LOANAND SECURITY AGREEMENT byand among KINERGYMARKETING LLC asBorrower THELENDERSAND ISSUING BANK FROM TIME TO TIME PARTY HERETO WACHOVIACAPITAL FINANCE CORPORATION (WESTERN) asAgent WACHOVIACAPITAL MARKETS, LLC asSole Lead Arranger, Manager and Bookrunner Dated:July 28, 2008 TABLEOF CONTENTS

SECTION 1.	DEFINITIONS	1
SECTION 2.	CREDIT FACILITIES	23
2.1	Loans	23
2.2	Letters of Credit	24
2.3	Increase in Maximum Credit	27
2.4	Commitments	28
SECTION 3.	INTEREST AND FEES	28
3.1	Interest	28
3.2	Fees	30
3.3	Changes in Laws and Increased Costs of Loans	31
SECTION 4.	CONDITIONS PRECEDENT	32
4.1	Conditions Precedent to Initial Loans and Letters of Credit	32
4.2	Conditions Precedent to All Loans and Letters of Credit	34
SECTION 5.	GRANT AND PERFECTION OF SECURITY INTEREST	35
5.1	Grant of Security Interest	35
5.2	Perfection of Security Interests	37
SECTION 6.	COLLECTION AND ADMINISTRATION	40
6.1	Borrower Loan Account	40
6.2	Statements	40
6.3	Collection of Accounts	40
6.4	Payments	41
6.5	Taxes	42
6.6	Authorization to Make Loans	44
6.7	Use of Proceeds	44
6.8	Pro Rata Treatment	44
6.9	Sharing of Payments, Etc.	45
6.10	Settlement Procedures	46
6.11	Obligations Several; Independent Nature of Lenders’ Rights	48
6.12	Bank Products	48
SECTION 7.	COLLATERAL REPORTING AND COVENANTS	48
7.1	Collateral Reporting	48
7.2	Accounts Covenants	49

 

7.3	Inventory Covenants	50
7.4	Equipment and Real Property Covenants	51
7.5	Power of Attorney	51
7.6	Right to Cure	52
7.7	Access to Premises	52
SECTION 8.	REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES	52
8.1	Corporate Existence, Power and Authority	52
8.2	Name; State of Organization; Chief Executive Office; Collateral Locations	53
8.3	Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Change	53
8.4	Priority of Liens; Title to Properties	54
8.5	Tax Returns	54
8.6	Litigation	54
8.7	Compliance with Other Agreements and Applicable Laws	54
8.8	Environmental Compliance	55
8.9	Employee Benefits	55
8.10	Bank Accounts	56
8.11	Intellectual Property	56
8.12	Subsidiaries; Affiliates; Capitalization; Solvency	57
8.13	Labor Disputes	57
8.14	Restrictions on Subsidiaries	57
8.15	Material Contracts	58
8.16	Payable Practices	58
8.17	Accuracy and Completeness of Information	58
8.18	Survival of Warranties; Cumulative	58
SECTION 9.	AFFIRMATIVE AND NEGATIVE COVENANTS	58
9.1	Maintenance of Existence	58
9.2	New Collateral Locations	59
9.3	Compliance with Laws, Regulations, Etc.	59
9.4	Payment of Taxes and Claims	60
9.5	Insurance	60
9.6	Financial Statements and Other Information	60
9.7	Sale of Assets, Consolidation, Merger, Dissolution, Etc.	63
9.8	Encumbrances	64
9.9	Indebtedness	65
9.10	Loans, Investments, Etc.	66
9.11	Dividends and Redemptions	67
9.12	Transactions with Affiliates	68
9.13	Compliance with ERISA	68
9.14	End of Fiscal Years; Fiscal Quarters	69
9.15	Change in Business	69
9.16	Limitation of Restrictions Affecting Subsidiaries	69
9.17	EBITDA	69
9.18	License Agreements	69

 

9.19	Foreign Assets Control Regulations, Etc.	70
9.20	Costs and Expenses	70
9.21	Further Assurances	71
SECTION 10.	EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES	71
10.1	Events of Default	71
10.2	Remedies	73
SECTION 11.	JURY TRIAL WAIVER; OTHER WAIVERS AND CONSENTS; GOVERNING LAW	76
11.1	Governing Law; Choice of Forum; Service of Process; Jury Trial Waiver	76
11.2	Waiver of Notices	78
11.3	Amendments and Waivers	78
11.4	Waiver of Counterclaims	80
11.5	Indemnification	80
SECTION 12.	THE AGENT	81
12.1	Appointment, Powers and Immunities	81
12.2	Reliance by Agent	81
12.3	Events of Default	82
12.4	Wachovia in its Individual Capacity	82
12.5	Indemnification	82
12.6	Non-Reliance on Agent and Other Lenders	83
12.7	Failure to Act	83
12.8	Additional Loans	83
12.9	Concerning the Collateral and the Related Financing Agreements	83
12.10	Field Audit, Examination Reports and other Information; Disclaimer by Lenders	84
12.11	Collateral Matters	84
12.12	Agency for Perfection	86
12.13	Successor Agent	86
12.14	Other Agent Designations	87
SECTION 13.	TERM OF AGREEMENT; MISCELLANEOUS	87
13.1	Term	87
13.2	Interpretative Provisions	88
13.3	Notices	90
13.4	Partial Invalidity	91
13.5	Confidentiality	91
13.6	Successors	92
13.7	Assignments; Participations	93
13.8	Entire Agreement	95
13.9	USA Patriot Act	95
13.10	Counterparts, Etc.	95

This Loan and Security Agreement dated July 28, 2008 is entered into by and among KINERGY MARKETING LLC, an Oregon limited liability company (“Borrower” as hereinafter further defined), the parties hereto from time to time as lenders, whether by execution of this Agreement or an Assignment and Acceptance (each individually, a “Lender” and collectively, “Lenders” as hereinafter further defined), WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, a national banking association, in its capacity as Issuing Bank, and WACHOVIA CAPITAL FINANCE CORPORATION (WESTERN), a California corporation, in its capacity as agent for Lenders (in such capacity, “Agent” as hereinafter further defined).

 

W I T N E S S E T H:

WHEREAS, Borrower has requested that Agent, Issuing Bank and Lenders enter into financing arrangements with Borrower pursuant to which Lenders may make loans and provide other financial accommodations to Borrower; and

 

WHEREAS, Issuing Bank and each Lender are willing to agree (severally and not jointly) to make such loans and provide such financial accommodations to Borrower on a pro rata basis according to its Commitment (as defined below) on the terms and conditions set forth herein and Agent is willing to act as agent for Lenders on the terms and conditions set forth herein and the other Financing Agreements;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual conditions and agreements set forth herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

SECTION 1.

DEFINITIONS

 

For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms shall have the respective meanings given to them below:

 

1.1           “Accounts” shall mean, all present and future rights of Borrower to payment of a monetary obligation, whether or not earned by performance, which is not evidenced by chattel paper or an instrument, (a) for property that has been or is to be sold, leased, licensed, assigned, or otherwise disposed of, (b) for services rendered or to be rendered, (c) for a secondary obligation incurred or to be incurred, or (d) arising out of the use of a credit or charge card or information contained on or for use with the card.

 

1.2           “Adjusted Eurodollar Rate” shall mean, with respect to each Interest Period for any Eurodollar Rate Loan comprising part of the same borrowing (including conversions, extensions and renewals), the rate per annum determined by dividing (a) the London Interbank Offered Rate for such Interest Period by (b) a percentage equal to: (i) one (1) minus (ii) the Reserve Percentage.  For purposes hereof, “Reserve Percentage” shall mean for any day, that percentage (expressed as a decimal) which is in effect from time to time under Regulation D of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (or any successor), as such regulation may be amended from time to time or any successor regulation, as the maximum reserve requirement (including, without limitation, any basic, supplemental, emergency, special, or marginal reserves) applicable with respect to Eurocurrency liabilities as that term is defined in Regulation D (or against any other category of liabilities that includes deposits by reference to which the interest rate of Eurodollar Loans is determined), whether or not any Lender has any Eurocurrency liabilities subject to such reserve requirement at that time.  Eurodollar Loans shall be deemed to constitute Eurocurrency liabilities and as such shall be deemed subject to reserve requirements without benefits of credits for proration, exceptions or offsets that may be available from time to time to a Lender.  The Adjusted Eurodollar Rate shall be adjusted automatically on and as of the effective date of any change in the Reserve Percentage.

 

1.3           “Affiliate” shall mean, with respect to a specified Person, any other Person which directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with such Person, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes (a) any Person which beneficially owns or holds ten (10%) percent or more of any class of Voting Stock of such Person or other equity interests in such Person,(b) any Person of which such Person beneficially owns or holds ten (10%) percent or more of any class of Voting Stock or in which such Person beneficially owns or holds ten (10%) percent or more of the equity interests and (c)any director or executive officer of such Person.  For the purposes of this definition, the term “control” (including with correlative meanings, the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”), as used with respect to any Person, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of Voting Stock, by agreement or otherwise.

 

1.4           “Agent” shall mean Wachovia Capital Finance Corporation (Western), in its capacity as agent on behalf of Lenders pursuant to the terms hereof and any replacement or successor agent hereunder.

 

1.5           “Agent Payment Account” shall mean account no. 5000000030321 of Agent at Wachovia Bank, National Association or such other account of Agent as Agent may from time to time designate to Borrower as the Agent Payment Account for purposes of this Agreement and the other Financing Agreements.

 

1.6           “Applicable Margin” shall mean:

 

(a) Subject to clause (b) below, at any time, as to the Interest Rate for Prime Rate Loans and the Interest Rate for Eurodollar Rate Loans, the applicable percentage (on a per annum basis) set forth below if the EBITDA is at or within the amounts indicated for such percentage:

 

Tier	Borrower’s EBITDA	Applicable Margin for Eurodollar Rate Loans	Applicable Margin for Prime Rate Loans
1	Greater than $3,000,000	2.00%	0.00%
2	Less than or equal to $3,000,000 and greater than $2,000,000	2.25%	0.00%
3	Less than or equal to $2,000,000	2.50%	0.25%

(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth above, (i) the Applicable Margin shall be calculated and established once each fiscal quarter based upon the EBITDA for such fiscal quarter and shall remain in effect until adjusted thereafter after the end of such fiscal quarter, (ii) each adjustment of the Applicable Margin shall be effective as of the first day of a fiscal quarter based on the EBITDA for the immediately preceding fiscal quarter, and (iii) until Agent and Lenders receive the Borrower’s audited financial statements required to be delivered under Section 9.6(a)(iii) for the Borrower’s fiscal year ending December 31, 2008, the Applicable Margin shall be the amount for Tier 2 set forth above.  In the event that at any time after the end of a fiscal quarter the EBITDA for such fiscal quarter used for the determination of the Applicable Margin was greater than the actual amount of the EBITDA for such fiscal quarter, the Applicable Margin for such prior fiscal quarter shall be adjusted to the applicable percentage based on such actual EBITDA and any additional interest for the applicable period as a result of such recalculation shall be promptly paid to Agent.  In the event that the EBITDA for such fiscal quarter used for the determination of the Applicable Margin was less than the actual amount of the EBITDA, the Applicable Margin for such prior fiscal quarter shall be adjusted to the applicable percentage based on such actual EBITDA and any reduction in interest for the applicable period as a result of such recalculation shall be promptly credited to the loan account of the Borrower; provided, that, the basis for the EBITDA for purposes of the determination of the Borrowing Base having been less than the actual EBITDA is not as a result of information provided by Borrower or Guarantors to Agent.  The foregoing shall not be construed to limit the rights of Agent or Lenders with respect to the amount of interest payable after a Default or Event of Default whether based on such recalculated percentage or otherwise.

 

1.7           “Assignment and Acceptance” shall mean an Assignment and Acceptance substantially in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto (with blanks appropriately completed) delivered to Agent in connection with an assignment of a Lender’s interest hereunder in accordance with the provisions of Section 13.7 hereof.

 

1.8           “Bank Product Provider” shall mean any Lender or Affiliate of any Lender (in each case as to any such Lender or Affiliate of any such Lender to the extent approved by Agent) that provides any Bank Products to Borrower or Guarantors (other than Parent).

 

1.9           “Bank Products” shall mean any one or more of the following types or services or facilities provided to Borrower by a Bank Product Provider: (a) credit cards or stored value cards or (b) cash management or related services, including (i) the automated clearinghouse transfer of funds for the account of Borrower pursuant to agreement or overdraft for any accounts of Borrower maintained at Agent or any Bank Product Provider that are subject to the control of Agent pursuant to any Deposit Account Control Agreement to which Agent or such Bank Product Provider is a party, as applicable, and (ii) controlled disbursement services and (c) Hedge Agreements if and to the extent permitted hereunder.  Any of the foregoing shall only be included in the definition of  the term “Bank Products” to the extent that the Bank Product Provider has been approved by Agent.

 

1.10           “Blocked Accounts” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.3 hereof.

 

1.11           “Borrower” shall mean Kinergy Marketing LLC, an Oregon limited liability company, together with its successors and assigns.  

 

1.12           “Borrowing Base” shall mean, at any time, the amount equal to:

 

(a) the sum of:

 

(i) eighty-five (85%) percent of the Eligible Accounts plus

 

(ii) the lesser of (A) the Inventory Loan Limit or (B) seventy (70%) percent multiplied by the Value of the Eligible Inventory consisting of ethanol and biodiesel finished goods or (C) eighty-five (85%) percent of the Net Recovery Percentage multiplied by the Value of such Eligible Inventory consisting of ethanol and biodiesel finished goods, minus

 

(b) Reserves.

 

For purposes only of applying the Inventory Loan Limit, Agent may treat the then undrawn amounts of outstanding Letters of Credit for the purpose of purchasing Eligible Inventory as Revolving Loans to the extent Agent is in effect basing the issuance of the Letter of Credit on the Value of the Eligible Inventory being purchased with such Letter of Credit.  In determining the actual amounts of such Letter of Credit to be so treated for purposes of the sublimit, the outstanding Revolving Loans and Reserves shall be attributed first to any components of the lending formulas set forth above that are not subject to such sublimit, before being attributed to the components of the lending formulas subject to such sublimit.  The amounts of Eligible Inventory shall, at Agent’s option, be determined based on the lesser of the amount of Inventory set forth in the general ledger of Borrower or the perpetual inventory record (if applicable) maintained by Borrower.

 

1.13           “Borrowing Base Certificate” shall mean a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit D hereto, as such form may from time to time be modified by Agent in a manner consistent with the terms of this Agreement, which is duly completed (including all schedules thereto) and executed by the vice-president-finance, chief financial officer, treasurer, assistant treasurer, controller or other financial or senior officer of Borrower and delivered to Agent.

 

1.14           “Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday, or other day on which commercial banks are authorized or required to close under the laws of the State of California or the State of North Carolina, and a day on which Agent is open for the transaction of business; except, that, if a determination of a Business Day shall relate to any Eurodollar Rate Loans, the term Business Day shall also exclude any day on which banks are closed for dealings in dollar deposits in the London interbank market or other applicable Eurodollar Rate market.

 

1.15           “Capital Expenditures” means all payments or accruals (including Capital Lease Obligations) for any fixed assets or improvements or for replacements, substitutions or additions thereto, that have a useful life of more than one year and that are required to be capitalized under GAAP.

 

1.16           “Capital Leases” shall mean, as applied to any Person, any lease of (or any agreement conveying the right to use) any property (whether real, personal or mixed) by such Person as lessee which in accordance with GAAP, is required to be reflected as a liability on the balance sheet of such Person.

 

1.17           “Capital Stock” shall mean, with respect to any Person, any and all shares, interests, participations or other equivalents (however designated) of such Person’s capital stock or partnership, limited liability company or other equity interests at any time outstanding, and any and all rights, warrants or options exchangeable for or convertible into such capital stock or other interests (but excluding any debt security that is exchangeable for or convertible into such capital stock).

 

1.18           “Cash Equivalents” shall mean, at any time, (a) any evidence of Indebtedness with a maturity date of ninety (90) days or less issued or directly and fully guaranteed or insured by the United States of America or any agency or instrumentality thereof; provided, that, full faith and credit of the United States of America is pledged in support thereof; (b) certificates of deposit or bankers’ acceptances with a maturity of ninety (90) days or less of any financial institution that is a member of the Federal Reserve System having combined capital and surplus and undivided profits of not less than $1,000,000,000; (c) commercial paper (including variable rate demand notes) with a maturity of ninety (90) days or less issued by a corporation (except an Affiliate of Borrower) organized under the laws of any State of the United States of America or the District of Columbia and rated at least A-1 by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Service, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. or at least P-1 by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.; (d) repurchase obligations with a term of not more than thirty (30) days for underlying securities of the types described in clause (a) above entered into with any financial institution having combined capital and surplus and undivided profits of not less than $1,000,000,000; (e) repurchase agreements and reverse repurchase agreements relating to marketable direct obligations issued or unconditionally guaranteed by the United States of America or issued by any governmental agency thereof and backed by the full faith and credit of the United States of America, in each case maturing within ninety (90) days or less from the date of acquisition; provided, that, terms of such agreements comply with the guidelines set forth in the Federal Financial Agreements of Depository Institutions with Securities Dealers and Others, as adopted by the Comptroller of the Currency on October 31, 1985; and (f) investments in money market funds and mutual funds which invest substantially all of their assets in securities of the types described in clauses (a) through (e) above.

 

1.19           “Change of Control” shall mean (a) the transfer (in one transaction or a series of transactions) of all or substantially all of the assets of Borrower or any Obligor (other than Parent) to any Person or group (as such term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), other than as permitted in Section 9.7 hereof; (b) the liquidation or dissolution of Borrower or any Obligor (other than Parent) or the adoption of a plan by the stockholders of Borrower or any Obligor (other than Parent) relating to the dissolution or liquidation of Borrower or any Obligor (other than Parent), other than as permitted in Section 9.7 hereof; (c) the acquisition by any Person or group (as such term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), except for Parent, of beneficial ownership, directly or indirectly, of a majority of the voting power of the total outstanding Voting Stock of Borrower or any Guarantor (other than Parent) or the Board of Directors (or similar governing authority) of Borrower or any Guarantor (other than Parent); or (d) the failure of Parent to own directly or indirectly one hundred (100%) percent of the voting power of the total outstanding Voting Stock of Borrower.

 

1.20           “Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as the same now exists or may from time to time hereafter be amended, modified, recodified or supplemented, together with all rules, regulations and interpretations thereunder or related thereto.

 

1.21           “Collateral” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5 hereof.

 

1.22           “Collateral Access Agreement” shall mean an agreement in writing, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent, from any lessor of premises to Borrower, or any other person to whom any Collateral is consigned or who has custody, control or possession of any such Collateral or is otherwise the owner or operator of any premises on which any of such Collateral is located, in favor of Agent with respect to the Collateral at such premises or otherwise in the custody, control or possession of such lessor, consignee or other person.

 

1.23           “Commitment” shall mean, at any time, as to each Lender, the principal amount set forth below such Lender’s signature on the signatures pages hereto designated as the Commitment or on Schedule 1 to the Assignment and Acceptance Agreement pursuant to which such Lender became a Lender hereunder in accordance with the provisions of Section 13.7 hereof, as the same may be adjusted from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof; sometimes being collectively referred to herein as “Commitments”.

 

1.24           “Consolidated Net Income” shall mean, with respect to any Person, for any period, the aggregate of the net income (loss) of such Person and its Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, for such period, excluding to the extent included therein any extraordinary, one-time or non-recurring gains, after deducting all charges which should be deducted before arriving at the net income (loss) for such period and after deducting the Provision for Taxes for such period, all as determined in accordance with GAAP; provided, that, (a) the net income (loss) of any Person that is not a majority-owned Subsidiary or that is accounted for by the equity method of accounting shall be included only to the extent of the amount of dividends or distributions paid or payable to such Person or a majority-owned Subsidiary of such Person; (b) the effect of any change in accounting principles adopted by (or applicable to) such Person or its Subsidiaries after the date hereof (including any cumulative effects resulting from changes in purchase accounting principles) shall be excluded; and (c) the net income (if positive) of any majority-owned Subsidiary to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions by such majority-owned Subsidiary to such Person or to any other majority-owned Subsidiary of such Person is not at the time permitted by operation of the terms of its charter or any agreement, instrument, judgment, decree, order, statute, rule or governmental regulation applicable to such majority-owned Subsidiary shall be excluded.  For the purpose of this definition, net income excludes any gain together with any related Provision for Taxes for such gain realized upon the sale or other disposition of any assets or of any Capital Stock of such Person or a Subsidiary of such Person.

 

1.25           “Credit Facility” shall mean the Loans and Letters of Credit provided to or for the benefit of Borrower pursuant to Sections 2.1 and 2.2 hereof.

 

1.26           “Default” shall mean an act, condition or event which with notice or passage of time or both would constitute an Event of Default.

 

1.27           “Defaulting Lender” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.10 hereof.

 

1.28           “Deposit Account Control Agreement” shall mean an agreement in writing, in form and substance satisfactory to Agent, by and among Agent, Borrower and any bank at which a deposit account is at any time maintained by Borrower, which provides that such bank will comply with instructions originated by Agent directing disposition of the funds in the deposit account without further consent by Borrower and has such other terms and conditions as Agent may reasonably require.

 

1.29           “EBITDA” shall mean, as to any Person, with respect to any period, an amount equal to: (a) the Consolidated Net Income of such Person and its Subsidiaries for such period, plus (b) depreciation and amortization (including amortization of deferred financing fees), non-cash impairment charges, imputed interest and deferred compensation for such period (all to the extent deducted in the computation of Consolidated Net Income of such Person), all in accordance with GAAP, plus (c) Interest Expense for such period (to the extent deducted in the computation of Consolidated Net Income of such Person), plus (d) the Provision for Taxes for such period (to the extent deducted in the computation of Consolidated Net Income of such Person).

 

1.30           “Eligible Accounts” shall mean Accounts created by Borrower that in each case satisfy the criteria set forth below as determined by Agent in good faith and in the exercise of its reasonable credit judgment.  In general, Accounts shall be Eligible Accounts if:

 

(a) such Accounts arise from the actual and bona fide sale and delivery of goods by Borrower or rendition of services by Borrower in the ordinary course of its business which transactions are completed in accordance with the terms and provisions contained in any documents related thereto;

 

(b) such Accounts are not unpaid more than the earlier of thirty (30) days after the original due date for such Accounts or forty-five (45) days after the date of the original invoice for them; except, that, (i) for the thirty (30) day period immediately following the date hereof, Accounts which are unpaid more than fifteen (15) days after the original due date for such Accounts but which are not unpaid more than thirty (30) days after the original due date may be considered Eligible Accounts; provided, that, the maximum aggregate amount of such Accounts which may be considered Eligible Accounts during such period shall not exceed twenty percent (20%) of all Eligible Accounts in the aggregate, and (ii) from and after the thirty (30) day period immediately following the date hereof, Accounts which are unpaid more than fifteen (15) days after the original due date for such Accounts but which are not unpaid more than thirty (30) days after the original due date may be considered Eligible Accounts; provided, that, the maximum aggregate amount of such Accounts which may be considered Eligible Accounts at any given time shall not exceed twenty percent (20%) of all Eligible Accounts;

 

(c) such Accounts comply with the terms and conditions contained in Section 7.2(b) of this Agreement;

 

(d) such Accounts do not arise from sales on consignment, guaranteed sale, sale and return, sale on approval, or similar terms under which payment by the account debtor may be conditional or contingent;

 

(e) the chief executive office of the account debtor with respect to such Accounts is located in the United States of America or Canada (provided, that, at any time promptly upon Agent’s request, Borrower shall execute and deliver, or cause to be executed and delivered, such other agreements, documents and instruments as may be reasonably required by Agent to perfect the security interests of Agent in those Accounts of an account debtor with its chief executive office or principal place of business in Canada in accordance with the applicable laws of the Province of Canada in which such chief executive office or principal place of business is located and take or cause to be taken such other and further actions as Agent may reasonably request to enable Agent as secured party with respect thereto to collect such Accounts under the applicable Federal or Provincial laws of Canada) or, at Agent’s option, if the chief executive office and principal place of business of the account debtor with respect to such Accounts is located other than in the United States of America or Canada, then if:  (i) the account debtor has delivered to Borrower an irrevocable letter of credit issued or confirmed by a bank reasonably satisfactory to Agent and payable only in the United States of America and in U.S. dollars, sufficient to cover such Account, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent and if required by Agent, the original of such letter of credit has been delivered to Agent or Agent’s agent and the issuer thereof, and Borrower has complied with the terms of Section 5.2(f) hereof with respect to the assignment of the proceeds of such letter of credit to Agent or naming Agent as transferee beneficiary thereunder, as Agent may specify, or (ii) such Account is subject to credit insurance payable to Agent issued by an insurer and on terms and in an amount reasonably acceptable to Agent, or (iii) such Account is otherwise reasonably acceptable in all respects to Agent (subject to such lending formula with respect thereto as Agent may determine in good faith and in the exercise of its reasonable credit judgment);

 

(f) such Accounts do not consist of progress billings (such that the obligation of the account debtors with respect to such Accounts is conditioned upon Borrower’s satisfactory completion of any further performance under the agreement giving rise thereto), bill and hold invoices or retainage invoices, except as to bill and hold invoices, if Agent shall have received an agreement in writing from the account debtor, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent, confirming the unconditional obligation of the account debtor to take the goods related thereto and pay such invoice;

 

(g) the account debtor with respect to such Accounts has not asserted a counterclaim, defense or dispute and is not owed or does not claim to be owed any amounts that may give rise to any right of setoff or recoupment against such Accounts (but the portion of the Accounts of such account debtor in excess of the amount at any time and from time to time owed by Borrower to such account debtor or claimed owed by such account debtor may be deemed Eligible Accounts);

 

(h) there are no facts, events or occurrences which would impair the validity, enforceability or collectability of such Accounts or reduce the amount payable or delay payment thereunder;

 

(i) such Accounts are subject to the first priority, valid and perfected security interest of Agent and any goods giving rise thereto are not, and were not at the time of the sale thereof, subject to any liens except those permitted in this Agreement that are subject to an intercreditor agreement in form and substance satisfactory to Agent between the holder of such security interest or lien and Agent;

 

(j) neither the account debtor nor any officer or employee of the account debtor with respect to such Accounts is an officer, employee, agent or other Affiliate of Borrower or any Obligor;

 

(k) the account debtors with respect to such Accounts are not any foreign government, the United States of America, any State, political subdivision, department, agency or instrumentality thereof, unless, if the account debtor is the United States of America, any State, political subdivision, department, agency or instrumentality thereof, upon Agent’s request, the Federal Assignment of Claims Act of 1940, as amended or any similar State or local law, if applicable, has been complied with in a manner satisfactory to Agent;

 

(l) there are no proceedings or actions which are threatened or pending against the account debtors with respect to such Accounts which might result in any material adverse change in any such account debtor’s financial condition (including, without limitation, any bankruptcy, dissolution, liquidation, reorganization or similar proceeding);

 

(m) (i) the aggregate amount of such Accounts owing by a single account debtor (other than Royal Dutch Shell plc, Sinclair Oil Corporation, Flying J, Inc., Valero Energy Corporation, Tesoro Corporation, Chevron Corporation, and ConocoPhillips Company) do not constitute more than twenty (20%) percent of the aggregate amount of all otherwise Eligible Accounts, (ii) the aggregate amount of such Accounts owing by any of Royal Dutch Shell plc, Sinclair Oil Corporation or Flying J, Inc. do not constitute more than twenty-five (25%) percent of the aggregate amount of all otherwise Eligible Accounts, (iii) the aggregate amount of such Accounts owing by any of Valero Energy Corporation or Tesoro Corporation do not constitute more than thirty (30%) percent of the aggregate amount of all otherwise Eligible Accounts, and (iv) the aggregate amount of such Accounts owing by any of Chevron Corporation or ConocoPhillips Company do not constitute more than forty (40%) percent of the aggregate amount of all otherwise Eligible Accounts (but the portion of the Accounts not in excess of the applicable percentages set forth above may be deemed Eligible Accounts);

 

(n) such Accounts are not unpaid more than the earlier of thirty (30) days after the original due date for such Accounts or forty-five (45) days after the date of the original invoice for them; except, that, (i) for the thirty (30) day period immediately following the date hereof, Accounts which are unpaid more than fifteen (15) days after the original due date for such Accounts but which are not unpaid more than thirty (30) days after the original due date may be considered Eligible Accounts; provided, that, the maximum aggregate amount of such Accounts which may be considered Eligible Accounts during such period shall not exceed twenty percent (20%) of all Eligible Accounts in the aggregate, and (ii) from and after the thirty (30) day period immediately following the date hereof, Accounts which are unpaid more than fifteen (15) days after the original due date for such Accounts but which are not unpaid more than thirty (30) days after the original due date may be considered Eligible Accounts; provided, that, the maximum aggregate amount of such Accounts which may be considered Eligible Accounts at any given time shall not exceed twenty percent (20%) of all Eligible Accounts, which, in each case, constitute more than fifty (50%) percent of the total Accounts of such account debtor;

 

(o) the account debtor is not located in a state requiring the filing of a Notice of Business Activities Report or similar report in order to permit Borrower to seek judicial enforcement in such State of payment of such Account, unless Borrower has qualified to do business in such state or has filed a Notice of Business Activities Report or equivalent report for the then current year or such failure to file and inability to seek judicial enforcement is capable of being remedied without any material delay or material cost;

 

(p) such Accounts are owed by account debtors whose total indebtedness to Borrower does not exceed the credit limit with respect to such account debtors as determined by Borrower from time to time, to the extent such credit limit as to any account debtor is established consistent with the current practices of Borrower as of the date hereof and such credit limit is reasonably acceptable to Agent (but the portion of the Accounts not in excess of such credit limit may be deemed Eligible Accounts); and

 

(q) such Accounts are owed by account debtors deemed creditworthy at all times by Agent in good faith and in the exercise of its reasonable credit judgment.

 

The criteria for Eligible Accounts set forth above may only be changed and any new criteria for Eligible Accounts may only be established by Agent in good faith and in the exercise of its reasonable credit judgment based on either:  (i) an event, condition or other circumstance arising after the date hereof, or (ii) an event, condition or other circumstance existing on the date hereof to the extent Agent has no written notice thereof from Borrower prior to the date hereof, in either case under clause (i) or (ii) which adversely affects or could reasonably be expected to adversely affect the Accounts in the good faith determination of Agent based upon the exercise of its reasonable credit judgment.  Any Accounts that are not Eligible Accounts shall nevertheless be part of the Collateral.

 

1.31           “Eligible Inventory” shall mean, Inventory consisting of finished goods held for resale in the ordinary course of the business of Borrower, that in each case satisfy the criteria set forth below as determined by Agent in good faith and in the exercise of its reasonable credit judgment.  In general, Eligible Inventory shall not include: (a) raw materials and work in process, (b) components which are not part of finished goods; (c) spare parts for equipment; (d) packaging and shipping materials; (e) supplies used or consumed in Borrower’s business; (f) Inventory at premises other than those owned or leased and controlled by Borrower unless Agent has received a Collateral Access Agreement; (g) Inventory subject to a security interest or lien in favor of any Person other than Agent except those permitted in this Agreement that are subject to an intercreditor agreement in form and substance satisfactory to Agent between the holder of such security interest or lien and Agent; (h) bill and hold goods; (i) unserviceable, obsolete or slow moving Inventory; (j) Inventory that is not subject to the first priority, valid and perfected security interest of Agent; (k) damaged and/or defective Inventory or returned Inventory to the extent that such returned Inventory remains subject to an Account deemed to be an Eligible Account hereunder; (l) Inventory purchased or sold on consignment; (m) in-transit inventory other than Eligible In-Transit Inventory and (n) Inventory located outside the United States of America.  The criteria for Eligible Inventory set forth above may only be changed and any new criteria for Eligible Inventory may only be established by Agent in good faith and in the exercise of its reasonable credit judgment based on either:  (i) an event, condition or other circumstance arising after the date hereof, or (ii) an event, condition or other circumstance existing on the date hereof to the extent Agent has no written notice thereof from Borrower prior to the date hereof, in either case under clause (i) or (ii) which adversely affects or could reasonably be expected to adversely affect the Inventory in the good faith determination of Agent based upon the exercise of its reasonable credit judgment.  Any Inventory that is not Eligible Inventory shall nevertheless be part of the Collateral.

 

1.32           “Eligible In-Transit Inventory” means all ethanol and biodiesel finished goods Inventory owned by Borrower and not covered by Letters of Credit, and which Inventory is in transit to one of the Borrower’s facilities or in transit to a customer and which Inventory (a) has been paid for and is owned by Borrower, (b) is fully insured, (c) is subject to a first priority security interest in and lien upon such goods in favor of Agent (except for any possessory lien upon such goods in the possession of a freight carrier or shipping company securing only the freight charges for the transportation of such goods to Borrower), (d) is evidenced or deliverable pursuant to documents that have been delivered to Agent or an agent acting on its behalf or designating Agent as consignee (in each case if requested by Agent), and (e) is otherwise deemed to be “Eligible Inventory” hereunder.

 

1.33           “Eligible Transferee” shall mean (a) any Lender; (b) the parent company of any Lender and/or any Affiliate of such Lender which is at least fifty (50%) percent owned by such Lender or its parent company; (c) any person (whether a corporation, partnership, trust or otherwise) that is engaged in the business of making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in bank loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business and is administered or managed by a Lender or with respect to any Lender that is a fund which invests in bank loans and similar extensions of credit, any other fund that invests in bank loans and similar extensions of credit and is managed by the same investment advisor as such Lender or by an Affiliate of such investment advisor, and in each case is approved by Agent; and (d) any other commercial bank, financial institution or “accredited investor” (as defined in Regulation D under the Securities Act of 1933) approved by Agent; provided, that, (i) neither Borrower nor any Obligor or any Affiliate of Borrower or any Obligor shall qualify as an Eligible Transferee and (ii) no Person to whom any Indebtedness which is in any way subordinated in right of payment to any other Indebtedness of Borrower or Obligor shall qualify as an Eligible Transferee, except as Agent may otherwise specifically agree.

 

1.34           “Environmental Laws” shall mean all foreign, Federal, State and local laws (including common law), legislation, rules, codes, licenses, permits (including any conditions imposed therein), authorizations, judicial or administrative decisions, injunctions or agreements between Borrower and any Governmental Authority, (a) relating to pollution and the protection, preservation or restoration of the environment (including air, water vapor, surface water, ground water, drinking water, drinking water supply, surface land, subsurface land, plant and animal life or any other natural resource), or to human health or safety, (b) relating to the exposure to, or the use, storage, recycling, treatment, generation, manufacture, processing, distribution, transportation, handling, labeling, production, release or disposal, or threatened release, of Hazardous Materials, or (c) relating to all laws with regard to recordkeeping, notification, disclosure and reporting requirements respecting Hazardous Materials.  The term “Environmental Laws” includes (i) the Federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, the Federal Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act, the Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1972, the Federal Clean Water Act, the Federal Clean Air Act, the Federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (including the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments thereto), the Federal Solid Waste Disposal and the Federal Toxic Substances Control Act, the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, and the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974, (ii) applicable state counterparts to such laws and (iii) any common law or equitable doctrine that may impose liability or obligations for injuries or damages due to, or threatened as a result of, the presence of or exposure to any Hazardous Materials.

