AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER DATED AS OF MARCH 16, 2007 BY AND AMONG ANALYTICAL SURVEYS, INC. ECOWOOD, INC. AND THE SHAREHOLDERS OF ECOWOOD, INC.
AGREEMENT
AND PLAN OF MERGER
DATED
AS OF MARCH 16, 2007
BY
AND AMONG
ANALYTICAL
SURVEYS, INC.
ECOWOOD,
INC.
AND
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
ARTICLE
I
DEFINED TERMS
Section
1.1. Definitions.
ARTICLE
II THE MERGER;
Section
2.1. The Merger
Section
2.2. Effective Time
Section
2.3. Filing of Articles of Merger
Section
2.4. Certain Effects of the Merger7
Section
2.5. Governing Documents
Section
2.6. Directors and Officers
Section
2.7. Approval
Section
2.8. Modification
Section
2.9. Closing
ARTICLE
III CONVERSION AND EXCHANGE OF COMPANY SHARES
Section
3.1. Effect on Capital Stock
Section
3.2. Exchange Procedures.
ARTICLE
IV REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
Section
4.1. Organization, Standing and Power.
Section
4.2. Authority; No Conflicts.
Section
4.3. Capital Stock; Subsidiaries.
Section
4.4. Absence of Undisclosed Liabilities
Section
4.5. Absence of Certain Changes or Events
Section
4.6. Tax Matters.
Section
4.7. Assets
Section
4.8. Insurance
Section
4.9. Securities Portfolio and Investments
Section
4.10. Environmental Matters
Section
4.11. Compliance with Laws.
Section
4.12. Labor Relations
Section
4.13. Employee Benefit Plans.
Section
4.14. Material Contracts.
Section
4.15. Legal Proceedings
Section
4.16. Reports
Section
4.17. Registration Statement
Section
4.18. Accounting, Tax, and Regulatory Matters
Section
4.19. State Takeover Laws
Section
4.20. Registration Obligations
Section
4.26. Commissions
Section
4.27. Intellectual Property
Section
4.28. Relationships
Section
4.29. Certain Payments
Section
4.30. Books and Records
Section
4.31. Representations Not Misleading
ARTICLE
V
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT AND MERGER SUB
Section
5.1. Organization, Standing and Power.
Section
5.2. Authority; No Conflicts.
Section
5.3. Capitalization.
Section
5.4. SEC Filings; Parent Financial Statements.
Section
5.5. Absence of Undisclosed Liabilities
Section
5.6. Absence of Certain Changes Or Events
Section
5.7. Compliance With Laws.
Section
5.8. Legal Proceedings
Section
5.9. Proxy/Registration Statement
Section
5.10. Tax, And Regulatory Matters
Section
5.11. Commissions
Section
5.12. Tax Matters.
ARTICLE
VI CONDUCT PENDING THE MERGER
Section
6.1. Conduct of Business by the Company Pending the Merger
Section
6.2. Consents
Section
6.3. Other Offers
Section
6.4. Access to Information.
Section
6.5. Environmental Survey
Section
6.6. Confidentiality
Section
6.7. Publicity
ARTICLE
VII ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS
Section
7.1. Directors
Section
7.2. Reservation of Shares of Parent Common Stock
Section
7.3. Registration Statement and Proxy Statement.
Section
7.4. Parent Shareholders’ Meeting
Section
7.5. Employees.
Section
7.6. Reorganization for Tax Purposes
Section
7.7. Notification
Section
7.8. Consummation of Agreement
Section
7.9. Affiliates: Restrictive Legend
Section
7.10. Directors’ and Officers’ Insurance and Indemnification.
ARTICLE
VIII CONDITIONS TO CLOSING
Section
8.1. Mutual Conditions
Section
8.2. Conditions to the Obligations of the Company and the
Shareholders
Section
8.3. Conditions to the Obligations of Parent and Merger Sub
ARTICLE
IX TERMINATION
Section
9.1. Termination
Section
9.2. Procedure and Effect of Termination
ARTICLE
X
INDEMNIFICATION
Section
10.1. The Shareholder’s Indemnity Obligations
Section
10.2. Parent’s Indemnity Obligations
Section
10.3. Indemnification Procedures
Section
10.4. Determination of Indemnified Amounts
Section
10.5. Limitation of Shareholder’s Liability.
Section
10.6. Limitation of Parent’s Liability.
Section
10.7. Limitation on Indemnified Amounts
ARTICLE
XI MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
Section
11.1. Expenses
Section
11.2. Survival of Representations
Section
11.3. Amendment and Modification
Section
11.4. Waiver of Compliance; Consents
Section
11.5. Notices
Section
11.6. Assignment
Section
11.7. Separable Provisions
Section
11.8. Governing Law
Section
11.9. Counterparts
Section
11.10. Interpretation
Section
11.11. Entire Agreement
Exhibit
A Form
of
Affiliate Letter
THIS
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER (this “Agreement”),
dated
as of the 16th day of March, 2007, is by and among ANALYTICAL SURVEYS, INC.,
a
Colorado corporation (the “Parent”);
ASI
Acquisition Sub, Inc. a Texas corporation (“Merger
Sub”)
and
ECOWOOD, INC., a Texas corporation (the “Company”),
and
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx and Xxxxx Xxxxxx (each a “Shareholder”
and
collectively, the “Shareholders”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS,
Parent desires to affiliate with the Company and the Company desires to
affiliate with Parent;
WHEREAS,
Parent and the Company believe that the Merger (as defined herein) of the
Company with and into Merger Sub is desirable and in the best interests of
their
respective shareholders;
WHEREAS,
Parent, Merger Sub and the Company intend the Merger to qualify as a
reorganization under the provision of Section 368 of the Internal Revenue Code
of 1986, as amended (the “Code”),
and
the regulations thereunder; and
WHEREAS,
the respective boards of directors of the Company, Parent and Merger Sub have
approved this Agreement and the proposed transaction substantially on the terms
and conditions set forth in this Agreement.
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual covenants hereinafter
set forth, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and
sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties, intending to be
legally bound, hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE
I
DEFINED
TERMS
Section
1.1. Definitions.
(a) As
used
in this Agreement, the following terms have the following meanings:
(i) “Affiliate”
means,
with respect to any Person, each of the Persons that directly or indirectly,
through one or more intermediaries, owns or controls, or is controlled by or
under common control with, such Person. For the purpose of this
Agreement, “Control”
means
the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the
direction of management and policies, whether through the ownership of voting
securities, by contract or otherwise.
(ii) Without
limiting the foregoing, as used with respect to the Company, the
term “Affiliates”
includes the Company’s Subsidiaries.
(iii) “Assets”
means
all of the assets, properties, businesses and rights of a Person of every kind,
nature, character and description, whether real, personal or mixed, tangible
or
intangible, accrued or contingent, whether or not carried on any books and
records of such Person, whether or not owned in such Person’s name and wherever
located.
1
(iv) “Benefit
Plans”
means
all pension, retirement, profit-sharing, deferred compensation, stock option,
employee stock ownership, restricted stock, severance pay, vacation, bonus,
or
other incentive plan, all other written employee programs or agreements, all
medical, vision, dental, or other health plans, welfare plans, all life
insurance plans, and all other employee benefit plans, arrangements, fringe
benefit plans or perquisites, whether written or unwritten, including without
limitation “employee benefit plans” as that term is defined in Section 3(3) of
ERISA maintained by, sponsored in whole or in part by, or contributed to by,
a
Person or any of its subsidiaries for the benefit of employees, retirees,
dependents, spouses, directors, independent contractors, or any other
beneficiaries and under which employees, retirees, dependents, spouses,
directors, independent contractors, or any other beneficiaries are eligible
to
participate.
(v) “Business
Day”
means
any day excluding (i) Saturday, (ii) Sunday and (iii) any day that is a legal
holiday in the State of Texas.
(vi) “Cause”
means:
(i) any act of an employee in connection with his or her employment and relating
to Parent’s or its Subsidiaries’ business including, but not limited to,
negligence, which is materially detrimental to Parent’s or its Subsidiaries’
interests; (ii) any act of misconduct, unlawfulness or dishonesty by an employee
in connection with his or her employment which is detrimental to Parent’s or its
Subsidiaries’ interests; (iii) an employee’s unsatisfactory job performance or
failure to comply with Parent’s or its Subsidiaries’ board of directors’
reasonable directions; or (iv) an employee’s material breach of any agreement
between such employee and Parent or its Subsidiaries.
(vii) “Code”
means
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and any successor statute of
similar import, together with the regulations hereunder, in each case as in
effect from time to time. References to sections of the Code shall be construed
also to refer to any successor sections.
(viii) “Company
Common Stock”
or
“Company Shares”
means
the
common stock, $1.00 par value per share, of Ecowood, Inc.
(ix) “Consent”
means
any consent, approval, authorization, clearance, exemption, waiver, or similar
affirmation by any Person given or granted with respect to any Contract, Law,
Order, or Permit.
(x) “Contract”
means
any agreement, warranty, indenture, mortgage, guaranty, lease, license or other
contract, agreement, arrangement, commitment or understanding, written or oral,
to which a Person is a party.
(xi) “Default”
means
(i) any breach or violation of or default under any Contract, Order or Permit
(including any noncompliance with restrictions on assignment, where assignment
is defined to include a change of control of the parties to this Agreement
or
any of their Affiliates or the merger or consolidation of any of them with
another Person), (ii) any occurrence of any event that with the passage of
time
or the giving of notice or both would constitute such a breach or violation
of
or default under any Contract, Order or Permit, or (iii) any occurrence of
any
event that with or without the passage of time or the giving of notice would
give rise to a right to terminate or revoke, change the current terms of, or
renegotiate, or to accelerate, increase, or impose any Liability under, any
Contract, Order or Permit.
2
(xii) “Environmental
Claim”
means
any claim; litigation; demand; action; cause of action; suit; loss; cost,
including, but not limited to, attorneys’ fees, diminution in value, and
expert’s fees; damage; punitive damage; fine, penalty, expense, Liability
(including without limitation criminal liability and STRICT
LIABILITY),
judgment, governmental or private investigation and testing; notification of
status of being potentially responsible for clean-up of any facility or for
being in violation or potential violation of any Requirement of Environmental
Law; proceeding; consent or administrative orders, agreements or decrees; lien;
personal injury or death of any person; or property damage, whether threatened,
sought, brought or imposed, that is related to or that seeks to recover losses,
damages, costs, expenses and/or liabilities related to, or seeks to impose
liability for: (i) improper use or treatment of wetlands, pinelands or other
protected land or wildlife; (ii) noise; (iii) radioactive materials (including
naturally occurring radioactive materials [@NORM@];
(iv)
explosives; (v) pollution, contamination, preservation, protection,
decontamination, remediation or clean-up of the air, surface water, groundwater,
soil or protected lands; (vi) solid, gaseous or liquid waste generation,
handling, discharge, release, threatened release, treatment, storage, disposal
or transportation; (vii) exposure of persons or property to Materials of
Environmental Concern and the effects thereof; (viii) the release or threatened
release (into the indoor or outdoor environment), generation, extraction,
mining, beneficiating, manufacture, processing, distribution in commerce, use,
application, transfer, transportation, treatment, storage, disposal or
Remediation of Materials of Environmental Concern; (ix) injury to, death of
or
threat to the health or safety of any person or persons caused directly or
indirectly by Materials of Environmental Concern; (x) destruction caused
directly or indirectly by Materials of Environmental Concern or the release
or
threatened release of any Materials of Environmental Concern or any property
(whether real or personal); (xi) the implementation of spill prevention and/or
disaster plans relating to Material of Environmental Concern; (xiii) community
right-to-know and other disclosure laws; or (xiii) maintaining, disclosing
or
reporting information to Governmental Authorities of any other third person
under any Environmental Law. The term, AEnvironmental
Claim,@
also
includes, without limitation, any losses, damages, costs, expenses and/or
liabilities incurred in testing.
(xiii) “Environmental
Laws”
means
any law, treaty, statute, ordinance, rule, regulation, permit, directive,
license, approval, guidance, interpretation, order or other legal requirement
of
any local, state, provincial, national, or international Governmental Authority
relating to the protection or preservation of natural resources, human health
or
the environment, including but not limited to any requirement pertaining to
(A)
the use, recovery, or harvesting of natural resources or the national or
international trade thereof, or (B) the manufacture, processing, distribution,
use, treatment, storage, disposal, transportation, handling, reporting,
licensing, permitting, investigation or remediation of materials that are or
may
constitute a threat to human health or the environment. Without limiting the
foregoing, each of the following is an Environmental Law: the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (42 U.S.C. ss. 9601
et
seq.), the Hazardous Material Transportation Act (49 U.S.C. ss. 1801 et seq.),
the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (42 U.S.C. ss. 6901 et seq.), the
Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. ss. 1251 et seq.), the Clean
Air
Act (42 U.S.C. ss. 7401 et seq.), the Toxic Substances Control Act (15 U.S.C.
ss. 2601 et seq.), the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. ss. 300 et seq.)
the
Occupational Safety and Health Act (29 U.S.C. ss. 651 et seq.). and the Equator
Principles of the International Finance Corporation, as such laws, regulations,
and principles have been or are in the future amended or supplemented, and
each
similar international, national, state or local treaty, principal or statute,
and each rule and regulation promulgated under such international, national,,
state and local laws.
(xiv) “Environmental
Permit”
means
any Permit available under, required by, or issued pursuant to any Environmental
Laws
(xv) “ERISA”
means
the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and any
successor statute of similar import, together with the regulations there under,
in each case as in effect from time to time. References to sections of ERISA
shall be construed also to refer to any successor sections.
(xvi) “ERISA
Plan”
means
any Benefit Plan that is an “employee welfare benefit plan,” as that term is
defined in Section 3(l) of ERISA, or an “employee pension benefit plan,” as that
term is defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA.
(xvii) “Exchange
Act”
means
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
3
(xviii) “Generally
Accepted Accounting Principles”
or “GAAP”
means
accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America as
recognized by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), as in
effect from time to time, consistently applied and maintained on a consistent
basis for a Person throughout the period indicated and consistent with such
Person’s prior financial practice.
(xix) “Governmental
Authority”
means
any nation, province or state, or any political subdivision thereof, any
international or intergovernmental body or tribunal and any agency, department,
body, natural person or other entity exercising executive, legislative,
regulatory, administrative or judicial functions of or pertaining to government,
including Regulatory Authorities.
(xx) “IRS”
means
the Internal Revenue Service.
(xxi) “Knowledge
of Parent”
means
the knowledge of any of the directors and executive officers of Parent or any
of
their respective Subsidiaries.
(xxii) “Knowledge
of the Company”
means
the knowledge of any of the directors and executive officers of the Company
or
any of their respective Subsidiaries.
(xxiii) “Law”
means
any code, law, ordinance, rule, regulation, reporting or licensing requirement,
or statute applicable to a Person or its Assets, Liabilities, business or
operations promulgated, interpreted or enforced by any Governmental
Authority.
(xxiv) “Liability”
means
any direct or indirect, primary or secondary, liability, indebtedness,
obligation, penalty, cost or expense (including costs of investigation,
collection and defense), claim, deficiency, guaranty or endorsement of or by
any
Person (other than endorsements of notes, bills, checks, and drafts presented
for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business) of any type,
whether accrued, absolute or contingent, liquidated or un-liquidated, matured
or
un-matured or otherwise. Whenever used herein, regardless of whether explicitly
so qualified, “Liability” shall be deemed to include STRICT
LIABILITY
arising
under Environmental Laws or otherwise.
(xxv)
(xxvi) “Lien”
means,
whether contractual or statutory, any conditional sale agreement, participation
or repurchase agreement, assignment, default of title, easement, encroachment,
encumbrance, hypothecation, infringement, lien, mortgage, pledge, reservation,
restriction, security interest, title retention or other security arrangement,
or any adverse right or interest, charge or claim of any nature whatsoever
of,
on, or with respect to any property or property interest, other than (i) Liens
for current property Taxes not yet due and payable, (ii) easements, restrictions
of record and title exceptions that could not reasonably be expected to have
a
Material Adverse Effect.
(xxvii) “Litigation”
means
any action, arbitration, cause of action, claim, complaint, criminal
prosecution, governmental investigation, inspection, hearing, suit, or
administrative or other proceeding, but shall not include regular, periodic
examinations of depository institutions and their Affiliates by Regulatory
Authorities.
(xxviii) “Material”
for
purposes of this Agreement shall be determined in light of the facts and
circumstances of the matter in question; provided that any specific monetary
amount stated in this Agreement shall determine materiality in that
instance.
