AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER dated as of September 10, 2006 among IPSCO INC., PI ACQUISITION COMPANY and NS GROUP, INC.

Exhibit 2.1

AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER

dated as of

September 10, 2006

among

IPSCO INC.,

PI ACQUISITION COMPANY

and

NS GROUP, INC.

TABLE OF CONTENTS¹

PAGE

ARTICLE 1

DEFINITIONS

Section 1.01. Definitions	1
Section 1.02. Other Definitional and Interpretative Provisions	6

ARTICLE 2

THE MERGER

Section 2.01. The Merger	7
Section 2.02. Conversion of Shares	8
Section 2.03. Surrender and Payment	8
Section 2.04. Dissenting Shares	10
Section 2.05. Stock Options and Other Equity Awards	10
Section 2.06. Adjustments	11
Section 2.07. Withholding Rights	11
Section 2.08. Lost Certificates	11

ARTICLE 3

THE SURVIVING CORPORATION

Section 3.01. Articles of Incorporation	11
Section 3.02. Bylaws	12
Section 3.03. Directors and Officers	12

ARTICLE 4

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY

Section 4.01. Corporate Existence and Power	12
Section 4.02. Corporate Authorization	12
Section 4.03. Governmental Authorization	13
Section 4.04. Non-contravention	13
Section 4.05. Capitalization	14
Section 4.06. Subsidiaries	15
Section 4.07. SEC Filings and the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act	16
Section 4.08. Financial Statements	18
Section 4.09. Disclosure Documents	18
Section 4.10. Absence of Certain Changes	18
Section 4.11. No Undisclosed Material Liabilities	18
Section 4.12. Litigation	19

___________

¹ The Table of Contents is not a part of this Agreement.

Section 4.13. Compliance with Applicable Laws	19
Section 4.14. Material Contracts	19
Section 4.15. Taxes	22
Section 4.16. Employees and Employee Benefit Plans	23
Section 4.17. Intellectual Property	26
Section 4.18. Properties	26
Section 4.19. Environmental Matters	27
Section 4.20. Antitakeover Statutes and Rights Agreement	28
Section 4.21. Opinion of Financial Advisor	28
Section 4.22. Finders’ Fees	28

ARTICLE 5

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT

Section 5.01. Corporate Existence and Power	28
Section 5.02. Corporate Authorization	29
Section 5.03. Governmental Authorization	29
Section 5.04. Non-contravention	29
Section 5.05. Disclosure Documents	30
Section 5.06. Financing	30
Section 5.07. Finders’ Fees	30
Section 5.08. No Ownership of Stock of Company	30

ARTICLE 6

COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY

Section 6.01. Conduct of the Company	30
Section 6.02. Shareholder Meeting; Proxy Material	33
Section 6.03. No Solicitation; Other Offers	34
Section 6.04. Access to Information; Confidentiality	36

ARTICLE 7

COVENANTS OF PARENT

Section 7.01. Conduct of Parent	37
Section 7.02. Obligations of Merger Subsidiary	37
Section 7.03. Voting of Shares	37
Section 7.04. Director and Officer Liability	37
Section 7.05. Employee Matters	38

ARTICLE 8

COVENANTS OF PARENT AND THE COMPANY

Section 8.01. Reasonable Best Efforts	39
Section 8.02. Certain Filings	39
Section 8.03. Public Announcements	40

Section 8.04. Stock Exchange De-listing	40
Section 8.05. Further Assurances	40
Section 8.06. Notices of Certain Events	40

ARTICLE 9

CONDITIONS TO THE MERGER

Section 9.01. Conditions to the Obligations of Each Party	41
Section 9.02. Conditions to the Obligations of Parent and Merger Subsidiary	42
Section 9.03. Conditions to the Obligations of the Company	43

ARTICLE 10

TERMINATION

Section 10.01. Termination	43
Section 10.02. Effect of Termination	45

ARTICLE 11

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 11.01. Notices	45
Section 11.02. Survival of Representations and Warranties	46
Section 11.03. Amendments and Waivers	46
Section 11.04. Expenses	47
Section 11.05. Disclosure Schedule References	47
Section 11.06. Binding Effect; Benefit; Assignment	48
Section 11.07. Governing Law	48
Section 11.08. Jurisdiction	48
Section 11.09. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL	49
Section 11.10. Counterparts; Effectiveness	49
Section 11.11. Entire Agreement	49
Section 11.12. Severability	49
Section 11.13. Specific Performance	49

iii

AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER

AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER (this “Agreement”) dated as of September 10, 2006 among IPSCO Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of Canada (“Parent”), PI Acquisition Company, a Kentucky corporation and an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent (“Merger Subsidiary”) and NS Group, Inc., a Kentucky corporation (the “Company”).

WHEREAS, the Boards of Directors of Parent, Merger Subsidiary and the Company have approved and declared advisable this Agreement and the Merger (as defined below), on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the representations, warranties, covenants and agreements herein contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:

ARTICLE 1

DEFINITIONS

Section 1.01. Definitions. (a) As used herein, the following terms have the following meanings:

“Acquisition Proposal” means, other than the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, any offer or proposal relating to, or any Third Party indication of interest in, (A) any acquisition or purchase, direct or indirect, of 20% or more of the consolidated assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries or over 20% of any class of equity or voting securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries whose assets, individually or in the aggregate, constitute more than 20% of the consolidated assets of the Company, (B) any tender offer (including a self-tender offer) or exchange offer that, if consummated, would result in such Third Party beneficially owning 20% or more of any class of equity or voting securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries whose assets, individually or in the aggregate, constitute more than 20% of the consolidated assets of the Company, or (C) a merger, consolidation, share exchange, business combination, reorganization, recapitalization, liquidation, dissolution or other similar transaction involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries whose assets, individually or in the aggregate, constitute more than 20% of the consolidated assets of the Company.

“Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with such Person.

“Applicable Law” means, with respect to any Person, any federal, state or local law (statutory, common or otherwise), constitution, treaty, convention, ordinance, code, rule, regulation, order, injunction, judgment, decree, ruling or other similar requirement enacted, adopted, promulgated or applied by a

Governmental Authority that is binding upon or applicable to such Person, as the same may be amended from time to time unless expressly specified otherwise herein.

“Business Day” means a day, other than Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York, New York are authorized or required by Applicable Law to close.

“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

“Company Balance Sheet” means the consolidated balance sheet of the Company as of December 31, 2005 and the footnotes thereto set forth in the Company 10-K.

“Company Balance Sheet Date” means December 31, 2005.

“Company Common Stock” means the common stock, no par value, of the Company.

“Company Disclosure Schedule” means the disclosure schedule dated the date hereof regarding this Agreement that has been provided by the Company to Parent and Merger Subsidiary.

“Company 10-K” means the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2005.

“Company Restricted Share” means each restricted share of Company Common Stock outstanding as of the Effective Time granted pursuant to any equity or compensation plan or arrangement of the Company.

“Company Rights” means the preferred stock purchase rights issued pursuant to the Company Rights Agreement.

“Company Rights Agreement” means the 1998 Rights Agreement dated November 17, 1998 between the Company and Registrar and Transfer Company.

“Competition Laws” means the antitrust or competition laws of any country or the European Union.

“Contract” means any contract, agreement, obligation, commitment, arrangement, understanding, instrument, permit, lease or license.

“Environmental Law” means any Applicable Law, or any written agreement with any Governmental Authority, relating to (i) the protection or pollution of the environment, (ii) the effect of the environment on human health and safety or (iii) pollutants, contaminants, wastes or any hazardous or toxic substance.

“Environmental Permits” means all permits, licenses, certificates, approvals and other similar authorizations of Governmental Authorities required by Environmental Laws and affecting, or relating to, the business of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries as conducted as of the date of this Agreement.

“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.

“ERISA Affiliate” of any entity means any other entity that, together with such entity, would be treated as a single employer under Section 414 of the Code.

“GAAP” means United States generally accepted accounting principles.

“Governmental Authority” means any transnational, domestic or foreign federal, state or local governmental, regulatory or administrative authority, department, court, agency, commission or official, including any political subdivision thereof.

“Hazardous Substance” means any pollutant, contaminant, waste or chemical or any toxic, radioactive, ignitable, corrosive, reactive or otherwise hazardous substance, waste or material regulated under any Environmental Law.

“HSR Act” means the Xxxx-Xxxxx-Xxxxxx Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976.

“Intellectual Property” shall mean (i) trademarks, service marks, brand names, certification marks, trade dress, domain names and other indications of origin, the goodwill associated with the foregoing and registrations in any jurisdiction of, and applications in any jurisdiction to register, the foregoing, including any extension, modification or renewal of any such registration or application; (ii) inventions and discoveries, whether patentable or not, in any jurisdiction; patents, applications for patents (including, without limitation, divisions, continuations, continuations in part and renewal applications), and any renewals, extensions or reissues thereof, in any jurisdiction; (iii) trade secrets and confidential information and rights in any jurisdiction to limit the use or disclosure thereof by any person (the “Trade Secrets”); (iv) writings and other works, whether copyrightable or not, in any jurisdiction, and any and all copyright rights, whether registered or not; and registrations or applications for registration of copyrights in any jurisdiction, and any renewals or extensions thereof; (v) moral rights, database rights, design rights, industrial property rights, publicity rights and privacy rights; and (vi) any similar intellectual property or proprietary rights.

“IT Assets” shall mean computers, computer software, firmware, middleware, servers, workstations, routers, hubs, switches, data communications lines, and all other information technology equipment, and all associated documentation owned by the Company or its Subsidiaries or licensed or leased by

the Company or its Subsidiaries pursuant to written agreement (excluding any public networks).

“Kentucky Law” means the Kentucky Business Corporation Act.

“knowledge” means (i) with respect to the Company the actual knowledge of the following officers of the Company: Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxx XxXxxx, and Xxxxxx Xxxxx and (ii) with respect to the Parent the actual knowledge of the executive officers of the Parent.

“Lien” means, with respect to any property or asset, any mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, security interest, encumbrance or other adverse claim of any kind in respect of such property or asset. For purposes of this Agreement, a Person shall be deemed to own subject to a Lien any property or asset that it has acquired or holds subject to the interest of a vendor or lessor under any conditional sale agreement, capital lease or other title retention agreement relating to such property or asset.

“Material Adverse Effect” means, with respect to any Person, a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), business, assets or results of operations of such Person and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, other than any effect resulting from (A) the economy, political conditions or the financial markets in general (including any changes resulting from terrorist activities, war or other armed hostilities), (B) general changes in the industries in which such Person and its Subsidiaries operate, (C) changes in law or accounting principles, (D) the Company’s failure, in and of itself, to meet internal or published revenue or earnings projections, whether such projections are prepared by the Company or a Third Party (it being understood and agreed that the underlying change, event, occurrence or state of facts giving rise to such failure may constitute or contribute to a Material Adverse Effect) or (E) any loss of customers, suppliers or employees as a result of the announcement of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby; provided that with respect to clauses (A), (B) and (C), such effect or change (x) does not specifically relate to (or have the effect of specifically relating to) such Person and its Subsidiaries and (y) is not disproportionately adverse to such Person and its Subsidiaries than to other companies operating in the industries in which such Person and its Subsidiaries operate.

“Multiemployer Plan” means any “multiemployer plan,” as defined in Section 3(37) of ERISA.

“1933 Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

“1934 Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

“Person” means an individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, association, trust or other entity or organization, including a government or political subdivision or an agency or instrumentality thereof.

“Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act” means the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002.

“SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, any entity of which securities or other ownership interests having ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors or other persons performing similar functions are at any time directly or indirectly owned by such Person.

“Third Party” means any Person, including as defined in Section 13(d) of the 1934 Act, other than Parent or any of its Affiliates, and the directors, officers, employees, agents and advisors of such Person, in each case, acting in such capacity.

“WARN Act” means the U.S. Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act and any state or local equivalent.

