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EXHIBIT 4.6
GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
STAR CAPITAL I
DATED AS OF JUNE 8, 1997
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
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ARTICLE 1
INTERPRETATION AND DEFINITIONS........................................ 1
SECTION 1.1 Interpretation and Definitions............................................................ 1
ARTICLE 2
TRUST INDENTURE ACT............................................. 4
SECTION 2.1 Trust Indenture Act; Application.......................................................... 4
SECTION 2.2 Lists of Holders of Securities............................................................ 5
SECTION 2.3 Reports by Guarantee Trustee.............................................................. 5
SECTION 2.4 Periodic Reports to Guarantee Trustee..................................................... 5
SECTION 2.5 Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent.......................................... 5
SECTION 2.6 Guarantee Event of Default; Waiver........................................................ 5
SECTION 2.7 Guarantee Event of Default; Notice........................................................ 5
SECTION 2.8 Conflicting Interests..................................................................... 6
SECTION 2.9 Disclosure of Information................................................................. 6
SECTION 2.10 Guarantee Trustee May File Proofs of Claim............................................... 6
ARTICLE 3
POWERS, DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF
GUARANTEE TRUSTEE.............................................. 6
SECTION 3.1 Powers and Duties of Guarantee Trustee.................................................... 6
SECTION 3.2 Certain Rights of Guarantee Trustee....................................................... 8
SECTION 3.3 Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Guarantee..................................... 10
ARTICLE 4
GUARANTEE TRUSTEE.............................................. 10
SECTION 4.1 Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility............................................................ 10
SECTION 4.2 Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Guarantee Trustee................................. 11
ARTICLE 5
GUARANTEE.................................................. 12
SECTION 5.1 Guarantee................................................................................. 12
SECTION 5.2 Waiver of Notice and Demand............................................................... 12
SECTION 5.3 Obligations Not Affected.................................................................. 12
SECTION 5.4 Rights of Holders......................................................................... 13
SECTION 5.5 Guarantee of Payment...................................................................... 14
SECTION 5.6 Subrogation............................................................................... 14
SECTION 5.7 Independent Obligations................................................................... 14
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ARTICLE 6
LIMITATION OF TRANSACTIONS; SUBORDINATION.................................. 14
SECTION 6.1 Limitation of Transactions................................................................ 14
SECTION 6.2 Ranking................................................................................... 15
ARTICLE 7
TERMINATION................................................. 15
SECTION 7.1 Termination............................................................................... 15
ARTICLE 8
INDEMNIFICATION............................................... 16
SECTION 8.1 Exculpation............................................................................... 16
SECTION 8.2 Indemnification........................................................................... 16
ARTICLE 9
MISCELLANEOUS................................................ 16
SECTION 9.1 Successors and Assigns.................................................................... 16
SECTION 9.2 Amendments................................................................................ 17
SECTION 9.3 Notices................................................................................... 17
SECTION 9.4 Benefit................................................................................... 18
SECTION 9.5 Governing Law............................................................................. 18
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CROSS REFERENCE TABLE*
Section of Trust
Indenture Act of Section of
1939, as amended Agreement
310(a).......................................................................................................4.1(a)
310(b).......................................................................................................4.1(c)
310(c).................................................................................................Inapplicable
311(a).......................................................................................................2.2(b)
311(b).......................................................................................................2.2(b)
311(c).................................................................................................Inapplicable
312(a).......................................................................................................2.2(a)
312(b).......................................................................................................2.2(b)
312(c)..........................................................................................................2.9
313(a)..........................................................................................................2.3
313(b)..........................................................................................................2.3
313(c)..........................................................................................................2.3
313(d)..........................................................................................................2.3
314(a)..........................................................................................................2.4
314(b).................................................................................................Inapplicable
314(c)..........................................................................................................2.5
314(d).................................................................................................Inapplicable
314(e)..........................................................................................................2.5
314(f).................................................................................................Inapplicable
315(a)...............................................................................................3.1(d); 3.2(a)
315(b).......................................................................................................2.7(a)
315(c).......................................................................................................3.1(c)
315(d).......................................................................................................3.1(d)
316(a)..................................................................................................2.6; 5.4(a)
317(a)....................................................................................................2.10; 5.4
318(a).......................................................................................................2.1(b)
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* This Cross-Reference Table does not constitute part of the Agreement
and shall not have any bearing upon the interpretation of any of its
terms or provisions.
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GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
This GUARANTEE AGREEMENT (the "Guarantee"), dated as of June
8, 1997, is executed and delivered by Star Banc Corporation, an Ohio corporation
(the "Guarantor"), and The First National Bank of Chicago, a national banking
association, as trustee (the "Guarantee Trustee"), for the benefit of the
Holders (as defined herein) of the Securities (as defined herein) of Star
Capital I, a Delaware statutory business trust (the "Trust").