(xxix) “Material
Adverse Effect”
on
a
Person shall mean an event, change, fact, development, condition, effect or
occurrence that, individually or together with any other event, change, fact,
development, condition, effect or occurrence, has a Material adverse impact
on
(i) the financial condition, results of operations, properties (including
intangible properties), assets (including intangible assets), business
prospects, or business of such Person and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole,
or
(ii) the ability of such Person to perform its obligations under this Agreement
or to consummate the Merger or the other transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, provided that “Material
Adverse Effect”
shall
not be deemed to include the impact of (a) actions and omissions of a Person
(or
any of its Affiliates) taken with the prior informed consent of the other Person
in contemplation of the transactions contemplated hereby, and (b) the Merger
(and the reasonable expenses incurred in connection therewith) and compliance
with the provisions of this Agreement on the operating performance of the
Persons.
4
(xxx) “Materials
of Environmental Concern”
means:
(i) those substances included within the statutory and/or regulatory definitions
or listings of “hazardous substance,” “medical waste,” “special waste,”
“hazardous waste,” “extremely hazardous substance,” “regulated substance,”
“hazardous materials,” or “toxic substances,” under any Environmental Law; (ii)
any material, waste or substance which is or contains: (A) petroleum, oil or
a
fraction or constituent thereof, (B) explosives, (C) radioactive materials
(including naturally occurring radioactive materials), or (D) solid wastes
(as
defined pursuant to Environmental Laws); and (iii) such other substances,
materials, or wastes that are or become classified or regulated as hazardous
or
toxic under any applicable federal, state or local law or regulation. To the
extent that the laws or regulations of any applicable provincial, state or
local
jurisdiction establish a meaning for any term defined herein through reference
to national Environmental Laws which is broader than the meaning under such
national Environmental Laws, such broader meaning shall apply.
(xxxi) “Order”
means
any administrative decision or award, decree, injunction, judgment, order,
quasi-judicial decision or award, ruling, or writ of any federal, state, local,
foreign or other court, arbitrator, mediator, tribunal, administrative agency
or
Governmental Authority.
(xxxii) “Parent
Common Stock”
means
the common stock of Analytical Surveys, Inc., no par value per share.
(xxxiii) “Pension
Plan”
means
any ERISA Plan that also is a “defined benefit plan” (as defined in Section
414(j) of the Code or Section 3(35) of ERISA).
(xxxiv) “Permit”
means
any approval, authorization, certificate, easement, filing, franchise, license,
notice, permit, or right issued or granted by any Governmental Authority or
that
is or may be binding upon or inure to the benefit of any Person or its
securities, Assets or business.
(xxxv) “Person”
means
a
corporation, a company, an association, a joint venture, a partnership, an
organization, a business, an individual, a trust, a Governmental Authority
or
any other legal entity.
(xxxvi) “Real
Property”
means
all of the land, buildings, premises, or other real property in which a Person
has ownership or possessors rights, whether by title, lease or otherwise
(including banking facilities and any foreclosed properties).
(xxxvii) “Regulatory
Authorities”
means,
collectively, the National Association of Securities Dealers and the Securities
and Exchange Commission, and all other regulatory agencies having jurisdiction
over the parties hereto and their respective Affiliates.
(xxxviii) “Remediation”
means
any action necessary to: (i) comply with and ensure compliance with the
Requirements of Environmental Laws and (ii) the taking of all reasonably
necessary precautions to protect against and/or respond to, remove or remediate
or monitor the release or threatened release of Materials of Environmental
Concern at, on, in, about, under, within or near the air, soil, surface water,
groundwater or soil vapor at any facility of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries or of any property affected by the business operations, acts,
omissions or Materials of Environmental Concern, of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries.
5
(xxxix) “Requirement(s)
of Environmental Law(s)”
means
all requirements, conditions, restrictions, or stipulations of, or standards
or
limitations issued pursuant to, Environmental Laws imposed upon, applicable
to,
or affecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or the assets, properties
and/or the business of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
(xl) “Rights”
shall
mean all arrangements, calls, commitments, Contracts, options, rights to
subscribe to, scrip, understandings, warrants, or other binding obligations
of
any character whatsoever relating to, or securities or rights convertible into
or exchangeable for, shares of the capital stock of a Person or by which a
Person is or may be bound to issue additional shares of its capital stock or
other Rights.
(xli) “SEC”
means
the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
(xlii) “Securities
Act”
means
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
(xliii) “Subsidiary”
means,
with respect to any Person, each of the Persons that directly or indirectly,
through one or more intermediaries, is controlled by such Person.
(xliv) “Tax”
or “Taxes”
means
any and all taxes, charges, fees, levies or other assessments (whether federal,
state, local or foreign), including without limitation income, gross receipts,
excise, property, estate, sales, use, value added, transfer, license, payroll,
franchise, ad valorem, withholding, Social Security and unemployment taxes,
as
well as any interest, penalties and other additions to such taxes, charges,
fees, levies or other assessments.
(xlv) “Tax
Return”
means
any report, return or other information required to be supplied to a taxing
authority in connection with Taxes.
(xlvi) “Taxable
Period”
shall
mean any period prescribed by any Governmental Authority, including the United
States or any state, local, or foreign government or subdivision or agency
thereof for which a Tax Return is required to be filed or Tax is required to
be
paid.
(b) The
following terms have the meaning set forth in the Sections set forth
below:
Acquisition
Proposal SECTION
6.3
Affiliates
Letters SECTION
7.9
Agreement PREAMBLE
Business
Combination
Transaction SECTION
6.3
Certificates
SECTION
3.2(a)
Claim
Notice
SECTION
10.3(a)
Closing
SECTION
2.8
Closing
Date
SECTION
2.8
Common
Shares Outstanding SECTION
3.1(a)
Company
PREAMBLE
Company
Contracts
SECTION
4.15(a)
Company
Disclosure Schedule
ARTICLE
IV
Company
Financial Statements
SECTION
4.4
Effective
Time SECTION
2.2
Election
Period
SECTION
10.3(a)
Environmental
Survey
SECTION
6.5
Indemnified
Amounts
SECTION
10.1
Indemnified
Party
SECTION
10.3(a)
Indemnifying
Party
SECTION
10.3(a)
Indemnity
Notice
SECTION
10.3(b)
Intellectual
Property Rights
SECTION
4.23
Interested
Party
SECTION
6.3
Letter
of
Transmittal
SECTION
3.2(a)
Merger
SECTION
2.1
Merger
Consideration
SECTION
3.1(a)
Merger
Filing
SECTION
2.2
Merger
Sub
PREAMBLE
Parent
PREAMBLE
Parent
Acquisition
SECTION
7.11(a)
Parent
Financial Statements
SECTION
5.4(d)
Parent
Indemnified Party SECTION
10.1
Parent
Representatives
SECTION
6.4
Parent
SEC Reports
SECTION
5.4(b)
Parent
Shareholder Approval
SECTION
7.4
Proxy
Statement
SECTION
4.18
Registration
Statement
SECTION
4.18
SEC
SECTION
4.18
Shareholders
PREAMBLE
Shareholders’
Indemnified Party
SECTION
10.2
Surviving
Corporation
SECTION
XX
Tail
Indemnitees SECTION
7.11(b)
TBOC SECTION
2.1
Third
Party
Claim
SECTION
10.3(a)
6
ARTICLE
II
THE
MERGER
Section
2.1. The
Merger.
On the
terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement, and in accordance the
Texas Business Organizations Code (“TBOC”),
Merger Sub shall be merged with and into the Company (the “Merger”)
as
soon as practicable following the satisfaction or waiver, if permissible, of
the
conditions set forth in Article VIII hereof. Following the Merger, the Company
shall continue its existence under Texas law as a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Parent and the separate corporate existence of Merger Sub shall cease. The
Company as the surviving corporation after the Merger is hereinafter sometimes
referred to as the “Surviving
Corporation”).
Section
2.2. Effective
Time.
The
Merger shall be consummated by the filing by the Texas Secretary of State of
Articles of Merger, in the form required by and executed in accordance with
the
relevant provisions of the TBOC (“Merger
Filing”),
and
by the issuance of a Certificate of Merger by the Texas Secretary of State.
(The
date of such issuance and filing or such other time and date as may be specified
in the Articles and Certificate of merger shall be the “Effective
Time”).
Section
2.3. Filing
of Articles of Merger.
At the
Closing, Parent and the Company shall cause the Articles of Merger in respect
of
the Merger to be executed and filed with the Secretary of State of Texas, as
required by the TBOC, and shall take any and all other actions and do any and
all other things to cause the Merger to become effective as contemplated
hereby.
Section
2.4. Certain
Effect of the Merger.
At the
Effective Time, the effect of the Merger shall be as provided in the applicable
provisions of the TBOC. Without limiting the foregoing, from and after the
Effective Time, the Surviving Corporation shall have all the properties, rights,
privileges, purposes, and powers and debts, duties, and liabilities of the
Company.
Section
2.5. Governing
Documents.
The
Articles of Incorporation and the By-Laws of ASI Merger Sub, in each case shall
be the Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws of the Surviving
Corporation.
Section
2.6. Directors
and Officers.
The
directors and officers of the Company at the Effective Time shall be the
directors and officers of the Surviving Corporation and shall hold office from
the Effective Time until their respective successors are duly elected or
appointed and qualified in the manner provided in the Articles of Incorporation
and By-Laws of the Surviving Corporation, or as otherwise provided by law;
provided however that Xxxxx Xxxxxx shall be appointed to serve as Chief
Operating Officer of the Company and shall hold office from the Effective Time
until his successor is duly elected or appointed and qualified. At or prior
to
the Effective Time, Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx and Xxxxx Xxxxxx shall be appointed to
the
Board of Directors of Parent and shall hold such position from the Effective
Time until their successors are duly elected or appointed in the manner provided
in the Article of Incorporation and By-Laws of Parent, or as otherwise prided
by
law. Immediately after the Effective Time, the Board of Directors of Parent
shall appoint Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx to serve as Chief Executive Officer of Parent,
Xxxxx Xxxxxx as Chief Operating Officer of the Parent, and Xxxx X. Xxxxx to
serve as Chief Financial Officer of Parent.
Section
2.7. Approval.
The
parties hereto shall take and cause to be taken all action necessary to approve
and authorize (i) this Agreement and the other documents contemplated hereby
and
(ii) the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby.
Section
2.8. Modification.
Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, Parent may
elect with the prior written consent of the Company (such consent not to be
unreasonably withheld), subject to the receipt of all regulatory approvals,
to
modify the structure of the transactions contemplated hereby so long as (i)
there are no adverse federal income tax consequences to the shareholders of
the
Company as a result of such modification, (ii) the consideration to be paid
to
the holders of Company Common Stock under this Agreement is not thereby changed
in kind or reduced in amount solely because of such modification, and (iii)
such
modification will not be likely to materially delay or jeopardize receipt of
any
required regulatory approvals.
Section
2.9. Closing.
The
closing (the “Closing”)
of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall take place at the offices
of
Xxxxx Liddell & Xxxx LLP in Austin, Texas, or any other location mutually
agreeable to Parent and the Company, as promptly as practicable (but in any
event within five (5) business days) following the date on which the last of
the
conditions set forth in Article
VIII
is
fulfilled or waived, or at such other time and place as Parent and the Company
shall agree. The date on which the Closing occurs is referred to in this
Agreement as the “Closing
Date.”
7
ARTICLE
III
CONVERSION
AND EXCHANGE OF COMPANY SHARES
Section
3.1. Effect
on Capital Stock.
At the
Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part
of
Parent, Merger Sub or the Company:
(a) Conversion
of Shares.
Each
share of the Company’s Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to
the Effective Time (“Common
Shares Outstanding”)
shall,
by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part of the holders
thereof, be converted into and represent the right to receive the consideration
as set forth below (the “Merger Consideration”)
to the
holder of record thereof, without interest thereon, upon surrender of the
certificates representing such Company Share.
(b) Merger
Consideration.
Each
holder of Company Common Stock shall receive for each share of Company Common
Stock held immediately prior to the Effective Time, Merger Consideration equal
to the quotient of 31,000,000 shares of Parent Common Stock divided by the
Common Shares Outstanding.
(c) Adjustments
to Merger Consideration.
The
ratio of the number of shares of Parent Common Stock to be exchanged for each
Company Share shall be adjusted appropriately to reflect fully the effect of
any
stock split, reverse split, stock dividend, (including any dividend of
securities convertible into Parent Common Stock), reorganization,
reclassification, recapitalization or other similar change with respect to
Parent Common Stock occurring (including the record date thereof) after the
date
hereof and prior to the Effective Time.
(d) No
Fractional Shares.
Parent
will not issue any certificates for any fractional shares of Parent Common
Stock
otherwise issuable pursuant to the Merger. In lieu of issuing such fractional
shares, the number of shares of Parent Common Stock to which a holder of the
Shares is entitled to receive pursuant to this Article III shall be rounded
to
the nearest whole share (with 0.5 share rounded up to the nearest whole
share).
(e) Cancellation
of Treasury Stock.
Notwithstanding anything contained in this
Section 3.1
to the
contrary, any Company Common Stock owned by the Company or any direct or
indirect subsidiary of the Company, if any, immediately prior to the Effective
Time, shall be canceled and extinguished without any conversion thereof, and
no
payment shall be made with respect thereto.
(f) Conversion
of Merger Sub Shares.
Each
share of capital stock of Merger Sub issued and outstanding immediately before
the Effective Time shall not be converted or exchanged by virtue of the Merger
and shall remain outstanding as one share of common stock of the Surviving
Corporation.
Section
3.2. Exchange
Procedures.
(a) Exchange
Procedures.
At the
Closing, Parent will deliver to each holder of record of stock certificates
representing Company Common Stock (the “Certificates”)
a form
letter of transmittal approved by Parent and the Company (“Letters
of Transmittal”)
(which
shall specify that delivery shall be effected, and risk of loss and title to
the
Certificates shall pass only upon proper delivery of the Certificates to Parent)
and instructions for use in effecting the surrender of the Certificates for
payment therefor. Upon surrender to Parent of a Certificate, which shares
evidenced by such Certificate shall be free and clear of any lien, claim,
encumbrance, security interest, equity, pledge, charge, option, or adverse
claim
of any nature whatsoever, together with a properly executed and completed Letter
of Transmittal, the holder of such Certificate shall be entitled to receive
in
exchange therefore, certificates evidencing that number of whole shares of
Parent Common Stock which such holder has the right to receive in accordance
with Section
3.1
hereof
in respect of the shares of Company Common Stock formerly evidenced by such
Certificate, and the Certificates so surrendered shall forthwith be canceled.
No
dividend will be disbursed with respect to the shares of Parent Common Stock
to
be issued in respect of the Certificates until the holder’s Certificates are
surrendered in exchange therefor, but upon such surrender of such outstanding
Certificate there shall be paid to the record holder of the Certificate issued
in exchange therefor the amount of any dividends, if any, without interest,
that
have theretofore become payable with respect to the number of shares of Parent
Common Stock represented by and issued in respect of such Certificate, and
his
other rights as a shareholder of Parent shall thereafter be restored. If payment
or delivery of Parent Common Stock is to be made to a person other than the
person in whose name the Certificate surrendered is registered, it shall be
a
condition of payment that the Certificate so surrendered shall be properly
endorsed or otherwise in proper form for transfer and that the person requesting
such payment shall pay any transfer or other taxes required by reason of the
payment and delivery of Parent Common Stock to a person other than the
registered holder of the Certificate surrendered or established to the
satisfaction of the Surviving Corporation that such tax has been paid or is
not
applicable. Until surrendered in accordance with the provisions of this
Section
3.2(a),
each
Certificate shall represent for all purposes the right to receive the Merger
Consideration.
(b) Stock
Transfer Books.
After
the Effective Time, the stock transfer books of the Company shall be closed,
and
there shall be no further registration of transfers of the Company Common Stock
thereafter on the records of the Company.
8
ARTICLE
IV
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
Except
as
set forth on the Company Disclosure Schedule (the “Company
Disclosure Schedule”),
the
Company and the Shareholders, jointly and severally, represent and warrant
to
Parent and Merger Sub that the statements contained in this Article IV are
correct and complete as of the date of this Agreement and will be correct and
complete as of the Closing Date.
Section
4.1. Organization,
Standing and Power.
(a) The
Company is a corporation, duly organized, validly existing and in good standing
under the Laws of the State of Texas. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries
has the corporate or other applicable power and authority to carry on its
business as it is now being conducted and to own, lease and operate its Assets.
Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries is duly qualified or licensed to
transact business as a foreign corporation and is in good standing in the States
of the United States and foreign jurisdictions where the character of its Assets
or the nature or conduct of its business requires it to be so qualified or
licensed, except for such jurisdictions in which the failure to be so qualified
or licensed could not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the
aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company.
