Exhibit 1.1
1,800,000 Preferred Securities
Wintrust Capital Trust II
__________% Cumulative Trust Preferred Securities
(Liquidation Amount of $10 per Preferred Security)
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
----------------------
June ___, 2000
XXXXXX, XXXXXXXX & COMPANY, INCORPORATED
000 Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx, 0xx Xxxxx
Xx. Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
XXXX XXXXXX INVESTMENTS, INC.
000 Xxxxx XxXxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000-0000
As Representatives of the Several Underwriters
named in Schedule I hereto
Dear Sirs:
Wintrust Financial Corporation, an Illinois corporation (the
"Company") and its financing subsidiary, Wintrust Capital Trust II, a Delaware
business trust (the "Trust," and hereinafter together with the Company, the
"Offerors"), propose that the Trust issue and sell to the several underwriters
listed on Schedule I hereto (the "Underwriters"), pursuant to the terms of this
Agreement, 1,800,000 of the Trust's ______% Cumulative Trust Preferred
Securities, with a liquidation amount of $10.00 per preferred security (the
"Preferred Securities"), to be issued under the Trust Agreement (as hereinafter
defined), the terms of which are more fully described in the Prospectus (as
hereinafter defined). The aforementioned 1,800,000 Preferred Securities to be
sold to the Underwriters are herein called the "Firm Preferred Securities".
Solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments in the sale of the Firm
Preferred Securities, the Offerors further propose that the Trust issue and sell
to the Underwriters, at their option, up to an additional 200,000 Preferred
Securities (the "Option Preferred Securities") upon exercise of the over-
allotment option granted in Section 1 hereof. The Firm Preferred Securities and
any Option Preferred Securities are herein collectively referred to as the
"Designated Preferred Securities". Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx & Company, Incorporated and
Xxxx Xxxxxx Investments, Inc. are acting jointly as representatives of the
Underwriters and in such capacity are sometimes herein referred to as the
"Representatives."
The Offerors hereby confirm as follows their agreement with each of
the Underwriters in connection with the proposed purchase of the Designated
Preferred Securities.
1. Sale, Purchase and Delivery of Designated Preferred Securities;
Description of Designated Preferred Securities.
(a) On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements
herein contained, and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the
Offerors hereby agree that the Trust shall issue and sell to each of the
Underwriters and each of the Underwriters agrees, severally and not jointly, to
purchase from the Trust, at a purchase price of $10.00 per share (the "Purchase
Price"), the respective number of Firm Preferred Securities set forth opposite
the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto. Because the proceeds from
the sale of the Firm Preferred Securities will be used to purchase from the
Company its Debentures (as hereinafter defined and as described in the
Prospectus), the Company shall pay to each Underwriter a commission of $______
per Firm Preferred Security purchased (the "Firm Preferred Securities
Commission"). The Representatives may by notice to the Company amend Schedule I
to add, eliminate or substitute names set forth therein (other than to eliminate
the name of the Representatives) and to amend the number of firm Preferred
Securities to be purchased by any firm or corporation listed thereon, provided
that the total number of Firm Preferred Securities listed on Schedule I shall
equal 1,800,000.
In addition, on the basis of the representations, warranties and
agreements herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set
forth, the Trust hereby grants to the Underwriters, severally and not jointly,
an option to purchase all or any portion of the 200,000 Option Preferred
Securities, and upon the exercise of such option in accordance with this Section
1, the Offerors hereby agree that the Trust shall issue and sell to the
Underwriters, severally and not jointly, all or any portion of the Option
Preferred Securities at the same Purchase Price per share paid for the Firm
Preferred Securities. If any Option Preferred Securities are to be purchased,
each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Trust
that proportion (subject to adjustment as the Representatives may determine to
avoid fractional shares) of the number of Option Preferred Securities to be
purchased that the number of Firm Preferred Securities set forth opposite the
name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto (or such number increased as set
forth in Section 9 hereof) bears to 1,800,000. Because the proceeds from the
sale of the Option Preferred Securities will be used to purchase from the
Company its Debentures, the Company shall pay to the Underwriters a commission
of $______ per Option Preferred Security for each Option Preferred Security
purchased (the "Option Preferred Securities Commission"). The option hereby
granted (the "Option") shall expire 30 days after the date upon which the
Registration Statement (as hereinafter defined) becomes effective and may be
exercised only for the purpose of covering over-allotments which may be made in
connection with the offering and distribution of the Firm Preferred Securities.
The Option may be exercised in whole or in part at any time (but not more than
once) by you giving notice (confirmed in writing) to the Trust setting forth the
number of Option Preferred Securities as to which the Underwriters are
exercising the Option and the time, date and place for payment and delivery of
certificates for such Option Preferred Securities. Such time and date of
payment and delivery for the Option Preferred Securities (the "Option Closing
Date") shall be determined by you, but shall not be earlier than two nor later
than five full business days after the exercise of such Option, nor in any event
prior to the Closing Date (as hereinafter defined). The Option Closing Date may
be the same as the Closing Date.
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Payment of the Purchase Price and the Firm Preferred Securities
Commission and delivery of certificates for the Firm Preferred Securities shall
be made at the offices of Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx & Company, Incorporated, 000 Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxx, 0xx Xxxxx, Xx. Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, or such other place as shall be
agreed to by you and the Offerors, at 10:00 a.m., St. Louis time, on
____________, 2000, or at such other time not more than five full business days
thereafter as the Offerors and you shall determine (the "Closing Date"). If the
Underwriters exercise the option to purchase any or all of the Option Preferred
Securities, payment of the Purchase Price and Option Preferred Securities
Commission and delivery of certificates for such Option Preferred Securities
shall be made on the Option Closing Date at the Underwriters' offices, or at
such other place as the Offerors and you shall determine. Such payments shall
be made to an account designated by the Trust by wire transfer or certified or
bank cashier's check, in same day funds, in the amount of the Purchase Price
therefor, against delivery by or on behalf of the Trust to you for the
respective accounts of the several Underwriters of certificates for the
Designated Preferred Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters.
The Agreement contained herein with respect to the timing of the
Closing Date and Option Closing Date is intended to, and does, constitute an
express agreement, as described in Rule 15c6-1(c) and (d) promulgated under the
1934 Act (as defined herein), for a settlement date other than four business
days after the date of the contract.
Certificates for Designated Preferred Securities to be purchased by
the Underwriters shall be delivered by the Offerors in fully registered form in
such authorized denominations and registered in such names as you shall request
in writing not later than 12:00 noon, St. Louis time, two business days prior to
the Closing Date and, if applicable, the Option Closing Date. Certificates for
Designated Preferred Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters shall be
made available by the Offerors to you for inspection, checking and packaging at
such office as you may designate in writing not later than 1:00 p.m., St. Louis
time, on the last business day prior to the Closing Date and, if applicable, on
the last business day prior to the Option Closing Date.
Time shall be of the essence, and delivery of the certificates for the
Designated Preferred Securities at the time and place specified pursuant to this
Agreement is a further condition of the obligations of each Underwriter
hereunder.
(b) The Offerors propose that the Trust issue the Designated Preferred
Securities pursuant to an Amended and Restated Trust Agreement among Wilmington
Trust Company, as Property Trustee and Delaware Trustee, the Administrative
Trustees named therein, (collectively, the "Trustees"), and the Company, in
substantially the form heretofore delivered to the Underwriters, said Agreement
being hereinafter referred to as the "Trust Agreement". In connection with the
issuance of the Designated Preferred Securities, the Company proposes (i) to
issue its ___% Junior Subordinated Debentures due 2030 (the "Debentures")
pursuant to an Indenture, to be dated as of June __, 2000, between the Company
and Wilmington Trust Company, as Trustee (the "Indenture") and (ii) to guarantee
certain payments on the Designated Preferred Securities pursuant to a Guarantee
Agreement between the Company and Wilmington Trust Company, as guarantee trustee
(the "Guarantee"), to the extent described therein.
2. Representations and Warranties.
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(a) The Offerors jointly and severally represent and warrant to, and
agree with, each of the Underwriters that:
(i) The reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(the "Commission") by the Company under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended (the "1934 Act") and the rules and regulations thereunder
(the "1934 Act Regulations") at the time they were filed with the
Commission, complied as to form in all material respects with the
requirements of the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations and did not
contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein, in light of the circumstances in which they were made, not
misleading.
(ii) The Offerors have prepared and filed with the Commission a
registration statement on Form S-3 (File Numbers 333-________ and 333-
_______-01) for the registration of the Designated Preferred Securities,
the Guarantee and $20,000,000 aggregate principal amount of Debentures
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), including
the related prospectus subject to completion, and one or more amendments to
such registration statement may have been so filed, in each case in
conformity in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act,
the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the "1933 Act
Regulations") and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the "Trust
Indenture Act") and the rules and regulations thereunder. Copies of such
registration statement, including any amendments thereto and any documents
incorporated by reference therein, each Preliminary Prospectus (as defined
herein) contained therein and the exhibits, financial statements and
schedules to such registration statement, as finally amended and revised,
have heretofore been delivered by the Offerors to the Representatives.
After the execution of this Agreement, the Offerors will file with the
Commission (A) if such registration statement, as it may have been amended,
has been declared by the Commission to be effective under the 1933 Act, a
prospectus in the form most recently included in an amendment to such
registration statement (or, if no such amendment shall have been filed, in
such registration statement), with such changes or insertions as are
required by Rule 430A of the 1933 Act Regulations ("Rule 430A") or
permitted by Rule 424(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations ("Rule 424(b)") and as
have been provided to and not objected to by the Representatives prior to
(or as are agreed to by the Representatives subsequent to) the execution of
this Agreement, or (B) if such registration statement, as it may have been
amended, has not been declared by the Commission to be effective under the
1933 Act, an amendment to such registration statement, including a form of
final prospectus, necessary to permit such registration statement to become
effective, a copy of which amendment has been furnished to and not objected
to by the Representatives prior to (or is agreed to by the Representatives
subsequent to) the execution of this Agreement. As used in this Agreement,
the term "Registration Statement" means such registration statement, as
amended at the time when it was or is declared effective under the 1933
Act, including (1) all financial schedules and exhibits thereto, (2) all
documents (or portions thereof) incorporated by reference therein filed
under the 1934 Act, and (3) any information omitted therefrom pursuant to
Rule 430A and included in the Prospectus (as hereinafter defined); the term
"Preliminary Prospectus" means each prospectus subject to completion filed
with such registration statement or any amendment thereto including all
documents
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(or portions thereof) incorporated by reference therein under the 1934 Act
(including the prospectus subject to completion, if any, included in the
Registration Statement and each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(a)
under the 0000 Xxx); and the term "Prospectus" means the prospectus first
filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or, if no
prospectus is required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4), the
prospectus included in the Registration Statement, in each case including
the financial schedules and all documents (or portions thereof)
incorporated by reference therein under the 1934 Act. The date on which the
Registration Statement becomes effective is hereinafter referred to as the
"Effective Date."
(iii) The documents incorporated by reference in the Preliminary
Prospectus or Prospectus or from which information is so incorporated by
reference, when they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as
the case may be, complied in all material respects with the requirements of
the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations, and when read together and with
the other information in the Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, as the
case may be, at the time the Registration Statement became or becomes
effective and at the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, did not or
will not, as the case may be, contain an untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading.