(b) Each of the following terms is defined in the Section set forth opposite such term:

Term	Section
Adverse Recommendation Change	6.03
Affected Employees	7.05
Agreement	Preamble
Certificate	2.02
Closing	2.01
Closing Date	2.01
Company	Preamble
Company Board Recommendation	4.02
Company Material Contract	4.14
Company Permits	4.13
Company Preferred Stock	4.05
Company Proxy Statement	4.09
Company Restricted Stock Unit	2.05
Company SEC Documents	4.07
Company Securities	4.05
Company Shareholder Approval	4.02
Company Shareholder Meeting	6.02
Company Stock Option	2.05
Company Subsidiary Securities	4.06
Confidentiality Agreement	6.04
Effective Time	2.01
Employee Plans	4.16

End Date	10.01
Exchange Agent	2.03
Indemnified Person	7.04
internal controls	4.07
Leased Real Property	4.18
Merger	2.01
Merger Consideration	2.02
Merger Subsidiary	Preamble
New Company Plans	7.05
NYSE	4.07
Owned Real Property	4.18
Parent	Preamble
Payment Event	11.04
Representatives	6.03
Required Governmental Authorizations	4.03
Superior Proposal	6.03
Surviving Corporation	2.01
Tax	4.15
Taxing Authority	4.15
Tax Return	4.15
Uncertificated Share	2.02

Section 1.02. Other Definitional and Interpretative Provisions. The words “hereof”, “herein” and “hereunder” and words of like import used in this Agreement shall refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement. The captions herein are included for convenience of reference only and shall be ignored in the construction or interpretation hereof. References to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules are to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules of this Agreement unless otherwise specified. All Exhibits and Schedules annexed hereto or referred to herein are hereby incorporated in and made a part of this Agreement as if set forth in full herein. Any capitalized terms used in any Exhibit or Schedule but not otherwise defined therein, shall have the meaning as defined in this Agreement. Any singular term in this Agreement shall be deemed to include the plural, and any plural term the singular. Whenever the words “include”, “includes” or “including” are used in this Agreement, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation”, whether or not they are in fact followed by those words or words of like import. “Writing”, “written” and comparable terms refer to printing, typing and other means of reproducing words (including electronic media) in a visible form. The words “delivered”, “made available”, “furnished”, “provided” and words of like import used in this Agreement shall be deemed to include providing such information on the Company’s virtual data room site. Except as the context may otherwise require, references to any agreement or contract are to that agreement or contract as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time in

accordance with the terms hereof and thereof; provided that with respect to any agreement or contract listed on any schedules hereto, all such amendments, modifications or supplements, to the extent material, must also be listed in the appropriate schedule. References to any Person include the successors and permitted assigns of that Person. References from or through any date mean, unless otherwise specified, from and including or through and including, respectively. References to “law”, “laws” or to a particular statute or law shall be deemed also to include any Applicable Law. The parties agree that the terms and language of this Agreement were the result of negotiations between the parties and their respective advisors and, as a result, there shall be no presumption that any ambiguities in this Agreement shall be resolved against any party. Any controversy over construction of this Agreement shall be decided without regard to events of authorship or negotiation.

ARTICLE 2

THE MERGER

Section 2.01. The Merger. (a) At the Effective Time, Merger Subsidiary shall be merged (the “Merger”) with and into the Company in accordance with Kentucky Law, whereupon the separate existence of Merger Subsidiary shall cease, and the Company shall be the surviving corporation (the “Surviving Corporation”).

(b) Subject to the provisions of Article 9, the closing of the Merger (the “Closing”) shall take place in New York City at the offices of Xxxxx Xxxx & Xxxxxxxx, 000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx, 00000 as soon as possible, but in any event no later than two Business Days after the date the conditions set forth in Article 9 (other than conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied at the Closing, but subject to the satisfaction or, to the extent permissible, waiver of those conditions at the Closing) have been satisfied or, to the extent permissible, waived by the party or parties entitled to the benefit of such conditions, or at such other place, at such other time or on such other date as Parent and the Company may mutually agree (the “Closing Date”).

(c) Upon the Closing, the Company and Merger Subsidiary shall file articles of merger with the Kentucky Secretary of State and make all other filings or recordings required by Kentucky Law in connection with the Merger. The Merger shall become effective at such time (the “Effective Time”) as the articles of merger are duly filed with the Kentucky Secretary of State (or at such later time as permitted by Kentucky Law as Parent and the Company shall agree and shall be specified in the articles of merger).

(d) From and after the Effective Time, the Surviving Corporation shall possess all the properties, rights, powers, privileges and franchises and be subject

to all of the obligations, liabilities, restrictions and disabilities of the Company and Merger Subsidiary, all as provided under Kentucky Law.

Section 2.02. Conversion of Shares. At the Effective Time:

(a) except as otherwise provided in Section 2.02(b) or Section 2.04, each share of Company Common Stock (including each Company Restricted Share) outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (together with the Company Rights attached to each such share) shall be converted into the right to receive $66.00 in cash, without interest (such per share amount, the “Merger Consideration”). As of the Effective Time, all such shares of Company Common Stock shall no longer be outstanding and shall automatically be canceled and retired and shall cease to exist, and (A) each certificate which immediately prior to the Effective Time represented any such shares of Company Common Stock (each, a “Certificate”) and (B) each uncertificated share of Company Common Stock (an “Uncertificated Share”) which immediately prior to the Effective Time was registered to a holder on the stock transfer books of the Company, shall thereafter represent only the right to receive the Merger Consideration.

(b) each share of Company Common Stock held by the Company or owned by Parent or any of its Subsidiaries immediately prior to the Effective Time together with the Company Rights attached to each such share shall be canceled, and no payment shall be made with respect thereto; and

(c) each share of common stock of Merger Subsidiary outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be converted into and become one share of common stock of the Surviving Corporation with the same rights, powers and privileges as the shares so converted and shall constitute the only outstanding shares of capital stock of the Surviving Corporation.

Section 2.03. Surrender and Payment. (a) Prior to the Effective Time, Parent shall appoint a commercial bank or trust company with the Company’s prior approval (such approval not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) (the “Exchange Agent”) for the purpose of exchanging Certificates or Uncertificated Shares for the Merger Consideration. As of the Effective Time, Parent shall deposit with the Exchange Agent, for the benefit of the holders of shares of Company Common Stock, for exchange in accordance with this Section through the Exchange Agent, cash sufficient to pay the aggregate Merger Consideration pursuant to Section 2.02(a). Promptly after the Effective Time, Parent shall send, or shall cause the Exchange Agent to send, to each holder of shares of Company Common Stock at the Effective Time a letter of transmittal and instructions to be in such form and have such provisions as Parent and the Company may reasonably agree (which shall specify that the delivery shall be effected, and risk of loss and title shall pass, only upon proper delivery of the Certificates or transfer of the Uncertificated Shares to the Exchange Agent) for use in such exchange.

(b) Each holder of shares of Company Common Stock that have been converted into the right to receive the Merger Consideration shall be entitled to receive, upon (i) surrender to the Exchange Agent of a Certificate, together with a properly completed letter of transmittal, or (ii) receipt of an “agent’s message” by the Exchange Agent (or such other evidence, if any, of transfer as the Exchange Agent may reasonably request) in the case of a book-entry transfer of Uncertificated Shares, the Merger Consideration in respect of the Company Common Stock represented by a Certificate or Uncertificated Share. Until so surrendered or transferred, as the case may be, each such Certificate or Uncertificated Share shall represent after the Effective Time for all purposes only the right to receive such Merger Consideration.

(c) If any portion of the Merger Consideration is to be paid to a Person other than the Person in whose name the surrendered Certificate or the transferred Uncertificated Share is registered, it shall be a condition to such payment that (i) either such Certificate shall be properly endorsed or shall otherwise be in proper form for transfer or such Uncertificated Share shall be properly transferred and (ii) the Person requesting such payment shall pay to the Exchange Agent any transfer or other taxes required as a result of such payment to a Person other than the registered holder of such Certificate or Uncertificated Share or establish to the satisfaction of the Exchange Agent that such tax has been paid or is not payable.

(d) The stock transfer books of the Company shall be closed immediately upon the Effective Time and there shall be no further registration of transfers of shares of Company Common Stock thereafter on the records of the Company. If, after the Effective Time, Certificates or Uncertificated Shares are presented to Parent, the Surviving Corporation or the Exchange Agent for any reason, they shall be canceled and exchanged for the Merger Consideration to the extent provided for, and in accordance with the procedures set forth, in this Article 2.

(e) Any portion of the Merger Consideration made available to the Exchange Agent pursuant to Section 2.03(a) that remains unclaimed by the holders of shares of Company Common Stock twelve months after the Effective Time shall be delivered to Parent or otherwise on the instruction of Parent, and any such holder who has not exchanged shares of Company Common Stock for the Merger Consideration in accordance with this Section 2.03 prior to that time shall thereafter look only to Parent for payment of the Merger Consideration, and any dividends and distributions with respect thereto, in respect of such shares without any interest thereon. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Parent shall not be liable to any holder of shares of Company Common Stock for any amounts paid to a public official pursuant to applicable abandoned property, escheat or similar laws. Any amounts remaining unclaimed by holders of shares of Company Common Stock three years after the Effective Time (or such earlier date immediately prior to such time when the amounts would otherwise escheat to or become property of any Governmental Authority) shall become, to the extent

permitted by Applicable Law, the property of Parent free and clear of any claims or interest of any Person previously entitled thereto.

Section 2.04. Dissenting Shares. Notwithstanding Section 2.02, shares of Company Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time and held by a holder who has not voted in favor of the Merger or consented thereto in writing and who has demanded appraisal for such shares in accordance with Kentucky Law shall not be converted into the right to receive the Merger Consideration, unless such holder fails to perfect, withdraws or otherwise loses the right to appraisal. If, after the Effective Time, such holder fails to perfect, withdraws or loses the right to appraisal, such shares shall be treated as if they had been converted as of the Effective Time into the right to receive the Merger Consideration. The Company shall give Parent prompt notice of any demands received by the Company for appraisal of shares, and Parent shall have the right to direct all negotiations and proceedings with respect to such demands. Except with the prior written consent of Parent, the Company shall not make any payment with respect to, or offer to settle or settle, any such demands.

Section 2.05. Stock Options and Other Equity Awards. (a) At or immediately prior to the Effective Time, each outstanding option to purchase shares of Company Common Stock under any employee stock option or compensation plan or arrangement of the Company (each, a “Company Stock Option”), whether or not exercisable or vested, shall be canceled, and the Company shall pay each holder of any such option at or promptly after the Effective Time for each such Company Stock Option surrendered an amount in cash determined by multiplying (i) the excess, if any, of the Merger Consideration over the applicable exercise price of such option by (ii) the number of shares of Company Common Stock such holder could have purchased (assuming full vesting of all Company Stock Options) had such holder exercised such Company Stock Option in full immediately prior to the Effective Time.

(b) At or immediately prior to the Effective Time, each outstanding Company Restricted Share shall vest and become free of such other lapsing restrictions as of the Effective Time and shall, as of the Effective Time, be canceled and converted into the right to receive the Merger Consideration in accordance with Section 2.02(a).

(c) At or immediately prior to the Effective Time, each outstanding restricted stock unit award representing the right to receive shares of Company Common Stock granted pursuant to any equity or compensation plan or arrangement of the Company (each, a “Company Restricted Stock Unit”) shall vest and become free of such other lapsing restrictions as of the Effective Time and shall, as of the Effective Time, be canceled, and the Company shall pay each holder of any such restricted stock unit at or promptly after the Effective Time for each such Company Restricted Stock Unit surrendered an amount in cash determined by multiplying (i) the Merger Consideration by (ii) the number of

units covered by such Company Restricted Stock Unit that have not been settled or paid immediately prior to the Effective Time.

(d) Prior to the Effective Time, the Company shall obtain any consents from holders of Company Stock Options and Company Restricted Stock Units and make any amendments to the terms of such equity or compensation plans or arrangements that are necessary, if any, to give effect to the transactions contemplated by this Section 2.05. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, payment may be withheld in respect of any Company Stock Option or Company Restricted Stock Units until such necessary consents are obtained.

Section 2.06. Adjustments. If, during the period between the date of this Agreement and the Effective Time, any change in the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company shall occur, as a result of any reclassification, recapitalization, stock split (including reverse stock split), merger, combination, exchange or readjustment of shares, subdivision or other similar transaction, or any stock dividend thereon with a record date during such period, the Merger Consideration shall be appropriately adjusted.

Section 2.07. Withholding Rights. Each of the Exchange Agent, Parent and the Surviving Corporation shall be entitled to deduct and withhold from the consideration otherwise payable to any Person pursuant to this Article 2 such amounts as it is required to deduct and withhold with respect to the making of such payment under any provision of federal, state, local or foreign Tax law. If the Exchange Agent, Parent or the Surviving Corporation, as the case may be, so withholds amounts and duly pays over such amounts to the appropriate Taxing Authority, such amounts shall be treated for all purposes of this Agreement as having been paid to the holder of the shares of Company Common Stock, Company Stock Option, Company Restricted Share or Company Restricted Stock Unit in respect of which the Exchange Agent, Parent or the Surviving Corporation, as the case may be, made such deduction and withholding.

Section 2.08. Lost Certificates. If any Certificate shall have been lost, stolen or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the Person claiming such Certificate to be lost, stolen or destroyed and, if required by the Surviving Corporation, the posting by such Person of a bond, in such reasonable amount as the Surviving Corporation may direct, as indemnity against any claim that may be made against it with respect to such Certificate, the Exchange Agent will issue, in exchange for such lost, stolen or destroyed Certificate, the Merger Consideration to be paid in respect of the shares of Company Common Stock represented by such Certificate, as contemplated by this Article 2.

