NORTH AMERICAN FUNDS
SUBADVISORY AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT made this 1st day of October, 1997, between CypressTree Asset
Management Corporation, Inc. a Delaware corporation ("Cypress" or the
"Adviser"), and Salomon Brothers Asset Management Inc, a Delaware corporation
(the "Subadviser"). In consideration of the mutual convenants contained herein,
the parties agree as follows:
1. APPOINTMENT OF SUBADVISER
The Subadviser undertakes to act as investment subadviser to, and, subject
to the supervision of the Trustees of North American Funds (the "Trust") and the
terms of this Agreement, to manage the investment and reinvestment of the assets
of the portfolios of the Trust specified in Appendix A to this Agreement as it
shall be amended by the Adviser and the Subadviser from time to time (the
"Portfolio" or "Portfolios"). The Subadviser will be an independent contractor
and will have no authority to act for or represent the Trust or Adviser in any
way or otherwise be deemed an agent unless expressly authorized in this
Agreement or another writing by the Trust and Adviser.
2. SERVICES TO BE RENDERED BY THE SUBADVISER TO THE TRUST
a. Subject always to the direction and control of the Trustees of the Trust,
the Subadviser will manage the investments and determine the composition of
the assets of the Portfolios. In fulfilling its obligations to manage the
investments and reinvestments of the assets of the Portfolios, the
Subadviser will:
i. obtain and evaluate pertinent economic, statistical, financial
and other information affecting the economy generally and individual
companies or industries the securities of which are included in the
Portfolios or are under consideration for inclusion in the Portfolios;
ii. formulate and implement a continuous investment program for each
Portfolio consistent with the investment objectives and related
investment policies for each such portfolio as described in the
Trust's registration statement, as amended;
iii. take whatever steps are necessary to implement these investment
programs by the purchase and sale of securities including the placing
of orders for such purchases and sales;
iv. regularly report to the Trustees of the Trust with respect to the
implementation of these investment programs; and
v. provide determinations of the fair value of certain securities
when market quotations are not readily available for purposes of
calculating net asset value for the Trust's Custodian
in accordance with procedures and methods established by the Trustees
of the Trust.
b. The Subadviser, at its expense, will furnish (i) all necessary investment
and management facilities, including salaries of personnel required for it
to execute its duties faithfully, and (ii) administrative facilities,
including bookkeeping, clerical personnel and equipment necessary for the
efficient conduct of the investment affairs of the Portfolios (excluding
determination of net asset value and shareholder accounting services).
c. The Subadviser will select brokers and dealers to effect all transactions
subject to the following conditions: The Subadviser will place all
necessary orders with brokers, dealers, or issuers, and will negotiate
brokerage commissions if applicable. The Subadviser is directed at all
times to seek to execute brokerage transactions for the Portfolios in
accordance with such policies or practices as may be established by the
Trustees and described in the Trust's registration statement as amended.
The Subadviser may pay a broker-dealer which provided research and
brokerage services a higher commission for a particular transaction than
otherwise might have been charged by another broker-dealer, if the
Subadviser determines that the higher commission is reasonable in relation
to the value of the brokerage and research services that such broker-dealer
provides, viewed in terms of either the particular transaction or the
Subadviser's overall responsibilities with respect to accounts managed by
the Subadviser. The Subadviser may use for the benefit of the Subadviser's
other clients, or make available to companies affiliated with the
Subadviser or to its directors for the benefit of its clients, any such
brokerage and research services that the Subadviser obtains from brokers or
dealers.
d. The Subadviser will maintain all accounts, books and records with respect
to the Portfolios as are required of an investment adviser of a registered
investment company pursuant to the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended (the "Investment Company Act") and Investment Advisers Act of 1940,
as amended (the "Investment Advisers Act") and the rules thereunder.
3. COMPENSATION OF SUBADVISER
The Adviser will pay the Subadviser with respect to each Portfolio the
compensation specified in Appendix A to this Agreement.
4. LIABILITY OF SUBADVISER
Neither the Subadviser nor any of its directors, officers or employees
shall be liable to the Adviser or Trust for any loss suffered by the Adviser or
Trust resulting from its acts or omissions as Subadviser to the Portfolios,
except for losses resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross
negligence in the performance of, or from reckless disregard of, the duties of
the Subadviser or any of its directors, officers or employees.
