Form of Subscription Agreement

 

 

Orion Ethanol, Inc.

307 South Main Street

Pratt, Kansas

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:.

 

The undersigned subscriber (“Subscriber” or “Buyer”) hereby tenders this Subscription Agreement (this “Agreement”) in accordance with and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein:

 

1.	Subscription:

 

(a)   Subscriber hereby subscribes for and agrees to purchase the aggregate principal amount of 8% Convertible Senior Notes (the “Convertible Notes”) of Orion Ethanol, Inc. (formerly, RTO Holdings, Inc.) (the “Company”), indicated on the signature page attached hereto at the purchase price set forth on such signature page (the “Purchase Price”). Subscriber has made payment by check or wire transfer of funds in accordance with instructions from the Company in the full amount of the Purchase Price of the Convertible Notes for which Subscriber is subscribing (the “Payment”). The Convertible Notes shall be convertible at the option of the holder thereof into the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock,” or as converted, the “Conversion Shares”) unless automatically converted into other securities of the Company in accordance with the terms set forth in the Convertible Notes. The Convertible Notes and the Conversion Shares collectively are referred to herein as the “Securities”.

 

(b)   This Agreement is part of an offering being conducted by the Company (the “Offering”). Under the terms of the Offering, the Company seeks to raise up to $15,000,000 aggregate gross proceeds from the Offering (the “Gross Offering Proceeds”) based on an Offering price of $1,000 per $1,000 principal amount of Convertible Notes.

 

(c)   Subscriber understands that it will not earn interest on any funds held by the Escrow Agent pursuant to the escrow defined below. The funds will be held in escrow pending the closing of the Offering. Attached as Exhibit “A” hereto is the form of Escrow Agreement (the “Escrow Agreement”) that will govern the maintenance of funds until the sooner of the closing of the Offering (the “Closing”) or the termination of the Offering. The Closing shall occur on or before November 15, 2006. If the Offering is not closed by November 15, 2006 all Gross Offering Proceeds paid by Subscriber then in escrow shall be returned to the Subscriber, without interest or deduction. The closing shall be deemed to have occurred on the date the conditions set forth in Sections 6 and 7 below are satisfied (the “Closing Date”).

 

(d)   Subscriber hereby agrees to be bound hereby upon (i) execution and delivery to the Company of the signature page to this Agreement and (ii) written acceptance by the

 

 

Company of Subscriber’s subscription, which shall be confirmed by faxing to the Subscriber the signature page to this Agreement that has been executed by the Company (the “Subscription”).

 

2.	BUYER’S REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES.

 

Each Buyer represents and warrants to the Company with respect to only itself that:

 

(a)   No Public Sale or Distribution. Such Buyer is (i) acquiring the Convertible Notes, and (ii) upon conversion of the Convertible Notes will acquire the Conversion Shares issuable upon conversion of the Convertible Notes, for investment purposes, as principal for its own account and not with a view towards, or for resale in connection with, the public sale or distribution thereof, except pursuant to sales registered or exempted under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”); provided, however, that by making the representations herein, such Buyer does not agree to hold any of the Securities for any minimum or other specific term and reserves the right to dispose of the Securities at any time in accordance with or pursuant to a registration statement or an exemption under the 1933 Act. Such Buyer is acquiring the Securities hereunder in the ordinary course of its business. Such Buyer does not presently have any agreement or understanding, directly or indirectly, with any Person to distribute any of the Securities.

 

(b)   Accredited Investor Status. At the time such Buyer was offered the Securities, it was, and at the date hereof it is, and on each date on which it converts the Convertible Notes it will be, an “accredited investor” as defined in Rule 501(a) of Regulation D under the 1933 Act (“Regulation D”). Such Buyer is not a registered broker-dealer under Section 15 of the 1934 Act.

 

(c)   Experience of Buyer. Such Buyer, either alone or together with its representatives, has such knowledge, sophistication and experience in business and financial matters so as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of the prospective investment in the Securities, and has so evaluated the merits and risks of such investment. Such Buyer is able to bear the economic risk of an investment in the Securities and, at the present time, is able to afford a complete loss of such investment.

 

(d)   Reliance on Exemptions. Such Buyer understands that the Securities are being offered and sold to it in reliance on specific exemptions from the registration requirements of United States federal and state securities laws and that the Company is relying in part upon the truth and accuracy of, and such Buyer’s compliance with, the representations, warranties, agreements, acknowledgments and understandings of such Buyer set forth herein in order to determine the availability of such exemptions and the eligibility of such Buyer to acquire the Securities.

 

(e)   Information. Such Buyer and its advisors, if any, have been furnished with all materials relating to the business, finances and operations of the Company and materials relating to the offer and sale of the Securities which have been requested by such Buyer. Such Buyer and its advisors, if any, have been afforded the opportunity to ask questions of the Company. Neither such inquiries nor any other due diligence investigations conducted by such Buyer or its advisors, if any, or its representatives shall modify, amend or affect such Buyer’s right to rely on the

 

 

Company’s representations and warranties contained herein. Such Buyer understands that its investment in the Securities involves a high degree of risk. Such Buyer has sought such accounting, legal and tax advice as it has considered necessary to make an informed investment decision with respect to its acquisition of the Securities.

 

(f)   No Governmental Review. Such Buyer understands that no United States federal or state agency or any other government or governmental agency has passed on or made any recommendation or endorsement of the Securities or the fairness or suitability of the investment in the Securities nor have such authorities passed upon or endorsed the merits of the offering of the Securities.

 

(g)   Transfer or Resale. Such Buyer understands that except as provided in the Registration Rights Agreement: (i) the Securities have not been and are not being registered under the 1933 Act or any state securities laws, and may not be offered for sale, sold, assigned or transferred unless (A) subsequently registered thereunder, (B) sold, assigned or transferred pursuant to an exemption from such registration, provided that upon the request of the Company, the Buyer delivers to the Company an opinion of counsel, in a form reasonably acceptable to the Company, confirming the availability of such exemption, or (C) such Buyer provides the Company with reasonable assurance that such Securities can be sold, assigned or transferred pursuant to Rule 144 or Rule 144A promulgated under the 1933 Act, as amended, (or a successor rule thereto) (collectively, “Rule 144”); (ii) any sale of the Securities made in reliance on Rule 144 may be made only in accordance with the terms of Rule 144 and further, if Rule 144 is not applicable, any resale of the Securities under circumstances in which the seller (or the Person (as defined in Section 3(s)) through whom the sale is made) may be deemed to be an underwriter (as that term is defined in the 1933 Act) may require compliance with some other exemption under the 1933 Act or the rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder; and (iii) neither the Company nor any other Person is under any obligation to register the Securities under the 1933 Act or any state securities laws or to comply with the terms and conditions of any exemption thereunder. The Securities may be pledged in connection with a bona fide margin account or other loan or financing arrangement secured by the Securities and such pledge of Securities shall not be deemed to be a transfer, sale or assignment of the Securities hereunder, and no Buyer effecting a pledge of Securities shall be required to provide the Company with any notice thereof or otherwise make any delivery to the Company pursuant to this Agreement or any other Transaction Document (as defined in Section 3(b)), including, without limitation, this Section 2(f).

 

(h)   Legends. Such Buyer understands that the certificates or other instruments representing the Convertible Notes and, until such time as the resale of the Conversion Shares have been registered under the 1933 Act as contemplated by the Registration Rights Agreement, the stock certificates representing the Conversion Shares, except as set forth below, shall bear any legend as required by the “blue sky” laws of any state and a restrictive legend in substantially the following form (and a stop-transfer order may be placed against transfer of such stock certificates):

 

[NEITHER THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE NOR THE SECURITIES INTO WHICH THESE SECURITIES ARE CONVERTIBLE HAVE

 

 

The legend set forth above shall be removed and the Company shall issue a certificate without such legend to the holder of the Securities upon which it is stamped, if, unless otherwise required by state securities laws, (i) such Securities are registered for resale under the 1933 Act (a “Registration Event”), or (ii) in connection with a sale, assignment or other transfer, such holder provides the Company with an opinion of counsel, in a form reasonably acceptable to the Company, to the effect that such sale or transfer of the Securities may be made without registration under the applicable requirements of the 1933 Act, or (iii) following a sale of transfer of such Securities pursuant to Rule 144 (assuming the transferor is not an affiliate of the Company), or (iv) while such Securities are eligible for sale under Rule 144(k).

 

(i)   Validity; Enforcement. This Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement to which such Buyer is a party have been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered by such Buyer and constitute the legal, valid and binding obligations of such Buyer enforceable against such Buyer in accordance with their respective terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by general principles of equity or to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, liquidation and other similar laws relating to, or affecting generally, the enforcement of applicable creditors’ rights and remedies.

 

(j)   No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by such Buyer of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement to which such Buyer is a party and the consummation by such Buyer of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby will not (i) result in a violation of the organizational documents of such Buyer or (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, any agreement, indenture or instrument to which such Buyer is a party, or (iii) result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment or decree (including federal and state securities laws) applicable to such Buyer, except in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for such conflicts, defaults, rights or violations which would not, individually or in the aggregate,

 

 

reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the ability of such Buyer to perform its obligations hereunder.

