EXHIBIT
10.6
NON-COMPETITION
AGREEMENT
This
Non-Competition Agreement
(this
“Agreement”)
is
entered into as of the 17th
day of
October, 2006, by and among (i) Pacific Ethanol, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (“Buyer”),
(ii) Front Range Energy, LLC, a Colorado limited liability company (the
“Company”),
and
(iii) _____________(the “Individual”).
Capitalized terms not defined herein shall have the respective meanings ascribed
to such terms in the Membership Interest Purchase Agreement, dated as of the
date hereof, by and between Eagle Energy, LLC, a South Dakota limited liability
company (“Seller”),
and
Buyer (the “Purchase
Agreement”).
Whereas,
the
Company is currently engaged in the business of the construction, operation
and
management of corn ethanol plants (the “Restricted
Business”);
Whereas,
the
Individual has served as a member, manager, director or officer of Seller and,
as a result of his position with Seller, is in possession of confidential and
proprietary information relating to the Restricted Business;
Whereas,
Buyer
and Seller are parties to the Purchase Agreement, pursuant to which Buyer will
purchase 10,094.595 Class B Voting Units of the Company, representing
approximately 42% of the outstanding membership interests of the Company, from
Seller;
Whereas,
Buyer
and the Company desire to preserve and protect the assets of the Company,
including, without limitation, its goodwill, staff resources, customers and
trade secrets of which Individual has knowledge; and
Whereas,
as a
condition to its willingness to enter into the Purchase Agreement, Buyer has
required that the Individual enter into this Agreement.
Now,
Therefore,
in
consideration of the foregoing and the respective representations, warranties,
covenants and agreements set forth in this Agreement, the parties, intending
to
be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:
(a) Noncompetition.
The
Individual covenants and agrees that during the period commencing as of the
date
hereof and ending on the two (2) year anniversary of the Closing Date (the
“Covenant
Period”),
except with the express prior written consent of the Chief Executive Officer
of
each of Buyer and the Company, the Individual shall not engage in or carry
on,
or permit his name to be used in connection with, any business either for
himself or as a member, executive, employee, stockholder (other than as the
holder of not more than one percent (1%) of the total outstanding stock of
a
publicly held company), investor, officer, manager or director of a corporation,
partnership or other business association or as an agent, associate or
consultant of any Person, in competition with the Restricted Business, as
conducted by the Company, Buyer or any of their Affiliates, within a fifty
(50)
mile radius of the Company’s ethanol production facility located in Windsor,
Colorado. The parties intend that the covenants contained in this Section
1(a)
shall be
deemed to be a series of separate covenants, one for each county in Colorado
within such radius and, except for geographic coverage, each such separate
covenant shall be identical in terms to the covenant contained in this
Section
1(a).
For
purposes of this Agreement, “Person”
shall
be broadly interpreted to include any individual, corporation (including any
non-profit corporation), general or limited partnership, limited liability
company, joint venture, estate, trust, association, organization or other entity
or governmental body.
(b) Nondisclosure
of Information.
The
Individual acknowledges that all Confidential Information (as defined below)
known or obtained by him, whether before or after the date hereof, is the
property of the Restricted Business. Therefore, the Individual agrees that
he
will not, during the Covenant Period, disclose to any Person or use for his
own
account, or for the benefit of any third party, any Confidential Information,
whether in the Individual’s memory or embodied in writing or other physical
form, without the written consent of the Chief Executive Officer of each of
Buyer and the Company. This restriction shall not apply to the extent that
such
Confidential Information is or becomes generally known to and available for
use
by the public other than as a result of the Individual’s fault or the fault of
any other Person bound by a duty of confidentiality to the Company, Buyer or
any
of their Affiliates or is made available to the Individual by a third party
having a right to do so. Furthermore, this restriction shall not apply to the
extent specific Confidential Information is required by Law or by the order
of
any Government Authority to be disclosed; provided that the Individual, prior
to
making such legally required or compelled disclosure, shall provide such
notification as is reasonable in the circumstances to the Chief Executive
Officer of each of Buyer and the Company and shall assist Buyer and the Company
in obtaining an appropriate protective order.
(c) Materials.
The
Individual agrees to deliver to Buyer at any time Buyer may request, all
documents, memoranda, notes, plans, records, reports and other documentation,
models, components, devices or computer software, whether embodied in a disk
or
in other form (and all copies of all of the foregoing), relating to the
Restricted Business and any other Confidential Information that the Individual
may then possess or have under his control.
