Exhibit B8
CUSTODIAN SERVICING AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT is made and entered into as of this 1st day of October,
1998, by and between Brazos Mutual Funds, Inc., a Delaware business trust
(hereinafter referred to as the "Trust"), and Firstar Bank Milwaukee, N.A., a
bank organized under the laws of the State of Wisconsin (hereinafter referred to
as the "Custodian" or the "Bank").
WHEREAS, the Trust is an open-end management investment company which is
registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940
Act");
WHEREAS, the Trust is authorized to create separate series, each with its
own separate investment portfolio; and
WHEREAS, the Trust desires that the securities and cash of the Small Cap
Growth Portfolio (the "Fund") and each additional series of the Trust listed on
Exhibit A attached hereto, as may be amended from time to time, shall be
hereafter held and administered by Custodian pursuant to the terms of this
Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements herein made, the
Trust and Custodian agree as follows:
1. Definitions
The word "securities" as used herein includes stocks, shares, bonds,
debentures, notes, mortgages or other obligations, and any certificates,
receipts, warrants or other instruments representing rights to receive, purchase
or subscribe for the same, or evidencing or representing any other rights or
interests therein, or in any property or assets.
The words "officers' certificate" shall mean a request or direction or
certification in writing signed in the name of the Trust by any two of the
President, a Vice President, the Secretary and the Treasurer of the Trust, or
any other persons duly authorized to sign by the Board of Trustees.
The word "Board" shall mean Board of Trustees of the Brazos Mutual Funds.
2. Names, Titles, and Signatures of the Company's Officers
An officer of the Trust will certify to Custodian the names and signatures
of those persons authorized to sign the officers' certificates described in
Section 1 hereof, and the names of the members of the Board of Trustees,
together with any changes which may occur from time to time.
3. Receipt and Disbursement of Money
A. Custodian shall open and maintain a separate account or accounts in the
name of each Fund, subject only to draft or order by Custodian acting pursuant
to the terms of this Agreement. Custodian shall hold in such account or
accounts, subject to the provisions hereof, all cash received by it from or for
the account of the Trust. Custodian shall make payments of cash to, or for the
account of, the Trust from such cash only:
(a) for the purchase of securities for the portfolio of the Fund upon the
delivery of such securities to Custodian, registered in the name of
the Trust or of the nominee of Custodian referred to in Section 7 or
in proper form for transfer;
(b) for the purchase or redemption of shares of the common stock of the
Fund upon delivery thereof to Custodian, or upon proper instructions
from the Trust;
(c) for the payment of interest, dividends, taxes, investment adviser's
fees or operating expenses (including, without limitation thereto,
fees for legal, accounting, auditing and custodian services and
expenses for printing and postage);
(d) for payments in connection with the conversion, exchange or surrender
of securities owned or subscribed to by the Fund held by or to be
delivered to Custodian; or
(e) for other proper corporate purposes certified by resolution of the
Board of Trustees of the Trust.
Before making any such payment, Custodian shall receive (and may rely
upon) an officers' certificate requesting such payment and stating that it is
for a purpose permitted under
the terms of items (a), (b), (c), or (d) of this Subsection A, and also, in
respect of item (e), upon receipt of an officers' certificate specifying the
amount of such payment, setting forth the purpose for which such payment is to
be made, declaring such purpose to be a proper corporate purpose, and naming the
person or persons to whom such payment is to be made, provided, however, that an
officers' certificate need not precede the disbursement of cash for the purpose
of purchasing a money market instrument, or any other security with same or
next-day settlement, if the President, a Vice President, the Secretary or the
Treasurer of the Trust issues appropriate oral or facsimile instructions to
Custodian and an appropriate officers' certificate is received by Custodian
within two business days thereafter.
B. Custodian is hereby authorized to endorse and collect all checks, drafts
or other orders for the payment of money received by Custodian for the account
of each Fund.
C. Custodian shall, upon receipt of proper instructions, make federal funds
available to the Trust as of specified times agreed upon from time to time by
the Trust and the Custodian in the amount of checks received in payment for
shares of the Fund which are deposited into the Fund's account.
D. If so directed by the Trust, Custodian will invest any and all available
cash in overnight cash-equivalent investments as specified by the investment
manager.
