EXHIBIT 10.29

                              Amended and Restated
                              EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

                  THIS  EMPLOYMENT  AGREEMENT  made as of the 1st day of  March,
1996 and amended and restated as of November 26, 1997 (the "Restatement  Date"),
between Desa International, Inc. whose principal place of business is located at
2701 Industrial Drive,  Bowling Green,  Kentucky 42101  (hereinafter  called the
"Corporation"),  and JOHN M. KELLY (hereinafter called the "Employee"), residing
at 1142 Grider Pond Road, Bowling Green, Kentucky 42104.

                               W I T N E S S E T H

                  The  Corporation,  as  directed  by the  Board  of  Directors,
desires to secure the services of the  Employee in an  executive  capacity for a
period  commencing  on March 1, 1996 (the  "Effective  Date"),  on the terms and
conditions  and  subject to the rights of earlier  termination  hereinafter  set
forth,  and the  Employee  is  willing  to accept  employment  on such terms and
conditions,   thereby   canceling  and  superseding   any  existing   employment
agreements.

                  In consideration of the premises and of the mutual  agreements
hereinafter  set forth,  the parties  hereto have agreed and do hereby  agree as
follows:

                  1. Employment.  The Corporation hereby employs the Employee in
the capacity of Executive Vice President (with the duties,  responsibilities and
authority of such offices as exist on the date of this  Agreement and as further
defined  by the  current  By-Laws  of the  Corporation),  reporting  only to the
Chairman,  President  and the Board of  Directors  of the  Corporation,  and the
Employee hereby accepts and agrees to serve the Corporation,  its divisions, and
subsidiaries,  if any,  on a full time basis,  and to perform  such duties of an
executive nature,  including any reasonable business travel incident thereto, as
Employee is directed by the Chairman to perform on behalf of the  Corporation at
its principal office in Bowling Green,  Kentucky, for a period commencing on the
Effective  Date and  ending  three (3) years  after  the  Restatement  Date (the
"Employment Period"),  unless earlier terminated in accordance with Section 8 of
this Agreement.  Unless the Chairman shall give written notice of termination of
the Agreement at least six (6) months prior to its  termination,  this Agreement
shall  automatically  renew  for  successive  one  year  terms.  Subject  to the
authority of the Board of Directors, Employee shall have supervision and control
over,  and  responsibility  for,  sales,   marketing  and  engineering  for  the
Corporation consistent with its long range business plan, and shall have such






other powers and duties as may be from time to time  prescribed  by the Chairman
of the  Corporation.  Prior to the close of each  fiscal  year  during  the term
hereof, the Chairman shall establish and deliver to Employee written performance
goals for the Employee for the succeeding fiscal year (the "Performance Goals").
Employee's rights,  duties and  responsibilities  shall be commensurate with his
position.  Employee's  performance  of  his  duties  hereunder,   including  the
determination  of whether the  Performance  Goals have been  achieved,  shall be
subject to review only by the Chairman of the  Corporation.  Such a review shall
be conducted in good faith at least  annually  during the term of this Agreement
by the Chairman and shall bind both Employee and the  Corporation in the absence
of wilful misconduct.  Employee agrees to serve without additional compensation,
if elected or appointed thereto, in one or more offices and as a director of any
of the Corporation's  subsidiaries,  provided,  however, that the Employee shall
not be required to serve as an officer or  director  of any  subsidiary  if such
service would expose him to adverse financial, legal or other consequences;  and
provided,  further, that Employee acknowledges that the Corporation shall not be
deemed to be in breach of this  Section 1 or of the final  sentence of Section 8
if Employee declines to serve as an officer or director of any subsidiary.

                  Employee  shall not be required to relocate his present  home,
and the  principal  offices of the  Corporation  shall not be moved from Bowling
Green, Kentucky during the Employment Period.

