Document:

EX-10.1 Debt Exchange Agreement

 

EXHIBIT 10.1

DEBT EXCHANGE AGREEMENT

     THIS DEBT EXCHANGE AGREEMENT (“Agreement”), dated as February 13, 2007, among
Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services Inc., a Florida corporation (the “Company”), and New Valley
LLC, a Delaware corporation (the “Holder”).

     WHEREAS, on each of March 25, 2002 and July 16, 2002, the Company issued a $2.5 million
promissory note (collectively, the “Notes”) to the Holder;

     WHEREAS, the Company has requested that the Holder exchange the principal amount of the Notes
for common stock, par value $.0001 per share (“Common Stock”), of the Company as set forth herein;
and

     WHEREAS, the Company intends to pay the accrued interest on the Notes in cash; and

     NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual covenants and agreements of the
parties hereinafter set forth, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

     1. Debt Exchange.

          (a) New Valley hereby agrees, subject to the conditions set forth herein, to exchange the
$5,000,000 principal amount of Notes for 2,777,778 shares of the Company’s Common Stock (“Exchange
Shares”) at an exchange price of $1.80 per share, representing the average closing price of the
Company’s Common Stock for the 30 trading days ending on the date of this Agreement (“Debt
Exchange”), subject to appropriate adjustment for reclassifications, stock splits, stock dividends,
spin-offs or distributions, share combinations or other similar changes affecting the Common Stock
as a whole. The Company and the Holder further agree to apply receipt of the Exchange Shares to
the principal portion of the Notes. The Company and the Holder shall treat the Debt Exchange as a
tax-free reorganization pursuant to Internal Revenue Code Section 368(a)(1)(E).

          (b) At the Company’s 2007 Annual Meeting of Shareholders (“Shareholder Meeting”), the Company
will present the Debt Exchange to shareholders for their approval. In connection with such
Shareholder Meeting, the Company will prepare and mail to its shareholders as promptly as
practicable a proxy statement and all other proxy materials (the “Proxy Statement”) for such
meeting. The Company and the Holder shall cooperate with each other in all reasonable respects
with the preparation of the Proxy Statement and any amendment or supplement thereto. The Company
shall notify the Holder of the receipt of any comments of the Securities and Exchange Commission
(“Commission”) with respect to the Proxy Statement and any requests by the Commission for any
amendment or supplement thereto or for additional information, and shall provide to them promptly
copies of any correspondence between the Company or its counsel and the Commission with respect to
the Proxy Statement. The Company shall give the Holder and its counsel the opportunity to review
the Proxy Statement and all responses to requests for additional

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information by and replies to comments of the Commission before their being filed with, or sent to,
the Commission. The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts, after consultation with
the Holder, to respond promptly to all such comments of and requests by the Commission and to cause
the Proxy Statement to be mailed to the Company’s shareholders entitled to vote at the Shareholder
Meeting at the earliest practicable time.

          (c) The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the necessary approvals
by its shareholders for the Debt Exchange and any related matters (“Shareholder Approval”) at the
Shareholder Meeting and shall cause its Board of Directors to include in the Proxy Statement its
recommendation that the Company’s shareholders vote in favor of the matters presented in the Proxy
Statement. In the event that the Shareholder Approval is not obtained on the date on which the
Shareholder Meeting is initially convened, the Board of Directors of the Company shall adjourn the
meeting from time to time as necessary for the purpose of obtaining the Shareholder Approval and
shall use its commercially reasonable efforts during any such adjournments to obtain the
Shareholder Approval.

          (d) By executing this Agreement, each of the Holder and Howard M. Lorber, Richard J. Lampen,
Henry C. Beinstein, Robert J. Eide and Jeffrey S. Podell (“Proxy Parties”) hereby severally appoint
Richard J. Rosenstock or Mark Zeitchick, or either of them, with full power of substitution, as
their agent, attorney and proxy, representing an irrevocable proxy pursuant to Section 607.0722 of
the Florida Business Corporation Act, coupled with an interest, so as to vote all the shares of
Common Stock held by the Proxy Parties in accordance with the vote of a majority of votes cast at
the Shareholder Meeting excluding the shares held by such Proxy Parties.

          (e) The Company shall comply with all legal requirements applicable to the Shareholder Meeting
and take such other actions as may be necessary to effectuate the Debt Exchange, including, but not
limited to, providing notices to, and responding to queries from, all applicable regulatory
authorities and stock exchanges and obtaining all necessary third party consents.

          (f) Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the consummation of the Debt
Exchange contemplated by this Agreement shall take place at a closing (“Closing”) to be held at
10:00 a.m., local time, on the fourth business day after the date on which the last of the
conditions set forth in Section 4(c) below is fulfilled, at the offices of Graubard Miller, The
Chrysler Building, 405 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10174, or at such other time, date or
place as the parties may agree upon in writing. At the Closing, the Holder shall deliver its Notes
for cancellation and the Company shall deliver to the Holder certificates representing the Exchange
Shares. From and after the Closing, the Notes shall represent solely the right to receive Exchange
Shares. In the event that as a result of the Debt Exchange, fractions of shares would be required
to be issued, such fractional shares shall be rounded up or down to the nearest whole share. The
Company shall pay any documentary, stamp or similar issue or transfer tax due on such Debt
Exchange, except that the Holder shall pay any such tax due because the Exchange Shares are issued
in a name other than the Holder’s.