4. Segregated Accounts
Upon receipt of proper instructions, the Custodian shall establish and
maintain a segregated account(s) for and on behalf of each Fund, into which
account(s) may be transferred cash and/or securities.
5. Transfer, Exchange, Redelivery, etc. of Securities
Custodian shall have sole power to release or deliver any securities of the
Trust held by it pursuant to this Agreement. Custodian agrees to transfer,
exchange or deliver securities held by it hereunder only:
(a) for sales of such securities for the account of the Fund upon receipt
by Custodian of payment therefore;
(b) when such securities are called, redeemed or retired or otherwise
become payable;
(c) for examination by any broker selling any such securities in
accordance with "street delivery" custom;
(d) in exchange for, or upon conversion into, other securities alone or
other securities and cash whether pursuant to any plan of merger,
consolidation, reorganization, recapitalization or readjustment, or
otherwise;
(e) upon conversion of such securities pursuant to their terms into other
securities;
(f) upon exercise of subscription, purchase or other similar rights
represented by such securities;
(g) for the purpose of exchanging interim receipts or temporary securities
for definitive securities;
(h) for the purpose of redeeming in kind shares of common stock of the
Fund upon delivery thereof to Custodian; or
(i) for other proper corporate purposes.
As to any deliveries made by Custodian pursuant to items (a), (b), (d),
(e), (f), and (g), securities or cash receivable in exchange therefor shall be
deliverable to Custodian.
Before making any such transfer, exchange or delivery, Custodian shall
receive (and may rely upon) an officers' certificate requesting such transfer,
exchange or delivery, and stating that it is for a purpose permitted under the
terms of items (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g), or (h) of this Section 5 and
also, in respect of item (i), upon receipt of an officers' certificate
specifying the securities to be delivered, setting forth the purpose for which
such delivery is to be made, declaring such purpose to be a proper corporate
purpose, and naming the person or persons to whom delivery of such securities
shall be made, provided, however, that an officers' certificate need not precede
any such transfer, exchange or delivery of a money market instrument, or any
other security with same or next-day settlement, if the President, a Vice
President, the Secretary or the Treasurer of the Trust issues appropriate oral
or facsimile instructions to Custodian and an appropriate officers' certificate
is received by Custodian within two business days thereafter.
6. Custodian's Acts Without Instructions
Unless and until Custodian receives an officers' certificate to the
contrary, Custodian shall: (a) present for payment all coupons and other income
items held by it for the account of each Fund, which call for payment upon
presentation and hold the cash received by it upon such payment for the account
of the Fund; (b) collect interest and cash dividends received, with notice to
the Trust, for the account of the Fund; (c) hold for the account of the Fund
hereunder all stock dividends, rights and similar securities issued with respect
to any securities held by it hereunder; and (d) execute, as agent on behalf of
the Trust, all necessary ownership certificates required by the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code") or the Income Tax Regulations (the
"Regulations") of the United States Treasury Department (the "Treasury
Department") or under the laws of any state now or hereafter in effect,
inserting the Trust's name on such certificates as the owner of the securities
covered thereby, to the extent it may lawfully do so.
7. Registration of Securities
Except as otherwise directed by an officers' certificate, Custodian shall
register all securities, except such as are in bearer form, in the name of a
registered nominee of Custodian as defined in the Internal Revenue Code and any
Regulations of the Treasury Department issued thereunder or in any provision of
any subsequent federal tax law exempting such transaction from liability for
stock transfer taxes, and shall execute and deliver all such certificates in
connection therewith as may be required by such laws or regulations or under the
laws of any state. All securities held by Custodian hereunder shall be at all
times identifiable in its records held in an account or accounts of Custodian
containing only the assets of the particular Fund.
The Trust shall from time to time furnish to Custodian appropriate
instruments to enable Custodian to hold or deliver in proper form for transfer,
or to register in the name of its registered nominee, any securities which it
may hold for the account of the Trust and which may from time to time be
registered in the name of the Trust.
8. Voting and Other Action
Neither Custodian nor any nominee of Custodian shall vote any of the
securities held hereunder by or for the account of a Fund, except in accordance
with the instructions contained in an officers' certificate. Custodian shall
deliver, or cause to be executed and delivered, to the Trust all notices,
proxies and proxy soliciting materials with respect to such securities, such
proxies to be executed by the registered holder of such securities (if
registered otherwise than in the name of the Trust), but without indicating the
manner in which such proxies are to be voted.
