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AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER

Agreement and Plan of Merger

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Title: AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER
Governing Law: Delaware     Date: 4/12/2007
Industry: Iron and Steel     Law Firm: Debevoise Plimpton     Sector: Basic Materials

AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER, Parties: bairnco corporation , bz acquisition corp , steel partners ii  lp , steel partners  llc
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Exhibit 99.1
 
 
                                                               
EXECUTION VERSION
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                          
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER
 
                        
               
BY
 
                                       
AND
 
                                      
AMONG
 
                            
STEEL PARTNERS II, L.P.,
 
                              
BZ ACQUISITION CORP.
 
                                       
AND
 
                               
BAIRNCO CORPORATION
 
                          
DATED AS OF FEBRUARY 23, 2007
 
 
 
                                
TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
                                                                   
        
Page
 
ARTICLE I TERMS OF THE
MERGER................................................2
  
1.1.
  
The
Offer............................................................2
  
1.2.
  
Company
Actions......................................................4
  
1.3.
  
Directors of the
Company.............................................5
  
1.4.
  
The
Merger...........................................................6
  
1.5.
  
The Closing; Effective
Time..........................................6
  
1.6.
  
Conversion of
Securities.............................................7
  
1.7.
  
Tender of and Payment for
Certificates...............................7
  
1.8.
  
Options and Restricted
Stock.........................................9
  
1.9.
  
Dissenting
Shares...................................................10
  
1.10. Certificate of Incorporation and
Bylaws.............................10
  
1.11. Directors and
Officers..............................................10
  
1.12. Other Effects of
Merger.............................................11
  
1.13. Additional
Actions..................................................11
ARTICLE II REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE
COMPANY....................11
  
2.1.
  
Due Organization and Good
Standing..................................12
  
2.2.
  
Capitalization......................................................12
  
2.3.
  
Authorization; Binding
Agreement....................................14
  
2.4.
  
Governmental
Approvals..............................................14
  
2.5.
  
No
Violations.......................................................14
  
2.6.
  
SEC Filings; Company Financial
Statements...........................15
  
2.7.
  
Absence of Certain
Changes..........................................16
  
2.8.
  
Absence of Undisclosed
Liabilities..................................17
  
2.9.
  
Permits.............................................................18
  
2.10.
Litigation..........................................................18
  
2.11. Material
Contracts..................................................18
  
2.12. Intellectual
Property...............................................18
  
2.13. Employee Benefit
Plans..............................................19
  
2.14. Taxes and
Returns...................................................21
  
2.15. Finders and Investment
Bankers......................................21
  
2.16. Fairness
Opinion....................................................22
  
2.17. Vote Required; DGCL Section
203.....................................22
  
2.18. Environmental
Matters...............................................22
  
2.19. Schedule 14D-9; Offer Documents; and Proxy
Statement................23
  
2.20. Rights
Plan.........................................................23
ARTICLE III REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF
PURCHASER.....................23
  
3.1.
  
Due Organization and Good
Standing..................................23
  
3.2.
  
Authorization; Binding
Agreement....................................24
  
3.3.
  
Governmental
Approvals..............................................24
 
 
3.4.
  
No
Violations.......................................................24
  
3.5.
  
Finders and Investment
Bankers......................................25
  
3.6.
  
Disclosures.........................................................25
 
 
                  
                     
i
 
 
  
3.7.
  
Financing...........................................................26
  
3.8.
  
Litigation..........................................................26
  
3.9.
  
No Prior
Activities.................................................26
ARTICLE IV ADDITIONAL COVENANTS OF THE
COMPANY..............................26
  
4.1.
  
Conduct of Business of the
Company..................................26
  
4.2.
  
Notification of Certain
Matters.....................................29
  
4.3.
  
Access and
Information..............................................29
  
4.4.
  
Special Meeting; Proxy
Statement....................................30
  
4.5.
  
Reasonable
Efforts..................................................31
  
4.6.
  
Public
Announcements................................................31
  
4.7.
  
Compliance..........................................................31
  
4.8.
  
No
Solicitation.....................................................32
  
4.9.
  
SEC and Stockholder
Filings.........................................34
  
4.10. State Takeover
Laws.................................................34
ARTICLE V ADDITIONAL COVENANTS OF
PURCHASER.................................34
  
5.1.
  
Notification of Certain
Matters.....................................34
  
5.2.
  
Reasonable
Efforts..................................................35
  
5.3.
  
Compliance..........................................................35
  
5.4.
  
Indemnification.....................................................35
  
5.5.
  
Public
Announcements................................................37
  
5.6.
  
Employee
Matters....................................................37
ARTICLE VI
CONDITIONS.......................................................37
  
6.1.
  
Conditions to Each Party's
Obligations..............................37
  
6.2.
  
Condition to Obligations of
Purchaser...............................38
  
6.3.
  
Frustration of
Conditions...........................................38
ARTICLE VII TERMINATION AND
ABANDONMENT.....................................38
  
7.1.
  
Termination.........................................................38
  
7.2.
  
Effect of
Termination...............................................39
  
7.3.
  
Fees and
Expenses...................................................39
ARTICLE VIII
MISCELLANEOUS..................................................41
  
8.1.
  
Confidentiality.....................................................41
  
8.2.
  
Amendment and
Modification..........................................42
  
8.3. 
 
Waiver of Compliance;
Consents......................................42
  
8.4.
  
Survival............................................................42
  
8.5.
  
Notices.............................................................42
  
8.6.
  
Binding Effect;
Assignment..........................................43
  
8.7.
  
Governing
Law.......................................................43
  
8.8.
  
Counterparts........................................................44
  
8.9.
  
Interpretation......................................................44
  
8.10. Entire
Agreement....................................................44
  
8.11.
Severability........................................................45
  
8.12. Specific
Performance................................................45
  
8.13. Attorneys'
Fees.....................................................45
  
8.14. Third
Parties.......................................................45
 
 
                                       
ii
 
 
                          
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER
 
      
This Agreement and Plan of Merger (this
  
"AGREEMENT")
  
is made and entered
into as of February 23, 2007,
  
by and among Steel
  
Partners II, L.P., a Delaware
limited partnership ("PURCHASER"),
  
BZ Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation
and
   
wholly-owned
   
subsidiary
  
of
  
Purchaser
   
("MERGER
  
SUB"),
   
and
  
Bairnco
Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "COMPANY").
 
                                   
WITNESSETH:
 
      
A. The respective Boards of Directors or other governing body or
entity of
Merger Sub,
  
Purchaser and the Company deem it advisable that Purchaser
  
acquire
the Company
  
upon the terms and subject to the
  
conditions
  
provided for in this
Agreement.
 
      
B. Merger Sub has
  
outstanding a cash tender offer (the "EXISTING
  
OFFER",
and,
  
as
  
amended
  
from
  
time to time in
  
accordance
  
with this
  
Agreement,
  
the
"OFFER") to purchase and acquire all shares of the issued and
outstanding common
stock,
  
par value
  
$0.01 per share
  
(the
  
"COMMON
  
STOCK"),
  
and the
  
associated
preferred stock purchase rights (the "RIGHTS",
  
and, together with the shares of
Common Stock,
  
the
  
"SHARES"),
  
of the Company,
  
on the terms and subject to the
conditions
  
set forth in the Offer to
  
Purchase,
  
dated June 22, 2006
  
(together
with all amendments and supplements thereto, the "OFFER TO
PURCHASE").
 
      
C. The Board of
  
Directors of the Company
  
(the
  
"BOARD") has
  
unanimously
approved the
  
Agreement,
  
the Offer and the Merger (as defined
  
below),
  
and the
Board has determined that such approval is sufficient to render
  
inapplicable to
this Agreement, the Offer, the Merger and the other transactions
contemplated by
this
  
Agreement
  
the
  
restriction
  
against the parties
  
hereto,
  
or any of their
affiliates,
  
engaging in any business combination as set forth in Section 203 of
the Delaware
  
General
  
Corporation
  
Law ("DGCL")
  
and has
  
determined
  
that this
Agreement,
  
the Offer and the
  
Merger
  
and the other
  
transactions
  
contemplated
hereby and thereby are
  
advisable to the Company and its
  
stockholders,
  
and has
resolved to
  
recommend
  
that
  
holders of Shares
  
accept the Offer,
  
tender their
Shares to Merger Sub pursuant to the Offer and adopt this
Agreement.
 
      
D. The Board of
  
Directors
  
or other
  
governing
  
body or entity of each of
Purchaser (on its own behalf and as the sole stockholder of Merger
Sub),
  
Merger
Sub and the Company have each approved
  
this
  
Agreement and the merger of Merger
Sub with and into the Company (the "MERGER"), with the Company
continuing as the
surviving
  
corporation
  
in the Merger in
  
accordance
  
with the DGCL and, in each
such case, upon the terms and conditions set forth in this
Agreement.
 
      
E. The Board has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $.10 per
Share (the
"DIVIDEND")
  
which will be payable to the
  
stockholders of the Company of record
on the close of business on March 5, 2007 (the "DIVIDEND RECORD
DATE"),
  
and has
approved the payment of one-time
  
bonuses to each officer,
  
director or employee
of the Company who owns any unexercised options to purchase stock
of the Company
as of the close of business on the
  
Dividend
  
Record
  
Date,
  
whether or not such
options are currently
  
exercisable or vested,
  
to account for the Dividend which
would not otherwise be payable to such optionholders.
 
