UP TO 1,600,000 SHARES OF COMMON STOCK OF CITY CENTRAL BANCORP AGENCY AGREEMENT
UP
TO
1,600,000 SHARES
OF
COMMON
STOCK
OF
CITY
CENTRAL BANCORP
____________________________
____________________________
_________,
2006
SAMCO
Capital Markets, Inc.
0000
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxx 00000
Ladies
and Gentlemen:
City
Central Bancorp, a Michigan corporation (the “Company”), and City Central Bank,
a Michigan banking association in organization (the “Bank”), proposes, subject
to the terms and conditions stated herein, to engage SAMCO Capital Markets,
Inc.
(the “Agent”) to assist the Company in structuring an offering of the Company’s
common stock (the “Common Stock”) and, as agent of the Company, to assist in the
sale on a “best efforts” basis of a minimum of 1,100,000 and up to a maximum of
1,600,000 shares of the Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share (the
“Shares”).
1. The
Offering.
The
Company is offering the Shares, in connection with the Company’s initial public
offering (the “Offering”) and capitalization of the Bank, a de
novo,
Federal
Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) insured Michigan banking
association.
The
Company has prepared and filed, in accordance with the provisions of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder
(collectively, the “1933 Act”), with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
“Commission”) a registration statement on Form SB-2 (File No. 333-______)
under the 1933 Act, including a prospectus, relating to the Shares. Except
where
the context otherwise requires, “Registration Statement,” as used herein, means
the registration statement, as amended at the time of such registration
statement’s effectiveness for purposes of Section 11 of the Act (the
“Effective Time”), including (i) all documents filed as a part thereof,
(ii) any information contained in a prospectus subsequently filed with the
Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the 1933 Act and deemed, pursuant
to
Rule 430A or Rule 430C under the 1933 Act, to be part of the registration
statement at the Effective Time, and (iii) any registration statement filed
to register the offer and sale of the Shares pursuant to Rule 462(b) under
the
1933 Act.
Except
where the context otherwise requires, a “Preliminary Prospectus,” as used
herein, means any preliminary prospectus relating to the Shares that has been
furnished by the Company to the Agent in connection with the Offering of the
Shares.
1
Except
where the context otherwise requires, “Prospectus,” as used herein, means the
prospectus filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b)
under the 1933 Act on or before the second business day after the Effective
Time
(or such earlier time as may be required under the Act), or, if no such filing
is required, the final prospectus included in the Registration Statement at
the
Effective Time, in each case in the form furnished by the Company to the Agent
for use in connection with the Offering.
“Permitted
Free Writing Prospectuses,” as used herein, means the documents listed on
Schedule
A
attached
hereto and each “road show” (as defined in Rule 433(h)(4) under the 0000 Xxx)
(each such road show, a “Road Show”), if any, related to the offering of the
Shares contemplated hereby that is a “written communication” (as defined in Rule
405 under the 1933 Act).
“Disclosure
Documents,” as used herein, means each of the Registration Statement, the
Preliminary Prospectuses, the Prospectus and the Permitted Free Writing
Prospectuses, if any.
“Blue
Sky
Application,” as used herein, means any instrument or document executed by the
Company or the Bank or based upon written information supplied by the Company
or
the Bank filed in any state or jurisdiction to register or qualify any or all
of
the Shares or to claim an exemption therefrom or provided to any state or
jurisdiction to exempt the Company as a broker-dealer or officers, directors
or
employees as broker-dealers or agents under the securities laws
thereof.
Any
reference herein to a Disclosure Document shall be deemed to refer to and
include the documents, if any, incorporated by reference, or deemed to be
incorporated by reference, therein (the “Incorporated Documents”), including,
without limitation, unless the context otherwise requires, the documents, if
any, filed as exhibits to such Incorporated Documents. Any reference herein
to
the terms “amend,” “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to a Disclosure
Document shall be deemed to refer to and include the filing of any document
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and
regulations thereunder (the “Exchange Act”) on or after the Effective Time, or
the date of such Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or such Permitted Free
Writing Prospectus, as the case may be, and deemed to be incorporated therein
by
reference.
On
behalf
of the Bank, the Company has filed with the Michigan Office of Financial and
Insurance Services (“MOFIS”) for approval to form a de
novo
Michigan
banking association, and with the FDIC for insurance of accounts, and has filed
amendments (as so amended, the “Applications”) thereto as required by the MOFIS
and the FDIC (the MOFIS and the FDIC are collectively referred to herein as
the
“Regulatory Agencies”).
2
In
connection with the Offering, the Agent will assist the Company with the
following services: (a) establishing a comprehensive plan for the development
and execution of the Offering; (b) establishing a computer database that will
enable the Company’s management and directors to gauge the progress of the
Offering on a daily basis; (c) preparing written news releases regarding the
Offering, the Company, as well as its officers and directors for dissemination
by the Company; (d) preparing layout and design work for the Company’s
“tombstone” announcements, and will assist on placement and related sales
factors, such as location in newspaper, style of announcement, and announcement
identification techniques; (e) coordinating all aspects of the Company’s selling
efforts with respect to the Offering including recommendations regarding
allocation of each director’s fundraising responsibilities and consultations
with officers and directors regarding sales techniques that will enable them
to
maximize their efforts; (f) preparing officers and directors of the Company
to
introduce and describe the Offering to potential investors at investor meetings,
including open houses, breakfast meetings, luncheon meetings, and cocktail
receptions; and (g) working with management of the Company in processing all
retirement account purchases of shares in the Offering through the various
types
of retirement accounts that potential investors may have already established.
If
potential investors wish to use retirement funds to invest in the Shares, but
do
not have a retirement account established or have a custodian that will not
process this type of transaction, then the Agent will seek out those retirement
custodians who will allow such a transaction and refer the potential investor
to
such retirement custodians.
During
the term of this Agreement, the Agent will provide the assistance of at least
one Series 7 registered representative, or such other employees or
representatives as may be appropriate to provide the services called for by
this
Agreement or otherwise provided by the Agent to the Company.
2. Retention
of Agent; Compensation; Sale and Delivery of the Shares.
Subject
to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company hereby appoints the
Agent as its exclusive placement agent (i) to utilize its “best efforts” to
solicit subscriptions for Shares and to assist the Company with respect to
the
Company’s sale of the Shares in the Offering, and (ii) to manage the sale of
Shares through a group of selected broker dealers, if necessary.
On
the
basis of the representations and warranties and subject to the terms and
conditions of this Agreement, the Agent accepts such appointment. It is
acknowledged by the Company that the Agent shall not be obligated to purchase
any Shares and shall not be obligated to take any action that Agent deems to
be
inconsistent with any applicable law, regulation, decision or order.
Subscriptions will be offered as described in the Prospectus. Except as
otherwise provided in this Agreement, the appointment of the Agent will
terminate upon completion of the Offering.
In
the
event the Company is unable to sell a minimum of 1,100,000 Shares (or with
the
consent of the Regulatory Agencies such lesser amount as needed for the Bank
to
commence operations) within the period herein provided, this Agreement shall
terminate and the Company shall cause the Escrow Agent (as defined below) to
refund to any persons who have subscribed for any of the Shares the full amount
it received from them, plus interest, as set forth in the Prospectus; and none
of the parties to this Agreement shall have any obligation to the other parties
hereunder, except as set forth in this Section 2 and in Sections 6, 8 and 10
hereof.
In
the
event the Offering is terminated and the Closing (as defined below) does not
occur, then in no event shall the Agent receive the fees set forth in
subparagraphs (b) below. Provided,
however,
regardless of whether or not the Closing occurs, the Agent shall be entitled
to
the consulting fees and the reimbursement of its actual accountable
out-of-pocket expenses, as set forth in subparagraphs 2 (a) and 2 (c)
below.
