ex10-1.htm


Exhibit 10.1

 

	 
	
 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

CREDIT AGREEMENT

 

 

dated as of

 

 

June 1, 2017

 

 

among

 

 

HICKOK INCORPORATED

HICKOK ACQUISITION A LLC

SUPREME ELECTRONICS CORP.

FEDERAL HOSE MANUFACTURING LLC

WAEKON CORPORATION

HICKOK OPERATING LLC

 

 

and

 

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.

 

 

 

 

	  


 

 


 

 




 


 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

	 	Page
	 	 
	
ARTICLE I. Definitions
	
1

	
SECTION 1.01. Defined Terms
	
1

	
SECTION 1.02. Classification of Loans and Borrowings.
	
25

	
SECTION 1.03. Terms Generally.
	
26

	
SECTION 1.04. Accounting Terms; GAAP
	
26

	
SECTION 1.05. Status of Obligations
	
27

	
ARTICLE II. The Credits
	
27

	
SECTION 2.01. Commitments
	
27

	
SECTION 2.02. Loans and Borrowings
	
27

	
SECTION 2.03. Borrowing Procedures; Requests for Revolving Borrowings
	
28

	
SECTION 2.06. Letters of Credit
	
28

	
SECTION 2.05. Funding of Borrowings.
	
31

	
SECTION 2.06. Interest Elections.
	
31

	
SECTION 2.07. Termination of Commitment
	
32

	
SECTION 2.08. Repayment and Amortization of Loans; Evidence of Debt.
	
32

	
SECTION 2.09. Prepayment of Loans
	
33

	
SECTION 2.10. Fees.
	
35

	
SECTION 2.11. Interest
	
35

	
SECTION 2.12. Alternate Rate of Interest.
	
36

	
SECTION 2.13. Increased Costs.
	
36

	
SECTION 2.14. Break Funding Payments.
	
37

	
SECTION 2.15. Taxes
	
37

	
SECTION 2.16. Payments Generally; Allocation of Proceeds
	
39

	
SECTION 2.17. Indemnity for Returned Payments
	
40

	
ARTICLE III. Representations and Warranties
	
40

	
SECTION 3.01. Organization; Powers
	
40

	
SECTION 3.02. Authorization; Enforceability
	
40

	
SECTION 3.03. Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts.
	
40

	
SECTION 3.04. Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change
	
41

	
SECTION 3.05. Properties
	
41

	
SECTION 3.06. Litigation and Environmental Matters.
	
41

	
SECTION 3.07. Compliance with Laws and Agreements; No Default.
	
42

	
SECTION 3.08. Investment Company Status.
	
42

	
SECTION 3.09. Taxes.
	
42

	
SECTION 3.10. ERISA
	
42

	
SECTION 3.11. Disclosure.
	
42

	
SECTION 3.12. Material Agreements
	
43

	
SECTION 3.13. Solvency.
	
43

	
SECTION 3.14. Insurance.
	
43

	
SECTION 3.15. Capitalization and Subsidiaries.
	
43

	
SECTION 3.16. Security Interest in Collateral
	
43

	
SECTION 3.17. Employment Matters
	
44

	
SECTION 3.18. Federal Reserve Regulations
	
44



  


 

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SECTION 3.19. Use of Proceeds
	
44

	
SECTION 3.20. No Burdensome Restrictions
	
44

	
SECTION 3.21. Anti-Corruption Laws and Sanctions
	
44



	
SECTION 3.22. FFC Subordinated Debt Documents
	
44

	
SECTION 3.23. Air Enterprises Acquisition Documents
	
45

	
ARTICLE IV. Conditions
	
45

	
SECTION 4.01. Effective Date
	
45

	
SECTION 4.02. Each Credit Event.
	
48

	
ARTICLE V. Affirmative Covenants
	
49

	
SECTION 5.01. Financial Statements; Borrowing Base and Other Information
	
49

	
SECTION 5.02. Notices of Material Events; Name Change.
	
51

	
SECTION 5.03. Existence; Conduct of Business
	
52

	
SECTION 5.04. Payment of Obligations.
	
52

	
SECTION 5.05. Maintenance of Properties
	
52

	
SECTION 5.06. Books and Records; Inspection Rights
	
53

	
SECTION 5.07. Compliance with Laws and Material Contractual Obligations.
	
53

	
SECTION 5.08. Use of Proceeds.
	
53

	
SECTION 5.09. Accuracy of Information
	
53

	
SECTION 5.10. Insurance
	
54

	
SECTION 5.11. Appraisals
	
54

	
SECTION 5.12. Casualty and Condemnation
	
54

	
SECTION 5.13. Depository Banks
	
54

	
SECTION 5.14. Additional Collateral; Further Assurances
	
54

	
ARTICLE VI. Negative Covenants
	
55

	
SECTION 6.01. Indebtedness.
	
55

	
SECTION 6.02. Liens.
	
57

	
SECTION 6.03. Fundamental Changes.
	
58

	
SECTION 6.04. Investments, Loans, Advances, Guarantees and Acquisitions
	
59

	
SECTION 6.05. Asset Sales
	
60

	
SECTION 6.06. Sale and Leaseback Transactions
	
60

	
SECTION 6.07. Swap Agreements
	
61

	
SECTION 6.08. Restricted Payments; Certain Payments of Indebtedness.
	
61

	
SECTION 6.09. Transactions with Affiliates.
	
62

	
SECTION 6.10. Restrictive Agreements.
	
62

	
SECTION 6.11. Amendment of Material Documents
	
62

	
SECTION 6.12. Financial Covenants
	
62

	
ARTICLE VII. Events of Default
	
63

	
ARTICLE VIII. Miscellaneous
	
66

	
SECTION 8.01. Notices
	
66

	
SECTION 8.02. Waivers; Amendments.
	
67

	
SECTION 8.03. Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver.
	
68

	
SECTION 8.04. Successors and Assigns
	
69

	
SECTION 8.05. Survival
	
70

	
SECTION 8.06. Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness; Electronic Execution.
	
71

	
SECTION 8.07. Severability
	
71

	
SECTION 8.08. Right of Setoff.
	
71

	
SECTION 8.09. Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process.
	
71

	
SECTION 8.10. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL.
	
72

	
SECTION 8.11. Headings.
	
72

	
SECTION 8.12. Confidentiality.
	
73

	
SECTION 8.13. Nonreliance; Violation of Law
	
73



 

 


 

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SECTION 8.14. USA PATRIOT Act
	
73

	
SECTION 8.15. Disclosure
	
73

	
SECTION 8.16. Interest Rate Limitation
	
73

	
SECTION 8.17. Marketing Consent
	
73

	
SECTION 8.18. Confession of Judgment
	
74

	
ARTICLE IX. Loan Guaranty
	
74

	
SECTION 9.01. Guaranty.
	
74

	
SECTION 9.02. Guaranty of Payment
	
74

	
SECTION 9.03. No Discharge or Diminishment of Loan Guaranty
	
75

	
SECTION 9.04. Defenses Waived.
	
75

	
SECTION 9.05. Rights of Subrogation
	
76

	
SECTION 9.06. Reinstatement; Stay of Acceleration.
	
76

	
SECTION 9.07. Information
	
76

	
SECTION 9.08. Termination
	
76

	
SECTION 9.09. Taxes.
	
76

	
SECTION 9.10. Maximum Liability
	
76

	
SECTION 9.11. Contribution
	
77

	
SECTION 9.12. Liability Cumulative
	
77

	
SECTION 9.13. Keepwell
	
78

	
ARTICLE X. The Borrower Representative
	
78

	
SECTION 10.01. Appointment; Nature of Relationship
	
78

	
SECTION 10.02. Powers
	
78

	
SECTION 10.03. Employment of Agents
	
78

	
SECTION 10.04. Notices
	
78

	
SECTION 10.05. Successor Borrower Representative
	
79

	
SECTION 10.06. Execution of Loan Documents; Borrowing Base Certificate
	
79

	
SECTION 10.07. Reporting
	
79



 

SCHEDULES:

 

Schedule 3.05 – Properties 

Schedule 3.06 – Disclosed Matters

Schedule 3.12 – Material Agreements

Schedule 3.14 – Insurance

Schedule 3.15 – Capitalization and Subsidiaries 

Schedule 4.01 – Customer Consents 

Schedule 6.01 – Existing Indebtedness

Schedule 6.02 – Existing Liens

Schedule 6.04 – Existing Investments

Schedule 6.10 – Existing Restrictions

 

EXHIBITS:

 

Exhibit A - Opinion of Counsel for the Loan Parties

Exhibit B - Borrowing Base Certificate 

Exhibit C - Compliance Certificate 

Exhibit D - Joinder Agreement

 

 


 

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CREDIT AGREEMENT dated as of June 1, 2017 (as it may be amended or modified from time to time, this “Agreement”), among HICKOK INCORPORATED, an Ohio corporation (“Hickok”), HICKOK ACQUISITION A LLC, an Ohio limited liability company, which will be changing its name on or about the Effective Date to Air Enterprises LLC (“Hickok Air Enterprises”), SUPREME ELECTRONICS CORP., a Mississippi corporation (“Supreme”), FEDERAL HOSE MANUFACTURING LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (“Federal”), HICKOK OPERATING LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (“Hickok Operating”), WAEKON CORPORATION, an Ohio corporation (“Waekon”, and together with Hickok, Hickok Air Enterprises, Supreme, Federal and Hickok Operating, collectively “Borrowers” and each individually a “Borrower”), the other Loan Parties party hereto, and JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as Lender.

 

The parties hereto agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I 

 

Definitions

 

SECTION 1.01. Defined Terms. As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings specified below:

 

“Account” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Security Agreement.

 

“Account Debtor” means any Person obligated on an Account.

 

“Adjusted LIBOR Rate” means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any Interest Period or for any CBFR Borrowing, the quotient of (a) the LIBOR Rate applicable to such Interest Period, divided by (b) one minus the Reserve Requirement (expressed as a decimal) applicable to such Interest Period.

 

“Adjusted One Month LIBOR Rate” means, for any day, an interest rate per annum equal to the sum of (i) 2.50% per annum plus (ii) the Adjusted LIBOR Rate for a one-month interest period on such day (or if such day is not a Business Day, the immediately preceding Business Day); provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, the Adjusted LIBOR Rate for any day shall be based on the LIBOR Screen Rate at approximately 11:00 a.m. London time on such day.

 

“Affiliate” means, with respect to a specified Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the specified Person.

 

“Air Enterprises” means Air Enterprises LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

 

“Air Enterprises Acquisition” means the acquisition by Hickok Air Enterprises of substantially all of the assets of Air Enterprises on the Effective Date pursuant to the Air Enterprises Acquisition Documents. 

 

“Air Enterprises Acquisition Documents” means the Air Enterprises Purchase Agreement and all agreements, instruments and documents executed pursuant thereto or in connection therewith, as any of the foregoing may from time to time be amended, restated or otherwise modified. 

 

“Air Enterprises Assignment of Rights” shall mean the Assignment of Rights relating to Hickok Air Enterprises’ rights under the Air Enterprises Acquisition Documents, executed and delivered to Lender by Hickok Air Enterprises and Air Enterprises in connection with this Agreement, as the same may from time to time be amended, restated or otherwise modified.

 

 


 

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“Air Enterprises Purchase Agreement” means that certain Asset Purchase Agreement, dated as of June 1, 2017, among Hickok Air Enterprises, Air Enterprises and certain equity holders of Air Enterprises party thereto, as amended and as the same may from time to time be further amended, restated or otherwise modified. 

 

“Anti-Corruption Laws” means all laws, rules, and regulations of any jurisdiction applicable to any Borrower or any of its Affiliates from time to time concerning or relating to bribery or corruption. 

 

“Applicable Rate” means, for any day, the applicable rate per annum equal to: 

 

(a)     with respect to Revolving Loans (i) 0.00% for CBRF Loans, and (ii) 2.00% for Eurodollar Loans; and 

 

(b)     with respect to the Term A Loan (i) 0.25% for CBFR Loans, and (ii) 2.25% for Eurodollar Loans. 

 

“Approved Fund” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.04(b).

 

“Availability” means, at any time, an amount equal to (a) the lesser of (i) the Revolving Commitment and (ii) the Borrowing Base minus (b) the Revolving Exposure. 

 

“Availability Period” means the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the earlier of the Revolving Credit Maturity Date and the date of termination of the Revolving Commitment.

 

“Banking Services” means each and any of the following bank services provided to any Loan Party or any Subsidiary by the Lender or any of its Affiliates: (a) credit cards for commercial customers (including, without limitation, “commercial credit cards” and purchasing cards), (b) stored value cards, (c) merchant processing services, and (d) treasury management services (including, without limitation, controlled disbursement, automated clearinghouse transactions, return items, any direct debit scheme or arrangement, overdrafts and interstate depository network services). 

 

“Banking Services Obligations” means any and all obligations of the Loan Parties or their Subsidiaries, whether absolute or contingent and howsoever and whensoever created, arising, evidenced or acquired (including all renewals, extensions and modifications thereof and substitutions therefor) in connection with Banking Services.

 

“Bankruptcy Event” means, with respect to any Person, when such Person becomes the subject of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding, or has had a receiver, conservator, trustee, administrator, custodian, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with the reorganization or liquidation of its business appointed for it, or, in the good faith determination of the Lender, has taken any action in furtherance of, or indicating its consent to, approval of, or acquiescence in, any such proceeding or appointment, provided that a Bankruptcy Event shall not result solely by virtue of any ownership interest, or the acquisition of any ownership interest, in such Person by a Governmental Authority or instrumentality thereof, unless such ownership interest results in or provides such Person with immunity from the jurisdiction of courts within the U.S. or from the enforcement of judgments or writs of attachment on its assets or permits such Person (or such Governmental Authority or instrumentality) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made by such Person.

 

 


 

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“Board” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the U.S.

 

“Borrower” or “Borrowers” shall have the meaning given to such term in the opening paragraph of this Agreement. 

 

“Borrower Representative” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 10.01. 

 

“Borrowing” means (a) Revolving Loans of the same Type, made, converted or continued on the same date and, in the case of Eurodollar Loans, as to which a single Interest Period is in effect and (b) Term Loans made, converted or continued on the same date and, in the case of Eurodollar Loans, as to which a single Interest Period is in effect. 

 

“Borrowing Base” means, at any time, the sum of (a) 80% of the Borrowers’ Eligible Accounts at such time, plus (b) 50% of the Borrowers’ Eligible Progress Billing Accounts at such time, plus (c) 50% of the Borrowers’ Eligible Inventory, valued at the lower of cost or market value, determined on a first-in-first-out basis, minus (d) Reserves. The maximum amount of Eligible Progress Billing Accounts which may be included as part of the Borrowing Base is $1,000,000. The Lender may, in its Permitted Discretion, reduce the advance rates set forth above, adjust Reserves or reduce one or more of the other elements used in computing the Borrowing Base. 

 

“Borrowing Base Certificate” means a certificate, signed and certified as accurate and complete by a Financial Officer of the Borrower Representative, in substantially the form of Exhibit B or another form which is acceptable to the Lender in its sole discretion.

 

“Borrowing Request” means a request by the Borrower Representative for a Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.03.

 

“Burdensome Restrictions” means any consensual encumbrance or restriction of the type described in clause (a) or (b) of Section 6.10.     

 

“Business Day” means a day (other than a Saturday or Sunday) on which banks generally are open in Ohio and/or New York for the conduct of substantially all of their commercial lending activities and on which dealings in United States dollars are carried on in the London interbank market.

 

“Capital Expenditures” means, without duplication, any expenditure or commitment to expend money for any purchase or other acquisition of any asset which would be classified as a fixed or capital asset on a consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries prepared in accordance with GAAP but excluding in each case any such expenditures that (i) are made to restore, repair, replace or rebuild property to the condition of such property immediately prior to any casualty event, to the extent such expenditure is made with insurance proceeds, condemnation awards or damage recover proceeds relating to any such casualty event or (ii) are financed with the proceeds of any Disposition of fixed or capital assets to the extent such expenditure is permitted under Section 6.05 hereof.

 

“Capital Lease Obligations” of any Person means the obligations of such Person to pay rent or other amounts under any lease of (or other arrangement conveying the right to use) real or personal property, or a combination thereof, which obligations are required to be classified and accounted for as capital leases on a balance sheet of such Person under GAAP, and the amount of such obligations shall be the capitalized amount thereof determined in accordance with GAAP.

 

 


 

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“CB Floating Rate” means the Prime Rate; provided that the CB Floating Rate shall never be less than the Adjusted One Month LIBOR Rate on such day (or if such day is not a Business Day, the immediately preceding Business Day). Any change in the CB Floating Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate or the Adjusted One Month LIBOR Rate shall be effective from and including the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate or the Adjusted One Month LIBOR Rate, respectively.

 

“CBFR”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, bear interest at a rate determined by reference to the CB Floating Rate.

 

“Change in Control” means (a) the acquisition of ownership, directly or indirectly, beneficially or of record, by any Person or group (within the meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules of the SEC thereunder as in effect on the date hereof) of Equity Interests representing more than 50% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of the Company; (b) occupation at any time of a majority of the seats (other than vacant seats) on the board of directors of the Company by Persons who were neither (i) directors of the Company on the date of this Agreement, (ii) nominated, appointed or approved by the board of directors of the Company nor (iii) nominated, appointed or approved by directors so nominated, appointed or approved; or (c) the Company shall cease to own, free and clear of all Liens or other encumbrances, 100% of the outstanding voting Equity Interests of the other Borrowers on a fully diluted basis. 

 

“Change in Law” means the occurrence after the date of this Agreement of any of the following: (a) the adoption of or taking effect of any law, rule, regulation or treaty, (b) any change in any law, rule, regulation or treaty or in the administration, interpretation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority or (c) compliance by the Lender (or, for purposes of Section 2.13(b), by any lending office of the Lender or by the Lender’s holding company, if any) with any request, guideline, requirement or directive (whether or not having the force of law) of any Governmental Authority made or issued after the date of this Agreement; provided that, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (x) the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines, requirements or directives thereunder or issued in connection therewith or in the implementation thereof, and (y) all requests, rules, guidelines, requirements or directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or the U.S. or foreign regulatory authorities, in each case pursuant to Basel III, shall in each case be deemed to be a “Change in Law”, regardless of the date enacted, adopted, issued or implemented.     

 

“Charges” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.16.

 

“Class”, when used in reference to (a) any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are Revolving Loans or a Term A Loan, and (b) any Commitment, refers to whether such Commitment is a Revolving Commitment or a Term A Commitment. 

 

“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.

 

“Collateral” means any and all property owned, leased or operated by a Person covered by the Collateral Documents and any and all other property of any Loan Party, now existing or hereafter acquired, that is at any time, becomes or is intended to be, subject to a security interest or Lien in favor of the Lender, on behalf of the Secured Parties, to secure the Secured Obligations.

 

“Collateral Access Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Security Agreement.

 


 

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“Collateral Documents” means, collectively, the Security Agreement, the Air Enterprises Assignment of Rights, and any other agreements, instruments and documents executed in connection with this Agreement that are intended to create, perfect or evidence Liens to secure the Secured Obligations, including, without limitation, all other security agreements, pledge agreements, mortgages, deeds of trust, loan agreements, notes, guarantees, subordination agreements, pledges, powers of attorney, consents, assignments, contracts, fee letters, notices, leases, financing statements and all other written matter whether theretofore, now or hereafter executed by any Loan Party and delivered to the Lender.

 

“Commercial LC Exposure” means, at any time, the sum of (a) the aggregate undrawn amount of all outstanding commercial Letters of Credit plus (b) the aggregate amount of all LC Disbursements relating to commercial Letters of Credit that have not yet been reimbursed by or on behalf of the Borrowers. 

 

“Commitment” means the sum of the Revolving Commitment and Term Commitments. 

 

“Commodity Exchange Act” means the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. § 1 et seq.), as amended from time to time, and any successor statute.

 

“Commitment Fee Applicable Rate” means 0.25%.

 

“Company” means Hickok.

 

“Connection Income Taxes” means Other Connection Taxes that are imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated) or that are franchise Taxes or branch profits Taxes. 

 

“Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise. “Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative thereto.

 

“Default” means any event or condition which constitutes an Event of Default or which upon notice, lapse of time or both would, unless cured or waived, become an Event of Default.

 

“Disclosed Matters” means the actions, suits, proceedings and environmental matters disclosed in Schedule 3.06.

 

“Distributions” means all dividends and other distributions made to shareholders, partners, owners or members, as the case may be, other than salary, bonuses, and other compensation for services expended in the current accounting period.

 

“Document” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Security Agreement.

 

“Dollars”, “dollars” or “$” refers to lawful money of the U.S.

 

“EBITDA” means, for any period, Net Income for such period plus (a) without duplication and to the extent deducted in determining Net Income for such period, the sum of (i) Interest Expense for such period, (ii) income tax expense for such period, (iii) all amounts attributable to depreciation and amortization expense for such period, (iv) any non-recurring non-cash charges for such period, and (v) any non-recurring fees, cash charges and other cash expenses (including severance costs) made or incurred in connection with the Transactions that are paid or otherwise accounted for within 90 days of the consummation of the Transactions in an amount not to exceed $1,000,000, minus (b) without duplication and to the extent included in Net Income, any non-recurring non-cash gains for such period, all calculated for the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP. 

 

 


 

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“ECP” means an “eligible contract participant” as defined in Section 1(a)(18) of the Commodity Exchange Act or any regulations promulgated thereunder and the applicable rules issued by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and/or the SEC. 

 

“Effective Date” means the date on which the conditions specified in Section 4.01 are satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 8.02).

 

“Electronic Signature” means an electronic sound, symbol, or process attached to, or associated with, a contract or other record and adopted by a Person with the intent to sign, authenticate or accept such contract or record.

 

“Electronic System” means any electronic system, including e-mail, e-fax, web portal access for the Borrower, Intralinks®, ClearPar®, Debt Domain, Syndtrak and any other Internet or extranet-based site, whether such electronic system is owned, operated or hosted by the Lender and any of its respective Related Parties or any other Person, providing for access to data protected by passcodes or other security system.

 

“Eligible Accounts” means, at any time, the Accounts of a Borrower which the Lender determines in its Permitted Discretion are eligible as the basis for the extension of Revolving Loans and the issuance of Letters of Credit. Without limiting the Lender’s discretion provided herein, Eligible Accounts shall not include any Account of a Borrower: 

 

(a)     which is not subject to a first priority perfected security interest in favor of the Lender;

 

(b)     which is subject to any Lien other than (i) a Lien in favor of the Lender and (ii) a Permitted Encumbrance which does not have priority over the Lien in favor of the Lender;

 

(c)     (i) which is unpaid more than 90 days after the date of the original invoice therefor, or (ii) which has been written off the books of such Borrower or otherwise designated as uncollectible; 

 

(d)     which is owing by an Account Debtor for which more than 25% of the Accounts owing from such Account Debtor and its Affiliates are ineligible hereunder; 

 

(e)     which is owing by an Account Debtor to the extent the aggregate amount of Accounts owing from such Account Debtor and its Affiliates to (i) such Borrower exceeds 50% of the aggregate amount of Eligible Accounts of such Borrower or (ii) all Borrowers exceeds 50% of the aggregate amount of Eligible Accounts of all Borrowers but in either case such Accounts shall be ineligible only to the extent of such excess; 

 

(f)     with respect to which any covenant, representation or warranty contained in this Agreement or in the Security Agreement has been, in any material respect (without duplication of any materiality qualifier) breached or is not true;

 

(g)     which (i) does not arise from the sale of goods or performance of services in the ordinary course of business, (ii) is not evidenced by an invoice or other documentation satisfactory to the Lender which has been sent to the Account Debtor, (iii) represents a progress billing, whether an Eligible Progress Billing Account or otherwise (iv) is contingent upon such Borrower’s completion of any further performance, (v) represents a sale on a bill-and-hold, guaranteed sale, sale-and-return, sale on approval, consignment, cash-on-delivery or any other repurchase or return basis or (vi) relates to payments of interest;

 


 

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(h)     for which the goods giving rise to such Account have not been shipped to the Account Debtor or for which the services giving rise to such Account have not been performed by such Borrower or if such Account was invoiced more than once;

 

(i)     with respect to which any check or other instrument of payment has been returned uncollected for any reason;

 

(j)     which is owed by an Account Debtor which has (i) applied for, suffered, or consented to the appointment of any receiver, custodian, trustee, or liquidator of its assets, (ii) had possession of all or a material part of its property taken by any receiver, custodian, trustee or liquidator, (iii) filed, or had filed against it, any request or petition for liquidation, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment of debts, adjudication as bankrupt, winding-up, or voluntary or involuntary case under any state or federal bankruptcy laws (other than post-petition accounts payable of an Account Debtor that is a debtor-in-possession under the Bankruptcy Code and acceptable to the Lender in its Permitted Discretion), (iv) admitted in writing its inability, or is generally unable to, pay its debts as they become due, (v) become insolvent, or (vi) ceased operation of its business;

 

(k)     which is owed by any Account Debtor which has sold all or substantially all of its assets;

 

(l)     which is owed by an Account Debtor which (i) does not maintain its chief executive office in the U.S. or Canada or (ii) is not organized under applicable law of the U.S., any state of the U.S. or the District of Columbia, Canada, or any province of Canada unless, in any such case, such Account is backed by a Letter of Credit acceptable to the Lender which is in the possession of, and is directly drawable by, the Lender;

 

(m)     which is owed in any currency other than U.S. dollars;

 

(n)     which is owed by (i) any Governmental Authority of any country other than the U.S., unless such Account is backed by a Letter of Credit acceptable to the Lender which is in the possession of, and is directly drawable by, the Lender, or (ii) any Governmental Authority of the U.S., or any department, agency, public corporation, or instrumentality thereof, unless the Federal Assignment of Claims Act of 1940, as amended (31 U.S.C. § 3727 et seq. and 41 U.S.C. § 15 et seq.), and any other steps necessary to perfect the Lien of the Lender in such Account, have been complied with to the Lender’s satisfaction;

 

(o)     which is owed by any Affiliate of any Loan Party or any employee, officer, director, agent or stockholder of any Loan Party or any of its Affiliates;

 

(p)     which is owed by an Account Debtor or any Affiliate of such Account Debtor to which any Loan Party is indebted, but only to the extent of such indebtedness, or is subject to any security, deposit, progress payment, retainage or other similar advance made by or for the benefit of an Account Debtor, in each case to the extent thereof;

 

(q)     which is subject to any counterclaim, deduction, defense, setoff or dispute but only to the extent of any such counterclaim, deduction, defense, setoff or dispute;

 


 

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(r)     which is evidenced by any promissory note, chattel paper or instrument;

 

(s)     which is owed by an Account Debtor (i) located in any jurisdiction which requires filing of a “Notice of Business Activities Report” or other similar report in order to permit such Borrower to seek judicial enforcement in such jurisdiction of payment of such Account, unless such Borrower has filed such report or qualified to do business in such jurisdiction or (ii) which is a Sanctioned Person;

 

(t)     with respect to which such Borrower has made any agreement with the Account Debtor for any reduction thereof, other than discounts and adjustments given in the ordinary course of business but only to the extent of any such reduction, or any Account which was partially paid and such Borrower created a new receivable for the unpaid portion of such Account; 

 

(u)     which does not comply in all material respects with the requirements of all applicable laws and regulations, whether federal, state or local, including without limitation the Federal Consumer Credit Protection Act, the Federal Truth in Lending Act and Regulation Z of the Board; 

 

(v)     which is for goods that have been sold under a purchase order or pursuant to the terms of a contract or other agreement or understanding (written or oral) that indicates or purports that any Person other than such Borrower has or has had an ownership interest in such goods, or which indicates any party other than such Borrower as payee or remittance party; 

 

(w)     which was created on cash on delivery terms; or

 

(x)     which the Lender determines may not be paid by reason of the Account Debtor’s inability to pay or which the Lender otherwise determines is unacceptable in its commercially reasonable credit judgment.

 

In the event that an Account of a Borrower which was previously an Eligible Account ceases to be an Eligible Account hereunder (other than by payment), such Borrower or the Borrower Representative shall notify the Lender thereof on and at the time of submission to the Lender of the next Borrowing Base Certificate. In determining the amount of an Eligible Account of a Borrower, the face amount of an Account may, in the Lender’s Permitted Discretion, be reduced by, without duplication, to the extent not reflected in such face amount, (i) the amount of all accrued and actual discounts, claims, credits or credits pending, promotional program allowances, price adjustments, finance charges or other allowances (including any amount that such Borrower may be obligated to rebate to an Account Debtor pursuant to the terms of any agreement or understanding (written or oral)) and (ii) the aggregate amount of all cash received in respect of such Account but not yet applied by such Borrower to reduce the amount of such Account. 

 

“Eligible Inventory” means, at any time, the Inventory of a Borrower which the Lender determines in its Permitted Discretion is eligible as the basis for the extension of Revolving Loans and the issuance of Letters of Credit hereunder. Without limiting the Lender’s discretion provided herein, Eligible Inventory of a Borrower shall not include any Inventory:

 

(a)     which is not subject to a first priority perfected Lien in favor of the Lender;

 

 


 

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(b)     which is subject to any Lien other than (i) a Lien in favor of the Lender and (ii) a Permitted Encumbrance which does not have priority over the Lien in favor of the Lender;

 

(c)     which is, in the Lender’s opinion, slow moving, obsolete, unmerchantable, defective, used, unfit for sale, not salable at prices approximating at least the cost of such Inventory in the ordinary course of business or unacceptable due to age, type, category and/or quantity;

 

(d)     with respect to which any covenant, representation or warranty contained in this Agreement or in the Security Agreement has been, in any material respect (without duplication of any materiality qualifier) breached or is not true and which does not conform in any material respect to all applicable standards imposed by any Governmental Authority;

 

(e)     in which any Person other than such Borrower shall (i) have any direct or indirect ownership, interest or title or (ii) be indicated on any purchase order or invoice with respect to such Inventory as having or purporting to have an interest therein;

 

(f)     which is not finished goods or raw materials or which constitutes work-in-process, spare or replacement parts, subassemblies, packaging and shipping material, manufacturing supplies, samples, prototypes, displays or display items, bill-and-hold or ship-in-place goods, goods that are returned or marked for return, repossessed goods, defective or damaged goods, goods held on consignment, or goods which are not of a type held for sale in the ordinary course of business; 

 

(g)     which is not located in the U.S. or is in transit with a common carrier from vendors and suppliers; 

 

(h)     which is located in any location leased by such Borrower unless (i) the lessor has delivered to the Lender a Collateral Access Agreement or (ii) a Reserve for rent, charges and other amounts due or to become due with respect to such facility has been established by the Lender in its Permitted Discretion;

 

(i)     which is located in any third party warehouse or is in the possession of a bailee (other than a third party processor) and is not evidenced by a Document, unless such warehouseman or bailee has delivered to the Lender a Collateral Access Agreement and such other documentation as the Lender may require;

 

(j)     which is being processed offsite at a third party location or outside processor, or is in transit to or from such third party location or outside processor; 

 

(k)     which is a discontinued product or component thereof; 

 

(l)     which is the subject of a consignment by such Borrower as consignor;

 

(m)     which is perishable;

 

(n)     which contains or bears any intellectual property rights licensed to such Borrower unless the Lender is reasonably satisfied that it may sell or otherwise dispose of such Inventory without (i) infringing the rights of such licensor, (ii) violating any contract with such licensor, or (iii) incurring any liability with respect to payment of royalties, other than royalties incurred pursuant to sale of such Inventory under the current licensing agreement; 

 

 


 

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(o)     which is not reflected in a current perpetual inventory report of such Borrower;

 

(p)     for which reclamation rights have been asserted by the seller; 

 

(q)     which has been acquired from a Sanctioned Person; or

 

(r)     which the Lender otherwise determines is unacceptable in its commercially reasonable credit judgment.

