FEG ABSOLUTE ACCESS TEI FUND LLC LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY OPERATING AGREEMENT
THIS
LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY OPERATING AGREEMENT of FEG Absolute Access TEI Fund
LLC (the “Company”) is made effective as of February 8, 2011 by and among each
Director, whether a signatory hereto or who otherwise agrees to be bound by the
terms hereof and serve as Director, the Investment Manager as “Organizational
Member”, and each person hereinafter admitted to the Company and reflected on
the books of the Company as a Member.
W I T N E
S S E T H :
WHEREAS,
the Company heretofore has been formed as a limited liability company under the
Delaware Act;
NOW,
THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual covenants
hereinafter set forth, it is hereby agreed as follows:
ARTICLE
I
DEFINITIONS
For
purposes of this Agreement:
1.1 ADVISERS
ACT means the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and the rules, regulations, and
orders thereunder, as amended from time to time, or any successor
law.
1.2 AFFILIATE
of another person means:
(1) any
person directly or indirectly owning, controlling, or holding with power to
vote, 5 per centum or more of the outstanding voting securities of such other
person;
(2) any
person 5 per centum or more of whose outstanding voting securities are directly
or indirectly owned, controlled, or held with power to vote, by such other
person;
(3) any
person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common
control with, such other person;
(4) any
officer, director, partner, copartner, or employee of such other
person;
(5) if
such other person is an investment company, any investment adviser thereof or
any member of an advisory board thereof; and
(6) if
such other person is an unincorporated investment company not having a board of
directors, the depositor thereof.
1.3 AGREEMENT
means this Limited Liability Company Operating Agreement, as amended and/or
restated from time to time.
1.4 BOARD
means the Board of Directors established pursuant to Section 2.6 and each
Director on the Board shall be deemed a “Manager” of the Company within the
meaning of the Delaware Act, as hereinafter defined.
1.5 CAPITAL
ACCOUNT means, with respect to each Member, the capital account established and
maintained on behalf of each Member pursuant to Section 5.3.
1.6 CAPITAL
CONTRIBUTION means the contribution, if any, made, or to be made, as the context
requires, to the capital of the Company by a Member.
1.7 CERTIFICATE
means the Certificate of Formation of the Company and any amendments thereto as
filed with the office of the Secretary of State of the State of
Delaware.
1.8 CODE
means the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and as
hereafter amended from time to time, or any successor law.
1.9 COMPANY
means the limited liability company governed hereby, as such limited liability
company may from time to time be constituted.
1.10 COMPANY
ACT means the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the rules, regulations, and
orders thereunder, as amended from time to time, or any successor
law.
1.11 CONFIDENTIAL
INFORMATION shall have the meaning as set forth in Section 8.10(a).
1.12 DELAWARE
ACT means the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act (6 DEL.C. §§ 18-101,
et seq.) as in effect on the date hereof and as amended from time to time, or
any successor law.
1.13 DIRECTOR
means each person who initially serves on the Board pursuant to Section 2.6 or
who, from time to time, pursuant to this Agreement shall serve on the Board as
indicated in the records of the Company. Each Director shall be
deemed a “Manager” of the Company within the meaning of the Delaware
Act.
1.14 FEG
ABSOLUTE ACCESS FUND means FEG Absolute Access Fund LLC.
1.15 FISCAL
PERIOD means the period commencing on the Initial Closing Date, and thereafter
each period commencing on the day immediately following the last day of the
preceding Fiscal Period, and ending at the close of business on the first to
occur of the following dates:
(1) the
last day of a Fiscal Year;
(2) the
day preceding any day as of which a contribution to the capital of the Company
is made pursuant to Section 5.1;
(3) the
day as of which the Company repurchases any portion of the Interest of any
Member pursuant to this Agreement;
(4) any
day as of which there is any distribution to a Member pursuant to Section
5.8;
(5) any
other day as of which this Agreement provides for any amount to be credited to
or debited against the Capital Account of any Member;
(6) the
date as of which the Company terminates; or
(7) any
other date as established by the Board.
1.16 FISCAL
YEAR, for accounting purposes, means the period commencing on the Initial
Closing Date and ending on March 31 and thereafter each period commencing on
April 1 of each year and ending on March 31 of each year (or on the date of a
final distribution pursuant to Section 6.2 hereof), unless the Board shall
designate another fiscal year for the Company. For tax purposes, the
12-month period ending December 31 of each year will be the Company’s taxable
year.
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1.17 INDEPENDENT
DIRECTORS means those Directors who are not Affiliates of the Company, the
Investment Manager or its members.
1.18 INITIAL
CLOSING DATE means the first date on or as of which a Member other than FEG
Investors, LLC is admitted to the Company.
1.19 INTEREST
means the entire ownership interest in the Company at any particular time of a
Member or other person to whom an Interest or portion thereof has been
transferred pursuant to this Agreement, including such Member’s, or other
person’s, share of the Company’s profits and losses, right to receive
distributions of Company assets and such other rights and obligations of such
Member or other person under this Agreement and the Delaware Act.
1.20 INVESTMENT
MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT means the separate written agreement between FEG Absolute
Access Fund and the Investment Manager of FEG Absolute Access Fund pursuant to
which the Investment Manager performs certain investment advisory and
supervisory services to FEG Absolute Access Fund.
1.21 INVESTMENT
MANAGER means any person who at any particular time serves as the investment
adviser to FEG Absolute Access Fund pursuant to a written agreement with FEG
Absolute Access Fund. FEG Absolute Access Fund’s initial Investment
Manager is FEG Investors, LLC.
1.22 MEMBER
means any person who shall have been admitted to the Company as a member or a
substitute Member who is admitted to the Company pursuant to this Agreement, in
such person’s capacity as a Member until the Company repurchases the entire
Interest of such person as a Member pursuant to Section 4.4 hereof or a
substituted Member or Members are admitted with respect to any such person’s
Interest as a Member pursuant to Section 4.3 hereof.
1.23 MEMBERSHIP
PERCENTAGE means a percentage established for each Member on the Company’s books
as of the first day of each Fiscal Period. The Membership Percentage
of a Member for a Fiscal Period shall be determined by dividing the balance of
the Member’s Capital Account as of the beginning of such period by the sum of
the Capital Accounts of all Members as of the beginning of such
period. The sum of the Membership Percentages of all Members shall
equal 100%.
1.24 NET
ASSET VALUE means the total value of all assets of the Company as valued
pursuant to Section 7.3, less an amount equal to all accrued debts, liabilities,
and obligations of the Company, calculated before giving effect to any
repurchase of Interests.
1.25 NET
PROFIT OR NET LOSS means the amount by which the Net Asset Value of the Company
as of the close of business on the last day of a Fiscal Period exceeds (in the
case of Net Profit) or is less than (in the case of Net Loss) the Net Asset
Value of the Company as of the commencement of the same Fiscal Period, such
amount to be adjusted to exclude any items to be allocated among the Capital
Accounts of the Members on a basis that is not in accordance with a Member’s
Membership Percentage as of the commencement of such Fiscal Period pursuant to
this Agreement.
1.26 OFFSHORE
FUND means FEG Absolute Access TEI Fund LDC, or a substitute or successor
entity.
1.27 ORGANIZATIONAL
MEMBER means FEG Investors, LLC.
1.28 PERSON
means any individual, entity, corporation, partnership, association, limited
liability company, joint-stock company, trust, estate, joint venture,
organization, or unincorporated organization.
1.29 PORTFOLIO
FUNDS means pooled investment vehicles and/or managed accounts.
1.30 PORTFOLIO
MANAGERS mean independent investment advisers.
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1.31 SEC
means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
1.32 SECURITIES
means securities (including, without limitation, equities, debt obligations,
options, and other “securities” as that term is defined in Section 2(a)(36) of
the Company Act) and any contracts for forward or future delivery of any
security, debt obligation, currency, or commodity, all manner of derivative
instruments and any contracts based on any index or group of securities, debt
obligations, currencies, or commodities, and any options thereon.
1.33 SECURITIES
ACT means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and any regulations promulgated
thereunder.
1.34 SERIES
means any series of Interests established by the Board from time to
time.
1.35 TAX
MATTERS MEMBER means the Member designated as “tax matters partner” of the
Company pursuant to Section 8.15 hereof.
1.36 TRANSFER
means the assignment, transfer, sale, or other disposition of all or any portion
of a Member’s Interest, including any right to receive any allocations and
distributions attributable to the Interest.
1.37 VALUATION
DATE means any date in which the Net Asset Value of the Company is
computed.
