Removal of the General Partner The General Partner may be removed if such removal is approved by the Unitholders holding at least 66 2/3% of the Outstanding Units (including Units held by the General Partner and its Affiliates) voting as a single class. Any such action by such holders for removal of the General Partner must also provide for the election of a successor General Partner by the Unitholders holding a majority of the outstanding Common Units voting as a class and Unitholders holding a majority of the outstanding Subordinated Units (if any Subordinated Units are then Outstanding) voting as a class (including, in each case, Units held by the General Partner and its Affiliates). Such removal shall be effective immediately following the admission of a successor General Partner pursuant to Section 10.2. The removal of the General Partner shall also automatically constitute the removal of the General Partner as general partner or managing member, to the extent applicable, of the other Group Members of which the General Partner is a general partner or a managing member. If a Person is elected as a successor General Partner in accordance with the terms of this Section 11.2, such Person shall, upon admission pursuant to Section 10.2, automatically become a successor general partner or managing member, to the extent applicable, of the other Group Members of which the General Partner is a general partner or a managing member. The right of the holders of Outstanding Units to remove the General Partner shall not exist or be exercised unless the Partnership has received an opinion opining as to the matters covered by a Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel. Any successor General Partner elected in accordance with the terms of this Section 11.2 shall be subject to the provisions of Section 10.2.
Outside Activities of the General Partner (a) Without the Consent of the Limited Partners, the General Partner shall not directly or indirectly enter into or conduct any business other than in connection with the ownership, acquisition, and disposition of Partnership Interests and the management of its business and the business of the Partnership, and such activities as are incidental thereto.
(b) The General Partner and any Affiliates of the General Partner may acquire Limited Partner Interests and shall be entitled to exercise all rights of a Limited Partner relating to such Limited Partner Interests.
Liability of the General Partner (a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, the General Partner shall not be liable for monetary damages to the Partnership or any Partners for losses sustained or liabilities incurred as a result of errors in judgment or of any act or omission if the General Partner acted in good faith. The General Partner shall not be in breach of any duty that the General Partner may owe to the Limited Partners or the Partnership or any other Persons under this Agreement or of any duty stated or implied by law or equity provided the General Partner, acting in good faith, abides by the terms of this Agreement.
(b) The Limited Partners expressly acknowledge that the General Partner is acting on behalf of the Partnership, itself and its stockholders collectively, that the General Partner is under no obligation to consider the separate interests of the Limited Partners (including, without limitation, the tax consequences to Limited Partners or the tax consequences of some, but not all, of the Limited Partners) in deciding whether to cause the Partnership to take (or decline to take) any actions. In the event of a conflict between the interests of its stockholders on one hand and the Limited Partners on the other, the General Partner shall endeavor in good faith to resolve the conflict in a manner not adverse to either its stockholders or the Limited Partners; provided, however, that for so long as the General Partner directly owns a controlling interest in the Partnership, any such conflict that the General Partner, in its sole and absolute discretion, determines cannot be resolved in a manner not adverse to either its stockholders or the Limited Partner shall be resolved in favor of the stockholders. The General Partner shall not be liable for monetary damages for losses sustained, liabilities incurred, or benefits not derived by Limited Partners in connection with such decisions, provided that the General Partner has acted in good faith.
(c) Subject to its obligations and duties as General Partner set forth in Section 6.1 hereof, the General Partner may exercise any of the powers granted to it under this Agreement and perform any of the duties imposed upon it hereunder either directly or by or through its agents. The General Partner shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any such agent appointed by it in good faith.
(d) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement or the Act, any action of the General Partner on behalf of the Partnership or any decision of the General Partner to refrain from acting on behalf of the Partnership, undertaken in the good faith belief that such action or omission is necessary or advisable in order (i) to protect the ability of the General Partner to continue to qualify as a REIT or (ii) to prevent the General Partner from incurring any taxes under Section 857, Section 4981, or any other provision of the Code, is expressly authorized under this Agreement and is deemed approved by all of the Limited Partners.
