Exhibit 10.1





Exhibit 10.1









October 26, 2009




CONFIDENTIAL




Mr. C. Daniel DeLawder

Chairman & Chief Executive Officer

Park National Corporation

50 North Third Street

PO Box 3500

Newark, OH 43058-3500




Dear Mr. DeLawder:



This letter (the “Agreement”) constitutes the agreement between Rodman & Renshaw, LLC
(“Rodman” or the “Placement Agent”) and Park National Corporation (the
“Company”), that Rodman shall serve as the exclusive placement agent for the Company, on a
“reasonable best efforts” basis, in connection with the proposed placement (the
“Placement”) of registered securities of the Company, consisting of common shares, without
par value (the “Common Shares”), of the Company, warrants to purchase Common Shares (the
“Warrants”) and the Common Shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrants (together with the
Common Shares and the Warrants, the “Securities”). The terms of such Placement and the
Securities shall be mutually agreed upon by the Company and the purchasers (each, a
“Purchaser” and collectively, the “Purchasers”) and Rodman shall not, and nothing
herein implies that Rodman would, have the power or authority to bind the Company or any Purchaser
and the Company shall not, and nothing herein implies that the Company would, have an obligation to
issue any Securities or complete the Placement. This Agreement and the documents executed and
delivered by the Company and the Purchasers in connection with the Placement shall be collectively
referred to herein as the “Transaction Documents.” The date of the closing of the
Placement shall be referred to herein as the “Closing Date.” The Company expressly
acknowledges and agrees that Rodman’s obligations hereunder are on a reasonable best efforts basis
only and that the execution of this Agreement does not constitute a commitment by Rodman to
purchase the Securities and does not ensure the successful placement of the Securities or any
portion.



SECTION 1. COMPENSATION AND OTHER FEES.




(A) As compensation for the services provided by Rodman hereunder, the Company agrees to pay
to Rodman a cash fee payable immediately upon (but only in the event of) the closing of the
Placement and equal to 3% of the aggregate gross proceeds raised in the Placement. Additionally, a
cash fee payable within 48 hours after (but only in the event of) the receipt by the Company of any
proceeds from the exercise of the Warrants sold in the Placement to Purchasers and otherwise in
compliance with Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) Rule 5110 equal to 3% of
the aggregate cash exercise price received by the Company upon such exercise, if any (the
“Warrant Solicitation Fee”).



(B) The Company also agrees to reimburse Rodman’s reasonable travel and other out-of-pocket
expenses, including the reasonable fees and expenses of Rodman’s counsel, incurred by Rodman in
connection with its engagement hereunder (with supporting invoices/receipts) up to a maximum of 1%
of the aggregate gross proceeds raised in the Placement, but in no event more than $25,000. Such
reimbursement shall be payable immediately upon (but only in the event of) the closing of the
Placement.



Rodman & Renshaw, LLC o 1251 Avenue of the Americas, 20th
 Floor, New York, NY 10020

Tel: 212 356 0500 o Fax: 212 581
5690 o www.rodm.com o Member: FINRA, SIPC




 


 









 







SECTION 2. REGISTRATION STATEMENT.



The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Placement Agent that:




(A) The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
“Commission”) a registration statement on Form S-3 (Registration File No. 333-159454) under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), which became effective on
May 22, 2009, for the registration under the Securities Act of Common Shares and warrants to
purchase Common Shares. At the time of such filing, the Company met the requirements of Form S-3
under the Securities Act. Such registration statement meets the requirements set forth in Rule
415(a)(1)(x) under the Securities Act and complies with said Rule. The Company will file with the
Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, and the rules and regulations (the
“Securities Act Rules and Regulations”) of the Commission promulgated under the Securities
Act, a supplement to the form of prospectus included in such registration statement relating to the
placement of the Securities and the plan of distribution thereof. Such registration statement,
including the exhibits thereto, as amended at the date of this Agreement, is hereinafter called the
“Registration Statement”; such prospectus in the form in which it appears in the
Registration Statement is hereinafter called the “Base Prospectus”; and the supplemented
form of prospectus, in the form in which it will be filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule
424(b) (including the Base Prospectus as so supplemented) is hereinafter called the “Prospectus
Supplement.” Any reference in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus
or the Prospectus Supplement shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by
reference therein (the “Incorporated Documents”) pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 which were
filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), on or
before the date of this Agreement, or the filing date of the Base Prospectus or the Prospectus
Supplement, as the case may be; and any reference in this Agreement to the terms “amend,”
“amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus or the
Prospectus Supplement shall be deemed to refer to and include the filing of any document under the
Exchange Act after the date of this Agreement, or the filing date of the Base Prospectus or the
Prospectus Supplement, as the case may be, deemed to be incorporated therein by reference. All
references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information that is
“contained,” “included,” “described,” “referenced,” “set forth” or “stated” in the Registration
Statement, the Base Prospectus or the Prospectus Supplement (and all other references of like
import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements and schedules and other
information that is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the
Base Prospectus or the Prospectus Supplement, as the case may be. No stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the use of the Base Prospectus or the Prospectus
Supplement has been issued, and no proceeding for any such purpose is pending or has been initiated
or, to the Company’s knowledge, is threatened by the Commission. For purposes of this Agreement,
“free writing prospectus” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act
and the “Time of Sale Prospectus” means the preliminary prospectus, if any, together with
the free writing prospectuses, if any, used in connection with the Placement, including any
documents incorporated by reference therein.


