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.
Obligations of the Purchaser (a) The Purchaser shall furnish in writing to the Company such information regarding itself, the Registrable Securities or Additional Registrable Securities, as applicable, held by it and the intended method of disposition of the Registrable Securities or Additional Registrable Securities, as applicable, held by it, as shall be required by the 1933 Act to effect the registration of such Registrable Securities or Additional Registrable Securities, as applicable, and shall execute such documents in connection with such registration as the Company may reasonably request. At least ten (10) Business Days prior to the first anticipated filing date of any Registration Statement (or such shorter period as may be agreed to by the Purchaser), the Company shall notify the Purchaser of the information the Company requires from the Purchaser if the Purchaser's Registrable Securities or Additional Registrable Securities are to be included in the Registration Statement.
(b) The Purchaser, by its acceptance of the Registrable Securities and Additional Registrable Securities, if any, agrees to cooperate with the Company as reasonably requested by the Company in connection with the preparation and filing of a Registration Statement hereunder, unless the Purchaser has notified the Company in writing of its election to exclude all of its Registrable Securities or Additional Registrable Securities, as applicable, from the Registration Statement.
(c) If the Purchaser determines to engage the services of an underwriter, which underwriter is reasonably acceptable to the Company, the Purchaser agrees to enter into and perform its obligations under an underwriting agreement, in usual and customary form, including, without limitation, customary indemnification and contribution obligations, with the managing underwriter of such offering and take such other actions as are reasonably required in order to expedite or facilitate the dispositions of the Registrable Securities or Additional Registrable Securities, as applicable.
(d) The Purchaser agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company of the happening of any event rendering a Registration Statement no longer effective or available for use by the Purchaser, the Purchaser will immediately discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities or Additional Registrable Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement covering such Registrable Securities or Additional Registrable Securities, until the Purchaser's receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus filed with the SEC and declared effective and, if so directed by the Company, the Purchaser shall deliver to the Company (at the expense of the Company) or destroy all copies in the Purchaser's possession of the Prospectus covering the Registrable Securities or Additional Registrable Securities, as applicable, current at the time of receipt of such notice.
(e) The Purchaser may participate in any third party underwritten registration hereunder unless it (i) agrees to sell the Registrable Securities or Additional Registrable Securities, as applicable, on the basis provided in any underwriting arrangements in usual and customary form entered into by the Purchaser, (ii) completes and executes all questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, underwriting agreements and other documents reasonably required under the terms of such underwriting arrangements, and (iii) agrees to pay its pro rata share of all underwriting discounts and commissions and any expenses in excess of those payable by the Company pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.
Obligations of Parent In connection with any registration of Registrable Securities pursuant to this Article 1, Parent shall:
(a) Use its reasonable efforts to cause the Registration Statement to be declared effective by the SEC at the Effective Time or as soon as practicable thereafter and to remain effective until the earlier to occur of (x) the first anniversary of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement (subject to extension to reflect any Suspension Period) and (y) such period as will terminate when all of the securities covered by the Registration Statement have been disposed of in accordance with the intended methods of disposition thereof by the Holders; provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing clause (x), with respect to an Offering for which Parent has received notice in accordance with Section 1.3 and which is intended to occur within a reasonable period of time (but no later than 90 days) following such notice, Parent will use its reasonable efforts to cause the Registration Statement to remain effective for such longer period (not to exceed five years after the Registration Statement is first declared effective) as in the opinion of counsel for any underwriters a prospectus is required by law to be delivered in connection with any such Offering by an underwriter or dealer with respect to those Registrable Securities subject to such Offering.
(b) Use its reasonable efforts to cause the Registration Statement and the related prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, as of the effective date thereof (i) to comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder and (ii) not to contain 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 (as applicable, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading.