3
If
all
conditions precedent to the consummation of the Offering are satisfied, the
Company agrees to issue, or have issued, the Shares sold in the Offering and
to
release for delivery certificates for such Shares against payment to the Company
by any means authorized pursuant to the terms of the Prospectus; provided,
however,
that no
funds shall be released to the Company until the conditions specified in Section
7 hereof shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of the
Agent and its counsel. The release of Shares against payment therefor shall
be
made on a date and at a place mutually acceptable to the Company and the Agent
(the “Closing”). Certificates for Shares shall be delivered directly to the
purchasers in accordance with their directions. The date upon which the Company
shall accept subscriptions for the Shares sold in the Offering, in accordance
with the terms herein, is called the “Closing Date.” The Agent shall receive the
following compensation for its services hereunder:
(a) A
consulting fee of $20,000 due to Agent upon Agent’s receipt of a “no objection”
notice from the NASD, Inc. (“NASD”) in connection with the Offering and a fee of
$20,000 upon commencement of the Offering (which shall be the date of the
Prospectus (such date referred to herein as the “Commencement Date”)). On the
28th
day
after the Commencement Date and the start of the next succeeding four week
period thereafter, the Company will pay the Agent a consulting fee equal to
$20,000 up to maximum of $80,000.
(b) A
commission equal to $255,000 upon the sale of at least the minimum number of
Shares set forth above.
(c) Agent
shall be reimbursed for expenses as contemplated by Section 6 hereof, regardless
of whether the Offering is successfully completed. Any consulting fee,
out-of-pocket expenses or commissions payable on the terms and subject to the
conditions contained herein shall be paid in next day funds on the earlier
of
the date payment is due hereunder, the Closing Date or a determination by the
Company to terminate or abandon the Offering.
(d) The
Company acknowledges and agrees that in connection with the Offering, sale
of
the Shares or any other services Agent may be deemed to be providing hereunder,
notwithstanding any preexisting relationship, advisory or otherwise, between
the
parties or any oral representations or assurances previously or subsequently
made by Agent: (i) no fiduciary relationship exists between the Company, the
Bank or any other person, on the one hand, and Agent, on the other hand; (ii)
Agent is not acting as advisor, expert or otherwise, to the Company, including,
without limitation, with respect to the determination of the Offering price
of
the Shares, and such relationship between the Company or the Bank, on the one
hand, and Agent, on the other hand, is entirely and solely commercial, based
on
arms-length negotiations; (iii) any duties and obligations that Agent may have
to the Company or the Bank shall be limited to those duties and obligations
specifically stated herein; and (iv) Agent and its respective affiliates may
have interests that differ from those of the Company or the Bank. The Company
hereby waives any claims that the Company may have against Agent with respect
to
any breach of fiduciary duty in connection with the Offering.
3.
|
Representations
and Warranties of the Company.
|
The
Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Agent
that:
4
(a) The
Company has all such power, authority, authorizations, approvals and orders
as
may be required to enter into this Agreement, to carry out the provisions and
conditions hereof and to issue and sell the Shares to be sold by the Company
as
provided herein and as described in the Disclosure Documents. The consummation
of the Offering, the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement
and
the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated have been duly and
validly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company
and this Agreement has been validly executed and delivered by the Company and
is
the valid, legal and binding agreement of the Company enforceable in accordance
with its terms, except to the extent, if any, that the provisions of Section
8
hereof may be unenforceable as against public policy, and except to the extent
that such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy laws, insolvency laws,
or
other laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally.
(b) The
Registration Statement has heretofore become effective under the 1933 Act;
no
stop order of the Commission preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary
Prospectus or Permitted Free Writing Prospectus or the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement has been issued, and no proceedings for such purpose
have
been instituted or, to the knowledge of the Company or the Bank after due
inquiry, are contemplated by the Commission; the Registration Statement complied
when it became effective, complies as of the date hereof and, as amended or
supplemented, at each time a subscription agreement or funds are submitted
by
prospective investors to the Company during the Offering period (each such
time
referred to as a “time of delivery”), at the closing and at all times during
which a prospectus is required by the 1933 Act to be delivered (whether
physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the 1933 Act or any similar
rule) in connection with any sale of Shares, will comply, in all material
respects, with the requirements of the 1933 Act; each Preliminary Prospectus
complied, at the time it was filed with the Commission, and complies as of
the
date hereof, in all material respects, with the requirements of the 1933 Act;
at
no time during the period that begins on the earlier of the date of such
Preliminary Prospectus and the date such Preliminary Prospectus was filed with
the Commission and ends at the time of purchase did or will any Preliminary
Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, include an untrue statement of
a
material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not misleading, and at no time during such period did or will any Preliminary
Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, together with any combination
of
one or more of the then issued Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any,
include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material
fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; the Prospectus will
comply, as of its date, the date that it is filed with the Commission, each
time
of delivery, and at all times during which a prospectus is required by the
Act
to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under
the 1933 Act or any similar rule) in connection with any sale of Shares, in
all
material respects, with the requirements of the 1933 Act (including, without
limitation, Section 10(a) of the 0000 Xxx); at no time during the period
that begins on the earlier of the date of the Prospectus and the date the
Prospectus is filed with the Commission and ends at the later of the Closing
Time and the end of the period during which a prospectus is required by the
1933
Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172
under the 1933 Act or any similar rule) in connection with any sale of Shares
did or will the Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, include an untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in
order
to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not misleading; at no time during the period that begins on
the
date of such Permitted Free Writing Prospectus and ends at the time of delivery
did or will any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus include an untrue statement
of
a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make
the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading; provided,
however,
that
the Company does not make any representation or warranty with respect to any
statement contained in any Disclosure Document in reliance upon and in
conformity with information concerning the Agent and furnished in writing by
or
on behalf of the Agent to the Company expressly for use in such Disclosure
Document. All Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses were preceded by, or
accompanied with, a statutory prospectus meeting the requirements of
Section 10(a) of the Act as required by Rule 164 under the 1933
Act.
5
(c) Prior
to
the execution of this Agreement, the Company has not, directly or indirectly,
offered or sold any Shares by means of any “prospectus” (within the meaning of
the 0000 Xxx) or used any “prospectus” (within the meaning of the 0000 Xxx) in
connection with the offer or sale of the Shares, in each case other than the
Preliminary Prospectuses and the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any;
the Company has not, directly or indirectly, prepared, used or referred to
any
Permitted Free Writing Prospectus except in compliance with Rules 164 and 433
under the 1933 Act; assuming that such Permitted Free Writing Prospectus is
so
sent or given after the Registration Statement was filed with the Commission
(and after such Permitted Free Writing Prospectus was, if required pursuant
to
Rule 433(d) under the 1933 Act, filed with the Commission), the sending or
giving, by any the Agent, of any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus will satisfy
the provisions of Rule 164 or Rule 433 of the 1933 Act (without reliance on
subsections (b), (c) and (d) of Rule 164); each of the Preliminary
Prospectuses is a prospectus that, other than by reason of Rule 433 or Rule
431
under the 1933 Act, satisfies the requirements of Section 10 of the 1933
Act, including a price range where required by rule; neither the Company nor
the
Agent is disqualified, by reason of subsection (f) or (g) of Rule 164
under the 1933 Act, from using, in connection with the offer and sale of the
Shares, “free writing prospectuses” (as defined in Rule 405 under the 0000 Xxx)
pursuant to Rules 164 and 433 under the 1933 Act; the Company is not an
“ineligible issuer” (as defined in Rule 405 under the 0000 Xxx) as of the
eligibility determination date for purposes of Rules 164 and 433 under the
1933
Act with respect to the offering of the Shares contemplated by the Registration
Statement; the parties hereto agree and understand that the content of any
and
all Road Shows related to the Offering is solely the property of the Company.