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          (g) The maturity date of the Notes is hereby extended from March 31, 2007 to the later of (i)
the Closing or (ii) ten business days after the termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 7
hereof. On or prior to the Closing, the Company shall pay in cash to the Holder the amount of
accrued interest due on the Notes.

     2. Representations and Warranties of Company. The Company hereby represents and
warrants to the Holders as follows:

          (a) As of the date hereof, the Company has 400,000,000 shares of Common Stock
authorized, of which 156,893,312 shares of Common Stock are issued and outstanding, and 2,000,000
shares of preferred stock authorized, of which no shares are issued and outstanding. As of the
date hereof, the Company has reserved for issuance 24,266,707 shares of Common Stock upon exercise
of all outstanding options and warrants. All of the issued and outstanding shares of the Company’s
Common Stock are, and all shares reserved for issuance will be, upon issuance in accordance with
the terms specified in the instruments or agreements pursuant to which they are issuable, duly
authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. The Exchange Shares to be issued and
delivered to the Holder upon exchange of the Notes have been duly authorized and when issued upon
exchange of the Notes, will be validly issued, fully-paid and non-assessable. The issuance of the
Exchange Shares will be exempt from registration pursuant to Section 3(a)(9) promulgated under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“Securities Act”), and such Exchange Shares will not be
“restricted securities” as defined under Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act.

          (b) The Company has full legal power to execute and deliver this Agreement and, subject to
receipt of Shareholder Approval, to perform its obligations hereunder. All acts required to be
taken by the Company to enter into this Agreement and, subject to receipt of Shareholder Approval,
to carry out the transactions contemplated hereby have been properly taken, and this Agreement
constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable in accordance with
its terms and does not conflict with, result in a breach or violation of or constitute (or with
notice of lapse of time or both constitute) a default under any instrument, contract or other
agreement to which the Company or its subsidiaries is a party.

          (c) The affirmative vote of the holders of record of at least a majority of the shares of the
Company’s Common Stock cast at the Shareholder Meeting with respect to the matters referred to in
Section 1 hereof is the only vote of the holders of any class or series of the capital stock of the
Company required to approve the transactions contemplated hereby.

          (d) None of the Company’s Articles of Incorporation, as amended, or Bylaws, or the laws of
Florida, California or New York, contains any applicable anti-takeover provision or statute which
would restrict the Company’s ability to enter into this Agreement or consummate the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement or which would limit any of the Holder’s rights following
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

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          (e) No broker, finder or investment banker is entitled to any brokerage, finder’s or other fee
or commission in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement based upon
arrangements made by or on behalf of the Company.

          (f) The Company has delivered or made available to the Holder prior to the execution of this
Agreement true and complete copies of all periodic reports, registration statements and proxy
statements filed by it with the Commission since January 1, 2006. Each of such filings with the
Commission (collectively, the “SEC Filings”), as of its filing date, complied in all material
respects with the requirements of the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission with
respect thereto and did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements contained therein not misleading in light of the
circumstances in which such statements were made.

          (g) Since September 30, 2006, except as disclosed in the SEC Filings filed by the Company with
the Commission before the date of this Agreement, the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a
whole, has not suffered any material adverse change in its assets, liabilities, financial
condition, results of operations or business, except for those occurring as a result of general
economic or financial conditions affecting the United States as a whole or the region in which the
Company conducts its business or developments that are not unique to the Company but also affect
other entities engaged or participating in the brokerage industry generally in a manner not
materially less severely. For purposes of this section, revenues and operating results materially
consistent with the Company’s revenues and operating results for the quarter ended September 30,
2006, as reflected in the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September
30, 2006, shall not be deemed a material adverse change.

          (h) No information to be contained in the Proxy Statement to be prepared pursuant to this
Agreement and no representation or warranty by the Company contained in this Agreement contains any
untrue statement of a material fact or omits a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements contained herein or therein not misleading in light of the circumstances in which such
statements were made.

          (i) Since September 30, 2006 and except as disclosed in the SEC Filings filed by the Company
with the Commission before the date of this Agreement, the Company has conducted its business in
compliance in all material respects with all applicable laws, rules, regulations, court or
administrative orders and processes and rules, directives and orders of regulatory and
self-regulatory agencies and bodies, except as would not reasonably be expected, singly or in the
aggregate, to be materially adverse to the business, assets or financial condition of the Company.

     3. Representations and Warranties of the Holder. The Holder represents and warrants
to the Company as follows:

          (a) The Holder has full legal power to execute and deliver this Agreement

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and to perform its obligations hereunder. All acts required to be taken by the Holder to enter
into this Agreement and to carry out the transactions contemplated hereby have been properly taken;
and this Agreement constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Holder enforceable in
accordance with its terms.

          (b) The Holder has reviewed the filings of the Company referred to in Section 2(f) above.

          (c) The Holder has been given an opportunity to ask questions and receive answers from the
officers and directors of the Company and to obtain additional information from the Company.

          (d) The Holder has such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters as to be
capable of evaluating the merits and risks of an investment in the Company’s securities and has
obtained, in its judgment, sufficient information about the Company to evaluate the merits and
risks of an investment in the Company.

          (e) The Holder is relying solely on the representations and warranties contained in Section 2
hereof and in certificates delivered hereunder, as well as the SEC Filings, in making their
decision to enter into this Agreement and consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and no
oral representations or warranties of any kind have been made by the Company or its officers,
directors, employees or agents to the Holder.

