LLC-5.5 Form LLC-5.5 Illinois January 1998 Limited Liability Company Act Articles of Organization Secretary of State George H. Ryan FILED Secretary of State SUBMIT IN DUPLICATE DECEMBER 17, 1998 Department of Business Services Must be typewritten Limited Liability Company Division ---------------------- LIMITED LIABILITY CO. DIV. Room 359, Howlett Building GEORGE H. RYAN Springfield, IL 62756 This space for use by Secretary of State SECRETARY OF STATE http://www.sos.state.il.us Date DEC 17, 1998 Assigned File # 0024 536 4 PAID Payment must be made by certified check, Filing Fee $400.00 DECEMBER 17, 1998 cashier's check, Illinois attorney's check, Approved: JE Illinois C.P.A.'s check or money order, payable to "Secretary of State." 1. Limited Liability Company Name: NWS-Illinois, LLC (The LLC name must contain the words limited liability company, L.L.C. or LLC and cannot contain the terms corporation, corp., incorporated, inc., ltd., co., limited partnership, or LP.) 2. Transacting business under an assumed name: | | Yes |X| No (If YES, a Form LLC-1.20 is required to be completed and attached to these Articles.) 3. The address, including county, of its principal place of business: (Post office box alone and c/o are unacceptable.) 2600 West 35th Street, Chicago, IL 60632 Cook County 4. Federal Employer Identification Number (F.E.I.N.): applied for 5. The Articles of Organization are effective on: (Check one) a) [X] the filing date, or b) [ ] another date later than but not more than 60 days subsequent to the filing date: 6. The registered agent's name and registered office address is: Registered agent: Stephen O'Malley Registered Office: 2600 West 35th Street (P.O. Box alone and c/o are unacceptable) Chicago 60632 Cook 7. Purpose or purposes for which the LLC is organized: Include the business code # (from IRS Form 1065) (If not sufficient space to cover this point, add one or more sheets of this size.) To engage in the wholesale distribution of wine and alcohol beverages and to conduct any and all other lawful business and activities for which limited liability companies may be organized. (Business Code #5101) 8. The latest date, if any, upon which the company is to dissolve N/A. Any other events of dissolution enumerated on an attachment. (Optional) 9. Other provisions for the regulation of the internal affairs of the LLC per Section 5-5(a)(8) included as attachment: | | Yes |X| No If yes, state the provision(s) and the statutory cite(s) from the ILLCA. 10. a) Management is vested, in whole or in part, in the manager(s): |X| Yes | | No If yes, list names and business addresses. James E. LaCrosse 2600 West 35th Street, Chicago, IL 60632 Norma M. Johnston 2600 West 35th Street, Chicago, IL 60632 Patricia J. LaCrosse 2600 West 35th Street, Chicago, IL 60632 b) Management is vested, in whole or in part, by the member(s): | | Yes |X| No If yes, list names and addresses. 11. The undersigned affirms, under penalties of perjury, having authority to sign hereto, that these articles of organization are to the best of my knowledge and belief, true, correct and complete. Dated December 7, 1998 Signature(s) and Name(s) of Organizer(s) Business Address(es) 1. /S/ 2. 2600 West 25th Street Stephen O'Malley, Assistant Secretary Chicago Illinois 60632 <FN> (Signatures must be in ink on an original document. Carbon copy, photocopy or rubber stamp signatures may only be used on conformed copies) </FN>