(b) The
corporate minute books of the Company and its Subsidiaries contain records
of
all meetings and other corporate actions held or taken of their respective
shareholders and board of directors (including the committees of such boards)
since October 1, 2004. The
corporate minute books, and other corporate records of the Company are correct
and complete in all material respects and the signatures appearing on all
documents contained therein are the true signatures of the person purporting
to
have signed the same. All actions reflected in said books and records were
duly
and validly taken in compliance with the laws of the applicable jurisdiction
and
no meeting of the board of directors of the Company or any committee thereof
has
been held for which minutes have not been prepared and are not contained in
the
minute books. True,
accurate and complete copies of the corporate minute books, the Company’s
Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws, in each case as in effect on the date
hereof, including all amendments thereto, have heretofore been delivered to
Parent.
(c) Section
4.1 of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth a true and complete list
of
all the Company’s Subsidiaries and the jurisdiction of organization thereof.
Section
4.2. Authority;
No Conflicts.
(a) The
Company has full corporate power and authority necessary to execute and deliver
this Agreement, perform its obligations under this Agreement and to consummate
the transactions contemplated hereby. This Agreement has been approved by the
Board of Directors of the Company and the Shareholders, and no other corporate
proceedings on the part of the Company or the Shareholders are necessary to
authorize the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the consummation
by
the Company and the Shareholders of the transactions contemplated hereby. The
execution, delivery and performance of the Company’s obligations under this
Agreement and the other documents contemplated hereby and the consummation
of
the transactions contemplated herein, including the Merger, have been duly
and
validly authorized by the Shareholders and the Company. This Agreement
represents a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company and the
Shareholders, enforceable against the Company and the Shareholders in accordance
with its terms (except in all cases as such enforceability may be limited by
applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar Laws
affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and except that the
availability of specific performance, injunctive relief and other equitable
remedies is subject to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding
may be brought). To the Knowledge of the Company and the Shareholders, there
is
no fact or condition relating to the Company or the Shareholders that would
prevent all regulatory approvals required for the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby from being obtained.
(b) Neither
the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company and the
Shareholders, nor the consummation by the Company and the Shareholders of the
transactions contemplated hereby, nor compliance by the Company and the
Shareholders with any of the provisions hereof, will (i) conflict with or result
in a breach of any provision of the Company’s articles of incorporation,
charter, bylaws or any other similar governing document, (ii) constitute or
result in a Default under, or require any Consent pursuant to, or result in
the
creation of any Lien on any Asset of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
under, any Contract or Permit of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, except
as could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the
Company, or (iii) subject to obtaining the requisite Consents referred to in
Section
8.1
of this
Agreement, violate any Law or Order applicable to the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries or any of their respective Assets.
9
(c) Except
for the Merger Filing with the Secretary of State of the State of Texas in
connection with the Merger, no declaration, filing or registration with, or
notice to, or authorization, consent or approval of, any Governmental Authority
is necessary for the consummation by the Company and the Shareholders of the
Merger and the other transactions contemplated in this Agreement.
Section
4.3. Capital
Stock; Subsidiaries.
(a) The
authorized capital stock of the Company consists of 100,000,000 shares of common
stock, $.001 par value per share. As of the date of this Agreement there are,
and as of the Closing there will be, 31,000,000 shares of Company Common Stock
issued and outstanding and no other shares of capital stock or other equity
securities of the Company issued and outstanding.
No
shares of the Company Common Stock are held in treasury. All
shares of Company Common Stock that have been issued have been duly authorized,
validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable, and are free of
pre-emptive rights.
(b) All
of
the issued and outstanding shares of the capital stock of the Company’s
Subsidiaries (i) are duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable, (ii) free and clear of any Liens, claims, security interests
and
encumbrances of any kind, (iii) there are no preemptive rights of the current
or
past shareholders, and (iv) there are no irrevocable proxies with respect to
such shares and there are no outstanding or authorized subscriptions, options,
warrants, calls, rights or other agreements or commitments of any kind
restricting the transfer of, requiring the issuance or sale of, or otherwise
relating to any of such shares of capital stock to any person. The Company
owns,
directly, all of the issued and outstanding capital stock or membership interest
of its Subsidiaries. Except
for its interest in its Subsidiaries, the Company does not own, directly or
indirectly, any equity securities of any other Person.
(c) There
are
no (i) equity securities of any Subsidiaries of the Company are or may become
required to be issued (other than to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries)
by
reason of any Rights, (ii) Contracts by which the Company or any Subsidiary
of
the Company is bound to issue (other than to the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries) additional shares of its capital stock or Rights or by which
the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries is or may be bound to transfer any shares
of
the capital stock of any Subsidiary of the Company (other than to the Company
or
any of its Subsidiaries), and (iii) equity securities reserved for any of the
foregoing purposes and there are no Contracts relating to the rights of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries to vote or to dispose of any shares of the
capital stock of any Subsidiary of the Company.
Section
4.4. Financial
Statements.
Section
4.4 of the Company Disclosure Schedule contains a copy of [(i) the unaudited
consolidated financial statements of the Company as of and for the year ended
December 31, 2006] (the “Company
Financial Statements”).
The
Company Financial Statements were prepared in accordance with GAAP applied
on a
consistent basis throughout the periods involved and fairly present in all
material respects the consolidated financial position of the Company and its
Subsidiaries as at the respective dates thereof and the consolidated results
of
its operations and cash flows for the periods indicated.
Section
4.5. Absence
of Undisclosed Liabilities.
Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has any Liabilities (whether absolute,
accrued, contingent or otherwise) that could reasonably be expected,
individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect on the
Company, except Liabilities that (i) are accrued or reserved against in the
consolidated balance sheets of the Company as of December 31, 2006, included
in
the Company Financial Statements or reflected in the notes thereto and (ii)
were
incurred in the ordinary course of business subsequent to December 31, 2006.
Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has incurred or paid any
Liability since December 31, 2006; except for (a) such Liabilities incurred
or
paid in the ordinary course of business consistent with past business practice,
and (b) Liabilities that could not reasonably be expected, individually or
in
the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company. To the
Knowledge of the Company or the Shareholders, no facts or circumstances exist
that could reasonably be expected to serve as the basis for any other
Liabilities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, except as could not
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the
Company.
Section
4.6. Absence
of Certain Changes or Events.
Since
December 31, 2006, (a) there have been no events, changes, or occurrences that
have had, or could reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the
aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company, and (b) each of the Company
and its Subsidiaries has conducted in all Material respects its respective
businesses in the ordinary and usual course consistent with past practice
(excluding the incurrence of expenses in connection with this Agreement and
the
transactions contemplated hereby).
Section
4.7. Tax
Matters.
(i) All
Tax
Returns required to be filed by or on behalf of any of Company and its
Subsidiaries have been timely filed, or requests for extensions have been timely
filed, granted, and have not expired for periods ended on or before December
31,
2006, and all Tax Returns filed are complete and accurate in all Material
respects. All Tax Returns for periods ending on or before the date of the most
recent fiscal year end immediately preceding the Effective Time will be timely
filed or requests for extensions will be timely filed. All Taxes due and owing
by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (whether or not shown on any Tax
Return) have been paid. There is no audit examination, deficiency, or refund
Litigation with respect to any Taxes that could have a Material Adverse Effect
on the Company, except to the extent reserved against in the Company Financial
Statements dated prior to the date of this Agreement. All Taxes and other
Liabilities due with respect to completed and settled examinations or concluded
Litigation have been paid.
10
(b) None
of
the Company or its Affiliates has executed an extension or waiver of any statute
of limitations on the assessment or collection of any Tax due (excluding such
statutes that relate to years currently under examination by the IRS or other
applicable taxing authorities) that is currently in effect. Section 4.7 of
the
Company Disclosure Schedule lists those Tax Returns or tax years currently
under
examination or audit by the IRS or other applicable taxing
authority.
(c) Adequate
provision for any Material Taxes due or to become due for the Company or any
of
its Subsidiaries for the period or periods through and including the date of
the
respective Company Financial Statements has been made and is reflected on such
Company Financial Statements.
(d) Each
of
the Company and its Subsidiaries is in compliance with, and its records contain
all information and documents (including properly completed IRS Forms W-9)
necessary to comply with, all applicable information reporting and Tax
withholding requirements under federal, state, and local Tax Laws, and such
records identify with specificity all accounts subject to backup withholding
under Section 3406 of the Code.
(e) None
of
the Company and its Subsidiaries has made any payments, is obligated to make
any
payments, or is a party to any contract, agreement, or other arrangement that
could obligate it to make any payments that would be disallowed as a deduction
under Section 280G or 162(m) of the Code.
(f) There
are
no Liens with respect to Taxes (other than Taxes not yet due and payable) upon
any of the Assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
(g) There
has
not been an ownership change, as defined in Code Section 382(g), of the Company
and its Subsidiaries that occurred during any Taxable Period in which any of
the
Company and its Subsidiaries has incurred a net operating loss that carries
over
to another Taxable Period ending after December 31, 2006.
(h) After
the
date of this Agreement, no Material election with respect to Taxes will be
made
without the prior written consent of the Surviving Corporation.
(i) Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has or has had a permanent establishment
in any foreign country, as defined in any applicable tax treaty or convention
between the United States and such foreign country.
(j) Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries owns any interest in an entity or
arrangement characterized as a partnership for United States federal income
tax
purposes; neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has been a United
States real property holding company within the meaning of Section 897(c)(2)
of
the Code during the applicable period specified in Section 897(c)(1)(A)(ii)
of
the Code; no debt of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is “corporate
acquisition indebtedness” within the meaning of Section 279(b) of the Code;
neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has entered into any “reportable
transaction” as defined in the Treasury Regulations; and neither the Company nor
any of its Subsidiaries has any liability for the Taxes of any Person (other
than any of the Company and its Subsidiaries) under Treasury Regulation Section
1.1502-6 (or any similar provision of state, local, or foreign law), as a
transferee or successor, by contract, or otherwise.
(k) Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries will be required to include any item
of
income in, or exclude any item of deduction from, taxable income for any Taxable
Period (or portion thereof) ending after the Closing Date as a result of any:
(i) change in method of accounting for a Taxable Period ending on or prior
to
the Closing Date; (ii) “closing agreement” as described in Section 7121 of the
Code (or any corresponding or similar provision of state, local or foreign
income Tax law) executed on or prior to the Closing Date; (iii) intercompany
transactions or any excess loss account described in Treasury Regulations under
Section 1502 of the Code (or any corresponding or similar provision of state,
local or foreign income Tax law); (iv) installment sale or open transaction
disposition made on or prior to the Closing Date; or (v) prepaid amount received
on or prior to the Closing Date.
11
(l) Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has distributed stock of another Person,
or has had its stock distributed by another Person, in a transaction that was
purported or intended to be governed in whole or in part by Sections 355 or
361
of the Code.
Section
4.8. Assets.
Each of
the Company and its Subsidiaries has good and marketable title, free and clear
of all Liens, to all of its Assets. All tangible properties used in the
businesses of the Company and its Subsidiaries are in good condition, reasonable
wear and tear excepted, and are usable in the ordinary course of business
consistent with past practice. All Material Assets held under leases or
subleases by any of the Company and its Subsidiaries are held under valid
Contracts enforceable in accordance with their respective terms, and each such
Contract is in full force and effect. The Assets of the Company and its
Subsidiaries include all Assets required to operate their businesses taken
as a
whole as presently conducted.
Section
4.9. Insurance.
Each of
the Company and its Subsidiaries currently maintain insurance in amounts, scope,
and coverage necessary for its operations. Neither the Company or its
Subsidiaries has received notice from any insurance carrier that (a) such
insurance will be canceled or that coverage there under will be reduced or
eliminated, or (b) premium costs with respect to such policies of insurance
will
be increased. No insurance carrier has denied any claims made against any policy
of the Company or its Subsidiaries.
Section
4.10. Securities
Portfolio and Investments.
All
securities owned by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (whether owned of
record or beneficially) are held free and clear of all Liens that would impair
the ability of the owner thereof to dispose freely of any such security and/or
otherwise to realize the benefits of ownership thereof at any time except as
may
be disclosed in this Agreement.
Section
4.11. Environmental
Matters.
Without
in any manner limiting any other representations and warranties set forth in
this Agreement:
(a) Each
of
the Company and its Subsidiaries, their respective facilities and properties,
and their respective Assets are, and has at all times been, in compliance with
all Environmental Laws and Requirements of Environmental Laws.
(b) Each
of
the Company and its Subsidiaries holds, and is in compliance with, all
Environmental Permits required for the ownership and operation of its business
and each of its respective facilities and properties. All such Environmental
Permits were validly obtained, are in full force and effect, and are not subject
to termination, revocation, or nonrenewal.
(c) There
is
no Litigation pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company or the Shareholder,
threatened before any Governmental Authority or other forum in which any of
the
Company or its Subsidiaries or any of their respective facilities or properties
has been or, with respect to threatened Litigation, may be expected to be,
named
as a defendant (i) for alleged noncompliance (including by any predecessor)
with
any Environmental Law, (ii) relating to the validity of any Environmental
Permits issued to or sought by the Company or its Subsidiaries, or (iii)
relating to the release into the environment of any Materials
of Environmental Concern,
whether
or not occurring at, on, under, or involving a site owned, leased, or operated
by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their facilities or
properties.
(d) There
is
no Litigation pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company or the Shareholder,
threatened before any Governmental Authority or other forum in which any of
its
Assets (or the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in respect of such Asset)
has
been or, with respect to threatened Litigation, may be expected to be, named
as
a defendant or potentially responsible party (i) for alleged noncompliance
(including by any predecessor) with any Environmental Law or Environemntal
Permit (ii) relating to the release into the environment of any Materials
of Environmental Concern,
whether
or not occurring at, on, under, or involving Assets.
12
(e) No
facts
exist that provide a reasonable basis for any Litigation of a type described
in
subsections (b) or (c), or any other Liability under Environmental
Laws.
(f) There
have been no spills, discharges, or releases of Materials
of Environmental Concern
in, on,
under, from, or affecting (or potentially affecting) (i) any of the Company’s or
its Subsidiaries’ respective current properties (or former properties during the
term of their respective ownership or operation) or their ownership or operation
thereof, (ii) any of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ participation in the
management of any facility or property, or (iii) any of the Company’s or its
Subsidiaries’ holding of a security interest in Assets.
(g) No
Materials of Environmental Concern are present in the soils, sediment,
groundwater or other environmental media on, at, under, or about any property
or
facility owned, leased, operated, or used by the Company or any Subsidiary
in
excess of any Requirements of Environmental Laws, and no Remediation of any
Materials of Environmental Concern is required.
(h) There
is
no asbestos or asbestos-containing material at its or its Subsidiaries’
facilities or properties that is friable, capable of becoming airborne, or
in
any state or condition which would give rise to Liability for site or building
under Environmental Laws.
(i) There
is
no Requirement of Environmental Laws that will require future compliance costs
on the part of the Company in excess of $10,000 above costs currently expended
in the ordinary course of business.
(j) There
are
no above- or underground storage tanks or related equipment (including without
limitation pipes and lines) at, on or under any of its or its Subsidiaries’
facilities or properties, and that all such tanks and equipment, if any,
previously located thereat, thereon or there under have been removed or closed
in place in accordance with all applicable Environmental Laws, including without
limitation the preparation and filing of any required closure certification
with
any Governmental Authority.
(k) There
are
no obligations, undertakings or liabilities arising out of or relating to
Environmental Laws which the Company has agreed to, assumed or retained, by
contract or otherwise.
Section
4.12. Compliance
with Laws.
(a) Each
of
the Company and its Subsidiaries has in effect all Permits necessary for it
to
own, lease, or operate its Assets and to carry on its business as now conducted,
except for those Permits the absence of which could not reasonably be expected
to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on the
Company, and there has occurred no Default under any such Permit, other than
Defaults that could not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in
the
aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company. None of the Company or
any
of its Subsidiaries: (i) is in violation of any Laws, Orders, or Permits
applicable to its business or employees conducting its business, except for
violations that could not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in
the
aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company (provided that this clause
(i) shall not apply to Environmental Laws, which are covered in Section
4.11
above);
or (ii) has received any notification or communication from any agency or
department of federal, state, or local Governmental Authority or any Regulatory
Authority or the staff thereof (A) asserting that any of the Company or its
Subsidiaries is not in compliance with any of the Laws or Orders that such
Governmental Authority or Regulatory Authority enforces, except where such
noncompliance could not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in
the
aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company, (B) threatening to revoke
any Permit, except where the revocation of which could not reasonably be
expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect
on
the Company, or (C) requiring the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (1) to
enter into or consent to the issuance of a cease and desist order, formal
agreement, directive, commitment, or memorandum of understanding, or (2) to
adopt any board or directors resolution or similar undertaking that restricts
the conduct of its business, or in any manner relates to its capital adequacy,
its credit or reserve policies, its management, or the payment of
dividends.