(iv) No order preventing or suspending the use of any Prospectus
(or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent Preliminary
Prospectus) has been issued by the Commission, nor has the Commission, to
the knowledge of the Offerors, threatened to issue such an order or
instituted proceedings for that purpose. Each Preliminary Prospectus, at
the time of filing thereof, (A) complied in all material respects with the
requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations and (B) did not
contain an 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, in light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and
warranty does not apply to statements or omissions made in reliance upon
and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Offerors by
any of the Underwriters expressly for inclusion in the Prospectus beneath
the heading "Underwriting" and the last sentence on the cover page of the
Prospectus (such information referred to herein as the "Underwriters'
Information").
(v) At the Effective Date and at all times subsequent thereto, up
to and including the Closing Date and, if applicable, the Option Closing
Date, the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto
(A) complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements
of the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations and the Trust Indenture Act (and
the rules and regulations thereunder) and (B) did not and will not contain
an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein,
not misleading. At the Effective Date and at all times when the Prospectus
is required to be delivered in connection with offers and sales of
Designated Preferred Securities, including, without limitation, the Closing
Date and, if applicable, the Option Closing Date, the Prospectus, as
amended or supplemented, (A) complied and will comply in all material
respects with
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the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations and the Trust
Indenture Act (and the rules and regulations thereunder) and (B) did not
contain and will not contain an 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, in light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and
warranty does not apply to Underwriters' Information.
(vi) (A) The Company is duly organized, validly existing and in
good standing under the laws of the State of Illinois, with full corporate
and other power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and
conduct its business as described in and contemplated by the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in existence,
the most recent Preliminary Prospectus) and as currently being conducted
and is duly registered as a bank holding company under the Bank Holding
Company Act of 1956, as amended (the "BHC Act").
(B) The Trust has been duly created and is validly existing
as a statutory business trust in good standing under the Delaware Business
Trust Act with the power and authority (trust and other) to own its
property and conduct its business as described in the Registration
Statement and Prospectus, to issue and sell its common securities (the
"Common Securities") to the Company pursuant to the Trust Agreement, to
issue and sell the Designated Preferred Securities, to enter into and
perform its obligations under this Agreement and to consummate the
transactions herein contemplated; the Trust has no subsidiaries and is duly
qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction
in which the conduct of its business or the ownership of its property
requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so
qualified or be in good standing would not have a material adverse effect
on the Trust; the Trust has conducted and will conduct no business other
than the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and described in the
Prospectus; the Trust is not a party to or bound by any agreement or
instrument other than this Agreement, the Trust Agreement and the
agreements and instruments contemplated by the Trust Agreement and
described in the Prospectus; the Trust has no liabilities or obligations
other than those arising out of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement and the Trust Agreement and described in the Prospectus; the
Trust is not a party to or subject to any action, suit or proceeding of any
nature; the Trust is not, and at the Closing Date or any Option Closing
Date will not be, to the knowledge of the Offerors, classified as an
association taxable as a corporation for United States federal income tax
purposes; and the Trust is, and as of the Closing Date or any Option
Closing Date will be, treated as a consolidated subsidiary of the Company
pursuant to generally accepted accounting principles.
(vii) The Company has ten (10) subsidiaries, of which nine (9)
have ongoing operations. They are listed on Exhibit A attached hereto and
incorporated herein (the "Subsidiaries"). The Company does not own or
control, directly or indirectly, more than 5% of any class of equity
security of any corporation, association or other entity other than the
Subsidiaries. Lake Forest Bank and Trust Company, Hinsdale Bank and Trust
Company, North Shore Community Bank and Trust Company, Libertyville Bank
and Trust Company, Barrington Bank and Trust Company, N.A. and Crystal Lake
Bank and Trust Company, N.A. are collectively referred to as the "Banks".
Each Subsidiary is
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an Illinois state bank, bank holding company, corporation or national
banking association duly incorporated, validly existing and in good
standing with all applicable Regulators (as defined below) and under the
laws of its respective jurisdiction of incorporation. Each such Subsidiary
has full corporate and other power and authority to own, lease and operate
its properties and to conduct its business as described in and contemplated
by the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is
not in existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus) and as currently
being conducted. The deposit accounts of each Bank are insured by the Bank
Insurance Fund administered by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
(the "FDIC") up to the maximum amount provided by law; and no proceedings
for the modification, termination or revocation of any such insurance are
pending or, to the knowledge of the Offerors, threatened.
(viii) The Company and each of the Subsidiaries is duly qualified
to transact business as a foreign corporation and is in good standing in
each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases property or conducts its
business so as to require such qualification and in which the failure to so
qualify would, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse
effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, business,
prospects or results of operations of the Company and the Subsidiaries on a
consolidated basis. All of the issued and outstanding shares of capital
stock of the Subsidiaries (A) have been duly authorized and are validly
issued, (B) are fully paid and nonassessable except to the extent such
shares may be deemed assessable under 12 U.S.C. Section 55 or 12 U.S.C.
Section 1831o or under applicable state banking law, and (C) except as
disclosed in the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the
most recent Preliminary Prospectus), are directly owned by the Company free
and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance,
restriction upon voting or transfer, preemptive rights, claim or equity.
(ix) The capital stock of the Company and the equity securities
of the Trust conform to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus
(or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent Preliminary
Prospectus). The outstanding shares of capital stock and equity securities
of each Offeror have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully
paid and nonassessable, and no such shares were issued in violation of the
preemptive or similar rights of any security holder of an Offeror; no
person has any preemptive or similar right to purchase any shares of
capital stock or equity securities of the Offerors. Except as disclosed in
the Prospectus, (or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus) there are no outstanding rights, options or
warrants to acquire any securities of the Offerors or the Subsidiaries, and
there are no outstanding securities convertible into or exchangeable for
any securities of the Offerors or the Subsidiaries and no restrictions upon
the voting or transfer of any capital stock of the Company or equity
securities of the Trust pursuant to the Company's corporate charter or
bylaws, the Trust Agreement or any agreement or other instrument to which
an Offeror is a party or by which an Offeror is bound.
(x) (A) The Trust has all requisite power and authority to issue,
sell and deliver the Designated Preferred Securities in accordance with and
upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the Trust
Agreement, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (or, if the
Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent
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Preliminary Prospectus). All corporate and trust action required to be
taken by the Offerors for the authorization, issuance, sale and delivery of
the Designated Preferred Securities in accordance with such terms and
conditions has been validly and sufficiently taken. The Designated
Preferred Securities, when delivered in accordance with this Agreement,
will be duly and validly issued and outstanding, will be fully paid and
nonassessable undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Trust,
will be entitled to the benefits of the Trust Agreement, will not be issued
in violation of or subject to any preemptive or similar rights, and will
conform to the description thereof in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus) and the Trust Agreement. None of the Designated
Preferred Securities, immediately prior to delivery, will be subject to any
security interest, lien, mortgage, pledge, encumbrance, restriction upon
voting or transfer, preemptive rights, claim, equity or other defect.
(B) The Debentures have been duly and validly authorized,
and, when duly and validly executed, authenticated and issued as provided
in the Indenture and delivered to the Trust pursuant to the Trust
Agreement, will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the
Company entitled to the benefits of the Indenture and will conform to the
description thereof contained in the Prospectus.
(C) The Guarantee has been duly and validly authorized, and,
when duly and validly executed and delivered to the guarantee trustee for
the benefit of the Trust, will constitute a valid and legally binding
obligation of the Company and will conform to the description thereof
contained in the Prospectus.
(D) The Agreement as to Expenses and Liabilities between the
Company and the Trust (the "Expense Agreement") has been duly and validly
authorized, and, when duly and validly executed and delivered by the
Company, will constitute a valid and legally binding obligation of the
Company and will conform to the description thereof contained in the
Prospectus.
(xi) The Offerors and the Subsidiaries have complied in all
material respects with all federal, state and local statutes, regulations,
ordinances and rules applicable to the ownership and operation of their
properties or the conduct of their businesses as described in and
contemplated by the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (or, if the
Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus) and
as currently being conducted.
(xii) The Offerors and the Subsidiaries have all material
permits, easements, consents, licenses, franchises and other governmental
and regulatory authorizations from all appropriate federal, state, local or
other public authorities ("Permits") as are necessary to own and lease
their properties and conduct their businesses in the manner described in
and contemplated by the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (or, if
the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus)
and as currently being conducted in all material respects. All such
Permits are in full force and effect and each of the Offerors and the
Subsidiaries are in all material respects complying therewith, and no event
has occurred that allows, or after notice or
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lapse of time would allow, revocation or termination thereof or will result
in any other material impairment of the rights of the holder of any such
Permit, subject in each case to such qualification as may be adequately
disclosed in the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the
most recent Preliminary Prospectus). Such Permits contain no restrictions
that would materially impair the ability of the Company or the Subsidiaries
to conduct their businesses in the manner consistent with their past
practices. Neither the Offerors nor any of the Subsidiaries has received
notice or otherwise has knowledge of any proceeding or action relating to
the revocation or modification of any such Permit.
(xiii) Neither of the Offerors nor any of the Subsidiaries is in
breach or violation of its corporate charter, by-laws or other governing
documents (including without limitation, the Trust Agreement) in any
material respect. Neither of the Offerors nor any of the Subsidiaries is,
and to the knowledge of the Offerors no other party is, in violation,
breach or default (with or without notice or lapse of time or both) in the
performance or observance of any term, covenant, agreement, obligation,
representation, warranty or condition contained in (A) any contract,
indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease,
franchise, license, Permit or any other agreement or instrument to which it
is a party or by which it or any of its properties may be bound, which
breach, violation or default could have material adverse consequences to
the Offerors and the Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, and to the
knowledge of the Offerors, no other party has asserted that the Offerors or
any of the Subsidiaries is in such violation, breach or default (provided
that the foregoing shall not apply to defaults by borrowers from the
Banks), or (B) except as disclosed in the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus
is not in existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus), any order,
decree, judgment, rule or regulation of any court, arbitrator, government,
or governmental agency or instrumentality, domestic or foreign, having
jurisdiction over the Offerors or the Subsidiaries or any of their
respective properties the breach, violation or default of which could have
a material adverse effect on the condition, financial or otherwise,
earnings, affairs, business, prospects, or results of operations of the
Offerors and the Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis.
(xiv) The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement
and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement,
the Trust Agreement, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (or, if
the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus)
do not and will not conflict with, result in the creation or imposition of
any material lien, claim, charge, encumbrance or restriction upon any
property or assets of the Offerors or the Subsidiaries or the Designated
Preferred Securities pursuant to, constitute a breach or violation of, or
constitute a default under, with or without notice or lapse of time or
both, any of the terms, provisions or conditions of the charter or by-laws
of the Company or the Subsidiaries, the Trust Agreement, the Guarantee, the
Indenture, any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit
agreement, note, lease, franchise, license, Permit or any other agreement
or instrument to which the Offerors or the Subsidiaries is a party or by
which any of them or any of their respective properties may be bound or any
order, decree, judgment, rule or regulation of any court, arbitrator,
government, or governmental agency or instrumentality, domestic or foreign,
having jurisdiction over the Offerors or the Subsidiaries or any of their
respective properties which conflict, creation, imposition,
9
breach, violation or default would have either singly or in the aggregate a
material adverse effect on the condition, financial or otherwise, earnings,
affairs, business, prospects or results of operations of the Offerors and
the Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis. No authorization, approval,
consent or order of or filing, registration or qualification with, any
person (including, without limitation, any court, governmental body or
authority) is required in connection with the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement, the Trust Agreement, the Indenture, the Guarantee, the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus, except such as have been
obtained under the 1933 Act, the Trust Indenture Act and from the Nasdaq
National Market relating to the listing of the Designated Preferred
Securities, and such as may be required under state securities laws or
Interpretations or Rules of the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc. ("NASD") in connection with the purchase and distribution of the
Designated Preferred Securities by the Underwriters.
