Release of All Claims In consideration of receiving from Heartland Bancshares, Inc. (“Company”), the payments and benefits provided for in the Change in Control Agreement, dated as of July 19, 2004 (“Change in Control Agreement”) between the Company and the undersigned (“Executive”), which payments and benefits the Executive was not otherwise entitled to receive (except for the benefits provided in Subsection 4(a)), the Executive unconditionally releases and discharges the Company from any and all claims, causes of action, demands, lawsuits or other charges whatsoever, known or unknown, directly or indirectly related to the Executive’s employment with the Company, except as otherwise provided herein. The claims or actions released herein include, but are not limited to, those based on allegations of wrongful discharge, breach of contract, promissory estoppel, defamation, infliction of emotional distress, and those alleging discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, or any other basis, including, but not limited to, any claim or action under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Equal Pay Act of 1963, the Civil Rights Act of 1991, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, or any other federal, state, or local law, rule, ordinance, or regulation as presently enacted or adopted and as each may hereafter be amended; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT THE EXECUTIVE DOES NOT WAIVE RIGHTS OR CLAIMS THAT MAY ARISE AFTER THE DATE OF THIS RELEASE, OR RIGHTS OR CLAIMS THAT ARISE EITHER BEFORE OR AFTER THE DATE OF THIS RELEASE OUT OF CLAIMS FOR BENEFITS UNDER ANY EMPLOYEE PENSION, WELFARE, OR BENEFIT PLAN OR PROGRAM OF THE COMPANY OR AS A RESULT OF THE COMPANY’S BREACH OF THE CHANGE IN CONTROL AGREEMENT. With respect to any claim that Executive might have under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, as amended:
General Release of All Claims (a) For valuable consideration, the adequacy of which is hereby acknowledged, the undersigned Executive, on his own behalf and on behalf of his heirs, executors, administrators, successors, representatives and assigns, does herein knowingly and voluntarily unconditionally release, waive, and fully discharge the Parent, the Company and each of their subsidiaries (including successors and assigns thereof) and all of their respective past, present and future employees, officers, directors, agents, affiliates, parents, predecessors, administrators, representatives, attorneys, and shareholders, and employee benefit plans, from any and all legal claims, liabilities, suits, causes of action (whether before a court or an administrative agency), damages, costs, attorneys’ fees, interest, injuries, expenses, debts, or demands of any nature whatsoever, known or unknown, liquidated or unliquidated, absolute or contingent, at law or in equity, which were or could have been filed with any Federal, state or local court, agency, arbitrator or any other entity, based directly on indirectly on the Executive’s employment with and separation from the Company or based on any other alleged act or omission by or on behalf of the Parent, or the Company prior to the Executive’s signing this Noncompetition Agreement. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing terms, this Noncompetition Agreement and this Section providing a general release of all claims specifically includes all claims based on the terms, conditions, and privileges of employment, and those based on breach of contract (express or implied), tort, harassment, intentional infliction of emotional distress, defamation, negligence, privacy, employment discrimination, retaliation, discharge not for just cause, constructive discharge, wrongful discharge, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, as amended (the “ADEA”), the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act of 1990, the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, as amended, Executive Order 11,141 (age discrimination), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, the Civil Rights Act of 1991, the Civil Rights Act of 1866 and 1871, Section 1981 through 1988 of Title 42 of the United States Code, as amended, 41 U.S.C. Section 1981 (discrimination), 29 U.S.C. Section 206(d)(1) (equal pay), Executive Order 11,246 (race, color, religion, sex and national origin discrimination), the National Labor Relations Act, the Equal Pay Act of 1993, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, as amended, the Family Medical Leave Act, the Immigration Reforn and Control Act, as amended, the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act, Sections 503-504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (handicap rehabilitation), the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, any federal, state or local fair employment, civil or human rights, wage and hour laws and wage payment laws, and any other Federal, state, local or other governmental statutes, laws, ordinances, regulations and orders, under common law, and under any Company policy, procedure, bylaw or rule. This Section 5 of the Noncompetition Agreement shall not waive or release any rights or claims that the Executive may have which arise after the date of this Noncompetition Agreement or that arise under or are preserved by the Agreement, and shall not waive any claims for benefits required by applicable law (including post-termination health-continuation insurance benefits required by state or Federal law) or claims arising under the terms of any applicable plan, program or other arrangement of the Company.