 

In the event that Inventory of a Borrower which was previously Eligible Inventory ceases to be Eligible Inventory hereunder, such Borrower or the Borrower Representative shall notify the Lender thereof on and at the time of submission to the Lender of the next Borrowing Base Certificate. 

 

“Eligible Progress Billing Account” means, at any time, the Accounts of a Borrower which represent progress billings, that satisfy all the requirements set forth in the definition of “Eligible Accounts” (other than the requirement set forth in clause (g)(iii) of the definition of Eligible Accounts) and that the Lender determines in its Permitted Discretion are eligible as the basis for the extension of Revolving Loans and the issuance of Letters of Credit. Without limiting the Lender’s discretion provided herein, Eligible Progress Billing Accounts shall not include any Account of a Borrower:

 

(a)     which are generated under a contract which will take greater than 180 days to complete, whether by the terms of the contract or otherwise;

 

(b)     which is due as a deposit or upon signing of a contract and not based upon a Borrower’s completion of specific services as required by such contract; 

 

(c)     which the Lender determines in its Permitted Discretion is in excess of the services performed or completed, but only the extent of such excess;

 

(d)      which exceeds the costs incurred by such Borrower in connection with the services performed or completed, but only to the extent of such excess; or

 

(e)     which the Lender otherwise determines is unacceptable in its commercially reasonable credit judgment.

 

In the event that an Account of a Borrower which was previously an Eligible Progress Billing Account ceases to be an Eligible Progress Billing Account hereunder (other than by payment), such Borrower or the Borrower Representative shall notify the Lender thereof on and at the time of submission to the Lender of the next Borrowing Base Certificate. In determining the amount of an Eligible Progress Billing Account of a Borrower, the face amount of an Account may, in the Lender’s Permitted Discretion, be reduced by, without duplication, to the extent not reflected in such face amount, (i) the amount of all accrued and actual discounts, claims, credits or credits pending, promotional program allowances, price adjustments, finance charges or other allowances (including any amount that such Borrower may be obligated to rebate to an Account Debtor pursuant to the terms of any agreement or understanding (written or oral)) and (ii) the aggregate amount of all cash received in respect of such Account but not yet applied by such Borrower to reduce the amount of such Account. 

 

 


 

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“Environmental Laws” means all laws, rules, regulations, codes, ordinances, orders, decrees, judgments, injunctions, notices or binding agreements issued, promulgated or entered into by any Governmental Authority, relating in any way to the environment, preservation or reclamation of natural resources, the management, Release or threatened Release of any Hazardous Material or to health and safety matters.

 

“Environmental Liability” means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of a Borrower or any Subsidiary directly or indirectly resulting from or based upon (a) any violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) any exposure to any Hazardous Materials, (d) the Release or threatened Release of any Hazardous Materials into the environment or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.

 

“Equipment” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Security Agreement.

 

“Equity Interests” means shares of capital stock, partnership interests, membership interests in a limited liability company, beneficial interests in a trust or other equity ownership interests in a Person, and any warrants, options or other rights entitling the holder thereof to purchase or acquire any of the foregoing.

 

“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time.

 

“ERISA Affiliate” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) that, together with a Borrower, is treated as a single employer under Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code or, solely for purposes of Section 302 of ERISA and Section 412 of the Code, is treated as a single employer under Section 414 (b), (c), (m), (o) or (t) of the Code.

 

“ERISA Event” means (a) any “reportable event”, as defined in Section 4043 of ERISA or the regulations issued thereunder, with respect to a Plan (other than an event for which the 30-day notice period is waived); (b) the failure to satisfy the “minimum funding standard” (as defined in Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA) with respect to any Plan, whether or not waived; (c) the filing pursuant to Section 412(c) of the Code or Section 302(c) of ERISA of an application for a waiver of the minimum funding standard with respect to any Plan; (d) the incurrence by any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of any Plan; (e) the receipt by any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from the PBGC or a plan administrator of any notice relating to an intention to terminate any Plan or Plans under Section 4041, Section 4042 or Section 4041A of ERISA or to appoint a trustee to administer any Plan; (f) the incurrence by any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any liability with respect to the withdrawal or partial withdrawal of any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from any Plan or Multiemployer Plan; or (g) the receipt by any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice concerning the imposition upon any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of Withdrawal Liability or a determination that a Multiemployer Plan is, or is expected to be, insolvent or in reorganization, within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA.

 

“Eurodollar”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, bear interest at a rate determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBOR Rate.

 

 


 

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“Event of Default” has the meaning assigned to such term in Article VII.

 

“Excluded Collateral” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Security Agreement.

 

“Excluded Swap Obligation” means, with respect to any Guarantor, any Swap Obligation if, and to the extent that, all or a portion of the Guarantee of such Guarantor of, or the grant by such Guarantor of a security interest to secure, such Swap Obligation (or any Guarantee thereof) is or becomes illegal under the Commodity Exchange Act or any rule, regulation or order of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (or the application or official interpretation of any thereof) by virtue of such Guarantor’s failure for any reason to constitute an ECP at the time the Guarantee of such Guarantor or the grant of such security interest becomes or would become effective with respect to such Swap Obligation. If a Swap Obligation arises under a master agreement governing more than one swap, such exclusion shall apply only to the portion of such Swap Obligation that is attributable to swaps for which such Guarantee or security interest is or becomes illegal. 

 

“Excluded Taxes” means any of the following Taxes imposed on or with respect to the Lender or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to the Lender: (a) Taxes imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated), franchise Taxes, and branch profits Taxes, in each case, (i) imposed as a result of the Lender being organized under the laws of, or having its principal office or its applicable lending office located in, the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (or any political subdivision thereof) or (ii) that are Other Connection Taxes, (b) U.S. federal withholding Taxes imposed on amounts payable to or for the account of the Lender with respect to an applicable interest in a Loan, Letter of Credit or Commitment pursuant to a law in effect on the date on which (i) the Lender acquires such interest in the Loan, Letter of Credit or Commitment or (ii) the Lender changes its lending office, except in each case to the extent that, pursuant to Section 2.15, amounts with respect to such Taxes were payable either to the Lender’s assignor immediately before the Lender acquired the applicable interest in such Loan, Letter of Credit or Commitment or to the Lender immediately before it changed its lending office, and (c) any U.S. federal withholding Taxes imposed under FATCA.

 

“FATCA” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code as of the date of this Agreement (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with), any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof and any agreement entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Code.

 

“Federal Funds Effective Rate” means, for any day, the rate calculated by the NYFRB based on such day’s federal funds transactions by depositary institutions (as determined in such manner as the NYFRB shall set forth on its public website from time to time) and published on the next succeeding Business Day by the NYFRB as the federal funds effective rate.

 

“FFC” means First Francis Company Inc., an Ohio corporation.

 

“FFC Security Agreement” means that certain All Assets Security Agreement, dated July 1, 2016, among Hickok Incorporated, Federal, Supreme and FFC.

 

“FFC Subordinated Debt” means the Indebtedness of certain of the Loan Parties owed to FFC pursuant to the FFC Subordinated Debt Documents in the aggregate current principal amount, as of the Effective Date, of $3,995,600. 

 

“FFC Subordinated Debt Documents” means the FFC Subordinated Notes, the FFC Security Agreement, and the other documents, agreements, instruments and writings executed by any of the Loan Parties to FFC in connection with or related to the FFC Subordinated Debt, as any of the same may be amended, restated or otherwise modified from time to time. 

 

 


 

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“FFC Subordinated Payment Conditions” means (a) FFC is not in breach or violation of the FFC Subordination Agreement, (b) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing (or has not been waived by the Lender) under this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (c) no Default or Event of Default will occur as a result of any such payment, (d) after giving effect to any such payment Borrowers are in pro forma compliance with the financial covenants set forth in and calculated in accordance with Section 6.12 of this Agreement, and (e) after giving effect to any such payment, Availability is greater than or equal to $500,000 as evidenced by a Borrowing Base Certificate delivered by the Loan Parties to the Lender.

 

“FFC Subordinated Notes” means, together, (i) that certain Promissory Note, dated July 1, 2016, by Hickok Incorporated in favor of First Francis Company Inc., in the original principal amount of $2,768,662 and (ii) that certain Promissory Note, dated July 1, 2016, by Hickok Incorporated in favor of First Francis Company Inc., in the original principal amount of $2,000,000. 

 

“FFC Subordination Agreement” means the Subordination Agreement entered into among the Loan Parties, FFC (as subordinated lender), and the Lender (as senior lender) in connection with the FFC Subordinated Debt, as such agreement may be amended, restated or otherwise modified from time to time. 

 

“Financial Officer” means the chief financial officer, principal accounting officer, treasurer or controller of a Borrower.

 

“Financial Statements” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.01.

 

“Fixed Charges” means, for any period, without duplication, cash Interest Expense, plus scheduled principal payments on Indebtedness (excluding Subordinated Indebtedness) actually made, plus principal payments made after the Effective Date on Subordinated Indebtedness, plus Distributions, plus scheduled Capital Lease Obligation payments, all calculated for the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP. 

 

“Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio” means, for any period, the ratio of (a) EBITDA minus (i) income tax expense for such period and (ii) Maintenance Capital Expenditures to (b) Fixed Charges, all calculated for the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP. 

 

“Fixtures” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Security Agreement.

 

“Funding Account” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.01(h).

 

“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the U.S.

 

“Governmental Authority” means the government of the U.S., any other nation or any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government.

 

 


 

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“Guarantee” of or by any Person (the “guarantor”) means any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of the guarantor guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of the guarantor, direct or indirect, (a) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other obligation or to purchase (or to advance or supply funds for the purchase of) any security for the payment thereof, (b) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the owner of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment thereof, (c) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other obligation or (d) as an account party in respect of any letter of credit or letter of guaranty issued to support such Indebtedness or obligation; provided that the term Guarantee shall not include (i) warranties or indemnities made in trade contracts, asset sale agreements, acquisition agreements, commitment letters, engagement letters and brokerage and deposit agreements in the ordinary course of business and not otherwise prohibited hereunder, and warranties and indemnities to lenders in any documents evidencing Indebtedness permitted pursuant to Section 6.01 with respect to the guarantor, (ii) any indemnities made in connection with liability of a Person’s directors, officers and employees in their capacities as such as permitted by applicable law so long as the same is in the ordinary course of business and consistent with such Person’s past practices and, (iii) any contingent liability arising from the endorsement of negotiable or other instruments for deposit or collection in the ordinary course of business, and (iv) any continuing liability of Hickok or its Subsidiaries as a lessee under a real property or equipment lease after such lease has been assigned or subleased by such Person.

 

“Guaranteed Obligations” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.01.

 

“Guarantors” means all Loan Guarantors and all non-Loan Parties who have delivered an Obligation Guaranty, and the term “Guarantor” means each or any one of them individually. 

 

“Hazardous Materials” means: (a) any substance, material, or waste that is included within the definitions of “hazardous substances,” “hazardous materials,” “hazardous waste,” “toxic substances,” “toxic materials,” “toxic waste,” or words of similar import in any Environmental Law; (b) those substances listed as hazardous substances by the United States Department of Transportation (or any successor agency) (49 C.F.R. 172.101 and amendments thereto) or by the Environmental Protection Agency (or any successor agency) (40 C.F.R. Part 302 and amendments thereto); and (c) any substance, material, or waste that is petroleum, petroleum-related, or a petroleum by-product, asbestos or asbestos-containing material, polychlorinated biphenyls, flammable, explosive, radioactive, freon gas, radon, or a pesticide, herbicide, or any other agricultural chemical. 

 

“Hickok Air Enterprises Name Change” shall mean the name change which will occur on or about the date hereof, whereby Hickok Air Enterprises will change its name to Air Enterprises, LLC.

 

“Hickok Air Enterprises Name Change Documents” shall mean the documentation filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware in order to effectuate the Hickok Air Enterprises Name Change and all other agreements, instruments and documents executed pursuant thereto or in connection therewith.

 

 


 

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“Indebtedness” of any Person means, without duplication, (a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money, (b) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments, (c) all obligations of such Person upon which interest charges are customarily paid, (d) all obligations of such Person under conditional sale or other title retention agreements relating to property acquired by such Person, (e) all obligations of such Person in respect of the deferred purchase price of property or services (excluding current accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of business), (f) all Indebtedness of others secured by (or for which the holder of such Indebtedness has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien on property owned or acquired by such Person, whether or not the Indebtedness secured thereby has been assumed, provided, in the case of any such obligations that are non-recourse to such Person, that the amount of obligations counted as Indebtedness shall be no greater than the fair market value of the assets subject to such Lien, (g) all Guarantees by such Person of Indebtedness of others, (h) all Capital Lease Obligations of such Person, (i) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person as an account party in respect of letters of credit and letters of guaranty, (j) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person in respect of bankers’ acceptances, and (k) obligations under any liquidated earn-out and (l) any other Off-Balance Sheet Liability and (m) obligations, whether absolute or contingent and howsoever and whensoever created, arising, evidenced or acquired (including all renewals, extensions and modifications thereof and substitutions therefor), under (i) any and all Swap Agreements, and (ii) any and all cancellations, buy backs, reversals, terminations or assignments of any Swap Agreement transaction. The Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any other entity (including any partnership in which such Person is a general partner) to the extent such Person is liable therefor as a result of such Person’s ownership interest in or other relationship with such entity, except to the extent the terms of such Indebtedness provide that such Person is not liable therefor.

 

“Indemnified Taxes” means (a) Taxes, other than Excluded Taxes, imposed on or with respect to any payment made by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party under any Loan Document and (b) to the extent not otherwise described in the foregoing clause (a), Other Taxes.

 

“Indemnitee” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.03(b).

 

“Information” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.12.

 

“Interest Election Request” means a request by the Borrower Representative to convert or continue a Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.06.

 

“Interest Expense” means, with reference to any period, total interest expense (including that attributable to Capital Lease Obligations) of the Company and its Subsidiaries for such period with respect to all outstanding Indebtedness of the Company and its Subsidiaries (including all commissions, discounts and other fees and charges owed with respect to letters of credit and bankers’ acceptances and net costs under Swap Agreements in respect of interest rates, to the extent such net costs are allocable to such period in accordance with GAAP), calculated for the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis for such period in accordance with GAAP.

 

“Interest Payment Date” means (a) with respect to any CBFR Loan, the first Business Day of each calendar month and the Revolving Credit Maturity Date or the Term A Maturity Date, as applicable, and (b) with respect to any Eurodollar Loan, the last day of the Interest Period applicable to the Borrowing of which such Loan is a part and the Revolving Credit Maturity Date or the Term A Maturity Date, as applicable. 

 

“Interest Period” means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing, each consecutive one month period, the first of which shall commence on the date of this Agreement, ending on the day which corresponds numerically to such date one (1) month thereafter, provided, however, that if there is no such numerically corresponding day in such first succeeding month, such Interest Period shall end on the last Business Day of such first succeeding month. If an Interest Period would otherwise end on a day which is not a Business Day, such Interest Period shall end on the next succeeding Business Day, provided, however, that if said next succeeding Business Day falls in a new calendar month, such Interest Period shall end on the immediately preceding Business Day.

 

“Inventory” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Security Agreement.

 

 


 

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“IRS” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.

 

“Joinder Agreement” means a Joinder Agreement in substantially the form of Exhibit D.

 

“LC Collateral Account” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.04(h).

 

“LC Disbursement” means any payment made by the Lender pursuant to a Letter of Credit.

 

“LC Exposure” means, at any time, the sum of the Commercial LC Exposure and the Standby LC Exposure at such time.

 

“LC Sublimit” means $3,000,000. 

 

“Lender” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., its successors and assigns.

 

“Letters of Credit” means the letters of credit issued pursuant to this Agreement, and the term “Letter of Credit” means any one of them or each of them singularly, as the context may require.

 

“LIBOR Rate” means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any Interest Period, the London interbank offered rate as administered by ICE Benchmark Administration (or any other person that takes over the administration of such rate for Dollars) for a period equal in length to such Interest Period as displayed on pages LIBOR01 or LIBOR02 of the Reuters screen that displays such rate (or, in the event such rate does not appear on a Reuters page or screen, on any successor or substitute page on such screen that displays such rate, or on the appropriate page of such other information service that publishes such rate from time to time as shall be selected by the Lender in its reasonable discretion; in each case, the “LIBOR Screen Rate”) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two (2) Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period; provided that, if any LIBOR Screen Rate shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for the purposes of this Note. If no LIBOR Screen Rate is available to the Lender, the applicable LIBOR Rate for the relevant Interest Period shall instead be the rate determined by the Lender to be the rate at which the Lender offers to place U.S. dollar deposits having a maturity equal to such Interest Period with first-class banks in the London interbank market at approximately 11:00 A.M. (London time) two (2) Business Days prior to the first day of such Interest Period.

 

“Lien” means, with respect to any asset, (a) any mortgage, deed of trust, lien, pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance, charge or security interest in, on or of such asset, (b) the interest of a vendor or a lessor under any conditional sale agreement, capital lease or title retention agreement (or any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing) relating to such asset and (c) in the case of securities, any purchase option, call or similar right of a third party with respect to such securities.

 

“Loan Documents” means, collectively, this Agreement, each promissory note issued pursuant to this Agreement, any Letter of Credit application, each Collateral Document, the Loan Guaranty, any Obligation Guaranty, the FFC Subordination Agreement, the Roundball Subordination Agreement, and each other agreement, instrument, document and certificate identified in Section 4.01 executed and delivered to, or in favor of, the Lender and including each other pledge, power of attorney, consent, assignment, contract, notice, letter of credit agreement, letter of credit application and each other written matter whether heretofore, now or hereafter executed by or on behalf of any Loan Party, or any employee of any Loan Party, and delivered to the Lender in connection with this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby. Any reference in this Agreement or any other Loan Document to a Loan Document shall include all appendices, exhibits or schedules thereto, and all amendments, restatements, supplements or other modifications thereto, and shall refer to this Agreement or such Loan Document as the same may be in effect at any and all times such reference becomes operative. 

 

 


 

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“Loan Guarantor” means each Loan Party other than the Borrowers’ foreign Subsidiaries. 

 

“Loan Guaranty” means Article IX of this Agreement.

 

“Loan Parties” means, collectively, the Borrowers, the Borrowers’ domestic Subsidiaries and any other Person who becomes a party to this Agreement pursuant to a Joinder Agreement and their successors and assigns, and the term “Loan Party” shall mean any one of them or all of them individually, as the context may require.

 

“Loans” means the loans and advances made by the Lender pursuant to this Agreement.

 

“Maintenance Capital Expenditures” means Capital Expenditures that are made in connection with the replacement, substitution, restoration or repair of existing assets in order to maintain existing operational capacities (it being agreed that Maintenance Capital Expenditures does not include Capital Expenditures made in connection with an acquisition of a new asset that seeks to expand existing operational capacities).

 

“Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on (a) the business, assets, operations, prospects or condition, financial or otherwise, of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (b) the ability of any Loan Party to perform any of its obligations under the Loan Documents to which it is a party, (c) the Collateral, or the Lender’s Liens (on behalf of itself and the other Secured Parties) on the Collateral or the priority of such Liens, or (d) the rights of or benefits available to the Lender under any of the Loan Documents. 

 

“Material Indebtedness” means Indebtedness (other than the Loans and Letters of Credit), or obligations in respect of one or more Swap Agreements, of any one or more of the Loan Parties in an aggregate principal amount exceeding $250,000. For purposes of determining Material Indebtedness, the “principal amount of the obligations” of the Loan Parties in respect of any Swap Agreement at any time shall be the maximum aggregate amount (giving effect to any netting agreements) that such Loan Party would be required to pay if such Swap Agreement were terminated at such time. 

 

“Maximum Rate” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.16.

 

“Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.

 

“Mortgage” means any mortgage, deed of trust or other agreement which conveys or evidences a Lien in favor of the Lender, on real property of a Loan Party, including any amendment, restatement, modification or supplement thereto.

 

“Multiemployer Plan” means a multiemployer plan as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA.

 

“Net Income” means, for any period, the consolidated net income (or loss) determined for the Company and its Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP; provided that there shall be excluded (a) the income (or deficit) of any Person accrued prior to the date it becomes a Subsidiary or is merged into or consolidated with the Company or any Subsidiary, and (b) the income (or deficit) of any Person (other than a Subsidiary) in which the Company or any Subsidiary has an ownership interest, except to the extent that any such income is actually received by the Company or such Subsidiary in the form of dividends or similar distributions, and (c) the undistributed earnings of any Subsidiary, to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions by such Subsidiary is not at the time permitted by the terms of any contractual obligation (other than under any Loan Document) or Requirement of Law applicable to such Subsidiary.

 

 


 

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“Net Proceeds” means, with respect to any event, (a) the cash proceeds received in respect of such event including (i) any cash received in respect of any non-cash proceeds (including any cash payments received by way of deferred payment of principal pursuant to a note or installment receivable or purchase price adjustment receivable or otherwise, but excluding any interest payments), but only as and when received, (ii) in the case of a casualty, insurance proceeds and (iii) in the case of a condemnation or similar event, condemnation awards and similar payments, minus (b) the sum of (i) all reasonable fees and out-of-pocket expenses paid to third parties (other than Affiliates) in connection with such event, (ii) in the case of a sale, transfer or other disposition of an asset (including pursuant to a sale and leaseback transaction or a casualty or a condemnation or similar proceeding), the amount of all payments required to be made as a result of such event to repay Indebtedness (other than Loans) secured by such asset or otherwise subject to mandatory prepayment as a result of such event and (iii) the amount of all taxes paid (or reasonably estimated to be payable) and the amount of any reserves established to fund contingent liabilities reasonably estimated to be payable, in each case during the year that such event occurred or the next succeeding year and that are directly attributable to such event (as determined reasonably and in good faith by a Financial Officer of the Borrower Representative).

 

“NYFRB” means the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

 

“Obligated Party” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.02.

 

“Obligation Guaranty” means any Guarantee of all or any portion of the Secured Obligations executed and delivered to the Lender for the benefit of the Secured Parties by a guarantor who is not a Loan Party.

 

“Obligations” “ means all unpaid principal of and accrued and unpaid interest on the Loans, all LC Exposure, all accrued and unpaid fees and all expenses, reimbursements, indemnities and other obligations and indebtedness (including interest and fees accruing during the pendency of any bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or other similar proceeding, regardless of whether allowed or allowable in such proceeding), obligations and liabilities of any of the Loan Parties to the Lender or any indemnified party, individually or collectively, existing on the Effective Date or arising thereafter, direct or indirect, joint or several, absolute or contingent, matured or unmatured, liquidated or unliquidated, secured or unsecured, arising by contract, operation of law or otherwise, arising or incurred under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents or in respect of any of the Loans made or reimbursement or other obligations incurred or any of the Letters of Credit or other instruments at any time evidencing any thereof. 

 

“OFAC” means the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the United States Department of the Treasury.

 

“Off-Balance Sheet Liability” of a Person means (a) any repurchase obligation or liability of such Person with respect to accounts or notes receivable sold by such Person, (b) any indebtedness, liability or obligation under any so-called “synthetic lease” transaction entered into by such Person, or (c) any indebtedness, liability or obligation arising with respect to any other transaction which is the functional equivalent of or takes the place of borrowing but which does not constitute a liability on the balance sheet of such Person (other than operating leases).

 

 


 

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“Other Connection Taxes” means, with respect to the Lender, Taxes imposed as a result of a present or former connection between the Lender and the jurisdiction imposing such Taxes (other than a connection arising from the Lender having executed, delivered, become a party to, performed its obligations under, received payments under, received or perfected a security interest under, engaged in any other transaction pursuant to, or enforced, any Loan Document), or sold or assigned an interest in any Loan, Letter of Credit, or any Loan Document. 

 

“Other Taxes” means all present or future stamp, court or documentary, intangible, recording, filing or similar Taxes that arise from any payment made under, from the execution, delivery, performance, enforcement or registration of, from the receipt or perfection of a security interest under, or otherwise with respect to, any Loan Document, except any such Taxes that are Other Connection Taxes imposed with respect to an assignment.

 

“Parent” means, with respect to the Lender, the Person of which the Lender is, directly or indirectly, a subsidiary.

 

“Participant” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.04(c).

 

“Participant Register” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.04(c). 

 

“PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation referred to and defined in ERISA and any successor entity performing similar functions.

 

“Permitted Discretion” means a determination made in good faith and in the exercise of reasonable (from the perspective of a secured lender) business judgment.

 

“Permitted Encumbrances” means:

 

(a) Liens imposed by law for Taxes that are not yet due or are being contested in compliance with Section 5.04;

 

(b) carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’, materialmen’s, repairmen’s and other like Liens imposed by law, arising in the ordinary course of business and securing obligations that are not overdue by more than thirty (30) days or are being contested in compliance with Section 5.04;

 

(c) pledges and deposits made in the ordinary course of business in compliance with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security laws or regulations;

 

(d) deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts, leases, statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature, in each case in the ordinary course of business;

 

(e) judgment Liens in respect of judgments that do not constitute an Event of Default under clause (k) of Article VII; and

 

(f) easements, zoning restrictions, rights-of-way and similar encumbrances on real property imposed by law or arising in the ordinary course of business that do not secure any monetary obligations and do not materially detract from the value of the affected property or interfere with the ordinary conduct of business of any Borrower or any Subsidiary; 

 

provided that the term “Permitted Encumbrances” shall not include any Lien securing Indebtedness, except with respect to clause (e) above.

 

 


 

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“Permitted Investments” means:

 

(a) direct obligations of, or obligations the principal of and interest on which are unconditionally guaranteed by, the U.S. (or by any agency thereof to the extent such obligations are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S.), in each case maturing within one year from the date of acquisition thereof;

 

(b) investments in commercial paper maturing within 270 days from the date of acquisition thereof and having, at such date of acquisition, the highest credit rating obtainable from S&P or from Moody’s;

 

(c) investments in certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances and time deposits maturing within 180 days from the date of acquisition thereof issued or guaranteed by or placed with, and money market deposit accounts issued or offered by, any domestic office of any commercial bank organized under the laws of the U.S. or any state thereof which has a combined capital and surplus and undivided profits of not less than $500,000,000;

 

(d) fully collateralized repurchase agreements with a term of not more than 30 days for securities described in clause (a) above and entered into with a financial institution satisfying the criteria described in clause (c) above; and

 

(e) money market funds that (i) comply with the criteria set forth in Securities and Exchange Commission Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, (ii) are rated AAA by S&P and Aaa by Moody’s and (iii) have portfolio assets of at least $5,000,000,000.

 

“Person” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.

 

“Plan” means any employee pension benefit plan (other than a Multiemployer Plan) subject to the provisions of Title IV of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, and in respect of which any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate is (or, if such plan were terminated, would under Section 4069 of ERISA be deemed to be) an “employer” as defined in Section 3(5) of ERISA. 

 

“Prepayment Event” means:

 

(a) any sale, transfer or other disposition (including pursuant to a sale and leaseback transaction) of any property or asset of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, other than dispositions described in Section 6.05(a); or

 

(b) subject to Section 2.09(c), any casualty or other insured damage to, or any taking under power of eminent domain or by condemnation or similar proceeding of, any property or asset of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary with a fair value immediately prior to such event equal to or greater than $100,000; or 

 

(c) the issuance by the Company of any Equity Interests, or the receipt by the Company of any capital contribution, (other than the offering or exercise of stock options or other equity awards pursuant to management incentive plans); or 

 

(d) the incurrence by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary of any Indebtedness, other than Indebtedness permitted under Section 6.01.

 

 


 

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“Prime Rate” means the rate of interest per annum publicly announced from time to time by the Lender as its prime rate in effect at its principal offices in New York City. Each change in the Prime Rate shall be effective from and including the date such change is publicly announced as being effective. 

 

“Projections” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.01(e).

 

“Qualified ECP Guarantor” means, in respect of any Swap Obligation, each Loan Party that has total assets exceeding $10,000,000 at the time the relevant Loan Guaranty or grant of the relevant security interest becomes or would become effective with respect to such Swap Obligation or such other person as constitutes an “eligible contract participant” under the Commodity Exchange Act or any regulations promulgated thereunder and can cause another person to qualify as an “eligible contract participant” at such time by entering into a keepwell under Section 1a(18)(A)(v)(II) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

 

“Real Property” means all real property that was, is now or may hereafter be owned, occupied or otherwise controlled by any Loan Party pursuant to any contract of sale, lease or other conveyance of any legal interest in any real property to any Loan Party. 

 

“Refinance Indebtedness” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.01(f). 

 

“Regulation D” means Regulation D of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System as from time to time in effect and any successor thereto or other regulation or official interpretation of said Board of Governors relating to reserve requirements applicable to member banks of the Federal Reserve System.

 

“Related Parties” means, with respect to any specified Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the respective directors, officers, partners, members, trustees, employees, agents, administrators, managers, representatives and advisors of such Person and such Person’s Affiliates.

 

“Release” means any releasing, spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, emitting, emptying, discharging, injecting, escaping, leaching, migrating, disposing, or dumping of any substance into the environment.

 

“Report” means reports prepared by the Lender or another Person showing the results of appraisals, field examinations or audits pertaining to a Borrower’s assets from information furnished by or on behalf of such Borrower, after the Lender has exercised its rights of inspection pursuant to this Agreement.