ARTICLE
II
ORGANIZATION;
ADMISSION OF MEMBERS; BOARD
2.1 FORMATION
OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. The Organizational Member and any other
person designated by the Board hereby are designated as authorized persons,
within the meaning of the Delaware Act, to execute, deliver, and file all
certificates (and any amendments and/or restatements thereof) required or
permitted by the Delaware Act to be filed in the office of the Secretary of
State of the State of Delaware. The Board shall cause to be executed
and filed with applicable governmental authorities any other instruments,
documents, and certificates which, in the opinion of legal counsel, may from
time to time be required by the laws of the United States of America, the State
of Delaware, or any other jurisdiction in which the Company shall determine to
do business, or any political subdivision or agency thereof, or which such legal
counsel may deem necessary or appropriate to effectuate, implement, and continue
the valid existence and business of the Company.
2.2 NAME. The
name of the Company shall be FEG Absolute Access TEI Fund LLC, pursuant to the
Certificate dated as of January 20, 2011 and filed with the Secretary of State
of the State of Delaware on January 20, 2011, or such other name as the Board
hereafter may adopt upon: (i) causing an appropriate amendment
to the Certificate to be filed in accordance with the Delaware Act; and
(ii) sending notice thereof to each Member. The Company’s
business may be conducted under the name of the Company or, to the fullest
extent permitted by law, any other name or names deemed advisable by the
Board.
2.3 PRINCIPAL
AND REGISTERED OFFICE. The Company shall have its principal office at
the principal office of the Investment Manager, or at such other place
designated from time to time by the Board.
The
Company shall have its registered office in the State of Delaware at 0000 Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, and shall have The
Corporation Trust Company as its registered agent at such registered office for
service of process in the State of Delaware, unless a different registered
office or agent is designated from time to time by the Board in accordance with
the Delaware Act.
2.4 DURATION. The
term of the Company shall commence on the filing of the Certificate with the
Secretary of State of the State of Delaware and shall continue perpetually
unless and until the Company is dissolved pursuant to Section 6.1
hereof.
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2.5 BUSINESS
OF THE COMPANY. The business of the Company is to invest all or
substantially all of its assets directly or indirectly (through the Offshore
Fund) in FEG Absolute Access Fund, which, without limitation, either directly or
indirectly through one or more pooled investment vehicles, purchases, sells,
invests, and trades in Securities on margin or otherwise, and engages in any
financial or derivative transactions relating thereto or otherwise and engages
in such other activities. The Company also exercises such rights and
powers as permitted by limited liability companies under the Delaware
Act. On behalf of the Company, the officers of the Company may
execute, deliver, and perform all contracts, agreements, and other undertakings
and engage in all activities and transactions as may in the opinion of the Board
be necessary or advisable to carry out the Company’s business and any amendments
to any such contracts, agreements, and other undertakings, all without any
further act, vote, or approval of any other person, notwithstanding any other
provision of this Agreement.
2.6 THE
BOARD.
(a) Prior
to the Initial Closing Date, the Organizational Member may, in its sole
discretion, designate and elect persons to serve as Directors on the Board of
Directors. Following the effectiveness of this Agreement, each
Director shall agree to be bound by all of the terms of this Agreement
applicable to Directors. The Board may, subject to the provisions of
paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 2.6 with respect to the number of
and vacancies in the position of Director and the provisions of Section 3.3
hereof with respect to the election of Directors by Members, designate any
person who shall agree to be bound by all of the terms of this Agreement as a
Director. The names and mailing addresses of the Directors shall be
set forth in the books and records of the Company. The number of
Directors shall be fixed from time to time by a written instrument signed by, or
by resolution approved at a duly constituted meeting by vote of, a majority of
the Board, provided however that the number of Directors shall at all times be
at least one and no more than ten as determined, from time to time, by the
Directors pursuant to this Agreement.
(b) Each
Director shall serve as a Director for the duration of the term of the Company,
unless his or her status as a Director shall be sooner terminated pursuant to
Section 4.1 hereof. If any vacancy in the position of a Director
occurs, the remaining Directors may appoint a person to serve in such capacity,
provided such appointment is in accordance with the Company Act, so long as
immediately after such appointment at least two-thirds of the Directors then
serving would have been elected by the Members. The Directors may
call a meeting of Members to fill any vacancy in the position of Director, and
shall do so when required by the Company Act, within 60 days after any date on
which Directors who were elected by the Members cease to constitute a majority
of the Directors then serving on the Board of Directors.
(c) In
the event that no Director remains to continue the business of the Company, the
Investment Manager shall promptly call a meeting of the Members, to be held
within 60 days after the date on which the last Director ceased to act in that
capacity, for the purpose of determining whether to continue the business of the
Company and, if the business shall be continued, of electing the required number
of Directors to the Board. If the Members shall determine at such
meeting not to continue the business of the Company or if the required number of
Directors is not elected within 60 days after the date on which the last
Director ceased to act in that capacity, then the Company shall be dissolved
pursuant to Section 6.1 hereof and the assets of the Company shall be liquidated
and distributed pursuant to Section 6.2 hereof.
2.7 MEMBERS. The
Board may admit one or more Members at such times as the Board may
determine. Members may be admitted to the Company subject to the
condition that each such Member execute an appropriate signature page of this
Agreement and the Company’s subscription agreement. This Agreement
shall not be unenforceable by reason of it not having been signed by a person
being admitted as a Member. The Board, in its sole and absolute
discretion, may reject applications or subscription agreements for Interests in
the Company. The admission of any person as a Member shall be
effective upon the revision of the books and records of the Company to reflect
the name and the contribution to the capital of the Company of such additional
Member.
2.8 ORGANIZATIONAL
MEMBER. The initial Capital Contribution to the Company by the
Organizational Member shall be converted to Interests. Upon the
admission to the Company of any additional Member pursuant to Section 2.7, the
Organizational Member shall be entitled to the return of all or a portion of its
Capital Contribution, if any, without interest or deduction, and to withdraw
from the Company.
5
2.9 BOTH
DIRECTORS AND MEMBERS. A Member may, at the same time, be a Director
and a Member, or the investment adviser to FEG Absolute Access Fund and a
Member, in which event such person’s rights and obligations in each capacity
shall be determined separately in accordance with the terms and provisions
hereof and as provided in the Delaware Act and the Company Act. A
Director need not be a Member.
2.10 LIMITED
LIABILITY. To the fullest extent permitted under applicable law, a
Member shall not be liable for the Company’s debts, obligations, or liabilities
in any amount in excess of the Capital Account balance of such
Member. To the fullest extent permitted under applicable law, the
Investment Manager and Directors shall not be liable for the Company’s debts,
obligations, or liabilities.
ARTICLE
III
MANAGEMENT
3.1 MANAGEMENT
AND CONTROL.
(a) Management
and control of the business of the Company shall be vested in the Board, which
shall have the right, power, and authority, on behalf of the Company and in its
name, to exercise all rights, powers, and authority of “managers” under the
Delaware Act and to do all things necessary and proper to carry out the
objective and business of the Company and its duties hereunder. No
Director shall have the authority individually to act on behalf of or to bind
the Company except within the scope of such Director’s authority as delegated by
the Board. The parties hereto intend that, except to the extent
otherwise expressly provided herein: (i) each Director shall be
vested with the same powers, authority, and responsibilities on behalf of the
Company as are customarily vested in each director of a Delaware corporation;
and (ii) each Independent Director shall be vested with the same powers,
authority, and responsibilities on behalf of the Company as are customarily
vested in each director of a closed-end management investment company registered
under the Company Act that is organized as a Delaware
corporation. During any period in which the Company shall have no
Directors, the Investment Manager shall continue to have the authority to manage
the business and affairs of the Company.
(b) Each
Member agrees not to treat, on his personal income tax return or in any claim
for a tax refund, any item of income, gain, loss, deduction, or credit in a
manner inconsistent with the treatment of such item by the
Company. The Board shall have the exclusive authority and discretion
to make any elections required or permitted to be made by the Company under any
provisions of the Code or any other revenue laws.
(c) Members
shall have no right to participate in and shall take no part in the management
or control of the Company’s business, except to the extent specifically provided
herein, and shall have no right, power, or authority to act for or bind the
Company. Members shall have the right to vote on any matters only as
provided in this Agreement or on any matters that require the approval of the
holders of voting securities under the Company Act, or as otherwise required in
the Delaware Act.
(d) The
Board may delegate to any person, including officers of the Company, any rights,
power, and authority vested by this Agreement in the Board to the extent
permissible under applicable law.
3.2 ACTIONS
BY THE BOARD.
(a) Unless
provided otherwise in this Agreement, the Board shall act
only: (i) by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Directors
(which majority shall include any requisite number of Independent Directors
required by the Company Act) present at a meeting duly called at which a quorum
of the Directors shall be present (in person, which may include any means of
communication that allows all Directors participating to hear each other
simultaneously during the meeting); or (ii) by unanimous written consent of
all of the Directors without a meeting (if permissible under the Company
Act).