ARTICLE 3

THE SURVIVING CORPORATION

Section 3.01. Articles of Incorporation. The articles of incorporation of the Company in effect at the Effective Time shall be the articles of incorporation of the Surviving Corporation until amended in accordance with Applicable Law.

Section 3.02. Bylaws. The bylaws of Merger Subsidiary in effect at the Effective Time shall be the bylaws of the Surviving Corporation until amended in accordance with Applicable Law.

Section 3.03. Directors and Officers. From and after the Effective Time, until successors are duly elected or appointed and qualified in accordance with Applicable Law, (i) the directors of Merger Subsidiary at the Effective Time shall be the directors of the Surviving Corporation and (ii) the officers of the Company at the Effective Time shall be the officers of the Surviving Corporation.

ARTICLE 4

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY

The Company represents and warrants to Parent that except as set forth, subject to Section 11.05, in the Company Disclosure Schedule:

Section 4.01. Corporate Existence and Power. The Company is a corporation duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Kentucky and has all corporate powers required to carry on its business as now conducted. The Company is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and is in good standing in each jurisdiction where such qualification is necessary, except for those jurisdictions where failure to be so qualified would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company. Prior to the date of this Agreement, the Company has delivered to Parent true and complete copies of the articles of incorporation and bylaws of the Company as in effect on the date of this Agreement.

Section 4.02. Corporate Authorization. (a) The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby are within the Company’s corporate powers and, except for the required approval of the Company’s shareholders in connection with the consummation of the Merger, have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company. The affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Company Common Stock is the only vote of the holders of any of the Company’s capital stock necessary in connection with the consummation of the Merger (the “Company Shareholder Approval”). This Agreement constitutes a valid and binding agreement of the Company enforceable against the Company in

accordance with its terms (subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and general principles of equity).

(b) At a meeting duly called and held, the Company’s Board of Directors has (i) unanimously determined that this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby are fair to and in the best interests of the Company’s shareholders, (ii) unanimously approved and adopted this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, (iii) approved and adopted an amendment to the Company Rights Agreement to render the Company Rights inapplicable to the Merger, this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby (a copy of which amendment was provided to Parent by the Company prior to the date of this Agreement) and (iv) unanimously resolved to recommend approval and adoption of this Agreement by the Company’s shareholders (such recommendation, the “Company Board Recommendation”).

Section 4.03. Governmental Authorization. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby require no action by or in respect of, or filing with, any Governmental Authority other than (i) the filing of the articles of merger with respect to the Merger with the Kentucky Secretary of State and appropriate documents with the relevant authorities of other states in which the Company is qualified to do business, (ii) compliance with any applicable requirements of the HSR Act or any other applicable Competition Laws, (iii) compliance with any applicable requirements of the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, and any other applicable U.S. state or federal securities laws (the consents, approvals, orders, authorizations, registrations, declarations and filings required under or in connection with any of the foregoing clauses (i) through (iii) above, the “Required Governmental Authorizations”) and (iv) any actions or filings the absence of which would not be reasonably expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company or result in a material impairment in the ability of the Company to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

Section 4.04. Non-contravention. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby do not and will not (i) contravene, conflict with, or result in any violation or breach of any provision of the articles of incorporation or bylaws of the Company, (ii) assuming compliance with the matters referred to in Section 4.03, contravene, conflict with or result in a violation or breach of any provision of any Applicable Law, (iii) assuming compliance with the matters referred to in Section 4.03, require any consent or other action by any Person under, constitute a default, or an event that, with or without notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute a default, under, or cause or permit the termination, cancellation, acceleration or other change of any right or obligation or the loss of any benefit to which the Company or any of its

Subsidiaries is entitled under any provision of any agreement or other instrument binding upon the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any license, franchise, permit, certificate, approval or other similar authorization affecting, or relating in any way to, the assets or business of the Company and its Subsidiaries or (iv) result in the creation or imposition of any Lien on any asset of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, with such exceptions, in the case of each of clauses (ii) through (iv), as would not be reasonably expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company or result in a material impairment in the ability of the Company to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

Section 4.05. Capitalization. (a) The authorized capital stock of the Company consists of (i) 40,000,000 shares of Company Common Stock and (ii) 2,000,000 shares of Class A Preferred Stock, par value $10.00 per share (“Company Preferred Stock”), of which 1,000,000 are designated Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock, of which Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock 1,000,000 shares are reserved for issuance upon the exercise of the Company Rights issued pursuant to the Company Rights Agreement. As of September 6, 2006, there were outstanding (i) 22,651,989 shares of Company Common Stock (of which an aggregate of 170,812 shares are Company Restricted Shares), (ii) no shares of Company Preferred Stock, (iii) employee stock options to purchase an aggregate of 304,579 shares of Company Common Stock (of which options to purchase an aggregate of 122,600 shares of Company Common Stock were exercisable) and (iv) Company Restricted Stock Units covering 10,500 units. All outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been, and all shares that may be issued pursuant to any employee stock option or other compensation plan or arrangement will be, when issued in accordance with the respective terms thereof, duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable. No Subsidiary of the Company and no Affiliate of the Company owns any shares of capital stock of the Company. Section 4.05 of the Company Disclosure Schedule contains a complete and correct list of (i) each outstanding Company Stock Option, including with respect to each such option the holder, date of grant, exercise price, vesting schedule and number of shares of Company Common Stock subject thereto and (ii) all outstanding Company Restricted Shares and Company Restricted Stock Units, including with respect to each such share and unit the holder, date of grant and vesting schedule. A true and complete copy of the Company Rights Agreement as in effect as of the date of this Agreement has been made available to Parent prior to the date of this Agreement.

(b) There are outstanding no bonds, debentures, notes or other indebtedness of the Company having the right to vote (or convertible into, or exchangeable for, securities having the right to vote) on any matters on which shareholders of the Company may vote. Except as set forth in this Section 4.05 and for changes since September 6, 2006 resulting from the exercise of employee stock options outstanding on such date, there are no issued, reserved for issuance or outstanding (i) shares of capital stock or other voting securities of or other

ownership interest in the Company, (ii) securities of the Company convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock or other voting securities of or other ownership interest in the Company, (iii) warrants, calls, options or other rights to acquire from the Company, or other obligations of the Company to issue, any capital stock, other voting securities or securities convertible into or exchangeable for capital stock or other voting securities of or other ownership interest in the Company or (iv) restricted shares, stock appreciation rights, performance units, contingent value rights, “phantom” stock or similar securities or rights that are derivative of, or provide economic benefits based, directly or indirectly, on the value or price of, any capital stock of, or other voting securities of or ownership interests in, the Company (the items in clauses (i) though (iv) being referred to collectively as the “Company Securities”). There are no outstanding obligations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any of the Company Securities. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to any voting agreement with respect to the voting of any Company Securities.

Section 4.06. Subsidiaries. (a) Each Subsidiary of the Company is a corporation or other entity duly incorporated or organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation or organization and has all corporate or other organizational powers, as applicable, required to carry on its business as now conducted. Each such Subsidiary is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation or other entity, as applicable, and is in good standing in each jurisdiction where such qualification is necessary, except for those jurisdictions where failure to be so qualified would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company. Section 4.06 of the Company Disclosure Schedule lists all of the Subsidiaries of the Company together with the federal employer identification number of each such Subsidiary.

(b) Except as set forth in Section 4.06(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, all of the outstanding capital stock of, or other voting securities or ownership interests in, each Subsidiary of the Company, is owned by the Company, directly or indirectly, free and clear of any Lien (including any restriction on the right to vote, sell or otherwise dispose of such capital stock or other voting securities or ownership interests). There are no issued, reserved for issuance or outstanding (i) securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock or other voting securities of or ownership interests in any Subsidiary of the Company, (ii) warrants, calls, options or other rights to acquire from the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or other obligations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to issue, any capital stock or other voting securities of or ownership interests in, or any securities convertible into or exchangeable for any capital stock or other voting securities of or ownership interests in, any Subsidiary of the Company or (iii) restricted shares, stock appreciation rights, performance units, contingent value rights, “phantom” stock or similar securities or rights that are derivative of,

or provide economic benefits based, directly or indirectly, on the value or price of, any capital stock of, or other voting securities of or ownership interests in, any Subsidiary of the Company (the items in clauses (i) through (iii) being referred to collectively as the “Company Subsidiary Securities”). There are no outstanding obligations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any of the Company Subsidiary Securities. Except for the capital stock or other equity or voting interests of its Subsidiaries and publicly traded securities held for investment which do not exceed 5% of the outstanding securities of any entity, the Company does not own, directly or indirectly, any capital stock or other equity or voting interests in any Person.

Section 4.07. SEC Filings and the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act. (a) The Company has filed with or furnished to the SEC all reports, schedules, forms, statements, prospectuses, registration statements and other documents required to be filed or furnished by the Company since December 31, 2003 (collectively, together with any exhibits and schedules thereto and other information incorporated therein, the “Company SEC Documents”).

(b) As of its filing date, each Company SEC Document complied, and each such Company SEC Document filed subsequent to the date of this Agreement will comply, as to form in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act and the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, as the case may be.

(c) As of its filing date (or, if amended or superseded by a filing prior to the date of this Agreement, on the date of such subsequent filing), each Company SEC Document filed pursuant to the 1934 Act did not, and each such Company SEC Document filed subsequent to the date of this Agreement will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

(d) Each Company SEC Document that is a registration statement, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, filed pursuant to the 1933 Act, as of the date such registration statement or amendment became effective, did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

(e) The Company is in compliance with, and have complied, in each case in all material respects with (i) the applicable provisions of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act and (ii) the applicable listing and corporate governance rules and regulations of the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”).

(f) The Company has established and maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15 under the 1934 Act). Such disclosure controls and procedures are designed to ensure that material information relating to the Company, including its consolidated Subsidiaries, is made known to the

Company’s principal executive officer and its principal financial officer by others within those entities, particularly during the periods in which the periodic reports required under the 1934 Act are being prepared. Such disclosure controls and procedures are effective in alerting in a timely manner the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer to material information required to be included in the Company’s periodic and current reports required under the 0000 Xxx.

(g) The Company and its Subsidiaries have established and maintained a system of internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15 under the 1934 Act) (“internal controls”). Such internal controls are designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of the Company’s financial reporting and the preparation of the Company’s financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP. The Company has disclosed, based on its most recent evaluation of internal controls prior to the date of this Agreement, to the Company’s auditors and audit committee (x) any significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal controls which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information and (y) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal controls. The Company has made available to Parent prior to the date of this Agreement a summary of any such disclosure made by management to the Company’s auditors and audit committee since December 31, 2003.

(h) There are no outstanding loans or other extensions of credit in the form of a personal loan (within the meaning of Section 402 of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act) made by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to any executive officer (as defined in Rule 3b-7 under the 0000 Xxx) or director of the Company. The Company has not, since the enactment of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act, taken any action prohibited by Section 402 of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act.

(i) Each of the principal executive officer and principal financial officer of the Company (or each former principal executive officer and principal financial officer of the Company, as applicable) have made all certifications required by Rule 13a-14 and 15d-14 under the 1934 Act and Sections 302 and 906 of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act and any related rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC and the NYSE, and the statements contained in any such certifications are complete and correct. For purposes of this Agreement, “principal executive officer” and “principal financial officer” shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act.

(j) Section 4.07(j) of the Company Disclosure Schedule describes, and the Company has delivered to Parent copies of the documentation creating or governing, all securitization transactions and other off-balance sheet arrangements

(as defined in Item 303 of Regulation S-K of the SEC) that existed or were effected by the Company or its Subsidiaries since December 31, 2003.

(k) Since December 31, 2003, there has been no transaction, or series of similar transactions, agreements, arrangements or understandings, nor are there any proposed transactions as of the date of this Agreement, or series of similar transactions, agreements, arrangements or understandings to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries was or is to be a party, that would be required to be disclosed under Item 404 of Regulation S-K promulgated under the 1933 Act.

Section 4.08. Financial Statements. The audited consolidated financial statements and unaudited consolidated interim financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Company SEC Documents fairly present, in conformity with GAAP applied on a consistent basis (except as may be indicated in the notes thereto), in all material respects the consolidated financial position of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of the dates thereof and their consolidated results of operations and cash flows for the periods then ended (subject, in the case of any unaudited interim financial statements, to the absence of notes and normal and recurring year-end audit adjustments).

