FORM OF PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
BY AND BETWEEN
RBC CENTURA BANKS, INC.,
AND
SUNTRUST BANK
__________, 2002
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page No.
RECITALS
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION
Section 1.1. Definitions and Interpretation...........................2
ARTICLE II
TRUST INDENTURE ACT
Section 2.1. Trust Indenture Act; Application.........................5
Section 2.2. Reports by the Preferred Guarantee Trustee...............5
Section 2.3. Periodic Reports to Preferred Guarantee Trustee..........6
Section 2.4. Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent.........6
Section 2.5. Events of Default; Waiver................................6
Section 2.6. Event of Default; Notice.................................6
Section 2.7. Conflicting Interests....................................6
ARTICLE III
POWERS, DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
Section 3.1. Powers and Duties of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee.....7
Section 3.2. Certain Rights of Preferred Guarantee Trustee............9
Section 3.3. Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Guarantee...11
ARTICLE IV
PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
Section 4.1. Preferred Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility................11
Section 4.2. Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Preferred
Guarantee Trustees....................................12
ARTICLE V
GUARANTEE
Section 5.1. Guarantee...............................................12
Section 5.2. Waiver of Notice and Demand.............................13
Section 5.3. Obligations Not Affected................................13
Section 5.4. Rights of Holders.......................................15
Section 5.5. Guarantee of Payment....................................15
Section 5.6. Subrogation.............................................15
Section 5.7. Independent Obligations.................................15
ARTICLE VI
LIMITATION OF TRANSACTIONS; SUBORDINATION
Section 6.1. Limitation of Transactions..............................16
Section 6.2. Ranking.................................................16
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ARTICLE VII
TERMINATION
Section 7.1. Termination.............................................16
ARTICLE VIII
INDEMNIFICATION
Section 8.1. Exculpation.............................................16
Section 8.2. Indemnification.........................................17
ARTICLE IX
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 9.1. Successors and Assigns..................................17
Section 9.2. Amendments..............................................17
Section 9.3. Notices.................................................18
Section 9.4. Benefit.................................................18
Section 9.5. Governing Law...........................................18
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FORM OF PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
THIS PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT (this "Preferred
Securities Guarantee"), dated as of _____________, 2002, is executed and
delivered by RBC Centura Banks, Inc. a North Carolina corporation (the
"Guarantor") and SunTrust Bank, a banking corporation organized under the laws
of the state of Georgia, as trustee (the "Preferred Guarantee Trustee"), for the
benefit of the Holders (as defined herein) from time to time of the Preferred
Securities (as defined herein) of EBI Capital Trust I, a Delaware statutory
business trust (the "Trust").
RECITALS
WHEREAS, pursuant to an Amended and Restated Trust Agreement (the
"Trust Agreement"), dated as of July 29, 1998, among the trustees of the
Trust named therein, Eagle Bancshares, Inc., a Georgia corporation ("Eagle"), as
sponsor, and the holders from time to time of undivided beneficial interests in
the assets of the Trust, the Trust issued on July 29, 1998 preferred securities
having an aggregate liquidation amount of $25.0 million, designated the 8.50%
Cumulative Trust Preferred Securities (the "Preferred Securities");
WHEREAS, as incentive for the Holders to purchase the Preferred
Securities, Eagle entered into a Preferred Securities Guarantee Agreement (the
"Original Securities Guarantee"), dated as of July 29, 1998, between Eagle and
the Trustee;
WHEREAS, Eagle merged with and into RBC Centura Bank (the "Bank"), a
banking corporation organized under the laws of the state of North Carolina, a
wholly owned subsidiary of RBC Centura (the "Merger") on July 22, 2002 (such
date, the "Merger Date");
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 9.1 of the Original Securities Guarantee,
upon the Merger, the Bank will be bound by the guarantees and agreements of
Eagle in the Original Securities Guarantee;
WHEREAS, RBC Centura intends to (1) guarantee the obligations of the
Bank under the Original Securities Guarantee, (2) provide an independent
guarantee to the Holders and (3) guarantee, on a subordinated basis, the
obligations of Bank with respect to the Debentures, each as described herein.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Guarantor executes and delivers this Preferred
Securities Guarantee for the benefit of the Holders.