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(b) The
Board may designate from time to time a Chairperson who shall preside at all
meetings. Meetings of the Board may be called by the Chairperson or
any two Directors, and may be held on such date and at such time and place as
the Board shall determine. Each Director shall be entitled to receive
written notice of the date, time, and place of such meeting within a reasonable
time in advance of the meeting. Notice need not be given to any
Director who shall attend a meeting without objecting to the lack of notice or
who shall execute a written waiver of notice with respect to the
meeting. Directors may attend and participate in any meeting by
telephone, except where in person attendance at a meeting is required by the
Company Act. A majority of the Directors then in office shall
constitute a quorum at any meeting.
(c) The
Board may designate from time to time agents and employees of the Company,
including without limitation employees of the Investment Manager and its
members, who shall have the same powers and duties on behalf of the Company
(including the power to bind the Company) as are customarily vested in officers
of a Delaware corporation, and designate them as officers of the
Company.
3.3 MEETINGS
OF MEMBERS.
(a) Actions
requiring the vote of the Members may be taken at any duly constituted meeting
of the Members at which a quorum is present. Meetings of the Members
may be called by the Board or by Members holding a majority of the total number
of votes eligible to be cast by all Members, and may be held at such time, date,
and place as the Board shall determine. The Board shall arrange to
provide written notice of the meeting, stating the date, time, and place of the
meeting and the record date therefor, to each Member entitled to vote at the
meeting within a reasonable time prior thereto. Failure to receive
notice of a meeting on the part of any Member shall not affect the validity of
any act or proceeding of the meeting, so long as a quorum shall be present at
the meeting. Only matters set forth in the notice of a meeting may be
voted on by the Members at a meeting. The presence in person or by
proxy of Members holding a majority of the total number of votes eligible to be
cast by all Members as of the record date shall constitute a quorum at any
meeting. In the absence of a quorum, a meeting of the Members may be
adjourned by action of a majority of the Members present in person or by proxy
without additional notice to the Members. Except as otherwise
required by any provision of this Agreement or of the Company
Act: (i) those candidates receiving a plurality of the votes
cast at any meeting of Members shall be elected as Directors; and (ii) all
other actions of the Members taken at a meeting shall require the affirmative
vote of Members holding a majority of the total number of votes eligible to be
cast by those Members who are present in person or by proxy at such
meeting.
(b) Each
Member shall be entitled to cast at any meeting of Members a number of votes
equivalent to such Member’s Membership Percentage as of the record date for such
meeting. The Board shall establish a record date not less than 10 nor
more than 60 days prior to the date of any meeting of Members to determine
eligibility to vote at such meeting and the number of votes which each Member
will be entitled to cast thereat, and shall maintain for each such record date a
list setting forth the name of each Member and the number of votes that each
Member will be entitled to cast at the meeting.
(c) A
Member may vote at any meeting of Members by a proxy properly executed in
writing by the Member and filed with the Company before or at the time of the
meeting. A proxy may be suspended or revoked, as the case may be, by
the Member executing the proxy by a later writing delivered to the Company at
any time prior to exercise of the proxy or if the Member executing the proxy
shall be present at the meeting and decide to vote in person. Any
action of the Members that is permitted to be taken at a meeting of the Members
may be taken without a meeting if consents in writing, setting forth the action
taken, are signed by Members holding a majority of the total number of votes
eligible to be cast or such greater percentage as may be required in order to
approve such action.
3.4 CUSTODY
OF ASSETS OF THE COMPANY. The physical possession of all funds,
Securities, or other property of the Company shall at all times, be held,
controlled, and administered by one or more custodians retained by the Company
in accordance with the requirements of the Advisers Act and the Company
Act.
3.5 OTHER
ACTIVITIES OF MEMBERS AND DIRECTORS.
(a) The
Directors shall not be required to devote their full business time to the
affairs of the Company, but shall devote such time as may reasonably be required
to perform their obligations under this Agreement.
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(b) Any
Member, Director, or Affiliate of the foregoing may engage in or possess an
interest in other business ventures or commercial dealings of every kind and
description, independently or with others, including, but not limited to,
acquisition and disposition of Securities, provision of investment advisory or
brokerage services, serving as directors, officers, employees, advisers, or
agents of other companies, partners of any partnership, members of any limited
liability company, or trustees of any trust, or entering into any other
commercial arrangements. No Member shall have any rights in or to
such activities of any other Member or Director, or any profits derived
therefrom.
3.6 DUTY
OF CARE.
(a) A
Director (including for this purpose their executors, heirs, assigns,
successors, or other legal representatives), the Investment Manager, and the Tax
Matters Member (including for this purpose each affiliate, shareholder, partner,
member, officer, director, principal, employee, or agent of the Investment
Manager and the Tax Matters Member) shall not be liable to the Company or to any
of its Members for any loss or damage occasioned by any act or omission in the
performance of such Person’s services to the Company, unless it shall be
determined by final judicial decision in a court of competent jurisdiction on
the merits from which there is no further right to appeal that such loss is due
to an act or omission of such person constituting willful misfeasance, bad
faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the
conduct of such Person’s office or as otherwise required by law.
(b) A
Member not in breach of any obligation hereunder or under any agreement pursuant
to which the Member subscribed for an Interest shall be liable to the Company,
any other Member, or third parties only as required by the Delaware Act or
otherwise provided in this Agreement.
3.7 INDEMNIFICATION.
(a) To
the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company shall, subject to Section
3.7(b) hereof, indemnify each Director (including for this purpose their
executors, heirs, assigns, successors, or other legal representatives), the
Investment Manager, and the Tax Matters Member (including for this purpose each
affiliate, shareholder, partner, member, officer, director, principal, employee,
or agent of the Investment Manager and the Tax Matters Member) and the
executors, heirs, assigns, successors, or other legal representatives of each of
the foregoing, and of any person who controls or is under common control, or
otherwise affiliated, with the Investment Manager or the Tax Matters Member (and
their executors, heirs, assigns, successors, or other legal representatives)
(each, an “indemnitee”) against all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs,
and expenses, including, but not limited to, amounts paid in satisfaction of
judgments, in compromise, or as fines or penalties, and reasonable counsel fees,
incurred in connection with the defense or disposition of any action, suit,
investigation, or other proceeding, whether civil or criminal, before any
judicial, arbitral, administrative, or legislative body, in which such
indemnitee may be or may have been involved as a party or otherwise, or with
which such indemnitee may be or may have been threatened, while in office or
thereafter, by reason of being or having been a Director, the Investment
Manager, or the Tax Matters Member, as the case may be, of the Company or the
past or present performance of services to the Company by such indemnitee,
except to the extent such loss, claim, damage, liability, cost, or expense shall
have been finally determined in a decision on the merits in any such action,
suit, investigation, or other proceeding to have been incurred or suffered by
such indemnitee by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence,
or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of such indemnitee’s
office. The rights of indemnification provided under this Section 3.7
shall not be construed so as to provide for indemnification of an indemnitee for
any liability (including liability under federal securities laws which, under
certain circumstances, impose liability even on persons that act in good faith)
to the extent (but only to the extent) that such indemnification would be in
violation of applicable law, but shall be construed so as to effectuate the
applicable provisions of this Section 3.7 to the fullest extent permitted by
law. Any director of the Company appointed by the Organizational
Member prior to the effectiveness of this Agreement shall be deemed to be a
“Director” for purposes of this Section 3.7.
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(b) Expenses,
including reasonable counsel fees, so incurred by any such indemnitee (but
excluding amounts paid in satisfaction of judgments, in compromise, or as fines
or penalties), may be paid from time to time by the Company in advance of the
final disposition of any such action, suit, investigation, or proceeding upon
receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such indemnitee to repay to the
Company amounts so paid if it shall ultimately be determined that
indemnification of such expenses is not authorized under Section 3.7(a) hereof;
provided, however, that a majority of the Directors (excluding any Director who
is seeking advancement of expenses hereunder or is or has been a party to any
action, suit, investigation, or proceeding involving claims similar to those
involved in the action, suit, investigation, or proceeding giving rise to a
claim for advancement of expenses hereunder) or independent legal counsel in a
written opinion shall determine based on a review of readily available facts (as
opposed to a full trial-type inquiry) that there is reason to believe such
indemnitee ultimately will be entitled to indemnification.
(c) An
indemnitee may not satisfy any right of indemnification or advancement of
expenses granted in this Section 3.7 as to which he, she, or it may otherwise be
entitled except out of the assets of the Company, and no Member shall be
personally liable with respect to any such claim for indemnification or
advancement of expenses.
(d) The
rights of indemnification provided hereunder shall not be exclusive of or affect
any other rights to which any person may be entitled by contract or otherwise
under law. Nothing contained in this Section 3.7 shall affect the power of the
Company to purchase and maintain liability insurance on behalf of any Director
or other person.
3.8 FEES;
EXPENSES; AND REIMBURSEMENT.
(a) The
Board may cause the Company to compensate each Director for his or her services
hereunder. In addition, the Company shall reimburse the Directors for
reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by them in performing their duties
under this Agreement.
