Exhibit 2.1
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER (the "Agreement")
by and among
SILVER ACQUISITION CORP., a Delaware corporation ("SILVER"),
SAC ACQUISITION CORP., a Delaware corporation ("SAC") and
GOLD BANC CORPORATION, INC., a Kansas corporation ("GOLD")
February 24, 2004
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ARTICLE I - THE MERGER; CERTAIN RELATED
MATTERS..............................1
1.1
Merger and
Second Merger.........................................1
1.2
Merger/Conversion of Subsidiary
Banks............................3
1.3
Payment and
Cancellation of Options..............................3
1.4
Closing; Closing
Date; Filing of Merger Documents................3
1.5
Effect on
Shares.................................................4
1.6
Paying
Procedures................................................4
1.7
Certificate
Delivery.............................................5
1.8
Lost or Stolen
Certificate.......................................5
1.9
Further
Action...................................................5
1.10
Continued
Existence..............................................5
1.11
Certificate of
Incorporation.....................................6
1.12
By-Laws..........................................................6
1.13
Directors;
Officers..............................................6
1.14
Registered
Office................................................6
1.15
Dissenters'
Rights...............................................6
ARTICLE II - REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
OF GOLD..........................6
2.1
Corporate
Organization, Authorization, etc.......................6
2.2
Authorized and
Outstanding Stock.................................7
2.3
Subsidiaries,
Affiliates, etc....................................8
2.4
Consents,
Approvals, Filings, etc., of Governmental
Authorities......................................................9
2.5
SEC Filings and
Financial Statements.............................9
2.6
Absence of
Undisclosed Liabilities..............................10
2.7
Absence of
Changes..............................................11
2.8
Proxy Statement,
etc............................................11
2.9
No
Violation....................................................11
2.10
Brokerage/Fairness
Opinion......................................11
2.11
Tax
Matters.....................................................11
2.12
Employee Benefit
Plans..........................................13
2.13
Real and Personal
Property......................................15
2.14
Leases..........................................................16
2.15
Intellectual
Property...........................................16
2.16
Certain Contracts,
Agreements, Licenses.........................17
2.17
Governmental
Authorization......................................17
2.18
Contracts With and
Loans to Officers and Employees..............17
2.19
Insurance.......................................................17
2.20
Adequacy of Allowance
for Loan Losses...........................18
2.21
Interest Rate Risk
Management Instruments.......................18
2.22
Material
Contracts..............................................18
2.23
Litigation......................................................18
2.24
Labor
Matters...................................................19
2.25
Environmental
Matters...........................................19
2.26
Reports and Regulatory
Communications...........................19
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2.27
No
Action.......................................................20
2.28
Certain SEC
Filings.............................................20
2.29
Insurance
Filings...............................................20
2.30
Disclosure Controls
and Procedures..............................20
2.31
Compliance with
Applicable Law..................................20
2.32
CRA
Rating......................................................21
2.33
Rights Agreement
Inapplicable...................................21
ARTICLE III - REPRESENTATIONS AND
WARRANTIES OF SILVER......................21
3.1
Organization,
Authority.........................................21
3.2
Corporate
Action................................................21
3.3
No Parent
Company...............................................21
3.4
Brokers' and
Finders' Fees......................................21
3.5
Proxy
Statement.................................................22
3.6
Litigation......................................................22
3.7
Consents,
Approvals, Filings, etc, of Governmental
Authorities.....................................................22
3.8
Access to
Funds.................................................22
3.9
Ability to Pay
Break-up Fee.....................................23
3.10
Absence of Changes and
Undisclosed Liabilities..................23
3.11
No
Action.......................................................23
ARTICLE IV - CONDUCT OF BUSINESS OF GOLD
PRIOR TO EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE
MERGER.........................................................23
4.1
Regular Course
of Business of GOLD..............................23
4.2
Restricted
Activities and Transactions of GOLD..................24
ARTICLE V - OBLIGATIONS PRIOR AND
SUBSEQUENT TO EFFECTIVE TIME..............27
5.1
Reasonable
Access...............................................27
5.2
Consents........................................................27
5.3
Filing
Requirements.............................................27
5.4
GOLD Shareholder
Meeting........................................27
5.5
Supplements to
Information......................................30
5.6
Further
Assurances..............................................30
5.7
Deposit of Funds
with Paying Agent..............................30
5.8
Adverse Changes
in Condition....................................30
5.9
Reports.........................................................30
5.10
No
Solicitation.................................................30
5.11
Indemnification.................................................32
5.12
Environmental
Assessments.......................................34
5.13
Adequate
Funding................................................34
5.14
Regulatory
Approvals............................................35
5.15
Resignations....................................................35
5.16
Obligations Related to
the Trust Preferred Securities...........35
5.17
No Amendment or Waiver
of Subscription Agreements...............35
ARTICLE VI - CONDITIONS TO GOLD'S
OBLIGATIONS...............................36
6.1
Representations
and Warranties True and Obligations Satisfied...36
ii
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6.2
No Governmental
or Other Proceeding or Litigation...............36
6.3
No Material
Adverse Effect......................................36
6.4
Shareholder
Approval............................................36
6.5
Other
Approvals.................................................36
6.6
Opinion.........................................................36
6.7
Financing.......................................................36
ARTICLE VII - CONDITIONS TO OBLIGATIONS OF
SILVER...........................37
7.1
Representations
and Warranties True and Obligations Satisfied...37
7.2
No Governmental
or Other Proceeding or Litigation...............37
7.3
No Material
Adverse Effect......................................37
7.4
Shareholder
Approval............................................37
7.5
Other
Approvals.................................................37
7.6
Opinion.........................................................37
7.7
Secretary's
Certificate.........................................37
7.8
Financing.......................................................37
7.9
Total Equity and
Loan Loss Reserve..............................38
ARTICLE VIII -
TERMINATION..................................................38
8.1
Termination.....................................................38
8.2
Notice of
Termination; Effect of Termination....................40
8.3
Fees and
Expenses...............................................40
ARTICLE IX - MISCELLANEOUS
PROVISIONS.......................................41
9.1
Definitions.....................................................41
9.2
Amendment and
Modification......................................46
9.3
Waiver of
Compliance............................................46
9.4
Expenses........................................................46
9.5
Investigation
and Confidentiality...............................46
9.6
Press
Releases..................................................47
9.7
Representations
and Warranties, etc.............................47
9.8
Non-Survival of
Representations and Warranties..................47
9.9
Severability....................................................47
9.10
Other Remedies;
Specific Performance............................47
9.11
Rules of
Construction...........................................47
9.12
Interpretation..................................................48
9.13
Notices.........................................................48
9.14
Assignment......................................................49
9.15
Governing
Law...................................................49
9.16
Counterparts....................................................49
9.17
Entire Agreement;
Third Party Beneficiaries.....................49
9.18
Reservation of Right
to Revise Structure........................49
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TABLE OF DEFINED TERMS
Term
Cross Reference in Agreement
Page
----
----------------------------
----
Acquisition
Proposal...............5.10(a)..................................32
Acquisition
Transaction............5.10(a)..................................32
Balance Sheet
Date..................2.6(a)..................................10
Bank
Subsidiaries......................2.3...................................8
By-Laws...............................1.12...................................6
Closing................................1.4...................................3
Closing
Date...........................1.4...................................3
COBRA..............................2.12(a)..................................13
DOL................................2.12(b)..................................14
ERISA..............................2.12(a)..................................13
ERISA
Affiliate....................2.12(a)..................................13
Federal
Reserve........................2.4...................................9
Financing..............................3.8..................................22
GOLD..............................Preamble...................................1
GOLD
Advisor..........................2.10..................................11
GOLD
Approval.......................2.1(b)...................................7
GOLD
Employee......................2.12(a)..................................13
GOLD
Plans.........................2.12(a)..................................13
GOLD SEC
Reports....................2.5(a)...................................9
Indemnified
Parties................5.11(a)..................................32
Initial Equity
Commitments.............3.8..................................23
Insurance Agency
Subsidiary...........2.29..................................20
IRS................................2.11(a)..................................12
Merger............................Preamble...................................1
Office of Thrift
Supervision...........2.4...................................9
Paying
Agent...........................1.5...................................4
Remaining Equity
Commitments..........5.13..................................34
Returns............................2.11(a)..................................11
Sarbanes-Oxley
Act..................2.5(a)..................................10
Second
Merger.....................Preamble...................................1
SILVER............................Preamble...................................1
Superior
Offer......................5.4(c)..................................29
Surviving
Corporation...............1.1(b)...................................2
iv
<PAGE>
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER
THIS AGREEMENT
AND PLAN OF MERGER (the "Agreement") made and entered into
as of the 24th day of February,
2004, by and among
SILVER ACQUISITION
CORP., a
Delaware corporation ("SILVER"), SAC ACQUISITION CORP., a Delaware
corporation
and a wholly-owned subsidiary of
ACQUISITION ("SAC"), and GOLD BANC CORPORATION,
INC., a Kansas corporation ("GOLD").
