UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT between GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRIES, INC. and MORGAN JOSEPH & CO. INC. Dated: ________, 2006
between
and
XXXXXX
XXXXXX & CO. INC.
Dated:
________, 2006
1
_________,
2006
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx & Co. Inc.
000
Xxxxx
Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
Xxx
Xxxx,
Xxx Xxxx 00000
Dear
Sirs:
The
undersigned, Global Technology Industries, Inc., a Delaware corporation
(“Company”),
hereby confirms its agreement with Xxxxxx Xxxxxx & Co. Inc. (being referred
to herein variously as “you,”
“Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx & Co.”
or
the
“Representative”)
and
with the other underwriters named on Schedule I hereto for which Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
& Co. is acting as Representative (the Representative and the other
Underwriters being collectively called the “Underwriters”
or,
individually, an “Underwriter”)
as
follows:
1.
Purchase
and Sale of Securities.
1.1
Firm
Securities.
1.1.1
Purchase
of Firm Units.
On the
basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to
the
terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell,
severally and not jointly, to the several Underwriters, an aggregate of
10,000,000 units (“Firm
Units”)
of the
Company, at an initial purchase price (net of discounts and commissions) of
$7.44 per Firm Unit (the “Initial
Price”),
subject to deposit by the Underwriters of $0.16 per Firm Unit (such amount,
the
“Contingent
Underwriting Discount”)
into
the Trust Account (as defined in Section 1.1.2 below) to be held pending
consummation by the Company of its initial Business Combination (as defined
in
the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation). The
Underwriters, severally and not jointly, agree to purchase from the Company
the
number of Firm Units set forth opposite their respective names on Schedule
I
attached hereto and made a part hereof at the Initial Price, and to deposit
into
the Trust Account the Contingent Underwriting Discount related thereto. The
Firm
Units are to be offered initially to the public (“Offering”)
at the
offering price of $8.00 per Firm Unit. Each Firm Unit consists of one share
of
the Company’s common stock, par value $.0001 per share (“Common
Stock”),
and
one warrant (“Warrant”).
The
shares of Common Stock and the Warrants included in the Firm Units will not
be
separately transferable until 90 days after the effective date of the
Registration Statement (as defined in Section 2.1.1 hereof) (“Effective
Date”)
unless
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx & Co. informs the Company of its decision to allow earlier
separate trading, but in no event xxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx & Co. allow separate
trading until the preparation of an audited balance sheet of the Company
reflecting receipt by the Company of the proceeds of the Offering and the filing
of a Form 8-K by the Company which includes such balance sheet. Each Warrant
entitles its holder to exercise it to purchase one share of Common Stock for
$6.00 during the period commencing on the later of the consummation by the
Company of its initial Business Combination or one year from the Effective
Date
of the Registration Statement and terminating on the four-year anniversary
of
the Effective Date.
1.1.2
Payment
and Delivery.
Delivery and payment for the Firm Units shall be made at 10:00 A.M., New York
City local time, on the third business day following the effective date of
the
Registration Statement (or the fourth business day following the effective
date,
if the Registration Statement is declared effective after 4:30 p.m.) or at
such
earlier time as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company
at
the offices of the Representative or at such other place as shall be agreed
upon
by the Representative and the Company. The hour and date of delivery and payment
for the Firm Units are called “Closing
Date.”
Payment for the Firm Units shall be made on the Closing Date at the
Representative’s election by wire transfer in Federal (same day) funds or by
certified or bank cashier’s check(s) in New York Clearing House funds, payable
as follows: $76,000,000 of the proceeds received by the Company for the Firm
Units shall be deposited in the Trust Account established by the Company with
Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company for the benefit of the public
stockholders as described in the Registration Statement (“Trust
Account”)
pursuant to the terms of an Investment Management Trust Agreement among the
Company, Xxxxxx Xxxxxx & Co. and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust
Company (“Trust
Agreement”),
of
which $1,600,000 shall represent the Contingent Underwriting Discount, and
the
remaining proceeds shall be paid to the order of the Company upon delivery
to
you of certificates (in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters)
representing the Firm Units (or through the facilities of The Depository Trust
Company (“DTC”))
for
the account of the Underwriters. The Firm Units shall be registered in such
name
or names and in such authorized denominations as the Representative may request
in writing at least two full business days prior to the Closing Date. The
Company will permit the Representative to examine and package the Firm Units
for
delivery, at least one full business day prior to the Closing Date. The Company
shall not be obligated to sell or deliver the Firm Units except upon tender
of
payment by the Representative for all the Firm Units.
2
1.2
Over-Allotment
Option.
1.2.1
Option
Units.
For the
purposes of covering any over-allotments in connection with the distribution
and
sale of the Firm Units, the Underwriters are hereby granted, severally and
not
jointly, an option to purchase up to an additional 1,500,000 units from the
Company (“Over-allotment
Option”).
Such
additional 1,500,000 units are hereinafter referred to as “Option
Units.”
The
Firm Units and the Option Units are hereinafter collectively referred to as
the
“Units,”
and
the Units, the shares of Common Stock and the Warrants included in the Units
and
the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants are
hereinafter referred to collectively as the “Public
Securities.”
The
purchase price to be paid for the Option Units will be the same price per Option
Unit as the price per Firm Unit set forth in Section 1.1.1 hereof.
1.2.2
Exercise
of Option.
The
Over-allotment Option granted pursuant to Section 1.2.1 hereof may be exercised
by the Representative as to all (at any time) or any part (from time to time)
of
the Option Units within 45 days after the Effective Date. The Underwriters
will
not be under any obligation to purchase any Option Units prior to the exercise
of the Over-allotment Option. The Over-allotment Option granted hereby may
be
exercised by the giving of oral notice to the Company by the Representative,
which must be confirmed in writing by overnight mail or facsimile transmission
setting forth the number of Option Units to be purchased and the date and time
for delivery of and payment for the Option Units (the “Option
Closing Date”),
which
will not be later than five full business days after the date of the notice
or
such other time as shall be agreed upon by the Company and the Representative,
at the offices of the Representative or at such other place as shall be agreed
upon by the Company and the Representative. Upon exercise of the Over-allotment
Option, the Company will become obligated to convey to the Underwriters, and,
subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Underwriters will
become obligated to purchase, the number of Option Units specified in such
notice.
1.2.3
Payment
and Delivery.
Payment
for the Option Units shall be made on the Option Closing Date at the
Representative’s election by wire transfer in Federal (same day) funds or by
certified or bank cashier’s check(s) in New York Clearing House funds, payable
as follows: $7.60 per Option Unit, representing both the $7.44 Initial Price
for
the Option Unit and the $0.16 Contingent Underwriting Discount for such Option
Unit, shall be deposited in the Trust Account pursuant to the Trust Agreement,
and the remaining proceeds shall be paid to the order of the Company upon
delivery to you of certificates (in form and substance satisfactory to the
Underwriters) representing the Option Units (or through the facilities of DTC)
for the account of the Underwriters. The certificates representing the Option
Units to be delivered will be in such denominations and registered in such
names
as the Representative requests not less than two full business days prior to
the
Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, and will be made
available to the Representative for inspection, checking and packaging at the
aforesaid office of the Company’s transfer agent or correspondent not less than
one full business day prior to such Closing Date.
1.3
Representative’s
Purchase Option.
1.3.1
Purchase
Option.
The
Company hereby agrees to issue and sell to the Representative (and/or their
designees) on the Effective Date an option (“Representative’s
Purchase Option”)
for
the purchase of an aggregate of 500,000 units (“Representative’s
Units”)
for an
aggregate purchase price of $100. Each of the Representative’s Units is
identical to the Firm Units, except that each of the units underlying the
Representative's Purchase Option entitles the holder to purchase the unit at
a
price of $10.00 and each of the warrants underlying the Representative’s
Purchase Option entitles the holder to purchase one share of our Common Stock
at
a price of $7.50. (“Representative’s
Warrants”).
The
Representative’s Purchase Option shall be exercisable, in whole or in part,
commencing on the later of the consummation of a Business Combination or one
year from the Effective Date and expiring on the four-year anniversary of the
Effective Date at an initial exercise price per Representative’s Unit of $10.00,
which is equal to one hundred twenty-five percent (125%) of the initial public
offering price of a Unit. The Representative’s Purchase Option, the
Representative’s Units, the Representative’s Warrants and the shares of Common
Stock issuable upon exercise of the Representative’s Warrants are hereinafter
referred to collectively as the “Representative’s
Securities.”
The
Public Securities and the Representative’s Securities are hereinafter referred
to collectively as the “Securities.”
The
Representative understands and agrees that there are significant restrictions
against transferring the Representative’s Purchase Option or the underlying
securities during the first year after the Effective Date, as set forth in
Section 3 of the Representative’s Purchase Option including, but not limited to,
the agreement of Xxxxxx Xxxxxx & Co. that it will not sell, transfer,
assign, pledge or hypothecate the Representative's Purchase Option, or its
underlying securities, for a period of one year following the Effective Date
to
anyone other than (i) Xxxxxx Xxxxxx & Co. or an underwriter or a
selected dealer in connection with the Offering, or (ii) a bona fide
officer or partner of Xxxxxx Xxxxxx & Co. or of any such underwriter or
selected dealer, in accordance with the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc. (“NASD”) Conduct Rule 2710(g)(1).
3
1.3.2
Payment
and Delivery.
Delivery and payment for the Representative’s Purchase Option shall be made on
the Closing Date. The Company shall deliver to the Underwriters, upon payment
therefor, certificates for the Representative’s Purchase Option in the name or
names and in such authorized denominations as the Representative may request.
2.
Representations
and Warranties of the Company.
The
Company represents and warrants to the Underwriters as follows:
2.1
Filing
of Registration Statement.
2.1.1
Pursuant
to the Act.
The
Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”)
a
registration statement and an amendment or amendments thereto, on Form S-1
(File
No. 333-132505), including any related preliminary prospectus (“Preliminary
Prospectus”),
for
the registration of the Securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
(“Act”),
which
registration statement and amendment or amendments have been prepared by the
Company in conformity with the requirements of the Act, and the rules and
regulations (“Regulations”)
of the
Commission under the Act. Except as the context may otherwise require, such
registration statement, as amended, on file with the Commission at the time
the
registration statement becomes effective (including the prospectus, financial
statements, schedules, exhibits and all other documents filed as a part thereof
or incorporated therein and all information deemed to be a part thereof as
of
such time pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 430A of the Regulations), is
hereinafter called the “Registration
Statement,”
and
the form of the final prospectus dated the Effective Date included in the
Registration Statement (or, if applicable, the form of final prospectus filed
with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424 of the Regulations), is hereinafter
called the “Prospectus.”
The
Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission on the
date
hereof.
2.1.2
Pursuant
to the Exchange Act.
The
Company has filed with the Commission a Form 8-A (File Number 000-_____)
providing for the registration under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (“Exchange
Act”),
of
the Units, the Common Stock and the Warrants. The registration of the Units,
Common Stock and Warrants under the Exchange Act has been declared effective
by
the Commission on the date hereof.
2.2
No
Stop Orders, Etc.