(b) The Executive intends this Section 5 of the Noncompetition Agreement to be binding on his successors, and the Executive specifically agrees not to file or continue any claim in respect of matters covered herein. The Executive further agrees never to institute any suit, complaint, proceeding, grievance or action of any kind at law, in equity, or otherwise in any court of the United States or in any state, or in any administrative agency of the United States or any state, county or municipality, or before any other tribunal, public or private, against the Company arising from or relating to his employment with or his termination of employment from the Company and/or any other occurrences to the date of this Noncompetition Agreement, other than a claim challenging the validity of this Section 5 of the Noncompetition Agreement under the ADEA or respecting any matters not covered herein.
(c) The Executive is further waiving his right to receive money or other relief in any action instituted by him or on his behalf by any person, entity or governmental agency in respect of matters covered by this Section 5. Nothing in this Section 5 shall limit the rights of any governmental agency or his right of access to, cooperation or participation with any governmental agency, including without limitation, the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The Executive further agrees to waive his rights under any other statute or regulation, state or federal, with provides that a general release does not extend to claims which the Executive does not know or suspect to exist in his favor at the time of executive this Noncompetition Agreement, which if known to him must have materially affected his settlement with the Company and/or the Parent.
(d) The Executive agrees that he shall not be eligible and shall not seek or apply for reinstatement or re-employment with the Company, and he agrees that any application for re-employment may be rejected without explanation or liability pursuant to this provision.
(e) In further consideration of the promises made by the Company and the Parent in this Noncompetition Agreement, the Executive specifically waives and releases such parties, to the extent set forth in this Section 5, from all claims the Executive may have as of the date of this Noncompetition Agreement, whether known or unknown, arising under the ADEA. The Executive further agrees that:
(1) the Executive’s waiver of rights under Section 5 of this Noncompetition Agreement is knowing and voluntary and in compliance with the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act of 1990 (“OWBPA”);
(2) the Executive understands the terms of this Section 5 of the Noncompetition Agreement;
(3) the consideration offered by the Company on its behalf and on behalf of the Parent under this Noncompetition Agreement and the Agreement in exchange for the general release of all claims in this Section 5 represents consideration over and above that to which the Executive would otherwise be entitled, and that the consideration would not have been provided had the Executive no agreed to sign this Noncompetition Agreement and did not sign it;
(4) the Company is hereby advising the Executive in writing to consult with an attorney prior to executing this Noncompetition Agreement;
(5) the Company is giving the Executive a period of twenty-one (21) days within which to consider this Noncompetition Agreement;
(6) following the Executive’s execution of this Noncompetition Agreement, the Executive has seen (7) days in which to revoke this Noncompetition Agreement by written notice. An attempted revocation not actually received by the Company prior to the revocation deadline will not be effective; and
(7) this Noncompetition Agreement, the Agreement, and all payments and benefits under either or both of them shall be void and of no force and effect if the Executive chooses to so revoke, and if the Executive chooses not to so revoke this Noncompetition Agreement and the Agreement then become effective and enforceable.
(f) This Section 5 does not waive rights or claims that may arise under the ADEA after the date the Executive signs this Noncompetition Agreement. To the extent barred by the OWBPA, the covenant not to xxx contained herein does not apply to claims under the ADEA that challenge the validity of this Section 5 of the Noncompetition Agreement.
(g) To revoke this Noncompetition Agreement, the Executive must send a written statement of revocation to: Aon Corporation, 000 Xxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Chicago, Illinois 60602, 3d Floor, attention General Counsel, with a copy to the Secretary. The revocation must be received no later than 5:00 pm on the seventh day following the Executive’s execution of this Noncompetition Agreement. If the Executive does not revoke, the eighth day following the Executive’s acceptance will be the “effective date” of this Noncompetition Agreement.