                  2.  Employment  Service.  During the  Employment  Period,  the
Employee shall devote his business time, energy and skill (reasonable  vacations
and  reasonable  absences  because  of  sickness  and other  personal  necessity
excepted)  to  render   services  for  the  Corporation  or  its  divisions  and
subsidiaries, if any, and in the promotion of their collective interests. During
the  Employment  Period,  the  Employee  shall not engage in any other  business
activities, duties, or pursuits which interfere with his employment hereunder or
detrimentally affect the performance of his employment services hereunder.  Upon
the  reasonable  request  of the  Corporation,  the  Employee  shall  cease  any
business,  activities, duties or pursuits detrimentally affecting the Employee's
performance  of  his  duties   hereunder  or  interfering  with  his  employment
hereunder.  This  provision  shall not be deemed to prohibit the  Employee  from
engaging in a reasonable

                                       -2-






amount of activities in trade  associations  and  professional  organizations or
participating in private  investments  provided such activities do not interfere
with  Employee's   employment  hereunder  or  materially  adversely  affect  the
performance of Employee's  duties  hereunder.  During the Employment  Period and
subject to Section 11 hereof,  the Employee shall not own or hold any securities
in, or be  employed  by or render any  consulting  or similar  services  to, any
company directly or indirectly competing with the business of the Corporation or
any division or subsidiary  thereof, as such business is constituted on the date
of  determination,  in an  amount  which,  in  the  reasonable  judgment  of the
Corporation,  would  result in a conflict  of  interest.  For  purposes  of this
Section  2,  Ownership  of  less  than  five  percent  (5%)  of the  issued  and
outstanding  stock of a  corporation,  the securities of which are listed upon a
national  securities  exchange  or  regularly  included  in a  national  list of
over-the-counter  securities  as it may be  from  time to  time  published  in a
newspaper  of general  publication,  shall not be deemed to create a conflict of
interest.

                  3.       Compensation.

                           (a) From and after the Restatement Date, the Employee
shall be entitled to receive by way of remuneration for his services a salary of
not less than Two Hundred and Ninety-Two  Thousand Dollars  ($292,000) per year,
payable in bi-monthly installments (hereinafter "Regular Remuneration"). Salary,
bonus and all other  payments to Employee  pursuant  to the  Agreement  shall be
subject to withholding and other applicable  taxes.  Annual increases in Regular
Remuneration  will  be at  the  discretion  of the  Board  of  Directors  of the
Corporation;  provided,  however,  that  in  the  absence  of  adverse  factors,
circumstances or information relating to Employee's performance of his duties or
the  Corporation,  Employee  shall receive an increase of no less than 8% of his
prior years salary effective on November 30 of each year (beginning November 30,
1998) during the Employment  Period. In addition,  the Board of Directors of the
Corporation shall review Employee's Regular Remuneration no less frequently than
annually,  taking into account increases in the profitability of the Corporation
or increased responsibilities occasioned by growth in the size and complexity of
the  Corporation's  business,  whether  caused by growth  in  existing  business
operations  or by  acquisition  or creation of additional  operations,  and such
other factors as the Board of Directors deems appropriate, in order to determine
whether Employee's then-effective Regular Remuneration is adequate.

                                       -3-






                           (b) (i) An  executive  bonus plan (the "EBP") will be
instituted for fiscal 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003, containing  substantially
the  provisions  set  forth  in  Exhibit  A-1  hereto.  In the  event  that  the
Corporation  or its parent,  DESA Holdings  Corporation,  disposes of a material
operating subsidiary or division or separately  identifiable  business unit, the
EBP shall be  reviewed  by the Board of  Directors  and  revised  to the  extent
necessary to provide management,  including Employee,  with a bonus plan that is
substantially  equivalent  in format  and  provides a  substantially  equivalent
benefit in light of such disposition. Employee acknowledges that in the event of
such a  disposition,  the bonus payable under the EBP may decrease.  (ii) In the
event that the Corporation or its parent, DESA Holdings  Corporation,  acquires,
directly or indirectly,  the stock or substantially all of the assets of another
corporation or other entity, or any division or separately identifiable business
unit thereof,  the EBP will be amended by mutual  agreement of the  Participants
(defined therein) and the Corporation, as directed by the Board of Directors, to
adjust  the  EBITDA  targets  and Bonus  Pools to  reflect  the  effects of such
transaction on the Corporation. (iii) The Board of Directors shall determine the
contents  of the EBP,  and the  method of  determining  any  bonuses  to be paid
thereunder,  for fiscal years 2004 and thereafter.  In the event of the death or
termination  of  employment of the Employee  during the term hereof,  Employee's
share of the EBP for such period in which death or termination occurred shall be
(i),  if  determined  appropriate  by  the  Board  of  Directors,  reserved  for
distribution to such Employee's successor or (ii), if determined  appropriate by
the Board of Directors or if not committed for  distribution  to such Employee's
successor   within  six  months   thereafter,   allocated  among  the  remaining
Participants (as defined in the EBP) employed by the  Corporation,  pro rata, in
proportion to how the remaining Participants are then sharing in the EBP. Except
as provided herein, the EBP for fiscal years 1999 - 2003 as set forth on Exhibit
A-1 hereto shall not be amended or modified by the  Corporation in a manner that
reduces any benefit of Employee thereunder during the Employment Period.

