EX-99.23.d.xxiv
MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT
TO: Unified Investment Advisers, Inc.
000 X. Xxxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx 00000
Dear Sirs:
AmeriPrime Advisors Trust (the "Trust") herewith confirms our agreement
with you.
The Trust has been organized to engage in the business of an investment
company. The Trust currently offers several series of shares to investors, one
of which is the Liquid Green Money Market Fund (the "Fund").
You have been selected to act as the sole investment adviser of the
Fund, and to provide certain other services, as more fully set forth below, and
you are willing to act as such investment adviser and to perform such services
under the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth. Accordingly, the Trust
agrees with you as follows upon the date of the execution of this Agreement.
1. ADVISORY SERVICES
You will regularly provide the Fund with such investment advice as you in
your discretion deem advisable and will furnish a continuous investment program
for the Fund consistent with the Fund's investment objective and policies. You
will determine the securities to be purchased for the Fund, the portfolio
securities to be held or sold by the Fund and the portion of the Fund's assets
to be held uninvested, subject always to the Fund's investment objective,
policies and restrictions, as each of the same shall be from time to time in
effect, and subject further to such policies and instructions as the Board of
Trustees of the Trust (the "Board") may from time to time establish. You will
advise and assist the officers of the Trust in taking such steps as are
necessary or appropriate to carry out the decisions of the Board and the
appropriate committees of the Board regarding the conduct of the business of the
Fund.
2. ALLOCATION OF CHARGES AND EXPENSES
You will pay all operating expenses (other than expenses which may be
deemed to be related to the distribution of the Fund's shares under the
Distribution Plan or expenses incurred under the Shareholder Services Plan) of
the Fund, including the compensation and expenses of any employees of the Fund
and of any other persons rendering any services to the Fund; clerical and
shareholder service staff salaries; office space and other office expenses; fees
and expenses incurred by the Fund in connection with membership in investment
company organizations; legal, auditing and accounting expenses;
non-organizational expenses of registering shares under federal and state
securities laws; insurance expenses; fees and expenses of the custodian,
transfer agent, dividend disbursing agent, administrator, accounting and pricing
services agent of the Fund; expenses, including clerical expenses, of issue,
sale, redemption or repurchase of shares of the Fund; the cost of preparing and
distributing reports and notices to shareholders, the cost of printing or
preparing prospectuses and statements of additional information for delivery to
[the Fund's current] shareholders; the cost of printing or preparing stock
certificates or any other documents, statements or reports to shareholders;
expenses of shareholders' meetings and proxy solicitations; and all other
operating expenses not specifically assumed by the Fund.
The Fund will pay all brokerage fees and commissions, taxes, interest,
expenses incurred by the Fund in connection with the organization and initial
registration of shares of the Fund, expenses incurred under the Distribution
Plan, expenses incurred under the Shareholder Services Plan and such
extraordinary or non-recurring expenses as may arise, including litigation to
which the Fund may be a party and indemnification of the Trust's Trustees and
officers with respect thereto. You may obtain reimbursement from the Fund, at
such time or times as you may determine in your sole discretion, for any of the
expenses advanced by you, which the Fund is obligated to pay, and such
reimbursement shall not be considered to be part of your compensation pursuant
to this Agreement.
3. COMPENSATION OF THE ADVISER
For all of the services to be rendered and payments to be made as provided
in this Agreement, as of the last business day of each month, the Fund will pay
you a fee based on the average value of its daily net assets at the annual rate
of 0.90%.
The average value of the daily net assets of the Fund shall be determined
pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Agreement and Declaration of Trust
of the Trust or a resolution of the Board, if required. If, pursuant to such
provisions, the determination of net asset value of the Fund is suspended for
any particular business day, then for the purposes of this paragraph, the value
of the net assets of the Fund as last determined shall be deemed to be the value
of the net assets as of the close of the business day, or as of such other time
as the value of the Fund's net assets may lawfully be determined, on that day.
If the determination of the net asset value of the Fund has been suspended for a
period including such month, your compensation payable at the end of such month
shall be computed on the basis of the value of the net assets of the Fund as
last determined (whether during or prior to such month).
