AMENDED AND RESTATED
INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT
THIS AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT, entered into as of the 15th day of March,
1999, by and between THE NOTTINGHAM INVESTMENT TRUST II (the "Trust"), a
Massachusetts business trust, and XXXXXXXX, XXXXX & XXXXXX ASSET MANAGEMENT,
INC., a Virginia corporation (the "Advisor"), registered as an investment
adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended.
WHEREAS, the Trust is registered as a diversified, open-end management
investment company of the series type under the Investment Company Act of 1940,
as amended (the "1940 Act"); and
WHEREAS, the Trust desires to retain the Advisor to furnish investment advisory
and administrative services to each series of the Trust set forth in Exhibit A
(each a "Fund," collectively the "Funds"), as amended from time to time, and the
Advisor is willing to so furnish such services;
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and mutual covenants herein
contained, it is agreed between the parties hereto as follows:
1. Appointment. The Trust hereby appoints the Advisor to act as Investment
Advisor to each Fund for the period and on the terms set forth in this
Agreement. The Advisor accepts such appointment and agrees to furnish
the services herein set forth, for the compensation herein provided.
2. Delivery of Documents. The Trust will furnish the Advisor with copies
properly certified or authenticated of each of the following:
(a) The Trust's Declaration of Trust, as filed with the State of
Massachusetts (such Declaration, as presently in effect and as
it shall from time to time be amended, is herein called the
"Declaration");
(b) The Trust's By-Laws (such By-Laws, as presently in effect and
as they shall from time to time be amended, are herein called
the "By-Laws");
(c) Resolutions of the Trust's Board of Trustees authorizing the
appointment of the Advisor and approving this Agreement;
(d) The Trust' Registration Statement on Form N-1A under the 1940
Act and under the Securities Act of 1933 as amended, (the
"1933 Act"), relating to shares of beneficial interest of each
Fund (herein called the "Shares") as filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and all amendments thereto;
(e) Each Fund's Prospectus (such Prospectus, as presently in
effect and all amendments and supplements thereto are herein
called the "Prospectus").
The Trust will furnish the Advisor from time to time with copies,
properly certified or authenticated, of all amendments of or
supplements to the foregoing at the same time as such documents are
required to be filed with the SEC.
3. Management. Subject to the supervision of the Trust's Board of
Trustees, the Advisor will provide a continuous investment program for
each Fund, including investment research and management with respect to
all securities, investments, cash and cash equivalents in each Fund.
The Advisor will determine from time to time what securities and other
investments will be purchased, retained or sold by each Fund. The
Advisor will provide the services under this Agreement in accordance
with each Fund's investment objectives, policies and restrictions as
stated in the Prospectus. The Advisor further agrees that it:
(a) Will conform its activities to all applicable Rules and
Regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and
will, in addition, conduct its activities under this Agreement
in accordance with regulations or any other Federal or State
agencies which may now or in the future have jurisdiction over
its activities under this Agreement.
(b) Will place orders pursuant to its investment determinations
for each Fund either directly with the issuer or with any
broker or dealer. In placing orders with brokers or dealers,
the Advisor will attempt to obtain the best net price and the
most favorable execution of its orders. Consistent with this
obligation, when the Advisor believes two or more brokers or
dealers are comparable in price and execution, the Advisor may
prefer: (i) brokers or dealers who provide research advice and
other services for each Fund, or who recommend or sell shares
of each Fund, and (ii) brokers who are affiliated with the
Trust or its Advisor(s), provided, however, that in no
instance will portfolio securities be purchased from or sold
to the Advisor or any affiliated person of the Advisor in
principal transactions;
(c) Will provide certain executive personnel for the Trust as may
be mutually agreed upon from time to time with the Board of
Trustees, the salaries and expenses of such personnel to be
borne by the Advisor unless otherwise mutually agreed upon;
and
(d) Will provide, at its own cost, all office space, facilities
and equipment necessary for the conduct of its advisory
activities on behalf of each Fund.
4. Services Not Exclusive. The advisory services furnished by the Advisor
hereunder are not to be deemed exclusive, and the Advisor shall be free
to furnish similar services to others so long as its services under
this Agreement are not impaired thereby provided, however, that without
the written consent of the Trustees, the Advisor will not serve as
investment advisor to any other investment company having a similar
investment objective to that of any Fund.
5. Books and Records. In compliance with the requirements of Rule 31a-3
under the 1940 Act, the Advisor hereby agrees that all records which it
maintains for the benefit of the Trust are the property of the Trust
and further agrees to surrender promptly to the Trust any of such
records upon the Fund's request. The Advisor further agrees to preserve
for the periods prescribed by Rule 31a-2 under the 1940 Act the records
required to be maintained by it pursuant to Rule 31a-1 under the Act
that are not maintained by others on behalf of the Trust.