(d) No
Blue
Sky Application includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to
state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in
the
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
provided,
however,
that
the Company does not make any representation or warranty with respect to any
statement contained in a Blue Sky Application in reliance upon and in conformity
with information concerning the Agent and furnished in writing by or on behalf
of the Agent to the Company expressly for use in the Blue Sky
Application.
(e) The
Applications were approved on a preliminary basis by the MOFIS and the FDIC
on
__________ and ________, 2006, respectively. At the time of the approval of
the
Applications, by the Regulatory Agencies and at all times subsequent thereto
until the Closing Date, the Applications will comply as to form in all material
respects with all applicable rules and regulations of the Regulatory Agencies
(except as modified or waived in writing by the applicable Regulatory Agencies).
The information in the Applications is true, correct and complete in all
material respects.
6
(f) No
order
has been issued by the Commission or any of the Regulatory Agencies or any
state
regulatory authority, preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary
Prospectus, Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, or the Prospectus and no action
by or before any such government entity to revoke any approval, authorization
or
order of effectiveness related to the Offering or any of the Applications is,
to
the best knowledge of the Company, pending or threatened.
(g) The
Offering has been duly authorized and approved by the Board of Directors of
the
Company, and, following the Closing Date, the Company or the Bank will have
completed all conditions precedent to the Offering specified in the Applications
and approvals from the Regulatory Agencies, and the offer and sale of the Shares
will have been conducted in all material respects in compliance with all
applicable laws, regulations, decisions and orders, including all terms,
conditions, requirements and provisions precedent to the Offering imposed upon
the Company or the Bank by the Regulatory Agencies, the Commission or any
regulatory authority, and in the manner described in the Disclosure Documents.
At the Closing Date, to the best knowledge of the Company and the Bank, no
person will have sought to obtain review of the preliminary action of the
Regulatory Agencies in approving the Applications pursuant to any applicable
state or federal statute or regulation.
(h) The
Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation
in
good standing under the laws of State of Michigan, and has corporate power
and
authority to own, lease or operate its properties and to conduct its business
as
described in the Disclosure Documents, and to enter into and perform its
obligations under this Agreement; subject to receipt of final approvals from
the
Regulatory Agencies, the Bank is duly organized and validly existing under
Michigan law and regulations promulgated by the MOFIS, with power and authority
to own or lease its properties and conduct its business as described in the
Disclosure Documents; the Company and the Bank do not conduct business in any
jurisdiction other than the State of Michigan.
(i) Except
for the Bank, the Company does not own equity interests of any other business
entities.
(j) The
financial statements included in the Disclosure Documents, together with the
related schedules and notes, present fairly the financial position of the
Company and its consolidated subsidiaries at the dates indicated and the
statement of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and
its consolidated subsidiaries for the periods specified; said financial
statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting
principles (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods
involved. The supporting schedules, if any, included in the Disclosure Documents
present fairly in accordance with GAAP the information required to be stated
therein. The selected financial data and the summary financial information
included in the Disclosure Documents present fairly the information shown
therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited
financial statements included in the Disclosure Documents.
7
(k) Since
the
respective dates as of which information is given in each of the Disclosure
Documents, except as otherwise stated therein, (i) there has been no
material adverse change in, or deviation from, the business affairs, business
prospects, or business plan of the Company and the Bank considered as one
enterprise (a “Material Adverse Effect”), (ii) there have been no
transactions entered into by the Company or the Bank, which are material with
respect to the Company and the Bank considered as one enterprise, except as
described in the Disclosure Documents and (iii) there has been no dividend
or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class
of its capital stock.
(l) Each
of
the Company and the Bank has good and marketable title to all real property
and
good title to all other properties owned by it, in each case free and clear
of
all mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests, restrictions, defects or
encumbrances of any kind except such as (i) are described in the Disclosure
Documents, or (ii) do not singly or in the aggregate, materially affect the
value of such property and do not interfere with the use made and proposed
to be
made of such property by either the Company or the Bank; and any real property
and buildings held under lease by either the Company or the Bank are held by
it
under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are
not
material and do not interfere with the use made and propose to be made of such
property and buildings by either the Company or the Bank.
(m) The
Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Disclosure
Documents; all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company have been
duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and
conform to the description of the capital stock of the Company contained in
the
Disclosure Documents; no holder of securities of the Company will be subject
to
personal liability by reason of being such a holder; there are no preemptive
or
other similar rights to subscribe for or to purchase any securities of the
Company; except as described in the Disclosure Documents, there are no warrants,
options or other rights to purchase any securities of the Company; neither
the
filing of the Registration Statement nor the offering or sale of the Shares
as
contemplated by this Agreement give rise to any rights for or relating to the
registration of any securities of the Company with respect to such filing,
offering or sale.
(n) The
Shares have been duly and validly authorized and, when issued and delivered
against payment therefor as provided herein, will be duly and validly issued
and
fully paid and nonassessable and will conform to the description of the Shares
contained in the Disclosure Documents.
(o) The
issuance and sale of the Shares being issued at the Closing Date by the Company
and the performance of this Agreement and the consummation by the Company of
the
other transactions herein contemplated will not conflict with or result in
a
breach or violation of any terms or provisions of, or constitute a default
under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other material
agreement or instrument to which the Company or the Bank is a party or by which
any of the property or assets of the Company or the Bank is bound or to which
any of the property or assets of the Company or the Bank is subject, nor will
such action result in any violation of the provisions of the Articles of
Incorporation or Association, as amended, or Bylaws, as amended, of the Company
or the Bank or any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or
governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or the Bank
or
any of their properties; and no consent, approval, authorization, order,
registration or qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency
or body is required for the issuance and sale of the Shares or the consummation
by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except such
consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may
be
required under the Act and under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection
with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by the Agent.
8
(p) There
is
no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought by
any
court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, now pending, or,
to
the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against or affecting the Company
or
the Bank, which is required to be disclosed in the Disclosure Documents (other
than as disclosed therein).
(q) The
Company and the Bank own or possess, or can acquire on reasonable terms,
adequate patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know-how
(including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary
or
confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks,
trade names or other intellectual property (collectively, “Intellectual
Property”) necessary to carry on the business now operated by them, and neither
the Company nor the Bank has received any notice or is otherwise aware of any
infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to
any
Intellectual Property or of any facts or circumstances which would render any
Intellectual Property invalid or inadequate to protect the interest of the
Company or the Bank therein.
(r) UHY
Advisors MI, Inc., which has certified certain financial statements and
supporting schedules of the Company included in the Disclosure Documents
containing an audit report, are independent public accountants as required
by
the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
(s) All
employee benefit plans (as defined in Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”)), if any, established,
maintained or contributed to by the Company or the Bank (except any such plan
for which the principal sponsor or plan administrator is an affiliate other
than
the Company or the Bank) comply in all material respects with the requirements
of ERISA and no employee pension benefit plan (as defined in Section 3(2) of
ERISA) has incurred or assumed an “accumulated funding deficiency” within the
meaning of Section 302 of ERISA or has incurred or assumed any material
liability (other than for the payment of premiums) to the Pension Benefit
Guaranty Corporation.
(t) The
Company has no tax deficiency that has been or, to the best knowledge of the
Company, might be asserted against the Company and all tax liabilities are
adequately provided for on the books of the Company.
(u) The
Company is not in violation of any federal or state law, regulation, or treaty
relating to the storage, handling, transportation, treatment or disposal of
hazardous substances (as defined in 42 U.S.C. Section 9601) or hazardous
materials (as defined by any federal or state law or regulation) or other waste
products, which violation may have a material adverse effect on the financial
condition or business operations or properties of the Company; the Company
has
received all permits, licenses or other approvals as may be required of it
under
applicable federal and state environmental laws and regulations to conduct
its
business as described in the Disclosure Documents, and the Company is in
compliance in all material respects with the terms and conditions of any such
permit, license or approval; the Company has not received any notices or claims
that it is a responsible party or a potentially responsible party in connection
with any claim or notice asserted pursuant to 42 U.S.C. Section 9601 et seq.
or
any state superfund law; and the disposal of all of the Company’s hazardous
substances, hazardous materials and other waste products has been
lawful.