          (f) No broker, finder or investment banker is entitled to any brokerage, finder’s or other fee
or commission in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement based upon
arrangements made by or on behalf of Holder.

     4. Conditions.

          (a) The obligations of the Company to consummate the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, including the Debt Exchange, shall be subject to the fulfillment of the following
conditions:

               (i) The representations and warranties of the Holder set forth in Section 3 hereof shall be
true and correct on and as of the Closing date and a certificate certifying such shall be
delivered.

               (ii) All proceedings, corporate or otherwise, to be taken by the Holder in connection with the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall have been duly and validly
taken and all necessary consents, approvals or authorizations of any governmental or regulatory
authority or other third party required to be obtained by the Company or the Holder shall have been
obtained in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Company.

               (iii) The Shareholder Approval shall be obtained by the necessary affirmative vote of the
shareholders of the Company as described above in Section 2(c).

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               (iv) The Holder shall have delivered to the Company for cancellation the Notes.

          (b) The obligation of the Holder to consummate the Debt Exchange shall be subject to the
fulfillment of the following conditions on or prior to the Closing Date:

               (i) The representations and warranties of the Company set forth in Section 2 hereof shall be
true and correct on and as of such date and a certificate certifying such shall be delivered.

               (ii) All proceedings, corporate or otherwise, required to be taken by the Company on or prior
to such date in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
shall have been duly and validly taken and all necessary consents, approvals or authorizations of
any governmental or regulatory authority or other third party required to be obtained by the
Company or the Holder on or prior to such date shall have been obtained in form and substance
reasonably satisfactory to the Holders.

               (iii) The Shareholder Approval shall be obtained by the necessary affirmative vote of the
shareholders of the Company as described above in Section 2(c).

               (iv) The Company shall have caused the Exchange Shares to be approved for listing on the
American Stock Exchange or any national securities exchange on which the Common Stock is then
listed.

               (v) The Holder shall have received a legal opinion of Graubard Miller, counsel to the Company,
addressed to the Holder dated as of such date covering such matters as is customary of transactions
of this nature and in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Holder.

               (vi) The Required Registration Statement (defined below) shall have been filed with the
Commission.

               (vii) All accrued interest on the Notes shall have been paid by the Company to the Holder.

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     5. Registration.

          (a)(i) The Company shall file a registration statement (the “Required Registration Statement”)
to register the Exchange Shares received by the Holder under this Agreement (collectively the
“Registrable Securities”) for resale pursuant to the Securities Act no later than 60 days after the
date hereof. The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Required
Registration Statement to be declared effective by the Commission as promptly as practicable.

               (ii) In connection the foregoing, the Company will, as expeditiously as possible, use its best
efforts to: (A) furnish to the Holder copies of reasonably complete drafts of all such documents
proposed to be filed (including exhibits), and the Holder shall have the opportunity to object to
any information pertaining solely to it that is contained therein and the Company will make the
corrections reasonably requested by either of them with respect to such information prior to filing
any such registration statement or amendment; (B) prepare and file with the Commission such
amendments and supplements to such registration statement and any prospectus used in connection
therewith as may be necessary to maintain the effectiveness of such registration statement and to
comply with the provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the disposition of all Registrable
Securities covered by such registration statement; (C) promptly notify the Holder: (1) when such
registration statement or any prospectus used in connection therewith, or any amendment or
supplement thereto, has been filed and, with respect to such registration statement or any
post-effective amendment thereto, when the same has become effective; (2) of any written comments
from the Commission with respect to any filing referred to in clause (A) and of any written request
by the Commission for amendments or supplements to such registration statement or prospectus; and
(3) of the notification to the Company by the Commission of its initiation of any proceeding with
respect to the issuance by the Commission of, or of the issuance by the Commission of, any stop
order suspending the effectiveness of such registration statement; (D) furnish the Holder such
number of copies of the prospectus contained in such registration statement (including each
preliminary prospectus and any summary prospectus) and any other prospectus filed under Rule 424
promulgated under the Securities Act relating to the Registrable Securities, and such other
documents, as Holder may reasonably request to facilitate the disposition of its Registrable
Securities; (E) notify the Holder at any time when a prospectus relating thereto is required to be
delivered under the Securities Act, of the happening of any event as a result of which any
prospectus included in such registration statement, as then in effect, includes an untrue statement
of a material fact or omits to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary
to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading, and at the request of the Holder promptly prepare and furnish such Holder a reasonable
number of copies of a supplement to or an amendment of such prospectus as may be necessary so that,
as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of such securities, such prospectus shall not include an
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading; and (F) make available for inspection by the Holder and any attorney,
accountant or other agent retained by any such

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seller or underwriter (collectively, the “Inspectors”), all financial and other records, pertinent
corporate documents and properties of the Company as shall be reasonably necessary to enable them
to exercise their due diligence responsibility, and cause the Company’s officers, directors and
employees to supply all information reasonably requested by any such Inspector in connection with
such registration statement, and permit the inspectors to participate in the preparation of such
registration statement and any prospectus contained therein and any amendment or supplement
thereto.

