EX-4.4 10 faulleragreement.htm CONSULTING AGREEMENT Consulting Agreement

[faulleragreement001.jpg]


SNIPP


2000 FLORIDA AVENUE NW (SUITE 230)


WASHINGTON, DC 20009


16 May, 2012



John D. Fauller

1942 North Warren Avenue

Milwaukee, WI 53202


Dear John:


Consumer Impulse Inc, (the “Company”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Snipp Interactive Inc., is pleased to offer you the full-time exempt position of Chief Operating Officer (COO), reporting to the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, with an anticipated start date on or before July 1, 2012.


Your primary duties will include overseeing the company’s technology & product management, product development and service delivery operations, and those other duties periodically described to you, and consistent with that of a COO in an early-stage services company. You will also be a member of the company’s senior management team. You shall devote your full working time, attention and best efforts to fulfill your duties and to further the business and interests of the Company. You will primarily be working out of your home, and as requested by the Company from time to time, out of the Company's Washington DC office or other locations in the United States that the Company may establish.


As a full-time, salaried employee you will receive an annual salary of US$ 115,000, payable on the Company’s regular payroll dates, and subject to tax and other withholdings as required by law. Such salary may be adjusted from time to time in accordance with normal business practice and at the sole discretion of the Company.


In addition, you are eligible for an annual incentive bonus, equivalent to up to 30% of your then-current annual base salary (pro-rated for the first year based on your actual start date), based upon successful achievement of performance objectives as established by the Company in its sole discretion, and based upon your being a full-time employee of the Company at the time of payment of such bonus. These objectives shall be discussed and agreed upon once you have started employment with the company and can be renegotiated each year.


Subject to the Company’s Board of Directors approval, and the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange, after 6 months of your continuous employment with the Company, you may be eligible to participate in a plan for equity based compensation which the Company (or its parent company) anticipates to implement in the future. All grants under such future plan are subject to the Company’s sole discretion and shall be subject to all terms, vesting schedules and other provisions set forth in the equity based compensation plan and related agreements.


During your employment, you will be entitled to the benefits generally made available to regular, full-time salaried employees of the Company including health, dental and visual insurance as well as a 401(k) program, as and when such benefits are generally made available to regular, full-time salaried employees. The company plans to provide full time employees 8 paid holidays for the calendar year 2012. You are also eligible for a maximum of 10 paid vacation days per calendar year, based upon a monthly accrual, to be taken at such times as may be approved by the Company.


The Company will reimburse you for reasonable and pre-approved business expenses incurred solely in the performance of your official duties, provided that you provide the Company with documentation of such expenses as is required by the Internal Revenue Service and in accordance with the Company’s policies. The Company will also loan you a Company laptop for use in performance with your duties, which laptop, along with all other property of the Company must be returned to the Company as and when requested by the Company.


Your employment with the Company is for no specified period and constitutes "at-will" employment in that it can be terminated with or without cause, and with or without notice, at anytime, at the option of either the Company or yourself, except as otherwise provided by law. The terms of this offer letter, therefore, do not and are not intended to create either an express and/or implied contract of employment with the Company. Similarly, nothing in this letter shall be construed as an agreement, either express or implied, to pay you any compensation or grant you any benefit beyond the end of your employment with the Company.


This letter, along with the agreement relating to Confidential Information and Invention Assignment Agreement, a copy of which is attached, set forth the terms of your employment with the Company and supersede any prior representations or agreements whether written or oral.


You represent that you are not bound by any employment contract, restrictive covenant or other restriction preventing you from entering into employment with or carrying out your responsibilities for the Company, or which is in any way inconsistent with the terms of this letter. While you render services to the Company, you agree that you will not engage in any other employment, consulting or other business activity pertaining to or in any way related to your work with the Company without the written consent of the Company. Further, while you render Services to the company, you will not, nor will you assist any person or entity in, competing with the Company, in preparing to compete with the Company or in hiring any employees or consultants of the Company.


You agree to provide to the Company, within three days of your hire date, documentation of your eligibility to work in the United States, as required by the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. You may need to obtain a work visa in order to be eligible to work in the United States. If that is the case, your employment with the Company will be conditioned upon your obtaining a work visa in a timely manner as determined by the Company. This offer of employment is also contingent on satisfactory reference checks by the Company.