Section 4.09. Disclosure Documents. The proxy statement of the Company to be filed with the SEC in connection with the Merger (the “Company Proxy Statement”) and any amendments or supplements thereto will, when filed, comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the 1934 Act. At the time the Company Proxy Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto is first mailed to shareholders of the Company, and at the time such shareholders vote on adoption of this Agreement and at the Effective Time, the Company Proxy Statement, as supplemented or amended, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The representations and warranties contained in this Section 4.09 will not apply to statements or omissions included in the Company Proxy Statement based upon information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of Parent or Merger Subsidiary specifically for use therein.

Section 4.10. Absence of Certain Changes. Since the Company Balance Sheet Date, the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries has been conducted in the ordinary course consistent with past practices, and there has not been (i) any event, occurrence, or development that would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company or (ii) any action taken by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that, if taken during the period from the date of this Agreement through the Effective Time without Parent’s consent, would constitute a breach of Section 6.01.

Section 4.11. No Undisclosed Material Liabilities. There are no liabilities or obligations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of any kind whatsoever,

whether accrued, contingent, absolute, determined, determinable or otherwise, other than (i) liabilities or obligations disclosed and provided for in the Company Balance Sheet or in the notes thereto, (ii) liabilities or obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice since the Company Balance Sheet Date and (iii) liabilities or obligations that would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company.

Section 4.12. Litigation. There is no action, suit, investigation or proceeding pending against, or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting, the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, any present or former officer, director or employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in their respective capacities as such or any Person for whom the Company or any Subsidiary may be liable or any of their respective properties before (or, in the case of threatened actions, suits, investigations or proceedings, would be before) any arbitrator or Governmental Authority, that has had or would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company or that in any manner challenges or seeks to prevent, enjoin, alter or materially delay the Merger or any of the other transactions contemplated hereby, nor is there any judgment, decree, injunction, rule or order of any arbitrator or Governmental Authority outstanding against, or, to the knowledge of the Company, investigation by any Governmental Authority involving, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that would reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company or result in a material impairment in the ability of the Company to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

Section 4.13. Compliance with Applicable Laws. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries is and, since December 31, 2003, has been in compliance with, and to the knowledge of the Company is not under investigation with respect to and to the knowledge of the Company has not been threatened to be charged with or given written notice or other written communication alleging or relating to a possible violation of, Applicable Laws, except for failures to comply or violations that would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company. The Company and its Subsidiaries hold all governmental licenses, authorizations, permits, consents, approvals, variances, exemptions and orders necessary for the operation of the businesses of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole (the “Company Permits”), except where such failure would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries is and, since January 1, 2003, has been in compliance with the terms of the Company Permits, except for failures to comply or violations that would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company.

Section 4.14. Material Contracts. (a) Section 4.14(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule lists each of the following Contracts, whether written or oral, to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which it is bound as of the date of this Agreement (each such Contract listed or required to be so listed, a “Company Material Contract”):

(i) any Contract or series of related Contracts for the purchase, receipt, lease or use of materials, supplies, goods, services, equipment or other assets involving payments by or to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of more than $5,000,000 on an annual basis or $10,000,000 in the aggregate (other than any customary purchase orders or sales orders made in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices);

(ii) any material sales agency, sales representation, distributorship or franchise agreement;

(iii) any Contract or series of related Contracts involving payments by or to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of more than $5,000,000 on an annual basis or $10,000,000 in the aggregate that requires consent of or notice to a third party in the event of or with respect to the Merger, including in order to avoid a breach or termination of, a loss of benefit under, or triggering a price adjustment, right of renegotiation or other remedy under, any such agreement;

(iv) promissory notes, loans, agreements, indentures, evidences of indebtedness or other instruments providing for or relating to the lending of money, whether as borrower, lender or guarantor, in amounts greater than $1,000,000;

(v) any material Contract relating to any interest rate, currency or commodity hedging, swaps, caps, floors and option agreements and other material risk management or derivative arrangements;

(vi) any Contract restricting the payment of dividends or the repurchase of stock or other equity;

(vii) any collective bargaining agreements;

(viii) any material joint venture, profit sharing, partnership agreements or other similar agreements;

(ix) any Contracts or series of related Contracts relating to the acquisition or disposition of the securities of any Person, any business or any material amount of assets outside the ordinary course of business (in each case, whether by merger, sale of stock, sale of assets or otherwise);

(x) any material Contract with a Governmental Authority;

(xi) all leases or subleases for real or personal property involving annual expense in excess of $1,000,000 and not cancelable by the Company (without premium or penalty) within 12 months;

(xii) all Contracts granting any license to intellectual property (other than trade and service marks) and any other license (other than real estate) having an aggregate value per license, or involving payments to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, of more than $1,000,000 on an annual basis;

(xiii) any Contract that (A) limits the freedom of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to engage or compete in any line of business or with any Person or in any area or which would so limit the freedom of Parent, the Company or any of their respective Affiliates after the Effective Time or (B) contains exclusivity, “most favored nation” or similar obligations or restrictions that are binding on the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or that would be binding on Parent or its Affiliates after the Effective Time;

(xiv) all agreements by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries not to acquire assets or securities of a third party (including standstill agreements);

(xv) any material Contracts or other transactions with any (A) officer or director of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (or any other employee who is one of the twenty most highly compensated employees of the Company and its Subsidiaries); (B) record or beneficial owner of five percent or more of the voting securities of Company; or (C) affiliate (as such term is defined in Rule 12b-2 promulgated under the 0000 Xxx) or “associates” (or members of any of their “immediate family”) (as such terms are respectively defined in Rule 12b-2 and Rule 16a-1 of the 0000 Xxx) of any such officer, director or beneficial owner; and

(xvi) any other Contract required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Item 601(b)(10) of Regulation S-K of the SEC, or that if terminated or subject to a default by any party thereto would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company.

(b) The Company has prior to the date of this Agreement made available to Parent complete and accurate copies of each Company Material Contract listed, or required to be listed, in Section 4.17(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule (including all amendments, modifications, extensions and renewals thereto and waivers thereunder). All of the Company Material Contracts are valid and binding and in full force and effect (except those which are cancelled, rescinded or terminated after the date of this Agreement in accordance

with their terms), except where the failure to be in full force and effect would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company, and no written notice to terminate, in whole or part, any of the same has been served.

Section 4.15. Taxes. (a) The Company has filed or caused to be filed all material Tax Returns required by Applicable Law to be filed with any Taxing Authority by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in accordance with Applicable Law when due (taking into account any valid extensions of time within which to file), and all such Tax Returns are correct and complete in all material respects.

(b) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries has paid (or has had paid on its behalf) or has withheld and remitted to the appropriate Taxing Authority all Taxes shown to be due and payable on such Tax Returns, except for amounts as would not be material. The most recent financial statements in the Company SEC Documents reflect in accordance with GAAP, an adequate accrual for Taxes payable by the Company and its Subsidiaries for all taxable periods through the date of such financial statements.

(c) All federal income and franchise Tax Returns and all material state, local or foreign income and franchise Tax Returns of the Company and its Subsidiaries through the year ended December 31, 2001 have been examined and closed or are Tax Returns with respect to which the applicable period for assessment under Applicable Law, after giving effect to extensions or waivers, has expired.

(d) There is no claim, audit, action, suit, or proceeding, now pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened against the Company or its Subsidiaries in respect of any material Tax or material Tax Return nor, to the knowledge of the Company, is there any investigation with respect to the Company or its Subsidiaries in respect of any material Tax or material Tax Return.

(e) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to any existing agreement (whether or not written) providing for the allocation, apportionment, or sharing of any material amount of Tax liability or benefit or the transfer or assignment of income, gains, loss or deduction for the purpose of determining any Person’s Tax liability imposed on or with respect to any individual or other person (other than (I) such agreements with customers, vendors, lessors or the like entered into in the ordinary course of business and (II) agreements with or among the Company or any of its Subsidiaries), and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries (A) has been a member of an affiliated group (or similar state, local or foreign filing group) filing a consolidated U.S. federal income Tax Return or a similar state, local or foreign consolidated Tax Return (other than the group the common parent of which is the Company) or (B) has any liability for the Taxes of any person (other than the Company or any of its

Subsidiaries) (I) under Treasury Regulation section 1.1502-6 (or any similar provision of state, local or foreign law), or (II) as a transferee or successor.

(f) During the five-year period ending on the date of this Agreement, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries was a distributing corporation or a controlled corporation in a transaction intended to be governed by Section 355 of the Code.

(g) Section 4.15(g) of the Company Disclosure Schedule contains a list of all jurisdictions (whether foreign or domestic) in which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries currently files Tax Returns.

(h) “Tax” means any tax, governmental fee or other like assessment or charge of any kind whatsoever (including withholding on amounts paid to or by any Person), together with any interest, penalty, or addition to tax imposed by any Governmental Authority (a “Taxing Authority”) responsible for the imposition of any such tax (domestic or foreign). “Tax Return” means any report, return, document, declaration or filing required to be supplied to any Taxing Authority with respect to Taxes, including information returns, any documents with respect to or accompanying payments of estimated Taxes, or with respect to or accompanying requests for the extension of time in which to file any such report, return, document, or declaration.

Section 4.16. Employees and Employee Benefit Plans. (a) Section 4.16 of the Company Disclosure Schedule contains a correct and complete list identifying each “employee benefit plan,” as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA, each employment, severance or similar Contract, plan or policy and each other plan or arrangement (written or oral) providing for compensation, bonuses, profit-sharing, stock option or other stock related rights or other forms of incentive or deferred compensation, vacation benefits, insurance (including any self-insured arrangements), health or medical benefits, employee assistance program, disability or sick leave benefits, workers’ compensation, supplemental unemployment benefits, severance benefits and post-employment or retirement benefits (including compensation, pension, health, medical or life insurance benefits) or other form of benefits which is maintained, administered or contributed to by the Company or any ERISA Affiliate of the Company and covers any employee, director, former employee or former director of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or with respect to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has any liability. Copies of such plans (and, if applicable, related trust or funding agreements or insurance policies) and all amendments thereto and written interpretations thereof have been furnished to Parent together with the most recent annual report (Form 5500 including, if applicable, Schedule B thereto) prepared in connection with any such plan or trust. Such plans are referred to collectively herein as the “Employee Plans.”

(b) Other than a Multiemployer Plan, neither the Company nor any ERISA Affiliate of the Company nor any predecessor thereof sponsors, maintains

or contributes to, or has in the past sponsored, maintained or contributed to, any Employee Plan subject to Title IV of ERISA.

(c) To the knowledge of the Company, no condition exists that could present a material risk of complete or partial withdrawal from any Multiemployer Plan which could result in the Company, any Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate of any of them incurring a withdrawal liability within the meaning of Section 4201 of ERISA, and if a complete withdrawal by the Company and all of its ERISA Affiliates were to occur as of the Closing Date with respect to all Multiemployer Plans, none of the Company, any Subsidiary or any of their ERISA Affiliates would incur any material withdrawal liability under Title IV of ERISA.

(d) Each Employee Plan which is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code has received a favorable determination letter that it is so qualified, or has pending or has time remaining in which to file, an application for such determination from the Internal Revenue Service, and the Company is not aware of any reason why any such determination letter should be revoked or not be reissued. The Company has made available to Parent prior to date of this Agreement copies of the most recent Internal Revenue Service determination letters with respect to each such Employee Plan. To the knowledge of the Company, each Employee Plan has been maintained in substantial compliance with its terms and with the requirements prescribed by any and all statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including ERISA and the Code, which are applicable to such Employee Plan. To the knowledge of the Company, no events have occurred with respect to any Employee Plan that could result in payment or assessment by or against the Company of any excise taxes under Sections 4972, 4975, 4976, 4977, 4979, 4980B, 4980D, 4980E or 5000 of the Code.

(e) Except as set forth in Section 4.16(e) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, with respect to each current or former employee or independent contractor of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will not, either alone or together with any other event: (i) entitle any such person to severance pay, bonus amounts, retirement benefits, job security benefits or similar benefits, (ii) trigger or accelerate the time of payment or funding (through a grantor trust or otherwise) of any compensation or benefits payable to any such person, (iii) accelerate the vesting of any compensation or benefits of any such person (including any stock options or other equity-based awards, any incentive compensation or any deferred compensation entitlement) or (iv) trigger any other material obligation to any such person. There is no Contract or plan (written or otherwise) covering any employee or former employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that, individually or collectively, could give rise to the payment of any amount that would not be deductible pursuant to the terms of Section 280G or 162(m) of the Code. Section 4.16(e) of the Company Disclosure Schedule lists all the agreements, arrangements and other instruments which give rise to an obligation

to make or set aside amounts payable to or on behalf of the officers of the Company and its Subsidiaries as a result of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and/or any subsequent employment termination (whether by the Company or the officer), true and complete copies of which have been provided to Parent prior to the date of this Agreement.

(f) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has any liability in respect of post-retirement health, medical or life insurance benefits for retired, former or current employees of the Company or its Subsidiaries except as required to avoid excise tax under Section 4980B of the Code.

