SECURITY AGREEMENT
EXHIBIT
10.8
This
SECURITY AGREEMENT, dated as of July 31, 2009 (this “Agreement”), is among
Capital Growth Systems, Inc., a Florida corporation (the “Company”), all of the
Subsidiaries of the Company (such subsidiaries,
the “Guarantors” and together with the Company, the “Debtors”) and the
holders of the Company’s Original Issue Discount Secured Convertible Debentures
due May 30, 2011, in the original aggregate principal amount of up to
$7,000,000, subject to increase based upon additional draws of up to an
additional $3,500,000 (collectively, the “Debentures”)
signatory hereto, their endorsees, transferees and assigns (collectively, the
“Secured
Parties”).
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS,
pursuant to the Purchase Agreement (as defined in the Debentures), the Secured
Parties have severally agreed to extend the loans to the Company evidenced by
the Debentures;
WHEREAS,
pursuant to a certain Subsidiary Guarantee, dated as of the date hereof (the
“Guarantee”),
the Guarantors have jointly and severally
agreed to guarantee and act as surety for payment of such Debentures;
and
WHEREAS,
in order to induce the Secured Parties to extend the loans evidenced by the
Debentures, each Debtor has agreed to execute and deliver to the Secured Parties
this Agreement and to grant the Secured Parties, pari passu with each other
Secured Party and through the Collateral Agent (as defined in Section 18
hereof), a security interest in certain property of such Debtor to secure the
prompt payment, performance and discharge in full of all of the Company’s
obligations under the Debentures and the Guarantors’ obligations under the
Guarantee.
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the agreements herein contained and for other
good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby
acknowledged, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:
1. Certain Definitions. As used
in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth in this
Section 1. Terms used but not otherwise defined in this Agreement
that are defined in Article 9 of the UCC (such as “account”, “chattel paper”,
“commercial tort claim”, “deposit account”, “document”, “equipment”, “fixtures”,
“general intangibles”, “goods”, “instruments”, “inventory”, “investment
property”, “letter-of-credit rights”, “proceeds” and “supporting obligations”)
shall have the respective meanings given such terms in Article 9 of the
UCC.
(a) “Collateral” means the
collateral in which the Secured Parties are granted a security interest by this
Agreement and which shall include the following personal property of the
Debtors, whether presently owned or existing or hereafter acquired or coming
into existence, wherever situated, and all additions and accessions thereto and
all substitutions and replacements thereof, and all proceeds, products and
accounts thereof, including, without limitation, all proceeds from the sale or
transfer of the Collateral and of insurance covering the same and of any tort
claims in connection therewith, and all dividends,
interest, cash, notes, securities, equity interest or other property at any time
and from time to time acquired, receivable or otherwise distributed in respect
of, or in exchange for, any or all of the Pledged Securities (as defined
below):
(i) All
goods, including, without limitation, (A) all machinery, equipment, computers,
motor vehicles, trucks, tanks, boats, ships, appliances, furniture, special and
general tools, fixtures, test and quality control devices and other equipment of
every kind and nature and wherever situated, together with all documents of
title and documents representing the same, all additions and accessions thereto,
replacements therefor, all parts therefor, and all substitutes for any of the
foregoing and all other items used and useful in connection with any Debtor’s
businesses and all improvements thereto; and (B) all inventory;
(ii) All
contract rights and other general intangibles, including, without limitation,
all partnership interests, membership interests, stock or other securities,
rights under
any of the Organizational Documents, agreements related to the Pledged
Securities, licenses, distribution and other agreements, computer
software (whether “off-the-shelf”, licensed from any third party or developed by
any Debtor), computer software development rights, leases, franchises, customer
lists, quality control procedures, grants and rights, goodwill, trademarks,
service marks, trade styles, trade names, patents, patent applications,
copyrights, and income tax refunds;
(iii) All
accounts, together with all instruments, all documents of title representing any
of the foregoing, all rights in any merchandising, goods, equipment, motor
vehicles and trucks which any of the same may represent, and all right, title,
security and guaranties with respect to each account, including any right of
stoppage in transit;
(iv) All
documents, letter-of-credit rights, instruments and chattel paper;
(v) All
commercial tort claims;
(vi) All
deposit accounts and all cash (whether or not deposited in such deposit
accounts);
(vii) All
investment property;
(viii) All
supporting obligations; and
(ix)
All files, records, books of account, business papers, and computer programs;
and
(x) the
products and proceeds of all of the foregoing Collateral set forth in clauses
(i)-(ix) above.
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Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the
“Collateral” shall include all
investment property and general intangibles respecting ownership and/or other
equity interests in each Guarantor, including, without limitation, the
shares of capital stock and the other
equity interests listed on Schedule H hereto (as the same may be modified from time to time
pursuant to the terms hereof), and any other shares of capital stock and/or
other equity interests of any other direct or indirect subsidiary of any Debtor obtained in the future, and,
in each case, all certificates representing such shares and/or equity interests
and, in each case, all rights, options, warrants, stock, other securities and/or
equity interests that may hereafter be received,
receivable or distributed in respect of, or exchanged for, any of the foregoing
and all rights arising under or in connection with the Pledged Securities,
including, but not limited to, all dividends, interest and
cash.
Notwithstanding
the foregoing, nothing herein shall be deemed to constitute an assignment of any
asset which, in the event of an assignment, becomes void by operation of
applicable law or the assignment of which is otherwise prohibited by applicable
law (in each case to the extent that such applicable law is not overridden by
Sections 9-406, 9-407 and/or 9-408 of the UCC or other similar applicable law);
provided, however, that to the
extent permitted by applicable law, this Agreement shall create a valid security
interest in such asset and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, this
Agreement shall create a valid security interest in the proceeds of such
asset.
Notwithstanding
the foregoing, the term Collateral shall not include any equipment owned by any
of the Debtors or Global Capacity Direct, LLC, a Delaware limited liability
company (“Global
Capacity Direct”), which is used in connection with the delivery of
telecommunications services as part of the business operations of the Debtors
and Global Capacity Direct to the extent the grant of security interest in such
equipment would be prohibited under applicable state regulations, and to the
extent such equipment is excluded from the definition of “collateral” and the
security interest granted to the Senior Lender Purchasers under the Senior
Lender Loan Agreement.
(b) “Intellectual
Property” means the collective reference to all rights, priorities and
privileges relating to intellectual property, whether arising under United
States, multinational or foreign laws or otherwise, including, without
limitation, (i) all copyrights arising under the laws of the United States, any
other country or any political subdivision thereof, whether registered or
unregistered and whether published or unpublished, all registrations and
recordings thereof, and all applications in connection therewith, including,
without limitation, all registrations, recordings and applications in the United
States Copyright Office, (ii) all letters patent of the United States, any other
country or any political subdivision thereof, all reissues and extensions
thereof, and all applications for letters patent of the United States or any
other country and all divisions, continuations and continuations-in-part
thereof, (iii) all trademarks, trade names, corporate names, company names,
business names, fictitious business names, trade dress, service marks, logos,
domain names and other source or business identifiers, and all goodwill
associated therewith, now existing or hereafter adopted or acquired, all
registrations and recordings thereof, and all applications in connection
therewith, whether in the United States Patent and Trademark Office or in any
similar office or agency of the United States, any State thereof or any other
country or any political subdivision thereof, or otherwise, and all common law
rights related thereto, (iv) all trade secrets arising under the laws of the
United States, any other country or any political subdivision thereof, (v) all
rights to obtain any reissues, renewals or extensions of the foregoing, (vi) all
licenses for any of the foregoing, and (vii) all causes of action for
infringement of the foregoing.
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(c) “Majority in
Interest” means, at any time of determination, a 67% or more
majority in interest (based on
then-outstanding principal amounts of
Debentures at the time of such determination) of the Secured
Parties.
