STRATEGIC STORAGE TRUST, INC. DEALER MANAGER AGREEMENT Up to 110,000,000 Shares of Common Stock/$1,095,000,000 (Second Offering)
Exhibit 1.1
Up to 110,000,000 Shares of Common Stock/$1,095,000,000
(Second Offering)
, 2011
U.S. Select Securities LLC
0000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
| Re: | Dealer Manager Agreement for Shares of Common Stock Offered by U.S. Select Securities LLC |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Strategic Storage Trust, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), is registering for public sale a maximum of 110,000,000 shares (the “Shares”) of its common stock, $0.001 par value per share (the “Offering”), to be issued and sold for an aggregate purchase price of $1,095,000,000 (100,000,000 shares to be offered to the public at a purchase price of $10.00 per share and 10,000,000 shares to be offered pursuant to the Company’s distribution reinvestment plan at a purchase price of $9.50 per share). The minimum purchase by any one person shall be 100 Shares except as otherwise indicated in the Prospectus or in any letter or memorandum from the Company to U.S. Select Securities LLC (the “Dealer Manager”). It is anticipated that the Dealer Manager will enter into Participating Dealer Agreements in the form attached to this Dealer Manager Agreement as Exhibit “A” with other broker-dealers participating in the Offering (each dealer being referred to herein as a “Dealer” and said dealers being collectively referred to herein as the “Dealers”). The Company shall have the right to approve any material modifications or addendums to the form of the Participating Dealer Agreement. Terms not defined herein shall have the same meaning as in the Prospectus. In connection therewith, the Company hereby agrees with the Dealer Manager, as follows:
1. Representations and Warranties of the Company
The Company represents and warrants to the Dealer Manager and each Dealer with whom the Dealer Manager enters into a Participating Dealer Agreement that:
1.1 A registration statement with respect to the Company has been prepared by the Company in accordance with applicable requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and the applicable rules and regulations (the “Rules and Regulations”) of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) promulgated thereunder, covering the Shares. Said registration statement, which includes a preliminary prospectus, was initially filed with the SEC on August 17, 2010. Copies of such registration statement and each amendment thereto have been or will be delivered to the Dealer Manager. The registration statement and prospectus contained therein, as finally amended and revised as of the effective date of the registration statement, and as may be revised, amended or modified
from time to time thereafter by any amendments (as to the registration statement) and/or supplements (as to the prospectus), are respectively hereinafter referred to as the “Registration Statement” and the “Prospectus,” except that if the Prospectus filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act shall differ from the Prospectus, the term “Prospectus” shall also include the Prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b).
1.2 The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation under the laws of the State of Maryland, has the power and authority to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus.
1.3 The Registration Statement and Prospectus comply with the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations, and the Prospectus and any and all authorized printed sales literature or other sales materials prepared and authorized by the Company for use with potential investors in connection with the Offering (“Authorized Sales Materials”), when used in conjunction with the Prospectus, do not contain any untrue statements of material facts or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; provided, however, that the foregoing provisions of this Section 1.3 will not extend to such statements contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement or Prospectus or Authorized Sales Materials as are primarily within the knowledge of the Dealer Manager or any of the Dealers and are based upon information either (a) furnished by a Dealer in writing to the Dealer Manager or the Company, or (b) furnished by the Dealer Manager in writing to the Company specifically for inclusion therein.
1.4 The Company intends to use the funds received from the sale of the Shares as set forth in the Prospectus.
1.5 No consent, approval, authorization or other order of any governmental authority is required in connection with the execution or delivery by the Company of this Dealer Manager Agreement or the issuance and sale by the Company of the Shares, except such as may be required under the Securities Act or applicable state securities laws.
1.6 There are no actions, suits or proceedings pending or to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company at law or in equity or before or by any federal or state commission, regulatory body or administrative agency or other governmental body, domestic or foreign, which would be reasonably expected to have a material adverse effect on the business or property of the Company.
1.7 The execution and delivery of this Dealer Manager Agreement, the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated and compliance with the terms of this Dealer Manager Agreement by the Company will not conflict with or constitute a default under any charter, bylaw, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, lease, rule, regulation, writ, injunction or decree of any government, governmental instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company, except (i) to the extent that the enforceability of the indemnity and/or contribution provisions contained in Section 4 of this Dealer Manager Agreement may be limited under applicable securities laws, and (ii) for such conflicts or defaults that would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the business or property of the Company.
1.8 The Company has full legal right, power and authority to enter into this Dealer Manager Agreement and to perform the transactions contemplated hereby, except to the extent that the enforceability of the indemnity and/or contribution provisions contained in Section 4 of this Dealer Manager Agreement may be limited under applicable securities laws.
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1.9 The Shares, when subscribed for, paid for and issued, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and will conform to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus; no holder thereof will be subject to personal liability for the obligations of the Company solely by reason of being such a holder; such Shares are not subject to the preemptive rights of any stockholder of the Company; and all corporate action required to be taken for the authorization, issuance and sale of such Shares shall have been validly and sufficiently taken.
1.10 The Company is not in violation of its Articles of Incorporation or its Bylaws.
1.11 The financial statements of the Company filed as part of the Registration Statement and those incorporated by reference in the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the financial position of the Company as of the date indicated and the results of its operations for the periods indicated; said financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis.
1.12 The Company does not intend to conduct its business so as to be an “investment company” as that term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulation thereunder, and it will exercise reasonable diligence to ensure that it does not become an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
2. Covenants of the Company
The Company covenants and agrees with the Dealer Manager that:
2.1 It will prepare and file with the SEC and each appropriate state securities commission, at no expense to the Dealer Manager, the Registration Statement, including all amendments and exhibits thereto. In addition, it will furnish the Dealer Manager, at no expense to the Dealer Manager, with such number of printed copies of the Registration Statement, including all amendments and exhibits thereto, as the Dealer Manager may reasonably request. It will similarly furnish to the Dealer Manager and others designated by the Dealer Manager as many copies as the Dealer Manager may reasonably request in connection with the offering of the Shares of: (a) the Prospectus in preliminary and final form and every form of supplemental or amended prospectus; and (b) this Dealer Manager Agreement.
2.2 It will prepare and file with the appropriate regulatory authorities, at no expense to the Dealer Manager, the Authorized Sales Materials. In addition, it will furnish the Dealer Manager, at no expense to the Dealer Manager, with such number of printed copies of Authorized Sales Materials as the Dealer Manager may reasonably request.
2.3 It will furnish such proper information and execute and file such documents as may be necessary for the Company to qualify the Shares for offer and sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as the Dealer Manager may reasonably designate and will file and make in each year such statements and reports as may be required. The Company will furnish to the Dealer Manager a copy of such papers filed by the Company in connection with any such qualification.
2.4 It will use its best efforts to cause the Registration Statement to become effective with the SEC and each state securities commission which it deems appropriate in its sole discretion. If at any time the SEC or any state securities commission shall issue any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and to the extent the Company determines that such action is in the best interest of its stockholders, it will use its best efforts to obtain the lifting of such order at the earliest possible time.