9
(v) No
material relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company
or the Bank, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders,
customers or suppliers of the Company or the Bank on the other hand, that is
required by the 1933 Act, or by the rules and regulations under such Act to
be
described in the Disclosure Documents, that is not so described.
(w) Neither
the Company nor the Bank has taken and neither of such entities will take,
directly or indirectly, any action which is designed to or which has constituted
or which might reasonably be expected to cause or result in stabilization or
manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the
sale
or resale of the Shares.
(x) Except
for receipt of the final approvals of the Regulatory Agencies, each of the
Company and the Bank holds and is operating in compliance, in all material
respects, with all franchises, grants, authorizations, licenses, permits,
easements, consents, certificates and orders of any governmental or
self-regulatory body required for the conduct of its business as presently
being
conducted (“licenses”) and all licenses are valid and in full force and effect;
and each of the Company and the Bank is in compliance, in all material respects,
with all laws, regulations, orders and decrees applicable to it.
(y) Each
of
the Company and the Bank maintains insurance of the types and in the amounts
that are reasonable or required for the business operated by it, as of the
date
hereof and as of the Closing Date all of which insurance is in full force and
effect.
(z) The
Company maintains a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide
reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with
management’s general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded
as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with
generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain accountability for
assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s
general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for
assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate
action is taken with respect to any differences.
(aa) There
is
no document or contract of a character required to be described in the
Disclosure Documents or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement
which is not described or filed as required. All such contracts to which the
Company or the Bank is a party constitute valid and binding agreements of the
Company or the Bank and are enforceable against the Company or the Bank in
accordance with the terms thereof, except as may be limited by bankruptcy,
insolvency, fraudulent transfer or other similar laws affecting the rights
and
remedies of creditors generally and subject to general principles of equity,
and
except to the extent that any such contract contains provisions for
indemnification for liabilities under the Act.
10
(bb) The
Bank
is in compliance in all material respects with all applicable laws administered
by and regulations of the FDIC, the MOFIS, and any other bank regulatory
authority with jurisdiction over the Bank, the failure to comply with which
would have a material adverse effect on the Bank taken as a whole.
(cc) The
Company has not distributed, nor will it distribute, prior to the Closing Time,
any prospectus (as defined under the 0000 Xxx) in connection with the Offering
and sale of the Shares other than the Disclosure Documents or other materials,
if any, permitted by the 1933 Act, including Rule 134 promulgated
thereunder.
4.
|
Delivery
and Payment.
|
An
escrow
procedure shall be established which shall comply with Commission Rule 15c2-4,
promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the
rules
and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “1934 Act”), with The Bankers Bank
as escrow agent (the “Escrow Agent”).
The
Company and the Agent shall transmit all funds received from subscribers to
the
Escrow Agent by noon of the next business day following receipt thereof. The
Company and the Agent shall jointly direct the Escrow Agent to make payment
for
Shares sold hereunder by wire transfer or certified or bank cashier’s check
drawn to the order of the Company in next day funds. Such payment is to be
made
at the offices of The Bankers Bank, 0000 Xxxxx Xxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx
00000, at 10:00 a.m. local time, on the Closing Date. The time of such payment
is referred to herein as the “Closing Time.” The Company shall direct the Escrow
Agent to deliver payment of the fees due to the Agent pursuant to Section 2
hereof (less any portion thereof previously paid to the Agent) to the Agent
by
wire transfer or certified or bank cashier’s check drawn to the order of the
Agent in next day funds, to the Agent on the Closing Date.
5. |
Covenants
of the Company.
The Company hereby covenants to the Agent as
follows:
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(a) The
Company will not, at any time before or after the date the Registration
Statement is declared effective, file any amendment or supplement to the
Registration Statement without providing the Agent and its counsel an
opportunity to review such amendment or file any amendment or supplement to
which amendment the Agent or its counsel shall reasonably object.
(b) The
Company has filed, or will file, an application (the “Holding Company
Application”) with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the
“Federal Reserve”) to acquire the stock of the Bank in accordance with the Bank
Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended, and the rules and regulations
promulgated thereunder (the “BHCA”). The Company will not at any time after the
date hereof, file or allow the Bank to file any amendment or supplement to
an
Application or the Holding Company Application without providing the Agent
and
its counsel an opportunity to review such amendment or supplement or file any
amendment or supplement to which amendment or supplement the Agent or its
counsel shall reasonably object.
11
(c) The
Company will use its best efforts to cause any post-effective amendment to
the
Registration Statement to be declared effective by the Commission and any
post-effective amendment to an Application to be approved by the Regulatory
Agencies, and will immediately upon receipt of any information concerning the
events listed below notify the Agent (i) when the Registration Statement, as
amended, has become effective; (ii) when an Application or the Holding Company
Application, as amended, has been approved by a Regulatory Agency or the Federal
Reserve; (iii) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission, or any
non-confidential communications from the Regulatory Agencies, the Federal
Reserve or any other governmental entity with respect to the Offering or the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement; (iv) of any request by the
Commission, a Regulatory Agency, the Federal Reserve or any other governmental
entity for any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, an
Application or the Holding Company Application or for additional information;
(v) of the issuance by the Commission, a Regulatory Agency, the Federal Reserve
or any other governmental agency of any order or other action suspending the
Offering or the use of any of the Disclosure Documents, or any other filing
of
the Company and the Bank under applicable regulations or other applicable law,
or the threat of any such action; (vi) of the issuance by the Commission, any
Regulatory Agency, the Federal Reserve or any state authority of any stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of the initiation
or threat of initiation or threat of any proceedings for that purpose; or (vii)
of the occurrence of any event mentioned in paragraph (g) below. The Company
will make every reasonable effort to prevent the issuance by the Commission,
any
Regulatory Agency, the Federal Reserve or any state authority of any such order
and, if any such order shall at any time be issued, to obtain the lifting
thereof at the earliest possible time.
(d) The
Company will deliver to the Agent and to its counsel conformed copies of each
of
the following documents, with all exhibits: (i) the Applications and the Holding
Company Application, as originally filed and of each amendment or supplement
thereto, and (ii) the Registration Statement, as originally filed and each
amendment thereto. Further, the Company will deliver such additional copies
of
the foregoing documents to counsel to the Agent as may be required for any
NASD
filings. The Company will also deliver to the Agent and its counsel such number
of copies of the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, as the Agent may
reasonably request.
(e) The
Company and the Bank will comply in all material respects with any and all
terms, conditions, requirements and provisions with respect to the Offering
and
the transactions contemplated thereby imposed by the Commission, by applicable
state law and regulations, and by the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act and the rules
and
regulations of the Commission promulgated under such statutes, to be complied
with prior to or subsequent to the Closing Date; and when the Prospectus is
required to be delivered, the Company and the Bank will comply in all material
respects, at their own expense, with all material requirements imposed upon
them
by the Regulatory Agencies, the Federal Reserve, the Commission, by applicable
state law and regulations and by the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act and the rules and
regulations of the Commission promulgated under such statutes, in each case
as
from time to time in force, so far as necessary to permit the continuance of
sales or dealing in the Shares during such period in accordance with the
provisions hereof and the Prospectus.
