3,070,000 Shares

                             INTER-TEL, INCORPORATED

                                  Common Stock

                             UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

                                                              ____________, 1997

NATIONSBANC MONTGOMERY SECURITIES, INC.
DONALDSON, LUFKIN & JENRETTE
   SECURITIES CORPORATION
JEFFERIES & COMPANY, INC.
c/o NATIONSBANC MONTGOMERY SECURITIES, INC.
600 Montgomery Street
San Francisco, California 94111

Dear Sirs:

               Section  1.  Introductory.  Inter-Tel,  Incorporated,  an Arizona
corporation (the "Company"),  proposes to issue and sell 3,000,000 shares of its
authorized  but  unissued   Common  Stock  (the  "Common   Stock")  and  certain
shareholders  of the Company named in Schedule B annexed  hereto propose to sell
an aggregate of 70,000 shares of the  Company's  issued and  outstanding  Common
Stock to you  (sometimes  called herein the  "Underwriters").  Said aggregate of
3,070,000  shares  are herein  called the "Firm  Common  Shares."  In  addition,
certain  shareholders  of the  Company  named  in  Schedule  B  hereto  all such
shareholders named in Schedule B hereto being referred to herein as the "Selling
Shareholders")  propose to grant to the Underwriters an option to purchase up to
460,500  additional  shares of Common Stock (the "Optional Common  Shares"),  as
provided  in Section 5 hereof.  The Firm  Common  Shares and, to the extent such
option is exercised,  the Optional  Common Shares are  hereinafter  collectively
referred to as the "Common Shares."

               You have  advised the Company and the Selling  Shareholders  that
you propose to make a public offering of your respective  portions of the Common
Shares on the effective date of the registration  statement hereinafter referred
to, or as soon thereafter as in your judgment is advisable.

               The Company and each of the Selling  Shareholders  hereby confirm
their respective agreements with respect to the purchase of the Common Shares by
the Underwriters as follows:




               Section 2.  Representations  and  Warranties of the Company.  The
Company hereby represents and warrants to the several Underwriters that:

               (a) A  registration  statement  on Form S-3 (File No.  _________)
with respect to the Common Shares 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.  The Company has prepared and has filed or proposes to file prior to
the effective date of such registration  statement an amendment or amendments to
such registration statement,  which amendment or amendments have been or will be
similarly  prepared.  There have been delivered to you two signed copies of such
registration  statement and amendment,  together with two copies of each exhibit
filed therewith.  Conformed copies of such registration statement and amendments
(but  without  exhibits)  and of the related  preliminary  prospectus  have been
delivered  to you in such  reasonable  quantities  as you  have  requested.  The
Company will next file with the Commission  one of the  following:  (i) prior to
effectiveness  of such  registration  statement,  a further  amendment  thereto,
including the form of final prospectus, or (ii) a final prospectus in accordance
with  Rules  430A and  424(b)  of the  Rules and  Regulations.  As  filed,  such
amendment and form of final prospectus, or such final prospectus,  shall include
all Rule 430A  Information  (as  hereinafter  defined) and, except to the extent
that you shall agree in writing to a  modification,  shall be in all substantive
respects  in the form  furnished  to you  prior to the date and time  that  this
Agreement  was executed and delivered by the parties  hereto,  or, to the extent
not completed at such date and time, shall contain only such specific additional
information and other changes  (beyond that contained in the latest  Preliminary
Prospectus) as the Company shall have previously advised you in writing would be
included or made therein.

               The term "Registration Statement" as used in this Agreement shall
mean such registration statement at the time such registration statement becomes
effective  and,  in the  event  any  post-effective  amendment  thereto  becomes
effective prior to the First Closing Date (as hereinafter  defined),  shall also
mean such registration  statement as so amended;  provided,  however,  that such
term shall also include (i) all Rule 430A  Information  deemed to be included in
such  registration  statement at the time such  registration  statement  becomes
effective  as  provided  by Rule 430A of the Rules  and  Regulations  and (ii) a
registration  statement,  if any, filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Rules and
Regulations  relating to the Common Shares.  The term  "Preliminary  Prospectus"
shall mean any preliminary prospectus referred to in the preceding paragraph and
any preliminary prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time it
becomes  effective that omits Rule 430A  Information.  The term  "Prospectus" as
used in this Agreement  shall mean the prospectus  relating to the Common Shares
in the form in which it is first  filed  with the  Commission  pursuant  to Rule
424(b) of the Rules and  Regulations or, if no filing pursuant to Rule 424(b) of
the Rules and Regulations is required,  shall mean the form of final  prospectus
included in the Registration  Statement at the time such registration  statement
becomes  effective.  The term "Rule 430A  Information"  means  information  with
respect to the Common  Shares and the offering  thereof  permitted to be omitted
from the Registration  Statement when it becomes effective pursuant to Rule 430A
of the Rules and Regulations. Any reference herein to any Preliminary Prospectus
or the  Prospectus  shall  be  deemed  to  refer to and  include  the  documents
incorporated by reference  therein pursuant to Form S-3 under the Act, as of the
date of such Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be.

               (b) The  Commission  has  not  issued  any  order  preventing  or
suspending  the  use  of  any  Preliminary  Prospectus,   and  each  Preliminary
Prospectus has conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Act
and the Rules and  Regulations  and, as of its date, has not included any untrue

                                      -2-



statement of a material  fact or omitted to state a material  fact  necessary to
make the statements  therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading;  and at the time the Registration  Statement  becomes
effective,  and at all times subsequent thereto up to and including each Closing
Date hereinafter mentioned,  the Registration Statement and the Prospectus,  and
any amendments or supplements thereto,  will contain all material statements and
information  required  to be  included  therein  by the Act and  the  Rules  and
Regulations and will in all material respects conform to the requirements of the
Act and the Rules and Regulations,  and neither the  Registration  Statement nor
the Prospectus, nor any amendment or supplement thereto, will include any untrue
statement  of a material  fact or omit to state a material  fact  required to be
stated  therein or  necessary  to make the  statements  therein not  misleading;
provided,  however,  no representation or warranty  contained in this subsection
2(b)  shall be  applicable  to  information  contained  in or  omitted  from any
Preliminary Prospectus,  the Registration Statement,  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 you specifically for use
in the  preparation  thereof.  The  documents  incorporated  by reference in the
Prospectus, when they were filed with the Commission,  conformed in all material
respects to the requirements of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
(the "Exchange Act") and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder,
and none of such documents  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.

               (c) The Company does not own or control,  directly or indirectly,
any  corporation,  association  or other entity other than (i) the  subsidiaries
listed in Exhibit 22.1 to the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the Company's  most
recent  fiscal year (the "Company  Form 10-K") and (ii)  Inter-Tel.net,  Inc., a
Nevada  corporation.  The  Company and each of its  subsidiaries  have been duly
incorporated and are validly existing as corporations in good standing under the
laws of their  respective  jurisdictions of  incorporation,  with full power and
authority  (corporate  and other) to own and lease their  properties and conduct
their respective businesses as described in the Prospectus;  the Company, or one
of its  wholly-owned  subsidiaries,  beneficially  owns  all of the  outstanding
capital stock of its subsidiaries free and clear of all claims,  liens,  charges
and encumbrances;  the Company and each of its subsidiaries are in possession of
and  operating  in  compliance  with  all  authorizations,   licenses,  permits,
consents,  certificates  and orders material to the conduct of their  respective
businesses, all of which are valid and in full force and effect; the Company and
each of its  subsidiaries are duly qualified to do business and in good standing
as foreign  corporations in each  jurisdiction in which the ownership or leasing
of  properties  or the  conduct of their  respective  businesses  requires  such
qualification, except for jurisdictions in which the failure to so qualify would
not have a material adverse effect upon the Company or the subsidiary;

               (d) As of September  30,  1997,  the Company had  authorized  and
outstanding capital stock as set forth under the heading "Capitalization" in the
Prospectus; the issued and outstanding shares of the Company's Common Stock have
been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and  nonassessable,  are
duly listed on The Nasdaq Stock Market,  have been issued in compliance with all
federal and state securities laws, were not issued in violation of or subject to
any preemptive  rights or other rights to subscribe for or purchase  securities,
and conform to the description  thereof contained in the Prospectus.  All issued
and  outstanding  shares of capital stock of each subsidiary of the Company have
been duly  authorized and validly  issued and are fully paid and  nonassessable.
Except as disclosed  in or  contemplated  by the  Prospectus  and the  financial
statements  of the  Company,  and the  related  notes  thereto,  included in the
Prospectus,  neither the Company nor any subsidiary has  outstanding any options
to purchase,  or any  preemptive  rights or other rights to subscribe  for or to
purchase,  any securities or obligations  convertible  into, or any contracts or
commitments  to issue or sell,  shares of its capital stock or any such options,
rights, convertible 

                                      -3-


securities or obligations.  The description of the Company's stock option, stock
bonus and other stock  plans or  arrangements,  and the options or other  rights
granted and exercised  thereunder,  set forth in or incorporated by reference in
the Prospectus  accurately and fairly  presents the  information  required to be
shown with respect to such plans, arrangements, options and rights.

               (e) The Common  Shares to be sold by the  Company  have been duly
authorized  and, when issued,  delivered and paid for in the manner set forth in
this  Agreement,  will  be duly  authorized,  validly  issued,  fully  paid  and
nonassessable,  and will  conform to the  description  thereof  contained in the
Prospectus.  No  preemptive  rights or other rights to subscribe for or purchase
exist with respect to the issuance and sale of the Common  Shares by the Company
pursuant to this  Agreement.  No  shareholder of the Company has any right which
has not been waived or  satisfied to require the Company to register the sale of
any  shares  owned by such  shareholder  under  the Act in the  public  offering
contemplated  by  this  Agreement.  No  further  approval  or  authority  of the
shareholders  or the Board of  Directors of the Company will be required for the
transfer and sale of the Common Shares to be sold by the Selling Shareholders or
the  issuance  and  sale of the  Common  Shares  to be sold  by the  Company  as
contemplated herein.

               (f) The  Company has full legal  right,  power and  authority  to
enter into this Agreement and perform the transactions contemplated hereby. This
Agreement  has been duly  authorized,  executed and delivered by the Company and
constitutes a valid and binding obligation of the Company in accordance with its
terms.  The making and  performance  of this  Agreement  by the  Company and the
consummation  of the  transactions  herein  contemplated  will not  violate  any
provisions of the articles of incorporation or bylaws,  or other  organizational
documents,  of the  Company or any of its  subsidiaries,  and will not  conflict
with,  result in the breach or violation of, or constitute,  either by itself or
upon  notice or the  passage  of time or both,  a default  under any  agreement,
mortgage, deed of trust, lease, franchise,  license,  indenture, permit or other
instrument  to which the  Company  or any of its  subsidiaries  is a party or by
which the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of its respective properties
may be  bound  or  affected,  and  which  is  material  to the  Company  and its
subsidiaries,  as a whole, any statute or any authorization,  judgment,  decree,
order,  rule or regulation of any court or any regulatory  body,  administrative
agency  or other  governmental  body  applicable  to the  Company  or any of its
subsidiaries  or any of  their  respective  properties.  No  consent,  approval,
authorization  or other  order of any  court,  regulatory  body,  administrative
agency or other  governmental body is required for the execution and delivery of
this Agreement or the  consummation  of the  transactions  contemplated  by this
Agreement,  except for compliance  with the Act, the Blue Sky laws applicable to
the public  offering of the Common  Shares by the several  Underwriters  and the
clearance of such offering with the National  Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc. (the "NASD").

               (g) Ernst & Young LLP,  who have  expressed  their  opinion  with
respect to the financial statements and schedules included in or incorporated by
reference in the Prospectus and in the Registration  Statement,  are independent
accountants as required by the Act and the Rules and Regulations.

