Trade Secrets includes information, without regard to form, including, but not limited to, technical and nontechnical data, formulas, patterns, designs, compilations, computer programs and software, devices, inventions, methods, techniques, drawings, processes, financial data, financial plans, product plans, lists of actual or potential customers and suppliers which are not commonly known by or available to the public, research, development, and existing and future products.
(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Section 4(A)(ii)(a) above, in the event of a Change in Control Termination, such Restricted Period shall terminate and Executive shall therefore be free to seek employment elsewhere without regard to whether any prospective employer is a competitor of NFM.
B. NON-SOLICITATION. During the Restricted Period, Executive shall not, directly or indirectly, (i) solicit or encourage to leave the employment or other service of NFM any employee or independent contractor thereof; or (ii) hire (on behalf of Executive or any other person or entity) any employee or independent contractor who has left the employment or other service of NFM within the one-year period which follows the termination of such employer’s or independent contractor’s employment or other service with NFM. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the term “independent contractor” shall refer to independent contractors of NFM whose services relate directly to the conduct of the Business. During the Restricted Period, the Executive will not, whether for his own account or for the account of any other person, firm, corporation or other business organization, intentionally interfere with NFM’ relationship with, or endeavor to entice away from NFM any person who during the Term is or was a customer, client, supplier, licensee or other business relation of NFM.
C. CONFIDENTIALITY OBLIGATIONS
(i) CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION. As used in this Agreement, “Confidential Information” includes, without limitation, design information, manufacturing information, business, financial, and technical information, sales and processing information, product information, customer lists, vendor information, vendor lists, pricing information, corporation and personal business opportunities, software, computer disks or files, or any other electronic information of any kind, Rolodex cards or other lists of names, addresses or telephone numbers, financial information, current projects, projects in development and future projects, forecasts, plans, contracts, releases, and other documents, materials, writings or information, including those which are prepared, developed or created by Executive, or which come into the possession of Executive by any means or manner, and which relate directly or indirectly to NFM (all of the above collectively referred to
as “Confidential Information”). Confidential Information includes information developed by Executive in the course of Executive’s services for NFM, as well as other Confidential Information to which Executive may have access in connection with Executive’s services. Confidential Information also includes the confidential information of other individuals or entities with which NFM has a business relationship. Confidential Information shall not include any information (a) which is in the public domain or which enters the public domain through no act of omission of Executive or (b) which was in the possession of Executive prior to the commencement of his employment with NFM.
(ii) DUTY OF CONFIDENTIALITY. At all times during his employment and thereafter, Executive will maintain in strictest confidence and will not, directly or indirectly, disclose or use (or allow others working with or related to Executive to disclose or use) any Confidential Information belonging to NFM, whether in oral, written, electronic or permanent form, except solely to the extent necessary to perform services on behalf of NFM. Upon termination of this Agreement, or at the request of NFM prior to its termination, Executive shall deliver forthwith to NFM all Confidential Information (and all copies thereof) in Executive’s possession or control belonging to NFM and all tangible items embodying or containing Confidential Information.
(iii) DOCUMENTS, RECORDS, ETC. All documents, records, data, equipment and other physical property, whether or not pertaining to Confidential Information, which are furnished to Executive by NFM or are produced by Executive in connection with Executive’s services will be and remain the sole property of NFM. Executive will return to NFM forthwith all such materials and property upon the termination of this Agreement or sooner if requested by NFM.
D. ASSIGNMENT OF RIGHTS. Executive shall make full and prompt disclosure to NFM of any and all designs, intellectual property, software, inventions, discoveries, or improvements (individually and collectively, “Inventions”) made by Executive as a result or product of his employment relationship with NFM. Executive hereby assigns to NFM without additional compensation the entire worldwide right, title and interest in and to such Inventions, and related intellectual property rights and without limitation all copyrights, copyright renewals or reversions, trademarks, trade names, trade dress rights, industrial design, industrial model, inventions, priority rights, patent rights, patent applications, patents, design patents and any other rights or protections in connection therewith or related thereto, for exploitation in any form or medium, of any kind or nature whatsoever, whether now known or hereafter devised. To the extent that any work created by Executive can be a work for hire pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law, the parties deem such