 
          
                             
1
 
 
      
F. Concurrently with the execution and delivery of this Agreement
and as a
condition
  
and
  
inducement
  
to
  
Purchaser's
   
willingness
  
to
  
enter
  
into
  
this
Agreement, Purchaser and certain executive officers and directors
of the Company
(the
  
"STOCKHOLDERS")
  
are entering
  
into a Tender and Support
  
Agreement in the
form attached hereto as EXHIBIT A (the "TENDER AND SUPPORT
AGREEMENT")
  
pursuant
to which such
  
Stockholders
  
are agreeing to take certain actions to support the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
 
      
NOW,
  
THEREFORE,
  
in
  
consideration
  
of the
  
representations,
  
warranties,
covenants and agreements contained in this Agreement and intending
to be legally
bound hereby, the parties hereto agree as follows:
 
                                    
ARTICLE I
                               
TERMS OF THE MERGER
 
1.1.
  
THE OFFER.
 
      
(a) Promptly
  
following
  
the
  
execution
  
and
  
delivery of this
  
Agreement,
Purchaser
  
shall
  
amend,
  
and
  
Purchaser
  
shall cause
  
Merger Sub to amend,
  
the
Existing
  
Offer to increase the purchase price for the Offer to $13.50 per
Share
(such
  
amount or any greater
  
amount per Share paid
  
pursuant to the Offer being
hereinafter
  
referred
  
to as the
  
"OFFER
  
PRICE"),
  
subject
  
to
  
any
  
applicable
withholding for Taxes (as such term is defined in Section
  
2.14(d)),
  
net to the
seller in cash.
  
For the
  
avoidance
  
of doubt,
  
the
  
parties
  
hereto
  
agree that
restricted
  
stock of the
  
Company
  
("RESTRICTED
  
STOCK")
  
may be tendered in the
Offer and be acquired by Merger Sub pursuant to the Offer.
 
      
(b)
  
Provided
  
that
  
this
  
Agreement
  
shall not have
  
been
  
terminated
  
in
accordance with Section 7.1,
  
Purchaser
  
shall amend,
  
and Purchaser shall cause
Merger Sub to amend, the Offer to Purchase as soon as practicable
after the date
hereof,
  
but in no event later than five (5)
  
business
  
days (as defined in Rule
14d-1(g)(3)
  
of the Securities
  
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
  
(together with
the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder,
  
the "EXCHANGE ACT")) from the
date of this Agreement,
  
to reflect the terms set forth in this
  
Agreement,
  
the
Minimum Condition and the other conditions set forth in Annex A
hereto and other
related
  
terms and Purchaser and Merger Sub shall cause the Offer to remain
open
for a period through March 16, 2007 (the
  
"EXPIRATION
  
DATE"),
  
unless
  
extended
pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.
  
The obligation of Merger Sub to accept
for payment and to pay for any Shares validly
  
tendered and not withdrawn
  
prior
to the
  
expiration
  
of the Offer (as it may be extended in
  
accordance
  
with the
requirements of this Section
  
1.1(b)) shall be subject only to the
  
satisfaction
(or, in the case of clause (ii) below,
  
the
  
satisfaction or waiver by Purchaser
or Merger Sub) of the following conditions: (i) there being validly
tendered and
not
  
withdrawn
  
prior to the
  
expiration
  
of the Offer that
  
number of shares of
Common
  
Stock
  
which,
  
together
  
with any
  
shares of Common
  
Stock then owned by
Purchaser, 
 
Merger Sub or any affiliates thereof, represents at least a
majority
of the total number of shares of Common
  
Stock
  
outstanding
  
on a
  
fully-diluted
basis (the
  
"MINIMUM
  
CONDITION");
  
and (ii) the other
  
conditions
  
set forth in
Annex A hereto.
  
Subject to the prior
  
satisfaction of the Minimum Condition and
the satisfaction or waiver by Purchaser or Merger Sub of the other
conditions of
the Offer set forth in Annex A hereto,
  
Merger Sub shall consummate the Offer in
accordance with its terms and accept for payment and pay for all
Shares tendered
and not
  
withdrawn
  
promptly
  
following
  
the
  
acceptance
  
of Shares for
  
payment
pursuant
  
to the
  
Offer.
  
The
  
Offer
  
shall
  
be made by
  
means
  
of the
  
Offer to
 
 
                                       
2
 
 
Purchase. Merger Sub expressly reserves the right to waive any of
the conditions
set forth in Annex A (other than the Minimum
  
Condition),
  
to increase the Offer
Price
  
and to make
  
any
  
other
  
changes
  
in the
  
terms of the
  
Offer;
  
PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that Merger Sub shall not, and Purchaser shall cause
Merger Sub not to,
decrease the Offer Price, change the form of consideration payable
in the Offer,
decrease the number of Shares sought in the Offer, impose
additional
  
conditions
to the Offer,
  
extend the Offer beyond the Expiration Date,
  
purchase any Shares
pursuant
  
to the Offer
  
that when
  
added to Shares
  
owned by
  
Purchaser
  
and its
affiliates
  
would
  
represent less than the Minimum
  
Condition or amend any other
term or
  
condition
  
of the Offer in any
  
manner
  
adverse
  
to the
  
holders of the
Shares,
  
in each case
  
without the prior
  
written
  
consent of the Company
  
(such
consent to be authorized by the Board or a duly authorized
  
committee
  
thereof).
Notwithstanding
  
the
  
foregoing,
  
Merger
  
Sub may,
  
without
  
the
  
consent of the
Company,
  
prior to the termination of this
  
Agreement,
  
(i) if, at any scheduled
expiration
  
of the Offer any of the
  
conditions
  
to Merger Sub's
  
obligation
  
to
accept Shares for payment (including, without limitation, the
Minimum Condition)
shall not be
  
satisfied or waived,
  
extend the Offer beyond the then
  
applicable
expiration
  
date thereof for a time period
  
reasonably
  
necessary to permit such
condition to be
  
satisfied in
  
increments
  
of not more than five
  
business
  
days
each, but in no event shall such
  
extensions
  
exceed an aggregate of 20 business
days, or (ii) extend the Offer for any period
  
required by any rule,
  
regulation
or
  
interpretation
  
of the United
  
States
  
Securities
  
and
  
Exchange
  
Commission
("SEC"),
  
or the staff
  
thereof,
  
applicable
  
to the Offer,
  
or (iii) if, at any
scheduled
  
expiration
  
of the Offer,
  
the number of shares of Common
  
Stock that
shall
  
have been
  
validly
  
tendered
  
and not
  
withdrawn
  
pursuant
  
to the Offer,
together with any shares of Common Stock then owned by Purchaser,
  
Merger Sub or
any affiliates thereof, satisfies the Minimum Condition but
represents less than
90% of the
  
shares of Common
  
Stock
  
outstanding,
  
extend the Offer (one or more
times) for an aggregate
  
additional period of not more than twenty (20) business
days.
  
Merger
  
Sub may also,
  
without
  
the
  
consent of the
  
Company,
  
in lieu of
extending the Offer pursuant to clause (iii) above,
  
make available a subsequent
offering
  
period in
  
accordance
  
with Rule 14d-11
  
under the Exchange Act of not
less than ten business days nor more than 20 business days.
 
      
(c) As
  
promptly
  
as
  
practicable
  
following
  
the date of this
  
Agreement,
Purchaser and Merger Sub shall file with the SEC an amendment to
their
  
existing
Tender
  
Offer
  
Statement
  
on
  
Schedule
  
TO
  
(together
  
with all
  
amendments
  
and
supplements
  
thereto, the "SCHEDULE TO") with respect to the Offer. The Schedule
TO shall contain or
  
incorporate by reference the Offer to Purchase and forms of
the
  
related
  
letter of
  
transmittal
  
and all other
  
ancillary
  
Offer
  
documents
(collectively,
  
together with all amendments and supplements thereto, the "OFFER
DOCUMENTS").
  
Purchaser
  
and Merger Sub shall
  
cause the Offer
  
Documents
  
to be
disseminated
  
to the
  
holders
  
of the Shares as and to the
  
extent
  
required
  
by
applicable federal
  
securities laws.
  
Purchaser and Merger Sub, on the one hand,
and the
  
Company,
  
on the other hand,
  
will
  
promptly
  
correct
  
any
  
information
provided by it for use in the Offer Documents if and to the extent
that it shall
have become false or
  
misleading
  
in any material
  
respect,
  
and Merger Sub will
cause the Offer
  
Documents
  
as so
  
corrected
  
to be filed with the SEC and to be
disseminated
  
to
  
holders
  
of the
  
Shares,
  
in each
  
case 
 
as and to the
  
extent
required by
  
applicable
  
federal
  
securities
  
laws.
  
