AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER
by
and
among
DB
ACQUISITION, INC.
and
DEBUT
BROADCASTING CORPORATION, INC.
May
17,
2007
ARTICLE IDEFINITIONS |
1
|
|
Section
1.1
|
Definitions |
1
|
|
||
ARTICLE II THE MERGER |
6
|
|
Section
2.1
|
Merger |
6
|
Section
2.2
|
Effective Time |
6
|
Certificate of Incorporation; |
6
|
|
Section
2.4
|
Effects of the Merger |
7
|
Section
2.5
|
Closing |
7
|
Section
2.6
|
Tax-Free Merger |
7
|
|
||
ARTICLE III MERGER CONSIDERATION; CONVERSION AND EXCHANGE OF SECURITIES |
7
|
|
Section
3.1
|
Manner and Basis of Converting and Exchanging Capital Stock |
7
|
Section
3.2
|
Surrender and Exchange of Certificates |
8
|
Section
3.3
|
Options, Warrants |
10
|
Section
3.4
|
Parent Common Stock |
10
|
|
||
ARTICLE IV REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY |
10
|
|
Section
4.1
|
Organization |
10
|
Section
4.2
|
Authorization; Validity of Agreement |
10
|
Section
4.3
|
Capitalization |
11
|
Section
4.4
|
Consents and Approvals; No Violations |
11
|
Section
4.5
|
Financial Statements |
11
|
Section
4.6
|
No Undisclosed Liabilities |
11
|
Section
4.7
|
Litigation |
11
|
Section
4.8
|
No Default; Compliance with Applicable Laws |
12
|
Section
4.9
|
Broker’s and Finder’s Fees |
12
|
Section
4.10
|
Contracts |
12
|
Section
4.11
|
Tax Returns and Audits |
12
|
Section
4.12
|
Patents and Other Intangible Assets |
13
|
Section
4.13
|
Employee Benefit Plans; ERISA |
13
|
Section
4.14
|
Title to Property and Encumbrances |
14
|
Section
4.15
|
Condition of Properties |
14
|
Section
4.16
|
Insurance Coverage |
14
|
Section
4.17
|
Environmental Matters |
15
|
Section
4.18
|
Disclosure |
16
|
|
||
ARTICLE V REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT AND ACQUISITION CORP. |
16
|
|
Section
5.1
|
Organization |
16
|
Section
5.2
|
Authorization; Validity of Agreement. |
16
|
Section
5.3
|
Consents and Approvals; No Violations |
16
|
Section
5.4
|
Litigation |
17
|
Section
5.5
|
No Default; Compliance with Applicable Laws |
17
|
Section
5.6
|
Broker’s and Finder’s Fees; Broker/Dealer Ownership |
17
|
Section
5.7
|
Capitalization of Parent |
17
|
Section
5.8
|
Acquisition Corp |
18
|
Section
5.9
|
Validity of Shares |
18
|
Section
5.10
|
SEC Reporting and Compliance |
18
|
Section
5.11
|
Financial Statements |
19
|
Section
5.12
|
No General Solicitation |
19
|
Section
5.13
|
Absence of Undisclosed Liabilities |
19
|
Section
5.14
|
Changes |
19
|
Section
5.15
|
Tax Returns and Audits |
20
|
Section
5.16
|
Employee Benefit Plans; ERISA |
21
|
Section
5.17
|
Interested Party Transactions |
21
|
Section
5.18
|
Questionable Payments |
21
|
Section
5.19
|
Obligations to or by Stockholders |
22
|
Section
5.20
|
Schedule of Assets and Contracts |
22
|
Section
5.21
|
Environmental Matters |
22
|
Section
5.22
|
Employees |
23
|
Section
5.23
|
Title to Property and Encumbrances |
23
|
Section
5.24
|
Condition of Properties |
24
|
Section
5.25
|
Insurance Coverage |
24
|
Section
5.26
|
Disclosure |
24
|
|
||
ARTICLE VI CONDUCT OF BUSINESSES PENDING THE MERGER |
24
|
|
Section
6.1
|
Conduct of Business by the Company Pending the Merger |
24
|
Section
6.2
|
Conduct of Business by Parent and Acquisition Corp |
25
|
|
||
ARTICLE VII ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS |
26
|
|
Section
7.1
|
Access and Information |
26
|
Section
7.2
|
Additional Agreements |
26
|
Section
7.3
|
Publicity |
27
|
Section
7.4
|
Appointment of Directors |
27
|
Section
7.5
|
Reserved |
|
Section
7.6
|
Spin off of Existing Business Operations |
28
|
Section
7.8
|
Name Changes |
27
|
Section
7.9
|
Stockholder Consent |
27
|
|
||
ARTICLE VIII CONDITIONS OF PARTIES’ OBLIGATIONS |
28
|
|
Section
8.1
|
Company Obligations |
28
|
Section
8.2
|
Parent and Acquisition Corp. Obligations |
29
|
|
||
ARTICLE IX INDEMNIFICATION AND RELATED MATTERS |
31
|
|
Section
9.1
|
Indemnification by Parent |
31
|
Section
9.2
|
Survival |
31
|
Section
9.3
|
Time Limitations |
31
|
Section
9.4
|
Limitation on Liability |
31
|
Section
9.5
|
Notice of Claims |
31
|
|
||
ARTICLE X TERMINATION PRIOR TO CLOSING |
32
|
|
Section
10.1
|
Termination of Agreement |
32
|
|
||
ARTICLE XI MISCELLANEOUS |
33
|
|
Section
11.1
|
Amendments |
33
|
Section
11.2
|
Notices |
33
|
Section
11.3
|
Entire Agreement |
34
|
Section
11.4
|
Expenses |
34
|
Section
11.5
|
Severability |
34
|
Section
11.6
|
Successors and Assigns; Assignment |
34
|
Section
11.7
|
No Third Party Beneficiaries |
34
|
Section
11.8
|
Counterparts; Delivery by Facsimile |
34
|
Section
11.9
|
Waiver |
35
|
Section
11.10
|
No Constructive Waivers |
35
|
Section
11.11
|
Further Assurances |
35
|
Section
11.12
|
Recitals |
35
|
Section
11.13
|
Headings |
35
|
Section
11.14
|
Governing Law |
35
|
Section
11.15
|
Dispute Resolution |
35
|
Section
11.16
|
Interpretation |
36
|
LIST
OF EXHIBITS
Exhibit
|
Description
|
Exhibit
A
|
Certificate
of Incorporation of Surviving Corporation
|
Exhibit
B
|
By-laws
of Surviving Corporation
|
Exhibit
C
|
Directors
of Parent Pre-Effective Time and Post-Effective Time
|
Exhibit
D
|
Notes
to be Converted
|
Exhibit
E
|
List
of Parent Stockholders
|
Exhibit
G
|
Certificate
of Incorporation of Parent
|
Exhibit
H
|
Bylaws
of Parent
|
THIS
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER is entered into as of
May 17,
2007 by and among CALIFORNIA NEWS TECH, a Nevada corporation (“Parent”),
DB
ACQUISITION, INC., a Nevada corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Parent
(“Acquisition
Corp.”),
and
DEBUT BROADCASTING CORPORATION, INC., a Tennessee corporation (the “Company”).
W
I T
N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS,
the respective Boards of Directors of each of Parent, Acquisition Corp. and
the
Company have approved, and deem it advisable and in the best interests of
their
respective stockholders to consummate, the acquisition of the Company by
Parent,
which acquisition is to be effected by the merger of Acquisition Corp. with
and
into the Company, with the Company being the surviving entity (the “Merger”),
upon
the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement (as defined
herein);
WHEREAS,
the parties hereto intend that the Merger
shall
qualify as a reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a)(1)(A) of
the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”),
by
reason of Section 368(a)(2)(E) of the Code; and
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements and covenants hereinafter
set forth, the parties hereto agree as follows:
ARTICLE
I
DEFINITIONS
Section
1.1 Definitions.
Capitalized terms used in this Agreement shall have the following
meanings:
“Acquisition
Corp.”
shall
have the meaning given to such term in the preamble to this
Agreement.
“Acquisition
Proposal”
shall
have the meaning given to such term in Section
6.2
hereof.
“Action”
shall
mean any claim, action, suit, proceeding, investigation or order.
“Affiliate”
shall
mean, with respect to any Person, any Person directly or indirectly controlling,
controlled by or under common control with, such Person. For the purposes
of
this definition, “control”
(including, with correlative meaning, the terms “controlling,”
“controlled
by”
and
“under
common control with”)
means
the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the
direction of management and policies of such Person through the ownership
of
voting securities, by contract or otherwise.
“Agreement”
shall
mean this Agreement and Plan of Merger, including the exhibits attached hereto
or referred to herein, as the same may be amended or modified from time to
time
in accordance with the provisions hereof.
“Balance
Sheet”
shall
have the meaning given to such term in Section
4.5
hereof.
1
“Balance
Sheet Date”
shall
have the meaning given to such term in Section
4.5
hereof.
“By-laws”
shall
have the meaning given to such term in Section
2.3(b)
hereof.
“Certificate
of Incorporation”
shall
have the meaning given to such term in Section
2.3(a)
hereof.
“Closing”
shall
have the meaning given to such term in Section
2.5
hereof.
“Closing
Date”
shall
have the meaning given to such term in Section
2.5
hereof.
“Code”
shall
have the meaning given to such term in the third recital to this
Agreement.
“Commission”
shall
mean the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Company”
shall
have the meaning given to such term in the preamble to this
Agreement.
“Company
Capital Stock”
shall
mean, collectively, the Company Common Stock and the Company Preferred
Stock.
“Company
Common Stock”
shall
mean the common stock, no par value per share, of the Company.
“Company
Material Adverse Effect”
shall
mean any change, effect or circumstance that is materially adverse or is
reasonably likely to be materially adverse to the business, assets, liabilities,
condition (financial or otherwise) or operations of the Company and its
subsidiaries, taken as a whole, other than any such change, effect or
circumstance relating to general economic, regulatory or political conditions,
except to the extent such change, effect or circumstance disproportionately
affects the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
“Company
Preferred Stock”
shall
mean, collectively, all Preferred Stock, if any, issued or issuable by the
Company.
“Company
Stock Options”
shall
have the meaning given to such term in Section
3.3(a)
hereof.
“Contract”
shall
have the meaning given to such term in Section
4.4
hereof.
“Consents”
shall
mean any permits, filings, notices, licenses, consents, authorizations,
accreditation, waivers, approvals and the like of, to, with or by any
Person.
“Convertible
Notes”
shall
mean the issued and outstanding Convertible Promissory Notes of the
Company.
“Dissenting
Shares”
shall
have the meaning given to such term in Section
3.2(d)
hereof.
“Effective
Time”
shall
have the meaning given to such term in Section
2.2 hereof.
2
“Employee
Benefit Plans”
shall
have the meaning assigned to it in Section
4.13
hereof.
“Environmental
Law”
shall
mean the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability
Act,
42 U.S.C. §§ 9601 et seq.; the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know
Act of 1986, 42 U.S.C. §§ 11001 et seq.; the Resource Conservation and Recovery
Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 6901 et seq.; the Toxic Substances Control Act, 15 U.S.C. §§
2601 et seq.; the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, 7
U.S.C.
§§ 136 et seq. and comparable state statutes dealing with the registration,
labeling and use of pesticides and herbicides; the Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C.
§§
7401 et seq.; the Clean Water Act (Federal Water Pollution Control Act),
33
U.S.C. §§ 1251 et seq.; the Safe Drinking Water Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 300f et seq.;
and the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act, 49 U.S.C. §§ 1801 et seq., as
any of the above referenced statutes have been amended as of the date hereof,
all rules, regulations and policies promulgated pursuant to any of the above
referenced statutes, and any other foreign, federal, state or local law,
statute, ordinance, rule, regulation or policy governing environmental matters,
as the same have been amended as of the date hereof.
“ERISA”
shall
mean the Employee Retirement Income Securities Act of 1974, as amended, and
the
regulations issued thereunder.
“Exchange
Act”
shall
mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and
regulations issued thereunder.
“GAAP”
shall
mean generally accepted accounting principles as in effect from time to time
in
the United States consistently applied.
“Hazardous
Material”
means
any substance or material meeting any one or more of the following criteria:
(a)
it is or contains a substance designated as or meeting the characteristics
of a
hazardous waste, hazardous substance, hazardous material, pollutant, chemical
substance or mixture, contaminant or toxic substance under any Environmental
Law; (b) its presence at some quantity requires investigation, notification
or
remediation under any Environmental Law; (c) it contains, without limiting
the
foregoing, asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls, petroleum hydrocarbons,
petroleum derived substances or waste, pesticides, herbicides, crude oil
or any
fraction thereof, nuclear fuel, natural gas or synthetic gas; or (d)
mold.
“Incentive
Plans”
shall
have the meaning given to such term in Section
3.3(d)
hereof.
“Indebtedness”
shall
mean any obligation of the Company that under GAAP is required to be shown
on
the Balance Sheet of the Company as a Liability. Any obligation secured by
a
Lien on, or payable out of the proceeds of production from, property of the
Company shall be deemed to be Indebtedness even though such obligation is
not
assumed by the Company.
“Indebtedness
for Borrowed Money”
shall
mean (a) all Indebtedness in respect of money borrowed including, without
limitation, Indebtedness which represents the unpaid amount of the purchase
price of any property and is incurred in lieu of borrowing money or using
available funds to pay such amounts and not constituting an account payable
or
expense accrual incurred or assumed in the ordinary course of business of
the
Company, (b) all Indebtedness evidenced by a promissory note, bond or similar
written obligation to pay money, or (c) all such Indebtedness guaranteed
by the
Company or for which the Company is otherwise contingently liable.
3
“Information
Statement”
shall
have the meaning given to such term in Section
7.7
hereof.
“Intellectual
Property”
shall
have the meaning given to such term in Section
4.12(b)
hereof.
“Investment
Company Act”
shall
mean the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
“Letter
of Transmittal”
shall
have the meaning assigned to it in Section
3.2
hereof.
“Liability”
shall
mean any and all liability, debt, obligation, deficiency, Tax, penalty, fine,
claim, cause of action or other loss, cost or expense of any kind or nature
whatsoever, whether asserted or unasserted, absolute or contingent, accrued
or
unaccrued, liquidated or unliquidated, and whether due or to become due and
regardless of when asserted.
“Lien”
shall
mean any mortgage, pledge, security interest, encumbrance, lien or charge
of any
kind, including, without limitation, any conditional sale or other title
retention agreement, any lease in the nature thereof and the filing of or
agreement to give any financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code
of
any jurisdiction and including any lien or charge arising by statute or other
law.
“Merger”
shall
have the meaning given to such term in the second recital to this
Agreement.
“NRS”
shall
mean the General Corporation Law of the State of Nevada, as
amended.
“Parent”
shall
have the meaning given to such term in the preamble to this
Agreement.
“Parent
Balance Sheet”
shall
have the meaning assigned to such term in Section
5.13
hereof.
“Parent
Balance Sheet Date”
shall
have the meaning assigned to it in Section
5.13
hereof.
“Parent
Common Stock”
shall
mean the common stock, par value $0.003 per share, of Parent.
“Parent
Employee Benefit Plans”
shall
have the meaning assigned to such term in Section
5.16
hereof.
“Parent
Financial Statements”
shall
have the meaning assigned to such term in Section
5.11
hereof.
“Parent
Material Adverse Effect”
means
any change, effect or circumstance that is materially adverse or is reasonably
likely to be materially adverse to the business, assets, liabilities, condition
(financial or otherwise) or operations of Parent and its subsidiaries, taken
as
a whole, other than any such change, effect or circumstance relating to general
economic, regulatory or political conditions, except to the extent such change,
effect or circumstance disproportionately affects Parent and its subsidiaries,
taken as a whole.
4
“Parent
Preferred Stock”
shall
mean the preferred stock, par value $0.003 per share, of Parent.
“Parent
SEC Documents”
shall
have the meaning assigned to such term in Section
5.10(b)
hereof.
“Permitted
Liens”
shall
mean (a) Liens for taxes and assessments or governmental charges or levies
not
at the time due or in respect of which the validity thereof shall currently
be
contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings; (b) Liens in respect
of
pledges or deposits under workmen’s compensation laws or similar legislation,
carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’, laborers’ and materialmens’ and similar
Liens, if the obligations secured by such Liens are not then delinquent or
are
being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings; and (c) Liens
incidental to the conduct of the business of the Company that were not incurred
in connection with the borrowing of money or the obtaining of advances or
credits and which do not in the aggregate materially detract from the value
of
its property or materially impair the use made thereof by the Company in
its
business.
“Parent
Stockholder Consent”
shall
have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 7.10 hereof.
“Person”
shall
mean any individual, corporation, limited liability company, partnership,
joint
venture, trust or other entity or organization, including any government
or
political subdivision or an agency or instrumentality thereof.
“Securities
Act”
shall
mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations
issued thereunder.
“Stockholder”
shall
mean any record holder of Company Capital Stock.
“Surviving
Corporation”
shall
have the meaning given to such term in Section
2.1
hereof.