W-I-T-N-E-S-S-E-T-H
WHEREAS,
subject to the terms
and conditions of this Agreement, the Boards
of Directors of SILVER, SAC and GOLD have approved the
merger (the "Merger") of
SAC with and into GOLD and the second
merger (the "Second
Merger") of GOLD with
and into SILVER, pursuant to which each
outstanding
share of common stock
of
GOLD ("GOLD Common") shall be converted into
the right to receive cash, as more
fully set forth herein, and determined that the Merger is in the best
interest
of the parties and their stockholders;
WHEREAS,
SILVER and SAC have
been formed for the sole purpose of acquiring
GOLD by consummating the merger and as such,
SILVER and SAC have
conducted no
business apart from raising capital to
consummate the transactions contemplated
herein; and
WHEREAS,
in furtherance
of the consummation of the Merger, the parties
hereto desire to enter into this
Agreement;
NOW,
THEREFORE,
in consideration of the premises and
the mutual promises
and agreements contained herein, the parties hereto, intending to be legally
bound, hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE I - THE MERGER; CERTAIN RELATED MATTERS
1.1 Merger and Second
Merger.
------------------------
(a)
The Merger. Subject to the terms and
conditions of this Agreement,
at the Effective Time SAC shall merge with and into GOLD. GOLD shall be the
surviving corporation (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the
"First Merger
Surviving Corporation") in the Merger, and shall continue its corporate
existence under the laws of the State of Kansas. Upon consummation of the
Merger, the separate corporate existence of
SAC shall terminate.
At the
Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger and
without any action on
the part of the holder of any shares of the
capital stock of GOLD:
(i) subject
to Section 1.1(a)(ii) and 1.1(a)(iii), each
outstanding share of
GOLD Common (together
with the related GOLD
Rights
issued
pursuant to the Rights
Agreement ) shall, by
virtue of the Merger
and
without further action on the part of the holder thereof, no longer
be
outstanding, be
canceled and retired and cease to exist and shall be
converted
into the right to receive in cash, without interest, $16.60 per
share,
<PAGE>
from the
Surviving Corporation
in the manner
provided herein, provided
that, if the
Closing shall not have
occurred within 150 days of the date
hereof,
holders of GOLD Common
shall also be entitled
to receive, at the
Effective
Time, an additional amount per share equal to the product of
$0.00230
times the number of
days following
such 150th day
through and
including the
Closing Date;
(ii) each share of GOLD Common and GOLD Preferred stock held
in the treasury of GOLD shall not be
converted into the right to receive
cash
pursuant to 1.1(a)(i) and shall be canceled
and retired and cease to
exist;
(iii) SILVER
will provide funds sufficient to pay the
obligations
of the Surviving Corporation set out in Section 1.1(a)(i)
above;
(iv) shares
of GOLD Common held by shareholders duly
exercising
rights, if any, pursuant to K.S.A. ss. 17-6712 ("Dissenting
Shareholders")
shall not be converted into the right to receive cash
pursuant to
Section 1.1(a)(i); and
(v) each share of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of
SAC shall be
converted into one share of common stock, par value $1.00 per
share, of the
First Merger Surviving Corporation.
(b)
Second Merger.
Immediately
following completion
of the Merger, the
First Merger Surviving Corporation shall merge with and into
SILVER. SILVER
shall be the surviving corporation (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the
"Surviving Corporation") in the Second
Merger, and shall continue its corporate
existence under the laws of the State of
Delaware. Upon consummation of the
Second Merger, the separate corporate existence of First Merger Surviving
Corporation shall terminate.
At the
effective time of the Second Merger, by virtue of the Second
Merger
and without any action on the part of the
holder of any shares of the capital
stock of the First Merger Surviving
Corporation:
(i) each share of common stock, par value $1.00 per share, of
the First Merger
Surviving Corporation
shall be cancelled and
retired and
no shares of
SILVER common stock or other consideration shall be
delivered
in exchange
therefor; and
(ii) each share of common stock and preferred stock of SILVER
issued and
outstanding
prior to the
effective time of the Second Merger
shall be
unaffected
by the Second Merger and shall remain issued and
outstanding.
GOLD shall, at the request of SILVER,
take all necessary and
appropriate action
prior to the Merger (including executing any appropriate consent, notice or
other instrument) to cause the Second Merger to
become effective
immediately
after the Merger in accordance with Section 17-6703 of the Kansas General
Corporation Code and Section 253 of the
Delaware General Corporation Law.
2
<PAGE>
1.2 Merger/Conversion of Subsidiary Banks. Subject to the reservation of
rights set forth in Section 9.18 and any changes as may be required by any
applicable Regulatory Authority, (i) GOLD before the Effective Time
will cause
Gold Bank, an Oklahoma state bank, and Gold Bank, a
Florida state bank and Gold
Bank, a Kansas state bank to be merged into a
single bank
(collectively, the
"Bank Mergers"), provided that the merger of Gold
Bank, an Oklahoma state bank,
into Gold Bank, a Kansas state bank,
shall be consummated as soon as possible
after the date hereof and (ii) immediately
following the Second Merger, the bank
surviving the Bank Mergers will be
converted into a federal savings bank either
directly, or indirectly by merger with an interim federal savings bank
established by SILVER for that purpose (the
"Conversion").
As a result of the
Bank Mergers, the Merger and the
Conversion, Surviving
Corporation shall become
a savings and loan holding company subject to the supervision
and regulation of
the Office of Thrift Supervision (the
"OTS").
