Common use of Assignment and Participations Appointment of Agent Clause in Contracts

Assignment and Participations Appointment of Agent. 9.1 Assignment and Participations (a) Subject to the terms of this Section 9.1, any Lender may make an assignment to a Qualified Assignee of, or sell participations in, at any time or times, the Loan Documents, Loans, Letter of Credit Obligations and any Commitment or any portion thereof or interest therein, including any Lender’s rights, title, interests, remedies, powers or duties thereunder. Any assignment by a Lender shall (i) require the consent of Agent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed with respect to a Qualified Assignee) and, so long as no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower Representative (which shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed) and the execution of an assignment agreement (an “Assignment Agreement”) substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 9.1(a) and otherwise in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to, and acknowledged by, Agent, provided, that neither the Agent’s nor the Borrower Representative’s consent shall be required if such assignment is to an existing Lender, to an Affiliate of such assigning Lender or to a special purpose entity organized to acquire commercial loans and managed by an existing Lender or an Affiliate or an existing Lender, and, provided, further that Borrower Representative’s consent shall not be required if such assignment is to a Qualified Assignee; (ii) be conditioned on such assignee Lender representing to the assigning Lender and Agent that it is purchasing the applicable Loans to be assigned to it for its own account, for investment purposes and not with a view to the distribution thereof; (iii) after giving effect to any such partial assignment, the assignee Lender shall have Commitments in an amount at least equal to $5,000,000 and the assigning Lender shall have retained Commitments in an amount at least equal to $5,000,000; (iv) include a payment to Agent by the assignor or assignee of an assignment fee of $3,500. In the case of an assignment by a Lender under this Section 9.1, the assignee shall have, to the extent of such assignment, the same rights, benefits and obligations as all other Lenders hereunder and (v) not be effective until such assignment is reflected in the Loan Account. Subject to the proviso in the last sentence of Section 7.2, the assigning Lender shall be relieved of its obligations hereunder with respect to its Commitments or assigned portion thereof from and after the date of such assignment. Each Credit Party hereby acknowledges and agrees that any assignment shall give rise to a direct obligation of such Credit Party to the assignee and that the assignee shall be considered to be a “Lender”. In all instances, each Lender’s liability to make Loans hereunder shall be several and not joint and shall be limited to such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the applicable Commitment. In the event Agent or any Lender assigns or otherwise transfers all or any part of a Note, Agent or any such Lender shall so notify Borrowers and each Borrower shall execute new Notes in exchange for the Notes being assigned. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 9.1(a), any Lender may at any time pledge as security for obligations of such Lender or assign all or any portion of such Lender’s rights under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to any Person, including to a Federal Reserve Bank; provided, that no such pledge or assignment shall release such Lender from such Lender’s obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Document. (b) Any participation by a Lender of all or any part of its Commitments and Loans shall be entered into with the understanding that all amounts payable by Borrowers hereunder shall be determined as if that Lender had not sold such participation, and that the holder of any such participation shall not be entitled to require such Lender to take or omit to take any action hereunder except actions directly affecting (i) any reduction in the principal amount of, or interest rate or Fees payable with respect to, any Loan in which such holder participates, (ii) any extension of the final maturity of the principal amount of any Loan in which such holder participates, and (iii) any release of all or substantially all of the Collateral (other than in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Collateral Documents or the other Loan Documents). Each participation created by any Lender shall provide that it shall be terminated by such Lender upon sale of such Lender’s Obligations pursuant to Section 7.3 (and such Lender shall pay to the participant all amounts required to be paid under such participation upon termination). Solely for purposes of Sections 1.13, 1.15, 1.16 and 9.8, each Borrower acknowledges and agrees that a participation shall give rise to a direct obligation of such Borrower to the participant and the participant shall be considered to be a “Lender”; provided, that any such participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 1.15 or Section 1.16 than the Lender granting such participation would have been entitled to receive with respect to the portion of its Commitment and Loans so participated. Except as set forth in the preceding sentence no Borrower shall have any obligation or duty to any participant. Neither Agent nor any Lender (other than the Lender selling a participation) shall have any duty to any participant and may continue to deal solely with the Lender selling a participation as if no such sale had occurred. (c) Except as expressly provided in this Section 9.1, no Lender shall, as between the Credit Parties, and that Lender, or Agent and that Lender, be relieved of any of its obligations hereunder as a result of any sale, assignment, transfer or negotiation of, or granting of participation in, all or any part of the Loans, the Notes or other Obligations owed to such Lender. (d) Each Credit Party shall assist any Lender permitted to sell assignments or participations under this Section 9.1 as reasonably required to enable the assigning or selling Lender to effect any such assignment or participation, including the execution and delivery of any and all agreements, notes and other documents and instruments as shall be requested and, in connection with the initial syndication of the Loans and Commitments and if otherwise requested by Agent, the preparation of informational materials for, and the participation of management in meetings with, potential assignees or participants. Each Credit Party shall certify the correctness, completeness and accuracy of all descriptions of the Credit Parties and their respective affairs contained in any selling materials provided by it and all other information provided by it and included in such materials, except that any Projections delivered by Borrowers shall only be certified by Borrowers as having been prepared by Borrowers in compliance with the representations contained in Section 3.4(c). (e) Any Lender may furnish any information concerning any Credit Party in the possession of such Lender from time to time to assignees and participants (including prospective assignees and participants); provided, that such Lender shall obtain from assignees or participants confidentiality covenants substantially equivalent to those contained in Section 11.8. (f) So long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, no Lender shall assign or sell participations in any portion of its Loans or Commitments to a potential Lender or participant, if, as of the date of the proposed assignment or sale, the assignee Lender or participant would be subject to capital adequacy, reserve or similar requirements under Section 1.16(a), increased costs under Section 1.16(b), an inability to fund LIBOR Loans under Section 1.16(c), or withholding taxes in accordance with Section l.16(d).