(xv) The Offerors have all requisite power and authority to enter
into this Agreement, and this Agreement has been duly and validly
authorized, executed and delivered by the Offerors and constitutes the
legal, valid and binding agreement of the Offerors, enforceable against the
Offerors in accordance with its terms, except as the enforcement thereof
may be limited by general principles of equity and by bankruptcy or other
laws relating to or affecting creditors' rights generally and except as any
indemnification or contribution provisions thereof may be limited under
applicable securities laws. Each of the Indenture, the Trust Agreement,
the Guarantee and the Expense Agreement has been duly authorized by the
Company, and, when executed and delivered by the Company on the Closing
Date, each of said agreements will constitute a valid and legally binding
obligation of the Company and will be enforceable against the Company in
accordance with its terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited
by general principles of equity and by bankruptcy or other laws relating to
or affecting creditors' rights generally and except as any indemnification
or contribution provisions thereof may be limited under applicable
securities laws. Each of the Indenture, the Trust Agreement and the
Guarantee has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and will
conform to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus.
(xvi) The Company and the Subsidiaries have good and marketable
title in fee simple to all real property and good title to all personal
property owned by them and material to their business, in each case free
and clear of all security interests, liens, mortgages, pledges,
encumbrances, restrictions, claims, equities and other defects except such
as are referred to in the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in
existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus) or such as do not
materially affect the value of such property in the aggregate and do not
materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such
property; and all of the leases under which the Company or the Subsidiaries
hold real or personal property are valid, existing and enforceable leases
and in full force and effect with such exceptions as are not material and
do not materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of
such real or personal property, and neither the Company nor any of the
Subsidiaries is in default in any material respect of any of the terms or
provisions of any leases.
10
(xvii) Ernst & Young LLP, who have certified certain of the
consolidated financial statements of the Company and the Subsidiaries,
including the notes thereto, included by incorporation by reference or
otherwise in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, are independent
public accountants with respect to Company, as required by the 1933 Act and
the 1933 Act Regulations.
(xviii) KPMG LLP, who have certified certain of the consolidated
financial statements of the Company and the Subsidiaries including the
notes thereto, included by incorporation by reference or otherwise in the
Registration Statement and Prospectus, at all relevant times were
independent public accountants with respect to the Company and the
Subsidiaries, as required by the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations.
(xix) The consolidated financial statements including the notes
thereto, included by incorporation by reference or otherwise in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in
existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus) with respect to the
Company and the Subsidiaries comply in all material respects with the 1933
Act and the 1933 Act Regulations and present fairly the consolidated
financial position of the Company and the Subsidiaries as of the dates
indicated and the consolidated statements of income, cash flows and changes
in shareholders' equity of the Company and the Subsidiaries for the periods
specified and have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted
accounting principles applied on a consistent basis. The selected
consolidated financial data concerning the Offerors and the Subsidiaries
included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (or such
Preliminary Prospectus) comply in all material respects with the 1933 Act
and the 1933 Act Regulations, present fairly the information set forth
therein, and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the
consolidated financial statements of the Offerors and the Subsidiaries in
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (or such Preliminary
Prospectus). The other financial, statistical and numerical information
included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (or such
Preliminary Prospectus) complies in all material respects with the 1933 Act
and the 1933 Act Regulations, presents fairly the information shown
therein, and to the extent applicable have been compiled on a basis
consistent with the consolidated financial statements of the Company and
the Subsidiaries included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus
(or such Preliminary Prospectus).
(xx) Since the respective dates as of which information is given
in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is
not in existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus), except as
otherwise stated therein:
(A) neither of the Offerors nor any of the Subsidiaries has
sustained any 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 which is material to the condition (financial or
otherwise), earnings, business, prospects or results of operations of
the Offerors and the Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis;
11
(B) there has not been any material adverse change in, or
any development which is reasonably likely to have a material adverse
effect on, the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, business,
prospects or results of operations of the Offerors and the
Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, whether or not arising in the
ordinary course of business;
(C) neither of the Offerors nor any of the Subsidiaries has
incurred any liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent, or
entered into any material transactions, other than in the ordinary
course of business which is material to the condition (financial or
otherwise), earnings, business, prospects or results of operations of
the Offerors and the Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis;
(D) neither of the Offerors have declared or paid any
dividend and neither of the Offerors nor any of the Subsidiaries has
become delinquent in the payment of principal or interest on any
outstanding borrowings; and
(E) there has not been any change in the capital stock,
equity securities, long-term debt, obligations under capital leases
or, other than in the ordinary course of business, short-term
borrowings of the Offerors or the Subsidiaries.
(xxi) Except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus), no charge, investigation, action, suit or
proceeding is pending or, to the knowledge of the Offerors, threatened,
against or affecting the Offerors or the Subsidiaries or any of their
respective properties before or by any court or any regulatory,
administrative or governmental official, commission, board, agency or other
authority or body, or any arbitrator, wherein an unfavorable decision,
ruling or finding could have a material adverse effect on the consummation
of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated herein or the condition
(financial or otherwise), earnings, affairs, business, prospects or results
of operations of the Offerors and the Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis
or which is required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus (or such Preliminary Prospectus) and is not so disclosed.
(xxii) There are no contracts or other documents required to be
filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement by the 1933 Act or the 1933
Act Regulations or the Trust Indenture Act (or any rules or regulations
thereunder) which have not been filed as exhibits or incorporated by
reference to the Registration Statement, or that are required to be
summarized in the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in existence,
the most recent Preliminary Prospectus) that are not so summarized.
(xxiii) Neither of the Offerors has taken, directly or
indirectly, any action causing or resulting in or which has constituted or
which might reasonably be expected to cause or result in stabilization or
manipulation of any security of the Offerors in connection with the sale or
resale of the Designated Preferred Securities in violation of the
Commission's rules and regulations, including, but not limited to,
Regulation M, nor
12
is either Offeror aware of any such action having been taken or to be taken
by any affiliate of the Offerors.
(xxiv) The Offerors and the Subsidiaries own, or possess
adequate rights to use, all patents, copyrights, trademarks, service marks,
trade names and other rights necessary to conduct the businesses now
conducted by them in all material respects or as described in the
Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus) and neither the Offerors nor the Subsidiaries have
received any notice of infringement or conflict with asserted rights of
others with respect to any patents, copyrights, trademarks, service marks,
trade names or other rights which, individually or in the aggregate, if the
subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have a
material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise),
earnings, affairs, business, prospects or results of operations of the
Offerors and the Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, and the Offerors do
not know of any basis for any such infringement or conflict.
(xxv) Except as adequately disclosed in the Prospectus (or, if
the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent Preliminary
Prospectus), no labor dispute involving the Company or the Subsidiaries
exists or, to the knowledge of the Offerors, is imminent which might be
expected to have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or
otherwise), earnings, affairs, business, prospects or results of operations
of the Offerors and the Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis or which is
required to be disclosed in the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in
existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus). Neither the Company
nor any of the Subsidiaries have received notice of any existing or
threatened labor dispute by the employees of any of its principal
suppliers, customers or contractors which might be expected to have a
material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise),
earnings, affairs, business, prospects or results of operations of the
Company and the Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis.
(xxvi) The Offerors and the Subsidiaries have timely and properly
prepared and filed all necessary federal, state, local and foreign tax
returns which are required to be filed and have paid all taxes shown as due
thereon and have paid all other taxes and assessments to the extent that
the same shall have become due, except such as are being contested in good
faith or where the failure to so timely and properly prepare and file would
not have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or
otherwise), earnings, affairs, business, prospects or results of operations
of the Offerors and the Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis. The Offerors
have no knowledge of any tax deficiency which has been or might be assessed
against the Offerors or the Subsidiaries which, if the subject of an
unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have a material adverse
effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, affairs,
business, prospects or results of operations of the Offerors and the
Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis.
(xxvii) Each of the material contracts, agreements and
instruments described or referred to in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus) and each contract, agreement and instrument filed
as an exhibit to the Registration Statement is in full force
13
and effect and is the legal, valid and binding agreement of the Offerors or
the Subsidiaries, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as the
enforcement thereof may be limited by general principles of equity and by
bankruptcy or other laws relating to or affecting creditors' rights
generally. Except as disclosed in the Prospectus (or such Preliminary
Prospectus), to the knowledge of the Offerors, no other party to any such
agreement is (with or without notice or lapse of time or both) in breach or
default in any material respect thereunder.
(xxviii) No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or
among the Offerors or the Subsidiaries, on the one hand, and the directors,
officers, trustees, shareholders, customers or suppliers of the Offerors or
the Subsidiaries, on the other hand, which is required to be described in
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not
in existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus) which is not
adequately described therein.
(xxix) No person has the right to request or require the Offerors
or the Subsidiaries to register any securities for offering and sale under
the 1933 Act by reason of the filing of the Registration Statement with the
Commission or the issuance and sale of the Designated Preferred Securities
except as adequately disclosed in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus).
(xxx) The Designated Preferred Securities have been approved for
listing on the Nasdaq National Market subject to official notice of
issuance.
(xxxi) Except as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus
(or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent Preliminary
Prospectus), there are no contractual encumbrances or restrictions or
material legal restrictions required to be described therein, on the
ability of the Subsidiaries (A) to pay dividends or make any other
distributions on its capital stock or to pay any indebtedness owed to the
Offerors, (B) to make any loans or advances to, or investments in, the
Offerors or (C) to transfer any of its property or assets to the Offerors.
(xxxii) Neither of the Offerors nor any Subsidiary is an
"investment company", a company "controlled" by an "investment company" or
an "investment adviser" within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of
1940, as amended (the "Investment Company Act") or the Investment Advisers
Act of 1940, as amended (the "Advisers Act").
(xxxiii) The Offerors have not distributed and will not
distribute prior to the Closing Date any prospectus in connection with the
Offering, other than a Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, the
Registration Statement and the other materials permitted by the 1933 Act
and the 1933 Act Regulations and reviewed by the Representatives.
(xxxiv) The activities of the Offerors and the Subsidiaries are
permitted under applicable federal and state banking laws and regulations.
First Insurance Funding
14
Corp. is validly licensed by the Illinois Department of Financial
Institutions and in all other jurisdictions in which the conduct of its
business requires license or qualification. The Company has all necessary
approvals, including the approval of the Office of the Comptroller of
Currency (the "OCC"), the Illinois Commissioner of Banks and Real Estate
(the "Commissioner") and the Federal Reserve Board, as applicable, to own
the capital stock of the Subsidiaries. Neither the Company nor any of the
Subsidiaries is a party or subject to any agreement or memorandum with, or
directive or other order issued by, the Federal Reserve Board, the OCC, the
Commissioner, the FDIC or other regulatory authority having jurisdiction
over it (each, a "Regulator," and collectively, the "Regulators"), which
imposes any restrictions or requirements not generally applicable to
entities of the same type as the Company and the Subsidiaries. Neither the
Company nor any Subsidiary is subject to any directive from any Regulator
to make any material change in the method of conducting their respective
businesses, and no such directive is pending or threatened by such
Regulators.
