DEALER MANAGER AGREEMENT Senior Common Stock
Exhibit 1.1
Senior Common Stock
March 25, 2011
Gladstone Securities, LLC
00 Xxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxx Xxxxx
00 Xxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxx Xxxxx
Re: | Dealer Manager Agreement for Shares of Senior Common Stock |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Gladstone Commercial Corporation, a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), is offering an
aggregate of 3,500,000 shares of its senior common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Shares”)
for sale to the public (the “Offering”), of which 3,000,000 Shares is intended to be offered
pursuant to the primary offering and 500,000 Shares is intended to be offered pursuant to the
Company’s distribution reinvestment plan (the “DRIP”). The Company reserves the right to reallocate
the Shares being offered between the primary offering and the DRIP. Except as described in the
Prospectus (as defined below) or in Section 5 hereof, the Shares are to be sold pursuant to
the primary offering and the DRIP for a cash price of $15.00 per Share.
The Company hereby appoints Gladstone Securities, LLC (the “Dealer Manager”), as its exclusive
agent and principal distributor during the Offering Period (as defined below) for the purpose of
selling for cash, on a best efforts basis, the Shares through such wholesalers and securities
dealers that the Dealer Manager may retain (individually, a “Dealer” and collectively, the
“Dealers”), all of whom shall be members of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.
(“FINRA”), pursuant to a Participating Broker-Dealer Agreement in the form attached to this
Agreement as Exhibit A (the “Participating Broker-Dealer Agreement”). The Dealer Manager may also
sell Shares for cash directly to its own clients and customers subject to the terms and conditions
stated in the Prospectus. The Dealer Manager hereby accepts such agency and distributorship and
agrees to use its best efforts to sell the Shares on said terms and conditions.
The minimum initial purchase by any one person shall be 200 Shares ($3,000), except as
otherwise indicated in the Prospectus. The Company shall have the right to approve any material
modifications or addenda to the form of the Participating Dealer Agreement. Terms not defined
herein shall have the same meaning as in the Prospectus.
The term “Offering Period” shall mean that period during which Shares may be offered for sale,
commencing on the date the Prospectus Supplement (as defined below) was filed with the Securities
Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), during which period offers and sales of the Shares shall occur
continuously unless and until the Offering is terminated, except that the Dealer Manager and the
Dealers shall immediately suspend or terminate the offering of the Shares upon request of the
Company at any time and shall resume offering the Shares upon subsequent request of the Company.
The Offering Period shall in all events terminate upon the sale of all of the Shares. Upon
termination of the Offering Period,
the Dealer Manager’s agency and this Agreement shall terminate without obligation on the part
of the Dealer Manager or the Company except as set forth in this Agreement.
The Company has prepared and filed with the SEC a shelf registration statement on Form S-3
(File No. 333-169290) that contains a base prospectus (the “Base Prospectus”). Such registration
statement registers the issuance and sale by the Company of the Shares under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “Securities Act”). Such
registration statement, including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B
or Rule 430C under the Securities Act, including all financial statements, exhibits and schedules
thereto and all documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference pursuant
to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act as from time to time amended or supplemented, is
herein referred to as the “Registration Statement,” and the prospectus constituting a part of such
registration statement, together with any prospectus supplement filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule
424(b) under the Securities Act relating to the Shares (as amended and supplemented, the
“Prospectus Supplement”), including all documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein
by reference, in each case, as from time to time amended or supplemented, is referred to herein as
the “Prospectus,” except that if any revised prospectus is provided to the Dealer Manager by the
Company for use in connection with the Offering of the Shares that is not required to be filed by
the Company pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, the term “Prospectus” shall refer to
such revised prospectus from and after the time it is first provided to the Dealer Manager for such
use. The Registration Statement at the time it originally became effective is herein called the
“Original Registration Statement.”
All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information
which is “contained,” “included” or “stated” in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (and
all other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial
statements and schedules and other information which is or is deemed to be incorporated by
reference in or otherwise deemed under the Securities Act to be a part of or included in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be, as of any specified date; and all
references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus shall be deemed to mean and include, without limitation, the filing of any documents
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including the rules and regulations
thereunder (the “Exchange Act”) which is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in or
otherwise deemed under the Securities Act to be a part of or included in the Registration Statement
or the Prospectus, as the case may be, as of any specified date.
In connection therewith, the Company hereby agrees with the Dealer Manager, as follows:
1. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
As an inducement to the Dealer Manager to enter into this Agreement, the Company represents
and warrants to the Dealer Manager that:
1.1 The Original Registration Statement has been declared effective by the SEC under the
Securities Act. The Company has complied to the SEC’s satisfaction with all requests of the SEC for
additional or supplemental information. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement is in effect and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted or are
pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, are contemplated or threatened by the SEC.
1.2 The Prospectus when filed complied in all material respects with the Securities Act and,
if filed by electronic transmission pursuant to Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval
System (“XXXXX”) (except as may be permitted by Regulation S-T under the Securities Act), was
identical to the copy thereof delivered to the Dealer Manager for use in connection with the
issuance and sale of the
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Shares. Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the
time it became effective and at all subsequent times, complied and will comply in all material
respects with the Securities Act and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements therein not misleading. On the date of the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented,
as applicable, the Prospectus did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact
or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The representations and warranties
set forth in the immediately preceding sentences do not apply to statements in or omissions from
the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, or the Prospectus, or any
amendments or supplements thereto, made in reliance upon and in conformity with information
relating to the Dealer Manager or any of the Dealers, either furnished by a Dealer in writing to
the Dealer Manager or the Company, or furnished by the Dealer Manager in writing to the Company
specifically for inclusion therein.
1.3 The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation under the
laws of the State of Maryland and has the power and authority to conduct its business as described
in the Prospectus.
1.4 The Company intends to use the funds received from the sale of the Shares as set forth in
the Prospectus.
1.5 No consent, approval, authorization or other order of any governmental authority is
required in connection with the execution or delivery by the Company of this Agreement or the
issuance and sale by the Company of the Shares, except as may be required under the Securities Act
or applicable state securities laws.
1.6 There are no actions, suits or proceedings pending or to the knowledge of the Company,
threatened against the Company at law or in equity or before or by any federal or state commission,
regulatory body or administrative agency or other governmental body, domestic or foreign, which
would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the business or property of the
Company.
1.7 The execution and delivery of this Agreement, the consummation of the transactions herein
contemplated and compliance with the terms of this Agreement by the Company will not conflict with
or constitute a default under any charter, bylaw, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, lease, rule,
regulation, writ, injunction or decree of any government, governmental instrumentality or court,
domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company, except (a) to the extent that the
enforceability of the indemnity and/or contribution provisions contained in Section 6 of
this Agreement may be limited under applicable securities laws; and (b) for such conflicts or
defaults that would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the business or
property of the Company.
1.8 The Company has full legal right, power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to
perform the transactions contemplated hereby, except to the extent that the enforceability of the
indemnity and/or contribution provisions contained in Section 6 of this Agreement may be
limited under applicable securities laws.
1.9 The Shares, when subscribed for, paid for and issued, will be duly and validly issued,
fully paid and non-assessable and will conform to the description thereof contained in the
Prospectus; no holder thereof will be subject to personal liability for the obligations of the
Company solely by reason of being such a holder; such Shares are not subject to the preemptive
rights of any stockholder of the Company; and all corporate action required to be taken for the
authorization, issuance and sale of such Shares shall have been validly and sufficiently taken.