 


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(B) The Registration Statement (and any further documents to be filed with the Commission in
connection with the Placement) contains or will contain, as applicable, all exhibits and schedules
as required by the Securities Act. Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective
amendment thereto, at the time it became or becomes effective, complied or will comply, as
applicable, in all material respects with the Securities Act and the Securities Act Rules and
Regulations and the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations (the “Exchange Act Rules and
Regulations”) of the Commission promulgated under the Exchange Act and did not and, as amended
or supplemented, if applicable, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit
to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein
not misleading. The Base Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, if any, and the Prospectus
Supplement, each as of its respective date, complied or will
comply in all material
respects with the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and the
applicable Securities Act or Exchange Act Rules and Regulations. Each of the Base Prospectus, the
Time of Sale Prospectus, if any, and the Prospectus Supplement, as amended or supplemented, did not
and will not contain as of the date thereof any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The Incorporated Documents, when they
were filed with the Commission, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the
Exchange Act and the applicable Exchange Act Rules and Regulations, and none of such documents,
when they were filed with the Commission, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein (with respect to
Incorporated Documents incorporated by reference in the Base Prospectus or the Prospectus
Supplement), in light of the circumstances under which they were made not misleading; and any
further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Base Prospectus, the Time of Sale
Prospectus, if any, or the Prospectus Supplement, when such documents are filed with the
Commission, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act and the
Exchange Act Rules and Regulations, as applicable, and will not contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light
of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. No post-effective amendment to the
Registration Statement reflecting any facts or events arising after the date thereof which
represent, individually or in the aggregate, a fundamental change in the information set forth
therein is required to be filed with the Commission. There are no documents required to be filed
with the Commission in connection with the transaction contemplated hereby that (x) have not been
filed as required pursuant to the Securities Act or (y) will not be filed within the requisite time
period. There are no contracts or other documents required to be described in the Base Prospectus,
the Time of Sale Prospectus, if any, or the Prospectus Supplement, or to be filed as exhibits or
schedules to the Registration Statement, that have not been described or filed as required.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Company makes no representation or
warranty as to information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement, the Base
Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, if any, the Prospectus Supplement or any free writing
prospectus, including any amendments or supplements thereto, in reliance upon, and in conformity
with, information furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of Rodman expressly for use
in or preparation thereof.



(C) The Company is eligible to use free writing prospectuses in connection with the Placement
pursuant to Rules 164 and 433 under the Securities Act. Any free writing prospectus that the
Company is required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act has been, or will be,
filed with the Commission in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act and the
applicable Securities Act Rules and Regulations. Each free writing prospectus that the Company has
filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or that was
prepared by or behalf of or used by the Company, in each case in connection with the Placement,
complies or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and
the applicable Securities Act Rules and Regulations. The Company will not, without the prior
consent of the Placement Agent, prepare, use or refer to, any free writing prospectus in connection
with the Placement.



(D) The Company has delivered or made available, or will as promptly as practicable deliver or
make available, to the Placement Agent complete conformed copies of the Registration Statement and
of each consent and certificate of experts, as applicable, filed as a part thereof, and conformed
copies of the Registration Statement (without exhibits), the Base Prospectus , the Time of Sale
Prospectus, if any, and the Prospectus Supplement, as amended or supplemented, in such quantities
and at such places as the Placement Agent reasonably requests. Neither the Company nor any of its
directors and officers has distributed and none of them will distribute, prior to the Closing Date,
any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Common Shares other than the
Base Prospectus, the Time of
Sale Prospectus, if any, the Prospectus Supplement, the Registration Statement, copies of the
documents incorporated by reference therein and any other materials permitted by the Securities
Act.


 


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SECTION 3. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES. Except as set forth under the
corresponding section of the Disclosure Schedules, which Disclosure Schedules shall be deemed a
part hereof and shall qualify any representation otherwise made herein to the extent of the
disclosure contained in the corresponding section of the Disclosure Schedules, the Company hereby
makes the representations and warranties set forth below to the Placement Agent.