The Company and its counsel
shall be given a reasonable opportunity to review and comment upon
the amendment
to the Schedule TO and the Offer to Purchase before they are filed
with the SEC.
In
  
addition,
  
Purchaser
  
and Merger Sub agree to provide
  
the
  
Company
  
and its
counsel with any comments, whether written or oral, that Purchaser
or Merger Sub
or their
  
counsel may
  
receive
  
from time to time from the SEC or its staff with
respect to the Offer
  
Documents
  
promptly after the receipt of such comments and
to consult
  
with the
  
Company and its counsel
  
prior to
  
responding
  
to any such
comments.
 
 
                                       
3
 
 
      
(d) As promptly as practicable after the date of this Agreement,
Purchaser
and Merger Sub shall terminate their
  
solicitation of written
  
consents from the
Company's
  
stockholders
  
in connection
  
with the Existing
  
Offer and amend their
Consent
  
Statement
  
filed
  
with
  
the
  
SEC on
  
January
  
12,
  
2007
  
(the
  
"CONSENT
STATEMENT") to provide for such
  
termination,
  
and in no event shall
  
Purchaser,
Merger Sub or any of their
  
affiliates take any action to replace the members of
the Board, by stockholder meeting, consent solicitation or
otherwise, other than
pursuant
  
to the
  
terms
  
of this
  
Agreement;
  
provided,
  
however,
  
that
  
nothing
contained in this Agreement shall prevent Purchaser,
  
Merger Sub or any of their
affiliates
  
from
  
taking any such
  
action to replace the members of the Board at
any time
  
following
  
the earlier of the
  
termination
  
of this
  
Agreement and the
First
  
Acceptance Time (as defined in Section 7.1 below).
  
The Company agrees to
take all
  
required
  
action to postpone its 2007 annual
  
meeting of
  
stockholders
until no earlier than May 10, 2007.
 
1.2.
  
COMPANY ACTIONS.
 
      
(a)
  
The
  
Company
  
hereby
  
approves
  
of
  
and
  
consents
  
to the
  
Offer
  
and
represents
  
and warrants that the Board,
  
at a meeting duly called and held, has
(i)
  
determined
  
that the terms of the Offer and the Merger are advisable to the
stockholders of the Company,
  
(ii) approved this Agreement and the
  
transactions
contemplated
  
hereby,
  
including the Offer and the Merger,
  
and (iii) subject to
Section 4.8,
  
resolved to recommend that the
  
stockholders of the Company accept
the
  
Offer,
  
tender
  
their
  
Shares
  
to Merger
  
Sub
  
thereunder
  
and
  
adopt
  
this
Agreement.
  
The Company hereby
  
consents to the inclusion in the Offer Documents
of the
  
recommendation
  
of the
  
Board
  
described
  
in the
  
immediately
  
preceding
sentence, and the Company shall not permit the recommendation of
the Board to be
modified
  
in any
  
manner
  
adverse
  
to
  
Purchaser,
  
Merger
  
Sub
  
or any of
  
their
respective
  
affiliates or to be withdrawn by the Board,
  
except as
  
specifically
provided in Section 4.8 hereof.
 
      
(b) As promptly as
  
practicable
  
following
  
the filing of the amendment to
the Schedule TO pursuant to Section 1.1(c), the Company shall file
with the SEC,
an amendment
  
to its
  
Solicitation/Recommendation
  
Statement
  
on Schedule
  
14D-9
(together with all amendments and
  
supplements
  
thereto,
  
the "SCHEDULE
  
14D-9")
with respect to the Offer, which shall contain the recommendation
referred to in
clause
  
(iii) of Section
  
1.2(a)
  
hereof,
  
subject to Section
  
4.8.
  
The Company
further
  
agrees
  
to take all
  
steps
  
necessary
  
to cause
  
the
  
amendment
  
to the
Schedule 14D-9 to be
  
disseminated to holders of the Shares as and to the extent
required by applicable
  
federal
  
securities laws. The Company,
  
on the one hand,
and each of Purchaser and Merger Sub, on the other hand,
  
will promptly
  
correct
any
  
information
  
provided
  
by it for use in the
  
Schedule
  
14D-9
  
if and to the
extent that it shall have become false or
  
misleading
  
in any material
  
respect,
and the Company will cause the
  
Schedule
  
14D-9 as so corrected to be filed with
the SEC and to be disseminated to holders of the Shares,
  
in each case as and to
the extent required by applicable
  
federal
  
securities
  
laws.
  
Purchaser and its
counsel shall be given a reasonable 
 
opportunity
  
to review and comment upon the
amendment
  
to the
  
Schedule
  
14D-9 before it is filed with the SEC. In addition,
the Company agrees to provide
  
Purchaser,
  
Merger Sub and their counsel with any
comments,
  
whether
  
written or oral, that the Company or its counsel may receive
from time to time from the SEC or its staff with respect to the
  
Schedule
  
14D-9
promptly
  
after the
  
receipt of such
  
comments
  
and to consult
  
with
  
Purchaser,
Merger Sub and their counsel prior to responding to any such
comments.
 
 
                                       
4
 
 
      
(c) The Company
  
shall
  
promptly
  
furnish
  
Merger Sub with mailing
  
labels
containing
  
the names and
  
addresses
  
of all
  
record
  
holders of Shares and with
security
  
position listings of Shares held in stock
  
depositories,
  
each as of a
recent date,
  
together
  
with all other
  
available
  
listings
  
and computer
  
files
containing names, addresses and security position listings of
record holders and
non-objecting
  
beneficial owners of Shares. The Company shall furnish Merger Sub
with
  
such
  
additional
  
information,
   
including,
  
without
  
limitation,
  
updated
listings and computer
  
files of holders of Shares,
  
mailing
  
labels and security
position listings,
  
and such other assistance as Purchaser,
  
Merger Sub or their
agents
  
may
  
reasonably
  
require
  
in
  
communicating
  
the Offer to the record and
beneficial holders of Shares.
 
1.3.
  
DIRECTORS OF THE COMPANY.
 
      
(a) Immediately
  
upon the purchase of and payment for Shares by Merger Sub
or any of its affiliates
  
pursuant to the Offer
  
following
  
satisfaction
  
of the
Minimum
  
Condition,
  
Purchaser
  
shall be
  
entitled to
  
designate
  
such number of
directors,
  
rounded up to the next whole number, on the Board as is equal to
the
product
  
obtained by multiplying
  
the total number of directors on such Board by
the percentage
  
that the number of Shares so purchased and paid for bears to the
total number of Shares then outstanding, but in no event less than
a majority of
the number of
  
directors.
  
In
  
furtherance
  
thereof,
  
the
  
Company and its Board
shall,
  
after the purchase of and payment for Shares by Merger Sub or any
of its
affiliates
  
pursuant
  
to the
  
Offer,
  
upon
  
request of Merger
  
Sub,
  
immediately
increase the size of its Board of
  
Directors,
  
secure the
  
resignations
  
of such
number of directors or remove such number of directors,
  
or any
  
combination
  
of
the foregoing,
  
as is necessary to enable Purchaser's designees to be so elected
to the Company's
  
Board and shall cause
  
Purchaser's
  
designees to be so elected
and
  
shall
  
comply
  
with
  
Section
  
14(f)
  
of the
  
Exchange
  
Act and
  
Rule
  
14f-1
promulgated
  
thereunder
  
in connection
  
therewith.
  
In the event that Merger Sub
requests the resignation of directors of the Company pursuant to
the immediately
preceding
  
sentence,
  
the Company
  
shall cause such
  
directors of the Company to
resign as may be designated by Merger Sub in a writing delivered to
the Company.
Immediately
  
upon the first
  
purchase of and payment for Shares by Merger Sub or
any of its affiliates
  
pursuant to the Offer, the Company shall, if requested by
Purchaser,
  
also cause directors
  
designated by Purchaser to constitute at least
the same
  
percentage
  
(rounded up to the next whole number) of each committee of
the Board as is on the
  
Board.
  
Notwithstanding
  
the
  
foregoing,
  
if Shares
  
are
purchased pursuant to the Offer, the Company shall use its
reasonable efforts to
assure that there shall be until the Effective Time (as hereinafter
  
defined) at
least two of the members of the Board who are
  
directors
  
on the date hereof and
are not employees of the Company (each a "CONTINUING Director").
  
In addition to
any
  
indemnification
   
rights
  
pursuant
  
to
  
this
  
Agreement
  
or
  
the
  
Company's
Certificate of Incorporation,
  
as amended (the "CERTIFICATE OF
  
INCORPORATION"),
and Amended and Restated
  
Bylaws (the "Bylaws"),
  
the Continuing
  
Directors as a
group shall be entitled to retain
  
independent
  
legal counsel at Company expense
if and to the extent that issues are
  
presented
  
to them that involve a conflict
of interest for Company
  
counsel.
  
The Company and its Board shall promptly take
all
  
actions as may be
  
necessary
  
to comply with their
  
obligations
  
under this
Section
  
1.3(a).
  