1.3 Payment and
Cancellation of Options. As soon as practicable
following
the date of this Agreement, the Board of Directors of GOLD
(or, if appropriate,
any committee thereof administering the GOLD stock plans) shall make such
commercially reasonable efforts to affect the adjustment of the terms of all
outstanding options to acquire GOLD
Common, whether vested or unvested, as
necessary to provide that, immediately after the Effective Time, each such
option outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall
be canceled,
and the holder thereof (as designated on Schedule 2.2 of the Disclosure
Memorandum previously delivered to SILVER
by GOLD) shall then become entitled in
full satisfaction of such cancellation to receive,
immediately
following the
Effective Time, a single lump sum cash
payment in an amount equal to the product
of (1) the excess, if any, of the per share
price described in Section 1.1(a)(i)
over the exercise price per share of such option,
and (2) the number of
shares
of GOLD Common for which such option shall
not theretofore have
been exercised.
Following the Effective Time, Surviving Corporation shall pay all amounts
payable to holders of such options
according to the
preceding sentence,
which
shall be subject to any required
withholding of taxes
and shall be paid without
interest. GOLD shall use commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that
following the Effective Time no holder of any option to
acquire GOLD Common or
any participant in any GOLD stock plan or GOLD Plans shall have any right
thereunder to acquire capital stock of GOLD, SAC or the
Surviving
Corporation.
The Board of Directors shall adopt
resolutions
which shall include
provisions
that any such cash payment will not be
subject to Section
16(b) of the Exchange
Act. GOLD will use commercially reasonable
efforts to cause all of its directors
and officers to agree in writing
that they will
exercise outstanding options
prior to closing or accept a cash out
payment equal to the
difference
between
the exercise price of such options and
$16.60, subject to withholding applicable
taxes.
1.4 Closing; Closing Date; Filing of Merger Documents. Unless this
Agreement shall have been terminated and the
Merger herein
contemplated shall
have been abandoned pursuant to Article VIII, a
closing (the "Closing") will be
held as soon as practicable, on a date mutually agreed upon, but in any event
within five (5) business days after all
conditions hereto (other than conditions
which relate to actions to be taken at
Closing) shall have
been satisfied
or
waived, as appropriate. The Closing shall be held at a location
and time as
agreed by the Parties, on the same date that the
Effective Time occurs,
unless
otherwise agreed by the Parties (the
"Closing Date"),
at which time and
place
the documents referred to in Articles VI
and VII hereof will be exchanged by the
parties hereto and, immediately thereafter, Certificates of Merger shall be
filed
3
<PAGE>
with the Delaware Secretary of State, and
Articles of Merger shall be filed with
the Kansas Secretary of State for both the
Merger and the Second Merger.
1.5 Effect on
Shares. After the
Effective Time, each
shareholder of
GOLD
shall be entitled, upon surrender of certificates
representing
shares of GOLD
Common accompanied by a duly completed and
executed letter of transmittal in the
form to be sent to all such shareholders (as provided in
Section 1.6 hereof) to
the paying agent, which shall be the American
Stock Transfer & Trust Company,
unless otherwise agreed to by the Parties (the
"Paying Agent"),
to receive in
substitution therefor, an amount determined by multiplying
(i) the number of
shares of GOLD Common represented by the certificates surrendered by (ii) the
amount set forth in Section 1.1(a)(i). If
outstanding certificates for shares of
GOLD Common are not surrendered or the cash payment
therefor not claimed
prior
to three (3) years after the Effective Time
(or, in any particular
case, prior
to such earlier date on which such cash
payments would
otherwise escheat to
or
become the property of any Governmental
Authority), the unclaimed amounts shall,
to the extent permitted by applicable law,
become the property of the Surviving
Corporation, free and clear of all claims or
interest of any person
previously
entitled thereto.
1.6 Paying Procedures.
-----------------
(a) As soon as practicable after the Effective Time, and in no event
later than five (5) business days thereafter, the Paying Agent shall mail
and
otherwise make available to each person who, as
of the Effective Time,
was the
record holder of one or more certificates
representing shares of
GOLD Common, a
form letter of transmittal (which shall
specify that delivery shall be effected,
and risk of loss and title to such
certificate or certificates shall pass, only
upon proper delivery of such certificate or certificates to the Paying
Agent)
and instructions for use in effecting the
surrender of such
certificates. Upon
surrender to the Paying Agent of
certificates
representing GOLD Common together
with such letter of transmittal,
duly executed, the
Paying Agent shall promptly
pay to the persons entitled thereto in cash
an amount determined
by multiplying
(i) the number of shares of GOLD Common represented by the certificate or
certificates so surrendered by (ii) the amount
set forth in Section
1.1(a)(i),
less any transfer or other taxes, if any,
payable in connection
therewith.
No
interest will be paid or accrued on the
cash payable upon the surrender of such
certificates.
(b) If payment is to
be made to a person other than the one in whose
name a surrendered certificate is
registered, it shall be a condition of payment
that the certificate so surrendered be
properly endorsed or
otherwise in proper
form for transfer and that the person requesting such payment either pay any
transfer or other taxes required by reason
of the payment to a person other than
the registered holder of the certificate surrendered or establish to the
satisfaction of the Surviving Corporation
that such transfer or other taxes have
been paid or are not applicable.
(c) Each of the Paying
Agent and the
Surviving Corporation
shall be
entitled to deduct and withhold from any consideration payable or otherwise
deliverable pursuant to this Agreement to any
former holder of GOLD Common such
amounts as may be required to be deducted or withheld therefrom under the
Internal Revenue Code or state, local or
foreign law. To the extent such amounts
are so deducted or withheld, such amounts shall be treated for all
4
<PAGE>
purposes under this Agreement as having been paid to the person to whom
such
amounts would otherwise have been paid.
(d)
Notwithstanding
anything to the
contrary in this
Section 1.6,
neither the Paying Agent, the Surviving Corporation nor any party hereto
shall
be liable to a holder of shares of GOLD
Common for any amount properly paid to a
public official pursuant to any applicable abandoned property, escheat or
similar law.
1.7 Certificate Delivery. At or after the Effective Time the Surviving
Corporation shall deliver to the shareholders of SILVER certificates
representing the Surviving Corporation common stock and Surviving
Corporation
preferred stock.
1.8 Lost or
Stolen Certificate. In the event that any certificates for GOLD
Common shall have been lost, stolen or
destroyed, the Paying
Agent shall pay in
exchange for such lost, stolen or destroyed
certificates, upon the
making of an
affidavit of that fact by the holder
thereof, together with such other documents
required under Section 1.6 above, such cash as is required pursuant to this
Agreement; provided, however, that the Paying
Agent, may, in its discretion and
as a condition precedent to the payment of
cash, require the owner of such lost,
stolen or destroyed certificates to deliver a bond in such sum as it may
reasonably direct as indemnity against any claim that may be made
against the
Surviving Corporation or the Paying Agent with respect to the certificates
alleged to have been lost, stolen or
destroyed.
1.9 Further
Action. If, at any time after the
Effective Time, any further
action is necessary or desirable to carry
out the purposes of this Agreement and
to vest the Surviving Corporation with full right,
title and possession
to all
assets, property, rights, privileges,
powers and franchises
of GOLD, or SAC and
SILVER, the officers and directors of the
Surviving Corporation
shall be fully
authorized (in the name of SILVER,
SAC, GOLD,
the Surviving
Corporation
and
otherwise) to take all such necessary
action.
1.10 Continued
Existence.
