GROWTH CAPITAL MASTER PORTFOLIO, LLC LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT November 16, 2009
Exhibit 2(a)(2)
November
16, 2009
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Page
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ARTICLE
I.
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DEFINITIONS
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1
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Section
1.1.
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ADMINISTRATIVE
SERVICES
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1
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Section
1.2.
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ADMINISTRATOR
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1
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Section
1.3.
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ADVISERS
ACT
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1
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Section
1.4.
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AFFILIATE
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1
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Section
1.5.
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AGREEMENT
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2
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Section
1.6.
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BOARD
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2
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Section
1.7.
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CAPITAL
ACCOUNT
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2
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Section
1.8.
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CERTIFICATE
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2
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Section
1.9.
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CHAIRMAN
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2
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Section
1.10.
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CLOSING
DATE
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2
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Section
1.11.
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CODE
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2
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Section
1.12.
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DELAWARE
ACT
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2
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Section
1.13.
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DIRECTOR
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2
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Section
1.14.
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FISCAL
PERIOD
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2
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Section
1.15.
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FISCAL
YEAR
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3
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Section
1.16.
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FORM
N-2
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3
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Section
1.17.
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INDEPENDENT
DIRECTORS
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3
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Section
1.18.
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INITIAL
DIRECTOR
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3
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Section
1.19.
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INTEREST
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3
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Section
1.20.
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INVESTMENT
ADVISORY AGREEMENT
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3
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Section
1.21.
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INVESTMENT
MANAGERS
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3
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Section
1.22.
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INVESTMENT
PERCENTAGE
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3
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Section
1.23.
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INVESTMENT
VEHICLES
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4
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Section
1.24.
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MANAGER
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4
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Section
1.25.
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MASTER
PORTFOLIO
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4
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Section
1.26.
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MEMBER
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4
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Section
1.27.
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MEMORANDUM
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4
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Section
1.28.
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NET
ASSETS
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4
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Section
1.29.
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NET
PROFITS OR NET LOSSES
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4
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-i-
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Page
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Section
1.30.
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1940
ACT
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4
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Section
1.31.
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ORGANIZATIONAL
MEMBER
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5
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Section
1.32.
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PERSON
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5
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Section
1.33.
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PLACEMENT
AGENT
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5
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Section
1.34.
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REPURCHASE
REQUEST DEADLINE
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5
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Section
1.35.
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REPURCHASE
VALUATION DATE
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5
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Section
1.36.
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SECURITIES
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5
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Section
1.37.
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TAXABLE
YEAR
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5
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Section
1.38.
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TRANSFER
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5
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ARTICLE
II.
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ORGANIZATION;
ADMISSION OF MEMBERS
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5
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Section
2.1.
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Formation
of Limited Liability Company
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5
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Section
2.2.
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Name
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6
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Section
2.3.
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Principal
and Registered Office
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6
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Section
2.4.
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Duration
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6
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Section
2.5.
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Purpose
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6
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Section
2.6.
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Board
of Directors
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7
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Section
2.7.
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Members
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8
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Section
2.8.
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Distribution
Fees
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9
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Section
2.9.
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Limited
Liability
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9
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ARTICLE
III.
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MANAGEMENT
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9
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Section
3.1.
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Management
and Control
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9
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Section
3.2.
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Actions
by the Board of Directors
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10
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Section
3.3.
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Meetings
of Members
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11
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Section
3.4.
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Custody
of Assets of the Master Portfolio
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12
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Section
3.5.
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Other
Activities of Members, the Manager and Directors
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13
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Section
3.6.
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Duty
of Care
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13
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Section
3.7.
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Indemnification
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13
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Section
3.8.
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Fees,
Expenses and Reimbursement
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16
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-ii-
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Page
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ARTICLE
IV.
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TERMINATION
OF STATUS OF MANAGER AND DIRECTORS, TRANSFERS
AND REPURCHASES
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17
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Section
4.1.
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Termination
of Status of the Manager
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17
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Section
4.2.
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Termination
of Status of a Director
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17
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Section
4.3.
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Removal
of the Directors
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18
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Section
4.4.
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Removal
of the Manager
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18
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Section
4.5.
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Transfer
of Interests of Members
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18
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Section
4.6.
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Repurchase
of Interests
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20
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ARTICLE
V.
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CAPITAL
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23
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Section
5.1.
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Contributions
to Capital
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23
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Section
5.2.
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Rights
of Members to Capital
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24
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Section
5.3.
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Capital
Accounts
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24
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Section
5.4.
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Allocation
of Net Profits and Net Losses
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25
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Section
5.5.
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Allocation
of Insurance Premiums and Proceeds
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25
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Section
5.6.
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Allocation
of Certain Expenditures
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25
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Section
5.7.
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Reserves
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26
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Section
5.8.
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Allocation
of Organizational Expenses
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26
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Section
5.9.
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Tax
Allocations
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26
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Section
5.10.
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Distributions
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28
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Section
5.11.
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Withholding
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28
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ARTICLE
VI.
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DISSOLUTION
AND LIQUIDATION
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29
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Section
6.1.
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Dissolution
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29
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Section
6.2.
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Liquidation
of Assets
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29
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ARTICLE
VII.
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ACCOUNTING,
VALUATIONS AND BOOKS AND RECORDS
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30
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Section
7.1.
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Accounting
and Reports
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30
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Section
7.2.
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Determinations
by the Board of Directors
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31
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Section
7.3.
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Valuation
of Assets
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31
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ARTICLE
VIII.
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MISCELLANEOUS
PROVISIONS
|
31
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Section
8.1.
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Amendment
of Limited Liability Company Agreement
|
31
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Section
8.2.
|
Special
Power of Attorney
|
32
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Section
8.3.
|
Notices
|
34
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Section
8.4.
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Agreement
Binding Upon Successors and Assigns
|
34
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TABLE
OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Page
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Section
8.5.
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Applicability
of 1940 Act and Form N-2
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34
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Section
8.6.
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Choice
of Law; Arbitration
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34
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Section
8.7.
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Not
for Benefit of Creditors
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36
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Section
8.8.
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Consents
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36
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Section
8.9.
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Merger
and Consolidation
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36
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Section
8.10.
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Pronouns
|
37
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Section
8.11.
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Confidentiality
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37
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Section
8.12.
|
Severability
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37
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Section
8.13.
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Filing
of Returns
|
38
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Section
8.14.
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Tax
Matters Partner
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38
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Section
8.15.
|
Section 754
Election; Mandatory Basis Adjustments; Partner Information
|
39
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-iv-
OF
A
Delaware Limited Liability Company
November
16, 2009
THIS LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY
AGREEMENT of Growth Capital Master Portfolio, LLC (“ Master Portfolio”)
is dated as of November 16, 2009 by and between GenSpring Family Offices, LLC as
the manager (“Manager” or “Adviser”), and those persons hereinafter admitted as
Members.
WHEREAS, the Master Portfolio
has heretofore been formed as a limited liability company under the Delaware
Limited Liability Company Act pursuant to a Certificate of Formation
(“Certificate”) dated and filed with the Secretary of State of Delaware on May
1, 2009;
NOW, THEREFORE, for and in
consideration of the foregoing and the mutual covenants hereinafter set forth,
it is hereby agreed as follows:
Article
I.
Definitions
For
purposes of this Agreement:
Section
1.1. ADMINISTRATIVE
SERVICES. Such administrative services as the Administrator shall
provide to the Master Portfolio pursuant to a separate written agreement with
the Master Portfolio.
Section
1.2. ADMINISTRATOR. Citi
Fund Services Ohio, Inc. or any person who may hereafter provide Administrative
Services to the Master Portfolio pursuant to an administration
agreement. For purposes of this Agreement the term “Administrator”
includes a “Sub-Administrator”.
Section
1.3. ADVISERS
ACT. The Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules,
regulations and orders thereunder, as amended from time to time, or any
successor law.
Section
1.4. AFFILIATE. Affiliated
person as that term is defined in the 1940 Act.
Section
1.5. AGREEMENT. This
Limited Liability Company Agreement, as amended from time to time.
Section
1.6. BOARD. The
Board of Directors established pursuant to Section 2.6.
Section
1.7. CAPITAL
ACCOUNT. With respect to each Member, the capital account established
and maintained on behalf of each Member pursuant to Section 5.3.
Section
1.8. CERTIFICATE. The
Certificate of Formation of the Master Portfolio and any amendments thereto as
filed with the office of the Secretary of State of Delaware.
Section
1.9. CHAIRMAN. The
Director selected to preside over meetings of the Board.
Section
1.10. CLOSING
DATE. The first date on or as of which a Member other than the
Organizational Member is admitted to the Master Portfolio.
Section
1.11. CODE. The
U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and as hereafter amended from
time to time, or any successor law.
Section
1.12. DELAWARE
ACT. The Delaware Limited Liability Company Act as in effect on the
date hereof and as amended from time to time, or any successor law.
Section
1.13. DIRECTOR.
An individual designated as a Director of the Master Portfolio who is delegated
authority provided for in Section 2.6 of this Agreement. For purposes
of this Agreement the term “Director” shall have the same meaning as the term
“Manager” as such term is defined under the Delaware Act (but is not the same as
the term “Manager” as used in this Agreement).
Section
1.14. FISCAL
PERIOD. The period commencing on the Closing Date of the Master
Portfolio, and thereafter each period commencing on the day following the last
day of the preceding Fiscal Period, and ending at the close of business on the
first to occur of the following dates:
|
(a)
|
the
last day of a Fiscal Year;
|
(b) the
last day of a Taxable Year;
(c) the
day preceding the date on which a contribution to the capital of the Master
Portfolio is made;
(d) the
day on which a substitute member is admitted;
-2-
(e) the
day on which the Master Portfolio repurchases any Interest, or portion of an
Interest, of a Member; or
(f)
any day on which any amount is credited to, or debited against, the Capital
Account of a Member, other than an amount to be credited to, or debited against,
the Capital Account of all Members in accordance with their respective
Investment Percentages; or
(g) the
last day of a fiscal period of any Master Portfolio.
Section
1.15. FISCAL
YEAR. The period commencing on the Closing Date and ending on March
31, 2010, and thereafter each period commencing on April 1 of each year and
ending on March 31 of the following year (or on the date of a final distribution
pursuant to Section 6.2 hereof), unless the Board elects another fiscal year for
the Master Portfolio.
Section
1.16. FORM
N-2. The Master Portfolio’s Registration Statement on Form N-2 as
filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, as amended from time to
time.
Section
1.17. INDEPENDENT
DIRECTORS. Those Directors who are not “interested persons” of the
Master Portfolio as such term is defined in the 1940 Act.
Section
1.18. INITIAL
DIRECTOR. Xxxxx X. Xxxx, the person who directed the formation of the Master
Portfolio and served as the sole initial Director.
Section
1.19. INTEREST. The
ownership interest in the Master Portfolio at any particular time of a Member,
or other person to whom an Interest of a Member or portion thereof has been
transferred pursuant to Section 4.5 hereof, including the rights and obligations
of such Member or other person under this Agreement and the Delaware
Act.
Section
1.20. INVESTMENT
ADVISORY AGREEMENT. Written agreement entered into by the Manager,
the Master Portfolio and the Master Portfolio, pursuant to which the Adviser
provides investment advisory services to the Master Portfolio and the Master
Portfolio.
Section
1.21.
INVESTMENT MANAGERS. Third party investment managers (including
affiliates of the Manager) that manage and direct the investment activities of
Investment Vehicles or are retained to manage and invest a designated portion of
the assets of the Master Portfolio.
Section
1.22.
INVESTMENT PERCENTAGE. A percentage established for each Member on
the Master Portfolio’s books as of the first day of each Fiscal
Period. The Investment Percentage of a Member for a Fiscal Period
shall be determined by dividing the balance of the Member’s Capital Account as
of the commencement of such period by the sum of the Capital Accounts of all of
the Members as of the commencement of such period. The sum of the Investment
Percentages of all Members for each Fiscal Period shall equal
100%.