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION
Section 1.1. DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION. In this Preferred
Securities Guarantee, unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) capitalized terms used in this Preferred Securities
Guarantee but not defined in the preamble above have the respective
meanings assigned to them in this Section 1.1;
(b) terms defined in the Trust Agreement as at the date of
execution of this Preferred Securities Guarantee have the same meaning
when used in this Preferred Securities Guarantee;
(c) a term defined anywhere in this Preferred Securities
Guarantee has the same meaning throughout;
(d) all references to "the Preferred Securities Guarantee" or
"this Preferred Securities Guarantee" are to this Preferred Securities
Guarantee as modified, supplemented or amended from time to time;
(e) all references in this Preferred Securities Guarantee to
Articles and Sections are to Articles and Sections of this Preferred
Securities Guarantee, unless otherwise specified;
(f) a term defined in the Trust Indenture Act has the same
meaning when used in this Preferred Securities Guarantee, unless
otherwise defined in this Preferred Securities Guarantee or unless the
context otherwise requires; and
(g) a reference to the singular includes the plural and vice
versa.
"Affiliate" has the same meaning as given to that term in Rule 405 of
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any successor rule thereunder.
"Business Day" means any day other than a day on which federal or state
banking institutions in Atlanta, Georgia are authorized or required by law,
executive order or regulation to close or a day on which the Corporate Trust
Office of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee is closed for business.
"Corporate Trust Office" means the office of the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee at which the corporate trust business of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee
shall, at any particular time, be principally administered, which office at the
date of execution of this Agreement is located at Corporate Trust Division, 00
Xxxx Xxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx 00000, Attention: Xxxx Xxxxxxx,
Assistant Vice President.
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"Covered Person" means any Holder or beneficial owner of Preferred
Securities.
"Debentures" means the 8.50% Subordinated Debentures due December 31,
2028 of the Debenture Issuer held by the Property Trustee of the Trust.
"Debenture Issuer" means the Bank, as successor by merger to Eagle.
"Event of Default" means a default by the Guarantor on any of its
payment or other obligations under this Preferred Securities Guarantee.
"Guarantee Payments" means the following payments or distributions,
without duplication, with respect to the Preferred Securities, to the extent not
paid or made by the Trust or the Bank: (i) any accrued and unpaid Distributions
(as defined in the Trust Agreement) that are required to be paid on such
Preferred Securities, to the extent the Trust shall have funds available
therefor, (ii) the redemption price, including all accrued and unpaid
Distributions to the date of redemption (the "Redemption Price"), to the extent
the Trust has funds available therefor, with respect to any Preferred Securities
called for redemption by the Trust, and (iii) upon a voluntary or involuntary
dissolution, winding-up or termination of the Trust (other than in connection
with the distribution of Debentures to the Holders in exchange for Preferred
Securities as provided in the Trust Agreement), the lesser of (a) the aggregate
of the liquidation amount and all accrued and unpaid Distributions on the
Preferred Securities to the date of payment, to the extent the Trust shall have
funds available therefor (the "Liquidation Distribution"), and (b) the amount of
assets of the Trust remaining available for distribution to Holders in
liquidation of the Trust.
"Holder" shall mean any holder, as registered on the books and records
of the Trust, of any Preferred Securities; provided, however, that, in
determining whether the holders of the requisite percentage of Preferred
Securities have given any request, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, "Holder"
shall not include the Guarantor or any Affiliate of the Guarantor.
"Indemnified Person" means the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, any
Affiliate of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, or any officers, directors,
shareholders, members, partners, employees, representatives, nominees,
custodians or agents of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
"Indenture" means the Indenture dated as of July 29, 1998, among the
Debenture Issuer and SunTrust Bank, Atlanta, as trustee, and any indenture
supplemental thereto pursuant to which certain subordinated debt securities of
the Debenture Issuer are to be issued to the Property Trustee of the Trust.
"Liquidation Distribution" has the meaning provided therefor in the
definition of Guarantee Payments.
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"Majority in liquidation amount of the Preferred Securities" means the
holders of more than 50% of the liquidation amount (including the stated amount
that would be paid on redemption, liquidation or otherwise, plus accrued and
unpaid Distributions to the date upon which the voting percentages are
determined) of all of the Preferred Securities.
"Officers' Certificate" means, with respect to any Person, a
certificate signed by two authorized officers of such Person. Any Officers'
Certificate delivered with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant
provided for in this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall include:
(a) a statement that each officer signing the Officers'
Certificate has read the covenant or condition and the definition
relating thereto;
(b) a brief statement of the nature and scope of the
examination or investigation undertaken by each officer in rendering
the Officers' Certificate;
(c) a statement that each such officer has made such
examination or investigation as, in such officer's opinion, is
necessary to enable such officer to express an informed opinion as to
whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and
(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such
officer, such condition or covenant has been complied with.
"Person" means a legal person, including any individual, corporation,
estate, partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock company, limited
liability company, trust, unincorporated association, or government or any
agency or political subdivision thereof, or any other entity of whatever nature.
