EXHIBIT (c)(7)
STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT
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THIS STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT, dated as of September 16, 1997, is made
and entered into by HAC, Inc., a Florida corporation ("Parent"), CC Acquisition
Corporation, a Delaware corporation ("Sub"), and the other parties signatory
hereto (each a "Stockholder", and collectively, the "Stockholders").
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, concurrently herewith, The Cross Country Group, Inc., a Nevada
corporation and affiliate of Parent, Sub and Homeowners Group, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), are entering into a Fourth Amendment (the "Fourth
Amendment") to Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of May 14, 1996, as
amended, (the "Merger Agreement") pursuant to which Sub will be merged with and
into the Company (the "Merger");
WHEREAS, in furtherance of the Merger, Parent and the Company desire
that, as soon as practicable (and not later than September 17, 1997), Sub
commence a tender offer (the "Offer") to purchase all outstanding shares of
Company Common Stock (as defined in Section 1), including all of the Shares (as
defined in Section 2) owned beneficially by the Stockholders; and
WHEREAS, as an inducement and a condition to entering into the Fourth
Amendment, Parent has required that the Stockholders agree, and the Stockholders
have agreed, to enter into this Agreement;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the
representations, warranties, covenants and agreements contained herein, the
parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:
1. DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this Agreement:
(a) "Beneficially Own" or "Beneficial Ownership" with respect
to any securities shall mean having "beneficial ownership" of such securities
(as determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended (the "Exchange Act")), including pursuant to any agreement,
arrangement or understanding, whether or not in writing. Without duplicative
counting of the same securities by the same holder, securities Beneficially
Owned by a Person shall include securities Beneficially Owned by all other
Persons with whom such Person would constitute a "group" within the meaning of
Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act.
(b) "Company Common Stock" shall mean the common stock, $.01
par value, of the Company.
(c) "Person" shall mean an individual, corporation,
partnership, joint venture, association, trust, unincorporated organization or
other entity.
2. TENDER OF SHARES.
(a) Each Stockholder hereby agrees to validly tender (and not
to withdraw) pursuant to and in accordance with the terms of the Offer, not
later than the fifth business day after commencement of the Offer pursuant to
Section 2.1 of the Fourth Amendment and Rule 14d-2 under the Exchange Act, the
number of shares of Company Common Stock set forth opposite such Stockholder's
name on Schedule I hereto (the "Existing Shares", and together with any shares
of Company Common Stock acquired by such Stockholder after the date hereof and
prior to the termination of this Agreement whether upon the exercise of options,
warrants or rights, the conversion or exchange of convertible or exchangeable
securities, or by means of purchase, dividend, distribution or otherwise, the
"Shares"), Beneficially Owned by such Stockholder. Each Stockholder hereby
acknowledges and agrees that the Parent's obligation to accept for payment and
pay for Shares in the Offer, including the Shares Beneficially Owned by such
Stockholder, is subject to the terms and conditions of the Offer.
(b) The transfer by each Stockholder of his or her Shares to
Sub in the Offer shall pass to and unconditionally vest in Sub good and valid
title to the number of Shares set forth opposite such Stockholder's name on
Schedule I hereto, free and clear of all claims, liens, restrictions, security
interests, pledges, limitations and encumbrances whatsoever.
(c) Each Stockholder hereby agrees to permit Parent and Sub to
publish and disclose in the Offer Documents (as defined in Section 2.2 of the
Fourth Amendment), and, if Company Stockholder approval is required under
applicable law, the Proxy Statement (including all documents and schedules filed
with the SEC) his or her identity and ownership of Company Common Stock and the
nature of his or her commitments, arrangements and understandings under this
Agreement.
3. AGREEMENT TO VOTE.
(a) Each Stockholder agrees to vote all of his or her Shares
in favor of the Merger Agreement and all transactions arising out of the Merger
Agreement that will require Stockholder approval. Each Stockholder's agreement
to vote his or her Shares shall include an agreement to execute written consents
in lieu of a meeting.
