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Exhibit 99

AGREEMENT FOR
SALE AND PURCHASE
OF ASSETS
DATED AS OF JULY 21, 2000
BETWEEN
HICKORY TECH CORPORATION,
THROUGH ITS WHOLLY-OWNED SUBSIDIARY,
AMANA COLONIES TELEPHONE COMPANY,
AS SELLER
AND
SOUTH SLOPE COOPERATIVE TELEPHONE COMPANY
AS BUYER

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AGREEMENT FOR SALE AND PURCHASE OF ASSETS

This Agreement for Sale and Purchase of Assets is made and entered into effective as of the 21st day of July, 2000, by and between Hickory Tech Corporation,
for and on behalf of its wholly owned subsidiary, Amana Colonies Telephone Company, Minnesota corporations ("Seller"), and South Slope Cooperative Telephone Company, an Iowa cooperative association
("Buyer").

RECITALS



NOW,
THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual covenants and agreements set forth in this Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration, the
receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, Seller and Buyer make the following Agreement.

AGREEMENT

ARTICLE 1       SALE AND PURCHASE OF ASSETS

1.1Sale and Transfer.Upon the terms and subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth, and pursuant
to the documents of transfer as required by Section 4.3 of this Agreement, Seller agrees to sell, convey, transfer, assign and deliver to Buyer, and Buyer agrees to buy from Seller, as of the
Closing Date, all of Seller's Assets described below and as listed onSchedule 1.1ahereto (the "Transferred Assets"). The items listed on Schedule 1.1bhereto (the "Excluded Assets") shall be retained by Seller. Buyer agrees to purchase the Transferred Assets from Seller as set
forth in the following Sections, and which shall include without limitation the assets described onSchedule 1.1aand the assets described in the
following Sections 1.2 through 1.11:

1.2Central Office Real Estate/Right of First Refusal.The land on which the central telephone office
of the Exchange is located, together with the central office building and other improvements (collectively, the "Central Office Real Estate"), as described on the attached Schedule 1.2, which the
Buyer shall use only
as a central telephone office. Buyer understands that the Central Office Real Estate is subject to a right of first refusal retained by Seller's predecessor in interest, namely Amana
Society, Inc. Pursuant to the reserved right of first refusal, Amana Society, Inc. has the right of first refusal to repurchase (i) the land included in the Central Office Real
Estate (the "Land") for the amount of $3,000.00, and/or (ii) any buildings, structures, or improvements then located on Land (collectively, the "Improvements") for the lesser of the fair market
value or the amount offered by a Buyer. Seller shall provide Buyer with a copy of the right of first refusal agreement between Seller and Amana Society, Inc. within five (5) business
days following the execution of this Agreement. These two separate rights of first refusal are exercisable in accordance with the following provisions. The parties agree that these rights of first
refusal must be waived by Amana Society, Inc., or Amana Society, Inc. must fail to exercise the rights as provided in paragraph c below, as a condition to Buyer's obligation to
close hereunder.



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1.3Office Warehouse Space.To the extent assignable by Seller, the Seller will assign to Buyer the
lessee's interest in its leased office/warehouse facility known as the former "Homestead Implement" building located at 4429 V Street, Homestead, Iowa. Notwithstanding its good faith efforts, in the
event the Seller is unable to assign the lessee's interest in the lease for any reason the Buyer shall accept as full performance any performance that Seller can make, without reduction in the
Purchase Price. The form of Assignment of Lease is attached hereto asExhibit 1.3;

1.4Telecommunications PlantIn Service and Under Construction.All transmission assets,
including without limitation, all trunk lines and service lines (whether underground or above ground), pole placements, poles, posts, cross-arms, wire, cable, conduits, ducts, switches,
fixtures, switchboards, test boards, frames, racks, motors, generators, batteries and other items of central office equipment, subscriber station equipment, including house wiring and protectors,
instruments, connections, appliances and other equipment which is incorporated in or attached or connected to any of the lines or facilities included in the Exchange, together with all construction in
progress that includes any of the preceding items (collectively, the "Telecommunications Plant");

1.5EasementsTelecommunications Plant.Easements for the Telecommunications Plant, whether
written or oral, recorded or unrecorded, underground and above ground, as more particularly described below. Seller shall provide Buyer with copies of all written easement agreements within five
(5) business days following the execution of this Agreement. The Seller hereby discloses, without representation or warranty of any nature, that it uses the following easements for the
placement and maintenance of, and access to, the entire Telecommunications Plant as it currently exists:



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1.6Supplies and Equipment.All supplies and equipment (excluding vehicles and test equipment) which
are used in connection with the operation of the Exchange, except office supplies and office equipment which are specifically excluded from the Transferred Assets;

1.7Easements Right-of-Way Privileges.Such easements,
right-of-way privileges, rights of ingress and egress, leases, contracts, encroachment agreements and other interests in real estate, granted to or owned by the Seller, which
give or vest in the Seller the right or privilege to construct, operate or maintain the Telecommunications Plant on real estate owned or held by third parties, together with all agreements and
contracts which grant privileges for railroad, power line, telephone or telegraph line crossings or parallels, and or joint use of any assets;

1.8Franchises / Licenses.All franchises, licenses, authorizations, ordinances, permits, or privileges
owned or held by the Seller that are reasonably related to the construction, maintenance and operation of the Exchange;

1.9Long Term Service Contract.All rights of Seller, to the extent assignable by Seller, to require
Amana Society, Inc. to purchase long distance products and centrex/voice mail services from Seller for the remainder of a ten year period ending ten years after April 4, 1994. These
Seller rights shall be assigned to Buyer pursuant to the form of Assignment attached hereto asExhibit 1.9, to the extent the same is assignable
by Seller. A copy of the long term service contract is also attached hereto as Exhibit 1.9;

1.10Goodwill.All goodwill associated with the operation of the Exchange, including the benefit of the
20-year Noncompetition Covenant made by Amana Society, Inc., which shall be assigned to Buyer pursuant to the form of Assignment attached hereto as Exhibit 1.10, to the extent the same
is assignable by Seller. A copy of the Noncompetition Covenant is also attached hereto as Exhibit 1.10; and

1.11Records.All books, records, files, customer lists, maps, drawings, charts, blueprints, diagrams,
engineering data, accounting data, correspondence and related items reasonably necessary and useful for the continued operation and maintenance of the Exchange.

1.12Selected Asset Purchase; No Right to Use "Amana" Name.The transaction contemplated by this
Agreement includes the sale and purchase only of the Transferred Assets described in this Agreement and the Schedules attached hereto, and does not contemplate the sale and purchase of certain
excluded assets of the Exchange, such as cash, accounts receivable, prepaid expenses, office equipment and office supplies listed on Schedule 1.1bor the name, "Amana Colonies Telephone Company."
Buyer recognizes that Amana Society, Inc. is the owner of certain designs,
emblems, symbols, color schemes, logos, signs, trademarks and trade names, including the name and mark "Amana" (collectively, the "Trademarks"). The Buyer acknowledges and agrees that Amana
Society, Inc. is the sole owner of the Trademarks, and the related goodwill that is associated with the Trademarks. The Buyer shall not hereby acquire any
right, title or interest in such Trademarks, and does hereby disclaim any right, title, or interest in such Trademarks, and agrees that the Buyer shall not acquire any such rights under this
Agreement.

The
Transferred Assets, to the extent not transferred to Buyer pursuant toExhibits 1.2c, 1.3, 1.5b or 1.9, shall be transferred to
Buyer at the Closing pursuant to the terms of a Bill of Sale, substantially in accordance withExhibit 1.12attached hereto.

ARTICLE 2       LIABILITIES

2.1.No General Assumption of Liabilities.Except as provided in Section 2.2 below or as
otherwise provided in this Agreement, the Buyer does not assume any liabilities, obligations, or undertakings of the Seller of any kind or nature whatsoever, fixed or contingent, known or unknown,
determined or determinable, due or not yet due, including but not limited to accounts payable, notes payable, accrued expenses, employee entitlements or taxes of any kind.

2.2Customer Deposits.Notwithstanding the foregoing, on the Closing Date, the Seller shall deliver to
Buyer a detailed list of all customer deposits, together with accrued interest (if any). Such list shall include each customer name, address, deposit amount, and date or conditions for return,
together with good funds payable to Buyer for the total amount of all such deposits and accrued interest. At the Closing, Seller and

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Buyer shall enter into an Assignment and Assumption Agreement for such customer deposit liability to be assumed by Buyer, and such Agreement shall include an appropriate release of liability for, and
indemnification of, the Seller. The form of Assignment and Assumption Agreement is attached asExhibit 2.2.

