UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
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This Agreement made as of January 28, 1993 by and between ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Investment Trust, an Ohio business trust (the "Trust"), and ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
& Co., Inc., a Michigan corporation ("Underwriter").
WHEREAS, the Trust is an open-end management investment company registered
under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Act"); and
WHEREAS, Underwriter is a broker-dealer registered with the Securities and
Exchange Commission and a member of the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD"); and
WHEREAS, the Trust and Underwriter are desirous of entering into an
agreement providing for the distribution by Underwriter of shares of beneficial
interest (the "Shares") of The RCM Fund, a series of shares of the Trust;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and agreements of the
parties contained herein, the parties agree as follows:
1. Appointment.
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The Trust hereby appoints Underwriter as its exclusive agent for the
distribution of the Shares, and Underwriter hereby accepts such appointment
under the terms of this Agreement. While this Agreement is in force, the Trust
shall not sell any
Shares except on the terms set forth in this Agreement. Notwithstanding any
other provision hereof, the Trust may terminate, suspend or withdraw the
offering of Shares whenever, in its sole discretion, it deems such action to be
desirable.
2. Sale and Repurchase of Shares.
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(a) Underwriter will have the right, as agent for the Trust, to sell
Shares to responsible investment dealers against orders therefor at the public
offering price (as defined in subparagraph 2(d) hereof). Upon receipt of an
order to purchase Shares from a dealer, Underwriter will promptly cause such
order to be filled by the Trust.
(b) Underwriter will also have the right, as agent for the Trust, to
sell such Shares to the public against orders therefor at the public offering
price.
(c) Underwriter will also have the right to take, as agent for the
Trust, all actions which, in Underwriter's judgment, are necessary to carry into
effect the distribution of the Shares.
(d) The public offering price for the Shares shall be the net asset
value of the Shares then in effect, plus any applicable sales charge determined
in the manner set forth in the Trust's effective Registration Statement on Form
N-1A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, including the then current
prospectus and statement of additional information (the "Registration
Statement"), or as permitted by the Act and the
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rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission promulgated
thereunder. In no event shall any applicable sales charge exceed the maximum
sales charge permitted by the Rules of Fair Practice of the NASD.
(e) The net asset value of the Shares shall be determined in the
manner provided in the Registration Statement, and when determined shall be
applicable to transactions as provided for in the Registration Statement. The
net asset value of the Shares shall be calculated by the Trust or by another
entity on behalf of the Trust. Underwriter shall have no duty to inquire into or
liability for the accuracy of the net asset value per Share as calculated.
(f) On every sale, the Trust shall receive the applicable net asset
value of the Shares promptly, but in no event later than the tenth business day
following the date on which Underwriter shall have received an order for the
purchase of the Shares. Underwriter shall have the right to retain the sales
charge, if any, less any applicable dealer discount.
(g) Upon receipt of purchase instructions, Underwriter will transmit
such instructions to the Trust or its transfer agent for registration of the
Shares purchased.
(h) Nothing in this Agreement shall prevent Underwriter or any
affiliated person (as defined in the Act) of Underwriter from acting as
underwriter or distributor for any other person, firm or corporation (including
other investment
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companies) or in any way limit or restrict Underwriter or any such affiliated
person from buying, selling or trading any securities for its or their own
account or for the accounts of others for whom it or they may be acting;
provided, however, that Underwriter 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.
(i) Underwriter, as agent of and for the account of the Trust, may
repurchase the Shares at such prices and upon such terms and conditions as shall
be specified in the Registration Statement.
3. Sale of Shares by the Trust.
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The Trust reserves the right to issue any Shares at any time directly
to the holders of Shares ("Shareholders"), to sell Shares to its Shareholders or
to other persons approved by the Trust's investment adviser at not less than net
asset value and to issue Shares in exchange for substantially all the assets of
any corporation or trust or for the shares of any corporation or trust.
