ADMINISTRATION AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT dated as of May 23, 1995 between The Tuscarora Investment
Trust (the "Trust"), a Massachusetts business trust, and MGF Service Corp.
("MGF"), an Ohio corporation.
WHEREAS, the Trust is an investment company registered under the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"); and
WHEREAS, the Trust wishes to employ the services of MGF to
serve as its administrative agent; and
WHEREAS, MGF wishes to provide such services under the
conditions set forth below;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and mutual covenants
contained in this Agreement, the Trust and MGF agree as follows:
1. APPOINTMENT.
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The Trust hereby appoints and employs MGF as agent to perform
those services described in this Agreement for the Trust. MGF shall act under
such appointment and perform the obligations thereof upon the terms and
conditions hereinafter set forth.
2. DOCUMENTATION.
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The Trust will furnish from time to time the following
documents:
A. Each resolution of the Board of Trustees of the Trust
authorizing the original issue of its shares;
B. Each Registration Statement filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and amendments
thereof;
C. A certified copy of each amendment to the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust and the By-Laws of the Trust;
D. Certified copies of each resolution of the Board of
Trustees authorizing officers to give instructions to
MGF;
E. Specimens of all new forms of share certificates
accompanied by Board of Trustees' resolutions approving
such forms;
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F. Such other certificates, documents or opinions which
MGF may, in its discretion, deem necessary or
appropriate in the proper performance of its duties;
G. Copies of all Underwriting and Dealer Agreements in
effect;
H. Copies of all Investment Advisory Agreements in effect;
and
I. Copies of all documents relating to special investment
or withdrawal plans which are offered or may be offered
in the future by the Trust and for which MGF is to act
as plan agent.
3. TRUST ADMINISTRATION.
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Subject to the direction and control of the Trustees of the
Trust, MGF shall supervise the Trust's business affairs not otherwise supervised
by other agents of the Trust. To the extent not otherwise the primary
responsibility of, or provided by, other agents of the Trust, MGF shall supply
(i) office facilities, (ii) internal auditing and regulatory services, and (iii)
executive and administrative services. MGF shall coordinate the preparation of
(i) reports to shareholders of the Trust, (ii) reports to and filings with the
SEC and state securities authorities including preliminary and definitive proxy
materials, post-effective amendments to the Trust's registration statement, and
the Trust's Form N-SAR, and (iii) necessary materials for Board of Trustees'
meetings unless prepared by other parties under agreement with the Trust. MGF
shall also supervise the preparation of all federal, state and local tax returns
and reports of the Trust required by applicable law. MGF shall provide personnel
to serve as officers of the Trust if so elected by the Board of Trustees;
provided, however, that the Trust shall reimburse MGF for the reasonable
out-of-pocket expenses incurred by such personnel in attending Board of
Trustees' meetings and shareholders' meetings of the Trust.
4. RECORDKEEPING AND OTHER INFORMATION.
-----------------------------------
MGF shall create and maintain all records required by
applicable laws, rules and regulations, including but not limited to records
required by Section 31(a) of the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder, as the same
may be amended from time to time, pertaining to the various functions performed
by it and not otherwise created and maintained by another party pursuant to
contract with the Trust. All such records shall be the property of the Trust at
all times and shall be available for inspection and use by the Trust. Where
applicable, such records shall be maintained by MGF for the periods and in the
places required by Rule 31a-2 under the 1940 Act. The retention of such records
shall be at the expense of the Trust. MGF shall make available during regular
business hours all records and other data created
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and maintained pursuant to this Agreement for reasonable audit and inspection by
the Trust, any person retained by the Trust, or any regulatory agency having
authority over the Trust.
5. FURTHER ACTIONS.
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Each party agrees to perform such further acts and execute
such further documents as are necessary to effectuate the purposes hereof.
6. COMPENSATION.
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For the performance of MGF's obligations under this Agreement,
each series of the Trust shall pay MGF, on the first business day following the
end of each month, a monthly fee at the annual rate of .2% of such series'
average daily net assets up to $25 million; .175% of such assets from $25 to $50
million; and .15% of such assets in excess of $50 million. MGF shall not be
required to reimburse the Trust or the Trust's investment adviser for (or have
deducted from its fees) any expenses in excess of expense limitations imposed by
certain state securities commissions having jurisdiction over the Trust.