(c) Prepare and file with the SEC such amendments and supplements to the Registration Statement and the prospectus (the “Prospectus”) used in connection therewith as may be necessary to make and to keep the Registration Statement effective and to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the sale or other disposition of all securities proposed to be registered in such Registration Statement in accordance with the terms of any Offering. A reasonable time prior to the filing of the Registration Statement or any prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, Parent will provide copies of such documents to the Holders participating in such Offering and provide such Holders and their counsel with an adequate opportunity to review and comment thereon.
(d) Furnish to the participating Holders such number of copies of any Prospectus (including any preliminary Prospectus and any amended or supplemented Prospectus), in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act, as the Holders may reasonably request in order to effect the offering and sale of the shares of Registrable Securities to be offered and sold, but only while Parent shall be required under the provisions hereof to cause the Registration Statement to remain effective.
(e) Subject to the proviso to Section 1.2, use its reasonable efforts to register or qualify the shares of Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement under the securities or “blue sky” laws of such states as the participating Holders shall reasonably request and maintain any such registration or qualification current until the earlier to occur of the time periods set forth in Section 1.4(a).
(f) Promptly notify each Holder at any time when a prospectus relating thereto is required to be delivered under the Securities Act within the appropriate period referred to in Section 1.4(a), of Parent’s becoming aware that the prospectus included in the Registration Statement, or as such prospectus may be amended or supplemented, includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in light of the circumstances then existing, and at the request of any such Holder to promptly prepare and furnish to such Holder a number of copies of an amendment or supplemental prospectus as may be necessary so that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of such Registrable Securities, such prospectus shall not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances then existing. In the event Parent shall give any such notice, each Holder shall immediately suspend use of the prospectus.
(g) Cause all such Registrable Securities to be listed on each securities exchange on which similar securities issued by Parent are then listed and, if not so listed, to be listed on the Nasdaq National Market or the New York Stock Exchange.
(h) Provide a transfer agent and registrar for all such Registrable Securities not later than the effective date of the Registration Statement.
(i) In connection with any Offering that is to be underwritten, enter into such customary agreements (including underwriting agreements in customary form for similar offerings) and take all such other actions as a Holder or the underwriters reasonably request in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of such Registrable Securities in accordance with terms of any Offering.
(j) Make reasonably available for inspection by any Holder of Registrable Securities, any underwriter participating in any Offering, and any attorney, accountant or other agent retained by any such Holder or underwriter, all financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and properties of Parent, and use its reasonable efforts to cause Parent’s officers, directors, employees and independent accountants to supply all information reasonably requested by any such Holder, underwriter, attorney, accountant or agent in connection with such Offering (including, with respect to any Offering that is to be underwritten, using its reasonable efforts to furnish to the underwriters for such Offering a cold comfort letter from Parent’s accountant in customary form covering such matters as are customarily covered by such letters).
(k) In connection with any Offering that is to be underwritten, use its reasonable efforts to provide to the underwriters for such Offering a legal opinion of Parent’s outside counsel with respect to the registration statement, each amendment and supplement thereto, the prospectus included therein (including the preliminary prospectus) and such other documents relating thereto in customary form and covering such matters of the type customarily covered by legal opinions of such nature.
(l) In connection with any Offering that is to be underwritten, make reasonably available its employees and personnel and otherwise provide reasonable and customary assistance to any underwriters in the marketing of Registrable Securities pursuant to such underwritten Offering.
(m) If requested in writing by the managing underwriters, with respect to any Offering that is to be underwritten, Parent agrees not to effect any public sale or distribution of its equity securities, or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for such securities, in each case for its own account, during the time period reasonably requested by the managing underwriters, not to exceed seven days prior to and 60days following the pricing of any underwritten Offering (except as part of such underwritten registration or pursuant to registrations on Form S-4 or Form S-8 or any successor forms).
(n) Reasonably cooperate with the Holders of Registrable Securities to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing Registrable Securities to be Transferred and not bearing any restrictive legends and enable such Registrable Securities to be in such denominations and registered in such names as the Holders may reasonably request at least one business day prior to the closing of any sale of Registrable Securities.