Assignment and Participations Appointment of Agent. 9.1 Assignment and Participations (a) Subject to the terms of this Section 9.1, any Lender may make an assignment to a Qualified Assignee of, or sell participations in, at any time or times, the Loan Documents, Loans, Letter of Credit Obligations and any Commitment or any portion thereof or interest therein, including any Lender’s rights, title, interests, remedies, powers or duties thereunder. Any assignment by a Lender shall (i) require the consent of Agent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed with respect to a Qualified Assignee) and, so long as no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower Representative (which shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed) and the execution of an assignment agreement (an “Assignment Agreement”) substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 9.1(a) and otherwise in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to, and acknowledged by, Agent, provided, that neither the Agent’s nor the Borrower Representative’s consent shall be required if such assignment is to an existing Lender, to an Affiliate of such assigning Lender or to a special purpose entity organized to acquire commercial loans and managed by an existing Lender or an Affiliate or an existing Lender, and, provided, further that Borrower Representative’s consent shall not be required if such assignment is to a Qualified Assignee; (ii) be conditioned on such assignee Lender representing to the assigning Lender and Agent that it is purchasing the applicable Loans to be assigned to it for its own account, for investment purposes and not with a view to the distribution thereof; (iii) after giving effect to any such partial assignment, the assignee Lender shall have Commitments in an amount at least equal to $5,000,000 and the assigning Lender shall have retained Commitments in an amount at least equal to $5,000,000; (iv) include a payment to Agent by the assignor or assignee of an assignment fee of $3,5003,500 and (v) not be effective until such assignment is reflected in the Loan Account. In the case of an assignment by a Lender under this Section 9.1, the assignee shall have, to the extent of such assignment, the same rights, benefits and obligations as all other Lenders hereunder and (v) not be effective until such assignment is reflected in the Loan Accounthereunder. Subject to the proviso provisos in the last sentence of Section 7.2, the assigning Lender shall be relieved of its obligations hereunder with respect to its Commitments or assigned portion thereof from and after the date of such assignment. Each Credit Party hereby acknowledges and agrees that any assignment shall give rise to a direct obligation of such Credit Party to the assignee and that the assignee shall be considered to be a “Lender”. In all instances, each Lender’s liability to make Loans hereunder shall be several and not joint and shall be limited to such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the applicable Commitment. In the event Agent or any Lender assigns or otherwise transfers all or any part of a Note, Agent or any such Lender shall so notify Borrowers and each Borrower shall execute new Notes in exchange for the Notes being assigned. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 9.1(a), any Lender may at any time pledge as security for obligations of such Lender or assign all or any portion of such Lender’s rights under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to any Person, including to a Federal Reserve Bank; provided, that no such pledge or assignment shall release such Lender from such Lender’s obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Document. (b) Any participation by a Lender of all or any part of its Commitments and Loans shall be entered into with the understanding that all amounts payable by Borrowers hereunder shall be determined as if that Lender had not sold such participation, and that the holder of any such participation shall not be entitled to require such Lender to take or omit to take any action hereunder except actions directly affecting (i) any reduction in the principal amount of, or interest rate or Fees payable with respect to, any Loan in which such holder participates, (ii) any extension of the final maturity of the principal amount of any Loan in which such holder participates, and (iii) any release of all or substantially all of the Collateral (other than in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Collateral Documents or the other Loan Documents). Each participation created by any Lender shall provide that it shall be terminated by such Lender upon sale of such Lender’s Obligations pursuant to Section 7.3 (and such Lender shall pay to the participant all amounts required to be paid under such participation upon termination). Solely for purposes of Sections 1.13, 1.15, 1.16 and 9.89.9, each Borrower acknowledges and agrees that a participation shall give rise to a direct obligation of such Borrower to the participant and the participant shall be considered to be a “Lender”; provided, that any such participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 1.15 or Section 1.16 than the Lender granting such participation would have been entitled to receive with respect to the portion of its Commitment and Loans so participated. Except as set forth in the preceding sentence no Borrower shall have any obligation or duty to any participant. Neither Agent nor any Lender (other than the Lender selling a participation) shall have any duty to any participant and may continue to deal solely with the Lender selling a participation as if no such sale had occurred. (c) Except as expressly provided in this Section 9.1, no Lender shall, as between the Credit Parties, and that Lender, or Agent and that Lender, be relieved of any of its obligations hereunder as a result of any sale, assignment, transfer or negotiation of, or granting of participation in, all or any part of the Loans, the Notes or other Obligations owed to such Lender. (d) Each Credit Party shall assist any Lender permitted to sell assignments or participations under this Section 9.1 as reasonably required to enable the