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2.5 If at any time when a Prospectus is required to be delivered under the Securities Act any event occurs as a result of which, in the opinion of either the Company or the Dealer Manager, the Prospectus or any other prospectus then in effect would include an untrue statement of a material fact or, in view of the circumstances under which they were made, omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Dealer Manager thereof (unless the information shall have been received from the Dealer Manager) and will effect the preparation of an amended or supplemental prospectus which will correct such statement or omission. The Company will then promptly prepare such amended or supplemental prospectus or prospectuses as may be necessary to comply with the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act.
2.6 Each of the representations and warranties contained in this Dealer Manager Agreement are true and correct and the Company will comply with each covenant and agreement contained in this Dealer Manager Agreement.
2.7 It is or will be duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation in each jurisdiction in which it owns or leases or will own or lease property of a nature, or transact business of a type that make such qualification necessary.
2.8 It intends to continue to satisfy the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) for qualification of the Company as a real estate investment trust. The Company elected to be treated as a real estate investment trust under the Code beginning with its taxable year ended December 31, 2008 and will direct the investment of the proceeds of the offering of the Shares in such a manner, and will exercise reasonable diligence to operate the business of the Company so as to continue to comply with such requirements.
3. Agreements and Compensation of Dealer Manager
3.1 The Company hereby appoints the Dealer Manager as its agent and principal distributor for the purpose of selling for cash up to a maximum of 110,000,000 Shares through the Dealers, all of whom shall be members of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”). The Dealer Manager may also sell Shares for cash directly to its own clients and customers at the public offering price and subject to the terms and conditions stated in the Prospectus. The Dealer Manager hereby accepts such agency and distributorship and agrees to use its best efforts to sell the Shares on said terms and conditions. The Dealer Manager represents to the Company that it is a member of FINRA and that it and its employees and representatives have all required licenses and registrations to act under this Dealer Manager Agreement.
3.2 Promptly after the effective date of the Registration Statement, the Dealer Manager and the Dealers shall commence the offering of the Shares for cash to the public in jurisdictions in which the Shares are registered or qualified for sale or in which such offering is otherwise permitted. The Dealer Manager and the Dealers will suspend or terminate offering of the Shares upon request of the Company at any time and will resume offering the Shares upon subsequent request of the Company.
3.3 Except as otherwise provided in the “Plan of Distribution” section of the Prospectus, as compensation for the services rendered by the Dealer Manager, the Company agrees that it will pay to the Dealer Manager sales commissions in the amount of 7.0% of the gross proceeds of the Shares sold plus a dealer manager fee in the amount of 2.75% of the gross proceeds of the Shares sold to the public. No selling commissions or dealer manager fee shall be paid with respect to Shares sold pursuant to the Company’s distribution reinvestment plan. The Company may pay an additional up to 0.25% of the gross proceeds to the Dealer Manager for marketing fees and other offering related
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expenses. In no event shall the total aggregate underwriting compensation payable to the Dealer Manager and any Dealers participating in the Offering, including, but not limited to, sales commissions, the dealer manager fee and expense reimbursements to the Dealer Manager and Dealers, exceed 10% of the gross proceeds in the aggregate at termination of the Offering. In addition, as set forth in the Prospectus, the Company may reimburse the Dealer Manager for any amounts paid to a Dealer for bona fide due diligence expenses incurred by such Dealer. The Company shall have the right to require the Dealer Manager to provide a detailed and itemized invoice as a condition to the reimbursement of any such due diligence expenses. The Company will not be liable or responsible to any Dealer for direct payment of commissions to any Dealer, it being the sole and exclusive responsibility of the Dealer Manager for payment of commissions to Dealers. Notwithstanding the above, at the discretion of the Company, the Company may act as agent of the Dealer Manager by making direct payment of commissions to Dealers on behalf of the Dealer Manager without incurring any liability.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, no fee, compensation or expense reimbursement may be paid to the Dealer Manager or any Dealer following the termination of this Dealer Manager Agreement in violation of FINRA Conduct Rule 5110(f)(2)(D).
3.4 The Dealer Manager represents and warrants to the Company and each person that signs the Registration Statement that the information under the caption “Plan of Distribution” in the Prospectus and all other information furnished to the Company by the Dealer Manager in writing expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, does not 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.
3.5 The Dealer Manager represents and warrants to the Company that it will not use any sales literature not authorized and approved by the Company, use any “broker-dealer use only” materials with members of the public, or make any unauthorized verbal representations in connection with offers or sales or the Shares.
3.6 The Dealer Manager is a duly organized and validly existing limited liability company under the laws of the State of Virginia.
3.7 No consent, approval, authorization or other order of any governmental authority is required in connection with the execution or delivery by the Dealer Manager of this Dealer Manager Agreement, except such as may be required under the Securities Act or applicable state securities laws.
3.8 There are no actions, suits or proceedings pending or to the knowledge of the Dealer Manager, threatened against the Dealer Manager at law or in equity or before or by any federal or state commission, regulatory body or administrative agency or other governmental body, domestic or foreign, which could be reasonably expected to have a material adverse effect on the Dealer Manager or the ability of the Dealer Manager to perform its obligations under this Agreement or to participate in the Offering as contemplated by the Prospectus.
3.9 The execution and delivery of this Dealer Manager Agreement, the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated and compliance with the terms of this Dealer Manager Agreement by the Dealer Manager will not conflict with or constitute a default under any operating agreement or other similar agreement, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, lease, rule, regulation, writ, injunction or decree of any government, governmental instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Dealer Manager, except to the extent that the enforceability of the indemnity
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and/or contribution provisions contained in Section 4 of this Dealer Manager Agreement may be limited under applicable securities laws.
3.10 The Dealer Manager has full legal right, power and authority to enter into this Dealer Manager Agreement and to perform the transactions contemplated hereby, except to the extent that the enforceability of the indemnity and/or contribution provisions contained in Section 4 of this Dealer Manager Agreement may be limited under applicable securities laws.
3.11 Except for Participating Dealer Agreements, no agreement will be made by the Dealer Manager with any person permitting the resale, repurchase or distribution of any Shares purchased by such person.
3.12 The Dealer Manager understands and agrees that the Company may unilaterally add a co-dealer manager to the Offering at any time in its sole discretion without Dealer Manager’s consent.