(e) Any amendment, modification or repeal of this Section 6.4 or any provision hereof shall be prospective only and shall not in any way affect the limitations on the General Partner’s liability to the Partnership and the Limited Partners under this Section 6.4 as in effect immediately prior to such amendment, modification or repeal with respect to matters occurring, in whole or in part, prior to such amendment, modification or repeal, regardless of when claims relating to such matters may arise or be asserted.
Resignation or Removal of the Trustee (a) The Trustee shall not resign without the consent of the Board of Managers unless (i) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.11, (ii) the Trustee shall be incapable of acting or it shall be illegal for the Trustee to act, or (iii) the Trustee shall have given at least 60 days' prior written notice to the Board of Managers.
(b) The Board of Managers may remove the Trustee (and shall remove the Trustee in the case of the occurrence of an event described in clause (i) or (iv)):
(i) if the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.11 and shall fail to resign after a written request therefor;
(ii) if the Trustee shall be adjudged bankrupt or insolvent;
(iii) if a receiver or other public officer shall be appointed or take charge or control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation;
(iv) if the Trustee shall otherwise be incapable of acting or it shall be illegal for the Trustee to act; or
(v) at its discretion.
(c) If the Trustee is removed or if a vacancy exists in the office of trustee for any reason, the Board of Managers shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee by written instrument, in duplicate (one copy of which instrument shall be delivered to the outgoing trustee so removed, one copy to the successor Trustee). All costs associated with the resignation or removal of the Trustee and the appointment of a successor Trustee shall be general expenses of MART. If a successor Trustee shall not have been appointed within 30 days of such resignation or removal, the outgoing Trustee may petition a court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee.
(d) Any resignation or removal of the Trustee and appointment of a successor Trustee pursuant to any of the provisions of this Section 5.8 shall not become effective until a written acceptance of appointment is delivered by the successor Trustee. Any successor Trustee appointed pursuant to this Section 5.8 shall be eligible to act in such capacity in accordance with Section 5.11 and, following compliance with the preceding sentence, shall become fully vested with all the rights, powers, duties and obligations of the outgoing Trustee under this Agreement, with like effect as if originally named as trustee.
(e) The outgoing Trustee shall upon payment of its fees and expenses deliver to the successor Trustee all books, records, accounts, documents, statements and monies held by it under this Agreement. The outgoing Trustee shall execute and deliver such instruments and do such other things as may reasonably be required to fully and certainly vest and confirm in the successor Trustee all such rights, powers, duties and obligations. The outgoing Trustee shall cooperate with the successor Trustee to ensure that the successor Trustee has all books, records, accounts, documents, statements, monies held by it under this Agreement and any other relevant information in the possession of the outgoing Trustee relating to the MART Assets.
(f) Upon the appointment and acceptance of a successor Trustee pursuant to this Section 5.8, such successor Trustee shall file an amendment to the Certificate of Trust with the Secretary of State identifying the name and principal place of business of such successor Trustee in the State of Delaware.
