the
10.
fifth business day thereafter, or when it is actually received, whichever is sooner.
(c) Captions. The various headings or captions in this Agreement are for convenience only and shall not affect the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.
(d) Governing Law. The validity, construction and performance of this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Arizona. Any dispute involving or affecting this agreement, or the services to be performed shall be determined and resolved by binding arbitration in the County of Maricopa, State of Arizona, in accordance with the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association.
(e) Construction. Wherever possible, each provision of this Agreement shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement shall be prohibited by or invalid under applicable law, such provision shall be ineffective only to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity without invalidating the remainder of such provision or the remaining provisions of this Agreement.
(f) Waivers. No failure on the part of either party to exercise, and no delay in exercising, any right or remedy hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right or remedy hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any right or remedy granted hereby or by any related document or by law.
(g) Modification. This Agreement may not be, and shall not be, modified or amended except by a written instrument signed by both parties hereto.
(h) No Conflicting Business. Executive agrees that he will not, during the term of this Agreement, transact business with the Company personally, or as an agent, owner, partner, shareholder of any other entity; provided, however, Executive may enter into any business transaction that is, in the opinion of the Company's Board of Directors, reasonable, prudent or beneficial to the Company, so long as any such business transaction is at arms-length as though between independent and prudent individuals and is ratified and approved by the designated members of the Company's Board of Directors.
(i) Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire Agreement and understanding between the parties hereto in reference to all the matters herein agreed upon; provided, however, that this Agreement shall not deprive Executive of any other rights Executive may have now, or in the future, pursuant to law or the provisions of Company benefit plans.
(j) Counterparts. This Agreement shall be executed in at least two counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original, but both of which, when taken together, will constitute one in the same instrument.
(k) Amendment. This Agreement may be modified only by written agreement executed
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by both parties hereto.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed and delivered the day and year first above written.
TASER INTERNATIONAL, INCORPORATED
By: /s/ Phil Smith ------------------------------ Its: Chairman ----------------------------- |
EXECUTIVE
/s/ Kathleen C. Hanrahan --------------------------------- Kathleen C. Hanrahan |
12.
EXHIBIT 10.4
TASER INTERNATIONAL, INC.
AGREEMENT CONCERNING INDEMNIFICATION AND RELATED MATTERS
(DIRECTORS)
This Agreement is made as of __________________, 2001, by and between TASER International, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Corporation"), and ____________________ (the "Director"), a director of the Corporation.
WHEREAS, it is essential to the Corporation to retain and attract as directors of the Corporation the most capable persons available and persons who have significant experience in business, corporate and financial matters; and
WHEREAS, the Corporation has identified the Director as a person possessing the background and abilities desired by the Corporation and desires the Director to serve as a director of the Corporation; and
WHEREAS, the substantial increase in corporate litigation may, from time to time, subject corporate directors to burdensome litigation, the risks of which frequently far outweigh the advantages of serving in such capacity; and
WHEREAS, in recent times the cost of liability insurance has increased and the availability of such insurance is, from time-to-time, severely limited; and
WHEREAS, the Corporation and the Director recognize that serving as a director of a corporation at times calls for subjective evaluations and judgments upon which reasonable persons may differ and that, in that context, it is anticipated and expected that directors of corporations will and do from time to time commit actual or alleged errors or omissions in the good faith exercise of their corporate duties and responsibilities; and
WHEREAS, it is the express policy of the Corporation to indemnify its directors to the fullest extent permitted by law; and
WHEREAS, the Certificate of Incorporation permits, and the Bylaws of the Corporation require, indemnification of the directors of the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by law, including but not limited to the General Corporation law of Delaware (the "DGCL"), and the DGCL expressly provides that the indemnification provisions set forth therein are not exclusive, and thereby contemplates that contracts may be entered into between the Corporation and its directors with respect to indemnification; and
WHEREAS, the Corporation and the Director desire to articulate clearly in contractual form their respective rights and obligations with regard to the Director's service on behalf of the Corporation as a director and with regard to claims for loss, liability, expense or damage which, directly or indirectly, may arise out of or relate to such service.
NOW THEREFORE, the Corporation and the Director agree as follows:
1. Agreement to Serve.
The Director shall serve as a director of the Corporation for so long as the Director is duly elected or until the Director tenders a resignation in writing. This Agreement creates no obligation on either party to continue the service of the Director for a particular term or any term.
2. Definitions.
As used in this Agreement:
(a) The term "Proceeding" shall include any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether formal or informal, whether brought by or in the right of the Corporation or otherwise, and whether of a civil, criminal, administrative or investigative nature, in which the Director may be or may have been involved as a party, witness or otherwise, by reason of the fact that the Director is or was a director of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, partner, trustee, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, whether or not serving in such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which exculpation, indemnification or reimbursement can be provided under this Agreement.
(b) The term "Expenses" includes, without limitation thereto, expenses of investigations, judicial or administrative proceedings or appeals, attorney, accountant and other professional fees and disbursements and any expenses of establishing a right to indemnification under Section 12 of this Agreement, but shall not include amounts paid in settlement by the Director or the amount of judgments or fines against the Director.
(c) References to "other enterprise" include, without limitation, employee benefit plans; references to "fines" include, without limitation, any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to any employee benefit plan; references to "serving at the request of the Corporation" include, without limitation, any service as a director, officer, employee or agent which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, employee or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants, or its beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner "not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation" as referred to in this Agreement.
(d) References to the "Corporation" shall include, in addition to the resulting corporation, any constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger which, if its separate existence had continued, would have had power and authority to indemnify its directors, officers, and employees or agents, so that any person who is or was a director, officer or employee of such constituent corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position
under this Agreement with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as such person would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its separate existence had continued.
(e) For purposes of this Agreement, the meaning of the phrase "to the fullest extent permitted by law" shall include, but not be limited to:
(i) to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by any amendments to or replacements of the DGCL adopted after the date of this Agreement that increase the extent to which a corporation may indemnify or exculpate its officers or directors; and
(ii) to the fullest extent permitted by the provision of the DGCL that authorizes or contemplates additional indemnification by agreement, or the corresponding provision of any amendment to or replacement of the DGCL.
3. Limitation of Liability.
(a) To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Director shall have no monetary liability of any kind or nature whatsoever in respect of the Director's errors or omissions (or alleged errors or omissions) in serving the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries, their respective stockholders or any other enterprise at the request of the Corporation, so long as such errors or omissions (or alleged errors or omissions), if any, are not shown by clear and convincing evidence to have involved:
(i) any breach of the Director's duty of loyalty to such corporations, stockholders or enterprises;
(ii) any act or omission not in good faith or which involved intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law;
(iii) any unlawful distribution under Section 174 of the DGCL (including, without limitation, dividends, stock repurchases and stock redemptions);
(iv) any transaction from which the Director derived an improper personal benefit; or
(v) profits made from the purchase and sale by the Director of securities of the Corporation within the meaning of Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or similar provision of any state statutory law or common law.
(b) Without limiting the generality of subparagraph (a) above and to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Director shall have no personal liability to the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries, their respective stockholders or any other person claiming derivatively through the Corporation, regardless of the theory or principle under which such liability may be asserted, for:
(i) punitive, exemplary or consequential damages;
(ii) treble or other damages computed based upon any multiple of damages actually and directly proved to have been sustained;
(iii) fees of attorneys, accountants, expert witnesses or professional consultants; or
(iv) civil fines or penalties of any kind or nature whatsoever.
4. Indemnity in Third-Party Proceedings.
To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Corporation shall indemnify the Director in accordance with the provisions of this Section 4 if the Director was or is a party to, or is threatened to be made a party to, any Proceeding (other than a Proceeding by or in the right of the Corporation to procure a judgment in its favor), against all Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement, actually and reasonably incurred by the Director in connection with such Proceeding if the Director acted in good faith and in a manner the Director reasonably believed was in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, the Director, in addition, had no reasonable cause to believe that the Director's conduct was unlawful. However, the Director shall not be entitled to indemnification under this Section 4 in connection with any Proceeding charging improper personal benefit to the Director in which the Director is adjudged liable on the basis that personal benefit was improperly received by the Director unless and only to the extent that the court conducting such Proceeding or any other court of competent jurisdiction determines upon application that, despite such adjudication of liability, the Director is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification in view of all the relevant circumstances of the case; or in connection with any Proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person or any Proceeding by such person against the Corporation or its directors, officers, employees or agents unless: (1) such indemnification is expressly required to be made by law, (2) the Proceeding was authorized by the Board of Directors, or (3) such indemnification is provided by the Corporation, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the Corporation under the DGCL.
5. Indemnity in Proceedings by or in the Right of the Corporation.
To the fullest extent provided by law, the Corporation shall indemnify the Director in accordance with the provisions of this Section 5 if the Director was or is a party to, or is threatened to be made a party to, any Proceeding by or in the right of the Corporation to procure a judgment in its favor, against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by the Director in connection with the defense or settlement of such Proceeding if the Director acted in good faith and in a manner the Director reasonably believed was in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation. However, the Director shall not be entitled to indemnification under this Section 5 in connection with any Proceeding in which the Director has been adjudged liable to the Corporation unless and only to the extent that the court conducting such Proceeding or any other court of competent jurisdiction determines upon application that, despite such adjudication of liability, the Director is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification for such Expenses in view of all the relevant circumstances of the case; or in connection with any Proceeding (or part thereof) initiated
by such person or any Proceeding by such person against the Corporation or its directors, officers, employees or other agents unless (1) such indemnification is expressly required to be made by law, (2) the Proceeding was authorized by the Board of Directors, or (3) such indemnification is provided by the Corporation, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the Corporation under the DGCL.
6. Indemnification of Expenses of Successful Party.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement other than Section 9, to the extent that the Director has been successful, on the merits or otherwise, in defense of any Proceeding or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, including the dismissal of an action without prejudice, the Corporation shall indemnify the Director against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred in connection therewith.
7. Good Faith.
(a) For purposes of any determination under this Agreement, the Director shall be deemed to have acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation and, with respect to any criminal action or Proceeding, to have had no reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful, if his or her action is based on information, opinions, reports and statements, including financial statements and other financial data, in each case prepared or presented by:
(i) one or more directors or employees of the Corporation whom the Director believed to be reliable and competent in the matters presented;
(ii) counsel, independent accountants or other persons as to matters which the Director believed to be within such person's professional or expert competence; or
(iii) a committee of the Board of Directors upon which such such Director does not serve, as to matters within such committee's designated authority, which committee the Director reasonably believes to merit confidence.
(b) The termination of any Proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner which he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation and, with respect to any criminal proceeding, that he or she had reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful.
(c) The provisions of this Section 7 shall not be deemed to be exclusive or to limit in any way the circumstances in which a person may be deemed to have met the applicable standard of conduct set forth by the DGCL.
8. Exclusions.
Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement other than
Section 6, the Corporation shall not be obligated under this Agreement to make
any indemnification in connection with any claim made against the Director:
(a) for which payment is made to or required to be made to or on behalf of the Director under any insurance policy, except with respect to any deductible amount, self-insured retention or any excess amount to which the Director is entitled under this Agreement beyond the amount of payment under such insurance policy;
(b) if a court having jurisdiction in the matter finally determines that such indemnification is not lawful under any applicable statute or public policy;
(c) in connection with any Proceeding (or part of any Proceeding) initiated by the Director, or any Proceeding by the Director against the Corporation or its directors, officers, employees or other persons entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation, unless:
(i) the Corporation is expressly required by law to make the indemnification;
(ii) the Proceeding was authorized by the Board of Directors of the Corporation; or
(iii) the Director initiated the Proceeding pursuant to Section 12 of this Agreement and the Director is successful in whole or in part in such Proceeding; or
(d) for an accounting of profits made from the purchase and
sale by the Director of securities of the Corporation within the meaning of
Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or similar
provision of any state statutory law or common law.
9. Advances of Expenses.
The Corporation shall pay the Expenses incurred by the Director in any Proceeding (other than a Proceeding brought for an accounting of profits made from the purchase and sale by the Director of securities of the Corporation within the meaning of Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or similar provision of any state statutory law or common law) in advance of the final disposition of the Proceeding at the written request of the Director, if the Director:
(a) furnishes the Corporation a written affirmation of the Director's good faith belief that the Director is entitled to be indemnified under this Agreement; and
(b) furnishes the Corporation a written undertaking to repay the advance to the extent that it is ultimately determined that the Director is not entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation. Such undertaking shall be an unlimited general obligation of the Director but need not be secured.
Advances pursuant to this Section 9 shall be made no later than 10 days after receipt by the Corporation of the affirmation and undertaking described in subparagraphs (a) and (b) above, and shall be made without regard to the Director's ability to repay the amount advanced and without regard to the Director's ultimate entitlement to indemnification under this Agreement. The Corporation may establish a trust, escrow account or other secured funding source for the payment of advances made and to be made pursuant to this Section 9 or of other liability incurred by the Director in connection with any Proceeding.
10. Nonexclusivity and Continuity of Rights.
The indemnification, advancement of Expenses, and exculpation from liability provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which the Director may be entitled under any other agreement, the Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws, vote of stockholders or directors, the Act, or otherwise, both as to action in the Director's official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office or occupying such position. The indemnification under this Agreement shall continue as to the Director even though the Director may have ceased to be a director of the Corporation or a director, officer, employee or agent of an enterprise related to the Corporation and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors, administrators and personal representatives of the Director.
11. Procedure Upon Application for Indemnification.
Any indemnification under Sections 4, 5 or 6 shall be made no later than 45 days after receipt of the written request of the Director, unless a determination that the Director is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement is made within such 45-day period by:
(a) the Board of Directors by majority vote of a quorum consisting of directors not at the time parties to the applicable Proceeding;
(b) if such quorum cannot be obtained, majority vote of a committee duly designated by the Board of Directors consisting solely of two or more directors not at the time parties to the Proceeding;
(c) special legal counsel selected by the Board of Directors or its committee in the manner prescribed in subparagraph (a) or (b) above or, if a quorum of the Board of Directors cannot be obtained under subparagraph (a) above and a committee cannot be designated under subparagraph (b) above, the special legal counsel shall be selected by majority vote of the full Board of Directors, including directors who are parties to the Proceeding; or
(d) the stockholders of the Corporation.
12. Enforcement.
The Director may enforce any right to indemnification, advances or exculpation provided by this Agreement in any court of competent jurisdiction if:
(a) the Corporation denies the claim for indemnification, advances or exculpation, in whole or in part; or
(b) the Corporation does not dispose of such claim within 45 days of request therefor.
It shall be a defense to any such enforcement action (other than an action brought to enforce a claim for advancement of Expenses pursuant to, and in compliance with, Section 9 of this Agreement) that the Director is not entitled to indemnification or exculpation under this Agreement. However, except as provided in Section 13 of this Agreement, the Corporation shall not assert any defense to an action brought to enforce a claim for advancement of Expenses pursuant to Section 9 of this Agreement if the Director has tendered to the Corporation the affirmation and undertaking required thereunder. The burden of proving by clear and convincing evidence that indemnification or exculpation is not appropriate shall be on the Corporation. Neither the failure of the Corporation (including its Board of Directors or independent legal counsel) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such action that indemnification or exculpation is proper in the circumstances because the Director has met the applicable standard of conduct nor an actual determination by the Corporation (including its Board of Directors or independent legal counsel) that indemnification or exculpation is improper because the Director has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be asserted as a defense to the action or create a presumption that the Director is not entitled to indemnification or exculpation under this Agreement or otherwise. The Director's expenses incurred in connection with successfully establishing the Director's right to indemnification, advances or exculpation, in whole or in part, in any Proceeding shall also be paid or reimbursed by the Corporation.
13. Notification and Defense of Claim.
As a condition precedent to indemnification under this Agreement, not later than 30 days after receipt by the Director of notice of the commencement of any Proceeding the Director shall, if a claim in respect of the Proceeding is to be made against the Corporation under this Agreement, notify the Corporation in writing of the commencement of the Proceeding. The failure to properly notify the Corporation shall not relieve the Corporation from any liability which it may have to the Director: (a) unless the Corporation shall be shown to have suffered actual damages as a result of such failure; or (b) otherwise than under this Agreement. With respect to any Proceeding as to which the Director so notifies the Corporation of the commencement:
(a) The Corporation shall be entitled to participate in the Proceeding at its own expense.
(b) Except as otherwise provided in this Section 13, the Corporation may, at its option and jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified and electing to assume such defense, assume the defense of the Proceeding, with legal counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Director. The Director shall have the right to use separate legal counsel in the Proceeding, but the
Corporation shall not be liable to the Director under this Agreement, including
Section 9 above, for the fees and expenses of separate legal counsel incurred
after notice from the Corporation of its assumption of the defense, unless (i)
the Director reasonably concludes that there may be a conflict of interest
between the Corporation and the Director in the conduct of the defense of the
Proceeding, or (ii) the Corporation does not use legal counsel to assume the
defense of such Proceeding. The Corporation shall not be entitled to assume the
defense of any Proceeding brought by or on behalf of the Corporation or as to
which the Director has made the conclusion provided for in (i) above.
(c) If two or more persons who may be entitled to indemnification from the Corporation, including the Director, are parties to any Proceeding, the Corporation may require the Director to use the same legal counsel as the other parties. The Director shall have the right to use separate legal counsel in the Proceeding, but the Corporation shall not be liable to the Director under this Agreement, including Section 9 above, for the fees and expenses of separate legal counsel incurred after notice from the Corporation of the requirement to use the same legal counsel as the other parties, unless the Director reasonably concludes that there may be a conflict of interest between the Director and any of the other parties required by the Corporation to be represented by the same legal counsel.
(d) The Corporation shall not be liable to indemnify the Director under this Agreement for any amounts paid in settlement of any Proceeding effected without its written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld. The Director shall permit the Corporation to settle any Proceeding that the Corporation assumes the defense of, except that the Corporation shall not settle any action or claim in any manner that would impose any penalty, limitation, disqualification or disenfranchisement on the Director without the Director's written consent.
14. Partial Indemnification.
If the Director is entitled under any provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Corporation for some or a portion of the Expenses, judgments, fines or amounts paid in settlement, actually and reasonably incurred by the Director in connection with such Proceeding, but not, however, for the total amount thereof, the Corporation shall nevertheless indemnify the Director for the portion of such Expenses, judgments, fines or amounts paid in settlement to which the Director is entitled.
15. Interpretation and Scope of Agreement.
Nothing in this Agreement shall be interpreted to constitute a contract of service for any particular period or pursuant to any particular terms or conditions. The Corporation retains the right, in its discretion, to terminate the service relationship of the Director, with or without cause, or to alter the terms and conditions of the Director's service all without prejudice to any rights of the Director which may have accrued or vested prior to such action by the Corporation.
16. Severability.
If this Agreement or any portion thereof shall be invalidated on any ground by any court of competent jurisdiction, the remainder of this Agreement shall continue to be valid and the
Corporation shall nevertheless indemnify the Director as to Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement with respect to any Proceeding to the fullest extent permitted by any applicable portion of this Agreement that shall not have been invalidated.
17. Subrogation.
In the event of payment under this Agreement, the Corporation shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of the Director. The Director shall execute all documents required and shall do all acts that may be necessary to secure such rights and to enable the Corporation effectively to bring suit to enforce such rights.
18. Notices.
All notices, requests, demands and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given upon delivery by hand to the party to whom the notice or other communication shall have been directed, or on the third business day after the date on which it is mailed by United States mail with first-class postage prepaid, addressed as follows:
(a) If to the Director, to the address indicated on the signature page of this Agreement.
(b) If to the Corporation, to: TASER International, Inc. 7860 East McClain Drive, Suite 2 Scottsdale, Arizona 85260 With a copy to: Thomas P. Palmer Tonkon Torp LLP 1600 Pioneer Tower 888 S.W. Fifth Avenue Portland, Oregon 97204-2099 |
or to any other address as either party may designate to the other in writing.
19. Counterparts.
This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall constitute the original.
20. Applicable Law.
This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Delaware without regard to the conflict of laws provisions thereof.
21. Successors and Assigns.
This Agreement shall be binding upon the Corporation and its successors and assigns.
22. Attorney Fees.
If any suit or action (including, without limitation, any bankruptcy proceeding) is instituted to enforce or interpret any provision of this Agreement, the prevailing party shall be entitled to recover from the party not prevailing, in addition to other relief that may be provided by law, an amount determined reasonable as attorney fees at trial and on any appeal of such suit or action.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first written above.
TASER INTERNATIONAL, INC. DIRECTOR: By:________________________________ Signature:__________________________ Title:_____________________________ Address:____________________________ |
375937 V1
EXHIBIT 10.5
TASER INTERNATIONAL, INC.
AGREEMENT CONCERNING INDEMNIFICATION AND RELATED MATTERS
(OFFICERS)
This Agreement is made as of __________________, 2001, by and between TASER International, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Corporation"), and ____________________ (the "Officer"), an executive officer of the Corporation.
WHEREAS, it is essential to the Corporation to retain and attract as executive officers of the Corporation the most capable persons available and persons who have significant experience in business, corporate and financial matters; and
WHEREAS, the Corporation has identified the Officer as a person possessing the background and abilities desired by the Corporation and desires the Officer to serve as an executive officer of the Corporation; and
WHEREAS, the substantial increase in corporate litigation may, from time to time, subject corporate officers to burdensome litigation, the risks of which frequently far outweigh the advantages of serving in such capacity; and
WHEREAS, in recent times the cost of liability insurance has increased and the availability of such insurance is, from time-to-time, severely limited; and
WHEREAS, the Corporation and the Officer recognize that serving as an executive officer of a corporation at times calls for subjective evaluations and judgments upon which reasonable persons may differ and that, in that context, it is anticipated and expected that officers of corporations will and do from time to time commit actual or alleged errors or omissions in the good faith exercise of their corporate duties and responsibilities; and
WHEREAS, it is the express policy of the Corporation to indemnify its executive officers to the fullest extent permitted by law; and
WHEREAS, the Certificate of Incorporation permits, and the Bylaws of the Corporation require, indemnification of the officers of the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by law, including but not limited to the General Corporation law of Delaware (the "DGCL"), and the DGCL expressly provides that the indemnification provisions set forth therein are not exclusive, and thereby contemplates that contracts may be entered into between the Corporation and its officers with respect to indemnification; and
WHEREAS, the Corporation and the Officer desire to articulate clearly in contractual form their respective rights and obligations with regard to the Officer's service on behalf of the Corporation as an officer and with regard to claims for loss, liability, expense or damage which, directly or indirectly, may arise out of or relate to such service.
NOW THEREFORE, the Corporation and the Officer agree as follows:
1. Agreement to Serve.
The Officer shall serve as an officer of the Corporation for until the Officer tenders a resignation in writing or is discharged by the Corporation as provided in the Employment Agreement between the Officer and the Corporation. This Agreement creates no obligation on either party to continue the service of the Officer for a particular term or any term.
2. Definitions.
As used in this Agreement:
(a) The term "Proceeding" shall include any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether formal or informal, whether brought by or in the right of the Corporation or otherwise, and whether of a civil, criminal, administrative or investigative nature, in which the Officer may be or may have been involved as a party, witness or otherwise, by reason of the fact that the Officer is or was an officer of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, partner, trustee, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, whether or not serving in such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which exculpation, indemnification or reimbursement can be provided under this Agreement.
(b) The term "Expenses" includes, without limitation thereto, expenses of investigations, judicial or administrative proceedings or appeals, attorney, accountant and other professional fees and disbursements and any expenses of establishing a right to indemnification under Section 13 of this Agreement, but shall not include amounts paid in settlement by the Officer or the amount of judgments or fines against the Officer.
(c) References to "other enterprise" include, without limitation, employee benefit plans; references to "fines" include, without limitation, any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to any employee benefit plan; references to "serving at the request of the Corporation" include, without limitation, any service as a director, officer, employee or agent which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, employee or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants, or its beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner "not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation" as referred to in this Agreement.
(d) References to the "Corporation" shall include, in addition to the resulting corporation, any constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger which, if its separate existence had continued, would have had power and authority to indemnify its directors, officers, and employees or agents, so that any person who is or was a director, officer or employee of such constituent corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position
under this Agreement with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as such person would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its separate existence had continued.
(e) For purposes of this Agreement, the meaning of the phrase "to the fullest extent permitted by law" shall include, but not be limited to:
(i) to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by any amendments to or replacements of the DGCL adopted after the date of this Agreement that increase the extent to which a corporation may indemnify or exculpate its officers or directors; and
(ii) to the fullest extent permitted by the provision of the DGCL that authorizes or contemplates additional indemnification by agreement, or the corresponding provision of any amendment to or replacement of the DGCL.
3. Limitation of Liability.
(a) To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Officer shall have no monetary liability of any kind or nature whatsoever in respect of the Officer's errors or omissions (or alleged errors or omissions) in serving the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries, their respective stockholders or any other enterprise at the request of the Corporation, so long as such errors or omissions (or alleged errors or omissions), if any, are not shown by clear and convincing evidence to have involved:
(i) any breach of the Officer's duty of loyalty to such corporations, stockholders or enterprises;
(ii) any act or omission not in good faith or which involved intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law;
(iii) any unlawful distribution under Section 174 of the DGCL (including, without limitation, dividends, stock repurchases and stock redemptions);
(iv) any transaction from which the Officer derived an improper personal benefit; or
(v) profits made from the purchase and sale by the
Officer of securities of the Corporation within the meaning of
Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, or similar provision of any state statutory law or
common law.
(b) Without limiting the generality of subparagraph (a) above and to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Officer shall have no personal liability to the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries, their respective stockholders or any other person claiming derivatively through the Corporation, regardless of the theory or principle under which such liability may be asserted, for:
(i) punitive, exemplary or consequential damages;
(ii) treble or other damages computed based upon any multiple of damages actually and directly proved to have been sustained;
(iii) fees of attorneys, accountants, expert witnesses or professional consultants; or
(iv) civil fines or penalties of any kind or nature whatsoever.
4. Indemnity in Third-Party Proceedings.
To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Corporation shall indemnify the Officer in accordance with the provisions of this Section 4 if the Officer was or is a party to, or is threatened to be made a party to, any Proceeding (other than a Proceeding by or in the right of the Corporation to procure a judgment in its favor), against all Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement, actually and reasonably incurred by the Officer in connection with such Proceeding if the Officer acted in good faith and in a manner the Officer reasonably believed was in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, the Officer, in addition, had no reasonable cause to believe that the Officer's conduct was unlawful. However, the Officer shall not be entitled to indemnification under this Section 4 in connection with any Proceeding charging improper personal benefit to the Officer in which the Officer is adjudged liable on the basis that personal benefit was improperly received by the Officer unless and only to the extent that the court conducting such Proceeding or any other court of competent jurisdiction determines upon application that, despite such adjudication of liability, the Officer is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification in view of all the relevant circumstances of the case; or in connection with any Proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person or any Proceeding by such person against the Corporation or its directors, officers, employees or agents unless: (1) such indemnification is expressly required to be made by law, (2) the Proceeding was authorized by the Board of Directors, or (3) such indemnification is provided by the Corporation, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the Corporation under the DGCL.
5. Indemnity in Proceedings by or in the Right of the Corporation.
To the fullest extent provided by law, the Corporation shall indemnify the Officer in accordance with the provisions of this Section 5 if the Officer was or is a party to, or is threatened to be made a party to, any Proceeding by or in the right of the Corporation to procure a judgment in its favor, against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by the Officer in connection with the defense or settlement of such Proceeding if the Officer acted in good faith and in a manner the Officer reasonably believed was in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation. However, the Officer shall not be entitled to indemnification under this Section 5 in connection with any Proceeding in which the Officer has been adjudged liable to the Corporation unless and only to the extent that the court conducting such Proceeding or any other court of competent jurisdiction determines upon application that, despite such adjudication of liability, the Officer is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification for such Expenses in view of all the relevant circumstances of the case; or in connection with any Proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person or any
Proceeding by such person against the Corporation or its directors, officers, employees or other agents unless (1) such indemnification is expressly required to be made by law, (2) the Proceeding was authorized by the Board of Directors, or (3) such indemnification is provided by the Corporation, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the Corporation under the DGCL.
6. Indemnification of Expenses of Successful Party.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement other than Section 9, to the extent that the Officer has been successful, on the merits or otherwise, in defense of any Proceeding or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, including the dismissal of an action without prejudice, the Corporation shall indemnify the Officer against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred in connection therewith.
7. Good Faith.
(a) For purposes of any determination under this Agreement, the Officer shall be deemed to have acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation and, with respect to any criminal action or Proceeding, to have had no reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful, if his or her action is based on information, opinions, reports and statements, including financial statements and other financial data, in each case prepared or presented by:
(i) one or more directors or employees of the Corporation whom the Officer believed to be reliable and competent in the matters presented;
(ii) counsel, independent accountants or other persons as to matters which the Officer believed to be within such person's professional or expert competence; or
(iii) a committee of the Board of Directors upon which such Officer does not serve, as to matters within such committee's designated authority, which committee the Officer reasonably believes to merit confidence.
(b) The termination of any Proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner which he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation and, with respect to any criminal proceeding, that he or she had reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful.
(c) The provisions of this Section 7 shall not be deemed to be exclusive or to limit in any way the circumstances in which a person may be deemed to have met the applicable standard of conduct set forth by the DGCL.
8. Exclusions.
Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement other than
Section 6, the Corporation shall not be obligated under this Agreement to make
any indemnification in connection with any claim made against the Officer:
(a) for which payment is made to or required to be made to or on behalf of the Officer under any insurance policy, except with respect to any deductible amount, self-insured retention or any excess amount to which the Officer is entitled under this Agreement beyond the amount of payment under such insurance policy;
(b) if a court having jurisdiction in the matter finally determines that such indemnification is not lawful under any applicable statute or public policy;
(c) in connection with any Proceeding (or part of any Proceeding) initiated by the Officer, or any Proceeding by the Officer against the Corporation or its directors, officers, employees or other persons entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation, unless:
(i) the Corporation is expressly required by law to make the indemnification;
(ii) the Proceeding was authorized by the Board of Directors of the Corporation; or
(iii) the Officer initiated the Proceeding pursuant to Section 12 of this Agreement and the Officer is successful in whole or in part in such Proceeding; or
(d) for an accounting of profits made from the purchase and
sale by the Officer of securities of the Corporation within the meaning of
Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or similar
provision of any state statutory law or common law.
9. Advances of Expenses.
The Corporation shall pay the Expenses incurred by the Officer in any Proceeding (other than a Proceeding brought for an accounting of profits made from the purchase and sale by the Officer of securities of the Corporation within the meaning of Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or similar provision of any state statutory law or common law) in advance of the final disposition of the Proceeding at the written request of the Officer, if the Officer:
(a) furnishes the Corporation a written affirmation of the Officer's good faith belief that the Officer is entitled to be indemnified under this Agreement; and
(b) furnishes the Corporation a written undertaking to repay the advance to the extent that it is ultimately determined that the Officer is not entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation. Such undertaking shall be an unlimited general obligation of the Officer but need not be secured.
Advances pursuant to this Section 9 shall be made no later than 10 days after receipt by the Corporation of the affirmation and undertaking described in subparagraphs (a) and (b) above, and shall be made without regard to the Officer's ability to repay the amount advanced and without regard to the Officer's ultimate entitlement to indemnification under this Agreement. The Corporation may establish a trust, escrow account or other secured funding source for the payment of advances made and to be made pursuant to this Section 9 or of other liability incurred by the Officer in connection with any Proceeding.
10. Nonexclusivity and Continuity of Rights.
The indemnification, advancement of Expenses, and exculpation from liability provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which the Officer may be entitled under any other agreement, the Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws, vote of stockholders or directors, the Act, or otherwise, both as to action in the Officer's official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office or occupying such position. The indemnification under this Agreement shall continue as to the Officer even though the Officer may have ceased to be an officer of the Corporation or a director, officer, employee or agent of an enterprise related to the Corporation and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors, administrators and personal representatives of the Officer.
11. Procedure Upon Application for Indemnification.
Any indemnification under Sections 4, 5 or 6 shall be made no later than 45 days after receipt of the written request of the Officer, unless a determination that the Officer is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement is made within such 45-day period by:
(a) the Board of Directors by majority vote of a quorum consisting of directors not at the time parties to the applicable Proceeding;
(b) if such quorum cannot be obtained, majority vote of a committee duly designated by the Board of Directors consisting solely of two or more directors not at the time parties to the Proceeding;
(c) special legal counsel selected by the Board of Directors or its committee in the manner prescribed in subparagraph (a) or (b) above or, if a quorum of the Board of Directors cannot be obtained under subparagraph (a) above and a committee cannot be designated under subparagraph (b) above, the special legal counsel shall be selected by majority vote of the full Board of Directors, including directors who are parties to the Proceeding; or
(d) the stockholders of the Corporation.
12. Enforcement.
The Officer may enforce any right to indemnification, advances or exculpation provided by this Agreement in any court of competent jurisdiction if:
(a) the Corporation denies the claim for indemnification, advances or exculpation, in whole or in part; or
(b) the Corporation does not dispose of such claim within 45 days of request therefor.
It shall be a defense to any such enforcement action (other than an action brought to enforce a claim for advancement of Expenses pursuant to, and in compliance with, Section 9 of this Agreement) that the Officer is not entitled to indemnification or exculpation under this Agreement. However, except as provided in Section 13 of this Agreement, the Corporation shall not assert any defense to an action brought to enforce a claim for advancement of Expenses pursuant to Section 9 of this Agreement if the Officer has tendered to the Corporation the affirmation and undertaking required thereunder. The burden of proving by clear and convincing evidence that indemnification or exculpation is not appropriate shall be on the Corporation. Neither the failure of the Corporation (including its Board of Directors or independent legal counsel) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such action that indemnification or exculpation is proper in the circumstances because the Officer has met the applicable standard of conduct nor an actual determination by the Corporation (including its Board of Directors or independent legal counsel) that indemnification or exculpation is improper because the Officer has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be asserted as a defense to the action or create a presumption that the Officer is not entitled to indemnification or exculpation under this Agreement or otherwise. The Officer's expenses incurred in connection with successfully establishing the Officer's right to indemnification, advances or exculpation, in whole or in part, in any Proceeding shall also be paid or reimbursed by the Corporation.
13. Notification and Defense of Claim.
As a condition precedent to indemnification under this Agreement, not later than 30 days after receipt by the Officer of notice of the commencement of any Proceeding the Officer shall, if a claim in respect of the Proceeding is to be made against the Corporation under this Agreement, notify the Corporation in writing of the commencement of the Proceeding. The failure to properly notify the Corporation shall not relieve the Corporation from any liability which it may have to the Officer: (a) unless the Corporation shall be shown to have suffered actual damages as a result of such failure; or (b) otherwise than under this Agreement. With respect to any Proceeding as to which the Officer so notifies the Corporation of the commencement:
(a) The Corporation shall be entitled to participate in the Proceeding at its own expense.
(b) Except as otherwise provided in this Section 13, the Corporation may, at its option and jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified and electing to assume such defense, assume the defense of the Proceeding, with legal counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Officer. The Officer shall have the right to use separate legal counsel in the Proceeding, but the
Corporation shall not be liable to the Officer under this Agreement, including
Section 9 above, for the fees and expenses of separate legal counsel incurred
after notice from the Corporation of its assumption of the defense, unless (i)
the Officer reasonably concludes that there may be a conflict of interest
between the Corporation and the Officer in the conduct of the defense of the
Proceeding, or (ii) the Corporation does not use legal counsel to assume the
defense of such Proceeding. The Corporation shall not be entitled to assume the
defense of any Proceeding brought by or on behalf of the Corporation or as to
which the Officer has made the conclusion provided for in (i) above.
(c) If two or more persons who may be entitled to indemnification from the Corporation, including the Officer, are parties to any Proceeding, the Corporation may require the Officer to use the same legal counsel as the other parties. The Officer shall have the right to use separate legal counsel in the Proceeding, but the Corporation shall not be liable to the Officer under this Agreement, including Section 9 above, for the fees and expenses of separate legal counsel incurred after notice from the Corporation of the requirement to use the same legal counsel as the other parties, unless the Officer reasonably concludes that there may be a conflict of interest between the Officer and any of the other parties required by the Corporation to be represented by the same legal counsel.
(d) The Corporation shall not be liable to indemnify the Officer under this Agreement for any amounts paid in settlement of any Proceeding effected without its written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld. The Officer shall permit the Corporation to settle any Proceeding that the Corporation assumes the defense of, except that the Corporation shall not settle any action or claim in any manner that would impose any penalty, limitation, disqualification or disenfranchisement on the Officer without the Officer's written consent.
14. Partial Indemnification.
If the Officer is entitled under any provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Corporation for some or a portion of the Expenses, judgments, fines or amounts paid in settlement, actually and reasonably incurred by the Officer in connection with such Proceeding, but not, however, for the total amount thereof, the Corporation shall nevertheless indemnify the Officer for the portion of such Expenses, judgments, fines or amounts paid in settlement to which the Officer is entitled.
15. Interpretation and Scope of Agreement.
Nothing in this Agreement shall be interpreted to constitute a contract of service for any particular period or pursuant to any particular terms or conditions. The Corporation retains the right, in its discretion, to terminate the service relationship of the Officer, with or without cause, or to alter the terms and conditions of the Officer's service all without prejudice to any rights of the Officer which may have accrued or vested prior to such action by the Corporation.
16. Severability.
If this Agreement or any portion thereof shall be invalidated on any ground by any court of competent jurisdiction, the remainder of this Agreement shall continue to be valid and the
Corporation shall nevertheless indemnify the Officer as to Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement with respect to any Proceeding to the fullest extent permitted by any applicable portion of this Agreement that shall not have been invalidated.
17. Subrogation.
In the event of payment under this Agreement, the Corporation shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of the Officer. The Officer shall execute all documents required and shall do all acts that may be necessary to secure such rights and to enable the Corporation effectively to bring suit to enforce such rights.
18. Notices.
All notices, requests, demands and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given upon delivery by hand to the party to whom the notice or other communication shall have been directed, or on the third business day after the date on which it is mailed by United States mail with first-class postage prepaid, addressed as follows:
(a) If to the Officer, to the address indicated on the signature page of this Agreement.
(b) If to the Corporation, to: TASER International, Inc. 7860 East McClain Drive, Suite 2 Scottsdale, Arizona 85260 With a copy to: Thomas P. Palmer Tonkon Torp LLP 1600 Pioneer Tower 888 S.W. Fifth Avenue Portland, Oregon 97204-2099 |
or to any other address as either party may designate to the other in writing.
19. Counterparts.
This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall constitute the original.
20. Applicable Law.
This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Delaware without regard to the conflict of laws provisions thereof.
21. Successors and Assigns.
This Agreement shall be binding upon the Corporation and its successors and assigns.
22. Attorney Fees.
If any suit or action (including, without limitation, any bankruptcy proceeding) is instituted to enforce or interpret any provision of this Agreement, the prevailing party shall be entitled to recover from the party not prevailing, in addition to other relief that may be provided by law, an amount determined reasonable as attorney fees at trial and on any appeal of such suit or action.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first written above.
TASER INTERNATIONAL, INC. OFFICER: By:________________________________ Signature:___________________________ Title:_____________________________ Address:_____________________________ |
375518v.1
EXHIBIT 10.6
TASER INTERNATIONAL, INC.
1999 STOCK OPTION PLAN
ARTICLE 1.
ESTABLISHMENT AND PURPOSE
1.1 ESTABLISHMENT. TASER International, Incorporated (the "Company") hereby establishes a plan providing for the grant of stock options to certain eligible individuals who have or will render services to the Company and any Subsidiary. This plan shall be known as the TASER International, Incorporated 1999 Stock Option Plan (the "Plan"). This Plan has been approved by the Board of Directors and the Shareholders of the Company in contemplation of a restatement of the Company's Articles of Incorporation. Accordingly, this Plan assumes the filing of the Restated Articles of Incorporation.
1.2 PURPOSE. The purpose of the Plan is to advance the interests of the Company and its shareholders by enhancing the Company's ability to attract and retain qualified persons to perform services for the Company by providing incentives to such persons to put forth maximum efforts for the Company and by rewarding persons who contribute to the achievement of the Company's economic objectives.
ARTICLE 2.
DEFINITIONS
The following terms have the meanings set forth below, unless the context otherwise requires:
2.1 "AFFILIATE" means with respect to any Person, (i) any Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with such Person, (ii) any person owning or controlling ten percent (10%) or more of the outstanding voting interests of such Person, (iii) any officer, director, or general partner of such Person, or (iv) any Person who is an officer, director, general partner or holder of ten percent (10%) or more of the voting interests of any Person described in clauses (i) through (iii) of this sentence. For purposes of this definition, the term "controls," "is controlled by," or "is under common control with" shall mean the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a person or power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a person or entity, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.
2.2 "BOARD" means the Board of Directors of the Company.
2.3 "CODE" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
2.4 "COMMITTEE" means the group of individuals administering the Plan, as provided in Article 3 of the Plan.
2.5 "COMMON STOCK" means the common stock of the Company, no par value, or the number and kind of shares of stock or other securities into which such Common Stock may be changed in accordance with Section 4.3 of the Plan.
2.6 "CONVERSION RIGHT" means the right, if granted pursuant to
Section 6.6 below, of a Participant to require the Company to convert an Option,
in whole or in part at any time after it becomes exercisable and prior to its
expiration, into shares of Common Stock without the payment of any exercise
price. If a Participant is
granted a Conversion Right, then upon exercise of the Option or a part thereof,
the Company shall deliver to the Participant (subject to Article 9 below) that
number of shares of Common Stock computed by multiplying (A) the number of
Option Shares underlying the Option or part thereof being exercised by (B) the
quotient obtained by dividing (x) the difference between (i) the aggregate Fair
Market Value for the Option Shares underlying the Option (or part thereof being
exercised) immediately prior to the exercise of the Conversion Right and (ii)
the aggregate exercise price for the Option (or part thereof being exercised) by
(y) the aggregate Fair Market Value for the Option Shares underlying the Option
(or part thereof being exercised) immediately prior to the exercise of the
Conversion Right.
2.7 "DISABILITY" means the permanent and total disability of the Participant within the meaning of Section 22(e)(3) of the Code.
2.8 "ELIGIBLE RECIPIENT" means all employees (including, without limitation, officers and directors who are also employees), directors, consultants and independent contractors of the Company.
2.9 "EXCHANGE ACT" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
2.10 "FAIR MARKET VALUE" means, with respect to the Common Stock, the following:
(a) If the Common Stock is listed or admitted to unlisted trading privileges on any national securities exchange or is not so listed or admitted but transactions in the Common Stock are reported on The Nasdaq National Market(R), the last sale price of the Common Stock on such exchange or reported by The Nasdaq National Market(R) System as of such date (or, if no shares were traded on such day, as of the next preceding day on which there was such a trade).
(b) If the Common Stock is not so listed or admitted to unlisted trading privileges or reported on The Nasdaq National Market(R), and bid and asked prices therefor in the over-the-counter market are reported by The Nasdaq SmallCap Market(SM), the Nasdaq Bulletin Board, or the National Quotation Bureau, Inc. (or any comparable reporting service), the mean of the closing bid and asked prices as of such date, as so reported by the applicable Nasdaq(R) system, or, if not so reported thereon, as reported by the National Quotation Bureau, Inc. (or such comparable reporting service).
(c) In all other cases, such price as the Committee determines in good faith in the exercise of its reasonable discretion.
2.11 "INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION" means a right to purchase Common Stock granted to an Eligible Recipient pursuant to Article 6 of the Plan that qualifies as an "incentive stock option" within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.
