Managed Portfolio Series A Delaware Statutory Trust AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST January 25, 2011
A Delaware Statutory Trust
January 25, 2011
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Section 6.
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Redemption of Shares in Order to Qualify as Regulated Investment Company.
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15
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OF
WHEREAS, THIS AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST is made and entered into as of the date set forth below by the Trustees named hereunder for the purpose of forming a Delaware statutory trust in accordance with the provisions hereinafter set forth.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Trustees hereby direct that a Certificate of Trust be filed with the Office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware and do hereby declare that the Trustees will hold IN TRUST all cash, securities and other assets which the Trust now possesses or may hereafter acquire from time to time in any manner and manage and dispose of the same upon the holders of Shares in the Trust.
Section 1. Name. The name of the Trust shall be “Managed Portfolio Series” and the Trustees shall conduct the business of the Trust under that name or any other name as they may from time to time determine.
Section 2. Definitions. Whenever used herein, unless otherwise required by the context or specifically provided:
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(a)
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The “1940 Act” refers to the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the Rules and Regulations thereunder, all as amended from time to time;
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(b)
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“Bylaws” shall mean the Bylaws of the Trust as amended from time to time and incorporated herein by reference;
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(c)
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The terms “Commission” and “Principal Underwriter” shall have the meanings given them in the 1940 Act;
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(d)
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(e)
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“Declaration of Trust” shall mean this Agreement and Declaration of Trust, as amended or restated from time to time;
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(f)
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The term “Interested Person” has the meaning given it in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act;
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(g)
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“Investment Manager”, “Manager”, or “Administrator” means a party furnishing services to the Trust pursuant to any contract described in Article IV, Section 7(a) hereof;
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(h)
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“Net Asset Value” means the net asset value of each Series of the Trust determined in the manner provided in Article VI, Section 1;
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(i)
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“Outstanding Shares” means those Shares shown from time to time in the books of the Trust or its transfer agent as then issued and outstanding, but shall not include Shares which have been redeemed or repurchased by the Trust and which are at the time held in the treasury of the Trust;
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(j)
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“Person” has the meaning given in Section 3801(f) of the Delaware Act;
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(k)
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“Series” refers to each Series of Shares established and designated under or in accordance with the provisions of Article III;
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(l)
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“Shareholder” means a record owner of Outstanding Shares of the Trust;
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(m)
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“Shares” means the shares of beneficial interest into which the beneficial interest in the Trust or in each Series of the Trust or class thereof shall be divided from time to time and includes fractions of Shares as well as whole Shares;
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(n)
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The “Trust” refers to Managed Portfolio Series, the Delaware statutory trust established by this Agreement and Declaration of Trust, as amended from time to time;
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(o)
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“Trustees” refers to the person or persons who have signed this Agreement and Declaration of Trust, so long as they continue in office in accordance with the terms hereof, and all other persons who may from time to time be duly elected or appointed to serve on the Board of Trustees in accordance with the provisions of Article IV hereof, and reference herein to a Trustee or the Trustees shall refer to such person or persons in their capacity as trustees hereunder;
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(p)
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The “Trust Property” means any and all property, real or personal, tangible or intangible, which is owned or held by or for the account of the Trust or any Series thereof, or by the Trustees on behalf of the Trust or any Series.
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The purpose of the Trust is to conduct, operate and carry on the business of a management investment company registered under the 1940 Act through one or more Series investing primarily in securities.
Section 1. Division of Beneficial Interest. The beneficial interest in the Trust shall at all times be divided into an unlimited number of Shares, with no par value per Share. The Trustees may authorize the division of Shares into separate Series and the division of Series into separate classes of Shares. The different Series shall be established and designated, and the variations in the relative rights and preferences as between the different Series shall be fixed and determined, by the Trustees. If only one or no Series (or classes) shall be established, the Shares shall have the rights and preferences provided for herein and in Article III, Section 6 hereof to the extent relevant and not otherwise provided for herein, and all references to Series (and classes) shall be construed (as the context may require) to refer to the Trust.
Subject to the provisions of Section 6 of this Article III, each Share shall have voting rights as provided in Article V hereof, and holders of the Shares of any Series shall be entitled to receive dividends, when, if and as declared with respect thereto in the manner provided in Article VI, Section 1 hereof. No Shares shall have any priority or preference over any other Share of the same Series with respect to dividends or distributions upon termination of the Trust or of such Series made pursuant to Article VIII, Section 2 hereof. All dividends and distributions shall be made ratably among all Shareholders of a particular (class of a particular) Series from the assets held with respect to such Series according to the number of Shares of such (class of such) Series held of record by such Shareholder on the record date for any dividend or distribution or on the date of termination, as the case may be. Shareholders shall have no preemptive or other right to subscribe to any additional Shares or other securities issued by the Trust or any Series. The Trustees may from time to time divide or combine the Shares of any particular Series into a greater or lesser number of Shares of that Series without thereby materially changing the proportionate beneficial interest of the Shares of that Series in the assets held with respect to that Series or materially affecting the rights of Shares of any other Series.
Section 2. Ownership of Shares. The ownership of Shares shall be recorded on the books of the Trust or a transfer or similar agent for the Trust, which books shall be maintained separately for the Shares of each Series (or class). No certificates certifying the ownership of Shares shall be issued except as the Board of Trustees may otherwise determine from time to time. The Trustees may make such rules as they consider appropriate for the transfer of Shares of each Series (or class) and similar matters. The record books of the Trust as kept by the Trust or any transfer or similar agent, as they case may be, shall be conclusive as to who are the Shareholders of each Series (or class) and as to the number of Shares of each Series (or class) held from time to time by each.
Section 3. Investments in the Trust. Investments may be accepted by the Trust from such Persons, at such times, on such terms, and for such consideration as the Trustees from time to time may authorize.