                  4.       Expenses and Fringe Benefits.

                           (a)  The  Employee   shall  be  reimbursed   for  the
reasonable  authorized  expenses  incurred by the Employee in the performance of
his duties hereunder.

                                       -4-






                           (b) The  Employee  shall also be  entitled to receive
the Fringe Benefits set forth on Exhibit B hereto.  The Corporation agrees that,
without the Employee's written consent, it will not make any material changes in
such benefits which would  materially  adversely  affect the Employee's right to
receive or  eligibility  to  participate  in such benefit  plans or the amounts,
timing or terms of such benefits;  provided,  however, the Corporation shall not
be in breach of this provision if it institutes an alternative  benefits plan or
program with substantially equivalent benefits.

                  5. Trade Secrets and Confidentiality. The Employee agrees that
he will not at any time, either during the term of this Agreement or thereafter,
knowingly  divulge  to any  person,  firm or  corporation  any  confidential  or
privileged  information received by him during the course of his employment,  or
prior to the date  hereof,  with  regard  to the  financial,  business  or other
affairs of the  Corporation,  its  predecessors,  its  officers,  directors,  or
stockholders,  or any subsidiary,  customer or supplier of the Corporation,  and
all such information  shall be kept confidential and shall not, in any manner be
revealed to anyone  except as may  otherwise  be  required  by law and  provided
further  that nothing  herein  shall be construed to prohibit the Employee  from
divulging information in the ordinary course of the business of the Corporation.
The Employee  further  agrees that he will not knowingly  divulge to any person,
firm or corporation,  either during the term of this Agreement or thereafter, or
make  known  either  directly  or  through  another,  to  any  person,  firm  or
corporation, any trade secret or confidential knowledge or privileged procedures
of the  Corporation  except as may be  otherwise  required  by law and  provided
further  that nothing  herein  shall be construed to prohibit the Employee  from
divulging  (i)  information  in  the  ordinary  course  of the  business  of the
Corporation  or (ii)  information  which was or has become or hereafter  becomes
generally  available to the public. Any breach of the terms of this paragraph or
of Section 9 hereof shall be a material breach of this Agreement.

                  6.  Property  of The  Corporation.  The  Corporation  shall be
entitled to the sole benefit and exclusive  ownership of any  trademarks,  trade
names,  marketing or advertising concept or strategy, any design patents, or any
inventions or improvements in plant, machinery,  processes, or other things used
in the business of the Corporation that may be developed, made, or discovered by
the  Employee  while he is in the service of the  Corporation,  and the Employee
shall

                                       -5-






do all acts and things necessary or required to give the Corporation the benefit
of this  Section.  The Employee  agrees that he will not use any property of the
Corporation except in furtherance of his duties hereunder.