9. Transfer Tax and Other Disbursements
The Trust shall pay or reimburse Custodian from time to time for any
transfer taxes payable upon transfers of securities made hereunder, and for all
other necessary and proper disbursements and expenses made or incurred by
Custodian in the performance of this Agreement.
Custodian shall execute and deliver such certificates in connection with
securities delivered to it or by it under this Agreement as may be required
under the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code and any Regulations of the
Treasury Department issued thereunder, or under the laws of any state, to exempt
from taxation any exempt transfers and/or deliveries of any such securities.
10. Concerning Custodian
Custodian shall be paid as compensation for its services pursuant to this
Agreement such compensation as may from time to time be agreed upon in writing
between the two parties. Until modified in writing, such compensation shall be
as set forth in Exhibit A attached hereto. Notwithstanding anything to the
contrary, amounts owed by the Trust to the Bank shall only be paid out of the
assets and property of the particular Fund involved.
Custodian shall not be liable for any action taken in good faith and
without negligence and willful misconduct upon any certificate herein described
or certified copy of any resolution of the Board, and may rely on the
genuineness of any such document which it may in good faith believe to have been
validly executed.
The Trust agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Custodian and its nominee
from all taxes, charges, expenses, assessments, claims and liabilities
(including reasonable counsel fees) incurred or assessed against it or by its
nominee in connection with the performance of this Agreement, except such as may
arise from its or its nominee's own bad faith, negligent action, negligent
failure to act or willful misconduct. In the event of any advance of cash for
any purpose made by Custodian resulting from orders or instructions of the
Trust, any property at any time held for the account of the Trust shall be
security therefor.
Custodian agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Trust from all charges,
expenses, assessments, and claims/liabilities (including reasonable counsel
fees) incurred or assessed against it in connection with the performance of this
Agreement, except such as may arise from the Fund's own bad faith, negligent
action, negligent failure to act, or willful misconduct.
The Bank is hereby expressly put on notice of the limitation of shareholder
liability as set forth in the Trust Instrument of the Trust and agrees that
obligations assumed by the Trust pursuant to this Agreement shall be limited in
all cases to the Trust and its assets, and if the liability relates to one or
more series, the obligations hereunder shall be limited to the respective assets
of such series. The Bank further agrees that it shall not seek satisfaction of
any such obligation from the shareholder or any individual shareholder of a
series of the Trust, nor from the Trustees or any individual Trustee of the
Trust.
11. Subcustodians
Custodian is hereby authorized to engage another bank or trust company as a
subcustodian for all or any part of the Company's assets, so long as any such
bank or trust company is itself qualified under the 1940 Act and the rules and
regulations thereunder and provided further that, if the Custodian utilizes the
services of a subcustodian, the Custodian shall remain fully liable and
responsible for any losses caused to the Trust by the subcustodian as fully as
if the Custodian was directly responsible for any such losses under the terms of
this Agreement.
Notwithstanding anything contained herein, if the Trust requires the
Custodian to engage specific subcustodians for the safekeeping and/or clearing
of assets, the Trust agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Custodian from all
claims, expenses and liabilities incurred or assessed against it in connection
with the use of such subcustodian in regard to the Company's assets, except as
may arise from Custodian's own bad faith, negligent action, negligent failure to
act or willful misconduct.
12. Reports by Custodian
Custodian shall furnish the Trust periodically as agreed upon with a
statement summarizing all transactions and entries for the account of Trust.
Custodian shall furnish to the Trust, at the end of every month, a list of the
portfolio securities for the Fund showing the aggregate cost of each issue. The
books and records of Custodian pertaining to its actions under
this Agreement shall be open to inspection and audit at reasonable times by
officers of, and by auditors employed by, the Trust.