Section 4. Status of Shares and Limitation of Personal Liability. Shares shall be deemed to be personal property giving only the rights provided in this instrument. Every Shareholder by virtue of having become a Shareholder shall be held to have expressly assented and agreed to the terms hereof and to have become a party hereto. The death of a Shareholder during the existence of the Trust shall not operate to terminate the Trust, nor entitle the representative of any deceased Shareholder to an accounting or to take any action in court or elsewhere against the Trust or the Trustees, but entitles such representative only to the rights of said deceased Shareholder under this Trust. Ownership of Shares shall not entitle the Shareholder to any title in or to the whole or in part of the Trust property or right to call for a partition or division of the same or for an accounting, nor shall the ownership of Shares constitute the Shareholders as partners. Neither the Trust nor the Trustees, nor any officer, employee nor agent of the Trust shall have any power to bind personally any Shareholders, nor, except as specifically provided herein, to call upon any Shareholder for the payment of any sum of money or assessment whatsoever other than such as the Shareholder may at any time personally agree to pay.
Section 5. Power of Board or Trustees to Change Provisions Relating to Shares. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Declaration of Trust and without limiting the power of the Board of Trustees to amend the Declaration of Trust as provided elsewhere herein, the Board of Trustees shall have the power to amend this Declaration of Trust, at any time and from time to time, in such manner as the Board of Trustees may determine in their sole discretion, without the need for Shareholder action, so as to add to, delete, replace or otherwise modify any provisions relating to the Shares contained in this Declaration of Trust, provided that before adopting any such amendment without Shareholder approval the Board of Trustees shall determine that it is consistent with the fair and equitable treatment of all Shareholders or that Shareholder approval is not otherwise required by the 1940 Act or other applicable law. If Shares have been issued, Shareholder approval shall be required to adopt any amendments to this Declaration of Trust which would adversely affect to a material degree the rights and preferences of the Shares of any Series (or class).
Subject to the foregoing Paragraph, the Board of Trustees may amend the Declaration of Trust to amend any of the provisions set forth in paragraphs (a) through (i) of Section 6 of this Article III.
Section 6. Establishment and Designation of Series. The establishment and designation of any Series (or class) of Shares shall be effective upon the resolution by a majority of the then Trustees, adopting a resolution which set forth such establishment and designation and the relative rights and preferences of such Series (or class). Each such resolution shall be incorporated herein by reference upon adoption.
Shares of each Series (or class) established pursuant to this Section 6, unless otherwise provided in the resolution establishing such Series, shall have the following relative rights and preferences:
(a) Assets Held With Respect to a Particular Series. All consideration received by the Trust for the issue or sale of Shares of a particular Series, together with all assets in which such consideration is invested or reinvested, all income, earnings, profits, and proceeds thereof from whatever source derived, including, without limitation, any proceeds derived from the sale, exchange or liquidation of such assets, and any funds or payments derived from any reinvestment of such proceeds in whatever form the same may be, shall irrevocably be held with respect to that Series for all purposes, subject only to the rights of creditors, and shall be so recorded upon the books of account of the Trust. Such consideration, assets, income, earnings, profits and proceeds thereof, from whatever source derived, including, without limitation, any proceeds derived from the sale, exchange or liquidation of such assets, and any funds or payments derived from any reinvestment of such proceeds, in whatever form the same may be, are herein referred to as “assets held with respect to” that Series. In the event that there are any assets, income, earnings, profits and proceeds thereof, funds or payments which are not readily identifiable as assets held with respect to any particular Series, (collectively “General Assets”), the Trustees shall allocate such General Assets to, between or among any one or more of the Series in such a manner and on such basis as the Trustees, in their sole discretion, deem fair and equitable, and any General Asset so allocated to a particular Series shall be held with respect to that Series. Each such allocation by the Trustees shall be conclusive and binding upon the Shareholders of all Series for all purposes.
(b) Liabilities Held With Respect to a Particular Series. The assets of the Trust held with respect to each particular Series shall be charged against the liabilities of the Trust held with respect to that Series and all expenses, costs, charges and reserves attributable to that Series, and any general liabilities of the Trust which are not readily identifiable as being held with respect to any particular Series shall be allocated and charged by the Trustees to and among any one or more of the Series in such manner and on such basis as the Trustees in their sole discretion deem fair and equitable. The liabilities, expenses, costs, charges, and reserves so charged to a Series are herein referred to as “liabilities held with respect to” that Series. Each allocation of liabilities, expenses, costs, charges and reserves by the Trustees shall be conclusive and binding upon the holders of all Series for all purposes. Notice of this limitation is set forth in the certificate of trust of the Trust as filed or to be filed in the Office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware pursuant to the Delaware Act, and upon giving such notice in the certificate of trust, the statutory provisions of Section 3804 of the Delaware Act relating to limitations on inter-Series liabilities (and the statutory effect under Section 3804 of the Delaware Act relating to such notice in the certificate of trust) shall become applicable to the Trust and each particular Series. Therefore, any persons who have extended credit to a particular Series or which has been allocated to a particular Series, or who have a claim or contract with a particular Series or which has been allocated to any particular Series, may only look to the assets of that particular Series for payment of such credit, claim, or contract.
(c) Dividends, Distributions, Redemptions, and Repurchases. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Declaration of Trust, including, without limitation, Article VI, no dividend or distribution including, without limitation, any distribution paid upon termination of the Trust or of any Series (or class) with respect to, nor any redemption or repurchase of, the Shares of any Series (or class) shall be effected by the Trust other than from the assets held with respect to such Series. Except as specifically provided in Section 7 of this Article III, no Shareholder of any particular Series shall otherwise have any right or claim against the assets held with respect to any other Series except to the extent that such Shareholder has such a right or claim hereunder as a Shareholder of such other Series. The Trustees shall have full discretion, to the extent not inconsistent with the 1940 Act, to determine which items shall be treated as income and which items as capital; and each such determination and allocation shall be conclusive and binding upon the Shareholders.