"Preferred Guarantee Trustee" means SunTrust Bank until a Successor
Preferred Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment
pursuant to the terms of this Preferred Securities Guarantee and thereafter
means each such Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
"Redemption Price" has the meaning provided therefor in the definition
of Guarantee Payments.
"Responsible Officer" means, with respect to the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the President, the Secretary or
the Treasurer; or any corporate trust officer within the Corporate Trust Office
of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, including any vice-president, any assistant
vice-president, any assistant secretary, the treasurer, any assistant treasurer
or other officer of the Corporate Trust Office of the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee customarily performing
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functions similar to those performed by any of the above designated officers and
also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other
officer to whom such matter is referred because of that officer's knowledge of
and familiarity with the particular subject.
"Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee" means a successor Preferred
Guarantee Trustee possessing the qualifications to act as Preferred Guarantee
Trustee under Section 4.1.
"Trust Indenture Act" means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as
amended.
ARTICLE II
TRUST INDENTURE ACT
Section 2.1. TRUST INDENTURE ACT; APPLICATION. (a) This Preferred
Securities Guarantee is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act
that are required to be part of this Preferred Securities Guarantee and shall,
to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions.
(b) If and to the extent that any provision of this Preferred
Securities Guarantee limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by
Section 310 to 317, inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act, such imposed duties
shall control.
Section 2.2. LISTS OF HOLDERS OF SECURITIES. (a) The Guarantor shall
provide the Preferred Guarantee Trustee with a list, in such form as the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses
of the Holders of the Preferred Securities ("List of Holders") as of the date
(i) within one Business Day after January 1 and June 30 of each year, and (ii)
at any other time within 30 days of receipt by the Guarantor of a written
request for a List of Holders as of a date no more than 15 days before such List
of Holders is given to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee; provided, that the
Guarantor shall not be obligated to provide such List of Holders at any time the
List of Holders does not differ from the most recent List of Holders given to
the Preferred Guarantee Trustee by the Guarantor. The Preferred Guarantee
Trustee may destroy any List of Holders previously given to it on receipt of a
new List of Holders.
(b) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall comply with its obligations
under Sections 311(a), 311(b) and Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.
Section 2.3. REPORTS BY THE PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE. On or before
July 15 of each year, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall provide to the
Holders of the Preferred Securities such reports as are required by Section 313
of the Trust Indenture Act, if any, in the form and in the manner provided by
Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act. The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall
also comply with the requirements of Section 313(d) of the Trust Indenture Act.
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Section 2.4. PERIODIC REPORTS TO PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE. The
Guarantor shall provide to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, the Commission
and/or the Holders of the Preferred Securities, such documents, reports and
information as required by Section 314 (if any) and the compliance certificate
required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act in the form, in the manner
and at the times required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act, but not
later than 120 days after Guarantor's fiscal year end.
Section 2.5. EVIDENCE OF COMPLIANCE WITH CONDITIONS PRECEDENT. The
Guarantor shall provide to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee such evidence of
compliance with any conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Preferred
Securities Guarantee as set forth in Sections 314(c) and 314(e) of the Trust
Indenture Act. Any certificate or opinion required to be given by an officer
pursuant to Section 314(c)(1) may be given in the form of an Officers'
Certificate.
Section 2.6. EVENTS OF DEFAULT; WAIVER. The Holders of a Majority in
liquidation amount of Preferred Securities may, by vote, on behalf of the
Holders of all of the Preferred Securities, waive any past Event of Default and
its consequences. Upon such waiver, any such Event of Default shall cease to
exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been
cured, for every purpose of this Preferred Securities Guarantee, but no such
waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or Event of Default or
impair any right consequent thereon.
Section 2.7. EVENT OF DEFAULT; NOTICE. (a) The Preferred Guarantee
Trustee shall, within 90 days after receipt of notice by a Responsible Officer
of the occurrence of an Event of Default, transmit by mail, first class postage
prepaid, to the Holders of the Preferred Securities, notices of all Events of
Default actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee, unless such defaults have been cured or waived before the giving of
such notice; provided, in the case of an Event of Default other than a default
in payment obligations under the Preferred Securities Guarantee, that the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and
so long as a Responsible Officer of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee in good
faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of the
Holders of the Preferred Securities.
(b) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be deemed to have
knowledge of an Event of Default unless the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall
have received written notice of such Event of Default, or a Responsible Officer
of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee charged with the administration of the Trust
Agreement shall have obtained actual knowledge of such Event of Default.
Section 2.8. CONFLICTING INTERESTS. The Trust Agreement shall be deemed
to be specifically described in this Preferred Securities Guarantee for the
purposes of clause (i) of the first proviso contained in Section 310(b) of the
Trust Indenture Act.
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ARTICLE III
POWERS, DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
Section 3.1. POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE.
