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PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
UNION BANKSHARES, LTD.
and
AMERICAN SECURITIES TRANSFER & TRUST, INC.
Dated: ______________, 1998
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ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION
Section 1.01. Definitions and Interpretations............................ 1
ARTICLE II
TRUST INDENTURE ACT
Section 2.01. Trust Indenture Act; Application........................... 5
Section 2.02. Lists of Holders of Securities............................. 5
Section 2.03. Reports by the Preferred Guarantee Trustee................. 5
Section 2.04. Periodic Reports to Preferred Guarantee Trustee............ 5
Section 2.05. Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent........... 6
Section 2.06. Events of Default; Waiver.................................. 6
Section 2.07. Event of Default; Notice................................... 6
Section 2.08. Conflicting Interests...................................... 6
ARTICLE III
POWERS, DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
Section 3.01. Powers and Duties of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee....... 7
Section 3.02. Certain Rights of Preferred Guarantee Trustee.............. 8
Section 3.03. Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Guarantee...... 10
Section 3.04. Compensation and Reimbursement............................. 10
ARTICLE IV
PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
Section 4.01. Preferred Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility................... 11
Section 4.02. Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Preferred
Guarantee Trustees......................................... 12
ARTICLE V
GUARANTEE
Section 5.01. Guarantee.................................................. 12
Section 5.02. Waiver of Notice and Demand................................ 13
Section 5.03. Obligations Not Affected................................... 13
Section 5.04. Rights of Holders.......................................... 14
Section 5.05. Guarantee of Payment....................................... 14
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Section 5.06. Subrogation................................................ 14
Section 5.07. Independent Obligations.................................... 14
ARTICLE VI
LIMITATION OF TRANSACTIONS; SUBORDINATION
Section 6.01. Limitation of Transactions................................. 14
Section 6.02. Ranking.................................................... 15
ARTICLE VII
TERMINATION
Section 7.01. Termination................................................ 15
ARTICLE VIII
INDEMNIFICATION
Section 8.01. Exculpation................................................ 15
Section 8.02. Indemnification............................................ 16
ARTICLE IX
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 9.01. Successors and Assigns..................................... 16
Section 9.02. Amendments................................................. 16
Section 9.03. Notices.................................................... 16
Section 9.04. Benefit.................................................... 17
Section 9.05. Governing Law.............................................. 17
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CROSS REFERENCE TABLE
Section of Trust Indenture Act of 1939, Section of Guarantee
as Amended Agreement
310(a) 4.01(a)
310(b) 4.01(c), 2.08
310(c) Inapplicable
311(a) 2.02(b)
311(b) 2.02(b)
311(c) Inapplicable
312(a) 2.02(a)
312(b) 2.02(b)
313 2.03
314(a) 2.04
314(b) Inapplicable
314(c) 2.05
314(d) Inapplicable
314(e) 1.01, 2.05, 3.02
314(f) 2.01, 3.02
315(a) 3.01(d)
315(b) 2.07
315(c) 3.01
315(d) 3.01(d)
316(a) 1.01, 3.06, 5.04
316(b) 5.03
316(c) 8.02
317(a) Inapplicable
317(b) Inapplicable
318(a) 2.01(b)
318(b) 2.01
318(c) 2.01(a)
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PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
This GUARANTEE AGREEMENT (the "Preferred Securities Guarantee"), dated
as of ______________, 1998, is executed and delivered by UNION BANKSHARES, LTD.,
a Delaware corporation (the "Guarantor"), and AMERICAN SECURITIES TRANSFER &
TRUST, INC., as trustee (the "Preferred Guarantee Trustee"), for the benefit of
the Holders (as defined herein) from time to time of the Preferred Securities
(as defined herein) of UNION BANKSHARES CAPITAL TRUST I, a Delaware statutory
business trust ("UBCT").