2.12 "NON-QUALIFIED STOCK OPTION" means a right to purchase Common Stock granted to an Eligible Recipient pursuant to Article 6 of the Plan that does not qualify as an Incentive Stock Option.
2.13 "OPTION" means an Incentive Stock Option or a Non-Qualified Stock Option.
2.14 "OPTION SHARES" means the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of an Option.
2.15 "PARTICIPANT" means an Eligible Recipient who receives one or more Options under of the Plan.
2.16 "PERSON" means any individual, corporation, partnership, group, association, or other "person" (as such term is used in Section 14(d) of the Exchange Act), other than the Company, a wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Company, or any employee benefit plan sponsored by the Company or a wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Company.
2.17 "PREVIOUSLY ACQUIRED SHARES" mean shares of Common Stock that are already owned by the Participant.
2.18 "RETIREMENT" means the retirement of a Participant pursuant to and in accordance with the regular or, if approved by the Board for purposes of the Plan, any early retirement plan or practice of the Company or Subsidiary then covering the Participant.
2.19 "SECURITIES ACT" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
2.20 "SUBSIDIARY" means any subsidiary corporation of the Company within the meaning of Section 424(f) and (g) of the Code.
ARTICLE 3.
PLAN ADMINISTRATION
3.1 THE COMMITTEE. The Plan shall be administered by the Board, or by a committee of the Board consisting of not less than two persons; provided, however, that from and after the date on which the Company first registers a class of its equity securities under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, the Plan shall be administered to the extent provided herein by a committee appointed by the Board consisting of not less than two members of the Board. Members of such a committee, if established, shall be appointed from time to time by the Board, shall serve at the pleasure of the Board and may resign at any time upon written notice to the Board. A majority of the members of such a committee shall constitute a quorum. Such a committee shall act by majority approval of the members, shall keep minutes of its meetings and shall provide copies of such minutes to the Board. Action of such a committee may be taken without a meeting if unanimous written consent is given. Copies of minutes of such a committee's meetings and of its actions by written consent shall be provided to the Board and kept with the corporate records of the Company. As used in this Plan, the term "Committee" will refer to the Board or to such a committee, if established.
3.2 AUTHORITY OF THE COMMITTEE.
(a) In accordance with and subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall have the authority to recommend to the Board for its consideration and approval (i) the Eligible Recipients who shall be selected as Participants, (ii) the nature and extent of the Options to be granted to each Participant (including the number of shares of Common Stock to be subject to each Option, the exercise price and the manner in which Options will vest or become exercisable), (iii) the time or times when Options will be granted, (iv) the duration of each Option, (v) the restrictions and other conditions to which the exercisability or vesting of Options may be subject, and (vi) such other provisions of the Options as the Committee may deem necessary or desirable and as consistent with the terms of the Plan. The Committee shall determine the form or forms of the option agreements with Participants which shall
evidence the particular terms, conditions, rights, and duties of the Company and the Participants with respect to Options granted pursuant to the Plan, which agreements shall be consistent with the provisions of the Plan.
(b) With the consent of the Participant affected thereby and subject to the consideration and approval of the Board, the Committee may amend or modify the terms of any outstanding Option in any manner, provided that the amended or modified terms are permitted by the Plan as then in effect. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing sentence, the Committee may, with the consent of the Participant affected thereby and subject to consideration and approval of the Board, modify the exercise price, number of shares, or other terms and conditions of an Option, extend the term of an Option, accelerate the exercisability or vesting or otherwise terminate any restrictions relating to an Option, accept the surrender of any outstanding Option, or, to the extent not previously exercised or vested, authorize the grant of new Options in substitution for surrendered Options.
(c) The Committee shall have the authority to interpret the Plan and, subject to the provisions of the Plan, to establish, adopt, and revise such rules and regulations relating to the Plan as it may deem necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan. The Committee's decisions and determinations under the Plan need not be uniform and may be made selectively among Participants, whether or not such Participants are similarly situated. Each determination, interpretation, or other action made or taken by the Committee pursuant to the provisions of the Plan shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes and on all persons, including, without limitation, the Company and its Subsidiaries, the shareholders of the Company, the Committee and each of its members, the directors, officers, and employees of the Company and its Subsidiaries, and the Participants and their respective successors in interest. No member of the Committee shall be liable for any action or determination made in good faith with respect to the Plan or any Option granted under the Plan.
ARTICLE 4.
STOCK SUBJECT TO THE PLAN
4.1 NUMBER OF SHARES. Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 4.3 below, the maximum number of shares of Common Stock that shall be authorized and reserved for issuance under the Plan shall be 5,000,000 shares of Common Stock.
4.2 SHARES AVAILABLE FOR USE. Shares of Common Stock that may be issued upon exercise of Options shall be applied to reduce the maximum number of shares of Common Stock remaining available for use under the Plan. Any shares of Common Stock that are subject to an Option (or any portion thereof) that lapses, expires, or for any reason is terminated unexercised shall automatically again become available for use under the Plan. Also, Previously Acquired Shares which are tendered to the Company in satisfaction or partial satisfaction of the Exercise Price pursuant to Section 6.6 or in satisfaction or partial satisfaction of withholding obligations pursuant to Article 10 shall become available for use under the Plan to the extent permitted by Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act.
4.3 ADJUSTMENTS TO SHARES.
(a) In the event of a stock split, any reorganization, merger, consolidation, recapitalization, liquidation, reclassification, stock dividend, stock split, combination of shares, rights offering,
extraordinary dividend or divestiture (including a spin-off), or any other change in the corporate structure or shares of the Company, the Committee (or, if the Company is not the surviving corporation in any such transaction, the board of directors of the surviving corporation) shall make appropriate adjustment (which determination shall be conclusive) as to the number and kind of securities subject to and reserved under the Plan and, in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the rights of Participants, the number, kind, and exercise price of securities subject to outstanding Options. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in the event that any of such transactions are effected in such a way that holders of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive stock, securities, or assets, including cash, with respect to or in exchange for such Common Stock, all Participants holding outstanding Options shall upon the exercise of such Options receive, in lieu of any shares of Common Stock they may be entitled to receive, such stock, securities, or assets, including cash, as would have been issued to such Participants if their Options had been exercised and such Participants had received Common Stock prior to such transaction.
(b) Notwithstanding Section 4.3(a), there shall be no adjustment to the shares authorized pursuant to this Plan for an event described in Section 4.3(a) which occurs before or simultaneously with the Effective Date of this Plan.
ARTICLE 5.
PARTICIPATION
Participants in the Plan shall be those Eligible Recipients who, in the judgment of the Committee, have performed, are performing, or during the term of an Option will perform, services in the management, operation, and development of the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof, and significantly contributed, are significantly contributing, or are expected to significantly contribute to the achievement of corporate economic objectives. Eligible Recipients may be granted from time to time one or more Options, as may be recommended by the Committee in its sole discretion to the Board of Directors for its consideration and approval. The number, type, terms, and conditions of Options granted to various Eligible Recipients need not be uniform, consistent, or in accordance with any plan, regardless of whether such Eligible Recipients are similarly situated. Upon determination by the Committee and consideration and approval by the Board that an Option is to be granted to an Eligible Recipient, written notice shall be given such person, specifying the terms, conditions, rights and duties related thereto. Each Eligible Recipient to whom an Option is to be granted shall enter into an agreement with the provisions of the Plan, specifying such terms, conditions, rights and duties. Options shall be deemed to be granted as of the date specified in the grant resolution of the Board, and the related option agreements shall be dated as of such date.
ARTICLE 6.
STOCK OPTIONS
6.1 GRANT. An Eligible Recipient may be granted one or more Options under the Plan and such Options shall be subject to such terms and conditions, consistent with the other provisions of the Plan, as shall be determined by the Committee in its sole discretion upon the consideration and approval of the Board. The Committee may recommend to the Board whether an Option is to be considered an Incentive Stock Option or a Non-Qualified Stock Option; provided, however, that an Incentive Stock Option shall be granted only to an Eligible Recipient who is an employee of the Company or a Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof. The terms of the agreement relating to a Non-Qualified Stock Option shall expressly provide that such Option shall not be treated as an Incentive Stock Option. Options shall be granted for no cash consideration unless minimal cash consideration is required by applicable law.
6.2 EXERCISE. An Option shall become exercisable at such times and in such installments (which may be cumulative) as shall be determined by the Committee in its sole discretion at the time the Option is granted. Upon the completion of its exercise period, an Option, to the extent not then exercised, shall expire.
6.3 EXERCISE PRICE.
(a) Incentive Stock Options. The per share price to be paid by the Participant at the time an Incentive Stock Option is exercised shall be determined by the Committee, in its discretion and upon the consideration and approval of the Board, at the date of its grant; provided, however, that such price shall not be less than (i) 100% of the Fair Market Value of one share of Common Stock on the date the Option is granted, or (ii) 110% of the Fair Market Value of one share of Common Stock on the date the Option is granted if, at that time the Option is granted, the Participant owns, directly or indirectly (as determined pursuant to Section 424(d) of the Code), more than 10% of the total combined
voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any Subsidiary or parent corporation of the Company (within the meaning of Sections 424(f) and 424(e), respectively, of the Code).
(b) Non-Qualified Stock Options. The per share price to be paid by the Participant at the time a Non-Qualified Stock Option is exercised shall be determined by the Committee in its sole discretion upon the consideration and approval of the Board at the time the Option is granted; provided, however, that such price shall not be less than 85% of the Fair Market Value of one share of Common Stock on the date the Option is granted.
6.4 DURATION.
(a) Incentive Stock Options. The period during which an
Incentive Stock Option may be exercised shall be fixed by the Committee
in its sole discretion upon consideration and approval of the Board at
the time such Option is granted; provided, however, that in no event
shall such period exceed ten (10) years from its date of grant or, in
the case of a Participant who owns, directly or indirectly (as
determined pursuant to Section 424(d) of the Code), more than 10% of
the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company
or any Subsidiary or parent corporation of the Company (within the
meaning of Section 424(f) and 424(e), respectively, of the Code), five
(5) years from its date of grant.
(b) Non-Qualified Stock Options. The period during which a Non-Qualified Stock Option may be exercised shall be fixed by the Committee in its sole discretion upon consideration and approval of the Board at its date of grant.
(c) Effect of Termination of Employment or Other Service. Notwithstanding this Section 6.4, except as provided in Articles 7 and 8 of the Plan, all Options granted to a Participant shall terminate and may no longer be exercised upon the termination of the Participant's employment or other status with the Company, its Affiliates or Subsidiaries.
6.5 MANNER OF EXERCISE. An Option may be exercised by a Participant in whole or in part from time to time, subject to the conditions contained herein and in the agreement evidencing such Option, by delivery, in person or through certified or registered mail, of written notice of exercise to the Company at its principal executive office (Attention: Chief Executive Officer), and by paying in full the total Option exercise price for the shares of Common Stock purchased. Such notice shall be in a form satisfactory to the Committee and shall specify the particular Option (or portion thereof) that is being exercised and the number of shares with respect to which the Option is being exercised. Subject to compliance with Section 11.1 of the Plan, the exercise of the Option shall be deemed effective upon receipt of such notice and payment complying with the terms of the Plan and the execution of the agreement evidencing such Option. As soon as practicable after the effective exercise of the Option, the Participant shall be recorded on the stock transfer books of the Company as the owner of the shares purchased, and the Company shall deliver to the Participant one or more duly issued stock certificates evidencing such ownership. If a Participant exercises any Option with respect to some, but not all, of the shares of Common Stock subject to such Option, the right to exercise such Option with respect to the remaining shares shall continue until it expires or terminates in accordance with its terms. An Option shall only be exercisable with respect to whole shares.
6.6 PAYMENT OF EXERCISE PRICE. The total purchase price of the shares to be purchased upon exercise of an Option shall be paid entirely in cash (by certified check or money order) provided, however, that the Committee, in its sole discretion upon the original grant of the Option or thereafter, and upon the consideration and approval of the Board, may allow such payments to be made, in whole or in part, by transfer from the Participant to the Company of Previously Acquired Shares or by exercise of a Conversion Right. In determining whether or upon what terms and conditions a Participant will be permitted to pay the purchase price of an Option in a form other than cash, the Committee may consider all relevant facts and circumstances including, without limitation, the tax and securities law consequences to the Participant and the Company and the financial accounting consequences to the Company. In the event the Participant is permitted to pay the purchase price of an Option in whole or in part with Previously Acquired Shares, the value of such shares shall be equal to their Fair Market Value on the date of exercise of the Option. No shares of the Common Stock shall be delivered pursuant to the exercise of any Option until payment in full of any amount required to be paid pursuant to the Plan or the applicable option agreement is, or is arranged to be, received by the Company.
6.7 RIGHTS AS A SHAREHOLDER. The Participant shall have no rights as a shareholder with respect to any shares of Common Stock covered by an Option until the Participant shall have become the holder of record of such shares, and no adjustments shall be made for dividends or other distributions or other rights as to which there is a record date preceding the date the Participant becomes the holder of record of such shares, except as the Committee may determine pursuant to Section 4.3 of the Plan.
6.8 DISPOSITION OF COMMON STOCK ACQUIRED PURSUANT TO THE EXERCISE OF INCENTIVE STOCK OPTIONS. Prior to making a disposition (as defined in Section 424(c) of the Code) of any shares of Common Stock acquired pursuant to the exercise of an Incentive Stock Option granted under the Plan before the expiration of two years after its date of grant or before the expiration of one year after its date of exercise and the date on which such shares of Common Stock were transferred to the Participant pursuant to exercise of the Option, the Participant shall send written notice to the Company of the proposed date of such disposition, the number of shares to be disposed of, the amount of proceeds to be received from such disposition and any other information relating to such disposition that the Company may reasonably request. The right of a Participant to make any such disposition shall be conditioned on the receipt by the Company of all amounts necessary to satisfy any federal, state, or local withholding and employment-related tax requirements attributable to such disposition. The Committee shall have the right, in its sole discretion, to endorse the certificates representing such shares with a legend restricting transfer and to cause a stop transfer order to be entered with the Company's transfer agent until such time as the Company receives the amounts necessary to satisfy such withholding and employment-related tax requirements or until the later of the expiration of two years from its date of grant or one year from its date of exercise and the date on which such shares were transferred to the Participant pursuant to the exercise of the Option.
6.9 AGGREGATE LIMITATION OF STOCK SUBJECT TO INCENTIVE STOCK OPTIONS. To the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined as of the date an Incentive Stock Option is granted) of the shares of Common Stock with respect to which incentive stock options (within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code) are exercisable for the first time by a Participant during any calendar year (under the Plan and any other incentive stock option plans of the Company or any Subsidiary or any parent corporation of the Company) exceeds $100,000 (or such other amount as may be prescribed by the Code from time to time), such excess Options shall be treated as Non-Qualified Stock Options. The determination shall be made by taking incentive stock options into account in the order in which they were granted. If such excess only applies to a portion of an
incentive stock option, the Committee, in its discretion, shall designate which shares shall be treated as shares to be acquired upon exercise of an incentive stock option.
ARTICLE 7.
EFFECT OF TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT OR OTHER SERVICE
7.1 TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT OR OTHER SERVICE DUE TO DEATH, DISABILITY, OR RETIREMENT. Except as otherwise provided in Article 8 of the Plan or as otherwise determined by the Committee upon the consideration and approval of the Board either at time an Option is granted or thereafter, in the event a Participant's employment or other service with the Company and all Subsidiaries or Affiliates is terminated by reason of such Participant's death, Disability, or Retirement, all outstanding Options then held by the Participant shall become immediately exercisable in full and remain exercisable after such termination for a period of three months in the case of Retirement and one year in the case of death or Disability (but in no event after the expiration date of any such Option).
7.2 TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT OR OTHER SERVICE FOR REASONS OTHER THAN DEATH, DISABILITY, OR RETIREMENT. Except as otherwise provided in Article 8 of the Plan or as otherwise determined by the Committee upon the consideration and approval of the Board either at the time an Option is granted or thereafter, in the event of termination of the Participant's employment or other status with the Company and all Subsidiaries or Affiliates in relation to which the Option was granted for any reason other than death, Disability, or Retirement, all rights of the Participant under the Plan shall immediately terminate without notice of any kind, and no Options then held by the Participant shall thereafter be exercisable; provided, however, that if such termination is due to any reason other than termination by the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate for "cause," all outstanding Options then held by such Participant shall remain exercisable to the extent exercisable as of such termination for a period of three months after such termination (but in no event after the expiration date of any such Option). For purposes of this Section 7.2, "cause" shall be as defined in any employment or other agreement or policy applicable to the Participant or, if no such agreement or policy exists, shall mean (a) dishonesty, fraud, misrepresentation, embezzlement, or material or deliberate injury or attempted injury, in each case related to the Company or any Subsidiary, (b) any unlawful or criminal activity of a serious nature, (c) any willful breach of duty, habitual neglect of duty, or unreasonable job performance, or (d) any material breach of a confidentiality or noncompetition agreement entered into with the Company or any Subsidiary.
7.3 MODIFICATION OF EFFECT OF TERMINATION. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Article 7, upon a Participant's termination of employment or other status with the Company and all Subsidiaries or Affiliates with respect to which Options were granted, the Committee may, in its sole discretion upon the consideration and approval of the Board (which may be exercised before or following such termination) cause Options, or any portions thereof, then held by such Participant to become exercisable and remain exercisable following such termination in the manner determined by the Committee upon the consideration and approval of the Board; provided, however, that no Option shall be exercisable after the expiration date thereof and any Incentive Stock Option that remains unexercised more than three months following employment termination by reason of Retirement or more than one year following employment termination by reason of death or Disability shall thereafter be deemed to be a Non-Qualified Stock Option.
7.5 DATE OF TERMINATION. Unless the Committee shall otherwise determine in its sole discretion, a Participant's employment or other service shall, for purposes of the Plan, be deemed to have terminated on the
date such Participant ceases to perform services for the Company and all Subsidiaries or Affiliates, as determined in good faith by the Committee.
ARTICLE 8.
CHANGE OF CONTROL
8.1 CHANGE IN CONTROL. For purposes of this Article 8, a "Change
in Control" of the Company shall mean (a) the sale, lease, exchange, or other
transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company (in one
transaction or in a series of related transactions) to a corporation that is not
controlled by the Company, (b) the approval by the shareholders of the Company
of any plan or proposal for the liquidation or dissolution of the Company, or
(c) a change in control of the Company of a nature that would be required to be
reported (assuming such event has not been "previously reported") in response to
Item 1(a) of the Current Report on Form 8-K, as in effect on the effective date
of the Plan, pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, whether or not
the Company is then subject to such reporting requirement; provided, however,
that, without limitation, such a Change in Control shall be deemed to have
occurred at such time as (i) any Person becomes after the effective date of the
Plan the "beneficial owner" (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act),
directly or indirectly, of 20% or more of the combined voting power of the
Company's outstanding securities ordinarily having the right to vote at
elections of directors, or (ii) individuals who constitute the Board on the
effective date of the Plan cease for any reason to constitute at least a
majority thereof, provided that any person becoming a director subsequent to the
effective date of the Plan whose election, or nomination for election by the
Company's shareholders, was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the
directors comprising or deemed pursuant hereto to comprise the Board on the
effective date of the Plan (either by a specific vote or by approval of the
proxy statement of the Company in which such person is named as a nominee for
director) shall be, for purposes of this clause (ii) and the following sentence,
considered as though such person were a member of the Board on the effective
date of the Plan. Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing to the contrary, no
Change in Control shall be deemed to have occurred for purposes of this Section
8.1 by virtue of any transaction which shall have been approved by the
affirmative vote of at least a majority of the members of the Board or by the
shareholders of the Company on the effective date of the Plan.
8.2 ACCELERATION OF VESTING. If a Change of Control of the Company shall be about to occur or shall occur, the Committee, in its sole discretion and upon the consideration and approval of the Board, may determine that all outstanding Options shall become immediately exercisable in full and shall remain exercisable during the remaining term thereof, regardless of whether the employment or other status of the Participants with respect to which Options have been granted shall continue with the Company or any Subsidiary.
8.3 CASH PAYMENT. If a Change in Control of the Company shall be about to occur or shall occur, then the Committee, in its sole discretion upon the consideration and approval of the Board and without the consent of any Participant effected thereby, may determine that some or all Participants holding outstanding Options shall receive, with respect to some or all of the shares of Common Stock subject to such Options, as of the effective date of any such Change in Control of the Company, cash in an amount equal to the excess of the Fair Market Value of such shares immediately prior to the effective date of such Change in Control of the Company over the exercise price per share of such Options.
8.4 LIMITATION ON CHANGE IN CONTROL PAYMENTS. Notwithstanding
anything in Sections 8.2 or 8.3 above to the contrary, if, with respect to a
Participant, the acceleration of the exercisability of an Option as provided in
Section 8.2 or the payment of cash in exchange for all or part of an Option as
provided in Section
8.3 above (which acceleration or payment could be deemed a "payment" within the
meaning of Section 280G(b)(2) of the Code), together with any other payments
which such Participant has the right to receive from the Company or any
corporation which is a member of an "affiliated group" (as defined in Section
1504(a) of the Code without regard to Section 1504(b) of the Code) of which the
Company is a member, would constitute a "parachute payment" (as defined in
Section 280G(b)(2) of the Code), then the acceleration of exercisability and the
payments to such Participant pursuant to Sections 8.2 and 8.3 above shall be
reduced to the largest extent or amount as, in the sole judgment of the
Committee, will result in no portion of such payments being subject to the
excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code.
ARTICLE 9.
RIGHT TO WITHHOLD; PAYMENT OF WITHHOLDING TAXES
The Company is entitled to (a) withhold and deduct from future wages of the Participant (or from other amounts which may be due and owing to the Participant from the Company) or make other arrangements for the collection of, all legally required amounts necessary to satisfy any and all federal, state, and local withholding and employment-related tax requirements (i) attributable to the grant or exercise of an Option or to a disqualifying disposition of stock received upon exercise of an Incentive Stock Option, or (ii) otherwise incurred with respect to an Option, or (b) require the Participant promptly to remit the amount of such withholding to the Company before taking any action with respect to the exercise of an Option or the issuance of any stock certificate either to the Participant or any transferee. The Committee, in its sole discretion, may permit a Participant to pay all or a portion of such withholding liability either by surrendering Previously Acquired Shares already owned by the Participant or by electing to have the Company retain shares subject to the Option, provided that the Committee determines that the fair market value of the surrendered Previously Acquired Shares or the retained shares is equal to such withholding liability.
ARTICLE 10.
RIGHTS OF ELIGIBLE RECIPIENTS AND PARTICIPANTS;
TRANSFERABILITY
10.1 EMPLOYMENT OR SERVICE. Nothing in the Plan shall interfere with or limit in any way the right of the Company or any Subsidiary to terminate the employment or service of any Eligible Recipient or Participant at any time, or confer upon any Eligible Recipient or Participant any right to continue in the employ or service of the Company or any Subsidiary.
10.2 RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER. Other than pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order (as defined by the Code), no right or interest of any Participant in an Option prior to the exercise of such Options shall be assignable or transferrable, or subjected to any lien, during the lifetime of the Participant, either voluntarily or involuntarily, directly or indirectly, by operation of law or otherwise, including execution, levy, garnishment, attachment, pledge, divorce, or bankruptcy. In the event of a Participant's death, such Participant's rights and interest in Options shall be transferrable by testamentary will or the laws of descent and distribution, and payment of any amounts due under the Plan shall be made to, and exercise of any Options (to the extent permitted pursuant to Article 7 of the Plan) may be made by, the Participant's legal representatives, heirs, or
legatees. If, in the opinion of the Committee, a Participant holding an Option is disabled from caring for his or her affairs because of mental condition, physical condition, or age, any payments due the Participant may be made to, and any rights of the Participant under the Plan shall be exercised by, such Participant's guardian, conservator, or other legal personal representative upon furnishing the Committee with evidence satisfactory to the Committee of such status.
10.3 NON-EXCLUSIVITY OF THE PLAN. Nothing contained in the Plan is intended to amend, modify, or rescind any previously approved compensation plans or programs entered into by the Company. The Plan will be construed to be in addition to any and all such other plans or programs. Neither the adoption of the Plan nor the submission of the Plan to the shareholders of the Company for approval will be construed as creating any limitations on the power or authority of the Board to adopt such additional or other compensation arrangements as the Board may deem necessary or desirable.
ARTICLE 11.
SECURITIES LAW RESTRICTIONS
11.1 SHARE ISSUANCES. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or any agreements entered into pursuant hereto, the Company shall not be required to issue or deliver any certificate for shares of Common Stock under this Plan, and an Option shall not be considered to be exercised notwithstanding the tender by the Participant of any consideration therefor, unless and until each of the following conditions has been fulfilled:
(a) (i) There shall be in effect with respect to such shares a registration statement under the Securities Act and any applicable state securities laws if the Committee, in its sole discretion, shall have determined to file, cause to become effective, and maintain the effectiveness of such registration statement; or (ii) if the Committee has determined not to so register the shares of Common Stock to be issued under the Plan, (A) exemptions from registration under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws shall be available for such issuance (as determined by counsel to the Company) and (B) there shall have been received from the Participant (or, in the event of death or disability, the Participant's heir(s) or legal representative(s)), any representations or agreements requested by the Company in order to permit such issuance to be made pursuant to such exemptions; and
(b) There shall have been obtained any other consent, approval, or permit from any state or federal governmental agency which the Committee shall, in its sole discretion upon the advice of counsel, deem necessary or advisable.
11.2 SHARE TRANSFERS. Shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to Options granted under the Plan may not be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged, encumbered, or otherwise disposed of, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, directly or indirectly, by operation of law or otherwise, except pursuant to registration under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or pursuant to exemptions from such registrations. The Company may condition the sale, assignment, transfer, pledge, encumbrance, or other disposition of such shares not issued pursuant to an effective and current registration statement under the Securities Act and all applicable state securities laws on the receipt from the party to whom the shares of Common Stock are to be so transferred of any representations or agreements requested by the Company in order to permit such transfer to be made pursuant to exemptions from registration under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws.
11.3 HOLDING PERIOD REQUIREMENTS. Any Options granted and any
Common Stock acquired pursuant to the exercise of Options under this Plan may be
subject to a six-month holding requirement from the grant date in order for the
transaction to be exempt from the short-swing trading profits provision of
Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act.
11.4 LEGENDS.
(a) Unless a registration statement under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws is in effect with respect to the issuance or transfer of shares of Common Stock under the Plan, each certificate representing any such shares shall be endorsed with a legend in substantially the following form, unless counsel for the Company is of the opinion as to any such certificate that such legend is unnecessary:
THE SECURITIES EVIDENCED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED ("THE ACT"), OR UNDER APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS. THESE SECURITIES HAVE BEEN ACQUIRED FOR INVESTMENT AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED FOR SALE, SOLD, ASSIGNED, TRANSFERRED, PLEDGED, ENCUMBERED, OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE ACT AND SUCH STATE LAWS OR PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE ACT AND SUCH STATE LAWS, THE AVAILABILITY OF WHICH IS TO BE ESTABLISHED TO THE SATISFACTION OF THE COMPANY.
(b) The Committee, in its sole discretion, may endorse certificates representing shares issued pursuant to the exercise of Incentive Stock Options with a legend in substantially the following form:
THE SALE, EXCHANGE, PLEDGE, ASSIGNMENT, OR OTHER DISPOSITION OF THE SHARES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE IS SUBJECT TO THE TRANSFER RESTRICTIONS CONTAINED IN SECTION 7.8 OF THE BYLAWS OF THIS CORPORATION, AND REFERENCE SHOULD BE MADE THERETO FOR THE TERMS OF SUCH RESTRICTIONS.
ARTICLE 12.
PLAN AMENDMENT; MODIFICATION AND TERMINATION
12.1 AMENDMENT; MODIFICATION; TERMINATION. The Board may suspend or terminate the Plan or any portion thereof at any time, and may amend the Plan from time to time in such respects as the Board may deem advisable in order that Options under the Plan shall conform to any change in applicable laws or regulations or in any other respect the Board may deem to be in the best interests of the Company; provided, however, that no such amendment shall be effective, without approval of the shareholders of the Company, if shareholder approval of the amendment is then required to comply with or obtain exemptive relief under any tax or regulatory requirement the Board deems desirable to comply with or obtain exemptive relief under, including without limitation, Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act or any successor rule or Section 422 of the Code or under the applicable rules or regulations of any securities exchange or the NASD. No termination, suspension, or amendment of the Plan shall alter or impair any outstanding Option without the consent of the Participant affected thereby; provided, however, that this sentence shall not impair the right of the Committee to take whatever action it deems appropriate under Section 4.3 or Article 8 of the Plan.
ARTICLE 13.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE PLAN
13.1 EFFECTIVE DATE. The Plan is effective as of January 1, 1999, the date adopted by the Board; provided, however, that no Incentive Stock Options may be exercised until January 1, 1999, the date the Plan was adopted by the shareholders of the Company in accordance with the requirements of the Code.
13.2 DURATION OF THE PLAN. The Plan shall terminate at midnight on December 31, 2000, and may be terminated prior thereto by Board action, and no Option shall be granted after such termination. Options outstanding upon termination of the Plan may continue to be exercised in accordance with their terms.
ARTICLE 14.
MISCELLANEOUS
14.1 CONSTRUCTION AND HEADINGS. The use of the masculine gender shall also include within its meaning the feminine and the singular may include the plural and the plural may include the singular, unless the context clearly indicates to the contrary. The headings of the Articles, Sections, and subparts of the Plan are for convenience of reading only and are not meant to be of substantive significance and shall not add or detract from the meaning of such Article, Section, or subpart.
14.2 GOVERNING LAW. The place of administration of the Plan shall be conclusively deemed to be within the State of Arizona, and the rights and obligations of any and all persons having or claiming to have had an interest under the Plan or under any agreements evidencing Options shall be governed by and construed exclusively and solely in accordance with the laws of the State of Arizona without regard to the conflict of laws provisions of any jurisdictions. All parties agree to submit to the jurisdiction of the state and federal courts of Arizona with respect to matters relating to the Plan and agree not to raise or assert the defense that such forum is not convenient for such party.
14.3 SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS. This Plan shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the successors and permitted assigns of the Company, including, without limitation, whether by way of merger,
consolidation, operation of law, assignment, purchase, or other acquisition of substantially all of the assets or business of the Company, and any and all such successors and assigns shall absolutely and unconditionally assume all of the Company's obligations under the Plan.
14.4 SURVIVAL OF PROVISIONS. The rights, remedies, agreements, obligations, and covenants contained in or made pursuant to the Plan, any agreement evidencing an Option and any other notices or agreements in connection therewith, including, without limitation, any notice of exercise of an Option, shall survive the execution and delivery of such notices and agreements and the delivery and receipt of shares of Common Stock and shall remain in full force and effect.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, and as evidence of the adoption of this Plan by the Company, the Company has caused this Plan to be signed by the undersigned officer, thereunto duly authorized pursuant to the resolutions of the Board of Directors adopted on January 14, 1999.
TASER INTERNATIONAL, INCORPORATED
By: /s/ Patrick W. Smith ---------------------------------- Patrick W. Smith |
Its: Chief Executive Officer
NAME
ELECTION OF STOCK OPTION PLAN
Dear Name,
Pursuant to the meeting of the Board of Directors of TASER International on January 14, 1999, the company has elected to terminate its former 1998-1999 stock option plan and to implement a new 1999 stock option plan.
You will have the elective to either retain your options from the previous plan (the 1998-1999 plan) or to agree to have those options cancelled and participate in the new 1999 stock option plan. You may not participate in both plans.
Currently, you hold the following number of options under previous plans:
at a strike price of per share.
at a strike price of per share
Under the new plan, the company is prepared to offer you:
_______ shares at a strike price of _________ per share.
However, the vesting schedule for your new options will start effective Jan. 1, 1999.
Please indicate whether you would like to participate in the old plan or the new plan by initialing one of the options below:
_____ I would like to maintain my existing options and elect to pass on the opportunity to participate in the new plan. _____ I would like to cancel my existing options from the previous plan and participate in the new 1999 plan with options for 100,000 share so stock at $0.10 per share. Sincerely, Agreed, Rick Smith ---------------------------------- President, TASER International Phillips Smith |
INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT
THIS OPTION AGREEMENT, made and entered into effective the 15th day of January, 1999, by and between TASER International, an Arizona corporation (hereinafter the "Company"), and _____________________, an employee of the Company, or one or more of its subsidiaries (hereinafter the "Employee").
WITNESSETH
The Company desires to carry out the purposes of its 1999 Stock Option Plan, approved by its shareholders and directors on January 14, 1999, by affording Employee an opportunity to acquire shares of its Common Stock (hereinafter called the "Shares"), as hereinafter provided.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants hereinafter set forth, and for other good and valuable consideration, the parties hereto agree as follows:
I.
GRANT OF OPTION
The Company hereby grants to the Employee the right and option (hereinafter the "Option") to purchase all, or any part of an aggregate of ____________________________ Shares (such number being subject to adjustment as provided in Paragraph VIII hereof) on the terms and conditions herein set forth and in accordance with the terms and restrictions contained in that Subscription Agreement attached hereto as EXHIBIT A. The Option is intended to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option as defined in Section 422A(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and shall be interpreted in a manner consistent therewith.
II.
PURCHASE PRICE
Subject to the provisions of Article VII hereof, the purchase price of
the Common Stock covered by the Option shall be _______ per share, which has
been determined to be the fair market value of the Common Stock of the Company
at the date of grant of this Option; provided, however, that if, at the time
this Option is granted, Employee owns stock of the Company representing more
than ten percent (10%) of the voting power of all classes of stock of the
Company (including stock taken into account under the attribution rules of
Section 425(d) of the Internal Revenue Code), the purchase price shall be one
hundred ten percent (110%) of the fair market value of the Shares on the date
the Option is granted.
III.
TERM, EXERCISE AND VESTING OF OPTION
This Option shall expire at the close of business on Dec. 31, 2008, subject to normal retirement or earlier termination as provided in Paragraphs VI and VII hereof. The expiration date shall be not more than ten (10) years from the date this Option is granted; provided, however, that at
the time this Option is granted, Employee owns stock of the Company representing
more than ten percent (10%) of the voting power of all classes of stock of the
Company (including stock taken into account under the attribution rules of
Section 425(d) of the Internal Revenue Code), then the expiration date shall not
be more than five (5) years from the date the Option is granted.
Employee shall be entitled to exercise this Option, and acquire the shares of Common Stock of the Corporation covered by this Option, as provided in the following vesting schedule:
Period of Time: Shares Exercisable: -------------- ------------------ Grant through December 31, 1999 ------- January 1, 2000 through December 31, 2000 ------- January 1, 2001 through December 31, 2001 ------- |
Shares shall vest monthly at the end of each month. For example, on June 30, 2000 all shares for 1999 and for the pro-rata through the first half of 2000 shall be considered vested.
IV.
EXECUTION OF AGREEMENT
This offer by the Company to Employee of an Option to purchase capital stock of the Company shall be void if not agreed to by the Employee within thirty (30) days hereof, to-wit: on or before Feb. 15, 1999.
V.
NON-TRANSFERABILITY OF OPTION RIGHTS
The Option shall not be transferable, otherwise than by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and the Option may be exercised, during the lifetime of the Employee, only by Employee. More particularly (but without limiting the generality of the foregoing), the Option may not be assigned, transferred (except as provided above), pledged or hypothecated in any way, and shall not be subject to the execution, attachment, or similar process. Any attempted assignment, transfer, pledge, hypothecation, or other disposition to the Option contrary to the provisions hereof, or the levy of any execution, attachment, or similar process upon the Option, shall be null and void and without effect.
VI.
TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT
A. Termination. In the event an Optionee, during his life, ceases to be an Employee of the Company, or of any subsidiary of the Company, for any reason, except upon total and permanent disability or death, any Option or unexercised portion thereof granted to him which is otherwise exercisable shall terminate on the ninetieth (90th) day following the date the Employee ceases to be an Employee of the Company.
B. Total and Permanent Disability or Death of Employee. In the event of termination of employment because of total and permanent disability of Employee, or his death, while an Employee
of the Company, or his death within three (3) months after his normal retirement, any Option or unexercised portion thereof granted to him, if otherwise exercisable by the optionee, may be exercised by him or by his personal representative at any time prior to the expiration of twelve (12) months from the date of death or termination of employment by reason of total and permanent disability, but not later than the expiration of the option period.
VII.
CHANGES IN CAPITAL STRUCTURE
If all or any portion of the Option shall be exercised subsequent to any share dividend, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, exchange of share or reorganization as a result of which shares of any class shall be issued in respect to outstanding Common Stock, or if Common Stock shall be changed into same or a different number of shares of the same or another class or classes, the person or persons so exercising the Option shall receive, for the aggregate price paid upon such exercise, the aggregate number and class of shares to which they would have been entitled if Common Stock (as authorized at the date hereof) had been purchased at the date hereof for the same aggregate price (on the basis of the price per share set forth in Paragraph II hereof) and had not been disposed of. No fractional share shall be issued upon any such exercise and the aggregate price paid shall be appropriately reduced on account of any fractional share not issued. No adjustment shall be made in the minimum number of shares which may be purchased at any one time, as fixed by Paragraph III hereof.
VIII.
ADJUSTMENT TO SHARES
In the event of a stock split, any reorganization, merger, consolidation, recapitalization, liquidation, reclassification, stock dividend, stock split, combination of shares, rights offering, extraordinary dividend or divestiture (including a spin-off), or any other change in the corporate structure or shares of the Company, the Committee (or, if the Company is not the surviving corporation in any such transaction, the board of directors of the surviving corporation) shall make appropriate adjustment (which determination shall be conclusive) as to the number and kind of securities subject to and reserved under the Plan and, in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the rights of Participants, the number, kind, and exercise price of securities subject to outstanding Options. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in the event that any of such transactions are effected in such a way that holders of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive stock, securities, or assets, including cash, with respect to or in exchange for such Common Stock, all Participants holding outstanding Options shall upon the exercise of such Options receive, in lieu of any shares of Common Stock they may be entitled to receive, such stock, securities, or assets, including cash, as would have been issued to such Participants if their Options had been exercised and such Participants had received Common Stock prior to such transaction.
Notwithstanding the foregoing paragraph, there shall be no adjustment to the shares authorized pursuant to this Plan for an event described in the foregoing paragraph which occurs before or simultaneously with the Effective Date of this Plan.
IX.
METHOD OF EXERCISING OPTION
Subject to the terms and conditions of this Option Agreement, the Option may be exercised by written notice of the Company at its principal place of business in the State of Arizona. Such notice shall state: Employee's, or Employee's representative's, election to exercise the Option; the number of shares in respect to which it is being exercised; and shall be signed by the person so exercising the Option. Such notice shall be accompanied by the payment of the full purchase price of such shares and the delivery of such payment to the Chief Financial Officer of the Company. The certificate for the shares as to which the Option shall have been so exercised shall be registered in the name of the person exercising the Option. If the Employee shall so request in the notice exercising the Option, the certificate shall be registered in the name of the Employee and another person jointly with right of survivorship, and shall be delivered as provided above to or upon written order of the person exercising the Option. In the event the Option shall be exercised pursuant to Paragraph VII hereof, by any person or persons other than the Employee, such notice shall be accompanied by appropriate proof of the right of such person to exercise the Option. This Option shall not be exercised in any manner that would disqualify the Option as an Incentive Stock Option, as defined in Section 422A(b) of the Internal Revenue Code 1986, as amended.
X.
RESERVATION OF SHARES
The Company shall, at all times during the term of this Option, reserve and keep available such number of shares of Common Stock as will be sufficient to satisfy the requirement of this Option Agreement, and shall pay all original issue and transfer taxes with respect to the issue and transfer of shares pursuant hereto, and all other fees and expenses necessarily incurred by the Company in connection therewith.
XI.
SUBSIDIARY
As used herein, the term "Subsidiary" shall mean any present or future corporation which would be a "Subsidiary Corporation" of the Company, as that term is defined in Section 425 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
XII.
INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION PLAN
This Incentive Stock Option Agreement is subject to all the terms and conditions of the Stock Option Plan adopted by the Board of Directors and Shareholders of the Company on the 14th day of January, 1999. All the terms and provisions said "Plan" are incorporated herein by reference, and made a part hereof.
XIII.
RIGHTS AS STOCKHOLDERS
The holder of the Option shall not have any of the rights of a stockholder with respect to the Shares covered by the Option, except to the extent that one or more certificates for such Shares shall be delivered to him upon the due exercise of the Option.
XIV.
NO REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS
The Company shall not be deemed by reason of issuance of any Common Stock under the Plan to have any obligation to register such shares under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or maintain in effect any registration of such shares. In addition, unless shares have been so registered, all options granted under the Plan shall be on the condition that the acquisition of share thereunder shall be for investment purposes only, and employees acquiring the shares must bear the economic risk of the investment for an indefinite period of time, since the shares so acquired cannot be sold unless they are subsequently registered or an exemption from such registration is available. Employee agrees that a legend shall be placed on the stock certificate acknowledging the restrictions on subsequent distribution of the shares.
XV.
EMPLOYMENT
Nothing in the Plan, and no grant of an option hereunder, shall be deemed to grant any right of continued employment, or to limit or waive any rights or the Company to terminate Employee's employment at any time, with or without cause.
XVI.
GOVERNING LAWS
This Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of, the parties hereto and their respective heirs, successors, assigns and representatives and shall be governed by and construed under the laws of the State of Arizona.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the company has caused this Incentive Stock Option Agreement to be executed by its duly-authorized officer and the Employee has hereunto set his or her hand, all effective the date and year first above written.
TASER International, An Arizona corporation
By: --------------------------------- Its: President ATTEST: EMPLOYEE ------------------------------ --------------------------------------- Secretary Name |
FULL EXERCISE FORM
To Be Executed By The Registered Holder If Optionee Desires To Exercise The Attached Option in Full.
The undersigned hereby exercises the right to purchase the ________ shares of Common Stock covered by the within Option at the date of this subscription and herewith makes payment of the sum of $__________ representing the Purchase Price of $________ per share in effect at that date. Certificates for such shares shall be issued in the name of and delivered to the undersigned, unless otherwise specified by written instructions, signed by the undersigned and accompanying this subscription.
PARTIAL EXERCISE FORM
To Be Executed By The Registered Holder If Optionee Desires To Exercise, In Part, The Attached Option.
The undersigned hereby exercises the right to purchase ________ shares of the total shares of Common Stock covered by the within Option at the date of this subscription and herewith makes payment of the sum of $__________ representing the Purchase Price of $________ per share in effect at that date. Certificates for such shares and a new Option of like tenor and date for the balance of the shares not subscribed for shall be issued in the name of and delivered to the undersigned, unless otherwise specified by written instructions, signed by the undersigned and accompanying this subscription.
(The following paragraph need be completed only if the Purchase Price and number of shares of Common Stock specified in the within Option have been adjusted pursuant to Paragraph VIII.)
The shares hereby subscribed for constitute __________ shares of Common Stock (to the nearest whole share) resulting from adjustment of ______ shares of the total of ____________ shares of Common Stock covered by the within Option, as said shares were constituted at the date of the Option.
Exhibit 10.8
WARRANT NO. 04
TASER INTERNATIONAL, INCORPORATED
COMMON STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT
TASER International, Incorporated, an Arizona corporation, (the "Company"), hereby agrees that, for value received, Bruce R. Culver, or his assigns, is entitled, subject to the terms set forth below, to purchase from the Company at any time or from time to time after the effective date of July 31, 2000, and before 5:00 p.m., Scottsdale, Arizona, time, on July 31, 2005, One hundred thirty six thousand, three hundred sixty four (136,364) shares of the no par value Common Stock of the Company (the "Common Stock"), at an exercise price of $.55 per share, subject to adjustment as provided herein.