(a) This Preferred Securities Guarantee shall be held by the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee for the benefit of the Holders of the Preferred Securities,
and the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not transfer this Preferred Securities
Guarantee to any Person except a Holder of Preferred Securities exercising his
or her rights pursuant to Section 5.4(b) or to a Successor Preferred Guarantee
Trustee on acceptance by such Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee of its
appointment to act as Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee. The right, title
and interest of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall automatically vest in any
Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee, and such vesting and cessation of title
shall be effective whether or not conveyancing documents have been executed and
delivered pursuant to the appointment of such Successor Preferred Guarantee
Trustee.
(b) If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, based upon
written notice to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee shall enforce this Preferred Securities Guarantee for the benefit of the
Holders of the Preferred Securities.
(c) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee, before the occurrence of any Event
of Default and after the curing of all Events of Default that may have occurred,
shall undertake to perform only such duties as are specifically set forth in
this Preferred Securities Guarantee, and no implied covenants shall be read into
this Preferred Securities Guarantee against the Preferred Guarantee Trustee. In
case an Event of Default has occurred (that has not been cured or waived
pursuant to Section 2.6) and is actually known to a Responsible Officer of the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall exercise such
of the rights and powers vested in it by this Preferred Securities Guarantee,
and use the same degree of care and skill in its exercise thereof, as a prudent
person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his or
her own affairs.
(d) No provision of this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall be
construed to relieve the Preferred Guarantee Trustee from liability for its own
negligent action, its own negligent failure to act, or its own willful
misconduct, except that:
(i) prior to the occurrence of any Event of Default and
after the curing or waiving of all such Events of Default that may
have occurred:
(A) the duties and obligations of the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee shall be determined solely by the express
provisions of this Preferred Securities Guarantee, and the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable except for
the performance of such duties and obligations as are
specifically set forth in this Preferred
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Securities Guarantee, and no implied covenants or obligations
shall be read into this Preferred Securities Guarantee
against the Preferred Guarantee Trustee; and
(B) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee
may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and
the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any
certificates or opinions furnished to the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Preferred
Securities Guarantee; but in the case of any such
certificates or opinions that by any provision hereof are
specifically required to be furnished to the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be
under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not
they conform to the requirements of this Preferred Securities
Guarantee;
(ii) the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable
for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible
Officer of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, unless it shall be
proved that the Preferred Guarantee Trustee was negligent in
ascertaining the pertinent facts upon which such judgment was
made;
(iii) the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be
liable with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by
it in good faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders
of not less than a Majority in liquidation amount of the Preferred
Securities relating to the time, method and place of conducting
any proceeding for any remedy available to the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee, or the exercise of any trust or power conferred upon the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee under this Preferred Securities
Guarantee; and
(iv) no provision of this Preferred Securities Guarantee
shall require the Preferred Guarantee Trustee to expend or risk
its own funds or otherwise incur personal financial liability in
the performance of any of its duties or in the exercise of any of
its rights or powers, if the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall
have reasonable grounds for believing that the repayment of such
funds or liability is not reasonably assured to it under the terms
of this Preferred Securities Guarantee or indemnity, reasonably
satisfactory to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, against such risk
or liability is not reasonably assured to it.
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Section 3.2. CERTAIN RIGHTS OF PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE. (a) Subject
to the provisions of Section 3.1:
(i) the Preferred Guarantee Trustee may conclusively
rely, and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from
acting upon, any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument,
opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond,
debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or
document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed,
sent or presented by the proper party or parties;
(ii) Any direction or act of the Guarantor contemplated
by this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall be sufficiently
evidenced by an Officers' Certificate;
(iii) whenever, in the administration of this Preferred
Securities Guarantee, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall deem
it desirable that a matter be proved or established before taking,
suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee (unless other evidence is herein specifically
prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, request
and conclusively rely upon an Officers' Certificate which, upon
receipt of such request, shall be promptly delivered by the
Guarantor;
(iv) the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall have no duty
to see to any recording, filing or registration of any instrument
(or any rerecording, refiling or registration thereof);
(v) the Preferred Guarantee Trustee may consult with
counsel, and the written advice or opinion of such counsel with
respect to legal matters shall be full and complete authorization
and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted
by it hereunder in good faith and in accordance with such advice
or opinion. Such counsel may be counsel to the Guarantor or any of
its Affiliates and may include any of its employees. The Preferred
Guarantee Trustee shall have the right at any time to seek
instructions concerning the administration of this Preferred
Securities Guarantee from any court of competent jurisdiction;
(vi) the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be under no
obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by
this Preferred Securities Guarantee at the request or direction of
any Holder, unless such Holder shall have provided to the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee such security and indemnity,
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reasonably satisfactory to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee,
against the costs, expenses (including attorneys' fees and
expenses and the expenses of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee's