4. Basis of Sale of Shares.
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Underwriter does not agree to sell any specific number of Shares.
Underwriter, as agent for the Trust, undertakes to sell Shares on a best efforts
basis only against orders therefor.
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5. Rules of NASD, etc.
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(a) Underwriter will conform to the Rules of Fair Practice of the
NASD and the securities laws of any jurisdiction in which it sells, directly or
indirectly, any Shares.
(b) Underwriter will require each dealer to whom Underwriter sells
Shares to conform to the applicable provisions hereof and the Registration
Statement with respect to the public offering price of the Shares, and neither
Underwriter nor any such dealers shall withhold the placing of purchase orders
so as to make a profit thereby.
(c) Underwriter agrees to furnish to the Trust sufficient copies of
any agreements, plans or other materials it intends to use in connection with
any sales of Shares in adequate time for the Trust to file and clear them with
the proper authorities before they are put in use, and not to use them until so
filed and cleared.
(d) Underwriter, at its own expense, will qualify as dealer or
broker, or otherwise, under all applicable State or federal laws required in
order that Shares may be sold in such States as may be mutually agreed upon by
the parties.
(e) Underwriter shall not make, or permit any representative, broker
or dealer to make, in connection with any sale or solicitation of a sale of the
Shares, any representations concerning the Shares except those contained in the
then current prospectus and statement of additional information covering the
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Shares and in printed information approved by the Trust as information
supplemental to such prospectus and statement of additional information. Copies
of the then effective prospectus and statement of additional information and any
such printed supplemental information will be supplied by the Trust to
Underwriter in reasonable quantities upon request.
6. Records to be Supplied by Trust.
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The Trust shall furnish to Underwriter copies of all information,
financial statements and other papers which Underwriter may reasonably request
for use in connection with the distribution of the Shares, and this shall
include, but shall not be limited to, one certified copy, upon request by
Underwriter, of all financial statements prepared for the Trust by independent
public accountants.
7. Expenses.
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In the performance of its obligations under this Agreement,
Underwriter will pay only the costs incurred in qualifying as a broker or dealer
under state and federal laws and in establishing and maintaining its
relationships with the dealers selling the Shares. All other costs in connection
with the offering of the Shares will be paid by the Trust's investment adviser
(the "Adviser") in accordance with agreements between them as permitted by
applicable law, including the Act and rules and regulations promulgated
thereunder.
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8. Indemnification of Trust.
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Underwriter, to the extent of the net commission, if any, received by
it from the sale of Shares but to no greater amount, agrees to indemnify and
hold harmless the Trust, the Adviser and each person who has been, is, or may
hereafter be a trustee, director, officer, employee, partner, shareholder or
control person of the Trust or the Adviser, against any loss, damage or expense
(including the reasonable costs of investigation) reasonably incurred by any of
them in connection with any claim or in connection with any action, suit or
proceeding to which any of them may be a party, which arises out of or is
alleged to arise out of or is based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact, or the omission or alleged omission to state a
material fact necessary to make the statements not misleading, on the part of
Underwriter or any agent or employee of Underwriter or any other person for
whose acts Underwriter is responsible, unless such statement or omission was
made in reliance upon written information furnished by the Trust or the Adviser.
Underwriter likewise, to the extent of the net commission received by it from
the sale of Shares but to no greater amount, agrees to indemnify and hold
harmless the Trust, the Adviser and each such person in connection with any
claim or in connection with any action, suit or proceeding which arises out of
or is alleged to arise out of Underwriter's failure to exercise reasonable care
and diligence with respect to its
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services, if any, rendered in connection with investment, reinvestment and other
plans for Shares. The term "expenses" for purposes of this and the next
paragraph includes amounts paid in satisfaction of judgments or in settlements
which are made with Underwriter's consent. The foregoing rights of
indemnification shall be in addition to any other rights to which the Trust, the
Adviser or each such person may be entitled as a matter of law.
