EXHIBIT 4.4
WELLS FARGO BANK REVOLVING LINE OF CREDIT NOTE
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$400,000.00 Irvine, California
September 23, 1996
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned GRIP TECHNOLOGIES, INC. ("Borrower")
promises to pay to the order of WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION ("Bank")
at its office at ORANGE COAST RCBO, 2030 MAIN STREET SUITE 900, IRVINE, CA
92714, or at such other place as the holder hereof may designate, in lawful
money of the United States of America and in immediately available funds, the
principal sum of $400,000.00, or so much thereof as may be advanced and be
outstanding, with interest thereon, to be computed on each advance from the date
of its disbursement as set forth herein.
INTEREST:
(a) Interest. The outstanding principal balance of this Note shall bear
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interest (computed on the basis of a 360-day year, actual days elapsed) at a
rate per annum 2.50000% above the Prime Rate in effect from time to time. The
"Prime Rate" is a base rate that Bank from time to time establishes and which
serves as the basis upon which effective rates of interest are calculated for
those loans making reference thereto. Each change in the rate of interest
hereunder shall become effective on the date each Prime Rate change is announced
within Bank.
(b) Payment of Interest. Interest accrued on this Note shall be payable on
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the 15TH day of each MONTH, commencing OCTOBER 15, 1996.
(c) Default Interest. From and after the maturity date of this Note, or such
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earlier date as all principal owing hereunder becomes due and payable by
acceleration or otherwise, the outstanding principal balance of this Note shall
bear interest until paid in full at an increased rate per annum (computed on the
basis of a 360-day year, actual days elapsed) equal to 4% above the rate of
interest from time to time applicable to this Note.
(d) Collection of Payments. Borrower authorizes Bank to collect all
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interest due hereunder by charging Borrower's demand deposit account number
4159-318914 with Bank, or any other demand deposit account maintained by any
Borrower with Bank, for the full amount thereof. Should there be insufficient
funds in any such demand deposit account to pay all such sums when due, the full
amount of such deficiency shall be immediately due and payable by Borrower.
BORROWING AND REPAYMENT:
(a) Borrowing and Repayment. Borrower may from time to time during the
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term of this Note borrow, partially or wholly repay its outstanding borrowings,
and reborrow, subject to all of the limitations, terms and conditions of this
Note and of any document executed in connection with or governing this Note;
provided however, that the total outstanding borrowings under this Note shall
not at any time exceed the principal amount stated above. The unpaid principal
balance of this obligation at any time shall be the total amounts advanced
hereunder by the holder hereof less the amount of principal payments made hereon
by or for any Borrower, which balance may be endorsed hereon from time to time
by the holder. The outstanding principal balance of this Note shall be due and
payable in full on SEPTEMBER 15, 1997.
(b) Advances. Advances hereunder, to the total amount of the principal sum
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available hereunder, may be made by the holder at the oral or written request of
(i) SAMUEL G. LINDSAY, any one acting alone, who are authorized to request
advances and direct the disposition of any advances until written notice of the
revocation of such authority is received by the holder at the office designated
above, or (ii) any person, with respect to advances deposited to the credit of
any account of any Borrower with the holder, which advances, when so deposited,
shall be conclusively presumed to have been made to or for the benefit of each
Borrower regardless of the fact that persons other than those authorized to
request advances may have authority to draw against such account. The holder
shall have no obligation to determine whether any person requesting an advance
is or has been authorized by any Borrower.
(c) Application of Payments. Each payment made on this Note shall be
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credited first, to any interest then due and second, to the outstanding
principal balance hereof.
EVENTS OF DEFAULT:
The occurrence of any of the followinq shall constitute an "Event of
Default" under this Note:
(a) The failure to pay any principal, interest, fees or other charges when
due hereunder or under any contract, instrument or document executed in
connection with this Note.
(b) The filing of a petition by or against any Borrower, any guarantor of
this Note or any general partner or joint venturer in any Borrower which is a
partnership or a joint venture (with each such guarantor, general partner and/or
joint venturer referred to herein as a "Third Party Obligor") under any
provisions of the Bankruptcy Reform Act, Title 11 of the United States Code, as
amended or recodified from time to time, or under any similar or other law
relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other relief for debtors;
the appointment of a receiver,
Revolving Line of Credit Note (08/96), Page 1
trustee, custodian or liquidator of or for any part of the assets or property of
any Borrower or Third Party Obligor; any Borrower or Third Party Obligor becomes
insolvent, makes a general assignment for the benefit of creditors or is
generally not paying its debts as they become due; or any attachment or like
levy on any property of any Borrower or Third Party Obligor.
(c) The death or incapacity of any individual Borrower or Third Party
Obligor, or the dissolution or liquidation of any Borrower or Third Party
Obligor which is a corporation, partnership, joint venture or other type of
entity.
