-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE----- Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov Originator-Key-Asymmetric: MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA, WKSLdJLwbX6felWmxEqrLu5sgqoL1gMEidf1Ge1THtJGQqCTv4h/6W3uNpERhTjx nDuImRmqlLw9hOJMfKxw2g== 0000950144-98-008732.txt : 19980724 0000950144-98-008732.hdr.sgml : 19980724 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0000950144-98-008732 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: SC 14D9 PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 11 FILED AS OF DATE: 19980723 SROS: NASD SUBJECT COMPANY: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: MCM CORP CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000275710 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: FIRE, MARINE & CASUALTY INSURANCE [6331] IRS NUMBER: 561171691 STATE OF INCORPORATION: NC FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: SC 14D9 SEC ACT: SEC FILE NUMBER: 005-17461 FILM NUMBER: 98670492 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 702 OBERLIN RD STREET 2: BOX 12317 CITY: RALEIGH STATE: NC ZIP: 27605 BUSINESS PHONE: 9198331600 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 702 OBERLIN ROAD STREET 2: P O BOX 12317 CITY: RALEIGH STATE: NC ZIP: 27605 FILED BY: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: MCM CORP CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000275710 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: FIRE, MARINE & CASUALTY INSURANCE [6331] IRS NUMBER: 561171691 STATE OF INCORPORATION: NC FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: SC 14D9 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 702 OBERLIN RD STREET 2: BOX 12317 CITY: RALEIGH STATE: NC ZIP: 27605 BUSINESS PHONE: 9198331600 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 702 OBERLIN ROAD STREET 2: P O BOX 12317 CITY: RALEIGH STATE: NC ZIP: 27605 SC 14D9 1 MCM CORPORATION SC 14D9 1 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, DC 20549 ------------------------------ SCHEDULE 14D-9 SOLICITATION/RECOMMENDATION STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 14(d)(4) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 ------------------------------ McM CORPORATION (NAME OF SUBJECT COMPANY) McM CORPORATION (NAME OF PERSON(S) FILING STATEMENT) ------------------------------ COMMON STOCK, $1.00 PAR VALUE (TITLE OF CLASS OF SECURITIES) 552674103 (CUSIP NUMBER OF CLASS OF SECURITIES) ------------------------------ GEORGE E. KING CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER McM CORPORATION 702 OBERLIN ROAD, SUITE 300 RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA 27605 (919) 831-8172 (NAME, ADDRESS AND TELEPHONE NUMBER OF PERSON AUTHORIZED TO RECEIVE NOTICE AND COMMUNICATIONS ON BEHALF OF THE PERSON(S) FILING STATEMENT) - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 ITEM 1. SECURITY AND SUBJECT COMPANY The name of the subject company is McM Corporation, a North Carolina corporation (alternatively, "McM" or the "Company"). The address of the principal executive office of the Company is 702 Oberlin Road, Raleigh, North Carolina 27605. The title of the class of equity securities to which this Statement relates is the issued and outstanding common stock, $1.00 par value (the "Shares"), of the Company. ITEM 2. TENDER OFFER OF THE BIDDER This Statement relates to the tender offer by IAT Reinsurance Syndicate Ltd., a Bermuda corporation (alternatively, "IAT" or "Purchaser") disclosed in a Tender Offer Statement on Schedule 14D-1 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") on July 23, 1998 (as the same may be amended from time to time, the "Schedule 14D-1"), to purchase up to 35% of the Shares at a price of $3.65 per Share, net to the seller in cash, without interest, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase dated July 23, 1998, (the "Offer to Purchase") and the related Letter of Transmittal and any supplement thereto (which collectively constitute the "Offer"). The Offer is being made pursuant to an Offer and Rights Agreement between the Company and IAT dated July 16, 1998 (the "Offer and Rights Agreement"), the provisions of which are further described in Item 3(b)(2) hereof. The Offer and Rights Agreement provides that, upon the terms and subject to the conditions contained therein, IAT will make the Offer as described herein and the Company will, among other things, recommend the Offer to the Company's shareholders. According to the Schedule 14D-1, the address of the principal executive offices of IAT is Victoria Hall, 11 Victoria Street, Hamilton HM11, Bermuda. ITEM 3. IDENTITY AND BACKGROUND (a) The name and business address of the Company, which is the person filing this Statement, are set forth in Item 1 above, which information is incorporated herein by reference. (b)(1) The information contained on pages 5 through 17 of the Company's Proxy Statement, dated April 21, 1998, for the Company's 1998 Annual Meeting of Shareholders filed with the Commission as Exhibit 1 and incorporated herein by reference contains information with respect to certain contracts, agreements, arrangements or understandings between the Company and certain of its directors, executive officers and affiliates. Employee Incentive Stock Option Plans Certain officers of the Company have received incentive stock option awards to purchase the common stock of the Company under both the 1986 and 1996 Employee Incentive Stock Option Plans of McM Corporation (the "Option Plans"), both approved by the shareholders of the Company on May 16, 1986, and May 23, 1996, respectively, and filed as Exhibits 2 and 3 and incorporated herein by reference. Under the Option Plans, a total of 177,962 shares of the Company's common stock are reserved for issuance pursuant to outstanding options. Of those shares, 157,962 are attributable to options held by executive officers. Both Option Plans provide that, upon a Change in Control (defined in the Option Plans), all options held by an optionee become fully exercisable. Consummation of the Offer as described herein would constitute a Change in Control under the Option Plans. IAT has offered to cash out all existing options in consideration of a cash payment of an amount equal to the difference between the option price and $3.65. The executive officers of the Company, George E. King and Stephen L. Stephano, entered into an agreement with IAT on July 16, 1998, whereby they have agreed, among other things, to cancel all of their options under the Option Plans for the cash consideration offered by IAT. For those options with an option price above $3.65, Mr. King and Mr. Stephano have agreed to the termination of these options with no cash payment in exchange for such termination. (See discussion of this agreement under heading "Tender Agreement" below). 2 3 Executive Officers' Employment Agreements The Company's two executive officers, Mr. King and Mr. Stephano, have two-year rolling term employment agreements with the Company filed as Exhibits 4 and 5 and incorporated herein by reference. In the event either executive officer's employment is terminated without cause or the executive is required to relocate his office more than fifty miles from its present location, the officer is eligible for a termination benefit of two years' salary. The specific terms of the employment agreements and other compensation arrangements with Mr. King and Mr. Stephano are further described in Exhibits 1, 4 and 5. Employee Stock Purchase Plan of McM Corporation The 1996 Employee Stock Purchase Plan of McM Corporation (the "ESP Plan") was approved by the Board of Directors and became effective as of May 23, 1996, and is filed as Exhibit 6 and incorporated herein by reference. Under the Plan, eligible employees (including executive officers) may purchase up to an aggregate of 300,000 shares of the Company's common stock. At the end of the quarterly offering period, participants can elect to purchase shares of the Company's common stock at a ten percent discount of the closing price of the common stock reported on the NASDAQ Stock Exchange on the day before the applicable purchase date. 31,350 shares have been subscribed to under the ESP Plan as of July 14, 1998, of which total 16,532 shares are held by executive officers. Pursuant to the Offer and Rights Agreement, the Company has terminated the ESP Plan effective as of July 15, 1998, the day after the last quarterly purchase under the ESP Plan. Employees may elect to tender the shares held in their ESP Plan accounts by completing the Instructions included with the Offer to Purchase. Key Executive Incentive Compensation Plan The Company's Key Executive Incentive Compensation Plan (the "Incentive Plan"), effective January 1, 1993, filed as Exhibit 7 and incorporated herein by reference, provides incentive compensation for the executive officers of McM, Mr. King and Mr. Stephano, and is further described in the proxy statement filed as Exhibit 1 and incorporated herein by reference. McM Corporation Phantom Stock Plan The McM Corporation Phantom Stock Plan (the "Phantom Plan"), filed as Exhibit 8 and incorporated herein by reference, was approved by the Board of Directors and became effective January 19, 1995. Mr. Stephano has received a total of 100,000 shares of phantom stock awards under the Phantom Plan. Under the terms of the Phantom Plan, Mr. Stephano's shares of phantom stock mature as of the earliest to occur of (a) the two year anniversary of the date of termination of Mr. Stephano's employment; (b) the date of death or total and permanent disability of Mr. Stephano; or (c) the date Mr. Stephano reaches age 55. Upon maturity, Mr. Stephano receives the value of the phantom stock as calculated under the Phantom Plan. (b)(2) The Offer and Rights Agreement. The following is a summary of the Offer and Rights Agreement filed as Exhibit 9 and incorporated herein by reference. Such summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Offer and Rights Agreement. The Offer. The Offer and Rights Agreement provides for the commencement of the Offer as promptly as reasonably practicable, but in no event later than five business days after the initial public announcement of the execution of the Offer and Rights Agreement. The obligation of Purchaser to accept for payment Shares tendered pursuant to the Offer is subject to the satisfaction of the Minimum Condition and certain other conditions that are described herein. 3 4 Designation of Directors. The Offer and Rights Agreement provides that immediately following the Purchaser's Election Time (as defined below) and from time to time thereafter, Purchaser shall be entitled to designate a majority of the Board of Directors. Pursuant to the Offer and Rights Agreement, the Company agrees, at such time, to promptly take all actions necessary to cause Purchaser's designees to be elected as directors of the Company, including increasing the size of the Board or securing the resignations of incumbent directors or both. The Offer and Rights Agreement also provides that, at such time, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause persons designated by Purchaser to constitute a majority of (a) each committee of the Board (some of whom may be required to be independent as required by applicable law or the requirements of the rules of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.), (b) each board of directors of each subsidiary and (c) each committee of each such board, in each case only to the extent permitted by applicable law. If any of Purchaser's designees dies, resigns or is removed upon the direction of Purchaser, the Company agrees in the Offer and Rights Agreement to take all action necessary to cause such vacancy to be filled by a designee of Purchaser within 10 business days after the opening of such vacancy. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Offer and Rights Agreement provides that until the Purchaser's Election Time, the Company shall use its best efforts to ensure that all the members of the Board and each committee of the Board and such boards and committees of the subsidiaries of the Company as of the date thereof who are not employees of the Company shall remain members of the Board and of such boards and committees. Rights to Purchase Preferred Stock. Pursuant to the Offer and Rights Agreement, the Company agrees to issue to Purchaser, immediately following the acceptance for payment and payment by Purchaser for Shares validly tendered and not withdrawn pursuant to the Offer, rights ("Rights") to purchase from the Company 60,000 shares of a new issue of Series A preferred stock, par value $1,000 per share ("Preferred Stock"), at an exercise price of $.01 per share of Preferred Stock. The Rights are exercisable in whole or in part and at any time after issuance and prior to June 1, 2008, if, (i) the Trust sells (including without limitation, pursuant to a merger, consolidation or other business combination transaction involving the Company) any of the Retained Shares to any third party other than Purchaser or an assignee of Purchaser, or (ii) if any person or entity other than Purchaser causes Purchaser's designees to cease to constitute a majority of the members of the Board of Directors of the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Offer and Rights Agreement provides that the Rights shall not become immediately exercisable if Purchaser's designees fail to constitute a majority of the members of the Company's Board of Directors due to the death, resignation or removal by Purchaser of any such designee; provided, that the Rights shall become exercisable following any such event if, prior to the time Purchaser's designees again represent a majority of the members of the Company's board of directors, such board takes any action opposed by a majority of the remaining designees of Purchaser or, if no such designees remain, the then current chief executive officer of Purchaser. Pursuant to the Offer and Rights Agreement, the Company agreed to take all action necessary to fill any vacancy created by death, resignation or removal by Purchaser of Purchaser's designees to the board of directors of the Company within 10 business days of any such event. The Offer and Rights Agreement also provides that no delay or failure by Purchaser in exercising the Rights upon an occurrence of an event allowing for exercise shall operate as a waiver of such right to exercise, nor shall any partial exercise of the Rights preclude other or further exercise thereof. No Rights may be exercised for less than a whole share of Preferred Stock, and the Purchaser may surrender the Rights to the Company for cancellation at any time before June 1, 2008. The Offer and Rights Agreement also provides that Purchaser, as holder of Rights, shall not be deemed for any purposes the holder of any shares of Preferred Stock issuable on the exercise thereof, nor shall the Offer and Rights Agreement confer on Purchaser, as such holder of Rights, any of the rights of a shareholder of the Company until the Rights shall have been exercised and then only to the extent provided in the designation of Preferred Stock. Pursuant to the Offer and Rights Agreement, each person in whose name any certificate for shares is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the shares of Preferred Stock represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date upon which the Rights Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly delivered to the Company with payment of the exercise price (and any applicable taxes and other governmental charges payable by the exercising holder hereunder); provided, however, that if the date of such delivery and payment is a date upon which the stock transfer books of the Company are closed, such 4 5 person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such shares on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding business day on which the stock transfer books of the Company are open. The Offer and Rights Agreement attaches as an exhibit the rights, preferences, limitations and characteristics (the "Designation") of the Preferred Stock, which provides for a series of 60,000 shares, which number may from time to time be increased or decreased (but may not be decreased below the number then outstanding) by the board of directors of the Company. The Designation provides that the Preferred Stock will have no dividend or voting rights (other than voting rights required by the North Carolina Business Corporation Act), and will not be convertible or exchangeable for shares of Common Stock or any other class or series of stock (or any other security) of the Company. The Designation provides that the Preferred Stock shall rank, as to distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, senior to any other class or series of preferred stock of the Company. Moreover, upon the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution of winding up of the Company, the Designation provides that the holders of shares of Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive out of the net assets of the Company, before any payment or distribution shall be made or set apart for payment on the Common Stock or any other class or series of stock of the Company, the amount of $1,000 per share; provided, that after such payment, the holders of Preferred Stock, as such, shall have no right or claim to any of the remaining net assets of the Company. Subject to the North Carolina Business Corporation Act and required regulatory approvals, the Designation also provides that the Preferred Stock shall at all times be redeemable at the option of the holder thereof in cash for $1,000 per share payable by the Company by official bank or certified check or wire transfer of immediately available funds. Such redemption shall occur within ten business days after receiving a written notice of redemption from the holder of shares of Preferred Stock accompanied by a certificate or certificates for such shares duly endorsed by the holder thereof with signature guaranteed by a financial institution. In the Offer and Rights Agreement, the Company covenants and agrees that it will (i) cause the Company's Articles of Incorporation to be amended immediately following Purchaser's purchase of Shares in the Offer to include the designation of the Preferred Stock and such other matters as may be required by applicable law in connection with the establishment of the Preferred Stock, (ii) take all such action as may be necessary to insure that all shares of Preferred Stock delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such shares (subject to payment of the exercise price therefor), be duly and validly authorized, executed, issued and delivered and fully paid and nonassessable, (iii) take all such action as may be necessary to comply with any applicable laws, rules, or regulations in connection with the issuance of any shares upon exercise of Rights, and (iv) pay when due and payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges that may be payable in respect of the original issuance or delivery of a Rights Certificate or of any shares of Preferred Stock issued upon the exercise of Rights; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to pay any transfer tax or charge that may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the transfer or delivery of Rights Certificates or the issuance or delivery of certificates for shares of Preferred Stock in a name other than of the holder of the Rights being transferred or exercised. Conduct of Business. Pursuant to the Offer and Rights Agreement, the Company has covenanted and agreed that, between the date of the Offer and Rights Agreement and the election or appointment of Purchaser's designees to serve on the Company's Board of Directors (the "Purchaser's Election Date"), unless Purchaser shall otherwise agree in writing, each of the Company and its Subsidiaries (as defined in the Offer and Rights Agreement) shall conduct its business only in, and the Company and the Subsidiaries shall not take any action except in the ordinary course of business and in a manner consistent with past practice; and the Company shall use its best efforts to preserve substantially intact the business organization of the Company and the Subsidiaries, to keep available the services of the current officers, employees and consultants of the Company and its Subsidiaries and to preserve the current relationships of the Company and its subsidiaries with customers, suppliers and other persons with which the Company or any of its subsidiaries have significant business relations. The Offer and Rights Agreement also provides that, except as contemplated by the Offer and Rights Agreement, neither the Company nor any Subsidiary shall, between the date of the Offer and Rights Agreement and the Purchaser's Election Date, directly or indirectly do, or propose to do, any of the following: without the prior written consent of the Purchaser (a) amend or otherwise change its Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws or equivalent organizational documents; (b) issue, sell, pledge, dispose of, 5 6 grant, encumber, or authorize the issuance, sale, pledge, disposition, grant or encumbrance of (i) any shares of capital stock of any class of the Company or any subsidiary, or any options, warrants, convertible securities or other rights of any kind to acquire any shares of such capital stock, or any other ownership interest (including, without limitation, any phantom interest), of the Company or any subsidiary or (ii) any assets of the Company or any subsidiary, except for sales in the ordinary course of business and in a manner consistent with past practice; (c) declare, set aside, make or pay any dividend or other distribution, payable in cash, stock, property or otherwise, with respect to any of its capital stock except for the regular quarterly dividend of Wilshire Insurance Company to Occidental Fire & Casualty Company of North Carolina; (d) reclassify, combine, split, subdivide or redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire, directly or indirectly, any of its capital stock; (e) (i) acquire (including, without limitation, by merger, consolidation, or acquisition of stock or assets or any other business combination) any corporation, partnership, other business organization or any division thereof or any material amount of assets other than in the ordinary course of business; (ii) incur any indebtedness for borrowed money except of routine use of the Company's existing line of credit in the ordinary course of business or issue any debt securities or assume, guarantee or endorse, pledge in respect of or otherwise as an accommodation become responsible for the obligations of any person, or make any loans or advances, except in the ordinary course of business and consistent with past practice; (iii) enter into any contract or agreement other than contracts or agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business, consistent with past practice and which require payments by the Company or its subsidiaries in an aggregate amount of less than U.S. $250,000; (iv) terminate, cancel or request any material change in, or agree to any material change in, any material contracts, except in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice; (v) authorize any single capital expenditure (excluding software development activity) which is in excess of U.S. $100,000 or capital expenditures which are, in the aggregate, in excess of U.S. $250,000 for the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; or (vi) enter into or amend any contract, agreement, commitment or arrangement with respect to any matter described in this clause (e); (f) increase the compensation payable or to become payable to its officers or employees, except for increases in accordance with past practices in salaries or wages of employees of the Company or any subsidiary who are not officers of the Company, or grant any severance or termination pay to, or enter into any employment or severance agreement with, any director, officer or other employee of the Company or any subsidiary, or establish, adopt, enter into or amend any collective bargaining, bonus, profit sharing, thrift, compensation, stock option, restricted stock, pension, retirement, deferred compensation, employment, termination, severance or other plan, agreement, trust, fund, policy or arrangement for the benefit of any director, officer or employee or circulate to any employee any details of any proposal to adopt or amend any such plan; (g) take any action, other than reasonable and usual actions in the ordinary course of business and consistent with past practice, with respect to accounting policies or procedures (including, without limitation, procedures with respect to the payment of accounts payable and collection of accounts receivable); (h) make any tax election or settle or compromise any material federal, state, local or foreign income tax liability; (i) pay, discharge or satisfy any claim, liability or obligation (absolute, accrued, asserted or unasserted, contingent or otherwise), other than the payment, discharge or satisfaction, in the ordinary course of business and consistent with past practice, of liabilities reflected or reserved against on the Company's consolidated balance sheet included in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 1997, or subsequently incurred in the ordinary course of business and consistent with past practice; or (j) except for insurance claims settled in the ordinary course, certain litigation matters and insurance related claims, settle or compromise any pending or threatened suit, action or claim that is material or which relates to any of the Transactions; or (k) announce an intention, enter into any formal or informal agreement, or otherwise make a commitment, to do any of the foregoing or any action that would result in any of the conditions to the Offer not being satisfied (other than as contemplated by the Offer and Rights Agreement). Access to Information; Confidentiality. Pursuant to the Offer and Rights Agreement, from the date of the Offer and Rights Agreement to the Purchaser's Election Time, the Company agreed to, and to cause its Subsidiaries and the officers, directors, employees, auditors and agents of the Company and its subsidiaries to, afford the officers, employees and agents of the Purchaser complete access at all reasonable times to the officers, employees, agents, properties, offices, and other facilities, books and records of the Company and each of its subsidiaries and to furnish Purchaser with all financial, operating and other data and information as 6 7 Purchaser, through its officers, employees or agents, may reasonably request. The Purchaser agreed in the Offer and Rights Agreement except as required by law to keep such information confidential in accordance with the Confidentiality Agreement dated as of April 15, 1998 (the "Confidentiality Agreement"), between Purchaser and the Company. No Solicitation of Transactions. The Company has agreed that neither the Company nor any subsidiary shall, directly or indirectly, through any officer, director, agent or otherwise, solicit, initiate or encourage the submission of any proposal or offer from any person relating to any acquisition or purchase of all or any material portion of the assets of, or any equity interest in, the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any business combination with the Company or any of its subsidiaries or participate in any negotiations regarding, or furnish to any other person any information with respect to, or otherwise cooperate in any way with, or assist or participate in, facilitate or encourage, any effort or attempt by any other person to do or seek any of the foregoing. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Offer and Rights Agreement permits the Board to furnish information to, or enter into discussions or negotiations with, any person in connection with an unsolicited (from the date of the Offer and Rights Agreement) proposal in writing by such person to acquire the Company pursuant to a merger, consolidation, share exchange, business combination or other similar transaction or to acquire all or substantially all of the assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, if, and only to the extent that, (a) the Board, after consultation with independent legal counsel (which may include its regularly engaged independent legal counsel), determines in good faith that such action is required for the Board to comply with its fiduciary duties to shareholders imposed by North Carolina law and (b) prior to furnishing such information to, or entering into discussions or negotiations with, such person, the Company uses its reasonable best efforts to obtain from such person an executed confidentiality agreement on terms no less favorable to the Company than those contained in the Confidentiality Agreement (or obtained a confidentiality agreement prior to the date of the Offer and Rights Agreement). Pursuant to the Offer and Rights Agreement, the Company agreed to immediately cease and cause to be terminated all existing discussions or negotiations with any parties conducted prior to the date of the Offer and Rights Agreement with respect to any of the foregoing. Moreover, the Company agreed (x) to notify Purchaser promptly if any such proposal or offer, or any inquiry or contact with any person with respect thereto, is made and (y) not to release any third party from, or waive any provision of, any confidentiality or, subject to the fiduciary duties of the Board, standstill agreement to which the Company is or may become a party. Treatment of Stock Options; Employee Stock Purchase Rights. Under the terms of the Company's 1986 Employee Incentive Stock Option Plan and 1996 Employee Incentive Stock Option Plan (collectively, the "Stock Option Plans"), each outstanding option (an "Option") to purchase Shares becomes exercisable in full, regardless of the vesting schedule contained in any stock option agreement or in any of the Stock Option Plans, five business days prior to the consummation of a change of control ("Change of Control") as defined in the Stock Option Plans. A Change of Control includes the acquisition by any person of beneficial ownership, directly or indirectly, of 25% or more of the voting power of the Company's then outstanding securities. The Stock Option Plans further provide that, in the event any Option holder is terminated as an employee of the Company within three months following Change of Control, all options granted to such employee on or before the date of such termination shall remain exercisable for a period ending on the earlier of (i) six months following such termination or (ii) the original expiration date of the Option. Consummation of the Offer in accordance with the terms described herein would constitute a Change of Control. Except as described herein, any holders of Options under the Stock Option Plans wishing to tender such Option Shares in the Offer may either exercise such options and tender the Shares received in accordance with the general instructions provided herein or, in lieu of exercising such Options and tendering such Shares in the offer, elect to cancel such Options and obtain from the Purchaser, in exchange for such cancellation, an amount (subject to applicable withholding tax) in cash equal to the product of (a) the number of Shares previously subject to such Option and (b) the excess, if any, of the per share consideration payable pursuant to the Offer over the exercise price per Share previously subject to such Option. Employees may elect to cancel their Options in return for the cash payment described above by completing the Instructions included with the Offer to Purchase. 7 8 The Company has terminated the 1996 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the "Employee Purchase Plan") effective as of July 15, 1998, the day after the last quarterly purchase date under the Employee Purchase Plan. Employees may elect to tender Shares held in their Employee Purchase Plan accounts by completing the Instructions included with the Offer to Purchase. Directors' and Officers' Indemnification and Insurance. Following Purchaser's Election Time, and for a period of six years thereafter, the Offer and Rights Agreement requires Purchaser to cause the Board of Directors of the Company to retain provisions in the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Company no less favorable with respect to indemnification of officers and directors than are currently set forth in such documents, unless such modification shall be required by law. The Offer and Rights Agreement also provides that the Company, from and after the date of such Agreement and to and including the date six years after the Purchaser's Election Time, shall use its best efforts to maintain in effect, if available, the current directors' and officers' liability insurance policies maintained by the Company (provided that the Company may substitute therefor policies of at least the same coverage containing terms and conditions which are not materially less favorable) with respect to matters occurring on or prior to the Purchaser's Election Time. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall the Company be required to expend more than $140,000 per year for such insurance. Representations and Warranties. The Offer and Rights Agreement contains various representations and warranties of the parties thereto, including representations by the Company as to the Company's due incorporation and valid existence and power and authority with respect to the Transactions, the enforceability of the Offer and Rights Agreement against the Company, the absence of conflicts between the Transactions and the organizational documents or contracts of the Company or applicable law, the brokers engaged by the Company, the capitalization of the Company, the Company's filings with the Commission, the consolidated financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, and the absence of certain changes or events concerning the Company's business. The Company also represented in the Offer and Rights Agreement that (a) the Board has unanimously (i) determined that the Offer and Rights Agreement and the Transactions contemplated thereby, including the Offer, are fair to and in the best interests of the shareholders of the Company, (ii) approved and adopted the Offer and Rights Agreement, and (iii) recommended that the shareholders of the Company accept the Offer. Conditions to Offer and Rights. The obligation of Purchaser to consummate the Offer is subject to the satisfaction of the Regulatory Approval Conditions and the satisfaction or waiver of the Minimum Condition (which may not be waived below 25% of the voting power of the Company) and the other conditions set forth in Annex A to the Offer and Rights Agreement. The obligation of the Company under the Offer and Rights Agreement to issue the Rights is subject to the fulfillment, at or prior to such issuance, of the Regulatory Approval Conditions, the accuracy of the representations and warranties of Purchaser in the Offer and Rights Agreement and Purchaser's acceptance for payment and payment for Shares validly tendered and not withdrawn pursuant to the Offer. Termination. The Offer and Rights Agreement may be terminated and the Offer and other Transactions may be abandoned at any time prior to Purchaser's Election Time: (a) by mutual written consent duly authorized by the Boards of Directors of Purchaser and the Company prior to Purchaser's Election Time; (b) by Purchaser or the Company if (i) the Purchaser's Election Time shall not have occurred on or before the date 180 days following commencement of the Offer (so long as the party seeking such termination has not failed to fulfill any obligation under the Offer and Rights Agreement, which failure has been the cause of, or resulted in, the failure of the Purchaser's Election Time to occur on or before such date) or (ii) any court of competent jurisdiction in the United States or other governmental authority shall have issued an order, decree, ruling or taken any other action restraining, enjoining or otherwise prohibiting the Offer and such order, decree, ruling or other action shall have become final and nonappealable; (c) by Purchaser, upon approval of its Board of Directors, if (i) due to an occurrence or circumstance that would result in a failure to satisfy any condition to the Offer, Purchaser shall have (A) failed to commence the Offer within 30 days following the date of the Offer and Rights Agreement, (B) terminated the Offer without having accepted any Shares for 8 9 payment thereunder or (C) failed to pay for Shares pursuant to the Offer within 180 days following the commencement of the Offer; unless such action or inaction under (A), (B) or (C) shall have been caused by or resulted from the failure of Purchaser to perform in any material respect any material covenant or agreement of Purchaser contained in the Offer and Rights Agreement or the material breach by Purchaser of any material representation or warranty contained in the Offer and Rights Agreement or (ii) prior to the purchase of Shares pursuant to the Offer, the Board or any committee thereof shall have withdrawn or modified in a manner adverse to Purchaser its approval or recommendation of the Offer, the Offer and Rights Agreement, or any other Transaction or shall have recommended another merger, consolidation, business combination with, or acquisition of, the Company or any of its assets or another tender offer or exchange offer for Shares, or shall have resolved to do any of the foregoing; or (d) by the Company, upon approval of the Board, if (i) due to an occurrence or circumstance that would result in a failure to satisfy any condition to the Offer, Purchaser shall have (A) failed to commence the Offer within 30 days following the date of the Offer and Rights Agreement, (B) terminated the Offer without having accepted any Shares for payment thereunder or (C) failed to pay for Shares pursuant to the Offer within 180 days following the commencement of the Offer, unless such action or inaction under (A), (B), and (C) shall have been caused by or resulted from the failure of the Company to perform in any material respect any material covenant or agreement of it contained in the Offer and Rights Agreement or the material breach by the Company of any material representation or warranty of it contained in the Offer and Rights Agreement or (ii) prior to the purchase of Shares pursuant to the Offer, the Board shall have withdrawn or modified in a manner adverse to Purchaser its approval or recommendation of the Offer, the Offer and Rights Agreement, or any other Transaction in order to approve the execution by the Company of a definitive agreement providing for the acquisition of the Company or any of its assets by a sale, merger or other business combination or in order to approve a tender offer or exchange offer for Shares by a third party, in either case, as the Board determines in good faith that such action is required for the Board to comply with its fiduciary duties to shareholders, after consultation with its independent legal counsel and financial advisers, and is on terms more favorable to the Company's shareholders than the Offer; provided, however, that such termination under clause (ii) above shall not be effective until the Company has reimbursed Purchaser for its Expenses (as hereinafter defined). In the event of the termination of the Offer and Rights Agreement, pursuant to the terms in the preceding paragraph, the Offer and Rights Agreement provides that it shall forthwith become void, and there shall be no liability on the part of any party thereto, except under the provisions of the Offer and Rights Agreement related to expenses described below, confidentiality, and certain other miscellaneous provisions and except for liability of any party for breach of the Offer and Rights Agreement prior to its termination. Expenses. The Offer and Rights Agreement provides that in the event that (a) (i) on or after July 16, 1998, and prior to termination of the Offer and Rights Agreement, any person (including, without limitation, the Company or any affiliate thereof, but excluding the Trust, Purchaser or any affiliate of Purchaser), shall have become the beneficial owner of more than 10% of the then outstanding Shares and (ii) the Offer and Rights Agreement shall have been terminated pursuant to the termination section of such agreement and (iii) within 12 months of such termination a Third Party Acquisition (as defined hereinafter) shall occur; or (b) (i) on or after July 16, 1998, and prior to termination of the Offer and Rights Agreement any person shall have commenced, publicly proposed or communicated to the Company a proposal that is publicly disclosed for a tender or exchange offer for 25% or more (or which, assuming the maximum amount of securities that could be purchased, would result in any person beneficially owning 25% or more of the then outstanding Shares) or otherwise for the direct or indirect acquisition of the Company or all or substantially all of its assets for per Share consideration having a value greater than the per Share consideration provided in the Offer and (ii)(A) the Offer shall have remained open for at least 20 business days, (B) the Minimum Condition shall not have been satisfied and (C) the Offer and Rights Agreement shall have been terminated pursuant to the terms in of termination section of such agreement; or (c) the Offer and Rights Agreement is terminated pursuant to the termination provisions described in clause (c)(ii) or (d)(ii) of the second preceding paragraph; or (d) so long as Purchaser is not in material breach of its obligations under the Offer and Rights Agreement, if (i) the Offer and Rights Agreement is terminated as described in clause (c) of the second preceding paragraph due to the material breach of the Company's obligations under the Offer and Rights Agreement or (ii) the Offer and Rights Agreement is terminated as described in clause (c) second preceding 9 10 paragraph because of the failure of representations and warranties of the Company to be true and correct, which failures in the aggregate have or are reasonably likely to have any change or effect that is or is reasonably likely to be materially adverse to the business, operations, condition (financial or otherwise), assets or liabilities (including, without limitation, contingent liabilities) of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole (a "Material Adverse Effect") or because of the failure of the Company to perform in any material respect any material obligation or to comply in any material respect with any material agreement or material covenant of the Company to be performed or complied with by it under the Offer and Rights Agreement, then in any event set forth in clauses (a), (b), (c) or (d) above, the Offer and Rights Agreement requires the Company to promptly reimburse Purchaser for all Expenses. The Offer and Rights Agreement, however, does not require payment of Expenses if the events described in clause (a) or (b) above are satisfied if (x) the Offer and Rights Agreement is terminated solely for failure to satisfy any Regulatory Condition and (y) the failure to satisfy such Regulatory Condition is in no respect due to the occurrence of any event described in clause (a)(i) or (b)(i) described above. "Expenses" is defined in the Offer and Rights Agreement to mean all out-of-pocket expenses and fees up to $250,000 in the aggregate (including, without limitation, fees and expenses payable to all banks, investment banking firms, other financial institutions and other persons and their respective agents and counsel for structuring the Transactions and all fees of counsel, accountants, experts and consultants to Purchaser, and all printing and advertising expenses) actually incurred or accrued by Purchaser or on its behalf in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Offer and Rights Agreement and the Trust Purchase Agreement, and/or actually incurred or accrued by banks, investment banking firms, other financial institutions and other persons and assumed by Purchaser in connection with the negotiation, preparation, execution and performance of the Offer and Rights Agreement and the Trust Purchase Agreement, the structuring of the Transactions and any agreements relating thereto. In the event that the Company shall fail to pay any Expenses when due, the term "Expenses" is deemed to include the costs and expenses actually incurred or accrued by Purchaser (including, without limitation, fees and expenses of counsel) in connection with the collection under and enforcement of the expenses provision of the Offer and Rights Agreement, together with interest on such unpaid Expenses, commencing on the date that such Expenses became due, at a per annum rate equal to the rate of interest publicly announced by First Union National Bank, from time to time, in the City of Charlotte, North Carolina, as such bank's prime rate plus 1.00 percentage point. In addition, in connection with any other action or proceeding by any party hereto against any other party hereto alleging a breach of a representation, warranty, covenant or agreement set forth herein, the prevailing party in such action or proceeding shall be entitled to recover costs and expenses actually incurred or accrued (including without limitation, fees and expenses of counsel) in connection with the prosecution or defense (as the case may be) of such action or proceeding. "Third Party Acquisition" is defined in the Offer and Rights Agreement to mean the occurrence of any of the following events: (i) the acquisition of the Company by merger, consolidation or other business combination transaction by any person other than Purchaser or any affiliate thereof (a "Third Party"); (ii) the acquisition by any Third Party of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; (iii) the acquisition by a Third Party of 25% or more of the outstanding Shares whether by tender offer, exchange offer or otherwise; (iv) the adoption by the Company of a plan of liquidation or the declaration or payment of an extraordinary dividend; or (v) the repurchase by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of 25% or more of the outstanding Shares. Except as set forth above, all costs and expenses incurred by Purchaser and the Company in connection with the Offer and Rights Agreement and the Transactions are required to be paid by the party incurring such expenses, whether or not any such Transaction is consummated. The Trust Purchase Agreement. The following is a summary of the Trust Purchase Agreement filed as Exhibit 10 and incorporated by reference. Such summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Trust Purchase Agreement. 10 11 Purchase of Shares. Pursuant to the Trust Purchase Agreement, upon the purchase of Shares by Purchaser pursuant to the Offer, the Trustee, on behalf of the Trust, agrees to sell 658,900 Shares to Purchaser for $3.65 per share or an aggregate purchase price of $2,404,985.00 (the "Purchased Shares"). Restrictions on Transfer. Under the Trust Purchase Agreement, Purchaser's resale of the Purchased Shares to a third party on or prior to December 31, 2003, would require the written consent of the Trustee, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld if the Trustee is reasonably satisfied as to the financial and professional qualities of such third party. In addition, Purchaser grants to the Trustee a right of first refusal to buy the Purchased Shares and any other capital stock or rights to acquire capital stock of the Company. Deposit. The Trust Purchase Agreement provides that, upon the closing of the purchase of the Purchased Shares, Purchaser will deposit $8,864,390 with the Trust, an amount in cash equal to $3.65 multiplied by the number of shares owned by the Trust following the sale of the Purchased Shares (the "Retained Shares"). Such deposit would be invested and reinvested by the Trustee. Any income earned on the deposit would be the sole property of the Trust and any losses thereon would be the sole responsibility of the Trust, all subject to the provisions described below. The Trust Purchase Agreement expressly provides that the agreement does not constitute any commitment on Purchaser's part to purchase the Retained Shares, any commitment on the Trust's part to sell the Retained Shares or any agreement with respect to a price for the Retained Shares, if and when Purchaser and the Trust might subsequently agree to a purchase and sale of the Retained Shares. The Trust Purchase Agreement generally provides that, if following the making of such deposit, Purchaser makes an offer to purchase the Retained Shares that is accepted by the Trust, the original deposit (without interest) will be used as a credit against the purchase price of the Retained Shares, regardless of the actual amount of funds related to the original deposit held by the Trust at such time. Pursuant to the Trust Purchase Agreement, if Purchaser makes a written offer to purchase the Retained Shares at a price in cash of at least $3.65 per share determined by a nationally recognized independent investment banking firm to be fair from a financial point of view to the Trust as majority shareholder of the Company, then (i) if the Trust rejects such offer, the Trust must refund the entire original deposit (without interest) to Purchaser and may retain the Retained Shares, and (ii) if the Trust accepts such offer and the purchase price is greater than the original deposit, Purchaser pays the difference between (x) the agreed purchase price per share and (y) the original deposit, plus interest at a rate of 6% per annum from the date the Trust received such deposit to the closing of the purchase, and the Trust is required to transfer the Retained Shares to Purchaser. Pursuant to the Trust Purchase Agreement, if the Trust at any time sells any Retained Shares to a third party, the Trust would refund to Purchaser a portion of the original deposit equal to $3.65 for each Retained Share sold by the Trust, and if the Company at any time enters bankruptcy, the deposit would become the property of the Trust and the Trust would transfer the Retained Shares to Purchaser without further consideration. Other Covenants. Pursuant to the Trust Purchase Agreement, the Trust agrees not to tender any of the Retained Shares in the Offer. In addition, the Trust agrees that it will support the issuance of the Rights provided pursuant to the Offer and Rights Agreement and, if required by law or requested by Purchaser, will vote all of the Retained Shares in favor of the issuance of such Rights. Conditions; Termination. The transactions contemplated by the Trust Purchase Agreement are conditioned upon (i) the approval of such agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby by the Delaware Chancery Court and the North Carolina Commissioner of Insurance, (ii) the expiration of applicable antitrust waiting periods under the HSR Act, (iii) the acceptance for payment and payment by Purchaser of Shares pursuant to the Offer and (iv) the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the parties thereto. In addition, Purchaser's obligations are conditioned upon the directors, the spouses of the directors, the Greenfield Children's Limited Partnership, the Jesse Greenfield IRA and a charitable foundation of which R. Peyton Woodson III (currently a director of the Company) is a trustee, agreeing to sell or tender to Purchaser an aggregate of 481,932 Shares at $3.65 per share. The Trust Purchase Agreement terminates on the earlier of the mutual written consent of the Purchaser and the Trust and June 1, 2008. 11 12 The Tender Agreement. The following is a summary of the Tender Agreement filed as Exhibit 11 and incorporated herein by reference. Such summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Tender Agreement. Tender of Shares; Cash-Out of Options. Pursuant to the Tender Agreement, each Director has agreed, among other things, to tender in the Offer and not withdraw, or to cause to be tendered and not withdrawn, 481,932 Shares listed on a schedule to the Tender Agreement and all other Shares beneficially owned by such Director as of July 16, 1998, or thereafter acquired; provided, that no such tender is required if such Director would as a result of such tender incur liability under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act ("Section 16(b)"). In the Tender Agreement, each Director also agreed that in the event any Director fails to tender any Shares due to a prospective Section 16(b) liability, as soon as the risk of such liability lapses, such Director would tender such Shares in the Offer or, if Purchaser has accepted Shares for payment pursuant to the Offer, would sell each such Share to Purchaser for the per Share consideration paid in the Offer. Each Director also agreed, in accordance with the procedures set forth in the Offer, to instruct the Company to cancel any options to purchase Shares held by such Director in return for a per share cash payment, subject to applicable withholding taxes, equal to the positive difference, if any, between $3.65 and the exercise price for such share. As of the date hereof, the Directors as a group hold options to purchase 157,962 Shares. Board of Directors Matters. In the Tender Agreement, the Directors also agreed, upon the purchase of Shares and cash-out of options by Purchaser pursuant to the Offer, and at the request of Purchaser, to resign immediately as a director of the Company, or at such later time requested by Purchaser. Each director not asked by Purchaser to resign also agreed immediately to appoint a slate of directors designated by Purchaser to fill any vacancies created by such resignations. Other Covenants. The Directors also agreed in the Tender Agreement not to purchase any Shares from the Trust and not to sell or place a lien on any of the Shares to be tendered by them or options to be canceled by them in the Offer prior to the earlier of the consummation of the Offer or the termination of the Tender Agreement. Certificates of Contribution. On June 15, 1998, pursuant to a petition submitted to, and approved by, the North Carolina Commissioner of Insurance, Purchaser provided the Company's subsidiary, Occidental Fire & Casualty Company of North Carolina ("OF&C"), with $5 million in financing in exchange for certificates of contribution issued by OF&C the form of which is filed as Exhibit 12 and incorporated herein by reference (the "Certificates of Contribution"). The Certificates of Contribution bear interest at the rate of 5% per annum and have a maturity date of December 31, 2000, and contain acceleration features related to the timing of repayment and increase in interest rate. The certificates are issued in a series of five certificates of $1,000,000.00 each. Payment of both principal and interest is subject to the approval of the North Carolina Commissioner of Insurance. For statutory accounting purposes, the Certificates of Contribution are reported as surplus, but are treated as debt under generally accepted accounting principles. Confidentiality Agreement. The following is a summary of the Confidentiality Agreement, filed as Exhibit 13 and incorporated herein by reference. Such summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Confidentiality Agreement. On April 15, 1998, Purchaser entered into the Confidentiality Agreement with the Company. In the Confidentiality Agreement, Purchaser agreed, for itself, its affiliates and representatives, except as required by law, to keep confidential and to not disclose to any person other than those actively and directly participating in Purchaser's evaluation of a possible acquisition of the Company and to not use for any purpose other than in connection with the consummation of such an acquisition in a manner approved by the Company, all information about the Company furnished by the Company or its affiliates or representatives, excluding information which (a) becomes generally available to the public other than as a result of a disclosure by Purchaser or its representatives, (b) was available to Purchaser on a non-confidential basis prior to disclosure by the Company, or (c) becomes available to Purchaser from a person other than the Company or its representatives who is not otherwise bound by a confidentiality agreement with the Company or its representatives or is not otherwise prohibited from transmitting the information to Purchaser ("Proprietary Information"). Purchaser also agreed in the Confidentiality letter that if requested pursuant to, or required by, 12 13 applicable law or regulation or legal process to disclose any Proprietary Information, it would provide the Company with prompt notice of such request(s) to enable the Company to seek an appropriate protective order or other appropriate remedy and to cooperate with the Company to obtain such protective order or other remedy. If such order or remedy is not obtained, or the Company waives compliance with the provisions of the Confidentiality Agreement, the Purchaser agreed in the Confidentiality Agreement to disclose only that portion of the Proprietary Information which it is advised by opinion of counsel is legally required to be disclosed. The Confidentiality Agreement also provides that, unless otherwise required by law, neither party nor any of such party's representatives will, without the prior written consent of the other party, disclose to any person (other than those actively and directly participating in the proposed acquisition) any information about such proposed acquisition. In the event the proposed acquisition is not consummated, the Confidentiality Agreement requires Purchaser to deliver all of the Proprietary Information in its, its affiliates, or its representatives possession to the Company. Pursuant to the Confidentiality Agreement, Purchaser also agreed that until April 15, 1999, neither Purchaser nor any of its affiliates or representatives will, without the prior written consent of the Company or its Board of Directors: (a) acquire, offer to acquire, or agree to acquire, directly or indirectly, by purchase or otherwise, any voting securities or direct or indirect rights to acquire any voting securities of the Company or any subsidiary thereof, or of any successor to or person in control of the Company, or any assets of the Company or any subsidiary or division thereof or of any such successor or controlling person; (b) make, or in any way participate, directly or indirectly, in any "solicitation" or "proxies" to vote (as such terms are used in the rules of the SEC), or seek to advise or influence any person or entity with respect to the voting of any voting securities of the Company; (c) make any public announcement with respect to, or submit a proposal for, or offer of (with or without conditions) any extraordinary transaction involving the Company or its securities or assets; (d) seek or propose to influence or control the Company's management or policies (or request permission to do so); (e) solicit, encourage or induce an person employed by the Company to leave the Company's employ, without the Company's prior written consent; or (f) form, join or in any way participate in a "group" as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act in connection with any of the foregoing. Except as described above, to the knowledge of the Company, as of the date hereof there are no material contracts, agreements, arrangements of understandings, or any actual or potential conflicts of interest between the Company or its affiliates and the Company, its executive officers, directors or affiliates. ITEM 4. THE SOLICITATION OR RECOMMENDATION (a) Recommendation of the Company Board The Board met on July 15-16, 1998, to consider the possible transaction with IAT and to receive a report on the possible transaction from IAT representatives, the Company's financial advisor, PaineWebber Incorporated ("PaineWebber") and the Company's general counsel. At meetings of the Board held on July 15-16, 1998, the Board met with its financial advisors and legal advisors to review the status of the Company's ongoing sales process, the business, financial condition and prospects of the Company, the terms and conditions of the Offer and various matters related thereto, including reports by PaineWebber on the financial condition and performance, strategic alternatives and potential value of the Company. Based on the proposed terms of the draft tender offer presented to the Board on July 15-16, 1998, and after receiving advice from management, PaineWebber and the Company's general counsel, the Board unanimously determined that the Offer is fair to, and in the best interests of, the shareholders of the Company. AT THE JULY 15-16, 1998, MEETING, THE BOARD UNANIMOUSLY DETERMINED THAT THE OFFER AND OFFER AND RIGHTS AGREEMENT ARE FAIR TO, AND IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF, THE COMPANY AND ITS SHAREHOLDERS. ACCORDINGLY, THE BOARD UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS THAT SHAREHOLDERS ACCEPT THE OFFER AND TENDER THEIR SHARES PURSUANT TO THE OFFER. A copy of a letter to shareholders communicating the recommendation of the Board is filed as Exhibit 14 and is incorporated herein by reference. 13 14 (b) Background; Reasons for the Company Board's Recommendation As a result of the Company's decision to explore capital and strategic alternatives as announced in its December 29, 1997, press release, PaineWebber began preparing marketing materials, initiating contacts and developing interest in the marketplace. On February 13, 1998, the Company entered into another in a series of engagements with PaineWebber. PaineWebber has served as the Company's financial advisor since 1989. On April 14, 1998, George E. King, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, discussed with PaineWebber an inquiry he had received from representatives of IAT. A Confidentiality Agreement, effective on April 15, 1998, was signed by IAT and the Company. On April 15, 1998, PaineWebber, Mr. King and Stephen L. Stephano, President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company, and Edward A. Kerbs of Oceanic Co., a financial advisor to IAT, engaged in substantive conversations pertaining to the Company and IAT's interest in acquiring shares of the Company. These conversations continued on April 20, 1998, as Mr. King and Mr. Stephano engaged in extensive discussions regarding the operations of the Company and the operations of IAT at a meeting arranged by PaineWebber with the controlling shareholder of IAT in Raleigh, North Carolina. On April 27, 1998, Mr. King was advised by the controlling shareholder of IAT that IAT was engaged in detailed discussions with PaineWebber regarding IAT's continuing interest in the Company and aspects of a possible transaction structure. On April 28, 1998, representatives of PaineWebber met with the controlling shareholder of IAT to discuss IAT's continuing interest in acquiring the Company. On May 18, 1998, Mr. King was advised by Michael A. DiGregorio, Vice President of the Wilmington Trust Company, Trustee for the Company's majority shareholder, the McMillen Trust, that the Trustee had furnished a Confidentiality Agreement to the controlling shareholder of IAT pertaining to a possible agreement regarding the shares of the Company owned by the Trust. On May 21, 1998, at the meeting of the Company's Board of Directors, PaineWebber presented a detailed update of the ongoing activities associated with the sale process of the Company, including among other prospective purchasers, IAT. On June 3, 1998, at a meeting arranged by PaineWebber in New York City, Mr. King, Mr. Stephano and PaineWebber engaged in detailed discussions with Mr. Kerbs and IAT's controlling shareholder relating to the possible acquisition of shares of the Company by IAT. Also discussed was IAT's interest in providing a $5,000,000 investment in the Company. On June 4-5, 1998, Mr. King and Mr. Stephano continued detailed discussions with PaineWebber and with Mr. Kerbs pertaining to IAT's interest in the Company, including the due diligence necessary for any transaction to proceed further. Also included in these discussions was a description of a possible proposal by IAT to acquire shares of the Company held by the McMillen Trust. On June 8-9, 1998, Mr. King, Mr. Stephano and the Company's general counsel met with Mr. Kerbs at the home office of the Company for the specific purpose of conducting the necessary due diligence and to continue the detailed discussions commenced in New York with PaineWebber regarding a possible transaction and the structure of such transaction. Also during the June 8-9, 1998, meeting, discussions were held regarding a capital investment of $5,000,000 in Occidental Fire & Casualty Company of North Carolina ("OF&C"). On June 11, 1998, a Special Meeting of the Board was held for the specific purpose of receiving a detailed report from PaineWebber pertaining to the sale process, including a detailed report pertaining to IAT's possible proposal and structure of a transaction, and to consider the IAT's commitment of June 10, 1998, to provide a statutory capital investment of $5,000,000 to OF&C in the form of five $1,000,000 Certificates of Contribution. The Company's Board of Directors, at the June 11, 1998, meeting accepted IAT's commitment to invest $5,000,000 in OF&C and authorized management to proceed with the implementation of the investment. IAT's commitment to invest $5,000,000 in OF&C was not contingent on a possible transaction with the Company. On June 12, 1998, Mr. King and Mr. Stephano and general counsel engaged in extensive discussions with Mr. Kerbs pertaining to IAT's investing $5,000,000 in the form of five $1,000,000 Certificates of Contribution in OF&C. The Company and IAT agreed to proceed with the investment of the $5,000,000 14 15 into OF&C. On June 15, 1998, after approval of the $5,000,000 investment into OF&C by the North Carolina Department of Insurance ("NCDOI"), OF&C issued the five Certificates of Contribution ($1,000,000 each) to IAT with the closing and funding occurring on June 15, 1998. On June 17, 1998, Mr. King and Mr. Stephano discussed with Mr. Kerbs a possible meeting with representatives of A.M. Best Company for the purpose of advising them as to the improvement in the operations of the Company, including the capital investment of $5,000,000 into OF&C by IAT, and the impact of such actions on OF&C and its wholly owned subsidiary, Wilshire Insurance Company ("Wilshire"). On June 18, 1998, Mr. King, Mr. Stephano and Mr. Kerbs met with representatives of A.M. Best Company in Oldwick, New Jersey, and discussed the improvement in the property and casualty operations, the $5,000,000 capital investment in OF&C by IAT as well as other factors that could have a positive impact on the ratings OF&C and Wilshire. On June 29, 1998, PaineWebber reported to Mr. King, who in turn informed the Company's Board of Directors, that continuing contact and dialogue was taking place with all other seriously interested parties that expressed interest in purchasing the Company, and that PaineWebber was awaiting their reactions and/or responses. PaineWebber further advised that IAT was proceeding rapidly to a possible transaction. On June 30, 1998, Mr. King and Mr. Stephano engaged in discussions with Mr. DiGregorio regarding a possible transaction between IAT and the Company and a possible transaction between IAT and the McMillen Trust. On July 8, 1998, Mr. King gave notice of a Special Meeting of the Board to be held at the home office of the Company in Raleigh, North Carolina, on July 15-16, 1998, for the specific purpose of addressing all current developments within the sale process of the Company. Also on July 8, 1998, Mr. King, Mr. Stephano, general counsel and PaineWebber discussed with Mr. Kerbs and IAT's counsel a possible transaction, its structure, scheduling and timing. Also on July 8, 1998, Mr. King, Mr. Stephano and Mr. Kerbs and IAT's counsel met with representatives of the NCDOI for the specific purpose of informing them of a possible transaction and possible scheduling and timing of such transaction. A preliminary draft of the Form A required in such transaction was submitted to the NCDOI at the meeting. On July 10, 1998, Mr. King, Mr. Stephano and general counsel continued detailed discussions with Mr. Kerbs and IAT's counsel. On July 15-16, 1998, a Special Meeting of the Board was held to consider a possible transaction with IAT and to address all current developments within the sale process of the Company. Prior to this meeting, the Company, all members of the Board, the Company's general counsel and PaineWebber had received from IAT draft copies of a proposed Purchase Agreement between the Trust and IAT, Offer and Rights Agreement and Tender Agreement. During the two-day meeting, PaineWebber reviewed with the Board in detail all other parties that had expressed interest in purchasing the Company. The review included an analysis of all proposals presented to PaineWebber. PaineWebber also presented the basis for its fairness opinion with respect to the proposed transaction of IAT. At the end of the July 15-16, 1998, special meeting, the Board, having received a presentation from IAT and carefully considered the possible transaction, together with the advice of its legal and financial advisors, unanimously determined that it would be in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders to approve and recommend the transaction to the shareholders of the Company. On July 17, 1998, the Company and IAT issued a joint press release filed as Exhibit 14 and incorporated herein by reference announcing the signing of an agreement between IAT and the Company and an agreement between IAT and the McMillen Trust regarding IAT's intentions to acquire up to 49% of the Company's outstanding shares. In reaching its determination and recommendations with respect to the Offer, the Board reviewed in detail the Offer and the various alternative transactions described by its financial advisors, and deliberated extensively with its legal and financial advisors regarding the foregoing. At the end of the July 15-16, 1998, meeting the Board determined by unanimous vote that the Offer is fair to, and in the best interests of, the Company and its shareholders and authorized the execution and delivery of the Offer and Offer and Rights 15 16 Agreement. Numerous factors were taken into account in arriving at this determination including, among other things, the following: (i) the terms and conditions of the Offer and the Offer and Rights Agreement and the course of negotiations thereof; (ii) the directors' knowledge of the Company's business, financial condition, current business strategy, strategic alternatives and future prospects, the nature of the markets in which the Company operates, including pricing pressures and the trend toward consolidation in such markets and the Company's position in such markets; (iii) the Board's belief, based on the level of interest from other companies with which the Company had discussions concerning possible business combinations, together with its view that an acquisition of the Company would be particularly attractive to IAT, that a proposal that could provide greater value to the Company's shareholders than the Offer would be unlikely; (iv) the presentations of the Company's financial advisor, PaineWebber, at the Board meetings held on July 15-16, 1998, and PaineWebber's written opinion (the "PaineWebber Opinion") orally presented to the Board on July 16, 1998, and subsequently confirmed in writing, that, based upon and subject to the information contained therein, as of the date of the opinion, the consideration to be received by the shareholders of the Company in the Offer is fair to such shareholders from a financial point of view. A copy of the PaineWebber Opinion setting forth the assumptions made and matters considered and limitations set forth by PaineWebber is attached as Exhibit 15 and incorporated herein by reference. Shareholders are urged to read such opinion carefully in its entirety for assumptions made, matters considered and the limits of the review undertaken by PaineWebber; (v) the strategic value to the Company of access to investment capital which would accompany a combination with IAT in light of the Board's belief that the Company's limited access to the capital markets prevents the Company from fully realizing its growth strategy and that it is unlikely that the Company could successfully address such problems in an appropriate time frame; (vi) the approval and recommendation of the transaction by the Board followed the solicitation of offers for an acquisition of the Company in a targeted auction process; (vii) the terms and conditions of the transaction do not include financing conditions, contingencies, hold-backs or escrows to consummate the transaction; (viii) the transaction permits the Company to act on an unsolicited proposal if the Board, in the exercise of its fiduciary obligations (as determined in good faith by the Board based on the advice of counsel), determines that such unsolicited proposal is a superior proposal; (ix) the historical market prices and the recent trading activity of the Company's shares; (x) the extensive arms-length negotiations between the Company and IAT that led to the belief of the Board that $3.65 per share for the shares represented the highest price per share that could be negotiated with IAT; (xi) the $3.65 per share price in this transaction represents a 61.6% premium over the closing sales price of $2.25 per share for the stock as reported on the NASDAQ stock market on the last trading day prior to the Board's determination; (xii) the Board's determination that there is a substantial likelihood that the transaction will be completed. The foregoing discussion of information and factors considered and given weight by the Company Board is not intended to be exhaustive. The Board viewed its position and recommendations as being based on the totality of the information presented and considered by it. In reaching its determination to approve and recommend the transaction, the Board of Directors did not assign any relative or specific weight to particular factors, and individual directors may have given differing weights to different factors. 