W I T N E S S E T H :
WHEREAS, pursuant to the Declaration (as defined herein), the
Trust is issuing on the date hereof, and may in the future issue additional,
capital securities, having a liquidation amount of $1,000 per capital security,
designated the Floating Rate Capital Securities (the "Capital Securities") and
common securities, having a liquidation amount of $1,000 per common security,
designated the Floating Rate Common Securities (the "Common Securities";
together with the Capital Securities, the "Securities");
WHEREAS, as incentive for the Holders to purchase the
Securities, the Guarantor desires irrevocably and unconditionally to agree, to
the extent set forth in this Guarantee, to pay to the Holders of the Securities
the Guarantee Payments (as defined herein) and to make certain other payments on
the terms and conditions set forth herein.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the purchase by each
Holder of Securities, which purchase the Guarantor hereby agrees shall benefit
the Guarantor, the Guarantor executes and delivers this Guarantee for the
benefit of the Holders.
ARTICLE 1
INTERPRETATION AND DEFINITIONS
SECTION 1.1 Interpretation and Definitions. In this Guarantee,
unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) capitalized terms used in this Guarantee but not defined
in the preamble above have the respective meanings assigned to them in
this Section 1.1;
(b) a term defined anywhere in this Guarantee has the same
meaning throughout;
(c) all references to "the Guarantee" or "this Guarantee" are
to this Guarantee as modified, supplemented or amended from time to
time;
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(d) all references in this Guarantee to Articles and Sections
are to Articles and Sections of this Guarantee, unless otherwise
specified;
(e) a term defined in the Trust Indenture Act has the same
meaning when used in this Guarantee, unless otherwise defined in this
Guarantee or unless the context otherwise requires; and
(f) a reference to the singular includes the plural and vice
versa and a reference to the masculine includes, as applicable, the
feminine.
"Affiliate" has the same meaning as given to that term in Rule
405 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any successor rule thereunder.
"Business Day" has the meaning given to such term in the
Indenture.
"Corporate Trust Office" means the office of the Guarantee
Trustee at which the corporate trust business of the Guarantee Trustee shall at
any particular time, be principally administered, which office at the date of
execution of this Guarantee is located at The First National Bank of Chicago,
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇, Attention:
Corporate Trust Services.
"Covered Person" means any Holder or beneficial owner of
Securities.
"Debentures" means the series of junior subordinated
debentures to be issued, in one or more issuances, by the Guarantor, designated
the Floating Rate Junior Subordinated Debentures due 2027, held by the Property
Trustee (as defined in the Declaration) of the Trust.
"Declaration" means the Amended and Restated Declaration of
Trust, dated as of June 8, 1997, as amended, modified or supplemented from time
to time, among the trustees of the Trust named therein, the Guarantor, as
sponsor, and the holders from time to time of undivided beneficial ownership
interests in the assets of the Trust.
"Guarantee Event of Default" means a default by the Guarantor
on any of its payment or other obligations under this Guarantee.
"Guarantee Trustee" means The First National Bank of Chicago,
until a successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such
appointment pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee and thereafter means each
such Successor Guarantee Trustee.
"Guarantee Payments" means the following payments or
distributions, without duplication, with respect to the Securities, to the
extent not paid or made by the Trust: (i) any accumulated and unpaid
Distributions (as defined in the Declaration) that are required to be paid on
such Securities to the extent the Trust shall have sufficient funds available
therefor at the time, (ii) the redemption price, including all accrued and
unpaid Distributions to the date of redemption with respect to any Securities
called for redemption by the Trust, to the extent
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the Trust shall have sufficient funds available therefor at the time, and (iii)
upon a voluntary or involuntary dissolution, winding-up or termination of the
Trust (other than in connection with the distribution of Debentures to the
Holders in exchange for Securities as provided in the Declaration), the lesser
of (a) the aggregate of the liquidation amount and all accrued and unpaid
Distributions on the Securities to the date of payment, and (b) the amount of
assets of the Trust remaining available for distribution to Holders in
liquidation of the Trust (in either case, the "Liquidation Distribution"). If a
Trust Enforcement Event (as defined in the Declaration) has occurred and is
continuing, the rights of holders of the Common Securities to receive Guarantee
Payments under this Guarantee are subordinated to the rights of Holders of the
Capital Securities to receive payments hereunder.
"Holder" shall mean any holder of Securities, as registered on
the books and records of the Trust; provided, however, that, in determining
whether the Holders of the requisite percentage of Capital Securities have given
any request, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, "Holder" shall not include the
Guarantor or any Affiliate of the Guarantor or any other obligor on the Capital
Securities; and provided further, that in determining whether the Holders of the
requisite liquidation amount of Capital Securities have voted on any matter
provided for in this Guarantee, then for the purpose of such determination only
(and not for any other purpose hereunder), if the Capital Securities remain in
the form of one or more Global Certificates (as defined in the Declaration), the
term "Holders" shall mean the holder of the Global Certificate acting at the
direction of the beneficial holders of the securities.
"Indemnified Person" means the Guarantee Trustee, any
Affiliate of the Guarantee Trustee, and any officers, directors, shareholders,
members, partners, employees, representatives, nominees, custodians or agents of
the Guarantee Trustee.
