Document:

employmentagmnt.htm -- Converted by SEC Publisher, created by BCL Technologies Inc., for SEC Filing

Exhibit 10.2                        

	
 

CHANGE OF CONTROL EMPLOYMENT

AGREEMENT

     AGREEMENT, dated as of the 30th day of November, 2007 (this “Agreement”), by and between Journal Register Company, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and James W. Hall (the “Executive”).

     WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”), has determined that it is in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders to assure that the Company will have the continued dedication of the Executive, notwithstanding the possibility, threat or occurrence of a Change of Control (as defined herein). The Board believes it is imperative to diminish the inevitable distraction of the Executive by virtue of the personal uncertainties and risks created by a pending or threatened Change of Control and to encourage the Executive’s full attention and dedication to the Company in the event of any threatened or pending Change of Control, and to provide the Executive with compensation and benefits arrangements upon a Change of Control that ensure that the compensation and benefits expectations of the Executive will be satisfied and that provide the Executive with compensation and benefits arrangements that are competitive with those of other corporations. Therefore, in order to accomplish these objectives, the Board has caused the Company to enter into this Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY AGREED AS FOLLOWS:

     Section 1. Certain Definitions. (a) “Affiliated Company” means any company controlled by, controlling or under common control with the Company.

(b) “Change of Control” means:

     (1) The acquisition by 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 “Exchange Act”)) (a “Person”), of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of 20% or more of either (A) the then-outstanding shares of common stock of the Company (the “Outstanding Company Common Stock”) or (B) the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (the “Outstanding Company Voting Securities”); provided, that, for purposes of this Section 1(b), the following acquisitions shall not constitute a Change of Control: (i) any acquisition directly from the Company, (ii) any acquisition by the Company, (iii) any acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any Affiliated Company, or (iv) any acquisition by any corporation pursuant to a transaction that complies with Sections 1(b)(3)(A), 1(b)(3)(B) and 1(b)(3)(C);

     (2) Individuals who, as of the date hereof, constitute the Board (the “Incumbent Board”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board; provided, that any individual becoming a director subsequent to the date hereof whose election, or nomination for election by the Company’s shareholders,

was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then comprising the Incumbent Board shall be considered as though such individual were a member of the Incumbent Board, but excluding, for this purpose, any such individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of an actual or threatened election contest with respect to the election or removal of directors or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a Person other than the Board;

     (3) Consummation of a reorganization, merger, statutory share exchange or consolidation or similar corporate transaction involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries, a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or the acquisition of assets or stock of another entity by the Company or any of its subsidiaries (each, a “Business Combination”), in each case unless, following such Business Combination, (A) all or substantially all of the individuals and entities that were the beneficial owners of the Outstanding Company Common Stock and the Outstanding Company Voting Securities immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 60% of the then-outstanding shares of common stock and the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, as the case may be, of the corporation resulting from such Business Combination (including, without limitation, a corporation that, 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 Outstanding Company Common Stock and the Outstanding Company Voting Securities, as the case may be, (B) no Person (excluding any corporation resulting from such Business Combination or any employee benefit plan (or related trust) of the Company or such corporation resulting from such Business Combination) beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 20% or more of, respectively, the then-outstanding shares of common stock of the corporation resulting from such Business Combination or the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities of such corporation, except to the extent that such ownership existed prior to the 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 

     (4) Approval by the shareholders of the Company of a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

     (c) “Change of Control Period” means the period commencing on the date hereof and ending on the third anniversary of the date hereof; provided, however, that, commencing on the date one year after the date hereof, and on each annual anniversary of such date (such date and each annual anniversary thereof, the “Renewal Date”), unless previously terminated, the Change of Control Period shall be automatically extended so as to terminate three

2

years from such Renewal Date, unless, at least 60 days prior to the Renewal Date, the Company shall give notice to the Executive that the Change of Control Period shall not be so extended. 

     (d) “Effective Date” means the first date during the Change of Control Period on which a Change of Control occurs. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, if a Change of Control occurs and if the Executive’s employment with the Company is terminated prior to the date on which the Change of Control occurs, and if it is reasonably demonstrated by the Executive that such termination of employment (1) was at the request of a third party that has taken steps reasonably calculated to effect a Change of Control or (2) otherwise arose in connection with or anticipation of a Change of Control, then “Effective Date” shall mean the date immediately prior to the date of such termination of employment.

     Section 2. Employment Period. The Company hereby agrees to continue the Executive in its employ, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, for the period commencing on the Effective Date and ending on the second anniversary of the Effective Date (the “Employment Period”); provided, however, that the Employment Period shall terminate upon the Executive’s termination of employment for any reason, as provided for in this Agreement; and provided, further, that in any event the Employment Period shall end on the Executive’s 65th birthday.

     Section 3. Terms of Employment. (a) Position and Duties. (1) During the Employment Period, (A) the Executive’s position (including status, offices, titles and reporting requirements), authority, duties and responsibilities shall be at least commensurate in all material respects with the most significant of those held, exercised and assigned at any time during the 120-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date, and (B) the Executive’s services shall be performed at the office where the Executive was employed immediately preceding the Effective Date or at any other location less than 35 miles from such office.

     (2) During the Employment Period, and excluding any periods of vacation and sick leave to which the Executive is entitled, the Executive shall devote the Executive’s full attention and time during normal business hours to the business and affairs of the Company and, to the extent necessary to discharge the responsibilities assigned to the Executive hereunder, to use the Executive’s best efforts to perform faithfully and efficiently such responsibilities. It shall not be a violation of this Agreement for the Executive, during the Employment Period, to serve on corporate, civic or charitable boards or committees, deliver lectures, fulfill speaking engagements or teach at educational institutions and manage personal investments, so long as such activities do not significantly interfere with the performance of the Executive’s responsibilities as an employee of the Company in accordance with this Agreement. It is expressly understood and agreed that, to the extent that any such activities have been conducted by the Executive prior to the Effective Date, the continued conduct of such activities (or the conduct of activities similar in nature and scope thereto) subsequent to the Effective Date shall not thereafter be deemed to interfere with the performance of the Executive’s responsibilities to the Company.

3

     (b) Compensation. (1) Base Salary. During the Employment Period, the Executive shall receive a base salary (the “Base Salary”) at an annual rate at least equal to 12 times the highest monthly base salary paid or payable, including any base salary that has been earned but deferred, to the Executive by the Affiliated Companies in respect of the 12-month period immediately preceding the month in which the Effective Date occurs. The Base Salary shall be paid at such intervals as the Company pays executive salaries generally. During the Employment Period, the Base Salary shall be reviewed at least annually for possible increase effective as of each January 1 during the Employment Period. Any increase in the Base Salary shall not serve to limit or reduce any other obligation to the Executive under this Agreement. The Base Salary shall not be reduced after any such increase and the term “Base Salary” shall refer to the Base Salary as so increased.

     (2) Annual Bonus. In addition to the Base Salary, the Executive shall be entitled to earn, for each fiscal year ending during the Employment Period, an annual bonus (the “Annual Bonus”) based on the achievement of performance criteria as determined by the Board or an appropriate committee thereof, and with the target amount of the Annual Bonus being not less than the target amount in effect immediately prior to the Effective Date. Any Annual Bonus that is so earned shall be paid no later than two and a half months after the end of the fiscal year for which the Annual Bonus is awarded, unless the Executive shall elect to defer the receipt of such Annual Bonus.

     (3) Incentive, Savings and Retirement Plans. During the Employment Period, the Executive shall be entitled to participate in all cash incentive, equity incentive, savings and retirement plans, practices, policies, and programs applicable generally to other senior executives of the Company; provided, that such incentive plans, practices, policies shall provide the Executive with compensation opportunities at least comparable to those provided to the Executive immediately before the Effective Date.

     (4) Welfare Benefit Plans. During the Employment Period, the Executive and/or the Executive’s family, as the case may be, shall be eligible for participation in and shall receive all benefits under welfare benefit plans, practices, policies and programs provided by the Company (including, without limitation, medical, prescription, dental, disability, employee life, group life, accidental death and travel accident insurance plans and programs) to the extent applicable generally to other senior executives of the Company; provided, that such plans, practices, policies, and programs shall provide the Executive with aggregate benefits at least comparable to those provided to the Executive immediately before the Effective Date.

     (5) Expenses. During the Employment Period, the Executive shall be entitled to receive prompt reimbursement for all reasonable expenses incurred by the Executive in accordance with the policies, practices and procedures of the Company in effect generally at any time after the Effective Date with respect to senior executives of the Company; provided, that such policies, practices and 

4

procedures shall be no less favorable than those applicable to the Executive immediately prior to the Effective Date.

     (6) Fringe Benefits. During the Employment Period, the Executive shall be entitled to fringe benefits which are comparable in the aggregate to those provided generally at any time after the Effective Date to other senior executives of the Company; provided, that such benefits shall be at least comparable to those provided to the Executive immediately before the Effective Date.

     (7) Office and Support Staff. During the Employment Period, the Executive shall be entitled to an office or offices of a size and with furnishings and other appointments, and to exclusive personal secretarial and other assistance, at least equal to the most favorable of the foregoing provided generally at any time after the Effective Date with respect to other senior executives of the Company; provided, that such benefits shall be at least comparable to those provided to the Executive immediately before the Effective Date.

     (8) Vacation. During the Employment Period, the Executive shall be entitled to paid vacation in accordance with the most favorable plans, policies, programs and practices of the Company and the Affiliated Companies as in effect generally at any time after the Effective Date with respect to other senior executives of the Company; provided, that in no event shall the terms governing the Executive’s vacation entitlement be less favorable to the Executive than those in effect immediately prior to the Effective Date.

     Section 4. Termination of Employment. (a) Death or Disability. The Executive’s employment shall terminate automatically if the Executive dies during the Employment Period. If the Company determines in good faith that the Disability (as defined herein) of the Executive has occurred during the Employment Period (pursuant to the definition of “Disability”), it may give to the Executive written notice in accordance with Section 11(b) of its intention to terminate the Executive’s employment. In such event, the Executive’s employment with the Company shall terminate effective on the 30th day after receipt of such notice by the Executive (the “Disability Effective Date”), provided, that within the 30 days after such receipt, the Executive shall not have returned to full-time performance of the Executive’s duties. “Disability” means the absence of the Executive from the Executive’s duties with the Company on a full-time basis for 180 consecutive business days as a result of incapacity due to mental or physical illness that is determined to be total and permanent by a physician selected by the Company or its insurers and acceptable to the Executive or the Executive’s legal representative.

     (b) By the Company Without Cause or For Cause. The Company may terminate the Executive’s employment during the Employment Period for Cause or without Cause. “Cause” means:

     (1) the willful and continued failure of the Executive to perform substantially the Executive’s duties hereunder (as contemplated by Section 3(a)(1)(A)) (other than any such failure resulting from incapacity due to physical

5

or mental illness or following the Executive’s delivery of a Notice of Termination for Good Reason), after a written demand for substantial performance is delivered to the Executive by the Board or the Chief Executive Officer of the Company that specifically identifies the manner in which the Board or the Chief Executive Officer of the Company believes that the Executive has not substantially performed the Executive’s duties; or

     (2) the willful engaging by the Executive in illegal conduct or gross misconduct that is materially and demonstrably injurious to the Company.

For purposes of this Section 4(b), no act, or failure to act, on the part of the Executive shall be considered “willful” unless it is done, or omitted to be done, by the Executive in bad faith or without reasonable belief that the Executive’s action or omission was in the best interests of the Company. Any act, or failure to act, based upon authority given pursuant to a resolution duly adopted by the Board or upon the instructions of the Chief Executive Officer of the Company or based upon the advice of counsel for the Company shall be conclusively presumed to be done, or omitted to be done, by the Executive in good faith and in the best interests of the Company. The cessation of employment of the Executive shall not be deemed to be for Cause unless and until there shall have been delivered to the Executive a copy of a resolution duly adopted by the affirmative vote of not less than three-quarters of the entire membership of the Board (excluding the Executive, if the Executive is a member of the Board) at a meeting of the Board called and held for such purpose (after reasonable notice is provided to the Executive and the Executive is given an opportunity, together with counsel for the Executive, to be heard before the Board), finding that, in the good faith opinion of the Board, the Executive is guilty of the conduct described in Section 4(b)(1) or 4(b)(2), and specifying the particulars thereof in detail.

     (c) Good Reason. The Executive’s employment may be terminated by the Executive for Good Reason or by the Executive voluntarily without Good Reason. “Good Reason” means:

     (1) the assignment to the Executive of any duties inconsistent in any respect with the Executive’s position (including status, offices, titles and reporting requirements), authority, duties or responsibilities as contemplated by Section 3(a), or any other diminution in such position, authority, duties or responsibilities (including without limitation as a result of the Company’s ceasing to be a publicly traded entity as a result of a Change of Control), excluding for this purpose an isolated, insubstantial and inadvertent action not taken in bad faith and that is remedied by the Company promptly after receipt of notice thereof given by the Executive;

     (2) any failure by the Company to comply with any of the terms of this Agreement, excluding for this purpose an isolated, insubstantial and inadvertent failure not occurring in bad faith and that is remedied by the Company promptly after receipt of notice thereof given by the Executive;

     (3) any purported termination by the Company of the Executive’s employment otherwise than as expressly permitted by this Agreement; or

6

     (4) any failure by the Company to comply with and satisfy Section 10(c).

The Executive’s mental or physical incapacity following the occurrence of an event described above in clauses (1) through (4) shall not affect the Executive’s ability to terminate employment for Good Reason.

     (d) Notice of Termination. Any termination by the Company without Cause or for Cause, or by the Executive without Good Reason or for Good Reason, shall be communicated by Notice of Termination to the other party hereto given in accordance with Section 11(b). “Notice of Termination” means a written notice that (1) indicates the specific termination provision in this Agreement relied upon, (2) to the extent applicable, sets forth in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances claimed to provide a basis for termination of the Executive’s employment under the provision so indicated, and (3) if the Date of Termination (as defined herein) is other than the date of receipt of such notice, specifies the Date of Termination (which Date of Termination shall be not more than 30 days after the giving of such notice, except as provided in clause (3) of Section 4(e) below). The failure by the Executive or the Company to set forth in the Notice of Termination any fact or circumstance that contributes to a showing of Good Reason or Cause shall not waive any right of the Executive or the Company, respectively, hereunder or preclude the Executive or the Company, respectively, from asserting such fact or circumstance in enforcing the Executive’s or the Company’s respective rights hereunder.

     (e) Date of Termination. “Date of Termination” means (1) if the Executive’s employment is terminated by reason of the Executive’s death, the date of death, (2) if the Executive’s employment is terminated by reason of Disability, the Disability Effective Date, and (3) if the Executive’s employment is terminated under other circumstances, the date the Notice of Termination is given or any later date specified in the Notice of Termination (which date shall not be more than 30 days after the giving of such notice).

     (f) Effect of Expiration of Employment Period. Section 5 below shall not be applicable to the termination of the Executive’s employment upon or after the expiration of the Employment Period in accordance with Section 2 above as a result of the Executive’s attainment of age 65.

     Section 5. Obligations of the Company upon Termination during the Employment Period. (a) Good Reason; Other Than for Cause, Death or Disability. If, during the Employment Period, the Company terminates the Executive’s employment other than for Cause or Disability or the Executive terminates employment for Good Reason:

     (1) the Company shall pay to the Executive, in a lump sum in cash within 30 days after the Date of Termination, the aggregate of the following amounts:

     (A) the sum of (i) the Executive’s Base Salary through the Date of Termination to the extent not theretofore paid, (ii) the product of (x) the average of the Annual Bonuses earned by the Executive for each of the last three full fiscal years prior to the Date of Termination (the “Average 

7

Annual Bonus”) (provided that in the event that the Date of Termination occurs in 2008, such average shall be deemed to equal $300,000 and the Average Annual Bonus for purposes of this Agreement shall be deemed to equal $300,000) and (y) a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of days in the current fiscal year through the Date of Termination and the denominator of which is 365, and (iii) any accrued vacation pay, in each case, to the extent not theretofore paid (the sum of the amounts described in subclauses (i), (ii) and (iii), the “Accrued Obligations”); and

     (B) the amount equal to the product of (i) two and (ii) the sum of (x) the annual rate of the Base Salary, and (y) the Average Annual Bonus;

     (2) for two years after the Executive’s Date of Termination, or such longer period as may be provided by the terms of the appropriate plan, program, practice or policy, the Company shall continue benefits to the Executive and/or the Executive’s family at least equal to those that would have been provided to them in accordance with the plans, programs, practices and policies described in Section 3(b)(4) if the Executive’s employment had not been terminated, provided, that, if the Executive becomes reemployed with another employer and is eligible to receive such benefits under another employer provided plan, the medical and other welfare benefits described herein shall be secondary to those provided under such other plan during such applicable period of eligibility; and

     (3) to the extent not theretofore paid or provided, the Company shall timely pay or provide to the Executive any amounts that are vested benefits or that the Executive is otherwise entitled to receive under any plan, policy, practice or program of or any other contract or agreement with the Company or the Affiliated Companies at or subsequent to the Date of Termination (“Other Benefits”) in accordance with such plan, policy, practice or program or contract or agreement.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 5(a), to the extent required in order to comply with Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), amounts and benefits to be paid or provided under this Section 5(a) shall be paid (with interest on any delayed payment at the applicable federal rate provided for in Section 7872(f)(2)(A) of the Code) or provided to the Executive on the first business day after the date that is six months following the Date of Termination.

     (b) Other Terminations. If the Executive’s employment is terminated by the Company during the Employment Period for any reason other than those set forth in Section 5(a), the Company shall pay the Executive any unpaid Base Salary through the Date of Termination within 30 days of the Date of Termination, shall timely pay or provide any Other Benefits, and shall have no severance obligations under this Agreement.

     Section 6. Coordination with Other Severance Arrangements. If the Executive receives payments and benefits pursuant to Section 5(a) of this Agreement, the Executive shall not be entitled to any severance pay or benefits under any severance plan, 

8

program or policy of the Company and the Affiliated Companies, unless otherwise specifically provided therein in a specific reference to this Agreement.

     Section 7. Full Settlement. The Company’s obligation to make the payments provided for in this Agreement and otherwise to perform its
obligations hereunder shall not be affected by any set-off, counterclaim, recoupment, defense, or other claim, right or action that the Company may have against the Executive or others. In no event shall the Executive be obligated to seek other
employment or take any other action by way of mitigation of the amounts payable to the Executive under any of the provisions of this Agreement, and such amounts shall not be reduced whether or not the Executive obtains other employment.

     Section 8. Reduction of Payments under Certain
Circumstances. (a) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in the event that a nationally recognized accounting firm designated by the Company (the
“Accounting Firm”) shall determine that receipt of all payments, benefits or distributions by the Affiliated Companies in the nature of compensation to or for the Executive’s benefit, whether paid or payable pursuant to this Agreement
or otherwise (a “Payment”) would subject the Executive to the excise tax under Section 4999 of the Code, the Accounting Firm shall determine whether to reduce any of the Payments paid or payable pursuant to this Agreement that are taxable
in the year in which the change in ownership or control occurs (the “Agreement Payments”) to the Reduced Amount (as defined below). The Agreement Payments shall be reduced to the Reduced Amount only if the Accounting Firm determines that
the Executive would have a greater Net After-Tax Receipt (as defined below) of aggregate Payments if the Executive’s Agreement Payments were reduced to the Reduced Amount. If such a determination is not made by the Accounting Firm, the
Executive shall receive all Agreement Payments to which the Executive is entitled under this Agreement.

     (b) If the Accounting Firm determines that aggregate Agreement Payments should be reduced to the Reduced Amount, the Company shall promptly give the Executive
notice to that effect and a copy of the detailed calculation thereof, and the Executive may then elect, in the Executive’s sole discretion, which and how much of the Agreement Payments shall be eliminated or reduced (as long as after such
election the present value (determined in accordance with Sections 280G(b)(2)(A)(ii) and 280G(d)(4) of Code) of the aggregate Agreement Payments equals the Reduced Amount), and shall advise the Company in writing of the Executive’s election
within ten days of the Executive’s receipt of notice. If no such election is made by the Executive within such ten-day period, the Company may elect which of such Agreement Payments shall be eliminated or reduced (as long as after such election
the present value of the aggregate Agreement Payments equals the Reduced Amount) and shall notify the Executive promptly of such election. All determinations made by the Accounting Firm under this Section 8 shall be binding upon the Company and the
Executive and shall be made within 60 days of a termination of the Executive’s employment. As promptly as practicable following such determination, the Company shall pay to or distribute for the Executive’s benefit such Agreement Payments
as are then due to the Executive under this Agreement and shall promptly pay to or distribute for the Executive’s benefit in the future such Agreement Payments as become due to the Executive under this Agreement. All fees and expenses of the
Accounting Firm shall be borne solely by the Company.

9

     (c) As a result of the uncertainty in the application of Sections 280G and 4999 of the Code at the time of the initial determination by the Accounting Firm
hereunder, it is possible that amounts will have been paid or distributed by the Company to or for the benefit of the Executive pursuant to this Agreement which should not have been so paid or distributed (“Overpayment”) or that additional
amounts which will have not been paid or distributed by the Company to or for the benefit of the Executive pursuant to this Agreement could have been so paid or distributed (“Underpayment”), in each case, consistent with the calculation of
the Reduced Amount hereunder. In the event that the Accounting Firm, based upon the assertion of a deficiency by the Internal Revenue Service against either the Company or the Executive which the Accounting Firm believes has a high probability of
success determines that an Overpayment has been made, the Executive shall pay any such Overpayment to the Company together with interest at the applicable federal rate provided for in Section 7872(f)(2) of the Code. In the event that the Accounting
Firm, based upon controlling precedent or substantial authority, determines that an Underpayment has occurred, any such Underpayment shall be promptly paid by the Company to or for the benefit of the Executive together with interest at the
applicable federal rate provided for in Section 7872(f)(2) of the Code.