12
(f) If
any
event relating to or affecting the Company or the Bank shall occur, as a result
of which it is necessary, in the reasonable opinion of counsel for the Company
or for the Agent, to amend or supplement any of the Disclosure Documents in
order to make them not misleading in light of the circumstances existing at
the
time of its use, the Company will, at its expense, forthwith prepare, file
with
the Commission and the Regulatory Agencies, and furnish to the Agent, a
reasonable number of copies of an amendment or amendments of, or a supplement
or
supplements to, such Disclosure Documents (in form and substance satisfactory
to
counsel for the Agent after a reasonable time for review) which will amend
or
supplement such Disclosure Documents so that as amended or supplemented they
will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a
material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of
the
circumstances existing at the time, not misleading. For the purpose of this
subsection, the Company will furnish such information with respect to itself
and
the Bank as the Agent may from time to time reasonably request.
(g) The
Company will endeavor in good faith, in cooperation with the Agent, to register
or to qualify the Shares for offering and sale under the applicable securities
laws of the jurisdictions in which the Offering will be conducted; provided,
however,
that
the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of
process or to qualify to do business in any jurisdiction in which it is not
so
qualified. In each jurisdiction where any of the Shares shall have been
registered or qualified as above provided, the Company will make and file such
statements and reports in each year as are or may be required by the laws of
such jurisdictions.
(h) For
the
period of three years from the date of this Agreement, the Company will furnish
to the Agent upon request (i) a copy of each report of the Company delivered
to
holders of Shares if such report is not immediately available on the Commissions
XXXXX website and (iii) from time to time, such other publicly available
information concerning the Company and the Bank as the Agent may reasonably
request.
(i) The
Company and the Bank will use the net proceeds from the sale of the Shares
in
the manner set forth in the Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds,” and
to file such reports with the Commission with respect to the sale of the Shares
and the application of the proceeds therefrom as may be required by Rule 463
under the 1933 Act.
(j) Prior
to
the Closing Date, the Company will inform the Agent of any event or
circumstances of which it is aware as a result of which (i) the Disclosure
Documents, as then supplemented or amended, would include an untrue statement
of
a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make
the
statements therein not misleading or (ii) the information in the Applications
or
the Holding Company Application would no longer be true, correct and complete
in
all material respects.
(k) The
Company will distribute the Prospectus or other offering materials in connection
with the offering and sale of the Shares only as set forth in the Prospectus,
and only in accordance with the 1933 Act and the 1934 Act and the rules and
regulations promulgated under such statutes, and the laws of any state in which
the Shares are qualified for sale.
13
(l) The
Company will furnish to its shareholders such reports as may be required under
Section 15(d) of the 1934 Act.
(m) The
Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the Exchange Act as are
necessary in order to make generally available to its security holders as soon
as practicable an earning statement for the purposes of, and to provide the
benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Xxxxxxx 00(x) xx xxx 0000
Xxx.
(x) The
Company will maintain appropriate arrangements with the Escrow Agent for
depositing all funds received from persons mailing subscriptions for or orders
to purchase Shares in the Offering as described in the Prospectus until the
Closing Date and satisfaction of all conditions precedent to the release of
the
Company’s obligation to refund payments received from persons subscribing for or
ordering Shares in the Offering as described in the Prospectus.
(o) The
Company and the Bank will take such actions and furnish such information as
are
reasonably requested by the Agent in order for the Agent to ensure compliance
with the “Interpretation of the Board of Governors of the NASD on Free Riding
and Withholding.”
(p) The
Company and the Bank will conduct their businesses in compliance in all material
respects with all applicable federal and state laws, rules, regulations,
decisions, directives and orders including, all decisions, directives and orders
of the Commission, the MOFIS, the Federal Reserve and the FDIC.
(q) The
Company will not amend the terms of the Offering without notifying the Agent
prior thereto.
(r) The
Company will not deliver the Shares until the Company and the Bank have
satisfied or caused to be satisfied each condition set forth in Section 7
hereof, unless such condition is waived in writing by the Agent.
6. Payment
of Expenses.
The
Company covenants and agrees with the Agent that it will pay or cause to be
paid
the following: (a) the fees, disbursements and expenses of counsel to the
Company and the Bank and accountants in connection with the registration of
the
Shares under the 1933 Act and all other expenses in connection with the
preparation, printing and filing of the Disclosure Documents and any amendments
or supplements thereto, and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to
the
Agent and dealers; (b) the cost of printing or reproducing this agreement,
the
Blue Sky Survey, any dealer agreements and any other documents in connection
with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the Shares; (c) all expenses
in connection with the qualification of the Shares for offering and sale under
state securities laws as provided in Section 5(h) hereof, including the
reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Agent in connection with
such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky Survey; (d) the filing
fees incident to securing any required review by the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. of the terms of the sale of the Shares; (e) the cost
of
preparing stock certificates; (f) all expenses related to Road Shows; (g) the
costs or expenses of any transfer agent or registrar; (h) all reasonable
out-of-pocket fees and expenses of the Agent, including the reasonable fees
and
expenses of counsel for the Agent related to the Offering and not otherwise
specifically provided for in this Section 6; (i) the expenses associated with
the use of onsite consultants, which will not exceed $5,000 per month for the
use of one consultant and $8,000 per month for the use of two consultants;
and
(j) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations
hereunder which are not otherwise specifically provided for in this
Section.
14
7. Conditions
to Obligations of the Agent.
The
obligations of the Agent hereunder and the occurrence of the Closing of the
Offering are subject, in its discretion, to the condition that all
representations and warranties and other statements of the Company and the
Bank
are, at and as of the commencement of the Offering and at and as of the Closing
Date, true and correct in all material respects and the condition that the
Company and the Bank shall have performed in all material respects all of their
respective obligations hereunder theretofore to be performed, and the following
additional conditions:
(a) No
Disclosure Document shall have been filed to which the Agent shall have objected
in writing.
(b) The
Registration Statement and any registration statement required to be filed,
prior to the sale of the Shares, under the Act pursuant to Rule 424(b) shall
have been filed and shall have become effective under the 1933 Act.
(c) (i) No
stop order with respect to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement
shall
have been issued under the Act or proceedings initiated under Section 8(d)
or 8(e) of the 1933 Act; (ii) none of the Disclosure Documents, and no
amendment or supplement thereto, shall include an untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not
misleading.
(d) Jenkens
& Xxxxxxxxx, a Professional Corporation, counsel for the Agent, shall have
furnished to you such opinion or opinions, dated the Closing Date, with respect
to such matters as you may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have
received such papers and information as they may reasonably request to enable
them to pass upon such matters;
(e) Jenkens
& Xxxxxxxxx, a Professional Corporation., counsel for the Company, shall
have furnished to you their written opinion, dated as of the Closing Date,
in
form and substance satisfactory to Agent to the effect that:
(i) The
Company is a corporation organized and validly existing and in good standing
under the laws of the State of Michigan, with corporate power and authority
to
own its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Disclosure
Documents.
(ii) Upon
receipt of final approval of the MOFIS, the Bank will be organized and validly
existing Michigan banking association with full power and authority to own
its
properties and to conduct its business as described in the Disclosure Documents;
the activities of the Bank as described in the Disclosure Documents are
permitted by the rules, regulations and practices of the Regulatory Agencies
and
the Federal Reserve; the issuance and sale of the capital stock of the Bank
to
the Company has been duly and validly authorized by all necessary corporate
action on the part of the Company and the Bank and, upon payment therefore
as
described in the Prospectus, will be validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable; and will be owned of record and beneficially by the Company,
free
and clear of any mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or
restriction.
15
(iii) Upon
receipt of final FDIC approval, the deposit accounts of the Bank will be insured
by the FDIC up to the maximum amount allowed by law and to such counsel’s
knowledge no proceedings for the termination or revocation of such insurance
are
pending or threatened.
