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PRE 14A Filing
Enviva (EVVAQ) PRE 14APreliminary proxy
Filed: 15 Oct 21, 5:25pm
| | IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS FOR THE SPECIAL MEETING OF UNITHOLDERS TO BE HELD ON , | | |
| | The Notice of Special Meeting of Unitholders and the Proxy Statement are available at | | |
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| | | | B-1 | | |
Director | | | Committee | |
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Name of Beneficial Owner | | | Units Beneficially Owned(4) | | | Percentage of Units Beneficially Owned Prior to the Conversion | | | Shares of Common Stock Beneficially Owned After the Conversion | | | Percentage of Common Stock Beneficially Owned After the Conversion | | ||||||||||||
Investment Funds affiliated with Riverstone Holdings LLC(1) | | | | | 27,690,475 | | | | | | 45.4% | | | | | | 27,690,475 | | | | | | 45.4% | | |
Enviva Partners GP, LLC | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | |
Inclusive Capital Partners, L.P.(2) | | | | | 5,713,987 | | | | | | 9.4% | | | | | | 5,713,987 | | | | | | 9.4% | | |
John K. Keppler | | | | | 624,181 | | | | | | 1.0 | | | | | | 624,181 | | | | | | 1.0% | | |
Thomas Meth | | | | | 381,933 | | | | | | * | | | | | | 381,933 | | | | | | * | | |
William H. Schmidt, Jr. | | | | | 351,635 | | | | | | * | | | | | | 351,635 | | | | | | * | | |
E. Royal Smith | | | | | 230,782 | | | | | | * | | | | | | 230,782 | | | | | | * | | |
Shai S. Even | | | | | 315,120 | | | | | | * | | | | | | 315,120 | | | | | | * | | |
Ralph Alexander | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | |
John C. Bumgarner, Jr.(3) | | | | | 222,825 | | | | | | * | | | | | | 222,825 | | | | | | * | | |
Jim H. Derryberry | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | |
Pierre F. Lapeyre, Jr. | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | |
David M. Leuschen | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | |
Gerrit (“Gerrity”) L. Lansing, Jr. | | | | | 222 | | | | | | * | | | | | | 222 | | | | | | * | | |
William K. Reilly | | | | | 34,786 | | | | | | * | | | | | | 34,786 | | | | | | * | | |
Jeffrey W. Ubben(3) | | | | | 4,834,867 | | | | | | 7.9% | | | | | | 4,834,867 | | | | | | 7.9% | | |
Gary L. Whitlock | | | | | 33,538 | | | | | | * | | | | | | 33,538 | | | | | | * | | |
Janet S. Wong | | | | | 30,562 | | | | | | * | | | | | | 30,562 | | | | | | * | | |
All directors and executive officers as a group (18 persons) | | | | | 7,191,826 | | | | | | 11.8% | | | | | | | | | | | | 11.8% | | |
| The Corporation | | | The Partnership | |
| The stated purpose of the Corporation will be to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the DGCL. | | | The Partnership’s purpose under the Partnership Agreement is limited to any business activity that is approved by the General Partner and that lawfully may be conducted by a limited partnership organized under Delaware law; provided that the General Partner shall not cause the Partnership to take any action that the General Partner determines would be reasonably likely to cause the Partnership to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise taxable as an entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes. | |
| The Corporation | | | The Partnership | |
| The Corporation will be authorized to issue 700,000,000 shares of capital stock consisting of (i) 600,000,000 shares of Common Stock and (ii) 100,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.001 par value per share. The New Board will be authorized to issue one or more series of preferred stock and to establish the terms of such series. | | | The Partnership may issue additional partnership interests and derivative instruments for any purpose at any time and from time to time to such Persons for such consideration and on such terms and conditions as the General Partner shall determine, all without the approval of any limited partners. | |
| The Corporation | | | The Partnership | |
| The Corporation will be permitted to pay dividends on its outstanding shares of stock from lawfully available funds from time to time, which dividends may be paid in either cash, stock of the Corporation, or other property, subject to the provisions of the Charter and the DGCL. | | | The General Partner has adopted a cash distribution policy, which it may change from time to time without amendment to the Partnership Agreement. Distributions will be made as and when declared by the General Partner. All distributions required to be made under the Partnership Agreement or otherwise made by the Partnership shall be made subject to Delaware law. Each distribution in respect of a Partnership interest shall be paid by the Partnership, directly or through any transfer agent or through any other person or agent, only to the record holder of such Partnership interest as of the record date set for such distribution. Such payment shall constitute full payment and satisfaction of the Partnership’s liability in respect of such payment, regardless of any claim of any person who may have an interest in such payment by reason of an assignment or otherwise. | |
| The Corporation | | | The Partnership | |