agents, nominees or custodians) and liabilities that might be
incurred by it in complying with such request or direction,
including such reasonable advances as may be requested by the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee; provided that, nothing contained in
this Section 3.2(a)(vi) shall be taken to relieve the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default, of
its obligation to exercise the rights and powers vested in it by
this Preferred Securities Guarantee;
(vii) the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be bound
to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any
resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report,
notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note,
other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee, in its discretion, may make such
further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it
may see fit;
(viii) the Preferred Guarantee Trustee may execute any
of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder
either directly or by or through agents, nominees, custodians or
attorneys, and the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be
responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any
agent or attorney appointed with due care by it hereunder;
(ix) any action taken by the Preferred Guarantee Trustee
or its agents hereunder shall bind the Holders of the Preferred
Securities, and the signature of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee
or its agents alone shall be sufficient and effective to perform
any such action. No third party shall be required to inquire as to
the authority of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee to so act or as
to its compliance with any of the terms and provisions of this
Preferred Securities Guarantee, both of which shall be
conclusively evidenced by the Preferred Guarantee Trustee's or its
agent's taking such action;
(x) whenever in the administration of this Preferred
Securities Guarantee the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall deem it
desirable to receive instructions with respect to enforcing any
remedy or right or taking any other action hereunder, the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee (i) may request instructions from the
Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of the Preferred
Securities, (ii) may refrain from enforcing such remedy or right
or taking such
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other action until such instructions are received, and (iii) shall
be protected in conclusively relying on or acting in accordance
with such instructions.
(b) No provision of this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall be deemed
to impose any duty or obligation on the Preferred Guarantee Trustee to perform
any act or acts or exercise any right, power, duty or obligation conferred or
imposed on it in any jurisdiction in which it shall be illegal, or in which the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be unqualified or incompetent in accordance
with applicable law, to perform any such act or acts or to exercise any such
right, power, duty or obligation. No permissive power or authority available to
the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be construed to be a duty.
Section 3.3. NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR RECITALS OR ISSUANCE OF GUARANTEE. The
Recitals contained in this Guarantee shall be taken as the statements of the
Guarantor, and the Preferred Guarantee Trustee does not assume any
responsibility for their correctness. The Preferred Guarantee Trustee makes no
representation as to the validity or sufficiency of this Preferred Securities
Guarantee.
ARTICLE IV
PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
Section 4.1. PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE; ELIGIBILITY. (a) There shall
at all times be a Preferred Guarantee Trustee which shall:
(i) not be an Affiliate of the Guarantor; and
(ii) be a corporation organized and doing business under
the laws of the United States of America or any State or Territory
thereof or of the District of Columbia, or a corporation or Person
permitted by the Securities and Exchange Commission to act as an
institutional trustee under the Trust Indenture Act, authorized
under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers, having a
combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000, and subject
to supervision or examination by Federal, State, Territorial or
District of Columbia authority. If such corporation publishes or
files reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or
to the requirements of the supervising or examining authority
referred to above, then, for the purposes of this Section
4.1(a)(ii), the combined capital and surplus of such corporation
shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set
forth in its most recent report of condition so published or
filed.
(b) If at any time the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall cease to be
eligible to so act under Section 4.1(a), the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall
immediately resign in the manner and with the effect set out in Section 4.2(c).
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(c) If the Preferred Guarantee Trustee has or shall acquire any
"conflicting interest" within the meaning of Section 310(b) of the Trust
Indenture Act, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee and Guarantor shall in all
respects comply with the provisions of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture
Act.
Section 4.2. APPOINTMENT, REMOVAL AND RESIGNATION OF PREFERRED
GUARANTEE TRUSTEES. (a) Subject to Section 4.2(b), the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee may be appointed or removed without cause at any time by the Guarantor.
(b) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be removed in accordance
with Section 4.2(a) until a Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee has been
appointed and has accepted such appointment by written instrument executed by
such Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor.
(c) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee appointed to office shall hold
office until a Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed
or until its removal or resignation. The Preferred Guarantee Trustee may resign
from office (without need for prior or subsequent accounting) by an instrument
in writing executed by the Preferred Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the
Guarantor, which resignation shall not take effect until a Successor Preferred
Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by
instrument in writing executed by such Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee and
delivered to the Guarantor and the resigning Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
(d) If no Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall have been
appointed and accepted appointment as provided in this Section 4.2 within 30
days after delivery to the Guarantor of an instrument of resignation, the
resigning Preferred Guarantee Trustee may petition any court of competent
jurisdiction for appointment of a Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee. Such
court may thereupon, after prescribing such notice, if any, as it may deem
proper, appoint a Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
(e) No Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be liable for the acts or
omissions to act of any Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
(f) Upon termination of this Preferred Securities Guarantee or removal
or resignation of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee pursuant to this Section 4.2,
the Guarantor shall pay to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee all amounts accrued
to the date of such termination, removal or resignation.
