CONTINUINGAGREEMENT OF GUARANTY AND SURETYSHIP - SUBSIDIARIES

Exhibit 10.2

 

 

THIS CONTINUING AGREEMENT OF GUARANTY AND SURETYSHIP - SUBSIDIARIES (this "Guaranty"), dated as of this 18th day of February, 2010, is jointly and severally given by EACH OF THE UNDERSIGNED and jointly and severally given by EACH OF THE OTHER PERSONS WHICH BECOME GUARANTORS HEREUNDER FROM TIME TO TIME (each a "Guarantor" and collectively, the "Guarantors") in favor of PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as administrative agent (the "Administrative Agent") for the Lenders (as herein defined) in connection with that Credit Agreement, dated as of February 18, 2010, by and among The Finish Line, Inc., an Indiana corporation, The Finish Line USA, Inc., an Indiana corporation, The Finish Line Distribution, Inc., an Indiana corporation, Finish Line Transportation Co., Inc., an Indiana corporation and Spike's Holding, LLC, an Indiana limited liability company (each a "Borrower" and collectively, the "Borrowers"), the Administrative Agent, the lenders now or hereafter party thereto (the "Lenders") and the Guarantors (as amended, restated, modified, or supplemented from time to time hereafter, the "Credit Agreement").  Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the respective meanings ascribed to them by the Credit Agreement and the rules of construction set forth in Section 1.2 [Construction] of the Credit Agreement shall apply to this Guaranty.

 

1.           Guarantied Obligations.  To induce the Administrative Agent and the Lenders to make loans and grant other financial accommodations to the Borrowers under the Credit Agreement, each Guarantor hereby jointly and severally unconditionally, and irrevocably, guaranties to the Administrative Agent, each Lender and any provider of a Lender Provided Interest Rate Hedge or any provider of any Other Lender Provided Financial Service Product, and becomes surety, as though it was a primary obligor for, the full and punctual payment and performance when due (whether on demand, at stated maturity, by acceleration, or otherwise and including any amounts which would become due but for the operation of an automatic stay under the federal bankruptcy code of the United States or any similar Laws of any country or jurisdiction) of all Obligations, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, all obligations, liabilities, and indebtedness from time to time of any Borrower or any other Guarantor to the Administrative Agent or any of the Lenders or any Affiliate of any Lender under or in connection with the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document, whether for principal, interest, fees, indemnities, expenses, or otherwise, and all renewals, extensions, refinancings or refundings thereof, whether such obligations, liabilities, or indebtedness are direct or indirect, secured or unsecured, joint or several, absolute or contingent, due or to become due, whether for payment or performance, now existing or hereafter arising (and including obligations, liabilities, and indebtedness arising or accruing after the commencement of any bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, or similar proceeding with respect to any Borrower or any Guarantor or which would have arisen or accrued but for the commencement of such proceeding, even if the claim for such obligation, liability, or indebtedness is not enforceable or allowable in such proceeding, and including all Obligations, liabilities, and Indebtedness arising from any extensions of credit under or in connection with any Loan Document from time to time, regardless of whether any such extensions of credit are in excess of the amount committed under or contemplated by the Loan Documents or are made in circumstances in which any condition to extension of credit is not satisfied) (all of the foregoing obligations, liabilities and indebtedness are referred to herein collectively as the "Guarantied Obligations" and each as a "Guarantied Obligation").  Without limitation of the foregoing, any of the Guarantied Obligations shall be and remain Guarantied Obligations entitled to the benefit of this Guaranty if the Administrative Agent or any of the Lenders (or any one or more assignees or transferees thereof) from time to time assign or otherwise transfer any portion of their respective rights and obligations under the Loan Documents, or any other Guarantied Obligations, to any other Person.  In furtherance of the foregoing, each Guarantor jointly and severally agrees as follows.

 

 

2.           Guaranty.  Each Guarantor hereby promises to pay and perform all such Guarantied Obligations immediately upon demand of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders or any one or more of them.  All payments made hereunder shall be made by each Guarantor in immediately available funds in U.S. Dollars and shall be made without setoff, counterclaim, withholding, or other deduction of any nature.

 

3.           Obligations Absolute.  The obligations of the Guarantors hereunder shall not be discharged or impaired or otherwise diminished by the failure, default, omission, or delay, willful or otherwise, by any Lender, the Administrative Agent, or any Borrower or any other obligor on any of the Guarantied Obligations, or by any other act or thing or omission or delay to do any other act or thing which may or might in any manner or to any extent vary the risk of any Guarantor or would otherwise operate as a discharge of any Guarantor as a matter of law or equity.  Each of the Guarantors agrees that the Guarantied Obligations will be paid and performed strictly in accordance with the terms of the Loan Documents.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each Guarantor hereby consents to, at any time and from time to time, and the joint and several obligations of each Guarantor hereunder shall not be diminished, terminated, or otherwise similarly affected by any of the following:

 

(a)           Any lack of genuineness, legality, validity, enforceability or allowability (in a bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar proceeding, or otherwise), or any avoidance or subordination, in whole or in part, of any Loan Document or any of the Guarantied Obligations and regardless of any Law, regulation or order now or hereafter in effect in any jurisdiction affecting any of the Guarantied Obligations, any of the terms of the Loan Documents, or any rights of the Administrative Agent or the Lenders or any other Person with respect thereto;

 

(b)           Any increase, decrease, or change in the amount, nature, type or purpose of any of, or any release, surrender, exchange, compromise or settlement of any of the Guarantied Obligations (whether or not contemplated by the Loan Documents as presently constituted); any change in the time, manner, method, or place of payment or performance of, or in any other term of, any of the Guarantied Obligations; any execution or delivery of any additional Loan Documents; or any amendment, modification or supplement to, or renewals, extensions, refinancing or refunding of, any Loan Document or any of the Guarantied Obligations;

 

 

(c)           Any failure to assert any breach of or default under any Loan Document or any of the Guarantied Obligations; any extensions of credit in excess of the amount committed under or contemplated by the Loan Documents, or in circumstances in which any condition to such extensions of credit has not been satisfied; any other exercise or non-exercise, or any other failure, omission, breach, default, delay, or wrongful action in connection with any exercise or non-exercise, of any right or remedy against any Borrower or any other Person under or in connection with any Loan Document or any of the Guarantied Obligations; any refusal of payment or performance of any of the Guarantied Obligations, whether or not with any reservation of rights against any Guarantor; or any application of collections (including but not limited to collections resulting from realization upon any direct or indirect security for the Guarantied Obligations) to other obligations, if any, not entitled to the benefits of this Guaranty, in preference to Guarantied Obligations entitled to the benefits of this Guaranty, or if any collections are applied to Guarantied Obligations, any application to particular Guarantied Obligations;

 

(d)           Any taking, exchange, amendment, modification, waiver, supplement, termination, subordination, compromise, release, surrender, loss, or impairment of, or any failure to protect, perfect, or preserve the value of, or any enforcement of, realization upon, or exercise of rights, or remedies under or in connection with, or any failure, omission, breach, default, delay, or wrongful action by the Administrative Agent or the Lenders, or any of them, or any other Person in connection with the enforcement of, realization upon, or exercise of rights or remedies under or in connection with, or, any other action or inaction by the Administrative Agent or the Lenders, or any of them, or any other Person in respect of, any direct or indirect security for any of the Guarantied Obligations.  As used in this Guaranty, "direct or indirect security" for the Guarantied Obligations, and similar phrases, includes any collateral security, guaranty, suretyship, letter of credit, capital maintenance agreement, put option, subordination agreement, or other right or arrangement of any nature providing direct or indirect assurance of payment or performance of any of the Guarantied Obligations, made by or on behalf of any Person;

 

(e)           Any merger, consolidation, liquidation, dissolution, winding-up, charter revocation, or forfeiture, or other change in, restructuring or termination of the corporate structure or existence of, any Borrower or any other Person; any bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar proceeding with respect to any Borrower or any other Person; or any action taken or election made by the Administrative Agent or the Lenders, or any of them (including but not limited to any election under Section 1111(b)(2) of the United States Bankruptcy Code), such Borrower, or any other Person in connection with any such proceeding;

 

(f)           Any defense, setoff, or counterclaim which may at any time be available to or be asserted by any Borrower or any other person with respect to any Loan Document or any of the Guarantied Obligations; or any discharge by operation of law or release of any Borrower or any other Person from the performance or observance of any Loan Document or any of the Guarantied Obligations; or

 

(g)           Any other event or circumstance, whether similar or dissimilar to the foregoing, and whether known or unknown, which might otherwise constitute a defense available to, or limit the liability of, any Guarantor, a guarantor or a surety, excepting only full, strict, and indefeasible payment and performance of the Guarantied Obligations.

 

 

Each Guarantor acknowledges, consents, and agrees that new Guarantors may join in this Guaranty pursuant to Section 8.2.9 [Subsidiaries, Partnerships and Joint Ventures] of the Credit Agreement and each Guarantor affirms that its obligations shall continue hereunder undiminished.

 

4.           Waivers, etc.  Each of the Guarantors hereby waives any defense to or limitation on its obligations under this Guaranty arising out of or based on any event or circumstance referred to in Section 3 hereof.  Without limitation and to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, each Guarantor waives each of the following:

 

(a)           All notices, disclosures and demand of any nature which otherwise might be required from time to time to preserve intact any rights against any other Guarantor, including the following:  any notice of any event or circumstance described in Section 3 hereof; any notice required by any Law, regulation or order now or hereafter in effect in any jurisdiction; any notice of nonpayment, nonperformance, dishonor, or protest under any Loan Document or any of the Guarantied Obligations; any notice of the incurrence of any Guarantied Obligation; any notice of any default or any failure on the part of any Borrower or any other Person to comply with any Loan Document or any of the Guarantied Obligations or any direct or indirect security for any of the Guarantied Obligations; and any notice of any information pertaining to the business, operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of any Borrower or any other Person;

 

(b)           Any right to any marshalling of assets, to the filing of any claim against any Borrower or any other Person in the event of any bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar proceeding, or to the exercise against any Borrower or any other Person of any other right or remedy under or in connection with any Loan Document or any of the Guarantied Obligations or any direct or indirect security for any of the Guarantied Obligations; any requirement of promptness or diligence on the part of the Administrative Agent or the Lenders, or any of them, or any other Person; any requirement to exhaust any remedies under or in connection with, or to mitigate the damages resulting from default under, any Loan Document or any of the Guarantied Obligations or any direct or indirect security for any of the Guarantied Obligations; any benefit of any statute of limitations; and any requirement of acceptance of this Guaranty or any other Loan Document, and any requirement that any Guarantor receive notice of any such acceptance;

 

(c)           Any defense or other right arising by reason of any Law now or hereafter in effect in any jurisdiction pertaining to election of remedies (including but not limited to anti-deficiency laws, "one action" laws or the like), or by reason of any election of remedies or other action or inaction by the Administrative Agent or the Lenders, or any of them (including but not limited to commencement or completion of any judicial proceeding or nonjudicial sale or other action in respect of collateral security for any of the Guarantied Obligations), which results in denial or impairment of the right of the Administrative Agent or the Lenders, or any of them, to seek a deficiency against any Borrower or any other Person or which otherwise discharges or impairs any of the Guarantied Obligations; and

 

(d)           Any and all defenses it may now or hereafter have based on principles of suretyship, impairment of collateral or the like.

 

 

5.           Reinstatement.  This Guaranty is a continuing obligation of the Guarantors and shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding that no Guarantied Obligations may be outstanding from time to time and notwithstanding any other event or circumstance.  Upon termination of all Commitments, the expiration of all Letters of Credit and indefeasible payment in full of all Guarantied Obligations, this Guaranty shall terminate; provided, however, that this Guaranty shall continue to be effective or be reinstated, as the case may be, any time any payment of any of the Guarantied Obligations is rescinded, recouped, avoided, or must otherwise be returned or released by any Lender or Administrative Agent upon or during the insolvency, bankruptcy, or reorganization of, or any similar proceeding affecting, any Borrower or for any other reason whatsoever, all as though such payment had not been made and was due and owing.

 

6.           Subrogation.  Each Guarantor waives and agrees it will not exercise any rights against any Borrower or any other Guarantor arising in connection with, the Guarantied Obligations (including rights of subrogation, contribution, and the like) until the Guarantied Obligations have been indefeasibly paid in full, and all Commitments have been terminated and all Letters of Credit have expired.  If any amount shall be paid to any Guarantor by or on behalf of any Borrower or any other Guarantor by virtue of any right of subrogation, contribution, or the like, such amount shall be deemed to have been paid to such Guarantor for the benefit of, and shall be held in trust for the benefit of, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and shall forthwith be paid to the Administrative Agent to be credited and applied upon the Guarantied Obligations, whether matured or unmatured, in accordance with the terms of the Credit Agreement.

 

7.           No Stay.  Without limitation of any other provision of this Guaranty, if any declaration of default or acceleration or other exercise or condition to exercise of rights or remedies under or with respect to any Guarantied Obligation shall at any time be stayed, enjoined, or prevented for any reason (including but not limited to stay or injunction resulting from the pendency against any Borrower or any other Person of a bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar proceeding), the Guarantors agree that, for the purposes of this Guaranty and their obligations hereunder, the Guarantied Obligations shall be deemed to have been declared in default or accelerated, and such other exercise or conditions to exercise shall be deemed to have been taken or met.

 

8.           Taxes.

 

(a)           No Deductions.  All payments made by any Guarantor under any of the Loan Documents shall be made free and clear of and without deduction for any present or future taxes, levies, imposts, deductions, charges, or withholdings, and all liabilities with respect thereto other than Excluded Taxes (all such non-Excluded Taxes being hereinafter referred to as "Taxes").  If any Guarantor shall be required by Law to deduct any Taxes from or in respect of any sum payable under any of the Loan Documents, (i) the sum payable shall be increased as may be necessary so that after making all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Subsection (a) such Lender receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deductions been made, (ii) such Guarantor shall make such deductions, and (iii) such Guarantor shall timely pay the full amount deducted to the relevant tax authority or other authority in accordance with applicable Law.

 

 

(b)           Stamp Taxes.  In addition, each Guarantor agrees to pay any present or future stamp or documentary taxes or any other excise or property taxes, charges, or similar levies which arise from any payment made hereunder or from the execution, delivery, or registration of, or otherwise with respect to, any of the Loan Documents (hereinafter referred to as "Other Taxes").

 

(c)           Indemnification for Taxes Paid by any Lender.  Each Guarantor shall indemnify each Lender for the full amount of Taxes or Other Taxes (including, without limitation, any Taxes or Other Taxes imposed by any jurisdiction on amounts payable under this Subsection) paid by any Lender and any liability (including penalties, interest, and expenses) arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Taxes or Other Taxes were correctly or legally asserted.  This indemnification shall be made within thirty (30) days from the date a Lender makes written demand therefor.

 

(d)           Certificate.  Within thirty (30) days after the date of any payment of any Taxes by any Guarantor, such Guarantor shall furnish to each Lender, the original or a certified copy of a receipt evidencing payment thereof.  If no Taxes are payable in respect of any payment by such Guarantor, such Guarantor shall, if so requested by a Lender, provide a certificate of an officer of such Guarantor to that effect.

 

9.           Notices.  Each Guarantor agrees that all notices, statements, requests, demands and other communications under this Guaranty shall be given to such Guarantor at the address set forth on a Schedule to, or in a Guarantor Joinder and Assumption Agreement given under, the Credit Agreement and in the manner provided in Section 11.5 [Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communication] of the Credit Agreement.  The Administrative Agent and the Lenders may rely on any notice (whether or not made in a manner contemplated by this Guaranty) purportedly made by or on behalf of a Guarantor, and the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall have no duty to verify the identity or authority of the Person giving such notice.

 

10.           Counterparts; Telecopy Signatures.  This Guaranty may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which, when so executed, shall be deemed an original, but all such counterparts shall constitute but one and the same instrument.  Each Guarantor acknowledges and agrees that a telecopy transmission to Administrative Agent or any Lender of signature pages hereof purporting to be signed on behalf of any Guarantor shall constitute effective and binding execution and delivery hereof by such Guarantor.

 

 

11.           Setoff, Default Payments by any Borrower.

 

 (a)           In the event that at any time any obligation of the Guarantors now or hereafter existing under this Guaranty shall have become due and payable, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, or any of them, shall have the right from time to time, without notice to any Guarantor, to set off against and apply to such due and payable amount any obligation of any nature of any Lender or the Administrative Agent, or any subsidiary or affiliate of any Lender or Administrative Agent, to any Guarantor, including but not limited to all deposits (whether time or demand, general or special, provisionally credited or finally credited, however evidenced) now or hereafter maintained by any Guarantor with the Administrative Agent or any Lender.  Such right shall be absolute and unconditional in all circumstances and, without limitation, shall exist whether or not the Administrative Agent or the Lenders, or any of them, shall have given any notice or made any demand under this Guaranty or under such obligation to the Guarantor, whether such obligation to the Guarantor is absolute or contingent, matured or unmatured (it being agreed that the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, or any of them, may deem such obligation to be then due and payable at the time of such setoff), and regardless of the existence or adequacy of any collateral, guaranty, or other direct or indirect security or right or remedy available to the Administrative Agent or any of the Lenders.  The rights of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders under this Section are in addition to such other rights and remedies (including, without limitation, other rights of setoff and banker's lien) which the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, or any of them, may have, and nothing in this Guaranty or in any other Loan Document shall be deemed a waiver of or restriction on the right of setoff or banker's lien of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, or any of them.  Each of the Guarantors hereby agrees that, to the fullest extent permitted by Law, any affiliate or subsidiary of the Administrative Agent or any of the Lenders and any holder of a participation in any obligation of any Guarantor under this Guaranty, shall have the same rights of setoff as the Administrative Agent and the Lenders as provided in this Section (regardless whether such affiliate or participant otherwise would be deemed a creditor of the Guarantor).

 

 (b)           Upon the occurrence and during the continuation of any default under any Guarantied Obligation, if any amount shall be paid to any Guarantor by or for the account of any Borrower, such amount shall be held in trust for the benefit of each Lender and Administrative Agent and shall forthwith be paid to the Administrative Agent to be credited and applied to the Guarantied Obligations when due and payable.

 

12.           Construction.  The section and other headings contained in this Guaranty are for reference purposes only and shall not affect interpretation of this Guaranty in any respect.  This Guaranty has been fully negotiated between the applicable parties, each party having the benefit of legal counsel, and accordingly neither any doctrine of construction of guaranties or suretyships in favor of the guarantor or surety, nor any doctrine of construction of ambiguities in agreement or instruments against the party controlling the drafting thereof, shall apply to this Guaranty.

 

13.           Successors and Assigns.  This Guaranty shall be binding upon each Guarantor, its successors and assigns, and shall inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, or any of them, and their successors and permitted assigns; provided, however, that no Guarantor may assign or transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder or any interest herein and any such purported assignment or transfer shall be null and void.  Without limitation of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, or any of them (and any successive assignee or transferee), from time to time may assign or otherwise transfer all or any portion of its rights or obligations under the Loan Documents (including all or any portion of any commitment to extend credit), or any other Guarantied Obligations, to any other person and such Guarantied Obligations (including any Guarantied Obligations resulting from extension of credit by such other Person under or in connection with the Loan Documents) shall be and remain Guarantied Obligations entitled to the benefit of this Guaranty, and to the extent of its interest in such Guarantied Obligations such other Person shall be vested with all the benefits in respect thereof granted to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders in this Guaranty or otherwise.

 

 

14.           Governing Law; Submission to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial.

 

 (a)           Governing Law.  This Guaranty shall be governed by, construed, and enforced in accordance with, the internal Laws of the State of Indiana, without regard to conflict of laws principles, and waives personal service of any and all process upon it and consents that all such service of process be made by certified or registered mail directed to such Guarantor at the address set forth on the signature page to this Guaranty and service so made shall be deemed to be completed upon actual receipt thereof.

 

 (b)           Certain Waivers.  Guarantor hereby irrevocably:

 

  (i)         Submits to the nonexclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the State of Indiana sitting in Marion County and the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, and any appellate court from any thereof;

 

  (ii)        Waives any objection to jurisdiction and venue of any action instituted against it as provided herein and agrees not to assert any defense based on lack of jurisdiction or venue; and

 

  (iii)       WAIVES TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, SUIT, PROCEEDING, OR COUNTERCLAIM OF ANY KIND ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THIS GUARANTY, THE CREDIT AGREEMENT, OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.

 

15.           Severability; Modification to Conform to Law.

 

 (a)           It is the intention of the parties that this Guaranty be enforceable to the fullest extent permissible under applicable Law, but that the unenforceability (or modification to conform to such Law) of any provision or provisions hereof shall not render unenforceable, or impair, the remainder hereof.  If any provision in this Guaranty shall be held invalid or unenforceable in whole or in part in any jurisdiction, this Guaranty shall, as to such jurisdiction, be deemed amended to modify or delete, as necessary, the offending provision or provisions and to alter the bounds thereof in order to render it or them valid and enforceable to the maximum extent permitted by applicable Law, without in any manner affecting the validity or enforceability of such provision or provisions in any other jurisdiction or the remaining provisions hereof in any jurisdiction.

 

 (b)           Without limitation of the preceding subsection (a), to the extent that applicable Law (including applicable Laws pertaining to fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent or preferential transfer) otherwise would render the full amount of the Guarantor's obligations hereunder invalid, voidable, or unenforceable on account of the amount of a Guarantor's aggregate liability under this Guaranty, then, notwithstanding any other provision of this Guaranty to the contrary, the aggregate amount of such liability shall, without any further action by the Administrative Agent or any of the Lenders or such Guarantor or any other Person, be automatically limited and reduced to the highest amount which is valid and enforceable as determined in such action or proceeding, which (without limiting the generality of the foregoing) may be an amount which is equal to the greater of:

 

 

(i)           the fair consideration actually received by such Guarantor under the terms and as a result of the Loan Documents and the value of the benefits described in this Section 15(b) hereof, including (and to the extent not inconsistent with applicable federal and state Laws affecting the enforceability of guaranties) distributions, commitments, and advances made to or for the benefit of such Guarantor with the proceeds of any credit extended under the Loan Documents, or

 

(ii)           the excess of (A) the amount of the fair value of the assets of such Guarantor as of the date of this Guaranty as determined in accordance with applicable federal and state Laws governing determinations of the insolvency of debtors as in effect on the date hereof, over (B) the amount of all liabilities of such Guarantor as of the date of this Guaranty, also as determined on the basis of applicable federal and state Laws governing the insolvency of debtors as in effect on the date hereof.

 

(c)           Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section or elsewhere in this Guaranty, this Guaranty shall be presumptively valid and enforceable to its full extent in accordance with its terms, as if this Section (and references elsewhere in this Guaranty to enforceability to the fullest extent permitted by Law) were not a part of this Guaranty, and in any related litigation the burden of proof shall be on the party asserting the invalidity or unenforceability of any provision hereof or asserting any limitation on any Guarantor's obligations hereunder as to each element of such assertion.

 

16.           Additional Guarantors.  At any time after the initial execution and delivery of this Guaranty to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, additional Persons may become parties to this Guaranty and thereby acquire the duties and rights of being Guarantors hereunder by executing and delivering to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders a Guarantor Joinder pursuant to the Credit Agreement.  No notice of the addition of any Guarantor shall be required to be given to any pre-existing Guarantor and each Guarantor hereby consents thereto.

 

17.           Joint and Several Obligations.  The obligations and additional liabilities of the Guarantors under this Guaranty are joint and several obligations of the Guarantors under any other Guaranty under the Credit Agreement, and each Guarantor hereby waives to the full extent permitted by Law any defense it may otherwise have to the payment and performance of the Obligations that its liability hereunder is limited and not joint and several.  Each Guarantor acknowledges and agrees that the foregoing waivers and those set forth below serve as a material inducement to the agreement of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders to make the Loans, and that the Administrative Agent and the Lenders are relying on each specific waiver and all such waivers in entering into this Guaranty.  The undertakings of each Guarantor hereunder secure the obligations of itself and the other Guarantors.  The Administrative Agent and the Lenders, or any of them, may, in their sole discretion, elect to enforce this Guaranty against any Guarantor without any duty or responsibility to pursue any other Guarantor and such an election by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, or any of them, shall not be a defense to any action the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, or any of them, may elect to take against any Guarantor.  Each of the Lenders and Administrative Agent hereby reserve all rights against each Guarantor.

 

 

18.          Receipt of Credit Agreement, Other Loan Documents, Benefits.

 

(a)           Each Guarantor hereby acknowledges that it has received a copy of the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents and each Guarantor certifies that the representations and warranties made therein with respect to such Guarantor are true and correct.  Further, each Guarantor acknowledges and agrees to perform, comply with, and be bound by all of the provisions of the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

 

(b)           Each Guarantor hereby acknowledges, represents, and warrants that it receives synergistic benefits by virtue of its affiliation with the Borrowers and the other Guarantors and that it will receive direct and indirect benefits from the financing arrangements contemplated by the Credit Agreement and that such benefits, together with the rights of contribution and subrogation that may arise in connection herewith, are a reasonably equivalent exchange of value in return for providing this Guaranty.

 

19.          Miscellaneous.

 

(a)           Generality of Certain Terms.  As used in this Guaranty, the terms "hereof", "herein" and terms of similar import refer to this Guaranty as a whole and not to any particular term or provision; the term "including", as used herein, is not a term of limitation and means "including without limitation".

 

(b)           Amendments, Waivers.  No amendment to or waiver of any provision of this Guaranty, and no consent to any departure by any Guarantor herefrom, shall in any event be effective unless in a writing manually signed by or on behalf of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders.  Any such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given.  No delay or failure of the Administrative Agent or the Lenders, or any of them, in exercising any right or remedy under this Guaranty shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right or remedy preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right or remedy.  The rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders under this Guaranty are cumulative and not exclusive of any other rights or remedies available hereunder, under any other agreement or instrument, by Law, or otherwise.

 

(c)           Telecommunications.  Each Lender and Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely on the authority of any individual making any telecopy, electronic or telephonic notice, request, or signature without the necessity of receipt of any verification thereof.

 

(d)           Expenses.  Each Guarantor unconditionally agrees to pay all out-of-pocket costs and expenses, including reasonable attorney's fees incurred by the Administrative Agent or any of the Lenders in enforcing this Guaranty against any Guarantor and each Guarantor shall pay and indemnify each Lender and Administrative Agent for, and hold it harmless from and against, any and all obligations, liabilities, losses, damages, costs, expenses (including disbursements and reasonable legal fees of counsel to any Lender or Administrative Agent), penalties, judgments, suits, actions, claims, and disbursements imposed on, asserted against, or incurred by any Lender or Administrative Agent:

 

 

(i)           relating to the preparation, negotiation, execution, administration, or enforcement of or collection under this Guaranty or any document, instrument, or agreement relating to any of the Guaranteed Obligations, including in any bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar proceeding in any jurisdiction or political subdivision thereof;

 

(ii)           relating to any amendment, modification, waiver, or consent hereunder or relating to any telecopy, electronic or telephonic transmission purporting to be by any Guarantor or any Borrower; and

 

(iii)           in any way relating to or arising out of this Guaranty, or any document, instrument, or agreement relating to any of the Guarantied Obligations, or any action taken or omitted to be taken by any Lender or Administrative Agent hereunder or thereunder, and including those arising directly or indirectly from the violation or asserted violation by any other Guarantor, any Borrower, Administrative Agent or any Lender of any Law, rule, regulation, judgment, order, or the like of any jurisdiction or political subdivision thereof (including those relating to environmental protection, health, labor, importing, exporting, or safety) and regardless whether asserted by any governmental entity or any other Person, except to the extent resulting from the Administrative Agent's or any other Lender's gross negligence or willful misconduct.

 

(e)           Prior Understandings.  This Guaranty, the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents constitute the entire agreement of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede any and all other prior and contemporaneous understandings and agreements.

 

(f)           Survival.  All representations and warranties of a Guarantor made in connection with this Guaranty shall survive, and shall not be waived by, the execution and delivery of this Guaranty, any investigation by or knowledge of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, or any of them, any extension of credit, or any other event or circumstance whatsoever.

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned party intending to be legally bound, has executed this Guaranty as of the date first above written with the intention that this Guaranty shall constitute a sealed instrument.