assigning or selling Lender to effect any such assignment or participation, including the execution and delivery of any and all agreements, notes and other documents and instruments as shall be requested and, in connection with the initial syndication of the Loans and Commitments and if otherwise requested by Agent, the preparation of informational materials for, and the participation of management in meetings with, potential assignees or participants. Each Credit Party shall certify the correctness, completeness and accuracy of all descriptions of the Credit Parties and their respective affairs contained in any selling materials provided by it and all other information provided by it and included in such materials, except that any Projections delivered by Borrowers shall only be certified by Borrowers as having been prepared by Borrowers in compliance with the representations contained in Section 3.4(c). (e) Any Lender may furnish any information concerning any Credit Party in the possession of such Lender from time to time to assignees and participants (including prospective assignees and participants); provided, that such Lender shall obtain from assignees or participants confidentiality covenants substantially equivalent to those contained in Section 11.8. (f) So long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, no Lender shall assign or sell participations in any portion of its Loans or Commitments to a potential Lender or participant, if, as of the date of the proposed assignment or sale, the assignee Lender or participant would be subject to capital adequacy, reserve or similar requirements under Section 1.16(a), increased costs under Section 1.16(b), an inability to fund LIBOR Loans under Section 1.16(c), or withholding taxes in accordance with Section l.16(d1.16(d). (g) Nothing contained in this Section 9 shall require the consent of any party for GE Capital to assign any of its rights in respect of any Swap Related Reimbursement Obligation.

Assignment and Participations Appointment of Agent. 9.1 Assignment and ParticipationsParticipations ----------------------------- (a) Subject to the terms of this Section 9.1, any Lender may make an ----------- assignment to a Qualified Assignee of, or sell participations in, at any time or times, the Loan Documents, Loans, Letter of Credit Obligations and any Commitment or any portion thereof or interest therein, including any Lender’s 's rights, title, interests, remedies, powers or duties thereunder. Any assignment by a Lender shall shall: (i) require the consent of Agent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed with respect to a Qualified Assignee) and, so long as no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower Representative (which shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed) and the execution of an assignment agreement (an “"Assignment Agreement”") substantially -------------------- in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 9.1(a) and otherwise in form and -------------- substance reasonably satisfactory to, and acknowledged by, Agent, provided, that neither the Agent’s nor the Borrower Representative’s consent shall be required if such assignment is to an existing Lender, to an Affiliate of such assigning Lender or to a special purpose entity organized to acquire commercial loans and managed by an existing Lender or an Affiliate or an existing Lender, and, provided, further that Borrower Representative’s consent shall not be required if such assignment is to a Qualified Assignee; (ii) be conditioned on such assignee Lender representing to the assigning Lender and Agent that it is purchasing the applicable Loans to be assigned to it for its own account, for investment purposes and not with a view to the distribution thereof; (iii) if a partial assignment, after giving effect to any such partial assignment, the assignee Lender shall have Commitments in an amount at least equal to $5,000,000 and the assigning Lender shall have retained Commitments in an amount at least equal to $5,000,000; (iv) include a payment to Agent by the assignor or assignee of an assignment fee of $3,500; and (v) so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the consent of Borrower Representative, which shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed; provided that no such consent of Borrower Representative shall be required for an assignment to a Qualified Assignee described in clause (a) of the definition of "Qualified Assignee". In the case of an assignment by a Lender under this Section 9.1, the assignee shall have, to ----------- the extent of such assignment, the same rights, benefits and obligations as all other Lenders hereunder and (v) not be effective until such assignment is reflected in the Loan Accounthereunder. Subject to the proviso in the last sentence of Section 7.2, the The assigning Lender shall be relieved of its obligations hereunder with respect to its Commitments or assigned portion thereof from and after the date of such assignment. Each Credit Party Borrower hereby acknowledges and agrees that any assignment shall give rise to a direct obligation of such Credit Party Borrowers to the assignee and that the assignee shall be considered to be a “"Lender”". In all instances, each Lender’s 's liability to make Loans hereunder shall be several and not joint and shall be limited to such Lender’s 's Pro Rata Share of the applicable Commitment. In the event Agent or any Lender assigns or otherwise transfers all or any part of a Notethe Obligations, Agent or any such Lender shall so notify Borrowers and each Borrower shall Borrowers shall, upon the request of Agent or such Lender, execute new Notes in exchange for the Notes Notes, if any, being assigned. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section ------- 9.1(a), any Lender may at any time pledge as security for obligations of the Obligations held by it and such Lender or assign all or any portion of such ------ Lender’s 's rights under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to any Person, including to a Federal Reserve Bank, and any Lender that is an investment fund may assign the Obligations held by it and such Lender's rights under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to another investment fund managed by the same investment advisor; provided, that no such pledge or assignment to a Federal Reserve Bank shall release such Lender from such Lender’s 's obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Document. (b) Any participation by a Lender of all or any part of its Commitments and Loans Commitment shall be entered into made with the understanding that all amounts payable by Borrowers hereunder shall be determined as if that Lender had not sold such participation, and that the holder of any such participation shall not be entitled to require such Lender to take or omit to take any action hereunder except actions directly affecting (i) any reduction in the principal amount of, or interest rate or Fees payable with respect to, any Loan in which such holder participates, (ii) any extension of the final maturity scheduled amortization of the principal amount of any Loan in which such holder participatesparticipates or the final maturity date thereof, and (iii) any release of all or substantially all of the Collateral (other than in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Collateral Documents or the other Loan Documents). Each participation created by any Lender shall provide that it shall be terminated by such Lender upon sale of such Lender’s Obligations pursuant to Section 7.3 (and such Lender shall pay to the participant all amounts required to be paid under such participation upon termination). Solely for purposes of Sections 1.13, 1.15, 1.16 and 9.8, each Borrower acknowledges and agrees that a participation shall give rise to a direct obligation of such Borrower to the participant and the participant shall be considered to be a “Lender”; provided, that any such participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 1.15 or Section 1.16 than the Lender granting such participation would have been entitled to receive with respect to the portion of its Commitment and Loans so participated. Except as set forth in the preceding sentence no Borrower shall have any obligation or duty to any participant. Neither Agent nor any Lender (other than the Lender selling a participation) shall have any duty to any participant and may continue to deal solely with the Lender selling a participation as if no such sale had occurred. (c) Except as expressly provided in this Section 9.1, no Lender shall, as between the Credit Parties, and that Lender, or Agent and that Lender, be relieved of any of its obligations hereunder as a result of any sale, assignment, transfer or negotiation of, or granting of participation in, all or any part of the Loans, the Notes or other Obligations owed to such Lender. (d) Each Credit Party shall assist any Lender permitted to sell assignments or participations under this Section 9.1 as reasonably required to enable the assigning or selling Lender to effect any such assignment or participation, including the execution and delivery of any and all agreements, notes and other documents and instruments as shall be requested and, in connection with the initial syndication of the Loans and Commitments and if otherwise requested by Agent, the preparation of informational materials for, and the participation of management in meetings with, potential assignees or participants. Each Credit Party shall certify the correctness, completeness and accuracy of all descriptions of the Credit Parties and their respective affairs contained in any selling materials provided by it and all other information provided by it and included in such materials, except that any Projections delivered by Borrowers shall only be certified by Borrowers as having been prepared by Borrowers in compliance with the representations contained in Section 3.4(c). (e) Any Lender may furnish any information concerning any Credit Party in the possession of such Lender from time to time to assignees and participants (including prospective assignees and participants); provided, that such Lender shall obtain from assignees or participants confidentiality covenants substantially equivalent to those contained in Section 11.8. (f) So long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, no Lender shall assign or sell participations in any portion of its Loans or Commitments to a potential Lender or participant, if, as of the date of the proposed assignment or sale, the assignee Lender or participant would be subject to capital adequacy, reserve or similar requirements under Section 1.16(a), increased costs under Section 1.16(b), an inability to fund LIBOR Loans under Section 1.16(c), or withholding taxes in accordance with Section l.16(d).substantially

Assignment and Participations Appointment of Agent. 9.1 10.1 Assignment and ParticipationsParticipations ----------------------------- (a) Subject The Loan Parties signatory hereto consent to the terms of this Section 9.1, any Lender may make an Lender's assignment to a Qualified Assignee of, or sell and/or sale of participations in, at any time or times, the Loan Documents, Loans, Letter of Credit Obligations Loans and any Commitment or of any portion thereof or interest therein, including any Lender’s 's rights, title, interests, remedies, powers or duties thereunder, whether evidenced by a writing or not. Any assignment by a Lender shall (i) require the consent of Agent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed with respect to a Qualified Assignee) and, so long as no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower Representative (which shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed) and the execution of an assignment agreement (an “"Assignment Agreement”") substantially in the form -------------------- attached hereto as Exhibit 9.1(a) B and otherwise in form and substance reasonably satisfactory --------- to, and acknowledged by, Agent, provided, that neither the Agent’s nor the Borrower Representative’s consent shall be required if such assignment is to an existing Lender, to an Affiliate of such assigning Lender or to a special purpose entity organized to acquire commercial loans and managed by an existing Lender or an Affiliate or an existing Lender, and, provided, further that