LIBERTY ALL-STAR ® GROWTH FUND, INC. PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT CONGRESS ASSET MANAGEMENT COMPANY, LLP
LIBERTY ALL-STAR ® GROWTH FUND, INC. PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT
CONGRESS ASSET MANAGEMENT COMPANY, LLP
June 6, 2016 |
Re: Portfolio Management Agreement Ladies and Gentlemen: |
Liberty All-Star Growth Fund, Inc. (the Fund ) is a diversified closed-end investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the Act ), and is subject to the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
ALPS Advisors, Inc. (the Fund Manager ) evaluates and recommends portfolio managers for the assets of the Fund, and the Fund Manager or an affiliate of the Fund Manager is responsible for the day-to-day Fund administration of the Fund.
1. Employment as a Portfolio Manager. The Fund, being duly authorized, hereby employs Congress Asset Management Company, LLP ( Portfolio Manager ) as a discretionary portfolio manager, on the terms and conditions set forth herein, of that portion of the Fund s assets which the Fund Manager determines to assign to the Portfolio Manager (those assets being referred to as the Portfolio Manager Account ). The Fund Manager may, from time to time, allocate and reallocate the Fund s assets among the Portfolio Manager and the other portfolio managers of the Fund s assets. The Portfolio Manager will be an independent contractor and will have no authority to act for or represent the Fund or the Fund Manager in any way or otherwise be deemed to be an agent of the Fund or the Fund Manager except as expressly authorized in this Agreement or in another writing by the Fund Manager and the Portfolio Manager. The Portfolio Manager s responsibilities for providing portfolio management services to the Fund shall be limited to the Portfolio Manager Account.
2. Acceptance of Employment; Standard of Performance. The Portfolio Manager accepts its employment as a discretionary portfolio manager and agrees to use its best professional judgment to make timely investment decisions for the Portfolio Manager Account in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.
3. Portfolio Management Services of Portfolio Manager.
A. In providing portfolio management services to the Portfolio Manager Account, the Portfolio Manager shall be subject to the Fund s Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws, as amended from time to time, investment objectives, policies and restrictions of the Fund as set forth in its Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information, as the same may be modified from time to time (together, the Prospectus ), the investment objectives, policies and restrictions of the Fund as determined from time to time by the Board of Directors, and the investment and other restrictions set forth in the Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, to the supervision and control of the Board of Directors of the Fund, and to instructions from the Fund Manager. The Portfolio Manager shall not, without the prior approval of the Fund or the Fund Manager, effect any transactions that would cause the Portfolio Manager Account, treated as a separate fund, to be out of compliance with any of such restrictions or policies. The Portfolio Manager shall not consult with any other portfolio manager of the Fund concerning transactions for the Fund in securities or other assets.
B. | As part of the services it will provide hereunder, the Portfolio Manager will: | |
(i) | formulate and implement a continuous investment program for the Portfolio Manager Account; | |
(ii) | take whatever steps are necessary to implement the investment program for the Portfolio Manager Account by arranging for the purchase and sale of securities and other investments; | |
(iii) | keep the Fund Manager and the Board of Directors of the Fund fully informed in writing on an ongoing basis, as agreed by the Fund Manager and the Portfolio Manager, of all material facts concerning the investment and reinvestment of the assets in the Portfolio Manager Account, the | |
Portfolio Manager and its key investment personnel and operations; make regular and periodic special written reports of such additional information concerning the same as may reasonably be requested from time to time by the Fund Manager or the Directors of the Fund; attend meetings with the Fund Manager and/or Directors, as reasonably requested, to discuss the foregoing and such other matters as may be requested by the Fund Manager or Directors; | |
(iv) | in accordance with procedures and methods established by the Directors of the Fund, which may be amended from time to time, provide assistance in determining the fair value of all securities and other investments/assets in the Portfolio Manager Account, as necessary, and use reasonable efforts to arrange for the provision of valuation information or a price(s) from a party(ies) independent of the Portfolio Manager for each security or other investment/asset in the Portfolio Manager Account for which market prices are not readily available; and |
(v) | cooperate with and provide reasonable assistance to the Fund Manager, the Fund s administrator, custodian, transfer agent and pricing agents and all other agents and representatives of the Fund and the Fund Manager; keep all such persons fully informed as to such matters as they may reasonably deem necessary to the performance of their obligations to the Fund and the Fund Manager; provide prompt responses to reasonable requests made by such persons; and maintain any appropriate interfaces with each so as to promote the efficient exchange of information. |
4. Transaction Procedures. All portfolio transactions for the Portfolio Manager Account will be consummated by payment to or delivery by the custodian of the Fund (the Custodian ), or such depositories or agents as may be designated by the Custodian in writing, as custodian for the Fund, of all cash and/or securities due to or from the Portfolio Manager Account, and the Portfolio Manager shall not have possession or custody thereof or any responsibility or liability with respect to such custody. The Portfolio Manager shall advise and confirm in writing to the Custodian all investment orders for the Portfolio Manager Account placed by it with brokers and dealers at the time. The Fund shall issue to the Custodian such instructions as may be appropriate in connection with the settlement of any transaction initiated by the Portfolio Manager. The Fund shall be responsible for all custodial arrangements and the payment of all custodial charges and fees, and, upon giving proper instructions to the Custodian, the Portfolio Manager shall have no responsibility or liability with respect to custodial arrangements or the acts, omissions or other conduct of the Custodian.