Neither
the Commission nor, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, any state regulatory
authority has issued any order or, to the best of the Company’s knowledge,
threatened to issue any order preventing or suspending the use of any
Preliminary Prospectus or has instituted or, to the best of the Company’s
knowledge, threatened to institute any proceedings with respect to such an
order.
2.3
Disclosures
in Registration Statement.
2.3.1
10b-5
Representation.
At the
time the Registration Statement became effective and at all times subsequent
thereto up to the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus will contain all material statements
that are required to be stated therein in accordance with the Act and the
Regulations, and will in all material respects conform to the requirements
of
the Act and the Regulations; and neither the Registration Statement nor the
Prospectus, nor any amendment or supplement thereto, on such dates, will contain
any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein,
in
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. When
any
Preliminary Prospectus was first filed with the Commission (whether filed as
part of the Registration Statement for the registration of the Securities or
any
amendment thereto or pursuant to Rule 424(a) of the Regulations) and when any
amendment thereof or supplement thereto was first filed with the Commission,
such Preliminary Prospectus and any amendments thereof and supplements thereto
complied or will comply in all material respects with the applicable provisions
of the Act and the Regulations and did not and will not contain an untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to
be
stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light
of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The representation
and warranty made in this Section 2.3.1 does not apply to statements made or
statements omitted in reliance upon and in conformity with written information
furnished to the Company with respect to the Underwriters by the Representative
expressly for use in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or any amendment
thereof or supplement thereto.
2.3.2
Disclosure
of Agreements.
The
agreements and documents described in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus conform to the descriptions thereof contained therein and there
are
no agreements or other documents required to be described in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed with the Commission as exhibits
to
the Registration Statement, that have not been so described or filed. Each
agreement or other instrument (however characterized or described) to which
the
Company is a party or by which its property or business is or may be bound
or
affected and (i) that is referred to in the Prospectus, or (ii) is material
to
the Company’s business, has been duly and validly executed by the Company, is in
full force and effect and is enforceable against the Company and, to the
Company’s knowledge, the other parties thereto, in accordance with its terms,
except (x) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, (y) as
enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited
under the federal and state securities laws, and (z) that the remedy of specific
performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject
to
the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any
proceeding therefor may be brought, and none of such agreements or instruments
has been assigned by the Company, and neither the Company nor, to the best
of
the Company’s knowledge, any other party is in breach or default thereunder and,
to the best of the Company’s knowledge, no event has occurred that, with the
lapse of time or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute a breach or
default thereunder. To the best of the Company’s knowledge, performance by the
Company of the material provisions of such agreements or instruments will not
result in a violation of any existing applicable law, rule, regulation,
judgment, order or decree of any governmental agency or court, domestic or
foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its assets or
businesses, including, without limitation, those relating to environmental
laws
and regulations.
4
2.3.3
Prior
Securities Transactions.
No
securities of the Company have been sold by the Company or by or on behalf
of,
or for the benefit of, any person or persons controlling, controlled by, or
under common control with the Company within the three years prior to the date
hereof, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement.
2.3.4
Regulations.
The
disclosures in the Registration Statement concerning the effects of Federal,
State and local regulation on the Company’s business purpose as currently
contemplated are correct in all material respects and do not omit to state
a
material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
2.4
Changes
After Dates in Registration Statement.
2.4.1
No
Material Adverse Change.
Since
the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus, except as otherwise specifically stated therein,
(i) there has been no material adverse change in the condition, financial or
otherwise, or business prospects of the Company, (ii) there have been no
material transactions or agreements entered into by the Company, other than
as
contemplated pursuant to this Agreement, and (iii) no member of the Company’s
management has resigned from any position with the Company.
2.4.2
Recent
Securities Transactions, Etc.
Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and except as may otherwise be
indicated or contemplated herein or therein, the Company has not (i) issued
any
securities or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, for
borrowed money; or (ii) declared or paid any dividend or made any other
distribution on or in respect to its equity securities.
2.5
Independent
Accountants.
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxxx LLP (“GGK”),
whose
report is filed with the Commission as part of the Registration Statement,
are
independent accountants as required by the Act and the Regulations. GGK has
not,
during the periods covered by the financial statements included in the
Prospectus, provided to the Company any non-audit services, as such term is
used
in Section 10A(g) of the Exchange Act.
2.6
Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx.
The
Company has taken all necessary steps to ensure that it is in compliance with
all provisions of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act that are in effect and with which
the
Company is required to comply and is actively taking steps to ensure that it
will be in compliance with other provisions of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act not
currently in effect or which will become applicable to the Company.
2.7
Financial
Statements.
The
financial statements, including the notes thereto and supporting schedules
included in the Registration Statement and Prospectus fairly present the
financial position, the results of operations and the cash flows of the Company
at the dates and for the periods to which they apply; such financial statements
have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles,
consistently applied throughout the periods involved; and the supporting
schedules included in the Registration Statement present fairly the information
required to be stated therein. The Registration Statement discloses all material
off-balance sheet transactions, arrangements, obligations (including contingent
obligations), and other relationships of the Company with unconsolidated
entities or other persons that may have a material current or future effect
on
the Company’s financial condition, changes in financial condition, results of
operations, liquidity, capital expenditures, capital resources, or significant
components of revenues or expenses. There are no financial statements
(historical or pro forma) that are required to be included in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus that are not included as required.
2.8
Authorized
Capital; Options; Etc.
The
Company had at the date or dates indicated in the Prospectus duly authorized,
issued and outstanding capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus. Based on the assumptions stated in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus, the Company will have on the Closing Date the
adjusted stock capitalization set forth therein. Except as set forth in, or
contemplated by, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, on the Effective
Date and on the Closing Date, there will be no options, warrants, or other
rights to purchase or otherwise acquire any authorized but unissued shares
of
Common Stock of the Company or any security convertible into shares of Common
Stock of the Company, or any contracts or commitments to issue or sell shares
of
Common Stock or any such options, warrants, rights or convertible securities.
5
2.9
Valid
Issuance of Securities; Etc.
2.9.1
Outstanding
Securities.
All
issued and outstanding securities of the Company (including, without limitation,
the Placement Units and the Placement Warrants) have been duly authorized
and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; the holders thereof
have no rights of rescission with respect thereto, and are not subject to
personal liability by reason of being such holders; and none of such securities
were issued in violation of the preemptive rights of any holders of any security
of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company. The
authorized Common Stock conforms to all statements relating thereto contained
in
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. The offers and sales of the
outstanding Common Stock were at all relevant times either registered under
the
Act and the applicable state securities or Blue Sky laws or, based in part
on
the representations and warranties of the purchasers of such shares of Common
Stock, exempt from such registration requirements.
2.9.2
Securities
Sold Pursuant to this Agreement.
The
Securities have been duly authorized and, when issued and paid for, will be
validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable; the holders thereof are not
and
will not be subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders;
the
Securities are not and will not be subject to the preemptive rights of any
holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted
by
the Company; and all corporate action required to be taken for the
authorization, issuance and sale of the Securities has been duly and validly
taken. The form of certificates for the Securities conform to the corporate
law
of the jurisdiction of the Company's incorporation. The Securities conform
in
all material respects to all statements with respect thereto contained in the
Registration Statement. When issued, the Representative’s Purchase Option, the
Representative’s Warrant, and the Warrants will constitute valid and binding
obligations of the Company to issue and sell, upon exercise thereof and payment
of the respective exercise prices therefor, the number and type of securities
of
the Company called for thereby in accordance with the terms thereof and such
Representative’s Purchase Option, the Representative’s Warrants, and Warrants
are enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective terms,
except (i) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, (ii) as
enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited
under the federal and state securities laws, and (iii) that the remedy of
specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may
be
subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before
which any proceeding therefor may be brought.
2.9.3
Placement
Warrants.
The
Placement Warrants and the warrants contained in the Placement Units
constitute
valid
and binding obligations of the Company to issue and sell, upon exercise
thereof
and payment of the respective exercise prices therefor, the number and
type of
securities of the Company called for thereby in accordance with the terms
thereof, and such warrants are enforceable against the Company in accordance
with their respective terms, except: (i) as such enforceability may be
limited
by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors'
rights generally; (ii) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution
provision may be limited under federal and state securities laws; and
(iii) that
the remedy of specific and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief
may be
subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court
before
which any proceeding therefore may be brought. The shares of Common Stock
issuable upon exercise of the Placement Warrants and the warrants contained
in the Placement Units have been reserved for issuance upon the exercise of such
warrants and, when issued in accordance with the terms of such warrants,
will be
duly and validly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable,
and
the holders thereof are not and will not be subject to personal liability
by
reason of being such holders.
2.9.4
No
Integration.
Neither
the Company nor any of its affiliates has, prior to the date hereof,
made any
offer or sale of any securities which are required to be “integrated” pursuant
to the Act of the Regulations with the offer and sale of the Securities
pursuant
to the Registration Statement.
2.11
Validity
and Binding Effect of Agreements.
This
Agreement, the Warrant Agreement (as defined in Section 2.20 hereof), the Trust
Agreement, the Services Agreement (as defined in Section 3.7.2 hereof) and
the
Escrow Agreements (as defined in Section 2.22.2 hereof) have been duly and
validly authorized by the Company and constitute, and the Representative’s
Purchase Option has been duly and validly authorized by the Company and, when
executed and delivered, will constitute, the valid and binding agreements of
the
Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective
terms, except (i) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights
generally, (ii) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution
provision may be limited under the federal and state securities laws, and (iii)
that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of
equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion
of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought. This Agreement
has been duly executed and delivered by the Company.
2.12
No
Conflicts, Etc.
The
execution, delivery, and performance by the Company of this Agreement, the
Representative’s Purchase Option, the Warrant Agreement, the Trust Agreement,
the Services Agreement and the Escrow Agreements, the consummation by the
Company of the transactions herein and therein contemplated and the compliance
by the Company with the terms hereof and thereof do not and will not, with
or
without the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both (i) result in a breach
of, or conflict with any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default
under, or result in the creation, modification, termination or imposition of
any
lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company pursuant
to the terms of any agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party
except pursuant to the Trust Agreement referred to in Section 2.24 hereof;
(ii)
result in any violation of the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation
or
the Bylaws of the Company; or (iii) violate any existing applicable law, rule,
regulation, judgment, order or decree of any governmental agency or court,
domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its
properties or business.
2.13
No
Defaults; Violations.
No
material default exists in the due performance and observance of any term,
covenant or condition of any material license, contract, indenture, mortgage,
deed of trust, note, loan or credit agreement, or any other agreement or
instrument evidencing an obligation for borrowed money, or any other material
agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company
may be bound or to which any of the properties or assets of the Company is
subject. The Company is not in violation of any term or provision of its
Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws or in violation of any material
franchise, license, permit, applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment or decree
of any governmental agency or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction
over the Company or any of its properties or businesses.
6
2.14
Corporate
Power; Licenses; Consents.
2.14.1
Conduct
of Business.
The
Company has all requisite corporate power and authority, and has all necessary
authorizations, approvals, orders, licenses, certificates and permits of and
from all governmental regulatory officials and bodies that it needs as of the
date hereof to conduct its business purpose as described in the Prospectus.