“Tax”
or
“Taxes”
shall
mean (a) any and all taxes, assessments, customs, duties, levies, fees, tariffs,
imposts, deficiencies and other governmental charges of any kind whatsoever
(including, but not limited to, taxes on or with respect to net or gross
income,
franchise, profits, gross receipts, capital, sales, use, ad valorem, value
added, transfer, real property transfer, transfer gains, transfer taxes,
inventory, capital stock, license, payroll, employment, social security,
unemployment, severance, occupation, real or personal property, estimated
taxes,
rent, excise, occupancy, recordation, bulk transfer, intangibles, alternative
minimum, doing business, withholding and stamp), together with any interest
thereon, penalties, fines, damages costs, fees, additions to tax or additional
amounts with respect thereto, imposed by the United States (federal, state
or
local) or other applicable jurisdiction; (b) any liability for the payment
of
any amounts described in clause (a) as a result of being a member of an
affiliated, consolidated, combined, unitary or similar group or as a result
of
transferor or successor liability, including, without limitation, by reason
of
Code Section 1.1502-6; and (c) any liability for the payments of any amounts
as
a result of being a party to any Tax Sharing Agreement or as a result of
any
express or implied obligation to indemnify any other Person with respect
to the
payment of any amounts of the type described in either clauses (a) or
(b).
5
“Tax
Return”
shall
include all returns and reports (including elections, declarations, disclosures,
schedules, estimates and information returns (including Form 1099 and
partnership returns filed on Form 1065)) required to be supplied to a Tax
authority relating to Taxes.
“Tax
Sharing Agreements”
shall
have the meaning given to such term in Section
4.15
hereof.
“TCA”
shall
mean the General Corporation Law of the State of Tennessee, the Tennessee
Code
Annotated, as amended.
ARTICLE
II
THE
MERGER
Section
2.1 Merger.
Upon
the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement, at the Effective
Time, Acquisition Corp. shall be merged with and into the Company in accordance
with the NRS and the TCA. Following the Effective Time, the separate corporate
existence of Acquisition Corp. shall cease, and the Company shall continue
as
the corporation surviving the Merger (sometimes hereinafter referred to as
the
“Surviving
Corporation”).
Section
2.2 Effective
Time.
The
Parent, the Company and Acquisition Corp. shall cause a certificate of merger
to
be filed on the Closing Date (or on such other date as the Company and Parent
may agree in writing) with the Secretary of State of the State of Nevada
as
provided in the NRS and the Secretary of State of the State of Tennesse as
provided in the TCA, and shall make all other filings or recordings required
by
the NRS and the TCA in connection with the Merger, on or before May 18, 2007.
The Merger shall become effective at such time as the certificate of merger
is
duly filed in accordance with the NRS with the Secretary of State of the
State
of Nevada and the TCA with the Secretary of State of Tennessee or such later
time as specified in the certificate of merger, and such time is hereinafter
referred to as the “Effective
Time.”
Section
2.3 Certificate
of Incorporation; By-laws; Directors and Officers.
(a) The
certificate of incorporation of Acquisition Corp. as in effect immediately
prior
to the Effective Time, a copy of which is attached as Exhibit
A
hereto,
shall be the certificate of incorporation of the Surviving Corporation (the
“Certificate
of Incorporation”)
from
and after the Effective Time until thereafter changed or amended as provide
therein or in accordance with applicable law.
(b) The
by-laws of Acquisition Corp. as in effect immediately prior to the Effective
Time, a copy of which is attached as Exhibit
B
hereto,
shall be the by-laws of the Surviving Corporation (the “By-laws”)
from
and after the Effective Time until thereafter changed or amended as provided
therein or in accordance with applicable law.
(c) One or
more of the directors
of the Company immediately prior
to the
Effective Time shall be the initial directors of the
Surviving Corporation and shall hold office from
the Effective Time until their
respective successors
have been duly elected or appointed and
6
qualified
or until their earlier death, resignation or removal in accordance with the
Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws. The officers of the Company immediately prior to the Effective Time shall
be the initial officers of the Surviving Corporation and shall hold office from the Effective Time
until
their respective
successors have been duly elected or appointed and qualified or until their
earlier death, resignation or removal in accordance with the Certificate
of
Incorporation and By-laws.
(d) Upon
the
filing of the certificate of merger with the Secretary of State of the States
of
Nevada
and Tennessee as contemplated by Section 2.2 hereof, the officers and directors
of the Parent designated on Exhibit
C
hereto
shall resign, to be replaced by the officers and directors designated on
Exhibit
C
hereto,
who shall immediately take such offices. The appointment of new directors
in
accordance with the terms of this Section 2.3(d) shall be accomplished through
the filling of vacancies in the Board of Directors of the Parent in compliance
with the applicable provisions of the NRS and the by-laws of the Parent and
without the vote (by written consent or otherwise) of the shareholders of
the
Parent.
Section
2.4 Effects
of the Merger.
The
Merger shall have the effects set forth in the NRS and TCA. Without limiting
the
generality of the foregoing, at the Effective Time, except as otherwise provided
herein, all of the property, rights, privileges, powers and franchises of
the
Company and Acquisition Corp. shall vest in the Surviving Corporation, and
all
debts, liabilities and duties of the Company and Acquisition Corp. shall
become
the debts, liabilities and duties of the Surviving Corporation. The Company
acknowledges that, from and after the Effective Time,
Section
2.5 Closing.
The
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including
the
Merger (the “Closing”),
shall
take place: (a) at the offices of Cane Xxxxx, 0000 X. Xxxx Xxxxxxx Xx., Xxx
Xxxxx, XX at 10:00 a.m. local time on the date on which all of the conditions
to
the Closing set forth in Article
VIII
hereof
shall be fulfilled or waived in accordance with this Agreement (other than
conditions that can be satisfied only at the Closing, but subject to the
fulfillment or waiver of those conditions at the Closing); or (b) at such
other
place, time and date as the Company and Parent may agree in writing (the
“Closing
Date”).
Section
2.6 Tax-Free
Merger.
The
parties hereto intend that the Merger will be treated as a tax-free
reorganization under Section 368 of the Code.
ARTICLE
III
MERGER
CONSIDERATION; CONVERSION AND EXCHANGE OF SECURITIES
Section
3.1 Manner
and Basis of Converting and
Exchanging
Capital Stock.
At the
Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part
of
the Company, Parent or Acquisition Corp. or the holders of any outstanding
shares of capital stock or other securities of the Company, Parent or
Acquisition Corp.:
(a) Acquisition
Corp. Stock.
Each
share of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of Acquisition Corp. issued
and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be converted
into
and become one validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable share of capital
stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Surviving Corporation, such that
Parent shall be the holder of all of the issued and outstanding shares of
capital stock of the Surviving Corporation following the Merger.
7
(b) Company
Common Stock.
Each
share of Company Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to
the
Effective Time shall be exchanged for the right to receive one (1) share
of
Parent Common Stock.
(c) Treasury
Stock.
Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, each share
of
Company Capital Stock held in the treasury of the Company and each share
of
Company Capital Stock, if any, owned by Parent or any direct or indirect
wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent immediately prior to the Effective Time
shall
be canceled in the Merger and shall not be converted or exchanged into the
right
to receive any shares of capital stock or other securities of
Parent.
(d) No
Fractional Shares.
No
fractional shares of Parent Common Stock shall be issued in, or as a result
of,
the Merger. Any fractional shares of Parent Common Stock that a holder of
record
of Company Capital Stock would otherwise be entitled to receive as a result
of
the Merger shall be aggregated. If a fractional share of Parent Common Stock
results from such aggregation, the number of shares required to be issued
to
such record holder shall be rounded up to the nearest whole number of shares
of
Parent Common Stock.
Section
3.2 Surrender
and Exchange of Certificates.
(a) Letter
of Transmittal.
Promptly after the Effective Time, Parent shall mail, or cause to be mailed,
to
each record holder of certificate(s) formerly representing ownership of Company
Capital Stock that was converted into the right to receive Parent Common
Stock
pursuant to Section
3.1
hereof
(i) a letter of transmittal (“Letter
of Transmittal”)
for
delivery of such certificate(s) to Parent and (ii) instruction for use in
effecting the surrender of certificate(s), in each case in form and substance
mutually agreeable to the Company and Parent. Delivery shall be effected,
and
risk of loss and title to the Parent Common Stock shall pass, only upon delivery
to the Parent (or a duly authorized agent of Parent) of certificate(s) formerly
representing ownership of Company Capital Stock (or an affidavit of lost
certificate and indemnification or surety bond) and a properly completed
and
duly executed Letter of Transmittal, as described in Section
3.2(b)
hereof.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, Parent shall not be required to mail, or cause
to
be mailed, a Letter of Transmittal to any record holder of certificate(s)
formerly representing ownership of Company Capital Stock if such holder has
previously agreed or consented to the exchange of certificates that are held
in
custody by the Company for the benefit of such holder.
(b) Exchange
Procedures.
Parent
shall issue to each former record holder of Company Capital Stock, upon delivery
to Parent (or a duly authorized agent of Parent) of (i) certificate(s) formerly
representing ownership of Company Capital Stock endorsed in blank or accompanied
by duly executed stock powers (or an affidavit of lost certificate and
indemnification in form and substance reasonably acceptable to Parent stating
that, among other things, the former record holder has lost his or her
certificate(s) or that such certificate(s) have been destroyed) and (ii)
a
properly completed and duly executed Letter of Transmittal in form and substance
reasonably satisfactory to Parent, a certificate or certificates registered
in
the name of such former record holder representing the number of shares of
Parent Common Stock that such former record holder is entitled to receive
in
accordance with Section
3.1
hereof.
Subject to Section
3.2(d)
hereof,
until the certificate(s) (or affidavit) is delivered together with the Letter
of
Transmittal in the manner contemplated by this Section
3.2(b),
each
certificate (or affidavit)
8
previously
representing ownership of Company Capital Stock shall be deemed at and after
the
Effective Time to represent only the right to receive Parent Common Stock
and
the former record holders thereof shall cease to have any other rights with
respect to his or her Company Capital Stock.
(c) Termination
of Exchange Process.
Any
Parent Common Stock that remains unclaimed by a former record holder of Company
Capital Stock at the first anniversary of the Effective Time may be deemed
“abandoned property” subject to applicable abandoned property, escheat and other
similar laws in the State in which the former record holder resides. None
of the
Company, Parent, Acquisition Corp. or the Surviving Corporation shall be
liable
to any person in respect of any Parent Company Stock delivered to a public
official pursuant to any applicable abandoned property, escheat or similar
law.
(d) Dissenting
Shares.
Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, shares of
Company Capital Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective
Time and held by a Stockholder who has not voted in favor of the Merger or
consented thereto in writing and who has demanded appraisal for such shares
of
Company Capital Stock in accordance with the TCA (“Dissenting
Shares”)
shall
not be entitled to vote for any purpose or receive dividends, shall not be
converted into the right to receive Parent Common Stock in accordance with
Section
3.1
hereof,
and shall only be entitled to receive such consideration as shall be determined
pursuant to the TCA; provided,
however,
that
if, after the Effective Time, such Stockholder fails to perfect or withdraws
or
loses his or her right to appraisal or otherwise fails to establish the right
to
be paid the value of such Stockholder’s shares of Company Capital Stock under
the TCA, such shares of Company Capital Stock shall be treated as if they
had
converted as of the Effective Time into the right to receive Parent Common
Stock
in accordance with Section
3.1
hereof,
and such shares of Company Capital Stock shall no longer be Dissenting Shares.
All negotiations with respect to payment for Dissenting Shares shall be handled
jointly by Parent and the Company prior to the Closing and exclusively by
Parent
thereafter. In
the
event that one percent (1%) or more of the outstanding shares of the Company
are
Dissenting Shares, the Company has the sole discretion to terminate this
Agreement, which shall forthwith become void and of no further force and
effect
and the parties hereto shall be released from any and all obligations hereunder;
provided, however, that nothing herein shall relieve any party hereto from
liability for the breach of any of its representations, warranties, covenants
or
agreements set forth in this Agreement.
(e) Stock
Transfer Books.
At the
Effective Time, the stock transfer books of the Company will be closed and
there
will be no further registration of transfers of shares of Company Capital
Stock
thereafter on the records of the Company. If, after the Effective Time,
certificates formerly representing Company Capital Stock are presented to
the
Surviving Corporation, these certificates shall be canceled and exchanged
for
the number of shares of Parent Common Stock to which the former record holder
may be entitled pursuant to Section
3.1
hereof.
(f) Further Rights in Company Stock.
All shares of Parent Common Stock issued
upon exchange of shares of Company Capital Stock in accordance with the terms hereof
shall be deemed to have been issued in full satisfaction of all rights pertaining to such shares of
Company Capital Stock.
9
Section
3.3 Options,
Warrants. The
Company has no issued or outstanding warrants and options to purchase shares
of
Company Common Stock (collectively, the “Company
Stock Options”)
and
therefore at the Effective Time none will be issued.
Section
3.4 Parent
Common Stock.
Parent
shall reserve a sufficient number of shares of Parent Common Stock to complete
the conversion and exchange of Company Capital Stock into Parent Common Stock
contemplated by Sections
3.1
and
3.2
hereof,
and the issuance of any Parent Common Stock underlying options and warrants
to
acquire Parent Common Stock in accordance with Section
3.3
hereof.
Parent covenants and agrees that immediately prior to the Effective Time
there
will be 3,364,065 shares of Parent Common Stock issued and outstanding, and
that
no other common or preferred stock or equity securities of the Parent, or
any
options, warrants, rights or other agreements or instruments convertible,
exchangeable or exercisable into common or preferred stock or equity securities
of the Parent, shall be issued or outstanding immediately prior to the Effective
Time.
ARTICLE
IV
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
The
Company hereby represents and warrants to Parent as follows:
Section
4.1 Organization.
The
Company (i) is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing (or
its
equivalent) under the laws of the State of Tennessee, (ii) has all licenses,
permits, authorizations and other Consents necessary to own, lease and operate
its properties and assets and to carry on its business as it is now being
conducted and (iii) has all requisite corporate or other applicable power
and
authority to own, lease and operate its properties and assets and to carry
on
its business as it is now being conducted and presently proposed to be
conducted, except where such failure would not have, or be reasonably likely
to
have, a Company Material Adverse Effect. The Company is duly qualified or
authorized to conduct business and is in good standing (or its equivalent)
as a
foreign corporation or other entity in all jurisdictions in which the ownership
or use of its assets or nature of the business conducted by it makes such
qualification or authorization necessary, except where the failure to be
so duly
qualified, authorized and in good standing would not have a Company Material
Adverse Effect.
Section
4.2 Authorization;
Validity of Agreement.
The
Company has all requisite corporate power and authority to execute and deliver
this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. The
execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and
the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly authorized
by the Board of Directors of the Company and no other action (except the
approval of the requisite Stockholders solely with respect to consummation
of
the Merger) on the part of the Company or any of its Stockholders or
subsidiaries is necessary to authorize the execution and delivery of this
Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby. This
Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Company and (assuming
due
and valid authorization, execution and delivery hereof by Parent and Acquisition
Corp.) is a valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against
the
Company in accordance with its terms, except as such enforcement is limited
by
bankruptcy, insolvency and other similar laws affecting the enforcement of
creditors’ rights generally and by general principles of equity.
10
Section
4.3 Capitalization.
As
of the
date hereof, the authorized capital stock of the Company consists of 10,000,000
shares of Company Common Stock. As of the date hereof, there are 10,000,000
shares of Company Common Stock issued and outstanding. All the outstanding
shares of Company Capital Stock are duly authorized, validly issued, fully
paid
and non-assessable.
Section
4.4 Consents
and Approvals; No Violations.
Except
for (a) approval of the Merger by the requisite Stockholders and (b) filing
of
the certificate of merger with the Secretary of State of the States of Nevada
and Tennessee, neither the execution, delivery or performance of this Agreement
by the Company nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby
will
(i) violate any provision of its certificate of incorporation or by-laws;
(ii)
violate, conflict with or result in a breach of any provision of, or constitute
a default (or an event which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would
constitute a default) under, require the consent of or result in the creation
of
any encumbrance upon any of the properties of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries under any material note, bond, mortgage, indenture, deed of
trust,
license, franchise, permit, lease, contract, agreement or other instrument
(collectively, “Contract”)
to
which the Company or any its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties
may be bound; (iii) require any Consent, approval or authorization of, or
notice
to, or declaration, filing or registration with, any governmental entity
by or
with respect to the Company or any of its subsidiaries; or (iv) violate any
order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree, law, statute, rule or regulation
applicable to the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective
properties or assets; except, in the cases of clauses (ii), (iii) and (iv),
any
such violations, conflicts, breaches, defaults or encumbrances, or any failure
to receive any such Consent, approval or authorization, or to make any such
notice, declaration, filing or registration as will not result in, or could
reasonably be expected to result in, a Company Material Adverse
Effect.
Section
4.5 Financial
Statements.
The
Company has delivered or made available as of the date hereof or shall, prior
to
the Closing Date, deliver or make available to Parent the balance sheets
of the
Company for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2006 (the “Balance
Sheet Date”)
and
the related consolidated and consolidating statements of income, stockholders’
equity and cash flows of the Company for the fiscal year ended December 31,
2005. The foregoing financial statements (including any notes thereto) (i)
have
been prepared based upon the books and records of the Company, (ii) have
been
prepared in accordance with GAAP (except as otherwise noted therein), and
(iii)
present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position, results
of
operations and cash flows of the Company as at their respective dates and
for
the periods then ended. To the knowledge of the Company, since the Balance
Sheet
Date, no fact or condition exists that has not been disclosed to Parent that
has
had or could reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse
Effect.
Section
4.6 No
Undisclosed Liabilities.
Except
for the Liabilities reflected in Schedule 4.6, at the time of Closing, there
will be no outstanding liabilities of the Company. Schedule 4.6 details how
any
such disclosed liabilities will be applied and dealt with by the parties
post-closing.
Section
4.7 Litigation.
There
is no Action pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, involving
the Company or its subsidiaries or affecting any of the officers, directors
or
employees of the Company or its subsidiaries with respect to the Company’s or
any subsidiary’s business by or before any governmental entity or by any third
party that has had or
11
could
reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect and neither
the
Company nor any of its subsidiaries have received written notice that any
such
Action is threatened. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is
in
default under any judgment, order or decree of any governmental entity
applicable to its business, which default could reasonably be expected to
have a
Company Material Adverse Effect.
