Reliance by Collateral Agent The Collateral Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing (including any electronic message, internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or otherwise authenticated by the proper Person. The Collateral Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to have been made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon. The Collateral Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for Borrower), independent accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts.
Duties of Collateral Agent Subject to the Collateral Agent having been directed to take such action in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, each Creditor hereby irrevocably authorizes the Collateral Agent to take such action on its behalf under the provisions of the Collateral Documents and any other instruments, documents and agreements referred to in the Collateral Documents and to exercise such powers under the Collateral Documents as are specifically delegated to the Collateral Agent by the terms of the Collateral Documents and such other powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. Subject to the provisions of Section 11 of this Agreement, the Collateral Agent is hereby irrevocably authorized to take all actions on behalf of the Creditors to enforce the rights and remedies of the Collateral Agent and the Creditors provided for in the Collateral Documents or by applicable law with respect to the liens upon and security interests in the Collateral granted to secure the Obligations or the other rights and remedies granted to the Collateral Agent pursuant thereto, provided, however, that, notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in any Collateral Documents, (i) the Collateral Agent shall act solely at and in accordance with the written direction of the Required Creditors, (ii) the Collateral Agent shall not, without the written consent of all of the Qualified Creditors, release or terminate by affirmative action or consent any lien upon or security interest in any Collateral granted under any Collateral Documents (except (x) upon (1) dispositions of Collateral by a Grantor and (2) removal of the Material Subsidiary (as defined in the Bank Credit Agreement) designation of a Subsidiary (as defined in the Bank Credit Agreement), in each case as permitted in accordance with the terms of all of the Senior Indebtedness Documents and prior to the occurrence of an Event of Default, (y) upon disposition of such Collateral after an Event of Default pursuant to direction given under clause (i) of this Section 2(b) and (z) to the extent authorized under the provisions of the last sentence of Section 12.1 of the Bank Credit Agreement, paragraph 11V of the Prudential Note Purchase Agreement and paragraph 11V of the NY Life Note Purchase Agreement), and (iii) the Collateral Agent shall not accept any Obligations in whole or partial consideration for the disposition of any Collateral without the written consent of all of the Qualified Creditors. The Collateral Agent agrees to make such demands and give such notices under the Collateral Documents as may be requested by, and to take such action to enforce the Collateral Documents and to foreclose upon, collect and dispose of the Collateral or of the Collateral Documents as may be directed by, the Required Creditors; provided, however, that the Collateral Agent shall not be required to take any action that is contrary to law or the terms of the Collateral Documents or this Agreement. Once a direction to take any action has been given by the Required Creditors to the Collateral Agent, and subject to any other directions which may be given from time to time by the Required Creditors, decisions regarding the manner in which any such action is to be implemented and conducted (with the exception of any decision to settle, compromise or dismiss any legal proceeding, with or without prejudice) shall be made by the Collateral Agent, with the assistance and upon the advice of its counsel. Notwithstanding the provisions of the preceding sentence, any decision to settle, compromise or dismiss any legal proceeding, with or without prejudice, which implements, approves or results in or has the effect of causing any release, change or occurrence, where such release, change or occurrence otherwise would require unanimous approval of all of the Qualified Creditors pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, also shall require the unanimous approval of all of the Qualified Creditors.
Rights of the Collateral Agent (i) The Collateral Agent may conclusively rely and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting on any document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper Person. The Collateral Agent need not investigate any fact or matter stated in any such document. The Collateral Agent shall not be obligated to communicate with or deal in any way with any Secured Party other than the Trustee and any Additional Pari Passu Agent. In determining (x) the amount of Secured Obligations outstanding under the Indenture or any Permitted Additional Pari Passu Lien Agreement or (y) whether the consent of any Secured Party to any amendment, waiver or other action under this Agreement or any other Security Document has been obtained, the Collateral Agent may conclusively rely on any statement by the Trustee or the applicable Additional Pari Passu Agent as to such matter.