          (b) The Company shall bear all fees and expenses attendant to registering the Registrable
Securities, and shall bear all fees the Holder may incur in connection with its review and due
diligence of the Required Registration Statement, but the Holder shall pay any and all sales
commissions and the expenses of any legal counsel selected by it to represent it in connection with
the sale of the Registrable Securities. The Company shall use its best efforts to cause any
registration statement filed pursuant to this section to remain effective until all the Registrable
Securities registered thereunder are sold or until the delivery to the Holder of an opinion of
counsel to the Company to the effect set forth in Section 5(h).

          (c)(i) The Company will indemnify the Holder, its directors and officers and each underwriter,
if any, and each person who controls any of them within the meaning of the Securities Act or the
Exchange Act against all claims, losses, damages and liabilities (or actions or proceedings,
commenced or threatened, in respect thereof), joint or several, arising out of or based on any
untrue statement (or alleged untrue statement) of a material fact contained in any prospectus,
offering circular or other document (including any related registration statement, notification or
the like) incident to any registration, qualification or compliance pursuant to this Section 5 or
based on any omission (or alleged omission) to state therein a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or any violation by the Company
of the Securities Act or any rule or regulation thereunder applicable to the Company in connection
with any such registration, qualification or compliance, and will reimburse the Holder, its
directors and officers, each such underwriter and each person who controls any of them within the
meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act for any legal and any other expenses reasonably
incurred in connection with investigating and defending any such claim, loss, damage, liability or
action or proceeding; provided that the Company will not be liable to the Holder in any such case
to the extent that any such claim, loss, damage, liability or expense arises out of or is based on
any untrue statement or omission based upon written information furnished to the Company by or on
behalf of the Holder specifically stating that it is intended for inclusion in any registration
statement under which Registrable Securities are registered. Such indemnity shall remain in full
force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Holder or any such
director, officer or controlling person, and shall survive the transfer of such securities by the
Holder.

               (ii) Holder shall indemnify the Company, each of its directors and officers and each
underwriter, if any, of the Company’s securities covered by such registration statement, each
person who controls the Company or such underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act and
the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, each other

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securityholder participating in such distribution and each of their officers and directors and each
person controlling such other securityholder, against all claims, losses, damages and liabilities
(or actions or proceedings, commenced or threatened, in respect thereof) arising out of or based on
any untrue statement (or alleged untrue statement) of a material fact contained in any such
registration statement, prospectus, offering circular or other document, or any omission (or
alleged omission) to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein not misleading, and will reimburse the Company and such other security
holders, directors, officers, persons, underwriters or control persons for any legal or any other
expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigating or defending any such claim, loss,
damage, liability or action or proceeding, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that
such untrue statement (or alleged untrue statement) or omission (or alleged omission) is made in
such document in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company
by or on behalf of the Holder specifically stating that it is intended for inclusion in such
document; provided, however, that the obligations of the Holder hereunder shall be limited to an
amount equal to the proceeds received by the Holder of securities sold as contemplated herein. Such
indemnity shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on
behalf of the Company or any such director, officer or controlling person, and shall survive the
transfer of such securities by the Holder.

               (iii) Each party desiring indemnification or contribution under Section 5(c) and 5(d) hereof
(the “Securities Indemnified Party”) shall give notice to the party required to provide
indemnification or contribution (the “Securities Indemnifying Party”) promptly after such
Securities Indemnified Party has actual knowledge of any claim as to which indemnity or
contribution may be sought, and shall permit the Securities Indemnifying Party to assume, at its
sole cost and expense, the defense of any such claim or any litigation resulting therefrom,
provided that counsel for the Securities Indemnifying Party, who shall conduct the defense of such
claim or any litigation resulting therefrom, shall be approved by the Securities Indemnified Party
(whose approval shall not be unreasonably withheld). The Securities Indemnified Party may
participate in such defense at the Securities Indemnified Party’s expense unless (A) the employment
of counsel by the Securities Indemnified Party has been authorized in writing by the Securities
Indemnifying Party, (B) the Securities Indemnified Party has been advised by such counsel employed
by it that there are legal defenses available to it involving potential conflict with those of the
Securities Indemnifying Party (in which case the Securities Indemnifying Party will not have the
right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the Securities Indemnified Party), or (C)
the Securities Indemnifying Party has not in fact employed counsel to assume the defense of such
action within a reasonable time after receiving notice of the commencement of the action, in each
of which cases the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Securities Indemnified Party
shall be at the expense of the Securities Indemnifying Party. The failure of any Securities
Indemnified Party to give notice as provided herein shall not relieve the Securities Indemnifying
Party of its obligations under this Section 5. No Securities Indemnifying Party, in the defense of
any such claim or litigation, shall, except with the consent of each Securities Indemnified Party,
consent to entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement which does not include as an
unconditional term thereof the giving by the claimant or plaintiff to such Securities Indemnified
Party of a release from all liability in respect to such claim or

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litigation. No Securities Indemnified Party shall settle any claim or demand without the prior
written consent of the Securities Indemnifying Party (which consent will not be unreasonably
withheld). Each Securities Indemnified Party shall furnish such information regarding itself or
the claim in question as the Securities Indemnifying Party may reasonably request in writing and as
shall be reasonably required in connection with defense of such claim and litigation resulting
therefrom.

               (iv) The provisions of Section 5(c) and 5(d) shall be in addition to any other rights to
indemnification or contribution which an Indemnified Party may have pursuant to law, equity,
contract or otherwise.