(b) The
Company will bear all of its own expenses, including, but not limited to, all
expenses that the Board reasonably determines to be incurred in connection with
the Company’s investment activities including, but not limited to, due diligence
costs and any taxes to which the Company is subject; regulatory fees; and
interest charges. In addition, except as described below, the Company
will bear all of its own ordinary operating and administrative expenses, which
include, but are not limited to, administration fees; amounts due to persons not
affiliated with the Investment Manager for providing operating and
administrative services, custody, legal, accounting, audit and tax services to
the Company or to the Investment Manager with respect to the activities of the
Company; registration and filing fees; licensing fees, insurance expenses, costs
of preparing, printing and mailing reports and other documents, including proxy
materials, and the cost of the ongoing offering of the Interests. The
Company will bear all of its extraordinary expenses, if any. Expenses
incurred by the Company by reason of circumstances applicable to one or more,
but fewer than all, Members shall be allocated, to the extent possible, to such
Members’ capital account. Any expenses incurred in connection with
the Company’s registration under the Company Act will be born by the Investment
Manager. Once so registered, expenses incurred in connection with the
Company’s status as a registered investment company, such as travel-related
expenses and fees of members of the Board of Directors who are not affiliated
with the Investment Manager, and reporting and filing costs will be borne by the
Company.
ARTICLE
IV
TERMINATION
OF STATUS OF DIRECTORS;
TRANSFERS
AND REPURCHASES
4.1 TERMINATION
OF STATUS OF A DIRECTOR. The status of a Director shall terminate if
the Director: (a) shall die; (b) shall be adjudicated
incompetent; (c) shall voluntarily withdraw as a Director (upon not less
than 90 days’ prior written notice to the other Directors, unless the other
Directors waive such notice); (d) shall be removed; (e) shall be certified
by a physician to be mentally or physically unable to perform his or her duties
hereunder; (f) shall be declared bankrupt by a court with appropriate
jurisdiction, file a petition commencing a voluntary case under any bankruptcy
law, or make an assignment for the benefit of creditors; or (g) shall have a
receiver appointed to administer the property or affairs of such
Director.
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4.2 REMOVAL
OF THE DIRECTORS. Any Director may be removed by: (a) the
vote or written consent of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the Directors not
subject to the removal or vote; or (b) the vote or written consent of Members
constituting not less than two-thirds (2/3) of the total Membership
Percentage.
4.3 TRANSFER
OF INTERESTS OF MEMBERS.
(a) A
Member may transfer such Member’s Interest in whole or in part
only: (i) by operation of law pursuant to the death, divorce,
bankruptcy, insolvency, or dissolution of such Member; or (ii) under extremely
limited circumstances, with the written consent of the Board (which may be
withheld for any reason in its sole and absolute discretion). If any
transferee does not meet such investor eligibility requirements as may be
required by the Board, the Company reserves the right to redeem its
Interest. If the Board does not consent to a transfer by operation of
law, the Company shall redeem the Interest from the Member’s
successor. Any transfer must comply with the Securities
Act. The Board generally will not consent to a transfer unless the
transfer is: (x) one in which the tax basis of the Interest in the
hands of the transferee is determined, in whole or in part, by reference to its
tax basis in the hands of the transferring Member (e.g., certain gifts and
contributions to family entities); or (y) to members of the transferring
Member’s immediate family (siblings, spouse, parents, and
children). The foregoing permitted transferees will not be allowed to
become substituted Members without the consent of the Board, which may be
withheld in its sole and absolute discretion. Each transferring
Member and transferee agrees to pay all expenses, including, but not limited to,
attorneys’ and accountants’ fees, incurred by the Company in connection with any
transfer.
(b) By
subscribing for an Interest, each Member agrees to indemnify and hold harmless
the Company, the Board, the Investment Manager, or each other Member, and any
Affiliate of the foregoing against all losses, claims, damages, liabilities,
costs, and expenses (including legal or other expenses incurred in investigating
or defending against any losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs, and
expenses or any judgments, fines, and amounts paid in settlement), joint or
several, to which such persons may become subject by reason of or arising from
any transfer made by that Member in violation of this Section 4.3 or any
misrepresentation made by that Member in connection with any such
transfer.
(c) Each
transferring Member shall indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the Board,
the Investment Manager, or each other Member and any Affiliate of the foregoing
against all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including
legal or other expenses incurred in investigating or defending against any such
losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs, and expenses or any judgments,
fines, and amounts paid in settlement), joint or several, to which such persons
may become subject by reason of or arising from: (i) any transfer
made by such Member in violation of this Section 4.3; and (ii) any
misrepresentation by such Member in connection with any such
transfer.
4.4 REPURCHASE
OF INTERESTS.
(a) General. No Member
or other person holding an Interest or portion thereof shall have the right to
require the Company to redeem its Interest. The Board of the Company,
from time to time, and in its sole and absolute discretion, may determine to
cause the Company to offer to repurchase Interests from Members, including the
Investment Manager, on such terms and conditions as set forth in this
Agreement. However, the Company shall not offer to repurchase
Interests on more than two occasions during any one Fiscal Year unless it has
been advised by counsel to the Company to the effect that more frequent offers
would not cause any adverse tax consequences to the Company or its
Members. In accordance with the terms and conditions as are set forth
in this Agreement, in determining whether to cause the Company to repurchase
Interests pursuant to written requests by Members, the Board shall consider the
following factors, among others, in making such determination:
(1) whether
FEG Absolute Access Fund is making a contemporaneous repurchase offer for
interests therein, and the aggregate value of interests FEG Absolute Access Fund
is offering to repurchase.
(2) whether
any Members have requested that the Company repurchase their
Interests;
(3) the
liquidity of the Company’s assets;
(4) the
investment plans and working capital requirements of the Company;
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(5) the
relative economies of scale with respect to the size of the
Company;
(6) the
history of the Company in repurchasing Interests;
(7) the
conditions in the securities markets and economic conditions generally;
and
(8) the
anticipated tax consequences of any proposed repurchases of
Interests.
(b) Discretionary
Repurchases. The Board shall cause the Company to repurchase
Interests on terms fair to the Company and to all Members (or one or more
classes of Members, including persons holding Interests acquired from Members),
as applicable, in the following manner:
(1) The
Board will provide written notice to Members when it has determined, in its sole
and absolute discretion, that the Company will repurchase
Interests. Such notice will describe the terms of the repurchase
offer, including:
(i) the
commencement date of the repurchase offer;
(ii) the
date on which repurchase requests must be received by the Company (the
“Repurchase Request Deadline”); and
(iii) other
information that Members should consider in deciding whether and how to
participate in such repurchase opportunity.
(2) Members
must submit, in writing, requests for repurchase to the Company or its
designated agent. The Repurchase Request Deadline will be a date set
by the Board occurring no sooner than 20 business days after the commencement
date of the repurchase offer and such Repurchase Request Deadline may be
extended by the Board in its sole and absolute discretion. The
Company will not accept any repurchase request received by it or its designated
agent after the Repurchase Request Deadline.
(3) Payment
for Interests, accepted by the Company for repurchase will be made in whole or
in part in accordance with Section 4.4(b)(6). The amount due to any
Member tendering all of its Interest in the Company will be equal to the value
of the Member’s Capital Account based on the estimated unaudited net asset value
of the Company’s assets as of the effective date of repurchase (the “Full
Repurchase Valuation Date”), after giving effect to all allocations to be made
to the Member’s Capital Account as of such date. The Full Repurchase
Valuation Date will be approximately 95 days after the Repurchase Request
Deadline. Members who tender a portion of their Interests in the
Company (defined as a specific dollar value) in their repurchase request, and
which portion is accepted for repurchase by the Company, shall receive such
specified dollar amount.
(4) The
Company may suspend or postpone any repurchase offer, by vote of a majority of
the Board, including a majority of the Independent Directors, including but not
limited to:
(i) for
any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which it is not
reasonably practicable for the Company to dispose of securities it owns or to
determine the value of the Company’s nets assets;
(ii) for
any other periods that the SEC permits by order for the protection of Members;
or
(iii) under
such other unusual circumstances as the Board deems advisable for the benefit of
the Company and its Members.
(5) The
Board, in its sole and absolute discretion, shall determine the amount of
Interests to be repurchased, if any. If a greater amount of Interests
is submitted for repurchase by Members as of the Repurchase Request Deadline
than the repurchase offer amount, as determined by the Board in its sole and
absolute discretion, the Company shall repurchase the Interests submitted for
repurchase on a pro rata basis, disregarding fractions, according to the amount
of Interests submitted for repurchase by each Member as of the Repurchase
Request Deadline; provided, however, that this provision shall not prohibit the
Company from:
11
(i) accepting
all Interests submitted for repurchase by Members who own, beneficially or of
record, an aggregate of not more than a specified percentage of such Interest
and who submit for repurchase all their Interest, before prorating Interests
submitted for repurchase by other Members; or
(ii) accepting
by lot Interests submitted for repurchase by Members who offer all the Interest
held by them or who, when submitting for repurchase their Interest, elect to
have either all or none or at least a minimum amount or none accepted, if the
Company first accepts all Interests submitted for repurchase by Members who do
not so elect.