13
(b) There
are
no pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened actions against
any
director or officer of the Company pursuant to Section 8A or 20(b) of the
Securities Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 77h-1 or 77t(b), or Section 21(d) or 21C of the
Exchange Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 78u(d) or 78u-3. The Company has delivered to Parent
copies of all reports made by any attorney to the Company’s chief legal officer,
chief executive officer, board of directors (or committee thereof) or other
representative pursuant to 17 C.F.R. Part 205, and all responses
thereto.
Section
4.13. Labor
Relations.
Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is the subject of any Litigation
asserting that it has committed an unfair labor practice (within the meaning
of
the National Labor Relations Act or comparable state Law) or seeking to compel
it to bargain with any labor organization as to wages or conditions of
employment, nor is any of them a party to or bound by any collective bargaining
agreement, Contract, or other agreement or understanding with a labor union
or
labor organization, nor is there any strike or other labor dispute involving
any
of them, pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened. To the
Knowledge of the Company, there is not currently any activity involving any
of
the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ employees seeking to certify a collective
bargaining unit or engaging in any other organization activity.
Section
4.14. Employee
Benefit Plans.
(a) Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries maintains or has ever maintained any
pension,
retirement, profit-sharing, deferred compensation, stock option, employee stock
ownership, restricted stock, severance pay, vacation, bonus, or other incentive
plan, written employee programs or agreements, medical, vision, dental, or
other
health plans, welfare plans life insurance plans, or any other employee benefit
plans, arrangements, fringe benefit plans or perquisites, whether written or
unwritten, including without limitation “employee benefit plans” as that term is
defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA maintained by, sponsored in whole or in part
by, or contributed to by, a Person or any of its subsidiaries for the benefit
of
employees, retirees, dependents, spouses, directors, independent contractors,
or
any other beneficiaries and under which employees, retirees, dependents,
spouses, directors, independent contractors, or any other beneficiaries are
eligible to participate.
(b) Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has an “obligation to contribute” (as
defined in ERISA Section 4212) to a “multiemployer plan” (as defined in ERISA
Sections 4001(a)(3) and 3(37)(A)). Neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries currently maintains or has ever maintained an “employee pension
benefit plan,” as defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA, that was intended to qualify
under Section 401(a) of the Code and with respect to which the Company or any
of
its Subsidiaries has any Liability.
(c) Neither
the Company nor any of its Affiliates maintains or has ever maintained or
otherwise had any obligation to contribute to a Pension Plan or other plan
subject to Title IV of ERISA, a “Multiemployer Plan” as defined in Section 3(37)
of ERISA, or a multiple employer welfare arrangement (MEWA) as defined in
Section 3(40) of ERISA.
14
(d) As
of the
date hereof, the Company does not sponsor any simplified employee pension plans
as described in Section 408(k) of the Code and there are no claims against
the
Company for benefits relating to any such plans.
(e) Neither
the execution and delivery of this Agreement nor the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby will, by themselves, (i) result in any payment
(including without limitation severance, unemployment compensation, golden
parachute, or otherwise) becoming due to any director or any employee of the
Company or its Affiliates from the Company or any of its Affiliates under any
plan described in this Section
4.14
or
otherwise, (ii) increase any benefit otherwise payable under any plan described
in this Section
4.14,
or
(iii) result in any acceleration of the time of any payment or vesting of any
benefit.
Section
4.15. Material
Contracts.
(a) Section
4.15 of the Company Disclosure Schedules
sets
forth an accurate and complete description of all Contracts to which the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries is bound which obligate or may obligate the Company
or any Subsidiary for an amount in excess of $5,000 per Contract over the entire
term of any such Contact or Contracts with a current term of one year or longer
(the “Company
Contracts”).
The
Company has made available to Parent true and correct copies of all Company
Contracts. None of the Company or its Subsidiaries, nor any of their respective
Assets, businesses, or operations, is a party to, or is bound or affected by,
or
receives benefits under, (a) any employment, severance, termination, consulting,
or retirement Contract, (b) any Contract relating to the borrowing of money
by
the Company or its Subsidiaries or the guarantee by the Company or its
Subsidiaries of any such obligation, or in another document identified to
Parent.
(b) With
respect to each Company Contract: (i) the Contract is a legal, valid and binding
obligation of the parties to the Contract enforceable in accordance with its
terms, subject to the effect of bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization,
moratorium, or other similar laws relating to creditors’ rights generally and to
general equitable principles, and is in full force and effect; (ii) none of
the
Company or its Subsidiaries is in Default hereunder; (iii) neither the Company
nor any of its Subsidiaries has repudiated or waived any Material provision
of
any such Contract; and (iv) no other party to any such Contract is, to the
Knowledge of the Company or the Shareholders, in Default in any respect, or
has
repudiated or waived any provision hereunder. All of the indebtedness of the
Company and its Subsidiaries for money borrowed (not including deposit
Liabilities) is pre-payable at any time without penalty or premium. All rent
and
other payments by the Company and its Subsidiaries under the Contracts are
current. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries has good and valid leasehold
interest in each parcel of real property leased by it free and clear of all
Liens.
Section
4.16. Legal
Proceedings.
There is
no Litigation instituted or pending, or, to the Knowledge of the Company or
the
Shareholders, threatened against, relating to or affecting the Company or any
of
its Subsidiaries, any Assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, employee
benefit plan, interest, or right of any of them, before any court, Governmental
Authority, mediator or arbitrator, and there is no basis for the same. The
Company is not subject to any decree, injunction, rule or order of any court,
Governmental Authority, mediator or arbitrator. There is no Litigation to which
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party that names the Company or
any
of its Subsidiaries as a defendant or cross-defendant.
Section
4.17. Reports.
Since
its inception, the Company and each of its Subsidiaries have timely filed all
reports and statements, together with any amendments required to be made with
respect thereto, that it was required to file with any Regulatory Authorities.
As of their respective dates, each of such reports and documents, including
the
financial statements, exhibits, and schedules thereto, complied in all Material
respects with all applicable Laws.
15
Section
4.18. Information
Supplied.
The
information supplied by the Company, its Subsidiaries or the Shareholders for
inclusion in the registration statement on Form S-4 (the “Registration
Statement”)
covering the shares of Parent Common Stock to be issued pursuant to this
Agreement and the information supplied by the Company, its Subsidiaries, or
the
Shareholders for inclusion in the proxy materials to be filed with the SEC
in
connection with the special meeting as
described in Section
7.4
hereof
(the “Proxy
Statement”),
shall
not, at the time the Registration Statement (including any amendments or
supplements thereto) is declared effective by the Securities and Exchange
Commission (“SEC”)
and at
the time the Proxy Statement is mailed to Parent’s shareholders, respectively,
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein
not misleading. The information supplied by or on behalf of the Company, its
Subsidiaries and the Shareholders for inclusion in the Registration Statement
and Proxy Statement shall comply with the requirements of the Securities Act
and
Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder applicable to the Company
and its Subsidiaries. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company makes no
representation or warranty with respect to any information supplied by Parent
and its Subsidiaries that is contained or incorporated by reference in, or
furnished in connection with the preparation of, the Registration Statement
or
the Proxy Statement.
Section
4.19. Tax
and Regulatory Matters.
Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries nor the Shareholders have taken or
agreed to take any action, or has any Knowledge of any fact or
circumstance that
could reasonably be expected to (a) prevent the transactions contemplated
hereby, including the Merger, from qualifying as a reorganization within the
meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code, or (b) Materially impede or delay receipt
of any Consents of Regulatory Authorities referred to in Section
8.1(b)
of this
Agreement.
Section
4.20. State
Takeover Laws.
Each of
the Company, its Subsidiaries and the Shareholders have taken all necessary
action to exempt the transactions contemplated by this Agreement from any
applicable “moratorium,” “control share,” “fair price,” “business combination,”
or other applicable state anti-takeover laws and regulations.
Section
4.21. Registration
Obligations.
Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is under any obligation, contingent
or
otherwise, presently in effect or which will survive the Merger by reason of
any
agreement to register any of its securities under the Securities
Act.
Section
4.22. Commissions.
No
broker, finder or other Person is entitled to any brokerage or agent fees,
commissions, finder’s fees or other like payments in connection with the
transactions contemplated hereby by reason of any action taken by the Company,
any of its Subsidiaries or any of the Shareholders. There is no claim for
payment by the Company of any investment banking fees, finder’s fees, brokerage
or agent commissions or other like payments in connection with the negotiations
leading to this Agreement of the consummation of the transactions contemplated
hereby.
Section
4.23. Intellectual
Property.
The
Company has rights to use, whether through ownership, licensing or otherwise,
all patents, trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights, software,
trade
secrets and other proprietary rights and processes that are material to its
business as now conducted (collectively the "Intellectual
Property Rights").
Except as set forth in Section 4.23 of the Company Disclosure Schedule, the
Company does not own any patents. The Company has no knowledge of any
infringement by any other Person of any of the Intellectual Property Rights,
and
the Company has not entered into any agreement to indemnify any other party
against any charge of infringement of any of the Intellectual Property Rights.
The Company has not and does not violate or infringe any intellectual property
right of any other Person, and the Company has not received any communication
alleging that it violates or infringes the intellectual property right of any
other Person. The Company has not been sued for infringing any intellectual
property right of another Person. There is no claim or demand of any person
pertaining to, or any proceeding which is pending or, to the knowledge of the
Company, threatened, that challenges the rights of the Company in respect of
any
Intellectual Property Rights, or that claims that any default exists under
any
Intellectual Property Rights. None of the Intellectual Property Rights is
subject to any outstanding order, ruling, decree, judgment or stipulation by
or
with any court, tribunal, arbitrator, or other governmental
authority.
16
Section
4.24. Relationships.
The
Company has not received notice from any customer, supplier or any party to
any
Contract involving more than $10,000 annually with the Company (each a
“Contract
Party”)
that
such customer, supplier or Contract Party intends to discontinue doing business
with the Company, and since such date, no customer, supplier or Contract
Party,
has
indicated any intention (a) to terminate its existing business relationship
with
the Company or (b) not to continue its business relationship with the Company,
whether as a result of the transactions contemplated hereby or otherwise.
[Except as set forth in Section 4.24 of the Company Disclosure Schedule],
neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has entered into or participated
in any related party transaction.
Section
4.25. Certain
Payments.
Neither
the Company nor any shareholder, officer, director or employee of the Company
has paid or received or caused to be paid or received, directly or indirectly,
in connection with the business of the Company (a) any bribe, kickback or other
similar payment to or from any domestic or foreign government or agency thereof
or any other person or (b) any contribution to any domestic or foreign political
party or candidate (other than from personal funds of such shareholder, officer,
director or employee not reimbursed by the Company or as permitted by applicable
law).
Section
4.26. Books
and Records.
To the
extent that they exist, all personnel files, reports, strategic planning
documents, financial forecasts, accounting and tax records and all other records
of every type and description that relate to the business of the Company have
been prepared and maintained in accordance with good business practices and,
where applicable, in conformity with GAAP and applicable laws and regulations.
All such books and records are located in the offices of the
Company.
Section
4.27. Representations
Not Misleading.
No
representation or warranty by the Bank in this Agreement, nor any statement,
summary, exhibit or schedule furnished to Sterling by the Bank or any of its
Subsidiaries under and pursuant to this Agreement contains or will knowingly
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or knowingly omit to state
a
material fact necessary to make the statements contained herein or therein,
in
light of the circumstances in which they are made, not misleading.
17
ARTICLE
V
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT AND MERGER SUB
Parent
and Merger Sub represent and warrant to the Company that the statements
contained in this Article V are correct and complete as of the date of this
Agreement and will be correct and complete as of the Closing Date.
Section
5.1. Organization,
Standing and Power.
(a) Each
of
Parent and Merger Sub is a corporation organized, validly existing and in good
standing under the laws of the state of its incorporation, and has the corporate
power and authority to carry on, in all Material respects, its business as
it is
now being conducted and to own, lease and operate its Assets. Each of Parent
and
its Subsidiaries is duly qualified or licensed to transact business as a foreign
corporation and is in good standing in the States of the United States and
foreign jurisdictions where the character of its Assets or the nature or conduct
of its business requires it to be so qualified or licensed, except for such
jurisdictions in which the failure to be so qualified or licensed could not
reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material
Adverse Effect on Parent.
(b) The
corporate minute books of Parent and its Subsidiaries contain records of all
meetings and other corporate actions held or taken of their respective
shareholders and boards of directors (including the committees of such Boards)
since its date of inception, which records are complete and accurate in all
Material respects and have been made available to the Company. True,
accurate and complete copies of Parent’s Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws,
in each case as in effect on the date hereof, including all amendments thereto,
have heretofore been delivered to Company.
Section
5.2. Authority;
No Conflicts.
(a) Each
of
Parent and Merger Sub has all necessary corporate power and authority necessary
to execute and deliver this Agreement, perform its obligations under this
Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. The execution
and delivery by each of Parent and Merger Sub of this Agreement, the performance
of their respective obligations hereunder, and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby have been duly and validly authorized by the
Board of Directors of each of Parent and Merger Sub and by Parent as the sole
stockholder of Merger Sub, and have been duly and validly authorized by all
requisite corporate action, except for the receipt of the Parent Shareholder
Approval. Except for the Merger Filing and receipt of Parent Shareholder
Approval, no other corporate proceedings on the part of Parent or Merger Sub
are
necessary to authorize the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the
consummation by Parent and Merger Sub of the transactions contemplated hereby.
This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by each of Parent and Merger
Sub and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery hereof by the
Company and the Shareholders, constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation
of Parent and Merger Sub, enforceable against Parent and Merger Sub in
accordance with its terms (except in all cases as such enforceability may be
limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or
similar Laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and except
that the availability of specific performance, injunctive relief and other
equitable remedies is subject to the discretion of the court before which any
proceeding may be brought). To the Knowledge of Parent and Merger Sub, there
is
no fact or condition relating to Parent and Merger Sub that would prevent all
regulatory approvals required for the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby from being obtained.
(b) Neither
the execution and delivery of this Agreement by Parent or Merger Sub, nor the
consummation by Parent or Merger Sub of the transactions contemplated hereby,
nor compliance by Parent or Merger Sub with any of the provisions hereof, will
(i) conflict with or result in a breach of any provision of Parent’s or and of
its Subsidiaries’ articles of incorporation, charter, bylaws or any other
similar governing document, (ii) constitute or result in a Default under, or
require any Consent pursuant to, or result in the creation of any Lien on any
Asset of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries under, any Contract or Permit of
Parent or any of its Subsidiaries, except as could not reasonably be expected
to
have a Material Adverse Effect on Parent, or (iii) subject to obtaining the
requisite Consents referred to in Section
8.1
of this
Agreement, violate any Law or Order applicable to Parent or any of its
Subsidiaries or any of their respective Assets.
Section
5.3. Capitalization.
(a) As
of the
date of this Agreement, the authorized capital stock of Parent consists of
102,500,000 shares, consisting of (i) 100,000,000 shares of common stock, no
par
value per share, of which 3,779,256 shares are issued and outstanding and (ii)
2,500,000 shares of preferred stock, no par value per share, of which 280,000
shares are issued and outstanding. As of the date of this Agreement (i)
6,453,982 shares of Parent Common Stock are issuable upon exercise of
outstanding common stock purchase warrants and convertible senior debentures,
and 606,050 shares of Parent Common Stock are issuable upon exercise of
outstanding options to purchase shares of Parent Common Stock under Parent’s
1993 Non-Qualified Stock Option Plan, 1997 Incentive Stock Option Plan, as
amended and restated, Officer and Employee Recruitment Incentive Plan, Year
2000
Stock Incentive Plan, and Year 2003 Stock Option Plan.
18
(b) All
of
the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of Parent are duly and
validly issued and outstanding and are fully paid and non-assessable, except
to
the extent otherwise required by the Colorado General Statutes or other
applicable Law, and none are subject to preemptive rights, When the Parent
Common Stock to be issued as the Merger Consideration is issued, such shares
will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, will not be subject
to
preemptive rights, and will be free and clear of any Liens or other restrictions
whatsoever, except as contemplated by this Agreement or imposed by applicable
Law or by the act(s) of the recipient of such shares.
Section
5.4. SEC
Filings; Parent Financial Statements.
(a) Since
October 1, 2003, Parent has filed or furnished with the SEC all material forms,
statements, reports and documents (including all exhibits, amendments and
supplements thereto) required to be filed by it under each of the Securities
Act, the Exchange Act and the respective rules and regulations thereunder,
all
of which complied in all material respects with all applicable requirements
of
the appropriate act and the rules and regulations thereunder.
