Sub-Adviser Duties Subject to the supervision of the Fund’s Board of Trustees and the Manager, the Sub-Adviser will provide a continuous investment program for each Series’ portfolio and determine in its discretion the composition of the assets of each Series’ portfolio, including determination of the purchase, retention, or sale of the securities, cash, and other investments contained in the portfolio. The Sub-Adviser will provide investment research and conduct a continuous program of evaluation, investment, sales, and reinvestment of each Series’ assets by determining the securities and other investments that shall be purchased, entered into, sold, closed, or exchanged for the Series, when these transactions should be executed, and what portion of the assets of the Series should be held in the various securities and other investments in which it may invest. To the extent permitted by the investment policies of each Series, the Sub-Adviser shall make decisions for the Series as to foreign currency matters and make determinations as to and execute and perform foreign currency exchange contracts on behalf of the Series. The Sub-Adviser will provide the services under this Agreement in accordance with each Series’ investment objective or objectives, policies, and restrictions as stated in the Fund’s Registration Statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), as amended, to the extent copies of the Fund’s Registration Statement and related amendments are furnished to the Sub-Adviser by the Manager. The Sub-Adviser further agrees as follows:
(a) In carrying out its duties under the Sub-Advisory Agreement, the Sub-Adviser will conform with the 1940 Act and all rules and regulations thereunder, all other applicable federal and state laws and regulations, with any applicable procedures adopted by the Fund’s Board of Trustees of which the Sub-Adviser has been sent a copy, and the provisions of the Registration Statement of the Fund filed under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “1933 Act”) and the 1940 Act, as supplemented or amended, of which the Sub-Adviser has received a copy, and with the Manager’s portfolio manager operating policies and procedures as in effect on the date hereof, as such policies and procedures may be revised or amended by the Manager and agreed to by the Sub-Adviser. To the extent the Series is subject to state insurance laws, the Manager will notify the Sub-Adviser of relevant requirements and limitations applicable to the Series under such laws. In carrying out its duties under the Sub-Advisory Agreement, the Sub-Adviser will comply with the following policies and procedures:
(i) The Sub-Adviser will (1) manage each Series’ investments and work with the Manager to enable the Series to meet the income and asset diversification requirements of Section 851 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and (2) if applicable, manage each Series so that no action or omission on the part of the Sub-Adviser shall cause a Series to fail to comply with the diversification requirements of Section 817(h) of the Code, and the regulations issued thereunder.
(ii) The Sub-Adviser will have no duty to vote any proxy solicited by or with respect to the issuers of securities in which assets of the Series are invested in connection with annual and special meetings of equity stockholders, provided however, that the Sub-Adviser retains responsibility to vote or abstain from voting all proxies with respect to non-equity portfolio securities, and the Sub-Adviser retains responsibility to take any investment-related actions regarding corporate actions (for example, elections to participate in a tender offer, rights issue or buyback offer) with respect to all portfolio securities, unless the Manager gives the Sub-Adviser written instructions to the contrary.
(iii) In connection with the purchase and sale of securities for each Series, the Sub-Adviser will arrange for the transmission to the custodian and portfolio accounting agent for the Series on a daily basis, such confirmation, trade tickets, and other documents and information, including, but not limited to, Cusip, Sedol, or other numbers that identify securities to be purchased or sold on behalf of the Series, as may be reasonably necessary to enable the custodian and portfolio accounting agent to perform its administrative and record keeping responsibilities with respect to the Series. With respect to portfolio securities to be settled through the Depository Trust Company, the Sub-Adviser will arrange for the prompt transmission of the confirmation of such trades to the Fund’s custodian and portfolio accounting agent.
(iv) The Sub-Adviser will assist the custodian and portfolio accounting agent for the Fund in determining or confirming, consistent with the procedures and policies stated in the Registration Statement for the Fund or adopted by the Board of Trustees and furnished to the Sub-Adviser, the value of any portfolio securities or other assets of the Series for which the custodian and portfolio accounting agent reasonably seeks assistance from or identifies for review by the Sub-Adviser. The parties acknowledge that the Sub-Adviser is not a custodian of the Series’ assets and will not take possession or custody of such assets.