(iv) Upon
the
completion of the Offering, the authorized, issued and outstanding capital
stock
of the Company will be as set forth in the Registration Statement, the
Preliminary Prospectus, and the Prospectus under the caption “Capitalization,”
(and any similar sections or information, if any, contained in any Permitted
Free Writing Prospectus) and no Shares or warrants have been or will be issued
and outstanding prior to the Closing Date, other than as set forth in the
Prospectus; the Shares of the Company to be subscribed for in the Offering
have
been validly authorized for issuance, and when issued and delivered by the
Company pursuant to the plan of distribution against payment of the
consideration calculated as set forth in the plan of distribution, will be
fully
paid and nonassessable; and the issuance of the Shares is not subject to
preemptive rights.
(v) The
execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby have been authorized by all necessary action
on
the part of the Company; and this Agreement constitutes a valid, legal and
binding obligation of the Company, enforceable in accordance with its terms,
except to the extent that the provisions of Section 8 hereof may be
unenforceable as against public policy, and except to the extent that such
enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy laws, insolvency laws, or other
laws
affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally.
(vi) Subject
to the satisfaction of the conditions to the Regulatory Agencies’ approval of
the Applications and the Federal Reserve’s approval of the Holding Company
Application, no further approval, registration, authorization, consent or other
order of any federal regulatory agency, public board or body is required in
connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the offer, sale
and issuance of the Shares and the consummation of the Offering.
(vii) The
Applications, as filed with the Regulatory Agencies, have been granted
preliminary approval by the Regulatory Agencies. The Federal Reserve has issued
its preliminary order of approval under the BHCA, and the purchase by the
Company of all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of the Bank has
been
authorized by the Federal Reserve and no action has been taken, or to such
counsel’s knowledge is pending or threatened, to revoke any such authorization
or approval.
16
(viii) The
Registration Statement has been declared effective under the 1933 Act, no stop
order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been
issued, and to the best of such counsel’s knowledge no proceedings for that
purpose have been instituted or threatened.
(ix) The
consummation of the Offering and the transactions contemplated thereunder will
not cause the Company or any person subscribing for Shares in the Offering
to
recognize gain or loss as a result of the purchase of Shares pursuant to the
Offering.
(x) The
terms
and provisions of the Shares conform to the description thereof contained in
the
Disclosure Documents and such description describes in all material respects
the
rights of the holders thereof, the information in the Registration Statement,
any Preliminary Prospectus, and the Prospectus under the caption “Articles of
Incorporation” (and any similar sections or information, if any, contained in
any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus) to the extent that it constitutes matters
of law or legal conclusions has been prepared by such counsel and is accurate
in
all material respects; and the forms of certificates proposed to be used to
evidence the Shares are in due and proper form.
(xi) At
the
time each of the Applications and the Holding Company Application was approved,
such Application and Holding Company Application (as amended or supplemented)
complied as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the
Regulatory Agencies, the Federal Reserve and all applicable laws, rules and
regulations and decisions and orders of the Regulatory Agencies, except as
modified or waived in writing by the Regulatory Agencies and the Federal
Reserve, (other than the financial statements, notes to financial statements,
financial tables and other financial and statistical data included therein
as to
which counsel need express no opinion and other than compliance with state
securities or Blue Sky laws as to which such counsel need express no opinion).
To such counsel’s knowledge, no person has sought to obtain regulatory or
judicial review of the final action of the Regulatory Agencies approving the
Applications and the Holding Company Application.
(xii) The
Registration Statement complied when it became effective at each time of
purchase of any Shares and as of the Closing Date, with the requirements of
the
1933 Act; each Preliminary Prospectus complied, at the time it was filed with
the Commission, and complies as of the date hereof, in all material respects,
with the requirements of the 1933 Act.
(xiii) To
the
best of such counsel’s knowledge, there are no legal or governmental proceedings
pending, or threatened (A) asserting the invalidity of this Agreement or (B)
seeking to prevent the Offering.
(xiv) To
the
best of counsel’s knowledge, the Company and the Bank have obtained all material
licenses, permits and other governmental authorizations (including preliminary
approval from the MOFIS and the FDIC) required for the conduct of their
respective businesses as described in the Disclosure Documents, and all such
licenses, permits and other governmental authorizations (including preliminary
approval from the MOFIS), are in full force and effect and the Company and
the
Bank are in all material respects complying therewith.
17
(xv) Neither
the Company nor the Bank is in violation of its Articles of Incorporation or
its
Articles of Association, as applicable, or its Bylaws, respectively, or to the
best of such counsel’s knowledge, in violation of any material obligation,
agreement, covenant or condition contained in any material contract, indenture,
mortgage, loan agreement, note, lease or other instrument to which it is a
party
or by which it or its property may be bound, which violation would have a
Material Adverse Effect; the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the
Company, the incurrence of the obligations herein set forth and the consummation
of the transactions contemplated herein, will not materially conflict with,
constitute a material breach of, or default under, or result in the creation
or
imposition of any material lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or
assets of the Company or the Bank which are material to their business
considered as one enterprise, pursuant to any contract, indenture, mortgage,
loan agreement, note, lease or other instrument to which the Company or the
Bank
is a party or by which any of them may be bound, or to which any of the property
or assets of the Company or the Bank is subject. In addition, such action will
not result in any material violation of the provisions of the certificate of
incorporation or bylaws of the Company or the Bank or any material violation
of
any applicable law, act, regulation or to such counsel’s knowledge, order or
court order, writ, injunction or decree.
(f) The
letter of Jenkens & Xxxxxxxxx, P.C. in form and substance to the effect
that:
(i) In
addition, during the preparation of the Disclosure Documents, Jenkens &
Xxxxxxxxx, P.C. participated in conferences with certain officers of and other
representatives of the Bank and the Company, counsel to the Agent,
representatives of the independent public accountants for the Bank and the
Company and representatives of the Agent at which the contents of the Disclosure
Documents, and related matters were discussed and, although Jenkens &
Xxxxxxxxx, P.C. are not passing upon and do not assume the accuracy of the
statements contained in the Disclosure Documents, on the basis of the foregoing
without independent verification (relying as to materiality as to factual
matters on certificates of officers and other factual representations by the
Bank and the Company), nothing has come to the attention of Jenkens &
Xxxxxxxxx, P.C. that caused Jenkens & Xxxxxxxxx, P.C. to believe that the
Registration Statement (other than the financial statements and schedules,
the
notes thereto and the auditors’ report thereon and the other financial and
accounting data included therein, or omitted therefrom, and the exhibits
thereto), at the time of the filing of the Prospectus with the Commission (which
you have been informed is at or prior to the time of first sale of the Shares
by
the Company) included an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to
state
a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make
the
statements therein not misleading, or that the Prospectus (other than the
financial statements and schedules, the notes thereto and the auditors’ report
thereon and the other financial and accounting data included therein, or omitted
therefrom, and the exhibits thereto), as of its date and as of the date of
counsel’s opinion, included or includes an untrue statement of a material fact
or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading, or that any Preliminary Prospectus or Permitted Free
Writing Prospectus (other than the financial statements and schedules, the
notes
thereto and the auditors’ report thereon and the other financial and accounting
data included therein, or omitted therefrom, and the exhibits thereto), as
of
the date of first sale, included an untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading.
18
(ii) The
opinion shall be limited to matters governed by the laws of the United States
or
the State of Michigan. In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely (A)
as
to matters involving the application of laws of any jurisdiction other than
the
United States or Michigan, to the extent such counsel deems proper and specified
in such opinion, upon the opinion of other counsel of good standing, as long
as
such other opinion indicates that the Agent may rely on the opinion, and (B)
as
to matters of fact, to the extent such counsel deems proper, on certificates
of
responsible officers of the Company and the Bank and public officials; provided
copies of any such opinion(s) or certificates of public officials are delivered
to you together with the opinion to be rendered hereunder by special counsel
to
the Company and the Bank. The opinion of such counsel for the Company shall
state that it has no reason to believe that you are not justified in relying
thereon.