               (h) The financial  statements  and schedules of the Company,  and
the related  notes  thereto,  included in or  incorporated  by  reference in the
Registration  Statement and the Prospectus present fairly the financial position
of the  Company as of the  respective  dates of such  financial  statements  and
schedules,  and the results of operations  and changes in financial  position of
the  Company  for the  respective  periods  covered  thereby.  Such  statements,
schedules  and related notes have been  prepared in  accordance  with  generally
accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis as certified by the
independent accountants named in subsection 2(g). No other financial

                                      -4-


statements  or  schedules  are  required  to be  included  in  the  Registration
Statement.  The  selected  financial  and  statistical  data  set  forth  in the
Prospectus  under  the  captions  "Capitalization"  and  "Selected  Consolidated
Financial  Data" fairly present the  information  set forth therein on the basis
stated in the Registration Statement.

               (i)  Except as  disclosed  in the  Prospectus,  and  except as to
defaults  which  individually  or in the aggregate  would not be material to the
Company  and its  subsidiaries,  as a whole,  neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries  is in  violation  or default of any  provision  of its articles of
incorporation or bylaws, or other organizational  documents,  or is in breach of
or default with respect to any  provision of any  agreement,  judgment,  decree,
order, mortgage, deed of trust, lease, franchise,  license, indenture, permit or
other  instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties
are bound;  and there  does not exist any state of facts  which  constitutes  an
event of default on the part of the Company or any such subsidiary as defined in
such documents or which,  with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute
such an event of default.

               (j) There are no  contracts  or other  documents  required  to be
described  in the  Registration  Statement  or to be  filed as  exhibits  to the
Registration Statement by the Act or by the Rules and Regulations which have not
been  described  or  filed  as  required.  The  contracts  so  described  in the
Prospectus  are in full force and effect on the date  hereof;  and  neither  the
Company nor any of its subsidiaries, nor to the best of the Company's knowledge,
any other party is in breach of or default under any of such contracts.

               (k) Except as disclosed in the Prospectus,  there are no legal or
governmental  actions,  suits  or  proceedings  pending  or,  to the best of the
Company's knowledge,  threatened to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries
is or may be a party or of which  property owned or leased by the Company or any
of its  subsidiaries is or may be the subject,  or related to  environmental  or
discrimination  matters, which actions, suits or proceedings would reasonably be
expected to,  individually or in the aggregate,  prevent or adversely affect the
transactions  contemplated  by this  Agreement  or result in a material  adverse
change in the condition (financial or otherwise),  properties, business, results
of operations or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries,  as a whole; and
no labor  disturbance by the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries
exists or is imminent  which would  reasonably  be expected to affect  adversely
such  condition,  properties,  business,  results of  operations  or  prospects.
Neither  the Company  nor any of its  subsidiaries  is a party or subject to the
provisions of any material injunction,  judgment,  decree or order of any court,
regulatory body, administrative agency or other governmental body.

               (l)  The  Company  or the  applicable  subsidiary  has  good  and
marketable  title to all the  properties  and assets  reflected  as owned in the
financial  statements  hereinabove  described (or elsewhere in the  Prospectus),
subject to no lien, mortgage,  pledge,  charge or encumbrance of any kind except
(i) those, if any,  reflected in such financial  statements (or elsewhere in the
Prospectus), or (ii) those which are not material in amount and do not adversely
affect the use made and proposed to be made of such  property by the Company and
its  subsidiaries.  The Company or the  applicable  subsidiary  holds its leased
properties  under  valid and binding  leases,  with such  exceptions  as are not
materially  significant  in  relation  to the  business  of the  Company and its
subsidiaries,  as a whole.  Except as disclosed in the  Prospectus,  the Company
owns or leases all such  properties  as are  necessary to its  operations as now
conducted or as proposed to be conducted.

               (m) Since the respective  dates as of which  information is given
in the  Registration  Statement  and  Prospectus,  and except as described in or
specifically contemplated by the Prospectus:

                                      -5-



(i) the Company and its subsidiaries have not incurred any material  liabilities
or  obligations,  indirect,  direct or contingent,  or entered into any material
verbal or written  agreement or other  transaction  which is not in the ordinary
course of business or which would reasonably be expected to result in a material
reduction  in the future  earnings  of the Company  and its  subsidiaries,  as a
whole;  (ii) the Company and its  subsidiaries  have not  sustained any material
loss or interference  with their respective  businesses or properties from fire,
flood,  windstorm,  accident  or  other  calamity,  whether  or not  covered  by
insurance;  (iii) the Company has not paid or declared  any  dividends  or other
distributions  with  respect  to its  capital  stock  and  the  Company  and its
subsidiaries  are not in default in the payment of  principal or interest on any
outstanding debt obligations;  (iv) there has not been any change in the capital
stock  (other  than upon the sale of the Common  Shares  hereunder  and upon the
exercise of options and warrants  described in the  Registration  Statement)  or
indebtedness  material to the Company  and its  subsidiaries  (other than in the
ordinary  course of business);  and (v) there has not been any material  adverse
change in the condition (financial or otherwise),  business, properties, results
of operations or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries, as a whole.

               (n) Except as disclosed in or  specifically  contemplated  by the
Prospectus,  the Company and its subsidiaries have sufficient trademarks,  trade
names,  patent  rights,   copyrights,   licenses,   approvals  and  governmental
authorizations  to conduct their businesses as now conducted;  the expiration of
any trademarks,  trade names, patent rights, copyrights,  licenses, approvals or
governmental  authorizations  would not have a  material  adverse  effect on the
condition (financial or otherwise), business, results of operations or prospects
of the Company or its subsidiaries, as a whole; and the Company has no knowledge
of any material infringement by it or its subsidiaries of trademark,  trade name
rights,  patent  rights,  copyrights,  licenses,  trade secret or other  similar
rights of others,  and there is no claim  being made  against the Company or its
subsidiaries regarding trademark, trade name, patent, copyright,  license, trade
secret or other  infringement  which  would  reasonably  be  expected  to have a
material  adverse effect on the condition  (financial or  otherwise),  business,
results of operations or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries.

               (o) The  Company  has not  been  advised,  and has no  reason  to
believe, that either it or any of its subsidiaries is not conducting business in
compliance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations of the  jurisdictions
in  which  it  is  conducting  business,   including,  without  limitation,  all
applicable local, state and federal  environmental laws and regulations,  except
where failure to be so in compliance  would not materially  adversely affect the
condition (financial or otherwise), business, results of operations or prospects
of the Company and its subsidiaries, as a whole.

               (p) The Company  and its  subsidiaries  have filed all  necessary
federal,  state and foreign  income and  franchise  tax returns and have paid or
accrued all taxes shown as due thereon;  and the Company has no knowledge of any
tax  deficiency  which has been or might be asserted or  threatened  against the
Company or its subsidiaries which would reasonably be expected to materially and
adversely  affect the business,  operations or properties of the Company and its
subsidiaries.

               (q) The Company is not an "investment company" within the meaning
of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

               (r) The Company has not distributed and will not distribute prior
to the First  Closing  Date  hereinafter  mentioned  any  offering  material  in
connection  with the  offering  and sale of the  Common  Shares  other  than the
Prospectus,  the Registration Statement and the other materials permitted by the
Act.

                                      -6-




               (s) Each of the Company and its subsidiaries  maintains insurance
of the types and in the amounts  generally  deemed  adequate  for its  business,
including, but not limited to, insurance covering all real and personal property
owned or leased by the  Company  and its  subsidiaries  against  theft,  damage,
destruction,  acts of vandalism and all other risks customarily insured against,
all of which insurance is in full force and effect.

               (t) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has, directly
or  indirectly,  at any time  during the last five  years (i) made any  unlawful
contribution to any candidate for public office, or failed to disclose fully any
contribution  in  violation  of law,  or (ii) made any payment to any federal or
state  governmental  officer or official,  or other person  charged with similar
public or quasi-public  duties, other than payments required or permitted by the
laws of the United States or any jurisdiction thereof.

               (u) The  Company  has not taken and will not  take,  directly  or
indirectly,  any action  designed to or which has  constituted or which might be
reasonably  expected to cause or result in  stabilization or manipulation of the
price of any  security  of the Company to  facilitate  the sale or resale of the
Common Shares.

               Section  3.  Representations,  Warranties  and  Covenants  of the
Selling Shareholders.

               (a) Each of the Selling Shareholders  represents and warrants to,
and agrees with, the several Underwriters that:

               (i) Such Selling  Shareholder  has, and on the First Closing Date
      and Second Closing Date  hereinafter  mentioned will have,  good and valid
      title to the Common Shares proposed to be sold by such Selling Shareholder
      hereunder  on such  Closing  Date and full right,  power and  authority to
      enter into this Agreement and to sell,  assign,  transfer and deliver such
      Common Shares hereunder,  free and clear of all voting trust arrangements,
      liens, encumbrances, equities, security interests, restrictions and claims
      whatsoever;  and upon  delivery  of and  payment  for such  Common  Shares
      hereunder,  the  Underwriters  will  acquire  good  and  marketable  title
      thereto,  free and clear of all  liens,  encumbrances,  equities,  claims,
      restrictions,  security interests, voting trusts or other defects of title
      whatsoever.

               (ii) Such Selling  Shareholder has executed and delivered a Power
      of  Attorney  and  caused to be  executed  and  delivered  on its behalf a
      Custody   Agreement   (hereinafter   collectively   referred   to  as  the
      "Shareholders   Agreement")  and  in  connection   herewith  such  Selling
      Shareholder  further  represents,  warrants  and agrees that such  Selling
      Shareholder has deposited in custody,  under the  Shareholders  Agreement,
      with the agent named therein (the "Agent") as custodian,  certificates  in
      negotiable form for the Common Shares to be sold hereunder by such Selling
      Shareholder,  for  the  purpose  of  further  delivery  pursuant  to  this
      Agreement.  Such Selling  Shareholder  agrees that the Common Shares to be
      sold by such Selling  Shareholder on deposit with the Agent are subject to
      the interests of the Company and the  Underwriters,  that the arrangements
      made  for  such  custody  are to that  extent  irrevocable,  and  that the
      obligations of such Selling Shareholder hereunder shall not be terminated,
      except as provided in this Agreement or in the Shareholders  Agreement, by
      any act of such Selling Shareholder,  by

                                      -7-



      operation of law, by the death or incapacity  of such Selling  Shareholder
      or by the occurrence of any other event. If the Selling Shareholder should
      die or become  incapacitated,  or if any other event should occur,  before
      the delivery of the Common  Shares  hereunder,  the  documents  evidencing
      Common  Shares then on deposit  with the Agent shall be  delivered  by the
      Agent in accordance  with the terms and conditions of this Agreement as if
      such death,  incapacity  or other event had not  occurred,  regardless  of
      whether  or not  the  Agent  shall  have  received  notice  thereof.  This
      Agreement  and the  Shareholders  Agreement  have been duly  executed  and
      delivered by or on behalf of such Selling Shareholder and the form of such
      Shareholders Agreement has been delivered to you.

               (iii) The  performance  of this  Agreement  and the  Shareholders
      Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and
      by the Shareholders  Agreement will not result in a breach or violation by
      such  Selling  Shareholder  of any of  the  terms  or  provisions  of,  or
      constitute a default by such Selling  Shareholder  under,  any  indenture,
      mortgage,  deed of trust, trust  (constructive or other),  loan agreement,
      lease,  franchise,  license or other agreement or instrument to which such
      Selling Shareholder is a party or by which such Selling Shareholder or any
      of its properties is bound, any statute,  or any judgment,  decree,  order
      rule or regulation of any court or governmental  agency or body applicable
      to such Selling Shareholder or any of its properties.

