INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT
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THE REGIS FUND, INC.
NWQ BALANCED PORTFOLIO
AGREEMENT made this 24th day of January, 1994 by and between The Regis
Fund, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the "Fund") and NWQ Investment Management
Company, a Massachusetts corporation, (the "Adviser").
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1. DUTIES OF ADVISER. The Fund hereby appoints the Adviser to act as
investment adviser to the Fund's NWQ Balanced Portfolio (the "Portfolio") the
period and on such terms as set forth in this Agreement. The Fund employs the
Adviser to manage the investment and reinvestment of the assets of the
Portfolio, to continuously review, supervise and administer the investment
program of the Portfolio, to determine in its discretion the securities to be
purchased or sold and the portion of the Portfolio's assets to be held
uninvested, to provide the Fund with records concerning the Adviser's activities
which the Fund is required to maintain, and to render regular reports to the
Fund's officers and Board of Directors concerning the Adviser's discharge of the
foregoing responsibilities. The Adviser shall discharge the foregoing
responsibilities subject to the control of the officers and the Board of
Directors of the Fund, and in compliance with the objectives, policies and
limitations set forth in the Portfolio's prospectus and applicable laws and
regulations. The Adviser accepts such employment and agrees to render the
services and to provide, at its own expense, the office space, furnishings and
equipment and the personnel required by it to perform the services on the terms
and for the compensation provided herein.
2. PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS. The Adviser is authorized to select the
brokers or dealers that will execute the purchases and sales of securities of
the Portfolio and is directed to
use its best efforts to obtain the best available price and most favorable
execution, except as prescribed herein. Subject to policies established by the
Board of Directors of the Fund, the Adviser may also be authorized to effect
individual securities transactions at commission rates in excess of the minimum
commission rates available, if the Adviser determines in good faith that such
amount of commission is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage or
research services provided by such broker or dealer, viewed in terms of either
that particular transaction or the Adviser's overall responsibilities with
respect to the Fund. The execution of such transactions shall not be deemed to
represent an unlawful act or breach of any duty created by this Agreement or
otherwise. The Adviser will promptly communicate to the officers and Directors
of the Fund such information relating to portfolio transactions as they may
reasonably request.
3. COMPENSATION OF THE ADVISER. For the services to be rendered by the
Adviser as provided in Section 1 of this Agreement, the Fund shall pay to the
Adviser in monthly installments, an advisory fee calculated by applying the
following annual percentage rates to the Portfolio's average daily net assets
for the month: 0.70%.
In the event of termination of this Agreement, the fee provided in this
Section shall be computed on the basis of the period ending on the last business
day on which this Agreement is in effect subject to a pro rata adjustment based
on the number of days elapsed in the current fiscal month as a percentage of the
total number of days in such month.
4. OTHER SERVICES. At the request of the Fund, the Adviser in its
discretion may make available to the Fund office facilities, equipment,
personnel and other services. Such office facilities, equipment, personnel and
services shall be provided for or rendered by the Adviser and billed to the Fund
at the Adviser's cost.
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5. REPORTS. The Fund and the Adviser agree to furnish to each other
current prospectuses, proxy statements, reports to shareholders, certified
copies of their financial statements, and such other information with regard to
their affairs as each may reasonably request.
6. STATUS OF ADVISER. The services of the Adviser to the Fund are not to
be deemed exclusive, and the Adviser shall be free to render similar services to
others so long as its services to the Fund are not impaired thereby.
7. LIABILITY OF ADVISER. In the absence of (i) willful misfeasance, bad
faith or gross negligence on the part of the Adviser in performance of its
obligations and duties hereunder, (ii) reckless disregard by the Adviser of its
obligations and duties hereunder, or (iii) a loss resulting from a breach of
fiduciary duty with respect to the receipt of compensation for services (in
which case any award of damages shall be limited to the period and the amount
set forth in Section 36(b)(3) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
("1940 Act"), the Adviser shall not be subject to any liability whatsoever to
the Fund, or to any shareholder of the Fund, for any error or judgment, mistake
of law or any other act or omission in the course of, or connected with,
rendering services hereunder including, without limitation, for any losses that
may be sustained in connection with the purchase, holding, redemption or sale of
any security on behalf of the Portfolio.
8. PERMISSIBLE INTERESTS. Subject to and in accordance with the Articles
of Incorporation of the Fund and the Articles of Incorporation of the Adviser,
Directors, officers, agents and shareholders of the Fund are or may be
interested in the Adviser (or any successor thereof) as Directors, officers,
agents, shareholders or otherwise; Directors, officers, agents and shareholders
of the Adviser are or may be interested in the Fund as Directors, officers,
agents,
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shareholders or otherwise; and the Adviser (or any successor) is or may be
interested in the Fund as a shareholder or otherwise; and the effect of any such
interrelationships shall be governed by said Articles of Incorporation and the
provisions of the 1940 Act.
9. DURATION AND TERMINATION. This Agreement, unless sooner terminated as
provided herein, shall continue until the earlier of January 24, 1996 or the
date of the first annual or special meeting of the shareholders of the Portfolio
and, if approved by a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the
Portfolio, thereafter shall continue for periods of one year so long as such
continuance is specifically approved at least annually (a) by the vote of a
majority of those members of the Board of Directors of the Fund who are not
parties to this Agreement or interested persons of any such party, cast in
person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval, and (b)
by the Board of Directors of the Fund or (c) by vote of a majority of the
outstanding voting securities of the Portfolio; provided however, that if the
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shareholders of the Portfolio fail to approve the Agreement as provided herein,
the Adviser may continue to serve in such capacity in the manner and to the
extent permitted by the 1940 Act and rules thereunder. This Agreement may be
terminated by the Portfolio at any time, without the payment of any penalty, by
vote of a majority of the entire Board of Directors of the Fund or by vote of a
majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Portfolio on 60 days'
written notice to the Adviser. This Agreement may be terminated by the Adviser
at any time, without the payment of any penalty, upon 90 days' written notice to
the Fund. This agreement will automatically and immediately terminate in the
event of its assignment. Any notice under this Agreement shall be given in
writing, addressed and delivered or mailed postpaid, to the other party at the
principal office of such party.
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As used in this Section 9, the terms "assignment", "interested persons",
and "a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities" shall have the
respective meanings set forth in Section 2 (a) (4), Section 2 (a) (19) and
Section 2 (a) (42) of the 1940 Act.
10. AMENDMENT OF AGREEMENT. This Agreement may be amended by mutual
consent, but the consent of the Fund must be approved (a) by vote of a majority
of those members of the Board of Directors of the Fund who are not parties to
this Agreement or interested persons of any such party, cast in person at a
meeting called for the purpose of voting on such amendment, and (b) by vote of a
majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Portfolio.
11. SEVERABILITY. If any provisions of this Agreement shall be held or
made invalid by a court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of
this Agreement shall not be affected thereby.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this
Agreement to be executed as of this 24/th/ day of January, 1994.
NWQ INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT COMPANY THE REGIS FUND, INC.
By /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxx By /s/ Norton X. Xxxxxx
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Xxxxx X. Xxxxx Norton X. Xxxxxx
President Chairman of the Board
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