EXHIBIT (10)(i) FINANCIAL ADVISORY AGREEMENT
This Agreement is made and entered into as of the ____ day of __________,
1997, between Gateway American Properties Corporation (the "Company") and Barron
Chase Securities, Inc. (the "Financial Advisor").
W I T N E S S E T H :
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WHEREAS, The Company has engaged the Financial Advisor to act as the
Representative of the Underwriters in connection with the public offering of the
Company's securities; and
WHEREAS, the Financial Advisor has experience in providing financial
and business advice to public and private companies; and
WHEREAS, the Company is seeking and the Financial Advisor is willing to
furnish business and financial related advice and services to the Company on the
terms and conditions hereinafter set forth.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of, and for the mutual promises and
covenants contained herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the
receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as follows:
1. Purpose. The Company hereby engages the Financial Advisor on a
non-exclusive basis for the term specified in this Agreement to render financial
advisory and consulting advice to the Company as an investment banker relating
to financial and similar matters upon the terms and conditions set forth herein.
However, the advisory will only be rendered if specifically requested in writing
by the CEO of the Company.
2. Representations of the Financial Advisor and the Company. The Financial
Advisor represents and warrants to the Company that (i) it is a member in good
standing of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. ("NASD") and
that it is engaged in the securities brokerage business; (ii) in addition to its
securities brokerage business, the Financial Advisor provides consulting
advisory services; and (iii) it is free to enter into this Agreement and the
services to be provided pursuant to this Agreement are not in conflict with any
other contractual or other obligation to which the Financial Advisor is bound.
The Company acknowledges that the Financial Advisor is in the business of
providing financial services and consulting advice (of the type contemplated by
this Agreement) to others and that nothing herein contained shall be construed
to limit or restrict the Financial Advisor in conducting such business with
respect to others, or rendering such advice to others.
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3. Duties of the Financial Advisor. During the term of this Agreement, the
Financial Advisor will provide the Company with consulting advice as specified
below at the request of the Company, provided that the Financial Advisor shall
not be required to undertake duties not reasonably within the scope of the
consulting advisory service in which the Financial Advisor is engaged generally.
In performance of these duties, the Financial Advisor shall provide the Company
with the benefits of its best judgment and efforts. It is understood and
acknowledged by the parties that the value of the Financial Advisor's advice is
not measurable in any quantitative manner, and that the amount of time spent
rendering such consulting advice shall be determined according to the Financial
Advisor's discretion.
The Financial Advisor's duties may include, but will not necessarily be
limited to:
1) Advice relating to corporate financing activities;
2) Recommendations relating to specific business operations and
investments;
3) Advice relating to financial planning; and
4) Advice regarding future financings involving securities of
the Company or any subsidiary.
4. Term. The term of this Agreement shall be for twelve (12) months
commencing on the first day of the month following the Company's receipt of the
proceeds from the contemplated public offering (the "Commencement Date");
provided, however, that this Agreement may be renewed or extended upon such
terms and conditions as may be mutually agreed upon by the parties hereto.
5. Fee. The Company shall pay the Financial Advisor a fee of $108,000 for
the financial services to be rendered pursuant to this Agreement, all of which
shall be payable at the Closing Date of the Company's proposed public offering.
6. Expenses. In addition to the fees payable hereunder, the Company shall
reimburse the Financial Advisor, within five (5) business days of its request,
for any and all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with
the services performed by the Financial Advisor and its counsel pursuant to this
Agreement, including (i) reasonable hotel, food and associated expenses; (ii)
reasonable charges for travel; (iii) reasonable long-distance telephone calls;
and (iv) other reasonable expenses spent or incurred on the Company's behalf.
All such expenses in excess of $500 shall be pre-approved by the Company.