ARTICLE 3       PURCHASE PRICE

3.1.Purchase Price and Allocation.Buyer shall pay to Seller as full consideration for the transfer of
the Transferred Assets, a total Purchase Price of Six Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($6,500,000.00). No later than ten days prior to Closing, the Buyer and Seller shall have negotiated, in
good faith, the allocation in Purchase Price among the Transferred Assets under the residual method as described in Section 1060 of the Internal Revenue Code. Buyer and Seller shall exchange at
the Closing IRS Form 8594, Asset Allocation Statement, and the Buyer and Seller agree to report this transaction for tax purposes in accordance with such allocation, and to attach the
applicable asset acquisition statement to their respective income tax returns for the taxable year of reporting this transaction.

3.2Payment Terms.The above purchase price shall be paid by the Buyer to the Seller as follows:



If
the transaction contemplated by this Agreement does not close because of a material breach (which shall not include the nonoccurrence of conditions precedent to Buyer's obligation to close set
forth in Section 6.1) by the Buyer under this Agreement, the Good Faith Deposit shall be retained by Seller as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, and forfeiture of the Good Faith Deposit
shall be Seller's sole and exclusive remedy for Buyer's breach. If the transaction contemplated by this Agreement does not close for any other reason, Seller shall timely return the Good Faith Deposit
to Buyer.

3.3Taxes and Governmental Charges.Buyer shall pay any and all sales, use, transfer, stamp,
conveyance, value added or similar taxes, duties, excises or governmental charges imposed by any taxing jurisdiction, including all recording fees, notarial fees and other similar costs incurred in
connection with the sale, transfer or assignment of the Transferred Assets or otherwise on account of this Agreement, except that Seller shall pay any accrued real or personal property taxes and
franchise fees or other charges relating to operation of the Exchange prior to the Closing Date. Buyer, in its capacity as agent for Seller, shall assume Seller's obligation to pay all such accrued
items for and on behalf of Seller, to the extent that the purchase price has been adjusted to reflect such items, and shall further submit timely evidence that Buyer has in fact paid such accrued
items.

3.4Costs.Each party shall pay at Closing its own brokerage and attorneys' fees, if any, incurred in
connection with the sale of the Transferred Assets from Seller to Buyer.

ARTICLE 4       CLOSING

4.1Closing Date.Provided that all conditions precedent have been satisfied or waived prior to then,
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall be closed at 10:00 a.m. at the Seller's offices in Mankato, Minnesota on the "Closing Date", which shall be the earlier of:



4.2Closing Cut-Off.The Seller shall be entitled to all revenues and shall be liable for
all costs and expenses of the Exchange for the period ending at the close of business on the Closing Date. The Buyer shall be entitled to all revenues and shall be liable for all costs and expenses of
the Exchange for the period

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beginning as of the commencement of business on the day following the Closing Date. The parties will work together in good faith to make a correct and complete determination of such amounts. The
following provisions shall apply with respect to the monthly charges to customers of the Exchange for local exchange service ("Local Service Charges") and long distance calls made by customers ("Long
Distance Charges").



To
the extent any real estate interest is transferred under this Agreement, all applicable Real Estate taxes payable or accrued in the year of Closing shall be prorated between Seller
and Buyer based upon the actual number of days elapsed in the calendar year. All other utilities and operating costs related to any real estate interest transferred under this Agreement shall be
prorated as of the date of Closing.

4.3Documents of Transfer to be Delivered by Seller to Buyer.On the Closing Date, the Seller shall
deliver to the Buyer all documents and instruments necessary to transfer title to the Transferred Assets to Buyer, free and clear of any liabilities or liens, and shall take any action that is
reasonably required to effectuate the transaction contemplated by this Agreement. Such documents shall include without limitation, a deed, bill of sale, and one or more assignments of easements. All
closing documents, including instruments of conveyance, shall be in form reasonably acceptable to the Seller, Buyer and their respective counsel. Such documents shall include:



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4.4Deliveries by Buyer to Seller.At or prior to the Closing, Buyer will deliver to Seller:



4.5Records to be Retained by Seller.Title to all of Seller's records, documents and papers of every
kind and nature pertaining to the Exchange sold hereunder shall remain in Seller, but any thereof which Buyer may reasonably require for use in connection with the operation of the Exchange after the
Closing Date shall either be delivered to Buyer or made available to it in such manner as may best meet the respective needs of the parties. In any case the party receiving or retaining such records
shall make them available to the other during a period of five years following the Closing Date. After the expiration of said five-year period either party shall, before destroying any of
such records received or retained by it, offer them to the other.