(6) Repurchases
of Interests or portions thereof by the Company shall be payable after the date
of each such repurchase or, in the case of an offer by the Company to repurchase
Interests, after the expiration date of such repurchase offer in accordance with
the terms of such offer. Payment of the purchase price for an
Interest (or portion thereof) shall be made within five days of the relevant
Repurchase Request Deadline, and shall consist of a promissory note, which need
not bear interest, in an amount equal to 100% of the unaudited net asset value
of the portion of the Interest redeemed. The note will entitle the
Member to be paid within 30 days after the Full Repurchase Valuation Date, or
ten business days after the Company has received at least 90% of the aggregate
amount withdrawn by the Company from the Portfolio Funds (through the Company’s
investment in FEG Absolute Access Fund [via the Offshore Fund]), whichever is
later (either such date, a “Payment Date”). Notwithstanding the
foregoing, if a Member has requested the repurchase of 90% or more of the
Interest held by such Member, such Member shall receive: (i) a promissory note,
which need not bear interest, in an amount equal to 90% of the estimated
unaudited net asset value of the Interest (or portion thereof) repurchased by
the Company determined as of the Full Repurchase Valuation Date (after giving
effect to all allocations to be made as of that date to such Member’s capital
account) (the “Initial Payment”), which will be paid on or prior to the Payment
Date; and (ii) a promissory note entitling the holder thereof to the balance of
the proceeds, to be paid within 30 days of the completion of the Company’s next
annual audit. Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing to the
contrary, the Board of Directors, in its discretion, may pay any portion of the
repurchase price in Securities (or any combination of Securities and cash)
having a value, determined as of the Full Repurchase Valuation Date, equal to
the amount to be repurchased; provided that the Board of Directors, in its
discretion, may make payment of the purchase price for an Interest by in-kind
distribution of Securities held by the Company. The purchase price of
an Interest will be determined as of the Full Repurchase Valuation
Date.
(7) The
Board may, in its sole and absolute discretion, elect to impose charges on
Members or other persons who submit their Interests for repurchase. In the event
that a Member requests the repurchase of Interests that had been acquired within
18 months of the date of the most recent Repurchase Offer, the Board may require
payment of a repurchase fee payable to the Company in an amount equal to 5% of
the repurchase price for such Interests, which fee is intended to compensate the
Company for expenses related to such repurchase. Interests shall be
repurchased by treating the Interests first acquired by a Member as being
repurchased prior to Interests acquired by such Member
thereafter. The Board may also, in its sole and absolute discretion,
allocate to tendering Members withdrawal or similar charges imposed by Portfolio
Funds if the Company has requested withdrawal of its capital from any Portfolio
Funds in order to fund the repurchase of Interests and such charges were imposed
on the Company.
(8) A
Member who submits for repurchase only a portion of such Member’s Interest shall
be required to maintain a Capital Account balance at least equal to
$250,000.
(9) The
Investment Manager may submit for repurchase its Interest as a Member under
Section 4.4 hereof.
(c) Mandatory
Redemptions. The Board may cause the Company to redeem the
Interest of a Member or of any person acquiring such an Interest from or through
a Member in the event that the Board determines or has reason to believe that,
among other things:
12
(1) such
Interest has been transferred or such Interest has vested in any person by
operation of law as a result of the death, dissolution, bankruptcy, or
incompetency of a Member;
(2) ownership
of such Interest by a Member or other person will cause the Company or FEG
Absolute Access Fund to be in violation of, or require registration of any
Interests, or subject the Company, FEG Absolute Access Fund or the Investment
Manager to additional registration or regulation under, the securities,
commodities, or other laws of the United States or any other relevant
jurisdiction;
(3) continued
ownership of such Interest may be harmful or injurious to the business or
reputation of the Company, FEG Absolute Access Fund or the Investment Manager,
or may subject the Company, FEG Absolute Access Fund, or any Members or members
of FEG Absolute Access Fund to an undue risk of adverse tax or other fiscal
consequences;
(4) for
any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which it is not
reasonably practicable for the Company to dispose of securities it owns or to
determine the value of the Company’s net assets;
(5) any
representation or warranty made by a Member in connection with the acquisition
of such Interest was not true when made or has ceased to be true;
or
(6) it
would be in the best interests of the Company, as determined by the Board in its
sole and absolute discretion, for the Company to redeem such
Interest.
ARTICLE
V
CAPITAL
5.1 CONTRIBUTIONS
TO CAPITAL.
(a) The
minimum Capital Contribution of each Member to the capital of the Company shall
be such amount as the Board in its sole and absolute discretion may determine
from time to time. The amount of the initial Capital Contribution of
each Member shall be recorded on the books and records of the Company upon
acceptance as a contribution to the capital of the Company. The
Directors shall not be entitled to make voluntary contributions of capital to
the Company as Directors of the Company, but may make voluntary contributions to
the capital of the Company as Members. The Investment Manager may
make voluntary contributions to the capital of the Company as a
Member.
(b) If
permitted by the Board, a Member and the Investment Manager, as a Member, may
make additional Capital Contributions to the Company, effective as of such times
as the Board in its discretion may permit, subject to the limitations applicable
to the admission of Members pursuant to this Agreement. No Member
shall be obligated to make any additional Capital Contribution except to the
extent provided in this Agreement.
(c) Except
as otherwise permitted by the Board, initial and any additional contributions to
the capital of the Company by any Member shall be payable in cash.
(d) The
minimum initial and additional Capital Contributions may be increased or reduced
by the Board.
(e) The
Company shall issue the Interests to any Member making an additional Capital
Contribution.
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5.2 RIGHTS
OF MEMBERS TO CAPITAL.
No Member
shall be entitled to interest on his or its contribution to the capital of the
Company, nor shall any Member be entitled to the return of any capital of the
Company except as otherwise specifically provided herein. No Member
shall be liable for the return of any such amounts. No Member shall
have the right to require partition of the Company’s property or to compel any
sale or appraisal of the Company’s assets.
5.3 CAPITAL
ACCOUNTS.
(a) The
Company shall maintain a separate Capital Account for each Member.
(b) Each
Member’s Capital Account shall have an initial balance equal to the amount of
cash constituting such Member’s initial Capital Contribution.
(c) Each
Member’s Capital Account shall be increased by the sum
of: (i) the amount of cash constituting additional contributions
by such Member to the capital of the Company permitted pursuant to Section 5.1;
plus (ii) any amount credited to such Member’s Capital Account pursuant to this
Article V.
(d) Each
Member’s Capital Account shall be reduced by the sum of: (i) the
amount of any repurchase of the Interest, or portion thereof, of such Member or
distributions to such Member pursuant to this Agreement; plus (ii) any amounts
debited against such Member’s Capital Account pursuant to this Article
V.
(e) If
the Interest, or a portion thereof, of a Member is transferred in accordance
with the terms of this Agreement, the transferee shall succeed to the Capital
Account, or portion thereof, of the transferor to the extent it relates to the
transferred Interest or portion thereof.
5.4 ALLOCATION
OF NET PROFIT AND LOSS.
As of the
last day of each Fiscal Period, any Net Profit or Net Loss for the Fiscal Period
shall be allocated among and credited to or debited against the Capital Accounts
of the Members in accordance with each Member’s Membership Percentage for such
Fiscal Period.
5.5 ALLOCATION
OF CERTAIN WITHHOLDING TAXES AND OTHER EXPENDITURES.
(a) If
the Company incurs a withholding tax or other tax obligation with respect to the
share of Company income allocable to any Member, then the Board, without
limitation of any other rights of the Company or the Board, shall cause the
amount of such obligation to be debited against the Capital Account of such
Member when the Company pays such obligation, and any amounts then or thereafter
distributable to such Member shall be reduced by the amount of such
taxes. If the amount of such taxes is greater than any such
distributable amounts, then such Member and any successor to such Member’s
Interest shall pay to the Company as a contribution to the capital of the
Company, upon demand of the Company, the amount of such excess. The
Company shall not be obligated to apply for or obtain a reduction of or
exemption from withholding tax on behalf of any Member that may be eligible for
such reduction or exemption; provided, that in the event that the Company
determines that a Member is eligible for a refund of any withholding tax, the
Company may, at the request and expense of such Member, assist such Member in
applying for such refund.
(b) Except
as otherwise provided for in this Agreement and unless prohibited by the Company
Act, any expenditures payable by the Company, to the extent determined by the
Board to have been paid or withheld on behalf of, or by reason of particular
circumstances applicable to, one or more but fewer than all of the Members,
shall be charged to only those Members on whose behalf such payments are made or
whose particular circumstances gave rise to such payments. Such charges shall be
debited from the Capital Accounts of such Members as of the close of the Fiscal
Period during which any such items were paid or accrued by the
Company.