16 17 ITEM 5. PERSONS RETAINED, EMPLOYED OR TO BE COMPENSATED The Company has retained PaineWebber as its financial advisor. Pursuant to a letter agreement dated February 13, 1998, between the Company and PaineWebber (the "Engagement Letter"), the Company has agreed to pay PaineWebber a fairness opinion fee of $100,000 payable upon delivery of the opinion and an additional $100,000 as compensation for the fairness opinion if a sale transaction (as defined in the Engagement Letter) is not consummated. In addition to any fairness opinion fee, if a sale transaction (as defined in the Engagement Letter) is consummated the Company shall pay to PaineWebber a transaction fee of the greater of $500,000 or 1.5% of the sum value of the total shares purchased pursuant to any sale transaction, payable upon closing of such sale transaction. The Company has also agreed to reimburse PaineWebber for its reasonable out-of-pocket expenses in carrying out its duties under the Engagement Letter, including the reasonable fees and expenses of PaineWebber's outside legal counsel, if any. Pursuant to an agreement dated February 13, 1998, between the Company and PaineWebber, the Company has agreed to indemnify PaineWebber against certain expenses and liabilities incurred in connection with its engagement. Except as described above, neither the Company, nor any person acting on its behalf, has employed, retained or compensated any person to make solicitations or recommendations to shareholders with respect to the Offer. ITEM 6. RECENT TRANSACTIONS AND INTENT WITH RESPECT TO SECURITIES. (a) Other than normal periodic purchases made pursuant to the Company's employee stock purchase plan, to the Company's best knowledge, no transactions in Shares have been effected during the past 60 days by the Company or, to the best knowledge of the Company, any executive officer, director, affiliate or subsidiary of the Company. (b) To the best knowledge of the Company, the directors and executive officers of the Company who have ownership of record or beneficial ownership of Shares have the present intention to tender their Shares pursuant to the terms of the Offer. Each director executed the Tender Agreement described in Item 3(b)(2) wherein each agreed to tender all Shares beneficially owned by them. ITEM 7. CERTAIN NEGOTIATIONS AND TRANSACTIONS BY THE SUBJECT COMPANY (a)(1)-(4) No negotiation is being undertaken or is underway by the Company in response to the Offer which relates to or would result in (i) an extraordinary transaction such as a merger or reorganization, involving the Company or any subsidiary of the Company; (ii) a purchase, sale or transfer of a material amount of assets by the Company or any subsidiary of the Company; or (iii) a tender offer for or other acquisition of securities by or of the Company. (b) There is no transaction, Board resolution, agreement in principle or signed contract in response to the Offer that relates to or would result in one or more of the events referred to in Item 7(a) above. ITEM 8. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO BE FURNISHED North Carolina and California Departments of Insurance The permissibility of the Offer is contingent upon the receipt of approvals from the insurance regulators in each domestic and foreign jurisdiction which is a domicile of any insurance company subsidiary of the Company. The Company as well as its insurer subsidiaries within the group are domiciled within the state of North Carolina and subject to the jurisdiction of the NCDOI. IAT delivered a preliminary draft of a Form A application to the NCDOI on July 8, 1998. A copy of the preliminary draft was delivered to the Company. Although the Company is hopeful that the NCDOI will approve the transaction, no assurances can be made as to the timing or the outcome of the matter. 17 18 As a result of the volume of premiums written by subsidiary Wilshire Insurance Company in California, Wilshire is deemed to be commercially domiciled in the state of California. There may be filings required by the California Department of Insurance ("CDOI") in connection with the Offer. To the Company's knowledge, IAT has not yet made any filing with the CDOI. Delaware Chancery Court Approval On December 10, 1987, the Trust was ordered by Delaware Chancery Court to divest itself of its ownership of Shares of the Company and to invest in a more diversified portfolio. In April 1993, the Court granted the Trustee's petition for a clarification of its orders to make clear that it is within the sound discretion of the Trustee to determine the timing and terms of any disposition of the Trust's Shares, subject to the Court's approval of the Trustee's plan for disposition of such Shares. Accordingly, the Trustee plans to appear before the Delaware Chancery Court and present the Trust Purchase Agreement for approval. Although it is anticipated that the Court will be able to hear and rule upon the parties' request for approval of the Trust Purchase Agreement on an expedited basis, there can be no assurance as to either the timing or outcome of any hearing or ruling on the matter. ITEM 9. MATERIAL TO BE FILED AS EXHIBITS The following items have been filed as exhibits to this Schedule 14D-9 filed by the Company with the Commission and are available for inspection at the public reference facilities at the principal office of the Commission at 450 Fifth Street, Washington, D.C. 20549 and for copying upon payment of the Commission's customary charges: Exhibit 1 Pages 5-17 of the Company's Proxy Statement, dated April 21, 1998, in connection with the Annual Meeting of Shareholders of the Company held on May 21, 1998, incorporated herein by reference Exhibit 2 1986 Employee Incentive Stock Option Plan of McM Corporation, effective May 16, 1986 (incorporated by reference to the Company's Proxy Statement dated April 18, 1986. in connection with the Annual Meeting of Shareholders of the Company held on May 16, 1986) Exhibit 3 1996 Employee Incentive Stock Option Plan of McM Corporation, effective May 23, 1996 (incorporated by reference to the Company's proxy statement dated April 25, 1996, in connection with the Annual Meeting of Shareholders of the Company held on May 23, 1996) Exhibit 4 Employment Agreement between the Company and George E. King dated February 16, 1984, as amended (incorporated by reference to the Company's Annual Reports on Form 10-K for the years ending December 31, 1989, 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1996) and the latest amendment of March 26, 1998, being attached hereto Exhibit 5 Employment Agreement between the Company and Stephen L. Stephano dated February 1, 1993, as amended (incorporated by reference to the Company's Annual Reports on Form 10-K for the years ended December 31, 1993, 1994 and 1996) and the latest amendment of March 26, 1998, being attached hereto Exhibit 6 1996 Employee Stock Purchase Plan of McM Corporation effective May 23, 1996 (incorporated by reference to the Company's proxy statement dated April 25, 1996, in connection with the Annual Meeting of Shareholders of the Company held on May 23, 1996) Exhibit 7 Key Executive Incentive Compensation Plan effective January 1, 1993 (incorporated by reference to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1994) 18 19 Exhibit 8 McM Corporation Phantom Stock Plan effective January 19, 1995 (incorporated by reference to the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1994) Exhibit 9 Offer and Rights Agreement dated July 16, 1998, between the Company and IAT Exhibit 10 Trust Purchase Agreement dated July 16, 1998, between the McMillen Trust and IAT Exhibit 11 Tender Agreement dated July 16, 1998, between the individual directors of the company and IAT Exhibit 12 Form of five Certificates of Contribution dated June 15, 1998, between OF&C and IAT Exhibit 13 Confidentiality Agreement dated April 15, 1998, between IAT and the Company Exhibit 14 Letter to shareholders dated July 23, 1996, communicating the recommendation of the Company's Board Exhibit 15 Joint Press Release of IAT and the Company dated July 17, 1998 Exhibit 16 Opinion Letter dated as of July 16, 1998, by PaineWebber Signature. After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct. McM Corporation, a North Carolina corporation By: /s/ GEORGE E. KING ------------------------------------ George E. King, Chairman/CEO July 23, 1998 Date 19 EX-99.4 2 EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT MCM/KING 3/26/98 1 EXHIBIT 4 EIGHTH AMENDMENT TO EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT THIS EIGHTH AMENDMENT TO EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (the "Amendment") is made effective the 26th day of March, 1998, between GEORGE E. KING ("Employee"), and McM CORPORATION ("McM"), OCCIDENTAL FIRE & CASUALTY COMPANY OF NORTH CAROLINA, and WILSHIRE INSURANCE COMPANY (the three companies collectively being the "Employer" or the "McM Group"). W I T N E S S E T H: WHEREAS, the Employee and the Employer have entered an Employment Agreement dated as of February 16, 1989, and amended March 28, 1990, October 18, 1990, December 30, 1991, February 1, 1993, September 1, 1993, March 16, 1995, and August 6, 1996 (collectively, the "Agreement"); and WHEREAS, the Employee and Employer wish to amend the Agreement in certain respects and agree that the mutual promises set forth in this Amendment are full and valid consideration therefor. NOW THEREFORE, the parties hereto agree as follows: 1. Term of Employment. Paragraph 3 of the Agreement is hereby deleted in its entirety and in its place is inserted the following: 3. Term. The term of this Agreement shall automatically renew on a daily rolling basis and continue until two years from the date the Employer delivers to the Employee written notice of non-renewal. 2. Relocation of Employer. In the event Employer shall require Employee to relocate his office more than fifty (50) miles from its present location at 702 Oberlin Road, Raleigh, North Carolina, and Employee terminates his employment hereunder as a result of such required relocation, Employee shall receive the lump sum provided for in paragraph 9 hereof (Termination By Employer Without Cause), the lump sum to be calculated in the manner provided for in such paragraph. 3. Ratification. Except as modified in this Amendment, the Agreement, as amended, is ratified and confirmed in all respects. 2 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Employer, by action approved and directed by its Boards of Directors and Employee, on his own behalf, have executed this Amendment as of the day and year first above written. EMPLOYEE: /s/ George E. King (Seal) ------------------------------------ George E. King EMPLOYER: Attest: McM CORPORATION, a North Carolina corporation /s/ Michael D. Blinson - ----------------------------------- Corporate Secretary By: /s/ Stephen L. Stephano -------------------------------- Its: President and CEO -------------------------------- [Corporate Seal] OCCIDENTAL FIRE & CASUALTY COMPANY OF NORTH CAROLINA, a North Attest: Carolina corporation /s/ Michael D. Blinson - ----------------------------------- Corporate Secretary By: /s/ Stephen L. Stephano -------------------------------- Its: President and CEO [Corporate Seal] -------------------------------- WILSHIRE INSURANCE COMPANY, a North Attest: Carolina corporation /s/ Michael D. Blinson - ----------------------------------- Corporate Secretary By: /s/ Stephen L. Stephano -------------------------------- Its: President and CEO -------------------------------- [Corporate Seal] EX-99.5 3 EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT MCM/STEPHANO 3/26/98 1 EXHIBIT 5 FOURTH AMENDMENT TO EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT THIS FOURTH AMENDMENT TO EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (the "Amendment") is made effective the 26th day of March, 1998, between STEPHEN L. STEPHANO ("Employee"), and McM CORPORATION ("McM"), OCCIDENTAL FIRE & CASUALTY COMPANY OF NORTH CAROLINA, and WILSHIRE INSURANCE COMPANY (the three companies collectively being the "Employer" or the "McM Group"). W I T N E S S E T H: WHEREAS, the Employee and the Employer have entered an Employment Agreement dated as of February 1, 1993, and amended September 1, 1993, March 16, 1995, and August 6, 1996 (collectively, the "Agreement"); and WHEREAS, the Employee and Employer wish to amend the Agreement in certain respects and agree that the mutual promises set forth in this Amendment are full and valid consideration therefor. NOW THEREFORE, the parties hereto agree as follows: 1. Term of Employment. Paragraph 2 of the Agreement is hereby deleted in its entirety and in its place is inserted the following: 2. Term. The term of this Agreement shall automatically renew on a daily rolling basis and continue until two years from the date the Employer delivers to the Employee written notice of non-renewal. 2. Relocation of Employer. In the event Employer shall require Employee to relocate his office more than fifty (50) miles from its present location at 702 Oberlin Road, Raleigh, North Carolina, and Employee terminates his employment hereunder as a result of such required relocation, Employee shall receive the lump sum provided for in paragraph 8 hereof (Termination By Employer Without Cause), the lump sum to be calculated in the manner provided for in such paragraph. 3. Ratification. Except as modified in this Amendment, the Agreement, as amended, is ratified and confirmed in all respects. 2 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Employer, by action approved and directed by its Boards of Directors and Employee, on his own behalf, have executed this Amendment as of the day and year first above written. EMPLOYEE: /s/ Stephen L. Stephano (Seal) ------------------------------------ Stephen L. Stephano EMPLOYER: Attest: McM CORPORATION, a North Carolina corporation /s/ Michael D. Blinson - ----------------------------------- Corporate Secretary By: /s/ George E. King -------------------------------- Its: Chairman -------------------------------- [Corporate Seal] OCCIDENTAL FIRE & CASUALTY COMPANY OF NORTH CAROLINA, a North Attest: Carolina corporation /s/ Michael D. Blinson - ----------------------------------- Corporate Secretary By: /s/ George E. King -------------------------------- Its: Chairman [Corporate Seal] -------------------------------- WILSHIRE INSURANCE COMPANY, a North Attest: Carolina corporation /s/ Michael D. Blinson - ----------------------------------- Corporate Secretary By: /s/ George E. King -------------------------------- Its: Chairman -------------------------------- [Corporate Seal] EX-99.9 4 OFFER AND RIGHTS AGREEMENT 7/16/98 1 EXECUTION COPY OFFER AND RIGHTS AGREEMENT THIS OFFER AND RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this "Agreement"), made and entered into this 16th day of July, 1998, is by and among MCM CORPORATION (the "Company"), a North Carolina corporation with its principal office in Raleigh, North Carolina, and IAT REINSURANCE SYNDICATE LTD. ("Buyer"), a Bermuda corporation with its principal office in Bermuda. BACKGROUND STATEMENT WHEREAS, Buyer wishes to acquire approximately 49% of the issued and outstanding shares ("Shares") of common stock, par value $1.00 per share ("Common Stock"), of the Company through a privately-negotiated transaction with the McMillen Trust (the "Trust"), and through a cash tender offer (the "Offer") to acquire up to 35% of the issued and outstanding Shares of Common Stock (the "Shares") for $3.65 per Share (such amount, or any greater amount per share paid pursuant to the Offer, being hereinafter referred to as the "Per Share Amount") net to the seller in cash, subject to withholding of taxes, if applicable, upon the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement and the Offer. WHEREAS, Buyer has invested $5 million in capital for the Company at a below market interest rate of 5% per annum and plans to commit additional capital to the Company in the future. The Company acknowledges that the management of Buyer has expertise in the management and operation of insurance companies and that the devotion of time and expertise by the management of Buyer to the Company will cause Buyer to forego significant opportunities in regard to other investments. Following the consummation of the Offer, Buyer intends to make available to the Company the services of Peter R. Kellogg, its President and Chief Executive Officer, in the management and direction of the Company. The Company acknowledges that Mr. Kellogg has vast experience and background and a proven record of success in the management and operation of insurance companies. Mr. Kellogg will devote significant time and effort to the management of the Company with no employment agreement and no compensation of any kind. Neither Buyer nor Mr. Kellogg will charge the Company any management or advisory fees. WHEREAS, in consideration of the Offer and the other benefits described above, the Company wishes to provide Buyer with rights ("Rights") to purchase from the Company, for a nominal sum, 60,000 shares of a new issue of preferred stock of the Company that will have a par value of $1,000 per share, will not have voting rights, will not pay dividends, will not be convertible into Common Stock of the Company, and will have the other rights, preferences and characteristics set forth in this Agreement, including but not limited to the right to a preference in any liquidation or dissolution of the Company equal to the par value of such preferred stock before any amount is payable or distributable with respect to the Common Stock of the Company. The Company acknowledges that the issuance of such preferred stock to Buyer is 2 appropriate in order to properly compensate Buyer for the Offer and its capital and management commitments to the Company. WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the "Board") has unanimously approved the making of the Offer and resolved and agreed to recommend that holders of Shares tender their Shares pursuant to the Offer. The Board has also approved the granting of Rights following consummation of the Offer and upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein. WHEREAS, the Wilmington Trust Company (the "Trustee") of the Trust, which owns approximately 65% of the issued and outstanding Common Stock of the Company, has agreed pursuant to a Trust Purchase Agreement, dated as of the date hereof (the "Trust Purchase Agreement"), between the Buyer and the Trustee, to privately sell to Buyer 658,900 Shares (the "Purchased Trust Shares") of the Common Stock of the Company at $3.65 per Share and has agreed not to tender any Shares in the Offer. After the purchase and sale of these Shares, the Trust will own 2,428,600 shares of Common Stock of the Company (the "Retained Trust Shares"). WHEREAS, each of the Directors of the Company has agreed, pursuant to a Tender Agreement dated the date hereof (the "Tender Agreement") to tender the Shares beneficially owned or hereafter acquired by them in the Offer and to liquidate for cash pursuant to the Offer all options to purchase shares held by such Directors. STATEMENT OF AGREEMENT NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing, and the representations, warranties, covenants, and agreements contained herein, and intending to be legally bound, the parties hereto agree as follows: ARTICLE 1. THE OFFER SECTION 1.1 THE OFFER. (a) Provided that this Agreement shall not have been terminated in accordance with Section 7.1 and none of the events or circumstances set forth in Annex A hereto shall have occurred or be existing, Buyer shall commence the Offer as promptly as reasonably practicable after the date hereof, but in no event later than five business days after the first public announcement of the execution hereof by all of the parties hereto. The obligation of Buyer to accept for payment and pay for Shares tendered pursuant to the Offer shall be subject to (i) the condition (the "Minimum Condition") that there be validly tendered and not withdrawn prior to the expiration of the Offer, such number of Shares that would represent at least 32% of the voting power of the Shares outstanding on a fully diluted basis (including, without limitation, all Shares issuable upon the conversion of any convertible securities or upon the exercise of any options, warrants or rights), (ii) the conditions (the "Regulatory Approval Conditions") that (A) any applicable waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Anti-Trust Improvements Act of 1976, as 2 3 amended (the "HSR Act") shall have expired or been terminated, (B) the transactions contemplated by the Trust Purchase Agreement be approved by the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware having jurisdiction over the Trust and (C) the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Trust Purchase Agreement be approved by the North Carolina Commissioner of Insurance, and (iii) the satisfaction of the other conditions set forth in Annex A hereto. Buyer expressly reserves the right to waive any such condition (other than the Regulatory Approval Conditions), to increase the price per Share payable in the Offer, and to make any other changes in the terms and conditions of the Offer; provided, however, that no change may be made which decreases the Per Share Amount payable in the Offer or which changes the form of consideration to be paid in the Offer or which reduces the maximum number of Shares to be purchased in the Offer or which imposes conditions to the Offer in addition to those set forth in Annex A hereto or which reduces the Minimum Condition below 25% of the voting power of the Shares outstanding on a fully diluted basis. The Per Share Amount shall, subject to applicable withholding of taxes, be net to the seller in cash, upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Offer. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Offer (including, without limitation, the Minimum Condition and the Regulatory Approval Conditions), Buyer shall pay, as promptly as practicable after expiration of the Offer, for all Shares validly tendered and not withdrawn. (b) Pursuant to the Offer, each holder of an outstanding option ("Option") to purchase Shares granted pursuant to the Company's 1986 Employee Incentive Stock Option Plan and 1996 Employee Incentive Stock Option Plan (the "Stock Option Plans") shall, in such holders' discretion, have right to elect to cancel such Option and receive, subject to the satisfaction of the Minimum Condition, the Regulatory Approval Conditions and the other conditions set forth in Annex A hereto, a cash payment from Buyer in an amount, subject to applicable withholding taxes and net to the holder in cash, equal to (x) the product of (i) the aggregate number of Shares subject to such Option multiplied by (ii) the Per Share Amount minus (y) the aggregate exercise price for all Shares subject to such Option. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Offer (including, without limitation, the Minimum Condition and the Regulatory Approval Conditions), Buyer shall pay, as promptly as practicable after expiration of the Offer, for all Options elected to be cancelled by Holders (which elections have not been withdrawn). (c) As soon as reasonably practicable on the date of commencement of the Offer, Buyer shall file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") a Tender Offer Statement on Schedule 14D-1 (together with all amendments and supplements thereto, the "Schedule 14D-1") with respect to the Offer and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement ("Transactions"), which shall have been provided to the Company. The Schedule 14D-1 shall contain or shall incorporate by reference an offer to purchase (the "Offer to Purchase") and forms of the related letter of transmittal and any related summary advertisement (the Schedule 14D-1, the Offer to Purchase and such other documents, together with all supplements and amendments thereto, being referred to herein collectively as the "Offer Documents"). Buyer and the Company agree to correct promptly any information provided by any of them for use in the Offer Documents which shall have become false or misleading, and the Company and Buyer further agree to take all steps necessary to cause the Schedule 14D-1 as so corrected to be filed with the SEC and the other Offer Documents as so corrected to be disseminated to holders of Shares, in each case as and to the extent required by applicable federal securities laws. 3 4 SECTION 1.2 COMPANY ACTION. (a) The Company hereby approves of and consents to the Offer and represents that (i) the Board, at a meeting duly called and held on July 15-16, 1998, has unanimously (A) determined that this Agreement and the Transactions, including the Offer and the issuance of the Rights, are fair to and in the best interests of the shareholders of the Company, (B) approved and adopted this Agreement and the Transactions, including, without limitation, the Offer, the purchase of Shares pursuant to the Offer and the issuance of the Rights, contemplated hereby, and (C) recommended that the shareholders of the Company accept the Offer; (ii) PaineWebber Incorporated ("PaineWebber") has delivered to the Board an opinion to the effect that the consideration to be received by the holders of Shares (other than Buyer and its affiliates) pursuant to the Offer is fair to such holders of Shares. The Company hereby consents to the inclusion in the Offer Documents of the recommendation of the Board described in the immediately preceding sentence. (b) As soon as reasonably practicable on the date of commencement of the Offer, the Company shall file with the SEC a Solicitation/Recommendation Statement on Schedule 14D-9 (together with all amendments and supplements thereto, the "Schedule 14D-9") containing, subject only to the fiduciary duties of the Board under applicable law as advised by the Company's counsel, the recommendation of the Board described in Section 1.2(a)(i)(C) of this Agreement and shall disseminate the Schedule 14D-9 to the extent required by Rule 14d-9 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and any other applicable federal securities laws. The Company and Buyer agree to correct promptly any information provided by any of them for use in the Schedule 14D-9 which shall have become false or misleading, and the Company further agrees to take all steps necessary to cause the Schedule 14D-9 as so corrected to be filed with the SEC and disseminated to holders of Shares, in each case as and to the extent required by applicable federal securities laws. (c) The Company shall promptly furnish Buyer with mailing labels containing the names and addresses of all record holders of Shares and with security position listings of Shares held in stock depositories, each as of a recent date, together with all other available listings and computer files containing names, addresses and security position listings of record holders and beneficial owners of Shares. The Company shall furnish Buyer with such additional information, including, without limitation, updated listings and computer files of shareholders, mailing labels and security position listings, and such other assistance as Buyer or its agents may reasonably request. Subject to the requirements of applicable law, and except for such steps as are necessary to disseminate the Offer Documents and any other documents necessary to consummate the Offer, Buyer shall hold in confidence the information contained in such labels, listings and files, shall use such information only in connection with the Offer and, if this Agreement shall be terminated in accordance with Section 7.1, shall deliver to the Company all copies of such information then in its possession. 4 5 ARTICLE 2. THE RIGHTS SECTION 2.1 ISSUANCE OF RIGHTS. The Company hereby agrees to issue to Buyer, immediately following the acceptance for payment and payment by Buyer for Shares validly tendered and not withdrawn in the Offer, Rights to purchase from the Company, at any time thereafter and prior to the close of business on June 1, 2008, at the registered office of the Company, 60,000 shares of fully paid and nonassessable shares of Series A preferred stock, $1,000 par value (the "Preferred Stock") of the Company at the Exercise Price referred to below. The Rights shall be evidenced by a Rights Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto. The Election to Exercise shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit B attached hereto. SECTION 2.2 EXERCISE PRICE. The Exercise Price shall be $.01 per share of Preferred Stock. SECTION 2.3 PROVISIONS RELATING TO THE HOLDER OF RIGHTS. Buyer as holder of Rights pursuant to this Agreement shall not be deemed for any purpose the holder of any shares of Preferred Stock issuable on the exercise of such Rights, nor shall anything contained herein be construed to confer upon Buyer, as such holder of Rights, any of the rights of a shareholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to shareholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting shareholders, or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Rights evidenced by this Agreement shall have been exercised as provided herein, and then only to the extent provided in the designation of Preferred Stock attached hereto as Exhibit C. SECTION 2.4 EXERCISE IN PART. The Rights granted pursuant to this Agreement may be exercised in part, with the Exercise Price to be paid for each Right exercised. In such case, the Company shall issue to Buyer a new Rights Certificate for the number of Rights not exercised. Rights may be exercised only for whole shares of Preferred Stock, and fractional shares of Preferred Stock shall not be issued. SECTION 2.5 CONDITIONS OF EXERCISE OF RIGHTS. The Rights shall become immediately exercisable by Buyer, at any time and from time to time, in the event that, at any time immediately following the acceptance for payment and payment by Buyer of Shares validly tendered and not withdrawn in the Offer: (a) The Trust sells (including, without limitation, pursuant to a merger, consolidation or other business combination transaction involving the Company) to any third party other than Buyer or an assignee of Buyer, any of the Retained Trust Shares; or (b) Any person or entity other than Buyer causes designees of Buyer to cease to constitute a majority of the members of the board of directors of the Company. 