(d) Confidential
Information.“Confidential
Information”
means
the following: (i) any and all trade secrets concerning the Restricted Business,
including, without limitation, product specifications, data, know-how, formulae,
compositions, processes, designs, sketches, photographs, graphs, drawings,
samples, inventions and ideas, past, current and planned research and
development, current and planned manufacturing and distribution methods and
processes, customer lists, details of contracts with customers, consultants,
suppliers or employees, current and anticipated customer requirements, price
lists, market studies, business plans, computer software and programs (including
object code and source code), computer software and database technologies,
systems, structures and architectures; (ii) any and all information
concerning the Restricted Business, including, without limitation, historical
financial statements, financial projections and budgets, historical and
projected sales, capital spending budgets and plans, the names and backgrounds
of key personnel, personnel training and techniques and materials, however
documented; and (iii) any and all notes, analysis, compilations, studies,
summaries and other material prepared by or for the Restricted Business
containing or based, in whole or in part, on any information included in the
foregoing.
(e) Nonservicing
and Nonhiring.
(i) The
parties acknowledge and agree that the Individual, through his association
with
Seller, has acquired a considerable amount of knowledge and goodwill with
respect to actual and prospective clients and customers of the Restricted
Business, which knowledge and goodwill are extremely valuable to the Company
and
Buyer and which would be extremely detrimental to the Company and Buyer if
used
by the Individual in a manner adverse to the interests of the Company or Buyer.
The parties acknowledge and agree that, because of the nature of the Restricted
Business, it is necessary to afford fair protection to Buyer and the Company,
as
provided in this Section
1(e).
(ii) As
a
material inducement to Buyer to enter into the Purchase Agreement, the
Individual covenants and agrees that, during the Covenant Period, except if
the
Individual is acting as an employee, agent, or consultant of the Company or
Buyer solely for the benefit of the Company or Buyer in connection with the
Restricted Business and in accordance with the Company’s or Buyer’s business
practices and employee policies, as determined from time to time by the
Company’s or Buyer’s Board of Directors or Managers, as applicable, the
Individual shall not, directly, indirectly or in concert with any other Person,
divert business from or induce competition with the Restricted Business with
any
Person who (A) is on the date hereof, a client or customer of the Restricted
Business, (B) becomes a client or customer of the Restricted Business
during the Covenant Period, or (C) prior to or during the Covenant Period was
or
is being contacted by the Company, Buyer or any of their Affiliates in
furtherance of the Restricted Business as a prospective client or customer,
whether for or on behalf of the Individual or for any entity in which the
Individual shall have a direct or indirect interest (or any subsidiary or
Affiliate of any such entity), whether as a proprietor, partner, co-venturer,
financier, investor, Individual, representative or otherwise.
(iii) As
a
material inducement to Buyer to enter into the Purchase Agreement, the
Individual further covenants and agrees that, during the Covenant Period, except
if the Individual is acting as a consultant, employee or agent of the Company
or
Buyer solely for the benefit of the Company or Buyer in connection with the
Restricted Business and in accordance with the Company’s or Buyer’s business
practices and employee policies, as determined from time to time by the
Company’s or Buyer’s Board of Directors or Managers, as applicable, the
Individual shall not, directly or indirectly, hire or engage or attempt to
hire
or engage any individual who shall have been a consultant or employee of the
Company, Buyer or any of their Affiliates at any time during the Covenant
Period, or take any other action that is intended to induce any employee or
consultant to terminate his or her relationship with Buyer, the Company or
any
of their Affiliates, whether for or on behalf of the Individual or for any
entity in which the Individual shall have a direct or indirect interest (or
any
subsidiary or Affiliate of any such entity), whether as a proprietor, partner,
co-venturer, financier, investor, Individual, representative or
otherwise.
(f) Publicity.
As a
material inducement to Buyer to enter into the Purchase Agreement, the
Individual covenants and agrees that, during the Covenant Period, the Individual
shall not, for any reason whatsoever, directly or indirectly, individually
or in
conjunction with any other Person, publish, or otherwise orally communicate
under circumstances reasonably likely to become public, any statement that
is
factually inaccurate and materially detrimental to the Company, Buyer or any
of
their Affiliates.
(g) Injunctive
Relief.