 

1.35           “Equipment” shall mean all of Borrower’s now owned and hereafter acquired equipment, wherever located, including machinery, data processing and computer equipment (whether owned or licensed and including embedded software), vehicles, tools, furniture, fixtures, all attachments, accessions and property now or hereafter affixed thereto or used in connection therewith, and substitutions and replacements thereof, wherever located.

 

1.36           “ERISA” shall mean the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, together with all rules, regulations and interpretations thereunder or related thereto.

 

1.37           “ERISA Affiliate” shall mean any person required to be aggregated with Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries under Sections 414(b), 414(c), 414(m) or 414(o) of the Code.

 

1.38           “ERISA Event” shall mean (a) any “reportable event”, as defined in Section 4043(c) of ERISA or the regulations issued thereunder, with respect to a Pension Plan, other than events as to which the requirement of notice has been waived in regulations by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation; (b) the adoption of any amendment to a Pension Plan that would require the provision of security pursuant to Section 401(a)(29) of the Code or Section 307 of ERISA; (c) a complete or partial withdrawal by Borrower, any Obligor (other than Parent) or any ERISA Affiliate (other than Parent) from a Multiemployer Plan or a cessation of operations which is treated as such a withdrawal or notification that a Multiemployer Plan is in reorganization; (d) the filing of a notice of intent to terminate, the treatment of a Pension Plan amendment as a termination under Section 4041 or 4041A of ERISA, or the commencement of proceedings by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation to terminate a Pension Plan; (e) an event or condition which might reasonably be expected to constitute grounds under Section 4042 of ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Plan; (f) the imposition of any liability under Title IV of ERISA, other than the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation premiums due but not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA, upon Borrower, any Obligor (other than Parent) or any ERISA Affiliate (other than Parent) in excess of $250,000 and (g) any other event or condition with respect to a Plan including any Pension Plan subject to Title IV of ERISA maintained, or contributed to, by any ERISA Affiliate (other than Parent) that could reasonably be expected to result in liability of Borrower in excess of $250,000.

 

1.39           “Eurodollar Rate Loans” shall mean any Loans or portion thereof on which interest is payable based on the Adjusted Eurodollar Rate in accordance with the terms hereof.

 

1.40           “Event of Default” shall mean the occurrence or existence of any event or condition described in Section 10.1 hereof.

 

1.41           “Excess Availability” shall mean, the amount, as determined by Agent, calculated at any date, equal to: (a) the lesser of:  (i)  the Borrowing Base and (ii) the Maximum Credit (in each case under clause (i) or (ii), without duplication, after giving effect to any Reserves other than any Reserves in respect of Letter of Credit Obligations), minus (b) the sum of: (i) the amount of all then outstanding and unpaid Obligations (but not including for this purpose any outstanding Letter of Credit Obligations), plus (ii) the amount of all Reserves then established in respect of Letter of Credit Obligations, plus (iii) the aggregate amount of all then outstanding and unpaid trade payables and other obligations of Borrower which are outstanding more than forty-five (45) days past due as of the end of the immediately preceding month or at Agent’s option, as of a more recent date based on such reports as Agent may from time to time specify (other than trade payables or other obligations being contested or disputed by Borrower in good faith), plus (iv) without duplication, the amount of checks issued by Borrower to pay trade payables and other obligations which are more than forty-five (45) days past due as of the end of the immediately preceding month or at Agent’s option, as of a more recent date based on such reports as Agent may from time to time specify (other than trade payables or other obligations being contested or disputed by Borrower in good faith), but not yet sent.

 

1.42           “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, together with all rules, regulations and interpretations thereunder or related thereto.

 

1.43           “Existing Lenders” shall mean the lenders to Borrower listed on Schedule 1.43 hereto and their respective predecessors, successors and assigns.

 

1.44           “Federal Funds Rate” shall mean, for any period, a fluctuating interest rate per annum equal, for each day during such period, to the weighted average of the rates on overnight Federal Funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by Federal Funds brokers, as published for such day (or, if such day is not a Business Day, for the next preceding Business Day) by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, or, if such rate is not so published for any day that is a Business Day, the average of the quotations for such day on such transactions received by the Agent from three Federal Funds brokers of recognized standing selected by it.

 

1.45           “Fee Letter” shall mean the letter agreement, dated of even date herewith, by and between Borrower and Agent, setting forth certain fees payable by Borrower to Agent for the benefit of itself and Lenders, as the same now exists or may hereafter be amended, modified, supplemented, extended, renewed, restated or replaced.

 

1.46           “Financing Agreements” shall mean, collectively, this Agreement and all notes, guarantees, security agreements, deposit account control agreements, investment property control agreements, intercreditor agreements, mortgagee waivers and all other agreements, documents and instr­uments now or at any time hereafter executed and/or delivered by Borrower or any Obligor in connection with this Agreement; provided, that, in no event shall the term Financing Agreements be deemed to include any Hedge Agreement.

 

1.47           “Foreign Lender” shall mean any Lender that is organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than that in which Borrower is resident for tax purposes.  For purposes of this definition, the United States of America, each State thereof and the District of Columbia shall be deemed to constitute a single jurisdiction.

 

1.48           “Funding Bank” shall have the meaning given to such term in Section 3.3 hereof.

 

1.49           “GAAP” shall mean generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America as in effect from time to time as set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board which are applicable to the circumstances as of the date of determination consistently applied; except, that, for purposes of Section 9.17 hereof, GAAP shall be determined on the basis of such principles in effect on the date hereof and consistent with those used in the preparation of the most recent audited financial statements delivered to Agent prior to the date hereof.

 

1.50           “Governmental Authority” shall mean any nation or government, any state, province, or other political subdivision thereof, any central bank (or similar monetary or regulatory authority) thereof,  and any entity with authority to exercise executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory or administrative functions of or pertaining to government.

 

1.51           “Guarantors” shall mean, collectively, the following (together with their respective successors and assigns): (a) Parent and (b) any other Person that at any time after the date hereof becomes party to a guarantee in favor of Lender or otherwise liable on or with respect to the Obligations; each sometimes being referred to herein individually as a “Guarantor”.

 

1.52           “Hazardous Materials” shall mean any hazardous, toxic or dangerous substances, materials and wastes, including hydrocarbons (including naturally occurring or man-made petroleum and hydrocarbons), flammable explosives, asbestos, urea formaldehyde insulation, radioactive materials, biological substances, polychlorinated biphenyls, pesticides, herbicides and any other kind and/or type of pollutants or contaminants (including materials which include hazardous constituents), sewage, sludge, industrial slag, solvents and/or any other similar substances, materials, or wastes and including any other substances, materials or wastes that are or become regulated under any Environmental Law (including any that are or become classified as hazardous or toxic under any Environmental Law).

 

1.53           “Hedge Agreement” shall mean an agreement between Borrower or any Guarantor and Agent or any Bank Product Provider that is a swap agreement as such term is defined in 11 U.S.C. Section 101, and including any rate swap agreement, basis swap, forward rate agreement, commodity swap, interest rate option, forward foreign exchange agreement, spot foreign exchange agreement, rate cap agreement rate, floor agreement, rate collar agreement, currency swap agreement, cross-currency rate swap agreement, currency option, any other similar agreement (including any option to enter into any of the foregoing or a master agreement for any the foregoing together with all supplements thereto) for the purpose of protecting against or managing exposure to fluctuations in interest or exchange rates, currency valuations or commodity prices; sometimes being collectively referred to herein as “Hedge Agreements.”  For the purposes of this Agreement and the Credit Facility, any Hedge Agreement between Parent and Agent or any Bank Product Provider, together with all Indebtedness related thereto shall not constitute a “Hedge Agreement” hereunder.

 

1.54           “Indebtedness” shall mean, with respect to any Person, any liability, whether or not contingent, (a) in respect of borrowed money (whether or not the recourse of the lender is to the whole of the assets of such Person or only to a portion thereof) or evidenced by bonds, notes, debentures or similar instruments; (b) representing the balance deferred and unpaid of the purchase price of any property or services (other than an account payable to a trade creditor (whether or not an Affiliate) incurred in the ordinary course of business of such Person and payable in accordance with customary trade practices); (c) all obligations as lessee under leases which have been, or should be, in accordance with GAAP recorded as Capital Leases; (d) any contractual obligation, contingent or otherwise, of such Person to pay or be liable for the payment of any indebtedness described in this definition of another Person, including, without limitation, any such indebtedness, directly or indirectly guaranteed, or any agreement to purchase, repurchase, or otherwise acquire such indebtedness, obligation or liability or any security therefor, or to provide funds for the payment or discharge thereof, or to maintain solvency, assets, level of income, or other financial condition; (e) all obligations with respect to redeemable stock and redemption or repurchase obligations under any Capital Stock or other equity securities issued by such Person; (f) all reimbursement obligations and other liabilities of such Person with respect to surety bonds (whether bid, performance or otherwise), letters of credit, banker’s acceptances, drafts or similar documents or instruments issued for such Person’s account; (g) all indebtedness of such Person in respect of indebtedness of another Person for borrowed money or indebtedness of another Person otherwise described in this definition which is secured by any consensual lien, security interest, collateral assignment, conditional sale, mortgage, deed of trust, or other encumbrance on any asset of such Person, whether or not such obligations, liabilities or indebtedness are assumed by or are a personal liability of such Person, all as of such time; (h) all obligations, liabilities and indebtedness of such Person (marked to market) arising under swap agreements, cap agreements and collar agreements and other agreements or arrangements designed to protect such person against fluctuations in interest rates or currency or commodity values; (i) all obligations owed by such Person under License Agreements with respect to non-refundable, advance or minimum guarantee royalty payments; (j) indebtedness of any partnership or joint venture in which such Person is a general partner or a joint venturer to the extent such Person is liable therefor as a result of such Person’s ownership interest in such entity, except to the extent that the terms of such indebtedness expressly provide that such Person is not liable therefor or such Person has no liability therefor as a matter of law and (k) the principal and interest portions of all rental obligations of such Person under any synthetic lease or similar off-balance sheet financing where such transaction is considered to be borrowed money for tax purposes but is classified as an operating lease in accordance with GAAP.

 

1.55           “Indemnitee” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11.5 hereof.

 

1.56           “Information Certificate” shall mean the Information Certificate of Borrower constituting Exhibit B hereto containing material information with respect to Borrower, its businesses and assets provided by or on behalf of Borrower to Agent in connection with the preparation of this Agreement and the other Financing Agreements and the financing arrangements provided for herein.

 

1.57           “Intellectual Property” shall mean Borrower’s now owned and hereafter arising or acquired:  patents, patent rights, patent applications, copyrights, works which are the subject matter of copyrights, copyright applications, copyright registrations, trademarks, servicemarks, trade names, trade styles, trademark and servicemark applications, and licenses and rights to use any of the foregoing and all applications, registrations and recordings relating to any of the foregoing as may be filed in the United States Copyright Office, the United States Patent and Trademark Office or in any similar office or agency of the United States, any State thereof, any political subdivision thereof or in any other country or jurisdiction, together with all rights and privileges arising under applicable law with respect to Borrower’s use of any of the foregoing; all extensions, renewals, reissues, divisions, continuations, and continuations-in-part of any of the foregoing; all rights to sue for past, present and future infringement of any of the foregoing; inventions, trade secrets, formulae, processes, compounds, drawings, designs, blueprints, surveys, reports, manuals, and operating standards; goodwill (including any goodwill associated with any trademark or servicemark, or the license of any trademark or servicemark); customer and other lists in whatever form maintained; trade secret rights, copyright rights, rights in works of authorship, domain names and domain name registration; software and contract rights relating to computer software programs, in whatever form created or maintained.

 

1.58           “Interest Expense” shall mean, for any period, as to any Person, as determined in accordance with GAAP, the total interest expense of such Person, whether paid or accrued during such period but without duplication (including the interest component of Capital Leases for such period), including, without limitation, discounts in connection with the sale of any Accounts that are sold for purposes other than collection, but excluding interest paid in property other than cash and any other interest expense not payable in cash.

 

1.59           “Interest Period” shall mean for any Eurodollar Rate Loan, a period of approximately one (1), two (2), or three (3) months duration as Borrower may elect, the exact duration to be determined in accordance with the customary practice in the applicable Eurodollar Rate market; provided, that, Borrower may not elect an Interest Period which will end after the last day of the then-current term of this Agreement.

 

1.60           “Interest Rate” shall mean,

 

(a) Subject to clause (b) of this definition below:

 

(i) as to Prime Rate Loans, a rate equal to the Prime Rate plus the Applicable Margin for Prime Rate Loans,

 

(ii) as to Eurodollar Rate Loans, a rate equal to the Adjusted Eurodollar Rate plus the Applicable Margin for Eurodollar Rate Loans (in each case, based on the London Interbank Offered Rate applicable for the Interest Period selected by Borrower as in effect two (2) Business Days prior to the commencement of the Interest Period, whether such rate is higher or lower than any rate previously quoted to Borrower).

 

(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in clause (a) of this definition, the Applicable Margin otherwise used to calculate the Interest Rate for Prime Rate Loans and Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be the highest percentage set forth in the definition of the term Applicable Margin for each category of Revolving Loans plus two (2.00%) percent per annum, at Agent’s option, (i) for the period (A) on and after the date of termination or non-renewal hereof until such time as all Obligations are finally paid and satisfied in full in immediately available funds (or in the case of contingent Obligations, Agent shall have received cash collateral or a letter of credit, at its option, all in accordance with Section 13.1 below), or (B) from and after the date of the occurrence of any Event of Default, and for so long as such Event of Default is continuing and (ii) on the amount of the Revolving Loans to Borrower at any time outstanding in excess of the Borrowing Base or any other material limitation with respect thereto provided for herein (whether or not such excess(es) arise or are made with or without Agent’s or any Lender’s knowledge or consent and whether made before or after an Event of Default).

 

1.61           “Inventory” shall mean all of Borrower’s now owned and hereafter existing or acquired goods, wherever located, which (a) are leased by Borrower as lessor; (b) are held by Borrower for sale or lease or to be furnished under a contract of service; (c) are furnished by Borrower under a contract of service; or (d) consist of raw materials, work in process, finished goods or materials used or consumed in its business.

 

1.62           “Inventory Loan Limit” shall mean the amount equal to $20,000,000.

 

1.63           “Investment Property Control Agreement” shall mean an agreement in writing, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent, by and among Agent, Borrower and any securities intermediary, commodity intermediary or other person who has custody, control or possession of any investment property of Borrower acknowledging that such securities intermediary, commodity intermediary or other person has custody, control or possession of such investment property on behalf of Agent, that it will comply with entitlement orders originated by Agent with respect to such investment property, or other instructions of Agent, and has such other terms and conditions as Agent may reasonably require.

 

1.64           “Issuing Bank” shall mean Wachovia Bank, National Association or any Lender that is approved by Agent that shall issue a Letter of Credit for the account of Borrower and has agreed in a manner reasonably satisfactory to Agent to be subject to the terms hereof as an Issuing Bank.

 

1.65           “Lenders” shall mean the financial institutions who are signatories hereto as Lenders and other persons made a party to this Agreement as a Lender in accordance with Section 13.7 hereof, and their respective successors and assigns; each sometimes being referred to herein individually as a “Lender”.

 

1.66           “Letter of Credit Documents” shall mean, with respect to any Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit, any amendments thereto, any documents delivered in connection therewith, any application therefor, and any agreements, instruments, guarantees or other documents (whether general in application or applicable only to such Letter of Credit) governing or providing for (a) the rights and obligations of the parties concerned or at risk or (b) any collateral security for such obligations.

 

1.67           “Letter of Credit Limit” shall mean $10,000,000.

 

1.68           “Letter of Credit Obligations” shall mean, at any time, the sum of (a) the aggregate undrawn amount of all Letters of Credit outstanding at such time, plus (b) the aggregate amount of all drawings under Letters of Credit for which Issuing Bank has not at such time been reimbursed, plus (c) without duplication, the aggregate amount of all payments made by each Lender to Issuing Bank with respect to such Lender’s participation in Letters of Credit as provided in Section 2.2 for which Borrower has not at such time reimbursed the Lenders, whether by way of a Revolving Loan or otherwise.

 

1.69           “Letters of Credit” shall mean all letters of credit (whether documentary or stand-by and whether for the purchase of inventory, equipment or otherwise) issued by an Issuing Bank for the account of Borrower pursuant to this Agreement, and all amendments, renewals, extensions or replacements thereof.

 

1.70           “License Agreements” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 9.18 hereof.

 

1.71           “Loans” shall mean the Revolving Loans.

 

1.72           “London Interbank Offered Rate” shall mean, with respect to any Eurodollar Loan for the Interest Period applicable thereto, the rate of interest per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the nearest 1/100 of 1%) appearing on Telerate Page 3750 (or any successor page) as the London interbank offered rate for deposits in U.S. Dollars at approximately 11:00 A.M. (London time) two (2) Business Days prior to the first day of such Interest Period for a term comparable to such Interest Period; provided, that, if more than one rate is specified on Telerate Page 3750, the applicable rate shall be the arithmetic mean of all such rates.  If, for any reason, such rate is not available, the term “London Interbank Offered Rate” shall mean, with respect to any Eurodollar Loan for the Interest Period applicable thereto, the rate of interest per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the nearest 1/100 of 1%) appearing on Reuters Screen LIBO Page as the London interbank offered rate for deposits in Dollars at approximately 11:00 A.M. (London time) two (2)  Business Days prior to the first day of such Interest Period for a term comparable to such Interest Period; provided, however, if more than one rate is specified on Reuters Screen LIBO Page, the applicable rate shall be the arithmetic mean of all such rates.

 

1.73           “Material Adverse Effect” shall mean any condition, change, effect or circumstance that, individually or when taken together with all such conditions, changes, effects or circumstances, has or would reasonably be expected to have an adverse effect on the financial condition, assets, properties, business, operations or results of operations of the Borrower which is material to the Borrower, excluding (a) any changes or effects that are not unique to the Borrower and do not adversely affect the Borrower disproportionately compared to its competitors, directly resulting from general changes in economic, financial or capital market, regulatory, political or national security conditions (including acts of war or terrorism), (b) changes in conditions generally applicable to the industries in which the Borrower is involved and (c) changes which result from the announcement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

1.74           “Material Contract” shall mean (a) any contract or agreement (other than the Financing Agreements and any ethanol purchase and sale contracts or agreements), written or oral, of Borrower involving monetary liability of or to any Person in an amount in excess of $750,000, (b) any ethanol purchase and sale contract or agreement with a stated term in excess of six (6) months and (c) any contract or agreement (other than the Financing Agreements), whether written or oral, to which Borrower is a party as to which the breach, nonperformance, cancellation or failure to renew by any party thereto would have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

1.75           “Maturity Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 13.1 hereof.

 

1.76           “Maximum Credit” shall mean the amount of $40,000,000 (subject to adjustment as provided in Section 2.3 hereof).

 

1.77           “Maximum Credit Increase Effective Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.3(c) hereof.

 

1.78           “Monthly Average Excess Availability” shall mean, at any time, the daily average of the Excess Availability for the immediately preceding calendar month as calculated by Agent.

 

1.79           “Multiemployer Plan” shall mean a “multi-employer plan” as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA which is or was at any time during the current year or the immediately preceding six (6) years contributed to by Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate or with respect to which Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate may incur any liability.

 

1.80           “Net Recovery Percentage” shall mean the fraction, expressed as a percentage, (a) the numerator of which is the amount equal to the amount of the recovery in respect of the Inventory at such time a “net orderly liquidation value” basis as set forth in the most recent acceptable appraisal of Inventory received by Agent in accordance with Section 7.3, net of operating expenses, liquidation expenses and commissions, and (b) the denominator of which is the applicable original cost of the aggregate amount of the Inventory subject to such appraisal.

 

1.81           “Non-Restricted Asset” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.1

 

1.82           “Obligations” shall mean (a) any and all Loans, Letter of Credit Obligations and all other obligations, liabilities and indebtedness of every kind, nature and description owing by any or all of Borrower to Agent or any Lender or any Issuing Bank, including principal, interest, charges, fees, costs and expenses, however evidenced, whether as principal, surety, endorser, guarantor or otherwise, arising under this Agreement or any of the other Financing Agreements or on account of any Letter of Credit and all other Letter of Credit Obligations, whether now existing or hereafter arising, whether arising before, during or after the initial or any renewal term of this Agreement or after the commencement of any case with respect to Borrower under the United States Bankruptcy Code or any similar statute (including the payment of interest and other amounts which would accrue and become due but for the commencement of such case, whether or not such amounts are allowed or allowable in whole or in part in such case), whether direct or indirect, absolute or contingent, joint or several, due or not due, primary or secondary, liquidated or unliquidated, or secured or unsecured and (b) for purposes only of Section 5.1 hereof and subject to the priority in right of payment set forth in Section 6.4 hereof, all obligations, liabilities and indebtedness of every kind, nature and description owing by Borrower or any or all of Guarantors (other than Parent) to Agent or any Bank Product Provider arising under or pursuant to any Bank Products, whether now existing or hereafter arising; provided, that, (i) as to any such obligations, liabilities and indebtedness arising under or pursuant to a Hedge Agreement, the same shall only be included within the Obligations if upon Agent’s request, Agent shall have entered into an agreement, in form and substance satisfactory to Agent, with the Bank Product Provider that is a counterparty to such Hedge Agreement, as acknowledged and agreed to by Borrower and Guarantors (other than Parent), providing for the delivery to Agent by such counterparty of information with respect to the amount of such obligations and providing for the other rights of Agent and such Bank Product Provider in connection with such arrangements, (ii) any Bank Product Provider, other than Wachovia and its Affiliates, shall have delivered written notice to Agent that (A) such Bank Product Provider has entered into a transaction to provide Bank Products to Borrower and Guarantors (other than Parent) and (B) the obligations arising pursuant to such Bank Products provided to Borrower and Guarantors (other than Parent) constitute Obligations entitled to the benefits of the security interest of Agent granted hereunder, and Agent shall have accepted such notice in writing and (iii) in no event shall any Bank Product Provider acting in such capacity to whom such obligations, liabilities or indebtedness are owing be deemed a Lender for purposes hereof to the extent of and as to such obligations, liabilities or indebtedness; except, that, each reference to the term “Lender” in Sections 12.1, 12.2, 12.3(b), 12.6, 12.7, 12.9, 12.12 and 13.6 hereof shall be deemed to include such Bank Product Provider and in no event shall the approval of any such person in its capacity as Bank Product Provider be required in connection with the release or termination of any security interest or lien of Agent.

 

1.83           “Obligors” shall mean, individually and collectively, Borrower and Guarantors; each sometimes being referred to herein individually as a “Obligor.”

 

1.84           “Other Taxes” shall have the meaning given to such term in Section 6.5 hereof.

 

1.85           “Parent” shall mean Pacific Ethanol Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its successors and assigns.

 

1.86           “Parent/Borrower Operating Agreement” shall mean that certain Intercompany Operating Agreement, dated as of July 28, 2008, between Borrower and Parent pursuant to which Parent will provide certain services to Borrower as more particularly set forth therein.

 

1.87           “Participant” shall mean any financial institution that acquires and holds a participation in the interest of any Lender in any of the Loans and Letters of Credit in conformity with the provisions of Section 13.7 of this Agreement governing participations.

 

1.88           “Person” or “person” shall mean any individual, sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation (including any corporation which elects subchapter S status under the Code), limited liability company, limited liability partnership, business trust, unincorporated association, joint stock corporation, trust, joint venture or other entity or any government or any agency or instrumentality or political subdivision thereof.

 

1.89           “Pension Plan” shall mean a pension plan (as defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA) subject to Title IV of ERISA which Borrower sponsors, maintains, or to which Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate makes, is making, or is obligated to make contributions, other than a Multiemployer Plan.

 

1.90           “Plan” shall mean an employee benefit plan (as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA) which Borrower or any Obligor (other than Parent) sponsors, maintains, or to which it makes, is making, or is obligated to make contributions, or in the case of a Multiemployer Plan has made contributions at any time during the immediately preceding six (6) plan years or with respect to which Borrower or any Obligor (other than Parent) may incur liability.

 

1.91           “Prime Rate” shall mean, on any date, the greater of (a) the rate from time to time publicly announced by Wachovia Bank, National Association, or its successors, as its prime rate, subject to each increase or decrease in such prime rate, effective as of the date of any such change, whether or not such announced rate is the best rate available at such bank, or (b) the Federal Funds Rate in effect on such day plus one-half of one (0.50%) percent.

 

1.92           “Prime Rate Loans” shall mean any Loans or portion thereof on which interest is payable based on the Prime Rate in accordance with the terms thereof.

 

1.93           “Pro Rata Share” shall mean as to any Lender, the fraction (expressed as a percentage) the numerator of which is such Lender’s Commitment and the denominator of which is the aggregate amount of all of the Commitments of Lenders, as adjusted from time to time in accordance with the provisions of Section 13.7 hereof; provided, that, if the Commitments have been terminated, the numerator shall be the unpaid amount of such Lender’s Loans and its interest in the Letters of Credit and the denominator shall be the aggregate amount of all unpaid Loans and Letters of Credit.

 

1.94           “Provision for Taxes” shall mean an amount equal to all taxes imposed on or measured by net income, whether Federal, State, Provincial, county or local, and whether foreign or domestic, that are paid or payable by any Person in respect of any period in accordance with GAAP.

 

1.95           “Real Property” shall mean all now owned and hereafter acquired real property of Borrower, including leasehold interests, together with all buildings, structures, and other improvements located thereon and all licenses, easements and appurtenances relating thereto, wherever located.

 

1.96           “Receivables” shall mean all of the following now owned or hereafter arising or acquired property of Borrower: (a) all Accounts; (b) all interest, fees, late charges, penalties, collection fees and other amounts due or to become due or otherwise payable in connection with any Account; (c) all payment intangibles of Borrower; (d)  letters of credit, indemnities, guarantees, security or other deposits and proceeds thereof issued payable to Borrower or otherwise in favor of or delivered to Borrower in connection with any Account; and (e) all other accounts, contract rights (including, without limitation, all of Borrower’s right, title and interest in and to the Parent/Borrower Operating Agreement), chattel paper, instruments, notes, general intangibles and other forms of obligations owing to Borrower, whether from the sale and lease of goods or other property, licensing of any property (including Intellectual Property or other general intangibles), rendition of services or from loans or advances by Borrower or to or for the benefit of any third person (including loans or advances to any Affiliates or Subsidiaries of Borrower) or otherwise associated with any Accounts, Inventory or general intangibles of  Borrower (including, without limitation, choses in action, causes of action, tax refunds, tax refund claims, any funds which may become payable to Borrower in connection with the termination of any Plan or other employee benefit plan and any other amounts payable to Borrower from any Plan or other employee benefit plan, rights and claims against carriers and shippers, rights to indemnification, business interruption insurance and proceeds thereof, casualty or any similar types of insurance and any proceeds thereof and proceeds of insurance covering the lives of employees on which Borrower is a beneficiary).

 

1.97           “Records” shall mean all of Borrower’s present and future books of account of every kind or nature, purchase and sale agreements, invoices, ledger cards, bills of lading and other shipping evidence, statements, correspondence, memoranda, credit files and other data relating to the Collateral or any account debtor, together with the tapes, disks, diskettes and other data and software storage media and devices, file cabinets or containers in or on which the foregoing are stored (including any rights of Borrower with respect to the foregoing maintained with or by any other person).

 

1.98           “Reference Bank” shall mean Wachovia Bank, National Association, or such other bank as Agent may from time to time designate.

 

1.99           “Register” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 13.7 hereof.

 

1.100          “Required Lenders” shall mean, at any time, those Lenders whose Pro Rata Shares aggregate sixty-six and two-thirds (66 2/3%) percent or more of the aggregate of the Commitments of all Lenders, or if the Commitments shall have been terminated, Lenders to whom at least sixty-six and two-thirds (66 2/3%) percent of the then outstanding Obligations are owing.

 

1.101          “Reserves” shall mean as of any date of determination, such amounts as Agent may from time to time establish and revise in good faith and in the exercise of its reasonable credit judgment reducing the amount of Loans and Letters of Credit that would otherwise be available to Borrower under the lending formula(s) provided for herein:  (a) to reflect events, conditions, contingencies or risks which, as determined by Agent in good faith and in the exercise of its reasonable credit judgment, adversely affect, or would have a reasonable likelihood of adversely affecting, either (i) the Collateral or any other property which is security for the Obligations or its value or (ii) the assets, business or prospects of Borrower or any Obligor (other than Parent) or (iii) the security interests and other rights of Agent or any Lender in the Collateral (including the enforceability, perfection and priority thereof) or (b) to reflect Agent’s good faith belief that any collateral report or financial information furnished by or on behalf of Borrower or any Obligor to Agent is or may have been incomplete, inaccurate or misleading in any material respect or (c) to reflect outstanding Letter of Credit Obligations as provided in Section 2.2 hereof or (d) in respect of any state of facts which Agent determines in good faith and in the exercise of its reasonable credit judgment constitutes a Default or an Event of Default. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Reserves may, at Agent’s option, in good faith and in the exercise of its reasonable credit judgment, be established to reflect:  (i) dilution with respect to the Accounts (based on the ratio of the aggregate amount of non-cash reductions in Accounts for any period to the aggregate dollar amount of the sales of Borrower for such period) as calculated by Agent for any period is or is reasonably anticipated to be greater than five (5%) percent; (ii) returns, discounts, claims, credits and allowances of any nature that are not paid pursuant to the reduction of Accounts; (iii) sales, excise or similar taxes included in the amount of any Accounts reported to Agent; (iv) a change in the turnover, age or mix of the categories of Inventory that adversely affects the aggregate value of all Inventory; (v) amounts due or to become due to owners and lessors of premises where any Collateral is located, other than for those locations where Agent has received a Collateral Access Agreement that Agent has accepted in writing; (vi) amounts due or to become due to owners and licensors of trademarks and other Intellectual Property used by Borrower and (vii) obligations, liabilities or indebtedness (contingent or otherwise) of Borrower or any Obligor (other than Parent) to Agent or any Bank Product Provider arising under or in connection with any Bank Products or as such Affiliate or Person may otherwise require in connection therewith to the extent that such obligations, liabilities or indebtedness constitute Obligations as such term is defined herein or otherwise receive the benefit of the security interest of Agent in any Collateral.  The amount of any Reserve established by Agent shall have a reasonable relationship to the event, condition or other matter which is the basis for such reserve as determined by Agent in good faith and in the exercise of its reasonable credit judgment and to the extent that such Reserve is in respect of amounts that may be payable to third parties Agent may, at its option, deduct such Reserve from the Maximum Credit, at any time that such limit is less than the amount of the Borrowing Base.

 

1.102         “Restricted Assets” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.1 hereof.

 

1.103          “Revolving Loans” shall mean the loans now or hereafter made by or on behalf of any Lender or by Agent for the account of any Lender on a revolving basis pursuant to the Credit Facility (involving advances, repayments and readvances) as set forth in Section 2.1 hereof.

 

1.104          “Secured Parties” shall mean, collectively, (a) Agent, (b) Issuing Bank, (c) Lenders, and (d) Bank Product Providers (to the extent approved by Agent).

 

1.105          “Solvent” shall mean, at any time with respect to any Person, that at such time such Person (a) is able to pay its debts as they mature and has (and has a reasonable basis to believe it will continue to have) sufficient capital (and not unreasonably small capital) to carry on its business consistent with its practices as of the date hereof, and (b) the assets and properties of such Person at a fair valuation (and including as assets for this purpose at a fair valuation all rights of subrogation, contribution or indemnification arising pursuant to any guarantees given by such Person) are greater than the Indebtedness of such Person, and including subordinated and contingent liabilities computed at the amount which, such person has a reasonable basis to believe, represents an amount which can reasonably be expected to become an actual or matured liability (and including as to contingent liabilities arising pursuant to any guarantee the face amount of such liability as reduced to reflect the probability of it becoming a matured liability).

 

1.106          “Special Agent Advances” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 12.11 hereof.

 

1.107          “Subsidiary” or “subsidiary” shall mean, with respect to any Person, any corporation, limited liability company, limited liability partnership or other limited or general partnership, trust, association or other business entity of which an aggregate of at least a majority of the outstanding Capital Stock or other interests entitled to vote in the election of the board of directors of such corporation (irrespective of whether, at the time, Capital Stock of any other class or classes of such corporation shall have or might have voting power by reason of the happening of any contingency), managers, trustees or other controlling persons, or an equivalent controlling interest therein, of such Person is, at the time, directly or indirectly, owned by such Person and/or one or more subsidiaries of such Person.

 

1.108          “UCC” shall mean the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in the State of California and any successor statute, as in effect from time to time (except, that, terms used herein which are defined in the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in the State of California on the date hereof shall continue to have the same meaning notwithstanding any replacement or amendment of such statute except as Agent may otherwise determine).

 

1.109          “Value” shall mean, as determined by Agent in good faith and in the exercise of its reasonable credit judgment, with respect to Inventory, the lower of (a) cost computed on a first-in first-out basis in accordance with GAAP or (b) market value; provided, that, for purposes of the calculation of the Borrowing Base, (i) the Value of the Inventory shall not include:  (A) the portion of the value of Inventory equal to the profit earned by any Affiliate on the sale thereof to Borrower or (B) write-ups or write-downs in value with respect to currency exchange rates and (ii) notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the cost of the Inventory shall be computed in the same manner and consistent with the most recent appraisal of the Inventory received and accepted by Agent prior to the date hereof, if any.

 

1.110          “Voting Stock” shall mean with respect to any Person, (a) one (1) or more classes of Capital Stock of such Person having general voting powers to elect at least a majority of the board of directors, managers or trustees of such Person, irrespective of whether at the time Capital Stock of any other class or classes have or might have voting power by reason of the happening of any contingency, and (b) any Capital Stock of such Person convertible or exchangeable without restriction at the option of the holder thereof into Capital Stock of such Person described in clause (a) of this definition.

 

1.111          “Wachovia” shall mean Wachovia Capital Finance Corporation (Western), a California corporation, in its individual capacity, and its successors and assigns.

 

 

 

(a) Subject to and upon the terms and conditions contained herein, each Lender severally (and not jointly) agrees to make its Pro Rata Share of Revolving Loans to Borrower from time to time in amounts requested by Borrower up to the aggregate amount outstanding for all Lenders at any time equal to the lesser of: (i) the Borrowing Base at such time or (ii) the Maximum Credit.

 

(b) Except in Agent’s discretion, with the consent of all Lenders, or as otherwise provided herein, (i) the aggregate amount of the Loans and the Letter of Credit Obligations outstanding at any time shall not exceed the Maximum Credit, (ii) the aggregate principal amount of the Revolving Loans and Letter of Credit Obligations outstanding at any time to Borrower shall not exceed the Borrowing Base, (iii) the aggregate principal amount of Revolving Loans and Letter of Credit Obligations based on Eligible Inventory shall not exceed the Inventory Loan Limit and (iv) the aggregate principal amount of the Revolving Loans outstanding at any time against (A) Eligible In-Transit Inventory shall not exceed $10,000,000 and (B) Eligible Inventory consisting of biodiesel finished goods shall not exceed $3,000,000 .