The
disclosures in the Registration Statement concerning the effects of federal,
state and local regulation on this offering and the Company’s business purpose
as currently contemplated are correct in all material respects and do not omit
to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order
to
make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they
were
made, not misleading.
2.14.2
Transactions
Contemplated Herein.
The
Company has all corporate power and authority to enter into this Agreement
and
to carry out the provisions and conditions hereof, and all consents,
authorizations, approvals and orders required in connection therewith have
been
obtained. No consent, authorization or order of, and no filing with, any court,
government agency or other body is required for the valid issuance, sale and
delivery, of the Securities and the consummation of the transactions and
agreements contemplated by this Agreement, the Warrant Agreement, the
Representative’s Purchase Option, the Trust Agreement and the Escrow Agreement
and as contemplated by the Prospectus, except with respect to applicable federal
and state securities laws.
2.15
D&O
Questionnaires.
To the
best of the Company’s knowledge, all information contained in the questionnaires
(“Questionnaires”)
completed by each of the Company’s officers, directors and five percent
stockholders immediately prior to the Offering and provided to the Underwriters
as an exhibit to his or its Insider Letter (as defined in Section 2.22.1) is
true and correct and the Company has not become aware of any information which
would cause the information disclosed in the questionnaires completed by such
person to become inaccurate and incorrect.
2.16
Litigation;
Governmental Proceedings.
There
is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry, arbitration, investigation, litigation
or governmental proceeding pending or, to the best of the Company’s knowledge,
threatened against, or involving the Company or, to the best of the Company’s
knowledge, any officer, director or five percent stockholder of the Company
which has not been disclosed in the Registration Statement or the
Questionnaires.
2.17
Good
Standing.
The
Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation and
is
in good standing under the laws of its state of incorporation, and is duly
qualified to do business and is in good standing as a foreign corporation in
each jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct
of
business requires such qualification, except where the failure to qualify would
not have a material adverse effect on the Company.
2.18
Transactions
Affecting Disclosure to NASD.
2.18.1
Finder’s
Fees.
Except
as described in the Prospectus, there are no claims, payments, arrangements,
agreements or understandings relating to the payment of a finder’s, consulting
or origination fee by the Company or any of the officers, directors or five
percent stockholders of the Company with respect to the sale of the Securities
hereunder or any other arrangements, agreements or understandings of the Company
or, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, any of the officers, directors or
five percent stockholders of the Company that may affect the Underwriters’
compensation, as determined by the NASD.
2.18.2
Payments
Within Twelve Months.
The
Company has not made any direct or indirect payments (in cash, securities or
otherwise) (i) to any person, as a finder’s fee, consulting fee or otherwise, in
consideration of such person raising capital for the Company or introducing
to
the Company persons who raised or provided capital to the Company, (ii) to
any
NASD member or (iii) to any person or entity that has any direct or indirect
affiliation or association with any NASD member, within the twelve months prior
to the Effective Date, other than payments to Xxxxxx Xxxxxx & Co.
2.18.3
Use
of
Proceeds.
None of
the net proceeds of the Offering will be paid by the Company to any
participating NASD member or its affiliates, except as specifically authorized
herein and except as may be paid in connection with a Business Combination
as
contemplated by the Prospectus.
2.18.4
Insiders’
NASD Affiliation.
Based
on the Questionnaires distributed to such persons, no officer, director or
any
beneficial owner of the Company’s unregistered securities has any direct or
indirect affiliation or association with any NASD member. The Company will
advise the Representative and its counsel if it learns that any officer,
director or owner of at least 5% of the Company’s outstanding Common Shares is
or becomes an affiliate or associated person of an NASD member participating
in
the Offering.
7
2.19
Foreign
Corrupt Practices Act.
Neither
the Company nor any of the officers, directors or five percent stockholders
of
the Company or any other person acting on behalf of the Company has, directly
or
indirectly, given or agreed to give any money, gift or similar benefit (other
than legal price concessions to customers in the ordinary course of business)
to
any customer, supplier, employee or agent of a customer or supplier, or official
or employee of any governmental agency or instrumentality of any government
(domestic or foreign) or any political party or candidate for office (domestic
or foreign) or any political party or candidate for office (domestic or foreign)
or other person who was, is, or may be in a position to help or hinder the
business of the Company (or assist it in connection with any actual or proposed
transaction) that (i) might subject the Company to any damage or penalty in
any
civil, criminal or governmental litigation or proceeding, (ii) if not given
in
the past, might have had a material adverse effect on the assets, business
or
operations of the Company as reflected in any of the financial statements
contained in the Prospectus or (iii) if not continued in the future, might
adversely affect the assets, business, operations or prospects of the Company.
The Company’s internal accounting controls and procedures are sufficient to
cause the Company to comply with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977,
as
amended.
2.20
Officers’
Certificate.
Any
certificate signed by any duly authorized officer of the Company and delivered
to you or to your counsel shall be deemed a representation and warranty by
the
Company to the Underwriters as to the matters covered thereby.
2.21
Warrant
Agreement.
The
Company has entered into a warrant agreement with respect to the Warrants and
the Representative’s Warrants with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust
Company substantially in the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement (“Warrant
Agreement”).
2.22
Agreements
With Officers, Directors and Five Percent Stockholders.
2.22.1
Letters.
The
Company has caused to be duly executed legally binding and enforceable
agreements (except (i) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights
generally, (ii) as enforceability of any indemnification, contribution or
noncompete provision may be limited under the federal and state securities
laws,
and (iii) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other
forms
of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the
discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought)
annexed as Exhibits 10.10 and 10.17 to the Registration Statement (“Insider
Letter”),
pursuant to which each of the officers, directors and five percent stockholders
of the Company agrees to certain matters, including but not limited to, certain
matters described as being agreed to by them under the “Proposed Business”
section of the Prospectus.
2.22.2
Escrow
Agreements.
GTI
Holdings, GTI Capital Partners LLC and the independent directors of the
Company who were granted Common Stock pursuant to the Restricted Stock
Agreements annexed as Exhibits 10.19 through 10.22 to the Registration Statement
(the “Initial
Stockholders”)
have
entered into escrow agreements (“Escrow
Agreements”)
with
Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company (“Escrow
Agent”),
substantially in the form annexed as Exhibits 10.2 and 10.3 to the Registration
Statement, whereby the Common Stock owned by the Initial Stockholders will
be
held in escrow by the Escrow Agent for the escrow period described in the Escrow
Agreements. During such escrow period, the Initial Stockholders shall be
prohibited from selling or otherwise transferring such shares (except to spouses
and children of Initial Stockholders and trusts established for their benefit
and as otherwise set forth in the Escrow Agreements) but will retain the right
to vote such shares. To the Company’s knowledge, the Escrow Agreements are
enforceable against each of the Initial Stockholders and will not, with or
without the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both, result in a breach
of, or conflict with any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default
under, any agreement or instrument to which any of the Initial Stockholders
is a
party. The Escrow Agreements shall not be amended, modified or otherwise changed
without the prior written consent of Xxxxxx Xxxxxx & Co.
2.23
No
Fiduciary Relationship In Pricing.
The
Company acknowledges and agrees that (i) the purchase and sale of the Units
pursuant to this Agreement is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the
Company and the several Underwriters, (ii) in connection therewith and with
the process leading to such transaction, each Underwriter is acting solely
as a
principal and not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, (iii) no
Underwriter has assumed an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of
the
Company with respect to the offering contemplated hereby or the process leading
thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently
advising the Company on other matters) or any other obligation to the Company
except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement and (iv) the
Company has consulted its own legal and financial advisors to the extent it
deemed appropriate. The Company agrees that it will not claim that the
Underwriters, or any of them, has rendered advisory services of any nature
or
respect, or owes a fiduciary or similar duty to the Company, in connection
with
such transaction or the process leading thereto.
2.24
Investment
Management Trust Agreement.
The
Company has entered into the Trust Agreement with respect to certain proceeds
of
the Offering substantially in the form annexed as Exhibit 10.1 to the
Registration Statement.
8
2.25
Covenants
Not to Compete.
No
Initial Stockholder, employee, officer or director of the Company is subject
to
any noncompetition agreement or non-solicitation agreement with any employer
or
prior employer which could materially affect his ability to be an Initial
Stockholder, employee, officer and/or director of the Company.
2.26
Investments.
No more
than 45% of the “value” (as defined in Section 2(a)(41) of the Investment
Company Act of 1940 (“Investment
Company Act”))
of
the Company’s total assets consist of, and no more than 45% of the Company’s net
income after taxes is derived from, securities other than “Government
securities” (as defined in Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act).
2.27
Subsidiaries.
The
Company does not own an interest in any corporation, partnership, limited
liability company, joint venture, trust or other business entity.
2.28
Related
Party Transactions.
There
are no business relationships or related party transactions involving the
Company or any other person required to be described in the Prospectus that
have
not been described as required.
2.29
Data.
The
statistical, industry-related and market-related data included in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources
which the Company reasonably and in good faith believes are reliable and
accurate, and such data agree with the sources from which they are derived.
2.30
Certificates.
Any
certificate signed by any duly authorized officer of the Company and delivered
to you or to your counsel in connection with this Agreement shall be deemed
a
representation and warranty by the Company to the Representative as to the
matters covered thereby.
2.31
Governance.
There
is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or any of the Company’s
directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with (as and
when
applicable), and immediately following the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement the Company will be in compliance with, Sections 301, 402, 802
and 1102 of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act and Part 8 of the American Stock
Exchange’s “AMEX Company Guide,” as amended. Further, there is and has been no
failure on the part of the Company or any of the Company’s directors or
officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with (as and when applicable),
and immediately following the effectiveness of the Registration Statement the
Company will be in compliance with, all other provisions of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx
Act and the American Stock Exchange corporate governance requirements set forth
in the AMEX Company Guide, as amended.
2.32
Business
Combinations.
The
Company does not have any specific Business Combination under consideration
and
the Company does not (nor has anyone on its behalf) contacted any prospective
acquisition candidate or had any discussions, formal or otherwise, with respect
to such a transaction.
2.33
Services
Agreement.
The Company has entered into a letter agreement (the “Services
Agreement”)
with
GTI Holdings, LLC (“GTI
Holdings”),
pursuant to which GTI Holdings will make available to the Company certain
administrative, technology and secretarial services, as well as the use of
certain limited office space, as the Company may require time to time, for
an
amount equal to $7,500 per month.
2.34
Private
Placement.
The Company has consummated a private placement securities purchase
agreement (the “Private
Placement Agreement”)
with
GTI Holdings, pursuant to which the Company has agreed to issue to GTI Holdings
in a private placement transaction (the “Private
Placement”)
(i) an
aggregate of 250,000 units (“Placement
Units”),
for a
purchase price of $2,000,000 and (ii) 416,667 warrants (“Placement
Warrants”),
sold
separately and not in combination with the Common Stock in the form of the
Placement Units, for a purchase price of $500,000. The Placement Units are
substantially identical to the Firm Units except that the Placement Units,
and
their underlying shares of Common Stock and Warrants, and the Placement Warrants
shall not initially be registered under the Act and such other differences
as
are described in the Registration Statement. The $2,500,000 proceeds from the
sale of the Placement Units and the Placement Warrants has been deposited with
Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company to be held pursuant to the terms
of the Trust Agreement.