(ii) The Collateral Agent may act through its attorneys and agents and shall not be responsible for the misconduct or negligence of any attorney or agent appointed with due care.
(iii) The Collateral Agent shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith that it believes to be authorized or within the rights or powers conferred upon it by this Agreement or any other Security Document. Whenever in the administration of this Agreement or any Security Document the Collateral Agent shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Collateral Agent (unless other evidence be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, conclusively rely upon an Officers’ Certificate.
(iv) Unless otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement or any other Security Document, any demand, request, direction or notice from any Grantor shall be sufficient if evidenced by an Officer’s Certificate.
(v) The Collateral Agent shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Agreement or any other Security Document at the request or direction of any of the Secured Parties unless such Secured Parties shall have offered to the Collateral Agent reasonable security and indemnity reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent against the costs, expenses and liabilities that might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction.
(vi) The Collateral Agent shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or documents, but the Collateral Agent, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Collateral Agent shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to examine during normal business hours and upon reasonable notice the books, records and premises of any Grantor, personally or by agent or attorney at the sole cost of the Grantors, and shall incur no liability or additional liability of any kind by reason of such inquiry or investigation.
(vii) The rights, privileges, protections and benefits given to the Collateral Agent, including, without limitation, its rights to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Collateral Agent in each of its capacities hereunder, and to each agent, custodian and other Persons employed to act hereunder or under any Security Document.
(viii) The Collateral Agent may request that the Issuers deliver an Officers’ Certificate setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Agreement or any other Security Document, which Officers’ Certificate may be signed by any person authorized to sign an Officers’ Certificate, including any person specified as so authorized in any such certificate previously delivered and not superseded
(ix) The permissive right of the Collateral Agent to take or refrain from taking any actions enumerated in this Agreement or any other Security Document shall not be construed as a duty.
Application of Proceeds of Collateral Except as provided in subsection 2.4B(iii)(a) with respect to prepayments from Net Asset Sale Proceeds, all proceeds received by Administrative Agent in respect of any sale of, collection from, or other realization upon all or any part of the Collateral under any Collateral Document may, in the discretion of Administrative Agent, be held by Administrative Agent as Collateral for, and/or (then or at any time thereafter) applied in full or in part by Administrative Agent against, the applicable Secured Obligations (as defined in such Collateral Document) in the following order of priority:
(a) To the payment of all costs and expenses of such sale, collection or other realization, including reasonable compensation to Administrative Agent and its agents and counsel, and all other expenses, liabilities and advances made or incurred by Administrative Agent in connection therewith, and all amounts for which Administrative Agent is entitled to indemnification under such Collateral Document and all advances made by Administrative Agent thereunder for the account of the applicable Loan Party, and to the payment of all costs and expenses paid or incurred by Administrative Agent in connection with the exercise of any right or remedy under such Collateral Document, all in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and such Collateral Document;
(b) thereafter, to the extent of any excess such proceeds, to the payment of all other such Secured Obligations for the ratable benefit of the holders thereof; and
(c) thereafter, to the extent of any excess such proceeds, to the payment to or upon the order of such Loan Party or to whosoever may be lawfully entitled to receive the same or as a court of competent jurisdiction may direct.
Rights and Remedies of the Collateral Agent (a) In addition to the rights and remedies set forth herein or otherwise available at law or in equity, after a collateral event of default (as specified in Section 13.01(b)) hereunder, the Collateral Agent shall have all of the rights and remedies with respect to the Collateral of a secured party under the UCC (whether or not the UCC is in effect in the jurisdiction where the rights and remedies are asserted) and the TRADES Regulations and such additional rights and remedies to which a secured party is entitled under the laws in effect in any jurisdiction where any rights and remedies hereunder may be asserted. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, such remedies may include, to the extent permitted by applicable law, (1) retention of the Notes underlying Pledged Applicable Ownership Interests in Notes, the Pledged Treasury Securities and/or the Pledged Applicable Ownership Interests in the Treasury Portfolio in full satisfaction of the Holders’ obligations under the Purchase Contracts and the Purchase Contract Agreement and/or (2) sale of the Notes underlying Pledged Applicable Ownership Interests in Notes, the Pledged Treasury Securities or the Pledged Applicable Ownership Interests in the Treasury Portfolio in one or more public or private sales.