          (d) In order to provide for just and equitable contribution under the Securities Act in any
case in which (A) any person entitled to indemnification under Section (c) makes a claim for
indemnification pursuant hereto but such indemnification is not enforced in such case
notwithstanding the fact that this section provides for indemnification in such case, or (B)
contribution under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise is required on the part of any
such person in circumstances for which indemnification is provided under this section, then, and in
each such case, the Company and the Holder shall contribute to the aggregate losses, liabilities,
claims, damages and expenses of the nature contemplated by said indemnity agreement (including
legal and other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigation or defense) incurred
by the Company and the Holder, as incurred, in proportion to their relative fault and the relative
knowledge and access to information of the Securities Indemnifying Party, on the one hand, and the
Securities Indemnified Party, on the other hand, concerning the matters resulting in such losses,
liabilities, claims, damages and expenses, the opportunity to correct and prevent any untrue
statement or omission, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the
omission or alleged omission of a material fact relates to information supplied by the Securities
Indemnifying Party, on the one hand, or the Securities Indemnified Party, on the other hand, and
any other equitable considerations appropriate under the circumstances; provided that no person
guilty of a fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act)
shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation. For purposes of this section, each person, if any, who controls the Company
within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act shall have the same rights to contribution
as the Company.

          (e) The Holder shall furnish to the Company such information regarding itself and the
distribution proposed by it as the Company may reasonably request in writing and as shall be
reasonably required in connection with any registration, qualification or compliance referred to in
this Section 5.

          (f) The Company shall comply with all of the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act and
with all other public information reporting requirements of the Commission, which are conditions to
the availability of Rule 144 for the sale of the Common Stock. The Company shall cooperate with the
Holder in supplying such information as may be necessary for the Holder to complete and file any
information reporting forms presently or hereafter required by the Commission as a condition to the
availability of Rule 144.

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          (g) The Company represents and warrants to the holders of Registrable Securities that the
granting of the registration rights to the Holder hereby does not and will not violate any
agreement between the Company and any other security holders with respect to registration rights
granted by the Company.

          (h) The rights granted under this Section 5 shall terminate upon delivery to the Holder of an
opinion of counsel to the Company reasonably satisfactory to the Holder to the effect that such
rights are no longer necessary for the public sale of the Registrable Securities without
restriction as to the number of securities that may be sold at any one time or the manner of sale.

          (i) The rights granted under this Section 5 shall not be transferable.

     6. Press Release; Filings. Promptly after execution of this Agreement, the Company shall
issue a press release announcing the Debt Exchange. The Company shall also file with the
Securities and Exchange Commission a Current Report on Form 8-K with respect to the transactions
contemplated hereby. The Company shall provide the Holder with drafts of both the press release
and Form 8-K and a reasonable opportunity to comment thereon. No party hereto shall make any
public announcements in respect of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated herein
inconsistent with the press release and Form 8-K without the prior approval of the other parties as
to the form and content thereof, which approval will not be unreasonably withheld. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, any disclosure may be made by a party which its counsel advises is required by
applicable law or regulation, in which case the other party shall be given such reasonable advance
notice as is practicable in the circumstances and the parties shall use their best efforts to cause
a mutually agreeable release or announcement to be issued. The parties may also make appropriate
disclosure of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement to their officers, directors, agents
and employees.

     7. Termination. This Agreement may be terminated no later than the Closing:

          (a) At the option of any party in the event that the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement have not occurred by June 30, 2007 and such delay was not as a result of any breach of
this Agreement by the terminating party;

          (b) By the Holder if the Company’s Board of Directors failed to recommend or withdrew or
modified in a manner adverse to the Holder its approval or recommendation of the Debt Exchange;

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          (c) At the option of any party in the event that Shareholder Approval was not obtained at the
Shareholder Meeting and any adjournment thereof;

          (d) At the option of any party if any other party has materially breached a term of this
Agreement and has not cured such breach within 30 days; or

          (e) At the option of any party if any competent regulatory authority shall have issued an
order making illegal or otherwise restricting, preventing, prohibiting or refusing to approve the
transactions contemplated hereby, and such order shall have become final and non-appealable.

8. Miscellaneous.

          (a) Section headings used in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and shall
not affect the construction of this Agreement.

          (b) This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by the different parties
on separate counterparts and each such counterpart shall be deemed to be an original, but all such
counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same agreement.

          (c) This Agreement shall be a contract made under and governed by the laws of the State of New
York.

          (d) All obligations of the Company and rights of the Holder expressed herein shall be in
addition to and not in limitation of those provided by applicable law.

          (e) The rights and obligations under this Agreement are not assignable. This Agreement shall
be binding upon the Company, the Holder and their respective successors and permitted assigns, and
shall inure to the benefit of the Company, the Holder and their respective successors and permitted
assigns.

          (f) The terms and provisions of this Agreement are intended solely for the benefit of each
party hereto and their respective successors or permitted assigns, and it is not the intention of
the parties to confer third-party beneficiary rights upon any other person or entity.

          (g) All amendments or modifications of this Agreement and all consents, waivers and notices
delivered hereunder or in connection herewith shall be in writing.

          (h) This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement among the parties with respect to the
subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and undertakings, both written and oral,
among the parties with respect thereto.