               (iv) Such  Selling  Shareholder  has not taken and will not take,
      directly or indirectly, any action designed to or which has constituted or
      which might  reasonably be expected to cause or result in stabilization or
      manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the
      sale or resale of the Common Shares.

               (v) Each Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, insofar as it
      has  related to such  Selling  Shareholder,  has not  included  any untrue
      statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary
      to  make  the   statements   therein  not   misleading  in  light  of  the
      circumstances  under which they were made;  and  neither the  Registration
      Statement nor the Prospectus,  nor any amendment or supplement thereto, as
      it relates to such Selling Shareholder,  will include any untrue statement
      of a  material  fact or omit to state any  material  fact  required  to be
      stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

               (vi)  Such  Selling  Shareholder  is not  aware  that  any of the
      representations and warranties of the Company set forth in Section 2 above
      is untrue or inaccurate in any material respect.

               (b) Each of the Selling  Shareholders agrees with the Company and
the  Underwriters  not to directly or indirectly offer to sell, sell or contract
to sell or  otherwise  dispose  of any  shares  of  Common  Stock or  securities
convertible into or exchangeable for any shares of Common Stock, or any right to
purchase or acquire  Common Stock,  for a period of 90 days after the first date
that any of the  Common  Shares  are  released  by you for  sale to the  public,
without the prior written consent of NationsBanc  Montgomery  Securities,  Inc.,
which consent may be withheld in your sole discretion.

               Section 4.  Representations  and Warranties of the  Underwriters.
You  represent and warrant to the Company and to the Selling  Shareholders  that
the  information  set forth (i) on the cover page of the Prospectus with respect
to price,  underwriting discounts and commissions and terms of offering, (ii) on
the inside front cover of the Prospectus with respect to stabilization and (iii)
under  "Underwriting"  in the  Prospectus was furnished to the Company by and on
behalf of the  Underwriters  for use in connection  with the  preparation of the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus and is

                                      -8-



correct  in all  material  respects.  NationsBanc  Montgomery  Securities,  Inc.
represents  and  warrants  that  they  have  been  authorized  by  each  of  the
Underwriters to enter into this Agreement on their behalf and to act for them in
the manner herein provided.

               Section 5. Purchase,  Sale and Delivery of Common Shares.  On the
basis of the  representations,  warranties and agreements herein contained,  but
subject to the terms and conditions  herein set forth, (i) the Company agrees to
issue and sell to the Underwriters 3,000,000 of the Firm Common Shares, and (ii)
the  Selling  Shareholders  agree,  severally  and not  jointly,  to sell to the
Underwriters  in the  respective  amounts  set forth in  Schedule  B hereto,  an
aggregate of 70,000 of the Firm Common Shares. The Underwriters agree, severally
and not  jointly,  to purchase  from the  Company and the Selling  Shareholders,
respectively,  the number of Firm Common Shares  described  below.  The purchase
price per share to be paid by the several Underwriters to the Company and to the
Selling Shareholders, respectively, shall be $________ per share.

               The  obligation  of each  Underwriter  to the Company shall be to
purchase  from the  Company  that  number of full  shares  which  (as  nearly as
practicable,  as determined by you) bears to 3,000,000 in the same proportion as
the number of shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule
A hereto bears to the total number of Firm Common Shares. The obligation of each
Underwriter  to the Selling  Shareholders  shall be to purchase from the Selling
Shareholders  that number of full  shares  which (as nearly as  practicable,  as
determined  by you) bears to 3,000,000 in the same  proportion  as the number of
shares set forth  opposite  the name of such  Underwriter  in  Schedule A hereto
bears to the total number of Firm Common Shares.

               Delivery  of  certificates  for  the  Firm  Common  Shares  to be
purchased by the  Underwriters and payment therefor shall be made at the offices
of  NationsBanc  Montgomery   Securities,   Inc.,  600  Montgomery  Street,  San
Francisco,  California (or such other place as may be agreed upon by the Company
and you) at such time and date, not later than the third (or, if the Firm Common
Shares are priced,  as contemplated by Rule 15c6-1(c) of the Exchange Act, after
4:30 P.M.  Washington,  D.C.  time,  the fourth) full business day following the
first date that any of the Common  Shares  are  released  by you for sale to the
public,  as you shall designate by at least 48 hours prior notice to the Company
(or such  other  time and date,  not later  than one week  after  such  third or
fourth,  as the case may be,  full  business  day as may be  agreed  upon by the
Company and the  Underwriters)  (the "First Closing Date"),  provided,  however,
that in the event the  Registration  Statement is amended or the  Prospectus  is
supplemented  between the date hereof and the First Closing Date, you shall have
the right to delay the First  Closing  Date to a date (not  later  than one week
after such third or fourth,  as the case may be, full  business  day) that shall
allow  you   sufficient   time  to  distribute  the  Prospectus  as  amended  or
supplemented.  (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 are not permitted by law or executive order to be closed.)

               Delivery of certificates for the Firm Common Shares shall be made
by or on behalf of the Company and the Selling  Shareholders to you with respect
to the  Firm  Common  Shares  to be  sold  by  the  Company  and by the  Selling
Shareholders  against the irrevocable  release of a wire transfer of immediately
available  funds for the amount of the purchase  price  therefor to the order of
the Company and of the Agent in  proportion  to the number of Firm Common Shares
to be sold  by the  Company  and the  Selling  Shareholders,  respectively.  The
certificates  for the Firm Common  Shares shall be  registered in such names and
denominations  as you shall have requested at least two full business days prior
to the  First  Closing  Date,  and  shall be made  available  for  checking  and
packaging on the business day  preceding the First Closing Date at a location in
New York, New York, as may be designated by you. Time

                                      -9-



shall be of the essence,  and  delivery at the time and place  specified in this
Agreement is a further condition to the obligations of the Underwriters.

               In addition, on the basis of the representations,  warranties and
agreements herein contained,  but subject to the terms and conditions herein set
forth,  the Selling  Shareholder set forth in Schedule B hereto hereby grants an
option to the  Underwriters  to purchase,  severally  and not jointly,  up to an
aggregate of 460,500  Optional  Common Shares at the purchase price per share to
be  paid  for  the  Firm  Common   Shares,   for  use  solely  in  covering  any
over-allotments  made by you for the account of the Underwriters in the sale and
distribution  of the Firm Common  Shares.  The option  granted  hereunder may be
exercised  at any time (but not more than  once)  within 30 days after the first
date that any of the Common  Shares are  released by you for sale to the public,
upon notice by you to the Company and the Selling Shareholders setting forth the
aggregate  number of Optional  Common  Shares as to which the  Underwriters  are
exercising the option, the names and denominations in which the certificates for
such  shares  are to be  registered  and  the  time  and  place  at  which  such
certificates will be delivered.  Such time of delivery (which may not be earlier
than the First Closing Date),  being herein  referred to as the "Second  Closing
Date," if at any time  other  than the First  Closing  Date  shall be three full
business days after delivery of such notice of exercise.  The number of Optional
Common  Shares  to be  purchased  by each  Underwriter  shall be  determined  by
multiplying  the  number of  Optional  Common  Shares to be sold by the  Selling
Shareholders pursuant to such notice of exercise by a fraction, the numerator of
which is the number of Firm Common Shares to be purchased by such Underwriter as
set  forth  opposite  its name in  Schedule  A and the  denominator  of which is
3,070,000  (subject  to such  adjustments  to  eliminate  any  fractional  share
purchases as you in your  discretion  may make).  Certificates  for the Optional
Common Shares will be made  available for checking and packaging on the business
day  preceding the Second  Closing Date at a location in New York,  New York, as
may be designated by you. The manner of payment for and delivery of the Optional
Common Shares shall be the same as for the Firm Common Shares purchased from the
Selling Shareholders as specified in the two preceding  paragraphs.  At any time
before lapse of the option,  you may cancel such option by giving written notice
of such cancellation to the Selling Shareholders.  If the option is cancelled or
expires  unexercised in whole or in part, the Company will deregister  under the
Act the number of Option Shares as to which the option has not been exercised.

               Subject  to the terms and  conditions  hereof,  the  Underwriters
propose to make a public  offering  of their  respective  portions of the Common
Shares as soon after the effective date of the Registration Statement as in your
judgment is advisable  and at the public  offering  price set forth on the cover
page of and on the terms set forth in the Prospectus.

               Section 6.  Covenants of the Company.  The Company  covenants and
agrees that:

               (a)  The  Company   will  use  its  best  efforts  to  cause  the
Registration  Statement and any amendment thereof,  if not effective at the time
and date that this Agreement is executed and delivered by the parties hereto, to
become effective.  If the Registration Statement has become or becomes effective
pursuant  to Rule  430A of the  Rules  and  Regulations,  or the  filing  of the
Prospectus is otherwise required under Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations,
the  Company  will file the  Prospectus,  properly  completed,  pursuant  to the
applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations within the time
period  prescribed and will provide evidence  satisfactory to you of such timely
filing.  The Company will  promptly  advise you in writing (i) of the receipt of
any  comments  of the  Commission,  (ii) of any  request of the  Commission  for
amendment of or supplement to the Registration Statement (either before or after
it becomes  effective),  any  Preliminary  Prospectus  or the  Prospectus or for
additional information,  (iii) when the Registration Statement shall have become

                                      -10-



effective  and  (iv)  of the  issuance  by the  Commission  of  any  stop  order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of the institution
of any proceedings for that purpose. If the Commission shall enter any such stop
order at any time,  the Company  will use its best efforts to obtain the lifting
of such order at the  earliest  possible  moment.  The Company will not file any
amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement (either before or after it
becomes  effective),  any Preliminary  Prospectus or the Prospectus of which you
have not been furnished with a copy a reasonable time prior to such filing or to
which you reasonably  object or which is not in compliance  with the Act and the
Rules and Regulations.

               (b) The  Company  will  prepare  and file  with  the  Commission,
promptly upon your request,  any amendments or  supplements to the  Registration
Statement or the Prospectus which in your judgment may be necessary or advisable
to enable the Underwriters to continue the distribution of the Common Shares and
will use its best  efforts to cause the same to become  effective as promptly as
possible.  The Company will fully and  completely  comply with the provisions of
Rule 430A of the Rules and Regulations with respect to information  omitted from
the Registration Statement in reliance upon such Rule.

               (c) If at any time within the  nine-month  period  referred to in
Section  10(a)(3) of the Act during  which a  prospectus  relating to the Common
Shares is required to be delivered  under the Act any event occurs,  as a result
of which the Prospectus,  including any amendments or supplements, would include
an untrue  statement  of a material  fact,  or omit to state any  material  fact
required to be stated  therein or necessary to make the  statements  therein not
misleading, or if it is necessary at any time to amend the Prospectus, including
any  amendments  or  supplements,  to  comply  with  the  Act or the  Rules  and
Regulations,  the Company  will  promptly  advise you thereof and will  promptly
prepare  and file with the  Commission,  at its own  expense,  an  amendment  or
supplement  which will  correct  such  statement  or omission or an amendment or
supplement  which will effect such  compliance  and will use its best efforts to
cause  the  same to  become  effective  as soon as  possible;  and,  in case any
Underwriter is required to deliver a prospectus  after such  nine-month  period,
the Company upon request, but at the expense of such Underwriter,  will promptly
prepare such  amendment or  amendments  to the  Registration  Statement and such
Prospectus or  Prospectuses  as may be necessary to permit  compliance  with the
requirements of Section 10(a)(3) of the Act.