1. Exercise of Warrant. The purchase rights granted by this Warrant shall be exercised (in minimum quantities of 100 shares) by the holder surrendering this Warrant with the form of exercise attached hereto duly executed by such holder, to the Company at its principal office, accompanied by payment, in cash or by cashier's check payable to the order of the Company, of the purchase price payable in respect of the Common Stock being purchased. If less than all of the Common Stock purchasable hereunder is purchased, the Company will, upon such exercise, execute and deliver to the holder hereof a new Warrant evidencing the number of shares of Common Stock not so purchased. As soon as practicable after the exercise of this Warrant and payment of the purchase price, the Company will cause to be issued in the name of and delivered to the holder hereof, or as such holder may direct, a certificate or certificates representing the shares purchased upon such exercise. The Company may require that such certificate or certificate contain on the fact thereof a legend substantially as follows:
"The transfer of the shares represented by this certificate is restricted pursuant to the terms of a Common Stock Purchase Warrant dated July 31, 2000, issued by TASER International, Incorporated, a copy of which is available for inspection at the offices of TASER International, Incorporated. Transfer may not be made except in accordance with the terms of the Common Stock Purchase Warrant. In addition, no sale, offer to sell or transfer of the shares represented by this certificate shall be made unless a registration statement under the Federal Securities Act of 1933, as amended, (the "Act"), with respect to such shares is then in effect or an exemption from the registration requirements of the Act is then in fact applicable to such shares."
2. Negotiability and Transfer. This Warrant is issued upon the following terms, to which the holder hereof consents and agrees:
(a) Until this Warrant is duly transferred on the books of the Company, the Company may treat the registered holder of this Warrant as absolute owner hereof for all purposes without being affected by any notice to the contrary.
(b) Each successive holder of this Warrant, or of any portion of the rights represented thereby, shall be bound by the terms and conditions set forth herein.
3. Anti-dilution Adjustments. If the Company shall at any time hereafter subdivide or combine its outstanding shares of Common Stock, or declare a dividend payable in Common Stock, the exercise price in effect immediately prior to the subdivision, combination, or record date for such dividend payable in Common Stock shall forthwith be proportionately increased in the case of combination, or proportionately decreased, in the case of subdivision or declaration of a dividend payable in Common Stock, and each share of Common Stock purchasable upon exercise of this Warrant, immediately preceding such event, shall be changed to the number determined by dividing the then-current exercise price by the exercise price as adjusted after such subdivision, combination, or dividend payable in Common Stock.
No fractional shares of Common Stock are to be issued upon the exercise of the Warrant, but the Company shall pay a cash adjustment in respect of any fraction of a share which would otherwise be issuable in an amount equal to the same fraction of the market price per share of Common Stock on the day of exercise as determined in good faith by the Company.
In case of any capital reorganization or any reclassification of the shares of Common Stock of the Company, or in the case of any consolidation with or merger of the Company into or with another corporation, or the sale of all or substantially all of its assets to another corporation, which is effected in such a manner that the holders of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive stock, securities, or assets with respect to or in exchange for Common Stock, then, as a part of such reorganization, reclassification, consolidation, merger, or sale, as the case may be, lawful provision shall be made so that the holder of the Warrant shall have the right thereafter to receive, upon the exercise hereof, the kind and amount of shares of stock or other securities or property which the holder would have been entitled to receive if, immediately prior to such reorganization, reclassification, consolidation, merger, or sale, the holder had held the number of shares of Common Stock which were then purchasable upon the exercise of the Warrant. In any such case, appropriate adjustment (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company) shall be made in the application of the provisions set forth herein with respect to the rights and interest thereafter of the holder of the Warrant, to the end that the provisions set forth herein (including provisions with respect to adjustments of the exercise price) shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to any shares of stock or other property thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Warrant.
When any adjustment is required to be made in the exercise price, initial or adjusted, the Company shall forthwith determine the new exercise price, and
(a) prepare and retain on file a statement describing in reasonable detail the method used in arriving at the new exercise price; and
(b) cause a copy of such statement to be mailed to the holder of the Warrant as of a date within ten (10) days after the date when the circumstances giving rise to the adjustment occurred.
4. Transferability; Registration Rights. Prior to making any disposition of the Warrant or of any Common Stock purchased upon exercise of the Warrant, the holder will give
written notice to the Company describing briefly the manner of any such proposed disposition. The holder will not make any such disposition until (i) the Company has notified him that, in the opinion of its counsel, registration under the Act is not required with respect to such disposition, or (ii) a registration statement covering the proposed distribution has been filed by the Company and has become effective. The holder then will make any disposition only pursuant to the conditions of such opinion or registration. The Company agrees that, upon receipt of written notice from the holder hereof with respect to such proposed distribution, it will use its best efforts, in consultation with the holder's counsel, to ascertain as promptly as possible whether or not registration is required, and will advise the holder promptly with respect thereto, and the holder will cooperate in providing the Company with information necessary to make such determination.
If, at any time one (1) year after the date hereof and prior to the expiration of seven (7) years from the date hereof, the Company shall propose to file any registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, covering a public offering of the Company's Common Stock and permitting the inclusion of shares of selling shareholders, it will notify the holder hereof at least thirty (30) days prior to each such filing and will include in the registration statement (to the extent permitted by applicable regulation) the Common Stock purchased by the holder or purchasable by the holder upon the exercise of the Warrant to the extent requested by the holder hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the number of shares of the holders of the Warrants proposed to be registered hereby shall be reduced pro rata with an other selling shareholder (other than the Company) upon the request of the managing underwriter of such offering. If the registration statement or offering statement filed pursuant to such forty-five (45) day notice has not become effective within six (6) months following the date such notice is given to the holder hereof, the Company must again notify such holder in the manner provided above.
At any time one (1) year after the date hereof and prior to the expiration of five (5) years from the date hereof, and provided that a registration statement on Form S-3 (or its equivalent) is then available to the Company, and on a one-time basis only, if the holders of 51 % or more of the Warrants and the shares acquired upon exercise of the Warrants request the registration of the shares on Form S-3 (or its equivalent), the Company shall promptly thereafter use its best efforts to effect the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, of such shares which such holders request in writing to be so registered, and in a manner corresponding to the methods of distribution described in such holders' request.
All expenses of any such registrations referred 10 in this Section 4, except the fees of counsel to such holders and underwriting commissions or discounts, shall be borne by the Company.
The Company will mail to each record holder, at the last known post
office address, written notice of any exercise of the rights granted under this
Section 4, by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, and each
holder shall have thirty (30) days from the date of deposit of such notice in
the U.S. Mail to notify the Company in writing whether such holder wishes to
join in such exercise.
The Company will furnish the holder hereof with a reasonable number of copies of any prospectus included in such filings and will amend or supplement the same as required during the period of required use thereof. The Company will maintain the effectiveness of any registration
statement or the offering statement filed by the Company, whether or not at the request of the holder hereof, for at least six (6) months following the effective date thereof.
In the case of the filing of any registration statement, and to the extent permissible under the Act and controlling precedent thereunder, the Company and the holder hereof shall provide cross indemnification agreements to each other in customary scope covering the accuracy and completeness of the information furnished by each.
The holder of the Warrant agrees to cooperate with the Company in the preparation and filing of any such registration statement or offering statement, and in the furnishing of information concerning the holder for inclusion therein, or in any efforts by the Company to establish that the proposed sale is exempt under the Act as to any proposed distribution.
5. Cashless Exercise Option.
(a) Provided the Company's Common Stock shall then be traded on an exchange or quoted by NASDAQ or otherwise traded as described in 5(d) hereof, the holder of this Warrant shall have the right to require the Company to convert this Warrant (the "Conversion Right"), at any time from July 31, 2000 and prior to its expiration, into shares of Common Stock as provided for in this Section 5. Upon exercise of the Conversion Right, the Company shall deliver to the holder (without payment by the bolder of any exercise price) that number of shares of Common Stock equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x), the value of the Warrant at the time the Conversion Right is exercised (determined by subtracting the aggregate exercise price for the Warrant Shares in effect immediately prior to the exercise of the Conversion Right from the aggregate Fair Market Value [as determined below] for the Warrant Shares immediately prior to the exercise of the Conversion Right), by (y), the Fair Market Value of one share of Common Stock immediately prior to the exercise of the Conversion Right.
(b) The Conversion Right may be exercised by the holder, at any time or from time to time, prior to its expiration, on any business day, by delivering a written notice (the "Conversion Notice") to the Company at the offices of the Company exercising the Conversion Right and specifying (i) the total number of shares of Stock the Warrant bolder will purchase pursuant to such conversation and (ii) a place and a date, not less than five (5) nor more than twenty (20) business days from the date of the Conversion Notice, for the closing of such purchase.
(c) At any closing under Section 5(b) hereof, (i) the holder will surrender the Warrant, (ii) the Company will deliver to the holder a certificate or certificates for the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon such conversion, together with cash, in lieu of any fraction of a share, and (iii) the Company will deliver to the holder a new Warrant representing the number of shares, if any, with respect to which the Warrant shall not have been exercised.
(d) "Fair Market Value" of a share of Common Stock as of a particular date (the "Determination Date") shall mean:
(i) If the Company's Common Stock is traded on an exchange or is quoted on the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., Automated Quotation ("NASDAQ") National Market System, or the Small Cap Market, then the average closing or last sale prices, respectively, reported for the ten (10) business days immediately preceding the Determination Date.
(ii) If the Company's Common Stock is not traded on an exchange or on the NASDAQ National Market System, or the Small Cap Market, but is traded in the over-the-counter market, then the average of the closing bid and asked prices reported for the ten (10) business days immediately preceding the Determination Date.
6. Notices: The Company shall mail to the registered holder of the Warrant, at his last known post office address appearing on the books of the Company, not less than fifteen (15) days prior to the date on which (a) a record will be taken for the purpose of determining the holders of Common Stock entitled to dividends (other than cash dividends) or subscription rights or (b) a record will be taken (or in lieu thereof, the transfer books will be closed) for the purpose of determining the holders of Common Stock entitled to notice of and to vote at a meeting of stockholders at which any capital reorganization, reclassification of shares of Common Stock, consolidation, merger, dissolution, liquidation, winding up, or sale of substantially all of the Company's assets shall be considered and acted upon.
7. Reservation of Common Stock. A number of shares of Common Stock sufficient to provide for the exercise of the Warrant upon the basis herein set forth shall at all times be reserved for the exercise thereof.
8. Miscellaneous. Whenever reference is made herein to the issue or sale of shares of Common Stock, the term "Common Stock" shall include any stock of any class of the Company other than preferred stock with a fixed limit on dividends and a fixed amount payable in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, or winding up of the Company.
The Company will not, by amendment of its Articles of Incorporation or through reorganization, consolidation, merger, dissolution, or sale of assets, or by any other voluntary act or deed, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the covenants, stipulations, or conditions to be observed or performed hereunder by the Company, but will, at all times in good faith, assist, insofar as it is able, in the carrying out of all provisions hereof and in the taking of all other action which may be necessary in order to protect the rights of the holder hereof against dilution.
Upon written request of the holder of this Warrant, the Company will promptly provide such holder with a then-current written list of the names and addresses of all holders of Warrants originally issued under the terms of, and concurrent with, this Warrant.
The representations, warranties, and agreements herein contained shall survive the exercise of this Warrant. References to the "holder of" include the immediate holder of shares purchased on the
exercise of this Warrant, and the word "holder" shall include the plural thereof. This Common Stock Purchase Warrant shall be interpreted under the laws of the State of Arizona.
All shares of Common Stock or other securities issued upon the exercise of the Warrant shall be validly issued, fully paid, and non-assessable, and the Company will pay all taxes in respect of the issuer thereof.
Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, the holder of this Warrant shall not be deemed a stockholder (including no right to vote on any matters coming before the shareholders) of the Company for any purpose whatsoever until and unless this Warrant is duly exercised.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Stock Purchase Warrant to be executed by its duly-authorized officer and the holder hereof has hereunto set his or her hand, all effective the date and year first above written.
TASER International, Incorporated
By: /s/ Patrick W. Smith -------------------------------- Patrick W. Smith It's: Chief Executive Officer /s/ Bruce R. Culver ------------------------------------ Bruce R. Culver |
WARRANT EXERCISE FORM
To be signed only upon exercise of Warrant.
The undersigned, the holder of the within Warrant, hereby irrevocably elects to exercise the purchase right represented by such Warrant for, and to purchase thereunder, _______________ shares of Common Stock of Taser International, Incorporated, to which such Warrant relates and herewith makes payment of $ ________________ therefor in cash or by certified check, and requests that such shares be issues and be delivered to_________________, the address for which is set forth below the signature of the undersigned.
Date:_____________________________
ASSIGNMENT FORM
To be signed only upon authorized transfer of Warrant.
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned hereby sells, assigns, and transfers unto __________________ the right to purchase shares of Common Stock of Taser International, Incorporated, to which the within Warrant relates and appoints ________________ attorney, to transfer said right on the books of Taser International, Incorporated, with full power of substitution in the premises.
Date:_____________________________
CASHLESS EXERCISE FORM
(To be executed upon exercise of Warrant pursuant to Section 5.)
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects a cashless exercise of the right of purchase represented by the within Common Stock Purchase Warrant for, and to purchase thereunder, ______________ shares of Common Stock, as provided for in Section 5 therein.
If said number of shares shall not be all the shares purchasable under the within Common Stock Purchase Warrant, a new Warrant is to be issued in the name of said undersigned for the balance remaining of the shares purchasable thereunder rounded up to the next higher number of shares.
Please issue a certificate or certificates for such Common Stock in the name of, and pay any cash for any fractional shares to:
NAME: ___________________________________________ (Please Print Name) ADDRESS: ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ |
SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER: ________________________________
SIGNATURE: ________________________________
NOTE: The above signature should correspond exactly with the name on the first page of this Common Stock Purchase Warrant or with the name of the assignee appearing in the assignment form on the preceding page.
Exhibit 10.9
[ICER CORPORATION LOGO]
THIS AGREEMENT is made this 15th day of October, 1993 between Mr. John H. Cover (hereinafter called "Mr. Cover"), and ICER Corporation (hereinafter called ICER), an Arizona Corporation.
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, Mr. Cover has critical skills and industry knowledge material to the development and marketing of products relating to the business of ICER
NOW, THEREFORE, the parties agree as follows:
ARTICLE I: SCOPE OF THE AGREEMENT
1. Mr. Cover agrees to join the management team of ICER Corporation as an officer and director of the company for one (1) year full time employment. His position will encompass responsibility for technology and product development, but will not be limited to such areas.
2. In accordance with his position with ICER, Mr. Cover agrees not to engage in independent business relations with competitors of ICER wherein:
i) Competitors of ICER are defined as companies engaged in the manufacture and/or design of electronic weapons that are less than fourteen inches in length and are non lethal.
ICER CORPORATION COVER AGREEMENT
ii) Independent business relations are defined as any fee for service arrangement, or any product development work with competitors as defined in i).
iii) Independent business relations do not include any work or relationships conducted within the framework of Mr. Cover's representation of ICER.
iv) Mr. Cover is free to leave unaltered the licensing arrangements already in existence with such competitors and to pursue compensation from such competitors for the use of his existing patents at his discretion.
v) The provisions of this section shall remain in full force and effect for the period of Mr. Cover's employment with ICER.
vi) Breach of this agreement wherein Mr. Cover engages in independent business relations with competitors of ICER during the period described in iv), will result in the forfeiture of Mr. Cover's remaining stock options and the immediate termination of his employment with ICER.
3. Mr. Cover agrees to license ICER Corporation: Rights to utilize the TASER trademark in conjunction with product marketing and other business functions. Further, Mr. Cover agrees not to license the use of the TASER trademark to any company not already licensed for such use (see addendum I).
4. Mr. Cover will provide ICER with a comprehensive listing of his existing patents and trademarks to be attached as an addendum to this document (addendum I). Such listing will include the names and addresses of all licensed entities, and all renewal rights for such licensing for said patents and trademarks.
5. All technical designs and intellectual property generated during Mr. Cover's work with ICER will be work-made-for-hire or assigned to ICER and will be the exclusive property of the Company.
6. Mr. Cover affirms that he has complete authority over the patents and trademarks in the agreement and that he is free to enter into this agreement without any hindrance from or violation of prior commitments. Mr. Cover further affirms that he is not bound by non-disclosure or trade secret protection clauses which would inhibit him from fully applying his knowledge to his work at ICER. Accordingly, Mr. Cover indemnifies ICER from any damages
resulting from litigation regarding prior commitments which would preclude him from having entered into this agreement.
7. Mr. Cover agrees not to disclose the confidential information of ICER Corporation without clear consent from the other members of management. Such information will include any information which is clearly designated as confidential, including trade secrets developed, marketing plans, manufacturing know how, financial or other data which is designated as confidential.
ARTICLE II: COMPENSATION
1. Mr. Cover will be paid a salary of $2,500 per month during the time of his full time employment with the Company.
2. Mr. Cover will receive stock options for 10,000 shares of ICER Corporation representing ten (10) percent of the company with the following vesting schedule:
2,500 shares at initiation of this agreement 2,500 shares upon completion of functional prototype 2,500 shares at first shipment of product to market 2,500 shares on Oct. 15, 1994 (1 year).
3. These options will have a strike price of $0.36 (thirty six cents per share) and a time to expiration of 5 years during Mr. Cover's continued involvement with the company.
4. Further, Mr. Cover will receive a cash bonus in the amount of the exercise price of the stock options at the date and time of each stock option vesting that can be used only for exercising the above stock options.
5. Mr. Cover's equity position (via stock options) is guaranteed not to be diluted below ten (10) percent through the first $250,000 of invested capital.
ARTICLE III: CONTINGENCIES
1. Patrick W. Smith and Phillips W. Smith may elect to discontinue the activities of the corporation upon 2 weeks' notice to Mr. Cover. Under such circumstances, Mr. Phillips W. Smith will have the right to reclaim the liquid assets of the company not to exceed the amount of his cumulative investment. Further, from date of such notice Mr. Cover will have the right to use his skills and trademarks for whatever purpose he desires.
2. Mr. Cover may elect not to continue his work with the Company with 2 weeks' notice. Mr. Cover would retain all vested options with right to exercise for 6 months from the date of departure from the company. Unvested options would be forfeited, and the corresponding shares would remain the property of the Company.
3. In the event that Mr. Cover should not be able to exercise power of attorney over the equity in his name while the company is privately held (i.e. the shares are not on the public market), the Corporation would have option to repurchase such shares within 6 months from Mr. Cover's estate or heirs for an amount equal to the greater of:
i) The book value of such shares calculated by standard accounting practices
ii) $10 per share
iii) Amounts solicited from competitive bidders.
AGREED,
By: /s/ Patrick Smith By: /s/ John H. Cover ----------------------- ----------------------- Patrick Smith John H. Cover For ICER CORPORATION Dated: 10/15/93 |
[SEAL]
CORPORATE SEAL
AMENDMENT TO LICENSING AGREEMENT
THIS AMENDMENT TO LICENSING AGREEMENT ("AMENDMENT") is made and entered into this 31st day of August, 1996, by and between John H. Cover, Jr. ["JACK COVER"] and Air Taser, Incorporated f/k/a/ ICER Corporation, an Arizona corporation ["AIR TASER"].
In consideration of the covenants and agreements hereinafter set forth, the amounts of money paid in accordance herewith, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, that certain Licensing Agreement dated October 15, 1993 ("LICENSE") is hereby amended as follows:
1. AIR TASER hereby agrees to pay to JACK COVER and JACK COVER hereby agrees to accept the sum of One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000) in full payment and satisfaction of any and all minimum royalties and earned royalties now due or hereinafter accruing to JACK COVER from AIR TASER pursuant to the terms of the LICENSE as originally executed or as subsequently modified or amended, in writing, prior to the date hereof. Said payment shall be made contemporaneously with the full execution and delivery of this AMENDMENT by each of the parties hereto.
2. JACK COVER, for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and
sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, for: (i) himself, (ii) his heirs,
(iii) his legal representatives, legatees, successors and assigns of all of the
foregoing persons and entities, hereby releases and forever discharges AIR
TASER, any past, present and future shareholders, successors, assigns, officers,
directors, agents, attorneys and employees of AIR TASER, together with their
respective heirs, legal representatives, legatees, successors, and assigns, of
and from all actions, claims, demands, damages, debts, losses, liabilities,
indebtedness, causes of action either at law or in equity and obligations of
whatever kind or nature, whether known or unknown, direct or indirect, new or
existing, by reason of any matter, cause or thing whatsoever from the beginning
of the world to the date hereof concerning any minimum of earned royalties which
are now due or which may hereafter accrue to JACK COVER pursuant to the terms of
the LICENSE.
3. This AMENDMENT embodies the entire agreement between the parties and supersedes any prior agreements or understanding between them in connection with the subject matter hereof and the transactions contemplated hereby. There are no oral or parol agreements, representations, or inducements existing between the parties relating to this transaction which are not expressly set forth herein and covered hereby. All terms of this AMENDMENT are contractual and not mere recitals and shall be construed as if drafted by all parties hereto. The terms of this AMENDMENT are and shall be binding upon each of the parties hereto, their agents, employees successors and assigns, and upon all other persons
claiming any interest in the subject matter hereof through any of the parties hereto.
4. To the extent that this AMENDMENT contradicts, is inconsistent or in conflict with any prior agreements between or among any or all of the parties, this AMENDMENT supersedes any conflicting or inconsistent provision of any prior agreement and is controlling to the extent necessary to resolve such conflict or inconsistency. Any and all provisions in a prior agreement not inconsistent with this AMENDMENT remain valid and binding.
5. It is acknowledged that the parties hereto have read this AMENDMENT and consulted counsel before executing same; that they have relied upon their own judgment and that of their respective counsel in executing this AMENDMENT and have not relied on or been induced by any representation, statement or act by any other party referred to in this instrument; that the parties hereto have entered into this AMENDMENT voluntarily, with full knowledge of its significance; and that this AMENDMENT is in all respects complete and final.
6. If any term or provision of this AMENDMENT or the application thereof to any person, entity or circumstance shall, to any extent, be held invalid and/or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remainder of this AMENDMENT, or the application of such term or provisions to persons, entities or circumstances other than those as to which it is held invalid or unenforceable shall not be affected thereby, and each term and provision of the AMENDMENT shall be valid and be enforced to the fullest extent permitted by law.
7. This AMENDMENT may not be amended, changed, or modified except by written instrument executed by all parties hereto.
8. This AMENDMENT shall be construed and enforced according to the laws of the State of Arizona.
9. This AMENDMENT may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute but one instrument.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this AMENDMENT to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.
AIR TASER, INCORPORATED
By: /s/ Patrick Smith /s/ John H. Cover, Jr. ----------------- ------------------ John H. Cover, Jr. 11 Half Moon Bend Coronado, CA 92118 |
2nd AMENDMENT TO THE AIR TASER LICENSING AGREEMENT
This 2nd Amendment to the AIR TASER licensing agreement (2nd Amendment) is made and entered into this 31st day of August, 1996, by and between John H. Cover, Jr. ["JACK COVER"] and AIR TASER, Incorporated f/k/a ICER Corporation, an Arizona Corporation ["AIR TASER"].
In consideration of the covenants and agreements hereinafter set forth, the amounts of money paid in accordance herewith, and other good and valuable considerations, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, that certain Licensing Agreement dated October 15, 1993 ["LICENSE"] is hereby amended as follows:
1. AIR TASER hereby agrees to pay to Jack Cover, and Jack Cover hereby agrees to accept the sum of FIFTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS ($15,000) in full payment for a limited exclusivity for rights to technology embodied in U.S. patent #5,078,117 ["The '117 Patent"]. In accordance with this limited exclusivity, Jack Cover agrees that he shall license no other company, person, or entity of any type to utilize the technology described in the '117 patent for use in electronic weapon system other than the companies licensed for such use prior to this 31st day of August, 1996. These pre-existing licenses are non transferable and shall not be transferred to any entity other than the original license holder as enumerated below. Further, Mr. Cover shall not expand or modify the rights of the existing licensees, as listed below, without written approval from AIR TASER, Inc. A comprehensive listing of such licensed companies is given below:
a) EESTI, Engineering, LLC, a company in Poway, CA. (Copy of license attached as Exhibit A.)
b) Yong Suk Park, d.b.a. Bestex, Co. (Copy of license addendum regarding '117 patent rights attached as Exhibit B.)
2. This agreement in no way binds Mr. Cover from licensing rights to utilize the '117 technology in applications which are not electronic weapons. Mr. Cover is free to license any person, company, association, agency, or entity of any type to utilize the '117 technology so long as the license contains the specific language below:
"The licensee may not use the technology embodied in U.S. Patent #5,078,117 in conjunction with any electronic weapon system. The violation of this restriction shall cause immediate cancellation of this license without notice, and may cause damages payable to John H. Cover and/or AIR TASER, Inc."
3. If any term or provision of this 2nd Amendment or the application thereof to any person entity, or circumstance shall, to any extent, be held invalid and or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remainder of this 2nd Amendment, or the application of such term or provisions to persons, entities, or
circumstances other than those as to which it is held invalid or unenforceable shall not be affected thereby, and each term and provision of the 2nd Amendment shall be valid and be enforced to the fullest extent permitted by law.
4. This 2nd Amendment may not be amended, changed, or modified except by written instrument executed by all parties hereto.
5. This 2nd Amendment shall be construed and enforced according to the laws of the state of Arizona.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this 2nd Amendment to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.
AIR TASER, INCORPORATED,
By: /s/ Patrick Smith /s/ John H. Cover, Jr. _________________ ______________________ President John H. Cover, Jr. 11 Half Moon Bend Coronado, CA 92118 |
EXHIBIT A.
ELECTROARMS, INC.
John H. Cover, Pres. 602/529-2344
5833 No. Kolb Rd. #10212
Tucson, AZ 85730
December 15, 1995
LICENSE AGREEMENT BETWEEN ANTON SIMSON, EESTI Engrg, LLC, POWAY, CA, LICENSEE & JOHN H. COVER, LICENSOR - under Pat. No. 5,078,117 (generally covering the use of compressed gas capsules that are easily discharged & the gas will propell projectiles, weights, contactors, nets, etc., in a non-firearm mode of operation).
This Agreement specifically pertains to EESTI's manufacture of Taser-type cassettes designed to snap onto stun guns giving the stun gun owner the Taser stand-off range & effectiveness in stopping power over dangerous criminals.
More specifically this License relates to J.H. Cover's License with Eastex
Co., Yong Park, who imports & sells the Thunder Power - and other stun guns
- which will be used in conjunction with the EESTI SGA Cassettes containing
the SPOGC's.
In return for this Exclusive License to EESTI, J.H. Cover will receive an Earned Royalty from Anton Simson, EESTI, of $0.25 - or 25(cents) @ for each SGA Cassette they Make & Sell.
In summary, the Licensor, John H. Cover, hereby grants an Exclusive License under Patent #5,078,117 to Anton Simson, d.b.a. EESTI Engineering, LLC, to manufacture and sell the Stun Gun/SGA Taser Cassettes as the Exclusive Licensee.
Signatures below constitute the legal acceptance by the two Parties of the above Terms & Conditions.
/s/ Anton Simson 2-19-96 /s/ John H. Cover 12/15/95 ----------------------------- ------------------------------ Anton Simson, Licensee - Date John H. Cover, Licensor - Date |
EXHIBIT B.
ELECTROARMS, INC. 619/423-0689
11 Half Moon Bend, Coronado, CA 92118 December 1, 1998 Yong S Park, Pres. Subject: License Addendum covering Bestex Co., Unit B Bestex Sale of a Stun Gun 3421 San Fernando Rd. Adaptor/SGA designed for the Thunder Los Angeles, CA 90065 Power Stun Gun. |
ADDENDUM TO THE LICENSE AGREEMENT signed by Yong Suk Park, d.b.a. Bestex Co., 3/7/90 & John H. Cover, Licensor, on 2/19/90.
Licensor hereby grants an Exclusive License to distribute and sell the SGA Taser Cassettes designed to "snap" onto the front of the Bestex Thunder Power Stun Gun modified to function with the SGA -- which projects the high voltage electric contactors at an attacker -- such that the user does not receive a shock to this hand (insulation)
This License is under J.H. Cover's Patent #5,078,117 covering the Self-Puncturing Compressed Gas Capsule. This technology permits the use of compressed air to propell the contactors & is therefore not classified as a Firearm. EESTI, Anton Simson, Poway, CA will make the SGA under my Patent License & supply them to Bestex.
The Terms for Bestex's Exclusivity are: 1)$20,000 upfront ($10,000 upon execution of the License -- 1st week of March, 1996 -- and $10,000 April 1, 1996), 2) Bestex's Minimum Royalty will be $2500/mos starting 4/2/96, and 3) Bestex will pay J.H. Cover $2 Earned Royalty for each Thunder Power Stun Gun sold(or any modification or substitution thereof that fits the SGA) and 25(cents) for each SGA Cassette sold.
It is important that Yong Park, Anton Simson & Jack Cover work as a team on this program. There are decisions to be made such as the Packaging of the Product -- the Thunder Power & (2) SGA cassettes in a box -- sales and advertising strategies including the name of the Product. "Public Defender" and ElectroStorm(stop rape & murder) are possibilities. An early meeting such as the first week in December is suggested. Jack Cover will consult as needed without compensation.
The signatures below constitute the legal acceptance of the two parties of the above terms & conditions.
/s/ Yong Suk Park, 12/18/95 /s/ John H. Cover 12/15/95 ----------------------------- ---------------------------- Yong Suk Park, Licensee - Date John H. Cover, Licensor |
8/31/96
AIR TASER INCORPORATED
Rec'd $15,000 for 2nd Amendment Compensation
/s/ J.H. Cover -------------- J.H. Cover |
[SPECIMEN STOCK CERTIFICATE]
[AIR TASER LOGO]
INTELLIGENT SELF DEFENSE
Number Shares 00004 50,000
AIR TASER INCORPORATED
Share Issue Authorized by /s/ illegible /s/ illegible ------------- ------------- President Secretary |
THIS CERTIFIES THAT John H. Cover is the registered holder of Fifty Thousand (50,000) Shares transferrable only on the books of the Corporation by the holder hereof in person or by Attorney upon surrender of this Certificate properly endorsed.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the said Corporation has caused this Certificate to be
signed by its duly authorized officers and its Corporate Seal to be Hereunto
affixed
this Seventeenth day of June A.D. 1994
[SPECIMEN STOCK CERTIFICATE]
[SEAL]
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, I hereby sell, assign and transfer unto AIR TASER, INC. ____________ Shares represented by the within Certificate, and do hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint PATRICK SMITH Attorney to transfer the said Shares on the books of the within named Corporation with full power of substitution in the premises.
Dated AUGUST 31, 1994
In presence of /s/ illegible /s/ John H. Cover ----------------------- ----------------------- John H. Cover 11 Half Moon Bend Coronado, CA 92118 |
NOTICE: THE SIGNATURE OF THIS ASSIGNMENT MUST CORRESPOND WITH THE NAME AS WRITTEN UPON THE FACE OF THE CERTIFICATE, IN EVERY PARTICULAR, WITHOUT ALTERATION OR ENLARGEMENT, OR ANY CHANGE WHATEVER.
LICENSING AGREEMENT
1. CONSIDERATION; EFFECTIVE DATE
1.1 The effective date of this agreement shall be Oct. 15, 1993.
2. PARTIES
2.1 John H. Cover is an individual with business located at Box 404, 4725 Sunrise Drive, Tucson, Arizona 85718 (LICENSOR)
2.2 ICER Corporation is an Arizona Corporation engaged in the development of non lethal electronic weapons for sale to the general consumer market (LICENSEE).
3. BACKGROUND
3.1 Licensor represents and warrants that he owns several patent rights, both domestic and foreign as listed on Exhibit "A" though not in every country of the world, and specifically U.S. Patent Number 4,254,132 and 5,078,117, (the Licensed Patents) concerning a power supply and ballistics launching mechanism for weapons or other devices utilizing electricity for immobilization purposes.
3.2 Licensor is not aware of any ownership of another of inventions or patent rights or trade secret or know-how rights in conflict with his own; and Licensor believes that he possesses such right, title and interest in and to the electronic immobilization devices and equipment useful therein as is necessary and appropriate to the terms of this agreement.
3.3 Licensee is a company seeking to develop such technology for manufacture and marketing an alternative non lethal self defense device to firearms.
3.4 Any other concepts, advanced technologies or other patents Licensor now possesses or might obtain in the future are specifically excluded from this agreement. HOWEVER, SUCH TECHNOLOGIES MAY BE COVERED IN SEPARATE ARRANGEMENTS SPECIFYING CONTRACT AND SALARIED WORK.
4. LICENSE
ICER CORPORATION COVER AGREEMENT
4.1 Licensor hereby grants Licensee a non exclusive license for use of patent number 4,254,132 and the electric wave form and power generator described therein. Under said licensed patent to manufacture, use and sell devices, with and without launching mechanisms covered by patent number 4,254,132.
4.2. LICENSOR HEREBY GRANTS LICENSEE LICENSE FOR PATENT 5,078,117. LICENSOR IS LICENSED UNDER SAID PATENT TO MANUFACTURE, USE AND SELL DEVICES COVERED BY PATENT 5,078,117. THIS LICENSE WILL BE EXCLUSIVE FOR DEVICES WHICH MEET ALL OF THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERISTICS:
i) ELECTRONIC WEAPONRY DESIGNED TO IMMOBILIZE
ii) WEAPON AS IN i) WHEREIN THE GREATEST DIMENSION OF THE WEAPON IS
OF LESS THAN FOURTEEN INCHES.
iii) A WEAPON WHICH IS DESIGNED TO BE NON LETHAL
iv) A WEAPON DESIGNED FOR USE AGAINST HUMANS
THIS EXCLUSIVITY BINDS LICENSEE TO ENSURE THAT ANY FURTHER LICENSING OF PATENT 5,078,117 DESCRIBES CLEARLY THAT THE LICENSING OF PATENT 5,078,117 DESCRIBES CLEARLY THAT THE LICENSE MAY NOT BE USED FOR MANUFACTURE OF DEVICES WHICH MEET THOSE FOUR CHARACTERISTICS. THIS EXCLUSIVITY WILL BE BINDING FOR TWENTY FOUR MONTHS (24). AFTER TWENTY FOUR MONTHS, THIS EXCLUSIVITY CLAUSE WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT IF THE TOTAL EARNED ROYALTIES PAID BY LICENSEE TO LICENSOR EXCEEDS $100,000 PER YEAR, USING MONTHS 12-24 AS THE FIRST YEAR FOR SUCH CALCULATION. SHOULD THE EARNED ROYALTIES FALL BELOW $100,000 PER YEAR, LICENSOR WILL BE FREE TO LICENSE PATENT 5,078,117 FOR SIMILAR USE.
4.3. No party shall enter into any contracts or make any warranties on behalf of the other party.
4.4. Licensee shall not negotiate sub license or assign this license unless specifically authorized in writing by Licensor. Bona fide sales by Licensee to bona fide third parties for resale are not sub licensing so long as these sales are not in violation of Paragraph 6.12 below.
5. TERM OF LICENSE
5.1. The license will be for the period of validity of patent 4,254,132 on devices utilizing the technology described therein
ICER CORPORATION COVER AGREEMENT
and for the PERIOD OF VALIDITY of patent 5,078,117 for mechanisms utilizing the technology described therein.
5.2 Licensee's obligation to pay royalties, as set forth in Paragraph 6, runs in favor of Licensor's heirs, successors and assigns.
6. ROYALTIES
6.1 From Oct. 15, 1993 until the expiration of the above described patents, unless Licensee ceases to make, use, or sell devices covered by the Licensed Patents, Licensee agrees to pay Licensor a MINIMUM ROYALTY of Two thousand five hundred and no/100 Dollars ($2,500) per month payable on the 15th and on the 15th of each and every month thereafter during the term of this license. Payment of the MINIMUM ROYALTY shall be delinquent if not paid within 5 days after the due date.
6.2 LICENSEE ALSO AGREES TO PAY AN EARNED ROYALTY TO BE COMPUTED MONTHLY AND, AFTER REDUCTION BY THE AMOUNT PAID IN CUMULATIVE MINIMUM ROYALTIES ABOVE CUMULATIVE EARNED ROYALTIES, SAID EARNED ROYALTIES SHALL BE EQUAL TO TWO DOLLARS PER UNIT ($2.00) FOR EACH UNIT WHICH UTILIZES THE POWER GENERATION DEVICE AND ELECTRIC WAVE FORM DESCRIBED IN PATENT 4,254,132 AND $0.25 PER UNIT FOR EACH DEVICE WHICH UTILIZES COMPRESSED GASSES TO LAUNCH ELECTRICAL CONTACTORS FROM THE POWER GENERATOR. THIS $0.25 EARNED ROYALTY SHALL REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR THE LIFE OF PATENT 4,254,132 IF IT DOES NOT UTILIZE THE TECHNOLOGY DESCRIBED IN PATENT NUMBER 5,078,117. IF IT DOES UTILIZE THE TECHNOLOGY DESCRIBED IN PATENT NUMBER 5,078,117, THEN THE EARNED ROYALTY SHALL REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR THE LIFE OF SAID PATENT 5,078,117. AN EARNED ROYALTY OF $0.10 WILL BE PAID FOR "PRACTICE CASSETTES" WHICH UTILIZE THE TECHNOLOGY IN PATENT 5,078,117, WHEREIN "PRACTICE CASSETTES" ARE DEFINED AS DEVICES WHICH SIMULATE THE ACTION OF PROPELLING ELECTRICAL CONTACTORS TO A TARGET BUT WHICH ARE NON-FUNCTIONAL--I.E. ARE NOT RELIABLE CONTACTORS FOR USE IN COMBAT SITUATIONS.
6.3 Licensee's MINIMUM ROYALTY payment is due on the 15th of each month. MINIMUM ROYALTY payments are past due five days thereafter. If MINIMUM ROYALTY payments are not made within five days of the due date, then a DEFAULT of this agreement occurs automatically and without notice. Licensee has
ICER CORPORATION COVER AGREEMENT
payment with a cashier's check or money order for the full amount of the MINIMUM ROYALTY due. If the DEFAULT is not cured by payment of this MINIMUM ROYALTY by cashier's check or money order by 5:00 P.M. on the tenth day after which it is due, this licensing agreement is automatically terminated without notice.
6.4. Licensee's EARNED ROYALTY payment is due on the fifteenth day of the month following the month in which the REVENUES FROM SALES WERE RECEIVED. EARNED ROYALTY payments are past due and delinquent if not paid by 5:00 P.M. on the twentieth day of SAID MONTH. If EARNED ROYALTY payments are not made by the twentieth of the month, then a DEFAULT of this agreement occurs automatically and without notice. Licensee has until the thirtieth of the month to cure the DEFAULT by payment with a cashier's check or money order for the full amount of the EARNED ROYALTY due. If the DEFAULT is not cured by payment of this EARNED ROYALTY by cashier's check or money order by 5:00 P.M. on the thirtieth day of the month in which it is due, this licensing agreement is automatically terminated without notice.
6.5. Royalties are payable by Licensee to Licensor at the address of the Licensor.
6.6. Royalties are payable in U.S. Dollars
6.7. Accompanying each EARNED ROYALTY payment, Licensee will provide to Licensor the accounting data on the sales of the licensed devices, including any daily summaries and the monthly summary from which the gross sales figures for the month are determined.
6.8. Licensee will keep books, accounts, and records that reflect all revenues and expenditures incurred in connection with the operation of its business. The books, accounts, and records shall be maintained at the regular place of business of Licensee. Licensee, during regular business hours, shall make the books, accounts, and records required to be maintained herein available to Licensor and/or his designated legal representative for examination and audit by appointment upon reasonable request and during normal business hours. Licensor agrees to pay for said examination and audit, however, if said examination and audit reveals a discrepancy of more than 5% of reported figures, Licensee shall pay for an examination and audit
ICR CORPORATION COVER AGREEMENT
6.9. Within sixty days after the end of each calendar year, Licensee shall prepare and deliver to Licensor a detailed statement of sales during the calendar year that result from the operations of Licensee's business.
6.10. Licensor agrees that all such information shall be held by its legal representatives, agents, trustees, attorneys, and accountants in confidence.
6.11. Licensee will mark each of the subject devices with the following notice: "Licensed under U.S. Patent No. 4,253,132" Or: "Licensed under U.S. Patent No. 5,078,117" Or both.
6.12. DELETED.
7. INFRINGEMENT OF LICENSOR's PATENTS
7.1. In the event that any party shall become aware of any perceived infringement or any appropriation of Licensor's patents, trade secrets, or know how rights in the electronic immobilization devices or equipment, products or materials useful therein, the party shall give notice thereof to the other party hereto.
7.2. Licensee agrees to cooperate with any lawful efforts that Licensor may undertake to seek legal remedies for any such infringements or misappropriations.
8. INDEMNITIES FOR MALFEANCE, LIABILITY FOR PERSONAL INJURY OR PROPERTY DAMAGE
8.1. The License herein granted to Licensee is primarily in the nature of a sharing of information and a covenant not to sue for infringements of the Licensor's rights and is not in the nature of a specification of activities required of the Licensee or of equipment or process of details required to be used by the Licensee.
8.2. The manufacture, use, and sale of Licensee's products shall be the sole responsibility of Licensee and/or its agents.
8.3. Accordingly, Licensor shall not be liable for any personal injury or property damage resulting from the design, construction, or use of the licensed technology or of the equipment or products used in connection with the technology, if such injury or damage arises from the activities of Licensee.
ICER CORPORATION COVER AGREEMENT
8.4 In no event shall Licensor be liable for any direct, special, incidental, or consequential damages, or any damages whatsoever, whether in an action for contract, negligence, or other tortious action arising out of, or in connection with, the use of any of the products covered by this license.
8.5 Licensee shall protect, save, indemnify, and hold Licensor harmless from all claims, demands, charges, or litigation arising out of the making, using, or selling of the merchandise and devices produced and sold by Licensee and arising, directly or indirectly, out of, or by reason of, any business activities of Licensee. Licensee shall reimburse Licensor for all loss, damage, or expense, including reasonable attorney's fees (should such a creature exist), which he may suffer or incur, directly or indirectly, by reason of any such claims, demands, charges, or litigation. This indemnity shall extend to and include any claims for personal injuries or damage caused to persons using the merchandise or devices made or sold by Licensee.
9. CONTROLLING LAWS
9.1 All questions relating to the validity, interpretation, performance, or enforcement of this agreement, whether by arbitration or otherwise, shall be determined in a court with the laws applicable to the State of Arizona, U.S.A.
10. BINDING EFFECT
10.1 Each and every provision on this license shall bind and shall inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their legal representatives.
10.2 The term "legal representatives" means in addition to executors and administrators, every person, partnership, corporation, or association succeeding to the interest or to any part of the interest in or to this license or in the subject matter of this license, of either Licensor or Licensee, whether such succession results from the act of a party interest, occurs by operation of law, or is the effect of the operation of the law together with the act of such a party. Each and every covenant, agreement, and condition of this agreement to be performed by the Licensee shall be binding upon all successors in the interest to Licensee.
11. NOTICES
ICER CORPORATION COVER AGREEMENT
11.1. All notices required herein shall be in writing.
11.2. Written notices may be delivered personally to the president of the subject party or to the officer or person specified below.
11.3. Written notices shall be deemed to have been effective three days following the date of mailing by certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, addressed to John H. Cover, Licensor, as follows:
BOX 404
4725 Sunrise Dr.
Tucson, Arizona 85718
Licensee addressed to:
4601 East Indian Bend Road
Scottsdale, Arizona 85253
11.4 Each party shall have the right to change the effective address for a notice by a notice in writing directed to the other party above.