(d) Voting. All Shares of the Trust entitled to vote on a matter shall vote separately by Series (and, if applicable, by class): that is, the Shareholders of each Series (or class) shall have the right to approve or disapprove matters affecting the Trust and each respective Series (or class) as if the Series (or classes) were separate companies. There are, however, two exceptions to voting by separate Series (or classes). First, if the 1940 Act requires all Shares of the Trust to be voted in the aggregate without differentiation between the separate Series (or classes), then all the Trust’s Shares shall be entitled to vote on a one-vote-per-Share basis. Second, if any matter affects only the interests of some but not all Series (or classes), then only the Shareholders of such affected Series (or classes) shall be entitled to vote on the matter.
(e) Equality. All the Shares of each particular Series shall represent an equal proportionate interest in the assets held with respect to that Series (subject to the liabilities held with respect to that Series and such rights and preferences as may have been established and designated with respect to classes of Shares with such Series), and each Share of any particular Series shall be equal to each other Share of that Series.
(f) Fractions. Any fractional Share of a Series shall carry proportionately all the rights and obligations of a whole share of that Series, including rights with respect to voting, receipt of dividends and distributions, redemption of Shares and termination of the Trust.
(g) Exchange Privilege. The Trustees shall have the authority to provide that the holders of Shares of any Series shall have the right to exchange said Shares for Shares of one or more other Series of Shares in accordance with such requirements and procedures as may be established by the Trustees.
(h) Combination of Series. The Trustees shall have the authority, without the approval of the Shareholders of any Series unless otherwise required by applicable law, to combine the assets and liabilities held with respect to any two or more Series into assets and liabilities held with respect to a single Series.
(i) Elimination of Series. At any time that there are no Shares outstanding of any particular Series (or class) previously established and designated, the Trustees may by resolution of a majority of the then Trustees abolish that Series (or class) and rescind the establishment and designation thereof.
Section 7. Indemnification of Shareholders. If any Shareholder or formers Shareholder shall be exposed to liability by reason of a claim or demand relating to his being or having been a Shareholder, and not because of his acts or omissions, the Shareholder or former Shareholder (or his heirs, executors, administrators, or other legal representatives or in the case of a corporation, or other entity, its corporate or other general successor) shall be entitled to be held harmless from and indemnified out of the assets of the Series in which the Shareholder invests or had invested, or, if such assets are not sufficient, against the assets of Trust, against all loss and expense arising from such claim or demand.
Section 1. Number, Election and Tenure. The number of Trustees constituting the Board of Trustees shall be fixed from time to time by a written instrument signed, or by resolution approved at a duly constituted meeting, by a majority of the Board of Trustees, provided, however, that the number of Trustees shall in no event be less than one (1) nor more than fifteen (15). Subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act, The Board of Trustees, by action of a majority of the then Trustees at a duly constituted meeting, may fill vacancies in the Board of Trustees or remove Trustees with or without cause. Each Trustee shall serve during the continued lifetime of the Trust until he dies, resigns, is declared bankrupt or incompetent by a court of appropriate jurisdiction, or is removed, or, if sooner, until the next meeting of Shareholders called for the purpose of electing Trustees and until the election and qualification of his successor. Any Trustee may resign at any time by written instrument signed by him and delivered to any officer of the Trust or to a meeting of the Trustees. Such resignation shall be effective upon receipt unless specified to be effective at some other time. Except to the extent expressly provided in a written agreement with the Trust, no Trustee resigning and no Trustee removed shall have any right to any compensation for any period following his resignation or removal, or any right to damages on account of such removal. The Shareholders may fix the number of Trustees and elect Trustees at any meeting of Shareholders called by the Trustees for that purpose. Any Trustee may be removed at any meeting of Shareholders by a vote of two-thirds of the outstanding Shares of the Trust. A meeting of Shareholders for the purpose of electing or removing one or more Trustees may be called (i) by the Trustees upon their own vote, or (ii) upon the demand of Shareholders owning 10% or more of the Shares of the Trust in the aggregate.
Section 2. Effect of Death, Resignation, etc. of a Trustee. The death, declination, resignation, retirement, removal, or incapacity of one or more Trustees, or all of them, shall not operate to annul the Trust or to revoke any existing agency created pursuant to the terms of this Declaration of Trust. Whenever a vacancy in the Board of Trustees shall occur, until such vacancy is filled as provided in Article IV, Section 1, the Trustees in office, regardless of their number, shall have all the powers granted to the Trustees and shall discharge all the duties imposed upon the Trustees by the Declaration of Trust. As conclusive evidence of such vacancy, a written instrument certifying the existence of such vacancy may be executed by an officer of the Trust or by a majority of the Board of Trustees. In the event of the death, declination, resignation, retirement, removal, or incapacity of all the then Trustees within a short period of time and without the opportunity for at least one Trustee being able to appoint additional Trustees to fill vacancies, the Trust’s officers or Investment Manager(s) are empowered to appoint new Trustees subject to the provisions of Section 16(a) of the 1940 Act.