(d) “Necessary
Endorsement” means undated stock powers endorsed in blank or other proper
instruments of assignment duly executed and such other instruments or documents
as the Collateral Agent (as
that term is defined below) may reasonably request.
(e) “Obligations” means
all of the liabilities and obligations (primary, secondary, direct, contingent,
sole, joint or several) due or to become due, or that are now or may be
hereafter contracted or acquired, or owing to, of any Debtor to the Secured
Parties, including, without limitation, all obligations under this Agreement,
the Debentures, the Guarantee and any other instruments, agreements or other
documents executed and/or delivered in connection herewith or therewith, in each
case, whether now or hereafter existing, voluntary or involuntary, direct or
indirect, absolute or contingent, liquidated or unliquidated, whether or not
jointly owed with others, and whether or not from time to time decreased or
extinguished and later increased, created or incurred, and all or any portion of
such obligations or liabilities that are paid, to the extent all or any part of
such payment is avoided or recovered directly or indirectly from any of the
Secured Parties as a preference, fraudulent transfer or otherwise as such
obligations may be amended, supplemented, converted, extended or modified from
time to time. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the
term “Obligations” shall include, without limitation: (i) principal of, and
interest on the Debentures and the loans extended pursuant thereto; (ii) any and
all other fees, indemnities, costs, obligations and liabilities of the Debtors
from time to time under or in connection with this Agreement, the Debentures,
the Guarantee and any other instruments, agreements or other documents executed
and/or delivered in connection herewith or therewith; and (iii) all amounts
(including but not limited to post-petition interest) in respect of the
foregoing that would be payable but for the fact that the obligations to pay
such amounts are unenforceable or not allowable due to the existence of a
bankruptcy, reorganization or similar proceeding involving any
Debtor.
(f) “Organizational
Documents” means with respect to any Debtor, the documents by which such
Debtor was organized (such as a certificate of incorporation, certificate of
limited partnership or articles of organization, and including, without
limitation, any certificates of designation for preferred stock or other forms
of preferred equity) and which relate to the internal governance of such Debtor
(such as bylaws, a partnership agreement or an operating, limited liability or
members agreement).
(g) “Pledged Interests”
shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4(j).
(h) “Pledged Securities”
shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4(i).
(i)
“UCC” means the
Uniform Commercial Code of the State of New York and or any other applicable law
of any state or states which has jurisdiction with respect to all, or any
portion of, the Collateral or this Agreement, from time to time. It
is the intent of the parties that defined terms in the UCC should be construed
in their broadest sense so that the term “Collateral” will be construed in its
broadest sense. Accordingly if there are, from time to time, changes
to defined terms in the UCC that broaden the definitions, they are incorporated
herein and if existing definitions in the UCC are broader than the amended
definitions, the existing ones shall be controlling.
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2. Grant of Security Interest in
Collateral. As an inducement for the Secured Parties to extend the loans
as evidenced by the Debentures and to secure the complete and timely payment,
performance and discharge in full, as the case may be, of all of the
Obligations, each Debtor hereby unconditionally and irrevocably pledges, grants
and hypothecates to the Secured Parties a security interest in and to, a lien
upon and a right of set-off against all of their respective right, title and
interest of whatsoever kind and nature in and to, the Collateral (a “Security Interest”
and, collectively, the “Security
Interests”).
3. Delivery of Certain
Collateral. Immediately upon the
Senior Creditor Repayment (as defined in the Senior Lender Intercreditor
Agreement), each Debtor shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Collateral
Agent (a) any and all certificates and other instruments representing or
evidencing the Pledged Securities, and (b) any and all certificates and other
instruments or documents representing any of the other Collateral, in each case,
together with all Necessary Endorsements. The Debtors are,
contemporaneously with the execution hereof, delivering to Collateral Agent, or
have previously delivered to Collateral Agent, a true and correct copy of each
Organizational Document governing any of the Pledged
Securities.
4. Representations, Warranties,
Covenants and Agreements of the Debtors. Except as set forth under the
corresponding section of the disclosure schedules delivered to the Secured
Parties concurrently herewith (the “Disclosure
Schedules”), which Disclosure Schedules shall be deemed a part hereof,
each Debtor represents and warrants to, and covenants and agrees with, the
Secured Parties as follows:
(a) Each
Debtor has the requisite corporate, partnership, limited liability company or
other power and authority to enter into this Agreement and otherwise to carry
out its obligations hereunder. The execution, delivery and performance by each
Debtor of this Agreement and the filings contemplated therein have been duly
authorized by all necessary action on the part of such Debtor and no further
action is required by such Debtor. This Agreement has been duly
executed by each Debtor. This Agreement constitutes the legal, valid
and binding obligation of each Debtor, enforceable against each Debtor in
accordance with its terms except as such enforceability may be limited by
applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization and similar laws of general
application relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors and by
general principles of equity.
(b) The
Debtors have no place of business or offices where their respective books of
account and records are kept (other than temporarily at the offices of its
attorneys or accountants) or places where Collateral is stored or located,
except as set forth on Schedule A attached
hereto. No Debtor owns any real property. Except as disclosed on
Schedule A,
none of such Collateral is in the possession of any consignee, bailee,
warehouseman, agent or processor.
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(c) Except
for Permitted Liens (as defined in the Debentures) and except as set forth on
Schedule B
attached hereto, the Debtors are the sole owner of the Collateral (except for
non-exclusive licenses granted by any Debtor in the ordinary course of
business), free and clear of any liens, security interests, encumbrances, rights
or claims, and are fully authorized to grant the Security
Interests. Except as set forth on Schedule C attached
hereto, there is not on file in any governmental or regulatory authority, agency
or recording office an effective financing statement, security agreement,
license or transfer or any notice of any of the foregoing (other than those that
will be filed in favor of the Secured Parties pursuant to this Agreement)
covering or affecting any of the Collateral. Except as set forth on
Schedule C
attached hereto and except pursuant to this Agreement, as long as this Agreement
shall be in effect, the Debtors shall not execute and shall not knowingly permit
to be on file in any such office or agency any other financing statement or
other document or instrument (except to the extent filed or recorded in favor of
the Secured Parties pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or as permitted in
connection with any permitted purchase money security interests or capital
leases that are permitted under the Debentures).
(d) No
written claim has been received that any Collateral or any Debtor's use of any
Collateral violates the rights of any third party. There has been no adverse
decision to any Debtor's claim of ownership rights in or exclusive rights to use
the Collateral in any jurisdiction or to any Debtor's right to keep and maintain
such Collateral in full force and effect, and there is no proceeding involving
said rights pending or, to the best knowledge of any Debtor, threatened before
any court, judicial body, administrative or regulatory agency, arbitrator or
other governmental authority.
(e) Each
Debtor shall at all times maintain its books of account and records relating to
the Collateral at its principal place of business and its Collateral at the
locations set forth on Schedule A attached
hereto and may not relocate such books of account and records or tangible
Collateral unless it delivers to the Secured Parties at least 30 days prior to
such relocation (i) written notice of such relocation and the new location
thereof (which must be within the United States) and (ii) evidence that
appropriate financing statements under the UCC and other necessary documents
have been filed and recorded and other steps have been taken to perfect the
Security Interests to create in favor of the Secured Parties a valid, perfected
and continuing perfected lien in the Collateral.