(xxxv) Each of the Banks and Wintrust Asset Management Company,
N.A. have properly administered, in all material respects, all accounts for
which any of them acts as a fiduciary, including but not limited to
accounts for which any of them serves as a trustee, agent, custodian,
personal representative, guardian, conservator or investment advisor, in
accordance with the terms of the governing documents and applicable state
and federal law and regulation and common law. Neither any Bank, Wintrust
Asset Management Company, N.A. nor any of their respective directors,
officers or employees has committed any material breach of trust with
respect to any such fiduciary account, and the accountings for each such
fiduciary account are true and correct in all material respects and
accurately reflect the assets of such fiduciary account in all material
respects.
(xxxvi) The conditions for use of Form S-3, as set forth in the
General Instructions thereto, have been satisfied.
(xxxvii) The Offerors and the Subsidiaries are in compliance
with all provisions of Section 517.075, Florida Statutes, relating to doing
business with the Government of Cuba or with any person or affiliate
located in Cuba.
(xxxviii) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has any
liability under any "pension plan," as defined in the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.
(xxxix) Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries maintains a
system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable
assurance that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with
management's general or specific authorizations, (B) transactions are
recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in
conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and to
maintain asset accountability, and (C) access to assets is permitted only
in accordance with management's general or specific authorization.
3. Offering by the Underwriters. After the Registration Statement becomes
effective
15
or, if the Registration Statement is already effective, after this Agreement
becomes effective, the Underwriters propose to offer the Firm Preferred
Securities for sale to the public upon the terms and conditions set forth in the
Prospectus. The Underwriters may from time to time thereafter reduce the public
offering price and change the other selling terms, provided the proceeds to the
Trust shall not be reduced as a result of such reduction or change. Because the
NASD is expected to view the Preferred Securities as interests in a direct
participation program, the offering of the Preferred Securities is being made in
compliance with the applicable provisions of Rule 2810 of the NASD's Conduct
Rules.
The Underwriters may reserve and sell such of the Designated Preferred
Securities purchased by the Underwriters as the Underwriters may elect to
dealers chosen by it (the "Selected Dealers") at the public offering price set
forth in the Prospectus less the applicable Selected Dealers' concessions set
forth therein, for re-offering by Selected Dealers to the public at the public
offering price. The Underwriters may allow, and Selected Dealers may re-allow,
a concession set forth in the Prospectus to certain other brokers and dealers.
4. Certain Covenants of the Offerors. The Offerors jointly and severally
covenant with the Underwriters as follows:
(a) The Offerors shall use their best efforts to cause the
Registration Statement and any amendments thereto, if not effective at the time
of execution of this Agreement, to become effective as promptly as possible. If
the Registration Statement has become or becomes effective pursuant to Rule 430A
and information has been omitted therefrom in reliance on Rule 430A, then, the
Offerors will prepare and file in accordance with Rule 430A and Rule 424(b)
copies of the Prospectus or, if required by Rule 430A, a post-effective
amendment to the Registration Statement (including the Prospectus) containing
all information so omitted and will provide evidence satisfactory to the
Representatives of such timely filing.
(b) The Offerors shall notify you immediately, and confirm such notice
in writing:
(i) when the Registration Statement, or any post-effective
amendment to the Registration Statement, has become effective, or when the
Prospectus or any supplement to the Prospectus or any amended Prospectus
has been filed;
(ii) of the receipt of any comments or requests from the
Commission relating to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus;
(iii) of any request of the Commission to amend or supplement
the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or
for additional information; and
(iv) of the issuance by the Commission or any state or other
regulatory body of any stop order or other order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement, preventing or suspending the
use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, or suspending the
qualification of any of the Designated Preferred Securities for offering or
sale in any jurisdiction or the institution or threat of institution of any
proceedings for any of such purposes. The Offerors shall use their best
efforts to prevent
16
the issuance of any such stop order or of any other such order and if any
such order is issued, to cause such order to be withdrawn or lifted as soon
as possible.
(c) The Offerors shall furnish to the Underwriters, from time to time
without charge, as soon as available, as many copies as the Underwriters may
reasonably request of (i) the registration statement as originally filed and of
all amendments thereto, in executed form, including exhibits, whether filed
before or after the Registration Statement becomes effective, (ii) all exhibits
and documents incorporated therein or filed therewith, (iii) all consents and
certificates of experts in executed form, (iv) each Preliminary Prospectus and
all amendments and supplements thereto, and (v) the Prospectus, and all
amendments and supplements thereto.
(d) During the time when a prospectus is required to be delivered
under the 1933 Act, the Offerors shall comply to the best of their ability with
the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations and the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act
Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Designated
Preferred Securities as contemplated herein and in the Trust Agreement and the
Prospectus. The Offerors shall not file any amendment to the registration
statement as originally filed or to the Registration Statement and shall not
file any amendment thereto or make any amendment or supplement to any
Preliminary Prospectus or to the Prospectus of which you shall not previously
have been advised in writing and provided a copy a reasonable time prior to the
proposed filings thereof or to which you or counsel for the Underwriters shall
object. If it is necessary, in the Company's reasonable opinion or in the
reasonable opinion of the Company's counsel to amend or supplement the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus in connection with the distribution of
the Designated Preferred Securities, the Offerors shall forthwith amend or
supplement the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be, by
preparing and filing with the Commission (provided the Underwriters or counsel
for the Underwriters does not reasonably object), and furnishing to you, such
number of copies as you may reasonably request of an amendment or amendments of,
or a supplement or supplements to, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus,
as the case may be (in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to you and
counsel for the Underwriters). If any event shall occur as a result of which it
is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to correct an untrue
statement of a material fact or to include a material fact necessary to make the
statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not misleading, or if for any reason it is necessary at any time to amend or
supplement the Prospectus to comply with the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act
Regulations, the Offerors shall, subject to the second sentence of this
subsection (d), forthwith amend or supplement the Prospectus by preparing and
filing with the Commission, and furnishing to you, such number of copies as you
may reasonably request of an amendment or amendments of, or a supplement or
supplements to, the Prospectus (in form and substance satisfactory to you and
counsel for the Underwriters) so that, as so amended or supplemented, the
Prospectus shall not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(e) The Offerors shall cooperate with you and counsel for the
Underwriters in order to qualify the Designated Preferred Securities for
offering and sale under the securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as
you may reasonably request and shall continue such qualifications in effect so
long as may be advisable for distribution of the Designated Preferred
Securities; provided, however, that the Offerors shall not be required to
qualify to do business as
17
a foreign corporation or file a general consent to service of process in any
jurisdiction in connection with the foregoing. The Offerors shall file such
statements and reports as may be required by the laws of each jurisdiction in
which the Designated Preferred Securities have been qualified as above. The
Offerors will notify you immediately of, and confirm in writing, the suspension
of qualification of the Designated Preferred Securities or threat thereof in any
jurisdiction.
(f) The Offerors shall make generally available to their security
holders in the manner contemplated by Rule 158 of the 1933 Act Regulations and
furnish to you as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than 16 months
after the Effective Date, a consolidated earnings statement of the Offerors
conforming with the requirements of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act and Rule 158.
(g) The Offerors shall use the proceeds from the sale of the
Designated Preferred Securities to be sold by the Trust hereunder in the manner
specified in the Prospectus under the caption "Use of Proceeds."
(h) For five years from the Effective Date, the Offerors shall furnish
to the Representatives copies of all reports and communications (financial or
otherwise) furnished by the Offerors to the holders of the Designated Preferred
Securities as a class, copies of all reports and financial statements filed with
or furnished to the Commission (other than portions for which confidential
treatment has been obtained from the Commission) or with any national securities
exchange, the Nasdaq National Market or other self-regulatory organization, and
such other documents, reports and information concerning the business and
financial conditions of the Offerors as the Representatives may reasonably
request, other than such documents, reports and information for which the
Offerors has the legal obligation not to reveal to the Representatives.
(i) For a period of 30 days from the Effective Date, the Offerors
shall not, directly or indirectly, offer for sale, sell or agree to sell or
otherwise dispose of any Designated Preferred Securities other than pursuant to
this Agreement, any other beneficial interests in the assets of the Trust or any
securities of the Trust or the Company that are substantially similar to the
Designated Preferred Securities or the Debentures, including any guarantee of
such beneficial interests or substantially similar securities, or securities
convertible into or exchangeable for or that represent the right to receive any
such beneficial interest or substantially similar securities, without the prior
written consent of the Representatives.
(j) The Offerors shall use their best efforts to cause the Designated
Preferred Securities to become listed on the Nasdaq National Market or in lieu
thereof the New York Stock Exchange or another national securities exchange, and
to remain so listed for at least five years from the Effective Date or for such
shorter period as may be specified in a written consent of the Representatives,
provided this shall not prevent the Company from redeeming the Designated
Preferred Securities pursuant to the terms of the Trust Agreement. If the
Designated Preferred Securities are exchanged for Debentures, the Company will
use its best efforts to have the Debentures promptly listed on the Nasdaq
National Market or the New York Stock Exchange or other organization on which
the Designated Preferred Securities are then listed, and to have the Debentures
promptly registered under the Exchange Act.
18
(k) Subsequent to the date of this Agreement and through the date
which is the later of (i) the day following the date on which the Underwriters'
option to purchase the Option Preferred Securities shall expire or (ii) the day
following the Option Closing Date with respect to any Option Preferred
Securities that the Underwriters shall elect to purchase, except as described in
or contemplated by the Prospectus, neither the Offerors nor any of the
Subsidiaries shall take any action (or refrain from taking any action) which
will result in the Offerors or the Subsidiaries incurring any material liability
or obligation, direct or contingent, or enter into any material transaction,
except in the ordinary course of business, and there will not be any material
change in the financial position, capital stock, or any material increase in
long-term debt, obligations under capital leases or short-term borrowings of the
Offerors and the Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis.
(l) The Offerors shall not, for a period of 180 days after the date
hereof, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, purchase,
redeem or call for redemption, or prepay or give notice of prepayment (or
announce any redemption or call for redemption, or any repayment or notice of
prepayment) of the Offerors' securities.
(m) The Offerors shall not take, directly or indirectly, any action
designed to result in 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 Offerors in connection with the sale or resale of the Designated
Preferred Securities in violation of the Commission's rules and regulations,
including, but not limited to, Regulation M, and the Offerors are not aware of
any such action taken or to be taken by any affiliate of the Offerors.
(n) Prior to the Closing Date (and, if applicable, the Option Closing
Date), the Offerors will not issue any press release or other communication
directly or indirectly or hold any press conference with respect to the
Offerors, the Subsidiaries or the offering of the Designated Preferred
Securities (the "Offering") without your prior written consent.
(o) The Offerors shall inform the Florida Department of Banking and
Finance at any time prior to the consummation of the distribution of the
Securities by the Underwriters if either of the Offerors or any of the
Subsidiaries commences engaging in business with the government of Cuba or with
a person or affiliate located in Cuba, with such information to be provided
within 90 days after the commencement thereof or after a change occurs with
respect to previously reported information.