Resignation or Removal of the Owner Trustee The Owner Trustee may at any time resign and be discharged from the trusts hereby created by giving written notice thereof to the Seller, the Administrator, the Servicer, the Indenture Trustee and the Residual Interestholder. Upon receiving such notice of resignation, the Seller and the Administrator, acting jointly, shall promptly appoint a successor Owner Trustee which satisfies the eligibility requirements set forth in Section 10.1 by written instrument, in duplicate, one copy of which instrument shall be delivered to the resigning Owner Trustee and one copy to the successor Owner Trustee. If no successor Owner Trustee shall have been so appointed and have accepted appointment within 30 days after the giving of such notice of resignation, the resigning Owner Trustee may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Owner Trustee; provided, however, that such right to appoint or to petition for the appointment of any such successor shall in no event relieve the resigning Owner Trustee from any obligations otherwise imposed on it under the Transaction Documents until such successor has in fact assumed such appointment. If at any time the Owner Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of Section 10.1 and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Seller or the Administrator, or if at any time the Owner Trustee shall be legally unable to act, or shall be adjudged bankrupt or insolvent, or a receiver of the Owner Trustee or of its property shall be appointed, or any public officer shall take charge or control of the Owner Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation, then the Seller or the Administrator may remove the Owner Trustee. If the Seller or the Administrator shall remove the Owner Trustee under the authority of the immediately preceding sentence, the Seller and the Administrator, acting jointly, shall promptly appoint a successor Owner Trustee by written instrument, in duplicate, one copy of which instrument shall be delivered to the outgoing Owner Trustee so removed and one copy to the successor Owner Trustee and shall pay all fees owed to the outgoing Owner Trustee. Any resignation or removal of the Owner Trustee and appointment of a successor Owner Trustee pursuant to any of the provisions of this Section shall not become effective until acceptance of appointment by the successor Owner Trustee pursuant to Section 10.3 and payment of all fees and expenses owed to the outgoing Owner Trustee. The Seller shall provide (or shall cause to be provided) notice of such resignation or removal of the Owner Trustee to each of the Rating Agencies.
Withdrawal of the General Partner (a) The General Partner shall be deemed to have withdrawn from the Partnership upon the occurrence of any one of the following events (each such event herein referred to as an “Event of Withdrawal”);
(i) The General Partner voluntarily withdraws from the Partnership by giving written notice to the other Partners;
(ii) The General Partner transfers all of its rights as General Partner pursuant to Section 4.6;
(iii) The General Partner is removed pursuant to Section 11.2;
(iv) The General Partner (A) makes a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; (B) files a voluntary bankruptcy petition for relief under Chapter 7 of the United States Bankruptcy Code; (C) files a petition or answer seeking for itself a liquidation, dissolution or similar relief (but not a reorganization) under any law; (D) files an answer or other pleading admitting or failing to contest the material allegations of a petition filed against the General Partner in a proceeding of the type described in clauses (A)-(C) of this Section 11.1(a)(iv); or (E) seeks, consents to or acquiesces in the appointment of a trustee (but not a debtor-in-possession), receiver or liquidator of the General Partner or of all or any substantial part of its properties;
(v) A final and non-appealable order of relief under Chapter 7 of the United States Bankruptcy Code is entered by a court with appropriate jurisdiction pursuant to a voluntary or involuntary petition by or against the General Partner; or
(vi) (A) in the event the General Partner is a corporation, a certificate of dissolution or its equivalent is filed for the General Partner, or 90 days expire after the date of notice to the General Partner of revocation of its charter without a reinstatement of its charter, under the laws of its state of incorporation; (B) in the event the General Partner is a partnership or a limited liability company, the dissolution and commencement of winding up of the General Partner; (C) in the event the General Partner is acting in such capacity by virtue of being a trustee of a trust, the termination of the trust; (D) in the event the General Partner is a natural person, his death or adjudication of incompetency; and (E) otherwise in the event of the termination of the General Partner. If an Event of Withdrawal specified in Section 11.1(a)(iv), (v) or (vi)(A), (B), (C) or (E) occurs, the withdrawing General Partner shall give notice to the Limited Partners within 30 days after such occurrence. The Partners hereby agree that only the Events of Withdrawal described in this Section 11.1 shall result in the withdrawal of the General Partner from the Partnership.