                  7.  Death or  Disability.  If the  Employee  dies  during  the
Employment  Period,  all  obligations  of the  Corporation  under this Agreement
(other than obligations for accrued Regular Remuneration hereunder) shall cease,
except that the  Employee's  estate shall be entitled to continue to receive the
Regular  Remuneration  set forth in Paragraph 3(a) hereof for a period of twelve
(12) months after death.  If during the  Employment  Period,  the Employee shall
become  physically  or  mentally  disabled  to the  extent  that  he is,  in the
reasonable  opinion of a recognized  medical expert selected by the Corporation,
unable  to  continue  the  proper  performance  of his  duties  hereunder  for a
continuous  period of one hundred eighty (180) days,  the Employee's  employment
hereunder shall thereupon cease and terminate but the  Corporation's  obligation
under Paragraph 3(a) hereof with respect to Regular  Remuneration shall continue
in full  force  and  effect  for  twelve  (12)  months  after  determination  of
disability;  provided,  however,  that such remuneration  shall be offset by any
amounts  received by the Employee from insurance or other  benefits  provided by
the Corporation other than pursuant to this Agreement.

                  8.  Termination  of  Services.  The Board of  Directors of the
Corporation  shall have the right on behalf of the  Corporation to terminate the
Employee's  employment for Cause (as hereinafter  defined in clauses (a) and (b)
of this sentence)  during the  Employment  Period (a)  immediately  upon and the
Corporation shall have no further  obligation  hereunder after the conviction or
admission of Employee of a felony or a crime involving moral turpitude under the
laws of any state in the United States or the federal laws of the United States,
or fraud,  misappropriation  or embezzlement of the assets of the Corporation or
any  subsidiary  thereof;  or (b) upon not less than  thirty  (30) days  written
notice  specifying in  reasonable  detail (i) any failure by Employee to fulfill
his duties and  responsibilities  set out in Sections 1 and 2 of this  Agreement
(other  than due to death or  disability),  or failure to perform in  accordance
with  the  Performance  Goals  in any  material  respect  as  determined  by the
Chairman,  which has not been cured within 30 days after  Employee's  receipt of
written  notice of such failure;  or (ii) the  intentional  or knowing breach by
Employee of his  obligations  under Sections 5, 6, or 11 of this  Agreement.  If
Cause as

                                       -6-






defined in clause (b) of the preceding  sentence  continues to exist thirty (30)
days after written notice,  Employee's  employment  hereunder shall  immediately
cease and  terminate,  and the  Corporation  shall have no  further  obligations
hereunder.  The Employee may voluntarily  leave the employ of the Corporation at
any time, but the Corporation shall have no further obligations  hereunder.  The
Board of Directors  of the  Corporation  shall have the right to  terminate  the
Employee's employment without Cause at any time, effective  immediately.  If the
Corporation   terminates  the  Employee's  employment  without  Cause  prior  to
expiration of the Employment  Period, the Corporation shall pay Employee (i) all
installments  due for Regular  Remuneration  through the  remaining  term of the
Employment  Period,  which  shall  continue  to be  payable in  installments  in
accordance  with Section 3 hereof;  (ii) all damages for loss of Fringe Benefits
or benefits under any "employee benefit plan" (as defined in Section 3 of ERISA)
sponsored  by the  Corporation  which the  Employee  would have  received if the
Corporation had not terminated the Employee without Cause and had this Agreement
continued for the remainder of the Employment Period, provided, however, that in
lieu thereof,  the Corporation shall have the right to continue providing Fringe
Benefits  (or  substantially  equivalent  benefits)  to  the  Employee  for  the
remaining term hereof,  if reasonably  acceptable to Employee;  (iii) legal fees
and expenses,  if any,  incurred as a result of such  termination;  and (iv) his
share of the EBP for the  fiscal  year in which such  termination  occurs as and
when such bonus is otherwise  payable in  accordance  with the terms of the EBP.
Employee  shall not be required  to  mitigate  the amount of any payment due him
under this Section by seeking employment or otherwise;  provided,  however, that
compensation and benefits received by Employee after  termination  without Cause
will offset  Employee's  termination  benefits  and damages  payable  under this
Section 8 on account of such termination  without Cause.  The Corporation  shall
use its best  efforts to maintain  all  employee  benefit  plans and programs in
which  the  Employee  was  entitled  to  participate  immediately  prior  to his
termination  without Cause. If such participation  cannot be maintained with the
exercise  of the  Corporation's  best  efforts,  Employee  shall be  entitled to
receive  an  amount  necessary  to  provide  the  Employee  and  his  dependents
equivalent  benefits for the remainder of the Employment Period. For purposes of
this Section,  termination  without Cause shall include,  but not be limited to:
(i) any material  change in  Employee's  duties as Executive  Vice  President or
assignment of the Employee to duties