Section
4.8 No
Default; Compliance with Applicable Laws.
The
Company is not in default or violation of any material term, condition or
provision of (i) its certificate of incorporation or by-laws or (ii) to the
Company’s knowledge, any law applicable to the Company or its property and
assets, and the Company has not received written notice of any violation
of or
Liability under any of the foregoing (whether material or not).
Section
4.9 Broker’s
and Finder’s Fees.
To the
knowledge of the Company, no Person has, or as a result of the transactions
contemplated or described herein will have, any right or valid claim against
the
Company for any commission, fee or other compensation as a finder or broker,
or
in any similar capacity.
Section
4.10 Contracts.
(a) The
Company is not in violation or breach of any material contract, except such
violations that, in the aggregate, would not result in, or would not reasonably
be expected to result in, a Company Material Adverse Effect. There does not
exist any event or condition that, after notice or lapse of time or both,
would
constitute an event of default or breach under any material Contract on the
part
of the Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, any other party thereto
or
would permit the modification, cancellation or termination of any material
Contract or result in the creation of any lien upon, or any person acquiring
any
right to acquire, any assets of the Company, other than any events or conditions
that, in the aggregate would not result in, or would not reasonably be expected
to result in, a Company Material Adverse Effect. The Company has not received
in
writing any claim or threat that the Company has breached any of the terms
and
conditions of any material Contract, other than any material Contracts the
breach of which, in the aggregate, would not result in, or would not reasonably
be expected to result in, a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(b) The
consent of, or the delivery of notice to or filing with, any party to a material
Contract is not required for the execution and delivery by the Company of
this
Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated under the
Agreement.. The
Company has made available to Parent and Acquisition Corp. true and complete
copies of all Contracts and other documents requested by Parent or Acquisition
Corp.
Section
4.11 Tax
Returns and Audits.
Other
than discussed in Schedule 4.11, all required federal, state and local Tax
Returns of the Company have been accurately prepared and duly and timely
filed,
and all federal, state and local Taxes required to be paid with respect to
the
periods covered by such returns have been paid. The Company is not and has
not
been delinquent in the payment of any Tax. The Company has not had a Tax
deficiency proposed or assessed against it and has not executed a waiver
of any
statute of limitations on the assessment or collection of any Tax. None of
the
Company’s federal income Tax Returns nor any state or local income or franchise
Tax Returns has been audited by governmental authorities. The reserves for
Taxes
reflected on the Balance Sheet are and will be sufficient for the payment
of all
12
unpaid
Taxes payable by the Company as of the Balance Sheet Date. Since the Balance
Sheet Date, the Company has made adequate provisions on its books of account
for
all Taxes with respect to its business, properties and operations for such
period. The Company has withheld or collected from each payment made to each
of
its employees the amount of all Taxes (including, but not limited to, federal,
state and local income taxes, Federal Insurance Contribution Act taxes and
Federal Unemployment Tax Act taxes) required to be withheld or collected
therefrom, and has paid the same to the proper Tax receiving officers or
authorized depositaries. There are no federal, state, local or foreign audits,
actions, suits, proceedings, investigations, claims or administrative
proceedings relating to Taxes or any Tax Returns of the Company now pending,
and
the Company has not received any notice of any proposed audits, investigations,
claims or administrative proceedings relating to Taxes or any Tax Returns.
The
Company is not obligated to make a payment, nor is it a party to any agreement
that under certain circumstances could obligate it to make a payment, that
would
not be deductible under Section 280G of the Code. The Company has not agreed
nor
is required to make any adjustments under Section 481(a) of the Code (or
any
similar provision of state, local and foreign law) by reason of a change
in
accounting method or otherwise for any Tax period for which the applicable
statute of limitations has not yet expired. The Company is not a party to,
is
not bound by and does not have any obligation under, any Tax sharing agreement,
Tax indemnification agreement or similar contract or arrangement, whether
written or unwritten (collectively, “Tax
Sharing Agreements”),
nor
does it have any potential liability or obligation to any Person as a result
of,
or pursuant to, any Tax Sharing Agreements.
Section
4.12 Patents
and Other Intangible Assets.
(a) To
the
knowledge of the Company, the Company (i) owns or has the right to use, pursuant
to a valid
license, sublicense, agreement, or permission,
free and
clear of all Liens, all patents, trademarks, service marks, trade names,
copyrights, licenses and rights with respect to the foregoing used in or
necessary for the conduct of its business as now conducted or proposed to
be
conducted without infringing upon
or
otherwise acting adversely to the right or claimed right of any Person under
or
with respect to any of the foregoing.
(b) To
the
knowledge of the Company, the Company owns and has the right to use all trade
secrets, if any, including know-how, negative know-how, formulas, patterns,
programs, devices, methods, techniques, inventions, designs, processes, computer
programs and technical data and all information that derives independent
economic value, actual or potential, from not being generally known or known
by
competitors (collectively, “Intellectual
Property”)
required for or incident to the development, operation and sale of all products
and services sold by the Company, free and clear of any right, Lien or claim
of
others. All Intellectual Property can and will be transferred by the Company
to
the Surviving Corporation as a result of the Merger and without the consent
of
any Person other than the Company.
Section
4.13 Employee
Benefit Plans; ERISA.
(a) All
“employee benefit plans” (within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the ERISA) of
the Company and other employee
benefit
or fringe benefit arrangements, practices, contracts, policies or programs
of
every type, other than programs merely involving the regular payment of wages,
commissions, or bonuses established, maintained or contributed to by the
Company, whether written or unwritten and whether or not funded, are
in
material compliance
13
with
the
applicable requirements of ERISA, the Code and any other applicable state,
federal or foreign law.
(b) There
are
no pending claims or lawsuits that have been asserted or instituted against
any
Employee Benefit Plan, the assets of any of the trusts or funds under the
Employee Benefit Plans, the plan sponsor or the plan administrator of any
of the
Employee Benefit Plans or against any fiduciary of an Employee Benefit Plan
with
respect to the operation of such plan, nor does the Company have any knowledge
of any incident, transaction, occurrence or circumstance which might reasonably
be expected to form the basis of any such claim or lawsuit.
(c) There
is
no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened investigation,
or
pending or possible enforcement action by the Pension Benefit Guaranty
Corporation, the Department of Labor, the Internal Revenue Service or any
other
government agency with respect to any Employee Benefit Plan and the Company
has
no knowledge of any incident, transaction, occurrence or circumstance which
might reasonably be expected to trigger such an investigation or enforcement
action.
(d) No
actual
or, to the knowledge of the Company, contingent Liability exists with respect
to
the funding of any Employee Benefit Plan or for any other expense or obligation
of any Employee Benefit Plan, except as disclosed on the Balance Sheet, and
no
contingent Liability exists under ERISA with respect to any “multi-employer
plan,” as defined in Section 3(37) or Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA.
(e) No
events
have occurred or are reasonably expected to occur with respect to any Employee
Benefit Plan that would cause a material change in the costs of providing
benefits under such Employee Benefit Plan or would cause a material change
in
the cost of providing such Employee Benefit Plan.
Section
4.14 Title
to Property and Encumbrances.
The
Company has good and valid title to all properties and assets used in the
conduct of its business (except for property held under valid and subsisting
leases which are in full force and effect and which are not in default) free
of
all Liens except Permitted Liens and such ordinary and customary imperfections
of title, restrictions and encumbrances as do not in the aggregate constitute
a
Company Material Adverse Effect.
Section
4.15 Condition
of Properties.
All
facilities, machinery, equipment, fixtures and other properties owned, leased
or
used by the Company are in operating condition, subject to ordinary wear
and
tear, and are adequate and sufficient for the Company’s existing
business.
Section
4.16 Insurance
Coverage.
There
is in full force and effect one or more policies of insurance issued by insurers
of recognized responsibility insuring the Company and its properties, products
and business against such losses and risks, and in such amounts, as are
customary for corporations of established reputation engaged in the same
or
similar business and similarly situated. The Company has not been refused
any
insurance coverage sought or applied for, and the Company has no reason to
believe that it will be unable to renew its existing insurance coverage as
and
when the same shall expire upon terms at least as favorable to those currently
in effect, other than possible increases in premiums that do not result from
any
act or
14
omission
of the Company. No suit, proceeding or action or, to the knowledge of the
Company, threat of suit, proceeding or action has been asserted or made against
the Company due to alleged bodily injury, disease, medical condition, death
or
property damage arising out of the function or malfunction of a product,
procedure or service designed, manufactured, sold or distributed by the
Company.
Section
4.17 Environmental
Matters.
(a) To
the
knowledge of the Company, the Company has never generated, used, handled,
treated, released, stored or disposed of any Hazardous Materials on any real
property on which it now has or previously had any leasehold or ownership
interest, except in compliance with all applicable Environmental
Laws.
(b) To
the
knowledge of the Company, the historical and present operations of the business
of the Company are in compliance with all applicable Environmental Laws,
except
where any non-compliance has not had and would not reasonably be expected
to
have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(c) There
are
no material pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, demands,
claims, information requests or notices of noncompliance or violation against
or
to the Company relating to any Environmental Law; and, to the knowledge of
the
Company, there are no conditions or occurrences on any of the real property
used
by the Company in connection with its business that would reasonably be expected
to lead to any such demands, claims or notices against or to the Company,
except
such as have not had, and would not reasonably be expected to have, a Company
Material Adverse Effect.
(d) To
the
knowledge of the Company, (i) the Company has not, sent or disposed of,
otherwise had taken or transported, arranged for the taking or disposal of
(on
behalf of itself, a customer or any other party) or in any other manner
participated or been involved in the taking of or disposal or release of
a
Hazardous Material to or at a site that is contaminated by any Hazardous
Material or that, pursuant to any Environmental Law, (A) has been placed
on the
“National Priorities List”, the “CERCLIS” list, or any similar state or federal
list, or (B) is subject to or the source of a claim, an administrative order
or
other request to take “removal”, “remedial”, “corrective” or any other
“response” action, as defined in any Environmental Law, or to pay for the costs
of any such action at the site; (ii) the Company is not involved in (and
has no
basis to reasonably expect to be involved in) any suit or proceeding and
has not
received (and has no basis to reasonably expect to receive) any written notice,
request for information or other communication from any governmental authority
or other third party with respect to a release or threatened release of any
Hazardous Material or a violation or alleged violation of any Environmental
Law,
and has not received (and has no basis to reasonably expect to receive) written
notice of any claims from any Person relating to property damage, natural
resource damage or to personal injuries from exposure to any Hazardous Material;
and (iii) the Company has timely filed every report required to be filed,
acquired all necessary certificates, approvals and permits, and generated
and
maintained all required data, documentation and records under all Environmental
Laws, in all such instances except where the failure to do so would not
reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company
Material Adverse Effect.
15
Section
4.18 Disclosure.
There
is no fact relating to the Company that the Company has not disclosed to
Parent
in writing that has had or is currently having a Company Material Adverse
Effect. No representation or warranty by the Company herein and no information
disclosed in the exhibits hereto by the Company contains any untrue statement
of
a material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the
statements contained herein or therein not misleading.
ARTICLE
V
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT AND ACQUISITION CORP.
Parent
and Acquisition Corp. hereby represent and warrant to the Company as
follows:
Section
5.1 Organization.
Each of
Parent and Acquisition Corp. (i) is duly organized, validly existing and
in good
standing under the laws of its State of incorporation or organization, (ii)
has
all licenses, permits, authorizations and other Consents necessary to own,
lease
and operate its properties and assets and to carry on its business as it
is now
being conducted and (iii) has all requisite corporate or other applicable
power
and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and assets and to
carry
on its business as it is now being conducted and presently proposed to be
conducted, in each case except where such failures would not have, or be
reasonably likely to have, a Parent Material Adverse Effect. Each of Parent
and
Acquisition Corp. is duly qualified or authorized to conduct business and
is in
good standing (or its equivalent) as a foreign corporation or other entity
in
all jurisdictions in which the ownership or use of its assets or nature of
the
business conducted by it makes such qualification or authorization necessary,
except where the failure to be so duly qualified, authorized and in good
standing would not have a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
Section
5.2 Authorization;
Validity of Agreement.
Each of
Parent and Acquisition Corp. has all requisite corporate power and authority
to
execute and deliver this Agreement and to consummate the transactions
contemplated hereby. The execution, delivery and performance by each of Parent
and Acquisition Corp. of this Agreement and all other agreements and instruments
to be executed pursuant to this Agreement, and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, have been duly authorized by
the
Board of Directors of each of Parent and Acquisition Corp. and the stockholder
of Acquisition Corp., and no other action on the part of either of Parent
or
Acquisition Corp. is necessary to authorize the execution and delivery of
this
Agreement and all other agreements and instruments to be executed pursuant
to
this Agreement and the consummation by either of Parent or Acquisition Corp.
of
the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby. This Agreement has been
duly
executed and delivered by the Parent and Acquisition Corp. and (assuming
due and
valid authorization, execution and delivery hereof by the Company) is a valid
and binding obligation of each of Parent and Acquisition Corp., enforceable
against each of them in accordance with its terms, except as such enforcement
is
limited by bankruptcy, insolvency and other similar laws affecting the
enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and by general principles of
equity.
Section
5.3 Consents
and Approvals; No Violations.
Except
for filing of the certificate of merger with the Secretary of State of the
States of Nevada and Tennessee, neither the execution, delivery or performance
of this Agreement by either of Parent and Acquisition Corp. nor the consummation
of the transactions contemplated hereby will (i) violate any provision of
the
certificate of incorporation or by-laws of Parent or Acquisition Corp.;
(ii)
16
violate,
conflict with or result in a breach of any provision of, or constitute a
default
(or an event which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute
a
default) under, require the consent of or result in the creation of any Lien
upon any of the properties of Parent or Acquisition Corp. under any Contract
to
which Parent or Acquisition Corp. or any of their properties may be bound;
(iii)
require any Consent, approval or authorization of, or notice to, or declaration,
filing or registration with, any governmental entity by or with respect to
Parent or any subsidiary of Parent, or (iv) violate any order, written,
judgment, injunction, decree, law, statute, rule or regulation applicable
to any
of Parent or Acquisition Corp. or any of their respective properties or assets;
except, in the cases of clauses (ii), (iii) and (iv), any such violations,
conflicts, breaches, defaults or encumbrances, or any failure to receive
any
such Consent, approval or authorization, or to make any such notice,
declaration, filing or registration as will not result in, or could reasonably
be expected to result in, a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
Section
5.4 Litigation.
There
is no Action pending or, to the knowledge of the Parent, threatened, involving
Parent or Acquisition Corp. or any subsidiary of Parent or affecting the
officers, directors or employees of Parent or Acquisition Corp. or any
subsidiary of Parent with respect to Parent’s, Acquisition Corp.’s, or any of
Parent’s subsidiaries’, businesses by or before any governmental entity or by
any third party and none of Parent, Acquisition Corp. nor any subsidiary
of
Parent has received written notice that any such Action is threatened. None
of
Parent, Acquisition Corp. nor any subsidiary of Parent is in default under
any
judgment, order or decree of any governmental entity applicable to its business
which could reasonably be expected to have a Parent Material Adverse
Effect.
Section
5.5 No
Default; Compliance with Applicable Laws.
Neither
Parent nor any of Parent’s subsidiaries is in default or violation of any
material term, condition or provision of (i) their respective certificate
of
incorporation, by-laws or similar organizational documents or (ii) any law
applicable to Parent or any of Parent’s subsidiaries or its property and assets
and neither Parent nor any of Parent’s subsidiaries has received written notice
of any violation of or Liability under any of the foregoing (whether material
or
not).
Section
5.6 Broker’s
and Finder’s Fees; Broker/Dealer Ownership.
No
person(s), firm, corporation or other entity is entitled by reason of any
act or
omission of Parent or Acquisition Corp. to any broker’s or finder’s fees,
commission or other similar compensation, nor, with respect to the execution,
delivery and performance of this Agreement or with respect to the consummation
of the transactions contemplated hereby will any such person have any right
or
valid claim against the Company, Parent or Acquisition Corp. to any such
payment.
Section
5.7 Capitalization
of Parent.
As of
the date hereof, the authorized capital stock of Parent consists of 100,000,000
shares of Parent Common Stock. As of the date hereof there are 364,065 shares
of
Parent Common Stock, par value $0.003, issued and outstanding. Other than
as
provided in Article
III
and
Section
7.9
of this
Agreement in connection with securities to be issued or to become issuable
in
connection with or as a result of the Merger, Parent has only those outstanding
Convertible securities including options, warrants, and notes as provided
in
Schedule 5.7 attached hereto. There is no voting trust, agreement or arrangement
among any of the beneficial holders of Parent Common Stock affecting the
nomination or election of directors or the exercise of the voting rights
of
Parent Common Stock. And other than as further provided in Schedule 5.7,
there
are no registration rights or similar rights applicable to any shares of
Parent
Common Stock or any capital stock or other securities of
17
Parent
or
Acquisition Corp. All outstanding shares of the capital stock of Parent are
validly issued and outstanding, fully paid and non-assessable, and none of
such
shares have been issued in violation of the preemptive rights of any
person.
All of
the shares of Parent Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior
to
the Effective Time have been issued in compliance with the Securities Act
and
applicable state securities laws and (i) pursuant to effective registration
statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and/or (ii)
in
reliance on valid exemptions from registration or qualification thereunder.
Set
forth in Exhibit
E
attached
hereto is a list of all record holders of Parent Common Stock as of the date
hereof and immediately prior to the Effective Time, which list is complete
and
correct and accurately reflects the share holdings of the Parent as of the
date
hereof.