(A) Organization and Qualification. All of the direct and indirect significant
subsidiaries (as defined in Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X) (individually, a “Subsidiary”)
of the Company are set forth in the SEC Reports (as defined in Subsection 3(G) below). Except as
set forth in the SEC Reports, the Company owns, directly or indirectly, all of the capital stock or
other equity interests of each Subsidiary free and clear of any “Liens” (which for purposes
of this Agreement shall mean a lien, charge, security interest, encumbrance, right of first
refusal, preemptive right or other restriction), and, except as set forth in the SEC Reports, all
the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of each Subsidiary, where applicable, are
validly issued and are fully paid, non-assessable and free of preemptive and similar rights to
subscribe for or purchase securities. The Company and each of the Subsidiaries is an entity duly
incorporated or otherwise organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the
jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization (as applicable), with the requisite power and
authority to own and use its properties and assets and to carry on its business as currently
conducted. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in violation or default of any of the
provisions of its respective certificate or articles of incorporation, bylaws, regulations or other
organizational or charter documents. Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries is duly qualified to
conduct business and is in good standing as a foreign corporation or other entity in each
jurisdiction in which the nature of the business conducted or property owned by it makes such
qualification necessary, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing, as the
case may be, would reasonably be expected to result in (i) a material adverse effect on the
legality, validity or enforceability of any Transaction Document, (ii) a material adverse effect on
the results of operations, assets, business or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Company
and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (iii) a material adverse effect on the Company’s ability
to perform in any material respect on a timely basis its obligations under any Transaction Document
(any of (i), (ii) or (iii), a “Material Adverse Effect”) and no “Proceeding” (which
for purposes of this Agreement shall mean any action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding
(including, without limitation, an investigation or partial proceeding, such as a deposition,
whether commenced or threatened) has been instituted in any such jurisdiction revoking, limiting or
curtailing or seeking to revoke, limit or curtail such power and authority or qualification.



(B) Authorization; Enforcement. The Company has the requisite corporate power and
authority to enter into and to consummate the transactions contemplated by each of the Transaction
Documents and otherwise to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder. The execution and
delivery of each of the Transaction Documents by the Company and the consummation by it of the
transactions contemplated thereby have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of
the Company and no further action is required by the Company, the Company’s board of directors or
the Company’s shareholders in connection therewith other than in connection with the “Required
Approvals” (as defined in Subsection 3(D) below). Each Transaction Document to which the
Company is a party has been (or upon delivery will have been) duly executed by the Company and,
when delivered in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof, will constitute the valid and
binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms
except (i) as limited by general equitable principles and applicable bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting enforcement of
creditors’ rights generally; (ii) as limited by laws relating to the availability of specific
performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies; and (iii) insofar as indemnification
and contribution provisions may be limited by applicable law.


 


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(C) No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of the
Transaction Documents by the Company, the issuance and sale of the Securities and the consummation
by the Company of the other transactions contemplated hereby and thereby to which it is a party do
not and will not (i) conflict with or violate any provision of the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s
certificate or articles of incorporation, bylaws, regulations or other organizational or charter
documents, or (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event that with notice or lapse of
time or both would become a default) under, result in the creation of any Lien upon any of the
properties or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary, or give to others any rights of termination,
amendment, acceleration or cancellation (with or without notice, lapse of time or both) of, any
agreement, credit facility, debt or other instrument (evidencing a Company or Subsidiary debt or
otherwise) or other understanding to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or by which any
property or asset of the Company or any Subsidiary is bound or affected, or (iii) subject to the
Required Approvals, conflict with or result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order,
judgment, injunction, decree or other restriction of any court or governmental authority to which
the Company or a Subsidiary is subject (including federal and state securities laws and
regulations), or by which any property or asset of the Company or a Subsidiary is bound or
affected; except in the case of each of clauses (ii) and (iii), such as would not have or
reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.



(D) Filings, Consents and Approvals. The Company is not required to obtain any
consent, waiver, authorization or order of, give any notice to, or make any filing or registration
with, any court or other federal, state, local or other governmental authority or other
“Person” (defined as an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or
unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company,
government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind, including, without
limitation, any Trading Market) in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by the
Company of the Transaction Documents, other than: (i) the filings required pursuant to Section 4.2
of the Securities Purchase Agreement(s) to be entered into by the Company with the Purchasers; (ii)
the filing with the Commission of the Prospectus Supplement; (iii) application(s) to NYSE Amex (the
“Trading Market”) for the listing of the Securities for trading thereon in the time and
manner required thereby; (iv) such filings as are required to be made under applicable state
securities laws; and (v) such consents, waivers, authorizations or orders, or such filings as have
been obtained or made (collectively, the “Required Approvals”).



(E) Issuance of the Securities; Registration. The Common Shares and the Warrants are
duly authorized and, when issued and paid for in accordance with the applicable Transaction
Documents, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, free and clear of all
Liens imposed by the Company. The Warrant Shares, when issued in accordance with the terms of the
Warrants, will be validly issued, fully
paid and nonassessable, free and clear of all Liens imposed by the Company. The Company has
reserved from its duly authorized capital stock the maximum number of Common Shares issuable
pursuant to the Transaction Documents. The Registration Statement was declared effective under the
Securities Act on May 22, 2009 (the “Effective Date”) and no stop order preventing or
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing the use of the Base
Prospectus has been issued by the Commission and no proceedings for that purpose have been
instituted or, to the actual knowledge of the Company, are threatened by the Commission. The
Company, if required by applicable Securities Act Rules and Regulations, proposes to file the
Prospectus Supplement with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b). At the time the Registration
Statement and any amendments thereto became effective, at the date of this Agreement and at the
Closing Date, the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto conformed and will conform in
all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and did not and will not 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 not misleading; and the Base Prospectus and any
amendments or supplements thereto, at the time the Base Prospectus or any amendment or supplement
thereto was issued and at the Closing Date, conformed and will conform in all material respects to
the requirements of the Securities Act and did not and will not contain an untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein,
in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.