Release of Unknown Claims Employee expressly waives and relinquishes all rights and benefits afforded by any statute (including, but not limited to, Section 1542 of the Civil Code of the State of California and analogous laws of other states), which limits the effect of a release with respect to unknown claims. Employee does so understanding and acknowledging the significance of the release of unknown claims and the waiver of statutory protection against a release of unknown claims (including, but not limited to, Section 1542). Section 1542 of the Civil Code of the State of California states as follows: “A GENERAL RELEASE DOES NOT EXTEND TO CLAIMS WHICH THE CREDITOR OR RELEASING PARTY DOES NOT KNOW OR SUSPECT TO EXIST IN HIS OR HER FAVOR AT THE TIME OF EXECUTING THE RELEASE AND THAT, IF KNOWN BY HIM OR HER, WOULD HAVE MATERIALLY AFFECTED HIS OR HER SETTLEMENT WITH THE DEBTOR OR RELEASED PARTY.” Thus, notwithstanding the provisions of Section 1542 or of any similar statute, and for the purpose of implementing a full and complete release and discharge of the Company Releasees, Employee expressly acknowledges that this Agreement is intended to include in its effect, without limitation, all Claims which are known and all Claims which Employee does not know or suspect to exist in Employee’s favor at the time of execution of this Agreement and that this Agreement contemplates the extinguishment of all such Claims. Employee acknowledges that he/she might hereafter discover facts different from, or in addition to, those Employee now knows or believes to be true with respect to a Claim or Claims released herein, and they expressly agree to assume the risk of possible discovery of additional or different facts, and agree that this Agreement shall be and remain effective, in all respects, regardless of such additional or different discovered facts.
Conditions to Obligations of All Parties The obligations of each party to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall be subject to the fulfillment, at or prior to the Closing, of each of the following conditions:
(a) No Governmental Authority shall have enacted, issued, promulgated, enforced or entered any Governmental Order which is in effect and has the effect of making the transactions contemplated by this Agreement illegal, otherwise restraining or prohibiting consummation of such transactions or causing any of the transactions contemplated hereunder to be rescinded following completion thereof.
Waiver of Unknown Claims This Agreement is intended to be effective as a general release of and bar to each and every Claim hereinabove specified. Accordingly, Executive hereby expressly waives any rights and benefits conferred by Section 1542 of the California Civil Code and any similar provision of any other applicable state law as to the Claims. Section 1542 of the California Civil Code provides: “A GENERAL RELEASE DOES NOT EXTEND TO CLAIMS THAT THE CREDITOR OR RELEASING PARTY DOES NOT KNOW OR SUSPECT TO EXIST IN HIS OR HER FAVOR AT THE TIME OF EXECUTING THE RELEASE AND THAT, IF KNOWN BY HIM OR HER, WOULD HAVE MATERIALLY AFFECTED HIS OR HER SETTLEMENT WITH THE DEBTOR OR RELEASED PARTY.” Executive acknowledges that Executive later may discover claims, demands, causes of action or facts in addition to or different from those which Executive now knows or believes to exist with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement and which, if known or suspected at the time of executing this Agreement, may have materially affected its terms. Nevertheless, Executive hereby waives, as to the Claims, any claims, demands, and causes of action that might arise as a result of such different or additional claims, demands, causes of action or facts.
Release of Releasees
(1) Upon the Effective Date, and in consideration of payment of the Settlement Amount, and for other valuable consideration set forth in the Settlement Agreement, the Releasors forever and absolutely release the Releasees from the Released Claims that any of them, whether directly, indirectly, derivatively, or in any other capacity, ever had, now have, or hereafter can, shall, or may have.