     (d) For purposes hereof, the following terms have the following meanings: (i) “Reduced Amount” shall mean the greatest amount of Agreement Payments
that can be paid that would not result in the imposition of the excise tax under Section 4999 of the Code if the Accounting Firm determines to reduce Agreement Payments pursuant to Section 8(a), and (ii) “Net After-Tax Receipt” shall mean
the present value (as determined in accordance with Sections 280G(b)(2)(A)(ii) and 280G(d)(4) of the Code) of a Payment net of all taxes imposed on the Executive with respect thereto under Sections 1 and 4999 of the Code and under applicable state
and local laws, determined by applying the highest marginal rate under Section 1 of the Code and under state and local laws which applied to the Executive’s taxable income for the immediately preceding taxable year, or such other rate(s) as the
Executive certifies, in the Executive’s sole discretion, as likely to apply to him in the relevant tax year(s).

     Section 9. Confidentiality. The Executive shall hold in a fiduciary capacity for the benefit of the Company all secret or confidential information,
knowledge or data relating to the Company or the Affiliated Companies, and their respective businesses, which information, knowledge or data shall have been obtained by the Executive during the Executive’s employment by the Company or the
Affiliated Companies and which information, knowledge or data shall not be or become public knowledge (other than by acts by the Executive or representatives of the Executive in violation of this Agreement). After termination of the Executive’s
employment with the Company, the Executive shall not, without the prior written consent of the Company or as may otherwise be required by law or legal process, communicate or divulge any such information, knowledge or data to anyone other than the
Company and those persons designated by the Company. In no event shall an asserted violation of the provisions of this Section 9 constitute a basis for deferring or withholding any amounts otherwise payable to the Executive under this
Agreement.

     Section 10. Successors. (a) This Agreement is personal to the Executive, and, without the prior written consent of the Company, shall not be
assignable by the Executive other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the Executive’s legal representatives.

10

     (b) This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Company and its successors and assigns. Except as provided in Section 10(c), without the prior written consent of the Executive this Agreement shall not be assignable by the Company.

     (c) The Company will require any successor (whether direct or indirect, by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company to assume expressly and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform it if no such succession had taken place. “Company” means the Company as hereinbefore defined and any successor to its business and/or assets as aforesaid that assumes and agrees to perform this Agreement by operation of law or otherwise.

     Section 11. Miscellaneous. (a) This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without reference to principles of conflict of laws. The captions of this Agreement are not part of the provisions hereof and shall have no force or effect. This Agreement may not be amended or modified other than by a written agreement executed by the parties hereto or their respective successors and legal representatives.

     (b) All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be given by hand delivery to the other party or by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed as follows:

if to the Executive:         At the home address for the Executive then shown in the Company’s records 

if to the Company: 

790 Township Line Road 

Yardley, PA 19067 

Attention: General Counsel

or to such other address as either party shall have furnished to the other in writing in accordance herewith. Notice and communications shall be effective when actually received by the addressee.

     (c) The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision of this Agreement.

     (d) The Company may withhold from any amounts payable under this Agreement such United States federal, state or local or foreign taxes as shall be required to be withheld pursuant to any applicable law or regulation.

     (e) The Executive’s or the Company’s failure to insist upon strict compliance with any provision of this Agreement or the failure to assert any right the Executive or the Company may have hereunder, including, without limitation, the right of the Executive to terminate employment for Good Reason pursuant to Sections 4(c)(1) through 4(c)(4), shall not be deemed to be a waiver of such provision or right or any other provision or right of this Agreement.

11

     (f) If any compensation or benefits provided by this Agreement may result in the application of Section 409A of the Code, the Company shall, in consultation
with the Executive, modify the Agreement in the least restrictive manner necessary in order to exclude such compensation from the definition of “deferred compensation” within the meaning of such Section 409A or in order to otherwise comply
with the provisions of Section 409A, other applicable provisions of the Code and/or any rules, regulations or other regulatory guidance issued under such statutory provisions and without any diminution in the value of the payments to the
Executive.

12

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Executive has hereunto set the Executive’s hand and, pursuant to the authorization from the Board, the Company has caused these presents to be executed in its name on its behalf, all as of the day and year first above written.

	JOURNAL REGISTER COMPANY  
	  
	  
	  
	By  _______________________________
	       Name:  
	       Title:  
	_______________________________
	  James W. Hall                  
	                        

13Spartan Motors Exhibit 10.1 to Form 8-K - 12/04/07

EXHIBIT 10.1

EXECUTION COPY

SPARTAN MOTORS, INC.

              

NOTE PURCHASE AND PRIVATE SHELF AGREEMENT

              

$10,000,000

4.93% SERIES A SENIOR NOTES DUE NOVEMBER 30, 2010

and

$40,000,000

PRIVATE SHELF FACILITY

Dated as of November 30, 2007

TABLE OF CONTENTS

(Not Part of Agreement)

	
 
	
 
	
Page

	
 
	
 
	
 

	
1.
	
AUTHORIZATION OF ISSUE OF NOTES
	
1

	
 
	
 
	
 

	
 
	
1A.
	
Authorization of Issue of Series A Notes
	
1

	 	
1B.
	
Authorization of Issue of Shelf Notes
	
2

	
 
	
 
	
 

	
2.
	
PURCHASE AND SALE OF NOTES
	
2

	
 
	
 
	
 

	
 
	
2A.
	
Purchase and Sale of Series A Notes
	
2

	 	
2B.
	
Purchase and Sale of Shelf Notes
	
2

	
 
	
 
	
 

	
3.
	
CONDITIONS OF CLOSING
	
6

	 	 	 
	 	
3A.
	
Certain Documents
	
6

	 	
3B.
	
Opinion of Prudential's Special Counsel
	
8

	 	
3C.
	
Opinion of Company's and Guarantors' Counsel
	
8

	 	
3D.
	
Representations and Warranties; No Default; Satisfaction of Conditions
	
9

	 	
3E.
	
Purchase Permitted by Applicable Laws
	
9

	 	
3F.
	
Amendments to Existing Credit Facilities
	
9

	 	
3G.
	
Payment of Fees
	
9

	 	
3H.
	
Fees and Expenses
	
10

	 	
3I.
	
Proceedings
	
10

	
 
	
 
	
 

	
4.
	
PREPAYMENTS
	
10

	 	 	 
	 	
4A.
	
Required Prepayments
	
10

	 	
4B.
	
Optional Prepayment With Yield-Maintenance Amount
	
10

	 	
4C.
	
Notice of Optional Prepayment
	
10

	 	
4D.
	
Application of Prepayments
	
11

	 	
4E.
	
Offer to Prepay Notes in the Event of a Change of Control
	
11

	 	
4F.
	
No Acquisition of Notes
	
12

	
 
	
 
	
 

	
5.
	
AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS
	
12

	 	 	 
	 	
5A.
	
Financial Statements
	
12

	 	
5B.
	
Information Required by Rule 144A
	
14

	 	
5C.
	
Inspection of Property
	
14

	 	
5D.
	
Covenant to Secure Notes Equally
	
14

	 	
5E.
	
Compliance with Law
	
14

	 	
5F.
	
Maintenance of Insurance
	
15

	 	
5G.
	
Maintenance of Properties
	
15

	 	
5H.
	
Payment of Taxes
	
15

	 	
5I.
	
Corporate Existence
	
15

	 	
5J.
	
Lines of Business
	
15

	 	
5K.
	
Subsequent Guarantors
	
15

-i-

TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

	
 
	
 
	
Page

	
 
	
 
	
 

	
6.
	
NEGATIVE COVENANTS
	
16

	 	 	 
	 	
6A.
	
Financial Covenants
	
16

	 	
6A(1).
	
Tangible Net Worth
	
16

	 	
6A(2).
	
Funded Debt Ratio
	
16

	 	
6A(3).
	
Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio
	
16

	 	
6B.
	
Indebtedness
	
16

	 	
6C.
	
Liens
	
17

	 	
6D.
	
Merger; Acquisitions; Etc
	
18

	 	
6E.
	
Disposition of Assets; Etc
	
19

	 	
6F.
	
Nature of Business
	
19

	 	
6G.
	
Investments, Loans and Advances
	
20

	 	
6H.
	
Related Party Transactions
	
20

	 	
6I.
	
Negative Pledge Limitation
	
20

	 	
6J.
	
Inconsistent Agreements
	
20

	 	
6K.
	
Accounting Changes
	
20

	 	
6L.
	
Most Favored Lender Status
	
20

	 	
6M.
	
Subsidiary Restrictions
	
21

	 	
6N.
	
Terrorism Sanctions Regulations
	
21

	
 
	
 
	
 

	
7.
	
EVENTS OF DEFAULT
	
21

	 	 	 
	 	
7A.
	
Acceleration
	
21

	 	
7B.
	
Rescission of Acceleration
	
24

	 	
7C.
	
Notice of Acceleration or Rescission
	
25

	 	
7D.
	
Other Remedies
	
25

	
 
	
 
	
 

	
8.
	
REPRESENTATIONS, COVENANTS AND WARRANTIES
	
25

	 	 	 
	 	
8A(1).
	
Organization; Subsidiary Preferred Equity
	
25

	 	
8A(2).
	
Power and Authority
	
25

	 	
8B.
	
Financial Statements
	
26

	 	
8C.
	
Actions Pending
	
26

	 	
8D.
	
Outstanding Indebtedness
	
27

	 	
8E.
	
Title to Properties
	
27

	 	
8F.
	
Taxes
	
27

	 	
8G.
	
Conflicting Agreements and Other Matters
	
27

	 	
8H.
	
Offering of Notes
	
28

	 	
8I.
	
Use of Proceeds
	
28

	 	
8J.
	
ERISA
	
28

	 	
8K.
	
Governmental Consent
	
29

	 	
8L.
	
Compliance with Environmental and Other Laws
	
29

	 	
8M.
	
Regulatory Status
	
29

-ii-

TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

	
 
	
 
	
Page

	
 
	
 
	
 

	 	
8N.
	
Permits and Other Operating Rights
	
29

	 	
8O.
	
Rule 144A
	
29

	 	
8P.
	
Absence of Financing Statements, etc.
	
30

	 	
8Q.
	
Foreign Assets Control Regulations, Etc.
	
30

	 	
8R.
	
Disclosure
	
30

	 	
8S.
	
Existing Credit Facilities
	
30

	 	
8T.
	
Hostile Tender Offers
	
31

	
 
	
 
	
 

	
9.
	
REPRESENTATIONS OF EACH PURCHASER
	
31

	 	 	 
	 	
9A.
	
Nature of Purchase
	
31

	 	
9B.
	
Source of Funds
	
31

	
 
	
 
	
 

	
10.
	
DEFINITIONS; ACCOUNTING MATTERS
	
33

	 	 	 
	 	
10A.
	
Yield-Maintenance Terms
	
33

	 	
10B.
	
Other Terms
	
34

	 	
10C.
	
Accounting and Legal Principles, Terms and Determinations
	
44

	
 
	
 
	
 

	
11.
	
MISCELLANEOUS
	
44

	 	 	 
	 	
11A.
	
Note Payments
	
44

	 	
11B.
	
Expenses
	
45

	 	
11C.
	
Consent to Amendments
	
46

	 	
11D.
	
Form, Registration, Transfer and Exchange of Notes; Lost Notes
	
47

	 	
11E.
	
Persons Deemed Owners; Participations
	
47

	 	
11F.
	
Survival of Representations and Warranties; Entire Agreement
	
47

	 	
11G.
	
Successors and Assigns
	
48

	 	
11H.
	
Independence of Covenants
	
48

	 	
11I.
	
Notices
	
48

	 	
11J.
	
Payments Due on Non-Business Days
	
49

	 	
11K.
	
Satisfaction Requirement
	
49

	 	
11L.
	
GOVERNING LAW
	
49

	 	
11M
	
SUBMISSION TO JURISDICTION; WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL
	
49

	 	
11N.
	
Severability
	
50

	 	
11O.
	
Descriptive Headings; Advice of Counsel; Interpretation; Time of the

Essence
	

50

	 	
11P.
	
Counterparts; Facsimile or Electronic Signatures
	
50

	 	
11Q.
	
Severalty of Obligations
	
50

	 	
11R.
	
Independent Investigation
	
51

	 	
11S.
	
Directly or Indirectly
	
51

	 	
11T.
	
Binding Agreement
	
51

-iii-

EXHIBITS AND SCHEDULES

PURCHASER SCHEDULE

INFORMATION SCHEDULE

	
EXHIBIT A-1
	
--
	
FORM OF SERIES A NOTE

	
EXHIBIT A-2
	
--
	
FORM OF SHELF NOTE

	
EXHIBIT B
	
--
	
FORM OF DISBURSEMENT DIRECTION LETTER

	
EXHIBIT C
	
--
	
FORM OF REQUEST FOR PURCHASE

	
EXHIBIT D
	
--
	
FORM OF CONFIRMATION OF ACCEPTANCE

	
EXHIBIT E-1
	
--
	
FORM OF GUARANTY AGREEMENT

	
EXHIBIT E-2
	
--
	
FORM OF CONFIRMATION OF GUARANTY

	
EXHIBIT F-1
	
--
	
FORM OF OPINION OF COMPANY'S AND GUARANTORS'

COUNSEL (SERIES A NOTES)

	
EXHIBIT F-2
	
--
	
FORM OF OPINION OF COMPANY 'S AND GUARANTORS'

COUNSEL (SHELF NOTES)

	
SCHEDULE 6B
	
--
	
EXISTING INDEBTEDNESS

	
SCHEDULE 6B-2
	
--
	
OTHER EXISTING INDEBTEDNESS

	
SCHEDULE 6C
	
--
	
EXISTING LIENS

	
SCHEDULE 8A(1)
	
--
	
SUBSIDIARIES

	
SCHEDULE 8G
	
--
	
AGREEMENTS RESTRICTING INDEBTEDNESS

-iv-

SPARTAN MOTORS, INC.

1165 Reynolds Road

Charlotte, Michigan 48813

	 	
As of November 30, 2007

Prudential Investment Management, Inc. ("Prudential")

Each of the Purchasers named in

   the Purchaser Schedule attached

   hereto as purchasers of Series A Notes

   (the "Initial Purchasers")

Each other Prudential Affiliate (as hereinafter

   defined) which becomes bound by certain

   provisions of this Agreement as hereinafter

   provided

c/o Prudential Capital Group

Two Prudential Plaza, Suite 5600

Chicago, Illinois 60601

Ladies and Gentlemen:

                    The undersigned, Spartan Motors, Inc., a Michigan corporation (herein called the "Company"), hereby agrees with you as set forth below. Reference is made to paragraph 10 hereof for definitions of capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein.

          1.          AUTHORIZATION OF ISSUE OF NOTES.

          1A.          Authorization of Issue of Series A Notes. The Company will authorize the issue of its senior promissory notes (the "Series A Notes") in the aggregate principal amount of $10,000,000, to be dated the date of issue thereof, to mature November 30, 2010, to bear interest on the unpaid balance thereof from the date thereof until the principal thereof shall have become due and payable at the rate of 4.93% per annum (provided that, during any period when an Event of Default shall be in existence, at the election of the Required Holder(s) of the Series A Notes the outstanding principal balance of the Series A Notes shall bear interest from and after the date of such Event of Default and until such Event of Default ceases to be in existence at the rate per annum from time to time equal to the Default Rate) and on overdue payments at the rate per annum from time to time equal to the Default Rate, and to be substantially in the form of Exhibit A-1 attached hereto. The terms "Series A Note" and "Series A Notes" as used herein shall include each Series A Note delivered pursuant to any provision of this Agreement and each Series A Note delivered in substitution or exchange for any other Series A Note pursuant to any such provision.

          1B.          Authorization of Issue of Shelf Notes. The Company will authorize the issue of its additional senior promissory notes (the "Shelf Notes") in the aggregate principal amount of $40,000,000, to be dated the date of issue thereof, to mature, in the case of each Shelf Note so issued, no more than ten years after the date of original issuance thereof, to have an average life, in the case of each Shelf Note so issued, of no more than seven years after the date of original issuance thereof, to bear interest on the unpaid balance thereof from the date thereof at the rate per annum, and to have such other particular terms, as shall be set forth, in the case of each Shelf Note so issued, in the Confirmation of Acceptance with respect to such Shelf Note delivered pursuant to paragraph 2B(5), and to be substantially in the form of Exhibit A-2 attached hereto. The terms "Shelf Note" and "Shelf Notes" as used herein shall include each Shelf Note delivered pursuant to any provision of this Agreement and each Shelf Note delivered in substitution or exchange for any such Shelf Note pursuant to any such provision. The terms "Note" and "Notes" as used herein shall include each Series A Note and each Shelf Note. Notes which have (i) the same final maturity, (ii) the same principal prepayment dates, (iii) the same principal prepayment amounts (as a percentage of the original principal amount of each Note), (iv) the same interest rate, (v) the same interest payment periods and (vi) the same date of issuance (which, in the case of a Note issued in exchange for another Note, shall be deemed for these purposes the date on which such Note's ultimate predecessor Note was issued), are herein called a "Series" of Notes.

          2.          PURCHASE AND SALE OF NOTES.

          2A.          Purchase and Sale of Series A Notes. The Company hereby agrees to sell to each Initial Purchaser and, subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, each Initial Purchaser agrees to purchase from the Company the aggregate principal amount of Series A Notes set forth opposite such Initial Purchaser's name on the Purchaser Schedule attached hereto at 100% of such aggregate principal amount. On November 30, 2007 (herein called the "Series A Closing Day"), the Company will deliver to each Initial Purchaser at the offices of Schiff Hardin LLP, at 6600 Sears Tower, Chicago, Illinois, 60606, one or more Series A Notes registered in such Initial Purchaser's name (or, if specified in the Purchaser Schedule, in the name of the nominee(s) for such Initial Purchaser specified in the Purchaser Schedule), evidencing the aggregate principal amount of Series A Notes to be purchased by such Initial Purchaser and in the denomination or denominations specified with respect to such Initial Purchaser in the Purchaser Schedule attached hereto, against payment of the purchase price thereof by transfer of immediately available funds for credit to the account or accounts as shall be specified in a letter on the Company's letterhead, in substantially the form of Exhibit B attached hereto, from the Company to the Initial Purchasers delivered prior to the Series A Closing Day.

          2B.          Purchase and Sale of Shelf Notes.

          2B(1).          Facility. Prudential is willing to consider, in its sole discretion and within limits which may be authorized for purchase by Prudential Affiliates from time to time, the purchase of Shelf Notes pursuant to this Agreement. The willingness of Prudential to consider such purchase of Shelf Notes is herein called the "Facility". At any time, the aggregate principal amount of Shelf Notes stated in paragraph 1B, minus the aggregate principal amount of Shelf Notes purchased and sold pursuant to this Agreement prior to such time, minus the aggregate principal

2

amount of Accepted Notes (as hereinafter defined) which have not yet been purchased and sold hereunder prior to such time, is herein called the "Available Facility Amount" at such time. NOTWITHSTANDING THE WILLINGNESS OF PRUDENTIAL TO CONSIDER PURCHASES OF SHELF NOTES BY PRUDENTIAL AFFILIATES, THIS AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO ON THE EXPRESS UNDERSTANDING THAT NEITHER PRUDENTIAL NOR ANY PRUDENTIAL AFFILIATE SHALL BE OBLIGATED TO MAKE OR ACCEPT OFFERS TO PURCHASE SHELF NOTES, OR TO QUOTE RATES, SPREADS OR OTHER TERMS WITH RESPECT TO SPECIFIC PURCHASES OF SHELF NOTES, AND THE FACILITY SHALL IN NO WAY BE CONSTRUED AS A COMMITMENT BY PRUDENTIAL OR ANY PRUDENTIAL AFFILIATE.

          2B(2).          Issuance Period. Shelf Notes may be issued and sold pursuant to this Agreement until the earlier of (i) the third anniversary of the date of this Agreement (or if the date of such anniversary is not a Business Day, the Business Day next preceding such anniversary), (ii) the 30th day after Prudential shall have given to the Company, or the Company shall have given to Prudential, a written notice stating that it elects to terminate the issuance and sale of Shelf Notes pursuant to this Agreement (or if such 30th day is not a Business Day, the Business Day next preceding such 30th day), (iii) the last Closing Day after which there is no Available Facility Amount, (iv) the termination of the Facility under paragraph 7A of this Agreement, and (v) the acceleration of any Note under paragraph 7A of this Agreement. The period during which Shelf Notes may be issued and sold pursuant to this Agreement is herein called the "Issuance Period".

          2B(3).          Request for Purchase. The Company may from time to time during the Issuance Period make requests for purchases of Shelf Notes (each such request being herein called a "Request for Purchase"). Each Request for Purchase shall be made to Prudential by facsimile transmission or overnight delivery service, and shall (i) specify the aggregate principal amount of Shelf Notes covered thereby, which shall not be less than $5,000,000 and not be greater than the Available Facility Amount at the time such Request for Purchase is made, (ii) specify the principal amounts, final maturities (which shall be no more than ten years from the date of issuance), average life (which shall be no more than seven years from the date of issuance), principal prepayment dates (if any) and amounts and interest payment periods (quarterly or semi-annually in arrears) of the Shelf Notes covered thereby, (iii) specify the use of proceeds of such Shelf Notes, (iv) specify the proposed day for the closing of the purchase and sale of such Shelf Notes, which shall be a Business Day during the Issuance Period not less than 10 days and not more than 25 days after the making of such Request for Purchase, (v) specify the number of the account and the name and address of the depository institution to which the purchase prices of such Shelf Notes are to be transferred on the Closing Day for such purchase and sale, (vi) certify that the representations and warranties contained in paragraph 8 are true on and as of the date of such Request for Purchase and that there exists on the date of such Request for Purchase no Event of Default or Default, and (vii) be substantially in the form of Exhibit C attached hereto. Each Request for Purchase shall be in writing and shall be deemed made when received by Prudential.