ARTICLE V
GUARANTEE
Section 5.1. GUARANTEE. (a) The Guarantor irrevocably and
unconditionally guarantees to the Holders the payment in full by the Bank of its
obligations under the Original Securities Guarantee in respect of the Guarantee
Payments (as defined in the Original Securities Guarantee in accordance with the
terms thereof)
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(without duplication of amounts theretofor paid by the Trust or the Bank), as
and when due, regardless of any defense, right of set-off or counterclaim that
the Bank may have or assert. The Guarantor's obligations to make payments
pursuant to the immediately preceding sentence may be satisfied by direct
payment of the required amounts by the Guarantor to the Holders or by causing
the Bank to pay such amounts to the Holders.
(b) The Guarantor irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to pay in full
to the Holders the Guarantee Payments (without duplication of amounts
theretofore paid by the Trust), as and when due, regardless of any defense,
right of set-off or counterclaim that the Trust may have or assert. The
Guarantor's obligation to make a Guarantee Payment may be satisfied by direct
payment of the required amounts by the Guarantor to the Holders or by causing
the Trust to pay such amounts to the Holders.
(c) The Guarantor irrevocably and unconditionally guarantees the
payment by the Bank to the Trust of its obligations under the Debentures, as and
when due (subject to and after giving effect to the exercise (if any) by the
Bank of any deferral rights provided for in the Indenture and the Debentures),
regardless of any defense, right of set-off or counterclaim that the Bank may
have or assert.
Section 5.2. WAIVER OF NOTICE AND DEMAND. The Guarantor hereby waives
notice of acceptance of this Preferred Securities Guarantee and of any liability
to which it applies or may apply, presentment, demand for payment, any right to
require a proceeding first against the Trust, the Bank or any other Person
before proceeding against the Guarantor, protest, notice of nonpayment, notice
of dishonor, notice of redemption and all other notices and demands.
Section 5.3. OBLIGATIONS NOT AFFECTED. The obligations, covenants,
agreements and duties of the Guarantor under this Preferred Securities Guarantee
shall in no way be affected or impaired by reason of the happening from time to
time of any of the following:
(a) the release or waiver, by operation of law or otherwise, of the
performance or observance by the Trust of any express or implied agreement,
covenant, term or condition relating to the Preferred Securities to be performed
or observed by the Trust;
(b) the release or waiver, by operation of law or otherwise, of the
performance or observance by the Bank of any express or implied agreement,
covenant, term or condition relating to the Debentures to be performed or
observed by the Bank;
(c) the release or waiver, by operation of law or otherwise, of the
performance or observance by the Bank of any express or implied agreement,
covenant, term or condition relating to the Original Securities Guarantee to be
performed or observed by the Bank;
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(d) the extension of time for the payment by the Trust of all or any
portion of the Distributions, Redemption Price, Liquidation Distribution or any
other sums payable under the terms of the Preferred Securities or the extension
of time for the performance of any other obligation under, arising out of, or in
connection with, the Preferred Securities (other than an extension of time for
payment of Distributions, Redemption Price, Liquidation Distribution or other
sum payable that results from the extension of any interest payment period on
the Debentures or any extension of the maturity date of the Debentures permitted
by the Indenture);
(e) the extension of time for the payment by the Bank of all or any
portion of any sums payable under the terms of the Original Securities Guarantee
or the extension of time for the performance of any other obligation under,
arising out of, or in connection with, the Original Securities Guarantee (other
than an extension of time for payment of sum payable that results from the
extension of any interest payment period on the Debentures or any extension of
the maturity date of the Debentures permitted by the Indenture);
(f) any failure, omission, delay or lack of diligence on the part of
the Holders to enforce, assert or exercise any right, privilege, power or remedy
conferred on the Holders pursuant to the terms of the Preferred Securities, or
any action on the part of the Trust granting indulgence or extension of any
kind;
(g) any failure, omission, delay or lack of diligence on the part of
the Trust to enforce, assert or exercise any right, privilege, power or remedy
conferred on the Trust pursuant to the terms of the Debentures, or any action on
the part of the Trust granting indulgence or extension of any kind;
(h) any failure, omission, delay or lack of diligence on the part of
the Holders to enforce, assert or exercise any right, privilege, power or remedy
conferred on the Holders pursuant to the terms of the Original Securities
Guarantee, or any action on the part of the Bank granting indulgence or
extension of any kind;
(i) the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, sale of any
collateral, receivership, insolvency, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of
creditors, reorganization, arrangement, composition or readjustment of debt of,
or other similar proceedings affecting, the Trust or any of the assets of the
Trust;
(j) the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, sale of any
collateral, receivership, insolvency, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of
creditors, reorganization, arrangement, composition or readjustment of debt of,
or other similar proceedings affecting, the Original Securities Guarantee;
(k) any invalidity of, or defect or deficiency in, the Preferred
Securities;
(l) any invalidity of, or defect or deficiency in, the Debentures;
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(m) any invalidity of, or defect or deficiency in, the Original
Securities Guarantee;
(n) the settlement or compromise of any obligation guaranteed hereby or
hereby incurred; or
(o) any other circumstance whatsoever that might otherwise constitute a
legal or equitable discharge or defense of a guarantor, it being the intent of
this Section 5.3 that the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be
absolute and unconditional under any and all circumstances.