          (i) Whether or not the Closing occurs, the Company shall pay all costs and expenses, including
reasonable attorneys’ fees, incurred by it or the Holder with respect to the negotiation,
execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, including without limitation any expenses of
enforcing this provision and any expenses incurred in connection with any filings made by the
Holder with the Commission relating to this Agreement and any legal fees incurred by the Holder in
connection with its review of the Required Registration Statement; provided, however, that in the
event the Holder materially breaches its obligations hereunder, the Company shall no longer be
responsible to pay such costs and expenses and any payments previously made by the Company to the
Holder shall be reimbursed by the Holder. This provision shall survive termination of the
Agreement.

     9. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. EACH OF THE COMPANY AND THE HOLDER HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES
ALL RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING OR COUNTERCLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING
TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

     10. Specific Performance. The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that any remedy at
law for any breach of the provisions of this Agreement would be inadequate, and each party hereto
hereby consents to the granting by any court of an injunction or other equitable relief, without
the necessity of actual monetary loss being proved, in order that the breach or threatened breach
of such provisions may be effectively restrained.

12

 

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed by their duly
authorized representatives as of the date first above written.

	 	 	 	 	 
	 	LADENBURG THALMANN FINANCIAL

SERVICES INC.

 	 
	 	By:  	/s/ Diane Chillemi
 	 
	 	 	Name:  	Diane Chillemi 	 
	 	 	Title:  	Vice President and Chief Financial Officer 	 
	 
	 	NEW VALLEY LLC

 	 
	 	By:  	/s/ J. Bryant Kirkland III
 	 
	 	 	Name:  	J. Bryant Kirkland III 	 
	 	 	Title:  	Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer 	 
	 
	 	 	 
	 	                 /s/ Howard M. Lorber
 	 
	 	Howard M. Lorber 	 
	 	(solely with respect to Section 1(d) hereof) 	 
	 
	 	 	 
	 	                      /s/ Richard J. Lampen
 	 
	 	Richard J. Lampen 	 
	 	(solely with respect to Section 1(d) hereof) 	 
	 
	 	 	 
	 	                      /s/ Henry C. Beinstein
 	 
	 	Henry C. Beinstein 	 
	 	(solely with respect to Section 1(d) hereof) 	 
	 
	 	 	 
	 	                      /s/ Robert J. Eide
 	 
	 	Robert J. Eide 	 
	 	(solely with respect to Section 1(d) hereof) 	 
	 
	 	 	 
	 	                      /s/ Jeffrey S. Podell
 	 
	 	Jeffrey S. Podell 	 
	 	(solely with respect to Section 1(d) hereof) 	 
	 

13EX-10.1 Terms and Conditions/Stock Options

 

EXHIBIT 10.1

NON-QUALIFIED STOCK OPTIONS

ISSUED UNDER

RYDER SYSTEM, INC. 2005 EQUITY COMPENSATION PLAN

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

     The following terms and conditions apply to the non-qualified stock option (“Option”) granted
by Ryder System, Inc. (the “Company”) under the Ryder System, Inc. 2005 Equity Compensation Plan
(the “Plan”), as specified in the Stock Option Award Notification (the “Notification”), to which
these terms and conditions are appended. Certain terms of the Option, including the number of
Shares subject to the Option, the exercise price, the vesting schedule and the expiration date, are
set forth in the Notification. The terms and conditions contained herein may be amended by the
Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Committee”) as permitted by the
Plan. Capitalized terms used herein and not defined shall have the meaning ascribed to such terms
in the Plan or in the Notification.

	 	1.	 	General. The Option represents the right to purchase Shares on the terms and
conditions set forth herein and in the Plan, the applicable terms, conditions and other
provisions of which are incorporated by reference herein. A copy of the Plan and the
documents that constitute the “Prospectus” for the Plan under the Securities Act of
1933, have been delivered to the Participant prior to or along with delivery of the
Notification. In the event there is an express conflict between the provisions of the
Plan and those set forth in these terms and conditions, the terms and conditions of the
Plan shall govern.
	 
	 	2.	 	Exercisability of Option. Subject to Sections 4 and 5 below, the Option shall
vest and become exercisable pursuant to the vesting schedule set forth in the
Notification and shall remain exercisable until the expiration date set forth in the
Notification, or such other expiration date designated by the Committee pursuant to
Section 7 of the Plan (the “Expiration Date”).
	 
	 	3.	 	Exercise Procedures. The Option, to the extent exercisable, may be exercised by
delivering to the Company’s stock administrator notice of intent to exercise in the
manner designated by the stock administrator on behalf of the Company which may vary
based on the Participant’s position with the Company. Payment of the aggregate
exercise price and applicable withholding taxes shall be made in the manner designated
by the stock administrator on behalf of the Company.
	 
	 	4.	 	Termination of Option; Forfeiture. Notwithstanding the vesting and expiration
dates set forth in the Notification, the Option will terminate upon or following the
termination of the Participant’s employment with the Company and its Subsidiaries as
described below. For purposes of these terms and conditions, a Participant shall not
be deemed to have terminated his or her employment with the Company and its
Subsidiaries if he or she is then employed by the Company or another Subsidiary without
a break in service.

	 	(a)	 	Resignation by the Participant or Termination by the Company
or a Subsidiary other than for Cause: The unvested portion of the Option
will immediately terminate on the Participant’s last day of employment. The
vested portion of the Option will terminate at 12:01a.m. on the 91st day
following the Participant’s last day of employment (but not later than the
Expiration Date), provided that if the Participant dies during such 90 day
period, such portion of the Option will terminate no earlier than 12:01a.m. on
the first anniversary of the date of death (but not later than the Expiration
Date) and provided further that, if, upon such termination, the Participant is
entitled to severance benefits in the form of salary continuation, then the
vested portion of the Option will terminate at 12:01 a.m. on the 91st day
following the date that salary continuation is no longer payable to the
Participant (but not later than the Expiration Date).