 

(k)   Residency. Such Buyer is a resident of that jurisdiction specified below its address on the signature page hereto.

 

(l)   Independent Investment Decision. Such Buyer has independently evaluated the merits of its decision to purchase Securities pursuant to the Transaction Documents, and such Buyer confirms that it has not relied on the advice of the Company nor any other Buyer’s business and/or legal counsel in making such decision.

 

(m)   Certain Trading Activities. Other than the acquisition of the Bridge Notes, such Buyer has not directly or indirectly, nor has any Person acting on behalf of or pursuant to any understanding with such Buyer, engaged in any transactions in the securities of the Company (including, without limitations, any Short Sales (defined below) involving the Company’s securities) since the time that such Buyer was first contacted by the Company regarding the transactions contemplated hereby. Such Buyer covenants that neither it nor any Person acting on its behalf or pursuant to any understanding with it will engage in any transactions in the securities of the Company (including Short Sales) prior to the time that the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are publicly disclosed. For the purpose of this Agreement, “Short Sales” include, without limitation, all “short sales” as defined in Rule 200 promulgated under Regulation SHO under the 1934 Act and all types of direct and indirect stock pledges, forward sale contracts, options, puts, calls, swaps and similar arrangements (including on a total return basis), and sales and other transactions through non US broker dealers or foreign regulated brokers.

 

(n)   General Solicitation. Such Buyer is not purchasing the Securities as a result of any advertisement, article, notice or other communication regarding the Securities published in any newspaper, magazine or similar media or broadcast over television or radio or presented at any seminar.

 

(o)   Organization. Such Buyer is an entity duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization with the requisite corporate or partnership power and authority to enter into and to consummate the transactions contemplated by the applicable Transaction Documents (as defined below) and otherwise to carry out its obligations thereunder.

 

(p)   Certain Fees. Such Buyer has not entered into an agreement whereby brokerage or finder’s fees or commissions are or will be payable by the Company to any broker, financial advisor or consultant, finder, placement agent, investment banker, bank or other person with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

3.	REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY.

 

The Company represents and warrants to each of the Buyers that:

 

(a)   Organization and Qualification. The Company and its “Subsidiaries” (which for purposes of this Agreement means any joint venture or any entity (i) in which the Company,

 

 

directly or indirectly, owns 50% or more of the outstanding capital stock or holds an equity or similar interest representing 50% or more of the outstanding equity or similar interest of such entity, (ii) that is a significant subsidiary of the Company as defined under Regulation S X of the 1934 Act or (iii) in which the Company controls or operates all or part of the business, operations or administration of such entity) are entities duly organized and validly existing in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which they are formed, and have the requisite power and authorization to own their properties and to carry on their business as now being conducted. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries is duly qualified as a foreign entity to do business and is in good standing in every jurisdiction in which its ownership of property or the nature of the business conducted by it makes such qualification necessary, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. As used in this Agreement, “Material Adverse Effect” means any material adverse effect on the business, properties, assets, operations, results of operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or on the transactions contemplated hereby and the other Transaction Documents or by the agreements and instruments to be entered into in connection herewith or therewith, or on the authority or ability of the Company to perform its obligations under the Transaction Documents (as defined below). The Company has no Subsidiaries except as set forth on Schedule 3(a).

 

(b)   Authorization; Enforcement; Validity. The Company has the requisite power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Convertible Notes, the Registration Rights Agreement and each of the other agreements entered into by the parties hereto in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (collectively, the “Transaction Documents”) and to issue the Securities in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof. The execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents by the Company and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, including, without limitation, the issuance of the Convertible Notes, the reservation for issuance and the issuance of the Conversion Shares issuable upon conversion of the Convertible Notes have been duly authorized by the Company’s Board of Directors and other than (i) the filing of a Form D under Regulation D of the 1933 Act, (ii) the filing with the SEC of one or more Registration Statements in accordance with the requirements of the Registration Rights Agreement, (iii) such filings as are required by the Principal Market (as defined below) and (iv) such filings required under applicable securities or “Blue Sky” laws of the states of the United States, no further filing, consent, or authorization is required by the Company, its Board of Directors or its stockholders. This Agreement and the other Transaction Documents of even date herewith have been duly executed and when delivered by the Company will constitute the legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by general principles of equity or applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, liquidation or similar laws relating to, or affecting generally, the enforcement of applicable creditors’ rights and remedies.

 

(c)   Issuance of Securities. The issuance of the Convertible Notes is duly authorized and is free from all liens and charges with respect to the issue thereof. As of the Closing, a number of shares of Common Stock shall have been duly authorized and reserved for issuance which equals 100% of the maximum number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Convertible Notes (assuming such conversion occurred at Closing). Upon conversion in accordance with the Convertible Notes, the Conversion Shares when issued, will

 

 

be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free from all preemptive or similar rights, liens and charges with respect to the issue thereof, with the holders being entitled to all rights accorded to a holder of Common Stock. Based in part upon the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Buyers’ set forth in Article 2, issuance by the Company of the Securities is, or will be upon issuance, exempt from registration under the 1933 Act.

 

(d)   No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance of the Transaction Documents by the Company and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby (including, without limitation, the issuance of the Convertible Notes, and reservation for issuance and issuance of the Conversion Shares) will not (i) result in a violation of any certificate of incorporation, certificate of formation, any certificate of designations or other constituent documents of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or the bylaws of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) in any respect under, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, any agreement, indenture or instrument to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party, or (iii) result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment or decree (including foreign, federal and state securities laws and regulations and the rules and regulations of the OTC Bulletin Board as reported on Bloomberg Financial Markets LP (the “Principal Market”)) applicable to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or by which any property or asset of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is bound or affected; except in the case of each of clauses (ii) and (iii), such as could not, individually or in the aggregate, have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(e)   Consents. Other than as contemplated in Section 3(b), the Company is not required to obtain any consent, authorization or order of, or make any filing or registration with, any court, governmental agency or any regulatory or self-regulatory agency or any other Person in order for it to execute, deliver or perform any of its obligations under or contemplated by the Transaction Documents, in each case in accordance with the terms hereof or thereof. All consents, authorizations, orders, filings and registrations which the Company is required to obtain pursuant to the preceding sentence have been obtained or effected on or prior to the Closing Date (other than those which the Company is not required to obtain in accordance with the Transaction Documents until after the Closing Date) and the Company and its Subsidiaries are unaware of any facts or circumstances which might prevent the Company from obtaining or effecting any of the registration, application or filings pursuant to the preceding sentence. The Company is not in violation of the listing requirements of the Principal Market and has no knowledge of any facts which would reasonably lead to delisting or suspension of the Common Stock in the foreseeable future.

 

(f)   Acknowledgment Regarding Buyer’s Purchase of Securities. The Company has been informed by the Buyer and hereby acknowledges that except as set forth on Schedule 3(f), each Buyer is acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length purchaser with respect to the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby and that no Buyer is (i) an officer or director of the Company, (ii) to the Company’s knowledge, an “affiliate” of the Company (as defined in Rule 144 of the 1933 Act) or (iii) to the knowledge of the Company, a “beneficial owner” of more than 10% of the shares of Common Stock (as defined for purposes of Rule 13d 3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”)). The

 

 

Company has been informed by the Buyer and hereby further acknowledges that, except as set forth on Schedule 3(f), no Buyer is acting as a financial advisor or fiduciary of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (or in any similar capacity) with respect to the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, and any advice given by a Buyer or any of its representatives or agents in connection with the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby is merely incidental to such Buyer’s purchase of the Securities. The Company further represents to each Buyer that the Company’s decision to enter into the Transaction Documents has been based solely on the independent evaluation by the Company and its representatives.

 

(g)   No General Solicitation; Placement Agents’ Fees. Neither the Company, nor any of its affiliates, nor any Person acting on its or their behalf, has engaged in any form of general solicitation or general advertising (within the meaning of Regulation D) in connection with the offer or sale of the Securities. The Company shall be responsible for the payment of any placement agent’s fees, financial advisory fees, or brokers’ commissions (other than for persons engaged by any Buyer or its investment advisor) relating to or arising out of the transactions contemplated hereby. The Company shall pay, and hold each Buyer harmless against, any liability, loss or expense (including, without limitation, attorney’s fees and out-of-pocket expenses) arising in connection with any such claim. The Company acknowledges that it has engaged, Global Hunter Securities, LLC, as placement agent (the “Placement Agent”) in connection with the sale of the Securities. Other than the Placement Agent, the Company has not engaged any placement agent or other agent in connection with the sale of the Securities.

 

(h)   No Integrated Offering. Except as set forth on Schedule 3(h), none of the Company, its Subsidiaries, any of their affiliates, and any Person acting on their behalf has, directly or indirectly, made any offers or sales of any security or solicited any offers to buy any security, under circumstances that would require registration of any of the Securities under the 1933 Act or cause this offering of the Securities to be integrated with prior offerings by the Company for purposes of the 1933 Act or any applicable stockholder approval provisions, including, without limitation, under the rules and regulations of any exchange or automated quotation system on which any of the securities of the Company are listed or designated. None of the Company, its Subsidiaries, their affiliates and any Person acting on their behalf will take any action or steps referred to in the preceding sentence that would require registration of any of the Securities under the 1933 Act or cause the offering of the Securities to be integrated with other offerings.