At the Effective Time,
the effect of the Merger
shall be as provided by the applicable provisions of the Kansas General
Corporation Code and the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
Without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, and subject
thereto, at the
Effective Time: the separate existence of SAC shall cease;
GOLD shall possess
all assets and property of every description, and every interest therein,
wherever located, and the rights,
privileges, immunities, powers, franchises and
authority, of a public as well as of a
private nature, of each of SAC and GOLD;
all obligations belonging to or due each of
SAC and GOLD shall be vested in, and
become the obligations of, GOLD without further act or
deed; title to any
real
estate or any interest therein vested in either of SAC or
GOLD shall not revert
or in any way be impaired by reason of the
Merger; all rights of
creditors and
all liens upon any property of either of SAC or GOLD shall be preserved
unimpaired; and GOLD shall be liable for all
the obligations of each of SAC and
GOLD and any claim existing, or action or proceeding pending, by or against
either of SAC and GOLD may be prosecuted to
judgment, with right
of appeal, as
if the Merger had not taken place.
Immediately after the
Merger and pursuant to
the Second Merger: the separate existence of GOLD shall cease;
the Surviving
Corporation shall possess all assets and
property of every
description,
and
every interest therein, wherever located, and the rights, privileges,
immunities, powers, franchises and authority, of a public as well as of a
private nature, of each of the Parties; all
obligations belonging to or due each
of the Parties
5
<PAGE>
shall be vested in, and become the
obligations
of, the Surviving Corporation
without further act or deed; title to any real estate or any
interest therein
vested in each of the Parties shall not revert or in any way be
impaired by
reason of the Second Merger; all rights of creditors and all liens upon any
property of each of the Parties shall be
preserved unimpaired; and the Surviving
Corporation shall be liable for all the
obligations of each of
the Parties and
any claim existing, or action or proceeding
pending, by or against
each of the
Parties may be prosecuted to judgment,
with right of appeal,
as if the Second
Merger had not taken place.
1.11
Certificate of
Incorporation.
The Certificate of
Incorporation
of
SILVER, as amended and restated
immediately prior to
the Effective Time, shall
be the Certificate of Incorporation of the
Surviving Corporation
until further
altered, amended or repealed as provided by
law.
1.12 By-Laws.
The By-Laws of SILVER
as in effect
immediately prior to the
Effective Time shall be the By-Laws of the
Surviving Corporation ("By-Laws")
until further altered, amended or repealed
as provided by law.
1.13 Directors;
Officers. The directors of the Surviving Corporation at the
Effective Time shall be those directors of
SILVER in office immediately prior to
the Effective Time. The officers of the
Surviving Corporation
at the Effective
Time shall be those officers of SILVER in office immediately prior to the
Effective Time.
1.14 Registered
Office. The Surviving
Corporation shall be governed by the
laws of the State of Delaware, and the address of its registered
office in that
state shall be that of SILVER.
1.15 Dissenters'
Rights. If any Dissenting Shareholder shall be entitled to
the payment of the value of the
shareholder's
Common Shares as provided in
Section 17-6712 of the Kansas General
Corporation
Code, GOLD shall give
SILVER
notice thereof and SILVER shall have the right to participate in all
negotiations and proceedings with respect to any such demands.
GOLD shall not,
except with the prior written consent of SILVER, voluntarily make any payment
with respect to, or settle or offer to
settle, any such
demand for payment.
If
any Dissenting Shareholder shall fail to perfect or shall have effectively
withdrawn or lost the right to dissent, the shares held by such shareholder
shall thereupon be entitled to be
surrendered in exchange for the amount of cash
as provided in Section 1.1(a)(i) and
1.6.
ARTICLE II - REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF GOLD
Except as set
forth in the GOLD SEC Reports filed prior to February 1, 2004
and the memorandum previously delivered by GOLD to SILVER, which contains
specific disclosures corresponding to each applicable representation and
warranty set forth below ("GOLD Disclosure
Memorandum"), GOLD
hereby represents
and warrants to SILVER as follows:
2.1
Corporate
Organization, Authorization, etc.
------------------------------------------
(a)
GOLD is a corporation
duly organized,
validly existing and
in good
standing under the Laws of the State of
Kansas and has full corporate power and
authority to
6
<PAGE>
conduct its business as it is now being conducted and to own or lease the
properties and assets it now owns or holds
under lease;
is duly qualified or
licensed to do business and is in good
standing in every
jurisdiction where the
character of its business or the nature of its properties makes such
qualification or licensing necessary,
except for such jurisdictions in which the
failure to be so qualified or licensed is
not reasonably likely, individually or
in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect on GOLD. GOLD has full
corporate power and authority to enter into this
Agreement,
and, subject to
shareholder approval, to consummate the transactions
contemplated herein.
This
Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by GOLD and, is a valid and
binding agreement of GOLD enforceable
against GOLD in accordance with its terms,
subject to Laws relating to bankruptcy, insolvency (including all applicable
laws relating to fraudulent transfers), reorganization, moratorium or similar
laws now or hereafter in effect
relating to creditors'
rights generally or to
general principles of equity (regardless of
whether enforcement is considered in
a proceeding in equity or at law) and subject to the approval of the
shareholders as required by the Kansas General Corporation Code and the
approvals described in Section 2.4, the
consummation by GOLD
of the Merger has
been duly authorized by all necessary
corporate action. GOLD
is duly registered
as a bank holding company under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as
amended. GOLD has heretofore delivered to SILVER true,
accurate and
complete
copies of the Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws of GOLD as in effect
as of
the date of this Agreement.
(b) The Board of Directors of GOLD, at a meeting duly called and
held
under applicable laws and its Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws ("GOLD
Approval"), has (i) approved this Agreement
and the transactions
contemplated
herein; (ii) subject to Sections 5.4(c) and 5.10 hereof,
directed that this
Agreement and the transaction contemplated
hereby be submitted for consideration
by GOLD's shareholders at a special meeting to be duly
called and held as soon
as practicable; (iii) subject to Sections
5.4(c) and 5.10
hereof, determined
that this Agreement and this transaction
contemplated hereby
are fair to and in
the best interests of GOLD and its shareholders, and recommended that the
shareholders of GOLD adopt this Agreement. The Board of Directors of GOLD
has
taken all actions so that the restrictions
contained in Section 17-12,100 of the
Kansas General Corporation Code applicable to a "business
combination"
(as
defined in Section 17-12,101), will not apply to SAC or SILVER
during the
pendency of this Agreement, including the execution, delivery
or performance of
this Agreement and the consummation of the
transactions
contemplated herein. No
other state takeover statute, or similar
statute or regulation,
applies to GOLD
with respect to this Agreement or the
Merger.
2.2 Authorized
and Outstanding Stock.
The authorized capital stock of GOLD
consists of 50,000,000 shares of common stock,
par value $1.00 per
share, and
50,000,000 shares of preferred stock, no par value. As of February 17, 2004,
39,840,142 shares of GOLD Common were issued and
outstanding,
and 4,824,575
shares of GOLD Common were held as treasury
stock by GOLD,
and after such
date
the only additional shares issued or that will be
issued were or will have been
so issued pursuant to those stock options
and restricted stock
awards described
in the Disclosure Memorandum described below. As of
the date of this Agreement,
no shares of preferred stock of GOLD are issued and outstanding, and no
previously issued and redeemed shares are
held in treasury. All
of such issued
and outstanding shares of GOLD Common are validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable. Except as set forth above,
GOLD does not have
outstanding
any
other shares of its capital stock or any
other securities or indebtedness having
the right to vote on any matters on which holders of GOLD Common may vote.