4. Indemnification
4.1 The Company will indemnify and hold harmless the Dealer Manager, its officers and directors and each person, if any, who controls such Dealer Manager within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) from and against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which Dealer Manager, its officers and directors, or such controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (a) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any (i) Registration Statement (including the Prospectus as a part thereof), (ii) Authorized Sales Material, or (iii) blue sky application or other document executed by the Company or on its behalf specifically for the purpose of qualifying any or all of the Shares for sale under the securities laws of any jurisdiction or based upon written information furnished by the Company under the securities laws thereof (“Blue Sky Application”), or (b) the omission or alleged omission to state in the Registration Statement (including the Prospectus as a part thereof), any Authorized Sales Material or any Blue Sky Application a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. The Company will reimburse the Dealer Manager, as appropriate, and their officers and directors and controlling persons, for any reasonable legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Dealer Manager, and their officers and directors and controlling persons, in connection with investigating or defending such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of, or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished (x) to the Company by the Dealer Manager or (y) to the Company or the Dealer Manager by or on behalf of any Dealer specifically for use in the preparation of the Registration Statement or any such post-effective amendment thereof, any such Authorized Sales Materials, any such Blue Sky Application or any such preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or any such amendment thereof or supplement thereto; and further provided that the Company will not be liable in any such case if it is determined that the Dealer Manager had knowledge of the matter or event giving rise to or resulting in such loss, claim, damage, liability or action.
4.2 The Dealer Manager will indemnify and hold harmless the Company its officers and directors (including any persons named in any of the Registration Statements with his consent, as about to become a director), each person who has signed any of the Registration Statements and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or
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Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which any of the aforesaid parties may become subject, under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (a) any untrue statement of a material fact contained (i) in the Registration Statement (including the Prospectus as a part thereof) or any post-effective amendment thereof, or (ii) in any Authorized Sales Materials, or (iii) in any Blue Sky Application, or (b) the omission to state in the Registration Statement (including the Prospectus as a part thereof) or any post-effective amendment thereof or in the Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or in any Authorized Sales Materials or in any Blue Sky Application a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case described in clauses (a) and (b) to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of the Dealer Manager specifically for use with reference to the Dealer Manager in the preparation of the Registration Statement or any such post-effective amendments thereof or any Authorized Sales Materials or any such Blue Sky Application or any such preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or any such amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or (c) any use of sales literature not authorized or approved by the Company or any use of “broker-dealer use only” materials with members of the public or unauthorized verbal representations concerning the Shares by the Dealer Manager, or (d) any untrue statement made by the Dealer Manager or its representatives or agents or omission to state a fact necessary in order to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares, or (e) any material violation of this Dealer Manager Agreement, or (f) any failure to comply with applicable laws governing money laundry abatement and anti-terrorist financing efforts, including applicable FINRA Rules, SEC Rules and the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, or (g) any other failure to comply with applicable FINRA Rules or SEC Rules. The Dealer Manager will reimburse the aforesaid parties, in connection with investigation or defending such loss, claim, damage, liability or action. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which the Dealer Manager may otherwise have.
4.3 The Company and the Dealer Manager will jointly and severally indemnify and hold harmless each Dealer, its officers and directors and each person, if any, who controls such Dealer within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act from and against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Dealer, its officers and directors, or any such controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (a) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (including the Prospectus as a part thereof), Authorized Sales Materials (when read in conjunction with the Prospectus) or any Blue Sky Application, or (b) the omission or alleged omission to state in the Registration Statement (including the Prospectus as a part thereof), Authorized Sales Materials (when read in conjunction with the Prospectus) or in any Blue Sky Application a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. The Company and the Dealer Manager will reimburse Dealers and their officers and directors and controlling persons, for any reasonable legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Dealers and their officers and directors and controlling persons, in connection with investigating or defending such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided that the Company and the Dealer Manager will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of, or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company or the Dealer Manager by or on behalf of the Dealers specifically for use in the preparation of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, such Authorized Sales Materials or any such Blue Sky Application; and further provided that neither the Company nor the Dealer Manager will be liable in any such case if it is
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determined in a legal proceeding that the Dealers had knowledge of the matter or event giving rise to or resulting in such loss, claim, damage, liability or action.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may not indemnify or hold harmless the Dealer Manager, any Dealer or any of their affiliates in any manner that would be inconsistent with the provisions of its charter or Section II.G. of the Statement of Policy Regarding Real Estate Investment Trusts of the North American Securities Administrators Association, Inc. (the “NASAA REIT Guidelines”). In particular, but without limitation, the Company may not indemnify or hold harmless the Dealer Manager, any Dealer or any of their affiliates for liabilities arising from or out of an alleged violation of federal or state securities laws, unless one or more of the following conditions are met: (1) there has been a successful adjudication on the merits of each count involving alleged securities law violations; (2) such claims have been dismissed with prejudice on the merits by a court of competent jurisdiction; or (3) a court of competent jurisdiction approves a settlement of the claims against the indemnitee and finds that indemnification of the settlement and the related costs should be made, and the court considering the request for indemnification has been advised of the position of the SEC and of the published position of any state securities regulatory authority in which the securities were offered or sold as to indemnification for violations of securities laws.
4.4 Each Dealer severally will indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the Dealer Manager and each of their officers and directors (including any persons named in any of the Registration Statements with his consent, as about to become a director), each person who has signed any of the Registration Statements and each person, if any, who controls the Company and the Dealer Manager within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act from and against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company, the Dealer Manager, any such director or officer, or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (a) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained (i) in the Registration Statement (including the Prospectus as a part thereof) or any post-effective amendment thereof, or (ii) in any Authorized Sales Materials, or (iii) in any Blue Sky Application, or (b) the omission or alleged omission to state in the Registration Statement (including the Prospectus as a part thereof) or any post-effective amendment thereof or in the Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or in any Authorized Sales Materials or in any Blue Sky Application a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case described in clauses (a) and (b) to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company or the Dealer Manager by or on behalf of such Dealer specifically for use with reference to such Dealer in the preparation of the Registration Statement or any such post-effective amendments thereof or any such Authorized Sales Materials or any such Blue Sky Application or any such preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or any such amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or (c) any use of sales literature not authorized or approved by the Company or use of “broker-dealer use only” materials with members of the public or unauthorized verbal representations concerning the Shares by such Dealer or Dealer’s representatives or agents, or (d) any untrue statement made by such Dealer or its representatives or agents or omission to state a fact necessary in order to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares, or (e) any failure to comply with Section IX or Section XII or any other material violation of the Participating Dealer Agreement, or (f) any failure to comply with applicable laws governing money laundry abatement and anti-terrorist financing efforts, including applicable FINRA Rules, SEC Rules and the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, or (g) any other failure to comply with applicable FINRA Rules or SEC Rules. Each such Dealer will reimburse the Company and the Dealer Manager and any such directors or officers, or controlling person, in connection with
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investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which such Dealer may otherwise have.
4.5 Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 4 of notice of the commencement of any action (but in no event in excess of 30 days after receipt of actual notice), such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against any indemnifying party under this Section 4, notify in writing the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof and the omission so to notify the indemnifying party will relieve it from any liability under this Section 4 as to the particular item for which indemnification is then being sought, but not from any other liability which it may have to any indemnified party. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party, and it notifies an indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party will be entitled, to the extent it may wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to participate in the defense thereof, with separate counsel. Such participation shall not relieve such indemnifying party of the obligation to reimburse the indemnified party for reasonable legal and other expenses (subject to Section 4.6) incurred by such indemnified party in defending itself, except for such expenses incurred after the indemnifying party has deposited funds sufficient to effect the settlement, with prejudice, of the claim in respect of which indemnity is sought. Any such indemnifying party shall not be liable to any such indemnified party on account of any settlement of any claim or action effected without the consent of such indemnifying party.