 

(i)   Dilutive Effect. The Company understands and acknowledges that the number of Conversion Shares issuable upon conversion of the Convertible Notes will increase in certain circumstances. The Company further acknowledges that its obligation to issue Conversion Shares upon conversion of the Convertible Notes in accordance with this Agreement and the Convertible Notes, in each case, is absolute and unconditional regardless of the dilutive effect that such issuance may have on the ownership interests of other stockholders of the Company.

 

(j)   Application of Takeover Protections; Rights Agreement. The Company and its board of directors have taken all necessary action, if any, in order to render inapplicable any control share acquisition, business combination, poison pill (including any distribution under a rights agreement) or other similar anti-takeover provision under the Certificate of Incorporation

 

 

or the laws of the jurisdiction of its formation which is or could become applicable to any Buyer as a result of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including, without limitation, the Company’s issuance of the Securities and any Buyer’s ownership of the Securities. The Company has not adopted a stockholder rights plan or similar arrangement relating to accumulations of beneficial ownership of Common Stock or a change in control of the Company.

 

(k)   SEC Documents; Financial Statements. Except as disclosed in Schedule 3(k), since August 29, 2006, the Company has filed all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents required to be filed by it with the SEC pursuant to the reporting requirements of the 1934 Act (all of the foregoing filed prior to the date hereof and all exhibits included therein and financial statements, notes and schedules thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein being hereinafter referred to as the “SEC Documents”). The Company has delivered to the Buyers or their respective representatives true, correct and complete copies of the SEC Documents not available on the EDGAR system. As of their respective dates, the SEC Documents complied in all material respects with the requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder applicable to the SEC Documents, and none of the SEC Documents, at the time they were filed with the SEC, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. As of their respective dates, the financial statements of the Company included in the SEC Documents complied as to form in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements and the published rules and regulations of the SEC with respect thereto. Such financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, consistently applied, during the periods involved (except (i) as may be otherwise indicated in such financial statements or the notes thereto, or (ii) in the case of unaudited interim statements, to the extent they may exclude footnotes or may be condensed or summary statements) and fairly present in all material respects the financial position of the Company as of the dates thereof and the results of its operations and cash flows for the periods then ended (subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal year-end audit adjustments). The SEC Documents do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstance under which they are or were made and not misleading.

 

(l)   Absence of Certain Changes. Except as disclosed in Schedule 3(l), since June 30, 2006, there has been no material adverse change and no material adverse development in the business, properties, operations, condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations or prospects of the Company or its Subsidiaries. Except as disclosed in Schedule 3(1), since June 30, 2006, the Company has not (i) declared or paid any dividends, (ii) sold any assets, individually or in the aggregate, in excess of $100,000 outside of the ordinary course of business or (iii) had capital expenditures, individually or in the aggregate, in excess of $100,000. The Company has not taken any steps to seek protection pursuant to any bankruptcy law nor does the Company have any knowledge or reason to believe that its creditors intend to initiate involuntary bankruptcy proceedings or any actual knowledge of any fact which would reasonably lead a creditor to do so. The Company and its Subsidiaries, individually and on a consolidated basis, will not, after giving effect to the transactions contemplated hereby to occur at the Closing, be Insolvent (as defined below). For purposes of this Section 3(l), “Insolvent” means, with respect to any Person (as defined in Section 3(s)), (i) the present fair saleable value of such Person’s

 

 

assets is less than the amount required to pay such Person’s total Indebtedness (as defined in Section 3(s)), (ii) such Person is unable to pay its debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and liabilities become absolute and matured, (iii) such Person intends to incur or believes that it will incur debts that would be beyond its ability to pay as such debts as they mature or (iv) such Person has unreasonably small capital with which to conduct the business in which it is engaged as such business is now conducted and is proposed to be conducted.

 

(m)   No Undisclosed Events, Liabilities, Developments or Circumstances. No event, liability, development or circumstance has occurred or exists, or is contemplated to occur with respect to the Company, its Subsidiaries or their respective business, properties, prospects, operations or financial condition, that would be required to be disclosed by the Company under applicable securities laws on a registration statement on Form S 1 filed with the SEC relating to an issuance and sale by the Company of its Common Stock and which has not been publicly announced.

 

(n)   Conduct of Business; Regulatory Permits. Neither the Company nor its Subsidiaries is in violation of any term of or in default under its Articles of Incorporation, any certificate of designations of any outstanding series of preferred stock of the Company or Bylaws or their organizational charter or bylaws, respectively. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of any judgment, decree or order or any statute, ordinance, rule or regulation applicable to the Company or its Subsidiaries, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries will conduct its business in violation of any of the foregoing, except for possible violations which could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company is not in violation of any of the rules, regulations or requirements of the Principal Market and has no knowledge of any facts or circumstances that would reasonably lead to delisting or suspension of the Common Stock by the Principal Market in the foreseeable future. The Common Stock is designated for quotation on the Principal Market. Since August 29, 2006, (i) trading in the Common Stock has not been suspended by the SEC or the Principal Market and (ii) the Company has received no communication, written or oral, from the SEC or the Principal Market regarding the suspension or delisting of the Common Stock from the Principal Market. The Company and its Subsidiaries possess all certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses, except where the failure to possess such certificates, authorizations or permits would not have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, and neither the Company nor any such Subsidiary has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such certificate, authorization or permit.

 

(o)   Foreign Corrupt Practices. Neither the Company, nor any of its Subsidiaries, nor any director, officer, agent, employee or other Person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has, in the course of its actions for, or on behalf of, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expenses relating to political activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee from corporate funds; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as

 

 

amended; or (iv) made any unlawful bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee.

 

(p)   Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The Company is in compliance with any and all applicable requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 that are effective as of the date hereof, and any and all applicable rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC thereunder that are effective as of the date hereof.

 

(q)   Transactions With Affiliates. Except as set forth in the SEC Documents filed at least ten (10) days prior to the date hereof or as disclosed on Schedule 3(q), none of the officers, directors or employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is presently a party to any transaction with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (other than for ordinary course services as employees, officers or directors), including any contract, agreement or other arrangement providing for the furnishing of services to or by, providing for rental of real or personal property to or from, or otherwise requiring payments to or from any such officer, director or employee or, to the knowledge of the Company, any corporation, partnership, trust or other entity in which any such officer, director, or employee has a substantial interest or is an officer, director, trustee or partner.

 

(r)   Equity Capitalization. As of the date hereof, the authorized capital stock of the Company consists of (i) 100,000,000 shares of Common Stock, of which as of the date hereof, 32,661,025 are issued and outstanding and (ii) 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, of which as of the date hereof, no shares are issued and outstanding. All of such outstanding shares have been, or upon issuance will be, validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable. Except as disclosed in Schedule 3(r): (i) none of the Company’s capital stock is subject to preemptive rights or any other similar rights or any liens or encumbrances suffered or permitted by the Company; (ii) there are no outstanding options, warrants, scrip, rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities or rights convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, any capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is or may become bound to issue additional capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or options, warrants, scrip, rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities or rights convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, any capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (iii) there are no outstanding debt securities, notes, credit agreements, credit facilities or other agreements, documents or instruments evidencing Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is or may become bound; (iv) there are no financing statements securing obligations in any material amounts, either singly or in the aggregate, filed in connection with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (v) there are no agreements or arrangements under which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is obligated to register the sale of any of their securities under the 1933 Act (except pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement); (vi) there are no outstanding securities or instruments of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries which contain any redemption or similar provisions, and there are no contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is or may become bound to redeem a security of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (vii) there are no securities or instruments containing anti-dilution or similar provisions that will be triggered by the issuance of the Securities; (viii) the Company does not have any stock

 

 

appreciation rights or “phantom stock” plans or agreements or any similar plan or agreement; and (ix) the Company and its Subsidiaries have no liabilities or obligations required to be disclosed in the SEC Documents but not so disclosed in the SEC Documents, other than those incurred in the ordinary course of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ respective businesses and which, individually or in the aggregate, do not or would not have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has furnished to the Buyers true, correct and complete copies of the Company’s Articles of Incorporation, as amended and as in effect on the date hereof (the “Articles of Incorporation”), and the Company’s Bylaws, as amended and as in effect on the date hereof (the “Bylaws”), and the terms of all securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, shares of Common Stock and the material rights of the holders thereof in respect thereto. Schedule 3(r) sets forth the shares of Common Stock owned beneficially or of record and Common Stock Equivalents (as defined below) held by each director and executive officer.