Section
5.8 Acquisition
Corp.
Acquisition Corp. is a Nevada corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Parent that was formed on May 8, 2007 specifically for the purpose of the
Merger
and that has not conducted any business or acquired any property, and will
not
conduct any business or acquire any property prior to the Closing Date, except
in preparation for and otherwise in connection with the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement. Parent owns all of the issued and outstanding
capital stock of Acquisition Corp. free and clear of all Liens, and Acquisition
Corp. has no outstanding options, warrants or rights to purchase capital
stock
or other securities of Acquisition Corp., other than the capital stock of
Acquisition Corp. owned by Parent.
Section
5.9 Validity
of Shares.
The
shares of Parent Common Stock to be issued in accordance with Article
III
hereof,
when issued and delivered in accordance with the terms hereof, shall be duly
authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
Section
5.10 SEC
Reporting and Compliance.
(a) Parent
filed a registration statement on Form SB-2 under the Securities Act which
became effective on May 13, 2004. Since that date, Parent has timely filed
with
the Commission all registration statements, proxy statements, information
statements and reports required to be filed by Parent pursuant to the Exchange
Act. Parent has not filed with the Commission a certificate on Form 15 pursuant
to the Exchange Act.
(b) Parent
has delivered to the Company true and complete copies of the registration
statements, information statements and other reports (collectively, the
“Parent
SEC Documents”)
filed
by the Parent with the Commission. None of the Parent SEC Documents, as of
their
respective dates, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted
to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements contained
therein not misleading. Each of the Parent SEC Documents complied, and each
Parent SEC Document to be filed with the Commission prior to the Effective
Date
shall comply, in all material respects, with the applicable requirements
of the
Securities Act and the Securities Exchange, as the case may be. Each of the
financial statements (including, in each case, any related notes), contained
in
the Parent SEC Documents, including any Parent SEC Documents filed after
the
date of this Agreement until the Closing, complied, as of its respective
filing
date, in all material respects with all applicable accounting requirements
and
the published rules and regulations of the Commission with respect
thereto.
18
(c) Except
as
set forth below, Parent has not filed, and nothing has occurred with respect
to
which Parent would be required to file, any report on Form 8-K since December
31, 2006. Prior to and until the Closing, Parent will provide to the Company
copies of any and all amendments or supplements to the Parent SEC Documents
filed with the Commission since December 31, 2006 and all subsequent
registration statements and reports filed by Parent subsequent to the filing
of
the Parent SEC Documents with the Commission and any and all subsequent
information statements, proxy statements, reports or notices filed by the
Parent
with the Commission or delivered to the stockholders of Parent.
Since
December 31, 2006, Parent has filed the following reports on Form
8-K:
· |
A
report on Form 8-K filed January 9,
2007
|
· |
A
report on Form 8-K filed February 2,
2007
|
(d) Parent
is
not an “investment company” within the meaning of Section 3 of the Investment
Company Act.
(e) The
Parent Common Stock is listed on the Over-The-Counter
Bulletin Board exchange under the symbol “CNEW.”
(f) Between
the date hereof and the Closing Date, Parent shall continue to satisfy any
applicable filing requirements of the Exchange Act or the Securities Act,
as the
case may be, and all other requirements of applicable securities
laws.
(g) To
the
knowledge of Parent, Parent has complied with the Securities Act, Exchange
Act
and all other applicable federal and state securities laws.
Section
5.11 Financial
Statements.
The
balance sheets, and statements of income, stockholders’ equity and cash flows
(including any notes thereto) contained in the Parent SEC Documents (the
“Parent
Financial Statements”)
(i)
have been prepared in accordance with GAAP, (ii) are in accordance with the
books and records of the Parent, and (iii) present fairly in all material
respects the financial condition of the Parent at the dates therein specified
and the results of its operations and changes in financial position for the
periods therein specified.
Section
5.12 No
General Solicitation.
In
issuing Parent Common Stock in the Merger hereunder, neither Parent nor anyone
acting on its behalf has offered to sell Parent Common Stock by any form
of
general solicitation or advertising.
Section
5.13 Absence
of Undisclosed Liabilities.
Neither
Parent nor Acquisition Corp. will have any liabilities at Closing, except
as
disclosed in Schedule 5.13 Schedule 5.13 also details how any such disclosed
liabilities will be applied and dealt with by the parties
post-closing.
Section
5.14 Changes.
Since
the Parent Balance Sheet Date, except as disclosed in the Parent SEC Documents,
Parent has not (a) incurred any debts, obligations or Liabilities, absolute,
accrued or, to the Parent’s knowledge, contingent, whether due or to become due,
except for current Liabilities incurred in the usual and ordinary course
of
business, (b) discharged or satisfied any Liens other than those securing,
or
paid any obligation or Liability
19
other
than, current liabilities shown on the Parent Balance Sheet and current
Liabilities incurred since the Parent Balance Sheet Date, in each case in
the
usual and ordinary course of business, (c) mortgaged, pledged or subjected
to
Lien any of its assets, tangible or intangible, other than in the usual and
ordinary course of business, (d) sold, transferred or leased any of its assets,
except in the usual and ordinary course of business, (e) cancelled or
compromised any debt or claim, or waived or released any right of material
value, (f) suffered any physical damage, destruction or loss (whether or
not
covered by insurance) that could reasonably be expected to have a Parent
Material Adverse Effect, (g) entered into any transaction other than in the
usual and ordinary course of business, (h) encountered any labor union
difficulties, (i) made or granted any wage or salary increase or made any
increase in the amounts payable under any profit sharing, bonus, deferred
compensation, severance pay, insurance, pension, retirement or other employee
benefit plan, agreement or arrangement, other than in the ordinary course
of
business consistent with past practice, or entered into any employment
agreement, (j) issued or sold any shares of capital stock, bonds, notes,
debentures or other securities or granted any options (including employee
stock
options), warrants or other rights with respect thereto, (k) declared or
paid
any dividends on or made any other distributions with respect to, or purchased
or redeemed, any of its outstanding capital stock, (l) suffered or experienced
any change in, or condition affecting, the financial condition of the Parent
other than changes, events or conditions in the usual and ordinary course
of its
business, none of which (either by itself or in conjunction with all such
other
changes, events and conditions) could reasonably be expected to have a Parent
Material Adverse Effect, (m) made any change in the accounting principles,
methods or practices followed by it or depreciation or amortization policies
or
rates theretofore adopted, (n) made or permitted any amendment or termination
of
any material Contract, agreement or license to which it is a party, (o) suffered
any material loss not reflected in the Parent Balance Sheet or its statement
of
income for the year ended on the Parent Balance Sheet Date, (p) paid, or
made
any accrual or arrangement for payment of, bonuses or special compensation
of
any kind or any severance or termination pay to any present or former officer,
director, employee, stockholder or consultant, (q) made or agreed to make
any
charitable contributions or incurred any non-business expenses in excess
of
$1,000 in the aggregate, or (r) entered into any Contract, agreement or license,
or otherwise obligated itself, to do any of the foregoing.
Section
5.15 Tax
Returns and Audits.
Except
as provided in Schedule 5.15, all required federal, state and local Tax Returns
of the Parent have been accurately prepared in all material respects and
duly
and timely filed, and all federal, state and local Taxes required to be paid
with respect to the periods covered by such returns have been paid to the
extent
that the same are material and have become due, except where the failure
so to
file or pay could not reasonably be expected to have a Parent Material Adverse
Effect. The Parent is not and has not been delinquent in the payment of any
Tax.
The Parent has not had a Tax deficiency assessed against it. None of the
Parent’s federal income Tax Returns nor any state or local income or franchise
Tax Returns has been audited by governmental authorities. The reserves for
Taxes
reflected on the Parent Balance Sheet are sufficient for the payment of all
unpaid Taxes payable by the Parent with respect to the period ended on the
Parent Balance Sheet Date. There are no federal, state, local or foreign
audits,
actions, suits, proceedings, investigations, claims or administrative
proceedings relating to Taxes or any Tax Returns of the Parent now pending,
and
the Parent has not received any notice of any proposed audits, investigations,
claims or administrative proceedings relating to Taxes or any Tax
Returns.
20
Section
5.16 Employee
Benefit Plans; ERISA.
(a) Except
as
disclosed in the Parent SEC Documents, there are no “employee benefit plans”
(within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA) nor any other employee benefit
or
fringe benefit arrangements, practices, contracts, policies or programs other
than programs merely involving the regular payment of wages, commissions,
or
bonuses established, maintained or contributed to by the Parent,
whether
written or unwritten and whether or not funded.
Any
plans listed in the Parent SEC Documents are hereinafter referred to as the
“Parent
Employee Benefit Plans.”
(b) Any
current and prior material documents, including all amendments thereto, with
respect to each Parent Employee Benefit Plan have been made available to
the
Company.
(c) All
Parent Employee Benefit Plans are in material compliance with the applicable
requirements of ERISA, the Code and any other applicable state, federal or
foreign law.
(d) There
are
no pending, or to the knowledge of the Parent, threatened, claims or lawsuits
that have been asserted or instituted against any Parent Employee Benefit
Plan,
the assets of any of the trusts or funds under the Parent Employee Benefit
Plans, the plan sponsor or the plan administrator of any of the Parent Employee
Benefit Plans or against any fiduciary of a Parent Employee Benefit Plan
with
respect to the operation of such plan.
(e) There
is
no pending, or to the knowledge of the Parent, threatened, investigation
or
pending or possible enforcement action by the Pension Benefit Guaranty
Corporation, the Department of Labor, the Internal Revenue Service or any
other
government agency with respect to any Parent Employee Benefit Plan and Parent
has no knowledge of any incident, transaction, occurrence or circumstance
which
might reasonably be expected to trigger such an investigation or enforcement
action.
(f) No
actual
or, to the knowledge of Parent, contingent Liability exists with respect
to the
funding of any Parent Employee Benefit Plan or for any other expense or
obligation of any Parent Employee Benefit Plan, except as disclosed on the
Parent Financial Statements or the Parent SEC Documents, and to the knowledge
of
the Parent, no contingent Liability exists under ERISA with respect to any
“multi-employer plan,” as defined in Section 3(37) or Section 4001(a)(3) of
ERISA.
Section
5.17 Interested
Party Transactions.
Except
as disclosed in the Parent SEC Documents, no officer, director or stockholder
of
the Parent or any Affiliate of any such Person or the Parent has or has had,
either directly or indirectly, (a) an interest in any Person that (i) furnishes
or sells services or products that are furnished or sold or are proposed
to be
furnished or sold by the Parent or (ii) purchases from or sells or furnishes
to
the Parent any goods or services, or (b) a beneficial interest in any Contract
to which the Parent is a party or by which it may be bound or
affected.
Section
5.18 Questionable
Payments.
Neither
the Parent, Acquisition Corp. nor to the knowledge of the Parent, any director,
officer, agent, employee or other Person associated with
21
or
acting
on behalf of the Parent or Acquisition Corp., has used any corporate funds
for
(a) unlawful contributions, gifts, entertainment or other unlawful expenses
relating to political activity, (b) made any direct or indirect unlawful
payments to government officials or employees from corporate funds, (c)
established or maintained any unlawful or unrecorded fund of corporate monies
or
other assets, (d) made any false or fictitious entries on the books of record
of
any such corporations, or (e) made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment,
kickback or other unlawful payment.
Section
5.19 Obligations
to or by Stockholders.
Except
as disclosed in the Parent SEC Documents, the Parent has no Liability or
obligation or commitment to any stockholder of Parent or any Affiliate or
“associate” (as such term is defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) of
any stockholder of Parent, nor does any stockholder of Parent or any such
Affiliate or associate have any Liability, obligation or commitment to the
Parent.
Section
5.20 Schedule
of Assets and Contracts.
Except
as expressly set forth in this Agreement, the Parent Balance Sheet or the
notes
thereto, the Parent is not a party to any Contract not made in the ordinary
course of business that is material to the Parent. Parent does not own any
real
property. Parent is not a party to any Contract (a) with any labor union,
(b)
for the purchase of fixed assets or for the purchase of materials, supplies
or
equipment in excess of normal operating requirements, (c) for the employment
of
any officer, individual employee or other Person on a full-time basis or
any
contract with any Person for consulting services, (d) with respect to bonus,
pension, profit sharing, retirement, stock purchase, stock option, deferred
compensation, medical, hospitalization or life insurance or similar plan,
contract or understanding with any or all of the employees of Parent or any
other Person, (e) relating to or evidencing Indebtedness for Borrowed Money
or
subjecting any asset or property of Parent to any Lien or evidencing any
Indebtedness, (f) guaranteeing of any Indebtedness, (g) under which Parent
is
lessee of or holds or operates any property, real or personal, owned by any
other Person, (h) under which Parent is lessor or permits any Person to hold
or
operate any property, real or personal, owned or controlled by Parent, (i)
granting any preemptive right, right of first refusal or similar right to
any
Person, (j) with any Affiliate of Parent or any present or former officer,
director or stockholder of Parent, (k) obligating Parent to pay any royalty
or
similar charge for the use or exploitation of any tangible or intangible
property, (1) containing a covenant not to compete or other restriction on
the
parent’s ability to conduct a business or engage in any other activity, (m) with
respect to any distributor, dealer, manufacturer’s representative, sales agency,
franchise or advertising contract or commitment, (n) regarding the registration
of securities under the Securities Act, (o) characterized as a collective
bargaining agreement, or (p) with any Person continuing for a period of more
than three months from the Closing Date that involves an expenditure or receipt
by Parent in excess of $1,000. The Parent maintains no insurance policies
and
insurance coverage of any kind with respect to Parent, its business, premises,
properties, assets, employees and agents. Parent has furnished to the Company
true and complete copies of all agreements and other documents requested
by the
Company.
Section
5.21 Environmental
Matters.
(a) The
Parent has never generated, used, handled, treated, released, stored or disposed
of any Hazardous Materials on any real property on which it now has or
previously had
22
any
leasehold or ownership interest, except in compliance with all applicable
Environmental Laws.
(b) The
historical and present operations of the business of the Parent compliance
with
all applicable Environmental Laws, except where any non-compliance has not
had
and would not reasonably be expected to have a Parent Material Adverse
Effect.
(c) (i)
The
Parent has not, sent or disposed of, otherwise had taken or transported,
arranged for the taking or disposal of (on behalf of itself, a customer or
any
other party) or in any other manner participated or been involved in the
taking
of or disposal or release of a Hazardous Material to or at a site that is
contaminated by any Hazardous Material or that, pursuant to any Environmental
Law, (A) has been placed on the “National Priorities List”, the “CERCLIS” list,
or any similar state or federal list, or (B) is subject to or the source
of a
claim, an administrative order or other request to take “removal”, “remedial”,
“corrective” or any other “response” action, as defined in any Environmental
Law, or to pay for the costs of any such action at the site; (ii) the Parent
is
not involved in (and has no basis to reasonably expect to be involved in)
any
suit or proceeding and has not received (and has no basis to reasonably expect
to receive) any written notice, request for information or other communication
from any governmental authority or other third party with respect to a release
or threatened release of any Hazardous Material or a violation or alleged
violation of any Environmental Law, and has not received (and has no basis
to
reasonably expect to receive) written notice of any claims from any Person
relating to property damage, natural resource damage or to personal injuries
from exposure to any Hazardous Material; and (iii) the Parent has timely
filed
every report required to be filed, acquired all necessary certificates,
approvals and permits, and generated and maintained all required data,
documentation and records under all Environmental Laws, in all such instances
except where the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have,
individually or in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
(d) There
are
no material pending or, to the knowledge of Parent, threatened, demands,
claims,
information requests or notices of noncompliance or violation against or
to the
Parent relating to any Environmental Law; and, to the knowledge of Parent,
there
are no conditions or occurrences on any of the real property used by Parent
in
connection with its business that would reasonably be expected to lead to
any
such demands, claims or notices against or to Parent, except such as have
not
had, and would not reasonably be expected to have, a Parent Material Adverse
Effect.
Section
5.22 Employees.
Other
than pursuant to ordinary arrangements of employment compensation, Parent
is not
under any obligation or liability to any officer, director, employee or
Affiliate of Parent.
Section
5.23 Title
to Property and Encumbrances.
Parent
has
good
and valid title to all properties and assets used in the conduct of its business
(except for property held under valid and subsisting leases which are in
full
force and effect and which are not in default) free of all Liens except
Permitted Liens and such ordinary and customary imperfections of title,
restrictions and encumbrances as do not, individually or in the aggregate
constitute a Parent
Material
Adverse Effect.
23
Section
5.24 Condition
of Properties.
All
facilities, machinery, equipment, fixtures and other properties owned, leased
or
used by Parent
are
in
operating condition, subject to ordinary wear and tear, and are adequate
and
sufficient for the Parent’s
existing
business.
Section
5.25 Insurance
Coverage.
There
is no policy of insurance issued to the Parent. Parent
has
not
been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for, and Parent
has no
reason to believe that it will be unable to renew its existing insurance
coverage as and when the same shall expire upon terms at least as favorable
to
those currently in effect, other than possible increases in premiums that
do not
result from any act or omission of Parent.
No
suit, proceeding or action or, to the best current actual knowledge of
Parent,
threat
of suit, proceeding or action has been asserted or made against Parent
due to
alleged bodily injury, disease, medical condition, death or property damage
arising out of the function or malfunction of a product, procedure or service
designed, manufactured, sold or distributed by Parent.
Section
5.26 Disclosure.
There
is no fact relating to Parent or Acquisition Corp. that Parent has not disclosed
to the Company in writing that has had, is having or is reasonably likely
to
have a Parent Material Adverse Effect. No representation or warranty by Parent
or Acquisition Corp. herein and no information disclosed in the exhibits
hereto
by Parent or Acquisition Corp. contains any untrue statement of a material
fact
or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the statements contained
herein or therein not misleading.