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5.6 RESERVES.
(a) Appropriate
reserves may be created, accrued, and charged against the Company’s Net Asset
Value and proportionately against the Capital Accounts of the Members for
contingent liabilities, if any, as of the date any such contingent liability
becomes known to the Investment Manager or the Board, such reserves to be in the
amounts which the Board in its sole and absolute discretion deems necessary or
appropriate. The Board may increase or reduce any such reserves from
time to time by such amounts as it in its sole and absolute discretion deems
necessary or appropriate. The amount of any such reserve, or any
increase or decrease therein, may be proportionately charged or credited, as
appropriate, to the Members’ Capital Accounts. The amount of any such
reserve, or any increase or decrease therein, may be proportionately charged or
credited, as appropriate, to the Capital Accounts of those parties who are
Members at the time when such reserve is created, increased, or decreased, as
the case may be or, in the sole and absolute discretion of the Board, to those
Persons who were Members at the time, as determined by the Board in its sole and
absolute discretion, of the act or omission giving rise to the contingent
liability for which the reserve was established, increased, or decreased in
proportion to their Capital Accounts at that time.
(b) To
the extent permitted under applicable law and in the sole and absolute
discretion of the Board, if at any time an amount is paid or received by the
Company (other than contributions to the capital of the Company, distributions,
or repurchases of Interests or portions thereof) and such amount was not accrued
or reserved for but would nevertheless, in accordance with the Company’s
accounting practices, be treated as applicable to one or more prior Fiscal
Periods, then such amount may be proportionately charged or credited, as
appropriate, to those parties who were Members during such prior Fiscal Period
or Periods. To the extent permitted under applicable law, if any amount is to be
charged or credited to a Person who is no longer a Member pursuant to this
Section 5.6, such amount shall be paid by or to such Person, as the case may be,
in cash, with interest from the date on which the Board determines that such
charge or credit is required. In the case of a charge, the former
Member shall be obligated to pay the amount of the charge, plus interest as
provided above, to the Company on demand; provided, however, that: (i) in no
event shall a former Member be obligated to make a payment exceeding the amount
of such Member’s Capital Account at the time to which the charge relates; and
(ii) no such demand shall be made after the expiration of three years since the
date on which such Person ceased to be a Member. To the extent that a
former Member fails to pay to the Company, in full, any amount required to be
charged to such former Member pursuant to paragraph (a), whether due to the
expiration of the applicable limitation period or for any other reason
whatsoever, the deficiency shall be charged proportionately to the Capital
Accounts of the Members at the time of the act or omission giving rise to the
charge to the extent feasible, and otherwise proportionately to the Capital
Accounts of the current Members.
5.7 TAX
ALLOCATIONS.
For each Fiscal Year, items of income,
deduction, gain, loss, or credit shall be allocated for income tax purposes
among the Members in such a manner as to reflect equitably amounts credited or
debited to each Member’s Capital Account for the current and prior Fiscal Years
(or relevant portions thereof). Allocations under this Section 5.7
shall be made pursuant to the principles of Sections 704(b) and 704(c) of the
Code, and in conformity with Treasury Regulations Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f),
1.704-1(b)(4)(i), and 1.704-3(e) promulgated thereunder, as applicable, or the
successor provisions to such Section and Regulations. Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary in this Agreement, there shall be allocated to the
Members such gains or income as shall be necessary to satisfy the “qualified
income offset” requirement of Treasury Regulations Section
1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d).
5.8 DISTRIBUTIONS.
(a) The
Board, in its sole and absolute discretion, may authorize the Company to make
distributions in cash or in kind at any time to all of the Members on a pro rata
basis in accordance with each Member’s Membership Percentage.
(b) The
Board may withhold and pay over to the Internal Revenue Service (or any other
relevant taxing authority) taxes from any distribution to any Member to the
extent required by the Code or any other applicable law. For purposes
of this Agreement, any taxes so withheld by the Company with respect to any
amount distributed by the Company to any Member shall be deemed to be a
distribution or payment to such Member, reducing the amount otherwise
distributable to such Member pursuant to this Agreement and, if appropriate,
reducing the Capital Account of such Member. If the amount of such
taxes is greater than any such distributable amounts, then such Member and any
successor to such Member’s Interests shall pay to the Company as a contribution
to the capital of the Company, upon demand of the Board, the amount of such
excess.
15
(c) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained herein, none of the Directors or the Members,
nor any other person on behalf of the Company, shall make a distribution to the
Members on account of their Interests in the Company if such distribution would
violate the Delaware Act or other applicable law.
(d) The
amount and times of any distributions will be determined in the sole and
absolute discretion of the Board.
5.9 ORGANIZATIONAL
EXPENSES, COMPANY ACT REGISTRATION EXPENSES.
(a) The
Investment Manager will bear the fees and expenses incurred in connection with
the organization of the Company and the initial offering of the
Interests.
(b) Any
expenses incurred in connection with the Company’s registration under the
Company Act, if so registered in the future, will be born by the Investment
Manager and/or an Affiliate(s).
ARTICLE
VI
DISSOLUTION
AND LIQUIDATION
6.1 DISSOLUTION.
(a) The
Company shall be dissolved at any time there are no Members, unless the Company
is continued in accordance with the Delaware Act, or upon the occurrence of any
of the following events:
(i) upon
the affirmative vote to dissolve the Company by: (i) the Board; or
(ii) Members holding in excess of 50% of the Membership Percentage in the
Company;
(ii) upon
the failure of Members to elect a successor Board member at a meeting called by
an officer of the Company in accordance with this Agreement when no Board member
remains to continue the business of the Company;
(iii) as
required by operation of law; or
(iv) if
any Member that has submitted a written request, in accordance with the terms of
this Agreement, to tender all of such Member’s Interest for repurchase by the
Company has not been given the opportunity to so tender within a period of two
years after the request (whether in a single repurchase offer or multiple
consecutive offers within the two-year period), provided, however, that a Member
who intends to cause the Company to be dissolved must so indicate in a separate
written request submitted within the applicable two-year period.
(b) Dissolution
of the Company shall be effective on the day on which the event giving rise to
the dissolution shall occur or the conclusion of any applicable 60 day period
during which the Board and Members may elect to continue the business of the
Company as provided herein, but the Company shall not terminate until the assets
of the Company have been liquidated in accordance with Section 6.2 hereof and
the Certificate has been canceled.
6.2 LIQUIDATION
OF ASSETS.
(a) Upon
the dissolution of the Company as provided in Section 6.1 hereof, the Board,
acting directly or through a liquidator it selects, shall promptly liquidate the
business and administrative affairs of the Company, except that if the Board is
unable to perform this function, a liquidator elected by Members holding a
majority of the Membership Percentage shall promptly liquidate the business and
administrative affairs of the Company. Net Profit and Net Loss during
the period of liquidation shall be allocated pursuant to
Article V. The proceeds from liquidation (after establishment of
appropriate reserves for contingencies in such amount as the Board or liquidator
shall deem appropriate in its sole and absolute discretion as applicable) shall,
subject to the Delaware Act, be distributed in the following
manner:
16
(i) in
satisfaction (whether by payment or the making of reasonable provision for
payment thereof) of the debts and liabilities of the Company, including the
expenses of liquidation (including legal and accounting expenses incurred in
connection therewith), but not including debt and liabilities to Members, up to
and including the date that distribution of the Company’s assets to the Members
has been completed, shall first be paid on a pro rata basis;
(ii) such
debts, liabilities, or obligations as are owing to the Members shall be paid
next in their order of seniority and on a pro rata basis; and
(iii) the
Members shall be paid next on a pro rata basis the positive balances of their
respective Capital Accounts after giving effect to all allocations to be made to
such Members’ Capital Accounts for the Fiscal Period ending on the date of the
distributions under this Section 6.2(a)(iii).
(b) Anything
in this Section 6.2 to the contrary notwithstanding, but subject to the
priorities set forth in Section 6.2(a) above, upon dissolution of the Company,
the Board or other liquidator may distribute ratably in kind any assets of the
Company; provided, however, that if any in-kind distribution is to be made:
(i) the assets distributed in kind shall be valued pursuant to Section 7.3
as of the actual date of their distribution and charged as so valued and
distributed against amounts to be paid under Section 6.2(a) above; and
(ii) any profit or loss attributable to property distributed in-kind shall
be included in the Net Profit or Net Loss for the Fiscal Period ending on the
date of such distribution.
ARTICLE
VII
ACCOUNTING,
VALUATIONS, AND BOOKS AND RECORDS
7.1 ACCOUNTING
AND REPORTS.
(a) The
Company shall adopt for tax accounting purposes any accounting method that the
Board shall decide in its sole and absolute discretion is in the best interests
of the Company. The Company’s accounts shall be maintained in U.S.
currency.
