Further Obligations of the Executive (1) During the Executive’s employment by the Companies, whether before or after the Employment Period, and after the termination of Executive’s employment by the Companies, the Executive shall not, directly or indirectly, disclose, disseminate, make available or use any confidential information or proprietary data of the Companies or any of their Subsidiaries, except as reasonably necessary or appropriate for the Executive to perform the Executive’s duties for the Companies, or as authorized in writing by the Board or as required by any court or administrative agency (and then only after prompt notice to the Companies to permit the Companies to seek a protective order).
(2) For purposes of this Agreement, “confidential information or proprietary data” means information and data prepared, compiled, or acquired by or for the Executive during or in connection with the Executive’s employment by the Companies (including, without limitation, information belonging to or provided in confidence by any Customer, Supplier, trading partner or other Person to which the Executive had access by reason of Executive’s employment with the Companies) which is not generally known to the public or which could be harmful to the Companies or their Subsidiaries if disclosed to Persons outside of the Companies. Such confidential information or proprietary data may exist in any form, tangible or intangible, or media (including any information technology-related or electronic media) and includes, but is not limited to, the following information of or relating to the Companies or any of their Subsidiaries, Customers or Suppliers:
(i) Business, financial and strategic information, such as sales and earnings information and trends, material, overhead and other costs, profit margins, accounting information, banking and financing information, pricing policies, capital expenditure/investment plans and budgets, forecasts, strategies, plans and prospects.
(ii) Organizational and operational information, such as personnel and salary data, information concerning the utilization or capabilities of personnel, facilities or equipment, logistics management techniques, methodologies and systems, methods of operation data and facilities plans.
(iii) Advertising, marketing and sales information, such as marketing and advertising data, plans, programs, techniques, strategies, results and budgets, pricing and volume strategies, catalog, licensing or other agreements or arrangements, and market research and forecasts and marketing and sales training and development courses, aids, techniques, instruction and materials.
(iv) Product and merchandising information, such as information concerning offered or proposed products or services and the sourcing of the same, product or services specifications, data, drawings, designs, performance characteristics, features, capabilities and plans and development and delivery schedules.
(v) Information about existing or prospective Customers or Suppliers, such as Customer and Supplier lists and contact information, Customer preference data, purchasing habits, authority levels and business methodologies, sales history, pricing and rebate levels, credit information and contracts.
(vi) Technical information, such as information regarding plant and equipment organization, performance and design, information technology and logistics systems and related designs, integration, capabilities, performance and plans, computer hardware and software, research and development objectives, budgets and results, intellectual property applications, and other design and performance data.
(b) All records, files, documents and materials, in whatever form and media, relating to the Companies’ or any of their Subsidiaries’ business (including, but not limited to, those containing or reflecting any confidential information or proprietary data) which the Executive prepares, uses, or comes into contact with, including the originals and all copies thereof and extracts and derivatives therefrom, shall be and remain the sole property of the Companies or their Subsidiaries. Upon termination of the Executive’s employment for any reason, whether during or after the Employment Period, the Executive shall immediately return all such records, files, documents, materials and other property of the Companies and their Subsidiaries in the Executive’s possession, custody or control, in good condition, to the Companies.
(c) The Companies maintain, and Executive acknowledges and agrees, the Companies have and will entrust Executive with proprietary information, strategies, knowledge, customer relationships and know-how which would be detrimental to the Companies’ interest in protecting relationships with Customers and/or Suppliers if Executive were to provide services or otherwise participate in the operation of a competitor of the Companies. Therefore, during (i) the Executive’s employment by the Companies, whether during or after the Employment Period, and (ii) the twenty-four (24) month period following the end of Executive’s employment with the Companies, the Executive shall not in any capacity (whether as an owner, employee, consultant or otherwise) at any time perform, manage, supervise, or be responsible or accountable for anyone else who is performing services -- which are the same as, substantially similar or related to the services the Executive is providing, or during the last two years of the Executive’s employment by the Companies has provided, for the Companies or their Subsidiaries -- for, or on behalf of, any other Person who or which is (1) a wholesaler of office products, including traditional office products, computer consumable products, office furniture, janitorial and/or sanitation products, food service paper/non-food products, audio/visual and business machines or such other products whether or not related to the foregoing provided by the Companies or their Subsidiaries during the last twelve (12) months of the Executive’s employment with the Companies, whether during or after the Employment Period, (2) a provider of services the same as or substantially similar to those provided by the Companies or their Subsidiaries during the last twelve (12) months of the Executive’s employment with the Companies, whether during or after the Employment Period, or (3) engaged in a line of business other than described in (1) or (2) hereinabove which is the same or substantially similar to the lines of business engaged in by the Companies or their Subsidiaries, or to any line of business which to the Executive’s knowledge is under active consideration or planning by the Companies and their Subsidiaries, during the last twelve (12) months of the Executive’s employment with the Companies, whether during or after the Employment Period.