"Indenture" means the Indenture, dated as of June 8, 1997,
among the Guarantor and The First National Bank of Chicago, as trustee, and any
indenture supplemental thereto pursuant to which the Debentures are to be issued
to the Property Trustee (as defined in the Declaration) of the Trust.
"Majority in Liquidation Amount of the Securities" means,
except as provided in the terms of the Securities or by the Trust Indenture Act,
Holder(s) of outstanding Securities, voting separately as a class, who are the
record holders of more than 50% of the aggregate liquidation amount (including
the stated amount that would be paid on redemption, liquidation or otherwise,
plus accrued and unpaid Distributions to the date upon which the voting
percentages are determined) of all outstanding Securities. In determining
whether the Holders of the requisite amount of Securities have voted, Securities
which are owned by the Guarantor or any Affiliate of the Guarantor shall be
disregarded for the purpose of any such determination.
"Officers' Certificate" means, with respect to any Person, a
certificate signed on behalf of such Person by two Authorized Officers (as
defined in the Declaration) of such Person. Any Officers' Certificate delivered
with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this
Guarantee shall include:
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(a) a statement that each officer signing the Officers'
Certificate has read the covenant or condition and the definitions
relating thereto;
(b) a statement that each such officer has made such
examination or investigation as, in such officer's opinion, is
necessary to enable such officer on behalf of such Person to express an
informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has
been complied with; and
(c) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such
officer acting on behalf of such Person, such condition or covenant has
been complied with.
"Outstanding" has the meaning given to such term in the
Indenture.
"Person" means a legal person, including any individual,
corporation, estate, partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock
company, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated association, or
government or any agency or political subdivision thereof, or any other entity
of whatever nature.
"Responsible Officer" means, with respect to the Guarantee
Trustee, any officer within the Corporate Trust Office of the Guarantee Trustee,
including any vice president, any assistant vice president, the secretary, any
assistant secretary, the treasurer, any assistant treasurer or other officer of
the Corporate Trust Office of the Guarantee Trustee customarily performing
functions similar to those performed by any of the above designated officers and
also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other
officer to whom such matter is referred because of that officer's knowledge of
and familiarity with the particular subject.
"Successor Guarantee Trustee" means a successor Guarantee
Trustee possessing the qualifications to act as Guarantee Trustee under Section
4.1.
"Trust Indenture Act" means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939,
as amended from time to time, or any successor legislation.
ARTICLE 2
TRUST INDENTURE ACT
SECTION 2.1 Trust Indenture Act; Application. (a) This
Guarantee is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are
required to be part of this Guarantee and shall, to the extent applicable, be
governed by such provisions.
(b) If and to the extent that any provision of this Guarantee
limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by Sections 310 to 317,
inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act, such imposed duties shall control.
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SECTION 2.2 Lists of Holders of Securities. (a) The Guarantor
shall provide the Guarantee Trustee with a list, in such form as the Guarantee
Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the Holders of the
Securities ("List of Holders"), (i) semi-annually, not later than June 30 and
December 31 of each year and current as of such date, and (ii) at such other
times as the Guarantee Trustee may request in writing, within 30 days of receipt
by the Guarantor of a written request from the Guarantee Trustee for a List of
Holders as of a date no more than 15 days before such List of Holders is given
to the Guarantee Trustee; excluding from any such list names and addresses
received by the Guarantee Trustee in its capacity as Security Registrar (as
defined in the Indenture). The Guarantee Trustee shall preserve, in as current a
form as is reasonably practicable, all information contained in Lists of Holders
given to it, provided that it may destroy any List of Holders previously given
to it on receipt of a new List of Holders.
(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall comply with its obligations
under Sections 311(a), 311(b) and 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.
SECTION 2.3 Reports by Guarantee Trustee. Within 60 days after
May 15 of each year (commencing with the year of the issuance of the
Securities), the Guarantee Trustee shall provide to the Holders of the
Securities such reports as are required by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture
Act (if any) in the form and in the manner provided by Section 313 of the Trust
Indenture Act. The Guarantee Trustee shall also comply with the requirements of
Section 313(d) of the Trust Indenture Act.
SECTION 2.4 Periodic Reports to Guarantee Trustee. The
Guarantor shall provide to the Guarantee Trustee such documents, reports and
information as required by Section 314 (if any) of the Trust Indenture Act and
the compliance certificate required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act in
the form, in the manner and at the times required by Section 314 of the Trust
Indenture Act.
SECTION 2.5 Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent.
The Guarantor shall provide to the Guarantee Trustee such evidence of compliance
with any conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Guarantee that
relate to any of the matters set forth in Section 314(c) of the Trust Indenture
Act. Any certificate or opinion required to be given by an officer pursuant to
Section 314(c)(1) may be given in the form of an Officers' Certificate.
SECTION 2.6 Guarantee Event of Default; Waiver. The Holders of
a Majority in Liquidation Amount of the Securities may, by vote or written
consent, on behalf of the Holders of all of the Securities, waive any past
Guarantee Event of Default and its consequences. Upon such waiver, any such
Guarantee Event of Default shall cease to exist, and any Guarantee Event of
Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose
of this Guarantee, but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other
default or Guarantee Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.