| Under the DGCL, the consummation of a merger or consolidation generally requires the adoption of a resolution approving an agreement of merger or consolidation and declaring its advisability by the board of directors of a corporation that is a constituent corporation in the merger or consolidation and requires that the agreement of merger or consolidation be adopted by the affirmative vote of holders of a majority of the outstanding stock of that corporation entitled to vote thereon. There are limited exceptions under the DGCL providing that a merger may be effected without stockholder approval, including that no vote of the stockholders of a constituent corporation is required where that constituent corporation is the surviving corporation and: • such corporation’s certificate of incorporation is not amended in the merger; • the stockholders of the surviving corporation whose shares were outstanding immediately before the effective date of the merger will hold the same number of shares, with identical designations, preferences, limitations and rights, immediately after the effective date of the merger; and • either no shares of common stock of the surviving corporation and no shares, securities or | | | A merger, consolidation or conversion of the Partnership requires the prior consent of the General Partner. However, the General Partner may decline to consent to a merger or consolidation in its sole discretion. In addition, the partnership agreement generally prohibits the General Partner, without the prior approval of the holders of a majority of the Units, voting as a single class (a “Unit Majority”), from causing the Partnership to sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the Partnership’s assets in a single transaction or a series of related transactions, including by way of merger, consolidation or other combination. The General Partner may, however, mortgage, pledge, hypothecate or grant a security interest in all or substantially all of the Partnership’s assets without such approval. The General Partner may also sell all or substantially all of the Partnership’s assets under a foreclosure or other realization upon those encumbrances without such approval. Finally, the General Partner may consummate any merger without the prior approval of Unitholders if the Partnership is the surviving entity in the transaction, the General Partner has received an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters, the transaction would not result in a material amendment to the partnership agreement | |
| The Corporation | | | The Partnership | |
| obligations convertible into such stock are to be issued or delivered under the plan of merger, or the authorized unissued shares or the treasury shares of common stock of the surviving corporation to be issued or delivered under the plan of merger plus those initially issuable upon conversion of any other shares, securities or obligations to be issued or delivered under such plan do not exceed 20% of the shares of common stock of such corporation outstanding immediately prior to the effective date of the merger. The DGCL contains a business combination statute that protects domestic corporations subject to its provisions from hostile takeovers and from actions following such a takeover, by prohibiting some transactions once an acquirer has gained a significant holding in the corporation unless certain requirements are met. Section 203 of the DGCL generally prohibits “business combinations,” including mergers, sales and leases of assets, issuances of securities and similar transactions by a corporation or a subsidiary with an interested stockholder who beneficially owns 15% or more of a corporation’s voting stock, within three years after the person or entity becomes an interested stockholder, unless: (i) the board of directors of the target corporation has approved, before the acquisition date, either the business combination or the transaction that resulted in the person becoming an interested stockholder; (ii) upon consummation of the transaction that resulted in the person becoming an interested stockholder, the person owns at least 85% of the corporation’s voting stock (excluding shares owned by directors who are officers and shares owned by employee stock plans in which participants do not have the right to determine confidentially whether shares will be tendered in a tender or exchange offer); or (iii) after the person or entity becomes an interested stockholder, the business combination is approved by the board of directors and authorized at a meeting of stockholders by the vote of at least 66 2/3% of the outstanding voting stock not owned by the interested stockholder. Section 203 of the DGCL permits a Delaware corporation to elect not to be governed by the provisions of Section 203, and the Corporation has not made such an election. Therefore, the Corporation will be governed by the provisions of Section 203 of the DGCL. Under Section 262 of the DGCL, a stockholder may dissent from, and receive payments in cash for, | | | (other than an amendment that the General Partner could adopt Units that will be an identical unit of the Partnership following the transaction and the partnership securities to be issued do not exceed 20% of the Partnership’s outstanding partnership interests immediately prior to the transaction. If the conditions specified in the Partnership’s partnership agreement are satisfied, the General Partner may convert the Partnership or any of its subsidiaries into a new limited liability entity or merge the Partnership or any of the Partnership’s subsidiaries into, or convey all of the Partnership’s assets to, a newly formed entity, if the sole purpose of that conversion, merger or conveyance is to effect a mere change in the Partnership’s legal form into another limited liability entity, we have received an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters and the governing instruments of the new entity provide its limited partners and the Partnership’s general partner with the same rights and obligations as contained in the Partnership’s partnership agreement. The Unitholders are not entitled to dissenters’ rights of appraisal under the Partnership Agreement or applicable Delaware law in the event of a conversion, merger or consolidation, a sale of substantially all of the Partnership’s assets or any other similar transaction or event. | |