5. Payment of Expenses. Whether or not this Agreement is terminated or
the sale of the Designated Preferred Securities to the Underwriters is
consummated, the Company covenants and agrees that it will pay or cause to be
paid (directly or by reimbursement) all costs and expenses incident to the
performance of the obligations of the Offerors under this Agreement, including:
(a) the preparation, printing, filing, delivery and shipping of the
initial registration statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectuses, the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements
thereto, and the printing, delivery and shipping of this Agreement and any other
underwriting documents (including, without limitation, selected dealers
agreements), the certificates for the Designated Preferred Securities and the
19
Preliminary and Final Blue Sky Memoranda and any legal investment surveys and
any supplements thereto;
(b) all fees, expenses and disbursements of the Offerors' counsel and
accountants;
(c) all fees and expenses incurred in connection with the
qualification of the Designated Preferred Securities, Debentures and the
Guarantee under the securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as you may
request, including all filing fees and fees and disbursements of counsel for the
Underwriters in connection therewith, including, without limitation, in
connection with the preparation of the Preliminary and Final Blue Sky Memoranda
and any legal investment surveys and any supplements thereto;
(d) all fees and expenses incurred in connection with filings made
with the NASD;
(e) any applicable fees and other expenses incurred in connection with
the listing of the Designated Preferred Securities and, if applicable, the
Guarantee and the Debentures on the Nasdaq National Market;
(f) the cost of furnishing to you copies of the initial registration
statements, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus and all amendments or supplements thereto;
(g) the costs and charges of any transfer agent or registrar and the
fees and disbursements of counsel for any transfer agent or registrar;
(h) all costs and expenses (including stock transfer taxes) incurred
in connection with the printing, issuance and delivery of the Designated
Preferred Securities to the Underwriters;
(i) all expenses incident to the preparation, execution and delivery
of the Trust Agreement, the Indenture and the Guarantee; and
(j) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the
obligations of the Company hereunder and under the Trust Agreement that are not
otherwise specifically provided for in this Section 5.
If the sale of Designated Preferred Securities contemplated by this
Agreement is not completed due to the termination pursuant to the terms hereof
(other than pursuant to Section 9 hereof), the Company will pay you your
accountable out-of-pocket expenses in connection herewith or in contemplation of
the performance of your obligations hereunder, including without limitation
travel expenses, fees, expenses and disbursements of counsel or other out-of-
pocket expenses incurred by you in connection with any discussion of the
Offering or the contents of the Registration Statement, any investigation of the
Offerors and the Subsidiaries, or any preparation for the marketing, purchase,
sale or delivery of the Designated Preferred Securities, in each case following
presentation of reasonably detailed invoices therefor.
20
If the sale of Designated Preferred Securities contemplated by this
Agreement is completed, the Company shall not be responsible for payment of fees
or disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters other than in accordance with
paragraph (c) above, or for the reimbursement of any expenses of the
Underwriters.
6. Conditions of the Underwriters' Obligations. The obligations of the
Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Firm Preferred Securities and,
following exercise of the option granted by the Offerors in Section 1 of this
Agreement, the Option Preferred Securities, are subject, in your sole
discretion, to the accuracy of and compliance with the representations and
warranties and agreements of the Offerors herein as of the date hereof and as of
the Closing Date (or in the case of the Option Preferred Securities, if any, as
of the Option Closing Date), to the accuracy of the written statements of the
Offerors made pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the
Offerors of their covenants and obligations hereunder and to the following
additional conditions:
(a) If the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto filed prior
to the Closing Date has not been declared effective prior to the time of
execution hereof, the Registration Statement shall become effective not later
than 10:00 a.m., St. Louis time, on the first business day following the time of
execution of this Agreement, or at such later time and date as you may agree to
in writing. If required, the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto
shall have been timely filed in accordance with Rule 424(b) and Rule 430A under
the 1933 Act and Section 4(a) hereof. No stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement
thereto shall have been issued under the 1933 Act or any applicable state
securities laws and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted
or shall be pending, or, to the knowledge of the Offerors or the
Representatives, shall be contemplated by the Commission or any state authority.
Any request on the part of the Commission or any state authority for additional
information (to be included in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or
otherwise) shall have been disclosed to you and complied with to your
satisfaction and to the satisfaction of counsel for the Underwriters.
(b) No Underwriter shall have advised the Company at or before the
Closing Date (and, if applicable, the Option Closing Date) that the Registration
Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, or the Prospectus or any
amendment or supplement thereto, contains an untrue statement of a fact which,
in your opinion, is material or omits to state a fact which, in your opinion, is
material and is required to be stated therein or is necessary to make statements
therein (in the case of the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto,
in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading.
(c) All corporate proceedings and other legal matters incident to the
authorization, form and validity of this Agreement, the Trust Agreement, and the
Designated Preferred Securities, and the authorization and form of the
Registration Statement and Prospectus, other than financial statements and other
financial data, and all other legal matters relating to this Agreement and the
transactions contemplated hereby or by the Trust Agreement shall be satisfactory
in all material respects to counsel for the Underwriters, and the Offerors and
the Subsidiaries shall have furnished to such counsel all documents and
information relating thereto that they may reasonably request to enable them to
pass upon such matters.
21
(d) Vedder, Price, Xxxxxxx & Kammholz, counsel for the Offerors, shall
have furnished to you their signed opinion, dated the Closing Date or the Option
Closing Date, as the case may be, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel
for the Underwriters, to the effect that:
(i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly
existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Illinois, and
is duly registered as a bank holding company under the BHC Act. Each of
the Subsidiaries is duly incorporated or organized, as applicable, validly
existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization, as the case may be. Each of the Company and
the Subsidiaries has full power and authority to own or lease its
properties and to conduct its business as such business is described in the
Prospectus and is currently conducted in all material respects. To the
best of such counsel's knowledge, all outstanding shares of capital stock
of the Subsidiaries have been duly authorized and validly issued and are
fully paid and nonassessable except to the extent such shares may be deemed
assessable under 12 U.S.C. Section 1831o and, to the best of such counsel's
knowledge, except as disclosed in the Prospectus, there are no outstanding
rights, options or warrants to purchase any such shares or securities
convertible into or exchangeable for any such shares;
(ii) The capital stock, Debentures and Guarantee of the Company
and the equity securities of the Trust conform to the description thereof
contained in the Prospectus in all material respects. The capital stock of
the Company authorized and issued as of March 31, 2000 is as set forth
under the caption "Capitalization" in the Prospectus, has been duly
authorized and validly issued, and is fully paid and nonassessable. Except
as described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (or if the
Prospectus is not yet in existence, the most recent Preliminary
Prospectus), there are no outstanding rights, options or warrants to
purchase, no other outstanding securities convertible into or exchangeable
for, and no commitments, plans or arrangements to issue, any shares of
capital stock of the Company or equity securities of the Trust, except as
described in the Prospectus;
(iii) The issuance, sale and delivery of the Designated
Preferred Securities and Debentures in accordance with the terms and
conditions of this Agreement and the Indenture have been duly authorized by
all necessary actions of the Offerors. All of the Designated Preferred
Securities have been duly and validly authorized and, when delivered in
accordance with this Agreement will be duly and validly issued, fully paid
and nonassessable, and will conform to the description thereof in the
Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Trust Agreement. The
Designated Preferred Securities have been approved for quotation on the
Nasdaq National Market subject to official notice of issuance. There are
no preemptive or other rights to subscribe for or to purchase, and other
than as disclosed in the Prospectus no restrictions upon the voting or
transfer of, any shares of capital stock or equity securities of the
Offerors or the Subsidiaries pursuant to the corporate charter, by-laws or
other governing documents (including without limitation, the Trust
Agreement) of the Offerors or the Subsidiaries, or, to the best of such
counsel's knowledge, any agreement or other instrument to which
22
either Offeror or any of the Subsidiaries is a party or by which either
Offeror or any of the Subsidiaries may be bound;
(iv) The Offerors have all requisite corporate and trust power to
enter into and perform their obligations under this Agreement, and this
Agreement has been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered by
the Offerors and constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligations of
the Offerors enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as the
enforcement hereof or thereof may be limited by general principles of
equity and by bankruptcy or other laws relating to or affecting creditors'
rights generally, and except as the indemnification and contribution
provisions hereof may be limited under applicable laws and certain remedies
may not be available in the case of a non-material breach;
(v) Each of the Indenture, the Trust Agreement and the Guarantee
has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act, has been duly
authorized, executed and delivered by the Company, and is a valid and
legally binding obligation of the Company enforceable in accordance with
its terms, subject to the effect of bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization,
receivership, moratorium and other laws affecting the rights and remedies
of creditors generally and of general principles of equity;
(vi) The Debentures have been duly authorized, executed,
authenticated and delivered by the Company, are entitled to the benefits of
the Indenture and are legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company
enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, subject to
the effect of bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, receivership,
moratorium and other laws affecting the rights and remedies of creditors
generally and of general principles of equity;
(vii) The Expense Agreement has been duly authorized, executed
and delivered by the Company, and is a valid and legally binding obligation
of the Company enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to the
effect of bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, receivership, moratorium
and other laws affecting the rights and remedies of creditors generally and
of general principles of equity;
(viii) To the best of such counsel's knowledge, neither of the
Offerors nor any of the Subsidiaries is in breach or violation of, or
default under, with or without notice or lapse of time or both, its
corporate charter, by-laws or governing document (including without
limitation, the Trust Agreement). The execution, delivery and performance
of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement, and the Trust Agreement do not and will not conflict with,
result in the creation or imposition of any material lien, claim, charge,
encumbrance or restriction upon any property or assets of the Offerors or
the Subsidiaries or the Designated Preferred Securities pursuant to, or
constitute a material breach or violation of, or constitute a material
default under, with or without notice or lapse of time or both, any of the
terms, provisions or conditions of the charter, by-laws or governing
document (including without limitation, the Trust Agreement) of the
Offerors or the Subsidiaries, or to the best of such counsel's knowledge,
any material contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit
agreement, note, lease, franchise, license or any other agreement or
23
instrument to which either Offeror or the Subsidiaries is a party or by
which any of them or any of their respective properties may be bound or any
order, decree, judgment, franchise, license, Permit, rule or regulation of
any court, arbitrator, government, or governmental agency or
instrumentality, domestic or foreign, known to such counsel having
jurisdiction over the Offerors or the Subsidiaries or any of their
respective properties which, in each case, is material to the Offerors and
the Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis. No authorization, approval,
consent or order of, or filing, registration or qualification with, any
person (including, without limitation, any court, governmental body or
authority) is required under Illinois law in connection with the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement in connection with the purchase
and distribution of the Designated Preferred Securities by the
Underwriters;
(ix) Holders of securities of the Offerors either do not have any
right that, if exercised, would require the Offerors to cause such
securities to be included in the Registration Statement or have waived such
right. Neither the Offerors nor any of the Subsidiaries is a party to any
agreement or other instrument which grants rights for or relating to the
registration of any securities of the Offerors;
(x) Except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus, to the best of such counsel's knowledge, (i) no action, suit or
proceeding at law or in equity is pending or threatened in writing to which
the Offerors or the Subsidiaries is or may be a party, and (ii) no action,
suit or proceeding is pending or threatened in writing against or affecting
the Offerors or the Subsidiaries or any of their properties, before or by
any court or governmental official, commission, board or other
administrative agency, authority or body, or any arbitrator, wherein an
unfavorable decision, ruling or finding could reasonably be expected to
have a material adverse effect on the consummation of this Agreement or the
issuance and sale of the Designated Preferred Securities as contemplated
herein or the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, affairs,
business, or results of operations of the Offerors and the Subsidiaries on