SECTION 2.7 Guarantee Event of Default; Notice. (a) The
Guarantee Trustee shall, within 90 days after the occurrence of a Guarantee
Event of Default actually
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known to a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee, transmit by mail, first
class postage prepaid, to the Holders of the Securities, notices of all such
Guarantee Events of Default, unless such defaults have been cured before the
giving of such notice; provided, that the Guarantee Trustee shall be protected
in withholding such notice if and so long as a Responsible Officer of the
Guarantee Trustee in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice
is in the interests of the Holders of the Securities.
(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be deemed to have
knowledge of any Guarantee Event of Default unless the Guarantee Trustee shall
have received written notice thereof or a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee
Trustee charged with the administration of the Declaration shall have obtained
actual knowledge thereof.
SECTION 2.8 Conflicting Interests. The Declaration shall be
deemed to be specifically described in this Guarantee for the purposes of clause
(i) of the first provision contained in Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture
Act.
SECTION 2.9 Disclosure of Information. The disclosure of
information as to the names and addresses of the Holders of the Securities in
accordance with Section 312 of the Trust Indenture Act, regardless of the source
from which such information was derived, shall not be deemed to be a violation
of any existing law, or any law hereafter enacted which does not specifically
refer to Section 312 of the Trust Indenture Act, nor shall the Guarantee Trustee
be held accountable by reason of mailing any material pursuant to a request made
under Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.
SECTION 2.10 Guarantee Trustee May File Proofs of Claim. Upon
the occurrence of a Guarantee Event of Default, the Guarantee Trustee is hereby
authorized to (a) recover judgment, in its own name and as trustee of an express
trust, against the Guarantor for the whole amount of any Guarantee Payments
remaining unpaid and (b) file such proofs of claim and other papers or documents
as may be necessary or advisable in order to have its claims and those of the
Holders of the Securities allowed in any judicial proceedings relative to the
Guarantor, its creditors or its property.
ARTICLE 3
POWERS, DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF
GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
SECTION 3.1 Powers and Duties of Guarantee Trustee.
(a) This Guarantee shall be held by the Guarantee Trustee on
behalf of the Trust for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities, and the
Guarantee Trustee shall not transfer this Guarantee to any Person except a
Holder of Securities exercising his or her rights pursuant to Section 5.4(b) or
to a Successor Guarantee Trustee on acceptance by such Successor Guarantee
Trustee. The right, title and interest of the Guarantee Trustee in and to this
Guarantee shall automatically vest in any Successor Guarantee Trustee, and such
vesting
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and succession of title shall be effective whether or not conveyancing documents
have been executed and delivered pursuant to the appointment of such Successor
Guarantee Trustee.
(b) If a Guarantee Event of Default actually known to a
Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee has occurred and is continuing, the
Guarantee Trustee shall enforce this Guarantee for the benefit of the Holders of
the Securities.
(c) The Guarantee Trustee, before the occurrence of any
Guarantee Event of Default and after the curing of all Guarantee Events of
Default that may have occurred, shall undertake to perform only such duties as
are specifically set forth in this Guarantee, and no implied covenants shall be
read into this Guarantee against the Guarantee Trustee. In case a Guarantee
Event of Default has occurred (that has not been cured or waived pursuant to
Section 2.6) and is actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee
Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers
vested in it by this Guarantee, and use the same degree of care and skill in its
exercise thereof, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the
circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs.
(d) No provision of this Guarantee shall be construed to
relieve the Guarantee Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its
own negligent failure to act, or its own willful misconduct, except that:
(i) prior to the occurrence of any Guarantee
Event of Default and after the curing or waiving of all such
Guarantee Events of Default that may have occurred:
(A) the duties and obligations of the
Guarantee Trustee shall be determined solely by the
express provisions of this Guarantee, and the
Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable except for the
performance of such duties and obligations as are
specifically set forth in this Guarantee, and no
implied covenants or obligations shall be read into
this Guarantee against the Guarantee Trustee; and
(B) in the absence of bad faith on the part
of the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee may
conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements
and the correctness of the opinions expressed
therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished
to the Guarantee Trustee and conforming to the
requirements of this Guarantee; but in the case of
any such certificates or opinions that by any
provision hereof are specifically required to be
furnished to the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee
Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to
determine whether or not they conform to the
requirements of this Guarantee;
(ii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be
liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a
Responsible Officer of the Guarantee
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Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Guarantee Trustee
was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts upon which
such judgment was made;
(iii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable
with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it
in good faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders
of not less than a Majority in Liquidation Amount of the
Securities relating to the time, method and place of
conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the
Guarantee Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred
upon the Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee; and
(iv) no provision of this Guarantee shall
require the Guarantee Trustee to expend or risk its own funds
or otherwise incur personal financial liability in the
performance of any of its duties or in the exercise of any of
its rights or powers, if the Guarantee Trustee shall have
reasonable grounds for believing that the repayment of such
funds or liability is not reasonably assured to it under the
terms of this Guarantee or indemnify, reasonably satisfactory
to the Guarantee Trustee, against such risk or liability is
not reasonably assured to it.