               (d) As soon as practicable,  but not later than 45 days after the
end of the first quarter ending after one year following the "effective  date of
the  Registration  Statement"  (as  defined  in Rule  158(c)  of the  Rules  and
Regulations),  the Company will make generally available to its security holders
an  earnings  statement  (which  need not be  audited)  which will  satisfy  the
provisions of the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the Act.

               (e) During such period as a  prospectus  is required by law to be
delivered in connection with sales by an Underwriter or dealer, the Company,  at
its expense,  but only for the nine-month period referred to in Section 10(a)(3)
of the Act,  will  furnish to you and the Selling  Shareholders  or mail to your
order copies of the  Registration  Statement,  the  Prospectus,  the Preliminary
Prospectus and all amendments and supplements to any such documents in each case
as soon as available and in such quantities as you and the Selling  Shareholders
may request, for the purposes contemplated by the Act.

               (f) The  Company  shall  cooperate  with you and your  counsel in
order to  qualify  or  register  the  Common  Shares  for sale  under (or obtain
exemptions from the application of) the blue sky laws of such  jurisdictions  as
you designate, will comply with such laws and will continue such qualifications,
registrations  and  exemptions in effect so long as reasonably  required for the
distribution

                                      -11-



of the Common Shares.  The Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign
corporation  or to file a general  consent  to  service  of  process in any such
jurisdiction where it is not presently qualified or where it would be subject to
taxation as a foreign  corporation.  The Company will advise you promptly of the
suspension  of the  qualification  or  registration  of (or any  such  exemption
relating to) the Common Shares for offering, sale or trading in any jurisdiction
or any initiation or threat of any  proceeding for any such purpose,  and in the
event of the issuance of any order suspending such  qualification,  registration
or exemption,  the Company, with your cooperation,  will use its best efforts to
obtain the withdrawal thereof.

               (g) During the period of five years  hereafter,  the Company will
furnish to you:  (i) as soon as  practicable  after the end of each fiscal year,
copies of the Annual Report of the Company  containing  the balance sheet of the
Company  as of  the  close  of  such  fiscal  year  and  statements  of  income,
shareholders'  equity  and cash  flows for the year then  ended and the  opinion
thereon  of the  Company's  independent  public  accountants;  (ii)  as  soon as
practicable  after the filing thereof,  copies of each proxy  statement,  Annual
Report on Form 10-K,  Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, Report on Form 8-K or other
report  filed by the Company  with the  Commission,  the NASD or any  securities
exchange; and (iii) as soon as available,  copies of any report or communication
of the Company mailed generally to holders of its Common Stock.

               (h) During the period of 90 days after the first date that any of
the Common Shares are released by you for sale to the public,  without the prior
written consent of NationsBanc Montgomery Securities, Inc., which consent may be
withheld in your sole discretion,  the Company will not,  directly or indirectly
(other than pursuant to outstanding stock options and warrants  disclosed in the
Prospectus), issue, offer, sell, grant options to purchase (other than the grant
of options  pursuant  to stock  option  plans  existing  on the date  hereof) or
otherwise  dispose  of any of  the  Company's  equity  securities  or any  other
securities convertible into or exchangeable for its Common Stock or other equity
security.

               (i) The  Company  will apply the net  proceeds of the sale of the
Common Shares sold by it  substantially  in accordance with its statements under
the caption "Use of Proceeds" in the Prospectus.

               (j) The Company  will use its best efforts to qualify or register
its Common Stock for sale in non-issuer transactions under (or obtain exemptions
from the  application  of) the Blue Sky  laws of the  State of  California  (and
thereby permit market making transactions and secondary trading in the Company's
Common  Stock in  California),  and will comply with such Blue Sky laws and will
continue  such  qualifications,  registrations  and  exemptions  in effect for a
period of five years after the date hereof.

               You  may,  in  your  sole   discretion,   waive  in  writing  the
performance  by the  Company of any one or more of the  foregoing  covenants  or
extend the time for their performance.

               Section 7. Payment of Expenses.  Whether or not the  transactions
contemplated hereunder are consummated or this Agreement becomes effective or is
terminated,  the Company and, unless otherwise paid by the Company,  the Selling
Shareholders  agree to pay in such  proportions  as they may  agree  upon  among
themselves  all  costs,  fees  and  expenses  incurred  in  connection  with the
performance  of  their   obligations   hereunder  and  in  connection  with  the
transactions  contemplated hereby,  including without limiting the generality of
the  foregoing,  (i) all  expenses  incident to the issuance and delivery of the
Common Shares  (including all printing and engraving  costs),  (ii) all fees and
expenses of the  registrar  and  transfer  agent of the Common  Stock and of the
Agent, (iii) all necessary issue, transfer

                                      -12-



and other stamp taxes in  connection  with the  issuance  and sale of the Common
Shares to the Underwriters,  (iv) all fees and expenses of the Company's counsel
(including  fees and  expenses  relating  to the  representation  of the Selling
Shareholders   by  the  Company's   counsel)  and  the   Company's   independent
accountants,  (v) all  costs  and  expenses  incurred  in  connection  with  the
preparation,  printing,  filing,  shipping and  distribution of the Registration
Statement,  each  Preliminary  Prospectus  and  the  Prospectus  (including  all
exhibits and financial  statements) and all amendments and supplements  provided
for herein,  this  Agreement,  any Agreement  Among  Underwriters,  any Selected
Dealers Agreement, any Underwriters'  Questionnaire,  any Underwriters' Power of
Attorney and the Blue Sky memoranda,  (vi) all filing fees,  attorneys' fees and
expenses  incurred  by  the  Company  or the  Underwriters  in  connection  with
qualifying or registering  (or obtaining  exemptions from the  qualification  or
registration  of) all or any part of the Common  Shares for offer and sale under
state Blue Sky or Canadian securities laws, (vii) the filing fee of the National
Association of Securities  Dealers,  Inc., and (viii) all other fees,  costs and
expenses referred to in Item 14 of the Registration Statement.  The Underwriters
may deem the Company to be the primary  obligor with respect to all costs,  fees
and expenses to be paid by the Company and by the Selling  Shareholders.  Except
as provided in this Section 7, Section 9 and Section 11 hereof, the Underwriters
shall pay all of their own  expenses,  including the fees and  disbursements  of
their  counsel  (excluding  those  relating to  qualification,  registration  or
exemption under the state Blue Sky or Canadian  securities laws and the Blue Sky
memoranda  referred to above).  This  Section 7 shall not affect any  agreements
relating  to the  payment  of  expenses  between  the  Company  and the  Selling
Shareholders.

               The Selling  Shareholders will pay (directly or by reimbursement)
all fees and expenses  incident to the  performance of their  obligations  under
this  Agreement  which  are not  otherwise  specifically  provided  for  herein,
including  but not  limited to (i) any fees and  expenses  of  counsel  for such
Selling  Shareholders  (other than fees and expenses of the Company's  counsel);
and (ii) all expenses and taxes  incident to the sale and delivery of the Common
Shares to be sold by such Selling Shareholders to the Underwriters hereunder.

               Section 8. Conditions of the Obligations of the Underwriters. The
obligations of the several  Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Firm Common
Shares on the First  Closing Date and the Optional  Common  Shares on the Second
Closing  Date  shall be  subject  to the  accuracy  of the  representations  and
warranties  on the part of the Company and the Selling  Shareholders  herein set
forth as of the date  hereof  and as of the  First  Closing  Date or the  Second
Closing Date,  as the case may be, to the accuracy of the  statements of Company
officers and the Selling Shareholders made pursuant to the provisions hereof, to
the performance by the Company and the Selling  Shareholders of their respective
obligations hereunder, and to the following additional conditions:

               (a) The  Registration  Statement shall have become  effective not
later than 5:00 P.M. (or, in the case of a registration statement filed pursuant
to Rule 462(b) of the Rules and Regulations  relating to the Common Shares,  not
later than 10:00 P.M.), Washington, D.C. time, on the date of this Agreement, or
at such later time as shall have been  consented to by you; if the filing of the
Prospectus,  or any supplement  thereto,  is required pursuant to Rule 424(b) of
the Rules and  Regulations,  the Prospectus  shall have been filed in the manner
and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations;
and prior to such Closing Date, no stop order  suspending the  effectiveness  of
the  Registration  Statement  shall have been issued and no proceedings for that
purpose  shall have been  instituted or shall be pending or, to the knowledge of
the Company,  the Selling  Shareholders  or you,  shall be  contemplated  by the
Commission;  and any  request of the  Commission  for  inclusion  of  additional
information  in the  Registration  Statement,  or  otherwise,  shall  have  been
complied with to your satisfaction.

                                      -13-



               (b) You shall be satisfied that since the respective  dates as of
which  information is given in the  Registration  Statement and Prospectus,  (i)
there shall not have been any change in the capital  stock (other than  pursuant
to the exercise of outstanding options and warrants disclosed in the Prospectus)
of the  Company  or  any of its  subsidiaries  or  any  material  change  in the
indebtedness  (other than in the ordinary  course of business) of the Company or
any of its  subsidiaries,  (ii)  except  as set  forth  or  contemplated  by the
Registration  Statement  or  the  Prospectus,  no  material  verbal  or  written
agreement  or other  transaction  shall have been entered into by the Company or
any of its  subsidiaries,  which is not in the  ordinary  course of  business or
which would  reasonably  be expected  to result in a material  reduction  in the
future  earnings of the Company  and its  subsidiaries,  (iii) no loss or damage
(whether  or  not  insured)  to  the  property  of  the  Company  or  any of its
subsidiaries  shall have been sustained which  materially and adversely  affects
the  condition  (financial  or  otherwise),  business,  results of operations or
prospects  of the Company and its  subsidiaries,  (iv) no legal or  governmental
action,  suit or  proceeding  affecting  the Company or any of its  subsidiaries
which is material to the Company and its  subsidiaries  or which  affects or may
affect  the  transactions   contemplated  by  this  Agreement  shall  have  been
instituted or threatened  and (v) there shall not have been any material  change
in the condition  (financial or  otherwise),  business,  management,  results of
operations  or  prospects  of the  Company and its  subsidiaries  which makes it
impractical or inadvisable in your judgment to proceed with the public  offering
or purchase the Common Shares as contemplated hereby.