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2. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE DEALER MANAGER.
As an inducement to the Company to enter into this Agreement, the Dealer Manager represents
and warrants to the Company that:
2.1 The Dealer Manager is, and during the term of this Agreement will be, a member of FINRA in
good standing and a broker-dealer registered as such under the Exchange Act and under the
securities laws of the states in which the Shares are to be offered and sold. The Dealer Manager
and its employees and representatives possess all required licenses and registrations to act under
this Agreement. The Dealer Manager will comply with all applicable laws, rules, regulations and
requirements of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, other federal securities laws, state
securities laws and the rules of FINRA, specifically including, but not in any way limited to, the
Conduct Rules of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Each Dealer and each
salesperson acting on behalf of the Dealer Manager or a Dealer will be registered with FINRA and
duly licensed by each state regulatory authority in each jurisdiction in which it, he or she will
offer and sell Shares.
2.2 The Dealer Manager was duly organized and is validly existing as a limited liability
company in good standing under the laws of the State of Connecticut, and has full legal right,
power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to perform the transactions contemplated
hereby, and the Dealer Manager has duly authorized, executed and delivered this Agreement.
2.3 This Agreement, when executed by the Dealer Manager, will have been duly authorized and
will be a valid and binding agreement of the Dealer Manager, enforceable in accordance with its
terms, except to the extent that the enforceability of the indemnity and contribution provisions
contained in Section 6 of this Agreement may be limited under applicable securities laws.
2.4 The Dealer Manager represents and warrants to the Company that the information under the
caption “Plan of Distribution” in the Prospectus and all other information furnished to the Company
by the Dealer Manager in writing expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any Prospectus
Supplement, or the Prospectus, does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein
not misleading.
2.5 The Dealer Manager has reasonable grounds to believe, based on information made available
to it by the Company, that the Prospectus discloses all material facts adequately and accurately
and provides an adequate basis for evaluating an investment in the Shares.
2.6 No consent, approval, authorization or other order of any governmental authority is
required in connection with the execution or delivery by the Dealer Manager of this Agreement,
except such as may be required under the Securities Act or applicable state securities laws.
2.7 There are no actions, suits or proceedings pending or to the knowledge of the Dealer
Manager, threatened against the Dealer Manager at law or in equity or before or by any federal or
state commission, regulatory body or administrative agency or other governmental body, domestic or
foreign, which could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Dealer Manager
or the ability of the Dealer Manager to perform its obligations under this Agreement or to
participate in the Offering as contemplated by the Prospectus.
2.8 The execution and delivery of this Agreement, the consummation of the transactions herein
contemplated and compliance with the terms of this Agreement by the Dealer Manager will not
conflict with or constitute a default under any operating agreement or other similar agreement,
indenture,
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mortgage, deed of trust, lease, rule, regulation, writ, injunction or decree of any
government, governmental instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over
the Dealer Manager, except to the extent that the enforceability of the indemnity and/or
contribution provisions contained in Section 6 of this Agreement may be limited under
applicable securities laws.
3. COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY
The Company covenants and agrees with the Dealer Manager that:
3.1 It will deliver to the Dealer Manager such numbers of copies of the Registration
Statement, including all amendments and exhibits thereto, the Prospectus, and any amendment or
supplement thereto, as the Dealer Manager may reasonably request for the purposes contemplated by
this Agreement and the federal and state securities laws. It will similarly furnish to the Dealer
Manager and others designated by the Dealer Manager as many copies as the Dealer Manager may
reasonably request in connection with the offering of the Shares of any other printed sales
literature or other materials (provided that the use of said sales literature and other materials
have been first approved for use by the Company and all appropriate regulatory agencies). It also
will furnish to the Dealer Manager and its designees copies of any material deemed necessary by the
Dealer Manager and commercially reasonable for the Company to furnish, for due diligence purposes
in connection with the Offering.
3.2 It will comply with all requirements imposed upon it by the rules and regulations of the
SEC and by all applicable state securities laws and regulations to permit the continuance of offers
and sales of the Shares in accordance with the provisions hereof and as set forth in the
Prospectus, and will amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the Prospectus comply with
the requirements of federal and other state securities laws and regulations, as may be necessary
for the Offering.
3.3 It will: (a) file every amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus that may be required by the SEC and (b) if at any time the SEC shall issue any stop
order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any state securities
administration shall issue any order or take other action to suspend or enjoin the sale of the
Shares, it will promptly notify the Dealer Manager and will use its best efforts to obtain the
lifting of such order or to prevent such other action at the earliest possible time.
3.4 If at any time during the Offering Period any event occurs as a result of which, in the
opinion of either the Company or the Dealer Manager, the Prospectus or any supplement then in
effect would include an untrue statement of a material fact or, in view of the circumstances under
which they were made, omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Dealer Manager thereof (unless the information
shall have been received from the Dealer Manager) and will effect the preparation of a supplement
or amendment to the Prospectus which will correct such statement or omission.
3.5 The Company will be responsible for all expenses incident to the performance of the
Company’s obligations under this Agreement, including: (a) the preparation, filing and printing of
the Registration Statement as originally filed and of each amendment thereto, (b) the preparation,
printing and delivery to the Dealer Manager of this Agreement, the Participating Broker-Dealer
Agreement and such other documents as may be required in connection with the offering, sale,
issuance and delivery of the Shares, (c) the fees and disbursements of the Company’s counsel,
accountants and other advisers, (d) the fees and expenses related to the review of the terms and
fairness of the Offering by FINRA, if applicable, (e) the fees and expenses related to the
qualification of the Shares under the securities laws, including the fees and disbursements of
counsel in connection with the preparation of any “blue sky” survey and any supplement thereto, if
any, (f) the printing and delivery to the Dealer Manager of copies of the Prospectus,
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(g) the fees and expenses of any registrar, transfer agent or paying agent in connection with
the Shares, and (h) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations
undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Shares, including, without
limitation, expenses associated with the production of slides and graphics, fees and expenses of
any consultants engaged in connection with presentations with the prior approval of the Company,
and travel and lodging expenses of the representatives of the Company and any such consultants.
4. COVENANTS OF THE DEALER MANAGER
The Dealer Manager covenants and agrees with the Company that:
4.1 In connection with the offer and sale of the Shares, the Dealer Manager will comply with
all requirements imposed upon it by the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, or other federal
regulations applicable to the Offering, the sale of Shares or its activities and by all applicable
state securities laws and regulations and the rules of FINRA, as from time to time in effect, and
by this Agreement, including the obligation to deliver a copy of the Prospectus as required by the
Securities Act or the Exchange Act. The Dealer Manager will not make any sales of the Shares in any
jurisdiction unless and until it has been advised that the Shares are either registered in
accordance with, or exempt from, the securities and other laws applicable thereto.
4.2 The Dealer Manager will make no representations concerning the Offering except as set
forth in the Prospectus.
4.3 The Dealer Manager will provide the Company with such information relating to the offer
and sale of the Shares by it as may be requested to enable the Company to prepare such reports of
sale as may be required to be filed under applicable federal or state securities laws.