7. Introduction of Customers, Origination of Line of Credit and Similar
Transactions. In the event the Financial Advisor originates a line of credit
with a lender or a corporate partner, the Company and the Financial Advisor will
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mutually agree on a satisfactory fee and the terms of payment of such fee. In
the event the Financial Advisor introduces the Company to a joint venture
partner or customer and sales develop as a result of the introduction, the
Company agrees to pay a fee of five percent (5%) of total sales generated
directly from this introduction during the first two years following the date of
the first sale. Total sales shall mean cost receipts less any applicable
refunds, returns, allowances, credits and shipping charges and monies paid by
the Company by way of settlement or judgment arising out of claims made by or
threatened against the Company. Commission payments shall be paid on the 15th
day of each month following the receipt of customers' payments. In the event any
adjustments are made to the total sales after the commission has been paid, the
Company shall be entitled to an appropriate refund or credit against future
payments under this Agreement.
All fees to be paid pursuant to this paragraph, except as otherwise
specified, are due and payable to the Financial Advisor in cash at the closing
or closings of any transaction specified in this paragraph. In the event that
this Agreement shall not be renewed or if terminated for any reason,
notwithstanding any such non-renewal or termination, the Financial Advisor shall
be entitled to a full fee as provided under this paragraph for any transaction
for which the discussions were initiated during the term of this Agreement and
which is consummated within a period of twelve months after non-renewal or
termination of this Agreement. Nothing herein shall impose any obligation on the
part of the Company to enter into any transaction or to use any services of the
Financial Advisor offered pursuant to this paragraph or this Agreement.
8. Use of Advice by the Company; Public Market for the Company's
Securities. The Company acknowledges that all opinions and advice (written or
oral) given by the Financial Advisor to the Company in connection with the
engagement of the Financial Advisor are intended solely for the benefit and use
of the Company in considering the transaction to which they relate, and the
Company agrees that no person or entity other than the Company shall be entitled
to make use of or rely upon the advice of the Financial Advisor to be given
hereunder, and no such opinion or advice shall be used for any other purpose or
reproduced, disseminated, quoted or referred to at any time, in any manner or
for any purpose, nor may the Company make any public references to the Financial
Advisor, or use of the Financial Advisor's name in any annual reports or any
other reports or releases of the Company without the prior written consent of
the Financial Advisor.
The Company acknowledges that the Financial Advisor makes no commitment
whatsoever as to making a public trading market in the Company's securities or
to recommending or advising its clients to purchase the Company's securities.
Research reports or corporate finance reports that may be prepared by the
Financial Advisor will, when and if prepared, be done solely on the merits or
judgment and analysis of the Financial Advisor or any senior corporate finance
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personnel of the Financial Advisor.
9. Company Information; Confidentially. The Company recognizes and
confirms that, in advising the Company and in fulfilling its engagement
hereunder, the Financial Advisor will use and rely on data, material and other
information furnished to the Financial Advisor by the Company. The Company
acknowledges and agrees that in performing its services under this engagement,
the Financial Advisor may rely upon the data, material and other information
supplied by the Company without independently verifying the accuracy,
completeness or veracity of same. In addition, in the performance of its
services, the Financial Advisor may look to such others for such factual
information, economic advice and/or research upon which to base its advice to
the Company hereunder as the Financial Advisor shall in good faith deem
appropriate.
Except as contemplated by the terms hereof or as required by applicable
law, the Financial Advisor shall keep confidential all non-public information
provided to it by the Company, and shall not disclose such information to any
third party without the Company's prior written consent, other than such of its
employees and advisors as the Financial Advisor determines to have a need to
know.
10. Indemnification. The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless the
Financial Advisor against any and all liabilities, claims, lawsuits, including
any and all awards and/or judgments to which it may become subject under the
Securities Act of 1933, (the "Act"), the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (the "1934 Act") or any other federal or state statute, at common law or
otherwise, insofar as said liabilities, claims and lawsuits (including costs,
expenses, awards and/or judgments) arise out of or are in connection with the
services rendered by the Financial Advisor or any transactions in connection
with this Agreement, except for any liabilities, claims and lawsuits (including
awards and/or judgments), arising out of willful misconduct or willful omissions
of the Financial Advisor. In addition, the Company shall also indemnify and hold
harmless the Financial Advisor against any and all reasonable costs and
expenses, including reasonable counsel fees, incurred relating to the foregoing.
