 Given the competitive significance of intellectual property in the tobacco industry, the Company has brought on registered U.S. Patent Attorney Edmond DeFrank as counsel to manage its IP portfolio. Mr. DeFrank has written and prosecuted more than 1,000 patent and trademark applications for clients to include Microsoft, IBM, and NASA. Mr. DeFrank also provides anti-counterfeiting services, working with government bodies as well as some of the worlds largest e-commerce and social media platforms to prevent counterfeit consumer goods from entering the market. The Company intends to utilize Mr. DeFranks comprehensive scope of experience to strengthen, maximize, and protect its intellectual property portfolio. 