4.4 All engagements of the Dealers will be evidenced by a Participating Broker-Dealer
Agreement, except when the Dealer Manager obtains the prior written consent of the Company. When
Dealers are used in this Offering, the Dealer Manager will use commercially reasonable efforts to
cause such Dealers to comply with all their respective obligations pursuant to the Participating
Broker-Dealer Agreement.
4.5 The Dealer Manager will comply in all material respects with the subscription procedures
and “Plan of Distribution” set forth in the Prospectus.
4.6 The Company may also provide the Dealer Manager with certain supplemental sales material
to be used by the Dealer Manager and the Dealers in connection with the solicitation of purchasers
of the Shares. In the event the Dealer Manager elects to use such supplemental sales material, the
Dealer Manager agrees that such material shall not be used in connection with the solicitation of
purchasers of the Shares unless accompanied or preceded by the Prospectus, as then currently in
effect, and as it may be amended or supplemented in the future. The Dealer Manager agrees that it
will not use any sales materials in conjunction with the offer and sale of the Shares other than
those either provided to the Dealer Manager by the Company or approved by the Company for use in
the Offering. The use of any other sales material is expressly prohibited.
4.7 The Dealer Manager is, and during the term of this Agreement will be, (a) duly registered
as a broker-dealer pursuant to the provisions of the Exchange Act, (b) prior to selling in any
state or jurisdiction, a broker or dealer duly registered as such if the Dealer Manager’s
activities in such state or jurisdiction require such registration or licensing, (c) a member of
FINRA in good standing, and (d)
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otherwise duly registered or qualified as required by any applicable law in any and all other
states where solicitation of offers to purchase the Shares are made by the Dealer Manager. The
Dealer Manager agrees to notify the Company immediately in writing if (i) it ceases to be a member
in good standing with FINRA or it is notified by FINRA that it is being investigated for any
impropriety, (ii) it is subject to a FINRA suspension, (iii) any state investigates it for any
impropriety, or (iv) its registration as a broker-dealer under the Exchange Act is terminated or
suspended.
5. COMPENSATION OF DEALER MANAGER
5.1 Except as otherwise provided in the “Plan of Distribution” section of the Prospectus, as
compensation for the services rendered by the Dealer Manager, the Company agrees that it will pay
to the Dealer Manager sales commissions in the amount of 7.0% of the $15.00 per share cash price
for Shares sold in the primary offering plus a dealer manager fee in the amount of 3.0% of the
$15.00 per share cash price for Shares sold in the primary offering, and the Company will pay
reduced selling commissions or may eliminate commissions on certain sales of Shares, including the
reduction or elimination of selling commissions in accordance with, and on the terms set forth in,
the Prospectus. No selling commissions, dealer manager fee or due diligence expense reimbursement
shall be paid with respect to Shares sold pursuant to the Company’s DRIP.
5.2 The Company will not be liable or responsible to any Dealer for direct payment of
commissions to any Dealer, it being the sole and exclusive responsibility of the Dealer Manager for
payment of commissions to Dealers. Notwithstanding the above, at the discretion of the Company,
the Company may act as agent of the Dealer Manager by making direct payment of commissions to
Dealers on behalf of the Dealer Manager without incurring any liability.
5.3 Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, in the event the Offering terminates
prior to completion, the Company will not pay any compensation to the Dealer Manager or any Dealer
in connection with the Offering, except for shares actually sold and issued to investors and
provided, however, that the Company may reimburse the Dealer Manager and/or a Dealer for of
out-of-pocket accountable expenses actually incurred by the Dealer Manager and/or a Dealer.
5.4 Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, in the event that the Company
pays any commission to the Dealer Manager for sale by a Dealer of one or more Shares and the
subscription is rescinded as to one or more of the Shares covered by such subscription, the Company
shall decrease the next payment of commissions or other compensation otherwise payable to the
Dealer Manager by the Company under this Agreement by an amount equal to the commission rate
established in Section 5.1 of this Agreement, multiplied by the number of Shares as to
which the subscription is rescinded. In the event that no payment of commissions or other
compensation is due to the Dealer Manager after such withdrawal occurs, the Dealer Manager shall
pay the amount specified in the preceding sentence to the Company within ten (10) days following
receipt of notice by the Dealer Manager from the Company stating the amount owed as a result of
rescinded subscriptions.
5.5 In no event shall the total aggregate underwriting compensation payable to the Dealer
Manager and any Dealers participating in the Offering, including, but not limited to, selling
commissions and the dealer manager fees exceed 10.0% of the gross proceeds from the Offering in the
aggregate.
6. INDEMNIFICATION
6.1 The Company will indemnify and hold harmless the Dealers and the Dealer Manager, their
officers, directors and managers, and each person, if any, who controls such Dealer or the Dealer
Manager within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act (the “Indemnified Persons”) from and
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against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (the “Losses”), joint or several, to which
such Indemnified Persons may become subject, insofar as such Losses (or actions in respect thereof)
arise out of or are based upon (a) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material
fact contained in the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto or in the
Prospectus, or (b) the omission or alleged omission to state in the Registration Statement
(including the Prospectus as a part thereof) or any post-effective amendment thereto a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or
(c) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Prospectus
or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not misleading. The Company will reimburse the Indemnified Person, as appropriate,
for any reasonable legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Indemnified Person in
connection with investigating or defending such Loss. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of
this Section 6.1, the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any
such Loss or expense arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement
or omission or alleged omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information
furnished (x) to the Company by the Dealer Manager or (y) to the Company or the Dealer Manager by
or on behalf of any Dealer specifically for use in the preparation of the Registration Statement or
any such post-effective amendment thereto, or the Prospectus, and, further, the Company will not be
liable in any such case if it is determined that such Dealer or the Dealer Manager was at fault in
connection with the Loss, expense or action. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not
indemnify or hold harmless an Indemnified Person for any Losses or expenses arising from or out of
an alleged violation of federal or state securities laws by such party unless one or more of the
following conditions are met: (a) there has been a successful adjudication on the merits of each
count involving alleged securities law violations as to the particular Indemnified Person, (b) such
claims have been dismissed with prejudice on the merits by a court of competent jurisdiction as to
the particular Indemnified Person and (c) a court of competent jurisdiction approves a settlement
of the claims against a particular Indemnified Person and finds that indemnification of the
settlement and the related costs should be made, and the court considering the request for
indemnification has been advised of the position of the SEC and of the published position of any
state securities regulatory authority in which securities of the Company were offered or sold as to
indemnification for violations of securities laws.
6.2 The Dealer Manager will indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its officers and
directors, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of
the Securities Act, from and against any Losses to which any of the aforesaid parties may become
subject, insofar as such Losses (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (a)
any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration
Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto or in the Prospectus or (b) the omission or
alleged omission to state in the Registration Statement (including the Prospectus as a part
thereof) or any post-effective amendment thereto a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (c) any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in the Prospectus or the omission or alleged omission to
state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading,
in the case of clauses (a)-(c) to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or
omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the
Company by or on behalf of the Dealer Manager specifically for use with reference to the Dealer
Manager in the preparation of the Registration Statement or any such post-effective amendments
thereof or any such preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or any such amendment thereof or
supplement thereto, or (d) any use of sales literature not authorized or approved by the Company or
any use of “broker-dealer use only” materials with potential investors or unauthorized verbal
representations concerning the Shares by the Dealer Manager, or (e) any untrue statement made by
the Dealer Manager or its representatives or agents or omission to state a fact necessary in order
to make the statements made, in
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light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading in connection with the
offer and sale of the Shares, or (f) any failure to comply with applicable laws governing money
laundry abatement and anti-terrorist financing efforts, including applicable FINRA Rules, SEC rules
and the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001. The Dealer Manager will reimburse the aforesaid parties in
connection with investigation or defending such Loss or action. This indemnity agreement will be
in addition to any liability which the Dealer Manager may otherwise have.