(v) The Sub-Adviser will provide the Manager, no later than the 12th business day following the end of each Series’ semi-annual period and fiscal year, narrative content to be included in a letter to shareholders (to be subject to review and editing by the Manager) containing a discussion of those factors referred to in Item 27(b)(7) of 1940 Act Form N-1A in respect of both the prior quarter and the fiscal year to date.
(vi) The Sub-Adviser will complete and deliver to the Manager a written compliance checklist in a form provided by the Manager for each month by the 10th business day of the following month.
(b) The Sub-Adviser will complete and deliver to the Manager by the 10th business day of each month a written report on each Series of the Fund that contains the following information as of the immediately previous month’s end.
(i) A performance comparison to the Series benchmark listed in the prospectus as well as a comparison to other mutual funds as listed in the rankings prepared by Lipper Analytical Services, Inc., Morningstar, Inc., or similar independent services that monitor the performance of mutual funds or with other appropriate indexes of investment securities;
(ii) Composition of the assets of each Series’ portfolio and the top ten holdings, sector distribution and other risk statistics on the Series; and
(iii) Confirmation of its understanding of each Series’ current investment objective and Sub-Adviser’s projected plan to seek to realize the Series’ investment objectives.
(c) Upon reasonable request by the Manager, the Sub-Adviser will work with the Manager clarify with Morningstar any style box conflicts with each Series’ style.
(d) The Sub-Adviser will make available to the Fund and the Manager, promptly upon request, any of the Series’ investment records and ledgers maintained by the Sub-Adviser (which shall not include the records and ledgers maintained by the custodian or portfolio accounting agent for the Fund) as are necessary to assist the Fund and the Manager to comply with requirements of the 1940 Act and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (the “Advisers Act”), as well as other applicable laws. The Sub-Adviser will furnish to regulatory authorities having the requisite authority any information or reports in connection with such services in respect to the Series which may be requested in order to ascertain whether the operations of the Fund are being conducted in a manner consistent with applicable laws and regulations.
(e) The Sub-Adviser will provide reports to the Fund’s Board of Trustees for consideration at meetings of the Board of Trustees on the investment program for each Series and the issuers and securities represented in each Series’ portfolio, and will furnish the Fund’s Board of Trustees with respect to each Series such periodic and special reports as the Trustees and the Manager may reasonably request.
Duties and Responsibilities of Executive (a) During the Employment Period, Executive shall devote his full time and attention during normal business hours to the business of the Employers, will act in the best interests of the Employers and will perform with due care his duties and responsibilities. Executive’s duties will include those normally incidental to the positions set forth in Section 1 hereof as well as whatever additional duties may be assigned to him by the Board of Directors of MEI (the “MEI Board”), the Chief Executive Officer of MEI, the Board of Directors of MERI (the “MERI Board”), or the Chief Executive Officer of MERI. Executive agrees to cooperate fully with the MEI Board, the Chief Executive Officer of MEI, the MERI Board, and the Chief Executive Officer of MEI, and not to engage in any activity that materially interferes with the performance of Executive’s duties hereunder. During the Employment Period, Executive will not hold employment other than that set forth in Section 1 hereof without the advance written approval of the Board of MEI and the Board of MERI. It shall not be a violation of this Agreement for Executive to (1) serve on corporate, civic, or charitable boards or committees (except for boards or committees of a business organization that competes with an Employer in any business in which the Employer is regularly engaged), which are listed on Exhibit A so long as such service does not materially interfere with the performance of Executive’s duties and responsibilities under this Agreement, as determined in the good faith opinion of the Board of MEI and the Board of MERI, (2) manage personal investments, or (3) take vacation days and reasonable absences due to injury or illness, as set forth herein and/or permitted by the general policies of the Employers.