	 	(b)	 	Retirement: The unvested portion of the Option will
immediately terminate on the

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	 	 	 	Participant’s Retirement date, and the vested
portion of the Option will terminate upon the Expiration Date.
	 
	 	(c)	 	Death: The unvested portion of the Option will
immediately terminate on the date of death, and the vested portion of the Option
will expire upon the Expiration Date. Following the Participant’s death, the
right to exercise such vested portion will pass to the Participant’s
Beneficiary.
	 
	 	(d)	 	Disability: The unvested portion of the Option that
would otherwise have become vested during the 3 years following Disability will
continue to vest as scheduled. The vested portion of the Option, including the
portion that becomes vested pursuant to the preceding sentence, will expire upon
the Expiration Date.
	 
	 	(e)	 	Termination for Cause: The entire Option, including the
vested portion, will terminate immediately upon the Participant’s termination of
employment. To the extent the Participant exercised any portion of the Option
during the one year period immediately prior to the date of such termination of
employment for Cause, the Company shall have the right to reclaim and receive
from the Participant all Shares delivered to the Participant upon such exercise,
or to the extent the Participant has transferred such Shares, the equivalent
value thereof in cash, and in each case upon receipt thereof, the Company shall
return the exercise price paid by the Participant.
	 
	 	(f)	 	Proscribed Activity: If, during the Proscribed Period
but prior to a Change in Control, the Participant engages in a Proscribed
Activity, then any portion of the Option still outstanding shall terminate and
the Company shall have the right to reclaim and receive from the Participant all
Shares delivered to the Participant upon the exercise of the Option during the
one year period immediately prior to, or at any time following, the date of the
Participant’s termination of employment, or to the extent the Participant has
transferred such Shares, the equivalent value thereof in cash, and in each case
upon receipt thereof, the Company shall return the exercise price paid by the
Participant.

	 	5.	 	Change in Control. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary,
unless otherwise determined by the Committee prior to a Change in Control, the Option
will become fully vested and exercisable immediately prior to a Change in Control, and,
to the extent the Option is not cancelled upon such Change in Control pursuant to
Section 7 of the Plan, it shall remain outstanding until the Expiration Date, but
subject to earlier termination under the circumstances described in Section 4(e) and
(f) above. For purposes of this Section 5, the term Option shall refer only to those
Options that are outstanding at the time of the Change in Control and not to any
unvested Options that are terminated pursuant to Section 4 above, provided that, if (i)
the Participant’s employment was terminated by the Company other than for Cause or
Disability during the 12 month period prior to the Change in Control, (ii) during such
12 month period, the Participant does not engage in a Proscribed Activity, and (iii)
the Committee determines, in its sole and absolute discretion, that the decision
related to such termination was made in contemplation of the Change in Control, the
Participant shall be treated as if he or she had remained employed with the Company
until the date of the Change in Control.
	 
	 	6.	 	U.S. Withholding Taxes. The Option will be treated as a non-qualified stock
option, and therefore will be treated as wages and subject to withholding taxes and
reporting. The Option may not be exercised unless the Participant makes arrangements
satisfactory to the Company to ensure that its withholding tax obligations will be
satisfied. This Section 6 shall only apply with respect to the Company’s U.S.
withholding obligations. The Company may satisfy any tax obligations it may have
in any other jurisdiction in any manner it deems, in its sole and absolute
discretion, to be necessary or appropriate.

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	 	7.	 	Definitions.

	 	(a)	 	“Cause” shall have the meaning set forth in any individual,
valid, written agreement between the Participant and the Company or any
Subsidiary, or, if none exists, shall mean a determination of “Cause” under any
applicable Severance Plan, as in effect on the date of grant of the Option.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, unless otherwise set forth in any individual,
valid, written agreement between the Participant and the Company or any
Subsidiary, during the one year period following a Change in Control, in no
event shall a failure to meet performance expectations constitute Cause unless
such failure was willful.
	 
	 	(b)	 	“Change in Control” occurs when:

	 	(i)	 	any individual, entity or group (within the meaning
of Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended (the “1934 Act”)) (a “Person”) becomes the beneficial owner,
directly or indirectly, of thirty percent (30%) or more of the combined
voting power of the Company’s outstanding voting securities ordinarily
having the right to vote for the election of directors of the Company;
provided, however, that for purposes of this subparagraph (i), the
following acquisitions shall not constitute a Change of Control: (A) any
acquisition by any employee benefit plan or plans (or related trust) of
the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates or (B) any acquisition by
any corporation pursuant to a transaction which complies with clauses
(A), (B) and (C) of subparagraph (iii) below; or
	 
	 	(ii)	 	the individuals who, as of January 1, 2007,
constituted the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board” generally
and as of January 1, 2007 the “Incumbent Board”) cease for any reason
to constitute at least a majority of the Board, provided that any person
becoming a director subsequent to January 1, 2007 whose election, or
nomination for election, was approved by a vote of the persons comprising
at least a majority of the Incumbent Board (other than an election or
nomination of an individual whose initial assumption of office is in
connection with an actual or threatened election contest, as such terms
are used in Rule 14a-11 of Regulation 14A promulgated under the 1934 Act)
shall be, for purposes of this Plan, considered as though such person
were a member of the Incumbent Board; or
	 