| The Corporation | | | The Partnership | |
| the fair value of his or her shares as appraised by the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware, referred to as appraisal rights, in connection with certain statutory mergers or consolidations if the stockholder has neither voted in favor of nor consented in writing to the merger or consolidation and has complied with the other requirements of Section 262. However, no appraisal rights are available under Delaware law to holders of shares of any class of stock which is either (1) listed on a national securities exchange, or (2) held of record by more than 2,000 stockholders. Notwithstanding the foregoing, appraisal rights are available if stockholders are required by the terms of the merger to accept for their shares anything other than: • shares of stock of the surviving corporation; • shares of stock of another corporation that will either be listed on a national securities exchange or held of record by more than 2,000 holders; • cash instead of fractional shares of such stock; or • any combination of the above three bullets. Appraisal rights are not available under Delaware law in the event of the sale of all or substantially all of a corporation’s assets or the adoption of an amendment to its certificate of incorporation, unless such rights are granted in the corporation’s certificate of incorporation. The Charter will not grant such rights. | | | | |
| The Corporation | | | The Partnership | |
| In accordance with the DGCL, except as otherwise provided in the DGCL and the Charter, the Corporation’s business and affairs will be managed by or under the direction of the New Board. The Charter and the Bylaws will provide that the number of directors will be fixed by the New Board, subject to the terms of the Stockholders Agreement, as described herein. | | | The General Partner conducts, directs and manages all activities of the Partnership. Except as otherwise expressly provided in the Partnership Agreement, all management powers over the business and affairs of the Partnership is exclusively vested in the General Partner, and no limited partner has any management power over the business and affairs of the Partnership. Certain actions by the GP Board require approval of the members of the General Partner, as set forth in the GP LLC Agreement. | |
| The Corporation | | | The Partnership | |
| At any meeting of the Stockholders at which directors are to be elected, so long as a quorum is present, the directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes validly cast in such election. At a meeting of the Stockholders, only such nominations for the election of directors and such other matters may be considered as having been properly brought before the meeting. To be properly brought before an annual meeting, nominations and proposals of other business to be considered by the Stockholders must be brought: (1) pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting, (2) by or at the direction of the New Board or any committee thereof or (3) by a Stockholder who is a Stockholder of record at the time such notice of meeting is given, who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who complies with any other procedures established by the Corporation. | | | The Partnership’s directors are jointly appointed by the Riverstone Echo Funds. | |
| The Corporation | | | The Partnership | |
| The Bylaws will establish advance notice procedures for Stockholder proposals, including nominations and other business, to be properly brought at an annual meeting of Stockholders. In order for any matter to be “properly brought” before a meeting, a Stockholder will have to comply with advance notice requirements and provide the Corporation with a notice that includes specified information. For an annual meeting, that notice must be delivered to the Secretary of the Corporation at the Corporation’s principal executive offices not earlier than the close of business on the 120th day and not later than the close of business on the 90th day prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting (unless the date of the annual meeting is more than 30 days before or 60 days after such anniversary date, in which case such notice must be delivered no earlier than the close of business on the 150th day prior to such annual meeting or later than the close of business on the later of the 120th day prior to such annual meeting or the 10th day after the first public disclosure of the date of such meeting by the Corporation). Only such business shall be conducted at a special meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting by or at the direction of the New Board. For a notice of nomination to be timely in connection with a special meeting called by the Corporation for the purpose of electing directors, | | | Neither the Partnership Agreement nor the GP LLC Agreement provides for Unitholders proposals, director nominations or proxy access procedures. | |