There shall be no obligation of the Holders to give notice to, or
obtain consent of, the Guarantor with respect to the happening of any of the
foregoing.
Section 5.4. RIGHTS OF HOLDERS. (a) The Holders of a Majority in
liquidation amount of the Preferred Securities shall have the right to direct
the time, method and place of conducting of any proceeding for any remedy
available to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee in respect of this Preferred
Securities Guarantee or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee under this Preferred Securities Guarantee.
(b) Any Holder of Preferred Securities may institute a legal proceeding
directly against the Guarantor to enforce its rights under this Preferred
Securities Guarantee, without first instituting a legal proceeding against the
Trust, the Bank, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee or any other Person.
Section 5.5. GUARANTEE OF PAYMENT. This Preferred Securities Guarantee
creates a guarantee of payment and not of collection.
Section 5.6. SUBROGATION. The Guarantor shall be subrogated to all (if
any) rights of the Holders of Preferred Securities against the Trust and the
Bank in respect of any amounts paid to such Holders by the Guarantor under this
Preferred Securities Guarantee; provided, however, that the Guarantor shall not
(except to the extent required by mandatory provisions of law) be entitled to
enforce or exercise any right that it may acquire by way of subrogation or any
indemnity, reimbursement or other agreement, in all cases as a result of payment
under this Preferred Securities Guarantee, if, at the time of any such payment,
any amounts are due and unpaid under this Preferred Securities Guarantee. If any
amount shall be paid to the Guarantor in violation of the preceding sentence,
the Guarantor agrees to hold such amount in trust for the Holders and to pay
over such amount to the Holders.
Section 5.7. INDEPENDENT OBLIGATIONS. The Guarantor acknowledges that
its obligations hereunder are independent of the obligations of the Trust with
respect to
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the Preferred Securities, are independent of the obligations of the Bank, with
respect to the Original Securities Guarantee, and are independent of the
obligations of the Bank with respect to the Debentures, and that the Guarantor
shall be liable as principal and as debtor hereunder to make Guarantee Payments
pursuant to the terms of this Preferred Securities Guarantee notwithstanding the
occurrence of any event referred to in subsections (a) through (o), inclusive,
of Section 5.3 hereof.
ARTICLE VI
LIMITATION OF TRANSACTIONS; SUBORDINATION
Section 6.1. LIMITATION OF TRANSACTIONS. So long as any Preferred
Securities remain outstanding, if there shall have occurred an Event of Default
under this Preferred Securities Guarantee, an Event of Default under the Trust
Agreement or during an Extended Interest Payment Period (as defined in the
Indenture), then the Guarantor shall not declare or pay any dividend on, make
any distributions with respect to, or redeem, purchase, acquire or make a
liquidation payment with respect to, any of its capital stock (other than as a
result of a reclassification of its capital stock for another class of its
capital stock).
Section 6.2. RANKING. This Preferred Securities Guarantee will
constitute an unsecured obligation of the Guarantor and will rank (i)
subordinate and junior in right of payment to all other liabilities of the
Guarantor, (ii) pari passu with the most senior preferred securities or
preference stock now or hereafter issued by the Guarantor and with any guarantee
now or hereafter entered into by the Guarantor in respect of any preferred
securities or preference stock of any Affiliate of the Guarantor, and (iii)
senior to the Guarantor's common stock.
ARTICLE VII
TERMINATION
Section 7.1. TERMINATION. This Preferred Securities Guarantee shall
terminate upon (i) full payment of the Redemption Price of all Preferred
Securities, (ii) upon full payment of the amounts payable in accordance with the
Trust Agreement upon liquidation of the Trust, or (iii) upon distribution of the
Debentures to the Holders of the Preferred Securities. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall continue to be effective or
shall be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time any Holder of Preferred
Securities must restore payment of any sums paid under the Preferred Securities
or under this Preferred Securities Guarantee.