          2B(4).          Rate Quotes. Not later than five Business Days after the Company shall have given Prudential a Request for Purchase pursuant to paragraph 2B(3), Prudential may, but shall be under no obligation to, provide to the Company by telephone or facsimile transmission, in

3

each case between 9:30 A.M. and 1:30 P.M. New York City local time (or such later time as Prudential may elect) interest rate quotes for the several principal amounts, maturities, principal prepayment schedules and interest payment periods of Shelf Notes specified in such Request for Purchase. Each quote shall represent the interest rate per annum payable on the outstanding principal balance of such Shelf Notes at which a Prudential Affiliate or Affiliates would be willing to purchase such Shelf Notes at 100% of the principal amount thereof.

          2B(5).          Acceptance. Within the Acceptance Window with respect to any interest rate quotes provided pursuant to paragraph 2B(4), the Company may, subject to paragraph 2B(6), elect to accept such interest rate quotes as to not less than $5,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Shelf Notes specified in the related Request for Purchase. Such election shall be made by an Authorized Officer of the Company notifying Prudential by telephone or facsimile transmission within the Acceptance Window that the Company elects to accept such interest rate quotes, specifying the Shelf Notes (each such Shelf Note being herein called an "Accepted Note") as to which such acceptance (herein called an "Acceptance") relates. The day the Company notifies Prudential of an Acceptance with respect to any Accepted Notes is herein called the "Acceptance Day" for such Accepted Notes. Any interest rate quotes as to which Prudential does not receive an Acceptance within the Acceptance Window shall expire, and no purchase or sale of Shelf Notes hereunder shall be made based on such expired interest rate quotes. Subject to paragraph 2B(6) and the other terms and conditions hereof, the Company agrees to sell to a Prudential Affiliate or Affiliates, and Prudential agrees to cause the purchase by a Prudential Affiliate or Affiliates of, the Accepted Notes at 100% of the principal amount of such Notes. As soon as practicable following the Acceptance Day, the Company and each Prudential Affiliate which is to purchase any such Accepted Notes will execute a confirmation of such Acceptance substantially in the form of Exhibit D attached hereto (herein called a "Confirmation of Acceptance"). If the Company should fail to execute and return to Prudential within three Business Days following the Company's receipt thereof a Confirmation of Acceptance with respect to any Accepted Notes, Prudential or any Prudential Affiliate may at its election at any time prior to Prudential's receipt thereof cancel the closing with respect to such Accepted Notes by so notifying the Company in writing.

          2B(6).          Market Disruption. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 2B(5), if Prudential shall have provided interest rate quotes pursuant to paragraph 2B(4) and thereafter prior to the time an Acceptance with respect to such quotes shall have been notified to Prudential in accordance with paragraph 2B(5) the domestic market for U.S. Treasury securities or other financial instruments shall have closed or there shall have occurred a general suspension, material limitation, or significant disruption of trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange or in the domestic market for U.S. Treasury securities or other financial instruments, then such interest rate quotes shall expire, and no purchase or sale of Shelf Notes hereunder shall be made based on such expired interest rate quotes. If the Company thereafter notifies Prudential of the Acceptance of any such interest rate quotes, such Acceptance shall be ineffective for all purposes of this Agreement, and Prudential shall promptly notify the Company that the provisions of this paragraph 2B(6) are applicable with respect to such Acceptance.

          2B(7).          Facility Closings. Not later than 11:30 A.M. (New York City local time) on the Closing Day for any Accepted Notes, the Company will deliver to each Purchaser listed in the Confirmation of Acceptance relating thereto at the offices of Prudential Capital Group, 180

4

North Stetson Street, Suite 5600, Chicago, Illinois 60601, Attention: Law Department, or at such other place as Prudential may have directed, the Accepted Notes to be purchased by such Purchaser in the form of one or more Notes in authorized denominations as such Purchaser may request for each Series of Accepted Notes to be purchased on the Closing Day, dated the Closing Day and registered in such Purchaser's name (or in the name of its nominee), against payment of the purchase price thereof by transfer of immediately available funds for credit to the Company's account specified in the Request for Purchase of such Notes. If the Company fails to tender to any Purchaser the Accepted Notes to be purchased by such Purchaser on the scheduled Closing Day for such Accepted Notes as provided above in this paragraph 2B(7), or any of the conditions specified in paragraph 3 shall not have been fulfilled by the time required on such scheduled Closing Day, the Company shall, prior to 1:00 P.M., New York City local time, on such scheduled Closing Day notify Prudential (which notification shall be deemed received by each Purchaser) in writing whether (i) such closing is to be rescheduled (such rescheduled date to be a Business Day during the Issuance Period not less than one Business Day and not more than 10 Business Days after such scheduled Closing Day (the "Rescheduled Closing Day")) and certify to Prudential (which certification shall be for the benefit of each Purchaser) that the Company reasonably believes that it will be able to comply with the conditions set forth in paragraph 3 on such Rescheduled Closing Day and that the Company will pay the Delayed Delivery Fee in accordance with paragraph 2B(8)(iii) or (ii) such closing is to be canceled. In the event that the Company shall fail to give such notice referred to in the preceding sentence, Prudential (on behalf of each Purchaser) may at its election, at any time after 1:00 P.M., New York City local time, on such scheduled Closing Day, notify the Company in writing that such closing is to be canceled. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary appearing in this Agreement, the Company may not elect to reschedule a closing with respect to any given Accepted Notes on more than one occasion, unless Prudential shall have otherwise consented in writing.

          2B(8).          Fees.

          2B(8)(i).          Structuring Fee. [Intentionally omitted.]

          2B(8)(ii).          Issuance Fee. The Company will pay to each Purchaser in immediately available funds a fee (herein called the "Issuance Fee") on each Closing Day in an amount equal to 0.10% of the aggregate principal amount of Shelf Notes sold to such Purchaser on such Closing Day.

          2B(8)(iii).          Delayed Delivery Fee. If the closing of the purchase and sale of any Accepted Note is delayed for any reason beyond the original Closing Day for such Accepted Note, the Company will pay to the Purchaser which shall have agreed to purchase such Accepted Note (a) on the Cancellation Date or actual closing date of such purchase and sale and (b) if earlier, the next Business Day following 90 days after the Acceptance Day for such Accepted Note and on each Business Day following 90 days after the prior payment hereunder, a fee (herein called the "Delayed Delivery Fee") calculated as follows:

(BEY - MMY) X DTS/360 X PA

where "BEY" means Bond Equivalent Yield, i.e., the bond equivalent yield per annum of such Accepted Note; "MMY" means Money Market Yield, i.e., the yield per annum on a commercial

5

paper investment of the highest quality selected by Prudential and having a maturity date or dates the same as, or closest to, the Rescheduled Closing Day or Rescheduled Closing Days for such Accepted Note (a new alternative investment being selected by Prudential each time such closing is delayed); "DTS" means Days to Settlement, i.e., the number of actual days elapsed from and including the original Closing Day for such Accepted Note (in the case of the first such payment with respect to such Accepted Note) or from and including the date of the next preceding payment (in the case of any subsequent Delayed Delivery Fee payment with respect to such Accepted Note) to but excluding the date of such payment; and "PA" means Principal Amount, i.e., the principal amount of the Accepted Note for which such calculation is being made. In no case shall the Delayed Delivery Fee be less than zero. Nothing contained herein shall obligate any Purchaser to purchase any Accepted Note on any day other than the Closing Day for such Accepted Note, as the same may be rescheduled from time to time in compliance with paragraph 2B(7).

          2B(8)(iv).          Cancellation Fee. If the Company at any time notifies Prudential in writing that the Company is canceling the closing of the purchase and sale of any Accepted Note, or if Prudential notifies the Company in writing under the circumstances set forth in the last sentence of paragraph 2B(5) or the penultimate sentence of paragraph 2B(7) that the closing of the purchase and sale of such Accepted Note is to be canceled, or if the closing of the purchase and sale of such Accepted Note is not consummated on or prior to the last day of the Issuance Period (the date of any such notification or the last day of the Issuance Period, as the case may be, being herein called the "Cancellation Date"), the Company will pay to the Purchaser which shall have agreed to purchase such Accepted Note in immediately available funds an amount (the "Cancellation Fee") calculated as follows:

PI X PA

where "PI" means Price Increase, i.e., the quotient (expressed in decimals) obtained by dividing (a) the excess of the ask price (as determined by Prudential) of the Hedge Treasury Note(s) on the Cancellation Date over the bid price (as determined by Prudential) of the Hedge Treasury Notes(s) on the Acceptance Day for such Accepted Note by (b) such bid price; and "PA" has the meaning ascribed to it in paragraph 2B(8)(iii). The foregoing bid and ask prices shall be as reported by TradeWeb LLC (or, if such data for any reason ceases to be available through TradeWeb LLC, any publicly available source of similar market data). Each price shall be based on a U.S. Treasury security having a part value of $100.00 and shall be rounded to the second decimal place. In no case shall the Cancellation Fee be less than zero.

          3.          CONDITIONS OF CLOSING. Each Purchaser's obligation to purchase and pay for the Notes to be purchased by such Purchaser hereunder on any Closing Day is subject to the satisfaction, on or before such Closing Day, of the following conditions:

          3A.          Certain Documents. Such Purchaser shall have received original counterparts or, if satisfactory to such Purchaser, certified or other copies of all of the following, each duly executed and delivered by the party or parties thereto, in form and substance satisfactory to such Purchaser dated the date of the applicable Closing Day unless otherwise indicated, and, on the applicable Closing Day, in full force and effect with no event having occurred and being then

6

continuing that would constitute a default thereunder or constitute or provide the basis for the termination thereof:

          (i)          The Note(s) to be purchased by such Purchaser on such Closing Day in the form of Exhibit A-1 or Exhibit A-2 hereto, as applicable;

          (ii)          (a) a Guaranty Agreement in favor of the holders of the Notes in the form of Exhibit E-1 hereto (together with any other guaranty pursuant to which the Notes are guarantied and which is entered into as contemplated hereby or by any other Transaction Document, as the same may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the provisions thereof, collectively called the "Guaranty Agreements" and individually called a "Guaranty Agreement"), made by each Person which is, on such Closing Day, obligated under a Guarantee with respect to any Indebtedness of the Company and is not then a party to a Guaranty Agreement, together with an Officer's Certificate certifying as to all Persons which are then obligated under a Guarantee with respect to any Indebtedness of the Company and (b) with respect to any Closing Day other than the Series A Closing Day, a Confirmation of Guaranty made by each Guarantor as of such Closing Day in the form of Exhibit E-2 hereto (collectively, the "Confirmation of Guaranty");

          (iii)          a Secretary's Certificate signed by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary and one other officer of the Company and each Guarantor certifying, among other things, (a) as to the names, titles and true signatures of the officers of the Company or such Guarantor, as the case may be, authorized to sign the Notes being delivered on such Closing Day and the other documents to be delivered in connection with this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents to which the Company or such Guarantor, as the case may be, is a party, (b) that attached thereto is a true, accurate and complete copy of the certificate of incorporation or other formation documents of the Company or such Guarantor, as the case may be, certified by the Secretary of State of the state of organization of the Company or such Guarantor, as the case may be, as of a recent date, (c) that attached thereto is a true, accurate and complete copy of the by-laws, operating agreement or other organizational documents of the Company or such Guarantor, as the case may be, which were duly adopted and are in effect as of such Closing Day and have been in effect immediately prior to and at all times since the adoption of the resolutions referred to in clause (d), below, (d) that attached thereto is a true, accurate and complete copy of the resolutions of the board of directors or other managing body of the Company or such Guarantor, as the case may be, duly adopted at a meeting or by unanimous written consent of such board of directors or other managing body, authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the Notes or other Transaction Documents to which the Company or such Guarantor, as the case may be, is a party, being delivered on such Closing Day and the other documents to be delivered in connection with this Agreement and such other Transaction Documents to which the Company or such Guarantor, as the case may be, is a party, and that such resolutions have not been amended, modified, revoked or rescinded, and are in full force and effect and are the only resolutions of the shareholders, partners or members of the Company or such Guarantor, as the case may be, or of such board of directors or other managing body or any committee thereof relating to the subject matter thereof, (e) this Agreement, the

7

Notes and the other Transaction Documents being delivered on such Closing Day and the other documents to be delivered in connection with this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents executed and delivered to such Purchaser by the Company or such Guarantor, as the case may be, are in the form approved by its board of directors or other managing body in the resolutions referred to in clause (d), above and (f) that no dissolution or liquidation proceedings as to the Company or any Subsidiary have been commenced or are contemplated; provided, however, that with respect to any Closing Day subsequent to the Series A Closing Day, if none of the matters certified to in the certificate delivered by the Company or any Guarantor under this clause (ii) on any prior Closing Day have changed and the resolutions referred to in sub-clause (d) of this clause (ii) authorize the execution and delivery of the Notes being delivered on such subsequent Closing Day, then the Company or such Guarantor, as the case may be, may, in lieu of the certificate described above, deliver a Secretary's Certificate signed by its Secretary or Assistant Secretary certifying that there have been no changes to the matters certified to in the certificate delivered by the Company delivered on such prior Closing Day under this clause (ii);

          (iv)          a certificate of corporate or other type of entity and tax good standing for the Company and each of its Subsidiaries from the Secretary of State of the state of organization of the Company and each such Subsidiary and of each state in which the Company or any such Subsidiary is required to be qualified to transact business as a foreign organization, in each case dated as of a recent date;

          (v)          certified copies of Requests for Information or Copies (Form UCC-11) or equivalent reports listing all effective financing statements which name the Company or any Subsidiary (under its present name and previous names used) as debtor and which are filed in the office of the Secretary of State (or such other office which is, under the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in the applicable jurisdiction, the proper office in which to file a financing statement under Section 9-501(a)(2) of such Uniform Commercial Code) of the location (as determined under the Uniform Commercial Code) of the Company or such Subsidiary, as applicable, together with copies of such financing statements;

          (vi)          such other certificates, documents and agreements as such Purchaser may reasonably request.

          3B.          Opinion of Prudential's Special Counsel. Such Purchaser shall have received from Wiley S. Adams, Vice President and Corporate Counsel of Prudential, or such other counsel who is acting as special counsel for such Purchaser in connection with this transaction, a favorable opinion satisfactory to such Purchaser as to such matters incident to the matters herein contemplated as it may reasonably request.

          3C.          Opinion of Company's and Guarantors' Counsel. Such Purchaser shall have received from Warner Norcross & Judd LLP, special counsel for the Company and the Guarantors (or such other counsel designated by the Company and acceptable to such Purchaser), a favorable opinion satisfactory to such Purchaser, dated such Closing Day, and substantially in the form of Exhibit F-1 attached hereto (in the case of the Series A Notes) or Exhibit F-2

8

attached hereto (in the case of any Shelf Notes) and as to such other matters as such Purchaser may reasonably request. The Company, by its execution hereof, hereby requests and authorizes such special counsel to render such opinions and to allow such Purchaser to rely on such opinions, agrees that the issuance and sale of any Notes will constitute a reconfirmation of such request and authorization, and understands and agrees that each Purchaser receiving such an opinion will and is hereby authorized to rely on such opinion.

          3D.          Representations and Warranties; No Default; Satisfaction of Conditions. The representations and warranties contained in paragraph 8 shall be true on and as of such Closing Day, both before and immediately after giving effect to the issuance of the Notes to be issued on such Closing Day and to the consummation of any other transactions contemplated hereby; there shall exist on such Closing Day no Event of Default or Default, both before and immediately after giving effect to the issuance of the Notes to be issued on such Closing Day and to the consummation of any other transactions contemplated hereby; the Company and each Guarantor shall have performed all agreements and satisfied all conditions required under this Agreement to be performed or satisfied on or before such Closing Day; and the Company and each Guarantor shall have delivered to such Purchaser an Officer's Certificate, dated such Closing Day, to each such effect.

          3E.          Purchase Permitted by Applicable Laws. The purchase of and payment for the Notes to be purchased by such Purchaser on such Closing Day on the terms and conditions herein provided (including the use of the proceeds of such Notes by the Company) shall not violate any applicable law or governmental regulation (including, without limitation, Section 5 of the Securities Act or Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System) and shall not subject such Purchaser to any tax, penalty, liability or other onerous condition under or pursuant to any applicable law or governmental regulation, and such Purchaser shall have received such certificates or other evidence as it may request to establish compliance with this condition. All necessary authorizations, consents, approvals, exceptions or other actions by or notices to or filings with any court or administrative or governmental body or other Person required in connection with the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the Notes to be issued on such Closing Day or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall have been issued or made, shall be final and in full force and effect and shall be in form and substance satisfactory to such Purchaser.

          3F.          Amendments to Existing Credit Facilities. On or before the Series A Closing Day, the Company and JP Morgan and the Company and Charter One Bank, N.A., shall have each entered into amendments to or consents under the Existing Credit Facilities to, among other things, permit the Indebtedness evidenced by the Notes, the Guaranty Agreement and the provisions of paragraph 6C hereof, each such amendment or consent shall be in full force and effect, and the Company shall have delivered a correct and complete copy of each such amendment or consent to Prudential and such Purchaser, certified by an Officer's Certificate dated as of the Series A Closing Day.

          3G.          Payment of Fees. The Company shall have paid to such Purchaser in immediately available funds any fees due it pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement, any Issuance Fee due pursuant to paragraph 2B(8)(ii) (including with respect to the Series A Notes) and any Delayed Delivery Fee due pursuant to paragraph 2B(8)(iii).

9

          3H.          Fees and Expenses. Without limiting the provisions of paragraph 11B hereof, the Company shall have paid the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of any special counsel to the Purchasers in connection with this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

          3I.          Proceedings. All corporate and other proceedings taken or to be taken in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and all documents incident thereto shall be satisfactory in substance and form to such Purchaser, and such Purchaser shall have received all such counterpart originals or certified or other copies of such documents as it may reasonably request.

          4.          PREPAYMENTS. The Series A Notes shall be subject to prepayment only with respect to the required prepayments specified in paragraph 4E, the optional prepayments permitted by paragraph 4B, and upon acceleration pursuant to paragraph 7A. Any Shelf Notes shall be subject to prepayment only with respect to the required prepayments specified in paragraph 4A(2) and paragraph 4E, the optional prepayments permitted by paragraph 4B, and upon acceleration pursuant to paragraph 7A.

          4A.          Required Prepayments.

          4A(1).          No Scheduled Required Prepayments of Series A Notes. The Series A Notes shall not be subject to any scheduled required prepayments. The outstanding principal amount of the Series A Notes, together with any accrued and unpaid interest thereon, shall become due on November 30, 2010, the maturity date of the Series A Notes.

          4A(2).          Required Prepayments of Shelf Notes. Each Series of Shelf Notes shall be subject to required prepayments, if any, set forth in the Notes of such Series.

          4B.          Optional Prepayment With Yield-Maintenance Amount. The Notes of each Series shall be subject to prepayment, in whole at any time or from time to time in part (in integral multiples of $1,000,000 and in a minimum amount of $5,000,000 on any one occurrence), at the option of the Company, at 100% of the principal amount so prepaid plus interest thereon to the prepayment date and the Yield-Maintenance Amount, if any, with respect to each such Note. Any partial prepayment of a Series of Notes pursuant to this paragraph 4B shall be applied in satisfaction of required payments of principal thereof (including the required payment of principal due upon the maturity thereof) in inverse order of their scheduled due dates.

          4C.          Notice of Optional Prepayment. The Company shall give the holder of each Note of a Series to be prepaid pursuant to paragraph 4B irrevocable written notice of such prepayment not less than 10 Business Days prior to the prepayment date (which shall be a Business Day), specifying such prepayment date and the aggregate principal amount of the Notes of such Series, and the Notes of such Series held by such holder, to be prepaid on such date, and stating that such prepayment is to be made pursuant to paragraph 4B. Notice of prepayment having been given as aforesaid, the principal amount of the Notes specified in such notice, together with interest thereon to the prepayment date and together with the Yield-Maintenance Amount, if any, with respect thereto, shall become due and payable on such prepayment date. The Company shall, on or before the day on which it gives written notice of any prepayment

10

pursuant to paragraph 4B, give telephonic notice of the principal amount of the Notes to be prepaid and the prepayment date to each Significant Holder which shall have designated a recipient of such notices in the Purchaser Schedule attached hereto or the applicable Confirmation of Acceptance or by notice in writing to the Company.

          4D.          Application of Prepayments. In the case of each prepayment of less than the entire outstanding principal amount of all Notes of any Series pursuant to paragraphs 4A(2) or 4B, the principal amount so prepaid shall be allocated pro rata to all Notes of such Series at the time outstanding in proportion to the respective outstanding principal amounts thereof.

          4E.          Offer to Prepay Notes in the Event of a Change of Control.

          4E(1).          Notice of Change of Control. The Company will, at least 30 days prior to any Change of Control, give written notice of such Change of Control to each holder of the Notes. Such notice shall contain and constitute an offer to prepay the Notes as described in paragraph 4E(3) and shall be accompanied by the certificate described in paragraph 4E(6).

          4E(2).          Notice of Acceptance of Offer under Paragraph 4E(1). If the Company shall at any time receive an acceptance to an offer to prepay Notes under paragraph 4E(1) from some, but not all, of the holders of the Notes, then the Company will, within two Business Days after the receipt of such acceptance, give written notice of such acceptance to each other holder of the Notes.

          4E(3).          Offer to Prepay Notes. The offer to prepay Notes contemplated by paragraph 4E(1) shall be an offer to prepay, in accordance with and subject to this paragraph 4E, all, but not less than all, of the Notes held by each holder (in this case only, "holder" in respect of any Note registered in the name of a nominee for a disclosed beneficial owner shall mean such beneficial owner) at the time of the occurrence of the Change of Control.

