Exhibit 10.1
MONOLITHIC SYSTEM TECHNOLOGY, INC.
FORM
OF
INDEMNITY AGREEMENT
This Indemnification Agreement (the "AGREEMENT") is made as of ______
___, 2000, by and between Monolithic System Technology, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the "COMPANY"), and ______________ ("INDEMNITEE").
RECITALS
The Company and Indemnitee recognize the increasing difficulty in
obtaining liability insurance for directors, officers and key employees, the
significant increases in the cost of such insurance and the general reductions
in the coverage of such insurance. The Company and Indemnitee further recognize
the substantial increase in corporate litigation in general, subjecting
directors, officers and key employees to expensive litigation risks at the same
time as the availability and coverage of liability insurance has been severely
limited. Indemnitee does not regard the current protection available as adequate
under the present circumstances, and Indemnitee and agents of the Company may
not be willing to continue to serve as agents of the Company without additional
protection. The Company desires to attract and retain the services of highly
qualified individuals, such as Indemnitee, and to indemnify its directors,
officers and key employees so as to provide them with the maximum protection
permitted by law.
AGREEMENT
In consideration of the mutual promises made in this Agreement, and for
other good and valuable consideration, receipt of which is hereby acknowledged,
the Company and Indemnitee hereby agree as follows:
1. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS; CONSTRUCTION OF PHRASES.
(a) "Change in Control" shall mean, and shall be deemed to
have occurred if, on or after the date of this Agreement, (i) any "person" (as
such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended), other than a trustee or other fiduciary holding securities
under an employee benefit plan of the Company acting in such capacity or a
corporation owned directly or indirectly by the stockholders of the Company in
substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company,
becomes the "beneficial owner" (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under said Act),
directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing more than 50%
of the total voting power represented by the then outstanding securities of the
Company that vote generally at elections ("VOTING SECURITIES"), (ii) during any
period of two consecutive years, individuals who at the beginning of such period
constitute the Board of Directors of the Company and any new director whose
election by the Board of Directors or nomination for election by the Company's
stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the
directors then still in office who either were directors at the beginning of the
period or whose election or
nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for any reason to
constitute a majority thereof, or (iii) the stockholders of the Company approve
a merger or consolidation of the Company with any other corporation other than a
merger or consolidation which would result in the Voting Securities of the
Company outstanding immediately prior thereto continuing to represent (either by
remaining outstanding or by being converted into Voting Securities of the
surviving entity) at least 80% of the total voting power represented by the
Voting Securities of the Company or such surviving entity outstanding
immediately after such merger or consolidation, or the stockholders of the
Company approve a plan of complete liquidation of the Company or an agreement
for the sale or disposition by the Company of (in one transaction or a series of
related transactions) all or substantially all of the Company's assets.
(b) References to the "Company" shall include, in addition to
the Company, any constituent corporation (including any constituent of a
constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger to which the Company (or any
of its wholly owned subsidiaries) is a party which, if its separate existence
had continued, would have had power and authority to indemnify its directors,
officers, employees, agents or fiduciaries, so that if Indemnitee is or was a
director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of such constituent corporation,
or is or was serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a
director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of another corporation,
partnership, joint venture, employee benefit plan, trust or other enterprise,
Indemnitee shall stand in the same position under the provisions of this
Agreement with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as Indemnitee
would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its separate
existence had continued.
(c) "Independent Legal Counsel" shall mean an attorney or firm
of attorneys, selected in accordance with the provisions of Section 2(d) hereof,
who shall not have otherwise performed services for the Company or Indemnitee
within the last three years (other than with respect to matters concerning the
rights of Indemnitee under this Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar
indemnity agreements).
(d) For purposes of this Agreement, references to "other
enterprises" shall include employee benefit plans; references to "fines" shall
include any excise taxes assessed on Indemnitee with respect to an employee
benefit plan; and references to "serving at the request of the Company" shall
include any service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company
which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer,
employee or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants, or
beneficiaries; and if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee
reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries
of an employee benefit plan, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in a
manner "not opposed to the best interests of the Company" as referred to in this
Agreement.
(e) "Reviewing Party" shall mean a majority of the Company's
Board of Directors who are not parties to the particular Claim (even if less
than a quorum) for which Indemnitee is seeking indemnification, or Independent
Legal Counsel.