4.6 The indemnifying party shall pay all reasonable legal fees and expenses of the indemnified party in the defense of such claims or actions; provided, however, that the indemnifying party shall not be obliged to pay legal expenses and fees to more than one law firm in connection with the defense of similar claims arising out of the same alleged acts or omissions giving rise to such claims notwithstanding that such actions or claims are alleged or brought by one or more parties against more than one indemnified party. If such claims or actions are alleged or brought against more than one indemnified party, then the indemnifying party shall only be obliged to reimburse the expenses and fees of the one law firm that has been selected by a majority of the indemnified parties against which such action is finally brought; and in the event a majority of such indemnified parties is unable to agree on which law firm for which expenses or fees will be reimbursable by the indemnifying party, then payment shall be made to the first law firm of record representing an indemnified party against the action or claim. Such law firm shall be paid only to the extent of services performed by such law firm and no reimbursement shall be payable to such law firm on account of legal services performed by another law firm.
4.7 The indemnity agreements contained in this Section 4 shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (a) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Dealer, or any person controlling any Dealer or by or on behalf of the Company, the Dealer Manager or any officer or director thereof, or by or on behalf of the Company or the Dealer Manager, (b) delivery of any Shares and payment therefor, and (c) any termination of this Dealer Manager Agreement or any Participating Dealer Agreement. A successor of any Dealer or of any of the parties to this Dealer Manager Agreement, as the case may be, shall be entitled to the benefits of the indemnity agreements contained in this Section 4.
5. Survival of Provisions
The respective agreements, representations and warranties of the Company and the Dealer Manager set forth in this Dealer Manager Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (a) any termination of this Dealer Manager Agreement, (b) any investigation made by or on behalf of the Dealer Manager or any Dealer or any person controlling the Dealer Manager or any Dealer
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or by or on behalf of the Company or any person controlling the Company, and (c) the acceptance of any payment for the Shares.
6. Applicable Law and Venue
This Dealer Manager Agreement was executed and delivered in, and its validity, interpretation and construction shall be governed by, the laws of the State of California; provided however, that causes of action for violations of federal or state securities laws shall not be governed by this Section. The Company, the Dealer Manager and each Dealer hereby agree that venue for any action brought in connection with this Dealer Manager Agreement shall lie exclusively in Newport Beach, California.
7. Counterparts
This Dealer Manager Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts. Each counterpart, when executed and delivered, shall be an original contract, but all counterparts, when taken together, shall constitute one and the same agreement.
8. Successors and Amendment
8.1 This Dealer Manager Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Dealer Manager and the Company and their respective successors, and to the benefit of the Dealers to the extent set forth in Sections 1 and 4 hereof. Nothing in this Dealer Manager Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give to any other person any right, remedy or claim, except as otherwise specifically provided herein.
8.2 This Dealer Manager Agreement may be amended by the written agreement of the Dealer Manager and the Company.
9. Term
This Dealer Manager Agreement may be terminated by either party (a) immediately upon notice to the other party in the event that the other party shall have materially failed to comply with any of the material provisions of this Dealer Manager Agreement on its part to be performed during the term of this Dealer Manager Agreement or if any of the representations, warranties, covenants or agreements of such party contained herein shall not have been materially complied with or satisfied within the times specified or (b) by either party on 60 days’ written notice.
In any case, this Dealer Manager Agreement shall expire at the close of business on the effective date that the Offering is terminated. The provisions of Sections 4 and 6 hereof shall survive such termination. In addition, the Dealer Manager, upon the expiration or termination of this Dealer Manager Agreement, shall (1) promptly deposit any and all funds in its possession which were received from investors for the sale of Shares into such account as the Company may designate; and (2) promptly deliver to the Company all records and documents in its possession which relate to the Offering which are not designated as dealer copies. The Dealer Manager, at its sole expense, may make and retain copies of all such records and documents, but shall keep all such information confidential. The Dealer Manager shall use its best efforts to cooperate with the Company to accomplish any orderly transfer of management of the Offering to a party designated by the Company. Upon expiration or termination of this Dealer Manager Agreement, the Company shall pay to the Dealer Manager all commissions to which the Dealer Manager is or becomes entitled under Section 3 at such time as such commissions become payable.
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10. Confirmations
The Company hereby agrees to prepare and send confirmations to all purchasers of Shares whose subscriptions for the purchase of Shares are accepted by the Company.
11. Suitability of Investors
The Dealer Manager will offer Shares, and in its agreements with Dealers will require that the Dealers offer Shares, only to persons who meet the suitability standards set forth in the Prospectus or in any suitability letter or memorandum sent to it by the Company and will only make offers to persons in the states in which it is advised in writing that the Shares are qualified for sale or that such qualification is not required. In offering Shares, and in its agreements with Dealers, the Dealer Manager will require that the Dealer comply with the provisions of all applicable rules and regulations relating to suitability of investors, including without limitation, the provisions of Articles III.C. and III.E.1. of the NASAA REIT Guidelines.
12. Submission of Orders
12.1 Those persons who purchase Shares will be instructed by the Dealer Manager or the Dealer to make their checks payable to the Company. The Dealer Manager and any Dealer receiving a check not conforming to the foregoing instructions shall return such check directly to such subscriber not later than noon Eastern Time of the next business day following its receipt. Checks received by the Dealer Manager or Dealer which conform to the foregoing instructions shall be transmitted for deposit pursuant to one of the methods described in this Section 12. Transmittal of received investor funds will be made in accordance with the following procedures.
12.2 Where, pursuant to a Dealer’s internal supervisory procedures, internal supervisory review is conducted at the same location at which subscription documents and checks are received from subscribers, checks will be transmitted by noon Eastern Time of the next business day following receipt by the Dealer to the Company for deposit with the Company.
12.3 Where, pursuant to a Dealer’s internal supervisory procedures, final internal supervisory review is conducted at a different location, checks will be transmitted by 5:00 pm Eastern Time of the next business day following receipt by the Dealer to the office of the Dealer conducting such final internal supervisory review (the “Final Review Office”). The Final Review Office will in turn transmit by noon Eastern Time of the next business day following receipt at a different location by the Final Review Office such checks to the Company for deposit directly with the Company.