| The Corporation | | | The Partnership | |
| such notice must be delivered to the Secretary at the Corporation’s principal executive offices not earlier than the close of business on the 120th day prior to such special meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the 90th day prior to such special meeting or, if the first public announcement of the date of the special meeting is fewer than 100 days prior to the date of such special meeting, the 10th day after the first public announcement and the nominees proposed by the New Board to be elected at such meeting. | | | | |
| The Corporation | | | The Partnership | |
| The Charter and the Bylaws will provide that, subject to the rights of the holders of any series of preferred stock, any director, or the entire New Board, may be removed from office at any time, with or without case, by the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the voting power of the stock outstanding and entitled to vote thereon. | | | Notwithstanding anything in the GP LLC Agreement or applicable law to the contrary, any director may be removed at any time with or without cause upon the unanimous approval of the Riverstone Echo Funds. Except as described below, the General Partner has agreed not to withdraw voluntarily as the general partner prior to March 31, 2025 without obtaining the approval of the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding Units, excluding Units held by the General Partner and its affiliates, and furnishing an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters. On or after March 31, 2025, the General Partner may withdraw as general partner without first obtaining approval of any Unitholder by giving 90 days’ written notice, and that withdrawal will not constitute a violation of the Partnership Agreement. | |
| | | | Notwithstanding the information above, the General Partner may withdraw without Unitholder approval upon 90 days’ notice to its limited partners if at least 50% of the outstanding Units are held or controlled by one person and its affiliates, other than the General Partner and its affiliates. In addition, the Partnership Agreement permits the General Partner, in some instances, to sell or otherwise transfer all of its general partner interest in the Partnership without the approval of the Unitholders. | |
| | | | Upon withdrawal of the General Partner under any circumstances, the holders of a Unit Majority may select a successor to that withdrawing general partner. If a successor is not elected, or is elected but an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters cannot be obtained, the Partnership will be dissolved, wound up and liquidated, unless within a specified period after that withdrawal, the | |
| The Corporation | | | The Partnership | |
| | | | holders of a Unit Majority agree in writing to continue the Partnership’s business and to appoint a successor general partner. | |
| | | | The General Partner may not be removed unless that removal is approved by the vote of the holders of not less than 66 2/3% of the outstanding Units, voting together as a single class, including Units held by the General Partner and its affiliates and we receive an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters. Any removal of the General Partner is also subject to the approval of a successor general partner by the vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding Units, voting as a class. The ownership of more than 33 1/3% of the outstanding Units by the General Partner and its affiliates gives them the ability to prevent the General Partner’s removal. | |
| | | | In the event of the removal of the General Partner under circumstances where cause exists or withdrawal of the General Partner where that withdrawal violates the Partnership Agreement, a successor general partner will have the option to purchase the general partner interest of the departing general partner and its affiliates for a cash payment equal to the general partner interest for such fair market value of those interests. Under all other circumstances where the General Partner withdraws or is removed by its limited partners, the departing general partner will have the option to require the successor general partner to purchase the General Partner interest of the departing general partner and its affiliates for fair market value. In each case, this fair market value will be determined by agreement between the departing general partner and the successor general partner. If no agreement is reached, an independent investment banking firm or other independent expert selected by the departing general partner and the successor general partner will determine the fair market value. Or, if the departing general partner and the successor general partner cannot agree upon an expert, then an expert chosen by agreement of the experts selected by each of them will determine the fair market value. | |
| | | | If the option described above is not exercised by either the departing general partner or the successor general partner, the departing general partner’s general partner interest will automatically convert into Units equal to the fair market value of those interests as determined by an investment banking firm or other independent expert selected in the manner described in the preceding paragraph. | |
| The Corporation | | | The Partnership | |