5 6 Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Rights shall not become immediately exercisable if Buyer's designees fail to constitute a majority of the members of the board of directors of the Company due to the death, resignation or removal upon the direction of Buyer of any such designee; provided, that the Rights shall become exercisable following any such death, resignation or removal if, prior to the time Buyer's designees again represent a majority of the members of the Company's board of directors, such board takes any action opposed by a majority of the remaining designees of Buyer or, if no such designees remain, the then current chief executive officer of Buyer. No delay or failure by Buyer in exercising the Rights upon the occurrence of either of the above events shall operate as a waiver of such right to exercise, nor shall any partial exercise of the Rights preclude other or further exercise thereof. SECTION 2.6 CHARACTERISTICS OF SERIES A PREFERRED STOCK. The rights, preferences, limitations, and characteristics of the Preferred Stock shall be as set forth on Exhibit C attached hereto and hereby incorporated by reference. SECTION 2.7 PROCEDURE FOR EXERCISE OF RIGHTS. Rights will be issued immediately following the acceptance for payment and payment by Buyer for Shares validly tendered and not withdrawn in the Offer and may be exercised on any business day thereafter, and prior to the close of business on June 1, 2008, by submitting to the Company the Rights Certificate, together with an Election to Exercise accompanied by payment by certified or official bank check or wire transfer of immediately available funds payable to the Company of a sum equal to the Exercise Price multiplied by the number of Rights being exercised and a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax or charge that may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the transfer or delivery of the Rights Certificate or the issuance or delivery of certificates for shares of Preferred Stock to a person other than the holder of the Rights being exercised. Upon receipt of the foregoing, the Company will thereupon promptly requisition certificates evidencing such number of shares of Preferred Stock to be purchased (the Company hereby irrevocably authorizing its transfer agents, indenture trustees, subsidiaries or others, as the case may be, to comply with all such requisitions) and, after receipt of such certificates, deliver the same to or upon the order of the holder of the Rights exercised registered in such name or names as may be designated by such holder. SECTION 2.8 CERTAIN COVENANTS BY THE COMPANY. The Company covenants and agrees that it will (i) cause the Company's Articles of Incorporation to be amended immediately following Buyer's purchase of Shares in the Offer to include the designation of the Preferred Stock and such other matters as may be required by applicable law in connection with the establishment of the Preferred Stock, (ii) take all such action as may be necessary to insure that all shares of Preferred Stock delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such shares (subject to payment of the Exercise Price), be duly and validly authorized, executed, issued and delivered and fully paid and nonassessable, (iii) take all such action as may be necessary to comply with any applicable laws, rules, or regulations in connection with the issuance of any shares upon exercise of Rights, and (iv) pay when due and payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges that may be payable in respect of the original issuance or delivery of a Rights Certificate or of any shares of Preferred Stock issued 6 7 upon the exercise of Rights; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to pay any transfer tax or charge that may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the transfer or delivery of Rights Certificates or the issuance or delivery of certificates for shares of Preferred Stock in a name other than of the holder of the Rights being transferred or exercised. SECTION 2.9 DATE ON WHICH EXERCISE IS EFFECTIVE. Each person in whose name any certificate for shares is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the shares of Preferred Stock represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date upon which the Rights Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly delivered to the Company with payment of the Exercise Price (and any applicable taxes and other governmental charges payable by the exercising holder hereunder); provided, however, that if the date of such delivery and payment is a date upon which the stock transfer books of the Company are closed, such person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such shares on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding business day on which the stock transfer books of the Company are open. SECTION 2.10 MUTILATED, DESTROYED, LOST AND STOLEN RIGHTS CERTIFICATES. (a) If any mutilated Rights Certificate is surrendered to the Rights Agent prior to June 1, 2008, the Company will execute and deliver in exchange therefor a new Rights Certificate evidencing the same number of Rights as did the Rights Certificate so surrendered. (b) If there shall be delivered to the Company prior to June 1, 2008 (i) evidence to its satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Rights Certificate and (ii) such security or indemnity as may be required to save the Company harmless, then, and in the absence of notice to the Company that such Rights Certificate has been acquired by a bona fide purchaser, the Company shall execute and deliver, in lieu of any such destroyed, lost or stolen Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate evidencing the same number of Rights as did the Rights Certificate so destroyed, lost or stolen. (c) As a condition to the issuance of any new Rights Certificate, the Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses connected therewith. SECTION 2.11 BUYER MAY SURRENDER RIGHTS. At any time before June 1, 2008, Buyer may surrender the Rights to the Company for cancellation and upon such surrender the Rights shall be void and of no effect. Such surrender of the Rights may be accomplished by delivery to the Company of the Rights Certificate with the following legend: "The Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are hereby surrendered to the Company for cancellation" with the date of surrender and the authorized signature of the holder of the Rights. SECTION 2.12 FRACTIONAL SHARES. No Rights shall be exercised for less than a whole share of Preferred Stock, and the Company shall not be obligated to issue certificates representing fractional shares upon exercise of Rights. 7 8 SECTION 2.13 TRANSFER OF RIGHTS. The Rights and the Preferred Stock shall be freely transferable by Buyer to the extent permitted by law, but Buyer represents to the Company that it is acquiring the Rights for investment purposes and not with the intent of making any distribution either of the Rights or the Preferred Stock. ARTICLE 3. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES SECTION 3.1 REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF BUYER. Buyer hereby represents and warrants to the Company as follows: (a) Buyer is a corporation duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of Bermuda, and has full corporate power and authority to carry on its business as now conducted. (b) The execution, delivery and performance by Buyer of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly and validly authorized and approved by all requisite shareholder and corporate action. Buyer has the power, authority and capacity to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement, and to consummate the transactions contemplated herein. This Agreement has been duly and validly executed by Buyer and is the legal, valid and binding obligation of Buyer, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by equitable principles or by bankruptcy, fraudulent conveyance or insolvency laws affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights generally. (c) Neither the execution and delivery of, nor the performance of its obligations under, this Agreement by Buyer, nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein, will conflict with, violate or result in a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default (with the passage of time or giving of notice or both) or give rise to any right of termination, cancellation or acceleration under any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, lease, note, or other agreement or instrument to which Buyer is a party, conflict with any provision of the charter documents of Buyer, or violate any law, order, judgment, decree, rule or regulation of any court or governmental authority having jurisdiction over Buyer or its property. (d) The Rights acquired by Buyer pursuant to this Agreement are being acquired for investment purposes only and not with a view to any public distribution thereof, and Buyer will not offer to sell or otherwise dispose of the Rights so acquired by it in violation of any federal or state law applicable to the sale, resale, or distribution of securities. (e) Buyer has not retained any broker or finder in connection with the transactions contemplated herein so as to give rise to any valid claim against the Company for any fee, sales commissions, finders' fees, financial advisory fee or other fees or expenses for which the Company shall be liable. 8 9 (f) The Offer Documents will not, at the time the Offer Documents are filed with the SEC or are first published, sent or given to shareholders of the Company, as the case may be, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading. The information supplied by Buyer for inclusion in the Information Statement (as defined in Section 3.2(f) of this Agreement) will not, on the date such document (or any amendment or supplement thereto) is first mailed to shareholders of the Company and, with respect to the Information Statement, at the time Shares are accepted for payment in the Offer, contain any statement which, at such time and in light of the circumstances under which it is made, is false or misleading with respect to any material fact, or omits to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not false or misleading. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Buyer makes no representation or warranty with respect to any information supplied by the Company or any of its representatives which is contained in any of the foregoing documents or the Offer Documents. The Offer Documents shall comply in all material respects as to form with the requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder. SECTION 3.2 REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY. The Company hereby represents and warrants to Buyer as follows: (a) The Company is a corporation duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of North Carolina, and has full corporate power and authority to carry on its business as now conducted. (b) The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly and validly authorized and approved by all requisite shareholder and corporate action. The Company has the power, authority and capacity to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement, and to consummate the transactions contemplated herein. This Agreement has been duly and validly executed by the Company and is the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by equitable principles or by bankruptcy, fraudulent conveyance or insolvency laws affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights generally. (c) Neither the execution and delivery of, nor the performance of its obligations under, this Agreement by the Company, nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein, will conflict with, violate or result in a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default (with the passage of time or giving of notice or both) or give rise to any right of termination, cancellation or acceleration under any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, lease, note, or other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party, or conflict with any provision of the charter documents of the Company, or violate any law, order, judgment, decree, rule or regulation of any court or governmental authority having jurisdiction over the Company or its property. 9 10 (d) The Company has not retained any broker or finder in connection with the transactions contemplated herein so as to give rise to any valid claim against Buyer for any fee, sales commissions, finders' fees, financial advisory fee or other fees or expenses for which Buyer shall be liable, except that the Company has engaged PaineWebber as its investment banking firm and financial advisor and may owe a fee in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby (which fee shall be paid by the Company). (e) Capitalization. The authorized capital stock of the Company consists of 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock (none of which is issued and outstanding) and 10,000,000 Shares. As of July 15, 1998, (i) 4,706,388 Shares are issued and outstanding, all of which are validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, (ii) no Shares are held by the subsidiaries of the Company, (iii) 3,087,500 Shares are owned of record by the Trust, (iv) 442,962 Shares are reserved for issuance pursuant to Options granted pursuant to the Stock Option Plans and (v) 200,000 Shares are reserved for issuance pursuant to the Company's 1996 Non-Employee Director's Stock Option Plan. The Company has terminated its 1996 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the "Employee Purchase Plan") effective as of July 15, 1998, the day after the last quarterly purchase date under the Employee Purchase Plan (and the Company has no obligations or liabilities (contingent or otherwise) with respect to such plan). Except as set forth in this Section 3.2(e), there are no options, warrants or other rights, agreements, arrangements or commitments of any character relating to the issued or unissued capital stock of the Company or obligating the Company to issue or sell any shares of capital stock of, or other equity interests in, the Company. Section 3.2(e) of the Disclosure Schedule that has been delivered prior to the date hereof by the Company to Buyer sets forth a list, as of the date hereof, of the names of each person holding Options under the Stock Option Plans, the number of shares purchasable thereunder, the exercise price of such Options, and the date such Options were granted. (f) Offer Documents; Schedule 14D-9. Neither the Schedule 14D-9, nor any information supplied by the Company for inclusion in the Offer Documents, nor the information to be filed by the Company in connection with the Offer pursuant to Rule 14f-1 promulgated under the Exchange Act (the "Information Statement"), other than information provided by Buyer for inclusion therein, shall, at the respective times the Schedule 14D-9, the Offer Documents, the Information Statement or any amendments or supplements thereto are filed with the SEC or are first published, sent or given to shareholders of the Company, as the case may be, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading. Neither the Information Statement nor any information supplied by the Company for inclusion in the Offer Documents shall, at the date such document (or any amendment or supplement thereto) is first mailed to shareholders of the Company, and at the time Shares are accepted for payment in the Offer, be false or misleading with respect to any material fact, or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading. The Schedule 14D-9 and the Information Statement shall comply in all material respects as to form with the requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder. 10 11 (g) SEC Filings; Financial Statements. (i) The Company has filed all forms, reports and documents required to be filed by it with the SEC since December 31, 1995, and has heretofore delivered to Buyer, in the form filed with the SEC, (A) its Annual Reports on Form 10-K for the fiscal years ended December 31, 1995, 1996, and 1997, respectively, (B) its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 1997 and March 31, 1998, (C) all proxy statements relating to the Company's meetings of shareholders (whether annual or special) held since December 31, 1995, and (D) all other forms, reports and other registration statements (other than Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q not referred to in clause (B) above) filed by the Company with the SEC since December 31, 1995 (the forms, reports and other documents referred to in clauses (A), (B), (C) and (D) above being referred to herein, collectively, as the "SEC Reports"). The SEC Reports (x) were prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and the Exchange Act, as the case may be, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder and (y) did not, at the time they were filed (or at the effective date thereof with respect to registration statements under the Securities Act), contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. (ii) Each of the consolidated financial statements (including, in each case, any notes thereto) contained in the SEC Reports was prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis ("GAAP") throughout the periods indicated (except as may be indicated in the notes thereto) and each fairly presents the consolidated financial position, results of operations and changes in shareholders equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as at the respective dates thereof and for the respective periods indicated therein (subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal and recurring year-end adjustments which were not and are not expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a material adverse effect on the business, operations, condition (financial or otherwise), assets or liabilities (including, without limitation, contingent liabilities) of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole ("Material Adverse Effect")). (iii) Except as and to the extent set forth on the consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as at December 31, 1997, including the notes thereto (the "1997 Balance Sheet"), in Section 3.2(g)(iii) of the Disclosure Schedule, or in any SEC Report filed by the Company after December 31, 1997, neither the Company nor any subsidiary of the Company has any liability or obligation of any nature (whether accrued, absolute, contingent or otherwise) that would be required to be reflected on a balance sheet, or in the notes thereto, prepared in accordance with GAAP, except for liabilities and obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice since December 31, 1997, which would not, individually or in the aggregate, be material in amount. (iv) The Company has heretofore furnished to Buyer complete and correct copies of all amendments and modifications (if any) that have not been filed by the Company with the SEC to all agreements, documents and other instruments that previously had been filed by the Company with the SEC and are currently in effect. 11 12 (h) Absence of Certain Changes or Events. (i) Since March 31, 1998, except as set forth in Section 3.2(h)(i) of the Disclosure Schedule, or except as contemplated by this Agreement or disclosed in any SEC Report filed since March 31, 1998, and prior to the date of this Agreement, the Company and its subsidiaries have conducted their businesses only in the ordinary course and in a manner consistent with past practice and there has not been (A) any change in the business, operations, properties, condition, assets or liabilities (including, without limitation, contingent liabilities) of the Company or any of its subsidiaries having, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, (B) any damage, destruction or loss (whether or not covered by insurance) with respect to any property or asset of the Company or any of its subsidiaries and having, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, (C) any entry by the Company or any of its subsidiaries into any commitment or transaction material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, (D) any increase in or establishment of any bonus, insurance, severance, deferred compensation, pension, retirement, profit sharing, stock option (including, without limitation, the granting of stock options, stock appreciation rights, performance awards or restricted stock awards), stock purchase or other employee benefit plan, or any other increase in the compensation payable or to become payable to any officers or key employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, except in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, or (E) any entering into, renewal, modification or extension of, any contract, arrangement or agreement with any other party having, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. (ii) Since December 31, 1997, except as set forth in Section 3.2(h)9ii) of the Disclosure Schedule or as contemplated by this Agreement or disclosed in any SEC Report filed since December 31, 1997, and prior to the date of this Agreement, there has not been (A) any material change by the Company in its accounting methods, principles or practices, (B) any material revaluation by the Company of any asset (including, without limitation, any writing down of the value of inventory or writing off of notes or accounts receivable), (C) any failure by the Company to revalue any asset in accordance with GAAP, or (D) any declaration, setting aside or payment of any dividend or distribution in respect of any capital stock of the Company or any redemption, purchase or other acquisition of any of its securities. ARTICLE 4. CONDUCT OF BUSINESS SECTION 4.1 CONDUCT OF BUSINESS BY THE COMPANY. The Company covenants and agrees that, between the date of this Agreement and the date Buyer's designees are appointed to the Board pursuant to Section 5.1, without the prior written consent of Buyer, the businesses of the Company and its subsidiaries shall be conducted only in, and the Company and its subsidiaries shall not take any action except in, the ordinary course of business and in a manner consistent with past practice; and the Company shall use its best efforts to preserve substantially intact the business organization of the Company and its subsidiaries, to keep available the services of the current officers, employees and consultants of the Company and its subsidiaries and to preserve the current relationships of the Company and its subsidiaries with customers, suppliers and other persons with which the Company or any of its subsidiaries has significant business relations. By way of amplification and not limitation, except as contemplated by this Agreement (including, without limitation transactions 12 13 related to the termination of the Employee Purchase Plan), neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries shall, between the date of this Agreement and the date Buyer's designees are appointed to the Board pursuant to Section 5.1 hereof, directly or indirectly do, or propose to do, any of the following without the prior written consent of Buyer: (a) amend or otherwise change its Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws or equivalent organizational documents; (b) issue, sell, pledge, dispose of, grant, encumber, or authorize the issuance, sale, pledge, disposition, grant or encumbrance of (i) any shares of capital stock of any class of the Company or any subsidiary, or any options, warrants, convertible securities or other rights of any kind to acquire any shares of such capital stock, or any other ownership interest (including, without limitation, any phantom interest), of the Company or any subsidiary or (ii) any assets of the Company or any subsidiary, except for sales in the ordinary course of business and in a manner consistent with past practice; (c) declare, set aside, make or pay any dividend or other distribution, payable in cash, stock, property or otherwise, with respect to any of its capital stock except for the regular quarterly dividend of Wilshire Insurance Company to Occidental Fire & Casualty Company of North Carolina; (d) reclassify, combine, split, subdivide or redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire, directly or indirectly, any of its capital stock; (e) (i) acquire (including, without limitation, by merger, consolidation, or acquisition of stock or assets or any other business combination) any corporation, partnership, other business organization or any division thereof or any material amount of assets other than in the ordinary course of business; (ii) incur any indebtedness for borrowed money, except for routine use of the Company's existing line of credit in the ordinary course of business, or issue any debt securities or assume, guarantee or endorse, pledge in respect of or otherwise as an accommodation become responsible for the obligations of any person, or make any loans or advances, except in the ordinary course of business and consistent with past practice; (iii) enter into any contract or agreement other than contracts or agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business, consistent with past practice and which require payments by the Company or its subsidiaries in an aggregate amount of less than U.S. $250,000; (iv) terminate, cancel or request any material change in, or agree to any material change in, any material contract, except in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice; (v) authorize any single capital expenditure (excluding software development activity) which is in excess of U.S. $100,000 or capital expenditures which are, in the aggregate, in excess of U.S. $250,000 for the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; or (vi) enter into or amend any contract, agreement, commitment or arrangement with respect to any matter set forth in this Section 4.1(e); (f) increase the compensation payable or to become payable to its officers or employees, except for increases in accordance with past practices in salaries or wages of 13 14 employees of the Company or any subsidiary who are not officers of the Company, or grant any severance or termination pay to, or enter into any employment or severance agreement with, any director, officer or other employee of the Company or any subsidiary, or establish, adopt, enter into or amend any collective bargaining, bonus, profit sharing, thrift, compensation, stock option, restricted stock, pension, retirement, deferred compensation, employment, termination, severance or other plan, agreement, trust, fund, policy or arrangement for the benefit of any director, officer or employee or circulate to any employee any details of any proposal to adopt or amend any such plan; (g) take any action, other than reasonable and usual actions in the ordinary course of business and consistent with past practice, with respect to accounting policies or procedures (including, without limitation, procedures with respect to the payment of accounts payable and collection of accounts receivable); (h) make any tax election or settle or compromise any material federal, state, local or foreign income tax liability; (i) pay, discharge or satisfy any claim, liability or obligation (absolute, accrued, asserted or unasserted, contingent or otherwise), other than the payment, discharge or satisfaction, in the ordinary course of business and consistent with past practice, of liabilities reflected or reserved against in the 1997 Balance Sheet or subsequently incurred in the ordinary course of business and consistent with past practice; or (j) except for insurance claims settled in the ordinary course, the AGA/ORRICO litigation and insurance related claims, settle or compromise any pending or threatened suit, action or claim that is material or which relates to any of the Transactions; or (k) announce an intention, enter into any formal or informal agreement, or otherwise make a commitment, to do any of the foregoing or any action that would result in any of the conditions to the Offer not being satisfied (other than as contemplated by this Agreement). ARTICLE 5. COVENANTS SECTION 5.1 COMPANY BOARD REPRESENTATION; SECTION 14(F). (a) Immediately following the time Buyer pays for Shares validly tendered and not withdrawn in the Offer (the "Buyer's Election Time"), and from time to time thereafter, Buyer shall be entitled to designate up to such number of directors, rounded up to the next whole number, on the Board as shall give Buyer majority representation on the Board, and the Company shall, at such time, promptly take all actions necessary to cause Buyer's designees to be elected as directors of the Company, including increasing the size of the Board or securing the resignations of incumbent directors or both. At such times, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause persons designated by Buyer 14 15 to constitute a majority of (i) each committee of the Board (some of whom may be required to be independent as required by applicable law or the requirements of the rules of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.), (ii) each board of directors of each subsidiary and (iii) each committee of each such board, in each case only to the extent permitted by applicable law. If any of Buyer's designees dies, resigns or is removed upon the direction of Buyer, the Company shall take all action necessary to cause such vacancy to be filled by a designee of Buyer within 10 business days after the opening of such vacancy. Notwithstanding the foregoing, until the Buyer's Election Time, the Company shall use its best efforts to ensure that all the members of the Board and each committee of the Board and such boards and committees of the subsidiaries of the Company as of the date hereof who are not employees of the Company shall remain members of the Board and of such boards and committees. (b) The Company shall promptly take all actions required pursuant to Section 14(f) of the Exchange Act and Rule 14f-1 promulgated thereunder in order to fulfill its obligations under this Section 5.1 and shall include the Information Statement containing such information with respect to the Company and its officers and directors as is required under Section 14(f) and Rule 14f-1 as an annex to the Schedule 14D-9 to fulfill such obligations. Buyer shall supply to the Company any information with respect to it and its nominees, officers, directors and affiliates required by such Section 14(f) and Rule 14f-1. SECTION 5.2 ACCESS TO INFORMATION; CONFIDENTIALITY. (a) From the date hereof to the Buyer's Election Time, the Company shall, and shall cause its subsidiaries and the officers, directors, employees, auditors and agents of the Company and its subsidiaries to, afford the officers, employees and agents of Buyer complete access at all reasonable times to the officers, employees, agents, properties, offices, and other facilities, books and records of the Company and each of its subsidiaries, and shall furnish Buyer with all financial, operating and other data and information as Buyer, through its officers, employees or agents, may reasonably request. (b) Except as required by law, all information obtained by Buyer pursuant to this Section 5.2 shall be kept confidential, by Buyer and by any other party which is to be afforded access pursuant to Section 5.2(a), in accordance with the confidentiality agreement (the "Confidentiality Agreement"), between Buyer and the Company. SECTION 5.3 NO SOLICITATION OF TRANSACTIONS. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries shall, directly or indirectly, through any officer, director, agent or otherwise, solicit, initiate or encourage the submission of any proposal or offer from any person relating to any acquisition or purchase of all or any material portion of the assets of, or any equity interest in, the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any business combination with the Company or any of its subsidiaries or participate in any negotiations regarding, or furnish to any other person any information with respect to, or otherwise cooperate in any way with, or assist or participate in, facilitate or encourage, any effort or attempt by any other person to do or seek any of the foregoing; provided, however, that nothing contained in this Section 5.3 shall prohibit the Board from furnishing information to, or entering into discussions or negotiations with, any person in connection with an unsolicited (from the date of this Agreement) proposal in writing by such person to acquire the Company pursuant to a merger, consolidation, share exchange, business combination 15 16 or other similar transaction or to acquire all or substantially all of the assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, if, and only to the extent that, (i) the Board, after consultation with independent legal counsel (which may include its regularly engaged independent legal counsel), determines in good faith that such action is required for the Board to comply with its fiduciary duties to shareholders imposed by North Carolina law and (ii) prior to furnishing such information to, or entering into discussions or negotiations with, such person the Company uses its reasonable best efforts to obtain from such person an executed confidentiality agreement on terms no less favorable to the Company than those contained in the Confidentiality Agreement (or obtained such a confidentiality agreement prior to the date hereof). The Company immediately shall cease and cause to be terminated all existing discussions or negotiations with any parties conducted heretofore with respect to any of the foregoing. The Company shall notify Buyer promptly if any such proposal or offer, or any inquiry or contact with any person with respect thereto, is made. The Company agrees not to release any third party from, or waive any provision of, any confidentiality or, subject to the fiduciary duties of the Board, standstill agreement to which the Company is or may become a party. SECTION 5.4 DIRECTORS' AND OFFICERS' INDEMNIFICATION AND INSURANCE. (a) Following the Buyer's Election Time, and for a period of six years thereafter, Buyer shall cause the Board to retain provisions in the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Company no less favorable with respect to indemnification of officers and directors than are currently set forth in such documents, unless such modification shall be required by law. Any determinations made pursuant to the provisions of the Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws of the Company, with respect to the appropriateness of indemnification, shall be made in good faith. (b) The Company, from and after the date of this Agreement and to and including the date six years after the Buyer's Election Time, shall use its best efforts to maintain in effect, if available, the current directors' and officers' liability insurance policies maintained by the Company (provided that the Company may substitute therefor policies of at least the same coverage containing terms and conditions which are not materially less favorable) with respect to matters occurring on or prior to the Buyer's Election Time; provided, however, that in no event shall the Company be required to expend pursuant to this Section 5.4(b) more than an amount per year equal to 200% of current annual premiums paid by the Company for such insurance (which annual premiums the Company represents to be approximately $70,000). (c) In the event the Company or any of its respective successors or assigns (i) consolidates with or merges into any other person and shall not be the continuing or surviving corporation or entity after such consolidation or merger or (ii) transfers all or substantially all of its properties and assets to any person, then, and in each such case, proper provision shall be made so that the successors and assigns of the Company, as the case may be, or at Buyer's option, Buyer, shall assume the obligations set forth in this Section 5.4. SECTION 5.5 NOTIFICATION OF CERTAIN MATTERS. The Company shall give prompt notice to Buyer, and Buyer shall give prompt notice to the Company, of (i) the occurrence, or non-occurrence, of any event the occurrence, or non-occurrence, of which causes any representation or warranty contained in this Agreement to be untrue or inaccurate in any material respect and (ii) any 16 17 failure of the Company or Buyer, as the case may be, to comply with or satisfy any covenant, condition or agreement to be complied with or satisfied by it hereunder; provided, however, that the delivery of any notice pursuant to this Section 5.5 shall not limit or otherwise affect the remedies available hereunder to the party receiving such notice. SECTION 5.6. FURTHER ACTION; REASONABLE BEST EFFORTS. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions hereof, each of the parties hereto shall (i) make promptly its respective filings, and thereafter make any other required submissions, under the HSR Act with respect to the Transactions, (ii) use its reasonable best efforts to take, or cause to be taken, all appropriate action, and to do, or cause to be done, all things necessary, proper or advisable under applicable laws and regulations to consummate and make effective the Transactions, including, without limitation, using its reasonable best efforts to obtain all consents, approvals, authorizations, qualifications and orders of governmental authorities and parties to contracts with the Company and its subsidiaries as are necessary for the consummation of the Transactions and to fulfill the conditions to the Offer (including, without limitation, obtaining the approval of the Chancery Court of the State of Delaware and the North Carolina Insurance Commission), and (iii) except as contemplated by this Agreement, use its reasonable best efforts not to take any action, or enter into any transaction, which would cause any of its representations or warranties contained in this Agreement to be untrue or result in a breach of any covenant made by it in this Agreement. SECTION 5.7 PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS. Buyer and the Company shall consult with each other before issuing any press release or otherwise making any public statements with respect to this Agreement or any Transaction and shall not issue any such press release or make any such public statement prior to such consultation, except as may be required by law or pursuant to the rules of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. SECTION 5.8 EMPLOYEE PURCHASE PLAN. The Company agrees to terminate its Employee Purchase Plan effective as of July 15, 1998. ARTICLE 6. CONDITIONS PRECEDENT SECTION 6.1 CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO THE OFFER. The obligation of the Buyer to accept for payment and pay for Shares validly tendered and not withdrawn pursuant to the Offer and to cash out Options which holders elect to cancel pursuant to the Offer shall be subject to the satisfaction of the Regulatory Approval Conditions and the satisfaction or waiver of the Minimum Condition and the other conditions set forth in Annex A hereof. SECTION 6.2 CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO THE ISSUANCE OF THE RIGHTS. The obligations of the Company under this Agreement to issue the Rights is subject to the fulfillment, at or prior to such issuance, of each of the following conditions: (a) Buyer and the Trust shall have executed and delivered the Trust Purchase Agreement and such agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby shall have been approved 17 18 by the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware having jurisdiction over the Trust and by the North Carolina Commissioner of Insurance. (b) The representations and warranties of Buyer contained herein shall be true and correct on and as of the issuance date and on and as of the date hereof with the same effect as though made on and as of the Closing Date. (c) The waiting period under the HSR Act applicable to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Trust Purchase Agreement shall have expired or terminated. (d) Buyer shall have accepted for payment and paid for Shares validly tendered and not withdrawn pursuant to the Offer. ARTICLE 7. TERMINATION, AMENDMENT AND WAIVER SECTION 7.1 TERMINATION. This Agreement may be terminated and the Offer and the other Transactions may be abandoned at any time prior to the Buyer's Election Time: (a) By mutual written consent duly authorized by the Boards of Directors of Buyer and the Company prior to the Buyer's Election Time; or (b) By Buyer or the Company if (i) the Buyer's Election Time shall not have occurred on or before the date 180 days following the commencement of the Offer, provided, however, that the right to terminate this Agreement under this Section 7.1(b) shall not be available to any party whose failure to fulfill any obligation under this Agreement has been the cause of, or resulted in, the failure of the Buyer's Election Time to occur on or before such date or (ii) any court of competent jurisdiction in the United States or other governmental authority shall have issued an order, decree, ruling or taken any other action restraining, enjoining or otherwise prohibiting the Offer and such order, decree, ruling or other action shall have become final and nonappealable; or (c) By Buyer, upon approval of its Board of Directors, if (i) due to an occurrence or circumstance that would result in a failure to satisfy any condition set forth in Annex A hereto, Buyer shall have (A) failed to commence the Offer within 30 days following the date of this Agreement, (B) terminated the Offer without having accepted any Shares for payment thereunder or (C) failed to pay for Shares pursuant to the Offer within 180 days following the commencement of the Offer; unless such action or inaction under (A), (B) or (C) shall have been caused by or resulted from the failure of Buyer to perform in any material respect any material covenant or agreement of Buyer contained in this Agreement or the material breach by Buyer of any material representation or warranty contained in this Agreement or (ii) prior to the purchase of Shares pursuant to the Offer, the Board or any committee thereof shall have withdrawn or modified in a manner adverse to Buyer its approval or recommendation of the Offer, this Agreement, or any other 18 19 Transaction or shall have recommended another merger, consolidation, business combination with, or acquisition of, the Company or any of its assets or another tender offer or exchange offer for Shares, or shall have resolved to do any of the foregoing; or (d) By the Company, upon approval of the Board, if (i) due to an occurrence or circumstance that would result in a failure to satisfy any of the conditions set forth in Annex A hereto, Buyer shall have (A) failed to commence the Offer within 30 days following the date of this Agreement, (B) terminated the Offer without having accepted any Shares for payment thereunder or (C) failed to pay for Shares pursuant to the Offer within 180 days following the commencement of the Offer, unless such action or inaction under (A), (B), and (C) shall have been caused by or resulted from the failure of the Company to perform in any material respect any material covenant or agreement of it contained in this Agreement or the material breach by the Company of any material representation or warranty of it contained in this Agreement or (ii) prior to the purchase of Shares pursuant to the Offer, the Board shall have withdrawn or modified in a manner adverse to Buyer its approval or recommendation of the Offer, this Agreement, or any other Transaction in order to approve the execution by the Company of a definitive agreement providing for the acquisition of the Company or any of its assets by a sale, merger or other business combination or in order to approve a tender offer or exchange offer for Shares by a third party, in either case, as the Board determines in good faith that such action is required for the Board to comply with its fiduciary duties to shareholders, after consultation with its independent legal counsel and financial advisers, and is on terms more favorable to the Company's shareholders than the Offer; provided, however, that such termination under this clause (ii) shall not be effective until the Company has reimbursed Buyer for its Expenses (as defined in Section 7.3(b)). SECTION 7.2 EFFECT OF TERMINATION. In the event of the termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 7.1, this Agreement shall forthwith become void, except for Section 5.2(b), Section 7.3 and Article VIII which shall survive termination indefinitely, and there shall be no liability on the part of any party hereto, except as set forth in Section 7.3, and nothing herein shall relieve any party from liability for any breach hereof. SECTION 7.3 EXPENSES. (a) In the event that (i) (A) on or after the date hereof and prior to the termination of this Agreement, any person (including, without limitation, the Company or any affiliate thereof, but excluding the Trust, Buyer or any affiliate of Buyer), shall have become the beneficial owner of more than 10% of the then outstanding Shares and (B) this Agreement shall have been terminated pursuant to Section 7.1 and (C) within 12 months of such termination a Third Party Acquisition (as defined hereinafter) shall occur; or (ii) (A) on or after the date hereof and prior to the termination of this Agreement, any person shall have commenced, publicly proposed or communicated to the Company a proposal that is publicly disclosed for a tender or exchange offer for 25% or more (or which, assuming the maximum amount of securities that could be purchased, 19 20 would result in any person beneficially owning 25% or more of the then outstanding Shares) or otherwise for the direct or indirect acquisition of the Company or all or substantially all of its assets for per Share consideration having a value greater than the Per Share Amount and (B) (x) the Offer shall have remained open for at least 20 business days, (y) the Minimum Condition shall not have been satisfied and (z) this Agreement shall have been terminated pursuant to Section 7.1; or (iii) this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 7.1(c)(ii) or 7.1(d)(ii); or (iv) provided that Buyer is not in material breach of its obligations under this Agreement, this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 7.1(c) due to the occurrence of the condition set forth in either paragraph (f) or (g) of Annex A; then, in any such event set forth in clauses (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv) above, the Company shall promptly reimburse Buyer for all Expenses; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to reimburse Buyer for any expenses under clauses (i) or (ii) above if (x) this Agreement is terminated solely for failure to satisfy any Regulatory Condition and (y) the failure to satisfy such Regulatory Condition is in no respect due to the occurrence of any event described in clause (i)(A) or (ii)(A) above. (b) "Expenses" means all out-of-pocket expenses and fees up to $250,000 in the aggregate (including, without limitation, fees and expenses payable to all banks, investment banking firms, other financial institutions and other persons and their respective agents and counsel for structuring the Transactions and all fees of counsel, accountants, experts and consultants to Buyer, and all printing and advertising expenses) actually incurred or accrued by Buyer or on its behalf in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Trust Purchase Agreement, and/or actually incurred or accrued by banks, investment banking firms, other financial institutions and other persons and assumed by Buyer in connection with the negotiation, preparation, execution and performance of this Agreement and the Trust Purchase Agreement, the structuring of the Transactions and any agreements relating thereto. In the event that the Company shall fail to pay any Expenses when due, the term "Expenses" shall be deemed to include the costs and expenses actually incurred or accrued by Buyer (including, without limitation, fees and expenses of counsel) in connection with the collection under and enforcement of this Section 7.3, together with interest on such unpaid Expenses, commencing on the date that such Expenses became due, at a per annum rate equal to the rate of interest publicly announced by First Union National Bank, from time to time, in the City of Charlotte, North Carolina, as such bank's prime rate plus 1.00 percentage point. In addition, in connection with any other action or proceeding by any party hereto against any other party hereto alleging a breach of a representation, warranty, covenant or agreement set forth herein, the prevailing party in such action or proceeding shall be entitled to recover costs and expenses actually incurred or accrued (including, without limitation, fees and expenses of counsel) in connection with the prosecution or defense (as the case may be) of such action or proceeding. 20 21 (c) Except as set forth in this Section 7.3, all costs and expenses incurred in connection with this Agreement and the Transactions shall be paid by the party incurring such expenses, whether or not any Transaction is consummated. (d) "Third Party Acquisition" means the occurrence of any of the following events: (i) the acquisition of the Company by merger, consolidation or other business combination transaction by any person other than Buyer or any affiliate thereof (a "Third Party"); (ii) the acquisition by any Third Party of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole; (iii) the acquisition by a Third Party of 25% or more of the outstanding Shares whether by tender offer, exchange offer or otherwise; (iv) the adoption by the Company of a plan of liquidation or the declaration or payment of an extraordinary dividend; or (v) the repurchase by the Company or any of its subsidiaries of 25% or more of the outstanding Shares. SECTION 7.4 AMENDMENT. This Agreement may not be amended except by an instrument in writing signed by the parties hereto. SECTION 7.5 WAIVER. At any time prior to the Buyer's Election Time, any party hereto may (i) extend the time for the performance of any obligation or other act of any other party hereto, (ii) waive any inaccuracy in the representations and warranties contained herein or in any document delivered pursuant hereto and (iii) waive compliance with any agreement or condition contained herein (other than the Regulatory Approval Conditions, and provided that the Minimum Condition shall not be reduced below 25% of the voting power of the fully diluted Shares of the Company). Any such extension or waiver shall be valid if set forth in an instrument in writing signed by the party or parties to be bound thereby. ARTICLE 8. MISCELLANEOUS SECTION 8.1 NON-SURVIVAL OF REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES. The representations and warranties in this Agreement shall terminate at the Buyer's Election Time or upon the termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 7.1. SECTION 8.2 NOTICES. All notices, requests, claims, demands and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be given (and shall be deemed to have been duly given upon receipt) by delivery in person, by cable, telecopy, telegram or telex or by registered or certified mail (postage prepaid, return receipt requested) to the respective parties at the following addresses (or at such other address for a party as shall be specified in a notice given in accordance with this Section 8.2): 21 22 if to Buyer: IAT Reinsurance Syndicate Ltd. c/o Spear Leeds & Kellogg 120 Broadway New York, New York 10271 Attention: Marguerite Gorman with a copy to: Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson, P.A. 101 North Tryon Street, Suite 1900 Charlotte, North Carolina 28246 Attention: Mr. Robin L. Hinson if to the Company: McM Corporation 702 Oberlin Road, Box 12317 Raleigh, North Carolina 27605 Attention: George E. King with a copy to: Ragsdale, Liggett & Foley, PLLC Post Office Box 31507 Raleigh, North Carolina 27622 Attention: Mr. Frank R. Liggett III SECTION 8.3 SEVERABILITY. If any term or other provision of this Agreement is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced by any rule of law, or public policy, all other conditions and provisions of this Agreement shall nevertheless remain in full force and effect so long as the economic or legal substance of the Transactions is not affected in any manner materially adverse to any party. Upon such determination that any term or other provision is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced, the parties hereto shall negotiate in good faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the parties as closely as possible in a mutually acceptable manner in order that the Transactions be consummated as originally contemplated to the fullest extent possible. SECTION 8.4 ENTIRE AGREEMENT, ASSIGNMENT. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement among the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes, except as set forth in Section 5.2, all prior agreements and undertakings, both written and oral, among the parties, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement shall not be assigned by operation of law or otherwise, except that Buyer may assign all or any of its rights and obligations 22 23 hereunder to any affiliate of Buyer provided that no such assignment shall relieve the Buyer of its obligations hereunder if such assignee does not perform such obligations. SECTION 8.5 PARTIES IN INTEREST. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure solely to the benefit of each party hereto, and nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to or shall confer upon any other person any right, benefit or remedy of any nature whatsoever under or by reason of this Agreement, other than Section 5.4 (which is intended to be for the benefit of the persons covered thereby and may be enforced by such persons). SECTION 8.6 SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE. The parties hereto agree that irreparable damage would occur in the event any provision of this Agreement was not performed in accordance with the terms hereof and that the parties shall be entitled to specific performance of the terms hereof, in addition to any other remedy at law or equity. SECTION 8.7 DESCRIPTIVE HEADINGS, GENDER. Descriptive headings appear herein for convenience only and shall not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof. As used herein, the singular shall include the plural and the plural the singular, and the use of any gender, including the neutral, shall be applicable to all genders. SECTION 8.8 GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement and each Right issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the State of North Carolina and for all purposes shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of such state applicable to contracts to be made and performed entirely within such state. SECTION 8.9 COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same agreement. 23 24 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first above written. MCM CORPORATION By: /s/ George E. King, Chairman/CEO -------------------------------- IAT REINSURANCE SYNDICATE LTD. By: /s/ Peter R. Kellogg -------------------------------- Peter R. Kellogg, President 24 25 ANNEX A CONDITIONS TO THE OFFER Notwithstanding any other provision of the Offer, Buyer shall not be required to accept for payment or pay for any Shares tendered pursuant to the Offer, or make any payment with respect to Options elected to be cancelled by holders thereof, and may terminate or amend the Offer and may postpone the acceptance for payment of and payment for Shares tendered or Options elected to be canceled, if (i) the Minimum Condition shall not have been satisfied, (ii) any applicable waiting period under the HSR Act shall not have expired or been terminated prior to the expiration of the Offer, (iii) the transactions contemplated by the Trust Purchase Agreement shall not have been approved by the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware having jurisdiction over the Trust, (iv) the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Trust Purchase Agreement shall not have been approved by the North Carolina Commissioner of Insurance, or (v) at any time on or after the date of this Agreement, and prior to the acceptance for payment of Shares, any of the following conditions shall exist: (a) there shall have been instituted or be pending any action or proceeding brought by any governmental, administrative or regulatory authority or agency, domestic or foreign, before any court or governmental, administrative or regulatory authority or agency, domestic or foreign, (i) challenging or seeking to make illegal, materially delay or otherwise directly or indirectly restrain or prohibit or make materially more costly the making of the Offer, the acceptance for payment of, or payment for, any Shares or Options by Buyer or any other affiliate of Buyer pursuant to the Offer, or the consummation of any other Transaction, or seeking to obtain material damages in connection with any Transaction; (ii) seeking to prohibit or limit materially the ownership or operation by the Company, Buyer or any of their subsidiaries of all or any material portion of the business or assets of the Company, Buyer or any of their subsidiaries, or to compel the Company, Buyer or any of their subsidiaries to dispose of or hold separate all or any material portion of the business or assets of the Company, Buyer or any of their subsidiaries, as a result of the Transactions; (iii) seeking to impose or confirm limitations on the ability of Buyer or any other affiliate of Buyer to exercise effectively full rights of ownership of any Shares, including, without limitation, the right to vote any Shares acquired by Buyer pursuant to the Offer, or otherwise on all matters properly presented to the Company's shareholders, including, without limitation, the approval and adoption of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby; or (iv) seeking to require divestiture by Buyer or any other affiliate of Buyer of any Shares; (b) there shall have been issued any injunction, order or decree by any court or governmental, administrative or regulatory authority or agency, domestic or foreign, resulting from any action or proceeding brought by any person other than any governmental, administrative or regulatory authority or agency, domestic or foreign, that (i) restrains or prohibits the making of the Offer or the consummation of any other Transaction; (ii) prohibits or limits ownership or operation by the Company or Buyer of all or any material portion of the business or assets of the Company, taken as a whole, 25 26 Buyer or any of their subsidiaries, or compels the Company, Buyer or any of their subsidiaries to dispose of or hold separate all or any material portion of the business or assets of the Company, Buyer or any of their subsidiaries, in each case as a result of the Transactions; (iii) imposes limitations on the ability of Buyer to exercise effectively full rights of ownership of any Shares, including, without limitation, the right to vote any Shares acquired by Buyer pursuant to the Offer, or otherwise on all matters properly presented to the Company's shareholders, including, without limitation, the approval and adoption of this Agreement and the Transactions; (iv) requires divestiture by Buyer of any Shares; (c) there shall have been any action taken, or any statute, rule, regulation, order or injunction enacted, entered, enforced, promulgated, amended, issued or deemed applicable to (i) Buyer, the Company or any subsidiary or affiliate of Buyer or the Company or (ii) any Transaction, by any legislative body, court, government or governmental, administrative or regulatory authority or agency, domestic or foreign, in the case of both (i) and (ii) other than the routine application of the waiting period provisions of the HSR Act to the Offer, in each case that results in any of the consequences referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) of paragraph (b) above; (d) there shall have occurred any change, condition, event or development that has a Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Company; (e) (i) the Board or any committee thereof shall have withdrawn or modified in a manner adverse to Buyer the approval or recommendation of the Offer, or this Agreement or approved or recommended any takeover proposal or any other acquisition of Shares other than the Offer or (ii) the Board or any committee thereof shall have resolved to do any of the foregoing; (f) any representation or warranty of the Company in the Agreement shall not be true and correct with the effect that such failure of any such representation or warranty to be true and correct, when taken together with all other such failures of such representations and warranties to be true and correct, in the aggregate has, or is reasonably likely to have, a Material Adverse Effect; provided, however that, for the purpose of the foregoing condition, in determining whether any such representation or warranty is true or correct, any qualification as to materiality or Material Adverse Effect contained in any such representation and warranty shall be deemed not to apply; (g) the Company shall have failed to perform in any material respect any material obligation or to comply in any material respect with any material agreement or material covenant of the Company to be performed or complied with by it under the Agreement; (h) the Agreement shall have been terminated in accordance with its terms; or 26 27 (i) Buyer and the Company shall have agreed that Buyer shall terminate the Offer or postpone the acceptance for payment of or payment for Shares and Options thereunder; which, in the sole judgment of Buyer, in any such case, and regardless of the circumstances (including any action or inaction by Buyer or any of its affiliates) giving rise to any such condition, makes it inadvisable to proceed with such acceptance for payment or payment. The foregoing conditions are for the sole benefit of Buyer and may be asserted by Buyer regardless of the circumstances giving rise to any such condition or may be waived by Buyer in whole or in part at any time and from time to time in its sole discretion; provided, however, that Buyer may not waive the Regulatory Approval Conditions or reduce the Minimum Condition below 25% of the voting power of the fully diluted Shares of the Company. The failure by Buyer at any time to exercise any of the foregoing rights shall not be deemed a waiver of any such right; the waiver of any such right with respect to particular facts and circumstances shall not be deemed a waiver with respect to any other facts and circumstances; and each such right shall be deemed an ongoing right that may be asserted at any time and from time to time. 27 28 EXHIBIT A [FORM OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATE] CERTIFICATE NUMBER RIGHTS ------ --------- RIGHTS CERTIFICATE MCM CORPORATION This certifies that IAT Reinsurance Syndicate Ltd., or registered assignees, is the registered holder of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles the registered holder thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Offer and Rights Agreement, dated as of July 16, 1998 (as the same may be amended or supplemented from time to time, the "Agreement"), between McM Corporation (the "Company") and IAT Reinsurance Syndicate Ltd., to purchase from the Company, at any time after the acceptance for payment and payment for Shares validly tendered and not withdrawn pursuant to the Offer, and prior to the close of business on June 1, 2008, at the registered office of the Company, one (1) share of Series A Preferred Stock, $1,000 par value (the "Preferred Stock") of the Company at the Exercise Price referred to below, upon presentation and surrender of this Rights Certificate with the form of Election to Purchase duly executed. Capitalized terms used in this Rights Certificate without definition shall have the meanings given to them in the Agreement. The Exercise Price shall be $.01 per Right and shall be payable by official bank or certified check or wire transfer of immediately available funds. This Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and conditions of the Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are hereby incorporated by reference made a part hereof. Subject to the terms of the Agreement, this Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights Certificates, upon surrender at the registered office of the Company may be exchanged for another Right Certificate or Rights Certificate of like tenor evidencing an aggregate number of Rights equal to the aggregate number of Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates surrendered. If this Rights Certificate shall be exercised in part, the registered holder shall be entitled to receive, upon surrender hereof, another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates for the number of whole Rights not exercised. Subject to the provisions of the Agreement, each Right evidenced by this Rights Certificate may be surrendered by the holder thereof to the Company for cancellation. No holder of this Rights Certificate, as such, shall be deemed for any purpose the holder of any shares of Preferred Stock issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights Exhibit A-1 29 of a shareholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to shareholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings, or other actions affecting shareholders, or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the Agreement. WITNESS signature of the proper offices of the Company and its corporate seal. Date: July ___, 1998 McM Corporation By: ------------------------------- Title: ------------------------- ATTEST: - --------------------------- Secretary [CORPORATE SEAL] Exhibit A-2 30 EXHIBIT B [TO BE ATTACHED TO EACH RIGHTS CERTIFICATE] FORM OF ELECTION TO EXERCISE (TO BE EXECUTED IF HOLDER DESIRE TO EXERCISE THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE) MCM CORPORATION The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise ___ whole Rights represented by the attached Rights Certificate to purchase the shares of Preferred Stock issuable upon the exercise of such Rights and requests that certificates for such shares be issued in the name of and delivered to: ----------------------------- ----------------------------- ----------------------------- (Please print name and address) Social Security or other taxpayer identification number: --------------------------- If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by the attached Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate for the balance of such Rights shall be registered in the name of and delivered to: ----------------------------- ----------------------------- ----------------------------- (Please print name and address) Social Security or other taxpayer identification number: --------------------------- Dated: , 19 ------------ -- -------------------------------- *Signatures must be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution (including banks, stockbrokers, savings and loan associations, clearing agencies and credit unions with membership in an approved signature guarantee medallion program). Exhibit B-1 31 EXHIBIT C MCM CORPORATION SERIES A PREFERRED STOCK RIGHTS, PREFERENCES, LIMITATIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS 1. Designation and Amount. The shares of this series shall be designated as "Series A Preferred Stock, $1,000 par value per share" (hereinafter called this "Series"). Each share of this Series shall be identical in all respects with the other shares of this Series. The number of shares in this Series shall initially be 60,000, which number may from time to time be increased or decreased (but not below the number then outstanding) by the Board of Directors of the Company. Shares of this Series purchased or otherwise acquired by the Company shall be cancelled and shall thereupon be restored to the status of authorized but unissued shares. 2. Dividends. The holders of shares of this Series shall not be entitled to receive any dividends. 3. Liquidation. Upon the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution of winding up of the Company, the holders of shares of this Series shall be entitled to receive out of the net assets of the Company, before any payment or distribution shall be made or set apart for payment on the Common Stock or any other class or series of stock of the Company, the amount of $1,000 per share of this Series. After the payment to the holders of the shares of this Series of $1,000 per share, the holders of shares of this Series, as such, shall have no right or claim to any of the remaining net assets of the Company. Neither the sale, lease or conveyance of all or substantially all of the property or business of the Company, nor the merger or consolidation of the Company into or with any other corporation or the merger or consolidation of any other corporation into or with the Company, shall be deemed to be a liquidation, dissolution or winding up, voluntary or involuntary, for purposes of this paragraph. 4. Redemption. Subject to the North Carolina Business Corporation Act and required regulatory approvals, the shares of this Series shall at all times be redeemable at the option of the holder thereof in cash for $1,000 per share payable by the Company by official bank or certified check or wire transfer of immediately available funds. Such redemption shall occur within ten business days after receiving a written notice of redemption from the holder of shares of this Series accompanied by a certificate or certificates for such shares duly endorsed by the holder thereof with signature guaranteed by a financial institution. 5. Conversion and Exchange. The holders of shares of this Series shall not have any rights to convert such shares into or to exchange such shares for shares of Common Stock of the Company or any other class or series of stock (or any other security) of the Company. 