 

“Requirement of Law” means, with respect to any Person, (a) the charter, articles or certificate of organization or incorporation and bylaws or operating, management or partnership agreement, or other organizational or governing documents of such Person and (b) any statute, law (including common law), treaty, rule, regulation, code, ordinance, order, decree, writ, judgment, injunction or determination of any arbitrator or court or other Governmental Authority (including Environmental Laws), in each case applicable to or binding upon such Person or any of its property or to which such Person or any of its property is subject.

 

“Reserves” means any and all reserves which the Lender deems necessary, in its Permitted Discretion, to maintain with respect to the Collateral or any Loan Party.

 

“Reserve Requirement” means, with respect to an Interest Period, the maximum aggregate reserve requirement (including all basic, supplemental, marginal and other reserves) which is imposed under Regulation D.

 


 

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“Restricted Payment” means any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any Equity Interests in any Borrower or any Subsidiary, or any payment (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any such Equity Interests or any option, warrant or other right to acquire any such Equity Interests. 

 

“Revolving Commitment” means the commitment of the Lender to make Revolving Loans and issue Letters of Credit hereunder, as such commitment may be reduced from time to time pursuant to Section 2.07. The initial amount of the Lender’s Revolving Commitment is $8,000,000.

 

“Revolving Credit Maturity Date” means June 1, 2020 (if the same is a Business Day, or if not then the immediately next succeeding Business Day), or any earlier date on which the Revolving Commitment is reduced to zero or otherwise terminated pursuant to the terms hereof.

 

“Revolving Exposure” means, at any time, the sum of the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Lender’s Revolving Loans and its LC Exposure at such time.

 

“Revolving Loan” means a Loan made pursuant to Section 2.01(a).

 

“Roundball” means Roundball LLC, an Ohio limited liability company.

 

“Roundball Subordinated Note” means (a) the Convertible Promissory Note, dated December 30, 2015, made by Hickok in favor of Roundball in the original principal amount of $466,879.87, and referred to in the Roundball Subordinated Loan Agreement as the “Roundball/Borrower Option Note”, as amended, restated or otherwise modified from time to time. 

 

“Roundball Subordinated Debt” means the Indebtedness of Hickok owed to Roundball pursuant to the Roundball Subordinated Debt Documents in the aggregate current principal amount, as of the Effective Date, of $200,000 for Roundball. 

 

“Roundball Subordinated Debt Documents” means the Roundball Subordinated Loan Agreement, the Roundball Subordinated Note and the other documents, agreements, instruments and writings executed by any of the Loan Parties to Roundball in connection with or related to the Roundball Subordinated Debt, as any of the same may be amended, restated or otherwise modified from time to time. 

 

“Roundball Subordinated Loan Agreement” means that certain Convertible Loan Agreement, dated as of December 30, 2011, among Hickok (as borrower) and Roundball (as lender), as amended, restated or otherwise modified from time to time.

 

“Roundball Subordinated Payment Conditions” means (a) Roundball is not in breach or violation of the Roundball Subordination Agreement, (b) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing (or has not been waived by the Lender) under this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (c) no Default or Event of Default will occur as a result of any such payment, (d) after giving effect to any such payment Borrowers are in pro forma compliance with the financial covenants set forth in and calculated in accordance with Section 6.12 of this Agreement, and (e) after giving effect to any such payment, Availability is greater than or equal to $500,000 as evidenced by a Borrowing Base Certificate delivered by the Loan Parties to the Lender. 

 

 


 

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“Roundball Subordination Agreement” means the Subordination Agreement entered into among the Loan Parties, Roundball (as subordinated lender), and the Lender (as senior lender) in connection with the Roundball Subordinated Debt, as such agreement may be amended, restated or otherwise modified from time to time. 

 

“S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC business. 

 

“Sale and Leaseback Transaction” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.06. 

 

“Sanctioned Country” means, at any time, a country, region or territory which is the subject or target of any Sanctions (at the time of this Agreement, Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria).

 

“Sanctioned Person” means, at any time, (a) any Person listed in any Sanctions-related list of designated Persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, or the U.S. Department of State, (b) any Person operating, organized or resident in a Sanctioned Country or (c) any Person owned or controlled by any such Person or Persons described in the foregoing clauses (a) or (b).

 

“Sanctions” means all economic or financial sanctions or trade embargoes imposed, administered or enforced from time to time by the U.S. government, including those administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury or the U.S. Department of State.

 

“SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission of the U.S.

 

“Secured Obligations” means all Obligations, together with all (i) Banking Services Obligations and (ii) Swap Agreement Obligations owing to the Lender or its Affiliates; provided, however, that the definition of “Secured Obligations” shall not create any guarantee by any Guarantor of (or grant of security interest by any Guarantor to support, as applicable) any Excluded Swap Obligations of such Guarantor for purposes of determining any obligations of any Guarantor.

 

“Secured Parties” means (a) the Lender, (b) each provider of Banking Services, to the extent the Banking Services Obligations in respect thereof constitute Secured Obligations, (c) each counterparty to any Swap Agreement, to the extent the obligations thereunder constitute Secured Obligations, (d) the beneficiaries of each indemnification obligation undertaken by any Loan Party under any Loan Document and (e) the successors and assigns of each of the foregoing. 

 

“Security Agreement” means that certain Pledge and Security Agreement (including any and all supplements thereto), dated as of the date hereof, among the Loan Parties and the Lender, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, and any other pledge or security agreement entered into, after the date of this Agreement by any other Loan Party (as required by this Agreement or any other Loan Document) or any other Person for the benefit of the Lender, on behalf of the Secured Parties, as the same may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

 

“Senior Funded Indebtedness” means, at any date, the aggregate principal amount of total liabilities of the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, minus the sum of (a) accounts payable arising from the purchase of goods and services in the ordinary course of business, (b) accrued expenses or losses, (c) deferred revenues or gains, and (d) Subordinated Indebtedness, determined for the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis at such date, in accordance with GAAP. 

 

 


 

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“Senior Funded Indebtedness to EBITDA Ratio” means, at any date, the ratio of (a) Senior Funded Indebtedness for such date to (b) EBITDA for the period of four fiscal quarters ended on or most recently prior to such date; provided, however, for purposes of calculating EBITDA above, the EBITDA of Hickok Air Enterprises shall be deemed to be (i) the actual EBITDA of Hickok Air Enterprises for the one month period ending June 30, 2017 plus $736,887, (ii) the actual EBITDA of Hickok Air Enterprises for the fourth month period ending September 30, 2017 plus $586,394, (iii) the actual EBITDA of Hickok Air Enterprises for the seventh month period ending December 31, 2017 plus $761,155, and (iv) the actual EBITDA of Hickok Air Enterprises for the ten month period ending March 31, 2018 plus $286,739.

 

“Standby LC Exposure” means, at any time, the sum of (a) the aggregate undrawn amount of all standby Letters of Credit outstanding at such time plus (b) the aggregate amount of all LC Disbursements relating to standby Letters of Credit that have not yet been reimbursed by or on behalf of a Borrower at such time. 

 

“Statement” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.16(d). 

 

“Subordinated Indebtedness” of a Person means any Indebtedness of such Person, the payment of which is subordinated to payment of the Obligations to the written satisfaction of the Lender. 

 

“subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person (the “parent”) at any date, any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other entity the accounts of which would be consolidated with those of the parent in the parent’s consolidated financial statements if such financial statements were prepared in accordance with GAAP as of such date, as well as any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other entity (a) of which securities or other ownership interests representing more than 50% of the equity or more than 50% of the ordinary voting power or, in the case of a partnership, more than 50% of the general partnership interests are, as of such date, owned, controlled or held, or (b) that is, as of such date, otherwise Controlled, by the parent or one or more subsidiaries of the parent or by the parent and one or more subsidiaries of the parent.

 

“Subsidiary” means any direct or indirect subsidiary of the Company, a Borrower or of any other Loan Party, as applicable.

 

“Swap Agreement” means any agreement with respect to any swap, forward, spot, future, credit default or derivative transaction or any option or similar agreement involving, or settled by reference to, one or more rates, currencies, commodities, equity or debt instruments or securities, or economic, financial or pricing indices or measures of economic, financial or pricing risk or value or any similar transaction or any combination of these transactions; provided that no phantom stock or similar plan providing for payments only on account of services provided by current or former directors, officers, employees or consultants of the Borrowers or their Subsidiaries shall be a Swap Agreement.

 

“Swap Agreement Obligations” means any and all obligations of the Loan Parties or their Subsidiaries, whether absolute or contingent and howsoever and whensoever created, arising, evidenced or acquired (including all renewals, extensions and modifications thereof and substitutions therefor), under (a) any Swap Agreement permitted hereunder with the Lender or an Affiliate of the Lender, and (b) any cancellations, buy backs, reversals, terminations or assignments of any Swap Agreement transaction permitted hereunder with the Lender or an Affiliate of the Lender.

 

“Swap Obligation” means, with respect to any Guarantor, any obligation to pay or perform under any agreement, contract or transaction that constitutes a “swap” within the meaning of section 1a(47) of the Commodity Exchange Act or any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

 


 

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“Taxes” means any and all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, withholdings (including backup withholding), value added taxes, or any other goods and services, use or sales taxes, assessments, fees or other charges imposed by any Governmental Authority, including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto.

 

“Term A Commitment” means the commitment of the Lender to make a Term A Loan, expressed as an amount representing the maximum principal amount of the Term A Loan to be made by the Lender. The amount of the Lender’s Term A Commitment on the Effective Date is $2,000,000.

 

“Term A Loan” means a Loan made pursuant to Section 2.01(b).

 

“Term A Maturity Date” means June 1, 2021; provided, however, that if the Revolving Commitment shall be terminated for any reason, the unpaid amounts owing on the Term Loans shall be immediately due and payable in full. 

 

“Term Commitments” means the Term A Commitment. 

 

“Term Loans” means the Term A Loans. 

 

“Transactions” means the execution, delivery and performance by the Borrowers of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, the Air Enterprises Acquisition, the borrowing of Loans and other credit extensions hereunder, the use of the proceeds thereof and the issuance of Letters of Credit hereunder.

 

“Type”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether the rate of interest on such Loan, or on the Loans comprising such Borrowing, is determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBOR Rate or the CB Floating Rate.

 

“UCC” means the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect from time to time in the State of Ohio or in any other state, the laws of which are required to be applied in connection with the issue of perfection of security interests. 

 

“Unliquidated Obligations” means, at any time, any Secured Obligations (or portion thereof) that are contingent in nature or unliquidated at such time, including any Secured Obligation that is: (i) an obligation to reimburse a bank for drawings not yet made under a letter of credit issued by it; (ii) any other obligation (including any guarantee) that is contingent in nature at such time; or (iii) an obligation to provide collateral to secure any of the foregoing types of obligations. 

 

“U.S.” means the United States of America.

 

“USA PATRIOT Act” means the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001. 

 

“Withdrawal Liability” means liability to a Multiemployer Plan as a result of a complete or partial withdrawal from such Multiemployer Plan, as such terms are defined in Part I of Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA.

 

SECTION 1.02. Classification of Loans and Borrowings. For purposes of this Agreement, Loans may be classified and referred to by Class (e.g., a “Revolving Loan”) or by Type (e.g., a “Eurodollar Loan”) or by Class and Type (e.g., a “Eurodollar Revolving Loan”). Borrowings also may be classified and referred to by Class (e.g., a “Revolving Borrowing”) or by Type (e.g., a “Eurodollar Borrowing”) or by Class and Type (e.g., a “Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing”).

 

 


 

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SECTION 1.03. Terms Generally. The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “include”, “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation”. The word “law” shall be construed as referring to all statutes, rules, regulations, codes and other laws (including official rulings and interpretations thereunder having the force of law or with which affected Persons customarily comply) and all judgments, orders and decrees of all Governmental Authorities. The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall”. Unless the context requires otherwise (a) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document herein shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, restatements, supplements or modifications set forth herein), (b) any definition of or reference to any statute, rule or regulation shall be construed as referring thereto as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (including by succession of comparable successor laws), (c) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns (subject to any restrictions on assignments set forth herein) and, in the case of any Governmental Authority, any other Governmental Authority that shall have succeeded to any or all functions thereof, (d) the words “herein”, “hereof” and “hereunder”, and words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular provision hereof, (e) all references herein to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, this Agreement, (f) any reference in any definition to the phrase “at any time” or “for any period” shall refer to the same time or period for all calculations or determinations within such definition, and (g) the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights. 

 

SECTION 1.04. Accounting Terms; GAAP. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature shall be construed in accordance with GAAP, as in effect from time to time; provided that, if after the date hereof there occurs any change in GAAP or in the application thereof on the operation of any provision hereof and the Borrower Representative notifies the Lender that the Borrowers request an amendment to any provision hereof to eliminate the effect of such change in GAAP or in the application thereof (or if the Lender notifies the Borrower Representative that the Lender requests an amendment to any provision hereof for such purpose), regardless of whether any such notice is given before or after such change in GAAP or in the application thereof, then such provision shall be interpreted on the basis of GAAP as in effect and applied immediately before such change shall have become effective until such notice shall have been withdrawn or such provision amended in accordance herewith. Notwithstanding any other provision contained herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature used herein shall be construed, and all computations of amounts and ratios referred to herein shall be made (i) without giving effect to any election under Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification 825-10-25 (or any other Accounting Standards Codification or Financial Accounting Standard having a similar result or effect) to value any Indebtedness or other liabilities of any Loan Party at “fair value”, as defined therein and (ii) without giving effect to any treatment of Indebtedness in respect of convertible debt instruments under Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification 470-20 (or any other Accounting Standards Codification or Financial Accounting Standard having a similar result or effect) to value any such Indebtedness in a reduced or bifurcated manner as described therein, and such Indebtedness shall at all times be valued at the full stated principal amount thereof. 

 

 


 

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SECTION 1.05.    Status of Obligations. In the event that any Borrower or any other Loan Party shall at any time issue or have outstanding any Subordinated Indebtedness, such Borrower shall take or cause such other Loan Party to take all such actions as shall be necessary to cause the Obligations to constitute senior indebtedness (however denominated) in respect of such Subordinated Indebtedness and to enable the Lender to have and exercise any payment blockage or other remedies available or potentially available to holders of senior indebtedness under the terms of such Subordinated Indebtedness. Without limiting the foregoing, the Secured Obligations are hereby designated as “senior indebtedness” and as “designated senior indebtedness” and words of similar import under and in respect of any indenture or other agreement or instrument under which such Subordinated Indebtedness is outstanding and are further given all such other designations as shall be required under the terms of any such Subordinated Indebtedness in order that the Lender may have and exercise any payment blockage or other remedies available or potentially available to holders of senior indebtedness under the terms of such Subordinated Indebtedness.

 

 

ARTICLE II 

 

The Credits

 

SECTION 2.01. Commitments. (a) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Lender agrees to make Revolving Loans in dollars to the Borrowers from time to time during the Availability Period in an aggregate principal amount that will not result in (i) the Revolving Exposure exceeding the lesser of (x) the Revolving Commitment and (y) the Borrowing Base. Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrowers may borrow, prepay and reborrow Revolving Loans.

 

(b) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Lender agrees to make a Term A Loan in dollars to the Borrowers, on the Effective Date, in a principal amount not to exceed the Lender’s Term A Commitment. Amounts prepaid or repaid in respect of Term A Loans may not be reborrowed.

 

SECTION 2.02.     Loans and Borrowings. 

 

(a)     Each Loan shall be made as part of a Borrowing consisting of Loans of the same Class and Type. 

 

(b)     Subject to Section 2.12, each Revolving Borrowing and Term Loan Borrowing shall be comprised entirely of CBFR Loans or Eurodollar Loans as the Borrower Representative may request in accordance herewith, provided that all Revolving Borrowings and Term Loan Borrowings made on the Effective Date must be made as CBFR Borrowings but may be converted into Eurodollar Borrowings in accordance with Section 2.06. The Lender at its option may make any Eurodollar Loan by causing any domestic or foreign branch or Affiliate of the Lender to make such Loan (and in the case of an Affiliate, the provisions of Sections 2.12, 2.13, 2.14 and 2.15 shall apply to such Affiliate to the same extent as to the Lender); provided that any exercise of such option shall not affect the obligation of the Borrowers to repay such Loan in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. 

 

(c)     [Reserved].

 

(d)     Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Borrowers shall not be entitled to request, or to elect to convert or continue, any Borrowing if the Interest Period requested with respect thereto would end after the Revolving Credit Maturity Date or the Term A Maturity Date. 

 

 


 

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SECTION 2.03. Borrowing Procedures; Requests for Revolving Borrowings. To request a Borrowing, the Borrower Representative shall notify the Lender of such request either in writing (delivered by hand or fax) in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Lender and signed by the Borrower Representative or by telephone or through Electronic System, if arrangements for doing so have been approved by the Lender, not later than noon, Eastern Standard Time, on the date of the proposed Borrowing; provided that any such notice of a CBFR Revolving Borrowing to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as contemplated by Section 2.04(d) may be given not later than 9:00 a.m., Eastern Standard Time, on the date of the proposed Borrowing. Each such telephonic Borrowing Request shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery, fax or a communication through Electronic System to the Lender of a written Borrowing Request in a form approved by the Lender and signed by the Borrower Representative. Each such telephonic and written Borrowing Request shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.01: 

 

	 	
(i)
	
the Class of Borrowing, the aggregate amount of the requested Borrowing, and a breakdown of the separate wires comprising such Borrowing;



 

	 	
(ii)
	
name of the applicable Borrower(s); 



 

	 	
(iii)
	
the date of such Borrowing, which shall be a Business Day; and



 

	 	
(iv)
	
whether such Borrowing is to be a CBFR Borrowing or a Eurodollar Borrowing;



 

If no election as to the Type of Borrowing is specified, then the requested Borrowing shall be a CBFR Borrowing. 

 

SECTION 2.04. Letters of Credit. 

 

(a)     General. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower Representative, on behalf of a Borrower, may request the issuance of Letters of Credit denominated in dollars as the applicant thereof for the support of the obligations of any Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof, in a form reasonably acceptable to the Lender, at any time and from time to time during the Availability Period. In the event of any inconsistency between the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the terms and conditions of any form of letter of credit application or other agreement submitted by the Borrowers to, or entered into by the Borrowers with, the Lender relating to any Letter of Credit, the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall control. Each Borrower unconditionally and irrevocably agrees that, in connection with any Letter of Credit issued for the support of any Subsidiary’s obligations as provided in the first sentence of this paragraph, such Borrower will be fully responsible for the reimbursement of LC Disbursements in accordance with the terms hereof, the payment of interest thereon and the payment of fees due under Section 2.10(b) to the same extent as if it were the sole account party in respect of such Letter of Credit (each Borrower hereby irrevocably waiving any defenses that might otherwise be available to it as a guarantor or surety of the obligations of such Subsidiary that is an account party in respect of any such Letter of Credit). Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Lender shall have no obligation hereunder to issue, and shall not issue, any Letter of Credit (i) the proceeds of which would be made available to any Person (A) to fund any activity or business of or with any Sanctioned Person, or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of any Sanctions or (B) in any manner that would result in a violation of any Sanctions by any party to this Agreement, (ii) if any order, judgment or decree of any Governmental Authority or arbitrator shall by its terms purport to enjoin or restrain the Lender from issuing such Letter of Credit, or any Requirement of Law relating to the Lender or any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over the Lender shall prohibit, or request that the Lender refrain from, the issuance of letters of credit generally or such Letter of Credit in particular or shall impose upon the Lender with respect to such Letter of Credit any restriction, reserve or capital requirement (for which the Lender is not otherwise compensated hereunder) not in effect on the Effective Date, or shall impose upon the Lender any unreimbursed loss, cost or expense which was not applicable on the Effective Date and which the Lender in good faith deems material to it, or (iii) if the issuance of such Letter of Credit would violate one or more policies of the Lender applicable to letters of credit generally; provided that, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (x) the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines, requirements or directives thereunder or issued in connection therewith or in the implementation thereof, and (y) all requests, rules, guidelines, requirements or directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or the United States or foreign regulatory authorities, in each case pursuant to Basel III, shall in each case be deemed not to be in effect on the Effective Date for purposes of clause (ii) above, regardless of the date enacted, adopted, issued or implemented. 

 

 


 

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(b)     Notice of Issuance, Amendment, Renewal, Extension; Certain Conditions. To request the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or the amendment, renewal or extension of an outstanding Letter of Credit), the Borrower Representative shall hand deliver or fax (or transmit through Electronic System, if arrangements for doing so have been approved by the Lender) to the Lender (reasonably in advance of the requested date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension, but in any event no less than three (3) Business Days) a notice requesting the issuance of a Letter of Credit, or identifying the Letter of Credit to be amended, renewed or extended, and specifying the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension (which shall be a Business Day), the date on which such Letter of Credit is to expire (which shall comply with paragraph (c) of this Section), the amount of such Letter of Credit, the name and address of the beneficiary thereof, and such other information as shall be necessary to prepare, amend, renew or extend such Letter of Credit. If requested by the Lender, the applicable Borrower also shall submit a letter of credit application on the Lender’s standard form in connection with any request for a Letter of Credit. A Letter of Credit shall be issued, amended, renewed or extended only if (and upon issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of each Letter of Credit the Borrowers shall be deemed to represent and warrant that), after giving effect to such issuance, amendment, renewal or extension (i) the LC Exposure shall not exceed the LC Sublimit, and (ii) the Revolving Exposure shall not exceed the lesser of the Revolving Commitment and the Borrowing Base.

 

(c)     Expiration Date. Each Letter of Credit shall expire (or be subject to termination or non-renewal by notice from the Lender to the beneficiary thereof) at or prior to the close of business on the earlier of (i) the date one year after the date of the issuance of such Letter of Credit (or, in the case of any renewal or extension thereof, including, without limitation, any automatic renewal provision, one year after such renewal or extension) and (ii) the date that is five Business Days prior to the Revolving Credit Maturity Date. 

 

(d)     Reimbursement. If the Lender shall make any LC Disbursement in respect of a Letter of Credit, the Borrowers shall reimburse such LC Disbursement by paying to the Lender an amount equal to such LC Disbursement not later than 11:00 a.m., Eastern Standard Time, on (i) the Business Day that the Borrower Representative receives notice of such LC Disbursement, if such notice is received prior to 9:00 a.m., Eastern Standard Time, on the day of receipt, or (ii) the Business Day immediately following the day that the Borrower Representative receives such notice, if such notice is received after 9:00 a.m., Eastern Standard Time on the day of receipt; provided that, the Borrowers may, subject to the conditions to borrowing set forth herein, request in accordance with Section 2.03 or 2.05 that such payment be financed with a CBFR Revolving Borrowing in an equivalent amount and, to the extent so financed, the Borrowers’ obligation to make such payment shall be discharged and replaced by the resulting CBFR Revolving Borrowing. 

 

 


 

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(e)     Obligations Absolute. The Borrowers’ joint and several obligation to reimburse LC Disbursements as provided in paragraph (d) of this Section shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be performed strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement under any and all circumstances whatsoever and irrespective of any (i) lack of validity or enforceability of any Letter of Credit or this Agreement, or any term or provision therein or herein, (ii) draft or other document presented under a Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent or invalid in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect, (iii) payment by the Lender under a Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or other document that does not comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit, or (iv) other event or circumstance whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, that might, but for the provisions of this Section, constitute a legal or equitable discharge of, or provide a right of setoff against, the Borrowers’ obligations hereunder. Neither the Lender nor any of its Related Parties, shall have any liability or responsibility by reason of or in connection with the issuance or transfer of any Letter of Credit, any payment or failure to make any payment thereunder (irrespective of any of the circumstances referred to in the preceding sentence), or any error, omission, interruption, loss or delay in transmission or delivery of any draft, notice or other communication under or relating to any Letter of Credit (including any document required to make a drawing thereunder), any error in interpretation of technical terms or any consequence arising from causes beyond the control of the Lender; provided that the foregoing shall not be construed to excuse the Lender from liability to the Borrowers to the extent of any direct damages (as opposed to special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages, claims in respect of which are hereby waived by the Borrowers to the extent permitted by applicable law) suffered by any Borrower that are caused by the Lender’s failure to exercise care when determining whether drafts and other documents presented under a Letter of Credit comply with the terms thereof. The parties hereto expressly agree that, in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct on the part of the Lender (as finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction), the Lender shall be deemed to have exercised care in each such determination. In furtherance of the foregoing and without limiting the generality thereof, the parties agree that, with respect to documents presented which appear on their face to be in substantial compliance with the terms of a Letter of Credit, the Lender may, in its sole discretion, either accept and make payment upon such documents without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary, or refuse to accept and make payment upon such documents if such documents are not in strict compliance with the terms of such Letter of Credit. 

 

(f)     Disbursement Procedures. The Lender shall, promptly following its receipt thereof, examine all documents purporting to represent a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit. The Lender shall promptly notify the Borrower Representative by telephone (confirmed by fax) of such demand for payment and whether the Lender has made or will make an LC Disbursement thereunder; provided that any failure to give or delay in giving such notice shall not relieve the Borrowers of their obligation to reimburse the Lender with respect to any such LC Disbursement. 

 

(g)     Interim Interest. If the Lender shall make any LC Disbursement, then, unless the Borrowers shall reimburse such LC Disbursement in full on the date such LC Disbursement is made, the unpaid amount thereof shall bear interest, for each day from and including the date such LC Disbursement is made to but excluding the date that the Borrowers reimburse such LC Disbursement, at the rate per annum then applicable to CBFR Revolving Loans and such interest shall be due and payable on the date when such reimbursement is due; provided that, if the Borrowers fail to reimburse such LC Disbursement when due pursuant to paragraph (d) of this Section, then Section 2.11(c) shall apply. Interest accrued pursuant to this paragraph shall be for the account of the Lender. 

 

 


 

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(h)     Cash Collateralization.   If any Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, on the Business Day that the Borrower Representative receives notice from the Lender demanding the deposit of cash collateral pursuant to this paragraph, the Borrowers shall deposit in an account with the Lender, in the name and for the benefit of the Lender (the “LC Collateral Account”), an amount in cash equal to 105% of the amount of the LC Exposure as of such date plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon; provided that the obligation to deposit such cash collateral shall become effective immediately, and such deposit shall become immediately due and payable, without demand or other notice of any kind, upon the occurrence of any Event of Default with respect to any Borrower described in clause (h) or (i) of Article VII. The Borrowers also shall deposit cash collateral in accordance with this paragraph as and to the extent required by Section 2.09(b). Each such deposit shall be held by the Lender as collateral for the payment and performance of the Secured Obligations. The Lender shall have exclusive dominion and control, including the exclusive right of withdrawal, over the LC Collateral Account and the Borrowers hereby grant the Lender a security interest in the LC Collateral Account and all moneys or other assets on deposit therein or credited thereto. Other than any interest earned on the investment of such deposits, which investments shall be made at the option and sole discretion of the Lender and at the Borrowers’ risk and expense, such deposits shall not bear interest. Interest or profits, if any, on such investments shall accumulate in such account. Moneys in such account shall be applied by the Lender for LC Disbursements for which it has not been reimbursed and, to the extent not so applied, shall be held for the satisfaction of the reimbursement obligations of the Borrowers for the LC Exposure at such time or, if the maturity of the Loans has been accelerated, be applied to satisfy other Secured Obligations. If the Borrowers are required to provide an amount of cash collateral hereunder as a result of the occurrence of an Event of Default, such amount (to the extent not applied as aforesaid) shall be returned to the Borrowers within three (3) Business Days after all such Events of Default have been cured or waived as confirmed in writing by the Lender. 

 

(i)     LC Exposure Determination. For all purposes of this Agreement, the amount of a Letter of Credit that, by its terms or the terms of any document related thereto, provides for one or more automatic increases in the stated amount thereof shall be deemed to be the maximum stated amount of such Letter of Credit after giving effect to all such increases, whether or not such maximum stated amount is in effect at the time of determination.

 

SECTION 2.05. Funding of Borrowings. The Lender shall make each Loan to be made by it hereunder on the proposed date thereof available to the Borrowers by promptly crediting the amounts in immediately available funds, to the Funding Account(s); provided that CBFR Revolving Loans made to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.04(d) shall be remitted to the Lender. 

 

SECTION 2.06. Interest Elections. 

 

(a)     Each Borrowing initially shall be of the Type specified in the applicable Borrowing Request. Thereafter, the Borrower Representative may elect to convert such Borrowing to a different Type or to continue such Borrowing. The Borrower Representative may elect different options with respect to different portions of the affected Borrowing, and the Loans comprising each such portion shall be considered a separate Borrowing. 

 

(b)     To make an election pursuant to this Section, the Borrower Representative shall notify the Lender of such election by telephone or through Electronic System, if arrangements for doing so have been approved by the Lender, by the time that a Borrowing Request would be required under Section 2.03 if the Borrowers were requesting a Borrowing of the Type resulting from such election to be made on the effective date of such election. Each such telephonic Interest Election Request shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery, Electronic System or fax to the Lender of a written Interest Election Request in a form approved by the Lender and signed by the Borrower Representative.

 

 


 

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(c)     Each telephonic and written Interest Election Request (including requests submitted through Electronic System) shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:

 

(i)     the name of the applicable Borrower and the Borrowing to which such Interest Election Request applies and, if different options are being elected with respect to different portions thereof, the portions thereof to be allocated to each resulting Borrowing (in which case the information to be specified pursuant to clauses (iii) and (iv) below shall be specified for each resulting Borrowing);

 

(ii)     the effective date of the election made pursuant to such Interest Election Request, which shall be a Business Day; and

 

(iii)     whether the resulting Borrowing is to be a CBFR Borrowing or a Eurodollar Borrowing.

 

Notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the Lender so notifies the Borrower Representative, then, so long as an Event of Default is continuing (i) no outstanding Borrowing may be converted to or continued as a Eurodollar Borrowing and (ii) unless repaid, each Eurodollar Borrowing shall be converted to a CBFR Borrowing at the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto.

 

SECTION 2.07. Termination of Commitment. 

 

(a)     Unless previously terminated, (i) the Term Commitments shall terminate at 5:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, on the Effective Date and (ii) the Revolving Commitment shall terminate on the Revolving Credit Maturity Date. 

 

(b)     The Borrowers may at any time terminate the Revolving Commitment upon (i) the payment in full of all outstanding Revolving Loans and LC Disbursements, together with accrued and unpaid interest thereon, (ii) the cancellation and return of all outstanding Letters of Credit (or alternatively, with respect to each such Letter of Credit, the furnishing to the Lender of a cash deposit (or at the discretion of the Lender a backup standby letter of credit satisfactory to the Lender) in an amount equal to 105% of the LC Exposure as of such date), (iii) the payment in full of the accrued and unpaid fees, and (iv) the payment in full of all reimbursable expenses and other Obligations together with accrued and unpaid interest thereon. 