 


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(F) Capitalization. The capitalization of the Company is as set forth on Schedule
3(F). The Company has not issued any capital stock since its most recently filed periodic report
under the Exchange Act, other than pursuant to the exercise of employee stock options under the
Company’s stock option plans and the issuance of Common Shares pursuant to the Company’s Stock Plan
for Non-Employee Directors of Park National Corporation and Subsidiaries. In addition, Common
Shares are to be acquired under the terms of the Park National Corporation Dividend Reinvestment
Plan (the “Park DRIP”) for the accounts of participants in the Park DRIP, which Common Shares will
be purchased on the open market at current market prices by or at the direction of a registered
broker-dealer acting as an independent stock purchasing agent for the Park DRIP. No Person has any
right of first refusal, preemptive right, right of participation, or any similar right to
participate in the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. Except as a result of
the purchase and sale of the Securities and except as disclosed in the SEC Reports, pursuant to
equity compensation plans or agreements filed as exhibits to the SEC Reports or pursuant to the
Park DRIP, there are no outstanding options, warrants, script rights to subscribe to, calls or
commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities, rights or obligations
convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or giving any Person any right to subscribe
for or acquire, any Common Shares, or contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by
which the Company or any Subsidiary is or may become bound to issue additional Common Shares, in
each case issued by the Company. The issuance and sale of the Securities will not obligate the
Company to issue Common Shares or other securities to any Person (other than the Purchasers) and
will not result in a right of any holder of Company securities to adjust the exercise, conversion,
exchange or reset price under any of such securities. All of the outstanding shares of capital
stock of the Company are validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, have been issued in
compliance with all federal and state securities laws, and none of such outstanding shares was
issued in violation of any preemptive rights or similar rights to subscribe for or purchase
securities. No further approval or authorization of any shareholder, the Board of Directors of the
Company or others is required for the issuance and sale of the Securities. There are no
shareholders agreements, voting agreements or other similar agreements with respect to the
Company’s capital stock to which the Company is a party or, to the actual knowledge of the Company,
between or among any of the Company’s shareholders.



(G) SEC Reports; Financial Statements. The Company has complied in all material
respects with requirements to file all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents
required to be filed by the Company under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, including
pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) thereof, for the two years preceding the date hereof (or such
shorter period as the Company was required by law or regulation to file such material) (the foregoing materials, including the
exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein, being collectively referred to
herein as the “SEC Reports”) on a timely basis or has received a valid extension of such
time of filing and has filed any such SEC Reports prior to the expiration of any such extension.
As of their respective dates, the SEC Reports complied in all material respects with the
requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Rules and Regulations or the Exchange Act
and the Exchange Act Rules and Regulations, as applicable, and none of the SEC Reports, when filed,
contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The financial statements of the Company
included in the SEC Reports comply in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements
and the rules and regulations of the Commission with respect thereto as in effect at the time of
filing. Such financial statements have been prepared in accordance with United States generally
accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved
(“GAAP”), except as may be otherwise specified in such financial statements or the notes
thereto and except that unaudited financial statements may not contain all footnotes required by
GAAP, and fairly present in all material respects the financial position of the Company and its
consolidated Subsidiaries as of and for the dates thereof and the results of operations and cash
flows for the periods then ended, subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal,
immaterial, year-end audit adjustments.


 


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(H) Material Changes; Undisclosed Events, Liabilities or Developments. Since the date
of the latest audited financial statements included within the SEC Reports, except as specifically
disclosed in a subsequent SEC Report filed prior to the date hereof, (i) there has been no event,
occurrence or development that has had or that would reasonably be expected to result in a Material
Adverse Effect, (ii) the Company has not incurred any material liabilities (contingent or
otherwise) other than (A) trade payables and accrued expenses incurred in the ordinary course of
business consistent with past practice and (B) liabilities not required to be reflected in the
Company’s financial statements pursuant to GAAP or required to be disclosed in filings made with
the Commission, (iii) the Company has not materially altered its method of accounting, (iv) the
Company has not declared or made any dividend or distribution of cash or other property to its
shareholders or purchased, redeemed or made any agreements to purchase or redeem any shares of its
capital stock and (v) the Company has not issued any equity securities to any officer, director or
“Affiliate” (defined as any Person that, directly or indirectly through one or more
intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with a Person, as such
terms are used in and construed under Rule 405 under the Securities Act), except pursuant to
existing Company stock option or compensation plans. Except for the issuance of the Securities
contemplated by this Agreement or as set forth in the SEC Reports, no event, liability or
development has occurred or exists with respect to the Company or its Subsidiaries or their
respective business, properties, operations or financial condition, that would be required to be
disclosed by the Company under applicable securities laws at the time this representation is made
that has not been publicly disclosed one (1) Trading Day prior to the date that this representation
is made.