6.3 Each Dealer severally will indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the Dealer Manager and
each of their officers, directors, and managers, and each person, if any, who controls the Company
and the Dealer Manager within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act (each, a “Dealer
Indemnified Person”), from and against any Losses to which the Dealer Indemnified Person may become
subject, insofar as such Losses (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (a)
any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration
Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto or in the Prospectus, or (b) the omission or
alleged omission to state in the Registration Statement (including the Prospectus as a part
thereof) or any post-effective amendment thereto a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (c) any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in the Prospectus or the omission or alleged omission to
state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading,
in the case of clauses (a)-(c) to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or
omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the
Company or the Dealer Manager by or on behalf of such Dealer specifically for use with reference to
such Dealer in the preparation of the Registration Statement or any such post-effective amendments
thereof or the Prospectus or any such amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or (d) any use of
sales literature not authorized or approved by the Company or any use of “broker-dealer use only”
materials with potential investors or unauthorized verbal representations concerning the Shares by
such Dealer or Dealer’s representatives or agents, or (e) any untrue statement made by such Dealer
or its representatives or agents or omission to state a fact necessary in order to make the
statements made, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading in
connection with the offer and sale of the Shares, or (f) any failure to comply with Section IX or
Section XII of the Participating Dealer Agreement or any other material violation of the
Participating Dealer Agreement, or (g) any failure to comply with applicable laws governing money
laundry abatement and anti-terrorist financing efforts, including applicable FINRA Rules, SEC Rules
and the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001. Each such Dealer will reimburse the Dealer Indemnified Person in
connection with investigating or defending any such Loss or action. This indemnity agreement will
be in addition to any liability which such Dealer may otherwise have.
6.4 Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 6 of notice of
the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be
made against any indemnifying party under this Section 6, notify in writing the
indemnifying party of the commencement thereof and the omission so to notify the indemnifying party
will relieve it from any liability under this Section 6 as to the particular item for which
indemnification is then being sought, but not from any other liability which it may have to any
indemnified party. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party, and it
notifies an indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party will be
entitled, to the extent it may wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified,
to participate in the defense thereof, with separate counsel. Such participation shall not relieve
such indemnifying party of the obligation to reimburse the indemnified party for reasonable legal
and other expenses (subject to Section 6.5) incurred by such indemnified party in defending
itself, except for such expenses incurred after the indemnifying party has deposited funds
sufficient to effect the settlement, with prejudice, of the claim in respect of which indemnity is
sought.
9
Any such indemnifying party shall not be liable to any such indemnified party on account of
any settlement of any claim or action effected without the consent of such indemnifying party.
6.5 The indemnifying party shall pay all reasonable legal fees and expenses of the indemnified
party in the defense of such claims or actions; provided, however, that the indemnifying party
shall not be obliged to pay legal expenses and fees to more than one law firm in connection with
the defense of similar claims arising out of the same alleged acts or omissions giving rise to such
claims notwithstanding that such actions or claims are alleged or brought by one or more parties
against more than one indemnified party. If such claims or actions are alleged or brought against
more than one indemnified party, then the indemnifying party shall only be obliged to reimburse the
expenses and fees of the one law firm that has been selected by a majority of the indemnified
parties against which such action is finally brought; and in the event a majority of such
indemnified parties is unable to agree on which law firm for which expenses or fees will be
reimbursable by the indemnifying party, then payment shall be made to the first law firm of record
representing an indemnified party against the action or claim. Such law firm shall be paid only to
the extent of services performed by such law firm and no reimbursement shall be payable to such law
firm on account of legal services performed by another law firm.
7. SURVIVAL OF PROVISIONS
7.1 The respective agreements, representations and warranties of the Company and the Dealer
Manager set forth in this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless
of (a) any investigation made by or on behalf of the Dealer Manager or any Dealer or any person
controlling the Dealer Manager or any Dealer or by or on behalf of the Company or any person
controlling the Company, and (b) the acceptance of any payment for the Shares.
7.2 The obligations of the Company to pay the Dealer Manager pursuant to Section
5.1 of this Agreement, and the provisions of Section 5.3, Section 5.4,
Sections 6 through 8 and Sections 11
and 15 of this Agreement shall
survive the termination of this Agreement.
8. APPLICABLE LAW AND VENUE
This Agreement was executed and delivered in, and its validity, interpretation and
construction shall be governed by, the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia; provided however, that
causes of action for violations of federal or state securities laws shall not be governed by this
Section. The Company, the Dealer Manager and each Dealer hereby agree that venue for any action
brought in connection with this Agreement shall lie exclusively in McLean, Virginia.
9. COUNTERPARTS
This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts. Each counterpart, when executed
and delivered, shall be an original contract, but all counterparts, when taken together, shall
constitute one and the same agreement.
10. SUCCESSORS AND AMENDMENT
10.1 This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Dealer Manager and
the Company and their respective successors. Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be
construed to give to any other person any right, remedy or claim, except as otherwise specifically
provided herein.
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10.2 This Agreement may be amended by the written agreement of the Dealer Manager and the
Company.
11. TERM
11.1 This Agreement may be terminated by either party on 60 days’ written notice..
11.2 In any case, this Agreement shall terminate at the close of business on the effective
date that the Offering is terminated. Upon expiration or termination of this Agreement, the
Company shall pay to the Dealer Manager all commissions to which the Dealer Manager is or becomes
entitled under Section 5 at such time as such commissions become payable.
11.3 In addition, the Dealer Manager, upon the expiration or termination of this Agreement,
shall (a) promptly deposit any and all funds in its possession which were received from investors
for the sale of Shares into such account as the Company may designate; and (b) promptly deliver to
the Company all records and documents in its possession which relate to the Offering which are not
designated as dealer copies. The Dealer Manager, at its sole expense, may make and retain copies
of all such records and documents, but shall keep all such information confidential.
11.4 The Dealer Manager shall use its best efforts to cooperate with the Company to accomplish
any orderly transfer of management of the Offering to a party designated by the Company.
12. CONFIRMATIONS
The Company hereby agrees to prepare and send confirmations to all purchasers of Shares whose
subscriptions for the purchase of Shares are accepted by the Company.
13. SUITABILITY OF INVESTORS; COMPLIANCE WITH PRIVACY AND ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING REGULATIONS
13.1 The Dealer Manager will offer Shares, and in its agreements with Dealers will require
that the Dealers offer Shares, only to persons who meet the financial qualifications set forth in
the Prospectus or in any suitability letter or memorandum sent to it by the Company and will only
make offers to persons in the states in which it is advised in writing that the Shares are
qualified for sale or that such qualification is not required. In offering Shares, the Dealer
Manager will comply, and in its agreements with Dealers, the Dealer Manager will require that the
Dealers comply, with the provisions of all applicable rules and regulations relating to suitability
of investors.