-3-
Section
1.23. INVESTMENT
VEHICLES. Unregistered general or limited partnerships or pooled
investment vehicles, segregated accounts and/or registered investment companies
in which the Master Portfolio invests its assets that are advised by an
Investment Manager.
Section
1.24. MANAGER. GenSpring
Family Offices, LLC, a Florida limited liability company, or any person who may
hereinafter serve as the Manager to the Master Portfolio pursuant to the
Investment Advisory Agreement.
Section
1.25. MASTER
PORTFOLIO. The limited liability company governed hereby, as such
limited liability company may from time to time be constituted.
Section
1.26.
MEMBER. Any person who shall have been admitted to the Master
Portfolio as a member until the Master Portfolio repurchases the entire Interest
of such person as a member pursuant to Section 4.6 hereof or a substituted
member or members are admitted with respect to any such person’s entire Interest
as a member pursuant to Section 4.5 hereof.
Section
1.27. MEMORANDUM. The
Master Portfolio’s private placement memorandum, as included in the Form N-2, as
amended or supplemented from time to time.
Section
1.28. NET
ASSETS. The total value of all assets of the Master Portfolio, less
an amount equal to all accrued debts, liabilities and obligations of the Master
Portfolio, calculated before giving effect to any repurchases of
Interests.
Section
1.29. NET
PROFITS OR NET LOSSES. The amount by which the Net Assets as of the
close of business on the last day of a Fiscal Period exceed (in the case of Net
Profit) or are less than (in the case of Net Loss) the Net Assets as of the
commencement of the same Fiscal Period (or, with respect to the initial Fiscal
Period of the Master Portfolio, at the close of business on the Closing Date),
such amount to be adjusted to exclude:
(a) the
amount of any insurance premiums or proceeds to be allocated among the Capital
Accounts of the Members pursuant to Section 5.5 hereof;
(b) any
items to be allocated among the Capital Accounts of the Members on a basis that
is not in accordance with the respective Investment Percentages of all Members
as of the commencement of such Fiscal Period pursuant to Section 5.6 and Section
5.7 hereof; and
(c) Monthly
reimbursement of organizational expenses allocated among the Capital Accounts of
the Members pursuant to Sections 3.8 and 5.8 hereof.
Section
1.30. 1940
ACT. The Investment Company Act of 1940 and the rules, regulations
and orders thereunder, as amended from time to time, or any successor
law.
-4-
Section
1.31. ORGANIZATIONAL
MEMBER. The Manager or any Affiliate of the Manager.
Section
1.32. PERSON. Any
individual, entity, corporation, partnership, association, limited liability
company, joint-stock company, trust, estate, joint venture, organization, or
unincorporated organization.
Section
1.33. PLACEMENT
AGENT. Any person who may serve as the distributor or placement agent
with respect to Interests pursuant to a distribution agreement or placement
agency agreement with the Master Portfolio.
Section
1.34. REPURCHASE
REQUEST DEADLINE. The date, as specified in any tender offer made by the Master
Portfolio, by which Members choosing to tender Interests for repurchase must
notify the Master Portfolio of their intent.
Section
1.35. REPURCHASE
VALUATION DATE. The date as of which the Interests to be repurchased
are valued by the Master Portfolio.
Section
1.36. SECURITIES. Securities
(including, without limitation, equities, debt obligations, options, and other
“securities” as that term is defined in Section 2(a)(36) of the 0000 Xxx) and
any contracts for forward or future delivery of any security, debt obligation or
currency, or commodity, all types of derivative instruments and any contracts
based on any index or group of securities, debt obligations or currencies, or
commodities, and any options thereon, as well as investments in registered
investment companies and private investment funds. Securities shall
include Investment Vehicles.
Section
1.37.
TAXABLE YEAR. The period from January 1 to December 31 of each
year.
Section
1.38.
TRANSFER. The assignment, transfer, sale, encumbrance, pledge or
other disposition of all or any portion of an Interest, including any right to
receive any allocations and distributions attributable to an Interest. Verbs,
adverbs or adjectives such as “Transfer,” “Transferred” and “Transferring” have
correlative meanings.
Article
II.
ORGANIZATION;
ADMISSION OF MEMBERS
Section
2.1.
|
Formation
of Limited Liability Company.
|
The
Master Portfolio has been formed as a limited liability company at the direction
of the Initial Director who authorized the filing of the Certificate, which
actions are hereby ratified by the execution of this Agreement. The Board shall
execute and file in accordance with the Delaware Act any amendment to the
Certificate and shall execute and file with applicable governmental authorities
any other instruments, documents and certificates that, in the opinion of the
Master Portfolio’s legal counsel, may from time to time be required by the laws
of the United States of America, the State of Delaware or any other jurisdiction
in which the Master Portfolio shall determine to do business, or any political
subdivision or agency thereof, or that such legal counsel may deem necessary or
appropriate to effectuate, implement and continue the valid existence and
business of the Master Portfolio. Each Interest constitutes a Security as such
term is defined in Article 8 of the Delaware Uniform Commercial
Code.
-5-
Section
2.2.
|
Name.
|
The name
of the Master Portfolio shall be Growth Capital Master Portfolio, LLC or such
other name as the Board may hereafter adopt upon (i) causing an appropriate
amendment to the Certificate to be filed in accordance with the Delaware Act and
(ii) sending notice thereof to each Member.
Section
2.3.
|
Principal
and Registered Office.
|
|
(a)
|
The
Master Portfolio shall have its principal office at 0000 XXX Xxxxxxxxx,
Xxxxx 000, Xxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxxx, XX 00000, or at such other place
designated from time to time by the
Board.
|
|
(b)
|
The
Master Portfolio shall have its registered office in Delaware at
Corporation Trust Center, 0000 Xxxxxx Xx., Xxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
and shall have Corporation Trust Company as its registered agent for
service of process in Delaware, unless a different registered office or
agent is designated from time to time by the
Board.
|
Section
2.4.
|
Duration.
|
The term
of the Master Portfolio commenced on the filing of the Certificate with the
Secretary of State of Delaware and shall continue until the Master Portfolio is
dissolved pursuant to Section 6.1 hereof.
Section
2.5.
|
Purpose
|
The
Master Portfolio is organized for the purposes of achieving such objectives as
established by the Manager. The Master Portfolio will seek to achieve
its objectives through investing and reinvesting the assets of the Master
Portfolio, and may engage in all activities and transactions as the Manager may
deem necessary or advisable in connection therewith, including, without
limitation:
|
a)
|
purchase,
sell, invest, and trade in Securities, both directly and through the
purchase of limited partnership and other interests in the Investment
Vehicles and to engage in any financial or derivative transactions
relating thereto;
|
|
b)
|
engaging
in such other lawful investment transactions as the Manager may from time
to time determine;
|
-6-
|
c)
|
possessing,
transferring, mortgaging, pledging or otherwise dealing in, and exercising
all rights, powers, privileges and other incidents of ownership or
possession with respect to, Securities and other property and funds held
or owned by the Master Portfolio;
|
|
d)
|
taking
long or short positions with respect to any Securities and making
purchases or sales increasing, decreasing or liquidating such position
without any limitation as to the frequency of the fluctuation in such
positions or as to the frequency of the changes in the nature of such
positions;
|
|
e)
|
purchasing
investments and holding them for
investment;
|
|
f)
|
maintaining
for the conduct of the Master Portfolio’s affairs one or more offices and
in connection therewith, renting or acquiring office space, and doing such
other acts as the Manager may deem necessary or advisable in connection
with the maintenance and administration of the Portfolio including, but
not limited to, entering into an agreement, on behalf of the Portfolio,
with an administrator to perform various administrative services for the
Portfolio;
|
|
g)
|
lending
any of the Securities, funds or other properties of the Master Portfolio
and, from time to time without limit as to amount, borrowing, leveraging
or raising funds and securing the payment of obligations of the Portfolio
by mortgage upon, or pledge or hypothecation of, all or any part of the
Investments or other property of the Master
Portfolio;
|
|
h)
|
engaging
personnel, whether part-time or full-time, and attorneys, independent
accountants, service providers or such other persons as the Manager may
deem necessary or advisable;
|
|
i)
|
entering
into custodial and brokerage arrangements regarding Securities owned
beneficially by the Master Portfolio with banks and brokers wherever
located;
|
|
j)
|
delegating
any of the foregoing activities to such other person or entity in the
Manager’s discretion, including but not limited to any Affiliate of the
Manager; and
|
|
k)
|
doing
such other acts as the Manager may deem necessary or advisable in
connection with the maintenance and administration of the Master
Portfolio.
|
Section
2.6.
|
Board
of Directors.
|
(a)
|
Prior
to the Closing Date, the Initial Director may designate such persons who
shall agree to be bound by all of the terms of this Agreement to serve as
Directors on the Board, subject to the election of such persons prior to
the Closing Date by the Organizational Member. The Board may,
subject to the 1940 Act and the provisions of paragraphs (a) and (b) of
this Section 2.6 with respect to the number of, and vacancies in, the
position of Director and the provisions of Section 3.3 hereof with respect
to the election of Directors to the Board by Members, designate any person
who shall agree to be bound by all of the terms of this Agreement as a
Director. The names and mailing addresses of the Directors
shall be set forth in the books and records of the Master Portfolio. The
number of Directors shall be fixed from time to time by the
Board.
|
-7-
|
(b)
|
Each
Director shall serve on the Board for the duration of the term of the
Master Portfolio, unless his or her status as a Director shall be sooner
terminated pursuant to Section 4.2 hereof. In the event of any
vacancy in the position of Director, the remaining Directors serving on
the Board may appoint an individual to serve in such capacity, so long as
immediately after such appointment at least two-thirds (2/3) of the
Directors then serving would have been elected by the
Members. The Board may call a meeting of Members to fill any
vacancy in the position of Director, and shall do so within 60 days after
any date on which Directors who were elected by the Members cease to
constitute a majority of the Directors then serving on the
Board.
|
|
(c)
|
In
the event that no Director remains to continue the business of the Master
Portfolio, the Manager shall promptly call a meeting of the Members, to be
held within 60 days after the date on which the last Director ceased to
act in that capacity, for the purpose of determining whether to continue
the business of the Master Portfolio and, if the business shall be
continued, of electing the required number of Directors to the
Board. If the Members shall determine at such meeting not to
continue the business of the Master Portfolio or if the required number of
Directors is not elected within 60 days after the date on which the last
Director ceased to act in that capacity, then the Master Portfolio shall
be dissolved pursuant to Section 6.1 hereof and the assets of the Master
Portfolio shall be liquidated and distributed pursuant to Section 6.2
hereof.
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Section
2.7.
|
Members.
|
The
Portfolio may offer Interests for purchase (including through exchange) in such
manner and at such times as may be determined by the Board. Members
may be admitted to the Master Portfolio subject to the condition that each such
Member shall execute and deliver the Master Portfolio’s investor application or
certification pursuant to which such Member agrees to be bound by all the terms
and provisions hereof, or without such execution and delivery, if such Member
orally, in writing, or by other action, including, but not limited to, payment
for an Interest, complies with the conditions for becoming a Member and pursuant
to which such Member agrees to be bound by all the terms and provisions
hereof. The Board may in its sole discretion reject any subscription
for Interests. The Board may, in its sole discretion, suspend
subscriptions for Interests at any time. The admission of any Person
as a Member shall be effective upon the revision of the books and records of the
Master Portfolio to reflect the name and the contribution to the capital of the
Master Portfolio of such additional Member.
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Section
2.8.
|
Distribution
Fees.
|
(a) A
Member may be charged a placement fee when a Placement Agent is used to place
such Member’s Interest.