(I) Litigation. There is no action, suit, inquiry, notice of violation, Proceeding or
investigation pending or, to the actual knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting
the Company, any Subsidiary or any of their respective properties before or by any court,
arbitrator, governmental or administrative agency or regulatory authority (federal, state, county,
local or foreign) (collectively, an “Action”) which (i) adversely affects or challenges the
legality, validity or enforceability of any of the Transaction Documents or the Securities or (ii)
would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect if there were an unfavorable
decision. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary, nor any director or officer thereof, is or has
been the subject of any Action involving a claim of violation of or liability under federal or
state securities laws or a claim of breach of fiduciary duty. There has not been, and to the
knowledge of the Company, there is not pending or contemplated, any investigation by the Commission
involving the Company or any current or former director or officer of the Company. The
Commission has not issued any stop order or other order suspending the effectiveness of any
registration statement filed by the Company or any Subsidiary under the Exchange Act or the
Securities Act



(J) Labor Relations. No material labor dispute exists or, to the actual knowledge of
the Company, is imminent with respect to any of the employees of the Company which could reasonably
be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.



(K) Compliance. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary: (i) is in default under or in
violation of (and no event has occurred that has not been waived that, with notice or lapse of time
or both, would result in a default by the Company or any Subsidiary under), nor has the Company or
any Subsidiary received notice of a claim that it is in default under or that it is in violation
of, any indenture, loan or credit agreement or any other agreement or instrument to which it is a
party or by which it or any of its properties is bound (whether or not such default or violation
has been waived), (ii) is in violation of any judgment, decree or order of any court, arbitrator or
governmental body, or (iii) is or has been in violation of any statute, rule or regulation of any
governmental authority, including without limitation all foreign, federal, state and local laws
applicable to its business and all such laws that affect the environment, except in each case as
would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.


 


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(L) Material Permits. The Company and the Subsidiaries possess all certificates,
authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory
authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses as described in the SEC Reports,
except where the failure to possess such permits would not reasonably be expected to result in a
Material Adverse Effect (“Material Permits”), and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary
has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any Material
Permit, except where such potential revocation or modification would not reasonably be expected to
result in a Material Adverse Effect.



(M) Sarbanes-Oxley. The Company is in material compliance with all provisions of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 which are applicable to it as of the date hereof and of the Closing
Date.



(N) Certain Fees. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, no brokerage or
finder’s fees or commissions are or will be payable by the Company to any broker, financial advisor
or consultant, finder, placement agent, investment banker, bank or other Person with respect to the
transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. The Purchasers shall have no obligation
with respect to any fees or with respect to any claims made by or on behalf of other Persons for
fees of a type contemplated in this Section that may be due in connection with the transactions
contemplated by the Transaction Documents.



(O) Trading Market Rules. The issuance and sale of the Securities hereunder does not
contravene the rules and regulations of the Trading Market.



(P) Investment Company. The Company is not, and is not an Affiliate of, and
immediately after receipt of payment for the Securities, will not be or be an Affiliate of, an
“investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.



(Q) Registration Rights. Except as disclosed in the SEC Reports, no Person has any
right to cause the Company to effect the registration under the Securities Act of any securities of
the Company.



(R) Listing and Maintenance Requirements. The Company’s Common Shares are registered
pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act, and the Company has taken no action designed to, or
which to its actual knowledge is likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the
Common Shares under the Exchange Act nor has the Company received any notification that the
Commission is
contemplating terminating such registration. The Company has not, in the 12 months preceding
the date hereof, received notice from any Trading Market on which the Common Shares is or has been
listed or quoted to the effect that the Company is not in compliance with the material listing or
maintenance requirements of such Trading Market. The Company is in compliance in all material
respects with all such listing and maintenance requirements.



(S) Application of Takeover Protections. The Company and its Board of Directors have
taken all necessary action, if any, in order to render inapplicable any control share acquisition,
business combination, poison pill (including any distribution under a rights agreement) or other
similar anti-takeover provision under the Company’s Articles of Incorporation (or similar charter
documents) or the laws of its state of incorporation that is or could become applicable to the
Purchasers solely as a result of the Company’s issuance of the Securities and the Purchasers’
ownership of the Securities.



(T) Regulation M Compliance. The Company has not, and to its actual knowledge no one
acting on its behalf has, (i) taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or to
result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to
facilitate the sale or resale of any of the Securities, (ii) sold, bid for, purchased, or, paid any
compensation for soliciting purchases of, any of the Securities (other than for the placement
agent’s placement of the Securities), or (iii) paid or agreed to pay to any person any compensation
for soliciting another to purchase any other securities of the Company, other than, in the case of
clauses (ii) and (iii), compensation paid to Rodman in connection with the placement of the
Securities and as disclosed in the SEC Reports.