                                       -7-






materially inconsistent with the position of Executive Vice President;  (ii) any
removal of the  Employee  from or any failure to re-elect the Employee to any of
the positions indicated in Section 1 hereof; (iii) a reduction in the Employee's
salary or Fringe  Benefits,  or adverse change in the terms of  participation or
benefits  under the EBP  provided,  that no  termination  without Cause shall be
deemed  to  have  occurred  if  the  Corporation   provides  benefits  that  are
substantially  equivalent  to  the  Fringe  Benefits  provided  at the  time  of
determination;  or (iv) any breach of this Agreement by the Corporation which is
not cured by the  Corporation  within thirty (30) days after  receiving  written
notice of such breach.

                  9.  Change  in  Control  or  Sale of the  Corporation.  If the
Corporation shall undergo a Change in Control (as hereinafter defined) or a Sale
of the Corporation (as hereinafter defined,  and, in such event, the Corporation
fails to  obtain  the  assumption  of this  Agreement  by any  successor  to the
Corporation under Section 14 hereof prior to the date of such succession) during
the Employment  Period,  Employee shall be entitled to receive for the remainder
of the  Employment  Period or twelve (12) months  which ever shall be longer (i)
all future installments due for Regular Remuneration, which shall continue to be
payable in installments  in accordance  with Section 3 hereof;  (ii) all damages
for loss of Fringe  Benefits or benefits  pursuant to any employee  benefit plan
sponsored by the Corporation which the Employee would have received if there had
been no Change in Control or Sale of the  Corporation,  and (iii) a share of the
EBP  for  the  fiscal  year in  which  such  Change  in  Control  or Sale of the
Corporation  occurs,  as and when such bonus is otherwise  payable in accordance
with the terms of the EBP, payable as follows:  (i) if such Change in Control or
Sale of the  Corporation  occurs during the first  quarter of the  Corporation's
fiscal year, the Employee shall receive 25% of the bonus he would otherwise have
been entitled to for such fiscal year; (ii) if such Change in Control or Sale of
the  Corporation  occurs during the second quarter of the  Corporation's  fiscal
year, the Employee  shall receive 50% of the bonus he would  otherwise have been
entitled to for such fiscal  year;  and if such Change in Control or Sale of the
Corporation  occurs  during the third or fourth  quarters  of the  Corporation's
fiscal year,  the Employee  shall  receive 100% of the bonus he would  otherwise
have been entitled to for such fiscal year. The  obligations of the  Corporation
in the  preceding  sentence  shall not apply to any Change in Control or Sale of
the Corporation in which the Employee receives a

                                       -8-






realized return on his investment in equity securities of Holding equal to three
times the cost of such investment.  For purposes hereof, a realized return shall
mean  the (i)  cash,  (ii)  market  value of  registered,  publicly  traded  and
tradeable securities not subject to transfer  restrictions or restrictions under
Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933 , as amended,  and/or (iii) fair value
(as  determined  by the Board of  Directors  of the  Corporation  acting in good
faith) of all other securities,  in each case received by Employee in any Change
of  Control  or Sale  of the  Corporation  transaction.  Employee  shall  not be
required  to perform  further  duties  hereunder  and shall not be  required  to
mitigate his damages in the event a Change in Control or Sale of the Corporation
shall occur during the Employment Period. A Change in Control shall be deemed to
have occurred if: (i) Desa Holdings Corporation  ("Holding") shall own less than
90% of all the issued and outstanding  voting securities of the Corporation;  or
(ii) a sale of substantially all the assets of the Corporation;  provided,  that
no  Change  in  Control  shall be deemed  to have  occurred  in the event  that,
subsequent  to  such  transaction,  Employee  continues  to be  employed  by the
successor  entity under terms,  conditions  and for  compensation  substantially
identical to the terms of this Agreement.  A "Sale of the Corporation"  shall be
deemed to have occurred if (i) J.W. Childs Equity  Partners,  L.P.  ("JWC") with
its Affiliates (as hereinafter  defined, the "Control Group") shall cease to own
of record and beneficially an amount of Voting Securities of Holding equal to at
least 50% of the amount of Voting  Securities (other than by virtue of a reverse
stock split of such Voting  Securities) of Holding owned by the Control Group of
record and  beneficially  as of the close of business on November 26, 1997; (ii)
any Person or related  group (as defined in Rule 13(d) under the Exchange Act of
1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act")), excluding the Control Group, shall be or
become the "beneficial owner" (as defined in Rules 12(d)-3 and 13(d)-5 under the
Exchange  Act),  directly  or  indirectly,   of  a  greater  percentage  of  the
outstanding  Voting  Securities  of Holding  than is owned  beneficially  by the
Control  Group and the Control  Group no longer has the right to seat a majority
of the  directors of Holding;  (iii) all or  substantially  all of the assets of
Holding are sold or otherwise transferred for value, other than to a lender in a
secured transaction and other than in a transaction  following which the Control
Group owns of record and  beneficially at least 50% of the Voting  Securities of
the  acquiring  Person;  or (iv) (in the  event of a  merger  or  consolidation)
Holding is merged or consolidated with or into another entity and, as a