 

(c) In the event that (i) the aggregate amount of the Loans and the Letter of Credit Obligations outstanding at any time exceed the Maximum Credit, or (ii) except as otherwise provided herein, the aggregate principal amount of the Revolving Loans and Letter of Credit Obligations outstanding to Borrower exceed the Borrowing Base or the Maximum Credit of Borrower, or (iii) the aggregate principal amount of Revolving Loans and Letter of Credit Obligations based on the Eligible Inventory exceed the Inventory Loan Limit, or (iv) the aggregate principal amount of the Revolving Loans outstanding at any time against (A) Eligible In-Transit Inventory exceeds $10,000,000 or (B) Eligible Inventory consisting of biodiesel finished goods exceeds $3,000,000, such event shall not limit, waive or otherwise affect any rights of Agent or Lenders in such circumstances or on any future occasions and Borrower shall, upon demand by Agent, which may be made at any time or from time to time, immediately repay to Agent the entire amount of any such excess(es) for which payment is demanded.

 

2.2

Letters of Credit.

 

(a) Subject to and upon the terms and conditions contained herein and in the Letter of Credit Documents, at the request of  Borrower, Agent agrees to cause Issuing Bank to issue, and Issuing Bank agrees to issue, for the account of Borrower one or more Letters of Credit, for the ratable risk of each Lender according to its Pro Rata Share, containing terms and conditions reasonably acceptable to Agent and Issuing Bank.

 

(b) Borrower shall give Agent and Issuing Bank two (2) Business Days’ prior written notice of Borrower’s request for the issuance of a Letter of Credit.  Such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the original face amount of the Letter of Credit requested, the effective date (which date shall be a Business Day and in no event shall be a date less than ten (10) days prior to the end of the then current term of this Agreement) of issuance of such requested Letter of Credit, whether such Letter of Credit may be drawn in a single or in partial draws, the date on which such requested Letter of Credit is to expire (which date shall be a Business Day and shall not be more than one year from the date of issuance), the purpose for which such Letter of Credit is to be issued, and the beneficiary of the requested Letter of Credit. Borrower shall attach to such notice the proposed terms of the Letter of Credit.  The renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit shall, for purposes hereof be treated in all respects the same as the issuance of a new Letter of Credit hereunder.

 

(c) In addition to being subject to the satisfaction of the applicable conditions precedent contained in Section 4 hereof and the other terms and conditions contained herein, no Letter of Credit shall be available unless each of the following conditions precedent have been satisfied in a manner satisfactory to Agent:  (i) Borrower shall have delivered to Issuing Bank at such times and in such manner as Issuing Bank may require, an application, in form and substance satisfactory to Issuing Bank and Agent, for the issuance of the Letter of Credit and such other Letter of Credit Documents as may be required pursuant to the terms thereof, and the form and terms of the proposed Letter of Credit shall be satisfactory to Agent and Issuing Bank, (ii) as of the date of issuance, no order of any court, arbitrator or other Governmental Authority shall purport by its terms to enjoin or restrain money center banks generally from issuing letters of credit of the type and in the amount of the proposed Letter of Credit, and no law, rule or regulation applicable to money center banks generally and no request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over money center banks generally shall prohibit, or request that Issuing Bank refrain from, the issuance of letters of credit generally or the issuance of such Letter of Credit; (iii) after giving effect to the issuance of such Letter of Credit, the Letter of Credit Obligations shall not exceed the Letter of Credit Limit, and (iv) the Excess Availability, prior to giving effect to any Reserves with respect to such Letter of Credit, on the date of the proposed issuance of any Letter of Credit, shall be equal to or greater than: (A) if the proposed Letter of Credit is for the purpose of purchasing Eligible Inventory and the documents of title with respect thereto are consigned to Issuing Bank, the sum of (1) the percentage equal to one hundred (100%) percent minus the then applicable percentage with respect to Eligible Inventory set forth in the definition of the term Borrowing Base multiplied by the Value of such Eligible Inventory, plus (2) freight, taxes, duty and other amounts which Agent estimates must be paid in connection with such Inventory upon arrival and for delivery to one of Borrower’s locations for Eligible Inventory within the United States of America and (B) if the proposed Letter of Credit is for any other purpose or the documents of title are not consigned to Issuing Bank in connection with a Letter of Credit for the purpose of purchasing Inventory, an amount equal to one hundred (100%) percent of the Letter of Credit Obligations with respect thereto.  Effective on the issuance of each Letter of Credit, a Reserve shall be established in the applicable amount set forth in Section 2.2(c)(iv)(A) or Section 2.2(c)(iv)(B).

 

(d) Except in Agent’s discretion, with the consent of all Lenders, the amount of all outstanding Letter of Credit Obligations shall not at any time exceed the Letter of Credit Limit.

 

(e) Borrower shall reimburse immediately Issuing Bank for any draw under any Letter of Credit issued for the account of Borrower and pay Issuing Bank the amount of all other charges and fees payable to Issuing Bank in connection with any Letter of Credit issued for the account of Borrower immediately when due, irrespective of any claim, setoff, defense or other right which Borrower may have at any time against Issuing Bank or any other Person.  Each drawing under any Letter of Credit or other amount payable in connection therewith when due shall constitute a request by Borrower to Agent for a Prime Rate Loan in the amount of such drawing or other amount then due and shall be made by Agent on behalf of Lenders as a Revolving Loan (or Special Agent Advance, as the case may be). The date of such Loan shall be the date of the drawing or as to other amounts, the due date therefor.  Any payments made by or on behalf of Agent or any Lender to Issuing Bank and/or related parties in connection with any Letter of Credit shall constitute additional Revolving Loans to Borrower pursuant to this Section 2 (or Special Agent Advances as the case may be).

 

(f) Borrower shall indemnify and hold Agent and Lenders harmless from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs and expenses which Agent or any Lender may suffer or incur in connection with any Letter of Credit and any documents, drafts or acceptances relating thereto, including any losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs and expenses due to any action taken by Issuing Bank or correspondent with respect to any Letter of Credit, except for such losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs or expenses that are a direct result of the gross negligence or willful misconduct of Agent or any Lender as determined pursuant to a final non-appealable order of a court of competent jurisdiction.  Borrower assumes all risks with respect to the acts or omissions of the drawer under or beneficiary of any Letter of Credit and for such purposes the drawer or beneficiary shall be deemed Borrower’s agent.  Borrower assumes all risks for, and agrees to pay, all foreign, Federal, State and local taxes, duties and levies relating to any goods subject to any Letter of Credit or any documents, drafts or acceptances thereunder.  Borrower hereby releases and holds Agent and Lenders harmless from and against any acts, waivers, errors, delays or omissions with respect to or relating to any Letter of Credit, except for the gross negligence or willful misconduct of Agent or any Lender as determined pursuant to a final, non-appealable order of a court of competent jurisdiction.  The provisions of this Section 2.2(f) shall survive the payment of Obligations and the termination  of this Agreement.

 

(g) In connection with Inventory purchased pursuant to any Letter of Credit, Borrower shall, at Agent’s request, instruct all suppliers, carriers, forwarders, customs brokers, warehouses or others receiving or holding cash, checks, Inventory, documents or instruments in which Agent holds a security interest that upon Agent’s request, such items are to be delivered to Agent and/or subject to Agent’s order, and if they shall come into Borrower’s possession, to deliver them, upon Agent’s request, to Agent in their original form.  Except as otherwise provided herein, Agent shall not exercise such right to request such items so long as no Default or Event of Default shall exist or have occurred and be continuing.  Except as Agent may otherwise specify, Borrower shall designate Issuing Bank as the consignee on all bills of lading and other negotiable and non-negotiable documents.

 

(h) Borrower hereby irrevocably authorizes and directs Issuing Bank to name Borrower as the account party therein and to deliver to Agent all instruments, documents and other writings and property received by issuer pursuant to the Letter of Credit and to accept and rely upon Agent’s instructions and agreements with respect to all matters arising in connection with the Letter of Credit or the Letter of Credit Documents with respect thereto.  Nothing contained herein shall be deemed or construed to grant Borrower any right or authority to pledge the credit of Agent or any Lender in any manner.  Borrower shall be bound by any reasonable interpretation made by Agent, or Issuing Bank in good faith and in the exercise of their reasonable credit judgment under or in connection with any Letter of Credit or any documents, drafts or acceptances thereunder, notwithstanding that such interpretation may be inconsistent with any instructions of Borrower.

 

(i) Immediately upon the issuance or amendment of any Letter of Credit, each Lender shall be deemed to have irrevocably and unconditionally purchased and received, without recourse or warranty, an undivided interest and participation to the extent of such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the liability with respect to such Letter of Credit and the obligations of Borrower with respect thereto (including all Letter of Credit Obligations with respect thereto).  Each Lender shall absolutely, unconditionally and irrevocably assume, as primary obligor and not as surety, and be obligated to pay to Issuing Bank therefor and discharge when due, its Pro Rata Share of all of such obligations arising under such Letter of Credit.  Without limiting the scope and nature of each Lender’s participation in any Letter of Credit, to the extent that Issuing Bank has not been reimbursed or otherwise paid as required hereunder or under any such Letter of Credit, each such Lender shall pay to Issuing Bank its Pro Rata Share of such unreimbursed drawing or other amounts then due to Issuing Bank in connection therewith.

 

(j) The obligations of Borrower to pay Letter of Credit Obligations and the obligations of Lenders to make payments to Agent for the account of Issuing Bank with respect to Letters of Credit shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable and shall be performed strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement under any and all circumstances, whatsoever, notwithstanding the occurrence or continuance of any Default, Event of Default, the failure to satisfy any other condition set forth in Section 4 or any other event or circumstance. If such amount is not made available by a Lender when due, Agent shall be entitled to recover such amount on demand from such Lender with interest thereon, for each day from the date such amount was due until the date such amount is paid to Agent at the interest rate then payable by Borrower in respect of Loans that are Prime Rate Loans.  Any such reimbursement shall not relieve or otherwise impair the obligation of Borrower to reimburse Issuing Bank under any Letter of Credit or make any other payment in connection therewith.

 

2.3

Increase in Maximum Credit.

 

(a) Borrower may, at any time, deliver a written request to Agent to increase the Maximum Credit.  Any such written request shall specify the amount of the increase in the Maximum Credit that Borrower is requesting; provided, that, (i) in no event shall the aggregate amount of any such increase in the Maximum Credit cause the Maximum Credit to exceed $45,000,000, (ii) such request shall be for an increase of not less than $2,500,000, (iii) any such request shall be irrevocable, and (iv) in no event shall more than one such written request be delivered to Agent in any calendar quarter.

 

(b) Upon the receipt by Agent of any such written request, Agent shall notify each of the Lenders of such request and each Lender shall have the option (but not the obligation) to increase the amount of its Commitment by an amount up to its Pro Rata Share of the amount of the increase in the Maximum Credit requested by Borrower as set forth in the notice from Agent to such Lender.  Each Lender shall notify Agent within ten (10) days after the receipt of such notice from Agent whether it is willing to so increase its Commitment, and if so, the amount of such increase; provided, that, (i) the minimum increase in the Commitments of each such Lender providing the additional Commitments shall equal or exceed $1,000,000 and (ii) no Lender shall be obligated to provide such increase in its Commitment and the determination to increase the Commitment of a Lender shall be within the sole and absolute discretion of such Lender.  If the aggregate amount of the increases in the Commitments received from the Lenders does not equal or exceed the amount of the increase in the Maximum Credit requested by Borrower, Agent may seek additional increases from Lenders or Commitments from such Eligible Transferees as it may determine, after consultation with Borrower.  In the event Lenders (or Lenders and any such Eligible Transferees, as the case may be) have committed in writing to provide increases in their Commitments or new Commitments in an aggregate amount in excess of the increase in the Maximum Credit requested by Borrower or permitted hereunder, Agent shall then have the right to allocate such commitments, first to Lenders and then to Eligible Transferees, in such amounts and manner as Agent may determine, after consultation with Borrower.

 

(c) The Maximum Credit shall be increased by the amount of the increase in Commitments from Lenders or new Commitments from Eligible Transferees, in each case selected in accordance with this Section 2.3, for which Agent has received Assignment and Acceptances sixty (60) days after the date of the request by Borrower for the increase or such earlier date as Agent and Borrower may agree (but subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth below), whether or not the aggregate amount of the increase in Commitments and new Commitments, as the case may be, equal or exceed the amount of the increase in the Maximum Credit requested by Borrower in accordance with the terms hereof, effective on the date that Agent shall have notified Borrower that each of the following conditions have been satisfied (such date being the “Maximum Credit Increase Effective Date”):

 

(i) Agent shall have received from each Lender or Eligible Transferee that is providing an additional Commitment as part of the increase in the Maximum Credit, an Assignment and Acceptance duly executed by such Lender or Eligible Transferee and Borrower; provided, that, the aggregate Commitments set forth in such Assignment and Acceptance(s) shall be not less than $2,500,000;

 

(ii) the conditions precedent to the making of Revolving Loans set forth in Section 4.2 shall be satisfied as of the Maximum Credit Increase Effective Date, both before and after giving effect to such increase;

 

(iii) Agent shall have received an opinion of counsel to Borrower in form and substance and from counsel reasonably satisfactory to Agent and Lenders addressing such matters as Agent may reasonably request (including an opinion as to no conflicts with other Indebtedness);

 

(iv) such increase in the Maximum Credit shall not violate any applicable law, regulation or order or decree of any court or other Governmental Authority and shall not be enjoined, temporarily, preliminarily or permanently;

 

(v) there shall have been paid to each Lender and Eligible Transferee providing an additional Commitment in connection with such increase in the Maximum Credit all fees and expenses due and payable to such Person on or before the effectiveness of such increase; and

 

(vi) there shall have been paid to Agent, for the account of the Agent and Lenders (in accordance with any agreement among them) all fees and expenses (including reasonable fees and expenses of counsel) due and payable pursuant to any of the Financing Agreements on or before the effectiveness of such increase.

 

(d) As of the Maximum Credit Increase Effective Date, each reference to the term Maximum Credit herein, and in any of the other Financing Agreements shall be deemed amended to mean the amount of the Maximum Credit specified in the most recent written notice from Agent to Borrower of the increase in the Maximum Credit.

 

2.4 Commitments.  The aggregate amount of each Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the Loans and Letter of Credit Obligations shall not exceed the amount of such Lender’s Commitment, as the same may from time to time be amended in accordance with the provisions hereof.

 

 

3.1

Interest.

 

(a) Borrower shall pay to Agent, for the benefit of Lenders, interest on the outstanding principal amount of the Loans at the Interest Rate.  All interest accruing hereunder on and after the date of any Event of Default or termination  hereof shall be payable on demand.

 

(b) Borrower may from time to time request Eurodollar Rate Loans or may request that Prime Rate Loans be converted to Eurodollar Rate Loans or that any existing Eurodollar Rate Loans continue for an additional Interest Period.  Such request from Borrower shall specify the amount of the Eurodollar Rate Loans or the amount of the Prime Rate Loans to be converted to Eurodollar Rate Loans or the amount of the Eurodollar Rate Loans to be continued (subject to the limits set forth below) and the Interest Period to be applicable to such Eurodollar Rate Loans.  Subject to the terms and conditions contained herein, two (2) Business Days after receipt by Agent of such a request from Borrower, such Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be made or Prime Rate Loans shall be converted to Eurodollar Rate Loans or such Eurodollar Rate Loans shall continue, as the case may be; provided, that, (i) no Default or Event of Default shall exist or have occurred and be continuing, (ii) no party hereto shall have sent any notice of termination of this Agreement, (iii) Borrower shall have complied with such customary procedures as are established by Agent and specified by Agent to Borrower for Eurodollar Rate Loans, (iv) no more than four (4) Interest Periods may be in effect at any one time, (v) the aggregate amount of the Eurodollar Rate Loans must be in an amount not less than $2,500,000 or an integral multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof, and (vi) Agent and each Lender shall have determined that the Interest Period or Adjusted Eurodollar Rate is available to Agent and such Lender and can be readily determined as of the date of the request for such Eurodollar Rate Loan by Borrower.  Any request by or on behalf of Borrower for Eurodollar Rate Loans or to convert Prime Rate Loans to Eurodollar Rate Loans or to continue any existing Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be irrevocable; provided, however, that, Borrower may revoke such request if and only if such Eurodollar Rate Loans are not made or Prime Rate Loans are not converted to Eurodollar Rate Loans or Eurodollar Rate Loans are not  continued within the applicable time period as set forth above.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, Agent and Lenders shall not be required to purchase United States Dollar deposits in the London interbank market or other applicable Eurodollar Rate market to fund any Eurodollar Rate Loans, but the provisions hereof shall be deemed to apply as if Agent and Lenders had purchased such deposits to fund the Eurodollar Rate Loans.

 

(c) Any Eurodollar Rate Loans shall automatically convert to Prime Rate Loans upon the last day of the applicable Interest Period, unless Agent has received and approved a request to continue such Eurodollar Rate Loan at least three (3) Business Days prior to such last day in accordance with the terms hereof.  Any Eurodollar Rate Loans shall, at Agent’s option, upon notice by Agent to Borrower, be subsequently converted to Prime Rate Loans in the event that this Agreement shall terminate or not be renewed.  Borrower shall pay to Agent, for the benefit of Lenders, upon demand by Agent (or Agent may, at its option, charge any loan account of Borrower) any amounts required to compensate any Lender or Participant for any loss (including loss of anticipated profits), cost or expense incurred by such person, as a result of the conversion of Eurodollar Rate Loans to Prime Rate Loans pursuant to any of the foregoing.

 

(d) Interest shall be payable by Borrower to Agent, for the account of Lenders, monthly in arrears not later than the first day of each calendar month and shall be calculated on the basis of a three hundred sixty (360) day year and actual days elapsed.  The interest rate on non-contingent Obligations (other than Eurodollar Rate Loans) shall increase or decrease by an amount equal to each increase or decrease in the Prime Rate effective on the first day of the month after any change in such Prime Rate is announced based on the Prime Rate in effect on the last day of the month in which any such change occurs.  In no event shall charges constituting interest payable by Borrower to Agent and Lenders exceed the maximum amount or the rate permitted under any applicable law or regulation, and if any such part or provision of this Agreement is in contravention of any such law or regulation, such part or provision shall be deemed amended to conform thereto.

 

3.2

Fees.

 

(a) Borrower shall pay to Agent, for the account of Lenders, monthly an unused line fee at a rate equal to three-eighths of one (.375%) percent per annum calculated (i) from the date hereof up to and including December 31, 2008, upon the amount by which the Interim Unused Line Fee Amount (as defined below) exceeds the average daily principal balance of the outstanding Revolving Loans and Letters of Credit during the immediately preceding month (or part thereof) while this Agreement is in effect and for so long thereafter as any of the Obligations are outstanding, which fee shall be payable on the first day of each month in arrears, and (ii) from and after January 1, 2009, upon the amount by which the Maximum Credit exceeds the average daily principal balance of the outstanding Revolving Loans and Letters of Credit during the immediately preceding month (or part thereof) while this Agreement is in effect and for so long thereafter as any of the Obligations are outstanding, which fee shall be payable on the first day of each month in arrears.  For the purposes of this Section 3.2(a), the “Interim Unused Line Fee Amount” shall mean $25,000,000, unless if, prior to December 31, 2008, the average daily principal balance of the outstanding Revolving Loans and Letters of Credit for either five (5) consecutive Business Days or during any two (2) consecutive week period exceeds $25,000,000 (the date that either of such events occurs, being referred to as the “Interim Unused Line Fee Adjustment Date”), then the Interim Unused Line Fee Amount shall mean the Maximum Credit, effective as of the first day immediately following the Interim Unused Line Fee Adjustment Date.

 

(b) Subject to Section 3.2(c) below, Borrower shall pay to Agent, for the account of Lenders, a fee at a rate equal to the Applicable Margin for Eurodollar Rate Loans then in effect per annum on the average daily maximum amount available to be drawn under of Letters of Credit issued for the account or benefit of Borrower for the immediately preceding month (or part thereof), payable in arrears as of the first day of each succeeding month, computed for each day from the date of issuance to the date of expiration.

 

(c) With respect to the letter of credit fee payable under Section 3.2(b) above, Borrower shall pay, at Agent’s option, without notice, such fee at a rate two (2%) percent greater than the highest percentage set forth in the definition of the term Applicable Margin with respect to the Applicable Margin for Eurodollar Rate Loans on such average daily maximum amount for: (i) the period from and after the date of termination or non-renewal hereof until Lenders have received full and final payment of all Obligations (notwithstanding entry of a judgment against Borrower or any Guarantor) and (ii) the period from and after the date of the occurrence of an Event of Default for so long as such Event of Default is continuing as determined by Agent.  Such letter of credit fees shall be calculated on the basis of a three hundred sixty (360) day year and actual days elapsed and the obligation of Borrower to pay such fee shall survive the termination or non-renewal of this Agreement.  In addition to the letter of credit fees provided above, Borrower shall pay to Issuing Bank for its own account (without sharing with Lenders) the letter of credit fronting and negotiation fees agreed to by Borrower and Issuing Bank from time to time and the customary charges from time to time of Issuing Bank with respect to the issuance, amendment, transfer, administration, cancellation and conversion of, and drawings under, such Letters of Credit.

 

(d) Borrower shall pay to Agent the other fees and amounts set forth in the Fee Letter in the amounts and at the times specified therein.  To the extent payment in full of the applicable fee is received by Agent from Borrower on or about the date hereof, Agent shall pay to each Lender its share of such fees in accordance with the terms of the arrangements of Agent with such Lender.

 

 

(a) If after the date hereof, either (i) any change in, or in the interpretation of, any law or regulation is introduced, including, without limitation, with respect to reserve requirements, applicable to any Lender or any banking or financial institution from whom any  Lender borrows funds or obtains credit (a “Funding Bank”), or (ii) a Funding Bank or any Lender complies with any future guideline or request from any central bank or other Governmental Authority or (iii) a Funding Bank, any Lender or Issuing Bank determines in good faith and in the exercise of its reasonable business judgment that the adoption of any applicable law, rule or regulation regarding capital adequacy, or any change therein, or any change in the interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority, central bank or comparable agency charged with the interpretation or administration thereof has or would have the effect described below, or a Funding Bank, any Lender or Issuing Bank complies with any request or directive regarding capital adequacy (whether or not having the force of law) of any such authority, central bank or comparable agency, and in the case of any event set forth in this clause (iii), such adoption, change or compliance has or would have the direct or indirect effect of reducing the rate of return on any Lender’s or Issuing Bank’s capital as a consequence of its obligations hereunder to a level below that which such Lender or Issuing Bank could have achieved but for such adoption, change or compliance (taking into consideration the Funding Bank’s or Lender’s or Issuing Bank’s policies with respect to capital adequacy) by an amount deemed by such Lender or Issuing Bank in good faith and in the exercise of its reasonable business judgment to be material, and the result of any of the foregoing events described in clauses (i), (ii) or (iii) is or results in an increase in the cost to any Lender or Issuing Bank of funding or maintaining the Loans, the Letters of Credit or its Commitment, then Borrower shall from time to time upon demand by Agent pay to Agent additional amounts sufficient to indemnify such Lender or Issuing Bank, as the case may be, against such increased cost on an after-tax basis (after taking into account applicable deductions and credits in respect of the amount indemnified).  Agent or the applicable Lender shall certify to Borrower in writing the amount of such increased cost, which certification shall be conclusive, absent manifest error.

 

(b) If prior to the first day of any Interest Period, (i) Agent shall have determined in good faith (which determination shall be conclusive and binding upon Borrower) that, by reason of circumstances affecting the relevant market, adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining the Adjusted Eurodollar Rate for such Interest Period, (ii) Agent has received notice from the Required Lenders that the Adjusted Eurodollar Rate determined or to be determined for such Interest Period will not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to Lenders of making or maintaining Eurodollar Rate Loans during such Interest Period, or (iii) Dollar deposits in the principal amounts of the Eurodollar Rate Loans to which such Interest Period is to be applicable are not generally available in the London interbank market, Agent shall give telecopy or telephonic notice thereof to Borrower as soon as practicable thereafter, and will also give prompt written notice to Borrower when such conditions no longer exist.  If such notice is given (A) any Eurodollar Rate Loans requested to be made on the first day of such Interest Period shall be made as Prime Rate Loans, (B) any Loans that were to have been converted on the first day of such Interest Period to or continued as Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be converted to or continued as Prime Rate Loans and (C) each outstanding Eurodollar Rate Loan shall be converted, on the last day of the then-current Interest Period thereof, to Prime Rate Loans.  Until such notice has been withdrawn by Agent, no further Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be made or continued as such, nor shall Borrower have the right to convert Prime Rate Loans to Eurodollar Rate Loans.

 

(c) Notwithstanding any other provision herein, if the adoption of or any change in any law, treaty, rule or regulation or final, non-appealable determination of an arbitrator or a court or other Governmental Authority or in the interpretation or application thereof occurring after the date hereof shall make it unlawful for Agent or any Lender to make or maintain Eurodollar Rate Loans as contemplated by this Agreement, (i) Agent or such Lender shall promptly give written notice of such circumstances to Borrower (which notice shall be withdrawn whenever such circumstances no longer exist), (ii) the commitment of such Lender hereunder to make Eurodollar Rate Loans, continue Eurodollar Rate Loans as such and convert Prime Rate Loans to Eurodollar Rate Loans shall forthwith be canceled and, until such time as it shall no longer be unlawful for such Lender to make or maintain Eurodollar Rate Loans, such Lender shall then have a commitment only to make a Prime Rate Loan when a Eurodollar Rate Loan is requested and (iii) such Lender’s Loans then outstanding as Eurodollar Rate Loans, if any, shall be converted automatically to Prime Rate Loans on the respective last days of the then current Interest Periods with respect to such Loans or within such earlier period as required by law.  If any such conversion of a Eurodollar Rate Loan occurs on a day which is not the last day of the then current Interest Period with respect thereto, Borrower shall pay to such Lender such amounts, if any, as may be required pursuant to Section 3.3(d) below.

 

(d) Borrower shall indemnify Agent and each Lender and hold Agent and each Lender harmless from any loss or reasonable expense which Agent or such Lender may sustain or incur as a consequence of (i) default by Borrower in making a borrowing of, conversion into or extension of Eurodollar Rate Loans after Borrower has given a notice requesting the same in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement, (ii) default by Borrower in making any prepayment of a Eurodollar Rate Loan after Borrower has given a notice thereof in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement, and (iii) the making of a prepayment of Eurodollar Rate Loans on a day which is not the last day of an Interest Period with respect thereto.  With respect to Eurodollar Rate Loans, such indemnification may include an amount equal to the excess, if any, of (A) the amount of interest which would have accrued on the amount so prepaid, or not so borrowed, converted or extended, for the period from the date of such prepayment or of such failure to borrow, convert or extend to the last day of the applicable Interest Period (or, in the case of a failure to borrow, convert or extend, the Interest Period that would have commenced on the date of such failure) in each case at the applicable rate of interest for such Eurodollar Rate Loans provided for herein over (B) the amount of interest (as determined by Agent or such Lender) which would have accrued to Agent or such Lender on such amount by placing such amount on deposit for a comparable period with leading banks in the interbank Eurodollar market.  This covenant shall survive the termination or non-renewal of this Agreement and the payment of the Obligations.

 

 

4.1 Conditions Precedent to Initial Loans and Letters of Credit.  The obligation of Lenders to make the initial Loans or of Issuing Bank to issue the initial Letters of Credit hereunder is subject to the satisfaction of, or waiver of, immediately prior to or concurrently with the making of such Loan or the issuance of such Letter of Credit of each of the following conditions precedent:

 

(a) Agent shall have received, in form and substance satisfactory to Agent, all releases, terminations and such other documents as Agent may reasonably request to evidence and effectuate the termination by the Existing Lenders of their respective financing arrangements with Borrower and the termination and release by it or them, as the case may be, of any interest in and to any assets and properties of Borrower, duly authorized, executed and delivered by it or each of them, including, but not limited to, (i) UCC termination statements for all UCC financing statements previously filed by it or any of them or their predecessors, as secured party and Borrower, as debtor; and (ii) satisfactions and discharges of any mortgages, deeds of trust or deeds to secure debt by Borrower in favor of it or any of them, in form acceptable for recording with the appropriate Governmental Authority;

 

(b) all requisite corporate or limited liability company action and proceedings in connection with this Agreement and the other Financing Agreements shall be satisfactory in form and substance to Agent, and Agent shall have received all information and copies of all documents, including records of requisite corporate or limited liability company action and proceedings which Agent may have reasonably requested in connection therewith, such documents where requested by Agent or its counsel to be certified by appropriate corporate officers or Governmental Authority (and including a copy of the certificate of incorporation or formation of Borrower certified by the Secretary of State (or equivalent Governmental Authority) which shall set forth the same complete corporate or limited liability company name of Borrower as is set forth herein and such document as shall set forth the organizational identification number of Borrower, if one is issued in its jurisdiction of incorporation or formation);

 

(c) no Material Adverse Effect shall have occurred as to Borrower since the date of Agent’s latest field examination (not including for this purpose the field review referred to in clause (d) below) and no change or event shall have occurred which would impair the ability of Borrower or any Obligor to perform its obligations hereunder or under any of the other Financing Agreements to which it is a party or of Agent or any Lender to enforce the Obligations or realize upon the Collateral;

 

(d) Agent shall have completed a field review of the Records and such other information with respect to the Collateral as Agent may reasonably require to determine the amount of Loans available to Borrower (including, without limitation, current perpetual inventory records and/or roll-forwards of Accounts and Inventory through the date of closing in a manner reasonably satisfactory to Agent, together with such supporting documentation as may be necessary or reasonably appropriate, and other documents and information that will enable Agent to accurately identify and verify the Collateral), the results of which in each case shall be reasonably satisfactory to Agent, not more than three (3) Business Days prior to the date hereof or such earlier date as Agent may agree;

 

(e) Agent shall have received, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent, all consents, waivers, acknowledgments and other agreements from third persons which Agent may reasonably deem necessary or desirable in order to permit, protect and perfect its security interests in and liens upon the Collateral or to effectuate the provisions or purposes of this Agreement and the other Financing Agreements, including, without limitation, Collateral Access Agreements and mortgagee waivers;

 

(f) the Excess Availability as determined by Agent, as of the date hereof, shall be not less than $5,000,000 after giving effect to the initial Loans made or to be made and Letters of Credit issued or to be issued in connection with the initial transactions hereunder (including, without limitation, such portion of the initial Loans that is utilized by Borrower to repay to Parent, on the date hereof, intercompany Indebtedness owing by Borrower to Parent in an amount not to exceed $6,000,000);

 

(g) Agent shall have received, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent, Deposit Account Control Agreements by and among Agent, Borrower and each bank where Borrower has a deposit account, in each case, duly authorized, executed and delivered by such bank and Borrower, as the case may be (or Agent shall be the bank’s customer with respect to such deposit account as Agent may specify);

 

(h) Agent shall have received evidence, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent, that Agent has a valid perfected first priority security interest in all of the Collateral;

 

(i) Agent shall have received and reviewed lien and judgment search results for the jurisdiction of organization of Borrower, the jurisdiction of the chief executive office of Borrower and all jurisdictions in which assets of Borrower are located, which search results shall be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent;

 

(j) Agent shall have received evidence of insurance and loss payee endorsements required hereunder and under the other Financing Agreements, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent, and certificates of insurance policies and/or endorsements naming Agent as loss payee;

 

(k) Receipt by Agent of all financial information, projections, budgets, business plans, cash flows and such other information as Agent shall reasonably request from time to time, including (i) any updates or modifications to the projected financial statements of Borrower and Guarantors previously received by Agent, in each case in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent and (ii) current agings of receivables, current perpetual inventory records and/or rollforwards of accounts and inventory through the date of closing, together with supporting documentation, each in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent;

 

(l) Agent shall have received a Borrowing Base Certificate setting forth the Borrowing Base as at the date set forth therein and completed in a manner reasonably satisfactory to Agent and duly authorized, executed and delivered by Borrower;

 

(m) Agent shall have received, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent, such opinion letters of counsel to Borrower with respect to the Financing Agreements and such other matters as Agent may reasonably request;

 

(n) Agent shall have received a copy of the Parent/Borrower Operating Agreement, which agreement shall be in form and substance reasonably acceptable to Agent and shall be subject to a letter agreement by Parent in favor of Agent and Lenders pursuant to which Parent has agreed to, among other things, perform such services and deliver such reports and information to and for the benefit of Agent and Lenders as Agent and Lenders may request from time to time; and

 

(o) the other Financing Agreements and all instruments and documents hereunder and thereunder shall have been duly executed and delivered to Agent, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent.

 

4.2 Conditions Precedent to All Loans and Letters of Credit.  The obligation of Lenders to make the Loans, including the initial Loans, or of Issuing Bank to issue any Letter of Credit, including the initial Letters of Credit, is subject to the further satisfaction of, or waiver of, immediately prior to or concurrently with the making of each such Loan or the issuance of such Letter of Credit of each of the following conditions precedent:

 

(a) all representations and warranties contained herein and in the other Financing Agreements shall be true and correct in all material respects with the same effect as though such representations and warranties had been made on and as of the date of the making of each such Loan or providing each such Letter of Credit and after giving effect thereto, except to the extent that such representations and warranties expressly relate solely to an earlier date (in which case such representations and warranties shall have been true and accurate on and as of such earlier date);

 

(b) no law, regulation, order, judgment or decree of any Governmental Authority shall exist, and no action, suit, investigation, litigation or proceeding shall be pending or threatened in any court or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority, which (i) purports to enjoin, prohibit, restrain or otherwise affect (A) the making of the Loans or providing the Letters of Credit, or (B) the consummation of the transactions contemplated pursuant to the terms hereof or the other Financing Agreements or (ii) has or has a reasonable likelihood of having a Material Adverse Effect; and

 

(c) no Default or Event of Default shall exist or have occurred and be continuing on and as of the date of the making of such Loan or providing each such Letter of Credit and after giving effect thereto.