If at any time prior to the
  
Effective
  
Time there shall be in
office only one Continuing
  
Director for any reason, the Board shall be entitled
to
  
appoint a person who is not an officer
  
or
  
employee
  
of the
  
Company or any
subsidiary
  
designated by the remaining Continuing Director to fill such
vacancy
 
 
       
                                
5
 
 
(and such person shall be deemed to be a Continuing Director for
all purposes of
this
  
Agreement),
  
and if at any time prior to the Effective
  
Time no Continuing
Directors then remain,
  
the other
  
directors of the Company then in office shall
use their reasonable efforts to designate two persons to fill such
vacancies who
are not officers or employees or
  
affiliates of the Company,
  
its
  
subsidiaries,
Purchaser or Merger Sub or any of their respective
  
affiliates (and such persons
shall be deemed to be Continuing Directors for all purposes of this
Agreement).
 
      
(b) The
  
Company
  
shall
  
promptly
  
take all actions
  
required
  
pursuant to
Section 14(f) of the Exchange Act and Rule 14f-1 promulgated
thereunder in order
to 
 
fulfill
  
its
  
obligations
   
under
  
Section
  
1.3(a),
   
including
  
mailing
  
to
stockholders
  
together with the amendment to the Schedule 14D-9 the
  
information
required
  
by such
  
Section
  
14(f)
  
and Rule
  
14f-1
  
as is
  
necessary
  
to
  
enable
Purchaser's designees to be elected to the Board.
  
Purchaser and Merger Sub will
supply the Company and be solely responsible for any information
with respect to
them and their
  
nominees,
  
officers,
  
directors and affiliates
  
required by such
Section 14(f) and Rule 14f-1.
 
      
(c) Following the election of Purchaser's
  
designees to the Board pursuant
to this
  
Section
  
1.3 and prior to the
  
Effective
  
Time,
  
(i) any
  
amendment
  
or
termination
  
of this
  
Agreement by the Company,
  
(ii) any extension or waiver by
the Company of the time for the
  
performance of any of the
  
obligations or other
acts of Purchaser or Merger Sub under this Agreement, or (iii) any
waiver of any
of the
  
Company's
  
rights
  
hereunder
  
or any other
  
action that could
  
adversely
effect
  
in
  
any
  
material
  
respect
  
the
  
rights
  
of the
  
Company's
  
stockholders
hereunder shall, in any such case,
  
require the concurrence of a majority of the
directors of the Company then in office who neither were designated
by Purchaser
nor are employees of the Company (the "INDEPENDENT DIRECTOR
APPROVAL").
 
1.4.
  
THE MERGER.
 
      
Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement, the
Merger
shall be consummated in accordance
  
with the DGCL. At the Effective
  
Time,
  
upon
the terms and subject to the conditions of this
  
Agreement,
  
Merger Sub shall be
merged with and into the Company in
  
accordance
  
with the DGCL and the
  
separate
existence of Merger Sub shall thereupon cease and the Company,
  
as the surviving
corporation
  
in the Merger (the
  
"SURVIVING
  
CORPORATION"),
  
shall
  
continue its
corporate
  
existence
  
under the laws of the State of Delaware as a
  
wholly-owned
subsidiary of the direct parent of Merger Sub immediately prior to
the Effective
Time. It is intended that the Merger shall
  
constitute a taxable purchase of the
Shares for federal, state and local tax purposes.
 
1.5.
  
THE CLOSING; EFFECTIVE TIME.
 
      
(a) Unless
  
this
  
Agreement
  
shall have been
  
terminated
  
previously,
  
the
closing of the Merger (the "CLOSING")
  
shall take place at the offices of Olshan
Grundman Frome Rosenzweig & Wolosky LLP, Park Avenue Tower, 65
East 55th Street,
New York, New York 10022,
  
at 10:00 a.m. local time on a date to be specified by
the parties
  
which shall be no later than the third
  
business day after the date
that all of the closing
  
conditions
  
set forth in Article VI have been satisfied
or waived (if waivable),
  
unless
  
another time,
  
date or place is agreed upon in
writing by the parties hereto.
 
 
                                       
6
 
 
      
(b) Subject to the provisions of this
  
Agreement,
  
on the Closing Date the
parties
  
shall
  
file
  
with the
  
Secretary
  
of State of the State of
  
Delaware
  
a
certificate of merger in accordance with the DGCL (the
  
"CERTIFICATE OF Merger")
executed in accordance
  
with the relevant
  
provisions of the DGCL and shall make
all other filings or recordings
  
required
  
under the DGCL in order to effect the
Merger.
  
The Merger shall become effective upon the filing of the
Certificate of
Merger or at such other time as is agreed by the parties hereto and
specified in
the
  
Certificate of Merger.
  
The time when the Merger shall become
  
effective is
herein
  
referred to as the "EFFECTIVE
  
TIME" and the date on which the Effective
Time occurs is herein referred to as the "CLOSING DATE."
 
1.6.
  
CONVERSION OF SECURITIES.
 
      
At the
  
Effective
  
Time, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on
the part of the holders of any securities of Merger Sub or the
Company:
 
      
(a) Each Share that is owned by Merger Sub or the direct
  
parent of Merger
Sub, or that is owned by the Company as treasury stock,
  
shall
  
automatically be
cancelled and retired and shall cease to exist,
  
and no
  
consideration
  
shall be
delivered in exchange therefor.
 
      
(b) Each issued and
  
outstanding
  
Share (other than Shares to be cancelled
in accordance
  
with Section 1.6(a) hereof and
  
Dissenting
  
Shares (as defined in
Section 1.9 below)) shall
  
automatically
  
be converted into the right to receive
the Offer Price in cash (the "MERGER CONSIDERATION"), payable,
without interest,
to the holder of such Share upon
  
surrender,
  
in the manner
  
provided in Section
1.7 hereof,
  
of the
  
certificate
  
that formerly
  
evidenced such Share.
  
All such
Shares,
   
when
  
so
  
converted,
   
shall
  
no
  
longer
  
be
  
outstanding
   
and
  
shall
automatically be cancelled and retired and shall cease to exist,
and each holder
of a
  
certificate
  
representing
  
any such Shares
  
shall cease to have any rights
with
  
respect
  
thereto,
  
except
  
the right to receive
  
the Merger
  
Consideration
therefor upon the surrender of such
  
certificate in accordance
  
with Section 1.7
hereof.
 
      
(c) Each issued and outstanding
  
share of common stock of Merger Sub shall
be converted
  
into one validly
  
issued,
  
fully paid and
  
nonassessable
  
share of
common stock of the Surviving Corporation.
 
1.7.
  
TENDER OF AND PAYMENT FOR CERTIFICATES.
 
      
(a) PAYING AGENT. Prior to the Effective Time, Purchaser shall
designate a
bank or trust company
  
reasonably
  
acceptable to the Company to act as agent for
the holders of the Shares (other than Shares to be cancelled in
accordance
  
with
Section 1.6(a) hereof and Dissenting
  
Shares) in connection with the Merger (the
"PAYING AGENT") to receive in trust the aggregate Merger
  
Consideration to which
holders of Shares
  
shall
  
become
  
entitled
  
pursuant to Section
  
1.6(b)
  
hereof.
Purchaser
  
shall deposit such
  
aggregate
  
Merger
  
Consideration
  
with the Paying
Agent promptly following the Effective Time. Such aggregate Merger
Consideration
shall be invested by the Paying Agent as directed by Purchaser.
 
      
(b) EXCHANGE PROCEDURES.
  
Promptly after the Effective Time, Purchaser and
the Surviving
  
Corporation shall cause to be mailed to each holder of record, as
of the Effective Time, of a certificate or certificates, which
immediately prior
to the Effective Time represented outstanding Shares (the
"CERTIFICATES"), whose
 
 
                                       
7
 
 
Shares
  
were
  
converted
  
pursuant
  
to Section
  
1.6(b)
  
hereof
  
into the right to
receive the Merger
  
Consideration,
  
a letter of transmittal (which shall specify
that delivery shall be effected,
  
and risk of loss and title to the Certificates
shall pass,
  
only upon proper
  
delivery of the
  
Certificates to the Paying Agent
and
  
shall be in such form and have
  
such
  
other
  
provisions
  
as
  
Purchaser
  
may
reasonably
  
specify) and
  
instructions for use in effecting the surrender of the
Certificates
  
in exchange
  
for the Merger
  
Consideration.
  
Upon
  
surrender
  
of a
Certificate
  
for
  
cancellation
  
to the Paying
  
Agent or to such
  
other
  
agent or
agents
  
as
  
may
  
be
  
appointed
  
by
  
Purchaser,
  
together
  
with
  
such
  
letter
  
of
transmittal,
  
properly
  
completed
  
and
  
duly
  
executed
  
in
  
accordance
  
with the
instructions
  
thereto,
  
the
  
holder of such
  
Certificate
  
shall be
  
entitled
  
to
receive in exchange
  
therefor the Merger
  
Consideration
  
for each Share formerly
represented
  
by such
  
Certificate,
  
and the
  
Certificate
  
so
  
surrendered
  
shall
forthwith be cancelled.
  
No interest will be paid or accrued on the cash payable
upon the surrender of the Certificates.
  
If payment of the Merger
  
Consideration
is to be made to a person
  
other than the
  
person in whose name the
  
surrendered
Certificate
  
is
  
registered,
  
it
  
shall
  
be a
  
condition
  
of
  
payment
  
that
  
the
Certificate so surrendered
  
shall be properly
  
endorsed or shall be otherwise in
proper form for transfer and that the person
  
requesting such payment shall have
paid all transfer and other Taxes required by reason of the
issuance to a person
other than the registered
  
holder of the
  
Certificate
  
surrendered or shall have
established
  
to the
  
satisfaction
  
of the
  
Surviving
  
Corporation
  
that such Tax
either has been paid or is not applicable.
  