	 	(iii)	 	there is a reorganization, merger or consolidation
of the Company (a “Business Combination”), in each case, unless,
following such Business Combination, (A) all or substantially all of the
individuals and entities who were the beneficial owners, respectively, of
the Company’s outstanding Shares and outstanding voting securities
ordinarily having the right to vote for the election of directors of the
Company immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially own,
directly or indirectly, more than fifty percent (50%) of, respectively,
the then outstanding shares of common stock and the combined voting power
of the then outstanding voting securities ordinarily having the right to
vote for the election of directors, as the case may be, of the
corporation resulting from such Business Combination (including, without
limitation, a corporation which as a result of such transaction owns the
Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets either
directly or through one or more subsidiaries) in substantially the same
proportions as their ownership, immediately prior to such Business
Combination, of the Company’s outstanding Shares and outstanding voting
securities ordinarily
having the right to vote for the election of directors of the Company,
as the case may be, (B) no Person (excluding any corporation resulting
from such Business 

-3-

 

	 	 	 	Combination or any employee benefit plan or plans
(or related trust) of the Company or such corporation resulting from
such Business Combination and their subsidiaries and affiliates)
beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 30% or more of the combined
voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of the
corporation resulting from such Business Combination and (C) at least a
majority of the members of the board of directors of the corporation
resulting from such Business Combination were members of the incumbent
Board at the time of the execution of the initial agreement, or of the
action of the Board, providing for such Business Combination; or
	 
	 	(iv)	 	there is a liquidation or dissolution of the
Company approved by the shareholders; or
	 
	 	(v)	 	there is a sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company.

	 	(c)	 	“Disability” means an illness or injury that entitles the
Participant to long-term disability payments under the Company’s Long Term
Disability Plan, as in effect from time to time.
	 
	 	(d)	 	“Proscribed Activity” means any of the following:

	 	(i)	 	the Participant’s breach or violation of (A) any
written agreement between the Participant and the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, including any agreement relating to nondisclosure,
noncompetition, nonsoliciation and/or nondisparagement, or (B) any legal
obligation it may have to the Company;
	 
	 	(ii)	 	the Participant’s direct or indirect unauthorized
use or disclosure of confidential information or trade secrets of the
Company or any Subsidiary, including, but not limited to, such matters as
costs, profits, markets, sales, products, product lines, key personnel,
pricing policies, operational methods, customers, customer requirements,
suppliers, plans for future developments, and other business affairs and
methods and other information not readily available to the public;
	 
	 	(iii)	 	the Participant’s direct or indirect engaging or
becoming a partner, director, officer, principal, employee, consultant,
investor, creditor or stockholder in/for any business, proprietorship,
association, firm or corporation not owned or controlled by the Company
or its Subsidiaries which is engaged or proposes to engage in a business
competitive directly or indirectly with the business conducted by the
Company or its Subsidiaries in any geographic area where such business of
the Company or its Subsidiaries is conducted, provided that the
Participant’s investment in one percent (1%) or less of the outstanding
capital stock of any corporation whose stock is listed on a national
securities exchange shall not be treated as a Proscribed Activity;
	 
	 	(iv)	 	the Participant’s direct or indirect, either on the
Participant’s own account or for any person, firm or company, soliciting,
interfering with or inducing, or attempting to induce, any employee of
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to leave his or her employment or
to breach his or her employment agreement;
	 
	 	(v)	 	the Participant’s direct or indirect taking away,
interfering with relations with, diverting or attempting to divert from
the Company or any Subsidiary any business
with any customer of the Company or any Subsidiary, including (A) any
customer that has been solicited or serviced by the Company within one
(1) year prior to the date of termination of Participant’s employment
with the Company and (B) 

-4-

 

	 	 	 	any customer with which the Participant has
had contact or association, or which was under the supervision of
Participant, or the identity of which was learned by the Participant as
a result of Participant’s employment with the Company;
	 
	 	(vi)	 	the Participant’s making of any remarks disparaging
the conduct or character of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or
their current or former agents, employees, officers, directors,
successors or assigns; or
	 
	 	(vii)	 	the Participant’s failure to cooperate with the
Company or any Subsidiary, for no additional compensation (other than
reimbursement of expenses), in any litigation or administrative
proceedings involving any matters with which the Participant was involved
during the Participant’s employment with the Company or any Subsidiary.

	 	(e)	 	“Proscribed Period” means the period beginning on the date of
termination of Participant’s employment and ending on the later of (A) the one
year anniversary of such termination date or (B) if the Participant is entitled
to severance benefits in the form of salary continuation, the date on which
salary continuation is no longer payable to the Participant.
	 
	 	(f)	 	“Retirement” means retirement under the provisions of the Ryder
System, Inc. Retirement Plan, or any successor pension plan maintained by the
Company, in each case as in effect from time to time.

	 	8.	 	Other Benefits. No amount accrued or paid under this Award shall be deemed
compensation for purposes of computing a Participant’s benefits under any retirement
plan of the Company or its Subsidiaries, nor affect any benefits under any other
benefit plan now or subsequently in effect under which the availability or amount of
benefits is related to the Participant’s level of compensation.

-5-

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