ARTICLE
VI
CONDUCT
OF BUSINESSES PENDING THE MERGER
Section
6.1 Conduct
of Business by the Company Pending the Merger.
Prior
to the
Effective Time, unless Parent or Acquisition Corp. shall otherwise agree
in
writing or as otherwise contemplated by this Agreement:
(i) the
business of the Company shall be conducted only in the ordinary course
consistent with the past practice;
(ii) the
Company shall not (A) directly or indirectly redeem, purchase or otherwise
acquire or agree to redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire any shares
of
Company Capital Stock; (B) amend its certificate of incorporation or by-laws
except to effectuate the transactions contemplated in this Agreement; or
(C)
split, combine or reclassify the outstanding Company Capital Stock or declare,
set aside or pay any dividend payable in cash, stock or property or make
any
distribution with respect to any such stock;
(iii) the
Company shall not (A) issue any additional shares of, or options, warrants
or
rights of any kind to acquire any shares of, Company Capital Stock, except
to
issue shares of Company Capital Stock in connection with the exercise of
Common
Stock Options; (B) acquire or dispose of any fixed assets or acquire or dispose
of any other substantial assets other than in the ordinary course of business;
(C) incur additional Indebtedness or any other Liabilities or enter into
any
other transaction other than in the ordinary course of business; (D) enter
into
any Contract, agreement, commitment or arrangement with respect to any of
the
foregoing except this Agreement; or (E) except as contemplated by this
Agreement, enter into any Contract, agreement, commitment or
24
arrangement
to dissolve, merge, consolidate or enter into any other material business
combination; and
(iv) the
Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to preserve intact the business
of
the Company, to keep available the service of its present officers and key
employees, and to preserve the good will of those having business relationships
with it.
Section
6.2 Conduct
of Business by Parent and Acquisition Corp. Pending the Merger.
Prior
to the Effective Time, unless the Company shall otherwise agree in writing
or as
otherwise contemplated expressly permitted by this Agreement:
(i) the
business of Parent and Acquisition Corp. shall be conducted only in the ordinary
course consistent with past practice;
(ii) neither
Parent nor Acquisition Corp. shall (A) directly or indirectly redeem, purchase
or otherwise acquire or agree to redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire any
shares of its capital stock; (B) amend its certificate of incorporation or
by-laws; or (C) split, combine or reclassify its capital stock or declare,
set
aside or pay any dividend payable in cash, stock or property or make any
distribution with respect to such stock; and
(iii) neither
Parent nor Acquisition Corp. shall (A) issue or agree to issue any additional
shares of, or options, warrants or rights of any kind to acquire shares of,
its
capital stock; (B) acquire or dispose of any assets other than in the ordinary
course of business; (C) incur additional Indebtedness or any other Liabilities
or enter into any other transaction except in the ordinary course of business;
(D) enter into any Contract, agreement, commitment or arrangement with respect
to any of the foregoing except this Agreement, or (E) except as contemplated
by
this Agreement, enter into any Contract, agreement, commitment or arrangement
to
dissolve, merge; consolidate or enter into any other material business contract
or enter into any negotiations in connection therewith.
(iv) Parent
shall use its best efforts to preserve intact the business of Parent and
Acquisition Corp., to keep available the service of its present officers
and key
employees, and to preserve the good will of those having business relationships
with Parent and Acquisition Corp.;
(v) neither
Parent nor Acquisition Corp. will, nor will they authorize any director or
authorize or permit any officer or employee or any attorney, accountant or
other
representative retained by them to, make, solicit, encourage any inquiries
with
respect to, or engage in any negotiations concerning, any Acquisition Proposal
(as defined below). Parent will promptly advise the Company in writing of
any
such inquiries or Acquisition Proposal (or requests for information) and
the
substance thereof. As used in this paragraph, “Acquisition
Proposal”
shall
mean any proposal for a merger or other business combination involving the
Parent or Acquisition Corp. or for the acquisition of a substantial equity
interest in either of them or any material assets of either of them other
than
as contemplated by this Agreement. Parent will immediately cease and cause
to be
terminated any existing activities, discussions or negotiations with any
Person
conducted heretofore with respect to any of the foregoing; and
25
(vi) neither
Parent nor Acquisition Corp. will enter into any new employment agreements
with
any of their officers or employees or grant any increases in the compensation
or
benefits of their officers and employees.
ARTICLE
VII
ADDITIONAL
AGREEMENTS
Section
7.1 Access
and Information.
The
Company, Parent and Acquisition Corp. shall each afford to the other and
to the
other’s accountants, counsel and other representatives reasonable access during
normal business hours throughout the period prior to the Effective Time of
all
of its properties, books, contracts, commitments and records (including but
not
limited to Tax Returns) and during such period, each shall furnish promptly
to
the other all information concerning its business, properties and personnel
as
such other party may reasonably request, provided that no investigation pursuant
to this Section
7.1
shall
affect any representations or warranties made herein. Each party shall hold,
and
shall cause its employees and agents to hold, in confidence all such information
(other than such information that (i) becomes generally available to the
public
other than as a result of a disclosure by such party or its directors, officers,
managers, employees, agents or advisors, or (ii) becomes available to such
party
on a non-confidential basis from a source other than a party hereto or its
advisors, provided that such source is not known by such party to be bound
by a
confidentiality agreement with or other obligation of secrecy to a party
hereto
or another party until such time as such information is otherwise publicly
available; provided,
however,
that:
(A) any such information may be disclosed to such party’s directors, officers,
employees and representatives of such party’s advisors who need to know such
information for the purpose of evaluating the transactions contemplated hereby
(it being understood that such directors, officers, employees and
representatives shall be informed by such party of the confidential nature
of
such information); (B) any disclosure of such information may be made as
to
which the party hereto furnishing such information has consented in writing;
and
(C) any such information may be disclosed pursuant to a judicial, administrative
or governmental order or request provided,
that
the requested party will promptly so notify the other party so that the other
party may seek a protective order or appropriate remedy and/or waive compliance
with this Agreement and if such protective order or other remedy is not obtained
or the other party waives compliance with this provision, the requested party
will furnish only that portion of such information which is legally required
and
will exercise its best efforts to obtain a protective order or other reliable
assurance that confidential treatment will be accorded the information
furnished. If this Agreement is terminated, each party will deliver to the
other
all documents and other materials (including copies) obtained by such party
or
on its behalf from the other party as a result of this Agreement or in
connection herewith, whether so obtained before or after the execution
hereof.
Section
7.2 Additional
Agreements.
Subject
to the terms and conditions herein provided, each of the parties hereto agrees
to use its commercially reasonable best efforts to take, or cause to be taken,
all action and to do, or cause to be done, all things necessary, proper or
advisable under applicable laws and regulations to consummate and make effective
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including using its
commercially reasonable best efforts to satisfy the conditions precedent
to the
obligations of any of the parties hereto to obtain all necessary waivers,
and to
lift any injunction or other legal bar to the Merger (and, in such case,
to
proceed with the Merger as expeditiously as possible). In order to obtain
any
necessary
26
governmental
or regulatory action or non-action, waiver, Consent, extension or approval,
each
of Parent, Acquisition Corp. and the Company agrees to take all reasonable
actions and to enter into all reasonable agreements as may be necessary to
obtain timely governmental or regulatory approvals and to take such further
action in connection therewith as may be necessary. In case at any time after
the Effective Time any further action is necessary or desirable to carry
out the
purposes of this Agreement, the proper officers and/or directors of Parent,
Acquisition Corp. and the Company shall take all such necessary
action.
Section
7.3 Publicity.
No
party shall issue any press release or public announcement pertaining to
the
Merger that has not been agreed upon in advance by Parent and the Company,
except as Parent reasonably determines to be necessary in order to comply
with
the rules of the Commission; provided
that in
such case Parent will use its best efforts to allow Company to review and
reasonably approve any of the same prior to its release.
Section
7.4 Appointment
of Directors.
Immediately upon the Effective Time, Parent shall, in accordance with
Section
2.3(d),
accept
the resignations and cause the appointments of those officers and directors
of
Parent identified in Exhibit
C
hereto,
subject to any notice and waiting period requirements of federal law. At
the
first annual meeting of Parent’s stockholders and thereafter, the election of
members of Parent’s Board of Directors shall be accomplished in accordance with
the by-laws of Parent.
Section
7.5 Reserved.
Section
7.6 Spinoff
of Existing Business Operations.
The
parties acknowledge and confirm that Parent’s Board of Directors has approved a
spinoff of its wholly owned subsidiary, Media Sentiment, Inc., and declared
a
record date of April 20, 2007 for the shareholders entitled to distribution
of
the Media Sentiment shares. The net result of this resolution is that following
a registration of these shares of the Subsidiaries Common Stock with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, the shares will be issued to the
shareholders of record as of April 20, 2007 of Parent and the business
operations, assets (including all intellectual property) and liabilities
of
Media Sentiment, Inc. in their entirety will no longer be owned by, or any
part
of, the Parent. Consequently, shareholders who obtain their shares in Parent
as
a result of this merger will thereafter have no interest therein. The Company
further acknowledges, represents, warrants and agrees that it will: (1) support
and consummate this spinoff of Media Sentiment shares as already approved,
(2)
not vary or delay this process in any way, and (3) ensure that the shares
of
Media Sentiment’s common stock are registered and transferred upon registration
to, and only to, the shareholders identified in the Board’s approval as attached
hereto in Schedule 7.6. The Company further acknowledges and agrees that
an
escrow has been set up with the Parent’s attorneys to hold the shares to be
registered and issued as provided in Schedule 7.6 and that they have been
given
irrevocable instructions to distribute the shares to the identified shareholders
upon clearance of a registration statement which the company has agreed to
file
for these shares.
Section
7.7 Names
Changes.
As soon
as practicable on or after the Effective Time, Parent shall take all required
legal actions to change Parent’s corporate name as determined by the Parent’s
new Board of Directors following the Effective Time. (the “Name
Change”).
Section
7.8 Stockholder
Consent.
27
(a) So
long
as the Board of Directors of the Company shall not have withdrawn, modified
or
changed its recommendation in accordance with the provisions of Section
7.8(b)
hereof,
the Company, acting through its Board of Directors, shall, in accordance
with
Tennessee law and its certificate of incorporation and by-laws, take all
actions
reasonably necessary to establish a record date for, duly call, give notice
of,
convene and hold a stockholders meeting for the purpose of obtaining the
requisite approval and adoption of this Agreement and the transactions
contemplated hereby by the Stockholders. The Company shall notify each
Stockholder, whether or not entitled to vote, of the proposed Company
stockholders’ meeting. Such meeting notice shall state that the purpose, or one
of the purposes, of the meeting is to consider the Merger and shall contain
or
be accompanied by a copy or summary of this Agreement. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the Board of Directors of the Company shall not be required to
take
all actions reasonably necessary to establish a record date for, duly call,
give
notice of, convene and hold a stockholders meeting for the purpose of obtaining
the requisite approval and adoption of this Agreement and the transactions
contemplated hereby by the Stockholders if the Company’s Board of Directors and
the requisite Stockholders otherwise take all actions reasonably necessary
to
approve this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby by written
consent in lieu of a meeting of the stockholders of the Company to the extent
permitted by applicable law.
(b) The
Board
of Directors of the Company shall unanimously recommend such approval and
shall
use all reasonable efforts to solicit and obtain such approval; provided,
however,
that
the Board of Directors of the Company may at any time prior to approval of
the
Stockholders (i) decline to make, withdraw, modify or change any recommendation
or declaration regarding this Agreement or the Merger or (ii) recommend and
declare advisable any other offer or proposal, to the extent the Board of
Directors of the Company determines in good faith, based upon advice of legal
counsel, that withdrawing, modifying, changing or declining to make its
recommendation regarding this Agreement or the Merger or recommending and
declaring advisable any other offer or proposal is necessary to comply with
its
fiduciary duties under applicable law (which declinations, withdrawal,
modification or change shall not constitute a breach by the Company of this
Agreement). The Company shall provide written notice to Parent promptly upon
the
Company taking any action referred to in the foregoing proviso.
(c) Pursuant
to the NRS, at any time before the certificate of merger is filed with the
Secretary of State of the State of Nevada, including any time after the Merger
is authorized by the Stockholders, the Merger may be abandoned and this
Agreement may be terminated in accordance with the terms hereof, without
further
action by the Stockholders.
ARTICLE
VIII
CONDITIONS
OF PARTIES’ OBLIGATIONS
Section
8.1 Company
Obligations.
The
obligations of Parent and Acquisition Corp. under this Agreement are subject
to
the fulfillment at or prior to the Closing of the following conditions, any
of
which may be waived in whole or in part by Parent.
(a) No
Errors, etc.
The
representations
and
warranties of the Company under this Agreement shall be deemed to have been
made
again on the Closing Date and shall then be true and correct in all material
respects.
28
(b) Compliance
with Agreement.
The
Company shall have performed and complied in all material respects with all
agreements and conditions required by this Agreement to be performed or complied
with by it on or before the Closing Date.
(c) No
Company Material Adverse Effect.
Since
the date hereof, there shall not have been any event or circumstance that
has
resulted in a Company Material Adverse Effect, and no event has occurred
or
circumstance exists that would reasonably be expected to result in a Company
Material Adverse Effect.
(d) Certificate
of Officers.
The
Company shall have delivered to Parent and Acquisition Corp. a certificate
dated
the Closing Date, executed on its behalf by the Chief Executive Officer of
the
Company, certifying the satisfaction of the conditions specified in paragraphs
(a), (b) and (c) of this Section 8.1.
(e) No
Restraining Action.
No
Action or proceeding before any court, governmental body or agency shall
have
been threatened, asserted or instituted to restrain or prohibit, or to obtain
substantial damages in respect of, this Agreement or the carrying out of
the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(f) Supporting
Documents.
Parent
and Acquisition Corp. shall have received the following:
(1) Copies
of
resolutions of the Board of Directors and the stockholders of the Company,
certified by the Secretary of the Company, authorizing and approving the
Merger
and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and all other
documents and instruments to be delivered pursuant hereto and
thereto.
(2) A
certificate of incumbency executed by the Secretary of the Company certifying
the names, titles and signatures of the officers authorized to execute any
documents referred to in this Agreement and further certifying that the
certificate of incorporation and by-laws of the Company delivered to Parent
and
Acquisition Corp. at the time of the execution of this Agreement have been
validly adopted and have not been amended or modified since the date
hereof.
(3) Evidence
as of a recent date of the good standing and corporate existence of the Company
issued by the Secretary of State of the State of Tennessee.
Section
8.2 Parent
and Acquisition Corp. Obligations.
The
obligations of the Company under this Agreement are subject to the fulfillment
at or prior to the Closing of the following conditions any of which may be
waived in whole or in part by the Company:
(a) No
Errors, etc.
The
representations
and
warranties of Parent and Acquisition Corp. under this Agreement shall be
deemed
to have been made again on the Closing Date and shall then be true and correct
in all material respects.
(b) Compliance
with Agreement.
Parent
and Acquisition Corp. shall have performed and complied in all material respects
with all agreements and conditions required by this Agreement to be performed
or
complied with by them on or before the Closing Date.
29
(c) No
Parent Material Adverse Effect.
Since
the date hereof, there shall not have been any event or circumstance that
has
resulted in a Parent Material Adverse Effect and no event has occurred or
circumstance exists that would be reasonably expected to result in such a
Parent
Material Adverse Effect.
(d) Certificate
of Officers.
Parent
and Acquisition Corp. shall have delivered to the Company a certificate dated
the Closing Date, executed on their behalf by their respective Presidents,
certifying the satisfaction of the conditions specified in paragraphs (a),
(b),
and (c) of this Section
8.2.
(e) Supporting
Documents.
The
Company shall have received the following:
(1) Copies
of
resolutions of Parent’s and Acquisition Corp.’s respective board of directors
and the sole stockholder of Acquisition Corp., certified by their respective
Secretaries, authorizing and approving the Merger and the execution, delivery
and performance of this Agreement and all other documents and instruments
to be
delivered by them pursuant hereto.
(2) A
certificate of incumbency executed by the respective Secretaries of Parent
and
Acquisition Corp. certifying the names, titles and signatures of the officers
authorized to execute the documents referred to in paragraph (1) above and
further certifying that the certificates of incorporation and by-laws of
Parent
and Acquisition Corp. appended thereto have not been amended or
modified.
(3) A
certificate, dated the Closing Date, executed by the Secretary of each of
the
Parent and Acquisition Corp., certifying that, except for the filing of the
certificate of merger with the Secretary of State of the State of Nevada:
(i)
all consents, authorizations, orders and approvals of, and filings and
registrations with, any court, governmental body or instrumentality that
are
required to be obtained by Parent or Acquisition Corp. for the execution
and
delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the Merger shall have
been
duly made or obtained; and (ii) no action or proceeding before any court,
governmental body or agency has been threatened, asserted or instituted against
Parent or Acquisition Corp. to restrain or prohibit, or to obtain substantial
damages in respect of, this Agreement or the carrying out of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
(4) A
certificate of Parent’s transfer agent and registrar, certifying as of the
business day prior to the Closing Date, a true and complete list of the names
and addresses of the record owners of all of the outstanding shares of Parent
Common Stock, together with the number of shares of Parent Common Stock held
by
each record owner.
(5) The
executed resignations of all directors and officers of Parent, with the director
resignations to take effect following the notice period required by federal
law,
and (ii) executed releases from each such director and officer in the form
and
substance acceptable to the Company in its sole discretion.