(g) There has been no amendment to, written interpretation or announcement (whether or not written) by the Company or any of its Affiliates relating to, or change in employee participation or coverage under, an Employee Plan which would increase materially the expense of maintaining such Employee Plan above the level of the expense incurred in respect thereof for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2005. No condition exists that would prevent the Company from amending or terminating any Employee Plan without liability, other than the obligation for ordinary benefits accrued prior to the termination of such plan.

(h) There is no action, suit, investigation, audit or proceeding pending against or involving or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or involving, any Employee Plan before any Governmental Authority

(i) The Company and its Subsidiaries have complied with all Applicable Laws relating to labor and employment, including those relating to wages, hours, collective bargaining, unemployment compensation, worker’s compensation, equal employment opportunity, age and disability discrimination, immigration control, employee classification, information privacy and security, payment and withholding of taxes, and continuation coverage with respect to group health plans, except for failures to comply that have not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company.

(j) Except as set forth in Section 4.16(j) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has been a party to or subject to, or is currently negotiating in connection with entering into, any collective bargaining agreement or other labor agreement with any union or labor organization, and there has not been any activity or proceeding of any labor organization or employee group to organize any such employees. In addition, (i) there are no unfair labor practice charges or complaints against Company or any of its Subsidiaries pending before the National Labor Relations Board; (ii) there are no labor strikes, slowdowns or stoppages actually pending or threatened against or affecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (iii) there are no representation claims or petitions pending before the National Labor Relations Board and there are no questions concerning representation with respect to the employees of the Company or its Subsidiaries; and (iv) there are no grievance or

pending arbitration proceedings against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that arose out of or under any collection bargaining agreement.

(k) Since the Balance Sheet Date, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has effectuated (i) a “plant closing” (as defined in the WARN Act) affecting any site of employment or one or more facilities or operating units within any site of employment or facility of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (ii) a “mass layoff” (as defined in the WARN Act); or (iii) such other transaction, layoff, reduction in force or employment terminations sufficient in number to trigger application of any similar state or local law.

Section 4.17. Intellectual Property. Section 4.17 of the Company Disclosure Schedule contains a true and complete list of all material registrations and applications for registration of any Intellectual Property owned by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company: (i) the Company and each of its Subsidiaries owns (free and clear of any Liens other than the Liens granted under the Financing and Security Agreement dated March 29, 2002 by and among The CIT Group/Business Credit, Inc., Newport Steel Corporation, and Xxxxxx Steel Corporation, as amended, and liens for Taxes which are not yet delinquent), or is licensed to use, all Intellectual Property used in or necessary for the conduct of its business as currently conducted; (ii) neither Company nor its Subsidiaries has infringed, misappropriated or otherwise violated the Intellectual Property rights of any Person; (iii) to the knowledge of the Company, no Person has challenged, infringed, misappropriated or otherwise violated any Intellectual Property right owned by and/or licensed to the Company or its Subsidiaries; (iv) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any written notice or otherwise has knowledge of any pending claim, action, suit, order or proceeding with respect to any Intellectual Property used by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or alleging that any services provided, processes used or products manufactured, used, imported, offered for sale or sold by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries infringes, misappropriates or otherwise violates any Intellectual Property rights of any Person; (v) the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will not alter, encumber, impair or extinguish any Intellectual Property right of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or impair the right of Parent to develop, use, sell, license or dispose of, or to bring any action for the infringement of, any Intellectual Property right of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (vi) the IT Assets operate and perform in all material respects in a manner that permits the Company and its Subsidiaries to conduct their respective businesses as currently conducted and to the knowledge of the Company, no person has gained unauthorized access to the IT Assets; and (vii) the Company and its Subsidiaries have implemented reasonable backup technology consistent with industry practices.

Section 4.18. Properties. Except in any such case as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company: (i) with respect to the real property owned by the Company or its Subsidiaries (the “Owned Real Property”), the Company or one of its Subsidiaries, as applicable, has good title to the Owned Real Property, free and clear of any Lien (other than the Liens granted under the Financing and Security Agreement dated March 29, 2002 by and among The CIT Group/Business Credit, Inc., Newport Steel Corporation, and Xxxxxx Steel Corporation, as amended, and liens for Taxes which are not yet delinquent); (ii) with respect to the real property leased, subleased or licensed to the Company or its Subsidiaries (the “Leased Real Property”), the lease, sublease or license for such property is valid and binding and in full force and effect, and none of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is in breach of or default under such lease, sublease or license, and to the knowledge of the Company no event has occurred which, with notice, lapse of time or both, would constitute a breach or default by any of the Company or its Subsidiaries or permit termination, modification or acceleration by any third party thereunder, or prevent, materially delay or, as of the date of this Agreement, materially impair the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; and (iii) all buildings, structures, fixtures and improvements included within the Owned Real Property or Leased Real Property are in good repair and operating condition, subject only to ordinary wear and tear, and are adequate and suitable for the purposes for which they are presently being used or held for use. Section 4.18 of the Company Disclosure Letter contains a true and complete list of all Owned Real Property or Leased Real Property.

Section 4.19. Environmental Matters. (a) Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company: (i) no notice, notification, demand, request for information, citation, summons or order has been received, no complaint has been filed, no penalty has been assessed, and no investigation, action, claim, suit, proceeding or review (or any basis therefor) is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, is threatened by any Governmental Authority or other Person relating to the Company or any Subsidiary and relating to or arising out of any Environmental Law; (ii) the Company and its Subsidiaries are and for the last five years have been in compliance with all Environmental Laws and all Environmental Permits, except for such noncompliance which has been fully resolved with no obligation remaining; and (iii) there are no liabilities or obligations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of any kind whatsoever, whether accrued, contingent, absolute, determined, determinable or otherwise arising under or relating to any Environmental Law or any Hazardous Substance.

(b) There has been no environmental investigation, study, audit, test, review or other analysis prepared of which the Company has knowledge that identifies an issue or issues which individually or in the aggregate would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company in

relation to the current or prior business of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any property or facility now or previously owned or leased by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that has not been delivered to Parent prior to the date of this Agreement.

(c) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries owns, leases or operates or has owned, leased or operated any real property, or conducts or has conducted any operations in New Jersey or Connecticut.

(d) For purposes of this Section, the terms “Company” and “Subsidiaries” shall include any entity that is or was a predecessor of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, including Imperial Adhesives, Inc. and Kentucky Electric Steel Corporation.

Section 4.20. Antitakeover Statutes and Rights Agreement. (a) The Company has taken all action necessary to exempt or exclude the Merger, this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby from Sections 271B.12-200 to 271B.12-230 of Kentucky Law, including Section 271B.12-210(3) thereof, and, accordingly, neither such Sections nor any other antitakeover or similar statute or regulation applies or purports to apply to any such transactions. No other “control share acquisition,” “fair price,” “moratorium” or other antitakeover laws enacted under U.S. state or federal laws apply to this Agreement or any of the transactions contemplated hereby.

(b) The Company has taken all action necessary to render the rights issued pursuant to the terms of the Company Rights Agreement inapplicable to the Merger, this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby.

Section 4.21. Opinion of Financial Advisor. The Company has received the opinion of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Associates, Inc., financial advisor to the Company, to the effect that, as of the date of this Agreement, the Merger Consideration is fair to the Company’s shareholders from a financial point of view.

Section 4.22. Finders’ Fees. Except for Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Associates, Inc., a copy of whose engagement agreement has been provided to Parent prior to the date of this Agreement, there is no investment banker, broker, finder or other intermediary that has been retained by or is authorized to act on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries who might be entitled to any fee or commission in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

ARTICLE 5

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT

Parent represents and warrants to the Company that:

Section 5.01. Corporate Existence and Power. Each of Parent and Merger Subsidiary is a corporation duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation and has all corporate powers required to carry on its business as now conducted. Parent has prior to the date of this Agreement delivered to the Company true and complete copies of the certificate of incorporation and bylaws of Parent and articles of incorporation and bylaws of Merger Subsidiary as in effect on the date of this Agreement. Since the date of its incorporation, Merger Subsidiary has not engaged in any activities other than in connection with or as contemplated by this Agreement.

Section 5.02. Corporate Authorization. The execution, delivery and performance by Parent and Merger Subsidiary of this Agreement and the consummation by Parent and Merger Subsidiary of the transactions contemplated hereby are within the corporate powers of Parent and Merger Subsidiary and have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of Parent and Merger Subsidiary. This Agreement constitutes a valid and binding agreement of each of Parent and Merger Subsidiary enforceable against each of Parent and Merger Subsidiary in accordance with its terms (subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and general principles of equity).

Section 5.03. Governmental Authorization. The execution, delivery and performance by Parent and Merger Subsidiary of this Agreement and the consummation by Parent and Merger Subsidiary of the transactions contemplated hereby require no action by or in respect of, or filing with, any Governmental Authority, other than (i) the Required Governmental Authorizations and (ii) any actions or filings the absence of which would not be reasonably expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on Parent or Merger Subsidiary.

Section 5.04. Non-contravention. The execution, delivery and performance by Parent and Merger Subsidiary of this Agreement and the consummation by Parent and Merger Subsidiary of the transactions contemplated hereby do not and will not (i) contravene, conflict with, or result in any violation or breach of any provision of the articles of incorporation or bylaws of Parent or Merger Subsidiary, (ii) assuming compliance with the matters referred to in Section 5.03, contravene, conflict with or result in a violation or breach of any provision of any Applicable Law, (iii) assuming compliance with the matters referred to in Section 5.03, require any consent or other action by any Person under, constitute a default, or an event that, with or without notice or lapse of time or both, could become a default, under, or cause or permit the termination, cancellation, acceleration or other change of any right or obligation or the loss of any benefit to which Parent or any of its Subsidiaries is entitled under any provision of any agreement or other instrument binding upon Parent or any of its Subsidiaries or any license, franchise, permit, certificate, approval or other similar authorization affecting, or relating in any way to, the assets or business of the

Parent and its Subsidiaries or (iv) result in the creation or imposition of any Lien on any asset of the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries, except for such contraventions, conflicts and violations referred to in clause (ii) and for such failures to obtain any such consent or other action, defaults, terminations, cancellations, accelerations, changes, losses or Liens referred to in clauses (iii) and (iv) that would not be reasonably expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on Parent or Merger Subsidiary.

Section 5.05. Disclosure Documents. None of the information provided by Parent or Merger Subsidiary for inclusion in the Company Proxy Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto, at the time the Company Proxy Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto is first mailed to shareholders of the Company and at the time the shareholders vote on adoption of this Agreement and at the Effective Time, will contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

Section 5.06. Financing. Parent has, or will have prior to the Effective Time, sufficient cash, available lines of credit or other sources of immediately available funds to enable it to pay the aggregate Merger Consideration pursuant to Section 2.02(a).

Section 5.07. Finders’ Fees. Except for Banc of America Securities LLC, whose fees will be paid by Parent, there is no investment banker, broker, finder or other intermediary that has been retained by or is authorized to act on behalf of Parent who might be entitled to any fee or commission from the Company or any of its Affiliates upon consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

Section 5.08. No Ownership of Stock of Company. None of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries beneficially own as of the date of this Agreement any shares of Company Common Stock, and none of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries is, or has ever been deemed to be, an “interested shareholder” or an “affiliate or associate of an interested shareholder” of the Company for purposes of Kentucky Law.