SECTION 3.2 Certain Rights of Guarantee Trustee. (a) Subject
to the provisions of Section 3.1:
(i) The Guarantee Trustee may conclusively
rely, and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining
from acting upon, any resolution, certificate, statement,
instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction,
consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of
indebtedness or other paper or document believed by it to be
genuine and to have been signed, sent or presented by the
proper party or parties;
(ii) Any direction or act of the Guarantor
contemplated by this Guarantee shall be sufficiently evidenced
by an Officers' Certificate;
(iii) Whenever, in the administration of this
Guarantee, the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable that
a matter be proved or established before taking, suffering or
omitting any action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee (unless
other evidence is herein specifically prescribed) may, in the
absence of bad faith on its part, request and conclusively
rely upon an Officers' Certificate which, upon receipt of such
request, shall be promptly delivered by the Guarantor;
(iv) The Guarantee Trustee shall have no duty
to see to any recording, filing or registration or any
instrument (or any rerecording, refiling or registration
thereof);
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(v) The Guarantee Trustee may consult with
counsel, and the advice or opinion of such counsel with
respect to legal matters shall be full and complete
authorization and protection in respect of any action taken,
suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in
accordance with such advice or opinion. Such counsel may be
counsel to the Guarantor or any of its Affiliates and may
include any of its employees. The Guarantee Trustee shall have
the right at any time to seek instructions concerning the
administration of this Guarantee from any court of competent
jurisdiction;
(vi) The Guarantee Trustee shall be under no
obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in
it by this Guarantee at the request or direction of any
Holder, unless such Holder shall have provided to the
Guarantee Trustee such security and indemnity, reasonably
satisfactory to the Guarantee Trustee, against the costs,
expenses (including attorneys' fees and expenses and the
expenses of the Guarantee Trustee's agents, nominees or
custodians) and liabilities that might be incurred by it in
complying with such request or direction, including such
reasonable advances as may be requested by the Guarantee
Trustee; provided, that nothing contained in this Section
3.2(a)(vi) shall be taken to relieve the Guarantee Trustee,
upon the occurrence of a Guarantee Event of Default, of its
obligation to exercise the rights and powers vested in it by
this Guarantee;
(vii) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be bound
to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in
any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion,
report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond,
debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper
or document, but the Guarantee Trustee, in its discretion, may
make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or
matters as it may see fit;
(viii) The Guarantee Trustee may execute any of
the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder
either directly or by or through agents, nominees, custodians
or attorneys, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be
responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of
any agent or attorney appointed with due care by it hereunder;
(ix) Any action taken by the Guarantee Trustee
or its agents hereunder shall bind the Holders of the
Securities, and the signature of the Guarantee Trustee or its
agents alone shall be sufficient and effective to perform any
such action. No third party shall be required to inquire as to
the authority of the Guarantee Trustee to so act or as to its
compliance with any of the terms and provisions of this
Guarantee, both of which shall be conclusively evidenced by
the Guarantee Trustee's or its agent's taking such action; and
(x) Whenever in the administration of this
Guarantee the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable to
receive instructions with respect to enforcing any remedy or
right or taking any other action hereunder, the Guarantee
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Trustee (i) may request instructions from the Holders of a
Majority in Liquidation Amount of the Securities, (ii) may
refrain from enforcing such remedy or right or taking such
other action until such instructions are received, and (iii)
shall be protected in conclusively relying on or acting in
accordance with such instructions.
(b) No provision of this Guarantee shall be deemed to impose
any duty or obligation on the Guarantee Trustee to perform any act or acts or
exercise any right, power, duty or obligation conferred or imposed on it in any
jurisdiction in which it shall be illegal, or in which the Guarantee Trustee
shall be unqualified or incompetent in accordance with applicable law, to
perform any such act or acts or to exercise any such right, power, duty or
obligation. No permissive power or authority available to the Guarantee Trustee
shall be construed to be a duty.
SECTION 3.3 Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of
Guarantee. The recitals contained in this Guarantee shall be taken as the
statements of the Guarantor, and the Guarantee Trustee does not assume any
responsibility for their correctness. The Guarantee Trustee makes no
representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Guarantee.
ARTICLE 4
GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
SECTION 4.1 Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility.
(a) There shall be at all times a Guarantee Trustee which
shall:
(i) not be an Affiliate of the Guarantor; and
(ii) be a corporation organized and doing business under
the laws of the United States of America or any State or
Territory thereof or of the District of Columbia, or a
corporation or Person permitted by the Securities and Exchange
Commission to act as an institutional trustee under the Trust
Indenture Act, authorized under such laws to exercise
corporate trust powers, having a combined capital and surplus
of at least 50 million U.S. dollars ($50,000,000), and subject
to supervision or examination by Federal, State, Territorial
or District of Columbia authority. If such corporation
publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to
law or to the requirements of the supervising or examining
authority referred to above, then, for the purposes of this
Section 4.1(a)(ii), the combined capital and surplus of such
corporation shall be deemed to be its combined capital and
surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so
published.