Seller
shall promptly forward to Buyer all correspondence, mail, payments and documents received by Seller after the Closing Date which relate to the operations of the Exchange
occurring prior to or after the Closing Date.

Buyer
shall promptly forward to Seller all correspondence, mail, payments and documents received by it not related to the operation of the Exchange, such as matters concerning the
Seller's income taxes, corporate charter or corporate governance.

ARTICLE 5       ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS;  ASSETS SOLD "AS IS" AND "WHERE IS"

5.1Plant and Facility; Offices; Asbestos; Hazardous Materials. Buyer acknowledges that the Seller's plant and facility
and offices and adjacent structures, appurtenances, facilities and improvements thereon and the Transferred Assets may contain asbestos-containing or other hazardous materials. In addition, Buyer
acknowledges that the Transferred Assets may contain other hazardous materials. Buyer also

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acknowledges that it is aware that certain hazardous materials are used in maintenance and operations related to Seller's operations and the Transferred Assets, and that such hazardous materials may
be present in the Transferred Assets. Buyer acknowledges that Seller has informed Buyer of the potential presence of asbestos-containing materials in the Transferred Assets and in the Land and
Improvements, as well as other hazardous materials in the Transferred Assets, and Buyer acknowledges that the
Purchase Price of the Transferred Assets reflects the potential presence of the asbestos-containing materials as well as hazardous materials and environmental claims or liabilities that may be
associated with the Transferred Assets. Buyer understands and agrees that any responsibility for compliance with any environmental law, regulation or ordinance applicable to the ownership or use of
the Transferred Assets following the Closing, including the costs of any remediation or cleanup associated with the Transferred Assets, or environmental claim or liability associated with the
Transferred Assets, irrespective of when contamination occurred, is assumed by Buyer at the Closing.

SELLER HEREBY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, WHETHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED WITH REGARD TO THE CONDITION OR SAFETY OF THE TRANSFERRED ASSETS OR THE PRESENCE OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS IN
THE TRANSFERRED ASSETS.

5.2AS IS Sale.The Buyer acknowledges and represents that it has had full opportunity to evaluate the
assets to be purchased hereunder and has made its own evaluation of any revenue Buyer might expect to derive from the use of such assets. The Seller makes no representations or warranties whatsoever
with respect to the assets herein agreed to be purchased by Buyer, the profitability of the Exchange as previously conducted by Seller, or the ability of such assets to generate any revenues in the
future. Buyer agrees to take the Transferred Assets "AS IS" and "WHERE IS" and without any representation or warranty of any nature, whether in fact or law, or whether expressed or implied as it
relates to the any condition of the Transferred Assets. Buyer has made all legal, factual and other inquiries and investigations as Buyer deems necessary, desirable or appropriate with respect to the
Transferred Assets, and Buyer is purchasing the Transferred Assets based on Buyer's own inspection and examination thereof.

BUYER UNDERSTANDS THAT THE SELLER MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES OR GUARANTEES, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, OF ANY KIND, NATURE OR TYPE WHATSOEVER WITH RESPECT TO THE
TRANSFERRED ASSETS, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE APPURTENANCES, FACILITIES AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON, OR THE VALUE, MARKETABILITY, FEASIBILITY, DESIRABILITY, PROFITABILITY OR ADAPTABILITY
THEREOF.

5.3Disclaimer of Warranties.SELLER HEREBY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL
REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, EXCEPT AS SPECIFICALLY SET FORTH HEREIN. SELLER IS NOT WARRANTING THE CONDITION OR USEFULNESS OF THE TRANSFERRED ASSETS, OR THEIR
VALUE.

ARTICLE 6       CONDITIONS

6.1Conditions to Buyer's Obligations.The obligation of Buyer to consummate the Transactions shall be
subject to the satisfaction, on or prior to the Closing Date, of each of the following conditions, any of which may, to the extent allowed by law, be waived by Buyer:



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6.2Conditions to Seller's Obligations.The obligations of Seller to consummate the Transactions shall
be subject to the satisfaction, on or prior to the Closing Date, of each of the following conditions, any of which may, to the extent allowed by law, be waived by Seller:



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ARTICLE 7       REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

7.1Buyer's Representations and Warranties.Buyer represents and warrants to Seller that:



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7.2Seller's Limited Representations and Warranties.Seller represents and warrants to Buyer that:



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ARTICLE 8       COVENANTS

8.1Covenants of Buyer.Buyer hereby covenants and agrees that from the execution date hereof to the
Closing Date:



8.2Covenants of Seller.Seller hereby covenants and agrees that from the execution date hereof to the
Closing Date:



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8.3Mutual Covenants.





