DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
This Agreement, made as of the ______ day of _______, 1999, between THE
CATHOLIC ALLIANCE FUNDS, INC., a Maryland corporation (the "Fund Company"), and
CATHOLIC FINANCIAL SERVICES CORPORATION, a Wisconsin corporation (the
"Distributor").
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, the Fund Company proposes to engage in business as an open-end
management investment company and is registered as such under the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), and it is in the interest of
the Fund Company to offer its series of shares entitled the Equity Income Series
("Equity Income Fund"), the Large-Cap Growth Series ("Growth Fund") and the
Disciplined Capital Appreciation Series ("Disciplined Capital Appreciation
Fund") (individually a "Fund" and collectively the "Funds") for sale
continuously; and
WHEREAS, the Distributor is registered as a broker-dealer under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934 Act"), and is a member in
good standing of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the
"NASD"); and
WHEREAS, the Fund Company and the Distributor wish to enter into an
agreement with each other with respect to the continuous offering of the shares
of beneficial interest of all series of shares of the Fund Company (the
"Shares"), to commence after the effectiveness of its initial registration
statement filed pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933
Act"), and the 1940 Act.
NOW, THEREFORE, the parties agree as follows:
1. APPOINTMENT OF DISTRIBUTOR
The Fund Company hereby appoints the Distributor as its exclusive
agent to sell and to arrange for the sale of the Shares, on the terms and for
the period set forth in this Agreement, and the Distributor hereby accepts such
appointment and agrees to act hereunder directly and/or through the Fund
Company's transfer agent in the manner set forth in the prospectus (as defined
below). It is understood and agreed that the services of the Distributor
hereunder are not exclusive, and the Distributor may act as principal
underwriter for the shares of any other registered investment company. It is
also understood that purchases of shares of any Fund may be made directly
through the Fund Company's Transfer Agent in the manner set forth in the
prospectus for the relevant Fund.
2. SERVICES AND DUTIES OF THE DISTRIBUTOR
(a) The Distributor agrees to sell the Shares of each Fund, as
agent for the Fund Company, from time to time during the term of this Agreement
upon the terms described in the prospectus for the relevant Fund. As used in
this Agreement, the term "prospectus" shall mean the prospectus and statement of
additional information of each Fund included as part of the Fund Company's
Registration Statement, as such prospectus and statement of additional
information may be amended or supplemented from time to time, and the term
"Registration Statement" shall mean the Registration Statement most recently
filed from time to time by the Fund Company with the Securities and Exchange
Commission and effective under the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act, as such
Registration Statement is amended by any amendments thereto at the time in
effect. The Distributor shall not be obligated to sell any certain number of
Shares.
(b) Upon commencement of the Fund Company's operations, the
Distributor will hold itself available to receive orders, satisfactory to the
Distributor, for the purchase of the Shares and will accept such orders and will
transmit such orders and funds received by it in payment for such Shares as are
so accepted by the Fund Company's transfer agent or custodian, as appropriate,
as promptly as practicable. Purchase orders shall be deemed effective at the
time and in the manner set forth in the prospectus for the relevant Fund. The
Distributor shall not make any short sales of Shares.
(c) The offering price of the Shares shall be the net asset
value per share of the Shares (as defined in the Articles of Incorporation) and
as determined as set forth in the prospectus for the relevant Fund, plus the
sales charge (determined as set forth in the prospectus). The Fund Company
shall furnish the Distributor, with all possible promptness, an advice of each
computation of net asset value and offering price.
(d) The above-mentioned sales charge shall constitute the entire
compensation of the Distributor, except that the Distributor may also be
compensated through payments under the Distribution Plan adopted with respect to
any Fund pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act.
3. DUTIES OF THE FUND COMPANY
(a) MAINTENANCE OF FEDERAL REGISTRATION. The Fund Company
shall, at its expense, take, from time to time, all necessary action and such
steps, including payment of the related filing fees, as may be necessary to
register and maintain registration of a sufficient number of Shares under the
0000 Xxx. The Fund Company agrees to file from time to time such amendments,
reports and other documents as may be necessary in order that there may be no
untrue statement of a material fact in a registration statement or prospectus,
or necessary in order that there may be no omission to state a material fact in
the registration statement or prospectus of any Fund which omission would make
the statements therein misleading.