Where
any
of the foregoing opinions refers to the knowledge of counsel, such counsel
may
state that their opinion is limited to the actual knowledge of attorneys
actively involved in the transactions contemplated by this agreement or in
the
preparation of the opinion letter required by this subsection (f). Counsel
to
the Company may render its opinions subject to customary qualifications and
exceptions.
(g) At
the
time of the execution of this Agreement, the Agent shall have received from
UHY
Advisors MI, Inc. a letter dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory
to the Agent to the effect that:
(i)
|
UHY
Advisors MI, Inc. are independent certified public accountants with
respect to the Company within the meaning of the 1933 Act and the
applicable published rules and regulations adopted by the Commission
and
the PCAOB;
|
(ii)
|
In
the opinion of UHY Advisors MI, Inc. the financial statements audited
by
UHY Advisors MI, Inc., LLC and included in the Registration Statement
comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting
requirements of the 1933 Act and the related rules and regulations
adopted
by the Commission;
|
19
(iii)
|
For
the purposes of providing such letter, UHY Advisors MI, Inc. has
read the
fiscal 2005 minutes of meetings of shareholders, the Board of Directors
and any committees of the Board of Directors of the Company, as set
forth
in the minute books as of a date within five days of the Effective
Time,
officials of the Company advising UHY Advisors MI, Inc. that the
minutes
of all such meetings through that date were set forth therein;
and
|
(iv)
|
Such
additional statements relating to the unaudited quarterly financial
statements of the Company subsequent to December 31, 2005 as the
Agent may
reasonably request.
|
(h) At
the
Closing Date, the Agent shall have received from UHY Advisors MI, Inc. a letter,
dated as of Closing Date, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made
in the letter furnished pursuant to subsection (g) of this Section, except
that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three business
days prior to the Closing Date.
(i) At
the
Closing Date, the Agent shall receive a certificate of the Chief Executive
Officer and Chief Financial Officer of each of the Company and the Bank, dated
the Closing Date, to the effect that (i) they have carefully examined Prospectus
and, as of its date, the date it was filed with the Commission, and the time
of
purchase, the Prospectus did not contain any untrue statement of a material
fact
or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading; (ii) there has not been, since the respective dates as of which
information is given in the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the
financial condition or in the management, earnings, capital, properties,
business prospects or business affairs of the Company or the Bank, considered
as
one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business;
(iii)
the representations and warranties contained in Section 3 of this Agreement
are
true and correct with the same force and effect as though made at and as of
the
Closing Date; (iv) the Company and the Bank have complied in all material
respects with all material agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part
to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Date including the
conditions contained in this Section 7; (v) no stop order has been issued or,
to
the best of their knowledge, is threatened, by the Commission, a Regulatory
Agency, the Federal Reserve or any other governmental body; (vi) no order
suspending the Offering, the acquisition of all of the shares of the Bank by
the
Company or the effectiveness of the Prospectus has been issued and to the best
of their knowledge, no proceedings for any such purpose have been initiated
or
threatened by any Regulatory Agency, the Federal Reserve or any other federal
or
state authority; (vii) to the best of their knowledge, no person has sought
to
obtain regulatory or judicial review of the action of the MOFIS, the FDIC or
the
Federal Reserve in granting preliminary approval of the Applications or the
Holding Company Application.
20
(j) The
Company shall not have sustained since the date of the latest audited financial
statements included in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, any material
loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other
calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or
court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth
in
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and since the respective dates
as
of which information are given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus,
there shall not have been any material change in the long-term debt of the
Company or the Bank or any material change, or any development, involving a
prospective material change in or affecting the general affairs of the
management, financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of
the Company or the Bank, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the effect of which, in any such
case
described above, is in the Agent’s reasonable judgment sufficiently material and
adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the Offering
or the delivery of the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in
the
Prospectus.
(k) Prior
to
and at the Closing Date: (i) in the reasonable opinion of the Agent, there
shall
have been no material adverse change in the management, financial condition
or
in the earnings, capital, properties or business affairs of the Company or
the
Bank independently, or of the Company and the Bank, considered as one
enterprise, from that as of the latest dates as of which such condition is
set
forth in the Prospectus, except as referred to therein; (ii) there shall have
been no material transaction entered into by the Company and the Bank,
considered as one enterprise, from the latest date as of which the financial
condition of the Company or the Bank is set forth in the Prospectus other than
transactions referred to or contemplated therein; (iii) the Company or the
Bank
shall not have received from the MOFIS, the Federal Reserve or the FDIC any
direction (oral or written) to make any material change in the method of
conducting their business with which it has not complied in all material
respects (which direction, if any, shall have been disclosed to the Agent)
and
which would reasonably be expected to have a material and adverse effect on
the
management, condition (financial or otherwise) or on the earnings, capital,
properties or business affairs of the Company or the Bank considered as one
enterprise; (iv) neither the Company nor the Bank shall have been in default
(nor shall an event have occurred which, with notice or lapse of time or both,
would constitute a default) under any provision of any agreement or instrument
relating to any material outstanding indebtedness; (v) no action, suit or
proceedings, at law or in equity or before or by any federal or state
commission, board or other administrative agency, shall be pending or, to the
knowledge of the Company or the Bank, threatened against the Company or the
Bank
or affecting any of their properties wherein an unfavorable decision, ruling
or
finding would reasonably be expected to have a material and adverse effect
on
the management, financial condition or on the earnings, capital, properties
or
business affairs of the Company or the Bank, considered as one enterprise;
and
(vi) the Shares have been qualified or registered for offering and sale under
the securities or blue sky laws of the jurisdictions as to which the Company
and
the Agent shall have agreed.
(l) At
or
prior to the Closing Date, the Agent shall receive (i) a copy of the letters
from the MOFIS and the FDIC granting preliminary approval of the Applications,
(ii) a copy of the order from the Commission declaring the Registration
Statement effective, (iii) a certificate of good standing from the State of
Michigan evidencing the good standing of the Company and (iv) a copy of the
letter from the Federal Reserve granting preliminary approval of the Holding
Company Application.
21
(m) Subsequent
to the date hereof, there shall not have occurred any of the following: (i)
a
suspension or limitation in trading in securities generally on the New York
Stock Exchange or American Stock Exchange or in the over-the-counter market,
or
quotations halted generally on the Nasdaq Stock Market, or minimum or maximum
prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for securities
have been required by either of such exchanges or the NASD or by order of the
Commission or any other governmental authority; (ii) a general moratorium on
the
operations of commercial banks or other federally-insured financial institutions
or general moratorium on the withdrawal of deposits from commercial banks or
other federally-insured financial institutions declared by either federal or
state authorities; (iii) the engagement by the United States in hostilities
which have resulted in the declaration, on or after the date hereof, of a
national emergency or war; or (iv) a material decline in the price of equity
or
debt securities if the effect of any of (i) through (iv) herein, in the Agent’s
reasonable judgment, makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with
the
Offering or the delivery of the Shares on the terms and in the manner
contemplated in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
(n) The
NASD
has confirmed that it has not raised any objection with respect to the fairness
and reasonableness of the terms of this Agreement and Agent’s compensation
hereunder.
8.