 

(s)   Indebtedness and Other Contracts. Except as disclosed in Schedule 3(s), neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries (i) has any outstanding Indebtedness (as defined below), (ii) is a party to any contract, agreement or instrument, the violation of which, or default under which, by the other party(ies) to such contract, agreement or instrument could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (iii) is in violation of any term of or in default under any contract, agreement or instrument relating to any Indebtedness, except where such violations and defaults would not result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Effect, or (iv) is a party to any contract, agreement or instrument relating to any Indebtedness, the performance of which, in the judgment of the Company’s officers, has or is expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Schedule 3(s) provides a detailed description of the material terms of any such outstanding Indebtedness. For purposes of this Agreement: (x) “Indebtedness” of any Person means, without duplication, (A) all indebtedness for borrowed money, (B) all obligations issued, undertaken or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property or services, including (without limitation) “capital leases” in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (other than trade payables entered into in the ordinary course of business), (C) all reimbursement or payment obligations with respect to letters of credit, surety bonds and other similar instruments, (D) all obligations evidenced by notes, bonds, debentures or similar instruments, including obligations so evidenced incurred in connection with the acquisition of property, assets or businesses, (E) all indebtedness created or arising under any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, or incurred as financing, in either case with respect to any property or assets acquired with the proceeds of such indebtedness (even though the rights and remedies of the seller or bank under such agreement in the event of default are limited to repossession or sale of such property), (F) all monetary obligations under any leasing or similar arrangement which, in connection with generally accepted accounting principles, consistently applied for the periods covered thereby, is classified as a capital lease, (G) all indebtedness referred to in clauses (A) through (F) above secured by (or for which the holder of such Indebtedness has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, security interest or other encumbrance upon or in any property or assets (including accounts and contract rights) owned by any Person, even though the Person which owns such assets or property has not assumed or become liable for the payment of such indebtedness, and (H) all Contingent Obligations in respect of indebtedness or obligations of others of the kinds referred to in clauses (A) through (G) above; (y) “Contingent Obligation” means, as to any Person, any direct or indirect liability, contingent or otherwise, of that Person with respect to any indebtedness, lease, dividend or other obligation of another Person if the primary purpose or intent of the Person

 

 

incurring such liability, or the primary effect thereof, is to provide assurance to the obligee of such liability that such liability will be paid or discharged, or that any agreements relating thereto will be complied with, or that the holders of such liability will be protected (in whole or in part) against loss with respect thereto; and (z) “Person” means an individual, a limited liability company, a partnership, a joint venture, a corporation, a trust, an unincorporated organization and a government or any department or agency thereof.

 

(t)   Absence of Litigation. Except as set forth on Schedule 3(t), there is no action, suit, proceeding or investigation before or by the Principal Market, any court, public board, government agency, self-regulatory organization or body pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, the Common Stock, the Preferred Stock or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries or any of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ officers or directors, whether of a civil or criminal nature or otherwise.

 

(u)   Insurance. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as management of the Company believes to be prudent and customary in the businesses in which the Company and its Subsidiaries are engaged. Neither the Company nor any such Subsidiary has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for and neither the Company nor any such Subsidiary has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(v)   Employee Relations.

 

(i)   Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to any collective bargaining agreement or employs any member of a union. The Company and its Subsidiaries believe that their relations with their employees are good. No executive officer of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (as defined in Rule 501(f) of the 1933 Act) has notified the Company or any such Subsidiary that such officer intends to leave the Company or any such Subsidiary or otherwise terminate such officer’s employment with the Company or any such Subsidiary. No executive officer of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is, or is now expected to be, in violation of any material term of any employment contract, confidentiality, disclosure or proprietary information agreement, non-competition agreement, or any other contract or agreement or any restrictive covenant, and the continued employment of each such executive officer does not subject the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to any liability with respect to any of the foregoing matters.

 

(ii)   The Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with all federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations respecting labor, employment and employment practices and benefits, terms and conditions of employment and wages and hours, except where failure to be in compliance would not, either individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(w)   Title. The Company and its Subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property and good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them

 

 

which is material to the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects except such as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and any of its Subsidiaries. Any real property and facilities held under lease by the Company and any of its Subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not material and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company and its Subsidiaries.

 

(x)   Intellectual Property Rights. The Company and its Subsidiaries own or possess adequate rights or licenses to use all trademarks, service marks and all applications and registrations therefor, trade names, patents, patent rights, copyrights, original works of authorship, inventions, licenses, approvals, governmental authorizations, trade secrets and other intellectual property rights (“Intellectual Property Rights”) necessary to conduct their respective businesses as now conducted, except where the failure to own or possess Intellectual Property Rights would not result in a Material Adverse Effect. None of the Company’s registered, or applied for, Intellectual Property Rights have expired or terminated or have been abandoned, or are expected to expire or terminate or expected to be abandoned, within three years from the date of this Agreement. The Company does not have any knowledge of any infringement by the Company or its Subsidiaries of Intellectual Property Rights of others. There is no claim, action or proceeding being made or brought, or to the knowledge of the Company, being threatened, against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries regarding its Intellectual Property Rights. The Company is unaware of any facts or circumstances which might give rise to any of the foregoing infringements or claims, actions or proceedings. The Company and its Subsidiaries have taken reasonable security measures to protect the secrecy, confidentiality and value of all of their Intellectual Property Rights.

 

(y)   Environmental Laws. The Company and its Subsidiaries (i) are in compliance with any and all Environmental Laws (as hereinafter defined), (ii) have received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses and (iii) are in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval where, in each of the foregoing clauses (i), (ii) and (iii), the failure to so comply could be reasonably expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. The term “Environmental Laws” means all federal, state, local or foreign laws relating to pollution or protection of human health or the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata), including, without limitation, laws relating to emissions, discharges, releases or threatened releases of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, or toxic or hazardous substances or wastes (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) into the environment, or otherwise relating to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials, as well as all authorizations, codes, decrees, demands or demand letters, injunctions, judgments, licenses, notices or notice letters, orders, permits, plans or regulations issued, entered, promulgated or approved thereunder.

 

(z)   Subsidiary Rights. The Company or one of its Subsidiaries has the unrestricted right to vote, and (subject to limitations imposed by applicable law) to receive dividends and distributions on, all capital securities of its Subsidiaries as owned by the Company or such Subsidiary.

 

 

(aa)   Investment Company. The Company is not, and upon consummation of the sale of the Securities will not be, an “investment company,” a company controlled by an “investment company” or an “affiliated person” of, or “promoter” or “principal underwriter” for, an “investment company” as such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

(bb)   Tax Status. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries (i) has made or filed all foreign, federal and state income and all other tax returns, reports and declarations required by any jurisdiction to which it is subject, (ii) has paid all taxes and other governmental assessments and charges that are material in amount, shown or determined to be due on such returns, reports and declarations, except those being contested in good faith and (iii) has set aside on its books provision reasonably adequate for the payment of all taxes for periods subsequent to the periods to which such returns, reports or declarations apply. There are no unpaid taxes in any material amount claimed to be due by the taxing authority of any jurisdiction, and the officers of the Company know of no basis for any such claim.

 

(cc)   Internal Accounting and Disclosure Controls. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset and liability accountability, (iii) access to assets or incurrence of liabilities is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets and liabilities is compared with the existing assets and liabilities at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any difference. The Company maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a 14 under the 1934 Act) that are effective in ensuring that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the 1934 Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the rules and forms of the SEC, including, without limitation, controls and procedures designed in to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the 1934 Act is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its principal executive officer or officers and its principal financial officer or officers, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. Since January 1, 2006, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries have received any notice or correspondence from any accountant identifying a material weakness in any part of the system of internal accounting controls of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries which is not specified in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10 KSB for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2005.

 

(dd)   Off Balance Sheet Arrangements. There is no transaction, arrangement, or other relationship between the Company and an unconsolidated or other off balance sheet entity that is required to be disclosed by the Company in its 1934 Act filings and is not so disclosed or that otherwise would be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(ee)   Form SB-2 Eligibility. The Company is eligible to register the Conversion Shares for resale by the Buyers using Form SB-2 promulgated under the 1933 Act.

 

 

(ff)   Transfer Taxes. On the Closing Date, all stock transfer or other taxes (other than income or similar taxes) which are required to be paid in connection with the sale and transfer of the Securities to be sold to each Buyer hereunder will be, or will have been, fully paid or provided for by the Company, and all laws imposing such taxes will be or will have been complied with.

 

(gg)   Manipulation of Price. The Company has not, and to its knowledge no one acting on its behalf has, (i) taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or to result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of any of the Securities, (ii) other than the Placement Agent, sold, bid for, purchased, or paid any compensation for soliciting purchases of, any of the Securities, or (iii) other than the Placement Agent, paid or agreed to pay to any person any compensation for soliciting another to purchase any other securities of the Company.

 

(hh)   Acknowledgement Regarding Buyers’ Trading Activity. It is understood and acknowledged by the Company (i) that following the public disclosure of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents in accordance with the terms hereof, none of the Buyers have been asked to agree, nor has any Buyer agreed, to desist from purchasing or selling, long and/or short, securities of the Company, or “derivative” securities based on securities issued by the Company or to hold the Securities for any specified term, (ii) that any Buyer, and counter parties in “derivative” transactions to which any such Buyer is a party, directly or indirectly, which were established prior to their learning of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, presently may have a “short” position in the Common Stock, and (iii) that each Buyer shall not be deemed to have any affiliation with or control over any arm’s length counter-party in any “derivative” transaction. The Company further understands and acknowledges that, following the public disclosure of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents in accordance with the terms hereof, (a) one or more Buyers may engage in hedging and/or trading activities at various times during the period that the Securities are outstanding, including, without limitation, during the periods that the value of the Conversion Shares deliverable with respect to Securities are being determined and (b) such hedging and/or trading activities, if any, can reduce the value of the existing stockholders’ equity interest in the Company both at and after the time the hedging and/or trading activities are being conducted. The Company acknowledges that such aforementioned hedging and/or trading activities do not constitute a breach of this Agreement, any of the Securities or any of the documents executed in connection herewith.