WHEREAS, pursuant to an Amended and Restated Trust Agreement (the
"Trust Agreement") dated as of _________, 1998 among the trustees of UBCT named
therein, the Guarantor, as sponsor, and the holders from time to time of
undivided beneficial interests in the assets of UBCT, UBCT is issuing on the
date hereof 1,315,790 preferred securities, having an aggregate liquidation
amount of $10,000,004 designated the ____% Cumulative Preferred Securities (the
"Preferred Securities"); and
WHEREAS, as incentive for the Holders to purchase the Preferred
Securities, the Guarantor desires irrevocably and unconditionally to agree, to
the extent set forth in this Preferred Securities Guarantee, to pay to the
Holders of the Preferred 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
Preferred Securities, which purchase the Guarantor hereby agrees shall benefit
the Guarantor, the Guarantor executes and delivers this Preferred Securities
Guarantee for the benefit of the Holders.
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION
SECTION 1.01. DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATIONS. In this Preferred
Securities Guarantee, unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) capitalized terms used in this Preferred Securities
Guarantee but not defined in the preamble above have the respective
meanings assigned to them in this Section 1.01;
(b) a term defined anywhere in this Preferred Securities
Guarantee has the same meaning throughout;
(c) all references to "the Preferred Securities Guarantee" or
"this Preferred Securities Guarantee" are to this Preferred Securities
Guarantee as modified, supplemented or amended from time to time;
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(d) all references in this Preferred Securities Guarantee to
Articles and Sections are to Articles and Sections of this Preferred
Securities Guarantee, unless otherwise specified;
(e) a term defined in the Trust Indenture Act has the same
meaning when used in this Preferred Securities Guarantee, unless
otherwise defined in this Preferred Securities Guarantee or unless the
context otherwise requires; and
(f) a reference to the singular includes the plural and vice
versa.
"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" means any day other than (a) a Saturday or Sunday, (b)
a day on which banking institutions in the State of Colorado are authorized or
required by law or executive order to remain closed, or (c) a day on which the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee's Corporate Trust Office is closed for business.
"Corporate Trust Office" means the office of the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee at which the corporate trust business of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee
shall, at any particular time, be principally administered, which office at the
date of execution of this Agreement is located at ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇,
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Attn: Corporate Trust Administration.
"Covered Person" means any Holder or beneficial owner of Preferred
Securities.
"Debt" means with respect to any person, whether recourse is to all or
a portion of the assets of such person and whether or not contingent: (a) every
obligation of such person for money borrowed; (b) every obligation of such
person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or other similar instruments,
including obligations incurred in connection with the acquisition of property,
assets or businesses; (c) every reimbursement obligation of such person with
respect to letters of credit, bankers' acceptances or similar facilities issued
for the account of such person; (d) every obligation of such person issued or
assumed as the deferred purchase price of property or services (but excluding
trade accounts payable or accrued liabilities arising in the ordinary course of
business); (e) every capital lease obligation of such person; and (f) every
obligation of the type referred to in clauses (a) through (e) of another person
and all dividends of another person the payment of which, in either case, such
person has guaranteed or for which such person is responsible or liable,
directly or indirectly, as obligor or otherwise.
"Event of Default" means a default by the Guarantor on any of its
payment or other obligations under this Preferred Securities Guarantee.
"Guarantee Payments" means the following payments or distributions,
without duplication, with respect to the Preferred Securities, to the extent not
paid or made by UBCT: (a) any accrued and unpaid Distributions (as defined in
the Trust Agreement) that are required to be paid on such Preferred Securities
to the extent UBCT shall have funds available therefor, (b) the redemption
price, including all accrued and unpaid Distributions to the date of redemption
(the
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"Redemption Price") to the extent UBCT has funds available therefor, with
respect to any Preferred Securities called for redemption by UBCT, and (c) upon
a voluntary or involuntary dissolution, winding-up or termination of UBCT (other
than in connection with the distribution of Junior Subordinated Debentures to
the Holders in exchange for Preferred Securities as provided in the Trust
Agreement), the lesser of (i) the aggregate of the liquidation amount and all
accrued and unpaid Distributions on the Preferred Securities to the date of
payment, to the extent UBCT shall have funds available therefor, and (ii) the
amount of assets of UBCT remaining available for distribution to Holders in
liquidation of UBCT (in either case, the "Liquidation Distribution").