12. ENTIRE AGREEMENT; AMENDMENTS; HEADINGS
12.1 This agreement together with its appendices constitutes the entire agreement between the parties REGARDING LICENSING OF TECHNOLOGY, and SUPERSEDES any prior communications ON THE SUBJECT whether written or oral.
12.2 This agreement may be amended or modified only by an instrument in writing, signed by duly constituted officers of both parties.
12.3 No waiver, no matter how long continuing or how many times extended, shall be construed as a permanent waiver or as an amendment to this instrument.
12.4 The marginal headings herein are for purposes of convenient reference only and shall not be used to construe or modify the terms written in the text of this instrument.
13. FAILURE TO PERFORM
ICER CORPORATION COVER AGREEMENT
13.1. Licensee, as well as its successors in interest and or assigns, agrees that failure to perform in accordance with the terms of this license, terminates this license and any manufactures, use, or sale of devices covered by the Licensed Patents, with or without launching mechanisms, thereafter is without license.
AGREED,
By: /s/ Patrick Smith By: /s/ John H. Cover ----------------------- ----------------------- Patrick Smith John H. Cover For ICER CORPORATION Dated: 10/15/93 |
CORPORATE SEAL
[SEAL]
Exhibit 10.10
[Taser(R) Logo]
[TASER INTERNATIONAL LETTERHEAD]
PROMISSORY NOTE
$500,000.00
January 23, 2001
Scottsdale, Arizona
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned TASER International, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("Maker"), promises to pay to Phil Purer or his order ("Payee") the sum of FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND AND NO/100 DOLLARS ($500,000.00), together with interest at the rate of one and one-half percent (1.50%) per month from the date hereof through the earlier of (a) the closing of an underwritten initial public offering of Maker's common stock or (b) July 1, 2002 (the applicable date being the "Maturity Date").
Payments: On or before the Maturity Date, Maker shall pay the sum of all interest and principal due under this Note from the date of this Note through the date of such payment. Maker shall not be required to make any payment of interest or principal pursuant to this Note prior to the Maturity Date.
Type and Place of Payments: Payments of principal and interest pursuant to this Note shall be made in lawful money of the United states of America to Payee at 1610 Loma Vista Drive, Beverly Hills, California 90210, or at such other address as Payee shall direct.
Advance Payment: Maker may prepay all or any portion of the amounts due under this Note at any time without penalty or premium.
Warrant Right: In consideration of the loan from Payee to Maker evidenced by this Note, Maker shall issue to Payee on the date of this Note a warrant to purchase up to 5,000 shares of Maker's common stock, which warrants shall be exercisable at a price per share of $10.00 and which warrant shall be substantially in the form of EXHIBIT A attached hereto.
Default: Maker shall be in default under this note if it shall fail to fully pay this Note within ten (10) business days after the Maturity Date.
Successors and Assigns: This Note shall be binding upon Maker and upon its successors and assigns, and shall inure to the benefit of Payee and his heirs, devisees, personal representatives, successors and assigns. This Note shall be fully assignable by Payee without Maker's consent.
PAGE 1 - PROMISSORY NOTE
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[TASER INTERNATIONAL LETTERHEAD]
Maximum Interest: Nothing contained in this Note shall be deemed to establish or require the payment of a rate of interest in excess of the maximum rate permitted by law. If the rate of interest required to be paid under this Note at any time exceeds the maximum rate permitted by law, the rate of interest required to be paid pursuant to this Note shall be automatically reduced to the maximum rate permitted by law.
Address Changes: Each party agrees to notify the other by registered or certified mail of any change in the party's address.
Arizona Law: This Note shall be governed by and construed under the laws of the state of Arizona without regard to the conflicts of laws provisions thereof.
MAKER:
TASER International, Inc.
By: /s/ Thomas P. Smith ---------------------- Its: President ---------------------- |
Accepted as of the above date:
/s/ Phil Purer -------------- Phil Purer |
PAGE 2 - PROMISSORY NOTE
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[TASER INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATED LETTERHEAD]
THE SECURITIES EVIDENCED BY THIS WARRANT HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, AND MAY NOT BE SOLD, TRANSFERRED OR ASSIGNED UNLESS THERE IS AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER SUCH ACT COVERING SUCH SECURITIES, THE SALE IS MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH RULE 144 UNDER THE ACT OR THE COMPANY RECEIVES AN OPINION OF COUNSEL FOR THE HOLDER OF SUCH SECURITIES REASONABLY SATISFACTORY TO THE COMPANY STATING THAT SUCH SALE, TRANSFER, ASSIGNMENT OR HYPOTHECATION IS EXEMPT FROM THE REGISTRATION AND PROSPECTUS DELIVERY REQUIREMENTS OF SUCH ACT.
WARRANT TO PURCHASE COMMON STOCK
OF TASER INTERNATIONAL, INC.
(void after January 23, 2006)
This certifies that Phil Purer or assigns (the "Holder"), for value received and subject to the provisions hereinafter set forth, is entitled to purchase from TASER International, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), Five Thousand (5,000) fully paid and nonassessable shares of the Company's Common Stock, $0.00001 par value per share (such stock being hereinafter referred to as the "Common Stock" and such Common Stock as may be acquired upon exercise hereof being hereinafter referred to as the "Warrant Stock"), at the price of Ten Dollars ($10.00) per share.
This Warrant is subject to the following provisions, terms and conditions:
1. Exercise and Issuance. This Warrant may be exercised in whole or in part (but not as to any fractional share of Common Stock) at any time commencing on the date hereof (the "Issue Date") until the fifth anniversary of the Issue Date. The rights represented by this Warrant may be exercised by the Holder by written notice of exercise substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A delivered to the Secretary of the Company at the principal office of the Company accompanied by this Warrant (properly endorsed, if required) and payment to the Company, by cash, certified check or bank draft, of the purchase price of the shares of Warrant Stock being purchased. The Company agrees that the Warrant Stock so purchased shall be and is deemed to be issued as of the close of business on the date on which this Warrant shall have been surrendered and payment made for such Warrant Stock. Certificates for the shares of Warrant Stock so purchased shall be delivered to the Holder within a reasonable time, not exceeding forty-five (45) days after the rights represented by this Warrant shall have been so exercised, and, unless this Warrant has expired, a new Warrant representing the number of shares of Warrant Stock, if any, with respect to which this Warrant has not been exercised shall also be delivered to the Holder within such time.
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2. Covenants of Company. The Company covenants and agrees that all shares of Warrant Stock that may be issued upon the exercise of the rights represented by this Warrant will, upon issuance, be duly authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free from all liens and charge with respect to the issuance thereof. The Company further covenants and agrees that until expiration of this Warrant, the Company will at all times have authorized and reserved for the purpose of issuance or transfer upon exercise of the rights evidenced by this Warrant, a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock to provide for the exercise of the rights represented by this Warrant.
3. Exercise Price and Share Adjustments. The initial number of shares of Common Stock purchasable upon exercise of this Warrant and the exercise price payable therefore shall be subject to adjustment from time to time, as provided below:
(a) In case the Company shall at any time hereafter
subdivide or combine the outstanding shares of Common Stock or declare a
dividend payable in Common Stock, the total number of shares of Common Stock
purchasable upon the exercise of this Warrant shall be adjusted so that the
Holder shall be entitled to receive the number of shares of Common Stock which
the Holder would have owned or have been entitled to receive immediately
following any of the events described above had this Warrant been exercised in
full immediately prior to any such event. An adjustment made pursuant to this
Section 3(a) shall, in the case of a subdivision or combination, be made as of
the effective date thereof, and in the case of a stock dividend, become
effective as of the record date therefore. In the event of any such adjustment
of the total number of shares of Common Stock purchasable upon the exercise of
this Warrant, the exercise price shall be adjusted to be the amount resulting
from dividing the number of shares of Common Stock covered by this Warrant
immediately after such adjustment into the total amount payable upon exercise of
this Warrant in full immediately prior to such adjustment.
(b) If any capital reorganization or reclassification of the capital stock of the Company (other than a subdivision or combination referred to in Section 3(a) hereof), or consolidation or merger of the Company with another corporation, or the sale of all or substantially all of its assets to another corporation shall be effected in such a way that holders of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive stock, securities or assets with respect to or in exchange for such Common Stock, then, as a condition of such reorganization, reclassification, consolidation, merger or sale, the Holder shall have the right to purchase and receive upon the basis and upon the terms and conditions specified in this Warrant and in lieu of the Common Stock immediately theretofore purchasable and receivable upon the exercise of the rights represented hereby, such shares of stock, securities or assets as would have been issued or delivered to the Holder if he had exercised this Warrant and had received upon exercise of this Warrant the Common Stock prior to such reorganization, reclassification, consolidation, merger or sale, unless prior to the consummation thereof the successor corporation (if other than the Company) resulting from such consolidation or merger or the corporation purchasing such assets shall assume by written instrument executed and mailed to the Holder at the last address of the
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[TASER INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATED LETTERHEAD]
Holder appearing on the books of the Company, the obligation to deliver to the Holder such shares of stock, securities or assets as, in accordance with the foregoing provisions, the Holder may be entitled to purchase.
(c) If the Company takes any other action, or if any other event occurs which does not come within the scope of the provisions of Paragraphs 3(a) or 3(b) hereof, but which should result in an adjustment in the exercise price and/or the number of the shares subject to the Warrant in order to fairly protect the purchase rights of the Holder, an appropriate adjustment in such purchase rights shall be made by the Company.
(d) No fractional shares of Common Stock are to be issued upon the exercise of this Warrant, but the Company shall pay a cash adjustment in respect of any fraction of a share which would otherwise be issuable in an amount equal to the same fraction of the market price per share of Common Stock on the date of exercise.
(e) Upon any adjustment of the exercise price or number of shares purchasable hereunder, the Company shall give written notice thereof, by first class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to the Holder at the address of the Holder as shown on the books of the Company, which notice shall state the Warrant exercise price resulting from such adjustment and the increase or decrease, if any, in the number of shares purchasable at such price upon the exercise of this Warrant, setting forth in reasonable detail the method of calculation and the facts upon which such calculation is based.
4. Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder. The Holder shall not be entitled to vote on or be deemed the holder of Common Stock or any other securities which may at any time be issuable on the exercise hereof for any purpose, nor shall anything contained herein be construed to confer upon the Holder any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any mater submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or give or withhold consent to any corporate action (whether upon any recapitalization, issue of stock, reclassification of stock, change of par value or change of stock to no par value, consolidation, merger, conveyance or otherwise) or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders, or to receive dividends or subscription rights or otherwise, until the rights to purchase Warrant Stock hereunder shall have been exercised.
5. Transferability. Prior to making any disposition of the
Warrant or of any Warrant Stock, the Holder will give written notice to the
Company describing briefly the manner of such proposed disposition. The Holder
will not make any such disposition unless or until: (i) a registration statement
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") covering the
proposed distribution has been filed by the Company and has become effective,
(ii) the disposition is made in accordance with Rule 144 under the Securities
Act or (iii) the Company has received an opinion of counsel for the Holder
reasonably satisfactory to the
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[TASER INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATED LETTERHEAD]
Company stating that registration under the Securities Act is not required with respect to such disposition.
6. Investment Representations. The Holder acknowledges and agrees that: (i) this Warrant and any shares of Warrant Stock which may be acquired upon exercise hereof are being or will be acquired for investment purposes and not with a view toward the distribution or sale thereof, (ii) this Warrant and the Warrant Stock will not be registered under either federal or applicable state securities laws and must be held indefinitely unless subsequently registered under the Securities Act or an exemption from such registration is available, (iii) investment in the Company is highly speculative, (iv) he has such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of his investment and has the ability to bear the economic risks (including the risk of a total loss) of his investment, (v) he has had the opportunity to ask questions of the Company concerning the Company's business and assets and to obtain any additional information which he considered necessary to verify the accuracy or to amplify the Company's disclosures with respect to his investment and has had all such questions answered to his satisfaction and (vi) the Company will be relying upon the foregoing investment representations in agreeing to issue this Warrant and the Warrant Stock to the Holder. The Holder acknowledges that the transferability of the Warrant and of any Warrant Stock will be subject to restrictions imposed by all applicable federal and state securities laws and agrees that the certificates evidencing the Warrant Stock may be imprinted with an appropriate legend setting forth these restrictions on transferability.
7. Amendment. This Warrant and any term hereof may be changed, waived, discharged or terminated only by means of an instrument in writing signed by the party against which enforcement of the charge, waiver, discharge or termination is sought.
8. Termination. This Warrant shall terminate and no longer be exercisable at 5:00 p.m., Arizona time on January 23, 2006.
Dated: January 23, 2001 TASER INTERNATIONAL, INC. By: /s/ [Illegible] ---------------------------------------- Its: President ---------------------------------------- |
Accepted as of the above date:
/s/ PHIL PURER -------------------------------- Phil Purer |
EXHIBIT A
WARRANT EXERCISE
(To be signed only upon exercise of Warrant)
TO: TASER International, Inc., 7339 E. Evans Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85260
The undersigned, the holder of the foregoing Warrant, hereby irrevocably elects to exercise the purchase right represented by such Warrant for, and to purchase thereunder, shares of Common Stock of TASER International, Inc., and herewith encloses $ in full payment therefore. Please issue a certificate for such shares in the name of the undersigned and deliver it to the undersigned at the address stated below. If such number of shares shall not be all of the share purchasable under the Warrant, unless the Warrant has expired, please issue a new Warrant Certificate of like tenor for the balance of the shares purchasable thereunder to be delivered to the undersigned at the address stated below.
PERSONAL GUARANTEE OF LOAN
Reference is hereby made to a loan between, Phil Purer (Payee), and Taser International. an Arizona Corporation (Debtor) dated January 23, 2001 in the amount of $500,000.00 plus interest.
In consideration of Payee's having executed said Laon at the request of the undersigned, the undersigned (Guarantors) hereby jointly and severally unconditionally guarantee to Payee and Payee's successors and assigns, the payment of the principal, interest and other sums provided for in said Loan and the performance and observance of all agreements and conditions contained in said Loan on the part of Debtor to be performed or observed.
Guarantors hereby waive presentment for payment, demand for payment, notice of nonpayment or dishonor, protest and notice of protest, diligence in collection, and any and all formalities that may be legally required to charge them or either or any of them with liability; and the Guarantors, and each of them, for further agree that their liability as Guarantors shall in no way be impaired or affected by any renewals, waivers, or extensions that may be made from time to time, with or without the knowledge and consent of any one or more of them, of any default or the time of payment or performance required under said Loan, or by any forbearance or delay in enforcing any obligation thereof, or by assignment of said Loan, or by any modifications of the terms or provisions of the Loan.
The Guarantors further jointly and severally covenant and agree to pay all expenses and fees, including attorney fees that may be incurred by the Payee or its successors or assigns enforcing any of the terms or provisions of this Guarantee.
This Guarantee shall be binding upon the heirs, legal representatives, successors, and assigns of the Guarantors, and each of them, shall not be discharged or affected, in whole or in part by the death, bankruptcy, insolvency of the Guarantors, or anyone or more of them.
This Guarantee is absolute, unconditional, and continuing, and payment of the sums for which the undersigned becomes liable shall be made at the office of Payee or its successors or assigns from time to time on demand as the same become or are declared due.
Guarantors hereby waives any and all benefits under Arizona Revised Statutes ("A.R.S.") Sections 12-1641 -12.1646 and Rule 17(f) of the Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure.
IN WITNESS THEREOF, Guarantor has hereunto set his hands and seal this Agreement the 25th day of January, 2001.
Guarantor: Patrick W. Smith Thomas P. Smith By: /s/ Patrick W. Smith By: /s/ Thomas P. Smith -------------------- ------------------- Date: January 25, 2001 Date: January 25, 2001 Deanna M. Smith By: /s/ Deanna M. Smith ------------------- Date: January 25, 2001 |
Exhibit 10.11
PROMISSORY NOTE
$189,980 Date: December 31, 1998 Tempe, Arizona
For value received, the undersigned TASER INTERNATIONAL, INC., an Arizona corporation ("Promisor") promises to pay to the order of B&M DISTRIBUTING, INC. or assigns ("Payee"), at 1912 W. 4th St., Tempe, Arizona 85281 (or at such other place as Payee may designate), the sum of ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY-NINE THOUSAND, NINE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY DOLLARS AND NO/100 DOLLARS ($189,980) plus interest as defined below calculated on a daily basis (based on a 365-day year) from the date hereof on the principal balance from time to time outstanding. Principal, interest and all other sums payable hereunder shall be paid in lawful money of the United States of America as follows:
A. Interest shall accrue on the principal at the base rate of ten percent (10.0%) per annum. Interest shall be simple interest calculated on the outstanding daily principal balance. Principal and interest shall be completely due and payable as a balloon payment on March 31, 2000.
B. If a payment of principal or interest to be made pursuant to this Note becomes past due for a period in excess of ten (10) business day ("Default"), Promisor shall pay to Payee default interest ("Default Interest") that shall accrue, in addition to the stated rate of interest, at the rate of five percent of the amount of such overdue payment until the overdue payment is paid. Further, in event of Default, all remaining unpaid principal and accrued interest, and all installments, shall become due and payable immediately without demand or notice. All payments on this Note shall be applied first in payment of any costs or charges, then to Default Interest accrued, then to the base interest accrued, and then to reduce principal.
Promisor may prepay this Note in whole or in part at any time without penalty.
Time is of the essence.
In any event of default under this Note occurs and remains in effect for ten
(10) business days, Promisor promises to pay all costs of collection, including
reasonable attorneys' fees, whether or not a lawsuit is commenced as part of
the collection process, and whether or not taxable as costs by a court.
Promisor waives trial by jury and consents to the personal jurisdiction of the
Arizona courts located in the State of Arizona, County of Maricopa.
If any event of default under this Note occurs and remains in effect for ten
(10) business days, or upon bankruptcy, insolvency, dissolution or fraudulent
conveyance of Promisor, or upon default under any other obligations of Promisor
to Payee or its affiliates, then this Note shall become due immediately, all
without presentment, demand, protest or notice, all of which hereby are waived.
This Note shall be subordinate to obligations due from Promisor to Silicon Valley Bank or any such other institution that Payee agrees to in writing. Promisor shall be in default immediately if there is a sale, transfer, assignment or any other disposition not in the normal course of business of any assets pledged as security for Silicon Valley Bank. Promisor warrants that any obligations owed from it to either Patrick Smith or Thomas Smith are subordinated to this Note with the exception of reasonable day to day operating expenses including payroll. Promisor further assures that it will take all steps requested by Payee to affirm such subordination, including causing said parties to execute a subordination agreement.
If any one or more of the provisions of this Note are determined to be unenforceable, in whole or in part, for any reason, the remaining provisions shall remain fully operative.
Promisor waives presentment for payment, protest, and notice of protest and nonpayment of this Note.
No renewal or extension of this Note, delay in enforcing any right of Payee under this Note or assignment by Payee of this Note shall affect the liability of Promisor. All rights of Payee under this Note are cumulative and may be exercised concurrently or consecutively at Payee's option.
This Note shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Arizona, irrespective of its choice of law principles.
Signed this 17th day of March, 1999.
PROMISOR
TASER INTERNATIONAL, INC.
an Arizona corporation
By: /s/ Patrick Smith _________________ Patrick Smith President Attest: /s/ Thomas Smith ________________ Thomas Smith |
PERSONAL GUARANTY
THIS GUARANTY, dated as of March 17, 1999, is made and given by the undersigned guarantors, jointly and severally, (collectively, "Guarantor"), in favor of B&M Distributing, Inc. ("BMD").
A. BMD is prepared to extend additional credit to Taser International, Inc., an Arizona corporation ("Debtor") in the amount of $189,980 (the "Principal Amount") pursuant to a separate agreement with Taser International, Inc. (the "Credit Agreement").
B. It is a condition precedent, among others, to BMD's inducement to extend credit accommodations to Debtor that this Guaranty be executed and delivered by Guarantor.
C. Guarantor expects to derive benefits from the extension of credit accommodations to Debtor by BMD and finds it advantageous, desirable and in Guarantor's best interest to execute and deliver this Guaranty to BMD. Guarantor is providing this Guaranty at the request of Debtor to induce BMD to extend or continue financial accommodations to Debtor.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and credit accommodations to be extended to Debtor and for other good and valuable consideration, Guarantor covenants and agrees with BMD as follows:
Section a. The Guaranty. Undersigned Guarantor (if more than one, jointly and severally), absolutely, irrevocably and unconditionally guarantees and promises to pay to BMD, upon demand: (i) the Principal Amount and for all sums payable or to become payable in the Credit Agreement, or at the election of BMD any one or more installments thereof, if Debtor fails to pay punctually any one or more amounts when due under the Credit Agreement (principal, interest and/or other charges) at the time and in the manner provided therein; and (ii) all other obligations of Debtor to BMD arising under or in connection with the purchase or distribution of goods or services, any agreement between Debtor and BMD executed and delivered in connection with the purchase or distribution of goods or services, and all other documents and instruments evidencing, securing, or executed or delivered in connection with the Credit Agreement and all other agreements between Debtor and BMD.
The word "obligations" is used in its most comprehensive sense and includes any and all advances, debts, charges, obligations and liabilities of Debtor previously, now or hereafter made, incurred or created, with or without notice to Guarantor, whether voluntary or involuntary, and however arising, whether due or not due, absolute or contingent, liquidated or unliquidated, determined or undetermined, and whether recovery upon such indebtedness may be or hereafter become barred by any statute of limitations, and whether such indebtedness may be or hereafter become otherwise unenforceable (collectively, the Principal Amount together with all other obligations specified above, the "Obligations").
Section b. Continuing Guaranty. The liability and obligation of Guarantor hereunder shall survive and absolutely, unconditionally and completely continue in full force and effect until
indefeasible payment and performance in full of the Obligations, notwithstanding any termination of Debtor's liability by operation of law, and notwithstanding that the Obligations or any part thereof is deemed to have been paid or discharged by operation of law or by some act or agreement of BMD. For purposes of this Guaranty, the Obligations shall be deemed to be paid only to the extent that BMD actually receives immediately available funds. Guarantor shall remain liable for any deficiency remaining if BMD elects to enforce the Credit Agreement or foreclose any security agreement securing all or any part of the Obligations, whether or not the liability of Debtor for such deficiency is discharged pursuant to statute, judicial decision or otherwise; and agrees not to assert the benefits of any statutory provision limiting the right of BMD to recover a deficiency judgment, or to proceed otherwise against any person or entity obligated for payment of the Obligations, after any foreclosure or sale of any security for the Obligations.
Section c. Actions Not Required. Guarantor waives any and all right to cause a
marshalling of the assets of Debtor or any other action by any court or other
government body with respect thereto or to cause BMD to proceed against any
security for the Obligations or any other recourse which BMD may have with
respect thereto and further waives and agrees not to assert: (1) any right to
require BMD to pursue any other remedy available to BMD, or to pursue any remedy
in any particular order or manner; (ii) the benefit of any statute of
limitations affecting Guarantor's liability hereunder or the enforcement hereof;
(iii) demand, diligence, presentment for payment, protest and demand, and notice
of extension, dishonor, protest, demand, nonpayment and acceptance of this
Guaranty; (iv) notice of the existence, creation or incurring of new or
additional indebtedness of Debtor to BMD; (v) the benefits of any statutory
provision limiting the liability of a surety, including without limitation the
provisions of A.R.S. Sections 12-1641 et seq.; and (vi) any defense arising by
reason of any disability or other defense of Debtor or by reason of he cessation
from any cause whatsoever (other than payment in full) of the liability of
Debtor for the Obligations. Guarantor further acknowledges that time is of the
essence with respect to its obligations under this Guaranty.
Section d. Remedies. All remedies afforded to BMD by this Guaranty are separate and cumulative remedies and Guarantor agrees that no one of such remedies, whether or not exercised by BMD, shall be deemed to be in exclusion of any of the other remedies available to BMD and shall in no way limit or prejudice any other legal or equitable remedy which BMD may have hereunder and with respect to the Obligations. Mere delay or failure to act shall not preclude the exercise or enforcement of any rights and remedies available to BMD. The obligations of Guarantor hereunder are separate and independent of the Obligations of Debtor and of any other guarantor, and a separate action or actions may be brought and prosecuted against Guarantor whether action is brought against any other guarantor, or whether any other guarantor is joined in any action or actions.
Section e. Authorizations. Guarantor authorizes BMD, without notice or demand
and without affecting Guarantor's liability hereunder, from time to time, to:
(1) renew, modify, compromise, extend, accelerate or otherwise change the time
for payment of, or otherwise change the terms of the Obligations or any part
thereof; and (ii) apply any and all payments from Debtor, Guarantor or any other
guarantor, in such order or manner as BMD in its discretion may determine.
Section f. Costs and Expenses. Guarantor agrees to pay or reimburse BMD on demand for all out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) incurred by BMD in enforcing this
Guaranty against Guarantor, or arising out of or in connection with any failure of Guarantor to fully and timely perform the obligations of Guarantor hereunder, whether or not a suit is filed.
Section h. Governing Law. This Guaranty shall be governed by and construed according to the laws of the State of Arizona, irrespective of its choice of law principles.
Section i. Consent to Jurisdiction. BMD may bring any action or proceeding to
enforce or arising out of this Guaranty in any court of competent jurisdiction.
ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING BROUGHT BY GUARANTOR ARISING OUT OF THIS GUARANTY
SHALL BE BROUGHT SOLELY IN A COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION LOCATED IN THE
COUNTY OF MARICOPA, STATE OF ARIZONA, OR IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA.
Section j. Waivers and Amendments. This Guaranty sets forth the entire agreement of Guarantor and BMD with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior oral and written agreements and representations by BMD to Guarantor. No modification or waiver of any provision of this Guaranty or any right of BMD hereunder and no release of Guarantor from any obligation hereunder shall be effective unless in a writing executed by an authorized officer of BMD. A waiver so signed shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose given.
Section k. Representations. Guarantor represents and warrants to BMD as follows: (i) Guarantor is and will continue to be fully informed about all aspects of the financial condition and business affairs of Debtor that Guarantor deems relevant to the obligations of Guarantor hereunder, and waives and fully discharges BMD from any and all obligations to communicate to Guarantor any information whatsoever regarding Debtor or Debtor's financial condition or business affairs, including without limitation any notice of any default by Debtor; (ii) Guarantor has all requisite power to enter into this Guaranty, to execute, to carry out and perform its obligations under the terms of this Guaranty; (iii) this Guaranty is a valid and binding legal obligation of Guarantor, and is enforceable in accordance with its terms; and (iv) all action on the part of Guarantor necessary for or appropriate to or in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by Guarantor of this Guaranty has been taken.
Section l. Reliance. If Debtor is a corporation, limited liability company or partnership, it is not necessary for BMD to inquire into the powers of Debtor or the officers, directors, partners or agents acting or purporting to act on its behalf, and any of the Obligations made or created in reliance upon the professed exercise of such powers shall be guaranteed hereunder.
Section m. Successors and Assigns. This Guaranty shall inure to the benefit of BMD and its successors and assigns and shall be binding upon Guarantor and its successors and assigns. BMD may assign this Guaranty in whole or in part without notice.
Section n. Guarantor Acknowledgements. Guarantor acknowledges that (i) it has been advised by counsel in the negotiation, execution and delivery of this Guaranty, (ii) BMD has no fiduciary relationship to Guarantor, the relationship being solely that of debtor and creditor, and (iii) no joint venture exists between Guarantor and BMD.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Guarantor has executed this Guaranty as of the date first above written.
UNDERSIGNED:
Signature: /s/ Thomas Smith ---------------------------- Name: Thomas Smith Signature: /s/ Patrick Smith ---------------------------- Name: Patrick Smith |
Exhibit 10.12
[BANK OF AMERICA LOGO]
PROMISSORY NOTE
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Principal Loan Loan Date Maturity Loan No Call Collateral Account Officer Initials ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ $60,000.00 10-24-2000 01-24-2001 New 15380 Z0315 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
BORROWER: Taser International Incorporated LENDER: Bank of America, N.A. 7339 E. Evans Rd Ste 1 101 North First Avenue Scottsdale, AZ 85260 Phoenix, AZ 85003 |
PRINCIPAL INITIAL DATE OF NOTE:
AMOUNT: $60,000.00 RATE: 11.500% OCTOBER 24, 2000
PROMISE TO PAY. Taser International Incorporated ("Borrower") promises to pay to Bank of America, N.A. ("Lender"), or order, in lawful money of the United States of America, the principal amount of Sixty Thousand & 00/100 Dollars ($60,000.00) or so much as may be outstanding, together with interest on the unpaid outstanding principal balance of each advance. Interest shall be calculated from the date of each advance until repayment of each advance.
PAYMENT. Borrower will pay this loan in one payment of all outstanding principal plus all accrued unpaid interest on January 24, 2001. In addition, Borrower will pay regular monthly payments of accrued unpaid interest beginning November 24, 2000, and all subsequent interest payments are due on the same day of each month after that. The annual interest rate for this Note is computed on a 365/360 basis; that is, by applying the ratio of the annual interest rate over a year of 360 days, multiplied by the outstanding principal balance, multiplied by the actual number of days the principal balance is outstanding. Borrower will pay Lender at Lender's address shown above or at such other place as Lender may designate in writing. Unless otherwise agreed or required by applicable law, payments will be applied first to any unpaid collection costs and any late charges, then to any unpaid interest, and any remaining amount to principal.
VARIABLE INTEREST RATE. The interest rate on this Note is subject to change from time to time based on changes in an Index which is the fluctuating rate of Interest established by Lender from time to time as its "Prime Rate" whether or not such rate shall otherwise be published (the "Index"). The Index is not necessarily the lowest rate charged by lender on its loans and is set by lender in its sole discretion. If the Index becomes unavailable during the term of this loan, Lender may designate a substitute Index after notifying Borrower. Lender will tell Borrower the current Index rate upon Borrower's request. Borrower understands that Lender may make loans based on other rates as well. The interest rate change will not occur more often than each date of such change in the Index. The Index currently is 9.500% per annum. The interest rate to be applied to the unpaid principal balance of this Note will be at a rate of 2.000 percentage points over the Index, resulting in an initial rate of 11.500% per annum. NOTICE: Under no circumstances will the interest rate on this Note be more than the maximum rate allowed by applicable law.
PREPAYMENT. Borrower may pay all or a portion of the amount owed earlier than it is due. Early payments will not, unless agreed to by Lender in writing, relieve Borrower of Borrower's obligation to continue to make payments of accrued unpaid interest. Rather, they will reduce the principal balance due.
LATE CHARGE. If a payment is 15 days or more late, Borrower will be charged 4.000% of the unpaid portion of the regularly scheduled payment.
DEFAULT. Borrower will be in default if any of the following happens: (a)
Borrower fails to make any payment when due. (b) Borrower breaks any promise
Borrower has made to Lender, or Borrower fails to comply with or to perform when
due any other term, obligation, covenant, or condition contained in this Note or
any agreement related to this Note, or in any other agreement or loan Borrower
has with Lender. (c) Any representation or statement made or furnished to Lender
by Borrower or on Borrower's behalf is false or misleading in any material
respect either now or at the time made or furnished. (d) Borrower becomes
insolvent, a receiver is appointed for any part of Borrower's property, Borrower
makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or any proceeding is commenced
either by Borrower or against Borrower under any bankruptcy or insolvency laws.
(e) Any creditor tries to take any of Borrower's property on or in which Lender
has a lien or security Interest. This includes a garnishment of any of
Borrower's accounts with Lender. (f) Any guarantor dies or any of the other
events described in this default section occurs with respect to any guarantor of
this Note. (g) A material adverse change occurs in Borrower's financial
condition, or Lender believes the prospect of payment or performance of the
indebtedness is impaired. (h) Lender in good faith deems itself insecure.
LENDER'S RIGHTS. Upon default, Lender may declare the entire unpaid principal
balance on this Note and all accrued unpaid interest immediately due, without
notice, and then Borrower will pay that amount. Upon default, including failure
to pay upon final maturity, Lender, at its option, may also, if permitted under
applicable law, increase the variable interest rate on this Note to 25.000% per
annum. The interest rate will not exceed the maximum rate permitted by
applicable law. Lender may hire or pay someone else to help collect this Note if
Borrower does not pay. Borrower also will pay Lender that amount. This includes,
subject to any limits under applicable law, Lender's attorneys' fees and
Lender's legal expenses whether or not there is a lawsuit, including attorneys'
fees and legal expenses for bankruptcy proceedings (including efforts to modify
or vacate any automatic stay or injunction), appeals, and any anticipated
post-judgment collection services. If not prohibited by applicable law, Borrower
also will pay any court costs, in addition to all other sums provided by law.
THIS NOTE HAS BEEN DELIVERED TO LENDER AND ACCEPTED BY LENDER IN THE STATE OF
ARIZONA. IF THERE IS A LAWSUIT, BORROWER AGREES UPON LENDER'S REQUEST TO SUBMIT
TO THE JURISDICTION OF THE COURTS OF ANY COUNTY, THE STATE OF ARIZONA. THIS NOTE
SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF
ARIZONA.
RIGHT OF SETOFF. Borrower grants to Lender a contractual security interest in, and hereby assigns, conveys, delivers, pledges, and transfers to Lender all Borrower's right, title and interest in and to, Borrower's accounts with Lender (whether checking, savings, or some other account), including without limitation all accounts held jointly with someone else and all accounts Borrower may open in the future, excluding however all IRA and Keogh accounts, and all trust accounts for which the grant of a security interest would be prohibited by law. Borrower authorizes Lender, to the extent permitted by applicable law, to charge or setoff all sums owing on this Note against any and all such accounts, and, at Lender's option, to administratively freeze all such accounts to allow Lender to protect Lender's charge and setoff rights provided on this paragraph.
LINE OF CREDIT. This Note evidences a straight line of credit. Once the total
amount of principal has been advanced, Borrower is not entitled to further loan
advances. Advances under this Note, as well as directions for payment from
Borrower's accounts, may be requested orally or in writing by Borrower or by an
authorized person. Lender may, but need not, require that all oral requests be
confirmed in writing. The following party or parties are authorized to request
advances under the line of credit until Lender receives from Borrower at
Lender's address shown above written notice of revocation of their authority:
Patrick W. Smith, President; and Thomas P. Smith, Vice President, Borrower
agrees to be liable for all sums either: (a) advanced in accordance with the
instructions of an authorized person or (b) credited to any of Borrower's
accounts with Lender. The unpaid principal balance owing on this Note at any
time may be evidenced by endorsements on this Note or by Lender's internal
records, including daily computer print-outs. Lender will have no obligation to
advance funds under this Note if: (a) Borrower or any guarantor is in default
under the terms of this Note or any agreement that Borrower or any guarantor has
with Lender, including any agreement made in connection with the signing of this
Note; (b) Borrower or any guarantor ceases doing business or is insolvent; (c)
any guarantor seeks, claims or otherwise attempts to limit, modify or revoke
such guarantor's guarantee of this Note or any other loan with Lender; (d)
Borrower has applied funds provided pursuant to this Note for purposes other
than those authorized by Lender; or (e) Lender in good faith deems itself
insecure under this Note or any other agreement between Lender and Borrower.
ARBITRATION. Any claim or controversy ("Claim") between the parties, whether arising in contract or tort or by statute including, but not limited to, Claims resulting from or relating to this Agreement shall, upon the request of either party, be resolved by arbitration in accordance with the Federal Arbitration Act (Title 9, US Code). Arbitration proceedings will be conducted in accordance with the rules for arbitration of financial services disputes of J.A.M.S./Endispute. The arbitration shall be conducted in any state where real or personal property collateral for the credit is located or if there is no collateral, in the state of any Borrower's domicile at the time of the execution of this Agreement or at the commencement of any arbitration proceeding. The arbitration hearing shall commence within 90 days of the demand for arbitration and close within 90 days of commencement, and any award, which may include legal fees, shall be issued (with a brief written statement of the reasons therefore) within 30 days of the close of hearing. Any dispute concerning whether a claim is arbitrable or barred by the statute of limitations shall be determined by the arbitrator. This arbitration provision is not intended to limit the right of any party to exercise self-help remedies, to seek and obtain interim or provisional relief of any kind or to initiate judicial or non-judicial foreclosure against any real or personal property collateral.
NOTICE OF FINAL AGREEMENT. THIS WRITTEN AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS REPRESENT THE FINAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PARTIES AND MAY NOT BE CONTRADICTED BY EVIDENCE OF PRIOR, CONTEMPORANEOUS OR SUBSEQUENT ORAL AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES. THERE ARE NO UNWRITTEN ORAL AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE PARTIES.
GENERAL PROVISIONS. Lender may delay or forgo enforcing any of its rights or remedies under this Note without losing them. Borrower and any other person who signs, guarantees or endorses this Note, to the extent allowed by law, waive presentment, demand for payment, protest and notice of dishonor. Upon any change in the terms of this Note, and unless otherwise expressly stated in writing, no party who signs this Note, whether as maker, guarantor, accommodation maker or endorser, shall be released from liability. All such parties agree that Lender may renew or extend (repeatedly and for any length of time) this loan, or release any party or guarantor or collateral; or impair, fail to realize upon or perfect Lender's security interest in the collateral; and take any other action deemed necessary by Lender without the consent of or notice to anyone. All such parties also agree that Lender may modify this loan without the consent of or notice to anyone other than the party with whom the modification is made.
EFFECTIVE RATE. Borrower agrees to an effective rate of interest that is the rate specified in this Note plus any additional rate resulting from any other charges in the nature of interest paid or to be paid in connection with this Note.
PRIOR TO SIGNING THIS NOTE, BORROWER READ AND UNDERSTOOD ALL THE PROVISIONS OF THIS NOTE, INCLUDING THE VARIABLE INTEREST RATE PROVISIONS. BORROWER AGREES TO THE TERMS OF THE NOTE AND ACKNOWLEDGES RECEIPT OF A COMPLETED COPY OF THE NOTE.
BORROWER:
TASER INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATED
COMMERCIAL GUARANTY
PRINCIPAL LOAN DATE MATURITY LOAN NO. CALL COLLATERAL ACCOUNT OFFICER INITIALS 15380 Z0315 References in the shaded area are for Lenders use only and do not limit the applicability of this document to any particular loan or item. |
Borrower: Taser International Incorporated Lender: Bank of America, N.A. 7339 E. Evans Rd Ste 1 101 North First Avenue Scottsdale, AZ 85260 Phoenix, AZ 85003 Guarantor: Patrick W. Smith 27404 N. 45th Way Cave Creek, AZ 85331 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
AMOUNT OF GUARANTY. The amount of this Guaranty is Unlimited.
CONTINUING UNLIMITED GUARANTY. For good and valuable consideration, Patrick W. Smith ("Guarantor") absolutely and unconditionally guarantees and promises to pay to Bank of America, N.A. ("Lender") or its order, in legal tender of the United States of America, the Indebtedness (as that term is defined below) of Taser International Incorporated ("Borrower") to Lender on the terms and conditions set forth in this Guaranty. Under this Guaranty, the liability of Guarantor is unlimited and the obligations of Guarantor are continuing.
DEFINITIONS. The following words shall have the following meanings when used in this Guaranty:
BORROWER. The word "Borrower" means Taser International Incorporated.
GUARANTOR. The word "Guarantor" means Patrick W. Smith.
GUARANTY. The word "Guaranty" means this Guaranty made by Guarantor for the benefit of Lender dated October 24, 2000.
INDEBTEDNESS. The word "Indebtedness" is used in its most comprehensive sense and means and includes any and all of Borrower's liabilities, obligations, debts, and indebtedness to Lender, now existing or hereinafter incurred or created, including, without limitation, all loans, advances, interest, costs, debts, overdraft indebtedness, credit card indebtedness, lease obligations, other obligations, and liabilities of Borrower, or any of them, and any present or future judgments against Borrower, or any of them; and whether any such Indebtedness is voluntarily or involuntarily incurred, due or not due, absolute or contingent, liquidated or unliquidated, determined or undetermined; whether Borrower may be liable individually or jointly with others, or primarily or secondarily, or as guarantor or surety; whether recovery on the Indebtedness may be or may become barred or unenforceable against Borrower for any reason whatsoever; and whether the Indebtedness arises from transactions which may be voidable on account of infancy, insanity, ultra vires, or otherwise.
LENDER. The word "Lender" means Bank of America, N.A., its successors and assigns.
RELATED DOCUMENTS. The words "Related Documents" mean and include without limitation all promissory notes, credit agreements, loan agreements, environmental agreements, guaranties, security agreements, mortgages, deeds of trust, and all other instruments, agreements and documents, whether nor or hereafter existing, executed in connection with the Indebtedness.
NATURE OF GUARANTY. Guarantor's liability under this Guaranty shall be open and continuous for so long as this Guaranty remains in force. Guarantor intends to guarantee at all times the performance and prompt payment when due, whether at maturity or earlier by reason of acceleration or otherwise, of all Indebtedness. Accordingly, no payments made upon the Indebtedness will discharge or diminish the continuing liability of Guarantor in connection with any remaining portions of the Indebtedness or any of the Indebtedness which subsequently arises or is thereafter incurred or contracted. Any married person who signs this Guaranty hereby expressly agrees that recourse under this agreement may be had against both his or her separate property and community property, whether now owned or hereafter acquired.
DURATION OF GUARANTY. This Guaranty will take effect when received by Lender without the necessity of any acceptance by Lender, or any notice to Guarantor or to Borrower, and will continue in full force until all Indebtedness incurred or contracted before receipt by Lender of any notice of revocation shall have been fully and finally paid and satisfied and all other obligations of Guarantor under this Guaranty shall have been performed in full. If Guarantor elects to revoke this Guaranty, Guarantor may only do so in writing. Guarantor's written notice of revocation must be mailed to Lender, by certified mail, at the address of Lender listed above or such other place as Lender may designate in writing. Written revocation of this Guaranty will apply only to advances or new Indebtedness created after actual receipt by Lender of Guarantor's written revocation. For this purpose and without limitation, the term "new Indebtedness" does not include Indebtedness which at the time of notice of revocation is contingent, unliquidated, undetermined or not due and which later becomes absolute, liquidated, determined or due. This Guaranty will continue to bind Guarantor for all Indebtedness incurred by Borrower or committed by Lender prior to receipt of Guarantor's written notice of revocation, including any extensions, renewals, substitutions or modifications of the Indebtedness. All renewals, extensions, substitutions, and modifications of the Indebtedness granted after Guarantor's revocation, are contemplated under this Guaranty and, specifically will not be considered to be new Indebtedness. This Guaranty shall bind the estate of Guarantor as to Indebtedness created both before and after the death or incapacity of Guarantor, regardless of Lender's actual notice of Guarantor's death. Subject to the foregoing, Guarantor's executor or administrator or other legal representative may terminate this Guaranty in the same manner in which Guarantor might have terminated it and with the same effect. Release of any other guarantor or termination of any other guaranty of the Indebtedness shall not affect the liability of Guarantor under this Guaranty. A revocation received by Lender from any one or more Guarantors shall not affect the liability of any remaining Guarantors under this Guaranty. It is anticipated that fluctuations may occur in the aggregate amount of Indebtedness covered by this Guaranty, and it is specifically acknowledged and agreed by Guarantor that reductions in the amount of Indebtedness, even to zero dollars ($0.00), prior to written revocation of this Guaranty by Guarantor shall not constitute a termination of this Guaranty. This Guaranty is binding upon Guarantor and Guarantor's heirs, successors and assigns so long as any of the guaranteed Indebtedness remains unpaid and even though the Indebtedness guaranteed may from time to time be zero dollars ($0.00).