The
Individual understands and agrees that the Company and Buyer shall suffer
irreparable harm in the event that the Individual or any of his or her
Affiliates breaches any of the provisions of this Section
1,
and
that monetary damages shall be inadequate to compensate the Company and Buyer
for such breach. Accordingly, the Individual agrees that, in the event of a
breach by the Individual or any of his or her Affiliates of any of the
provisions of this Section
1,
in
addition to, and not in limitation of, any other rights, remedies or damages
available to the Company and Buyer at law or in equity, the Company and Buyer
shall be entitled to a temporary restraining order, preliminary injunction
and
permanent injunction in order to prevent or to restrain any such breach by
the
Individual or by any or all of the Individual’s Affiliates, partners,
co-venturers, representatives and any and all persons directly or indirectly
acting for, on behalf of or with the Individual.
(h) Reasonableness
of Restrictions.
(i) THIS
AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO IN CONNECTION WITH THE PURCHASE AGREEMENT. THE
COVENANTS OF THE INDIVIDUAL CONTAINED IN THIS AGREEMENT ARE A MATERIAL PART
OF
THAT TRANSACTION, AND BUYER WOULD NOT HAVE ENTERED INTO THE PURCHASE AGREEMENT
WITHOUT THEM. THE INDIVIDUAL HAS CAREFULLY READ AND CONSIDERED THE PROVISIONS
OF
THIS SECTION 1 AND, HAVING DONE SO, AGREES THAT THE RESTRICTIONS SET FORTH
HEREIN ARE FAIR AND REASONABLE AND ARE REASONABLY REQUIRED FOR THE PROTECTION
OF
THE INTERESTS OF THE COMPANY AND BUYER AND THEIR RESPECTIVE STOCKHOLDERS,
MEMBERS, OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES AND EXECUTIVES.
(ii) If,
in
any judicial proceeding, the court shall refuse to enforce all of the separate
covenants contained in this Section
1
because
the time limit is excessive, it is expressly understood and agreed between
the
parties hereto that for purposes of such proceeding such time limitation shall
be deemed reduced to the extent necessary to permit enforcement of such
covenants. If, in any judicial proceeding, the court shall refuse to enforce
all
of the covenants contained in this Section
1
because
the court deems them to be more extensive (whether as to geographic area, scope
of business or otherwise) than necessary to protect the business and goodwill
of
the Company and Buyer, it is expressly understood and agreed between the parties
hereto that for purposes of such proceeding the geographic area, scope of
business or other aspect shall be deemed reduced to the extent necessary to
permit enforcement of such covenants.
(iii) The
term
of the covenants contained in this Section
1
shall be
tolled for the period commencing on the date any successful action is filed
for
injunctive relief or damages arising out of a breach of this Section
1
by the
Individual and ending upon the successful enforcement of such injunctive
relief.
(iv) The
parties acknowledge that the time, scope of business, geographic area and other
provisions of this Agreement have been specifically negotiated by sophisticated
commercial parties. This Agreement has been reviewed by counsel for Eagle,
and
the Individual has had the opportunity to consult independently with counsel
and
to be advised in all respects concerning the reasonableness and propriety of
the
covenants contained herein, with specific regard to the Restricted Business,
and
represents that the Agreement is intended to be, and shall be, fully enforceable
and effective in accordance with its terms.
2. No
Conflicts.
The
Individual certifies that he has no outstanding agreement or obligation that
is
in conflict with any of the provisions of this Agreement, or that would preclude
the Individual from complying with the provisions hereof, and further certifies
that the Individual will not enter into any such conflicting agreement during
the term of this Agreement.
3. Governing
Law.
This
Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the Laws
of
the State of Colorado, without regard to its principles of conflicts-of-law
or
choice-of-law. Any legal action or proceeding against any party with respect
to
this Agreement or the transactions consummated hereunder shall be brought
exclusively in the state or federal courts located in the County of Denver,
State of Colorado, and by execution and delivery of this Agreement the parties
hereby irrevocably accept the exclusive jurisdiction of such
courts.
4. Notices.
All
notices and other communications given or made pursuant hereto shall be in
writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given or made as of the date
delivered, mailed, dispatched or transmitted, and shall be effective upon
receipt, if delivered personally, mailed by registered or certified mail
(postage prepaid, return receipt requested) or dispatched by reputable overnight
delivery service to the parties at the following addresses (or at such other
address for a party as shall be specified by notice given pursuant to this
Section
4)
or sent
by electronic transmission to the facsimile number specified below (or to such
other facsimile number for a party as shall be specified by notice given
pursuant to this Section
4):
If
to
Buyer, addressed to it at:
Pacific
Ethanol, Inc.
5711
N.