"Holder" shall mean any holder, as registered on the books and records
of UBCT of any Preferred Securities; provided, however, that, in determining
whether the holders of the requisite percentage of Preferred Securities have
given any request, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, "Holder" shall not
include the Guarantor or any Affiliate of the Guarantor.
"Indemnified Person" means the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, any
Affiliate of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, or any officers, directors,
shareholders, members, partners, employees, representatives, nominees,
custodians or agents of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
"Indenture" means the Subordinated Indenture dated as of
______________, 1998, among the Guarantor (the "Debenture Issuer") and American
Securities Transfer & Trust, Inc., as trustee, and any indenture supplemental
thereto pursuant to which the Junior Subordinated Debentures are to be issued to
the Property Trustee (as defined in the Trust Agreement) of UBCT.
"Junior Subordinated Debentures" means the series of junior
subordinated deferrable interest debt securities of the Guarantor designated the
___% Junior Subordinated Debentures due 2028 held by the Property Trustee of
UBCT.
"Majority in liquidation amount of the Preferred Securities" means,
except as provided by the Trust Indenture Act, a vote by Holders of Preferred
Securities, voting separately as a class, of more than 50% of the 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 Preferred Securities.
"Officers' Certificate" means, with respect to any Person, a
certificate signed by two Authorized officers of such Person. Any Officers'
Certificate delivered with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant
provided for in this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall include:
(a) a statement that each officer signing the Officers'
Certificate has read the covenant or condition and the definition
relating thereto;
(b) a brief statement of the nature and scope of the
examination or investigation undertaken by each officer in rendering
the Officers' Certificate;
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(c) a statement that each such officer has made such
examination or investigation as, in such officer's opinion, is
necessary to enable such officer to express an informed opinion as
to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with;
and
(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such
officer, such condition or covenant has been complied with.
"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.
"Preferred Guarantee Trustee" means American Securities Transfer &
Trust, Inc., until a Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee has been appointed
and has accepted such appointment pursuant to the terms of this Preferred
Securities Guarantee and thereafter means each such Successor Preferred
Guarantee Trustee.
"Responsible Officer" means, with respect to the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee, any officer within the Corporate Trust Office of the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee, including any vice-president, any assistant vice-president,
any assistant secretary, the treasurer, any assistant treasurer or other officer
of the Corporate Trust Office of the Preferred 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 Preferred Guarantee Trustee" means a successor Preferred
Guarantee Trustee possessing the qualifications to act as Preferred Guarantee
Trustee under Section 4.01.
"Senior and Subordinated Debt" means the principal of (and premium,
if any) and interest, if any (including interest accruing on or after the filing
of any petition in bankruptcy or for reorganization relating to the Guarantor
whether or not such claim for post-petition interest is allowed in such
proceeding), on Debt of the Guarantor, whether incurred on or prior to the date
of the Indenture or thereafter incurred, unless, in the instrument creating or
evidencing the same or pursuant to which the same is outstanding, it is provided
that such obligations are not superior in right of payment to the Preferred
Securities Guarantee or to other Debt which is pari passu with, or subordinated
to, the Preferred Securities Guarantee; provided, however, that Senior and
Subordinated Debt shall not be deemed to include (a) any Debt of the Guarantor
which when incurred and without respect to any election under section 1111(b) of
the United States Bankruptcy Code of 1978, as amended, was without recourse to
the Guarantor, (b) any Debt of the Guarantor to any of its subsidiaries, (c) any
Debt to any employee of the Guarantor, (d) any Debt which by its terms is
subordinated to trade accounts payable or accrued liabilities arising in the
ordinary course of business to the extent that payments made to the holders of
such Debt by the holders of the Junior Subordinated Debentures as a result of
the subordination provisions of the Indenture would be greater than they
otherwise would have been as a result of any obligation
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of such holders to pay amounts over to the obligees on such trade accounts
payable or accrued liabilities arising in the ordinary course of business as a
result of the subordination provisions to which such Debt is subject, (e) the
Junior Subordinated Debentures, and (f) any other debt securities issued
pursuant to the Indenture.