(6) Evidence
as of a recent date of the good standing and corporate existence of each
of the
Parent and Acquisition Corp. issued by the Secretary of State of their
respective states of incorporation.
30
(7) Such
additional supporting documentation and other information with respect to
the
transactions contemplated hereby as the Company may reasonably
request.
ARTICLE
IX
INDEMNIFICATION
AND RELATED MATTERS
Section
9.1 Indemnification
by Parent.
The
Parties shall indemnify and hold each other harmless (the “Indemnified
Parties”),
and
shall reimburse the Indemnified Parties for, any loss, liability, claim,
damage,
expense (including, but not limited to, costs of investigation and defense
and
reasonable attorneys’ fees) or diminution of value (collectively, “Damages”)
arising from or in connection with (a) any inaccuracy, in any material respect,
in any of the representations and warranties of the other party in this
Agreement or in any certificate delivered by the other party pursuant to
this
Agreement, or any actions, omissions or statements of fact inconsistent with
any
such representation or warranty, (b) any failure by the other party to perform
or comply in any material respect with any covenant or agreement in this
Agreement, (c) any claim for brokerage or finder’s fees or commissions or
similar payments based upon any agreement or understanding alleged to have
been
made by any such party with the other party in connection with any of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, (d) Taxes attributable to any
transaction or event occurring on or prior to the Closing by the other party,
(e) any claim relating to or arising out of any Liabilities of the other
party
on or prior to Closing or with respect to accounting fees arising thereafter,
or
(f) any litigation, action, claim, proceeding or investigation by any third
party relating to or arising out of the business or operations of the other
party or any holder of the other party prior to the Effective Time.
Section
9.2 Survival.
All
representations, warranties, covenants and agreements of Parent and Acquisition
Corp. contained in this Agreement or in any instrument delivered pursuant
to
this Agreement shall survive until twelve (12) months after the Closing Date.
The representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement
or
in any instrument delivered pursuant to this Agreement will terminate at,
and
have no further force and effect after, the Effective Time.
Section
9.3 Time
Limitations.
Neither
Parent nor Acquisition Corp. shall have any liability (for indemnification
or
otherwise) with respect to any representation or warranty, or covenant or
agreement to be performed and complied with prior to the Effective Time,
unless
on or before the three month anniversity of the Effective Time (the
“Claims
Deadline”),
Parent is given notice of a claim with respect thereto, in accordance with
Section
9.5,
specifying the factual basis therefore in reasonable detail to the extent
then
known by the Indemnified Parties.
Section
9.4
Notice of Claims.
(a) If,
at
any time on or prior to the Claims Deadline, Indemnified Parties shall assert
a
claim for indemnification pursuant to Section
9.1,
such
Indemnified Parties shall submit to Parent a written claim stating: (i) that
a
Indemnified Party incurred or reasonably believes it may incur Damages and
the
amount or reasonable estimate thereof of any such Damages; and (ii) in
reasonable detail, the facts alleged as the basis for such claim and the
section
or sections of this Agreement alleged as the basis or bases for the claim.
If
the claim is for Damages which the Indemnified Parties reasonably believe
may be
incurred or are otherwise unliquidated, the written claim shall be deemed
to
have been asserted under this Article
IX
in the
31
amount
of
such estimated Damages, but no payment for indemnification shall be made
until
such Damages have actually been incurred.
(b) In
the
event that any action, suit or proceeding is brought against any Indemnified
Party with respect to which Parent may have liability under this Article
IX,
the
Parent shall have the right, at its cost and expense, to defend such action,
suit or proceeding in the name and on behalf of the Indemnified Party;
provided,
however,
that a
Indemnified Party shall have the right to retain its own counsel, with fees
and
expenses paid by Parent, if representation of the Indemnified Party by counsel
retained by Parent would be inappropriate because of actual or potential
differing interests between Parent and the Indemnified Party. In connection
with
any action, suit or proceeding subject to this Article
IX,
Parent
and each Indemnified Party agree to render to each other such assistance
as may
reasonably be required in order to ensure proper and adequate defense of
such
action, suit or proceeding. Parent shall not, without the prior written consent
of the applicable Indemnified Parties, which consent shall not be unreasonably
withheld or delayed, settle or compromise any claim or demand if such settlement
or compromise does not include an irrevocable and unconditional release of
such
Indemnified Parties for any liability arising out of such claim or
demand.
ARTICLE
X
TERMINATION
PRIOR TO CLOSING
Section
10.1 Termination
of Agreement.
This
Agreement may be terminated at any time prior to the Closing:
(a) by
the
mutual written consent of the Company, Acquisition Corp. and
Parent;
(b) by
the
Company, if Parent or Acquisition Corp. (i) fails to perform in any material
respect any of its agreements contained herein required to be performed by
it on
or prior to the Effective Time, (ii) materially breaches any of its
representations, warranties or covenants contained herein, which failure
or
breach is not cured within thirty (30) days after the Company has notified
Parent and Acquisition Corp. of its intent to terminate this Agreement pursuant
to this paragraph (b);
(c) by
Parent
and Acquisition Corp., if the Company (i) fails to perform in any material
respect any of its agreements contained herein required to be performed by
it on
or prior to the Closing Date, (ii) materially breaches any of its
representations, warranties or covenants contained herein, which failure
or
breach is not cured within thirty (30) days after Parent or Acquisition Corp.
has notified the Company of its intent to terminate this Agreement pursuant
to
this paragraph (c);
(d) by
either
the Company, on the one hand, or Parent and Acquisition Corp., on the other
hand, if there shall be any order, writ, injunction or decree of any court
or
governmental or regulatory agency binding on Parent, Acquisition Corp. or
the
Company, which prohibits or materially restrains any of them from consummating
the transactions contemplated hereby; provided
that the
parties hereto shall have used their best efforts to have any such order,
writ,
injunction or decree lifted and the same shall not have been lifted within
ninety (90) days after entry, by any such court or governmental or regulatory
agency;
32
(e) by
either
the Company, on the one hand, or Parent and Acquisition Corp., on the other
hand, if the Closing has not occurred on or prior to May 15, 2007, for any
reason other than delay or nonperformance of the party seeking such
termination;
(f) by
the
Company if the Board of Directors of the Company determines in good faith,
based
upon advice of legal counsel, that termination pursuant to this Section
10.1(f)
is
necessary to comply with its fiduciary duties under applicable law as provided
in Section
7.8
hereof.
ARTICLE
XI
MISCELLANEOUS
Section
11.1 Amendments.
Subject
to applicable law, this Agreement may be amended or modified by the parties
hereto by written agreement executed by each party to be bound thereby and
delivered by duly authorized officers of the parties hereto at any time prior
to
the Effective Time; provided,
however,
that
after the approval of the Merger by the requisite Stockholders, no amendment
or
modification of this Agreement shall be made that by law requires further
approval from any Stockholders without such further approval.
Section
11.2 Notices.
Any
notice, request, instruction, other document or communications to be given
hereunder by any party hereto to any other party hereto shall be in writing
and
shall be deemed to have been duly given (a) when delivered personally, (b)
upon
confirmation of delivery if by electronic mail, (c) upon receipt of a
transmission confirmation (with a confirming copy delivered personally or
sent
by overnight courier) if sent by facsimile or like transmission, or (d) on
the
next business day when sent by Federal Express, United Parcel Service, U.S.
Express Mail or other reputable overnight courier for guaranteed next day
delivery, as follows:
If
to Parent or Acquisition Corp., to:
|
Attention:
Xxxxxx Xxxx
000
Xxx Xxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxx 000-000
Xxx
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
Telephone:
(000) 000-0000
|
If
to the Company, to:
|
Debut
Broadcasting Corporation, Inc.
Attention:
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
0000
- 00xx
Xxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxx 00000
Telephone:
(000) 000-0000
|
or
to
such other persons or addresses as may be designated in writing by the party
to
receive such notice. Nothing in this Section
11.2
shall be
deemed to constitute consent to the manner and
33
address
for service of process in connection with any legal proceeding (including
arbitration arising in connection with this Agreement), which service shall
be
effected as required by applicable law.
Section
11.3 Entire
Agreement.
This
Agreement and the exhibits attached hereto or referred to herein constitute
the
entire agreement of the parties hereto, and supersede all prior agreements
and
undertakings, both written and oral, among the parties hereto, with respect
to
the subject matter hereof and thereof.
Section
11.4 Expenses.
Except
as otherwise expressly provided herein, whether or not the Merger occurs,
all
expenses and fees incurred by Parent and Acquisition Corp. on one hand, and
the
Company on the other, shall be borne solely and entirely by the party that
has
incurred the same; provided,
that if
the Merger occurs, Parent agrees to pay, and shall cause the Surviving
Corporation to pay, any unpaid fees and expenses of the Company (including
fees
and expenses of its counsel and other advisors) in connection with the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
Section
11.5 Severability.
If any
term or other provision of this Agreement is invalid, illegal or incapable
of
being enforced by any rule of law or public policy, all other conditions
and
provisions of this Agreement will nevertheless remain in full force and effect
so long as the economic or legal substance of the transactions contemplated
hereby is not affected in any manner materially adverse to any party. Upon
such
determination that any term or other provision is invalid, illegal or incapable
of being enforced, the parties hereto will negotiate in good faith to amend
or
modify this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the parties
as
closely as possible in an acceptable manner to the end that transactions
contemplated hereby are fulfilled to the extent possible.
Section
11.6 Successors
and Assigns; Assignment.
This
Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto
and their respective successors and assigns. Neither this Agreement nor any
of
the rights, interests or obligations hereunder shall be assigned or delegated
by
any of the parties hereto without, in the case of Parent and Acquisition
Corp.,
the prior written approval of the Company and, in the case of the Company,
the
prior written approval of Parent.
Section
11.7 No
Third Party Beneficiaries.
Except
as set forth in Section
9.1
and
Section
11.6,
nothing
herein expressed or implied shall be construed to give any person other than
the
parties hereto (and their successors and assigns as permitted herein) any
legal
or equitable rights hereunder.
Section
11.8 Counterparts;
Delivery by Facsimile.
This
Agreement may be executed in multiple counterparts, and by the different
parties
hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when executed will be deemed
to
be an original but all of which taken together will constitute one and the
same
agreement. This Agreement and each other agreement or instrument entered
into in
connection herewith or therewith or contemplated hereby or thereby, and any
amendments hereto or thereto, to the extent signed and delivered by means
of a
facsimile machine or by electronic mail, shall be treated in all manner and
respects as an original agreement or instrument and shall be considered to
have
the same binding legal effect as if it were the original signed version thereof
delivered in person. At the request of any party hereto
34
or
to any
such agreement or instrument, each other party hereto or thereto shall
re-execute original forms thereof and deliver them to all other parties.
No
party hereto or to any such agreement or instrument shall raise the use of
a
facsimile machine or electronic mail to deliver a signature or the fact that
any
signature or agreement or instrument was transmitted or communicated through
the
use of a facsimile machine or electronic mail as a defense to the formation
or
enforceability of a contract and each such party forever waives any such
defense.
Section
11.9 Waiver.
At any
time prior to the Effective Time, any party hereto may (a) extend the time
for
the performance of any of the obligations or other acts of the other party
hereto; (b) waive any inaccuracies in the representations and breaches of
the
warranties of the other party contained herein or in any document delivered
pursuant hereto; and (c) waive compliance by the other party with any of
the
agreements or conditions contained herein. Any such extension or waiver will
be
valid only if set forth in an instrument in writing signed by the party or
parties to be bound thereby.
Section
11.10 No
Constructive Waivers.
No
failure or delay on the part of any party hereto in the exercise of any right
hereunder will impair such right or be construed to be a waiver of, or
acquiescence in, any breach of any representation, warranty, agreement or
covenant herein, nor will any single or partial exercise of any such right
preclude other or further exercise thereof or of any other right. No waiver
by
any party of any default, misrepresentation, or breach of warranty or covenant
hereunder, whether intentional or not, shall be deemed to extend to any prior
or
subsequent default, misrepresentation, or breach of warranty or covenant
hereunder or affect in any way any rights arising by virtue of any prior
or
subsequent such occurrence.
Section
11.11 Further
Assurances.
The
parties hereto shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to do and
perform
or cause to be done and performed all such further acts and things and shall
execute and deliver all such other agreements, certificates, instruments
or
documents as any other party hereto may reasonably request in order to carry
out
fully the intent and purposes of this Agreement and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby.
Section
11.12 Recitals.
The
recitals set forth above are incorporated herein and, by this reference,
are
made part of this Agreement as if fully set forth herein.
Section
11.13 Headings.
The
headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and
shall
not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this
Agreement.
Section
11.14 Governing
Law.
This
Agreement and the agreements, instruments and documents contemplated hereby
shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws
of
the State of Nevada without regard to its conflicts of law
principles.
Section
11.15 Dispute
Resolution.
The
parties hereto shall initially attempt to resolve all claims, disputes or
controversies arising under, out of or in connection with this Agreement
by
conducting good faith negotiations amongst themselves. If the parties hereto
are
unable to resolve the matter following good faith negotiations, the matter
shall
thereafter be resolved by binding arbitration and each party hereto hereby
waives any right it may otherwise have to the resolution of such matter by
any
means other than binding arbitration pursuant to this Section
11.15.
Whenever a party shall decide to institute arbitration proceedings, it shall
provide written notice to that effect to the other parties hereto. The party
giving such notice shall, however,
35
refrain
from instituting the arbitration proceedings for a period of sixty (60) days
following such notice. During this period, the parties shall make good faith
efforts to amicably resolve the claim, dispute or controversy without
arbitration. Any arbitration hereunder shall be conducted in the English
language under the commercial arbitration rules of the American Arbitration
Association. Any such arbitration shall be conducted in Las Vegas, Nevada
by a
panel of three arbitrators: one arbitrator shall be appointed by each of
Parent
and Company; and the third shall be appointed by the American Arbitration
Association. The panel of arbitrators shall have the authority to grant specific
performance. Judgment upon the award so rendered may be entered in any court
having jurisdiction or application may be made to such court for judicial
acceptance of any award and an order of enforcement, as the case may be.
In no
event shall a demand for arbitration be made after the date when institution
of
a legal or equitable proceeding based on the claim, dispute or controversy
in
question would be barred under this Agreement or by the applicable statute
of
limitations. The prevailing party in any arbitration in accordance with this
Section
11.15
shall be
entitled to recover from the other party, in addition to any other remedies
specified in the award, all reasonable costs, attorneys’ fees and other expenses
incurred by such prevailing party to arbitrate the claim, dispute or
controversy.
Section
11.16 Interpretation.
(a) When
a
reference is made in this Agreement to a section or article, such reference
shall be to a section or article of this Agreement unless otherwise clearly
indicated to the contrary.
(b) Whenever
the words “include”,
“includes”
or
“including”
are
used in this Agreement, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words
“without limitation.”
(c) The
words
“hereof”,
“hereby”,
“herein”
and
“herewith”
and
words of similar import shall, unless otherwise stated, be construed to refer
to
this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement,
and article, section, paragraph, exhibit and schedule references are to the
articles, sections, paragraphs, exhibits and schedules of this Agreement
unless
otherwise specified.
(d) The
words
“knowledge,”
or
“known
to,”
or
similar terms, when used in this Agreement to qualify any representation
or
warranty, refer to the knowledge or awareness of certain specific facts or
circumstances related to such representation or warranty of the persons in
the
Applicable Knowledge Group (as defined herein) which a prudent business person
would have obtained after reasonable investigation or due diligence on the
part
of any such person. For the purposes hereof, the “Applicable
Knowledge Group”
with
respect to the Company shall be Xxxxxx Xxxxxx. For the purposes hereof, the
“Applicable
Knowledge Group”
with
respect to Parent and the Acquisition Corp. shall be Xx.
Xxxxxx Xxxx.
(e) The
word
“subsidiary”
shall
mean any entity of which at least a majority of the outstanding shares or
other
equity interests having ordinary voting power for the election of directors
or
comparable managers of such entity is owned, directly or indirectly by another
entity or person.
36
(f) For
purposes of this Agreement, “ordinary
course of business”
means
the ordinary course of business consistent with past custom and practice
(including with respect to quantity and frequency).
(g) The
plural of any defined term shall have a meaning correlative to such defined
term, and words denoting any gender shall include all genders. Where a word
or
phrase is defined herein, each of its other grammatical forms shall have
a
corresponding meaning.
(h) A
reference to any legislation or to any provision of any legislation shall
include any modification or re-enactment thereof, any legislative provision
substituted therefor and all regulations and statutory instruments issued
thereunder or pursuant thereto, unless the context requires
otherwise.
(i) The
parties hereto have participated jointly in the negotiation and drafting
of this
Agreement. In the event an ambiguity or question of intent or interpretation
arises, this Agreement shall be construed as if drafted jointly by the parties,
and no presumption or burden of proof shall arise favoring or disfavoring
any
party by virtue of the authorship of any provisions of this
Agreement.
[The
remainder of this page is intentionally left blank]
37
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties hereto has caused this Agreement to
be
executed as of the date first above written by their respective officers
thereunto duly authorized.
COMPANY:
|
||
DEBUT
BROADCASTING CORPORATION, INC.
|
||
By:
|
/s/
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
|
|
Name:
|
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx | |
Title:
|
CEO |
|
||
PARENT:
|
||
By:
|
/s/
Xxxxxx Xxxx
|
|
Name:
|
Xxxxxx Xxxx | |
Title:
|
President |
ACQUISITION
CORP.:
|
||
DB
ACQUISITION CORP.
|
||
By:
|
/s/
Xxxxxx Xxxx
|
|
Name:
|
Xxxxxx Xxxx | |
Title:
|
President |
38
Exhibit
A
Certificate
of Incorporation of Surviving Corporation
STATE
OF TENNESSEE
ARTICLES
OF INCORPORATION
FOR
THE
MARKETING GROUP, INC.