ARTICLE 6

COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY

The Company agrees that:

Section 6.01. Conduct of the Company. From the date of this Agreement until the Effective Time, the Company shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, conduct its business in the ordinary course consistent with past practice and in compliance with all material Applicable Laws and all material governmental authorizations, and use its commercially reasonable efforts to preserve intact its present business organization, maintain in effect all of its

xxxxxxx, xxxxxxx, xxxxx and local licenses, permits, consents, franchises, approvals and authorizations, keep available the services of its directors, officers and employees and maintain satisfactory relationships with its customers, lenders, suppliers and others having material business relationships with it. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing and to the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law, from the date of this Agreement until the Effective Time, except as set forth in Section 6.01 of the Company Disclosure Schedule, or with Parent’s prior written consent, the Company shall not, and shall not permit any of its Subsidiaries to:

(a) amend its articles of incorporation, bylaws or other similar organizational documents (whether by merger, consolidation or otherwise);

(b) (i) split, combine or reclassify any shares of its capital stock, (ii) declare, set aside or pay any dividend or make any other distribution (whether in cash, stock, property or any combination thereof) in respect of any shares of its capital stock or other securities (other than dividends or distributions by any of its wholly-owned Subsidiaries), or (iii) redeem, repurchase, cancel or otherwise acquire or offer to redeem, repurchase, or otherwise acquire, any of its securities or any securities of any of its Subsidiaries, other than the cancellation of Company Stock Options in connection with the exercise thereof;

(c) (i) issue, deliver or sell, or authorize the issuance, delivery or sale of, any shares of any Company Securities or Company Subsidiary Securities, other than the issuance of any shares of Company Common Stock upon the exercise of Company Stock Options that are outstanding on the date of this Agreement in accordance with the terms of those options on the date of this Agreement or (ii) amend any term of any Company Security or any Company Subsidiary Security (in each case, whether by merger, consolidation or otherwise);

(d) incur any capital expenditures or any obligations or liabilities in respect thereof, except for (i) those contemplated by the capital expenditure budget for the fiscal years 2006 and 2007, which capital expenditure budget has been made available to Parent prior to the date of this Agreement and (ii) any unbudgeted capital expenditures relating to the fiscal year 2006 or fiscal year 2007, not to exceed, in each year, in the aggregate, $2,500,000, respectively;

(e) (i) acquire (including by merger, consolidation, or acquisition of stock or assets) any interest in any corporation, partnership, other business organization or any division thereof or any material amount of assets from any other Person, (ii) merge or consolidate with any other Person or (iii) adopt a plan of complete or partial liquidation, dissolution, recapitalization or restructuring;

(f) sell, lease, license or otherwise dispose of any material Subsidiary or any material amount of assets, securities or property except (i) pursuant to existing contracts or commitments disclosed on Section 6.01(f) of the Company

Disclosure Schedule and (ii) in the ordinary course consistent with past practice in an amount not to exceed $2,500,000 in the aggregate;

(g) create or incur any Lien on any material asset other than any immaterial Lien incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices;

(h) make any loans, advances or investments either by purchase of stock or securities, contributions to capital, property transfers, or purchase of any property or assets of any Person other than investments in its wholly-owned Subsidiaries made in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices and investments of excess cash made in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices;

(i) create, incur, assume, suffer to exist or otherwise be liable with respect to any indebtedness for borrowed money or guarantees thereof other than in the ordinary course of business on terms consistent with past practices in an amount not to exceed $5,000,000 in the aggregate, provided that all such indebtedness for borrowed money must be prepayable at any time by the Company without penalty or premium;

(j) (i) enter into any Contract that would have been a Company Material Contract were the Company or any of its Subsidiaries a party or subject thereto on the date of this Agreement other than (except with respect to any Contract that would have been a Company Material Contract pursuant to clause (xiii) of Section 4.14) in the ordinary course consistent with past practices or (ii) terminate or amend in any material respect any such Contract or any Company Material Contract or waive any material right thereunder;

(k) (i) grant or increase any severance or termination pay to (or amend any existing arrangement with) any of their respective directors, officers or employees other than as required pursuant to existing Employee Plans, (ii) increase benefits payable under any severance or termination pay policies or employment agreements existing as of the date of this Agreement, (iii) enter into any employment, deferred compensation or other similar agreement (or any amendment to any such existing agreement) with any of their respective directors, officers or employees, (iv) establish, adopt or amend (except as required by Applicable Law) any collective bargaining, bonus, profit-sharing, thrift, pension, retirement, deferred compensation, severance, compensation, stock option, restricted stock or other benefit plan or arrangement covering any of their respective directors, officers or employees or (v) increase the compensation, bonus or other benefits payable to any of their respective directors, executives or other non-executive employees, other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice not to exceed (except in connection with ordinary course promotions) the levels provided for in the Company’s existing 2006 merit budget (or, if the Closing occurs during 2007, not to exceed the levels provided

for in the Company’s 2007 merit budget, it being agreed that such levels will be substantially the same as provided for in the existing 2006 merit budget);

(l) make any material changes in any method of accounting or accounting principles or practice, except for any such change required by reason of a concurrent change in GAAP or Regulation S-X under the 1934 Act, as approved by its independent public accountants;

(m) settle, or offer or propose to settle, (i) any litigation, investigation, arbitration, proceeding or other claim involving or against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that is material to the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole or involving a payment by the Company or its Subsidiaries in excess of $ $1,000,000 individually, (ii) any shareholder litigation or dispute against the Company or any of its officers or directors or (iii) any litigation, arbitration, proceeding or dispute that relates to the transactions contemplated hereby;

(n) grant any license with respect to Company Intellectual Property other than non-exclusive licenses granted in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices or take any action or omit to take any action that would reasonably be expected to cause any Company Intellectual Property used or held for use in its business to become invalidated, abandoned or dedicated to the public domain;

(o) (i) except as expressly permitted under the other clauses of this Section 6.01, take any action that would make any representation or warranty of the Company hereunder inaccurate in any material respect at, or as of any time before, the Effective Time or (ii) take any action that would reasonably be expected to delay the Closing beyond the End Date;

(p) other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice or except to the extent required by law, make or change any material Tax election, settle or compromise any material Tax liability of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or enter into any closing agreement with respect to any material Tax; or

(q) agree, resolve or commit to do any of the foregoing.

Section 6.02. Shareholder Meeting; Proxy Material. The Company shall cause a meeting of its shareholders (the “Company Shareholder Meeting”) to be duly called and held as soon as reasonably practicable for the purpose of voting on the approval and adoption of this Agreement and the Merger. Subject to Section 6.03(b), the Board of Directors of the Company shall recommend approval and adoption of this Agreement and the Merger by the Company’s shareholders. In connection with such meeting, the Company shall (i) promptly prepare and file with the SEC, use its commercially reasonable efforts to respond to the SEC’s comments and thereafter mail to its shareholders as promptly as practicable the Company Proxy Statement and all other proxy materials for such

meeting, (ii) subject to Section 6.03(b), use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the Company Shareholder Approval and (iii) otherwise comply with all legal requirements applicable to such meeting. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, this Agreement and the Merger shall be submitted to the Company’s shareholders at the Company Shareholder Meeting as soon as reasonably practicable whether or not (i) an Adverse Recommendation Change shall have occurred or (ii) an Acquisition Proposal shall have been publicly proposed or announced or otherwise submitted to the Company or any of its Representatives.

Section 6.03. No Solicitation; Other Offers. (a) Subject to Section 6.03(b), the Company shall not, and shall cause its Subsidiaries not to, and shall direct and use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause its and their officers, directors, employees, investment bankers, attorneys, accountants, consultants and other agents, advisors or representatives (collectively, “Representatives”) not to, directly or indirectly, (i) solicit, initiate or take any action to facilitate or encourage the submission of any Acquisition Proposal, (ii) enter into or participate in any discussions or negotiations with, furnish any information relating to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or afford access to the business, properties, assets, books or records of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to, otherwise cooperate in any way with, or knowingly assist, participate in, facilitate or encourage any effort by any Third Party that is seeking to make, or has made, an Acquisition Proposal, (iii) fail to make, withdraw or modify in a manner adverse to Parent or publicly propose to withdraw or modify in a manner adverse to Parent the Company Board Recommendation, or recommend, adopt or approve or publicly propose to recommend, adopt or approve an Acquisition Proposal (any of the foregoing in this clause (iii), an “Adverse Recommendation Change”), (iv) grant any waiver or release under any standstill or similar agreement with respect to any class of equity securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or (v) enter into any agreement in principle, letter of intent, term sheet, merger agreement, acquisition agreement, option agreement, joint venture agreement, partnership agreement or other similar instrument constituting or relating to an Acquisition Proposal (except for confidentiality agreements permitted under Section 6.03(b)). The Company shall, and shall cause its Subsidiaries and their respective Representatives to, cease immediately and cause to be terminated any and all existing activities, discussions or negotiations, if any, with any Third Party conducted prior to the date of this Agreement with respect to any Acquisition Proposal and shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause any such Party (or its agents or advisors) in possession of confidential information about the Company that was furnished by or on behalf of the Company to return or destroy all such information. During the term of this Agreement, the Company shall not take any actions to make any state takeover statute (including any Kentucky state takeover statute) or similar statute inapplicable to any Acquisition Proposal.

(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, at any time prior to the adoption of this Agreement by Company’s shareholders (and in no event after the adoption of

this Agreement by Company’s shareholders), the Board of Directors of the Company, directly or indirectly through advisors, agents or other intermediaries, may, subject to compliance with Section 6.03(c), (i) engage in negotiations or discussions with any Third Party that, subject to the Company’s compliance with Section 6.03(a), has made after the date of this Agreement a Superior Proposal or an unsolicited bona fide Acquisition Proposal that the Board of Directors of the Company reasonably believes (after considering the advice of a financial advisor of nationally recognized reputation) will lead to a Superior Proposal, (ii) thereafter furnish to such Third Party information relating to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to a confidentiality agreement with terms no less favorable to the Company than those contained in the Confidentiality Agreement (a copy of which shall be provided, promptly after its execution, for informational purposes only to Parent); provided that (A) such confidentiality agreement with such Third Party shall not be required to contain standstill provisions (in which case the Confidentiality Agreement shall be deemed amended to delete the standstill provisions contained therein) and (B) all such information (to the extent that such information has not been previously provided or made available to Parent) is provided or made available to Parent, as the case may be, prior to or substantially concurrently with the time it is provided or made available to such Third Party) and (iii) following receipt of a Superior Proposal after the date of this Agreement, make an Adverse Recommendation Change, but in each case referred to in the foregoing clauses (i) through (iii) only if the Board of Directors of the Company determines in good faith by a majority vote, after considering advice from outside legal counsel to the Company, that the failure to take such action would be inconsistent with its fiduciary duties under Applicable Law. Nothing contained herein shall prevent the Board of Directors of the Company from complying with requirements Rule 14e-2(a) or Rule 14d-9 under the 1934 Act with regard to an Acquisition Proposal, so long as any action taken or statement made to so comply is consistent with this Section 6.03; provided, that such requirement will in no way eliminate or modify the effect that any action pursuant to such requirement would otherwise have under this Agreement.

(c) The Board of Directors of the Company shall not take any of the actions referred to in clauses (i) through (iii) of Section 6.03(b) unless the Company shall have delivered to Parent a prior written notice advising Parent that it intends to take such action. In addition, the Company shall notify Parent promptly (but in no event later than 24 hours) after receipt by the Company (or any of its Representatives) of any Acquisition Proposal, any inquiry that would be reasonably expected to lead to an Acquisition Proposal or of any request for information relating to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or for access to the business, properties, assets, books or records of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries by any Third Party that a Person acting in good faith would reasonably believe is seeking to make, or has made, an Acquisition Proposal, which notice shall be provided orally and in writing and shall identify the Third Party making, and the material terms and conditions of, any such Acquisition Proposal, indication or request (including any material changes thereto). The

Company or its Representatives shall keep Parent or its Representatives reasonably informed, on a current basis, of any material changes to any such Acquisition Proposal, indication or request.

“Superior Proposal” means any bona fide, unsolicited written Acquisition Proposal for at least a majority of the outstanding shares of Company Common Stock on terms that the Board of Directors of the Company determines in good faith by a majority vote, after considering the advice of a financial advisor of nationally recognized reputation and taking into account all the terms and conditions of the Acquisition Proposal would result in a transaction (i) that if consummated, is more favorable to Company’s shareholders from a financial point of view than the Merger or, if applicable, any written proposal by Parent to amend the terms of this Agreement taking into account all the terms and conditions of such proposal and this Agreement (including the expected timing and likelihood of consummation, taking into account any governmental and other approval requirements), (ii) that is reasonably capable of being completed on the terms proposed, taking into account the identity of the person making the proposal, any approval requirements and all other financial, legal and other aspects of such proposal and (iii) for which financing, if a cash transaction (whether in whole or in part), is then fully committed or reasonably determined to be available by the Board of Directors of the Company.

Section 6.04. Access to Information; Confidentiality. From the date of this Agreement until the Effective Time and subject to Applicable Law and the Confidentiality Agreement, the Company shall, and shall cause its Subsidiaries to, (i) give to Parent, its counsel, financial advisors, auditors and other authorized representatives reasonable access, during normal business hours and with reasonable advance notice, to its offices, properties, books and records, (ii) furnish to Parent, its counsel, financial advisors, auditors and other authorized representatives such financial and operating data and other information with respect to the business and properties of the Company and its Subsidiaries as such Persons may reasonably request and (iii) instruct its employees, counsel, financial advisors, auditors and other authorized representatives to cooperate with Parent in its investigation. Any investigation pursuant to this Section shall be conducted in such manner as not to interfere unreasonably with the conduct of the business of the Company. All information furnished pursuant to this Section shall be subject to the confidentiality agreement, dated as of July 6, 2006, between Parent and the Company (the “Confidentiality Agreement”). No information or knowledge obtained in any investigation pursuant to this Section 6.04 shall affect or be deemed to modify any representation or warranty made by the Company hereunder. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall be obligated to provide access to, or to disclose, any information to Parent if the Company reasonably determines that such access or disclosure would jeopardize the attorney-client privilege of the Company of any of its Subsidiaries or violate any Applicable Law. All requests for information made pursuant to this Section 6.04

shall be directed to an executive officer of the Company or such Person as may be designated by the Company’s executive officers.