Borrower Representative’s consent shall not be required if such assignment is to a Qualified Assignee; (ii) be conditioned on such assignee Lender representing to the assigning Lender and Agent that (x) it is purchasing the applicable Loans to be assigned to it for its own account, for investment purposes and not with a view to the distribution thereof, and (y) that it, or its parent, has assets in excess of $100,000,000; (iii) if a partial assignment to a Person other than a Lender, be in an amount at least equal to $5,000,000 and, after giving effect to any such partial assignment, the assignee Lender shall have Commitments in an amount at least equal to $5,000,000 and the assigning Lender shall have retained Commitments in an amount at least equal to $5,000,000; and (iv) include a payment to Agent by the assignor or assignee of an assignment fee of $3,500. In the case of an assignment by a Lender under this Section 9.110.1, the assignee shall have, to ------------ the extent of such assignment, the same rights, benefits and obligations as all other Lenders hereunder and (v) not be effective until such assignment is reflected in the Loan Accountit would if it were a Lender hereunder. Subject to the proviso in the last sentence of Section 7.2, the The assigning Lender shall be relieved of its obligations hereunder with respect to its Commitments or assigned portion thereof from and after the date of such assignment. Each Credit Party Borrower hereby acknowledges and agrees that any assignment shall will give rise to a direct obligation of such Credit Party Borrower to the assignee and that the assignee shall be considered to be a “"Lender”". In all instances, each Lender’s 's liability to make Loans hereunder shall be several and not joint and shall be limited to such Lender’s 's Pro Rata Share of the applicable Commitment. In the event Agent or any Lender assigns or otherwise transfers all or any part of a Notethe Obligations, Agent or any such Lender shall so notify Borrowers Borrower and each Borrower shall shall, upon the request of Agent or such Lender, execute new Notes in exchange for the Notes Notes, if any, being assigned. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 9.1(a10.1(a), any Lender may --------------- at any time pledge as security for obligations of such Lender or assign all or any portion of the Obligations held by it and such Lender’s 's rights under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to a Federal Reserve Bank, and any PersonLender that is an investment fund may assign the Obligations held by it and such Lender's rights under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to another investment fund managed by the same investment advisor; provided, including however, that -------- ------- no such pledge to a Federal Reserve Bank; provided, that no such pledge or assignment Bank shall release such Lender from such Lender’s 's obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Document. (b) Any participation by a Lender of all or any part of its Commitments and Loans shall be entered into made with the understanding that all amounts payable by Borrowers Borrower hereunder shall be determined as if that Lender had not sold such participation, and that the holder of any such participation shall not be entitled to require such Lender to take or omit to take any action hereunder except actions directly affecting (i) any reduction in the principal amount of, or interest rate or Fees payable with respect to, any Loan in which such holder participates, (ii) any extension of the final maturity scheduled amortization of the principal amount of any Loan in which such holder participatesparticipates or the final maturity date thereof, and (iii) any release of all or substantially all of the Collateral (other than in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Collateral Documents or the other Loan Documents). Each participation created by any Lender shall provide that it shall be terminated by such Lender upon sale of such Lender’s Obligations pursuant to Section 7.3 (and such Lender shall pay to the participant all amounts required to be paid under such participation upon termination). Solely for purposes of Sections 1.131.9, 1.151.10, 1.16 1.11 and 9.810.7, each Borrower ------------ ---- ---- ---- acknowledges and agrees that a participation shall give rise to a direct obligation of such Borrower to the participant and the participant shall be considered to be a “"Lender”; provided, that any such participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 1.15 or Section 1.16 than the Lender granting such participation would have been entitled to receive with respect to the portion of its Commitment and Loans so participated". Except as set forth in the preceding sentence no neither Borrower nor any Loan Party shall have any obligation or duty to any participant. Neither Agent nor any Lender (other than the Lender selling a participation) shall have any duty to any participant and may continue to deal solely with the Lender selling a participation as if no such sale had occurred. (c) Except as expressly provided in this Section 9.1, no Lender shall, as between the Credit Parties, and that Lender, or Agent and that Lender, be relieved of any of its obligations hereunder as a result of any sale, assignment, transfer or negotiation of, or granting of participation in, all or any part of the Loans, the Notes or other Obligations owed to such Lender. (d) Each Credit Party shall assist any Lender permitted to sell assignments or participations under this Section 9.1 as reasonably required to enable the assigning or selling Lender to effect any such assignment or participation, including the execution and delivery of any and all agreements, notes and other documents and instruments as shall be requested and, in connection with the initial syndication of the Loans and Commitments and if otherwise requested by Agent, the preparation of informational materials for, and the participation of management in meetings with, potential assignees or participants. Each Credit Party shall certify the correctness, completeness and accuracy of all descriptions of the Credit Parties and their respective affairs