ARTICLE 4
Non-Competition; Confidential Information
Section 4.1Non-Competition.
(a) From the date hereof until two years after the termination of the Employment Period (subject to extension as set forth below, the “Non-Competition Period”), the Executive.
(i) shall not engage, directly or indirectly, in any activities whether as employer, proprietor, partner, shareholder (other than the holder of less than 5% of the stock of a corporation, the securities of which are traded on a national securities exchange or in the over-the-counter market), director, officer, employee or otherwise, in competition within the United States, England and Canada with the Company or any of its affiliates.
(ii) shall not solicit, directly or indirectly, any person who is a customer or supplier of the Company any of its affiliates or Windward Capital Partners II, L.P., Windward Capital II, L.P, LLC, Windward/MSG Co-Invest, LLC and Windward Acquisition/MS, LLC (collectively, “Windward”) for the purpose of acquiring, marketing, leasing or selling mobile or fixed storage containers (the “Company Business”); and
(iii) shall not induce or actively attempt to persuade any employee of the Company, any of its affiliates or Windward to terminate his employment relationship in order to enter into any competitive employment.
(b) Except as required by law, the Executive shall not, at any time during the Non-Competition Period or thereafter, make use of any confidential information of the Company, Windward or any of their respective affiliates, nor divulge any trade secrets or proprietary or confidential information of the Company, Windward or any of their respective affiliates (including, without limitation, information relating to customers, suppliers, contracts, business plans and developments, discoveries, processes, products, systems, know-how, books and records), excepts to the extent that such information becomes a matter of public record (other than as a result of disclosure by the Executive), is published in a newspaper, magazine or other periodical available to the general public or as Windward may so authorize in writing. When the Executive shall cease to be employed by the Company, the Executive shall surrender to the Company or Windward all records and other documents obtained by him or entrusted to him during the course of his employment hereunder (together with all copies thereof) which pertain to the business of the Company or Windward or which were paid for by the Company other than the Executive’s counterparts of this Agreement and employment-related documents referred to herein.
(c) The covenants contained in clauses (i) and (ii) ofSection 4.1(a) shall apply within all territories in which the Company is actively engaged in the conduct of business during the Non-Competition Period.
(e) It is the desire and intent of the parties that the provision ofSections 4.1(a) and4.1(b) shall be enforced to the fullest extent permissible under the law and public policies applied
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in each jurisdiction in which enforcement is sought. Accordingly, if any particular provision ofSections 4.1(a) or4.1(b) shall be adjudicated to be invalid or unenforceable, such provision shall be deemed amended to delete therefrom the portion thus adjudicated to be invalid or unenforceable, such deletion to apply only with respect to the operation of such provision in the particular jurisdiction in which such adjudication is made. In addition, should any court determine that the provisions ofSections 4.1(a) or4.1(b) shall be unenforceable with respect to scope, duration or geographic area, such court shall be empowered to substitute, to the extent enforceable, provisions similar hereto or other provisions so as to provide to the Company and Windward, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law the benefits intended bySections 4.1(a) and4.1(b).
(f) The covenants contained inSection 4.1(b) shall survive the conclusion of the Executive’s employment by the Company and/or his service as an officer of the Company.
(g) If, at any time, the Executive sells or transfers any securities of the Company to the Company or to any then current shareholder of the Company, a subsequent Non-Competition Period shall begin on the effective date of any such sale or transfer and expire on the first anniversary of such effective date; provided, however, that such subsequent Non-competition Periods shall not extend beyond the tenth (10th) anniversary of the date hereof. Each and every provision of this Agreement applicable to the Executive and the Company during the original Non-Competition Period shall apply with equal force and effect to the Executive and the Company during such subsequent Non-Competition Period and any reference in this Agreement to the “Non-Competition Period” shall be deemed to include such subsequent Non-Competition Period.
(h) In the event Executive violates any provision of this Agreement, the running of the time period of such provisions so violated shall be automatically suspended upon the date of such violation and shall resume on the date such violation ceases and all appeals, if any, are resolved.