2.35 Stop
Orders. The
Commission has not issued any order preventing or suspending the use of any
Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus or any part thereof and has not threatened
to issue any such order.
3.
Covenants
of the Company.
The
Company covenants and agrees as follows:
3.1
Amendments
to Registration Statement.
The
Company will deliver to the Representative, prior to filing, any amendment
or
supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus proposed to be filed
after the Effective Date and not file any such amendment or supplement to which
the Representative shall reasonably object in writing.
3.2
Federal
Securities Laws.
9
3.2.1
Compliance.
During
the time when a Prospectus is required to be delivered under the Act, the
Company will use all reasonable efforts to comply with all requirements imposed
upon it by the Act, the Regulations and the Exchange Act and by the regulations
under the Exchange Act, as from time to time in force, so far as necessary
to
permit the continuance of sales of or dealings in the Securities in accordance
with the provisions hereof and the Prospectus. If at any time when a Prospectus
relating to the Securities is required to be delivered under the Act, any event
shall have occurred as a result of which, in the opinion of counsel for the
Company or counsel for the Underwriters, the Prospectus, as then amended or
supplemented, includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state
any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not misleading, or if it is necessary at any time to amend the Prospectus to
comply with the Act, the Company will notify the Representative promptly and
prepare and file with the Commission, subject to Section 3.1 hereof, an
appropriate amendment or supplement in accordance with Section 10 of the Act.
3.2.2
Filing
of Final Prospectus.
The
Company will file the Prospectus (in form and substance satisfactory to the
Representative) with the Commission pursuant to the requirements of Rule 424
of
the Regulations.
3.2.3
Exchange
Act Registration.
For a
period of five years from the Effective Date, or until such earlier time upon
which the Company is required to be liquidated, the Company will use its best
efforts to maintain the registration of the Units, Common Stock and Warrants
under the provisions of the Exchange Act. For a period of five years from the
Effective Date, the Company will not deregister the Units, Common Stock and
Warrants under the Exchange Act without the prior written consent of Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx & Co. (except in connection with a going private transaction).
3.3
Blue
Sky Filing.
Unless
the Securities are listed or quoted, as the case may be, on the New York Stock
Exchange, the American Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq National Market, the Company
will endeavor in good faith, in cooperation with the Representative, at or
prior
to the time the Registration Statement becomes effective, to qualify the
Securities for offering and sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions
as the Representative may reasonably designate, provided that no such
qualification shall be required in any jurisdiction where, as a result thereof,
the Company would be subject to service of general process or to taxation as
a
foreign corporation doing business in such jurisdiction. In each jurisdiction
where such qualification shall be effected, the Company will, unless the
Representative agrees that such action is not at the time necessary or
advisable, use all reasonable efforts to file and make such statements or
reports at such times as are or may be required by the laws of such
jurisdiction.
3.4
Delivery
to Underwriters of Prospectuses.
The
Company will deliver to each of the several Underwriters, without charge, from
time to time during the period when the Prospectus is required to be delivered
under the Act or the Exchange Act such number of copies of each Preliminary
Prospectus and the Prospectus as such Underwriters may reasonably request and,
as soon as the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto
becomes effective, deliver to you two original executed Registration Statements,
including exhibits, and all post-effective amendments thereto and copies of
all
exhibits filed therewith or incorporated therein by reference and all original
executed consents of certified experts.
3.5
Effectiveness
and Events Requiring Notice to the Representative.
The
Company will use its best efforts to cause the Registration Statement to remain
effective until the distribution of the Securities is complete and will notify
the Representative immediately and confirm the notice in writing (i) of the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto, (ii)
of
the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of the initiation, or the
threatening, of any proceeding for that purpose, (iii) of the issuance by any
state securities commission of any proceedings for the suspension of the
qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction or
of
the initiation, or the threatening, of any proceeding for that purpose, (iv)
of
the mailing and delivery to the Commission for filing of any amendment or
supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus, (v) of the receipt
of
any comments or request for any additional information from the Commission,
and
(vi) of the happening of any event during the period described in Section 3.2.3
hereof that, in the judgment of the Company, makes any statement of a material
fact made in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus untrue or that
requires the making of any changes in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. If the Commission
or
any state securities commission shall enter a stop order or suspend such
qualification at any time, the Company will make every reasonable effort to
obtain promptly the lifting of such order.
3.6
Review
of Financial Statements.
For a
period of five years from the Effective Date, or until such earlier time upon
which the Company is required to be liquidated, the Company, at its expense,
shall cause its regularly engaged independent certified public accountants
to
review (but not audit) the Company’s financial statements for each of the first
three fiscal quarters prior to the announcement of quarterly financial
information, the filing of the Company’s Form 10-Q quarterly report and the
mailing of quarterly financial information to stockholders.
3.7
Affiliated
Transactions.
10
3.7.1
Business
Combinations.
The
Company will not consummate a Business Combination with any entity which is
affiliated with Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxx X. Xxx or Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
unless the Company obtains an opinion from an independent investment banking
firm that the Business Combination is fair to the Company’s stockholders from a
financial perspective.
3.7.2
Compensation.
Except
as set forth above in this Section 3.7.2, the Company shall not pay any officer
or director of the Company or any of their affiliates any fees or compensation
from the Company, for services rendered to the Company prior to, or in
connection with, the consummation of a Business Combination; provided that
the
officers and directors of the Company shall be entitled to reimbursement from
the Company for their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection
with seeking and consummating a Business Combination.
3.8
Secondary
Market Trading and Standard & Poor’s.
Unless
the Securities are listed or quoted, as the case may be, on the New York Stock
Exchange, the American Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq National Market, the Company
(a) will apply to be included in Standard & Poor’s Daily News and
Corporation Records Corporate Descriptions for a period of five years from
the
consummation of a Business Combination, (b) shall take such steps as may be
necessary to obtain a secondary market trading exemption for the Company’s
securities in the State of California and (c) shall also take such other action
as may be reasonably requested by the Representative to obtain a secondary
market trading exemption in such other states as may be requested by the
Representative.
3.9
Intentionally
Omitted.
3.10
Financial
Public Relations Firm.
Promptly after the execution of a definitive agreement for a Business
Combination, the Company shall retain a financial relations firm acceptable
to
the Representative for a term to be agreed upon by the Company and the
Representative.
3.11
Reports
to the Representative.
3.11.1
Periodic
Reports, Etc.
For a
period of five years following the Effective Date or earlier if the Company
terminates its Exchange Act registration in accordance with Section 3.2.3
hereof, the Company will furnish to the Representative and its counsel, as
reasonably requested from time to time, (i) copies of such financial statements
and other periodic and special reports as the Company from time to time
furnishes generally to holders of any class of its securities, and (ii) such
additional documents and information with respect to the Company and the affairs
of any future subsidiaries of the Company as the Representative may reasonably
request.
3.11.2
Transfer
Sheets.
For a
period of two years following the Effective Date or until such earlier time
upon
which the Company is required to be liquidated, the Company shall retain a
transfer and warrant agent acceptable to the Representative (“Transfer
Agent”)
and
will furnish to the Underwriters at the Company’s sole cost and expense, for a
period of one year following the Effective Date, such transfer sheets of the
Company’s securities as the Representative may request, including the daily and
monthly consolidated transfer sheets of the Transfer Agent and DTC. The
Underwriters acknowledge that Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company is
an acceptable Transfer Agent.
3.11.3
Secondary
Market Trading Survey.
Unless
the Securities are listed or quoted, as the case may be, on the New York Stock
Exchange, the American Stock Exchange or quoted on the Nasdaq National Market,
until such earlier time upon which the Company is required to be liquidated,
the
Company shall engage XxXxxxxxx Will & Xxxxx LLP (“XxXxxxxxx”),
for a
one-time fee of $5,000 payable on the Closing Date, or the date on which the
Securities cease to be so listed or quoted to deliver and update to the
Underwriters on a timely basis, but in any event on the Effective Date and
at
the beginning of each fiscal quarter, a written report detailing those states
in
which the Securities may be traded in non-issuer transactions under the Blue
Sky
laws of the fifty States (“Secondary
Market Trading Survey”).
3.11.4
Trading
Reports.
During
such time as any of the Securities are quoted on the NASD OTC Bulletin Board
(or
any successor trading market such as the Bulletin Board Exchange) or the Pink
Sheets, LLC (or similar publisher of quotations) and no other automated
quotation system, the Company shall provide to the Representative, at its
expense, such reports published by the NASD or the Pink Sheets, LLC relating
to
price trading of the Securities, as the Representative shall reasonably request.
3.12
Disqualification
of Form S-1.
For a
period equal to four years from the date hereof, the Company will not take
any
action or actions which may prevent or disqualify the Company’s use of Form S-1
(or other appropriate form) for the registration of the Warrants under the
Act
(except in connection with a going-private transaction).
3.13
Payment
of Expenses.
11
3.13.1
General
Expenses Related to the Offering.
The
Company hereby agrees to pay on each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing
Date, if any, to the extent not paid at the Closing Date, all expenses incident
to the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Agreement,
including but not limited to (i) the preparation, printing, filing and mailing
(including the payment of postage with respect to such mailing) of the
Registration Statement, the Preliminary and Final Prospectuses and the printing
and mailing of this Agreement and related documents, including the cost of
all
copies thereof and any amendments thereof or supplements thereto supplied to
the
Underwriters in quantities as may be required by the Underwriters, (ii) the
printing, engraving, issuance and delivery of the Units, the shares of Common
Stock and the Warrants included in the Units, including any transfer or other
taxes payable thereon, (iii) to the extent incurred in accordance with Section
3.3, expenses relating to the qualification of the Securities under state or
foreign securities or Blue Sky laws, , (iv) filing fees, costs and expenses
incurred in registering the Offering with the NASD, (v) fees and disbursements
of the Transfer Agent, (vi) the Company’s expenses associated with “due
diligence” meetings arranged by the Representative and (vii) all other costs and
expenses customarily borne by an issuer incident to the performance of its
obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically provided for in
this
Section 3.13. The Company also agrees that, if requested by the Representative,
it will engage and pay up to $5,000 or such greater amount as may be mutually
agreed to by the Representative and the Company for an investigative search
firm
of the Representative’s choice to conduct an investigation of the principals of
the Company as shall be mutually selected by the Representative and the Company.
The Representative may deduct from the net proceeds of the Offering payable
to
the Company on the Closing Date, or the Option Closing Date, if any, the
expenses set forth in this Agreement to be paid by the Company to the
Representative and others. If the Offering contemplated by this Agreement is
not
consummated for any reason whatsoever then the Company shall reimburse the
Underwriters in full for their actual out of pocket expenses in connection
with
this Agreement or the transactions contemplated herein, including, without
limitation, its legal fees and disbursements and “road show” and due diligence
expenses. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Representative shall pay all fees
and disbursements of its legal counsel from the funds received from commissions
and discounts in the Offering.
3.14
Application
of Net Proceeds.
The
Company will apply the net proceeds from the Offering received by it in a manner
consistent with the application described under the caption “Use Of Proceeds” in
the Prospectus.
3.15
Delivery
of Earnings Statements to Security Holders.