 

(ii)   U.S. Real Property Holding Corporation. The Company is not, nor has ever been, a U.S. real property holding corporation within the meaning of Section 897 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the Company shall so certify upon Buyer’s request.

 

(jj)   Disclosure. The Company confirms that neither it nor any other Person acting on its behalf has provided any of the Buyers or their agents or counsel with any information that constitutes material, nonpublic information concerning the Company or its Subsidiaries other than the existence of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents. The Company understands and confirms that each of the Buyers will rely on the foregoing representations in effecting transactions in securities of the Company. All disclosure provided to the Buyers pursuant to this Agreement regarding the Company, its business and the

 

 

transactions contemplated hereby, including the Schedules to this Agreement, furnished by or on behalf of the Company is true and correct and does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Each press release issued by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries since August 29, 2006 did not at the time of release contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. No event or circumstance has occurred or information exists with respect to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or its or their business, properties, prospects, operations or financial conditions, which, under applicable law, rule or regulation, requires public disclosure or announcement by the Company but which has not been so publicly announced or disclosed.

 

4.	COVENANTS.

 

(a)   Best Efforts. Each party shall use its best efforts timely to satisfy each of the conditions to be satisfied by it as provided in Sections 6 and 7 of this Agreement.

 

(b)   Form D and Blue Sky. The Company agrees to file a Form D with respect to the Securities as required under Regulation D and to provide a copy thereof to the Placement Agent promptly after such filing. The Company shall, on or before the Closing Date, take such action as the Company shall reasonably determine is necessary in order to obtain an exemption for or to qualify the Securities for sale to the Buyers at the Closing pursuant to this Agreement under applicable securities or “Blue Sky” laws of the states of the United States (or to obtain an exemption from such qualification), and shall provide evidence of any such action so taken to the Buyers on or prior to the Closing Date. The Company shall make all filings and reports relating to the offer and sale of the Securities required under applicable securities or “Blue Sky” laws of the states of the United States following the Closing Date.

 

(c)   Reporting Status. Until the date on which the Investors (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement) shall have sold all the Conversion Shares (the “Reporting Period”), the Company shall file all reports required to be filed with the SEC pursuant to the 1934 Act, and the Company shall not terminate its status as an issuer required to file reports under the 1934 Act even if the 1934 Act or the rules and regulations thereunder would otherwise permit such termination.

 

(d)   Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the proceeds from the sale of the Securities for general corporate and for working capital purposes, provided, however, that the Company may not use the proceeds from the sale of the Securities for the redemption or repurchase of any of its or its Subsidiaries’ equity securities.

 

(e)   Financial Information. The Company agrees to send the following to each Investor (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement) during the Reporting Period (i) unless the following are filed with the SEC through EDGAR and are available to the public through the EDGAR system, within one (1) Business Day after the filing thereof with the SEC, a copy of its Annual Reports on Form 10 K or 10 KSB, any interim reports or any consolidated balance sheets, income statements, stockholders’ equity statements and/or cash flow statements for any period

 

 

other than annual, any Current Reports on Form 8 K and any registration statements (other than on Form S 8) or amendments filed pursuant to the 1933 Act and (ii) copies of any notices and other information made available or given to the stockholders of the Company generally, contemporaneously with the making available or giving thereof to the stockholders. As used herein, “Business Day” means any day other than Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in the City of New York are authorized or required by law to remain closed.

 

(f)   Listing. The Company shall promptly secure the listing of all of the Registrable Securities (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement) upon each national securities exchange and automated quotation system, if any, upon which the Common Stock is then listed (subject to official notice of issuance) and shall maintain such listing of all Registrable Securities from time to time issuable under the terms of the Transaction Documents. The Company shall maintain the Common Stocks’ authorization for quotation on the Principal Market. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall take any action which would be reasonably expected to result in the delisting or suspension of the Common Stock on the Principal Market. The Company shall pay all fees and expenses in connection with satisfying its obligations under this Section 4(f).

 

(g)   Fees. The Company shall be responsible for the payment of any placement agent’s fees, financial advisory fees, or broker’s commissions (other than for Persons engaged by any Buyer) relating to or arising out of the transactions contemplated hereby, including, without limitation, any fees or commissions payable to the Placement Agent. The Company shall pay, and hold each Buyer harmless against, any liability, loss or expense (including, without limitation, reasonable attorney’s fees and out-of-pocket expenses) arising in connection with any claim against a Buyer relating to any such payment. Except as otherwise set forth in the Transaction Documents, each party to this Agreement shall bear its own expenses in connection with the sale of the Securities to the Buyers.

 

(h)   Pledge of Securities. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Securities may be pledged by an Investor (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement) in connection with a bona fide margin agreement or other loan or financing arrangement that is secured by the Securities. The pledge of Securities shall not be deemed to be a transfer, sale or assignment of the Securities hereunder, and no Investor effecting a pledge of Securities shall be required to provide the Company with any notice thereof or otherwise make any delivery to the Company pursuant to this Agreement or any other Transaction Document, including, without limitation, Section 2(f) hereof; provided that an Investor and its pledgee shall be required to comply with the provisions of Section 2(f) hereof in order to effect a sale, transfer or assignment of Securities to such pledgee. The Company hereby agrees to execute and deliver such reasonable documentation as a pledgee of the Securities may reasonably request in connection with a pledge of the Securities to such pledgee by an Investor.

 

(i)   Disclosure of Transactions and Other Material Information. On or before 8:30 a.m., New York City time, on the first Business Day following the date of this Agreement, the Company shall issue a press release and file a Current Report on Form 8 K describing the terms of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents in the form required by the 1934 Act and attaching the material Transaction Documents (including, without limitation, this Agreement (and all schedules to this Agreement), and the form of the Registration Rights

 

 

Agreement) as exhibits to such filing (including all attachments, the “8 K Filing”). From and after the filing of the 8 K Filing with the SEC, no Buyer shall be in possession of any material, nonpublic information received from the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any of its respective officers, directors, employees or agents, that is not disclosed in the 8 K Filing. The Company shall not, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries and its and each of their respective officers, directors, employees and agents, not to, provide any Buyer with any material, nonpublic information regarding the Company or any of its Subsidiaries from and after the filing of the 8 K Filing with the SEC without the express written consent of such Buyer or as may be required under the terms of the Transaction Documents. If a Buyer has, or believes it has, received any such material, nonpublic information regarding the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, it shall provide the Company with written notice thereof. The Company shall, within five (5) Business Days of receipt of such notice, make public disclosure of such material, nonpublic information. In the event of a breach of the foregoing covenant by the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, or any of its or their respective officers, directors, employees and agents, in addition to any other remedy provided herein or in the Transaction Documents, a Buyer shall have the right to make a public disclosure, in the form of a press release, public advertisement or otherwise, of such material, nonpublic information without the prior approval by the Company, its Subsidiaries, or any of its or their respective officers, directors, employees or agents. No Buyer shall have any liability to the Company, its Subsidiaries, or any of its or their respective officers, directors, employees, stockholders or agents for any such disclosure. Subject to the foregoing, neither the Company, its Subsidiaries nor any Buyer shall issue any press releases or any other public statements with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby; provided, however, that the Company shall be entitled, without the prior approval of any Buyer, to make any press release or other public disclosure with respect to such transactions (i) in substantial conformity with the 8 K Filing and contemporaneously therewith and (ii) as is required by applicable law and regulations (provided that in the case of clause (i) each Buyer shall be consulted by the Company in connection with any such press release or other public disclosure prior to its release). Without the prior written consent of any applicable Buyer, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or affiliates shall disclose the name of such Buyer in any filing, announcement, release or otherwise, unless such disclosure is required by law, regulation or the Principal Market.

 

(j)   Restriction on Redemption and Cash Dividends. So long as any Convertible Notes are outstanding, the Company shall not, directly or indirectly, redeem, or declare or pay any dividend or distribution on, the Common Stock or any other equity security without the prior express written consent of the Required Holders.

 

(k)   Reservation of Shares. So long as any Convertible Notes remain outstanding, the Company shall take all action necessary to at all times have authorized, and reserved for the purpose of issuance, no less than 100% of the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of all of the Convertible Notes then outstanding.

 

(l)   Conduct of Business. The business of the Company and its Subsidiaries shall not be conducted in violation of any law, ordinance or regulation of any governmental entity, except where such violations would not result, either individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(m)   Additional Issuances of Securities.

 

 

(i)   For purposes of this Section 4(o), the following definitions shall apply.

 

(1)   “Convertible Securities” means any stock or securities (other than Options) convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of Common Stock.

 

(2)   “Options” means any rights, warrants or options to subscribe for or purchase shares of Common Stock or Convertible Securities.

 

(3)   “Common Stock Equivalents” means, collectively, Options and Convertible Securities.

 

(4)   “Qualified Financing” shall have the meaning set forth in the Convertible Notes.