6. Expenses. During the term of this Agreement, the Advisor will pay all
expenses incurred by it in connection with its investment advisory
services pertaining to each Fund. In the event that there is no
distribution plan under Rule 12b-1 of the 1940 Act in effect for a
particular Fund, the Advisor will pay, out of the Advisor's resources
generated from sources other than fees received from the Trust, the
entire cost of the promotion and sale of that Fund's shares.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Trust shall pay the expenses and
costs of the following (as they pertain to each Fund):
(a) Taxes, interest charges and extraordinary expenses;
(b) Brokerage fees and commissions with regard to portfolio
transactions of each Fund;
(c) Fees and expenses of the custodian of each Fund's portfolio
securities;
(d) Fees and expenses of the Trust's administrator, transfer and
dividend disbursing agent and the Trust's fund accounting
agent or, if the Trust performs any such services without an
agent, the costs of the same;
(e) Auditing and legal expenses;
(f) Cost of maintenance of the Trust's existence as a legal
entity;
(g) Compensation of trustees who are not interested persons of the
Advisor as that term is defined by applicable laws;
(h) Costs of Trust meetings;
(i) Federal and State registration or qualification fees and
expenses;
(j) Costs of setting in type, printing and mailing Prospectuses,
reports and notices to existing shareholders;
(k) The investment advisory fee payable to the Advisor, as
provided in paragraph 7 herein; and
(l) Plan of Distribution expenses, but only in accordance with the
Plan of Distribution as approved by the shareholders of each
Fund.
7. Compensation. The Trust will pay the Advisor and the Advisor will
accept as full compensation an investment advisory fee, based upon the
average daily net assets of each Fund, computed at the end of each
month and payable within five (5) business days thereafter, based upon
the schedule attached hereto as Exhibit A.
8(a) Limitation of Liability. The Advisor shall not be liable for any error
of judgment, mistake of law or for any other loss whatsoever suffered
by the Trust in connection with the performance of this Agreement,
except a loss resulting from a breach of fiduciary duty with respect to
the receipt of compensation for services or a loss resulting from
willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of the
Advisor in the performance of its duties or from reckless disregard by
it of its obligations and duties under this Agreement.
8(b) Indemnification of Advisor. Subject to the limitations set forth in
this Subsection 8(b), the Trust shall indemnify, defend and hold
harmless (from the assets of the Trust or Trusts to which the conduct
in question relates) the Advisor against all loss, damage and
liability, including but not limited to amounts paid in satisfaction of
judgments, in compromise or as fines and penalties, and expenses,
including reasonable accountants' and counsel fees, incurred by the
Advisor in connection with the defense or disposition of any action,
suit or other proceeding, whether civil or criminal, before any court
or administrative or legislative body, related to or resulting from
this Agreement or the performance of services hereunder, except with
respect to any matter as to which it has been determined that the loss,
damage or liability is a direct result of (i) a breach of fiduciary
duty with respect to the receipt of compensation for services, or (ii)
willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of the
Advisor in the performance of its duties or from reckless disregard by
it of its duties under this Agreement (either and both of the conduct
described in clauses (i) and (ii) above being referred to hereinafter
as "Disabling Conduct"). A determination that the Advisor is entitled
to indemnification may be made by (i) a final decision on the merits by
a court or other body before whom the proceeding was brought that the
Advisor was not liable by reason of Disabling Conduct, (ii) dismissal
of a court action or an administrative proceeding against the Advisor
for insufficiency of evidence of Disabling Conduct, or (iii) a
reasonable determination, based upon a review of the facts, that the
Advisor was not liable by reason of Disabling Conduct by, (a) vote of a
majority of a quorum of Trustees who are neither "interested persons"
of the Trust as the quoted phrase is defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the
1940 Act nor parties to the action, suit or other proceeding on the
same or similar grounds that is then or has been pending or threatened
(such quorum of such Trustees being referred to hereinafter as the
"Independent Trustees"), or (b) an independent legal counsel in a
written opinion. Expenses, including accountants and counsel fees so
incurred by the Advisor (but excluding amounts paid in satisfaction of
judgment, in compromise or as fines or penalties), may be paid from
time to time by the Fund or Funds to which the conduct in question
related in advance of the final disposition of any action, suit or
proceeding; provided, that the Advisor shall have undertaken to repay
the amounts so paid if it is ultimately determined that indemnification
of such expenses is not authorized under this Subsection 8(b) and if
(i) the Advisor shall have provided security for such undertaking, (ii)
the Trust shall be insured against losses arising by reason of any
lawful advances, or (iii) a majority of the Independent Trustees, or an
independent legal counsel in a written opinion, shall have determined,
based on a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full
trial-type inquiry), that there is reason to believe that the Advisor
ultimately will be entitled to indemnification hereunder.