If you agree with and accept the terms of this offer of employment, please sign below and return this letter to me. If not accepted, this offer shall expire on May 17, 2012, but please contact us if you need more time to make a decision. We are pleased to have you join the Snipp team, and we look forward to our success together.



Very truly yours,



Consumer Impulse, Inc.


[faulleragreement002.jpg]









ATTACHMENT A



CONSUMER IMPULSE, INC.


CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION AND
INVENTION ASSIGNMENT AGREEMENT


Employee Name: John D. Fauller


Effective Date: May 16, 2012 ____________________


As a condition of my becoming employed (or my employment being continued) by Consumer Impulse, Inc., a Delaware corporation, or any of its current or future subsidiaries, affiliates, successors or assigns (collectively, the “Company”), and in consideration of my employment with the Company and my receipt of the compensation now and hereafter paid to me by the Company, I agree to the following:


1.

Relationship. This Agreement will apply to my employment relationship with the Company. If that relationship ends and the Company, within a year thereafter, either reemploys me or engages me as a consultant, I agree that this Agreement will also apply to such later employment or consulting relationship, unless the Company and I otherwise agree in writing. Any such employment or consulting relationship between the Company and me, whether commenced prior to, upon or after the date of this Agreement, is referred to herein as the “Relationship.”


2.

Duties. I will perform for the Company such duties as may be designated by the Company from time to time or that are otherwise within the scope of the Relationship and not contrary to instructions from the Company. During the Relationship, I will devote my entire best business efforts to the interests of the Company and will not engage in other employment or in any activities detrimental to the best interests of the Company without the prior written consent of the Company.


3.

Confidential Information.


(a)

Protection of Information. I agree, at all times during the term of the Relationship and thereafter, to hold in strictest confidence, and not to use, except for the benefit of the Company to the extent necessary to perform my obligations to the Company under the Relationship, and not to disclose to any person, firm, corporation or other entity, without written authorization from the Company in each instance, any Confidential Information (as defined below) that I obtain, access or create during the term of the Relationship, whether or not during working hours, until such Confidential Information becomes publicly and widely known and made generally available through no wrongful act of mine or of others who were under confidentiality obligations as to the item or items involved. I further agree not to make copies of such Confidential Information except as authorized by the Company.


(b)

Confidential Information. I understand that “Confidential Information” means information and physical material not generally known or available outside the Company and information and physical material entrusted to the Company in confidence by third parties. Confidential Information includes, without limitation: (i) Company Inventions (as defined below); (ii) technical data, trade secrets, know-how, research, product or service ideas or plans, software codes and designs, developments, inventions, laboratory notebooks, processes, formulas, techniques, biological materials, mask works, engineering designs and drawings, hardware configuration information, lists of, or information relating to, employees and consultants of the Company (including, but not limited to, the names, contact information, jobs, compensation, and expertise of such employees and consultants), lists of, or information relating to, suppliers and customers (including, but not limited to, customers of the Company on whom I called or with whom I became acquainted during the Relationship), price lists, pricing methodologies, cost data, market share data, marketing plans, licenses, contract information, business plans, financial forecasts, historical financial data, budgets or other business information disclosed to me by the Company either directly or indirectly, whether in writing, electronically, orally, or by observation.


(c)

Third Party Information. My agreements in this Section 3 are intended to be for the benefit of the Company and any third party that has entrusted information or physical material to the Company in confidence.


(d)

Other Rights. This Agreement is intended to supplement, and not to supersede, any rights the Company may have in law or equity with respect to the protection of trade secrets or confidential or proprietary information.


4.

Ownership of Inventions.


(a)

Inventions Retained and Licensed. I have attached hereto, as Exhibit A, a complete list describing with particularity all Inventions (as defined below) that, as of the Effective Date, belong solely to me or belong to me jointly with others, and that relate in any way to any of the Company’s proposed businesses, products or research and development, and which are not assigned to the Company hereunder; or, if no such list is attached, I represent that there are no such Inventions at the time of signing this Agreement.