(b) The
distribution fee will be deducted from a prospective Member’s subscription
amount; it will not constitute a capital contribution made by the Member to the
Portfolio nor part of the assets of the Portfolio and may be adjusted or waived
as described in the Memorandum.
Section
2.9.
|
Limited
Liability.
|
Except as
provided under applicable law, including capital contribution obligations, a
Member shall not be liable for the Master Portfolio’s debts, obligations and
liabilities in any amount in excess of such Member’s contributions to the
capital of the Master Portfolio (plus such Member’s share of undistributed
profits and assets). Except as provided under applicable law, a
Director shall not be liable for the Master Portfolio’s debts, obligations and
liabilities.
Article
III.
MANAGEMENT
Section
3.1.
|
Management
and Control.
|
|
(a)
|
Management
and control of the business of the Master Portfolio shall be vested in the
Board, which shall have the right, power and authority, on behalf of the
Master Portfolio and in its name, to exercise all rights, powers and
authority of “manager” as defined under the Delaware Act (but is not the
same as the term “Manager” as defined in this Agreement) and to do all
things necessary and proper to carry out the objective and business of the
Master Portfolio and their duties hereunder. No Director shall
have the authority individually to act on behalf of or to bind the Master
Portfolio except within the scope of such Director’s authority as
delegated by the Board. The parties hereto intend that, except
to the extent otherwise expressly provided herein, (i) each Director shall
be vested with the same powers, authority and responsibilities on behalf
of the Master Portfolio as are customarily vested in each director of a
Delaware corporation and (ii) each Independent Director shall be vested
with the same powers, authority and responsibilities on behalf of the
Master Portfolio as are customarily vested in each director of a
closed-end management investment company registered under the 1940 Act
that is organized as a Delaware corporation who is not an “interested
person” (as such term is defined in the 0000 Xxx) of such
company. During any period in which the Master Portfolio shall
have no Directors, the Manager shall continue to provide management
services to the Master Portfolio. The Manager will oversee the
day-to-day management of the Master Portfolio and, subject to the approval
of the Board, has the authority to: approve the acceptance of initial and
subsequent subscriptions on behalf of the Master Portfolio; determine
whether future subscriptions should be accepted; make determinations on
the transfer of Interests; and manage and oversee the general
administrative and operational aspects of the Master
Portfolio.
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(b)
|
Members
shall have no right to participate in and shall take no part in the
management or control of the Master Portfolio’s business and shall have no
right, power or authority to act for or bind the Master
Portfolio. Members shall have the right to vote on any matters
only as provided in this Agreement or on any matters that require the
approval of the holders of voting securities under the 1940 Act or as
otherwise required in the Delaware
Act.
|
|
(c)
|
The
Board may delegate to a committee or to any other Person any rights, power
and authority vested by this Agreement in the Board to the extent
permissible under applicable law.
|
|
(d)
|
The
Master Portfolio will file a tax return as a partnership for U.S. federal
income tax purposes. Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, all
decisions for the Master Portfolio relating to tax matters including,
without limitation, whether to make any tax elections, the positions to be
made on the Master Portfolio’s tax returns and the settlement or further
contest or litigation of any audit matters raised by the Internal Revenue
Service or other taxing authority, will be made by the
Board. All actions (other than ministerial actions) taken by
the Manager, as designated in this Section 3.1 and Section 3.2 below, will
be subject to the approval of the Board. Each Member agrees not
to treat, on its own income tax return or any claim for a tax refund, any
item of income, gain, loss, deduction or credit in a manner inconsistent
with the treatment of such item by the Master
Portfolio.
|
Section
3.2.
|
Actions
by the Board of Directors.
|
|
(a)
|
Unless
provided otherwise in this Agreement or required by law, any action by the
Board shall be deemed effective if approved or taken by a majority of the
Directors present at a meeting of Directors at which a quorum of Directors
is present, within or without the State of Delaware. Unless the
1940 Act requires that a particular action be taken only at a meeting at
which the Directors are present in person, any action to be taken by the
Directors at a meeting may be taken without such meeting by the written
consent of a majority of the Directors then in
office.
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-10-
|
(b)
|
The
Board may designate from time to time a Chairman who shall preside at all
meetings. Meetings of the Board may be called by the Chairman or by any
two Directors, and may be held on such date and at such time and place as
the Board shall determine. Each Director shall be entitled to receive
written notice of the date, time and place of such meeting within a
reasonable time in advance of the meeting. Notice need not be given to any
Director who shall attend a meeting without objecting to the lack of
notice or who shall execute a written waiver of notice with respect to the
meeting. Subject to any applicable requirements of the 1940 Act, any
meeting, regular or special, may be held by conference telephone or
similar communication equipment, so long as all of the Directors
participating in the meeting can hear one another and all such Directors
shall be deemed to be present in person at the
meeting.
|
|
(c)
|
At
least one third (1/3) of the authorized number of Directors shall
constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, except to adjourn a
meeting. A meeting at which a quorum is initially present may continue to
transact business notwithstanding the withdrawal of Directors if any
action taken is approved by at least a majority of the required quorum for
that meeting.
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|
(d)
|
A
majority of the Directors present, whether or not constituting a quorum,
may adjourn any meeting to another time and
place.
|
|
(e)
|
The
Board may establish by resolution, written consent or otherwise, one or
more committees of the Board. The Board may designate from time
to time agents and employees of the Master Portfolio who shall have the
same powers and duties on behalf of the Master Portfolio (including the
power to bind the Master Portfolio) as are customarily vested in officers
of a Delaware corporation, and designate them as officers of the Master
Portfolio.
|
Section
3.3.
|
Meetings
of Members.
|
|
(a)
|
Actions
requiring the vote of the Members may be taken at any duly constituted
meeting of the Members at which a quorum is present. Meetings
of the Members may be called by the Board or by Members holding a majority
of the total number of votes eligible to be cast by all Members, and may
be held at such time, date and place as the Board shall
determine. The Board shall arrange to provide written notice of
the meeting, stating the date, time and place of the meeting and the
record date therefor, to each Member entitled to vote at the meeting
within a reasonable time prior thereto. Failure to receive
notice of a meeting on the part of any Member shall not affect the
validity of any act or proceeding of the meeting, so long as a quorum
shall be present at the meeting, except as otherwise required by
applicable law. Only matters set forth in the notice of a
meeting may be voted on by the Members at a meeting. The
presence in person or by proxy of Members holding at least a
majority of the total number of votes eligible to be cast by all Members
as of the record date shall constitute a quorum at any
meeting. In the absence of a quorum, a meeting of the Members
may be adjourned by action of a majority of the Members present in person
or by proxy without additional notice to the Members. Except as
otherwise required by any provision of this Agreement or of the 1940 Act,
(i) those candidates receiving a plurality of the votes cast at any
meeting of Members shall be elected as Directors and (ii) all other
actions of the Members taken at a meeting shall require the affirmative
vote of Members holding a majority of the total number of votes eligible
to be cast by those Members who are present in person or by proxy at such
meeting.
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-11-
|
(b)
|
Each
Member shall be entitled to cast at any meeting of Members a number of
votes equivalent to such Member’s Investment Percentage as of the record
date for such meeting. The Board shall establish a record date
not less than 10 nor more than 90 days prior to the date of any meeting of
Members to determine eligibility to vote at such meeting and the number of
votes that each Member will be entitled to cast thereat, and shall
maintain for each such record date a list setting forth the name of each
Member and the number of votes that each Member will be entitled to cast
at the meeting.
|
|
(c)
|
A
Member may vote at any meeting of Members by a proxy properly executed in
writing by the Member and filed with the Master Portfolio before or at the
time of the meeting. A proxy may be suspended or revoked, as
the case may be, by the Member executing the proxy by a later writing
delivered to the Master Portfolio at any time prior to exercise of the
proxy or if the Member executing the proxy shall be present at the meeting
and decide to vote in person. Any action of the Members that is
permitted to be taken at a meeting of the Members may be taken without a
meeting if consents in writing, setting forth the action taken, are signed
by Members holding at least a majority of the total number of votes
eligible to be cast or such greater percentage as may be required in order
to approve such action.
|
Section
3.4.
|
Custody
of Assets of the Master Portfolio.
|
The
physical possession of all funds, Securities or other properties of the Master
Portfolio shall at all times be held, controlled and administered by one or more
custodians retained by the Master Portfolio in accordance with the requirements
of the 1940 Act. The Manager will have no responsibility, other than
that associated with the oversight and supervision of custodians retained by the
Master Portfolio, with respect to the collection of income or the physical
acquisition or safekeeping of the funds, Securities or other assets of the
Master Portfolio, all duties of collection, physical acquisition or safekeeping
being the sole obligation of such custodians.
-12-
Section
3.5.
|
Other
Activities of Members, the Manager and
Directors.
|
|
(a)
|
Neither
the Manager nor any Director shall be required to devote its full time to
the affairs of the Master Portfolio, but shall devote such time as may
reasonably be required to perform its obligations under this
Agreement.
|
|
(b)
|
Any
Member, Manager or Director, and any Affiliate of any Member, Manager or
Director, may engage in or possess an interest in other business ventures
or commercial dealings of every kind and description, independently or
with others, including, but not limited to, acquisition and disposition of
Securities, provision of investment advisory or brokerage services,
serving as directors, officers, employees, advisors or agents of other
companies, partners of any partnership, members of any limited liability
company, or trustees of any trust, or entering into any other commercial
arrangements. No Member, Manager or Director shall have any
rights in or to such activities of any other Member, Manager or Director,
or any profits derived therefrom.
|
Section
3.6.
|
Duty
of Care.
|
|
(a)
|
The
Manager and each Director shall not be liable to the Master Portfolio or
to any of its Members for any loss or damage occasioned by any act or
omission in the performance of their services under this Agreement, unless
it shall be determined by final judicial decision of a court of competent
jurisdiction on the merits from which there is no further right to appeal
that such loss is due to an act or omission of such Manager or Director
constituting willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence of the
duties involved in the conduct of such Manager’s or Director’s
office.
|
|
(b)
|
Members
not in breach of any obligation hereunder or under any other agreement
related to their Interest in the Master Portfolio shall be liable to the
Master Portfolio, any Member or third parties only as provided under the
Delaware Act.
|
Section
3.7.
|
Indemnification.
|
|
(a)
|
To
the fullest extent permitted by law, the Master Portfolio shall, subject
to Section 3.7(b) hereof, indemnify the Manager (including for this
purpose each officer, director, member, partner, principal, employee or
agent of, or any Person who controls, is controlled by or is under common
control with, the Manager and the Manager’s respective executors, heirs,
assigns, successors or other legal representatives), its officers and each
Director (and his respective executors, heirs, assigns, successors or
other legal representatives) (each such Person an “indemnitee”) against
all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs and expenses, including,
but not limited to, amounts paid in satisfaction of judgments, in
compromise, or as fines or penalties, and reasonable counsel fees,
incurred in connection with the defense or disposition of any action,
suit, investigation or other proceeding, whether civil or criminal, before
any judicial, arbitral, administrative or legislative body, in which such
indemnitee may be or may have been involved as a party or otherwise, or
with which such indemnitee may be or may have been threatened, while in
office or thereafter, except to the extent that such loss, claim, damage,
liability, cost or expense shall have been finally determined in a
judicial decision on the merits from which no further right to appeal may
be taken in any such action, suit, investigation or other proceeding to
have been incurred or suffered by such indemnitee by reason of willful
misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence of the duties involved in the
conduct of such indemnitee’s office. The rights of indemnification
provided under this Section 3.7 shall not be construed so as to provide
for indemnification of a Director for any liability (including liability
under federal securities laws which, under certain circumstances, impose
liability even on persons that act in good faith) to the extent (but only
to the extent) that such indemnification would be in violation of
applicable law, but shall be construed so as to effectuate the applicable
provisions of this Section 3.7 to the fullest extent permitted by
law.