4. EXECUTION OF PURCHASE AND SALE ORDERS
In connection with purchases or sales of portfolio securities for the
account of the Fund, it is understood that you will arrange for the placing of
all orders for the purchase and sale of portfolio securities for the account
with brokers or dealers selected by you, subject to review of this selection by
the Board from time to time. You will be responsible for the negotiation and the
allocation of principal business and portfolio brokerage. In the selection of
such brokers or dealers and the placing of such orders, you are directed at all
times to seek for the Fund the best qualitative execution, taking into account
such factors as price (including the applicable brokerage commission or dealer
spread), the execution capability, financial responsibility and responsiveness
of the broker or dealer and the brokerage and research services provided by the
broker or dealer.
You should generally seek favorable prices and commission rates that are
reasonable in relation to the benefits received. In seeking best qualitative
execution, you are authorized to select brokers or dealers who also provide
brokerage and research services (as those terms are defined in Section 28(e) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) to the Fund and/or the other accounts over
which you exercise investment discretion. You are authorized to pay a broker or
dealer who provides such brokerage and research services a commission for
executing a Fund portfolio transaction which is in excess of the amount of
commission another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting that
transaction if you determine in good faith that the amount of the commission is
reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services
provided by the executing broker or dealer. The determination may be viewed in
terms of either a particular transaction or your overall responsibilities with
respect to the Fund and to accounts over which you exercise investment
discretion. The Fund and you understand and acknowledge that, although the
information may be useful to the Fund and you, it is not possible to place a
dollar value on such information. The Board shall periodically review the
commissions paid by the Fund to determine if the commissions paid over
representative periods of time were reasonable in relation to the benefits to
the Fund.
Consistent with the Rules of Fair Practice of the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc., and subject to seeking best qualitative execution as
described above, you may give consideration to sales of shares of the Fund as a
factor in the selection of brokers and dealers to execute Fund portfolio
transactions.
Subject to the provisions of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "1940
Act"), as amended, and other applicable law, you, any of your affiliates or any
affiliates of your affiliates may retain compensation in connection with
effecting the Fund's portfolio transactions, including transactions effected
through others. If any occasion should arise in which you give any advice to
clients of yours concerning the shares of the Fund, you will act solely as
investment counsel for such client and not in any way on behalf of the Fund.
Your services to the Fund pursuant to this Agreement are not to be deemed to be
exclusive and it is understood that you may render investment advice, management
and other services to others, including other registered investment companies.
5. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY OF ADVISER
You may rely on information reasonably believed by you to be accurate and
reliable. Except as may otherwise be required by the 1940 Act or the rules
thereunder, neither you nor your officers, directors, employees, agents, control
persons or affiliates of any thereof shall be subject to any liability for, or
any damages, expenses or losses incurred by the Trust in connection with, any
error of judgment, mistake of law, any act or omission connected with or arising
out of any services rendered under, or payments made pursuant to, this Agreement
or any other matter to which this Agreement relates, except by reason of willful
misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of any such persons in
the performance of your duties under this Agreement, or by reason of reckless
disregard by any of such persons of your obligations and duties under this
Agreement.
Any person, even though also a director, officer, employee or agent of you,
who may be or become a Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Trust, shall
be deemed, when rendering services to the Trust or acting on any business of the
Trust (other than services or business in connection with your duties
hereunder), to be rendering such services to or acting solely for the Trust and
not as a director, officer, employee or agent of you, or one under your control
or direction, even though paid by you.
6. DURATION AND TERMINATION OF THIS AGREEMENT
This Agreement shall take effect on the date of its execution, and shall
remain in force for a period of two (2) years from the date of its execution
with respect to the Fund, and from year to year thereafter, subject to annual
approval by (i) the Board or (ii) a vote of a majority (as defined in the 0000
Xxx) of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, provided that in either
event continuance is also approved by a majority of the Trustees who are not
"interested persons," as defined in the 1940 Act, of you or the Trust, by a vote
cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting such approval.
If the shareholders of the Fund fail to approve the Agreement in the manner
set forth above, upon request of the Board, you will continue to serve or act in
such capacity for the Fund for the period of time pending required approval of
the Agreement, of a new agreement with you or a different adviser or other
definitive action; provided that the compensation to be paid by the Fund to you
for your services to and payments on behalf of the Fund will be equal to the
lesser of your actual costs incurred in furnishing such services and payments or
the amount you would have received under this Agreement for furnishing such
services and payments.
This Agreement may, on sixty days written notice, be terminated with
respect to the Fund, at any time without the payment of any penalty, by the
Board, by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund,
or by you. This Agreement shall automatically terminate in the event of its
assignment.