Until surrendered as contemplated by
this
  
Section
  
1.7,
  
each
  
Certificate
  
shall be
  
deemed
  
at any time
  
after the
Effective Time to represent
  
only the right to receive the Merger
  
Consideration
for each Share in cash as contemplated by Section 1.6(b) hereof.
 
      
(c) TRANSFER
  
BOOKS;
  
NO FURTHER
  
OWNERSHIP
  
RIGHTS IN THE SHARES.
  
At the
Effective
  
Time, the stock
  
transfer
  
books of the Company shall be closed,
  
and
thereafter there shall be no further
  
registration of transfers of the Shares on
the records of the Company.
  
From and after the Effective
  
Time,
  
the holders of
Certificates evidencing ownership of the Shares outstanding
immediately prior to
the
  
Effective
  
Time shall cease to have any rights with respect to such Shares,
except as
  
otherwise
  
provided
  
for herein or by
  
applicable
  
law. If, after the
Effective Time,
  
Certificates are presented to the Surviving Corporation for any
reason, they shall be cancelled and exchanged as provided in this
Article I.
 
      
(d) TERMINATION OF FUND; NO LIABILITY. At any time following the
six-month
anniversary of the Effective Time, the Surviving
  
Corporation
  
shall be entitled
to require the Paying Agent to deliver to it any funds
  
(including
  
any interest
received
  
with
  
respect
  
thereto)
  
which had been made
  
available
  
to the Paying
Agent,
  
and
  
holders
  
shall be
  
entitled
  
to look to the
  
Surviving
  
Corporation
(subject to abandoned
  
property,
  
escheat or other similar laws) only as general
creditors
  
thereof
  
with
  
respect to the Merger
  
Consideration
  
payable upon due
surrender of their
  
Certificates
  
without any interest thereon.
  
Notwithstanding
the foregoing,
  
neither the Surviving
  
Corporation
  
nor the Paying Agent nor any
party
  
hereto
  
shall
  
be
  
liable
  
to any
  
holder
  
of a
  
Certificate
  
for
  
Merger
Consideration
  
delivered
  
to
  
a
  
public
  
official
  
pursuant
  
to
  
any
  
applicable
abandoned property, escheat or similar law.
 
      
(e)
  
LOST,
   
STOLEN
   
OR
   
DESTROYED
   
CERTIFICATES.
   
In
  
the
  
event
  
any
Certificate(s) shall have been lost, stolen or destroyed,
  
upon the making of an
affidavit of that fact by the person
  
claiming such
  
Certificate(s)
  
to be lost,
stolen or destroyed and, if required by Purchaser, the posting by
such person of
a bond in such sum as Purchaser may reasonably
  
direct as indemnity
  
against any
 
 
                                       
8
 
 
claim that may be made
  
against any party
  
hereto or the
  
Surviving
  
Corporation
with respect to such
  
Certificate(s),
  
the Paying Agent will disburse the Merger
Consideration
  
pursuant
  
to
  
Section
  
1.6(b)
  
payable
  
in
  
respect of the Shares
represented by such lost, stolen or destroyed Certificate(s).
 
      
(f) WITHHOLDING TAXES. Purchaser, Merger Sub and the Surviving
Corporation
shall be entitled to deduct and
  
withhold,
  
or cause the Paying
  
Agent to deduct
and withhold,
  
from the Offer Price, the Merger Consideration or the Cash Amount
(as defined below) payable to a holder of Shares
  
(including,
  
for the avoidance
of doubt,
  
Restricted
  
Stock) or Company
  
Options (as defined below) pursuant to
the Offer or the Merger,
  
as the case may be, any such
  
amounts as are 
 
required
under the
  
Internal
  
Revenue
  
Code of 1986,
  
as
  
amended
  
(the
  
"CODE"),
  
or any
applicable
  
provision
  
of state,
  
local or foreign
  
Tax law.
  
To the extent that
amounts are so withheld by Purchaser or Merger Sub, such withheld
  
amounts shall
be treated for all purposes of this
  
Agreement as having been paid to the holder
of the Shares in respect of which such
  
deduction
  
and
  
withholding
  
was made by
Purchaser or Merger Sub.
 
1.8.
  
OPTIONS AND RESTRICTED STOCK.
 
      
(a) With
  
respect to all
  
outstanding
  
options
  
to
  
purchase
  
Shares
  
(the
"COMPANY
  
OPTIONS")
  
granted under the Company's
  
1990 Stock Plan and 2000 Stock
Incentive Plan (the "COMPANY
  
OPTION
  
PLANS") or otherwise,
  
whether or not then
vested, immediately prior to the consummation of the Offer, subject
to the terms
and conditions set forth below in this Section 1.8(a),
  
each holder of a Company
Option will be entitled
  
to receive
  
from the
  
Company,
  
and shall
  
receive,
  
in
settlement
  
of each Company
  
Option a Cash Amount.
  
The "CASH
  
Amount"
  
shall be
equal to the net amount of (A) the
  
product of (i) the
  
excess,
  
if any,
  
of the
Offer Price over the exercise price per share of such Company
Option immediately
prior to the consummation of the Offer,
  
multiplied by (ii) the number of shares
subject to such Company Option, less (B) any applicable
  
withholdings for Taxes.
If the
  
exercise
  
price per share of any
  
Company
  
Option
  
equals or exceeds the
Offer
  
Price,
  
the Cash
  
Amount
  
therefor
  
shall be
  
zero.
  
Notwithstanding
  
the
foregoing, payment of the Cash Amount is subject to written
acknowledgement,
  
in
a
  
form
  
reasonably
  
acceptable
  
to
  
Purchaser,
   
consenting
  
to
  
the
  
foregoing
arrangement
  
and that no further payment is due to such holder on account of any
Company Option and all of such holder's
  
rights under such Company
  
Options have
terminated.
 
      
(b) Immediately prior to the consummation of the Offer, except as
provided
in this Section 1.8,
  
all rights under any Company
  
Option and any
  
provision of
the Company Option Plans and any other plan,
  
program or
  
arrangement
  
providing
for the issuance or grant of any other
  
interest in respect of the capital stock
of the Company shall be cancelled.
  
The Company shall use reasonable
  
efforts to
ensure
  
that,
  
immediately
  
prior to, as of and
  
after the
  
consummation
  
of the
Offer,
  
except as provided in this
  
Section
  
1.8, no person shall have any right
under the Company Option Plans or any other plan,
  
program or
  
arrangement
  
with
respect
  
to
  
securities
  
of
  
the
  
Company,
  
the
  
Surviving
  
Corporation
  
or
  
any
subsidiary thereof.
 
      
(c)
  
Prior
  
to the
  
consummation
  
of the
  
Offer,
  
the
  
Company
  
shall
  
use
reasonable
  
efforts to cause to be
  
effected
  
any
  
necessary
  
amendments
  
to the
Company
  
Option Plans and any other 
 
resolutions,
  
consents or notices,
  
in such
form
  
reasonably
  
acceptable
  
to
  
Purchaser,
  
required
  
under any of the Company
Option Plans or any Company
  
Options to give effect to the foregoing
  
provisions
of this Section 1.8.
 
 
                          
             
9
 
 
      
(d) The Company
  
shall take all actions
  
necessary
  
to cause all shares of
Restricted Stock of the Company to become fully vested
  
immediately prior to the
consummation of the Offer and shall make all required withholdings
in connection
therewith under applicable Tax Laws.
 
1.9.
  
DISSENTING SHARES.
 
      
Notwithstanding
  
any
  
provision of this
  
Agreement to the
  
contrary,
  
each
outstanding
  
Share, the holder of which has demanded and perfected such holder's
right to dissent from the Merger and to be paid the fair value of
such Shares in
accordance
  
with the DGCL and, as of the
  
Effective
  
Time,
  
has not
  
effectively
withdrawn or lost such dissenters' rights
  
("DISSENTING
  
Shares"),
  
shall not be
converted
  
into or
  
represent a right to receive the Merger
  
Consideration
  
into
which Shares are converted
  
pursuant to Section
  
1.6(b)
  
hereof,
  
but the holder
thereof
  
shall be
  
entitled
  
only to such
  
rights
  
as are
  
granted
  
by the DGCL.
Notwithstanding the immediately
  
preceding sentence, if any holder of Shares who
demands dissenters' rights with respect to its Shares under the
DGCL effectively
withdraws or loses
  
(through
  
failure to perfect or otherwise)
  
its
  
dissenters'
rights, then as of the Effective Time or the occurrence of such
event, whichever
later occurs,
  
such holder's
  
Shares will
  
automatically
  
be converted
  
into and
represent
  
only the right to receive
  
the Merger
  
Consideration
  
as
  
provided in
Section
  
1.6(b)
  
hereof,
   
without
  
interest
  
thereon,
  
upon
  
surrender
  
of
  
the
certificate
  
or
  
certificates
  
formerly
  
representing
  
such
  
Shares.
  
