[Section 409A]. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the Parties agree that the payments hereunder shall be exempt from, or satisfy the applicable requirements, if any, of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) in a manner that will preclude the imposition of penalties described in Code Section 409A. Payments made pursuant to this Agreement are intended to satisfy the short-term deferral rule or separation pay exception within the meaning of Code Section 409A.

[Section 409A]. This Agreement is intended to comply with Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (“[Section 409A]”), including the exceptions thereto, and shall be construed and administered in accordance with such intent. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, payments provided under this Agreement may only be made upon an event and in a manner that complies with Section 409A or an applicable exemption. Any payments under this Agreement that may be excluded from [Section 409A] either as separation pay due to an involuntary separation from service or as a short-term deferral shall be excluded from [Section 409A] to the maximum extent possible. Any payments to be made under this Agreement upon termination of employment shall only be made upon “separation from service” under Section 409A. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company makes no representations that the payments and benefits provided under this Agreement comply with Section 409A and in no event shall the Company be liable for all or any portion of any taxes, penalties, interest, or other expenses that you may incur on account of non-compliance with Section 409A.

It is intended that this Agreement shall comply with the provisions of Section 409A of the Code, or an exemption to Section 409A of the Code. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the parties intend that all payments made hereunder shall qualify for either the “short-term deferral” exception or the separation pay exception or another exception under Section 409A of the Code, and this Agreement shall be interpreted, to the maximum extent possible, consistent with such intent. All payments to be made upon a termination of employment under this Agreement may only be made upon a “separation from service” under Section 409A of the Code to the extent necessary in order to avoid the imposition of penalty taxes on the Employee pursuant to Section 409A of the Code. In no event may the Employee, directly or indirectly, designate the calendar year of any payment under this Agreement that is considered deferred compensation under Section 409A of the Code, and to the extent required by Section 409A of the Code, any payment that may be paid in more than one taxable year shall be paid in the later taxable year.

Compliance with Section 409A. This Agreement is intended to be interpreted and operated to the fullest extent possible so that the payments and benefits under this Agreement are exempt from the requirements of Section 409A of the Code (“[Section 409A]”) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), to the maximum extent possible, whether pursuant to the short-term deferral exception described in Treas. Reg. [Section 1.409A-1(b)(4)])], the involuntary separation pay plan exception described in Treas. Reg. [Section 1.409A-1(b)(9)(iii)])], or otherwise. To the extent that [Section 409A] is applicable to this Agreement, the parties intend that this Agreement and any payments and benefits thereunder comply with the deferral, payout, and other limitations and restrictions imposed under Section 409A. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, this Agreement shall be interpreted, operated and administered in a manner consistent with such intentions; provided, however, that in no event shall the Company or any of its Affiliates (or any of their respective successors) be liable for any additional tax, interest or penalty that may be imposed on Executive pursuant to Section 409A or for any damages incurred by Executive as a result of this Agreement (or the payments or benefits hereunder) failing to comply with, or be exempt from, [Section 409A]. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, and notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement to the contrary (other than the proviso in the immediately preceding sentence):

To the extent applicable, it is intended that this Agreement and any payment made hereunder shall comply with the requirements of section 409A of the Code or any exemption or exclusion therefrom, and any related regulations or other guidance promulgated with respect to such section by the Internal Revenue Service ("Code section 409A") and shall in all respects be administered in accordance with Code section 409A. Any provision that would cause this Agreement or any payment hereof to fail to satisfy Code section 409A shall have no force or effect until amended to comply with Code section 409A in the least restrictive manner necessary and without any diminution in the value of the payments to the Employee, which amendment may be retroactive to the extent permitted by Code section 409A. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, to the extent that any amount or benefit that would constitute "nonqualified deferred compensation" under Code section 409A would otherwise be payable or distributable hereunder by reason of the Employee's termination of employment, such amount or benefit will not be payable or distributable to the Employee by reason of such circumstance unless # the circumstances giving rise to such termination of employment meet any description or definition of "separation from service" in Code section 409A or # the payment or distribution of such amount or benefit would be exempt from the application of Code section 409A by reason of the short-term deferral exemption or otherwise. If this provision prevents the payment or distribution of any amount or benefit, such payment or distribution shall be made on the date, if any, on which an event occurs that constitutes a Code section 409A-compliant "separation from service."