                                       -9-






result thereof,  the Control Group and the Management Holders (as defined in the
Stockholders  Agreement  dated as of November 26, 1997 by and among  Holding and
the parties  thereto)  hold,  beneficially  and of record,  less than 50% of the
Voting Securities of the surviving entity. As used herein,  "Affiliate" means as
to any Person, any other Person which, directly or indirectly, is in control of,
is controlled by, or is under common control with, such Person;  provided, that,
as to JWC, the term Affiliate  shall include the partners,  officers,  directors
and employees of J.W. Childs  Associates,  L.P.,  their spouses,  children,  and
other members of their immediate family and trusts,  family limited partnerships
and other estate planning  vehicles created for the benefit of such persons.  As
used in the preceding sentence,  "control" of a Person means the power, directly
or indirectly,  either to (i) vote 51% or more of the Voting  Securities of such
Person or (ii) direct or cause the direction of the  management  and policies of
such Person, whether by contract or otherwise. As used herein, "Person" means an
individual,  partnership,  corporation,  business  trust,  joint stock  company,
trust, unincorporated association,  joint venture, any nation or government, any
state or other political  subdivision thereof, any entity exercising  executive,
legislative,  judicial,  regulatory or administrative functions of or pertaining
to  government,  or other entity of whatever  nature.  As used  herein,  "Voting
Securities" means common equity  securities (or equivalent  partnership or joint
venture  interests)  having the right to vote generally in matters coming before
common equity holders.

                  10. Coordination of Rights. In the event that Employee suffers
termination  of Employment  without Cause and a Change in Control or Sale of the
Corporation  also  occurs,  Section 8 shall be  disregarded  and Section 9 shall
apply.

                  11.      Covenant Not to Compete; Non-Solicitation, etc.

                           (a)  While  employed  by the  Corporation  and  for a
period of three years  following  termination of  employment,  the Employee will
not,  directly or indirectly  as an  individual  or as part of a partnership  or
other  business  association,  or  otherwise,  compete  with the business of the
Corporation or its subsidiaries in North America or in any other jurisdiction in
which the Corporation or a subsidiary thereof conducts substantial business, nor
will  he  enter  the  employ  of,  or act  as an  agent  for  or as a  director,
consultant,  or officer of, any person, firm, partnership or corporation engaged
in a line of business in North America or in any other

                                      -10-






jurisdiction  in  which  the  Corporation  or  a  subsidiary   thereof  conducts
substantial  business  that is directly or indirectly  in  competition  with the
business of the  Corporation or its  subsidiaries as the same is being conducted
at such termination of employment.

                           (b) The Employee  further agrees that he will not, at
any time during or within three years after the termination of employment  under
this Agreement,  however caused,  solicit,  interfere with, employ,  endeavor to
entice away from the  Corporation,  or any  subsidiary of the  Corporation,  any
customer, supplier or employee.