13.2 The Company, the Dealer Manager and each Dealer shall: (a) abide by and comply with (i)
the privacy standards and requirements of the Xxxxx-Xxxxx-Xxxxxx Act of 1999 (“GLB Act”), (ii) the
privacy standards and requirements of any other applicable federal or state law, and (iii) its own
internal privacy policies and procedures, each as may be amended from time to time; and (b) refrain
from the use or disclosure of nonpublic personal information (as defined under the GLB Act) of all
customers.
13.3 The Company, the Dealer Manager and each Dealer agree to comply with the Uniting and
Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism
Act of 2001 (the “USA Patriot Act”) and any applicable U.S. Department of Treasury regulations
issued thereunder that require reasonable efforts to verify the identity of new customers, maintain
customer records, and check the names of new customers against the list of Specially Designated
Nationals and Blocked Persons. In addition, the Company, the Dealer Manager, and each Dealer agree
to comply with all Executive Orders and federal regulations administered by the U.S. Department of
Treasury
11
Department’s Office of Foreign Asset Control. Further, the Dealer Manager agrees, upon receipt
of an “information request” issued under Section 314(a) of the USA Patriot Act, to provide the
Financial Crimes Enforcement Network with information regarding: (i) the identity of a specified
individual or organization; (ii) account number; (iii) all identifying information provided by the
account holder; and (iv) the date and type of transaction. The Dealer Manager from time to time
will monitor account activity to identify patterns of unusual size or volume, geographic factors,
and any other potential signals of suspicious activity, including possible money laundering or
terrorist financing. The Company reserves the right to reject account applications from new
customers who fail to provide necessary account information or who intentionally provide misleading
information.
14. SUBMISSION OF ORDERS
14.1 Those persons who purchase Shares will be instructed by the Dealer Manager or the Dealer
to make their checks payable to “BB&T, as escrow agent for Gladstone Commercial Corporation.” The
Dealer Manager may authorize certain Dealers that have “net capital,” as defined in the applicable
federal securities regulations, of $250,000 or more, to instruct their customers to make their
checks for Shares subscribed for payable directly to the Dealer. In such case, the Dealer will
collect the proceeds of the subscribers’ checks and issue a check made payable to the order of the
Company, as described above, for the aggregate amount of the subscription proceeds or wire such
funds to the Company. The Dealer Manager and any Dealer receiving a check that does not conform to
the foregoing instructions shall promptly return such check directly to such subscriber. Checks
received by the Dealer Manager or Dealer that conform to the foregoing instructions shall be
transmitted for deposit pursuant to one of the methods described in this Section 14 and in
accordance with the requirements set forth in Rule 15c2-4 promulgated under the Exchange Act.
14.2 It is understood and agreed that the Company reserves the right in its sole discretion to
refuse to sell any of the Shares to any person. A sale of a Share shall be deemed to be completed
if and only if (i) the Company has received a properly completed and executed subscription
document, together with payment of the full purchase price of each purchased Share, from or on
behalf of an investor who satisfies any applicable suitability standards and minimum purchase
requirements set forth in the Prospectus as determined by the Dealer Manager in accordance with the
provisions of this Agreement and (ii) the Company has accepted such subscription.
15. NOTICE
Any notice in this Agreement permitted to be given, made or accepted by either party to the
other, must be in writing and may be given or served by (i) overnight courier, (ii) depositing the
same in the United States mail, postpaid, certified, return receipt requested, or (iii) facsimile
transfer. Notice deposited in the United States mail shall be deemed given when mailed. Notice
given in any other manner shall be effective when received at the address of the addressee. For
purposes hereof the addresses of the parties, until changed as hereafter provided, shall be as
follows:
To Company: | Gladstone Commercial Corporation Attention: Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Attention: Xxxx Xxxxxxxx, President 0000 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 000 XxXxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000 Fax: (000) 000-0000 |
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To Dealer Manager: | Gladstone Securities, LLC Attention: Xxxxx Xxxxx, President and Chief Executive Officer 00 Xxx Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxx 00000 Fax: (000) 000-0000 |
||
With a copy to: | Xxxxxxx X. XxXxxxx, Internal Counsel The Gladstone Companies 0000 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxx; Xxxxx 000 XxXxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000 Fax: (000) 000-0000 |
16. SEVERABILITY
In the event that any court of competent jurisdiction declares any provision of this Agreement
invalid, such invalidity shall have no effect on the other provisions hereof, which shall remain
valid and binding and in full force and effect, and to that end the provisions of this Agreement
shall be considered severable.
17. NO WAIVER
Failure by either party to promptly insist upon strict compliance with any of the obligations
of the other party under this Agreement shall not be deemed to constitute a waiver of the right to
enforce strict compliance with respect to any obligation hereunder.
18. ASSIGNMENT
This Agreement may not be assigned by either party, except with the prior written consent of
the other party. This Agreement shall be binding upon the parties hereto, their heirs, legal
representatives, successors and permitted assigns.
19. ENTIRE AGREEMENT
This Agreement constitutes the complete and exclusive statement of the agreement between the
parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior written and oral statements
or agreements with respect to such subject matter.
[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]
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If the foregoing correctly sets forth our understanding, please indicate your acceptance
thereof in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon this letter and your acceptance
shall constitute a binding agreement between us as of the date first above written.
Very truly yours, GLADSTONE COMMERCIAL CORPORATION |
||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx | |||
Name: | Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx | |||
Title: | CEO | |||
Accepted and agreed as of the date first above written.
GLADSTONE SECURITIES, LLC |
||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxx | |||
Name: | Xxxxx Xxxxx | |||
Title: | CEO/President | |||
14
Exhibit A
PARTICIPATING DEALER AGREEMENT
3,000,000 Shares of Senior Common Stock — Primary Offering — $15.00
500,000 Shares of Senior Common Stock — Distribution Reinvestment Plan — $15.00
500,000 Shares of Senior Common Stock — Distribution Reinvestment Plan — $15.00
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Gladstone Securities, LLC, as the dealer manager (“Dealer Manager”) for Gladstone Commercial
Corporation, a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), invites you (the “Dealer”) to participate in
the distribution of shares of Senior Common Stock (“Shares”) of the Company subject to the
following terms:
The Dealer Manager and the Company have entered into that certain Dealer Manager Agreement
dated March 25, 2011 (the “Dealer Manager Agreement”), in the form attached hereto as Exhibit “A.”
By your acceptance of this Participating Dealer Agreement, you will become one of the Dealers
referred to in such Dealer Manager Agreement between the Company and the Dealer Manager and will be
entitled and subject to the indemnification provisions contained in such Dealer Manager Agreement,
including specifically the provisions of Section 6.3 of such Dealer Manager Agreement
wherein each Dealer severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the Dealer Manager
and each officer, director, member and manager thereof, and each person, if any, who controls the
Company and the Dealer Manager for the matters set forth in Section 6.3 of the Dealer
Manager Agreement. Such indemnification obligations shall survive the termination of this
Participating Dealer Agreement. Except as otherwise specifically stated herein, all terms used in
this Participating Dealer Agreement have the meanings provided in the Dealer Manager Agreement.
The Shares are offered solely through broker-dealers which are members of the Financial Industry
Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”).