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|
(b)
|
Expenses,
including reasonable counsel fees, so incurred by any such indemnitee (but
excluding amounts paid in satisfaction of judgments, in compromise, or as
fines or penalties), may be paid from time to time by the Master Portfolio
in advance of the final disposition of any such action, suit,
investigation or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf
of such indemnitee to repay to the Master Portfolio amounts so paid if it
shall ultimately be determined that indemnification of such expenses is
not authorized under this Section 3.7; provided, that (i) such indemnitee
shall provide security for such undertaking, (ii) the Master Portfolio
shall be insured by or on behalf of such indemnitee against losses arising
by reason of such indemnitee’s failure to fulfill such undertaking, or
(iii) a majority of the Directors (excluding any Director who is either
seeking advancement of expenses hereunder or is or has been a party to any
other action, suit, investigation or proceeding involving claims similar
to those involved in the action, suit, investigation or proceeding giving
rise to a claim for advancement of expenses hereunder) or independent
legal counsel in a written opinion determines based on a review of readily
available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry) that there is
reason to believe such indemnitee ultimately will be entitled to
indemnification.
|
|
(c)
|
As
to the disposition of any action, suit, investigation or proceeding
(whether by a compromise payment, pursuant to a consent decree or
otherwise) without an adjudication or a decision on the merits by a court,
or by any other body before which the proceeding shall have been brought,
that an indemnitee is liable to the Master Portfolio or its Members by
reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence of the duties
involved in the conduct of such indemnitee’s office, indemnification shall
be provided pursuant to Section 3.7(a) hereof
if:
|
-14-
|
(i)
|
approved
as in the best interests of the Master Portfolio by a majority of the
Directors (excluding any Director who is either seeking indemnification
hereunder or is or has been a party to any other action, suit,
investigation or proceeding involving claims similar to those involved in
the action, suit, investigation or proceeding giving rise to a claim for
indemnification hereunder) upon a determination based upon a review of
readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry) that
such indemnitee acted in good faith and in the reasonable belief that such
actions were in the best interests of the Master Portfolio and that such
indemnitee is not liable to the Master Portfolio or its Members by reason
of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence of the duties
involved in the conduct of such indemnitee’s office,
or
|
|
(ii)
|
the
Board secures a written opinion of independent legal counsel based upon a
review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type
inquiry) to the effect that such indemnification would not protect such
indemnitee against any liability to the Master Portfolio or its Members to
which such indemnitee would otherwise be subject by reason of willful
misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence of the duties involved in the
conduct of such indemnitee’s
office.
|
|
(d)
|
Any
indemnification or advancement of expenses made pursuant to this Section
3.7 shall not prevent the recovery from any indemnitee of any such amount
if such indemnitee subsequently is determined in a final judicial decision
on the merits in any action, suit, investigation or proceeding involving
the liability or expense that gave rise to such indemnification or
advancement of expenses to be liable to the Master Portfolio or its
Members by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or
reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of such
indemnitee’s office. In (i) any suit brought by an indemnitee
(or other person entitled to indemnification hereunder) to enforce a right
to indemnification under this Section 3.7 it shall be a defense that, and
(ii) in any suit in the name of the Master Portfolio to recover any
indemnification or advancement of expenses made pursuant to this Section
3.7 the Master Portfolio shall be entitled to recover such expenses upon a
final adjudication that, the indemnitee under this Section 3.7 has not met
the applicable standard of conduct set forth in this Section
3.7. In any such suit brought to enforce a right to
indemnification or to recover any indemnification or advancement of
expenses made pursuant to this Section 3.7, the burden of proving that the
indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified, or to any indemnification or
advancement of expenses, under this Section 3.7 shall be on the Master
Portfolio (or any Member acting derivatively or otherwise on behalf of the
Master Portfolio or its Members).
|
|
(e)
|
An
indemnitee may not satisfy any right of indemnification or advancement of
expenses granted in this Section 3.7 or to which such indemnitee may
otherwise be entitled except out of the assets of the Master Portfolio,
and no Member shall be personally liable with respect to any such claim
for indemnification or advancement of
expenses.
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|
(f)
|
The
rights of indemnification provided hereunder shall not be exclusive of or
affect any other rights to which any Person may be entitled by contract or
otherwise under law. Nothing contained in this Section 3.7
shall affect the power of the Master Portfolio to purchase and maintain
liability insurance on behalf of the Manager, any Director, the Adviser or
other person.
|
Section
3.8.
|
Fees,
Expenses and Reimbursement.
|
|
(a)
|
So
long as the Administrator provides Administrative Services to the Master
Portfolio, it shall be entitled to receive reasonable and customary fees
for such services as well as out-of-pocket expenses as may be agreed to by
the Administrator and the Master Portfolio pursuant to a separate written
agreement.
|
|
(b)
|
As
consideration for providing advisory services to the Master Portfolio, and
for so long as the Manager provides such advisory services to the Master
Portfolio, the Manager shall be entitled to receive such compensation as
may be agreed to by the Manager and the Portfolio pursuant to the
Investment Advisory Agreement as approved by the
Board.
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|
(c)
|
The
Board may cause the Master Portfolio to compensate each Director for his
or her services rendered in connection with the Master
Portfolio. In addition, the Directors shall be reimbursed by
the Master Portfolio for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by
them in performing their duties under this
Agreement.
|
|
(d)
|
The
Master Portfolio shall bear all expenses related to its investment
program. Expenses to be borne by the Master Portfolio (both
directly and indirectly) include, but are not limited to, fees paid and
expenses reimbursed to Investment Vehicles or Investment Managers
(including management fees, performance fees and redemption or withdrawal
fees, however titled or structured); all costs and expenses directly
related to portfolio transactions and positions for the Master Portfolio’s
account such as direct and indirect expenses associated with the Master
Portfolio’s investments, including its investments in Investment Vehicles
(whether or not consummated), and enforcing the Master Portfolio’s rights
in respect of such investments; transfer taxes and premiums; taxes
withheld on non-U.S. dividends; fees for data and software providers;
research expenses; professional fees (including, without limitation, the
fees and expenses of consultants, attorneys and experts); service provider
fees (including the Administrator and any compliance personnel), if
applicable in connection with temporary or cash management investments,
brokerage commissions, interest and commitment fees on loans and debit
balances, borrowing charges on securities sold short, dividends on
securities sold but not yet purchased and margin fees; any interest
expense; costs of forming the Master Portfolio and maintaining the
existence of each; attorneys’ fees and disbursements associated with
preparing and updating the offering materials and with qualifying
prospective investors; fees and disbursements associated with the
registration of the Master Portfolio with the Securities and Exchange
Commission and preparation of routine and non-routine regulatory filings;
registration fees and related expenses under state or foreign securities
or other laws; fees and disbursements of any accountants engaged by the
Master Portfolio, and expenses related to the annual audit of the Master
Portfolio; record-keeping, custody and escrow fees and expenses; the costs
of errors and omissions / directors’ and officers’ liability insurance and
a fidelity bond; the Management Fee, if any; expenses of meetings of
Members and the costs of preparing and mailing reports and other
communications, including proxy, tender offer correspondence or similar
materials, to Members; fees and travel expenses of Directors relating to
meetings of the Board and committees thereof; all costs and charges for
equipment or services used in communicating information regarding the
Master Portfolio’s transactions; and any extraordinary expenses, including
indemnification expenses as provided for in this Agreement. The
Directors shall have a lien on the assets belonging to the Master
Portfolio prior to any rights or interests of the Shareholders thereto,
for the reimbursement to them of such expenses, disbursements, losses and
liabilities.
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(e)
|
Subject
to procuring any required regulatory approvals, from time to time the
Master Portfolio may, alone or in conjunction with other accounts for
which the Manager, or any of its affiliates, acts as general partner or
investment adviser, purchase insurance in such amounts, from such insurers
and on such terms as the Board shall
determine.
|
|
(f)
|
Expenses
incurred in connection with the ongoing offering of Interests of the
Master Portfolio will be borne by the Master
Portfolio.
|
|
(g)
|
Pursuant
to the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Manager may be
entitled to receive a management fee for its
services.
|
Article
IV.
TERMINATION
OF STATUS OF MANAGER AND DIRECTORS, TRANSFERS AND
REPURCHASES
Section
4.1.
|
Termination
of Status of the Manager.
|
The
status of the Manager shall terminate if the Investment Advisory Agreement with
the Adviser terminates and the Portfolio does not enter into a new Investment
Advisory Agreement with the Manager, effective as of the date of such
termination.
Section
4.2.
|
Termination
of Status of a Director.
|
The
status of a Director shall terminate if the Director, pursuant to Delaware law,
is removed, resigns or is subject to various disabling events such as death,
incapacity or bankruptcy. A Director may resign, subject to giving 90
days’ prior written notice to the other Directors if such resignation is likely
to affect adversely the tax status of the Master Portfolio.
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Section
4.3.
|
Removal
of the Directors.
|
Any
Director may be removed either by (a) the vote or written consent of at
least two-thirds (2/3) of the Directors not subject to the removal vote or
(b) the vote or written consent of Members holding not less than two-thirds
(2/3) of the total number of votes eligible to be cast by all
Members.
Section
4.4.
|
Removal
of the Manager.
|
The
Manager may be removed as Manager under this Agreement by the vote or written
consent of Members holding a majority of the total number of votes eligible to
be cast by all Members.
Section
4.5.
|
Transfer
of Interests of Members.
|
|
(a)
|
An
Interest of a Member may be transferred only (i) by operation of law
pursuant to the death, bankruptcy, insolvency, dissolution or incompetency
of such Member or (ii) under certain limited circumstances with the
written consent of the Manager, pursuant to authority delegated by Board
to the Manager for such purpose (which consent may be withheld in the
Manager’s sole discretion).
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|
(b)
|
The
Manager may not consent to a Transfer
unless:
|
|
(i)
|
(x)
the Manager consults with legal counsel to the Master Portfolio and
counsel confirms that the Transfer will not cause the Master Portfolio to
be treated as a “publicly traded partnership” taxable as a corporation or
be subject to any other adverse tax or regulatory treatment and (y) the
following conditions are met: (i) the proposed Transfer is to be effective
as of the first day of any month in which subscriptions for Interests in
the Portfolio are otherwise permitted; and (ii) the Transfer is (A) one in
which the tax basis of the Interest in the hands of the transferee is
determined, in whole or in part, by reference to its tax basis in the
hands of the Transferring Member (e.g., certain Transfers to affiliates,
gifts and /or contributions to family members, family
trusts, other interfamily transactions or gifts and/or contributions to
qualifying organization or entities), (B) to members of the
Transferring Member’s immediate family (siblings, spouse, parents and
children), or (C) a distribution from a qualified retirement plan or an
individual retirement account; and
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-18-
|
(ii)
|
x)
the person to whom the Interest is Transferred (or each of the person’s
beneficial owners if such a person is a “private investment company” as
defined in paragraph (d)(3) of Rule 205-3 under the Advisers Act) is a
person whom the Manager believes meets the requirements of paragraph
(d)(1) of Rule 205-3 under the Advisers Act or any successor rule thereto;
(ii) the person to whom the Interest is Transferred is a person whom the
Manager believes is an “accredited investor,” as that term is defined in
Regulation D under the Securities Act of 1933 or any successor rule
thereto and (y) the entire Interest of the Member is Transferred to a
single transferee or, in the case of multiple transferees, after the
Transfer of a portion of an Interest, the balance of the Capital Account
of each transferee and the remaining balance of the Capital Account of the
transferor (if any) is each not less than $50,000 or such lesser amount as
the Manager may determine in its sole
discretion.