(f) This
Agreement creates in favor of the Secured Parties a valid security interest in
the Collateral, subject only to Permitted Liens (as defined in the Debentures)
securing the payment and performance of the Obligations. Upon making
the filings described in the immediately following paragraph, all security
interests created hereunder in any Collateral which may be perfected by filing
Uniform Commercial Code financing statements shall have been duly
perfected. Except for the filing of the Uniform Commercial Code
financing statements referred to in the immediately following paragraph, the
recordation of the Intellectual Property Security Agreement (as defined in
Section 4(p) hereof) with respect to copyrights and copyright applications in
the United States Copyright Office referred to in paragraph (m), with respect to
patents and trademarks filed with the US Patent and Trademark Office with
respect to federally registered patents and trademarks and pending applications
for federal registration of patents and trademarks, the execution and delivery
of deposit account control agreements satisfying the requirements of Section
9-104(a)(2) of the UCC with respect to each deposit account of the Debtors, and the delivery of the certificates and other
instruments provided in Section 3, no action is necessary to create,
perfect or protect the security interests created hereunder. Without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, except for the filing of said
financing statements, the recordation of said Intellectual Property Security
Agreement, and the execution and delivery of said deposit account control
agreements, no consent of any third parties and no authorization, approval or
other action by, and no notice to or filing with, any governmental authority or
regulatory body is required for (i) the execution, delivery and performance of
this Agreement, (ii) the creation or perfection of the Security Interests
created hereunder in the Collateral or (iii) the enforcement of the rights of
the Collateral Agent and the Secured Parties hereunder.
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(g) Each
Debtor hereby authorizes the Collateral Agent to file one or more financing
statements under the UCC, with respect to the Security Interests, with the
proper filing and recording agencies in any jurisdiction deemed proper by
it.
(h) The
execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Debtors does not
(i) violate any of the provisions of any Organizational Documents of any Debtor
or any judgment, decree, order or award of any court, governmental body or
arbitrator or any applicable law, rule or regulation applicable to any Debtor or
(ii) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event that with notice or
lapse of time or both would become a default) under, or give to others any
rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation (with or without
notice, lapse of time or both) of, any agreement, credit facility, debt or other
instrument (evidencing any Debtor's debt or otherwise) or other understanding to
which any Debtor is a party or by which any property or asset of any Debtor is
bound or affected. If any, all required consents (including, without limitation,
from stockholders or creditors of any Debtor) necessary for any Debtor to enter
into and perform its obligations hereunder have been obtained.
(i) The capital stock and other equity interests listed on
Schedule
H hereto (the “Pledged
Securities”) represent all of the capital
stock and other equity interests of the Guarantors, and represent all capital
stock and other equity interests owned, directly or indirectly, by the
Company. All of the Pledged Securities are validly issued, fully paid
and nonassessable, and the Company is the legal and beneficial owner of the
Pledged Securities, free and clear of any lien, security interest or other
encumbrance except for the security interests created by this Agreement and
other Permitted Liens (as defined in the Debentures).
(j) The ownership and other equity interests in partnerships
and limited liability companies (if any)
included in the Collateral (the
“Pledged
Interests”) by their express terms do not
provide that they are securities governed by Article 8 of the UCC and are not
held in a securities account or by any financial
intermediary.
(k) Except
for Permitted Liens (as defined in the Debentures), each Debtor shall at all
times maintain the liens and Security Interests provided for hereunder as valid
and perfected liens and security interests in the Collateral in favor of the
Secured Parties until this Agreement and the Security Interest hereunder shall
be terminated pursuant to Section 14 hereof. Each Debtor hereby
agrees to defend the same against the claims of any and all persons and
entities. Each Debtor shall safeguard and protect all Collateral for the account
of the Secured Parties. At the request of the Collateral Agent, each
Debtor will sign and deliver to the Collateral Agent on behalf of the Secured
Parties at any time or from time to time one or more financing statements
pursuant to the UCC in form reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent and
will pay the cost of filing the same in all public offices wherever filing is,
or is deemed by the Collateral Agent to be, necessary or desirable to effect the
rights and obligations provided for herein. Without limiting the generality of
the foregoing, each Debtor shall pay all fees, taxes and other amounts necessary
to maintain the Collateral and the Security Interests hereunder, and each Debtor
shall obtain and furnish to the Collateral Agent from time to time, upon demand,
such releases and/or subordinations of claims and liens which may be required to
maintain the priority of the Security Interests hereunder.
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(l) No
Debtor will transfer, pledge, hypothecate, encumber, license, sell or otherwise
dispose of any of the Collateral (except for non-exclusive licenses granted by a
Debtor in its ordinary course of business and sales of inventory by a Debtor in
its ordinary course of business) without the prior written consent of a Majority in Interest.
(m) Each
Debtor shall keep and preserve its equipment, inventory and other tangible
Collateral in good condition, repair and order and shall not operate or locate
any such Collateral (or cause to be operated or located) in any area excluded
from insurance coverage.
(n) Each Debtor shall maintain with financially sound and
reputable insurers, insurance with respect
to the Collateral, including Collateral
hereafter acquired, against loss or damage
of the kinds and in the amounts customarily insured against by entities of
established reputation having similar properties similarly situated and in such amounts as are customarily carried under
similar circumstances by other such entities and otherwise as is prudent for
entities engaged in similar businesses but in any event sufficient to cover the
full replacement cost thereof. Each Debtor shall cause each
insurance policy issued in connection herewith to provide, and the insurer
issuing such policy to certify to the Collateral Agent, that (a) the
Collateral Agent will be named as lender loss payee and additional
insured under each such insurance policy;
(b) if such insurance be proposed to be cancelled or materially changed for any
reason whatsoever, such insurer will promptly notify the Collateral Agent
and such cancellation or change shall not be effective as to the Collateral Agent
for at least thirty (30) days after receipt
by the Collateral Agent of such notice, unless the effect of such change is to
extend or increase coverage under the policy; and (c) the Collateral Agent
will have the right (but no obligation) at its election to remedy any default in the payment of premiums within thirty
(30) days of notice from the insurer of such default. If no Event of
Default (as defined in the Debentures) exists and if
the proceeds arising out of any claim or series of related claims do
not exceed $100,000, loss
payments in each instance will be applied by the applicable Debtor to the repair
and/or replacement of property with respect to which the loss was incurred to
the extent reasonably feasible, and any loss payments or the balance thereof
remaining, to the extent not so applied,
shall be payable to the applicable
Debtor; provided, however, and except as set
forth below, that payments received by any
Debtor after an Event of Default occurs and is continuing or in excess of $100,000 for any occurrence
or series of related occurrences shall be paid to the Collateral Agent on behalf of
the Secured Parties and, if received by
such Debtor, shall be held in trust for the
Secured Parties and immediately paid over
to the Collateral Agent unless otherwise directed in writing by the Collateral Agent. Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained herein, so long as no Event of
Default (as defined
in the Debentures) exists, Company may
apply payments in excess of $100,000 to repair or replace switching
or routing equipment, for the purpose of
restoring or establishing new customary circuits to address the casualty loss
related to such equipment. Copies of such policies or the related
certificates, in each case, naming the Collateral Agent as
lender loss payee and additional insured
shall be delivered to the Collateral
Agent at least annually and at the time any
new policy of insurance is issued.
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(o) Each
Debtor shall, within ten (10) days of obtaining knowledge thereof, advise the
Secured Parties promptly, in sufficient detail, of any material adverse change
in the Collateral, and of the occurrence of any event which would have a
material adverse effect on the value of the Collateral or on the Secured
Parties’ security interest, through the Collateral Agent, therein.
(p) Each
Debtor shall promptly execute and deliver to the Collateral Agent such further
deeds, mortgages, assignments, security agreements, financing statements or
other instruments, documents, certificates and assurances and take such further
action as the Collateral Agent may from time to time request and may in its sole
discretion deem necessary to perfect, protect or enforce the Secured Parties’
security interest in the Collateral including, without limitation, if
applicable, the execution and delivery of a separate security agreement with
respect to each Debtor’s Intellectual Property (“Intellectual Property
Security Agreement”) in which the Secured Parties have been granted a
security interest hereunder, substantially in a form reasonably acceptable to
the Collateral Agent, which Intellectual Property Security Agreement, other than
as stated therein, shall be subject to all of the terms and conditions
hereof.
(q) Each
Debtor shall permit the Collateral Agent and its representatives and agents to
inspect the Collateral during normal business hours and upon reasonable prior
notice, and to make copies of records pertaining to the Collateral as may be
reasonably requested by the Collateral Agent from time to time.