Dealer hereby agrees to use its best efforts to sell the Shares for cash on the terms and
conditions stated in the Prospectus. Nothing in this Participating Dealer Agreement shall be
deemed or construed to make Dealer an employee, agent, representative or partner of the Dealer
Manager or of the Company, and Dealer is not authorized to act for the Dealer Manager or the
Company or to make any representations on their behalf except as set forth in the Prospectus and
such other printed information furnished to Dealer by the Dealer Manager, and authorized by the
Company in writing, to supplement the Prospectus (“Supplemental Information”).
II. Submission of Orders
Dealer hereby agrees to solicit, as an independent contractor and not as the agent of the
Dealer Manager or of the Company (or their affiliates), persons acceptable to the Company to
purchase the Shares pursuant to the subscription agreement in the form attached to the Prospectus
and in accordance with the terms of the Prospectus. Dealer hereby agrees to diligently make
inquiries as required by this Agreement, as set forth in the Prospectus, and as required by all
applicable laws of all prospective investors in order to ascertain whether a purchase of the Shares
is suitable for each such investor.
Those persons who purchase Shares will be instructed by the Dealer to make their checks
payable to “BB&T, as escrow agent for Gladstone Commercial Corporation.” Any Dealer receiving a
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check not conforming to the foregoing instructions shall return such check directly to such
subscriber. Checks received by the Dealer which conform to the foregoing instructions shall be
transmitted for deposit pursuant to one of the methods:
1. Where, pursuant to the Dealer’s internal supervisory procedures, internal supervisory
review is conducted at the same location at which subscription documents and checks are received
from subscribers, checks will be transmitted by the end of the next business day following receipt
by the Dealer for deposit directly with the Company in accordance with the procedures set forth in
the Prospectus.
2. Where, pursuant to the Dealer’s internal supervisory procedures, final and internal
supervisory review is conducted at a different location, checks will be transmitted by the end of
the next business day following receipt by the Dealer to the office of the Dealer conducting such
final internal supervisory review (the “Final Review Office”). The Final Review Office will in
turn transmit, by the end of the next business day following receipt by the Final Review Office,
such checks to the Company for deposit with the Company in accordance with the procedures set forth
in the Prospectus.
III. Pricing
Except as described in the Prospectus, 3,000,000 Shares is intended to be offered to the
public at the offering price of $15.00 per Share, payable in cash pursuant to the primary offering
and (ii) 500,000 Shares is intended to be offered pursuant to the Company’s DRIP at $15.00 per
Share. Except as otherwise indicated in the Prospectus or in any letter or memorandum sent to the
Dealer by the Company or Dealer Manager, a minimum initial purchase of 200 Shares (or $3,000) is
required. The Shares are nonassessable.
IV. Covenants of Dealer
Dealer represents and warrants to the Company and the Dealer Manager and agrees that:
Prior to participating in the Offering, Dealer will have reasonable grounds to believe, based
on information made available to Dealer by the Dealer Manager and/or the Company through the
Prospectus, that all material facts are adequately and accurately disclosed in the Prospectus and
provide a basis for evaluating an investment in the Company and the Shares.
Dealer agrees not to rely upon the efforts of the Dealer Manager, which is affiliated with the
Company, in determining whether the Company has adequately and accurately disclosed all material
facts upon which to provide a basis for evaluating the Company to the extent required by federal or
state laws or FINRA. Dealer further agrees to conduct its own investigation to make that
determination independent of the efforts of the Dealer Manager.
Dealer agrees to retain in its records and make available to the Dealer Manager and to the
Company for a period of at least six (6) years following the termination of the Offering,
information establishing that each investor who purchases the Shares solicited by Dealer is
suitable for such investment.
Dealer agrees that, prior to accepting a subscription for the Shares, it will inform the
prospective investor of all pertinent facts relating to the illiquidity and lack of marketability
of the Shares, as appropriate, during the term of the investment.
Dealer hereby undertakes and agrees to comply with all obligations applicable to Dealer under
all applicable laws, rules and regulations, including those set forth by FINRA. In soliciting
persons to acquire the Shares, Dealer further agrees to comply with any applicable requirements of
the Securities
A-2
Act, the Exchange Act, other applicable federal securities laws, applicable state securities
laws, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder and the rules of FINRA and, in particular,
Dealer agrees that it will not give any information or make any representations other than those
contained in the Prospectus and in any supplemental sales literature furnished to Dealer by the
Dealer Manager for use in making such solicitations.
Dealer shall deliver to each prospective investor, prior to any submission by such prospective
investor, a written offer to buy any Shares, a copy of the Prospectus, and shall keep record of to
whom, by what manner and on what date it delivered each such copy.
Dealer will not deliver to any offeree any written documents pertaining to the Company or the
Shares, other than the Prospectus, and any other materials specifically designated for distribution
to prospective investors that are supplied to Dealer by the Company or its affiliates. Without
intending to limit the generality of the foregoing, Dealer shall not deliver to any prospective
investor any material pertaining to the Company or any of its affiliates that has been furnished as
“broker/dealer information only.”
In its solicitation of offers for the Shares, Dealer will comply with all applicable
requirements of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, as well as the published rules and
regulations thereunder, and the rules and regulations of all state securities authorities, as
applicable, to the best of its knowledge, after due inquiry and investigation and to the extent
within its direct control.
Dealer is (and will continue to be) a member in good standing with FINRA, will abide by the
rules and regulations of FINRA, is in full compliance with all applicable requirements under the
Exchange Act, and is registered as a broker-dealer in all of the jurisdictions in which Dealer
solicits offers to purchase the Shares.
V. Dealers’ Commissions
Except as otherwise provided in the “Plan of Distribution” section of the Prospectus, the
Dealer’s sales commission applicable to the Shares sold by Dealer which it is authorized to sell
hereunder is 7.0% of the gross proceeds of Shares sold by it and accepted and confirmed by the
Company, which commission will be payable by the Dealer Manager. No sales commissions shall be
paid with respect to Shares issued and sold pursuant to the Company’s DRIP. For these purposes,
shares shall be deemed to be “sold” if and only if a transaction has closed with a subscriber for
Shares pursuant to all applicable Offering and subscription documents, the Company has accepted the
subscription agreement of such subscriber, and such Shares have been fully paid for and the Company
has thereafter distributed the commission to the Dealer Manager in connection with such
transaction. The Dealer affirms that the Dealer Manager’s liability for commissions payable is
limited solely to the proceeds of commissions receivable from the Company, and the Dealer hereby
waives any and all rights to receive payment of commissions due until such time as the Dealer
Manager is in receipt of the commission from the Company.
Except as otherwise provided herein, all expenses incurred by Dealer in the performance of
Dealer’s obligations hereunder, including, but not limited to, expenses related to the Offering and
any attorneys’ fees, shall be at Dealer’s sole cost and expense, and the foregoing shall apply
notwithstanding the fact that the Offering is not consummated for any reason.
In addition, as set forth in the Prospectus, the Dealer Manager may, in its sole discretion,
reallow a portion of its dealer manager fee to Dealers participating in the Offering of Shares as
marketing fees,
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reimbursement of costs and expenses of attending educational conferences or to defray other
distribution-related expenses.