(1) During (i) the Executive’s employment by the Companies, whether during or after the Employment Period, and (ii) the twenty-four (24) month period following the end of the Executive’s employment with the Companies, the Executive shall not at any time, directly or indirectly, solicit any Customer for or on behalf of any Person other than the Companies or any of their Subsidiaries with respect to the purchase of (A) office products, including traditional office products, computer consumable products, office furniture, janitorial and/or sanitation products, food service paper/non-food products, audio/visual and business machines, or such other products whether or not related to the foregoing provided by the Companies or their Subsidiaries to such Customer during the last twelve (12) months of the Executive’s employment with the Companies, whether during or after the Employment Period, (B) services the same as or substantially similar to those provided by the Companies or their Subsidiaries to such Customer during the last twelve (12) months of the Executive’s employment with the Companies, whether during or after the Employment Period or (C) products or services from a line of business other than as described in (A) or (B) herein which are the same or substantially similar to the products and services provided to such Customer from a line of business engaged in by the Companies or their Subsidiaries during the last twelve (12) months of the Executive’s employment with the Companies, whether during or after the Employment Period. Without limiting the foregoing, (i) during the Executive’s employment by the Companies, whether during or after the Employment Period, and (ii) insofar as the Executive may be employed by, or acting for or on behalf of, a Supplier at any time within the twenty-four (24) month period following the end of the Executive’s employment with the Companies, the Executive shall not at any time, directly or indirectly, solicit any Customer to switch the purchase of the products or services described hereinabove from the Companies or their Subsidiaries to Supplier.
(2) For purposes of this Agreement, a “Customer” is any Person who or which has ordered or purchased by or from the Companies or any of their Subsidiaries (A) office products, including traditional office products, computer consumable products, office furniture, janitorial and/or sanitation products, food service paper/non-food products, audio/visual and business machines or such other products whether or not related to the foregoing, (B) services provided by or from the Companies or any of their Subsidiaries or (C) products or services from a line of business other than as described in (A) or (B) herein which are the same or substantially similar to the products and services from a line of business engaged in by the Companies or their Subsidiaries during the last twelve (12) months of the Executive’s employment with the Companies, whether during or after the Employment Period. For purposes of this Agreement, a “Supplier” is any Person who or which has furnished to the Companies or their Subsidiaries for resale (A) office products, including traditional office products, computer consumable products, office furniture, janitorial and/or sanitation products, food service paper/non-food products, audio/visual and business machines or such other products whether or nor related to the foregoing (B) services provided by or from the Companies or any of their Subsidiaries or (C) products or services from a line of business other than as described in (A) or (B) herein which are the same or substantially similar to the products and services from a line of business engaged in by the Companies or their Subsidiaries during the last twelve (12) months of the Executive’s employment with the Companies, whether during or after the Employment Period.
Further Agreements of the Company and the Underwriters (a) The Company agrees:
(i) To prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by the Representative and to file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act not later than the Commission’s close of business on the second business day following the execution and delivery of this Agreement; to make no further amendment or any supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus prior to the last Delivery Date except as provided herein; to advise the Representative, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the time when any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus has been filed and to furnish the Representative with copies thereof; to advise the Representative, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, of the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding or examination for any such purpose or of any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or for additional information; and, in the event of the issuance of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or suspending any such qualification, to use promptly its best efforts to obtain its withdrawal.
(ii) To furnish promptly to the Representative and to counsel for the Underwriters a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed with the Commission, and each amendment thereto filed with the Commission, including all consents and exhibits filed therewith.
(iii) To deliver promptly, without charge, to the Representative such number of the following documents as the Representative shall reasonably request: (A) conformed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed with the Commission and each amendment thereto (in each case excluding exhibits other than this Agreement and the computation of per share earnings), (B) each Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and any amended or supplemented Prospectus, and (C) each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus; and, if the delivery of a prospectus is required at any time after the date hereof in connection with the offering or sale of the Securities or any other securities relating thereto and if at such time any events shall have occurred as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made when such Prospectus is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it shall be necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to comply with the Securities Act, to notify the Representative and to file such document and, upon their request, to prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter and to any dealer in securities as many copies as the Representative may from time to time reasonably request of an amended or supplemented Prospectus that will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance.
(iv) To file promptly with the Commission any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus that may, in the judgment of the Company or the Representative, be required by the Securities Act or requested by the Commission.
(v) Prior to filing with the Commission any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, to furnish a copy thereof to the Representative and counsel for the Underwriters and consult in good faith with the Representative to the filing.
(vi) Not to make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus without the prior written consent of the Representative.
(vii) To comply with all applicable requirements of Rule 433 under the Securities Act with respect to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. If at any time after the date hereof any events shall have occurred as a result of which any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, would conflict with the information in the Registration Statement, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it shall be necessary to amend or supplement any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, to notify the Representative and to file such document and, upon their request, to prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter as many copies as the Representative may from time to time reasonably request of an amended or supplemented Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that will correct such conflict, statement or omission or effect such compliance.