 


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SECTION 4. ENGAGEMENT TERM. Rodman’s engagement hereunder will be for the period
of 30 days. The engagement may be terminated by either the Company or Rodman at any time upon five
days’ written notice and, subject to the delivery and satisfaction (or waiver) of all closing
conditions in connection with the Placement, will be terminated automatically on the Closing Date.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the provisions in this Agreement
concerning confidentiality, indemnification and contribution will survive any expiration or
termination of this Agreement. Upon any termination of this Agreement, the Company’s obligation to
pay Rodman any fees actually earned and payable on closing of the Placement, shall survive any
termination of this Agreement, as permitted by FINRA Rule 5110(f)(2)(D). Upon any termination of
this Agreement, the Company’s obligation to reimburse Rodman for out-of-pocket accountable expenses
actually incurred by Rodman and reimbursable upon closing of the Placement, will survive any
termination of this Agreement, as permitted by FINRA Rule 5110(f)(2)(D). Rodman agrees not to use
any confidential information concerning the Company provided to Rodman by the Company for any
purposes other than those contemplated under this Agreement.



SECTION 5. RODMAN INFORMATION. The Company agrees that any information or advice
rendered by Rodman in connection with this engagement is for the confidential use of the Company
only in its evaluation of the Placement and, except as otherwise required by law or the rules and
regulations of the Trading Market, the Company will not disclose or otherwise refer to the advice
or information in any manner without Rodman’s prior written consent; except that the Company may
file this Agreement as an exhibit to, and disclose Rodman’s role as placement agreement pursuant to
this Agreement in, the Company’s filings with the Commission.



SECTION 6. NO THIRD-PARTY BENEFICIARIES; FIDUCIARY RELATIONSHIP. This Agreement
does not create, and shall not be construed as creating rights enforceable by any person or entity
not a party hereto, except those entitled hereto by virtue of the indemnification provisions
hereof. The Company acknowledges and agrees that Rodman is not and shall not be construed as a
fiduciary of the Company and shall have no duties or liabilities to the equity holders or the
creditors of the Company
or any other person (other than the Company) by virtue of this Agreement or the retention of Rodman
hereunder, all of which are hereby expressly waived.



SECTION 7. CLOSING CONDITIONS. The obligations of the Placement Agent and the
Purchasers, and the closing of the sale of the Securities hereunder are subject to the accuracy,
when made and on the Closing Date (unless as of a specified date therein), of the representations
and warranties on the part of the Company and its Subsidiaries contained herein, to the accuracy of
the statements of the Company and its Subsidiaries made in any certificates pursuant to the
provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company and its Subsidiaries of their obligations
hereunder required to be performed on or prior to the Closing Date, and to each of the following
additional terms and conditions:




(A) No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been
issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by the
Commission, and any request for additional information on the part of the Commission (to be
included in the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus or the Prospectus Supplement or
otherwise) shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of the Placement Agent.



(B) The Placement Agent shall not have discovered and disclosed to the Company on or prior to
the Closing Date that the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus or the Prospectus Supplement
or any amendment or supplement thereto contains an untrue statement of a fact which, in the
reasonable opinion of counsel for the Placement Agent, is material or omits to state any fact
which, in the reasonable opinion of such counsel, is material and is required to be stated therein
or is necessary to make the statements therein, in the case of the Base Prospectus or the
Prospectus Supplement, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.


 


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(C) All corporate proceedings and other legal matters incident to the authorization, form,
execution, delivery and validity of each of this Agreement, the Securities, the Registration
Statement, the Base Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement and all other legal matters relating
to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be reasonably satisfactory in all
material respects to counsel for the Placement Agent, and the Company shall have furnished to such
counsel all documents and information that they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon
such matters.



(D) The Placement Agent shall have received from outside counsel to the Company such counsel’s
written opinion, addressed to the Placement Agent and the Purchasers dated as of the Closing Date,
in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Placement Agent.



(E) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall have sustained since the date of the
latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Base Prospectus,
any material loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood, terrorist act or
other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or
governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth in or contemplated by the Base
Prospectus and (ii) since such date, there shall not have been any material change in the capital
stock or material increase in the long-term debt of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any
material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or
affecting the business, general affairs, management, financial condition, stockholders’ equity or
results of operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, otherwise than as set
forth in or contemplated by the Base Prospectus, the effect of which, in any such case described in
clause (i) or (ii), is, in the reasonable and good faith judgment of the Placement Agent, so
material and adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the sale or
delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated by the Base Prospectus, the
Time of Sale Prospectus, if any, and the Prospectus Supplement.



(F) The Common Shares are registered under the Exchange Act and, as of the Closing Date, the
Common Shares shall be listed and admitted and authorized for trading on the Trading Market, and
reasonably satisfactory evidence of such actions shall have been provided to the Placement Agent.
The Company shall have taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating
the registration of the Common Shares under the Exchange Act or delisting or suspending from
trading the Common Shares from the Trading Market, nor has the Company received any information
suggesting that the Commission or the Trading Market is contemplating terminating such registration
or listing.



