Finality of Determinations; Exhaustion of Remedies. To the extent permitted by law, decisions reached under the claims procedures set forth in this Article IX shall be final and binding on all parties. No legal action for benefits under the Plan shall be brought unless and until the Claimant has exhausted his remedies under this Section. In any such legal action, the Claimant may only present evidence and theories which the Claimant presented during the claims procedure. Any claims which the Claimant does not in good faith pursue through the review stage of the procedure shall be treated as having been irrevocably waived. Judicial review of a Claimant’s denied claim shall be limited to a determination of whether the denial was an abuse of discretion based on the evidence and theories the Claimant presented during the claims procedure. Any suit or legal action initiated by a Claimant under the Plan must be brought by the Claimant no later than one year following a final decision on the claim for benefits by the Committee. The one-year limitation on suits for benefits will apply in any forum where a Claimant initiates such suit or legal action.

Finality of Determinations. Each determination, interpretation or other action made or taken pursuant to the provisions of the Plan by the Committee, and anyone acting pursuant to authority delegated by the Committee, shall be final and shall be binding and conclusive for all purposes and upon all persons, including, but without limitation thereto, the Company, its stockholders, the Committee and each of the members thereof, and anyone acting pursuant to authority delegated by the Committee, and the directors, officers, and employees of the Company, the Plan Participants, and their respective successors in interest.

Exhaustion of Remedies. No legal action for benefits under the Plan may be brought until the applicant # has submitted a written application for benefits in accordance with the procedures described by Section 9(a) above, # has been notified by the Plan Administrator that the application is denied, # has filed a written request for a review of the application in accordance with the appeal procedure described in Section 9(c) above, and # has been notified that the Plan Administrator has denied the appeal. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Plan Administrator does not respond to an applicant’s claim or appeal within the relevant time limits specified in this Section 9, the applicant may bring legal action for benefits under the Plan pursuant to [Section 502(a)] of ERISA.

Exhaustion of Remedies. These administrative procedures are the exclusive means for resolving any dispute arising under this Plan. As to such matters:

No legal or equitable action for benefits under the Plan shall be brought unless and until the claimant # has submitted a written application for benefits in accordance with Section 13.1, # has been notified that the application is denied, # has filed a written request for an independent review of the application in accordance with Section 13.3 and # has been notified in writing that the Company has affirmed the denial of the application; provided, however, that such an action may be brought after the Company has failed to act on the claim within a time period prescribed by Sections 13.2 or 13.4.

Exhaustion of administrative remedies. The exhaustion of the claims procedures is mandatory for resolving every claim and dispute arising under this Plan. As to such claims and disputes: # no claimant shall be permitted to commence any legal act ion to recover Plan benefits or to enforce or clarify rights under the Plan under Act §502 or §510 or under any other provision of law, whether or not statutory, until the claims procedures set forth in [Subsections (a) and (b)])] above have been exhausted in their entirety; and # in any such legal action all explicit and all implicit determinations by the Administrator (including, but not limited to, determinations as to whether the claim, or a request for a review of a denied claim, was timely filed) shall be afforded the maximum deference permitted by law.

Determinations Binding. All determinations made by the Auditor under this [Section 11(d)] shall be binding upon the Company, the Committee and the Participant.

SECTION # PLAN ADMINISTRATION 25

Year-End Determinations. As of the end of each Plan Year, the Committee (or an executive officer to whom these powers have been delegated in accordance with Section 3 of the Plan) shall take the following actions:

The Committee’s determinations under the Plan, including, without limitation, # the determination of the Participants to receive awards, # the form, amount and timing of such awards, # the terms and provisions of such awards and # the agreements evidencing the same, need not be uniform and may be made by it selectively among Participants who receive, or who are eligible to receive, awards under the Plan, whether or not such Participants are similarly situated.