(b) Executive represents and covenants to the Employers that he is not subject or a party to any employment agreement, noncompetition covenant, nondisclosure agreement, or any other agreement, covenant, understanding, or restriction that would prohibit Executive from executing this Agreement and fully performing his duties and responsibilities hereunder, or would in any manner, directly or indirectly, limit or affect the duties and responsibilities that may now or in the future be assigned to Executive hereunder.
(c) Executive acknowledges and agrees that Executive owes the Employers a duty of loyalty and that the obligations described in this Agreement are in addition to, and not in lieu of, the obligations Executive owes the Employers under the common law. MEI and MERI each acknowledge that Executive’s simultaneous employment with the Employers will not be considered a violation of any provision of this Section 2.
Employment Duties and Responsibilities A) The Company shall employ the Executive, and the Executive shall serve the Company, as President and Chief Executive Officer, with such duties and responsibilities as may be assigned to the Executive by the Board of Directors of the Company (“BOD”) and are typically associated with a position of that nature.
B) The Executive shall devote his best efforts and all of his business time to the performance of his duties under this Agreement and shall perform them faithfully, diligently and competently in a manner consistent with the policies and goals of the Company as determined from time to time by the BOD.
C) The Executive shall report to the BOD of the Company.
D) The Executive shall not engage in any activities outside the scope of his employment that would detract from, or interfere with, the fulfillment of his responsibilities or duties under this Agreement.
E) The Executive shall not serve as a director (or the equivalent position) of any company or entity other than the Company and shall not render services of a business, professional or commercial nature to any other person or firm, except for not-for-profit entities, without prior written consent of the BOD. Such consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.
F) The Executive shall not receive fees or other remuneration for work performed either within or outside the scope of his employment without prior written consent of the BOD. Such consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.
Certain Duties and Responsibilities The duties and responsibilities of the Trustee shall be as provided by the Trust Indenture Act. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no provision of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it. Whether or not therein expressly so provided, every provision of this Indenture relating to the conduct or affecting the liability of or affording protection to the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of this Section.
Position Duties and Responsibilities Place of Performance (a) Employee shall be employed and serve as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company (together with such other position or positions consistent with Employee’s title as the Board shall specify from time to time) and shall have such duties typically associated with such title. Subject to the foregoing, Employee also agrees to serve as an officer and/or director of the Company or any parent or subsidiary of the Company, as specified by the Board, in each case without additional compensation. Employee shall report directly and exclusively to the Board. In addition, the Company shall promptly appoint Employee to the Board and thereafter nominate Employee as a nominee for election to the Board and solicit proxies for his election for so long as he continues to serve as President and Chief Executive Officer.
(b) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, Employee shall devote his full business time, attention, and efforts to the performance of his duties under this Agreement and shall not engage in any other business or occupation during his employment with the Company pursuant to this Agreement, including, without limitation, any activity that (x) conflicts with the interests of the Company or its subsidiaries, (y) interferes with the proper and efficient performance of his duties for the Company, or (z) interferes with the exercise of his judgment in the Company’s best interests. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall preclude Employee from (i) serving, with the prior written consent of the Board, as a member of the board of directors or advisory boards (or their equivalents in the case of a non-corporate entity) of non-competing businesses and charitable organizations, (ii) engaging in charitable activities and community affairs, and (iii) subject to the terms and conditions set forth in Section 10 hereof, managing his personal investments and affairs; provided, however, that the activities set out in clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) shall be limited by Employee so as not to materially interfere, individually or in the aggregate, with the performance of his duties and responsibilities hereunder.