Section 3. Powers. Subject to the provisions of this Declaration of Trust, the business of the Trust shall be managed by the Board of Trustees, and such Board shall have all powers necessary or convenient to carry out that responsibility. The Trustees shall have full power and authority to do any and all acts and to make and execute any and all contracts and instruments that they may consider necessary or appropriate in connection with the management of the Trust. The Trustees shall have authority and power to make any and all investments which they, in their sole discretion, shall deem proper to accomplish the purpose of this Trust without recourse to any court or other authority, and in the exercise of that authority, shall not in any way be bound or limited by present or future laws or customs in regard to trust investments. Without limiting the foregoing, the Trustees have the power and authority:
(a) To invest and reinvest cash, to hold cash uninvested, and to subscribe for, invest in, reinvest in, purchase or otherwise acquire, own, hold, pledge, sell, assign, transfer, exchange, distribute, write options on, lend or otherwise deal in or dispose of contracts for the future acquisition or delivery of fixed income or other securities, and securities of every nature and kind, including, without limitation, all types of bonds, debentures, stocks, negotiable or non-negotiable instruments, obligations, evidences of indebtedness, certificates of deposit or indebtedness, commercial paper, repurchase agreements, bankers’ acceptances, and other securities of any kind, issued, created, guaranteed, or sponsored by any and all Persons, including, without limitation, states, territories, and possessions of the United States and District of Columbia and any political subdivision, agency, or instrumentality thereof, any foreign government or any political subdivision of the U.S. government or any foreign government, or any international instrumentality, or by any bank or savings institution, or by any corporation or organization organized under the laws of the United States or of any state, territory, or possession thereof, or by any corporation or organization organized under any foreign law, or in “when issued” contracts for any such securities, to change the investments of the assets of the Trust; and to exercise any and all rights, powers, and privileges of ownership or interest in respect of any and all such investments of every kind and description, including, without limitation, the right to consent and otherwise act with respect thereto, with power to designate one or more Persons, to exercise any of said rights, powers, and privileges in respect of any of said instruments;
(b) To sell, exchange, lend, pledge, mortgage, hypothecate, lease or write options with respect to or otherwise deal in any property rights relating to any or all of the assets of the Trust or any Series;
(c) To vote or give assent, or exercise any rights of ownership, with respect to stock or other securities or property, and to execute and deliver proxies or powers of attorney to such person or persons as the Trustees shall deem proper, granting to such person or persons such power and discretion with relation to securities or property as the Trustees shall deem proper;
(d) To exercise powers and right of subscription or otherwise which in any manner arise out of ownership of securities;
(e) To hold any security or property in a form not indicating any trust, whether in bearer, unregistered or other negotiable form, or in its own name or in the name of a custodian or subcustodian or a nominee or nominees or otherwise;
(f) To adopt Bylaws not inconsistent with this Declaration of Trust providing for the regulation and management of the affairs of the Trust and may amend and repeal them to the extent that such Bylaws do not reserve that right to the Shareholders;
(g) To fill vacancies in the Board of Trustees, consistent with the limitations imposed by the 1940 Act, evidenced by a written instrument signed by a majority of the Trustees in office or by resolution of the Trustees, duly adopted, which shall be recorded in the minutes of a meeting of the Trustees, whereupon the appointment shall take effect;
(h) To remove Trustees from the Board of Trustees;
(i) To elect and remove such officers and appoint and terminate such agents as they consider appropriate;
(j) To establish and terminate one or more committees, which shall consist of two or more Trustees appointed by the Board which may exercise the powers and authority of the Board of Trustees to the extent that the Trustees determine;
(k) To employ one or more banks, trust companies or companies that are members of a national securities exchange or such other entities as the Commission may permit as custodians of any assets of the Trust subject to any conditions set forth in this Trust Instrument or in the Bylaws;
(l) To retain a transfer agent or a Shareholder servicing agent, or both; provide for the issuance and distribution of Shares by the Trust directly or through one or more Principal Underwriters or otherwise;
(m) To redeem, repurchase and transfer Shares pursuant to applicable law;
(n) To set record dates for the determination of Shareholders with respect to various matters; declare and pay dividends and distributions to Shareholders of each Series from the assets of such Series;
(o) To delegate such authority as they consider desirable to any officer of the Trust, to any committee of the Trustees, to any agent or employee of the Trust or to any investment adviser, manager, administrator, custodian, Transfer or Shareholder servicing agent, or Principal Underwriter of the Trust, and to any other agent, employee, or independent contractor of the Trust;
(p) To consent to or participate in any plan for the reorganization, consolidation or merger of any corporation or issuer of any security which is held in the Trust; to consent to any contract, lease, mortgage, purchase or sale of property by such corporation or issuer; and to pay calls or subscriptions with respect to any security held in the Trust;
(q) To join with other security holders in acting through a committee, depositary, voting trustee or otherwise, and in that connection to deposit any security with, or transfer any security to, any such committee, depositary or trustee, and to delegate to them such power and authority with relation to any security (whether or not so deposited or transferred) as the Trustees shall deem proper, and to agree to pay, and to pay, such portion of the expenses and compensation of such committee, depositary or trustee as the Trustees shall deem proper;
(r) To compromise, arbitrate or otherwise adjust claims in favor of or against the Trust or any matter in controversy, including but not limited to claims for taxes;
(s) To enter into joint ventures, general or limited partnerships and any other combination or associations;
(t) To borrow funds or other property in the name of the Trust exclusively for Trust purposes;
(u) To endorse or guarantee the payment of any notes or other obligations of any Person; to make contracts of guaranty or suretyship, or otherwise assume liability for payment thereof;
(v) To purchase and pay for entirely our of Trust Property such insurance as the Trustees may deem necessary or appropriate for the conduct of the business, including, without limitation, insurance policies insuring the assets of the Trust or payment of distributions and principal on its portfolio investments, and insurance policies insuring the Shareholders, Trustees, officers, employees, agents, investment advisers, principal underwriters, or independent contractors of the Trust, individually against all claims and liabilities of every nature arising by reason of holding Shares, holding, being or having held any such office or position, or by reason of any action alleged to have been taken or omitted by any such Person as Trustee, officer, employee, agent, investment adviser, principal underwriter, or independent contractor, including any action taken or omitted that may be determined to constitute negligence, whether or not the Trust would have the power to indemnify such Person against liability;
(w) To adopt, establish and carry out pension, profit-sharing, share bonus, share purchase, savings, thrift and other retirement, incentive and benefit plans, trusts and provisions, including the purchasing of life insurance and annuity contracts as a means of providing such retirement and other benefits, for any or all of the Trustees, officers, employees and agents of the Trust; and
(x) To carry on any other business in connection with or incidental to any of the foregoing powers, to do everything necessary, suitable or proper for the accomplishment of any purpose or the attainment of any object or the furtherance of any power hereinbefore set forth, either alone or in association with others, and to do every other act or thing incidental or appurtenant to or growing out of or connected with the aforesaid business or purposes, objects or powers.