          4E(4).          Rejection; Acceptance. A holder of Notes may accept or reject the offer to prepay made pursuant to this paragraph 4E by causing a notice of such acceptance or rejection to be delivered to the Company prior to the prepayment date. A failure by a holder of Notes to so respond to an offer to prepay made pursuant to this paragraph 4E shall be deemed to constitute an acceptance of such offer by such holder.

          4E(5).          Prepayment. Prepayment of the Notes to be prepaid pursuant to this paragraph 4E shall be at 100% of the principal amount of such Notes, together with interest on such Notes accrued to the date of prepayment and the Yield-Maintenance Amount, if any, with respect thereto. The prepayment shall be made at the time of the occurrence of the Change of Control.

          4E(6).          Officer's Certificate. Each offer to prepay the Notes pursuant to this paragraph 4E shall be accompanied by a certificate, executed by a Responsible Officer of the Company and dated the date of such offer, specifying (i) the proposed prepayment date (which shall be the date of the Change of Control), (ii) that such offer is made

11

pursuant to this paragraph 4E, (iii) the principal amount of each Note offered to be prepaid, (iv) the interest that would be due on each Note offered to be prepaid, accrued to the prepayment date, (v) that the conditions of this paragraph 4E have been fulfilled, and (vi) in reasonable detail, the nature and anticipated date of the Change of Control.

          4F.          No Acquisition of Notes. The Company shall not, and shall not permit any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates to, prepay or otherwise retire in whole or in part prior to their stated final maturity (other than by prepayment pursuant to paragraph 4A(2) or 4B, upon acceptance of an offer to prepay pursuant to paragraph 4E, or upon acceleration of such final maturity pursuant to paragraph 7A), or purchase or otherwise acquire, directly or indirectly, Notes of any Series held by any holder unless the Company or such Subsidiary or Affiliate shall have offered to prepay or otherwise retire or purchase or otherwise acquire, as the case may be, the same proportion of the aggregate principal amount of Notes of such Series held by each other holder of Notes of such Series at the time outstanding upon the same terms and conditions. Any Notes so prepaid or otherwise retired or purchased or otherwise acquired by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates shall not be deemed to be outstanding for any purpose under this Agreement.

          5.          AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS. During the Issuance Period and so long thereafter as any Note is outstanding and unpaid, the Company covenants as follows:

          5A.          Financial Statements. The Company covenants that it will deliver to each Significant Holder in duplicate:

          (i)          as soon as practicable and in any event within 45 days after the end of each quarterly period (other than the last quarterly period) in each fiscal year, consolidated statements of income, stockholders' equity and cash flows of the Company and its Subsidiaries for the period from the beginning of the current fiscal year to the end of such quarterly period, and a consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such quarterly period, setting forth in each case in comparative form figures for the corresponding period in the preceding fiscal year, all in reasonable detail, prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles applicable to quarterly financial statements and certified by an authorized financial officer of the Company as fairly presenting, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company and its Subsidiaries and their results of operations and cash flows, subject to changes resulting from year-end adjustments;

          (ii)          as soon as practicable and in any event within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year, consolidated and, if provided to any holder of any Indebtedness of the Company, consolidating statements of income and cash flows and a consolidated statement of stockholders' equity of the Company and its Subsidiaries for such year, and a consolidated and, if provided to any holder of any Indebtedness of the Company, consolidating balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such year, setting forth in each case in comparative form corresponding consolidated figures from the preceding annual audit, all in reasonable detail, prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and, as to the consolidated statements, accompanied by an unqualified opinion thereon of independent public accountants of

12

recognized national standing selected by the Company and acceptable to the Required Holder(s), which unqualified opinion shall state that such financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company and its Subsidiaries and the results of their operations and cash flows and have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, that the examination of such accountants in connection with such financial statements has been made in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, and that such audit provides a reasonable basis for such opinion in such circumstances, and shall be without limitation as to the scope of the audit, and, as to the consolidating statements, certified by an authorized financial officer of the Company;

          (iii)           if delivered to any holder of any Indebtedness of the Company, concurrently with such delivery, copies of financial statement projections for the Company and its Subsidiaries for the following fiscal year in form and detail reasonably satisfactory to the Required Holders;

          (iv)          promptly and in any event within three calendar days after becoming aware of the occurrence of any development in the business or affairs of the Company, any Guarantor or any of their respective Subsidiaries which has resulted in or which is likely in the reasonable judgment of the Company or any Guarantor, to result in a Material Adverse Effect, a statement of the chief financial officer of the Company setting forth details of such development and the action which the Company has taken and proposes to take with respect thereto;

          (v)          promptly upon receipt thereof, a copy of each report submitted to the Company or any Subsidiary by independent accountants in connection with any annual, interim or special audit made by them of the books of the Company or any Subsidiary;

          (vi)          upon request, copies of all notices, reports, financial statements or other communications given to any lender under any Existing Credit Facility, excluding routine borrowing requests; and

          (vii)          with reasonable promptness, such other information as such Significant Holder may reasonably request.

Together with each delivery of financial statements required by clauses (i) and (ii) above, the Company will deliver to each Significant Holder an Officer's Certificate demonstrating (with computations in reasonable detail) compliance by the Company and its Subsidiaries with the provisions of paragraphs 6A, 6B, 6C, 6E and 6G and stating that there exists no Event of Default or Default, or, if any Event of Default or Default exists, specifying the nature and period of existence thereof and what action the Company proposes to take with respect thereto. Together with each delivery of financial statements required by clause (ii) above, the Company will deliver to each Significant Holder a certificate of such accountants stating that, in making the audit necessary for their report on such financial statements, they have obtained no knowledge of any Event of Default or Default, or, if they have obtained knowledge of any Event of Default or Default, specifying the nature and period of existence thereof. Such accountants, however, shall not be liable to anyone by reason of their failure to obtain knowledge of any Event of Default or

13

Default which would not be disclosed in the course of an audit conducted in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. The Company also covenants that immediately after any Responsible Officer obtains knowledge of an Event of Default or Default, it will deliver to each Significant Holder an Officer's Certificate specifying the nature and period of existence thereof and what action the Company proposes to take with respect thereto.

          5B.          Information Required by Rule 144A. The Company covenants that it will, upon the request of the holder of any Note, provide such holder, and any qualified institutional buyer designated by such holder, such financial and other information as such holder may reasonably determine to be necessary in order to permit compliance with the information requirements of Rule 144A under the Securities Act in connection with the resale of Notes, except at such times as the Company is subject to and in compliance with the reporting requirements of section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act. For the purpose of this paragraph 5B, the term "qualified institutional buyer" shall have the meaning specified in Rule 144A under the Securities Act.

          5C.          Inspection of Property. The Company covenants that it will permit any Person designated by any Significant Holder in writing, at such Significant Holder's expense if no Default or Event of Default exists and at the Company's expense if a Default or an Event of Default exists, to visit and inspect any of the properties of the Company and its Subsidiaries, to examine the corporate books and financial records of the Company and its Subsidiaries and make copies thereof or extracts therefrom and to discuss the affairs, finances and accounts of any of such corporations with the principal officers of the Company and its independent public accountants, all at such reasonable times and as often as such Significant Holder may reasonably request.

          5D.          Covenant to Secure Notes Equally. The Company covenants that, if it or any Subsidiary shall create or assume any Lien upon any of its property or assets, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, other than Liens permitted by the provisions of paragraph 6C (unless prior written consent to the creation or assumption thereof shall have been obtained pursuant to paragraph 11C), it will make or cause to be made effective provision whereby the Notes will be secured by such Lien equally and ratably with any and all other Indebtedness thereby secured so long as any such other Indebtedness shall be so secured; provided that the creation and maintenance of such equal and ratable Lien shall not in any way limit or modify the right of the holders of the Notes to enforce the provisions of paragraph 6C.

          5E.          Compliance with Law. The Company covenants that it will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, comply with all laws, ordinances or governmental rules or regulations to which each of them is subject, including, without limitation, environmental laws, and will obtain and maintain in full force and effect all licenses, certificates, permits, franchises, operating rights and other authorizations from federal, state, foreign, regional, municipal and other local regulatory bodies or administrative agencies or governmental bodies having jurisdiction over the Company and its Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties necessary to the ownership, operation or maintenance of their respective properties or to the conduct of their respective businesses, in each case to the extent necessary to ensure that non-compliance with such laws, ordinances or governmental rules or regulations or failures to obtain or maintain in full force and effect such licenses, certificates, permits, franchises, operating rights and other authorizations

14

could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.

          5F.          Maintenance of Insurance. The Company covenants that it will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, maintain, with financially sound and reputable insurers, insurance with respect to their respective properties and businesses against such casualties and contingencies, of such types, on such terms and in such amounts as is customary in the case of entities of established reputations engaged in the same or similar and similarly situated business.

          5G.          Maintenance of Properties. The Company covenants that it will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, maintain and keep, or cause to be maintained and kept, their respective properties in good repair, working order and condition (other than ordinary wear and tear), and from time to time make, or cause to be made, all needful and proper repairs, renewals and replacements thereto, so that the business carried on in connection therewith may be properly conducted at all times, provided that this paragraph 5G shall not prevent the Company or any Subsidiary from discontinuing the operation and the maintenance of any of its properties if such discontinuance is desirable in the conduct of its business and such discontinuance could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.

          5H.          Payment of Taxes. The Company covenants that it will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, file all income tax or similar tax returns required to be filed in any jurisdiction and to pay and discharge all taxes shown to be due and payable on such returns and all other taxes, assessments, governmental charges or levies payable by any of them, and to pay and discharge all amounts payable for work, labor and materials, in each case to the extent such taxes, assessments, charges, levies and amounts payable have become due and payable and before they have become delinquent, provided that neither the Company nor any Subsidiary need pay any such tax, assessment, charge, levy or amount payable if (i) the amount, applicability or validity thereof is being actively contested by the Company or such Subsidiary on a timely basis in good faith and in appropriate proceedings, and the Company or such Subsidiary has established adequate reserves therefor in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles on the books of the Company or such Subsidiary or (ii) the nonpayment of all such taxes, assessments, charges, levies and amounts payable in the aggregate could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

          5I.          Corporate Existence. The Company will at all times preserve and keep in full force and effect its corporate existence. Subject to paragraph 6D, the Company will at all times preserve and keep in full force and effect the corporate, limited liability company or partnership, as the case may be, existence of each of its Subsidiaries (unless merged into the Company or a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary), unless the termination of or failure to preserve and keep in full force and effect such corporate existence, could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.

          5J.          Lines of Business. The Company covenants that it will not, and it will not permit any Subsidiary of the Company to, engage in any business if, as a result thereof, the general nature of the businesses of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, would be substantially changed from the businesses of the Company and its Subsidiaries as conducted as of the Series A Closing Day.

15

          5K.          Subsequent Guarantors. If any Person that is not then party to the Guaranty Agreement at any time becomes obligated under a Guarantee with respect to any other Indebtedness of the Company, the Company shall cause such Person at such time to execute and deliver to Prudential and the holders of the Notes a joinder to the Guaranty Agreement in the form attached as Exhibit A to the Guaranty Agreement, accompanied by a certificate of the Secretary or Assistant Secretary of such Person certifying such Person's charter and by-laws (or comparable governing documents), resolutions of the board of directors (or comparable governing body) of such Person authorizing the execution and delivery of such joinder to the Guaranty Agreement and incumbency and specimen signatures of the officers of such Person executing such documents and such instruments and documents as Prudential or the Required Holder(s) shall request in connection therewith and an opinion of counsel in form and substance acceptable to Prudential and the Required Holder(s) as to the enforceability of the Guaranty Agreement against such Person.

          6.          NEGATIVE COVENANTS. During the Issuance Period and so long thereafter as any Note or other amount due hereunder is outstanding and unpaid, the Company covenants as follows:

          6A.          Financial Covenants.

          6A(1).          Tangible Net Worth. The Company will not permit or suffer the Consolidated Tangible Net Worth of the Company and its Subsidiaries at any time to be less than the sum of (i) $75,000,000, plus (ii) 50% of the Consolidated net income of the Company and its Subsidiaries for each completed fiscal year of the Company, commencing with the fiscal year ending December 31, 2008 and each fiscal year ending thereafter, provided that if such net income is negative in any such fiscal year of the Company, the amount added for such fiscal year shall be zero and such amount shall not reduce the amount added pursuant to any other fiscal year.

          6A(2).          Funded Debt Ratio. The Company will not permit or suffer the Funded Debt Ratio at any time to exceed 2.25 to 1.0.

          6A(3).          Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio. The Company will not permit or suffer the ratio of (a) EBITDA to (b) the sum of (i) Fixed Charges plus (ii) an amount equal to 50% of the depreciation expense for the Company and its Subsidiaries, in each case calculated for the four consecutive fiscal quarters then ending, to be less than 1.25 to 1.00, all as determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

          6B.          Indebtedness. The Company will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or in any manner become liable in respect of, or suffer to exist, any Indebtedness other than:

                    (i)          Indebtedness under the Notes;

                    (ii)          Indebtedness described in Schedule 6B hereto, having the same terms as those existing on the date of this Agreement, but no increase in the principal amount thereof;

16

                    (iii)          Indebtedness in aggregate outstanding principal amount not exceeding $1,500,000 which is secured by one or more Liens permitted by paragraph 6C(v) hereof;

                    (iv)          Indebtedness of any Subsidiary of the Company owing to the Company or to any other Subsidiary of the Company;

                    (v)          Indebtedness in aggregate outstanding capitalized amount not exceeding $1,000,000 constituting obligations as lessee under any Capitalized Lease;

                    (vi)          Interest rate or currency swaps, rate caps or other similar transactions, provided that none of the foregoing is entered into for speculative purposes; 

                    (vii)          The Indebtedness described in Schedule 6B-2 hereto, having the same terms as those existing on October 20, 1998, provided that no increase in the amount thereof, as the amount thereof is reduced from time to time, shall be permitted; and

                    (viii)          unsecured Indebtedness under the Credit Agreement;

                    (ix)          unsecured Indebtedness under the Term Loan Agreement; and

                    (x)          Other unsecured Indebtedness in an aggregate amount not exceeding $10,000,000 at any time outstanding.

          6C.          Liens. The Company will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur or suffer to exist any Lien on any of the assets, rights, revenues or property, real, personal or mixed, tangible or intangible, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, other than:

                    (i)          Liens for taxes not delinquent or for taxes being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and as to which adequate financial reserves have been established on its books and records in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

                    (ii)          Liens (other than any Lien imposed by ERISA or any Environmental Law) created and maintained in the ordinary course of business which are not material in the aggregate, and which would not have a Material Adverse Effect and which constitute (A) pledges or deposits under worker's compensation laws, unemployment insurance laws or similar legislation, (B) good faith deposits in connection with bids, tenders, contracts or leases to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party for a purpose other than borrowing money or obtaining credit, including rent security deposits, (C) liens imposed by law, such as those of carriers, warehousemen and mechanics, if payment of the obligation secured thereby is not yet due, (D) Liens securing taxes, assessments or other governmental charges or levies not yet subject to penalties for nonpayment, and (E) pledges or deposits to secure public or statutory obligations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or surety, customs or appeal bonds to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party;

                    (iii)          Liens affecting real property which constitute minor survey exceptions or defects or irregularities in title, minor encumbrances, easements or reservations of, or rights of others for, rights of way, sewers, electric lines, telegraph and telephone lines and other similar

17

purposes, or zoning or other restrictions as to the use of such real property, provided that all of the foregoing, in the aggregate, do not at any time materially detract from the value of said properties or materially impair their use in the operation of the businesses of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;

                    (iv)          Liens granted by Road Rescue, Inc. in favor of Ford Motor Credit hereto may be suffered to exist upon the same terms as those existing on August 30, 2007 and no modification thereof shall be permitted, and provided that the aggregate outstanding amount secured by all such Liens shall not exceed $2,500,000 at any time;

                    (v)          Liens created to secure payment of a portion of the purchase price of, or existing at the time of acquisition of, any tangible fixed asset acquired by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries may be created or suffered to exist upon such fixed asset if the outstanding principal amount of the Indebtedness secured by such Lien does not at any time exceed the purchase price paid by the Company or such Subsidiary for such fixed asset and the aggregate principal amount of all Indebtedness secured by such Liens does not exceed $1,000,000, provided that such Lien does not encumber any other asset at any time owned by the Company or such Subsidiary, and provided, further, that not more than one such Lien shall encumber such fixed asset at any one time; 

                    (vi)          Liens granted by Luverene Fire Apparatus Co., Ltd., now known as Crimson Fire, Inc., successor by merger with Quality Manufacturing, Inc., in favor of Mercedes Benz in connection with a credit line not to exceed $1,500,000 for the funding of Freightliner chassis with 180 day interest free terms, provided that the aggregate amount secured thereby does not exceed $1,500,000 and such Liens attach only to the Freightliner chassis financed under such credit line;

                    (vii)          Liens in favor of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries as security for Indebtedness permitted by paragraph 6B(iv);

                    (viii)          the interest or title of a lessor under any lease otherwise permitted under this Agreement with respect to the property subject to such lease to the extent performance of the obligations of the Company or its Subsidiary thereunder are not delinquent; 

                    (ix)          Other Liens granted by the Company and its Subsidiaries, provided that the aggregate outstanding amount secured by all such Liens shall not exceed $500,000 at any time; and

                    (x)          Liens described on Schedule 6C hereto may be suffered to exist upon the same terms as those existing on the date hereof, but no extension or renewal thereof shall be permitted.

          Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Lien securing the obligations of the Company or any Subsidiary under or with respect to an Existing Credit Facility or under any other working capital credit facility which would otherwise be permitted by clause (ix) above shall be permitted.

          6D.          Merger; Acquisitions; Etc. The Company will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, purchase or otherwise acquire, whether in one or a series of transactions, directly

18

or indirectly, all or a substantial portion of the business assets, rights, revenues or property, real, personal or mixed, tangible or intangible, of any Person, or all or a substantial portion of the Capital Stock of or other ownership interest in any other Person (an "Acquisition"); nor merge or consolidate or amalgamate with any other Person or take any other action having a similar effect; provided, however, that this paragraph 6D shall not prohibit any merger or acquisition if (i) such merger involves the Company, the Company shall be the surviving or continuing corporation thereof, (ii) immediately before and after giving effect such merger or acquisition, no Default or Event of Default shall exist or shall have occurred and be continuing and the representations and warranties contained in paragraph 8 and in the other Transaction Documents shall be true and correct on and as of the date thereof (both before and after such merger or acquisition is consummated) as if made on the date such merger or acquisition is consummated, (iii) at least 10 Business Days' prior to the consummation of such merger or acquisition, the Company shall have provided to the holders of the Notes a certificate of the Chief Financial Officer or Treasurer of the Company (attaching pro forma computations acceptable to the Required Holders to demonstrate compliance with all financial covenants hereunder), each stating that such merger or acquisition complies with this paragraph 6D, all laws and regulations and that any other conditions under this Agreement relating to such transaction have been satisfied, and such certificate shall contain such other information and certifications as requested by the Required Holders and be in form and substance satisfactory to the Required Holders, (iv) at least 10 Business Days' prior to the consummation of such merger or acquisition, the Company shall have delivered all acquisition documents and other agreements and documents relating to such merger or acquisition, and the Required Holders shall have completed a satisfactory review thereof and completed such other due diligence satisfactory to the Required Holders, (v) the Company shall, at least 10 Business Days prior to the consummation of merger or acquisition, provide such other certificates and documents as requested by the Required Holders in form and substance satisfactory to the Required Holders, (vi) the target of such merger or acquisition is in the same line of business as the Company and (vii) such merger or acquisition is not opposed by the board of directors (or similar governing body) of the selling person or the person whose equity interests are to be acquired, unless the Require Holders consent to such merger or acquisition.

          6E.          Disposition of Assets; Etc. The Company will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, sell, lease, license, transfer, assign or otherwise dispose of any material portion of its business, assets, rights, revenues or property, real, personal or mixed, tangible or intangible, whether in one or a series of transactions, other than inventory sold in the ordinary course of business upon customary credit terms and sales of scrap or obsolete material or equipment, provided, however, that this paragraph 6E shall not prohibit any such sale, lease, license, transfer, assignment or other disposition if the aggregate book value (disregarding any write-downs of such book value other than ordinary depreciation and amortization) of all of the business, assets, rights, revenues and property disposed of after August 30, 2007 shall be less than 10% percent of such aggregate book value of the total assets of the Company or such Subsidiary, as the case may be, as of August 30, 2007 and if, immediately before and after such transaction, no Default or Event of Default shall exist or shall have occurred and be continuing.

          6F.          Nature of Business. The Company will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, make any substantial change in the nature of its business from that engaged in on the date of this Agreement or engage in any other businesses other than those in which it is engaged on the

19

date of this Agreement.

          6G.          Investments, Loans and Advances. The Company will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, purchase or otherwise acquire any Capital Stock of or other ownership interest in, or debt securities of or other evidences of Indebtedness of, any other Person; nor make any loan or advance of any of its funds or property or make any other extension of credit to, or make any investment or acquire any interest whatsoever in, any other Person; nor incur any Guarantee; other than (i) extensions of trade credit made in the ordinary course of business on customary credit terms and commission, travel and similar advances made to officers and employees in the ordinary course of business, and (ii) commercial paper of any United States issuer having the highest rating then given by Moody's Investors Service, Inc., or Standard & Poor's Ratings Group (a division of the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.), direct obligations of and obligations fully guaranteed by the United States of America or any agency or instrumentality thereof, or certificates of deposit of any commercial bank which is a member of the Federal Reserve System and which has capital, surplus and undivided profit (as shown on its most recently published statement of condition) aggregating not less than $100,000,000, provided, however, that each of the foregoing investments has a maturity date not later than 180 days after the acquisition thereof by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, and (iii) investments, loans and advances to Guarantors which are Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries of the Company.