(b) The
Company shall furnish to each Member such information regarding the operation of
the Company and such Member’s Interest as are necessary for Members to complete
Federal and state income tax or information returns and any other tax
information required by federal, state, or local law.
(c) Members
will receive monthly Capital Account statements with estimated balances,
quarterly performance commentary, annual audited financial statements and such
reports as may be required by law or regulation.
7.2 DETERMINATIONS
BY THE BOARD.
(a) All
matters concerning the determination and allocation among the Members of the
amounts to be determined and allocated pursuant to Article V hereof,
including any taxes thereon and accounting procedures applicable thereto, shall
be determined by the Board (either directly or by the Investment Manager
pursuant to delegated authority) unless specifically and expressly otherwise
provided for by the provisions of this Agreement or as required by law, and such
determinations and allocations shall be final and binding on all the
Members.
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(b) The
Board may make such adjustments to the computation of Net Profit or Net Loss or
any components (withholding any items of income, gain, loss, or deduction)
comprising any of the foregoing as it considers appropriate to reflect fairly
and accurately the financial results of the Company and the intended allocation
thereof among the Members.
7.3 VALUATION
OF ASSETS.
(a) Assets
of the Company that are invested in Portfolio Funds (through its investment in
FEG Absolute Access Fund [via the Offshore Fund]) shall be valued in accordance
with the terms and conditions of the constituent documents of such Portfolio
Funds.
(b) If
the Board determines that the valuation of any Securities or other property
pursuant to 7.3(a) does not fairly represent market value or if the relevant
constituent documents of the Portfolio Fund do not contain valuation principles,
the Board shall value such Securities or other property as it reasonably
determines and shall set forth the basis of such valuation in writing in the
Company’s records.
(c) All
other assets of the Company (except goodwill, which shall not be taken into
account) shall be assigned such value as the Board may reasonably determine in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
(d) The
value of Securities and other assets of the Company and the net worth of the
Company as a whole and the Interests determined pursuant to this
Section 7.3 shall be conclusive and binding on all of the Members and all
parties claiming through or under them.
ARTICLE
VIII
MISCELLANEOUS
PROVISIONS
8.1 AMENDMENT
OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY OPERATING AGREEMENT.
(a) Except
as otherwise provided in this Section 8.1, this Agreement may be amended, in
whole or in part, with the approval of: (i) the Board (including
the vote of a majority of the Independent Directors, if required by the Company
Act); or (ii) a majority of the Membership Percentage of the
Company.
(b) Any
amendment that would:
(i) increase
the obligation of a Member to make any contribution to the capital of the
Company;
(ii) reduce
the Capital Account of a Member other than in accordance with Article V;
or
(iii) modify
the events causing the dissolution of the Company,
may be
made only if: (i) the written consent of each Member adversely
affected thereby is obtained prior to the effectiveness thereof; or
(ii) such amendment does not become effective until (A) each Member
has received written notice of such amendment and (B) any Member objecting
to such amendment has been afforded a reasonable opportunity (pursuant to such
procedures as may be prescribed by the Board) to offer his or her entire
Interest for repurchase by the Company.
(c) The
power of the Board to amend this Agreement at any time without the consent of
the Members may include, but is not limited to:
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(i) restate
this Agreement together with any amendments hereto that have been duly adopted
in accordance with this Agreement to incorporate such amendments in a single,
integrated document;
(ii) amend
this Agreement (other than with respect to the matters set forth in Section
8.1(b) hereof) to effect compliance with any applicable law or regulation or to
cure any ambiguity or to correct or supplement any provision hereof that may be
inconsistent with any other provision hereof, provided that such action does not
adversely affect the rights of any Member in any material respect;
and
(iii) amend
this Agreement to make such changes as may be necessary or desirable, based on
advice of legal counsel to the Company, to assure the Company’s continuing
eligibility to be classified for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a
partnership that is not treated as a corporation under Section 7704(a) of the
Code.
(d) The
Board shall give written notice of any proposed amendment to this Agreement
(other than any amendment of the type contemplated by clause (i) of Section
8.1(a) hereof) to each Member, which notice shall set
forth: (i) the text of the proposed amendment; or (ii) a
summary thereof and a statement that the text thereof will be furnished to any
Member upon request.
8.2 SPECIAL
POWER OF ATTORNEY.
(a) Each
Member hereby irrevocably makes, constitutes, and appoints each Director, acting
severally, and any liquidator of the Company’s assets appointed pursuant to
Section 6.2 with full power of substitution, the true and lawful representatives
and attorneys-in-fact of, and in the name, place, and stead of, such Member,
with the power from time to time to make, execute, sign, acknowledge, swear to,
verify, deliver, record, file, and/or publish:
(i) any
amendment to this Agreement that complies with the provisions of this Agreement
(including the provisions of Section 8.1 hereof);
(ii) any
amendment to the Certificate required because this Agreement is amended or as
otherwise required by the Delaware Act; and
(iii) all
other such instruments, documents, and certificates that, in the opinion of
legal counsel, from time to time may be required by the laws of the United
States of America, the State of Delaware, or any other jurisdiction in which the
Company shall determine to do business, or any political subdivision or agency
thereof, or that such legal counsel may deem necessary or appropriate to
effectuate, implement, and continue the valid existence and business of the
Company as a limited liability company under the Delaware Act.
(b) Each
Member is aware that the terms of this Agreement permit certain amendments to
this Agreement to be effected and certain other actions to be taken or omitted
by or with respect to the Company without such Member’s consent. If
an amendment to the Certificate or this Agreement or any action by or with
respect to the Company is taken in the manner contemplated by this Agreement,
each Member agrees that, notwithstanding any objection that such Member may
assert with respect to such action, the attorneys-in-fact appointed hereby are
authorized and empowered, with full power of substitution, to exercise the
authority granted above in any manner which may be necessary or appropriate to
permit such amendment to be made or action lawfully taken or
omitted. Each Member is fully aware that each Member will rely on the
effectiveness of this special power-of-attorney with a view to the orderly
administration of the affairs of the Company.
(c) This
power-of-attorney is a special power-of-attorney and is coupled with an interest
in favor of each Director, acting severally, and any liquidator of the Company’s
assets, appointed pursuant to Section 6.2 hereof, and as such:
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(i) shall
be irrevocable and continue in full force and effect notwithstanding the
subsequent death or incapacity of any party granting this power-of-attorney,
regardless of whether the Company, the Board, or any liquidator shall have had
notice thereof; and
(ii) shall
survive the delivery of a transfer by a Member of the whole or any portion of
such Member’s Interest, except that where the transferee thereof has been
approved by the Board for admission to the Company as a substituted Member, this
power-of-attorney given by the transferor shall survive the delivery of such
assignment for the sole purpose of enabling the Board or any liquidator to
execute, acknowledge, and file any instrument necessary to effect such
substitution.
8.3 NOTICES.
(a) Notices
that may be or are required to be provided under this Agreement shall be made,
if to a Member, by regular postal mail, hand delivery, registered or certified
mail return receipt requested, commercial courier service, facsimile, electronic
mail, the internet, computer interface, or any other electronic method or device
of document transfer or telegraphic or other written communication, or, if to
the Company, by regular postal mail, hand delivery, registered or certified mail
return receipt requested, commercial courier service, facsimile, electronic
mail, the internet, computer interface, or any other electronic method or device
of document transfer or telegraphic or other written communication, and shall be
addressed to the respective parties hereto at their addresses as set forth on
the books and records of the Company (or to such other addresses as may be
designated by any party hereto by notice addressed to the Company in the case of
notice given to any Member, and to each of the Members in the case of notice
given to the Company). Notices shall be deemed to have been provided
when delivered by hand, on the date indicated as the date of receipt on a return
receipt or when received if sent by regular mail, commercial courier service,
facsimile, telegraphic, electronic, or other means of written
communication. A document that is not a notice and that is required
to be provided under this Agreement by any party to another party may be
delivered by any reasonable means.
(b) If
any notice addressed to a Member at the address of that Member appearing on the
books and records of the Company is returned to the Company marked to indicate
that such notice is unable to be delivered to the Member at that address, all
future notices or reports shall be deemed to have been duly given without
further mailing if such future notices or reports shall be kept available to the
Member, upon written demand of the Member, at the principal executive office of
the Company for a period of one year from the date of the giving of the
notice.
8.4 AGREEMENT
BINDING UPON SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS. This Agreement shall be binding
upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective heirs,
successors, assigns, executors, trustees, or other legal representatives, but
the rights and obligations of the parties hereunder may not be transferred or
delegated except as provided in this Agreement and any attempted transfer or
delegation thereof that is not made pursuant to the terms of this Agreement
shall be void.