Any determination as to what is in the interests of the Trust made by the Trustees in good faith shall be conclusive. In construing the provisions of this Declaration of Trust, the presumption shall be in favor of a grant of power to the Trustees. Unless otherwise specified or required by law, any action by the Board of Trustees shall be deemed effective if approved or taken by a majority of the Trustees then in office.
The Trust shall not be limited to investing in obligations maturing before the possible termination of the Trust or one or more of its Series.
Section 4. Payment of Expenses by the Trust. The Trustees are authorized to pay or cause to be paid out of the principal or income of the Trust or the appropriate Series, or partly out of the principal and partly out of income, as they deem fair, all expenses, fees, charges, taxes and liabilities incurred or arising in connection with the Trust or Series, or in connection with the management thereof, including, but not limited to, the Trustees’ compensation and such expenses and charges for the services of the Trust’s officers, employees, investment adviser or manager, principal underwriter, auditors, counsel, custodian, transfer agent, Shareholder servicing agent, and such other agents or independent contractors and such other expenses and charges as the Trustees may deem necessary or proper to incur.
Section 5. Payment of Expenses by Shareholders. The Trustees shall have the power, as frequently as they may determine, to cause each Shareholder, or each Shareholder of any particular Series, to pay directly, in advance or arrears, for charges of the Trust’s custodian or transfer, Shareholder servicing or similar agent, an amount fixed from time to time by the Trustees, by setting off such charges due from such Shareholder from declared but unpaid dividends owed such Shareholder and/or by reducing the number of shares in the account of such Shareholder by that number of full and/or fractional Shares which represents the outstanding amount of such charges due from such Shareholder.
Section 6. Ownership of Assets of the Trust. Title to all of the assets of the Trust shall at all times be considered as vested in the Trust, except that the Trustees shall have power to cause legal title to any Trust Property to be held by or in the name of one or more of the Trustees, or in the name of the Trust, or in the name of any other Person as nominee, on such terms as the Trustees may determine. The right, title and interest of the Trustees in the Trust Property shall vest automatically in each Person who may hereafter become a Trustee. Upon the resignation, removal or death of a Trustee he shall automatically cease to have any right, title or interest in any of the Trust Property, and the right, title and interest of such Trustee in the Trust Property shall vest automatically in the remaining Trustees. Such vesting and cessation of title shall be effective whether or not conveyancing documents have been executed and delivered.
(a) Subject to such requirements and restrictions as may be set forth in the Bylaws, the Trustees may, at any time and from time to time, contract for exclusive or nonexclusive advisory, management and/or administrative services for the Trust or for any Series with any corporation, trust, association or other organization; and any such contract may contain such other terms as the Trustees may determine, including without limitation, authority for the Investment Manager or administrator to determine from time to time without prior consultation with the Trustees what portion, if any, of the assets of the Trust shall be held uninvested and to make changes in the Trust’s investments, or such other activities as may specifically be delegated to such party.
(b) The Trustees may also, at any time and from time to time, contract with any corporation, trust, association or other organization, appointing it exclusive or nonexclusive distributor or Principal Underwriter for the Series of one or more of the Series (or classes) or other securities to be issued by the Trust. Every such contract shall comply with such requirements and restrictions as may be set forth in the Bylaws; and any such contract may contain such other terms as the Trustees may determine.
(c) The Trustees are also empowered, at any time and from time to time, to contract with any corporation, trusts, associations or other organizations, appointing it or them the custodian, transfer agent and/or Shareholder servicing agent for the Trust or one or more of its Series. Every such contract shall comply with such requirements and restrictions as may be set forth in the Bylaws or stipulated by resolution of the Trustees.
(d) The Trustees are further empowered, at any time and from time to time, to contract with any entity to provide such other services to the Trust or one or more of the Series, as the Trustees determine to be in the best interests of the Trust and the applicable Series.
(e) The fact that:
(i) any of the Shareholders, Trustees, or officers of the Trust is a shareholder, director, officer, partner, trustee, employee, Manager, adviser, Principal Underwriter, distributor, or affiliate or agent of or for any corporation, trust, association, or other organization, or for any parent or affiliate of any organization with which an advisory, management or administration contract, or principal underwriter’s or distributor’s contract, or transfer, Shareholder servicing or other type of service contract may have been or may hereafter be made, or that any such organization, or any parent of affiliate thereof, is a Shareholder or has interest in the Trust, or that
(ii) any corporation, trust, association or other organization with which an advisory, management, or administration contract or principal underwriter’s or distributor’s contract, or transfer, Shareholder servicing or other type of service contract may have been or may hereafter be made also has an advisory, management or administration contract, or principal underwriter’s or distributor’s contract, or transfer, shareholder servicing or other service contract with one or more other corporations, trust, associations, or other organization, or has other business or interests,
shall not affect the validity of any such contract or disqualify any Shareholder, Trustee or officer of the Trust from voting upon or executing the same, or create and liability or accountability to the Trust or its Shareholders, provided approval of each such contract is made pursuant to the requirements of the 1940 Act.