The
Company will make generally available to its security holders as soon as
practicable, but not later than the first day of the fifteenth full calendar
month following the Effective Date, an earnings statement (which need not be
certified by independent public or independent certified public accountants
unless required by the Act or the Regulations, but which shall satisfy the
provisions of Rule 158(a) under Section 11(a) of the Act) covering a period
of
at least twelve consecutive months beginning after the Effective Date.
3.16
Notice
to NASD.
In the
event any person or entity (regardless of any NASD affiliation or association)
is engaged to assist the Company in its search for a merger candidate or to
provide any other merger and acquisition services, the Company will provide
the
following to the NASD and to Xxxxxx Xxxxxx & Co. prior to the consummation
of the Business Combination: (i) complete details of all services and copies
of
agreements governing such services; and (ii) justification as to why the person
or entity providing the merger and acquisition services should not be considered
an “underwriter and related person” with respect to the Company’s initial public
offering, as such term is defined in Rule 2710 of the NASD’s Conduct Rules. The
Company also agrees that proper disclosure of such arrangement or potential
arrangement will be made in the proxy statement which the Company will file
for
purposes of soliciting stockholder approval for the Business Combination.
3.17
Stabilization.
Except
with respect to the agreement between Xxxxxx Xxxxxx & Co. and GTI Holdings,
Inc. filed as Exhibit 10.18 to the Registration Statement, neither the Company,
nor, to its knowledge, any of its employees, directors or stockholders (without
the consent of Xxxxxx Xxxxxx & Co.) has taken or will take, directly or
indirectly, any action designed to or that has constituted or that might
reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act, or
otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the
Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Units.
3.18
Internal
Controls.
The
Company will maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to
provide reasonable assurances that: (i) transactions are executed in accordance
with management’s general or specific authorization, (ii) transactions are
recorded as necessary in order to permit preparation of financial statements
in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain
accountability for assets, (iii) access to assets is permitted only in
accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, and (iv) the
recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at
reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any
differences.
3.19
Accountants.
For a
period of five years from the Effective Date or until such earlier time upon
which the Company is required to be liquidated, the Company shall retain GGK
or
other independent public accountants reasonably acceptable to Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
& Co.
12
3.20
Form
8-K.
The
Company shall, on the date hereof, retain its independent public accountants
to
audit the financial statements of the Company as of the Closing Date
(“Audited
Financial Statements”)
that
reflect the receipt by the Company of the proceeds of the initial public
offering. As soon as the Audited Financial Statements become available, the
Company shall immediately file a Current Report on Form 8-K with the Commission,
which Report shall contain the Company’s Audited Financial Statements.
3.21
NASD.
The
Company shall advise the NASD if it is aware that any 5% or greater stockholder
of the Company becomes an affiliate or associated person of an NASD member
participating in the distribution of the Company’s Securities.
3.22
Corporate
Proceedings.
All
corporate proceedings and other legal matters necessary to carry out the
provisions of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall
have
been done to the reasonable satisfaction to counsel for the Underwriters.
3.23
Investment
Company.
The
Company shall cause the proceeds of the Offering to be held in the Trust Account
to be invested only as set forth in the Trust Agreement and disclosed in the
Prospectus. The Company will otherwise conduct its business in a manner so
that
it will not become subject to the Investment Company Act. Furthermore, once
the
Company consummates a Business Combination, it shall be engaged in a business
other than that of investing, reinvesting, owning, holding or trading
securities.
3.24
Business
Combination Announcement.
Within
five business days following the consummation by the Company of a Business
Combination, the Company shall cause an announcement (“Business
Combination Announcement”)
to be
placed, at its cost, in The Wall Street Journal. Such announcement shall
describe the consummation of the Business Combination and indicate that the
Representative was the managing underwriter in the Offering. The Company shall
supply the Representative with a draft of the Business Combination Announcement
and provide the Representative with a reasonable opportunity to comment thereon.
The Company will not place the Business Combination Announcement without the
final approval of the Representative, such approval not to be unreasonably
withheld.
3.25
Colorado
Trust Filing.
In the
event the Securities are registered in the State of Colorado, the Company will
cause a Colorado Form ES to be filed with the Commissioner of the State of
Colorado no less than 10 days prior to the distribution of the Trust Account
in
connection with a Business Combination and will do all things necessary to
comply with Section 00-00-000 and Rule 51-3.4 of the Colorado Securities
Act.
3.26
Payment
of Contingent Underwriting Discount.
The
Contingent Underwriting Discount relating to the Firm Units and the Option
Units, if any, shall be held in the Trust Account until such time as the Company
shall consummate a Business Combination. Upon consummation by the Company of
a
Business Combination, the Company shall direct Continental Stock Transfer &
Trust Company to disburse from the Trust Account an amount equal to the
Contingent Underwriting Discount relating to the Firm Units and the Option
Units, if any, without interest, to the Underwriters as instructed by the
Representative, less $0.16 for each share of common stock which stockholders
of
the Company have properly elected to convert to cash. In the event that the
Trust Account is liquidated prior to the consummation of a Business Combination,
the Underwriters agree to forfeit any right or claim to the funds held in the
Trust Account, including, without limitation, the Contingent Underwriting
Discount relating to the Firm Units and the Option Units, if any.
3.27
Amendments
to Certificate of Incorporation. (i)
The
Company covenants and agrees, that prior to its
initial Business Combination it will not seek to amend or modify any of
the
following provisions of Article Sixth or
Article Seventh of its certificate of incorporation:
“SIXTH:
A.
For
purposes of this Article Sixth and Article Seventh, the following terms
shall
have the following
meanings:
(i)
“Business Combination” shall mean the first merger, capital stock exchange,
asset or stock
acquisition or other similar type of business combination between the
Corporation and an operating business or
businesses.
(ii)
“Distribution Date” shall mean the date which is 18 months after the
consummation of
the
IPO or if a letter of intent, an agreement in principle or a defmitive
agreement
to complete a Business Combination shall have been executed but shall not
have
been consummated within such 18-month period, then the date
which is 24 months after the consummation of the IPO.
(iii)
“IPO” shall mean the initial public offering by the Corporation of Common Stock
(with
or
without other securities) pursuant to a registration statement filed with
and
declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission under the
Securities Act.
(iv)
“IPO
Shares” shall mean the shares of Common Stock issued by the Corporation in
the
IPO,
excluding any shares of Common Stock issued upon exercise of warrants issued
in
the IPO.
(v)
“Registration Statement” shall mean the registration statement filed with, and
declared
effective by, the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities
Act
for the IPO.
(vi)
“Securities
Act”
shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended.
(vii)
“Trust Account” shall mean the trust account established by the Corporation into
which
the
Corporation deposits a portion of the net proceeds of the IPO, which
proceeds
will be distributed either (A) to the Corporation and any holders of
the IPO
shares exercising their rights under paragraph C of this Article Sixth
if it
consummates the Business Combination on or prior to the Distribution
Date or (B)
the holders of the IPO Shares if the Corporation does not consummate
the
Business Combination on or prior to the Distribution
Date.
13
B.
The
Corporation may not consummate the Business Combination: (i) without
(a)
submitting the proposed
Business Combination to its stockholders for approval, regardless of
whether
stockholder approval is required
under the GCL and (b) in addition to any approval requirements under
the GCL,
the approval of the holders of
a
majority of the IPO Shares that are voted on the proposed Business
Combination
by the holders of the IPO Shares;
or (ii) if the holders of 20% or more of the IPO Shares vote against
the
Business Combination and give notice
of
exercise of their conversion rights described in paragraph C of this
Article
Sixth.
C.
If the
conditions to the Business Combination under paragraph B of this
Article Sixth
above are
met
and the Corporation consummates the Business Combination, any holder
of the IPO
Shares who voted against the
Business Combination and contemporaneously with such vote properly
demanded that
the Corporation convert such holder's IPO Shares into cash from the
Trust
Account, shall be entitled to receive, promptly after consummation
of the
Business Combination, in exchange for such holder's IPO Shares and
against
delivery of such IPO Shares, cash at a per share exchange price equal
to the
quotient determined by dividing (i) the amount in the Trust
Account immediately prior to the Business Combination, inclusive
of any interest
thereon (net of taxes on such
interest) but exclusive of the amount held in the Trust Account representing
a
portion of the underwriters' discount
that was deferred at the time of the IPO, calculated as of two business
days
prior to the consummation of the
Business Combination, by (ii) the total number of IPO Shares.
D.
A
holder of IPO Shares shall be entitled to receive funds from the
Trust Account
only in the event
of
a liquidation of the Trust Account to holders of IPO Shares in connection
with
the dissolution of the Corporation pursuant to the terms of the Investment
Trust
Agreement governing the Trust Account or in the event he demands
conversion of
his shares in accordance with paragraph C, above. In no other circumstances
shall a holder of IPO Shares have any right or interest of any kind
in or to the
Trust Account.
E.
This
Article Sixth may not be amended after the closing of the IPO and prior
to the
consummation
of the Business Combination without the vote or written consent of
holders of
not less than 100% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock of the
Corporation.
F.
This
Article Sixth shall be effective commencing on the closing of the
IPO and shall
terminate
upon the earlier to occur of the consummation of a Business Combination
and the
date on which the Trust Account
is liquidated.
SEVENTH:
If the Corporation does not consummate a Business Combination on or
prior to the
Distribution
Date, the officers of the Corporation shall take all such actions necessary
to
dissolve the Corporation and
liquidate the Trust Account to holders of the IPO Shares as soon as
reasonably
practicable, and after approval of the Company's
stockholders and subject to the requirements of the GCL, including
the adoption
of a resolution by the Board, prior to such Distribution Date, pursuant
to
Section 275(a) of the GCL, finding the dissolution of the Corporation
advisable and providing such notices as
are
required by said Section 275(a) of the GCL as promptly thereafter as
possible.
In the event that the stockholders vote in favor of such dissolution
and the
Corporation is so dissolved,
the Corporation shall promptly adopt and implement a plan of distribution
which
provides that only the holders
of the IPO Shares shall be entitled to share ratably in the Trust Account
plus
any other net assets of the Corporation
not used for or reserved to pay obligations and claims or such other
corporate
expenses relating to or arising
during the Corporation's remaining existence, including costs of dissolving
and
liquidating the Corporation. The
Corporation shall pay no liquidating distributions with respect to
any shares of
capital stock of the Corporation other
than IPO Shares. This Article Seventh may not be amended after the
closing of
the IPO and prior to the consummation of the Business Combination without
the
vote or written consent of holders of not less than 100% of the outstanding
shares of Common Stock of the Corporation.”
(ii) The
Company acknowledges that the purchasers of the Firm Units in this
Offering
shall be
deemed
to be third party beneficiaries of this Agreement.
(iii) The
underwriters specifically acknowledge that they will not waive this
Section 3.27
under
any
circumstances.
3.28
Private
Placement Proceeds. Immediately
upon establishment of the Trust Fund and prior
to
the Closing, the Company shall deposit $2,500,000 of the proceeds from
the
Private Placement in the Trust Fund
and
shall provide Xxxxxx Xxxxxx & Co. with evidence of the
same.
4.
Conditions
of Underwriters’ Obligations.