5. SUPPLEMENTAL ARRANGEMENTS
The Subadviser may enter into arrangements with other persons affiliated
with the Subadviser to better enable it to fulfill its obligations under this
Agreement for the provision of certain personnel and facilities to the
Subadviser.
6. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
It is understood that trustees, officers, agents and shareholders of the
Trust are or may be interested in the Subadviser as trustees, officers,
stockholders or otherwise; that directors, officers, agents and stockholders of
the Subadviser are or may be interested in the Trust as trustees, officers,
shareholders or otherwise; that the Subadviser may by interested in the Trust;
and that the existence of any such dual interest shall not affect the validity
hereof or of any transactions hereunder except as otherwise provided in the
Trust's Agreement and Declaration of Trust and the Articles of Incorporation of
the Subadviser, respectively, or by specific provision of applicable law.
7. REGULATION
The Subadviser shall submit to all regulatory and administrative bodies
having jurisdiction over the services provided pursuant to this Agreement any
information, reports or other material which any such body by reason of this
Agreement may request or require pursuant to applicable laws and regulations.
8. DURATION AND TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT
This Agreement shall become effective with respect to each Portfolio on the
later of its execution, the effective date of the registration statement of the
Portfolio and the date of the meeting of the shareholders of the Portfolio, at
which meeting this Agreement is approved by the vote of a majority of the
outstanding voting securities (as defined in the Investment Company Act) of the
Portfolio. The Agreement will continue in effect for a period more than two
years from the date of its execution only so long as such continuance is
specifically approved at least annually either by the Trustees of the Trust or
by a majority of the outstanding voting securities of each of the Portfolios,
provided that in either event such continuance shall also be approved by the
vote of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not interested persons
(as defined in the Investment Company Act) of any party to this Agreement cast
in person at a meeting called for the specific purpose of voting on such
approval. The required shareholder approval of the Agreement or of any
continuance of the Agreement shall be effective with respect to any Portfolio if
a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the series (as defined in
Rule 18f-2(h) under the Investment Company Act) of shares of that Portfolio
votes to approve the Agreement or its continuance, notwithstanding that the
Agreement or its continuance may not have been approved by a majority of the
outstanding voting securities of (a) any other Portfolio affected by the
Agreement or (b) all the Portfolios of the Trust.
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If the shareholders of any Portfolio fail to approve the Agreement or any
continuance of the Agreement, the Subadviser will continue to act as investment
subadviser with respect to such Portfolio pending the required approval of the
Agreement or its continuance or of any contract with the Subadviser or a
different adviser or subadviser or other definitive action; provided, that the
compensation received by the Subadviser in respect of such Portfolio during such
period is in compliance with Rule 15a-4 promulgated under the Investment Company
Act.
This Agreement may be terminated at any time, without the payment of any
penalty, by the Trustees of the Trust, by the vote of a majority of the
outstanding voting securities of the Trust, or with respect to any Portfolio by
the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of such Portfolio,
on sixty days' written notice to the Adviser and the Subadviser, or by the
Adviser or Subadviser on sixty days' written notice to the Trust and the other
party. This agreement will automatically terminate, without the payment of any
penalty, in the event of its assignment (as defined in the Investment Company
Act) or in the event the Advisory Agreement between the Adviser and the Trust
terminates for any reason.
9. PROVISION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY SUBADVISER
The Subadviser will promptly notify the Adviser in writing of the
occurrence of any of the following events:
a. the Subadviser fails to be registered as an investment adviser under the
Investment Advisers Act or under the laws of any jurisdiction in which the
Subadviser is required to be registered as an investment adviser in order
to perform its obligations under this Agreement;
b. the Subadviser is served or otherwise receives notice of any action, suit,
proceeding, inquiry or investigation, at law or in equity, before or by any
court, public board or body, involving the affairs of the Trust; and
c. the chief executive officer or controlling stockholder of the Subadviser or
the portfolio manager of any Portfolio changes.