contained in any selling materials provided by it and all other information provided by it and included in such materials, except that any Projections delivered by Borrowers shall only be certified by Borrowers as having been prepared by Borrowers in compliance with the representations contained in Section 3.4(c). (e) Any Lender may furnish any information concerning any Credit Party in the possession of such Lender from time to time to assignees and participants (including prospective assignees and participants); provided, that such Lender shall obtain from assignees or participants confidentiality covenants substantially equivalent to those contained in Section 11.8. (f) So long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, no Lender shall assign or sell participations in any portion of its Loans or Commitments to a potential Lender or participant, if, as of the date of the proposed assignment or sale, the assignee Lender or participant would be subject to capital adequacy, reserve or similar requirements under Section 1.16(a), increased costs under Section 1.16(b), an inability to fund LIBOR Loans under Section 1.16(c), or withholding taxes in accordance with Section l.16(d).any

Assignment and Participations Appointment of Agent. 9.1 Assignment and Participations. (a) Subject to the terms of this Section 9.1, any Lender may make an assignment to a Qualified Assignee of, or sell sale of participations in, at any time or times, the Loan Documents, Loans, Letter of Credit Obligations and any Commitment or any portion thereof or interest therein, including any Lender’s rights, title, interests, remedies, powers or duties thereunder; provided that Lender may not assign any portion of its Revolving Loan Commitment without a pro rata assignment of its Acquisition Loan Commitment and Lender may not assign any portion of its Acquisition Loan Commitment without a pro rata assignment of its Revolving Loan Commitment. Any assignment by a Lender shall shall: (i) require the consent of Agent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed with respect to a Qualified Assignee) and, so long as no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower Representative (which shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed) and the execution of an assignment agreement (an “Assignment Agreement”) ” substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 9.1(a) and otherwise in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to, and acknowledged by, Agent, provided, that neither the Agent’s nor the Borrower Representative’s consent shall be required if such assignment is to an existing Lender, to an Affiliate of such assigning Lender or to a special purpose entity organized to acquire commercial loans and managed by an existing Lender or an Affiliate or an existing Lender, and, provided, further that Borrower Representative’s consent shall not be required if such assignment is to a Qualified Assignee; (ii) be conditioned on such assignee Lender representing to the assigning Lender and Agent that it is purchasing the applicable Loans to be assigned to it for its own account, for investment purposes and not with a view to the distribution thereof; (iii) after giving effect to any such partial assignment, the assignee Lender shall have Commitments in an amount at least equal to $5,000,000 2,500,000 and the assigning Lender shall have retained Commitments in an amount at least equal to $5,000,0002,500,000; (iv) include a payment to Agent by the assignor or assignee of an assignment fee of $3,5003,500 and (v) so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, require the consent of Borrowers, which shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed; provided that no such consent shall be required for an assignment to a Qualified Assignee. In the case of an assignment by a Lender under this Section 9.1, the assignee shall have, to the extent of such assignment, the same rights, benefits and obligations as all other Lenders hereunder and (v) not be effective until such assignment is reflected in the Loan Accounthereunder. Subject to the proviso in the last sentence of Section 7.2, the The assigning Lender shall be relieved of its obligations hereunder with respect to its Commitments or assigned portion thereof from and after the date of such assignment. Each Credit Party Borrower hereby acknowledges and agrees that any assignment shall give rise to a direct obligation of such Credit Party Borrowers to the assignee and that the assignee shall be considered to be a “Lender”. In all instances, each Lender’s liability to make Loans hereunder shall be several and not joint and shall be limited to such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the applicable Commitment. In the event Agent or any Lender assigns or otherwise transfers all or any part of a Notethe Obligations, Agent or any such Lender shall so notify Borrowers and each Borrower shall Borrowers shall, upon the request of Agent or such Lender, execute new Notes in exchange for the Notes Notes, if any, being assigned. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 9.1(a), any Lender may at any time pledge as security for obligations of such Lender or assign all or any portion of the Obligations held by it and such Lender’s rights under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to any Person, including to a Federal Reserve Bank, and any Lender that is an investment fund may assign the Obligations held by it and such Lender’s rights under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to another investment fund managed by the same investment advisor; provided, that no such pledge or assignment to a Federal Reserve Bank shall release such Lender from such Lender’s obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Document. (b) Any participation by a Lender of all or any part of its Commitments and Loans shall be entered into made with the understanding that all amounts payable by Borrowers hereunder shall be determined as if that Lender had not sold such participation, and that the holder of any such participation shall not be entitled to require such Lender to take or omit to take any action hereunder except actions directly