(r) Each
Debtor shall take all steps reasonably necessary to diligently pursue and seek
to preserve, enforce and collect any rights, claims, causes of action and
accounts receivable in respect of the Collateral.
(s) Each
Debtor shall promptly notify the Secured Parties in sufficient detail upon
becoming aware of any attachment, garnishment, execution or other legal process
levied against any Collateral and of any other information received by such
Debtor that may materially affect the value of the Collateral, the Security
Interest or the rights and remedies of the Secured Parties
hereunder.
(t) All
information heretofore, herein or hereafter supplied to the Secured Parties by
or on behalf of any Debtor with respect to the Collateral is accurate and
complete in all material respects as of the date furnished.
(u) The
Debtors shall at all times preserve and keep in full force and effect their
respective valid existence and good standing and any rights and franchises
material to its business.
(v) No
Debtor will change its name, type of organization, jurisdiction of organization,
organizational identification number (if it has one), legal or corporate
structure, or identity, or add any new fictitious name unless it provides at
least 30 days prior written notice to the Secured Parties of such change and, at
the time of such written notification, such Debtor provides any financing
statements or fixture filings necessary to perfect and continue the perfection
of the Security Interests granted and evidenced by this
Agreement.
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(w) Except
in the ordinary course of business, no Debtor may consign any of its inventory
or sell any of its inventory on xxxx and hold, sale or return, sale on approval,
or other conditional terms of sale without the consent of the Collateral Agent
which shall not be unreasonably withheld.
(x) No
Debtor may relocate its chief executive office to a new location without
providing 30 days prior written notification thereof to the Secured Parties and
so long as, at the time of such written notification, such Debtor provides any
financing statements or fixture filings necessary to perfect and continue the
perfection of the Security Interests granted and evidenced by this
Agreement.
(y) Each
Debtor was organized and remains organized solely under the laws of the state
set forth next to such Debtor’s name in Schedule D attached
hereto, which Schedule
D sets forth each Debtor’s organizational identification number or, if
any Debtor does not have one, states that one does not exist.
(z) (i) The
actual name of each Debtor is the name set forth in Schedule D attached
hereto; (ii) no Debtor has any trade names except as set forth on Schedule E attached
hereto; (iii) no Debtor has used any name other than that stated in the preamble
hereto or as set forth on Schedule E for the
preceding five years; and (iv) no entity has merged into any Debtor or been
acquired by any Debtor within the past five years except as set forth on Schedule
E.
(aa) At
any time and from time to time that any Collateral consists of instruments,
certificated securities or other items that require or permit possession by the
secured party to perfect the security interest created hereby, the applicable
Debtor shall deliver such Collateral to the Collateral Agent.
(bb) Each Debtor, in its capacity as issuer, hereby agrees to
comply with any and all orders and
instructions of Collateral
Agent regarding the Pledged Interests
consistent with the terms of this Agreement without the further consent of any
Debtor as contemplated by Section 8-106 (or any successor section) of the
UCC. Further, each Debtor agrees
that it shall not enter into a similar agreement (or one that would confer
“control” within the meaning of Article 8 of the UCC) with any
other person or entity. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary
herein, the parties to this Agreement
acknowledge that the Pledged Interests are: (i) subordinated to the
security interest in favor of the
Senior Lender Purchasers
participating in the senior secured loan facility issued to the
Debtors pursuant to loan agreement dated as
of November 19, 2008, as amended from time
to time and (ii) subject to security
interests in favor of holders of amended and restated
debentures issued by Capital Growth
Systems, Inc. (“CGSI”): (i) in March 2008 with respect to an initial subscription
amount of $19,000,000 and debentures issued
by CGSI; (ii) in November 2008 with respect to an initial
subscription amount of $9,025,000; and (iii) in July, 2009 with respect to the
issuance of up to $2,500,000 of subscription amount related to Vendor Payment
Plan debentures, and the
existence of such security agreements and
collateral pledges of assets, or exercise of rights by such secured parties
shall not constitute a default with respect to any of the Debtors
hereunder.
10
(cc) Each
Debtor shall cause all tangible chattel paper constituting Collateral to be
delivered to the Collateral Agent, or, if such delivery is not possible, then to
cause such tangible chattel paper to contain a legend noting that it is subject
to the security interest created by this Agreement. To the extent
that any Collateral consists of electronic chattel paper, the applicable Debtor
shall cause the underlying chattel paper to be “marked” within the meaning of
Section 9-105 of the UCC (or successor section thereto).
(dd) If
there is any investment property or deposit account included as Collateral that
can be perfected by “control” through an account control agreement, the
applicable Debtor shall cause such an account control agreement, in form and
substance in each case satisfactory to the Collateral Agent, to be entered into
and delivered to the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties,
subject to the senior rights of Senior Lender or any successor senior lender to
the Debtors.
(ee) To
the extent that any Collateral consists of letter-of-credit rights, the
applicable Debtor shall cause the issuer of each underlying letter of credit to
consent to an assignment of the proceeds thereof to the Secured
Parties.
(ff) To
the extent that any Collateral is in the possession of any third party, the
applicable Debtor shall join with the Collateral Agent in notifying such third
party of the Secured Parties’ security interest in such Collateral and shall use
its best efforts to obtain an acknowledgement and agreement from such third
party with respect to the Collateral, in form and substance reasonably
satisfactory to the Collateral Agent.
(gg) If
any Debtor shall at any time hold or acquire a commercial tort claim, such
Debtor shall promptly notify the Secured Parties in a writing signed by such
Debtor of the particulars thereof and grant to the Secured Parties in such
writing a security interest therein and in the proceeds thereof, all upon the
terms of this Agreement, with such writing to be in form and substance
satisfactory to the Collateral Agent.
(hh) Each
Debtor shall, upon Collateral Agent’s request, immediately provide written
notice to the Secured Parties of any and all accounts which arise out of
contracts with any governmental authority and, to the extent necessary to
perfect or continue the perfected status of the Security Interests in such
accounts and proceeds thereof, shall execute and deliver to the Collateral Agent
an assignment of claims for such accounts and cooperate with the Collateral
Agent in taking any other steps required, in its judgment, under the Federal
Assignment of Claims Act or any similar federal, state or local statute or rule
to perfect or continue the perfected status of the Security Interests in such
accounts and proceeds thereof.
(ii) Each
Debtor shall cause each subsidiary of such
Debtor to immediately become a party hereto (an “Additional Debtor”), by
executing and delivering an Additional Debtor Joinder in substantially the form
of Annex A
attached hereto and comply with the provisions hereof applicable to the
Debtors. Concurrent therewith, the Additional Debtor shall deliver
replacement schedules for, or supplements to all other Schedules to (or referred
to in) this Agreement, as applicable, which replacement schedules shall
supersede, or supplements shall modify, the Schedules then in
effect. The Additional Debtor shall also deliver such opinions of
counsel, authorizing resolutions, good standing certificates, incumbency
certificates, organizational documents, financing statements and other
information and documentation as the Collateral Agent may reasonably
request. Upon delivery of the foregoing to the Collateral Agent, the
Additional Debtor shall be and become a party to this Agreement with the same
rights and obligations as the Debtors, for all purposes hereof as fully and to
the same extent as if it were an original signatory hereto and shall be deemed
to have made the representations, warranties and covenants set forth herein as
of the date of execution and delivery of such Additional Debtor Joinder, and all
references herein to the “Debtors” shall be deemed to include each Additional
Debtor.
11
(jj) Each Debtor shall vote the Pledged Securities to comply
with the covenants and agreements set forth herein and in the
Debentures.