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Indemnification
and Contribution.
|
(a) The
Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Agent and its affiliates
and
their respective members, partners, directors, officers, employees, agents
and
controlling persons (Agent and each such person being an “Indemnified Party”)
from and against any and all loss, claim, damage, judgment, assessment, cost
and
other liability (each a “Claim”), joint or several, to which such Indemnified
Party may become subject under any applicable federal or state law, or
otherwise, and related to or arising out of any transaction contemplated by
this
letter or the engagement of Agent pursuant to, and the performance by Agent
of
the services contemplated by this Agreement and will reimburse any Indemnified
Party for all reasonable fees and expenses (including reasonable counsel fees
and expenses) as they are incurred in connection with the investigation of,
preparation for, or defense of any pending or threatened claim or any action
or
proceeding arising therefrom, whether or not such Indemnified Party is a party
and whether or not such claim, action or proceeding is initiated or brought
by
or on behalf of the Company. The Company will not be liable under the foregoing
indemnification and reimbursement provisions to the extent that any loss, claim,
damage, judgment, assessment, cost or any other liability, or related expense,
is found in a final judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction to have
resulted from an Indemnified Party’s willful misconduct, bad faith or gross
negligence or the breach of this Agreement. The Company agrees that no
Indemnified Party will have any liability (whether direct or indirect, in
contract or tort or otherwise) to the Company or its security holders or
creditors related to or arising out of the engagement of Agent pursuant to,
or
the performance by Agent of the services contemplated by, this Agreement except
to the extent that any loss, claim, damage, judgment, assessment, cost or any
other liability, or related expenses, is found in a final judgment by a court
of
competent jurisdiction to have resulted from an Indemnified Party’s willful
misconduct, bad faith or gross negligence or the breach of this
Agreement.
22
(b) If
the
indemnification of an Indemnified Party provided for in this Agreement is for
any reason held unenforceable (other than for a reason provided in the prior
paragraph), the Company agrees to contribute to the losses, claims, damages,
judgments, assessments, costs and other liabilities, and related expenses,
for
which such indemnification is held unenforceable (i) in such proportion as
is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits to the Company, and its security
holders, on the one hand, and Agent, on the other hand, of the transaction
as
contemplated (whether or not the transaction is consummated) or (ii) if
(but only if) the allocation provided for in clause (i) is for any reason
held unenforceable, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only
the
relative benefits referred to in clause (i) but also the relative fault of
the Company on the one hand, and Agent, on the other hand, as well as any other
relevant equitable considerations; provided,
however,
that,
to the extent permitted by applicable law, in no event will the Indemnified
Parties be required to contribute an aggregate amount in excess of the aggregate
fees actually paid to Agent under this Agreement.
(c) The
Company agrees that, without Agent’s prior written consent, which consent will
not be unreasonably withheld, it will not settle, compromise or consent to
the
entry of any judgment in any pending or threatened claim, action, or proceeding
in respect of which indemnification could be sought under the indemnification
provisions of this Agreement, whether or not Agent or any other Indemnified
Party is an actual or threatened party to such claim, action, or proceeding,
unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release
of each Indemnified Party from all liability arising out of such claim, action
or proceeding. The Company shall not be liable for any settlement of any
litigation or proceeding effected without its consent.
(d) Upon
receipt by an Indemnified Party of actual notice of a Claim as to which
indemnification may be sought hereunder, such Indemnified Party shall promptly
notify the Company of the nature and basis of the Claim. In addition, an
Indemnified Party shall promptly notify the Company after any action is
commenced against the Indemnified Party (by way of service with a summons or
other legal process) and shall transmit a copy to the business address of the
Company. The Company may, and shall, if requested by any Indemnified Party,
assume the defense of any Claim against such Indemnified Party in respect of
which indemnity may be sought hereunder, including, without limitation, the
employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Party and
the
payment of the fees and expenses of such counsel and necessary experts, in
which
event the Company shall not be liable for the fees and expenses of any other
counsel retained by such Indemnified Party in connection with such litigation
or
proceeding.
(e) The
reimbursement, indemnity and contribution obligations of the Company under
the
preceding paragraphs shall be in addition to any liability that the Company
may
otherwise have, and shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the
successors, assigns, heirs and personal representatives of any Indemnified
Party.
(f) In
the
event that an Indemnified Party is requested or required to appear as a witness
in any action brought by or on behalf of or against the Company or any affiliate
of the Company in a transaction contemplated by this Agreement in which such
Indemnified Party is not named as a defendant, the Company agrees to reimburse
Agent for all reasonable expenses incurred by it in connection with such
Indemnified Party’s appearing and preparing to appear as such a witness,
including, without limitation, the reasonable fees and disbursements of its
legal counsel.
23
9. Representations
and Indemnities to Survive.
All
representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in
certificates of officers of the Company, solely in their capacities as officers
of the Company, submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain in full force and
effect, regardless of any termination or cancellation of this Agreement or
any
investigation (or any statement as to the results thereof) made by or on behalf
of the Agent, or any controlling person of the Agent, or the Company or any
officer or director or controlling person of the Company, and shall survive
delivery of and payment for the Shares.
10. Termination
and Payment of Expenses.
This
Agreement shall become effective on the date hereof and shall terminate on
[•],
2006. This Agreement may be extended upon the mutual agreement of the Agent
and
the Company. However, (i) this Agreement may be terminated at any time, whether
at the end of its term or otherwise, at the option of the Agent or the Company
upon ten (10) days written notice to the other. If for any reason any Shares
are
not delivered by or on behalf of the Company as provided herein, the Company
will reimburse the Agent for all out-of-pocket expenses, including fees and
disbursements of counsel, reasonably incurred by the Agent in making
preparations for the purchase, sale and delivery of the Shares not so delivered,
and shall pay the Fee as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement, but the Company
shall then be under no further liability to the Agent except as provided in
Section 6 and Section 8 hereof.
11. Notices.
All
statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in writing
shall
be sufficient in all respects if delivered or sent by reliable courier, first
class mail or facsimile transmission to:
Agent:
SAMCO
Capital Markets, Inc.
0000
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxx,
Xxxxx 00000
Attention:
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
With
a
copy to:
Jenkens
& Xxxxxxxxx
0000
Xxxx
Xxxxxx
Xxxxx
0000
Xxxxxx,
Xxxxx 00000
Attention:
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
City
Central Bancorp
0000
Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention:
Xxxxxx Xxxxx
24
With
a
copy to:
Jenkens
& Xxxxxxxxx
0000
Xxxx
Xxxxxx
Xxxxx
0000
Xxxxxx,
Xxxxx 00000
Attention:
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
Any
such
statements, requests, notices or agreements shall take effect upon receipt
thereof.
12. Successors.
This
Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure solely to the benefit of, the
Placement Agent and the Company and, to the extent provided in Sections 8 and
9
hereof; the officers and directors of the Company and each person who controls
the Company, or the Placement Agent, and their respective heirs, executors,
administrators, successors and assigns, and no other person shall acquire or
have any right under or by virtue of this agreement. No purchaser of any of
the
shares from the Placement Agent shall be deemed a successor or assign by reason
merely of such purchase.
13. Time
of the Essence.
Time
shall be of the essence in this Agreement.
14. Business
Day.
As used
herein, the term “business day” shall mean any day when the Commission’s office
in Washington, D.C. is open for business.
15. Applicable
Law.
This
Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of
Texas.
16. Captions.
The
captions included in this Agreement are included solely for convenience of
reference and shall not be deemed to be a part of this Agreement.
17. Counterparts.
This
Agreement may be executed by any one or more of the parties in any number of
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such
counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.
18. Pronouns.
All
pronouns used herein shall be deemed to refer to the masculine, feminine or
neuter gender as the context requires.
25
If
the
foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and return
to us
two counterparts hereof, and upon the acceptance hereof by you, this letter
and
such acceptance hereof shall constitute a binding agreement between
us.
Very
truly yours,
City
Central Bancorp
By:_______________________
Name:
____________________
Title:
President
Accepted
as of the date hereof at Dallas, Texas:
SAMCO
Capital Markets, Inc.
By:_______________________
Name:
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title:
Managing Director
26
SCHEDULE
A
27