The
obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Units,
as
provided herein, shall be subject to the continuing accuracy of the
representations and warranties of the Company as of the date hereof and as
of
each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, to the accuracy
of
the statements of officers of the Company made pursuant to the provisions hereof
and to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and to the
following conditions:
4.1
Regulatory
Matters.
4.1.1
Effectiveness
of Registration Statement.
The
Registration Statement shall have become effective not later than 5:00 P.M.,
New
York City local time, on the date of this Agreement or such later date and
time
as shall be consented to in writing by you, and, at each of the Closing Date
and
the Option Closing Date, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement shall have been issued and no proceedings for that
purpose shall have been instituted or shall be pending or contemplated by the
Commission and any request on the part of the Commission for additional
information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of
Benesch, Friedlander, Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP, counsel to the Underwriters
(“Xxxxxxx”).
4.1.2
NASD
Clearance.
By the
Effective Date, the Representative shall have received clearance from the NASD
as to the amount of compensation allowable or payable to the Underwriters as
described in the Registration Statement.
14
4.1.3
No
Blue Sky Stop Orders.
No
order suspending the sale of the Units in any jurisdiction designated by you
pursuant to Section 3.3 hereof shall have been issued on either on the Closing
Date or the Option Closing Date, and no proceedings for that purpose shall
have
been instituted or shall be contemplated.
4.2
Company
Counsel Matters.
4.2.1
Effective
Date Opinion of Counsel.
On the
Effective Date, the Representative shall have received the favorable opinion
of
XxXxxxxxx, counsel to the Company, dated the Effective Date, addressed to the
Representative and in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Xxxxxxx,
with respect to the matters set forth on Exhibit A hereto.
4.2.2
Closing
Date and Option Closing Date Opinion of Counsel.
On each
of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, the Representative
shall have received the favorable opinion of XxXxxxxxx, dated the Closing Date
or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, addressed to the Representative
and in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Xxxxxxx, confirming as
of
the Closing Date and, if applicable, the Option Closing Date, the statements
made by XxXxxxxxx in their opinion delivered on the Effective Date.
4.2.3
Reliance.
In
rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely (i) as to matters involving the
application of laws other than the laws of the United States and jurisdictions
in which they are admitted, to the extent such counsel deems proper and to
the
extent specified in such opinion, if at all, upon an opinion or opinions (in
form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Xxxxxxx) of other counsel
reasonably acceptable to Xxxxxxx, familiar with the applicable laws, and (ii)
as
to matters of fact, to the extent they deem proper, on certificates or other
written statements of officers of the Company and officers of departments of
various jurisdictions having custody of documents respecting the corporate
existence or good standing of the Company, provided that copies of any such
statements or certificates shall be delivered to the Underwriters’ counsel if
requested. The opinion of counsel for the Company and any opinion relied upon
by
such counsel for the Company shall include a statement to the effect that it
may
be relied upon by counsel for the Underwriters in its opinion delivered to
the
Underwriters.
4.3
Cold
Comfort Letter.
At the
time this Agreement is executed, and at each of the Closing Date and the Option
Closing Date, if any, you shall have received a letter, addressed to the
Representative and in form and substance satisfactory in all respects (including
the non-material nature of the changes or decreases, if any, referred to in
clause (iii) below) to you and to Xxxxxxx from GGK dated, respectively, as
of
the date of this Agreement and as of the Closing Date and the Option Closing
Date, if any:
(i)
Confirming that they are an independent registered public accounting firm with
respect to the Company within the meaning of the Act and the applicable
Regulations and that they have not, during the periods covered by the financial
statements included in the Prospectus, provided to the Company any non-audit
services, as such term is used in Section 10A(g) of the Exchange Act;
(ii)
Stating that in their opinion the financial statements of the Company included
in the Registration Statement and Prospectus comply as to form in all material
respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the
published Regulations thereunder;
(iii)
Stating that, on the basis of a limited review which included a reading of
the
latest available unaudited interim financial statements of the Company (with
an
indication of the date of the latest available unaudited interim financial
statements), a reading of the latest available minutes of the stockholders
and
board of directors and the various committees of the board of directors,
consultations with officers and other employees of the Company responsible
for
financial and accounting matters and other specified procedures and inquiries,
nothing has come to their attention which would lead them to believe that (a)
the unaudited financial statements of the Company included in the Registration
Statement do not comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable
accounting requirements of the Act and the Regulations or are not fairly
presented in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles applied
on
a basis substantially consistent with that of the audited financial statements
of the Company included in the Registration Statement, (b) at a date not later
than five days prior to the Effective Date, Closing Date or Option Closing
Date,
as the case may be, there was any change in the capital stock or long-term
debt
of the Company, or any decrease in the stockholders’ equity of the Company as
compared with amounts shown in the February 28, 2006 balance sheet included
in
the Registration Statement, other than as set forth in or contemplated by the
Registration Statement, or, if there was any decrease, setting forth the amount
of such decrease, and (c) during the period from February 28, 2006 to a
specified date not later than five days prior to the Effective Date, Closing
Date or Option Closing Date, as the case may be, there was any decrease in
revenues, net earnings or net earnings per share of Common Stock, in each case
as compared with the corresponding period in the preceding year and as compared
with the corresponding period in the preceding quarter, other than as set forth
in or contemplated by the Registration Statement, or, if there was any such
decrease, setting forth the amount of such decrease;
15
(iv)
Setting forth, at a date not later than five days prior to the Effective Date,
the amount of liabilities of the Company (including a break-down of commercial
papers and notes payable to banks);
(v)
Stating that they have compared specific dollar amounts, numbers of shares,
percentages of revenues and earnings, statements and other financial information
pertaining to the Company set forth in the Prospectus in each case to the extent
that such amounts, numbers, percentages, statements and information may be
derived from the general accounting records, including work sheets, of the
Company and excluding any questions requiring an interpretation by legal
counsel, with the results obtained from the application of specified readings,
inquiries and other appropriate procedures (which procedures do not constitute
an examination in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards) set
forth in the letter and found them to be in agreement;
(vi)
Stating that they have not provided the Company’s management with any written
communication in accordance with Statement on Auditing Standards No. 60
“Communication of Internal Control Structure Related Matters Noted in an Audit;”
and
(vii)
Statements as to such other matters incident to the transaction contemplated
hereby as you may reasonably request.
4.4
Officers’
Certificates.
4.4.1
Officers’
Certificate.
At each
of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, the Representative
shall have received a certificate of the Company signed by the Chief Executive
Officer and the Secretary or Assistant Secretary of the Company, dated the
Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, respectively,
to
the effect that the Company has performed all covenants and complied with all
conditions required by this Agreement to be performed or complied with by the
Company prior to and as of the Closing Date, or the Option Closing Date, as
the
case may be, and that the conditions set forth in Section 4.5 hereof have been
satisfied as of such date and that, as of the Closing Date and the Option
Closing Date, as the case may be, the representations and warranties of the
Company set forth in Section 2 hereof are true and correct. In addition, the
Representative will have received such other and further certificates of
officers of the Company as the Representative may reasonably request.
4.4.2
Secretary’s
Certificate.
At each
of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, the Representative
shall have received a certificate of the Company signed by the Secretary or
Assistant Secretary of the Company, dated the Closing Date or the Option Closing
Date, as the case may be, respectively, certifying (i) that the Bylaws and
Certificate of Incorporation of the Company are true and complete, have not
been
modified and are in full force and effect, (ii) that the resolutions relating
to
the public offering contemplated by this Agreement are in full force and effect
and have not been modified, (iii) all correspondence between the Company or
its
counsel and the Commission, and (iv) as to the incumbency of the officers of
the
Company. The documents referred to in such certificate shall be attached to
such
certificate.
4.5
No
Material Changes.
Prior
to and on each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, (i)
there shall have been no material adverse change or development involving a
prospective material adverse change in the condition or prospects or the
business activities, financial or otherwise, of the Company from the latest
dates as of which such condition is set forth in the Registration Statement
and
Prospectus, (ii) no action suit or proceeding, at law or in equity, shall have
been pending or threatened against the Company or any Initial Stockholder before
or by any court or federal or state commission, board or other administrative
agency wherein an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding may materially
adversely affect the business, operations, prospects or financial condition
or
income of the Company, except as set forth in the Registration Statement and
Prospectus, (iii) no stop order shall have been issued under the Act and no
proceedings therefor shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission,
and (iv) the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any amendments or
supplements thereto shall contain all material statements which are required
to
be stated therein in accordance with the Act and the Regulations and shall
conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the
Regulations, and neither the Registration Statement nor the Prospectus nor
any
amendment or supplement thereto shall contain any untrue statement of a material
fact or omits to state any material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading.
4.6
Delivery
of Agreements.
On the
Effective Date, the Company shall have delivered to the Representative executed
copies of the Escrow Agreements, the Trust Agreement, the Warrant Agreement,
the
Private Placement Agreement, the Services Agreement and all of the Insider
Letters. On the Closing Date, the Company shall have delivered to the
Representative executed copies of the Representative’s Purchase Option.
4.7
Opinion
of Counsel for the Underwriters.
All
proceedings taken in connection with the authorization, issuance or sale of
the
Securities as herein contemplated shall be reasonably satisfactory in form
and
substance to you and to Xxxxxxx and you shall have received from such counsel
a
favorable opinion, dated the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any,
with respect to such of these proceedings as you may reasonably require. On
or
prior to the Effective Date, the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date,
as
the case may be, counsel for the Underwriters shall have been furnished such
documents, certificates and opinions as they may reasonably require for the
purpose of enabling them to review or pass upon the matters referred to in
this
Section 4.7, or in order to evidence the accuracy, completeness or satisfaction
of any of the representations, warranties or conditions herein contained.
16
4.8
Secondary
Market Trading Survey.
On the
Closing Date, the Representative shall have received the Secondary Market
Trading Survey from XxXxxxxxx.
5.
Indemnification.
5.1
Indemnification
of Underwriters.
5.1.1
General.
Subject
to the conditions set forth below, the Company agrees to indemnify and hold
harmless each of the Underwriters, and each dealer selected by you that
participates in the offer and sale of the Securities (each a “Selected
Dealer”)
and
each of their respective directors, officers and employees and each person,
if
any, who controls any such Underwriter (“controlling person”) within the meaning
of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act, against any
and
all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever (including but not
limited to any and all legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in
investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, commenced or
threatened, or any claim whatsoever, whether arising out of any action between
any of the Underwriters and the Company or between any of the Underwriters
and
any third party or otherwise) to which they or any of them may become subject
under the Act, the Exchange Act or any other statute or at common law or
otherwise or under the laws of foreign countries, arising out of or based upon
any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained
in
(i) any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus
(as
from time to time each may be amended and supplemented); (ii) any materials
or
information provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Company
in
connection with the marketing of the offering of the Securities, including
any
“road show” or investor presentations made to investors by the Company (whether
in person or electronically); or (iii) any application or other document or
written communication (in this Section 5, collectively called “application”)
executed by the Company or based upon written information furnished by the
Company in any jurisdiction in order to qualify the Units under the securities
laws thereof or filed with the Commission, any state securities commission
or
agency, Nasdaq or any securities exchange; or the omission or alleged omission
therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make
the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were
made, not misleading, unless such statement or omission was made in reliance
upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company with
respect to an Underwriter by or on behalf of such Underwriter expressly for
use
in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or Prospectus, or
any
amendment or supplement thereof, or in any application, as the case may be.