 

 

5.1 Grant of Security Interest.  To secure payment and performance of all Obligations, Borrower hereby grants to Agent, for itself and the benefit of Secured Parties, a continuing security interest in, a lien upon, and a right of set off against, and hereby assigns to Agent, for itself and the benefit of Secured Parties, as security, all personal and real property and fixtures, and interests in property and fixtures, of Borrower, whether now owned or hereafter acquired or existing, and wherever located (together with all other collateral security for the Obligations at any time granted to or held or acquired by Agent or any Secured Party, collectively, the “Collateral”), including:

 

(a) all Accounts;

 

(b) all general intangibles, including, without limitation, all Intellectual Property;

 

(c) all goods, including, without limitation, Inventory and Equipment;

 

(d) all Real Property and fixtures;

 

(e) all chattel paper, including, without limitation, all tangible and electronic chattel paper;

 

(f) all instruments, including, without limitation, all promissory notes;

 

(g) all documents;

 

(h) all deposit accounts;

 

(i) all letters of credit, banker’s acceptances and similar instruments and including all letter-of-credit rights;

 

(j) all supporting obligations and all present and future liens, security interests, rights, remedies, title and interest in, to and in respect of Receivables and other Collateral, including (i) rights and remedies under or relating to guaranties, contracts of suretyship, letters of credit and credit and other insurance related to the Collateral, (ii) rights of stoppage in transit, replevin, repossession, reclamation and other rights and remedies of an unpaid vendor, lienor or secured party, (iii) goods described in invoices, documents, contracts or instruments with respect to, or otherwise representing or evidencing, Receivables or other Collateral, including returned, repossessed and reclaimed goods, and (iv) deposits by and property of account debtors or other persons securing the obligations of account debtors;

 

(k) all (i) investment property (including securities, whether certificated or uncertificated, securities accounts, security entitlements, commodity contracts or commodity accounts) and (ii) monies, credit balances, deposits and other property of Borrower now or hereafter held or received by or in transit to Agent, any Lender or its Affiliates or at any other depository or other institution from or for the account of Borrower, whether for safekeeping, pledge, custody, transmission, collection or otherwise;

 

(l) all commercial tort claims, including, without limitation, those identified in the Information Certificate;

 

(m) to the extent not otherwise described above, all Receivables;

 

(n) all Records; and

 

(o) all products and proceeds of the foregoing, in any form, including insurance proceeds and all claims against third parties for loss or damage to or destruction of or other involuntary conversion of any kind or nature of any or all of the other Collateral.

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 5.1, the foregoing grant of security interest shall not attach to or encompass, and the Collateral shall not include, any lease, license, contract, property rights, Intellectual Property or agreement to which Borrower is a party or any of its rights or interest thereunder if and for so long as the grant of such security interest shall constitute or result in (i) the abandonment, invalidation or unenforceability of any right, title or interest of Borrower or any Guarantor therein or (ii) in a breach or termination pursuant to the terms of, or a default under, any such lease, license, contract, property rights, or agreement (other than to the extent that any such term would be rendered ineffective pursuant to Section 9-406, 9-407, 9-408 or 9-409 of the UCC (or any successor provision or provisions) of any relevant jurisdiction or any other applicable law (including the Bankruptcy Code) or principles of equity); provided, however, that, such security interest shall attach immediately at such time as the condition causing such abandonment, invalidation or unenforceability shall be remedied and to the extent severable, shall attach immediately to any portion of such lease, license, contract, property rights, Intellectual Property or agreement that does not result in any of the consequences specified in (i) or (ii) above (such assets and properties being collectively referred to herein as “Restricted Assets”); provided, that, (A) Agent, for the benefit of itself and Lenders, shall have a security interest in all proceeds at any time arising from Restricted Assets and (B) at such time as any Restricted Asset is no longer subject to the contractual or other legal impediment to Borrower’s grant of a security interest therein to Agent (a “Non-Restricted Asset”), then the Borrower shall be deemed to have thereupon, without further act by Borrower, Agent or Lenders, automatically granted a security interest to Agent in such Non-Restricted Asset and such Non-Restricted Asset shall thereupon constitute Collateral.

 

5.2 Perfection of Security Interests.  (a) Borrower irrevocably and unconditionally authorizes Agent (or its agent) to file at any time and from time to time such financing statements with respect to the Collateral naming Agent or its designee as the secured party and Borrower as debtor, as Agent may require, and including any other information with respect to Borrower or otherwise required by part 5 of Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code of such jurisdiction as Agent may determine, together with any amendment and continuations with respect thereto, which authorization shall apply to all financing statements filed on, prior to or after the date hereof.  Borrower hereby ratifies and approves all financing statements naming Agent or its designee as secured party and Borrower, as debtor with respect to the Collateral (and any amendments with respect to such financing statements) filed by or on behalf of Agent prior to the date hereof and ratifies and confirms the authorization of Agent to file such financing statements (and amendments, if any).  Borrower hereby authorizes Agent to adopt on behalf of Borrower any symbol required for authenticating any electronic filing.  In the event that the description of the collateral in any financing statement naming Agent or its designee as the secured party and Borrower as debtor includes assets and properties of Borrower that do not at any time constitute Collateral, whether hereunder, under any of the other Financing Agreements or otherwise, the filing of such financing statement shall nonetheless be deemed authorized by Borrower to the extent of the Collateral included in such description and it shall not render the financing statement ineffective as to any of the Collateral or otherwise affect the financing statement as it applies to any of the Collateral.  In no event shall Borrower at any time file, or permit or cause to be filed,  any correction statement or termination statement with respect to any financing statement (or amendment or continuation with respect thereto) naming Agent or its designee as secured party and Borrower as debtor.

 

(b) Borrower does not have any chattel paper (whether tangible or electronic) or instruments as of the date hereof, except as set forth in the Information Certificate.  In the event that Borrower shall be entitled to or shall receive any chattel paper or instrument after the date hereof, Borrower shall promptly notify Agent thereof in writing.  Promptly upon the receipt thereof by or on behalf of Borrower (including by any agent or representative), Borrower shall deliver, or cause to be delivered to Agent, all tangible chattel paper and instruments that Borrower has or may at any time acquire, accompanied by such instruments of transfer or assignment duly executed in blank as Agent may from time to time reasonably specify, in each case except as Agent may otherwise agree.  At Agent’s option, Borrower shall, or Agent may at any time on behalf of Borrower, cause the original of any such instrument or chattel paper to be conspicuously marked in a form and manner reasonably acceptable to Agent with the following legend referring to chattel paper or instruments as applicable: “This [chattel paper][instrument] is subject to the security interest of Wachovia Capital Finance Corporation (Western), and any sale, transfer, assignment or encumbrance of this [chattel paper][instrument] violates the rights of such secured party.”

 

(c) In the event that Borrower shall at any time hold or acquire an interest in any electronic chattel paper or any “transferable record” (as such term is defined in Section 201 of the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act or in Section 16 of the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act as in effect in any relevant jurisdiction), Borrower shall promptly notify Agent thereof in writing.  Promptly upon Agent’s request, Borrower shall take, or cause to be taken, such actions as Agent may reasonably request to give Agent control of such electronic chattel paper under Section 9-105 of the UCC and control of such transferable record under Section 201 of the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act or, as the case may be, Section 16 of the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, as in effect in such jurisdiction.

 

(d) Borrower does not have any deposit accounts as of the date hereof, except as set forth in the Information Certificate.  Borrower shall not, directly or indirectly, after the date hereof open, establish or maintain any deposit account unless each of the following conditions is satisfied: (i) Agent shall have received not less than five (5) Business Days prior written notice of the intention of Borrower to open or establish such account which notice shall specify in reasonable detail and specificity reasonably acceptable to Agent the name of the account, the owner of the account, the name and address of the bank at which such account is to be opened or established, the individual at such bank with whom Borrower is dealing and the purpose of the account, (ii)  the bank where such account is opened or maintained shall be reasonably acceptable to Agent, and (iii) on or before the opening of such deposit account, Borrower shall as Agent may specify either (A) deliver to Agent a Deposit Account Control Agreement with respect to such deposit account duly authorized, executed and delivered by Borrower and the bank at which such deposit account is opened and maintained or (B) arrange for Agent to become the customer of the bank with respect to the deposit account on terms and conditions reasonably acceptable to Agent. The terms of this subsection (d) shall not apply to deposit accounts specifically and exclusively used for payroll, payroll taxes and other employee wage and benefit payments to or for the benefit of Borrower’s salaried employees.

 

(e) Borrower does not own or hold, directly or indirectly, beneficially or as record owner or both, any investment property, as of the date hereof, or have any investment account, securities account, commodity account or other similar account with any bank or other financial institution or other securities intermediary or commodity intermediary as of the date hereof, in each case except as set forth in the Information Certificate.

 

(i) In the event that Borrower shall be entitled to or shall at any time after the date hereof hold or acquire any certificated securities, Borrower shall promptly endorse, assign and deliver the same to Agent, accompanied by such instruments of transfer or assignment duly executed in blank as Agent may from time to time reasonably specify.  If any securities, now or hereafter acquired by Borrower are uncertificated and are issued to Borrower or its nominee directly by the issuer thereof, Borrower shall promptly notify Agent thereof and shall as Agent may specify, either (A) cause the issuer to agree to comply with instructions from Agent as to such securities, without further consent of Borrower or such nominee, or (B) arrange for Agent  to become the registered owner of the securities.

 

(ii) Borrower shall not, directly or indirectly, after the date hereof open, establish or maintain any investment account, securities account, commodity account or any other similar account (other than a deposit account) with any securities intermediary or commodity intermediary unless each of the following conditions is satisfied: (A)  Agent shall have received not less than five (5) Business Days prior written notice of the intention of Borrower to open or establish such account which notice shall specify in reasonable detail and specificity reasonably acceptable to Agent the name of the account, the owner of the account, the name and address of the securities intermediary or commodity intermediary at which such account is to be opened or established, the individual at such intermediary with whom Borrower is dealing and the purpose of the account, (B) the securities intermediary or commodity intermediary (as the case may be) where such account is opened or maintained shall be reasonably acceptable to Agent, and (C) on or before the opening of such investment account, securities account or other similar account with a securities intermediary or commodity intermediary, Borrower shall as Agent may specify either (1) execute and deliver, and cause to be executed and delivered to Agent, an Investment Property Control Agreement with respect thereto duly authorized, executed and delivered by Borrower and such securities intermediary or commodity intermediary or (2) arrange for Agent to become the entitlement holder with respect to such investment property on terms and conditions reasonably acceptable to Agent.

 

(f) Borrower is not the beneficiary or otherwise entitled to any right to payment under any letter of credit, banker’s acceptance or similar instrument as of the date hereof, except as set forth in the Information Certificate.  In the event that Borrower shall be entitled to or shall receive any right to payment under any letter of credit, banker’s acceptance or any similar instrument, having a value in excess of $250,000, whether as beneficiary thereof or otherwise after the date hereof, Borrower shall promptly notify Agent thereof in writing.  Borrower shall promptly, as Agent may specify, either (i) deliver, or cause to be delivered to Agent, with respect to any such letter of credit, banker’s acceptance or similar instrument, the written agreement of the issuer and any other nominated person obligated to make any payment in respect thereof (including any confirming or negotiating bank), in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent, consenting to the assignment of the proceeds of the letter of credit to Agent by Borrower and agreeing to make all payments thereon directly to Agent or as Agent may otherwise direct or (ii) cause Agent to become, at Borrower’s expense, the transferee beneficiary of the letter of credit, banker’s acceptance or similar instrument (as the case may be).

 

(g) Borrower is not aware of any commercial tort claims in its favor as of the date hereof, except as set forth in the Information Certificate.  In the event that Borrower shall at any time after the date hereof become aware of any commercial tort claims in its favor in an amount in excess of $250,000, Borrower shall promptly notify Agent thereof in writing, which notice shall (i) set forth in reasonable detail the basis for and nature of such commercial tort claim and (ii) include the express grant by Borrower to Agent of a security interest in such commercial tort claim (and the proceeds thereof).  In the event that such notice does not include such grant of a security interest, the sending thereof by Borrower to Agent shall be deemed to constitute such grant to Agent. Upon the sending of such notice, any commercial tort claim described therein shall constitute part of the Collateral and shall be deemed included therein.  Without limiting the authorization of Agent provided in Section 5.2(a) hereof or otherwise arising by the execution by Borrower of this Agreement or any of the other Financing Agreements, Agent is hereby irrevocably authorized from time to time and at any time to file such financing statements naming Agent or its designee as secured party and Borrower as debtor, or any amendments to any financing statements, covering any such commercial tort claim as Collateral. In addition, Borrower shall promptly upon Agent’s request, execute and deliver, or cause to be executed and delivered,  to Agent such other agreements, documents and instruments as Agent may reasonably require in connection with such commercial tort claim.

 

(h) Borrower does not have any goods, documents of title or other Collateral in the custody, control or possession of a third party as of the date hereof, except as set forth in the Information Certificate and except for goods located in the United States in transit to a location of  Borrower permitted herein in the ordinary course of business of Borrower in the possession of the carrier transporting such goods.  In the event that any goods, documents of title or other Collateral are at any time after the date hereof in the custody, control or possession of any other person not referred to in the Information Certificate or such carriers, Borrower shall promptly notify Agent thereof in writing.  Promptly upon Agent’s request, Borrower shall deliver to Agent a Collateral Access Agreement duly authorized, executed and delivered by such person and Borrower.

 

(i) Borrower shall take any other actions reasonably requested by Agent from time to time to cause the attachment, perfection and first priority of, and the ability of Agent to enforce, the security interest of Agent in any and all of the Collateral, including, without limitation, (i) executing, delivering and, where appropriate, filing financing statements and amendments relating thereto under the UCC or other applicable law, to the extent, if any, that Borrower’s signature thereon is required therefor, (ii) causing Agent’s name to be noted as secured party on any certificate of title for a titled good if such notation is a condition to attachment, perfection or priority of, or ability of Agent to enforce, the security interest of Agent in such Collateral, (iii) complying with any provision of any statute, regulation or treaty of the United States as to any Collateral if compliance with such provision is a condition to attachment, perfection or priority of, or ability of Agent to enforce, the security interest of Agent in such Collateral, (iv) obtaining the consents and approvals of any Governmental Authority or third party, including, without limitation, any consent of any licensor, lessor or other person obligated on Collateral, and taking all actions required by any earlier versions of the UCC or by other law, as applicable in any relevant jurisdiction.

 

 

6.1 Borrower Loan Account.  Agent shall maintain one or more loan account(s) on its books in which shall be recorded (a) all Loans, Letters of Credit and other Obligations and the Collateral, (b) all payments made by or on behalf of Borrower and (c) all other appropriate debits and credits as provided in this Agreement, including fees, charges, costs, expenses and interest.  All entries in the loan account(s) shall be made in accordance with Agent’s customary practices as in effect from time to time.

 

6.2 Statements.  Agent shall render to Borrower each month a statement setting forth the balance in the Borrower’s loan account(s) maintained by Agent for Borrower pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement, including principal, interest, fees, costs and expenses.  Each such statement shall be subject to subsequent adjustment by Agent but shall, absent manifest errors or omissions, be considered correct and deemed accepted by Borrower and conclusively binding upon Borrower as an account stated except to the extent that Agent receives a written notice from Borrower of any specific exceptions of Borrower thereto within forty-five (45) days after the date such statement has been received by Borrower.  Until such time as Agent shall have rendered to Borrower a written statement as provided above, the balance in Borrower’s loan account(s) shall be presumptive evidence of the amounts due and owing to Agent and Lenders by Borrower.

 

6.3 Collection of Accounts.

 

(a) Borrower shall establish and maintain, at its expense, blocked accounts or lockboxes and related blocked accounts (in either case, “Blocked Accounts”), as Agent may reasonably specify, with such banks as are reasonably acceptable to Agent into which Borrower shall promptly deposit and direct their respective account debtors to directly remit all payments on Receivables and all payments constituting proceeds of Inventory or other Collateral in the identical form in which such payments are made, whether by cash, check or other manner.  Borrower shall deliver, or cause to be delivered to Agent a Deposit Account Control Agreement duly authorized, executed and delivered by each bank where a Blocked Account is maintained as provided in Section 5.2 hereof or at any time and from time to time Agent may become the bank’s customer with respect to any of the Blocked Accounts and promptly upon Agent’s request, Borrower shall execute and deliver such agreements and documents as Agent may reasonably require in connection therewith.  Borrower agrees that all payments made to such Blocked Accounts or other funds received and collected by Agent or any Lender, whether in respect of the Receivables, as proceeds of Inventory or other Collateral or otherwise shall be treated as payments to Agent and Lenders in respect of the Obligations and therefore shall constitute the property of Agent and Lenders to the extent of the then outstanding Obligations.

 

(b) For purposes of calculating the amount of the Loans available to Borrower, such payments will be applied (conditional upon final collection) to the Obligations on the Business Day of receipt by Agent of immediately available funds in the Agent Payment Account provided such payments and notice thereof are received in accordance with Agent’s usual and customary practices as in effect from time to time and within sufficient time to credit Borrower’s loan account on such day, and if not, then on the next Business Day.  For the purposes of calculating interest on the Obligations, such payments or other funds received will be applied (conditional upon final collection) to the Obligations one (1) Business Day following the date of receipt of immediately available funds by Agent in the Agent Payment Account provided such payments or other funds and notice thereof are received in accordance with Agent’s usual and customary practices as in effect from time to time and within sufficient time to credit Borrower’s loan account on such day, and if not, then on the next Business Day.

 

(c) Borrower and its employees, agents and Subsidiaries shall, acting as trustee for Agent, receive, as the property of Agent, any monies, checks, notes, drafts or any other payment relating to and/or proceeds of Accounts or other Collateral which come into their possession or under their control and promptly upon receipt thereof, shall deposit or cause the same to be deposited in the Blocked Accounts, or remit the same or cause the same to be remitted, in kind, to Agent.  In no event shall the same be commingled with Borrower’s own funds.  Borrower agrees to reimburse Agent on demand for any amounts owed or paid by Agent to any bank at which a Blocked Account or any other deposit account is established or any other bank financial institution or other person involved in the transfer of funds to or from the Blocked Accounts arising out of Agent’s payments to or indemnification of such bank, financial institution or other person.  The obligations of Borrower to reimburse Agent for such amounts pursuant to this Section 6.3 shall survive the termination  of this Agreement.

 

6.4 Payments.

 

(a) All Obligations shall be payable to the Agent Payment Account as provided in Section 6.3 or such other place as Agent may designate from time to time.  Subject to the other terms and conditions contained herein, Agent shall apply payments received or collected from Borrower or any Guarantor or for the account of Borrower or any Guarantor (including the monetary proceeds of collections or of realization upon any Collateral) as follows: first, to pay any fees, indemnities or expense reimbursements then due to Agent, Lenders and Issuing Bank from Borrower or any Guarantor; second, to pay interest due in respect of any Loans (and including any Special Agent Advances) or Letter of Credit Obligations; third, to pay or prepay principal in respect of Special Agent Advances; fourth, to pay principal due in respect of the Loans and to pay Obligations then due arising under or pursuant to any Hedge Agreements of Borrower or a Guarantor with Agent or a Bank Product Provider (up to the amount of any then effective Reserve established in respect of such Obligations), on a pro rata basis; fifth, to pay or prepay any other Obligations whether or not then due, in such order and manner as Agent determines and at any time an Event of Default exists or has occurred and is continuing, to provide cash collateral for any Letter of Credit Obligations or other contingent Obligations (but not including for this purpose any Obligations arising under or pursuant to any Bank Products); and sixth, to pay or prepay any Obligations arising under or pursuant to any Bank Products (other than to the extent provided for above) on a pro rata basis.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, (i) unless so directed by Borrower, or unless a Default or an Event of Default shall exist or have occurred and be continuing, Agent shall not apply any payments which it receives to any Eurodollar Rate Loans, except (A) on the expiration date of the Interest Period applicable to any such Eurodollar Rate Loans or (B) in the event that there are no outstanding Prime Rate Loans and (ii) to the extent Borrower uses any proceeds of the Loans or Letters of Credit to acquire rights in or the use of any Collateral or to repay any Indebtedness used to acquire rights in or the use of any Collateral, payments in respect of the Obligations shall be deemed applied first to the Obligations arising from Loans and Letters of Credit that were not used for such purposes and second to the Obligations arising from Loans and Letters of Credit the proceeds of which were used to acquire rights in or the use of any Collateral in the chronological order in which Borrower acquired such rights in or the use of such Collateral.

 

(b) At Agent’s option, all principal, interest, fees, costs, expenses and other charges provided for in this Agreement or the other Financing Agreements may be charged directly to the loan account(s) of Borrower maintained by Agent.  If after receipt of any payment of, or proceeds of Collateral applied to the payment of, any of the Obligations, Agent, any Lender or Issuing Bank is required to surrender or return such payment or proceeds to any Person for any reason, then the Obligations intended to be satisfied by such payment or proceeds shall be reinstated and continue and this Agreement shall continue in full force and effect as if such payment or proceeds had not been received by Agent or such Lender.  Borrower shall be liable to pay to Agent, and does hereby indemnify and hold Agent and Lenders harmless for the amount of any payments or proceeds surrendered or returned.  This Section 6.4(b) shall remain effective notwithstanding any contrary action which may be taken by Agent or any Lender in reliance upon such payment or proceeds.  This Section 6.4 shall survive the payment of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.

 

6.5 Taxes.

 

(a) Any and all payments by or on account of any of the Obligations shall be made free and clear of and without deduction or withholding for or on account of, any setoff, counterclaim, defense, duties, taxes, levies, imposts, fees, deductions, charges, withholdings, liabilities, restrictions or conditions of any kind, excluding (i) in the case of each Lender, Issuing Bank and Agent (A) taxes measured by its net income, and franchise taxes imposed on it, by the jurisdiction (or any political subdivision thereof) under the laws of which such Lender, Issuing Bank or Agent (as the case may be) is organized and (B) any United States withholding taxes payable with respect to payments under the Financing Agreements under laws (including any statute, treaty or regulation) in effect on the date hereof or thereafter (or, in the case of an Eligible Transferee, the date of the Assignment and Acceptance) applicable to such Lender, Issuing Bank or Agent, as the case may be, as well as any United States withholding taxes payable as a result of any change in such laws occurring after the date hereof (or the date of such Assignment and Acceptance) and (ii) in the case of each Lender, taxes measured by its net income, and franchise taxes imposed on it as a result of a present or former connection between such Lender and the jurisdiction of the Governmental Authority imposing such tax or any taxing authority thereof or therein (all such non-excluded taxes, levies, imposts, fees, deductions, charges, withholdings and liabilities being hereinafter referred to as “Taxes”).

 

(b) If any Taxes shall be required by law to be deducted from or in respect of any sum payable in respect of the Obligations to any Lender, Issuing Bank or Agent (i)  the sum payable shall be increased as may be necessary so that after making all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 6.5), such Lender, Issuing Bank or Agent (as the case may be) receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deductions been made, (ii)  Borrower shall make such deductions, (iii)  the Borrower shall pay the full amount deducted to the relevant taxing authority or other authority in accordance with applicable law and (iv)  Borrower shall deliver to Agent evidence of such payment.

 

(c) In addition, Borrower agrees to pay any present or future stamp or documentary taxes or any other excise or property taxes, charges or similar levies of the United States or any political subdivision thereof or any applicable foreign jurisdiction, and all liabilities with respect thereto, in each case arising from any payment made hereunder or under any of the other Financing Agreements or from the execution, delivery or registration of, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement or any of the other Financing Agreements (collectively, “Other Taxes”).

 

(d) Borrower shall indemnify each Lender, Issuing Bank and Agent for the full amount of Taxes and Other Taxes (including any Taxes and Other Taxes imposed by any jurisdiction on amounts payable under this Section 6.5) paid by such Lender, Issuing Bank or Agent (as the case may be) and any liability (including for penalties, interest and expenses) arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Taxes or Other Taxes were correctly or legally asserted.  This indemnification shall be made within thirty (30) days from the date such Lender, Issuing Bank or Agent (as the case may be) makes written demand therefor.  Agent, Issuing Bank or the applicable Lender shall certify to Borrower in writing the amount of such payment or liability, which certification shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

 

(e) As soon as practicable after any payment of Taxes or Other Taxes by Borrower, Borrower shall furnish to Agent, at its address referred to herein, the original or a certified copy of a receipt evidencing payment thereof.

 

(f) Without prejudice to the survival of any other agreements of Borrower hereunder or under any of the other Financing Agreements, the agreements and obligations of Borrower contained in this Section 6.5 shall survive the termination of this Agreement and the payment in full of the Obligations.

 

(g) Any Foreign Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding tax under the law of the jurisdiction in which the Borrower is resident for tax purposes, or any treaty to which such jurisdiction is a party, with respect to payments hereunder or under any of the other Financing Agreements shall deliver to Borrower (with a copy to Agent), at the time or times prescribed by applicable law or reasonably requested by Borrower or Agent (in such number of copies as is reasonably requested by the recipient), whichever of the following is applicable (but only if such Foreign Lender is legally entitled to do so):  (i) duly completed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN claiming exemption from, or a reduction to, withholding tax under an income tax treaty, or any successor form, (ii)  duly completed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form 8-8ECI claiming exemption from withholding because the income is effectively in connection with a U.S. trade or business or any successor form, (iii) in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under Sections 871(h) or 881(c) of the Code, (A) a certificate of the Lender to the effect that such Lender is not a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, a “10 percent shareholder” of Borrower within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code or a “controlled foreign corporation” described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code and (B) duly completed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN claiming exemption from withholding under the portfolio interest exemption or any successor form or (iv) any other applicable form, certificate or document prescribed by applicable law as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in United States withholding tax duly completed together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable law to permit Borrower to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made.  Unless Borrower and Agent have received forms or other documents satisfactory to them indicating that payments hereunder or under any of the other Financing Agreements to or for a Foreign Lender are not subject to United States withholding tax or are subject to such tax at a rate reduced by an applicable tax treaty, Borrower or Agent shall withhold amounts required to be withheld by applicable requirements of law from such payments at the applicable statutory rate.

 

(h) Any Lender claiming any additional amounts payable pursuant to this Section 6.5 shall use its reasonable efforts (consistent with its internal policy and legal and regulatory restrictions) to change the jurisdiction of its applicable lending office if the making of such a change would avoid the need for, or reduce the amount of, any such additional amounts that would be payable or may thereafter accrue and would not, in the sole determination of such Lender, be otherwise disadvantageous to such Lender.

 

6.6 Authorization to Make Loans.  Agent and Lenders are authorized to make the Loans based upon telephonic or other instructions received from anyone purporting to be an officer of Borrower or other authorized person or, at the discretion of Agent, if such Loans are necessary to satisfy any Obligations.  All requests for Loans or Letters of Credit hereunder shall specify the date on which the requested advance is to be made (which day shall be a Business Day) and the amount of the requested Loan.  Requests received after 11:00 a.m. Los Angeles, California time on any day shall be deemed to have been made as of the opening of business on the immediately following Business Day.  All Loans and Letters of Credit under this Agreement shall be conclusively presumed to have been made to, and at the request of and for the benefit of, Borrower or when deposited to the credit of Borrower or otherwise disbursed or established in accordance with the instructions of Borrower or in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

 

6.7 Use of Proceeds.  Borrower shall use the initial proceeds of the Loans and Letters of Credit hereunder only for:  (a) payments to each of the persons listed in the disbursement direction letter furnished by Borrower to Agent on or about the date hereof, including, without limitation, the payment to Parent of an amount not to exceed $6,000,000 on account of intercompany Indebtedness owing by Borrower to Parent as of the date hereof as permitted by Section 9.12(b) hereof, and (b) costs, expenses and fees in connection with the preparation, negotiation, execution and delivery of this Agreement and the other Financing Agreements.  All other Loans made or Letters of Credit provided to or for the benefit of Borrower pursuant to the provisions hereof shall be used by Borrower only for general operating, working capital and other proper corporate purposes of Borrower not otherwise prohibited by the terms hereof.  None of the proceeds will be used, directly or indirectly, for the purpose of purchasing or carrying any margin stock or for the purposes of reducing or retiring any indebtedness which was originally incurred to purchase or carry any margin stock or for any other purpose which might cause any of the Loans to be considered a “purpose credit” within the meaning of Regulation U of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, as amended.

 

6.8 Pro Rata Treatment.  Except to the extent otherwise provided in this Agreement or as otherwise agreed by Lenders:  (a) the making and conversion of Loans shall be made among the Lenders based on their respective Pro Rata Shares as to the Loans and (b) each payment on account of any Obligations to or for the account of one or more of Lenders in respect of any Obligations due on a particular day shall be allocated among the Lenders entitled to such payments based on their respective Pro Rata Shares and shall be distributed accordingly.

 

6.9 Sharing of Payments, Etc.  Borrower agrees that, in addition to (and without limitation of) any right of setoff, banker’s lien or counterclaim Agent or any Lender may otherwise have, each Lender shall be entitled, at its option (but subject, as among Agent and Lenders, to the provisions of Section 12.3(b) hereof), to offset balances held by it for the account of Borrower at any of its offices, in dollars or in any other currency, against any principal of or interest on any Loans owed to such Lender or any other amount payable to such Lender hereunder, that is not paid when due (regardless of whether such balances are then due to Borrower), in which case it shall promptly notify Borrower and Agent thereof; provided, that, such Lender’s failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity thereof.

 

(a) If any Lender (including Agent) shall obtain from Borrower payment of any principal of or interest on any Loan owing to it or payment of any other amount under this Agreement or any of the other Financing Agreements through the exercise of any right of setoff, banker’s lien or counterclaim or similar right or otherwise (other than from Agent as provided herein), and, as a result of such payment, such Lender shall have received more than its Pro Rata Share of the principal of the Loans or more than its share of such other amounts then due hereunder or thereunder by Borrower to such Lender than the percentage thereof received by any other Lender, it shall promptly pay to Agent, for the benefit of Lenders, the amount of such excess and simultaneously purchase from such other Lenders a participation in the Loans or such other amounts, respectively, owing to such other Lenders (or such interest due thereon, as the case may be) in such amounts, and make such other adjustments from time to time as shall be equitable, to the end that all Lenders shall share the benefit of such excess payment (net of any expenses that may be incurred by such Lender in obtaining or preserving such excess payment) in accordance with their respective Pro Rata Shares or as otherwise agreed by Lenders.  To such end all Lenders shall make appropriate adjustments among themselves (by the resale of participation sold or otherwise) if such payment is rescinded or must otherwise be restored.

 

(b) Borrower agrees that any Lender purchasing a participation (or direct interest) as provided in this Section may exercise, in a manner consistent with this Section, all rights of setoff, banker’s lien, counterclaim or similar rights with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct holder of Loans or other amounts (as the case may be) owing to such Lender in the amount of such participation.

 

(c) Nothing contained herein shall require any Lender to exercise any right of setoff, banker’s lien, counterclaims or similar rights or shall affect the right of any Lender to exercise, and retain the benefits of exercising, any such right with respect to any other Indebtedness or obligation of Borrower.  If, under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law, any Lender receives a secured claim in lieu of a setoff to which this Section applies, such Lender shall, to the extent practicable, assign such rights to Agent for the benefit of Lenders and, in any event, exercise its rights in respect of such secured claim in a manner consistent with the rights of Lenders entitled under this Section to share in the benefits of any recovery on such secured claim.

 

6.10 Settlement Procedures.(a) In order to administer the Credit Facility in an efficient manner and to minimize the transfer of funds between Agent and Lenders, Agent may, at its option, subject to the terms of this Section, make available, on behalf of Lenders, the full amount of the Loans requested or charged to Borrower’s loan account(s) or otherwise to be advanced by Lenders pursuant to the terms hereof, without requirement of prior notice to Lenders of the proposed Loans.

 

(b) With respect to all Loans made by Agent on behalf of Lenders as provided in this Section, the amount of each Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the outstanding Loans shall be computed weekly, and shall be adjusted upward or downward on the basis of the amount of the outstanding Loans as of 5:00 p.m. Los Angeles, California time on the Business Day immediately preceding the date of each settlement computation; provided, that, Agent retains the absolute right at any time or from time to time to make the above described adjustments at intervals more frequent than weekly, but in no event more than twice in any week.  Agent shall deliver to each of the Lenders after the end of each week, or at such lesser period or periods as Agent shall determine, a summary statement of the amount of outstanding Loans for such period (such week or lesser period or periods being hereinafter referred to as a “Settlement Period”).  If the summary statement is sent by Agent and received by a Lender prior to 12:00 p.m. Los Angeles, California time, then such Lender shall make the settlement transfer described in this Section by no later than 3:00 p.m. Los Angeles, California time on the same Business Day and if received by a Lender after 12:00 p.m. Los Angeles, California time, then such Lender shall make the settlement transfer by not later than 3:00 p.m. Los Angeles, California time on the next Business Day following the date of receipt.  If, as of the end of any Settlement Period, the amount of a Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the outstanding Loans is more than such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the outstanding Loans as of the end of the previous Settlement Period, then such Lender shall forthwith (but in no event later than the time set forth in the preceding sentence) transfer to Agent by wire transfer in immediately available funds the amount of the increase.  Alternatively, if the amount of a Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the outstanding Loans in any Settlement Period is less than the amount of such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the outstanding Loans for the previous Settlement Period, Agent shall forthwith transfer to such Lender by wire transfer in immediately available funds the amount of the decrease.  The obligation of each of the Lenders to transfer such funds and effect such settlement shall be irrevocable and unconditional and without recourse to or warranty by Agent.  Agent and each Lender agrees to mark its books and records at the end of each Settlement Period to show at all times the dollar amount of its Pro Rata Share of the outstanding Loans and Letters of Credit.  Each Lender shall only be entitled to receive interest on its Pro Rata Share of the Loans to the extent such Loans have been funded by such Lender.  Because the Agent on behalf of Lenders may be advancing and/or may be repaid Loans prior to the time when Lenders will actually advance and/or be repaid such Loans, interest with respect to Loans shall be allocated by Agent in accordance with the amount of Loans actually advanced by and repaid to each Lender and the Agent and shall accrue from and including the date such Loans are so advanced to but excluding the date such Loans are either repaid by Borrower or actually settled with the applicable Lender as described in this Section.

 

(c) To the extent that Agent has made any such amounts available and the settlement described above shall not yet have occurred, upon repayment of any Loans by  Borrower, Agent may apply such amounts repaid directly to any amounts made available by Agent pursuant to this Section.  In lieu of weekly or more frequent settlements, Agent may, at its option, at any time require each Lender to provide Agent with immediately available funds representing its Pro Rata Share of each Loan, prior to Agent’s disbursement of such Loan to Borrower.  In such event, all Loans under this Agreement shall be made by the Lenders simultaneously and proportionately to their Pro Rata Shares.  No Lender shall be responsible for any default by any other Lender in the other Lender’s obligation to make a Loan requested hereunder nor shall the Commitment of any Lender be increased or decreased as a result of the default by any other Lender in the other Lender’s obligation to make a Loan hereunder.

