text: (a) This program was announced in April 2000 and initially provided for 200,000 shares to be repurchased. 
  
  The Company received net proceeds of $2.7 million for the exercise of employee stock options during 2003. 
  
  In September 2003, the Company announced that its Board of Directors had approved a policy for the payment of regular quarterly cash dividends on the 
  Company’s common stock. During 2003 the Company paid dividends totaling $406,000 to its stockholders. 
  
  The table below summarizes debt, lease and other minimum contractual obligations outstanding at December 31, 2003: 