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|
(c)
|
Any
transferee that acquires an Interest by operation of law as the result of
the bankruptcy, insolvency or dissolution of a Member, shall be entitled
to the allocations and distributions allocable to the Interest so acquired
and to Transfer such Interest in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement, but shall not be entitled to the other rights of a Member
unless and until such transferee becomes a substituted
Member. Once a Member obtains the approval of the Manager and
satisfies the other requirements to transfer its Interests, the Manager
shall promptly take all necessary actions so that the transferee to whom
such Interest is transferred is admitted to the Master Portfolio as a
Member.
|
|
(d)
|
In
no event, however, will any transferee or assignee be admitted as a Member
without the consent of the Manager, which may be withheld in its sole
discretion. Any pledge, transfer, or assignment not made in
accordance with this Section 4.5 shall be
void.
|
|
(e)
|
The
admission of any transferee as a substituted Member will be effective upon
the execution and delivery by, or on behalf of, the substituted Member of
this Agreement or an instrument that constitutes the execution and
delivery of this Agreement. Each Member and transferee agrees
to pay all expenses, including attorneys’ and accountants’ fees, incurred
by the Master Portfolio in connection with any Transfer. If a
Member Transfers its entire Interest as a Member, it will not cease to be
a Member unless and until the transferee is admitted to the Master
Portfolio as a substituted Member in accordance with this Section
4.5.
|
|
(f)
|
Each
Member shall indemnify and hold harmless the Master Portfolio, the
Directors, the Manager, each other Member and any Affiliate of the
foregoing against all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs and
expenses (including legal or other expenses incurred in investigating or
defending against any such losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs and
expenses or any judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement), joint or
several, to which such persons may become subject by reason of, or arising
from, (i) any Transfer made by such Member in violation of this Section
4.5 and (ii) any misrepresentation by such Member in connection with any
such Transfer.
|
-19-
Section
4.6.
|
Repurchase
of Interests.
|
|
(a)
|
Except
as otherwise provided in this Agreement, no Member or other person holding
an Interest or portion thereof shall have the right to withdraw or tender
to the Master Portfolio for repurchase that Interest or portion
thereof. The Board from time to time, in its sole discretion
and on such terms and conditions as it may determine, may cause the Master
Portfolio to repurchase Interests or portions thereof pursuant to written
tenders. However, the Master Portfolio shall not offer to
repurchase Interests on more than four occasions during any Taxable Year
unless it has received an opinion of counsel to the effect that such more
frequent offers would not cause any adverse tax consequences to the Master
Portfolio or Members. In determining whether to cause the
Master Portfolio to repurchase Interests pursuant to written tenders, the
Board shall consider the recommendation of the Manager, and shall also
consider the following factors, among
others:
|
|
(i)
|
whether
any Members have requested to tender Interests or portions thereof to the
Master Portfolio;
|
|
(ii)
|
the
liquidity of the Master Portfolio’s assets (including fees and costs
associated with withdrawing from Investment
Vehicles);
|
|
(iii)
|
the
investment plans and working capital and reserve requirements of the
Master Portfolio;
|
|
(iv)
|
the
relative economies of scale with respect to the size of the Master
Portfolio;
|
|
(v)
|
the
history of the Master Portfolio in repurchasing
Interests;
|
|
(vi)
|
the
condition of the securities market and the economy generally, as well as
political, national or international developments;
and
|
|
(vii)
|
the
anticipated tax consequences of any proposed repurchases of
Interests.
|
-20-
The Board
shall cause the Master Portfolio to repurchase Interests or portions thereof
pursuant to written tenders only on terms fair to the Master Portfolio and to
all Members (including persons holding Interests acquired from Members), as
applicable.
|
(b)
|
A
Member tendering for repurchase only a portion of the Member’s Interest
will be required to maintain a Capital Account balance of at least $50,000
after giving effect to the repurchase. If a Member tenders an
amount that would cause the Member’s Capital Account balance to fall below
the required minimum, the Manager reserves the right to reduce the amount
to be repurchased from the Member so that the required minimum balance is
maintained or to repurchase the Member’s entire Interest in the Master
Portfolio.
|
|
(c)
|
Repurchases
pursuant to Master Portfolio tender offers shall be effective after
receipt and acceptance by the Master Portfolio of all eligible written
tenders of Interests from Members and, unless otherwise determined by the
Board from time to time, including as a result of changes in applicable
law or the interpretation thereof, shall be subject to the following
repurchase procedures:
|
(i)
Members choosing to tender an Interest for repurchase must do so by the
applicable Repurchase Request Deadline. The Repurchase Request
Deadline will be a date set by the Board occurring no sooner than 20 business
days after the commencement date of the repurchase offer and such Repurchase
Request Deadline may be extended by the Board in its sole and
absolute discretion. The Master Portfolio will
not accept any repurchase request received by it or its
designated agent after the Repurchase Request Deadline.
(ii) Promptly
after the Repurchase Request Deadline, the Master Portfolio will give to each
Member whose Interest has been accepted for repurchase a promissory note
(“Promissory Note”) entitling the Member to be paid an amount equal to the
value, determined as of the Repurchase Valuation Date, of the repurchased
Interest.
(iii) The
amount due to any Member whose Interests interest or portion thereof is
repurchased will be equal to the value of such Member’s Capital Account or
portion thereof, as applicable, as of the Repurchase Valuation Date, after
giving effect to all allocations to be made to such Member’s Capital Account as
of such date. Generally, the Repurchase Valuation Date will be the
last business day of the quarter in which the Repurchase Request Deadline
occurs, which will be approximately seventy (70) days after the Repurchase
Request Deadline.
(iv) Member
tendering their Interest should note that they will remain Members in the Master
Portfolio, with respect to the Interest tendered and accepted for purchase by
the Master Portfolio, through the Repurchase Valuation Date of the offer to
repurchase Interests.
-21-
(v) The
Promissory Note, which will be non-interest bearing, is expected to contain
terms providing for payment at two separate times.
(vi) The
initial payment in respect of the Promissory Note (“Initial Payment”) will be in
an amount equal to at least 90% of the estimated value of the repurchased
Interest, determined as of the Repurchase Valuation Date. The Initial Payment
will be made as of the later of (i) a period of within thirty (30) days after
the Valuation Date, or (ii) if the Master Portfolio has requested withdrawal of
its capital from any Investment Vehicles in order to fund the repurchase of
Interests, within ten (10) business days after the Master Portfolio has received
at least 90% of the aggregate amount withdrawn from such Investment
Vehicles. Such payments shall be reduced by any applicable
withholding under Section 5.11.
(vii) The
second and final payment in respect of the Promissory Note (“Post-Audit
Payment”) will be in an amount equal to the excess, if any, of (i) the value of
the tender amount accepted, determined as of the Repurchase Valuation Date and
based upon the results of either (a) the semi-annual unaudited financial
statements of the Master Portfolio for the period in which the Repurchase
Valuation Date occurs or (b) the annual audit of the Master Portfolio’s
financial statements for the period in which the Repurchase Valuation Date
occurs, over (ii) the Initial Payment. It is anticipated that this process will
be completed within sixty (60) days after the end of each semi-annual period and
that the Post-Audit Payment will be made promptly thereafter. A Member will
continue to receive an allocation of profits and losses until the Member is paid
in the entirety.
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(d)
|
The
Board may (i) cause the Master Portfolio to repurchase Interests (or a
portion thereof) of a Member or any Person acquiring Interests from or
through a Member, such repurchase being offered without consent or other
action by the Member or other person; or (ii) cause a Member to sell all
or a portion of its Interests to another Member or person, such sale to
take place without the consent of or other action by the Member, in each
case at the most recently calculated net asset value of such Member’s
capital account, and for any reason deemed advisable by the Board,
including but not limited to situations in
which:
|
(i)
such Interests have been transferred in violation of Section 4.5 hereof,
or the Interests (or a portion of the Interests) have vested in any person other
than by operation of law as the result of the death, bankruptcy, insolvency,
adjudicated incompetence or dissolution of the Member;
(ii) ownership
of Interests (or a portion of the Interests) by a Member or other person is
likely to cause the Master Portfolio to be in violation of, or require
registration of any Interest under, or subject the Master Portfolio to
additional registration or regulation under, the securities, commodities or
other laws of the United States or any other relevant jurisdiction,
or may subject the Master Portfolio or any Member to an undue risk of
adverse tax or other fiscal or regulatory consequences;
-22-
(iii) continued
ownership of Interests by a Member may be harmful or injurious to the business
or reputation of the Master Portfolio, the Board, the Manager or any of its
affiliates, or may prevent the Adviser from receiving any fees in respect of the
Master Portfolio or such Member;
(iv) any
of the representations and warranties made by a Member or other person in
connection with the acquisition of an Interest was not true when made or has
ceased to be true;
(v) the
value of a Member’s Interests is less than an amount that the Board determines
to be a minimum investment in the Master Portfolio, or more than an amount that
the Board determines to be a maximum investment in the Master
Portfolio;
(vi) the
family office client agreement between the Manager and the Member has terminated
and the Member is no longer a family office client of the Manager;
(vii) a
Member ceases to be (i) a client of the Manager or its affiliates, or (ii) a
principal, director, officer, employee of the Manager or its affiliates;
or
(viii) it
would be in the best interest of the Master Portfolio, as determined by the
Board in its sole discretion, for the Master Portfolio to repurchase such
Interests or portion thereof or to have such Interests transferred.
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(e)
|
Notwithstanding
anything in the foregoing to the contrary, the Board, in its discretion,
may pay all or any portion of the repurchase price in marketable
Securities (or any combination of marketable Securities and cash) having a
value, determined as of the date of repurchase, equal to the amount to be
repurchased. All repurchases of Interests shall be subject to
any and all conditions as the Board may impose in its sole
discretion.
|
|
(f)
|
The
Board may, in its sole discretion, elect to impose charges on Members who
submit their Interest for
repurchase.
|
Article
V.
CAPITAL
Section
5.1.
|
Contributions
to Capital.
|
|
(a)
|
The
minimum initial contribution of each Member to the capital of the Master
Portfolio shall be $100,000, subject to the discretion of the Manager to
accept initial investments in lesser amounts. The amount of the
initial contribution of each Member shall be recorded on the books and
records of the Master Portfolio upon acceptance as a contribution to the
capital of the Master Portfolio.
|
-23-
|
(b)
|
The
Members may make additional contributions to the capital of the Master
Portfolio of at least $50,000 (subject to the discretion of the Manager to
accept additional contributions in lesser amounts), effective as of such
times as the Manager, in its discretion, may permit, subject to Section
2.7 hereof, but no Member shall be obligated to make any additional
contribution to the capital of the Master Portfolio except to the extent
provided in Section 5.7 hereof.
|
|
(c)
|
Except
as otherwise permitted by the Board, (i) initial and any additional
contributions to the capital of the Master Portfolio by any Member shall
be payable in cash, and (ii) initial and any additional contributions in
cash shall be payable in readily available
funds.
|
Section
5.2.
|
Rights
of Members to Capital.
|
No Member
shall be entitled to interest on any contribution to the capital of the Master
Portfolio, nor shall any Member be entitled to the return of any capital of the
Master Portfolio except (i) upon the repurchase by the Master Portfolio of
a part or all of such Member’s Interest pursuant to Section 4.6 hereof or
(ii) upon the liquidation of the Master Portfolio’s assets pursuant to
Section 6.2 hereof. Except as specified in the Delaware Act, or
with respect to distributions or similar disbursements made in error, no Member
shall be liable for the return of any such amounts. No Member shall
have the right to require partition of the Master Portfolio’s property or to
compel any sale or appraisal of the Master Portfolio’s assets.