 

(c)     The Borrower Representative shall notify the Lender of any election to terminate the Revolving Commitment under paragraph (b) of this Section at least three (3) Business Days prior to the effective date of such termination, specifying such election and the effective date thereof. Each notice delivered by the Borrower Representative pursuant to this Section shall be irrevocable; provided that a notice of termination of the Revolving Commitment delivered by the Borrower Representative may state that such notice is conditioned upon the effectiveness of other credit facilities, in which case such notice may be revoked by the Borrower Representative (by notice to the Lender on or prior to the specified effective date) if such condition is not satisfied. Any termination of the Revolving Commitment shall be permanent. 

 

SECTION 2.08. Repayment and Amortization of Loans; Evidence of Debt. 

 

(a)     The Borrowers hereby unconditionally promise to pay the Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Revolving Loan on the Revolving Credit Maturity Date. 

 

 


 

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(b)     The Borrowers hereby unconditionally promise to repay the Term A Loan to the Lender in consecutive monthly installments of $41,666.67 on the first Business Day of each month, commencing on July 1, 2017, and continuing on the first Business Day of each month thereafter, with a final payment of all unpaid amounts owing on the Term A Loan to be paid in full in cash by the Borrowers on the Term A Maturity Date.

 

(c)     Prior to any repayment of any Term Loan Borrowings of any Class under this Section, the Borrowers shall select the Borrowing or Borrowings of the applicable Class to be repaid and shall notify the Lender by telephone (confirmed by fax) of such selection not later than 11:00 a.m., Eastern Standard Time, three (3) Business Days before the scheduled date of such repayment. Each repayment of a Term Loan Borrowing shall be applied ratably to the Loans included in the repaid Term Loan Borrowing. Repayments of Term Loan Borrowings shall be accompanied by accrued interest on the amounts repaid. 

 

(d)     The Lender shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice an account or accounts evidencing the Indebtedness of the Borrowers to the Lender resulting from each Loan made by the Lender, including the amounts of principal and interest payable and paid to the Lender from time to time hereunder.

 

(e)     The Lender shall maintain accounts in which it shall record (i) the amount of each Loan made hereunder, the Class and Type thereof and the Interest Period applicable thereto, if any, (ii) the amount of any principal or interest due and payable or to become due and payable from the Borrowers to the Lender hereunder and (iii) the amount of any sum received by the Lender hereunder.

 

(f)     The entries made in the accounts maintained pursuant to paragraph (d) or (e) of this Section shall be prima facie evidence of the existence and amounts of the obligations recorded therein; provided that the failure of the Lender to maintain such accounts or any error therein shall not in any manner affect the obligation of the Borrowers to repay the Loans in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

 

(g)     The Lender may request that Loans made by it be evidenced by a promissory note. In such event, the Borrowers shall prepare, execute and deliver to the Lender a promissory note payable to the Lender (or, if requested by the Lender, to the Lender and its registered assigns) and in a form approved by the Lender. Thereafter, the Loans evidenced by such promissory note and interest thereon shall at all times (including after assignment pursuant to Section 8.04) be represented by one or more promissory notes in such form.

 

SECTION 2.09. Prepayment of Loans. 

 

(a)     The Borrowers shall have the right at any time and from time to time to prepay any Borrowing in whole or in part, subject to prior notice in accordance with paragraph (e) of this Section and, if applicable, payment of any break funding expenses under Section 2.14.

 

(b)     In the event and on such occasion that the Revolving Exposure exceeds the lesser of (A) the Revolving Commitment and (B) the Borrowing Base, the Borrowers shall promptly prepay (and in any event within one Business Day) the Revolving Loans and/or LC Exposure (or, if no such Borrowings are outstanding, deposit cash collateral in the LC Collateral Account in an aggregate amount equal to such excess, in accordance with Section 2.04(h)). 

 

 


 

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(c)     In the event and on each occasion that any Net Proceeds are received by or on behalf of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary in respect of any Prepayment Event, the Borrowers shall, immediately after such Net Proceeds are received by any Loan Party or Subsidiary, prepay the Obligations and cash collateralize the LC Exposure as set forth in Section 2.09(d) below in an aggregate amount equal to 100% of such Net Proceeds, provided that, in the case of any event described in clause (a) or (b) of the definition of the term “Prepayment Event”, if the Borrower Representative shall deliver to the Lender a certificate of a Financial Officer to the effect that the Loan Parties intend to apply the Net Proceeds from such event (or a portion thereof specified in such certificate), within 120 days after receipt of such Net Proceeds, to acquire (or replace or rebuild) real property, equipment or other tangible assets (excluding inventory) to be used in the business of the Loan Parties, and certifying that no Default has occurred and is continuing, then no prepayment shall be required pursuant to this paragraph in respect of the Net Proceeds specified in such certificate, provided that to the extent of any such Net Proceeds that have not been so applied by the end of such 120-day period, a prepayment shall be required at such time in an amount equal to such Net Proceeds that have not been so applied; provided further that the Borrowers shall not be permitted to make elections to use Net Proceeds to acquire (or replace or rebuild) real property, equipment or other tangible assets (excluding inventory) with respect to Net Proceeds in any fiscal year in an aggregate amount in excess of $100,000.   

 

(d)     All prepayments required to be made pursuant to Section 2.09(c) shall be applied, first to prepay the Term Loans (and in the event Term Loans of more than one Class shall be outstanding at the time, shall be allocated among the Term Loans pro rata based on the aggregate principal amounts of outstanding Term Loans of each such Class) as so allocated, and shall be applied to reduce the subsequent scheduled repayments of Term Loans of each Class to be made pursuant to Section 2.08 in inverse order of maturity, and second to prepay the Revolving Loans without a corresponding reduction in the Revolving Commitment and third to cash collateralize outstanding LC Exposure; provided that all prepayments required to be made pursuant to Section 2.09(c) (with respect to Net Proceeds arising from any casualty or other insured damage to, or any taking under power of eminent domain or by condemnation or similar proceeding, to the extent they arise from casualties or losses to cash or Inventory) shall be applied, first, to prepay the Revolving Loans without a corresponding reduction in the Revolving Commitment and second, to cash collateralize outstanding LC Exposure, and third, to prepay the Term Loans (allocated and applied to subsequent scheduled repayments as set forth above).

 

(e)     The Borrower Representative shall notify the Lender by telephone (confirmed by fax) or through Electronic System, if arrangements for doing so have been approved by the Lender, of any prepayment under this Section: (i) in the case of prepayment of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later than 10:00 a.m., Eastern Standard Time, three (3) Business Days before the date of prepayment, or (ii) in the case of prepayment of a CBFR Borrowing, not later than 10:00 a.m., Eastern Standard Time on the date of prepayment. Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the prepayment date and the principal amount of each Borrowing or portion thereof to be prepaid; provided that if a notice of prepayment is given in connection with a conditional notice of termination of the Revolving Commitment as contemplated by Section 2.07, then such notice of prepayment may be revoked if such notice of termination is revoked in accordance with Section 2.07. Each partial prepayment of any Revolving Borrowing or Term Loan shall be in an amount that would be permitted in the case of an advance of a Borrowing of the same Type as provided in Section 2.02, except as necessary to apply fully the required amount of a mandatory prepayment. Each prepayment of a Borrowing shall be applied ratably to the Loans included in the prepaid Borrowing. Prepayments shall be accompanied by (i) accrued interest to the extent required by Section 2.11 and (ii) break funding payments pursuant to Section 2.14.

 

 


 

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SECTION 2.10. Fees. 

 

(a)     The Borrowers agree to pay to the Lender a commitment fee, which shall accrue at the Commitment Fee Applicable Rate on the daily amount of the undrawn portion of the Revolving Commitment of the Lender during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the date on which the Lender’s Revolving Commitment terminates; it being understood that the LC Exposure shall be included in the drawn portion of the Revolving Commitment for purposes of calculating the commitment fee. Accrued commitment fees shall be payable in arrears on the last day of March, June, September and December of each year and on the date on which the Revolving Commitment terminates, commencing on the first such date to occur after the date hereof. All commitment fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day). 

 

(b)     The Borrowers agree to pay (i) to the Lender a letter of credit fee with respect to Letters of Credit, which shall accrue at the same Applicable Rate used to determine the interest rate applicable to Eurodollar Revolving Loans on the daily amount of the Lender’s LC Exposure (excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements) during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the later of the date on which the Lender’s Revolving Commitment terminates and the date on which the Lender ceases to have any LC Exposure, and (ii) the Lender’s standard fees and commissions with respect to the issuance, amendment, cancellation, negotiation, transfer, presentment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or processing of drawings thereunder. Letter of credit fees accrued through and including the last day of March, June, September and December of each year shall be payable on the third Business Day following such last day, commencing on the first such date to occur after the Effective Date; provided that all such fees shall be payable on the date on which the Revolving Commitment terminates and any such fees accruing after the date on which the Revolving Commitment terminates shall be payable on demand. Any other fees payable to the Lender pursuant to this paragraph shall be payable within ten (10) days after demand. All letter of credit fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).

 

(c)     [Reserved]. 

 

(d)     All fees payable hereunder shall be paid on the dates due, in immediately available funds, to the Lender. Fees paid shall not be refundable under any circumstances.

 

SECTION 2.11. Interest. 

 

(a)     The Loans comprising each CBFR Borrowing shall bear interest at the CB Floating Rate plus the Applicable Rate.

 

(b)     The Loans comprising each Eurodollar Borrowing shall bear interest at the Adjusted LIBOR Rate for the Interest Period in effect for such Borrowing plus the Applicable Rate.

 

(c)     Notwithstanding the foregoing, during the occurrence and continuance of an Event of Default, the Lender may, at its option, by written notice to the Borrower Representative, declare that (i) all Loans shall bear interest at 2% plus the rate otherwise applicable to such Loans as provided in the preceding paragraphs of this Section or (ii) in the case of any other amount outstanding hereunder, such amount shall accrue at 2% plus the rate applicable to such fee or other obligation as provided hereunder. 

 

 


 

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(d)     Accrued interest on each Loan (for CBFR Loans, accrued through the last day of the prior calendar month) shall be payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date for such Loan and, in the case of Revolving Loans, upon termination of the Revolving Commitment; provided that (i) interest accrued pursuant to paragraph (c) of this Section shall be payable on demand, (ii) in the event of any repayment or prepayment of any Loan (other than a prepayment of a CBFR Revolving Loan prior to the end of the Availability Period), accrued interest on the principal amount repaid or prepaid shall be payable on the date of such repayment or prepayment and (iii) in the event of any conversion of any Eurodollar Loan prior to the end of the current Interest Period therefor, accrued interest on such Loan shall be payable on the effective date of such conversion.

 

(e)     All interest hereunder shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days, except that interest computed by reference to the CB Floating Rate shall be computed on the basis of a year of 365 days (or 366 days in a leap year), and in each case shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day). The applicable CB Floating Rate, Adjusted LIBOR Rate or LIBOR Rate shall be determined by the Lender, and such determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error. 

 

SECTION 2.12. Alternate Rate of Interest. If prior to the commencement of any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Borrowing:

 

(a)      Lender determines (which determination shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error) that adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining the Adjusted LIBOR Rate or the LIBOR Rate, as applicable, for such Interest Period; or

 

(b)     The Lender determines the Adjusted LIBOR Rate or the LIBOR Rate, as applicable, for such Interest Period will not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to the Lender of making or maintaining its Loan included in such Borrowing for such Interest Period;

 

then the Lender shall give notice thereof to the Borrower Representative by telephone, fax or through Electronic System as provided in Section 8.01 as promptly as practicable thereafter and, until the Lender notifies the Borrower Representative that the circumstances giving rise to such notice no longer exist, (i) any Interest Election Request that requests the conversion of any Borrowing to, or continuation of any Borrowing as, a Eurodollar Borrowing shall be ineffective and any such Eurodollar Borrowing shall be repaid on the last day of the then current Interest Period applicable thereto, and (ii) if any Borrowing Request requests a Eurodollar Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be made as a CBFR Borrowing. 

 

SECTION 2.13. Increased Costs. 

 

(a) If any Change in Law shall: 

 

(i)     impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit, liquidity or similar requirement (including any compulsory loan requirement, insurance charge or other assessment) against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended by, the Lender (except any such reserve requirement reflected in the Adjusted LIBOR Rate); or

 

(ii)     impose on the Lender or the London interbank market any other condition, cost or expense (other than Taxes) affecting this Agreement or Loans made by the Lender or any Letter of Credit; or

 

(iii)     subject the Lender to any Taxes (other than (A) Indemnified Taxes, (B) Taxes described in clauses (b) through (d) of the definition of Excluded Taxes and (C) Connection Income Taxes) on its loans, loan principal, letters of credit, commitments, or other obligations, or its deposits, reserves, other liabilities or capital attributable thereto;

 

 


 

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and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to the Lender of making, continuing, converting into or maintaining any Loan (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan) or to increase the cost to the Lender of issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by the Lender hereunder (whether of principal, interest or otherwise), then the Borrowers will pay to the Lender such additional amount or amounts as will compensate the Lender for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.

 

(b)     If the Lender determines that any Change in Law regarding capital or liquidity requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on the Lender’s capital or on the capital of the Lender’s holding company as a consequence of this Agreement, the Commitment of or the Loans made by Letters of Credit issued by the Lender to a level below that which the Lender or the Lender’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration the Lender’s policies and the policies of the Lender’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy and liquidity), then from time to time the Borrowers will pay to the Lender such additional amount or amounts as will compensate the Lender or the Lender’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.

 

(c)     A certificate of the Lender setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate the Lender or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section shall be delivered to the Borrower Representative and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrowers shall pay the Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within ten (10) days after receipt thereof. 

 

(d)     Failure or delay on the part of the Lender to demand compensation pursuant to this Section shall not constitute a waiver of the Lender’s right to demand such compensation; provided that the Borrowers shall not be required to compensate the Lender pursuant to this Section for any increased costs or reductions incurred more than 210 days prior to the date that the Lender notifies the Borrower Representative of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of the Lender’s intention to claim compensation therefor; provided further that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the 210-day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof.

 

SECTION 2.14. Break Funding Payments. In the event of (a) the payment of any principal of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of an Interest Period applicable thereto (including as a result of an Event of Default or as a result of any prepayment pursuant to Section 2.09), (b) the conversion of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto, or (c) the failure to borrow, convert, continue or prepay any Eurodollar Loan on the date specified in any notice delivered pursuant hereto (regardless of whether such notice may be revoked under Section 2.07(c) and is revoked in accordance therewith), then, in any such event, the Borrowers shall compensate the Lender for the loss, cost and expense attributable to such event. A certificate of the Lender setting forth any amount or amounts that the Lender is entitled to receive pursuant to this Section shall be delivered to the Borrower Representative and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrowers shall pay the Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within ten (10) days after receipt thereof.

 

SECTION 2.15. Taxes. 

 

(a)     Withholding Taxes; Gross-Up; Payments Free of Taxes. Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party under any Loan Document shall be made without deduction or withholding for any Taxes, except as required by applicable law. If any applicable law (as determined in the good faith discretion of an applicable withholding agent) requires the deduction or withholding of any Tax from any such payment by a withholding agent, then the applicable withholding agent shall be entitled to make such deduction or withholding and shall timely pay the full amount deducted or withheld to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law and, if such Tax is an Indemnified Tax, then the sum payable by the applicable Loan Party shall be increased as necessary so that after such deduction or withholding has been made (including such deductions and withholdings applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 2.15), the Lender receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deduction or withholding been made.

 

 


 

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(b)     Payment of Other Taxes by Loan Parties. The Loan Parties shall timely pay to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law, or at the option of the Lender, timely reimburse it for, Other Taxes.

 

(c)     Evidence of Payment. As soon as practicable after any payment of Taxes by any Loan Party to a Governmental Authority pursuant to this Section 2.15, such Loan Party shall deliver to the Lender the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of the return reporting such payment, or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Lender.

 

(d)     Indemnification by the Loan Parties. The Loan Parties shall jointly and severally indemnify the Lender, within ten (10) days after demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section) payable or paid by the Lender or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to the Lender and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to the Borrower Representative by the Lender shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

 

(e)     Treatment of Certain Refunds. If the Lender determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it has received a refund of any Taxes as to which it has been indemnified pursuant to this Section 2.15 (including by the payment of additional amounts pursuant to this Section 2.15), it shall pay to the indemnifying party an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made under this Section 2.15 with respect to the Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses (including Taxes) of the Lender and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund). Such indemnifying party, upon the request of the Lender, shall repay to the Lender the amount paid to the Lender (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) in the event the Lender is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this paragraph (e), in no event will the Lender be required to pay any amount to any indemnifying party pursuant to this paragraph (e), the payment of which would place the Lender in a less favorable net after-Tax position than the Lender would have been in if the Tax subject to indemnification and giving rise to such refund had not been deducted, withheld or otherwise imposed and the indemnification payments or additional amounts giving rise to such refund had never been paid. This paragraph (e) shall not be construed to require the Lender to make available its Tax returns (or any other information relating to its Taxes that it deems confidential) to the indemnifying party or any other Person. 

 

(f)     Survival. Each party’s obligations under this Section 2.15 shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Lender or any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, the Lender, the termination of the Commitment and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all obligations under any Loan Document.

 

(g)     Defined Terms. For purposes of this Section 2.15, the term “applicable law” includes FATCA.

 

 


 

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SECTION 2.16. Payments Generally; Allocation of Proceeds. 

 

(a)     The Borrowers shall make each payment required to be made by them hereunder (whether of principal, interest, fees or reimbursement of LC Disbursements, or of amounts payable under Sections 2.13, 2.14 or 2.15, or otherwise) prior to 2:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, on the date when due, in immediately available funds, without set-off or counterclaim. Any amounts received after such time on any date may, in the discretion of the Lender, be deemed to have been received on the next succeeding Business Day for purposes of calculating interest thereon. All such payments shall be made to the Lender at its offices at 1300 East Ninth Street - 13th floor, Cleveland, OH 44114-1573. Unless otherwise provided for herein, if any payment hereunder shall be due on a day that is not a Business Day, the date for payment shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day, and, in the case of any payment accruing interest, interest thereon shall be payable for the period of such extension. All payments hereunder shall be made in dollars. 

 

(b)     Any proceeds of Collateral received by the Lender (i) not constituting either (A) a specific payment of principal, interest, fees or other sum payable under the Loan Documents (which shall be applied as specified by the Borrowers), or (B) a mandatory prepayment (which shall be applied in accordance with Section 2.09) or (ii) after an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the Lender so elects, such funds shall be applied ratably first, to pay any fees, indemnities, or expense reimbursements including amounts then due to the Lender from the Borrowers, second, to pay interest then due and payable on the Loans ratably, third, to prepay principal on the Loans and unreimbursed LC Disbursements and to pay any amounts owing with respect to Swap Agreement Obligations, ratably (with amounts allocated to the Term Loans of any Class applied to reduce the subsequent scheduled repayments of the Term Loans of such Class to be made pursuant to Section 2.08 in inverse order of maturity, fourth, to pay an amount to the Lender equal to one hundred five percent (105%) of the aggregate LC Exposure, to be held as cash collateral for such Obligations, fifth, to the payment of any amounts owing with respect to Banking Services Obligations, and sixth, to the payment of any other Secured Obligation due to the Lender from the Borrowers or any other Loan Party. The Lender shall have the continuing and exclusive right to apply and reverse and reapply any and all such proceeds and payments to any portion of the Secured Obligations. 

 

(c)     At the election of the Lender, all payments of principal, interest, LC Disbursements, fees, premiums, reimbursable expenses (including, without limitation, all reimbursement for fees, costs and expenses pursuant to Section 8.03), and other sums payable under the Loan Documents, may be paid from the proceeds of Borrowings made hereunder, whether made following a request by the Borrower Representative pursuant to Section 2.03 or a deemed request as provided in this Section or may be deducted from any deposit account of any Borrower maintained with the Lender. The Borrowers hereby irrevocably authorize (i) the Lender to make a Borrowing for the purpose of paying each payment of principal, interest and fees as it becomes due hereunder or any other amount due under the Loan Documents and agree that all such amounts charged shall constitute Loans, and that all such Borrowings shall be deemed to have been requested pursuant to Section 2.03 and (ii) the Lender to charge any deposit account of any Borrower maintained with the Lender for each payment of principal, interest and fees as it becomes due hereunder or any other amount due under the Loan Documents.

 

(d)     The Lender may from time to time provide the Borrowers with account statements or invoices with respect to any of the Secured Obligations (the “Statements”). The Lender is under no duty or obligation to provide Statements, which, if provided, will be solely for the Borrowers’ convenience. Statements may contain estimates of the amounts owed during the relevant billing period, whether of principal, interest, fees or other Secured Obligations. If the Borrowers pay the full amount indicated on a Statement on or before the due date indicated on such Statement, the Borrowers shall not be in default of payment with respect to the billing period indicated on such Statement; provided, that acceptance by the Lender of any payment that is less than the total amount actually due at that time (including but not limited to any past due amounts) shall not constitute a waiver of the Lender’s right to receive payment in full at another time.

 

 


 

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SECTION 2.17. Indemnity for Returned Payments. If after receipt of any payment which is applied to the payment of all or any part of the Obligations (including a payment effected through exercise of a right of setoff), the Lender is for any reason compelled to surrender such payment or proceeds to any Person because such payment or application of proceeds is invalidated, declared fraudulent, set aside, determined to be void or voidable as a preference, impermissible setoff, or a diversion of trust funds, or for any other reason (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Lender in its discretion), then the Obligations or part thereof intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued and this Agreement shall continue in full force as if such payment or proceeds had not been received by the Lender. The provisions of this Section 2.17 shall be and remain effective notwithstanding any contrary action which may have been taken by the Lender in reliance upon such payment or application of proceeds. The provisions of this Section 2.17 shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

 

 

ARTICLE III 

 

Representations and Warranties

 

Each Loan Party represents and warrants to the Lender that (and where applicable, agrees): 

 

SECTION 3.01. Organization; Powers. Each Loan Party and each Subsidiary is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, has all requisite power and authority to carry on its business as now conducted and, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, is qualified to do business in, and is in good standing in, every jurisdiction where such qualification is required. 

 

SECTION 3.02. Authorization; Enforceability. The Transactions are within each Loan Party’s organizational powers and have been duly authorized by all necessary organizational actions and, if required, actions by equity holders. Each Loan Document to which each Loan Party is a party has been duly executed and delivered by such Loan Party and constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of such Loan Party, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and subject to general principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.

 

SECTION 3.03. Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts. The Transactions (a) do not require any consent or approval of, registration or filing with, or any other action by, any Governmental Authority, except such as have been obtained or made and are in full force and effect and except for filings necessary to perfect Liens created pursuant to the Loan Documents, (b) will not violate any Requirement of Law applicable to any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, (c) will not violate or result in a default under any indenture, agreement or other instrument binding upon any Loan Party or any Subsidiary or the assets of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, including, without limitation, the FFC Subordinated Debt Documents and the Roundball Subordinated Debt Documents, or give rise to a right thereunder to require any payment to be made by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, except in the case of subparts (b) and (c) to the extent that such violation or default, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, and (d) will not result in the creation or imposition of any Lien on any asset of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, except Liens created pursuant to the Loan Documents. 

 

 


 

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SECTION 3.04. Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change. 

 

(a)     The Company has heretofore furnished to the Lender its consolidated balance sheet and statements of income, stockholders equity and cash flows (i) as of and for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2016, reported on by Meaden & Moore, independent public accountants, and (ii) as of and for the fiscal quarter and the portion of the fiscal year ended March 31, 2017, certified by a Financial Officer. Such financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position and results of operations and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of such dates and for such periods in accordance with GAAP, subject to normal year-end audit adjustments all of which, when taken as a whole, would not be materially adverse and the absence of footnotes in the case of the statements referred to in clause (ii) above. 

 

(b)     No event, change or condition has occurred that has had, or could reasonably be expected to have, a Material Adverse Effect, since September 30, 2016.

 

SECTION 3.05. Properties. 

 

(a)     As of the date of this Agreement, Schedule 3.05 sets forth the address of each parcel of real property that is owned or leased by any Loan Party. Each of such leases and subleases is valid and enforceable in accordance with its terms and is in full force and effect, and no default by any party to any such lease or sublease exists, except to the extent the foregoing would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Each of the Loan Parties and each Subsidiary has good and indefeasible title to, or valid leasehold interests in, all of its real and personal property, free of all Liens other than those permitted by Section 6.02. 

 

(b)     Each Loan Party and each Subsidiary owns, or is licensed to use, all trademarks, tradenames, copyrights, patents and other intellectual property necessary to its business as currently conducted, a correct and complete list of which, as of the date of this Agreement, is set forth on Schedule 3.05, and the use thereof by each Loan Party and each Subsidiary does not infringe in any material respect upon the rights of any other Person, and each Loan Party’s and each Subsidiary’s rights thereto are not subject to any licensing agreement or similar arrangement (other than (i) restrictions relating to software licenses that may limit such Loan Party’s ability to transfer or assign any such agreement to a third party and (ii) licensing agreements or similar agreements that do not materially impair the ability of the Lender to avail itself of its rights of disposal and other rights granted under the Collateral Documents in respect of Inventory).

 

SECTION 3.06. Litigation and Environmental Matters. 

 

(a)     There are no actions, suits or proceedings by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority pending against or, to the knowledge of any Loan Party, threatened against or affecting any Loan Party or any Subsidiary (i) as to which there is a reasonable possibility of an adverse determination and that, if adversely determined, would reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect (other than the Disclosed Matters set forth on Schedule 3.06) or (ii) that directly involve any Loan Document or the Transactions. 

 

 


 

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(b)     Except for the Disclosed Matters, (i) no Loan Party or any Subsidiary has received notice of any claim with respect to any Environmental Liability or knows of any basis for any Environmental Liability which would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and (ii) and except with respect to any other matters that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, no Loan Party or any Subsidiary (A) has failed to comply with any Environmental Law or to obtain, maintain or comply with any permit, license or other approval required under any Environmental Law (B) has become subject to any Environmental Liability, (C) has received notice of any claim with respect to any Environmental Liability or (D) knows of any basis for any Environmental Liability. 

 

(c)     Since the date of this Agreement, there has been no change in the status of the Disclosed Matters that, individually or in the aggregate, has resulted in, or materially increased the likelihood of, a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 3.07. Compliance with Laws and Agreements; No Default. Except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, each Loan Party and each Subsidiary is in compliance with (i) all Requirements of Law applicable to it or its property and (ii) all indentures, agreements and other instruments binding upon it or its property. No Default has occurred and is continuing.

 

SECTION 3.08. Investment Company Status. No Loan Party or any Subsidiary is an “investment company” as defined in, or subject to regulation under, the Investment Company Act of 1940.

 

SECTION 3.09. Taxes. Each Loan Party and each Subsidiary has timely filed or caused to be filed all federal, state and other Tax returns and reports required to have been filed and has paid or caused to be paid all federal, state and other Taxes required to have been paid by it, except (a) Taxes that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which such Loan Party or such Subsidiary, as applicable, has set aside on its books adequate reserves or (b) to the extent that the failure to do so could not be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. No tax liens have been filed and no claims are being asserted with respect to any such taxes.

 

SECTION 3.10. ERISA. No ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur that, when taken together with all other such ERISA Events for which liability is reasonably expected to occur, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The present value of all accumulated benefit obligations under each Plan (based on the assumptions used for purposes of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 87) did not, as of the date of the most recent financial statements reflecting such amounts, exceed the fair market value of the assets of such Plan, and the present value of all accumulated benefit obligations of all underfunded Plans (based on the assumptions used for purposes of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 87) did not, as of the date of the most recent financial statements reflecting such amounts, exceed by more than $100,000 the fair market value of the assets of all such underfunded Plans. 

 

SECTION 3.11. Disclosure. The Loan Parties have disclosed to the Lender all agreements, instruments and corporate or other restrictions to which any Loan Party or any Subsidiary is subject, and all other matters known to it, that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. None of the reports, financial statements, certificates or other information furnished by or on behalf of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary to the Lender in connection with the negotiation of this Agreement or any other Loan Document (as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished) contains any material misstatement of fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that, with respect to projected financial information, the Loan Parties represent only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time delivered and, if such projected financial information was delivered prior to the Effective Date, as of the Effective Date, it being understood that projections are subject to inherent uncertainties and contingencies which may be outside the control of any Loan Party and that no assurance can be given that such projected financial information will be realized.

 

 


 

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SECTION 3.12. Material Agreements. All material agreements and contracts to which any Loan Party is a party or is bound as of the date of this Agreement are listed on Schedule 3.12. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, no Loan Party is in default in the performance, observance or fulfillment of any of the obligations, covenants or conditions contained in (i) any material agreement to which it is a party or (ii) any agreement or instrument evidencing or governing Indebtedness.

 

SECTION 3.13. Solvency. 

 

(a)     Immediately after the consummation of the Transactions to occur on the Effective Date, (i) the fair value of the assets of each Loan Party, at a fair valuation, will exceed its debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise; (ii) the present fair saleable value of the property of each Loan Party will be greater than the amount that will be required to pay the probable liability of its debts and other liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and other liabilities become absolute and matured; (iii) each Loan Party will be able to pay its debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and liabilities become absolute and matured; and (iv) no Loan Party will have unreasonably small capital with which to conduct the business in which it is engaged as such business is now conducted and is proposed to be conducted after the Effective Date.

 

(b)     No Loan Party intends to, nor will permit any Subsidiary to, and no Loan Party believes that it or any Subsidiary will, incur debts beyond its ability to pay such debts as they mature, taking into account the timing of and amounts of cash to be received by it or any such Subsidiary and the timing of the amounts of cash to be payable on or in respect of its Indebtedness or the Indebtedness of any such Subsidiary.

 

SECTION 3.14. Insurance. Schedule 3.14 sets forth a description of all insurance maintained by or on behalf of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries as of the Effective Date. As of the Effective Date, all premiums in respect of such insurance have been paid. The Loan Parties believe that the insurance maintained by or on behalf of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries is adequate and is customary for companies engaged in the same or similar businesses operating in the same or similar locations. 

 

SECTION 3.15. Capitalization and Subsidiaries. Schedule 3.15 sets forth (a) a correct and complete list of the name and relationship to the Company of each Subsidiary, (b) other than with respect to Hickok, a true and complete listing of each class of each Loan Parties’ authorized Equity Interests, of which all of such issued Equity Interests are validly issued, outstanding, fully paid and non-assessable, and owned beneficially and of record by the Persons identified on Schedule 3.15, and (c) the type of entity of the Company and each Subsidiary. All of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests owned by any Loan Party have been (to the extent such concepts are relevant with respect to such ownership interests) duly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable.