The parties hereby agree that the foregoing commission is not in excess of the usual and
customary distributors’ or sellers’ commission received in the sale of securities similar to the
Shares, that Dealer’s interest in the Offering is limited to such commission from the Dealer
Manager and Dealer’s indemnity referred to in Section 6 of the Dealer Manager Agreement,
and that the Company is not liable or responsible for the direct payment of such commission to the
Dealer. In addition, as set forth in the Prospectus, the Dealer Manager may reimburse Dealer for
reasonable bona fide accountable due diligence expenses incurred by such Dealer. The Dealer Manager
shall have the right to require the Dealer to provide a detailed and itemized invoice as a
condition to the reimbursement of any such due diligence expenses. Reimbursement requests for
accountable bona fide due diligence expenses must be made by Dealer within six months of the date
of sale of Shares or such requests will not be honored by the Dealer Manager.
VI. Applicability of Indemnification
Each of the Dealer and Dealer Manager hereby acknowledges and agrees that it will be subject
to the obligations set forth in, and entitled to the benefits of all the provisions of, the Dealer
Manager Agreement, including but not limited to, the representations and warranties and the
indemnification obligations contained in such Dealer Manager Agreement, including specifically the
provisions of Section 6.3 of the Dealer Manager Agreement. Such indemnification obligations
shall survive the termination of this Participating Dealer Agreement and the Dealer Manager
Agreement.
VII. Payment
Payments of selling commissions will be made by the Dealer Manager to Dealer within 14 days of
the receipt by the Dealer Manager of the gross commission payments from the Company. Dealer
acknowledges that if the Company pays selling commissions to the Dealer Manager, the Company is
relieved of any obligation for selling commissions to Dealer. The Company may rely on and use the
preceding acknowledgment as a defense against any claim by Dealer for selling commissions the
Company pays to Dealer Manager but that Dealer Manager fails to remit to Dealer.
VIII. Right to Reject Orders or Cancel Sales
All orders, whether initial or additional, are subject to acceptance by and shall only become
effective upon confirmation by the Company, which reserves the right to reject any order. Orders
not accompanied by a subscription agreement signature page and the required check in payment for
the Shares may be rejected. Issuance of the Shares will be made only after actual receipt of
payment. If any check is not paid upon presentment, or if the Company is not in actual receipt of
clearinghouse funds or cash, certified or cashier’s check or the equivalent in payment for the
Shares within 15 days of sale, the Company reserves the right to cancel the sale without notice.
In the event an order is rejected, canceled or rescinded for any reason, Dealer agrees to return to
the Dealer Manager any commission theretofore paid with respect to such order and, failing to do
so, the Dealer Manager shall have the right to offset amounts owed against future commissions due
and otherwise payable to Dealer.
IX. Prospectus and Supplemental Information
Dealer is not authorized or permitted to give, and will not give, any information or make any
representation concerning the Shares except as set forth in the Prospectus and the Supplemental
Information. The Dealer Manager will supply Dealer with reasonable quantities of the Prospectus, as
well as any Supplemental Information, for delivery to investors, and Dealer will deliver a copy of
the
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Prospectus as required by the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations
promulgated thereunder. The Dealer agrees that it will not send or give any Supplemental
Information to an investor unless it has previously sent or given a Prospectus to that investor or
has simultaneously sent or given a Prospectus with such Supplemental Information. Dealer agrees
that it will not show or give to any investor or prospective investor or reproduce any material or
writing that is supplied to it by the Dealer Manager and marked “dealer only” or otherwise bearing
a legend denoting that it is not to be used in connection with the sale of Shares to members of the
public. Dealer agrees that it will not use in connection with the offer or sale of Shares any
material or writing that relates to another company supplied to it by the Company or the Dealer
Manager bearing a legend that states that such material may not be used in connection with the
offer or sale of any securities of the Company. Dealer further agrees that it will not use in
connection with the offer or sale of Shares any materials or writings that have not been previously
approved by the Dealer Manager and the Company in writing. Each Dealer agrees that it will mail or
otherwise deliver all Prospectuses required for compliance with the provisions of Rule 15c2-8 under
the Exchange Act. Regardless of the termination of this Agreement, Dealer will deliver a Prospectus
in transactions in the Shares for a period of 90 days from the effective date of the Registration
Statement or such longer period as may be required by the Exchange Act or the Exchange Act rules
and regulations thereunder.
X. License and Association Membership
Dealer’s acceptance of this Participating Dealer Agreement constitutes a representation to the
Company and the Dealer Manager that Dealer is a properly registered broker-dealer under the
Exchange Act, is duly licensed as a broker-dealer and authorized to sell Shares under federal and
state securities laws and regulations and in all states where it offers or sells Shares, and that
it is a member in good standing of FINRA. Dealer agrees to notify the Dealer Manager immediately
in writing and this Participating Dealer Agreement shall automatically terminate if Dealer ceases
to be a member in good standing of FINRA, is subject to a FINRA suspension, or its registration as
a broker-dealer under the Exchange Act is terminated or suspended. Dealer hereby agrees to abide
by all applicable FINRA Rules.
XI. Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Programs
Dealer’s acceptance of this Agreement constitutes a representation to the Company and the
Dealer Manager that Dealer has established and implemented anti-money laundering compliance
programs in accordance with FINRA Rule 3011, Section 352 of the Money Laundering Abatement Act and
Sections 103.19, 103.35, and 103.122 of the regulations of the U.S. Treasury Department, and is in
compliance with all Executive Orders and Federal Regulations administered by the U.S. Treasury
Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control. Further, Dealer agrees, upon receipt of an
“information request” issued under Section 314 (a) of the USA Patriot Act to provide the Financial
Crimes Enforcement Network with information regarding: (i) the identity of a specified individual
or organization; (ii) account number; (iii) all identifying information provided by the account
holder; and (iv) the date and type of transaction. The Dealer Manager from time to time will
monitor account activity to identify patterns of unusual size or volume, geographic factors, and
any other potential signals of suspicious activity, including possible money laundering or
terrorist financing. The Company and the Dealer Manager reserve the right to reject account
applications from new customers who fail to provide necessary account information or who
intentionally provide misleading information.
XII. Limitation of Offer and Suitability
Dealer will offer Shares only to persons who meet any applicable suitable requirements and
will only make offers to persons in the states in which it is advised in writing that the Shares
are qualified for sale or that such qualification is not required. In offering Shares, Dealer will
comply with the provisions
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of the rules and requirements of FINRA, as well as all other applicable rules and regulations
relating to suitability of investors, and the suitability standards set forth in the Prospectus.
Prior to the sale of the Shares, each Dealer shall inform each prospective purchaser of Shares
of pertinent facts relating to the Shares including specifically the lack of liquidity and lack of
marketability of the Shares during the term of the investment.
XIII. Due Diligence and Adequate Disclosure
Dealer understands that the Company, Dealer Manager or third party due diligence providers may
from time to time furnish Dealer with certain information which is non-public, confidential or
proprietary in nature (the “Due Diligence Information”) in connection with its due diligence
obligations under FINRA rules and the federal securities laws. Dealer agrees that the Due
Diligence Information will be kept confidential and shall not, without our prior written consent,
be disclosed by Dealer, or by Dealer’s affiliates, agents, representatives or employees, in any
manner whatsoever, in whole or in part, and shall not be used by Dealer, its agents,
representatives or employees, other than in connection with Dealer’s due diligence evaluation of
the Offering. Dealer agrees to reveal the Due Diligence Information only to its affiliates,
agents, representatives and employees who need to know the Due Diligence Information for the
purpose of the due diligence evaluation. Further, Dealer and its affiliates, agents,
representatives and employees will not disclose to any person the fact that the Due Diligence
Information has been made available to it.