9. Indemnification of Underwriter.
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Underwriter, its directors, officers, employees, partners,
shareholders and control persons shall not be liable for any error of judgment
or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Trust in connection with the
matters to which this Agreement relates, except a loss resulting from willful
misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of any of such persons in
the performance of Underwriter's duties or from the reckless disregard by any of
such persons of Underwriter's obligations and duties under this Agreement. The
Trust will advance attorneys' fees or other expenses incurred by any such person
in defending a proceeding, upon the undertaking by or on behalf of such person
to repay the advance if it is ultimately determined that such person is not
entitled to indemnification. Any person employed by Underwriter who may also be
or become an officer or employee of the Trust shall be deemed, when acting
within the scope of his employment by the Trust, to be acting in
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such employment solely for the Trust and not as an employee or agent of
Underwriter.
10. Termination and Amendment of this Agreement.
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This Agreement shall automatically terminate, without the payment of
any penalty, in the event of its assignment. This Agreement may be amended only
if such amendment is approved (i) by Underwriter, (ii) either by action of the
Board of Trustees of the Trust or at a meeting of the Shareholders of the Trust
by the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding Shares, and (iii) by a
majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not interested persons of the
Trust or of Underwriter by vote cast in person at a meeting called for the
purpose of voting on such approval.
Either the Trust or Underwriter may at any time terminate this
Agreement on sixty (60) days' written notice delivered or mailed by registered
mail, postage prepaid, to the other party.
11. Effective Period of this Agreement.
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This Agreement shall take effect upon its execution and shall remain
in full force and effect for a period of two (2) years from such date (unless
terminated automatically as set forth in Section 10), and from year to year
thereafter, subject to annual approval (i) by Underwriter, (ii) by the Board of
Trustees of the Trust or a vote of a majority of the outstanding Shares, and
(iii) by a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who
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are not interested persons of the Trust or of Underwriter by vote cast in person
at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval.
12. Limitation of Liability.
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The term "▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Investment Trust" means and refers to the Trustees
from time to time serving under the Trust's Agreement and Declaration of Trust
as the same may subsequently thereto have been, or subsequently hereto be,
amended. 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, as provided in the Agreement and Declaration of Trust of the
Trust. The execution and delivery of this Agreement have been authorized by the
Trustees and Shareholders of the Trust and signed by an officer of the Trust,
acting as such, and neither such authorization by such Trustees and Shareholders
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 as provided in
its Agreement and Declaration of Trust.
13. New Series.
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The terms and provisions of this Agreement shall become automatically
applicable to any additional series of the Trust established during the initial
or renewal term of this Agreement.
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14. Successor Investment Company.
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Unless this Agreement has been terminated in accordance with Paragraph
10, the terms and provisions of this Agreement shall become automatically
applicable to any investment company which is a successor to the Trust as a
result of reorganization, recapitalization or change of domicile.
15. 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.
16. Questions of Interpretation.
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(a) This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of
Michigan.
(b) 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 Act shall be resolved by reference to such term or provision of the Act
and to interpretation 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 Securities and Exchange Commission issued pursuant to said Act. In
addition, where the effect of a requirement of the Act, reflected in any
provision of this Agreement is revised by rule, regulation or order of the
Securities and Exchange Commission, such provision shall be
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deemed to incorporate the effect of such rule, regulation or order.
17. Notices.
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Any notices under this Agreement shall be in writing, addressed and
delivered or mailed postage paid to the other party at such address as such
other party may designate for the receipt of such notice. Until further notice
to the other party, it is agreed that the address both of the Trust and of the
Underwriter for this purpose shall be ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇,
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Trust and Underwriter have each caused this
Agreement to be signed in duplicate on their behalf, all as of the day and year
first above written.
ATTEST: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ INVESTMENT TRUST
/s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
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Its: President
ATTEST: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & CO., INC.
/s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
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Its: President
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