 

SECTION 3.16. Security Interest in Collateral. The provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents create legal and valid Liens on all the Collateral in favor of the Lender, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, and such Liens constitute perfected and continuing Liens on the Collateral, securing the Secured Obligations, enforceable against the applicable Loan Party and all third parties, and having priority over all other Liens on the Collateral except in the case of (a) Permitted Encumbrances, to the extent any such Permitted Encumbrances would have priority over the Liens in favor of the Lender pursuant to any applicable law and (b) Liens perfected only by possession (including possession of any certificate of title), to the extent the Lender has not obtained or does not maintain possession of such Collateral.

 

 


 

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SECTION 3.17. Employment Matters. As of the Effective Date, there are no strikes, lockouts or organized slowdowns against any Loan Party or any Subsidiary pending or, to the knowledge of any Loan Party, threatened. The hours worked by and payments made to employees of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries have not been in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act or any other applicable federal, state, local or foreign law dealing with such matters. All payments due from any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, or for which any claim may be made against any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, on account of wages and employee health and welfare insurance and other benefits, have been paid or accrued as a liability on the books of such Loan Party or such Subsidiary. 

 

SECTION 3.18. Federal Reserve Regulations. No part of the proceeds of any Loan or Letter of Credit has been used or will be used, whether directly or indirectly, for any purpose that entails a violation of any of the Regulations of the Board, including Regulations T, U and X. 

 

SECTION 3.19. Use of Proceeds. The proceeds of the Loans have been used and will be used, whether directly or indirectly as set forth in Section 5.08.

 

SECTION 3.20. No Burdensome Restrictions. No Loan Party is subject to any Burdensome Restrictions except Burdensome Restrictions permitted under Section 6.10.

 

SECTION 3.21. Anti-Corruption Laws and Sanctions. Each Loan Party has implemented and maintains in effect policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance by such Loan Party, its Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions, and such Loan Party, its Subsidiaries and their respective officers and employees and to the knowledge of such Loan Party its directors and agents, are in compliance with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions in all material respects. None of (a) any Loan Party, any Subsidiary or, to the knowledge of any such Loan Party or Subsidiary, any of their respective directors, officers or employees, or (b) to the knowledge of any such Loan Party or Subsidiary, any agent of such Loan Party or any Subsidiary that will act in any capacity in connection with or benefit from the credit facility established hereby, is a Sanctioned Person. No Borrowing or Letter of Credit, use of proceeds, Transaction or other transaction contemplated by this Agreement or the other Loan Documents will violate Anti-Corruption Laws or applicable Sanctions.

 

SECTION 3.22. FFC Subordinated Debt Documents .   The Loan Parties have delivered and the Lender has received complete copies of the FFC Subordinated Debt Documents (including, in each case, all exhibits, schedules and disclosure letters referred to therein or delivered pursuant thereto, if any) and, in each case, all amendments thereto and other side letters or agreements affecting the terms thereof. Since the date hereof, none of such documents and agreements has been amended or supplemented, nor have any of the provisions thereof been waived, except pursuant to a written agreement or instrument which has heretofore been delivered to the Lender or which would not be adverse to the interests of the Lender under the Loan Documents. Each of the representations made by each Loan Party in the FFC Subordinated Debt Documents is true and correct in all material respects.

 

 


 

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SECTION 3.23. Air Enterprises Acquisition Documents .   The Loan Parties have delivered and the Lender has received complete copies of the Air Enterprises Acquisition Documents (including, in each case, all exhibits, schedules and disclosure letters referred to therein or delivered pursuant thereto, if any) and, in each case, all amendments thereto and other side letters or agreements affecting the terms thereof. Since the date hereof, none of such documents and agreements has been amended or supplemented, nor have any of the provisions thereof been waived, except pursuant to a written agreement or instrument which has heretofore been delivered to the Lender or which would not be adverse to the interests of the Lender under the Loan Documents. Each of the representations made by each Loan Party in the Air Enterprises Acquisition Documents is true and correct in all material respects.

 

SECTION 3.24. Roundball Subordinated Debt Documents .   The Loan Parties have delivered and the Lender has received complete copies of the Roundball Subordinated Debt Documents (including, in each case, all exhibits, schedules and disclosure letters referred to therein or delivered pursuant thereto, if any) and, in each case, all amendments thereto and other side letters or agreements affecting the terms thereof. Since the date hereof, none of such documents and agreements has been amended or supplemented, nor have any of the provisions thereof been waived, except pursuant to a written agreement or instrument which has heretofore been delivered to the Lender or which would not be adverse to the interests of the Lender under the Loan Documents. Each of the representations made by each Loan Party in the Roundball Subordinated Debt Documents is true and correct in all material respects.

 

 

ARTICLE IV

 

Conditions

 

SECTION 4.01. Effective Date. The obligations of the Lender to make Loans and to issue Letters of Credit hereunder shall not become effective until the date on which each of the following conditions is satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 8.02):

 

(a)     Credit Agreement and Loan Documents. The Lender (or its counsel) shall have received (i) from each party hereto either (A) a counterpart of this Agreement signed on behalf of such party or (B) written evidence satisfactory to the Lender (which may include fax or other electronic transmission of a signed signature page of this Agreement) that such party has signed a counterpart of this Agreement and (ii) duly executed copies of the Loan Documents and such other certificates, documents, instruments and agreements as the Lender shall reasonably request in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including a written opinion of the Loan Parties’ counsel, addressed to the Lender in substantially the form of Exhibit A. 

 

(b)     Financial Statements and Projections. The Lender shall have received (i) audited consolidated financial statements of the Company for the 2015 and 2016 fiscal years, (ii) unaudited interim consolidated financial statements of the Company for each fiscal quarter ended after the date of the latest applicable financial statements delivered pursuant to clause (i) of this paragraph as to which such financial statements are available, and such financial statements shall not, in the reasonable judgment of the Lender, reflect any material adverse change in the consolidated financial condition of the Loan Parties, as reflected in the audited, consolidated financial statements described in clause (i) of this paragraph, and (iii) satisfactory Projections through 2019. 

 

 


 

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(c)     Closing Certificates; Certified Certificate of Incorporation; Good Standing Certificates. The Lender shall have received (i) a certificate of each Loan Party, dated the Effective Date and executed by its Secretary or Assistant Secretary, which shall (A) certify the resolutions of its Board of Directors, members or other body authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of the Loan Documents to which it is a party, (B) identify by name and title and bear the signatures of the officers of such Loan Party authorized to sign the Loan Documents to which it is a party and, in the case of a Borrower, its Financial Officers, and (C) contain appropriate attachments, including the charter, articles or certificate of organization or incorporation of each Loan Party certified by the relevant authority of the jurisdiction of organization of such Loan Party and a true and correct copy of its bylaws or operating, management or partnership agreement, or other organizational or governing documents, and (ii) a long form good standing certificate for each Loan Party from its jurisdiction of organization. 

 

(d)     No Default Certificate. The Lender shall have received a certificate, signed by a Financial Officer of each other Loan Party, dated as of the Effective Date (i) stating that no Default has occurred and is continuing, (ii) stating that the representations and warranties contained in the Loan Documents are true and correct as of such date, and (iii) certifying as to any other factual matters as may be reasonably requested by the Lender.

 

(e)     Fees. The Lender shall have received all fees required to be paid, and all expenses required to be reimbursed for which invoices have been presented (including the reasonable fees and expenses of legal counsel), on or before the Effective Date. All such amounts will be paid with proceeds of Loans made on the Effective Date and will be reflected in the funding instructions given by the Borrower Representative to the Lender on or before the Effective Date.

 

(f)     Lien Searches. The Lender shall have received the results of a recent lien search in the jurisdiction of organization of each Loan Party and each jurisdiction where assets of the Loan Parties are located, and such search shall reveal no Liens on any of the assets of the Loan Parties except for liens permitted by Section 6.02 or discharged on or prior to the Effective Date pursuant to a pay-off letter or other documentation satisfactory to the Lender.

 

(g)     Pay-off Letter. The Lender shall have received satisfactory pay-off letters for all existing Indebtedness required to be repaid and which confirms that all Liens upon any of the property of the Loan Parties constituting Collateral will be terminated concurrently with such payment and all letters of credit issued or guaranteed as part of such Indebtedness shall have been cash collateralized or supported by a Letter of Credit.

 

(h)     Funding Account. The Lender shall have received a notice setting forth the deposit account of the Borrowers (the “Funding Account”) to which the Lender is authorized by the Borrowers to transfer the proceeds of any Borrowings requested or authorized pursuant to this Agreement.

 

(i)     Collateral Access and Control Agreements. The Lender shall have received each of (i) a Collateral Access Agreement required to be provided pursuant to the Security Agreement and (ii) a deposit account control agreement required to be provided pursuant to the Security Agreement.

 

(j)     Solvency. The Lender shall have received a solvency certificate signed by a Financial Officer of the Company dated the Effective Date in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Lender.

 

(k)     Borrowing Base Certificate. The Lender shall have received a Borrowing Base Certificate which calculates the Borrowing Base as of the end of the week immediately preceding the Effective Date.    

 

 


 

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(l)     Closing Availability. After giving effect to all Borrowings to be made on the Effective Date and the issuance of any Letters of Credit on the Effective Date and payment of all fees and expenses due hereunder, and with all of the Loan Parties’ Indebtedness, the Borrowers’ Availability shall not be less than $500,000. 

 

(m)     Pledged Equity Interests; Stock Powers; Pledged Notes. The Lender shall have received (i) the certificates representing the Equity Interests pledged pursuant to the Security Agreement, together with an undated stock power for each such certificate executed in blank by a duly authorized officer of the pledgor thereof and (ii) each promissory note (if any) pledged to the Lender pursuant to the Security Agreement endorsed (without recourse) in blank (or accompanied by an executed transfer form in blank) by the pledgor thereof.

 

(n)     Filings, Registrations and Recordings. Each document (including any Uniform Commercial Code financing statement) required by the Collateral Documents or under law or reasonably requested by the Lender to be filed, registered or recorded in order to create in favor of the Lender, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, a perfected Lien on the Collateral described therein, prior and superior in right to any other Person (other than with respect to Liens expressly permitted by Section 6.02), shall be in proper form for filing, registration or recordation.

 

(o)     Air Enterprises Acquisition. In connection with the Air Enterprises Acquisition, Borrowers shall have delivered to Lender: 

 

(i)     a fully executed Air Enterprises Assignment of Rights; 

 

(ii)     copies of the Air Enterprises Acquisition Documents having been certified by a Financial Officer of the Company as true and correct; 

 

(iii)     any other evidence that Lender reasonably requests, in form and substance satisfactory to Lender, that the Air Enterprises Acquisition has been completed; 

 

(iv)     evidence that all necessary documents or instruments have been filed with all appropriate Governmental Authorities; 

 

(v)     evidence that all necessary approvals have been obtained, other than the consents of certain customers as described on Schedule 4.01; and

 

(vi)     satisfactory evidence that no Person has or is threatening to oppose or challenge the Air Enterprises Acquisition or has or threatened to file any litigation or similar action opposing or challenging the Air Enterprises Acquisition or alleging that such acquisition violates any applicable laws; and

 

(vii)     all legal opinions, if any, delivered by any party in connection with the Air Enterprises Acquisition (including from company counsel or buyer’s counsel), with an agreement from each opinion giver allowing Lender to rely on such opinions. 

 

(p)     FFC Subordinated Debt Documents. The Lender shall have received (i) fully signed copies of the FFC Subordinated Debt Documents, certified to the Lender as true and correct, which such documents shall be in form and substance satisfactory to the Lender and its counsel, and (ii) the FFC Subordination Agreement fully signed by all parties, which such agreement shall be in form and substance satisfactory to the Lender and its counsel. 

 

 


 

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(q)     Insurance. Subject to Section 5.15 hereof, the Lender shall have received evidence of insurance coverage in compliance with the terms of Section 5.10 of this Agreement and Section 4.12 of the Security Agreement.

 

(r)     Hickok Holdings Dissolution. The Lender shall have received evidence that Hickok Holdings LLC, an Ohio limited liability company, has been dissolved. 

 

(s)     Legal Due Diligence. The Lender and its counsel shall have completed all legal due diligence, including without limitation, appraisals and field exams, the results of which shall be satisfactory to Lender in its sole discretion. 

 

(t)     USA PATRIOT Act, Etc. The Lender shall have received all documentation and other information required by bank regulatory authorities under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including USA PATRIOT Act, and a properly completed and signed IRS Form W-8 or W-9, as applicable, for each Loan Party. 

 

(u)     Roundball Subordinated Debt Documents. The Lender shall have received (i) fully signed copies of the Roundball Subordinated Debt Documents, certified to the Lender as true and correct, which such documents shall be in form and substance satisfactory to the Lender and its counsel, and (ii) the Roundball Subordination Agreement fully signed by all parties, which such agreement shall be in form and substance satisfactory to the Lender and its counsel.

 

(v)     Other Documents. The Lender shall have received such other documents as the Lender or its counsel may have reasonably requested.

 

The Lender shall notify the Borrowers of the Effective Date, and such notice shall be conclusive and binding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the obligations of the Lender to make Loans and to issue Letters of Credit hereunder shall not become effective unless each of the foregoing conditions is satisfied (or waived pursuant to Section 8.02) at or prior to 2:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, on June 1, 2017 (and, in the event such conditions are not so satisfied or waived, the Commitment shall terminate at such time).

 

SECTION 4.02. Each Credit Event. The obligation of the Lender to make a Loan on the occasion of any Borrowing, and to issue, amend, renew or extend any Letter of Credit, is subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions:

 

(a)     Representations and warranties of the Loan Parties set forth in the Loan Documents shall be true and correct in all material respects with the same effect as though made on and as of the date of such Borrowing or the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable (it being understood and agreed that any representation or warranty which by its terms is made as of a specified date shall be required to be true and correct in all material respects only as of such specified date, and that any representation or warranty which is subject to any materiality qualifier shall be required to be true and correct in all respects).

 

(b)     At the time of and immediately after giving effect to such Borrowing or the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

 

(c)     After giving effect to any Borrowing or the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit, Availability shall not be less than zero.

 

 


 

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(d)     No event shall have occurred and no condition shall exist which has or could be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. 

 

Each Borrowing and each issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of a Letter of Credit shall be deemed to constitute a representation and warranty by the Borrowers on the date thereof as to the matters specified in paragraphs (a) and (b) and (d) of this Section. 

 

 

ARTICLE V 

 

Affirmative Covenants

 

Until the Commitment shall have expired or been terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder shall have been paid in full (other than contingent or indemnity obligations for which no claim has been made) and all Letters of Credit shall have expired or terminated (or have been cash collateralized pursuant to the terms hereof), in each case without any pending draw, and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, each Loan Party executing this Agreement covenants and agrees, jointly and severally with all of the other Loan Parties, with the Lender that:

 

SECTION 5.01. Financial Statements; Borrowing Base and Other Information. The Borrowers will furnish to the Lender: 

 

(a)     within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company, if not filed electronically with the SEC and publicly available for retrieval by the Lender after notice from the Company as described below, its audited consolidated balance sheet and related statements of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows as of the end of and for such year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all reported on by independent public accountants acceptable to the Lender (without a “going concern” or like qualification, commentary or exception, and without any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit) to the effect that such consolidated financial statements present fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, accompanied by any management letter prepared by said accountants; provided that notice by the Company to Lender that the Company has filed with the SEC its Form 10-K annual report of the Company for such annual period within such time period shall be deemed to satisfy the requirements of this subsection (a), so long as such financial statements and reports shall be readily available to Lender. 

 

(b)     within 45 days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of the Company, if not filed electronically with the SEC and publicly available for retrieval by the Lender after notice from the Company as described below, its consolidated balance sheet and related statements of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows as of the end of and for such fiscal quarter and the then elapsed portion of such fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding period or periods of (or, in the case of the balance sheet, as of the end of) the previous fiscal year, all certified by a Financial Officer of the Borrower Representative as presenting fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes; provided that notice by the Company to Lender that the Company has filed with the SEC its Form 10-Q quarterly report of the Company for such quarterly period within such time period shall be deemed to satisfy the requirements of this subsection (b), so long as such financial statements and reports shall be readily available to Lender. 

 

 


 

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(c)     concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under clause (a) or (b) above (collectively or individually, as the context requires, the “Financial Statements”), a certificate of a Financial Officer of the Borrower Representative in substantially the form of Exhibit C (i) certifying, in the case of the Financial Statements delivered under clause (a) or (b) above, as presenting fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes, (ii) certifying as to whether a Default has occurred and, if a Default has occurred, specifying the details thereof and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto, (iii) setting forth reasonably detailed calculations demonstrating compliance with Sections 6.12, and (iv) stating whether any change in GAAP or in the application thereof has occurred since the date of the audited financial statements referred to in Section 3.04 and, if any such change has occurred, specifying the effect of such change on the Financial Statements accompanying such certificate;

 

(d)     [reserved];

 

(e)     as soon as available, but in any event no later than 60 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company, a copy of the plan and forecast (including a projected consolidated balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement) of the Company for each month of the upcoming fiscal year (the “Projections”) in form reasonably satisfactory to the Lender; 

 

(f)     as soon as available but in any event within 30 days of the end of each calendar month, and at such other times as may be necessary to re-determine Availability hereunder or as may be reasonably requested by the Lender, as of the period then ended, a Borrowing Base Certificate, and supporting information in connection therewith, together with any additional reports with respect to the Borrowing Base as the Lender may reasonably request; 

 

(g)     as soon as available but in any event within 30 days of the end of each calendar month and at such other times as may be reasonably requested by the Lender, as of the period then ended, all delivered electronically in a text formatted file acceptable to the Lender: 

 

(i)     a detailed aging of the Borrowers’ Accounts including all invoices aged by invoice date and due date (with an explanation of the terms offered) prepared in a manner reasonably acceptable to the Lender, together with a summary specifying the name, address, and balance due for each Account Debtor; 

 

(ii)     a schedule detailing the Borrowers’ Inventory, in form satisfactory to the Lender, (1) by location (showing Inventory in transit and any Inventory located with a third party under any consignment, bailee arrangement, or warehouse agreement), by class (raw material, work-in-process and finished goods), by product type, and by volume on hand, which Inventory shall be valued at the lower of cost (determined on a first-in, first-out basis) or market and adjusted for Reserves as the Lender has previously indicated to the Borrower Representative are deemed by the Lender to be appropriate, and (2) including a report of any variances or other results of Inventory counts performed by the Borrowers since the last Inventory schedule (including information regarding sales or other reductions, additions, returns, credits issued by Borrowers and material complaints and claims made against the Borrowers);

 

 


 

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(iii)     a worksheet of calculations prepared by the Borrowers to determine Eligible Accounts and Eligible Inventory, such worksheets detailing the Accounts and Inventory excluded from Eligible Accounts and Eligible Inventory and the reason for such exclusion; 

 

(iv)      a detailed jobs-in-progress report in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Lender, including for each contract (1) contract name or number, (2) total value of the contract, (3) amount billed to date, (4) total costs incurred to date, (5) total expected cost, (6) total expected gross profits, and (7) revenue earned to date and total expected revenues;

 

(h)     a reconciliation of the Borrowers’ Accounts and Inventory between (A) the amounts shown in the Borrowers’ general ledger and financial statements and the reports delivered pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii) above, (B) the amounts and dates shown in the reports delivered pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii) above and the Borrowing Base Certificate delivered pursuant to clause (g) above as of such date;

 

(i)     promptly after the same become publicly available, copies of all periodic and other reports, proxy statements and other materials filed by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary with the SEC, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any or all of the functions of the SEC, or with any national securities exchange, or distributed by the Company to its shareholders generally, as the case may be; provided that prompt notice by the Company to Lender that the Company has filed any such reports, proxy statements or other materials with the SEC or any succeeding Governmental Authority shall be deemed to satisfy the requirements of this subsection (i), so long as such reports, proxy statements or other materials shall be readily available to Lender; and

 

(j)     promptly following any request therefor, such other information regarding the operations, business affairs and financial condition of any Loan Party, or compliance with the terms of this Agreement, as the Lender may reasonably request.

 

SECTION 5.02. Notices of Material Events; Name Change. The Loan Parties will furnish to the Lender prompt (but in any event within any time period that may be specified below) written notice of the following: 

 

(a)     the occurrence of any Default;

 

(b)     receipt of any notice of any investigation by a Governmental Authority or any litigation or proceeding commenced or, to a Loan Party’s knowledge, threatened against any Loan Party or any Subsidiary that (i) seeks damages in excess of $100,000, (ii) seeks injunctive relief, (iii) is asserted or instituted against any Plan, its fiduciaries or its assets, (iv) alleges criminal misconduct by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, (v) alleges the violation of, or seeks to impose remedies under, any Environmental Law or related Requirement of Law, or seeks to impose Environmental Liability, (vi) asserts liability on the part of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary in excess of $100,000 in respect of any tax, fee, assessment, or other governmental charge, or (vii) involves any product recall; 

 

 


 

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(c)     the occurrence of any ERISA Event that, alone or together with any other ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to result in liability of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount exceeding $100,000;

 

(d)     within two (2) Business Days after the occurrence thereof, any Loan Party entering into a Swap Agreement or an amendment to a Swap Agreement, together with copies of all agreements evidencing such Swap Agreement or amendment;

 

(e)     the occurrence of, or alleged occurrence of, any event of default under the FFC Subordinated Debt Documents, the Roundball Subordinated Debt Documents or the Air Enterprises Acquisition Documents; and 

 

(f)     any other development that results in, or could reasonably be expected to result in, a Material Adverse Effect.

 

In addition, the Loan Parties will furnish to Lender the Hickok Air Enterprises Name Change Documents after such documents have been filed with the Secretary of the State of Delaware.

 

Each notice delivered under this Section shall be accompanied by a statement of a Financial Officer or other executive officer of the Borrower Representative setting forth the details of the event or development requiring such notice and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto.

 

SECTION 5.03. Existence; Conduct of Business. Each Loan Party will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, (a) do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect its legal existence and, except as would not reasonably be expected to have a ‘Material Adverse Effect, the rights, qualifications, licenses, permits, franchises, governmental authorizations, intellectual property rights, licenses and permits material to the conduct of its business, and maintain all requisite authority to conduct its business in each jurisdiction in which its business is conducted; provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit any merger, consolidation, liquidation or dissolution permitted under Section 6.03 and (b) carry on and conduct its business in substantially the same manner and in substantially the same fields of enterprise as it is presently conducted.

 

SECTION 5.04. Payment of Obligations. Each Loan Party will pay or discharge all Material Indebtedness and all other material liabilities and obligations, including Taxes, before the same shall become delinquent or in default, except where (a) the validity or amount thereof is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, (b) such Loan Party has set aside on its books adequate reserves with respect thereto in accordance with GAAP and (c) the failure to make payment pending such contest could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; provided, however, that each Loan Party will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, remit withholding taxes and other payroll taxes to appropriate Governmental Authorities as and when claimed to be due, notwithstanding the foregoing exceptions.

 

SECTION 5.05. Maintenance of Properties. Except as permitted under this Agreement, each Loan Party will keep and maintain all property material to the conduct of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted.

 

 


 

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SECTION 5.06. Books and Records; Inspection Rights. Each Loan Party will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, (a) keep proper books of record and account in which full, true and correct entries are made of all dealings and transactions in relation to its business and activities and (b) permit any representatives designated by the Lender (including employees of the Lender or any consultants, accountants, lawyers, agents and appraisers retained by the Lender), upon reasonable prior notice (and so long as no Event of Default exists, no more than one time in any calendar year), to visit and inspect its properties, conduct at the Loan Party’s premises field examinations of the Loan Party’s assets, liabilities, books and records, including examining and making extracts from its books and records, environmental assessment reports and Phase I or Phase II studies, and to discuss its affairs, finances and condition with its officers and independent accountants, all at such reasonable times and as often as reasonably requested. The Loan Parties acknowledge that the Lender, after exercising its rights of inspection, may prepare certain Reports pertaining to the Loan Parties’ assets for internal use by the Lender.

 

SECTION 5.07. Compliance with Laws and Material Contractual Obligations. Each Loan Party will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, (i) comply with each Requirement of Law applicable to it or its property (including, without limitation, Environmental Laws) and (ii) perform in all material respects its obligations under material agreements to which it is a party, except, in each case, where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Each Loan Party will maintain in effect and enforce policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance by such Loan Party, its Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions.

 

SECTION 5.08. Use of Proceeds. 

 

(a)     The proceeds of the Loans and the Letters of Credit will be used only to consummate the Air Enterprises Acquisition, to refinance existing indebtedness of the Loan Parties and for general working capital purposes of the Loan Parties. No part of the proceeds of any Loan and no Letter of Credit will be used, whether directly or indirectly, (i) for any purpose that entails a violation of any of the Regulations of the Board, including Regulations T, U and X or (ii) to make any Acquisition other than Air Enterprises Acquisition. 

 

(b)     The Borrowers will not request any Borrowing or Letter of Credit, and no Borrower shall use, and each Borrower shall procure that its Subsidiaries and its or their respective directors, officers, employees and agents shall not use, the proceeds of any Borrowing or Letter of Credit (a) in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any Person in violation of any Anti-Corruption Laws, (b) for the purpose of funding, financing or facilitating any activities, business or transaction of or with any Sanctioned Person, or in any Sanctioned Country, to the extent such activities, businesses or transaction would be prohibited by Sanctions if conducted by a corporation incorporated in the United States or the European Union, or (c) in any manner that would result in the violation of any Sanctions applicable to any party hereto. 

 

SECTION 5.09. Accuracy of Information. The Loan Parties will ensure that any information, including financial statements or other documents, furnished to the Lender in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any amendment or modification hereof or thereof or waiver hereunder or thereunder contains no material misstatement of fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and the furnishing of such information shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Loan Parties on the date thereof as to the matters specified in this Section 5.09; provided that, with respect to the Projections, the Borrowers will cause the Projections to be prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time (it being understood that projections are subject to inherent uncertainties and contingencies which may be outside the control of any Loan Party and that no assurance can be given that such projected financial information will be realized).

 

 


 

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SECTION 5.10. Insurance. Each Loan Party will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, maintain with financially sound and reputable carriers having a financial strength rating of at least A- by A.M. Best Company (a) insurance in such amounts (with no greater risk retention) and against such risks (including loss or damage by fire and loss in transit; theft, burglary, pilferage, larceny, embezzlement, and other criminal activities; business interruption; and general liability) and such other hazards, as is customarily maintained by companies of established repute engaged in the same or similar businesses operating in the same or similar locations and (b) all insurance required pursuant to the Collateral Documents. The Borrowers will furnish to the Lender information in reasonable detail as to the insurance so maintained.

 

SECTION 5.11. Appraisals. At any time that the Lender requests, each Loan Party will provide the Lender with appraisals or updates thereof of their Inventory and Equipment from an appraiser selected and engaged by the Lender, and prepared on a basis satisfactory to the Lender, such appraisals and updates to include, without limitation, information required by any applicable Requirement of Law; provided, however, that if no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, only one such appraisals per calendar year shall be at the sole expense of the Loan Parties. 

 

SECTION 5.12. Casualty and Condemnation. The Borrowers (a) will furnish to the Lender prompt written notice of any casualty or other insured damage to any material portion of the Collateral or the commencement of any action or proceeding for the taking of any material portion of the Collateral or interest therein under power of eminent domain or by condemnation or similar proceeding and (b) will ensure that the Net Proceeds of any such event (whether in the form of insurance proceeds, condemnation awards or otherwise) are collected and applied in accordance with the applicable provisions of this Agreement and the Collateral Documents.

 

SECTION 5.13. Depository Banks. Subject to Section 4.14 of the Security Agreement, each Loan Party will maintain the Lender as its principal depository bank, including for the maintenance of operating, administrative, cash management, collection activity, and other deposit accounts for the conduct of its business.

 

SECTION 5.14. Additional Collateral; Further Assurances. 

 

(a)     Subject to applicable Requirements of Law, each Loan Party will cause each of its domestic Subsidiaries formed or acquired after the date of this Agreement to become a Loan Party by executing a Joinder Agreement. Upon execution and delivery thereof, each such Person (i) shall automatically become a Loan Guarantor or Borrower hereunder and thereupon shall have all of the rights, benefits, duties, and obligations in such capacity under the Loan Documents and (ii) will grant Liens to the Lender, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, in any property of such Loan Party which constitutes Collateral, including any parcel of real property located in the U.S. owned by any Loan Party.

 

(b)     Each Loan Party will cause (i) 100% of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of each of its domestic Subsidiaries and (ii) 65% of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests entitled to vote (within the meaning of Treas. Reg. Section 1.956-2(c)(2)) and 100% of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests not entitled to vote (within the meaning of Treas. Reg. Section 1.956-2(c)(2)) in each foreign Subsidiary directly owned by any Borrower or any domestic Subsidiary to be subject at all times to a first priority, perfected Lien in favor of the Lender, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Loan Documents or other security documents as the Lender shall reasonably request.

 

 


 

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(c)     Without limiting the foregoing, each Loan Party will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, execute and deliver, or cause to be executed and delivered, to the Lender such documents, agreements and instruments, and will take or cause to be taken such further actions (including the filing and recording of financing statements, fixture filings, mortgages, deeds of trust and other documents and such other actions or deliveries of the type required by Section 4.01, as applicable), which may be required by any Requirement of Law or which the Lender may, from time to time, reasonably request to carry out the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and to ensure perfection and priority of the Liens created or intended to be created by the Collateral Documents, all at the expense of the Loan Parties.

 

(d)     If any material assets (including any real property or improvements thereto or any interest therein) are acquired by any Loan Party after the Effective Date (other than assets constituting Collateral under the Security Agreement that become subject to the Lien under the Security Agreement upon acquisition thereof), the Borrower Representative will (i) notify the Lender and, if requested by the Lender, cause such assets to be subjected to a Lien securing the Secured Obligations and (ii) take, and cause each applicable Loan Party to take, such actions as shall be necessary or reasonably requested by the Lender to grant and perfect such Liens, including actions described in paragraph (c) of this Section, all at the expense of the Loan Parties. 

 

SECTION 5.15. Post-Closing Covenant. Within 10 Business Days after the Effective Date, Borrowers shall provide to Lender updated insurance certificates reasonably satisfactory to Lender showing coverage at the location of the Loan Parties in Houston, Texas disclosed on Exhibit A to the Security Agreement.

