| (a) | Executive on behalf of Executive, Executive’s heirs, executors, administrators and assigns, does hereby knowingly and voluntarily release, acquit and forever discharge Company and any of its subsidiaries, affiliates, successors, assigns and past, present and future directors, officers, employees, trustees and shareholders (the “Released Parties”) from and against any and all complaints, claims, cross-claims, third-party claims, counterclaims, contribution claims, liabilities, obligations, promises, agreements, controversies, damages, actions, causes of action, suits, rights, demands, costs, losses, debts and expenses of any nature whatsoever, known or unknown, suspected or unsuspected, foreseen or unforeseen, matured or unmatured, which, at any time up to and including the date on which Executive signs this Agreement, exists, have existed, or may arise from any matter whatsoever occurring, including, but not limited to, any claims arising out of or in any way related to Executive’s employment with Company or its subsidiaries or affiliates and the conclusion thereof, which Executive, or any of Executive’s heirs, executors, administrators, assigns, affiliates, and agents ever had, now has or at any time hereafter may have, own or hold against any of the Released Parties based on any matter existing on or before the date on which Executive signs this Agreement. Executive acknowledges that in exchange for this release, Company is providing Executive with total consideration, financial or otherwise, which exceeds what Executive would have been given without the release. By executing this Agreement, Executive is waiving, without limitation, all claims (except for the filing of a charge with an administrative agency) against the Released Parties arising under federal, state and local labor and antidiscrimination laws, any employment related claims under the employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and any other restriction on the right to terminate employment, including, without limitation, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended, and the North Carolina Equal Employment Practices Act, as amended. Nothing herein shall release any party from any obligation under this Agreement. Executive acknowledges and agrees that this release and the covenant not to sue set forth in paragraph (c) below are essential and material terms of this Agreement and that, without such release and covenant not to sue, no agreement would have been reached by the parties and no benefits under the Change in Control Agreement would have been paid. Executive understands and acknowledges the significance and consequences of this release and this Agreement. |