                           (c)   With   respect   to  any   issues   as  to  the
enforceability  of the  foregoing  provisions,  the  Employee  agrees  that  the
foregoing  are  reasonable in terms of scope and duration and both parties agree
that a court  making a  determination  on the  issue of  validity,  legality  or
enforceability  of the  foregoing,  may  modify  the  duration  or  scope of the
provisions of this Section 11 and/or delete or modify  specific words or phrases
("blue  penciling"),  and in its reduced or  blue-penciled  form,  the foregoing
shall be enforceable  and enforced.  The Employee  agrees that in the event of a
breach of the  foregoing  provisions  of this  Section 11 or the  provisions  of
Section 5, the remedy of damages would be  inadequate  and the  Corporation  may
apply to any court of competent jurisdiction to enjoin any violation, as well as
seek all other  legal  remedies  available  upon ten days  notice  to  Employee,
provided  that  Employee  shall not have cured such  breach  within such ten day
period.

                  12.  Non-Waiver of Rights.  The failure to enforce at any time
any of the provisions of this Agreement or to require at any time performance by
the other party of any of the provisions  hereof shall in no way be construed to
be a waiver of such provisions or to affect the validity of this  Agreement,  or
any part  hereof,  or the right of either party  thereafter  to enforce each and
every provision in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

                  13.    Invalidity   of    Provisions.    The   invalidity   or
unenforceability of any particular  provision of this Agreement shall not affect
the other  provisions  hereof,  and this  Agreement  shall be  construed  in all
respects as if such invalid or unenforceable provisions were omitted.

                  14. Assignment. This Agreement shall be binding upon and shall
inure to the benefit of the  Corporation  and any  successor to the  Corporation
under the provisions of this

                                      -11-






Agreement. For the purpose of this Agreement the term "successor" shall mean any
person, firm,  corporation,  or other business entity which at any time, whether
by  merger,   purchase,   liquidation   or  otherwise,   shall  acquire  all  or
substantially  all of the assets or business of the Corporation.  This Agreement
is personal to the Employee and is not assignable by the Employee.

                  15.  Choice of Law.  This  Agreement  shall in all respects be
governed by and construed in accordance  with the laws of the State of Delaware.
Each party hereto hereby consents to service of process in the State of Delaware
as required pursuant to 6 Del. C. Section 2708(a).

                  16.  Entire  Agreement.  This  Agreement  embodies  the entire
agreement of the parties  respecting the matters  within its scope,  superseding
any and all prior  agreements  or  understandings  with  respect to the  subject
hereof and may be modified  only in a writing  signed by the party  against whom
enforcement  is sought.  The  headings  contained  in this  Agreement  have been
inserted  solely for the  convenience of the parties and shall be of no force or
effect  in  the  construction  or  interpretation  of  the  provisions  of  this
Agreement.

                  17.  Notices.  All notices  required or made  pursuant to this
Agreement  shall be made,  and shall be deemed to have been duly given when sent
by, certified mail, return receipt  requested,  to the addresses set forth above
or such other addresses later designated in writing by either of the parties.

                  IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the  Corporation has caused this amended
and  restated  Agreement  to be  executed  on its  behalf by an  officer  of the
Corporation thereunto duly authorized, and the Employee has hereunto signed this
Agreement, all as of November 26, 1997.

                                                 DESA INTERNATIONAL, INC.


                                                 By:
                                                     Title:


                                                     EMPLOYEE


                                                     JOHN M. KELLY

                                      -12-


                                                 
                                                                  EXHIBIT A-1
                                                      TO EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

                            DESA INTERNATIONAL, INC.
                              EXECUTIVE BONUS PLAN
                         (for fiscal years 1999 - 2003)

                                November 26, 1997


1.       Participants.  The  Participants in this Plan shall be Robert H. Elman,
         John M.  Kelly and  Terry G.  Scariot  (each,  a  "Participant").  Each
         Participant  shall be entitled to participate in the Plan as long as he
         is entitled to do so pursuant to the terms of his employment  agreement
         with DESA  International,  Inc. (the "Company") as amended and restated
         as of the date hereof.