With
respect to any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or
omission made in the Preliminary Prospectus, the indemnity agreement contained
in this paragraph shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter to the
extent that any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense of such Underwriter
results from the fact that a copy of the Prospectus was not given or sent to
the
person asserting any such loss, liability, claim or damage at or prior to the
written confirmation of sale of the Securities to such person as required by
the
Act and the Regulations, and if the untrue statement or omission has been
corrected in the Prospectus, unless such failure to deliver the Prospectus
was a
result of non-compliance by the Company with its obligations under Section
3.4
hereof. The Company agrees promptly to notify the Representative of the
commencement of any litigation or proceedings against the Company or any of
its
officers, directors or controlling persons in connection with the issue and
sale
of the Securities or in connection with the Registration Statement or
Prospectus.
5.1.2
Procedure.
If any
action is brought against an Underwriter, a Selected Dealer or a controlling
person in respect of which indemnity may be sought against the Company pursuant
to Section 5.1.1, such Underwriter or Selected Dealer shall promptly notify
the
Company in writing of the institution of such action and the Company shall
assume the defense of such action, including the employment and fees of counsel
(subject to the reasonable approval of such Underwriter or Selected Dealer,
as
the case may be) and payment of actual expenses. Such Underwriter, Selected
Dealer or controlling person shall have the right to employ its or their own
counsel in any such case, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be
at
the expense of such Underwriter, Selected Dealer or controlling person unless
(i) the employment of such counsel at the expense of the Company shall have
been
authorized in writing by the Company in connection with the defense of such
action, or (ii) the Company shall not have employed counsel to have charge
of
the defense of such action, or (iii) such indemnified party or parties shall
have reasonably concluded that there may be defenses available to it or them
which are different from or additional to those available to the Company (in
which case the Company shall not have the right to direct the defense of such
action on behalf of the indemnified party or parties), in any of which events
the reasonable fees and expenses of not more than one additional firm of
attorneys selected by the Underwriter, Selected Dealer and/or controlling person
shall be borne by the Company. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary
contained herein, if the Underwriter, Selected Dealer or controlling person
shall assume the defense of such action as provided above, the Company shall
have the right to approve the terms of any settlement of such action which
approval shall not be unreasonably withheld.
17
5.2
Indemnification
of the Company.
Each
Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless
the Company, its directors, officers and employees and agents who control the
Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the
Exchange Act against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense
described in the foregoing indemnity from the Company to the several
Underwriters, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or
omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions made in any Preliminary
Prospectus, the Registration Statement or Prospectus or any amendment or
supplement thereto or in any application, in reliance upon, and in strict
conformity with, written information furnished to the Company with respect
to
such Underwriter by or on behalf of the Underwriter expressly for use in such
Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or Prospectus or any
amendment or supplement thereto or in any such application. In case any action
shall be brought against the Company or any other person so indemnified based
on
any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or Prospectus or any
amendment or supplement thereto or any application, and in respect of which
indemnity may be sought against any Underwriter, such Underwriter shall have
the
rights and duties given to the Company, and the Company and each other person
so
indemnified shall have the rights and duties given to the several Underwriters
by the provisions of Section 5.1.2.
5.3
Contribution.
5.3.1
Contribution
Rights.
In
order to provide for just and equitable contribution under the Act in any case
in which (i) any person entitled to indemnification under this Section 5 makes
claim for indemnification pursuant hereto but it is judicially determined (by
the entry of a final judgment or decree by a court of competent jurisdiction
and
the expiration of time to appeal or the denial of the last right of appeal)
that
such indemnification may not be enforced in such case notwithstanding the fact
that this Section 5 provides for indemnification in such case, or (ii)
contribution under the Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise may be required on
the
part of any such person in circumstances for which indemnification is provided
under this Section 5, then, and in each such case, the Company and the
Underwriters shall contribute to the aggregate losses, liabilities, claims,
damages and expenses of the nature contemplated by said indemnity agreement
incurred by the Company and the Underwriters, as incurred, in such proportions
that the Underwriters are responsible for that portion represented by the
percentage that the underwriting discount appearing on the cover page of the
Prospectus bears to the initial offering price appearing thereon and the Company
is responsible for the balance; provided, that, no person guilty of a fraudulent
misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be
entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 5.3.1, no
Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount
by which the total price at which the Public Securities underwritten by it
and
distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of
any
damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay in respect
of
such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses. For purposes of this
Section, each director, officer and employee of an Underwriter or the Company,
as applicable, and each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter or the
Company, as applicable, within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act shall have
the same rights to contribution as the Underwriters or the Company, as
applicable.
5.3.2
Contribution
Procedure.
Within
fifteen days after receipt by any party to this Agreement (or its
representative) of notice of the commencement of any action, suit or proceeding,
such party will, if a claim for contribution in respect thereof is to be made
against another party (“contributing party”), notify the contributing party of
the commencement thereof, but the omission to so notify the contributing party
will not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any other party
other than for contribution hereunder. In case any such action, suit or
proceeding is brought against any party, and such party notifies a contributing
party or its representative of the commencement thereof within the aforesaid
fifteen days, the contributing party will be entitled to participate therein
with the notifying party and any other contributing party similarly notified.
Any such contributing party shall not be liable to any party seeking
contribution on account of any settlement of any claim, action or proceeding
effected by such party seeking contribution on account of any settlement of
any
claim, action or proceeding effected by such party seeking contribution without
the written consent of such contributing party. The contribution provisions
contained in this Section are intended to supersede, to the extent permitted
by
law, any right to contribution under the Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise
available. The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section
5.3 are several and not joint.
6.
Default
by an Underwriter.
6.1
Default
Not Exceeding 10% of Firm Units or Option Units.
If any
Underwriter or Underwriters shall default in its or their obligations to
purchase the Firm Units or the Option Units, if the over-allotment option is
exercised, hereunder, and if the number of the Firm Units or Option Units with
respect to which such default relates does not exceed in the aggregate 10%
of
the number of Firm Units or Option Units that all Underwriters have agreed
to
purchase hereunder, then such Firm Units or Option Units to which the default
relates shall be purchased by the non-defaulting Underwriters in proportion
to
their respective commitments hereunder.
18
6.2
Default
Exceeding 10% of Firm Units or Option Units.
In the
event that the default addressed in Section 6.1 above relates to more than
10%
of the Firm Units or Option Units, you may in your discretion arrange for
yourself or for another party or parties to purchase such Firm Units or Option
Units to which such default relates on the terms contained herein. If within
one
business day after such default relating to more than 10% of the Firm Units
or
Option Units you do not arrange for the purchase of such Firm Units or Option
Units, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of one business
day within which to procure another party or parties satisfactory to you to
purchase said Firm Units or Option Units on such terms. In the event that
neither you nor the Company arrange for the purchase of the Firm Units or Option
Units to which a default relates as provided in this Section 6, this Agreement
will be terminated by you or the Company without liability on the part of the
Company (except as provided in Sections 3.13 and 5 hereof) or the several
Underwriters (except as provided in Section 5 hereof); provided, however, that
if such default occurs with respect to the Option Units, this Agreement will
not
terminate as to the Firm Units; and provided further that nothing herein shall
relieve a defaulting Underwriter of its liability, if any, to the other several
Underwriters and to the Company for damages occasioned by its default hereunder.
6.3
Postponement
of Closing Date.
In the
event that the Firm Units or Option Units to which the default relates are
to be
purchased by the non-defaulting Underwriters, or are to be purchased by another
party or parties as aforesaid, you or the Company shall have the right to
postpone the Closing Date or Option Closing Date for a reasonable period, but
not in any event exceeding five business days, in order to effect whatever
changes may thereby be made necessary in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus or in any other documents and arrangements, and the Company agrees
to
file promptly any amendment to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus
that
in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters may thereby be made necessary.
The term “Underwriter”
as
used
in this Agreement shall include any party substituted under this Section 6
with
like effect as if it had originally been a party to this Agreement with respect
to such Securities.
7.
Intentionally
Omitted.
8.
Additional
Covenants.
8.1
Intentionally
Omitted.
8.2
Additional
Shares or Options.
The
Company hereby agrees that until the Company consummates a Business Combination,
it shall not issue any shares of Common Stock or any options or other securities
convertible into Common Stock, or any shares of Preferred Stock which
participate in any manner in the Trust Account or which vote as a class with
the
Common Stock on a Business Combination.
8.3
Trust
Fund Waiver Acknowledgement.
The
Company hereby agrees that prior to commencing its due diligence investigations
of any operating business which the Company seeks to acquire (“Target
Business”)
or
entering into a letter of intent, an agreement in principle, or a definitive
agreement with any Target Business, the Company will require such Target
Business to execute an agreement waiving any right, title, interest or claim
of
any kind in or to the monies in the Trust Account, and the Company agrees that
it will not amend, waive, modify or supersede such waiver, whether in such
letter of intent, agreement in principle or definitive agreement or otherwise.
Further, the Company agrees that prior to obtaining the services of any vendor
it will use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the vendor to execute
a
waiver letter waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or
to
any monies in the Trust Account. It is understood that the Company may not
obtain such a waiver letter from vendors in some or all circumstances, and
in
the event that a vendor refuses to enter into such a waiver letter, the Company
may engage such vendor provided the Company determines that such engagement
would be in the best interest of the Company’s stockholders, based on
circumstances like the Company’s reasonable belief that it would be unable to
obtain, on a reasonable basis, substantially similar services from another
vendor willing to enter into such a waiver.
8.4
Insider
Letters.
The
Company shall not take any action or omit to take any action which would cause
a
breach of any of the Insider Letters executed between each of the Company's
five
percent stockholders, officers and directors and Xxxxxx Xxxxxx & Co. and
will not allow any amendments to, or waivers of, such Insider Letters without
the prior written consent of Xxxxxx Xxxxxx & Co.
8.5
Certificate
of Incorporation and Bylaws.
The
Company shall not take any action or omit to take any action that would cause
the Company to be in breach or violation of its Certificate of Incorporation
or
Bylaws. Prior to the consummation of a Business Combination, the Company will
not amend its Certificate of Incorporation without the prior written consent
of
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx & Co.
8.6
Blue
Sky Requirements.
The
Company shall provide counsel to the Representative with ten copies of all
proxy
information and all related material filed with the Commission in connection
with a Business Combination concurrently with such filing with the Commission.
In addition, the Company shall furnish any other state in which its initial
public offering was registered, such information as may be requested by such
state.
19
8.7
Intentionally
Omitted.
8.8
Acquisition/Liquidation
Procedure.
The
Company agrees: (i) that, prior to the consummation of any Business Combination,
it will submit such transaction to the Company’s stockholders for their approval
(“Business
Combination Vote”)
even
if the nature of the acquisition is such as would not ordinarily require
stockholder approval under applicable state law; and (ii) that, in the event
that the Company does not effect a Business Combination within 18 months from
the consummation of this Offering (subject to extension for an additional
six-month period, as described in the Prospectus), the Trust Account, together
with the other assets of the Company, will be liquidated and the Company and/or
the Trustee will distribute to all holders of IPO Shares (defined below) an
aggregate sum equal to the Company’s “Liquidation Value.” The Company’s
“Liquidation
Value”
shall
mean the Company’s book value, as determined by the Company and approved by GGK.