Section 1. Voting Powers. Subject to the provisions of Article III, Section 6(d), the Shareholders shall have power to vote only (i) for the election or removal of Trustees as provided in Article IV, Section 1, and (ii) with respect to such additional matters relating to the Trust as may be required by the Declaration of Trust, the Bylaws or any registration of the Trust with the Commission (or any successor agency) or any state, or as the Trustees may consider necessary or desirable. Each whole Share shall be entitled to vote and each fractional Share shall be entitled to a proportionate fractional vote. There shall be no cumulative voting in the election of Trustees. Shares may be voted in person or by proxy. A proxy with respect to Shares held in the name of two or more persons shall be valid if executed by any one of them unless at or prior to the exercise of the proxy the Trust receives a specific written notice to the contrary from any one of them. A proxy purporting to be executed by or on behalf of a Shareholder shall be deemed valid unless challenged at or prior to its exercise and the burden of proving invalidity shall rest on the challenger.
Section 2. Voting Power and Meetings. Meeting of the Shareholders may be called by the Trustees for the purposes of electing Trustees as provided in Article IV, Section 1 and for such other purposes as may be prescribed by law, by this Declaration of Trust or by the Bylaws. Meetings of the Shareholders may also be called by the Trustees from time to time for the purposes of taking action upon any other matter deemed by the Trustees to be necessary or desirable. Meetings of the Shareholders shall be called by any Trustee upon written request of Shareholders holding, in the aggregate, not less than 10% of the Shares, such request specifying the purpose or purposes for which such meeting is to be called. A meeting of Shareholders may be held at any place designated by the Trustees. Written notice of any meeting of Shareholders shall be given or caused to be given by the Trustees by mailing such notice at least seven (7) days before such meeting, postage prepaid, stating the time and place of the meeting, to each Shareholder at the Shareholder’s address as it appears on the records of the Trust. Whenever notice of a meeting is required to be given to a Shareholder under this Declaration of Trust or the Bylaws, a written waiver thereof, executed before or after the meeting by such Shareholder or his attorney thereunto authorized and filed with the records of the meeting, shall be deemed equivalent to such notice.
Section 3. Quorum and Required Vote. Except when a larger quorum is required by applicable law, by the Bylaws or by this Declaration of Trust, one-third of the Shares entitled to vote shall constitute a quorum at a Shareholders’ meeting. When any one or more Series (or classes) is to vote as a single class separate from any other Shares, one-third of the Shares of each such Series (or classes) entitled to vote shall constitute a quorum at a Shareholder’s meeting of that Series. Any meeting of Shareholders may be adjourned from time to time by a majority of the votes properly cast upon the questions of adjourning a meeting to another date and time, whether or not a quorum is present, and the meeting may be held as adjourned within a reasonable time after the date set forth for the original meeting without further notice. Subject to the provisions of Article III, Section 6(d), when a quorum is present at any meeting, a majority of the Shares votes shall decide any questions and a plurality shall elect a Trustee, except when a larger vote is required by any provision of this Declaration of Trust or the Bylaws or by applicable law.
Section 4. Action by Written Consent. Any action taken by Shareholders may be taken without a meeting if Shareholders holding a majority of the Shares entitled to vote on the matter (or such larger proportion thereof as shall be required by any express provision of this Declaration of Trust or by the Bylaws) and holding a majority (or such larger proportion as aforesaid) of the Shares of any Series (or class) entitled to vote separately on the matter consent to the action in writing and such written consents are filed with the records of the meeting of Shareholders. Such consent shall be treated for all purposes as a vote taken at a meeting of Shareholders.
Section 5. Record Dates. For the purposes of determining the Shareholders of any Series (or class) who are entitled to vote or act at any meeting or any adjournment thereof, the Trustees may from time to time fix a date, which shall not be more than ninety (90) days before the date of any meeting of Shareholders, as the record date for determining the Shareholders of such Series (or class) having the right to notice of and to vote at such meeting and any adjournment thereof, and in such case only Shareholders of record on such record date shall have such right, notwithstanding any transfer of shares on the books of the Trust after the record date. Without fixing a record date the Trustees may for voting purposes close the register or transfer books for one or more Series for all or for any part of the period between a record date and a meeting of Shareholders. Nothing in this Section shall be construed as precluding the Trustees from setting different record dates for different Series (or classes).
Section 6. Additional Provisions. The Bylaws may include further provisions for Shareholders’ votes and meeting and related matters.
Section 1. Determination of Net Asset Value, Net Income, and Distributions. Subject to Article III, Section 6 hereof, the Trustees, in their absolute discretion, may prescribe and shall set forth in the Bylaws or in a duly adopted vote of the Trustees such bases and time for determining the per Share or net asset value of the Shares of any Series or net income attributable to the Shares of any Series, or the declaration any payment of dividends and distributions on the Shares of any Series, as they may deem necessary or desirable.
Section 2. Record Date for Dividends and Distributions. For the purpose of determining the Shareholders of any Series (or class) who are entitled to receive payment of any dividend or of any other distribution, the Trustees may from time to time fix a date, which shall be before the date for the payment of such dividend or such other payment, as the record date for determining the Shareholders of such Series (or class) having the right to receive such dividend or distribution. Without fixing a record date the Trustees may for distribution purposes close the register or transfer books for one or more Series for all or for any part of the period between a record date and the payment of a dividend or distribution. Nothing in this Section shall be construed as precluding the Trustees from setting different record dates for different Series (or classes).