To the extent applicable, it is intended that this Agreement and any payment made hereunder shall comply with the requirements of section 409A of the Code or any exemption or exclusion therefrom, and any related regulations or other guidance promulgated with respect to such section by the Internal Revenue Service ("Code section 409A") and shall in all respects be administered in accordance with Code section 409A. Any provision that would cause this Agreement or any payment hereof to fail to satisfy Code section 409A shall have no force or effect until amended to comply with Code section 409A in the least restrictive manner necessary and without any diminution in the value of the payments to the Executive, which amendment may be retroactive to the extent permitted by Code section 409A. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, to the extent that any amount or benefit that would constitute "nonqualified deferred compensation" under Code section 409A would otherwise be payable or distributable hereunder by reason of the Employee's termination of employment, such amount or benefit will not be payable or distributable to the Executive by reason of such circumstance unless # the circumstances giving rise to such termination of employment meet any description or definition of "separation from service" in Code section 409A or # the payment or distribution of such amount or benefit would be exempt from the application of Code section 409A by reason of the short-term deferral exemption or otherwise. If this provision prevents the payment or distribution of any amount or benefit, such payment or distribution shall be made on the date, if any, on which an event occurs that constitutes a Code section 409A-compliant "separation from service."

[Section 409A]. The provisions of this Agreement are intended either # to be exempt from Section 409A of the Code under the short-term deferral exception, the separation pay exception, or such other exceptions that may be available under Section 409A of the Code and applicable authority or guidance promulgated thereunder or # to comply with Section 409A of the Code, and shall be administered in a manner consistent with such intent. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary, to the extent Employee is considered a specified employee under Section 409A of the Code and would be entitled during the six (6) month period beginning on his date of termination to a payment that is not otherwise excluded under Section 409A of the Code, such payment will not be made to Employee until the earlier of the six (6) month anniversary of his date of termination or his death. For purposes of [Section 409A], each payment under this Agreement (including, but not limited to, those in Section 2(b)) shall be considered a separate payment.

[Section 409A]. The parties intend that any amounts payable hereunder comply with or are exempt from Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (“[Section 409A]”) (including under Treasury Regulation §§ 1.409A-1(b)(4) (“short-term deferrals”) and (b)(9) (“separation pay plans,” including the exceptions under subparagraph # and [subparagraph (v)(D)]) and other applicable provisions of Treasury Regulation §§ 1.409A-1 through A-6). Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, if the Employee is a “specified employee” within the meaning of [Section 409A], any amounts under this Agreement that are “deferred compensation” within the meaning of [Section 409A] shall not be made before the date that is six (6) months after the date of the Termination of Employment, or if earlier, his date of death. On the first business day following the expiration of the applicable [Section 409A] six (6) month period, all payments deferred pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be paid to the Employee in a lump sum and all remaining payments due Employee pursuant to this Agreement shall be paid as otherwise provided herein. For purposes of [Section 409A], each of the payments that may be made under this Agreement shall be deemed to be a separate payment for purposes of [Section 409A]. To the extent the Employee will be reimbursed for costs and expenses of in-kind benefits, except as otherwise permitted by [Section 409A], # the right to reimbursement or in-kind benefits is not subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit, # the amount of expenses eligible for reimbursement, or in-kind benefits, provided during any taxable year shall not affect the expenses eligible for reimbursement, or in-kind benefits to be provided, in any other taxable year, and # such payments shall be made on or before the last day of the taxable year following the taxable year in which the expense was incurred. This Agreement shall be administered, interpreted and construed in a manner that does not result in the imposition of additional taxes, penalties or interest under Section 409A. The Company and the Employee agree to negotiate in good faith to make amendments to this Agreement, as the parties mutually agree are necessary or desirable to avoid the imposition of taxes, penalties or interest under Section 409A. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company does not guarantee any particular tax effect, and the Employee shall be solely responsible and liable for the satisfaction of all taxes, penalties and interest that may be imposed on or for the account of the Employee in connection with this Agreement (including any taxes, penalties and interest under Section 409A), and neither the Company nor any of its affiliates shall have any obligation to indemnify or otherwise hold the Employee (or any beneficiary) harmless from any or all of such taxes, penalties or interest.

Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code. The intent of the parties is that payments under this Agreement comply with or be exempt from Section 409A of the Code and the regulations and guidance promulgated thereunder (collectively “[Section 409A]”).

Section # Effect of Code Section 409A and other tax matters. Payments and benefits under this Agreement are intended to be exempt from the requirements under Code section 409A of the Code (“Code Section 409A”), and all provisions of the Agreement shall be interpreted in accordance with the applicable exemptions. To the extent any payment or benefit is subject to Code section 409A, the Agreement shall be interpreted in accordance with Code Section 409A and Department of Treasury regulations and other interpretive guidance issued thereunder, including without limitation any such regulations or other guidance that may be issued after the date hereof.