 

(d) If Agent is not funding a particular Loan to Borrower pursuant to Sections 6.10(a) and 6.10(b) above on any day, but is requiring each Lender to provide Agent with immediately available funds on the date of such Loan as provided in Section 6.10(c) above, Agent may assume that each Lender will make available to Agent such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the Loan requested or otherwise made on such day and Agent may, in its discretion, but shall not be obligated to, cause a corresponding amount to be made available to or for the benefit of Borrower on such day.  If Agent makes such corresponding amount available to Borrower and such corresponding amount is not in fact made available to Agent by such Lender, Agent shall be entitled to recover such corresponding amount on demand from such Lender together with interest thereon for each day from the date such payment was due until the date such amount is paid to Agent at the Federal Funds Rate for each day during such period (as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York or at Agent’s option based on the arithmetic mean determined by Agent of the rates for the last transaction in overnight Federal funds arranged prior to 9:00 a.m. (New York City time) on that day by each of the three leading brokers of Federal funds transactions in New York City selected by Agent) and if such amounts are not paid within three (3) days of Agent’s demand, at the highest Interest Rate provided for in Section 3.1 hereof applicable to Prime Rate Loans.  During the period in which such Lender has not paid such corresponding amount to Agent, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement or any of the other Financing Agreements, the amount so advanced by Agent to or for the benefit of Borrower shall, for all purposes hereof, be a Loan made by Agent for its own account.  Upon any such failure by a Lender to pay Agent, Agent shall promptly thereafter notify Borrower of such failure and Borrower shall pay such corresponding amount to Agent for its own account within five (5) Business Days of Borrower’s receipt of such notice.  A Lender who fails to pay Agent its Pro Rata Share of any Loans made available by the Agent on such Lender’s behalf, or any Lender who fails to pay any other amount owing by it to Agent, is a “Defaulting Lender”.  Agent shall not be obligated to transfer to a Defaulting Lender any payments received by Agent for the Defaulting Lender’s benefit, nor shall a Defaulting Lender be entitled to the sharing of any payments hereunder (including any principal, interest or fees).  Amounts payable to a Defaulting Lender shall instead be paid to or retained by Agent.  Agent may hold and, in its discretion, relend to Borrower the amount of all such payments received or retained by it for the account of such Defaulting Lender.  For purposes of voting or consenting to matters with respect to this Agreement and the other Financing Agreements and determining Pro Rata Shares, such Defaulting Lender shall be deemed not to be a “Lender” and such Lender’s Commitment shall be deemed to be zero (0).  This Section shall remain effective with respect to a Defaulting Lender until such default is cured.  The operation of this Section shall not be construed to increase or otherwise affect the Commitment of any Lender, or relieve or excuse the performance by Borrower or any Obligor of their duties and obligations hereunder.

 

(e) Nothing in this Section or elsewhere in this Agreement or the other Financing Agreements shall be deemed to require Agent to advance funds on behalf of any Lender or to relieve any Lender from its obligation to fulfill its Commitment hereunder or to prejudice any rights that Borrower may have against any Lender as a result of any default by any Lender hereunder in fulfilling its Commitment.

 

6.11 Obligations Several; Independent Nature of Lenders’ Rights.  The obligation of each Lender hereunder is several, and no Lender shall be responsible for the obligation or commitment of any other Lender hereunder.  Nothing contained in this Agreement or any of the other Financing Agreements and no action taken by the Lenders pursuant hereto or thereto shall be deemed to constitute the Lenders to be a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity.  The amounts payable at any time hereunder to each Lender shall be a separate and independent debt, and subject to Section 12.3 hereof, each Lender shall be entitled to protect and enforce its rights arising out of this Agreement and it shall not be necessary for any other Lender to be joined as an additional party in any proceeding for such purpose.

 

6.12 Bank Products.  Borrower and Guarantors (other than Parent), or any of their Subsidiaries, may (but no such Person is required to) request that the Bank Product Providers provide or arrange for such Person to obtain Bank Products from Bank Product Providers, and each Bank Product Provider may, in its sole discretion, provide or arrange for such Person to obtain the requested Bank Products.  Borrower and Guarantors (other than Parent) or any of their Subsidiaries that obtains Bank Products shall indemnify and hold Agent, each Lender and their respective Affiliates harmless from any and all obligations now or hereafter owing to any other Person by any Bank Product Provider in connection with any Bank Products other than for gross negligence or willful misconduct on the part of any such indemnified Person.  This Section 6.12 shall survive the payment of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.  Borrower and Guarantors (other than Parent) and their Subsidiaries acknowledge and agree that the obtaining of Bank Products from Bank Product Providers (a) is in the sole discretion of such Bank Product Provider, and (b) is subject to all rules and regulations of such Bank Product Provider.

 

 

7.1 Collateral Reporting.

 

(a) Borrower shall provide Agent with the following documents in a form reasonably satisfactory to Agent:

 

(i) (A) prior to November 1, 2008 or at any time a Default or Event of Default exists or has occurred and is continuing or Excess Availability is less than fifteen (15%) percent of the Borrowing Base, on a daily basis (but in any event no later than 9:00 a.m. Los Angeles, California time on the immediately following day) and (B) from and after November 1, 2008, and so long as no Default or Event of Default exists or has occurred and is continuing and Excess Availability is equal to or greater than fifteen (15%) percent of the Borrowing Base (up to $5,000,000), as soon as practicable after the end of each week (but in any event within two (2) Business Days after the end thereof) on a weekly basis or more frequently as Agent may reasonably request:  (1) schedules of sales made, credits issued and cash received, (2) inventory reports by location and category (and including the amounts of Inventory and the value thereof at any leased locations and at premises of warehouses, processors or other third parties) and (3) a Borrowing Base Certificate setting forth the calculation of the Borrowing Base as of the last Business Day of the immediately preceding period, duly completed and executed by the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer or other financial or senior officer of Borrower, together with all schedules required pursuant to the terms of the Borrowing Base Certificate duly completed;

 

(ii) as soon as practicable after the end of each month (but in any event within two (2) Business Days after the end thereof), on a monthly basis or more frequently as Agent may reasonably request:  (A) perpetual inventory reports, (B) agings of accounts receivable (together with a reconciliation to the previous month’s aging and general ledger), (C) agings of accounts payable (and including information indicating the amounts owing to owners and lessors of leased premises, warehouses, processors and other third parties from time to time in possession of any Collateral) and (D) a schedule of all ethanol purchase and sale contracts or agreements constituting a Material Contract entered into, amended or terminated during the previous month;

 

(iii) promptly following Agent’s request, (A) copies of customer statements, purchase orders, sales invoices, credit memos, remittance advices and reports, and copies of deposit slips and bank statements, (B) copies of shipping and delivery documents, and (C) copies of purchase orders, invoices and delivery documents for Inventory and Equipment acquired by Borrower; and

 

(iv) promptly following Agent’s request, such other reports as to the Collateral as Agent shall reasonably request from time to time.

 

(b) If Borrower’s records or reports of the Collateral are prepared or maintained by an accounting service, contractor, shipper or other agent, Borrower hereby irrevocably authorizes such service, contractor, shipper or agent to deliver such records, reports, and related documents to Agent and to follow Agent’s instructions with respect to further services at any time that an Event of Default exists or has occurred and is continuing.

 

7.2 Accounts Covenants.

 

(a) Borrower shall notify Agent promptly of: (i) any material delay in Borrower’s performance of any of its material obligations to any account debtor or the assertion of any material claims, offsets, defenses or counterclaims by any account debtor, or any material disputes with account debtors, or any settlement, adjustment or compromise thereof, (ii) all material adverse information known to Borrower relating to the financial condition of any account debtor and (iii) any event or circumstance which, to the best of Borrower’s knowledge, would cause Agent to consider any then existing Accounts as no longer constituting Eligible Accounts.  No credit, discount, allowance or extension or agreement for any of the foregoing shall be granted to any account debtor without Agent’s consent, except in the ordinary course of  Borrower’s business in accordance with practices and policies previously disclosed in writing to Agent and except as set forth in the schedules delivered to Agent pursuant to Section 7.1(a) above.  So long as no Event of Default exists or has occurred and is continuing, Borrower shall settle, adjust or compromise any claim, offset, counterclaim or dispute with any account debtor.  At any time that an Event of Default exists or has occurred and is continuing, Agent shall, at its option, have the exclusive right to settle, adjust or compromise any claim, offset, counterclaim or dispute with account debtors or grant any credits, discounts or allowances.

 

(b) With respect to each Account: (i) the amounts shown on any invoice delivered to Agent or schedule thereof delivered to Agent shall be true and complete in all material respects, (ii) no payments shall be made thereon except payments promptly delivered to Agent pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, (iii) no credit, discount, allowance or extension or agreement for any of the foregoing shall be granted to any account debtor except as reported to Agent in accordance with this Agreement and except for credits, discounts, allowances or extensions made or given in the ordinary course of Borrower’s business in accordance with practices and policies previously disclosed to Agent, (iv) there shall be no setoffs, deductions, contras, defenses, counterclaims or disputes existing or asserted with respect thereto except as reported to Agent in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, (v) none of the transactions giving rise thereto will violate any applicable foreign, Federal, State or local laws or regulations in any material respect, all documentation relating thereto will be legally sufficient under such laws and regulations in all material respects and all such documentation will be legally enforceable in accordance with its terms in all material respects.

 

(c)  Agent shall have the right at any time or times, in Agent’s name or in the name of a nominee of Agent, to verify the validity, amount or any other matter relating to any Receivables or other Collateral, by mail, telephone, facsimile transmission or otherwise.

 

7.3 Inventory Covenants.  With respect to the Inventory:  (a) Borrower shall at all times maintain inventory records reasonably satisfactory to Agent, keeping correct and accurate records itemizing and describing the kind, type, quality and quantity of Inventory, Borrower’s cost therefor and daily withdrawals therefrom and additions thereto; (b) Borrower shall conduct a count of the Inventory as required by and in accordance with GAAP and Borrower’s own internal controls at least once each year but at any other reasonable time or times as Agent may request on or after an Event of Default, and promptly following such inventory shall supply Agent with a report in the form and with such specificity as may be reasonably satisfactory to Agent concerning such count; (c) Borrower shall not remove any Inventory from the locations set forth or permitted herein, without the prior written consent of Agent, except for sales of Inventory in the ordinary course of its business and except to move Inventory directly from one location set forth or permitted herein to another such location and except for Inventory shipped from the manufacturer thereof to Borrower which is in transit to the locations set forth or permitted herein; (d) upon Agent’s request, Borrower shall, at its expense, no more than one (1) time in any twelve (12) month period, but at any time or times as Agent may request on or after an Event of Default, deliver or cause to be delivered to Agent written appraisals as to the Inventory in form, scope and methodology reasonably acceptable to Agent and by an appraiser reasonably acceptable to Agent, addressed to Agent and Lenders and upon which Agent and Lenders are expressly permitted to rely; (e) Borrower shall produce, use, store and maintain the Inventory with all reasonable care and caution and in accordance with applicable standards of any insurance and in material conformity with applicable laws (including the requirements of the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as amended and all rules, regulations and orders related thereto); (f) none of the Inventory or other Collateral constitutes farm products or the proceeds thereof; (g) Borrower assumes all responsibility and liability arising from or relating to its production, use, sale or other disposition of the Inventory; (h) Borrower shall not sell Inventory to any customer on approval or any similar basis which entitles the customer to return or may obligate Borrower to repurchase such Inventory; (i) Borrower shall keep the Inventory in good and marketable condition; and (j) Borrower shall not, without prior written notice to Agent or the specific identification of such Inventory in a report with respect thereto provided by Borrower to Agent pursuant to Section 7.1(a) hereof, acquire or accept any Inventory on consignment or approval.

 

7.4 Equipment and Real Property Covenants.  With respect to the Equipment and Real Property: (a) Borrower shall keep the Equipment in good order, repair, running and marketable condition (ordinary wear and tear excepted); (b) Borrower shall use the Equipment and Real Property with all reasonable care and caution and in accordance with applicable standards of any insurance and in material conformity with all applicable laws; (c)  the Equipment is and shall be used in the business of Borrower and not for personal, family, household or farming use; (d)  Borrower shall not remove any Equipment from the locations set forth or permitted herein, except to the extent necessary to have any Equipment repaired or maintained in the ordinary course of its business or to move Equipment directly from one location set forth or permitted herein to another such location and except for the movement of motor vehicles used by or for the benefit of Borrower in the ordinary course of business; (e)  the Equipment is now and shall remain personal property and Borrower shall not permit any of the Equipment to be or become a part of or affixed to real property; and (f) Borrower assumes all responsibility and liability arising from the use of the Equipment and Real Property.

 

7.5 Power of Attorney.  Borrower hereby irrevocably designates and appoints Agent (and all persons designated by Agent) as Borrower’s true and lawful attorney-in-fact, and authorizes Agent, in Borrower’s, or Agent’s name, to: (a) at any time an Event of Default exists or has occurred and is continuing (i) demand payment on Receivables or other Collateral, (ii) enforce payment of Receivables by legal proceedings or otherwise, (iii) exercise all of Borrower’s rights and remedies to collect any Receivable or other Collateral, (iv) sell or assign any Receivable upon such terms, for such amount and at such time or times as the Agent reasonably deems advisable, (v) settle, adjust, compromise, extend or renew an Account, (vi) discharge and release any Receivable, (vii) prepare, file and sign Borrower’s name on any proof of claim in bankruptcy or other similar document against an account debtor or other obligor in respect of any Receivables or other Collateral, (viii) notify the post office authorities to change the address for delivery of remittances from account debtors or other obligors in respect of Receivables or other proceeds of Collateral to an address designated by Agent, and open and dispose of all mail addressed to Borrower and handle and store all mail relating to the Collateral; (ix) clear Inventory the purchase of which was financed with a Letter of Credit through U.S. Customs or foreign export control authorities in Borrower’s name, Agent’s name or the name of Agent’s designee, and to sign and deliver to customs officials powers of attorney in Borrower’s name for such purpose, and to complete in Borrower’s or Agent’s name, any order, sale or transaction, obtain the necessary documents in connection therewith and collect the proceeds thereof, and (x) sign Borrower’s name on any verification of Receivables and notices thereof to account debtors or any secondary obligors or other obligors in respect thereof; and (xi) do all acts and things which are necessary, in Agent’s determination, to fulfill  Borrower’s obligations under this Agreement and the other Financing Agreements and (b) at any time to (i) take control in any manner of any item of payment in respect of Receivables or constituting Collateral or otherwise received in or for deposit in the Blocked Accounts or otherwise received by Agent or any Lender, (ii) have access to any lockbox or postal box into which remittances from account debtors or other obligors in respect of Receivables or other proceeds of Collateral are sent or received, (iii) endorse Borrower’s name upon any items of payment in respect of Receivables or constituting Collateral or otherwise received by Agent and any Lender and deposit the same in Agent’s account for application to the Obligations, and (iv) endorse Borrower’s name upon any chattel paper, document, instrument, invoice, or similar document or agreement relating to any Receivable or any goods pertaining thereto or any other Collateral, including any warehouse or other receipts, or bills of lading and other negotiable or non-negotiable documents.  Borrower hereby releases Agent and Lenders and their respective officers, employees and designees from any liabilities arising from any act or acts under this power of attorney and in furtherance thereof, whether of omission or commission, except as a result of Agent’s or any Lender’s own gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined pursuant to a final non-appealable order of a court of competent jurisdiction.

 

7.6 Right to Cure.  Agent may, at its option, upon notice to Borrower, (a) cure any default by Borrower under any material agreement with a third party that affects the Collateral, its value or the ability of Agent to collect, sell or otherwise dispose of the Collateral or the rights and remedies of Agent or any Lender therein or the ability of Borrower or any Obligor to perform its obligations hereunder or under any of the other Financing Agreements, (b) pay or bond on appeal any judgment entered against Borrower, (c) discharge taxes, liens, security interests or other encumbrances at any time levied on or existing with respect to the Collateral and (d) pay any amount, incur any expense or perform any act which, in Agent’s reasonable judgment, is necessary or appropriate to preserve, protect, insure or maintain the Collateral and the rights of Agent and Lenders with respect thereto.  Agent may add any amounts so expended to the Obligations and charge Borrower’s account therefor, such amounts to be repayable by Borrower on demand.  Agent and Lenders shall be under no obligation to effect such cure, payment or bonding and shall not, by doing so, be deemed to have assumed any obligation or liability of Borrower or any Obligor.  Any payment made or other action taken by Agent or any Lender under this Section shall be without prejudice to any right to assert an Event of Default hereunder and to proceed accordingly.

 

7.7 Access to Premises.  From time to time as reasonably requested by Agent, at the cost and expense of Borrower, (a) Agent or its designee shall have complete access to all of Borrower’s premises during normal business hours and after notice to, or at any time and without notice to Borrower if an Event of Default exists or has occurred and is continuing, for the purposes of inspecting, verifying and auditing the Collateral and all of Borrower’s books and records, including the Records, and (b) Borrower shall promptly furnish to Agent such copies of such books and records or extracts therefrom as Agent may request, and (c) Agent or any Lender or Agent’s designee may use during normal business hours such of Borrower’s personnel, equipment, supplies and premises as may be reasonably necessary for the foregoing and if an Event of Default exists or has occurred and is continuing for the collection of Receivables and realization of other Collateral.

 

 

Borrower hereby represents and warrants to Agent, Lenders and Issuing Bank the following (which shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement):

 

8.1 Corporate Existence, Power and Authority.  Borrower is a limited liability company duly organized and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization or formation and is duly qualified as a foreign limited liability company and in good standing in all states or other jurisdictions where the nature and extent of the business transacted by it or the ownership of assets makes such qualification necessary, except for those jurisdictions in which the failure to so qualify would not have a material adverse effect on Borrower’s financial condition, results of operation or business or the rights of Agent in or to any of the Collateral.  The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the other Financing Agreements and the transactions contemplated hereunder and thereunder (a) are all within Borrower’s corporate powers, (b) have been duly authorized, (c) are not in contravention of law or the terms of Borrower’s certificate of incorporation or formation, bylaws, operating agreements or other organizational documentation, or any indenture or material agreement or undertaking to which Borrower is a party or by which Borrower or its property are bound and (d) will not result in the creation or imposition of, or require or give rise to any obligation to grant, any lien, security interest, charge or other encumbrance upon any property of Borrower.  This Agreement and the other Financing Agreements to which Borrower is a party constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of Borrower enforceable in accordance with their respective terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and general principles of equity.

 

8.2 Name; State of Organization; Chief Executive Office; Collateral Locations.

 

(a) The exact legal name of Borrower is as set forth on the signature page of this Agreement and in the Information Certificate.  Borrower has not, during the five (5) years prior to the date of this Agreement, been known by or used any other corporate or fictitious name or been a party to any merger or consolidation, or acquired all or substantially all of the assets of any Person, or acquired any of its property or assets out of the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in the Information Certificate.

 

(b) Borrower is an organization of the type and organized in the jurisdiction set forth in the Information Certificate.  The Information Certificate accurately sets forth the organizational identification number of Borrower or accurately states that Borrower has none and accurately sets forth the federal employer identification number of Borrower.

 

(c) The chief executive office and mailing address of Borrower and Borrower’s Records concerning Accounts are located only at the address identified as such in Schedule 8.2 to the Information Certificate and its only other places of business and the only other locations of Collateral, if any, are the addresses set forth in Schedule 8.2 to the Information Certificate, subject to the rights of Borrower to establish new locations in accordance with Section 9.2 below.  The Information Certificate correctly identifies any of such locations which are not owned by Borrower and sets forth the owners and/or operators thereof.

 

8.3 Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Change.  All financial statements relating to Borrower which have been or may hereafter be delivered by Borrower to Agent and Lenders have been prepared in accordance with GAAP (except as to any interim financial statements, to the extent such statements are subject to normal year-end adjustments and do not include any notes) and fairly present in all material respects the financial condition and the results of operations of Borrower as at the dates and for the periods set forth therein.  Except as disclosed in any interim financial statements furnished by Borrower to Agent prior to the date of this Agreement, there has been no act, condition or event which has had or is reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect since the date of the most recent audited financial statements of Borrower furnished by Borrower to Agent prior to the date of this Agreement.  The projections dated May 14, 2008 for the fiscal years ending 2008 through 2011 that have been delivered to Agent or any projections hereafter delivered to Agent have been prepared in light of the past operations of the businesses of Borrower and are based upon estimates and assumptions stated therein, all of which Borrower has determined to be reasonable and fair in light of the then current conditions and current facts and reflect the good faith and reasonable estimates of Borrower of the future financial performance of Borrower and its Subsidiaries and of the other information projected therein for the periods set forth therein.

 

8.4 Priority of Liens; Title to Properties.  The security interests and liens granted to Agent under this Agreement and the other Financing Agreements constitute valid and perfected first priority liens and security interests in and upon the Collateral subject only to the liens indicated on Schedule 8.4 to the Information Certificate and the other liens permitted under Section 9.8 hereof.  Borrower has good and marketable fee simple title to or valid leasehold interests in all of its Real Property and good, valid and merchantable title to all of its other properties and assets subject to no liens, mortgages, pledges, security interests, encumbrances or charges of any kind, except those granted to Agent and such others as are specifically listed on Schedule 8.4 to the Information Certificate or permitted under Section 9.8 hereof.

 

8.5 Tax Returns.  Borrower has filed, or caused to be filed, in a timely manner all tax returns, reports and declarations which are required to be filed by it and due.  All information in such tax returns, reports and declarations is complete and accurate in all material respects.  Borrower has paid or caused to be paid all taxes due and payable or claimed due and payable in any assessment received by it, except taxes the validity of which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently pursued and available to Borrower and with respect to which adequate reserves have been set aside on its books.  Adequate provision has been made for the payment of all accrued and unpaid Federal, State, county, local, foreign and other taxes whether or not yet due and payable and whether or not disputed.

 

8.6 Litigation.  Except as set forth on Schedule 8.6 to the Information Certificate, (a) there is no investigation by any Governmental Authority pending, or to the best of Borrower’s knowledge threatened, against or affecting Borrower or its assets or business and (b) there is no action, suit, proceeding or claim by any Person pending, or to the best of Borrower’s knowledge threatened, against Borrower or its assets or goodwill, or against or affecting any transactions contemplated by this Agreement, in each case, which if adversely determined against Borrower has or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

8.7 Compliance with Other Agreements and Applicable Laws. 

 

(a) Borrower is not in default in any respect under, or in violation in any respect of the terms of, any material agreement, contract, instrument, lease or other commitment to which it is a party or by which it or any of its assets are bound that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.  Borrower is in compliance with the requirements of all applicable laws, rules, regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority relating to their respective businesses, including, without limitation, those set forth in or promulgated pursuant to the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, as amended, the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as amended, ERISA, the Code, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder, and all Environmental Laws, except where the failure to so comply could not be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(b) Borrower has obtained all material permits, licenses, approvals, consents, certificates, orders or authorizations of any Governmental Authority required for the lawful conduct of its business (the “Permits”).  All of the Permits are valid and subsisting and in full force and effect.  There are no actions, claims or proceedings pending or to the best of Borrower’s knowledge, threatened that seek the revocation, cancellation, suspension or modification of any of the Permits.

 

8.8 Environmental Compliance.

 

(a) Except as set forth on Schedule 8.8 to the Information Certificate, Borrower and any Subsidiary of Borrower have not generated, used, stored, treated, transported, manufactured, handled, produced or disposed of any Hazardous Materials, on or off its premises (whether or not owned by it) in any manner which at any time violates in any material respect any applicable Environmental Law or Permit, and the operations of Borrower and any Subsidiary of Borrower complies in all material respects with all Environmental Laws and all Permits.

 

(b) Except as set forth on Schedule 8.8 to the Information Certificate, there has been no investigation by any Governmental Authority or any proceeding, complaint, order, directive, claim, citation or notice by any Governmental Authority or any other person nor is any pending or to the best of Borrower’s knowledge threatened, with respect to any non-compliance with or violation of the requirements of any Environmental Law by Borrower or any Subsidiary of Borrower or the release, spill or discharge, threatened or actual, of any Hazardous Material or the generation, use, storage, treatment, transportation, manufacture, handling, production or disposal of any Hazardous Materials or any other environmental, health or safety matter, which adversely affects or could reasonably be expected to adversely affect in any material respect Borrower or its or their business, operations or assets or any properties at which Borrower has transported, stored or disposed of any Hazardous Materials.

 

(c) Except as set forth on Schedule 8.8 to the Information Certificate, Borrower and its Subsidiaries have no material liability (contingent or otherwise) in connection with a release, spill or discharge, threatened or actual, of any Hazardous Materials or the generation, use, storage, treatment, transportation, manufacture, handling, production or disposal of any Hazardous Materials.

 

(d) Borrower and its Subsidiaries have all Permits required to be obtained or filed in connection with the operations of Borrower under any Environmental Law and all of such licenses, certificates, approvals or similar authorizations and other Permits are valid and in full force and effect, except where the failure to do any of the foregoing could not be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

8.9 Employee Benefits.

 

(a) Each Plan is in compliance in all material respects with the applicable provisions of ERISA, the Code and other Federal or State law.  Each Plan which is intended to qualify under Section 401(a) of the Code has received a favorable determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service and to the best of Borrower’s knowledge, nothing has occurred which would cause the loss of such qualification.  Borrower and its ERISA Affiliates have made all required contributions to any Plan subject to Section 412 of the Code, and no application for a funding waiver or an extension of any amortization period pursuant to Section 412 of the Code has been made with respect to any Plan.

 

(b) There are no pending, or to the best of Borrower’s knowledge, threatened claims, actions or lawsuits, or action by any Governmental Authority, with respect to any Plan.  There has been no prohibited transaction or violation of the fiduciary responsibility rules with respect to any Plan.

 

(c) (i) No ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur; (ii) based on the latest valuation of each Pension Plan and on the actuarial methods and assumptions employed for such valuation (determined in accordance with the assumptions used for funding such Pension Plan pursuant to Section 412 of the Code), the aggregate current value of accumulated benefit liabilities of such Pension Plan under Section 4001(a)(16) of ERISA does not exceed the aggregate current value of the assets of such Pension Plan; (iii) Borrower and its ERISA Affiliates, have not incurred and do not reasonably expect to incur, any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to any Plan (other than premiums due and not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA); (iv) Borrower and its ERISA Affiliates, have not incurred and do not reasonably expect to incur, any liability (and no event has occurred which, with the giving of notice under Section 4219 of ERISA, would result in such liability) under Section 4201 or 4243 of ERISA with respect to a Multiemployer Plan; and (v) Borrower and its ERISA Affiliates, have not engaged in a transaction that would be subject to Section 4069 or 4212(c) of ERISA.

 

8.10 Bank Accounts.  All of the deposit accounts, investment accounts or other accounts in the name of or used by Borrower maintained at any bank or other financial institution are set forth on Schedule 8.10 to the Information Certificate, subject to the right of Borrower to establish new accounts in accordance with Section 5.2 hereof.

 

8.11 Intellectual Property.  Borrower owns or licenses or otherwise has the right to use all Intellectual Property necessary for the operation of its business as presently conducted or proposed to be conducted.  As of the date hereof, Borrower does not have any Intellectual Property registered, or subject to pending applications, in the United States Patent and Trademark Office or any similar office or agency in the United States, any State thereof, any political subdivision thereof or in any other country, other than those described in Schedule 8.11 to the Information Certificate and has not granted any licenses with respect thereto other than as set forth in Schedule 8.11 to the Information Certificate.  No event has occurred which permits or would permit after notice or passage of time or both, the revocation, suspension or termination of such rights.  To the best of Borrower’s knowledge, no slogan or other advertising device, product, process, method, substance or other Intellectual Property or goods bearing or using any Intellectual Property presently contemplated to be sold by or employed by Borrower infringes any patent, trademark, servicemark, trade name, copyright, license or other Intellectual Property owned by any other Person presently and no claim or litigation is pending or threatened against or affecting Borrower contesting its right to sell or use any such Intellectual Property.  Schedule 8.11 to the Information Certificate sets forth all of the agreements or other arrangements of Borrower pursuant to which Borrower has a license or other right to use any trademarks, logos, designs, representations or other Intellectual Property owned by another person as in effect on the date hereof (other than “shrink wrap” software licenses) and the dates of the expiration of such agreements or other arrangements of Borrower as in effect on the date hereof (collectively, together with such agreements or other arrangements as may be entered into by Borrower after the date hereof, collectively, the “License Agreements” and individually, a “License Agreement”).  No trademark, servicemark, copyright or other Intellectual Property at any time used by Borrower which is owned by another person, or owned by Borrower subject to any security interest, lien, collateral assignment, pledge or other encumbrance in favor of any person other than Agent, is affixed to any Eligible Inventory, except (a)  to the extent permitted under the term of the license agreements listed on Schedule 8.11 to the Information Certificate and (b) to the extent the sale of Inventory to which such Intellectual Property is affixed is permitted to be sold by Borrower under applicable law (including the United States Copyright Act of 1976).

 

8.12 Subsidiaries; Affiliates; Capitalization; Solvency.

 

(a) Borrower does not have any direct or indirect Subsidiaries or Affiliates and is not engaged in any joint venture or partnership except as set forth in Schedule 8.12 to the Information Certificate.

 

(b) Borrower is the record and beneficial owner of all of the issued and outstanding shares of Capital Stock of each of the Subsidiaries listed on Schedule 8.12 to the Information Certificate as being owned by Borrower and there are no proxies, irrevocable or otherwise, with respect to such shares and no equity securities of any of the Subsidiaries are or may become required to be issued by reason of any options, warrants, rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any kind or nature and there are no contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which any Subsidiary is or may become bound to issue additional shares of its Capital Stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable for such shares.

 

(c) The issued and outstanding membership interests of Borrower are directly and beneficially owned and held by the persons indicated in the Information Certificate, and in each case all of such membership interests have been duly authorized and are fully paid and non-assessable, free and clear of all claims, liens, pledges and encumbrances of any kind, except as disclosed in writing to Agent prior to the date hereof.

 

(d) Borrower is Solvent and will continue to be Solvent after the creation of the Obligations, the security interests of Agent and the other transaction contemplated hereunder.

 

8.13 Labor Disputes.

 

(a) Set forth on Schedule 8.13 to the Information Certificate is a list (including dates of termination) of all collective bargaining or similar agreements between or applicable to Borrower and any union, labor organization or other bargaining agent in respect of the employees of Borrower on the date hereof.

 

(b)  There is (i) no significant unfair labor practice complaint pending against Borrower or, to the best of Borrower’s knowledge threatened, against it, before the National Labor Relations Board, and no significant grievance or significant arbitration proceeding arising out of or under any collective bargaining agreement is pending on the date hereof against Borrower or, to best of Borrower’s knowledge, threatened against it, and (ii) no significant strike, labor dispute, slowdown or stoppage is pending against Borrower or, to the best of Borrower’s  knowledge, threatened against Borrower.

 

8.14 Restrictions on Subsidiaries.  Except for restrictions contained in this Agreement or any other agreement with respect to Indebtedness of Borrower permitted hereunder as in effect on the date hereof, there are no contractual or consensual restrictions on Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries which prohibit or otherwise restrict (a) the transfer of cash or other assets (i) between Borrower and any of its Subsidiaries or (ii) between any Subsidiaries of Borrower or (b) the ability of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to incur Indebtedness or grant security interests to Agent or any Lender in the Collateral.

 

8.15 Material Contracts.  Schedule 8.15 to the Information Certificate sets forth all Material Contracts to which Borrower is a party or is bound as of the date hereof.  Borrower has delivered or otherwise made available true, correct and complete copies of such Material Contracts to Agent on or before the date hereof.  Borrower is not in breach or in default in any material respect of or under any Material Contract and has not received any notice of the intention of any other party thereto to terminate any Material Contract.

 

8.16 Payable Practices.  Borrower has not made any material change in the historical accounts payable practices from those in effect immediately prior to the date hereof.

 

8.17 Accuracy and Completeness of Information.  All information furnished by or on behalf of Borrower in writing to Agent or any Lender in connection with this Agreement or any of the other Financing Agreements or any transaction contemplated hereby or thereby, including all information on the Information Certificate is true and correct in all material respects on the date as of which such information is dated or certified and does not omit any material fact necessary in order to make such information not misleading.  No event or circumstance has occurred which has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Affect, which has not been fully and accurately disclosed to Agent in writing prior to the date hereof.

 

8.18 Survival of Warranties; Cumulative.  All representations and warranties contained in this Agreement or any of the other Financing Agreements shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement and shall be deemed to have been made again to Agent and Lenders on the date of each additional borrowing or other credit accommodation hereunder and shall be conclusively presumed to have been relied on by Agent and Lenders regardless of any investigation made or information possessed by Agent or any Lender.  The representations and warranties set forth herein shall be cumulative and in addition to any other representations or warranties which Borrower shall now or hereafter give, or cause to be given, to Agent or any Lender.

 

 

9.1 Maintenance of Existence.

 

(a) Borrower shall at all times (i) preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect its existence as a limited liability company and rights and franchises with respect thereto and (ii) maintain in full force and effect all licenses, trademarks, trade names, approvals, authorizations, leases, contracts and Permits necessary to carry on the business as presently or proposed to be conducted.

 

(b) Borrower shall not change its name unless each of the following conditions is satisfied: (i) Agent shall have received not less than thirty (30) days prior written notice from Borrower of such proposed change in its corporate name, which notice shall accurately set forth the new name; and (ii) Agent shall have received  a copy of the amendment to the Certificate of Formation of Borrower providing for the name change certified by the Secretary of State of the jurisdiction of incorporation, formation or organization of Borrower as soon as it is available.

 

(c) Borrower shall not change its chief executive office or its mailing address or organizational identification number (or if it does not have one, shall not acquire one) unless Agent shall have received not less than thirty (30) days’ prior written notice from Borrower of such proposed change, which notice shall set forth such information with respect thereto as Agent may reasonably require and Agent shall have received such agreements as Agent may reasonably require in connection therewith.  Borrower shall not change its type of organization, jurisdiction of organization or other legal structure.

 

9.2 New Collateral Locations.  Borrower may only open any new location within the continental United States provided Borrower (a) gives Agent thirty (30) days prior written notice of the intended opening of any such new location and (b) executes and delivers, or causes to be executed and delivered, to Agent such agreements, documents, and instruments as Agent may reasonably deem necessary or desirable to protect its interests in the Collateral at such location.

 

9.3 Compliance with Laws, Regulations, Etc.

 

(a) Borrower shall, and shall cause any Subsidiary to, at all times, comply in all material respects with all laws, rules, regulations, licenses, approvals, orders and other Permits applicable to it and duly observe all requirements of any foreign, Federal, State or local Governmental Authority.

 

(b) Borrower shall give written notice to Agent promptly upon Borrower’s receipt of any notice of, or Borrower’s otherwise obtaining knowledge of (in each case in the event any of the following could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect), (i) the occurrence of any event involving the release, spill or discharge, threatened or actual, of any Hazardous Material or (ii) any investigation, proceeding, complaint, order, directive, claims, citation or notice with respect to: (A) any non-compliance with or violation of any Environmental Law by Borrower or (B) the release, spill or discharge, threatened or actual, of any Hazardous Material other than in the ordinary course of business and other than as permitted under any applicable Environmental Law. Copies of all environmental surveys, audits, assessments, feasibility studies and results of remedial investigations shall be promptly furnished, or caused to be furnished, by Borrower to Agent.  Borrower shall take prompt action to respond to any material non-compliance with any of the Environmental Laws and shall regularly report to Agent on such response.

 

(c) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, whenever Agent reasonably determines that there is non-compliance that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, or any condition which requires any action by or on behalf of Borrower in order to avoid any non-compliance that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, with any Environmental Law, Borrower shall, at Agent’s request and Borrower’s expense: (i) cause an independent environmental engineer reasonably acceptable to Agent to conduct such tests of the site where non-compliance or alleged non-compliance with such Environmental Laws has occurred as to such non-compliance and prepare and deliver to Agent a report as to such non-compliance setting forth the results of such tests, a proposed plan for responding to any environmental problems described therein, and an estimate of the costs thereof and (ii) provide to Agent a supplemental report of such engineer whenever the scope of such non-compliance, or Borrower’s response thereto or the estimated costs thereof, shall change in any material respect.