After
  
the
Effective
  
Time,
  
Purchaser
  
shall
  
cause the
  
Company to make all
  
payments
  
to
holders of Shares with respect to such demands in accordance
  
with the DGCL. The
Company shall give
  
Purchaser (i) prompt
  
written notice of any notice of intent
to demand fair value for any Shares,
  
withdrawals of such notices, and any other
instruments
  
served
  
pursuant to the DGCL and received by the Company,
  
and (ii)
the
  
opportunity
  
to direct all
  
negotiations
  
and
  
proceedings
  
with respect to
demands for fair value for Shares under the DGCL. The Company shall
not,
  
except
with the prior written consent of Purchaser,
  
voluntarily
  
make any payment with
respect
  
to any
  
demands
  
for fair value for Shares or offer to settle or settle
any such demands.
 
1.10. CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION AND BYLAWS.
 
      
Subject to Section 5.4 hereof,
  
at and after the Effective
  
Time until the
same
  
have
  
been duly
  
amended,
  
(i) the
  
Certificate
  
of
  
Incorporation
  
of the
Surviving
  
Corporation shall be identical to the Certificate of Incorporation
of
Merger Sub in effect at the Effective
  
Time and (ii) the Bylaws of the Surviving
Corporation
  
shall be
  
identical
  
to the
  
Bylaws of Merger
  
Sub in effect at the
Effective Time.
 
1.11. DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.
 
      
At and after the Effective
  
Time, the directors of Merger Sub
  
immediately
prior to the Effective Time shall be the directors of the Surviving
Corporation,
and the officers of Merger Sub immediately
  
prior to the Effective Time shall be
the officers of the Surviving Corporation,
  
except as Merger Sub shall otherwise
provide in writing, in each case until their successors are elected
or appointed
and qualified.
  
If, at the Effective Time, a vacancy shall exist on the Board of
Directors
  
or in any
  
office of the
  
Surviving
  
Corporation,
  
such
  
vacancy
  
may
thereafter be filled in the manner provided by law.
 
 
                                       
10
 
 
1.12. OTHER EFFECTS OF MERGER.
 
      
The Merger shall have all further
  
effects as specified in the
  
applicable
provisions of the DGCL.
 
1.13. ADDITIONAL ACTIONS.
 
      
If, at any time after the Effective Time, the Surviving
  
Corporation shall
consider or be advised that any deeds, bills of sale, assignments,
assurances or
any other
  
actions or things are
  
necessary
  
or
  
desirable
  
to vest,
  
perfect or
confirm of record or otherwise in the Surviving
  
Corporation its right, title or
interest in, to or under any of the rights,
  
properties
  
or assets of Merger Sub
or the Company or otherwise carry out this Agreement, the officers
and directors
of the Surviving
  
Corporation shall be authorized to execute and deliver, in the
name and on behalf of Merger Sub or the Company,
  
all such deeds, bills of sale,
assignments
  
and
  
assurances
  
and to take and do,
  
in the name and on
  
behalf of
Merger Sub or the Company, all such other actions and things as may
be necessary
or desirable to vest,
  
perfect or confirm any and all right,
  
title and interest
in, to and under such rights,
  
properties or assets in the Surviving Corporation
or otherwise to carry out this Agreement.
 
                                   
ARTICLE II
                
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
 
      
The following
  
representations
  
and warranties by the Company to Purchaser
and Merger Sub are
  
qualified
  
by the Company
  
Disclosure
  
Schedule,
  
which sets
forth certain
  
disclosures
  
concerning
  
the Company,
  
its
  
subsidiaries
  
and its
business (the "COMPANY DISCLOSURE SCHEDULE").
  
The Company hereby represents and
warrants to Purchaser and Merger Sub as follows:
 
 
                                       
11
 
 
2.1.
  
DUE ORGANIZATION AND GOOD STANDING.
 
      
Each of the Company and its subsidiaries is a corporation or other
form of
entity duly organized,
  
validly
  
existing and in good standing under the laws of
the
  
jurisdiction of its
  
organization and has all requisite power and authority
to own,
  
lease and operate its
  
properties
  
and to carry on its
  
business as now
being
  
conducted.
  
Each of the Company and its subsidiaries is duly qualified or
licensed and in good standing to do business in each
  
jurisdiction
  
in which the
character of the property
  
owned,
  
leased or operated by it or the nature of the
business conducted by it makes such qualification or licensing
necessary, except
where the failure to be so duly qualified or licensed and in good
standing would
not reasonably be expected to have,
  
individually or in the aggregate, a Company
Material
  
Adverse
  
Effect.
  
For purposes of this 
 
Agreement,
  
the term
  
"COMPANY
MATERIAL
  
ADVERSE EFFECT" shall mean a material
  
adverse effect on the business,
financial
   
condition
  
or
  
results
  
of
   
operations
   
of
  
the
  
Company
  
and
  
its
subsidiaries,
  
taken as a whole, or the ability of the Company to consummate the
transactions
  
contemplated by this
  
Agreement,
  
except in each case for any such
effects
  
resulting
  
from,
  
arising
  
out of or
  
relating to (a) the taking of any
action
  
or
  
incurring
  
of
  
any
  
expense
   
pursuant
  
to
  
this
  
Agreement
  
or
  
the
transactions
  
contemplated
  
hereby,
  
(b) the entry into or
  
announcement of this
Agreement and the other transactions
  
contemplated
  
hereby, (c) any change in or
interpretations of (i) U.S. generally accepted accounting
principles ("GAAP") or
(ii) any Law, (d) any change in interest rates or general economic
conditions in
the
  
industries
  
or
  
markets
  
in which the
  
Company
  
or any of its
  
subsidiaries
operates (which changes do not affect the Company or any of its
  
subsidiaries to
a materially
  
disproportionate
  
degree related to the entities operating in such
markets or industries or serving such markets) or affecting the
United States or
foreign
  
economies
  
in
  
general or in the
  
United
  
States or foreign
  
financial,
banking
  
or
  
securities
  
markets,
  
or (e) any
  
natural
  
disaster
  
or act of God.
Company Material Adverse Effect does not include any adverse change
in the stock
price of the
  
Company in and of itself or any
  
changes,
  
events,
  
conditions
  
or
effects
  
relating
  
solely
  
to
  
Purchaser
  
or any of
  
its
  
affiliates'
  
financial
condition,
  
results of operation or business.
  
The Company has
  
heretofore
  
made
available
  
to
  
Purchaser
  
accurate and
  
complete
  
copies of the
  
Certificate
  
of
Incorporation
  
and Bylaws or other
  
organizational
  
documents,
  
as
  
currently in
effect, of the Company and each of its subsidiaries.
 
2.2.
  
CAPITALIZATION.
 
      
(a) The
  
authorized
  
capital
  
stock of the Company
  
consists of 30,000,000
shares of Common Stock and 5,000,000
  
shares of preferred
  
stock, par value $.01
per share (the
  
"PREFERRED
  
STOCK"
  
and,
  
together
  
with the Common
  
Stock,
  
the
"COMPANY
  
CAPITAL STOCK").
  
As of the close of business on the date hereof,
  
(i)
7,293,978 shares of Common Stock were issued and outstanding,
  
(ii) no shares of
Preferred Stock were issued and outstanding,
  
and (iii) 348,061 shares of Common
Stock were reserved for issuance pursuant to outstanding Company
Options. All of
the
  
outstanding
  
shares of Company Capital Stock are, and all shares of Company
Capital
  
Stock
  
which may be issued
  
pursuant
  
to the
  
exercise
  
of
  
outstanding
Company
  
Options will be, when issued in accordance
  
with the
  
respective
  
terms
thereof, duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable. None of
the
  
outstanding
  
securities
  
of the Company has been issued in violation of any
federal or state securities laws.
 
      
(b)
  
Except
  
as set
  
forth
  
above and on
  
SECTION
  
2.2(B)
  
of the
  
Company
Disclosure
  
Schedule,
  
as of the
  
date
  
hereof,
  
(i)
  
the
  
Company
  
directly
  
or
indirectly
  
owns all of the capital stock of, or other equity
  
interests in, its
 
 
                                       
12
 
 
subsidiaries,
  
free and clear of all
  
Encumbrances
  
(as defined below),
  
and all
such capital stock of, and other equity interests in, the Company's
subsidiaries
are duly
  
authorized,
  
validly
  
issued,
  
fully paid and
  
nonassessable
  
and were
issued free of preemptive
  
rights and in compliance with
  
applicable
  
Laws, (ii)
there are no existing
  
options,
  
warrants,
  
puts,
  
calls,
  
preemptive or similar
rights,
  
bonds,
  
debentures,
  
notes or other indebtedness
  
having general voting
rights or debt convertible into securities having such rights
("VOTING DEBT") or
subscriptions
  
or other rights,
  
agreements,
  
arrangements or commitments of any
character,
  
relating to the issued or unissued capital stock of, or other
equity
interests in, the Company or any of its
  
subsidiaries
  
obligating the Company or
any of its
  
subsidiaries
  
to
  
issue,
  
transfer
  
or sell or cause
  
to be
  
issued,
transferred,
  
sold or
  
repurchased
  
any
  
options or shares of
  
capital
  
stock or
Voting
  
Debt
  
of,
  
or
  
other
  
equity
  
interest
  
in,
  
the
  
Company
  
or any of its
subsidiaries or securities
  
convertible
  
into or exchangeable for such shares or
equity interests, or obligating the Company or any of its
subsidiaries to grant,
extend or enter
  
into any such
  
option,
  
warrant,
  
call,
  
subscription
  
or other
right,
  
agreement,
  
arrangement or commitment and (iii) there are no outstanding
contractual obligations of the Company or any of its subsidiaries
to repurchase,
redeem or otherwise
  
acquire any Company
  
Capital Stock,
  
or other capital stock
of, or equity interests in, the Company or any of its subsidiaries
or to provide
funds to make any investment
  
(in the form of a loan,
  
capital
  
contribution
  
or
otherwise) in any other entity.
 