2. INDEMNIFICATION.
(a) THIRD PARTY PROCEEDINGS. The Company shall indemnify
Indemnitee if Indemnitee is or was a party or is threatened to be made a party
to any threatened, pending or
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completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or
investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the Company) by reason
of the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of
the Company, or any subsidiary of the Company, by reason of any action or
inaction on the part of Indemnitee while an officer or director or by reason of
the fact that Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a
director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint
venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys'
fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement (if such settlement is
approved in advance by the Company, which approval shall not be unreasonably
withheld) and other amounts actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in
connection with such action, suit or proceeding if Indemnitee acted in good
faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to
the best interests of the Company, and, with respect to any criminal action or
proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe Indemnitee's conduct was
unlawful. The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order,
settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent
shall not, of itself, create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good
faith and in a manner which Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not
opposed to the best interests of the Company, or, with respect to any criminal
action or proceeding, that Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that
Indemnitee's conduct was unlawful.
(b) PROCEEDINGS BY OR IN THE RIGHT OF THE COMPANY. The Company
shall indemnify Indemnitee if Indemnitee was or is a party or is threatened to
be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in
the right of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company to procure a judgment
in its favor by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director,
officer, employee or agent of the Company, or any subsidiary of the Company, by
reason of any action or inaction on the part of Indemnitee while an officer or
director or by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was serving at the
request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of another
corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against
expenses (including attorneys' fees) and, to the fullest extent permitted by
law, amounts paid in settlement (if such settlement is approved in advance by
the Company, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld), in each case to
the extent actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the
defense or settlement of such action or suit if Indemnitee acted in good faith
and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the
best interests of the Company and its stockholders. Termination of any action,
suit or proceeding by judgment or settlement shall not, of itself, create a
presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner which
Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interest of
the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no indemnification under this
Section 2(b) shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which
Indemnitee shall have been finally adjudicated by court order or judgment to be
liable to the Company in the performance of Indemnitee's duty to the Company and
its stockholders unless and only to the extent that the court in which such
action or proceeding is or was pending shall determine upon application that, in
view of all the circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably
entitled to indemnity for such expenses which such court shall determine.
(c) REVIEW OF INDEMNIFICATION. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
(i) the obligations of the Company under Sections 2(a) and 2(b) (unless ordered
by a court) shall be subject to the condition that the Reviewing Party shall
authorize (in a written opinion, in any case in which the Independent Legal
Counsel referred to in Section 2(d) hereof is involved) indemnification in the
specific case, upon a determination that indemnification of Indemnitee is proper
in the circumstances
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because Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in
Sections 2(a) and 2(b), (ii) the obligation of the Company to make an advance of
expenses pursuant to Section 4(a) shall be subject to the condition that, if,
when and to the extent that the Reviewing Party determines that Indemnitee would
not be permitted to be so indemnified under applicable law, the Company shall be
entitled to be reimbursed by Indemnitee (who hereby agrees to reimburse the
Company) for all such amounts theretofore paid; provided, however, that if
Indemnitee has commenced or thereafter commences legal proceedings in a court of
competent jurisdiction to secure a determination that Indemnitee should be
indemnified under applicable law, any determination made by the Reviewing Party
that Indemnitee would not be permitted to be indemnified under applicable law
shall not be binding and Indemnitee shall not be required to reimburse the
Company for any advance of expenses until a final judicial determination is made
with respect thereto (as to which all rights of appeal therefrom have been
exhausted or lapsed). Indemnitee's obligation to reimburse the Company for any
advance of expenses shall be unsecured and no interest shall be charged thereon.
If there has not been a Change in Control, the Reviewing Party shall be selected
by the Board of Directors, and if there has been such a Change in Control (other
than a Change in Control which has been approved by a majority of the Company's
Board of Directors who were directors immediately prior to such Change in
Control), the Reviewing Party shall be the Independent Legal Counsel. If there
has been no determination by the Reviewing Party or if the Reviewing Party
determines that Indemnitee substantively would not be permitted to be
indemnified in whole or in part under applicable law, Indemnitee shall have the
right to commence litigation seeking an initial determination by the court or
challenging any such determination by the Reviewing Party or any aspect thereof,
including the legal or factual bases therefor, and the Company hereby consents
to service of process and to appear in any such proceeding. Absent such
litigation, any determination by the Reviewing Party shall be conclusive and
binding on the Company and Indemnitee.
