If a non-compete agreement was signed in 1986, and the company has been sold 2x to different companies, is the agreement signed still binding?

In order for the contract to still be valid, there needs to be language in the agreement stating that the contract is valid to any or all successors, and/or any assignment of the contract does not effect the validity of the contract.  You should speak with a local employment law attorney to determine if there are any state or local laws that also may impact the validity of the contract. This is not intended to be legal advice, and is general in its nature. No attorney-client relationship exists or is formed by this information. Furthermore, this does not represent the views or opinions of LexisNexis or its affiliated companies.