(b) Parent
has previously made available or delivered to the Company or the Shareholders
copies of its (a) Annual Reports on Form 10-KSB for the fiscal year ended
September 30, 2006, and for the immediately preceding fiscal year, as filed
with
the SEC, (b) Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB for the quarter ended December
31,
2006, (c) proxy and information statements relating to (i) all
meetings of its shareholders (whether annual or special) and (ii) any
actions by written consent in lieu of a shareholders’ meeting from October 1,
2003, until the date hereof, and (d) all other reports, including quarterly
reports, or registration statements filed by Parent with the SEC since October
1, 2003 (other than Registration Statements filed on Form S-8) (the documents
referred to in clauses (a), (b) (c) and (d), including the exhibits thereto,
collectively referred to as the “Parent
SEC Reports”).
(c) As
of
their respective dates (as updated by any amendments thereto), the Parent SEC
Reports did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state
any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make
the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were
made, not misleading.
(d) The
audited consolidated financial statements and unaudited interim consolidated
financial statements of Parent included in such reports (collectively, the
“Parent
Financial Statements”)
have
been prepared in accordance with GAAP (except as may be indicated therein or
in
the notes thereto) and fairly present in all material respects the consolidated
financial position of Parent and its Subsidiaries as of the dates thereof and
the consolidated results of their operations and cash flows for the periods
then
ended, subject, in the case of the unaudited interim financial statements,
to
normal year-end and audit adjustments and any other adjustments described
therein.
(e) Parent
maintains accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that
(i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or
specific authorization, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit
preparation of the consolidated financial statements of Parent in accordance
with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability, (iii) access to Parent’s assets
is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific
authorization, and (iv) assets are reconciled at reasonable intervals and
appropriate action is taken with respect to any Material
differences.
(f) The
Chief
Executive Officer and the principal financial officer of Parent have signed,
and
the Company has furnished to the SEC, all certifications required by Section
906
of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002; such certifications contain no qualifications
or exceptions to the matters certified therein and have not been modified or
withdrawn; and neither Parent nor any of its officers has received notice from
any Governmental Authority questioning or challenging the accuracy,
completeness, form or manner of filing or submission of such
certifications.
19
(g) Parent
has delivered to the Company complete and accurate copies of notices received
from its independent auditor prior to the date hereof of any significant
deficiencies or material weaknesses in Parent’s internal control over financial
reporting for the past five (5) fiscal years and any other management letter
or
similar correspondence from any independent auditor of the Company or any of
its
Subsidiaries received during the past five (5) fiscal years and prior to the
date hereof.
Section
5.5. Absence
of Undisclosed Liabilities.
Neither
Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries has any Liabilities that could reasonably
be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on Parent, except Liabilities that
are accrued or reserved against in the consolidated balance sheets of Parent
as
of December 31, 2006, included in Parent Financial Statements or reflected
in
the notes thereto and except for Liabilities incurred in the ordinary course
of
business subsequent to December 31, 2006. Neither Parent nor any of its
Subsidiaries has incurred or paid any Liability since December 31, 2006; except
for (a) such Liabilities incurred or paid in the ordinary course of business
consistent with past business practice and (b) Liabilities that could not
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on Parent. To the
Knowledge of Parent, no facts or circumstances exist that could reasonably
be
expected to serve as the basis for any other Liabilities of Parent or any of
its
Subsidiaries, except as could not reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect on Parent.
Section
5.6. Absence
of Certain Changes Or Events.
Since
December 31, 2006, (a) there have been no events, changes, or occurrences that
have had, or could reasonably be expected to have, a Material Adverse Effect
on
Parent, and (b) each of Parent and its Subsidiaries has conducted, in all
Material respects, its respective businesses in the ordinary and usual course
(excluding the incurrence of expenses in connection with this Agreement and
the
transactions contemplated hereby).
Section
5.7. Compliance
With Laws.
(a) Each
of
Parent and its Subsidiaries has in effect all Permits necessary for it to own,
lease, or operate its Assets and to carry on its business as now conducted,
except for those Permits the absence of which could not reasonably be expected
to have a Material Adverse Effect on Parent, and there has occurred no Default
under any such Permit, other than Defaults that could not reasonably be expected
to have a Material Adverse Effect on Parent. None of Parent or its Subsidiaries:
(a) is in violation of any Laws, Orders, or Permits applicable to its business
or employees conducting its business, except for violations that could not
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on Parent; or (b)
has
received any notification or communication from any agency or department of
federal, state, or local Governmental Authority or any Regulatory Authority
or
the staff thereof (i) asserting that any of Parent and its Subsidiaries is
not
in compliance with any of the Laws or Orders that such Governmental Authority
or
Regulatory Authority enforces, except where such noncompliance could not
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on Parent, (ii)
threatening to revoke any Permits, except where the revocation of which could
not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on Parent, or
(iii)
requiring Parent or any of its Subsidiaries (x) to enter into or consent to
the
issuance of a cease and desist order, formal agreement, directive, commitment,
or memorandum of understanding, or (y) to adopt any board or directors
resolution or similar undertaking that restricts Materially the conduct of
its
business, or in any manner relates to its capital adequacy, its credit or
reserve policies, its management, or the payment of dividends.
(b) There
are
no pending or, to the Knowledge of Parent, threatened actions against any
director or officer of Parent pursuant to Section 8A or 20(b) of the Securities
Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 77h-1 or 77t(b), or Section 21(d) or 21C of the Exchange Act,
15 U.S.C. §§ 78u(d) or 78u-3.
20
Section
5.8. Legal
Proceedings.
There is
no Litigation instituted or pending, or, to the Knowledge of Parent, threatened
against, relating to or affecting Parent or any of its Subsidiaries, or against
any Asset of Parent, employee benefit plan, interest, or right of any of them,
before any court, Governmental Authority, mediator or arbitrator, and there
is
no basis for the same, except those that may be disclosed in its SEC filings.
Parent is not subject to any decree, injunction, rule or order of any court,
Governmental Authority, mediator or arbitrator. There is no Litigation to which
Parent or any of its Subsidiaries is a party that names Parent or any of its
Subsidiaries as a defendant or cross-defendant, except those that may be
disclosed in the Parent SEC Reports.
Section
5.9. Information
Supplied.
The information
supplied by Parent or its Subsidiaries for inclusion in the Registration
Statement and Proxy Statement, shall not, at the time the Registration Statement
(including any amendments or supplements thereto) is declared effective by
the
SEC, and at the time the Proxy Statement is mailed to Parent’s shareholders,
respectively, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state
any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading. The information supplied by or on behalf
of
Parent and its Subsidiaries for inclusion in the Registration Statement and
Proxy Statement shall comply in all Material respects with the requirements
of
the Securities Laws and the rules and regulations there under applicable to
Parent. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Parent makes no representation or
warranty with respect to any information supplied by the Company or its
Subsidiaries that is contained or incorporated by reference in, or furnished
in
connection with the preparation of, the Registration Statement or Proxy
Statement.
Section
5.10. Tax
and Regulatory Matters.
To the
Knowledge of Parent, none of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries has taken or
agreed to take any action, that could reasonably be expected to (a) prevent
the
transactions contemplated hereby, including the Merger, from qualifying as
a
reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code, or (b)
Materially impede or delay receipt of any Consents of Regulatory Authorities
referred to in Section
8.1
of this
Agreement.
Section
5.11. Commissions.
No
broker, finder or other Person is entitled to any brokerage or agent fees,
commissions, finder’s fees or other like payments in connection with the
transactions contemplated hereby by reason of any action taken by Parent or
any
of its Subsidiaries. There is no claim for payment by Parent of any investment
banking fees, finder’s fees, brokerage or agent commissions or other like
payments in connection with the negotiations leading to this Agreement of the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.
Section
5.12. Tax
Matters.
(a) All
Tax
Returns required to be filed by or on behalf of any of Parent and its
Subsidiaries have been timely filed, or requests for extensions have been timely
filed, granted, and have not expired for periods ended on or before September
30, 2006, and all Tax Returns filed are complete and accurate in all Material
respects. All Tax Returns for periods ending on or before the date of the most
recent fiscal year end immediately preceding the Effective Time will be timely
filed or requests for extensions will be timely filed. All Taxes due and owing
by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (whether or not shown on any Tax
Return) have been paid. There is no audit examination, deficiency, or refund
Litigation with respect to any Taxes that could have a Material Adverse Effect
on Parent, except to the extent reserved against in Parent Financial Statements
dated prior to the date of this Agreement. All Taxes and other Liabilities
due
with respect to completed and settled examinations or concluded Litigation
have
been paid.
(b) None
of
Parent or its Affiliates has executed an extension or waiver of any statute
of
limitations on the assessment or collection of any Tax due (excluding such
statutes that relate to years currently under examination by the IRS or other
applicable taxing authorities) that is currently in effect. Schedule 4.7 lists
those Tax Returns or tax years currently under examination or audit by the
IRS
or other applicable taxing authority.
21
(c) Adequate
provision for any Material Taxes due or to become due for Parent or any of
its
Subsidiaries for the period or periods through and including the date of the
respective Parent Financial Statements has been made and is reflected on such
Parent Financial Statements.
(d) Each
of
Parent and its Subsidiaries is in compliance with, and its records contain
all
information and documents (including properly completed IRS Forms W-9) necessary
to comply with, all applicable information reporting and Tax withholding
requirements under federal, state, and local Tax Laws, and such records identify
with specificity all accounts subject to backup withholding under Section 3406
of the Code.
(e) None
of
Parent and its Subsidiaries has made any payments, is obligated to make any
payments, or is a party to any contract, agreement, or other arrangement that
could obligate it to make any payments that would be disallowed as a deduction
under Section 280G or 162(m) of the Code.
(f) There
are
no Liens with respect to Taxes (other than Taxes not yet due and payable)upon
any of the Assets of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries.
(g) Except
as
may occur as a result of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, there
has not been an ownership change, as defined in Code Section 382(g), of Parent
and its Subsidiaries that occurred during any Taxable Period in which any of
Parent and its Subsidiaries has incurred a net operating loss that carries
over
to another Taxable Period ending after September 30, 2006.
(h) Except
for ASI of Puerto Rico, Inc., neither Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries has
or
has had a permanent establishment in any foreign country, as defined in any
applicable tax treaty or convention between the United States and such foreign
country.
(i) Neither
Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries owns any interest in an entity or arrangement
characterized as a partnership for United States federal income tax purposes;
neither Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries has been a United States real
property holding company within the meaning of Section 897(c)(2) of the Code
during the applicable period specified in Section 897(c)(1)(A)(ii) of the Code;
no debt of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries is “corporate acquisition
indebtedness” within the meaning of Section 279(b) of the Code; neither Parent
nor any of its Subsidiaries has entered into any “reportable transaction” as
defined in the Treasury Regulations; and neither Parent nor any of its
Subsidiaries has any liability for the Taxes of any Person (other than any
of
Parent and its Subsidiaries) under Treasury Regulation Section 1.1502-6 (or
any
similar provision of state, local, or foreign law), as a transferee or
successor, by contract, or otherwise.
(j) Neither
Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries will be required to include any item of
income in, or exclude any item of deduction from, taxable income for any Taxable
Period (or portion thereof) ending after the Closing Date as a result of any:
(i) change in method of accounting for a Taxable Period ending on or prior
to
the Closing Date; (ii) “closing agreement” as described in Section 7121 of the
Code (or any corresponding or similar provision of state, local or foreign
income Tax law) executed on or prior to the Closing Date; (iii) intercompany
transactions or any excess loss account described in Treasury Regulations under
Section 1502 of the Code (or any corresponding or similar provision of state,
local or foreign income Tax law); (iv) installment sale or open transaction
disposition made on or prior to the Closing Date; or (v) prepaid amount received
on or prior to the Closing Date.
(k) Neither
Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries has distributed stock of another Person,
or
has had its stock distributed by another Person, in a transaction that was
purported or intended to be governed in whole or in part by Sections 355 or
361
of the Code.
22
ARTICLE
VI
CONDUCT
PENDING THE MERGER
Section
6.1. Conduct
of Business by the Company Pending the Merger.
Except
as otherwise expressly permitted by this Agreement, the Company will, and will
cause its Subsidiaries to, from the date of this Agreement to the Closing,
conduct its business in the ordinary course in substantially the same manner
as
presently conducted and make reasonable commercial efforts consistent with
past
practices to preserve its relationships with other Persons. Additionally, except
as otherwise contemplated by this Agreement or as set forth on Section
6.1(a)
of the
Company Disclosure Schedule, the Company will not, and it will not permit its
Subsidiaries to do any of the following without the prior written consent of
the
Surviving Corporation:
(a) amend
its
governing documents;
(b) authorize
for issuance, issue, sell, deliver or agree or commit to issue, sell or deliver
any stock or stock options or other equity equivalents of any class or any
other
of its securities;
(c) (A)
split, combine or reclassify any shares of its capital stock, (B) declare,
set
aside or pay any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, stock or
property or any combination thereof) in respect of its capital stock, or (C)
redeem or otherwise acquire any of its securities;
(d) (A)
incur
or assume any long-term debt or issue any debt securities or, except under
existing lines of credit and in amounts not Material to it, incur or assume
any
short-term debt other than in the ordinary course of business, (B) other than
in
the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice assume, guarantee,
endorse or otherwise become liable or responsible (whether directly,
contingently or otherwise) for the obligations of any other Person, (C) make
any
loans, advances or capital contributions to, or investments in, any other
Person, other than in the ordinary course and consistent with past practice
up
to an aggregate loan amount per Person of $2,500,000 in the case of loans to
Persons who had a lending relationship with Company as of March 31, 2007 or
$1,000,000 in the case of loans to Persons who did not have a lending
relationship with Company as of Xxxxx 00, 0000, (X) pledge or otherwise encumber
shares of its capital stock, or (E) mortgage or pledge any of its assets,
tangible or intangible, or create or suffer to exist any Lien thereupon, other
than Liens permitted by the proviso clause in the definition of Liens and Liens
created or existing in the ordinary course of business consistent with past
practice;
(e) except
as
required by Law or as contemplated herein, adopt or amend any Benefit
Plan;
(f) grant
to
any director, officer or employee (A) any options to purchase shares of capital
stock of the Company or (B) an increase in his or her compensation (except
in
the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice), or, except
as
otherwise contemplated herein, pay or agree to pay to any such person other
than
in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice any bonus,
severance or termination payment, specifically including any such payment that
becomes payable upon the termination of such person by it or the Surviving
Corporation after the Closing;
(g) except
as
otherwise contemplated herein, enter into or amend any employment Contract
(including any termination agreement), except that any automatic renewals
contained in currently existing contracts and agreements shall be allowed and
compensation payable under employment Contracts may be increased in the ordinary
course of business consistent with past practice;
23
(h) acquire,
sell, lease or dispose of any assets outside the ordinary course of business,
or
any other assets that in the aggregate are Material to it, or acquire any Person
(or division thereof), any equity interest therein or the assets thereof outside
the ordinary course of business;
(i) change
or
modify any of the accounting principles or practices used by it or revalue
in
any Material respect any of its assets, including without limitation writing
down the value of inventory or writing off notes or accounts receivable other
than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices or as
required by GAAP or any Regulatory Authority;
(j) (A)
except as otherwise contemplated herein, enter into, cancel or modify any
Contract (other than loans, advances, capital contributions or investments
permitted by sub clause (iv)(C) of this Section
6.1(a)
other
than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices, but
not
in any event involving an amount in excess of $20,000; (B) authorize or make
any
capital expenditure or expenditures that, individually or in the aggregate,
are
in excess of $25,000; or (C) enter into or amend any Contract with respect
to
any of the foregoing;
(k) pay,
discharge or satisfy, cancel, waive or modify any claims, liabilities or
obligations (absolute, accrued, asserted or unasserted, contingent or
otherwise), other than the payment, discharge or satisfaction in the ordinary
course of business of liabilities reflected or reserved against in or
contemplated by the Company Financial Statements, or incurred in the ordinary
course of business consistent with past practices;
(l) settle
or
compromise any pending or threatened suit, action or claim in excess of
$25,000;
(m) merge,
combine or consolidate with another Person;
(n) make
any
material change in its accounting or tax policies or procedures, except as
required by applicable Law or to comply with GAAP;
(o) take,
or
agree in writing or otherwise to take, any action that would make any of the
representations or warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement untrue
or incorrect or result in any of the conditions set forth in this Agreement
not
being satisfied; or
(p) agree,
whether in writing or otherwise, to do any of the foregoing.
Section
6.2. Consents.
The
Company will exercise its best efforts to obtain such Consents as may be
necessary or desirable for the consummation of the transactions contemplated
hereby from the appropriate parties to those Contracts listed on Section
4.2
of the
Company Disclosure Schedule such that such Contracts shall survive the Merger
and not be breached thereby.
Section
6.3. Other
Offers.