Duties of Contractor The Contractor shall provide the following services relative to this Contract:
Assignment or Delegation of Duties by Master Servicer The Master Servicer shall not assign or transfer any of its rights, benefits or privileges under this Agreement to any other Person, or delegate to or subcontract with, or authorize or appoint any other Person to perform any of the duties, covenants or obligations to be performed by the Master Servicer without the prior written consent of the Trustee, and any agreement, instrument or act purporting to effect any such assignment, transfer, delegation or appointment shall be void. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Master Servicer shall have the right without the prior written consent of the Trustee (i) to assign its rights and delegate its duties and obligations hereunder; provided, however, that (a) the purchaser or transferee accepting such assignment or delegation is qualified to service mortgage loans for FNMA or FHLMC, is satisfactory to the Trustee, in the exercise of its reasonable judgment, and executes and delivers to the Trustee an agreement, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, which contains an assumption by such purchaser or transferee of the due and punctual performance and observance of each covenant and condition to be performed or observed by the Master Servicer hereunder from and after the date of such agreement; and (b) each applicable Rating Agency's rating of any Certificates in effect immediately prior to such assignment, sale or transfer is not reasonably likely to be qualified, downgraded or withdrawn as a result of such assignment, sale or transfer and the Certificates are not reasonably likely to be placed on credit review status by any such Rating Agency; and (ii) to delegate to, subcontract with, authorize, or appoint an affiliate of the Master Servicer to perform and carry out any duties, covenants or obligations to be performed and carried out by the Master Servicer under this Agreement and hereby agrees so to delegate, subcontract, authorize or appoint to an affiliate of the Master Servicer any duties, covenants or obligations to be performed and carried out by the Master Servicer to the extent that such duties, covenants or obligations are to be performed in any state or states in which the Master Servicer is not authorized to do business as a foreign corporation but in which the affiliate is so authorized. In no case, however, shall any permitted assignment and delegation relieve the Master Servicer of any liability to the Trustee or the Seller under this Agreement, incurred by it prior to the time that the conditions contained in clause (i) above are met.
Position, Duties and Responsibilities During the Term (as defined in Section 2.01 below), Executive shall serve as Chief Financial Officer of Company as well as in such other positions or capacities as may be reasonably requested by the Board of Directors of Company (the “Board”) or the Chief Executive Officer of Company (the “CEO”) and shall have such duties and responsibilities as are customary for, and are consistent with, such position(s) as may, from time to time, be assigned by the Board, the CEO and/or any of their respective nominees. Executive’s employment by Company shall be full-time and exclusive to Company and Executive shall (a) report to Company’s CEO, (b) comply with Company’s policies and procedures in place from time to time, and (c) serve Company faithfully and to the best of Executive’s ability. During the Term, and except for paid time off in accordance with the terms of Section 3.01(G) below or absences due to illness or incapacity, Executive shall devote all of Executive’s business time, attention, skill and efforts exclusively to the business and affairs of Company (including its affiliates) and the promotion of its interests. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, Executive may do the following, provided that such activities do not inhibit or prohibit the performance of Executive’s duties hereunder or inhibit or conflict with the business of Company and/or its affiliates: (i) engage in charitable, educational, religious, civic and similar types of activities and manage Executive’s personal investments, and (ii) with consent of the Board which shall not be unreasonably withheld, serve on the board of directors, managers, advisors (or their equivalent) of outside business enterprises for up to 30 hours in the aggregate per calendar quarter (including but not limited to AngelMed, GenPro, and eNeura). Executive shall be required to spend on average eight days per month at the Company’s corporate offices in either Florida or Israel including travel. Executive acknowledges that he shall be required to travel as reasonably necessary to perform Executive’s duties hereunder, including international travel.
Assignment or Delegation of Duties by the Master Servicer Except as expressly provided herein, the Master Servicer shall not assign or transfer any of its rights, benefits or privileges hereunder to any other Person, or delegate to or subcontract with, or authorize or appoint any other Person to perform any of the duties, covenants or obligations to be performed by the Master Servicer; provided, however, that the Master Servicer shall have the right with the prior written consent of the Depositor (which shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), and upon delivery to the Trustee and the Depositor of a letter from each Rating Agency to the effect that such action shall not result in a downgrade of the ratings assigned to any of the Certificates, to delegate or assign to or subcontract with or authorize or appoint any qualified Person to perform and carry out any duties, covenants or obligations to be performed and carried out by the Master Servicer hereunder. Notice of such permitted assignment shall be given promptly by the Master Servicer to the Depositor and the Trustee. If, pursuant to any provision hereof, the duties of the Master Servicer are transferred to a successor master servicer, the entire compensation payable to the Master Servicer pursuant hereto shall thereafter be payable to such successor master servicer but in no event shall the fee payable to the successor master servicer exceed that payable to the predecessor master servicer.