7. COMPLIANCE WITH GOVERNMENTAL RULES AND REGULATIONS.
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The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that nothing
contained herein shall be construed to require MGF to perform any services for
the Trust which services could cause MGF to be deemed an "investment adviser" of
the Trust within the meaning of Section 2(a)(20) of the 1940 Act or to supersede
or contravene the Trust's prospectus or statement of additional information or
any provisions of the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder. Except as otherwise
provided in this Agreement and except for the accuracy of information furnished
to it by MGF, the Trust assumes full responsibility for complying with all
applicable requirements of the 1940 Act, the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
and any other laws, rules and regulations of governmental authorities having
jurisdiction.
8. INDEMNIFICATION OF MGF.
-----------------------
A. MGF may rely on information reasonably believed by it to be
accurate and reliable. Except as may otherwise be required by the 1940 Act and
the rules thereunder, neither MGF nor its officers, directors, employees,
agents, control persons or affiliates of any thereof shall be subject to any
liability for, or any damages, expenses or losses incurred by the Trust in
connection with, any error of judgment, mistake of law, any act or omission
connected with or arising out of any services rendered under or payments made
pursuant to this Agreement or any other matter to which this Agreement relates,
except by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or negligence on the part of
any
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such persons in the performance of the duties of MGF under this Agreement or by
reason of reckless disregard by any of such persons of the obligations and
duties of MGF under this Agreement.
B. Any person, even though also a director, officer, employee,
shareholder or agent of MGF, or any of its affiliates, who may be or become an
officer, trustee, employee or agent of the Trust, shall be deemed, when
rendering services to the Trust or acting on any business of the Trust, to be
rendering such services to or acting solely as an officer, trustee, employee or
agent of the Trust and not as a director, officer, employee, or agent of or one
under the control or direction of MGF or any of its affiliates, even though paid
by one of these entities.
C. The Trust shall indemnify and hold harmless MGF, its directors,
officers, employees, agents, control persons and affiliates from and against any
and all claims, demands, expenses and liabilities of any and every nature which
MGF may sustain or incur by reason of, or as a result of: (i) any action taken
or omitted to be taken by MGF in good faith in reliance upon any certificate,
instrument, order or share certificate reasonably believed by it to be genuine
and to be signed, countersigned or executed by any duly authorized person, upon
the oral instructions or written instructions of an authorized person of the
Trust or upon the opinion of legal counsel for the Trust or its own counsel; or
(ii) any action taken or omitted to be taken by MGF in connection with its
appointment in good faith in reliance upon any law, act, regulation or
interpretation of the same even though the same may thereafter have been
altered, changed, amended or repealed. However, indemnification under this
subparagraph shall not apply to actions or omissions of MGF or its directors,
officers, employees, or agents in cases of its or their own negligence, willful
misconduct, bad faith, or reckless disregard of its or their own duties
hereunder.
9. INDEMNIFICATION OF TRUST.
------------------------
MGF shall indemnify and hold harmless the Trust, its trustees,
officers and employees from and against any and all claims, demands, expenses
and liabilities of any and every nature which the Trust or such persons may
sustain or incur by reason of, or as a result of MGF's negligence, willful
misconduct, bad faith, or reckless disregard of its duties hereunder.
10. TERMINATION
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A. The provisions of this Agreement shall be effective on the
date first above written, shall continue in effect for two years from that date
and shall continue in force from year to year thereafter, but only so long as
such continuance is approved (1) by MGF, (2) by vote, cast in person
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at a meeting called for the purpose, of a majority of the Trust's trustees who
are not parties to this Agreement or interested persons (as defined in the ▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇) of any such party, and (3) by vote of a majority of the Trust's Board of
Trustees or a majority of the Trust's outstanding voting securities.
B. Either party may terminate this Agreement on any date by
giving the other party at least sixty (60) days' prior written notice of such
termination specifying the date fixed therefore. Upon termination of this
Agreement, the Trust shall pay to MGF such compensation as may be due as of the
date of such termination, and shall likewise reimburse MGF for any out-of-pocket
expenses and disbursements reasonably incurred by MGF to such date.