               (c) There shall have been  furnished to you on each Closing Date,
in form  and  substance  satisfactory  to you,  except  as  otherwise  expressly
provided below:

               (i)  An   opinion  of   Wilson,   Sonsini,   Goodrich  &  Rosati,
      Professional  Corporation,   counsel  for  the  Company  and  the  Selling
      Shareholders,  addressed to you and dated the First  Closing  Date, or the
      Second Closing Date, as the case may be, to the effect that:

               (1) Each of the Company and its  Material  Subsidiaries  has been
      duly  incorporated  and is  validly  existing  as a  corporation  in  good
      standing  under the laws of its  jurisdiction  of  incorporation,  is duly
      qualified to do business as a foreign  corporation and is in good standing
      in all other jurisdictions where the ownership or leasing of properties or
      the  conduct  of its  business  requires  such  qualification,  except for
      jurisdictions in which the failure to so qualify would not have a material
      adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, and has full corporate
      power and  authority  to own its  properties  and conduct its  business as
      described  in  the  Registration  Statement  (as  used  herein,  "Material
      Subsidiary"  means any  subsidiary of the Company deemed to be such by you
      and the  Company  and any  corporation  (i) of which  more than 50% of the
      voting  stock is owned or  controlled  by the Company or by one or more of
      its subsidiaries and (ii) to such counsel's knowledge either (x) the total
      assets of which  represent  5% or more of the total  assets of the Company
      and its  subsidiaries  consolidated  as of the end of the  Company's  most
      recent fiscal  quarter or (y) the net sales of which  represent 5% or more
      of the net sales of the Company and its subsidiaries  consolidated for the
      nine months ended  September  30, 1997 or (z) the  Company's and its other
      subsidiaries'  equity in the  income  from  continuing  operations  before
      income taxes,  extraordinary  items and  cumulative  effect of a change in
      accounting  principle of such corporation exceeds 5% of such income of the
      Company  and its  subsidiaries  consolidated  for the  nine  months  ended
      September 30, 1997);

               (2) The authorized,  issued and outstanding  capital stock of the
      Company  is as  set  forth  under  the  caption  "Capitalization"  in  the
      Prospectus;  all necessary corporate  proceedings have been taken in order
      to authorize validly such authorized Common Stock; all outstanding

                                      -14-



      shares of Common Stock  (including the Firm Common Shares and any Optional
      Common Shares to be sold by the Selling  Shareholders)  have been duly and
      validly issued, are fully paid and  nonassessable,  and, to such counsel's
      knowledge,  were not issued in violation  of or subject to any  preemptive
      rights or other  rights  to  subscribe  for or  purchase  any  securities;
      without limiting the foregoing, to such counsel's knowledge,  there are no
      preemptive  or other rights to subscribe for or purchase any of the Common
      Shares to be sold by the Company hereunder;

               (3) All of the issued and outstanding  shares of capital stock of
      the Material Subsidiaries have been duly and validly authorized and issued
      and are fully paid and  nonassessable  and are owned  beneficially  by the
      Company  free and  clear of all  liens,  encumbrances,  equities,  claims,
      security interests, voting trusts or other defects of title whatsoever;

               (4) The certificates evidencing the Common Shares to be delivered
      hereunder  are in due and proper  form under  Arizona  law,  and when duly
      countersigned by the Company's transfer agent and registrar, and delivered
      to you or upon your order  against  payment  of the  agreed  consideration
      therefor in accordance with the provisions of this  Agreement,  the Common
      Shares  represented  thereby will be duly  authorized and validly  issued,
      fully paid and nonassessable,  and, to such counsel's knowledge,  will not
      have been issued in  violation of or subject to any  preemptive  rights or
      other rights to subscribe for or purchase securities;

               (5) Except as disclosed in or  specifically  contemplated  by the
      Prospectus, to such counsel's knowledge, there are no outstanding options,
      warrants or other rights  requiring the issuance of, and no commitments to
      issue,  any  shares  of  capital  stock  of the  Company  or any  security
      convertible into or exchangeable for capital stock of the Company;

               (6) (a) The Registration Statement has become effective under the
      Act,  and,  to the  best  of  such  counsel's  knowledge,  no  stop  order
      suspending the  effectiveness of the Registration  Statement or preventing
      the use of the  Prospectus  has been  issued and no  proceedings  for that
      purpose  have  been  instituted  or are  pending  or  contemplated  by the
      Commission;  any  required  filing of the  Prospectus  and any  supplement
      thereto pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations has been made
      in the manner and within the time period required by such Rule 424(b);

               (b) The Registration Statement, the Prospectus and each amendment
      or supplement  thereto (except for the financial  statements and schedules
      included  therein as to which such counsel need express no opinion) comply
      as to form in all material  respects with the  requirements of the Act and
      the Rules and Regulations;

               (c) To such counsel's knowledge, there are no franchises, leases,
      contracts, agreements or documents of a character required to be disclosed
      in the Registration  Statement or Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to
      the Registration  Statement or to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K
      which are not disclosed or filed, as required;

               (d)  To  such  counsel's   knowledge,   there  are  no  legal  or
      governmental  actions,  suits or proceedings pending or threatened against
      the Company or its subsidiaries  which are required to be described in the
      Prospectus which are not described as required;

                                      -15-



               (e) The  documents  incorporated  by reference in the  Prospectus
      (except  for any  financial  statements  and  schedules  included  in such
      documents as to which such  counsel  need  express no opinion),  when they
      were  filed  with  the  Commission,  complied  as to form in all  material
      respects  with the  requirements  of the  Exchange  Act and the  rules and
      regulations of the Commission thereunder;

               (7) The Company has the requisite  corporate  power and authority
      to enter into this  Agreement and to sell and deliver the Common Shares to
      be sold by it to the several  Underwriters;  this  Agreement has been duly
      and validly  authorized by all necessary  corporate action by the Company,
      has been duly and validly  executed and  delivered by and on behalf of the
      Company, and is a valid and binding agreement of the Company in accordance
      with its  terms,  except  as  enforceability  may be  limited  by  general
      equitable principles, bankruptcy, insolvency,  reorganization,  moratorium
      or other laws affecting creditors' rights generally and except as to those
      provisions  relating to indemnity or contribution for liabilities  arising
      under the Act as to which no opinion need be  expressed;  and no approval,
      authorization,   order,  consent,  registration,   filing,  qualification,
      license  or permit of or with any  court,  regulatory,  administrative  or
      other governmental body is required for the execution and delivery of this
      Agreement  by  the  Company  or the  performance  by  the  Company  of its
      obligations set forth in this Agreement, except such as have been obtained
      and are in full force and effect under the Act and such as may be required
      under  applicable  Blue  Sky laws in  connection  with  the  purchase  and
      distribution of the Common Shares by the Underwriters and the clearance of
      such offering with the NASD;

               (8)  The  execution  and  delivery  of  this  Agreement  and  the
      performance by the Company of its  obligations set forth in this Agreement
      will not result in the breach of, or constitute,  either by itself or upon
      notice or the passage of time or both,  a default  under,  any  agreement,
      mortgage, deed of trust, lease, franchise,  license,  indenture, permit or
      other  instrument known to such counsel to which the Company or any of its
      subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries
      or any of its or their property may be bound or affected which is material
      to the Company  and its  subsidiaries,  as a whole,  or violate any of the
      provisions  of  the  articles  of  incorporation   or  bylaws,   or  other
      organizational documents, of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or, so
      far as is known to such counsel,  violate any statute,  judgment,  decree,
      order,  rule or  regulation  of any  court  or  governmental  body  having
      jurisdiction  over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of its or
      their property;

               (9)  The  Company  is  not  in   violation  of  its  articles  of
      incorporation or bylaws, none of the Material Subsidiaries is in violation
      of its articles of incorporation or, to such counsel's  knowledge,  bylaws
      or other  organizational  documents,  and,  to such  counsel's  knowledge,
      neither the Company nor any Material Subsidiary is in breach of or default
      with respect to any provision of any agreement,  mortgage,  deed of trust,
      lease, franchise,  license, indenture, permit or other instrument filed as
      an exhibit to the Registration Statement or the Company Form 10-K to which
      the Company or any such subsidiary is a party or by which it or any of its
      properties  may be bound or affected,  except where such default would not
      materially  adversely affect the Company and its subsidiaries,  taken as a
      whole;

               (10) To such counsel's knowledge, no holders of securities of the
      Company  have  rights  which  have not been  waived  or  fulfilled  to the
      registration of shares of Common Stock or other securities, because of the
      filing  of the  Registration  Statement  by the  Company  or the  offering
      contemplated hereby;

                                      -16-



               (11)  To  such  counsel's  knowledge,   this  Agreement  and  the
      Shareholders  Agreement have been duly authorized,  executed and delivered
      by or on behalf of each of the  Selling  Shareholders;  the Agent has been
      duly and validly  authorized  to act as the custodian of the Common Shares
      to be  sold by each  such  Selling  Shareholder;  and,  to such  counsel's
      knowledge,   the  execution  and  delivery  of  this   Agreement  and  the
      Shareholders  Agreement by each Selling Shareholder and the performance by
      the  Selling  Shareholders  of their  obligations  set  forth  herein  and
      therein,  will not result in a breach of, or  constitute a default  under,
      any indenture,  mortgage,  deed of trust,  trust  (constructive or other),
      loan agreement, lease, franchise, license or other agreement or instrument
      to which any of the Selling Shareholders is a party or by which any of the
      Selling  Shareholders or any of their properties may be bound and which is
      material to any Selling  Shareholder,  or violate any  statute,  judgment,
      decree,  order,  rule or regulation  known to such counsel of any court or
      governmental body having jurisdiction over any of the Selling Shareholders
      or any of their properties;  and to such counsel's knowledge, no approval,
      authorization,   order  or  consent  of  any   court,   regulatory   body,
      administrative  agency  or other  governmental  body is  required  for the
      execution and delivery of this Agreement or the Shareholders  Agreement or
      the performance by the Selling Shareholders of their obligations set forth
      in this Agreement, except such as have been obtained and are in full force
      and effect  under the Act and such as may be  required  under the rules of
      the NASD and applicable Blue Sky laws;

               (12) To such counsel's  knowledge,  the Selling Shareholders have
      full  right,  power and  authority  to enter into this  Agreement  and the
      Shareholders Agreement and to sell, transfer and deliver the Common Shares
      to be sold on such Closing Date by such Selling Shareholders hereunder and
      good and valid title to such Common Shares so sold,  free and clear of all
      liens, encumbrances,  equities, claims, restrictions,  security interests,
      voting trusts, or other defects of title whatsoever,  has been transferred
      to the  Underwriters  (whom counsel may assume to be bona fide purchasers)
      who have purchased such Common Shares hereunder; and

               (13)  To  such  counsel's  knowledge,   this  Agreement  and  the
      Shareholders  Agreement  are valid and binding  agreements  of each of the
      Selling   Shareholders   in   accordance   with  their  terms   except  as
      enforceability may be limited by general equitable principles, bankruptcy,
      insolvency, reorganization,  moratorium or other laws affecting creditors'
      rights generally and except with respect to those  provisions  relating to
      indemnities or contributions for liabilities under the Act, as to which no
      opinion need be expressed.

               In  rendering  such  opinion,  such  counsel  may  rely as to the
      matters set forth in paragraphs  (11), (12) and (13), on opinions of other
      counsel  retained by the Selling  Shareholders,  as to matters of local or
      regulatory  law,  on opinions of local or  regulatory  counsel,  and as to
      matters  of fact,  on  certificates  of the  Selling  Shareholders  and of
      officers of the Company and of governmental officials, in which case their
      opinion is to state that they are so doing and that the  Underwriters  are
      justified in relying on such opinions or  certificates  and copies of said
      opinions  or  certificates   are  to  be  delivered  to  counsel  for  the
      Underwriters.  Such  counsel  shall also include a statement to the effect
      that  nothing has come to such  counsel's  attention  that would lead such
      counsel to believe that either at the effective  date of the  Registration
      Statement or at the applicable Closing Date the Registration  Statement or
      the  Prospectus,  or any such  amendment  or  supplement  (other  than the
      financial statements and schedules and other financial or statistical data
      set forth  therein,  as to which such  counsel  need  express no  belief),
      contains  any  untrue  statement  of a  material  fact or omits to state a
      material  fact  required  to be stated  therein or  necessary  to make the
      statements therein not misleading;

                                      -17-



               (ii) Such opinion or opinions of  Pillsbury  Madison & Sutro LLP,
      counsel for the  Underwriters,  dated the First Closing Date or the Second
      Closing Date, as the case may be, with respect to the incorporation of the
      Company,  the  sufficiency  of all corporate  proceedings  and other legal
      matters relating to this Agreement, the validity of the Common Shares, the
      Registration Statement and the Prospectus and other related matters as you
      may reasonably require, and the Company and the Selling Shareholders shall
      have  furnished to such counsel such documents and shall have exhibited to
      them such  papers  and  records  as they may  reasonably  request  for the
      purpose of enabling  them to pass upon such matters.  In  connection  with
      such opinions, such counsel may rely on representations or certificates of
      officers of the Company and governmental officials.