 

(ii)   Other than a Qualified Financing, for a period of 180 days following the Closing Date, the Company will not, directly or indirectly, offer, sell, grant any option to purchase, or otherwise dispose of (or announce any offer, sale, grant or any option to purchase or other disposition of) any of its or its Subsidiaries’ equity or equity equivalent securities, including without limitation any debt, preferred stock or other instrument or security that is, at any time during its life and under any circumstances, convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for shares of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents (any such offer, sale, grant, disposition or announcement being referred to as a “Subsequent Placement”).

 

(iii)   Other than a Qualified Financing, for a period commencing 180 days after the Closing Date and ending 12 months following the Closing Date hereof, the Company will not, directly or indirectly, effect any Subsequent Placement unless the Company shall have first complied with this Section 4(m)(iii).

 

(1)   The Company shall deliver to each Buyer who purchased at least $250,000 aggregate principal amount of Convertible Notes hereunder (each, an “Eligible Buyer”) a written notice (the “Offer Notice”) of any proposed or intended issuance or sale or exchange (the “Offer”) of the securities being offered (the “Offered Securities”) in a Subsequent Placement, which Offer Notice shall (w) identify and describe the Offered Securities, (x) describe the price and other terms upon which they are to be issued, sold or exchanged, and the number or amount of the Offered Securities to be issued, sold or exchanged, (y) identify the persons or entities (if known) to which or with which the Offered Securities are to be offered, issued, sold or exchanged and (z) offer to issue and sell to or exchange with such Eligible Buyers at least 50% of the Offered Securities, allocated among such Eligible Buyers (a) based on such Eligible Buyer’s pro rata portion of the total aggregate principal amount of Convertible Notes purchased hereunder by Eligible Buyers (the “Basic Amount”), and (b) with respect to each Eligible Buyer that elects to purchase its Basic Amount, any additional portion of the Offered Securities attributable to the Basic Amounts of other Eligible Buyers as such Eligible Buyer shall indicate it will purchase or acquire should the other Eligible Buyers subscribe for less than their Basic Amounts (the “Undersubscription Amount”), which process shall be repeated until the Buyers shall have an opportunity to subscribe for any remaining Undersubscription Amount.

 

 

(2)   To accept an Offer, in whole or in part, such Eligible Buyer must deliver a written notice to the Company prior to the end of the seventh (7th) Business Day after such Eligible Buyer’s receipt of the Offer Notice (the “Offer Period”), setting forth the portion of such Eligible Buyer’s Basic Amount that such Eligible Buyer elects to purchase and, if such Eligible Buyer shall elect to purchase all of its Basic Amount, the Undersubscription Amount, if any, that such Eligible Buyer elects to purchase (in either case, the “Notice of Acceptance”). If the Basic Amounts subscribed for by all Eligible Buyers are less than the total of all of the Basic Amounts, then each Eligible Buyer who has set forth an Undersubscription Amount in its Notice of Acceptance shall be entitled to purchase, in addition to the Basic Amounts subscribed for, the Undersubscription Amount it has subscribed for; provided, however, that if the Undersubscription Amounts subscribed for exceed the difference between the total of all the Basic Amounts and the Basic Amounts subscribed for (the “Available Undersubscription Amount”), each Eligible Buyer who has subscribed for any Undersubscription Amount shall be entitled to purchase only that portion of the Available Undersubscription Amount as the Basic Amount of such Eligible Buyer bears to the total Basic Amounts of all Eligible Buyers that have subscribed for Undersubscription Amounts, subject to rounding by the Company to the extent its deems reasonably necessary.

 

(3)   The Company shall have sixty (60) days from the expiration of the Offer Period above to (i) offer, issue, sell or exchange all or any part of such Offered Securities as to which a Notice of Acceptance has not been given by the Eligible Buyers (the “Refused Securities”), but only to the offerees described in the Offer Notice (if so described therein) and only upon terms and conditions (including, without limitation, unit prices and interest rates) that are not more favorable to the acquiring person or persons or less favorable to the Company than those set forth in the Offer Notice and (ii) to publicly announce (a) the execution of such Subsequent Placement Agreement (as defined below), and (b) either (x) the consummation of the transactions contemplated by such Subsequent Placement Agreement or (y) the termination of such Subsequent Placement Agreement, which shall be filed with the SEC on a Current Report on Form 8 K with such Subsequent Placement Agreement and any documents contemplated therein filed as exhibits thereto (the “Offer 8-K”). In the event of a breach of the foregoing covenant by the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, or any of its or their respective officers, directors, employees and agents, in addition to any other remedy provided herein or in the Transaction Documents, a Buyer shall have the right to make a public disclosure, in the form of a press release, public advertisement or otherwise, of such material, nonpublic information without the prior approval by the Company, its Subsidiaries, or any of its or their respective officers, directors, employees or agents. No Buyer shall have any liability to the Company, its Subsidiaries, or any of its or their respective officers, directors, employees, stockholders or agents for any such disclosure.

 

(4)   In the event the Company shall propose to sell less than all the Refused Securities (any such sale to be in the manner and on the terms specified in Section 4(m)(iii)(3) above), then each Eligible Buyer may, at its sole option and in its sole discretion, reduce the number or amount of the Offered Securities specified in its Notice of Acceptance to an amount that shall be not less than the number or amount of the Offered Securities that such Eligible Buyer elected to purchase pursuant to Section

 

 

4(m)(iii)(2) above multiplied by a fraction, (i) the numerator of which shall be the number or amount of Offered Securities the Company actually proposes to issue, sell or exchange (including Offered Securities to be issued or sold to Eligible Buyers pursuant to Section 4(m)(iii)(3) above prior to such reduction) and (ii) the denominator of which shall be the original amount of the Offered Securities. In the event that any Eligible Buyer so elects to reduce the number or amount of Offered Securities specified in its Notice of Acceptance, the Company may not issue, sell or exchange more than the reduced number or amount of the Offered Securities unless and until such securities have again been offered to the Eligible Buyers in accordance with Section 4(m)(iii)(1) above.

 

(5)   Upon the closing of the issuance, sale or exchange of all or less than all of the Refused Securities, the Eligible Buyers shall acquire from the Company, and the Company shall issue to the Eligible Buyers, the number or amount of Offered Securities specified in the Notices of Acceptance, as reduced pursuant to Section 4(m)(iii)(3) above if the Eligible Buyers have so elected, upon the terms and conditions specified in the Offer. The purchase by the Eligible Buyers of any Offered Securities is subject in all cases to the preparation, execution and delivery by the Company and the Eligible Buyers of a purchase agreement relating to such Offered Securities reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Eligible Buyers and their respective counsel.

 

(6)   Any Offered Securities not acquired by the Eligible Buyers or other persons in accordance with Section 4(m)(iii)(3) above may not be issued, sold or exchanged until they are again offered to the Eligible Buyers under the procedures specified in this Agreement.

 

(iv)   In exchange for the Company’s willingness to agree to these procedures, each Eligible Buyer hereby irrevocably agrees that it will hold in strict confidence any and all Offer Notices, the information contained therein, and the fact that the Company is contemplating a Subsequent Placement, from the date such Eligible Buyer receives such Offer Notice until the earlier to occur of (1) the date the Offer 8 K is filed with the SEC and (2) the date such information is disclosed to the public by any Eligible Buyer in accordance with Section 4(m)(iii)(3) above. Notwithstanding anything in this Section 4(m) to the contrary, at any time any Eligible Buyer may elect, by delivering written notice to the Company, not to receive any Offer Notices hereunder and, until such time as such Eligible Buyer or its successor elects, by delivering written notice to the Company, to receive Offer Notices hereunder, the Company shall not be obligated to deliver any Offer Notices to such Eligible Buyer.

 

(n)   Additional Registration Statements. Until the Effective Date (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement), the Company will not file a registration statement under the 1933 Act relating to securities that are not the Securities or securities issued in the Qualified Financing.

 

5.	REGISTER; TRANSFER AGENT INSTRUCTIONS.

 

(a)   Register. The Company shall maintain at its principal executive offices (or such other office or agency of the Company as it may designate by notice to each holder of Securities), a register for the Convertible Notes in which the Company shall record the name and

 

 

address of the Person in whose name the Convertible Notes have been issued (including the name and address of each transferee), the aggregate principal amount of Convertible Notes and the number of Conversion Shares issuable upon conversion of the Convertible Notes held by such Person. The Company shall keep the register open and available at all times during business hours for inspection of any Buyer or its legal representatives upon reasonable notice.

 

(b)   Transfer Agent Instructions. The Company shall issue irrevocable instructions to its transfer agent, and any subsequent transfer agent, to issue certificates or credit shares to the applicable balance accounts at The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), registered in the name of each Buyer or its respective nominee(s), for the Conversion Shares issued upon conversion of the Convertible Notes in such amounts as specified from time to time by each Buyer to the Company upon conversion of the Convertible Notes. The Company warrants that no instruction other than the transfer agent instruction referred to in this Section 5(b), and stop transfer instructions to give effect to Section 2(g) hereof, will be given by the Company to its transfer agent, and that the Securities shall otherwise be freely transferable on the books and records of the Company as and to the extent provided in this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents. Upon a Registration Event or if a Buyer effects a sale, assignment or transfer of the Securities in accordance with Section 2(f), the Company shall promptly instruct its transfer agent to issue one or more certificates or credit shares to the applicable balance accounts at DTC in such name and in such denominations as specified by such Buyer to effect such sale, transfer or assignment and, with respect to any transfer, shall permit the transfer. In the event that a Registration Event has occurred or such sale, assignment or transfer involves Conversion Shares sold, assigned or transferred pursuant to an effective registration statement or pursuant to Rule 144, the transfer agent shall issue such Securities to the Buyer, assignee or transferee, as the case may be, without any restrictive legend. The Company acknowledges that a breach by it of its obligations hereunder will cause irreparable harm to a Buyer. Accordingly, the Company acknowledges that the remedy at law for a breach of its obligations under this Section 5(b) will be inadequate and agrees, in the event of a breach or threatened breach by the Company of the provisions of this Section 5(b), that a Buyer shall be entitled, in addition to all other available remedies, to an order and/or injunction restraining any breach and requiring immediate issuance and transfer, without the necessity of showing economic loss and without any bond or other security being required.