Conditions to All Parties’ Obligations Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the obligations of each of the parties to this Agreement to consummate the transactions described herein shall be conditioned upon the satisfaction of each of the following conditions precedent on or prior to the Closing Date:
Conditions Precedent to the Effectiveness of this Agreement The effectiveness of this Agreement is subject to the satisfaction (or substantially simultaneous satisfaction) of the following conditions precedent:
(a) The Agent shall have received all fees and expenses (including, but not limited to, reasonable fees and expenses of counsel to the Agent) required to be paid on the Closing Date, pursuant to the terms of this Agreement and each Fee Letter and the Annex thereto.
(b) The Agent shall have received on or before the Closing Date, the following, each (unless otherwise indicated) dated as of the Closing Date (unless otherwise specified), in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent:
(i) This Agreement, duly executed and delivered by the Seller and the Servicer;
(ii) The Receivables Sale Agreement, duly executed by the Seller and each Originator, together with:
(A) Proper financing statements naming each Originator as debtor, the Seller as secured party and the Agent, as assignee, to be filed under the UCC of all jurisdictions that the Agent may deem necessary in order to perfect the Seller’s interests created or purported to be created by the Receivables Sale Agreement;
(B) Proper financing statement terminations or releases, if any, necessary to release all security interests and other rights of any Person in the Receivables, Related Security, Collections or Contracts previously granted by any Originator;
(C) The Consent and Agreement, duly executed by the Seller and each Originator; and
(D) A Subordinated Note, in substantially the form of Exhibit B to the Receivables Sale Agreement, payable to the order of each Originator, and duly executed by the Seller;
(iii) The Equistar Undertaking, duly executed and delivered by Equistar;
(iv) (x) A Lock-Box Agreement with each Lock-Box Bank, executed by such Lock-Box Bank, the Agent and the Seller, the Servicer or an Originator, as applicable, and (y) a control agreement, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent, with each depository bank maintaining any other Restricted Account, executed by such depository bank, the Agent, the Seller and the Servicer, as applicable;
(v) The Intercreditor Agreement duly executed by each party thereto;
(vi) Good standing certificates (or equivalent) issued by the Secretary of State of the jurisdiction of incorporation of each Transaction Party;
(vii) A copy of the articles or certificate of incorporation (or equivalent Constituent Document) of each Transaction Party, certified as of a recent date by the Secretary of State (or equivalent body) of the state of organization of such Transaction Party;
(viii) A certificate of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of each Transaction Party certifying (A) the names and true signatures of each officer of such Transaction Party that has been authorized to execute and deliver any Transaction Document or other document required hereunder to be executed and delivered by or on behalf of such Transaction Party, (B) the by-laws (or equivalent Constituent Document) of such Transaction Party as in effect on the date of such certification, (C) the resolutions of such Transaction Party’s Board of Directors (or equivalent governing body) approving and authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents to which it is a party and (D) that there have been no changes in the certificate of incorporation (or equivalent Constituent Document) of such Transaction Party from the certificate of incorporation (or equivalent Constituent Document) delivered pursuant to clause (vii) above;
(ix) A certificate of a Principal Financial Officer of each Transaction Party certifying that the conditions set forth in Sections 3.1(a), (b), (c), (e), (f) and (h) have been satisfied;
(x) A certificate of a Principal Financial Officer of each of the Seller and Originators stating that such Transaction Party is Solvent after giving effect to the transactions contemplated hereunder and under the other Transaction Documents;
(xi) Proper financing statements naming the Seller, as debtor, and the Agent, as secured party, to be filed under the UCC of all jurisdictions that the Agent may deem necessary in order to perfect the ownership interests created or purported to be created by the Transactions Documents;
(xii) Proper financing statement terminations or releases, if any, necessary to release all security interests and other rights of any Person in the Pool Receivables, Contracts, Related Security or Collections previously granted by the Seller or any Originator; and
(xiii) Favorable opinions of (A) Xxxxxx X. X’Xxxxx, General Counsel of Equistar, in substantially the form of Exhibit I-2 hereto and as to such other matters as the Agent may reasonably request, (B) Xxxxx Xxxxx L.L.P., counsel to the Transaction Parties, in substantially the forms of Exhibit I-1 and I-3 hereto as to such other matters as the Agent may reasonably request, including without limitation (1) a “true sale” opinion with respect to the sale of Receivable Assets under and as defined in the Receivables Sale Agreement from each Originator to the Seller, (2) an opinion with respect to the non-substantive consolidation of the Seller with each other Transaction Party or any of its Affiliates in a case under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, and (3) an opinion relating to the enforceability of the Transaction Documents, compliance with all laws and regulations (including Regulation U of the Board), the perfection of all ownership and other interests purported to be granted under the Transaction Documents, and no conflicts with material agreements, and (C) special counsel to the Agent, as the Agent may reasonably request.