 

(d) Borrower shall indemnify and hold harmless Agent and Lenders and their respective directors, officers, employees, agents, invitees, representatives, successors and assigns, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses) directly or indirectly arising out of or attributable to Borrower’s use, generation, manufacture, reproduction, storage, release, threatened release, spill, discharge, disposal or presence of a Hazardous Material, including the costs of any required or necessary repair, cleanup or other remedial work with respect to any property of Borrower and the preparation and implementation of any closure, remedial or other required plans.  All representations, warranties, covenants and indemnifications in this Section 9.3 shall survive the payment of the Obligations and the termination  of this Agreement.

 

9.4 Payment of Taxes and Claims.  Borrower shall, and shall cause any Subsidiary to, duly pay and discharge all taxes, assessments, contributions and governmental charges upon or against it or its properties or assets, except for taxes the validity of which is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently pursued and available to Borrower or such Subsidiary, as the case may be, and with respect to which adequate reserves have been set aside on its books to the extent required by GAAP.

 

9.5 Insurance.  Borrower shall, and shall cause any Subsidiary to, at all times, maintain with financially sound and reputable insurers insurance with respect to the Collateral against loss or damage and all other insurance of the kinds and in the amounts customarily insured against or carried by corporations of established reputation engaged in the same or similar businesses and similarly situated.  Said policies of insurance shall be reasonably satisfactory to Agent as to form, amount and insurer.  Borrower shall furnish certificates, policies or endorsements to Agent as Agent shall reasonably require as proof of such insurance, and, if Borrower fails to do so, Agent is authorized, but not required, to obtain such insurance at the expense of Borrower.  All policies shall provide for at least thirty (30) days prior written notice to Agent of any cancellation or reduction of coverage and that Agent may act as attorney for Borrower in obtaining, and at any time an Event of Default exists or has occurred and is continuing, adjusting, settling, amending and canceling such insurance.  Borrower shall cause Agent to be named as a loss payee and an additional insured (but without any liability for any premiums) under such insurance policies and Borrower shall obtain non-contributory lender’s loss payable endorsements to all insurance policies in form and substance satisfactory to Agent.  Such lender’s loss payable endorsements shall specify that the proceeds of such insurance shall be payable to Agent as its interests may appear and further specify that Agent and Lenders shall be paid regardless of any act or omission by Borrower or any of its or their Affiliates. Without limiting any other rights of Agent or Lenders, any insurance proceeds received by Agent at any time may be applied to payment of the Obligations, whether or not then due, in any order and in such manner as Agent may determine.  Upon application of such proceeds to the Revolving Loans, Revolving Loans may be available subject and pursuant to the terms hereof to be used for the costs of repair or replacement of the Collateral lost or damages resulting in the payment of such insurance proceeds.

 

9.6 Financial Statements and Other Information.

 

(a) Borrower shall, and shall cause any Subsidiary to, keep proper books and records in which true and complete entries in all material respects shall be made of all dealings or transactions of or in relation to the Collateral and the business of Borrower and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP.  Borrower shall promptly furnish to Agent and Lenders all such financial and other information as Agent shall reasonably request relating to the Collateral and the assets, business and operations of Borrower, and Borrower shall notify the auditors and accountants of Borrower that Agent is authorized to obtain such information directly from them.  Without limiting the foregoing, Borrower shall furnish or cause to be furnished to Agent, the following:

 

(i) within thirty (30) days after the end of each fiscal month, monthly unaudited consolidated financial statements and unaudited consolidating financial statements (including in each case balance sheets, statements of income and loss, statements of cash flow, and statements of shareholders’ equity), all in reasonable detail, fairly presenting in all material respects the consolidated financial position and the consolidated results of the operations of Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the end of and through such fiscal month, certified to be correct by the chief financial officer of Borrower, subject to normal year-end adjustments and accompanied by a compliance certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit C hereto, along with a schedule in form reasonably satisfactory to Agent of the calculations used in determining, as of the end of such month, whether Borrower is in compliance with the covenants set forth in Section 9.17 of this Agreement for such month; and

 

(ii) within fifty(50) days after the end of each of the first three (3) fiscal quarters of each fiscal year, (A) quarterly unaudited consolidated financial statements and unaudited consolidating financial statements of Borrower and its Subsidiaries (including in each case balance sheets, statements of income and loss, statements of cash flow, and statements of shareholders’ equity), all in reasonable detail, fairly presenting in all material respects the consolidated financial position and the consolidated results of the operations of Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the end of and through such fiscal quarter, certified to be correct by the chief financial officer of Borrower, subject to normal quarterly and year-end adjustments and accompanied by a compliance certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit C hereto along with a schedule in form reasonably satisfactory to Agent of the calculations used in determining, as of the end of such fiscal quarter, whether Borrower is in compliance with the covenants set forth in Section 9.17 of this Agreement for such fiscal quarter, and (B) quarterly unaudited consolidated financial statements of Parent and its Subsidiaries (including balance sheets, statements of income and loss, statements of cash flow, and statements of shareholders’ equity), all in reasonable detail, fairly presenting in all material respects the consolidated financial position and the consolidated results of the operations of Parent and its Subsidiaries as of the end of and through such fiscal quarter, certified to be correct by the chief financial officer of Parent, subject to normal quarterly and year-end adjustments and accompanied by a compliance certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit C hereto along with a schedule in form reasonably satisfactory to Agent of the calculations used in determining, as of the end of such fiscal quarter, whether Borrower is in compliance with the covenants set forth in Section 9.17 of this Agreement for such fiscal quarter; and

 

(iii) within one hundred and twenty (120) days after the end of each fiscal year, (A) audited consolidated financial statements and unaudited consolidating financial statements of Borrower and its Subsidiaries (including in each case balance sheets, statements of income and loss, statements of cash flow, and statements of shareholders’ equity), and the accompanying notes thereto, all in reasonable detail, fairly presenting in all material respects the consolidated financial position and the consolidated results of the operations of Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the end of and for such fiscal year, together with the unqualified opinion of independent certified public accountants with respect to the audited consolidated financial statements, which accountants shall be an independent accounting firm selected by Parent on behalf of Borrower and reasonably acceptable to Agent, that such audited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with GAAP, and present fairly in all material respects the results of operations and financial condition of Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the end of and for the fiscal year then ended, and (B) audited consolidated financial statements of Parent and its Subsidiaries (including balance sheets, statements of income and loss, statements of cash flow, and statements of shareholders’ equity), and the accompanying notes thereto, all in reasonable detail, fairly presenting in all material respects the consolidated financial position and the consolidated results of the operations of Parent and its Subsidiaries as of the end of and for such fiscal year, together with the unqualified opinion of independent certified public accountants with respect to the audited consolidated financial statements, which accountants shall be an independent accounting firm selected by Parent and reasonably acceptable to Agent, that such audited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with GAAP, and present fairly in all material respects the consolidated results of operations and consolidated financial condition of Parent and its Subsidiaries as of the end of and for the fiscal year then ended, and

 

(iv) at such time as available, but in no event later than the end of each fiscal year (commencing with the fiscal year of Borrower ending December 31, 2009), projected consolidated financial statements (including in each case, forecasted balance sheets and statements of income and loss, statements of cash flow, and statements of shareholders’ equity) of each of Parent and its Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, and Borrower and its Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, for the next fiscal year, all in reasonable detail, and in a format consistent with the projections delivered by Borrower (both for itself and for Parent) to Agent prior to the date hereof, together with such supporting information as Agent may reasonably request.  Such projected financial statements shall be prepared on a monthly basis for the next succeeding year.  Such projections shall represent Parent’s and Borrower’s reasonable best estimate of the future financial performance of Parent and Borrower for the periods set forth therein and shall have been prepared on the basis of the assumptions set forth therein which Parent and Borrower each believes are fair and reasonable as of the date of preparation in light of current and reasonably foreseeable business conditions (it being understood that actual results may differ from those set forth in such projected financial statements).  Each year Parent and Borrower shall provide to Agent a semi-annual update with respect to such projections or at any time a Default or Event of Default exists or has occurred and is continuing, more frequently as Agent may require.

 

(b) Borrower shall promptly, after becoming aware thereof, notify Agent in writing of the details of (i) any loss, damage, investigation, action, suit, proceeding or claim relating to Collateral having a value of more than $500,000 or which if adversely determined would result in any Material Adverse Effect on Borrower, (ii) any Material Contract being terminated or amended or any new Material Contract entered into, other than ethanol purchase and sale contracts or agreements constituting a Material Contract (in which event Borrower shall provide Agent with a copy of such Material Contract), (iii) any order, judgment or decree in excess of $500,000 shall have been entered against Borrower any of its properties or assets, (iv) any notification of a material violation of laws or regulations received by Borrower, (v) any ERISA Event, and (vi) the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default.

 

(c) Promptly after the sending or filing thereof, Borrower shall send to Agent copies of (i) all reports which Parent or any of its Subsidiaries sends to its security holders generally, (ii) all reports and registration statements which Parent or any of its Subsidiaries files with the Securities Exchange Commission, any national or foreign securities exchange or the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., and such other reports as Agent may hereafter specifically identify to Borrower that Agent reasonably requires be provided to Agent, (iii) all press releases and (iv) all other statements concerning material changes or developments in the business of Borrower made available by Borrower to the public.

 

(d) Borrower shall furnish or cause to be furnished to Agent such budgets, forecasts, projections and other information respecting the Collateral and the business of Borrower, as Agent may, from time to time, reasonably request.  Agent is hereby authorized to deliver a copy of any financial statement or any other information relating to the business of Borrower to any court or other Governmental Authority, or to any Lender or Participant or prospective Lender or Participant, or any Affiliate of any Lender or Participant.  Borrower hereby irrevocably authorizes and directs all accountants or auditors to deliver to Agent, at Borrower’s expense, copies of the financial statements of Borrower and any reports or management letters prepared by such accountants or auditors on behalf of Borrower and to disclose to Agent and Lenders such information as they may have regarding the business of Borrower.  Any documents, schedules, invoices or other papers delivered to Agent or any Lender may be destroyed or otherwise disposed of by Agent or such Lender one (1) year after the same are delivered to Agent or such Lender, except as otherwise designated by Borrower to Agent or such Lender in writing.

 

9.7 Sale of Assets, Consolidation, Merger, Dissolution, Etc.  Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly,

 

(a) merge into or with or consolidate with any other Person or permit any other Person to merge into or with or consolidate with it;

 

(b) sell, issue, assign, lease, license, transfer, abandon or otherwise dispose of any Capital Stock or Indebtedness to any other Person or any of its assets to any other Person, except for

 

(i) sales of Inventory in the ordinary course of business,

 

(ii) the sale or other disposition of Equipment (including worn-out or obsolete Equipment or Equipment no longer used or useful in the business of Borrower) so long as such sales or other dispositions do not involve Equipment having an aggregate fair market value in excess of $25,000 for all such Equipment disposed of in any fiscal year of Borrower or as Agent may otherwise agree, and

 

(iii) the issuance and sale by Borrower of Capital Stock of Borrower after the date hereof; provided, that, (A) Agent shall have received not less than ten (10) Business Days’ prior written notice of such issuance and sale by Borrower, which notice shall specify the parties to whom such shares are to be sold, the terms of such sale, the total amount which it is anticipated will be realized from the issuance and sale of such stock and the net cash proceeds which it is anticipated will be received by Borrower from such sale, (B) Borrower shall not be required to pay any cash dividends or repurchase or redeem such Capital Stock or make any other payments in respect thereof, except as otherwise permitted in Section 9.11 hereof, (C) the terms of such Capital Stock, and the terms and conditions of the purchase and sale thereof, shall not include any terms that include any limitation on the right of Borrower to request or receive Loans or Letters of Credit or the right of Borrower to amend or modify any of the terms and conditions of this Agreement or any of the other Financing Agreements or otherwise in any way relate to or affect the arrangements of Borrower with Agent and Lenders or are more restrictive or burdensome to Borrower than the terms of any Capital Stock in effect on the date hereof, (D) except as Agent may otherwise agree in writing, all of the proceeds of the sale and issuance of such Capital Stock shall be paid to Agent for application to the Obligations in such order and manner as Agent may determine or at Agent’s option, to be held as cash collateral for the Obligations and (E) as of the date of such issuance and sale and after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default shall exist or have occurred, and

 

(iv) the issuance of Capital Stock of Borrower consisting of common stock pursuant to an employee stock option or grant or similar equity plan or 401(k) plans of Borrower for the benefit of its employees, directors and consultants; provided, that, in no event shall Borrower be required to issue, or shall Borrower issue, Capital Stock pursuant to such stock plans or 401(k) plans which would result in a Change of Control or other Event of Default,

 

(c) wind up, liquidate or dissolve; or

 

(d) agree to do any of the foregoing.

 

9.8 Encumbrances.  Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, charge or other encumbrance of any nature whatsoever on any of its assets or properties, including the Collateral, or file or permit the filing of, or permit to remain in effect, any financing statement or other similar notice of any security interest or lien with respect to any such assets or properties, except:

 

(a) the security interests and liens of Agent for itself and the benefit of Secured Parties;

 

(b) liens securing the payment of taxes, assessments or other governmental charges or levies either not yet overdue or the validity of which is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently pursued and available to Borrower or Subsidiary, as the case may be and with respect to which adequate reserves have been set aside on its books;

 

(c) non-consensual statutory liens (other than liens securing the payment of taxes) arising in the ordinary course of Borrower’s or such Subsidiary’s business to the extent: (i) such liens secure Indebtedness which is not overdue or (ii) such liens secure Indebtedness relating to claims or liabilities which are fully insured and being defended at the sole cost and expense and at the sole risk of the insurer or being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently pursued and available to Borrower or such Subsidiary, in each case prior to the commencement of foreclosure or other similar proceedings and with respect to which adequate reserves have been set aside on its books;

 

(d) zoning restrictions, easements, licenses, covenants and other restrictions affecting the use of Real Property which do not interfere in any material respect with the use of such Real Property or ordinary conduct of the business of Borrower or such Subsidiary as presently conducted thereon or materially impair the value of the Real Property which may be subject thereto;

 

(e) purchase money security interests in Equipment (including Capital Leases) and purchase money mortgages on Real Property to secure Indebtedness permitted under Section 9.9(b) hereof;

 

(f) pledges and deposits of cash by Borrower after the date hereof in the ordinary course of business in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other types of social security benefits consistent with the current practices of Borrower as of the date hereof;

 

(g) pledges and deposits of cash by Borrower after the date hereof to secure the performance of tenders, bids, leases, trade contracts (other than for the repayment of Indebtedness), statutory obligations and other similar obligations in each case in the ordinary course of business consistent with the current practices of Borrower as of the date hereof; provided, that, in connection with any performance bonds issued by a surety or other person, the issuer of such bond shall have waived in writing any rights in or to, or other interest in, any of the Collateral in an agreement, in form and substance satisfactory to Agent;

 

(h) liens arising from (i) operating leases and the precautionary UCC financing statement filings in respect thereof and (ii) equipment or other materials which are not owned by Borrower located on the premises of Borrower (but not in connection with, or as part of, the financing thereof) from time to time in the ordinary course of business and consistent with current practices of Borrower and the precautionary UCC financing statement filings in respect thereof;

 

(i) judgments and other similar liens arising in connection with court proceedings that do not constitute an Event of Default; provided, that, (i) such liens are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings diligently pursued, (ii) adequate reserves or other appropriate provision, if any, as are required by GAAP have been made therefor, (iii) a stay of enforcement of any such liens is in effect and (iv) Agent may establish a Reserve with respect thereto; and

 

(j) the security interests and liens set forth on Schedule 8.4 to the Information Certificate.

 

9.9 Indebtedness.  Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any Subsidiary to, incur, create, assume, become or be liable in any manner with respect to, or permit to exist, any Indebtedness, or guarantee, assume, endorse, or otherwise become responsible for (directly or indirectly), the Indebtedness, performance, obligations or dividends of any other Person, except:

 

(a) the Obligations;

 

(b) purchase money Indebtedness (including Capital Leases) arising after the date hereof to the extent secured by purchase money security interests in Equipment (including Capital Leases) and purchase money mortgages on Real Property not to exceed $2,000,000 in the aggregate at any time outstanding so long as such security interests and mortgages do not apply to any property of Borrower or any Subsidiary other than the Equipment or Real Property so acquired, and the Indebtedness secured thereby does not exceed the cost of the Equipment or Real Property so acquired, as the case may be;

 

(c) guarantees by Borrower or any Guarantor of the Obligations in favor of Agent for the benefit of Lenders and the other Secured Parties;

 

(d) the Indebtedness set forth on Schedule 9.9 to the Information Certificate; provided, that, (i) Borrower may only make regularly scheduled payments of principal and interest in respect of such Indebtedness in accordance with the terms of the agreement or instrument evidencing or giving rise to such Indebtedness as in effect on the date hereof, (ii) Borrower shall not, directly or indirectly, (A) amend, modify, alter or change the terms of such Indebtedness or any agreement, document or instrument related thereto as in effect on the date hereof; except, that, Borrower may, after prior written notice to Agent, amend, modify, alter or change the terms thereof so as to extend the maturity thereof, or defer the timing of any payments in respect thereof, or to forgive or cancel any portion of such Indebtedness (other than pursuant to payments thereof), or to reduce the interest rate or any fees in connection therewith, or (B) redeem, retire, defease, purchase or otherwise acquire such Indebtedness, or set aside or otherwise deposit or invest any sums for such purpose, and (iii) Borrower shall furnish to Agent all notices or demands in connection with such Indebtedness either received by Borrower or on its behalf, promptly after the receipt thereof, or sent by Borrower or on its behalf, concurrently with the sending thereof, as the case may be; and

 

(e) Indebtedness of Borrower or any Guarantor entered into in the ordinary course of business pursuant to a Hedge Agreement; provided, that, (i) such arrangements are with a Bank Product Provider, (ii) such arrangements are not for speculative purposes, and (iii) such Indebtedness shall be unsecured, except to the extent such Indebtedness constitutes part of the Obligations arising under or pursuant to Hedge Agreements with a Bank Product Provider that are secured under the terms hereof.

 

9.10 Loans, Investments, Etc.  Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, make any loans or advance money or property to any person, or invest in (by capital contribution, dividend or otherwise) or purchase or repurchase the Capital Stock or Indebtedness or all or a substantial part of the assets or property of any person, or form or acquire any Subsidiaries, or agree to do any of the foregoing, except:

 

(a) the endorsement of instruments for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business;

 

(b) investments in cash or Cash Equivalents; provided, that, (i) no Loans are then outstanding and (ii) the terms and conditions of Section 5.2 hereof shall have been satisfied with respect to the deposit account, investment account or other account in which such cash or Cash Equivalents are held;

 

(c) the existing equity investments of Borrower as of the date hereof in its Subsidiaries; provided, that, Borrower shall not have any further obligations or liabilities to make any capital contributions or other additional investments or other payments to or in or for the benefit of any of such Subsidiaries;

 

(d) loans and advances by Borrower to employees of Borrower not to exceed the principal amount of $250,000 in the aggregate at any time outstanding for:  (i) reasonably and necessary work-related travel or other ordinary business expenses to be incurred by such employee in connection with their work for Borrower and (ii) reasonable and necessary relocation expenses of such employees (including home mortgage financing for relocated employees);

 

(e) stock or obligations issued to Borrower by any Person (or the representative of such Person) in respect of Indebtedness of such Person owing to Borrower in connection with the insolvency, bankruptcy, receivership or reorganization of such Person or a composition or readjustment of the debts of such Person; provided, that, the original of any such stock or instrument evidencing such obligations shall be promptly delivered to Agent, upon Agent’s request, together with such stock power, assignment or endorsement by Borrower as Agent may request;

 

(f) obligations of account debtors to Borrower arising from Accounts which are past due evidenced by a promissory note made by such account debtor payable to Borrower; provided, that, promptly upon the receipt of the original of any such promissory note by Borrower, such promissory note shall be endorsed to the order of Agent by Borrower and promptly delivered to Agent as so endorsed; and

 

(g) the loans and advances set forth on Schedule 9.10 to the Information Certificate; provided, that, as to such loans and advances, (i) Borrower shall not, directly or indirectly, amend, modify, alter or change the terms of such loans and advances or any agreement, document or instrument related thereto and (ii) Borrower shall furnish to Agent all notices or demands in connection with such loans and advances either received by Borrower or on its behalf, promptly after the receipt thereof, or sent by Borrower or on its behalf, concurrently with the sending thereof, as the case may be.

 

9.11 Dividends and Redemptions.  Borrower shall not, directly or indirectly, declare or pay any dividends on account of any shares or class of Capital Stock of Borrower now or hereafter outstanding, or set aside or otherwise deposit or invest any sums for such purpose, or redeem, retire, defease, purchase or otherwise acquire any shares of any class of Capital Stock (or set aside or otherwise deposit or invest any sums for such purpose) for any consideration or apply or set apart any sum, or make any other distribution (by reduction of capital or otherwise) in respect of any such shares or agree to do any of the foregoing; except, that:

 

(a) Borrower may declare and pay such dividends or redeem, retire, defease, purchase or otherwise acquire any shares of any class of Capital Stock for consideration in the form of shares of common stock (so long as after giving effect thereto no Change of Control or other Default or Event of Default shall exist or occur);

 

(b) Borrower may pay dividends to the extent permitted in Section 9.12 below;

 

(c) any Subsidiary of Borrower may pay dividends to Borrower;

 

(d) Borrower may repurchase Capital Stock consisting of common stock held by employees pursuant to any employee stock ownership plan thereof upon the termination, retirement or death of any such employee in accordance with the provisions of such plan; provided, that, as to any such repurchase, each of the following conditions is satisfied: (i) as of the date of the payment for such repurchase and after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default shall exist or have occurred and be continuing, (ii) such repurchase shall be paid with funds legally available therefor, (iii) such repurchase shall not violate any law or regulation or the terms of any indenture, agreement or undertaking to which Borrower is a party or by which Borrower or its or their property are bound, and (iv) the aggregate amount of all payments for such repurchases in any calendar year shall not exceed $50,000; and

 

(e) so long as Borrower is treated as a limited liability company for federal income tax purposes, Borrower may distribute to the Parent, to the extent actually payable by Parent to the applicable taxing authority, with respect to each taxable year an aggregate amount equal to the product of (i) the maximum combined federal and state income tax rate applicable to corporations (or individuals, if higher) doing business in the state to which the Parent allocates at least ten (10%) percent of its taxable income and which has the highest such rate (or the state in which the Parent allocates more income than any other state, if it doesn’t allocate at least ten percent of its taxable income to any state) times (ii) the excess of the taxable income of the Parent for such taxable year over the taxable losses of the Parent for all prior taxable years that have not previously been used to reduce taxable income pursuant to this clause (e).

 

9.12 Transactions with Affiliates.  Borrower shall not, directly or indirectly:

 

(a) purchase, acquire or lease any property from, or sell, transfer or lease any property to, any officer, director or other Affiliate of Borrower, except in the ordinary course of and pursuant to the reasonable requirements of Borrower’s business (as the case may be) and upon fair and reasonable terms no less favorable to Borrower than Borrower would obtain in a comparable arm’s length transaction with an unaffiliated person; or

 

(b) make any payments (whether by dividend, loan or otherwise) of management, consulting or other fees for management or similar services, or of any Indebtedness owing to any officer, employee, shareholder, director or any other Affiliate of Borrower, except (i) reasonable compensation to officers, employees and directors of Borrower and its affiliates for any services rendered to Borrower in the ordinary course of business, (ii) payment by Borrower to Parent on the date hereof of an amount not to exceed $6,000,000 on account of intercompany Indebtedness due and owing by Borrower to Parent as of the date hereof, and (iii) payments by Borrower to Parent for those services provided by Parent to Borrower pursuant to the Parent/Borrower Operating Agreement as in effect on the date hereof; provided, that, with respect to any reimbursement payment by Borrower to Parent on account of any margin call due in connection with any hedging position created by Parent for or on behalf of Borrower pursuant to the Parent/Borrower Operating Agreement, Borrower shall have Excess Availability of not less than $1,000,000 after giving effect to such payment.

 

9.13 Compliance with ERISA.  Borrower shall, and shall cause each of its ERISA Affiliates to:  (a) maintain each Plan in compliance in all material respects with the applicable provisions of ERISA, the Code and other Federal and State law; (b) cause each Plan which is qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code to maintain such qualification; (c) not terminate any Pension Plan so as to incur any material liability to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation; (d)not allow or suffer to exist any prohibited transaction involving any Plan or any trust created thereunder which would subject Borrower or such ERISA Affiliate to a material tax or other liability on prohibited transactions imposed under Section 4975 of the Code or ERISA; (e) make all required contributions to any Plan which it is obligated to pay under Section 302 of ERISA, Section 412 of the Code or the terms of such Plan; (f) not allow or suffer to exist any accumulated funding deficiency, whether or not waived, with respect to any such Pension Plan; (g) not engage in a transaction that could be subject to Section 4069 or 4212(c) of ERISA; or (h) not allow or suffer to exist any occurrence of a reportable event or any other event or condition which presents a material risk of termination by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation of any Plan that is a single employer plan, which termination could result in any material liability to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.

 

9.14 End of Fiscal Years; Fiscal Quarters.  Parent shall, for financial reporting purposes, cause its, and each of its Subsidiaries’ (a) fiscal years to end on December 31 of each year and (b) fiscal quarters to end on March 31, June 30, September 30, and December 31 of each year.

 

9.15 Change in Business.  Borrower shall not engage in any business other than the business of Borrower on the date hereof and any business reasonably related, ancillary or complimentary to the business in which Borrower is engaged on the date hereof.

 

9.16 Limitation of Restrictions Affecting Subsidiaries.  Borrower shall not, directly, or indirectly, create or otherwise cause or suffer to exist any encumbrance or restriction which prohibits or limits the ability of any Subsidiary of Borrower to (a) pay dividends or make other distributions or pay any Indebtedness owed to Borrower or any Subsidiary of Borrower; (b) make loans or advances to Borrower or any Subsidiary of Borrower,  (c) transfer any of its properties or assets to Borrower or any Subsidiary of Borrower; or (d) create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any lien upon any of its property, assets or revenues, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, other than encumbrances and restrictions arising under (i) applicable law, (ii) this Agreement, (iii) customary provisions restricting subletting or assignment of any lease governing a leasehold interest of Borrower or any Subsidiary of Borrower, (iv) customary restrictions on dispositions of real property interests found in reciprocal easement agreements of Borrower or any Subsidiary of Borrower, (v) any agreement relating to permitted Indebtedness incurred by a Subsidiary of Borrower prior to the date on which such Subsidiary was acquired by Borrower and outstanding on such acquisition date, and (vi) the extension or continuation of contractual obligations in existence on the date hereof; provided, that, any such encumbrances or restrictions contained in such extension or continuation are no less favorable to Agent and Lenders than those encumbrances and restrictions under or pursuant to the contractual obligations so extended or continued.

 

9.17 EBITDA.  Borrower shall maintain EBITDA of not less than the amounts set forth on Schedule 9.17 hereto for each period specified therein.

 

9.18 License Agreements.

 

(a) Borrower shall (i) promptly and faithfully observe and perform all of the material terms, covenants, conditions and provisions of the material License Agreements to which it is a party to be observed and performed by it, at the times set forth therein, if any, (ii) not do, permit, suffer or refrain from doing anything that could reasonably be expected to result in a default under or breach of any of the terms of any material License Agreement, (iii) not cancel, surrender, modify, amend, waive or release any material License Agreement in any material respect or any term, provision or right of the licensee thereunder in any material respect, or consent to or permit to occur any of the foregoing; except, that, subject to Section 9.18(b) below, Borrower may cancel, surrender or release any material License Agreement in the ordinary course of the business of Borrower; provided, that, Borrower (as the case may be) shall give Agent not less than thirty (30) days prior written notice of its intention to so cancel, surrender and release any such material License Agreement, (iv) give Agent prompt written notice of any material License Agreement entered into by Borrower after the date hereof, together with a true, correct and complete copy thereof and such other information with respect thereto as Agent may reasonably request, (v) give Agent prompt written notice of any material breach of any obligation, or any default, by any party under any material License Agreement, and deliver to Agent (promptly upon the receipt thereof by Borrower in the case of a notice to Borrower and concurrently with the sending thereof in the case of a notice from Borrower ) a copy of each notice of default and every other notice and other communication received or delivered by Borrower in connection with any material License Agreement which relates to the right of Borrower to continue to use the property subject to such License Agreement, and (vi) furnish to Agent, promptly upon the request of Agent, such information and evidence as Agent may reasonably require from time to time concerning the observance, performance and compliance by Borrower or the other party or parties thereto with the material terms, covenants or provisions of any material License Agreement.

 

(b) Borrower will either exercise any option to renew or extend the term of each material License Agreement to which it is a party in such manner as will cause the term of such material License Agreement to be effectively renewed or extended for the period provided by such option and give prompt written notice thereof to Agent or give Agent prior written notice that Borrower does not intend to renew or extend the term of any such material License Agreement or that the term thereof shall otherwise be expiring, not less than sixty (60) days prior to the date of any such non-renewal or expiration.  In the event of the failure of Borrower to extend or renew any material License Agreement to which it is a party, Agent shall have, and is hereby granted, the irrevocable right and authority, at its option, to renew or extend the term of such material License Agreement, whether in its own name and behalf, or in the name and behalf of a designee or nominee of Agent or in the name and behalf of Borrower, as Agent shall determine at any time that an Event of Default shall exist or have occurred and be continuing.  Agent may, but shall not be required to, perform any or all of such obligations of Borrower under any of the License Agreements, including, but not limited to, the payment of any or all sums due from Borrower thereunder.  Any sums so paid by Agent shall constitute part of the Obligations.

 

9.19 Foreign Assets Control Regulations, Etc.  None of the requesting or borrowing of the Loans or the requesting or issuance, extension or renewal of any Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds of any thereof will violate the Trading With the Enemy Act (50 USC §1 et seq., as amended) (the “Trading With the Enemy Act”) or any of the foreign assets control regulations of the United States Treasury Department (31 C.F.R., Subtitle B, Chapter V, as amended) (the “Foreign Assets Control Regulations”) or any enabling legislation or executive order relating thereto (including, but not limited to (a) Executive order 13224 of September 21, 2001 Blocking Property and Prohibiting Transactions With Persons Who Commit, Threaten to Commit, or Support Terrorism (66 Fed. Reg. 49079 (2001)) (the “Executive Order”) and (b) the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (Public Law 107-56).  Neither Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries or other Affiliates is or will become a “blocked person” as described in the Executive Order, the Trading with the Enemy Act or the Foreign Assets Control Regulations or  engages or will engage in any dealings or transactions, or be otherwise associated, with any such “blocked person”.

 

9.20 Costs and Expenses.  Borrower shall pay to Agent on demand all documented out-of-pocket costs, expenses, filing fees and taxes paid or payable in connection with the preparation, negotiation, execution, delivery, recording, syndication, administration, collection, liquidation, enforcement and defense of the Obligations, Agent’s rights in the Collateral, this Agreement, the other Financing Agreements and all other documents related hereto or thereto, including any amendments, supplements or consents which may hereafter be contemplated (whether or not executed) or entered into in respect hereof and thereof, including:  (a) all costs and expenses of filing or recording (including Uniform Commercial Code financing statement filing taxes and fees, documentary taxes, intangibles taxes and mortgage recording taxes and fees, if applicable); (b) all costs and expenses and fees for insurance premiums, environmental audits, title insurance premiums, surveys, assessments, engineering reports and inspections, appraisal fees and search fees, background checks, costs and expenses of remitting loan proceeds, collecting checks and other items of payment, and establishing and maintaining the Blocked Accounts, together with Agent’s customary charges and fees with respect thereto; (c) charges, fees or expenses charged by any Issuing Bank in connection with any Letter of Credit; (d) costs and expenses of preserving and protecting the Collateral; (e) costs and expenses paid or incurred in connection with obtaining payment of the Obligations, enforcing the security interests and liens of Agent, selling or otherwise realizing upon the Collateral, and otherwise enforcing the provisions of this Agreement and the other Financing Agreements or defending any claims made or threatened against Agent or any Lender arising out of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby (including preparations for and consultations concerning any such matters); (f) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses and costs heretofore and from time to time hereafter incurred by Agent during the course of periodic field examinations of the Collateral and Borrower ‘s operations, plus a per diem charge at Agent’s then standard rate for Agent’s examiners in the field and office (which rate as of the date hereof is $900 per person per day); and (g) the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel (including legal assistants) to Agent in connection with any of the foregoing.

 

9.21 Further Assurances.

 

(a) At the request of Agent at any time and from time to time, Borrower shall, at its expense, duly execute and deliver, or cause to be duly executed and delivered, such further agreements, documents and instruments, and do or cause to be done such further acts as may be reasonably necessary or proper to evidence, perfect, maintain and enforce the security interests and the priority thereof in the Collateral and to otherwise effectuate the provisions or purposes of this Agreement or any of the other Financing Agreements.

 

(b) Agent may at any time and from time to time request a certificate from an officer of Borrower representing that all conditions precedent to the making of Loans and providing Letters of Credit contained herein are satisfied, which certificate shall be delivered by Borrower to Agent promptly after Agent’s request therefor.  In the event of such request by Agent, Agent and Lenders may, at Agent’s option, cease to make any further Loans or provide any further Letters of Credit until Agent has received such certificate and, in addition, Agent has determined in good faith and in the exercise of its reasonable credit judgment that such conditions are satisfied.