13. Notice
Any notice in this Dealer Manager Agreement permitted to be given, made or accepted by either party to the other, must be in writing and may be given or served by (1) overnight courier, (2) depositing the same in the United States mail, postpaid, certified, return receipt requested, or (3) facsimile transfer. Notice deposited in the United States mail shall be deemed given when mailed. Notice given in any other manner shall be effective when received at the address of the addressee. For purposes hereof the addresses of the parties, until changed as hereafter provided, shall be as follows:
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| To Company: | Strategic Storage Trust, Inc. | |
| 000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 000 | ||
| Xxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000 | ||
| Fax: (000) 000-0000 | ||
| To Dealer Manager: | U.S. Select Securities LLC | |
| Attention : Xxxx Xxxxxxx | ||
| 0000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 000 | ||
| Xxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000 | ||
| Fax: (000) 000-0000 | ||
14. Severability
In the event that any court of competent jurisdiction declares any provision of this Dealer Manager Agreement invalid, such invalidity shall have no effect on the other provisions hereof, which shall remain valid and binding and in full force and effect, and to that end the provisions of this Dealer Manager Agreement shall be considered severable.
15. No Waiver
Failure by either party to promptly insist upon strict compliance with any of the obligations of the other party under this Dealer Manager Agreement shall not be deemed to constitute a waiver of the right to enforce strict compliance with respect to any obligation hereunder.
16. Assignment
This Dealer Manager Agreement may not be assigned by either party, except with the prior written consent of the other party. This Dealer Manager Agreement shall be binding upon the parties hereto, their heirs, legal representatives, successors and permitted assigns.
[Signatures appear on next page]
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If the foregoing correctly sets forth our understanding, please indicate your acceptance thereof in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon this letter and your acceptance shall constitute a binding agreement between us as of the date first above written.
| Very truly yours, | ||
| STRATEGIC STORAGE TRUST, INC. | ||
| By: |
| |
| H. Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx | ||
| President and Chief Executive Officer | ||
| Accepted and agreed as of the | ||
| date first above written. | ||
| U.S. SELECT SECURITIES LLC | ||
| By: |
| |
| Xxxx Xxxxxxx | ||
| Chief Executive Officer | ||
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Exhibit A
To
Dealer Manager Agreement
PARTICIPATING DEALER AGREEMENT
Up to 110,000,000 Shares of Common Stock/$1,095,000,000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
U.S. Select Securities LLC, as the dealer manager (“Dealer Manager”) for Strategic Storage Trust, Inc. (the “Company”), a Maryland corporation, invites you (the “Dealer”) to participate in the distribution of shares of common stock (“Shares”) of the Company subject to the following terms:
| I. | Dealer Manager Agreement |
The Dealer Manager and the Company have entered into that certain Dealer Manager Agreement dated , 2011, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit “A.” By your acceptance of this Participating Dealer Agreement, you will become one of the Dealers referred to in such Dealer Manager Agreement between the Company and the Dealer Manager and will be entitled and subject to the indemnification provisions contained in such Dealer Manager Agreement, including specifically the provisions of Section 4.4 of such Dealer Manager Agreement wherein each Dealer severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the Dealer Manager and each officer and director thereof, and each person, if any, who controls the Company and the Dealer Manager within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) for the matters set forth in Section 4.4 of the Dealer Manager Agreement. Such indemnification obligations shall survive the termination of this Participating Dealer Agreement. Except as otherwise specifically stated herein, all terms used in this Participating Dealer Agreement have the meanings provided in the Dealer Manager Agreement. The Shares are offered solely through broker-dealers who are members of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”).
Dealer hereby agrees to use its best efforts to sell the Shares for cash on the terms and conditions stated in the Prospectus. Nothing in this Participating Dealer Agreement shall be deemed or construed to make Dealer an employee, agent, representative or partner of the Dealer Manager or of the Company, and Dealer is not authorized to act for the Dealer Manager or the Company or to make any representations except as set forth in the Prospectus and Authorized Sales Materials.
| II. | Submission of Orders |
Those persons who purchase Shares will be instructed by the Dealer to make their checks payable to “Strategic Storage Trust, Inc.” Any Dealer receiving a check not conforming to the foregoing instructions shall return such check directly to such subscriber not later than noon Eastern Time of the next business day following its receipt. Checks received by the Dealer which conform to the foregoing instructions shall be transmitted for deposit pursuant to one of the methods in this Article II. Transmittal of received investor funds will be made in accordance with the following procedures:
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Where, pursuant to the Dealer’s internal supervisory procedures, internal supervisory review is conducted at the same location at which subscription documents and checks are received from subscribers, checks will be transmitted by noon Eastern Time of the next business day following receipt by the Dealer to the Company for deposit directly with the Company.
Where, pursuant to the Dealer’s internal supervisory procedures, final and internal supervisory review is conducted at a different location, checks will be transmitted by noon Eastern Time of the next business day following receipt by the Dealer to the office of the Dealer conducting such final internal supervisory review (the “Final Review Office”). The Final Review Office will in turn transmit by 5:00 pm Eastern Time of the next business day following receipt at a different location by the Final Review Office such checks to the Company for deposit directly with the Company.
| III. | Pricing |
Except as may be otherwise provided for in the “Plan of Distribution” section of the Prospectus, Shares shall be offered to the public at the offering price of $10.00 per Share and Shares shall be offered pursuant to the Company’s distribution reinvestment plan at $9.50 per Share. Except as otherwise indicated in the Prospectus or in any letter or memorandum sent to the Dealer by the Company or Dealer Manager, a minimum initial purchase of 100 Shares is required. The Shares are nonassessable.
| IV. | Representations and Warranties of Dealer |
Dealer represents and warrants to the Company and the Dealer Manager and agrees that:
A. Dealer will undertake all reasonable investigation, review, and inquiry to ensure, to the best of its reasonable knowledge and belief, that the investment is suitable for such potential investor upon the basis of the information known to Dealer or disclosed by such potential investor as to his other security holdings and as to his financial situation and needs. Dealer shall keep written records supporting this representation and warranty and such records shall be made available to the Company or Dealer Manager promptly upon request.
B. Dealer shall deliver to each prospective investor, prior to any submission by such prospective investor, a written offer to buy any Shares, a copy of the Prospectus.
C. Dealer will not deliver to any offeree any written documents pertaining to the Company or the Shares, other than the Prospectus, and any other materials specifically designated for distribution to prospective investors that are supplied to Dealer by the Company or its affiliates. Without intending to limit the generality of the foregoing, Dealer shall not deliver to any prospective investor any material pertaining to the Company or any of its affiliates that has been furnished as “broker/dealer information only.”
D. Dealer will make reasonable inquiry to determine whether a prospective investor is acquiring Shares for his own account or on behalf of other persons and not for the purpose of resale or other distribution thereof.
E. Dealer will not give any information or make any representation or warranty in connection with the Offering, the Company or the Shares other than those contained in the Prospectus and any Authorized Sales Materials.
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F. Dealer will abide by, and will take reasonable precautions to ensure compliance by prospective investors from whom Dealer has solicited an offer to purchase, all provisions contained in the Prospectus regulating the terms and manner of the Offering.