(kk) Each Debtor shall register the pledge of the applicable
Pledged Securities on the books of such Debtor. Each Debtor shall
notify each issuer of Pledged Securities to register the pledge of the
applicable Pledged Securities in the name of the Secured Parties on the books of
such issuer. Further, except with respect to certificated securities
delivered to the Collateral Agent, the applicable Debtor shall deliver to
Collateral Agent an acknowledgement of pledge (which, where appropriate, shall
comply with the requirements of the relevant UCC with respect to perfection by
registration) signed by the issuer of the applicable Pledged Securities, which
acknowledgement shall confirm that: (a) it has registered the pledge on its
books and records; and (b) at any time directed by Collateral Agent during the
continuation of an Event of Default, subject to the rights of the Senior Lender
Purchasers under the Senior Lender Loan Agreement, such issuer will transfer the
record ownership of such Pledged Securities into the name of any designee of
Collateral Agent, will take such steps as may be necessary to effect the
transfer, and will comply with all other instructions of Collateral Agent
regarding such Pledged Securities without the further consent of the applicable
Debtor.
(ll) In the event that,
upon an occurrence of an Event of Default, subject to the rights of the Senior Lender Purchasers
under the Senior Lender Loan Agreement, Collateral Agent
shall sell all or any of the Pledged Securities to another party or parties
(herein called the “Transferee”) or shall
purchase or retain all or any of the Pledged Securities, each Debtor shall, to
the extent applicable: (i) deliver to Collateral Agent or
the Transferee, as the case may be, the articles of incorporation, bylaws,
minute books, stock certificate books,
corporate seals, deeds, leases, indentures, agreements, evidences of
indebtedness, books of account, financial records and all other Organizational
Documents and records of the Debtors and their direct and indirect subsidiaries;
(ii) use its best efforts to obtain resignations of the persons
then serving as officers and directors of the Debtors and their direct and
indirect subsidiaries, if so requested; and (iii) use its best efforts to obtain
any approvals that are required by any governmental or
regulatory body in order to permit the sale of the Pledged Securities to the
Transferee or the purchase or retention of the Pledged Securities by
Collateral Agent and allow the Transferee or Collateral Agent to
continue the business of the Debtors and
their direct and indirect subsidiaries.
(mm) Without
limiting the generality of the other obligations of the Debtors hereunder, each
Debtor shall promptly (i) cause to be registered at the United States Copyright
Office all of its material copyrights, (ii) cause the security interest
contemplated hereby with respect to all Intellectual Property registered at the
United States Copyright Office or United States Patent and Trademark Office to
be duly recorded at the applicable office, and (iii) give the Collateral Agent
notice whenever it acquires (whether absolutely or by license) or creates any
additional material Intellectual Property.
12
(nn) Each
Debtor will from time to time, at the joint and several expense of the Debtors,
promptly execute and deliver all such further instruments and documents, and
take all such further action as may be necessary or desirable, or as the
Collateral Agent may reasonably request, in order to perfect and protect any
security interest granted or purported to be granted hereby or to enable the
Secured Parties to exercise and enforce their rights and remedies hereunder and
with respect to any Collateral or to otherwise carry out the purposes of this
Agreement.
(oo) Schedule F attached
hereto lists all of the patents, patent applications, trademarks, trademark
applications, registered copyrights, and domain names owned by any of the
Debtors as of the date hereof. Schedule F lists all
material licenses in favor of any Debtor for the use of any patents, trademarks,
copyrights and domain names as of the date hereof. All material
patents and trademarks of the Debtors have been duly recorded at the United
States Patent and Trademark Office and all material copyrights of the Debtors
have been duly recorded at the United States Copyright Office.
(pp) Intentionally
Deleted.
5. Effect of Pledge on Certain
Rights. If any of the Collateral subject to this Agreement
consists of nonvoting equity or ownership interests (regardless of class,
designation, preference or rights) that may be converted into voting equity or
ownership interests upon the occurrence of certain events (including, without
limitation, upon the transfer of all or any of the other stock or assets of the
issuer), it is agreed that the pledge of such equity or ownership interests
pursuant to this Agreement or the enforcement of any of Collateral Agent’s
rights hereunder shall not be deemed to be the type of event which would trigger
such conversion rights notwithstanding any provisions in the Organizational
Documents or agreements to which any Debtor is subject or to which any Debtor is
party.
6. Defaults. The following events
shall be “Events of
Default”:
(a) The
occurrence of an Event of Default (as defined in the Debentures) under the
Debentures;
(b) Any
representation or warranty of any Debtor in this Agreement shall prove to have
been incorrect in any material respect when made;
(c) The
failure by any Debtor to observe or perform any of its obligations hereunder for
five Business Days after delivery to such Debtor of notice of such failure by or
on behalf of a Secured Party unless such default is capable of cure but cannot
be cured within such time frame and such Debtor is using best efforts to cure
same in a timely fashion; or
(d) If
any provision of this Agreement shall at any time for any reason be declared to
be null and void, or the validity or enforceability thereof shall be contested
by any Debtor, or a proceeding shall be commenced by any Debtor, or by any
governmental authority having jurisdiction over any Debtor, seeking to establish
the invalidity or unenforceability thereof, or any Debtor shall deny that any
Debtor has any liability or obligation purported to be created under this
Agreement.
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7. Duty To Hold In
Trust.
(a) Upon
the occurrence of any Event of Default and at any time thereafter, each Debtor
shall, upon receipt of any revenue, income,
dividend, interest or other sums subject to the Security Interests,
whether payable pursuant to the Debentures or otherwise, or of any check, draft,
note, trade acceptance or other instrument evidencing an obligation to pay any
such sum, hold the same in trust for the Secured Parties and shall forthwith
endorse and transfer any such sums or instruments, or both, to the Secured
Parties, pro-rata in proportion to their respective then-currently outstanding
principal amount of Debentures for application to the satisfaction of the
Obligations (and if any Debenture is not outstanding, pro-rata in proportion to
the initial purchases of the remaining Debentures), subject to such senior
rights that may be held in favor of the Senior Lender Purchasers and their
successors in interest with respect to the Senior Lender Loan
Agreement.
(b) If any Debtor shall become entitled to receive or shall
receive any securities or other property (including, without limitation, shares
of Pledged Securities or instruments representing Pledged Securities acquired
after the date hereof, or any options, warrants, rights or other similar
property or certificates representing a dividend, or any distribution in
connection with any recapitalization, reclassification or increase or reduction
of capital, or issued in connection with any reorganization of such Debtor or
any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries) in respect of the Pledged Securities
(whether as an addition to, in substitution of, or in exchange for, such Pledged
Securities or otherwise), such Debtor agrees to (i) accept the same as the agent
of the Secured Parties; (ii) hold the same in trust on behalf of and for the
benefit of the Secured Parties; and (iii) to deliver any and all certificates or
instruments evidencing the same to Collateral Agent on or before the close of
business on the fifth business day following the receipt thereof by such Debtor,
in the exact form received together with the Necessary Endorsements, to be held
by Collateral Agent subject to the terms of this Agreement as Collateral;
provided however that the obligations of this Section 7(b) are subordinate to
the rights of the Senior Lender Purchasers and their successors in interest with
respect to the Senior Lender Loan Agreement.
8. Rights and Remedies Upon
Default.
(a) Upon
the occurrence of any Event of Default and at any time thereafter, the Secured
Parties, acting through the Collateral Agent, shall have the right to exercise
all of the remedies conferred hereunder and under the Debentures, and the
Secured Parties shall have all the rights and remedies of a secured party under
the UCC. Without limitation, the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of
the Secured Parties, shall have the following rights and powers:
(i) The
Collateral Agent shall have the right to take possession of the Collateral and,
for that purpose, enter, with the aid and assistance of any person, any premises
where the Collateral, or any part thereof, is or may be placed and remove the
same, and each Debtor shall assemble the Collateral and make it available to the
Collateral Agent at places which the Collateral Agent shall reasonably select,
whether at such Debtor's premises or elsewhere, and make available to the
Collateral Agent, without rent, all of such Debtor’s respective premises and
facilities for the purpose of the Collateral Agent taking possession of,
removing or putting the Collateral in saleable or disposable
form.