13. Termination or Assignment
This Agreement may be terminated by the Trust, or by Custodian, on ninety
(90) days notice, given in writing and sent by registered mail to:
Firstar Mutual Fund Services, LLC
000 Xxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
or to the Company at:
Xxxx XxXxxx Investment Counsel
0000 Xxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxx, XX 00000
as the case may be. Upon any termination of this Agreement, pending appointment
of a successor to Custodian or a vote of the shareholders of the Fund to
dissolve or to function without a custodian of its cash, securities and other
property, Custodian shall not deliver cash, securities or other property of the
Fund to the Trust, but may deliver them to a bank or trust company of its own
selection that meets the requirements of the 1940 Act as a Custodian for the
Trust to be held under terms similar to those of this Agreement, provided,
however, that Custodian shall not be required to make any such delivery or
payment until full payment shall have been made by the Trust of all liabilities
constituting a charge on or against the properties then held by Custodian or on
or against Custodian, and until full payment shall have been made to Custodian
of all its fees, compensation, costs and expenses, subject to the provisions of
Section 10 of this Agreement.
This Agreement may not be assigned by Custodian without the consent of the
Trust, authorized or approved by a resolution of its Board of Trustees.
14. Deposits of Securities in Securities Depositories
No provision of this Agreement shall be deemed to prevent the use by
Custodian of a central securities clearing agency or securities depository,
provided, however, that Custodian and the central securities clearing agency or
securities depository meet all applicable federal and state laws and
regulations, and the Board of Trustees of the Trust approves by resolution the
use of such central securities clearing agency or securities depository.
15. Records
Custodian shall keep records relating to its services to be performed
hereunder, in the form and manner, and for such period, as it may deem advisable
and is agreeable to the Trust but not inconsistent with the rules and
regulations of appropriate government authorities, in particular Section 31 of
the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder. Custodian agrees that all such records
prepared or maintained by the Custodian relating to the services performed by
Custodian hereunder are the property of the Trust and will be preserved,
maintained, and made available in accordance with such section and rules of the
1940 Act and will be promptly surrendered to the Trust on and in accordance with
its request.
16. Governing Law
This Agreement shall be governed by Wisconsin law. However, nothing herein
shall be construed in a manner inconsistent with the 1940 Act or any rule or
regulation promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder.
17. Proprietary and Confidential Information
The Custodian agrees on behalf of itself and its directors, officers, and
employees to treat confidentially and as proprietary information of the Trust
all records and other information relative to the Trust and prior, present, or
potential shareholders of the Trust (and clients of said shareholders), and not
to use such records and information for any purpose other than the performance
of its responsibilities and duties hereunder, except after prior notification to
and approval in writing by the Trust, which approval shall not be unreasonably
withheld and may not be withheld where the Custodian may be exposed to civil or
criminal contempt proceedings for failure to comply, when requested to divulge
such information by duly constituted authorities, or when so requested by the
Trust.
18. No Agency Relationship
Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize or empower the Bank
to act as agent for the other party to this Agreement, or to conduct business in
the name of, or for the account of the other party to this Agreement.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
executed by a duly authorized officer or one or more counterparts as of the day
and year first written above.
BRAZOS MUTUAL FUNDS FIRSTAR BANK MILWAUKEE, N.A.
By:______________________________ By: ________________________________
Attest: __________________________ Attest: ___________________________
Custody Services
Annual Fee Schedule - Domestic Funds
Exhibit A
Separate Series of Brazos Mutual Funds
Name of Series Date Added
Small Cap Growth Portfolio October 1, 1998
Micro Cap Growth Portfolio October 1, 1998
Real Estate Securities Portfolio October 1, 1998
Annual fee based upon market value
2 basis points per year
Minimum annual fee per fund - $3,000
Investment transactions (purchase, sale, exchange, tender, redemption, maturity,
receipt, delivery):
$12.00 per book entry security (depository or Federal Reserve system)
$25.00 per definitive security (physical)
$25.00 per mutual fund trade
$75.00 per Euroclear
$ 8.00 per principal reduction on pass-through certificates
$35.00 per option/futures contract
$15.00 per variation margin
$15.00 per Fed wire deposit or withdrawal
Variable Amount Demand Notes: Used as a short-term investment, variable amount
notes offer safety and prevailing high interest rates. Our charge, which is 1/4
of 1%, is deducted from the variable amount note income at the time it is
credited to your account.
Plus out-of-pocket expenses, and extraordinary expenses based upon complexity
Fees and out-of-pocket expenses are billed to the fund monthly, based upon
market value at the beginning of the month