5. Allocation of Brokerage. The Portfolio Manager shall have authority and discretion to select brokers and dealers to execute portfolio transactions initiated by the Portfolio Manager for the Portfolio Manager Account, and to select the markets on or in which the transaction will be executed.
A. In doing so, the Portfolio Manager s primary responsibility shall be to seek to obtain best net price and execution for the Fund. However, this responsibility shall not obligate the Portfolio Manager to solicit competitive bids for each transaction or to seek the lowest available commission cost to the Fund, so long as the Portfolio Manager reasonably believes that the broker or dealer selected by it can be expected to obtain a best execution market price on the particular transaction and determines in good faith that the commission cost is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services (as defined in Section 28(e)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) provided by such broker or dealer to the Portfolio Manager viewed in terms of either that particular transaction or of the Portfolio Manager s overall responsibilities with respect to its clients, including the Fund, as to which the Portfolio Manager exercises investment discretion, notwithstanding that the Fund may not be the direct or exclusive beneficiary of any such services or that another broker may be willing to charge the Fund a lower commission on the particular transaction.
B. Subject to the requirements of paragraph A above, the Fund Manager shall have the right to request that transactions giving rise to brokerage commissions, in an amount to be agreed upon by the Fund Manager and the Portfolio Manager, shall be executed by brokers and dealers that provide brokerage or research services to the Fund Manager, or as to which an on-going relationship will be of value to the Fund in the management of its assets, which services and relationship may, but need not, be of direct benefit to the Portfolio Manager Account. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Portfolio Manager shall not be responsible under paragraph A above with respect to transactions executed through any such broker or dealer.
C. The Portfolio Manager shall not execute any portfolio transactions for the Portfolio Manager Account with a broker or dealer which is an affiliated person (as defined in the Act) of the Fund, the Portfolio Manager or any other portfolio manager of the Fund without the prior written approval of the Fund. The Fund Manager will provide the Portfolio Manager with a list of brokers and dealers which are affiliated persons of the Fund or its
portfolio managers.
defined in Section 2(a)(4) of the Act. The Portfolio Manager shall notify the Fund in writing sufficiently in advance of any proposed change of control, as defined in Section 2(a)(9) of the Act, as will enable the Fund to consider whether an assignment as defined in Section 2(a)(4) of the Act will occur, and whether to take the steps necessary to enter into a new contract with the Portfolio Manager. Should the Fund enter into a new contract with the Portfolio Manager in connection with an assignment, the Portfolio Manager agrees to pay all costs and expenses incurred by the Fund to obtain shareholder approval of the new contract, including costs associated with the preparation and mailing of the Fund s proxy statement and shareholder meeting and proxy solicitation fees.
12. Representations, Warranties and Agreements of the Fund. The Fund represents, warrants and agrees that:
A. The Portfolio Manager has been duly appointed to provide investment services to the Portfolio Manager Account as contemplated hereby.
B. The Fund will deliver to the Portfolio Manager a true and complete copy of its then current Prospectus as effective from time to time and such other documents governing the investment of the Portfolio Manager Account and such other information as is necessary for the Portfolio Manager to carry out its obligations under this Agreement.
13. Representations, Warranties and Agreements of the Portfolio Manager. The Portfolio Manager represents, warrants and agrees that:
A. It is registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended ( Advisers Act ) and will continue to be so registered for as long as this Agreement remains in effect.