8.5 CHOICE
OF LAW. Notwithstanding the place where this Agreement may be
executed by any of the parties hereto, the parties expressly agree that all the
terms and provisions hereof shall be construed under the laws of the State of
Delaware, including the Delaware Act, without regard to the conflict of law
principles of the State of Delaware.
8.6 NOT
FOR BENEFIT OF CREDITORS. The provisions of this Agreement are
intended only for the regulation of relations among past, present, and future
Members, Directors, and the Company. This Agreement is not intended
for the benefit of non-Member creditors and no rights are granted to non-Member
creditors under this Agreement.
8.7 CONSENTS. Any
and all consents, agreements, or approvals provided for or permitted by this
Agreement shall be in writing and a signed copy thereof shall be filed and kept
with the books of the Company.
8.8 MERGER
AND CONSOLIDATION.
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(a) The
Company (if permitted by the Company Act) may merge or consolidate with or into
one or more limited liability companies formed under the Delaware Act or other
business entities (as defined in Section 18-209(a) of the Delaware Act) pursuant
to an agreement of merger or consolidation which has been approved in the manner
contemplated by Section 18-209(b) of the Delaware Act.
(b) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained elsewhere in this Agreement, an agreement of
merger or consolidation approved in accordance with Section 18-209(b) of the
Delaware Act may, to the extent permitted by Section 18-209(b) of the Delaware
Act: (i) effect any amendment to this Agreement;
(ii) effect the adoption of a new limited liability company operating
agreement for the Company if it is the surviving or resulting limited liability
company in the merger or consolidation; or (iii) provide that the limited
liability company operating agreement of any other constituent limited liability
company to the merger or consolidation (including a limited liability company
formed for the purpose of consummating the merger or consolidation) shall be the
limited liability company operating agreement of the surviving or resulting
limited liability company.
8.9 PRONOUNS. All
pronouns shall be deemed to refer to the masculine, feminine, neuter, singular,
or plural, as the identity of the person or persons, firm, or corporation may
require in the context thereof.
8.10 CONFIDENTIALITY.
(a) Each
Member covenants that, except as required by applicable law or any regulatory
body, it will not divulge, furnish, or make accessible to any other person the
name or address (whether business, residence, or mailing) of any Member or any
other Confidential Information without the prior written consent of the Board,
which consent may be withheld in its sole and absolute
discretion. The term “Confidential Information” includes all
information furnished to a Person who becomes a Member (regardless of whether
such information is furnished before, during or after such Person is admitted as
a Member of the Company or whether such Person remains a Member of the Company)
in writing, in electronic form, orally, or otherwise by the Board, the
Investment Manager or their agents or representatives, including but not limited
to, the names of Portfolio Funds and Portfolio Managers, and all analyses,
compilations, studies or other material prepared by such Member containing or
based in whole or in part upon such information furnished to such Member, but
does not include information which (i) is or becomes generally available to the
public other than as a result of a disclosure by such Member; (ii) was available
to such Member on a non-confidential basis prior to its disclosure to such
Member by the Board, the Investment Manager or their agents or representatives;
or (iii) becomes available to such Member on a non-confidential basis from a
source other than the Board, the Investment Manager or their agents or
representatives, provided that such source is not bound by a confidentiality
agreement with the Company, the Board, the Investment Manager or their agents or
representatives.
(b) Each
Member recognizes that in the event that this Section 8.10 is breached by any
Member or any of its principals, partners, members, trustees, officers,
directors, employees, or agents or any of its affiliates, including any of such
affiliates’ principals, partners, members, trustees, officers, directors,
employees, or agents, irreparable injury may result to the Company, the Board
and the Investment Manager. Accordingly, in addition to any and all
other remedies at law or in equity to which the Company, the Board and the
Investment Manager may be entitled, the Company, the Board and the Investment
Manager also shall have the right to obtain equitable relief, including, without
limitation, injunctive relief, to prevent any disclosure of Confidential
Information, plus reasonable attorneys’ fees and other litigation expenses
incurred in connection therewith.
(c) The
Company shall have the right to keep confidential from the Members for such
period of time as it deems reasonable any information that the Board reasonably
believes to be in the nature of trade secrets or other information the
disclosure of which the Board in good faith believes is not in the best interest
of the Company or could damage the Company or its business or that the Company
is required by law or by agreement with a third party to keep
confidential.
8.11 SEVERABILITY. If
any provision of this Agreement is determined by a court of competent
jurisdiction not to be enforceable in the manner set forth in this Agreement,
each Member agrees that it is the intention of the Members that such provision
should be enforceable to the maximum extent possible under applicable
law. If any provisions of this Agreement are held to be invalid or
unenforceable, such invalidation or unenforceability shall not affect the
validity or enforceability of any other provision of this Agreement (or portion
thereof).
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8.12 ENTIRE
AGREEMENT. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement among the
parties hereto pertaining to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior
agreements and understandings pertaining thereto.
8.13 DISCRETION. To
the fullest extent permitted by law, whenever in this Agreement, a person is
permitted or required to make a decision: (i) in its “sole
discretion” or “discretion” or under a grant of similar authority or latitude,
such person shall be entitled to consider only such interests and factors as it
desires, including its own interests, and shall have no duty or obligation to
give any consideration to any interest of or factors affecting the Company or
the Members; or (ii) in its “good faith” or under another express standard,
then such person shall act under such express standard and shall not be subject
to any other or different standards imposed by this Agreement or any other
agreement contemplated herein or by relevant provisions of law or in equity or
otherwise.
8.14 COUNTERPARTS. This
Agreement may be executed in several counterparts, all of which together shall
constitute one agreement binding on all parties hereto, notwithstanding that all
the parties have not signed the same counterpart.
8.15 TAX
MATTERS MEMBER. The Investment Manager shall be the “tax matters
partner” under the Code for the Company unless another Member is so designated
by the Board, and shall have the authority to make any tax elections the
Investment Manager deems advisable including the election under Section 754 of
the Code.
8.16 INVESTMENT
IN ACCORDANCE WITH LAW. Each Member that is, or is investing assets
on behalf of, an “employee benefit plan,” as defined in, and subject to the
fiduciary responsibility provisions of, the Employee Retirement Income Security
Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), or a “plan,” as defined in and subject to
Section 4975 of the Code (each such employee benefit plan and plan, a “Plan”),
and each fiduciary thereof who has caused the Plan to become a Member (a “Plan
Fiduciary”), represents and warrants that (a) the Plan Fiduciary has considered
an investment in the Company for such Plan in light of the risks relating
thereto; (b) the Plan Fiduciary has determined that, in view of such
considerations, the investment in the Company for such Plan is consistent with
the Plan Fiduciary’s responsibilities under ERISA (if applicable); (c) the
investment in the Company by the Plan does not violate and is not otherwise
inconsistent with the terms of any legal document constituting the Plan or any
trust agreement thereunder; (d) the Plan’s investment in the Company has been
duly authorized and approved by all necessary parties; (e) none of the
Investment Manager, any Portfolio Manager, any administrator (the
“Administrator”), any custodians, any member of the committee responsible for
approving all Portfolio Manager allocation decisions (the “Investment Policy
Committee”), any selling agent, any of their respective affiliates or any of
their respective agents or employees: (i) has investment discretion
with respect to the investment of assets of the Plan used to purchase Interests;
(ii) has authority or responsibility to or regularly gives investment advice
with respect to the assets of the Plan used to purchase Interests for a fee and
pursuant to an agreement or understanding that such advice will serve as a
primary basis for investment decisions with respect to the Plan and that such
advice will be based on the particular investment needs of the Plan; or (iii) is
an employer maintaining or contributing to the Plan; and (f) the Plan Fiduciary
(i) is authorized to make, and is responsible for, the decision for the Plan to
invest in the Company, including the determination that such investment is
consistent with the requirement imposed by Section 404 of ERISA (if applicable)
that Plan investments be diversified so as to minimize the risks of large
losses; (ii) is independent of the Investment Manager, each Portfolio Manager,
the Administrator, any custodians, each member of the Investment Policy
Committee, each selling agent, and each of their respective affiliates, and
(iii) is qualified to make such investment decision.
THE
UNDERSIGNED ACKNOWLEDGES HAVING READ THIS AGREEMENT IN ITS ENTIRETY BEFORE
SIGNING, INCLUDING THE CONFIDENTIALITY CLAUSES SET FORTH IN SECTION
8.10.
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IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement effective as of
the day and year first above written.
As
Directors
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/s/ Xxxxxxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
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Xxxxxxxxxxx
X. Xxxxx
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/s/ Xxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx
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Xxxxx
Xxxxx Xxxxxx
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/s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxx
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Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx Xxxx
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Organizational
Member:
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FEG
Investors, LLC
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By
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/s/ Xxxxxxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
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Xxxxxxxxxxx
X. Xxxxx,
President
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ADDITIONAL
MEMBERS:
Each
person who has signed or has had signed on its behalf a Member Signature Page,
which shall constitute a counterpart hereof.
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