 

 

10.1 Events of Default.  The occurrence or existence of any one or more of the following events are referred to herein individually as an “Event of Default”, and collectively as “Events of Default”:

 

(a) (i)   Borrower fails to pay any of the Obligations when due or (ii) Borrower fails to perform any of the terms, covenants, conditions or provisions contained in Sections 5.2(a), 5.2(d), 5.2(e), 5.2(f), 5.2(i), 6.3, 6.7, 7.1(a)(i), 7.1(a)(ii), 7.7, 9.1(a)(i), 9.5, 9.6(a), 9.7, 9.8, 9.9, 9.10, 9.11, 9.12 or 9.17 of this Agreement or (iii) Borrower or any Obligor fails to perform any of the terms, covenants, conditions or provisions contained in Sections 5.2(b), 5.2(c), 5.2(g), 5.2(h), 7.1(a)(iii), 7.1(a)(iv), 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 9.20 or 9.21(b) of this Agreement and such failure shall continue for ten (10) days or (iv) any Borrower or Obligor fails to perform any of the terms, covenants, conditions or provisions contained in this Agreement or any of the other Financing Agreements other than those described in Sections 10.1(a)(i), 10.1(a)(ii) and 10.1(a)(iii) above and such failure shall continue for thirty (30) days; provided, that, such thirty (30) day period shall not apply in the case of an intentional breach by Borrower or any Obligor of any such term, covenant, condition or provision;

 

(b) any representation, warranty or statement of fact made by Borrower to Agent in this Agreement, the other Financing Agreements or any other written agreement, schedule, confirmatory assignment or otherwise shall when made or deemed made be false or misleading in any material respect;

 

(c) any Obligor revokes or terminates, or purports to revoke or terminate any guarantee of the Obligations;

 

(d) any judgment for the payment of money is rendered against Borrower or any Obligor (other than Parent) in excess of $100,000 in any one case or in excess of $250,000 in the aggregate (to the extent not covered by insurance where the insurer has assumed responsibility in writing for such judgment) and shall remain undischarged or unvacated for a period in excess of thirty (30) days or execution shall at any time not be effectively stayed, or any judgment other than for the payment of money, or injunction, attachment, garnishment or execution is rendered against Borrower or any Obligor (other than Parent) or any of the Collateral having a value in excess of $100,000;

 

(e) any Obligor (being a natural person or a general partner of an Obligor which is a partnership) dies or Borrower or any Obligor, which is a partnership, limited liability company, limited liability partnership or a corporation, dissolves or suspends or discontinues doing business;

 

(f) Borrower or any Obligor makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors or makes or sends notice of a bulk transfer, or Borrower or any Obligor (other than Parent) calls a meeting of its creditors or principal creditors in connection with a moratorium or adjustment of the Indebtedness due to them;

 

(g) a case or proceeding under the bankruptcy laws of the United States of America now or hereafter in effect or under any insolvency, reorganization, receivership, readjustment of debt, dissolution or liquidation law or statute of any jurisdiction now or hereafter in effect (whether at law or in equity) is filed against Borrower or any Obligor or all or any part of its properties (except, in the case of Parent, as to any direct or indirect Subsidiary of Parent other than Borrower) and such petition or application is not dismissed within forty-five (45) days after the date of its filing or Borrower or any Obligor (except, in the case of Parent, as to any direct or indirect Subsidiary of Parent other than Borrower) shall file any answer admitting or not contesting such petition or application or indicates its consent to, acquiescence in or approval of, any such action or proceeding or the relief requested is granted sooner;

 

(h) a case or proceeding under the bankruptcy laws of the United States of America now or hereafter in effect or under any insolvency, reorganization, receivership, readjustment of debt, dissolution or liquidation law or statute of any jurisdiction now or hereafter in effect (whether at a law or equity) is filed by Borrower or any Obligor or for all or any part of its property (except, in the case of Parent, as to any direct or indirect Subsidiary of Parent other than Borrower);

 

(i) any default in respect of any Indebtedness of Borrower or any Obligor (other than Parent) (other than Indebtedness owing to Agent and Lenders hereunder), in any case in an amount in excess of $100,000, which default continues for more than the applicable cure period, if any, with respect thereto or any default by Borrower or any Obligor (other than Parent) under any Material Contract, which default continues for more than the applicable cure period, if any, with respect thereto and/or is not waived in writing by the other parties thereto;

 

(j) any material provision hereof or of any of the other Financing Agreements shall for any reason cease to be valid, binding and enforceable with respect to any party hereto or thereto (other than Agent) in accordance with its terms, or any such party shall challenge the enforceability hereof or thereof, or shall assert in writing, or take any action or fail to take any action based on the assertion that any provision hereof or of any of the other Financing Agreements has ceased to be or is otherwise not valid, binding or enforceable in accordance with its terms, or any security interest provided for herein or in any of the other Financing Agreements shall cease to be a valid and perfected first priority security interest in any of the Collateral purported to be subject thereto (except as otherwise permitted herein or therein);

 

(k) an ERISA Event shall occur which results in or could reasonably be expected to result in liability of Borrower in an aggregate amount in excess of $250,000;

 

(l) any Change of Control;

 

(m) the indictment by any Governmental Authority, or as Agent may reasonably determine, the threatened indictment by any Governmental Authority of Borrower or any Obligor (other than Parent) of which Borrower, such Obligor (other than Parent) or Agent receives notice, in either case, as to which there is a reasonable possibility of an adverse determination, in the reasonable determination of Agent, under any criminal statute, or commencement or threatened commencement of criminal or civil proceedings against Borrower or any Obligor (other than Parent), pursuant to which statute or proceedings the penalties or remedies sought or available include forfeiture of (i) any of the Collateral having a value in excess of $250,000 or (ii) any other property of Borrower or any Obligor (other than Parent) which is necessary or material to the conduct of its business;

 

(n) (i) the Parent/Borrower Operating Agreement or (ii) the letter agreement by Parent in favor of Agent and Lenders pursuant to which Parent has agreed to, among other things, perform such services and deliver such reports and information to and for the benefit of Agent and Lenders as Agent and Lenders may request from time to time, shall have been terminated without the prior written consent of Agent;

 

(o) there shall have occurred a Material Adverse Effect as to Borrower or any Obligor (other than Parent); or

 

(p) there shall be a material breach by any Obligor under any of the other Financing Agreements, which breach continues for more than the applicable cure period (if any) with respect thereto.

 

10.2 Remedies.

 

(a) At any time an Event of Default exists or has occurred and is continuing, Agent and Lenders shall have all rights and remedies provided in this Agreement, the other Financing Agreements, the UCC and other applicable law, all of which rights and remedies may be exercised without notice to or consent by Borrower or any Obligor, except as such notice or consent is expressly provided for hereunder or required by applicable law.  All rights, remedies and powers granted to Agent and Lenders hereunder, under any of the other Financing Agreements, the UCC or other applicable law, are cumulative, not exclusive and enforceable, in Agent’s discretion, alternatively, successively, or concurrently on any one or more occasions, and shall include, without limitation, the right to apply to a court of equity for an injunction to restrain a breach or threatened breach by Borrower or any Obligor of this Agreement or any of the other Financing Agreements.  Subject to Section 12 hereof, Agent may, and at the direction of the Required Lenders shall, at any time or times, proceed directly against Borrower or any Obligor to collect the Obligations without prior recourse to the Collateral.

 

(b) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, at any time an Event of Default exists or has occurred and is continuing, Agent may, at its option and shall upon the direction of the Required Lenders, (i) upon notice to Borrower, accelerate the payment of all Obligations and demand immediate payment thereof to Agent for itself and the benefit of Lenders (provided, that, upon the occurrence of any Event of Default described in Sections 10.1(g) and 10.1(h), all Obligations shall automatically become immediately due and payable), and (ii) terminate the Commitments whereupon the obligation of each Lender to make any Loan and Issuing Bank to issue any Letter of Credit shall immediately terminate (provided, that, upon the occurrence of any Event of Default described in Sections 10.1(g) and 10.1(h), the Commitments, the obligation of each Lender to make any Loans and Issuing Bank to issue any Letters of Credit, and any other future obligation of the Agent or a Lender hereunder shall automatically terminate (other than obligations which by their terms expressly survive such termination)).

 

(c) Without limiting the foregoing, at any time an Event of Default exists or has occurred and is continuing, Agent may, in its discretion (i) with or without judicial process or the aid or assistance of others, enter upon any premises on or in which any of the Collateral may be located and take possession of the Collateral or complete processing, manufacturing and repair of all or any portion of the Collateral, (ii) require Borrower or any Obligor, at Borrower’s expense, to assemble and make available to Agent any part or all of the Collateral at any place and time designated by Agent, (iii) collect, foreclose, receive, appropriate, setoff and realize upon any and all Collateral, (iv) remove any or all of the Collateral from any premises on or in which the same may be located for the purpose of effecting the sale, foreclosure or other disposition thereof or for any other purpose, (v) sell, lease, transfer, assign, deliver or otherwise dispose of any and all Collateral (including entering into contracts with respect thereto, public or private sales at any exchange, broker’s board, at any office of Agent or elsewhere) at such prices or terms as Agent may deem reasonable, for cash, upon credit or for future delivery, with the Agent having the right to purchase the whole or any part of the Collateral at any such public sale, all of the foregoing being free from any right or equity of redemption of Borrower or any Obligor, which right or equity of redemption is hereby expressly waived and released by Borrower and any Obligor and/or (vi) terminate this Agreement.  If any of the Collateral is sold or leased by Agent upon credit terms or for future delivery, the Obligations shall not be reduced as a result thereof until payment therefor is finally collected by Agent.  If notice of disposition of Collateral is required by law, ten (10) days prior notice by Agent to Borrower designating the time and place of any public sale or the time after which any private sale or other intended disposition of Collateral is to be made, shall be deemed to be reasonable notice thereof and Borrower and Obligors waive any other notice.  In the event Agent institutes an action to recover any Collateral or seeks recovery of any Collateral by way of prejudgment remedy, Borrower and each Obligor waives the posting of any bond which might otherwise be required. At any time an Event of Default exists or has occurred and is continuing, upon Agent’s request, Borrower will either, as Agent shall specify, furnish cash collateral to Issuing Bank to be used to secure and fund the reimbursement obligations to Issuing Bank in connection with any Letter of Credit Obligations or furnish cash collateral to Agent for the Letter of Credit Obligations.  Such cash collateral shall be in the amount equal to one hundred five (105%) percent of the amount of the Letter of Credit Obligations plus the amount of any fees and expenses payable in connection therewith through the end of the latest expiration date of the Letters of Credit giving rise to such Letter of Credit Obligations.

 

(d) At any time or times that an Event of Default exists or has occurred and is continuing, Agent may, in its discretion, enforce the rights of Borrower or any Obligor against any account debtor, secondary obligor or other obligor in respect of any of the Accounts or other Receivables.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Agent may, in its discretion, at such time or times (i) notify any or all account debtors, secondary obligors or other obligors in respect thereof that the Receivables have been assigned to Agent and that Agent has a security interest therein and Agent may direct any or all account debtors, secondary obligors and other obligors to make payment of Receivables directly to Agent, (ii) extend the time of payment of, compromise, settle or adjust for cash, credit, return of merchandise or otherwise, and upon any terms or conditions, any and all Receivables or other obligations included in the Collateral and thereby discharge or release the account debtor or any secondary obligors or other obligors in respect thereof without affecting any of the Obligations, (iii) demand, collect or enforce payment of any Receivables or such other obligations, but without any duty to do so, and Agent and Lenders shall not be liable for any failure to collect or enforce the payment thereof nor for the negligence of its agents or attorneys with respect thereto and (iv) take whatever other action Agent may reasonably deem necessary or desirable for the protection of its interests and the interests of Lenders.  At any time that an Event of Default exists or has occurred and is continuing, at Agent’s request, all invoices and statements sent to any account debtor shall state that the Accounts and such other obligations have been assigned to Agent and are payable directly and only to Agent and Borrower shall deliver to Agent such originals of documents evidencing the sale and delivery of goods or the performance of services giving rise to any Accounts as Agent may require.  In the event any account debtor returns Inventory when an Event of Default exists or has occurred and is continuing, Borrower shall, upon Agent’s request, hold the returned Inventory in trust for Agent, segregate all returned Inventory from all of its other property, dispose of the returned Inventory solely according to Agent’s instructions, and  not issue any credits, discounts or allowances with respect thereto without Agent’s prior written consent.

 

(e) To the extent that applicable law imposes duties on Agent or any Lender to exercise remedies in a commercially reasonable manner (which duties cannot be waived under such law), Borrower acknowledges and agrees that it is not commercially unreasonable for Agent or any Lender (i) to fail to incur expenses reasonably deemed significant by Agent or any Lender to prepare Collateral for disposition or otherwise to complete raw material or work in process into finished goods or other finished products for disposition, (ii) to fail to obtain third party consents for access to Collateral to be disposed of, or to obtain or, if not required by other law, to fail to obtain consents of any Governmental Authority or other third party for the collection or disposition of Collateral to be collected or disposed of, (iii) to fail to exercise collection remedies against account debtors, secondary obligors or other persons obligated on Collateral or to remove liens or encumbrances on or any adverse claims against Collateral, (iv) to exercise collection remedies against account debtors and other persons obligated on Collateral directly or through the use of collection agencies and other collection specialists, (v) to advertise dispositions of Collateral through publications or media of general circulation, whether or not the Collateral is of a specialized nature, (vi) to contact other persons, whether or not in the same business as Borrower, for expressions of interest in acquiring all or any portion of the Collateral, (vii) to hire one or more professional auctioneers to assist in the disposition of Collateral, whether or not the collateral is of a specialized nature, (viii) to dispose of Collateral by utilizing Internet sites that provide for the auction of assets of the types included in the Collateral or that have the reasonable capability of doing so, or that match buyers and sellers of assets, (ix) to dispose of assets in wholesale rather than retail markets, (x) to disclaim disposition warranties, (xi) to purchase insurance or credit enhancements to insure Agent or Lenders against risks of loss, collection or disposition of Collateral or to provide to Agent or Lenders a guaranteed return from the collection or disposition of Collateral, or (xii) to the extent reasonably deemed appropriate by Agent, to obtain the services of other brokers, investment bankers, consultants and other professionals to assist Agent in the collection or disposition of any of the Collateral. Borrower acknowledges that the purpose of this Section is to provide non-exhaustive indications of what actions or omissions by Agent or any Lender would not be commercially unreasonable in the exercise by Agent or any Lender of remedies against the Collateral and that other actions or omissions by Agent or any Lender shall not be deemed commercially unreasonable solely on account of not being indicated in this Section. Without limitation of the foregoing, nothing contained in this Section shall be construed to grant any rights to Borrower or to impose any duties on Agent or Lenders that would not have been granted or imposed by this Agreement or by applicable law in the absence of this Section.

 

(f) For the purpose of enabling Agent to exercise the rights and remedies hereunder, Borrower hereby grants to Agent, to the extent assignable, an irrevocable, non-exclusive license (exercisable at any time an Event of Default shall exist or have occurred and for so long as the same is continuing) without payment of royalty or other compensation to Borrower, to use, assign, license or sublicense any of the trademarks, service-marks, trade names, business names, trade styles, designs, logos and other source of business identifiers and other Intellectual Property and general intangibles now owned or hereafter acquired by Borrower, wherever the same maybe located, including in such license reasonable access to all media in which any of the licensed items may be recorded or stored and to all computer programs used for the compilation or printout thereof.

 

(g) At any time an Event of Default exists or has occurred and is continuing, Agent may apply the cash proceeds of Collateral actually received by Agent from any sale, lease, foreclosure or other disposition of the Collateral to payment of the Obligations, in whole or in part and in accordance with the terms hereof, whether or not then due, or may hold such proceeds as cash collateral for any Letter of Credit Obligations or other contingent Obligations or if Agent and Lenders are stayed or otherwise prohibited from applying such proceeds under applicable law or otherwise.  Borrower and Obligors shall remain liable to Agent and Lenders for the payment of any deficiency with interest at the highest rate provided for herein and all costs and expenses of collection or enforcement, including attorneys’ fees and expenses.

 

(h) Without limiting the foregoing, upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, (i) Agent and Lenders may, at Agent’s option, and upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, at the direction of the Required Lenders, Agent and Lenders shall, without notice, (A)  cease making Loans or arranging for Letters of Credit or reduce the lending formulas or amounts of Loans and Letters of Credit available to Borrower and/or (B) terminate any provision of this Agreement providing for any future Loans to be made by Agent and Lenders or Letters of Credit to be issued by Issuing Bank, and (ii) Agent may, at its option, establish such Reserves as Agent determines without limitation or restriction, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein.

 

 

11.1 Governing Law; Choice of Forum; Service of Process; Jury Trial Waiver.

 

(a) The validity, interpretation and enforcement of this Agreement and the other Financing Agreements (except as otherwise provided therein) and any dispute arising out of the relationship between the parties hereto, whether in contract, tort, equity or otherwise, shall be governed by the internal laws of the State of California but excluding any principles of conflicts of law or other rule of law that would cause the application of the law of any jurisdiction other than the laws of the State of California

 

(b) Borrower, Agent, Lenders and Issuing Bank irrevocably consent and submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of Los Angeles County, State of California or the United States District Court for the Central District of California whichever Agent may elect, and waive any objection based on venue or forum non conveniens with respect to any action instituted therein arising under this Agreement or any of the other Financing Agreements or in any way connected with or related or incidental to the dealings of the parties hereto in respect of this Agreement or any of the other Financing Agreements or the transactions related hereto or thereto, in each case whether now existing or hereafter arising, and whether in contract, tort, equity or otherwise, and agree that any dispute with respect to any such matters shall be heard only in the courts described above (except, that, Agent and Lenders shall have the right to bring any action or proceeding against Borrower or any Obligor or its or their property in the courts of any other jurisdiction which Agent deems necessary or appropriate in order to realize on the Collateral or to otherwise enforce its rights against Borrower or any Obligor or its or their property).

 

(c) Borrower hereby waives personal service of any and all process upon it and consents that all such service of process may be made by certified mail (return receipt requested) directed to its address set forth herein and service so made shall be deemed to be completed five (5) days after the same shall have been so deposited in the U.S. mails, or, at Agent’s option, by service upon Borrower in any other manner provided under the rules of any such courts.  Within thirty (30) days after such service, Borrower shall appear in answer to such process, failing which Borrower shall be deemed in default and judgment may be entered by Agent against Borrower for the amount of the claim and other relief requested.

 

(d) BORROWER, AGENT, LENDERS AND ISSUING BANK EACH HEREBY WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY OF ANY CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION OR CAUSE OF ACTION (i) ARISING UNDER THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OF THE OTHER FINANCING AGREEMENTS OR (ii) IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH OR RELATED OR INCIDENTAL TO THE DEALINGS OF THE PARTIES HERETO IN RESPECT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OF THE OTHER FINANCING AGREEMENTS OR THE TRANSACTIONS RELATED HERETO OR THERETO IN EACH CASE WHETHER NOW EXISTING OR HEREAFTER ARISING, AND WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT, EQUITY OR OTHERWISE.  BORROWER, AGENT, LENDERS AND ISSUING BANK EACH HEREBY AGREES AND CONSENTS THAT ANY SUCH CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION OR CAUSE OF ACTION SHALL BE DECIDED BY COURT TRIAL WITHOUT A JURY AND THAT BORROWER, AGENT, ANY LENDER OR ISSUING BANK MAY FILE AN ORIGINAL COUNTERPART OF A COPY OF THIS AGREEMENT WITH ANY COURT AS WRITTEN EVIDENCE OF THE CONSENT OF THE PARTIES HERETO TO THE WAIVER OF THEIR RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY.

 

(e) Agent, Lenders and Issuing Bank shall not have any liability to Borrower or any Obligor (whether in tort, contract, equity or otherwise) for losses suffered by Borrower in connection with, arising out of, or in any way related to the transactions or relationships contemplated by this Agreement, or any act, omission or event occurring in connection herewith, unless it is determined by a final and non-appealable judgment or court order binding on Agent, such Lender and Issuing Bank, that the losses were the result of acts or omissions constituting gross negligence or willful misconduct.  Borrower:  (i) certifies that neither Agent, any Lender, Issuing Bank nor any representative, agent or attorney acting for or on behalf of Agent, any Lender or Issuing Bank has represented, expressly or otherwise, that Agent, Lenders and Issuing Bank would not, in the event of litigation, seek to enforce any of the waivers provided for in this Agreement or any of the other Financing Agreements and (ii) acknowledges that in entering into this Agreement and the other Financing Agreements, Agent, Lenders and Issuing Bank are relying upon, among other things, the waivers and certifications set forth in this Section 11.1 and elsewhere herein and therein.

 

11.2 Waiver of Notices.  Borrower hereby expressly waives demand, presentment, protest and notice of protest and notice of dishonor with respect to any and all instruments and chattel paper, included in or evidencing any of the Obligations or the Collateral, and any and all other demands and notices of any kind or nature whatsoever with respect to the Obligations, the Collateral and this Agreement, except such as are expressly provided for herein.  No notice to or demand on Borrower which Agent or any Lender may elect to give shall entitle Borrower to any other or further notice or demand in the same, similar or other circumstances.

 

11.3 Amendments and Waivers.

 

(a) Neither this Agreement nor any other Financing Agreement nor any terms hereof or thereof may be amended, waived, discharged or terminated unless such amendment, waiver, discharge or termination is in writing signed by Agent and the Required Lenders or at Agent’s option, by Agent with the authorization or consent of the Required Lenders, and as to amendments to any of the Financing Agreements (other than with respect to any provision of Section 12 hereof), by Borrower and such amendment, waiver, discharge or termination shall be effective and binding as to all Lenders and Issuing Bank only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; except, that, no such amendment, waiver, discharge or termination shall:

 

(i) reduce the interest rate or any fees or extend the time of payment of principal, interest or any fees or reduce the principal amount of any Loan or Letters of Credit, in each case without the consent of each Lender directly affected thereby,

 

(ii) increase the Commitment of any Lender over the amount thereof then in effect or provided hereunder, in each case without the consent of the Lender directly affected thereby,

 

(iii) release any Collateral (except as expressly required hereunder or under any of the other Financing Agreements or applicable law and except as permitted under Section 12.11(b) hereof), without the consent of Agent and all of Lenders,

 

(iv) reduce any percentage specified in the definition of Required Lenders, without the consent of Agent and all of Lenders,

 

(v) consent to the assignment or transfer by Borrower or any Obligor of any of their rights and obligations under this Agreement, without the consent of Agent and all of Lenders,

 

(vi) amend, modify or waive any terms of this Section 11.3 hereof, without the consent of Agent and all of Lenders, or

 

(vii) increase the advance rates constituting part of the Borrowing Base or increase the Inventory Loan Limit or the Letter of Credit Limit, without the consent of Agent and all of Lenders.

 

(b) Agent, Lenders and Issuing Bank shall not, by any act, delay, omission or otherwise be deemed to have expressly or impliedly waived any of its or their rights, powers and/or remedies unless such waiver shall be in writing and signed as provided herein.  Any such waiver shall be enforceable only to the extent specifically set forth therein.  A waiver by Agent, any Lender or Issuing Bank of any right, power and/or remedy on any one occasion shall not be construed as a bar to or waiver of any such right, power and/or remedy which Agent, any Lender or Issuing Bank would otherwise have on any future occasion, whether similar in kind or otherwise.

 

(c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in Section 11.3(a) above, in connection with any amendment, waiver, discharge or termination, in the event that any Lender whose consent thereto is required shall fail to consent or fail to consent in a timely manner (such Lender being referred to herein as a “Non-Consenting Lender”), but the consent of any other Lenders to such amendment, waiver, discharge or termination that is required are obtained, if any, then Wachovia shall have the right, but not the obligation, at any time thereafter, and upon the exercise by Wachovia of such right, such Non-Consenting Lender shall have the obligation, to sell, assign and transfer to Wachovia or such Eligible Transferee as Wachovia may specify, the Commitment of such Non-Consenting Lender and all rights and interests of such Non-Consenting Lender pursuant thereto.  Wachovia shall provide the Non-Consenting Lender with prior written notice of its intent to exercise its right under this Section, which notice shall specify the date on which such purchase and sale shall occur.  Such purchase and sale shall be pursuant to the terms of an Assignment and Acceptance (whether or not executed by the Non-Consenting Lender); except, that, on the date of such purchase and sale, Wachovia, or such Eligible Transferee specified by Wachovia, shall pay to the Non-Consenting Lender (except as Wachovia and such Non-Consenting Lender may otherwise agree) the amount equal to: (i) the principal balance of the Loans held by the Non-Consenting Lender outstanding as of the close of business on the business day immediately preceding the effective date of such purchase and sale, plus (ii) amounts accrued and unpaid in respect of interest and fees payable to the Non-Consenting Lender to the effective date of the purchase (but in no event shall the Non-Consenting Lender be deemed entitled to any early termination fee), minus (iii) the amount of the closing fee received by the Non-Consenting Lender pursuant to the terms hereof or of any of the other Financing Agreements multiplied by the fraction, the numerator of which is the number of months remaining in the then current term of the Credit Facility and the denominator of which is the total number of months in the then current term thereof.  Such purchase and sale shall be effective on the date of the payment of such amount to the Non-Consenting Lender and the Commitment of the Non-Consenting Lender shall terminate on such date.

 

(d) The consent of Agent shall be required for any amendment, waiver or consent affecting the rights or duties of Agent hereunder or under any of the other Financing Agreements, in addition to the consent of the Lenders otherwise required by this Section and the exercise by Agent of any of its rights hereunder with respect to Reserves or Eligible Accounts or Eligible Inventory shall not be deemed an amendment to the advance rates provided for in this Section 11.3.  The consent of Issuing Bank shall be required for any amendment, waiver or consent affecting the rights or duties of Issuing Bank hereunder or under any of the other Financing Agreements, in addition to the consent of the Lenders otherwise required by this Section; provided, that, the consent of Issuing Bank shall not be required for any other amendments, waivers or consents.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in Section 11.3(a) above, (i) in the event that Agent shall agree that any items otherwise required to be delivered to Agent as a condition of the initial Loans and Letters of Credit hereunder may be delivered after the date hereof, Agent may, in its discretion, agree to extend the date for delivery of such items or take such other action as Agent may deem appropriate as a result of the failure to receive such items as Agent may determine or may waive any Event of Default as a result of the failure to receive such items, in each case without the consent of any Lender and (ii) Agent may consent to any change in the type of organization, jurisdiction of organization or other legal structure of Borrower, or any of its Subsidiaries and amend the terms hereof or of any of the other Financing Agreements as may be necessary or desirable to reflect any such change, in each case without the approval of any Lender.

 

(e) The consent of Agent and a Bank Product Provider that is providing Bank Products and has outstanding any such Bank Products at such time that are secured hereunder shall be required for any amendment to the priority of payment of Obligations arising under or pursuant to any Hedge Agreements of Borrower or a Guarantor or other Bank Products as set forth in Section 6.4(a) hereof.

 

11.4 Waiver of Counterclaims.  Borrower waives all rights to interpose any claims, deductions, setoffs or counterclaims of any nature (other than compulsory counterclaims) in any action or proceeding with respect to this Agreement, the Obligations, the Collateral or any matter arising therefrom or relating hereto or thereto.

 

11.5 Indemnification.  Borrower shall indemnify and hold Agent, each Lender and Issuing Bank, and their respective officers, directors, agents, employees, advisors and counsel and their respective Affiliates (each such person being an “Indemnitee”), harmless from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs or expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses) imposed on, incurred by or asserted against any of them in connection with any litigation, investigation, claim or proceeding commenced or threatened related to the negotiation, preparation, execution, delivery, enforcement, performance or administration of this Agreement, any other Financing Agreements, or any undertaking or proceeding related to any of the transactions contemplated hereby or any act, omission, event or transaction related or attendant thereto, including amounts paid in settlement, court costs, and the fees and expenses of counsel; except, that, Borrower shall not have any obligation under this Section 11.5 to indemnify an Indemnitee with respect to a matter covered hereby resulting from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee as determined pursuant to a final, non-appealable order of a court of competent jurisdiction (but without limiting the obligations of Borrower as to any other Indemnitee).  To the extent that the undertaking to indemnify, pay and hold harmless set forth in this Section may be unenforceable because it violates any law or public policy, Borrower shall pay the maximum portion which it is permitted to pay under applicable law to Agent and Lenders in satisfaction of indemnified matters under this Section.  To the extent permitted by applicable law, Borrower shall not assert, and Borrower hereby waives any claim against any Indemnitee, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement, any of the other Financing Agreements or any undertaking or transaction contemplated hereby.  No Indemnitee referred to above shall be liable for any damages arising from the use by unintended recipients of any information or other materials distributed by it through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems in connection with this Agreement or any of the other Financing Agreements or the transaction contemplated hereby or thereby.  All amounts due under this Section shall be payable upon demand. The foregoing indemnity shall survive the payment of the Obligations and the termination or non-renewal of this Agreement.

 

 

12.1 Appointment, Powers and Immunities.  Each Lender and Issuing Bank irrevocably designates, appoints and authorizes Wachovia to act as Agent hereunder and under the other Financing Agreements with such powers as are specifically delegated to Agent by the terms of this Agreement and of the other Financing Agreements, together with such other powers as are reasonably incidental thereto.  Agent (a) shall have no duties or responsibilities except those expressly set forth in this Agreement and in the other Financing Agreements, and shall not by reason of this Agreement or any other Financing Agreement be a trustee or fiduciary for any Lender; (b) shall not be responsible to Lenders for any recitals, statements, representations or warranties contained in this Agreement or in any of the other Financing Agreements, or in any certificate or other document referred to or provided for in, or received by any of them under, this Agreement or any other Financing Agreement, or for the value, validity, effectiveness, genuineness, enforceability or sufficiency of this Agreement or any other Financing Agreement or any other document referred to or provided for herein or therein or for any failure by Borrower or any Obligor or any other Person to perform any of its obligations hereunder or thereunder; and (c) shall not be responsible to Lenders for any action taken or omitted to be taken by it hereunder or under any other Financing Agreement or under any other document or instrument referred to or provided for herein or therein or in connection herewith or therewith, except for its own gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined by a final non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction.  Agent may employ agents and attorneys-in-fact and shall not be responsible to Lenders or Issuing Bank for the negligence or willful misconduct of any such agents or attorneys-in-fact selected by it in good faith.  Agent may deem and treat the payee of any note as the holder thereof for all purposes hereof unless and until the assignment thereof pursuant to an agreement (if and to the extent permitted herein) in form and substance satisfactory to Agent shall have been delivered to and acknowledged by Agent.

 

12.2 Reliance by Agent.  Agent shall be entitled to rely upon any certification, notice or other communication (including any thereof by telephone, telecopy, telex, telegram or cable) believed by it to be genuine and correct and to have been signed or sent by or on behalf of the proper Person or Persons, and upon advice and statements of legal counsel, independent accountants and other experts selected by Agent.  As to any matters not expressly provided for by this Agreement or any other Financing Agreement, Agent shall in all cases be fully protected in acting, or in refraining from acting, hereunder or thereunder in accordance with instructions given by the Required Lenders or all of Lenders as is required in such circumstance, and such instructions of such Lenders and any action taken or failure to act pursuant thereto shall be binding on all Lenders.

 

12.3 Events of Default.

 

(a) Agent shall not be deemed to have knowledge or notice of the occurrence of a Default or an Event of Default or other failure of a condition precedent to the Loans and Letters of Credit hereunder, unless and until Agent has received written notice from a Lender, or  Borrower specifying such Event of Default or any unfulfilled condition precedent, and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default or Failure of Condition”.  In the event that Agent receives such a Notice of Default or Failure of Condition, Agent shall give prompt notice thereof to the Lenders.  Agent shall (subject to Section 12.7) take such action with respect to any such Event of Default or failure of condition precedent as shall be directed by the Required Lenders to the extent provided for herein; provided, that, unless and until Agent shall have received such directions, Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) take such action, or refrain from taking such action, with respect to or by reason of such Event of Default or failure of condition precedent, as it shall deem advisable in the best interest of Lenders.  Without limiting the foregoing, and notwithstanding the existence or occurrence and continuance of an Event of Default or any other failure to satisfy any of the conditions precedent set forth in Section 4 of this Agreement to the contrary, unless and until otherwise directed by the Required Lenders, Agent may, but shall have no obligation to, continue to make Loans and Issuing Bank may, but shall have no obligation to, issue or cause to be issued any Letter of Credit for the ratable account and risk of Lenders from time to time if Agent believes making such Loans or issuing or causing to be issued such Letter of Credit is in the best interests of Lenders.

 

(b) Except with the prior written consent of Agent, no Lender or Issuing Bank may assert or exercise any enforcement right or remedy in respect of the Loans, Letter of Credit Obligations or other Obligations, as against Borrower or any Obligor or any of the Collateral or other property of Borrower or any Obligor.

 

12.4 Wachovia in its Individual Capacity.  With respect to its Commitment and the Loans made and Letters of Credit issued or caused to be issued by it (and any successor acting as Agent), so long as Wachovia shall be a Lender hereunder, it shall have the same rights and powers hereunder as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not acting as Agent, and the term “Lender” or “Lenders” shall, unless the context otherwise indicates, include Wachovia in its individual capacity as Lender hereunder.  Wachovia (and any successor acting as Agent) and its Affiliates may (without having to account therefor to any Lender) lend money to, make investments in and generally engage in any kind of business with Borrower (and any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates) as if it were not acting as Agent, and Wachovia and its Affiliates may accept fees and other consideration from Borrower or any Obligor and any of its Subsidiaries and Affiliates for services in connection with this Agreement or otherwise without having to account for the same to Lenders.

 

12.5 Indemnification.  Lenders agree to indemnify Agent and Issuing Bank (to the extent not reimbursed by Borrower hereunder and without limiting any obligations of Borrower hereunder) ratably, in accordance with their Pro Rata Shares, for any and all claims of any kind and nature whatsoever that may be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against Agent (including by any Lender) arising out of or by reason of any investigation in or in any way relating to or arising out of this Agreement or any other Financing Agreement or any other documents contemplated by or referred to herein or therein or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby (including the costs and expenses that Agent is obligated to pay hereunder) or the enforcement of any of the terms hereof or thereof or of any such other documents; provided, that, no Lender shall be liable for any of the foregoing to the extent it arises from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the party to be indemnified as determined by a final non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction.  The foregoing indemnity shall survive the payment of the Obligations and the termination or non-renewal of this Agreement.

 

12.6 Non-Reliance on Agent and Other Lenders.  Each Lender agrees that it has, independently and without reliance on Agent or any other Lender, and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis of Borrower and Obligors and has made its own decision to enter into this Agreement and that it will, independently and without reliance upon Agent or any other Lender, and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own analysis and decisions in taking or not taking action under this Agreement or any of the other Financing Agreements.  Agent shall not be required to keep itself informed as to the performance or observance by Borrower or any Obligor of any term or provision of this Agreement or any of the other Financing Agreements or any other document referred to or provided for herein or therein or to inspect the properties or books of Borrower or any Obligor.  Agent will use reasonable efforts to provide Lenders with any information received by Agent from Borrower or any Obligor which is required to be provided to Lenders or deemed to be requested by Lenders hereunder and with a copy of any Notice of Default or Failure of Condition received by Agent from Borrower or any Lender; provided, that, Agent shall not be liable to any Lender for any failure to do so, except to the extent that such failure is attributable to Agent’s own gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined by a final non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction.  Except for notices, reports and other documents expressly required to be furnished to Lenders by Agent or deemed requested by Lenders hereunder, Agent shall not have any duty or responsibility to provide any Lender with any other credit or other information concerning the affairs, financial condition or business of Borrower or any Obligor that may come into the possession of Agent.

 

12.7 Failure to Act.  Except for action expressly required of Agent hereunder and under the other Financing Agreements, Agent shall in all cases be fully justified in failing or refusing to act hereunder and thereunder unless it shall receive further assurances to its satisfaction from Lenders of their indemnification obligations under Section 12.5 hereof against any and all liability and expense that may be incurred by it by reason of taking or continuing to take any such action.

 

12.8 Additional Loans.  Agent shall not make any Revolving Loans or Issuing Bank provide any Letter of Credit to Borrower on behalf of Lenders intentionally and with actual knowledge that such Revolving Loans or Letter of Credit would cause the aggregate amount of the total outstanding Revolving Loans and Letters of Credit to Borrower to exceed the Borrowing Base, without the prior consent of all Lenders; except, that, Agent may make such additional Revolving Loans or Issuing Bank may provide such additional Letter of Credit on behalf of Lenders, intentionally and with actual knowledge that such Revolving Loans or Letter of Credit will cause the total outstanding Revolving Loans and Letters of Credit to Borrower to exceed the Borrowing Base, as Agent may deem necessary or advisable in its discretion; provided, that:  (a) the total principal amount of the additional Revolving Loans or additional Letters of Credit to Borrower which Agent may make or provide after obtaining such actual knowledge that the aggregate principal amount of the Revolving Loans equal or exceed the Borrowing Base, plus the amount of Special Agent Advances made pursuant to Section 12.11(a)(ii) hereof then outstanding, shall not exceed the aggregate amount equal to ten (10%) percent of the Maximum Credit and shall not cause the total principal amount of the Loans and Letters of Credit to exceed the Maximum Credit and (b) no such additional Revolving Loan or Letter of Credit shall be outstanding more than ninety (90) days after the date such additional Revolving Loan or Letter of Credit is made or issued (as the case may be), except as the Required Lenders may otherwise agree.  Each Lender shall be obligated to pay Agent the amount of its Pro Rata Share of any such additional Revolving Loans or Letters of Credit.