(c) Each of the Seller, the Originators and the Servicer shall have received all necessary governmental and third party consents and approvals necessary in connection with Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby (without the imposition of any conditions that are not reasonably acceptable to the Purchasers) and shall remain in effect, and all applicable governmental filings (except for the UCC financing statements referred to in this Section 3.1) shall have been made and all applicable waiting periods shall have expired without in either case any action being taken by any competent authority; and no law or regulation shall be applicable in the judgment of the Purchasers that restrains, prevents or imposes materially adverse conditions upon the Transaction Documents or the transactions contemplated thereby.
(d) The Purchasers shall have received and be satisfied with (i) audited financial statements of Equistar and its Consolidated Subsidiaries for the Fiscal Year ending December 31, 2002 by independent nationally-recognized public accountants which statements shall be unqualified, (ii) interim unaudited quarterly financial statements of Equistar and its Consolidated Subsidiaries, through the fiscal quarter ending September 30, 2003, and (iii) the financial projections of Equistar and its Consolidated Subsidiaries covering the Fiscal Years ending in 2003 through 2007, inclusive, that are included in the Confidential Information Memorandum.
(i) All obligations for outstanding capital, accrued and unpaid yield and fees and other amounts then due and payable under the Existing Program shall have been concurrently satisfied, (ii) all documentation relating to the Existing Program shall have been concurrently terminated on terms satisfactory to the Agent and (iii) the Agent shall have received evidence of such termination in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent.
(f) The ABF Agreement shall be in full force and effect and no default shall exist thereunder.
(g) The Agent shall be satisfied with the results of a field examination of the Originators conducted by CUSA’s internal auditors no more than 3 months prior to the Closing Date.
(h) Total Excess Availability (after giving effect to the effectiveness of this Agreement and the ABF Agreement) shall be at least $300,000,000 on the Closing Date. The Agent shall promptly notify the Seller, the Servicer and the Purchasers of the Closing Date, and such notice shall be conclusive and binding on all parties hereto.
Conditions to Effectiveness of this Agreement This Agreement shall become effective on and as of the date hereof (the “Incremental Facility Closing Date”), upon satisfaction of only the following conditions:
(a) The Administrative Agent and the Incremental Term Lender shall have received from the Borrower, Holdings, each Subsidiary Guarantor, the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent and the Incremental Term Lender either (i) a counterpart of this Agreement signed on behalf of such party or (ii) written evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Incremental Term Lender (which may include telecopy or other electronic transmission (including “pdf”) of a signed signature page of this Agreement) that such party has signed a counterpart of this Agreement.
(b) The Administrative Agent and the Incremental Term Lender shall have received, on behalf of such parties and the Lenders, an opinion of Xxxxxx & Bird LLP, as special counsel for the Loan Parties and Xxxx Plant Xxxxx, as Minnesota special counsel for the Loan Parties, each dated as of the Incremental Facility Closing Date and addressed to the Administrative Agent, the Incremental Term Lender and the Lenders, and of such other counsel to the Loan Parties satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Incremental Term Lender, in each case, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Incremental Term Lender.