(G) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, there shall not have occurred
any of the following: (i) trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange, the
Nasdaq Global Select Market or the NYSE Amex or in the over-the-counter market, or trading in any
securities of the Company on any exchange or in the over-the-counter market, shall have been
suspended or minimum or maximum prices or maximum ranges for prices shall have been established on
any such exchange or such market by the Commission, by such exchange or by any other regulatory
body or governmental authority having jurisdiction, (ii) a banking moratorium shall have been
declared by federal or Ohio, Kentucky, Alabama, Florida or New York authorities or a material
disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the
United States, (iii) the United States shall have become engaged in hostilities in which it is not
currently engaged or the subject of an act of terrorism, there shall have been an escalation in
hostilities involving the United States, or there shall have been a declaration of a national
emergency or war by the United States, or (iv) there shall have occurred any other calamity or
crisis or any change in general economic, political or financial conditions in the United States or
elsewhere, if the effect of any such event in clause (iii) or (iv) makes it, in the reasonable and
good faith judgment of the Placement Agent, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the sale
or delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated by the Base Prospectus
and the Prospectus Supplement.


 


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(H) No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been
enacted, adopted or issued by any governmental agency or body which would, as of the Closing Date,
prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities or reasonably be expected to materially and
adversely affect the business or operations of the Company; and no injunction, restraining order or
order of any other nature by any federal or state court of competent jurisdiction shall have been
issued as of the Closing Date which would prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities or
reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect the business or operations of the
Company.



(I) The Company shall have prepared and filed with the Commission a Current Report on Form 8-K
with respect to the Placement, including as an exhibit thereto this Agreement.



(J) The Company shall have entered into one or more securities purchase agreements with each
of the Purchasers and such agreements shall be in full force and effect and shall contain
representations and warranties of the Company as agreed between the Company and the Purchasers.



(K) FINRA shall have raised no objection to the fairness and reasonableness of the terms and
arrangements of this Agreement. In addition, the Company shall, if requested by the Placement
Agent, make or authorize Placement Agent’s counsel to make on the Company’s behalf, an Issuer
Filing with FINRA pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110 with respect to the Registration Statement and pay
all filing fees required in connection therewith.



(L) Prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall have furnished to the Placement Agent such
further information, certificates and documents as the Placement Agent may reasonably request.



All opinions, letters, evidence and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this
Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in form
and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Placement Agent.


SECTION 8. INDEMNIFICATION. (A) To the extent permitted by law, the Company will
indemnify Rodman and its affiliates, stockholders, directors, officers, employees and controlling
persons (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act)
against all losses, claims, damages, expenses and liabilities, as the same are incurred (including
the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel), relating to or arising out of its activities
hereunder or pursuant to this Agreement, except to the extent that any losses, claims, damages,
expenses or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) are found in a final judgment (not subject
to appeal) by a court of law to have resulted primarily and directly from Rodman’s material breach
of this Agreement or Rodman’s willful misconduct or gross negligence in performing the services
described herein or from information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement, the
Base Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, if any, or the Prospectus Supplement, including any
amendments or supplements thereto, in reliance upon, and in connection with, information furnished
in writing to the Company by or on behalf of Rodman expressly for use in or preparation thereof
(and Rodman shall repay to the Company any reimbursements or other amounts paid hereunder to the
extent they are attributable thereto).




(B) To the extent permitted by law, Rodman will indemnify the Company and its affiliates,
shareholders, directors, officers, employees and controlling persons (within the meaning of Section
15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) against all losses, claims, damages,
expenses and liabilities, as the same are incurred (including the reasonable fees and expenses of
counsel), relating to or arising from information contained in or omitted from the Registration
Statement, the Base Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, if any, or the Prospectus Supplement,
including any amendments or supplements thereto, in reliance upon, and in conformity with,
information furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of Rodman expressly for use in or
preparation thereof.


 


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(C) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party of notice of any claim or the commencement
of any action or proceeding with respect to which the indemnified party is entitled to indemnity
hereunder, the indemnified party will notify the indemnifying party in writing of such claim or of
the commencement of such action or proceeding; provided, however, that the failure timely to give
such notice shall affect the rights of an indemnified party hereunder only to the extent that such
failure has a material prejudicial effect on the defenses or other rights available to the
indemnifying party with respect to such claim, action or proceeding. At the election of the
indemnifying party, the indemnifying party will assume the defense of such claim, action or
proceeding and will employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party and will pay
the fees and expenses of such counsel. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, the indemnified
party will be entitled to employ counsel separate from counsel for the indemnifying party and from
any other party in such claim, action or proceeding if counsel for the indemnified party reasonably
determines that it would be inappropriate under the applicable rules of professional responsibility
for the same counsel to represent both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party. In such
event, the reasonable fees and disbursements of no more than one such separate counsel will be paid
by the indemnifying party. The indemnifying party will have the exclusive right to settle the
claim, action or proceeding; provided that the indemnifying party will not settle any such claim,
action or proceeding without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, which will not be
unreasonably withheld or delayed; provided, further, that such consent shall not be required if the
settlement includes a full and unconditional release from all liability arising or that may arise
out of such claim, action or proceeding and does not include a statement as to or an admission of
fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.



(D) The indemnifying party agrees to notify the indemnified party promptly of the assertion
against it or any other person of any claim or the commencement of any action or proceeding
relating to a transaction contemplated by this Agreement.