a consolidated basis or which is required to be disclosed in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus and is not so disclosed;
(xi) No authorization, approval, consent or order of or filing,
registration or qualification with, any person (including, without
limitation, any court, governmental body or authority) is required in
connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Trust
Agreement, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, except such as
have been obtained under the 1933 Act, and the Trust Indenture Act, and
except such as may be required under state securities laws or
Interpretations or Rules of the NASD in connection with the purchase and
distribution of the Designated Preferred Securities by the Underwriters;
(xii) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any
amendments or supplements thereto and any documents incorporated therein by
reference (other than the financial statements or other financial data
included therein or omitted therefrom and Underwriters' Information, as to
which such counsel need express no opinion) comply as to form in all
material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act
Regulations as of their respective dates of effectiveness;
24
(xiii) To the best of such counsel's knowledge, there are no
contracts, agreements, leases or other documents of a character required to
be disclosed in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or to be filed as
exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not so disclosed or filed;
(xiv) The statements under the captions "Accounting and
Regulatory Treatment," "Description of the Trust," "Description of the
Preferred Securities," "Description of the Debentures," "Book-Entry
Issuance," "Description of the Guarantee," "Relationship Among the
Preferred Securities, the Debentures and the Guarantee," "Certain Federal
Income Tax Consequences," and "ERISA Considerations" in the Prospectus,
insofar as such statements constitute a summary of legal and regulatory
matters, documents or instruments referred to therein are accurate
descriptions of the matters summarized therein in all material respects and
fairly present the information called for with respect to such legal
matters, documents and instruments, other than financial and statistical
data as to which said counsel shall not be required to express any opinion
or belief;
(xv) Such counsel has been advised by the staff of the Commission
that the Registration Statement has become effective under the 1933 Act;
any required filing of the Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) has been made
within the time period required by Rule 424(b); to the best of such
counsel's knowledge, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for a stop order
are pending or threatened by the Commission;
(xvi) Except as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus,
to the best of such counsel's knowledge, there are no contractual
encumbrances or restrictions, or material legal restrictions required to be
described therein on the ability of the Subsidiaries (A) to pay dividends
or make any other distributions on its capital stock or to pay indebtedness
owed to the Offerors, (B) to make any loans or advances to, or investments
in, the Offerors or (C) to transfer any of its property or assets to the
Offerors; and
(xvii) To the best of such counsel's knowledge, (A) the business
and operations of the Offerors and the Subsidiaries comply in all material
respects with all statutes, ordinances, laws, rules and regulations
applicable thereto and which are material to the Offerors and the
Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, except in those instances where non-
compliance would not materially impair the ability of the Offerors and the
Subsidiaries to conduct their business; and (B) the Offerors and the
Subsidiaries possess and are operating in all material respects in
compliance with the terms, provisions and conditions of all Permits that
are required to conduct their businesses as described in the Prospectus and
that are material to the Offerors and the Subsidiaries on a consolidated
basis, except in those instances where the loss thereof or non-compliance
therewith would not have a material adverse effect on the condition
(financial or otherwise), earnings, affairs, business, prospects or results
of operations of the Offerors and the Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis;
to the best of such counsel's knowledge, all such Permits are valid and in
full force and effect, and, to the best of such counsel's knowledge, no
action, suit or proceeding is pending or threatened which may lead to the
revocation, termination,
25
suspension or non-renewal of any such Permit, except in those instances
where the loss thereof or non-compliance therewith would not materially
impair the ability of the Offerors or the Subsidiaries to conduct their
businesses.
In giving the above opinion, such counsel may state that, insofar as
such opinion involves factual matters, they have relied upon certificates of
officers of the Offerors including, without limitation, certificates as to the
identity of any and all material contracts, indentures, mortgages, deeds of
trust, loans or credit agreements, notes, leases, franchises, licenses or other
agreements or instruments, and all material permits, easements, consents,
licenses, franchises and government regulatory authorizations, for purposes of
paragraphs (viii), (xiii) and (xvii) hereof and certificates of public
officials. In giving such opinion, such counsel may rely as to matters of
Delaware law upon the opinion of Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxx and Finger described herein.
Such counsel shall also confirm that, in connection with the
preparation of the Registration Statement and Prospectus, such counsel has
participated in conferences with officers and Representatives of the Offerors
and with their independent public accountants and with you and your counsel, at
which conferences such counsel made inquiries of such officers, Representatives
and accountants and discussed in detail the contents of the Registration
Statement and Prospectus and the documents incorporated therein by reference
(without taking further action to verify independently the statements made in
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and without assuming
responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of such statements, except to
the extent expressly provided above) and such counsel has no reason to believe
(A) that the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto (except for the
financial statements and related schedules and statistical data included therein
or omitted therefrom or Underwriters' Information, as to which such counsel need
express no opinion), at the time the Registration Statement or any such
amendment became effective, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading or (B) that the Prospectus or any amendment or
supplement thereto or the documents incorporated therein by reference (except
for the financial statements and related schedules and statistical data included
therein or omitted therefrom or Underwriters' Information, as to which such
counsel need express no opinion), at the time the Registration Statement became
effective (or, if the term "Prospectus" refers to the prospectus first filed
pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations, at the time the Prospectus
was issued), at the time any such amended or supplemented Prospectus was issued,
at the Closing Date and, if applicable, the Option Closing Date, contained or
contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state
any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading in light of the circumstances under which they
were made, or (C) that there is any amendment to the Registration Statement
required to be filed that has not already been filed.
(e) Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxx and Finger, special Delaware counsel to the
Offerors, shall have furnished to you their signed opinion, dated as of Closing
Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, in form and substance
satisfactory to such counsel, to the effect that:
(i) The Trust has been duly created and is validly existing in
good standing as a business trust under the Delaware Business Trust Act
and, under the Trust
26
Agreement and the Delaware Business Trust Act, has the trust power and
authority to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus.
(ii) The Trust Agreement is a legal, valid and binding agreement
of the Company, as sponsor, and the Trustees, and is enforceable against
the Company, as sponsor, and the Trustees, in accordance with its terms.
(iii) Under the Trust Agreement and the Delaware Business Trust
Act, the execution and delivery of the Underwriting Agreement by the Trust,
and the performance by the Trust of its obligations thereunder, have been
authorized by all requisite trust action on the part of the Trust.
(iv) The Designated Preferred Securities have been duly
authorized by the Trust Agreement, and when issued and sold in accordance
with the Trust Agreement, the Designated Preferred Securities will be,
subject to the qualifications set forth in paragraph (v) below, fully paid
and nonassessable beneficial interest in the assets of the Trust and
entitled to the benefits of the Trust Agreement. The form of certificates
to evidence the Designated Preferred Securities has been approved by the
Trust and is in due and proper form and complies with all applicable
requirements of the Delaware Business Trust Act.
(v) Holders of Designated Preferred Securities, as beneficial
owners of the Trust, will be entitled to the same limitation of personal
liability extended to shareholders of private, for-profit corporations
organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware. Such
opinion may note that the holders of Designated Preferred Securities may be
obligated to make payments as set forth in the Trust Agreement.
(vi) Under the Delaware Business Trust Act and the Trust
Agreement, the issuance of the Designated Preferred Securities is not
subject to preemptive rights.
(vii) The issuance and sale by the Trust of the Designated
Preferred Securities and the Common Securities, the execution, delivery and
performance by the Trust of this Agreement, and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, do not violate (a) the Trust
Agreement, or (b) any applicable Delaware law, rule or regulation.
Such opinion may state that it is limited to the laws of the State of
Delaware and that the opinion expressed in paragraph (ii) above is subject to
the effect upon the Trust Agreement of (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium,
receivership, reorganization, liquidation, fraudulent conveyance and other
similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors
generally, (ii) principles of equity, including applicable law relating to
fiduciary duties (regardless of whether considered and applied in a proceeding
in equity or at law), and (iii) the effect of applicable public policy on the
enforceability of provisions relating to indemnification or contribution.
(f) Xxxxx Xxxx LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, shall have furnished
you their signed opinion, dated the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as
the case may be, with
27
respect to the sufficiency of all corporate procedures and other legal matters
relating to this Agreement, the validity of the Designated Preferred Securities,
the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and such other related matters as you
may reasonably request and there shall have been furnished to such counsel such
documents and other information as they may request to enable them to pass on
such matters. In giving such opinion, Xxxxx Xxxx LLP may rely as to matters of
fact upon statements and certifications of officers of the Offerors and of other
appropriate persons and may rely as to matters of law, other than law of the
United States and the State of Missouri, and upon the opinions of Vedder, Price,
Xxxxxxx & Kammholz and Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxx and Finger described herein.
(g) On the date of this Agreement and on the Closing Date (and, if
applicable, any Option Closing Date), the Representatives shall have received
from Ernst & Young LLP a letter, dated the date of this Agreement and the
Closing Date (and, if applicable, the Option Closing Date), respectively, in
form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, confirming that they are
independent public accountants with respect to Company (which shall be inclusive
of the Subsidiaries for purposes of this Section 6(g)), within the meaning of
the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations, and stating in effect that:
(i) In their opinion, the consolidated financial statements of
the Company audited by them 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 1933 Act Regulations.
(ii) On the basis of the procedures specified by the American
Institute of Certified Public Accountants as described in SAS No. 71,
"Interim Financial Information," inquiries of officials of the Company
responsible for financial and accounting matters, and such other inquiries
and procedures as may be specified in such letter, which procedures do not
constitute an audit in accordance with U.S. generally accepted auditing
standards, nothing came to their attention that caused them to believe
that, if applicable, the unaudited interim consolidated financial
statements of the Company included in the Registration Statement do not
comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting
requirements of the 1933 Act and 1933 Act Regulations or are not in
conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles applied on a
basis substantially consistent, except as noted in the Registration
Statement, with the basis for the audited consolidated financial statements
of the Company included in the Registration Statement.
(iii) On the basis of limited procedures, not constituting an
audit in accordance with U.S. generally accepted auditing standards,
consisting of a reading of the unaudited interim financial statements and
other information referred to below, a reading of the latest available
unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements of the Company,
inspection of the minute books of the Company since the date of the latest
audited financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement, inquiries of officials of the
Company responsible for financial and accounting matters and such other
inquiries and procedures as may be specified in such letter, nothing came
to their attention that caused them to believe that:
28
(A) as of a specified date not more than five days prior to
the date of such letter, there have been any changes in the
consolidated capital stock of the Company, any increase in the
consolidated debt of the Company, any decreases in consolidated total
assets or shareholders equity of the Company, or any changes,
decreases or increases in other items specified by the
Representatives, in each case as compared with amounts shown in the
latest unaudited interim consolidated statement of financial condition
of the Company included in the Registration Statement except in each
case for changes, increases or decreases which the Registration
Statement specifically discloses, have occurred or may occur or which
are described in such letter; and
(B) for the period from the date of the latest unaudited
interim consolidated financial statements of the Company included in
the Registration Statement to the specified date referred to in Clause
(iii)(A), there were any decreases in the consolidated interest
income, net interest income, or net income of the Company or in the
per share amount of net income of the Company, or any changes,
decreases or increases in any other items specified by the
Representatives, in each case as compared with the comparable period
of the preceding year and with any other period of corresponding
length specified by the Representatives, except in each case for
increases or decreases which the Registration Statement discloses have
occurred or may occur, or which are described in such letter.