               (iii) A  certificate  of the Company  executed by the Chairman of
      the Board or President and the chief  financial or  accounting  officer of
      the Company,  dated the First Closing Date or the Second  Closing Date, as
      the case may be, to the effect that:

               (1) The  representations  and warranties of the Company set forth
      in Section 2 of this Agreement are true and correct as of the date of this
      Agreement and as of the First Closing Date or the Second  Closing Date, as
      the case may be, and the Company has complied with all the  agreements and
      satisfied  all the  conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied on
      or prior to such Closing Date;

               (2) The  Commission  has  not  issued  any  order  preventing  or
      suspending the use of the Prospectus or any Preliminary  Prospectus  filed
      as a part of the Registration  Statement or any amendment thereto; no stop
      order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration  Statement has been
      issued;  and to the best of the knowledge of the  respective  signers,  no
      proceedings  for that  purpose  have been  instituted  or are  pending  or
      contemplated under the Act;

               (3)  Each  of  the  respective  signers  of the  certificate  has
      carefully examined the Registration  Statement and the prospectus;  to the
      best of his knowledge,  the Registration  Statement and the Prospectus and
      any amendments or supplements  thereto contain all statements  required to
      be stated therein regarding the Company and its subsidiaries;  and neither
      the  Registration  State  ment nor the  Prospectus  nor any  amendment  or
      supplement  thereto  includes any untrue  statement of a material  fact or
      omits  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;

               (4) Since the initial  date on which the  Registration  Statement
      was  filed,  no  agreement,  written  or oral,  transaction  or event  has
      occurred  which  should  have  been  set  forth  in an  amendment  to  the
      Registration  Statement  or  in  a  supplement  to  or  amendment  of  any
      prospectus which has not been disclosed in such a supplement or amendment;

               (5) Since the respective  dates as of which  information is given
      in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus,  and except as disclosed
      in or  contemplated  by the  Prospectus,  there has not been any  material
      adverse change or a development which would be reasonably likely to result
      in a material  adverse  change in the condition  (financial or otherwise),
      business,  properties,  results of operations or management of the Company
      and its  subsidiaries,  as a whole;  and no legal or governmental  action,
      suit or proceeding is pending or threatened  against the Company or any of
      its subsidiaries which is material to the Company and its subsidiaries, as
      a whole,  whether or not arising from  transactions in the ordinary course
      of business, or which may

                                      -18-



      adversely  affect the transactions  contemplated by this Agreement;  since
      such dates and except as so disclosed,  neither the Company nor any of its
      subsidiaries  has entered  into any verbal or written  agreement  or other
      transaction which is not in the ordinary course of business or which would
      reasonably  be  expected to result in a material  reduction  in the future
      earnings of the Company or incurred any material  liability or obligation,
      direct,  contingent  or  indirect,  made any change in its  capital  stock
      (except pursuant to exercise of stock options and warrants as disclosed in
      the Prospectus), made any material change in its short-term debt or funded
      debt or  repurchased  or otherwise  acquired any of the Company's  capital
      stock; and the Company has not declared or paid any dividend,  or made any
      other  distribution,   upon  its  outstanding  capital  stock  payable  to
      shareholders of record on a date prior to the First Closing Date or Second
      Closing Date; and

               (6) Since the respective  dates as of which  information is given
      in the  Registration  Statement and the Prospectus and except as disclosed
      in or  contemplated by the  Prospectus,  the Company and its  subsidiaries
      have not  sustained  a  material  loss or damage by strike,  fire,  flood,
      windstorm, accident or other calamity (whether or not insured).

               (iv) On the date before this  Agreement  is executed  and also on
      the First Closing Date and the Second  Closing Date a letter  addressed to
      you from Ernst & Young LLP, independent  accountants,  the first one to be
      dated the day  before  the date of this  Agreement,  the  second one to be
      dated the First  Closing  Date and the third one (in the event of a Second
      Closing)  to be dated  the  Second  Closing  Date,  in form and  substance
      satisfactory to you.

               (v) On the First Closing Date or the Second  Closing Date, as the
      case may be, a certificate,  dated such Closing Date and addressed to you,
      signed by or on behalf of each of the Selling  Shareholders  to the effect
      that the  representations  and  warranties of such Selling  Shareholder in
      this  Agreement  are true and  correct,  as if made at and as of the First
      Closing Date or Second  Closing Date, as the case may be, and such Selling
      Shareholder  has complied  with all the  agreements  and satisfied all the
      conditions  on its part to be performed  or  satisfied  prior to the First
      Closing Date or Second Closing Date, as the case may be.

               (vi) On or  before  the First  Closing  Date,  letters  from each
      executive  officer of the Company,  in form and substance  satisfactory to
      you, confirming that for a period of 90 days after the first date that any
      of the Common  Shares are  released  by you for sale to the  public,  such
      person will not directly or indirectly  sell or offer to sell or otherwise
      dispose of any shares of Common  Stock or any right to acquire such shares
      without the prior written  consent of NationsBanc  Montgomery  Securities,
      Inc., which consent may be withheld your sole discretion.

               All such opinions,  certificates,  letters and documents shall be
in compliance  with the provisions  hereof only if they are  satisfactory to you
and to Pillsbury Madison & Sutro LLP, counsel for the Underwriters.  The Company
shall  furnish  you with  such  manually  signed  or  conformed  copies  of such
opinions,  certificates,  letters and documents as you request.  Any certificate
signed by any officer of the Company and  delivered to you or to counsel for the
Underwriters  shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Company
to the Underwriters as to the statements made therein.

               If any condition to the Underwriters' obligations hereunder to be
satisfied  prior  to or at the  First  Closing  Date is not so  satisfied,  this
Agreement  at your  election  will  terminate  upon  notification  by you to the
Company  and the  Selling  Shareholders  without  liability  on the  part of any
Underwriter or the Company or the Selling  Shareholders  except for the expenses
to be paid or reimbursed by the

                                      -19-



Company and by the Selling Shareholders  pursuant to Sections 7 and 9 hereof and
except to the extent provided in Section 11 hereof.

               Section   9.    Reimbursement    of    Underwriters'    Expenses.
Notwithstanding  any  other  provisions  hereof,  if  this  Agreement  shall  be
terminated  by  you  pursuant  to  Section  8  hereof,  or if  the  sale  to the
Underwriters  of the  Common  Shares at the  First  Closing  is not  consummated
because of any  refusal,  inability or failure on the part of the Company or the
Selling  Shareholders  to perform  any  agreement  herein or to comply  with any
provision hereof, the Company agrees to reimburse you and the other Underwriters
upon  demand for all  out-of-pocket  expenses  that  shall have been  reasonably
incurred by you and them in connection  with the proposed  purchase and the sale
of the Common  Shares,  including but not limited to fees and  disbursements  of
counsel,  printing  expenses,  travel expenses,  postage,  telegraph charges and
telephone  charges  relating  directly  to  the  offering  contemplated  by  the
Prospectus.  Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any
other party except that the provisions of this Section, Section 7 and Section 11
shall at all times be effective and shall apply.

               Section 10.  Effectiveness  of Registration  Statement.  You, the
Company and the Selling  Shareholders  will use your, its and their best efforts
to cause the Registration Statement to become effective, to prevent the issuance
of any stop order suspending the  effectiveness  of the  Registration  Statement
and,  if such stop order be issued,  to obtain as soon as  possible  the lifting
thereof.

               Section 11.  Indemnification.

               (a) The Company and each of the Selling Shareholders, jointly and
severally,  agree 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,  liabilities or expenses, joint or several,
to which such Underwriter or such controlling  person may become subject,  under
the  Act,  the  Exchange  Act,  or  other  federal  or  state  statutory  law or
regulation,  or at common  law or  otherwise  (including  in  settlement  of any
litigation,  if such  settlement  is effected  with the  written  consent of the
Company),  insofar as such losses, claims, damages,  liabilities or expenses (or
actions in respect thereof as contemplated below) arise out of or are based upon
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 arise out of or are based  upon the
omission or alleged omission to state in any of them a material fact required to
be  stated  therein  or  necessary  to make  the  statements  in any of them not
misleading,  or arise out of or are based in whole or in part on any  inaccuracy
in the representations and warranties of the Company or the Selling Shareholders
contained  herein or any failure of the Company or the Selling  Shareholders  to
perform their respective  obligations hereunder or under law; and will reimburse
each  Underwriter  and each  such  controlling  person  for any  legal and other
expenses  reasonably  incurred by such Underwriter or such controlling person in
connection with investigating,  defending, settling,  compromising or paying any
such loss, claim, damage, liability,  expense or action; provided, however, that
neither the Company nor the Selling Shareholders will be liable in any such case
to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense 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 any amendment or supplement  thereto in reliance
upon and in conformity with the information furnished to the Company pursuant to
Section  4  hereof;  and  provided  further,  that with  respect  to any  untrue
statement  or  omission or alleged  untrue  statement  or  omission  made in the
Registration  Statement,  any Preliminary  Prospectus,  the  Prospectus,  or any
amendment or supplement  thereto,  each Selling  Shareholder shall not be liable
under this  paragraph  for an amount in

                                      -20-



excess of the proceeds received by the Selling Shareholder for the Common Shares
sold by such Selling Shareholder to the Underwriters; and provided further, that
the  indemnity  provided in this Section  11(a) with respect to any  Preliminary
Prospectus  shall  not inure to the  benefit  of any  Underwriter  from whom the
person asserting any losses,  claims,  charges,  liabilities or litigation based
upon any untrue  statement or alleged  untrue  statement of any material fact or
omission or alleged  omission to state therein a material fact, if a copy of the
Prospectus  in which such  untrue  statement  or  alleged  untrue  statement  or
omission was corrected has not been sent or given to such person within the time
required by the Act and the Rule and Regulations thereunder, unless such failure
is the result of  noncompliance  by the Company with  Section  6(e) hereof;  and
provided  further,  that no  Selling  Shareholder  shall be  liable  in any case
pursuant  to this  Section  11 to the extent  any such  loss,  claim,  damage or
liability  arises out of or is based upon an untrue  statement  or  omission  or
alleged omission made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus,
the Prospectus,  or any amendment or supplement thereto, in reliance upon and in
conformity  with  information  furnished  to the Company in writing by any other
Selling Shareholder;  and provided further, that no Selling Shareholder shall be
required  to  provide  indemnification  or  reimbursement  hereunder  until  the
Underwriter or control person seeking  indemnification  or  reimbursement  shall
have first made a claim therefor against the Company and such claim has not been
paid by the Company  for a period of not less than 45 days.  The Company and the
Selling  Shareholders  may agree, as among  themselves,  as to their  respective
amounts of such liability for which they each shall be responsible.  In addition
to their other obligations under this Section 11(a), the Company and the Selling
Shareholders agree that, as an interim measure during the pendency of any claim,
action, investigation,  inquiry or other proceeding arising out of or based upon
any  statement  or  omission,  or any  alleged  statement  or  omission,  or any
inaccuracy in the  representations  and warranties of the Company or the Selling
Shareholders  herein or failure to perform  its  obligations  hereunder,  all as
described in this Section  11(a),  they will  reimburse  each  Underwriter  on a
quarterly  basis  for  all  reasonable  legal  or  other  expenses  incurred  in
connection   with   investigating   or   defending   any  such  claim,   action,
investigation,  inquiry or other  proceeding,  notwithstanding  the absence of a
judicial  determination as to the propriety and  enforceability of the Company's
or the Selling  Shareholders'  obligation to reimburse each Underwriter for such
expenses and the possibility that such payments might later be held to have been
improper  by a court of  competent  jurisdiction.  To the  extent  that any such
interim reimbursement payment is so held to have been improper, each Underwriter
shall  promptly  return it to the Company  together  with  interest,  compounded
daily,  determined on the basis of the prime rate (or other  commercial  lending
rate for borrowers of the highest credit  standing)  announced from time to time
by Bank of  America  National  Trust and  Savings  Association,  San  Francisco,
California (the "Prime Rate"). Any such interim reimbursement payments which are
not made to an Underwriter within 30 days of a request for reimbursement,  shall
bear  interest at the Prime Rate from the date of such request.  This  indemnity
agreement will be in addition to any liability  which the Company or the Selling
Shareholders may otherwise have.