(b)

Use or Incorporation of Inventions. If in the course of the Relationship, I use or incorporate into a product, process or machine any Invention not covered by Section 4(d) of this Agreement in which I have an interest, I will promptly so inform the Company. Whether or not I give such notice, I hereby irrevocably grant to the Company a nonexclusive, fully paid-up, royalty-free, assumable, perpetual, worldwide license, with right to transfer and to sublicense, to practice and exploit such Invention and to make, have made, copy, modify, make derivative works of, use, sell, import, and otherwise distribute under all applicable intellectual properties without restriction of any kind.


(c)

Inventions.

I understand that “Inventions” means discoveries, developments, concepts, designs, ideas, know how, improvements, inventions, trade secrets and/or original works of authorship, whether or not patentable, copyrightable or otherwise legally protectable. I understand this includes, but is not limited to, any new product, machine, article of manufacture, biological material, method, procedure, process, technique, use, equipment, device, apparatus, system, compound, formulation, composition of matter, design or configuration of any kind, or any improvement thereon. I understand that “Company Inventions” means any and all Inventions that I may solely or jointly author, discover, develop, conceive, or reduce to practice during the period of the Relationship, except as otherwise provided under applicable State law.


(d)

Assignment of Company Inventions. I agree that I will promptly make full written disclosure to the Company, will hold in trust for the sole right and benefit of the Company, and hereby assign to the Company, or its designee, all my right, title and interest throughout the world in and to any and all Company Inventions. I further acknowledge that all Company Inventions that are made by me (solely or jointly with others) within the scope of and during the period of the Relationship are “works made for hire” (to the greatest extent permitted by applicable law) and are compensated by my salary. I hereby waive and irrevocably quitclaim to the Company or its designee any and all claims, of any nature whatsoever, that I now have or may hereafter have for infringement of any and all Company Inventions.


(e)

Maintenance of Records. I agree to keep and maintain adequate and current written records of all Company Inventions made by me (solely or jointly with others) during the term of the Relationship. The records may be in the form of notes, sketches, drawings, flow charts, electronic data or recordings, laboratory notebooks, or any other format. The records will be available to and remain the sole property of the Company at all times. I agree not to remove such records from the Company’s place of business except as expressly permitted by Company policy which may, from time to time, be revised at the sole election of the Company for the purpose of furthering the Company’s business. I agree to deliver all such records (including any copies thereof) to the Company at the time of termination of the Relationship as provided for in Sections 5 and 6.


(f)

Patent and Copyright Rights. I agree to assist the Company, or its designee, at its expense, in every proper way to secure the Company’s, or its designee’s, rights in the Company Inventions and any copyrights, patents, trademarks, mask work rights, moral rights, or other intellectual property rights relating thereto in any and all countries, including the disclosure to the Company or its designee of all pertinent information and data with respect thereto, the execution of all applications, specifications, oaths, assignments, recordations, and all other instruments which the Company or its designee shall deem necessary in order to apply for, obtain, maintain and transfer such rights, or if not transferable, waive such rights, and in order to assign and convey to the Company or its designee, and any successors, assigns and nominees the sole and exclusive right, title and interest in and to such Company Inventions, and any copyrights, patents, mask work rights or other intellectual property rights relating thereto. I further agree that my obligation to execute or cause to be executed, when it is in my power to do so, any such instrument or papers shall continue during and at all times after the end of the Relationship and until the expiration of the last such intellectual property right to expire in any country of the world. I hereby irrevocably designate and appoint the Company and its duly authorized officers and agents as my agent and attorney-in-fact, to act for and in my behalf and stead to execute and file any such applications and to do all other lawfully permitted acts to further the application for, prosecution, issuance, maintenance or transfer of letters of patents, copyright, mask work and other registrations related to such Company Inventions. This power of attorney is coupled with an interest and shall not be affected by my subsequent incapacity.


5.

Company Property; Returning Company Documents. I acknowledge and agree that I have no expectation of privacy with respect to the Company’s telecommunications, networking or information processing systems (including, without limitation, files, e-mail messages, and voice messages) and that my activity and any files or messages on or using any of those systems may be monitored at any time without notice. I further agree that any property situated on the Company’s premises and owned by the Company, including disks and other storage media, filing cabinets or other work areas, is subject to inspection by Company personnel at any time with or without notice. I agree that, at the time of termination of the Relationship, I will deliver to the Company (and will not keep in my possession, recreate or deliver to anyone else) any and all devices, records, data, notes, reports, proposals, lists, correspondence, specifications, drawings, blueprints, sketches, laboratory notebooks, materials, flow charts, equipment, other documents or property, or reproductions of any of the aforementioned items developed by me pursuant to the Relationship or otherwise belonging to the Company, its successors or assigns.