10. AMENDMENTS TO THE AGREEMENT
This Agreement may be amended by the parties only if such amendment is
specifically approved by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting
securities of each of the Portfolios affected by the amendment and by the vote
of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not interested persons of any
party to this Agreement cast in person at a meeting called for the specific
purpose of voting on such approval. The required shareholder approval shall be
effective with respect to any Portfolio if a majority of the outstanding voting
securities of that Portfolio vote to approve the amendment, notwithstanding that
the amendment may not have been approved by a majority of
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the outstanding voting securities of (a) any other Portfolio affected by the
amendment or (b) all the Portfolios of the Trust.
11. ENTIRE AGREEMENT
This Agreement contains the entire understanding and agreement of the
parties with respect to the Portfolios listed in Appendix A.
12. HEADINGS
The headings in the sections of this Agreement are inserted for
convenience of reference only and shall not constitute a part hereof.
13. NOTICES
All notices required to be given pursuant to this Agreement shall be
delivered or mailed to the last known business address of the Trust or
applicable party in person or by registered mail or a private mail or delivery
service providing the sender with notice of receipt. Notice shall be deemed
given on the date delivered or mailed in accordance with this paragraph.
14. SEVERABILITY
Should any portion of this Agreement for any reason be held to void in
law or in equity, the Agreement shall be construed, insofar as is possible, as
if such portion had never been contained herein.
15. GOVERNING LAW
The provisions of this Agreement shall be construed and interpreted in
accordance with the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, or any of the
applicable provisions of the Investment Company Act. To the extent that the
laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, or any of the provisions in this
Agreement, conflict with applicable provisions of the Investment Company Act,
the latter shall control.
16. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
The Declaration of Trust establishing the Trust, dated September 28,
1988, a copy of which, together with all amendments thereto (the "Declaration"),
is on file in the office of the Secretary of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts,
provides that the name "North American Funds" refers to the Trustees under the
declaration collectively as Trustees, but not as individuals or personally; and
no Trustee, shareholder, officer, employee or agent of the Trust shall be held
to any personal liability, nor shall resort be had to their private property,
for the satisfaction of any obligation or claim, in connection with the affairs
of the Trust or any Portfolio thereof, but only the assets belonging to the
Trust, or to the particular portfolio with which the obligee or claimant dealt,
shall be liable.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to
be executed under seal by their duly authorized officers as of the date first
written above.
[SEAL] CypressTree Asset Management Corporation, Inc.
by:
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[SEAL] Salomon Brothers Asset Management Inc
by:
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APPENDIX A
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The Subadviser shall serve as investment adviser for each of the following
portfolios of the Trust. The Adviser will pay the subadviser, as full
compensation for all services provided under this Agreement, the fee computed
separately for each such Portfolio at an annual rate as follows (the "Subadviser
Percentage Fee"):
1. U.S. Government Securities Fund: .225% of the first $200,000,000, .15%
between $200,000,000 and $500,000,000 and .10% on the excess over
$500,000,000 of the current value of the net assets of the Portfolio.
2. National Municipal Bond Fund: .25% of the first $50 million, .25% between
$50,000,000 and $200,000,000, .25% between $200,000,000 and $500,000,000
and .25% on the excess over $500,000,000 of the current net assets of the
portfolio.
3. Strategic Income Fund: .35% of the first $50 million, .30% between
$50,000,000 and $200,000,000, .25% between $200,000,000 and $500,000,000
and .20% on the excess over $500,000,000 of the current net assets of the
portfolio.
The Subadviser Percentage Fee for each Portfolio shall be accrued for each
calendar day and the sum of the daily fee accruals shall be paid monthly to the
Subadviser. The daily fee accruals will be computed by multiplying the fraction
of one over the number of calendar days in the year by the applicable annual
rate described in the preceding paragraph, and multiplying this product by the
net assets of the Portfolio as determined in accordance with the Trust's
currently effective prospectus and Statement of Additional Information as of the
close of business on the previous business day on which the Trust was open for
business.
If this Agreement becomes effective or terminates before the end of any
month, the fee for the period from the effective date to the end of such month
or from the beginning of such month to the date of termination, as the case may
be, shall be prorated according to the proportion which such period bears to the
full month in which such effectiveness or termination occurs.
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