(c) The Administrative Agent shall have received: (i) a certificate as to the good standing of each Loan Party, as of a recent date, from the Secretary of State or similar Governmental Authority of the state of its incorporation or organization and (ii) an Officer’s Certificate of the Secretary or Assistant Secretary of each Loan Party dated the Incremental Facility Closing Date and certifying (A) that attached thereto are copies of the certificate or articles of incorporation or organization, including all amendments thereto, of each Loan Party, certified as of a recent date by the Secretary of State of the state of its organization, (B) that attached thereto are the true and complete copy of the bylaws or operating (or limited liability company) agreement of such Loan Party as in effect on the Incremental Facility Closing Date, (C) that attached thereto is a true and complete copy of resolutions duly adopted by the Governing Board of such Loan Party authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of the Loan Documents to which such Person is a party and, in the case of the Borrower, the borrowings hereunder, and that such resolutions have not been modified, rescinded or amended and are in full force and effect, and (D) as to the incumbency and specimen signature of each officer executing any Loan Document on behalf of such Loan Party and countersigned by another officer as to the incumbency and specimen signature of the Secretary or Assistant Secretary executing the certificate pursuant to clause (ii) above.
(d) The Administrative Agent shall have received an Officer’s Certificate, dated the Incremental Facility Closing Date and signed by a Financial Officer of the Borrower, certifying compliance with the conditions precedent set forth in Sections 3(f), (g), (i) and (j) hereof (and, in the case of clause (i), attaching calculations demonstrating such compliance).
(e) The Incremental Term Lender shall have received (i) all fees due and payable on the Incremental Facility Closing Date pursuant to any agreement relating to the arrangement of the Incremental Term Loan Commitments and (ii) to the extent invoiced at least two Business Days prior to the Incremental Facility Closing Date, all costs and expenses due and payable (whether pursuant to the Loan Documents or any agreement relating to the arrangement of the Incremental Term Loan Commitments) on or prior to the Incremental Facility Closing Date, including, to the extent invoiced, reimbursement or payment of all reasonable and documented out of pocket costs and expenses (including, without limitation, reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP) required to be reimbursed or paid by the Loan Parties hereunder or under any Loan Document.
(f) The representations and warranties of each Loan Party set forth in Section 5 of this Agreement and in each other Loan Document shall be true and correct in all material respects on and as of the Incremental Facility Closing Date with the same effect as though made on and as of such date, except to the extent such representations and warranties expressly relate to an earlier date or period, in which case they shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date or period; provided that any representation and warranty that is qualified as to “materiality”, “Material Adverse Effect” or similar language shall be true and correct (after giving effect to any qualification therein) in all respects on the Incremental Facility Closing Date or on such earlier date, as the case may be.
(g) No Default or Event of Default shall exist or would immediately result from the extension of the Incremental Term Loans or from the application of the proceeds therefrom.
(h) The Borrower shall have delivered or caused to be delivered to the Administrative Agent and the Incremental Term Lender a solvency certificate from the Chief Financial Officer of Holdings setting forth the conclusions that, after giving effect to the transactions contemplated hereby, Holdings and its Subsidiaries (on a consolidated basis) are Solvent.
(i) The incurrence of the Incremental Term Loans and the application of proceeds thereof (and assuming the Incremental Term Loans are fully drawn) complies with the requirements set forth in Section 2.22(a) of the Credit Agreement.
(j) The Borrower shall have given notice of the prepayment of the outstanding “Revolving Loans” under and as defined in the Revolving Credit Agreement in accordance with Section 2.12(b) of the Revolving Credit Agreement, and substantially contemporaneously with the funding of the Incremental Term Loans, shall have made such prepayment of such Revolving Loans.
(k) The Administrative Agent and the Incremental Term Lender shall have received prior to the Incremental Facility Closing Date, to the extent requested from the Borrower in writing by the Administrative Agent at least 2 Business Days prior the Incremental Facility Closing Date, all documentation and other information required by regulatory authorities under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the USA Patriot Act that has been requested by the Administrative Agent prior to the Incremental Facility Closing Date.
Conditions Precedent to the Effectiveness of this Amendment This Amendment shall become effective as of the date first written above when, and only when, each of the following conditions precedent shall have been satisfied or waived (the “Amendment No. 1 Effective Date”) by the Administrative Agent:
