Exhibit 10(O) Note Purchase Agreement

EX-10.O 4 l05649aexv10wo.txt EXHIBIT 10(O) NOTE PURCHASE AGREEMENT EXHIBIT 10(o) ================================================================================ MYERS INDUSTRIES, INC. $65,000,000 6.08% Series 2003-A Senior Notes, Tranche 1, due December 12, 2010 $35,000,000 6.81% Series 2003-A Senior Notes, Tranche 2, due December 12, 2013 ---------------- NOTE PURCHASE AGREEMENT ---------------- DATED AS OF DECEMBER 12, 2003 ================================================================================ TABLE OF CONTENTS

-i- Section 5.13. Private Offering by the Company....................................................... 12 Section 5.14. Use of Proceeds; Margin Regulations................................................... 12 Section 5.15. Existing Debt; Future Liens........................................................... 13 Section 5.16. Foreign Assets Control Regulations, Etc............................................... 13 Section 5.17. Status under Certain Statutes......................................................... 13 Section 5.18. Environmental Matters................................................................. 13 SECTION 6. REPRESENTATIONS OF THE PURCHASER...................................................... 14 Section 6.1. Purchase for Investment............................................................... 14 Section 6.2. Source of Funds....................................................................... 14 SECTION 7. INFORMATION AS TO COMPANY............................................................. 16 Section 7.1. Financial and Business Information.................................................... 16 Section 7.2. Officer's Certificate................................................................. 19 Section 7.3. Inspection............................................................................ 19 SECTION 8. PAYMENT OF THE NOTES.................................................................. 20 Section 8.1. Required Payments..................................................................... 20 Section 8.2. Optional Prepayments with Make-Whole Amount........................................... 20 Section 8.3. Allocation of Partial Prepayments..................................................... 21 Section 8.4. Maturity; Surrender, Etc.............................................................. 21 Section 8.5. Purchase of Notes..................................................................... 21 Section 8.6. Make-Whole Amount for the Series 2003-A Notes......................................... 21 SECTION 9. AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS................................................................. 23 Section 9.1. Compliance with Law................................................................... 23 Section 9.2. Insurance............................................................................. 23 Section 9.3. Maintenance of Properties............................................................. 23 Section 9.4. Payment of Taxes and Claims........................................................... 23 Section 9.5. Corporate Existence, Etc.............................................................. 24 Section 9.6. Additional Subsidiary Guarantors...................................................... 24 SECTION 10. NEGATIVE COVENANTS.................................................................... 25 Section 10.1. Consolidated Adjusted Net Worth....................................................... 25 Section 10.2. Limitation on Debt.................................................................... 25 Section 10.3. Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio.................................................. 25 Section 10.4. Limitation on Liens................................................................... 26 Section 10.5. Sales of Asset........................................................................ 28 Section 10.6. Merger, Consolidation................................................................. 29 Section 10.7. Nature of Business.................................................................... 29 Section 10.8. Transactions with Affiliates.......................................................... 30 SECTION 11. EVENTS OF DEFAULT..................................................................... 30

-ii- SECTION 12. REMEDIES ON DEFAULT, ETC.............................................................. 32 Section 12.1. Acceleration.......................................................................... 32 Section 12.2. Other Remedies........................................................................ 33 Section 12.3. Rescission............................................................................ 33 Section 12.4. No Waivers or Election of Remedies, Expenses, Etc..................................... 33 SECTION 13. REGISTRATION; EXCHANGE; SUBSTITUTION OF NOTES......................................... 34 Section 13.1. Registration of Notes................................................................. 34 Section 13.2. Transfer and Exchange of Notes........................................................ 34 Section 13.3. Replacement of Notes.................................................................. 35 SECTION 14. PAYMENTS ON NOTES..................................................................... 35 Section 14.1. Place of Payment...................................................................... 35 Section 14.2. Home Office Payment................................................................... 35 SECTION 15. EXPENSES, ETC......................................................................... 36 Section 15.1. Transaction Expenses.................................................................. 36 Section 15.2. Survival.............................................................................. 36 SECTION 16. SURVIVAL OF REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES; ENTIRE AGREEMENT.......................... 36 SECTION 17. AMENDMENT AND WAIVER.................................................................. 37 Section 17.1. Requirements.......................................................................... 37 Section 17.2. Solicitation of Holders of Notes...................................................... 37 Section 17.3. Binding Effect, Etc................................................................... 38 Section 17.4. Notes Held by Company, Etc............................................................ 38 SECTION 18. NOTICES............................................................................... 38 SECTION 19. REPRODUCTION OF DOCUMENTS............................................................. 39 SECTION 20. CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.............................................................. 39 SECTION 21. SUBSTITUTION OF PURCHASER............................................................. 41 SECTION 22. MISCELLANEOUS......................................................................... 41 Section 22.1. Successors and Assigns................................................................ 41 Section 22.2. Payments Due on Non-Business Days..................................................... 41 Section 22.3. Severability.......................................................................... 41 Section 22.4. Construction.......................................................................... 41

-iii- Section 22.5. Counterparts.......................................................................... 42 Section 22.6. Governing Law......................................................................... 42

-iv- SCHEDULE A -- INFORMATION RELATING TO PURCHASERS SCHEDULE B -- DEFINED TERMS SCHEDULE 4.9 -- Changes in Corporate Structure SCHEDULE 5.4(a)-1 -- Subsidiaries of the Company, Ownership of Subsidiary Stock, Affiliates SCHEDULE 5.4(a)-2 -- Investments SCHEDULE 5.4(d) -- Restrictive Agreements SCHEDULE 5.5 -- Financial Statements SCHEDULE 5.11 -- Licenses, Permits, Etc. SCHEDULE 5.15 -- Existing Debt SCHEDULE 10.4 -- Existing Liens EXHIBIT 1 -- Form of 6.08% Series 2003-A Senior Notes, Tranche 1, due December 12, 2010 EXHIBIT 2 -- Form of 6.81% Series 2003-A Senior Notes, Tranche 2, due December 12, 2013 EXHIBIT 2.3 -- Form of Subsidiary Guaranty EXHIBIT 2.4(a) -- Form of Pledge Agreement EXHIBIT 2.4(b) -- Form of Intercreditor Agreement EXHIBIT 4.4(a) -- Form of Opinion of General Counsel to the Company EXHIBIT 4.4(b) -- Form of Opinion of Special Counsel to the Company EXHIBIT 4.4(c) -- Form of Opinion of Special Counsel to the Purchasers EXHIBIT S -- Form of Supplement to Note Purchase Agreement

-v- MYERS INDUSTRIES, INC. 1293 SOUTH MAIN STREET AKRON, OHIO 44301 $65,000,000 6.08% SERIES 2003-A SENIOR NOTES, TRANCHE 1, DUE DECEMBER 12, 2010 $35,000,000 6.81% SERIES 2003-A SENIOR NOTES, TRANCHE 2, DUE DECEMBER 12, 2013 Dated as of December 12, 2003 TO THE PURCHASERS LISTED IN THE ATTACHED SCHEDULE A: Ladies and Gentlemen: MYERS INDUSTRIES, INC., an Ohio corporation (the "Company"), agrees with the Purchasers listed in the attached Schedule A (the "Purchasers") to this Note Purchase Agreement (this "Agreement") as follows: SECTION 1. AUTHORIZATION OF NOTES. The Company will authorize the issue and sale of (i) $65,000,000 6.08% Series 2003-A Senior Notes, Tranche 1, due December 12, 2010 (the "Tranche 1 Notes") and (ii) $35,000,000 6.81% Series 2003-A Senior Notes, Tranche 2, due December 12, 2013 (the "Tranche 2 Notes," and together with the Tranche 1 Notes, the "Series 2003-A Notes"). The Series 2003-A Notes together with each Series of Additional Notes which may from time to time be issued pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.2 are collectively referred to as the "Notes" (such term shall also include any such notes issued in substitution therefor pursuant to Section 13 of this Agreement). The Tranche 1 Notes and the Tranche 2 Notes shall be substantially in the form set out in Exhibit 1(a) and Exhibit 1(b), respectively, with such changes therefrom, if any, as may be approved by the Purchasers and the Company. Certain capitalized terms used in this Agreement are defined in Schedule B; references to a "Schedule" or an "Exhibit" are, unless otherwise specified, to a Schedule or an Exhibit attached to this Agreement. THIS NOTE HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED PURSUANT TO THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE AND MAY ONLY BE SOLD PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, AND APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS. EXHIBIT 1 (to Supplement) SECTION 2. SALE AND PURCHASE OF NOTES. Section 2.1. Series 2003-A Notes. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Company will issue and sell to each Purchaser and each Purchaser will purchase from the Company, at the Closing provided for in Section 3, Series 2003-A Notes in the principal amount specified opposite such Purchaser's name in Schedule A at the purchase price of 100% of the principal amount thereof. The obligations of each Purchaser hereunder are several and not joint obligations and each Purchaser shall have no obligation and no liability to any Person for the performance or nonperformance by any other Purchaser hereunder. Section 2.2. Additional Series of Notes. The Company may, from time to time, in its sole discretion but subject to the terms hereof, issue and sell one or more additional Series of its promissory notes under the provisions of this Agreement pursuant to a supplement (a "Supplement") substantially in the form of Exhibit S. Each additional Series of Notes (the "Additional Notes") issued pursuant to a Supplement shall be subject to the following terms and conditions: (i) each Series of Additional Notes, when so issued, shall be differentiated from all previous Series by sequential alphabetical designation inscribed thereon; (ii) Additional Notes of the same Series may consist of more than one different and separate tranches and may differ with respect to outstanding principal amounts, maturity dates, interest rates and premiums, if any, and price and terms of redemption or payment prior to maturity, but all such different and separate tranches of the same Series shall vote as a single class and constitute one Series; (iii) each Series of Additional Notes shall be dated the date of issue, bear interest at such rate or rates, mature on such date or dates, be subject to such mandatory and optional prepayment on the dates and at the premiums, if any, have such additional or different conditions precedent to closing, such representations and warranties and such additional covenants as shall be specified in the Supplement under which such Additional Notes are issued and upon execution of any such Supplement, this Agreement shall be amended (a) to reflect such additional covenants without further action on the part of the holders of the Notes outstanding under this Agreement, provided, that any such additional covenants shall inure to the benefit of all holders of Notes so long as any Additional Notes issued pursuant to such Supplement remain outstanding, and (b) to reflect such representations and warranties as are contained in such Supplement for the benefit of the holders of such Additional Notes in accordance with the provisions of Section 16; (iv) each Series of Additional Notes issued under this Agreement shall be in substantially the form of Exhibit 1 to Exhibit S hereto with such variations, omissions and insertions as are necessary or permitted hereunder; (v) the minimum principal amount of any Note issued under a Supplement shall be $100,000, except as may be necessary to evidence the outstanding amount of any Note originally issued in a denomination of $100,000 or more; E-1-2 (vi) all Additional Notes shall constitute Senior Debt of the Company and shall rank pari passu with all other outstanding Notes; and (vii) no Additional Notes shall be issued hereunder if at the time of issuance thereof and after giving effect to the application of the proceeds thereof, any Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing. Section 2.3. Subsidiary Guaranty. (a) The payment by the Company of all amounts due with respect to the Notes and the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement will be absolutely and unconditionally guaranteed by the Subsidiary Guarantors pursuant to the Subsidiary Guaranty Agreement dated as of even date herewith, which shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit 2.3 attached hereto, and otherwise in accordance with the provisions of Section 9.6 hereof (the "Subsidiary Guaranty"). (b) The holders of the Notes agree to discharge and release any Subsidiary Guarantor from the Subsidiary Guaranty upon the written request of the Company, provided that (i) such Subsidiary Guarantor has been released and discharged (or will be released and discharged concurrently with the release of such Subsidiary Guarantor under the Subsidiary Guaranty) as an obligor and guarantor under and in respect of the Bank Credit Agreement and the Company so certifies to the holders of the Notes in a certificate of a Responsible Officer and (ii) at the time of such release and discharge, the Company shall deliver a certificate of a Responsible Officer to the holders of the Notes stating that no Default or Event of Default exists. Section 2.4. Security for the Notes. (a) The payment of all amounts due with respect to the Notes and the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement will be secured in accordance with the terms of the Pledge Agreement, which shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit 2.4(a) attached hereto. (b) The enforcement of the rights and benefits in respect of the Subsidiary Guaranty and the Pledge Agreement and the allocation of proceeds thereof shall be subject to the Intercreditor Agreement, which shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit 2.4(b) attached hereto. (c) If at any time the Company or any Subsidiary shall grant to any one or more of the Collateral Agent or the Bank Lenders additional Guaranties or other credit support or collateral of any kind pursuant to the requirements of the Bank Credit Agreement (other than collateral required in respect of letters of credit by the Bank Credit Agreement so long as a default shall have occurred and shall be continuing thereunder), then the Company or such Subsidiary shall grant to the holders of the Notes the same credit support or collateral or Guaranty so that the Notes shall at all times be secured on an equal and ratable basis with the Debt outstanding under the Bank Credit Agreement pursuant to an intercreditor agreement, guaranty agreement or other security documents (which documents shall be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Required Lenders). The holders of the Notes agree to release any such additional Guaranties, credit support, or collateral and any Liens created by the Pledge Agreement upon the written request of the Company, provided that (i) any such Guaranties, credit support, or collateral has been released and discharged (or will be released and discharged concurrently with the release of E-1-3 the additional Guaranties, credit support, or collateral securing the Notes) under and in respect of the Bank Credit Agreement and the Company so certifies to the holders of the Notes in a certificate of a Responsible Officer and (ii) at the time of such release and discharge, the Company shall deliver a certificate of a Responsible Officer to the holders of the Notes stating that no Default or Event of Default exists. SECTION 3. CLOSING. The sale and purchase of the Series 2003-A Notes to be purchased by each Purchaser shall occur at the offices of Chapman and Cutler, 111 West Monroe Street, Chicago, Illinois 60603 at 10:00 a.m. Chicago time, at a closing (the "Closing") on December 12, 2003 or on such other Business Day thereafter on or prior to December 16, 2003 as may be agreed upon by the Company and the Purchasers. At the Closing the Company will deliver to each Purchaser the Series 2003-A Notes to be purchased by such Purchaser in the form of a single Series 2003-A Note (or such greater number of Series 2003-A Notes in denominations of at least $100,000 as such Purchaser may request) dated the date of the Closing and registered in such Purchaser's name (or in the name of such Purchaser's nominee), against delivery by such Purchaser to the Company or its order of immediately available funds in the amount of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer of immediately available funds for the account of the Company to Account Number 076 4084, at Key Bank, N.A., Cleveland, Ohio, ABA Number 041001039, in the Account Name of "Myers Industries, Inc." If at the Closing the Company shall fail to tender such Notes to any Purchaser as provided above in this Section 3, or any of the conditions specified in Section 4 shall not have been fulfilled to any Purchaser's satisfaction, such Purchaser shall, at such Purchaser's election, be relieved of all further obligations under this Agreement, without thereby waiving any rights such Purchaser may have by reason of such failure or such nonfulfillment. SECTION 4. CONDITIONS TO CLOSING. The obligation of each Purchaser to purchase and pay for the Series 2003-A Notes to be sold to such Purchaser at the Closing is subject to the fulfillment to such Purchaser's satisfaction, prior to or at the Closing, of the following conditions: Section 4.1. Representations and Warranties. (a) Representations and Warranties of the Company. The representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement shall be correct when made and at the time of Closing. (b) Representations and Warranties of the Subsidiary Guarantors. The representations and warranties of the Subsidiary Guarantors in the Subsidiary Guaranty shall be correct when made and at the time of Closing. Section 4.2. Performance; No Default. The Company and each Subsidiary Guarantor shall have performed and complied with all agreements and conditions contained in this Agreement and the Subsidiary Guaranty required to be performed or complied with by the E-1-4 Company and each such Subsidiary Guarantor prior to or at the Closing, and after giving effect to the issue and sale of the Series 2003-A Notes (and the application of the proceeds thereof as contemplated by Section 5.14), no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary shall have entered into any transaction since the date of the Memorandum that would have been prohibited by Section 10 hereof had such Sections applied since such date. Section 4.3. Compliance Certificates. (a) Officer's Certificate of the Company. The Company shall have delivered to such Purchaser an Officer's Certificate, dated the date of the Closing, certifying that the conditions specified in Sections 4.1(a), 4.2 and 4.9 have been fulfilled. (b) Secretary's Certificate of the Company. The Company shall have delivered to such Purchaser a certificate certifying as to the resolutions attached thereto and other corporate proceedings relating to the authorization, execution and delivery of the Series 2003-A Notes and this Agreement. (c) Officer's Certificate of the Subsidiary Guarantors. Each Subsidiary Guarantor shall have delivered to such Purchaser an Officer's Certificate, dated the date of the Closing, certifying that the conditions specified in Sections 4.1(b), 4.2 and 4.9 have been fulfilled. (d) Secretary's Certificate of the Subsidiary Guarantors. Each Subsidiary Guarantor shall have delivered to such Purchaser a certificate certifying as to the resolutions attached thereto and other corporate proceedings relating to the authorization, execution and delivery of the Subsidiary Guaranty. Section 4.4. Opinions of Counsel. Such Purchaser shall have received opinions in form and substance satisfactory to such Purchaser, dated the date of the Closing (a) from Kevin C. O'Neil, General Counsel of the Company, covering the matters set forth in Exhibit 4.4(a) and covering such other matters incident to the transactions contemplated hereby as such Purchaser or such Purchaser's counsel may reasonably request (and the Company hereby instructs its counsel to deliver such opinion to such Purchaser), (b) from special counsel for the Company, covering the matters set forth in Exhibit 4.4(b) and covering such other matters incident to the transactions contemplated hereby as such Purchaser or such Purchaser's counsel may reasonably request (and the Company hereby instructs its counsel to deliver such opinion to such Purchaser), and (c) from Chapman and Cutler, the Purchasers' special counsel in connection with such transactions, substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit 4.4(c) and covering such other matters incident to such transactions as such Purchaser may reasonably request. Section 4.5. Purchase Permitted by Applicable Law, Etc. On the date of Closing each purchase of Series 2003-A Notes shall (a) be permitted by the laws and regulations of each jurisdiction to which each Purchaser is subject, without recourse to provisions (such as Section 1405(a)(8) of the New York Insurance Law) permitting limited investments by insurance companies without restriction as to the character of the particular investment, (b) not violate any applicable law or regulation (including, without limitation, Regulation T, U or X of the Board of E-1-5 Governors of the Federal Reserve System) and (c) not subject any Purchaser to any tax, penalty or liability under or pursuant to any applicable law or regulation, which law or regulation was not in effect on the date hereof. If requested by any Purchaser, such Purchaser shall have received an Officer's Certificate certifying as to such matters of fact as such Purchaser may reasonably specify to enable such Purchaser to determine whether such purchase is so permitted. Section 4.6. Related Transactions. The Company shall have consummated the sale of the entire principal amount of the Series 2003-A Notes scheduled to be sold on the date of Closing pursuant to this Agreement. Section 4.7. Payment of Special Counsel Fees. Without limiting the provisions of Section 15.1, the Company shall have paid on or before the Closing, the reasonable fees, reasonable charges and reasonable disbursements of the Purchasers' special counsel referred to in Section 4.4 to the extent reflected in a statement of such counsel rendered to the Company at least one Business Day prior to the Closing. Section 4.8. Private Placement Number. A Private Placement Number issued by Standard & Poor's CUSIP Service Bureau (in cooperation with the Securities Valuation Office of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners) shall have been obtained for each Series of the Series 2003-A Notes. Section 4.9. Changes in Corporate Structure. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary Guarantor shall have changed its jurisdiction of organization or, except as reflected in Schedule 4.9, been a party to any merger or consolidation, or shall have succeeded to all or any substantial part of the liabilities of any other entity, at any time following the date of the most recent financial statements referred to in Schedule 5.5. Section 4.10. Subsidiary Guaranty. The Subsidiary Guaranty shall have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each Subsidiary Guarantor, shall constitute the legal, valid and binding contract and agreement of each Subsidiary Guarantor and such Purchaser shall have received a true, correct and complete copy thereof. Section 4.11. Pledge Agreement. The Pledge Agreement shall have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Pledgor and each other party thereto, shall constitute the legal, valid and binding contract and agreement of each such party and such Purchaser shall have received a true, correct and complete copy thereof. Section 4.12. Intercreditor Agreement. The Intercreditor Agreement shall have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Collateral Agent on behalf of each of the Bank Lenders and each of the Purchasers and acknowledged by the Company, the Subsidiary Guarantors and the Pledgor, and such Purchaser shall have received a true, correct and complete copy thereof. Section 4.13. Proceedings and Documents. All corporate or other organizational proceedings in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and all documents and instruments incident to such transactions shall be satisfactory to such Purchaser E-1-6 and such Purchaser's special counsel, and such Purchaser and such Purchaser's special counsel shall have received all such counterpart originals or certified or other copies of such documents as such Purchaser or such Purchaser's special counsel may reasonably request. Section 4.14. Conditions to Issuance of Additional Notes. The obligations of the Additional Purchasers to purchase any Additional Notes shall be subject to the following conditions precedent, in addition to the conditions specified in the Supplement pursuant to which such Additional Notes may be issued: (a) Compliance Certificate. A duly authorized Senior Financial Officer shall execute and deliver to each Additional Purchaser and each holder of Notes an Officer's Certificate dated the date of issue of such Series of Additional Notes stating that such officer has reviewed the provisions of this Agreement (including any Supplements hereto) and setting forth the information and computations (in sufficient detail) required in order to establish whether after giving effect to the issuance of the Additional Notes and after giving effect to the application of the proceeds thereof, the Company is in compliance with the requirements of Section 10.2 on such date (based upon the financial statements for the most recent fiscal quarter ended prior to the date of such certificate). (b) Execution and Delivery of Supplement. The Company and each such Additional Purchaser shall execute and deliver a Supplement substantially in the form of Exhibit S hereto. (c) Representations of Additional Purchasers. Each Additional Purchaser shall have confirmed in the Supplement that the representations set forth in Section 6 are true with respect to such Additional Purchaser on and as of the date of issue of the Additional Notes. (d) Execution and Delivery of Guaranty Ratification. Each Subsidiary Guarantor shall execute and deliver a Guaranty Ratification in the form attached to the Subsidiary Guaranty. SECTION 5. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY. The Company represents and warrants to each Purchaser that: Section 5.1. Organization; Power and Authority. The Company is a corporation duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Ohio, and is duly qualified as a foreign corporation and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required by law, other than those jurisdictions as to which the failure to be so qualified or in good standing could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has the corporate power and authority to own or hold under lease the properties it purports to own or hold under lease, to transact the business it transacts and proposes to transact, to execute and deliver this Agreement and the Notes and to perform the provisions hereof and thereof. E-1-7 Section 5.2. Authorization, Etc. This Agreement and the Notes have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company, and this Agreement constitutes, and upon execution and delivery thereof against payment of the consideration therefore each Note will constitute, a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by (i) applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights generally and (ii) general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law). Section 5.3. Disclosure. The Company, through its agent, McDonald Investments, Inc., has delivered to each Purchaser a copy of a Private Placement Memorandum, dated October 20, 2003 (the "Memorandum"), relating to the transactions contemplated hereby. The Memorandum fairly describes, in all material respects, the general nature of the business and principal properties of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries. This Agreement, the Memorandum, the documents, certificates or other writings delivered to the Purchasers by or on behalf of the Company in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and the financial statements listed in Schedule 5.5, taken as a whole, do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in light of the circumstances under which they were made. Since December 31, 2002, there has been no change in the financial condition, operations, business or properties of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries except changes that individually or in the aggregate could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. There is no fact known to the Company that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect that has not been set forth herein or in the Memorandum or in the other documents, certificates and other writings delivered to each Purchaser by or on behalf of the Company specifically for use in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby. Section 5.4. Organization and Ownership of Shares of Subsidiaries; Affiliates. (a) Schedule 5.4 contains (except as noted therein) complete and correct lists of (i) the Company's Restricted and Unrestricted Subsidiaries, showing, as to each Subsidiary, the correct name thereof, the jurisdiction of its organization, and the percentage of shares of each class of its capital stock or similar equity interests outstanding owned by the Company and each other Subsidiary, and on Schedule 5.4(a)-2 all other material Investments of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, (ii) the Company's Affiliates, other than Subsidiaries, and (iii) the Company's directors and senior officers. (b) All of the outstanding shares of capital stock or similar equity interests of each Subsidiary shown in Schedule 5.4(a) as being owned by the Company and its Subsidiaries have been validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and are owned by the Company or another Subsidiary free and clear of any Lien (except under the Pledge Agreement and except as otherwise disclosed in Schedule 5.4). (c) Each Subsidiary identified in Schedule 5.4 is a corporation or other legal entity duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization, and is duly qualified as a foreign corporation or other legal entity and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required by law, other than those jurisdictions as to E-1-8 which the failure to be so qualified or in good standing could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Each such Subsidiary has the corporate or other power and authority to own or hold under lease the properties it purports to own or hold under lease and to transact the business it transacts and proposes to transact. (d) No Subsidiary is a party to, or otherwise subject to, any legal restriction or any agreement (other than this Agreement, the agreements listed on Schedule 5.4 and customary limitations imposed by corporate law statutes) restricting the ability of such Subsidiary to pay dividends out of profits or make any other similar distributions of profits to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that owns outstanding shares of capital stock or similar equity interests of such Subsidiary. Section 5.5. Financial Statements. The Company has delivered to each Purchaser copies of the financial statements of the Company and its Subsidiaries listed on Schedule 5.5. All of said financial statements (including in each case the related schedules and notes) fairly present in all material respects the consolidated financial position of the Company and its Subsidiaries as of the respective dates specified in such financial statements and the consolidated results of their operations and cash flows for the respective periods so specified and have been prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the periods involved except as set forth in the notes thereto (subject, in the case of any interim financial statements, to normal year-end adjustments). Section 5.6. Compliance with Laws, Other Instruments, Etc. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and the Notes will not (a) contravene, result in any breach of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation of any Lien in respect of any property of the Company or any Subsidiary under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan, purchase or credit agreement, lease, corporate charter or by-laws, or any other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any Subsidiary is bound or by which the Company or any Subsidiary or any of their respective properties may be bound or affected (except for the Lien created by the Pledge Agreement), (b) conflict with or result in a breach of any of the terms, conditions or provisions of any order, judgment, decree, or ruling of any court, arbitrator or Governmental Authority applicable to the Company or any Subsidiary, or (c) violate any provision of any statute or other rule or regulation of any Governmental Authority applicable to the Company or any Subsidiary. Section 5.7. Governmental Authorizations, Etc. No consent, approval or authorization of, or registration, filing or declaration with, any Governmental Authority is required in connection with the execution, delivery or performance by the Company of this Agreement or the Notes. Section 5.8. Litigation; Observance of Statutes and Orders. (a) There are no actions, suits or proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary or any property of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in any court or before any arbitrator of any kind or before or by any Governmental Authority that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. E-1-9 (b) Neither the Company nor any Restricted Subsidiary is in default under any term of any agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it is bound, or any order, judgment, decree or ruling of any court, arbitrator or Governmental Authority or is in violation of any applicable law, ordinance, rule or regulation (including without limitation Environmental Laws) of any Governmental Authority, which default or violation, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Section 5.9. Taxes. The Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries have filed all tax returns that are required to have been filed in any jurisdiction, and have paid all taxes shown to be due and payable on such returns and all other taxes and assessments levied upon them or their properties, assets, income or franchises, to the extent such taxes and assessments have become due and payable and before they have become delinquent, except for any taxes and assessments (a) the amount of which is not individually or in the aggregate Material or (b) the amount, applicability or validity of which is currently being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and with respect to which the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, has established adequate reserves in accordance with, and where required by, GAAP. The Company knows of no basis for any other tax or assessment that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The charges, accruals and reserves on the books of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of federal, state or other taxes for all fiscal periods are adequate. The federal income tax liabilities of the Company and its Subsidiaries (other than AC Buckhorn Ltd.) have been determined by the Internal Revenue Service and paid for all fiscal years up to and including the fiscal year ended December 31, 1999. Section 5.10. Title to Property; Leases. The Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries have good and sufficient title to their respective properties which the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries own or purport to own, including all such properties reflected in the most recent audited balance sheet referred to in Section 5.5 or purported to have been acquired by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary after said date (except as sold or otherwise disposed of in the ordinary course of business), in each case free and clear of Liens prohibited by this Agreement, except for such defects in title or Liens that individually or in the aggregate could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. All leases under which the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries hold or purport to hold properties are valid and subsisting and are in full force and effect in all material respects with only exceptions that individually and in the aggregate could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Section 5.11. Licenses, Permits, Etc. Except as disclosed in Schedule 5.11, (a) the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries own or possess all Material licenses, permits, franchises, authorizations, patents, copyrights, service marks, trademarks and trade names, or rights thereto, without known conflict with the rights of others, except any conflicts that individually or in the aggregate could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; (b) to the best knowledge of the Company, no product of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries infringes in any Material respect any license, permit, E-1-10 franchise, authorization, patent, copyright, service mark, trademark, trade name or other right owned by any other Person; and (c) to the best knowledge of the Company, there is no Material violation by any Person of any right of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries with respect to any patent, copyright, service mark, trademark, trade name or other right owned or used by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries which violation could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Section 5.12. Compliance with ERISA. (a) The Company and each ERISA Affiliate have operated and administered each Plan in compliance with all applicable laws except for such instances of noncompliance as have not resulted in and could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred any liability pursuant to Title I or IV of ERISA or the penalty or excise tax provisions of the Code relating to employee benefit plans (as defined in section 3 of ERISA), and no event, transaction or condition has occurred or exists that could reasonably be expected to result in the incurrence of any such liability by the Company or any ERISA Affiliate, or in the imposition of any Lien on any of the rights, properties or assets of the Company or any ERISA Affiliate, in either case pursuant to Title I or IV of ERISA or to such penalty or excise tax provisions or to section 401(a)(29) or 412 of the Code, other than such liabilities or Liens as would not be individually or in the aggregate Material. (b) The present value of the aggregate benefit liabilities under each of the Plans (other than Multiemployer Plans), determined as of the end of such Plan's most recently ended plan year on the basis of the actuarial assumptions specified for funding purposes in such Plan's most recent actuarial valuation report, did not exceed the aggregate current value of the assets of such Plan allocable to such benefit liabilities by more than $2,500,000. The term "benefit liabilities" has the meaning specified in section 4001 of ERISA and the terms "current value" and "present value" have the meaning specified in section 3 of ERISA. (c) The Company and its ERISA Affiliates have not incurred any withdrawal liabilities (and are not subject to contingent withdrawal liabilities) under section 4201 or 4204 of ERISA in respect of Multiemployer Plans that individually or in the aggregate are Material. (d) The expected post-retirement benefit obligation (determined as of the last day of the Company's most recently ended fiscal year in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board Statement No. 106, without regard to liabilities attributable to continuation coverage mandated by section 4980B of the Code) of the Company and its Subsidiaries is not Material. (e) The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the issuance and sale of the Notes hereunder will not involve any transaction that is subject to the prohibitions of Section 406 of ERISA or in connection with which a tax could be imposed pursuant to Section 4975(c)(1)(A)-(D) of the Code. The representation by the Company in the first sentence of this Section 5.12(e) is made in reliance upon and subject to the accuracy of each Purchaser's representation in Section 6.2 as to the sources of the funds to be used to pay the purchase price of the Notes to be purchased by such Purchaser. E-1-11 Section 5.13. Private Offering by the Company. Neither the Company nor (based on the letter dated as of December 12, 2003 to the Company from McDonald Investments, Inc. (the "McDonald Letter") anyone acting on the Company's behalf has offered the Series 2003-A Notes or any similar securities for sale to, or solicited any offer to buy any of the same from, or otherwise approached or negotiated in respect thereof with, any Person other than 60 Institutional Investors (including the Purchasers), each of which has been offered the Series 2003-A Notes in connection with a private sale for investment. Neither the Company nor, based on the McDonald Letter, anyone acting on its behalf has taken, or will take, any action that would subject the issuance or sale of the Series 2003-A Notes to the registration requirements of Section 5 of the Securities Act. Section 5.14. Use of Proceeds; Margin Regulations. The Company will apply the proceeds of the sale of the Series 2003-A Notes for the repayment of certain bank indebtedness of the Company and its Subsidiaries. No part of the proceeds from the sale of the Series 2003-A Notes hereunder will be used, directly or indirectly, for the purpose of buying or carrying any margin stock within the meaning of Regulation U of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (12 CFR 221), or for the purpose of buying or carrying or trading in any securities under such circumstances as to involve the Company in a violation of Regulation X of said Board (12 CFR 224) or to involve any broker or dealer in a violation of Regulation T of said Board (12 CFR 220). Margin stock does not constitute more than 2% of the value of the consolidated assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries and the Company does not have any present intention that margin stock will constitute more than 2% of the value of such assets. As used in this Section, the terms "margin stock" and "purpose of buying or carrying" shall have the meanings assigned to them in said Regulation U. Section 5.15. Existing Debt; Future Liens. (a) Except as described therein, Schedule 5.15 sets forth a complete and correct list of all outstanding Debt of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries as of October 31, 2003, since which date there has been no Material change in the amounts, interest rates, sinking funds, installment payments or maturities of the Debt of the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries. Neither the Company nor any Restricted Subsidiary is in default and no waiver of default is currently in effect, in the payment of any principal or interest on any Debt of the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, and no event or condition exists with respect to any Debt of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, that would permit (or that with notice or the lapse of time, or both, would permit) one or more Persons to cause such Debt to become due and payable before its stated maturity or before its regularly scheduled dates of payment. (b) Except as disclosed in Schedule 5.15, neither the Company nor any Restricted Subsidiary has agreed or consented to cause or permit in the future (upon the happening of a contingency or otherwise) any of its property, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, to be subject to a Lien not permitted by Section 10.4. Section 5.16. Foreign Assets Control Regulations, Etc. Neither the sale of the Notes by the Company hereunder nor its use of the proceeds thereof will violate the Trading with the Enemy Act, as amended, or any of the foreign assets control regulations of the United States Treasury Department (31 CFR, Subtitle B, Chapter V, as amended) or any enabling legislation or E-1-12 executive order relating thereto, or is in violation of any federal statute or Presidential Executive Order, including without limitation Executive Order 13224 66 Fed. Reg. 49079 (September 25, 2001) (Blocking Property and Prohibiting Transactions with Persons who Commit, Threaten to Commit or Support Terrorism), or The USA Patriot Act. Section 5.17. Status under Certain Statutes. Neither the Company nor any Restricted Subsidiary is an "investment company" registered or required to be registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or is subject to regulation under the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, as amended, the ICC Termination Act of 1995, as amended, or the Federal Power Act, as amended. Section 5.18. Environmental Matters. Neither the Company nor any Restricted Subsidiary has knowledge of any claim or has received any notice of any claim, and no proceeding has been instituted raising any claim against the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or any of their respective real properties now or formerly owned, leased or operated by any of them, or other assets, alleging damage to the environment or any violation of any Environmental Laws, except, in each case, such as could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Except as otherwise disclosed to each Purchaser in writing: (a) neither the Company nor any Restricted Subsidiary has knowledge of any facts which would give rise to any claim, public or private, for violation of Environmental Laws or damage to the environment emanating from, occurring on or in any way related to real properties or to other assets now or formerly owned, leased or operated by any of them or their use, except, in each case, such as could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; (b) neither the Company nor any of its Restricted Subsidiaries has stored any Hazardous Materials on real properties now or formerly owned, leased or operated by any of them or has disposed of any Hazardous Materials, in each case in a manner both contrary to any Environmental Laws and in any manner that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; and (c) all buildings on all real properties now owned, leased or operated by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries are in compliance with applicable Environmental Laws, except where failure to comply could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. SECTION 6. REPRESENTATIONS OF THE PURCHASER. Section 6.1. Purchase for Investment. Each Purchaser represents that (i) it is an "accredited investor" within the meaning of Rule 501(a) of Regulation D of the Securities Act, and (ii) it is purchasing the Series 2003-A Notes for its own account or for one or more separate accounts maintained by it or for the account of one or more pension or trust funds and not with a view to the distribution thereof, provided that the disposition of such Purchaser's or such pension or trust funds' property shall at all times be within such Purchaser's or such pension or trust funds' control. Each Purchaser understands that the Series 2003-A Notes have not been E-1-13 registered under the Securities Act and may be resold only if registered pursuant to the provisions of the Securities Act or if an exemption from registration is available, except under circumstances where neither such registration nor such an exemption is required by law, and that the Company is not required to register the Series 2003-A Notes. Section 6.2. Source of Funds. Each Purchaser represents that at least one of the following statements is an accurate representation as to each source of funds (a "Source") to be used by it to pay the purchase price of the Series 2003-A Notes to be purchased by it hereunder: (a) the Source is an "insurance company general account" within the meaning of Department of Labor Prohibited Transaction Exemption ("PTE") 95-60 (issued July 12, 1995) and there is no employee benefit plan, treating as a single plan all plans maintained by the same employer or employee organization, with respect to which the amount of the general account reserves and liabilities for all contracts held by or on behalf of such plan, exceeds ten percent (10%) of the total reserves and liabilities of such general account (exclusive of separate account liabilities) plus surplus, as set forth in the NAIC Annual Statement for such Purchaser most recently filed with such Purchaser's state of domicile; or (b) the Source is either (i) an insurance company pooled separate account, within the meaning of PTE 90-1 (issued January 29, 1990), or (ii) a bank collective investment fund, within the meaning of the PTE 91-38 (issued July 12, 1991) and, except as such Purchaser prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement has disclosed to the Company in writing pursuant to this paragraph (b), no employee benefit plan or group of plans maintained by the same employer or employee organization beneficially owns more than 10% of all assets allocated to such pooled separate account or collective investment fund; or (c) the Source constitutes assets of an "investment fund" (within the meaning of Part V of the QPAM Exemption) managed by a "qualified professional asset manager" or "QPAM" (within the meaning of Part V of the QPAM Exemption), no employee benefit plan's assets that are included in such investment fund, when combined with the assets of all other employee benefit plans established or maintained by the same employer or by an affiliate (within the meaning of Section V(c)(1) of the QPAM Exemption) of such employer or by the same employee organization and managed by such QPAM, exceed 20% of the total client assets managed by such QPAM, the conditions of Part I(c) and (g) of the QPAM Exemption are satisfied, neither the QPAM nor a person controlling or controlled by the QPAM (applying the definition of "control" in Section V(e) of the QPAM Exemption) owns a 5% or more interest in the Company and (i) the identity of such QPAM and (ii) the names of all employee benefit plans whose assets are included in such investment fund have been disclosed to the Company in writing pursuant to this paragraph (c) prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement; or (d) the Source is a governmental plan; or E-1-14 (e) the Source is one or more employee benefit plans, or a separate account or trust fund comprised of one or more employee benefit plans, each of which prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement has been identified to the Company in writing pursuant to this paragraph (e); or (f) the Source does not include assets of any employee benefit plan, other than a plan exempt from the coverage of ERISA; or (g) the Source is an insurance company separate account maintained solely in connection with the fixed contractual obligations of the insurance company under which the amounts payable, or credited, to any employee benefit plan (or its related trust) and to any participant or beneficiary of such plan (including any annuitant) are not affected in any manner by the investment performance of the separate account. If any Purchaser or any Additional Purchaser or any subsequent transferee of the Notes indicates that such Purchaser or any Additional Purchaser or such transferee is relying on any representation contained in paragraph (b), (c) or (e) above, the Company shall deliver on the date of issuance of such Notes and on the date of any applicable transfer a certificate, which shall either state that (i) it is neither a party in interest nor a "disqualified person" (as defined in Section 4975(e)(2) of the Code), with respect to any plan identified pursuant to paragraphs (b) or (e) above, or (ii) with respect to any plan, identified pursuant to paragraph (c) above, neither it nor any "affiliate" (as defined in Section V(c) of the QPAM Exemption) has at such time, and during the immediately preceding one year, exercised the authority to appoint or terminate said QPAM as manager of any plan identified in writing pursuant to paragraph (c) above or to negotiate the terms of said QPAM's management agreement on behalf of any such identified plan. As used in this Section 6.2, the terms "employee benefit plan", "governmental plan", "party in interest" and "separate account" shall have the respective meanings assigned to such terms in Section 3 of ERISA. SECTION 7. INFORMATION AS TO COMPANY. Section 7.1. Financial and Business Information. The Company shall deliver to each holder of Notes that is an Institutional Investor: (a) Quarterly Statements -- within 60 days after the end of each quarterly fiscal period in each fiscal year of the Company (other than the last quarterly fiscal period of each such fiscal year), duplicate copies of, (i) a consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such quarter, and (ii) consolidated statements of income, changes in shareholders' equity and cash flows of the Company and its Subsidiaries, for such quarter and (in the case of the second and third quarters) for the portion of the fiscal year ending with such quarter, E-1-15 setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding periods in the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail, prepared in accordance with GAAP applicable to quarterly financial statements generally, and certified by a Senior Financial Officer as fairly presenting, in all material respects, the financial position of the companies being reported on and their results of operations and cash flows, subject to changes resulting from year-end adjustments, provided that delivery within the time period specified above of copies of the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q prepared in compliance with the requirements therefor and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission shall be deemed to satisfy the requirements of this Section 7.1(a); (b) Annual Statements -- within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company, duplicate copies of, (i) a consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries, as at the end of such year, and (ii) consolidated statements of income, changes in shareholders' equity and cash flows of the Company and its Subsidiaries, for such year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail, prepared in accordance with GAAP, and accompanied (A) by an opinion thereon of independent certified public accountants of recognized national standing, which opinion shall state that such financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the companies being reported upon and their results of operations and cash flows and have been prepared in conformity with GAAP, and that the examination of such accountants in connection with such financial statements has been made in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, and that such audit provides a reasonable basis for such opinion in the circumstances, and (B) a certificate of such accountants stating that they have reviewed this Agreement and stating further whether, in making their audit, they have become aware of any condition or event that then constitutes a Default or an Event of Default under a financial covenant, and, if they are aware that any such condition or event then exists, specifying the nature and period of the existence thereof (it being understood that such accountants shall not be liable, directly or indirectly, for any failure to obtain knowledge of any Default or Event of Default under a financial covenant unless such accountants should have obtained knowledge thereof in making an audit in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards or did not make such an audit), provided that the delivery within the time period specified above of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for such fiscal year (together with the Company's annual E-1-16 report to shareholders, if any, prepared pursuant to Rule 14a-3 under the Exchange Act) prepared in accordance with the requirements therefor and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, together with the accountant's certificate described in clause (B) above, shall be deemed to satisfy the requirements of this Section 7.1(b); (c) SEC and Other Reports -- promptly upon their becoming available, one copy of (i) each financial statement, report, notice or proxy statement sent by the Company or any Subsidiary to public securities holders generally, and (ii) each regular or periodic report, each registration statement (without exhibits except as expressly requested by such holder), and each prospectus and all amendments thereto filed by the Company or any Subsidiary with the Securities and Exchange Commission and of all press releases and other statements made available generally by the Company or any Subsidiary to the public concerning developments that are Material; (d) Notice of Default or Event of Default -- promptly, and in any event within five Business Days after a Responsible Officer becomes aware of the existence of any Default or Event of Default or that any Person has given any notice or taken any action with respect to a claimed default hereunder or that any Person has given any notice or taken any action with respect to a claimed default of the type referred to in Section 11(f), a written notice specifying the nature and period of existence thereof and what action the Company is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto; (e) ERISA Matters -- promptly, and in any event within five Business Days after a Responsible Officer becomes aware of any of the following, a written notice setting forth the nature thereof and the action, if any, that the Company or an ERISA Affiliate proposes to take with respect thereto: (i) with respect to any Plan, any reportable event, as defined in Section 4043(c) of ERISA and the regulations thereunder, for which notice thereof has not been waived pursuant to such regulations as in effect on the date thereof; or (ii) the taking by the PBGC of steps to institute, or the threatening by the PBGC of the institution of, proceedings under Section 4042 of ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Plan, or the receipt by the Company or any ERISA Affiliate of a notice from a Multiemployer Plan that such action has been taken by the PBGC with respect to such Multiemployer Plan; or (iii) any event, transaction or condition that could result in the incurrence of any liability by the Company or any ERISA Affiliate pursuant to Title I or IV of ERISA or the imposition of a penalty or excise tax under the provisions of the Code relating to employee benefit plans, or the imposition of any Lien on any of the rights, properties or assets of the Company or any ERISA Affiliate pursuant to Title I or IV of ERISA or such penalty or excise tax provisions, if such liability or Lien, taken together with any other such liabilities E-1-17 or Liens then existing, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; (f) Notices from Governmental Authority -- promptly, and in any event within 30 days of receipt thereof, copies of any notice to the Company or any Subsidiary from any federal or state Governmental Authority relating to any order, ruling, statute or other law or regulation that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; (g) Supplements -- promptly and in any event within 10 Business Days after the execution and delivery of any Supplement, a copy thereof; and (h) Requested Information -- with reasonable promptness, such other data and information relating to the business, operations, affairs, financial condition, assets or properties of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or relating to the ability of the Company to perform its obligations hereunder and under the Notes as from time to time may be reasonably requested by any such holder of Notes. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that one or more Unrestricted Subsidiaries shall either (i) own more than 10% of the total consolidated assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries, or (ii) account for more than 10% of the consolidated gross revenues of the Company and its Subsidiaries, determined in each case in accordance with GAAP, then, within the respective periods provided in Section 7.1(a) and (b) above, the Company shall deliver to each holder of Notes that is an Institutional Investor, unaudited financial statements of the character and for the dates and periods as in said Sections 7.1(a) and (b) covering such group of Unrestricted Subsidiaries (on a consolidated basis), together with a consolidating statement reflecting eliminations or adjustments required to reconcile the financial statements of such group of Unrestricted Subsidiaries to the financial statements delivered pursuant to Sections 7.1(a) and (b). Section 7.2. Officer's Certificate. Each set of financial statements delivered to a holder of Notes pursuant to Section 7.1(a) or Section 7.1(b) hereof shall be accompanied by a certificate of a Senior Financial Officer setting forth: (a) Covenant Compliance -- the information (including detailed calculations) required in order to establish whether the Company was in compliance with the requirements of Section 10.1 through Section 10.3, Section 10.4(l) and Section 10.5 hereof, inclusive, during the quarterly or annual period covered by the statements then being furnished (including with respect to each such Section, where applicable, the calculations of the maximum or minimum amount, ratio or percentage, as the case may be, permissible under the terms of such Sections, and the calculation of the amount, ratio or percentage then in existence); and (b) Event of Default -- a statement that such officer has reviewed the relevant terms hereof and has made, or caused to be made, under his or her supervision, a review of the transactions and conditions of the Company and its Subsidiaries from the E-1-18 beginning of the quarterly or annual period covered by the statements then being furnished to the date of the certificate and that such review shall not have disclosed the existence during such period of any condition or event that constitutes a Default or an Event of Default or, if any such condition or event existed or exists (including, without limitation, any such event or condition resulting from the Material failure of the Company or any Subsidiary to comply with any Environmental Law), specifying the nature and period of existence thereof and what action the Company shall have taken or proposes to take with respect thereto. Section 7.3. Inspection. The Company shall permit the representatives of each holder of Notes that is an Institutional Investor: (a) No Default -- if no Default or Event of Default then exists, at the expense of such holder and upon reasonable prior notice to the Company, to visit the principal executive office of the Company, to discuss the affairs, finances and accounts of the Company and its Subsidiaries with the Company's officers, and (with the consent of the Company, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld) its independent public accountants, and (with the consent of the Company, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld) to visit the other offices and properties of the Company and each Restricted Subsidiary, all at such reasonable times during normal business hours and as often as may be reasonably requested in writing; and (b) Default -- if a Default or Event of Default then exists, at the expense of the Company, to visit and inspect any of the offices or properties of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, to examine all their respective books of account, records, reports and other papers, to make copies and extracts therefrom, and to discuss their respective affairs, finances and accounts with their respective officers and independent public accountants (and by this provision the Company authorizes said accountants to discuss the affairs, finances and accounts of the Company and its Subsidiaries), all at such times and as often as may be reasonably requested. SECTION 8. PAYMENT OF THE NOTES. Section 8.1. Required Payments. (a) The Notes shall not be subject to any required prepayments prior to the final maturity thereof (as set forth in subsections (b) and (c) below) except in connection with an acceleration of the Notes pursuant to Section 12.1 hereof. (b) The entire principal amount of the Tranche 1 Notes shall become due and payable on December 12, 2010. (c) The entire principal amount of the Tranche 2 Notes shall become due and payable on December 12, 2013. Section 8.2. Optional Prepayments with Make-Whole Amount. The Company may, at its option, upon notice as provided below, prepay at any time all, or from time to time any part of, the Notes of any Series, in an amount not less than 10% of the aggregate principal amount of the E-1-19 Notes of such Series then outstanding in the case of a partial prepayment (or such lesser amount as shall be required to effect a partial prepayment resulting from an offer of prepayment pursuant to Section 10.5), at 100% of the principal amount so prepaid, together with interest accrued thereon to the date of such prepayment, plus (except in the case of any prepayment pursuant to Section 10.5) the Make-Whole Amount or other premium determined for the prepayment date with respect to such principal amount of each Note of the applicable Series then outstanding. The Company will give each holder of Notes of the Series to be prepaid written notice of each optional prepayment under this Section 8.2 not less than 30 days and not more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for such prepayment. Each such notice shall specify such date, the aggregate principal amount of the Notes of the applicable Series to be prepaid on such date, the principal amount of each Note held by such holder to be prepaid (determined in accordance with Section 8.3), and the interest to be paid on the prepayment date with respect to such principal amount being prepaid, and shall be accompanied by a certificate of a Senior Financial Officer as to the estimated Make-Whole Amount or other premium due in connection with such prepayment (calculated as if the date of such notice were the date of the prepayment), setting forth the details of such computation. Two Business Days prior to such prepayment, the Company shall deliver to each holder of Notes of the Series to be prepaid a certificate of a Senior Financial Officer specifying the calculation of such Make-Whole Amount as of the specified prepayment date. Section 8.3. Allocation of Partial Prepayments. In the case of each partial prepayment of the Notes pursuant to the provisions of Section 8.2 (excluding any prepayment resulting from an offer of prepayment pursuant to Section 10.5), the principal amount of the Notes of the Series to be prepaid shall be allocated among all of the Notes of such Series at the time outstanding in proportion, as nearly as practicable, to the respective unpaid principal amounts thereof. All regularly scheduled partial prepayments made with respect to any Series of Additional Notes pursuant to any Supplement shall be allocated as provided therein. Section 8.4. Maturity; Surrender, Etc. In the case of each prepayment of Notes pursuant to this Section 8, the principal amount of each Note to be prepaid shall mature and become due and payable on the date fixed for such prepayment, together with interest on such principal amount accrued to such date and the applicable Make-Whole Amount or other premium, if any. From and after such date, unless the Company shall fail to pay such principal amount when so due and payable, together with the interest and Make-Whole Amount or other premium, if any, as aforesaid, interest on such principal amount shall cease to accrue. Any Note paid or prepaid in full shall be surrendered to the Company and cancelled and shall not be reissued, and no Note shall be issued in lieu of any prepaid principal amount of any Note. Section 8.5. Purchase of Notes. The Company will not and will not permit any Affiliate to purchase, redeem, prepay or otherwise acquire, directly or indirectly, any of the outstanding Notes except upon the payment or prepayment of the Notes of any Series in accordance with the terms of this Agreement (including any Supplement hereto) and the Notes. The Company will promptly cancel all Notes acquired by it or any Affiliate pursuant to any payment, prepayment or purchase of Notes pursuant to any provision of this Agreement and no Notes may be issued in substitution or exchange for any such Notes. E-1-20 Section 8.6. Make-Whole Amount for the Series 2003-A Notes. The term "Make-Whole Amount" means with respect to a Series 2003-A Note an amount equal to the excess, if any, of the Discounted Value of the Remaining Scheduled Payments with respect to the Called Principal of the Series 2003-A Note of the applicable Tranche, over the amount of such Called Principal, provided that the Make-Whole Amount may in no event be less than zero. For the purposes of determining the Make-Whole Amount, the following terms have the following meanings: "Called Principal" means, with respect to a Series 2003-A Note, the principal of the Series 2003-A Note of the applicable Tranche that is to be prepaid pursuant to Section 8.2 or has become or is declared to be immediately due and payable pursuant to Section 12.1, as the context requires. "Discounted Value" means, with respect to the Called Principal of a Series 2003-A Note, the amount obtained by discounting all Remaining Scheduled Payments with respect to such Called Principal from their respective scheduled due dates to the Settlement Date with respect to such Called Principal, in accordance with accepted financial practice and at a discount factor (applied on the same periodic basis as that on which interest on the Series 2003-A Note is payable) equal to the Reinvestment Yield with respect to such Called Principal. "Reinvestment Yield" means, with respect to the Called Principal of a Series 2003-A Note, 0.50% plus the yield to maturity implied by (i) the yields reported, as of 10:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the second Business Day preceding the Settlement Date with respect to such Called Principal, on the display designated as "PX-1" on the Bloomberg Financial Market Screen (or such other display as may replace "PX-1" on the Bloomberg Financial Market Screen) for actively traded U.S. Treasury securities having a maturity equal to the Remaining Average Life of such Called Principal as of such Settlement Date, or (ii) if such yields are not reported as of such time or the yields reported as of such time are not ascertainable, the Treasury Constant Maturity Series Yields reported, for the latest day for which such yields have been so reported as of the second Business Day preceding the Settlement Date with respect to such Called Principal, in Federal Reserve Statistical Release H.15 (519) (or any comparable successor publication) for actively traded U.S. Treasury securities having a constant maturity equal to the Remaining Average Life of such Called Principal as of such Settlement Date. Such implied yield will be determined, if necessary, by (a) converting U.S. Treasury bill quotations to bond-equivalent yields in accordance with accepted financial practice and (b) interpolating linearly on a straight line basis between (1) the actively traded U.S. Treasury security with the maturity closest to and greater than the Remaining Average Life and (2) the actively traded U.S. Treasury security with the maturity closest to and less than the Remaining Average Life. "Remaining Average Life" means, with respect to any Called Principal, the number of years (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth year) obtained by dividing (i) such Called Principal into (ii) the sum of the products obtained by multiplying (a) the principal component of each Remaining Scheduled Payment with respect to such Called Principal by (b) the number of years (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth year) that will elapse E-1-21 between the Settlement Date with respect to such Called Principal and the scheduled due date of such Remaining Scheduled Payment. "Remaining Scheduled Payments" means, with respect to the Called Principal of a Series 2003-A Note, all payments of such Called Principal and interest thereon that would be due after the Settlement Date with respect to such Called Principal if no payment of such Called Principal were made prior to its scheduled due date, provided that if such Settlement Date is not a date on which interest payments are due to be made under the terms of the Series 2003-A Note, then the amount of the next succeeding scheduled interest payment will be reduced by the amount of interest accrued to such Settlement Date and required to be paid on such Settlement Date pursuant to Section 8.2 or 12.1. "Settlement Date" means, with respect to the Called Principal of a Series 2003-A Note, the date on which such Called Principal is to be prepaid pursuant to Section 8.2 or has become or is declared to be immediately due and payable pursuant to Section 12.1, as the context requires. SECTION 9. AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS. The Company covenants that so long as any of the Notes are outstanding: Section 9.1. Compliance with Law. The Company will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, comply with all laws, ordinances or governmental rules or regulations to which each of them is subject, including, without limitation, Environmental Laws, and will obtain and maintain in effect all licenses, certificates, permits, franchises and other governmental authorizations necessary to the ownership of their respective properties or to the conduct of their respective businesses, in each case to the extent necessary to ensure that non-compliance with such laws, ordinances or governmental rules or regulations or failures to obtain or maintain in effect such licenses, certificates, permits, franchises and other governmental authorizations could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Section 9.2. Insurance. The Company will, and will cause each of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, maintain, with financially sound and reputable insurers, insurance with respect to their respective properties and businesses against such casualties and contingencies, of such types, on such terms and in such amounts (including deductibles, co-insurance and self-insurance, if adequate reserves are maintained with respect thereto) as is customary in the case of entities of established reputations engaged in the same or a similar business and similarly situated. Section 9.3. Maintenance of Properties. The Company will, and will cause each of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, maintain and keep, or cause to be maintained and kept, their respective properties in good repair, working order and condition (other than ordinary wear and tear), so that the business carried on in connection therewith may be properly conducted at all times, provided that this Section shall not prevent the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary from discontinuing the operation and the maintenance of any of its properties if such E-1-22 discontinuance is desirable in the conduct of its business and the Company has concluded that such discontinuance could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Section 9.4. Payment of Taxes and Claims. The Company will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, file all tax returns required to be filed in any jurisdiction and to pay and discharge all taxes shown to be due and payable on such returns and all other taxes, assessments, governmental charges, or levies imposed on them or any of their properties, assets, income or franchises, to the extent such taxes and assessments have become due and payable and before they have become delinquent and all claims for which sums have become due and payable that have or might become a Lien on properties or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary not permitted by Section 10.4, provided that neither the Company nor any Subsidiary need pay any such tax or assessment or claims if (i) the amount, applicability or validity thereof is contested by the Company or such Subsidiary on a timely basis in good faith and in appropriate proceedings, and the Company or a Subsidiary has established adequate reserves therefor in accordance with, and where required by, GAAP on the books of the Company or such Subsidiary or (ii) the non-filing or nonpayment, as the case may be, of all such taxes and assessments in the aggregate could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Section 9.5. Corporate Existence, Etc. Subject to Sections 10.5 and 10.6, the Company will at all times preserve and keep in full force and effect its corporate existence, and will at all times preserve and keep in full force and effect the corporate existence of each of its Restricted Subsidiaries (unless merged into the Company or a Wholly-Owned Restricted Subsidiary) and all rights and franchises of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries unless, in the good faith judgment of the Company, the termination of or failure to preserve and keep in full force and effect such corporate existence, right or franchise could not, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect. Section 9.6. Additional Subsidiary Guarantors. The Company will cause any Subsidiary (other than a Foreign Subsidiary which is a borrower under the Bank Credit Agreement) which is required by the terms of the Bank Credit Agreement to become a party to, or otherwise guarantee, Debt in respect of the Bank Credit Agreement, to enter into the Subsidiary Guaranty and deliver to each of the holders of the Notes (concurrently with the incurrence of any such obligation pursuant to the Bank Credit Agreement) the following items: (a) a joinder agreement in respect of the Subsidiary Guaranty; (b) a certificate signed on behalf of the Company by the President, a Vice President or another authorized Responsible Officer of the Company by which the Company makes representations and warranties to the effect of those contained in Sections 5.4, 5.6 and 5.7, with respect to such Subsidiary and the Subsidiary Guaranty, as applicable; and (c) an opinion of counsel (who may be in-house counsel for the Company) addressed to each of the holders of the Notes satisfactory to the Required Holders, to the effect that the Subsidiary Guaranty by such Person has been duly authorized, executed E-1-23 and delivered and that the Subsidiary Guaranty constitutes the legal, valid and binding contract and agreement of such Person enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as an enforcement of such terms may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance and similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights generally and by general equitable principles. Section 9.7. Designation of Subsidiaries. The Company may from time to time cause any Subsidiary (other than a Subsidiary Guarantor) to be designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary or any Unrestricted Subsidiary to be designated a Restricted Subsidiary; provided, however, that at the time of such designation and immediately after giving effect thereto, (a) no Default or Event of Default would exist under the terms of this Agreement, and (b) the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries would be in compliance with all of the covenants set forth in this Section 9 and Section 10 if tested on the date of such action and provided, further, that once a Subsidiary has been designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary, it shall not thereafter be redesignated as a Restricted Subsidiary on more than one occasion. Within ten (10) days following any designation described above, the Company will deliver to you a notice of such designation accompanied by a certificate signed by a Senior Financial Officer of the Company certifying compliance with all requirements of this Section 9.7 and setting forth all information required in order to establish such compliance. SECTION 10. NEGATIVE COVENANTS. The Company covenants that so long as any of the Notes are outstanding: Section 10.1. Consolidated Adjusted Net Worth. The Company will not, at any time, permit Consolidated Adjusted Net Worth to be less than the sum of (i) $224,696,119 plus (ii) 50% of Consolidated Net Income (if positive) on a cumulative basis for each fiscal quarter ending after September 30, 2003. Section 10.2. Limitation on Debt. The Company will not permit: (a) the Consolidated Leverage Ratio to exceed (i) 4.0 to 1.0 on or prior to March 31, 2004; (ii) 3.75 to 1.0 after March 31, 2004 and on or prior to September 30, 2004; and (iii) 3.5 to 1.0 after September 30, 2004; and (b) Priority Debt of Restricted Subsidiaries to exceed 15% of Consolidated Adjusted Net Worth. Compliance with this Section 10.2 shall be determined as of the last day of each fiscal quarter and on each day on which the Company or any Subsidiary incurs Debt (other than revolving credit Debt under the Bank Credit Agreement); provided that in the case of any such incurrence, compliance shall be determined as of the last day of the fiscal quarter immediately preceding such incurrence but after giving effect to the Debt then proposed to be incurred and the application of the proceeds thereof. E-1-24 Section 10.3. Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio. The Company will not permit the Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio to be less than 2.25 to 1.0 determined as of the end of the most recently ended fiscal quarter. Section 10.4. Limitation on Liens. The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly create, incur, assume or permit to exist (upon the happening of a contingency or otherwise) any Lien on or with respect to any property or asset (including, without limitation, any document or instrument in respect of goods or accounts receivable) of the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary, whether now owned or held or hereafter acquired, or any income or profits therefrom, or assign or otherwise convey any right to receive income or profits, except: (a) Liens for taxes, assessments or other governmental charges that are not yet due and payable or the payment of which is not at the time required by Section 9.4; (b) any attachment or judgment Lien, unless the judgment it secures shall not, within 60 days after the entry thereof, have been discharged or execution thereof stayed pending appeal, or shall not have been discharged within 60 days after the expiration of any such stay; (c) Liens incidental to the conduct of business or the ownership of properties and assets (including landlords', carriers', warehousemen's, mechanics', materialmen's and other similar Liens for sums not yet due and payable) and Liens to secure the performance of bids, tenders, leases, or trade contracts, or to secure statutory obligations (including obligations under workers compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security legislation), surety or appeal bonds or other Liens incurred in the ordinary course of business and not in connection with the borrowing of money; (d) leases or subleases granted to others, easements, rights-of-way, restrictions and other similar charges or encumbrances, in each case incidental to the ownership of property or assets or the ordinary conduct of the business of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, provided that such Liens do not, in the aggregate, materially detract from the value of such property; (e) Liens securing Debt of a Restricted Subsidiary to the Company or to a Wholly-Owned Restricted Subsidiary; (f) Liens existing as of the date of Closing and reflected in Schedule 10.4; (g) Liens incurred after the date of Closing given to secure the payment of the purchase price incurred in connection with the acquisition, construction or improvement of property (other than accounts receivable or inventory) useful and intended to be used in carrying on the business of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, including Liens existing on such property at the time of acquisition or construction thereof, provided that (i) the Lien shall attach solely to the property acquired, purchased, constructed or improved; (ii) at the time of acquisition, construction or improvement of such property, E-1-25 the aggregate amount remaining unpaid on all Debt secured by Liens on such property, whether or not assumed by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, shall not exceed the lesser of (y) the cost of such acquisition, construction or improvement or (z) the Fair Market Value of such property (as determined in good faith by one or more officers of the Company to whom authority to enter into the transaction has been delegated); and (iii) at the time of such incurrence and after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default would exist; (h) any Lien existing on property of a Person immediately prior to its being consolidated with or merged into the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary or its becoming a Restricted Subsidiary, or any Lien existing on any property acquired by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary at the time such property is so acquired (whether or not the Debt secured thereby shall have been assumed), provided that (i) no such Lien shall have been created or assumed in contemplation of such consolidation or merger or such Person's becoming a Restricted Subsidiary or such acquisition of property, (ii) each such Lien shall extend solely to the item or items of property so acquired and, if required by the terms of the instrument originally creating such Lien, other property which is an improvement to or is acquired for specific use in connection with such acquired property, and (iii) at the time of such incurrence and after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default would exist; (i) Liens granted by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with Permitted Securitization Transactions; provided that (i) such Liens shall extend solely to the Receivables transferred or sold and (ii) the obligations secured by such Liens do not constitute Debt of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary other than a Receivables Subsidiary; (j) any extensions, renewals or replacements of any Lien permitted by the preceding subparagraphs (f), (g) and (h) of this Section 10.4, provided that (i) no additional property shall be encumbered by such Liens, (ii) the unpaid principal amount of the Debt or other obligations secured thereby shall not be increased on or after the date of any extension, renewal or replacement, and (iii) at such time and immediately after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing; (k) in addition to Liens permitted by the preceding subparagraphs (a) through (j), inclusive, of this Section 10.4, Liens securing Senior Debt of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries; provided that the Company shall make effective provision pursuant to an intercreditor agreement and other security documents (which documents shall be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Required Holders) pursuant to which the Notes shall be equally and ratably secured with such Senior Debt; provided further that any pledge of additional shares of Subsidiary stock pursuant to the Pledge Agreement or any pledge agreement substantially similar to the Pledge Agreement and which is subject to the terms of the Intercreditor Agreement shall not require the approval of the Required Holders; and E-1-26 (l) Liens securing Priority Debt of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, provided that the aggregate principal amount of Priority Debt shall not exceed 20% of Consolidated Adjusted Net Worth and any such Priority Debt, shall be permitted by Section 10.2. Section 10.5. Sales of Assets. The Company will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, sell, lease or otherwise dispose of any substantial part (as defined below) of the assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries (including without limitation the sale or transfer of assets in a sale and leaseback transaction or a securitization transaction or a sale of equity interest in any Subsidiary); provided, however, that the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary may sell, lease or otherwise dispose of assets constituting a substantial part of the assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries if such assets are sold in an arms length transaction and, at such time and after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing and an amount equal to the Net Proceeds received from such sale, lease or other disposition shall be used within 365 days of such sale, lease or disposition, in any combination: (1) to acquire productive assets used or useful in carrying on the business of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries and having a value at least equal to the value of such assets sold, leased or otherwise disposed of; or (2) to prepay or retire Senior Debt of the Company and/or its Restricted Subsidiaries, provided that (i) the Company shall offer to prepay each outstanding Note in a principal amount which equals the Ratable Portion for such Note, and (ii) any such prepayment of the Notes shall be made at par, together with accrued interest thereon to the date of such prepayment, but without the payment of the Make-Whole Amount. Any offer of prepayment of the Notes pursuant to this Section 10.5 shall be given to each holder of the Notes by written notice which shall be delivered not less than 30 days and not more than 60 days prior to the proposed prepayment date. Each such notice shall state that it is given pursuant to this Section and that the offer set forth in such notice must be accepted by such holder in writing and shall also set forth (i) the prepayment date, (ii) a description of the circumstances which give rise to the proposed prepayment and (iii) a calculation of the Ratable Portion for such holder's Notes. Each holder of the Notes which desires to have its Notes prepaid shall notify the Company in writing delivered not less than 5 Business Days prior to the proposed prepayment date of its acceptance of such offer of prepayment. Prepayment of Notes pursuant to this Section 10.5 shall be made in accordance with Section 8.2 and Section 8.4 of the Note Agreement. As used in this Section 10.5, a sale, lease or other disposition of assets shall be deemed to be a "substantial part" of the assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries if the book value of such assets, when added to the book value of all other assets sold, leased or otherwise disposed of by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries during the period of 12 consecutive months ending on the date of such sale, lease or other disposition, exceeds 10% of the book value of Consolidated Total Assets, determined as of the end of the fiscal quarter immediately preceding such sale, lease or other disposition; provided that there shall be excluded from any E-1-27 determination of a "substantial part" any (i) sale or disposition of assets in the ordinary course of business of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, (ii) any transfer of assets from the Company to any Wholly-Owned Restricted Subsidiary or from any Restricted Subsidiary to the Company or a Wholly-Owned Restricted Subsidiary, and (iii) any sale or other disposition of Receivables in a Permitted Securitization Transaction. Section 10.6. Merger, Consolidation. The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, consolidate with or merge with any other corporation or convey, transfer or lease substantially all of its assets in a single transaction or series of transactions to any Person; provided that: (1) a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company may (x) consolidate with or merge with, or convey, transfer or lease substantially all of its assets in a single transaction or series of transactions to, the Company or a Wholly-Owned Restricted Subsidiary so long as in any merger or consolidation involving the Company, the Company shall be the surviving or continuing corporation, or (y) convey, transfer or lease all of its assets in compliance with the provisions of Section 10.5; and (2) the foregoing restriction does not apply to the consolidation or merger of the Company with, or the conveyance, transfer or lease of substantially all of the assets of the Company in a single transaction or series of transactions to, any Person so long as: (a) the successor formed by such consolidation or the survivor of such merger or the Person that acquires by conveyance, transfer or lease substantially all of the assets of the Company as an entirety, as the case may be (the "Successor Corporation"), shall be a solvent corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any State thereof or the District of Columbia; (b) if the Company is not the Successor Corporation, such Successor Corporation shall have executed and delivered to each holder of Notes its assumption of the due and punctual performance and observance of each covenant and condition of this Agreement and the Notes (pursuant to such agreements and instruments as shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Required Holders), and the Company shall have caused to be delivered to each holder of Notes (A) an opinion of nationally recognized independent counsel, to the effect that all agreements or instruments effecting such assumption are enforceable in accordance with their terms and (B) an acknowledgment from each Subsidiary Guarantor that the Subsidiary Guaranty continues in full force and effect; and (c) immediately after giving effect to such transaction no Default or Event of Default would exist. Section 10.7. Nature of Business. The Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries will not engage in any business, if, as a result, when taken as a whole, the general E-1-28 nature of the business of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries would be substantially changed from the general nature of the business conducted by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries on the date of this Agreement as described in the Memorandum. Section 10.8. Transactions with Affiliates. The Company will not and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to enter into directly or indirectly any Material transaction or Material group of related transactions (including without limitation the purchase, lease, sale or exchange of properties of any kind or the rendering of any service) with any Affiliate (other than the Company or another Restricted Subsidiary), except upon fair and reasonable terms no less favorable to the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary than would be obtainable in a comparable arm's-length transaction with a Person not an Affiliate. SECTION 11. EVENTS OF DEFAULT. An "Event of Default" shall exist if any of the following conditions or events shall occur and be continuing: (a) the Company defaults in the payment of any principal or Make-Whole Amount, if any, on any Note when the same becomes due and payable, whether at maturity or at a date fixed for prepayment or by declaration or otherwise; or (b) the Company defaults in the payment of any interest on any Note for more than five Business Days after the same becomes due and payable; or (c) the Company defaults in the performance of or compliance with any term contained in Section 10 (other than Section 10.7 and Section 10.8) or any covenant in a Supplement which specifically provides that it shall have the benefit of this paragraph (c); or (d) the Company defaults in the performance of or compliance with any term contained herein or in any Supplement (other than those referred to in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of this Section 11) and such default is not remedied within 30 days after the earlier of (i) a Responsible Officer obtaining actual knowledge of such default and (ii) the Company receiving written notice of such default from any holder of a Note (any such written notice to be identified as a "notice of default" and to refer specifically to this paragraph (d) of Section 11); or (e) for any reason any provision of the Subsidiary Guaranty ceases to be in full force and effect, including, without limitation, a determination by any Governmental Authority that the Subsidiary Guaranty is invalid, void or unenforceable and which, in each case, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, or any Subsidiary Guarantor shall contest or deny in writing the enforceability of any its obligations under the Subsidiary Guaranty; or (f) any representation or warranty made in writing by or on behalf of the Company or by any officer of the Company in this Agreement, the Pledge Agreement or any Supplement or in any writing furnished in connection with the transactions E-1-29 contemplated hereby or thereby proves to have been false or incorrect in any material respect on the date as of which made; or (g) (i) the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary is in default (as principal or as guarantor or other surety) in the payment of any principal of or premium or make-whole amount or interest on any Debt other than the Notes that is outstanding in an aggregate principal amount of at least $10,000,000 beyond any period of grace provided with respect thereto, or (ii) the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary is in default in the performance of or compliance with any term of any instrument, mortgage, indenture or other agreement relating to any Debt other than the Notes in an aggregate principal amount of at least $10,000,000 or any other condition exists, and as a consequence of such default or condition such Debt has become, or has been declared, due and payable before its stated maturity or before its regularly scheduled dates of payment, or (iii) as a consequence of the occurrence or continuation of any event or condition (other than the passage of time or the right of the holder of Debt to convert such Debt into equity interests), the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary has become obligated to purchase or repay Debt other than the Notes before its regular maturity or before its regularly scheduled dates of payment in an aggregate outstanding principal amount of at least $10,000,000; or (h) the Company, any Material Subsidiary or any Subsidiary Guarantor (i) is generally not paying, or admits in writing its inability to pay, its debts as they become due, (ii) files, or consents by answer or otherwise to the filing against it of, a petition for relief or reorganization or arrangement or any other petition in bankruptcy, for liquidation or to take advantage of any bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar law of any jurisdiction, (iii) makes an assignment for the benefit of its creditors, (iv) consents to the appointment of a custodian, receiver, trustee or other officer with similar powers with respect to it or with respect to any substantial part of its property, (v) is adjudicated as insolvent or to be liquidated, or (vi) takes corporate action for the purpose of any of the foregoing; or (i) a court or governmental authority of competent jurisdiction enters an order appointing, without consent by the Company, any of its Material Subsidiaries or any Subsidiary Guarantor, a custodian, receiver, trustee or other officer with similar powers with respect to it or with respect to any substantial part of its property, or constituting an order for relief or approving a petition for relief or reorganization or any other petition in bankruptcy or for liquidation or to take advantage of any bankruptcy or insolvency law of any jurisdiction, or ordering the dissolution, winding-up or liquidation of the Company, any of its Material Subsidiaries or any Subsidiary Guarantor, or any such petition shall be filed against the Company, any of its Material Subsidiaries or any Subsidiary Guarantor and such petition shall not be dismissed within 90 days; or (j) a final judgment or judgments at any one time outstanding for the payment of money aggregating in excess of $5,000,000 are rendered against one or more of the Company, its Restricted Subsidiaries or any Subsidiary Guarantor and which judgments E-1-30 are not, within 90 days after entry thereof, bonded, discharged or stayed pending appeal, or are not discharged within 90 days after the expiration of such stay; or (k) if (i) any Plan shall fail to satisfy the minimum funding standards of ERISA or the Code for any plan year or part thereof or a waiver of such standards or extension of any amortization period is sought or granted under Section 412 of the Code, (ii) a notice of intent to terminate any Plan shall have been or is reasonably expected to be filed with the PBGC or the PBGC shall have instituted proceedings under Section 4042 of ERISA to terminate or appoint a trustee to administer any Plan or the PBGC shall have notified the Company or any ERISA Affiliate that a Plan may become a subject of any such proceedings, (iii) the aggregate "amount of unfunded benefit liabilities" (within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(18) of ERISA) under all Plans, determined in accordance with Title IV of ERISA, shall exceed $5,000,000, (iv) the Company or any ERISA Affiliate shall have incurred or is reasonably expected to incur any liability pursuant to Title I or IV of ERISA or the penalty or excise tax provisions of the Code relating to employee benefit plans, (v) the Company or any ERISA Affiliate withdraws from any Multiemployer Plan, or (vi) the Company or any Subsidiary establishes or amends any employee welfare benefit plan that provides post-employment welfare benefits in a manner that could increase the liability of the Company or any Subsidiary thereunder; provided that any such event or events described in clauses (i) through (vi) above, either individually or together with any other such event or events, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. As used in Section 11(j), the terms "employee benefit plan" and "employee welfare benefit plan" shall have the respective meanings assigned to such terms in Section 3 of ERISA. SECTION 12. REMEDIES ON DEFAULT, ETC. Section 12.1. Acceleration. (a) If an Event of Default with respect to the Company described in paragraph (h) or (i) of Section 11 (other than an Event of Default described in clause (i) of paragraph (h) or described in clause (vi) of paragraph (h) by virtue of the fact that such clause encompasses clause (i) of paragraph (h)) has occurred, all the Notes of every Series then outstanding shall automatically become immediately due and payable. (b) If any other Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, any holder or holders of more than 50% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes of any Series at the time outstanding may at any time at its or their option, by notice or notices to the Company, declare all the Notes of such Series then outstanding to be immediately due and payable. (c) If any Event of Default described in paragraph (a) or (b) of Section 11 has occurred and is continuing with respect to any Series of Notes, any holder or holders of Notes at the time outstanding affected by such Event of Default may at any time, at its or their option, by notice or notices to the Company, declare all the Notes of such Series held by such holder or holders to be immediately due and payable. E-1-31 Upon any Note's becoming due and payable under this Section 12.1, whether automatically or by declaration, such Note will forthwith mature and the entire unpaid principal amount of such Note, plus (i) all accrued and unpaid interest thereon and (ii) the Make-Whole Amount or other premium determined in respect of such principal amount (to the full extent permitted by applicable law), shall all be immediately due and payable, in each and every case without presentment, demand, protest or further notice, all of which are hereby waived. The Company acknowledges, and the parties hereto agree, that each holder of a Note has the right to maintain its investment in the Notes free from repayment by the Company (except as herein specifically provided for) and that the provision for payment of a Make-Whole Amount or other premium by the Company in the event that the Notes are prepaid or are accelerated as a result of an Event of Default, is intended to provide compensation for the deprivation of such right under such circumstances. Section 12.2. Other Remedies. If any Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, and irrespective of whether any Notes have become or have been declared immediately due and payable under Section 12.1, the holder of any Note at the time outstanding may proceed to protect and enforce the rights of such holder by an action at law, suit in equity or other appropriate proceeding, whether for the specific performance of any agreement contained herein or in any Note, or for an injunction against a violation of any of the terms hereof or thereof, or in aid of the exercise of any power granted hereby or thereby or by law or otherwise. Section 12.3. Rescission. At any time after any Notes of any Series have been declared due and payable pursuant to clause (b) or (c) of Section 12.1, the holders of not less than 51% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes of the affected Series then outstanding, by written notice to the Company, may rescind and annul any such declaration and its consequences if (a) the Company has paid all overdue interest on the Notes of the affected Series, all principal of and Make-Whole Amount or premium, if any, on any Notes of the affected Series that are due and payable and are unpaid other than by reason of such declaration, and all interest on such overdue principal and Make-Whole Amount or premium, if any, and (to the extent permitted by applicable law) any overdue interest in respect of the Notes of the affected Series, at the Default Rate, (b) all Events of Default and Defaults, other than non-payment of amounts that have become due solely by reason of such declaration, have been cured or have been waived pursuant to Section 17, and (c) no judgment or decree has been entered for the payment of any monies due pursuant hereto or to any Notes. No rescission and annulment under this Section 12.3 will extend to or affect any subsequent Event of Default or Default or impair any right consequent thereon. Section 12.4. No Waivers or Election of Remedies, Expenses, Etc. No course of dealing and no delay on the part of any holder of any Note in exercising any right, power or remedy shall operate as a waiver thereof or otherwise prejudice such holder's rights, powers or remedies. No right, power or remedy conferred by this Agreement or by any Note upon any holder thereof shall be exclusive of any other right, power or remedy referred to herein or therein or now or hereafter available at law, in equity, by statute or otherwise. Without limiting the obligations of the Company under Section 15, the Company will pay to the holder of each Note on demand such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover all costs and expenses of such holder incurred E-1-32 in any enforcement or collection under this Section 12, including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys' fees, expenses and disbursements. SECTION 13. REGISTRATION; EXCHANGE; SUBSTITUTION OF NOTES. Section 13.1. Registration of Notes. The Company shall keep at its principal executive office a register for the registration and registration of transfers of Notes. The name and address of each holder of one or more Notes, each transfer thereof and the name and address of each transferee of one or more Notes shall be registered in such register. Prior to due presentment for registration of transfer, the Person in whose name any Note shall be registered shall be deemed and treated as the owner and holder thereof for all purposes hereof, and the Company shall not be affected by any notice or knowledge to the contrary. The Company shall give to any holder of a Note that is an Institutional Investor promptly upon request therefor, a complete and correct copy of the names and addresses of all registered holders of Notes. Section 13.2. Transfer and Exchange of Notes. Upon surrender of any Note at the principal executive office of the Company for registration of transfer or exchange (and in the case of a surrender for registration of transfer, duly endorsed or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer duly executed by the registered holder of such Note or its attorney duly authorized in writing and accompanied by the address for notices of each transferee of such Note or part thereof), the Company shall execute and deliver not more than 5 Business Days following surrender of such Note, at the Company's expense (except as provided below), one or more new Notes (as requested by the holder thereof) of the same Series (and of the same tranche if such Series has separate tranches) in exchange therefor, in an aggregate principal amount equal to the unpaid principal amount of the surrendered Note. Each such new Note shall be payable to such Person as such holder may request and shall be substantially in the form of the Note of such Series originally issued hereunder or pursuant to any Supplement. Each such new Note shall be dated and bear interest from the date to which interest shall have been paid on the surrendered Note or dated the date of the surrendered Note if no interest shall have been paid thereon. The Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any stamp tax or governmental charge imposed in respect of any such transfer of Notes. Notes shall not be transferred in denominations of less than $100,000, provided that if necessary to enable the registration of transfer by a holder of its entire holding of Notes, one Note may be in a denomination of less than $100,000. Any transferee, by its acceptance of a Note registered in its name (or the name of its nominee), shall be deemed to have made the representation set forth in Section 6.2, provided that such holder may (in reliance upon information provided by the Company, which shall not be unreasonably withheld) make a representation to the effect that the purchase by such holder of any Note will not constitute a non-exempt prohibited transaction under Section 406(a) of ERISA. The Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act or under the securities laws of any state and may not be transferred or resold unless registered under the Securities Act and all applicable state securities laws or unless an exemption from the requirement for such registration is available. Section 13.3. Replacement of Notes. Upon receipt by the Company of evidence reasonably satisfactory to it of the ownership of and the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of E-1-33 any Note (which evidence shall be, in the case of an Institutional Investor, notice from such Institutional Investor of such ownership and such loss, theft, destruction or mutilation), and (a) in the case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity reasonably satisfactory to it (provided that if the holder of such Note is, or is a nominee for, an original Purchaser or another holder of a Note with a minimum net worth of at least $50,000,000, such Person's own unsecured agreement of indemnity shall be deemed to be satisfactory), or (b) in the case of mutilation, upon surrender and cancellation thereof, the Company at its own expense shall execute and deliver not more than five Business Days following satisfaction of such conditions, in lieu thereof, a new Note of the same Series (and of the same tranche if such Series has separate tranches), dated and bearing interest from the date to which interest shall have been paid on such lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated Note or dated the date of such lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated Note if no interest shall have been paid thereon. SECTION 14. PAYMENTS ON NOTES. Section 14.1. Place of Payment. Subject to Section 14.2, payments of principal, Make-Whole Amount or premium, if any, and interest becoming due and payable on the Notes shall be made in New York, New York at the principal office of Bank One, N.A. in such jurisdiction. The Company may at any time, by notice to each holder of a Note, change the place of payment of the Notes so long as such place of payment shall be either the principal office of the Company in such jurisdiction or the principal office of a bank or trust company in such jurisdiction. Section 14.2. Home Office Payment. So long as any Purchaser or Additional Purchaser or such Purchaser's nominee or such Additional Purchaser's nominee shall be the holder of any Note, and notwithstanding anything contained in Section 14.1 or in such Note to the contrary, the Company will pay all sums becoming due on such Note for principal, Make-Whole Amount or premium, if any, and interest by the method and at the address specified for such purpose for such Purchaser on Schedule A hereto or, in the case of any Additional Purchaser, Schedule A attached to any Supplement pursuant to which such Additional Purchaser is a party, or by such other method or at such other address as such Purchaser or Additional Purchaser shall have from time to time specified to the Company in writing for such purpose, without the presentation or surrender of such Note or the making of any notation thereon, except that upon written request of the Company made concurrently with or reasonably promptly after payment or prepayment in full of any Note, such Purchaser or Additional Purchaser shall surrender such Note for cancellation, reasonably promptly after any such request, to the Company at its principal executive office or at the place of payment most recently designated by the Company pursuant to Section 14.1. Prior to any sale or other disposition of any Note held by any Purchaser or Additional Purchaser or such Person's nominee, such Person will, at its election, either endorse thereon the amount of principal paid thereon and the last date to which interest has been paid thereon or surrender such Note to the Company in exchange for a new Note or Notes pursuant to E-1-34 Section 13.2. The Company will afford the benefits of this Section 14.2 to any Institutional Investor that is the direct or indirect transferee of any Note. SECTION 15. EXPENSES, ETC. Section 15.1. Transaction Expenses. Whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated, the Company will pay all reasonable costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees of one special counsel for the Purchasers or any Additional Purchasers and, if reasonably required, local or other counsel) incurred by each Purchaser and each Additional Purchaser and each other holder of a Note in connection with such transactions and in connection with any amendments, waivers or consents under or in respect of this Agreement (including any Supplement) or the Notes (whether or not such amendment, waiver or consent becomes effective), including, without limitation: (a) the costs and expenses incurred in enforcing or defending (or determining whether or how to enforce or defend) any rights under this Agreement (including any Supplement) or the Notes or in responding to any subpoena or other legal process or informal investigative demand by any Governmental Authority issued in connection with this Agreement (including any Supplement) or the Notes, or by reason of being a holder of any Note, and (b) the costs and expenses, including financial advisors' fees, incurred in connection with the insolvency or bankruptcy of the Company or any Subsidiary or in connection with any work-out or restructuring of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the Notes. The Company will pay, and will save each Purchaser, each Additional Purchaser and each other holder of a Note harmless from, all claims in respect of any reasonable fees, costs or expenses if any, of brokers and finders (other than those retained by the Purchasers). Section 15.2. Survival. The obligations of the Company under this Section 15 will survive the payment or transfer of any Note, the enforcement, amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement, any Supplement or the Notes, and the termination of this Agreement or any Supplement. SECTION 16. SURVIVAL OF REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES; ENTIRE AGREEMENT. All representations and warranties contained herein or in any Supplement shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement, such Supplement and the Notes, the purchase or transfer by any Purchaser or any Additional Purchaser of any such Note or portion thereof or interest therein and the payment of any Note may be relied upon by any subsequent holder of any such Note, regardless of any investigation made at any time by or on behalf of any Purchaser or any Additional Purchaser or any other holder of any such Note. All statements contained in any certificate or other instrument delivered by or on behalf of the Company pursuant to this Agreement or any Supplement shall be deemed representations and warranties of the Company under this Agreement; provided, that the representations and warranties contained in any Supplement shall only be made for the benefit of the Additional Purchasers which are party to such Supplement and the holders of the Notes issued pursuant to such Supplement, including subsequent holders of any Note issued pursuant to such Supplement, and shall not require the consent of the holders of existing Notes. Subject to the preceding sentence, this Agreement (including every Supplement) and the Notes embody the entire agreement and understanding E-1-35 between the Purchasers and the Additional Purchasers and the Company and supersede all prior agreements and understandings relating to the subject matter hereof. SECTION 17. AMENDMENT AND WAIVER. Section 17.1. Requirements. (a) This Agreement (including any Supplement) and the Notes may be amended, and the observance of any term hereof or of the Notes may be waived (either retroactively or prospectively), with (and only with) the written consent of the Company and the Required Holders, except that (i) no amendment or waiver of any of the provisions of Section 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 21 hereof or the corresponding provision of any Supplement, or any defined term (as it is used in any such Section or such corresponding provision of any Supplement), will be effective as to any holder of Notes unless consented to by such holder of Notes in writing, and (ii) no such amendment or waiver may, without the written consent of all of the holders of Notes at the time outstanding affected thereby, (A) subject to the provisions of Section 12 relating to acceleration or rescission, change the amount or time of any prepayment or payment of principal of, or reduce the rate or change the time of payment or method of computation of interest or of the Make-Whole Amount or premium on, the Notes, (B) change the percentage of the principal amount of the Notes the holders of which are required to consent to any such amendment or waiver, or (C) amend any of Sections 8, 11(a), 11(b), 12, 17 or 20. (b) Supplements. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Company may enter into any Supplement providing for the issuance of one or more Series of Additional Notes consistent with Sections 2.2 and 4.14 hereof without obtaining the consent of any holder of any other Series of Notes. Section 17.2. Solicitation of Holders of Notes. (a) Solicitation. The Company will provide each holder of the Notes (irrespective of the amount of Notes then owned by it) with sufficient information, sufficiently far in advance of the date a decision is required, to enable such holder to make an informed and considered decision with respect to any proposed amendment, waiver or consent in respect of any of the provisions hereof, any Supplement or of the Notes. The Company will deliver executed or true and correct copies of each amendment, waiver or consent effected pursuant to the provisions of this Section 17 to each holder of outstanding Notes promptly following the date on which it is executed and delivered by, or receives the consent or approval of, the requisite holders of Notes. (b) Payment. The Company will not directly or indirectly pay or cause to be paid any remuneration, whether by way of supplemental or additional interest, fee or otherwise, or grant any security, to any holder of Notes as consideration for or as an inducement to the entering into by such holder of Notes of any waiver or amendment of any of the terms and provisions hereof or any Supplement unless such remuneration is concurrently paid, or security is concurrently granted, on the same terms, ratably to each holder of Notes then outstanding even if such holder did not consent to such waiver or amendment. Section 17.3. Binding Effect, Etc. Any amendment or waiver consented to as provided in this Section 17 applies equally to all holders of Notes and is binding upon them and upon each E-1-36 future holder of any Note and upon the Company without regard to whether such Note has been marked to indicate such amendment or waiver. No such amendment or waiver will extend to or affect any obligation, covenant, agreement, Default or Event of Default not expressly amended or waived or impair any right consequent thereon. No course of dealing between the Company and the holder of any Note nor any delay in exercising any rights hereunder or under any Note shall operate as a waiver of any rights of any holder of such Note. As used herein, the term "this Agreement" and references thereto shall mean this Agreement as it may from time to time be amended or supplemented. Section 17.4. Notes Held by Company, Etc. Solely for the purpose of determining whether the holders of the requisite percentage of the aggregate principal amount of Notes then outstanding approved or consented to any amendment, waiver or consent to be given under this Agreement or the Notes, or have directed the taking of any action provided herein or in the Notes to be taken upon the direction of the holders of a specified percentage of the aggregate principal amount of Notes then outstanding, Notes directly or indirectly owned by the Company or any of its Affiliates shall be deemed not to be outstanding. SECTION 18. NOTICES. All notices and communications provided for hereunder shall be in writing and sent (a) by telefacsimile if the sender on the same day sends a confirming copy of such notice by a recognized overnight delivery service (charges prepaid), or (b) by a recognized overnight delivery service (with charges prepaid). Any such notice must be sent: (i) if to a Purchaser or such Purchaser's nominee, to such Purchaser or such Purchaser's nominee at the address specified for such communications in Schedule A to this Agreement, or at such other address as such Purchaser or such Purchaser's nominee shall have specified to the Company in writing pursuant to this Section 18; (ii) if to an Additional Purchaser or such Additional Purchaser's nominee, to such Additional Purchaser or such Additional Purchaser's nominee at the address specified for such communications in Schedule A to any Supplement, or at such other address as such Additional Purchaser or such Additional Purchaser's nominee shall have specified to the Company in writing, (iii) if to any other holder of any Note, to such holder at such address as such other holder shall have specified to the Company in writing pursuant to this Section 18, or (iv) if to the Company, to the Company at its address set forth at the beginning hereof to the attention of Chief Financial Officer, with a copy to the General Counsel, or at such other address as the Company shall have specified to the holder of each Note in writing. Notices under this Section 18 will be deemed given only when actually received. E-1-37