Except as set
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<PAGE>
forth in the Disclosure Memorandum,
GOLD does not have
outstanding, and is
not
bound by, any subscriptions, options, warrants, calls, commitments, Rights,
"phantom" stock rights, stock rights
agreements,
stock-based performance units,
Contracts or any other instrument obligating GOLD to issue or deliver any
additional shares of its capital stock or any
other securities or
indebtedness
having the right to vote on any
matters on which
holders of GOLD Common may
vote, including any right of conversion or exchange under any outstanding
security or other instrument. There are no
outstanding stock appreciation rights
or other Rights that are in any way linked
to the price of any capital stock of
GOLD. There are not any outstanding contractual obligations of GOLD to
repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any shares of GOLD Common
Stock. The
holders of the capital stock of GOLD have
no preemptive rights.
As of February
17, 2004, there were outstanding and
unexercised options to
purchase a total of
1,196,142 shares of GOLD Common.
The Disclosure
Memorandum
lists the name of
each optionee holding such outstanding and
unexercised options and includes with
respect to each optionee: (a) the number of options granted;
(b) the number of
such options which are vested and unvested as of February
11, 2004; (c) the
exercise price; (d) identification of the plan, agreement or other document
under which such options were issued to the optionee or by which they are
governed; and (e) the number of options of
the optionee that are
qualified and
non-qualified pursuant to the Code.
2.3
Subsidiaries, Affiliates, etc. The Disclosure Memorandum sets
forth, as
of the date thereof, a true and complete
list of GOLD's Subsidiaries. GOLD owns,
either directly or indirectly
through a wholly-owned
Subsidiary,
100% of the
issued and outstanding capital stock of each Subsidiary, including without
limitation, Gold Bank, a duly organized and
validly existing Kansas state bank,
Gold Bank, a duly organized and validly
existing Oklahoma state bank, and Gold
Bank, a duly organized and validly existing Florida state bank (hereinafter
referred to individually as a "Bank
Subsidiary" and
collectively as the
"Bank
Subsidiaries"). Neither GOLD nor any Subsidiary
owns any material amount of any
shares of stock of any corporation or material amount of
any equity interest in
a partnership, joint venture or other business
entity, and neither GOLD nor any
of the Subsidiaries controls any other
corporation,
partnership, joint
venture
or other business entity by means of a management contract. Each of the
Subsidiaries is duly organized,
validly existing and
in good standing under the
Laws of the jurisdiction set forth opposite its name in the Disclosure
Memorandum. Each Subsidiary has full corporate
power and authority to carry on
its business as it is now being
conducted and to own or lease the property
and
assets it now owns or holds under lease;
and is duly qualified or licensed to do
business and is in good standing in every
other state of the United States where
the character of its business or the nature of its properties make such
qualification or licensing necessary except for such
jurisdictions in which the
failure to be so qualified or licensed is
not reasonably likely, individually or
in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect on GOLD and its
Subsidiaries, taken as a whole. None of the
Subsidiaries has outstanding, or is
bound by, any subscriptions, options, warrants, calls, commitments, Rights,
"phantom" stock rights, stock-based performance units or
Contracts or any other
instrument obligating GOLD or any of its Subsidiaries to issue or deliver
any
shares of its capital stock or any other
securities or
indebtedness having
the
right to vote on any matters on which
holders of
Subsidiaries common
stock may
vote, including any right of conversion or exchange under any outstanding
security or other instrument and Subsidiaries are not obligated to issue any
shares of their capital stock for any
purpose. There are no
outstanding
stock
appreciation rights or other Rights that are in any way linked
to the price of
any capital stock of Subsidiaries. There are not any outstanding contractual
obligations of a Subsidiary to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any
shares of
8
<PAGE>
its capital stock. All shares of the
Subsidiaries which are owned by GOLD or one
of the Subsidiaries are free and clear of
all Liens, claims and
encumbrances of
whatever nature and all such shares are validly issued and fully paid.
Subsidiaries do not have outstanding any
other shares of their capital stock, or
any other securities or indebtedness
having the right to
vote on any matters on
which a holder of Subsidiary common stock may vote.
There are no
unsatisfied
preemptive rights in respect to the capital
stock of any of the
Subsidiaries.
Each of GBCI Capital Trust, GBCI Capital Trust II and ABI Capital
Trust has
fewer than 300 record owners of preferred
securities.
The deposit
accounts of
each of the Bank Subsidiaries are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation through the Bank Insurance Fund to
the fullest extent
permitted by
law (some of the deposit accounts of Gold Bank, a Kansas
state chartered
bank,
are insured by the Savings Association Fund), and all premiums and
assessments
required to be paid in connection therewith have been paid when due. GOLD
has
previously made available to SILVER true,
accurate and complete
copies of the
currently effective Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws, or equivalent
organizational documents, of each of the
Subsidiaries.
2.4 Consents,
Approvals, Filings, etc., of Governmental Authorities. Except
for (i) approval of the Board of Governors
of the Federal
Reserve System (the
"Federal Reserve"), the Office of Thrift
Supervision (the "OTS"), and the Kansas
State Bank Commissioners; (ii) notice to the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation (the "FDIC") and the Oklahoma
and Florida State Bank
Commissioners;
(iii) any required filing with Kansas
Insurance Department; (iv) any required
filing or notification with the Department of Justice and/or Federal Trade
Commission pursuant to the
Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976,
as amended; (iv) with respect to Gold
Financial Services, Inc. or any of its
subsidiaries, any required filings or
approvals under the Investment Company Act
of 1940, as amended, or the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended
(the
"Advisors Act"), (v) any required filings or approvals with respect to the
change in control of GOLD's trust company Subsidiary and its broker-dealer
subsidiary; (vi) filings and consents required with respect to SILVER's
assumption of liability for GOLD's
outstanding
trust preferred
securities and
the delisting of such trust preferred
securities from the Nasdaq, (vii) filing a
proxy statement with the SEC in accordance with the Exchange Act and the
regulations promulgated thereunder; and (viii) filing and recordation of
appropriate merger documents as required by
Kansas General
Corporation Code and
the Delaware General Corporation Law, the Florida
Business Corporation
Act and
the Oklahoma General Corporation Act, no consents or
approvals of or filings or
registrations with any Governmental
Authority of the United States, of any state
thereof or with any third party are
necessary in
connection with the
execution
and delivery by GOLD of this Agreement or the consummation by GOLD of the
transactions contemplated herein, other
than any such consent, approval, filings
or registrations which if not obtained or made,
would not be reasonably likely
to have a Material Adverse Effect on GOLD and its Subsidiaries, taken as a
whole.
2.5 SEC Filings and Financial
Statements.
------------------------------------
(a) GOLD has filed and made available to
SILVER a true and complete
copy of each report, schedule, registration statement and definitive proxy
statement filed by GOLD with the SEC
since January 1, 1999 (the "GOLD SEC
Reports"), which are all the reports that
GOLD was required to file with the SEC
since such date. As of their respective dates (or if amended or
superseded by a
filing after such date, then on the date of
such subsequent filing), each of the
GOLD SEC Reports complied in all material
respects with the
requirements of the
9
<PAGE>
Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as the case may be, and the rules and
regulations of the SEC thereunder applicable to such GOLD SEC
Report, and, to
the extent not included in the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the
"Sarbanes-Oxley Act"),
and none of the GOLD SEC
Reports contained any untrue statement of
a material fact or omitted to state a
material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary
to make the statements
therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading (except any statements or omissions therein which were amended,
corrected or otherwise disclosed or updated in a
subsequent GOLD SEC
Report).