          6H.          Related Party Transactions. The Company covenants that it will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, enter into, or otherwise be a party to, directly or indirectly, any transaction (including, without limitation, the purchase, lease, sale or exchange of properties of any kind or the rendering of any service) with any Related Party, except pursuant to the reasonable requirements of the Company's or such Subsidiary's business and on fair and reasonable terms no less favorable to the Company or such Subsidiary than would be obtainable in a comparable arm's length transaction with a Person not a Related Party.

          6I.          Negative Pledge Limitation. The Company will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, enter into, become a party to, enter into any agreement with any Person other than the holders of the Notes pursuant hereto which prohibits or limits the ability of the Company or any Subsidiary to create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien upon any of its assets, rights, revenues or property, real, personal or mixed, tangible or intangible, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, other than the limitations set forth in the Existing Credit Facilities. 

          6J.          Inconsistent Agreements. The Company will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, enter into any agreement containing any provision which would be violated or breached by this Agreement or any of the transactions contemplated hereby or by performance by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any Guarantor of its obligations in connection therewith.

          6K.          Accounting Changes. The Company will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, change its fiscal year or make any significant changes (i) in accounting treatment and reporting practices except as permitted by generally accepted accounting principles and disclosed to the holders of the Notes, or (ii) in tax reporting treatment except as permitted by law and disclosed to the holders of the Notes.

20

          6L.          Most Favored Lender Status. If the Company or any Subsidiary amends any agreement evidencing Indebtedness of the Company or any Subsidiary to include one or more Additional Covenants or Additional Defaults or shall enter into, assume or otherwise become bound by or obligated under any such agreement with respect to any Indebtedness of the Company or any Subsidiary that contains one or more Additional Covenants or Additional Defaults, the terms of this Agreement shall, without any further action on the part of the Company or any of the holders of the Notes, be deemed to be amended automatically to include each Additional Covenant and each Additional Default contained in such agreement. The Company further covenants to promptly execute and deliver at its expense (including the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the holders of the Notes) an amendment to this Agreement in form and substance satisfactory to the Required Holder(s) evidencing the amendment of this Agreement to include such Additional Covenants and Additional Defaults, provided that the execution and delivery of such amendment shall not be a precondition to the effectiveness of such amendment as provided for in this paragraph 6L, but shall merely be for the convenience of the parties hereto.

          6M.          Subsidiary Restrictions. The Company covenants that it will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, enter into, or be otherwise subject to, any contract or agreement (including its certificate of incorporation or formation, by-laws, limited liability company operating agreement or partnership agreement) which limits the amount of or otherwise imposes restrictions on (i) the payment of dividends or distributions by any Subsidiary to the Company or any other Subsidiary, (ii) the payment by any Subsidiary of any indebtedness owed to the Company or any other Subsidiary, (iii) the making of loans or advances by any Subsidiary to the Company or any other Subsidiary, (iv) the transfer by any Subsidiary of its property or assets to the Company or any other Subsidiary, (v) the merger or consolidation of any Subsidiary with or into the Company or any other Subsidiary, or (vi) the guaranty by any Subsidiary of the Company's indebtedness hereunder; provided that (a) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions and conditions imposed by law or by this Agreement, (b) the foregoing shall not apply to customary restrictions and conditions contained in agreements relating to the sale of a Subsidiary pending such sale, provided such restrictions and conditions apply only to the Subsidiary that is to be sold and such sale is permitted hereunder, and (c) clause (iv) of the foregoing shall not apply to customary provisions in leases and other contracts restricting the assignment thereof.

          6N.          Terrorism Sanctions Regulations. The Company covenants that it will not and will not permit any Subsidiary to (a) become a Person described or designated in the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List of the Office of Foreign Assets Control or in Section 1 of the Anti-Terrorism Order or (b) engage in any dealings or transactions with any such Person.

          7.          EVENTS OF DEFAULT.

          7A.          Acceleration. If any of the following events shall occur and be continuing for any reason whatsoever (and whether such occurrence shall be voluntary or involuntary or come about or be effected by operation of law or otherwise):

21

          (i)          the Company defaults in the payment of any principal of, or Yield- Maintenance Amount payable with respect to, any Note when the same shall become due, either by the terms thereof or otherwise as herein provided; or

          (ii)          the Company defaults in the payment of any interest on any Note for more than 5 days after the date due; or

          (iii)          the Company or any Subsidiary defaults (whether as primary obligor or as guarantor or other surety) in any payment of principal of or interest on any other obligation for money borrowed (or any Capitalized Lease Obligation, any obligation under a conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any obligation issued or assumed as full or partial payment for property whether or not secured by a purchase money mortgage or any obligation under notes payable or drafts accepted representing extensions of credit) beyond any period of grace provided with respect thereto, or the Company or any Subsidiary fails to perform or observe any other agreement, term or condition contained in any agreement under which any such obligation is created (or if any other event thereunder or under any such agreement shall occur and be continuing) and the effect of such failure or other event is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of such obligation (or a trustee on behalf of such holder or holders) to cause, such obligation to become due (or to be repurchased by the Company or any Subsidiary) prior to any stated maturity, provided that the aggregate amount of all obligations as to which such a payment default shall occur and be continuing or such a failure or other event causing or permitting acceleration (or resale to the Company or any Subsidiary) shall occur and be continuing exceeds $500,000; or

          (iv)          any representation or warranty made by the Company herein or by the Company or any of its officers in any writing furnished in connection with or pursuant to this Agreement or any other Transaction Document shall be false or misleading in any material respect on the date as of which made; or

          (v)          the Company fails to perform or observe any agreement contained in paragraph 4E, paragraph 5A or paragraph 6; or

          (vi)          the Company fails to perform or observe any other agreement, term or condition contained herein and such failure shall not be remedied within 30 days after any Responsible Officer obtains actual knowledge thereof or the Company or any Guarantor fails to perform or observe any agreement contained in any other Transaction Document and such failure shall not be remedied within the grace period, if any, provided therefor in such Transaction Document; or

          (vii)          the Company or any Subsidiary makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors or is generally not paying its debts as such debts become due; or

          (viii)          any decree or order for relief in respect of the Company or any Subsidiary is entered under any bankruptcy, reorganization, compromise, arrangement, insolvency, readjustment of debt, dissolution or liquidation or similar law, whether now or hereafter in effect (herein called the "Bankruptcy Law"), of any jurisdiction; or

22

          (ix)          the Company or any Subsidiary petitions or applies to any tribunal for, or consents to, the appointment of, or taking possession by, a trustee, receiver, custodian, liquidator or similar official of the Company or any Subsidiary, or of any substantial part of the assets of the Company or any Subsidiary, or commences a voluntary case under the Bankruptcy Law of the United States or any proceedings (other than proceedings for the voluntary liquidation and dissolution of a Subsidiary) relating to the Company or any Subsidiary under the Bankruptcy Law of any other jurisdiction; or

          (x)          any such petition or application described in clause (ix) of this paragraph 7A is filed, or any such case or proceedings described in clause (ix) of this paragraph 7A are commenced, against the Company or any Subsidiary and the Company or such Subsidiary by any act indicates its approval thereof, consent thereto or acquiescence therein, or an order, judgment or decree is entered appointing any such trustee, receiver, custodian, liquidator or similar official, or approving the petition in any such proceedings, and such order, judgment or decree remains unstayed and in effect for more than 30 days; or

          (xi)          any order, judgment or decree is entered in any proceedings against the Company decreeing the dissolution of the Company and such order, judgment or decree remains unstayed and in effect for more than 60 days: or

          (xii)          any order, judgment or decree is entered in any proceedings against the Company or any Subsidiary decreeing a split-up of the Company or such Subsidiary which requires the divestiture of assets representing a substantial part, or the divestiture of the stock of a Subsidiary whose assets represent a substantial part, of the consolidated assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries (determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles) or which requires the divestiture of assets, or stock of a Subsidiary, which shall have contributed a substantial part of the consolidated net income of the Company and its Subsidiaries (determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles) for any of the three fiscal years then most recently ended, and such order, judgment or decree remains unstayed and in effect for more than 60 days; or

          (xiii)          one or more final judgments in an aggregate amount in excess of $1,000,000 is rendered against the Company or any Subsidiary and either (a) enforcement proceedings have been commenced by any creditor upon any such judgment or (b) within 60 days after entry thereof, any such judgment is not discharged or execution thereof stayed pending appeal, or within 60 days after the expiration of any such stay, such judgment is not discharged; or

          (xiv)          (a) any Plan shall fail to satisfy the minimum funding standards of ERISA or the Code for any plan year or part thereof or a waiver of such standards or extension of any amortization period is sought or granted under section 412 of the Code, (b) a notice of intent to terminate any Plan shall have been or is reasonably expected to be filed with the PBGC or the PBGC shall have instituted proceedings under ERISA section 4042 to terminate or appoint a trustee to administer any Plan or the PBGC shall have notified the Company or any ERISA Affiliate that a Plan may become a subject of such proceedings, (c) the aggregate "amount of unfunded benefit liabilities" (within the meaning of section

23

4001(a)(18) of ERISA) under all Plans, determined in accordance with Title IV of ERISA, shall exceed $500,000, (d) the Company or any ERISA Affiliate shall have incurred or is reasonably expected to incur any liability pursuant to Title I or IV of ERISA or the penalty or excise tax provisions of the Code relating to employee benefit plans, (e) the Company or any ERISA Affiliate withdraws from any Multiemployer Plan, or (f) the Company or any Subsidiary establishes or amends any employee welfare benefit plan that provides post-employment welfare benefits in a manner that would increase the liability of the Company or any Subsidiary thereunder; or

          (xv)          any Guaranty Agreement or joinder thereto shall cease to be in full force and effect, or the Company or any Guarantor shall contest or deny the validity or enforceability of, or deny that it has any liability or obligations under, any Guaranty Agreement or joinder thereto;

then (a) if such event is an Event of Default specified in clause (i) or (ii) of this paragraph 7A, any holder of any Note (other than the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates) may at its option, by notice in writing to the Company, declare all of the Notes held by such holder to be, and all of the Notes held by such holder shall thereupon be and become, immediately due and payable at par together with interest accrued thereon, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Company, (b) if such event is an Event of Default specified in clause (viii), (ix) or (x) of this paragraph 7A with respect to the Company, all of the Notes at the time outstanding shall automatically become immediately due and payable together with interest accrued thereon and together with the Yield-Maintenance Amount, if any, with respect to each Note, without presentment, demand, protest or notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Company, and the Facility shall automatically terminate, and (c) if such event is not an Event of Default specified in clause (viii), (ix) or (x) of this paragraph 7A with respect to the Company, the Required Holder(s) may at its or their option, by notice in writing to the Company, declare all of the Notes to be, and all of the Notes shall thereupon be and become, immediately due and payable together with interest accrued thereon and together with the Yield-Maintenance Amount, if any, with respect to each Note, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Company, and Prudential may at its option, by notice in writing to the Company, terminate the Facility. The Company acknowledges, and the parties hereto agree, that each holder of a Note has the right to maintain its investment in the Notes free from repayment by the Company (except as herein specifically provided for) and without the occurrence of an Event of Default and that the provision for payment of Yield-Maintenance Amount by the Company in the event the Notes are prepaid or are accelerated as a result of an Event of Default is intended to provide compensation for the deprivation of such right under such circumstances.

          7B.          Rescission of Acceleration. At any time after any or all of the Notes shall have been declared immediately due and payable pursuant to paragraph 7A, the Required Holder(s) may, by notice in writing to the Company, rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if (i) the Company shall have paid all overdue interest on the Notes, the principal of and Yield-Maintenance Amount, if any, payable with respect to any Notes which have become due otherwise than by reason of such declaration, and interest on such overdue interest and overdue principal and Yield-Maintenance Amount at the Default Rate, (ii) the Company shall not have paid any amounts which have become due solely by reason of such declaration,

24

(iii) all Events of Default and Defaults, other than non-payment of amounts which have become due solely by reason of such declaration, shall have been cured or waived pursuant to paragraph 11C, and (iv) no judgment or decree shall have been entered for the payment of any amounts due pursuant to the Notes of such Series or this Agreement. No such rescission or annulment shall extend to or affect any subsequent Event of Default or Default or impair any right arising therefrom.

          7C.          Notice of Acceleration or Rescission. Whenever any Note shall be declared immediately due and payable pursuant to paragraph 7A or any such declaration shall be rescinded and annulled pursuant to paragraph 7B, the Company shall forthwith give written notice thereof to the holder of each Note of each Series at the time outstanding.

          7D.          Other Remedies. If any Event of Default or Default shall occur and be continuing, the holder of any Note may proceed to protect and enforce its rights under this Agreement, the other Transaction Documents and such Note by exercising such remedies as are available to such holder in respect thereof under applicable law, either by suit in equity or by action at law, or both, whether for specific performance of any covenant or other agreement contained in this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents or in aid of the exercise of any power granted in this Agreement or any Transaction Document.. No remedy conferred in this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents upon the holder of any Note is intended to be exclusive of any other remedy, and each and every such remedy shall be cumulative and shall be in addition to every other remedy conferred herein or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or by statute or otherwise.

          8.          REPRESENTATIONS, COVENANTS AND WARRANTIES. The Company represents, covenants and warrants as follows:

          8A(1).          Organization; Subsidiary Preferred Equity. The Company is a corporation duly organized and existing in good standing under the laws of the State of Michigan, and each Subsidiary is duly organized and existing in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which it is organized. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries have duly qualified or been duly licensed, and are authorized to do business and are in good standing, in each jurisdiction in which the ownership of their respective properties or the nature of their respective businesses makes such qualification or licensing necessary and in which the failure to be so qualified or licensed could be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect. No Subsidiary has any outstanding shares of any class of capital stock or other equity interests which has priority over any other class of capital stock or other equity interests of such Subsidiary as to dividends or distributions or in liquidation except as may be owned beneficially and of record by the Company or a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary. Schedule 8A(1), as supplemented by a writing delivered to Prudential before any Closing Date after the Series A Closing Day, sets forth the name and state of organization of each Subsidiary of the Company and whether such Subsidiary is obligated under any Guarantee with respect to any Indebtedness of the Company, in existence as of the date this representation is made

          8A(2).          Power and Authority. The Company and each Subsidiary has all requisite corporate, limited liability company or partnership, as the case may be, power to own or hold under lease and operate their respective properties which it purports to own or hold under lease

25

and to conduct its business as currently conducted and as currently proposed to be conducted. The Company has all requisite corporate power to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Notes and the other Transaction Documents. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the Notes and the other Transaction Documents has been duly authorized by all requisite corporate action, and this Agreement, the Notes and the other Transaction Documents have been duly executed and delivered by authorized officers of the Company and are valid obligations of the Company, legally binding upon and enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights generally and (ii) general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).

          8B.          Financial Statements. The Company has furnished each Purchaser of any Note with the following financial statements, identified by a principal financial officer of the Company: (i) a consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries as at December 31 in each of the three fiscal years of the Company most recently completed prior to the date as of which this representation is made or repeated to such Purchaser (other than fiscal years completed within 90 days prior to such date for which audited financial statements have not been released) and consolidated statements of income and cash flows and a consolidated statement of shareholders' equity of the Company and its Subsidiaries for each such year, all reported on by Ernst & Young LLP (or such other nationally recognized accounting firm as may be reasonably acceptable to such Purchaser) and (ii) consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries as at the end of the quarterly period (if any) most recently completed prior to such date and after the end of such fiscal year (other than quarterly periods completed within 45 days prior to such date for which financial statements have not been released) and the comparable quarterly period in the preceding fiscal year and consolidated statements of income and cash flows and a consolidated statement of shareholders' equity for the periods from the beginning of the fiscal years in which such quarterly periods are included to the end of such quarterly periods, prepared by the Company. Such financial statements (including any related schedules and/or notes) are true and correct in all material respects (subject, as to interim statements, to changes resulting from audits and year-end adjustments), have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles consistently followed throughout the periods involved and show all liabilities, direct and contingent, of the Company and its Subsidiaries required to be shown in accordance with such principles. The balance sheets fairly present the condition of the Company and its Subsidiaries as at the dates thereof, and the statements of income, stockholders' equity and cash flows fairly present the results of the operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries and their cash flows for the periods indicated. There has been no material adverse change in the business, property or assets, condition (financial or otherwise), operations or prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole since June 30, 2007 (in the case of the making of this representation at the time of the execution of this Agreement and the issuance of the Series A Notes), or, in the case of the making of this representation at the time of the issuance of a Series of Shelf Notes, since the end of the most recent fiscal year for which audited financial statements described in clause (i) of this paragraph 8B had been provided to Prudential prior to the time Prudential provided the interest rate quote to the Company pursuant to paragraph 2B(4) with respect to such Series of Shelf Notes.

26

          8C.          Actions Pending. There is no action, suit, investigation or proceeding pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or any properties or rights of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, by or before any court, arbitrator or administrative or governmental body which, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to result in any Material Adverse Effect.

          8D.          Outstanding Indebtedness. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has outstanding any Indebtedness except as permitted by paragraph 6B. There exists no default under the provisions of any instrument evidencing such Indebtedness or of any agreement relating thereto.

          8E.          Title to Properties. The Company has and each of its Subsidiaries has good and indefeasible title to its respective real properties (other than properties which it leases) and good title to all of its other respective properties and assets, including the properties and assets reflected in the most recent audited balance sheet referred to in paragraph 8B (other than properties and assets disposed of in the ordinary course of business), subject to no Lien of any kind except Liens permitted by paragraph 6C. All leases necessary in any material respect for the conduct of the respective businesses of the Company and its Subsidiaries are valid and subsisting and are in full force and effect.

          8F.          Taxes. The Company has, and each of its Subsidiaries has, filed all federal, state and other income tax returns which, to the knowledge of the officers of the Company and its Subsidiaries, are required to be filed, and each has paid all taxes as shown on such returns and on all assessments received by it to the extent that such taxes have become due, except such taxes as are being actively contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings for which adequate reserves have been established in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

          8G.          Conflicting Agreements and Other Matters. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to any contract or agreement or subject to any charter, by-law, limited liability company operating agreement, partnership agreement or other corporate, limited liability company or partnership restriction which materially and adversely affects its business, property or assets, condition (financial or otherwise) or operations. Neither the execution nor delivery of this Agreement, the Notes or the other Transaction Documents, nor the offering, issuance and sale of the Notes, nor fulfillment of nor compliance with the terms and provisions hereof and of the Notes and the other Transaction Documents will conflict with, or result in a breach of the terms, conditions or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in any violation of, or result in the creation of any Lien upon any of the properties or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to, the charter or by-laws of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, any award of any arbitrator or any agreement (including any agreement with stockholders), instrument, order, judgment, decree, statute, law, rule or regulation to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is subject. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to, or otherwise subject to any provision contained in, any instrument evidencing Indebtedness of the Company or such Subsidiary, any agreement relating thereto or any other contract or agreement (including its charter) which limits the amount of, or otherwise imposes restrictions on the incurring of, Indebtedness of the Company of the type to be evidenced by the Notes or Indebtedness of any Guarantor of the type to be evidenced by the Guaranty Agreements except as set forth in the agreements listed in Schedule 8G attached hereto (as such Schedule 8G may

27

have been modified from time to time by written supplements thereto delivered by the Company and accepted in writing by Prudential).

          8H.          Offering of Notes. Neither the Company nor any agent acting on its behalf has, directly or indirectly, offered the Notes or any similar security of the Company for sale to, or solicited any offers to buy the Notes or any similar security of the Company from, or otherwise approached or negotiated with respect thereto with, any Person other than Institutional Investors, and neither the Company nor any agent acting on its behalf has taken or will take any action which would subject the issuance or sale of the Notes to the provisions of Section 5 of the Securities Act or to the provisions of any securities or Blue Sky law of any applicable jurisdiction.

          8I.          Use of Proceeds. The proceeds of the Series A Notes will be used for capital expenditures, to refinance existing Indebtedness of the Company, to repurchase Capital Stock of the Company and for working capital. The proceeds of any Series of Shelf Notes will be used as specified in the Request for Purchase with respect to such Series. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary owns or has any present intention of acquiring any "margin stock" as defined in Regulation U (12 CFR Part 221) of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (herein called "margin stock"). None of the proceeds of the sale of any Notes will be used, directly or indirectly, for the purpose, whether immediate, incidental or ultimate, of purchasing or carrying any margin stock or for the purpose of maintaining, reducing or retiring any Indebtedness which was originally incurred to purchase or carry any stock that is then a margin stock or for any other purpose which might constitute the sale or purchase of any Notes a "purpose credit" within the meaning of such Regulation U. The Company is not engaged principally, or as one of its important activities, in the business of extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock. Neither the Company nor any agent acting on its behalf has taken or will take any action which might cause this Agreement, any Note or any other Transaction Document to violate Regulation T, Regulation U or any other regulation of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or to violate the Exchange Act, in each case as in effect now or as the same may hereafter be in effect.

          8J.          ERISA. No accumulated funding deficiency (as defined in section 302 of ERISA and section 412 of the Code), whether or not waived, exists with respect to any Plan (other than a Multiemployer Plan). No liability to the PBGC has been or is expected by the Company or any ERISA Affiliate to be incurred with respect to any Plan (other than a Multiemployer Plan) by the Company, any Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate which is or could reasonably be expected to be materially adverse to the business, property or assets, condition (financial or otherwise) or operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole. Neither the Company, any Subsidiary nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred or presently expects to incur any withdrawal liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to any Multiemployer Plan which is or could reasonably be expected to be materially adverse to the business, property or assets, condition (financial or otherwise) or operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the issuance and sale of the Notes will be exempt from or will not involve any transaction which is subject to the prohibitions of section 406 of ERISA and will not involve any transaction in connection with which a penalty could be imposed under section 502(i) of ERISA or a tax could be imposed pursuant to section 4975 of

28

the Code. The representation by the Company in the next preceding sentence is made in reliance upon and subject to the accuracy of each Purchaser's representation in paragraph 9B.

