obtaining prior authorization from the Company or any other member of the Company Group: (i) initiating communications directly with, cooperating with, providing information to, causing information to be provided to, or otherwise assisting in an investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) or any other governmental or regulatory agency, entity, or official(s) (collectively, “Governmental Authorities”) regarding a possible violation of any law; (ii) responding to any inquiry or legal process directed to an employee individually from any Governmental Authority; (iii) testifying, participating or otherwise assisting in an action or proceeding by any Governmental Authorities relating to a possible violation of law, including providing documents or other confidential information to Governmental Authorities; or (iv) receiving an award for information provided to the SEC or any other Governmental Authority. This Agreement shall not be construed or applied to require Employee to obtain prior authorization from the Company or any other member of the Company Group before engaging in any of the foregoing conduct referenced in this Section 6.1(c), or to notify the Company of having engaged in any such conduct.

# 6.2 Nature of Business.

(a) Acknowledgment of Competitive Business. Executive acknowledges and agrees that the Company is engaged in a highly competitive industry and must protect its Confidential Information against unauthorized use or disclosure that would irreparably harm the Company’s interests. Executive recognizes that the disclosure by the Company to Executive of certain of its Confidential Information will be necessary and useful to Executive in the performance of Executive’s job duties for the Company under this Agreement. As a result, Executive will have access to Confidential Information that could be used by the Company’s competitors in a manner which would irreparably harm the Company’s competitive position in the marketplace.

(b) Acknowledgment of Need for Protection. Executive further acknowledges and agrees that it would be virtually impossible for Executive to ignore all knowledge of the Company’s Confidential Information if Executive were to engage in competition with the Company. It is, therefore, reasonable and proper for the Company to protect against the intentional or inadvertent use of such Confidential Information. Accordingly, Executive agrees that restrictions on competition and soliciting the Company’s customers or employees during Executive’s employment under this Agreement and for a reasonable period of time thereafter are appropriate and necessary for the protection of the Company’s Confidential Information, goodwill, and other legitimate business interests.

# ARTICLE VII

# NON-SOLICITATION AND NON-COMPETITION

7.1 Non-Solicitation and Non-Competition. Ancillary to the agreements to provide Executive with the Confidential Information as set forth above, and in order to aid in the enforcement of those agreements and as a condition of Executive’s employment hereunder, Executive agrees that, during the Term and for a period of two (2) years after the termination of Executive’s employment with the Company (or, in the event Executive is entitled to the payments and benefits described in Section 4.3(c) hereof, for a period of one (1) year after