(b) Withdrawal of the General Partner from the Partnership upon the occurrence of an Event of Withdrawal shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement under the following circumstances: (i) at any time during the period beginning on the Closing Date and ending at 12:00 midnight, Central Time, on June 30, 2015, the General Partner voluntarily withdraws by giving at least 90 days’ advance notice of its intention to withdraw to the Limited Partners; provided, that prior to the effective date of such withdrawal, the withdrawal is approved by Unitholders holding at least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units (excluding Common Units held by the General Partner and its Affiliates) and the General Partner delivers to the Partnership an Opinion of Counsel (“Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel”) that such withdrawal (following the selection of the successor General Partner) would not result in the loss of the limited liability of any Limited Partner or any Group Member or cause any Group Member to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for federal income tax purposes (to the extent not already so treated or taxed); (ii) at any time after 12:00 midnight, Central Time, on June 30, 2015, the General Partner voluntarily withdraws by giving at least 90 days’ advance notice to the Unitholders, such withdrawal to take effect on the date specified in such notice; (iii) at any time that the General Partner ceases to be the General Partner pursuant to Section 11.1(a)(ii) or is removed pursuant to Section 11.2; or (iv) notwithstanding clause (i) of this sentence, at any time that the General Partner voluntarily withdraws by giving at least 90 days’ advance notice of its intention to withdraw to the Limited Partners, such withdrawal to take effect on the date specified in the notice, if at the time such notice is given one Person and its Affiliates (other than the General Partner and its Affiliates) own beneficially or of record or control at least 50% of the Outstanding Units. The withdrawal of the General Partner from the Partnership upon the occurrence of an Event of Withdrawal shall also constitute the withdrawal of the General Partner as general partner or managing member, if any, to the extent applicable, of the other Group Members. If the General Partner gives a notice of withdrawal pursuant to Section 11.1(a)(i), the holders of a Unit Majority, may, prior to the effective date of such withdrawal, elect a successor General Partner. The Person so elected as successor General Partner shall automatically become the successor general partner or managing member, to the extent applicable, of the other Group Members of which the General Partner is a general partner or a managing member. If, prior to the effective date of the General Partner’s withdrawal, a successor is not selected by the Unitholders as provided herein or the Partnership does not receive a Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel, the Partnership shall be dissolved in accordance with Section 12.1. Any successor General Partner elected in accordance with the terms of this Section 11.1 shall be subject to the provisions of Section 10.3.
Reimbursement of the General Partner (a) Except as provided in this Section 7.12 and elsewhere in this Agreement, the General Partner shall not be compensated for its services as a general partner or managing member of any Group Member.
(b) The General Partner shall be reimbursed on a monthly basis, or such other basis as the Board of Directors may determine, for any direct and indirect expenses it incurs that are allocable to the Partnership Group or payments it makes on behalf of the Partnership Group (including salary, bonus, incentive compensation and other amounts paid to any Person, including Affiliates of the General Partner, to perform services for the Partnership Group or for the General Partner in the discharge of its duties to the Partnership Group, which amounts shall also include reimbursement for any Common Units purchased to satisfy obligations of the Partnership under any of its equity compensation plans). The Board of Directors shall determine the expenses that are allocable to the Partnership Group. Reimbursements pursuant to this Section 7.12 shall be in addition to any reimbursement to the General Partner as a result of indemnification pursuant to Section 7.15.
(c) Subject to the applicable rules and regulations of the National Securities Exchange on which the Common Units are listed, the Board of Directors, without the approval of the Partners (who shall have no right to vote in respect thereof), may propose and adopt on behalf of the Partnership employee benefit plans, employee programs and employee practices (including plans, programs and practices involving the issuance of Partnership Interests or options to purchase or rights, warrants or appreciation rights or phantom or tracking interests relating to Partnership Interests), or cause the Partnership to issue Partnership Interests in connection with, or pursuant to, any employee benefit plan, employee program or employee practice maintained or sponsored by the Partnership, the General Partner or any of its Affiliates, in each case for the benefit of employees and directors of the Partnership, the General Partner, any Group Member or any Affiliate thereof, or any of them, in respect of services performed, directly or indirectly, for the benefit of the Partnership Group. The Partnership agrees to issue and sell to the General Partner or any of its Affiliates any Partnership Interests that the General Partner or such Affiliates are obligated to provide to any employees and directors pursuant to any such employee benefit plans, employee programs or employee practices. Expenses incurred by the General Partner in connection with any such plans, programs and practices (including the net cost to the General Partner or such Affiliates of Partnership Interests purchased by the General Partner or such Affiliates from the Partnership or otherwise to fulfill options or awards under such plans, programs and practices) shall be reimbursed in accordance with Section 7.12(b). Any and all obligations of the General Partner under any employee benefit plans, employee programs or employee practices adopted by the General Partner as permitted by this Section 7.12(c) shall constitute obligations of the General Partner hereunder and shall be assumed by any successor General Partner approved pursuant to Sections 11.1 or 11.2 or the transferee of or successor to all of the General Partner’s General Partner Interest pursuant to Section 4.6.