(b) MAINTENANCE OF "BLUE SKY" QUALIFICATIONS. The Fund Company
shall, at its expense, use its best efforts to qualify and maintain the
qualification of an appropriate number of Shares for sale under the securities
laws of such states as the Distributor and the Fund Company may approve, and, if
necessary or appropriate in connection therewith, to qualify and maintain the
qualification of the Fund Company as a broker or dealer in such states; provided
that the Fund Company shall not be required to amend its Articles of
Incorporation or By-Laws to comply with the laws of any state, to maintain an
office in any state, to change the terms of the offering of the Shares in any
state from the terms set forth in the prospectus of the relevant Fund, to
qualify as a foreign corporation in any state or to consent to service of
process in any state other than with respect to claims arising out of the
offering and sale of the Shares. The Distributor shall furnish such information
and other material relating to its affairs and activities as may be required by
the Fund Company in connection with such qualifications.
(c) COPIES OF REPORTS AND PROSPECTUS. The Fund Company shall,
at its expense, keep the Distributor fully informed with regard to its affairs
and in connection therewith shall furnish to the Distributor copies of all
information, financial statements and other papers which the Distributor may
reasonably request for use in connection with the distribution of Shares,
including such number of copies of the prospectus of each Fund and annual and
interim reports as the Distributor reasonably may request in connection with
selling and arranging for the sale of the Shares and in connection with the
performance of its duties and obligations under this Agreement.
4. CONFORMITY WITH APPLICABLE LAWS AND RULES
The Distributor agrees that in selling Shares hereunder it shall
conform in all respects with the laws of the United States and of any state in
which Shares may be offered, and with applicable rules and regulations of the
NASD.
5. EXPENSES
(a) The Fund Company shall bear all costs and expenses of the
continuous offering of its Shares in connection with: (i) fees and disbursements
of its counsel and independent accountants, (ii) the preparation, filing and
printing of any registration statements and/or prospectus(es) required by and
under the federal securities laws, (iii) the preparation and mailing of annual
and interim reports, prospectus(es) and proxy materials to shareholders and (iv)
the qualifications of Shares of the Fund Company for sale under the securities
laws of such states or other jurisdictions as shall be selected by the Fund
Company and the Distributor and the cost and expenses payable to each such state
for continuing qualification therein.
(b) The Distributor shall bear (i) the costs and expenses of
preparing, printing and distributing any materials not prepared by the Fund
Company and other materials used by the Distributor in connection with its
offering of Shares for sale to the public, including the additional cost of
printing copies of the prospectus(es)
and of annual and interim reports to shareholders other than copies thereof
required for distribution to shareholders or for filing with any federal
securities authorities, (ii) any expenses of advertising incurred by the
Distributor in connection with such offering and (iii) the expenses of
registration or qualification of the Distributor as a dealer or broker under
federal or state laws and the expenses of continuing such registration or
qualification.
6. INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR
In performing its duties hereunder, the Distributor shall be an
independent contractor and neither the Distributor, nor any of its officers,
directors, employees, or representatives is or shall be an employee of the Fund
Company in the performance of the Distributor's duties hereunder. The
Distributor shall be responsible for its own conduct and the employment,
control, and conduct of its agents and employees and for injury to such agents
or employees or to others through its agents or employees. The Distributor
assumes full responsibility for its agents and employees under applicable
statutes and agrees to pay all employee taxes thereunder.
7. INDEMNIFICATION
(a) INDEMNIFICATION OF FUND COMPANY. The Distributor agrees to
indemnify and hold harmless the Fund Company and each of its present or former
directors, officers, employees, representatives and each person, if any, who
controls or previously controlled the Fund Company within the meaning of Section
15 of the 1933 Act against any and all losses, liabilities, damages, claims or
expenses (including the reasonable costs of investigating or defending any
alleged loss, liability, damage, claims or expense and reasonable legal counsel
fees incurred in connection therewith) to which the Fund Company or any such
person may become subject under the 1933 Act, under any other statute, at common
law, or otherwise, arising out of the acquisition of any Shares by any person
which (i) may be based upon any wrongful act by the Distributor or any of the
Distributor's directors, officers, employees or representatives, or (ii) may be
based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
contained in a registration statement, prospectus, shareholder report or other
information covering Shares filed or made public by the Fund Company or any
amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or the omission or alleged omission to
state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements therein not misleading, but if and only if such statement or
omission was made in reliance upon information furnished to the Fund Company by
the Distributor for the specific purpose of inclusion in such registration
statement, prospectus, shareholder report or other information. In no case (i)
is the Distributor's indemnity in favor of the Fund Company, or any person
indemnified to be deemed to protect the Fund Company of such indemnified person
against any liability to which the Fund Company or such person would otherwise
be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in
the performance of his duties or by reason of his reckless disregard of his
obligations and duties under this Agreement or (ii) is the Distributor to be
liable under its indemnity agreement contained in this Paragraph with respect to
any claim made against the Fund Company or any person indemnified unless the
Fund Company or
such person, as the case may be, shall have notified the Distributor in writing
for the claim within a reasonable time after the summons or other first written
notification giving information of the nature of the claim shall have been
served upon the Fund Company or upon such person (or after the Fund Company or
such person shall have received notice to such service on any designated agent).