 

6.	CONDITIONS TO THE COMPANY’S OBLIGATION TO SELL.

 

The obligation of the Company hereunder to issue and sell the Convertible Notes to each Buyer at the Closing is subject to the satisfaction, at or before the Closing Date, of each of the following conditions, provided that these conditions are for the Company’s sole benefit and may be waived by the Company at any time in its sole discretion by providing each Buyer with prior written notice thereof:

 

(a)   Such Buyer shall have executed each of the Transaction Documents to which it is a party and delivered the same to the Company.

 

(b)   Such Buyer and each other Buyer shall have delivered to the Company or the Escrow Agent the Purchase Price for the Convertible Notes being purchased by such Buyer at

 

 

the Closing by check or wire transfer of immediately available funds pursuant to the wire instructions provided by the Company.

 

(c)   The representations and warranties of such Buyer shall be true and correct in all material respects (except for those representations and warranties that are qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, which shall be true and correct in all respects) as of the date when made and as of the Closing Date as though made at that time (except for representations and warranties that speak as of a specific date, which shall be true and correct as of such specific date), and such Buyer shall have performed, satisfied and complied in all material respects with the covenants, agreements and conditions required by this Agreement to be performed, satisfied or complied with by such Buyer at or prior to the Closing Date.

 

7.	CONDITIONS TO EACH BUYER’S OBLIGATION TO PURCHASE.

 

The obligation of each Buyer hereunder to purchase the Convertible Notes at the Closing is subject to the satisfaction, at or before the Closing Date, of each of the following conditions, provided that these conditions are for each Buyer’s sole benefit and may be waived by such Buyer at any time in its sole discretion by providing the Company with prior written notice thereof:

 

(a)   The Company shall have duly executed and delivered to such Buyer (i) each of the Transaction Documents, including the Company’s acceptance of this Agreement and (ii) certificates representing the aggregate principal amount of Convertible Notes being purchased by such Buyer at the Closing pursuant to this Agreement.

 

(b)   Such Buyer shall have received the opinion of Thelen Reid & Priest, LLP, the Company’s outside counsel, dated as of the Closing Date, in substantially the form of Exhibit D attached hereto.

 

(c)   The Company shall have delivered to such Buyer a true copy of certificates evidencing the formation and good standing of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries in such entity’s jurisdiction of formation issued by the Secretary of State (or comparable office) of such jurisdiction, as of a date within 10 days of the Closing Date.

 

(d)   The Company shall have delivered to such Buyer a true copy of certificates evidencing the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ qualification as a foreign corporation and good standing issued by the Secretary of State (or comparable office) of each jurisdiction in which the Company or its Subsidiaries conducts business, as of a date within 10 days of the Closing Date.

 

(e)   The Company shall have delivered to such Buyer a certified copy of the Articles of Incorporation as certified by the Secretary of State of the State of Nevada within ten (10) days of the Closing Date.

 

(f)   The Company shall have delivered to such Buyer a certificate, executed by the Secretary of the Company and dated as of the Closing Date, as to (i) the resolutions consistent with Section 3(b) as adopted by the Company’s Board of Directors in a form reasonably acceptable to such Buyer, (ii) the Certificate of Incorporation and (iii) the Bylaws, each as in effect at the Closing, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit E.

 

 

(g)   The representations and warranties of the Company shall be true and correct in all material respects (except for those representations and warranties that are qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, which shall be true and correct in all respects) as of the date when made and as of the Closing Date as though made at that time (except for representations and warranties that speak as of a specific date, which shall be true and correct as of such specific date) and the Company shall have performed, satisfied and complied in all material respects with the covenants, agreements and conditions required by the Transaction Documents to be performed, satisfied or complied with by the Company at or prior to the Closing Date. Such Buyer shall have received a certificate, executed by the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, dated as of the Closing Date, to the foregoing effect and as to such other matters as may be reasonably requested by such Buyer in the form attached hereto as Exhibit F.

 

(h)   The Company shall have delivered to such Buyer a letter from the Company’s transfer agent certifying the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding as of a date within five days of the Closing Date.

 

(i)   The Common Stock (I) shall be designated for quotation or listed on the Principal Market and (II) shall not have been suspended, as of the Closing Date, by the SEC or the Principal Market from trading on the Principal Market nor shall suspension by the SEC or the Principal Market have been threatened, as of the Closing Date, either (A) in writing by the SEC or the Principal Market or (B) by falling below the minimum listing maintenance requirements of the Principal Market.

 

(j)   The Company shall have obtained all governmental, regulatory or third party consents and approvals, if any, necessary for the sale of the Securities.

 

(k)   The Company shall have delivered to such Buyer such other documents relating to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement as such Buyer or its counsel may reasonably request.

 

(l)   The Company or the Escrow Agent shall have received in the aggregate at least ten million dollars ($10,000,000) from Buyers of the Convertible Notes by November 15, 2006.

 

8.	TERMINATION.

 

In the event that the Closing shall not have occurred with respect to a Buyer on or before November 15, 2006, then Buyer may terminate this Agreement by giving written notice to the Company.

 

9.	MISCELLANEOUS.

 

(a)   Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Jury Trial. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement shall be governed by the internal laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of New York or any other jurisdictions) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdictions other than the State of New York. Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in The City of New York, Borough of Manhattan, for the adjudication of any dispute

 

 

hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein, and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum or that the venue of such suit, action or proceeding is improper. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof to such party at the address for such notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any manner permitted by law. EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE, AND AGREES NOT TO REQUEST, A JURY TRIAL FOR THE ADJUDICATION OF ANY DISPUTE HEREUNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH OR ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

 

(b)   Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more identical counterparts, all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to the other party; provided that a facsimile signature shall be considered due execution and shall be binding upon the signatory thereto with the same force and effect as if the signature were an original, not a facsimile signature.

 

(c)   Headings. The headings of this Agreement are for convenience of reference and shall not form part of, or affect the interpretation of, this Agreement.

 

(d)   Severability. If any provision of this Agreement shall be invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the remainder of this Agreement in that jurisdiction or the validity or enforceability of any provision of this Agreement in any other jurisdiction.

 

(e)   Entire Agreement; Amendments. This Agreement and the other Transaction Documents supersede all other prior oral or written agreements between the Buyers, the Company, their affiliates and Persons acting on their behalf with respect to the matters discussed herein, and this Agreement, the other Transaction Documents and the instruments referenced herein and therein contain the entire understanding of the parties with respect to the matters covered herein and therein and, except as specifically set forth herein or therein, neither the Company nor any Buyer makes any representation, warranty, covenant or undertaking with respect to such matters. No provision of this Agreement may be amended or waived other than by an instrument in writing signed by the Company and the Required Holders, and any amendment to this Agreement or any waiver of any provision of this Agreement made in conformity with the provisions of this Section 9(e) shall be binding on all Buyers and holders of Securities, as applicable. No such amendment shall be effective to the extent that it applies to less than all of the holders of the applicable Securities then outstanding. No consideration shall be offered or paid to any Person to amend or consent to a waiver or modification of any provision of any of the Transaction Documents unless the same consideration also is offered to all of the parties to the Transaction Documents, or holders of Convertible Notes, as the case may be. The Company has not, directly or indirectly, made any agreements with any Buyers relating

 

 

to the terms or conditions of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents except as set forth in the Transaction Documents. Without limiting the foregoing, the Company confirms that, except as set forth in this Agreement, no Buyer has made any commitment or promise or has any other obligation to provide any financing to the Company or otherwise.

 

(f)   Notices. Any notices, consents, waivers or other communications required or permitted to be given under the terms of this Agreement must be in writing and will be deemed to have been delivered: (i) upon receipt, when delivered personally; (ii) upon receipt, when sent by facsimile (provided confirmation of transmission is mechanically or electronically generated and kept on file by the sending party); or (iii) one Business Day after deposit with an overnight courier service, in each case properly addressed to the party to receive the same. The addresses and facsimile numbers for such communications shall be:

 

If to the Company:

Orion Ethanol, Inc.