G. In its solicitation of offers for the Shares, Dealer will comply with all applicable requirements of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, as well as the published rules and regulations thereunder, and the rules and regulations of all state securities authorities, as applicable, to the best of its knowledge, after due inquiry and investigation and to the extent within its direct control.
H. Dealer is (and will continue to be) a member in good standing with FINRA, will abide by the rules and regulations of FINRA, is in full compliance with all applicable requirements under the Exchange Act, and is registered as a broker-dealer in all of the jurisdictions in which Dealer solicits offers to purchase the Shares.
I. Dealer will not take any action in conflict with, or omit to take any action the omission of which would cause Dealer to be in conflict with, the conditions and requirements of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, or applicable state securities or blue sky laws.
J. Dealer will use reasonable efforts to ensure that all investors who are acquiring Shares have and will satisfy all conditions described in the Prospectus and the Subscription Agreement.
K. Each of the representations and warranties made by each prospective investor to the Company under the Subscription Agreement, is, to the Dealer’s best knowledge, information, and belief, after due inquiry, true and correct as of the date thereof and as of the date of purchase of the Shares by such investor.
| V. | Dealers’ Commissions |
Except for volume discounts described in the “Plan of Distribution” section of the Prospectus, which volume discounts shall be the responsibility of the Dealer to provide to investors who qualify, and except as otherwise provided in the “Plan of Distribution” section of the Prospectus, the Dealer’s sales commission applicable to the Shares sold by Dealer which it is authorized to sell hereunder is 7.0% of the gross proceeds of Shares sold by it and accepted and confirmed by the Company, which commission will be payable by the Dealer Manager. No sales commissions shall be paid with respect to Shares issued and sold pursuant to the Company’s distribution reinvestment plan. For these purposes, shares shall be deemed to be “sold” if and only if a transaction has closed with a subscriber for Shares pursuant to all applicable offering and subscription documents, the Company has accepted the subscription agreement of such subscriber, and such Shares have been fully paid for. The Dealer affirms that the Dealer Manager’s liability for commissions payable is limited solely to the proceeds of commissions receivable from the Company, and the Dealer hereby waives any and all rights to receive payment of commissions due until such time as the Dealer Manager is in receipt of the commission from the Company. In addition, as set forth in the Prospectus, the Dealer Manager may, in its sole discretion, reallow a portion of its dealer manager fee to Dealers participating in the offering of Shares as marketing fees, reimbursement of costs and expenses of attending educational conferences or to defray other distribution-related expenses.
The parties hereby agree that the foregoing commission is not in excess of the usual and customary distributors’ or sellers’ commission received in the sale of securities similar to the Shares, that Dealer’s interest in the offering is limited to such commission from the Dealer Manager and Dealer’s indemnity referred to in Section 4 of the Dealer Manager Agreement, and that the Company is not liable or responsible for the direct payment of such commission to the Dealer. In addition, as set forth in the Prospectus, the Dealer Manager may reimburse Dealer an amount of gross offering proceeds for bona fide
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due diligence expenses incurred by such Dealer. The Dealer Manager shall have the right to require the Dealer to provide a detailed and itemized invoice as a condition to the reimbursement of any such due diligence expenses.
| VI. | Applicability of Indemnification |
Each of the Dealer and Dealer Manager hereby acknowledges and agrees that it will be subject to the obligations set forth in, and entitled to the benefits of all the provisions of, the Dealer Manager Agreement, including but not limited to, the representations and warranties and the indemnification obligations contained in such Dealer Manager Agreement, including specifically the provisions of Sections 4.3 and 4.4 of the Dealer Manager Agreement. Such indemnification obligations shall survive the termination of this Participating Dealer Agreement and the Dealer Manager Agreement.
| VII. | Payment |
Payments of sales commissions will be made by the Dealer Manager (or by the Company as provided in the Dealer Manager Agreement) to Dealer within 30 days of the receipt by the Dealer Manager of the gross commission payments from the Company.
| VIII. | Right to Reject Orders or Cancel Sales |
All orders, whether initial or additional, are subject to acceptance by and shall only become effective upon confirmation by the Company, which reserves the right to reject any order. Orders not accompanied by a Subscription Agreement Signature Page and the required check in payment for the Shares may be rejected. Issuance of the Shares will be made only after actual receipt of payment. If any check is not paid upon presentment, or if the Company is not in actual receipt of clearinghouse funds or cash, certified or cashier’s check or the equivalent in payment for the Shares within 15 days of sale, the Company reserves the right to cancel the sale without notice. In the event an order is rejected, canceled or rescinded for any reason, Dealer agrees to return to the Dealer Manager any commission theretofore paid with respect to such order within 30 days thereafter and, failing to do so, the Dealer Manager shall have the right to offset amounts owed against future commissions due and otherwise payable to Dealer.
| IX. | Prospectus and Authorized Sales Materials |
Dealer is not authorized or permitted to give, and will not give, any information or make any representation (written or oral) concerning the Shares, except as set forth in the Prospectus and any Authorized Sales Materials. The Dealer Manager will supply Dealer with reasonable quantities of the Prospectus, any supplements thereto and any amended Prospectus, as well as any Authorized Sales Materials, for delivery to investors, and Dealer will deliver a copy of the Prospectus and all supplements thereto and any amended Prospectus to each investor to whom an offer is made prior to or simultaneously with the first solicitation of an offer to sell the Shares to an investor. Dealer agrees that it will not send or give any Authorized Sales Materials to an investor unless it has previously sent or given a Prospectus to that investor or has simultaneously sent or given a Prospectus with such Authorized Sales Materials. Dealer agrees that it will not show or give to any investor or prospective investor or reproduce any material or writing which is supplied to it by the Dealer Manager and marked “broker-dealer use only” or otherwise bearing a legend denoting that it is not to be used in connection with the sale of Shares to members of the public. Dealer agrees that it will not use in connection with the offer or sale of Shares any material or writing supplied to it by the Company or the Dealer Manager bearing a legend which states that such material may not be used in connection with the offer or sale of the Shares or any other securities. Dealer further agrees that it will not use in connection with the offer or sale of Shares any materials or writings which have not been previously authorized or approved by the Dealer Manager.
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Dealer agrees to furnish a copy of any revised preliminary Prospectus to each person to whom it has furnished a copy of any previous preliminary Prospectus, and further agrees that it will itself mail or otherwise deliver all preliminary and final Prospectuses required for compliance with the provisions of Rule 15c2-8 under the Exchange Act. Regardless of the termination of this Participating Dealer Agreement, Dealer will deliver a Prospectus in transactions in the Shares for a period of 90 days from the effective date of the Registration Statement or such longer period as may be required by the Exchange Act. On becoming a Dealer, and in offering and selling Shares, Dealer agrees to comply with all the applicable requirements under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act.
| X. | License and Association Membership |
Dealer’s acceptance of this Participating Dealer Agreement constitutes a representation to the Company and the Dealer Manager that Dealer is a properly registered broker-dealer under the Exchange Act, is duly licensed as a broker-dealer and authorized to sell Shares under Federal and state securities laws and regulations and in all states where it offers or sells Shares, and that it is a member in good standing of FINRA. Dealer agrees to notify the Dealer Manager immediately in writing and this Participating Dealer Agreement shall automatically terminate if Dealer ceases to be a member in good standing of FINRA, is subject to a FINRA suspension, or its registration as a broker-dealer under the Exchange Act is terminated or suspended. Dealer hereby agrees to abide by all applicable FINRA Rules, including, but not limited to, FINRA Rule 2310.