The Financial Advisor shall give the Company prompt notice of any such
liability, claim or lawsuit which the Financial Advisor contends is the subject
matter of the Company's indemnification and the Company thereupon shall be
granted the right to take any and all necessary and proper action, at its sole
cost and expense, with respect to such liability, claim and lawsuit, including
the right to settle, compromise and dispose of such liability, claim or lawsuit,
excepting therefrom any and all proceedings or hearings before any regulatory
bodies and/or authorities.
The Financial Advisor shall indemnify and hold the Company harmless
against any and all liabilities, claims and lawsuits, including any and all
awards and/or judgments to which it may become subject under the Act, the 1934
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Act or any other federal or state statute, at common law or otherwise, insofar
as said liabilities, claims and lawsuits (including costs, expenses, awards
and/or judgments) arise out of or are based upon willful misconduct or willful
omissions of the Financial Advisor. In addition, the Financial Advisor shall
also indemnify and hold the Company harmless against any and all reasonable
costs and expenses, including reasonable counsel fees, incurred relating to the
foregoing.
The Company shall give the Financial Advisor prompt notice of any such
liability, claim or lawsuit which the Company contends is the subject matter of
the Financial Advisor's indemnification and the Financial Advisor thereupon
shall be granted the right to take any and all necessary and proper action, at
its sole cost and expense, with respect to such liability, claim and lawsuit,
including the right to settle, compromise or dispose of such liability, claim or
lawsuit, excepting therefrom any and all proceedings or hearings before any
regulatory bodies and/or authorities.
11. The Financial Advisor as an Independent Contractor. The Financial
Advisor shall perform its services hereunder as an independent contractor and
not as an employee of the Company or an affiliate thereof. It is expressly
understood and agreed to by the parties hereto that the Financial Advisor shall
have no authority to act for, represent or bind the Company or any affiliate
thereof in any manner, except as may be agreed to expressly by the Company in
writing from time to time.
12. Miscellaneous.
(a) This Agreement between the Company and the Financial Advisor
constitutes the entire agreement and understanding of the parties hereto, and
supersedes any and all previous agreements and understandings, whether oral or
written, between the parties with respect to the matters set forth herein.
(b) Any notice or communication permitted or required hereunder shall be
in writing and shall be deemed sufficiently given if hand-delivered or sent
postage prepaid by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, to
the respective parties as set forth below, or to such other address as either
party may notify the other in writing:
If to the Company: Harvey E. Deutsch, President
Gateway American Properties Corporation
9145 East Kenyan Avenue, Suite 200
Denver, Colorado 80237
Copy to: Gilbert L. McSwain, Esq.
1660 South Albion Street, Suite 309
Denver, Colorado 80222
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If to the
Financial Advisor: Robert T. Kirk, President
Barron Chase Securities, Inc.
7700 West Camino Real
Boca Raton, Florida 33433
Copy to: David A. Carter, P.A.
2300 Glades Road, Suite 210W
Boca Raton, Florida 33431
(c) This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of each
of the parties hereto and their respective successors, legal representatives and
assigns.
(d) This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of
which together shall constitute one and the same original document.
(e) No provision of this Agreement may be amended, modified or waived,
except in a writing signed by all of the parties hereto.
(f) This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with
the laws of the State of Florida applicable to contracts made and to be
performed entirely within the State of Florida. The parties agree that any
action brought by any party against another party in connection with any rights
or obligations arising out of this Agreement shall be instituted properly in a
federal or state court of competent jurisdiction with venue only in the
Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Court in and for Palm Beach County, Florida or the
United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, West Palm
Beach Division. A party to this Agreement named as a Defendant in any action
brought in connection with this Agreement in any court outside of the above
named designated county or district shall have the right to have the venue of
said action changed to the above designated county or district or, if necessary,
have the case dismissed, requiring the other party to refile such action in an
appropriate court in the above designated county or federal district.
(g) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by and
on behalf of the Company and the Financial Advisor.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed, as of the day and year first above written.
Very truly yours,
GATEWAY AMERICAN
PROPERTIES CORPORATION
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BY:_______________________________
Harvey E. Deutsch, President
BARRON CHASE SECURITIES, INC.
BY:_______________________________
Robert T. Kirk, President
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