Except
in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, from and
after the date hereof the Company and the Shareholders shall not, directly
or
indirectly, through any shareholder, partner, owner, trustee, officer, director,
employee, representative or agent of the Company (i) effect any merger, share
exchange, consolidation, sale of substantial assets, sale of shares of capital
stock or other equity interests, recapitalization, reorganization, or similar
transaction (“Business
Combination Transaction”)
involving the Company, (ii) continue, solicit, entertain, initiate, negotiate,
encourage the initiation of, participate in or encourage discussions or
negotiations with, or accept submission of bids, offers or proposals by any
person or entity other than Parent (“Interested
Party”)
with
respect to an acquisition of the Company, any interest therein, any of its
assets (other than in the ordinary course of its business), or a sale of any
of
its capital stock (any of the foregoing being an “Acquisition
Proposal”)
or
(iii) provide any non-public information relating to the Company or Parent
to
any Interested Party in connection with a possible Business Combination
Transaction involving the Company. The Company shall promptly notify, and
provide Parent a complete copy (to the extent written) or description (to the
extent oral) of any such Acquisition Proposal, whether written or oral. During
the period from the date of this Agreement through the Effective Time, the
Company shall not terminate, amend, modify or waive any provision of any
confidentiality or standstill agreement to which it or any of its Subsidiaries
is a party.
24
Section
6.4. Access
to Information.
(a) The
Company shall afford to Parent and Merger Sub and their accountants, counsel,
financial advisors and other representatives (the “Parent
Representatives”)
full
access during normal business hours throughout the period prior to the Effective
Time to all of its respective properties (including without limitation to
conduct soil, groundwater, ambient air or other environmental testing or
analyses), books, contracts, personnel, representatives of or contacts with
governmental or regulatory authorities, agencies or bodies, commitments, and
records (including, but not limited to, Tax Returns and any and all records
or
documents which are within the possession of governmental or regulatory
authorities, agencies or bodies, and the disclosure of which the Company can
facilitate or control) and, during such period, shall furnish promptly to Parent
and Merger Sub all such information concerning its businesses, properties and
personnel as Parent or Merger Sub, as the case may be, shall request. No
investigation pursuant to this Section shall affect any representation or
warranty made by any party.
(b) Parent
shall afford to the Company and its accountants, counsel, financial advisors
and
other representatives the opportunity to conduct customary and appropriate
due
diligence during normal business hours throughout the period prior to the
Effective Time, including access to appropriate officers of Parent.
Section
6.5. Environmental
Survey.
At its
option, Parent may cause to be conducted Phase I environmental assessments
of
the Real Property of the Company and its Affiliates, whether owned or leased,
or
any portion thereof, together with such other studies, testing and intrusive
sampling and analyses as Parent shall deem necessary or desirable (collectively,
the “Environmental
Survey”
).
Parent shall complete all such Phase I environmental assessments within sixty
(60) days following the date of this Agreement and thereafter conduct and
complete any such additional studies, testing, sampling and analyses within
sixty (60) days following completion of all Phase I environmental assessments.
The costs of the Environmental Survey shall be paid by Parent.
Section
6.6. Confidentiality.
Prior to
Closing, except as otherwise provided in Section
6.7,
each of
parties hereto shall not, and shall not permit its Affiliates to, and each
shall
use its best efforts to cause its and its Affiliates’ respective employees,
lenders, accountants, representatives, agents, consultants and advisors not
to,
discuss or disclose, or use for any purpose other than the transactions
contemplated hereby, the subject matter or transactions contemplated by this
Agreement or information pertaining to the other party or any of its Affiliates,
with any other Person without the prior consent of the other party hereto,
unless (a) such information is public other than as a result of a violation
of
this Agreement, (b) the use of such information is necessary or appropriate
in
making any filing or obtaining any Consent necessary or desirable for the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, or (c) disclosure is
required by Law.
Section
6.7. Publicity.
Without
the prior consent of the other party, no party hereto shall issue any news
release or other public announcement or disclosure, or any general public
announcement to its employees, suppliers or customers, regarding this Agreement
or the transactions contemplated hereby, except as may be required by Law,
but
in which case the disclosing party shall provide the other party hereto with
reasonable advance notice of the timing and substance of any such
disclosure.
25
ARTICLE
VII
ADDITIONAL
AGREEMENTS
Section
7.1. Directors.
Parent
shall appoint the Chief Executive Officer of the Company and two current
directors of the Company to serve on the Board of Directors of Parent until
the
first annual shareholder meeting of Parent following the Effective Time.
Beginning with the first annual shareholder meeting following the Effective
Time, such designee shall be subject to the same nomination and election
procedures as the other directors on Parent’s Board of Directors.
Section
7.2. Reservation
of Shares of Parent Common Stock.
Parent
shall reserve for issuance a sufficient number of shares of Parent Common Stock
to cover the issuances of such stock required hereby and shall file such forms
as may be required to notify the NASDAQ Capital Market of Parent’s intent to
list on the NASDAQ Capital Market the additional shares of Parent Common Stock
to be issued in the Merger Consideration.
Section
7.3. Registration
Statement and Proxy Statement.
(a) Within
45
days after the execution of this Agreement, Parent shall prepare and file with
the SEC the Registration Statement, and any other applicable documents, relating
to the shares of Parent Common Stock to be delivered to the holders of Company
Common Stock pursuant to this Agreement, and will use its best efforts to cause
the Registration Statement to become effective.
(b) The
information supplied by the Company and the Shareholders for inclusion in the
Proxy Statement shall not, at (i) the time the Proxy Statement (or any
amendment thereof or supplement thereto) is first mailed to the shareholders
of
Parent and (ii) the time of Parent Shareholders’ Meeting, contain any
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not
misleading.
(c) The
information supplied or to be supplied by Parent for inclusion in the Proxy
Statement will not, at the time it is supplied to the Company, contain any
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary
in order to make the statements made therein not misleading.
Section
7.4. Parent
Shareholders’ Meeting.
Parent
shall, in accordance with applicable law, duly call, give notice of, convene
and
hold a special meeting of its shareholders as soon as practicable for the
purpose of approving and adopting this Agreement, approving the Merger and
approving the issuance of the Merger Consideration (“Parent
Shareholder Approval”).
Parent shall cause the Parent Shareholders’ Meeting to occur within 45 days
after the Proxy Statement is completed; provided, however, that the Parent
Shareholders’ Meeting shall occur as soon as practicable after the Registration
Statement becomes effective.
Section
7.5. Employees.
(a) As
provided in Section
2.6
hereof,
at the Effective Time, Parent shall cause the Company to appoint Xxxxx Xxxxxx
as
Chief Operating Officer of the Company until his successor is duly elected
or
appointed and qualified in the manner provided in the Articles of Incorporation
and By-Laws of the Surviving Corporation, or as otherwise provided by law.
26
(b) Any
Company employees who continues employment with the Surviving Corporation or
any
of its Affiliates will be eligible for benefits consistent with those of
similarly situated existing employees of Parent, with credit for past service
with the Company for purposes of participation, eligibility and vesting
(including with respect to any amounts to be contributed by Parent or amounts
that will vest under any Parent Benefit Plan, but not including the calculation
of any other benefit accrual).
(c) If
any
employee of the Company at the Effective Time who becomes an employee of Parent
(A) is terminated by Parent within twelve (12) months after the Effective Time,
for any reason other than Cause, death or disability, or (B) shall terminate
his
or her employment within twelve (12) months after the Effective Time, after
having his or her base compensation (excluding benefits) Materially reduced
within twelve (12) months after the Effective Time, then, such employee shall
receive severance pay equal to two week’s pay at his or her current salary for
each year of consecutive service to the Company and/or Parent, provided, however
that the aggregate of such severance pay for such affected employee shall not
be
less than four (4) weeks pay and shall not be more than twenty-six (26) weeks
pay.
Section
7.6. Reorganization
for Tax Purposes.
Each of
the parties hereto undertakes and agrees to use its reasonable efforts to cause
the Merger to qualify as a “reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(a)
of the Code and that it will not intentionally take any action that would cause
the Merger to fail to so qualify.
Section
7.7. Notification.
Each of
the parties hereto agrees to notify promptly the other party hereto of any
event, fact, or other circumstance arising after the date hereof that would
have
caused any representation or warranty herein, including, in the case of the
Company, any information on any schedule hereto, to be untrue or misleading
had
such event, fact, or circumstance arisen prior to the execution of this
Agreement. The parties hereto will exercise their reasonable best efforts to
ensure that no such events, facts, or other circumstances occur, come to pass,
or become true.
Section
7.8. Consummation
of Agreement.
Each
agree to use their reasonable efforts to perform or fulfill all conditions
and
obligations to be performed or fulfilled by them under this Agreement so that
the transactions contemplated hereby shall be consummated. Except for events
that are the subject of specific provisions of this Agreement, if any event
should occur, either within or outside the control of the Company, the
Shareholders, Parent or Merger Sub, that would Materially delay or prevent
fulfillment of the conditions upon the obligations of any party hereto to
consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, each party will
notify the others of any such event and, the parties will use their reasonable,
diligent and good faith efforts to cure or minimize the same as expeditiously
as
possible. Each party hereto shall use its reasonable efforts to obtain all
Consents necessary or desirable for the consummation of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement and to assist in the procuring or providing
of
all documents that must be procured or provided pursuant to the provisions
hereof. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement,
none of the parties hereto will take any action that would (i) Materially affect
or delay receipt of the approvals contemplated in Section
8.1
from the
Regulatory Authorities, or (ii) Materially adversely affect or delay its ability
to perform its covenants and agreements made pursuant to this
Agreement.
Section
7.9. Affiliates
Letters.
Within
ten days of the execution of this Agreement, the Company shall deliver to Parent
a letter identifying all persons who are then “affiliates” of the Company for
purposes of Rule 145 under the Securities Act. Within ten days of any person
becoming an affiliate of the Company after the Company’s delivery of the letter
referred to above, the Company shall provide to Parent an updated letter
identifying all persons who are then “affiliates.” The Company shall cause each
person so identified to deliver to Parent prior to the Effective Time a written
agreement substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit
A
(an
“Affiliate
Letter”).
Section
7.10. Affiliates:
Restrictive Legend.
Parent
will give stop transfer instructions to its transfer agent with respect to
any
Parent Common Stock issued to “affiliates”, as such term is used in Rule 145
under the Securities Act, of the Company in connection with the Merger and
there
will be placed on the certificates representing such Parent Common Stock, or
any
substitution therefore, a legend stating in substance:
27
“THE
SHARES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE MAY NOT BE SOLD, TRANSFERRED OR OTHERWISE
DISPOSED OF EXCEPT OR UNLESS (1) COVERED BY AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR AN EXEMPTION THERE FROM, (2)
IN
ACCORDANCE WITH (I) RULE 145(D) (IN THE CASE OF SHARES ISSUED TO AN INDIVIDUAL
WHO IS NOT AN AFFILIATE OF THE ISSUER) OR (II) RULE 144 (IN THE CASE OF SHARES
ISSUED TO AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS AN AFFILIATE OF THE ISSUER) OF THE RULES AND
REGULATIONS OF SUCH ACT, OR (3) IN ACCORDANCE WITH A LEGAL OPINION SATISFACTORY
TO COUNSEL FOR THE ISSUER THAT SUCH SALE OR TRANSFER IS OTHERWISE EXEMPT FROM
THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF SUCH ACT. FOR AVOIDANCE OF DOUBT, IT IS
UNDERSTOOD THAT A LEGAL OPINION IS NEITHER REQUIRED BY LAW NOR THIS LEGEND
AND
IT SHALL BE IN THE ISSUER’S SOLE DISCRETION WHETHER OR NOT TO REQUIRE THAT A
LEGAL OPINION BE DELIVERED TO IT PRIOR TO ANY SUCH, TRANSFER OR OTHER
DISPOSITION.”
Section
7.11. Directors’
and Officers’ Insurance and Indemnification.
(a) Parent
agrees that for the period beginning on the Effective Time and ending on the
earliest of the third anniversary of the Closing Date, or (ii) the date
that substantially all of the assets or more than 50% of the voting capital
stock of Parent is acquired by purchase, or through a consolidation, merger
or
other transaction, by a Person or group of Persons not currently affiliated
with
Parent (a “Parent
Acquisition”),
it
shall cause the Surviving Corporation to maintain the indemnification provisions
contained in the certificate of incorporation and the by-laws of the Surviving
Corporation as of the Effective Time, to the extent permitted by
Law.
(b) During
the period of six years after the Effective Time, Parent shall cause the
Surviving Corporation to indemnify and hold harmless the Company’s current
directors and executive officers (the “Tail
Indemnitees”)
regarding acts or omissions occurring prior to the Effective Time on terms
and
conditions no less favorable to the Company’s directors and executive officers
as those set forth in the Company’s current director and officer insurance
policy, provided
that the
Surviving Corporation may substitute therefor directors’ and officers’ liability
insurance policies of a reputable insurance company the terms of which are
acceptable to the Tail Indemnitees; provided,
however,
in no
event shall Parent be required to pay related insurance premiums in excess
of
twice the amount that the Company currently pays therefor.
28
ARTICLE
VIII
CONDITIONS
TO CLOSING
Section
8.1. Mutual
Conditions.
The
respective obligations of each party hereto to perform this Agreement and
consummate the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby are subject
to the satisfaction of the following conditions, unless waived by all parties
hereto pursuant to Section
11.4
of this
Agreement:
(a) Adverse
Proceedings.
Neither
the Company, the Shareholders, Parent, Merger Sub nor any shareholder of any
of
the foregoing shall be subject to any order, decree or injunction of a court
of
competent jurisdiction that enjoins or prohibits the consummation of this
Agreement or the Merger, and no Governmental Authority shall have instituted
a
suit or proceeding that is then pending and seeks to enjoin or prohibit the
transactions contemplated hereby. Any party who is subject to any such order,
decree or injunction or the subject of any such suit or proceeding shall take
any reasonable steps within that party’s control to cause any such order, decree
or injunction to be modified so as to permit the Closing and to cause any such
suit or proceeding to be dismissed.
(b) Regulatory
Approvals.
All
Consents of, filings and registrations with, and notifications to, all
Regulatory Authorities required for consummation of the Merger shall have been
obtained or made and shall be in full force and effect and all waiting periods
required by Law shall have expired. No such Consent obtained from any Regulatory
Authority shall be conditioned or restricted in a manner (including requirements
relating to the raising of additional capital or the disposition of Assets)
not
reasonably anticipated as of the date of this Agreement that in the reasonable
judgment of the board of directors of Parent or the Company hereto would so
Materially adversely impact the economic or business assumptions of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement that had such condition or
requirement been known, such party would not, in its reasonable judgment, have
entered into this Agreement.
(c) Consents
and Approvals.
Each
party hereto shall have obtained any and all Consents required for consummation
of the Merger or for the preventing of any Default under any Contract or Permit
of such Person, including those Consents listed on Section
4.2
of the
Company Disclosure Schedule, except to the extent that the failure to obtain
such any such Consents would not, individually or in the aggregate, result
in a
Material Adverse Effect on such Person.
(d) Effectiveness
of Registration Statement.
Parent
shall use its best efforts to have a Registration Statement filed with the
SEC
covering the shares of Parent Common Stock to be issued pursuant hereto to
be
declared effective by the SEC.
(e) Parent
Shareholder Approval.
The
Parent Shareholder Approval shall have been obtained and shall be
effective.
(f) NASDAQ
Listing.
As of
the Effective Time, Parent shall have satisfied all requirements in order for
the shares of Parent Common Stock to be issued in the Merger to be listed on
the
NASDAQ Capital Market.
Section
8.2. Conditions
to the Obligations of the Company and the Shareholders.
The
obligation of the Company and the Shareholders to effect the transactions
contemplated hereby shall be further subject to the fulfillment of the following
conditions, unless waived by such parties pursuant to Section
11.4
of this
Agreement:
(a) All
representations and warranties of Parent and Merger Sub contained in this
Agreement shall be true and correct in all Material respects (or in all respects
in the case of any representation or warranty containing any materiality
qualification) as of the Closing Date as though made as of such date (except
for
representations and warranties that are made as of a specific date). Parent
and
Merger Sub shall have performed and complied in all Material respects (or in
all
respects in the case of any covenant or agreement containing any materiality
qualification) with all covenants and agreements contained in this Agreement
required to be performed and complied with by it at or prior to the
Closing.
29
(b) As
of the
Closing Date, the Company shall have received the following documents with
respect to Parent:
(i) a
true
and complete copy of its articles of incorporation and all amendments thereto,
certified by the jurisdiction of its incorporation as of a recent
date;
(ii) a
true
and complete copy of its bylaws, certified by its Secretary;
(iii) a
certificate executed on behalf of Parent by the Chief Executive Officer of
Parent certifying that (A) its articles of incorporation have not been amended
since the date of the certificate described in subsection (i) above, and that
nothing has occurred since the date of issuance of the certificate of existence
specified in subsection (i) above that would adversely affect its existence,
and
(B) Parent has complied with the conditions set forth in this Section
8.2
as may
be reasonably required by the Company, including without limitation a
Certificate as to the matters set forth in Section
8.2(a)
;
(iv) a
true
and complete copy of the resolutions of Parent’s board of directors authorizing
the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, and all instruments
and documents to be delivered in connection herewith, and the transactions
contemplated hereby;
(v) a
certificate from its Secretary certifying the incumbency and signatures of
its
officers who will execute documents at the Closing or who have executed this
Agreement;
Section
8.3. Conditions
to the Obligations f Parent and Merger Sub.