Dealer Manager represents and warrants that it is currently, and at all times while performing its functions under this Participating Dealer Agreement will be, a properly registered broker-dealer under the Exchange Act and under state securities laws to the extent necessary to perform the duties described in this Participating Dealer Agreement, and that it is a member in good standing of FINRA. The Dealer Manager agrees to notify Dealer immediately in writing if it ceases to be a member in good standing with FINRA, is subject to a FINRA suspension, or its registration as a broker-dealer under the Exchange Act is terminated or suspended. The Dealer Manager hereby agrees to abide by all applicable FINRA Rules, specifically including, but not limited to, FINRA Rule 2310.
| XI. | Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Programs |
Dealer’s acceptance of this Participating Dealer Agreement constitutes a representation to the Company and the Dealer Manager that Dealer has established and implemented an anti-money laundering compliance program (“AML Program”) in accordance with applicable law, including applicable FINRA Rules, SEC Rules and Section 352 of the Money Laundering Abatement Act, reasonably expected to detect and cause the reporting of suspicious transactions in connection with the sale of Shares of the Company. Dealer hereby agrees to furnish, upon request, a copy of its AML Program to the Dealer Manager for review and to promptly notify the Dealer Manager of any material changes to its AML Program.
| XII. | Limitation of Offer and Suitability |
Dealer will offer Shares only to persons who meet the suitability standards set forth in the Prospectus or in any suitability letter or memorandum sent to it by the Company or the Dealer Manager and will only make offers to persons in the states in which it is advised in writing that the Shares are qualified for sale or that such qualification is not required.
In offering Shares, Dealer will comply with the provisions of the applicable FINRA Rules, as well as all other applicable rules and regulations relating to suitability of investors, including without limitation, the provisions of Article III.C. of the Statement of Policy Regarding Real Estate Investment
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Trusts of the North American Securities Administrators Association, Inc. Nothing contained in this Participating Dealer Agreement shall be construed to impose upon the Company or the Dealer Manager the responsibility of assuring that prospective investors meet the suitability standards set forth in the Prospectus, or to relieve Dealer from the responsibility of assuring that prospective investors meet the suitability standards in accordance with the terms and provisions of the Prospectus.
Dealer further represents, warrants and covenants that no Dealer, or person associated with Dealer, shall offer or sell Shares in any jurisdiction except to investors who satisfy the investor suitability standards and minimum investment requirements under the most restrictive of the following: (1) applicable provisions of the Prospectus; (2) the laws of the jurisdiction of which such investor is a resident; or (3) applicable FINRA Rules including FINRA Rule 2310. Dealer agrees to ensure that, in recommending the purchase, sale or exchange of Shares to an investor, each Dealer, or person associated with Dealer, shall have reasonable grounds (as required by FINRA Rule 2310(b)(2)(B)(i)) to believe, on the basis of information obtained from the investor (and thereafter maintained in the manner and for the period provided in such Rules) concerning his age, investment objectives, other investments, financial situation and needs, and any other information known to Dealer, or person associated with Dealer, that: (A) the investor is or will be in a financial position appropriate to enable him to realize to a significant extent the benefits described in the Prospectus, including the tax benefits to the extent they are a significant aspect of the Company; (B) the investor has a fair market net worth sufficient to sustain the risks inherent in an investment in Shares in the amount proposed, including loss, and lack of liquidity of such investment; (C) that the investor has an apparent understanding of the fundamental risks of an investment in Shares, the lack of liquidity of the Shares, the background and qualifications of the sponsor, the advisor to the Company and their affiliates, and the tax consequences of an investment in the Shares; and (D) an investment in Shares is otherwise suitable for such investor. Dealer further represents, warrants and covenants that Dealer, or a person associated with Dealer, will make every reasonable effort to determine the suitability and appropriateness of an investment in Shares of each proposed investor by reviewing documents and records disclosing the basis upon which the determination as to suitability was reached as to each purchaser of Shares pursuant to a subscription solicited by Dealer, whether such documents and records relate to accounts which have been closed, accounts which are currently maintained, or accounts hereafter established. Dealer agrees to retain such documents and records in Dealer’s records for a period of six years from the date of the applicable sale of Shares and to make such documents and records available to (i) the Dealer Manager and the Company upon request, and (ii) to representatives of the SEC, FINRA and applicable state securities administrators upon your firm’s receipt of an appropriate document subpoena or other appropriate request for documents from any such agency. Dealer shall not purchase any Shares for a discretionary account without obtaining the prior written approval of Dealer’s customer and his or her signature on a Subscription Agreement.
| XIII. | Due Diligence and Adequate Disclosure |
Prior to offering the Shares for sale, Dealer shall have conducted an inquiry such that Dealer has reasonable grounds to believe, based on information made available to Dealer by the Company or the Dealer Manager through the Prospectus or other materials, that all material facts are adequately and accurately disclosed and provide a basis for evaluating a purchase of Shares. In determining the adequacy of disclosed facts pursuant to the foregoing, each Dealer may obtain, upon request, information on material facts relating at a minimum to the following: (1) items of compensation; (2) physical properties; (3) tax aspects; (4) financial stability and experience of the Company and its advisor; (5) conflicts and risk factors; and (6) appraisals and other pertinent reports.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, each Dealer may rely upon the results of an inquiry conducted by an independent third party retained for that purpose or another Dealer, provided that: (1) such Dealer has
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reasonable grounds to believe that such inquiry was conducted with due care by said independent third party or such other Dealer; (2) the results of the inquiry were provided to Dealer with the consent of the other Dealer conducting or directing the inquiry; and (3) no Dealer that participated in the inquiry is an affiliate of the Company.
Prior to the sale of the Shares, each Dealer shall inform each prospective purchaser of Shares of pertinent facts relating to the Shares including specifically the lack of liquidity and lack of marketability of the Shares during the term of the investment.
| XIV. | Compliance with Record Keeping Requirements |
Dealer agrees to comply with the record keeping requirements of the Exchange Act, including but not limited to, Rules 17a-3 and 17a-4 promulgated under the Exchange Act. Dealer further agrees to keep such records with respect to each customer who purchases Shares, his suitability and the amount of Shares sold and to retain such records for such period of time as may be required by the SEC, any state securities commission, FINRA or the Company.
| XV. | Customer Complaints |
Each party hereby agrees to promptly provide to the other party copies of any written or otherwise documented complaints from customers of Dealer received by such party relating in any way to the Offering (including, but not limited to, the manner in which the Shares are offered by the Dealer Manager or Dealer), the Shares or the Company.
| XVI. | Effectiveness, Termination and Amendments |
This Participating Dealer Agreement shall become effective upon the execution hereof by Dealer and receipt of such executed Participating Dealer Agreement by the Dealer Manager; provided, however, that in the event of the execution of this Participating Dealer Agreement prior to the time that the Registration Statement, as defined in the Dealer Manager Agreement, becomes effective with the SEC, this Participating Dealer Agreement shall not become effective prior to the Registration Statement becoming effective with the SEC and shall instead become effective simultaneously with the effectiveness of the Registration Statement.