C. In the event that in connection with the termination of
this Agreement a successor to any of MGF's duties or responsibilities under this
Agreement is designated by the Trust by written notice to MGF, MGF shall,
promptly upon such termination and at the expense of the Trust, transfer all
records maintained by MGF under this Agreement and shall cooperate in the
transfer of such duties and responsibilities, including provision for assistance
from MGF's cognizant personnel in the establishment of books, records and other
data by such successor.
11. SERVICES FOR OTHERS.
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Nothing in this Agreement shall prevent MGF or any affiliated
person (as defined in the ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇) of MGF from providing services for any other
person, firm or corporation (including other investment companies); provided,
however, that MGF expressly represents that it will undertake no activities
which, in its judgment, will adversely affect the performance of its obligations
to the Trust under this Agreement.
12. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY.
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It is expressly agreed that the obligations of the Trust
hereunder shall not be binding upon any of the Trustees, shareholders, nominees,
officers, agents or employees of the Trust, personally, but bind only the trust
property of the Trust. The execution and delivery of this Agreement have been
authorized by the Trustees of the Trust and signed by an officer of the Trust,
acting as such, and neither such authorization by such Trustees nor such
execution and delivery by such officer shall be deemed to have been made by any
of them individually or to impose any liability on any of them personally, but
shall bind only the trust property of the Trust.
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13. SEVERABILITY.
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In the event any provision of this Agreement is determined to
be void or unenforceable, such determination shall not affect the remainder of
this Agreement, which shall continue to be in force.
14. QUESTIONS OF INTERPRETATION.
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This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of
Ohio. Any question of interpretation of any term or provision of this Agreement
having a counterpart in or otherwise derived from a term or provision of the
1940 Act shall be resolved by reference to such term or provision of the 1940
Act and to interpretations thereof, if any, by the United States Courts or in
the absence of any controlling decision of any such court, by rules, regulations
or orders of the SEC issued pursuant to said 1940 Act. In addition, where the
effect of a requirement of the 1940 Act, reflected in any provision of this
Agreement, is revised by rule, regulation or order of the SEC, such provision
shall be deemed to incorporate the effect of such rule, regulation or order.
15. NOTICES.
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All notices, requests, consents and other communications
required or permitted under this Agreement shall be in writing (including telex
and telegraphic communication) and shall be (as elected by the person giving
such notice) hand delivered by messenger or courier service, telecommunicated,
or mailed (airmail if international) by registered or certified mail (postage
prepaid), return receipt requested, addressed to:
To the Trust: The Tuscarora Investment Trust
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attention: ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
To MGF: MGF Service Corp.
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attention: ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
or to such other address as any party may designate by notice complying with the
terms of this Section 15. Each such notice shall be deemed delivered (a) on the
date delivered if by personal delivery; (b) on the date telecommunicated if by
telegraph; (c) on the date of transmission with confirmed answer back if by
telex, telefax or other telegraphic method; and (d) on the date upon which the
return receipt is signed or delivery is refused or the notice is designated by
the postal authorities as not deliverable, as the case may be, if mailed.
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16. AMENDMENT.
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This Agreement may not be amended or modified except by a
written agreement executed by both parties.
17. BINDING EFFECT.
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Each of the undersigned expressly warrants and represents that
he has the full power and authority to sign this Agreement on behalf of the
party indicated, and that his signature will operate to bind the party indicated
to the foregoing terms.
18. COUNTERPARTS.
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This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts,
each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall
constitute one and the same instrument.
19. FORCE MAJEURE.
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If MGF shall be delayed in its performance of services or
prevented entirely or in part from performing services due to causes or events
beyond its control, including and without limitation, acts of God, interruption
of power or other utility, transportation or communication services, acts of
civil or military authority, sabotages, national emergencies, explosion, flood,
accident, earthquake or other catastrophe, fire, strike or other labor problems,
legal action, present or future law, governmental order, rule or regulation, or
shortages of suitable parts, materials, labor or transportation, such delay or
non-performance shall be excused and a reasonable time for performance in
connection with this Agreement shall be extended to include the period of such
delay or non-performance.
20. MISCELLANEOUS.
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The captions in this Agreement are included for convenience of
reference only and in no way define or limit any of the provisions hereof or
otherwise affect their construction or effect.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
executed as of the day and year first above written.
THE TUSCARORA INVESTMENT TRUST
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
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Its: President
MGF SERVICE CORP.
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
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Its: Chairman of the Board
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