Section 3. Redemptions and Repurchases. The Trust shall purchase such Shares as are offered by any Shareholder for redemption, upon presentation of a proper instrument of transfer together with a request directed to the Trust or a Person designated by the Trust that the Trust purchase such Shares or in accordance with such other procedures for redemption as the Trustees may from time to time authorize; and the Trust will pay therefore the net asset value thereof, in accordance with the By-laws and applicable law. Payment for said Shares shall be made by the Trust to the Shareholder within seven days after the date on which the request is made in proper form. The obligation set forth in this Section 2 is subject to the provision that in the event that any time the New York Stock Exchange (the “Exchange”) is closed for other than weekends or holidays, or if permitted by the Rules of the Commission during periods when trading on the Exchange is restricted or during any emergency which makes it impracticable for the Trust to dispose of the investments of the applicable Series or to determine fairly the value of the net assets held with respect to such Series or during any other period permitted by order of the Commission for the protection of investors, such obligations may be suspended or postponed by the Trustees.
The redemption price may in any case or cases be paid wholly or partly in kind of the Trustees determine that such payment is advisable in the interest of the remaining Shareholders of the Series for which the Shares are being redeemed. Subject to the foregoing, the fair value, selection and quantity of securities or other property so paid or delivered as all or part of the redemption price may be determined by or under authority of the Trustees. In no case shall the Trust be liable for any delay of any corporation or other Person in transferring securities selected for delivery as all or part of any payment in kind.
Section 4. Redemptions at the Option of the Trust. The Trust shall have the right at its option and at any time to redeem Shares of any Shareholder at the net asset value thereof as described in Section 1 of this Article VI: (i) if at such time such Shareholder owns Shares of any Series having an aggregate net asset value of less than an amount determined from time to time by the Trustees prior to the acquisition of said Shares; or (ii) to the extent that such Shareholder owns Shares of a particular Series equal to or in excess of a percentage of the outstanding Shares of that Series determined from time to time by the Trustees; or (iii) to the extent that such Shareholder owns shares equal to or in excess of a percentage, determined from time to time by the Trustees, of the outstanding Shares of the Trust or of any Series.
Section 5. Suspension of the Right of Redemption. The Trustees may declare a suspension of the right of redemption or postpone the date of payment as permitted under the 1940 Act. Such suspension shall take effect at such time as the Trustees shall specify but not later than the close of business on the business day next following the declaration of suspension, and thereafter there shall be no right of redemption or payment until the Trustees shall declare the suspension at an end. In the case of a suspension of the right of redemption, a Shareholder may either withdraw his request for redemption or receive payment based on the Net Asset Value per Share next determined after the termination of the suspension. In the event that any Series is divided into classes, the provisions of this Section 4, to the extent applicable as determined in the discretion of the Trustees and consistent with applicable law, may be equally applied to each such class.
Section 6. Redemption of Shares in Order to Qualify as Regulated Investment Company. If the Trustees shall, at any time and in good faith, be of the opinion that direct or indirect ownership of Shares of any Series has or may become concentrated in any Person to an extent which would disqualify any Series as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code, then the Trustees shall have the power (but not the obligation) by lot or other means deemed equitable by them (i) to call for redemption by any such Person of a number, or principal amount, of Shares sufficient to maintain or bring the direct or indirect ownership of Shares into conformity with the requirements for such qualification and (ii) to refuse to transfer or issue Shares to any Person whose acquisition of Shares in question would result in such disqualification. The redemption shall be effected at the redemption price and in the manner provided in this Article VI.
The holders of Shares shall upon demand disclose to the Trustees in writing such information with respect to direct and indirect ownership of Shares as the Trustees deem necessary to comply with the requirements of any taxing authority.
Section 1. Compensation. The Trustees as such shall be entitled to reasonable compensation from the Trust, and they may fix the amount of such compensation. Nothing herein shall in any way prevent the employment of any Trustee for advisory, management, legal, accounting, investment banking or other services and payment for the same by the Trust.
Section 2. Indemnification and Limitation of Liability. The Trustees shall not be responsible or liable in any event for any neglect or wrong-doing of any officer, agent, employee, Manager or Principal Underwriter of the Trust, nor shall any Trustee be responsible for the act or omission of any other Trustee, and the Trust out of its assets shall indemnify and hold harmless each and every Trustee from and against any and all claims and demands whatsoever arising out of or related to each Trustee’s performance of his duties as a Trustee of the Trust; provided that nothing herein contained shall indemnify, hold harmless or protect any Trustee from or against any liability to the Trust or any Shareholder to which he would otherwise by subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his office.
Every note, bond, contract, instrument, certificate or undertaking and every other act or thing whatsoever issued, executed or done by or on behalf of the Trust or the Trustees or any of them in connection with the Trust shall be conclusively deemed to have been issued, executed or done only in or with respect to their or his capacity as Trustees or Trustee, and such Trustees or Trustee shall not be personally liable thereon.
Section 3. Trustee’s Good Faith Action, Expert Advice, No Bond or Surety. The exercise by the Trustees of their powers and discretions hereunder shall be binding upon everyone interested. A Trustee shall be liable to the Trust and to any Shareholder solely for his own willful misfeasance, bad faith; gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of the office of Trustee, and shall not be liable for errors of judgment or mistakes of fact or law. The Trustees may take advice of counsel or other experts with respect to the meaning and operation of the Declaration of Trust, and shall be under no liability for any act or omissions in accordance with such advice nor for failing to follow such advice. The Trustees shall not be required to give any bond as such, nor any surety if a bond is required.
Section 4. Expenses. The Trustees shall be entitled and empowered to the fullest extent permitted by law to payment or reimbursement for all expenses reasonably incurred or paid or expected to be paid by a Trustee or officer in connection with any claim, actions, suit or proceeding in which he become involved by virtue of his capacity or former capacity with the Trust.