In no event, however, will the Company’s Liquidation Value be less than the
Trust Account, inclusive of any net interest income thereon (net of taxes on
such interest). Only holders of IPO Shares shall be entitled to receive
liquidating distributions and the Company shall pay no liquidating distributions
with respect to any other shares of capital stock of the Company. With respect
to the Business Combination Vote, the Company shall cause (a) all of the
Initial Stockholders other than GTI Holdings to vote the shares of Common
Stock owned by it immediately prior to this Offering in accordance with the
vote
of the holders of a majority of the IPO Shares present, in person or by proxy,
at a meeting of the Company’s stockholders called for such purpose and (b) GTI
Holdings to vote the Common Stock acquired by it in the Private Placement in
favor of the Business Combination. At the time the Company seeks approval of
any
potential Business Combination, the Company will offer each holder of the
Company’s Common Stock issued in this Offering (“IPO
Shares”)
the
right to convert their IPO Shares at a per share price (“Conversion
Price”)
equal
to the amount in the Trust Account (inclusive of any interest income therein,
net of taxes on such interest) calculated as of two business days prior to
the
consummation of the proposed Business Combination divided by the total number
of
IPO Shares. If holders of less than 20% in interest of the Company’s IPO Shares
elect to convert their IPO Shares, the Company may, but will not be required
to,
proceed with such Business Combination. If the Company elects to so proceed,
it
will convert shares, based upon the Conversion Price, from those holders of
IPO
Shares who affirmatively requested such conversion and who voted against the
Business Combination. If holders of 20% or more in interest of the IPO Shares,
who vote against approval of any potential Business Combination, elect to
convert their IPO Shares, the Company will not proceed with such Business
Combination and will not convert such shares.
8.9
Rule
419.
The
Company agrees that it will use its best efforts to prevent the Company from
becoming subject to Rule 419 under the Act prior to the consummation of any
Business Combination, including but not limited to using its best efforts to
prevent any of the Company’s outstanding securities from being deemed to be a
“xxxxx stock” as defined in Rule 3a-51-1 under the Exchange Act during such
period.
8.10
Affiliated
Transactions.
The
Company shall cause each of Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxx X. Xxx and Xxxxxxxx
X.
Xxxxxxxx to agree that, in order to minimize potential conflicts of interest
which may arise from multiple affiliations, he will present to the Company
for
its consideration, prior to presentation to any other person or company, any
suitable opportunity to acquire an operating business, until the earlier of
the
consummation by the Company of a Business Combination, the liquidation of the
Company or until such time as he ceases to be an officer or director of the
Company, subject to any pre-existing fiduciary obligations he might have.
8.11
Target
Net Assets.
The
Company agrees that the initial Target Business that it acquires must have
a
fair market value equal to at least 80% of the Company’s net assets at the time
of such acquisition (excluding the Contingent Underwriting Discount). The fair
market value of such business must be determined by the Board of Directors
of
the Company based upon standards generally accepted by the financial community,
such as actual and potential sales, earnings and cash flow and book value.
If
the Board of Directors of the Company is not able to independently determine
that the target business has a fair market value of at least 80% of the
Company’s fair market value at the time of such acquisition, the Company will
obtain an opinion from an unaffiliated, independent investment banking firm
which is a member of the NASD with respect to the satisfaction of such criteria.
The Company is not required to obtain an opinion from an investment banking
firm
as to the fair market value if the Company’s Board of Directors independently
determines that the Target Business does have sufficient fair market value.
9.
Representations
and Agreements to Survive Delivery.
Except
as the context otherwise requires, all representations, warranties and
agreements contained in this Agreement shall be deemed to be representations,
warranties and agreements as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date,
if
any, and such representations, warranties and agreements of the Underwriters
and
Company, including the indemnity agreements contained in Section 5 hereof,
shall
remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of any investigation
made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, the Company or any controlling person,
and shall survive termination of this Agreement or the issuance and delivery
of
the Securities to the several Underwriters until the earlier of the expiration
of any applicable statute of limitations and the seventh anniversary of the
later of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, if any, at which time
the
representations, warranties and agreements shall terminate and be of no further
force and effect.
20
10.
Effective
Date of This Agreement and Termination Thereof.
10.1
Effective
Date.
This
Agreement shall become effective on the Effective Date at the time the
Registration Statement is declared effective by the Commission.
10.2
Termination.
You
shall have the right to terminate this Agreement at any time prior to the
Closing Date, (i) if any domestic or international event or act or occurrence
has materially disrupted, or in your opinion will in the immediate future
materially disrupt, general securities markets in the United States; or (ii)
if
trading on the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq
Stock Market or on the NASD OTC Bulletin Board (or successor trading market)
shall have been suspended, or minimum or maximum prices for trading shall have
been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for securities shall have been fixed,
or maximum ranges for prices for securities shall have been required on the
NASD
OTC Bulletin Board or by order of the Commission or any other government
authority having jurisdiction, or (iii) if the United States shall have become
involved in a new war or an increase in major hostilities, or (iv) if a banking
moratorium has been declared by a New York State or federal authority, or (v)
if
a moratorium on foreign exchange trading has been declared which materially
and
adversely impacts the United States securities market, or (vi) if the Company
shall have sustained a material loss by fire, explosion, flood, accident,
hurricane, earthquake, theft, sabotage or other calamity or malicious act which,
whether or not such loss shall have been insured, will, in your opinion, make
it
inadvisable to proceed with the delivery of the Units, or (vii) if any of the
Company’s representations, warranties or covenants hereunder are breached, or
(viii) if the Representative shall have become aware after the date hereof
of
such a material adverse change in the conditions or prospects of the Company,
or
such adverse material change in general market conditions, including without
limitation as a result of terrorist activities after the date hereof, as in
the
Representative’s judgment would make it impracticable to proceed with the
offering, sale and/or delivery of the Units or to enforce contracts made by
the
Underwriters for the sale of the Public Securities.
10.3
Expenses.
In the
event that this Agreement shall not be carried out for any reason whatsoever,
within the time specified herein or any extensions thereof pursuant to the
terms
herein, the obligations of the Company to pay the out of pocket expenses related
to the transactions contemplated herein shall be governed by Section 3.13
hereof.
10.4
Indemnification.
Notwithstanding any contrary provision contained in this Agreement, any election
hereunder or any termination of this Agreement, and whether or not this
Agreement is otherwise carried out, the provisions of Section 5 shall not be
in
any way effected by, such election or termination or failure to carry out the
terms of this Agreement or any part hereof.
11.
Miscellaneous.
11.1
Notices.
All
communications hereunder, except as herein otherwise specifically provided,
shall be in writing and shall be mailed, delivered or telecopied and confirmed
and shall be deemed given when so delivered or telecopied and confirmed or
if
mailed, two days after such mailing
If
to the
Representative:
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx & Co. Inc.
000
Xxxxx
Xxxxxx 00xx Xxxxx
Xxx
Xxxx,
Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attn:
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Copy
to:
Benesch,
Friedlander, Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP
0000
XX
Xxxxx
000
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx,
Xxxx 00000
Attn:
Xxxxxxx Xxxx, Esq.
If
to the
Company:
000
Xxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxx
Xxxx,
XX 00000
Attn:
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx, Chairman
21
Copy
to:
XxXxxxxxx
Will & Xxxxx LLP
000
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx
Xxxx,
Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attn:
Xxxxxxx Older, Esq.
Attn:
Xxxx Xxxxxxxxxx, Esq.
11.2
Headings.
The
headings contained herein are for the sole purpose of convenience of reference,
and shall not in any way limit or affect the meaning or interpretation of any
of
the terms or provisions of this Agreement.
11.3
Amendment.
This
Agreement may only be amended by a written instrument executed by each of the
parties hereto.
11.4
Entire
Agreement.
This
Agreement (together with the other agreements and documents being delivered
pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement) constitute the entire
agreement of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and
thereof, and supersede all prior agreements and understandings of the parties,
oral and written, with respect to the subject matter hereof.
11.5
Binding
Effect.
This
Agreement shall inure solely to the benefit of and shall be binding upon the
Representative, the Underwriters, the Company and the controlling persons,
directors and officers referred to in Section 5 hereof, and their respective
successors, legal representatives and assigns, and no other person shall have
or
be construed to have any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or
in
respect of or by virtue of this Agreement or any provisions herein contained.
11.6
Governing
Law.
This
Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with
the
laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to conflict of laws. The
Company hereby agrees that any action, proceeding or claim against it arising
out of, relating in any way to this Agreement shall be brought and enforced
in
the courts of the State of New York of the United States of America for the
Southern District of New York, and irrevocably submits to such jurisdiction,
which jurisdiction shall be exclusive. The Company hereby waives any objection
to such exclusive jurisdiction and that such courts represent an inconvenient
forum. Any such process or summons to be served upon the Company may be served
by transmitting a copy thereof by registered or certified mail, return receipt
requested, postage prepaid, addressed to it at the address set forth in Section
11.1 hereof. Such mailing shall be deemed personal service and shall be legal
and binding upon the Company in any action, proceeding or claim. The Company
agrees that the prevailing party(ies) in any such action shall be entitled
to
recover from the other party(ies) all of its reasonable attorneys’ fees and
expenses relating to such action or proceeding and/or incurred in connection
with the preparation therefor.
11.7
Execution
in Counterparts.
This
Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, and by the different
parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be
an
original, but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same
agreement, and shall become effective when one or more counterparts has been
signed by each of the parties hereto and delivered to each of the other parties
hereto.
11.8
Waiver,
Etc.
The
failure of any of the parties hereto to at any time enforce any of the
provisions of this Agreement shall not be deemed or construed to be a waiver
of
any such provision, nor to in any way affect the validity of this Agreement
or
any provision hereof or the right of any of the parties hereto to thereafter
enforce each and every provision of this Agreement. No waiver of any breach,
non-compliance or non-fulfillment of any of the provisions of this Agreement
shall be effective unless set forth in a written instrument executed by the
party or parties against whom or which enforcement of such waiver is sought;
and
no waiver of any such breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment shall be
construed or deemed to be a waiver of any other or subsequent breach,
non-compliance or non-fulfillment.
If
the
foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding between the Underwriters and
the Company, please so indicate in the space provided below for that purpose,
whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding agreement between us.
Very
truly yours,
|
By:
|
||||
|
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxx |
||||
| Title: Chief Executive Officer |
22
Accepted
on the date first above written.
XXXXXX
XXXXXX & CO. INC.
|
By:
|
||||
|
|
||||
| Name:
Title: |
23
SCHEDULE
I
10,000,000
Units
|
Underwriter
|
Number
of Firm Units to be
Purchased
|
|
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx & Co. Inc.
|
|
|
Southwest
Securities, Inc.
|
|
|
GunnAllen
Financial, Inc.
|
|
|
Legend
Merchant Group, Inc.
|
24