(E) If for any reason the foregoing indemnity is unavailable to the indemnified party or
insufficient to hold indemnified party harmless, then the indemnifying party shall contribute to
the amount paid or payable by the indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits received
by the indemnifying party on the one hand and the indemnified party on the other, but also the
relative fault of the indemnifying party on the one hand and the indemnified party on the other
that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any relevant equitable
considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and Rodman on the
other shall be deemed to be the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the Placement
(before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total compensation received under
this Agreement by Rodman. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other
things, whether an untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or an omission or alleged
omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company on the one hand or
Rodman on the other and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and
opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The amounts paid or payable by a
party in respect of losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to above shall be deemed to
include any legal or other fees and expenses incurred in defending any litigation, proceeding or
other action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions hereof, Rodman’s share of the liability
hereunder shall not be in excess of the amount of fees actually received, or to be received, by
Rodman under this Agreement (excluding any amounts received as reimbursement of expenses incurred
by Rodman). No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f)
of the Securities Act shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such
fraudulent misrepresentation.


 


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(F) These indemnification provisions shall remain in full force and effect whether or not the
transaction contemplated by this Agreement is completed and shall survive the termination of this
Agreement, and shall be in addition to any liability that the Company or Rodman might otherwise
have to any indemnified party under this Agreement or otherwise.


SECTION 9. GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement will be governed by, and construed in
accordance with, the laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made and to be
performed entirely in such State. This Agreement may not be assigned by either party without the
prior written consent of the other party. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the
benefit of the parties hereto, and their respective successors and permitted assigns. To the
extent permitted by applicable law, any right to trial by jury with respect to any dispute arising
under this Agreement or any transaction or conduct in connection herewith is waived. Any dispute
arising under this Agreement may be brought into the courts of the State of New York or into the
Federal Court located in New York, New York and, by execution and delivery of this Agreement, the
Company hereby accepts for itself and in respect of its property, generally and unconditionally,
the jurisdiction of aforesaid courts. Each party hereto hereby irrevocably waives personal service
of process and consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by
delivering a copy thereof via overnight delivery (with evidence of delivery) to such party at the
address in effect for notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall
constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein
shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any manner permitted by law. If
either party shall commence an action or proceeding to enforce any provisions of a Transaction
Document, then the prevailing party in such action or proceeding shall be reimbursed by the other
party for its attorneys’ fees and other costs and expenses incurred with the investigation,
preparation and prosecution of such action or proceeding.



SECTION 10. ENTIRE AGREEMENT/MISC. This Agreement embodies the entire agreement
and understanding between the parties hereto, and supersedes all prior agreements and
understandings, relating to the subject matter hereof. If any provision of this Agreement is
determined to be invalid or unenforceable in any respect, such determination will not affect such
provision in any other respect or any other provision of this Agreement, which will remain in full
force and effect. This Agreement may not be amended or otherwise modified or waived except by an
instrument in writing signed by both Rodman and the Company. The representations, warranties,
agreements and covenants contained herein shall survive the closing of the Placement and delivery
and/or exercise of the Securities, as applicable. This Agreement may be executed in two or more
counterparts, all of which when taken together shall be considered one and the same agreement and
shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to the other
party, it being understood that both parties need not sign the same counterpart. In the event that
any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission or a .pdf format file, such signature shall
create a valid and binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is
executed) with the same force and effect as if such facsimile or .pdf signature page were an
original thereof.



SECTION 11. NOTICES. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries
required or permitted to be provided hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed given and
effective on the earliest of (a) the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is
delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number specified on the signature pages attached hereto
prior to 6:30 p.m. (New York City time) on a business day, (b) the next business day after the date
of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number
on the signature pages attached hereto on a day that is not a business day or later than 6:30 p.m.
(New York City time) on any business day, (c) the business day following the date of mailing, if
sent by U.S. nationally recognized overnight courier service, or (d) upon actual receipt by the
party to whom such notice is required to be given. The address for such notices and communications
shall be as set forth on the signature pages hereto.




 


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Please confirm that the foregoing correctly sets forth our agreement by signing and returning
to Rodman a copy of this Agreement.



	 	 	 	 	 
	 	Very truly yours,



RODMAN & RENSHAW, LLC


 	 
	 	By:  	/s/ John Borer
 	 
	 	 	Name:  	John Borer 	 
	 	 	Title:  	Sr. Managing Director 	 
	 


Address for notice:

1251 Avenue of the Americas, 20th Floor

New York, NY, 10020

Fax: (646) 841-1640

Attention: General Counsel




Accepted and Agreed to as of

the date first written above:




PARK NATIONAL CORPORATION




	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 
	By:  	/s/ C. Daniel DeLawder
 	 	 
	 	Name:  	C. Daniel DeLawder 	 	 
	 	Title:  	Chief Executive Officer 	 	 
	 



Address for notice:

50 North Third Street

Newark, Ohio 43055

Fax: (740) 349-3709

Attention: Chief Financial Officer





 


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