2.       Share of Bonus Pool. Each Participant in this Plan shall be entitled to
         participate  in the Bonus Pool  (defined  below) as follows:  Robert H.
         Elman - 50%;  John M.  Kelly - 25%;  and Terry G.  Scariot - 25%.  If a
         Participant's employment with the Company shall terminate, his right to
         participate  in Bonus  Pools  under  this  Plan may be  reallocated  as
         provided in his employment agreement.

3.       EBITDA  Targets.  For purposes of this Plan, the target earnings before
         interest,  taxes,  depreciation,  amortization and bonus accruals under
         this Plan  ("EBITDA")  of the  Company for each fiscal year shall be as
         follows:

                                                     EBITDA Target
              Fiscal Year                            (in millions)
                  1999                                  $48.50
                  2000                                  $55.70
                  2001                                  $64.10
                  2002                                  $74.10
                  2003                                  $86.00

         For purposes of this Plan,  the actual  EBITDA of the Company  shall in
         each fiscal be determined on a consolidated basis with its parent, DESA
         Holdings,  Inc., according to generally accepted accounting  principles
         consistently   applied,   and  shall  be  derived   from  the  audited,
         consolidated  financial  statements  of DESA  Holdings,  Inc.  for such
         fiscal year.

         In the event that the  Company or DESA  Holdings,  Inc.  should make an
         acquisition  or disposition  of a material  business,  this Plan may be
         adjusted or revised,  or a separate  plan may be  established  for such
         acquired  business,   all  as  provided  in  Participants'   employment
         agreements.






  4.     Bonus  Pools.  After the end of each fiscal  year,  the  Company  shall
         establish a bonus pool (each, a "Bonus Pool") for the  Participants  as
         follows:

         a.       If the  actual  EBITDA  for such  year is less than 95% of the
                  EBITDA  target for such fiscal  year,  there shall be no Bonus
                  Pool for such year.

         b.       If the actual  EBITDA  for such year is  greater  than 95% and
                  less than or equal to 100% of the EBITDA target for such year,
                  the Bonus Pool for such year shall equal 20% of the Cap Number
                  for such  year for each  full  percentage  point by which  the
                  actual  EBITDA  exceeds  95% of  the  target  EBITDA,  up to a
                  maximum  of the Cap  Number.  For  purposes  hereof,  the "Cap
                  Number" shall mean $500,000 in fiscal year 1999,  and for each
                  fiscal  year  thereafter  shall be equal to the Cap Number for
                  the  prior  fiscal  year  increased  by a factor  equal to the
                  positive  growth  rate in actual  EBITDA for such  fiscal year
                  over actual  EBITDA for the prior fiscal year,  if such growth
                  rate is in excess of 10%.

         c.       If the actual  EBITDA  for such year is greater  than 100% and
                  less than or equal to 110% of the EBITDA target for such year,
                  the Bonus Pool for such year  shall be the  greater of (i) the
                  Cap  Number  for such year and (ii) 10% of the amount by which
                  the  actual  EBITDA  for such year  exceeds  95% of the EBITDA
                  target for such year.

         d.       If the actual EBITDA for such year is greater than 110% of the
                  EBITDA  target  for such  year,  the Bonus  Pool for such year
                  shall equal (i) the amount  specified in  subparagraph c above
                  plus (ii) 15% of the  amount by which the  actual  EBITDA  for
                  such year exceeds 110% of the EBITDA target for such year.

  5.     Payment of Bonus.  The  calculation  of the Bonus Pool for each  fiscal
         year shall be  determined  promptly  after the  delivery of the audited
         financial  statements of DESA Holdings,  Inc. for such fiscal year, and
         bonus  payments  under this Plan  shall be paid as soon as  practicable
         after such determination.






                                                                      EXHIBIT B
                                                        TO EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

                         FRINGE BENEFITS FOR EXECUTIVES

The  following  fringe  benefits  as  they  exist  and are  administered  on the
Restatement Date of this Agreement:

1. Medical Insurance

2. Vacations

3. Use of Company Car

4. Office Facilities and Secretarial Services

5. Travel and Entertainment

6. Group Life Insurance

7. Disability Insurance

8. Country Club Dues

9. Section 401(k) Plan

10. Defined Contribution Pension Plan Supplement