(b) Each Stockholder hereby grants to Parent a proxy to vote
the Shares of such Stockholder as indicated in Section 3(a). Each Stockholder
intends such proxy to be irrevocable and coupled with an interest and will take
such further action or execute such other instruments as may be necessary to
effectuate the intent of this proxy and hereby revokes any proxy previously
granted by Stockholder with respect to such Shares.
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4. OTHER COVENANTS, REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES. Each Stockholder
hereby covenants, represents and warrants on behalf of such Stockholder to
Parent as follows:
(a) Ownership of Shares. Such Stockholder is either (i) the
record and Beneficial Owner of, or (ii) the Beneficial Owner but not the record
holder of the Existing Shares. On the date hereof, the Existing Shares
constitute all of the Shares owned of record or Beneficially Owned by such
Stockholder. Such Stockholder has sole voting power and sole power to issue
instructions with respect to the matters set forth in Sections 2 and 3 hereof,
sole power of disposition, sole power of conversion, sole power to demand
appraisal rights and sole power to agree to all of the matters set forth in this
Agreement, in each case with respect to all of the Existing Shares, with no
limitations, qualifications or restrictions on such rights, subject to
applicable securities laws and the terms of this Agreement.
(b) Power, Binding Agreement. Such Stockholder has the legal
capacity, power and authority to enter into and perform all of such
Stockholder's obligations under this Agreement. The execution, delivery and
performance of this Agreement by such Stockholder will not violate any other
agreement to which such Stockholder is a party including, without limitation,
any voting agreement, stockholders agreement or voting trust agreement. This
Agreement has been duly and validly executed and delivered by such Stockholder
and constitutes a valid and binding agreement of such Stockholder, enforceable
against such Stockholder in accordance with its terms. There is no beneficiary
or holder of a voting trust certificate or other interest of any trust of which
such Stockholder is trustee whose consent is required for the execution and
delivery of this Agreement or the consummation by such Stockholder of the
transactions contemplated hereby. If such Stockholder is married and such
Stockholder's Shares constitute community property, this Agreement has been duly
authorized, executed and delivered by, and constitutes a valid and binding
agreement of, such Stockholder's spouse, enforceable against such person in
accordance with its terms.
(c) No Conflicts. No filing with, and no permit,
authorization, consent or approval of, any state or federal public body or
authority is necessary for the execution of this Agreement by such Stockholder
and the consummation by such Stockholder of the transactions contemplated
hereby, and none of the execution and delivery of this Agreement by such
Stockholder, the consummation by such Stockholder of the transactions
contemplated hereby or compliance by such Stockholder with any of the provisions
hereof shall (1) result in a violation or breach of, or constitute (with or
without notice or lapse of time or both) a default (or give rise to any third
party right of termination, cancellation, material modification or acceleration)
under any of the terms, conditions or provisions of any note, bond, mortgage,
indenture, license, contract, commitment, arrangement, understanding, agreement
or other instrument or obligation of any kind to which such Stockholder is a
party or by which such Stockholder or any of such Stockholder's properties or
assets may be bound, or (2) violate any order, writ, injunction, decree,
judgment, order, statute, rule or regulation applicable to such Stockholder or
any of such Stockholder's properties or assets.
(d) No Encumbrances. Except as required by Section 2 and for
the proxy granted under Section 3(b), such Stockholder's Shares and the
certificates representing such
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Stockholder's Shares are now, and at all times during the term hereof will be,
held by such Stockholder, or by a nominee or custodian for the benefit of such
Stockholder, free and clear of all liens, claims, security interests, proxies,
voting trusts or agreements, understandings or arrangements or any other
encumbrances whatsoever.
(e) No Finder's Fees. No broker, investment banker, financial
adviser or other person is entitled to any broker's, finder's, financial
adviser's or other similar fee or commission in connection with the transactions
contemplated hereby based upon arrangements made by or on behalf of such
Stockholder.