"Trust Indenture Act" means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as
amended.
ARTICLE II
TRUST INDENTURE ACT
SECTION 2.01. TRUST INDENTURE ACT; APPLICATION.
(a) This Preferred Securities Guarantee is subject to the
provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of
this Preferred Securities Guarantee and shall, to the extent
applicable, be governed by such provisions; and
(b) If and to the extent that any provision of this Preferred
Securities 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.
SECTION 2.02. LISTS OF HOLDERS OF SECURITIES.
(a) The Guarantor shall provide the Preferred Guarantee Trustee
with a list, in such form as the Preferred Guarantee Trustee may
reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the Holders of the
Preferred Securities ("List of Holders") (i) on or before January 15
and July 15 of each year, and (ii) at any other time within 30 days of
receipt by the Guarantor of a written request for a List of Holders,
as of a date no more than 14 days before such List of Holders is given
to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee provided, that the Guarantor shall
not be obligated to provide such List of Holders at any time the List
of Holders does not differ from the most recent List of Holders given
to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee by the Guarantor. The Preferred
Guarantee Trustee may destroy any List of Holders previously given to
it on receipt of a new List of Holders.
(b) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall comply with its
obligations under Sections 311(a), 311(b) and Section 312(b) of the
Trust Indenture Act.
SECTION 2.03. REPORTS BY THE PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE. On or before
July 15 of each year, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall provide to the
Holders of the Preferred 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 Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall
also comply with the requirements of Section 313(d) of the Trust Indenture Act.
SECTION 2.04. PERIODIC REPORTS TO PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE. The
Guarantor shall provide to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee such documents,
reports and information as required
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by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act, if any, 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 2.05. EVIDENCE OF COMPLIANCE WITH CONDITIONS PRECEDENT. The
Guarantor shall provide to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee such evidence of
compliance with the conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Preferred
Securities 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 2.06. EVENTS OF DEFAULT; WAIVER. The Holders of a Majority in
liquidation amount of Preferred Securities may, by vote, on behalf of the
Holders of all of the Preferred Securities, waive any past Event of Default and
its consequences. Upon such waiver, any such Event of Default shall cease to
exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been
cured, for every purpose of this Preferred Securities Guarantee, but no such
waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or Event of Default or
impair any right consequent thereon.
SECTION 2.07. EVENT OF DEFAULT; NOTICE.
(a) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall, within 90 days after
the occurrence of an Event of Default, transmit by mail, first class
postage prepaid, to the Holders of the Preferred Securities, notices
of all Events of Default actually known to a Responsible Officer of
the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, unless such defaults have been cured
before the giving of such notice, provided, that, the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and
so long as a Responsible Officer of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee in
good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the
interests of the Holders of the Preferred Securities.
(b) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be deemed to
have knowledge of any Event of Default unless the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee shall have received a properly addressed written notice, or of
which a Responsible Officer of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee charged
with the administration of the Trust Agreement shall have obtained
actual knowledge.
SECTION 2.08. CONFLICTING INTERESTS. The Trust Agreement shall be
deemed to be specifically described in this Preferred Securities Guarantee for
the purposes of clause (i) of the first proviso contained in Section 310(b) of
the Trust Indenture Act.
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ARTICLE III
POWERS, DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF
PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
SECTION 3.01. POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE.
(a) This Preferred Securities Guarantee shall be held by the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee for the benefit of the Holders of the
Preferred Securities, and the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not
transfer this Preferred Securities Guarantee to any Person except a
Holder of Preferred Securities exercising such Holder's rights
pursuant to Section 5.04(b) or to a Successor Preferred Guarantee
Trustee on acceptance by such Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee of
its appointment to act as Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee. The
right, title and interest of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall
automatically vest in any Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee, and
such vesting and cessation of title shall be effective whether or not
conveyancing documents have been executed and delivered pursuant to
the appointment of such Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
(b) If an Event of Default actually known to a Responsible
Officer of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee has occurred and is
continuing, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall enforce this
Preferred Securities Guarantee for the benefit of the Holders of the
Preferred Securities.