 

ARTICLE VI 

 

Negative Covenants

 

Until the Commitment shall have expired or been terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees, expenses and other amounts payable under any Loan Document shall have been paid in full (other than contingent or indemnity obligations for which no claim has been made) and all Letters of Credit shall have expired or terminated (or have been cash collateralized pursuant to the terms hereof), in each case without any pending draw, and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, each Loan Party executing this Agreement covenants and agrees, jointly and severally with all of the other Loan Parties, with the Lender that: 

 

SECTION 6.01. Indebtedness. No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Indebtedness, except:

 

(a)     the Secured Obligations; 

 

(b)     Indebtedness existing on the date hereof and set forth in Schedule 6.01 (excluding, however, following the making of the initial Loan hereunder, the Indebtedness to be repaid with the proceeds of such Loans as indicated on Schedule 6.01) and any extensions, renewals, refinancings and replacements of any such Indebtedness in accordance with clause (f) hereof; 

 

(c)     Indebtedness of any Borrower to any Subsidiary and of any Subsidiary to any Borrower or any other Subsidiary, provided that (i) Indebtedness of any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party to any Borrower or any other Loan Party shall be subject to Section 6.04 and (ii) Indebtedness of any Loan Party to any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party shall be subordinated to the Obligations on terms reasonably satisfactory to the Lender;

 

 


 

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(d)     Guarantees by any Borrower of Indebtedness of any Subsidiary and by any Subsidiary of Indebtedness of any Borrower or any other Subsidiary, provided that (i) the Indebtedness so Guaranteed is permitted by this Section 6.01, (ii) Guarantees by any Borrower or any other Loan Party of Indebtedness of any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party shall be subject to Section 6.04 and (iii) Guarantees permitted under this clause (d) shall be subordinated to the Obligations on the same terms as the Indebtedness so Guaranteed is subordinated to the Obligations; 

 

(e)     Indebtedness of any Borrower or any Subsidiary incurred to finance the acquisition, construction or improvement of any fixed or capital assets (whether or not constituting purchase money Indebtedness), including Capital Lease Obligations and any Indebtedness assumed in connection with the acquisition of any such assets or secured by a Lien on any such assets prior to the acquisition thereof, and extensions, renewals and replacements of any such Indebtedness in accordance with clause (f) below; provided that (i) such Indebtedness is incurred prior to or within 90 days after such acquisition or the completion of such construction or improvement and (ii) the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness permitted by this clause (e) together with any Refinance Indebtedness in respect thereof permitted by clause (f) below, shall not exceed $200,000 at any time outstanding; 

 

 

(f)     Indebtedness which represents extensions, renewals, refinancing or replacements (such Indebtedness being so extended, renewed, refinanced or replaced being referred to herein as the “Refinance Indebtedness”) of any of the Indebtedness described in clauses (b), and (e) hereof (such Indebtedness being referred to herein as the “Original Indebtedness”); provided that (i) such Refinance Indebtedness does not increase the principal amount or interest rate of the Original Indebtedness, (ii) any Liens securing such Refinance Indebtedness are not extended to any additional property of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, (iii) no Loan Party or any Subsidiary that is not originally obligated with respect to repayment of such Original Indebtedness is required to become obligated with respect to such Refinance Indebtedness, (iv) such Refinance Indebtedness does not result in a shortening of the average weighted maturity of such Original Indebtedness, (v) the terms of such Refinance Indebtedness are not less favorable to the obligor thereunder than the original terms of such Original Indebtedness and (vi) if such Original Indebtedness was subordinated in right of payment to the Obligations, then the terms and conditions of such Refinance Indebtedness must include subordination terms and conditions that are at least as favorable to the Lender as those that were applicable to such Original Indebtedness; 

 

(g)     Indebtedness owed to any Person providing workers’ compensation, health, disability or other employee benefits or property, casualty or liability insurance, pursuant to reimbursement or indemnification obligations to such Person, in each case incurred in the ordinary course of business;

 

(h)     Indebtedness of any Loan Party in respect of performance bonds, bid bonds, appeal bonds, surety bonds and similar obligations, in each case provided in the ordinary course of business; 

 

(i)     the FFC Subordinated Debt as long as such Indebtedness remains at all times subject to the FFC Subordination Agreement, 

 

(j)     the Roundball Subordinated Debt as long as such Indebtedness remains at all times subject to the Roundball Subordination Agreement and such Indebtedness does not increase from the outstanding principal amount existing on the date hereof; 

 

(k)     Indebtedness in respect of Swap Agreements permitted under Section 6.07;

 

 


 

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(l)     other unsecured Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount not exceeding $25,000 at any time outstanding;

 

(m)     the endorsement of negotiable instruments payable to the Loan Parties for deposit or collection in the ordinary course of business; and 

 

(n)     contingent obligations arising with respect to real property leases for property leased by a Loan Party. 

 

SECTION 6.02. Liens. No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien on any property or asset now owned or hereafter acquired by it, or assign or sell any income or revenues (including Accounts) or rights in respect of any thereof, except:

 

(a)     Liens created pursuant to any Loan Document; 

 

(b)     Permitted Encumbrances; 

 

(c)     any Lien on any property or asset of any Borrower or any Subsidiary existing on the date hereof and set forth in Schedule 6.02; provided that (i) such Lien shall not apply to any other property or asset of such Borrower or Subsidiary or any other Borrower or Subsidiary and (ii) such Lien shall secure only those obligations which it secures on the date hereof and extensions, renewals and replacements thereof that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof; 

 

(d)     Liens on fixed or capital assets acquired, constructed or improved by any Borrower or any Subsidiary; provided that (i) such Liens secure Indebtedness permitted by clause (e) of Section 6.01, (ii) such Liens and the Indebtedness secured thereby are incurred prior to or within 90 days after such acquisition or the completion of such construction or improvement, (iii) the Indebtedness secured thereby does not exceed 100% of the cost of acquiring, constructing or improving such fixed or capital assets and (iv) such Liens shall not apply to any other property or assets of any Borrower or any Subsidiary; 

 

(e)     any Lien existing on any property or asset (other than Accounts and Inventory) prior to the acquisition thereof by any Borrower or any Subsidiary or existing on any property or asset (other than Accounts and Inventory) of any Person that becomes a Loan Party after the date hereof prior to the time such Person becomes a Loan Party; provided that (i) such Lien is not created in contemplation of or in connection with such acquisition or such Person becoming a Loan Party, as the case may be, (ii) such Lien shall not apply to any other property or assets of the Loan Party and (iii) such Lien shall secure only those obligations which it secures on the date of such acquisition or the date such Person becomes a Loan Party, as the case may be, and extensions, renewals and replacements thereof that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof; 

 

(f)     Liens of a collecting bank arising in the ordinary course of business under Section 4-208 of the UCC in effect in the relevant jurisdiction covering only the items being collected upon;

 

(g)     Liens arising out of Sale and Leaseback Transactions permitted by Section 6.06; 

 

(h)     Liens granted by a Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party in favor of a Borrower or another Loan Party in respect of Indebtedness owed by such Subsidiary; 

 

 


 

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(i)     Liens (other than any Lien created by Section 4068 of ERISA and securing an obligation of any employer or employers which is delinquent) under workers compensation, unemployment, insurance and other types of social security so long as not incurred in connection with the borrowing of money or the obtaining of advances or credits to finance the purchase price of property; 

 

(j)     the interests of lessors or sublessors under operating leases and non-exclusive licensors under license agreements, in each case in the ordinary course of business and not interfering with the business of the Loan Parties in any material respect;

 

(k)     Liens arising from precautionary UCC financing statement filings regarding operating leases entered into by any Loan Party in the ordinary course of business;

 

(l)     other statutory Liens incidental to the conduct of its business or the ownership of its property and assets which (i) were not incurred in connection with the borrowing of money or the obtaining of advances or credit, and (ii) which do not in the aggregate materially detract from the value of its property or assets or materially impair the use thereof in the operation of its business; and

 

(m)     Liens in favor of FFC to secure the FFC Subordinated Debt as long as such Liens remain at all times subject to the FFC Subordination Agreement.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, none of the Liens permitted pursuant to this Section 6.02 may at any time attach to any Loan Party’s (i) Accounts, other than those permitted under clause (a) of the definition of Permitted Encumbrances and clause (a) and (i) above and (ii) Inventory, other than those permitted under clauses (a) and (b) of the definition of Permitted Encumbrances and clause (a) and (i) above. 

 

SECTION 6.03. Fundamental Changes. 

 

(a)     No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, merge into or consolidate with any other Person, or permit any other Person to merge into or consolidate with it, or liquidate or dissolve, except that, if at the time thereof and immediately after giving effect thereto no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, (i) any Subsidiary of any Borrower may merge into a Borrower in a transaction in which a Borrower is the surviving entity, (ii) any Borrower may merge into another Borrower, (iii) any Loan Party (other than any Borrower) may merge into any other Loan Party in a transaction in which the surviving entity is a Loan Party and (iv) any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party may liquidate or dissolve if the Borrowers determine in good faith that such liquidation or dissolution is in the best interests of the Borrowers and is not materially disadvantageous to the Lender; provided that any such merger involving a Person that is not a wholly owned Subsidiary immediately prior to such merger shall not be permitted unless also permitted by Section 6.04. 

 

(b)     No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, engage to any material extent in any business other than businesses of the type conducted by the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries on the date hereof and businesses reasonably related thereto. 

 

(c)     No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to change its fiscal year or any fiscal quarter from the basis in effect on the Effective Date.

 

(d)     No Loan Party will change the accounting basis upon which its financial statements are prepared.

 

 


 

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SECTION 6.04. Investments, Loans, Advances, Guarantees and Acquisitions. No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, form any subsidiary after the Effective Date, or purchase, hold or acquire (including pursuant to any merger with any Person that was not a Loan Party and a wholly owned Subsidiary prior to such merger) any Equity Interests, evidences of indebtedness or other securities (including any option, warrant or other right to acquire any of the foregoing) of, make or permit to exist any loans or advances to, Guarantee any obligations of, or make or permit to exist any investment or any other interest in, any other Person, or purchase or otherwise acquire (in one transaction or a series of transactions) any assets of any other Person constituting a business unit (whether through purchase of assets, merger or otherwise), except:

 

(a)     Permitted Investments, subject to control agreements in favor of the Lender or otherwise subject to a perfected security interest in favor of the Lender; 

 

(b)     investments in existence on the date hereof and described in Schedule 6.04; 

 

(c)     investments by the Loan Parties and the Subsidiaries in Equity Interests in their respective Subsidiaries, provided that (i) any such Equity Interests held by a Loan Party shall be pledged pursuant to the Security Agreement (subject to the limitations applicable to Equity Interests of a foreign Subsidiary referred to in Section 5.14) and (ii) the aggregate amount of investments by Loan Parties in Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties (together with outstanding intercompany loans permitted under Section 6.04(d) and outstanding Guarantees permitted under Section 6.04(e)) shall not exceed $100,000 at any time outstanding (in each case determined without regard to any write-downs or write-offs); 

 

(d)     loans or advances made by any Loan Party to any Subsidiary and made by any Subsidiary to a Loan Party or any other Subsidiary, provided that (i) any such loans and advances made by a Loan Party shall be evidenced by a promissory note pledged pursuant to the Security Agreement and (ii) the amount of such loans and advances made by Loan Parties to Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties (together with outstanding investments permitted under Section 6.04(c) and outstanding Guarantees permitted under Section 6.04(e)) shall not exceed $100,000 at any time outstanding (in each case determined without regard to any write-downs or write-offs);

 

(e)     Guarantees constituting Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.01, provided that the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness of Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties that is Guaranteed by any Loan Party (together with outstanding investments permitted under clause (ii) to the proviso to Section 6.04(c) and outstanding intercompany loans permitted under clause (ii) to the proviso to Section 6.04(d)) shall not exceed $100,000 at any time outstanding (in each case determined without regard to any write-downs or write-offs);

 

(f)     [reserved]; 

 

(g)     notes payable, or stock or other securities issued by Account Debtors to a Loan Party pursuant to negotiated agreements with respect to settlement of such Account Debtor’s Accounts in the ordinary course of business, consistent with past practices; 

 

(h)     investments in the form of Swap Agreements permitted by Section 6.07;

 

(i)     investments of any Person existing at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary of a Borrower or consolidates or merges with a Borrower or any party’s Subsidiary (including in connection with a permitted acquisition), so long as such investments were not made in contemplation of such Person becoming a Subsidiary or of such merger;

 

 


 

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(j)     investments received in connection with the disposition of assets permitted by Section 6.05; and

 

(k)     investments constituting deposits described in clauses (c) and (d) of the definition of the term “Permitted Encumbrances”; and 

 

(l)     the Air Enterprises Acquisition. 

 

SECTION 6.05. Asset Sales. No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of any asset, including any Equity Interest owned by it, nor will any Borrower permit any Subsidiary to issue any additional Equity Interest in such Subsidiary (other than to another Borrower or another Subsidiary in compliance with Section 6.04), except:

 

(a)     sales, transfers and dispositions of (i) Inventory in the ordinary course of business and (ii) used, obsolete, worn out or surplus Equipment or property in the ordinary course of business;

 

(b)     , transfers and dispositions of assets to any Borrower or any Subsidiary, provided that any such sales, transfers or dispositions involving a Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party shall be made in compliance with Section 6.09;

 

(c)     sales, transfers and dispositions of Accounts (excluding sales or dispositions in a factoring arrangement) in connection with the compromise, settlement or collection thereof;

 

(d)     sales, transfers and dispositions of Permitted Investments;

 

(e)     Sale and Leaseback Transactions permitted by Section 6.06;

 

(f)     dispositions resulting from any casualty or other insured damage to, or any taking under power of eminent domain or by condemnation or similar proceeding of, any property or asset of any Borrower or any Subsidiary; and 

 

(g)     sales, transfers and other dispositions of assets (other than Equity Interests in a Subsidiary unless all Equity Interests in such Subsidiary are sold) that are not permitted by any other clause of this Section, provided that the aggregate fair market value of all assets sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of in reliance upon this paragraph (g) shall not exceed $50,000 during any fiscal year of the Company; 

 

provided that all sales, transfers, leases and other dispositions permitted under this Section 6.05 (other than those permitted by paragraphs (b), (d) and (f) above) shall be made for fair value and for at least 75% cash consideration. 

 

SECTION 6.06. Sale and Leaseback Transactions. No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, enter into any arrangement, directly or indirectly, whereby it shall sell or transfer any property, real or personal, used or useful in its business, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, and thereafter rent or lease such property or other property that it intends to use for substantially the same purpose or purposes as the property sold or transferred (a “Sale and Leaseback Transaction”), except for any such sale of any fixed or capital assets by any Borrower or any Subsidiary that is made for cash consideration in an amount not less than the fair value of such fixed or capital asset and is consummated within 90 days after such Borrower or such Subsidiary acquires or completes the construction of such fixed or capital asset.

 

 


 

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SECTION 6.07. Swap Agreements. No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, enter into any Swap Agreement, except (a) Swap Agreements entered into to hedge or mitigate risks to which any Borrower or any Subsidiary has actual exposure (other than those in respect of Equity Interests of any Borrower or any Subsidiary), and (b) Swap Agreements entered into in order to effectively cap, collar or exchange interest rates (from floating to fixed rates, from one floating rate to another floating rate or otherwise) with respect to any interest-bearing liability or investment of any Borrower or any Subsidiary.

 

SECTION 6.08. Restricted Payments; Certain Payments of Indebtedness. 

 

(a)     No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, declare or make, or agree to declare or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, or incur any obligation (contingent or otherwise) to do so, except (i) each of the Borrowers may declare and pay dividends with respect to its common stock payable solely in additional shares of its common stock, and, with respect to its preferred stock, payable solely in additional shares of such preferred stock or in shares of its common stock, (ii) Subsidiaries may declare and pay dividends ratably with respect to their Equity Interests, and (iii) so long as no Event of Default exists, the Borrowers may make Restricted Payments, not exceeding $200,000 during any fiscal year of the Company, pursuant to and in accordance with stock option plans or other benefit plans for management or employees of the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries.

 

(b)     Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, make or agree to pay or make, directly or indirectly, any payment or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) of or in respect of principal of or interest on any Indebtedness, or any payment or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any Indebtedness, except:

 

(i)     payment of Indebtedness created under the Loan Documents;

 

(ii)     payment of regularly scheduled interest and principal payments as and when due in respect of any Indebtedness permitted under Section 6.01, other than payments in respect of the Subordinated Indebtedness (other than the FFC Subordinated Debt and the Roundball Subordinated Debt) prohibited by the subordination provisions thereof;

 

(iii)     with respect to the FFC Subordinated Debt, commencing January 1, 2018, payments of regularly scheduled quarterly payments of principal and interest so long as the FFC Subordinated Payment Conditions are satisfied;

 

(iv)     with respect to the Roundball Subordinated Debt, commencing January 1, 2018, payments of regularly scheduled payments of interest so long as the Roundball Subordinated Payment Conditions are satisfied

 

(v)     refinancings of Indebtedness to the extent permitted by Section 6.01; and 

 

(vi)     payment of secured Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of the voluntary sale or transfer of the property or assets securing such Indebtedness to the extent such sale or transfer is permitted by the terms of Section 6.05. 

 

 


 

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SECTION 6.09. Transactions with Affiliates. No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, sell, lease or otherwise transfer any property or assets to, or purchase, lease or otherwise acquire any property or assets from, or otherwise engage in any other transactions with, any of its Affiliates, except (a) transactions that (i) are in the ordinary course of business and (ii) are at prices and on terms and conditions not less favorable to such Loan Party or such Subsidiary than could be obtained on an arm’s-length basis from unrelated third parties, (b) transactions between or among the Loan Parties not involving any other Affiliate, (c) any investment permitted by Sections 6.04(c) or 6.04(d), (d) any Indebtedness permitted under Section 6.01(c), (e) any Restricted Payment permitted by Section 6.08, (f) the payment of reasonable fees to directors of any Borrower or any Subsidiary who are not employees of such Borrower or any Subsidiary, and compensation and employee benefit arrangements paid to, and indemnities provided for the benefit of, directors, officers or employees of the Borrowers or their Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business, and (g) any issuances of securities or other payments, awards or grants in cash, securities or otherwise pursuant to, or the funding of, employment agreements, stock options and stock ownership plans approved by a Borrower’s board of directors.

 

SECTION 6.10. Restrictive Agreements. No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly enter into, incur or permit to exist any agreement or other arrangement that prohibits, restricts or imposes any condition upon (a) the ability of such Loan Party or any Subsidiary to create, incur or permit to exist any Lien upon any of its property or assets, or (b) the ability of any Subsidiary to pay dividends or other distributions with respect to any Equity Interests or to make or repay loans or advances to any Borrower or any other Subsidiary or to Guarantee Indebtedness of any Borrower or any other Subsidiary; provided that (i) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions and conditions imposed by any Requirement of Law or by any Loan Document, (ii) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions and conditions existing on the date hereof identified on Schedule 6.10 (but shall apply to any extension or renewal of, or any amendment or modification expanding the scope of, any such restriction or condition), (iii) the foregoing shall not apply to customary restrictions and conditions contained in agreements relating to the sale of a Subsidiary pending such sale, provided such restrictions and conditions apply only to the Subsidiary that is to be sold and such sale is permitted hereunder, (iv) clause (a) of the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions or conditions imposed by any agreement relating to secured Indebtedness permitted by this Agreement if such restrictions or conditions apply only to the property or assets securing such Indebtedness and (v) clause (a) of the foregoing shall not apply to customary provisions in leases and other contracts restricting the assignment thereof. 

 

SECTION 6.11. Amendment of Material Documents. No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, amend, modify or waive any of its rights under (a)  any agreement relating to any Subordinated Indebtedness, including the FFC Subordinated Debt and the Roundball Subordinated Debt, or (b) its charter, articles or certificate of organization or incorporation and bylaws or operating, management or partnership agreement, or other organizational or governing documents, or (c) the Air Enterprises Acquisition Documents, to the extent any such amendment, modification or waiver would be adverse to the Lender.

 

SECTION 6.12. Financial Covenants. 

 

(a)     Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio. The Company will not permit the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio, for any period of four consecutive fiscal quarters ending on the last day of any fiscal quarter, to be less than 1.20 to 1.00.

 

 

(b)     Senior Funded Indebtedness to EBITDA Ratio. The Company will not permit the Senior Funded Indebtedness to EBITDA Ratio, on the last day of any fiscal quarter to be greater than (i) 4.00 to 1.00 as of the fiscal quarters ending June 30, 2017 and September 30, 2017, (ii) 3.75 to 1.00 as of the fiscal quarters ending December 31, 2017 and March 31, 2018, (iii) 3.50 to 1.00 as of the fiscal quarters ending June 30, 2018 and September 30, 2018, (iv) 3.25 to 1.00 as of the fiscal quarters ending December 31, 2018 and March 31, 2019, and (v) 3.00 to 1.00 as of the fiscal quarter ending June 30, 2019 and on each fiscal quarter ending thereafter.

 

 


 

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ARTICLE VII 

 

Events of Default

 

If any of the following events (“Events of Default”) shall occur:

 

(a)     the Borrowers shall fail to pay any principal of any Loan or any reimbursement obligation in respect of any LC Disbursement when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at the due date thereof or at a date fixed for prepayment thereof or otherwise; 

 

(b)     the Borrowers shall fail to pay any interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount (other than an amount referred to in clause (a) of this Article) payable under this Agreement or any other Loan Document, when and as the same shall become due and payable, and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of five (5) days;

 

(c)     any representation or warranty made or deemed made by or on behalf of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary in, or in connection with, this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any amendment or modification hereof or thereof or waiver hereunder or thereunder, or in any report, certificate, financial statement or other document furnished pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any amendment or modification hereof or thereof or waiver hereunder or thereunder, shall prove to have been materially incorrect when made or deemed made;

 

(d)     any Loan Party shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in Section 5.02(a), 5.03 (with respect to a Loan Party’s existence) or 5.08 or in Article VI;

 

(e)     any Loan Party shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in this Agreement (other than those specified in clause (a), (b) or (d)), and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of (i) 5 days after the earlier of any Loan Party’s knowledge of such breach or notice thereof from the Lender if such breach relates to terms or provisions of Section 5.01, 5.02 (other than Section 5.02(a)), 5.03 through 5.07, 5.10, 5.11 or 5.13 of this Agreement or (ii) 15 days after the earlier of any Loan Party’s knowledge of such breach or notice thereof from the Lender if such breach relates to terms or provisions of any other Section of this Agreement;

 

(f)     any Loan Party or any Subsidiary shall fail to make any payment (whether of principal or interest and regardless of amount) in respect of any Material Indebtedness, when and as the same shall become due and payable;

 

(g)     (i) any default or event of default, or alleged default or event of default, occurs under the FFC Subordinated Debt Documents or the Roundball Subordinated Debt Documents which, in each case, shall not have been cured or waived within any applicable grace period, or (ii) any event or condition occurs that results in any Material Indebtedness becoming due prior to its scheduled maturity or that enables or permits (with or without the giving of notice, the lapse of time or both) the holder or holders of any Material Indebtedness or any trustee or agent on its or their behalf to cause any Material Indebtedness to become due, or to require the prepayment, repurchase, redemption or defeasance thereof, prior to its scheduled maturity; provided that this clause (g) shall not apply to secured Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of the voluntary sale or transfer of the property or assets securing such Indebtedness to the extent such sale or transfer is permitted by the terms of Section 6.05;

 

 


 

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(h)     an involuntary proceeding shall be commenced or an involuntary petition shall be filed seeking (i) liquidation, reorganization or other relief in respect of a Loan Party or any Subsidiary or its debts, or of a substantial part of its assets, under any federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect or (ii) the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for any Loan Party or any Subsidiary or for a substantial part of its assets, and, in any such case, such proceeding or petition shall continue undismissed for sixty (60) days or an order or decree approving or ordering any of the foregoing shall be entered;

 

(i)     any Loan Party or any Subsidiary shall (i) voluntarily commence any proceeding or file any petition seeking liquidation, reorganization or other relief under any federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect, (ii) consent to the institution of, or fail to contest in a timely and appropriate manner, any proceeding or petition described in clause (h) of this Article, (iii) apply for or consent to the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for such Loan Party or Subsidiary of any Loan Party or for a substantial part of its assets, (iv) file an answer admitting the material allegations of a petition filed against it in any such proceeding, (v) make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors or (vi) take any action for the purpose of effecting any of the foregoing;

 

(j)     any Loan Party or any Subsidiary shall become unable, admit in writing its inability, or publicly declare its intention not to, or fail generally, to pay its debts as they become due;

 

(k)     one or more judgments for the payment of money in an aggregate amount in excess of $250,000 and not fully covered by insurance shall be rendered against any Loan Party, any Subsidiary or any combination thereof and the same shall remain undischarged for a period of thirty (30) consecutive days during which execution shall not be effectively stayed, or any action shall be legally taken by a judgment creditor to attach or levy upon any assets of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary to enforce any such judgment or any Loan Party or any Subsidiary shall fail within thirty (30) days to discharge one or more non-monetary judgments or orders which, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, which judgments or orders, in any such case, are not stayed on appeal and being appropriately contested in good faith by proper proceedings diligently pursued; 

 

(l)     an ERISA Event shall have occurred that, in the opinion of the Lender, when taken together with all other ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to result in liability of the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount exceeding (i) $100,000 in any year or (ii) $200,000 for all periods; 

 

(m)     a Change in Control shall occur;

 

(n)     the occurrence of any “default”, as defined in any Loan Document (other than this Agreement), or the breach of any of the terms or provisions of any Loan Document (other than this Agreement), which default or breach continues beyond any period of grace therein provided;

 

 


 

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(o)     the Loan Guaranty or any Obligation Guaranty shall fail to remain in full force or effect or any action shall be taken to discontinue or to assert the invalidity or unenforceability of the Loan Guaranty or any Obligation Guaranty, or any individual Guarantor dies or a guardian or conservator is appointed for any individual Guarantor or all or any portion of their property, or any Guarantor shall fail to comply with any of the terms or provisions of the Loan Guaranty or any Obligation Guaranty to which it is a party, or any Guarantor shall deny that it has any further liability under the Loan Guaranty or any Obligation Guaranty to which it is a party, or shall give notice to such effect, including, but not limited to notice of termination delivered pursuant to Section 9.08 or any notice of termination delivered pursuant to the terms of any Obligation Guaranty;

 

(p)     except as permitted by the terms of any Collateral Document, (i) any Collateral Document shall for any reason fail to create a valid security interest in any Collateral purported to be covered thereby, or (ii) any Lien securing any Secured Obligation shall cease to be a perfected, first priority Lien; 

 

(q)     any Collateral Document shall fail to remain in full force or effect or any action shall be taken to discontinue or to assert the invalidity or unenforceability of any Collateral Document; or

 

(r)     any material provision of any Loan Document for any reason ceases to be valid, binding and enforceable in accordance with its terms (or any Loan Party shall challenge the enforceability of any Loan Document or shall assert in writing, or engage in any action or inaction that evidences its assertion, that any provision of any of the Loan Documents has ceased to be or otherwise is not valid, binding and enforceable in accordance with its terms); or

 

(s)     any Loan Party is criminally indicted or convicted under any law that may reasonably be expected to lead to a forfeiture of any property of such Loan Party having a fair market value in excess of $25,000; 

 

then, and in every such event (other than an event with respect to the Borrowers described in clause (h) or (i) of this Article), and at any time thereafter during the continuance of such event, the Lender may, by notice to the Borrower Representative, take either or both of the following actions, at the same or different times:  (i) terminate the Commitment, whereupon the Commitment shall terminate immediately, and (ii) declare the Loans then outstanding to be due and payable in whole (or in part, but ratably as among the Classes of Loans and the Loans of each Class at the time outstanding, in which case any principal not so declared to be due and payable may thereafter be declared to be due and payable), whereupon the principal of the Loans so declared to be due and payable, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and other obligations of the Borrowers accrued hereunder, shall become due and payable immediately, in each case without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrowers; and in the case of any event with respect to the Borrowers described in clause (h) or (i) of this Article, the Commitment shall automatically terminate and the principal of the Loans then outstanding, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and other obligations of the Borrowers accrued hereunder, shall automatically become due and payable, in each case without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrowers. Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Lender may increase the rate of interest applicable to the Loans and other Obligations as set forth in this Agreement and exercise any rights and remedies provided to the Lender under the Loan Documents or at law or equity, including all remedies provided under the UCC.

 

 


 

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ARTICLE VIII 

 

Miscellaneous

 

SECTION 8.01. Notices. 

 

(a)         Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and subject to paragraph (b) below), all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by fax, as follows:

 

	 	
(i)
	
if to any Loan Party, to it in care of the Borrower Representative at:



 

10514 Dupont Avenue

Cleveland, Ohio 44108

Attention: Chief Financial Officer

Fax No: 216-761-9879

 

With copy to (which shall not constitute notice):

 

Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP

The Calfee Building

1405 East Sixth Street

Cleveland, Ohio 44114

Attention: Terrence F. Doyle

Fax No: 216-241-0816

 

	 	
(ii)
	
if to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. at: 



 

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

Middle Market Servicing

10 South Dearborn, Floor L2

Suite IL1-0480

Chicago, IL, 60603-2300

Attention: Wholesale Loan Operations

Fax No: (877) 242-0998

 

With a copy to:

 

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. 

1300 East Ninth Street, Floor 13

Cleveland, Ohio 44114 

Attention: Michael P. Lepro

Fax No: (216) 781-2271

 

All such notices and other communications (i) sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received, (ii) sent by fax shall be deemed to have been given when sent, provided that if not given during normal business hours for the recipient, such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next Business Day of the recipient, or (iii) delivered through electronic communication to the extent provided in paragraph (b) below shall be effective as provided in such paragraph.

 

 


 

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(b)     Notices and other communications to the Lender hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communications (including e-mail and internet or intranet websites) pursuant to procedures approved by the Lender; provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices pursuant to Article II or to compliance and no Default certificates delivered pursuant to Sections 5.01(c) and 5.01(d) unless otherwise agreed by the Lender. Each of the Lender or the Borrower Representative (on behalf of the Loan Parties) may, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it; provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications. All such notices and other communications (i) sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement), provided that if not given during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient, and (ii) posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient, at its e-mail address as described in the foregoing clause (i), of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor; provided that, for both clauses (i) and (ii) above, if such notice, e-mail or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next Business Day of the recipient.

 

(c)     Any party hereto may change its address, facsimile number or e-mail address for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. 

 

SECTION 8.02. Waivers; Amendments. 