(iv) In addition to the audit referred to in their report
included in the Registration Statement and the limited procedures,
inspection of minute books, inquiries and other procedures referred to in
paragraphs (ii) and (iii) above, they have carried out certain specified
procedures, not constituting an audit in accordance with U.S. generally
accepted auditing standards, with respect to certain amounts, percentages
and financial information specified by the Representatives which are
derived from the general accounting records and consolidated financial
statements of the Company which appear in the Registration Statement, and
have compared such amounts, percentages and financial information with the
accounting records and the material derived from such records and
consolidated financial statements of the Company have found them to be in
agreement.
In the event that the letters to be delivered referred to above set
forth any such changes, decreases or increases as specified in Clauses (iii)(A)
or (iii)(B) above, or any exceptions from such agreement specified in Clause
(iv) above, it shall be a further condition to the obligations of the
Underwriters that the Representatives shall have determined, after discussions
with officers of the Company responsible for financial and accounting matters,
that such changes, decreases, increases or exceptions as are set forth in such
letters do not (x) reflect a material adverse change in the items specified in
Clause (iii)(A) above as compared with the amounts shown in the latest unaudited
consolidated statement of financial condition of the Company included in the
Registration Statement, (y) reflect a material adverse change in the items
specified in Clause (iii)(B) above as compared with the corresponding periods of
the prior year or other period specified by the Representatives, or (z) reflect
a material change in items specified in Clause (iv) above from the amounts shown
in the Preliminary Prospectus distributed
29
by the Underwriters in connection with the offering contemplated hereby or from
the amounts shown in the Prospectus.
(h) On the date of this Agreement and on the Closing Date (and, if
applicable, any Option Closing Date), the Representatives shall have received
from KPMG LLP a letter, dated the date of this Agreement and the Closing Date
(and, if applicable, the Option Closing Date), respectively, in form and
substance satisfactory to the Representatives, confirming that at all relevant
times they were independent public accountants with respect to Company (which
shall be inclusive of those then Subsidiaries for purposes of this Section
6(h)), within the meaning of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations, and
stating in effect that in their opinion, the consolidated financial statements
of the Company audited by them 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 1933 Act Regulations.
(i) At the Closing Date and, if applicable, the Option Closing Date,
you shall have received certificates of the chief executive officer and the
chief financial and accounting officer of the Company, which certificates shall
be deemed to be made on behalf of the Company dated as of the Closing Date and,
if applicable, the Option Closing Date, evidencing satisfaction of the
conditions of Section 6(a) and stating that (i) the representations and
warranties of the Company set forth in Section 2(a) hereof are accurate as of
the Closing Date and, if applicable, the Option Closing Date, and that the
Offerors have complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on their
part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to such Closing Date; (ii) since
the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus, there has not been any material adverse change in
the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, affairs, business, prospects
or results of operations of the Offerors and the Subsidiaries on a consolidated
basis; (iii) since such dates there has not been any material transaction
entered into by the Offerors or the Subsidiaries other than transactions in the
ordinary course of business; and (iv) they have carefully examined the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended or supplemented and nothing
has come to their attention that would lead them to believe that either the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto
as of their respective effective or issue dates, contained, and the Prospectus
as amended or supplemented at such Closing Date (and, if applicable, the Option
Closing Date), contains any untrue statement of a material fact, or omits to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading; and (v) covering such other matters as you may
reasonably request. The officers' certificate of the Company shall further
state that no stop order affecting the Registration Statement is in effect or,
to their knowledge, threatened.
(j) At the Closing Date and, if applicable, the Option Closing Date,
you shall have received a certificate of an authorized representative of the
Trust to the effect that to the best of his or her knowledge based upon a
reasonable investigation, the representations and warranties of the Trust in
this Agreement are true and correct as though made on and as of the Closing Date
(and, if applicable, the Option Closing Date); the Trust has complied with all
the agreements and satisfied all the conditions required by this Agreement to be
performed or satisfied by the Trust on or prior to the Closing Date and since
the most recent date as of which information is given in the Prospectus, except
as contemplated by the Prospectus, the Trust has not incurred any material
liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent, or entered into any
30
material transactions not in the ordinary course of business and there has not
been any material adverse change in the condition (financial or otherwise) of
the Trust.
(k) On the Closing Date, you shall have received duly executed
counterparts of the Trust Agreement, the Guarantee, the Indenture and the
Expense Agreement.
(l) The NASD, upon review of the terms of the public offering of the
Designated Preferred Securities, shall not have objected to the Underwriters'
participation in such offering.
(m) Prior to the Closing Date and, if applicable, the Option Closing
Date, the Offerors shall have furnished to you and counsel for the Underwriters
all such other documents, certificates and opinions as they have reasonably
requested.
All opinions, certificates, letters and other documents shall be in
compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are reasonably satisfactory
in form and substance to you. The Offerors shall furnish you with conformed
copies of such opinions, certificates, letters and other documents as you shall
reasonably request.
If any of the conditions referred to in this Section 6 shall not have
been fulfilled when and as required by this Agreement, this Agreement and all of
the Underwriters' obligations hereunder may be terminated by you on notice to
the Company at, or at any time before, the Closing Date or the Option Closing
Date, as applicable. Any such termination shall be without liability of the
Underwriters to the Offerors.
7. Indemnification and Contribution.
--------------------------------
(a) The Offerors agree to jointly and severally indemnify and hold
harmless each Underwriter, each of its directors, officers and agents, and each
person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the 1933 Act,
against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses (including
reasonable costs of investigation and attorney fees and expenses), joint or
several, arising out of or based: (i) upon any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact made by the Company or the Trust contained
in Section 2(a) of this Agreement (or any certificate delivered by the Company
or the Trust pursuant to Sections 6(i), 6(j) or 6(m) hereof) or the registration
statement as originally filed or the Registration Statement, any Preliminary
Prospectus or the Prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto; (ii)
upon any blue sky application or other document executed by the Company or the
Trust specifically for that purpose or based upon written information furnished
by the Company or the Trust filed in any state or other jurisdiction in order to
qualify any of the Designated Preferred Securities under the securities laws
thereof (any such application, document or information being hereinafter
referred to as a "Blue Sky Application"); (iii) upon any omission or alleged
omission to state a material fact in the registration statement as originally
filed or the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or the
Prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto, or in any Blue Sky
Application required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading, and against any and all losses, claims, damages,
liabilities and expenses (including reasonable costs of investigation and
attorney fees), joint or several, arising out of or based upon any untrue
statement or alleged
31
untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus or
the Prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto, or arising out of or
based upon any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in
the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; or
(iv) the enforcement of this indemnification provision or the contribution
provisions of Section 7(d); and shall reimburse each such indemnified party for
any legal or other expenses as incurred, but in no event less frequently than 30
days after each invoice is submitted, incurred by them in connection with
investigating or defending against or appearing as a third-party witness in
connection with any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action,
notwithstanding the possibility that payments for such expenses might later be
held to be improper, in which case such payments shall be promptly refunded;
provided, however, that the Offerors shall not be liable in any such case to the
extent, but only to the extent, that any such losses, claims, damages,
liabilities and expenses arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or
omission or allegation thereof that has been made therein or omitted therefrom
in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriters' Information; provided,
that the indemnification contained in this paragraph with respect to any
Preliminary Prospectus shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter (or of
any person controlling any Underwriter) to the extent any such losses, claims,
damages, liabilities or expenses directly results from the fact that such
Underwriter sold Designated Preferred Securities to a person to whom there was
not sent or given, at or prior to the written confirmation of such sale, a copy
of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented if any amendments or supplements
thereto shall have been furnished to you in sufficient time to distribute same
with or prior to the written confirmation of the sale involved), if required by
law, and if such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense would not have arisen
but for the failure to give or send such person such document. The foregoing
indemnity agreement is in addition to any liability the Company or the Trust may
otherwise have to any such indemnified party.
(b) Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to indemnify
and hold harmless each Offeror, each of its directors, each of its officers who
signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls an
Offeror within the meaning of the 1933 Act, to the same extent as required by
the foregoing indemnity from the Company to each Underwriter, but only with
respect to the Underwriters' Information or in a Blue Sky Application. The
foregoing indemnity agreement is in addition to any liability which any
Underwriter may otherwise have to any such indemnified party.
(c) If any action or claim shall be brought or asserted against any
indemnified party or any person controlling an indemnified party in respect of
which indemnity may be sought from the indemnifying party, such indemnified
party or controlling person shall promptly notify the indemnifying party in
writing, and the indemnifying party shall assume the defense thereof, including
the employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party and
the payment of all expenses; provided, however, that the failure so to notify
the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have
to an indemnified party otherwise than under such paragraph, and further, shall
only relieve it from liability under such paragraph to the extent prejudiced
thereby. Any indemnified party or any such controlling person shall have the
right to employ separate counsel in any such action and to participate in the
defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the
expense of such indemnified party or such controlling person unless (i) the
employment thereof has been specifically authorized by the indemnifying party in
writing, (ii) the indemnifying party has
32
failed to assume the defense or to employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to the
indemnified party or (iii) the named parties to any such action (including any
impleaded parties) include both such indemnified party or such controlling
person and the indemnifying party and such indemnified party or such controlling
person shall have been advised by such counsel that there may be one or more
legal defenses available to it that are different from or in addition to those
available to the indemnifying party (in which case, if such indemnified party or
controlling person notifies the indemnifying party in writing that it elects to
employ separate counsel at the expense of the indemnifying party, the
indemnifying party shall not have the right to assume the defense of such action
on behalf of such indemnified party or such controlling person) it being
understood, however, that the indemnifying party shall not, in connection with
any one such action or separate but substantially similar or related actions in
the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or
circumstances, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate
firm of attorneys at any time and for all such indemnified party and controlling
persons, which firm shall be designated in writing by the indemnified party
(and, if such indemnified parties are Underwriters, by you, as Representatives).
Each indemnified party and each controlling person, as a condition of such
indemnity, shall use reasonable efforts to cooperate with the indemnifying party
in the defense of any such action or claim. The indemnifying party shall not be
liable for any settlement of any such action effected without its written
consent, but if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff in any such action,
the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify and hold harmless any indemnified
party and any such controlling person from and against any loss, claim, damage,
liability or expense by reason of such settlement or judgment.
An indemnifying party shall not, without the prior written consent of
each indemnified party, settle, compromise or consent to the entry of any
judgment in any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in
respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder (whether or not such
indemnified party or any person who controls such indemnified party within the
meaning of the 1933 Act is a party to such claim, action, suit or proceeding),
unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes a release of each such
indemnified party reasonably satisfactory to each such indemnified party and
each such controlling person from all liability arising out of such claim,
action, suit or proceeding or unless the indemnifying party shall confirm in a
written agreement with each indemnified party, that notwithstanding any federal,
state or common law, such settlement, compromise or consent shall not alter the
right of any indemnified party or controlling person to indemnification or
contribution as provided in this Agreement.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 7 is
unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under
paragraphs (a), (b) or (c) hereof in respect of any losses, claims, damages,
liabilities or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party, in
lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, shall contribute to the amount paid
or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims,
damages, liabilities or expenses (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to
reflect the relative benefits received by the Offerors on the one hand and the
Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Designated Preferred
Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not
permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not
only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative
fault of the Offerors on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in
connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in
33
such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses, as well as any other
relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the
Offerors on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be
in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering of the
Designated Preferred Securities (before deducting expenses) received by the
Offerors bear to the total underwriting discounts, commissions and compensation
received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the
cover page of the Prospectus. The relative fault of the Offerors on the one hand
and of the Underwriters on the other shall be determined by reference to, among
other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to
information supplied by the Offerors or by the Underwriters and the parties'
relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or
prevent such untrue statement or omission. The Offerors and the Underwriters
agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this
paragraph (d) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of
allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred
to herein. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the
losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses referred to in the first
sentence of this paragraph (d) shall be deemed to include, subject to the
limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by
such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such
action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph (d), no
Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount
by which the total price at which the Designated Preferred Securities
underwritten by such Underwriter and distributed to the public were offered to
the public exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise
been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or
omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation
(within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 0000 Xxx) shall be entitled to
contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation.