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8.4Employment of Key Exchange Employees.Following Closing, Buyer agrees in good faith to make offers
of at-will employment to those key existing employees of the Seller identified in the attached Exhibit 8.4 upon the terms and conditions substantially as set forth in
Exhibit 8.4. (For purposes of Section 8.4 and Exhibit 8.4, those employees identified in Exhibit 8.4 shall be referred to as the "At-Will Employees"). In doing
so, the parties agree that neither this Agreement nor Exhibit 8.4 shall be construed as a contract of employment, and that as condition of their employment the At-Will Employees
shall be required to sign a document in a form satisfactory to the Buyer which acknowledges the "at-will" nature of their employment with the Buyer. Furthermore, Seller acknowledges that
it shall retain any and all liability relating to the employment of the At-Will Employees for the period of time in which the At-Will Employees were employed by the Seller,
including, without limitation, liability arising from accrued and unpaid wages, paid time-off, vacation and/or sick leave, and workers' compensation claims.

ARTICLE 9       INDEMNIFICATION

9.1Indemnity by Seller.The Seller agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold the Buyer harmless from and
against any claim, damage, fine, or other expense (including reasonable attorney fees and costs) arising out of (i) the Seller's breach of any covenants, representations or warranties under
this Agreement, (ii) acts or omissions that occurred with respect to the Seller's operation of the Exchange prior to the Closing Date, or (iii) any obligation of Seller not assumed by
Buyer pursuant to the terms of this Agreement. In no event, however, shall Seller's liability hereunder exceed the sum of one million dollars ($1,000,000). The Seller shall pay these expenses upon
demand. The Seller's obligations under this section shall be conditioned upon (i) prompt written notification of the nature and the amount of
the claim, and (ii) waiting thirty (30) days from the receipt of such notice to provide an opportunity to settle such claim. The Seller may elect to contest the claim, and in that case,
shall have thirty (30) days to secure the Buyer against the claim. The parties agree to cooperate fully with each other in the defense or settlement of any third party claim. The Buyer shall
not settle any claim under this provision without prior written notice to the Seller, and the Seller's approval which shall not be withheld unreasonably.

9.2.Indemnity by Buyer.The Buyer agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold the Seller harmless from and
against any claim, damage, fine, or other expense (including reasonable attorney fees and costs) arising out of (i) the Buyer's breach of any representations or warranties under this Agreement,
or (ii) acts or omissions that occur with respect to the Buyer's operation of the Exchange after the Closing Date. In no event, however, shall Buyer's liability hereunder exceed the sum of one
million dollars ($1,000,000). The Buyer shall pay these expenses upon demand. The Buyer's obligations under this section shall be conditioned upon (i) prompt written notification of the nature
and the amount of the claim, and (ii) waiting thirty (30) days from the receipt of such notice to provide an opportunity to settle such claim. The Buyer may elect to contest the claim,
and in that case, shall have thirty (30) days to secure the Seller against the claim. The parties agree to cooperate fully with each other in the defense or settlement of any third party claim.
The Seller shall not settle any claim under this provision without prior written notice to the Buyer and the Buyer's approval which shall not be withheld unreasonably.

ARTICLE 10       TERMINATION

10.1Termination By Buyer.If any condition precedent to Buyer's obligation to effect the Closing, as
set forth in Section 6.1 is not satisfied and such condition is not waived, if waivable, by Buyer on or prior to the Closing Date, Buyer shall not be obligated to effect the Closing and may
terminate this Agreement. Termination of this Agreement due to the nonoccurrence of such a condition shall not result in the forfeiture of the Good Faith Deposit.