(c) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee, before the occurrence
of any Event of Default and after the curing of all Events of Default
that may have occurred, shall undertake to perform only such duties as
are specifically set forth in this Preferred Securities Guarantee, and
no implied covenants shall be read into this Preferred Securities
Guarantee against the Preferred Guarantee Trustee. In case an Event of
Default has occurred (that has not been cured or waived pursuant to
Section 2.06) and is actually known to a Responsible Officer of the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall
exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Preferred
Securities 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 such person's own affairs.
(d) No provision of this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall
be construed to relieve the Preferred 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 Event of Default and
after the curing or waiving of all such Events of Default that
may have occurred:
(A) the duties and obligations of the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee shall be determined solely by the express
provisions of this Preferred Securities Guarantee, and the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall
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not be liable except for the performance of such duties and
obligations as are specifically set forth in this Preferred
Securities Guarantee, and no implied covenants or
obligations shall be read into this Preferred Securities
Guarantee against the Preferred Guarantee Trustee; and
(B) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee, the Preferred 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 Preferred
Guarantee Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this
Preferred Securities Guarantee; but in the case of any such
certificates or opinions that by any provision hereof are
specifically required to be furnished to the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be
under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not
they conform to the requirements of this Preferred
Securities Guarantee;
(ii) the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable for
any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible
Officer of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, unless it shall be
proved that the Preferred Guarantee Trustee was negligent in
ascertaining the pertinent facts upon which such judgment was
made;
(iii) the Preferred 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
Preferred Securities relating to the time, method and place of
conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee, or exercising any trust or power
conferred upon the Preferred Guarantee Trustee under this
Preferred Securities Guarantee; and
(iv) no provision of this Preferred Securities Guarantee
shall require the Preferred 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 Preferred 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 Preferred Securities Guarantee or indemnity,
reasonably satisfactory to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee,
against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.
SECTION 3.02. CERTAIN RIGHTS OF PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 3.01:
(i) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee may conclusively rely
upon, and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from
acting upon, any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument,
opinion, report, notice, request, direction,
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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 Preferred Securities Guarantee shall be sufficiently
evidenced by an Officers' Certificate.
(iii) Whenever, in the administration of this Preferred
Securities Guarantee, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall
deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established before
taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the
Preferred 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 Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall have no duty to
see to any recording, filing or registration of any instrument
(or any re-recording, re-filing or registration thereof).
(v) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee may consult with
counsel, and the written 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 Preferred Guarantee Trustee
shall have the right at any time to seek instructions
concerning the administration of this Preferred Securities
Guarantee from any court of competent jurisdiction.
(vi) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be under no
obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it
by this Preferred Securities Guarantee at the request or
direction of any Holder, unless such Holder shall have provided
to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee such security and indemnity,
reasonably satisfactory to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee,
against the costs, expenses (including attorneys' fees and
expenses and the expenses of the Preferred 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
Preferred Guarantee Trustee; provided that, nothing contained
in this Section 3.02(a)(vi) shall be taken to relieve the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee, upon the occurrence of an Event of
Default, of its obligation to exercise the rights and powers
vested in it by this Preferred Securities Guarantee.
(vii) The Preferred 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,
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bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other
paper or document, but the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, in its
discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into
such facts or matters as it may see fit.
(viii) The Preferred 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 Preferred 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 Preferred Guarantee Trustee or
its agents hereunder shall bind the Holders of the Preferred
Securities, and the signature of the Preferred 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 Preferred Guarantee Trustee
to so act or as to its compliance with any of the terms and
provisions of this Preferred Securities Guarantee, both of
which shall be conclusively evidenced by the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee's or its agent's taking such action.
(x) Whenever in the administration of this Preferred
Securities Guarantee the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall deem
it desirable to receive instructions with respect to enforcing
any remedy or right or taking any other action hereunder, the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee (A) may request instructions from
the Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of the
Preferred Securities, (B) may refrain from enforcing such
remedy or right or taking such other action until such
instructions are received, and (C) shall be protected in
conclusively relying on or acting in accordance with such
instructions.