(b) Without limiting any rights or powers otherwise granted by this Agreement to the Collateral Agent or under applicable law, in the event the Collateral Agent is unable to make payments to the Company on account of Proceeds of (i) the Notes underlying Pledged Applicable Ownership Interests in Notes (other than any interest payments thereon), (ii) Pledged Applicable Ownership Interests in the Treasury Portfolio, or (iii) the Pledged Treasury Securities as provided in this Agreement in satisfaction of the Obligations of the Holder of the Units of which such Notes underlying Pledged Applicable Ownership Interests in Notes, such Pledged Applicable Ownership Interests in the Treasury Portfolio or such Pledged Treasury Securities are a part under the related Purchase Contracts, the inability to make such payments shall constitute a “collateral event of default” hereunder and the Collateral Agent shall, for the benefit of the Company, have and may exercise, with reference to such Notes underlying Pledged Applicable Ownership Interests in Notes, Pledged Treasury Securities or Pledged Applicable Ownership Interests in the Treasury Portfolio, as applicable, any and all of the rights and remedies available to a secured party under the UCC and the TRADES Regulations after default by a debtor, and as otherwise granted herein or under any applicable law.
(c) Without limiting any rights or powers otherwise granted by this Agreement to the Collateral Agent or under applicable law, the Collateral Agent is hereby irrevocably authorized to receive, collect and apply to the satisfaction of the Obligations all payments with respect to (i) the Notes underlying Pledged Applicable Ownership Interests in Notes (other than any interest payments thereon), (ii) the Pledged Treasury Securities and (iii) the Pledged Applicable Ownership Interests in the Treasury Portfolio, subject, in each case, to the provisions of this Agreement, and as otherwise provided herein.
(d) The Purchase Contract Agent and each Holder agrees that, from time to time, upon the written request of the Collateral Agent, the Purchase Contract Agent, on behalf of such Holder, shall execute and deliver such further documents and do such other acts and things as the Collateral Agent may reasonably request in order to maintain the Pledge, and the perfection and priority thereof, and to confirm the rights of the Collateral Agent hereunder. The Purchase Contract Agent shall have no liability to any Holder for executing any documents or taking any such acts requested by the Collateral Agent hereunder, except for liability for its own negligent acts, its own negligent failure to act or its own willful misconduct.
The Collateral Agent (a) Secured Party hereby irrevocably appoints and authorizes the Collateral Agent to take such action as agent on its behalf and to exercise such powers under this Agreement as are delegated to the Collateral Agent by the terms hereof, together with all such powers as are reasonably incidental thereto.
(b) The obligations of the Collateral Agent hereunder are only those expressly set forth in this Agreement.
(c) The Collateral Agent may consult with legal counsel, independent public accountants and other experts selected by it and shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the advice of such counsel, accountants or experts.
(d) Neither the Collateral Agent nor any of its directors, officers, agents or employees shall be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in connection with this Agreement (1) with the consent or at the request of Secured Party or (2) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct. The Collateral Agent shall not incur any liability by acting in reliance upon any notice, consent, certificate, statement, or other writing (which may be a bank wire, telex or similar writing) believed by it to be genuine or to be signed by the proper party or parties.
(e) Pledgor shall indemnify the Collateral Agent against any cost, expense (including counsel fees and disbursements), claim, demand, action, loss or liability (except such as result from the Collateral Agent’s gross negligence or willful misconduct) that the Collateral Agent may suffer or incur in connection with this Agreement or any action taken or omitted by the Collateral Agent hereunder.