GUARANTOR'S AUTHORIZATION TO LENDER. Guarantor authorizes Lender, either before
or after any revocation hereof, without notice or demand and without lessening
Guarantor's liability under this Guaranty, from time to time: (a) prior to
revocation as set forth above, to make one or more additional secured or
unsecured loans to Borrower, to lease equipment or other goods to Borrower, or
otherwise extend additional credit to Borrower; (b) to alter, compromise, renew,
extend, accelerate, or otherwise change one or more times the time for payment
or other terms of the Indebtedness or any part of Indebtedness, including
increases and decreases of the rate of interest on the Indebtedness; extensions
may be repeated and may be for longer than the original loan term; (c) to take
and hold security for the payment of this Guaranty or the Indebtedness, and
exchange, enforce, waive, subordinate, fail or decide not to perfect, and
release any such security, with or without the substitution of new collateral;
(d) to release, substitute, agree not to sue, or deal with any one or more of
Borrower's sureties, endorsers, or other guarantors on any terms or in any
manner Lender may choose; (e) to determine how, when and what application of
payments and credits shall be made on the Indebtedness; (f) to apply such
security and direct the order or manner of sale thereof, including without
limitation, any nonjudicial sale permitted by the terms of the controlling
security agreement or deed of trust, as Lender in its discretion may determine;
(g) to sell, transfer, assign, or grant participations in all or any part of the
Indebtedness; and (h) to assign or transfer this Guaranty in whole or in part.
GUARANTOR'S REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES. Guarantor represents and warrants to Lender that (a) no representations or agreements of any kind have been made to Guarantor which would limit or qualify in any way the terms of this Guaranty; (b) this Guaranty is executed at Borrower's request and not at the request of the Lender; (c) Guarantor has full power, right and authority to enter into this Guaranty; (d) the provisions of this Guaranty do not conflict with or result in a default under any agreement or other instrument binding upon Guarantor and do not result in a violation of any law, regulation, court decree or order applicable to Guarantor; (e) Guarantor has not and will not, without the prior written consent of Lender, sell, lease, assign, encumber, hypothecate, transfer, or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of Guarantor's assets, or any interest therein; (f) upon Lender's request, Guarantor will provide to Lender financial and credit information in form acceptable to Lender, and all such financial information which currently has been, and all future financial information which will be provided to Lender is and will be true and correct in all material respects and fairly present the financial condition of Guarantor as of the dates the financial information is provided; (g) no material adverse change has occurred in Guarantor's financial condition since the date of the most recent financial statements provided to Lender and no event has occurred which may materially adversely affect Guarantor's financial condition; (h) no litigation, claim, investigation, administrative proceeding or similar action (including those for unpaid taxes) against Guarantor is pending or threatened; (i) Lender has made no representation to Guarantor as to the creditworthiness of Borrower; and (j) Guarantor has established adequate means of obtaining from Borrower on a continuing basis information regarding Borrower's financial condition. Guarantor agrees to keep adequately informed from such means of any facts, events, or circumstances which might in any way affect Guarantor's risks under this Guaranty, and Guarantor further agrees that, absent a request for information, Lender shall have no obligation to disclose to Guarantor any information or documents acquired by Lender in the course of its relationship with Borrower.
GUARANTOR'S WAIVERS. Except as prohibited by applicable law, Guarantor waives any right to require Lender (a) to continue lending money or to extend other credit to Borrower; (b) to make any presentment, protest, demand, or notice of any kind, including notice of any nonpayment of the Indebtedness or of any nonpayment related to any collateral, or notice of any action or nonaction on the part of Borrower, Lender, any surety, endorser, or other guarantor in connection with the Indebtedness or in connection with the creation of new or additional loans or obligations; (c) to resort for payment or to proceed directly or at once against any person, including Borrower or any other guarantor; (d) to proceed directly against or exhaust any collateral held by Lender from Borrower, any other guarantor, or any other person; (e) to give notice of the terms, time, and place of any public or private sale of personal property security held by Lender from Borrower or to comply with any other applicable provisions of the Uniform Commercial
Code; (f) to pursue any other remedy within Lender's power; or (g) to commit any act or omission of any kind, or at any time, with respect to any matter whatsoever.
If now or hereafter (a) Borrower shall be or become insolvent, and (b) the Indebtedness shall not at all times until paid be fully secured by collateral pledged by Borrower, Guarantor hereby forever waives and relinquishes in favor of Lender and Borrower, and their respective successors, any claim or right to payment Guarantor may now have or hereafter have or acquire against Borrower, by subrogation or otherwise, so that at no time shall Guarantor be or become a "creditor" of Borrower within the meaning of 11 U.S.C. section 547(b), or any successor provision of the Federal bankruptcy laws.
Guarantor also waives any and all rights or defenses arising by reason of (a) any "one action" or "anti-deficiency" law or any other law which may prevent Lender from bringing any action, including a claim for deficiency, against Guarantor, before or after Lender's commencement or completion of any foreclosure action, either judicially or by exercise of a power of sale; (b) any election of remedies by Lender which destroys or otherwise adversely affects Guarantor's subrogation rights or Guarantor's rights to proceed against Borrower for reimbursement, including without limitation, any loss of rights Guarantor may suffer by reason of any law limiting, qualifying, or discharging the Indebtedness; (c) any disability or other defense of Borrower, of any other guarantor, or of any other person, or by reason of the cessation of Borrower's liability from any cause whatsoever, other than payment in full in legal tender, of the Indebtedness; (d) any right to claim discharge of the Indebtedness on the basis of unjustified impairment of any collateral for the Indebtedness; (e) any statute of limitations, if at any time any action or suit brought by Lender against Guarantor is commenced there is outstanding Indebtedness of Borrower to Lender which is not barred by any applicable statute of limitations; or (f) any defenses given to guarantors at law or in equity other than actual payment and performance of the Indebtedness. If payment is made by Borrower, whether voluntarily or otherwise, or by any third party, on the Indebtedness and thereafter Lender is forced to remit the amount of that payment to Borrower's trustee in bankruptcy or to any similar person under any federal or state bankruptcy law or law for the relief of debtors, the Indebtedness shall be considered unpaid for the purpose of enforcement of this Guaranty.
In addition to the waivers set forth above, Guarantor expressly waives, to the extent permitted by Arizona law, all of Guarantor's rights under sections 12-1641, 12-1642, 12-1643, 12-1644, 44-142, and 47-3605 of the Arizona Revised Statutes, and Rule 17f of the Arizona Revised Statutes Rules of Civil Procedure, as now enacted or hereafter modified, amended or replaced.
Guarantor further waives and agrees not to assert or claim at any time any deductions to the amount guaranteed under this Guaranty for any claim of setoff, counterclaim, counter demand, recoupment or similar right, whether such claim, demand or right may be asserted by the Borrower, the Guarantor, or both.
GUARANTOR'S UNDERSTANDING WITH RESPECT TO WAIVERS. Guarantor warrants and agrees that each of the waivers set forth above is made with Guarantor's full knowledge of its significance and consequences and that, under the circumstances, the waivers are reasonable and not contrary to public policy or law. If any such waiver is determined to be contrary to any applicable law or public policy, such waiver shall be effective only to the extent permitted by law or public policy.
LENDER'S RIGHT OF SETOFF. In addition to all liens upon and rights of setoff against the moneys, securities or other property of Guarantor given to Lender by law, Lender shall have, with respect to Guarantor's obligations to Lender under this Guaranty and to the extent permitted by law, a contractual security interest in and a right of setoff against, and Guarantor hereby assigns, conveys, delivers, pledges, and transfers to Lender all of Guarantor's right, title and interest in and to, all deposits, moneys, securities and other property of Guarantor now or hereafter in the possession of or on deposit with Lender, whether held in a general or special account or deposit, whether held jointly with someone else, or whether held for safekeeping or otherwise, excluding however all IRA, Keogh, and trust accounts. Every such security interest and right of setoff may be exercised without demand upon or notice to Guarantor. No security interest or right of setoff shall be deemed to have been waived by any act or conduct on the part of Lender or by any neglect to exercise such right of setoff or to enforce such security interest or by any delay in so doing. Every right of setoff and security interest shall continue in full force and effect until such right of setoff or security interest is specifically waived or released by an instrument in writing executed by Lender.
SUBORDINATION OF BORROWER'S DEBTS TO GUARANTOR. Guarantor agrees that the Indebtedness of Borrower to Lender, whether now existing or hereafter created, shall be prior to any claim that Guarantor may now have or hereafter acquire against Borrower, whether or not Borrower becomes insolvent. Guarantor hereby expressly subordinates any claim Guarantor may have against Borrower, upon any account whatsoever, to any claim that Lender may now or hereafter have against Borrower. In the event of insolvency and consequent liquidation of the assets of Borrower, through bankruptcy, by an assignment for the benefit of creditors, by voluntary liquidation, or otherwise, the assets of Borrower applicable to the payment of the claims of both Lender and Guarantor shall be paid to Lender and shall be first applied by Lender to the Indebtedness of Borrower to Lender. Guarantor does hereby assign to Lender all claims which it may have or acquire against Borrower or against any assignee or trustee in bankruptcy of Borrower; provided however, that such assignment shall be effective only for the purpose of assuring to Lender full payment in legal tender of the Indebtedness. If Lender so requests, any notes or credit agreements now or hereafter evidencing any debts or obligations of Borrower to Guarantor shall be marked with a legend that the same are subject to this Guaranty and shall be delivered to Lender. Guarantor agrees, and Lender hereby is authorized, in the name of Guarantor, from time to time to execute and file financing statements and continuation statements and to execute such other documents and to take such other actions as Lender deems necessary or appropriate to perfect, preserve and enforce its rights under this Guaranty.
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS. The following miscellaneous provisions are a part of this Guaranty:
AMENDMENTS. This Guaranty, together with any Related Documents, constitutes the entire understanding and agreement of the parties as to the matters set forth in this Guaranty. No alteration of or amendment to this Guaranty shall be effective unless given in writing and signed by the party or parties sought to be charged or bound by the alteration or amendment.
APPLICABLE LAW. This Guaranty has been delivered to Lender and accepted by Lender in the State of Arizona. If there is a lawsuit, Guarantor agrees upon Lender's request to submit to the jurisdiction of the courts of any County, State of Arizona. This Guaranty shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Arizona.
ATTORNEYS' FEES; EXPENSES. Guarantor agrees to pay upon demand all of Lender's costs and expenses, including attorneys' fees and Lender's legal expenses, incurred in connection with the enforcement of this Guaranty. Lender may pay someone else to help enforce this Guaranty, and Guarantor shall pay the costs and expenses of such enforcement. Costs and expenses include Lender's attorneys' fees and legal expenses whether or not there is a lawsuit, including attorneys' fees and legal expenses for bankruptcy proceedings (and including efforts to modify or vacate any automatic stay or injunction), appeals, and any anticipated post-judgment collection services. Guarantor also shall pay all court costs and such additional fees as may be directed by the court.
NOTICES. All notices required to be given by either party to the other under this Guaranty shall be in writing, may be sent by telefacsimile (unless otherwise required by law), and, except for revocation notices by Guarantor, shall be effective when actually delivered or when deposited with a nationally recognized overnight courier, or when deposited in the United States mail, first class postage prepaid, addressed to the party to whom the notice is to be given at the address shown above or to such other addressee as either party may designate to the other in writing. All revocation notices by Guarantor shall be in writing and shall be effective only upon delivery to Lender as provided above in the section titled "DURATION OF GUARANTY." If there is more than one Guarantor, notice to any Guarantor will constitute notice to all Guarantors. For notice purposes, Guarantor agrees to keep Lender informed at all times of Guarantor's current address.
INTERPRETATION. In all cases where there is more than one Borrower or Guarantor, then all words used in this Guaranty in the singular shall be deemed to have been used in the plural where the context and construction so require; and where there is more than one Borrower named in this Guaranty or when this Guaranty is executed by more than one Guarantor, the words "Borrower" and "Guarantor" respectively shall mean all and any one or more of them. The words "Guarantor," "Borrower," and "Lender" include the heirs, successors, assigns, and transferees of each of them. Caption headings in this Guaranty are for convenience purposes only and are not to be used to interpret or define the provisions of this Guaranty. If a court of competent jurisdiction finds any provision of this Guaranty to be invalid or unenforceable as to any person or circumstance, such finding shall not render that provision invalid or unenforceable as to any other persons or circumstances, and all provisions of this Guaranty in all other respects shall remain valid and enforceable. If any one or more of Borrower or Guarantor are corporations or partnerships, it is not necessary for Lender to inquire into the powers of Borrower or Guarantor or of the officers, directors, partners, or agents acting or purporting to act on their behalf, and any Indebtedness made or created in reliance upon the professed exercise of such powers shall be guaranteed under this Guaranty.
WAIVER. Lender shall not be deemed to have waived any rights under this Guaranty unless such waiver is given in writing and signed by Lender. No delay or omission on the part of Lender in exercising any right shall operate as a waiver of such right or any other right. A waiver by Lender of a provision of this Guaranty shall not prejudice or constitute a waiver of Lender's right otherwise to demand strict compliance with that provision or any other provision of this Guaranty. No prior waiver by Lender, nor any course of dealing between Lender and Guarantor, shall constitute a waiver of any of Lender's rights or of any of Guarantor's obligations as to any future transactions. Whenever the consent of Lender is required under this Guaranty, the granting of such consent by Lender in any instance shall not constitute continuing consent to subsequent instances where such consent is required and in all cases such consent may be granted or withheld in the sole discretion of Lender.
ARBITRATION. Any claim or controversy ("Claim") between the parties, whether arising in contract or tort or by statute including, but not limited to, Claims resulting from or relating to this Agreement shall, upon the request of either party, be resolved by arbitration in accordance with the Federal Arbitration Act (Title 9, US Code). Arbitration proceedings will be conducted in accordance with the rules for arbitration of financial services disputes of J.A.M.S./Endispute. The arbitration shall be conducted in any state where real or personal property collateral for the credit is located or if there is no
collateral, in the state of any Borrower's domicile at the time of the execution of this Agreement or at the commencement of any arbitration proceeding. The arbitration hearing shall commence within 90 days of the demand for arbitration and close within 90 days of commencement, and any award, which may include legal fees, shall be issued (with a brief written statement of the reasons therefore) within 30 days of the close of hearing. Any dispute concerning whether a claim is arbitrable or barred by the statute of limitations shall be determined by the arbitrator. This arbitration provision is not intended to limit the right of any party to exercise self-help remedies, to seek and obtain interim or provisional relief of any kind or to initiate judicial or non-judicial foreclosure against any real or personal property collateral.
NOTICE OF FINAL AGREEMENT. THIS WRITTEN AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS REPRESENT THE FINAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PARTIES AND MAY NOT BE CONTRADICTED BY EVIDENCE OF PRIOR, CONTEMPORANEOUS OR SUBSEQUENT ORAL AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES. THERE ARE NO UNWRITTEN ORAL AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE PARTIES.
EACH UNDERSIGNED GUARANTOR ACKNOWLEDGES HAVING READ ALL THE PROVISIONS OF THIS GUARANTY AND AGREES TO ITS TERMS. IN ADDITION, EACH GUARANTOR UNDERSTANDS THAT THIS GUARANTY IS EFFECTIVE UPON GUARANTOR'S EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF THIS GUARANTY TO LENDER AND THAT THE GUARANTY WILL CONTINUE UNTIL TERMINATED IN THE MANNER SET FORTH IN THE SECTION TITLED "DURATION OF GUARANTY." NO FORMAL ACCEPTANCE BY LENDER IS NECESSARY TO MAKE THIS GUARANTY EFFECTIVE. THIS GUARANTY IS DATED OCTOBER 24, 2000.
GUARANTOR:
X___________________________
Patrick W. Smith
STATE OF __________________________________)
)ss
COUNTY OF__________________________________)
On this day before me, the undersigned Notary Public, personally appeared Patrick W. Smith, to me known to be the individual described in and who executed the Commercial Guaranty, and acknowledged that he or she signed the Guaranty as his or her free and voluntary act and deed, for the uses and purposes therein mentioned.
Given under my hand and official seal this_______day of__________, 20____.
By___________________________ Residing at________________________________
Notary Public in and for the State of____ My commission expires__________
COMMERCIAL GUARANTY
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PRINCIPAL LOAN DATE MATURITY LOAN NO CALL COLLATERAL ACCOUNT OFFICER INITIALS 15380 Z0315 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- References in the shaded area are for Lender's use only and do not limit the applicability of this document to any particular loan or item. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
BORROWER: Taser International Incorporated LENDER: Bank of America, N.A. 7339 E. Evans Rd Ste 1 101 North First Avenue Scottsdale, AZ 85260 Phoenix, AZ 85003 GUARANTOR: Thomas P. Smith 7500 E. Deer Valley Rd Unit 15 Scottsdale, AZ 85255 ================================================================================ |
AMOUNT OF GUARANTY. The amount of this Guaranty is Unlimited.
CONTINUING UNLIMITED GUARANTY. For good and valuable consideration, Thomas P. Smith ("Guarantor") absolutely and unconditionally guarantees and promises to pay to Bank of America, N.A. ("Lender") or its order, in legal tender of the United States of America, the Indebtedness (as that term is defined below) of Taser International Incorporated ("Borrower") to Lender on the terms and conditions set forth in this Guaranty. Under this Guaranty, the liability of Guarantor is unlimited and the obligations of Guarantor are continuing.
DEFINITIONS. The following words shall have the following meanings when used in the Guaranty:
BORROWER. The word "Borrower" means Taser International Incorporated.
GUARANTOR. The word "Guarantor" means Thomas P. Smith.
GUARANTY. The word "Guaranty" means this Guaranty made by Guarantor for the benefit of Lender dated October 24, 2000.
INDEBTEDNESS. The word "Indebtedness" is used in its most comprehensive sense and means and includes any and all of Borrower's liabilities, obligations, debts, and indebtedness to Lender, now existing or hereinafter incurred or created, including, without limitation, all loans, advances, interest, costs, debts, overdraft indebtedness, credit card indebtedness, lease obligations, other obligations, and liabilities of Borrower, or any of them, and any present or future judgments against Borrower, or any of them; and whether any such indebtedness is voluntarily or involuntarily incurred, due or not due, absolute or contingent, liquidated or unliquidated, determined or undetermined; whether Borrower may be liable individually or jointly with others, or primarily or secondarily, or as guarantor or surety; whether recovery on the indebtedness may be or may become barred or unenforceable against Borrower for any reason whatsoever; and whether the indebtedness arises from transactions which may be voidable on account of infancy, insanity, ultra vires, or otherwise.
LENDER. The word "Lender" means Bank of America, N.A., its successors and assigns.
RELATED DOCUMENTS. The words "Related Documents" mean and include without limitation all promissory notes, credit agreements, loan agreements, environmental agreements, guaranties, security agreements, mortgages, deeds of trust, and all other instruments, agreements and documents, whether now or hereafter existing, executed in connection with the Indebtedness.
NATURE OF GUARANTY. Guarantor's liability under this Guaranty shall be open and continuous for so long as this Guaranty remains in force. Guarantor intends to guarantee at all times the performance and prompt payment when due, whether at maturity or earlier by reason of acceleration or otherwise, of all Indebtedness. Accordingly, no payments made upon the Indebtedness will discharge or diminish the continuing liability of Guarantor in connection with any remaining portions of the Indebtedness or any of the Indebtedness which subsequently arises or is thereafter incurred or contracted. Any married person who signs this Guaranty hereby expressly agrees that recourse under this agreement may be had against both his or her separate property and community property, whether now owned or hereafter acquired.
DURATION OF GUARANTY. This Guaranty will take effect when received by Lender without the necessity of any acceptance by Lender, or any notice to Guarantor or to Borrower, and will continue in full force until all Indebtedness incurred or contracted before receipt by Lender of any notice of revocation shall have been fully and finally paid and satisfied and all other obligations of Guarantor under this Guaranty shall have been performed in full. If Guarantor elects to revoke this Guaranty, Guarantor may only do so in writing. Guarantor's written notice of revocation must be mailed to Lender, by certified mail, at the address of Lender listed above or such other place as Lender may designate in writing. Written revocation of this Guaranty will apply only to advances or new Indebtedness created after actual receipt by Lender of Guarantor's written revocation. For this purpose and without limitation, the term "new Indebtedness" does not include Indebtedness which at the time of notice of revocation is contingent, unliquidated, undetermined or not due and which later becomes absolute, liquidated, determined or due. This Guaranty will continue to bind Guarantor for all Indebtedness incurred by Borrower or committed by Lender prior to receipt of Guarantor's written notice of revocation, including any extensions, renewals, substitutions or modifications of the Indebtedness. All renewals, extensions, substitutions, and modifications of the Indebtedness granted after Guarantor's revocation, are contemplated under this Guaranty and, specifically will not be considered to be new Indebtedness. This Guaranty shall bind the estate of Guarantor as to Indebtedness created both before and after the death or incapacity of Guarantor, regardless of Lender's actual notice of Guarantor's death. Subject to the foregoing, Guarantor's executor or administrator or other legal representative may terminate this Guaranty in the same manner in which Guarantor might have terminated it and with the same effect. Release of any other guarantor or termination of any other guaranty of the Indebtedness shall not affect the liability of Guarantor under this Guaranty. A revocation received by Lender from any one or more Guarantors shall not affect the liability of any remaining Guarantors under this Guaranty. It is anticipated that fluctuations may occur in the aggregate amount of Indebtedness covered by this Guaranty, and it is specifically acknowledged and agreed by Guarantor that reductions in the amount of Indebtedness, even to zero dollars ($0.00), prior to written revocation of this Guaranty by Guarantor shall not constitute a termination of this Guaranty. This Guaranty is binding upon Guarantor and Guarantor's heirs, successors and assigns so long as any of the guaranteed Indebtedness remains unpaid and even though the Indebtedness guaranteed may from time to time be zero dollars ($0.00).
GUARANTOR'S AUTHORIZATION TO LENDER. Guarantor authorizes Lender, either before
or after any revocation hereof, without notice or demand and without lessening
Guarantor's liability under this Guaranty, from time to time: (a) prior to
revocation as set forth above, to make one or more additional secured or
unsecured loans to Borrower, to lease equipment or other goods to Borrower, or
otherwise to extend additional credit to Borrower; (b) to alter, compromise,
renew, extend, accelerate, or otherwise change one or more times the time for
payment or other terms of the Indebtedness or any part of the Indebtedness,
including increases and decreases of the rate of interest on the Indebtedness;
extensions may be repeated and may be for longer than the original loan term;
(c) to take and hold security for the payment of this Guaranty or the
Indebtedness, and exchange, enforce, waive, subordinate, fall or decide not to
perfect, and release any such security, with or without the substitution of new
collateral; (d) to release, substitute, agree not to sue, or deal with any one
or more of Borrower's sureties, endorsers, or other guarantors on any terms or
in any manner Lender may choose; (e) to determine how, when and what application
of payments and credits shall be made on the Indebtedness; (f) to apply such
security and direct the order or manner of sale thereof, including without
limitation, any nonjudicial sale permitted by the terms of the controlling
security agreement or deed of trust, as Lender in its discretion may determine;
(g) to sell, transfer, assign, or grant participations in all or any part of the
Indebtedness; and (h) to assign or transfer this Guaranty in whole or in part.
GUARANTOR'S REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES. Guarantor represents and warrants to
Lender that (a) no representations or agreements of any kind have been made to
Guarantor which would limit or qualify in any way the terms of this Guaranty;
(b) this Guaranty is executed at Borrower's request and not at the request of
Lender; (c) Guarantor has full power, right and authority to enter into this
Guaranty; (d) the provisions of the Guaranty do not conflict with or result in a
default under any agreement or other instrument binding upon Guarantor and do
not result in a violation of any law, regulation, court decree or order
applicable to Guarantor; (e) Guarantor has not and will not, without the prior
written consent of Lender, sell, lease, assign, encumber, hypothecate, transfer,
or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of Guarantor's assets, or any
interest therein; (f) upon Lender's request, Guarantor will provide to Lender
financial and credit information in form acceptable to Lender, and all such
financial information which currently has been, and all future financial
information which will be provided to Lender is and will be true and correct in
all material respects and fairly present the financial condition of Guarantor as
of the dates the financial information is provided; (g) no material adverse
change has occurred in Guarantor's financial condition since the date of the
most recent financial statements provided to Lender and no event has occurred
which may materially adversely affect Guarantor's financial condition; (h) no
litigation, claim, investigation, administrative proceeding or similar action
(including those for unpaid taxes) against Guarantor is pending or threatened;
(i) Lender has made no representation to Guarantor as to the creditworthiness of
Borrower; and (j) Guarantor has established adequate means of obtaining from
Borrower on a continuing basis information regarding Borrower's financial
condition. Guarantor agrees to keep adequately informed from such means of any
facts, events, or circumstances which might in any way affect Guarantor's risks
under this Guaranty, and Guarantor further agrees that, absent a request for
information, Lender shall have no obligation to disclose to Guarantor any
information or documents acquired by Lender in the course of its relationship
with Borrower.
GUARANTOR'S WAIVERS. Except as prohibited by applicable law, Guarantor waives any right to require Lender (a) to continue lending money or to extend other credit to Borrower; (b) to make any presentment, protest, demand, or notice of any kind, including notice of any nonpayment of the Indebtedness or of any nonpayment related to any collateral, or notice of any action or nonaction on the part of Borrower, Lender, any surety, endorser, or other guarantor in connection with the Indebtedness or in connection with the creation of new or additional loans or obligations; (c) to resort for payment or to proceed directly or at once against any person, including Borrower or any other guarantor; (d) to proceed directly against or exhaust any collateral held by Lender from Borrower, any other guarantor, or any other person; (e) to give notice of the terms, time, and place of any public or private sale of personal property security held by Lender from Borrower or to comply with any other applicable provisions of the Uniform Commercial
Code; (f) to pursue any other remedy within Lender's power; or (g) to commit any act or omission of any kind, or at any time, with respect to any matter whatsoever.
If now or hereafter (a) Borrower shall be or become insolvent, and (b) the indebtedness shall not at all times until paid be fully secured by collateral pledged by Borrower, Guarantor hereby forever waives and relinquishes in favor of Lender and Borrower, and their respective successors, any claim or right to payment Guarantor may now have or hereafter have or acquire against Borrower, by subrogation or otherwise, so that at no time shall Guarantor be or become a "creditor" of Borrower within the meaning of 11 U.S.C. section 547(b), or any successor provision of the Federal bankruptcy laws.
Guarantor also waives any and all rights or defenses arising by reason of (a) any "one action" or "anti-deficiency" law or any other law which may prevent Lender from bringing any action, including a claim for deficiency, against Guarantor, before or after Lender's commencement or completion of any foreclosure action, either judicially or by exercise of a power of sale; (b) any election of remedies by Lender which destroys or otherwise adversely affects Guarantor's subrogation rights or Guarantor's rights to proceed against Borrower for reimbursement, including without limitation, any loss of rights Guarantor may suffer by reason of any law limiting, qualifying, or discharging the Indebtedness; (c) any disability or other defense of Borrower, of any other guarantor, or of any other person, or by reason of the cessation of Borrower's liability from any cause whatsoever, other than payment in full in legal tender, of the Indebtedness; (d) any right to claim discharge of the Indebtedness on the basis of unjustified impairment of any collateral for the Indebtedness; (e) any statute of limitations, if at any time any action or suit brought by Lender against Guarantor is commenced there is outstanding Indebtedness of Borrower to Lender which is not barred by any applicable statute of limitations; or (f) any defenses given to guarantors at law or in equity other than actual payment and performance of the Indebtedness. If payment is made by Borrower, whether voluntarily or otherwise, or by any third party, on the Indebtedness and thereafter Lender is forced to remit the amount of that payment to Borrower's trustee in bankruptcy or to any similar person under any federal or state bankruptcy law or law for the relief of debtors, the Indebtedness shall be considered unpaid for the purpose of enforcement of this Guaranty.
In addition to the waivers set forth above, Guarantor expressly waives, to the extent permitted by Arizona law, all of Guarantor's rights under sections 12-1641, 12-1642, 12-1643, 12-1644, 44-142, and 47-3605 of the Arizona Revised Statutes, and Rule 17f of the Arizona Revised Statutes Rules of Civil Procedure, as now enacted or hereafter modified, amended or replaced.
Guarantor further waives and agrees not to assert or claim at any time any deductions to the amount guaranteed under this Guaranty for any claim of setoff, counterclaim, counter demand, recoupment or similar right, whether such claim, demand or right may be asserted by the Borrower, the Guarantor, or both.
GUARANTOR'S UNDERSTANDING WITH RESPECT TO WAIVERS. Guarantor warrants and agrees that each of the waivers set forth above is made with Guarantor's full knowledge of its significance and consequences and that, under the circumstances, the waivers are reasonable and not contrary to public policy or law. If any such waiver is determined to be contrary to any applicable law or public policy, such waiver shall be effective only to the extent permitted by law or public policy.
LENDER'S RIGHT OF SETOFF. In addition to all liens upon and rights of setoff against the moneys, securities or other property of Guarantor given to Lender by law, Lender shall have, with respect to Guarantor's obligations to Lender under this Guaranty and to the extent permitted by law, a contractual security interest in and a right of setoff against, and Guarantor hereby assigns, conveys, delivers, pledges, and transfers to Lender all of Guarantor's right, title and interest in and to, all deposits, moneys, securities and other property of Guarantor now or hereafter in the possession of or on deposit with Lender, whether held in a general or special account or deposit, whether held jointly with someone else, or whether held for safekeeping or otherwise, excluding however all IRA, Keogh, and trust accounts. Every such security interest and right of setoff may be exercised without demand upon or notice to Guarantor. No security interest or right of setoff shall be deemed to have been waived by any act or conduct on the part of Lender or by any neglect to exercise such right or setoff or to enforce such security interest or by any delay in so doing. Every right of setoff and security interest shall continue in full force and effect until such right of setoff or security interest is specifically waived or released by an instrument in writing executed by Lender.
SUBORDINATION OF BORROWER'S DEBTS TO GUARANTOR. Guarantor agrees that the Indebtedness of Borrower to Lender, whether now existing or hereafter created, shall be prior to any claim that Guarantor may now have or hereafter acquire against Borrower, whether or not Borrower becomes insolvent. Guarantor hereby expressly subordinates any claim Guarantor may have against Borrower, upon any account whatsoever, to any claim that Lender may now or hereafter have against Borrower. In the event of insolvency and consequent liquidation of the assets of Borrower, through bankruptcy, by an assignment for the benefit of creditors, by voluntary liquidation, or otherwise, the assets of Borrower applicable to the payment of the claims of both Lender and Guarantor shall be paid to Lender and shall be first applied by Lender to the Indebtedness of Borrower to Lender. Guarantor does hereby assign to Lender all claims which it may have or acquire against Borrower or against any assignee or trustee in bankruptcy of Borrower; provided however, that such assignment shall be effective only for the purpose of assuring to Lender full payment in legal tender of the Indebtedness. If Lender so requests, any notes or credit agreements now or hereafter evidencing any debts or obligations of Borrower to Guarantor shall be marked with a legend that the same are subject to this Guaranty and shall be delivered to Lender. Guarantor agrees, and Lender hereby is authorized, in the name of Guarantor, from time to time to execute and file financing statements and continuation statements and to execute such other documents and to take such other actions as Lender deems necessary or appropriate to perfect, preserve and enforce its rights under this Guaranty.
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS. The following miscellaneous provisions are a part of this Guaranty:
AMENDMENTS. This Guaranty, together with any Related Documents, constitutes the entire understanding and agreement of the parties as to the matters set forth in this Guaranty. No alteration of or amendment to this Guaranty shall be effective unless given in writing and signed by the party or parties sought to be charged or bound by the alteration or amendment.
APPLICABLE LAW. This Guaranty has been delivered to Lender and accepted by Lender in the State of Arizona. If there is a lawsuit, Guarantor agrees upon Lender's request to submit to the jurisdiction of the courts of any County, State of Arizona. This Guaranty shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Arizona.
ATTORNEYS' FEES; EXPENSES. Guarantor agrees to pay upon demand all of Lender's costs and expenses, including attorneys' fees and Lender's legal expenses, incurred in connection with the enforcement of this Guaranty. Lender may pay someone else to help enforce this Guaranty, and Guarantor shall pay the costs and expenses of such enforcement. Costs and expenses include Lender's attorneys' fees and legal expenses whether or not there is a lawsuit, including attorneys' fees and legal expenses for bankruptcy proceedings (and including efforts to modify or vacate any automatic stay or injunction), appeals, and any anticipated post-judgment collection services. Guarantor also shall pay all court costs and such additional fees as may be directed by the court.
NOTICES. All notices required to be given by either party to the other under this Guaranty shall be in writing, may be sent by telefacsimile (unless otherwise required by law), and, except for revocation notices by Guarantor, shall be effective when actually delivered or when deposited with a nationally recognized overnight courier, or when deposited in the United States mail, first class postage prepaid, addressed to the party to whom the notice is to be given at the address shown above or to such other addresses as either party may designate to the other in writing. All revocation notices by Guarantor shall be in writing and shall be effective only upon delivery to Lender as provided above in the section titled "DURATION OF GUARANTY." If there is more than one Guarantor, notice to any Guarantor will constitute notice to all Guarantors. For notice purposes, Guarantor agrees to keep Lender informed at all times of Guarantor's current address.
INTERPRETATION. In all cases where there is more than one Borrower or Guarantor, then all words used in this Guaranty in the singular shall be deemed to have been used in the plural where the context and construction so require; and where there is more than one Borrower named in this Guaranty or when this Guaranty is executed by more than one Guarantor, the words "Borrower" and "Guarantor" respectively shall mean all and any one or more of them. The words "Guarantor," "Borrower," and "Lender" include the heirs, successors, assigns, and transferees of each of them. Caption headings in this Guaranty are for convenience purposes only and are not to be used to interpret or define the provisions of this Guaranty. If a court of competent jurisdiction finds any provision of this Guaranty to be invalid or unenforceable as to any person or circumstance, such finding shall not render that provision invalid or unenforceable as to any other persons or circumstances, and all provisions of this Guaranty in all other respects shall remain valid and enforceable. If any one or more of Borrower or Guarantor are corporations or partnerships, it is not necessary for Lender to inquire into the powers of Borrower or Guarantor or of the officers, directors, partners, or agents acting or purporting to act on their behalf, and any Indebtedness made or created in reliance upon the professed exercise of such powers shall be guaranteed under this Guaranty.
WAIVER. Lender shall not be deemed to have waived any rights under this Guaranty unless such waiver is given in writing and signed by Lender. No delay or omission on the part of Lender in exercising any right shall operate as a waiver of such right or any other right. A waiver by Lender of a provision of this Guaranty shall not prejudice or constitute a waiver of Lender's right otherwise to demand strict compliance with that provision or any other provision of this Guaranty. No prior waiver by Lender, nor any course of dealing between Lender and Guarantor, shall constitute a waiver of any of Lender's rights or of any of Guarantor's obligations as to any future transactions. Whenever the consent of Lender is required under this Guaranty, the granting of such consent by Lender in any instance shall not constitute continuing consent to subsequent instances where such consent is required and in all cases such consent may be granted or withheld in the sole discretion of Lender.
ARBITRATION. Any claim or controversy ("Claim") between the parties, whether arising in contract or tort or by statute including, but not limited to, Claims resulting from or relating to this Agreement shall, upon the request of either party, be resolved by arbitration in accordance with the Federal Arbitration Act (Title 9, US Code). Arbitration proceedings will be conducted in accordance with the rules for arbitration of financial services disputes of J.A.M.S./Endispute. The arbitration shall be conducted in any state where real or personal property collateral for the credit is located or if there is no
collateral, in the state of any Borrower's domicile at the time of the execution of this Agreement or at the commencement of any arbitration proceeding. The arbitration hearing shall commence within 90 days of the demand for arbitration and close within 90 days of commencement, and any award, which may include legal fees, shall be issued (with a brief written statement of the reasons therefore) within 30 days of the close of hearing. Any dispute concerning whether a claim is arbitrable or barred by the statute of limitations shall be determined by the arbitrator. This arbitration provision is not intended to limit the right of any party to exercise self-help remedies, to seek and obtain interim or provisional relief of any kind or to initiate judicial or non-judicial foreclosure against any real or personal property collateral.
NOTICE OF FINAL AGREEMENT. THIS WRITTEN AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS REPRESENT THE FINAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PARTIES AND MAY NOT BE CONTRADICTED BY EVIDENCE OF PRIOR, CONTEMPORANEOUS OR SUBSEQUENT ORAL AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES. THERE ARE NO UNWRITTEN ORAL AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE PARTIES.
EACH UNDERSIGNED GUARANTOR ACKNOWLEDGES HAVING READ ALL THE PROVISIONS OF THIS GUARANTY AND AGREES TO ITS TERMS. IN ADDITION, EACH GUARANTOR UNDERSTANDS THAT THIS GUARANTY IS EFFECTIVE UPON GUARANTOR'S EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF THIS GUARANTY TO LENDER AND THAT THE GUARANTY WILL CONTINUE UNTIL TERMINATED IN THE MANNER SET FORTH IN THE SECTION TITLED "DURATION OF GUARANTY." NO FORMAL ACCEPTANCE BY LENDER IS NECESSARY TO MAKE THIS GUARANTY EFFECTIVE. THIS GUARANTY IS DATED OCTOBER 24, 2000.
GUARANTOR:
X ______________________________________
THOMAS P. SMITH
STATE OF ______________________________)
) SS
COUNTY OF _____________________________)
On this day before me, the undersigned Notary Public, personally appeared Thomas P. Smith, to me known to be the individual described in and who executed the Commercial Guaranty, and acknowledged that he or she signed the Guaranty as his or her free and voluntary act and deed, for the uses and purposes therein mentioned.
GIVEN UNDER MY HAND AND OFFICIAL SEAL THIS ____________ DAY OF ________________,
20______.
BY __________________________________ RESIDING AT ______________________________
NOTARY PUBLIC IN AND FOR THE STATE OF __________________________
MY COMMISSION EXPIRES __________________________
[Bank of America Logo]
COMMERCIAL SECURITY AGREEMENT
PRINCIPAL LOAN DATE MATURITY LOAN NO CALL COLLATERAL ACCOUNT OFFICER INITIALS $60,000.00 10-24-2000 01-24-2001 NEW 15380 Z0315 |
References in the shaded area are for Lender's use only and do not limit the applicability of this document to any particular loan or item.
Borrower: Taser International Incorporated Lender: Bank of America, N.A. 7339 E. Evans Rd Ste 1 101 North First Avenue Scottsdale, AZ 85260 Phoenix, AZ 85003 |
THIS COMMERCIAL SECURITY AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO BETWEEN TASER INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATED (REFERRED TO BELOW AS "GRANTOR"); AND BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. (REFERRED TO BELOW AS "LENDER"). FOR VALUABLE CONSIDERATION, GRANTOR GRANTS TO LENDER A SECURITY INTEREST IN THE COLLATERAL TO SECURE THE INDEBTEDNESS AND AGREES THAT LENDER SHALL HAVE THE RIGHTS STATED IN THIS AGREEMENT WITH RESPECT TO THE COLLATERAL, IN ADDITION TO ALL OTHER RIGHTS WHICH LENDER MAY HAVE BY LAW.
DEFINITIONS. The following words shall have the following meanings when used in this Agreement. Terms not otherwise defined in this Agreement shall have the meanings attributed to such terms in the Uniform Commercial Code. All references to dollar amounts shall mean amounts in lawful money of the United States of America.
AGREEMENT. The word "Agreement" means this Commercial Security Agreement, as this Commercial Security Agreement may be amended or modified from time to time, together with all exhibits and schedules attached to this Commercial Security Agreement from time to time.
COLLATERAL. The word "Collateral" means the following described property of Grantor, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, whether now existing or hereafter arising, and wherever located:
ALL EQUIPMENT
In addition, the word "Collateral" includes all the following, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, whether now existing or hereafter arising, and wherever located:
(a) All attachments, accessions, accessories, tools, parts, supplies, increases, and additions to and all replacements of and substitutions for any property described above.
(b) All products and produce of any of the property described in this Collateral section.
(c) All accounts, general intangibles, instruments, rents, monies, payments, and all other rights, arising out of a sale, lease, or other disposition of any of the property described in this Collateral section.
(d) All proceeds (including insurance proceeds) from the sale, destruction, loss, or other disposition of any of the property described in this Collateral section.
(e) All records and data relating to any of the property described in this Collateral section, whether in the form of a writing, photograph, microfilm, microfiche, or electronic media, together with all of Grantor's right, title, and interest in and to all computer software required to utilize, create, maintain, and process any such records or data on electronic media.
EVENT OF DEFAULT. The words "Event of Default" mean and include without limitation any of the Events of Default set forth below in the section titled "Events of Default."
GRANTOR. The word "Grantor" means Taser International Incorporated, its successors and assigns.
GUARANTOR. The word "Guarantor" means and includes without limitation each and all of the guarantors, sureties, and accommodation parties in connection with the Indebtedness.
INDEBTEDNESS. The word "Indebtedness" means the indebtedness evidenced by the Note, including all principal and interest, together with all other indebtedness and costs and expenses for which Grantor is responsible under this Agreement or under any of the Related Documents. In addition, the word "Indebtedness" includes all other obligations, debts and liabilities, plus interest thereon, of Grantor, or any one or more of them, to Lender, as well as all claims by Lender against Grantor, or any one or more of them, whether existing now or later; whether they are voluntary or involuntary, due or not due, direct or indirect, absolute or contingent, liquidated or unliquidated; whether Grantor may be liable individually or jointly with others; whether Grantor may be obligated as guarantor, surety, accommodation party or otherwise; whether recovery upon such indebtedness may be or hereafter may become barred by any statute of limitations; and whether such indebtedness may be or hereafter may become otherwise unenforceable.
LENDER. The word "Lender" means Bank of America, N.A., its successors and assigns.
NOTE. The word "Note" means the note or credit agreement dated October 24, 2000, in the principal amount of $60,000.00 from Taser International Incorporated to Lender, together with all renewals of, extensions of, modifications of, refinancings of, consolidations of and substitutions for the note or credit agreement.
RELATED DOCUMENTS. The words "Related Documents" mean and include without limitation all promissory notes, credit agreements, loan agreements, environmental agreements, guaranties, security agreements, mortgages, deeds of trust, and all other instruments, agreements and documents, whether now or hereafter existing, executed in connection with the Indebtedness.
RIGHT OF SETOFF. Grantor hereby grants Lender a contractual security interest in and hereby assigns, conveys, delivers, pledges, and transfers all of Grantor's right, title and interest in and to Grantor's accounts with Lender (whether checking, savings, or some other account), including all accounts held jointly with someone else and all accounts Grantor may open in the future, excluding, however, all IRA and Keogh accounts, and all trust accounts for which the grant of a security interest would be prohibited by law. Grantor authorizes Lender, to the extent permitted by applicable law, to charge or setoff all indebtedness against any and all such accounts.
OBLIGATIONS OF GRANTOR. Grantor warrants and covenants to Lender as follows:
ORGANIZATION. Grantor is a corporation which is duly organized, validly existing, and in good standing under the laws of the State of Arizona.
AUTHORIZATION. The execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement by Grantor have been duly authorized by all necessary action by Grantor and do not conflict with, result in a violation of, or constitute a default under (a) any provision of its articles of incorporation or organization, or bylaws, or any agreement or other instrument binding upon Grantor or (b) any law, governmental regulation, court decree, or order applicable to Grantor.
PERFECTION OF SECURITY INTEREST. Grantor agrees to execute such financing
statements and to take whatever other actions are requested by Lender to perfect
and continue Lender's security interest in the Collateral. Upon request of
Lender, Grantor will deliver to Lender any and all of the documents evidencing
or constituting the Collateral, and Grantor will note Lender's interest upon any
and all chattel paper if not delivered to Lender for possession by Lender.