Pursuant
to the provisions of the Tennessee Business Corporation Act, the undersigned
hereby submits the following:
1.
|
The
name of the corporation is:
|
The
Marketing Group, Inc.
|
2.
|
The
number of shares that the corporation is authorized to issue
is:
|
5,000
shares of common stock, no par
value.
|
3.
|
The
name and address of the incorporator
is:
|
Xxxxx
X. Xxxxxxx, III
|
Blackburn,
Slobey, Xxxxxxx & Happell, P.C.
|
000
Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
|
Xxxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
|
4.
|
The
street address of the corporation’s principal office
is:
|
0000
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 000
|
Xxxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
|
5.
|
The
name and address of the registered agent of the corporation
is:
|
Xxxxx
X. Xxxxxxx, III
|
Blackburn,
Slobey, Xxxxxxx & Happell, P.C.
|
000
Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
|
Xxxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
|
6.
|
The
corporation is for profit
|
7.
|
The
incorporator shall have the power to act as the first board of
directors
of the corporation pursuant to the Tennessee Business Corporation
Act.
|
8.
|
All
directors shall be indemnified to the extent permitted by the
laws of the
State of Tennessee. No director may be sued by the corporation
or its
shareholders for breach of his or her fiduciary duty to the corporation,
provided however, that this provision shall not absolve a director
from a
breach of his or her duty of loyalty or for his or her acts or
omissions
not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or
a knowing
violation of law, or for distributions in violation of the Tennessee
Business Corporation Act.
|
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has set his hand on this 10th
day of
August,
1999.
/s/
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx III
|
|
Xxxxx
X. Xxxxxxx III
|
|
Incorporator
|
AMENDED
AND RESTATED
ARTICLES
OF INCORPORATION
OF
DEBUT
BROADCASTING CORPORATION, INC
DEBUT
BROADCASTING CORPORATION, INC., a corporation organized and existing under
the
laws of the State of Tennessee, hereby certifies that the original Articles
of
Incorporation was filed on August 10, 1999 under the name THE MARKETING
GROUP,
INC., and thereafter, Articles of Amendment changing the corporation’s name to
DEBUT BROADCASTING CORPORATION, INC. was filed on March 30, 2007, and hereby
further certifies that the text of the Articles of Incorporation as heretofore
filed, including any and all prior amendments thereto, is hereby restated
with
the below stated amendments and changes, to read in its entirety as
follows:
FIRST: The
name
of the corporation is DEBUT BROADCASTING CORPORATION, INC. (the
“Corporation”).
SECOND: The
address of the registered office and the Principal Office and Incorporator
of
the Corporation in the State of Tennessee is 0000 00xx Xxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxx 00000. The name of the Incorporator and registered agent of the
Corporation at such address is Xxxxxxx X. Xxxx.
THIRD: The
purposes of the Corporation are the following:
(a) To
transact all lawful business for which corporations may be incorporated
pursuant
to the Corporations Act of the State of Tennessee; and
(b) To
carry
on any business whatsoever that the Corporation may deem proper or convenient
in
connection with the foregoing purpose or otherwise, or that it may deem
calculated, directly or indirectly, to improve the interests of the Corporation
and to have and to exercise all powers conferred by the laws of the State
of
Tennessee on corporations formed under the laws pursuant to which and under
the
Corporation is formed, as such laws are now in effect or may be amended
at any
time hereafter, and to do any and all things hereinabove set forth to the
same
extent and as fully as natural persons might or could do, either alone
or in
connection with other persons, firms, associations, or corporations, and
in any
part of the world.
The
foregoing clauses are to be construed as purposes and objects of the
Corporation, and the matter expressed in each clause shall in no way be
limited
by reference or inference from the terms of any other clause, but shall
be
regarded as an independent purpose and object; the enumeration of specific
objects and purposes shall not be construed or limit or restrict in any
manner
the general powers and rights of the Corporation as provided by law, nor
shall
the expression of one purpose or object be determined to exclude or another,
although it be of like nature but unexpressed.
FOURTH: The
total
number of shares is ten million (10,000,000) shares of common stock having
no
par value (the “Common Stock”).
Common
Stock.
All
common stock shall be of the same class and shall have full voting power,
that
is, one vote per share unless otherwise restricted as shall be stated,
and
expressed, in the resolution or resolutions providing for the issue of
such
Common Stock as may be adopted by the Board of Directors.
FIFTH: The
business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by the Board of
Directors. The directors need not be elected by ballot unless required
by the
By-laws of the Corporation.
SIXTH: In
furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by the laws of
the
State of Tennessee, the Board of Directors is expressly authorized to adopt,
amend, or repeal the Bylaws.
SEVENTH: The
Corporation reserves the right to amend and repeal any provision contained
in
this Articles of Incorporation in the manner prescribed by the laws of
the State
of Tennessee. All rights conferred in this Articles of Incorporation are
granted
subject to this reservation.
EIGHTH: NONLIABILITY
AND INDEMNITY
(a)
To
the
fullest extent that the Tennessee Business Corporation Act as it exists
on the
date hereof or as it may be amended hereafter permits the limitation or
elimination of the liability of directors, a director of the Corporation
shall
not be personally liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary
damages for a breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability
(i)
for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the Corporation or its
stockholders, (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve
intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, or (iii) for any
transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.
If the
Tennessee Business Corporation Act hereafter is amended to authorize the
further
elimination or limitation of the liability of directors, then the liability
of a
director of the Corporation, in addition to the limitation on personal
liability
provided herein, shall be limited to the fullest extent permitted by the
amended
Tennessee Business Corporation Act. The provisions of this part (a) shall
not
eliminate or limit the liability of a director for any act or omission
occurring
prior to the date when this part (a) became effective, if such a limitation
or
elimination of liability of director for such acts or omission is prohibited
by
the Tennessee Business Corporation Act as then in effect. Any repeal or
modification of the provisions of this part (a) by the stockholders of
the
Corporation shall be prospective only, and shall not adversely affect any
limitation on the personal liability of a director of the Corporation existing
at the time of such repeal or modification.
(b) The
Corporation shall have the power to indemnify any director, officer, employee,
or agent of the Corporation, or any other person who is serving at the
request
of the Corporation in any such capacity with another corporation, partnership,
joint venture, trust, or other enterprise (including, without limitation,
any
employee benefit plan) to the fullest extent permitted by the Tennessee
Business
Corporation Act as it exists on the date hereof or as it may be amended
hereafter, and any such indemnification may continue as to any person who
has
ceased to be a director, officer, employee, or agent and may inure to the
benefit of the heirs, executors, and administrators of such a person.
(c) By
action
of the Board of Directs, notwithstanding any interest of the directors
in the
action, the Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance in such amounts
as
the Board of Directors deems appropriate, to protect any director, officer,
employee, or agent of the Corporation or any other person who is serving
at the
request of the Corporation in any such capacity with another corporation,
partnership, joint venture, trust, or other enterprise (including, without
limitation, any employee benefit plan) against any liability asserted against
him or incurred by him in any such capacity or arising out of his status
as such
(including, without limitation, expenses, judgments, fines, and amounts
paid in
settlement) to the fullest extent permitted by the Tennessee Business
Corporation Act as it exists on the date hereof or as it may be amended
hereafter, and whether or not the Corporation would have the power or would
be
required to indemnify such person under the terms of any agreement or by-law
or
the Tennessee Business Corporation Act. For purposes of this part (c),
“fines”
shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to any
employee
benefit plan.
DEBUT
BROADCASTING CORPORATION, INC. further certifies as follows:
1. This
Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation was approved and proposed
by the
board of directors and the shareholders of the Corporation on April 25,
2007.
2. The
capital of the Corporation has not been and shall not be reduced under
or by
reason of this Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation.
3. This
Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation shall be effective when
filed by
the Secretary of State Division of Corporations.
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this Amended and Restated Articles
of Incorporation to be signed by its duly authorized officer as set forth
below
this 25th day of April, 2007.
DEBUT
BROADCASTING CORPORATION, INC.
|
|
By: |
/s/
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
|
Title: |
President
|
Exhibit
B
By-Laws
of Surviving Corporation
BYLAWS
OF
THE
MARKETING GROUP, INC
OFFICES
1. The
principal place of business (hereafter the “principal office”) for The Marketing
Group, Inc (hereafter the “Corporation”) shall be 0000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxx,
Xxxxx 000, Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx 00000, and the Corporation may have such
other
offices for the conduct of its business as the Board of Directors may from
time
to time deem necessary.
SEAL
2. The
Corporation shall not have a seal as it is no longer required by the laws
of the
State of Tennessee.
MEETING
OF SHAREHOLDERS
3. PLACE
OF
MEETINGS. Both annual and special meetings of the Shareholders of the
Corporation shall be held at the principal office of the Corporation unless
otherwise designated by the Board of Directors.
4. ANNUAL
MEETING. An annual meeting of the Shareholders shall be held for the purpose
of
electing members of the Board of Directors and for the transaction of such
other
business as may be properly raised at such meeting. Such annual meeting
shall be
held
as soon after March 15 of each calendar year as possible.
5. SPECIAL
MEETINGS. Special meetings of the Shareholders may be called by the President,
a
majority of the Board of Directors or by the holders on not less than one-tenth
(1/10th) of all of the shares entitled to vote at such meeting or as provided
by
law. In order for the requisite number of Shareholders to call a special
meeting, they must send their request in a writing stating the purpose(s)
for
such meeting to the President or the Secretary. The President or Secretary
must
immediately call the requested special meeting. If the President or Secretary
fail to call such meeting within twenty (20) days after his receipt of
such
request, any Shareholder executing such written request may call such meeting.
At any special meeting of the Shareholders, only such business may be transacted
as is related to the purposes set forth in the notice thereof.
6. NOTICE
OF
SHAREHOLDER MEETINGS. Written notice stating the place day and hour of
Shareholder meetings and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose(s)
for
and person(s) calling such meeting shall be delivered either personally
or by
mail to each Shareholder, entitled to vote at the meeting by or at the
direction
of the President, Secretary, officer or person calling the meeting. If
mailed,
then such notice shall be delivered not less than
ten
(10)
days nor more than sixty (60) days before the date of the meeting and shall
be
deemed to be delivered when deposited in a United States mailbox, postage
prepaid, directed to the Shareholder's mailing address as it appears in
then
current records of the Corporation. If delivered personally, then such
notice
shall be delivered not less than (5) days nor more than sixty (60) days
before
the date of the meeting and shall be deemed delivered when actually received
by
the Shareholder. In addition, the person delivering such notice shall certify
that the notice required by the paragraph has been given.
No
notice
of any annual or special meeting of Shareholders needs to be give to a
Shareholder who submits a signed waiver of notice, in person or by proxy,
whether before or after such meeting. A written waiver of notice does not
have
to state the purpose of meeting, but must state the originally scheduled
meeting
date. The attendance of any Shareholder, in person or by proxy, at any
annual or
special meeting without protesting the lack of notice of such meeting upon
his
arrival at such meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice by him.
Except
as
set forth in Section
8
of these
Bylaws, no notice of any adjourned meeting needs to be given.
7. QUORUM
REQUIREMENTS. The presence of the holders of a majority of all of the
Corporation's issued shares entitled to vote shall constitute a quorum
for the
transaction of business. A meeting may be adjourned by the Shareholders,
who are
present in person or by proxy, despite the absence of a quorum.
8. ADJOUNEMENT.
Written notice of any adjournment need not be given if the time and place
to
which the meeting is adjourned are announced at the meeting at which the
adjournment is taken. If the Board of Directors sets a new date and/or
time for
the adjourned meeting after the adjournment, then notice of the new date
and/or
time of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each Shareholder entitled
to
vote at such meeting in accordance with Section
6
of these
Bylaws. At any adjourned meeting at which a quorum is present, any business
may
be transacted that might have been transacted on the original date of the
meeting.
9. PROXIES
AND VOTING. Every shareholder entitled to vote at a meeting may do so either
in
person or by a written proxy that shall be filed with the Secretary at
the
meeting before being voted. Such proxy shall entitle the holders thereof
to vote
at any adjournment of such meeting, but shall not be valid after the final
adjournment thereof. No proxy shall be valid eleven (11) months after the
date
of its execution unless otherwise provided in the proxy.
For
purposes of transacting business at a meeting at which a quorum is present,
the
unanimous vote of the Shareholders shall be required to determine the answer
to
any issue raised at the meeting.
BOARD
OF DIRECTORS
10. QUALIFICATION
AND ELECTION. Directors need not be shareholders or residents of the State
of
Incorporation, but must be of legal age. They shall be elected by the unanimous
vote of the Shareholders at their annual meetings. Each Directors shall
hold
office
until
the
expiration of his term and thereafter until his successor has been elected
and
qualifies to serve.
11. NUMBER
AND TERM. There shall be no fewer than one (1) and no more than five (5)
Directors. The number of Directors may be altered from time to time by
the
Shareholders entitled to vote thereon or by a majority of the entire Board
of
Directors, provided it shall never be less than the number required by
law. The
Directors shall serve for a one (1) year term.
12. DUTIES
& STANDARD OF CONDUCT. The Board of Directors shall be responsible for the
management of the Corporation and may exercise such powers and so such
acts as
are necessary to the fulfillment of its responsibilities unless prohibited
by
the Corporation's Charter, these Bylaws or the laws of the State of Tennessee.
Furthermore, the Board of Directors shall discharge these duties in accordance
with the standard of conduct prescribed by the laws of the State of
Tennessee.
13. MEETINGS.
The annual meeting of the Board of Directors shall be held immediately
after the
adjournment of the annual meeting of the Shareholders, at which time the
officers of the Corporation shall be elected and any other business may
be
transacted. The Board of Directors may change the place, date and/or time
of
such meeting. Reasonable and customary records of the meeting shall be
prepared.
The Board of Directors, at its discretion, may designate more frequent
intervals
for its meetings. Special meetings may be called at any time by the Chairman
of
the Board of Directors, the President or any two (2) Directors, provided
that
notice of such special meeting is given in accordance with Section
14
of these
Bylaws.
14. NOTICE
OF
DIRECTORS' MEETINGS. The annual and all regular Board meetings may be held
without notice unless the Board of Directors shall fix a new regular meeting
date and/or change the place and time of any regular meeting. A special
meeting
of the Board shall be held upon notice delivered either by U.S. Mail postage
prepaid, or by hand delivery or by telephone, telecopier or similar means.
If
notice is mailed via U.S. Mail, postage prepaid, then it must be mailed
to each
Director at the address of his usual place of business not less than ten
(10)
days before the meeting or as otherwise provided by law. If notice is delivered
by any of the other aforementioned means, then it shall be given to each
Director not less than twenty-four (24) hours prior to such meeting. A
Directors
shall be deemed to have waived his right to notice of a meeting, which
required
the provision of notice, if he attends said meeting and does not protest
the
lack of notice to him upon his arrival at the meeting or if he submits
a written
waiver of notice of such meeting, whether before or after the
meeting.
15. QUORUM
& ADJOURNMENT. The presence of a majority of Directors then in office shall
constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting, except
as
otherwise provided in the Corporation's Charter, these Bylaws or the law.
A
meeting may be adjourned by a majority of the Directors present at a meeting
despite the absence of a quorum. Written notice of an adjourned meeting
need not
be given if the time and place to which the meeting is adjourned are fixed
at
the meeting at which the adjournment is taken and if the period of adjournment
does not exceed thirty (30) days in any one adjournment. At any adjourned
meeting at which a quorum is present, and business may be transacted that
might
have been
transacted
on the original date of the meeting.
16. VOTING.
For purposes of transacting business at a meeting at which a quorum is
present,
the unanimous vote of the Directors shall be required to determine the
answer to
any issue raised at the meeting.
EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE & OTHER COMMITTEES
17. HOW
CONSTITUTED. The Board of Directors by a resolution adopted by a majority
of its
members, an Executive Committee and other committees, each consisting of
three
(3) or more Directors. Any committee may be abolished or re-designated
from time
to time by resolution adopted by a majority of the entire Board of Directors.
Each committee shall serve at the pleasure of the Board of
Directors.
18. POWERS.
By resolution adopted by a majority of the entire Board of Directors, the
Board
of Directors may delegate to any committee all of the powers and authority
of
the Board of Directors to the extent provided in such resolution, except
as
provided by the law.
19. PROCEEDINGS.
Each committee shall fix its own rules of procedure and may meet at such
place,
date and time and upon such notice as it shall determine from time to time.
Each
committee shall keep a record of its proceedings and shall report any such
proceedings to the Board of Directors at the first meeting of the Board
of
Directors following any such proceedings.
20. QUORUM
& VOTING. The presence of members constituting a majority of the total
authorized membership of a committee, but not less than two (2) such members,
shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting,
except
as otherwise provided in the Corporation's Charter, these Bylaws of the
law. The
act of the majority of the members present at any meeting at which a quorum
is
present, but not less than two (2) such members, shall be the act of such
committee.
OFFICERS
21. NUMBER
& STANDARD OF CONDUCT. The Corporation shall have a President and Secretary.
The Corporation may have such other officers as the Board of Directors
may from
time to time deem necessary or advisable for the conduct of the Corporation's
business. Any two (2) or more offices may be held by the same person, except
the
offices of President and Secretary. Any officer of the Corporation shall
discharge his duties in accordance with the standard of conduct prescribed
by
the laws of the State of Tennessee.
22. ELECTION
AND TERM. The officers shall be elected by the Board of Directors at its
annual
meeting. Each officer shall serve for a term of one (1) year and thereafter
until his successor has been elected and qualifies to serve.