Dealer will immediately suspend or terminate its offer and sale of Shares upon the request of the Company or the Dealer Manager at any time and will resume its offer and sale of Shares hereunder upon subsequent request of the Company or the Dealer Manager. Any party may terminate this Participating Dealer Agreement by written notice. Such termination shall be effective 48 hours after the mailing of such notice. This Participating Dealer Agreement and the exhibits hereto are the entire agreement of the parties and supersedes all prior agreements, if any, between the parties hereto.
The Company may add a co-dealer manager (in addition to the Dealer Manager) at any time during the Offering and such co-dealer manager shall be deemed accepted and agreed to by Dealer upon placing an order for sale of Shares after receipt of notice of the addition of such co-dealer manager.
This Participating Dealer Agreement may be amended at any time by the Dealer Manager by written notice to the Dealer, and any such amendment shall be deemed accepted and agreed to by Dealer upon placing an order for sale of Shares after receipt of such notice.
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| XVII. | Privacy Laws |
The Dealer Manager and Dealer (each referred to individually in this section as “party”) agree as follows:
A. Each party agrees to abide by and comply with (1) the privacy standards and requirements of the Xxxxx-Xxxxx-Xxxxxx Act of 1999 (“GLB Act”), (2) the privacy standards and requirements of any other applicable Federal or state law, and (3) its own internal privacy policies and procedures, each as may be amended from time to time.
B. Dealer agrees to provide privacy policy notices required under the GLB Act resulting from purchases of Shares made by its customers pursuant to this Participating Dealer Agreement.
C. Each party agrees to refrain from the use or disclosure of nonpublic personal information (as defined under the GLB Act) of all customers who have opted out of such disclosures except as necessary to service the customers or as otherwise necessary or required by applicable law; and
D. Each party shall be responsible for determining which customers have opted out of the disclosure of nonpublic personal information by periodically reviewing and, if necessary, retrieving a list of such customers (the “List”) to identify customers that have exercised their opt-out rights. In the event either party uses or discloses nonpublic personal information of any customer for purposes other than servicing the customer, or as otherwise required by applicable law, that party will consult the List to determine whether the affected customer has exercised his or her opt-out rights. Each party understands that each is prohibited from using or disclosing any nonpublic personal information of any customer that is identified on the List as having opted out of such disclosures.
| XVIII. | Notice |
Any notice in this Participating Dealer Agreement permitted to be given, made or accepted by either party to the other, must be in writing and may be given or served by (1) overnight courier, (2) depositing the same in the United States mail, postpaid, certified, return receipt requested, or (3) facsimile transfer. Notice deposited in the United States mail shall be deemed given when mailed. Notice given in any other manner shall be effective when received at the address of the addressee. For purposes hereof the addresses of the parties, until changed as hereafter provided, shall be as follows:
| To Dealer Manager: | U.S. Select Securities LLC | |
| Attention : Xxxx Xxxxxxx | ||
| 0000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 000 | ||
| Xxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000 | ||
| Fax: (000) 000-0000 | ||
| To Dealer: | Address Specified By Dealer on Dealer Signature Page | |
| XIX. | Attorney’s Fees, Applicable Law and Venue |
In any action to enforce the provisions of this Participating Dealer Agreement or to secure damages for its breach, the prevailing party shall recover its costs and reasonable attorney’s fees. This Participating Dealer Agreement shall be construed under the laws of the State of California and shall take effect when signed by Dealer and countersigned by the Dealer Manager. Dealer and Dealer Manager hereby acknowledge and agree that venue for any action brought hereunder shall lie exclusively in Newport Beach, California.
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| XX. | Severability |
In the event that any court of competent jurisdiction declares any provision of this Participating Dealer Agreement invalid, such invalidity shall have no effect on the other provisions hereof, which shall remain valid and binding and in full force and effect, and to that end the provisions of this Participating Dealer Agreement shall be considered severable.
| XXI. | No Waiver |
Failure by either party to promptly insist upon strict compliance with any of the obligations of the other party under this Participating Dealer Agreement shall not be deemed to constitute a waiver of the right to enforce strict compliance with respect to any obligation hereunder.
| XXII. | Assignment |
This Participating Dealer Agreement may not be assigned by Dealer, except with the prior written consent of Dealer Manager. This Participating Dealer Agreement may be assigned by Dealer Manager with 10 days prior written notice to Dealer, but such assignment shall not release Dealer Manager from any liability under this Participating Dealer Agreement subsequent to any such assignment. This Participating Dealer Agreement shall be binding upon the parties hereto, their heirs, legal representatives, successors and permitted assigns.
| XXIII. | Authorization |
Each party represents to the other that all requisite corporate proceedings have been undertaken to authorize it to enter into and perform under this Participating Dealer Agreement as contemplated herein, and that the individual who has signed this Participating Dealer Agreement below on its behalf is a duly elected officer that has been empowered to act for and on behalf of such party with respect to the execution of this Participating Dealer Agreement.
| THE DEALER MANAGER: | ||
| U.S. SELECT SECURITIES LLC | ||
| By |
| |
| Xxxx Xxxxxxx | ||
| Chief Executive Officer | ||
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We have read the foregoing Participating Dealer Agreement and we hereby accept and agree to the terms and conditions therein set forth. We hereby represent that the list below of jurisdictions in which we are registered or licensed as a broker or dealer and are fully authorized to sell securities is true and correct, and we agree to advise you of any changes to the information listed on this signature page during the term of this Participating Dealer Agreement.
| 1. | Identity of Dealer: |
| Name: |
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| Type of entity: |
| |||
| (to be completed by Dealer) | (corporation, partnership or proprietorship) | |||
| Organized in the State of: |
| |||
| (to be completed by Dealer) | (State) | |||
| Licensed as broker-dealer in the following States: |
|
|
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| (to be completed by Dealer) |
| Tax I.D. #: |
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| 2. | Person to receive notice pursuant to Section XVIII. |
| Name: |
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| Company: |
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| Address: |
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| City, State and Zip Code: |
|
| Telephone No.:( ) |
|
| Fax No.:( ) |
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| AGREED TO AND ACCEPTED BY THE DEALER: | ||||||
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| (Dealer’s Firm Name) | ||||||
| By: |
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| Signature |
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| Title: |
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| Date: |
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