Grantor hereby appoints Lender as its irrevocable attorney-in-fact for the
purpose of executing any documents necessary to perfect or to continue the
security interest granted in this Agreement. Lender may at any time, and without
further authorization from Grantor, file a carbon, photographic or other
reproduction of any financing statement or of this Agreement for use as a
financing statement. Grantor will reimburse Lender for all expenses for the
perfection and the continuation of the perfection of Lender's security interest
in the Collateral. Grantor promptly will notify Lender before any change in
Grantor's name including any change to the assumed business names of Grantor.
THIS IS A CONTINUING SECURITY AGREEMENT AND WILL CONTINUE IN EFFECT EVEN THOUGH
ALL OR ANY PART OF THE INDEBTEDNESS IS PAID IN FULL AND EVEN THOUGH FOR A PERIOD
OF TIME GRANTOR MAY NOT BE INDEBTED TO LENDER.
NO VIOLATION. The execution and delivery of this Agreement will not violate any law or agreement governing Grantor or to which Grantor is a party, and its certificate or articles of incorporation and bylaws do not prohibit any term or condition or this Agreement.
ENFORCEABILITY OF COLLATERAL. To the extent the Collateral consists of accounts, chattel paper, or general intangibles, the Collateral is enforceable in accordance with its terms, is genuine, and complies with applicable laws concerning form, content and manner of preparation and execution, and all persons appearing to be obligated on the Collateral have authority and capacity to contract and are in fact obligated as they appear to be on the Collateral.
REMOVAL OF COLLATERAL. Grantor shall keep the Collateral (or to the extent the Collateral consists of intangible property such as accounts, the records concerning the Collateral) at Grantor's address shown above, or at such other locations as are acceptable to Lender. Except in the ordinary course of its business, including the sales of inventory, Grantor shall not remove the Collateral from its existing locations without the prior written consent of Lender. To the extent that the Collateral consists of vehicles, or other titled property, Grantor shall not take or permit any action which would require application for certificates of title for the vehicles outside the State of Arizona, without the prior written consent of Lender.
TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING COLLATERAL. Except for inventory sold or accounts collected in the ordinary course of Grantor's business, Grantor shall not sell, offer to sell, or otherwise transfer or dispose of the Collateral. Grantor shall not pledge, mortgage, encumber or otherwise permit the Collateral to be subject to any lien, security interest, encumbrance, or charge, other than the security interest provided for in this Agreement, without the prior written consent of Lender. This includes security interests even if junior in right to the security interests granted under this Agreement. Unless waived by Lender, all proceeds from any disposition of the Collateral (for whatever reason) shall be held in trust for Lender and shall not be commingled with any other funds; provided however, this requirement shall not constitute consent by Lender to any sale or other disposition. Upon receipt, Grantor shall immediately deliver any such proceeds to Lender.
TITLE. Grantor represents and warrants to Lender that it holds good and marketable title to the Collateral, free and clear of all liens and encumbrances except for the lien of this Agreement. No financing statement covering any of the Collateral is on file in any public office other than those which reflect the security interest created by this Agreement or to which Lender has specifically consented. Grantor shall defend Lender's rights in the Collateral against the claims and demands of all other persons.
COLLATERAL SCHEDULES AND LOCATIONS. Insofar as the Collateral consists of equipment, Grantor shall deliver to Lender, as often as Lender shall require, such lists, descriptions, and designations of such Collateral as Lender may require to identify the nature, extent, and location of such Collateral. Such information shall be submitted for Grantor and each of its subsidiaries or related companies.
MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION OF COLLATERAL. Grantor shall maintain all tangible Collateral in good condition and repair. Grantor will not commit or permit damage to or destruction of the Collateral or any part of the Collateral. Lender and its designated representatives and agents shall have the right at all reasonable times to examine, inspect, and audit the Collateral wherever located. Grantor shall immediately notify Lender of all cases involving the return, rejection, repossession, loss or damage of or to any Collateral; of any request for credit or adjustment or of any other dispute arising with respect to the Collateral; and generally of all happenings and events affecting the Collateral or the value or the amount of the Collateral.
TAXES, ASSESSMENTS AND LIENS. Grantor will pay when due all taxes, assessments and liens upon the Collateral, its use or operation, upon this Agreement, upon any promissory note or notes evidencing the Indebtedness, or upon any of the other Related Documents. Grantor may withhold any such payment or may elect to contest any lien if Grantor is in good faith conducting an appropriate proceeding to contest the obligation to pay and so long as Lender's interest in the Collateral is not jeopardized in Lender's sole opinion. If the Collateral is subjected to a lien which is not discharged within fifteen (15) days, Grantor shall deposit with Lender cash, a sufficient corporate surety bond or other security satisfactory to Lender in an amount adequate to provide for the discharge of the lien plus any interest, costs, attorneys' fees or other charges that could accrue as a result of foreclosure or sale of the Collateral. In any contest Grantor shall defend itself and Lender and shall satisfy any final adverse judgment before enforcement against the Collateral. Grantor shall name Lender as an additional obligee under any surety bond furnished in the contest proceedings.
COMPLIANCE WITH GOVERNMENTAL REQUIREMENTS. Grantor shall comply promptly with all laws, ordinances, rules and regulations of all governmental authorities, now or hereafter in effect, applicable to the ownership, production, disposition, or use of the Collateral. Grantor may contest in good faith any such law, ordinance or regulation and withhold compliance during any proceeding, including appropriate appeals, so long as Lender's interest in the Collateral, in Lender's opinion, is not jeopardized.
HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES. Grantor represents and warrants that the Collateral never has been, and never will be so long as this Agreement remains a lien on the Collateral, used for the generation, manufacture, storage, transportation, treatment, disposal, release or threatened release of any hazardous waste or substance, as those terms are defined in the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended, 42 U.S.C. Section 9601, et seq. ("CERCLA"), the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986, Pub. L. No. 99-499 ("SARA"), the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act, 49 U.S.C. Section 1801, et seq., the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, 42 U.S.C. Section 6901, et seq., or other applicable state or Federal laws, rules, or regulations adopted pursuant to any of the foregoing. The terms "hazardous waste" and "hazardous substance" shall also include, without limitation, petroleum and petroleum by-products or any fraction thereof and asbestos. The representations and warranties contained herein are based on Grantor's due diligence in investigating the Collateral for hazardous wastes and substances. Grantor hereby (a) releases and waives any future claims against Lender for indemnity or contribution in the event Grantor becomes liable for cleanup or other costs under any such laws, and (b) agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Lender against any and all claims and losses resulting from a breach of this provision of this Agreement. This obligation to indemnify shall survive the payment of the Indebtedness and the satisfaction of this Agreement.
MAINTENANCE OF CASUALTY INSURANCE. Grantor shall procure and maintain all risks insurance, including without limitation fire, theft and liability coverage together with such other insurance as Lender may require with respect to the Collateral, in form, amounts, coverages and basis reasonably acceptable to Lender and issued by a company or companies reasonably acceptable to Lender. Grantor, upon request of Lender, will deliver to Lender from time to time the policies or certificates of insurance in form satisfactory to Lender, including stipulations that coverages will not be cancelled or diminished without at least thirty (30) days' prior written notice to Lender and not including any disclaimer of the insurer's liability for failure to give such a notice. Each insurance policy also shall include an endorsement providing that coverage in favor of Lender will not be impaired in any way by any act, omission or default of Grantor or any other person. In connection with all policies covering assets in which Lender holds or is offered a security interest, Grantor will provide Lender with such loss payable or other endorsements as Lender may require. In no event shall the insurance be in an amount less than the amount agreed upon in the Agreement to Provide Insurance. If Grantor at any time fails to obtain or maintain any insurance as required under this Agreement, Lender may (but shall not be obligated to) obtain such insurance as Lender deems appropriate, including if it so chooses "single interest insurance," which will cover only Lender's interest in the Collateral.
APPLICATION OF INSURANCE PROCEEDS. Grantor shall promptly notify Lender of any loss or damage to the Collateral. Lender may make proof of loss if Grantor fails to do so within fifteen (15) days of the casualty. All proceeds of any insurance on the Collateral, including accrued proceeds thereon, shall be held by Lender as part of the Collateral. If Lender consents to repair or replacement of the damaged or destroyed Collateral, Lender shall, upon satisfactory proof of expenditure, pay or reimburse Grantor from the proceeds for the reasonable cost of repair or restoration. If Lender does not consent to repair or replacement of the Collateral, Lender shall retain a sufficient amount of the proceeds to pay all of the Indebtedness, and shall pay the balance to Grantor. Any proceeds which have not been disbursed within six (6) months after their receipt and which Grantor has not committed to the repair or restoration of the Collateral shall be used to prepay the Indebtedness.
INSURANCE RESERVES. Lender may require Grantor to maintain with Lender reserves for payment of insurance premiums, which reserves shall be created by monthly payments from Grantor of a sum estimated by Lender to be sufficient to produce, at least fifteen (15) days before the premium due date, amounts at least equal to the insurance premiums, to be paid. If fifteen (15) days before payment is due, the reserve funds are insufficient, Grantor shall upon demand pay any deficiency to Lender. The reserve funds shall be held by Lender as a general deposit and shall constitute a non-interest-bearing account which Lender may satisfy by payment of the insurance premiums required to be paid by Grantor as they become due. Lender does not hold the reserve funds in trust for Grantor, and Lender is not the agent of Grantor for payment of the insurance premiums required to be paid by Grantor. The responsibility for the payment of premiums shall remain Grantor's sole responsibility.
INSURANCE REPORTS. Grantor, upon request of Lender, shall furnish to Lender
reports on each existing policy of insurance showing such information as
Lender may reasonably request including the following: (a) the name of the
insurer; (b) the risks insured; (c) the amount of the policy; (d) the
property insured; (e) the then current value on the basis of which
insurance has been obtained and the manner of determining that value; and
(f) the expiration date of the policy. In addition, Grantor shall upon
request by Lender (however not more often than annually) have an
independent appraiser satisfactory to Lender determine, as applicable, the
cash value or replacement cost of the Collateral.
GRANTOR'S RIGHT TO POSSESSION. Until default, Grantor may have possession of the tangible personal property and beneficial use of all the Collateral and may use it in any lawful manner not inconsistent with this Agreement or the Related Documents, provided that Grantor's right to possession and beneficial use shall not apply to any Collateral where possession of the Collateral by Lender is required by law to perfect Lender's security interest in such Collateral. If Lender at any time has possession of any Collateral, whether before or after an Event of Default, Lender shall be deemed to have exercised reasonable care in the custody and preservation of the Collateral if Lender takes such action for that purpose as Grantor shall request or as Lender, in Lender's sole discretion, shall deem appropriate under the circumstances, but failure to honor any request by Grantor shall not of itself be deemed to be a failure to exercise reasonable care. Lender shall not be required to take any steps necessary to preserve any rights in the Collateral against prior parties, nor to protect, preserve or maintain any security interest given to secure the Indebtedness.
EXPENDITURES BY LENDER. If not discharged or paid when due, Lender may (but
shall not be obligated to) discharge or pay any amounts required to be
discharged or paid by Grantor under this Agreement including without limitation
all taxes, liens, security interests, encumbrances, and other claims, at any
time levied or placed on the Collateral. Lender also may (but shall not be
obligated to) pay all costs for insuring, maintaining and preserving the
Collateral. All such expenditures incurred or paid by Lender for such purposes
will then bear interest at the rate charged under the Note from the date
incurred or paid by Lender to the date of repayment by Grantor. All such
expenses shall become a part of the Indebtedness and, at Lender's option, will
(a) be payable on demand, (b) be added to the balance of the Note and be
apportioned among and be payable with any installment payments to become due
during either (i) the term of any applicable insurance policy or (ii) the
remaining term of the Note, or (c) be treated as a balloon payment which will
be due and payable at the Note's maturity. This Agreement also will secure
payment of these amounts. Such right shall be in addition to all other rights
and remedies to which Lender may be entitled upon the occurrence of an Event of
Default.
EVENTS OF DEFAULT. Each of the following shall constitute an Event of Default under this Agreement:
DEFAULT ON INDEBTEDNESS. Failure of Grantor to make any payment when due on the Indebtedness.
OTHER DEFAULTS. Failure of Grantor to comply with or to perform any other term, obligation, covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any of the Related Documents or in any other agreement between Lender and Grantor.
FALSE STATEMENTS. Any warranty, representation or statement made or furnished to Lender by or on behalf of Grantor under this Agreement, the Note or the Related Documents is false or misleading in any material respect, either now or at the time made or furnished.
DEFECTIVE COLLATERALIZATION. This Agreement or any of the Related Documents ceases to be in full force and effect (including failure of any collateral documents to create a valid and perfected security interest or lien) at any time and for any reason.
INSOLVENCY. The dissolution or termination of Grantor's existence as a going business, the insolvency of Grantor, the appointment of a receiver for any part of Grantor's property, any assignment for the benefit of creditors, any type of creditor workout, or the commencement of any proceeding under any bankruptcy or insolvency laws by or against Grantor.
CREDITOR OR FORFEITURE PROCEEDINGS. Commencement of foreclosure or forfeiture proceedings, whether by judicial proceeding, self-help, repossession or any other method, by any creditor of Grantor or by any governmental agency against the Collateral or any other collateral securing the Indebtedness. This includes a garnishment of any of Grantor's deposit accounts with Lender.
EVENTS AFFECTING GUARANTOR. Any of the preceding events occurs with respect to any Guarantor of any of the Indebtedness or such Guarantor dies or becomes incompetent.
ADVERSE CHANGE. A material adverse change occurs in Grantor's financial condition, or Lender believes the prospect of payment or performance of the Indebtedness is impaired.
INSECURITY. Lender, in good faith, deems itself insecure.
ACCELERATE INDEBTEDNESS. Lender may declare the entire Indebtedness, including any prepayment penalty which Grantor would be required to pay, immediately due and payable, without notice.
ASSEMBLE COLLATERAL. Lender may require Grantor to deliver to Lender all or any portion of the Collateral and any and all certificates of title and other documents relating to the Collateral. Lender may require Grantor to assemble the Collateral and make it available to Lender at a place to be designated by Lender. Lender also shall have full power to enter upon the property of Grantor to take possession of and remove the Collateral. If the Collateral contains other goods not covered by this Agreement at the time of repossession, Grantor agrees Lender may take such other goods, provided that Lender makes reasonable efforts to return them to Grantor after repossession.
SELL THE COLLATERAL. Lender shall have full power to sell, lease, transfer, or otherwise deal with the Collateral or proceeds thereof in its own name or that of Grantor. Lender may sell the Collateral at public auction or private sale. Unless the Collateral threatens to decline speedily in value or is of a type customarily sold on a recognized market, Lender will give Grantor reasonable notice of the time after which any private sale or any other intended disposition of the Collateral is to be made. The requirements of reasonable notice shall be met if such notice is given at least ten (10) days before the time of the sale or disposition. All expenses relating to the disposition of the Collateral, including without limitation the expenses of retaking, holding, insuring, preparing for sale and selling the Collateral, shall become a part of the Indebtedness secured by this Agreement and shall be payable on demand, with interest at the Note rate from date of expenditure until repaid.
APPOINT RECEIVER. To the extent permitted by applicable law, Lender shall
have the following rights and remedies regarding the appointment of a
receiver: (a) Lender may have a receiver appointed as a matter of right,
(b) the receiver may be an employee of Lender and may serve without bond,
and (c) all fees of the receiver and his or her attorney shall become part
of the Indebtedness secured by this Agreement and shall be payable on
demand, with interest at the Note rate from date of expenditure until
repaid.
COLLECT REVENUES, APPLY ACCOUNTS. Lender, either itself or through a receiver, may collect the payments, rents, income, and revenues from the Collateral. Lender may at any time in its discretion transfer any Collateral into its own name or that of its nominee and receive the payments, rents, income, and revenues therefrom and hold the same as security for the Indebtedness or apply it to payment of the Indebtedness in such order of preference as Lender may determine. Insofar as the Collateral consists of accounts, general intangibles, insurance policies, instruments, chattel paper, choses in action, or similar property, Lender may demand, collect, receipt for, settle, compromise, adjust, sue for, foreclose, or realize on the Collateral as Lender may determine, whether or not Indebtedness or Collateral is then due. For these purposes, Lender may, on behalf of and in the name of Grantor, receive, open and dispose of mail addressed to Grantor; change any address to which mail and payments are to be sent; and endorse notes, checks, drafts, money orders, documents of title, instruments and items pertaining to payment, shipment, or storage of any Collateral. To facilitate collection, Lender may notify account debtors and obligors on any Collateral to make payments directly to Lender.
OBTAIN DEFICIENCY. If Lender chooses to sell any or all of the Collateral, Lender may obtain a judgment against Grantor for any deficiency remaining on the Indebtedness due to Lender after application of all amounts received from the exercise of the rights provided in this Agreement. Grantor shall be liable for a deficiency even if the transaction described in this subsection is a sale of accounts or chattel paper.
OTHER RIGHTS AND REMEDIES. Lender shall have all the rights and remedies of a secured creditor under the provisions of the Uniform Commercial Code, as may be amended from time to time. In addition, Lender shall have and may exercise any or all other rights and remedies it may have available at law, in equity, or otherwise.
CUMULATIVE REMEDIES. All of Lender's rights and remedies, whether evidenced by this Agreement or the Related Documents or by any other writing, shall be cumulative and may be exercised singularly or concurrently. Election by Lender to pursue any remedy shall not exclude pursuit of any other remedy, and an election to make expenditures or to take action to perform and obligation of Grantor under this Agreement, after Grantor's failure to perform, shall not affect Lender's right to declare a default and to exercise its remedies.
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS. The following miscellaneous provisions are a part of this Agreement:
AMENDMENTS. This Agreement, together with any Related Documents, constitutes the entire understanding and agreement of the parties as to the matters set forth in this Agreement. No alteration of or amendment to this Agreement shall be effective unless given in writing and signed by the party or parties sought to be charged or bound by the alteration or amendment.
APPLICABLE LAW. This Agreement has been delivered to Lender and accepted by Lender in the State of Arizona. If there is a lawsuit, Grantor agrees upon Lender's request to submit to the jurisdiction of the courts of any County, the State of Arizona. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Arizona.
ATTORNEYS' FEES; EXPENSES. Grantor agrees to pay upon demand all of Lender's costs and expenses, including attorneys' fees and Lender's legal expenses, incurred in connection with the enforcement of this Agreement. Lender may pay someone else to help enforce this Agreement, and Grantor shall pay the costs and expenses of such enforcement. Costs and expenses include Lender's attorneys' fees and legal expenses whether or not there is a lawsuit, including attorneys' fees and legal expenses for bankruptcy proceedings (and including efforts to modify or vacate any automatic stay or injunction), appeals, and any anticipated post-judgment collection services. Grantor also shall pay all court costs and such additional fees as may be directed by the court.
CAPTION HEADINGS. Caption headings in this Agreement are for convenience purposes only and are not to be used to interpret or define the provisions of this Agreement.
MULTIPLE PARTIES; CORPORATE AUTHORITY. All obligations of Grantor under this Agreement shall be joint and several, and all references to Grantor shall mean each and every Grantor. This means that each of the persons signing below is responsible for all obligations in this Agreement.
NOTICES. All notices required to be given under this Agreement shall be given in writing, may be sent by telefacsimile (unless otherwise required by law), and shall be effective when actually delivered or when deposited with a nationally recognized overnight courier or deposited in the United States mail, first class, postage prepaid, addressed to the party to whom the notice is to be given at the address shown above. Any party may change its address for notices under this Agreement by giving formal written notice to the other parties, specifying that the purpose of the notice is to change the party's address. To the extent permitted by applicable law, if there is more than one Grantor, notice to any Grantor will constitute notice to all Grantors. For notice purposes, Grantor will keep Lender informed at all times of Grantor's current address(es).
POWER OF ATTORNEY. Grantor hereby appoints Lender as its true and lawful attorney-in-fact, irrevocably, with full power of substitution to do the following: (a) to demand, collect, receive, receipt for, sue and recover all sums of money or other property which may now or hereafter become due, owing or payable from the Collateral; (b) to execute, sign and endorse any and all claims, instruments, receipts, checks, drafts or warrants issued in payment for the Collateral; (c) to settle or compromise any and all claims arising under the
Collateral, and, in the place and stead of Grantor, to execute and deliver its release and settlement for the claim; and (d) to file any claim or claims or to take any action or institute or take part in any proceedings, either in its own name or in the name of Grantor, or otherwise, which in the discretion of Lender may seem to be necessary or advisable. This power is given as security for the Indebtedness, and the authority hereby conferred is and shall be irrevocable and shall remain in full force and effect until renounced by Lender.
SEVERABILITY. If a court of competent jurisdiction finds any provision of this Agreement to be invalid or unenforceable as to any person or circumstance, such finding shall not render that provision invalid or unenforceable as to any other persons or circumstances. If feasible, any such offending provision shall be deemed to be modified to be within the limits of enforceability or validity; however, if the offending provision cannot be so modified, it shall be stricken and all other provisions of this Agreement in all other respects shall remain valid and enforceable.
SUCCESSOR INTERESTS. Subject to the limitations set forth above on transfer of the Collateral, this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties, their successors and assigns.
TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE. Time is of the essence in the performance of this Agreement.
WAIVER. Lender shall not be deemed to have waived any rights under this Agreement unless such waiver is given in writing and signed by Lender. No delay or omission on the part of Lender in exercising any right shall operate as a waiver of such right or any other right. A waiver by Lender of a provision of this Agreement shall not prejudice or constitute a waiver of Lender's right otherwise to demand strict compliance with that provision or any other provision of this Agreement. No prior waiver by Lender, nor any course of dealing between Lender and Grantor, shall constitute a waiver of any of Lender's rights or of any of Grantor's obligations as to any future transactions. Whenever the consent of Lender is required under this Agreement, the granting of such consent by Lender in any instance shall not constitute continuing consent to subsequent instances where such consent is required and in all cases such consent may be granted or withheld in the sole discretion of Lender.
ARBITRATION. Any claim or controversy ("Claim") between the parties, whether arising in contract or tort or by statute including, but not limited to, Claims resulting from or relating to this Agreement shall, upon the request of either party, be resolved by arbitration in accordance with the Federal Arbitration Act (Title 9, US Code). Arbitration proceedings will be conducted in accordance with the rules for arbitration of financial services disputes of J.A.M.S./Endispute. The arbitration shall be conducted in any state where real or personal property collateral for the credit is located or if there is no collateral, in the state of any Borrower's domicile at the time of the execution of this Agreement or at the commencement of any arbitration proceeding. The arbitration hearing shall commence within 90 days of the demand for arbitration and close within 90 days of commencement, and any award, which may include legal fees, shall be issued (with a brief written statement of the reasons therefore) within 30 days of the close of hearing. Any dispute concerning whether a claim is arbitrable or barred by the statute of limitations shall be determined by the arbitrator. This arbitration provision is not intended to limit the right of any party to exercise self-help remedies, to seek and obtain interim or provisional relief of any kind or to initiate judicial or non-judicial foreclosure against any real or personal property collateral.
NOTICE OF FINAL AGREEMENT. THIS WRITTEN AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS REPRESENT THE FINAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PARTIES AND MAY NOT BE CONTRADICTED BY EVIDENCE OF PRIOR, CONTEMPORANEOUS OR SUBSEQUENT ORAL AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES. THERE ARE NO UNWRITTEN ORAL AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE PARTIES.
GRANTOR ACKNOWLEDGES HAVING READ ALL THE PROVISIONS OF THIS COMMERCIAL SECURITY AGREEMENT, AND GRANTOR AGREES TO ITS TERMS. THIS AGREEMENT IS DATED OCTOBER 24, 2000.
GRANTOR:
TASER INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATED
PATRICK W. SMITH, PRESIDENT
THIS SPACE FOR USE OF FILING OFFICER FINANCING STATEMENT - FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY This Financing Statement is presented for filing pursuant to the Uniform Commercial Code and will remain effective, with certain exceptions, for 5 years from date of filing. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A. NAME & TEL. # OF CONTACT AT FILER (optional) B. FILING OFFICE ACCT.# (optional) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- C. RETURN COPY TO: (Name and Mailing Address) [ ] BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. P.O. BOX 830632 DALLAS, TX 75283-0632 [ ] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- D. OPTIONAL DESIGNATION (if applicable): / / LESSOR/LESSEE / / CONSIGNOR/CONSIGNEE / / NON-UCC FILING ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. DEBTOR'S EXACT FULL LEGAL NAME - Insert only one debtor name (1a or 1b) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1a. ENTITY'S NAME TASER INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATED OR --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1b. INDIVIDUAL'S LAST NAME FIRST NAME MIDDLE NAME SUFFIX ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1c. MAILING ADDRESS CITY STATE COUNTRY POSTAL CODE 7339 E. EVANS RD STE 1 SCOTTSDALE AZ 85260 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1d. S.S. OR TAX I.D.# OPTIONAL 1e. TYPE OF ENTITY 1f. ENTITY'S STATE 1g. ENTITY'S ORGANIZATIONAL I.D.#, if any 860741227 ADD'NL INFO RE OR COUNTRY OF ENTITY DEBTOR ORGANIZATION / / NONE ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2. ADDITIONAL DEBTOR'S EXACT FULL LEGAL NAME - Insert only one debtor name (2a or 2b) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2a. ENTITY'S NAME OR --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2b. INDIVIDUAL'S LAST NAME FIRST NAME MIDDLE NAME SUFFIX ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2c. MAILING ADDRESS CITY STATE COUNTRY POSTAL CODE ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2d. S.S. OR TAX I.D.# OPTIONAL 2e. TYPE OF ENTITY 2f. ENTITY'S STATE 2g. ENTITY'S ORGANIZATIONAL I.D.#, if any ADD'NL INFO RE OR COUNTRY OF ENTITY DEBTOR ORGANIZATION / / NONE ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. SECURED PARTY'S (ORIGINAL S/P or ITS TOTAL ASSIGNEE) EXACT FULL LEGAL NAME - Insert only one secured party name (3a or 3b) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3a. ENTITY'S NAME BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. OR --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3b. INDIVIDUAL'S LAST NAME FIRST NAME MIDDLE NAME SUFFIX ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3c. MAILING ADDRESS CITY STATE COUNTRY POSTAL CODE 101 NORTH FIRST AVENUE PHOENIX AZ 85003 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4. This FINANCING STATEMENT covers the following types or items of property: ALL EQUIPMENT; WHETHER ANY OF THE FOREGOING IS OWNED NOW OR ACQUIRED LATER; ALL ACCESSIONS, ADDITIONS, REPLACEMENTS, AND SUBSTITUTIONS RELATING TO ANY OF THE FOREGOING; ALL RECORDS OF ANY KIND RELATING TO ANY OF THE FOREGOING; ALL PROCEEDS RELATING TO ANY OF THE FOREGOING (INCLUDING INSURANCE, GENERAL INTANGIBLES AND ACCOUNTS PROCEEDS). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5. CHECK / / This FINANCING STATEMENT is signed by the Secured Party 7. If filed in Florida (check one) BOX instead of the Debtor to perfect a security interest Documentary Documentary stamp (if applicable) (a) in collateral already subject to a security interest / / stamp tax /X/ tax not in another jurisdiction when it was brought into this paid applicable state, or when the debtor's location was changed to this state, or (b) in accordance with other statutory provisions [additional data may be required] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6. REQUIRED SIGNATURE(S) 8. / / This FINANCING STATEMENT is to be filed [for record] (or recorded) in the REAL ESTATE RECORDS Attach Addendum [if applicable] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ PATRICK W. SMITH, PRESIDENT 9. Check to REQUEST SEARCH CERTIFICATE(S) on Debtor(s) [ADDITIONAL FEE] (optional) / / All Debtors / / Debtor 1 / / Debtor 2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ THOMAS P. SMITH, VICE PRESIDENT CFI PROSERVICES, INC. 400 S.W. 6TH AVENUE, PORTLAND, OREGON 97204 (1) FILING OFFICER COPY - NATIONAL FINANCING STATEMENT (FORM UCC1)(TRANS)(REV. 12/18/95) |
THIS SPACE FOR USE OF FILING OFFICER FINANCING STATEMENT - FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY This Financing Statement is presented for filing pursuant to the Uniform Commercial Code and will remain effective, with certain exceptions, for 5 years from date of filing. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A. NAME & TEL. # OF CONTACT AT FILER (optional) B. FILING OFFICE ACCT.# (optional) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- C. RETURN COPY TO: (Name and Mailing Address) [ ] BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. P.O. BOX 830632 DALLAS, TX 75283-0632 [ ] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- D. OPTIONAL DESIGNATION (if applicable): / / LESSOR/LESSEE / / CONSIGNOR/CONSIGNEE / / NON-UCC FILING ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. DEBTOR'S EXACT FULL LEGAL NAME - Insert only one debtor name (1a or 1b) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1a. ENTITY'S NAME TASER INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATED OR --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1b. INDIVIDUAL'S LAST NAME FIRST NAME MIDDLE NAME SUFFIX ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1c. MAILING ADDRESS CITY STATE COUNTRY POSTAL CODE 7339 E. EVANS RD STE 1 SCOTTSDALE AZ 85260 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1d. S.S. OR TAX I.D.# OPTIONAL 1e. TYPE OF ENTITY 1f. ENTITY'S STATE 1g. ENTITY'S ORGANIZATIONAL I.D.#, if any 860741227 ADD'NL INFO RE OR COUNTRY OF ENTITY DEBTOR ORGANIZATION / / NONE ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2. ADDITIONAL DEBTOR'S EXACT FULL LEGAL NAME - Insert only one debtor name (2a or 2b) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2a. ENTITY'S NAME OR --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2b. INDIVIDUAL'S LAST NAME FIRST NAME MIDDLE NAME SUFFIX ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2c. MAILING ADDRESS CITY STATE COUNTRY POSTAL CODE ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2d. S.S. OR TAX I.D.# OPTIONAL 2e. TYPE OF ENTITY 2f. ENTITY'S STATE 2g. ENTITY'S ORGANIZATIONAL I.D.#, if any ADD'NL INFO RE OR COUNTRY OF ENTITY DEBTOR ORGANIZATION / / NONE ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. SECURED PARTY'S (ORIGINAL S/P or ITS TOTAL ASSIGNEE) EXACT FULL LEGAL NAME - Insert only one secured party name (3a or 3b) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3a. ENTITY'S NAME BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. OR --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3b. INDIVIDUAL'S LAST NAME FIRST NAME MIDDLE NAME SUFFIX ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3c. MAILING ADDRESS CITY STATE COUNTRY POSTAL CODE 101 NORTH FIRST AVENUE PHOENIX AZ 85003 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4. This FINANCING STATEMENT covers the following types or items of property: ALL EQUIPMENT; WHETHER ANY OF THE FOREGOING IS OWNED NOW OR ACQUIRED LATER; ALL ACCESSIONS, ADDITIONS, REPLACEMENTS, AND SUBSTITUTIONS RELATING TO ANY OF THE FOREGOING; ALL RECORDS OF ANY KIND RELATING TO ANY OF THE FOREGOING; ALL PROCEEDS RELATING TO ANY OF THE FOREGOING (INCLUDING INSURANCE, GENERAL INTANGIBLES AND ACCOUNTS PROCEEDS). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5. CHECK / / This FINANCING STATEMENT is signed by the Secured Party 7. If filed in Florida (check one) BOX instead of the Debtor to perfect a security interest Documentary Documentary stamp (if applicable) (a) in collateral already subject to a security interest / / stamp tax /X/ tax not in another jurisdiction when it was brought into this paid applicable state, or when the debtor's location was changed to this state, or (b) in accordance with other statutory provisions [additional data may be required] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6. REQUIRED SIGNATURE(S) 8. / / This FINANCING STATEMENT is to be filed [for record] (or recorded) in the REAL ESTATE RECORDS Attach Addendum [if applicable] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ PATRICK W. SMITH, PRESIDENT 9. Check to REQUEST SEARCH CERTIFICATE(S) on Debtor(s) [ADDITIONAL FEE] (optional) / / All Debtors / / Debtor 1 / / Debtor 2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ THOMAS P. SMITH, VICE PRESIDENT CFI PROSERVICES, INC. 400 S.W. 6TH AVENUE, PORTLAND, OREGON 97204 (5) SECURED PARTY COPY - NATIONAL FINANCING STATEMENT (FORM UCC1)(TRANS)(REV. 12/18/95) |
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR NATIONAL FINANCING STATEMENT (FORM UCC1)(TRANS)
Please type or laser-print this form. Be sure it is completely legible. Read all
instructions.
Fill in form very carefully; mistakes may have legal consequences. Follow
instructions completely. If you have any questions, consult your attorney.
Filing officer cannot give legal advice.
Do not insert anything in the open space in the upper portion of this form; it
is reserved for filing officer use.
When properly completed, send Filing Officer Copy, with required fee, to filing
officer. If you want an acknowledgment, also send Acknowledgment Copy,
otherwise detach. If you want to make a search request, complete item 9 and
send Search Request Copy, otherwise detach. Always detach Debtor and
Secured Party Copies.
If you need to use attachments, use 8-1/2 X 11 inch sheets and put at the top of
each additional sheet the name of the first Debtor, formatted exactly as it
appears in Item 1 of this form; you are encouraged to use Addendum (Form
UCC1Ad).
ITEM INSTRUCTIONS
1. DEBTOR NAME: Enter only Debtor name in Item 1, an entity's name (1a) or an individuals's name (1b). Enter Debtor's exact full legal name. Don't abbreviate. 1a. Entity Debtor. "Entity" means an organization having a legal identity separate from its owner. A partnership is an entity; a sole proprietorship is not an entity, even if it does business under a trade name. If Debtor is a partnership, enter exact full legal name of partnership; you need not enter names of partners as additional Debtors. If Debtor is a registered entity (e.g., corporation, limited partnership, limited liability company), it is advisable to examine Debtor's current filed charter documents to determine correct name, entity type, and state of organization. 1b. Individual Debtor. "Individual" means a natural person and a sole proprietorship, whether or not operating under a trade name. Don't use prefixes (Mr., Mrs., Ms.). Use suffix box only for titles for lineage (Jr., Sr., III) and not for other suffixes or titles (e.g., M.D.). Use married woman's personal name (Mary Smith, not Mrs. John Smith). Enter individual Debtor's family name (surname) in Last Name box, first given name in First Name box,
and all additional given names in Middle Name box.
For both entity and individual Debtors: Don't use Debtor's trade name, D/B/A, A/K/A, F/K/A, etc. in place of Debtor's legal name; you may add such other names as additional Debtors if you wish.
1c. An address is always required for the Debtor named in 1a or 1b.
1d. Debtor's social security or tax identification number is required in some states. Enter social security number of a sole proprietor, not tax identification number of the sole proprietor.
1e,f,g. "Additional information re entity Debtor" is optional. It helps searchers to distinguish this Debtor from others with the same or a similar name. Type of entity and state of organization can be determined from Debtor's current filed charter documents. Organizational I.D. number, if any, is assigned by the agency where the charter document was filed; this is different from taxpayer I.D. number; this should be entered preceded by the 2-character U.S. Postal identification of state of organization (e.g., CA12345, for a California corporation whose organizational I.D. number is 12345).
Note: If a Debtor is a transmitting utility as defined in applicable Commercial Code, attach Addendum (Form UCC1 Ad) and check box Ad8.
2. If an additional Debtor is included, complete Item 2, determined and formatted per Instruction 1. To include further additional Debtors, or one or more additional Secured Parties, attach either Addendum (Form UCC1Ad) or other additional page(s), using correct format. Follow Instruction 1 for determining and formatting additional names.
3. Enter information, determined and formatted per Instruction 1. If there is more than one Secured Party, see Instruction 2. If there has been a total assignment of the Secured Party's interest prior to filing this form, you may provide either assignor Secured Party's or assignee's name and address in Item 3.
4. Use Item 4 to indicate the types or describe the Items of collateral. If space in Item 4 is insufficient, put the entire collateral description or continuation of the collateral description on either Addendum (Form UCC1Ad) or other attached additional page(s).
5,6. All Debtors must sign. Under certain circumstances, Secured Party may sign instead of Debtor; if applicable, check box in Item 5 and provide Secured Party's signature in Item 6, and under certain circumstances, in some states, you must also provide additional data; use Addendum (Form UCC1Ad) or attachment to provide such additional data.
7. If filing in the state of Florida you must check one of the two boxes in Item 7 to comply with documentary stamp tax requirements.
8. If the collateral consists of or includes fixtures, timber, minerals, and/or mineral-related accounts, check the box in Item 8 and complete the required information on Addendum (Form UCC1Ad). If the collateral consists of or includes crops, consult applicable law of state where this Financing Statement is to be filed and complete Ad3B, and Ad4 if required, on Addendum (Form UCC1Ad) and, if required, check box in Item 8.
9. Check box 9 to request Search Certificate(s) on all or some of the Debtors named in this Financing Statement. The Certificate will list all Financing Statements on file against the designated Debtor currently effective on the date of the Certificate, including this Financing Statement. There is an additional fee for each Certificate. This item is optional. If you have checked box 9, file copy 3 (Search Request Copy) of this form together with copies 1 and 2. Not all states will honor a search request made via this form; some states require a separate request form.
INSTRUCTIONS RE OPTIONAL ITEMS A-D
A. To assist filing officers who might wish to communicate with filer, filer may provide information in Item A. This item is optional.
B. If filer has an account with filing officer or is authorized to pay fees by means of a card (credit or debit) and wishes to use such means of payment, check the appropriate box and enter filer's account number in Item B, or, in the alternative, filer may present this information by a cover letter.
C. Complete Item C if you want acknowledgment copy returned and you have presented simultaneously a carbon or other copy of this form for use as an acknowledgment copy.
D. If filer desires to use titles of lessee and lessor, or consignee and consignor, instead of Debtor and Secured Party, check the appropriate box in Item D. This item is optional. If this is not a UCC security interest filing (e.g., a tax lien, judgment lien, etc.), check the appropriate box in Item D, complete Items 1-9 as applicable and attach any other Items required under other law.
AGREEMENT TO PROVIDE INSURANCE
__________________________________________________________________________________________ PRINCIPAL LOAN DATE MATURITY LOAN NO CALL COLLATERAL ACCOUNT OFFICER INITIALS $60,000.00 10-24-2000 01-24-2001 NEW 15380 Z0315 __________________________________________________________________________________________ |
BORROWER: TASER INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATED LENDER: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. 7339 E. EVANS RD STE 1 101 NORTH FIRST AVENUE SCOTTSDALE, AZ 85260 PHOENIX, AZ 85003 ________________________________________________________________________________ |
INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS. Taser International Incorporated ("Grantor") understands that insurance coverage is required in connection with the extending of a loan or the providing of other financial accommodations to Grantor by Lender. These requirements are set forth in the security documents. The following minimum insurance coverages must be provided on the following described collateral (the "Collateral"):
COLLATERAL: ALL EQUIPMENT.
TYPE. All risks, including fire, theft and liability.
AMOUNT. $60,000.00.
BASIS. Replacement value.
ENDORSEMENTS. Lender's loss payable clause with stipulation that coverage will not be cancelled or diminished without a minimum of thirty (30) days' prior written notice to Lender.
INSURANCE COMPANY. Grantor may obtain insurance from any insurance company Grantor may choose that is reasonably acceptable to Lender. Grantor understands that credit may not be denied solely because insurance was not purchased through Lender.
INSURANCE MAILING ADDRESS. All documents and other materials relating to insurance for this loan should be mailed, delivered or directed to the following address:
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
COMMERCIAL LOAN ADMIN. - INSURANCE
P.O. BOX 830634
DALLAS, TX 75283-0634
NOTICE OF FINAL AGREEMENT. THIS WRITTEN AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS REPRESENT THE FINAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PARTIES AND MAY NOT BE CONTRADICTED BY EVIDENCE OF PRIOR, CONTEMPORANEOUS OR SUBSEQUENT ORAL AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES. THERE ARE NO UNWRITTEN ORAL AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE PARTIES.
FAILURE TO PROVIDE INSURANCE. Grantor agrees to deliver to Lender, thirty (30) days from the date of this Agreement, evidence of the required insurance as provided above, with an effective date of October 24, 2000, or earlier. Grantor acknowledges and agrees that if Grantor fails to provide any required insurance or fails to continue such insurance in force, Lender may do so at Grantor's expense as provided in the applicable security document. The cost of any such insurance, at the option of Lender, shall be payable on demand or shall be added to the Indebtedness as provided in the security document. GRANTOR ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IF LENDER SO PURCHASES ANY SUCH INSURANCE, THE INSURANCE WILL PROVIDE LIMITED PROTECTION AGAINST PHYSICAL DAMAGE TO THE COLLATERAL, UP TO THE BALANCE OF THE LOAN; HOWEVER GRANTOR'S EQUITY IN THE COLLATERAL MAY NOT BE INSURED. IN ADDITION, THE INSURANCE MAY NOT PROVIDE ANY PUBLIC LIABILITY OR PROPERTY DAMAGE INDEMNIFICATION AND MAY NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF ANY FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY LAWS.
AUTHORIZATION. For purposes of insurance coverage on the Collateral, Grantor authorizes Lender to provide to any person (including any insurance agent or company) all information Lender deems appropriate, whether regarding the Collateral, the loan or other financial accommodations, or both.
GRANTOR ACKNOWLEDGES HAVING READ ALL THE PROVISIONS OF THIS AGREEMENT TO PROVIDE INSURANCE AND AGREES TO ITS TERMS. THIS AGREEMENT IS DATED OCTOBER 24, 2000.
GRANTOR:
TASER INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATED
BY:________________________________________
PATRICK W. SMITH, PRESIDENT
FOR LENDER USE ONLY
NOTICE OF INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LOAN DATE LOAN NO. CALL COLLATERAL CUSTOMER NO. OFFICER INITIALS 10-24-2000 NEW 15380 Z0315 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
References in the shaded area are for Lender's use only and do not limit the applicability of this document to any particular loan or item.
BORROWER: TASER INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATED LENDER: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. 7339 E. EVANS RD STE 1 101 NORTH FIRST AVENUE SCOTTSDALE, AZ 85260 PHOENIX, AZ 85003 ================================================================================ |
[ ] TO: [ ] DATE: OCTOBER 24, 2000 [ ] |
DEAR INSURANCE AGENT:
TASER INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATED ("GRANTOR") IS OBTAINING A LOAN FROM BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.. PLEASE SEND APPROPRIATE EVIDENCE OF INSURANCE TO BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., TOGETHER WITH THE REQUESTED ENDORSEMENTS, ON THE FOLLOWING PROPERTY, WHICH BORROWER IS GIVING AS SECURITY FOR THE LOAN.
COLLATERAL: ALL EQUIPMENT.
TYPE. All risks, including fire, theft and liability.
AMOUNT. $60,000.00.
BASIS. Replacement value.
ENDORSEMENTS. Lender's loss payable clause with stipulation that coverage will not be cancelled or diminished without a minimum of thirty (30) days' prior written notice to Lender.
BORROWER:
TASER INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATED
MAIL TO:
[ ]
[ BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. ]
[ COMMERCIAL LOAN ADMIN. - INSURANCE ]
[ P.O. BOX 830634 ]
[ DALLAS, TX 75283-0634 ]
[ ]
[BANK OF AMERICA LOGO]
DISBURSEMENT REQUEST AND AUTHORIZATION
PRINCIPAL LOAN DATE MATURITY LOAN NO. CALL COLLATERAL ACCOUNT OFFICER INITIALS $60,000.00 10-24-2000 01-24-2001 New 15380 Z0315 |
References in the shaded area are for Lender's use only and do not limit the applicability of this document to any particular loan or item.