 

(a)     No failure or delay by the Lender in exercising any right or power hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right or power, or any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such a right or power, preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right or power. The rights and remedies of the Lender hereunder and under any other Loan Document are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies that they would otherwise have. No waiver of any provision of any Loan Document or consent to any departure by any Loan Party therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be permitted by paragraph (b) of this Section, and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the purpose for which given. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the making of a Loan or issuance of a Letter of Credit shall not be construed as a waiver of any Default, regardless of whether the Lender may have had notice or knowledge of such Default at the time.

 

(b)     Neither this Agreement nor any other Loan Document nor any provision hereof or thereof may be waived, amended or modified except (i) in the case of this Agreement, pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Borrowers and the Lender or (ii) in the case of any other Loan Document, pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Lender and the Loan Party or Loan Parties that are parties thereto. 

 

 


 

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SECTION 8.03. Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver. 

 

(a)     The Loan Parties, jointly and severally, shall pay all (i) reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Lender and its Affiliates, including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel for the Lender (whether outside counsel or the allocated costs of its internal legal department), in connection with the credit facilities provided for herein, the preparation and administration of the Loan Documents and any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions of the Loan Documents (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), (ii) reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Lender in connection with the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or any demand for payment thereunder and (iii) reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Lender, including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Lender (whether outside counsel or the allocated costs of its internal legal department), in connection with the enforcement, collection or protection of its rights in connection with the Loan Documents, including its rights under this Section, or in connection with the Loans made or Letters of Credit issued hereunder, including all such out-of-pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans or Letters of Credit. Expenses being reimbursed by the Loan Parties under this Section include, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, fees, costs and expenses incurred in connection with:

 

(A)     appraisals (subject to the limitations set forth in Section 5.11) and insurance reviews;

 

(B)     field examinations and the preparation of Reports based on the fees charged by a third party retained by the Lender or the internally allocated fees for each Person employed by the Lender with respect to each field examination (subject to the limitations set forth in Section 5.06);

 

(C)     background checks regarding senior management and/or key investors, as deemed necessary or appropriate in the sole discretion of the Lender; 

 

(D)     Taxes, fees and other charges for (i) lien and title searches and title insurance and (ii) recording mortgages, filing financing statements and continuations, and other actions to perfect, protect, and continue the Lender’s Liens; 

 

(E)     sums paid or incurred to take any action required of any Loan Party under the Loan Documents that such Loan Party fails to pay or take; and 

 

(F)     forwarding loan proceeds, collecting checks and other items of payment, and establishing and maintaining the accounts and lock boxes, and costs and expenses of preserving and protecting the Collateral. 

 

All of the foregoing fees, costs and expenses may be charged to the Borrowers as Revolving Loans or to another deposit account, all as described in Section 2.16(c).

 

(b)     The Loan Parties, jointly and severally, shall indemnify the Lender, and each Related Party of the Lender (each such Person being called an “Indemnitee”) against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims, damages, penalties, incremental taxes, liabilities and related expenses, including the reasonable and documented fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for any Indemnitee, incurred by or asserted against any Indemnitee arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of (i) the execution or delivery of the Loan Documents or any agreement or instrument contemplated thereby, the performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations thereunder or the consummation of the Transactions or any other transactions contemplated hereby, (ii) any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds therefrom (including any refusal by the Lender to honor a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit if the documents presented in connection with such demand do not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit), (iii) any actual or alleged presence or Release of Hazardous Materials on or from any property owned or operated by a Loan Party or a Subsidiary, or any Environmental Liability related in any way to a Loan Party or Subsidiary, (iv) the failure of a Loan Party to deliver to the Lender the required receipts or other required documentary evidence with respect to a payment made by such Loan Party for Taxes pursuant to Section 2.15, or (v) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether or not such claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding is brought by any Loan Party or their respective equity holders, Affiliates, creditors or any other third Person and whether based on contract, tort or any other theory and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto; provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, penalties, liabilities or related expenses are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee. This Section 8.03(b) shall not apply with respect to Taxes other than any Taxes that represent losses or damages arising from any non-Tax claim.

 

 


 

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(c)     To the extent permitted by applicable law, no Loan Party shall assert, and each Loan Party hereby waives, any claim against any Indemnitee, (i) for any damages arising from the use by others of information or other materials obtained through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems (including the Internet), or (ii) on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement, any other Loan Document, or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, the Transactions, any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof; provided that, nothing in this paragraph (c) shall relieve any Loan Party of any obligation it may have to indemnify an Indemnitee against special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages asserted against such Indemnitee by a third party.

 

(d)     All amounts due under this Section shall be payable promptly after written demand therefor.

 

SECTION 8.04. Successors and Assigns. 

 

(a)     The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of the Lender that issues any Letter of Credit), except that no Borrower may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Lender (and any attempted assignment or transfer by a Borrower without such consent shall be null and void). Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of the Lender that issues any Letter of Credit), Participants (to the extent provided in paragraph (c) of this Section) and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of the Lender) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

 

(b)     The Lender may assign to one or more assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it) with the prior written consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld) of the Borrower Representative, provided that the Borrower Representative shall be deemed to have consented to any such assignment unless it shall object thereto by written notice to the Lender within five (5) Business Days after having received notice thereof, and provided further that no consent of the Borrower Representative shall be required for an assignment to an Affiliate of the Lender, an Approved Fund or, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, any other assignee;

 

 


 

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For the purposes of this Section 8.04(b), the term “Approved Fund” has the following meaning:

 

“Approved Fund” means any Person (other than a natural person) that is engaged in making, purchasing, holding or investing in bank loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business and that is administered or managed by (a) the Lender, (b) an Affiliate of the Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers or manages the Lender.

 

(c)     The Lender may, without the consent of the Borrowers, sell participations to one or more banks or other entities (a “Participant”) in all or a portion of the Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and Letters of Credit and the Loans owing to it); provided that (i) the Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged; (ii) the Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations; and (iii) the Borrowers shall continue to deal solely and directly with the Lender in connection with the Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement. Each Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.13, 2.14 and 2.15 (subject to the requirements and limitations therein) to the same extent as if it were the Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section; provided that such Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 2.13 or 2.15, with respect to any participation, than its participating Lender would have been entitled to receive, except to the extent such entitlement to receive a greater payment results from a Change in Law that occurs after the Participant acquired the applicable participation.

 

To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 8.08 as though it were the Lender. If the Lender shall sell a participation, it shall, acting solely for this purpose as an agent of the Borrowers, maintain a register on which it enters the name and address of each Participant and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each Participant’s interest in the Loans or other obligations under this Agreement or any other Loan Document (the “Participant Register”); provided that the Lender shall have no obligation to disclose all or any portion of the Participant Register (including the identity of any Participant or any information relating to a Participant’s interest in any Commitment, Loans, Letters of Credit or its other obligations under any Loan Document) to any Person except to the extent that such disclosure is necessary to establish that such Commitment, Loan, Letter of Credit or other obligation is in registered form under Section 5f.103-1(c) of the U.S. Treasury Regulations. The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and the Lender shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement notwithstanding any notice to the contrary. 

 

(d)     The Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement to secure obligations of the Lender, including without limitation any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank, and this Section shall not apply to any such pledge or assignment of a security interest; provided that no such pledge or assignment of a security interest shall release the Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for the Lender as a party hereto.

 

SECTION 8.05. Survival. All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by the Loan Parties in the Loan Documents and in the certificates or other instruments delivered in connection with or pursuant to this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall be considered to have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall survive the execution and delivery of the Loan Documents and the making of any Loans and issuance of any Letters of Credit, regardless of any investigation made by any such other party or on its behalf and notwithstanding that the Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default or incorrect representation or warranty at the time any credit is extended hereunder, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as the principal of or any accrued interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount payable under this Agreement is outstanding and unpaid or any Letter of Credit is outstanding and so long as the Commitment has not expired or terminated. The provisions of Sections 2.13, 2.14, 2.15 and Section 8.03 shall survive and remain in full force and effect regardless of the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the repayment of the Loans, the expiration or termination of the Letters of Credit and the Commitment or the termination of this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any provision hereof or thereof.

 

 


 

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SECTION 8.06. Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness; Electronic Execution.

 

(a)     This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto on different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Agreement, the other Loan Documents and any separate letter agreements with respect to fees payable to the Lender constitute the entire contract among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof. Except as provided in Section 4.01, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Lender and when the Lender shall have received counterparts hereof which, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto, and thereafter shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns.

 

(b)     Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by fax, emailed pdf. or any other electronic means that reproduces an image of the actual executed signature page shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” “delivery,” and words of like import in or relating to any document to be signed in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be deemed to include Electronic Signatures, deliveries or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature, physical delivery thereof or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act.

 

SECTION 8.07. Severability. Any provision of any Loan Document held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability without affecting the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions thereof; and the invalidity of a particular provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate such provision in any other jurisdiction.

 

SECTION 8.08. Right of Setoff. If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Lender and each of its Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final) at any time held and other obligations at any time owing by the Lender or any Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of any Loan Party against any of and all the Secured Obligations, irrespective of whether or not the Lender shall have made any demand under the Loan Documents and although such obligations may be unmatured. The rights of the Lender under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) which the Lender may have.

 

SECTION 8.09. Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process. 

 

(a)     The Loan Documents (other than those containing a contrary express choice of law provision) shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Ohio, but giving effect to federal laws applicable to national banks.

 

 


 

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(b)     Each Loan Party hereby irrevocably and unconditionally submits, for itself and its property, to the nonexclusive jurisdiction of any U.S. federal or Ohio State court sitting in Cleveland, Ohio in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to any Loan Documents, or for recognition or enforcement of any judgment, and each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that all claims in respect of any such action or proceeding may be heard and determined in such state court or, to the extent permitted by law, in such federal court. Each of the parties hereto agrees that a final judgment in any such action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law. Nothing in this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall affect any right that the Lender may otherwise have to bring any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document against any Loan Party or its properties in the courts of any jurisdiction.

 

(c)     Each Loan Party hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent it may legally and effectively do so, any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document in any court referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section. Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding in any such court.

 

(d)     Each party to this Agreement irrevocably consents to service of process in the manner provided for notices in Section 8.01. Nothing in this Agreement or any other Loan Document will affect the right of any party to this Agreement to serve process in any other manner permitted by law.

 

SECTION 8.10. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT, ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE OR OTHER AGENT (INCLUDING ANY ATTORNEY) OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.

 

SECTION 8.11. Headings. Article and Section headings and the Table of Contents used herein are for convenience of reference only, are not part of this Agreement and shall not affect the construction of, or be taken into consideration in interpreting, this Agreement.

 

 


 

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SECTION 8.12. Confidentiality. The Lender agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its and its Affiliates’ directors, officers, employees and agents, including accountants, legal counsel and other advisors (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to the extent requested by any Governmental Authority (including any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners), (c) to the extent required by any Requirement of Law or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (d) to any other party to this Agreement, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or under any other Loan Document or any suit, action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to (x) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or (y) any actual or prospective counterparty (or its advisors) to any swap or derivative transaction relating to the Loan Parties and their obligations, (g) with the consent of the Borrower Representative, or (h) to the extent such Information (x) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (y) becomes available to the Lender on a non-confidential basis from a source other than the Borrowers. For the purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from the Loan Parties relating to the Loan Parties or their business, other than any such information that is available to the Lender on a non-confidential basis prior to disclosure by the Loan Parties; provided that, in the case of information received from the Borrowers after the date hereof, such information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as confidential. Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.

 

SECTION 8.13. Nonreliance; Violation of Law. The Lender hereby represents that it is not relying on or looking to any margin stock (as defined in Regulation U of the Board) for the repayment of the Borrowings provided for herein. Anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, the Lender shall not be obligated to extend credit to the Borrowers in violation of any Requirement of Law.

 

SECTION 8.14. USA PATRIOT Act. The Lender is subject to the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act and hereby notifies each Loan Party that pursuant to the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act, it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies such Loan Party, which information includes the name and address of such Loan Party and other information that will allow the Lender to identify such Loan Party in accordance with the USA PATRIOT Act.

 

SECTION 8.15. Disclosure. Each Loan Party hereby acknowledges and agrees that the Lender and/or its Affiliates from time to time may hold investments in, make other loans to or have other relationships with, any of the Loan Parties and their respective Affiliates. 

 

SECTION 8.16. Interest Rate Limitation. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if at any time the interest rate applicable to any Loan, together with all fees, charges and other amounts which are treated as interest on such Loan under applicable law (collectively the “Charges”), shall exceed the maximum lawful rate (the “Maximum Rate”) which may be contracted for, charged, taken, received or reserved by the Lender holding such Loan in accordance with applicable law, the rate of interest payable in respect of such Loan hereunder, together with all Charges payable in respect thereof, shall be limited to the Maximum Rate and, to the extent lawful, the interest and Charges that would have been payable in respect of such Loan but were not payable as a result of the operation of this Section shall be cumulated and the interest and Charges payable to the Lender in respect of other Loans or periods shall be increased (but not above the Maximum Rate therefor) until such cumulated amount, together with interest thereon at the Federal Funds Effective Rate to the date of repayment, shall have been received by the Lender.

 

SECTION 8.17. Marketing Consent. The Borrowers hereby authorize the Lender, at its sole expense, but without any prior approval by any Borrower, to include the Borrowers’ names and logos in advertising slicks posted on the Lender’s internet site, in pitchbooks or sent in mailings to prospective customers and to give such other publicity to this Agreement as it may from time to time determine in its sole discretion. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Lender shall not publish any Borrower’s name in a newspaper or magazine without obtaining the Borrowers’ prior written approval. The foregoing authorization shall remain in effect unless the Borrower Representative notifies the Lender in writing that such authorization is revoked.

 

 


 

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SECTION 8.18. Confession of Judgement. THE LOAN PARTIES HEREBY AUTHORIZE ANY ATTORNEY-AT-LAW TO APPEAR IN ANY COURT OF RECORD IN ANY COUNTY IN THE STATE OF OHIO OR ELSEWHERE WHERE A LOAN PARTY HAS A PLACE OF BUSINESS, SIGNED THIS AGREEMENT OR CAN BE FOUND, AFTER THE LENDER DECLARES A DEFAULT AND ACCELERATES THE BALANCES DUE UNDER THIS AGREEMENT, TO WAIVE THE ISSUANCE OF SERVICE OF PROCESS AND CONFESS JUDGMENT AGAINST THE LOAN PARTIES IN FAVOR OF THE LENDER FOR THE AMOUNTS THEN APPEARING DUE, TOGETHER WITH THE COSTS OF SUIT, AND THEREUPON TO RELEASE ALL ERRORS AND WAIVE ALL RIGHT OF APPEAL AND STAY OF EXECUTION. THE LOAN PARTIES AGREE AND CONSENT THAT THE ATTORNEY CONFESSING JUDGMENT ON BEHALF OF THE LOAN PARTIES HEREUNDER MAY ALSO BE COUNSEL TO THE LENDER OR ANY OF ITS RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES, WAIVES ANY CONFLICT OF INTEREST WHICH MIGHT OTHERWISE ARISE, AND CONSENTS TO THE LENDER PAYING SUCH CONFESSING ATTORNEY A LEGAL FEE OR ALLOWING SUCH ATTORNEY’S FEES TO BE PAID FROM ANY PROCEEDS OF COLLECTION OF THIS AGREEMENT OR COLLATERAL SECURITY THEREFOR.

 

 

ARTICLE IX 

 

Loan Guaranty 

 

SECTION 9.01. Guaranty. Each Loan Guarantor (other than those that have delivered a separate Guaranty) hereby agrees that it is jointly and severally liable for, and, as a primary obligor and not merely as surety, absolutely and unconditionally and irrevocably guarantees to the Secured Parties, the prompt payment when due, whether at stated maturity, upon acceleration or otherwise, and at all times thereafter, of the Secured Obligations and all reasonable and documented costs and expenses including, without limitation, all court costs and reasonable attorneys’ and paralegals’ fees (including allocated reasonable and documented costs of in-house counsel and paralegals) and expenses paid or incurred by the Lender in endeavoring to collect all or any part of the Secured Obligations from, or in prosecuting any action against, any Borrower, any Loan Guarantor or any other guarantor of all or any part of the Secured Obligations (such costs and expenses, together with the Secured Obligations, collectively the “Guaranteed Obligations”); provided, however, that the definition of “Guaranteed Obligations” shall not create any guarantee by any Loan Guarantor of (or grant of security interest by any Loan Guarantor to support, as applicable) any Excluded Swap Obligations of such Loan Guarantor for purposes of determining any obligations of any Loan Guarantor). Each Loan Guarantor further agrees that the Guaranteed Obligations may be extended or renewed in whole or in part without notice to or further assent from it, and that it remains bound upon its guarantee notwithstanding any such extension or renewal. All terms of this Loan Guaranty apply to and may be enforced by or on behalf of any domestic or foreign branch or Affiliate of the Lender that extended any portion of the Guaranteed Obligations.

 

SECTION 9.02. Guaranty of Payment. This Loan Guaranty is a guaranty of payment and not of collection. Each Loan Guarantor waives any right to require the Lender to sue any Borrower, any Loan Guarantor, any other guarantor of, or any other Person obligated for all or any part of the Guaranteed Obligations (each, an “Obligated Party”), or otherwise to enforce its payment against any collateral securing all or any part of the Guaranteed Obligations.

 

 


 

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SECTION 9.03. No Discharge or Diminishment of Loan Guaranty. 

 

(a)     Except as otherwise provided for herein, the obligations of each Loan Guarantor hereunder are unconditional and absolute and not subject to any reduction, limitation, impairment or termination for any reason (other than the indefeasible payment in full in cash of the Guaranteed Obligations), including: (i) any claim of waiver, release, extension, renewal, settlement, surrender, alteration, or compromise of any of the Guaranteed Obligations, by operation of law or otherwise; (ii) any change in the corporate existence, structure or ownership of any Borrower or any other Obligated Party liable for any of the Guaranteed Obligations; (iii) any insolvency, bankruptcy, reorganization or other similar proceeding affecting any Obligated Party, or their assets, or any resulting release or discharge of any obligation of any Obligated Party; or (iv) the existence of any claim, setoff or other rights which any Loan Guarantor may have at any time against any Obligated Party, the Lender or any other Person, whether in connection herewith or in any unrelated transactions. 

 

(b)     The obligations of each Loan Guarantor hereunder are not subject to any defense or setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, or termination whatsoever by reason of the invalidity, illegality, or unenforceability of any of the Guaranteed Obligations or otherwise, or any provision of applicable law or regulation purporting to prohibit payment by any Obligated Party, of the Guaranteed Obligations or any part thereof. 

 

(c)     Further, the obligations of any Loan Guarantor hereunder are not discharged or impaired or otherwise affected by: (i) the failure of the Lender to assert any claim or demand or to enforce any remedy with respect to all or any part of the Guaranteed Obligations; (ii) any waiver or modification of or supplement to any provision of any agreement relating to the Guaranteed Obligations; (iii) any release, non-perfection, or invalidity of any indirect or direct security for the obligations of any Borrower for all or any part of the Guaranteed Obligations or any obligations of any other Obligated Party liable for any of the Guaranteed Obligations; (iv) any action or failure to act by the Lender with respect to any collateral securing any part of the Guaranteed Obligations; or (v) any default, failure or delay, willful or otherwise, in the payment or performance of any of the Guaranteed Obligations, or any other circumstance, act, omission or delay that might in any manner or to any extent vary the risk of such Loan Guarantor or that would otherwise operate as a discharge of any Loan Guarantor as a matter of law or equity (other than the indefeasible payment in full in cash of the Guaranteed Obligations). 

 

SECTION 9.04. Defenses Waived. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, each Loan Guarantor hereby waives any defense based on or arising out of any defense of any Borrower or any Loan Guarantor or the unenforceability of all or any part of the Guaranteed Obligations from any cause, or the cessation from any cause of the liability of any Borrower, any Loan Guarantor or any other Obligated Party, other than the indefeasible payment in full in cash of the Guaranteed Obligations. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each Loan Guarantor irrevocably waives acceptance hereof, presentment, demand, protest and, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any notice not provided for herein, as well as any requirement that at any time any action be taken by any Person against any Obligated Party, or any other Person. Each Loan Guarantor confirms that it is not a surety under any state law and shall not raise any such law as a defense to its obligations hereunder. The Lender may, at its election, foreclose on any Collateral held by it by one or more judicial or nonjudicial sales, accept an assignment of any such Collateral in lieu of foreclosure or otherwise act or fail to act with respect to any collateral securing all or a part of the Guaranteed Obligations, compromise or adjust any part of the Guaranteed Obligations, make any other accommodation with any Obligated Party or exercise any other right or remedy available to it against any Obligated Party, without affecting or impairing in any way the liability of such Loan Guarantor under this Loan Guaranty, except to the extent the Guaranteed Obligations have been fully and indefeasibly paid in cash. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, each Loan Guarantor waives any defense arising out of any such election even though that election may operate, pursuant to applicable law, to impair or extinguish any right of reimbursement or subrogation or other right or remedy of any Loan Guarantor against any Obligated Party or any security.

 

 


 

75




 


 

SECTION 9.05. Rights of Subrogation. No Loan Guarantor will assert any right, claim or cause of action, including, without limitation, a claim of subrogation, contribution or indemnification that it has against any Obligated Party, or any collateral, until the Loan Parties and the Loan Guarantors have fully performed all their obligations to the Lender. 

 

SECTION 9.06. Reinstatement; Stay of Acceleration. If at any time any payment of any portion of the Guaranteed Obligations (including a payment effected through exercise of a right of setoff) is rescinded or must otherwise be restored or returned upon the insolvency, bankruptcy, or reorganization of any Borrower or otherwise (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by a Secured Party in its discretion), each Loan Guarantor’s obligations under this Loan Guaranty with respect to that payment shall be reinstated at such time as though the payment had not been made and whether or not the Lender is in possession of this Loan Guaranty. If acceleration of the time for payment of any of the Guaranteed Obligations is stayed upon the insolvency, bankruptcy or reorganization of any Borrower, all such amounts otherwise subject to acceleration under the terms of any agreement relating to the Guaranteed Obligations shall nonetheless be payable by the Loan Guarantors forthwith on demand by the Lender.

 

SECTION 9.07. Information. Each Loan Guarantor assumes all responsibility for being and keeping itself informed of the Borrowers’ financial condition and assets, and of all other circumstances bearing upon the risk of nonpayment of the Guaranteed Obligations and the nature, scope and extent of the risks that each Loan Guarantor assumes and incurs under this Loan Guaranty, and agrees that the Lender shall not have any duty to advise any Loan Guarantor of information known to it regarding those circumstances or risks.

 

SECTION 9.08. Termination. The Lender may continue to make loans or extend credit to the Borrowers based on this Loan Guaranty until five (5) days after it receives written notice of termination from any Loan Guarantor. Notwithstanding receipt of any such notice, each Loan Guarantor will continue to be liable to the Lender for any Guaranteed Obligations created, assumed or committed to prior to the fifth day after receipt of the notice, and all subsequent renewals, extensions, modifications and amendments with respect to, or substitutions for, all or any part of such Guaranteed Obligations. Nothing in this Section 9.08 shall be deemed to constitute a waiver of, or eliminate, limit, reduce or otherwise impair any rights or remedies the Lender may have in respect of, any Default or Event of Default that shall exist under Article VII hereof as a result of any such notice of termination.

 

SECTION 9.09. Taxes. Each payment of the Guaranteed Obligations will be made by each Loan Guarantor without withholding for any Taxes, unless such withholding is required by law. If any Loan Guarantor determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it is so required to withhold Taxes, then such Loan Guarantor may so withhold and shall timely pay the full amount of withheld Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law. If such Taxes are Indemnified Taxes, then the amount payable by such Loan Guarantor shall be increased as necessary so that, net of such withholding (including such withholding applicable to additional amounts payable under this Section), the Lender receives the amount it would have received had no such withholding been made.

 

SECTION 9.10. Maximum Liability. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Loan Guaranty, the amount guaranteed by each Loan Guarantor hereunder shall be limited to the extent, if any, required so that its obligations hereunder shall not be subject to avoidance under Section 548 of the Bankruptcy Code or under any applicable state Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act, Uniform Fraudulent Conveyance Act or similar statute or common law. In determining the limitations, if any, on the amount of any Loan Guarantor’s obligations hereunder pursuant to the preceding sentence, it is the intention of the parties hereto that any rights of subrogation, indemnification or contribution which such Loan Guarantor may have under this Loan Guaranty, any other agreement or applicable law shall be taken into account.

 

 


 

76




 


 

SECTION 9.11. Contribution. 

 

(a)     To the extent that any Loan Guarantor shall make a payment under this Loan Guaranty (a “Guarantor Payment”) which, taking into account all other Guarantor Payments then previously or concurrently made by any other Loan Guarantor, exceeds the amount which otherwise would have been paid by or attributable to such Loan Guarantor if each Loan Guarantor had paid the aggregate Guaranteed Obligations satisfied by such Guarantor Payment in the same proportion as such Loan Guarantor’s “Allocable Amount” (as defined below) (as determined immediately prior to such Guarantor Payment) bore to the aggregate Allocable Amounts of each of the Loan Guarantors as determined immediately prior to the making of such Guarantor Payment, then, following indefeasible payment in full in cash of the Guarantor Payment and the Guaranteed Obligations (other than Unliquidated Obligations that have not yet arisen), and the Commitment and all Letters of Credit have terminated or expired or, in the case of all Letters of Credit, are fully collateralized on terms reasonably acceptable to the Lender, and this Agreement, the Swap Agreement Obligations and the Banking Services Obligations have terminated, such Loan Guarantor shall be entitled to receive contribution and indemnification payments from, and be reimbursed by, each other Loan Guarantor for the amount of such excess, pro rata based upon their respective Allocable Amounts in effect immediately prior to such Guarantor Payment.

 

(b)     As of any date of determination, the “Allocable Amount” of any Loan Guarantor shall be equal to the excess of the fair saleable value of the property of such Loan Guarantor over the total liabilities of such Loan Guarantor (including the maximum amount reasonably expected to become due in respect of contingent liabilities, calculated, without duplication, assuming each other Loan Guarantor that is also liable for such contingent liability pays its ratable share thereof), giving effect to all payments made by other Loan Guarantors as of such date in a manner to maximize the amount of such contributions.

 

(c)     This Section 9.11 is intended only to define the relative rights of the Loan Guarantors, and nothing set forth in this Section 9.11 is intended to or shall impair the obligations of the Loan Guarantors, jointly and severally, to pay any amounts as and when the same shall become due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Loan Guaranty.

 

(d)     The parties hereto acknowledge that the rights of contribution and indemnification hereunder shall constitute assets of the Loan Guarantor or Loan Guarantors to which such contribution and indemnification is owing.

 

(e)     The rights of the indemnifying Loan Guarantors against other Loan Guarantors under this Section 9.11 shall be exercisable upon the full and indefeasible payment of the Guaranteed Obligations in cash (other than Unliquidated Obligations that have not yet arisen) and the termination or expiry (or, in the case of all Letters of Credit, full cash collateralization), on terms reasonably acceptable to the Lender, of the Commitment and all Letters of Credit issued hereunder and the termination of this Agreement, the Swap Agreement Obligations and the Banking Services Obligations.

 

SECTION 9.12. Liability Cumulative. The liability of each Loan Party as a Loan Guarantor under this Article IX is in addition to and shall be cumulative with all liabilities of each Loan Party to the Lender under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which such Loan Party is a party or in respect of any obligations or liabilities of the other Loan Parties, without any limitation as to amount, unless the instrument or agreement evidencing or creating such other liability specifically provides to the contrary.

 

 


 

77




 


 

SECTION 9.13. Keepwell. Each Qualified ECP Guarantor hereby jointly and severally absolutely, unconditionally and irrevocably undertakes to provide such funds or other support as may be needed from time to time by each other Loan Party to honor all of its obligations under this Guarantee in respect of a Swap Obligation (provided, however, that each Qualified ECP Guarantor shall only be liable under this Section 9.13 for the maximum amount of such liability that can be hereby incurred without rendering its obligations under this Section 9.13 or otherwise under this Loan Guaranty voidable under applicable law relating to fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer, and not for any greater amount). Except as otherwise provided herein, the obligations of each Qualified ECP Guarantor under this Section 9.13 shall remain in full force and effect until the termination of all Swap Obligations. Each Qualified ECP Guarantor intends that this Section 9.13 constitute, and this Section 9.13 shall be deemed to constitute, a “keepwell, support, or other agreement” for the benefit of each other Loan Party for all purposes of Section 1a(18)(A)(v)(II) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

 

 

ARTICLE X 

 

The Borrower Representative.

 

SECTION 10.01. Appointment; Nature of Relationship. Hickok is hereby appointed by each of the Borrowers as its contractual representative (herein referred to as the “Borrower Representative” hereunder and under each other Loan Document, and each of the Borrowers irrevocably authorizes the Borrower Representative to act as the contractual representative of such Borrower with the rights and duties expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents. The Borrower Representative agrees to act as such contractual representative upon the express conditions contained in this Article X. Additionally, the Borrowers hereby appoint the Borrower Representative as their agent to receive all of the proceeds of the Loans in the Funding Account(s), at which time the Borrower Representative shall promptly disburse such Loans to the appropriate Borrower(s), provided that, in the case of a Revolving Loan, such amount shall not exceed Availability. The Lender, and its respective officers, directors, agents or employees, shall not be liable to the Borrower Representative or any Borrower for any action taken or omitted to be taken by the Borrower Representative or the Borrowers pursuant to this Section 10.01.

 

SECTION 10.02. Powers. The Borrower Representative shall have and may exercise such powers under the Loan Documents as are specifically delegated to the Borrower Representative by the terms of each thereof, together with such powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. The Borrower Representative shall have no implied duties to the Borrowers, or any obligation to the Lender to take any action thereunder except any action specifically provided by the Loan Documents to be taken by the Borrower Representative.

 

SECTION 10.03. Employment of Agents. The Borrower Representative may execute any of its duties as the Borrower Representative hereunder and under any other Loan Document by or through authorized officers.

 

SECTION 10.04. Notices. Each Borrower shall immediately notify the Borrower Representative of the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default hereunder, refer to this Agreement, describe such Default or Event of Default, and state that such notice is a “notice of default”. In the event that the Borrower Representative receives such a notice, the Borrower Representative shall give prompt notice thereof to the Lender. Any notice provided to the Borrower Representative hereunder shall constitute notice to each Borrower on the date received by the Borrower Representative.

  


 

78




 


 

SECTION 10.05. Successor Borrower Representative. Upon the prior written consent of the Lender, the Borrower Representative may resign at any time, such resignation to be effective upon the appointment of a successor Borrower Representative. 