Each of the "principal executive officer" of GOLD and the
"principal
financial
officer" of GOLD (in each case,
as defined by the
Sarbanes-Oxley
Act), or a
predecessor thereto, has made all certifications
required by Sections
302 and
906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and the rules and regulations of the SEC
promulgated thereunder, with respect to GOLD SEC Reports requiring such
certifications.
(b) The audited financial statements and the unaudited financial
statements of GOLD (including in each case,
the notes thereto) contained in GOLD
SEC Reports filed on Form 10-K or Form 10-Q,
including GOLD SEC Reports filed
subsequent to the date hereof on such forms, (i) are or will be prepared in
accordance with GAAP (except as may be
indicated in the notes to such financial
statements or, in the case of unaudited
financial statements, as permitted by
Form 10-Q and by Rule 10-01 of Regulation
S-X promulgated by the
SEC), and (ii)
present or will present fairly the
consolidated financial
position of GOLD
and
its Subsidiaries as of their respective
dates, and the
consolidated results
of
operations and cash flows for the periods
indicated (except that the unaudited
interim financial statements were or are subject to normal and recurring
year-end adjustments, and except for the
absence of certain footnote information
in the unaudited statements).
(c) Neither GOLD nor
any of its Subsidiaries has any material liabil-
ity or obligation of a type which would
be required to be included in a balance
sheet prepared in accordance with GAAP,
whether accrued or contingent,
due or
not yet due, liquidated or unliquidated, or otherwise, (i) except and to the
extent disclosed or reflected in the
financial statements
included in the
GOLD
SEC Reports, or (ii) except for liabilities and obligations incurred in the
ordinary course of business since the date of the last
financial statements
included in the GOLD SEC Reports,
which individually and in the aggregate are
not reasonably likely to result in a Material
Adverse Effect on GOLD and its
Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
2.6
Absence of
Undisclosed Liabilities.
----------------------------------
(a) There are no
liabilities of GOLD or any of the Subsidiaries of
any nature, whether accrued, absolute,
contingent, or
otherwise, whether due or
to become due, that are reasonably
likely to have a
Material Adverse
Effect on
GOLD and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, except for liabilities
incurred
since December 31, 2003 (the
"Balance Sheet Date") in the ordinary
course of
business.
(b) Neither GOLD nor its Subsidiaries is a party to a pending
action
which is reasonably likely to result in a Material
Adverse Effect on GOLD and
its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
10
<PAGE>
2.7
Absence of
Changes. Since the Balance Sheet Date, there has been no
change in the business, results of operations, financial condition or
liabilities (accrued, absolute, contingent
or otherwise), or other occurrence or
events with respect to GOLD or the
Subsidiaries,
that has had or is
reasonably
likely to have a Material Adverse Effect on
GOLD and its Subsidiaries, taken as
a whole. Since the Balance Sheet Date, there has been no event or
occurrence
with respect to GOLD or the Subsidiaries
described in Section
4.2 hereof (as if
the restrictions in such section commenced
on the Balance Sheet Date but subject
to the exceptions set forth in Article
IV).
2.8
Proxy Statement, etc.
GOLD's definitive
proxy statement with respect
to the Merger (the "Proxy Statement"), on the date it is mailed to GOLD's
shareholders, will comply as to form with
requirements of the
Exchange Act and
will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to
make the
statements therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they are made, not
misleading; provided, however, that no representation or warranty is made
by
GOLD with respect to any information which is furnished to GOLD by SILVER in
writing for the specific purpose of
inclusion in the Proxy Statement.
2.9
No Violation. Neither
the execution, delivery and performance of this
Agreement by GOLD, nor the consummation by
GOLD of the transactions contemplated
hereby will (i) conflict with or result in a breach of any
provision of the
respective Articles of Incorporation or
bylaws (or similar governing documents)
of GOLD or any Subsidiary; (ii) result in a
violation or breach of or constitute
(with or without due notice or lapse of
time or both) a default (or give rise to
any right of termination, amendment,
cancellation or acceleration or Lien) under
any of the terms, conditions or provisions of any
Contract to which GOLD or any
Subsidiary is a party or by which any of
them or their respective properties or
assets are bound; (iii) violate any order,
writ, injunction, decree to which
GOLD or a Subsidiary is subject, or any law, statute, rule or regulation
applicable to GOLD or any Subsidiary or any of their
respective
properties or
assets except, in the case of the foregoing clauses (ii) and (iii), for
violations, breaches or defaults that would
not, either
individually or in the
aggregate, be reasonably likely to result in a Material
Adverse Effect on GOLD
and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
2.10
Brokerage/Fairness
Opinion. Except for
fees payable to GOLD Advisor
(as set forth in the Advisor Letter), neither GOLD nor any of its officers
or
directors has employed any broker or finder
or incurred any
liability for any
broker's fees, commissions or finder's fees in connection with any of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement. A copy of the letter agreement
between GOLD Advisor and GOLD (the "Advisor Letter"), has been previously
delivered by GOLD to SILVER. Prior to the
execution of this Agreement, GOLD has
received an opinion from Sandler O'Neill
& Partners, L.P.
(the "GOLD Advisor"),
dated the date of this Agreement, to the effect that, as of such date the
consideration to be received by the
stockholders of GOLD in the Merger, is fair
to such stockholders from a financial point of view.
Such opinion has not been
amended or rescinded as of the date of this
Agreement.
2.11
Tax Matters.
-----------
(a) As of the date of
this Agreement, GOLD
and the Subsidiaries
have properly filed all federal,
state, local and foreign Tax Returns
required
to be filed ("Returns"),
11
<PAGE>
and all Taxes shown by such returns to be due and payable have
been paid or are
or will be reflected as a Liability on the December 31, 2003 Balance Sheet.
GOLD's federal income tax Returns have been filed with the
Internal Revenue
Service (the "IRS") through its fiscal year 2002,
and all of state,
local and
foreign tax authorities have been paid or such taxes have
been reserved for in
the December 31, 2003 Balance Sheet, and,
at the date hereof, GOLD has not given
or received an outstanding request to give any waiver of any statute of
limitations relating to the payment of
federal, state, local
or foreign Taxes.
The reserves for Taxes specifically reflected on the December 31, 2003
Balance
Sheet are adequate to cover all federal, state, local and foreign Tax
liabilities payable by GOLD and the
Subsidiaries
for the period
prior to the
date of such balance sheet. GOLD has previously delivered to SILVER copies of
the federal income tax returns of GOLD and the
Subsidiaries
for each of the
periods ended December 31, 2001 and
2002.
(b) GOLD and the Subsidiaries as of the Effective Time will have
with-
held with respect to their employees all
federal, state and
local income taxes,
and other Taxes required to be withheld,
except such Taxes
which would not have
a Material Adverse Effect on GOLD and the
Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(c) No audit or other
examination of any Returns of GOLD or any of
the Subsidiaries by any Tax authority is presently in
progress, nor has
GOLD
been notified of any such audit or other
examination.
(d) No adjustment
relating to any
Returns filed by GOLD or any
of the Subsidiaries has been proposed in
writing formally,
or to the
Knowledge
of GOLD informally, by any Tax authority to
GOLD or any representative thereof.
(e) There is no contract, agreement, plan or arrangement to which
GOLD
or any of the Subsidiaries is a party as of the date of this Agreement,
including but not limited to the
provisions
of this Agreement, covering any
employee or former employee of GOLD or any of the Subsidiaries that,
individually or collectively, would reasonably be expected to
give rise to the
payment of any amount that would not be
deductible
pursuant to Sections
280G,
404 or 162(m) of the Code. There is no
contract, agreement,
plan or arrangement
to which GOLD or any of the Subsidiaries is a party or by which it is bound
to
compensate any individual for excise taxes
paid pursuant to Section 4999 of the
Code.