BORROWER: Taser International Incorporated LENDER: Bank of America, N.A. 7339 E. Evans Rd Ste 1 101 North First Avenue Scottsdale, AZ 85260 Phoenix, AZ 85003 _______________________________________________________________________________ |
LOAN TYPE. This is a Variable Rate (2.000% over fluctuating rate of interest established by Lender from time to time as its "Prime Rate" whether or not such rate shall otherwise be published, making an initial rate of 11.500%), Non-Revolving Line of Credit Loan to a Corporation for $60,000.00 due on January 24, 2001.
PRIMARY PURPOSE OF LOAN. The primary purpose of this loan is for:
[ ] Personal, Family, or Household Purposes or Personal Investment.
[X] Business (including Real Estate Investment).
SPECIFIC PURPOSE. The specific purpose of this loan is: Purchase Machinery & Equipment.
DISBURSEMENT INSTRUCTIONS. Borrower understands that no loan proceeds will be disbursed until all of Lender's conditions for making the loan have been satisfied. Please disburse the loan proceeds of $60,000.00 as follows:
Undisbursed Funds: $60,000.00 ---------- Note Principal: $60,000.00 |
CHARGES PAID IN CASH. Borrower has paid or will pay in cash as agreed the following charges:
Prepaid Finance Charges Paid in Cash: $0.00 Other Charges Paid in Cash: $30.00 $5.00 Recording $12.50 Lien Search $12.50 Goodstanding ------ Total Charges Paid in Cash: $30.00 |
DEBITING OF ACCOUNT. Borrower authorizes Lender to debit from Borrower's account number ____________, all of the above Charges Paid in Cash and any other closing costs associated with the Loan.
NOTICE OF FINAL AGREEMENT. THIS WRITTEN AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS REPRESENT THE FINAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PARTIES AND MAY NOT BE CONTRADICTED BY EVIDENCE OF PRIOR, CONTEMPORANEOUS OR SUBSEQUENT ORAL AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES. THERE ARE NO UNWRITTEN ORAL AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE PARTIES.
FINANCIAL CONDITION. BY SIGNING THIS AUTHORIZATION, BORROWER REPRESENTS AND WARRANTS TO LENDER THAT THE INFORMATION PROVIDED ABOVE IS TRUE AND CORRECT AND THAT THERE HAS BEEN NO MATERIAL ADVERSE CHANGE IN BORROWER'S FINANCIAL CONDITION AS DISCLOSED IN BORROWER'S MOST RECENT FINANCIAL STATEMENT TO LENDER. THIS AUTHORIZATION IS DATED OCTOBER 24, 2000.
BORROWER:
TASER INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATED
BY:____________________________________________
PATRICK W. SMITH, PRESIDENT
CORPORATE RESOLUTION TO BORROW
PRINCIPAL LOAN DATE MATURITY LOAN NO CALL COLLATERAL ACCOUNT OFFICER INITIALS $60,000.00 10-24-2000 01-24-2001 NEW 15380 Z0315 |
References in the shaded area are for Lender's use only and do not limit the applicability of this document to any particular loan or item.
BORROWER: TASER INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATED LENDER: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. 7339 E. EVANS RD STE 1 101 NORTH FIRST AVENUE SCOTTSDALE, AZ 85260 PHOENIX, AZ 85003 |
I, THE UNDERSIGNED SECRETARY OR ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF TASER INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATED (THE "CORPORATION"), HEREBY CERTIFY THAT the Corporation is organized and existing under and by virtue of the laws of the state of Arizona as a corporation for profit, with its principal office at 7339 E. Evans Rd Ste 1, Scottsdale, AZ 85260, and is duly authorized to transact business in the State of Arizona.
I FURTHER CERTIFY that at a meeting of the Directors of the Corporation, duly called and held ON OCTOBER 24, 2000, at which a quorum was present and voting, or by other duly authorized corporate action in lieu of a meeting, the following resolutions were adopted:
BE IT RESOLVED, that ANY ONE (1) of the following named officers, employees, or agents of this Corporation, whose actual signatures are shown below:
NAMES POSITIONS ACTUAL SIGNATURES ----- --------- ----------------- Patrick W. Smith President X -------------------------------- Thomas P. Smith Vice President X -------------------------------- |
acting for and on behalf of the Corporation and as its act and deed be, and they hereby are, authorized and empowered:
BORROW MONEY. To borrow from time to time from Bank of America, N.A. ("Lender"), on such terms as may be agreed upon between the Corporation and Lender, such sum or sums of money as in their judgment should be borrowed, without limitation.
EXECUTE NOTES. To execute and deliver to Lender the promissory note or notes, or other evidence of credit accommodations of the Corporation, on Lender's forms, at such rates of interest and on such terms as may be agreed upon, evidencing the sums of money so borrowed or any indebtedness of the Corporation to Lender, and also to execute and deliver to Lender one or more renewals, extensions, modifications, refinancings, consolidations, or substitutions for one or more of the notes, any portion of the notes, or any other evidence of credit accommodations.
GRANT SECURITY. To mortgage, pledge, transfer, endorse, hypothecate, or otherwise encumber and deliver to Lender, as security for the payment of any loans or credit accommodations so obtained, any promissory notes so executed (including any amendments to or modifications, renewals, and extensions of such promissory notes), or any other or further indebtedness of the Corporation to Lender at any time owing, however the same may be evidenced, any property now or hereafter belonging to the Corporation or in which the Corporation now or hereafter may have an interest, including without limitation all real property and all personal property (tangible or intangible) of the Corporation. Such property may be mortgaged, pledged, transferred, endorsed, hypothecated, or encumbered at the time such loans are obtained or such indebtedness is incurred, or at any other time or times, and may be either in addition to or in lieu of any property theretofore mortgaged, pledged, transferred, endorsed, hypothecated, or encumbered.
EXECUTE SECURITY DOCUMENTS. To execute and deliver to Lender the forms of mortgage, deed of trust, pledge agreement, hypothecation agreement, and other security agreements and financing statements which may be submitted by Lender, and which shall evidence the terms and conditions under and pursuant to which such liens and encumbrances, or any of them, are given; and also to execute and deliver to Lender any other written instruments, any chattel paper, or any other collateral, of any kind or nature, which they may in their discretion deem reasonably necessary or proper in connection with or pertaining to the giving of the liens and encumbrances.
DEPOSIT ACCOUNTS. To open one or more depository accounts in the Corporation's name and sign and deliver all documents or items required to fulfill the conditions of all banking business, including without limitation the initiation of wire transfers, until authority is revoked by action of the Corporation on written notice to Lender.
NEGOTIATE ITEMS. To draw, endorse, and discount with Lender all drafts, trade acceptances, promissory notes, or other evidences of indebtedness payable to or belonging to the Corporation in which the Corporation may have an interest, and either to receive cash for the same or to cause such proceeds to be credited to the account of the Corporation with Lender, or to cause such other disposition of the proceeds derived therefrom as they may deem advisable.
FURTHER ACTS. In the case of lines of credit, to designate additional or alternate individuals as being authorized to request advances thereunder, and in all cases, to do and perform such other acts and things, to pay any and all fees and costs, and to execute and deliver such other documents and agreements as they may in their discretion deem reasonably necessary or proper in order to carry into effect the provisions of these Resolutions. The following person or persons currently are authorized to request advances and authorize payments under the line of credit until Lender receives written notice of revocation of their authority: Patrick W. Smith, President; and Thomas P. Smith, Vice President.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that any and all acts authorized pursuant to these Resolutions and performed prior to the passage of these Resolutions are hereby ratified and approved, that these Resolutions shall remain in full force and effect and Lender may rely on these Resolutions until written notice of their revocation shall have been delivered to and received by Lender. Any such notice shall not affect any of the Corporation's agreements or commitments in effect at the time notice is given.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Corporation will notify Lender in writing at
Lender's address shown above (or such other addresses as Lender may designate
from time to time) prior to any (a) change in the name of the Corporation, (b)
change in the assumed business name(s) of the Corporation, (c) change in the
management of the Corporation, (d) change in the authorized signer(s), (e)
conversion of the Corporation to a new or different type of business entity, or
(f) change in any other aspect of the Corporation that directly or indirectly
relates to any agreements between the Corporation and Lender. No change in the
name of the Corporation will take effect until after Lender has been notified.
I FURTHER CERTIFY that the officers, employees, and agents named above are duly elected, appointed, or employed by or for the Corporation, as the case may be, and occupy the positions set opposite their respective names; that the foregoing Resolutions now stand of record on the books of the Corporation; and that the Resolutions are in full force and effect and have not been modified or revoked in any manner whatsoever. The Corporation has no corporate seal, and therefore, no seal is affixed to this certificate.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I HAVE HEREUNTO SET MY HAND ON OCTOBER 24, 2000 AND ATTEST THAT THE SIGNATURES SET OPPOSITE THE NAMES LISTED ABOVE ARE THEIR GENUINE SIGNATURES.
CERTIFIED TO AND ATTESTED BY:
NOTE: In case the Secretary or other certifying officer is designated by the foregoing resolutions as one of the signing officers, it is advisable to have this certificate signed by a second Officer or Director of the Corporation.
EXHIBIT 10.13
[TASER INTERNATIONAL LOGO]
PROMISSORY NOTE
Amount of Note ($): $200,000 CASH
City: SCOTTSDALE, State: ARIZONA
Date: MARCH 31, 2000
FOR VALUE RECEIVED the undersigned jointly and severally promise(s) to pay to the order of:
BRUCE R. CULVER
the principal sum of:
TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND & NO/100 ($200,000.00) DOLLARS together with interest thereon from the date at the rate of:
10.00%
percent per annum until maturity. The principal balance and interest shall be due and payable on or before January 1, 2001.
Unless specifically disallowed by law, should litigation arise hereunder, service of process therefore may be obtained through certified mail, return receipt requested; the parties hereto waiving and all rights they may have to object to the method by which service was perfected.
All matters pertinent to this Agreement (including its interpretation, application, validity, performance and breach), shall be governed by, construed and enforce in accordance with the laws of the State of Arizona. The parties herein waive trial by jury and agree to submit to the personal jurisdiction and venue of a court of subject matter jurisdiction located in Maricopa County, State of Arizona. In the event that litigation results from or arises out of this Agreement or the performance thereof, the parties agree to reimburse the prevailing party's reasonable attorney's fees, court costs, and all other expenses, whether or not taxable by the court as costs, in addition to any other relief to which the prevailing party may be entitled. In such event, no action shall be entertained by said court or any court of competent jurisdiction if filed more than one year subsequent to the date the cause(s) of action actually accrued regardless of whether damages were otherwise as of said time calculable.
/s/ Bruce R. Culver By: /s/ Patrick W. Smith -------------------------------- ------------------------------------- Signature Signature Bruce R. Culver Patrick W. Smith Name Printed CEO |
Exhibit 10.14
INDUSTRIAL REAL ESTATE LEASE
(Multi Tenant Facility)
COMMERCIAL
ARTICLE ONE: BASIC TERMS
This Article One contains the Basic Terms of this Lease between the Landlord and Tenant named below. Other Articles, Sections and Paragraphs of the Lease referred to in this Article One explain and define the Basic Terms and are to be read in conjunction with the Basic Terms.
Section 1.01. DATE OF LEASE: November 17, 2000
Section 1.02. LANDLORD (INCLUDE LEGAL ENTITY): NORTON P REMES and JOAN A
REMES, CO-TRUSTEES OF THE NORTON P REMES and JOAN A. REMES REVOCABLE TRUST dated
November 17, 1994
Address of Landlord: 10040 E. Happy Valley Road, Suite 401 Scottsdale, AZ 85255
Section 1.03. TENANT (INCLUDE LEGAL ENTITY): Taser International, an Arizona corporation
Address of Tenant: 7860 East McClain Drive, Suite 2B & 2C Scottsdale, AZ 85260
Section 1.04. PROPERTY: The Property is part of Landlord's multi-tenant real property development known as North Scottsdale Airpark #1A, Lots 2 & 3, commonly known as 7860 E. McClain, and described or depicted in Exhibit "A" (the "Project"). The Project includes the land, the buildings and all other improvements located on the land, and the common areas described in Paragraph 4.05(a). The Property is 7860 E. McClain Drive, Suite 2B & 2C, Scottsdale, AZ 85260 consisting of approximately + or - 11,800 square feet to include nine (9) covered parking stalls on the east side of the building
Section 1.05. LEASE TERM: Five (5) years Zero (0) months BEGINNING ON January 1, 2001 or such other date as specified in this Lease, and ENDING ON December 31,2005
Section 1.06. PERMITTED USES: (See Article Five) Administrative offices, warehouse and light manufacturing
Section 1.07. TENANT'S GUARANTOR: (If none, so state) see attached Guarantee
Section 1.08. BROKERS: (see Article Fourteen)(if none, so state) Landlord's Broker: Colliers Classic Tenant's Broker: American Realty Brokers
Section 1.09. COMMISSION PAYABLE TO LANDLORD'S BROKER: (See Article Fourteen) $ under separate cover
Section 1.10. INITIAL SECURITY DEPOSIT: (See Section 3.03) $11,500.00
Section 1.11. VEHICLE PARKING SPACES ALLOCATED TO TENANT: (see Section 4.05) Thirty (30) including nine (9) covered
Section 1.12. RENT AND OTHER CHARGES PAYABLE BY TENANT:
(a) BASE RENT: See Rider #1 Dollars ($ n/a )
per month for the first ______ months, as provided in Section 3.01, and shall be increase on the first day of the ________ month(s) after the Commencement Date, either (i) as provided in Section 3.02, or (ii) see Rider #1. (If (ii) is completed, then (i) and Section 3.02 are inapplicable.)
(b) OTHER PERIODIC PAYMENTS: (i) Real Property Taxes (See Section 4.02);
(ii) Utilities (See Section 43.03); (iii) Insurance Premiums (See Sections
4.04); (iv) Tenant's Initial Pro Rata Share of Common Area Expenses (fifty-two)
52% (See Section 4.05); (v) Impounds for Insurance Premiums and Property Taxes
(See Section 4.08); (vi) Maintenance, Repairs, and Alterations (See Article
Six).
Section 1.13. LANDLORD'S SHARE OF PROFIT ON ASSIGNMENT OR SUBLEASE: (See
Section 9.05) n/a percent ( %) of the Profit (the "Landlord's Share").
Section 1.14. RIDERS: The following Riders are attached to and made a part of this Lease: (if none, so state) See Rider #1
Initials /s/ R.G. _________________ /s/ AR, J.R. _________________ (c) 1988 Southern California Chapter of the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors, (R) Inc. (Multi-Tenant Net Form) |
ARTICLE TWO: LEASE TERM
Section 2.01. LEASE OF PROPERTY FOR LEASE TERM. Landlord leases the Property to Tenant and Tenant leases the Property from Landlord for the Lease Term. The Lease Term is for the period stated in Section 1.05 above and shall begin and end on the dates specified in Section 1.05 above, unless the beginning or end of the Lease Term is changed under any provision of this Lease. The "Commencement Date" shall be the date specified in Section 1.05 above for the beginning of the Lease Term, unless advanced or delayed under any provision of this Lease.
Section 2.02. DELAY IN COMMENCEMENT. Landlord shall not be liable to Tenant
if Landlord does not deliver possession of the Property to Tenant on the
Commencement Date. Landlord's non-delivery of the Property to the Tenant on that
date shall not affect this Lease or the obligations of Tenant under this Lease
except that the Commencement Date shall be delayed until Landlord delivers
possession of the Property to Tenant and the Lease Term shall be extended for a
period equal to the delay in delivery of possession of the Property to Tenant,
plus the number of days necessary to end the Lease Term on the last day of a
month. If Landlord does not deliver possession of the Property to Tenant within
sixty (60) days after the Commencement Date, Tenant may elect to cancel this
Lease by giving written notice to Landlord within ten (10) days after the sixty
(60) day period ends. If Tenant gives such notice, the Lease shall be cancelled
and neither Landlord nor Tenant shall have any further obligations to the
other. If Tenant does not give such notice, Tenant's right to cancel the
Lease shall expire and the Lease Term shall commence upon the delivery of
possession of the Property to Tenant. If delivery of possession of the Property
to Tenant is delayed, Landlord and Tenant shall, upon such delivery, execute an
amendment to this Lease setting forth the actual Commencement Date and
expiration date of the Lease. Failure to execute such amendment shall not affect
the actual Commencement Date and expiration date of the Lease.
Section 2.03. EARLY OCCUPANCY. If Tenant occupies the Property prior to the Commencement Date, Tenant's occupancy of the Property shall be subject to all of the provisions of this Lease. Early occupancy of the Property shall not advance the expiration date of this Lease. Tenant shall pay Base Rent and all other charges specified in this Lease for the early occupancy period.
Section 2.04. HOLDING OVER. Tenant shall vacate the Property upon the expiration or earlier termination of this Lease. Tenant shall reimburse Landlord for and indemnify Landlord against all damages which Landlord incurs from Tenant's delay in vacating the Property. If Tenant does not vacate the Property upon the expiration or earlier termination of the Lease and Landlord thereafter accepts rent from Tenant, Tenant's occupancy of the Property shall be a "month-to-month" tenancy, subject to all of the terms of this Lease applicable to a month-to-month tenancy, except that the Base Rent then in effect shall be increased by twenty-five percent (25%).
ARTICLE THREE: BASE RENT
Section 3.01 TIME AND MANNER OF PAYMENT. Upon execution of this Lease, Tenant shall pay Landlord the Base Rent in the amount stated in Paragraph 1.12(a) above for the first month of the Lease Term. On the first day of the second month of the Lease Term and each month thereafter, Tenant shall pay Landlord the Base Rent, in advance, without offset, deduction or prior demand. The Base Rent shall be payable at Landlord's address or at such other place as Landlord may designate in writing.
Section 3.03. SECURITY DEPOSIT; INCREASES.
(a) Upon the execution of this Lease, Tenant shall deposit with Landlord a cash Security Deposit in the amount set forth in Section 1.10 above. Landlord may apply all or part of the Security Deposit to any unpaid rent or other changes due from Tenant or to cure any other defaults of Tenant. If Landlord uses any part of the Security Deposit, Tenant shall restore the Security Deposit to its full amount within ten (10) days after Landlord's written request. Tenant's failure to do so shall be a material default under this Lease. No interest shall be paid on the Security Deposit. Landlord shall not be required to keep the Security Deposit separate from its other accounts and no trust relationship is created with respect to the Security Deposit.
(b) Each Time the Base Rent is increased, Tenant shall deposit additional funds with Landlord sufficient to increase the Security Deposit to an amount which bears the same relationship to the adjusted Base Rent as the initial Security Deposit bore to the initial Base Rent.
Initials /s/ R.G. ------------- /s/ J.R. AR ------------- |
(C) 1998 Southern California Chapter [SIOR (TM) LOGO] of the Society of Industrial (MULTI-TENANT NET FORM) and Office Realtors,(R) Inc. |
Section 3.04. TERMINATION; ADVANCE PAYMENTS. Upon termination of this Lease under Article Seven (Damage or Destruction), Article Eight (Condemnation) or any other termination not resulting from Tenant's default, and after Tenant has vacated the Property in the manner required by this Lease, Landlord shall refund or credit to Tenant (or Tenant's successor) the unused portion of the Security Deposit, any advance rent or other advance payments made by Tenant to Landlord, and any amounts paid for real property taxes and other reserves which apply to any time periods after termination of the Lease.
ARTICLE FOUR: OTHER CHARGES PAYABLE BY TENANT
Section 4.01. ADDITIONAL RENT. All charges payable by Tenant other than Base Rent are called "Additional Rent." Unless this Lease provides otherwise, Tenant shall pay all Additional Rent then due with the next monthly installment of Base Rent. The term "rent" shall mean Base Rent and Additional Rent.
Section 4.02. PROPERTY TAXES.
(a) REAL PROPERTY TAXES. Tenant shall pay all real property taxes on the Property (including any fees, taxes or assessments against, or as a result of, any tenant improvements installed on the Property by or for the benefit of Tenant) during the Lease Term. Subject to Paragraph 4.02(c) and Section 4.08 below, such payment shall be made at least ten (10) days prior to the delinquency date of the taxes. Within such ten (10)-day period, Tenant shall furnish Landlord with satisfactory evidence that the real property taxes have been paid. Landlord shall reimburse Tenant for any real property taxes paid by Tenant covering any period of time prior to or after the Lease Term. If Tenant fails to pay the real property taxes when due, Landlord may pay the taxes and Tenant shall reimburse Landlord for the amount of such tax payment as Additional Rent.
(b) DEFINITION OF "REAL PROPERTY TAX." "Real property tax" means: (i) any fee, license fee, license tax, business license fee, commercial rental tax, levy, charge, assessment, penalty or tax imposed by any taxing authority against the Property; (ii) any tax on the Landlord's right to receive, or the receipt of, rent or income from the Property or against Landlord's business of leasing the Property; (iii) any tax or charge for fire protection, streets, sidewalks, road maintenance, refuse or other services provided to the Property by any governmental agency; (iv) any tax imposed upon this transaction or based upon a re-assessment of the Property due to a change of ownership, as defined by applicable law, or other transfer of all or part of Landlord's interest in the Property; and (v) any charge or fee replacing any tax previously included within the definition of real property tax. "Real property tax" does not, however, include Landlord's federal or state income, franchise, inheritance or estate taxes.
(c) JOINT ASSESSMENT. If the Property is not separately assessed, Landlord shall reasonably determine Tenant's share of the real property tax payable by Tenant under Paragraph 4.02(a) from the assessor's worksheets or other reasonably available information. Tenant shall pay such share to Landlord within fifteen (15) days after receipt of Landlord's written statement.
(d) PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES.
(i) Tenant shall pay all taxes charged against trade fixtures, furnishings, equipment or any other personal property belonging to Tenant. Tenant shall try to have personal property taxed separately from the Property.
(ii) If any of Tenant's personal property is taxed with the Property,
Tenant shall pay Landlord the taxes for the personal property within fifteen
(15) days after Tenant receives a written statement from Landlord for such
personal property taxes.
Section 4.03. UTILITIES. Tenant shall pay, directly to the appropriate supplier, the cost of all natural gas, heat, light, power, sewer service, telephone, water, refuse disposal and other utilities and services supplied to the Property. However, if any services or utilities are jointly metered with other property, Landlord shall make a reasonable determination of Tenant's proportionate share of the cost of such utilities and services and Tenant shall pay such Landlord within fifteen (15) days after receipt of Landlord's written statement.
Section 4.04. INSURANCE POLICIES.
(a) LIABILITY INSURANCE. During the Lease Term, Tenant shall maintain a policy of commercial general liability insurance (sometimes known as broad form comprehensive general liability insurance) insuring Tenant against liability for bodily injury, property damage (including loss of use of property) and personal injury arising out of the operation, use or occupancy of the Property. Tenant shall name Landlord as an additional insured under such policy. The initial amount of such insurance shall be One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) per occurrence and shall be subject to periodic increase based upon inflation, increased liability awards, recommendation of Landlord's professional insurance advisers and other relevant factors. The liability insurance obtained by Tenant under this Paragraph 4.04(a) shall (i) be primary and non-contributing; (ii) contain cross-liability endorsements; and (iii) insure Landlord against Tenant's performance under Section 5.05, if the matters giving rise to the indemnity under Section 5.05 result from the negligence of Tenant. The amount and coverage of such insurance shall not limit Tenant's liability nor relieve Tenant of any other obligation under this Lease. Landlord may also obtain comprehensive public liability insurance in an amount and with coverage determined by Landlord insuring Landlord against liability arising out of ownership, operation, use or occupancy of the Property. The policy obtained by Landlord shall not be contributory and shall not provide primary insurance.
(b) PROPERTY AND RENTAL INCOME INSURANCE. During the Lease Term, Landlord shall maintain policies of insurance covering loss of or damage to the Property in the full amount of its replacement value. Such policy shall contain an inflation Guard Endorsement and shall provide protection against all perils included within the classification of fire, extended coverage, vandalism, malicious mischief, special extended perils (all risk), sprinkler leakage and any other perils which Landlord deems reasonably necessary. Landlord shall have the right to obtain flood and earthquake insurance if required by any lender holding a security interest in the Property. Landlord shall not obtain insurance for Tenant's fixtures or equipment or building improvements installed by Tenant on the Property. During the Lease Term, Landlord shall also maintain a rental income insurance policy, with loss payable to Landlord, in an amount equal to one year's Base Rent, plus estimated real property taxes and insurance premiums. Tenant shall be liable for the payment of any deductible amount under Landlord's or Tenant's insurance policies maintained pursuant to this Section 4.04, in an amount not to exceed Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000). Tenant shall not do or permit anything to be done which invalidates any such insurance policies.
(c) PAYMENT OF PREMIUMS. Subject to Section 4.08, Tenant shall pay all premiums for the insurance policies described in Paragraphs 4.04(a) and (b) (whether obtained by Landlord or Tenant) within fifteen (15) days after Tenant's receipt of a copy of the premium statement or other evidence of the amount due, except Landlord shall pay all premiums for non-primary comprehensive public liability insurance which Landlord elects to obtain as provided in Paragraph 4.04(a). For insurance policies
(c) 1988 Southern California Chapter Initials /s/ R.G. of the Society of Industrial [SIOR(TM) LOGO] ------------- and Office Realtors,(R) Inc. (MULTI-TENANT NET FORM) /s/ J.R. AR ------------- |
maintained by Landlord which cover improvements on the entire Project, Tenant shall pay Tenant's prorated share of the premiums, in accordance with the formula in Paragraph 4.05(e) for determining Tenant's share of Common Area costs. If insurance policies maintained by Landlord cover improvements on real property other than the Project, Landlord shall deliver to Tenant a statement of the premium applicable to the Property showing in reasonable detail how Tenant's share of the premium was computed. If the Lease Term expires before the expiration of an insurance policy maintained by Landlord, Tenant shall be liable for Tenant's prorated share of the insurance premiums. Before the Commencement Date, Tenant shall deliver to Landlord a copy of any policy of insurance which Tenant is required to maintain under this Section 4.04. At least thirty (30) days prior to the expiration of any such policy, Tenant shall deliver to Landlord a renewal of such policy. As an alternative to providing a policy of insurance, Tenant shall have the right to provide Landlord a certificate of insurance, executed by an authorized officer of the insurance company, showing that the insurance which Tenant is required to maintain under this Section 4.04 is in full force and effect and containing such other information which Landlord reasonably requires.
(d) GENERAL INSURANCE PROVISIONS.
(i) Any insurance which Tenant is required to maintain under this Lease shall include a provision which requires the insurance carrier to give Landlord not less than thirty (30) days' written notice prior to any cancellation or modification of such coverage.
(ii) If Tenant fails to deliver any policy, certificate or renewal to Landlord required under this Lease within the prescribed time period or if any such policy is cancelled or modified during the Lease Term without Landlord's consent, Landlord may obtain such insurance, in which case Tenant shall reimburse Landlord for the cost of such insurance within fifteen (15) days after receipt of a statement that indicates the cost of such insurance.
(iii) Tenant shall maintain all insurance required under this Lease with companies holding a "General Policy Rating" of A-12 or better, as set forth in the most current issue of "Best Key Rating Guide". Landlord and Tenant acknowledge the insurance markets are rapidly changing and that insurance in the form and amounts described in this Section 4.04 may not be available in the future. Tenant acknowledges that the insurance described in this Section 4.04 is for the primary benefit of Landlord. If at any time during the Lease Term, Tenant is unable to maintain the insurance required under the Lease, Tenant shall nevertheless maintain insurance coverage which is customary and commercially reasonable in the insurance industry for Tenant's type of business, as that coverage may change from time to time. Landlord makes no representation as to the adequacy of such insurance to protect Landlord's or Tenant's interests. Therefore, Tenant shall obtain any such additional property or liability insurance which Tenant deems necessary to protect Landlord and Tenant.
(iv) Unless prohibited under any applicable insurance policies maintained, Landlord and Tenant each hereby waive any and all rights of recovery against the other, or against the officers, employees, agents or representatives of the other, for loss of or damage to its property or the property of others under its control, if such loss or damage is covered by any insurance policy in force (whether or not described in this Lease) at the time of such loss or damage. Upon obtaining the required policies of insurance, Landlord and Tenant shall give notice to the insurance carriers of this mutual waiver of subrogation.
Section 4.05. COMMON AREAS; USE, MAINTENANCE AND COSTS.
(a) COMMON AREAS. As used in this Lease, "Common Areas" shall mean all areas within the Project which are available for the common use of tenants of the Project and which are not leased or held for the exclusive use of Tenant or other tenants, including, but not limited to, parking areas, driveways, sidewalks, loading areas, access roads, corridors, landscaping and planted areas. Landlord, from time to time, may change the size, location, nature and use of any of the Common Areas, convert Common Areas into leaseable areas, construct additional parking facilities (including parking structures) in the Common Areas, and increase or decrease Common Area land and/or facilities. Tenant acknowledges that such activities may result in inconvenience to Tenant. Such activities and changes are permitted if they do not materially affect Tenant's use of the Property.
(b) USE OF COMMON AREAS. Tenant shall have the nonexclusive right (in common with other tenants and all others to whom Landlord has granted or may grant such rights) to use the Common Areas for the purposes intended, subject to such reasonable rules and regulations as Landlord may establish from time to time. Tenant shall abide by such rules and regulations and shall use its best effort to cause others who use the Common Areas with Tenant's express or implied permission to abide by Landlord's rules and regulations. At any time, Landlord may close any Common Areas to perform any acts in the Common Areas as, in Landlord's judgment, are desirable to improve the Project. Tenant shall not interfere with the rights of Landlord, other tenants or any other person entitled to use the Common Areas.
(c) SPECIFIC PROVISION RE: VEHICLE PARKING. Tenant shall be entitled to use
the number of vehicle parking spaces in the Project allocated to Tenant in
Section 1.11 of the Lease without paying any additional rent. Tenant's parking
shall not be reserved and shall be limited to vehicles no larger than standard
size automobiles or pickup utility vehicles. Tenant shall not cause large trucks
or other large vehicles to be parked within the Project or on the adjacent
public streets. Temporary parking of large delivery vehicles in the Project may
be permitted by the rules and regulations established by Landlord. Vehicles
shall be parked only in striped parking spaces and not in driveways, loading
areas or other locations not specifically designated for parking. Handicapped
spaces shall only be used by those legally permitted to use them. If Tenant
parks more vehicles in the parking area than the number set forth in Section
1.11 of this Lease, such conduct shall be a material breach of this Lease. In
addition to Landlord's other remedies under the Lease, Tenant shall pay a daily
charge determined by Landlord for each such additional vehicle.
(d) MAINTENANCE OF COMMON AREAS. Landlord shall maintain the Common Areas in good order, condition and repair and shall operate the Project, in Landlord's sole discretion, as a first-class industrial/commercial real property development. Tenant shall pay Tenant's pro rata share (as determined below) of all costs incurred by Landlord for the operation and maintenance of the Common Areas. Common Area costs include, but are not limited to, costs and expenses for the following: gardening and landscaping: utilities, water and sewage charges; maintenance of signs (other than tenants' signs); premiums for liability, property damage, fire and other types of casualty insurance on the Common Areas and worker's compensation insurance; all property taxes and assessments levied on or attributable to the Common Areas and all Common Area improvements; all personal property taxes levied on or attributable to personal property used in connection with the Common Areas; straight-line depreciation on personal property owned by Landlord which is consumed in the operation or maintenance of the Common Areas; rental or lease payments paid by Landlord for rented or leased personal property used in the operation or maintenance
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of the Common Areas; fees for required licenses and permits; repairing, resurfacing, repaving, maintaining, painting, lighting, cleaning, refuse removal, security and similar items; reserves for roof replacement and exterior painting and other appropriate reserves; and a reasonable allowance to Landlord for Landlord's supervision of the Common Areas (not to exceed five percent (5%) of the gross rents of the Project for the calendar year). Landlord may cause any or all of such services to be provided by third parties and the cost of such services shall be included in Common Area costs. Common Area costs shall not include depreciation of real property which forms part of the Common Areas.
(e) TENANT'S SHARE AND PAYMENT. Tenant shall pay Tenant's annual pro rata share of all Common Area costs (prorated for any fractional month) upon written notice from Landlord that such costs are due and payable, and in any event prior to delinquency. Tenant's pro rata share shall be calculated by dividing the square foot area of the Property, as set forth in Section 1.04 of the Lease, by the aggregate square foot area of the Project which is leased or held for lease by tenants, as of the date on which the computation is made. Tenant's initial pro rata share is set out in Paragraph 1.12(b). Any changes in the Common Area costs and/or the aggregate area of the Project leased or held for lease during the Lease Term shall be effective on the first day of the month after such change occurs. Landlord may, at Landlord's election, estimate in advance and charge to Tenant as Common Area costs, all real property taxes for which Tenant is liable under Section 4.02 of the Lease, all insurance premiums for which Tenant is liable under Section 4.04 of the Lease, all maintenance and repair costs for which Tenant is liable under Section 6.04 of the Lease, and all other Common Area costs payable by Tenant hereunder. At Landlord's election, such statements of estimated Common Area costs shall be delivered monthly, quarterly or at any other periodic intervals to be designated by Landlord. Landlord may adjust such estimates at any time based upon Landlord's experience and reasonable anticipation of costs. Such adjustments shall be effective as of the next rent payment date after notice to Tenant. Within sixty (60) days after the end of each calendar year of the Lease Term, Landlord shall deliver to Tenant a statement prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles setting forth, in reasonable detail, the Common Area costs paid or incurred by Landlord during the preceding calendar year and Tenant's pro rata share. Upon receipt of such statement, there shall be an adjustment between Landlord and Tenant, with payment to or credit given by Landlord (as the case my be) so that Landlord shall receive the entire amount of Tenant's share of such costs and expenses for such period.
Section 4.06. LATE CHARGES. Tenant's failure to pay rent promptly may
cause Landlord to incur unanticipated costs. The exact amount of such costs are
impractical or extremely difficult to ascertain. Such costs may include, but are
not limited to, processing and accounting charges and late charges which may be
imposed on Landlord by any ground lease, mortgage or trust deed encumbering the
Property. Therefore, if Landlord does not receive any rent payment within ten
(10) days after it becomes due, Tenant shall pay Landlord a late charge equal to
ten percent (10%) of the overdue amount. The parties agree that such late charge
represents a fair and reasonable estimate of the costs Landlord will incur by
reason of such late payment.
Section 4.07. INTEREST ON PAST DUE OBLIGATIONS. Any amount owed by Tenant to Landlord which is not paid when due shall bear interest at the rate of fifteen percent (15%) per annum from the due date of such amount. However, interest shall not be payable on late charges to be paid by Tenant under this Lease. The payment of interest on such amounts shall not excuse or cure any default by Tenant under this Lease. If the interest rate specified in this Lease is higher than the rate permitted by law, the interest rate is hereby decreased to the maximum legal interest rate permitted by law.
Section 4.08. IMPOUNDS FOR INSURANCE PREMIUMS AND REAL PROPERTY TAXES. If requested by any ground lessor or lender to whom Landlord has granted a security interest in the Property, or if Tenant is more than ten (10) days late in the payment of rent more than once in any consecutive twelve (12)-month period, Tenant shall pay Landlord a sum equal to one-twelfth (1/12) of the annual real property taxes and insurance premiums payable by Tenant under this Lease, together with each payment of Base Rent. Landlord shall hold such payments in a non-interest bearing impound account. If unknown, Landlord shall reasonably estimate the amount of real property taxes and insurance premiums when due. Tenant shall pay any deficiency of funds in the impound account to Landlord upon written request. If Tenant defaults under this Lease, Landlord may apply any funds in the impound account to any obligation then due under this Lease.
ARTICLE FIVE: USE OF PROPERTY
Section 5.01. PERMITTED USES. Tenant may use the Property only for the Permitted Uses set forth in Section 1.06 above.
Section 5.02. MANNER OF USE. Tenant shall not cause or permit the Property to be used in any way which constitutes a violation of any law, ordinance, or governmental regulation or order, which annoys or interferes with the rights of tenants of the Project, or which constitutes a nuisance or waste. Tenant shall obtain and pay for all permits, including a Certificate of Occupancy, required for Tenant's occupancy of the Property and shall promptly take all actions necessary to comply with all applicable statutes, ordinances, rules, regulations, orders and requirements regulating the use by Tenant of the Property, including the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
Section 5.03. HAZARDOUS MATERIALS. As used in this Lease, the term "Hazardous Material" means any flammable items, explosives, radioactive materials, hazardous or toxic substances, material or waste or related materials, including any substances defined as or included in the definition of "hazardous substances", "hazardous wastes", "hazardous materials" or "toxic substances" now or subsequently regulated under any applicable federal, state or local laws or regulations, including without limitation petroleum-based products, paints, solvents, lead, cyanide, DDT, printing inks, acids, pesticides, ammonia compounds and other chemical products, asbestos, PCBs and similar compounds, and including any different products and materials which are subsequently found to have adverse effects on the environment or the health and safety of persons. Tenant shall not cause or permit any Hazardous Material to be generated, produced, brought upon, used, stored, treated or disposed of in or about the Property by Tenant, its agents, employees, contractors, sublessees or invitees without the prior written consent of Landlord. Landlord shall be entitled to take into account such other factors or facts as Landlord may reasonably determine to be relevant in determining whether to grant or withhold consent to Tenant's proposed activity with respect to Hazardous Material. In no event, however, shall Landlord be required to consent to the installation or use of any storage tanks on the Property.
Section 5.04. SIGNS AND AUCTIONS. Tenant shall not place any signs on the Property without Landlord's prior written consent. Tenant shall not conduct or permit any auctions or sheriff's sales at the Property.
Section 5.05. INDEMNITY. Tenant shall indemnify Landlord against and hold Landlord harmless from any and all costs, claims or liability arising from: (a) Tenant's use of the Property; (b) the conduct of Tenant's business or anything else done or
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permitted by Tenant to be done in or about the Property, including any contamination of the Property or any other property resulting from the presence or use of Hazardous Material caused or permitted by Tenant; (c) any breach or default in the performance of Tenant's obligations under this Lease; (d) any misrepresentation or breach of warranty by Tenant under this Lease; or (e) other acts or omissions of Tenant. Tenant shall defend Landlord against any such cost, claim or liability at Tenant's expense with counsel reasonably acceptable to Landlord or, at Landlord's election, Tenant shall reimburse Landlord for any legal fees or costs incurred by Landlord in connection with any such claim. As a material part of the consideration to Landlord, Tenant assumes all risk of damage to property or injury to persons in or about the Property arising from any cause, and Tenant hereby waives all claims in respect thereof against Landlord, except for any claim arising out of Landlord's gross negligence or willful misconduct. As used in this Section, the term "Tenant" shall include Tenant's employees, agents, contractors and invitees, if applicable.
Section 5.06. LANDLORD'S ACCESS. Landlord or its agents may enter the Property at all reasonable times to show the Property to potential buyers, investors or tenants or other parties; to do any other act or to inspect and conduct tests in order to monitor Tenant's compliance with all applicable environmental laws and all laws governing the presence and use of Hazardous Material; or for any other purpose Landlord deems necessary. Landlord shall give Tenant prior notice of such entry, except in the case of an emergency. Landlord may place customary "For Sale" or "For Lease" signs on the Property.
Section 5.07. QUIET POSSESSION. If Tenant pays the rent and complies with all terms of this Lease, Tenant may occupy and enjoy the Property for the full Lease Term, subject to the provisions of this Lease.
ARTICLE SIX: CONDITION OF PROPERTY; MAINTENANCE, REPAIRS AND ALTERATIONS
Section 6.01. EXISTING CONDITIONS. Tenant accepts the Property in its condition as of the execution of the Lease, subject to all recorded matters, laws, ordinances, and governmental regulations and orders. Except as provided herein, Tenant acknowledges that neither Landlord nor any agent of Landlord has made any representation as to the condition of the Property or the suitability of the Property for Tenant's intended use. Tenant represents and warrants that Tenant has made its own inspection of and inquiry regarding the condition of the Property and is not relying on any representations of Landlord or any Broker with respect thereto. If Landlord or Landlord's Broker has provided a Property Information Sheet or other Disclosure Statement regarding the Property, a copy is attached as an exhibit to the Lease.
Section 6.02. EXEMPTION OF LANDLORD FROM LIABILITY. Landlord shall not be liable for any damage or injury to the person, business (or any loss of income therefrom), goods, wares, merchandise or other property of Tenant, Tenant's employees, invitees, customers or any other person in or about the Property, whether such damage or injury is caused by or results from: (a) fire, steam, electricity, water, gas or rain; (b) the breakage, leakage, obstruction or other defects of pipes sprinklers, wires, appliances, plumbing, air conditioning or lighting fixtures or any other cause; (c) conditions arising in or about the Property or upon other portions of the Project, or from other sources or places; or (d) any act or omission of any other tenant of the Project. Landlord shall not be liable for any such damage or injury even though the cause of or the means of repairing such damage or injury are not accessible to Tenant. The provisions of this Section 6.02 shall not, however, exempt Landlord from liability for Landlord's gross negligence or willful misconduct.
Section 6.03. LANDLORD'S OBLIGATIONS.
(a) Except as provided in Article Seven (Damage or Destruction) and Article Eight (Condemnation), Landlord shall keep the following in good order, condition and repair: the foundations, exterior walls and roof of the Property.
However, Landlord shall not be obligated to maintain or repair windows, doors, plate glass or the interior surfaces of exterior walls. Landlord shall make repairs under this Section 6.03 within a reasonable time after receipt of written notice from Tenant of the need for such repairs.
(b) Tenant shall pay or reimburse Landlord for all costs Landlord incurs under Paragraph 6.03(a) above as Common Area costs as provided for in Section 4.05 of the Lease. Tenant waives the benefit of any statute in effect now or in the future which might give Tenant the right to make repairs at Landlord's expense or to terminate this Lease due to Landlord's failure to keep the Property in good order, condition and repair.
Section 6.04 TENANT'S OBLIGATIONS.
(a) Except as provided in Section 6.03, Article Seven (Damage or Destruction) and Article Eight (Condemnation), Tenant shall keep all portions of the Property (including structural, nonstructural, interior, systems and equipment) in good order, condition and repair (including interior repainting and refinishing, as needed). If any portion of the Property or any system or equipment in the Property which Tenant is obligated to repair cannot be fully repaired or restored, Tenant shall promptly replace such portion of the Property or system or equipment in the Property, regardless of whether the benefit of such replacement extends beyond the Lease Term.
Tenant shall maintain a preventative maintenance contract providing for the regular inspection and maintenance of the heating and air conditioning system by a licensed heating and air conditioning contractor, unless Landlord maintains such equipment under Section 6.03 above. If any part of the Property or the Project is damaged by any act or omission of Tenant, Tenant shall pay Landlord the cost of repairing or replacing such damaged property, whether or not Landlord would otherwise be obligated to pay the cost of maintaining or repairing such property. It is the intention of Landlord and Tenant that at all times Tenant shall maintain the portions of the Property which Tenant is obligated to maintain in an attractive, first-class and fully operative condition.
(b) Tenant shall fulfill all of Tenant's obligations under this Section 6.04 at Tenant's sole expense. If Tenant fails to maintain, repair or replace the Property as required by this Section 6.04, Landlord may, upon ten (10) days' prior notice to Tenant (except that no notice shall be required in the case of an emergency), enter the Property and perform such maintenance or repair (including replacement, as needed) on behalf of Tenant. In such case, Tenant shall reimburse Landlord for all costs incurred in performing such maintenance or repair immediately upon demand.
