INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT made this 8th day of March, 1991 by and between The Regis Fund,
Inc., a Maryland corporation (the "Fund") and Sterling Capital Management
Company, a North Carolina Corporation,, (the "Adviser").
1. DUTIES OF ADVISER. The Fund hereby appoints the Adviser to act as
investment adviser to the Fund's Sterling Partners Equity Portfolio for the
period and on such terms set forth in this Agreement. The Fund employs the
Adviser to manage the investment and reinvestment of the assets of the Fund's
Sterling Partners Equity Portfolio, to continuously review, supervise and
administer the investment program of the Sterling Partners Equity Portfolio to
determine in its discretion the securities to be purchased or sold and the
portion of the Portfolio's assets to be held uninvested, to provide the Fund
with records concerning the Adviser's activities which the Fund is required to
maintain, and to render regular reports to the Fund's officers and Board of
Directors concerning the Adviser's discharge of the foregoing responsibilities.
The Adviser shall discharge the foregoing responsibilities subject to the
control of the officers and the Board of Directors of the Fund, and in
compliance with the objectives, policies and limitations set forth in the Fund's
prospectus and applicable laws and regulations. The Adviser accepts such
employment and agrees to render the services and to provide, at its own expense,
the office space, furnishings and equipment and the personnel required by it to
perform the services on the terms and for the compensation provided herein.
2. PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS. The Adviser is authorized to select the brokers
or dealers that will execute the purchases and sales of securities of the Fund's
Sterling Partners Equity Portfolio and is directed to use its best efforts to
obtain the best available price and most
favorable execution, except as prescribed herein. Subject to policies
established by the Board of Directors of the Fund, the Adviser may also be
authorized to effect individual securities transactions at commission rates in
excess of the min' commission rates available, if the Adviser determines in good
faith that such amount of commission is reasonable in relation to the value of
the brokerage or research services provided by such broker or dealer, viewed in
terms of either that particular transaction or the Adviser's overall
responsibilities with respect to the Fund. The execution of such transactions
shall not be deemed to represent an unlawful act or breach of any duty created
by this Agreement or otherwise. The Adviser will promptly communicate to the
officers and Directors of the Fund such information relating to portfolio
transactions as they may reasonably request.
3. COMPENSATION OF THE ADVISER. For the services to be rendered by the
Adviser as provided in Section I of this Agreement, the Fund shall pay to the
Adviser in monthly installments, an advisory fee calculated by applying the
following annual percentage rate to the Sterling Partners Equity Portfolio's
average daily net assets for the month:
Sterling Partners Equity Portfolio .75%
In the event of termination of this Agreement, the fee provided in this
Section shall be computed on the basis of the period ending on the last business
day on which this Agreement is in effect subject to a pro rata adjustment based
on the number of days elapsed in the current fiscal month as a percentage of the
total number of days in such month.
4. OTHER SERVICES. At the request of the Fund, the Adviser in its discretion
may make available to the Fund office facilities, equipment, personnel and other
services. Such office facilities, equipment, personnel and services shall be
provided for or rendered by the Adviser and billed to the Fund at the Adviser's
cost.
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5. REPORTS. The Fund and the Adviser agree to furnish to each other current
prospectuses, proxy statements, reports to shareholders, certified copies of
their financial statements, and such other information with regard to their
affairs as each may reasonably request.
6. STATUS OF ADVISER. The services of the Adviser to the Fund are not to be
deemed exclusive, and the Adviser shall be free to render similar services to
others so long as its services to the Fund are not impaired thereby.
7. LIABILITY OF ADVISER. In the absence of (i) willful misfeasance, bad
faith or gross negligence on the part of the Adviser in performance of its
obligations and duties hereunder, (ii) reckless disregard by the Adviser of its
obligations and duties hereunder, or (iii) a loss resulting from a breach of
fiduciary duty with respect to the receipt of compensation for services (in
which case any award of damages shall be limited to the period and the amount
set forth in Section 36(b)(3) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 ("1940
Act"), the Adviser shall not be subject to any liability whatsoever to the Fund,
or to any shareholder of the Fund, for any error or judgment, mistake of law or
any other act or omission in the course of; or connected with, rendering
services hereunder including, without limitation, for any losses that may be
sustained in connection with the purchase, holding, redemption or sale of any
security on behalf of the Sterling Partners Equity Portfolio.
8. PERMISSIBLE INTERESTS. Subject to and in accordance with the Articles of
Incorporation of the Fund and the Articles of Incorporation of the Adviser,
Directors, officers, agents and shareholders of the Fund are or may be
interested in the Adviser (or any successor thereof) as Directors, officers,
agents, shareholders or otherwise; Directors, officers, agents and shareholders
of the Adviser are or may be interested in the Fund as Directors, officers,
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shareholders or otherwise; and the Adviser (or any successor) is or may be
interested in the Fund as a shareholder or otherwise; and that the effect of any
such interrelationships shall be governed by said Articles of Incorporation and
the provisions of the 1940 Act.
9. DURATION AND TERMINATION. This Agreement, unless sooner terminated as
provided herein, shall continue until the earlier of March 8, 1993 or the date
of the first annual or special meeting of the shareholders of the Fund and, if
approved by a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Sterling
Partners Equity Portfolio, thereafter shall continue for periods of one year so
long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually (a) by the
vote of a majority of those members of the Board of Directors of the Fund who
are not parties to this Agreement or interested persons of any such party, cast
in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval, and
(b) by the Board of Directors of the Fund or (c) by vote of a majority of the
outstanding voting securities of the Sterling Partners Equity Portfolio;
provided however, that if the holders of the Sterling Partners Equity Portfolio
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fail to approve the Agreement as provided herein, the Adviser may continue to
serve in such capacity in the manner and to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act
and Rules thereunder. This Agreement may be terminated by the Sterling Partners
Equity Portfolio at any time, without the payment of any penalty, by vote of a
majority of the entire Board of Directors of the Fund or by vote of a majority
of the Outstanding voting securities of the Sterling Partners Equity Portfolio
on 60 days written notice to the Adviser. This Agreement may be terminated by
the Adviser at any time, without the payment of any penalty, upon 90 days
written notice to the Fund. This agreement will automatically and immediately
terminate in the event of its assignment. Any notice under this Agreement shall
be given in writing, addressed and delivered or mailed postpaid, to the other
party at the principal office of such party.
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As used in this Section 9, the terms "assignment", "interested persons", and
"a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities" shall have the
respective meanings set forth in Section 2(a)(4), Section 2(a)( 19) and Section
2(a)(42) of the 1940 Act.
10. AMENDMENT OF AGREEMENT. This Agreement may be amended by mutual consent,
but the consent of the Fund must be approved (a) by vote of a majority of those
members of the Board of Directors of the Fund who are not parties to this
Agreement or interested persons of any such party, cast in person at a meeting
called for the purpose of voting on such amendment, and (b) by vote of a
majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Sterling Partners Equity
Portfolio.
11. Severability. If any provisions of this Agreement shall be held or made
invalid by a court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of this
Agreement shall not be affected thereby.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
executed as of this 8th day of March, 1991.
STERLING CAPITAL MANAGEMENT COMPANY THE REGIS FUND, INC.
By /s/ X.X. Xxxxxxx Xx. By /s/ Norton X. Xxxxxx
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X.X. Xxxxxxx, Xx. Norton X. Xxxxxx
Vice President Chairman of the Board
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