          8K.          Governmental Consent. Neither the nature of the Company or of any Subsidiary, nor any of their respective businesses or properties, nor any relationship between the Company or any Subsidiary and any other Person, nor any circumstance in connection with the offering, issuance, sale or delivery of the Notes is such as to require any authorization, consent, approval, exemption or other action by or notice to or filing with any court or administrative or governmental body (other than routine filings after the Closing Day for any Notes with the Securities and Exchange Commission and/or state Blue Sky authorities) in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents, the offering, issuance, sale or delivery of the Notes or fulfillment of or compliance with the terms and provisions hereof or of the Notes.

          8L.          Compliance with Environmental and Other Laws. The Company and its Subsidiaries and all of their respective properties and facilities have complied at all times and in all respects with all federal, state, local, foreign and regional statutes, laws, ordinances and judicial or administrative orders, judgments, rulings and regulations, including, without limitation, those relating to protection of the environment, except, in any such case, where failure to comply, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

          8M.          Regulatory Status. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is (i) an "investment company" or a company "controlled" by an "investment company" within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or an "investment adviser" within the meaning of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, (ii) a "holding company" or a "subsidiary company" or an "affiliate" of a "holding company" or of a "subsidiary company" of a "holding company", within the meaning of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 2005, or (iii) a "public utility" within the meaning of the Federal Power Act, as amended.

          8N.          Permits and Other Operating Rights. The Company and each Subsidiary has all such valid and sufficient certificates of convenience and necessity, franchises, licenses, permits, operating rights and other authorizations from federal, state, foreign, regional, municipal and other local regulatory bodies or administrative agencies or other governmental bodies having jurisdiction over the Company or any Subsidiary or any of its properties, as are necessary for the ownership, operation and maintenance of its businesses and properties, as presently conducted and as proposed to be conducted while the Notes are outstanding, subject to exceptions and deficiencies which, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and such certificates of convenience and necessity, franchises, licenses, permits, operating rights and other authorizations from federal, state, foreign, regional, municipal and other local regulatory bodies or administrative agencies or other governmental bodies having jurisdiction over the Company, any Subsidiary or any of its properties are free from restrictions or conditions which, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in violation of any thereof in any material respect.

29

          8O.          Rule 144A. The Notes are not of the same class as securities of the Company, if any, listed on a national securities exchange registered under Section 6 of the Exchange Act or quoted in a U.S. automated inter-dealer quotation system.

          8P.          Absence of Financing Statements, etc. Except with respect to Liens permitted by paragraph 6C hereof, there is no financing statement, security agreement, chattel mortgage, real estate mortgage or other document filed or recorded with any filing records, registry or other public office, that purports to cover, affect or give notice of any present or possible future Lien on, or security interest in, any assets or property of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any rights relating thereto.

          8Q.          Foreign Assets Control Regulations, Etc. 

          (i)          Neither the sale of any Notes by the Company hereunder nor its use of the proceeds thereof will violate the Trading with the Enemy Act, as amended, or any of the foreign assets control regulations of the United States Treasury Department (31 CFR, Subtitle B, Chapter V, as amended) or any enabling legislation or executive order relating thereto. 

          (ii)          Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary (i) is a Person described or designated in the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List of the Office of Foreign Assets Control or in Section 1 of the Anti-Terrorism Order or (ii) engages in any dealings or transactions with any such Person. The Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance, in all material respects, with the USA Patriot Act. 

          (iii)          No part of the proceeds from the sale of any Notes hereunder will be used, directly or indirectly, for any payments to any governmental official or employee, political party, official of a political party, candidate for political office, or anyone else acting in an official capacity, in order to obtain, retain or direct business or obtain any improper advantage, in violation of the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, assuming in all cases that such Act applies to the Company.

          8R.          Disclosure. Neither this Agreement nor any other document, certificate or statement furnished to Prudential or any Purchaser by or on behalf of the Company in connection herewith contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements contained herein and therein not misleading. There is no fact or facts peculiar to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries which materially adversely affects or in the future may (so far as the Company can now reasonably foresee), individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to materially adversely affect the business, property or assets, or financial condition of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and which has not been set forth in this Agreement or in the other documents, certificates and statements furnished to Prudential and each Purchaser by or on behalf of the Company prior to the date hereof in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby. Any financial projections delivered to Prudential or any Purchaser on or prior to the date this representation is made or repeated are reasonable based on the assumptions stated therein and the best information available to the officers of the Company. 

30

          8S.          Existing Credit Facilities. The Company has provided to Prudential correct and complete copies of the Existing Credit Facilities, and all amendments thereto. 

          8T.          Hostile Tender Offers. None of the proceeds of the sale of any Notes will be used to finance a Hostile Tender Offer.

          9.          REPRESENTATIONS OF EACH PURCHASER. Each Purchaser represents as follows:

          9A.          Nature of Purchase.

          (i)          Such Purchaser has such knowledge and experience in financial and business affairs as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of its investment, and has had an opportunity to review this Agreement, and ask questions of the Company, provided that nothing contained herein should be construed as limiting the ability of any Purchaser to rely on the representations and warranties contained herein without any investigation. 

          (i)          Such Purchaser is purchasing the Notes as principal for its own account, not for the benefit of any other person, for investment only and not with a view to the resale or distribution of all or any of the Notes, provided that the disposition of such Purchaser's property shall at all times be and remain within its control. Such Purchaser is an "accredited investor" as defined in Rule 501(a) promulgated under the Securities Act.

          (iii)          Such Purchaser understands that the Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act and may be resold only if registered pursuant to the provisions of the Securities Act or if an exemption from registration is available, except under circumstances where neither such registration nor such an exemption is required by law, and that the Company is not required to register the Notes.

          9B.          Source of Funds. At least one of the following statements is an accurate representation as to each source of funds (a "Source") to be used by such Purchaser to pay the purchase price of the Notes to be purchased by such Purchaser hereunder:

          (i)          the Source is an "insurance company general account" (as that term is defined in the United States Department of Labor's Prohibited Transaction Exemption ("PTE") 95-60) in respect of which the reserves and liabilities (as defined by the annual statement for life insurance companies approved by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (the "NAIC Annual Statement")) for the general account contract(s) held by or on behalf of any employee benefit plan together with the amount of the reserves and liabilities for the general account contract(s) held by or on behalf of any other employee benefit plans maintained by the same employer (or affiliate thereof as defined in PTE 95-60) or by the same employee organization in the general account do not exceed 10% of the total reserves and liabilities of the general account (exclusive of

31

separate account liabilities) plus surplus as set forth in the NAIC Annual Statement filed with such Purchaser's state of domicile; or

          (ii)          the Source is a separate account that is maintained solely in connection with such Purchaser's fixed contractual obligations under which the amounts payable, or credited, to any employee benefit plan (or its related trust) that has any interest in such separate account (or to any participant or beneficiary of such plan (including any annuitant)) are not affected in any manner by the investment performance of the separate account; or

          (iii)          the Source is either (a) an insurance company pooled separate account, within the meaning of PTE 90-1, or (b) a bank collective investment fund, within the meaning of the PTE 91-38 and, except as disclosed by such Purchaser to the Company in writing pursuant to this clause (iii), no employee benefit plan or group of plans maintained by the same employer or employee organization beneficially owns more than 10% of all assets allocated to such pooled separate account or collective investment fund; or

          (iv)          the Source constitutes assets of an "investment fund" (within the meaning of Part V of PTE 84-14 (the "QPAM Exemption")) managed by a "qualified professional asset manager" or "QPAM" (within the meaning of Part V of the QPAM Exemption), no employee benefit plan's assets that are included in such investment fund, when combined with the assets of all other employee benefit plans established or maintained by the same employer or by an affiliate (within the meaning of Section V(c)(1) of the QPAM Exemption) of such employer or by the same employee organization and managed by such QPAM, exceed 20% of the total client assets managed by such QPAM, the conditions of Part I(c) and (g) of the QPAM Exemption are satisfied, neither the QPAM nor a person controlling or controlled by the QPAM (applying the definition of "control" in Section V(e) of the QPAM Exemption) owns a 5% or more interest in the Company and (a) the identity of such QPAM and (b) the names of all employee benefit plans whose assets are included in such investment fund have been disclosed to the Company in writing pursuant to this clause (iv); or

          (v)          the Source constitutes assets of a "plan(s)" (within the meaning of Section IV of PTE 96-23 (the "INHAM Exemption")) managed by an "in-house asset manager" or "INHAM" (within the meaning of Part IV of the INHAM Exemption), the conditions of Part I(a), (g) and (h) of the INHAM Exemption are satisfied, neither the INHAM nor a person controlling or controlled by the INHAM (applying the definition of "control" in Section IV(h) of the INHAM Exemption) owns a 5% or more interest in the Company and (a) the identity of such INHAM and (b) the name(s) of the employee benefit plan(s) whose assets constitute the Source have been disclosed to the Company in writing pursuant to this clause (v); or

          (vi)          the Source is a governmental plan; or

32

          (vii)          the Source is one or more employee benefit plans, or a separate account or trust fund comprised of one or more employee benefit plans, each of which has been identified to the Company in writing pursuant to this clause (vii); or

          (viii)          the Source does not include assets of any employee benefit plan, other than a plan exempt from the coverage of ERISA.

As used in this paragraph 9B, the terms "employee benefit plan", "governmental plan", and "separate account" shall have the respective meanings assigned to such terms in Section 3 of ERISA.

          10.          DEFINITIONS; ACCOUNTING MATTERS. For the purpose of this Agreement, the terms defined in paragraphs 10A and 10B (or within the text of any other paragraph) shall have the respective meanings specified therein and all accounting matters shall be subject to determination as provided in paragraph 10C.

10A.          Yield-Maintenance Terms.

                    "Called Principal" shall mean, with respect to any Note, the principal of such Note that is to be prepaid pursuant to paragraph 4B or paragraph 4E or is declared to be or otherwise becomes due and payable pursuant to paragraph 7A, as the context requires.

                    "Discounted Value" shall mean, with respect to the Called Principal of any Note, the amount obtained by discounting all Remaining Scheduled Payments with respect to such Called Principal from their respective scheduled due dates to the Settlement Date with respect to such Called Principal, in accordance with accepted financial practice and at a discount factor (as converted to reflect the periodic basis on which interest on such Note is payable, if interest is payable other than on a semi-annual basis) equal to the Reinvestment Yield with respect to such Called Principal.

                    "Reinvestment Yield" shall mean, with respect to the Called Principal of any Note, 0.50% over the yield to maturity implied by (i) the yields reported as of 10:00 a.m. (New York City local time) on the Business Day next preceding the Settlement Date with respect to such Called Principal for the most recent actively traded on the run U.S. Treasury securities having a maturity equal to the Remaining Average Life of such Called Principal as of such Settlement Date on the display designated as "Page PX1" on Bloomberg Financial Markets (or such other display as may replace Page PX1 on Bloomberg Financial Markets or, if Bloomberg Financial Markets shall cease to report such yields or shall cease to be Prudential Capital Group's customary source of information for calculating yield-maintenance amounts on privately placed notes, then such source as is then Prudential Capital Group's customary source of such information), or (ii) if such yields shall not be reported as of such time or the yields reported as of such time shall not be ascertainable (including by way of interpolation), the Treasury Constant Maturity Series yields reported, for the latest day for which such yields shall have been so reported as of the Business Day next preceding the Settlement Date with respect to such Called Principal, in Federal Reserve Statistical Release H.15 (or any comparable successor publication) for U.S. Treasury securities having a constant maturity equal to the Remaining Average Life of such Called Principal as of such Settlement Date. In the case of each determination under clause

33

(i) or (ii) of the preceding sentence, such implied yield shall be determined, if necessary, by (a) converting U.S. Treasury bill quotations to bond equivalent yields in accordance with accepted financial practice and (b) interpolating linearly between (1) the applicable U.S. Treasury security with the maturity closest to and greater than such Remaining Average Life and (2) the applicable U.S. Treasury security with the maturity closest to and less than such Remaining Average Life. The Reinvestment Yield shall be rounded to that number of decimal places as appears in the coupon of the applicable Note.

                    "Remaining Average Life" shall mean, with respect to the Called Principal of any Note, the number of years (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth year) obtained by dividing (i) such Called Principal into (ii) the sum of the products obtained by multiplying (a) each Remaining Scheduled Payment of such Called Principal (but not of interest thereon) by (b) the number of years (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth year) which will elapse between the Settlement Date with respect to such Called Principal and the scheduled due date of such Remaining Scheduled Payment.

                    "Remaining Scheduled Payments" shall mean, with respect to the Called Principal of any Note, all payments of such Called Principal and interest thereon that would be due on or after the Settlement Date with respect to such Called Principal if no payment of such Called Principal were made prior to its scheduled due date.

                    "Settlement Date" shall mean, with respect to the Called Principal of any Note, the date on which such Called Principal is to be prepaid pursuant to paragraph 4B or paragraph 4E or is declared to be or otherwise becomes due and payable pursuant to paragraph 7A, as the context requires.

                    "Yield-Maintenance Amount" shall mean, with respect to any Note, an amount equal to the excess, if any, of the Discounted Value of the Called Principal of such Note over the sum of (i) such Called Principal plus (ii) interest accrued thereon as of (including interest due on) the Settlement Date with respect to such Called Principal. The Yield-Maintenance Amount shall in no event be less than zero.

          10B.          Other Terms.

                    "Acceptance" shall have the meaning given in paragraph 2B(5) hereof.

                    "Acceptance Day" shall have the meaning given in paragraph 2B(5) hereof.

                    "Acceptance Window" shall mean, with respect to any interest rate quotes provided by Prudential pursuant to paragraph 2B(4), the time period designated by Prudential as the time period during which the Company may elect to accept such interest rate quotes. If no such time period is designated by Prudential with respect to any such interest rate quotes, then the Acceptance Window for such interest rate quotes will be 2 minutes after the time Prudential shall have provided such interest rate quotes to the Company.

                    "Accepted Note" shall have the meaning given in paragraph 2B(5) hereof.

34

                    "Additional Covenant" shall mean any affirmative or negative covenant or similar restriction applicable to the Company or any Subsidiary (regardless of whether such provision is labeled or otherwise characterized as a covenant) the subject matter of which either (i) is similar to that of any covenant in paragraph 5 or 6 of this Agreement, or related definitions in paragraph 10 of this Agreement, but contains one or more percentages, amounts or formulas that is more restrictive than those set forth herein or more beneficial to the holders of any Indebtedness (other than the Notes) of the Company or any Subsidiary (and such covenant or similar restriction shall be deemed an Additional Covenant only to the extent that it is more restrictive or more beneficial) or (ii) is different from the subject matter of any covenants in paragraph 5 or 6 of this Agreement, or related definitions in paragraph 10 of this Agreement. 

                    "Additional Default" shall mean any provision contained in any agreement evidencing any Indebtedness (other than the Notes) of the Company or any Subsidiary to accelerate (with the passage of time or giving of notice or both) the maturity thereof or otherwise requires any Company or any Subsidiary to purchase such Indebtedness prior to the stated maturity thereof and which either (i) is similar to any Default or Event of Default contained in paragraph 7 of this Agreement, or related definitions in paragraph 10 of this Agreement, but contains one or more percentages, amounts or formulas that is more restrictive or has a shorter grace period than those set forth herein or is more beneficial to the holders of such Indebtedness (and such provision shall be deemed an Additional Default only to the extent that it is more restrictive, has a shorter grace period or is more beneficial) or (ii) is different from the subject matter of any Default or Event of Default contained in paragraph 7 of this Agreement, or related definitions in paragraph 10 of this Agreement. 

                    "Affiliate" shall mean (i) with respect to any Person, any other Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under direct or indirect common control with, such first Person, except a Subsidiary of the Company shall not be an Affiliate of the Company, and (ii) with respect to Prudential, shall include any managed account, investment fund or other vehicle for which Prudential Financial, Inc. or any Affiliate of Prudential Financial, Inc. then acts as investment advisor or portfolio manager. A Person shall be deemed to control a corporation or other entity if such Person possesses, directly or indirectly, the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such corporation or other entity, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

                    "Anti-Terrorism Order" means Executive Order No. 13,224 of September 24, 2001, Blocking Property and Prohibiting Transactions with Persons Who Commit, Threaten to Commit or Support Terrorism, 66 U.S. Fed. Reg. 49, 079 (2001), as amended.

                    "Authorized Officer" shall mean (i) in the case of the Company, its chief executive officer, its chief financial officer, any vice president of the Company designated as an "Authorized Officer" of the Company in the Information Schedule attached hereto or any vice president of the Company designated as an "Authorized Officer" of the Company for the purpose of this Agreement in an Officer's Certificate executed by the Company's chief executive officer or chief financial officer and delivered to Prudential, and (ii) in the case of Prudential or any Prudential Affiliate, any Person designated as an "Authorized Officer" of Prudential and Prudential Affiliates in the Information Schedule or any Person designated as its "Authorized Officer" for the purpose of this Agreement in a certificate executed by one of Prudential's

35

Authorized Officers or a lawyer in Prudential's law department. Any action taken under this Agreement on behalf of the Company by any individual who on or after the date of this Agreement shall have been an Authorized Officer of the Company and whom Prudential or any Prudential Affiliate in good faith believes to be an Authorized Officer of the Company at the time of such action shall be binding on the Company even though such individual shall have ceased to be an Authorized Officer of the Company, and any action taken under this Agreement on behalf of Prudential or any Prudential Affiliate by any individual who on or after the date of this Agreement shall have been an Authorized Officer of Prudential or such Prudential Affiliate and whom the Company in good faith believes to be an Authorized Officer of Prudential or such Prudential Affiliate at the time of such action shall be binding on Prudential or such Prudential Affiliate even though such individual shall have ceased to be an Authorized Officer of Prudential or such Prudential Affiliate.

                    "Available Facility Amount" shall have the meaning given in paragraph 2B(1) hereof.

                    "Bankruptcy Law" shall have the meaning given in clause (viii) of paragraph 7A hereof.

                    "Business Day" shall mean any day other than (i) a Saturday or a Sunday, (ii) a day on which commercial banks in New York City or Detroit, Michigan are required or authorized to be closed and (iii) for purposes of paragraph 2B(3) hereof only, a day on which Prudential is not open for business.

                    "Cancellation Date" shall have the meaning given in paragraph 2B(8)(iv) hereof.

                    "Cancellation Fee" shall have the meaning given in paragraph 2B(8)(iv) hereof.

                    "Capital Stock" shall mean (i) in the case of any corporation, all capital stock and any securities exchangeable for or convertible into capital stock, (ii) in the case of an association or business entity, any and all shares, interests, participations, rights or other equivalents of corporate stock (however designated) in or to such association or entity, (iii) in the case of a partnership or limited liability company, partnership or membership interests (whether general or limited) and (iv) any other interest or participation that confers on a Person the right to receive a share of the profits and losses of, or distribution of assets of, the issuing Person, and including, in all of the foregoing cases described in clauses (i), (ii) (iii) or (iv), any warrants, rights or other options to purchase or otherwise acquire any of the interests described in any of the foregoing cases.

                    "Capitalized Lease" shall mean any lease the obligations of the lessee under which constitute Capitalized Lease Obligations.

                    "Capitalized Lease Obligation" shall mean any rental obligation which, under generally accepted accounting principles, would be required to be capitalized on the books of the Company or any Subsidiary, taken at the amount thereof accounted for as indebtedness (net of interest expense) in accordance with such principles.

36

                    "Change of Control" shall mean any of the following events or circumstances: (a) any Person or group of Persons (within the meaning of Section 13(d) or 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) shall either (i) acquire beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 of the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) of 20% or more of the outstanding shares of Voting Stock of the Company or (ii) obtain the power (whether or not exercised) to elect a majority of the Company's directors or (b) Continuing Directors shall cease to constitute a majority of the board of directors of the Company.

                    "Closing Day" shall mean, with respect to the Series A Notes, the Series A Closing Day and, with respect to any Accepted Note, the Business Day specified for the closing of the purchase and sale of such Accepted Note in the Confirmation of Acceptance for such Accepted Note, provided that (i) if the Company and the Purchaser which is obligated to purchase such Accepted Note agree on an earlier Business Day for such closing, the "Closing Day" for such Accepted Note shall be such earlier Business Day, and (ii) if the closing of the purchase and sale of such Accepted Note is rescheduled pursuant to paragraph 2B(7), the Closing Day for such Accepted Note, for all purposes of this Agreement except references to "original Closing Day" in paragraph 2B(8)(iii), shall mean the Rescheduled Closing Day with respect to such Accepted Note.

                    "Code" shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

                    "Confirmation of Acceptance" shall have the meaning given in paragraph 2B(5).

                    "Consolidated" or "consolidated" shall mean, when used with reference to any financial term in this Agreement, the aggregate for two or more persons of the amounts signified by such term for all such persons determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

                    "Continuing Director" shall mean any member of the Company's board of directors who either (i) is a member of such board as of the Series A Closing Date or (ii) is thereafter elected to such board, or nominated for election by stockholders, by a vote of at least two-thirds of the directors who are Continuing Directors at the time of such vote; provided that an individual who is so elected or nominated in connection with a merger, consolidation, acquisition or similar transaction shall not be a Continuing Director unless such individual was a Continuing Director prior thereto.

                    "Contractual Obligation" shall mean as to any person, any provision of any security issued by such person or of any agreement, instrument or other undertaking to which such person is a party or by which it or any of its property is bound.

                    "Credit Agreement" shall mean, collectively, (i) the Credit Agreement, dated as of December 3, 1998, among the Company and JPMorgan, as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time and (ii) the Term Loan Agreement, dated as of November 20, 2007, among the Company and JPMorgan, as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

37

                    "Default" shall mean any of the events specified in paragraph 7A, whether or not any requirement for such event to become an Event of Default has been satisfied.