(b) No provision of this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall
be deemed to impose any duty or obligation on the Preferred 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 Preferred 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
Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be construed to be a duty.
SECTION 3.03. NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR RECITALS OR ISSUANCE OF GUARANTEE.
The recitals contained in this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall be taken as
the statements of the Guarantor, and the Preferred Guarantee Trustee does not
assume any responsibility for their correctness. The Preferred Guarantee Trustee
makes no representation as to the validity or sufficiency of this Preferred
Securities Guarantee.
SECTION 3.04. COMPENSATION AND REIMBURSEMENT. The Guarantor covenants
and agrees to pay to the Preferred Guarantor Trustee, and the Preferred
Guarantor Trustee shall be entitled to, such reasonable compensation (which
shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a
trustee of an express trust), as the Guarantor and the Preferred
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Guarantor Trustee may from time to time agree in writing, for all services
rendered by it in the execution of the trusts hereby created and in the exercise
and performance of any of the powers and duties hereunder of the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee, and, except as otherwise expressly provided herein, the
Guarantor will pay or reimburse the Preferred Guarantor Trustee upon its request
for all reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances incurred or made by the
Preferred Guarantor Trustee in accordance with any of the provisions of this
Preferred Securities Guarantee (including the reasonable compensation and the
expenses and disbursements of its counsel and of all Persons not regularly in
its employ) except any such expense, disbursement or advance as may arise from
its negligence or bad faith. The Guarantor also covenants to indemnify the
Preferred Guarantor Trustee (and its officers, agents, directors and employees)
for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability or expense incurred
without negligence or bad faith on the part of the Preferred Guarantor Trustee
and arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of
this trust, including the costs and expenses of defending itself against any
claims of liability in the premises.
ARTICLE IV
PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
SECTION 4.01. PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE; ELIGIBILITY.
(a) There shall at all times be a Preferred 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 $50,000,000, 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
4.01(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.
(b) If at any time the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall cease to
be eligible to so act under Section 4.01(a), the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee shall immediately resign in the manner and with the effect set out
in Section 4.02(c).
(c) If the Preferred Guarantee Trustee has or shall acquire any
"conflicting interest" within the meaning of Section 310(b) of the Trust
Indenture Act, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee and Guarantor shall in all
respects comply with the provisions of Section 310(b) of the Trust
Indenture Act.
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SECTION 4.02. APPOINTMENT, REMOVAL AND RESIGNATION OF PREFERRED
GUARANTEE TRUSTEES.
(a) Subject to Section 4.02(b), the Preferred Guarantee Trustee
may be appointed or removed without cause at any time by the
Guarantor.
(b) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be removed in
accordance with Section 4.02(a) until a Successor Preferred Guarantee
Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by
written instrument executed by such Successor Preferred Guarantee
Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor.
(c) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee appointed to office
shall hold office until a Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall
have been appointed or until its removal or resignation. The Preferred
Guarantee Trustee may resign from office (without need for prior or
subsequent accounting) by an instrument in writing executed by the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor, which
resignation shall not take effect until a Successor Preferred
Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment
by instrument in writing executed by such Successor Preferred
Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor and the resigning
Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
(d) If no Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall have
been appointed and accepted appointment as provided in this Section
4.02 within 60 days after delivery to the Guarantor of an instrument
of resignation, the resigning Preferred Guarantee Trustee may petition
any court of competent jurisdiction for appointment of a Successor
Preferred Guarantee Trustee. Such court may thereupon, after
prescribing such notice, if any, as it may deem proper, appoint a
Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
(e) No Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be liable for the acts
or omissions to act of any Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
(f) Upon termination of this Preferred Securities Guarantee or
removal or resignation of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee pursuant to
this Section 4.02, the Guarantor shall pay to the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee all amounts accrued to the date of such termination, removal
or resignation.