(f) Neither
GOLD nor any of the
Subsidiaries
has filed any
consent
agreement under Section 341(f) of the Code
or agreed to have Section 341(f)(2)
of the Code apply to any disposition of a subsection (f) asset (as defined in
Section 341(f)(4) of the Code) owned by
GOLD or any of the Subsidiaries.
(g) Neither GOLD
nor any of the
Subsidiaries
(i) is a party to
any
Tax sharing or Tax allocation agreement,
arrangement or understanding (excepting
one another), (ii) is liable for the Taxes of
any other person
(excepting one
another) under Treasury Regulation 1.1502-6 (or any
similar provision of state,
local or foreign law), as a transferee or successor,
by contract or
otherwise,
and (iii) is a party to any joint venture,
partnership or other arrangement that
could be treated as a partnership
for income Tax
purposes. There are no
Claims
pending, or to the Knowledge of GOLD, threatened against GOLD or any of its
Subsidiaries alleging liability for
12
<PAGE>
any unpaid or delinquent Tax due under any consolidated federal income Tax
Return of any affiliated group of which GOLD or any
Subsidiary was previously a
member.
(h) Neither
GOLD nor any of the Subsidiaries has constituted
either a "distributing corporation" or a "controlled corporation" in a
distribution of stock qualifying for
tax-free treatment under Section 355 of the
Code (i) in the two years prior to the date of the Agreement or (ii) in a
distribution which could otherwise constitute part of a "plan" or "series of
related transactions" (within the meaning of Section 355(e) of the Code) in
conjunction with the Merger.
(i) None of GOLD's or
the Subsidiaries'
assets are tax exempt use
property within the meaning of Section
168(h) of the Code.
(j) Each of
Gold RE Holdings I,
LLC and Gold RE
Holdings III,
LLC
was formed for valid business purposes, has since its organization, and
presently meets the requirements of
qualification
as a Real Estate
Investment
Trust under Section 856 of the Code.
2.12
Employee Benefit
Plans.
----------------------
(a) All employee
compensation,
incentive,
fringe or benefit
plans,
programs, policies, commitments, agreements or other arrangements including
golden parachute agreements (whether or not set
forth in a written document and
including, without limitation, all "employee benefit plans"
within the meaning
of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as
amended ("ERISA")) covering any active or former employee, director or
consultant of GOLD ("GOLD Employee" which shall for this purpose mean an
employee of GOLD or an ERISA Affiliate (as defined below)), any subsidiary of
GOLD or any trade or business (whether or
not incorporated) which is a member of
a controlled group or which is under common
control with GOLD within the meaning
of Section 414 of the Code (an "ERISA
Affiliate"), or with respect to which GOLD
has or, to its Knowledge, may in the future have Liability, are listed in
Disclosure Memorandum (the "GOLD Plans"). GOLD has provided or will make
available to SILVER: (i) correct and
complete copies of all documents embodying
each GOLD Plan including (without limitation) all amendments thereto, all
related trust documents, and all material written agreements and contracts
relating to each such GOLD Plan;
(ii) the most
recent annual reports (Form
Series 5500 and all schedules and financial
statements
attached thereto), if
any, required under ERISA or the
Internal Revenue Code
in connection with each
GOLD Plan; (iii) the most recent summary plan description together with the
summary(ies) of material modifications thereto, if any, required under ERISA
with respect to each GOLD Plan; (iv) all IRS determination, opinion,
notification and advisory letters; (v) all material correspondence to or from
any governmental agency relating to any GOLD Plan; (vi)
all forms and related
notices required under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of
1985, as amended ("COBRA"); (vii) the most recent
discrimination tests for each
GOLD Plan; (viii) the most recent actuarial
valuations,
if any, prepared for
each GOLD Plan; (ix) if the GOLD Plan is
funded, the most recent annual periodic
accounting of the GOLD Plan assets;
and (x) all
communication to GOLD Employees
relating to any GOLD Plan and any proposed
GOLD Plan, in each case, relating to
any amendments, terminations, establishments, increases or decreases in
benefits, acceleration of payments or
vesting schedules, or
other events which
13
<PAGE>
would result in any material liability to
GOLD and its Subsidiaries, taken as a
whole, or any ERISA Affiliate.
(b) Each GOLD Plan has been maintained and administered in all
material
respects in compliance with its terms and with the
requirements
prescribed by
any and all Laws (foreign or domestic), including but not limited to ERISA
and
the Code, which are applicable to such GOLD Plans and all Returns that are
required to be filed have been filed. No Litigation (excluding claims for
benefits incurred in the ordinary course of GOLD Plan activities) has been
brought, or to the Knowledge of GOLD, is
threatened against or
with respect to
any such GOLD Plan. There are no audits,
inquiries or proceedings pending or, to
the Knowledge of GOLD, threatened by the IRS or
Department of Labor (the "DOL")
with respect to any GOLD Plans. All
contributions,
reserves or premium payments
required to be made or accrued as of the
date hereof to the GOLD Plans have been
timely made or accrued. Any GOLD Plan intended to be qualified
under Section
401(a) of the Code and each trust
intended to qualify
under Section
501(a) of
the Internal Revenue Code (i) has either
obtained a favorable
determination,
notification, advisory and/or opinion
letter, as applicable, as to its qualified
status from the IRS or still has a
remaining period of time under applicable
Treasury Regulations or IRS pronouncements
in which to apply for such letter and
to make any amendments necessary to obtain
a favorable
determination, and
(ii)
incorporates or has been amended to incorporate all provisions required to
comply with the Tax Reform Act of 1986 and
subsequent legislation. No condition
or circumstance exists giving rise to a material
likelihood that any
such GOLD
Plan would not be treated as qualified
by the IRS.
GOLD does not have any
plan
or commitment to establish any new GOLD
Plan, to modify any GOLD Plan (except to
the extent required by law or to conform
any such GOLD Plan to the requirements
of any applicable Law, in each case as previously disclosed to SILVER in
writing, or as required by the terms of any
GOLD Plan or this Agreement), or to
enter into any new GOLD Plan. Each GOLD Plan can be amended, terminated or
otherwise discontinued after the Effective Time in
accordance with its
terms,
without liability to SILVER, GOLD or any of its ERISA
Affiliates
(other than
ordinary administration expenses).
(c) Neither GOLD, any
of its Subsidiaries,
nor any of their ERISA
Affiliates has at any time ever maintained,
established, sponsored, participated
in, or contributed to any plan subject to Title IV of ERISA or
Section 412 of
the Code and at no time has GOLD
contributed to or been
requested to contribute
to any "multiemployer plan," as such term
is defined in ERISA. Neither GOLD, any
of its Subsidiaries, nor any officer or director of GOLD or any of its
Subsidiaries is subject to any material
Liability or penalty
under Section 4975
through 4980B of the Code or Title I of
ERISA. No "prohibited transaction,"
within the meaning of Section 4975 of the
Code or Sections 406 and 407 of ERISA,
and not otherwise exempt under Section 4975 of the Code and Section 408 of
ERISA, has occurred with respect to any GOLD Plan
which could subject
GOLD or
its ERISA Affiliates to material
Liability.