7. USE OF NAME
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The Trust and you acknowledge that all rights to the name "Liquid
Green" or any variation thereof belong to you, and that the Trust is being
granted a limited license to use such words in its Fund name or in any class
name. In the event you cease to be the adviser to the Fund, the Trust's right to
the use of the name "Liquid Green" shall automatically cease on the ninetieth
day following the termination of this Agreement. The right to the name may also
be withdrawn by you during the term of this Agreement upon ninety (90) days'
written notice by you to the Trust. Nothing contained herein shall impair or
diminish in any respect, your right to use the name "Liquid Green" in the name
of, or in connection with, any other business enterprises with which you are or
may become associated. There is no charge to the Trust for the right to use this
name.
8. AMENDMENT OF THIS AGREEMENT
No provision of this Agreement may be changed, waived,
discharged or terminated orally, and no amendment of this Agreement shall be
effective until approved by the Board, including a majority of the Trustees who
are not interested persons of you or of the Trust, cast in person at a meeting
called for the purpose of voting on such approval, and (if required under
current interpretations of the 1940 Act by the Securities and Exchange
Commission) by vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting
securities of the series to which the amendment relates.
9. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY TO TRUST PROPERTY
The term "AmeriPrime Advisors Trust" means and refers to the
Trustees from time to time serving under the Trust's Agreement and Declaration
of Trust as the same may subsequently thereto have been, or subsequently hereto
be, amended. It is expressly agreed that the obligations of the Trust hereunder
shall not be binding upon any of the Trustees, shareholders, nominees, officers,
agents or employees of the Trust personally, but bind only the trust property of
the Trust, as provided in the Agreement and Declaration of Trust. The execution
and delivery of this Agreement have been authorized by the Trustees and
shareholders of the Trust and signed by officers of the Trust, acting as such,
and neither such authorization by such Trustees and shareholders nor such
execution and delivery by such officers shall be deemed to have been made by any
of them individually or to impose any liability on any of them personally, but
shall bind only the trust property of the Trust as provided in its Agreement and
Declaration of Trust. A copy of the Agreement and Declaration of Trust is on
file with the Secretary of State of Ohio.
10. SEVERABILITY
In the event any provision of this Agreement is determined to
be void or unenforceable, such determination shall not affect the remainder of
this Agreement, which shall continue to be in force.
11. QUESTIONS OF INTERPRETATION
(a) This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Ohio.
(b) Any question of interpretation of any term or provision of
this Agreement having a counterpart in or otherwise derived from a term or
provision of the 1940 Act, as amended shall be resolved by reference to such
term or provision of the 1940 Act and to interpretation thereof, if any, by the
United States courts or in the absence of any controlling decision of any such
court, by rules, regulations or orders of the Securities and Exchange Commission
issued pursuant to the 1940 Act. In addition, where the effect of a requirement
of the 1940 Act, reflected in any provision of this Agreement is revised by
rule, regulation or order of the Securities and Exchange Commission, such
provision shall be deemed to incorporate the effect of such rule, regulation or
order.
12. NOTICES
Any notices under this Agreement shall be in writing,
addressed and delivered or mailed postage paid to the other party at such
address as such other party may designate for the receipt of such notice. Until
further notice to the other party, it is agreed that the address of the Trust is
000 Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000, and your address for this
purpose shall be 000 Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000.
13. COUNTERPARTS
This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts,
each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall
constitute one and the same instrument.
14. BINDING EFFECT
Each of the undersigned expressly warrants and represents that
he has the full power and authority to sign this Agreement on behalf of the
party indicated, and that his signature will operate to bind the party indicated
to the foregoing terms.
15. CAPTIONS
The captions in this Agreement are included for convenience of
reference only and in no way define or delimit any of the provisions hereof or
otherwise affect their construction or effect.
If you are in agreement with the foregoing, please sign the
form of acceptance on the accompanying counterpart of this letter and return
such counterpart to the Trust, whereupon this letter shall become a binding
contract upon the date thereof.
Yours very truly,
Dated: 10/01/01
AmeriPrime Advisors Trust
By: /s/
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Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxxxx, President
ACCEPTANCE
The foregoing Agreement is hereby accepted.
Unified Investment Advisers, Inc.
Dated: 11/12/01 By: /s/
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Print Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
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Title: President
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