B. It will maintain, keep current and preserve on behalf of the Fund, in the manner required or permitted by the Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, the records required to be so kept by an investment adviser of the Fund in accordance with applicable law. The Portfolio Manager agrees that such records are the property of the Fund, and will be surrendered to the Fund promptly upon request.
C. It has adopted a written code of ethics complying with the requirements of Rule 204A-1 under the Advisers Act and Rule 17j -1 under the Act and will provide the Fund Manager and the Board of Directors with a copy of its code of ethics and evidence of its adoption. Within 45 days of the end of each year while this Agreement is in effect, or at any other time requested by the Fund Manager, an officer, director or general partner of the Portfolio Manager shall certify to the Fund that the Portfolio Manager has complied with the requirements of Rule 17j -1 and Rule 204A-1 during the previous year and that there has been no material violation of its code of ethics or, if such a violation has occurred, that appropriate action was taken in response to such violation. It will promptly notify the Fund Manager of any material change to its code of ethics or material violation of its code of ethics.
D. Upon request, the Portfolio Manager will promptly supply the Fund with any information concerning the Portfolio Manager and its stockholders, partners, employees and affiliates that the Fund may reasonably request in connection with the preparation of its registration statement (as amended from time to time), prospectus and statement of additional information (as supplemented and modified from time to time), proxy material, reports and other documents required to be filed under the Act, the Securities Act of 1933, or other applicable securities laws.
E. The Portfolio Manager shall maintain and implement compliance procedures that are reasonably designed to ensure its compliance with Rule 206(4)-7 of the Advisers Act and to prevent violations of the Federal Securities Laws (as defined in Rule 38a-1 under the Act).
F. The Portfolio Manager will: (i) on the cover page of each Form 13F that the Portfolio Manager files with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC ), check the 13F Combination Report box and on the Form 13F Summary Page identify ALPS Advisors, Inc. as another manager for which the Portfolio Manager is filing the Form 13F report; (ii) within 60 days after the end of each calendar year, provide the Fund Manager with a certification that the Portfolio Manager s Form 13F was filed with the SEC on a timely basis and included all of the securities required to be reported by the SEC; (iii) within 60 days after the end of each calendar year, provide to the Fund Manager a copy of each Form 13F, or amendment to a Form 13F filed by it during the prior four quarters; and (iv) promptly notify the Fund Manager in the event the Portfolio Manager determines that it has failed to comply with Section 13(f) in a material respect, or receives a comment letter
from the SEC raising a question with respect to compliance.
G. The Portfolio Manager has adopted written compliance policies and procedures reasonably designed to prevent violations of the Advisers Act and the rules promulgated thereunder and the Portfolio Manager agrees to provide: (a) from time to time, a copy and/or summary of such compliance policies and procedures and an accompanying certification certifying that the Portfolio Manager s compliance policies and procedures comply with the Advisers Act; (b) a report of the annual review determining the adequacy and effectiveness of the Portfolio Manager s compliance policies and procedures; and (c) the name of the Portfolio Manager s Chief Compliance Officer to act as a liaison for compliance matters that may arise between the Fund and the Portfolio Manager.
H. The Portfolio Manager will notify the Fund and the Fund Manager of any assignment of this Agreement or change of control of the Portfolio Manager, as applicable, and any changes in the key personnel who are either the portfolio manager(s) of the Portfolio Manager Account or senior management of the Portfolio Manager, in each case prior to or promptly after, such change. The Portfolio Manager agrees to bear all costs and expenses of the Fund, if any, arising out of an assignment or change in control.
I. The Portfolio Manager agrees to maintain an appropriate level of errors and omissions or professional liability insurance coverage.
14. Amendment. This Agreement may be amended at any time, but only by written agreement among the Portfolio Manager, the Fund Manager and the Fund, which amendment, other than amendments to Schedule A, is subject to the approval of the Board of Directors and the shareholders of the Fund as and to the extent required by the Act, the rules thereunder or exemptive relief granted by the SEC, provided that Schedule A may be amended by the Fund Manager without the written agreement of the Fund or the Portfolio Manager.