6.

Termination Certification. In the event of the termination of the Relationship, I agree to sign and deliver the “Termination Certification” attached hereto as Exhibit B; however, my failure to sign and deliver the Termination Certification shall in no way diminish my continuing obligations under this Agreement.


7.

Notice to Third Parties. I understand and agree that the Company may, with or without prior notice to me and during or after the term of the Relationship, notify third parties of my agreements and obligations under this Agreement.


8.

Solicitation of Employees, Consultants and Other Parties. As described above, I acknowledge and agree that the Company's Confidential Information includes information relating to the Company's employees, consultants, customers and others, and that I will not use or disclose such Confidential Information except as authorized by the Company. I further agree as follows:


(a)

Employees, Consultants. I agree that during the term of the Relationship, and for a period of twelve (12) months immediately following the termination of the Relationship for any reason, whether with or without cause, I shall not either directly or indirectly solicit, induce, recruit or encourage any of the Company’s employees or consultants to terminate their relationship with the Company, or attempt to solicit, induce, recruit, encourage or take away employees or consultants of the Company, either for myself or for any other person or entity.


(b)

Other Parties. I agree that during the term of the Relationship, and for a period of twelve (12) months immediately following the termination of the Relationship for any reason, whether with or without cause, I shall not use any Confidential Information of the Company to negatively influence any of the Company’s clients or customers from purchasing Company products or services or to solicit or influence or attempt to influence any client, customer or other person either directly or indirectly, to direct any purchase of products and/or services to any person, firm, corporation, institution or other entity in competition with the business of the Company.


9.

At-Will Relationship. I understand and acknowledge that, except as may be otherwise explicitly provided in a separate written agreement between the Company and me, my Relationship with the Company is and shall continue to be at-will, as defined under applicable law, meaning that either I or the Company may terminate the Relationship at any time for any reason or no reason, without further obligation or liability, other than those provisions of this Agreement that explicitly survive the termination of the Relationship.


10.

Representations and Covenants.


(a)

Facilitation of Agreement. I agree to execute promptly, both during and after the end of the Relationship, any proper oath, and to verify any proper document, required to carry out the terms of this Agreement, upon the Company’s written request to do so.


(b)

No Conflicts. I represent that my performance of all the terms of this Agreement does not and will not breach any agreement I have entered into, or will enter into, with any third party, including without limitation any agreement to keep in confidence proprietary information or materials acquired by me in confidence or in trust prior to or during the Relationship. I will not disclose to the Company or use any inventions, confidential or non­public proprietary information or material belonging to any previous client, employer or any other party. I will not induce the Company to use any inventions, confidential or non-public proprietary information, or material belonging to any previous client, employer or any other party. I acknowledge and agree that I have listed on Exhibit A all agreements (e.g., non-competition agreements, non-solicitation of customers agreements, non-solicitation of employees agreements, confidentiality agreements, inventions agreements, etc.), if any, with a current or former client, employer, or any other person or entity, that may restrict my ability to accept employment with the Company or my ability to recruit or engage customers or service providers on behalf of the Company, or otherwise relate to or restrict my ability to perform my duties for the Company or any obligation I may have to the Company. I agree not to enter into any written or oral agreement that conflicts with the provisions of this Agreement.


(c)

Voluntary Execution. I certify and acknowledge that I have carefully read all of the provisions of this Agreement, that I understand and have voluntarily accepted such provisions, and that I will fully and faithfully comply with such provisions.


11.

General Provisions.


(a)

Governing Law.

The validity, interpretation, construction and performance of this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to the principles of conflict of laws.