                    "Default Rate" shall mean, with respect to any Note, a rate per annum from time to time equal to the lesser of (i) the maximum rate permitted by applicable law, and (ii) the greater of (a) 2.00% per annum above the rate of interest stated in such Note, or (b) 2.00% over the rate of interest publicly announced by JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, from time to time in New York City as its Prime Rate.

                    "Delayed Delivery Fee" shall have the meaning given in paragraph 2B(8)(iii) hereof.

                    "EBITDA" shall mean, for any period, Net Income for such period plus all amounts deducted in determining such Net Income on account of (a) Interest Expense, (b) income taxes, and (c) depreciation and amortization expense.

                    "Environmental Laws" at any date shall mean all provisions of law, statute, ordinances, rules, regulations, judgments, writs, injunctions, decrees, orders, awards and standards promulgated by the government of the United States of America or any foreign government or by any state, province, municipality or other political subdivision thereof or therein, or by any court, agency, instrumentality, regulatory authority or commission of any of the foregoing concerning the protection of, or regulating the discharge of substances into, the environment.

                    "ERISA" shall mean the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.

                    "ERISA Affiliate" shall mean any corporation which is a member of the same controlled group of corporations as the Company within the meaning of section 414(b) of the Code, or any trade or business which is under common control with the Company within the meaning of section 414(c) of the Code.

                    "Event of Default" shall mean any of the events specified in paragraph 7A, provided that there has been satisfied any requirement in connection with such event for the giving of notice, or the lapse of time, or the happening of any further condition, event or act.

                    "Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

                    "Existing Credit Facilities" shall mean each of (a) the Credit Agreement and (b) the Term Loan Agreement.

                    "Facility" shall have the meaning given in paragraph 2B(1) hereof.

                    "Fixed Charges" shall mean, for any period, the sum, without duplication, of (a) Interest Expense for such period, plus (b) all payments of principal and other sums paid or payable during such period by the Company or its Subsidiaries with respect to Indebtedness of the Company or its Subsidiaries, plus (c) all dividends, distributions and other obligations paid with respect to any class of the Company's Capital Stock or any dividend, payment or

38

distribution paid in connection with the redemption, purchase, retirement or other acquisition, directly or indirectly, of any shares of the Company's Capital Stock, excluding any purchases by the Company of its Capital Stock, plus (d) all income taxes paid or past due for such period for the Company or its Subsidiaries.

                    "Funded Debt" as of any date, shall mean: (a) all debt for borrowed money and similar monetary obligations evidenced by bonds, notes, debentures, Capitalized Lease Obligations or otherwise, including without limitation obligations in respect of the deferred purchase price of properties or assets, in each case whether direct or indirect; (b) all liabilities secured by any Lien existing on property owned or acquired subject thereto, whether or not the liability secured thereby shall have been assumed; (c) all reimbursements obligations under outstanding letters of credit in respect of drafts which (i) may be presented or (ii) have been presented and have not yet been paid, and (d) all Guarantees relating to any of the obligations of others similar in character to those described in the foregoing clauses (a) through (c), all as determined for the Company and its Subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis.

                    "Funded Debt Ratio" shall mean, as of any date, the ratio of (a) Funded Debt as of such date to (b) EBITDA, as calculated for the four consecutive fiscal quarters of the Company most recently ended.

                    "Guarantee" of any Person shall mean, as of any date, all obligations of such Person or of others for which such Person is contingently liable, as obligor, guarantor, surety, accommodation party, partner or in any other capacity, or in respect of which obligations such Person assures a creditor against loss or agrees to take any action to prevent any such loss (other than endorsements of negotiable instruments for collection in the ordinary course of business), including without limitation all reimbursement obligations of such Person in respect of any letters of credit, surety bonds or similar obligations (including, without limitation, bankers acceptances) and all obligations of such Person to advance funds to, or to purchase assets, property or services from, any other Person in order to maintain the financial condition of such other Person.

                    "Guarantor" shall mean each Person which may from time to time execute a Guaranty Agreement.

                    "Guaranty Agreement" and "Guaranty Agreements" shall have the same meaning given in paragraph 3A (ii) hereof.

                    "Hedge Treasury Note(s)" shall mean, with respect to any Accepted Note, the United States Treasury Note or Notes whose duration (as determined by Prudential) most closely matches the duration of such Accepted Note.

                    "Hostile Tender Offer" shall mean, with respect to the use of proceeds of any Note, any offer to purchase, or any purchase of, shares of capital stock of any corporation or equity interests in any other entity, or securities convertible into or representing the beneficial ownership of, or rights to acquire, any such shares or equity interests, if such shares, equity interests, securities or rights are of a class which is publicly traded on any securities exchange or in any over-the-counter market, other than purchases of such shares, equity interests, securities or

39

rights representing less than 5% of the equity interests or beneficial ownership of such corporation or other entity for portfolio investment purposes, and such offer or purchase has not been duly approved by the board of directors of such corporation or the equivalent governing body of such other entity prior to the date on which the Company makes the Request for Purchase of such Note.

                    "including" shall mean, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, "including without limitation", whether or not so stated.

                    "Indebtedness" of any person shall mean, as of any date, (a) all obligations of such person for borrowed money, (b) all Capitalized Lease Obligations of such person, (c) all obligations which are secured by any Lien existing on any asset or property of such person whether or not the obligation secured thereby shall have been assumed by such person (to the extent of such Lien if such obligation is not assumed), (d) all obligations of such person for the unpaid purchase price for goods, property or services acquired by such person, except for trade accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of business that are not past due, (e) all obligations of such person to purchase goods, property or services where payment therefor is required regardless of whether delivery of such goods or property or the performance of such services is ever made or tendered (generally referred to as "take or pay contracts"), (f) all liabilities of such person in respect of Unfunded Benefit Liabilities under any Plan of such person or of any ERISA Affiliate, (g) all obligations of such person in respect of any interest rate or currency swap, rate cap or other similar transaction (valued in an amount equal to the highest termination payment, if any, that would be payable by such person upon termination for any reason on the date of determination), and (h) all obligations of others similar in character to those described in clauses (a) through (g) of this definition for which such person is contingently liable, as guarantor, surety, accommodation party, partner or in any other capacity, or in respect of which obligations such person assures a creditor against loss or agrees to take any action to prevent any such loss (other than endorsements of negotiable instruments for collection in the ordinary course of business), including without limitation all reimbursement obligations of such person in respect of letters of credit, surety bonds or similar obligations and all obligations of such person to advance funds to, or to purchase assets, property or services from, any other person in order to maintain the financial condition of such other person.

                    "Interest Expense" shall mean, for any period, total interest and related expense (including, without limitation, that portion of any Capitalized Lease Obligation attributable to interest expense in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles, amortization of debt discount, all capitalized interest, the interest portion of any deferred payment obligations, all commissions, discounts and other fees and charges owed with respect to letter of credit and bankers acceptance financing, the net costs and net payments under any interest rate hedging, cap or similar agreement or arrangement, prepayment charges, agency fees, administrative fees, commitment fees and capitalized transaction costs allocated to interest expense) paid, payable or accrued during such period, without duplication for any period, with respect to all outstanding Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, all as determined for the Company and its Subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis.

                    "Initial Purchasers" shall have the meaning given in the address block of this Agreement.

40

                    "Institutional Investor" shall mean any insurance company, commercial, investment or merchant bank, finance company, mutual fund, registered money or asset manager, savings and loan association, credit union, registered investment advisor, pension fund, investment company, licensed broker or dealer, "qualified institutional buyer" (as such term is defined under Rule 144A promulgated under the Securities Act) or "accredited investor" (as such term is defined in Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act).

                    "Issuance Fee" shall have the meaning given in paragraph 2B(8)(ii) hereof.

                    "Issuance Period" shall have the meaning given in paragraph 2B(2) hereof.

                    "JPMorgan" shall mean JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., successor by merger with Bank One, NA (Main Office-Chicago), successor by merger with Bank One, Michigan, formerly known as NBD Bank.

                    "Lien" shall mean any mortgage, pledge, security interest, encumbrance, minimum or compensating balance arrangement, lien (statutory or otherwise) or charge of any kind (including any agreement to give any of the foregoing, any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any lease in the nature thereof (including Capitalized Leases), and the filing of or agreement to give any financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code of any jurisdiction) or any other type of preferential arrangement for the purpose, or having the effect, of protecting a creditor against loss or securing the payment or performance of an obligation.

                    "Material Adverse Effect" shall mean a (i) material adverse effect on the business, assets, liabilities, operations, prospects or condition, financial or otherwise, of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (ii) material impairment of the Company's or any Guarantor's ability to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement, the Notes or the other Transaction Documents or (iii) material impairment of the validity or enforceability of the rights of, or the benefits available to, the holders of any of the Notes under this Agreement, the Notes or any other Transaction Document.

                    "Multiemployer Plan" shall mean any Plan which is a "multiemployer plan" (as such term is defined in section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA.

                    "Net Income" shall mean, for any period, the Consolidated net income (or loss) of the Company and its Subsidiaries for such period taken as a single accounting period, determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles; provided that in determining Consolidated Net Income there shall be excluded, without duplication:  (a) the income of any Person in which any Person other than the Company has a joint interest or partnership interest, except to the extent of the amount of dividends or other distributions actually paid to the Company by such Person during such period, (b) the proceeds of any insurance policy, (c) gains from the sale, exchange, transfer or other disposition of property or assets not in the ordinary course of business of the Company and its Subsidiaries and related tax effects in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and (d) any other extraordinary or non-recurring gains of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, and related tax effects, in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles; provided, further, that any determination of Net Income shall exclude any non-cash charges after June 30, 2000 to the

41

extent all such excluded non-cash charges so excluded do not exceed $4,000,000 in aggregate amount.

                    "Notes" shall have the meaning given in paragraph 1B hereof.

                    "Officer's Certificate" shall mean a certificate signed in the name of the Company by an Authorized Officer of the Company.

                    "PBGC" shall mean the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, or any successor or replacement entity thereto under ERISA.

                    "Person" shall mean and include an individual, a partnership, a joint venture, a corporation, a trust, a limited liability company, an unincorporated organization and a government or any department or agency thereof.

                    "Plan" shall mean any employee pension benefit plan (as such term is defined in section 3 of ERISA) which is or has been established or maintained, or to which contributions are or have been made, by the Company or any ERISA Affiliate.

                    "Proposed Prepayment Date" shall have the meaning given in paragraph 4E(4) hereof.

                    "Prudential" shall have the meaning given in the address block of this Agreement.

                    "Prudential Affiliate" shall mean any Affiliate of Prudential.

                    "Purchasers" shall mean, with respect to the Series A Notes, the Initial Purchasers and, with respect to any Accepted Notes, the Prudential Affiliate(s) which are purchasing such Accepted Notes.

                    "Related Party" shall mean (i) any officer or director of the Company or any Subsidiary, (ii) any Person directly or indirectly owning any shares of capital stock of the Company or any Subsidiary, (iii) any Person who is related by blood, adoption or marriage to any Person described in clause (i) or (ii), or (iv) any Affiliate of the Company or any Affiliate of any Person described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii); provided, however, that the Company and any Subsidiary of the Company shall not be Related Parties.

                    "Request for Purchase" shall have the meaning given in paragraph 2B(3) hereof.

                    "Required Holder(s)" shall mean the holder or holders of more than 50% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes or, if the term is expressly used with respect to a Series of Notes, of such Series of Notes from time to time outstanding.

                    "Rescheduled Closing Day" shall have the meaning given in paragraph 2B(7) hereof.

42

                    "Responsible Officer" shall mean the chief executive officer, chief operating officer, chief financial officer or chief accounting officer of the Company or any other officer of the Company involved principally in its financial administration or its controllership function.

                    "Securities Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

                    "Series" shall have the meaning given in paragraph 1B hereof.

                    "Series A Closing Day" shall have the meaning given in paragraph 2A hereof.

                    "Series A Note(s)" shall have the meaning given in paragraph 1A hereof.

                    "Shelf Notes" shall have the meaning given in paragraph 1B hereof.

                    "Significant Holder" shall mean (i) Prudential, (ii) each Purchaser, so long as such Purchaser or any of its Affiliates shall hold (or be committed under this Agreement to purchase) any Note, or (iii) any other Person which, together with its Affiliates, is the holder of at least 10% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes of any Series from time to time outstanding.

                    "Subsidiary" shall mean, as to any Person, any corporation, association or other business entity in which such Person or one or more of its Subsidiaries or such Person and one or more of its Subsidiaries owns sufficient equity or voting interests to enable it or them (as a group) ordinarily, in the absence of contingencies, to elect a majority of the directors (or Persons performing similar function) of such entity, and any partnership or joint venture if more than a 50% interest in profits or capital thereof is owned by such Person or one or more of its Subsidiaries or such Person and one or more of its Subsidiaries (unless such partnership can and does ordinarily taken major business actions without the approval of such Person or one or more of its Subsidiaries). Unless the context otherwise clearly requires, any reference to a "Subsidiary" is a reference to a Subsidiary of the Company.

                    "Tangible Net Worth" of any person shall mean, as of any date, (a) the amount of any Capital Stock, paid in capital and similar equity accounts plus (or minus in the case of a deficit) the capital surplus and retained earnings of such person and the amount of any foreign currency translation adjustment account shown as a capital account of such person, less (b) the net book value of all items of the following character which are included in the assets of such person: (i) goodwill, including, without limitation, the excess of cost over book value of any asset, (ii) organization or experimental expenses, (iii) unamortized debt discount and expense, (iv) patents, trademarks, trade names and copyrights, (v) treasury stock, (vi) deferred taxes and deferred charges, (vii) franchises, licenses and permits, and (viii) other assets which are deemed intangible assets under generally accepted accounting principles.

                    "Term Loan Agreement" shall mean the Loan Agreement, dated as of October 6, 2006, among the Company and Charter One Bank, N.A., as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

                    "Transaction Documents" shall mean this Agreement, the Notes, the Guaranty Agreement, each Confirmation of Guaranty and the other agreements, documents, certificates

43

and instruments now or hereafter executed or delivered by the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate in connection with this Agreement.

                    "Transferee" shall mean any direct or indirect transferee of all or any part of any Note purchased by any Purchaser under this Agreement.

                    "USA Patriot Act" shall mean United States Public Law 107-56, Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT ACT) Act of 2001, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder from time to time in effect.

                    "Voting Stock" shall mean, with respect to any corporation, any shares of stock of such corporation whose holders are entitled under ordinary circumstances to vote for the election of directors of such corporation (irrespective of whether at the time stock of any other class or classes shall have or might have voting power by reason of the happening of any contingency).

                    "Wholly-Owned Subsidiary" shall mean any Subsidiary of the Company all of the outstanding capital stock or other equity interests of every class of which is owned by the Company or another Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of the Company, and which has outstanding no options, warrants, rights or other securities entitling the holder thereof (other than the Company or a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary) to acquire shares of capital stock or other equity interests of such Subsidiary.

          10C.          Accounting and Legal Principles, Terms and Determinations. All references in this Agreement to "generally accepted accounting principles" shall be deemed to refer to generally accepted accounting principles in effect in the United States at the time of application thereof. Unless otherwise specified herein, all accounting terms used herein shall be interpreted, all determinations with respect to accounting matters hereunder shall be made, and all unaudited consolidated financial statements and certificates and reports as to financial matters required to be furnished hereunder shall be prepared, in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a basis consistent with the most recent audited consolidated financial statements of the Company and its Subsidiaries delivered pursuant to clause (ii) of paragraph 5A or, if no such statements have been so delivered, the most recent audited financial statements referred to in clause (i) of paragraph 8B, provided that, if the Company notifies the holders of the Notes that the Company wishes to amend any covenant in paragraph 6 to eliminate the effect of any change in generally accepted accounting principles in the operation of such covenant (or if the Required Holders notify the Company that the Required Holders wish to amend paragraph 6 for such purpose), then the Company's compliance with such covenant 'shall be determined on the basis of generally accepted accounting principles in effect immediately before the relevant change in generally accepted accounting principles became effective, until either such notice is withdrawn or such covenant is amended in a manner satisfactory to the Company and the Required Holders. Any reference herein to any specific citation, section or form of law, statute, rule or regulation shall refer to such new, replacement or analogous citation, section or form should such citation, section or form be modified, amended or replaced.

44

          11.          MISCELLANEOUS.

          11A.          Note Payments. The Company agrees that, so long as any Purchaser shall hold any Note, it will make payments of principal of, interest on, and any Yield-Maintenance Amount payable with respect to, such Note, which comply with the terms of this Agreement, by wire transfer of immediately available funds for credit (not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the date due) to (i) such Purchaser's account or accounts specified in the Purchaser Schedule attached hereto in the case of any Series A Note, (ii) such Purchaser's account or accounts specified in the Confirmation of Acceptance with respect to such Note in the case of any Shelf Note or (iii) such other account or accounts in the United States as such Purchaser may from time to time designate in writing, notwithstanding any contrary provision herein or in any Note with respect to the place of payment. Each Purchaser agrees that, before disposing of any Note, such Purchaser will make a notation thereon (or on a schedule attached thereto) of all principal payments previously made thereon and of the date to which interest thereon has been paid. The Company agrees to afford the benefits of this paragraph 11A to any Transferee which shall have made the same agreement as each Purchaser has made in this paragraph 11A. No holder shall be required to present or surrender any Note or make any notation thereon, except that upon the written request of the Company made concurrently with or reasonably promptly after the payment or prepayment in full of any Note, the applicable holder shall surrender such Note for cancellation, reasonably promptly after such request, to the Company at its principal office.

          11B.          Expenses. Whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby shall be consummated, the Company shall pay, and save Prudential, each Purchaser and any Transferee harmless against liability for the payment of, all out-of-pocket expenses arising in connection with such transactions, including:

          (i)          (a) all stamp and documentary taxes and similar charges, (b) costs of obtaining a private placement number from Standard and Poor's Ratings Group for the Notes and (c) fees and expenses of brokers, agents, dealers, investment banks or other intermediaries or placement agents, in each case as a result of the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents or the issuance of the Notes;

          (ii)          document production and duplication charges and the fees and expenses of any special counsel engaged by such Purchaser or such Transferee in connection with (a) this Agreement, any of the other Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated hereby and (b) any subsequent proposed waiver, amendment or modification of, or proposed consent under, this Agreement or any other Transaction Document, whether or not such proposed waiver, amendment, modification or consent shall be effected or granted;

          (iii)          the costs and expenses, including attorneys' and financial advisory fees, incurred by such Purchaser or such Transferee in enforcing (or determining whether or how to enforce) any rights under this Agreement or the Notes or any other Transaction Document or in responding to any subpoena or other legal process or informal investigative demand issued in connection with this Agreement or any other Transaction Document or the transactions contemplated hereby or by reason of the Company or such

45

Transferee's having acquired any Note, including without limitation costs and expenses incurred in any workout, restructuring or renegotiation proceeding or bankruptcy case; and

          (iv)          any judgment, liability, claim, order, decree, cost, fee, expense, action or obligation resulting from the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, including the use of the proceeds of the Notes by the Company.

          The Company also will promptly pay or reimburse each Purchaser or holder of a Note (upon demand, in accordance with each such Purchaser's or holder's written instruction) for all fees and costs paid or payable by such Purchaser or holder to the Securities Valuation Office of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in connection with the initial filing of this Agreement and all related documents and financial information, and all subsequent annual and interim filings of documents and financial information related to this Agreement, with such Securities Valuation Office or any successor organization acceding to the authority thereof.

          The obligations of the Company under this paragraph 11B shall survive the transfer of any Note or portion thereof or interest therein by any Purchaser or any Transferee and the payment of any Note.

          11C.          Consent to Amendments. This Agreement may be amended, and the Company may take any action herein prohibited, or omit to perform any act herein required to be performed by it, if the Company shall obtain the written consent to such amendment, action or omission to act, of the Required Holder(s) except that, (i) with the written consent of the holders of all Notes of a particular Series, and, if an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, of the holders of all Notes of all Series at the time outstanding (and not without such written consents), the Notes of such Series may be amended or the provisions thereof waived to change the maturity thereof, to change or affect the principal thereof, or to change or affect the rate, method of computation or time of payment of interest on or any Yield-Maintenance Amount payable with respect to the Notes of such Series, (ii) without the written consent of the holder or holders of all Notes at the time outstanding, no amendment to or waiver of the provisions of this Agreement shall change or affect the provisions of paragraph 7A or this paragraph 11C insofar as such provisions relate to proportions of the principal amount of the Notes of any Series, or the rights of any individual holder of Notes, required with respect to any declaration of Notes to be due and payable or with respect to any consent, amendment, waiver or declaration, (iii) with the written consent of Prudential (and not without the written consent of Prudential) the provisions of paragraph 2B may be amended or waived (except insofar as any such amendment or waiver would affect any rights or obligations with respect to the purchase and sale of Notes which shall have become Accepted Notes prior to such amendment or waiver), and (iv) with the written consent of all of the Purchasers which shall have become obligated to purchase Accepted Notes of any Series (and not without the written consent of all such Purchasers), any of the provisions of paragraphs 2B and 3 may be amended or waived insofar as such amendment or waiver would affect only rights or obligations with respect to the purchase and sale of the Accepted Notes of such Series or the terms and provisions of such Accepted Notes. Each holder of any Note at the time or thereafter outstanding shall be bound by any consent authorized by this paragraph 11C, whether or not such Note shall have been marked to indicate such consent, but any Notes issued thereafter may bear a notation referring to any such

46

consent. No course of dealing between the Company and the holder of any Note nor any delay in exercising any rights hereunder or under any Note shall operate as a waiver of any rights of any holder of any Note. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, no negotiations or discussions in which Prudential or any holder of any Note may engage regarding any possible amendments, consents or waivers with respect to this Agreement or the Notes shall constitute a waiver of any Default or Event of Default, any term of this Agreement or any Note or any rights of Prudential or any such holder under this Agreement or the Notes. As used herein and in the Notes, the term "this Agreement" and references thereto shall mean this Agreement as it may from time to time be amended or supplemented.