ARTICLE V
GUARANTEE
SECTION 5.01. GUARANTEE. The Guarantor irrevocably and unconditionally
agrees to pay in full to the Holders the Guarantee Payments (without duplication
of amounts theretofore paid by UBCT), as and when due, regardless of any
defense, right of set-off or counterclaim that UBCT 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
UBCT to pay such amounts to the Holders.
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SECTION 5.02. WAIVER OF NOTICE AND DEMAND. The Guarantor hereby waives
notice of acceptance of this Preferred Securities Guarantee and of any liability
to which it applies or may apply, presentment, demand for payment, any right to
require a proceeding first against UBCT 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.
SECTION 5.03. OBLIGATIONS NOT AFFECTED. The obligations, covenants,
agreements and duties of the Guarantor under this Preferred Securities Guarantee
shall in no way be affected or impaired by reason of the happening from time to
time of any of the following:
(a) the release or waiver, by operation of law or otherwise,
of the Performance or observance by UBCT of any express or implied
agreement, covenant, term or condition relating to the Preferred
Securities to be performed or observed by UBCT;
(b) the extension of time for the payment by UBCT of all or
any portion of the Distributions, Redemption Price, Liquidation
Distribution or any other sums payable under the terms of the
Preferred Securities or the extension of time for the performance of
any other obligation under, arising out of, or in connection with, the
Preferred 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 Junior Subordinated Debentures or any extension of the maturity
date of the Junior Subordinated Debentures permitted by the
Indenture);
(c) any failure, omission, delay or lack of diligence on the
part of the Holders to enforce, assert or exercise any right,
privilege, power or remedy conferred on the Holders pursuant to the
terms of the Preferred Securities, or any action on the part of UBCT
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,
UBCT or any of the assets of UBCT;
(e) any invalidity of, or defect or deficiency in, the
Preferred Securities;
(f) the settlement or compromise of any obligation guarantied
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 5.03 that the obligations of the
Guarantor hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional under any and
all circumstances.
There shall be no obligation of the Holders to give notice to, or
obtain consent of, the Guarantor with respect to the happening of any of the
foregoing.
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SECTION 5.04. RIGHTS OF HOLDERS.
(a) The Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of the
Preferred Securities have the right to direct the time, method and
place of conducting of any proceeding for any remedy available to the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee in respect of this Preferred Securities
Guarantee or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee under this Preferred Securities Guarantee.
(b) Any Holder of Preferred Securities may institute a legal
proceeding directly against the Guarantor to enforce its rights under
this Preferred Securities Guarantee, without first instituting a legal
proceeding against UBCT, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee or any other
Person.
SECTION 5.05. GUARANTEE OF PAYMENT. This Preferred Securities
Guarantee creates a Guarantee of payment and not of collection.
SECTION 5.06. SUBROGATION. The Guarantor shall be subrogated to all
(if any) rights of the Holders of Preferred Securities against UBCT in respect
of any amounts paid to such Holders by the Guarantor under this Preferred
Securities 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 or any indemnity,
reimbursement or other agreement, in all cases as a result of payment under this
Preferred Securities Guarantee, if, at the time of any such payment, any amounts
are due and unpaid under this Preferred Securities 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 Holders.
SECTION 5.07. INDEPENDENT OBLIGATIONS. The Guarantor acknowledges that
its obligations hereunder are independent of the obligations of UBCT with
respect to the Preferred Securities, and that the Guarantor shall be liable as
principal and as debtor hereunder to make Guarantee Payments pursuant to the
terms of this Preferred Securities Guarantee notwithstanding the occurrence of
any event referred to in subsections (a) through (g), inclusive, of Section
5.03.