(b)

Entire Agreement. This Agreement sets forth the entire agreement and understanding between the Company and me relating to its subject matter and merges all prior discussions between us. No amendment to this Agreement will be effective unless in writing signed by both parties to this Agreement. The Company shall not be deemed hereby to have waived any rights or remedies it may have in law or equity, nor to have given any authorizations or waived any of its rights under this Agreement, unless, and only to the extent, it does so by a specific writing signed by a duly authorized officer of the Company, it being understood that, even if I am an officer of the Company, I will not have authority to give any such authorizations or waivers for the Company under this Agreement without specific approval by the Board of Directors. Any subsequent change or changes in my duties, obligations, rights or compensation will not affect the validity or scope of this Agreement.


(c)

Severability. If one or more of the provisions in this Agreement are deemed void or unenforceable to any extent in any context, such provisions shall nevertheless be enforced to the fullest extent allowed by law in that and other contexts, and the validity and force of the remainder of this Agreement shall not be affected.


(d)

Successors and Assigns. This Agreement will be binding upon my heirs, executors, administrators and other legal representatives, and my successors and assigns, and will be for the benefit of the Company, its successors, and its assigns.


(e)

Remedies. I acknowledge and agree that violation of this Agreement by me may cause the Company irreparable harm, and therefore agree that the Company will be entitled to seek extraordinary relief in court, including, but not limited to, temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions and permanent injunctions without the necessity of posting a bond or other security (or, where such a bond or security is required, I agree that a $1,000 bond will be adequate), in addition to and without prejudice to any other rights or remedies that the Company may have for a breach of this Agreement.


(f)

Advice of Counsel. I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, IN EXECUTING THIS AGREEMENT, I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEEK THE ADVICE OF INDEPENDENT LEGAL COUNSEL, AND I HAVE READ AND UNDERSTOOD ALL OF THE TERMS AND PROVISIONS OF THIS AGREEMENT. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL NOT BE CONSTRUED AGAINST ANY PARTY BY REASON OF THE DRAFTING OR PREPARATION HEREOF.

[Signature Page Follows]





The parties have executed this Agreement on the respective dates set forth below, to be effective as of the Effective Date first above written.



[faulleragreement003.jpg]






EXHIBIT A


LIST OF PRIOR INVENTIONS

AND ORIGINAL WORKS OF AUTHORSHIP

EXCLUDED UNDER SECTION 4(a)



Title


Date

Identifying Number

or Brief Description

Online Print Estimating System

October, 2009

Method of estimating print online

and application in generating print sales for off-the-street and corporate clients.





__  No inventions, improvements, or original works of authorship

__  Additional sheets attached



[faulleragreement004.jpg]





EXHIBIT B


TERMINATION CERTIFICATION


This is to certify that I do not have in my possession, nor have I failed to return, any devices, records, data, notes, reports, proposals, lists, correspondence, specifications, drawings, blueprints, sketches, laboratory notebooks, flow charts, materials, equipment, other documents or property, or copies or reproductions of any aforementioned items belonging to Consumer Impulse, Inc., a Delaware corporation, its subsidiaries, affiliates, successors or assigns (collectively, the “Company”).


I further certify that I have complied with all the terms of the Company’s Confidential Information and Invention Assignment Agreement signed by me, including the reporting of any Inventions (as defined therein), conceived or made by me (solely or jointly with others) covered by that agreement.


I further agree that, in compliance with the Confidential Information and Invention Assignment Agreement, I will preserve as confidential all trade secrets, confidential knowledge, data or other proprietary information relating to products, processes, know-how, designs, formulas, developmental or experimental work, computer programs, data bases, other original works of authorship, customer lists, business plans, financial information or other subject matter pertaining to any business of the Company or any of its employees, clients, consultants or licensees.


I further agree that for twelve (12) months from the date of this Certification, I shall not either directly or indirectly solicit, induce, recruit or encourage any of the Company’s employees or consultants to terminate their relationship with the Company, or attempt to solicit, induce, recruit, encourage or take away employees or consultants of the Company, either for myself or for any other person or entity.


Further, I agree that for twelve (12) months from the date of this Certification, I shall not use any Confidential Information of the Company to negatively influence any of the Company’s clients or customers from purchasing Company products or services or to solicit or influence or attempt to influence any client, customer or other person either directly or indirectly, to direct any purchase of products and/or services to any person, firm, corporation, institution or other entity in competition with the business of the Company.


Date:  ______________________________

EMPLOYEE:


_______________________________

JOHN D. FAULLER


_______________________________

(Signature)