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(b) If at any time the Guarantee Trustee shall cease to be
eligible to so act under Section 4.1(a), the Guarantee Trustee shall immediately
resign in the manner and with the effect set out in Section 4.2(b).
(c) If the Guarantee Trustee has or shall acquire any
"conflicting interest" within the meaning of Section 310(b) of the Trust
Indenture Act, the Guarantee Trustee and Guarantor shall in all respects comply
with the provisions of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.
SECTION 4.2 Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Guarantee
Trustee.
(a) Subject to Section 4.1(b), the Guarantee Trustee may be
appointed or removed with or without cause at any time by the Guarantor. No
resignation or removal of the Guarantee Trustee and no appointment of a
Successor Guarantee Trustee pursuant to this Article shall become effective
until the acceptance of appointment by the Successor Guarantee Trustee by
written instrument executed by the Successor Guarantee Trustee and delivered to
the Holders and the Guarantee Trustee.
(b) Subject to the immediately preceding paragraph, a
Guarantee Trustee may resign at any time by giving written notice thereof to the
Holders and the Guarantor.
(c) If no Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been
appointed and accepted appointment as provided in this Section 4.2 within 30
days after delivery to the Guarantor of an instrument of removal or resignation,
the removed or resigning Guarantee Trustee may petition any court of competent
jurisdiction for the appointment of a Successor Guarantee Trustee. Such court
may thereupon, after prescribing such notice, if any, as it may deem proper,
appoint a Successor Guarantee Trustee.
(d) No Guarantee Trustee shall be liable for the acts or
omissions to act of any Successor Guarantee Trustee.
(e) Upon termination of this Guarantee or removal or
resignation of the Guarantee Trustee pursuant to this Section 4.2, the Guarantor
shall pay to the Guarantee Trustee all amounts owing for fees and reimbursement
of expenses which have accrued to the date of such termination, removal or
resignation.
(f) The Guarantor shall promptly notify the Holders of the
resignation, removal or appointment of the Guarantee Trustee.
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ARTICLE 5
GUARANTEE
SECTION 5.1 Guarantee.
The Guarantor irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to pay in
full to the Holders the Guarantee Payments (without duplication of amounts
theretofore paid by the Trust), as and when due, regardless of any defense,
right of set-off or counterclaim that the Trust may have or assert. The
Guarantor's obligation to make a Guarantee Payment may be satisfied by direct
payment of the required amounts by the Guarantor to the Holders or by causing
the Trust to pay such amounts to the Holders.
SECTION 5.2 Waiver of Notice and Demand.
The Guarantor hereby waives notice of acceptance of this
Guarantee and of any liability to which it applies or may apply, presentment,
demand for payment, any right to require a proceeding first against the Trust or
any other Person before proceeding against the Guarantor, protest, notice of
nonpayment, notice of dishonor, notice of redemption and all other notices and
demands. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the Guarantor retains
all of its rights under the Indenture to extend the interest payment period on
the Debentures and the Guarantor shall not be obligated hereunder to make any
Guarantee Payments during any Extension Period (as defined in the Indenture)
with respect to the Distributions (as defined in the Declaration) on the
Securities.
SECTION 5.3 Obligations Not Affected.
The obligations, covenants, agreements and duties of the
Guarantor under this Guarantee shall be absolute and unconditional and shall
remain in full force and effect until the entire liquidation amount of all
outstanding Securities shall have been paid and such obligation shall in no way
be affected or impaired by reason of the happening from time to time of any
event, including without limitation, the following, whether or not with notice
to, or the consent of, the Guarantor:
(a) The release or waiver, by operation of law or otherwise,
of the performance or observance by the Trust of any express or implied
agreement, covenant, term or condition relating to the Securities to be
performed or observed by the Trust;
(b) The extension of time for the payment by the Trust of all
or any portion of the Distributions, Redemption Price (as defined in
the Indenture), Liquidation Distribution or any other sums payable
under the terms of the Securities or the extension of time for the
performance of any other obligation under, arising out of, or in
connection with the Securities (other than an extension of time for
payment of Distributions, Redemption Price, Liquidation Distribution or
other sum payable that results from the extension of any interest
payment period on the Debentures);
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(c) Any failure, omission, delay or lack of diligence on the
part of the Property Trustee or the Holders to enforce, assert or
exercise any right, privilege, power or remedy conferred on the
Property Trustee or the Holders pursuant to the terms of the
Securities, or any action on the part of the Trust granting indulgence
or extension of any kind;
(d) The voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution,
sale of any collateral, receivership, insolvency, bankruptcy,
assignment for the benefit of creditors, reorganization, arrangement,
composition or readjustment of debt of, or other similar proceedings
affecting, the Trust or any of the assets of the Trust;
(e) Any invalidity of, or defect or deficiency in, the
Securities;
(f) The settlement or compromise of any obligation guaranteed
hereby or hereby incurred; or
(g) Any other circumstance whatsoever that might otherwise
constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a guarantor, it
being the intent of this Section 5.3 that the obligations of the
Guarantor hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional under any and
all circumstances.