               (b) Each Underwriter  will severally  indemnify and hold harmless
the  Company,  each  of its  directors,  each of its  officers  who  signed  the
Registration  Statement,  the Selling  Shareholders and each person, if any, who
controls the Company or any Selling  Shareholder  within the meaning of the Act,
against  any  losses,  claims,  damages,  liabilities  or  expenses to which the
Company,  or any such  director,  officer,  Selling  Shareholder  or controlling
person may become subject,  under the Act, the Exchange Act, or other federal or
state statutory law or regulation,  or at common law or otherwise  (including in
settlement of any  litigation,  if such  settlement is effected with the written
consent  of  such  Underwriter),   insofar  as  such  losses,  claims,  damages,
liabilities or expenses (or actions in respect  thereof as  contemplated  below)
arise out of or are based  upon any untrue or alleged  untrue  statement  of any
material  fact  contained  in  the  Registration   Statement,   any  Preliminary
Prospectus, the

                                      -21-



Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based
upon 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,
in each case to the extent,  but only to the extent,  that such untrue statement
or alleged  untrue  statement  or omission or alleged  omission  was made in the
Registration  Statement,  any Preliminary  Prospectus,  the  Prospectus,  or any
amendment or supplement  thereto,  in reliance  upon and in conformity  with the
information  furnished  to the Company  pursuant  to Section 4 hereof;  and will
reimburse the Company,  or any such director,  officer,  Selling  Shareholder or
controlling  person for any legal and other expense  reasonably  incurred by the
Company,  or any such  director,  officer,  Selling  Shareholder  or controlling
person in connection with investigating,  defending,  settling,  compromising or
paying any such loss, claim, damage,  liability,  expense or action. In addition
to its other obligations  under this Section 11(b),  each Underwriter  severally
agrees that,  as an interim  measure  during the pendency of any claim,  action,
investigation,  inquiry  or other  proceeding  arising  out of or based upon any
statement or omission,  or any alleged statement or omission,  described in this
Section 11(b) which relates to information  furnished to the Company pursuant to
Section 4 hereof, it will reimburse the Company (and, to the extent  applicable,
each  officer,  director,  Selling  Shareholder  or  controlling  person)  on  a
quarterly  basis  for  all  reasonable  legal  or  other  expenses  incurred  in
connection   with   investigating   or   defending   any  such  claim,   action,
investigation,  inquiry or other  proceeding,  notwithstanding  the absence of a
judicial   determination  as  to  the  propriety  and   enforceability   of  the
Underwriters'   obligations  to  reimburse  the  Company  (and,  to  the  extent
applicable,  each officer,  director, Selling Shareholder or controlling person)
for such expenses and the possibility  that such payments might later be held to
have been improper by a court of competent jurisdiction.  To the extent that any
such interim reimbursement payment is so held to have been improper, the Company
(and, to the extent applicable,  each officer,  director, Selling Shareholder or
controlling  person) shall promptly return it to the Underwriters  together with
interest,  compounded daily, determined on the basis of the Prime Rate. Any such
interim reimbursement  payments which are not made to the Company within 30 days
of a request for  reimbursement,  shall bear interest at the Prime Rate from the
date of such  request.  This  indemnity  agreement  will be in  addition  to any
liability which such Underwriter may otherwise have.

               (c) Promptly  after  receipt by an  indemnified  party under this
Section of notice of the  commencement  of any action,  such  indemnified  party
will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against an indemnifying  party
under this Section, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement
thereof;  but the omission so to notify the indemnifying  party will not relieve
it  from  any  liability  which  it  may  have  to  any  indemnified  party  for
contribution or otherwise than under the indemnity  agreement  contained in this
Section  or to the extent it is not  prejudiced  as a  proximate  result of such
failure.  In case any such action is brought against any  indemnified  party and
such  indemnified  party seeks or intends to seek indemnity from an indemnifying
party,  the  indemnifying  party will be entitled to participate in, and, to the
extent that it may wish, jointly with all other  indemnifying  parties similarly
notified, to assume the defense thereof with counsel reasonably  satisfactory to
such indemnified party; provided,  however, if the defendants in any such action
include  both  the  indemnified  party  and  the  indemnifying   party  and  the
indemnified  party shall have reasonably  concluded that there may be a conflict
between the positions of the  indemnifying  party and the  indemnified  party in
conducting  the defense of any such  action or that there may be legal  defenses
available to it and/or other  indemnified  parties which are  different  from or
additional to those available to the indemnifying  party, the indemnified  party
or parties shall have the right to select separate  counsel to assume such legal
defenses and to otherwise participate in the defense of such action on behalf of
such indemnified party or parties.  Upon receipt of notice from the indemnifying
party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense of such
action and approval by the indemnified party of counsel,  the indemnifying party
will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section for any legal or
other 

                                      -22-



expenses  subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the
defense  thereof  unless (i) the  indemnified  party  shall have  employed  such
counsel in connection  with the assumption of legal defenses in accordance  with
the proviso to the preceding  sentence (it being understood,  however,  that the
indemnifying  party  shall  not be  liable  for the  expenses  of more  than one
separate counsel, approved by you in the case of paragraph (a), representing the
indemnified  parties  who are parties to such  action) or (ii) the  indemnifying
party shall not have employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified
party to represent the  indemnified  party within a reasonable time after notice
of commencement  of the action,  in each of which cases the fees and expenses of
counsel shall be at the expense of the indemnifying party.

               (d) If the  indemnification  provided  for in this  Section 11 is
required  by its  terms  but is for  any  reason  held to be  unavailable  to or
otherwise  insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified  party under  paragraphs
(a),  (b) or (c) of this Section 11 in respect of any losses,  claims,  damages,
liabilities or expenses  referred to herein,  then each applicable  indemnifying
party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such  indemnified  party
as a result of any losses, claims, damages,  liabilities or expenses referred to
herein (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits
received by the Company,  Selling  Shareholders  and the  Underwriters  from the
offering of the Common Shares or (ii) if the  allocation  provided by clause (i)
above is not permitted by applicable  law, in such  proportion as is appropriate
to reflect not only the  relative  benefits  referred to in clause (i) above but
also  the  relative  fault  of  the  Company,   Selling   Shareholders  and  the
Underwriters  in connection  with the statements or omissions or inaccuracies in
the representations and warranties herein which resulted in such losses, claims,
damages,  liabilities  or  expenses,  as well as any  other  relevant  equitable
considerations.  The  respective  relative  benefits  received  by the  Company,
Selling  Shareholders  and the  Underwriters  shall be  deemed to be in the same
proportion, in the case of the Company and the Selling Shareholders as the total
price paid to the Company and to the Selling Shareholders, respectively, for the
Common Shares sold by them to the Underwriters (net of underwriting  commissions
but  before  deducting  expenses),  and in the case of the  Underwriters  as the
underwriting  commissions  received  by them bears to the total of such  amounts
paid  to  the  Company  and  the  Selling   Shareholders  and  received  by  the
Underwriters  as  underwriting  commissions.  The relative fault of the Company,
Selling  Shareholders and the Underwriters  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 or the
inaccurate or the alleged inaccurate  representation  and/or warranty relates to
information  supplied by the Company,  Selling  Shareholders or the Underwriters
and  the  parties'  relative  intent,  knowledge,   access  to  information  and
opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The amount paid or
payable by a party as a result of the losses, claims,  damages,  liabilities and
expenses  referred  to  above  shall  be  deemed  to  include,  subject  to  the
limitations  set forth in  paragraph  (c) of this Section 11, any legal or other
fees  or  expenses   reasonably  incurred  by  such  party  in  connection  with
investigating  or defending  any action or claim.  The  provisions  set forth in
paragraph (c) of this Section 11 with respect to notice of  commencement  of any
action  shall  apply  if a  claim  for  contribution  is to be made  under  this
paragraph (d);  provided,  however,  that no additional notice shall be required
with respect to any action for which notice has been given under  paragraph  (c)
for purposes of  indemnification.  The  Company,  Selling  Shareholders  and the
Underwriters  agree  that it would  not be just and  equitable  if  contribution
pursuant to this Section 11 were determined  solely 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 in this  paragraph.  Notwithstanding  the provisions of this Section
11, no  Underwriter  shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the
amount of the total  underwriting  commissions  received by such  Underwriter in
connection  with the Common Shares

                                      -23-



underwritten by it and distributed to the public. Notwithstanding the provisions
of this Section 11, no Selling  Shareholder  shall be required to contribute any
amount in excess of the  proceeds  received by the Selling  Shareholder  for the
Common Shares sold by such Selling  Shareholder to the  Underwriters.  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 to contribute
pursuant  to this  Section 11 are  several  in  proportion  to their  respective
underwriting commitments and not joint.

               (e)  It is  agreed  that  any  controversy  arising  out  of  the
operation of the interim reimbursement  arrangements set forth in Sections 11(a)
and (b), including the amounts of any requested  reimbursement  payments and the
method of determining  such amounts,  shall be settled by arbitration  conducted
under the provisions of the  Constitution and Rules of the Board of Governors of
the New York  Stock  Exchange,  Inc.  or  pursuant  to the  Code of  Arbitration
Procedure of the NASD.  Any such  arbitration  must be commenced by service of a
written  demand for  arbitration  or written  notice of intention to  arbitrate,
therein  electing the  arbitration  tribunal.  In the event the party  demanding
arbitration  does not make such  designation of an arbitration  tribunal in such
demand  or  notice,  then the  party  responding  to said  demand  or  notice is
authorized  to do so. Such an  arbitration  would be limited to the operation of
the interim  reimbursement  provisions  contained in Sections  11(a) and (b) and
would not resolve the ultimate  propriety or enforceability of the obligation to
reimburse expenses which is created by the provisions of such Sections 11(a) and
(b) hereof.

               Section 12. Default of  Underwriters.  It shall be a condition to
this Agreement and the obligation of the Company and the Selling Shareholders to
sell and  deliver  the  Common  Shares  hereunder,  and of each  Underwriter  to
purchase the Common Shares in the manner as described  herein,  that,  except as
hereinafter in this paragraph provided,  each of the Underwriters shall purchase
and pay for all the Common  Shares  agreed to be purchased  by such  Underwriter
hereunder upon tender to the  Underwriters of all such shares in accordance with
the terms hereof.  If any Underwriter or  Underwriters  default in your or their
obligations  to purchase  Common Shares  hereunder on either the First or Second
Closing Date and the  aggregate  number of Common  Shares which such  defaulting
Underwriter or  Underwriters  agreed but failed to purchase on such Closing Date
does not exceed 10% of the total number of Common Shares which the  Underwriters
are obligated to purchase on such Closing Date, the nondefaulting entities shall
be obligated severally, in proportion to their respective commitments hereunder,
to purchase the Common Shares which such  defaulting  entities agreed but failed
to purchase on such Closing Date. If any  Underwriter or Underwriters so default
and the  aggregate  number of Common  Shares with  respect to which such default
occurs is more than the above  percentage and  arrangements  satisfactory to you
and the Company for the purchase of such Common  Shares by other persons are not
made within 48 hours after such default,  this Agreement will terminate  without
liability  on the part of any  nondefaulting  Underwriter  or the Company or the
Selling  Shareholders  except for the expenses to be paid by the Company and the
Selling  Shareholders  pursuant  to  Section 7 hereof  and  except to the extent
provided in Section 11 hereof.