14
(ii) Upon notice to the Debtors by Collateral Agent, all
rights of each Debtor to exercise the voting and other consensual rights which
it would otherwise be entitled to exercise and all rights of each Debtor to
receive the dividends and interest which it would otherwise be authorized to
receive and retain, shall cease. Upon such notice, Collateral Agent
shall have the right to receive, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, any
interest, cash dividends or other payments on the Collateral and, at the option
of Collateral Agent, to exercise in such Collateral Agent’s discretion all
voting rights pertaining thereto. Without limiting the generality of
the foregoing, Collateral Agent shall have the right (but not the obligation) to
exercise all rights with respect to the Collateral as it were the sole and
absolute owner thereof, including, without limitation, to vote and/or to
exchange, at its sole discretion, any or all of the Collateral in connection
with a merger, reorganization, consolidation, recapitalization or other
readjustment concerning or involving the Collateral or any Debtor or any of its
direct or indirect subsidiaries.
(iii) The
Collateral Agent shall have the right to operate the business of each Debtor
using the Collateral and shall have the right to assign, sell, lease or
otherwise dispose of and deliver all or any part of the Collateral, at public or
private sale or otherwise, either with or without special conditions or
stipulations, for cash or on credit or for future delivery, in such parcel or
parcels and at such time or times and at such place or places, and upon such
terms and conditions as the Collateral Agent may deem commercially reasonable,
all without (except as shall be required by applicable statute and cannot be
waived) advertisement or demand upon or notice to any Debtor or right of
redemption of a Debtor, which are hereby expressly waived. Upon each
such sale, lease, assignment or other transfer of Collateral, the Collateral
Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, may, unless prohibited by
applicable law which cannot be waived, purchase all or any part of the
Collateral being sold, free from and discharged of all trusts, claims, right of
redemption and equities of any Debtor, which are hereby waived and
released.
(iv) The
Collateral Agent shall have the right (but not the obligation) to notify any
account debtors and any obligors under instruments or accounts to make payments
directly to the Collateral Agent, on behalf of the Secured Parties, and to
enforce the Debtors’ rights against such account debtors and
obligors.
(v) The
Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, may (but is not
obligated to) direct any financial intermediary or any other person or entity
holding any investment property to transfer the same to the Collateral Agent, on
behalf of the Secured Parties, or its designee.
(vi) The
Collateral Agent may (but is not obligated to) transfer any or all Intellectual
Property registered in the name of any Debtor at the United States Patent and
Trademark Office and/or Copyright Office into the name of the Secured Parties or
any designee or any purchaser of any Collateral.
15
(b) The Collateral
Agent shall comply with any applicable law in connection with a
disposition of Collateral and such compliance will not be considered adversely
to affect the commercial reasonableness of
any sale of the Collateral. The Collateral Agent
may sell the Collateral without giving any warranties and may specifically
disclaim such warranties. If the Collateral Agent
sells any of the Collateral on credit, the
Debtors will only be credited with payments actually made by the
purchaser. In addition, each Debtor waives any and all rights that it
may have to a judicial hearing in advance of the enforcement of any of the
Collateral Agent’s rights and
remedies hereunder, including, without
limitation, its right following an Event of Default to take immediate possession
of the Collateral and to exercise its rights and remedies with respect
thereto.
(c) For the purpose of enabling the Collateral Agent to
further exercise rights and remedies under this Section 8 or elsewhere provided
by agreement or applicable law, each Debtor hereby grants to the Collateral
Agent, for the benefit of the Collateral Agent and the Secured Parties, an
irrevocable, nonexclusive license (exercisable without payment of royalty or
other compensation to such Debtor) to use, license or sublicense following an
Event of Default, any Intellectual Property now owned or hereafter acquired by
such Debtor, and wherever the same may be located, and including in such license
access to all media in which any of the licensed items may be recorded or stored
and to all computer software and programs used for the compilation or printout
thereof.
9. Applications of Proceeds. The
proceeds of any such sale, lease or other disposition of the Collateral
hereunder or from payments made on account of any insurance policy insuring any
portion of the Collateral shall be applied first, to the expenses of retaking,
holding, storing, processing and preparing for sale, selling, and the like
(including, without limitation, any taxes, fees and other costs incurred in
connection therewith) of the Collateral, to the reasonable attorneys’ fees and
expenses incurred by the Collateral Agent in enforcing the Secured Parties’
rights hereunder and in connection with collecting, storing and disposing of the
Collateral, and then to satisfaction of the Obligations pro rata among the
Secured Parties (based on then-outstanding principal amounts of Debentures at
the time of any such determination), and to the payment of any other amounts
required by applicable law, after which the Secured Parties shall pay to the
applicable Debtor any surplus proceeds. If, upon the sale, license or other
disposition of the Collateral, the proceeds thereof are insufficient to pay all
amounts to which the Secured Parties are legally entitled, the Debtors will be
liable for the deficiency, together with interest thereon, at the rate of 16%
per annum or the lesser amount permitted by applicable law (the “Default Rate”), and
the reasonable fees of any attorneys employed by the Secured Parties to collect
such deficiency. To the extent permitted by applicable law, each
Debtor waives all claims, damages and demands against the Secured Parties
arising out of the repossession, removal, retention or sale of the Collateral,
unless due solely to the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Secured
Parties as determined by a final judgment (not subject to further appeal) of a
court of competent jurisdiction.
16
10. Securities Law Provision. Each Debtor recognizes that Collateral Agent
may be limited in its ability to effect a sale to the public of all or part of
the Pledged Securities by reason of certain prohibitions in the Securities Act
of 1933, as amended, or other federal or
state securities laws (collectively, the “Securities Laws”), and may be
compelled to resort to one or more sales to a restricted group of purchasers who
may be required to agree to acquire the Pledged Securities for their own
account, for investment and not with a view
to the distribution or resale thereof. Each Debtor agrees that sales
so made may be at prices and on terms less favorable than if the Pledged
Securities were sold to the public, and that Collateral Agent
has no obligation to delay the sale of any
Pledged Securities for the period of time necessary to register the Pledged
Securities for sale to the public under the Securities Laws. Each
Debtor shall cooperate with Collateral
Agent in its attempt to satisfy any
requirements under the Securities Laws
(including, without limitation, registration thereunder if requested by
Collateral Agent) applicable to the sale of the Pledged Securities by
Collateral Agent.
11. Costs and Expenses. Each
Debtor agrees to pay all reasonable out-of-pocket fees, costs and expenses
incurred in connection with any filing required hereunder, including without
limitation, any financing statements pursuant to the UCC, continuation
statements, partial releases and/or termination statements related thereto or
any expenses of any searches reasonably required by the Collateral
Agent. The Debtors shall also pay all other claims and charges which
in the reasonable opinion of the Collateral Agent is reasonably likely to
prejudice, imperil or otherwise affect the Collateral or the Security Interests
therein. The Debtors will also, upon demand, pay to the Collateral
Agent the amount of any and all reasonable expenses, including the reasonable
fees and expenses of its counsel and of any experts and agents, which the
Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, may incur in
connection with the creation, perfection, protection, satisfaction, foreclosure,
collection or enforcement of the Security Interest and the preparation,
administration, continuance, amendment or enforcement of this Agreement and pay
to the Collateral Agent the amount of any and all reasonable expenses, including
the reasonable fees and expenses of its counsel and of any experts and agents,
which the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, and the
Secured Parties may incur in connection with (i) the enforcement of this
Agreement, (ii) the custody or preservation of, or the sale of, collection from,
or other realization upon, any of the Collateral, or (iii) the exercise or
enforcement of any of the rights of the Secured Parties under the Debentures.
Until so paid, any fees payable hereunder shall be added to the principal amount
of the Debentures and shall bear interest at the Default Rate.