Section
5.3.
|
Capital
Accounts.
|
|
(a)
|
The
Master Portfolio shall maintain a separate Capital Account for each
Member.
|
|
(b)
|
Each
Member’s Capital Account shall have an initial balance equal to the amount
of cash constituting such Member’s initial contribution to the capital of
the Master Portfolio.
|
|
(c)
|
Each
Member’s Capital Account shall be increased by the sum of (i) the amount
of cash constituting additional contributions by such Member to the
capital of the Master Portfolio permitted pursuant to Section 5.1 hereof,
plus (ii) all amounts credited to such Member’s Capital Account pursuant
to Section 5.4 through Section 5.7
hereof.
|
|
(d)
|
Each
Member’s Capital Account shall be reduced by the sum of (i) the amount of
any repurchase of the Interest, or portion thereof, of such Member or
distributions to such Member pursuant to Section 4.6, Section 5.9, Section
5.10 or Section 6.2 hereof that are not reinvested (net of any liabilities
secured by any asset distributed that such Member is deemed to assume or
take subject to under Section 752 of the Code), plus (ii) any amounts
debited against the Member’s Capital Account pursuant to Section 5.4
through Section 5.7 hereof.
|
-24-
|
(e)
|
In
the event all or a portion of the Interest of a Member is Transferred in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Transferee will succeed
to the Capital Account of the Transferor to the extent of the Transferred
Interest or portion of an Interest.
|
|
(f)
|
No
Member will be required to pay the Master Portfolio or any other Member
any deficit in such Member’s Capital Account upon dissolution of the
Master Portfolio or otherwise.
|
Section
5.4.
|
Allocation
of Net Profits and Net Losses.
|
As of the
last day of each Fiscal Period, any Net Profits or Net Losses for the Fiscal
Period shall be allocated among and credited to or debited against the Capital
Accounts of the Members in accordance with their respective Investment
Percentages for such Fiscal Period.
Section
5.5.
|
Allocation
of Insurance Premiums and Proceeds.
|
|
(a)
|
Any
premiums payable by the Master Portfolio for insurance purchased pursuant
to Section 3.8(c) and (d) hereof shall be apportioned evenly over each
Fiscal Period or portion thereof falling within the period to which such
premiums relate under the terms of such insurance, and the portion of the
premiums so apportioned to any Fiscal Period shall be allocated among and
debited against the Capital Accounts of each Member who is a member of the
Master Portfolio during such Fiscal Period in accordance with such
Member’s Investment Percentage for such Fiscal
Period.
|
|
(b)
|
Proceeds,
if any, to which the Master Portfolio may become entitled pursuant to such
insurance shall be allocated among and credited to the Capital Accounts of
each Member who is a member of the Master Portfolio during the Fiscal
Period in which the event that gives rise to recovery of proceeds occurs
in accordance with such Member’s Investment Percentage for such Fiscal
Period.
|
Section
5.6.
|
Allocation
of Certain Expenditures.
|
Except as
otherwise provided for in this Agreement and unless prohibited by the 1940 Act,
any expenditures payable by the Master Portfolio, to the extent determined by
the Board to have been paid or withheld on behalf of, or by reason of particular
circumstances applicable to, one or more but fewer than all of the Members,
shall be charged to only those Members on whose behalf such payments are made or
whose particular circumstances gave rise to such payments. Such
charges shall be debited from the Capital Accounts of such Members as of the
close of the Fiscal Period during which any such items were paid or accrued by
the Master Portfolio.
-25-
Section
5.7.
|
Reserves.
|
|
(a)
|
Appropriate
reserves may be created, accrued and charged against Net Assets and
proportionately against the Capital Accounts of the Members for contingent
liabilities, if any, as of the date any such contingent liability becomes
known to the Manager or the Board. Such reserves will be in the
amounts that the Board, in its sole discretion, deems necessary or
appropriate. The Board may increase or reduce any such reserves
from time to time by such amounts as the Board, in its sole discretion,
deems necessary or appropriate. The amount of any such reserve,
or any increase or decrease therein, shall be proportionately charged or
credited, as appropriate, to the Capital Accounts of those parties who are
Members at the time when such reserve is created, increased or decreased,
except that if any such individual reserve item, adjusted by any increase
therein, exceeds the lesser of $500,000 or 1% of the aggregate value of
the Capital Accounts of all such Members, then the amount of the reserve,
increase or decrease may instead be charged or credited to those parties
who were Members at the time, as determined by the Board in its sole
discretion, of the act or omission giving rise to the contingent liability
for which the reserve was established, increased or decreased in
proportion to their Capital Accounts at that
time.
|
|
(b)
|
If
at any time an amount is paid or received by the Master Portfolio (other
than contributions to the capital of the Master Portfolio, distributions
or repurchases of Interests or portions thereof) and such amount exceeds
the lesser of $500,000 or 1% of the aggregate value of the Capital
Accounts of all Members at the time of payment or receipt and such amount
was not accrued or reserved for but would nevertheless, in accordance with
the Master Portfolio’s accounting practices, be treated as applicable to
one or more prior Fiscal Periods, then such amount shall be
proportionately charged or credited, as appropriate, to those parties who
were Members during such prior Fiscal Period or
Periods.
|
Section
5.8.
|
Allocation
of Organizational Expenses.
|
The
Manager will allocate among the Members a monthly expense to reimburse the
Manager for the Master Portfolio’s organizational expenses and initial offering
costs.
Section
5.9.
|
Tax
Allocations.
|
|
(a)
|
For
each Fiscal Year, items of income, deduction, gain, loss or credit shall
be allocated for income tax purposes among the Members in such manner as
to reflect equitably amounts credited or debited to each Member’s Capital
Account for the current and prior fiscal years (or relevant portions
thereof). Allocations under this Section 5.9 shall be made
pursuant to the principles of Sections 704(b) and 704(c) of the Code, and
in conformity with Treasury Regulations Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f),
1.704-1(b)(4)(i) and 1.704-3(e) promulgated thereunder, as applicable, or
the successor provisions to such Sections and
Regulations. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this
Agreement, there shall be allocated to the Members such gains or income as
shall be necessary to satisfy the “qualified income offset” requirements
of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d). The
Manager shall make all allocations taking into account the Members’
Capital Accounts on the first day of the fiscal year and distributive
shares of Net Profit, Net Loss and special allocations for such year, any
entry of new Members, any Distributions by the Master Portfolio, and the
difference between income for tax purposes and profitability for Master
Portfolio purposes so as to, as closely as reasonably possible, have the
tax allocations correspond to the allocations made for “book purposes”
under this Agreement. In the sole discretion of the Manager,
the Master Portfolio may aggregate realized gains and losses for this
purpose in any manner permitted by Treas. Reg. §
1.704-3.
|
-26-
|
(b)
|
In
accordance with Code Section 704(c) and the Treasury Regulations
thereunder, income, gain, loss, and deduction with respect to any property
contributed to the Master Portfolio shall, solely for tax purposes, be
allocated among the Members so as to take account of any variation between
the adjusted basis of such property to the Master Portfolio for federal
income tax purposes and the fair market value of such property credited to
the Capital Account of the contributing Member. In the event
that the fair market value of Master Portfolio property varies from the
Master Portfolio’s adjusted tax basis at the time of admission of a new
Member, withdrawal of a Member, or contribution of additional Capital,
subsequent tax allocations of income, gain, loss and deduction with
respect to such asset shall take account of any variation between the
adjusted basis of such asset for federal income tax purposes and such fair
market value in the same manner as under Code Section 704(c) and the
Treasury Regulations thereunder.
|
|
(c)
|
If
any Member shall partially or completely withdraw from the Master
Portfolio under any provision of this Agreement as of the end of an Fiscal
Period (including by reason of death or due to repurchase by the Master
Portfolio), and if such Member’s Capital Account as of the end of that
Fiscal Period (after taking into account any allocations and other
adjustments under this agreement, other than the withdrawal itself,
through the end of such Fiscal Period) differs from its adjusted income
tax basis in its withdrawn portion of the Capital Account in the Master
Portfolio, then, for income tax purposes, the Manager shall have the
discretion to make a supplemental allocation of the Master Portfolio’s
items of taxable income and gain (if such Capital Account exceeds tax
basis) or loss and deduction (if tax basis exceeds such Capital Account)
for such Fiscal Period to the withdrawing Member in an amount not to
exceed the amount necessary to equalize such Capital Account and income
tax basis immediately after such allocation but before the withdrawal or
otherwise reduce any discrepancy between amounts previously allocated to
such Member’s Capital Account and amounts previously allocated to such
Member for federal income tax
purposes.
|
-27-
Section
5.10.
|
Distributions.
|
The
Board, in its sole discretion, may authorize the Master Portfolio to make
distributions in cash or in kind at any time to all of the Members on a pro rata
basis in accordance with the Members’ Investment Percentages. Notwithstanding
the foregoing or any other provision contained in this Agreement, the Portfolio,
and the Board, shall not be required to make a distribution to a Member in
respect of its Interests if such distribution would violate the Delaware Act or
other applicable law.
Section
5.11.
|
Withholding.
|
|
(a)
|
The
Board shall withhold and pay over to the Internal Revenue Service (or any
other relevant taxing authority) taxes due under applicable law with
respect to any Member to the extent required by the Code or any other
applicable law. Such withholding shall, to the extent
necessary, apply with respect to distributions made to a Member (including
distributions pursuant to a repurchase offer) and/or with respect to items
of income allocable to such Member.
|
|
(b)
|
For
purposes of this Agreement, any taxes so withheld by the Master Portfolio,
or withheld by any other person, with respect to any Member shall be
deemed to be a distribution or payment to such Member pursuant to this
Agreement, reducing the amount otherwise distributable to such Member
pursuant to this Agreement and reducing the Capital Account of such
Member. If the amount of such taxes is greater than any such
distributable amounts, then such Member and any successor to such Member’s
Interest shall pay to the Master Portfolio as a contribution to the
capital of the Master Portfolio, upon demand of the Board, the amount of
such excess. Any excess withholding with respect to a Member
shall be credited to such Member’s Capital Account or refunded to such
Member.
|
|
(c)
|
The
Board shall not be obligated to apply for or obtain a reduction of or
exemption from withholding tax on behalf of any Member that may be
eligible for such reduction or exemption. To the extent that a
Member claims to be entitled to a reduced rate of, or exemption from, a
withholding tax pursuant to an applicable income tax treaty, or otherwise,
the Member shall furnish the Board with such information and forms as such
Member may be required to complete where necessary to comply with any and
all laws and regulations governing the obligations of withholding tax
agents. Each Member represents and warrants that any such
information and forms furnished by such Member shall be true and accurate
and agrees to indemnify the Master Portfolio and each of the Members from
any and all damages, costs and expenses resulting from the filing of
inaccurate or incomplete information or forms relating to such withholding
taxes.
|
-28-
Article
VI.
DISSOLUTION
AND LIQUIDATION
Section
6.1.
|
Dissolution.
|
The
Master Portfolio shall be dissolved:
|
(a)
|
upon
the affirmative vote to dissolve the Master Portfolio by: (i) the Board or
(ii) Members holding at least two-thirds (2/3) of the total number of
votes eligible to be cast by all
Members;
|
|
(b)
|
upon
the failure of the Members to elect a successor Director at a meeting
called by Manager in accordance with Section 2.6 hereof when no Director
remains to continue the business of the Master Portfolio;
or
|
|
(c)
|
as
required by operation of law.
|
Dissolution
of the Master Portfolio shall be effective on the later of the day on which the
event giving rise to the dissolution shall occur, but the Master Portfolio shall
not terminate until the assets of the Master Portfolio have been liquidated in
accordance with Section 6.2 hereof and the Certificate has been
canceled.