(d) None of the GOLD
Plans promises
or provides
retiree medical or
other retiree welfare benefits to any person except as
required by applicable
law, and neither GOLD nor any of the
Subsidiaries has
represented, promised
or
contracted to provide such retiree benefits to any GOLD Employee, former
employee, director, consultant or other
person, except to the extent required by
statute.
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(e) Except
as would not have a Material Adverse Effect on GOLD
and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, GOLD is in compliance in all
material
respects with all applicable material foreign, federal, state and local Laws,
respecting employment, employment practices, terms and
conditions of employment
and wages and hours.
(f) Neither the
execution and delivery of this Agreement nor the con-
summation of the transactions contemplated hereby either alone
or in connection
with any other event will (i) result in any payment (including severance,
unemployment compensation, golden
parachute, bonus or otherwise) becoming due to
any stockholder, director or GOLD Employee or any
of the Subsidiaries under any
GOLD Plan or otherwise; (ii) materially increase any
benefits otherwise payable
under any GOLD Plan, or (iii) result in the
acceleration of the
time of payment
or vesting of any such benefits.
2.13
Real and Personal
Property.
--------------------------
(a) GOLD or one of its
Subsidiaries has good and marketable title to
all real property and owns all personal
property (i) reflected
on the December
31, 2003 Balance Sheet as being owned by GOLD or its Subsidiaries, (ii)
thereafter acquired by GOLD or any of its
Subsidiaries or (iii) owned by GOLD or
any of its Subsidiaries at December 31, 2003
but which assets have been written
down to zero (except in each case for assets disposed of by GOLD or its
Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business since
December 31, 2003),
in
each case free and clear of any Liens,
except as reflected on the December 31,
2003 Balance Sheet, and except for (i) Liens for
current Taxes and
assessments
not yet due and payable or which can be
paid hereafter
without penalty, (ii)
inchoate mechanic and materialmen's
Liens for construction
in progress, (iii)
workmen's, repairmen's, warehousemen's, and carrier's and other similar
Liens
arising in the ordinary course of business, (iv) with respect to the Bank
Subsidiaries, pledges to secure deposits and other Liens incurred in the
ordinary course of their banking business, and (v) such imperfections or
irregularities of title or Liens as do not
materially interfere with the present
or proposed use of such assets or property which are subject thereto, or
materially impair the business and
operations relating to
real property of GOLD
and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole; provided, however, that this
representation and warranty shall not extend to those
assets of GOLD and
its
Subsidiaries which in the aggregate are not
material to the business, results of
operations, prospects or financial
condition of GOLD and its Subsidiaries, taken
as a whole. The Disclosure Memorandum contains a complete list of all real
property owned by GOLD or any of its
Subsidiaries
(other than OREO
properties
acquired and held by the Bank in the
ordinary course of business).
(b) Since December 31,
2003, neither GOLD nor any of its Subsidiaries
has entered into any agreement or commitment to sell any property, real or
personal, or any other assets of GOLD or any
of its Subsidiaries
other than in
the ordinary course of business,
nor has GOLD nor any
of its Subsidiaries
made
any commitment or taken or failed to
take any action which would cause any Lien
to attach to any property, other than such
Liens which are not reasonably likely
to have a Material Adverse Effect on GOLD and its Subsidiaries, taken as a
whole.
(c) All tangible
property and assets of GOLD or any of its Subsidiar-
ies which are material to the business, results of operations, prospects or
financial condition of GOLD and
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its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, have been well maintained and are
in good
operating condition and repair, in all
material respects,
except for
ordinary
wear and tear.
2.14
Leases.
------
(a) The Disclosure
Memorandum
hereof contains a list of all real
property leases (the "Real Property Leases") to which GOLD or any of its
Subsidiaries is a party, either as lessor or lessee (the
facilities subject
to
such Real Property Leases being referred to
as the "Leased Facilities"). Each of
the Real Property Leases is in full force
and effect and neither GOLD nor any of
its Subsidiaries nor, to GOLD's knowledge,
any other party thereto has committed
any Default thereunder, except for any Default,
that individually or in the
aggregate, is not reasonably likely to result in a Material
Adverse Effect on
GOLD and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole. No Consent is
necessary under the
terms of any Real Property Lease in connection with the Merger and the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement
except for any Consent, which if not
obtained, would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material
Adverse
Effect upon GOLD and its Subsidiaries,
taken as a whole.
(b) The Disclosure Memorandum contains a list of all Leases with
respect to personal property involving
aggregate future
payments of $100,000 or
more (the "Personal Property Leases") to which GOLD or any of
its Subsidiaries
is a party, either as lessor or lessee (the
personal property
subject to such
Personal Property Leases being referred to
as the "Leased Personal Property").
Each of the Personal Property Leases is in full force and effect
and neither
GOLD nor any of its Subsidiaries nor, to GOLD's knowledge, any other party
thereto has committed any material Default
thereunder,
except for any
Default,
that individually or in the aggregate,
is not reasonably
likely to result in a
Material Adverse Effect on GOLD and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole. No
Consent is necessary under the terms of any Personal Property Lease in
connection with the Merger and the
transactions
contemplated by this
Agreement
except for any Consent, which if not
obtained, would not
reasonably be expected
to result in a Material Adverse Effect upon
GOLD and its Subsidiaries, taken as
a whole.
2.15
Intellectual
Property.
---------------------
(a) The Disclosure
Memorandum lists all Intellectual Property that is
owned by, and all licenses of Intellectual Property to, GOLD or its
Subsidiaries. Each license of Intellectual
Property is in full force and effect
and neither GOLD nor any of its
Subsidiaries, nor to GOLD's knowledge, any other
party thereto, has committed a Default
thereunder, except
when any such Default
would not reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse
Effect upon GOLD or
its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(b) To the knowledge
of GOLD, (i) neither GOLD nor any of its Subsid-
iaries have infringed the Intellectual
Property rights of any
Person, (ii) none
of the Intellectual Property used in the business of
GOLD or its
Subsidiaries
infringes the Intellectual Property rights
of any Person, and (iii) neither GOLD
nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any notice of any claim of
infringement, except when any infringement, or
claim of infringement, would not
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on GOLD and its
Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
16
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(c) Except for
payments due under the licenses of Intellectual Prop-
erty listed in the Disclosure Memorandum, neither GOLD nor any Subsidiary is
obligated to pay any royalties or license fees to any Party for Intellectual
Property.
2.16
Certain Contracts,
Agreements, Licenses. Except for those agreements
set forth in the Disclosure Memorandum pursuant to Sections
2.13, 2.14 or 2.15,
neither GOLD nor any Subsidiary is a party to any
agreement which (i)
involves
or may involve aggregate future payments (whether in payment of debt, as a
result of a guarantee or indemnification, for goods or services,
royalties or
otherwise) by any of them of $100,000 or
more, other than Contracts which may be
canceled on thirty (30) days notice or less
without the payment of
any penalty
or other termination fee or agreements incurred by any Bank Subsidiary in
the
ordinary course and consistent with past
practices of its banking business; (ii)
is a franchise agreement of GOLD or any
Subsidiary; or (iii)
restricts (a) the
geographical area in which GOLD or any of the Subsidiaries is permitted to
operate or (b) GOLD or any of the
Subsidiaries
from engaging in any line of
business within the financial services
industry.
2.17
Governmental Authorization. GOLD and each Subsidiary has all
Permits
that are or will be legally required to enable GOLD and each Subsidiary to
conduct its business in all materia