| | | | In addition, the Partnership will be required to reimburse the departing general partner for all amounts due the departing general partner, including, without limitation, all employee-related liabilities, including severance liabilities, incurred as a result of the termination of any employees employed for the Partnership’s benefit by the departing general partner or its affiliates. | |
| The Corporation | | | The Partnership | |
| The Charter will provide that, subject to the rights of the holders of any series of preferred stock, any vacancies on the New Board for any reason and any newly created directorships resulting by reason of any increase in the number of directors shall be filled solely by a majority of the total number of directors then in office, although less than a quorum. Any director so chosen, not resulting from an increase in the number of directors, shall hold office for the remaining term of his or her predecessor unless otherwise determined by the New Board. | | | Any vacancies may be filled jointly by the Riverstone Echo Funds. See also “— Removal of Directors; Withdrawal of General Partner.” | |
| The Corporation | | | The Partnership | |
| Some provisions of Delaware law contain, and the Charter and the Bylaws will contain, provisions that could make the following transactions more difficult: acquisitions of the Corporation by means of a tender offer, a proxy contest or otherwise; or removal of the Corporation’s incumbent officers and directors. These provisions may also have the effect of preventing changes in the Corporation’s management. It is possible that these provisions could make it more difficult to accomplish or could deter transactions that the Stockholders may otherwise consider to be in their best interest or in the Corporation’s best interests, including transactions that might result in a premium over the market price for the Common Stock. The Corporation will not have a rights agreement or “poison pill” in place immediately following the consummation of the Merger. The Corporation has not elected to opt out of being governed by the provisions of Section 203 of the DGCL. | | | The Partnership Agreement contains specific provisions that are intended to discourage a person or group from attempting to remove the General Partner or otherwise change Partnership’s management. If any person or group other than the General Partner and its affiliates acquires beneficial ownership of 20% or more of any class or series of Units, that person or group loses voting rights on all of its Units. This loss of voting rights does not apply to any person or group that acquires the Units from the General Partner or its affiliates and any transferees of that person or group approved by the General Partner, to any person or group who acquires the Units with the prior approval of the board of the General Partner. See also “— Removal of Directors; Withdrawal or Removal of General Partner.” | |
| The Corporation | | | The Partnership | |
| None. | | | None. | |
| The Corporation | | | The Partnership | |
| The Charter will provide that the Corporation may generally amend, alter or repeal any provision in the Charter, and add or insert any other provisions authorized by the laws of the State of Delaware, in the manner then prescribed by the laws of the State of Delaware. Under the DGCL, the Charter may also be amended or repealed by the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the outstanding stock entitled to vote thereon. The Bylaws will provide that the Bylaws may be amended, altered or repealed by (1) the New Board or (2) the Stockholders upon the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the voting power of the shares of stock entitled to vote thereon. | | | General Amendments to the Partnership Agreement may be proposed only by the General Partner. However, the General Partner will have no duty or obligation to propose any amendment and may decline to do so in its sole discretion. In order to adopt a proposed amendment, other than the amendments discussed below, the General Partner is required to seek written approval of the holders of the number of Units required to approve the amendment or to call a meeting of the limited partners to consider and vote upon the proposed amendment. Except as described below, an amendment must be approved by a Unit Majority. | |
| | | | Prohibited Amendments | |
| | | | No amendment may be made that would: | |
| | | | • enlarge the obligations of any limited partner without its consent, unless approved by at least a majority of the type or class of limited partner interests so affected; or | |
| | | | • enlarge the obligations of, restrict, change or modify in any way any action by or rights of, or reduce in any way the amounts distributable, reimbursable or otherwise payable by the Partnership to, the General Partner or any of its affiliates without the consent of the General Partner, which consent may be given or withheld in its sole discretion. | |
| | | | The provision of the Partnership Agreement preventing the amendments having the effects described in the clauses above can be amended upon the approval of the holders of at least 90% of the outstanding Units, voting as a single class (including Units owned by the General Partner and its affiliates). | |
| | | | No Unitholder Approval | |
| | | | The General Partner may generally make amendments to the Partnership Agreement without the approval of any limited partner to reflect: | |
| | | | • a change in the Partnership’s name, the location of the Partnership’s principal place of business, the Partnership’s registered agent or the | |