The
obligations of Parent and Merger Sub to effect the transactions contemplated
hereby shall be further subject to the fulfillment of the following conditions,
unless waived by Parent pursuant to Section
11.4
of this
Agreement:
(a) All
representations and warranties of the Company and the Shareholders contained
in
this Agreement and the Company Disclosure Schedule shall be true and correct
in
all Material respects (or in all respects in the case of any representation
or
warranty containing any materiality qualification) as of the Closing Date as
though made as of such date (except for representations and warranties that
are
made as of a specific date). The Company and the Shareholders shall have
performed and complied in all Material respects (or in all respects in the
case
of any covenant or agreement containing any materiality qualification) with
all
covenants and agreements contained in this Agreement required to be performed
and complied with by them at or prior to the Closing.
(b) The
officers and directors of the Company shall deliver to Parent an instrument
dated the Closing Date releasing the Company from any and all claims of such
officers and directors.
(c) Parent
shall have completed its due diligence review regarding the Company and its
business, operations, assets, liabilities, taxes, insurance, contracts,
prospects and environmental and other matters as parent deems relevant and
parent shall be satisfied, in its sole discretion, with the results of such
review.
(d) Since
the
date hereof, there shall have been no changes that constitute, and no event
or
events shall have occurred which have resulted in or constitute, a Material
Adverse Effect.
(e) As
of the
Closing Date, Parent shall have received the following documents with respect
to
each of the Company and its Subsidiaries.
(i) a
certificate of its corporate existence issued by the jurisdiction of its
incorporation as of a recent date and a certificate of existence or authority
as
a foreign corporation issued as of a recent date by each of the jurisdictions
in
which it is qualified to do business as a foreign corporation;
(ii) a
true
and complete copy of its articles of incorporation or charter and all amendments
thereto, certified by the jurisdiction of its incorporation as of a recent
date;
(iii) a
true
and complete copy of its bylaws;
(iv) a
certificate from its Secretary or an Assistant Secretary certifying that (A)
its
articles of incorporation or charter have not been amended since the date of
the
certificate described in subsection (ii) above, and that nothing has occurred
since the date of issuance of the certificate of existence specified in
subsection (i) above that would adversely affect its existence, and (B) the
Company has complied with the conditions set forth in this Section
8.3
as may
be reasonably required by Parent, including without limitation a Certificate
as
to the matters set forth in Section
8.3(a)
;
(v) with
respect to the Company only, a true and complete copy of the resolutions of
its
board of directors authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of this
Agreement, and all instruments and documents to be delivered in connection
herewith, and the transactions contemplated hereby, certified by its Secretary
or an Assistant Secretary; and
(vi) with
respect to the Company only, a certificate from its Secretary or an Assistant
Secretary certifying the incumbency and signatures of its officers who will
execute documents at the Closing or who have executed this
Agreement.
30
ARTICLE
IX
TERMINATION
Section
9.1. Termination.
The
obligations of the parties hereunder may be terminated and the transactions
contemplated hereby abandoned at any time prior to the Closing
Date:
(a) By
mutual
written consent of the Board of Directors of the Company and
Parent;
(b) By
either
Parent or the Company, if there shall be any Law or regulation that makes
consummation of this Agreement illegal or otherwise prohibited or if any
judgment, injunction, order or decree enjoining the Company or its shareholders
or Parent, Merger Sub or their respective shareholders from consummating this
Agreement is entered and such judgment, injunction, order or decree shall become
final and non-appeasable;
(c) By
either
Parent or the Company, if the conditions to the obligation to effect the
transactions contemplated hereby of the party seeking termination shall not
have
been fulfilled or waived by May 31, 2007, and if the party seeking termination
is in Material compliance with all of its obligations under this
Agreement;
(d) By
either
Parent or the Company, if a condition to the obligation to effect the
transactions contemplated hereby of the party seeking termination shall have
become incapable of fulfillment (notwithstanding the efforts of the party
seeking to terminate as set forth in Section
7.8),
and
has not been waived;
(e) At
any
time on or prior to the Closing Date, by Parent in writing, if the Company
has,
or by the Company, if Parent has, in any Material respect, breached (i) any
covenant or agreement contained herein or (ii) any representation or warranty
contained herein, and in either case if such breach has not been cured by the
earlier of 15 days after the date on which written notice of such breach is
given to the party committing such breach or the Closing Date;
Section
9.2. Procedure
and Effect of Termination.
In the
event of a termination contemplated hereby by any party pursuant to Section
9.1,
the
party seeking to terminate this Agreement shall give prompt written notice
thereof to the other party, and the transactions contemplated hereby shall
be
abandoned, without further action by any party hereto. In such
event:
(a) The
parties hereto shall continue to be bound by (i) their obligations of
confidentiality set forth herein, and all copies of the information provided
by
the Company or Parent hereunder will be returned to the Company or Parent,
respectively, or destroyed immediately upon its request therefore, (ii) the
provisions set forth in Section
6.7
relating
to publicity and (iii) the provisions set forth in Section
11.1
relating
to expenses.
(b) All
filings, applications and other submissions relating to the transactions
contemplated hereby shall, to the extent practicable, be withdrawn from the
Person to which made.
(c) In
addition to any remedies provided in this Agreement, the terminating party
shall
be entitled to seek any remedy to which such party may be entitled at law or
in
equity for the violation or breach of this Agreement.
31
ARTICLE
X
INDEMNIFICATION
Section
10.1. The
Shareholders Indemnity Obligations.
The
Shareholders shall indemnify and hold harmless the Company, Parent and the
Company’s and Parent’s respective officers, directors, stockholders, employees,
agents, representatives and Affiliates (each
a
“Parent
Indemnified Party”)
from
and against any and all claims (including without limitation Environmental
Claims), actions, causes of action, arbitrations, proceedings, losses, damages,
Remediation, Liabilities (including without limitation STRICT
LIABILITY),
judgments, fines, penalties and expenses (including, without limitation,
reasonable attorneys’ fees) (collectively, the “Indemnified Amounts”)
incurred by a Parent Indemnified Party or for which a Parent Indemnified Party
bears responsibility as a result of (a) any breach or misrepresentation in
any
of the representations and warranties made by or on behalf of the Company or
the
Shareholders in this Agreement, including without limitation with respect to
environmental matters, or any certificate or instrument delivered in connection
with this Agreement (without regard to any materiality qualification of any
such
representation or warranty, as may be indicated by the term “material,”
“substantial,” or “Material Adverse Effect” or similar words), (b) any violation
or breach by the Company or the Shareholders of or default by the Company or
the
Shareholders under the terms of this Agreement or any agreement, certificate,
instrument or other writing delivered in connection with this Agreement, or
(c)
any act or omission by, or condition existing with respect to, the Company,
the
Shareholders or any officer, director, employee, agent or representative of
the
Company occurring on or prior to the Closing Date (including any claim by a
third party, including employees and customers arising out of or related to
any
act or omission by the Company, the Shareholders or any shareholder, officer,
director, employee, agent or representative of the Company occurring prior
to
the Closing Date). THE
OBLIGATION OF THE SELLERS TO INDEMNIFY THE PARENT INDEMNIFIED PARTIES HEREUNDER
SHALL NOT BE CONTINGENT UPON THE ASSERTION OF ANY CLAIM, DIRECTIVE, DEMAND,
ACTION OR PROCEEDING BY ANY GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITY OR THIRD PARTY, AND SHALL
EXPRESSLY INCLUDE THE OBLIGATION TO INDEMNIFY THE BUYER INDEMNIFIED PARTIES
FOR
THEIR OWN POTENTIAL STRICT LIABILITY OR ALLEGED
NEGLIGENCE.
Section
10.2. Parent’s
Indemnity Obligations.
Parent
shall indemnify and hold harmless the Shareholders and the Shareholders’ agents,
representatives and Affiliates (each a “Shareholders’
Indemnified Party”)
from
and against any and all Indemnified Amounts incurred by a Shareholders’
Indemnified Party as a result of (a) any breach or misrepresentation in any
of
the representations and warranties made by or on behalf of Parent or Merger
Sub
in this Agreement or any certificate or instrument delivered in connection
with
this Agreement, or (b) any violation or breach by Parent or Merger Sub of or
Default by Parent under the terms of this Agreement or any certificate or
instrument delivered in connection with this Agreement.
Section
10.3. Indemnification
Procedures.
All
claims for indemnification under this Agreement shall be asserted and resolved
as follows:
(a) A
party
claiming indemnification under this Agreement (an “Indemnified
Party”)
shall
with reasonable promptness (i) notify the party from whom indemnification is
sought (the “Indemnifying
Party”)
of any
third-party claim or claims asserted against the Indemnified Party
(“Third
Party Claim”)
for
which indemnification is sought and (ii) transmit to the Indemnifying Party
a
copy of all papers served with respect to such claim (if any) and a written
notice (“Claim
Notice”)
containing a description in reasonable detail of the nature of the Third Party
Claim, an estimate of the amount of damages attributable to the Third Party
Claim to the extent feasible (which estimate shall not be conclusive of the
final amount of such claim) and the basis of the Indemnified Party’s request for
indemnification under this Agreement.
Within
15
days after receipt of any Claim Notice (the “Election
Period”),
the
Indemnifying Party shall notify the Indemnified Party (i) whether the
Indemnifying Party disputes its potential liability to the Indemnified Party
with respect to such Third Party Claim and (ii) whether the Indemnifying Party
desires, at the sole cost and expense of the Indemnifying Party, to defend
the
Indemnified Party against such Third Party Claim.
32
If
the
Indemnifying Party notifies the Indemnified Party within the Election Period
that the Indemnifying Party elects to assume the defense of the Third Party
Claim, then the Indemnifying Party shall have the right to defend, at its sole
cost and expense, such Third Party Claim by all appropriate proceedings, which
proceedings shall be prosecuted diligently by the Indemnifying Party to a final
conclusion or settled at the discretion of the Indemnifying Party in accordance
with this Section
10.3(a).
The
Indemnifying Party shall have full control of such defense and proceedings.
The
Indemnified Party is hereby authorized, at the sole cost and expense of the
Indemnifying Party, to file, during the Election Period, any motion, answer
or
other pleadings that the Indemnified Party shall reasonably deem necessary
or
appropriate to protect its interests. If requested by the Indemnifying Party,
the Indemnified Party agrees to cooperate with the Indemnifying Party and its
counsel in contesting any Third Party Claim that the Indemnifying Party elects
to contest, including, without limitation, the making of any related
counterclaim against the person asserting the Third Party Claim or any
cross-complaint against any person. Except as otherwise provided herein, the
Indemnified Party may participate in, but not control, any defense or settlement
of any Third Party claim controlled by the Indemnifying Party pursuant to this
Section
10.3
and
shall bear its own costs and expenses with respect to such
participation.
If
the
Indemnifying Party fails to notify the Indemnified Party within the Election
Period that the Indemnifying Party elects to defend the Indemnified Party
pursuant to the preceding paragraph, or if the Indemnifying Party elects to
defend the Indemnified Party but fails to prosecute or settle the Third Party
Claim as herein provided or if the Indemnified Party reasonably objects to
such
election on the grounds that counsel for such Indemnifying Party cannot
represent both the Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Parties because such
representation would be reasonably likely to result in a conflict of interest,
then the Indemnified Party shall have the right to defend, at the sole cost
and
expense of the Indemnifying Party, the Third Party Claim by all appropriate
proceedings, which proceedings shall be promptly and vigorously prosecuted
by
the Indemnified Party to a final conclusion or settled. The Indemnified Party
shall have full control of such defense and proceedings. The Indemnifying Party
may participate in, but not control, any defense or settlement controlled by
the
Indemnified Party pursuant to this Section
10.3,
and the
Indemnifying Party shall bear its own costs and expenses with respect to such
participation.
The
Indemnifying Party shall not settle or compromise any Third Party Claim unless
(i) the terms of such compromise or settlement require no more than the payment
of money (i.e., such compromise or settlement does not require the Indemnified
Party to admit any wrongdoing or take or refrain from taking any action), (ii)
the full amount of such monetary compromise or settlement will be paid by the
Indemnifying Party, and (iii) the Indemnified Party receives as part of such
settlement a legal, binding and enforceable unconditional satisfaction and/or
release, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to it, providing that
such Third Party Claim and any claimed liability of the Indemnified Party with
respect thereto is being fully satisfied by reason of such compromise or
settlement and that the Indemnified Party is being released from any and all
obligations or liabilities it may have with respect thereto. The Indemnified
Party shall not settle or admit liability to any Third Party Claim without
the
prior written consent of the Indemnifying Party unless (x) the Indemnifying
Party has disputed its potential liability to the Indemnified Party, and such
dispute either has not been resolved or has been resolved in favor of the
Indemnifying Party or (y) the Indemnifying Party has failed to respond to the
Indemnified Party’s Claim Notice.
(b) In
the
event any Indemnified Party should have a claim against any Indemnifying Party
hereunder that does not involve a Third Party Claim, the Indemnified Party
shall
transmit to the Indemnifying Party a written notice (the “Indemnity
Notice”)
describing in reasonable detail the nature of the claim, an estimate of the
amount of damages attributable to such claim to the extent feasible (which
estimate shall not be conclusive of the final amount of such claim) and the
basis of the Indemnified Party’s request for indemnification under this
Agreement.
Section
10.4. Determination
of Indemnified Amounts.
The
Indemnified Amounts payable by an Indemnifying Party hereunder shall be
determined (i) by the written agreement of the parties, (ii) by mediation,
(iii)
by a final judgment or decree of any court of competent jurisdiction, or (iv)
by
any other means agreed to in writing by the parties. A judgment or decree of
a
court shall be deemed final when the time for appeal, if any, shall have expired
and no appeal shall have been taken or when all appeals taken have been fully
determined. In calculating or determining the Indemnified Amounts, such
calculation or determination shall take into account the actual receipt of
any
amounts from any third party and the reductions to such Indemnified Amounts
in
Section
10.7.
Section
10.5. Limitation
of Shareholder’s Liability.
(a) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained in Article
X,
the
aggregate liability of the Shareholders for any event or occurrence giving
rise
to the Shareholders being required to indemnify Parent Indemnified Parties
pursuant to Section 10.1
of this
Agreement shall be limited to the sum of the fair market value of the Merger
Consideration.
(b) Parent
Indemnified Parties are entitled to indemnification pursuant to Section 10.1
only to
the extent that the amount of any Indemnified Amount, individually or in the
aggregate, exceeds $[25,000] and then to the full amount of such Indemnified
Amount.
Section
10.6. Limitation
of Parent’s Liability.
(a) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained in Article X,
the
aggregate liability of Parent for any event or occurrence giving rise to Parent
being required to indemnify Shareholders’ Indemnified Parties pursuant to
Section
10.2
shall be
limited to $1,000,000.
(b) Shareholders’
Indemnified Parties are entitled to indemnification pursuant to Section
10.2
only to
the extent that the amount of any Indemnified Amount, individually or in the
aggregate, exceeds $25,000 and then to the full amount of such Indemnified
Amount.
Section
10.7. Limitation
on Indemnified Amounts.
Notwithstanding any provision of this Article X
to the
contrary, Indemnified Amounts owed by an Indemnifying Party to an Indemnified
Party shall be reduced by the amount of any mitigating recovery or benefit
(net
of reasonable expenses and tax and other costs incurred in obtaining such
recovery or benefit) an Indemnified Party shall have received or otherwise
enjoyed with respect thereto from: (i) any recovery under any insurance
policies, without regard to whether the Indemnified Party or another person
paid
the premiums therefor; and (ii) the amount of tax or other economic benefit
(if any) to any Indemnified Party or its affiliate occurring in connection
with
the occurrence of any action, cause of action, arbitration, proceeding, loss,
damage, remediation, liability, strict liability, judgment, fine, penalty and
expense in connection with an event leading to the accrual of Indemnified
Amounts. If such a mitigating recovery or benefit set forth in Section 10.7(i)
and
(ii)
above is
received or enjoyed by an Indemnified Party after it receives payment or other
credit under this Agreement with respect to Indemnified Amounts, then a refund
equal in aggregate amount to the mitigating recovery, net of reasonable expenses
and tax or other costs incurred in obtaining recovery, shall be made promptly
to
the Indemnifying Party.