affecting (i) any reduction in the principal amount of, or interest rate or Fees payable with respect to, any Loan in which such holder participates, (ii) any extension of the final maturity scheduled amortization of the principal amount of any Loan in which such holder participatesparticipates or the final maturity date thereof, and (iii) any release of all or substantially all of the Collateral (other than in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Collateral Documents or the other Loan Documents). Each participation created by any Lender shall provide that it shall be terminated by such Lender upon sale of such Lender’s Obligations pursuant to Section 7.3 (and such Lender shall pay to the participant all amounts required to be paid under such participation upon termination). Solely for purposes of Sections 1.13, 1.15, 1.16 and 9.8, each Borrower acknowledges and agrees that a participation shall give rise to a direct obligation of such Borrower to the participant and the participant shall be considered to be a “Lender”; provided, that any such participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 1.15 or Section 1.16 than the Lender granting such participation would have been entitled to receive with respect to the portion of its Commitment and Loans so participated. Except as set forth in the preceding sentence no Borrower or Credit Party shall have any obligation or duty to any participant. Neither Agent nor any Lender (other than the Lender selling a participation) shall have any duty to any participant and may continue to deal solely with the Lender selling a participation as if no such sale had occurred. (c) Except as expressly provided in this Section 9.1, no Lender shall, as between the Credit Parties, Borrowers and that Lender, or Agent and that Lender, be relieved of any of its obligations hereunder as a result of any sale, assignment, transfer or negotiation of, or granting of participation in, all or any part of the Loans, the Notes or other Obligations owed to such Lender. (d) Each Credit Party executing this Agreement shall assist any Lender permitted to sell assignments or participations under this Section 9.1 as reasonably required to enable the assigning or selling Lender to effect any such assignment or participation, including the execution and delivery of any and all agreements, notes and other documents and instruments as shall be requested and, in connection with the initial syndication of the Loans and Commitments and if otherwise requested by Agent, the preparation of informational materials for, and the participation of management in meetings with, potential assignees or participants. Each Credit Party executing this Agreement shall certify the correctness, completeness and accuracy of all descriptions of the Credit Parties and their respective affairs contained in any selling materials provided by it them and all other information provided by it them and included in such materials, except that any Projections delivered by Borrowers shall only be certified by Borrowers as having been prepared by Borrowers in compliance with the representations contained in Section 3.4(c). (e) Any A Lender may furnish any information concerning any Credit Party Parties in the possession of such Lender from time to time to assignees and participants (including prospective assignees and participants); provided, provided that such Lender shall obtain from assignees or participants confidentiality covenants substantially equivalent to those contained in Section 11.8. (f) So long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, no Lender shall assign or sell participations in any portion of its Loans or Commitments to a potential Lender or participant, if, as of the date of the proposed assignment or sale, the assignee Lender or participant would be subject to capital adequacy, reserve adequacy or similar requirements under Section 1.16(a), increased costs under Section 1.16(b), an inability to fund LIBOR Loans under Section 1.16(c), or withholding taxes in accordance with Section l.16(d1.15(a). (g) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any Lender (a “Granting Lender”), may grant to a special purpose funding vehicle (an “SPC”), identified as such in writing by the Granting Lender to Agent and Borrowers, the option to provide to Borrowers all or any part of any Loans that such Granting Lender would otherwise be obligated to make to Borrowers pursuant to this Agreement; provided that (i) nothing herein shall constitute a commitment by any SPC to make any Loan; and (ii) if an SPC elects not to exercise such option or otherwise fails to provide all or any part of such Loan, the Granting Lender shall be obligated to make such Loan pursuant to the terms hereof. The making of a Loan by an SPC hereunder shall utilize the Commitment of the Granting Lender to the same extent, and as if such Loan were made by such Granting Lender. No SPC shall be liable for any indemnity or similar payment obligation under this Agreement (all liability for which shall remain with the Granting Lender). Any SPC may (i) with notice to, but without the prior written consent of, Borrowers and Agent and without paying any processing fee therefor assign all or a portion of its interests in any Loans to the Granting Lender or to any financial institutions (consented to by Borrowers and Agent) providing liquidity and/or credit support to or for the account of such SPC to support the funding or maintenance of Loans and (ii) disclose on a confidential basis any non-public information relating to its Loans to any rating agency, commercial paper dealer or provider of any surety, guarantee or credit or liquidity enhancement to such SPC. This Section 9.1(g) may not be amended without the prior written consent of each Granting Lender, all or any of whose Loans are being funded by an SPC at the time of such amendment. For the avoidance of doubt, the Granting Lender shall for all purposes, including without limitation, the approval of any amendment or waiver of any provision of any Loan Document or the obligation to pay any amount otherwise payable by the Granting Lender under the Loan Documents, continue to be the Lender of record hereunder.