(d) CHANGE IN CONTROL. The Company agrees that if there is a
Change in Control of the Company (other than a Change in Control which has been
approved by a majority of the Company's Board of Directors who were directors
immediately prior to such Change in Control), then, with respect to all matters
arising prior to the Change in Control, the rights of Indemnitee to payments of
expenses and advances of expenses under this Agreement or any other agreement or
under the Company's Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws as now or hereafter
in effect, Independent Legal Counsel, if desired by Indemnitee, shall be
selected by Indemnitee and approved by the Company (which approval shall not be
unreasonably withheld). Such counsel, among other things, shall render its
written opinion to the Company and Indemnitee as to whether and to what extent
Indemnitee would be permitted to be indemnified under applicable law and the
Company agrees to abide by such opinion. The Company agrees to pay the
reasonable fees of the Independent Legal Counsel referred to above and to
indemnify fully such counsel against any and all expenses (including attorneys'
fees), claims, liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to this
Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto. Notwithstanding any other provision
of this Agreement, the Company shall not be required to pay expenses of more
than one Independent Legal Counsel in connection with all matters concerning a
single Indemnitee, and such Independent Legal Counsel shall be the Independent
Legal Counsel for any or all other Indemnitees unless (i) the Company otherwise
determines or (ii) any Indemnitee shall provide a written statement setting
forth in detail a reasonable objection to such Independent Legal Counsel
representing other Indemnitees.
(e) MANDATORY PAYMENT OF EXPENSES. Notwithstanding the other
provisions of this Section 2, to the extent that Indemnitee has been successful
on the merits or otherwise in defense of
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any action, suit or proceeding referred to in Section 2(a) or Section 2(b) or
the defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, Indemnitee shall be
indemnified against expenses (including attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably
incurred by Indemnitee in connection therewith.
3. NO EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS. Nothing contained in this Agreement is
intended to create in Indemnitee any right to continued employment.
4. EXPENSES; INDEMNIFICATION PROCEDURE.
(a) ADVANCEMENT OF EXPENSES. Except as otherwise determined
pursuant to Section 2(c), the Company shall advance all expenses incurred by
Indemnitee in connection with the investigation, defense, settlement or appeal
of any civil or criminal action, suit or proceeding referred to in Section 2(a)
or Section 2(b) (including amounts actually paid in settlement of any such
action, suit or proceeding). Indemnitee hereby undertakes to repay such amounts
advanced only if, and to the extent that, it shall ultimately be determined that
Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company as authorized
hereby.
(b) NOTICE/COOPERATION BY INDEMNITEE. Indemnitee shall, as a
condition precedent to his or her right to be indemnified under this Agreement,
give the Company notice in writing as soon as practicable of any claim made
against Indemnitee for which indemnification will or could be sought under this
Agreement. Notice to the Company shall be directed to the Chief Executive
Officer of the Company and shall be given in accordance with the provisions of
Section 12(d) below. In addition, Indemnitee shall give the Company such
information and cooperation as it may reasonably require and as shall be within
Indemnitee's power.
(c) PROCEDURE. If a claim under this Agreement, under any
statute, or under any provision of the Company's Certificate of Incorporation or
Bylaws providing for indemnification, is not paid in full by the Company within
thirty (30) days after a written request for payment thereof has first been
received by the Company, Indemnitee may, but need not, at any time thereafter
bring an action against the Company to recover the unpaid amount of the claim
and, subject to Section 11 of this Agreement, Indemnitee shall also be entitled
to be paid for the expenses (including attorneys' fees) of bringing such action.
It shall be a defense to any such action (other than an action brought to
enforce a claim for expenses incurred in connection with any action, suit or
proceeding in advance of its final disposition) that Indemnitee has not met the
standards of conduct which make it permissible under applicable law for the
Company to indemnify Indemnitee for the amount claimed. It is the parties'
intention that, if the Company contests Indemnitee's right to indemnification,
the question of Indemnitee's right to indemnification shall be for the court to
decide, and neither the failure of the Company (including its Board of
Directors, any committee or subgroup of the Board of Directors, independent
legal counsel, or its stockholders) to have made a determination that
indemnification of Indemnitee is proper in the circumstances because Indemnitee
has met the applicable standard of conduct required by applicable law, nor an
actual determination by the Company (including its Board of Directors, any
committee or subgroup of the Board of Directors, independent legal counsel, or
its stockholders) that Indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of
conduct, shall create a presumption that Indemnitee has or has not met the
applicable standard of conduct.