ARTICLE VI
LIMITATION OF TRANSACTIONS; SUBORDINATION
SECTION 6.01. LIMITATION OF TRANSACTIONS. So long as any Preferred
Securities remain outstanding, if there shall have occurred and be continuing an
Event of Default or an event of default under the Trust Agreement, then (a) the
Guarantor shall not declare or pay any dividend or distributions on, or redeem,
purchase, acquire, or make a liquidation payment with respect to, any of its
capital stock, (b) the Guarantor shall not make any payment of interest,
principal or premium, if any, on or repay, repurchase or redeem any debt
securities issued by the Guarantor (including other Junior Subordinated
Debentures) which rank pari passu with or junior in interest to the Junior
Subordinated Debentures or (c) the Guarantor shall not make any guarantee
payments with respect to any guarantee by the guarantor of the debt securities
of any subsidiary
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of the Guarantor if such guarantee ranks pari passu or junior in interest to the
Junior Subordinated Debentures (other than (i) dividends or distributions in
common stock, (ii) any declaration of a dividend in connection with the
implementation of a shareholders' rights plan, or the issuance of stock under
any such plan in the future or the redemption or repurchase of any such rights
pursuant thereto, (iii) payments under this Preferred Securities Guarantee and
(iv) purchases of common stock related to the issuances of common stock or
rights under any of the Guarantor's benefit plans for its directors, officers or
employees).
SECTION 6.02. RANKING. This Preferred Securities Guarantee will
constitute an unsecured obligation of the Guarantor and will rank subordinate
and junior in right of payment to all Senior and Subordinated Debt of the
Guarantor.
ARTICLE VII
TERMINATION
SECTION 7.01. TERMINATION. This Preferred Securities Guarantee shall
terminate upon (a) full payment of the Redemption Price of all Preferred
Securities, (b) upon full payment of the amounts payable in accordance with the
Trust Agreement upon liquidation of UBCT or (c) upon distribution of the Junior
Subordinated Debentures to the Holders of the Preferred Securities.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Preferred Securities Guarantee will continue
to be effective or will be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time any
Holder of Preferred Securities must restore payment of any sums paid under the
Preferred Securities or under this Preferred Securities Guarantee.
ARTICLE VIII
INDEMNIFICATION
SECTION 8.01. 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 Preferred Securities 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
Preferred Securities 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 matters 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
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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 Preferred Securities might properly be
paid.
SECTION 8.02. 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 obligation to
indemnify as set forth in this Section 8.02 shall survive the termination of
this Preferred Securities Guarantee.
ARTICLE IX
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 9.01. SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS. All guaranties and agreements
contained in this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall bind the successors,
assigns, receivers, trustees and representatives of the Guarantor and shall
inure to the benefit of the Holders of the Preferred Securities then
outstanding.
SECTION 9.02. AMENDMENTS. Except with respect to any changes that do
not materially adversely affect the rights of Holders (in which case no consent
of Holders will be required), this Preferred Securities Guarantee may only be
amended with the prior approval of the Holders of at least a Majority in
liquidation amount of the Preferred Securities. The provisions of Article VI of
the Trust Agreement with respect to meetings of Holders of the Securities apply
to the giving of such approval.
SECTION 9.03. NOTICES. All notices provided for in this Preferred
Securities 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 Preferred Guarantee Trustee, at the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee's mailing address set forth below (or such
other address as the Preferred Guarantee Trustee may give notice of to
the Holders of the Preferred Securities):
American Securities Transfer & Trust, Inc.
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attention: Corporate Trust Administration
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(b) If given to the Guarantor, at the Guarantor's mailing
address set forth below (or such other address as the Guarantor may
give notice of to the Holders of the Preferred Securities):
Union Bankshares, Ltd.
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attention: Chief Executive Officer
(c) If given to any Holder of Preferred Securities, at the
address set forth on the books and records of UBCT.
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.
SECTION 9.04. BENEFIT. This Preferred Securities Guarantee is solely
for the benefit of the Holders of the Preferred Securities and, subject to
Section 3.01(a), is not separately transferable from the Preferred Securities.
SECTION 9.05. GOVERNING LAW. THIS PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE SHALL
BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF
THE STATE OF COLORADO; PROVIDED THAT THE IMMUNITIES AND THE STANDARD OF CARE OF
THE TRUSTEE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY COLORADO LAW.
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THIS PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE is executed as of the day and year
first above written.
UNION BANKSHARES, LTD., as Guarantor
By
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▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer
AMERICAN SECURITIES TRANSFER & TRUST, INC.,
as Preferred Guarantee Trustee
By
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Name
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Title
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By
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Name
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Title
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