 

12.9 Concerning the Collateral and the Related Financing Agreements.  Each Lender authorizes and directs Agent to enter into this Agreement and the other Financing Agreements.  Each Lender agrees that any action taken by Agent or Required Lenders in accordance with the terms of this Agreement or the other Financing Agreements and the exercise by Agent or Required Lenders of their respective powers set forth therein or herein, together with such other powers that are reasonably incidental thereto, shall be binding upon all of the Lenders.

 

12.10 Field Audit, Examination Reports and other Information; Disclaimer by Lenders.  By signing this Agreement, each Lender:

 

(a) is deemed to have requested that Agent furnish such Lender, promptly after it becomes available, a copy of each field audit or examination report and report with respect to the Borrowing Base prepared or received by Agent (each field audit or examination report and report with respect to the Borrowing Base being referred to herein as a “Report” and collectively, “Reports”), appraisals with respect to the Collateral and financial statements with respect to Borrower and its Subsidiaries received by Agent;

 

(b) expressly agrees and acknowledges that Agent (i) does not make any representation or warranty as to the accuracy of any Report, appraisal or financial statement or (ii) shall not be liable for any information contained in any Report, appraisal or financial statement

 

(c) expressly agrees and acknowledges that the Reports are not comprehensive audits or examinations, that Agent or any other party performing any audit or examination will inspect only specific information regarding Borrower and any Obligor and will rely significantly upon Borrower’s and such Obligor’s books and records, as well as on representations of Borrower’s and such Obligor’s personnel; and

 

(d) agrees to keep all Reports confidential and strictly for its internal use in accordance with the terms of Section 13.5 hereof, and not to distribute or use any Report in any other manner.

 

12.11 Collateral Matters.

 

(a) Agent may, at its option, from time to time, at any time on or after an Event of Default and for so long as the same is continuing or upon any other failure of a condition precedent to the Loans and Letters of Credit hereunder, make such disbursements and advances (“Special Agent Advances”) which Agent, in its sole discretion, (i) deems necessary or desirable either to preserve or protect the Collateral or any portion thereof or (ii) to enhance the likelihood or maximize the amount of repayment by Borrower of the Loans and other Obligations; provided, that, (A) the aggregate principal amount of the Special Agent Advances pursuant to this clause (ii) outstanding at any time, plus the then outstanding principal amount of the additional Loans and Letters of Credit which Agent may make or provide as set forth in Section 12.8 hereof, shall not exceed the amount equal to ten (10%) percent of the Maximum Credit and (B) the aggregate principal amount of the Special Agent Advances pursuant to this clause (ii) outstanding at any time, plus the then outstanding principal amount of the Loans and Letters of Credit, shall not exceed the Maximum Credit, except at Agent’s option; provided, that, to the extent that the aggregate principal amount of Special Agent Advances plus the then outstanding principal amount of the Loans and Letters of Credit exceed the Maximum Credit the Special Agent Advances that are in excess of the Maximum Credit shall be for the sole account and risk of Agent and notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth below, no Lender shall have any obligation to provide its share of such Special Agent Advances in excess of the Maximum Credit, or (iii) to pay any other amount chargeable to Borrower or Obligor pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or any of the other Financing Agreements consisting of (A) costs, fees and expenses and (B) payments to Issuing Bank in respect of any Letter of Credit Obligations.  The Special Agent Advances shall be repayable on demand and together with all interest thereon shall constitute Obligations secured by the Collateral.  Special Agent Advances shall not constitute Loans but shall otherwise constitute Obligations hereunder.  Interest on Special Agent Advances shall be payable at the Interest Rate then applicable to Prime Rate Loans and shall be payable on demand.  Without limitation of its obligations pursuant to Section 6.11, each Lender agrees that it shall make available to Agent, upon Agent’s demand, in immediately available funds, the amount equal to such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of each such Special Agent Advance.  If such funds are not made available to Agent by such Lender, such Lender shall be deemed a Defaulting Lender and Agent shall be entitled to recover such funds, on demand from such Lender together with interest thereon for each day from the date such payment was due until the date such amount is paid to Agent at the Federal Funds Rate for each day during such period (as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York or at Agent’s option based on the arithmetic mean determined by Agent of the rates for the last transaction in overnight Federal funds arranged prior to 9:00 a.m. (New York City time) on that day by each of the three leading brokers of Federal funds transactions in New York City selected by Agent) and if such amounts are not paid within three (3) days of Agent’s demand, at the highest Interest Rate provided for in Section 3.1 hereof applicable to Prime Rate Loans.

 

(b) Lenders hereby irrevocably authorize Agent, at its option and in its discretion to release any security interest in, mortgage or lien upon, any of the Collateral (i) upon termination of the Commitments and payment and satisfaction of all of the Obligations and delivery of cash collateral to the extent required under Section 13.1 below, or (ii) constituting property being sold or disposed of if Borrower certifies to Agent that the sale or disposition is made in compliance with Section 9.7 hereof (and Agent may rely conclusively on any such certificate, without further inquiry), or (iii) constituting property in which Borrower or any Obligor did not own an interest at the time the security interest, mortgage or lien was granted or at any time thereafter, or (iv) having a value in the aggregate in any twelve (12) month period of less than $5,000,000, and to the extent Agent may release its security interest in and lien upon any such Collateral pursuant to the sale or other disposition thereof, such sale or other disposition shall be deemed consented to by Lenders, or (v) if required or permitted under the terms of any of the other Financing Agreements, including any intercreditor agreement, or (vi) approved, authorized or ratified in writing by all of Lenders.  Except as provided above, Agent will not release any security interest in, mortgage or lien upon, any of the Collateral without the prior written authorization of all of Lenders.  Upon request by Agent at any time, Lenders will promptly confirm in writing Agent’s authority to release particular types or items of Collateral pursuant to this Section.  In no event shall the consent or approval of Issuing Bank to any release of Collateral be required.

 

(c) Without any manner limiting Agent’s authority to act without any specific or further authorization or consent by the Required Lenders, each Lender agrees to confirm in writing, upon request by Agent, the authority to release Collateral conferred upon Agent under this Section.  Agent shall (and is hereby irrevocably authorized by Lenders to) execute such documents as may be necessary to evidence the release of the security interest, mortgage or liens granted to Agent upon any Collateral to the extent set forth above; provided, that, (i) Agent shall not be required to execute any such document on terms which, in Agent’s opinion, would expose Agent to liability or create any obligations or entail any consequence other than the release of such security interest, mortgage or liens without recourse or warranty and (ii) such release shall not in any manner discharge, affect or impair the Obligations or any security interest, mortgage or lien upon (or obligations of Borrower or any Obligor in respect of) the Collateral retained by Borrower or such Obligor.

 

(d) Agent shall have no obligation whatsoever to any Lender, Issuing Bank or any other Person to investigate, confirm or assure that the Collateral exists or is owned by Borrower or any Obligor or is cared for, protected or insured or has been encumbered, or that any particular items of Collateral meet the eligibility criteria applicable in respect of the Loans or Letters of Credit hereunder, or whether any particular reserves are appropriate, or that the liens and security interests granted to Agent pursuant hereto or any of the Financing Agreements or otherwise have been properly or sufficiently or lawfully created, perfected, protected or enforced or are entitled to any particular priority, or to exercise at all or in any particular manner or under any duty of care, disclosure or fidelity, or to continue exercising, any of the rights, authorities and powers granted or available to Agent in this Agreement or in any of the other Financing Agreements, it being understood and agreed that in respect of the Collateral, or any act, omission or event related thereto, subject to the other terms and conditions contained herein, Agent may act in any manner it may deem appropriate, in its discretion, given Agent’s own interest in the Collateral as a Lender and that Agent shall have no duty or liability whatsoever to any other Lender or Issuing Bank.

 

12.12 Agency for Perfection.  Each Lender and Issuing Bank hereby appoints Agent and each other Lender and Issuing Bank as agent and bailee for the purpose of perfecting the security interests in and liens upon the Collateral of Agent in assets which, in accordance with Article 9 of the UCC can be perfected only by possession (or where the security interest of a secured party with possession has priority over the security interest of another secured party) and Agent and each Lender and Issuing Bank hereby acknowledges that it holds possession of any such Collateral for the benefit of Agent as secured party.  Should any Lender or Issuing Bank obtain possession of any such Collateral, such Lender shall notify Agent thereof, and, promptly upon Agent’s request therefor shall deliver such Collateral to Agent or in accordance with Agent’s instructions.

 

12.13 Successor Agent.  Agent may resign as Agent upon thirty (30) days’ notice to Lenders and Borrower. If Agent resigns under this Agreement, the Required Lenders shall appoint from among the Lenders a successor agent for Lenders.  If no successor agent is appointed prior to the effective date of the resignation of Agent, Agent may appoint, after consulting with Lenders and Borrower, a successor agent from among Lenders.  Upon the acceptance by the Lender so selected of its appointment as successor agent hereunder, such successor agent shall succeed to all of the rights, powers and duties of the retiring Agent and the term “Agent” as used herein and in the other Financing Agreements shall mean such successor agent and the retiring Agent’s appointment, powers and duties as Agent shall be terminated.  After any retiring Agent’s resignation hereunder as Agent, the provisions of this Section 12 shall inure to its benefit as to any actions taken or omitted by it while it was Agent under this Agreement.  If no successor agent has accepted appointment as Agent by the date which is thirty (30) days after the date of a retiring Agent’s notice of resignation, the retiring Agent’s resignation shall nonetheless thereupon become effective and Lenders shall perform all of the duties of Agent hereunder until such time, if any, as the Required Lenders appoint a successor agent as provided for above.

 

12.14 Other Agent Designations.  Agent may at any time and from time to time determine that a Lender may, in addition, be a “Co-Agent”, “Syndication Agent”, “Documentation Agent” or similar designation hereunder and enter into an agreement with such Lender to have it so identified for purposes of this Agreement.  Any such designation shall be effective upon written notice by Agent to Borrower of any such designation.  Any Lender that is so designated as a Co-Agent, Syndication Agent, Documentation Agent or such similar designation by Agent shall have no right, power, obligation, liability, responsibility or duty under this Agreement or any of the other Financing Agreements other than those applicable to all Lenders as such.  Without limiting the foregoing, the Lenders so identified shall not have or be deemed to have any fiduciary relationship with any Lender and no Lender shall be deemed to have relied, nor shall any Lender  rely, on a Lender so identified as a Co-Agent, Syndication Agent, Documentation Agent or such similar designation in deciding to enter into this Agreement or in taking or not taking action hereunder.

 

 

13.1 Term.

 

(a) This Agreement and the other Financing Agreements shall become effective as of the date set forth on the first page hereof and shall continue in full force and effect for a term ending on the date three (3) years from the date hereof (the “Maturity Date”), unless sooner terminated pursuant to the terms hereof.  Borrower may terminate this Agreement at any time upon ten (10) days prior written notice to Agent (which notice shall be irrevocable) and Agent may, at its option, and shall at the direction of Required Lenders, terminate this Agreement at any time on or after an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.  Upon the Maturity Date or any other effective date of termination of the Financing Agreements, Borrower shall pay to Agent all outstanding and unpaid Obligations and shall furnish cash collateral to Agent (or at Agent’s option, a letter of credit issued for the account of Borrower and at Borrower’s expense, in form and substance satisfactory to Agent, by an issuer acceptable to Agent and payable to Agent as beneficiary) in such amounts as Agent determines are reasonably necessary to secure Agent, Lenders and Issuing Bank from loss, cost, damage or expense, including attorneys’ fees and expenses, in connection with any contingent Obligations, including issued and outstanding Letter of Credit Obligations and checks or other payments provisionally credited to the Obligations and/or as to which Agent or any Lender has not yet received final and indefeasible payment and any continuing obligations of Agent or any Lender pursuant to any Deposit Account Control Agreement and for any of the Obligations arising under or in connection with any Bank Products in such amounts as the Bank Product Provider providing such Bank Products may require (unless such Obligations arising under or in connection with any Bank Products are paid in full in cash and terminated in a manner satisfactory to such Bank Product Provider).  The amount of such cash collateral (or letter of credit, as Agent may determine) as to any Letter of Credit Obligations shall be in the amount equal to one hundred five (105%) percent of the amount of the Letter of Credit Obligations plus the amount of any fees and expenses payable in connection therewith through the end of the latest expiration date of the Letters of Credit giving rise to such Letter of Credit Obligations.  Such payments in respect of the Obligations and cash collateral shall be remitted by wire transfer in Federal funds to the Agent Payment Account or such other bank account of Agent, as Agent may, in its discretion, designate in writing to Borrower for such purpose.  Interest shall be due until and including the next Business Day, if the amounts so paid by Borrower to the Agent Payment Account or other bank account designated by Agent are received in such bank account later than 12:00 noon, Los Angeles, California time.

 

(b) No termination of the Commitments, this Agreement or any of the other Financing Agreements shall relieve or discharge Borrower or any Obligor of its respective duties, obligations and covenants under this Agreement or any of the other Financing Agreements until all Obligations have been fully and finally discharged and paid, and Agent’s continuing security interest in the Collateral and the rights and remedies of Agent and Lenders hereunder, under the other Financing Agreements and applicable law, shall remain in effect until all such Obligations have been fully and finally discharged and paid.  Accordingly, Borrower waives any rights it may have under the UCC to demand the filing of termination statements with respect to the Collateral and Agent shall not be required to send such termination statements to Borrower, or to file them with any filing office, unless and until this Agreement shall have been terminated in accordance with its terms and all Obligations paid and satisfied in full in immediately available funds, other than the contingent Obligations for which Agent has received cash collateral, or at its option, a letter of credit, in accordance with Section 13.1(a) above.

 

(c) If for any reason this Agreement is terminated prior to the Maturity Date, in view of the impracticality and extreme difficulty of ascertaining actual damages and by mutual agreement of the parties as to a reasonable calculation of Agent’s and each Lender’s lost profits as a result thereof, Borrower agrees to pay to Agent, for the benefit of Lenders, upon the effective date of such termination, an early termination fee in the amount equal to

 

Amount	Period
(i)           1.00% of Maximum Credit	From the date hereof to and including the first anniversary of the date hereof
(ii)           .50% of Maximum Credit	After the first anniversary of the date hereof and to and including the second anniversary of the date hereof
(iii)           0% of Maximum Credit	After the second anniversary of the date hereof

 

Such early termination fee shall be presumed to be the amount of damages sustained by Agent and Lenders as a result of such early termination and Borrower agrees that it is reasonable under the circumstances currently existing (including, but not limited to, the borrowings that are reasonably expected by Borrower hereunder and the interest, fees and other charges that are reasonably expected to be received by Agent and Lenders pursuant to the Credit Facility).  In addition, Agent and Lenders shall be entitled to such early termination fee upon the occurrence of any Event of Default described in Sections 10.1(g) and 10.1(h) hereof, even if Agent and Lenders do not exercise the right to terminate this Agreement, but elect, at their option, to provide financing to Borrower or permit the use of cash collateral under the United States Bankruptcy Code.  The early termination fee provided for in this Section 13.1 shall be deemed included in the Obligations.

 

13.2 Interpretative Provisions.

 

(a) All terms used herein which are defined in Article 1, Article 8 or Article 9 of the UCC shall have the meanings given therein unless otherwise defined in this Agreement.

 

(b)  All references to the plural herein shall also mean the singular and to the singular shall also mean the plural unless the context otherwise requires.

 

(c)  All references to Borrower, any Obligor, Agent and Lenders pursuant to the definitions set forth in the recitals hereto, or to any other person herein, shall include their respective successors and assigns.

 

(d) The words “hereof”, “herein”, “hereunder”, “this Agreement” and words of similar import when used in this Agreement shall refer to this Agreement as a whole and not any particular provision of this Agreement and as this Agreement now exists or may hereafter be amended, modified, supplemented, extended, renewed, restated or replaced.

 

(e) The word “including” when used in this Agreement shall mean “including, without limitation” and the word “will” when used in this Agreement shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall”.

 

(f) An Event of Default shall exist or continue or be continuing until such Event of Default is waived in accordance with Section 11.3 or is cured in a manner satisfactory to Agent, if such Event of Default is capable of being cured as determined by Agent.

 

(g) All references to the term “good faith” used herein when applicable to Agent and/or any Lender shall mean, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or in the UCC, honesty in fact in the conduct or transaction concerned and the observance of reasonable commercial standards of fair dealing based on how an asset based lender with similar rights providing a credit facility of the type set forth herein would act in similar circumstances at the time with the information then available to it.  Borrower shall have the burden of proving any lack of good faith on the part of Agent or any Lender alleged by Borrower at any time.

 

(h) Any accounting term used in this Agreement shall have, unless otherwise specifically provided herein, the meaning customarily given in accordance with GAAP, and all financial computations hereunder shall be computed unless otherwise specifically provided herein, in accordance with GAAP as consistently applied and using the same method for inventory valuation as used in the preparation of the financial statements of Borrower most recently received by Agent prior to the date hereof.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in GAAP or any interpretations or other pronouncements by the Financial Accounting Standards Board or otherwise, the term “unqualified opinion” as used herein to refer to opinions or reports provided by accountants shall mean an opinion or report that is unqualified and also does not include any explanation, supplemental comment or other comment concerning the ability of the applicable person to continue as a going concern or the scope of the audit.

 

(i) In the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word “from” means “from and including”, the words “to” and “until” each mean “to but excluding” and the word “through” means “to and including”.

 

(j) Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, (i) references herein to any agreement, document or instrument shall be deemed to include all subsequent amendments, modifications, supplements, extensions, renewals, restatements or replacements with respect thereto, but only to the extent the same are not prohibited by the terms hereof or of any other Financing Agreement, and (ii) references to any statute or regulation are to be construed as including all statutory and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending, replacing, recodifying, supplementing or interpreting the statute or regulation.

 

(k) The captions and headings of this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the interpretation of this Agreement.

 

(l) This Agreement and other Financing Agreements may use several different limitations, tests or measurements to regulate the same or similar matters.  All such limitations, tests and measurements are cumulative and shall each be performed in accordance with their terms.

 

(m) This Agreement and the other Financing Agreements are the result of negotiations among and have been reviewed by counsel to Agent and the other parties, and are the products of all parties.  Accordingly, this Agreement and the other Financing Agreements shall not be construed against Agent or Lenders merely because of Agent’s or any Lender’s involvement in their preparation.

 

13.3 Notices.

 

(a) All notices, requests and demands hereunder shall be in writing and deemed to have been given or made:  if delivered in person, immediately upon delivery; if by telex, telegram or facsimile transmission, immediately upon sending and upon confirmation of receipt; if by nationally recognized overnight courier service with instructions to deliver the next Business Day, one (1) Business Day after sending; and if by certified mail, return receipt requested, five (5) days after mailing.  Notices delivered through electronic communications shall be effective to the extent set forth in Section 13.3(b) below.  All notices, requests and demands upon the parties are to be given to the following addresses (or to such other address as any party may designate by notice in accordance with this Section):

 

If to Borrower or any Obligor:	Kinergy Marketing LLC 400 Capital Mall, Suite 2060 Sacramento, California  95814 Attention:    Chief Financial Officer Telephone No.:   ###-###-#### Telecopy No.:    ###-###-####
with copy to:	Kinergy Marketing LLC 400 Capital Mall, Suite 2060 Sacramento, California  95814 Attention:   General Counsel Telephone No.:   ###-###-#### Telecopy No.:   ###-###-####
If to Agent, Lenders or Issuing Bank:	Wachovia Capital Finance Corporation (Western) 251 South Lake Avenue, Suite 900 Pasadena, California  91101 Attention: Portfolio Administrator Telephone No.:   ###-###-#### Telecopy No.:   ###-###-####

(b) Notices and other communications to Lenders and Issuing Bank hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communication (including e-mail and Internet or intranet websites) pursuant to procedures approved by Agent or as otherwise determined by Agent; provided, that, the foregoing shall not apply to notices to any Lender or Issuing Bank pursuant to Section 2 hereof if such Lender or Issuing Bank, as applicable, has notified Agent that it is incapable of receiving notices under such Section by electronic communication.  Unless Agent otherwise requires, (i) notices and other communications sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement) ; provided, that, such notice or other communication is not given during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient, and (ii) notices or communications posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient at its e-mail address as described in the foregoing clause (i) of notification that such notice or communications is available and identifying the website address therefor.

 

13.4 Partial Invalidity.  If any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid or unenforceable, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not invalidate this Agreement as a whole, but this Agreement shall be construed as though it did not contain the particular provision held to be invalid or unenforceable and the rights and obligations of the parties shall be construed and enforced only to such extent as shall be permitted by applicable law.

 

13.5 Confidentiality.

 

(a) Agent, each Lender and Issuing Bank shall use all reasonable efforts to keep confidential, in accordance with its customary procedures for handling confidential information and safe and sound lending practices, any non-public information supplied to it by Borrower (or Parent on behalf of Borrower) pursuant to this Agreement which is clearly and conspicuously marked as confidential at the time such information is furnished by Borrower (or Parent on behalf of Borrower) to Agent, such Lender or Issuing Bank; provided, that, nothing contained herein shall limit the disclosure of any such information:  (i) to the extent required by statute, rule, regulation, subpoena or court order, (ii) to bank examiners and other regulators, auditors and/or accountants,  in connection with any litigation to which Agent, such Lender or Issuing Bank is a party, (iii) to any Lender or Participant (or prospective Lender or Participant) or Issuing Bank or to any Affiliate of any Lender so long as such Lender, Participant (or prospective Lender or Participant), Issuing Bank or Affiliate shall have been instructed to treat such information as confidential in accordance with this Section 13.5, or (iv) to counsel for Agent or any Lender or Participant (or prospective Lender or Participant) or Issuing Bank.

 

(b) In the event that Agent, any Lender or Issuing Bank receives a request or demand to disclose any confidential information pursuant to any subpoena or court order, Agent or such Lender or Issuing Bank, as the case may be, agrees (i) to the extent permitted by applicable law or if permitted by applicable law, to the extent Agent or such Lender or Issuing Bank determines in good faith and in its reasonable business judgment that it will not create any risk of liability to Agent or such Lender or Issuing Bank, Agent or such Lender or Issuing Bank will promptly notify Borrower of such request so that Borrower may seek a protective order or other appropriate relief or remedy and (ii) if disclosure of such information is required, disclose such information and, subject to reimbursement by Borrower of Agent’s or such Lender’s or Issuing Bank’s expenses, cooperate with Borrower in the reasonable efforts to obtain an order or other reliable assurance that confidential treatment will be accorded to such portion of the disclosed information which Borrower so designates, to the extent permitted by applicable law or if permitted by applicable law, to the extent Agent or such Lender or Issuing Bank determines in good faith and in its reasonable business judgment that it will not create any risk of liability to Agent or such Lender or Issuing Bank.

 

(c) In no event shall this Section 13.5 or any other provision of this Agreement, any of the other Financing Agreements or applicable law be deemed: (i) to apply to or restrict disclosure of information that has been or is made public by Borrower, any Obligor or any third party or otherwise becomes generally available to the public other than as a result of a disclosure in violation hereof, (ii) to apply to or restrict disclosure of information that was or becomes available to Agent, any Lender (or any Affiliate of any Lender) or Issuing Bank on a non-confidential basis from a person other than Borrower (unless sent by Parent on behalf of Borrower), (iii) to require Agent, any Lender or Issuing Bank to return any materials furnished by Borrower to Agent, a Lender or Issuing Bank or  prevent Agent, a Lender or Issuing Bank from responding to routine informational requests  in accordance with the Code of Ethics for the Exchange of Credit Information promulgated by The Robert Morris Associates or other applicable industry standards relating to the exchange of credit information.  The obligations of Agent, Lenders and Issuing Bank under this Section 13.5 shall supersede and replace the obligations of Agent, Lenders and Issuing Bank under any confidentiality letter signed prior to the date hereof or any other arrangements concerning the confidentiality of information provided by Borrower to Agent or any Lender.  In addition, Agent and Lenders may disclose information relating to the Credit Facility to Gold Sheets and other publications, with such information to consist of deal terms and other information customarily found in such publications and that Wachovia may otherwise use the corporate name and logo of Borrower and any Obligor or deal terms in “tombstones” or other advertisements, public statements or marketing materials.  Agent shall provide Borrower with drafts of any “tombstones” or other advertisements, public statements or marketing materials and Borrower shall have three (3) business days to provide comments to such drafts to Agent.

 

13.6 Successors.  This Agreement, the other Financing Agreements and any other document referred to herein or therein shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by Agent, Lenders, Issuing Bank, Borrower, and their respective successors and assigns; except, that, Borrower may not assign its rights under this Agreement, the other Financing Agreements and any other document referred to herein or therein without the prior written consent of Agent and Lenders.  Any such purported assignment without such express prior written consent shall be void.  No Lender may assign its rights and obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of Agent, except as provided in Section 13.7 below.  For the avoidance of doubt, no assignment shall relieve any party of any breach of this Agreement or any other Financing Agreement that occurred prior to such assignment.  The terms and provisions of this Agreement and the other Financing Agreements are for the purpose of defining the relative rights and obligations of Borrower, Agent, Lenders and Issuing Bank with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby and there shall be no third party beneficiaries of any of the terms and provisions of this Agreement or any of the other Financing Agreements.

 

13.7 Assignments; Participations.

 

(a) Each Lender may, with the prior written consent of Agent,  assign all or, if less than all, a portion equal to at least $5,000,000 in the aggregate for the assigning Lender, of such rights and obligations under this Agreement to one or more Eligible Transferees (but not including for this purpose any assignments in the form of a participation), each of which assignees shall become a party to this Agreement as a Lender by execution of an Assignment and Acceptance; provided, that, (i) such transfer or assignment will not be effective until recorded by Agent on the Register and (ii) Agent shall have received for its sole account payment of a processing fee from the assigning Lender or the assignee in the amount of $5,000.

 

(b) Agent shall maintain a register of the names and addresses of Lenders, their Commitments and the principal amount of their Loans (the “Register”).  Agent shall also maintain a copy of each Assignment and Acceptance delivered to and accepted by it and shall modify the Register to give effect to each Assignment and Acceptance.  The entries in the Register shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error, and Borrower, Obligors, Agent and Lenders may treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement.  The Register shall be available for inspection by Borrower and any Lender at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.

 

(c) Upon such execution, delivery, acceptance and recording, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Acceptance, the assignee thereunder shall be a party hereto and to the other Financing Agreements and, to the extent that rights and obligations hereunder have been assigned to it pursuant to such Assignment and Acceptance, have the rights and obligations (including, without limitation, the obligation to participate in Letter of Credit Obligations) of a Lender hereunder and thereunder and the assigning Lender shall, to the extent that rights and obligations hereunder have been assigned by it pursuant to such Assignment and Acceptance, relinquish its rights and be released from its obligations under this Agreement.

 

(d) By execution and delivery of an Assignment and Acceptance, the assignor and assignee thereunder confirm to and agree with each other and the other parties hereto as follows:  (i) other than as provided in such Assignment and Acceptance, the assigning Lender makes no representation or warranty and assumes no responsibility with respect to any statements, warranties or representations made in or in connection with this Agreement or any of the other Financing Agreements or the execution, legality, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency or value of this Agreement or any of the other Financing Agreements furnished pursuant hereto, (ii) the assigning Lender makes no representation or warranty and assumes no responsibility with respect to the financial condition of Borrower, any Obligor or any of their Subsidiaries or the performance or observance by Borrower or any Obligor of any of the Obligations; (iii) such assignee confirms that it has received a copy of this Agreement and the other Financing Agreements, together with such other documents and information it has deemed appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into such Assignment and Acceptance, (iv) such assignee will, independently and without reliance upon the assigning Lender, Agent and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or not taking action under this Agreement and the other Financing Agreements, (v) such assignee appoints and authorizes Agent to take such action as agent on its behalf and to exercise such powers under this Agreement and the other Financing Agreements as are delegated to Agent by the terms hereof and thereof, together with such powers as are reasonably incidental thereto, and (vi) such assignee agrees that it will perform in accordance with their terms all of the obligations which by the terms of this Agreement and the other Financing Agreements are required to be performed by it as a Lender.  Agent and Lenders may furnish any information concerning Borrower or any Obligor in the possession of Agent or any Lender from time to time to assignees and Participants.

 

(e) Each Lender may sell participations to one or more banks or other entities in or to all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement and the other Financing Agreements (including, without limitation, all or a portion of its Commitments and the Loans owing to it and its participation in the Letter of Credit Obligations, without the consent of Agent or the other Lenders); provided, that, (i) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement (including, without limitation, its Commitment hereunder) and the other Financing Agreements shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations, and Borrower, the other Lenders and Agent shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement and the other Financing Agreements, and (iii) the Participant shall not have any rights under this Agreement or any of the other Financing Agreements (the Participant’s rights against such Lender in respect of such participation to be those set forth in the agreement executed by such Lender in favor of the Participant relating thereto) and all amounts payable by Borrower or any Obligor hereunder shall be determined as if such Lender had not sold such participation.

 

(f) Nothing in this Agreement shall prevent or prohibit any Lender from pledging its Loans hereunder to a Federal Reserve Bank in support of borrowings made by such Lenders from such Federal Reserve Bank; provided, that, no such pledge shall release such Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee for such Lender as a party hereto.

 

(g) Borrower shall assist Agent or any Lender permitted to sell assignments or participations under this Section 13.7 in whatever manner reasonably necessary in order to enable or effect any such assignment or participation, including (but not limited to) the execution and delivery of any and all agreements, notes and other documents and instruments as shall be reasonably requested and the delivery of informational materials, appraisals or other documents for, and the reasonable participation of relevant management in meetings and conference calls with, potential Lenders or Participants. Borrower shall certify the correctness, completeness and accuracy, in all material respects, of all descriptions of Borrower and its affairs provided, prepared or reviewed by Borrower that are contained in any selling materials and all other information provided by it and included in such materials.

 

(h) Any Lender that is an Issuing Bank may at any time assign all of its Commitments pursuant to this Section 13.7.  If such Issuing Bank ceases to be a Lender, it may, at its option, resign as Issuing Bank and such Issuing Bank’s obligations to issue Letters of Credit shall terminate but it shall retain all of the rights and obligations of Issuing Bank hereunder with respect to Letters of Credit outstanding as of the effective date of its resignation and all Letter of Credit Obligations with respect thereto (including the right to require Lenders to make Revolving Loans or fund risk participations in outstanding Letter of Credit Obligations), shall continue.

 

13.8 Entire Agreement.  This Agreement, the other Financing Agreements, any supplements hereto or thereto, and any instruments or documents delivered or to be delivered in connection herewith or therewith represents the entire agreement and understanding concerning the subject matter hereof and thereof between the parties hereto, and supersede all other prior agreements, understandings, negotiations and discussions, representations, warranties, commitments, proposals, offers and contracts concerning the subject matter hereof, whether oral or written.  In the event of any inconsistency between the terms of this Agreement and any schedule or exhibit hereto, the terms of this Agreement shall govern.

 

13.9 USA Patriot Act.  Each Lender subject to the USA PATRIOT Act (Title III of Pub.L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001) (the “Act”) hereby notifies Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the Act, it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each person or corporation who opens an account and/or enters into a business relationship with it, which information includes the name and address of Borrower and other information that will allow such Lender to identify Borrower in accordance with the Act and any other applicable law.  Borrower is hereby advised that any Loans or Letters of Credit hereunder are subject to satisfactory results of such verification.

 

13.10 Counterparts, Etc.  This Agreement or any of the other Financing Agreements may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement. Delivery of an executed counterpart of this Agreement or any of the other Financing Agreements by telefacsimile or other electronic method of transmission shall have the same force and effect as the delivery of an original executed counterpart of this Agreement or any of such other Financing Agreements.  Any party delivering an executed counterpart of any such agreement by telefacsimile or other electronic method of transmission shall also deliver an original executed counterpart, but the failure to do so shall not affect the validity, enforceability or binding effect of such agreement.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Agent, Lenders and Borrower have caused these presents to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.

 

AGENT	BORROWER
WACHOVIA CAPITAL FINANCE CORPORATION (WESTERN), as Agent	KINERGY MARKETING LLC, as Borrower
By:        /S/ JAMES CAMPBELL Name:   James Campbell Title:     Director	By:        /S/ JOSEPH HANSEN Name:   Joseph Hansen Title:     Chief Financial Officer
ISSUING BANK
WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Issuing Bank
By:        /S/ RON SWANSON Name:   Ron Swanson Title:     SVP
LENDERS
WACHOVIA CAPITAL FINANCE CORPORATION (WESTERN)
By:        /S/ JAMES CAMPBELL Name:   James Campbell Title:     Director
Commitment:   $40,000,000

 

 

Comerica Bank

Fiscal Period	Minimum EBITDA
six (6) consecutive month period ending June 30, 2008	$6,000,000
seven (7) consecutive month period ending July 1, 2008	$6,000,000
eight (8) consecutive month period ending August 31, 2008	$6,000,000
nine (9) consecutive month period ending September 30, 2008	$7,250,000
ten (10) consecutive month period ending October 31, 2008	$7,250,000
eleven (11) consecutive month period ending November 30, 2008	$7,250,000
twelve (12) consecutive month period ending December 31, 2008	$8,500,000
one (1) month period ending January 31, 2009	$0
two (2) consecutive month period ending February 28, 2009	$500,000
three (3) consecutive month period ending March 31, 2009	$1,500,000
four (4) consecutive month period ending April 30, 2009	$1,500,000
five (5) consecutive month period ending May 31, 2009	$1,500,000
six (6) consecutive month period ending June 30, 2009	$3,000,000
seven (7) consecutive month period ending July 31, 2009	$3,000,000
eight (8) consecutive month period ending August 31, 2009	$3,000,000
nine (9) consecutive month period ending September 30, 2009	$4,500,000
ten (10) consecutive month period ending October 31, 2009	$4,500,000
eleven (11) consecutive month period ending November 30, 2009	$4,500,000
twelve (12) consecutive month period ending December 31, 2009	$6,000,000
For the fiscal year commencing January 1, 2010 and for each fiscal year thereafter, the minimum EBITDA covenant amounts shall be determined based upon the financial projections received for each such fiscal year by Agent in accordance with Section 9.6(a)(iv) of the Agreement.  The minimum EBITDA covenant amounts shall be mutually agreed upon between Agent and Borrower based upon such projections; except, that, if Agent and Borrower are unable to agree on the minimum EBITDA covenant amounts for any such fiscal year, then the minimum EBITDA covenant amounts for such fiscal year shall be the same amounts as the minimum EBITDA covenant amounts for the immediately preceding fiscal year.