(d) Any default in the payment or performance of any obligation, or any
defined event of default, under any provisions of any contract, instrument or
document pursuant to which any Borrower or Third Party Obligor has incurred any
obligation for borrowed money, any purchase obligation, or any other liability
of any kind to any person or entity, including the holder.
(e) Any financial statement provided by any Borrower or Third Party Obllgor
to Bank proves to be incorrect, false or misleading in any material respect.
(f) Any sale or transfer of all or a substantial or material part of the
assets of any Borrower or Third Party Obligor other than in the ordinary course
of its business.
(g) Any violation or breach of any provision of, or any defined event of
default under, any addendum to this Note or any loan agreement, guaranty,
security agreement, deed of trust, mortgage or other document executed in
connection with or securing this Note.
MISCELLANEOUS:
(a) Remedies. Upon the occurrence of any Event of Default, the holder of
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this Note, at the holder's option, may declare all sums of principal and
interest outstanding hereunder to be immediately due and payable without
presentment, demand, notice of nonperformance, notice of protest, protest or
notice of dishonor, all of which are expressly waived by each Borrower, and the
obligation, if any, of the holder to extend any further credit hereunder shall
immediately cease and terminate. Each Borrower shall pay to the holder
immediately upon demand the full amount of all payments, advances, charges,
costs and expenses, including reasonable attorneys' fees (to include outside
counsel fees and all allocated costs of the holder's in-house counsel), expended
or incurred by the holder in connection with the enforcement of the holder's
rights and/or the collection of any amounts which become due to the holder under
this Note, and the prosecution or defense of any action in any way related to
this Note, including without limitation, any action for declaratory relief,
whether incurred at the trial or appellate level, in an arbitration proceeding
or otherwise, and including any of the foregoing incurred in connection with any
bankruptcy proceeding (including without limitation, any adversary proceeding,
contested matter or motion brought by Bank or any other person) relating to any
Borrower or any other person or entity.
(b) Obligations Joint and Several. Should more than one person or entity
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sign this Note as a Borrower, the obligations of each such Borrower shall be
joint and several.
(c) Governing Law. This Note shall be governed by and construed in
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accordance with the laws of the state of California.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Note as of the date
first written above.
GRIP TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
By: /s/ Samuel G. Lindsay
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SAMUEL G. LINDSAY
PRESIDENT
Revolving Line of Credit Note (08/96), Page 2
ADDENDUM TO PROMISSORY NOTE
THIS ADDENDUM is attached to and made a part of that certain promissory
note executed by GRIP TECHNOLOGIES, INC. ("Borrower") and payable to WELLS FARGO
BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, or order, dated as of September 23, 1996, in the
principal amount of Four Hundred Thousand Dollars ($400,000.00) (the "Note").
The following arbitration provision is hereby incorporated into the Note:
ARBITRATION:
(A) ARBITRATION. Upon the demand of any party, any Dispute shall be
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resolved by binding arbitration (except as set forth in (e) below) in accordance
with the terms of this Note. A "Dispute" shall mean any action, dispute, claim
or controversy of any kind, whether in contract or tort, statutory or common
law, legal or equitable, now existing or hereafter arising under or in
connection with, or in any way pertaining to, this Note and each other document,
contract and instrument required hereby or now or hereafter delivered to Bank in
connection herewith (collectively, the "Documents"), or any past, present or
future extensions of credit and other activities, transactions or obligations of
any kind related directly or indirectly to any of the Documents, including
without limitation, any of the foregoing arising in connection with the exercise
of any self-help, ancillary or other remedies pursuant to any of the Documents.
Any party may by summary proceedings bring an action in court to compel
arbitration of a Dispute. Any party who fails or refuses to submit to
arbitration following a lawful demand by any other party shall bear all costs
and expenses incurred by such other party in compelling arbitration of any
Dispute.
(b) Governing Rules. Arbitration proceedings shall be administered by
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the American Arbitration Association ("AAA") or such other administrator as the
parties shall mutually agree upon in accordance with the AAA Commercial
Arbitration Rules. All Disputes submitted to arbitration shall be resolved in
accordance with the Federal Arbitration Act (Title 9 of the United States Code),
notwithstanding any conflicting choice of law provision in any of the Documents.
The arbitration shall be conducted at a location in California selected by the
AAA or other administrator. If there is any inconsistency between the terms
hereof and any such rules, the terms and procedures set forth herein shall
control. All statutes of limitation applicable to any Dispute shall apply to any
arbitration proceeding. All discovery activities shall be expressly limited to
matters
directly relevant to the Dispute being arbitrated. Judgment upon any aware
rendered in an arbitration may be entered in any court having jurisdiction;
provided however, that nothing contained herein shall be deemed to be a waiver
by any party that is a bank of the protections afforded to it under 12 U.S.C.
(S)91 or any similar applicable state law.