However, failure to notify the Distributor of any such claim shall not relieve
the Distributor from any liability which the Distributor may have to the Fund
Company or any person against whom such action is brought otherwise than on
account of the Distributor's indemnity agreement contained in this Paragraph.
The Distributor shall be entitled to participate, at its own expense,
in the defense, or, if the Distributor so elects, to assume the defense of any
suit brought to endorse any such claim, but, if the Distributor elects to assume
the defense, such defense shall be conducted by legal counsel chosen by the
Distributor and satisfactory to the Fund Company and to the defendant or
defendants who are entitled to such indemnification. In the event that the
Distributor elects to assume the defense of any suit and retain legal counsel,
the Fund Company and the defendant or defendants who are entitled to such
indemnification, shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional legal
counsel retained by them. If the Distributor does not elect to assume the
defense of any such suit, the Distributor will reimburse the Fund Company and
the defendant or defendants entitled to such indemnification for the reasonable
fees and expenses of any legal counsel retained by them. The Distributor agrees
to promptly notify the Fund Company of the commencement of any litigation of
proceedings against it or any of its officers, employees or representatives in
connection with the issue or sale of any Shares.
(b) INDEMNIFICATION OF THE DISTRIBUTOR. The Fund Company agrees to
indemnify and hold harmless the Distributor and each of its present or former
directors, officers, employees, representatives and each person, if any, who
controls or previously controlled the Distributor within the meaning of Section
15 of the 1933 Act, under any other statute, at common law, or otherwise,
arising out of the acquisition of any Shares by any person which (i) may be
based upon any wrongful act by the Fund Company or any of the Fund Company's
directors, officers, employees or representatives (other than the Distributor),
or (ii) may be based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in a registration statement, prospectus, shareholder
report or other information covering Shares filed or made public by the Fund
Company or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or the omission or
alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, unless such
statement or omission was made in reliance upon information furnished to the
Fund Company by the Distributor. In no case (i) is the Fund Company's indemnity
in favor of the Distributor, or any person indemnified to be deemed to protect
the Distributor or such indemnified person against any liability to which the
Distributor or such person would otherwise be subject by reason of willful
misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance of his duties or
by reason of his reckless disregard of his obligations and duties under this
Agreement, or (ii) is the Fund Company to be liable under its indemnity
agreement contained in this Paragraph with respect to any claim made
against Distributor or person indemnified unless the Distributor, or such
person, as the case may be, shall have notified the Fund Company in writing of
the claim within a reasonable time after the summons or other first written
notification giving information of the nature of the claim shall have been
served upon the Distributor or upon such person (or after the Distributor or
such person shall have received notice of such service on any designated agent).
However, failure to notify the Fund Company of any such claim shall not relieve
the Fund Company from any liability which the Fund Company may have to the
Distributor or any person against whom such action is brought otherwise than on
account of the Fund Company's indemnity agreement contained in this Paragraph.
The Fund Company shall be entitled to participate, at its own expense,
in the defense, or, if the Fund Company so elects, to assume the defense of any
suit brought to enforce any such claim, but if the Fund Company elects to assume
the defense, such defense shall be conducted by legal counsel chosen by the Fund
Company and satisfactory to the Distributor and to the defendant or defendants
entitled to such indemnification. In the event that the Fund Company elects to
assume the defense of any suit and retain legal counsel, the Distributor and the
defendant or defendants entitled to such indemnification, shall bear the fees
and expenses of any additional legal counsel retained by them. If the Fund
Company does not elect to assume the defense of any such suit, the Fund Company
will reimburse the Distributor and the defendant or defendants entitled to such
indemnification for the reasonable fees and expenses of any legal counsel
retained by them. The Fund Company agrees to promptly notify the Distributor of
the commencement of any litigation or proceedings against it or any of its
directors, officers, employees or representatives in connection with the issue
or sale of any Shares.
8. AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIONS
The Distributor is not authorized by the Fund Company to give on
behalf of the Fund Company any information or to make any representations in
connection with the sale of Shares other than the information and
representations contained in a registration statement or prospectus filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") under the 1933 Act and/or the
1940 Act, covering Shares, as such registration statement and prospectus may be
amended or supplemented from time to time, or contained in shareholder reports
or other material that may be prepared by or on behalf of the Fund Company for
the Distributor's use. This shall not be construed to prevent the Distributor
from preparing and distributing tombstone ads and sales literature or other
material as it may deem appropriate. No person other than the Distributor is
authorized to act as principal underwriter (as such term is defined in the 0000
Xxx) for the Fund Company.