12. Responsibility for Collateral.
The Debtors assume all liabilities and responsibility in connection with all
Collateral, and the Obligations shall in no way be affected or diminished by
reason of the loss, destruction, damage or theft of any of the Collateral or its
unavailability for any reason. Without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, (a) neither the Collateral Agent nor any Secured Party (i) has any
duty (either before or after an Event of Default) to collect any amounts in
respect of the Collateral or to preserve any rights relating to the Collateral,
or (ii) has any obligation to clean-up or otherwise prepare the Collateral for
sale, and (b) each Debtor shall remain obligated and liable under each contract
or agreement included in the Collateral to be observed or performed by such
Debtor thereunder. Neither the Collateral Agent nor any Secured Party
shall have any obligation or liability under any such contract or agreement by
reason of or arising out of this Agreement or the receipt by the Collateral
Agent or any Secured Party of any payment relating to any of the Collateral, nor
shall the Collateral Agent or any Secured Party be obligated in any manner to
perform any of the obligations of any Debtor under or pursuant to any such
contract or agreement, to make inquiry as to the nature or sufficiency of any
payment received by the Collateral Agent or any Secured Party in respect of the
Collateral or as to the sufficiency of any performance by any party under any
such contract or agreement, to present or file any claim, to take any action to
enforce any performance or to collect the payment of any amounts which may have
been assigned to the Collateral Agent or to which the Collateral Agent or any
Secured Party may be entitled at any time or times.
17
13. Security Interests Absolute.
All rights of the Secured Parties and all obligations of the Debtors hereunder,
shall be absolute and unconditional, irrespective of: (a) any lack of validity
or enforceability of this Agreement, the Debentures or any agreement entered
into in connection with the foregoing, or any portion hereof or thereof; (b) any
change in the time, manner or place of payment or performance of, or in any
other term of, all or any of the Obligations, or any other amendment or waiver
of or any consent to any departure from the Debentures or any other agreement
entered into in connection with the foregoing; (c) any exchange, release or
nonperfection of any of the Collateral, or any release or amendment or waiver of
or consent to departure from any other collateral for, or any guarantee, or any
other security, for all or any of the Obligations; (d) any action by the Secured
Parties to obtain, adjust, settle and cancel in its sole discretion any
insurance claims or matters made or arising in connection with the Collateral;
or (e) any other circumstance which might otherwise constitute any legal or
equitable defense available to a Debtor, or a discharge of all or any part of
the Security Interests granted hereby. Until the Obligations shall
have been paid and performed in full, the rights of the Secured Parties shall
continue even if the Obligations are barred for any reason, including, without
limitation, the running of the statute of limitations or
bankruptcy. Each Debtor expressly waives presentment, protest, notice
of protest, demand, notice of nonpayment and demand for performance. In the
event that at any time any transfer of any Collateral or any payment received by
the Secured Parties hereunder shall be deemed by final order of a court of
competent jurisdiction to have been a voidable preference or fraudulent
conveyance under the bankruptcy or insolvency laws of the United States, or
shall be deemed to be otherwise due to any party other than the Secured Parties,
then, in any such event, each Debtor’s obligations hereunder shall survive
cancellation of this Agreement, and shall not be discharged or satisfied by any
prior payment thereof and/or cancellation of this Agreement, but shall remain a
valid and binding obligation enforceable in accordance with the terms and
provisions hereof. Each Debtor waives all right to require the
Secured Parties to proceed against any other person or entity or to apply any Collateral which the
Secured Parties may hold at any time, or to marshal assets, or to pursue any
other remedy. Each Debtor waives any defense arising by reason of the
application of the statute of limitations to any obligation secured
hereby.
14. Term of Agreement. This
Agreement and the Security Interests shall terminate on the date on which all
payments under the Debentures have been indefeasibly paid in full and all other
Obligations have been paid or discharged; provided, however, that all
indemnities of the Debtors contained in this Agreement (including, without
limitation, Annex B hereto) shall survive and remain operative and in full force
and effect regardless of the termination of this Agreement.
18
15. Power of Attorney; Further
Assurances.
(a) Each
Debtor authorizes the Collateral Agent, and does hereby make, constitute and
appoint the Collateral Agent and its officers, agents, successors or assigns
with full power of substitution, as such Debtor’s true and lawful
attorney-in-fact, with power, in the name of the Collateral Agent or such
Debtor, to, after the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of
Default, (i) endorse any note, checks, drafts, money orders or other instruments
of payment (including payments payable under or in respect of any policy of
insurance) in respect of the Collateral that may come into possession of the
Collateral Agent; (ii) to sign and endorse any financing statement pursuant to
the UCC or any invoice, freight or express xxxx, xxxx of lading, storage or
warehouse receipts, drafts against debtors, assignments, verifications and
notices in connection with accounts, and other documents relating to the
Collateral; (iii) to pay or discharge taxes, liens, security interests or other
encumbrances at any time levied or placed on or threatened against the
Collateral; (iv) to demand, collect, receipt for, compromise, settle and xxx for
monies due in respect of the Collateral; (v) to transfer any Intellectual
Property or provide licenses respecting any Intellectual Property; and (vi)
generally, at the option of the Collateral Agent, and at the expense of the
Debtors, at any time, or from time to time, to execute and deliver any and all
documents and instruments and to do all acts and things which the Collateral
Agent deems necessary to protect, preserve and realize upon the Collateral and
the Security Interests granted therein in order to effect the intent of this
Agreement and the Debentures all as fully and effectually as the Debtors might
or could do; and each Debtor hereby ratifies all that said attorney shall
lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. This power of
attorney is coupled with an interest and shall be irrevocable for the term of
this Agreement and thereafter as long as any of the Obligations shall be
outstanding. The designation set forth
herein shall be deemed to amend and supersede any inconsistent provision in the
Organizational Documents or other documents or agreements to which any Debtor is
subject or to which any Debtor is a party. Without limiting
the generality of the foregoing, after the occurrence and during the continuance
of an Event of Default, each Secured Party is specifically authorized to execute
and file any applications for or instruments of transfer and assignment of any
patents, trademarks, copyrights or other Intellectual Property with the United
States Patent and Trademark Office and the United States Copyright
Office.
(b) On
a continuing basis, each Debtor will make, execute, acknowledge, deliver, file
and record, as the case may be, with the proper filing and recording agencies in
any jurisdiction, including, without limitation, the jurisdictions indicated on
Schedule C
attached hereto, all such instruments, and take all such action as may
reasonably be deemed necessary or advisable, or as reasonably requested by the
Collateral Agent, to perfect the Security Interests granted hereunder and
otherwise to carry out the intent and purposes of this Agreement, or for
assuring and confirming to the Collateral Agent the grant or perfection of a
perfected security interest in all the Collateral under the UCC.
(c) Each
Debtor hereby irrevocably appoints the Collateral Agent as such Debtor’s
attorney-in-fact, with full authority in the place and instead of such Debtor
and in the name of such Debtor, from time to time in the Collateral Agent’s
discretion, to take any action and to execute any instrument which the
Collateral Agent may deem necessary or advisable to accomplish the purposes of
this Agreement, including the filing, in its sole discretion, of one or more
financing or continuation statements and amendments thereto, relative to any of
the Collateral without the signature of such Debtor where permitted by law,
which financing statements may (but need not) describe the Collateral as “all
assets” or “all personal property” or words of like import, and ratifies all
such actions taken by the Collateral Agent. This power of attorney is
coupled with an interest and shall be irrevocable for the term of this Agreement
and thereafter as long as any of the Obligations shall be
outstanding.
16. Notices. All notices,
requests, demands and other communications hereunder shall be subject to the
notice provision of the Purchase Agreement (as such term is defined in the
Debentures).