| The Corporation | | | The Partnership | |
| | | | Partnership’s registered office; | |
| | | | • the admission, substitution, withdrawal or removal of partners in accordance with the Partnership Agreement; | |
| | | | • a change that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate to qualify or continue the Partnership’s qualification as a limited partnership or other entity in which its limited partners have limited liability under the laws of any state or to ensure that neither we nor any of the Partnership’s subsidiaries will be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise taxed as an entity for federal income tax purposes (to the extent not already so treated or taxed); | |
| | | | • an amendment that is necessary, in the opinion of the Partnership’s counsel, to prevent the Partnership or the General Partner or its directors, officers, agents or trustees from in any manner being subjected to the provisions of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, or “plan asset” regulations adopted under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, whether or not substantially similar to plan asset regulations currently applied or proposed by the United States Department of Labor; | |
| | | | • an amendment that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate in connection with the creation, authorization or issuance of additional partnership interests or the right to acquire partnership interests and derivative instruments; | |
| | | | • any amendment expressly permitted in the Partnership Agreement to be made by the General Partner acting alone; | |
| | | | • an amendment effected, necessitated or contemplated by a merger agreement that has been approved under the terms of the Partnership Agreement; | |
| | | | • any amendment that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate for the formation by the Partnership of, or the Partnership’s investment in, any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other entity, as otherwise permitted by the Partnership Agreement; | |
| | | | • a change in the Partnership’s fiscal year or taxable year and related changes; | |
| | | | • conversions into, mergers with or conveyances to another limited liability entity that is newly | |
| The Corporation | | | The Partnership | |
| | | | formed and has no assets, liabilities or operations at the time of the conversion, merger or conveyance other than those it receives by way of the conversion, merger or conveyance; or | |
| | | | • any other amendments substantially similar to any of the matters described in the clauses above. | |
| | | | In addition, the General Partner may make amendments to the Partnership Agreement, without the approval of any limited partner, if the General Partner determines that those amendments: • do not adversely affect the limited partners, considered as a whole, or any particular class of limited partners, in any material respect; • are necessary or appropriate to satisfy any requirements, conditions or guidelines contained in any opinion, directive, order, ruling or regulation of any federal or state agency or judicial authority or contained in any federal or state statute; • are necessary or appropriate to facilitate the trading of limited partner interests or to comply with any rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any securities exchange on which the limited partner interests are or will be listed for trading; • are necessary or appropriate for any action taken by the General Partner relating to splits or combinations of Units under the provisions of the Partnership Agreement; • are necessary or appropriate in connection with the creation, authorization or issuance of any class or series of partnership securities; or • are required to effect the intent expressed in this proxy statement or the intent of the provisions of the Partnership Agreement or are otherwise contemplated by the Partnership Agreement. Any amendment that the General Partner determines adversely affects in any material respect one or more particular classes of limited partners will require the approval of at least a majority of the class or classes so affected, but no vote will be required by any class or classes of limited partners that the General Partner determines are not adversely affected in any material respect. Any amendment that would have a material adverse effect on the rights or preferences of any type or class of outstanding Units in relation to other classes of Units will require the approval of at least a majority of the type or class of Units so affected. | |
| The Corporation | | | The Partnership | |
| | | | Any amendment that would reduce or increase the voting percentage required to take any action other than to remove the general partner or call a meeting of Unitholders is required to be approved by the affirmative vote of limited partners whose aggregate outstanding Units constitute not less than the voting requirement sought to be reduced or increased. Any amendment that would increase the percentage of Units required to remove the general partner or call a meeting of Unitholders must be approved by the affirmative vote of limited partners whose aggregate outstanding Units constitute not less than the percentage sought to be increased. For amendments of the type not requiring Unitholder approval, the General Partner will not be required to obtain an opinion of counsel that an amendment will neither result in a loss of limited liability to the limited partners nor result in the Partnership being treated as a taxable entity for federal income tax purposes in connection with any of the amendments. No other amendments to the Partnership Agreement will become effective without the approval of holders of at least 90% of the outstanding Units, voting as a single class, unless we first obtain an opinion of counsel to the effect that the amendment will not affect the limited liability under applicable law of any of the Partnership’s limited partners. | |