      
(c) There are no voting trusts or other
  
agreements or
  
understandings
  
to
which the Company is a party with
  
respect to the voting of the Company
  
Capital
Stock.
 
      
(d) Following the Effective
  
Time, no holder of Company
  
Options will have
any right to receive
  
shares of common stock of the Surviving
  
Corporation
  
upon
exercise of Company Options.
 
      
(e) Except as set forth in the Company SEC Reports (as defined
  
below) and
as
  
set
  
forth
  
on
  
SECTION
  
2.2(E)
  
of
  
the
  
Company
  
Disclosure
  
Schedule,
  
no
Indebtedness of the Company or any of its subsidiaries
  
contains any restriction
upon (i) the
  
prepayment
  
of any of such
  
Indebtedness,
  
(ii) the
  
incurrence of
Indebtedness by the Company or any of its subsidiaries,
  
or (iii) the ability of
the Company or any of its
  
subsidiaries
  
to grant any lien on its
  
properties or
assets. As used in this Agreement, "INDEBTEDNESS" means (A) all
indebtedness for
borrowed money or for the deferred purchase price of property or
services (other
than current trade
  
liabilities
  
incurred in the ordinary course of business and
payable in accordance with customary practices), (B) any other
indebtedness that
is
  
evidenced
  
by a
  
note,
  
bond,
  
debenture
  
or
  
similar
  
instrument,
  
(C)
  
all
obligations
  
in respect of
  
acceptances
  
issued or created and (D) all guarantee
obligations.
 
      
(f)
  
SECTION
  
2.2(F)
  
of the
  
Company
  
Disclosure
  
Schedule
  
lists (i) all
Company
  
Options
  
outstanding
  
as of the date hereof,
  
the name of the holder of
each Company
  
Option,
  
the date of grant and the exercise
  
price of such Company
Option, the number of shares of Common Stock as to which such
Company Option has
vested and the vesting
  
schedule for such Company
  
Option and (ii) all shares of
Restricted Stock outstanding as of the date hereof,
  
the names of the holders of
the Restricted Stock and the vesting schedule for the Restricted
Stock.
 
 
                                       
13
 
 
2.3.
  
AUTHORIZATION; BINDING AGREEMENT.
 
      
The Company has all requisite corporate power and authority to
execute and
deliver
  
this
  
Agreement,
  
the
  
Tender
  
and
  
Support
  
Agreement
  
and the
  
Rights
Amendment (as defined below) (collectively, the "COMPANY
TRANSACTION Documents")
and
  
to
  
consummate
  
the
  
transactions
  
contemplated
  
hereby
  
and
  
thereby.
  
The
execution and delivery of the Company Transaction Documents and the
consummation
of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby,
  
including, but not limited
to, the Offer and the Merger, have been duly and validly authorized
and approved
by the
  
Board,
  
such
  
approval
  
is
  
sufficient
  
to render
  
inapplicable
  
to this
Agreement, the Offer, the Merger and the other transactions
contemplated by this
Agreement
  
the
  
provisions
  
of Section 203 of the DGCL such that said
  
provision
will
  
not
  
apply
  
to this
  
Agreement,
  
the
  
Offer,
  
the
  
Merger
  
and
  
the
  
other
transactions
  
contemplated by this Agreement, and no other corporate proceedings
on the part of the Company are necessary to authorize the execution
and delivery
of
  
the
  
Company
  
Transaction
   
Documents
  
or
  
to
  
consummate
  
the
  
transactions
contemplated
  
hereby or thereby (other than the requisite approval of the Merger
by the
  
stockholders
  
of the Company in accordance
  
with the DGCL).
  
Each of the
Company
  
Transaction
  
Documents has been duly and validly executed and delivered
by the Company and
  
constitutes
  
the legal,
  
valid and binding
  
agreement of the
Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its
terms, except to
the extent that enforceability
  
thereof may be limited by applicable bankruptcy,
insolvency,
  
reorganization
  
or other similar laws affecting the
  
enforcement of
creditors'
   
rights
   
generally
  
and
  
by
  
principles
  
of
  
equity
  
regarding
  
the
availability of remedies ("ENFORCEABILITY EXCEPTIONS").
 
2.4.
  
GOVERNMENTAL APPROVALS.
 
      
No consent, approval, waiver or authorization of, notice to or
declaration
or
  
filing
  
with
  
("CONSENT"),
  
any
  
nation
  
or
  
government,
  
any state or other
political
  
subdivision
  
thereof,
  
any
  
entity,
   
authority
  
or
  
body
  
exercising
executive,
  
legislative,
  
judicial, regulatory or administrative functions of or
pertaining to government,
  
including,
  
without
  
limitation,
  
any governmental or
regulatory authority, agency, department,
  
board, commission,
  
administration or
instrumentality,
  
any
  
court,
  
tribunal
  
or
  
arbitrator
  
or any
  
self-regulatory
organization ("GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITY") on the part of the Company
or any of its
subsidiaries is required to be obtained or made in connection with
the execution
or
  
delivery by the Company of any of the
  
Company
  
Transaction
  
Documents,
  
the
Offer, the Merger or the
  
consummation by the Company of the other
  
transactions
contemplated
  
hereby or thereby other than (i) the filing of the
  
Certificate of
Merger with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware in
  
accordance
  
with
the DGCL, (ii) filings with the SEC and state
  
securities
  
laws
  
administrators,
(iii) such filings as may be required in any
  
jurisdiction
  
where the Company is
qualified
  
or
  
authorized
  
to do business as a foreign
  
corporation
  
in order to
maintain
  
such
  
qualification
  
or
  
authorization,
  
(iv)
  
pursuant to
  
applicable
requirements of the
  
Hart-Scott-Rodino
  
Antitrust
  
Improvements
  
Act of 1976, as
amended (the "HSR Act"),
  
and (v) those Consents that, if they were not obtained
or made,
  
would not
  
reasonably
  
be
  
expected
  
to have,
  
individually
  
or in the
aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.
 
2.5.
  
NO VIOLATIONS.
 
      
Except as set forth on SECTION 2.5 of the Company Disclosure
Schedule, the
execution and delivery of each of the Company Transaction
Documents,
  
the Offer,
the Merger, the consummation of the other transactions
  
contemplated
  
hereby and
 
 
                                  
     
14
 
 
thereby and
  
compliance
  
by the Company
  
with any of the
  
provisions
  
hereof and
thereof will not (i) conflict
  
with or result in any breach of any
  
provision of
the Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws or other governing
instruments of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries,
  
(ii) require any Consent under or result in
a material
  
violation or material breach of, or constitute
  
(with or without due
notice or lapse of time or both) a material
  
default
  
(or give rise to any right
of
  
termination,
   
cancellation
  
or
  
acceleration)
  
under,
  
any
  
of
  
the
  
terms,
conditions or provisions of any Company
  
Material
  
Contract (as defined
  
below),
(iii)
  
result in the
  
creation or
  
imposition
  
of any liens,
  
charges,
  
security
interests,
  
options, claims, mortgages,
  
pledges,
  
assessments,
  
adverse claims,
rights of others or restrictions (whether on voting, sale,
transfer, disposition
or otherwise) or other
  
encumbrances or
  
restrictions of any nature
  
whatsoever,
whether imposed by agreement,
  
understanding,
  
law or equity, or any conditional
sale
  
contract,
  
title
  
retention
  
contract or other contract to give or refrain
from giving any of the
  
foregoing
  
("ENCUMBRANCES")
  
of any kind upon any of the
material
  
assets of the Company or any of its
  
subsidiaries
  
or (iv)
  
subject to
obtaining the Consents from Governmental
  
Authorities referred to in Section 2.4
hereof,
  
contravene
  
in any
  
material
  
respect any
  
applicable
  
provision of any
statute,
  
law,
  
rule or
  
regulation
  
or any
  
legally
  
binding
  
order,
  
decision,
injunction,
  
judgment, award or decree ("LAW" or "LAWS") to which the Company or
any of its subsidiaries any of their respective assets or
properties is subject.
 
2.6.
  
SEC FILINGS; COMPANY FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
 
      
(a) The Company has filed all forms,
  
reports,
  
schedules,
  
statements and
other documents
  
required to be filed by the Company with the SEC since December
31, 2004 under the Exchange Act or the
  
Securities
  
Act of 1933, as amended (the
"SECURITIES
  
ACT").
  