The term Due Diligence Information shall not include information which (i) is already in
Dealer’s possession or in the possession of Dealer’s parent company or affiliates, provided that
such information is not known by Dealer to be subject to another confidentiality agreement with or
other obligation of secrecy to the Company or another party; (ii) is or becomes generally available
to the public other than as a result of a disclosure by Dealer, its affiliates, or their respective
directors, officers, employees, agents, advisors and representatives in violation of this
agreement; (iii) becomes available to Dealer or its affiliates on a non-confidential basis from a
source other than the Company or its advisors, provided that such source is not known by Dealer or
its affiliates to be bound by a confidentiality agreement with or other obligation of secrecy to
the Company or another party; or (iv) is independently developed by Dealer or by its affiliates
without use of the Due Diligence Information.
Dealer agrees that its obligation of non-disclosure, non-use and confidentiality of the Due
Diligence Information as set forth herein shall terminate two (2) years after the date on which the
Due Diligence Information is received by Dealer.
XIV. Compliance with Record Keeping Requirements
Dealer agrees to comply with the record keeping requirements of the Exchange Act, including
but not limited to, Rules 17a-3 and 17a-4 promulgated under the Exchange Act. Dealer further
agrees to keep such records with respect to each customer who purchases Shares, his suitability and
the amount of Shares sold and to retain such records for such period of time as may be required by
the SEC, any state securities commission, FINRA or the Company.
XV. Customer Complaints
Each party hereby agrees to promptly provide to the other party copies of any written or
otherwise documented complaints from customers of Dealer received by such party relating in any way
to the Offering (including, but not limited to, the manner in which the Shares are offered by the
Dealer Manager or Dealer), the Shares or the Company.
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XVI. Termination and Amendments
Dealer will immediately suspend or terminate its offer and sale of Shares upon the request of
the Company or the Dealer Manager at any time and will resume its offer and sale of Shares
hereunder upon subsequent request of the Company or the Dealer Manager. Any party may terminate
this Participating Dealer Agreement by written notice. Such termination shall be effective 48
hours after the mailing of such notice. This Participating Dealer Agreement and the exhibits
hereto are the entire agreement of the parties and supersedes all prior agreements, if any, between
the parties hereto.
This Participating Dealer Agreement may be amended at any time by the Dealer Manager by
written notice to the Dealer, and any such amendment shall be deemed accepted and agreed to by
Dealer upon placing an order for sale of Shares after he has received such notice.
XVII. Privacy Laws
The Dealer Manager and Dealer (each referred to individually in this section as “party”) agree
as follows:
1. Each party agrees to abide by and comply with (i) the privacy standards and requirements of
the Xxxxx-Xxxxx-Xxxxxx Act of 1999 (“GLB Act”), (ii) the privacy standards and requirements of any
other applicable Federal or state law, and (iii) its own internal privacy policies and procedures,
each as may be amended from time to time.
2. Dealer agrees to provide privacy policy notices required under the GLB Act resulting from
purchases of Shares made by its customers pursuant to this Participating Dealer Agreement.
3. Each party agrees to refrain from the use or disclosure of nonpublic personal information
(as defined under the GLB Act) of all customers who have opted out of such disclosures except as
necessary to service the customers or as otherwise necessary or required by applicable law; and
XVIII. Notice
Any notice in this Participating Dealer Agreement permitted to be given, made or accepted by
either party to the other, must be in writing and may be given or served by (1) overnight courier,
(2) depositing the same in the United States mail, postpaid, certified, return receipt requested,
or (3) facsimile transfer. Notice deposited in the United States mail shall be deemed given when
mailed. Notice given in any other manner shall be effective when received at the address of the
addressee. For purposes hereof the addresses of the parties, until changed as hereafter provided,
shall be as follows:
To Dealer Manager: | Gladstone Securities, LLC | |||
00 Xxx Xxxxx | ||||
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxx 00000 | ||||
Attention: Xxxxx Xxxxx, President and Chief Executive Officer | ||||
Fax: (000) 000-0000 | ||||
To Dealer: | Address Specified By Dealer on Dealer Signature Page |
XIX.
Attorney’s Fees, Applicable Law and Venue
In any action to enforce the provisions of this Participating Dealer Agreement or to secure
damages for its breach, the prevailing party shall recover its costs and reasonable attorney’s
fees. This Participating Dealer Agreement shall be construed under the laws of the State of
Virginia and shall take effect when signed by Dealer and countersigned by the Dealer Manager.
Dealer and Dealer Manager
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hereby acknowledge and agree that venue for any action brought hereunder shall lie exclusively
in McLean, Virginia.
XX. Severability
In the event that any court of competent jurisdiction declares any provision of this
Participating Dealer Agreement invalid, such invalidity shall have no effect on the other
provisions hereof, which shall remain valid and binding and in full force and effect, and to that
end the provisions of this Participating Dealer Agreement shall be considered severable.
XXI. No Waiver
Failure by either party to promptly insist upon strict compliance with any of the obligations
of the other party under this Participating Dealer Agreement shall not be deemed to constitute a
waiver of the right to enforce strict compliance with respect to any obligation hereunder.
XXII. Assignment
This Participating Dealer Agreement may not be assigned by either party, except with the prior
written consent of the other party. This Participating Dealer Agreement shall be binding upon the
parties hereto, their heirs, legal representatives, successors and permitted assigns.
XXIII. Authorization
Each party represents to the other that all requisite proceedings have been undertaken to
authorize it to enter into and perform under this Participating Dealer Agreement as contemplated
herein, and that the individual who has signed this Participating Dealer Agreement below on its
behalf is a duly elected officer that has been empowered to act for and on behalf of such party
with respect to the execution of this Participating Dealer Agreement.
[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]
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We have read the foregoing Agreement and we hereby accept and agree to the terms and
conditions set forth therein.
THE DEALER MANAGER: Gladstone Securities, LLC |
||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxx | |||
Name: | Xxxxx Xxxxx | |||
Title: | CEO/President |
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Participating Dealer Agreement Signature Page
We have read the foregoing Participating Dealer Agreement and we hereby accept and agree to
the terms and conditions therein set forth. We hereby represent that the list below of
jurisdictions in which we are registered or licensed as a broker or dealer and are fully authorized
to sell securities is true and correct, and we agree to advise you of any changes to the
information listed on this signature page during the term of this Participating Dealer Agreement.
1. Identity of Dealer:
Name: |
||
Type of entity:
|
Organized in the State of: | |||||
Licensed as broker-dealer in the following States: |
||
Tax I.D. #: |
||
2. Person to receive notice pursuant to Section XVIII.
Name: |
||
Company: |
||
Address: |
||
City, State and Zip Code: |
||
Telephone No.:(_____) Fax No.:(_____)
E-Mail:
AGREED TO AND ACCEPTED BY THE DEALER: | ||||||||||
(Dealer’s Firm Name) | ||||||||||
By:
|
Date: | |||||||||
(Signature) | ||||||||||
Printed Name: | ||||||||||
Title: |
||||||||||
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