| The Corporation | | | The Partnership | |
| The Charter will provide that every holder of Common Stock is entitled to one vote for each share of Common Stock standing in such holder’s name on the books of the Corporation. The Charter and the Bylaws will provide that special meetings may be called at any time by the Chairman of the New Board or the New Board pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the members of the New Board. Stockholders may not call special meetings. The Charter will provide that any action required or permitted to be taken by the Stockholders may be taken only at a duly called annual or special meeting of Stockholders and may not be taken by any consent in writing by such Stockholders. | | | The following is a summary of the Unitholder vote required for approval of the matters specified below. In voting their Units, affiliates of the General Partner have no fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to the Partnership or its limited partners, including any duty to act in good faith or in the best interests of the Partnership or its limited partners. • Issuance of Additional Units — No Approval Right • Election of the GP Board — All directors on the GP Board will be jointly appointed by Riverstone Echo Funds. • Amendment of the Partnership Agreement — Certain amendments may be made by the General Partner without the approval of the Unitholders. Other amendments generally require the approval of a Unit Majority. | |
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| | | | • Merger of the Partnership or the sale of all or substantially all of the Partnership’s assets — Unit Majority in certain circumstances. See “Comparisons of the Rights of Stockholders and Unitholders — Business Combinations” | |
| | | | • Dissolution of the Partnership’s partnership — Unit Majority | |
| | | | • Continuation of the Partnership’s business upon dissolution — Unit Majority. | |
| | | | • Withdrawal of the General Partner — Under most circumstances, the approval of a majority of the Units, excluding Units held by the General Partner and its affiliates, is required for withdrawal of the General Partner prior to March 31, 2025 in a manner that would cause a dissolution of the Partnership. | |
| | | | • Removal of the General Partner — Not less than 66 2/3% of the outstanding Units, voting as a single class, including Units held by the General Partner and its affiliates. | |
| | | | • Transfer of the General Partner interest — No approval right | |
| | | | • Transfer of ownership interests in the General Partner — No approval right If any person or group other than the General Partner and its affiliates acquires beneficial ownership of 20% or more of any class of Units, that person or group loses voting rights on all of its Units. This loss of voting rights does not apply to any person or group that acquires the Units from the General Partner or its affiliates and any transferees of that person or group approved by the General Partner or to any person or group who acquires the Units with the specific prior approval of the General Partner. | |
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| The DGCL authorizes corporations to limit or eliminate the personal liability of directors to corporations and their stockholders for monetary damages for breaches of directors’ fiduciary duties. The DGCL does not permit exculpation for liability: • for breach of duty of loyalty; • for acts or omissions not in good faith or involving intentional misconduct or knowing violation of law; | | | Under the Partnership Agreement, in most circumstances, the Partnership will indemnify the following persons, to the fullest extent permitted by law, from and against all losses, claims, damages or similar events: • the General Partner; • any departing general partner; • any person who is or was an affiliate of a general partner or any departing general partner; | |
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| • under Section 174 of the DGCL (which deals generally with unlawful payments of dividends, stock repurchases and redemptions); and • for transactions from which the director derived improper personal benefit. The Charter will eliminate the personal liability of directors for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duty, except to the extent such exemption is not permitted under the DGCL. The Bylaws will provide that the Corporation shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, indemnify any person who was or is made or is threatened to be made a party or is otherwise involved in any action, suit or proceeding by reason of the fact such person is or was a director, officer or employee, of the Corporation or, while a director, officer or employee of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another entity, against all liability and loss suffered and expenses reasonably incurred. The Bylaws will further provide that the Corporation shall advance expenses incurred in defending any such proceeding to any such indemnitees, provided, however, that, to