(f) No Solicitation. No Stockholder shall, in his or her
capacity as such, directly or indirectly, solicit (including by way of
furnishing information) or respond to any inquiries or the making of any
proposal relating in any way to the transactions contemplated by the Merger
Agreement, as amended, by any person or entity (other than Parent or any
affiliate of Parent). If any Stockholder receives any such inquiry or proposal,
then such Stockholder shall promptly inform Parent of the terms and conditions,
if any, of such inquiry or proposal and the identity of the person making such
proposal. Each Stockholder will immediately cease and cause to be terminated any
existing activities, discussions or negotiations with any parties conducted
heretofore with respect to any of the foregoing.
(g) Restriction on Transfer, Proxies and Non-Interference.
Except as required by Section 2 or Section 3(b), no Stockholder shall, directly
or indirectly: (i) offer for sale, sell, transfer, tender, pledge, encumber,
assign or otherwise dispose of, or enter into any contract, option or other
arrangement or understanding with respect to or consent to the offer for sale,
sell, transfer, tender, pledge, encumbrance, assignment or other disposition of,
any or all of such Stockholder's Shares or any interest therein; (ii) grant any
proxies or powers of attorney, deposit any Shares into a voting trust or enter
into a voting agreement with respect to any Shares; or (iii) take any action
that would make any representation or warranty of such Stockholder contained
herein untrue or incorrect or have the effect of preventing or disabling such
Stockholder from performing such Stockholder's obligations under this Agreement.
(h) Waiver of Appraisal Rights. Each Stockholder hereby waives
any rights of appraisal or rights to dissent from the Merger that such
Stockholder may have.
(i) Reliance by Parent. Each Stockholder understands and
acknowledges that Parent and Sub are entering into the Fourth Amendment to the
Merger Agreement in reliance upon such Stockholder's execution and delivery of
this Agreement.
(j) Further Assurances. From time to time, at the other
party's request and without further consideration, each party hereto shall
execute and deliver such additional documents and take all such further action
as may be necessary or desirable to consummate and make effective, in the most
expeditious manner practicable, the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
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5. STOP TRANSFER. Each Stockholder agrees with, and covenants to,
Parent that such Stockholder shall not request that the Company register the
transfer (book-entry or otherwise) of any certificate or uncertificated interest
representing any of such Stockholder's Shares, unless such transfer is made in
compliance with this Agreement (including the provisions of Section 2 hereof).
In the event of a stock dividend or distribution, stock split, recapitalization,
combination, exchange of shares or the like, the term "Shares" shall be deemed
to refer to and include the Shares as well as all such stock dividends and
distributions and any shares into which or for which any or all of the Shares
may be changed or exchanged.
6. TERMINATION. Except as otherwise provided herein, the covenants and
agreements contained herein with respect to the Shares shall terminate upon the
termination of the Merger Agreement, as amended in accordance with its terms.
7. MISCELLANEOUS.
(a) Entire Agreement. This Agreement and the Merger Agreement,
as amended, constitute the entire agreement between the parties with respect to
the Existing Shares and supersedes all other prior agreements and
understandings, both written and oral, between the parties with respect to the
Existing Shares.
(b) Certain Events. Each Stockholder agrees that this
Agreement and the obligations hereunder shall attach to such Stockholder's
Shares and shall be binding upon any person or entity to which legal or
beneficial ownership of such Shares shall pass, whether by operation of law or
otherwise, including, without limitation, such Stockholder's heirs, guardians,
administrators or successors. Notwithstanding any transfer of Shares, the
transferor shall remain liable for the performance of all obligations under this
Agreement.
(c) Assignment. This Agreement shall not be assigned by
operation of law or otherwise without the prior written consent of the other
parties, provided that Parent or Sub may assign, in its sole discretion, its
rights and obligations hereunder to any direct or indirect wholly owned
subsidiary of Parent, but no such assignment shall relieve Parent of its
obligations hereunder if such assignee does not perform such obligations.
(d) Amendments, Waivers, Etc. This Agreement may not be
amended, changed, supplemented, waived or otherwise modified or terminated, with
respect to any one or more Stockholders, except upon the execution and delivery
of a written agreement executed by the relevant parties hereto; provided that
Schedule I hereto may be supplemented by Parent by adding the name and other
relevant information concerning any stockholder of the Company who agrees to be
bound by the terms of this Agreement without the agreement of any other party
hereto, and thereafter such added stockholder shall be treated as a
"Stockholder" for all purposes of this Agreement.