32 6. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of this Series shall not have a vote on any matter except as provided to the contrary by the North Carolina Business Corporation Act. 7. Rank. The shares of this Series shall rank, as to distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, senior to any other class or series of preferred stock of the Company. Exhibit C-2 EX-99.10 5 TRUST PURCHASE AGREEMENT 7/16/98 1 EXECUTION COPY TRUST PURCHASE AGREEMENT THIS AGREEMENT, made and entered into this 16th day of July, 1998, is by and among IAT REINSURANCE SYNDICATE LTD. ("Buyer"), a Bermuda corporation with its principal office in Bermuda, and WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY ("Trustee"), a Delaware corporation with its principal office in Wilmington, Delaware, in its capacity as Trustee of the McMillen Trust. BACKGROUND STATEMENT The McMillen Trust (the "Trust") owns 3,087,500 shares of the issued and outstanding common stock of McM Corporation ("McM"), a North Carolina corporation headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina. Buyer wishes to acquire approximately 49% of the issued and outstanding shares of McM by buying approximately 14% of such shares from the Trust and by buying approximately 35% of such shares in a tender offer (the "Tender Offer") to all persons owning shares other than the Trust. In consideration of the Trust's entering into this Agreement and for not participating in the Tender Offer, the Buyer will deposit with the Trust the sum of $8,864,390.00 (the "Fund"), to be held and invested and reinvested by the Trust as provided in this Agreement. STATEMENT OF AGREEMENT NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing, and the representations, warranties, covenants and agreements contained herein, and intending to be legally bound, the parties hereto agree as follows: 1. Sale and Purchase of Shares. (a) Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Trustee shall sell, transfer, convey, assign and deliver to Buyer, and Buyer shall purchase from the Trustee, 658,900 shares of McM (the "Purchased Shares"). At the Closing (as hereinafter defined), the Trust shall deliver to Buyer the certificates representing the Purchased Shares, accompanied by stock powers duly executed and such other documents of transfer as may be required to transfer legal title to the Purchased Shares to Buyer. (b) The purchase price for the Purchased Shares shall be $3.65 per share or a total purchase price of $2,404,985.00 (the "Purchase Price"). The Purchase Price shall be paid by Buyer to the Trustee at the Closing. (c) The Closing of the purchase and sale of the Purchased Shares (the "Closing") will take place at the offices of Ragsdale, Liggett & Foley, Raleigh, North Carolina, within five business days after all of the conditions precedent to closing have been satisfied or waived, or at such other place, time and date as the parties may agree upon in writing (the "Closing Date"). 2 2. Deposit of the Fund. (a) Buyer agrees to transfer to the Trust the sum of $8,864,390.00 (the "Fund") on the Closing Date. The Fund shall be held by the Trust and invested and reinvested by the Trustee in accordance with the instrument creating the Trust as modified by orders of the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware. Any income earned on the Fund and any increases in the principal of the Fund shall be and remain the sole property of the Trust. Buyer shall not be responsible or liable for any decreases in the value of the Fund as a result of investments by the Trustee. (b) After the purchase and sale of the Purchased Shares, the Trust will own 2,428,600 shares of McM (the "Retained Shares"). If Buyer makes an offer at any time to purchase the Retained Shares, the parties agree that the original principal amount of the Fund, or $8,864,390.00, regardless of any increases or decreases in the value of the Fund or any income earned on the Fund, shall constitute a credit against the purchase price for the Retained Shares. Buyer by this Agreement is making no commitment to purchase or make an offer to purchase the Retained Shares, and the Trust by this Agreement is making no commitment to sell the Retained Shares. Nor are the parties agreeing to a purchase price for the Retained Shares if and when an offer to sell or purchase the Retained Shares shall occur. (c) If the Trust at any time sells any of the Retained Shares to any third party other than Buyer or Buyer's assignee, the Trust shall within five (5) business days after such sale refund to Buyer an amount equal to $3.65 per share for each share of the Retained Shares sold to such third party. (d) If McM at any time makes a filing for protection or liquidation under any section of the United States Bankruptcy Code or similar state law relating to insolvency or receivership, or if the insurance commissioner of any state institutes receivership or liquidation proceedings against McM, the Fund shall become the absolute property of the Trust subject to no restrictions or obligations, and the Trust within five (5) business days of any such filing or proceeding shall transfer to Buyer all of the Retained Shares with no further consideration to be paid by Buyer to the Trust for such shares. The Trust shall deliver to Buyer the certificates representing the Retained Shares accompanied by stock powers duly executed and such other documents of transfer as may be required to transfer legal title to the Retained Shares to Buyer. 3. Representations and Warranties by the Trustee. The Trustee hereby represents and warrants to Buyer as follows: (a) The Trustee is a corporation duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware. The Trustee is the duly qualified and acting trustee pursuant to the terms of a deed of trust from Alonzo B. and Florence O. McMillen created in 1925. The Trustee is duly authorized to execute and deliver this Agreement. (b) The Trustee has good and valid title to the Purchased Shares free and clear of all restrictions, claims, liens, charges and encumbrances whatsoever, and the Trustee has full right, power and authority to sell, transfer and deliver the Purchased Shares owned by the Trust to Buyer and, upon delivery of the certificate or certificates therefor pursuant to the terms hereof, 2 3 and Buyer's acceptance thereof, will have transferred to Buyer good, marketable and valid title thereto, free and clear of any restrictions, claims, liens, charges or encumbrances whatsoever. (c) The execution, delivery and performance by the Trustee of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly and validly authorized and approved by all requisite corporate or other action on the part of the Trustee. The Trustee has the power, authority, and capacity to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement, and to consummate the transactions contemplated herein. This Agreement has been duly and validly executed by the Trustee and is the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Trustee and the Trust, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by equitable principles or by bankruptcy, fraudulent conveyance or insolvency laws affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights generally. (d) Neither the execution and delivery of, nor the performance of its obligations under, this Agreement by the Trustee, nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein, will conflict with, violate or result in a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default (with the passage of time or giving of notice or both) or give rise to any right of termination, cancellation or acceleration under any agreement or instrument to which the Trustee is a party or violate any law, order, judgment, decree, rule or regulation of any court or governmental authority having jurisdiction over the Trustee or any of the property of the Trust. (e) The Trustee has not retained any broker or finder in connection with the transactions contemplated herein so as to give rise to any valid claim against Buyer for any fee, sales commissions, finders' fees, financial advisory fee or other fees or expenses for which Buyer shall be liable. 4. Representations and Warranties of Buyer. Buyer hereby represents and warrants to the Trustee as follows: (a) Buyer is a corporation duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of Bermuda, and has full corporate power and authority to carry on its business as now conducted. (b) The execution, delivery and performance by Buyer of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly and validly authorized and approved by all requisite shareholder and corporate action. Buyer has the power, authority and capacity to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement, and to consummate the transactions contemplated herein. This Agreement has been duly and validly executed by Buyer and is the legal, valid and binding obligation of Buyer, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by equitable principles or by bankruptcy, fraudulent conveyance or insolvency laws affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights generally. (c) Neither the execution and delivery of, nor the performance of its obligations under, this Agreement by Buyer, nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein, will conflict with, violate or result in a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default (with the passage of time or giving of notice or both) or give rise to any right of termination, cancellation or acceleration under any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, lease, 3 4 note, or other agreement or instrument to which Buyer is a party, conflict with any provision of the charter documents of Buyer, or violate any law, order, judgment, decree, rule or regulation of any court or governmental authority having jurisdiction over Buyer or its property. (d) The Purchased Shares acquired by Buyer pursuant to this Agreement are being acquired for investment purposes only and not with a view to any public distribution thereof, and Buyer will not offer to sell or otherwise dispose of the shares so acquired by it in violation of any federal or state law applicable to the sale, resale, or distribution of securities. (e) Buyer has not retained any broker or finder in connection with the transactions contemplated herein so as to give rise to any valid claim against the Trustee or the Trust for any fee, sales commissions, finders' fees, financial advisory fee or other fees or expenses for which the Trustee or the Trust shall be liable. 5. Certain Covenants. (a) The Trustee acknowledges that Buyer has already invested $5,000,000 in capital for McM at a below market interest rate of 5% per annum and plans to commit additional capital to McM in the future. The Trustee also acknowledges that the management of Buyer has expertise in the management and operation of insurance companies and that the devotion of time and expertise by the management of Buyer to McM will cause Buyer to forego significant opportunities in regard to other investments. Buyer intends to make available to McM the services of Peter R. Kellogg, its president and chief executive officer, in the management and direction of McM. Mr. Kellogg has vast experience and background and a proven record of success in the management and operation of insurance companies. Mr. Kellogg will devote significant time and effort to the management of McM with no employment agreement and no compensation of any kind. Nor will Buyer or Mr. Kellogg charge McM any management or advisory fees. Buyer intends to negotiate an agreement with McM that will give Buyer rights to purchase from McM for a nominal sum 60,000 shares of a new issue of preferred stock of McM that will have a par value of $1000 per share, will not have a vote, will not pay a dividend, will not be convertible into common stock of McM, and will have such other rights, preferences and characteristics to which Buyer and McM may agree, including but not limited to the right to a preference in any liquidation or dissolution of McM equal to the par value of such preferred stock before any amount is payable or distributable with respect to the common stock of McM. The rights to purchase preferred stock of McM shall be exercisable only if, at any time, Buyer's designees cease to control the board of directors of McM or if the Trust sells to any third party other than Buyer or Buyer's assignee any of the Retained Shares. The Trustee acknowledges that the issuance of such rights to purchase preferred stock by McM to Buyer is appropriate in order to properly compensate Buyer for its capital and management commitments to McM. The Trustee covenants and agrees with Buyer that it will not oppose and will support the issuance of the rights to purchase preferred stock of McM, and, if required by law or requested by Buyer, the Trustee will vote all of the Retained Shares in favor of the issuance of such rights. (b) The Trustee covenants and agrees that it will not tender any of the Retained Shares in the Tender Offer. 4 5 (c) Should Buyer subsequently wish to sell the Purchased Shares to a third party on or before but not after December 31, 2003, Buyer shall first obtain the written consent of the Trustee, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld if the Trustee is reasonably satisfied as to the financial and professional qualifications of such third party. The certificate(s) for the Purchased Shares shall bear an appropriate legend with respect to this requirement. Buyer will grant to the Trustee a right of first refusal to buy the Purchased Shares and any other capital stock and rights to acquire capital stock of McM on the same terms and at the same price offered to any third party by Buyer. If Buyer receives an offer to purchase the Purchased Shares or any other capital stock or rights to acquire capital stock of McM from a third party which Buyer is willing to accept, Buyer shall give the Trustee written notice of such offer describing the terms and the price of such offer. The Buyer shall be free to transfer such Purchased Shares or other capital stock or rights to such third party on the terms described in such notice unless Buyer receives written notice from the Trustee, within 5 business days after the delivery of Buyer's notice described above, indicating that Trustee is exercising its right of first refusal. Buyer shall also be free to transfer such Purchased Shares, capital stock or other rights to such third party on the terms described in Buyer's notice to the Trustee, if within 15 days after the Trustee indicates to Buyer its desire to exercise its right of first refusal, the transaction between the Trustee and Buyer is not closed due to no fault of Buyer. (d) If Buyer makes an offer in writing to the Trust to purchase the Retained Shares at a price in cash that has been determined by a nationally recognized investment banking firm reasonably acceptable to the Trustee to be fair from a financial point of view to the Trust as majority shareholder of McM but which in no event shall be less than $3.65 per share, and if the Trustee declines to accept such offer within twenty business days after such offer is made, the Trustee shall, within five business days after the expiration of the period for acceptance of the offer, pay to Buyer an amount equal to the original principal amount of the Fund. If the Trustee accepts such offer (subject to approval of Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware having jurisdiction over the Trust, if required) within such twenty day period and if the price offered for the Retained Shares is greater than the original principal amount of the Fund, Buyer shall pay to the Trustee within five business days after expiration of the period for acceptance of the offer an amount equal to the difference between the price offered for the Retained Shares and the original principal amount of the Fund plus interest on the original principal amount of the Fund at a rate of 6% per annum from the date the Trust received the Fund to and including the date of payment by Buyer for the Retained Shares, and the Trustee shall transfer the Retained Shares to Buyer free and clear of all claims, liens, and encumbrances. If the Trustee accepts such offer within such twenty day period and if the price offered for the Retained Shares is less than the original principal amount of the Fund, Buyer shall have no obligation to pay any additional amount to the Trust for the Retained Shares, the Trustee shall not be obligated to refund any portion of the Fund to Buyer, and the Trustee shall transfer the Retained Shares to Buyer free and clear of all claims, liens, and encumbrances within five business days after expiration of the period for acceptance of the offer. (e) If the Buyer does not make an offer to purchase the Retained Shares, the Trustee shall retain the Fund subject to the provisions of paragraph 2 of this Agreement. 5 6 6. Conditions Precedent to Obligations of the Trustee. The obligation of the Trustee under this Agreement to sell the Purchased Shares is subject to the fulfillment, at or prior to the Closing, of each of the following conditions: (a) This Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby have been approved by Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware having jurisdiction over the Trust and by the North Carolina Commissioner of Insurance. (b) The representations and warranties of Buyer contained herein shall be true and correct on and as of the Closing Date and on and as of the date hereof with the same effect as though made on and as of the Closing Date. (c) The waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Anti-Trust Improvements Act of 1976 shall have expired or terminated. (d) Buyer shall have accepted for payment and paid for the shares of McM validly tendered and not withdrawn pursuant to the Tender Offer. 7. Conditions Precedent to Obligations of Buyer. The obligations of Buyer under this Agreement to purchase the Purchased Shares and to consummate the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement are subject to the fulfillment, at or prior to the Closing, of each of the following conditions: (a) This Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby have been approved by Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware having jurisdiction over the Trust and by the North Carolina Commissioner of Insurance. (b) Buyer and McM shall have executed and delivered a definitive agreement in form and substance satisfactory to Buyer with respect to the issuance of rights to purchase preferred stock as contemplated by paragraph 5 of this Agreement. (c) The waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Anti-Trust Improvements Act of 1976 shall have expired or terminated. (d) The representations and warranties of the Trustee contained herein shall be true and correct on and as of the Closing Date and on and as of the date hereof with the same effect as though made on and as of the Closing Date. (e) Buyer shall have accepted for payment and paid for the shares of McM validly tendered and not withdrawn pursuant to the Tender Offer. (f) The directors of McM, the spouses of the directors of McM, the Greenfield Children's Limited Partnership, the Jesse Greenfield IRA, and the charitable foundation of which Mr. Peyton Woodson is a trustee shall have agreed to sell or tender to Buyer an aggregate of 481,932 shares of common stock of McM at a price of $3.65 per share. 6 7 8. Miscellaneous. (a) This Agreement may be terminated at any time prior to the Closing by mutual written consent of Buyer and the Trustee. If this Agreement is terminated in accordance with the foregoing provisions, all further obligations of the parties hereunder shall terminate. Unless so terminated this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect to and including the 1st day of June 2008, at which time this Agreement shall terminate. (b) The parties hereto shall assume and bear all expenses, costs and fees incurred or assumed by them in the preparation and execution of this Agreement and compliance herewith, whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated. (c) This Agreement shall not be assigned by any party without the prior written consent of the other party, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld; provided, however, that Buyer may cause any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries to take title to the Purchased Shares so long as Buyer shall guarantee punctual performance in full by such subsidiary of any and all obligations it may have under this Agreement or any agreement executed in connection herewith. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of, and be binding upon and enforceable against, the successors and permitted assigns of the respective parties. (d) This Agreement or any term hereof may be changed, waived, discharged or terminated only by an agreement in writing signed by both parties. No waiver by a party of any condition or of any breach of any term, covenant, representation or warranty contained herein shall be effective unless in writing, and no waiver in any one or more instances shall be deemed to be a further or continuing waiver of any such condition or breach in any other instances or a waiver of any other condition or breach of any other term, covenant, representation or warranty. (e) All payments to be made pursuant to this Agreement shall be made by certified or official bank check or by wire transfer of immediately available funds. (f) This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, both written and oral, among the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, and all of which, together, shall constitute one and the same instrument. This instrument shall be governed in all respects, including validity, interpretation and effect, by the laws of the State of North Carolina (without reference to conflict of law provisions). (g) Subject to the provisions of paragraphs 6(a) and 7(a) above, and except as otherwise required by applicable law, each party agrees to keep this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby in strictest confidence and not to disclose the existence or terms of this Agreement to any third party without the written consent of the other. (signature page to follow) 7 8 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have duly executed this Agreement as of the date first above written. BUYER: IAT REINSURANCE SYNDICATE LTD. By: /s/ Peter R. Kellogg ---------------------------------- Title: President ---------------------------------- Printed Name: Peter R. Kellogg, President --------------------------- WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY, as Trustee of the McMillen Trust By: /s/ Michael A. DiGregorio ----------------------------------- Michael A. DiGregorio, Vice President/Senior Trust Counsel 8 EX-99.11 6 TENDER AGREEMENT 7/16/98 1 EXECUTION COPY TENDER AGREEMENT THIS TENDER AGREEMENT (this "Agreement'), made and entered into this 16th day of July, 1998, is by and among IAT REINSURANCE SYNDICATE LTD. ("Buyer"), a Bermuda corporation with its principal office in Bermuda, and the persons listed on SCHEDULE A hereto (each, individually a "Shareholder" and, collectively, the "Shareholders"). BACKGROUND STATEMENT Buyer desires to acquire approximately 49% of the issued and outstanding shares ("Shares") of common stock, par value $1.00 per share (the "Common Stock"), of McM Corporation ("McM"), a North Carolina corporation headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, through the acquisition of approximately 14% of such Shares from the McMillen Trust (the "Trust") and a tender offer (the "Offer") to purchase up to 35% of such Shares for $3.65 per share net to the sellers thereof in cash (such amount or any greater per share amount paid in the Offer, the "Per Share Amount"). Buyer and McM have entered into an Offer and Rights Agreement, dated as of the date hereof (the "Offer and Rights Agreement"), which provides, among other things, upon the terms and subject to the conditions thereof, for the Offer. The Offer and Rights Agreement provides that holders of options ("Options") to purchase Shares ("Option Shares") may elect, in their sole discretion, to cancel their Options in return for a cash payment from Buyer equal to the Per Share Amount for each Option Share less the exercise price for each Option Share. The Shareholders are each directors of McM. As of the date hereof, the Shareholders own (beneficially or of record) the number of Shares and Options set forth opposite such Shareholder's name on SCHEDULE A attached hereto. As a condition to the willingness of Buyer to enter into the Offer and Rights Agreement, Buyer has required that the Shareholders agree, and in order to induce Buyer to enter into the Offer and Rights Agreement, the Shareholders have agreed, (i) to tender and not withdraw, or to cause to be tendered and not withdrawn, pursuant to the Offer, all of the Shares listed on Schedule A hereto and all other Shares now owned (beneficially or of record) by such Shareholders or which may hereafter be acquired by such Shareholders (the "Tendered Shares") and (ii) in connection with the Offer, to elect to cancel their Options in consideration of the cash-out payment from Buyer described above. 2 STATEMENT OF AGREEMENT NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing, and the representations, warranties, covenants and agreements contained herein, and intending to be legally bound, the parties hereto agree as follows: 1. Tender of Shares. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, each Shareholder agrees to validly tender and not withdraw, or to cause to be tendered and not withdrawn, pursuant to the Offer, all of Tendered Shares; provided, that no such tender shall be required if such Shareholder would as a result of such tender incur liability under Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended ("Section 16(b)"). Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event any Shareholder fails to tender any Tendered Shares due to Section 16(b) liability, as soon as such liability lapses with respect to any Tendered Shares, such Shareholder agrees to tender in the Offer, or if Buyer has accepted for payment Shares pursuant to the Offer, to sell to Buyer for the Per Share Amount, such Tendered Shares. 2. Cash-Out and Cancellation of Options. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, each Shareholder holding Options listed on SCHEDULE A hereto ("Cash-Out Options") agrees, in accordance with the procedures set forth in the Offer, to instruct McM to cancel all of his or her Cash-Out Options in consideration of a cash payment by Buyer for each such Cash-Out Option in an amount, subject to applicable withholding of taxes, equal to (x) the product of (i) the aggregate number of Option Shares subject to such Cash-Out Option times (ii) the Per Share Amount, minus (y) the aggregate exercise price for all Option Shares subject to such Cash-Out Option. In consideration of Buyer's Offer and entry into this Agreement, each Shareholder agrees that each Cash-Out Option with a per share exercise price in excess of the Per Share Amount ("Under Water Options"), upon Buyer's acceptance for payment and payment for Shares validly tendered and not withdrawn pursuant to the Offer, shall be cancelled by McM without payment by Buyer of any additional consideration therefor. 3. Representations and Warranties by the Shareholders. Each Shareholder hereby severally represents and warrants to Buyer as follows: (a) At the time the Tendered Shares are tendered in the Offer, each Shareholder, either individually or together with his spouse, will have good and valid title to the Tendered Shares, free and clear of all restrictions, claims, liens, charges and encumbrances. (b) Each Shareholder has good and valid title to the Cash-Out Options (including, without limitation, the Under Water Options), free and clear of all restrictions, claims, liens, charges and encumbrances other than those set forth in the 1986 Employee Incentive Stock Option Plan and the 1996 Employee Incentive Stock Option Plan (together, the "Plans"). (c) Each Shareholder has the power, authority, and capacity to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement, and to consummate the transactions contemplated herein. This Agreement has been duly and validly executed by each Shareholder and is the legal, valid and binding obligation of each Shareholder, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by equitable principles or by bankruptcy, fraudulent conveyance or insolvency laws affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights generally. 2 3 (d) Neither the execution and delivery of, nor the performance of its obligations under, this Agreement by each Shareholder, nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein, will conflict with, violate or result in a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default (with the passage of time or giving of notice or both) or give rise to any right of termination, cancellation or acceleration under any agreement or instrument to which such Shareholder is a party or violate any law, order, judgment, decree, rule or regulation of any court or governmental authority having jurisdiction over each Shareholder or any of the Tendered Shares or Cash-Out Options. (e) No Shareholder has retained any broker or finder in connection with the transactions contemplated herein so as to give rise to any valid claim against Buyer for any fee, sales commissions, finders' fees, financial advisory fee or other fees or expenses for which Buyer shall be liable. 4. Representations and Warranties of Buyer. Buyer hereby represents and warrants to each Shareholder as follows: (a) Buyer is a corporation duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of Bermuda, and has full corporate power and authority to carry on its business as now conducted. (b) The execution, delivery and performance by Buyer of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly and validly authorized and approved by all requisite shareholder and corporate action. Buyer has the power, authority and capacity to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement, and to consummate the transactions contemplated herein. This Agreement has been duly and validly executed by Buyer and is the legal, valid and binding obligation of Buyer, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by equitable principles or by bankruptcy, fraudulent conveyance or insolvency laws affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights generally. (c) Neither the execution and delivery of, nor the performance of its obligations under, this Agreement by Buyer, nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein, will conflict with, violate or result in a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default (with the passage of time or giving of notice or both) or give rise to any right of termination, cancellation or acceleration under any agreement or instrument to which Buyer is a party, conflict with any provision of the charter documents of Buyer, or violate any law, order, judgment, decree, rule or regulation of any court or governmental authority having jurisdiction over Buyer or its property. (d) The Tendered Shares acquired by Buyer pursuant to this Agreement are being acquired for investment purposes only and not with a view to any public distribution thereof, and Buyer will not offer to sell or otherwise dispose of the shares so acquired by it in violation of any federal or state law applicable to the sale, resale, or distribution of securities. (e) Buyer has not retained any broker or finder in connection with the transactions contemplated herein so as to give rise to any valid claim against any Shareholder for any fee, 3 4 sales commissions, finders' fees, financial advisory fee or other fees or expenses for which any Shareholder shall be liable. 5. Certain Covenants. (a) Each Shareholder covenants and agrees that it will not buy any Shares from the Trust. (b) Each Shareholder covenants and agrees, at the request of Buyer made at any time after the purchase of the Tendered Shares and the cash-out of the Cash-Out Options by Buyer pursuant to the Offer, to resign as a director of McM, effective immediately upon such request or such later time as Buyer shall designate. (c) Each Shareholder not requested by Buyer to resign agrees to appoint to fill the vacancies created by the resignations given pursuant to clause (b) above, director nominees designated by Buyer, effective immediately upon Buyer's request or such later time as Buyer shall designate. (d) Except as contemplated by Sections 1 and 2 of this Agreement, each Shareholder hereby covenants and agrees that such Shareholder shall not, and shall not permit any other beneficial owner of his Tendered Shares to, sell, transfer, tender, exercise, assign, hypothecate or otherwise dispose of, or create or permit to exist any security interest, lien, claim, pledge, option, right of first refusal, agreement, limitation on such Shareholder's voting rights, charge or other encumbrance of any nature whatsoever with respect to such Tendered Shares or such Cash-Out Options, or agree to do any of the foregoing, at any time prior to the earlier of (x) the purchase by Buyer of the Tendered Shares and the cash-out by Buyer of the Cash-Out Options pursuant to the Offer or (y) the termination of this Agreement. (e) Each Shareholder agrees on the date hereof to terminate any election made by such Shareholder under the Company's 1996 Non-Employee Directors' Stock Plan (the "Directors Plan") to receive Shares in lieu of any accrued directors' fees otherwise payable in cash, which termination shall be effective with respect to all accrued fees payable on or after July 1, 1998. 6. Miscellaneous. (a) This Agreement may be terminated (i) at any time by mutual written consent of Buyer and the Shareholders or (ii) by Buyer or any Shareholder, at any time the date 180 days after the date hereof, if Buyer has not purchased the Tendered Shares and cashed out the Cash-Out Options by such date. If this Agreement is terminated in accordance with the foregoing provisions, all further obligations of the parties hereunder shall terminate. (b) The parties hereto shall assume and bear all expenses, costs and fees incurred or assumed by them in the preparation and execution of this Agreement and compliance herewith, whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated. (c) This Agreement shall not be assigned by any party without the prior written consent of the other party, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld; provided, however, 4 5 that Buyer may cause any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries to take title to the Tendered Shares so long as Buyer shall guarantee punctual performance in full by such subsidiary of any and all obligations it may have under this Agreement or any agreement executed in connection herewith. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of, and be binding upon and enforceable against, the successors, heirs and permitted assigns of the respective parties. (d) This Agreement or any term hereof may be changed, waived, discharged or terminated only by an agreement in writing signed by both parties. No waiver by a party of any condition or of any breach of any term, covenant, representation or warranty contained herein shall be effective unless in writing, and no waiver in any one or more instances shall be deemed to be a further or continuing waiver of any such condition or breach in any other instances or a waiver of any other condition or breach of any other term, covenant, representation or warranty. (e) This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, both written and oral, among the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, and all of which, together, shall constitute one and the same instrument. This instrument shall be governed in all respects, including validity, interpretation and effect, by the laws of the State of North Carolina (without reference to conflict of law provisions). (f) The parties hereto agree that irreparable damage would occur in the event any provision of this Agreement was not performed in accordance with the terms hereof and that the parties shall be entitled to specific performance of the terms hereof, in addition to any other remedy at law or in equity. (g) If any term or other provision of this Agreement is invalid , illegal or incapable of being enforced by any rule of law, or public policy, all other conditions and provision of this Agreement shall nevertheless remain in full force and effect so long as the economic or legal substance of this Agreement is not affected in any manner materially adverse to any party. Upon such determination that any term or other provision is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced, the parties hereto shall negotiate in good faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the parties as closely as possible in a mutually acceptable manner in order that the terms of this Agreement remain as originally contemplated to the fullest extent possible. (h) Except as otherwise required by applicable law, each party agrees to keep this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby in strictest confidence and not to disclose the existence or terms of this Agreement to any third party without the written consent of Buyer and McM. 5 6 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have duly executed this Agreement as of the date first above written. BUYER: IAT REINSURANCE SYNDICATE LTD. ATTEST: By: /s/ Peter R. Kellogg ------------------------------- Title: President --------------------------- /s/ Marguerite R. Gorman Printed Name: Peter R. Kellogg - ------------------------------- -------------------- Marguerite R. Gorman, Secretary SHAREHOLDERS: /s/ Michael A. DiGregorio ---------------------------------- Michael A. DiGregorio /s/ Jesse Greenfield ---------------------------------- Jesse Greenfield /s/ George E. King ---------------------------------- George E. King /s/ Laurence F. Lee, Jr. ---------------------------------- Laurence F. Lee, Jr. /s/ Laurence F. Lee III ---------------------------------- Laurence F. Lee III /s/ Claude G. Sanchez, Jr. ---------------------------------- Claude G. Sanchez, Jr. /s/ Stephen L. Stephano ---------------------------------- Stephen L. Stephano /s/ R. Peyton Woodson III ---------------------------------- R. Peyton Woodson III 6 7 SCHEDULE A