the extent required by law, such advancement of expenses shall be made only upon receipt of an undertaking, by or on behalf of such indemnitee, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that such indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified for such expenses under the Bylaws or otherwise. | | | • any person who is or was a manager, managing member, general partner, director, officer, fiduciary or trustee of the Partnership, its subsidiaries, the General Partner, any departing general partner or any of their affiliates; • any person who is or was serving as a manager, managing member, general partner, director, officer, employee, agent, fiduciary or trustee of another person owing a fiduciary duty to the Partnership or the Partnership’s subsidiaries; • any person who controls the General Partner or any departing general partner; and • any person designated by the General Partner. Any indemnification under these provisions will only be out of the Partnership’s assets. Unless it otherwise agrees, the General Partner will not be personally liable for, or have any obligation to contribute or lend funds or assets to the Partnership to enable it to effectuate, indemnification. The Partnership may purchase insurance against liabilities asserted against and expenses incurred by persons for the Partnership’s activities, regardless of whether the Partnership would have the power to indemnify the person against liabilities under the Partnership Agreement. | |
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| Under the DGCL, a transaction or contract involving an interested officer or director is not void or voidable solely because of the officer’s or director’s interest if: • the material facts of the director’s or officer’s relationship or interest and as to the contract or transaction are disclosed or known to the board of directors (or committee thereof) and a majority of the disinterested directors vote to authorize the transaction in good faith, even though the disinterested directors might be less than a quorum; • the material facts of the director’s or officer’s relationship or interest and as to the contract or transaction are disclosed or known to the stockholders entitled to vote thereon and the | | | The General Partner is generally authorized to perform all acts it determines to be necessary or appropriate to carry out the Partnership’s purposes and to conduct the Partnership’s business. Amendments to the Partnership Agreement may be proposed only by the General Partner. However, the General Partner will have no duty or obligation to propose any amendment and may decline to do so free of any fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to the Partnership or its limited partners, including any duty to act in good faith or in the best interests of the Partnership or its limited partners. In order to adopt a proposed amendment, other than the amendments discussed below, the General Partner is required to seek written approval of the holders of the number of Units required to approve the amendment or to call a meeting of the limited | |
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| transaction is specifically approved in good faith by vote of the stockholders; or • the contract or transaction is fair to the corporation at the time it is authorized, approved or ratified by the board of directors (or committee thereof) or the stockholders. | | | partners to consider and vote upon the proposed amendment. Except as described below, an amendment must be approved by a Unit Majority. A merger, consolidation or conversion of the Partnership requires the prior consent of the General Partner. However, the General Partner will have no duty or obligation to consent to any merger, consolidation or conversion and may decline to do so free of any fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to the Partnership or its limited partners, including any duty to act in good faith or in the best interest of the Partnership or its limited partners. To the extent that, at law or in equity, the General Partner or any other indemnitee would have duties (including fiduciary duties) to the Partnership, to another partner, to any person who acquires an interest in a Partnership interest or to any other person bound by the Partnership Agreement, all such duties (including fiduciary duties) are hereby eliminated, to the fullest extent permitted by law, and replaced with the duties expressly set forth herein. The elimination of duties (including fiduciary duties) and replacement thereof with the duties expressly set forth in the Partnership Agreement are approved by the Partnership, each of the partners, each other person who acquires an interest in a Partnership interest and each other person bound by the Partnership Agreement. | |
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| The Corporation will be a Delaware corporation and will be treated as an association taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Each Stockholder will receive a Form 1099 with respect to distributions received on its Common Stock. See “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences.” | | | The Partnership is classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes and is not generally subject to entity-level U.S. federal income taxes. Each Unitholder receives a Schedule K-1 from the Partnership reflecting such Unitholder’s share of the Partnership’s items of income, gain, loss, and deduction for each taxable year. | |