(f) Beyond the exercise of reasonable care in the custody thereof, the Collateral Agent shall have no duty as to any Collateral in its possession or control or in the possession or control of any agent, bailee, clearing corporation or securities intermediary or any income thereon or as to the preservation of rights against prior parties or any other rights pertaining thereto. The Collateral Agent shall be deemed to have exercised reasonable care in the custody and preservation of the Collateral if the Collateral is accorded treatment substantially equal to that which it accords its own property, and shall not be liable or responsible for any loss or damage to any of the Collateral, or for any diminution in the value thereof, by reason of the act or omission of any agent, bailee, clearing corporation or securities intermediary selected by the Collateral Agent in good faith (or selected by an agent, bailee, clearing corporation or securities intermediary so selected by the Collateral Agent or by any agent, bailee, clearing corporation or securities intermediary selected in accordance with this parenthetical phrase).
(g) Any corporation or association into which the Collateral Agent may be converted or merged, or with which it may be consolidated, or to which it may sell or transfer its agency business or assets as a whole or substantially as a whole, or any corporation or association resulting from any such conversion, sale, merger, consolidation or transfer to which it is a party, shall, subject to the prior written consent of Secured Party, be and become a successor Collateral Agent hereunder and vested with all of the title to the Collateral and all of the powers, discretions, immunities, privileges and other matters as was its predecessor without, except as provided above, the execution or filing of any instrument or any further act, deed or conveyance on the part of any of the parties hereto, anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding.
Reports by Indenture Trustee to Holders The Indenture Trustee shall deliver to each Noteholder such information as may be required to enable such holder to prepare its federal and state income tax returns.
Duty of Collateral Agent The Collateral Agent’s sole duty with respect to the custody, safekeeping and physical preservation of the Collateral in its possession, under Section 9-207 of the UCC or otherwise, shall be to deal with it in the same manner as the Collateral Agent deals with similar property for its own account. The Collateral Agent shall be deemed to have exercised reasonable care in the custody and preservation of any Collateral in its possession if such Collateral is accorded treatment substantially equal to that which the Collateral Agent accords its own property. Neither the Collateral Agent, any Secured Party nor any of their respective officers, directors, employees or agents shall be liable for failure to demand, collect or realize upon any of the Collateral or for any delay in doing so or shall be under any obligation to sell or otherwise dispose of any Collateral upon the request of any Grantor or any other Person or to take any other action whatsoever with regard to the Collateral or any part thereof. The powers conferred on the Collateral Agent and the Secured Parties hereunder are solely to protect the Collateral Agent’s and the Secured Parties’ interests in the Collateral and shall not impose any duty upon the Collateral Agent or any Secured Party to exercise any such powers. The Collateral Agent and the Secured Parties shall be accountable only for amounts that they actually receive as a result of the exercise of such powers, and neither they nor any of their officers, directors, employees or agents shall be responsible to any Grantor for any act or failure to act hereunder, except for their own gross negligence or willful misconduct.
Termination of Security Interests; Release of Collateral Upon payment in full of all Secured Obligations, the Security Interests shall terminate and all rights to the Collateral shall revert to Debtor. Upon such termination of the Security Interest or release of any Collateral, the Secured Party will, at the expense of Debtor, execute and deliver to Debtor such documents as Debtor shall reasonably request to evidence the termination of the Security Interest or the release of such Collateral, as the case may be.
Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Indenture Trustee (a) If (i) default is made in the payment of any interest on any Note when the same becomes due and payable, and such default continues for a period of five (5) Business Days, or (ii) default is made in the payment of the principal of any Note when the same becomes due and payable, the Issuer shall, upon demand of the Indenture Trustee, pay to the Indenture Trustee, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes, the amount then due and payable on the Notes for principal and interest, with interest upon the overdue principal at the applicable Note Rate and, to the extent payment at such rate of interest shall be legally enforceable, upon overdue installments of interest at the applicable Note Rate and in addition thereto such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Indenture Trustee and its agents and counsel and other amounts due and owing to the Indenture Trustee pursuant to Section 6.7.