For purposes of this paragraph (d), each person who controls an
Underwriter within the meaning of the 1933 Act shall have the same rights to
contribution as such Underwriter, and each person who controls an Offeror within
the meaning of the 1933 Act, each officer and trustee of an Offeror who shall
have signed the Registration Statement and each director of an Offeror shall
have the same rights to contribution as the Offerors subject in each case to the
preceding sentence. The obligations of the Offerors under this paragraph (d)
shall be in addition to any liability which the Offerors may otherwise have and
the obligations of the Underwriters under this paragraph (d) shall be in
addition to any liability that the Underwriters may otherwise have.
(e) The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this
Section 7 and the representations and warranties of the Offerors set forth in
this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect, regardless
of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or any person
controlling an Underwriter or by or on behalf of the Offerors, or such
directors, trustees or officers (or any person controlling an Offeror, (ii)
acceptance of any Designated Preferred Securities and payment therefor hereunder
and (iii) any termination of this Agreement. A successor of any Underwriter or
of an Offeror, such directors, trustees or officers (or of any person
controlling an Underwriter or an Offeror) shall be entitled to the benefits of
the indemnity, contribution and reimbursement agreements contained in this
Section 7.
34
(f) The Company agrees to indemnify the Trust against any and all
losses, claims, damages or liabilities that may become due from the Trust under
this Section 7.
8. Termination. You shall have the right to terminate this Agreement at
any time at or prior to the Closing Date or, with respect to the Underwriters'
obligation to purchase the Option Preferred Securities, at any time at or prior
to the Option Closing Date, without liability on the part of the Underwriters to
the Offerors, if:
(a) Either Offeror shall have failed, refused, or been unable to
perform any agreement on its part to be performed under this Agreement, or any
of the conditions referred to in Section 6 shall not have been fulfilled, when
and as required by this Agreement;
(b) The Offerors or any of the Subsidiaries shall have sustained 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 which in the judgment of the
Representatives materially impairs the investment quality of the Designated
Preferred Securities;
(c) There has been since the respective dates as of which information
is given in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, any materially adverse
change in, or any development which is reasonably likely to have a material
adverse effect on, the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, affairs,
business, prospects or results of operations of the Offerors and the
Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, whether or not arising in the ordinary
course of business;
(d) There has occurred any outbreak of hostilities or other calamity
or crisis or material change in general economic, political or financial
conditions, or internal conditions, the effect of which on the financial markets
of the United States is such as to make it, in your reasonable judgment,
impracticable to market the Designated Preferred Securities or enforce contracts
for the sale of the Designated Preferred Securities;
(e) Trading generally on the New York Stock Exchange, the American
Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq National Market shall have been suspended, or
minimum or maximum prices for trading shall have been fixed, or maximum ranges
for prices for securities shall have been required, by any of said exchanges or
market system or by the Commission or any other governmental authority;
(f) A banking moratorium shall have been declared by either federal or
Illinois authorities; or
(g) Any action shall have been taken by any government in respect of
its monetary affairs which, your reasonable judgment, has a material adverse
effect on the United States securities markets.
If this Agreement shall be terminated pursuant to this Section 8, the
Offerors shall not then be under any liability to the Underwriters except as
provided in Sections 5 and 7 hereof.
35
9. Default of Underwriters. If any Underwriter or Underwriters shall
default in its or their obligations to purchase Designated Preferred Securities
hereunder, the other Underwriters shall be obligated severally, in proportion to
their respective commitments hereunder, to purchase the Designated Preferred
Securities which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed
to purchase; provided, however, that the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be
under no obligation to purchase such Designated Preferred Securities if the
aggregate number of Designated Preferred Securities to be purchased by such non-
defaulting Underwriters shall exceed 110% of the aggregate underwriting
commitments set forth in Schedule I hereto, and provided further, that no non-
defaulting Underwriter shall be obligated to purchase Designated Preferred
Securities to the extent that the number of such Designated Preferred Securities
is more than 110% of such Underwriter's underwriting commitment set forth in
Schedule I hereto.
In the event that the non-defaulting Underwriters are not obligated
under the above paragraph to purchase the Designated Preferred Securities which
the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase, the
Representatives may in their discretion arrange for one or more of the
Underwriters or for another party or parties to purchase such Designated
Preferred Securities on the terms contained herein. If within one business day
after such default the Representatives do not arrange for the purchase of such
Designated Preferred Securities, then the Company shall be entitled to a further
period of one business day within which to procure another party or parties
satisfactory to the Representatives to purchase such Designated Preferred
Securities on such terms.
In the event that the Representatives or the Company do not arrange
for the purchase of any Designated Preferred Securities to which a default
relates as provided above, this Agreement shall be terminated.
If the remaining Underwriters or substituted underwriters are required
hereby or agree to take up all or a part of the Designated Preferred Securities
of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters as provided in this Section 9, (i)
you shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date for a period of not more
than five full business days, in order to effect any changes that, in the
opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or the Company, may thereby be made
necessary in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or in any other
documents or agreements, and the Company agrees promptly to file any amendments
to the Registration Statement or supplements to the Prospectus which, in its
opinion, may thereby be made necessary and (ii) the respective numbers of
Designated Preferred Securities to be purchased by the remaining Underwriters or
substituted underwriters shall be taken as the basis of their underwriting
obligation for all purposes of this Agreement. Nothing herein contained shall
relieve any defaulting Underwriter of any liability it may have for damages
occasioned by its default hereunder. Any termination of this Agreement pursuant
to this Section 9 shall be without liability on the part of any non-defaulting
Underwriter or the Company, except for expenses to be paid or reimbursed
pursuant to Section 5 and except for the provisions of Section 7.
10. Effective Date of Agreement. If the Registration Statement is not
effective at the time of execution of this Agreement, this Agreement shall
become effective on the Effective Date at the time the Commission declares the
Registration Statement effective. The Company shall immediately notify the
Underwriters when the Registration Statement becomes effective.
36
If the Registration Statement is effective at the time of execution of
this Agreement, this Agreement shall become effective at the earlier of 11:00
a.m. St. Louis time, on the first full business day following the day on which
this Agreement is executed, or at such earlier time as the Representatives shall
release the Designated Preferred Securities for initial public offering. The
Representatives shall notify the Offerors immediately after they have taken any
action which causes this Agreement to become effective.
Until such time as this Agreement shall have become effective, it may
be terminated by the Offerors, by notifying you or by you, as Representatives of
the several Underwriters, by notifying either Offeror, except that the
provisions of Sections 5 and 7 shall at all times be effective.
11. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive Delivery. The
representations, warranties, indemnities, agreements and other statements of the
Offerors and their officers and trustees set forth in or made pursuant to this
Agreement and the agreements of the Underwriters contained in Section 7 hereof
shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of any
investigation made by or on behalf of the Offerors or controlling persons of
either Offeror, or by or on behalf of the Underwriters or controlling persons of
the Underwriters or any termination or cancellation of this Agreement and shall
survive delivery of and payment for the Designated Preferred Securities.
12. Notices. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, all notices
and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to
have been duly given if delivered by hand, mailed by registered or certified
mail, return receipt requested, or transmitted by any standard form of
telecommunication and confirmed. Notices to either Offeror shall be sent to 000
Xxxxx Xxxx Xxxx, Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000-0000, Attention: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
(with a copy to Vedder, Price, Xxxxxxx & Kammholz, 0000 Xxxxx XxXxxxx Xxxxxx,
Xxxxx 0000, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, Attention: Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxx, Esq.; and
notices to the Underwriters shall be sent to Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx & Company,
Incorporated, 000 Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx, 0xx Xxxxx, Xx. Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000,
Attention: Xxxx X. Xxxxxx and to Xxxx Xxxxxx Investments, Inc., 000 Xxxxx
XxXxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000-0000, Attention: Xxxxxx X.
Xxxxxxxx, (with a copy to Xxxxx Xxxx LLP, 000 Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000, Xx.
Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, Attention: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx, Esq.). In all dealings
with the Company under this Agreement, Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx & Company, Incorporated
and Xxxx Xxxxxx Investments, Inc. shall act jointly as representatives of and on
behalf of the several Underwriters, and the Company shall be entitled to act and
rely upon any statement, request, notice or agreement on behalf of the
Underwriters, made or given jointly by Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx & Company, Incorporated
and Xxxx Xxxxxx Investments, Inc. on behalf of the Underwriters, as if the same
shall have been made or given in writing by the Underwriters. No statement,
request, notice, agreement or action issued or taken in connection with the
Offering by either Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx & Company, Incorporated or Xxxx Xxxxxx
Investments, Inc., acting alone, without the express written agreement of the
other party, shall be valid and binding against the other or the several
Underwriters.
13. Parties. The Agreement herein set forth is made solely for the
benefit of the Underwriters and the Offerors and, to the extent expressed,
directors, trustees and officers of the Offerors, any person controlling the
Offerors or the Underwriters, and their respective successors and assigns. No
other person shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this
37
Agreement. The term "successors and assigns" shall not include any purchaser,
in his status as such purchaser, from the Underwriters of the Designated
Preferred Securities.
14. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the
State of Missouri, without giving effect to the choice of law or conflicts of
law principles thereof.
15. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more
counterparts, and when a counterpart has been executed by each party hereto all
such counterparts taken together shall constitute one and the same Agreement.
If the foregoing is in accordance with the your understanding of our
agreement, please sign and return to us a counterpart hereof, whereupon this
shall become a binding agreement between the Company, the Trust and you in
accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours,
WINTRUST FINANCIAL CORPORATION
By:
---------------------------
Name:
Title:
WINTRUST CAPITAL TRUST II
By:
---------------------------
Name:
Title:
CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED,
as of June ____, 2000
XXXXXX, XXXXXXXX & COMPANY, INCORPORATED
By:
-------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
For itself and as Representative of the several
Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto.
38
XXXX XXXXXX INVESTMENTS, INC.
By:
--------------------------
Name:
Title:
For itself and as Representative of the several
Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto.
39
SCHEDULE I
----------
Underwriter Number of Preferred Securities
----------- ------------------------------
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx & Company, Incorporated [ ]
Xxxx Xxxxxx Investments, Inc. [ ]
[Other Underwriters] [ ]
---------------
Total 1,800,000
===============
40
EXHIBIT A
LIST OF SUBSIDIARIES
Lake Forest Bank and Trust Company
Hinsdale Bank and Trust Company
North Shore Community Bank and Trust Company
Libertyville Bank and Trust Company
Barrington Bank and Trust Company, N.A.
Crystal Lake Bank and Trust Company, N.A.
First Insurance Funding Corp.
Wintrust Asset Management Company, N.A.
Tricom, Inc.