Duties and Responsibilities of the Escrow Agent The Escrow Agent's duties and responsibilities shall be subject to the following terms and conditions:
(a) The Subscriber and Company acknowledge and agree that the Escrow Agent (i) shall not be responsible for or bound by, and shall not be required to inquire into whether either the Subscriber or Company is entitled to receipt of the Company Documents and Subscriber Documents pursuant to, any other agreement or otherwise; (ii) shall be obligated only for the performance of such duties as are specifically assumed by the Escrow Agent pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) may rely on and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any written notice, instruction, instrument, statement, request or document furnished to it hereunder and believed by the Escrow Agent in good faith to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper person or party, without being required to determine the authenticity or correctness of any fact stated therein or the propriety or validity or the service thereof; (iv) may assume that any person believed by the Escrow Agent in good faith to be authorized to give notice or make any statement or execute any document in connection with the provisions hereof is so authorized; (v) shall not be under any duty to give the property held by Escrow Agent hereunder any greater degree of care than Escrow Agent gives its own similar property; and (vi) may consult counsel satisfactory to Escrow Agent, the opinion of such counsel to be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by Escrow Agent hereunder in good faith and in accordance with the opinion of such counsel.
(b) The Subscriber and Company acknowledge that the Escrow Agent is acting solely as a stakeholder at their request and that the Escrow Agent shall not be liable for any action taken by Escrow Agent in good faith and believed by Escrow Agent to be authorized or within the rights or powers conferred upon Escrow Agent by this Agreement. The Subscriber and Company, jointly and severally, agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Escrow Agent and any of Escrow Agent's partners, employees, agents and representatives for any action taken or omitted to be taken by Escrow Agent or any of them hereunder, including the fees of outside counsel and other costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim or liability under this Agreement, except in the case of gross negligence or willful misconduct on Escrow Agent's part committed in its capacity as Escrow Agent under this Agreement. The Escrow Agent shall owe a duty only to the Subscriber and Company under this Agreement and to no other person.
(c) The Subscriber and Company jointly and severally agree to reimburse the Escrow Agent for outside counsel fees, to the extent authorized hereunder and incurred in connection with the performance of its duties and responsibilities hereunder.
(d) The Escrow Agent may at any time resign as Escrow Agent hereunder by giving five (5) days prior written notice of resignation to the Subscriber and the Company. Prior to the effective date of the resignation as specified in such notice, the Subscriber and Company will issue to the Escrow Agent a Joint Instruction authorizing delivery of the Company Documents and Subscriber Documents to a substitute Escrow Agent selected by the Subscriber and Company. If no successor Escrow Agent is named by the Subscriber and Company, the Escrow Agent may apply to a court of competent jurisdiction in the State of New York for appointment of a successor Escrow Agent, and to deposit the Company Documents and Subscriber Documents with the clerk of any such court.
(e) The Escrow Agent does not have and will not have any interest in the Company Documents and Subscriber Documents, but is serving only as escrow agent, having only possession thereof. The Escrow Agent shall not be liable for any loss resulting from the making or retention of any investment in accordance with this Escrow Agreement.
(f) This Agreement sets forth exclusively the duties of the Escrow Agent with respect to any and all matters pertinent thereto and no implied duties or obligations shall be read into this Agreement.
(g) The Escrow Agent shall be permitted to act as counsel for the Subscriber in any dispute as to the disposition of the Company Documents and Subscriber Documents, in any other dispute between the Subscriber and Company, whether or not the Escrow Agent is then holding the Company Documents and Subscriber Documents and continues to act as the Escrow Agent hereunder.
(h) The provisions of this Section 4.1 shall survive the resignation of the Escrow Agent or the termination of this Agreement.