Resignation or Removal of the Issuing Bank The Issuing Bank may resign at any time by giving 30 days’ prior written notice to the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Borrower, and may be removed at any time by the Borrower by notice to the Issuing Bank, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders. Upon the acceptance of any appointment as the Issuing Bank hereunder by a Lender that shall agree to serve as successor Issuing Bank, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all the interests, rights and obligations of the retiring Issuing Bank. At the time such removal or resignation shall become effective, the Borrower shall pay all accrued and unpaid fees pursuant to Section 2.05(c)(ii). The acceptance of any appointment as the Issuing Bank hereunder by a successor Lender shall be evidenced by an agreement entered into by such successor, in a form satisfactory to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, and, from and after the effective date of such agreement, (i) such successor Lender shall have all the rights and obligations of the previous Issuing Bank under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and (ii) references herein and in the other Loan Documents to the term “Issuing Bank” shall be deemed to refer to such successor or to any previous Issuing Bank, or to such successor and all previous Issuing Banks, as the context shall require. After the resignation or removal of the Issuing Bank hereunder, the retiring Issuing Bank shall remain a party hereto and shall continue to have all the rights and obligations of an Issuing Bank under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents with respect to Letters of Credit issued by it prior to such resignation or removal, but shall not be required to issue additional Letters of Credit.
Powers of the General Partner Subject to the limitations set forth in this Agreement, the General Partner will possess and may exercise all of the powers and privileges granted to it by the Act including, without limitation, the ownership and operation of the assets contributed to the Partnership by the Partners, by any other Law or this Agreement, together with all powers incidental thereto, so far as such powers are necessary or convenient to the conduct, promotion or attainment of the purpose of the Partnership set forth in Section 2.06.
Authority of the General Partner The General Partner shall have the sole and exclusive right to manage the affairs of the Partnership and shall have all of the rights and powers that may be possessed by general partners under the Act. If two or more Persons are serving as General Partners, decisions regarding the management of the Partnership and its business and affairs shall be made by the consent of a majority in number of the General Partners then serving. The rights and powers that the General Partner may exercise include, but are not limited to, the following:
(a) invest and reinvest Partnership funds for the purposes set forth in Section 1.4, in any manner deemed advisable by the General Partner;
(b) hold, manage, maintain, improve, repair, alter, mortgage, finance, pledge, encumber and otherwise deal with Partnership property;
(c) execute any and all agreements, contracts, documents, certificates and instruments necessary or convenient in connection with the Partnership’s business;
(d) make loans, sell, exchange, assign, transfer or otherwise dispose of any Partnership property;
(e) borrow money and issue evidences of indebtedness necessary, convenient or incidental to the accomplishment of the purposes of the Partnership, and secure the same by mortgage, pledge or other lien on any Partnership property;
(f) prepay in whole or in part, refinance, recast, increase, modify or extend any liabilities affecting the Partnership’s property and in connection therewith execute any extensions or renewals of encumbrances on any or all of the Partnership’s property;
(g) make any and all elections for federal, state and local tax purposes;
(h) take, or refrain from taking, all actions not expressly proscribed or limited by this Agreement as may be necessary or appropriate to accomplish the purposes of the Partnership; and
(i) engage in any kind of activity and perform and carry out contracts of any kind necessary or incidental to, or in connection with, the accomplishment of the purposes of the Partnership, as may be lawfully carried on or performed by a partnership under the laws of each state in which the Partnership is then formed or qualified.