19
17. Other Security. To the extent
that the Obligations are now or hereafter secured by property other
than the Collateral or by the guarantee, endorsement or property of any other
person, firm, corporation or other entity, then the Collateral Agent shall have
the right, in its sole discretion, to pursue, relinquish, subordinate, modify or
take any other action with respect thereto, without in any way modifying or
affecting any of the Secured Parties’ rights and remedies
hereunder.
18. Appointment of Collateral
Agent. The Secured Parties hereby appoint Aequitas Capital
Management, Inc. to act as their agent (“Aequitas” or “Collateral Agent”)
for purposes of exercising any and all rights and remedies of the Secured
Parties hereunder. Such appointment shall continue until revoked in writing by a
Majority in Interest, at which time a Majority in
Interest shall appoint a new Collateral Agent, provided that Aequitas may
not be removed as Collateral Agent unless Aequitas or its affiliates
(collectively) shall then hold less than $250,000 in principal amount of
Debentures; provided, further, that such removal may occur only if each of the other
Secured Parties shall then hold not less than an aggregate of $500,000 in
principal amount of Debentures. The Collateral Agent shall have the
rights, responsibilities and immunities set forth in Annex B
hereto. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, so long as
Collateral Agent serves in such capacity pursuant to this Agreement, any action
to enforce the rights of any of the holders of Debentures signatory hereto shall
be taken solely by Collateral Agent, subject to the approval of Holders of at
least 67% of outstanding principal amount of the Debentures.
19. Miscellaneous.
(a) No
course of dealing between the Debtors and the Secured Parties, nor any failure
to exercise, nor any delay in exercising, on the part of the Secured Parties,
any right, power or privilege hereunder or under the Debentures shall operate as
a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, power
or privilege hereunder or thereunder preclude any other or further exercise
thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege.
(b) All
of the rights and remedies of the Secured Parties with respect to the
Collateral, whether established hereby or by the Debentures or by any other
agreements, instruments or documents or by law shall be cumulative and may be
exercised singly or concurrently.
(c) This
Agreement, together with the exhibits and schedules hereto, contain the entire
understanding of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and
supersede all prior agreements and understandings, oral or written, with respect
to such matters, which the parties acknowledge have been merged into this
Agreement and the exhibits and schedules hereto. No provision of this Agreement
may be waived, modified, supplemented or amended except in a written instrument
signed, in the case of an amendment, by the Debtors and the Secured Parties
holding 67% or more of the principal amount of the Debentures then outstanding
or, in the case of a waiver, by the party against whom enforcement of any such
waived provision is sought.
(d) If
any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a
court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable,
the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions set forth
herein shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected,
impaired or invalidated, and the parties hereto shall use their commercially
reasonable efforts to find and employ an alternative means to achieve the same
or substantially the same result as that contemplated by such term, provision,
covenant or restriction. It is hereby stipulated and declared to be the
intention of the parties that they would have executed the remaining terms,
provisions, covenants and restrictions without including any of such that may be
hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.
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(e) No
waiver of any default with respect to any provision, condition or requirement of
this Agreement shall be deemed to be a continuing waiver in the future or a
waiver of any subsequent default or a waiver of any other provision, condition
or requirement hereof, nor shall any delay or omission of any party to exercise
any right hereunder in any manner impair the exercise of any such
right.
(f) This
Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and
their successors and permitted assigns. The Company and the
Guarantors may not assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder
without the prior written consent of each Secured Party (other than by
merger). Any Secured Party may assign any or all of its rights under
this Agreement to any Person (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) to whom such
Secured Party assigns or transfers any Obligations, provided such transferee
agrees in writing to be bound, with respect to the transferred Obligations, by
the provisions of this Agreement that apply to the “Secured
Parties.”
(g) Each
party shall take such further action and execute and deliver such further
documents as may be necessary or appropriate in order to carry out the
provisions and purposes of this Agreement.
(h) All
questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation
of this Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance
with the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to the
principles of conflicts of law thereof. Each Debtor agrees that all
proceedings concerning the interpretations, enforcement and defense of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Debentures (whether brought
against a party hereto or its respective affiliates, directors, officers,
shareholders, partners, members, employees or agents) shall be commenced
exclusively in the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York,
Borough of Manhattan. Each Debtor hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive
jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York,
Borough of Manhattan for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in
connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed
herein, and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any
proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of
any such court, that such proceeding is improper. Each party hereto hereby
irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being
served in any such proceeding by mailing a copy thereof via registered or
certified mail or overnight delivery (with evidence of delivery) to such party
at the address in effect for notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that
such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice
thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right
to serve process in any manner permitted by law. Each party hereto
hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law,
any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or
relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated
hereby.
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(i) This
Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which when so
executed shall be deemed to be an original and, all of which taken together
shall constitute one and the same Agreement. In the event that any signature is
delivered by facsimile transmission, such signature shall create a valid binding
obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is
executed) the same with the same force and effect as if such facsimile signature
were the original thereof.
(j) All
Debtors shall jointly and severally be liable for the obligations of each Debtor
to the Secured Parties hereunder.
(k) Each
Debtor shall indemnify, reimburse and hold harmless the Collateral Agent and the
Secured Parties and their respective partners, members, shareholders, officers,
directors, employees and agents (and any other persons with other titles that
have similar functions) (collectively, “Indemnitees”) from
and against any and all losses, claims, liabilities, damages, penalties, suits,
costs and expenses, of any kind or nature, (including fees relating to the cost
of investigating and defending any of the foregoing) imposed on, incurred by or
asserted against such Indemnitee in any way related to or arising from or
alleged to arise from this Agreement or the Collateral, except any such losses,
claims, liabilities, damages, penalties, suits, costs and expenses which result
from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Indemnitee as determined
by a final, nonappealable decision of a court of competent
jurisdiction. This indemnification provision is in addition to, and
not in limitation of, any other indemnification provision in the Debentures, the
Purchase Agreement (as such term is defined in the Debentures) or any other
agreement, instrument or other document executed or delivered in connection
herewith or therewith.
(l) Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to subject
Collateral Agent or any Secured Party to liability as a partner in any Debtor or
any if its direct or indirect subsidiaries that is a partnership or as a member
in any Debtor or any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries that is a limited
liability company, nor shall Collateral Agent or any Secured Party be deemed to
have assumed any obligations under any partnership agreement or limited
liability company agreement, as applicable, of any such Debtor or any if its
direct or indirect subsidiaries or otherwise, unless and until any such Secured
Party exercises its right to be substituted for such Debtor as a partner or
member, as applicable, pursuant hereto.
(m) To the extent that the grant of the security interest in
the Collateral and the enforcement of the terms hereof require the consent,
approval or action of any partner or member, as applicable, of any Debtor or any
direct or indirect subsidiary of any Debtor or compliance with any provisions of
any of the Organizational Documents, the Debtors hereby grant such consent and
approval and waive any such noncompliance with the terms of said
documents.
[SIGNATURE
PAGES FOLLOW]
22
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Security Agreement to be
duly executed on the day and year first above written.
CAPITAL
GROWTH SYSTEMS, INC.
|
||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
|
|
Name: Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx
|
||
Title: CEO
|
||
FNS
2007, INC.
|
||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
|
|
Name: Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx
|
||
Title:
CEO
|
||
NEXVU
TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
|
||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx
|
|
Name: Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx
|
||
Title:
CEO
|
||
20/20
TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
|
||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
|
|
Name: Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx
|
||
Title:
CEO
|
||
20/20
TECHNOLOGIES I, LLC
|
||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
|
|
Name: Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx
|
||
Title:
CEO
|
||
CENTREPATH,
INC.
|
||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
|
|
Name: Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx
|
||
Title:
CEO
|
23
MAGENTA
NETLOGIC, LIMITED
|
||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
|
|
Name: Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx
|
||
Title:
CEO
|
||
GLOBAL
CAPACITY DIRECT, LLC
|
||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
|
|
Name: Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx
|
||
Title:
CEO
|
||
24