As to any matter disposed of by a compromise payment by the Advisor
referred to in this Subsection 8(b), pursuant to a consent decree or
otherwise, no such indemnification either for said payment or for any
other expenses shall be provided unless such indemnification shall be
approved (i) by a majority of the Independent Trustees or (ii) by an
independent legal counsel in a written opinion. Approval by the
Independent Trustees pursuant to clause (i) shall not prevent the
recovery from the Advisor of any amount paid to the Advisor in
accordance with either of such clauses as indemnification of the
Advisor is subsequently adjudicated by a court of competent
jurisdiction not to have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief
that the Advisor's action was in or not opposed to the best interest of
a Fund or to have been liable to a Fund or its Shareholders by reason
of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless
disregard of the duties involved in its conduct under the Agreement.
The right of indemnification provided by this Subsection 8(b) shall not
be exclusive of or affect any of the rights to which the Advisor may be
entitled. Nothing contained in this Subsection 8(b) shall affect any
rights to indemnification to which Trustees, officers or other
personnel of the Trust, and other persons may be entitled by contract
or otherwise under law, nor the power of the Trust to purchase and
maintain liability insurance on behalf of any such person.
The Board of Trustees of the Trust shall take all such action as may be
necessary and appropriate to authorize the Trust hereunder to pay the
indemnification required by this Subsection 8(b) including, without
limitation, to the extent needed, to determine whether the Advisor is
entitled to indemnification hereunder and the reasonable amount of any
indemnity due it hereunder, or employ independent legal counsel for
that purpose.
8(c) The provisions contained in Section 8 shall survive the expiration or
other termination of this Agreement, shall be deemed to include and
protect the Advisor and its directors, officers, employees and agents
and shall inure to the benefit of its/their respective successors,
assigns and personal representatives.
9. Duration and Termination. With respect to any new Fund of the Trust
that is advised by the Advisor, this Agreement shall continue in effect
for an initial two year period from the date such new Fund is added to
this Agreement, as set forth in Exhibit A, unless sooner terminated as
provided herein. Unless terminated as herein provided, this Agreement
shall continue in effect, with respect to each Fund (after its initial
two year term), for successive periods of one year each, provided such
continuance is specifically approved annually:
a. By the vote of a majority of those members of the Board of
Trustees who are not parties to this Agreement or interested
persons of any such party (as that term is defined in the 1940
Act), cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of
voting on such approval; and
b. By vote of either the Board of Trustees or a majority (as that
term is defined in the 0000 Xxx) of the outstanding voting
securities of each Fund.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement may be terminated, with
respect to any Fund, by The Trust or by the Advisor at any time on
sixty (60) days' written notice, without the payment of any penalty,
provided that termination by The Trust must be authorized either by
vote of the Board of Trustees or by vote of a majority of the
outstanding voting securities of each Fund. This Agreement will
automatically terminate in the event of its assignment (as that term is
defined in the 1940 Act).
10. Amendment of this Agreement. No provision of this Agreement may be
changed, waived, discharged or terminated orally, but only by a written
instrument signed by the party against which enforcement of the change,
waiver, discharge or termination is sought. No material amendment of
this Agreement shall be effective as to any Fund until approved by vote
of the holders of a majority of that Fund's outstanding voting
securities (as defined in the 1940 Act).
11. Miscellaneous. The captions in this Agreement are included for
convenience of reference only and in no way define or limit any of the
provisions hereof or otherwise affect their construction or effect. If
any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid by a
court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of the
Agreement shall not be affected thereby. This Agreement shall be
binding and shall inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their
respective successors.
12. Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with,
and governed by, the laws of the State of North Carolina.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this instrument to be
executed by their officers designated below as of the day and year first above
written.
ATTEST: THE NOTTINGHAM INVESTMENT TRUST II
By: ______________________________ By: ______________________________
Title: ___________________________ Title: ___________________________
ATTEST: XXXXXXXX, XXXXX & XXXXXX ASSET
MANAGEMENT, INC
By: ______________________________ By: ______________________________
Title: ___________________________ Title: ___________________________
EXHIBIT A
to the
AMENDED AND RESTATED
INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT
INVESTMENT ADVISOR'S COMPENSATION SCHEDULE
For the services set forth in the AMENDED AND RESTATED INVESTMENT ADVISORY
AGREEMENT, the Advisor shall be compensated monthly, as of the last day of each
month, within five business days of the month end, a fee based upon average
daily net assets of each Fund specified below according to the following
schedule.
WST Growth and Income Fund
March 15, 1999 (date added to this Agreement)
Net Assets Annual Fee
---------- ----------
On the first $250 million 0.75%
On all assets over $250 million 0.65%
ATTEST: THE NOTTINGHAM INVESTMENT TRUST II
By: ______________________________ By: ______________________________
Title: ___________________________ Title: ___________________________
ATTEST: XXXXXXXX, XXXXX & XXXXXX ASSET
MANAGEMENT, INC
By: ______________________________ By: ______________________________
Title: ___________________________ Title: ___________________________