33
ARTICLE
XI
MISCELLANEOUS
PROVISIONS
Section
11.1. Expenses.
Whether
or not the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated, (a) Parent shall
pay all costs and expenses incurred by it and Merger Sub in connection with
this
Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby and (b) the Shareholders
shall pay all costs and expenses incurred by the Company and the Shareholders
in
connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated
hereby.
Section
11.2. Survival
of Representations. The
representations and warranties set forth in this Agreement and in any
certificate or instrument delivered in connection herewith shall be continuing
and shall survive the Closing for a period of one year following the Closing
Date; provided,
however,
that in
the case of all representations and warranties, there shall be no such
termination with respect to any such representation or warranty as to which
a
bona fide claim has been asserted by written notice of such claim delivered
to
the party or parties making such representation or warranty prior to the
expiration of the survival period; provided,
further,
that
the representations and warranties set forth in Sections 4.3
(Capital Stock; Subsidiaries), 4.5
(Absence of Undisclosed Liabilities), 4.11
(Environmental Matters)
and
4.25
(Certain Payments)
shall
survive the Closing indefinitely, and Section
4.7
(Tax
Matters) shall survive the Closing for the greater of three years or the
expiration of the applicable statute of limitations. The covenants and
agreements, including but not limited to indemnification obligations, set forth
in this Agreement and in any certificate or instrument delivered in connection
herewith shall be continuing and survive Closing; provided,
however,
that
the indemnification obligations of the parties hereto (i) set forth in
Sections 10.1(a)
and
10.2(a)
with
respect to a breach of a representation or warranty shall terminate at the
time
such particular representation or warranty shall terminate, and indemnification
obligations of the Shareholder set forth in Sections 10.1(c)
shall
survive the Closing indefinitely.
Section
11.3. Amendment
and Modification.
This
Agreement may be amended, modified or supplemented only by written agreement
of
all parties hereto.
Section
11.4. Waiver
of Compliance; Consents.
Except
as otherwise provided in this Agreement, any failure of Parent or Merger Sub,
on
one hand, and the Company or the Shareholders, on the other, to comply with
any
obligation, representation, warranty, covenant, agreement or condition herein
may be waived by the other party only by a written instrument signed by the
party granting such waiver, but such waiver or failure to insist upon strict
compliance with such obligation, representation, warranty, covenant, agreement
or condition shall not operate as a waiver of, or estoppels with respect to,
any
subsequent or other failure. Whenever this Agreement requires or permits consent
by or on behalf of any party hereto, such consent shall be given in writing
in a
manner consistent with the requirements for a waiver of compliance as set forth
in this Section
11.4
.
Section
11.5. Notices.
All
notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be
deemed given when delivered by hand or by facsimile transmission, one (1)
Business Day after sending by a reputable national over-night courier service
or
three (3) Business Days after mailing when mailed by registered or certified
mail (return receipt requested), postage prepaid, to the other party in the
manner provided below:
34
(a) Any
notice to any of the Company shall be delivered to the following
addresses:
Ecowood,
Inc.
000
Xxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxx X
Xxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
Attention:
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Telephone:
(000)
000-0000
Facsimile:
(000) 000-0000
(b) Any
notice to Parent or Merger Sub shall be delivered to the following
addresses:
Analytical
Surveys, Inc.
0000
X.
Xxx Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxx
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
Attention:
Xxxx X. Xxxxx
Telephone:
(000) 000-0000
Facsimile:
(000) 000-0000
With
a
copy, which shall not constitute notice to:
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx & Xxxx LLP
000
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxx 00000
Attention:
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Telephone:
(000) 000-0000
Facsimile:
(000) 000-0000
Any
party
may change the address to which notice is to be given by notice given in the
manner set forth above.
Section
11.6. Assignment.
This
Agreement and all of the provisions hereof shall be binding upon and inure
to
the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective heirs, legal
representatives, successors and permitted assigns. Neither this Agreement nor
any of the rights, interests or obligations hereunder shall be assigned by
any
party hereto without the prior written consent of the other party.
Section
11.7. Separable
Provisions.
Any
term or provision of this Agreement which is invalid or unenforceable in any
jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of
such invalidity or unenforceability without rendering invalid or unenforceable
the remaining terms and provisions of this Agreement or affecting the validity
or enforceability of any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement in any
other jurisdiction. If any provision of this Agreement is so broad as to be
unenforceable, such provision shall be interpreted to be only so broad as is
enforceable.
Section
11.8. Governing
Law.
The
execution, interpretation and performance of this Agreement shall be governed
by
the internal laws and judicial decisions of the State of Texas, County of Dallas
without regard to principles of conflicts of laws.
Section
11.9. Counterparts.
This
Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall
be
deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the
same
instrument.
Section
11.10. Interpretation.
The
article and section headings contained in this Agreement are solely for the
purpose of reference, are not part of the agreement of the parties and shall
not
in any way affect the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.
Section
11.11. Entire
Agreement.
This
Agreement, including the agreements and documents that are Schedules and
Exhibits hereto, embodies the entire agreement and understanding of the parties
with respect of the subject matter of this Agreement. This Agreement supersedes
all prior agreements and understandings between the parties with respect to
the
transactions contemplated hereby and subject matter hereof.
Remainder
of page intentionally left blank. Signature page follows.
35
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the date first
above written.
ECOWOOD, INC. | ||
|
|
|
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx | |
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx |
||
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer |
ANALYTICAL SURVEYS, INC. | ||
|
|
|
By: | /s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxx | |
Xxxx X. Xxxxx |
||
Chief Executive Officer |
ASI ACQUISITION SUB | ||
|
|
|
By: | /s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxx | |
Xxxx X. Xxxxx |
||
Chief Executive Officer |
THE SHAREHOLDERS | ||
|
|
|
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx | |
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx |
||
By: | /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxx | |
Xxxxx Xxxxxx |
||
36
EXHIBIT
A
FORM
OF AFFILIATE LETTER
|
Re:
|
Affiliate’s
Agreement
|
Ladies
and Gentlemen:
I
have
been advised that as of the date of this letter I may be deemed to be an
“affiliate” of Ecowood, Inc. a Texas corporation (the “Company”),
as
the term “Affiliate” is defined for purposes of paragraphs (c) and (d) of Rule
145 of the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission
(the
“Commission”)
under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”).
Pursuant to the terms of that certain Agreement
and Plan of Merger, dated as of March 16, 2007, as amended, by and between
Analytical Surveys, Inc. a Colorado corporation (“ASI”),
ANLT
Acquisition Sub, a Texas corporation and wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent
(“Merger
Sub”),
the
Company and the Shareholders named therein (the “Merger
Agreement”),
100%
of the outstanding capital stock of the Company will be acquired by ASI through
the merger of the Company with and into Merger Sub. Initially capitalized terms
used but not defined herein shall have the same meanings given to them in the
Merger Agreement unless otherwise defined herein.
As
a
result of the Merger, I may receive shares of common stock, no par value per
share, of ASI (“ASI Common Stock”) in exchange for shares owned by me of common
stock, par value $1.00 per share of the Company (“Company Common
Stock”).
I
understand my execution and delivery of this Letter is a material inducement
to
ASI to consummate the Merger. In consideration of the Merger and the mutual
covenants contained herein, I hereby represent, warrant and agree
that:
1. ASI
has
informed me that the issuance of shares of ASI Common Stock will be registered
under the Act on a Registration Statement on Form S-4, and that any distribution
by the undersigned of ASI Common Stock that has not been registered under the
Act and that such shares received pursuant to the Merger can only be sold by
the
undersigned (i) following registration under the Act, or (ii) in conformity
with
the volume and other applicable requirements of Rules 144 or 145(d) promulgated
by the SEC as the same now exist or may hereafter be amended, or (iii) to the
extent some other exemption from registration under the Act might be
available.
2. I
am
aware that ASI and the Company intend to treat the Merger as a tax-free
reorganization under Section 368 of the Internal Revenue Code, as amended
(the “Code”
),
for
federal income tax purposes. I agree to treat the transaction in the same manner
as ASI and the Company for federal income tax purposes. I acknowledge that
Section 1.368-1(b) of the U.S. federal income tax regulations requires
“continuity of interest” in order for the Merger to be treated as a tax-free
reorganization under Section 368 of the Code. Continuity of interest may not
be
preserved if stock of an acquired company is disposed of before an acquisition
to the acquired or acquiring company or to persons related to either the
acquired or acquiring companies for consideration other than stock of the
acquiring company, if a shareholder of the acquired company received certain
distributions from the acquired company with respect to his stock in connection
with the acquisition, or if stock of the acquiring company issued in the Merger
is disposed of in connection with the Merger to the acquiring company or to
persons related to the acquiring company. Accordingly, I declare that in
connection with the Merger (i) I have not and will not dispose of any of the
stock of either the Company or ASI to either the Company or ASI (other than
in
exchange for the Merger Consideration), to a person related to the Company
(within the meaning of Section 1.368-1(e)(1)(i)(sixth sentence) of the U.S.
federal income tax regulations) or to a person related to ASI (within the
meaning of Section 1.368-1(e)(3) of such regulations), (ii) I have not and
will
not receive any dividend or other distribution with respect to the stock of
the
Company attributable directly or indirectly to funds provided by ASI, and (iii)
I will not dispose of any ASI Common Stock received in the Merger to ASI or
to a
person related to ASI within the meaning of Section 1.368-1(e)(3) of the U.S.
federal income tax regulations.
37
3. I
understand and agree that stop transfer instructions with respect to the shares
of ASI Common Stock I receive pursuant to the Merger will be given to ASI’s
transfer agent and that there will be placed on the certificates for such
shares, or shares issued in substitution thereof, a legend stating substantially
as follows:
THE
SHARES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE MAY NOT BE SOLD, TRANSFERRED OR OTHERWISE
DISPOSED OF EXCEPT OR UNLESS (1) COVERED BY AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR AN EXEMPTION THERE FROM, (2)
IN
ACCORDANCE WITH (I) RULE 145(D) (IN THE CASE OF SHARES ISSUED TO AN INDIVIDUAL
WHO IS NOT AN AFFILIATE OF THE ISSUER) OR (II) RULE 144 (IN THE CASE OF SHARES
ISSUED TO AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS AN AFFILIATE OF THE ISSUER) OF THE RULES AND
REGULATIONS OF SUCH ACT, OR (3) IN ACCORDANCE WITH A LEGAL OPINION SATISFACTORY
TO COUNSEL FOR THE ISSUER THAT SUCH SALE OR TRANSFER IS OTHERWISE EXEMPT FROM
THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF SUCH ACT. FOR AVOIDANCE OF DOUBT, IT IS
UNDERSTOOD THAT A LEGAL OPINION IS NEITHER REQUIRED BY LAW NOR THIS LEGEND
AND
IT SHALL BE IN THE ISSUER’S SOLE DISCRETION WHETHER OR NOT TO REQUIRE THAT A
LEGAL OPINION BE DELIVERED TO IT PRIOR TO ANY SUCH, TRANSFER OR OTHER
DISPOSITION.
Such
legend will also be placed on any certificate representing ASI securities issued
subsequent to the original issuance of ASI Common Stock pursuant to the Merger
as a result of any stock dividend, stock split, or other recapitalization as
long as the ASI Common Stock issued to me pursuant to the Merger has not been
transferred in such manner to justify the removal of the legend therefrom.
If
the provisions of Rules 144 and 145 are amended to eliminate restrictions
applicable to the ASI Common Stock I received pursuant to the Merger, or at
the
expiration of the restrictive period set forth in Rule 145(d), ASI, upon my
request, will cause the certificates representing the shares of ASI Common
Stock
issued to me in connection with the Merger to be reissued free of any legend
relating to the restrictions set forth in Rules 144 or 145(d) upon receipt
by
ASI of an opinion of its counsel to the effect that such legend may be
removed.
4. I
have
carefully read the Merger Agreement and this Letter and discussed their
requirements and impact upon the ability to sell, transfer, or otherwise dispose
of the shares of ASI Common Stock received by me, to the extent I believe
necessary, with my counsel.
5. If
I
desire to sell or otherwise transfer the shares of ASI Common Stock I receive
in
connection with the Merger at any time during the restrictive period set forth
in Rule 145(d), I will provide the necessary representation letter to the
transfer agent for ASI Common Stock together with such additional information
as
the transfer agent may reasonably request.
38
6.
I
recognize and agree that the foregoing provisions also may apply to (i) my
spouse, if my spouse has the same home as me, (ii) any of my relatives who
have
the same home as me, (iii) any trust or estate in which I, my spouse, and any
such relative collectively own at least a 10% beneficial interest or of which
any of the foregoing serves as trustee, executor, or in any similar capacity,
and (iv) any corporation or other organization in which I, my spouse, and any
such relative collectively own at least 10% of any class of equity securities
or
of the equity interest. I further recognize that, under certain circumstances,
any sale of ASI Common Stock by me within a period of less than six months
following the effective time of the Merger may subject me to liability pursuant
to Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
7. I
acknowledge that (i) the covenants and the restrictions contained in this
Agreement are necessary, fundamental, and required for the protection of ASI
and
to preserve for ASI the benefits of the Merger; (ii) such covenants relate
to
matters which are of a special, unique, and extraordinary character that gives
each of such covenants a special, unique, and extraordinary value; and (iii)
a
breach of any such covenants or any other provision of this Agreement shall
result in irreparable harm and damages to ASI which cannot be adequately
compensated by a monetary award. Accordingly, it is expressly agreed that in
addition to all other remedies available at law or in equity, ASI shall be
entitled to the immediate remedy of a temporary restraining order, preliminary
injunction, or such other form of injunctive or equitable relief as may be
used
by any court of competent jurisdiction to restrain or enjoin any of the parties
hereto from breaching any such covenant or provision or to specifically enforce
the provisions hereof.
8. This
Letter is the complete agreement between me and ASI concerning the subject
matter hereof. Any notice required to be sent to any party hereunder shall
be
sent by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, using the
addresses set forth herein or such other address as shall be furnished in
writing by the parties. This Letter shall be governed by the laws of the State
of Texas, without regard to principles of conflicts of laws.
This
Affiliate’s Agreement is executed as of the
day
of ,
2007.
AGREED
TO
AND ACCEPTED as of ,
2007.
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ANALYTICAL
SURVEYS, INC.
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By:
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Name:
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Title:
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Very
truly yours,
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Signature
of Ecowood Stockholder
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39
AMENDMENT
TO AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER
This
Amendment to Agreement and Plan of Merger (this “Amendment”)
dated
as of March 22, 2007 is entered into by and between Analytical Surveys, Inc.
(“ASI”),
ANLT
Acquisition Sub, Inc. (“Merger
Sub”)
and
Ecowood, Inc. (the “Company”).
WHEREAS,
ASI, ASI Acquisition Sub, Inc. and the Company entered into an Agreement and
Plan of Merger dated as of March22, 2007 (the “Merger
Agreement”);
WHEREAS,
the Merger Agreement requires that a new wholly-owned subsidiary of ASI shall
be
merged with the Company, with the Company being the surviving entity;
and
WHEREAS,
ASI Acquisition Sub, Inc. was not a properly formed subsidiary of ASI;
and
WHEREAS,
ANLT Acquisition Sub, Inc. is as a properly formed new subsidiary of ASI; and
WHEREAS,
the parties desire to amend the Merger Agreement to substitute ANLT Acquisition
Sub, Inc. as the Merger Sub.
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements contained
herein and in the Merger Agreement and for other good and valuable
consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged,
the
parties hereby agree as follows:
(a) Capitalized
terms used herein and not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth
in
the Merger Agreement.
(b) The
Preamble of the Merger Agreement is hereby amended by substituting the name
“ANLT Acquisition Sub, Inc.” for the name “ASI Acquisition Sub,
Inc.”
(c) Upon
execution of this Amendment, ANLT Acquisition Sub, Inc. shall become a party
to
the Merger Agreement, shall be deemed to be Merger Sub as defined in the Merger
Agreement, and shall succeed to the rights and become subject to the obligations
of Merger Sub as provided in the Merger Agreement.
(d) Except
as
herein provided, the terms of the Merger Agreement shall remain in full force
and effect.
(e) This
Amendment may be executed in several counterparts, and by the parties on
separate counterparts, and all such counterparts, when so executed and
delivered, shall constitute but one and the same agreement.
[Signature
Page Follows]
40
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF the parties have executed this Amendment as of the date first
written above.
ANALYTICAL SURVEYS, INC. | ||
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By: | /s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxx | |
Xxxx X. Xxxxx |
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Chief Executive Officer |
ASI ACQUISITION SUB | ||
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By: | /s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxx | |
Xxxx X. Xxxxx |
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Chief Executive Officer |
ECOWOOD, INC. | ||
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By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx | |
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx |
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Chairman & Chief Executive Officer |
41