307 South Main St.

Pratt, Kansas 67124

Telephone:   ###-###-####

Facsimile:         (620) 672-3142

Attention:        Chief Financial Officer

Copy to (for informational purposes only):

Thelen Reid & Priest, LLP

701 8th Street NW

Washington, D.C. 20001

Telephone:   ###-###-####

Facsimile:         (202) 654-1804

Attention:        Louis A. Bevilacqua

If to the Transfer Agent:

Standard Registrar & Transfer Company, Inc.,

12528 South 1840 Street

Draper, Utah 84020

Telephone:   ###-###-####

Facsimile:         _______________  

Attention:        _______________

If to a Buyer, to its address and facsimile number set forth on the signature page hereto, with copies to such Buyer’s representatives as set forth on the signature page hereto,

 

with a copy (for informational purposes only) to:

[Add]

or to such other address and/or facsimile number and/or to the attention of such other Person as the recipient party has specified by written notice given to each other party five (5) days prior to the effectiveness of such change. Written confirmation of receipt (A) given by the recipient of such notice, consent, waiver or other communication, (B) mechanically or electronically

 

generated by the sender’s facsimile machine containing the time, date, recipient facsimile number and an image of the first page of such transmission or (C) provided by an overnight courier service shall be rebuttable evidence of personal service, receipt by facsimile or receipt from an overnight courier service in accordance with clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above, respectively.

 

(g)   Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their respective successors and assigns, including any purchasers of Securities. The Company shall not assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Required Holders. A Buyer may assign some or all of its rights hereunder without the consent of the Company, in which event such assignee shall be deemed to be a Buyer hereunder with respect to such assigned rights.

 

(h)   No Third Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement is intended for the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective permitted successors and assigns, and is not for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any other Person.

 

(i)   Survival. Unless this Agreement is terminated under Section 8, the representations and warranties of the Company and the Buyers contained in Sections 2 and 3 and the agreements and covenants set forth in Sections 4, 5 and 9 shall survive the Closing and the delivery and exercise of Securities, as applicable. Each Buyer shall be responsible only for its own representations, warranties, agreements and covenants hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the representations and warranties of the parties contained herein shall only survive for a period of twenty four (24) months.

 

(j)   Further Assurances. Each party shall do and perform, or cause to be done and performed, all such further acts and things, and shall execute and deliver all such other agreements, certificates, instruments and documents, as any other party may reasonably request in order to carry out the intent and accomplish the purposes of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

(k)   Indemnification. In consideration of each Buyer’s execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents and acquiring the Securities thereunder and in addition to all of the Company’s other obligations under the Transaction Documents, the Company shall defend, protect, indemnify and hold harmless each Buyer and each other holder of the Securities and all of their stockholders, partners, members, officers, directors, employees and direct or indirect investors and any of the foregoing Persons’ agents or other representatives (including, without limitation, those retained in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement) (collectively, the “Indemnitees”) from and against any and all actions, causes of action, suits, claims, losses, costs, penalties, fees, liabilities and damages, and expenses in connection therewith (irrespective of whether any such Indemnitee is a party to the action for which indemnification hereunder is sought), and including reasonable attorneys’ fees and disbursements (the “Indemnified Liabilities”), incurred by any Indemnitee as a result of, or arising out of, or relating to (a) any misrepresentation or breach of any representation or warranty made by the Company in the Transaction Documents or any other certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby if, but only if, the Indemnitee makes such claim prior to the expiration of the applicable survival period provided for in Section 9(i), (b) any breach of any covenant, agreement or obligation of the Company contained in the Transaction Documents

 

 

or any other certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby or (c) any cause of action, suit or claim brought or made against such Indemnitee by a third party (including for these purposes a derivative action brought on behalf of the Company) and arising out of or resulting from (i) the execution, delivery, performance or enforcement of the Transaction Documents or any other certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby, (ii) any transaction financed or to be financed in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, with the proceeds of the issuance of the Securities, (iii) any disclosure made by such Buyer pursuant to Section 4(i) or (iv) the status of such Buyer or holder of the Securities as an investor in the Company pursuant to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. To the extent that the foregoing undertaking by the Company may be unenforceable for any reason, the Company shall make the maximum contribution to the payment and satisfaction of each of the Indemnified Liabilities which is permissible under applicable law. Except as otherwise set forth herein, the mechanics and procedures with respect to the rights and obligations under this Section 9(k) shall be the same as those set forth in Section 6 of the Registration Rights Agreement.

 

(l)    No Strict Construction. The language used in this Agreement will be deemed to be the language chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent, and no rules of strict construction will be applied against any party.

 

(m)   Remedies. Each Buyer and each holder of the Securities shall have all rights and remedies set forth in the Transaction Documents and all rights and remedies which such holders have been granted at any time under any other agreement or contract and all of the rights which such holders have under any law. Any Person having any rights under any provision of this Agreement shall be entitled to enforce such rights specifically (without posting a bond or other security), to recover damages by reason of any breach of any provision of this Agreement and to exercise all other rights granted by law. Furthermore, the Company recognizes that in the event that it fails to perform, observe, or discharge any or all of its obligations under the Transaction Documents, any remedy at law may prove to be inadequate relief to the Buyers. The Company therefore agrees that the Buyers shall be entitled to temporary and permanent injunctive relief in any such case without the necessity of proving actual damages and without posting a bond or other security.

 

(n)   Rescission and Withdrawal Right. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in (and without limiting any similar provisions of) the Transaction Documents, whenever any Buyer exercises a right, election, demand or option under a Transaction Document and the Company does not timely perform its related obligations within the periods therein provided, then such Buyer may rescind or withdraw, in its sole discretion from time to time upon written notice to the Company, any relevant notice, demand or election in whole or in part without prejudice to its future actions and rights.

 

(o)   Payment Set Aside. To the extent that the Company makes a payment or payments to the Buyers hereunder or pursuant to any of the other Transaction Documents or the Buyers enforce or exercise their rights hereunder or thereunder, and such payment or payments or the proceeds of such enforcement or exercise or any part thereof are subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside, recovered from, disgorged by or are required to be refunded, repaid or otherwise restored to the Company, a trustee, receiver or any other

 

 

Person under any law (including, without limitation, any bankruptcy law, foreign, state or federal law, common law or equitable cause of action), then to the extent of any such restoration the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such enforcement or setoff had not occurred.

 

(p)   Independent Nature of Buyers’ Obligations and Rights. The obligations of each Buyer under any Transaction Document are several and not joint with the obligations of any other Buyer, and no Buyer shall be responsible in any way for the performance of the obligations of any other Buyer under any Transaction Document. Nothing contained herein or in any other Transaction Document, and no action taken by any Buyer pursuant hereto or thereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Buyers as a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity, or create a presumption that the Buyers are in any way acting in concert or as a group with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents and the Company acknowledges that the Buyers are not acting in concert or as a group, and the Company will not assert any such claim, with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. Each Buyer confirms that it has independently participated in the negotiation of the transaction contemplated hereby with the advice of its own counsel and advisors. Each Buyer shall be entitled to independently protect and enforce its rights, including, without limitation, the rights arising out of this Agreement or out of any other Transaction Documents, and it shall not be necessary for any other Buyer to be joined as an additional party in any proceeding for such purpose.

 

(q)   Subscriber hereby acknowledges and agrees that upon written notice of acceptance from the Company, the Subscription hereunder is irrevocable by Subscriber, that, except as required by law or as permitted under Section 8 above, Subscriber is not entitled to cancel, terminate or revoke this Agreement or any agreements of Subscriber hereunder and that this Agreement and such other agreements shall survive the death or disability of Subscriber and shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors, legal representatives and permitted assigns. If Subscriber is more than one person, the obligations of Subscriber hereunder shall be joint and several and the agreements, representations, warranties and acknowledgments herein contained shall be deemed to be made by and be binding upon each such person and his or her heirs, executors, administrators, successors, legal representatives and permitted assigns.

 

10.	Signature.

 

The signature page of this Agreement is contained as part of the applicable subscription package, entitled “Signature Page.”

 

 

Exhibit A    Form of Convertible Notes

Exhibit B    Registration Rights Agreement

Exhibit C    Escrow Agreement

Exhibit D    Form of Outside Company Counsel Opinion

Exhibit E    Form of Secretary’s Certificate

Exhibit F    Form of Officer’s Certificate

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have executed this Subscription Agreement as of the 3rd day of November, 2006.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Signature Page to the Subscription Agreement]

 

 

The undersigned investor hereby certifies that he or she (i) has received and relied solely upon information provided by the Company, (ii) agrees to all the terms and conditions of this Subscription Agreement, (iii) meets the suitability standards set forth in this Subscription Agreement and (iv) is a resident of the state indicated below.

 

(a)

The undersigned subscribes for $______________ aggregate principal amount of Convertible Notes.

 

(b)

The total cost of the Convertible Notes subscribed for, at $1,000 per $1,000 aggregate principal amount Convertible Notes, is $______________ (the “Purchase Price”).

 

 

The investor agrees to the terms of this Subscription Agreement and, as required by the Regulations pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code, certifies under penalty of perjury that (1) the Social Security Number or Taxpayer Identification Number and address provided above is correct, (2) the investor is not subject to backup withholding (unless the Backup Withholding Statement box is checked) either because he has not been notified that he is subject to backup withholding as a result of a failure to report all interest or dividends or because the Internal Revenue Service has notified him that he is no longer subject to backup withholding and (3) the investor (unless the Foreign Person box above is checked) is not a nonresident alien, foreign partnership, foreign trust or foreign estate.