West Avenue
Fresno,
CA 93711
Attn.:
Neil Koehler
Facsimile:
(559) 435-1478
With
copies to:
Pacific
Ethanol, Inc.
5711
N.
West Avenue
Fresno,
CA 93711
Attn.:
General Counsel
Facsimile:
(559) 435-1478
Cooley
Godward Kronish LLP
380
Interlocken Crescent, Suite 900
Broomfield,
Colorado 80021
Attn:
Francis Wheeler, Esq.
Facsimile:
(720) 566-4099
If
to the
Company, addressed to it at:
Front
Range Energy, LLC
Tel:
(970) 674-2910
Facsimile:
(970) 674-2914
With
a
copy to:
If
to the
Individual, to him or her at the address listed on the signature page attached
hereto;
With
a
copy to:
Dorsey
& Whitney LLP
50
South
Sixth Street, Suite 1500
Minneapolis,
MN 55402
Attn:
Robert G. Hensley
Tel:
(612) 340-2655
Fax:
(612) 340-7800
5. Parties
in Interest.
This
Agreement shall be binding upon and inure solely to the benefit of each party
hereto and their respective successors and assigns, and nothing in this
Agreement, express or implied, is intended to or shall confer upon any other
person any right, benefit or remedy of any nature whatsoever under or by reason
of this Agreement.
6. Severability.
If any
term or other provision of this Agreement is invalid, illegal or incapable
of
being enforced by any rule of Law or public policy, all other conditions and
provisions of this Agreement shall nevertheless remain in full force and effect
so long as the economic or legal substance of the transactions contemplated
hereby is not affected in any manner materially adverse to any party. Upon
such
determination that any term or other provision is invalid, illegal or incapable
of being enforced, the parties hereto shall negotiate in good faith to modify
this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the parties as closely
as
possible in an acceptable manner to the end that transactions contemplated
hereby are fulfilled to the extent possible.
7. Modification;
No Waiver.
No
change, modification or waiver hereof shall be valid or binding unless the
same
is in writing and signed by the party against whom such change, modification
or
waiver is sought to be enforced; moreover, no valid waiver of any provision
of
this Agreement at any time shall be deemed a waiver of any other provision
of
this Agreement at such time or will be deemed a valid waiver of such provision
at any other time; provided, further, that nothing in this agreement may be
changed, modified, waived or superceded by any agreement which does not
specifically make reference to this Agreement (even if such agreement indicates
that it supercedes all prior agreements relating to the subject matter
hereof).
8. Entire
Agreement. This
Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the parties and supersedes all
prior agreements and undertakings, both written and oral, between the parties,
or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof and, except as
otherwise expressly provided herein, are not intended to confer upon any other
Person any rights or remedies hereunder.
9. Headings.
The
headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall
not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this
Agreement.
10. Assignment.
Subject
to the terms hereof, Buyer and the Company may expressly assign their rights
under this Agreement to (i) any Affiliate at any time or (ii) any
Person in connection with a merger, sale or transfer of all or substantially
all
of the assets of Buyer or the Company to such Person, without the consent of
the
Individual.
11. Mutual
Drafting.
Each
party hereto has participated in the drafting of this Agreement, which each
party acknowledges is the result of extensive negotiations between the
parties.
12. Counterparts.
This
Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, and by the different
parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when executed shall
be
deemed to be an original but all of which taken together shall constitute one
and the same agreement.
13. Expenses.
The
prevailing party in any controversy hereunder shall be entitled to reasonable
attorneys’ fees and expenses.
14. Indemnification.
The
Individual agrees to save and hold Buyer, the Company and their Affiliates
harmless from and against all Losses whatsoever (including reasonable attorneys’
fees) arising out of the breach by the Individual of his obligations under
Section
1
of this
Agreement and the enforcement of such section of this Agreement by Buyer, the
Company and any of their Affiliates. The foregoing shall be in addition to,
and
not in limitation of, any rights Buyer, the Company and any of their Affiliates
may have against the Individual arising in connection with this
Agreement.
[Signature
Page Follows.]
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF,
Buyer,
the Company and the Individual have executed this Non-Competition Agreement
as
of the date first written above.
BUYER:
PACIFIC
ETHANOL, INC.
By:__________________________________
Name:________________________________
Title:_________________________________
THE
COMPANY:
FRONT
RANGE ENERGY, LLC
By:__________________________________
Name:________________________________
Title:_________________________________
THE
INDIVIDUAL:
Name:
_______________________________
Address:
_____________________________
Facsimile:
_____________________________
-8-