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Section 6.05. ALTERATIONS, ADDITIONS, AND IMPROVEMENTS.
(a) Tenant shall not make any alterations, additions, or improvements to the Property without Landlord's prior written consent, except for non-structural alterations which do not exceed Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000) in cost cumulatively over the Lease Term and which are not visible from the outside of any building of which the Property is part. Landlord may require Tenant to provide demolition and/or lien and completion bonds in form and amount satisfactory to Landlord. Tenant shall promptly remove any alterations, additions, or improvements constructed in violation of this Paragraph 6.05(a) upon Landlord's written request. All alterations, additions, and improvements shall be done in a good and workmanlike manner, in conformity with all applicable laws and regulations, and by a contractor approved by Landlord. Upon completion of any such work, Tenant shall provide Landlord with "as built" plans, copies of all construction contracts, and proof of payment for all labor and materials.
(b) Tenant shall pay when due all claims for labor and material furnished to the Property. Tenant shall give Landlord at least twenty (20) days' prior written notice of the commencement of any work on the Property, regardless of whether Landlord's consent to such work is required. Landlord may elect to record and post notices of non-responsibility on the Property.
Section 6.06. CONDITION UPON TERMINATION. Upon the termination of the Lease, Tenant shall surrender the Property to Landlord, broom clean and in the same condition as received except for ordinary wear and tear which Tenant was not otherwise obligated to remedy under any provision of this Lease. However, Tenant shall not be obligated to repair any damage which Landlord is required to repair under Article Seven (Damage or Destruction). In addition, Landlord may require Tenant to remove any alterations, additions or improvements (whether or not made with Landlord's consent) prior to the expiration of the Lease and to restore the Property to its prior condition, all at Tenant's expense. All alterations, additions and improvements which Landlord has not required Tenant to remove shall become Landlord's property and shall be surrendered to Landlord upon the expiration or earlier termination of the Lease, except that Tenant may remove any of Tenant's machinery or equipment which can be removed without material damage to the Property. Tenant shall repair, at Tenant's expense, any damage to the Property caused by the removal of any such machinery or equipment. In no event, however, shall Tenant remove any of the following materials or equipment (which shall be deemed Landlord's property) without Landlord's prior written consent: any power wiring or power panels; lighting or lighting fixtures; wall coverings; drapes, blinds or other window coverings; carpets or other floor coverings; heaters, air conditioners or any other heating or air conditioning equipment; fencing or security gates; or other similar building operating equipment and decorations.
ARTICLE SEVEN: DAMAGE OR DESTRUCTION
Section 7.01. PARTIAL DAMAGE TO PROPERTY.
(a) Tenant shall notify Landlord in writing immediately upon the occurrence of any damage to the Property. If the Property is only partially damaged (i.e., less than fifty percent (50%) of the Property is untenantable as a result of such damage or less than fifty percent (50%) of Tenant's operations are materially impaired) and if the proceeds received by Landlord from the insurance policies described in Paragraph 4.04(b) are sufficient to pay for the necessary repairs, this Lease shall remain in effect and Landlord shall repair the damage as soon as reasonably possible. Landlord may elect (but is not required) to repair any damage to Tenant's fixtures, equipment, or improvements.
(b) If the insurance proceeds received by Landlord are not sufficient to
pay the entire cost of repair, or if the cause of the damage is not covered by
the insurance policies which Landlord maintains under Paragraph 4.04(b),
Landlord may elect either to (i) repair the damage as soon as reasonably
possible, in which case this Lease shall remain in full force and effect, or
(ii) terminate this Lease as of the date the damage occurred. Landlord shall
notify Tenant within thirty (30) days after receipt of notice of the occurrence
of the damage whether Landlord elects to repair the damage or terminate the
Lease. If Landlord elects to repair the damage, Tenant shall pay Landlord the
"deductible amount" (if any) under Landlord's insurance policies and, if the
damage was due to an act or omission of Tenant, or Tenant's employees, agents,
contractors or invitees, the difference between the actual cost of repair and
any insurance proceeds received by Landlord. If Landlord elects to terminate the
Lease, Tenant may elect to continue this Lease in full force and effect, in
which case Tenant shall repair any damage to the Property and any building in
which the Property is located. Tenant shall pay the cost of such repairs, except
that upon satisfactory completion of such repairs, Landlord shall deliver to
Tenant any insurance proceeds received by Landlord for the damage repaired by
Tenant. Tenant shall give Landlord written notice of such election within ten
(10) days after receiving Landlord's termination notice.
(c) If the damage to the Property occurs during the last six (6) months of the Lease Term and such damage will require more than thirty (30) days to repair, either Landlord or Tenant may elect to terminate this Lease as of the date the damage occurred, regardless of the sufficiency of any insurance proceeds. The party electing to terminate this Lease shall give written notification to the other party of such election within thirty (30) days after Tenant's notice to Landlord of the occurrence of the damage.
Section 7.02. SUBSTANTIAL OR TOTAL DESTRUCTION. If the Property is substantially or totally destroyed by any cause whatsoever (i.e., the damage to the Property is greater than partial damage as described in Section 7.01), and regardless of whether Landlord receives any insurance proceeds, this Lease shall terminate as of the date the destruction occurred. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, if the Property can be rebuilt within six (6) months after the date of destruction, Landlord may elect to rebuild the Property at Landlord's own expense, in which case this Lease shall remain in full force and effect. Landlord shall notify Tenant of such election within thirty (30) days after Tenant's notice of the occurrence of total or substantial destruction. If Landlord so elects, Landlord shall rebuild the Property at Landlord's sole expense, except that if the destruction was caused by an act or omission of Tenant, Tenant shall pay Landlord the difference between the actual cost of rebuilding and any insurance proceeds received by Landlord.
Section 7.03. TEMPORARY REDUCTION OF RENT. If the Property is destroyed or damaged and Landlord or Tenant repairs or restores the Property pursuant to the provisions of this Article Seven, any rent payable during the period of such damage, repair and/or restoration shall be reduced according to the degree, if any, to which Tenant's use of the Property is impaired. However, the reduction shall not exceed the sum of one year's payment of Base Rent, insurance premiums and real property taxes. Except for such possible reduction in Base Rent, insurance premiums and real property taxes, Tenant shall not be entitled to any compensation, reduction, or reimbursement from Landlord as a result of any damage, destruction, repair, or restoration of or to the Property.
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Section 7.04. WAIVER. Tenant waives the protection of any statute, code or judicial decision which grants a tenant the right to terminate a lease in the event of the substantial or total destruction of the leased property. Tenant agrees that the provisions of Section 7.02 above shall govern the rights and obligations of Landlord and Tenant in the event of any substantial or total destruction to the Property.
ARTICLE EIGHT: CONDEMNATION
If all or any portion of the Property is taken under the power of eminent domain or sold under the threat of that power (all of which are called "Condemnation"), this Lease shall terminate as to the part taken or sold on the date the condemning authority takes title or possession, whichever occurs first. If more than twenty percent (20%) of the floor area of the building in which the Property is located, or which is located on the Property, is taken, either Landlord or Tenant may terminate this Lease as of the date the condemning authority takes title or possession, by delivering written notice to the other within ten (10) days after receipt of written notice of such taking (or in the absence of such notice, within ten (10) days after the condemning authority takes title or possession). If neither Landlord nor Tenant terminates this Lease, this Lease shall remain in effect as to the portion of the Property not taken, except that the Base Rent and Additional Rent shall be reduced in proportion to the reduction in the floor area of the Property. Any Condemnation award or payment shall be distributed in the following order: (a) first, to any ground lessor, mortgagee or beneficiary under a deed of trust encumbering the Property, the amount of its interest in the Property; (b) second, to Tenant, only the amount of any award specifically designated for loss of or damage to Tenant's trade fixtures or removable personal property; and (c) third, to Landlord, the remainder of such award, whether as compensation for reduction in the value of the leasehold, the taking of the fee, or otherwise. If this Lease is not terminated, Landlord shall repair any damage to the Property caused by the Condemnation, except that Landlord shall not be obligated to repair any damage for which Tenant has been reimbursed by the condemning authority. If the severance damages received by Landlord are not sufficient to pay for such repair, Landlord shall have the right to either terminate this Lease or make such repair at Landlord's expense.
ARTICLE NINE: ASSIGNMENT AND SUBLETTING
Section 9.01. LANDLORD'S CONSENT REQUIRED. No portion of the Property or of Tenant's interest in this Lease may be acquired by any other person or entity, whether by sale, assignment, mortgage, sublease, transfer, operation of law, or act of Tenant, without Landlord's prior written consent, except as provided in Section 9.02 below. Landlord has the right to grant or withhold its consent as provided in Section 9.05 below. Any attempted transfer without consent shall be void and shall constitute a non-curable breach of this Lease. If Tenant is a partnership, any cumulative transfer of more than twenty percent (20%) of the partnership interests shall require Landlord's consent. If Tenant is a corporation, any change in the ownership of a controlling interest of the voting stock of the corporation shall require Landlord's consent.
Section 9.02 TENANT AFFILIATE. Tenant may assign this Lease or sublease the Property, without Landlord's consent, to any corporation which controls, is controlled by or is under common control with Tenant, or to any corporation resulting from the merger of or consolidation with Tenant ("Tenant's Affiliate"). In such case, any Tenant's Affiliate shall assume in writing all of Tenant's obligations under this Lease.
Section 9.03 NO RELEASE OF TENANT. No transfer permitted by this Article Nine, whether with or without Landlord's consent, shall release Tenant or change Tenant's primary liability to pay the rent and to perform all other obligations of Tenant under this Lease. Landlord's acceptance of rent from any other person is not a waiver of any provision of this Article Nine. Consent to one transfer is not a consent to any subsequent transfer. If Tenant's transferee defaults under this Lease, Landlord may proceed directly against Tenant without pursuing remedies against the transferee. Landlord may consent to subsequent assignments or modifications of this Lease by Tenant's transferee, without notifying Tenant or obtaining its consent. Such action shall not relieve Tenant's liability under this Lease.
Section 9.04 OFFER TO TERMINATE. If Tenant desires to assign the Lease or sublease the Property, Tenant shall have the right to offer, in writing, to terminate the Lease as of a date specified in the offer. If Landlord elects in writing to accept the offer to terminate within twenty (20) days after notice of the offer, the Lease shall terminate as of the date specified and all the terms and provisions of the Lease governing termination shall apply. If Landlord does not so elect, the Lease shall continue in effect until otherwise terminated and the provisions of Section 9.05 with respect to any proposed transfer shall continue to apply.
Section 9.05 LANDLORD'S CONSENT.
(a) Tenant's request for consent to any transfer described in Section 9.01 shall set forth in writing the details of the proposed transfer, including the name, business and financial condition of the prospective transferee, financial details of the proposed transfer (e.g., the term of and the rent and security deposit payable under any proposed assignment or sublease), and any other information Landlord deems relevant. Landlord shall have the right to withhold consent, if reasonable, or to grant consent, based on the following factors: (i) the business of the proposed assignee or subtenant and the proposed use of the Property; (ii) the net worth and financial reputation of the proposed assignee or subtenant; (iii) Tenant's compliance with all of its obligations under the Lease; and (iv) such other factors as Landlord may reasonably deem relevant. If Landlord objects to a proposed assignment solely because of the net worth and/or financial reputation of the proposed assignee, Tenant may nonetheless sublease (but not assign), all or a portion of the Property to the proposed transferee, but only on the other terms of the proposed transfer.
(b) If Tenant assigns or subleases, the following shall apply:
(i) Tenant shall pay to Landlord as Additional Rent under the Lease the Landlord's Share (stated in Section 1.13) of the Profit (defined below) on such transaction as and when received by Tenant, unless Landlord gives written notice to Tenant and the assignee or subtenant that Landlord's Share shall be paid by the assignee or subtenant to Landlord directly. The "Profit" means (A) all amounts paid to Tenant for such assignment or sublease, including "key" money, monthly rent in excess of the monthly rent payable under the Lease, and all fees and other consideration paid for the assignment or sublease, including fees under any collateral agreements, less (B) costs and expenses directly incurred by Tenant in connection with the execution and performance of such assignment or sublease for real estate broker's commissions and costs of renovation or construction of tenant improvements required under such assignment or sublease. Tenant is entitled to recover such costs and expenses before Tenant is obligated to pay the Landlord's Share to Landlord. The Profit in the
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case of a sublease of less than all the Property is the rent allocable to the subleased space as a percentage on a square footage basis.
(ii) Tenant shall provide Landlord a written statement certifying all amounts to be paid from any assignment or sublease of the Property within thirty (30) days after the transaction documentation is signed, and Landlord may inspect Tenant's books and records to verify the accuracy of such statement. On written request, Tenant shall promptly furnish to Landlord copies of all the transaction documentation, all of which shall be certified by Tenant to be complete, true and correct. Landlord's receipt of Landlord's Share shall not be a consent to any further assignment or subletting. The breach of Tenant's obligation under this Paragraph 9.05(b) shall be a material default of the Lease.
Section 9.06. NO MERGER. No merger shall result from Tenant's sublease of the Property under this Article Nine, Tenant's surrender of this Lease or the termination of this Lease in any other manner. In any such event, Landlord may terminate any or all subtenancies or succeed to the interest of Tenant as sublandlord under any or all subtenancies.
ARTICLE TEN: DEFAULTS; REMEDIES
Section 10.01. COVENANTS AND CONDITIONS. Tenant's performance of each of Tenant's obligations under this Lease is a condition as well as a covenant. Tenant's right to continue in possession of the Property is conditioned upon such performance. Time is of the essence in the performance of all covenants and conditions.
Section 10.02. DEFAULTS. Tenant shall be in material default under this
Lease:
(a) If Tenant abandons the Property or if Tenant's vacation of the
Property results in the cancellation of any insurance described in Section
4.04;
(b) If Tenant fails to pay rent or any other charge when due;
(c) If Tenant fails to perform any of Tenant's non-monetary obligations under this Lease for a period of thirty (30) days after written notice from Landlord; provided that if more than thirty (30) days are required to complete such performance, Tenant shall not be in default if Tenant commences such performance within the thirty (30)-day period and thereafter diligently pursues its completion. However, Landlord shall not be required to give such notice if Tenant's failure to perform constitutes a non-curable breach of this Lease. The notice required by this Paragraph is intended to satisfy any and all notice requirements imposed by law on Landlord and is not in addition to any such requirement.
(d) (i) If Tenant makes a general assignment or general arrangement for the benefit of creditors; (ii) if a petition for adjudication of bankruptcy or for reorganization or rearrangement is filed by or against Tenant and is not dismissed within thirty (30) days; (iii) if a trustee or receiver is appointed to take possession of substantially all of Tenant's assets located at the Property or of Tenant's interest in this Lease and possession is not restored to Tenant within thirty (30) days; or (iv) if substantially all of Tenant's assets located at the Property or of Tenant's interest in this Lease is subjected to attachment, execution or other judicial seizure which is not discharged within thirty (30) days. If a court of competent jurisdiction determines that any of the acts described in this subparagraph (d) is not a default under this Lease, and a trustee is appointed to take possession (or if Tenant remains a debtor in possession) and such trustee or Tenant transfers Tenant's interest hereunder, then Landlord shall receive, as Additional Rent, the excess, if any, of the rent (or any other consideration) paid in connection with such assignment or sublease over the rent payable by Tenant under this Lease.
(e) If any guarantor of the Lease revokes or otherwise terminates, or purports to revoke or otherwise terminate, any guaranty of all or any portion of Tenant's obligations under the Lease. Unless otherwise expressly provided, no guaranty of the Lease is revocable.
Section 10.03. REMEDIES. On the occurrence of any material default by Tenant, Landlord may, at any time thereafter, with or without notice or demand and without limiting Landlord in the exercise of any right or remedy which Landlord may have:
(a) Terminate Tenant's right to possession of the Property by any lawful
means, in which case this Lease shall terminate and Tenant shall immediately
surrender possession of the Property to Landlord. In such event, Landlord shall
be entitled to recover from Tenant all damages incurred by Landlord by reason of
Tenant's default, including (i) the worth at the time of the award of the unpaid
Base Rent, Additional Rent and other charges which Landlord had earned at the
time of the termination; (ii) the worth at the time of the award of the amount
by which the unpaid Base Rent, Additional Rent and other charges which Landlord
would have earned after termination until the time of the award exceeds the
amount of such rental loss that Tenant proves Landlord could have reasonably
avoided; (iii) the worth at the time of the award of the amount by which the
unpaid Base Rent, Additional Rent and other charges which Tenant would have paid
for the balance of the Lease Term after the time of award exceeds the amount of
such rental loss that Tenant proves Landlord could have reasonably avoided; and
(iv) any other amount necessary to compensate Landlord for all the detriment
proximately caused by Tenant's failure to perform its obligations under the
Lease or which in the ordinary course of things would be likely to result
therefrom, including, but not limited to, any costs or expenses Landlord incurs
in maintaining or preserving the Property after such default, the cost of
recovering possession of the Property, expenses of reletting, including
necessary renovation or alteration of the Property, Landlord's reasonable
attorneys' fees incurred in connection therewith, and any real estate commission
paid or payable. As used in subparts (i) and (ii) above, the "worth at the time
of the award" is computed by allowing interest on unpaid amounts at the rate of
fifteen percent (15%) per annum, or such lesser amount as may then be the
maximum lawful rate. As used in subpart (iii) above, the "worth at the time of
award" is computed by discounting such amount at the discount rate of the
Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco at the time of the award, plus one percent
(1%). If Tenant has abandoned the Property, Landlord shall have the option of
(i) retaking possession of the Property and recovering from Tenant the amount
specified in this Paragraph 10.03(a), or (ii) proceeding under Paragraph
10.03(b);
(b) Maintain Tenant's right to possession, in which case this Lease shall continue in effect whether or not Tenant has abandoned the Property. In such event, Landlord shall be entitled to enforce all of Landlord's rights and remedies under this Lease, including the right to recover the rent as it becomes due;
(c) Pursue any other remedy now or hereafter available to Landlord under the laws or judicial decisions of the state in which the Property is located.
Section 10.04. REPAYMENT OF "FREE" RENT. If this Lease provides for a postponement of any monthly rental payments, a period of "free" rent or other rent concession, such postponed rent or "free" rent is called the "Abated Rent". Tenant shall
(c) 1988 Southern California Chapter Initials /s/ R.G. of the Society of Industrial [SIOR(TM) LOGO] ----------- and Office Realtors, (R) Inc. /s/ J.R. AR (MULTI-TENANT NET FORM) ----------- |
be credited with having paid all of the Abated Rent on the expiration of the Lease Term only if Tenant has fully, faithfully, and punctually performed all of Tenant's obligations hereunder, including the payment of all rent (other than the Abated Rent) and all other monetary obligations and the surrender of the Property in the physical condition required by this Lease. Tenant acknowledges that its right to receive credit for the Abated Rent is absolutely conditioned upon Tenant's full, faithful and punctual performance of its obligations under this Lease. If Tenant defaults and does not cure within any applicable grace period, the Abated Rent shall immediately become due and payable in full and this Lease shall be enforced as if there were no such rent abatement or other rent concession. In such case Abated Rent shall be calculated based on the full initial rent payable under this Lease.
Section 10.05. AUTOMATIC TERMINATION. Notwithstanding any other term or provision hereof to the contrary, the Lease shall terminate on the occurrence of any act which affirms the Landlord's intention to terminate the Lease as provided in Section 10.03 hereof, including the filing of an unlawful detainer action against Tenant. On such termination, Landlord's damages for default shall include all costs and fees, including reasonable attorneys' fees that Landlord incurs in connection with the filing, commencement, pursuing and/or defending of any action in any bankruptcy court or other court with respect to the Lease; the obtaining of relief from any stay in bankruptcy restraining any action to evict Tenant; or the pursuing of any action with respect to Landlord's right to possession of the Property. All such damages suffered (apart from Base Rent and other rent payable hereunder) shall constitute pecuniary damages which must be reimbursed to Landlord prior to assumption of the Lease by Tenant or any successor to Tenant in any bankruptcy or other proceeding.
Section 10.06. CUMULATIVE REMEDIES. Landlord's exercise of any right or remedy shall not prevent it from exercising any other right or remedy.
ARTICLE ELEVEN: PROTECTION OF LENDERS
Section 11.01. SUBORDINATION. Landlord shall have the right to subordinate this Lease to any ground lease, deed of trust or mortgage encumbering the Property, any advances made on the security thereof and any renewals, modifications, consolidations, replacements or extensions thereof, whenever made or recorded. Tenant shall cooperate with Landlord and any lender which is acquiring a security interest in the Property or the Lease. Tenant shall execute such further documents and assurances as such lender may require, provided that Tenant's obligations under this Lease shall not be increased in any material way (the performance of ministerial acts shall not be deemed material), and Tenant shall not be deprived of its rights under this Lease. Tenant's right to quiet possession of the Property during the Lease Term shall not be disturbed if Tenant pays the rent and performs all of Tenant's obligations under this Lease and is not otherwise in default. If any ground lessor, beneficiary or mortgagee elects to have this Lease prior to the lien of its ground lease, deed of trust or mortgage and gives written notice thereof to Tenant, this Lease shall be deemed prior to such ground lease, deed of trust or mortgage whether this Lease is dated prior or subsequent to the date of said ground lease, deed of trust or mortgage or the date of recording thereof.
Section 11.02. ATTORNMENT: If Landlord's interest in the Property is acquired by any ground lessor, beneficiary under a deed of trust, mortgagee, or purchaser at a foreclosure sale, Tenant shall attorn to the transferee of or successor to Landlord's interest in the Property and recognize such transferee or successor as Landlord under this Lease. Tenant waives the protection of any statute or rule of law which gives or purports to give Tenant any right to terminate this Lease or surrender possession of the Property under the transfer of Landlord's interest.
Section 11.03. SIGNING OF DOCUMENTS. Tenant shall sign and deliver any instrument or documents necessary or appropriate to evidence any such attornment or subordination or agreement to do so. If Tenant fails to do so within ten (10) days after written request, Tenant hereby makes, constitutes and irrevocably appoints Landlord, or any transferee or successor of Landlord, the attorney-in-fact of Tenant to execute and deliver any such instrument or document.
Section 11.04. ESTOPPEL CERTIFICATES.
(a) Upon Landlord's written request, Tenant shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to Landlord a written statement certifying: (i) that none of the terms or provisions of this Lease have been changed (or if they have been changed, stating how they have been changed); (ii) that this Lease has not been cancelled or terminated; (iii) the last date of payment of the Base Rent and other charges and the time period covered by such payment; (iv) that Landlord is not in default under this Lease (or, if Landlord is claimed to be in default, stating why); and (v) such other representations or information with respect to Tenant or the Lease as Landlord may reasonably request or which any prospective purchaser or encumbrancer of the Property may require. Tenant shall deliver such statement to Landlord within ten (10) days after Landlord's request. Landlord may give any such statement by Tenant to any prospective purchaser or encumbrancer of the Property. Such purchaser or encumbrancer may rely conclusively upon such statement as true and correct.
(b) If Tenant does not deliver such statement to Landlord within such ten
(10)-day period, Landlord, and any prospective purchaser or encumbrancer, may
conclusively presume and rely upon the following facts: (i) that the terms and
provisions of this Lease have not been changed except as otherwise represented
by Landlord; (ii) that this Lease has not been cancelled or terminated except
as otherwise represented by Landlord; (iii) that not more than one month's Base
Rent or other charges have been paid in advance; and (iv) that Landlord is not
in default under the Lease. In such event, Tenant shall be estopped from
denying the truth of such facts.
Section 11.05. TENANT'S FINANCIAL CONDITION. Within ten (10) days after written request from Landlord, Tenant shall deliver to Landlord such financial statements as Landlord reasonably requires to verify the net worth of Tenant or any assignee, subtenant, or guarantor of Tenant. In addition, Tenant shall deliver to any lender designated by Landlord any financial statements required by such lender to facilitate the financing or refinancing of the Property. Tenant represents and warrants to Landlord that each such financial statement is a true and accurate statement as of the date of such statement. All financial statements shall be confidential and shall be used only for the purposes set forth in this Lease.
ARTICLE TWELVE: LEGAL COSTS
Section 12.01. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS. If Tenant or Landlord shall be in breach or default under this Lease, such party (the "Defaulting Party") shall reimburse the other party (the "Nondefaulting Party") upon demand for any costs or expenses that the Nondefaulting Party incurs in connection with any breach or default of the Defaulting Party under this Lease, whether or not suit is commenced or judgment entered. Such costs shall include legal fees and costs incurred for the negotiation of a
(c)1988 Southern California Chapter Initials /s/ R.G. of the Society of Industrial ----------- and Office Realtors,(R) Inc [SIOR(TM)LOGO] /s/ J.R. AR ----------- (MULTI-TENANT NET FORM) |
settlement, enforcement of rights or otherwise. Furthermore, if any action for breach of or to enforce the provisions of this Lease is commenced, the court in such action shall award to the party in whose favor a judgment is entered, a reasonable sum as attorneys' fees and costs. The losing party in such action shall pay such attorneys' fees and costs. Tenant shall also indemnify Landlord against and hold Landlord harmless from all costs, expenses, demands and liability Landlord may incur if Landlord becomes or is made a party to any claim or action (a) instituted by Tenant against any third party, or by any third party against Tenant, or by or against any person holding any interest under or using the Property by license of or agreement with Tenant; (b) for foreclosure of any lien for labor or material furnished to or for Tenant or such other person; (c) otherwise arising out of or resulting from any act or transaction of Tenant or such other person; or (d) necessary to protect Landlord's interest under this Lease in a bankruptcy proceeding, or other proceeding under Title 11 of the United States Code, as amended. Tenant shall defend Landlord against any such claim or action at Tenant's expense with counsel reasonably acceptable to Landlord or, at Landlord's election, Tenant shall reimburse Landlord for any legal fees or costs Landlord incurs in any such claim or action.
Section 12.02 LANDLORD'S CONSENT. Tenant shall pay Landlord's reasonable attorneys' fees incurred in connection with Tenant's request for Landlord's consent under Article Nine (Assignment and Subletting), or in connection with any other act which Tenant proposes to do and which requires Landlord's consent.
ARTICLE THIRTEEN: MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
Section 13.01. NON-DISCRIMINATION. Tenant promises, and it is a condition to the continuance of this Lease, that there will be no discrimination against, or segregation of, any person or group of persons on the basis of race, color, sex, creed, national origin or ancestry in the leasing, subleasing, transferring, occupancy, tenure or use of the Property or any portion thereof.
Section 13.02. LANDLORD'S LIABILITY; CERTAIN DUTIES.
(a) As used in this Lease, the term "Landlord" means only the current owner or owners of the fee title to the Property or Project or the leasehold estate under a ground lease of the Property or Project at the time in question. Each Landlord is obligated to perform the obligations of Landlord under this Lease only during the time such Landlord owns such interest or title. Any Landlord who transfers its title or interest is relieved of all liability with respect to the obligations of Landlord under this Lease to be performed on or after the date of transfer. However, each Landlord shall deliver to its transferee all funds that Tenant previously paid if such funds have not yet been applied under the terms of this Lease.
(b) Tenant shall give written notice of any failure by Landlord to perform any of its obligations under this Lease to Landlord and to any ground lessor, mortgagee or beneficiary under any deed of trust encumbering the Property whose name and address have been furnished to Tenant in writing. Landlord shall not be in default under this Lease unless Landlord (or such ground lessor, mortgagee or beneficiary) fails to cure such non-performance within thirty (30) days after receipt of Tenant's notice. However, if such non-performance reasonably requires more than thirty (30) days to cure, Landlord shall not be in default if such cure is commenced within such thirty (30)-day period and thereafter diligently pursued to completion.
(c) Notwithstanding any term or provision herein to the contrary, the liability of Landlord for the performance of its duties and obligations under this Lease is limited to Landlord's interest in the Property and the Project, and neither the Landlord nor its partners, shareholders, officers or other principals shall have any personal liability under this Lease.
Section 13.03. SEVERABILITY. A determination by a court of competent jurisdiction that any provision of this Lease or any part thereof is illegal or unenforceable shall not cancel or invalidate the remainder of such provision or this Lease, which shall remain in full force and effect.
Section 13.04. INTERPRETATION. The captions of the Articles or Sections of this Lease are to assist the parties in reading this Lease and are not a part of the terms or provisions of this Lease. Whenever required by the context of this Lease, the singular shall include the plural and the plural shall include the singular. The masculine, feminine and neuter genders shall each include the other. In any provision relating to the conduct, acts or omissions of Tenant, the term "Tenant" shall include Tenant's agents, employees, contractors, invitees, successors or others using the Property with Tenant's expressed or implied permission.
Section 13.05. INCORPORATION OF PRIOR AGREEMENTS; MODIFICATIONS. This Lease is the only agreement between the parties pertaining to the lease of the Property and no other agreements are effective. All amendments to this Lease shall be in writing and signed by all parties. Any other attempted amendment shall be void.
Section 13.06. NOTICES. All notices required or permitted under this Lease shall be in writing and shall be personally delivered or sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid. Notices to Tenant shall be delivered to the address specified in Section 1.03 above, except that upon Tenant's taking possession of the Property, the Property shall be Tenant's address for notice purposes. Notices to Landlord shall be delivered to the address specified in Section 1.02 above. All notices shall be effective upon delivery. Either party may change its notice address upon written notice to the other party.
Section 13.07. WAIVERS. All waivers must be in writing and signed by the waiving party. Landlord's failure to enforce any provision of this Lease or its acceptance of rent shall not be a waiver and shall not prevent Landlord from enforcing that provision or any other provision of this Lease in the future. No statement on a payment check from Tenant or in a letter accompanying a payment check shall be binding on Landlord. Landlord may, with or without notice to Tenant, negotiate such check without being bound to the conditions of such statement.
Section 13.08. NO RECORDATION. Tenant shall not record this Lease without prior written consent from Landlord. However, either Landlord or Tenant may require that a "Short Form" memorandum of this Lease executed by both parties be recorded. The party requiring such recording shall pay all transfer taxes and recording fees.
Section 13.09. BINDING EFFECT; CHOICE OF LAW. This Lease binds any party who legally acquires any rights or interest in this Lease from Landlord or Tenant. However, Landlord shall have no obligation to Tenant's successor unless the rights or interests of Tenant's successor are acquired in accordance with the terms of this Lease. The laws of the state in which the Property is located shall govern this Lease.
Section 13.10. CORPORATE AUTHORITY; PARTNERSHIP AUTHORITY. If Tenant is a corporation, each person signing this Lease on behalf of Tenant represents and warrants that he has full authority to do so and that this Lease binds the corporation. Within thirty (30) days after this Lease is signed, Tenant shall deliver to Landlord a certified copy of a resolution of Tenant's Board of Directors authorizing the execution of this Lease or other evidence of such authority reasonably acceptable to Landlord. If Tenant is a partnership, each person or entity signing this Lease for Tenant represents and warrants that he or it is a general
(c)1988 Southern California Chapter [SIOR(TM) LOGO] Initials /s/ R.G. of the Society of Industrial ------------ and Office Realtors,(R) Inc. /s/ J.R. AR [SIOR(TM) LOGO] ------------ (MULTI-TENANT NET FORM) |
partner of the partnership, that he or it has full authority to sign for the partnership and that this Lease binds the partnership and all general partners of the partnership. Tenant shall give written notice to Landlord of any general partner's withdrawal or addition. Within thirty (30) days after this Lease is signed, Tenant shall deliver to Landlord a copy of Tenant's recorded statement of partnership or certificate of limited partnership.
Section 13.11. JOINT AND SEVERAL LIABILITY. All parties signing this Lease as Tenant shall be jointly and severally liable for all obligations of Tenant.
Section 13.12. FORCE MAJEURE. If Landlord cannot perform any of its obligations due to events beyond Landlord's control, the time provided for performing such obligations shall be extended by a period of time equal to the duration of such events. Events beyond Landlord's control include, but are not limited to, acts of God, war, civil commotion, labor disputes, strikes, fire, flood or other casualty, shortages of labor or material, government regulation or restriction and weather conditions.
Section 13.13 EXECUTION OF LEASE. This Lease may be executed in counterparts and, when all counterpart documents are executed, the counterparts shall constitute a single binding instrument. Landlord's delivery of this Lease to Tenant shall not be deemed to be an offer to lease and shall not be binding upon either party until executed and delivered by both parties.
Section 13.14. SURVIVAL. All representations and warranties of Landlord and Tenant shall survive the termination of this Lease.
ARTICLE FOURTEEN: BROKERS
Section 14.01. BROKER'S FEE. When this Lease is signed by and delivered to
both Landlord and Tenant, Landlord shall pay a real estate commission to
Landlord's Broker named in Section 1.08 above, if any, as provided in the
written agreement between Landlord and Landlord's Broker, or the sum stated in
Section 1.09 above for services rendered to Landlord by Landlord's Broker in
this transaction. Landlord shall pay Landlord's Broker a commission if Tenant
exercises any option to extend the Lease Term or to buy the Property, or any
similar option or right which Landlord may grant to Tenant, of if Landlord's
Broker is the procuring cause of any other lease or sale entered into between
Landlord and Tenant covering the Property. Such commission shall be the amount
set forth in Landlord's Broker's commission schedule in effect as of the
execution of this Lease. If a Tenant's Broker is named in Section 1.08 above,
Landlord's Broker shall pay an appropriate portion of its commission to
Tenant's Broker if so provided in any agreement between Landlord's Broker and
Tenant's Broker. Nothing contained in this Lease shall impose any obligation on
Landlord to pay a commission or fee to any party other than Landlord's Broker.
Section 14.02. PROTECTION OF BROKERS. If Landlord sells the Property, or assigns Landlord's interest in this Lease, the buyer or assignee shall, by accepting such conveyance of the Property or assignment of the Lease, be conclusively deemed to have agreed to make all payments to Landlord's Broker thereafter required of Landlord under this Article Fourteen. Landlord's Broker shall have the right to bring a legal action to enforce or declare rights under this provision. The prevailing party in such action shall be entitled to reasonable attorneys' fees to be paid by the losing party. Such attorneys' fees shall be fixed by the court in such action. This Paragraph is included in this Lease for the benefit of Landlord's Broker.
Section 14.03. AGENCY DISCLOSURE; NO OTHER BROKERS. Landlord and Tenant each warrant that they have dealt with no other real estate broker(s) in connection with this transaction except: Colliers Classic who represents Landlord and American Realty Brokers, who represents Tenant.
In the event that represents both Landlord and Tenant, Landlord and Tenant hereby confirm that they were timely advised of the dual representation and that they consent to the same, and that they do not expect said broker to disclose to either of them the confidential information of the other party.
ARTICLE FIFTEEN: COMPLIANCE
The parties hereto agree to comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations, codes, ordinances and administrative orders having jurisdiction over the parties, property or the subject matter of this Agreement, including, but not limited to, the 1964 Civil Rights Act and all amendments thereto, the Foreign Investment In Real Property Tax Act, the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act, and The Americans With Disabilities Act.
ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS MAY BE SET FORTH IN A RIDER OR RIDERS ATTACHED HERETO OR IN THE BLANK SPACE BELOW. IF NO ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS ARE INSERTED, PLEASE DRAW A LINE THROUGH THE SPACE BELOW.
(c) 1998 Southern California Chapter [SIOR(TM) LOGO] Initials /s/ R.G. of the Society of Industrial ------------------------ and Office Realtors,(R) Inc. (Multi-Tenant Net Form) /s/ J.R. AR ------------------------ |
Landlord and Tenant have signed this Lease at the place and on the dates specified adjacent to their signatures below and have initialed all Riders which are attached to or incorporated by reference in this Lease.
"LANDLORD"
Signed on November 28, 2000 NORTON P. REMES and JOAN A. REMES, CO-TRUSTEES at ________________________ OF THE NORTON P. REMES and JOAN A. REMES REVOCABLE TRUST dated November 17, 1994 By: /s/ Norton P. Remes ---------------------------------- Its: Trustee ---------------------------------- By: /s/ Joan A. Remes ---------------------------------- Its: Trustee ---------------------------------- "TENANT" Signed on Nov. 24, 2000 Taser International, an Arizona at ________________________ Corporation By: /s/ Patrick Smith ---------------------------------- Its: CEO ---------------------------------- By: ---------------------------------- Its: ---------------------------------- |
IN ANY REAL ESTATE TRANSACTION, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT YOU CONSULT WITH A PROFESSIONAL, SUCH AS A CIVIL ENGINEER, INDUSTRIAL HYGIENIST OR OTHER PERSON WITH EXPERIENCE IN EVALUATING THE CONDITION OF THE PROPERTY, INCLUDING THE POSSIBLE PRESENCE OF ASBESTOS, HAZARDOUS MATERIALS AND UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANKS.
THIS PRINTED FORM LEASE HAS BEEN DRAFTED BY LEGAL COUNSEL AT THE DIRECTION OF THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHAPTER OF THE SOCIETY OF INDUSTRIAL AND OFFICE REALTORS(R), INC. NO REPRESENTATION OR RECOMMENDATION IS MADE BY THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHAPTER OF THE SOCIETY OF INDUSTRIAL AND OFFICE REALTORS(R), INC., ITS LEGAL COUNSEL, THE REAL ESTATE BROKERS NAMED HEREIN, OR THEIR EMPLOYEES OR AGENTS, AS THE LEGAL SUFFICIENCY, LEGAL EFFECT OR TAX CONSEQUENCES OF THIS LEASE OR THIS TRANSACTION. LANDLORD AND TENANT SHOULD RETAIN LEGAL COUNSEL TO ADVISE THEM ON SUCH MATTERS AND SHOULD RELY UPON THE ADVICE OF SUCH LEGAL COUNSEL.
(C) 1988 Southern California Chapter Initials /s/ R.G. of the Society of Industrial ------------ and Office Realtors, (R) Inc. /s/ J.R. AR (Multi-Tenant Net Form) ------------ |
RIDER #1 TO INDUSTRIAL REAL ESTATE LEASE
This Rider #1 to Industrial Real Estate Lease ("Rider") is entered into this 17th day of November, 2000 by and between NORTON P. REMES and JOAN A. REMES, CO-TRUSTEES OF THE NORTON P. REMES and JOAN A. REMES REVOCABLE TRUST dated November 17, 1994 ("Landlord") and Taser International, an Arizona corporation, ("Tenant").
WHEREAS, Landlord and Tenant have entered into that certain, attached, Industrial Real Estate Lease ("Lease") dated November 17, 2000 and;
WHEREAS, Landlord and Tenant wish to further modify certain terms and conditions of the Lease;
NOW THEREFORE, Landlord and Tenant do hereby agree to modify the Lease as follows:
1. BASE RENT, The Base Rent for the term of the Lease shall be as follows:
Lease Year 1 $10,030.00 per month, plus applicable tax, (NNN) 2 $10,330.90 per month, plus applicable tax, (NNN) 3 $10,640.83 per month, plus applicable tax, (NNN) 4 $10,960.05 per month, plus applicable tax, (NNN) 5 $11,288.85 per month, plus applicable tax, (NNN) |
2. ADDITIONAL RENT. Tenant shall pay monthly as Additional Rent its prorata
share of all estimated Common Area/Operating Expenses. This estimate will
include, but is not limited to, Property Taxes and Insurance. These expenses
will be reconciled and adjusted semi-annually in accordance with Section
4.05(e). Tenant will occupy 52% of building, i.e., 22,690 square feet -/-
11,800=52%. 2000 estimate is $.19 per square foot, per month.
3. IMPROVEMENTS. Tenant will take suite is "AS-IS" condition, except for the following:
Landlord, at Landlord's sole expense, will hereby agree to install the following:
1. Replace carpet (chosen from Landlord's swatches only).
2. Broom clean warehouse prior to move in.
In addition, Landlord agrees to provide a total of $29,500.00 for additional improvements only, not to include furniture or fixtures. Any additional improvements (over this amount) to the suite will be at Tenants sole expense. Tenant shall submit to Landlord, prior to construction of any improvements, a reasonable detailed description or plan describing the improvements to be made. All improvements will be completed in accordance with applicable building codes, by licensed contractors. Tenant will not permit any liens to be place against the property in connection with construction of improvements.
All other terms and conditions of the Lease will remain in full force and effect.
The above terms and conditions are agreed to and accepted this 28th day of November, 2000.
LANDLORD: TENANT: NORTON P. REMES and JOAN A. REMES, Taser International, an Arizona TRUSTEES OF THE NORTON P. REMES corporation and JOAN A. REMES REVOCABLE TRUST dated November 17, 1994 BY: /s/ Norton P. Remes By: /s/ Patrick Smith ----------------------- ------------------------ Its: Trustee Its: CEO ----------------------- ------------------------ By: /s/ Joan A. Remes By: ----------------------- ------------------------ Its: Trustee Its: ----------------------- ------------------------ |
GUARANTEE OF LEASE
Reference is hereby made to a lease between, NORTON P. REMES and JOAN A. REMES, CO-TRUSTEES OF THE NORTON P. REMES and JOAN A. REMES REVOCABLE TRUST dated November 17, 1994 (Landlord), and Taser International, an Arizona corporation (Tenant), of certain premises located at 7860 E. McClain Drive, Suite 2B & 2C in the City of Scottsdale, County of Maricopa, State of Arizona.
In consideration of Landlord's having executed said Lease at the request of the undersigned and other valuable considerations, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, the undersigned (Guarantors) hereby jointly and severally unconditionally guarantee to Landlord and Landlord's successors and assigns, the payment of the rents and other sums provided for in said Lease and the performance and observance of all agreements and conditions contained in said Lease on the part of Tenant to be performed or observed.
Guarantors hereby waive presentment for payment, demand for payment, notice of nonpayment or dishonor, protest and notice of protest, diligence in collection, and any and all formalities that may be legally required to charge them or either or any of them with liability; and the Guarantors, and each of them, for further agree that their liability as Guarantors shall in no way be impaired or affected by any renewals, waivers, or extensions that may be made from time to time, with or without the knowledge and consent of any one or more of them, of any default or the time of payment or performance required under said Lease, or by any forbearance or delay in enforcing any obligation thereof, or by assignment of said Lease or subletting of the demised Premises, neglect or refusal to enforce or to realize upon any security that may have been given or may hereafter be given thereunder or hereunder, or by any modifications of the terms or provisions of the Lease.
The Guarantors further jointly and severally covenant and agree to pay all expenses and fees, including attorney fees that may be incurred by the Landlord or its successors or assigns enforcing any of the terms or provisions of this Guarantee.
This Guarantee shall be binding upon the heirs, legal representatives, successors, and assigns of the Guarantors, and each of them, shall not be discharged or affected, in whole or in part by the death, bankruptcy, insolvency of the Guarantors, or any one or more of them.
This Guarantee is absolute, unconditional, and continuing and payment of the sums for which the undersigned becomes liable shall be made at the office of Landlord or its successors or assigns from time to time on demand as the same become or are declared due.
Guarantors hereby waives any and all benefits under Arizona Revised Statutes ("A.R.S.") Sections 12-1641 - 12-1646 and Rule 17(f) of the Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure.
IN WITNESS THEREOF, Guarantor has hereunto set his hands and seal this Agreement the 27th day of November 2000.
Guarantor: Phillips W. Smith
By: /s/ Phillips W. Smith By: ---------------------------- ---------------------------- Date: 11/27/00 Date: -------------------------- -------------------------- By: By: ---------------------------- ---------------------------- Date: Date: -------------------------- -------------------------- |
7860 E. McClain * Scottsdale, Arizona
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Exhibit 23.2
[AA LETTERHEAD]
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
As independent public accountants, we hereby consent to the use of our report dated February 12, 2001 (and to all references to our firm) included in or made a part of this SB-2 Registration Statement.
Phoenix, Arizona
February 12, 2001