Assignment and Participations Appointment of Agent. 9.1 Assignment and Participations (a) Subject to the terms of this Section 9.1, any Lender may make an assignment to a Qualified Assignee of, or sell participations in, at any time or times, the Loan Documents, Loans, Letter of Credit Obligations and any Commitment or any portion thereof or interest therein, including any Lender’s 's rights, title, interests, remedies, powers or duties thereunder. Any assignment by a Lender shall (i) require the consent of Agent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed with respect to a Qualified Assignee) and, so long as no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower Representative (which shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed) and the execution of an assignment agreement (an “Assignment Agreement”"ASSIGNMENT AGREEMENT") substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 9.1(a) and otherwise in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to, and acknowledged by, Agent, providedPROVIDED, that neither the Agent’s 's nor the Borrower Representative’s 's consent shall be required if such assignment is to an existing Lender, to an Affiliate of such assigning Lender or to a special purpose entity organized to acquire commercial loans and managed by an existing Lender or an Affiliate or an existing Lender, and, providedPROVIDED, further FURTHER that Borrower Representative’s 's consent shall not be required if such assignment is to a Qualified Assignee; (ii) be conditioned on such assignee Lender representing to the assigning Lender and Agent that it is purchasing the applicable Loans to be assigned to it for its own account, for investment purposes and not with a view to the distribution thereof; (iii) after giving effect to any such partial assignment, the assignee Lender shall have Commitments in an amount at least equal to $5,000,000 and the assigning Lender shall have retained Commitments in an amount at least equal to $5,000,000; (iv) include a payment to Agent by the assignor or assignee of an assignment fee of $3,500. In the case of an assignment by a Lender under this Section 9.1, the assignee shall have, to the extent of such assignment, the same rights, benefits and obligations as all other Lenders hereunder and (v) not be effective until such assignment is reflected in the Loan Account. Subject to the proviso in the last sentence of Section 7.2, the assigning Lender shall be relieved of its obligations hereunder with respect to its Commitments or assigned portion thereof from and after the date of such assignment. Each Credit Party hereby acknowledges and agrees that any assignment shall give rise to a direct obligation of such Credit Party to the assignee and that the assignee shall be considered to be a “Lender”"LENDER". In all instances, each Lender’s 's liability to make Loans hereunder shall be several and not joint and shall be limited to such Lender’s 's Pro Rata Share of the applicable Commitment. In the event Agent or any Lender assigns or otherwise transfers all or any part of a Note, Agent or any such Lender shall so notify Borrowers and each Borrower shall execute new Notes in exchange for the Notes being assigned. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 9.1(a), any Lender may at any time pledge as security for obligations of such Lender or assign all or any portion of such Lender’s 's rights under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to any Person, including to a Federal Reserve Bank; providedPROVIDED, that no such pledge or assignment shall release such Lender from such Lender’s 's obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Document. (b) Any participation by a Lender of all or any part of its Commitments and Loans shall be entered into with the understanding that all amounts payable by Borrowers hereunder shall be determined as if that Lender had not sold such participation, and that the holder of any such participation shall not be entitled to require such Lender to take or omit to take any action hereunder except actions directly affecting (i) any reduction in the principal amount of, or interest rate or Fees payable with respect to, any Loan in which such holder participates, (ii) any extension of the final maturity of the principal amount of any Loan in which such holder participates, and (iii) any release of all or substantially all of the Collateral (other than in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Collateral Documents or the other Loan Documents). Each participation created by any Lender shall provide that it shall be terminated by such Lender upon sale of such Lender’s 's Obligations pursuant to Section 7.3 (and such Lender shall pay to the participant all amounts required to be paid under such participation upon termination). Solely for purposes of Sections 1.13, 1.15, 1.16 and 9.8, each Borrower acknowledges and agrees that a participation shall give rise to a direct obligation of such Borrower to the participant and the participant shall be considered to be a “Lender”"LENDER"; providedPROVIDED, that any such participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 1.15 or Section 1.16 than the Lender granting such participation would have been entitled to receive with respect to the portion of its Commitment and Loans so participated. Except as set forth in the preceding sentence no Borrower shall have any obligation or duty to any participant. Neither Agent nor any Lender (other than the Lender selling a participation) shall have any duty to any participant and may continue to deal solely with the Lender selling a participation as if no such sale had occurred. (c) Except as expressly provided in this Section 9.1, no Lender shall, as between the Credit Parties, and that Lender, or Agent and that Lender, be relieved of any of its obligations hereunder as a result of any sale, assignment, transfer or negotiation of, or granting of participation in, all or any part of the Loans, the Notes or other Obligations owed to such Lender. (d) Each Credit Party shall assist any Lender permitted to sell assignments or participations under this Section 9.1 as reasonably required to enable the assigning or selling Lender to effect any such assignment or participation, including the execution and delivery of any and all agreements, notes and other documents and instruments as shall be requested and, in connection with the initial syndication of the Loans and Commitments and if otherwise requested by Agent, the preparation of informational materials for, and the participation of management in meetings with, potential assignees or participants. Each Credit Party shall certify the correctness, completeness and accuracy of all descriptions of the Credit Parties and their respective affairs contained in any selling materials provided by it and all other information provided by it and included in such materials, except that any Projections delivered by Borrowers shall only be certified by Borrowers as having been prepared by Borrowers in compliance with the representations contained in Section 3.4(c). (e) Any Lender may furnish any information concerning any Credit Party in the possession of such Lender from time to time to assignees and participants (including prospective assignees and participants); providedPROVIDED, that such Lender shall obtain from assignees or participants confidentiality covenants substantially equivalent to those contained in Section 11.8. (f) So long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, no Lender shall assign or sell participations in any portion of its Loans or Commitments to a potential Lender or participant, if, as of the date of the proposed assignment or sale, the assignee Lender or participant would be subject to capital adequacy, reserve or similar requirements under Section 1.16(a), increased costs under Section 1.16(b), an inability to fund LIBOR Loans under Section 1.16(c), or withholding taxes in accordance with Section l.16(d1.16(d).