          11D.          Form, Registration, Transfer and Exchange of Notes; Lost Notes. The Notes are issuable as registered notes without coupons in denominations of at least $100,000, except as may be necessary to (i) reflect any principal amount not evenly divisible by $100,000 or (ii) enable the registration of transfer by a holder of its entire holding of Notes; provided, however, that no such minimum denomination shall apply to Notes issued upon transfer by any holder of the Notes to Prudential or Prudential Affiliates or to any other entity or group of Affiliates with respect to which the Notes so issued or transferred shall be managed by a single entity. The Company shall keep at its principal office a register in which the Company shall provide for the registration of Notes and of transfers of Notes. Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Note at the principal office of the Company, the Company shall, at its expense, execute and deliver one or more new Notes of like tenor and of a like aggregate principal amount, registered in the name of such transferee or transferees. At the option of the holder of any Note, such Note may be exchanged for other Notes of like tenor and of any authorized denominations, of a like aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the Note to be exchanged at the principal office of the Company. Whenever any Notes are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall, at its expense, execute and deliver the Notes which the holder making the exchange is entitled to receive. Every Note surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange shall be duly endorsed, or be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer duly executed, by the holder of such Note or such holder's attorney duly authorized in writing. Any Note or Notes issued in exchange for any Note or upon transfer thereof shall carry the rights to unpaid interest and interest to accrue which were carried by the Note so exchanged or transferred, so that neither gain nor loss of interest shall result from any such transfer or exchange. Upon receipt of written notice from the holder of any Note of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of such Note and, in the case of any such loss, theft or destruction, upon receipt of such holder's unsecured indemnity agreement, or in the case of any such mutilation upon surrender and cancellation of such Note, the Company will make and deliver a new Note, of like tenor, in lieu of the lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated Note.

          11E.          Persons Deemed Owners; Participations. Prior to due presentment for registration of transfer, the Company may treat the Person in whose name any Note is registered as the owner and holder of such Note for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of, interest on and any Yield-Maintenance Amount payable with respect to such Note and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not such Note shall be overdue, and the Company shall not be affected by notice to the contrary. Subject to the preceding sentence, the holder of any Note may from time to time grant participations in all or any part of such Note to any Person on such terms and conditions as may be determined by such holder in its sole and absolute discretion.

47

          11F.          Survival of Representations and Warranties; Entire Agreement. All representations and warranties contained herein or made in writing by or on behalf of the Company in connection herewith shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Notes and the other Transaction Documents, the transfer by any Purchaser of any Note or portion thereof or interest therein and the payment of any Note, and may be relied upon by any Transferee, regardless of any investigation made at any time by or on behalf of any Purchaser or any Transferee. Subject to the preceding sentence, this Agreement, the Notes and the other Transaction Documents embody the entire agreement and understanding between the Purchasers and the Company with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior agreements and understandings relating to such subject matter.

          11G.          Successors and Assigns. All covenants and other agreements in this Agreement by or on behalf of any of the parties hereto shall bind and inure to the benefit of the respective successors and assigns of the parties hereto (including, without limitation, any Transferee) whether so expressed or not.

          11H.          Independence of Covenants. All covenants hereunder and under the other Transaction Documents shall be given independent effect so that if a particular action or condition is prohibited by any one of such covenants, the fact that it would be permitted by an exception to, or otherwise be in compliance within the limitations of, another covenant shall not (i) avoid the occurrence of a Default or Event of Default if such action is taken or such condition exists or (ii) in any way prejudice an attempt by the holder of any Note to prohibit through equitable action or otherwise the taking of any action by the Company or any Subsidiary which would result in a Default or Event of Default.

          11I.          Notices. All written communications provided for hereunder (other than communications provided for under paragraph 2) shall be sent by first class mail or nationwide overnight delivery service (with charges prepaid) and (i) if to Prudential or any Purchaser, addressed to Prudential or such Purchaser at the address specified for such communications in the Purchaser Schedule attached hereto (in the case of Prudential or the Purchasers of the Series A Notes) or the Purchaser Schedule attached to the applicable Confirmation of Acceptance (in the case of any Purchaser of any Shelf Notes) or at such other address as Prudential or such Purchaser shall have specified to the Company in writing, (ii) if to any other holder of any Note, addressed to such other holder at such address as such other holder shall have specified to the Company in writing or, if any such holder shall not have so specified an address to the Company, then addressed to such holder in care of the last holder of such Note which shall have so specified an address to the Company and (iii) if to the Company, addressed to it at 1165 Reynolds Road, Charlotte, Michigan, 48813, Attention: Chief Financial Officer or at such other address as the Company shall have specified to the holder of each Note in writing, provided, however, that any such communication to the Company may also, at the option of the Person sending such communication, be delivered by any other means either to the Company at its address specified above or to any Authorized Officer of the Company. Any communication pursuant to paragraph 2 shall be made by the method specified for such communication in paragraph 2, and shall be effective to create any rights or obligations under this Agreement only if, in the case of a telephone communication, an Authorized Officer of the party conveying the information and of the party receiving the information are parties to the telephone call, and in the case of a facsimile transmission communication, the communication is signed by an Authorized

48

Officer of the party conveying the information, addressed to the attention of an Authorized Officer of the party receiving the information, and in fact received at the facsimile terminal the number of which is listed for the party receiving the communication in the Information Schedule or at such other facsimile terminal as the party receiving the information shall have specified in writing to the party sending such information.

          11J.          Payments Due on Non-Business Days. Anything in this Agreement or the Notes to the contrary notwithstanding, any payment of principal of, interest on, or Yield-Maintenance Amount payable with respect to, any Note that is due on a date other than a Business Day shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day without including the additional days elapsed in the computation of the interest payable on such next succeeding Business Day.

          11K.          Satisfaction Requirement. If any agreement, certificate or other writing, or any action taken or to be taken, is by the terms of this Agreement required to be satisfactory to any Purchaser, to any holder of Notes or to the Required Holder(s), the determination of such satisfaction shall be made by such Purchaser, such holder or the Required Holder(s), as the case may be, in the sole and exclusive judgment (exercised in good faith) of the Person or Persons making such determination.

          11L.          GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE CONSTRUED AND ENFORCED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, AND THE RIGHTS OF THE PARTIES SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS (EXCLUDING ANY CONFLICTS OF LAW RULES WHICH WOULD OTHERWISE CAUSE THIS AGREEMENT TO BE CONSTRUED OR ENFORCED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, OR THE RIGHTS OF THE PARTIES TO BE GOVERNED BY, THE LAWS OF ANY OTHER JURISDICTION).

          11M.          SUBMISSION TO JURISDICTION; WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING WITH RESPECT TO THIS AGREEMENT, THE NOTES O THE OTHER TRANSACTION DOCUMENTS MAY BE BROUGHT IN THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS, OR OF THE UNITED STATES FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS AND, BY EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF THIS AGREEMENT, THE COMPANY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY ACCEPTS, UNCONDITIONALLY, THE JURISDICTION OF THE AFORESAID COURTS WITH RESPECT TO ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING. THE COMPANY FURTHER IRREVOCABLY CONSENTS TO THE SERVICE OF PROCESS OUT OF ANY OF THE AFOREMENTIONED COURTS IN ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING BY THE MAILING OF COPIES THEREOF BY REGISTERED OR CERTIFIED MAIL, POSTAGE PREPAID, TO IT AT ITS ADDRESS PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 11I OR TO CT CORPORATION SYSTEM AT 208 SOUTH LASALLE STREET, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60604, SUCH SERVICE TO BECOME EFFECTIVE UPON RECEIPT. THE COMPANY AGREES THAT A FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND MAY BE ENFORCED IN ANY OTHER JURISDICTION BY SUIT ON SUCH JUDGMENT OR IN ANY OTHER MANNER PROVIDED BY LAW. NOTHING HEREIN SHALL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF ANY HOLDER OF A NOTE TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY LAW OR TO COMMENCE

49

LEGAL PROCEEDINGS OR OTHERWISE PROCEED AGAINST THE COMPANY IN ANY OTHER JURISDICTION. THE COMPANY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY OBJECTION WHICH IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OF ANY OF THE AFORESAID ACTIONS OR PROCEEDINGS ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT OR THE NOTES BROUGHT IN ANY OF THE AFORESAID COURTS AND HEREBY FURTHER IRREVOCABLY WAIVES AND AGREES NOT TO PLEAD OR CLAIM IN ANY SUCH COURT THAT ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING BROUGHT IN ANY SUCH COURT HAS BEEN BROUGHT IN AN INCONVENIENT FORUM. TO THE EXTENT THAT THE COMPANY HAS OR MAY HEREAFTER ACQUIRE IMMUNITY FROM JURISDICTION OF ANY COURT OR FROM ANY LEGAL PROCESS (WHETHER THROUGH SERVICE OF NOTICE, ATTACHMENT PRIOR TO JUDGMENT, ATTACHMENT IN AID OF EXECUTION, EXECUTION OR OTHERWISE WITH RESPECT TO ITSELF OR ITS PROPERTY), THE COMPANY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES SUCH IMMUNITY IN RESPECT OF ITS OBLIGATIONS UNDER THIS AGREEMENT OR THE NOTES. THE COMPANY, PRUDENTIAL AND EACH PURCHASER HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT, THE NOTES OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED THEREBY.

          11N.          Severability. Any provision of this Agreement which is prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.

          11O.          Descriptive Headings; Advice of Counsel; Interpretation; Time of the Essence. The descriptive headings of the several paragraphs of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and do not constitute a part of this Agreement. Each party to this Agreement represents to the other parties to this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents that such party has been represented by counsel in connection with this Agreement, the Notes and the other Transaction Documents, that such party has discussed this Agreement, the Notes and the other Transaction Documents with its counsel and that any and all issues with respect to this Agreement, the Notes and the other Transaction Documents have been resolved as set forth herein and therein. No provision of this Agreement, the Notes or the other Transaction Documents shall be construed against or interpreted to the disadvantage of any party hereto by any court or other governmental or judicial authority by reason of such party having or being deemed to have structured, drafted or dictated such provision. Time is of the essence in the performance of this Agreement, the Notes and the other Transaction Documents.

          11P.          Counterparts; Facsimile or Electronic Signatures. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts (or counterpart signature pages), each of which counterparts shall be an original, but all of which together shall constitute one instrument. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Agreement by facsimile or electronic transmission shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.

50

          11Q.          Severalty of Obligations. The sales of Notes to the Purchasers are to be several sales, and the obligations of Prudential and the Purchasers under this Agreement are several obligations. No failure by Prudential or any Purchaser to perform its obligations under this Agreement shall relieve any other Purchaser or the Company of any of its obligations hereunder, and neither Prudential nor any Purchaser shall be responsible for the obligations of, or any action taken or omitted by, any other such Person hereunder.

          11R.          Independent Investigation. Each Purchaser represents to and agrees with each other Purchaser that it has made its own independent investigation of the condition (financial and otherwise), prospects and affairs of the Company and its Subsidiaries in connection with its purchase of the Notes hereunder and has made and shall continue to make its own appraisal of the creditworthiness of the Company. No holder of Notes shall have any duties or responsibility to any other holder of Notes, either initially or on a continuing basis, to make any such investigation or appraisal or to provide any credit or other information with respect thereto. No holder of Notes is acting as agent or in any other fiduciary capacity on behalf of any other holder of Notes.

          11S.          Directly or Indirectly. Where any provision in this Agreement refers to actions to be taken by any Person, or which such Person is prohibited from taking, such provision shall be applicable whether the action in question is taken directly or indirectly by such Person.

          11T.          Binding Agreement. When this Agreement is executed and delivered by the Company, Prudential and the Initial Purchasers, it shall become a binding agreement between the Company, on one hand, and Prudential and each Initial Purchaser, on the other hand. This Agreement shall also inure to the benefit of each Purchaser which shall have executed and delivered a Confirmation of Acceptance and each such Purchaser shall be bound by this Agreement to the extent provided in such Confirmation of Acceptance.

[signature pages follow]

51

	
 
	
Very truly yours,

	
 
	
 

	
 
	
SPARTAN MOTORS, INC.

	
 
	
 

	
 
	
 

	
 
	
 

	
 
	
By:
	
 

	
 
	
 
	
Name:
	
 

	
 
	
 
	
Title:
	
 

52

The foregoing Agreement is

hereby accepted as of the

date first above written.

	
PRUDENTIAL INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, INC.
	
 

	
 
	
 

	
 
	
 

	
 
	
 

	
By:
	
 

	
 
	
 

	
 
	
Vice President
	
 
	
 

	
 
	
 

	
 
	
 

	
 
	
 

	
THE PRUDENTIAL INSURANCE COMPANY

   OF AMERICA
	
 

	
 
	
 

	
 
	
 

	
 
	
 

	
By:
	
 

	
 
	
 

	
 
	
Vice President
	
 
	
 

	
 
	
 

	
 
	
 

	
 
	
 

	
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY

   OF NEW JERSEY
	
 

	
 
	
 

	
 
	
 

	
 
	
 

	
By:
	
 

	
 
	
 

	
 
	
Vice President
	
 
	
 

53

EXHIBIT A-1

[FORM OF SERIES A NOTE]

THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS. THE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE OFFERED FOR SALE, SOLD, TRANSFERRED AND ASSIGNED (I) IN THE ABSENCE OF AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT FOR THE SECURITIES UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS OR (II) UNLESS SOLD PURSUANT TO AN APPLICABLE EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER SAID ACT AND APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS.

SPARTAN MOTORS, INC.

4.93% SERIES A SENIOR NOTE DUE NOVEMBER 30, 2010

	
No. _____

$________
	
[Date]

PPN___________

          FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned, Spartan Motors, Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Michigan (herein called the "Company"), hereby promises to pay to ______________________, or registered assigns, the principal sum of _______________ DOLLARS on November 30, 2010, with interest (computed on the basis of a 360-day year-30-day month) (a) on the unpaid balance thereof at the rate of 4.93% per annum (or during any period when an Event of Default shall be in existence, at the election of the Required Holder(s) of the Series A Notes, at the Default Rate (as defined below)) from the date hereof, payable quarterly on February 28, May 30, August 30 and November 30 in each year, commencing with the February 28, May 30, August 30 or November 30 next succeeding the date hereof, until the principal hereof shall have become due and payable, and (b) on any overdue payment (including any overdue prepayment) of principal, any overdue payment of Yield-Maintenance Amount and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, any overdue payment of interest, payable quarterly as aforesaid (or, at the option of the registered holder hereof, on demand), at a rate per annum from time to time equal to the Default Rate. The "Default Rate" shall mean a rate per annum from time to time equal to the lesser of (i) the maximum rate permitted by applicable law, and (ii) the greater of (a) 6.93% or (b) 2.00% over the rate of interest publicly announced by JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, from time to time in New York City as its Prime Rate.

          Payments of principal of, interest on and any Yield-Maintenance Amount payable with respect to this Note are to be made at the main office of JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, in New York City or at such other place as the holder hereof shall designate to the Company in writing, in lawful money of the United States of America.

A-1-1

          This Note is one of a series of Senior Notes (herein called the "Notes") issued pursuant to a Note Purchase and Private Shelf Agreement, dated as of November 30, 2007 (herein called the "Agreement"), between the Company, on the one hand, and Prudential Investment Management, Inc., the Initial Purchasers named in the Purchaser Schedule attached thereto and each Prudential Affiliate which becomes party thereto, on the other hand, and is entitled to the benefits thereof.

          This Note is a registered Note and, as provided in the Agreement, upon surrender of this Note for registration of transfer, duly endorsed, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer duly executed, by the registered holder hereof or such holder's attorney duly authorized in writing, a new Note for a like principal amount will be issued to, and registered in the name of, the transferee. Prior to due presentment for registration of transfer, the Company may treat the person in whose name this Note is registered as the owner hereof for the purpose of receiving payment and for all other purposes, and the Company shall not be affected by any notice to the contrary.

          This Note is subject to optional prepayment, in whole or from time to time in part, on the terms specified in the Agreement.

          This Note is guaranteed pursuant to one or more Guaranty Agreements executed by certain guarantors. Reference is made to such Guaranty Agreements for a statement concerning the terms and conditions governing such guarantee of the obligations of the Company hereunder.

          The Company and any and all endorsers, guarantors and sureties severally waive grace, demand, presentment for payment, notice of dishonor or default, notice of intent to accelerate, notice of acceleration (except to the extent required in the Agreement), protest and diligence in collecting in connection with this Note, whether now or hereafter required by applicable law.

          In case an Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, the principal of this Note may be declared or otherwise become due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Agreement.

          Capitalized terms used herein which are defined in the Agreement and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings as defined in the Agreement.

          THIS NOTE IS INTENDED TO BE PERFORMED IN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS AND SHALL BE CONSTRUED AND ENFORCED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW OF SUCH STATE (EXCLUDING ANY CONFLICTS OF LAW RULES WHICH WOULD OTHERWISE CAUSE THIS NOTE TO BE CONSTRUED OR ENFORCED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF ANY OTHER JURISDICTION).

	
 
	
SPARTAN MOTORS, INC.

	
 
	
 

	
 
	
 

	
 
	
 

	
 
	
By:
	
 

	
 
	
 
	
Title:
	
 

A-1-2

EXHIBIT A-2

[FORM OF SHELF NOTE]

SPARTAN MOTORS, INC.

___% SENIOR SERIES ___ NOTE DUE _____________

No.      

ORIGINAL PRINCIPAL AMOUNT:

ORIGINAL ISSUE DATE:

INTEREST RATE:

INTEREST PAYMENT DATES:

FINAL MATURITY DATE:

PRINCIPAL PREPAYMENT DATES AND AMOUNTS:

PPN______________

          FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned, Spartan Motors, Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Michigan (herein called the "Company"), hereby promises to pay to ________________________, or registered assigns, the principal sum of ____________________ DOLLARS [on the Final Maturity Date specified above] [, payable on the Principal Prepayment Dates and in the amounts specified above, and on the Final Maturity Date specified above in an amount equal to the unpaid balance of the principal hereof,] with interest (computed on the basis of a 360-day year-30-day month) (a) on the unpaid balance thereof at the Interest Rate per annum specified above (or, during any period when an Event of Default shall be in existence, at the election of the Required Holder(s) of this Series of Notes at the Default Rate (as defined below)), from the date hereof, payable on each Interest Payment Date specified above and on the Final Maturity Date specified above, commencing with the Interest Payment Date next succeeding the date hereof, until the principal hereof shall have become due and payable, and (b) on any overdue payment (including any overdue prepayment) of principal, any overdue payment of Yield Maintenance Amount and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, any overdue payment of interest, payable on each Interest Payment Date as aforesaid (or, at the option of the registered holder hereof, on demand), at a rate per annum from time to time equal to the Default Rate. The "Default Rate" shall mean a rate per annum from time to time equal to the lesser of (i) the maximum rate permitted by applicable law, and (ii) the greater of (a) 2.00% over the Interest Rate specified above or (b) 2.00% over the rate of interest publicly announced by JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, from time to time in New York City as its Prime Rate.

          Payments of principal of, interest on and any Yield Maintenance Amount payable with respect to this Note are to be made at the main office of JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, in New York City or at such other place as the holder hereof shall designate to the Company in writing, in lawful money of the United States of America.

          This Note is one of a series of Senior Notes (herein called the "Notes") issued pursuant to a Note Purchase and Private Shelf Agreement, dated as of November 30, 2007 (herein called the

A-2-1

"Agreement"), between the Company, on the one hand, and Prudential Investment Management, Inc., the Initial Purchasers named in the Purchaser Schedule attached thereto and each Prudential Affiliate which becomes party thereto, on the other hand, and is entitled to the benefits thereof.

          This Note is a registered Note and, as provided in the Agreement, upon surrender of this Note for registration of transfer, duly endorsed, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer duly executed, by the registered holder hereof or such holder's attorney duly authorized in writing, a new Note for a like principal amount will be issued to, and registered in the name of, the transferee. Prior to due presentment for registration of transfer, the Company may treat the person in whose name this Note is registered as the owner hereof for the purpose of receiving payment and for all other purposes, and the Company shall not be affected by any notice to the contrary.

          [The Company agrees to make required prepayments of principal on the dates and in the amounts specified above or in the Agreement.] [This Note is [also] subject to optional prepayment, in whole or from time to time in part, on the terms specified in the Agreement.]

          This Note is guaranteed pursuant to one or more Guaranty Agreements executed by certain guarantors. Reference is made to such Guaranty Agreements for a statement concerning the terms and conditions governing such guarantee of the obligations of the Company hereunder.

          The Company and any and all endorsers, guarantors and sureties severally waive grace, demand, presentment for payment, notice of dishonor or default, notice of intent to accelerate, notice of acceleration (except to the extent required in the Agreement), protest and diligence in collecting in connection with this Note, whether now or hereafter required by applicable law.

          In case an Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, the principal of this Note may be declared or otherwise become due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Agreement.

          Capitalized terms used herein which are defined in the Agreement and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings as defined in the Agreement.

          THIS NOTE IS INTENDED TO BE PERFORMED IN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS AND SHALL BE CONSTRUED AND ENFORCED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW OF SUCH STATE (EXCLUDING ANY CONFLICTS OF LAW RULES WHICH WOULD OTHERWISE CAUSE THIS NOTE TO BE CONSTRUED OR ENFORCED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF ANY OTHER JURISDICTION).

	
 
	
SPARTAN MOTORS, INC.

	
 
	
 

	
 
	
 

	
 
	
 

	
 
	
By:
	
 

	
 
	
 
	
Title:
	
 

A-2-2

Source: [{"source": "alea-institute/alea-institute/kl3m-data-edgar-agreements/train-00133-of-00352.parquet"}, [{"source": "alea-institute/alea-institute/kl3m-data-edgar-agreements/train-00133-of-00352.parquet"}]]