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10.2Termination By Seller.If any condition precedent to Seller's obligation to effect the Closing, as
set forth in Sections 6.2b, c, d, e or f is not satisfied and such condition is not waived, if waivable, by Seller on or prior to the Closing Date, Seller shall not be obligated to effect the Closing
and may terminate this Agreement and retain the Good Faith Deposit in accordance with the provisions of Section 3.2. If, however, the conditions precedent to Seller's obligation to effect the
Closing, as set forth in Sections 6.2a or 6.2g, are not satisfied and such conditions are not waived, if waivable, by Seller on or prior to the Closing Date, Seller may also terminate this Agreement,
but in that event, the Good Faith Deposit shall be returned to Buyer.

10.3Effect of Termination.In the event of the termination of this Agreement pursuant to
Section 10.1 or 10.2, this Agreement shall thereafter become void, without further liability on the part of any party hereto or its respective shareholders, directors, officers or employees in
respect thereof, except for the obligation, if any, to return the Good Faith Deposit as provided for in Section 3.2, and except that nothing herein shall relieve any party from liability for
any breach of this Agreement prior to termination under Section 10.1 or 10.2.

ARTICLE 11       POST CLOSING MATTERS

11.1Seller's Name Not Sold.Seller has retained the use of the Exchange name, "Amana Colonies
Telephone Company", and has not sold that name, or the name "Amana" to Buyer.

11.2Bulk Transfer Compliance.The parties agree that the transaction contemplated by this Agreement is
not subject to the Iowa Bulk Transfer Act.

11.3Announcements.The Seller shall have the right to review and comment on any announcements or
notice the Buyer proposes to make to the public or to any customers and other relevant parties prior to the Closing Date. The Buyer shall make no public announcement of the transaction contemplated by
this Agreement prior to the Closing Date, unless the prior consent of the Seller is obtained, which shall not be withheld unreasonably.

ARTICLE 12       ARBITRATION

12.1Arbitrability.All claims by Buyer or Seller by one against the other arising out of or related in
any manner to this Agreement or Transferred Assets or the Transactions shall be resolved by arbitration, as prescribed herein.

12.2Rules.A single arbitrator engaged in the practice of law and who has at least eight years of
litigation experience shall conduct the arbitration under the then current commercial arbitration rules of the American Arbitration Association ("AAA"), unless otherwise provided herein. The
arbitrator shall be selected in accordance with AAA procedures. The arbitration shall be conducted in Des Moines, Iowa.

12.3Discovery; Damages; Expenses.The Buyer and Seller shall allow and participate in discovery in
accordance with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. The arbitrator shall rule on unresolved discovery disputes. The arbitrator shall only have authority to award contractual damages and shall not
have the authority to award punitive or exemplary damages, other non-compensatory damages or any other form of relief. Each party shall bear its own costs and attorneys' fees. The
arbitrator's decision and award shall be final and binding, and judgment upon the award rendered by the arbitrator may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof.

12.4Judicial or Administrative Action.If any party files a judicial or administrative action
asserting claims subject to arbitration, as prescribed herein, and the other party successfully stays such action and/or compels arbitration of said claims, the party filing said action shall pay the
other party's costs and expenses incurred in seeking such stay and/or compelling arbitration, including reasonable attorneys' fees.

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ARTICLE 13       GENERAL

13.1Time of the Essence.Time is of the essence with respect to each and every term, condition,
obligation and provision hereof, and failure to timely perform or remedy any of the terms, conditions, obligations or provisions hereof by either party shall constitute a material breach of and a
noncurable default under this Agreement by the party so failing to perform (but which may be waived by the nonbreaching party).

13.2Survival of Representations and Warranties.The representations and warranties made herein shall
survive the Closing for a period of two (2) years beyond the Closing Date, and thereafter shall terminate.

13.3Notices.All notices hereunder will be in writing and served by certified mail, return receipt
requested. Notice shall be deemed to have been duly given on the date mailed by the notifying party. Notice shall be sent as follows:

If to Seller:

ATTN: Robert D. Alton, Chief Executive Officer
Hickory Tech Corporation
221 East Hickory Street
P.O. Box 3248
Mankato, MN 56002-3248
Fax: (507) 625-9191with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:ATTN: Michael C. Karp
Blethen Gage & Krause, PLLP
127 South Second Street
P.O. Box 3049
Mankato, MN 56002-3049
Fax: (507) 345-8003If to Buyer:

ATTN: J. R. Brumley
South Slope Cooperative Telephone Company
210 Tuttle Street
P.O. Box 8
Norway, Iowa 52318-0008
Fax: (319) 227-7700with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:ATTN: M. Daniel Waters
Davis, Brown, Koehn, Shors & Roberts, P.C.
666 Walnut Street, Suite 2500
Des Moines, Iowa 50309-3993
Fax: (515) 288-2500


13.4Waivers.No failure of a party to enforce a provision of this Agreement will be construed as a
general or a specific waiver of that provision, or of a party's right to enforce that provision, or of a party's right to enforce any other provision of this Agreement. No waiver of any breach of any
covenant or other provision herein contained shall be deemed to be a waiver of any preceding or succeeding breach, or of any other covenant or provision herein contained. No extension of time for
performance of any obligation or act shall be deemed to be an extension of the time for performance of any other obligation or act.

13.5Headings.The subject headings of the sections and subsections of this Agreement are included only
for purposes of convenience, and shall not affect the construction or interpretation of any of its provisions.

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13.6Counterparts.This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be
deemed an original, and when each of the parties hereto has executed and delivered to the other party one or more counterparts, this Agreement shall be binding and effective, even though no single
counterpart has been executed by both of the parties.

13.7Successors and Assigns.This Agreement shall be binding on and shall inure to the benefit of the
parties hereto and their permitted successors and assigns; provided, however, that no assignment shall be permitted except as provided for in this Agreement.

13.8Assignment.The rights and obligations of the parties to this Agreement or any interest in this
Agreement shall not be assigned, transferred, hypothecated, pledged or otherwise disposed of without the prior written consent of the non-assigning party, which consent may be withheld in
such party's sole discretion.

13.9Additional Instruments and Assistance.Each party hereto shall from time to time execute and
deliver such further instruments, provide additional information and render such further assistance as the other party or its counsel may reasonably request in order to complete and perfect the
Transactions.

13.10Governing Law.This Agreement and the legal relations among the parties shall be governed and by
construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Iowa, without regard to conflict of laws rule. Any action or proceeding to enforce the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall be
brought in an Iowa state court of competent jurisdiction, subject to the arbitration provisions of this Agreement.

13.11Severability.If any term or provision of this Agreement is, to any extent, held or deemed to be
invalid or unenforceable when applied to any person or circumstance, the remaining provisions of this Agreement and the enforcement of such provision to other persons or circumstances, or to another
extent, shall not be affected thereby, and each provision of this Agreement shall be enforced to the fullest extent allowed by law.

13.12Amendments.This Agreement may not be modified, changed, supplemented or terminated, nor may any
obligations hereunder be waived by a party, except by written instrument signed by the party to be charged or by its agent duly authorized in writing or as otherwise expressly permitted herein.

13.13No Construction Against the Drafting Party.Each party hereto acknowledges that such party and
its counsel have reviewed this Agreement and participated in its drafting. This Agreement shall not be construed against either party for having prepared it.

13.14Integration.This Agreement, including all schedules and exhibits attached hereto, constitutes
the entire agreement between the parties, and there are no agreements, understandings, warranties or representations between the parties except as set forth or noted herein. This Agreement is not made
for the benefit of any person, firm, corporation or association other than the parties hereto. The parties do not intend to confer any benefit hereunder on any person, firm or corporation other than
the parties hereto.

13.15Other Negotiations.Seller agrees that pending the Closing hereunder Seller will not enter into
any agreement or negotiate with any other person or entity regarding the sale of the Exchange or the Transferred Assets.

13.15Noncompetition.Seller covenants and agrees that, for a period of three (3) years after
the Closing Date, neither Seller nor any firm, corporation, partnership, or other entity directly or indirectly owned, managed, operated, or controlled by Seller, nor any of Seller's shareholders or
principal officers or its direct or indirect affiliates, will participate in the ownership, management, operation, or control of any business or organization any part of which engages in the business
of operating a telephone or wireless communication system or any other system or service competitive with the Exchange, within twenty (20) miles of the Exchange.

[Remainder
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties to this Agreement have executed it effective as of the date first above written.

|BUYER:                                    |  | SELLER:                        
|----------------------------------------- |  | -------------------------------
|SOUTH SLOPE COOPERATIVE
TELEPHONE COMPANY |  | HICKORY TECH CORPORATION       
|By:                                       |  |                                
|                                          |  | Richard Netolicky
Its President
|By:                                       |  |                                
|                                          |  | Derald Kimm
Its Secretary      
|Date:                                     |  | Date:                          

---

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