Section 1. Liability of Third Persons Dealing with Trustees. No Person dealing with the Trustees shall be bound to make any inquiry concerning the validity of any transaction made or to be made by the Trustees or to see to the application of any payments made or property transferred to the Trust or upon its order.
Section 2. Termination of Trust or Series. Unless terminated as provided herein, the Trust shall continue without limitation of time. The Trust may be terminated at any time by vote of a majority of the Shares of each Series entitled to vote, voting separately by Series, or by the Trustees by written notice to the Shareholders. Any Series may be terminated at any time by vote of a majority of the Shares of that Series or by the Trustees by written notice to the Shareholders of that Series.
Upon termination of the Trust (or any Series, as the case may be), after paying or otherwise providing for all charges, taxes, expenses and liabilities held, severally, with respect to each Series (or the applicable Series, as the case may be), whether due or accrued or anticipated with such procedures as the Trustees consider appropriate, reduce the remaining assets held, severally, with respect to each Series (or the applicable Series, as the case may be), to distributable form in cash or shares or other securities, or any combination thereof, and distribute the proceeds held with respect to each Series (or the applicable Series, as the case may be), to the Shareholders of that Series, as a Series, ratably according to the number of Shares of that Series held by the several Shareholders on the date of termination.
Section 3. Merger and Consolidation. The Trustees may cause (i) the Trust or one or more of its Series to the extent consistent with applicable law to be merged into or consolidated with another Trust or company, (ii) the Shares of the Trust or any Series to be converted into beneficial interests in another business or statutory trust (or series thereof) created pursuant to this Section 3 of Article VIII, or (iii) the Shares to be exchanged under or pursuant to any state or federal statute to the extent permitted by law. To the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, the Trustees may (i) cause any such Series to merge or consolidate with or into one or more entities, if the surviving or resulting entity is another company registered as an open-end, management investment company under the 1940 Act, or a series thereof and (ii) cause any or all Shares of a Series to be exchanged under or pursuant to any state or federal statute to the extent permitted by law. The Trustees shall have power to prescribe the procedure necessary or appropriate to accomplish the sale of assets, merger or consolidation including the power to create one or more separate business or statutory trusts to which all or any part of the assets, liabilities, profits or losses of the Trust may be transferred and to provide for the conversion of Shares of the Trust or any Series into beneficial interests in such separate business or statutory trust or trusts (or series thereof).
Section 4. Amendments. This Declaration of Trust may be restated and/or amended at any time by an instruments in writing signed by a majority of the then Trustees and, if required, by approval of such amendment to Shareholders in accordance with Article V, Section 3 hereof. Any such restatement and/or amendment hereto shall be effective immediately upon execution and approval. The Certificate of Trust of the Trust may be restated and/or amended by a similar procedure, and any such restatement and/or amendment shall be effective immediately upon filing with the Office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware or upon such future date as may be stated therein.
Section 5. Filing of Copies, References, Headings. The original or a copy of this instrument and of each restatement and/or amendment hereto shall be kept at the office if the Trust where it may be inspected by any Shareholder. Anyone dealing with the Trust may rely on a certificate by an officer of the Trust as to whether or not any such restatements and/or amendments have been made and as to any matters in connection with the Trust hereunder; and, with the same effect as if it were the original, may rely on a copy certified by an officer of the Trust to be a copy of this instrument or of any such restatements and/or amendments. In this instrument and in any such restatements and/or amendment, references to this instrument and all expressions like “herein”, “hereof” and “hereunder”, shall be deemed to refer to this instrument as amended or affected by any such restatements and/or amendment. Headings are placed herein for convenience of reference only and shall not be taken as a part hereof or control or affect the meaning, constructions or effect of this instrument. Whenever the singular number is used herein, the same shall include the plural; and the neuter, masculine and feminine genders shall include each other, as applicable. This instrument may be executed in any number of counterparts each of which shall be deemed an original.
Section 6. Applicable Law. This Agreement and Declaration of Trust is created under and is to be governed by and construed and administered according to the laws of the State of Delaware and the Delaware Business Trust Act, as amended from time to time (the “Act”). The Trust shall be a Delaware statutory trust pursuant to such Act, and without limiting the provisions hereof, the Trust may exercise all powers which are ordinarily exercised by such a statutory trust.
(a) The provisions of the Declaration of Trust are severable, and if the Trustees shall determine, with the advice of counsel, that any such provisions is in conflict with the 1940 Act, the regulated investment company provisions of the Internal Revenue Code or with other applicable laws and regulations, the conflicting provision shall be deemed never to have constituted a part of the Declaration of Trust; provided however, that such determination shall not affect any of the remaining provisions of the declaration of Trust or render invalid or improper any action taken or omitted prior to such determination.
(b) If any provision of the Declaration of Trust shall be held invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such invalidity or unenforceability shall attach only to such provision in such jurisdiction and not in any manner affect such provision in any other jurisdiction or any other provision of the Declaration of Trust in any jurisdiction.
Section 8. Trust Not a Partnership. It is hereby expressly declared that a trust and not a partnership is created hereby. No Trustee hereunder shall have any power to bind personally either the Trust officers or any Shareholder. All Persons extending credit to, contracting with or having any claim against the Trust or the Trustees shall look only to the assets of the appropriate Series or (if the Trustees shall have yet to have established Series) of the Trust for payment under such credit, contract or claim; and neither the Shareholders nor the Trustees, nor any of their agents, whether past, present or future, shall be personally liable therefor. Nothing in this Trust Instrument shall protect a Trustee against any liability to which the Trustee would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of the office of Trustee hereunder.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Trustee named below does hereby make and enter into this Declaration of Trust as of the 25th day of January, 2011.
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Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
THE PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS OF THE TRUST IS
c/o U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
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Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
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