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(d) NOTICE OF INSURERS. If, at the time of the receipt of a
notice of a claim pursuant to Section 4(b) hereof, the Company has director and
officer liability insurance in effect, the Company shall give prompt notice of
the commencement of such proceeding to the insurers in accordance with the
procedures set forth in the respective policies. The Company shall thereafter
take all necessary or desirable action to cause such insurers to pay all amounts
payable as a result of such proceeding in accordance with the terms of such
policies.
(e) SELECTION OF COUNSEL. In the event the Company shall be
obligated under Section 4(a) hereof to pay the expenses of any proceeding
against Indemnitee, the Company shall be entitled to assume the defense of such
proceeding, with counsel reasonably acceptable to Indemnitee, upon the delivery
to Indemnitee of written notice of its election so to do. After delivery of such
notice, approval of such counsel by Indemnitee and the retention of such counsel
by the Company, the Company will not be liable to Indemnitee under this
Agreement for any fees of other counsel subsequently incurred by Indemnitee with
respect to the same proceeding, provided that Indemnitee shall have the right to
employ additional counsel in any such proceeding at Company's expense if: (i)
the employment of counsel by Indemnitee has been previously authorized by the
Company, (ii) Indemnitee shall have reasonably concluded that there is a
conflict of interest between the Company and Indemnitee in the conduct of any
such defense or (iii) the Company shall not, in fact, have employed counsel to
assume the defense of such proceeding.
5. ADDITIONAL INDEMNIFICATION RIGHTS; NONEXCLUSIVITY.
(a) SCOPE. Notwithstanding any other provision of this
Agreement, the Company hereby agrees to indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest
extent permitted by law, notwithstanding that such indemnification is not
specifically authorized by the other provisions of this Agreement, the Company's
Certificate of Incorporation, the Company's Bylaws or by statute. In the event
of any change, after the date of this Agreement, in any applicable law, statute,
or rule which expands the right of a Delaware corporation to indemnify a member
of its board of directors or an officer, such changes shall be deemed to be
within the purview of Indemnitee's rights and the Company's obligations under
this Agreement. In the event of any change in any applicable law, statute or
rule which narrows the right of a Delaware corporation to indemnify a member of
its board of directors or an officer, such changes, to the extent not otherwise
required by such law, statute or rule to be applied to this Agreement shall have
no effect on this Agreement or the parties' rights and obligations hereunder.
(b) NONEXCLUSIVITY. The indemnification provided by this
Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any additional rights to
indemnification to which Indemnitee may be entitled under the Company's
Certificate of Incorporation, its Bylaws, any agreement, any vote of
stockholders or disinterested members of the Company's Board of Directors, the
General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, or otherwise, both as to
action in Indemnitee's official capacity and as to action in another capacity
while holding such office. The indemnification provided under this Agreement
shall continue as to Indemnitee for any action taken or not taken while serving
in an indemnified capacity even though he or she may have ceased to serve in any
such capacity at the time of any action, suit or other covered proceeding.
6. PARTIAL INDEMNIFICATION. If Indemnitee is entitled under any
provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for some or a
portion of the expenses, judgments,
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fines or penalties actually or reasonably incurred in the investigation,
defense, appeal or settlement of any civil or criminal action, suit or
proceeding, but not, however, for the total amount thereof, the Company shall
nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee for the portion of such expenses, judgments,
fines or penalties to which Indemnitee is entitled.
7. MUTUAL ACKNOWLEDGMENT. Both the Company and Indemnitee
acknowledge that in certain instances, federal law or public policy may
override applicable state law and prohibit the Company from indemnifying its
directors and officers under this Agreement or otherwise. For example, the
Company and Indemnitee acknowledge that the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "SEC") has taken the position that indemnification is not
permissible for liabilities arising under certain federal securities laws,
and federal legislation prohibits indemnification for certain ERISA
violations. Indemnitee understands and acknowledges that the Company has
undertaken or may be required in the future to undertake with the SEC to
submit the question of indemnification to a court in certain circumstances
for a determination of the Company's right under public policy to indemnify
Indemnitee.