ARTICLE 7

COVENANTS OF PARENT

Parent agrees that:

Section 7.01. Conduct of Parent. From the date of this Agreement until the Effective Time, except with the Company’s prior written consent, Parent shall not take any action that would make any representation or warranty of the Parent hereunder inaccurate in any material respect at, or as of any time before, the Effective Time or would materially delay the Closing.

Section 7.02. Obligations of Merger Subsidiary. Parent shall take all action necessary to cause Merger Subsidiary to perform its obligations under this Agreement and to consummate the Merger on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.

Section 7.03. Voting of Shares. Parent shall vote all shares of Company Common Stock beneficially owned by it or any of its Subsidiaries in favor of adoption of this Agreement at the Company Shareholder Meeting.

Section 7.04. Director and Officer Liability. Parent shall cause the Surviving Corporation, and the Surviving Corporation hereby agrees, to do the following:

(a) For six years after the Effective Time, the Surviving Corporation shall indemnify and hold harmless the present and former officers and directors of the Company and such other employees of the Company who are covered by the Company’s officers’ and directors’ liability insurance immediately prior to the date of this Agreement (each an “Indemnified Person”) in respect of acts or omissions occurring at or prior to the Effective Time to the fullest extent permitted by Kentucky Law or any other Applicable Law or provided under the Company’s articles of incorporation and bylaws in effect on the date of this Agreement; provided that such indemnification shall be subject to any limitation imposed from time to time under Applicable Law.

(b) For six years after the Effective Time, the Surviving Corporation shall provide officers’ and directors’ liability insurance in respect of acts or omissions occurring prior to the Effective Time covering each such Indemnified Person covered as of the date of this Agreement by the Company’s officers’ and directors’ liability insurance policy on terms with respect to coverage and amount no less favorable than those of such policy in effect on the date of this Agreement; provided that, in satisfying its obligation under this Section 7.04(b), the Surviving Corporation shall not be obligated to pay an aggregate premium in excess of

300% of the amount per annum the Company paid in its last full fiscal year, which amount the Company has disclosed to Parent prior to the date of this Agreement.

(c) If Parent, the Surviving Corporation or any of its successors or assigns (i) consolidates with or merges into any other Person and shall not be the continuing or the surviving corporation or entity of such consolidation or merger, or (ii) transfers or conveys all or substantially all of its properties and assets to any Person, then, and in each such case, to the extent necessary, proper provision shall be made so that the successors and assigns of Parent or the Surviving Corporation, as the case may be, shall assume the obligations set forth in this Section 7.04.

(d) The rights of each Indemnified Person under this Section 7.04 shall be in addition to any rights such Person may have under the articles of incorporation or bylaws of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or under Kentucky Law or any other Applicable Law or under any agreement of any Indemnified Person with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. These rights shall survive consummation of the Merger and are intended to benefit, and shall be enforceable by, each Indemnified Person.

Section 7.05. Employee Matters. (a) For a period ending on December 31, 2007, Parent shall cause to be provided to each individual who is employed by the Company and its Subsidiaries immediately prior to the Effective Time (other than those individuals covered by collective bargaining agreements) and who remain employed with the Surviving Corporation or any of Parent’s Subsidiaries (each an “Affected Employee”) (i) base salary and bonus opportunity no less than what was provided to such Affected Employee under the Employee Plans immediately prior to the Effective Time and (ii) other employee benefits substantially comparable in the aggregate to the benefits provided to the Affected Employee under the Employee Plans immediately prior to the Effective Time.

(b) With respect to any employee benefit plan in which any Affected Employee first becomes eligible to participate, on or after the Effective Time (the “New Company Plans”), Parent shall: (i) waive all pre-existing conditions, exclusions and waiting periods with respect to participation and coverage requirements applicable to such Affected Employee under any health and welfare New Company Plans in which such Affected Employee may be eligible to participate after the Effective Time, (ii) provide credit towards any deductible or out-of-pocket expense maximum under any health and welfare New Company Plans for out-of-pocket amounts expended by the Affected Employee under the Employee Plans during the current calendar year and (iii) recognize service of Affected Employees (or otherwise credited by the Company or its Subsidiaries) accrued prior to the Effective Time for purposes of eligibility to participate in and vesting credit under (but not for the purposes of benefit accrual) any New Employee Plan in which such Affected Employees may be eligible to participate

after the Effective Time, provided, however, that in no event shall any credit be given to the extent it would result in the duplication of benefits for the same period of service.

(c) Each of the Parent and the Company acknowledges on behalf of itself and its Subsidiaries that the Merger shall constitute a “Change of Control” or a “Change in Control,” as applicable under the Employee Plans.

ARTICLE 8

COVENANTS OF PARENT AND THE COMPANY

The parties hereto agree that:

Section 8.01. Reasonable Best Efforts. (a) Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Company and Parent shall use their reasonable best efforts to take, or cause to be taken, all actions and to do, or cause to be done, all things necessary, proper or advisable under Applicable Law to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including (i) preparing and filing as promptly as practicable with any Governmental Authority or other third party all documentation to effect all necessary filings, notices, petitions, statements, registrations, submissions of information, applications and other documents, (ii) obtaining and maintaining all approvals, consents, registrations, permits, authorizations and other confirmations required to be obtained from any Governmental Authority or other third party that are necessary, proper or advisable to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and (iii) cooperating to the extent reasonable with the other parties hereto in their efforts to comply with their obligations under this Agreement.

(b) In furtherance and not in limitation of the foregoing, each of Parent and the Company shall make an appropriate filing pursuant to any applicable Competition Law, including without limitation a Notification and Report Form pursuant to the HSR Act with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby as promptly as practicable and in any event within 10 Business Days of the date of this Agreement and to supply as promptly as practicable any additional information and documentary material that may be requested pursuant to the HSR Act or any other applicable Competition Law and to use their reasonable best efforts to take all other actions necessary to cause the expiration or termination of the applicable waiting periods under the HSR Act or any other applicable Competition Law as soon as practicable.

Section 8.02. Certain Filings. (a) The Company and Parent shall cooperate with one another (i) in connection with the preparation of the Company Proxy Statement, (ii) in determining whether any action by or in respect of, or filing with, any Governmental Authority is required, or any actions, consents, approvals or waivers are required to be obtained from parties to any material

Contracts, in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and (iii) in taking such actions or making any such filings, furnishing information required in connection therewith or with the Company Proxy Statement and seeking timely to obtain any such actions, consents, approvals or waivers.

(b) Parent and its counsel shall be given a reasonable opportunity to review and comment on the Company Proxy Statement before it (or any amendment thereto) is filed with the SEC, and reasonable and good faith consideration shall be given to any comments made by such party and its counsel. The Company shall provide Parent and its counsel with (i) any comments or other communications, whether written or oral, that it or its counsel may receive from time to time from the SEC or its staff with respect to the Company Proxy Statement promptly after receipt of those comments or other communications and (ii) a reasonable opportunity to participate in the response to those comments and to provide comments on that response (to which reasonable and good faith consideration shall be given), including by participating in any discussions or meetings with the SEC.

Section 8.03. Public Announcements. Parent and the Company shall consult with each other before issuing any press release, making any other public statement or scheduling any press conference or conference call with investors or analysts with respect to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby and, except as may be required by Applicable Law or any listing agreement with or rule of any national securities exchange or association, shall not issue any such press release, make any such other public statement or schedule any such press conference or conference call before such consultation.

Section 8.04. Stock Exchange De-listing. Prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall cooperate with Parent and use commercially reasonable efforts to take, or cause to be taken, all actions, and do or cause to be done all things, reasonably necessary on its part under Applicable Laws and rules and policies of the NYSE to enable the de-listing by the Surviving Corporation of the Company Common Stock from the NYSE and the deregistration of the Company Common Stock under the 1934 Act as promptly as practicable after the Effective Time.

Section 8.05. Further Assurances. At and after the Effective Time, the officers and directors of the Surviving Corporation shall be authorized to execute and deliver, in the name and on behalf of the Company or Merger Subsidiary, any deeds, bills of sale, assignments or assurances and to take and do, in the name and on behalf of the Company or Merger Subsidiary, any other actions and things to vest, perfect or confirm of record or otherwise in the Surviving Corporation any and all right, title and interest in, to and under any of the rights, properties or assets of the Company acquired or to be acquired by the Surviving Corporation as a result of, or in connection with, the Merger.

Section 8.06. Notices of Certain Events. Each of the Company and Parent shall promptly notify the other of:

(a) any notice or other communication from any Person alleging that the consent of such Person is or may be required in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;

(b) any notice or other communication from any Governmental Authority in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;

(c) any actions, suits, claims, investigations or proceedings commenced or, to its knowledge, threatened against, relating to or involving or otherwise affecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Parent and any of its Subsidiaries, as the case may be, that, if pending on the date of this Agreement, would have been required to have been disclosed pursuant to any Section of Article 4 of this Agreement or that relate to the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;

(d) any inaccuracy of any representation or warranty contained in this Agreement at any time during the term of this Agreement that could reasonably be expected to cause the conditions set forth in Sections 9.02(a), 9.02(d) or 9.03 not to be satisfied; and

(e) any failure of that party to comply with or satisfy any covenant, condition or agreement to be complied with or satisfied by it hereunder;

provided, however, that the delivery of any notice pursuant to this Section 8.06 shall not limit or otherwise affect the remedies available hereunder to the party receiving that notice.

ARTICLE 9

CONDITIONS TO THE MERGER

Section 9.01. Conditions to the Obligations of Each Party. The obligations of the Company, Parent and Merger Subsidiary to consummate the Merger are subject to the satisfaction (or, to the extent permissible, waiver) of the following conditions:

(a) the Company Shareholder Approval shall have been obtained in accordance with Kentucky Law;

(b) no Applicable Law shall prohibit the consummation of the Merger; and

(c) any applicable waiting period under the HSR Act relating to the Merger shall have expired or been terminated, and any waiting periods or

approvals under any other applicable Competition Laws relating to the Merger shall have expired, been terminated, or obtained.

Section 9.02. Conditions to the Obligations of Parent and Merger Subsidiary. The obligations of Parent and Merger Subsidiary to consummate the Merger are subject to the satisfaction (or, to the extent permissible, waiver by Parent) of the following further conditions:

(a) (i) the Company shall have performed in all material respects all of its obligations hereunder required to be performed by it at or prior to the Effective Time, (ii) the representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement and in any certificate or other writing delivered by the Company pursuant hereto (without regard to materiality or Material Adverse Effect qualifiers contained therein) shall be true and correct at and as of the date of this Agreement and the Effective Time as if made at and as of such time (other than representations and warranties made as of a specified date, which shall be true and correct as of such specified date), except where the failure to be so true and correct individually or in the aggregate has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company; provided that (A) the representations and warranties in Sections 4.01, 4.02, 4.04(i), 4.05, 4.21 and 4.22 that are qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect shall be true and correct at and as of the date of this Agreement and the Effective Time as if made at and as of such time (other than representations and warranties made as of a specified date, which shall be true and correct as of such specified date), and (B) the representations and warranties in Sections 4.01, 4.02, 4.04(i), 4.05, 4.21 and 4.22 that are not qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect shall be true and correct in all material respects at and as of the date of this Agreement and the Effective Time as if made at and as of such time (other than representations and warranties made as of a specified date, which shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such specified date) and (iii) Parent shall have received a certificate signed by the chief executive officer or chief financial officer of the Company to the foregoing effect;

(b) there shall not have been instituted or pending any action or proceeding by any Governmental Authority (A) challenging or seeking to make illegal, to delay materially or otherwise directly or indirectly to restrain or prohibit the consummation of the Merger, seeking to obtain material damages or otherwise directly or indirectly relating to the transactions contemplated by the Merger, (B) seeking to restrain or prohibit Parent’s, Merger Subsidiary’s or any of Parent’s other Affiliates’ (x) ability effectively to exercise full rights of ownership of the Company Common Stock, including the right to vote any shares of Company Common Stock acquired or owned by Parent, Merger Subsidiary or any of Parent’s other Affiliates following the Effective Time on all matters properly presented to the Company’s shareholders or (y) ownership or operation (or that of its respective Subsidiaries or Affiliates) of all or any material portion of the business or assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or of

Parent and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (C) seeking to compel Parent or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates to dispose of or hold separate all or any material portion of the business or assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or of Parent and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole or (D) that otherwise would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company or Parent;

(c) there shall not have been any action taken, or any Applicable Law proposed, enacted, enforced, promulgated, issued or deemed applicable to the Merger, by any Governmental Authority, other than the application of the waiting period provisions of the HSR Act to the Merger, that would reasonably be expected, directly or indirectly, to result in any of the consequences referred to in clauses (A) through (D) of clause (b) above; and

(d) there shall not have occurred and be continuing as of or otherwise arisen before the Effective Time any event, occurrence or development which, individually or in the aggregate, has or would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company.