15. Effective Date; Term. This Agreement shall become effective on the date first above written, provided that this Agreement shall not take effect unless it has first been approved: (1) by a vote of a majority of the Directors who are not interested persons (as defined in the Act) of any party to this Agreement ( Independent Directors ), cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval, and (ii) by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the Act) of the Fund. This Agreement shall continue for two years from the date of this Agreement and from year to year thereafter provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by (i) the Fund s Board of Directors or (ii) a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, provided that in either event such continuance is also approved by a majority of the Independent Directors, by vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. If the SEC issues an order to the Fund and the Fund Manager for an exemption from Section 15(a) of the Act, then, in accordance with the application of the Fund and the Fund Manager, the continuance of this Agreement after initial approval by the Directors as set forth above, shall be subject to approval by a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund at the regularly scheduled annual meeting of the Fund s shareholders next following the date of this Agreement.
16. Termination. This Agreement may be terminated at any time by any party, without penalty, immediately upon written notice to the other parties in the event of a breach of any provision thereof by a party so notified, or otherwise upon not less than thirty (30) days written notice to the Portfolio Manager in the case of termination by the Fund or the Fund Manager, or ninety (90) days written notice to the Fund and the Fund Manager in the case of termination by the Portfolio Manager, but any such termination shall not affect the status, obligations or liabilities of any party hereto to the other parties.
17. Applicable Law. To the extent that state law is not preempted by the provisions of any law of the United States heretofore or hereafter enacted, as the same may be amended from time to time, this Agreement shall be administered, construed and enforced according to the laws of the State of Colorado.
18. Severability; Counterparts. If any term or condition of this Agreement shall be invalid or unenforceable to any extent or in any application, then the remainder of this Agreement, and such term or condition except to such extent or in such application, shall not be affected thereby, and each and every term and condition of this Agreement shall be valid and enforced to the fullest extent and in the broadest application permitted by law. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which will be deemed an original and all of which together will be deemed to be one and the same agreement.
To Fund Manager:
ALPS Advisors, Inc.
0000 Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000 Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000 Attn: General Counsel Phone: (000) 000-0000 Fax: (000) 000-0000
To the Portfolio Manager: Congress Asset Management Company, LP
Name: Xxxxx Xxxxx Address: 0 Xxxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxx, XX 00000 Phone: 000-000-0000 Fax: 000-000-0000 |
LIBERTY ALL-STAR ® GROWTH FUND, INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx Name: Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx Title: President ALPS ADVISORS, INC. By: /s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Name: Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Title: President |
ACCEPTED:
CONGRESS ASSET MANAGEMENT COMPANY, LLP
By: /s/ Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxx Name: Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxx Title: Managing Director/COO |
LIBERTY ALL- STAR GROWTH FUND, INC. PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT SCHEDULE A |
PORTFOLIO MANAGER FEE |
For services provided to the Portfolio Manager Account, the Fund Manager will pay to the Portfolio Manager, on or before the 10 th day of each calendar month, a fee calculated and accrued daily and payable monthly by the Fund Manager for the previous calendar month at the annual rate of
(1) | 0.40% of the Portfolio Manager s Percentage of the Average Total Net Assets of the Fund ( Portfolio Manager s Percentage means the percentage obtained by dividing (i) the average daily net asset values of the Portfolio Manager Account during the preceding calendar month, by (ii) the Average Total Fund Net Assets) times the Average Total Fund Net Assets ("Average Total Fund Net Assets" means the average daily net asset values of the Fund as a whole during the preceding calendar month) up to and including $300 million; and |
(2) | 0.36% of the Portfolio Manager s Percentage of the Average Total Fund Net Assets of the Fund exceeding $300 million. |
Each monthly payment set forth above shall be based on the average daily net assets during such previous calendar month. The fee for the period from the date this Agreement becomes effective to the end of the calendar month in which such effective date occurs will be prorated according to the proportion that such period bears to the full monthly period. Upon any termination of this Agreement before the end of a calendar month, the fee for the part of that calendar month during which this Agreement was in effect shall be prorated according to the proportion that such period bears to the full monthly period and will be payable upon the date of termination of this Agreement. For the purpose of determining fees payable to the Portfolio Manager, the value of the Fund s net assets will be computed at the times and in the manner specified in the Registration Statement as from time to time in effect.
Portfolio Manager s Percentage means the percentage obtained by dividing (i) the average daily net asset values of the Portfolio Manager Account during the preceding calendar month, by (ii) the Average Total Fund Net Assets.
Average Total Fund Net Assets means the average daily net asset values of the Fund as a whole during the preceding calendar month.