There shall be no obligation of the Guarantee Trustee or the
Holders to give notice to, or obtain consent of, the Guarantor or any other
Person with respect to the happening of any of the foregoing.
No setoff, counterclaim, reduction or diminution of any
obligation, or any defense of any kind or nature that the Guarantor has or may
have against any Holder shall be available hereunder to the Guarantor against
such Holder to reduce the payments to it under this Guarantee.
SECTION 5.4 Rights of Holders.
(a) The Holders of a Majority in Liquidation Amount of the
Securities have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any
proceeding for any remedy available to the Guarantee Trustee in respect of this
Guarantee or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee
under this Guarantee.
(b) If the Guarantee Trustee fails to enforce this Guarantee,
then any Holder of Securities may, subject to the subordination provisions of
Section 6.2, institute a legal proceeding directly against the Guarantor to
enforce the Guarantee Trustee's rights under this Guarantee without first
instituting a legal proceeding against the Trust, the Guarantee Trustee or any
other person or entity. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Guarantor has
failed to make a Guarantee Payment, a Holder of Securities may, subject to the
subordination provisions of Section 6.2, directly institute a proceeding against
the Guarantor for enforcement of the Guarantee for such payment to the Holder of
the Securities of the principal of or interest on the Debentures on or after the
respective due dates specified in the
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Debentures, and the amount of the payment will be based on the Holder's pro rata
share of the amount due and owing on all of the Securities. The Guarantor hereby
waives any right or remedy to require that any action on this Guarantee be
brought first against the Trust or any other person or entity before proceeding
directly against the Guarantor.
SECTION 5.5 Guarantee of Payment.
This Guarantee creates a guarantee of payment and not of
collection.
SECTION 5.6 Subrogation.
The Guarantor shall be subrogated to all (if any) rights of
the Holders of Securities against the Trust in respect of any amounts paid to
such Holders by the Guarantor under this Guarantee; provided, however, that the
Guarantor shall not (except to the extent required by mandatory provisions of
law) be entitled to enforce or exercise any right that it may acquire by way of
subrogation of any indemnity, reimbursement or other agreement, in all cases as
a result of payment under this Guarantee, if at the time of any such payment,
any amounts are due and unpaid under this Guarantee. If any amount shall be paid
to the Guarantor in violation of the preceding sentence, the Guarantor agrees to
hold such amount in trust for the Holders and to pay over such amount to the
Guarantee Trustee for the benefit of the Holders.
SECTION 5.7 Independent Obligations.
The Guarantor acknowledges that its obligations hereunder are
independent of the obligations of the Trust with respect to the Securities, and
that the Guarantor shall be liable as principal and as debtor hereunder to make
Guarantee Payments pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee notwithstanding the
occurrence of any event referred to in subsections 5.3(a) through 5.3(g),
inclusive, hereof.
ARTICLE 6
LIMITATION OF TRANSACTIONS; SUBORDINATION
SECTION 6.1 Limitation of Transactions.
So long as any Securities remain outstanding, if there shall
have occurred a Guarantee Event of Default or a Trust Enforcement Event, then
the Guarantor shall not, and shall not permit any subsidiary of the Guarantor,
to (i) declare or pay any dividends or distributions on, or redeem, purchase,
acquire, or make a liquidation payment with respect to, the Guarantor's capital
stock or (ii) make any payment of principal, interest or premium, if any, on or
repay, repurchase or redeem any debt securities of the Guarantor that rank pari
passu with or junior to the Debentures or make any guarantee payments with
respect to any guarantee by the Guarantor of the debt securities of any
subsidiary of the Guarantor if such guarantee ranks pari passu with or junior to
the Debentures (other than (a) repurchases,
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redemptions or other acquisitions of shares of capital stock of the Guarantor in
connection with any employment contract, benefit plan or other similar
arrangement with or for the benefit of any one or more employees, officers,
directors or consultants or in connection with a dividend reinvestment or
stockholder stock purchase plan, (b) as a result of an exchange or conversion of
any class or series of the Guarantor's capital stock (or any capital stock of a
subsidiary of the Guarantor) for any class or series of the Guarantor's capital
stock or of any class or series of the Guarantor's indebtedness for any class or
series of the Guarantor's capital stock, (c) the purchase of fractional
interests in shares of the Guarantor's capital stock pursuant to the conversion
or exchange provisions of such capital stock or the security being converted or
exchanged, (d) any declaration of a dividend in connection with the adoption of
any stockholder's rights plan, or the issuance of rights, stock or other
property under any stockholder's rights plan, or the redemption or repurchase of
rights pursuant thereto, or (e) any dividend in the form of stock, warrants,
options or other rights where the dividend stock or the stock issuable upon
exercise of such warrants, options or other rights is the same stock as that on
which the dividend is being paid (or pari passu with or junior to such stock).