9. TERM OF AGREEMENT
The term of this Agreement shall begin on the date first above
written, and unless sooner terminated as hereinafter provided, this Agreement
shall remain in effect for a period of one year from the date hereof.
Thereafter, this
Agreement shall continue in effect from year to year, subject to the termination
provisions and all other terms and conditions thereof, so long as such
continuation shall be specifically approved at least annually by the Board of
Directors or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the
Fund Company and, concurrently with such approval by the Board of Directors or
prior to such approval by the holders of the outstanding voting securities of
the Fund Company, as the case may be, by the vote, cast in person at a meeting
called for the purpose of voting on such approval, of a majority of the
directors of the Fund Company who are not parties to this Agreement or
interested persons of any such party. The Distributor shall furnish to the Fund
Company, promptly upon its request, such information as may reasonably be
necessary to evaluate the terms of this Agreement or any extension, renewal or
amendment hereof.
10. AMENDMENT OR ASSIGNMENT OF AGREEMENT
This Agreement may not be amended or assigned except as permitted
by the 1940 Act, and this Agreement shall automatically and immediately
terminate in the event of its assignment.
11. TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT
This Agreement may be terminated by either party hereto, without
the payment of any penalty, on not more than upon 60 days nor less than 30 days
prior notice in writing to the other party provided, that in the case of
termination by the Fund Company such action shall have been authorized by
resolution of a majority of the directors of the Fund Company who are not
parties to this Agreement or interested persons of any such party, or by vote of
a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund Company.
12. MISCELLANEOUS
The captions in this Agreement are included for convenience of
reference only and in no way define or delineate any of the provisions hereof or
otherwise affect their construction or effect.
This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which
together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to require the Fund
Company to take any action contrary to its Articles of Incorporation or By-Laws,
or any applicable statutory or regulatory requirement to which it is subject or
by which it is bound, or to relieve or deprive the Board of Directors of the
Fund Company of responsibility for and control of the conduct of the affairs of
the Fund Company.
13. DEFINITION OF TERMS
Any question of interpretation of any term or provision of this
Agreement having a counterpart in or otherwise derived from term or provision of
the 1940 Act shall be resolved by reference to such term or provision of the
1940 Act and to interpretation thereof, if any, by the United States court or,
in the absence of any controlling decision of any such court, by rules,
regulations or orders of the Securities and Exchange Commission validly issued
pursuant to the 1940 Act. Specifically, the terms "vote of a majority of the
outstanding voting securities", "interested persons", "assignment", and
"affiliated person", as used in Paragraphs 8, 9 and 10 hereof, shall have the
meanings assigned to them by Section 2(a) of the 1940 Act. In addition, where
the effect of a requirement of the 1940 Act reflected in any provision of this
Agreement is relaxed by a rule, regulation or order of the Securities and
Exchange Commission, whether of special or of general application, such
provision shall be deemed to incorporate the effect of such rule, regulation or
order.
14. COMPLIANCE WITH SECURITIES LAWS
The Fund Company represents that it is registered as an open-end
management investment company under the 1940 Act, and agrees that it will comply
with all the provisions of the 1940 Act and of the rules and regulations
thereunder. The Fund Company and the Distributor each agree to comply with all
of the applicable terms and provisions of the 1940 Act, the 1933 Act and,
subject to the provisions of Section 4(d), all applicable "Blue Sky" laws. The
Distributor agrees to comply with all of the applicable terms and provisions of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
15. NOTICES
Any notice required to be given pursuant to this Agreement shall
be deemed duly given if delivered or mailed by registered mail, postage prepaid,
to the Distributor or to the Fund Company at either 0000 Xxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx 00000.
16. GOVERNING LAW
This Agreement shall be governed and construed in accordance with
the laws of the State of Wisconsin.
17. NO SHAREHOLDER LIABILITY
The Distributor understands that the obligations of this
Agreement are not binding upon any shareholder of the Fund Company personally,
but bind only the Fund Company's property; the Distributor represents that it
has notice of the provisions of the Articles of Incorporation disclaiming
shareholder liability for acts or obligations of the Fund Company.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to
be signed by their duly authorized representatives and their respective
corporate seals to be hereunto affixed, as of the day and year first above
written.
THE CATHOLIC ALLIANCE FUNDS, INC.
By:
ATTEST:
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CATHOLIC FINANCIAL SERVICES CORPORATION
By:
ATTEST:
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