(b) If the Issuer shall fail forthwith to pay such amounts upon such demand, the Indenture Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, may institute a Proceeding for the collection of the sums so due and unpaid, and may prosecute such Proceeding to judgment or final decree, and may enforce the same against the Issuer or any other obligor upon the Notes and collect in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Issuer or such other obligor, wherever situated, the monies adjudged or decreed to be payable.
(c) If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Indenture Trustee may, as more particularly provided in Section 5.4, in its discretion, proceed to protect and enforce its rights and the rights of the Noteholders by such appropriate Proceedings as the Indenture Trustee shall deem most effective to protect and enforce such rights, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement in this Indenture or in aid of the exercise of any power granted herein or to enforce any other proper remedy or legal or equitable right vested in the Indenture Trustee by this Indenture or by law.
(d) If there shall be pending, relative to the Issuer or any other obligor upon the Notes or any Person having or claiming an ownership interest in the Trust Estate, Proceedings under Title 11 of the United States Code or any other applicable federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law, or if a receiver, assignee or trustee in bankruptcy or reorganization, liquidator, sequestrator or similar official shall have been appointed for or taken possession of the Issuer or its property or such other obligor or Person, or if there shall be pending any other comparable judicial Proceedings relative to the Issuer or any other obligor upon the Notes, or to the creditors or property of the Issuer or such other obligor, the Indenture Trustee, irrespective of whether the principal of any Notes shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Indenture Trustee shall have made any demand pursuant to the provisions of this Section 5.3, shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such Proceedings or otherwise:
(i) to file and prove a claim or claims for the whole amount of principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Notes and to file such other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Indenture Trustee (including any claim for reasonable compensation to the Indenture Trustee and each predecessor Indenture Trustee, and their respective agents and attorneys, and all other amounts due and owing to the Indenture Trustee pursuant to Section 6.7) and of the Noteholders allowed in such Proceedings;
(ii) unless prohibited by applicable law and regulations, to vote on behalf of the Noteholders in any election of a trustee, a standby trustee or Person performing similar functions in any such Proceedings;
(iii) to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to pay all amounts received with respect to the claims of the Noteholders and of the Indenture Trustee on their behalf;
(iv) to file such proofs of claim and other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Indenture Trustee or the Noteholders allowed in any judicial proceedings relative to the Issuer, its creditors and its property; and
(v) and any trustee, receiver, liquidator, custodian or other similar official in any such Proceeding is hereby authorized by each of the Noteholders to make payments to the Indenture Trustee and, in the event that the Indenture Trustee shall consent to the making of payments directly to the Noteholders, to pay to the Indenture Trustee such amounts as shall be sufficient to cover reasonable compensation to the Indenture Trustee and each predecessor Indenture Trustee, and their respective agents and attorneys, and all other amounts due and owing to the Indenture Trustee pursuant to Section 6.7.
(e) Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Indenture Trustee to authorize or consent to or vote for or accept or adopt on behalf of any Noteholder any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Notes or the rights of any Holder thereof or to authorize the Indenture Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Noteholder in any such proceeding except, as aforesaid, to vote for the election of a trustee in bankruptcy or similar Person.
(f) All rights of action and of asserting claims under this Indenture, or under any of the Notes, may be enforced by the Indenture Trustee without the possession of any of the Notes or the production thereof in any trial or other Proceedings relative thereto, and any such action or Proceedings instituted by the Indenture Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery of judgment, subject to the payment of the expenses, disbursements and compensation of the Indenture Trustee, each predecessor Indenture Trustee and their respective agents and attorneys, shall be for the ratable benefit of the Holders of the Notes.
(g) In any Proceedings brought by the Indenture Trustee (and also any Proceedings involving the interpretation of any provision of this Indenture to which the Indenture Trustee shall be a party), the Indenture Trustee shall be held to represent all the Noteholders, and it shall not be necessary to make any Noteholder a party to any such Proceedings.