SECTION 6.2 Ranking.
This Guarantee will constitute an unsecured obligation of the
Guarantor and will rank subordinate and junior in right of payment to all other
liabilities of the Guarantor, except those liabilities of the Guarantor made
pari passu or subordinate by their express terms.
If a Trust Enforcement Event has occurred and is continuing
under the Declaration, the rights of the holders of the Common Securities to
receive Guarantee Payments hereunder shall be subordinated to the rights of the
holders of the Capital Securities to receive payment of all amounts due and
owing hereunder.
ARTICLE 7
TERMINATION
SECTION 7.1 Termination.
This Guarantee shall terminate upon (i) full payment of the
Redemption Price (as defined in the Declaration) of all Securities, (ii) upon
the distribution of the Debentures to the Holders of all the Securities or (iii)
upon full payment of the amounts payable in accordance with the Declaration upon
liquidation of the Trust. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Guarantee will
continue to be effective or will be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any
time any Holder of Securities must restore payment of any sums paid under the
Securities or under this Guarantee.
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ARTICLE 8
INDEMNIFICATION
SECTION 8.1 Exculpation.
(a) No Indemnified Person shall be liable, responsible or
accountable in damages or otherwise to the Guarantor or any Covered Person for
any loss, damage or claim incurred by reason of any act or omission performed or
omitted by such Indemnified Person in good faith in accordance with this
Guarantee and in a manner that such Indemnified Person reasonably believed to be
within the scope of the authority conferred on such Indemnified Person by this
Guarantee or by law, except that an Indemnified Person shall be liable for any
such loss, damage or claim incurred by reason of such Indemnified Person's
negligence or willful misconduct with respect to such acts or omissions.
(b) An Indemnified Person shall be fully protected in relying
in good faith upon the records of the Guarantor and upon such information,
opinions, reports or statements presented to the Guarantor by any Person as to
matter the Indemnified Person reasonably believes are within such other Person's
professional or expert competence and who has been selected with reasonable care
by or on behalf of the Guarantor, including information, opinions, reports or
statements as to the value and amount of the assets, liabilities, profits,
losses, or any other facts pertinent to the existence and amount of assets from
which Distributions to Holders of Securities might properly be paid.
SECTION 8.2 Indemnification.
The Guarantor agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person for,
and to hold each Indemnified Person harmless against any loss, liability or
expense incurred without negligence or bad faith on its part, arising out of or
in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts
hereunder, including the costs and expenses (including reasonable legal fees and
expenses) of defending itself against, or investigating, any claim or liability
in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties
hereunder. The provisions of this Section 8.2 shall survive the termination of
this Guarantee or the resignation or removal of the Guarantee Trustee.
ARTICLE 9
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 9.1 Successors and Assigns.
All guarantees and agreements contained in this Guarantee
shall bind the successors, assigns, receivers, trustees and representatives of
the Guarantor and shall inure to the benefit of the Holders of the Securities
then outstanding.
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SECTION 9.2 Amendments.
Except with respect to any changes that do not adversely
affect the rights of the Holders (in which case no consent of the Holders will
be required), this Guarantee may only be amended with the prior approval of the
Holders of at least a Majority in Liquidation Amount of the Securities. The
provisions of Section 12.2 of the Declaration with respect to meetings of, and
action by written consent of, the Holders of the Securities apply to the giving
of such approval.
SECTION 9.3 Notices.
All notices provided for in this Guarantee shall be in
writing, duly signed by the party giving such notice, and shall be delivered,
telecopied or mailed by registered or certified mail, as follows:
(a) If given to the Guarantee Trustee, at the Guarantee
Trustee's mailing address set forth below (or such other address as the
Guarantee Trustee may give notice of to the Guarantor and the Holders
of the Securities):
The First National Bank of Chicago
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Attention: Corporate Trust
Fax: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
(b) If given to the Guarantor, at the Guarantor's mailing
addresses set forth below (or such other address as the Guarantor may
give notice of to the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders of the
Securities):
Star Banc Corporation
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attn: General Counsel
Fax: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
(c) If given to any Holder of Securities, at the address set
forth on the books and records of the Trust.
All such notices shall be deemed to have been given when
received in person, telecopied with receipt confirmed, or mailed by first class
mail, postage prepaid, except that if a notice or other document is refused
delivery or cannot be delivered because of a changed address of which no notice
was given, such notice or other document shall be deemed to have been delivered
on the date of such refusal or inability to deliver.
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SECTION 9.4 Benefit.
This Guarantee is solely for the benefit of the Holders of the
Securities and, subject to Section 3.1(a), is not separately transferable from
the Securities.
SECTION 9.5 Governing Law.
THIS GUARANTEE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND
INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Guarantee is executed as of the day
and year first above written.
STAR BANC CORPORATION,
as Guarantor
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
------------------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title: SVP and Treasurer
THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF CHICAGO,
as Guarantee Trustee
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
------------------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title: Vice President