Section 9.03. Conditions to the Obligations of the Company. The obligations of the Company to consummate the Merger are subject to the satisfaction (or, to the extent permissible, waiver by the Company) of the following further conditions:

(a) each of Parent and Merger Subsidiary shall have performed in all material respects all of its obligations hereunder required to be performed by it at or prior to the Effective Time;

(b) the representations and warranties of Parent contained in this Agreement and in any certificate or other writing delivered by the Parent pursuant hereto shall be true and correct in all material respects at and as of the date of this Agreement and the Effective Time as if made at and as of such time; and

(c) the Company shall have received a certificate signed by the chief executive officer or chief financial officer of Parent to the effect of clauses (a) and (b) above.

ARTICLE 10

TERMINATION

Section 10.01. Termination. This Agreement may be terminated and the Merger may be abandoned at any time prior to the Effective Time (notwithstanding any approval of this Agreement by the shareholders of the Company):

(a) by mutual written agreement of the Company and Parent;

(b) by either the Company or Parent, if:

(i) the Merger has not been consummated on or before March 31, 2007 (the “End Date”); provided, that the right to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this Section 10.01(b)(i) shall not be available to any party whose breach of any provision of this Agreement results in the failure of the Merger to be consummated by such time;

(ii) there shall be any Applicable Law that (A) makes consummation of the Merger illegal or otherwise prohibited or (B) enjoins the Company or Parent from consummating the Merger and such enjoinment shall have become final and nonappealable; or

(iii) at the Company Shareholder Meeting (including any adjournment or postponement thereof), the Company Shareholder Approval shall not have been obtained; or

(i) as permitted by Section 6.03, an Adverse Recommendation Change shall have occurred;

(ii) a breach of any representation or warranty or failure to perform any covenant or agreement on the part of the Company set forth in this Agreement shall have occurred that would cause the condition set forth in Section 9.02(a) not to be satisfied, and such condition is incapable of being satisfied by the End Date; or

(iii) the Company shall have willfully and materially breached any of its obligations under Sections 6.02 or 6.03; or

(d) by the Company if:

(i) the Board of Directors of the Company authorizes the Company, subject to complying with the terms of this Agreement, to enter into a written agreement concerning a Superior Proposal; provided, that the Company shall have paid any amounts due pursuant to Section 11.04(b) in accordance with the terms, and at the times, specified therein; and provided, further, that, prior to any such termination, (A) the Company notifies Parent in writing of its intention to terminate this Agreement and to enter into a binding written agreement concerning an Acquisition Proposal that constitutes a Superior Proposal, attaching the most current version of such agreement (or a description of all material terms and conditions thereof), and (B) Parent does not make, within three Business Days of receipt of such written notification, an offer that is at least as favorable to the shareholders of the Company as such Superior Proposal (it being understood that the Company shall not terminate this

Agreement or enter into any such binding agreement during such three Business Day period, and that the Company shall promptly inform Parent of any amendment to the financial terms or other material terms of such Superior Proposal during such period); or

(ii) a breach of any representation or warranty or failure to perform any covenant or agreement on the part of Parent or Merger Subsidiary set forth in this Agreement shall have occurred that would cause the condition set forth in Section 9.03(a) or Section 9.03(b) not to be satisfied, and such condition is incapable of being satisfied by the End Date.

The party desiring to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this Section 10.01 (other than pursuant to Section 10.01(a)) shall give notice of such termination to the other party.

Section 10.02. Effect of Termination. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 10.01, this Agreement shall become void and of no effect without liability of any party (or any shareholder, director, officer, employee, agent, consultant or representative of such party) to the other party hereto (except as provided in Section 11.04(b)); provided that, if such termination shall result from the (i) willful failure of either party to fulfill a condition to the performance of the obligations of the other party or (ii) willful failure of either party to perform a covenant hereof, such party shall be fully liable for any and all liabilities and damages incurred or suffered by the other party as a result of such failure. The provisions of this Section 10.02 and Article 11 (other than Section 11.13) shall survive any termination hereof pursuant to Section 10.01.

ARTICLE 11

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 11.01. Notices. All notices, requests and other communications to any party hereunder shall be in writing (including facsimile transmission) and shall be given,

if to Parent or Merger Subsidiary, to:

IPSCO Inc.

000 Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx 000

Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000

Attention: Legal Department

Facsimile No.: (000) 000-0000

with a copy to:

Xxxxx Xxxx & Xxxxxxxx

000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx

Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000

Attention: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx, Xx.

Facsimile No.: (000) 000-0000

if to the Company, to:

NS Group, Inc.

000 Xxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx

Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000

Attention: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxx

Facsimile No.: (000) 000-0000

with a copy to:

Xxxxx Xxxx LLP

000 Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000

Xx. Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000

Attention: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx

Facsimile No.: (000) 000-0000

or to such other address or facsimile number as such party may hereafter specify for the purpose by notice to the other parties hereto. All such notices, requests and other communications shall be deemed received on the date of receipt by the recipient thereof if received prior to 5:00 p.m. on a Business Day in the place of receipt. Otherwise, any such notice, request or communication shall be deemed to have been received on the next succeeding Business Day in the place of receipt.

Section 11.02. Survival of Representations and Warranties. The representations, warranties and agreements contained herein and in any certificate or other writing delivered pursuant hereto shall not survive the Effective Time, except for the agreements set forth in Section 7.04.

Section 11.03. Amendments and Waivers. (a) Any provision of this Agreement may be amended or waived prior to the Effective Time if, but only if, such amendment or waiver is in writing and is signed, in the case of an amendment, by each party to this Agreement or, in the case of a waiver, by each party against whom the waiver is to be effective; provided that, after the Company Shareholder Approval there shall be no amendment or waiver that pursuant to Kentucky Law requires further Company Shareholder Approval without their further approval.

(b) No failure or delay by any party in exercising any right, power or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof nor shall any single or partial

exercise thereof preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege. The rights and remedies herein provided shall be cumulative and not exclusive of any rights or remedies provided by Applicable Law.

Section 11.04. Expenses. (a) Except as otherwise provided herein, all costs and expenses incurred in connection with this Agreement shall be paid by the party incurring such cost or expense.

(b) If a Payment Event (as hereinafter defined) occurs, the Company shall pay Parent (by wire transfer of immediately available funds), if, pursuant to clause (x) below, simultaneously with the occurrence of such Payment Event or, if pursuant to clauses (y) or (z) below, within two Business Days following such Payment Event, a fee of $37,500,000.

“Payment Event” means the termination of this Agreement pursuant to (x) Sections 10.01(c)(i), 10.01(c)(iii) or Section 10.01(d)(i), (y) Section 10.01(b)(i) (if a vote of the shareholders of the Company at the Company Shareholder Meeting to obtain the Company Shareholder Approval shall not have been held prior to such termination) or (z) Section 10.01(b)(iii), but only if, in the cases of clauses (y) and (z), both (A) prior to the Company Shareholder Meeting, or the End Date, as the case may be, an Acquisition Proposal shall have been made and not publicly withdrawn prior to such Company Shareholder Meeting or End Date, as applicable, and (B) within 12 months following the date of such termination: (1) the Company merges with or into, or is acquired, directly or indirectly, by merger or otherwise by, a Third Party; (2) a Third Party, directly or indirectly, acquires more than 50% of the total assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole; (3) a Third Party, directly or indirectly, acquires more than 50% of the outstanding shares of Company Common Stock; or (4) the Company adopts or implements a plan of liquidation, recapitalization or share repurchase relating to more than 50% of the outstanding shares of Company Common Stock or an extraordinary dividend relating to more than 50% of such outstanding shares or 50% of the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole (or in any of clauses (1) through (4) the Company shall have entered into a definitive agreement providing for such action).

(c) The Company acknowledges that the agreements contained in this Section 11.04 are an integral part of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and that, without these agreements, Parent and Merger Subsidiary would not enter into this Agreement. Accordingly, if the Company fails promptly to pay any amount due to Parent pursuant to this Section 11.04, it shall also pay any costs and expenses incurred by Parent or Merger Subsidiary in connection with a legal action to enforce this Agreement that results in a judgment against the Company for such amount.

Section 11.05. Disclosure Schedule References. The parties hereto agree that disclosure of any item, matter or event in a particular Section of the Company

Disclosure Schedule shall only be deemed to be an exception to (or, as applicable, a disclosure for purposes of) (i) the representations and warranties (or covenants, as applicable) of the relevant party that are contained in the corresponding Section or subsection, as applicable, of this Agreement and (ii) any other representation and warranty of such party that is contained in another Section or subsection of this Agreement, but only so long as the application to any such other Section or subsection is readily apparent from such disclosure. By listing matters on the Company Disclosure Schedule, Company shall not be deemed to have established any materiality standard, admitted any liability, or concluded that any one or more of such matters are material, or expanded in any way the scope or effect of the representations and warranties of Company contained in this Agreement.

Section 11.06. Binding Effect; Benefit; Assignment. (a) The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and, except as provided in Section 7.04, shall inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. Except as provided in Section 7.04, no provision of this Agreement is intended to confer any rights, benefits, remedies, obligations or liabilities hereunder upon any Person other than the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns.

(b) No party may assign, delegate or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement without the consent of each other party hereto, except that Parent or Merger Subsidiary may transfer or assign its rights and obligations under this Agreement, in whole or from time to time in part, to (i) one or more of their Affiliates at any time and (ii) after the Effective Time, to any Person; provided that such transfer or assignment shall not relieve Parent or Merger Subsidiary of its obligations hereunder or enlarge, alter or change any obligation of any other party hereto or due to Parent or Merger Subsidiary.

Section 11.07. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York (other than with respect to matters relating to fiduciary duties of the Company’s Board of Directors, the Merger and any other matters governed by Kentucky Law, with respect to which Kentucky Law shall apply), without regard to the conflicts of law rules of such state.

Section 11.08. Jurisdiction. The parties hereto agree that any suit, action or proceeding seeking to enforce any provision of, or based on any matter arising out of or in connection with, this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby shall be brought in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York or any New York State court sitting in New York City, so long as one of such courts shall have subject matter jurisdiction over such suit, action or proceeding, and that any cause of action arising out of this Agreement shall be deemed to have arisen from a transaction of business in the State of New York, and each of the parties hereby irrevocably consents to the jurisdiction of such courts (and of the appropriate appellate courts therefrom) in any such suit,

action or proceeding and irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of the venue of any such suit, action or proceeding in any such court or that any such suit, action or proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. Process in any such suit, action or proceeding may be served on any party anywhere in the world, whether within or without the jurisdiction of any such court. Without limiting the foregoing, each party agrees that service of process on such party as provided in Section 11.01 shall be deemed effective service of process on such party.

Section 11.09. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

Section 11.10. Counterparts; Effectiveness. This Agreement may be signed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument. This Agreement shall become effective when each party hereto shall have received a counterpart hereof signed by all of the other parties hereto. Until and unless each party has received a counterpart hereof signed by the other party hereto, this Agreement shall have no effect and no party shall have any right or obligation hereunder (whether by virtue of any other oral or written agreement or other communication).

Section 11.11. Entire Agreement. This Agreement and the Confidentiality Agreement constitute the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter thereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, both oral and written, between the parties with respect to the subject matter thereof.

Section 11.12. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other Governmental Authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated so long as the economic or legal substance of the transactions contemplated hereby is not affected in any manner materially adverse to any party. Upon such a determination, the parties shall negotiate in good faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the parties as closely as possible in an acceptable manner in order that the transactions contemplated hereby be consummated as originally contemplated to the fullest extent possible.

Section 11.13. Specific Performance. The parties hereto agree that irreparable damage would occur if any provision of this Agreement were not performed in accordance with the terms hereof and that the parties shall be

entitled to an injunction or injunctions to prevent breaches of this Agreement or to enforce specifically the performance of the terms and provisions hereof in any court specified in Section 11.08, in addition to any other remedy to which they are entitled at law or in equity.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized officers as of the day and year first above written.

IPSCO INC.

By:	/s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx
	Name:	Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx
	Title:	President and Chief Executive Officer


PI ACQUISITION COMPANY

By:	/s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx
	Name:	Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx
	Title:	President


NS GROUP, INC.

By:	/s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
	Name:	Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
	Title:	President and Chief Executive Officer

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AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER dated as of September 10, 2006 among IPSCO INC., PI ACQUISITION COMPANY and NS GROUP, INC.

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