8. SEVERABILITY. Nothing in this Agreement is intended to
require or shall be construed as requiring the Company to do or fail to do
any act in violation of applicable law. The Company's inability, pursuant to
court order, to perform its obligations under this Agreement shall not
constitute a breach of this Agreement. The provisions of this Agreement shall
be severable as provided in this Section 9. If this Agreement or any portion
hereof shall be invalidated on any ground by any court of competent
jurisdiction, then the Company shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee to the
full extent permitted by any applicable portion of this Agreement that shall
not have been invalidated, and the balance of this Agreement not so
invalidated shall be enforceable in accordance with its terms.
9. EXCEPTIONS. Any other provision herein to the contrary
notwithstanding, the Company shall not be obligated pursuant to the terms of
this Agreement:
(a) CLAIMS INITIATED BY INDEMNITEE. To indemnify or advance
expenses to Indemnitee with respect to proceedings or claims initiated or
brought voluntarily by Indemnitee and not by way of defense, except with respect
to proceedings brought to establish or enforce a right to indemnification under
this Agreement or any other statute or law, but such indemnification or
advancement of expenses may be provided by the Company in specific cases if the
Board of Directors finds it to be appropriate;
(b) LACK OF GOOD FAITH. To indemnify Indemnitee for any
expenses incurred by Indemnitee with respect to any proceeding instituted by
Indemnitee to enforce or interpret this Agreement, if a court of competent
jurisdiction determines that each of the material assertions made by Indemnitee
in such proceeding was not made in good faith or was frivolous;
(c) INSURED CLAIMS. To indemnify Indemnitee for expenses or
liabilities of any type whatsoever (including, but not limited to, judgments,
fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties, and amounts paid in settlement) to the
extent such expenses or liabilities have been paid directly to Indemnitee by an
insurance carrier under a policy of officers' and directors' liability insurance
maintained by the Company; or
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(d) CLAIMS UNDER SECTION 16(b). To indemnify Indemnitee for
expenses or the payment of profits arising from the purchase and sale by
Indemnitee of securities in violation of Section 16(b) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any similar successor statute.
10. ATTORNEYS' FEES. In the event that any action is instituted by
either Indemnitee or by or in the name of the Company under this Agreement, the
prevailing party shall be entitled to such party's costs of suit and reasonable
attorneys' fees, which shall be payable whether or not such action or proceeding
is prosecuted to judgment.
11. MISCELLANEOUS.
(a) GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement and all acts and
transactions pursuant hereto and the rights and obligations of the parties
hereto shall be governed, construed and interpreted in accordance with the laws
of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to principles of conflict of
law.
(b) ENTIRE AGREEMENT; ENFORCEMENT OF RIGHTS. This Agreement
sets forth the entire agreement and understanding of the parties relating to the
subject matter herein and merges all prior discussions between them. No
modification of or amendment to this Agreement, nor any waiver of any rights
under this Agreement, shall be effective unless in writing signed by the parties
to this Agreement. The failure by either party to enforce any rights under this
Agreement shall not be construed as a waiver of any rights of such party.
(c) CONSTRUCTION. This Agreement is the result of negotiations
between and has been reviewed by each of the parties hereto and their respective
counsel, if any; accordingly, this Agreement shall be deemed to be the product
of all of the parties hereto, and no ambiguity shall be construed in favor of or
against any one of the parties hereto.
(d) NOTICES. Any notice, demand or request required or
permitted to be given under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be
deemed sufficient when delivered personally or sent by confirmed facsimile or
twenty-four (24) hours after being deposited with a nationally recognized
overnight courier or forty-eight (48) hours after being deposited in the U.S.
mail, as certified or registered mail, with postage prepaid, and addressed to
the party to be notified at such party's address or facsimile number as set
forth below or as subsequently modified by written notice.
(e) COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in two or
more counterparts, and delivery of a signed counterpart by facsimile
transmission will constitute due execution and delivery of this Agreement.
(f) SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS. This Agreement shall be binding
upon the Company and its successors and assigns, and inure to the benefit of
Indemnitee and Indemnitee's heirs and legal representatives.
(g) SUBROGATION. In the event of payment under this Agreement,
the Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the
rights of recovery of Indemnitee, who shall execute all documents required and
shall do all acts that may be necessary to secure such rights and to enable the
Company to effectively bring suit to enforce such rights.
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The parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the day and year
set forth on the first page of this Agreement.
MONOLOTHIC SYSTEM TECHNOLOGY, INC.
A Delaware Corporation
By:
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Title:
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Address: 0000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
AGREED TO AND ACCEPTED:
By:
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Name
Address:
Facsimile Number:
9