(viii) To make generally available to the Company’s security holders and to the Representative as soon as practicable but no later than the Availability Date (as defined below), an earnings statement covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the date of this Agreement, which shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (including but not limited to Rule 158 under the Securities Act). For the purpose of the preceding sentence, “Availability Date” means the 60th day after the end of the fourth fiscal quarter following the fiscal quarter that includes such Effective Time, except that, if such fourth fiscal quarter is the last quarter of the Company’s fiscal year, “Availability Date” means the 120th day after the end of such fourth fiscal quarter.
Meetings of the Board (a) The Board shall hold a regularly scheduled meeting at least once every calendar quarter at such place, date and time as the Board may designate. Special meetings of the Board may be called at any time by the Chairman. Special meetings of the Board shall be called at any time by the Chairman upon the written request of at least one Director to the Chairman, specifying the matters to be discussed.
(b) Notice of any meeting of the Board or any committee thereof stating the place, date and hour of the meeting and the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called shall be given to each Director by telephone, electronic mail or facsimile no less than seven days before the date of the meeting; provided, that the Chairman may reduce the advance notice period for any special meeting to no less than two days if the Chairman determines, acting reasonably and in good faith, that it is necessary or desirable to take action within a time period of less than seven days; and provided, further, that for the avoidance of doubt, if notice of any meeting of the Board is not given in accordance with this Section 5.03(b), then no business may be transacted at such meeting. Notice of any meeting may be waived by any Director on behalf of such Director. Presence at a meeting of the Board by a Director shall constitute waiver of any deficiency of notice of such meeting by such Director, unless such Director objects, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business at such meeting because such meeting was not called or convened in accordance with this Agreement.
(c) The secretary of the Company (the “Secretary”) shall circulate to each Director an agenda for each meeting of the Board not less than four days in advance of such meeting, or no less than two days in advance of any special meeting, if the Chairman has exercised his or her right pursuant to Section 5.03(b) to reduce the notice required for such meeting to no less than two days. Such agenda shall include any matters that any Director may reasonably request be included on such agenda.
(d) The presence in person or by proxy of a number of Directors equal to a majority of the total number of Directors on the Board at such time shall constitute a quorum for the conduct of business at any meeting of the Board, provided, that such quorum consists of not less than two MCK Directors and two Echo Directors. If a quorum is not present at any meeting of the Board, no business may be conducted at such meeting (the “Original Meeting”), and the Directors present shall adjourn the meeting and promptly give notice of when it will be reconvened, which shall not be more than thirty (30) days from the date of the meeting (the “Adjourned Meeting”). If a quorum is not present at the Adjourned Meeting and the sole reason for such lack of quorum was the absence of the Nominee Directors of the same party whose Nominee Directors’ absence was the sole cause of the Original Meeting being adjourned, then the Directors present at such Adjourned Meeting shall constitute a valid quorum.
(e) Directors may participate in any meeting of the Board or any committee thereof by means of a conference telephone or similar communications equipment by means of which all Directors participating in such meeting may hear one another. Participation in any meeting of the Board pursuant to this Section 5.03(e) shall constitute presence in person at such meeting for purposes of Section 5.03(d) and shall constitute a waiver of any deficiency of notice of such meeting, unless such Director objects, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business at such meeting because such meeting was not called or convened in accordance with this Agreement.
(f) Each Director shall be entitled to cast one vote with respect to each matter brought before the Board (or any committee thereof of which such Director is a member) for approval. Except as otherwise expressly provided by this Agreement, the affirmative vote of Directors entitled to cast a majority of the votes that may be cast by the Directors in attendance at any meeting at which a quorum is present (whether in person or by proxy) shall be required to authorize any action by the Board and shall constitute the action of the Board for all purposes. No Director shall be disqualified from voting on any matter as to which the Member that designated such Director or any of its Affiliates may have an interest. Subject to Section 6.02(b), notwithstanding any duty otherwise existing at Law or in equity, to the fullest extent permitted by Law, no Director shall have any duty to disclose to the Company or the Board confidential information of the Member that designated such Director or any of its Affiliates in such Director’s possession, even if such information is material and relevant to the Company and/or the Board, and in any case, such Director shall not be liable to the Company or the other Members or their respective Affiliates for breach of any duty (including the duty of loyalty or any other fiduciary duty) as a Director by reason of not disclosing such confidential information; provided, that the foregoing shall not limit the Chief Executive Officer’s or any other employee of the Company or its Subsidiaries who is a Director’s responsibility to disclose to the Board information regarding the Company and its Subsidiaries obtained as a result of the Chief Executive Officer or such employee serving in such capacity.
(g) The Secretary or, if he or she is not present, any individual whom the Chairman may appoint, shall keep minutes of each meeting of the Board, which shall reflect all actions taken by the Board thereat.
(h) The Board may establish other provisions and procedures relating to the governance of its meetings that are not in conflict with the terms of this Agreement.
(i) Each Director shall be entitled to receive all information (including without limitation, board minutes, board books and financial reports) that is made available to any Director in such Person’s capacity as such.