               In the event that Common Shares to which a default relates are to
be purchased by the nondefaulting  entities or by another party or parties,  you
or the  Company  shall have the right to  postpone  the First or Second  Closing
Date, as the case may be, for not more than five business days in order that the
necessary  changes  in the  Registration  Statement,  Prospectus  and any  other
documents,  as well as any other arrangements,  may be effected. As used in this
Agreement,  the  term  "Underwriter"  includes  any  person  substituted  for an
Underwriter under this Section.  Nothing herein will relieve you or a defaulting
Underwriter from liability for its default.

                                      -24-



               Section 13. Effective Date. This Agreement shall become effective
immediately as to Sections 7, 9, 11, 14 and 16 and, as to all other  provisions,
(i) if at the time of execution of this Agreement the Registration Statement has
not become effective,  at 2:00 P.M., California time, on the first full business
day following the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, or (ii) if at the
time of execution of this Agreement the Registration Statement has been declared
effective,  at 2:00  P.M.,  California  time,  on the first  full  business  day
following  the date of execution of this  Agreement;  but this  Agreement  shall
nevertheless  become  effective  at such  earlier  time  after the  Registration
Statement becomes effective as you may determine on and by notice to the Company
or by  release  of any of the  Common  Shares  for sale to the  public.  For the
purposes of this  Section 13, the Common  Shares shall be deemed to have been so
released  upon  the  release  for  publication  of any  newspaper  advertisement
relating  to the  Common  Shares or upon the  release  by you of  telegrams  (i)
advising  Underwriters  that the Common Shares are released for public offering,
or (ii) offering the Common Shares for sale to securities dealers, whichever may
occur first.

               Section 14. Termination.  Without limiting the right to terminate
this Agreement pursuant to any other provision hereof:

               (a) This  Agreement may be terminated by the Company by notice to
you and the  Selling  Shareholders  or by you by notice to the  Company  and the
Selling  Shareholders  at any time prior to the time this Agreement shall become
effective as to all its provisions,  and any such  termination  shall be without
liability  on  the  part  of the  Company  or the  Selling  Shareholders  to any
Underwriter (except for the expenses to be paid or reimbursed by the Company and
the Selling  Shareholders  pursuant to Sections 7 and 9 hereof and except to the
extent  provided in Section 11 hereof) or of any  Underwriter  to the Company or
the Selling Shareholders (except to the extent provided in Section 11 hereof).

               (b) This  Agreement  may also be  terminated  by you prior to the
First Closing Date by notice to the Company and the Selling  Shareholders (i) if
additional material  governmental  restrictions,  not in force and effect on the
date hereof,  shall have been imposed  upon trading in  securities  generally or
minimum or maximum prices shall have been generally  established on the New York
Stock  Exchange  or on the  American  Stock  Exchange or in the over the counter
market by the NASD, or trading in securities generally shall have been suspended
on either  such  Exchange or in the over the  counter  market by the NASD,  or a
general banking  moratorium shall have been established by federal,  New York or
California  authorities,  (ii) if an outbreak or escalation of major hostilities
or other  national  or  international  calamity  or any  substantial  change  in
political,  financial or economic  conditions  shall have occurred or shall have
accelerated  or escalated  to such an extent,  as, in your  judgment,  to affect
adversely the  marketability  of the Common  Shares,  (iii) if any adverse event
shall have  occurred  or shall  exist which  makes  untrue or  incorrect  in any
material  respect any  statement or  information  contained in the  Registration
Statement or Prospectus or which is not reflected in the Registration  Statement
or Prospectus but should be reflected therein in order to make the statements or
information contained therein not misleading in any material respect, or (iv) if
there shall be any action,  suit or proceeding  pending or threatened,  or there
shall  have  been  any   development   or  prospective   development   involving
particularly  the business or  properties or securities of the Company or any of
its subsidiaries or the transactions  contemplated by this Agreement,  which, in
your judgment,  may materially  and adversely  affect the Company's  business or
earnings and makes it  impractical  or  inadvisable  to offer or sell the Common
Shares.  Any  termination  pursuant  to this  subsection  (b)  shall be  without
liability  on  the  part  of  any  Underwriter  to the  Company  or the  Selling
Shareholders  or on the part of the Company or the Selling  Shareholders  to any
Underwriter (except for expenses to be paid

                                      -25-



or reimbursed by the Company and the Selling Shareholders pursuant to Sections 7
and 9 hereof and except to the extent provided in Section 11 hereof).

               Section  15.  Failure  of the  Selling  Shareholders  to Sell and
Deliver.  If one or more of the  Selling  Shareholders  shall  fail to sell  and
deliver to the  Underwriters  the Common Shares to be sold and delivered by such
Selling  Shareholders  at the  First  Closing  Date  under  the  terms  of  this
Agreement, then the Underwriters may at their option, by written notice from you
to the Company and the Selling Shareholders, either (i) terminate this Agreement
without any liability on the part of any  Underwriter  or, except as provided in
Sections 7, 9 and 11 hereof,  the Company or the Selling  Shareholders,  or (ii)
purchase the shares which the Company and other Selling Shareholders have agreed
to sell and  deliver  in  accordance  with the terms  hereof.  In the event of a
failure  by one or more of the  Selling  Shareholders  to sell  and  deliver  as
referred to in this Section,  either you or the Company shall have the rights to
postpone  the Closing Date for a period not  exceeding  seven  business  days in
order that the necessary changes in the Registration Statement,  Prospectus, and
any other documents, as well as any other arrangements, may be effected.

               Section 16.  Representations and Indemnities To Survive Delivery.
The respective indemnities,  agreements,  representations,  warranties and other
statements of the Company, of its officers,  of the Selling  Shareholders and of
the several  Underwriters  set forth in or made pursuant to this  Agreement will
remain in full force and effect,  regardless of any investigation  made by or on
behalf  of any  Underwriter  or the  Company  or any of its or  their  partners,
officers or directors or any controlling person, or the Selling Shareholders, as
the case may be, and will survive  delivery of and payment for the Common Shares
sold hereunder and any termination of this Agreement.

               Section 17.  Notices.  All  communications  hereunder shall be in
writing  and,  if  sent  to the  Underwriters  shall  be  mailed,  delivered  or
telegraphed  and  confirmed  to you at 600  Montgomery  Street,  San  Francisco,
California  94111,  Attention:  David A. Baylor,  Esq., with a copy to Pillsbury
Madison & Sutro LLP, 235 Montgomery  Street,  San Francisco,  California  94104,
Attention:  Stanton D. Wong,  Esq.;  and if sent to the  Company or the  Selling
Shareholders  shall be mailed,  delivered or  telegraphed  and  confirmed to the
Company  at 120 North  44th  Street,  Suite 200,  Phoenix,  Arizona  85034-1822,
Attention:  Mr. Steven G. Mihaylo,  with a copy to Wilson,  Sonsini,  Goodrich &
Rosati,  Professional  Corporation,  650 Page Mill Road,  Palo Alto,  California
94304,  Attention:  Jeffrey D. Saper, Esq. The Company, the Selling Shareholders
or you may change the address for receipt of communications  hereunder by giving
notice to the others.

               Section 18. Successors.  This Agreement will inure to the benefit
of and be binding upon the parties hereto, including any substitute Underwriters
pursuant to Section 12 hereof,  and to the benefit of the officers and directors
and  controlling  persons  referred  to in  Section  11,  and in each case their
respective successors, personal representatives and assigns, and no other person
will have any right or obligation  hereunder.  No such assignment  shall relieve
any party of its obligations hereunder.  The term "successors" shall not include
any purchaser of the Common Shares as such from any of the  Underwriters  merely
by reason of such purchase.

               Section 19.  Representation of Underwriters.  Except as otherwise
expressly  provided  herein,  any action  under or in respect of this  Agreement
taken by you  jointly or by  NationsBanc  Montgomery  Securities,  Inc.  will be
binding upon all the Underwriters.

               Section  20.   Partial   Unenforceability.   The   invalidity  or
unenforceability of any Section,  paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall
not affect the validity or enforceability of any other

                                      -26-



Section,  paragraph or provision hereof. If any Section,  paragraph or provision
of this Agreement is for any reason  determined to be invalid or  unenforceable,
there  shall be deemed  to be made  such  minor  changes  (and  only such  minor
changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.

               Section 21.  Applicable  Law. This Agreement shall be governed by
and construed in accordance  with the internal laws (and not the laws pertaining
to conflicts of laws) of the State of California.

               Section  22.  General.  This  Agreement  constitutes  the  entire
agreement of the parties to this  Agreement and  supersedes all prior written or
oral and all  contemporaneous  oral agreements,  understandings and negotiations
with respect to the subject  matter  hereof.  This  Agreement may be executed in
several counterparts,  each one of which shall be an original,  and all of which
shall constitute one and the same document.

               In this Agreement, the masculine, feminine and neuter genders and
the singular and the plural  include one another.  The section  headings in this
Agreement  are for the  convenience  of the parties only and will not affect the
construction or interpretation of this Agreement.  This Agreement may be amended
or modified,  and the  observance  of any term of this  Agreement may be waived,
only by a writing signed by the Company, Selling Shareholders and you.

               Any  person   executing   and   delivering   this   Agreement  as
Attorney-in-fact for the Selling Shareholders represents by so doing that he has
been duly appointed as Attorney-in-fact by such Selling Shareholder  pursuant to
a validly existing and binding Power of Attorney which authorizes such Attorney-
in-fact to take such action. Any action taken under this Agreement by any of the
Attorneys-in-fact will be binding on all Selling Shareholders.

               If the foregoing is in accordance with your  understanding of our
agreement, kindly sign and return to us the enclosed copies hereof, whereupon it
will become a binding agreement among the

                                      -27-



Company, the Selling  Shareholders and the several  Underwriters  including you,
all in accordance with its terms.

                                  Very truly yours,

                                  INTER-TEL INCORPORATED



                                  By ___________________________

                                     Its _______________________


                                  SELLING SHAREHOLDERS



                                  By ___________________________
                                          (Attorney-in-fact)




The foregoing  Underwriting  Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted by us in
San Francisco, California as of the date first above written.

NATIONSBANC MONTGOMERY SECURITIES, INC.
DONALDSON, LUFKIN & JENRETTE
   SECURITIES CORPORATION
JEFFERIES & COMPANY, INC.

By NATIONSBANC MONTGOMERY SECURITIES, INC.



By ____________________________________
         Managing Director


                                      -28-





                                   SCHEDULE A


                                                                  Number of Firm
                                                                  Common Shares
Name of Underwriter                                              To Be Purchased
- -------------------                                              ---------------
Montgomery Securities .........................................
Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette
   Securities Corporation .....................................
Jefferies & Company, Inc.......................................

     TOTAL.....................................................     3,070,000
                                                                    =========

                                      -29-









                                   SCHEDULE B


                                                                Number of Firm
                                                               Common Shares to
                                                              be Sold by Selling
Name of Selling Shareholder                                      Shareholders
- ---------------------------                                   ------------------
Thomas C. Parise.............................................

Craig W. Rauchle.............................................

     Total ..................................................       70,000
                                                                    ======


                                                              Number of Optional
                                                               Common Shares to
                                                              be Sold by Selling
Name of Selling Shareholder                                      Shareholders
- ---------------------------                                   ------------------
Steven G. Mihaylo............................................

Thomas C. Parise.............................................

Craig W. Rauchle.............................................

     Total ..................................................      460,500
                                                                   =======


                                      -30-