23. PRESIDENT.
The President shall be the chief executive officer of the Corporation and
shall
preside at all of the meetings of both the Shareholders and the Board
of
Directors.
Subject to the direction of the Board of Directors, the President shall
have
general management and control of the business and affairs of the Corporation
and shall have all powers and perform all duties as are commonly incident
of the
office of the chief executive officer or as from time to time may be assigned
or
delegated to him by the Board of Directors. He shall have the power to
sign all
contracts and other instruments for the Corporation and shall have general
supervision and direction of all of the other officers, employees and agents
of
the Corporation.
24. VICE
PRESIDENT. Each Vice President shall have such powers and duties as may
be
delegated to him by the Board of Directors or the President. One (1) Vice
President shall be designated by the Board of Directors to exercise the
powers
and perform the duties of the President in the event of the President's
absence
or disability. In the absence of such designation, such powers shall be
exercised and such duties shall be performed by the then-acting Vice President
who was the earliest to be elected to such office.
25. TREASURER.
The Treasurer shall have the responsibility for maintaining the financial
records of the Corporation. He shall make such disbursements of the funds
of the
Corporation as are authorized and shall render from time to time an account
of
all such transactions and of the financial condition of the Corporation
to the
President. The Treasurer shall also perform such duties as the Board of
Directors or the President may prescribe from time to time.
26. SECRETARY.
The Secretary shall attend all meetings of the Shareholders and of the
Board of
Directors. At such meetings, he shall act as clerk thereof and record all
votes
and the minutes of all proceedings in a book to be kept for that purpose.
He
shall perform the same or similar duties at any meeting of a committee
of the
Board of Directors when required. He shall give notice of meetings to the
Shareholders and to the members of the Board of Directors, when such notice
is
required by the Corporation's Charter, these Bylaws or the law. He shall
also
perform such other duties as normally pertain to his office or as are prescribed
to him form time to time by the Board of Directors or the
President.
27. OTHER
OFFICERS. Any other officers elected by the Board if Directors shall have
such
authority and perform such duties in the management of the Corporation
as are
normally incident to their offices and as the Board of Directors may from
time
to time provide.
28. DELEGATION
OF AUTHORITY. In the event of the absence of any officer of the Corporation,
or
for any other reason that the Board of Directors may deem sufficient, the
Board
of Directors temporarily may delegate the powers or duties of such officer
to
any other officer, employee or agent of the Corporation.
RESIGATIONS,
REMOVALS AND VACANCIES
29. RESIGNATIONS.
Any officer or Director may resign at any time by giving written notice
to the
Chairman of the Board of Directors, the President or the Secretary. Any
such
resignation shall be effective at the time specified therein or if no time
is
specified, then upon its acceptance by the Board of
Directors.
30. REMOVAL
OF OFFICERS. Any officer or agent may be removed by the Board of Directors
if,
in its judgment, the best interest of the Corporation will be served
thereby.
31. REMOVAL
OF DIRECTORS. Any or all of the Directors may be removed at any time either
with
or without cause by the unanimous vote of the Shareholders.
32. VACANCIES
& NEWLY CREATED DIRECTORSHIPS. Newly created Directorships resulting from
an
increase in the number of Directors, and vacancies occurring in any office
or
Directorship for any reason except the removal of a Director without cause,
may
be filled by the vote of a majority of the Directors then in office, even
if
less than a quorum exists. Any Director elected by the Board of Directors
to
fill a vacancy shall serve only until the vacancy is filled by the Shareholders
in accordance with these Bylaws. Any vacancy occurring in the Board of
Directors
as a result of the removal of a director without cause shall be filled
by the
Shareholders at a special meeting called for that purpose or at an annual
meeting of the Shareholders.
CAPITAL
STOCK
33. STOCK
CERTIFICATES. Every shareholder shall be entitled to a stock certificate
of the
Corporation in such form as may be prescribed to the Board of Directors.
Unless
otherwise decided by the Board of Directors, such certificates must be
signed by
the President and the Secretary of the Corporation in order to be valid.
All
certificates shall be consecutively numbered and the names and addresses
of the
Shareholders, the number and class of shares held by each, and the dates
when
the respectively become the owners of record therefore, shall be entered
in the
Corporation's records.
34. TRANSFER
OF SHARES. Shares of stock may be transferred on the books of the Corporation
by
delivery and surrender of the properly assigned certificate, subject to
any
restrictions on such transfer as imposed by either the applicable securities
law
or any shareholder agreement. For a certificate to be properly assigned
certificate, the Corporation shall issue a new certificate to the person
entitled thereto, the older certificate shall be canceled and the transaction
recorded upon the books of the Corporation.
35. LOST,
STOLEN OR DESTORYED CERTIFICATES. In the event of the loss or destruction
of a
certificate, the Board of Directors may direct a new certificate to be
issued in
the place of such lost or destroyed certificate of the Corporation upon
its
receipt of an affidavit of the person claiming that the certificate was
lost or
destroyed. When authorizing such issue of a new certificate, the Board
of
Directors, in its discretion, may require as a condition precedent to the
issuance thereof that the owner of such lost or destroyed certificate,
or his
legal representatives, to advertise the same in such manner as it shall
require
and/or to give the Corporation a bond in such sum and with surety or sureties
as
it may direct as indemnity against such claim that may be made against
the
Corporation with respect to the certificate alleged to have been lost or
destroyed.
36. REGISTERED
SHAREHOLDERS. The Corporation shall be entitled to recognize the exclusive
right
of a person registered on its books as the owner of shares to receive dividends
and to vote as such owner. The Corporation shall not be bound to recognize
any
equitable or other claim to or interest in such share(s) on the part of
any
other person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof,
except as otherwise provided by law.
37. FIXING
OF
RECORD DATE. For the purpose of determining Shareholders entitled to notice
of
or to vote at any meeting of the shareholders or any adjournment thereof,
or to
express consent to or dissent from any proposal without meeting, or for
the
purpose of determining the Shareholders entitled to receive payment of
any
dividend or the allotment of any rights, or for the purpose of any other
action,
the Board of Directors may set, in advance, a date as the record date for
any
such determination of the Shareholders except as otherwise provided herein.
Such
date shall not be more than fifty (50) nor less than ten (10) days before
the
date of any meeting and shall not be more than fifty (50) days prior to
any
other action. When a determination of Shareholders of record entitled to
notice
of or to vote at any meeting of Shareholders has been made as provided
in this
Section, such determination shall apply to any adjournment thereof, unless
the
Board of Directors sets a new record date for the adjourned
meeting.
CORPORATE
RECORDS AND INSPECTION OF BOOKS
38. The
principal books and records of the Corporation shall be kept at the principal
office of the Corporation with all other records being kept at such other
locations at the Board of Directors deems advisable. Subject to any right
of
inspection provided by law, the Board of Directors shall determine from
time to
time whether and, if allowed, when under what conditions the accounts and
books
of the Corporation shall be open to the inspection of the Shareholders.
The
Shareholders' rights with respect to the inspection of the records and
books of
the Corporation are and shall be restricted and limited according to the
foregoing.
DIVIDENDS,
RESERVES AND COMPENSATION
39. DIVIDENDS.
All earned dividends derived from the stock of the Corporation or other
distributions may be declared by the Board of Directors at its regular
or
special meetings. Subject to any applicable provisions of law and the
Corporation's Charter, any such dividend or distributions may be paid in
cash,
property, bonds or shares or the Corporation including the bonds or shares
of
other corporations.
40. RESERVES.
Before the payment of any dividend or the distribution of any profits,
the Board
of Directors, in its sole discretion, may set aside much sum(s) from any
surplus
income of the Corporation that it from time to time deems necessary to
establish
and maintain a reserve fund from which any unexpected liabilities or other
debts
of the Corporation may be satisfied or for any other purpose the Board
of
Directors determines to be in the best interest of the Corporation. Such
reserve
fund may be modified or abolished at any time by the Board of
Directors.
41. DIRECTOR'S
COMPENSATION. Directors shall not receive a salary for their services.
However,
by a resolution of the Board of Directors, the Directors may be paid a
fixed sum
for their attendance at meetings and/or their reasonable expense associated
with
their attendance at such meetings. Nothing herein contained shall be construed
to preclude any Director from serving the Corporation in any other capacity
and
receiving compensation therefor.
42. The
compensation of the officers of the Corporation shall be as set by the
Board of
Directors from time to time.
ACTION
BY CONSENT
43. Whenever
the Shareholders or Board of Directors or any committee thereof are required
or
permitted to take any action by vote, such action may be taken without
a meeting
as evidenced by their written consent, which shall set forth the action
so taken
and shall be signed by all of the persons or entities entitled to vote
thereon.
MEETING
PARTICIPATION BY TELEPHONE
44. Any
Shareholder or member of the Board of Directors or any committee thereof
may
participate in a meeting by mean of a conference telephone call or similar
communications equipment allowing all persons participating in the meeting
to
hear each other. Participation in a meeting pursuant to this Section shall
constitute presence in person at such meeting.
AMENDMENT
OF BYLAWS
45. After
prior written notice is circulated to all involved parties setting forth
the
details of the proposed change(s), these Bylaws may be amended, added to
or
repealed either by: (a) a majority vote of the shares present at any properly
called Shareholders' meeting or (b) a majority vote of the entire Board
of
Directors. Any change made by the Board of Directors to the Bylaws may
be
amended or repealed by the Shareholders of the Corporation.
FISCAL
YEAR
46. Unless
otherwise determined by the Board of Directors, the fiscal year of the
Corporation shall be the calendar year and shall terminate on the last
day of
each year.
BANKING
47. The
Corporation shall establish and maintain banking relations as directed
by the
Board of Directors and as reasonably necessary for the operation of the
business. All checks or demands for money and notes of the Corporation
shall be
signed by such officer(s) as the Board of Directors may from time to time
designate. The President and the Board of Directors shall have authority
and may
from time to time, as reasonably required for the operation of the Corporation,
enter into borrowing arrangements, loans, notes payable and other financing
arrangements for the purchase of inventory, equipment and the payment of
expenses.
SECURITIES
& VOTING
48. TRANSFER
OF SECURITIES. To the extent authorized by the Board of Directors, the
President
or any Vice President may sell, transfer, endorse and assign any shares,
bonds
or other securities owned by or held in the name of the Corporation, and
may
make, execute and deliver in the name of the Corporation, if requested
or
required, any instruments that may be appropriate to effect any such sale,
transfer, endorsement, assignment.
49. VOTING
AS
SHAREHOLDER. Unless otherwise determined by resolution of the Board of
Directors, the President or any Vice President shall have full power and
authority on behalf of the Corporation to attend any meeting of shareholders
of
any corporation in which the Corporation may hold shares, and to act, vote
(or
execute proxies to vote) and exercise in person or by proxy all other rights,
powers and privileges incident to the ownership of such shares. Such officers
acting on behalf of the Corporation shall have full power and authority
to
execute any instrument expressing consent to or dissent from any action
of any
such corporation without a meeting. The Board of Directors may by resolution
from time to time confer such power and authority upon any other
person(s).
INDEMNIFICATION
50. The
Corporation shall indemnify its officers, employees, agents and Directors
to the
fullest extent allowable under the law of the State of Tennessee.
CERTIFICATE
I
certify
that these Bylaws were duly adopted and approved by the Board of Directors
and
all Shareholders as of the 10th
day of
August, 1999, as evidenced by the minutes for the organizational meetings
of the
Corporation.
/s/
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
|
/s/
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
|
|
XXXXXX
XXXXXXXX
|
XXXXXX
XXXXXX
|
|
Director/
Shareholder
|
Director/
Shareholder
|
|
/s/
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
|
||
XXXXXX
XXXXXX
|
||
Director/
Shareholder
|
Exhibit
C
Officers
and Directors of Parent
Pre-Effective
Time and Post-Effective Time
Pre-Effective
Time:
Name
|
Office
|
Xxxxxx
Xxxx
|
Director,
CEO, President, Secretary
|
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx
|
CFO
|
Following
Notice Filings:
The
following persons shall be appointed as Officers of Parent:
Name
|
Office
|
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx
|
CEO,
President, Secretary
|
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx
|
CFO
|
Xxxxxxx
Xxxx
|
VP
/ General Counsel
|
The
following persons shall be appointed as Directors of Parent:
Name
|
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx
|
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx
|
Xxxxx
X. Xxxxx
|
Xxxxxxx
Xxxx
|
Exhibit
D
Notes
to be Converted
At
the
Effective Time, the issued and outstanding Notes shall be
converted into the number of shares of Media Sentiment, Inc. common stock
indicated below.
Holder
|
Aggregate
Outstanding Principal Amount
|
Expiration
Date
|
Conversion
Price
|
Number
of Shares of Common Stock into which the Note shall be converted
at the
Effective Date
|
Xxxxxx
Xxxx - Media Sentiment, Inc. Note
|
$63,000
|
6/1/07
|
$0.01
|
Subsidiary
- Media Sentiment, Inc. : 6,300,000 shares
|
Xxxxx
Xxxx - Media Sentiment, Inc. Note
|
$85,000
|
6/1/07
|
$0.01
|
Subsidiary
- Media Sentiment, Inc. : 8,500,000
shares
|
Exhibit
E
Parent
Stockholder List
See
attached.
Exhibit
G
Certificate
of Incorporation of Parent
Filing
fee:
Receipt
#:
Articles
of
Incorporation
(PURSUANT
TO NRS
78)
STATE
OF
NEVADA
Secretary
of
State
(For
filing office
use) (For
filing office
use)
IMPORTANT:
Read
instructions on reverse side before completing this form.
TYPE
OR
PRINT (BLACK INK ONLY)
1.
NAME
OF
CORPORATION:
XxxxXxxxxx.xxx
Corporation
2.
RESIDENT
AGENT:
(designated
resident
agent and his STREET
ADDRESS
in
Nevada
where
process may be served)
Name
of
Resident
Agent:
Xxxxxxx
X.
Cane
Street
Address:
000
Xxxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxx
Xx., Xxxxx 0000
Xxx
Xxxxx,
XX
00000
Street
No.
Street Name
City Zip
3.
SHARES:
(number
of shares
the corporation is authorized to
issue)
Number
of
shares
with par value: 25
Million
Par
value: $
.001
No.
without par
value: _________
4.
GOVERNING
BOARD:
shall
be
styled
as
(check one): X
Directors ______ Trustees
The
FIRST
BOARD
OF
DIRECTORS shall
consist of
1
member(s)
and the
names
and addresses are as follows:
Xxxxxxx
X.
Cane
000
Xxxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxx Xx., #0000, Xxx Xxxxx, XX 00000
Name Address City/State/Zip
Name Address
City/State/Zip
5.
PURPOSE:
(optional)
: The
purpose of the corporation shall be:
6. OTHER
MATTERS:
This
form
includes
the minimal statutory requirements to incorporate under NRS 78. You may
attach
additional information pursuant to NRS 78.037 or any other information
you
deem
appropriate. If any of the additional information is contradictory to
this
form
it cannot be filed and will be returned to you for correction. Number
of
pages
attached 0
.
7.
SIGNATURES
OF
INCORPORATORS: The
names
and addresses
of each of the incorporators signing the articles.
Xxxxxxx
X.
Cane ___________________________________________
Name
(print) Name
(print)
XX Xxx
00000 Xxx Xxxxx, XX 00000 ___________________________________________
Address
City/State/Zip Address City/State/Zip
____________________________ ___________________________________________
Signature Signature
State
of
Nevada
County
of
Xxxxx State
of
_______________
County of _______________________
This
instrument
was acknowledged before me on This
instrument
was acknowledged before me on
January
21,
1999,
by
__________________________________,
19___,
by
/s/
Xxxxxxx
X. Cane
_________________________________________
Name
of
Person
Name
of
Person as
incorporator
of XxxxXxxxxx.xxx Corporation____
as
incorporator
of ___________________________________________
/s/
Xxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxx ______________________________________
Notary
Public Signature Notary
Public Signature
(affix
notary stamp
or
seal)
(affix
notary stamp
or
seal)
8.
CERTIFICATE
OF
ACCEPTANCE OF APPOINTMENT OF RESIDENT AGENT:
I,
/s/
Xxxxxxx X.
Cane hereby
accept appointment
as Resident Agent for the above named corporation.
___________________________________________
01-21-99
Signature
of Resident
Agent Date
Certificate
of Amendment to Articles of Incorporation
Nevada
Profit Corporation
(Pursuant
to NRS 78.385 and 78.390)
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Certificate
of Amendment to Articles of Incorporation
Nevada
Profit Corporation
(Pursuant
to NRS 78.385 and 78.390 - After Issuance of Stock)
-Remit
in Duplicate-
1.
The
name of corporation: XXXXXXXXXX.XXX CORPORATION.
2.
The
articles have been amended as follows (provide article numbers, if available):
Article
I
. The name of the corporation is CALIFORNIA NEWS TECH.
3.
The
vote by which the stockholders holding shares in the corporation entitling
them
to exercise at least a majority of the voting power, or such greater
proportion of the voting power as may be required in the case of a vote
by
classes or series, or as may be required by the provisions of the articles
of
incorporation have voted in favor of the amendment is: 99%.
4.
Signatures (Required):
/s/
Xxxxxx Xxxx /s/
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx
President
or Vice President and
Secretary or Asst. Secretary
*
If any
proposed amendment would alter or change any preference or any relative
or other
right given to any class or series of outstanding shares,
then the amendment must be approved by the vote, in addition to the affirmative
vote otherwise required of the holders of shares representing
a majority of the voting power of each class or series affected by the
amendment
regardless of limitations or restrictions on the voting
power thereof.
IMPORTANT:
Failure to include any of the above information and remit the proper
fees may
cause this filing to be rejected.
Exhibit
H
Bylaws
of Parent
See
attached.