Section
6.2.
|
Liquidation
of Assets.
|
|
(a)
|
Upon
the dissolution of the Master Portfolio as provided in Section 6.1 hereof,
the Board shall promptly appoint the Board or Manager as the liquidator
and the Board or Manager shall liquidate the business and administrative
affairs of the Master Portfolio, except that if the Board does not appoint
the Manager as the liquidator or the Board is unable to perform this
function, another liquidator will be elected by the Board. Net
Profits and Net Losses during the period of liquidation shall be allocated
pursuant to Section 5.4 hereof. The proceeds from liquidation
(after establishment of appropriate reserves for contingencies in such
amount as the Board or other liquidator shall deem appropriate in its sole
discretion as applicable) shall be distributed in the following
manner:
|
|
(i)
|
the
debts, liabilities and obligations of the Master Portfolio, other than
debts to Members, and the expenses of liquidation (including legal and
accounting expenses incurred in connection therewith), up to and including
the date that distribution of the Master Portfolio’s assets to the Members
has been completed, shall first be paid on a proportionate
basis;
|
|
(ii)
|
such
debts, liabilities or obligations as are owing to the Members shall next
be paid in their order of seniority and on a proportionate basis;
and
|
-29-
|
(iii)
|
the
Members shall next be paid on a proportionate basis the positive balances
of their respective Capital Accounts after giving effect to all
allocations to be made to such Members’ Capital Accounts for the Fiscal
Period ending on the date of the distributions under this Section
6.2.
|
|
(b)
|
Anything
in this Section 6.2 to the contrary notwithstanding, upon dissolution of
the Master Portfolio, the Board or other liquidator may distribute ratably
in kind any assets of the Master Portfolio; provided, however, that if any
in-kind distribution is to be made (i) the assets distributed in kind
shall be valued pursuant to Section 7.3 hereof as of the actual date of
their distribution and charged as so valued and distributed against
amounts to be paid under Section 6.2(a) above, and (ii) any profit or loss
attributable to property distributed in-kind shall be included in the Net
Profits or Net Losses for the Fiscal Period ending on the date of such
distribution.
|
Article
VII.
ACCOUNTING,
VALUATIONS AND BOOKS AND RECORDS
Section
7.1.
|
Accounting
and Reports.
|
|
(a)
|
The
Master Portfolio shall adopt for tax accounting purposes any accounting
method permitted by the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder that
the Board shall decide in its sole discretion is in the best interests of
the Master Portfolio. The Master Portfolio’s accounts shall be
maintained in U.S. currency.
|
|
(b)
|
After
the end of each Taxable Year, the Master Portfolio shall furnish to each
Member such information regarding the operation of the Master Portfolio
and such Member’s Interest as is necessary for Members to complete U.S.
federal and state income tax or information returns and any other tax
information required by U.S. federal and state
law.
|
|
(c)
|
Except
as otherwise required by the 1940 Act, or as may otherwise be permitted by
rule, regulation or order, within 60 days after the close of the period
for which a report required under this Section 7.1 is being made, the
Master Portfolio shall furnish to each Member an unaudited semi-annual
report and an audited annual report containing the information required by
such Act. The Master Portfolio shall cause financial statements
contained in each annual report furnished hereunder to be accompanied by a
certificate of independent public accountants based upon an audit
performed in accordance with generally accepted accounting
principles. The Master Portfolio may furnish to each Member
such other periodic reports as it deems necessary or appropriate in its
discretion.
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Section
7.2.
|
Determinations
by the Board of Directors.
|
|
(a)
|
All
matters concerning the determination and allocation among the Members of
the amounts to be determined and allocated pursuant to Article V hereof,
including any taxes thereon and accounting procedures applicable thereto,
shall be determined by the Board unless specifically and expressly
otherwise provided for by the provisions of this Agreement or required by
law, and such determinations and allocations shall be final and binding on
all the Members.
|
|
(b)
|
The
Board may make such adjustments to the computation of Net Profits or Net
Losses, and the allocation thereof to a Member’s Capital Account, or any
components comprising any of the foregoing as it considers appropriate to
reflect fairly and accurately the financial results of the Master
Portfolio and the intended allocation thereof among the
Members.
|
Section
7.3.
|
Valuation
of Assets.
|
|
(a)
|
Valuation
of Securities, Investment Vehicles and other assets shall be made by the
Board in accordance with the requirements of the 1940 Act and the
valuation procedures adopted by the
Board.
|
|
(b)
|
The
value of Securities, Investment Vehicles and other assets of the Master
Portfolio and the net worth of the Master Portfolio as a whole determined
pursuant to this Section 7.3 shall be conclusive and binding on all of the
Members and all parties claiming through or under
them.
|
Article
VIII.
MISCELLANEOUS
PROVISIONS
Section
8.1.
|
Amendment
of Limited Liability Company
Agreement.
|
|
(a)
|
Except
as otherwise provided in this Section 8.1, this Agreement may be amended,
in whole or in part, with: (i) the approval of the Board (including the
vote of a majority of the Independent Directors, if required by the 0000
Xxx) without the Members approval; and (ii) the approval of the Board and
the Members if required by the 1940 Act or as stated below in Section
8.1(b).
|
|
(b)
|
Any
amendment that would:
|
|
(i)
|
increase
the obligation of a Member to make any contribution to the capital of the
Master Portfolio;
|
|
(ii)
|
reduce
the Capital Account of a Member other than in accordance with Article V;
or
|
|
(iii)
|
modify
the events causing the dissolution of the Master
Portfolio;
|
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may be
made only if (i) the written consent of each Member adversely affected
thereby is obtained prior to the effectiveness thereof or (ii) such
amendment does not become effective until (A) each Member has received
written notice of such amendment and (B) any Member objecting to such
amendment has been afforded a reasonable opportunity (pursuant to such
procedures as may be prescribed by the Board) to tender its entire Interest for
repurchase by the Master Portfolio.
|
(c)
|
The
power of the Board to amend this Agreement at any time without the consent
of the other Members as set forth in paragraph (a) of this Section 8.1
shall specifically include the power
to:
|
|
(i)
|
restate
this Agreement together with any amendments hereto that have been duly
adopted in accordance herewith to incorporate such amendments in a single,
integrated document;
|
|
(ii)
|
amend
this Agreement (other than with respect to the matters set forth in
Section 8.1(b) hereof) to effect compliance with any applicable law or
regulation or to cure any ambiguity or to correct or supplement any
provision hereof that may be inconsistent with any other provision hereof;
and
|
|
(iii)
|
amend
this Agreement to make such changes as may be necessary or advisable to
ensure that the Master Portfolio will not be treated as an association or
a publicly traded partnership taxable as a corporation as defined in
Section 7704(b) of the Code for U.S. federal income tax
purposes.
|
|
(d)
|
The
Board shall cause written notice to be given of any amendment to this
Agreement to each Member, which notice shall set forth (i) the text of the
proposed amendment or (ii) a summary thereof and a statement that the text
of the amendment thereof will be furnished to any Member upon
request.
|
Section
8.2.
|
Special
Power of Attorney.
|
|
(a)
|
Each
Member hereby irrevocably makes, constitutes and appoints each Director,
acting severally, and any liquidator of the Master Portfolio’s assets
appointed pursuant to Section 6.2 hereof with full power of substitution,
the true and lawful representatives and attorneys-in-fact of, and in the
name, place and stead of, such Member, with the power from time to time to
make, execute, sign, acknowledge, swear to, verify, deliver, record, file
and/or publish:
|
|
(i)
|
any
amendment to this Agreement that complies with the provisions of this
Agreement (including the provisions of Section 8.1
hereof);
|
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|
(ii)
|
any
amendment to the Certificate required because this Agreement is amended,
including, without limitation, an amendment to effectuate any change in
the membership of the Master Portfolio;
and
|
|
(iii)
|
all
such other instruments, documents and certificates that, in the opinion of
legal counsel to the Master Portfolio, may from time to time be required
by the laws of the United States of America, the State of Delaware or any
other jurisdiction in which the Master Portfolio shall determine to do
business, or any political subdivision or agency thereof, or that such
legal counsel may deem necessary or appropriate to effectuate, implement
and continue the valid existence and business of the Master Portfolio as a
limited liability company under the Delaware
Act.
|
|
(b)
|
Each
Member is aware that the terms of this Agreement permit certain amendments
to this Agreement to be effected and certain other actions to be taken or
omitted by or with respect to the Master Portfolio without such Member’s
consent. If an amendment to the Certificate or this Agreement
or any action by or with respect to the Master Portfolio is taken in the
manner contemplated by this Agreement, each Member agrees that,
notwithstanding any objection that such Member may assert with respect to
such action, the attorneys-in-fact appointed hereby are authorized and
empowered, with full power of substitution, to exercise the authority
granted above in any manner that may be necessary or appropriate to permit
such amendment to be made or action lawfully taken or
omitted. Each Member is fully aware that each Member will rely
on the effectiveness of this special power-of-attorney with a view to the
orderly administration of the affairs of the Master
Portfolio.
|
|
(c)
|
This
power-of-attorney is a special power-of-attorney and is coupled with an
interest in favor of each of the Directors and as
such:
|
|
(i)
|
shall
be irrevocable and continue in full force and effect notwithstanding the
subsequent death or incapacity of any party granting this
power-of-attorney, regardless of whether the Master Portfolio or Board
shall have had notice thereof; and
|
|
(ii)
|
shall
survive the delivery of a Transfer by a Member of the whole or any portion
of such Member’s Interest, except that where the transferee thereof has
been approved by the Board for admission to the Master Portfolio as a
substituted Member or upon the withdrawal of a Member from the Master
Portfolio pursuant to a periodic tender, this power-of-attorney given by
the transferor shall survive the delivery of such assignment or withdrawal
for the sole purpose of enabling the Board to execute, acknowledge and
file any instrument necessary to effect such substitution or
withdrawal.
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Section
8.3.
|
Notices.
|
Notices
that may or are required to be provided under this Agreement shall be made, if
to a Member, by regular mail, or if to the Board or the Manager, by hand
delivery, registered or certified mail return receipt requested, commercial
courier service, telex or telecopier, and shall be addressed to the respective
parties hereto at their addresses as set forth in the books and records of the
Master Portfolio. Notices shall be deemed to have been provided, when
delivered by hand, on the date indicated as the date of receipt on a return
receipt or when received if sent by regular mail, commercial courier service,
telex or telecopier. A document that is not a notice and that is
required to be provided under this Agreement by any party to another party may
be delivered by any reasonable means.
Section
8.4.
|
Agreement
Binding Upon Successors and
Assigns.
|
This
Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto
and their respective heirs, successors, assigns, executors, trustees or other
legal representatives, but the rights and obligations of the parties hereunder
may not be Transferred or delegated except as provided in this Agreement and any
attempted Transfer or delegation thereof that is not made pursuant to the terms
of this Agreement shall be void.
Section
8.5.
|
Applicability
of 1940 Act and Form N-2.
|
The
parties hereto acknowledge that this Agreement is not intended to, and does not,
set forth the substantive provisions contained in the 1940 Act and the Form N-2
that affect numerous aspects of the conduct of the Master Portfolio’s business
and of the rights, privileges and obligations of the Members. Each
provision of this Agreement shall be subject to, and interpreted in a manner
consistent with the applicable provisions of, the 1940 Act and the Form
N-2.