ARTICLE VIII
INDEMNIFICATION
Section 8.1. EXCULPATION. (a) No Indemnified Person shall be liable,
responsible or accountable in damages or otherwise to the Guarantor or any
Covered Person for any loss, damage or claim incurred by reason of any act or
omission performed or omitted by such Indemnified Person in good faith in
accordance with this
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Preferred Securities Guarantee and in a manner that such Indemnified Person
reasonably believed to be within the scope of the authority conferred on such
Indemnified Person by this Preferred Securities Guarantee or by law, except that
an Indemnified Person shall be liable for any such loss, damage or claim
incurred by reason of such Indemnified Person's negligence or willful misconduct
with respect to such acts or omissions.
(b) An Indemnified Person shall be fully protected in relying in good
faith upon the records of the Guarantor and upon such information, opinions,
reports or statements presented to the Guarantor by any Person as to matters the
Indemnified Person reasonably believes are within such other Person's
professional or expert competence and who has been selected with reasonable care
by or on behalf of the Guarantor, including information, opinions, reports or
statements as to the value and amount of the assets, liabilities, profits,
losses, or any other facts pertinent to the existence and amount of assets from
which Distributions to Holders of Preferred Securities might properly be paid.
Section 8.2. INDEMNIFICATION. The Guarantor agrees to indemnify each
Indemnified Person for, and to hold each Indemnified Person harmless against,
any loss, liability or expense incurred without negligence or bad faith on its
part, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of
the trust or trusts hereunder, including the costs and expenses (including
reasonable legal fees and expenses) of defending itself against, or
investigating, any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or
performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder. The obligation to
indemnify as set forth in this Section 8.2 shall survive the termination of this
Preferred Securities Guarantee.
ARTICLE IX
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 9.1. SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS. All guarantees and agreements
contained in this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall bind the successors,
assigns, receivers, trustees and representatives of the Guarantor and shall
inure to the benefit of the Holders of the Preferred Securities then
outstanding.
Section 9.2. AMENDMENTS. Except with respect to any changes that (a) do
not materially adversely affect the rights of Holders, (b) in the judgment of
the Guarantor are necessary to preserve the Tier 1 capital treatment of the
Preferred Securities under the capital adequacy rules and/or guidelines of any
foreign, federal or state banking regulator having jurisdiction over the
Guarantor or any of its Affiliates or (c) in the judgment of the Guarantor are
necessary to preserve the status of any of its subsidiaries as an entity exempt
from the reporting requirements of any federal securities laws (in the case of
any such changes, no consent of Holders will be required), this Preferred
Securities Guarantee may only be amended with the prior approval of the Holders
of at least a Majority in liquidation amount of the Preferred Securities. The
provisions of Article VI of the Trust
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Agreement with respect to meetings of Holders of the Preferred Securities apply
to the giving of such approval.
Section 9.3. NOTICES. All notices provided for in this Preferred
Securities Guarantee shall be in writing, duly signed by the party giving such
notice, and shall be delivered, telecopied or mailed by registered or certified
mail, as follows:
(a) If given to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, at the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee's mailing address set forth below (or such other address as
the Preferred Guarantee Trustee may give notice of to the Holders of the
Preferred Securities):
SunTrust Bank
Corporate Trust Division
00 Xxxx Xxxxx
00xx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxx Xxxxxxx, Assistant Vice President
(b) If given to the Guarantor, at the Guarantor's mailing address set
forth below (or such other address as the Guarantor may give notice of to the
Holders of the Preferred Securities):
RBC Centura Banks, Inc.
0000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
(c) If given to any Holder of Preferred Securities, at the address set
forth on the books and records of the Trust.
All such notices shall be deemed to have been given when received in
person, telecopied with receipt confirmed, or mailed by first class mail,
postage prepaid except that if a notice or other document is refused delivery or
cannot be delivered because of a changed address of which no notice was given,
such notice or other document shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date
of such refusal or inability to deliver.
Section 9.4. BENEFIT. This Preferred Securities Guarantee is solely for
the benefit of the Holders of the Preferred Securities and, subject to Section
3.1(a), is not separately transferable from the Preferred Securities.
Section 9.5. GOVERNING LAW. THIS PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE SHALL
BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF
THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
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This Preferred Securities Guarantee is executed as of the day and year
first above written.
RBC CENTURA BANKS, INC., as Guarantor
By:
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Name:
Title:
SUNTRUST BANK, as Preferred Guarantee Trustee
By:
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Name:
Title:
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