 

SECTION 10.06. Execution of Loan Documents; Borrowing Base Certificate. The Borrowers hereby empower and authorize the Borrower Representative, on behalf of the Borrowers, to execute and deliver to the Lender the Loan Documents and all related agreements, certificates, documents, or instruments as shall be necessary or appropriate to effect the purposes of the Loan Documents, including the Borrowing Base Certificate and the Compliance Certificates. Each Borrower agrees that any action taken by the Borrower Representative or the Borrowers in accordance with the terms of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents, and the exercise by the Borrower Representative of its powers set forth therein or herein, together with such other powers that are reasonably incidental thereto, shall be binding upon all of the Borrowers.

 

SECTION 10.07. Reporting. Each Borrower hereby agrees that such Borrower shall furnish promptly after each fiscal month to the Borrower Representative a copy of its Borrowing Base Certificate and any other certificate or report required hereunder or requested by the Borrower Representative on which the Borrower Representative shall rely to prepare the Borrowing Base Certificate and Compliance Certificate required pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

 


 

79




 


 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized officers as of the day and year first above written.

 

 

	
WARNING -- BY SIGNING THIS PAPER YOU GIVE UP YOUR RIGHT TO NOTICE AND COURT TRIAL. IF YOU DO NOT PAY ON TIME A COURT JUDGMENT MAY BE TAKEN AGAINST YOU WITHOUT YOUR PRIOR KNOWLEDGE AND THE POWERS OF A COURT CAN BE USED TO COLLECT FROM YOU REGARDLESS OF ANY CLAIMS YOU MAY HAVE AGAINST THE CREDITOR WHETHER FOR RETURNED GOODS, FAULTY GOODS, FAILURE ON HIS PART TO COMPLY WITH THE AGREEMENT, OR ANY OTHER CAUSE.



 

	
 
	
HICKOK INCORPORATED
	
 

	
 
	
 
	
 
	
 

	
 
	
 
	
 
	
 

	
 
	
By: 
	
/s/ Kelly J. Marek
	
 

	
 
	
Name: Kelly J. Marek
	
 

	
 
	
Title: Vice President Finance and CFO
	
 



 

 

	
STATE OF
	
 Ohio                   )



	

	
 ) SS:



	
COUNTY OF
	
Cuyahoga      )



 

Before me, a Notary Public in and for said County and State, personally appeared the above-named Kelly J. Marek, the Vice President Finance and CFO of HICKOK INCORPORATED, who did respectively acknowledge that he/she signed the foregoing instrument that the same was his/her free act and deed on behalf of said company.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and official seal at Cleveland, Ohio, this 31st day of May 2017.

 

	
 
	
/s/ Brian Powers 
	
 

	 	Notary Public	 
	 	My commission expires: My commission does not expire	 


 

 

 

 

[Signature page – Credit Agreement – Chase/Hickok et . al]

 


 

 




 


 

	
WARNING -- BY SIGNING THIS PAPER YOU GIVE UP YOUR RIGHT TO NOTICE AND COURT TRIAL. IF YOU DO NOT PAY ON TIME A COURT JUDGMENT MAY BE TAKEN AGAINST YOU WITHOUT YOUR PRIOR KNOWLEDGE AND THE POWERS OF A COURT CAN BE USED TO COLLECT FROM YOU REGARDLESS OF ANY CLAIMS YOU MAY HAVE AGAINST THE CREDITOR WHETHER FOR RETURNED GOODS, FAULTY GOODS, FAILURE ON HIS PART TO COMPLY WITH THE AGREEMENT, OR ANY OTHER CAUSE.



 

	
 
	
HICKOK ACQUISITION A LLC, which will be 

changing its name on or about the date hereof to Air 

Enterprises LLC
	
 

	
 
	
 
	
 
	
 

	
 
	
 
	
 
	
 

	
 
	
By: 
	
/s/ Kelly J. Marek
	
 

	
 
	
Name: Kelly J. Marek
	
 

	
 
	
Title: Secretary and Treasurer
	
 



 

 

 

STATE OF Ohio                                    )

 ) SS:

COUNTY OF Cuyahoga                      )

 

Before me, a Notary Public in and for said County and State, personally appeared the above-named Kelly J. Marek, the Secretary and Treasurer of HICKOK ACQUISITION A LLC, who did respectively acknowledge that he/she signed the foregoing instrument that the same was his/her free act and deed on behalf of said company.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and official seal at Cleveland, Ohio, this 31st day of May 2017.

 


	
 
	
/s/ Brian Powers 
	
 

	 	Notary Public	 
	 	My commission expires: My commission does not expire	 



 

 

 

 

[Signature page continued – Credit Agreement – Chase/Hickok et . al]

 


 

 




 


 

	
WARNING – BY SIGNING THIS PAPER YOU GIVE UP YOUR RIGHT TO NOTICE AND COURT TRIAL. IF YOU DO NOT PAY ON TIME A COURT JUDGMENT MAY BE TAKEN AGAINST YOU WITHOUT YOUR PRIOR KNOWLEDGE AND THE POWERS OF A COURT CAN BE USED TO COLLECT FROM YOU REGARDLESS OF ANY CLAIMS YOU MAY HAVE AGAINST THE CREDITOR WHETHER FOR RETURNED GOODS, FAULTY GOODS, FAILURE ON HIS PART TO COMPLY WITH THE AGREEMENT, OR ANY OTHER CAUSE.



 




	
 
	
SUPREME ELECTRONICS CORP.
	
 

	
 
	
 
	
 
	
 

	
 
	
 
	
 
	
 

	
 
	
By: 
	
/s/ Kelly J. Marek
	
 

	
 
	
Name: Kelly J. Marek
	
 

	
 
	
Title: Secretary and Treasurer
	
 




 

 

STATE OF Ohio                                    )

 ) SS:

COUNTY OF Cuyahoga                      )

 

Before me, a Notary Public in and for said County and State, personally appeared the above-named Kelly J. Marek, the Secretary and Treasurer of SUPREME ELECTRONICS CORP., who did respectively acknowledge that he/she signed the foregoing instrument that the same was his/her free act and deed on behalf of said company.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and official seal at Cleveland, Ohio, this 31st day of May 2017.

 


	
 
	
/s/ Brian Powers 
	
 

	 	Notary Public	 
	 	My commission expires: My commission does not expire	 





 

 

 

[Signature page continued – Credit Agreement – Chase/Hickok et . al]

 


 

 




 


 

	
WARNING – BY SIGNING THIS PAPER YOU GIVE UP YOUR RIGHT TO NOTICE AND COURT TRIAL. IF YOU DO NOT PAY ON TIME A COURT JUDGMENT MAY BE TAKEN AGAINST YOU WITHOUT YOUR PRIOR KNOWLEDGE AND THE POWERS OF A COURT CAN BE USED TO COLLECT FROM YOU REGARDLESS OF ANY CLAIMS YOU MAY HAVE AGAINST THE CREDITOR WHETHER FOR RETURNED GOODS, FAULTY GOODS, FAILURE ON HIS PART TO COMPLY WITH THE AGREEMENT, OR ANY OTHER CAUSE.



 




	
 
	
FEDERAL HOSE MANUFACTURING LLC
	
 

	
 
	
 
	
 
	
 

	
 
	
 
	
 
	
 

	
 
	
By: 
	
/s/ Kelly J. Marek
	
 

	
 
	
Name: Kelly J. Marek
	
 

	
 
	
Title: Secretary and Treasurer
	
 






 

 

STATE OF Ohio                                    )

 ) SS:

COUNTY OF Cuyahoga                      )

  

Before me, a Notary Public in and for said County and State, personally appeared the above-named Kelly J. Marek, the Secretary and Treasurer of FEDERAL HOSE MANUFACTURING LLC, who did respectively acknowledge that he/she signed the foregoing instrument that the same was his/her free act and deed on behalf of said company.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and official seal at Cleveland, Ohio, this 31st day of May 2017.

 


	
 
	
/s/ Brian Powers 
	
 

	 	Notary Public	 
	 	My commission expires: My commission does not expire	 



 

 

 

[Signature page continued – Credit Agreement – Chase/Hickok et . al]

 


 

 




 


 


	
WARNING -- BY SIGNING THIS PAPER YOU GIVE UP YOUR RIGHT TO NOTICE AND COURT TRIAL. IF YOU DO NOT PAY ON TIME A COURT JUDGMENT MAY BE TAKEN AGAINST YOU WITHOUT YOUR PRIOR KNOWLEDGE AND THE POWERS OF A COURT CAN BE USED TO COLLECT FROM YOU REGARDLESS OF ANY CLAIMS YOU MAY HAVE AGAINST THE CREDITOR WHETHER FOR RETURNED GOODS, FAULTY GOODS, FAILURE ON HIS PART TO COMPLY WITH THE AGREEMENT, OR ANY OTHER CAUSE.




 






	
 
	
WAEKON CORPORATION
	
 

	
 
	
 
	
 
	
 

	
 
	
 
	
 
	
 

	
 
	
By: 
	
/s/ Kelly J. Marek
	
 

	
 
	
Name: Kelly J. Marek
	
 

	
 
	
Title: Secretary and Treasurer
	
 






 

 

STATE OF Ohio                                    )

 ) SS:

COUNTY OF Cuyahoga                      )

 

Before me, a Notary Public in and for said County and State, personally appeared the above-named Kelly J. Marek, the Secretary and Treasurer of WAEKON CORPORATION, who did respectively acknowledge that he/she signed the foregoing instrument that the same was his/her free act and deed on behalf of said company.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and official seal at Cleveland, Ohio, this 31st day of May 2017.

 




	
 
	
/s/ Brian Powers 
	
 

	 	Notary Public	 
	 	My commission expires: My commission does not expire	 



 

 

 

[Signature page continued – Credit Agreement – Chase/Hickok et . al]

 


 

 




 


 

 


	
WARNING -- BY SIGNING THIS PAPER YOU GIVE UP YOUR RIGHT TO NOTICE AND COURT TRIAL. IF YOU DO NOT PAY ON TIME A COURT JUDGMENT MAY BE TAKEN AGAINST YOU WITHOUT YOUR PRIOR KNOWLEDGE AND THE POWERS OF A COURT CAN BE USED TO COLLECT FROM YOU REGARDLESS OF ANY CLAIMS YOU MAY HAVE AGAINST THE CREDITOR WHETHER FOR RETURNED GOODS, FAULTY GOODS, FAILURE ON HIS PART TO COMPLY WITH THE AGREEMENT, OR ANY OTHER CAUSE.




 


	
 
	
HICKOK OPERATING LLC
	
 

	
 
	
 
	
 
	
 

	
 
	
 
	
 
	
 

	
 
	
By: 
	
/s/ Kelly J. Marek
	
 

	
 
	
Name: Kelly J. Marek
	
 

	
 
	
Title: Secretary and Treasurer
	
 










 

 

STATE OF Ohio                                     )

  ) SS:

COUNTY OF Cuyahoga                        )

 

Before me, a Notary Public in and for said County and State, personally appeared the above-named Kelly J. Marek, the Secretary and Treasurer of HICKOK OPERATING LLC who did respectively acknowledge that he/she signed the foregoing instrument that the same was his/her free act and deed on behalf of said company.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and official seal at Cleveland, Ohio, this 31st day of May 2017.

 




	
 
	
/s/ Brian Powers 
	
 

	 	Notary Public	 
	 	My commission expires: My commission does not expire	 



 

 

 

[Signature page continued – Credit Agreement – Chase/Hickok et . al]

 


 

 




 


 

 

 

	
 
	
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
	
 

	
 
	
 
	
 
	
 

	
 
	
 
	
 
	
 

	
 
	
By: 
	
/s/ Michael P. Lepro
	
 

	
 
	
Name: Michael P. Lepro
	
 

	
 
	
Title: Authorized Officer
	
 



 

 

 

[Signature page continued – Credit Agreement – Chase/Hickok et . al]

 

 


 

 




 


 

Schedule 3.05

 

Properties

 

Real Property

 

	
Company
	
Owned Property

	
Hickok Operating LLC
	
None

	
Hickok Incorporated
	
10514 Dupont Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44108

	
Hickok Acquisition A LLC
	
None

	
Federal Hose Manufacturing LLC
	
None

	
Waekon Corporation
	
None

	
Supreme Electronics Corp.
	
1716 Carrollton Avenue, Greenwood, Mississippi 38930 (This location is part owned and part leased - Supreme Electronics Corp. owns the Quonset huts and the large metal warehouse (combined approx. 24,000 sq. ft.) and the land they are situated on. The City of Greenwood owns the brick building (approx. 38,000 sq. ft.) and the land it is situated on.)



 

 

	
Company
	
Leased Property

	
Hickok Operating LLC
	
None

	
Hickok Incorporated
	
None

	
Hickok Acquisition A LLC
	
735 Glaser Parkway, Akron, Ohio 44306

	
Federal Hose Manufacturing LLC
	
25 Florence Avenue, Painesville, Ohio 44077

	
Waekon Corporation
	
None

	
Supreme Electronics Corp.
	
1716 Carrollton Avenue, Greenwood, Mississippi 38930 (This location is part owned and part leased - Supreme Electronics Corp. owns the Quonset huts and the large metal warehouse (combined approx. 24,000 sq. ft.) and the land they are situated on. The City of Greenwood owns the brick building (approx. 38,000 sq. ft.) and the land it is situated on.)



 

 


 

 




 


 

Intellectual property

 

	
Company
	
Patents 
	
Registration Number

	
Hickok Operating LLC
	
None
	
None

	
Hickok Incorporated
	
Fuel tank tester
	
6,840,089

	  	
Electronic fuel injector tester
	
6,668,633

	  	
Fuel cap tester
	
6,298,712

	  	
Fuel injection system tester 

(in assignee name Hickok Electrical Instrument Company)
	
5,020,362

	  	
Electrical test probe
	
D441,310

	  	
Capacitive electronic sensor head
	
D369,983

	
Hickok Acquisition A LLC
	
None
	
None

	
Federal Hose Manufacturing LLC
	
None
	
None

	
Waekon Corporation
	
None
	
None

	
Supreme Electronics Corp.
	
None
	
None



 


 

 




 


 

	
Company
	
Copyrights 
	
Registration Number

	
Hickok Operating LLC
	
None
	
None

	
Hickok Incorporated
	
None
	
None

	
Hickok Acquisition A LLC
	
None
	
None

	
Federal Hose Manufacturing LLC
	
None
	
None

	
Waekon Corporation
	
None
	
None

	
Supreme Electronics Corp.
	
None
	
None



 

 

	
Company
	
Trademarks, Trade Name and Service Marks
	
Registration Number

	
Hickok Operating LLC
	
None
	
None

	
Hickok Incorporated
	
None
	
None

	
Hickok Acquisition A LLC
	
SITEBILT
	
3641435

	  	
FACTORYBILT
	
4489715

	  	
AIR ENTERPRISES
	
3380481

	
Federal Hose Manufacturing LLC
	
None
	
None

	
Waekon Corporation
	
None
	
None

	
Supreme Electronics Corp.
	
None
	
None



 


 

 




 


 

Schedule 3.06

 

Disclosed Matters

 

None.

 


 

 




 


 

Schedule 3.12

 

Material Agreements

 

	 	
1
	
Convertible Loan Agreement, as Lenders, dated December 30, 2011, by and among Hickok Incorporated, Roundball LLC, and The Aplin Family Trust, as amended. 



 

	 	
2
	
Promissory Note, dated July 1, 2016, by Hickok Incorporated in favor of First Francis Company Inc., for the original principal amount of $2,000,000.



 

	 	
3
	
Promissory Note, dated July 1, 2016, by Hickok Incorporated in favor of First Francis Company Inc., for the original principal amount of $2,768,662.



 


 

 




 


 

Schedule 3.14

 

Insurance

 

On file with Lender

 


 

 




 


 

Schedule 3.15

 

Capitalization and Subsidiaries

 

	
Company
	
Type of Entity
	
Authorized Equity Interests
	
Issued Equity Interests
	
Owner of Issued Equity Interests

	
Hickok Operating LLC
	
Limited liability company
	
N/A
	
N/A
	
Hickok Incorporated (100% of the Percentage Interest)

	
Hickok Incorporated
	
Corporation
	
---
	
---
	
Publicly traded

	
Hickok Acquisition A LLC
	
Limited liability company
	
N/A
	
N/A
	
Hickok Incorporated (100% of the Percentage Interest)

	
Federal Hose Manufacturing LLC
	
Limited liability company
	
N/A
	
N/A
	
Hickok Incorporated (100% of the Percentage Interest)

	
Waekon Corporation
	
Corporation
	
850 common shares, without par value
	
100 common shares, without par value
	
Hickok Incorporated (100%)

	
Supreme Electronics Corp.
	
Corporation
	
5,000 Common Shares
	
100 Common Shares
	
Hickok Incorporated (100%)



 

 


 

 




 


 

Schedule 4.01

 

Customer Consents

 

	 	
1
	
Project #5544 



	 	
2
	
Project #5372 



	 	
3
	
Project #5457 



	 	
4
	
Project #5286 



	 	
5
	
Project #5425 



	 	
6
	
Project #5405 



	 	
7
	
Project #5200 



	 	
8
	
Project #5411 



	 	
9
	
Project #5061 



	 	
10
	
Project #5225 



	 	
11
	
Project #5455 



	 	
12
	
Project #5261 



	 	
13
	
Project #5047 



	 	
14
	
Project #5080 



	 	
15
	
Lease Agreement dated May 2, 2016 with CIT Bank, N.A.



	 	
16
	
Letter Agreement dated June 30, 2016 with Seifert Technologies, Inc.



	 	
17
	
Sublease between Air Enterprises Realty, LLC and Hickok Acquisition A LLC



	 	
18
	
Project #5246 



	 	
19
	
PNC fork lift lease



	 	
20
	
Pitney Bowes lease



	 	
21
	
Leaf Capital lease for compressors



	 	
22
	
Leases for five (5) Nissan vehicles



 

 


 

 




 


 

Schedule 6.01

 

Existing Indebtedness

 

	
Company
	
Material Indebtedness

	
Hickok Operating LLC
	
None

	
Hickok Incorporated
	
In connection with the acquisition of Federal Hose on July 1, 2016, the Company also issued to First Francis two promissory notes in the aggregate principal amount of $4,768,662, which are secured by all of the assets of Hickok and certain of its subsidiaries, bear interest at a rate of 4.0% per annum, are amortized over a ten year period, and will be due full six years after the issue date. At September 30, 2016, the outstanding balance on these notes was $4,768,662.

In December 2016, management entered into Amendment No. 5 of the Convertible Loan Agreement which provides up to $467,000 of liquidity to meet on going working capital requirements. The Convertible Loan Agreement, as amended, is between the Company and a major shareholder who is also affiliated with two Directors. This amended agreement modified the terms of the previously amended agreement by extending the due date of the loan agreement from December 30, 2016 to December 30, 2017, and continues to allow $250,000 of borrowing on the agreement at the Company’s discretion. At September 30, 2016, the outstanding balance on the loan was $200,000.

	
Hickok Acquisition A LLC
	
None

	
Federal Hose Manufacturing LLC
	
None

	
Waekon Corporation
	
None

	
Supreme Electronics Corp.
	
None



 


 

 




 


 

Schedule 6.02

 

Existing Liens

 

	
DEBTOR
	
SECURED PARTY
	
JURISDICTION
	
THROUGH DATE
	
FILE DATE
	
LAPSE DATE
	
FILE NUMBER
	
DESCRIPTION OF COLLATERAL

	
Federal Hose Manufacturing LLC
	
First Francis Company Inc.
	
Ohio

Secretary of State
	
05.10.17
	
07.01.16
	
07.01.21
	
OH00202322238
	
all assets

	
Supreme Electronics Corp.
	
First Francis Company Inc.
	
Mississippi

Secretary of State
	
05.12.17
	
07.01.16
	
07.01.21
	
20162010178A
	
all assets

	
Hickok Incorporated
	
IBM Credit LLC
	
Ohio

Secretary of State
	
05.10.17
	
12.21.15
	
12.21.20
	
OH00195821731
	
specific equipment and related software

	
Hickok Incorporated
	
First Francis Company Inc.
	
Ohio 

Secretary of State
	
05.10.17
	
07.01.16
	
07.01.21
	
OH00202316376
	
all assets

	
Air Enterprises Acquisition LLC 

&

Air Enterprises*
	
PNC Equipment Finance, LLC
	
Delaware Secretary of State
	
04/25/17
	
05.25.16
	
05.25.21
	
2016 3129556
	
Equipment, other goods, software, general intangibles described on Lease Agreement No. 197777000, cash, non-cash, insurance proceeds, chattel, general intangibles, goods or instruments and equipment list*



 

 

* The collateral is being acquired by Hickok Acquisition A LLC.

 


 

 




 


 

Schedule 6.04

 

Existing Investments

 

Hickok Incorporated owns the subsidiaries disclosed on Schedule 3.15 Capitalization and Subsidiaries. 

 

	
Company
	
Accounts

	
Hickok Operating LLC
	
None

	
Hickok Incorporated
	
PNC Bank accounts:

● Corporate Operating Account *

● Corporate Disbursement Account *

● Money Market Account *

 

JP Morgan account:

        ● Hickok Account  (LOC & sweep) 

	
Hickok Acquisition A LLC
	
JP Morgan accounts just opened for Hickok Acquisition A LLC:

● Operating Account 

● Payroll account (ZBA) 

	
Federal Hose Manufacturing LLC
	
JP Morgan Chase Bank

1300 East Ninth Street

Cleveland, OH 44114

 

Account  – Commercial Checking

 

Account  – zero balance clearing account (payroll)

	
Waekon Corporation
	
None

	
Supreme Electronics Corp.
	
Trustmark National Bank Account *



 

 

* To be closed within 90 days of the Effective Date. 

 


 

 




 


 

Schedule 6.10

 

Existing Restrictions

 

	 	
1
	
Convertible Loan Agreement, as Lenders, dated December 30, 2011, by and among Hickok Incorporated, Roundball LLC, and The Aplin Family Trust, as amended. 



 


 

 




 


 

 

EXHIBIT A

 

 

OPINION OF COUNSEL FOR THE LOAN PARTIES

 

 

On file with Lender

 

 


 

 




 


 

EXHIBIT B

BORROWING BASE CERTIFICATE

 

 

On file with Lender

 


 

 




 


 

EXHIBIT C

 

COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

 

	
To:
	
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. 



 

This Compliance Certificate (“Certificate”), for the period ended _______ __, 201_, is furnished pursuant to that certain Credit Agreement dated as of June 1, 2017 (as amended, modified, renewed or extended from time to time, the “Agreement”) among HICKOK INCORPORATED, an Ohio corporation (“Hickok”), HICKOK ACQUISITION A LLC, an Ohio limited liability company, which will be changing its name on about the Effective Date to Air Enterprises LLC (“Hickok Air Enterprises”), SUPREME ELECTRONICS CORP., an Ohio corporation (“Supreme”), FEDERAL HOSE MANUFACTURING LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (“Federal”), HICKOK OPERATING LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (“Hickok Operating”), WAEKON CORPORATION, an Ohio corporation (“Waekon”, and together with Hickok, Hickok Air Enterprises, Supreme, Federal, and Hickok Operating, collectively “Borrowers” and each individually a “Borrower”), the other Loan Parties, and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Lender. Unless otherwise defined herein, capitalized terms used in this Certificate have the meanings ascribed thereto in the Agreement.

 

THE UNDERSIGNED HEREBY CERTIFIES THAT:

 

1.     I am the                       of the Borrower Representative and I am authorized to deliver this Certificate on behalf of the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries in my capacity as an officer of the Borrower Representative;

 

2.     I have reviewed the terms of the Agreement and I have made, or have caused to be made under my supervision, a detailed review of the compliance of the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries with the Agreement during the accounting period covered by the attached financial statements (the “Relevant Period”);

 

3.     The attached financial statements of the Borrowers and, as applicable, their Subsidiaries and/or Affiliates for the Relevant Period: (a) have been prepared on an accounting basis (the “Accounting Method”) consistent with the requirements of the Agreement and, except as may have been otherwise expressly agreed to in the Agreement, in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, and (b) to the extent that the attached are not the Borrowers’ annual fiscal year end statements, are subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes;

 

4.      The examinations described in paragraph 2 did not disclose and I have no knowledge of, except as set forth below, (a) the existence of any condition or event which constitutes a Default or an Event of Default under the Agreement or any other Loan Document during or at the end of the Relevant Period or as of the date of this Certificate or (b) any change in the Accounting Method or in the application thereof that has occurred since the date of the annual financial statements delivered to the Lender in connection with the closing of the Agreement or subsequently delivered as required in the Agreement;

 

5.     I hereby certify that, except as set forth below, no Loan Party has changed (i) its name, (ii) its chief executive office, (iii) its principal place of business, (iv) the type of entity it is or (v) its state of incorporation or organization without having given the Lender the notice required by Section 4.15 of the Security Agreement;

 

 


 

D-1




 


 

6. The representations and warranties of the Loan Parties set forth in the Loan Documents are true and correct in all material respects as of the date hereof, except (i) to the extent that any such representation or warranty specifically refers to an earlier date, in which case it is true and correct in all material respects only as of such earlier date, and (ii) that any representation or warranty which is subject to any materiality qualifier is true and correct in all respects;

 

7. Schedule I attached hereto sets forth financial data and computations evidencing the Borrowers’ compliance with certain covenants of the Agreement, all of which data and computations are true, complete and correct; and

 

 

Described below are the exceptions, if any, referred to in paragraph 4 hereof by listing, in detail, the (i) nature of the condition or event, the period during which it has existed and the action which the Borrowers have taken, are taking, or propose to take with respect to each such condition or event or (ii) change in the Accounting Method or the application thereof and the effect of such change on the attached financial statements: 

 

	
 

	
 

	
 



 

The foregoing certifications, together with the computations set forth in Schedule I and Schedule II hereto and the financial statements delivered with this Certificate in support hereof, are made and delivered this      day of               ,        .

 

 

	
 
	
HICKOK INCORPORATED,

as the Borrower Representative
	
 

	
 
	
 
	
 
	
 

	
 
	
 
	
 
	
 

	
 
	
By: 
	
 
	
 

	
 
	
 
	
Name:
	 	
 

	
 
	
 
	
Title
	 	
 



 


 

D-2




 


 

Schedule I to Compliance Certificate 

 

 

Compliance as of _________, ____ with

Provisions of        and          of the Agreement

 


 

 




 


 

EXHIBIT D

 

JOINDER AGREEMENT

 

 

THIS JOINDER AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of [____], 20[__] is entered into between ________________________________, a _________________ (the “New Subsidiary”) and JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A. (the “Lender”) under that certain Credit Agreement dated as of June 1, 2017 (as the same may be amended, modified, extended or restated from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”) among HICKOK INCORPORATED, an Ohio corporation (“Hickok”), HICKOK ACQUISITION A LLC, an Ohio limited liability company, which will be changing its name on about the Effective Date to Air Enterprises LLC (“Hickok Air Enterprises”), SUPREME ELECTRONICS CORP., an Ohio corporation (“Supreme”), FEDERAL HOSE MANUFACTURING LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (“Federal”), HICKOK OPERATING LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (“Hickok Operating”), WAEKON CORPORATION, an Ohio corporation (“Waekon”, and together with Hickok, Hickok Air Enterprises, Supreme, Federal, and Hickok Operating, collectively “Borrowers” and each individually a “Borrower”), the other Loan Parties party thereto, and the Lender. All capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Credit Agreement.

 

The New Subsidiary and the Lender, hereby agree as follows:

 

1.     The New Subsidiary hereby acknowledges, agrees and confirms that, by its execution of this Agreement, the New Subsidiary will be deemed to be a Loan Party under the Credit Agreement and a [“Loan Guarantor”] for all purposes of the Credit Agreement and shall have all of the obligations of a Loan Party and a [Loan Guarantor] thereunder as if it had executed the Credit Agreement. The New Subsidiary hereby ratifies, as of the date hereof, and agrees to be bound by, all of the terms, provisions and conditions contained in the Credit Agreement, including without limitation (a) all of the representations and warranties of the Loan Parties set forth in Article III of the Credit Agreement, (b) all of the covenants set forth in Articles V and VI of the Credit Agreement and (c) all of the guaranty obligations set forth in Article IX of the Credit Agreement. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing terms of this paragraph 1, the New Subsidiary, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 9.10 and 9.13 of the Credit Agreement, hereby guarantees, jointly and severally with the other Loan Guarantors, to the Lender, as provided in Article IX of the Credit Agreement, the prompt payment and performance of the Guaranteed Obligations in full when due (whether at stated maturity, as a mandatory prepayment, by acceleration or otherwise) strictly in accordance with the terms thereof and agrees that if any of the Guaranteed Obligations are not paid or performed in full when due (whether at stated maturity, as a mandatory prepayment, by acceleration or otherwise), the New Subsidiary will, jointly and severally together with the other [Loan Guarantors], promptly pay and perform the same, without any demand or notice whatsoever, and that in the case of any extension of time of payment or renewal of any of the Guaranteed Obligations, the same will be promptly paid in full when due (whether at extended maturity, as a mandatory prepayment, by acceleration or otherwise) in accordance with the terms of such extension or renewal. 

 

2.     If required, the New Subsidiary is, simultaneously with the execution of this Agreement, executing and delivering such Collateral Documents (and such other documents and instruments) as requested by the Lender in accordance with the Credit Agreement.

 

3.     The address of the New Subsidiary for purposes of Section 8.01 of the Credit Agreement is as follows:

	
 

	
 

	
 



 


 

E-1




 


 

4.     The New Subsidiary hereby waives acceptance by the Lender of the guaranty by the New Subsidiary upon the execution of this Agreement by the New Subsidiary.

 

5.     This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which when so executed and delivered shall be an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

 

6.     THIS AGREEMENT AND THE RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE PARTIES HEREUNDER SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF OHIO.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the New Subsidiary has caused this Agreement to be duly executed by its authorized officer, and the Lender, has caused the same to be accepted by its authorized officer, as of the day and year first above written.

 

 

	
 
	
[NEW SUBSIDIARY]
	
 

	
 
	
 
	
 
	
 

	
 
	
By: 
	
 
	
 

	
 
	
Name:
	
 
	
 

	
 
	
Title:
	
 
	
 

	 	 	 	 
	 	Acknowledged and accepted:	 
	 	 	 	 
	 	JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.	 
	 	 	 	 
	 	By:	 	 
	 	Name:	 	 
	 	Title:	 	 


 

 


 

E-2




 


 

CREDIT AGREEMENT – CHASE/HICKOK ET. AL.