Section
8.6.
|
Choice
of Law; Arbitration.
|
|
(a)
|
Notwithstanding
the place where this Agreement may be executed by any of the parties
hereto, the parties expressly agree that all the terms and provisions
hereof shall be construed under the laws of the State of Delaware,
including the Delaware Act without regard to the conflict of law
principles of such State.
|
|
(b)
|
To
the extent such action is consistent with the provisions of the 1940 Act
and any other applicable law, except as provided in Section 8.11(b) of
this Agreement, each Member agrees to submit all controversies arising
between or among Members or one or more Members and the Master Portfolio
in connection with the Master Portfolio or its businesses or concerning
any transaction, dispute or the construction, performance or breach of
this Agreement or any other agreement relating to the Master Portfolio,
whether entered into prior to, on or subsequent to the date of this
Agreement, to arbitration in accordance with the provisions set out in
this Section 8.6. EACH MEMBER UNDERSTANDS THAT ARBITRATION IS
FINAL AND BINDING ON THE MEMBERS AND THAT THE MEMBERS IN EXECUTING THIS
AGREEMENT ARE WAIVING THEIR RIGHTS TO SEEK REMEDIES IN COURT, INCLUDING
THE RIGHT TO JURY TRIAL.
|
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|
(c)
|
Controversies
will be finally settled by, and only by, arbitration in accordance with
the commercial arbitration rules of the American Arbitration Association
(the “AAA”) to the fullest extent permitted by law. The place
of arbitration will be New York, New York. Any
arbitration under this Section 8.6 will be conducted before a panel of
three arbitrators. The Member or Members initiating arbitration
under this Section 8.6 will appoint one arbitrator in the demand for
arbitration. The Member or Members against whom or which
arbitration is sought will jointly appoint one arbitrator within 30
business days after notice from the AAA of the filing of the demand for
arbitration. The two arbitrators nominated by the Members will
attempt to agree on a third arbitrator within 30 business days of the
appointment of the second arbitrator. If the two arbitrators
fail to agree on the third arbitrator within the 30-day period, then the
AAA will appoint the third arbitrator within 30 business days following
the expiration of the 30-day period. Any award rendered by the
arbitrators will be final and binding on the Members, and judgment upon
the award may be entered in the supreme court of the state of New York
and/or the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, or
any other court having jurisdiction over the award or having jurisdiction
over the Members or their assets. The arbitration agreement
contained in this Section 8.6 will not be construed to deprive any court
of its jurisdiction to grant provisional relief (including by injunction
or order of attachment) in aid of arbitration proceedings or enforcement
of an award. In the event of arbitration as provided in this
Section 8.6, the arbitrators will be governed by and will apply the
substantive (but not procedural) law of Delaware, to the exclusion of the
principles of the conflicts of law of Delaware. The arbitration
will be conducted in accordance with the procedures set out in the
commercial arbitration rules of the AAA. If those rules are
silent with respect to a particular matter, the procedure will be as
agreed by the Members, or in the absence of agreement among or between the
Members, as established by the arbitrators. Notwithstanding any
other provision of this Agreement, this Section 8.6(c) will be construed
to the maximum extent possible to comply with the laws of the State of
Delaware, including the Uniform Arbitration Act (10 Del. C. (S) 5701 et
seq.) (the “Delaware Arbitration Act”). If, nevertheless, it is
determined by a court of competent jurisdiction that any provision or
wording of this Section 8.6(c), including any rules of the AAA, are
invalid or unenforceable under the Delaware Arbitration Act or other
applicable law, such invalidity will not invalidate all of this Section
8.6(c). In that case, this Section 8.6(c) will be construed so
as to limit any term or provision so as to make it valid or enforceable
within the requirements of the Delaware Arbitration Act or other
applicable law, and, in the event such term or provision cannot be so
limited, this Section 8.6(c) will be construed to omit such invalid or
unenforceable provision.
|
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Section
8.7.
|
Not
for Benefit of Creditors.
|
The
provisions of this Agreement are intended only for the regulation of relations
among past, present and future Members, Directors, the Manager and the Master
Portfolio. This Agreement is not intended for the benefit of
non-member creditors and no rights are granted to non-Member creditors under
this Agreement.
Section
8.8.
|
Consents.
|
Any and
all consents, agreements or approvals provided for or permitted by this
Agreement (including minutes of any meeting) shall be in writing and a signed
copy thereof shall be filed and kept with the books of the Master
Portfolio.
Section
8.9.
|
Merger
and Consolidation.
|
|
(a)
|
The
Master Portfolio may merge or consolidate with or into one or more limited
liability companies formed under the Delaware Act or other business
entities pursuant to an agreement of merger or consolidation or may sell,
lease or exchange all or substantially all of the Master Portfolio
property, including its good will, upon such terms and conditions and for
such consideration when and as authorized by the Board. Unless otherwise
required by applicable law, the Board alone may approve, and Member
approval shall not be required for, any merger or consolidation of the
Master Portfolio or any sale, lease or exchange of Master Portfolio
property, if such action would not have the effect of (i) increasing the
obligation of a Member to make any contribution to the capital of the
Master Portfolio, (ii) reducing the Capital Account of a Member other than
in accordance with Article V hereof, or (iii) modifying the events causing
the dissolution of the Master
Portfolio.
|
|
(b)
|
Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained elsewhere in this Agreement, an
agreement of merger or consolidation approved by the Board, to the extent
permitted by Section 18-209(f) of the Delaware Act, may (i) effect any
amendment to this Agreement, (ii) effect the adoption of a new limited
liability company agreement for the Master Portfolio if it is the
surviving or resulting limited liability company in the merger or
consolidation, or (iii) provide that the limited liability company
agreement of any other constituent limited liability company to the merger
or consolidation (including a limited liability company formed for the
purpose of consummating the merger or consolidation) shall be the limited
liability company agreement of the surviving or resulting limited
liability company.
|
-36-
Section
8.10.
|
Pronouns.
|
All
pronouns shall be deemed to refer to the masculine, feminine, neuter, singular
or plural, as the identity of the person or persons, firm or corporation may
require in the context thereof.
Section
8.11.
|
Confidentiality.
|
|
(a)
|
A
Member may obtain from the Master Portfolio such information regarding the
affairs of the Master Portfolio as is just and reasonable under the
Delaware Act, subject to reasonable standards (including standards
governing what information and documents are to be furnished, at what time
and location and at whose expense) established by the
Board.
|
|
(b)
|
Each
Member covenants that, except as required by applicable law or any
regulatory body, it will not divulge, furnish or make accessible to any
other person the name and/or address (whether business, residence or
mailing) of any Member (collectively, “Confidential Information”) without
the prior written consent of the Board, which consent may be withheld in
its sole discretion.
|
|
(c)
|
Each
Member recognizes that in the event that this Section 8.11 is breached by
any Member or any of its principals, partners, members, directors,
officers, employees or agents or any of its affiliates, including any of
such affiliates’ principals, partners, members, directors, officers,
employees or agents, irreparable injury may result to the non-breaching
Members and the Master Portfolio. Accordingly, in addition to
any and all other remedies at law or in equity to which the non-breaching
Members and the Master Portfolio may be entitled, such Members shall also
have the right to obtain equitable relief, including, without limitation,
injunctive relief, to prevent any disclosure of Confidential Information,
plus reasonable attorneys’ fees and other litigation expenses incurred in
connection therewith. In the event that any non-breaching
Member or the Master Portfolio determines that any of the other Members or
any of its principals, partners, members, directors, officers, employees
or agents or any of its affiliates, including any of such affiliates’
principals, partners, members, directors, officers, employees or agents
should be enjoined from or required to take any action to prevent the
disclosure of Confidential Information, each of the other non-breaching
Members agrees to pursue in a court of appropriate jurisdiction such
injunctive relief.
|
Section
8.12.
|
Severability.
|
If any
provision of this Agreement is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction
not to be enforceable in the manner set forth in this Agreement, each Member
agrees that it is the intention of the Members that such provision should be
enforceable to the maximum extent possible under applicable law. If
any provisions of this Agreement are held to be invalid or unenforceable, such
invalidation or unenforceability shall not affect the validity or enforceability
of any other provision of this Agreement (or portion thereof).
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Section
8.13.
|
Filing
of Returns.
|
The Board
or its designated agent shall prepare and file, or cause the accountants of the
Master Portfolio to prepare and file, a U.S. federal information tax return in
compliance with Section 6031 of the Code and any required state and local
income tax and information returns for each Taxable Year of the Master
Portfolio.
Section
8.14.
|
Tax
Matters Partner.
|
|
(a)
|
The
Manager shall be designated on the Master Portfolio’s annual federal
income tax return, and have full powers and responsibilities, as the Tax
Matters Partner of the Master Portfolio for purposes of Section 6231(a)(7)
of the Code. In the event the Manager cannot act as Tax Matters
Partner, another Member shall be so designated. Should any
Member other than the Manager be designated as the Tax Matters Partner for
the Master Portfolio pursuant to Section 6231(a)(7) of the Code, it shall,
and each Member hereby does, to the fullest extent permitted by law,
delegate to the Manager all of its rights, powers and authority to act as
such Tax Matters Partner and hereby constitutes and appoints the Manager
as its true and lawful attorney-in-fact, with power to act in its name and
on its behalf, including the power to act through such agents or attorneys
as it shall elect or appoint, to receive notices, to make, execute and
deliver, swear to, acknowledge and file any and all reports, responses and
notices, and to do any and all things required or advisable, in the
Manager’s judgment, to be done by such a Tax Matters
Partner. Any Member designated as the Tax Matters Partner for
the Master Portfolio under Section 6231(a)(7) of the Code shall be
indemnified and held harmless by the Master Portfolio from any and all
liabilities and obligations that arise from or by reason of such
designation.
|
|
(b)
|
Each
person (for purposes of this Section 8.14(b), called a “Pass-Thru
Partner”) that holds or controls an interest as a Member on behalf of, or
for the benefit of, another person or persons, or which Pass-Thru Partner
is beneficially owned (directly or indirectly) by another person or
persons, shall, within 30 days following receipt from the Tax Matters
Partner of any notice, demand, request for information or similar
document, convey such notice or other document in writing to all holders
of beneficial interests in the Master Portfolio holding such interests
through such Pass-Thru Partner. In the event the Master
Portfolio shall be the subject of an income tax audit by any federal,
state or local authority, to the extent the Master Portfolio is treated as
an entity for purposes of such audit, including administrative settlement
and judicial review, the Tax Matters Partner shall be authorized to act
for, and its decision shall be final and binding upon, the Master
Portfolio and each Member thereof. All expenses incurred by the
Master Portfolio or the Tax Matters Partner in connection with any such
audit, investigation, settlement or review shall be borne by the Master
Portfolio.
|
-38-
Section
8.15.
|
Section 754
Election; Mandatory Basis Adjustments; Partner
Information.
|
|
(a)
|
In
the event of a distribution of Master Portfolio property to a Member or an
assignment or other Transfer of all or part of the Interest of a Member in
the Master Portfolio, at the request of a Member, the Manager, in its
discretion, may cause the Master Portfolio to elect, pursuant to Section
754 of the Code, or the corresponding provision of subsequent law, to
adjust the basis of the Master Portfolio property as provided by Sections
734 and 743 of the Code.
|
|
(b)
|
In
connection with a repurchase of a Member’s Interest or a distribution to a
Member, such Member shall, at the request of the Manager, provide the
Master Portfolio with any information necessary to enable the Manager to
determine the adjusted U.S. federal income tax basis of such Member’s
Interest immediately prior to such repurchase or
distribution. Each Member agrees to provide to the Master
Portfolio any other information as may be required for the Master
Portfolio to comply with any tax accounting and reporting
obligations.
|
|
(c)
|
In
connection with any Transfer of an Interest, the transferee shall provide
the Master Portfolio, within 30 days after such Transfer, with the written
notice described in Section 3 of Notice 2005-32, 2005-16 I.R.B. 895 (or
any successor regulation or administrative
pronouncement).
|
[Signature
Page to Follow]
-39-
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the
parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the day and year first above
written.
MANAGER:
|
||
GENSPRING
FAMILY OFFICES, LLC
|
||
By:
|
||
Name:
|
||
Title:
|
MEMBERS:
GROWTH
CAPITAL PORTFOLIO, LLC
By:
GenSpring Family Offices, LLC
By:
|
||
Name:
|
||
Title:
|
GROWTH
CAPITAL CAYMAN PORTFOLIO LDC
By:
Growth Capital TEI Portfolio, LLC
By:
|
||
Name:
|
||
Title:
|
-40-