(e) Notices. All notices, requests, claims, demands and other
communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be given (and shall be
deemed to have been duly received if so given) by hand delivery, telegram, telex
or telecopy, or by mail (registered or certified mail,
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postage prepaid, return receipt requested) or by any courier service, such as
Federal Express, providing proof of delivery. All communications hereunder shall
be delivered to the respective parties at the following addresses:
If to Stockholder: At the addresses set forth on
Schedule I hereto.
If to Parent or Sub: The Cross Country Group, Inc.
0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attn: Xxxxxx X. Xxxx
Telephone: (000) 000-0000
Telecopy: (000) 000-0000
copies to: Lane, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx, LLP
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, XX 00000
Attn: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Telephone: (000) 000-0000
Telecopy: (000) 000-0000
or to such other address as the person to whom notice is given may have
previously furnished to the others in writing in the manner set forth above.
(f) Severability. Whenever possible, each provision or portion
of any provision of this Agreement will be interpreted in such manner as to be
effective and valid under applicable law but if any provision or portion of any
provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in
any respect under any applicable law or rule in any jurisdiction, such
invalidity, illegality or unenforceability will not affect any other provision
or portion of any provision in such jurisdiction, and this Agreement will be
reformed, construed and enforced in such jurisdiction as if such invalid,
illegal or unenforceable provision or portion of any provision had never been
contained herein.
(g) Specific Performance. Each of the parties hereto
recognizes and acknowledges that a breach by it of any covenants or agreements
contained in this Agreement will cause the other party to sustain damages for
which it would not have an adequate remedy at law for money damages, and
therefore each of the parties hereto agrees that in the event of any such breach
the aggrieved party shall be entitled to the remedy of specific performance of
such covenants and agreements and injunctive and other equitable relief in
addition to any other remedy to which it may be entitled, at law or in equity.
(h) No Waiver. The failure of any party hereto to exercise any
right, power or remedy provided under this Agreement or otherwise available in
respect hereof at law or in equity, or to insist upon compliance by any other
party hereto with its obligations hereunder, and any custom or practice of the
parties at variance with the terms hereof, shall not constitute a
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waiver by such party of its right to exercise any such or other right, power or
remedy or to demand such compliance.
(i) No Third Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement is not
intended to be for the benefit of, and shall not be enforceable by, any person
or entity who or which is not a party hereto.
(j) Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed and
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without giving
effect to the principles of conflicts of law thereof.
(k) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which,
taken together, shall constitute one and the same Agreement.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Parent, Sub and each Stockholder have caused this
Agreement to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.
HAC, INC.
By:/s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxx
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Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxx
-----------------------------------
Title: President
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CC Acquisition Corporation
By:/s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxx
-------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxx
-----------------------------------
Title: President
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SCHEDULE I
----------
STOCKHOLDER COMMON STOCK
----------- ------------
/s/ Xxxx Xxxxxxxxxx
----------------------- 249,056
Xxxx Xxxxxxxxxx
c/o Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx, Esq.
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx
0000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxx, XX. 00000
/s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx
----------------------- 305,375
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx
c/o Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx, Esq.
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx
0000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxx, XX. 00000
/s/ C. Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
----------------------- 0
C. Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
c/o Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx, Esq.
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx
0000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxx, XX. 00000
/s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
----------------------- 10,050
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
c/o Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx, Esq.
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx
0000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxx, XX. 00000
/s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
----------------------- 20,000
Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
c/o Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx, Esq.
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx
0000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxx, XX. 00000
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----------------------- 118,000
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Xx.
c/o Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx, Esq.
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx
0000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxx, XX. 00000
In the event any of the individuals named above exercise any options
and acquire Company Common Stock pursuant to said exercise, the shares obtained
upon exercise shall be deemed to be subject to the provisions of this Agreement.
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