(c) No Waiver; Provisional Remedies, Self-Help and Foreclosure. No
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provision hereof shall limit the right of any party to exercise self-help
remedies such as setoff, foreclosure against or sale of any real or personal
property collateral or security, or to obtain provisional or ancillary remedies,
including without limitation injunctive relief, sequestration, attachment,
garnishment or the appointment of a receiver, from a court of competent
jurisdiction before, after or during the pendency of any arbitration or other
proceeding. The exercise of any such remedy shall not waive the right of any
party to compel arbitration or reference hereunder.
(d) Arbitrator Qualifications and Powers; Awards. Arbitrators must be
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active members of the California State Bar or retired judges of the state or
federal judiciary of California, with expertise in the substantive law
applicable to the subject matter of the Dispute. Arbitrators are empowered to
resolve Disputes by summary rulings in response to motions filed prior to the
final arbitration hearing. Arbitrators (i) shall resolve all Disputes in
accordance with the substantive law of the state of California, (ii) may grant
any remedy or relief that a court of the state of California could order or
grant within the scope hereof and such ancillary relief as is necessary to make
effective any award, and (iii) shall have the power to award recovery of all
costs and fees, to impose sanctions and to take such other actions as they deem
necessary to the same extent a judge could pursuant to the Federal Rules of
Civil Procedure, the California Rules of Civil Procedure or other applicable
law. Any Dispute in which the amount in controversy is $5,000,000 or less shall
be decided by a single arbitrator who shall not render an award of greater than
$5,000,000 (including damages, costs, fees and expenses). By submission to a
single arbitrator, each party expressly waives any right or claim to recover
more than $5,000,000. Any Dispute in which the amount in controversy exceeds
$5,000,000 shall be decided by majority vote of a panel of three arbitrators;
provided however, that all three arbitrators must actively participate in all
hearings and deliberations.
(e) Judicial Review. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, in
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any arbitration in which the amount in controversy exceeds $25,000,000, the
arbitrators shall be
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required to make specific, written findings of fact and conclusions of law. In
such arbitrations (A) the arbitrators shall not have the power to make any award
which is not supported by substantial evidence or which is based on legal error,
(B) an award shall not be binding upon the parties unless the findings of fact
are supported by substantial evidence and the conclusions of law are not
erroneous under the substantive law of the state of California, and (C) the
parties shall have in addition to the grounds referred to in the Federal
Arbitration Act for vacating, modifying or correcting an award the right to
judicial review of (1) whether the findings of fact rendered by the arbitrators
are supported by substantial evidence, and (2) whether the conclusions of law
are erroneous under the substantive law of the state of California. Judgment
confirming an award in such a proceeding may be entered only if a court
determines the award is supported by substantial evidence and not based on legal
error under the substantive law of the state of California.
(f) Real Property Collateral; Judicial Reference. Notwithstanding anything
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herein to the contrary, no Dispute shall be submitted to arbitration if the
Dispute concerns indebtedness secured directly or indirectly, in whole or in
part, by any real property unless (i) the holder of the mortgage, lien or
security interest specifically elects in writing to proceed with the
arbitration, or (ii) all parties to the arbitration waive any rights or benefits
that might accrue to them by virtue of the single action rule statute of
California, thereby agreeing that all indebtedness and obligations of the
parties, and all mortgages, liens and security interests securing such
indebtedness and obligations, shall remain fully valid and enforceable. If any
such Dispute is not submitted to arbitration, the Dispute shall be referred to a
referee in accordance with California Code of Civil Procedure Section 638 et
seq., and this general reference agreement is intended to be specifically
enforceable in accordance with said Section 638. A referee with the
qualifications required herein for arbitrators shall be selected pursuant to the
AAA's selection procedures. Judgment upon the decision rendered by a referee
shall be entered in the court in which such proceeding was commenced in
accordance with California Code of Civil Procedure Sections 644 and 645.
(g) Miscellaneous. To the maximum extent practicable, the AAA, the
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arbitrators and the parties shall take all action required to conclude any
arbitration proceeding within 180 days of the filing of the Dispute with the
AAA. No arbitrator or other party to an arbitration proceeding may disclose the
existence, content or results thereof, except for disclosures of information by
a party required in
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the ordinary course of its business, by applicable law or regulation, or to the
extent necessary to exercise any judicial review rights set forth herein. If
more than one agreement for arbitration by or between the parties potentially
applies to a Dispute, the arbitration provision most directly related to the
Documents or the subject matter of the Dispute shall control. This Note may be
amended or modified only in writing signed by Bank and Borrower. If any
provision of this Note shall be held to be prohibited by or invalid under
applicable law, such provision shall be ineffective only to the extent of such
prohibition or invalidity, without invalidating the remainder of such provision
or any remaining provisions of this Note. This arbitration provision shall
survive termination, amendment or expiration of any of the Documents or any
relationship between the parties.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Addendum has been executed as of the same date as
the Note .
GRIP TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
By: /s/ Samuel G. Lindsay
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Samuel G. Lindsay
President