All such required forms,
  
reports and documents
  
(including
those that the Company may file
  
subsequent
  
to the date hereof) are referred to
herein as the
  
"COMPANY
  
SEC
  
REPORTS." At the time when filed (or if amended or
superseded
  
by a subsequent
  
filing prior to the date hereof then on the date of
such later
  
filing),
  
the Company SEC Reports (i) as amended to date complied in
all material respects with the applicable
  
requirements of the Securities Act or
the
  
Exchange
  
Act, as the case may be, the
  
Sarbanes-Oxley
  
Act of 2002 and the
rules and
  
regulations
  
of the SEC
  
thereunder
  
applicable
  
to such
  
Company SEC
Reports
  
and
  
(ii)
  
did not at the time
  
they
  
were
  
filed
  
contain
  
any
  
untrue
statement
  
of a material
  
fact or omit to state a material
  
fact
  
required to be
stated
  
therein or necessary
  
in order to make the
  
statements
  
therein,
  
in the
light of the circumstances
  
under which they were made, not misleading.
  
Between
the date of this
  
Agreement and the Closing
  
Date,
  
the Company will timely file
with the SEC all documents required to be filed by it under the
Exchange Act.
 
      
(b) Each of the
  
consolidated
  
financial
  
statements
  
(including,
  
in each
case, any related notes thereto) contained in the Company SEC
Reports as amended
to date (the
  
"COMPANY
  
FINANCIALS"),
  
including
  
each
  
Company SEC Report filed
after the date hereof until the Closing,
  
(i) was prepared
  
from,
  
in accordance
with and accurately
  
reflects in all material
  
respects the Company's
  
books and
records as of the times and for the periods
  
referred to therein,
  
(ii) complied
in all material
  
respects with the published
  
rules and
  
regulations
  
of the SEC
with respect
  
thereto,
  
(iii) was prepared in accordance
  
with GAAP applied on a
consistent
  
basis throughout the periods involved (except as may be indicated
in
the notes thereto or, in the case of unaudited interim financial
statements,
  
as
may be
  
permitted
  
by the SEC on Form 10-Q
  
under the
  
Exchange
  
Act),
  
and (iv)
fairly
  
presented the consolidated
  
financial
  
position of the Company as at the
 
 
                                       
15
 
 
respective
  
dates
  
thereof
  
and
  
the
  
consolidated
   
results
  
of
  
the
  
Company's
operations and cash flows for the periods
  
indicated,
  
except that the unaudited
interim
  
financial
  
statements may not contain footnotes and were or are subject
to normal and recurring year-end
  
adjustments.
  
The balance sheet of the Company
contained in the Company SEC Report as of September 30, 2006 (the
"BALANCE SHEET
DATE") as filed with the SEC before the date hereof is
  
hereinafter
  
referred to
as the "COMPANY BALANCE SHEET."
 
      
(c) The Company has heretofore
  
made available to Purchaser a complete and
correct copy of any amendments or
  
modifications,
  
which have not yet been filed
with the SEC but which are
  
required to be filed,
  
to
  
agreements,
  
documents or
other
  
instruments
  
which
  
previously had been filed by the Company with the SEC
pursuant to the Securities Act or the Exchange Act.
 
      
(d)
  
Except
  
as set forth on
  
SECTION
  
2.6(D)
  
of the
  
Company 
 
Disclosure
Schedule,
  
the Company has
  
established
  
and maintains
  
disclosure
  
controls and
procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14 promulgated under
the Exchange
Act)
  
designed to ensure that
  
material
  
information
  
relating to the Company is
made known to the Chief Executive
  
Officer and Chief Financial
  
Officer.
  
To the
Company's knowledge,
  
there is no fraud, whether or not material,
  
that involves
management
  
or other
  
employees
  
who have a
  
significant
  
role in the
  
Company's
internal controls.
 
2.7.
  
ABSENCE OF CERTAIN CHANGES.
 
      
Except as set forth in SECTION
  
2.7 of the
  
Company
  
Disclosure
  
Schedule,
from the Balance
  
Sheet Date to the date hereof,
  
neither the Company nor any of
its subsidiaries has:
 
      
(a) suffered any Company
  
Material
  
Adverse
  
Effect or any event or change
which is
  
reasonably
  
expected
  
to have or
  
constitute,
  
individually
  
or in the
aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect;
 
      
(b) paid,
  
discharged or satisfied any claims,
  
liabilities or obligations
(absolute,
  
accrued,
  
contingent or otherwise) other than the payment, discharge
or
  
satisfaction
  
in the ordinary
  
course of business and
  
consistent
  
with past
practice of claims, liabilities and obligations reflected or
reserved against in
the Company
  
Balance
  
Sheet or incurred in the
  
ordinary
  
course of business and
consistent with past practice since the Balance Sheet Date;
 
      
(c) permitted or allowed any of its
  
properties or assets (real,
  
personal
or mixed,
  
tangible or intangible) to be subjected to any
  
Encumbrances,
  
except
for liens for current
  
Taxes not yet due or liens the
  
incurrence of which would
not reasonably be expected to have,
  
individually or in the aggregate, a Company
Material Adverse Effect;
 
      
(d)
  
sold,
  
transferred
  
or
  
otherwise
  
disposed
  
of any
  
of its
  
material
properties or assets (real, personal or mixed,
  
tangible or intangible),
  
except
in the ordinary course of business, consistent with past practice;
 
      
(e) granted any material
  
increase in the compensation or benefits payable
or to become payable to any director, officer or employee, except
in the case of
employees
  
other than officers for such
  
increases in
  
compensation
  
or benefits
made in the ordinary course of business,
  
consistent with past practice, or made
any material change in severance policy or practices;
 
 
                                       
16
 
 
      
(f) other than
  
capital
  
expenditures
  
in
  
accordance
  
with the
  
Company's
capital expenditure budget for the 2007 fiscal year (the "CAPEX
BUDGETS"),
  
made
any capital expenditure or acquired any property,
  
plant or equipment for a cost
in excess of $250,000 in the aggregate;
 
      
(g)
  
declared,
  
paid or set
  
aside
  
for
  
payment
  
any
  
dividend
  
or
  
other
distribution (whether in cash, stock or property) in respect of
their respective
capital
  
stock or other equity
  
interests
  
or
  
redeemed,
  
purchased or otherwise
acquired,
  
directly
  
or
  
indirectly,
  
any
  
shares
  
of
  
capital
  
stock
  
or
  
other
securities or equity
  
interests,
  
other than dividends and
  
distributions to the
Company or one if its wholly-owned
  
subsidiaries or the Company's quarterly cash
dividend payments to stockholders;
 
      
(h) (i) made
  
any
  
changes
  
in any of the
  
accounting
  
methods
  
used by it
materially
  
affecting
  
its
  
assets,
  
liabilities
  
or
  
business,
  
except for such
changes required by GAAP; or (ii) made or changed any election
relating to Taxes
to the extent inconsistent with past practice, adopted or changed
any accounting
method relating to Taxes,
  
entered into any closing agreement relating to Taxes,
filed any amended Tax Return,
  
settled or consented
  
to any claim or
  
assessment
relating to Taxes,
  
but in each case in clauses (i) and (ii), only to the extent
such action
  
could
  
reasonably
  
be expected to have a Company
  
Material
  
Adverse
Effect, and in each case in clause (ii), except as required by
applicable Law;
 
      
(i) paid, loaned, modified or advanced any amount to, or sold,
transferred
or leased
  
any
  
properties
  
or assets
  
(real,
  
personal
  
or mixed,
  
tangible
  
or
intangible) to, or entered into any agreement or arrangement
  
with, any of their
respective officers,
  
directors or stockholders or any affiliate or associate of
any
  
of
  
their
  
respective
  
officers,
  
directors
  
or
  
stockholders,
  
except
  
for
directors'
  
fees,
  
expense
  
reimbursements
  
in the
  
ordinary
  
course of business
consistent with past practice and compensation and benefits to
officers at rates
not inconsistent with past practice;
 
      
(j) granted, issued,
  
accelerated,
  
paid, accrued or agreed to pay or make
any accrual or
  
arrangement
  
for
  
payments
  
or benefits
  
pursuant to any Company
Employee Plans (as defined in Section
  
2.13(a) below) except in accordance
  
with
the terms of the
  
respective
  
Company
  
Employee
  
Plans,
  
or adopted
  
any Company
Employee
  
Plan,
  
or amended any Company
  
Employee
  
Plan,
  
except in the ordinary
course of business
  
consistent
  
with past
  
practice
  
and except as
  
permitted or
contemplated by this Agreement; or
 
      
(k)
  
authorized or agreed,
  
whether in writing or
  
otherwise,
  
to take any
action described in this Section 2.7.
 
2.8.
  
ABSENCE OF UNDISCLOSED LIABILITIES.
 
      
As of the date
  
hereof,
  
except (a) as
  
disclosed
  
in the Company
  
Balance
Sheet or the Company SEC Reports or (b) for liabilities and
obligations incurred
in the
  
ordinary
  
course of business
  
consistent
  
with past
  
practice
  
since the
Bala

 
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