(i) The Executive acknowledges and agrees that the covenants, obligations and agreements of the Executive contained herein relate to special, unique and extraordinary matters and that a violation of any of the terms of such covenants, obligations or agreements will cause the Company and its successors irreparable injury for which adequate remedies are not available at law. In the event of a breach or threatened breach by Executive of any provision of this Agreement, the Company and its successors, without proving actual damages shall be entitled to an injunction (without the requirement to post bond) restraining Executive from (a) soliciting or interfering with employees, consultants, independent contractors, customers or suppliers of the Company, its affiliates or their respective successors, (b) disclosing in whole or in part, the private secret and confidential information described herein, or from rendering any services to any person, firm, corporation, association or other entity to whom such information has been disclosed, or is threatened to be disclosed, (c) engaging, participating or otherwise being connected with any arrangement in competition with the Company’s Business described inSection 4.1 or (d) otherwise violating the provisions of this Agreement. Nothing herein contained shall be construed as prohibiting the Company or its successors from pursuing any
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other remedies available to it or them for such breach or threatened breach, including without limitation the recovery of damages from Executive.
(j) The Executive acknowledges and agrees that he has and will have a prominent role in the management, and the development of the goodwill, of the Company and its affiliates and has and will establish and develop relations and contacts with the principal customers and suppliers of the Company and its affiliates in the United States and the rest of the world, if any all of which constitute valuable goodwill of, and could be used by the Executive to compete unfairly with, the Company and its affiliates and that (i) the Executive has obtained confidential and proprietary information and trade secrets concerning the business and operations of the Company and, its affiliates in the United States and the rest of world that could be used to compete unfairly with the Company and its affiliates, (ii) the convenants and restrictions contained herein are intended to protect the legitimate interests of the Company and its affiliates in their respective goodwill, trade secrets and other confidential and proprietary information, and (iii) the Executive desires to be bound by such covenants and restrictions.
(k) The Executive represents that his economic means and circumstances are such that the provisions of this Agreement including the restrictive covenants herein, will not prevent him from providing for himself and his family on a basis satisfactory to him and them.
(l) if the Executive raises any question as to the enforceability of any part or terms of this Agreements, including, without limitation, the restrictive covenants contained herein, the Executive agrees that he will comply fully with this Agreement unless and until the entry of an award to the contrary.
ARTICLE 5
Miscellaneous
Section 5.1.Notices. Any notice or request required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be sufficient if in writing and delivered personally or sent by registered or certified mail, return receipts requested, as follows: if to the Executive, to his address as set forth in the records of the Company, and if to the Company, to the Company’s address hereinabove set forth, or to any other address designated by either party by notice similarly given. Such notice shall be deemed to have been given upon the personal delivery or such mailing thereof, as the case may be.
Section 5.2.Authority; No Conflict. The Executive represents and warrants to the Company that he has full right and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and to comply with the terms and provisions hereof and that the execution and delivery of this Agreement and compliance with the terms and provisions hereof by the Executive will not conflict with or result in a breach of the terms, conditions or provisions of any agreement, restriction or obligation by which the Executive is bound.
Section 5.3.Assignment and Succession. The rights and obligations of the Company under this Agreements shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon its respective successors and assigns, and the Executive’s rights and obligations hereunder shall inure to the benefit of and
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be binding upon his Designated Successors. The Executive may not assign any obligations or responsibilities he has under this Agreement.
Section 5.4.Headings. The Article, Section, paragraph and subparagraph headings are for convenience of reference only and shall not define or limit the provisions hereof.
Section 5.5.Tax Withholding. The Company may withhold from any amounts payable under this Agreements, including, without limitation, any Discretionary Bonus paid hereunder, all Federal state, city or other taxes as may be required pursuant to any law, regulation or ruling.
Section 5.6.Applicable Law. This Agreement shall at all times be governed by and construed interpreted and enforced in accordance with the internal laws (as opposed to conflict of laws provisions) of the State of Delaware.
Section 5.7.Waiver. No waiver of any right or remedy of either party hereto under this Agreement shall be effective unless in a writing, specifying such waiver executed by such party. A waiver by either party hereto of any of its rights or remedies under this Agreement on any occasion shall not be a bar to exercise of the same right or remedy on any subsequent occasion or of any other right or remedy at any time.
Section 5.8.Amendment or Modification. This Agreement may be amended, altered, or modified only by a writing, specifying such amendment, alteration or modification executed by all of the parties.
Section 5.9.Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which shall constitute one and the same instrument.
Section 5.10.Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire Agreement between the parties regarding the subject matter hereof, and supersedes all prior or contemporaneous negotiations, understandings or agreements of the parties, whether written or oral, with respect to such subject matter.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Agreement to be signed by its respective duly authorized officer and the Executive has signed this Agreement as of the day and year first above written.
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| EXECUTIVE |
| 
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| William Armstead |
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| COMPANY |
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| By: | 
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| | Name: | Douglas A. Waugaman |
| | Title: | President |
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