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- OPTION CASH-OUT AMOUNT EXERCISE (ASSUMING $3.65 SHAREHOLDER(S) SHARES* OPTIONS PRICE PER SHARE AMOUNT) - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Michael A. DiGregorio 80 -- -- $ 0 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jesse Greenfield 364,464 -- -- $ 0 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- George E. King 44,300 21,481 $1.38 $48,761.87 9,500 $2.25 $13,300.00 40,500 $2.75 $36,450.00 7,500 $3.94 -- -------------- $98,511.87 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Laurence F. Lee, Jr. 779 -- -- $ 0 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Laurence F. Lee III 10 -- -- $ 0 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Claude G. Sanchez, Jr. 50 -- -- $ 0 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Stephen L. Stephano 32,515 21,481 $1.38 $48,761.87 9,500 $2.25 $13,300.00 40,500 $2.75 $36,450.00 7,500 $3.94 -- -------------- $98,511.87 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- R. Peyton Woodson III 39,734 -- - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* As reported on McM Corporation's Proxy Statement dated April 21, 1998. 7
EX-99.12 7 CERTIFICATE OF CONTRIBUTION 1 EXHIBIT 12 OCCIDENTAL FIRE & CASUALTY COMPANY OF NORTH CAROLINA 702 Oberlin Road Raleigh, North Carolina 27605 CERTIFICATE OF CONTRIBUTION Certificate No. 1 THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT IAT REINSURANCE SYNDICATE, LTD., a Bermuda corporation, hereinafter called "Contributor," has advanced to OCCIDENTAL FIRE & CASUALTY COMPANY OF NORTH CAROLINA, a North Carolina corporation, hereinafter called "OF&C," the sum of ONE MILLION DOLLARS ($1,000,000) in cash, lawful money of the United States, hereinafter called the "Principal Sum." I This Certificate of Contribution is issued pursuant to the authority granted by The Honorable James E. Long, the Commissioner of Insurance of the State of North Carolina, and is hereby designated "Certificate No. 1 ." II The Principal Sum of this Certificate, to wit, ONE MILLION DOLLARS ($1,000,000), shall upon presentation of this Certificate for endorsement of any partial payment, or upon complete surrender for cancellation in return for final payment in full, be payable no later than December 31, 2000, by OF&C at its Home Office, only out of the excess of the admitted assets of OF&C over the sum of: (1) All liabilities (including, but not limited to claims, losses, reserves, reinsurance, policyholder dividends, production and administrative expenses, taxes, loans and advances), but excluding any amounts for or on account of any outstanding Certificates of Contribution, including this Certificate; and 2 (2) An amount (of surplus) equal to the larger of (a) or (b) hereinafter: (a) The amount required by the laws of North Carolina at the time of such repayment for the issuance of a Certificate of Authority to transact the classes of insurance which it is then transacting anywhere, or which it is authorized to transact in North Carolina, or the amount required by the laws of any other jurisdiction for the retention of its Certificate of Authority in that jurisdiction, whichever is the largest amount; or (b) The amount required in order to maintain capital and surplus at a level of $500,000 above the Company Action Level of Risk Based Capital as defined by NAIC-published guidelines. III The Principal Sum of this Certificate shall not be payable in whole or in part, except upon approval of a majority of the Directors of OF&C made and recorded at a regular or special meeting; provided, however, that the Directors of OF&C shall be required to vote payment of such Principal Sum, either in whole or in part, whenever the condition of OF&C is such that it meets the requirements of Paragraph II; provided, further, that in no event shall the principal sum be payable in whole or in part except upon approval in writing by the Commissioner of Insurance. IV Interest at the rate of 5.0% per annum,, not compounded, shall be due and payable quarterly by OF&C, at its Home Office, upon the unpaid balance of the Principal Sum of this Certificate to the extent, and only to the extent, that funds of OF&C exist on each such due date to (a) discharge all liabilities within the meaning of Paragraph II (2) hereinabove plus that amount of surplus required by the laws of any jurisdiction in which it is licensed to do business to retain unimpaired its Certificate of Authority there and (b) such amounts have been approved in writing by the Commissioner of Insurance. If no funds in whole or in part exist on any such date, such interest for which no funds for payment exist shall not become due or payable but shall accrue and shall become due and payable when and to the extent such funds do come into existence thereafter 3 and such amounts have been approved in writing by the Commissioner of Insurance. Any interest both due and payable by the terms of this paragraph shall create a cause of action in the contributor and be a liability of OF&C. V The obligations evidenced by this Certificate shall not be a liability or claim against OF&C or its funds or assets at any time except to the extent that the Principal Sum hereof, in whole or in part, shall be due and payable in accordance with the provisions of Paragraphs II and III hereof and except to the extent that interest on this Certificate, in whole or in part, shall be due and payable in accordance with the provisions of Paragraph IV hereof. The Contributor shall have no right of offset for amounts due under this Certificate of Contribution with regard to any reinsurance balances due or to become due or against any other obligations owed OF&C by Contributor. VI Should OF&C at any time discontinue the insurance business, then, after the payment or provisions for payment of all the obligations described in subdivision (1) of Paragraph II hereof, following the determination of such facts by the Commissioner of Insurance of the State of North Carolina, any remaining funds or assets of OF&C shall first be applied to the payment of any interest accrued hereon, then to the remaining unpaid balance of the Principal Sum of this Certificate. VII Should, at any time during the term of this Certificate, OF&C and/or its parent, McM Corporation, enter into a definitive agreement to sell or otherwise participate in a transaction for the transfer of a significant portion (20% or more) of the stock or assets of OF&C and/or McM Corporation to a party other than the Contributor, then the maturity of this Certificate shall 4 accelerate to the date of such definitive agreement, and the interest rate specified in Paragraph IV shall be modified ab initio to Fifteen Percent (15.0%) per annum. VIII It is understood and agreed that the Contributor has made the foregoing contribution upon the terms and conditions herein set forth, after having been furnished with a copy of the approval of the Commissioner of Insurance of the State of North Carolina authorizing the issuance of this Certificate and having read the same, and that this Certificate evidences the complete understanding and agreement between the Contributor and OF&C. [Signature pages follow.] 5 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, OF&C has executed this Certificate at Raleigh, North Carolina, this 15th day of June, 1998. OCCIDENTAL FIRE & CASUALTY COMPANY OF NORTH CAROLINA By: /s/ Stephen L. Stephano ---------------------------------- Attest: President and CEO /s/ Michael D. Blinson - ---------------------------------- Secretary [Corporate Seal] APPROVED AND ACCEPTED: IAT REINSURANCE SYNDICATE, LTD. By: /s/ Peter R. Kellogg - ---------------------------------- President Attest: /s/ Marguerite R. Gorman - ---------------------------------- Secretary [Corporate Seal] 6 Stephen L. Stephano and Michael D. Blinson, the undersigned, do each hereby certify under penalty of perjury that they are the President and Secretary of Occidental Fire & Casualty Company of North Carolina; they and each of them executed this Certificate of Contribution No. 1 pursuant to the authority granted to them by the Board of Directors of Occidental Fire & Casualty Company of North Carolina. Dated this the 15th day of June, 1998, at Raleigh, North Carolina. /s/ Stephen L. Stephano /s/ Michael D. Blinson - ---------------------------------- ---------------------------------- President and CEO Secretary Occidental Fire & Casualty Occidental Fire & Casualty Company of North Carolina Company of North Carolina EX-99.13 8 CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT 4/15/98 1 EXHIBIT 13 CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT Confidential April 15, 1998 Mr. Peter Kellogg IAT Reinsurance Syndicate Ltd. 120 Broadway New York, NY 10271 Dear Mr. Kellogg: In order to allow you to evaluate the possible acquisition (the "Proposed Acquisition") of McM Corporation (the "Company"), we will deliver to you, upon your execution and delivery to us of this letter agreement, certain information about the properties and operations of the Company. All information about the Company furnished by us or our affiliates, or our respective directors, officers, employees, agents or controlling persons (such affiliates and other persons collectively referred to herein as "Representatives"), whether furnished before or after the date hereof, and regardless of the manner in which it is furnished, is referred to in this letter agreement as "Proprietary Information." Proprietary Information does not include, however, information which (a) is or becomes generally available to the public other than as a result of a disclosure by you or your Representatives, (b) was available to you on a non-confidential basis prior to its disclosure by us or (c) becomes available to you on a non-confidential basis from a person other than us or our Representatives who is not otherwise bound by a confidentiality agreement with us or our Representatives, or is not otherwise prohibited from transmitting the information to you. As used in this letter, the term "person" shall be broadly interpreted to include, without limitation, any corporation, company, partnership and individual. Unless otherwise agreed to in writing by us, you agree (a), except as required by law, to keep all Proprietary Information confidential and not to disclose or reveal any Proprietary Information to any person other than those employed by you or on your behalf who are actively and directly participating in the evaluation of the Proposed Acquisition or who otherwise need to know the Proprietary Information for the purpose of evaluating the Proposed Acquisition and to cause those persons to observe the terms of the agreement and (b) not to use Proprietary Information for any purpose other than in connection with the consummation of the Proposed Acquisition in a manner which we have approved. You will be responsible for any breach of the terms hereunder by you or the persons or entities referred to in subparagraph (a) of this paragraph. In the event that you are requested pursuant to, or required by, applicable law or regulation or by legal process to disclose any Proprietary Information, you agree that you will provide us with prompt notice of such request(s) to enable us to seek an appropriate protective order or other appropriate remedy, or, if appropriate, waive compliance with the terms of this letter agreement, and you shall 2 reasonably cooperate with the Company to obtain such protective order or other remedy. In the event that such protective order or other remedy is not obtained, or that the Company waives compliance with the provisions hereof, you or such Representative, as the case may be, may disclose to any tribunal only that portion of the Proprietary Information which you are advised by opinion of counsel is legally required to be disclosed. You hereby acknowledge that you are aware, and that you will advise each of your Representatives who are informed as to the matters which are the subject of this letter, that the United States securities laws prohibit any person who has received from an issuer material, non-public information concerning the matters which are the subject of this letter from purchasing or selling securities of such issuer or from communicating such information to any other person under circumstances in which it is reasonably foreseeable that such person is likely to purchase or sell such securities. Unless otherwise required by law, neither party nor any of such party's Representatives will, without our prior written consent, disclose to any person (other than those actively and directly participating in the Proposed Acquisition) any information about the Proposed Acquisition, or the terms, conditions or other facts relating thereto, including the fact that discussions are taking place with respect thereto or the status thereof, or the fact that the Proprietary Information has been made available to you. In consideration of our furnishing you with Proprietary Information, you also agree that for a period of one year from the date of this letter agreement, neither you nor any of your Representatives will, without the prior written consent of the Company or its Board of Directors: (a) acquire, offer to acquire, or agree to acquire, directly or indirectly, by purchase or otherwise, any voting securities or direct or indirect rights to acquire any voting securities of the Company or any subsidiary thereof, or of any successor to or person in control of the Company, or any assets of the Company or any subsidiary or division thereof or of any such successor or controlling person; (b) make, or in any way participate, directly or indirectly, in any "solicitation" or "proxies" to vote (as such terms are used in the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission), or seek to advise or influence any person or entity with respect to the voting of any voting securities of the Company; (c) make any public announcement with respect to, or submit a proposal for, or offer of (with or without conditions) any extraordinary transaction involving the Company or its securities or assets; (d) seek or propose to influence or control the Company's management or policies (or request permission to do so); 3 (e) solicit, encourage or induce any person employed by the Company to leave the Company's employ, without the Company's prior written consent; or (f) form, join or in any way participate in a "group" as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), in connection with any of the foregoing. You also agree that the Company will be entitled to equitable relief, including injunction, in the event of any breach of the provisions of this paragraph. If you determine that you do not wish to proceed with the Proposed Acquisition, you will promptly advise us of that decision. In that case, or in the event that the Proposed Acquisition is not consummated by you, you will, upon our request, promptly deliver to us all of the Proprietary Information, including all copies, reproductions, summaries, analyses or extracts thereof or based thereon in your possession or in the possession of any of your Representatives. Although the Proprietary Information contains information which we believe to be relevant for the purpose of your evaluation of the Proposed Acquisition, we do not make any representation or warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of the Proprietary Information. Neither we, our affiliates, nor any of our respective officers, directors, employees, agents or controlling persons within the meaning of Section 20 of the Exchange Act shall have any liability to you or any of your Representatives relating to or arising from the use of the Proprietary Information. Without prejudice to the rights and remedies otherwise available to us, you agree that money damages would not be a sufficient remedy for any breach of this letter agreement and, accordingly, we shall be entitled to equitable relief by way of injunction if you or any of your Representatives breach or threaten to breach any of the provisions of this letter agreement. It is further understood and agreed that no failure or delay by us in exercising any right, power or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise thereof preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any right, power or privilege hereunder. This letter agreement will be construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of North Carolina applicable to agreements made and to be performed entirely in such State. Please confirm your agreement with the foregoing by signing and returning the enclosed duplicate copy of this letter to PaineWebber Incorporated, 1285 Avenue of the Americas, 12th Floor, New York, New York 10019, Attention: Bradford I. Hearsh. Should you have any questions concerning this letter, please contact Mr. Hearsh at (212) 713-3148. Very truly yours, McM CORPORATION By /s/ George E. King --------------------------------------- George E. King Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Accepted and Agreed to as of the date first written above: IAT REINSURANCE SYNDICATE LIMITED By: /s/ Peter R. Kellogg --------------------------------- Peter Kellogg EX-99.14 9 LETTER TO SHAREHOLDERS 7/23/98 1 EXHIBIT 14 [McM CORPORATION LETTERHEAD] July 23, 1998 To Our Shareholders: We are pleased to inform you that on July 16, 1998, McM Corporation ("McM") entered into an Offer and Rights Agreement (the "Agreement") with IAT Reinsurance Syndicate Ltd. ("IAT"), and IAT has commenced today a tender offer for up to 35% of the outstanding shares of McM common stock for $3.65 per share in cash (the "Offer"). Following the completion of the Offer, upon the terms and subject to conditions of the Agreement, each share tendered will be exchanged for $3.65 in cash. IAT has also entered into an agreement with the McMillen Trust, majority shareholder of McM, to purchase 14% of the outstanding shares of McM. Upon consummation of the Offer, IAT could own up to 49% of McM's outstanding shares. YOUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS HAS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THE OFFER, HAS DETERMINED THAT THE OFFER IS FAIR TO, AND IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF, THE SHAREHOLDERS OF MCM AND RECOMMENDS THAT SHAREHOLDERS ACCEPT THE OFFER AND TENDER THEIR SHARES PURSUANT TO THE OFFER. In arriving at its decision, your Board of Directors gave careful consideration to a number of factors described in the enclosed Schedule 14D-9 that is being filed today with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, among other things, the opinion of PaineWebber, Incorporated, McM's financial advisor, to the effect that, as of the date of such opinion, the price offered to the holders of the shares being sold is fair from a financial point of view. The enclosed Schedule 14D-9 describes the Board's decision and contains other important information relating to that decision. We urge you to read it carefully. Accompanying this letter, in addition to the Schedule 14D-9, is the Offer to Purchase, together with related materials including a Letter of Transmittal for use in tendering shares. These documents set forth the terms and conditions of the Offer and provide instructions as to how you can tender your shares. We urge you to read the enclosed materials carefully and consider all the factors set forth therein before making your decision with respect to the Offer. Sincerely yours, /s/ George E. King --------------------------------------- George E. King Chairman and Chief Executive Officer /s/ Stephen L. Stephano --------------------------------------- Stephen L. Stephano President and Chief Operating Officer EX-99.15 10 JOINT PRESS RELEASE 7/17/98 1 EXHIBIT 15 RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA, JULY 17, 1998 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE IAT TO ACQUIRE UP TO 49% STAKE IN MCM McM Corporation, a Raleigh-based insurance holding company ("McM"), and IAT Reinsurance Syndicate Ltd., a Bermuda-based insurance and investment company ("IAT"), jointly announce the signing of an agreement pursuant to which IAT intends to acquire up to 49% of McM's outstanding common stock for a cash price of $3.65 per share. Of the 49% stake IAT intends to acquire, up to 35% will be acquired in a public cash tender offer and 14% will be acquired from the McMillen Trust, pursuant to an agreement between IAT and the Trust. The McMillen Trust currently owns approximately 65% of McM's outstanding shares. Under the agreement, which has been unanimously approved by McM's Board of Directors, the tender offer will commence no later than Thursday, July 23, 1998, and will be conditioned on the satisfaction of customary conditions and certain governmental approvals, including the approval of the North Carolina Department of Insurance. The tender offer will be made only through offering documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and mailed to McM shareholders. PaineWebber Incorporated has acted as financial advisor to McM in connection with the transaction. Company Contact: George E. King McM Corporation 919-833-1600 EX-99.16 11 OPINION LETTER -- PAINEWEBBER 1 EXHIBIT 16 [PAINEWEBBER INCORPORATED LETTERHEAD] July 16, 1998 Board of Directors McM Corporation 702 Oberlin Road Raleigh, North Carolina 27605 Ladies and Gentlemen: IAT Reinsurance Syndicate, Ltd. (the "Purchaser") proposes to make a tender offer (the "Offer") for the shares of the common stock, par value $1.00 per share (the "Shares"), of McM Corporation (the "Company") not owned by the McMillen Trust (the "Trust") and to enter into an agreement with Wilmington Trust Company, as trustee for the Trust, to purchase 658,900 shares of common stock of the Company owned by the Trust (collectively the "Sale Transaction"). Shareholders participating in the Sale Transaction will be entitled to receive $3.65 per share in cash at closing. You have asked us whether or not, in our opinion, the proposed cash consideration to be received by the shareholders participating in the Sale Transaction is fair to such shareholders from a financial point of view. In arriving at the opinion set forth below, we have, among other things: (1) Reviewed the Company's Annual Reports, Forms 10-K and related financial information for the five fiscal years ended December 31, 1997, and the Company's Form 10-Q and the related unaudited financial information for the three months ended March 31, 1998; (2) Reviewed the Purchaser's financial information for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1997, and the unaudited financial information for the three months ended March 31, 1998; (3) Reviewed certain information relating to the business, earnings, cash flow and assets of the Company, furnished to us by the Company; 2 (4) Conducted discussions with members of senior management of the Company concerning its businesses; (5) Compared the results of operations of the Company with that of certain companies which we deemed to be relevant; (6) Reviewed the historical market prices and trading activity for the Shares and compared them with that of certain publicly traded companies which we deemed to be relevant; (7) Compared the proposed financial terms of the Offer with the financial terms of certain other mergers and acquisitions which we deemed to be relevant; (8) Reviewed a draft of the materials dated July 13, 1998, relating to the Offer; and (9) Reviewed such other financial studies and analyses and performed such other investigations and took into account such other matters as we deemed necessary. In preparing our opinion, we have relied on the accuracy and completeness of all information supplied or otherwise made available to us by the Company, and we have not assumed any responsibility to independently verify such information. We have also relied upon assurances of the management of the Company that they are unaware of any facts that would make the information provided to us incomplete or misleading. We have not made any independent evaluation or appraisal of the assets or liabilities (contingent or otherwise) of the Company, nor have we been furnished with any such evaluations or appraisals. We have also assumed, with your consent, that any material liabilities (contingent or otherwise, known or unknown) of the Company are as set forth in the consolidated financial statements of the Company. This opinion does not constitute a recommendation to any shareholder of the Company as to whether any such shareholder should or should not tender his shares in the Offer. This opinion does not address the relative merits of the Offer and any other transactions or business strategies discussed by the Board of Directors of the Company as alternatives to the Offer or the decision of the Board of Directors of the Company with respect to the Offer. Our opinion is based on economic, monetary and market conditions existing on the date hereof. In rendering this opinion, we have not been engaged to act as an agent or fiduciary of, and the Company has expressly waived any duties or liabilities we may otherwise be deemed to have had to, the Company's equity holders or any other third party. In the ordinary course of business, PaineWebber Incorporated may trade in the securities of the Company and the Purchaser for our own account and for the accounts of our customers and, accordingly, may at any time hold long or short positions in such securities. 3 PaineWebber Incorporated is currently acting as financial advisor to the Company in connection with the Offer and will be receiving a fee in connection with the rendering of this opinion and upon consummation of the Offer. In the past, PaineWebber Incorporated and its affiliates have provided investment banking and other financial services to the Company and have received fees for rendering these services. On the basis of, and subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the proposed $3.65 in cash consideration to be received by the shareholders participating in the Sale Transaction is fair to such shareholders from a financial point of view. This opinion has been prepared for the information of the Board of Directors of the Company in connection with the Offer and shall not be reproduced, summarized, described or referred to, provided to any person or otherwise made public or used for any purpose without the prior written consent of PaineWebber Incorporated. Very truly yours, PAINEWEBBER INCORPORATED /s/ PaineWebber Incorporated --------------------------------------- 4 McM CORPORATION 702 OBERLIN ROAD RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA 27605 INFORMATION STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 14(F) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 AND RULE 14F-1 THEREUNDER This Information Statement is being mailed on or about July 23, 1998, to the holders of record of the Shares at the close of business on or about July 16, 1998, as a part of the Company's Solicitation/ Recommendation Statement on Schedule 14D-9 with respect to the Offer by Purchaser IAT Reinsurance Syndicate Ltd. (the "Schedule 14D-9"). You are receiving this Information Statement in connection with the possible election of persons designated by the Purchaser to a majority of the seats on the Board of Directors of the Company (the "Board"). The terms of the Offer and Rights Agreement, a summary of the events leading up to the Offer and the execution of the Offer and Rights Agreement and other information concerning the Offer are contained in the Offer to Purchase, the related Letter of Transmittal and the Schedule 14D-9, copies of which are being delivered to the Company's shareholders contemporaneously herewith. This Information Statement is required by Section 14(f) of the Exchange Act and Rule 14f-1 thereunder. You are urged to read this Information Statement carefully. You are not, however, required to take any action. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning set forth in the Schedule 14D-9. The information contained in this Information Statement concerning the Purchaser and the Purchaser Designees has been furnished to the Company by the Purchaser, and the Company assumes no responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of such information. Pursuant to the Offer and Rights Agreement, Purchaser commenced the Offer on July 23, 1998. The Offer is scheduled to expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City Time, on Friday, August 21, 1998, unless the Offer is extended. BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS GENERAL The Shares are the only class of voting securities of the Company outstanding. Each Share has one vote. As of July 16, 1998, there were 4,706,388 Shares outstanding. The Board of Directors currently consists of eight members, each of whom is elected to a one-year term. Each director holds office until such director's successor is elected and qualified or until such director's earlier resignation or removal. RIGHT TO DESIGNATE DIRECTORS; THE PURCHASER DESIGNEES Pursuant to the Offer and Rights Agreement, promptly upon the purchase by Purchaser of Shares pursuant to the Offer, and from time to time thereafter, Purchaser shall be entitled to designate up to such number of directors (the "Purchaser Designees"), rounded up to the next whole number, on the Company's Board of Directors as shall give Purchaser majority representation on the Board of Directors, and the Company shall at such times promptly take all actions necessary to cause the Purchaser Designees to be elected as directors of the Company, including increasing the size of the Board of Directors or securing the resignations of incumbent directors or both. At such times, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause Purchaser Designees to constitute a majority of (i) each committee of the Board of Directors, (ii) each board of directors of each subsidiary of the Company and (iii) each committee of each such board, in each case only to the extent permitted by applicable law. Notwithstanding the foregoing, until such time as Purchaser acquires a majority of the then outstanding Shares on a fully diluted basis, the Company shall use its best efforts to ensure that all the members of the Board of Directors and each committee of the Board of Directors and such boards and committees of such subsidiaries as of the date of the Offer and Rights Agreement who are not employees of the Company shall remain members of the Board of Directors and of such boards and committees. Purchaser has informed the Company that each of the Purchaser Designees listed below has consented to act as a director. It is expected that the Purchaser Designees may assume office at any time following the consummation of the Offer, which purchase cannot be earlier than August 21, 1998, and that, upon assuming office, the Purchaser Designees will thereafter constitute at least a majority of the Board of Directors. I-1 5 Biographical information concerning each of the Purchaser Designees is presented on the following page. PURCHASER DESIGNEES The following table sets forth the name, age, business or residence address, principal occupation or employment at the present time and during the last five years, and the name, principal business and address of any corporation or other organization in which such employment is conducted or was conducted of each Purchaser Designee. Except for Messrs. Amaral and Spurling, each of whom is a citizen of Great Britain, each of Purchaser's Designees is a citizen or permanent resident of the United States.
PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION OR EMPLOYMENT AND MATERIAL OCCUPATIONS FOR PAST FIVE YEARS, NAME, PRINCIPAL BUSINESS BUSINESS (B) OR RESIDENCE (R) AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL OFFICE OF NAME ADDRESS EMPLOYER - ---- ----------------------------- ------------------------------------ John D. Amaral, 40........ (b) Victoria Hall Vice President/Account Manager, J&H 11 Victoria Street Marsh & McLennan, a risk management Hamilton HM11, Bermuda and insurance services firm. 11 Victoria Street Hamilton HM11, Bermuda Marguerite R. Gorman, (r) 56 Kilburn Road Secretary of Purchaser; Vice 67...................... Garden City, New York 11530 President, Spear, Leeds & Kellogg, a broker-dealer. 120 Broadway New York, New York 10271 Peter R. Kellogg, 55...... (b) 120 Broadway President of Purchaser; Senior New York, New York 10271 Managing Director, Spear, Leeds & Kellogg, a broker-dealer. 120 Broadway New York, New York 10271 Richard D. Spurling, 52... (b) 41 Cedar Avenue Partner, Appleby Spurling & Kempe, a Hamilton HM12, Bermuda...... law firm. 41 Cedar Avenue Hamilton HM12, Bermuda Edward A. Kerbs, 47....... (b) 813 River Road President, Oceanic Company Inc. 3/97 Fair Haven, New Jersey 07704 to present; Managing Director, Spear, Leeds & Kellogg 2/84-12/96. 813 River Road Fair Haven, New Jersey 07704
None of the Purchaser Designees (i) is currently a director of or holds any position with, the Company, (ii) has a familial relationship with any of the directors or executive officers of the Company or (iii) to the best knowledge of the Company, beneficially owns any securities (or rights to acquire any securities) of the Company. The Company has been advised by Purchaser that none of the Purchaser Designees has been involved in any transactions with the Company or any of its directors, executive officers or affiliates which are required to be disclosed pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Commission, except as may be disclosed herein or in the Schedule 14D-9. The Company has been advised by Purchaser that none of the Purchaser Designees other than Peter R. Kellogg is a director of a publicly held company. Mr. Kellogg is a director of investment firms Interstate/Johnson Lane, Inc. and The Ziegler Companies, Inc. The Purchaser has advised the Company that none of the Purchaser Designees has, during the last five years, been convicted in a criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations and similar misdemeanors) or was party to a civil proceeding of a judicial or administrative body of competent jurisdiction and as a result of such proceeding was, or is, subject to a judgment, decree or final order enjoining future violations of, or prohibiting activities subject to, federal or state securities laws or finding any violation of such laws. I-2 6 PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS Set forth below is the ownership of the Company's securities by all persons or groups known to the Company to be the beneficial owner of more than five percent of any class of the Company's voting securities as of April 10, 1998:
AMOUNT AND NATURE PERCENT NAME AND ADDRESS OF BENEFICIAL OF TITLE OF CLASS OF BENEFICIAL OWNER OWNERSHIP CLASS - -------------- ----------------------------- ----------------- ------- Common....................... McMillen Trust(1) 3,087,500 shares 65.7% Wilmington Trust Company, directly owned Trustee 1100 North Market Street Wilmington, Delaware 19890-0001 Common....................... Jesse Greenfield(2) 364,464 shares 7.8% 34 Boulder View Lane Boulder, Colorado 80304
- --------------- (1) The McMillen Trust was created in 1925 pursuant to the terms of a deed of trust from Alonzo B. and Florence O. McMillen. The Trust continues in existence until the expiration of 21 years after the last to die of Elizabeth Lee Long, Florence Lee Headley, R. Peyton Woodson III and Laurence F. Lee, Jr. The McMillen Trust has been directed by the Chancery Court of the State of Delaware to dispose of its interest in McM. In April 1993, the Court granted the petition of the Wilmington Trust Company, Trustee of the McMillen Trust, for a clarification of existing orders to make clear, among other things, that the timing and terms of any such disposition or sale shall be determined in the sound discretion of the Trustee. The Trustee of the McMillen Trust, subject to certain limitations, is required to vote the shares which it owns in McM in the way that a majority in interest of the income beneficiaries may decide. At present there are six income beneficiaries of the McMillen Trust. All are lineal descendants of the Trust grantors. The figures following each name show the relative interests in the Trust of the income beneficiaries: a. Mrs. Elizabeth Lee Long (1/9), Denver, Colorado. b. Mrs. Florence Lee Headley (1/9), Denver, Colorado. c. Mr. Laurence F. Lee, Jr. (1/9), Jacksonville, Florida. Mr. Lee is a director of McM. (See Election of Directors) d. Mrs. Lonnie McMillen Sanchez (1/6), Albuquerque, New Mexico. Mrs. Sanchez is married to Claude G. Sanchez, Jr., a director of McM. (See Election of Directors) e. Mrs. Katherine Faust Roe (1/6), Sante Fe, New Mexico. f. Mr. R. Peyton Woodson III (1/3), Raleigh, North Carolina. Mr. Woodson is a director of McM. (See Election of Directors) (2) Amount shown includes 118,455 shares owned by the Greenfield Children's Limited Partnership, beneficial ownership of which is disclaimed by Mr. Greenfield, and 246,009 shares owned by Jesse Greenfield I.R.A. I-3 7 The following table sets forth the name and age of each director, the director's occupation, including positions and offices with the Company, the period during which he has served as a director, together with the number of shares of common stock beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by such director and the percentage of the outstanding shares that any such ownership represented at the close of business on March 31, 1998.
PERIOD OF AMOUNT AND PERCENT CONSECUTIVE NATURE OF CLASS DIRECTOR'S NAME, PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION SERVICE OF BENEFICIAL BENEFICIALLY (IN ADDITION TO DIRECTOR, IF APPLICABLE) AND ADDRESS AGE FROM OWNERSHIP(1) OWNED - ---------------------------------------------------- --- ----------- ------------- ------------ Michael A. DiGregorio.................................. 51 1995 80 .002 Vice President/Senior Trust Counsel Wilmington Trust Company Wilmington, DE Jesse Greenfield....................................... 52 1998 364,464(2) 7.760 Independent Investor & Venture Capitalist Boulder, CO George E. King......................................... 67 1989 97,281(3) 2.071 Chairman Emeritus/Chief Executive Officer McM Corporation Raleigh, NC Laurence F. Lee, Jr.................................... 76 1989 779(4) .017 Retired Jacksonville, FL Laurence F. Lee III.................................... 47 1988 10(5) -- President Plan Analysts Jacksonville, FL Claude G. Sanchez, Jr.................................. 43 1989(6) 50(7) .001 Sun Construction & Real Estate Company Albuquerque, NM Stephen L. Stephano.................................... 44 1992 85,496(8) 1.820 President/Chief Operating Officer McM Corporation Raleigh, NC R. Peyton Woodson III.................................. 75 1991(9) 39,734(10) .846 President Enterprise Holdings Proprietary, Inc. Raleigh, NC Share ownership of all Directors and Executive Officers of McM as a Group (8 persons).................... 587,894(11) 12.517(11)
- --------------- (1) Except as otherwise noted, each person has sole investment and voting power over the common stock indicated as being beneficially owned by such person. (2) Amount shown includes 118,455 shares held by the Greenfield Children's Limited Partnership, the limited partners of which are Mr. Greenfield's children and the general partner of which is Mr. Greenfield's brother, beneficial ownership of which is disclaimed by Mr. Greenfield, and 246,009 shares owned by Jesse Greenfield I.R.A. (3) Share amount includes an exercisable option on 21,481 shares of McM common stock at an option price of $1.38 per share, an exercisable option on 5,700 shares of McM common stock at an option price of $2.25 per share, an exercisable option on 24,300 shares of McM common stock at an option price of $2.75 per share and an exercisable option on 1,500 shares of McM common stock at $3.94 per share. Mr. King owns 44,300 shares jointly with his wife. (4) Mr. Lee, Jr. is an income beneficiary of the McMillen Trust, which is the owner of 3,087,500 shares (or 65.7%) of the Company. The Trust's shares are not included in the total shown for Mr. Lee, Jr. (See I-4 8 Principal Shareholders). The number of shares shown is comprised of 500 shares directly owned by Mr. Lee, Jr. and 279 shares owned jointly with his wife. Mr. Lee, Jr. is the first cousin of director R. Peyton Woodson III and is the father of director Laurence F. Lee III. (5) Mr. Lee III is the son of director Laurence F. Lee, Jr. who is an income beneficiary of the McMillen Trust. Mr. Lee III directly owns 10 shares of McM. (6) Date on which Mr. Sanchez was elected currently to the Board of Directors of McM. He previously served on the Board of McM from May 1985 to April 1988. (7) Mr. Sanchez is the husband of Lonnie McMillen Sanchez. Mrs. Sanchez is an income beneficiary of the McMillen Trust. Mrs. Sanchez directly owns 50 shares of McM. (8) Share amount includes an exercisable option on 21,481 shares of McM common stock at an option price of $1.38 per share, an exercisable option on 5,700 shares of McM common stock at an option price of $2.25 per share, an exercisable option on 24,300 shares of McM common stock at an option price of $2.75 per share and an exercisable option on 1,500 shares of McM common stock at an option price of $3.94 per share. Mr. Stephano owns 23,675 shares jointly with his wife and 8,840 shares directly. (9) Date on which Mr. Woodson was elected currently to the Board of Directors of McM. He previously served on the Board from December 1977 to May 1985. (10) Mr. Woodson is an income beneficiary of the McMillen Trust, which is the owner of 3,087,500 shares (or 65.7%) of the Company. The Trust's shares are not included in the total shown for Mr. Woodson (See Principal Shareholders). The number of shares shown is comprised of 725 shares directly owned by Mr. Woodson, 459 shares owned by Mr. Woodson's wife and 38,550 shares owned by a charitable foundation of which Mr. Woodson is one of five trustees. Mr. Woodson is the first cousin of director-nominee Laurence F. Lee, Jr. (11) This number does not include shares owned by the McMillen Trust. See Footnotes (4) and (10). BUSINESS EXPERIENCE OF THE DIRECTORS Mr. DiGregorio has served as a director of McM since May 1995. He has also served for more than seven years as Vice President and Senior Trust Counsel with Wilmington Trust Company in Wilmington, Delaware, where he manages the Estate and Legal Services Division. A graduate of Temple University, Mr. DiGregorio was admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar in 1979, and was then employed as an Investigator for the United States Department of Labor. Prior to joining Wilmington Trust, Mr. DiGregorio worked as an Employee Benefits Attorney for the Fidelity Mutual Group in Radnor, Pennsylvania, and later at the law firm of Stradley, Ronon, Stevens & Young in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Mr. Greenfield has served as a director of McM since May 1998. Mr. Greenfield has been involved as a private investor and venture capitalist for many years. In addition, he has worked for thirty years in the stock brokerage business as an OTC trader/specialist. Prior to his employment in the brokerage business, he served on the professional staff of Haskins & Sells, an international public accounting firm. Mr. King has served as a director of McM since February 1989. Mr. King has also acted as Chairman of the Board of McM and Chairman of all of its subsidiaries since February 1989 when he was named President and Chief Executive Officer. He was elected Chairman Emeritus of McM in August 1996. He served as President of McM subsidiaries Occidental Life and Peninsular Life Insurance Companies until McM sold those companies on October 24, 1991. Through December 1988, Mr. King served as Executive Vice President of McM, to which position he was named in January 1985. Prior to his affiliation with McM, Mr. King was Deputy Commissioner and Chief Examiner with the North Carolina Department of Insurance. Mr. Lee, Jr. has served as a director of McM since February 1989. Mr. Lee retired as an insurance executive in 1975. He served as President of Peninsular Life Insurance Company from 1959 to 1964 and as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer from 1964 to 1973. Mr. Lee III has served as a director of McM since January 1988. He is President and owner of Plan Analysts, a group insurance and estate planning organization located in Jacksonville, Florida, with which he has been associated for more than fifteen years. I-5 9 Mr. Sanchez has served as a director of McM since February 1989. He previously served as a director of McM from May 1985 to April 1988. He is currently affiliated with Sun Construction & Real Estate Company in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He is the former owner and operator of Lonkita Farms, a thoroughbred horse racing and breeding operation located in Veguita, New Mexico. Mr. Sanchez previously served as a director of British-American Insurance Company, Limited, Nassau, Bahamas. Mr. Stephano has served as a director of McM since August 1992. In August 1996, he was elected President of McM. In March 1995, he was elected Chief Executive Officer of McM subsidiaries Occidental Fire & Casualty Company of North Carolina and Wilshire Insurance Company after having been named President of both companies in July 1994. He was named Chief Operating Officer of McM and its subsidiaries in September 1992. Previously, Mr. Stephano was named Executive Vice President of McM in January 1988. He had been named Senior Vice President/Chief Financial Officer of McM in January 1985. Mr. Stephano's various other previous positions at McM have been Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer beginning in 1983; Vice President and Controller beginning in January 1983; Controller beginning in 1982. Prior to his employment with McM, he served on the professional staff of Ernst & Young, an international public accounting firm. Mr. Woodson has served as a director of McM since August 1991. He previously served as a director of McM from December 1977 to May 1985. He is currently President of Enterprise Holdings Proprietary, Inc., a holding company for several private ventures. Mr. Woodson held various executive positions within the McM group of companies throughout his career, including Chairman of the Board of McM from December 1977 to May 1985. DIRECTORS' FEES Directors who are not salaried officers of McM or its subsidiaries are compensated at a rate of $15,000 per year plus $1,000 per diem for each Board or Board committee meeting attended and $1,000 per diem for travel associated with such meeting. The directors are also reimbursed for other expenses incurred in attending the meetings. Similarly, directors involved in special assignments are compensated at the rate of $1,000 per diem for special assignments and $1,000 per diem for travel associated with such special assignments. As with regular Board meetings, other expenses incurred by these directors in attending such special assignments are reimbursed. In addition, directors who are not salaried officers are compensated at a rate of $5,000 per year for each subsidiary company Board of Directors on which they serve. Per diem allowances are the same as those for serving on the McM Board of Directors except that no per diem allowances are paid if Board meetings are held concurrently. During 1997, all subsidiary Board meetings were held concurrently with McM Board meetings. Total fees in the amount of $251,500 were expended for all regular McM and subsidiary Board meetings, Board committee meetings and special assignments during 1997. Directors who are salaried officers receive no compensation for their services as directors of McM. Notwithstanding the foregoing, as part of a litigation settlement, Mr. Greenfield is not entitled to any directors' fees during his first year of service as director. He is, however, reimbursed for expenses incurred in attending board meetings according to the same policies followed with regard to all other directors. BOARD AND COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD The Board of Directors met thirteen times in formal session during the 1997 fiscal year. Directors of the Board also met seven times for special assignments during 1997. The committees of the McM Board are Audit, Executive, Personnel, Investment and Compensation. The Company does not have a nominating committee. Due to the size of the McM Board, all the directors serve on the Personnel, Executive and Investment Committees. Only directors who are not salaried officers serve as members of the Audit and Compensation Committees. The Audit Committee met four times during 1997, with R. Peyton Woodson III acting as Chairman. The Audit Committee reviews the arrangement, scope and results of the external audit, considers comments made I-6 10 by the independent auditors with regard to internal controls and the response of management to such comments. The Executive Committee did not meet during 1997. The Executive Committee has been granted the authority of the Board in the management of the business affairs of McM when the Board is not in session. The Personnel Committee met two times during 1997, with Michael A. DiGregorio acting as Chairman. The Personnel Committee reviews and monitors compensation plans, including incentive compensation and benefit plans, other than those addressed by the Compensation Committee. The Personnel Committee is also responsible for management succession planning. The Investment Committee met four times during 1997, with Laurence F. Lee, Jr., acting as Chairman. The Investment Committee formulates investment strategy and policy and ratifies all investment transactions. The Compensation Committee met two times during 1997, with Laurence F. Lee III acting as Chairman. The Compensation Committee, comprised of independent directors who are not employees of McM or its subsidiaries, is charged with administering and monitoring the compensation and incentive plans for executive officers of McM and issues an annual report on compensation policies for inclusion in McM's proxy statement. EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF MCM CORPORATION The table below sets forth the names and ages of all executive officers of McM, all positions and offices with McM presently held by each such person, and the period of service as an officer with McM and subsidiaries.
PERIOD OF SERVICE AS AN NAME AGE OFFICES OFFICER - ---- --- ------- ---------- George E. King........................ 67 Chairman Emeritus and Chief Executive Officer 12/77 Stephen L. Stephano................... 44 President and Chief Operating Officer 1/82
Mr. King -- See "Business Experience of the Directors." Mr. Stephano -- See "Business Experience of the Directors." EXECUTIVE OFFICERS' SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE
LONG TERM COMPENSATION ------------------------------------- AWARDS PAYOUTS ANNUAL COMPENSATION ------------------------ ---------- -------------------------------------------------- SECURITIES OTHER RESTRICTED UNDERLYING NAME AND PRINCIPAL ANNUAL STOCK OPTIONS LTIP ALL OTHER POSITION YEAR SALARY($) BONUS($) COMPENSATION($)(3) AWARD(S)($) (#) PAYOUTS($) COMPENSATION(4) - ------------------ ---- --------- -------- ------------------ ----------- ---------- ---------- --------------- George E. King(1).... 1997 274,992 19,350 -- -- -- 0 7,192 Chairman Emeritus/ CEO.............. 1996 274,992 90,320 -- -- -- 22,324 7,120 1995 259,995 97,600 -- -- -- 9,324 6,886 Stephen L. Stephano(2)........ 1997 225,000 15,850 -- -- -- 0 1,219 President/COO...... 1996 225,000 66,863(5) -- -- -- 15,921 1,126 1995 192,400 72,250(5) -- -- -- 6,301 971
- --------------- (1) Effective February 16, 1989, the Company entered into an employment contract with Mr. King. The contract, as amended effective March 28, 1990, October 18, 1990, December 30, 1991, February 1, 1993, September 1, 1993, March 16, 1995, August 6, 1996, and March 26, 1998, provides that Mr. King be employed as Chairman Emeritus and Chief Executive Officer of McM and Chairman of the two operating subsidiaries and provides for base salary and such additional discretionary bonuses, stock options or other compensation or increases in compensation, if any, as may be authorized by the Company. In addition, should Mr. King's employment be terminated without cause or should he terminate his employment as a result of the Company requiring him to relocate his office more than 50 I-7 11 miles from its present location, he would be entitled to receive a lump sum payment equal to two years' total annual compensation. (2) Effective February 1, 1993, the Company entered into an employment contract with Mr. Stephano. The contract, as amended September 1, 1993, March 16, 1995, August 6, 1996 and March 26, 1998, provides that Mr. Stephano be employed as President and Chief Operating Officer of McM and as President and Chief Executive Officer of the McM subsidiaries and provides base salary and such additional discretionary bonuses, stock options or other compensation or increases in compensation, if any, as may be authorized by the Company. In addition, should Mr. Stephano's employment be terminated without cause or should he terminate his employment as a result of the Company requiring him to relocate his office more than 50 miles from its present location, he would be entitled to receive a lump sum payment equal to two years' total annual compensation. (3) Information regarding personal benefits totaled less than $50,000 or 10% of annual salary and bonus. (4) The amounts noted represent premiums paid by the Company on behalf of executive officers for supplemental term life insurance. (5) Mr. Stephano also received 50,000 shares of phantom stock in 1995 and in 1996. RETIREMENT PLAN Officers of McM, including the named executive officers, participate in the McM Corporation Retirement Plan. A sample retirement benefit table for the Retirement Plan is outlined below showing the anticipated annual amount of normal retirement benefits associated with final average earnings and the number of years of service for the named executive officers. RETIREMENT PLAN TABLE
YEARS OF SERVICE PARTICIPANTS' FINAL -------------------------------------------------- AVERAGE EARNINGS 15 20 25 30 35 - ------------------- ------- ------- -------- -------- -------- $125,000...................................... $34,465 $45,953 $ 57,442 $ 68,930 $ 80,418 150,000...................................... 41,965 55,953 69,942 83,930 97,918 175,000...................................... 49,465 65,953 82,442 98,930 115,418 200,000...................................... 56,965 75,953 94,942 113,930 132,918 225,000...................................... 64,465 85,953 107,442 128,930 150,418 250,000...................................... 71,965 95,953 119,942 143,930 167,918
Benefits under the Retirement Plan are determined by multiplying a participant's final average earnings (the best five consecutive years of the last ten years) by 1.35% times the years of benefit service, multiplying a participant's final average earnings in excess of Social Security Average Wages by .65% times the years of benefit service (not in excess of 35 years) and adding the two results together. Under federal law, the amount of compensation which may be considered for purposes of calculating benefits is limited. That amount will be adjusted periodically for inflation in increments of $10,000. The 1997 limit is $160,000 and will not change for 1998 benefit calculations. Benefits paid to participants are reduced in the event of earlier retirement. The estimated credited years of service for McM's executive officers are 19 years for Mr. King and 17 years for Mr. Stephano. Benefits shown in the Retirement Plan Table are not subject to any deduction for social security or other offset amounts. OPTION GRANTS IN LAST FISCAL YEAR
POTENTIAL REALIZED % OF TOTAL VALUE AT OPTIONS ASSUMED ANNUAL NUMBER OF GRANTED RATE OF STOCK SECURITIES TO EXERCISE PRICE APPRECIATION UNDERLYING EMPLOYEES OR BASE FOR OPTION TERM OPTIONS IN FISCAL PRICE PER EXPIRATION ------------------- NAME GRANTED YEAR SHARE DATE 5% 10% ---- ---------- ---------- --------- ---------- -------- -------- George E. King....................... 7,500 21.4% $3.94 03/25/07 $18,584 $47,095 Stephen L. Stephano.................. 7,500 21.4% $3.94 03/25/07 $18,584 $47,095
- --------------- Both Messrs. King and Stephano's stock options become exercisable at a rate of 20% per year beginning one year from the date of the grant. I-8 12 AGGREGATED OPTION EXERCISES IN LAST FISCAL YEAR AND FISCAL YEAR-END OPTION VALUES
NUMBER OF SECURITIES UNDERLYING UNEXERCISED VALUE OF UNEXERCISED OPTIONS AT IN-THE MONEY OPTIONS AT 12/31/97($) 12/31/97($) ---------------------- ----------------------- SHARES ACQUIRED VALUE EXERCISABLE/ EXERCISABLE/ NAME ON EXERCISE(#) REALIZED($) UNEXERCISABLE UNEXERCISABLE ---- --------------- ----------- ---------------------- ----------------------- George E. King................ -0- -0- 47,185/31,796 49,986/19,934 Chairman Emeritus/CEO Stephen L. Stephano........... -0- -0- 47,185/31,796 49,986/19,934 President/COO
SHAREHOLDER RETURN PERFORMANCE GRAPH Set forth below is a line graph comparing the yearly percentage change on the cumulative total shareholder return on the Company's common stock against the cumulative total return of the S&P 500 Composite Index and the Center for Research in Security Prices Index (CRSP) for NASDAQ Stocks (U.S. Insurance Companies) Insurance Composite, comprised of 125 listed insurance companies, for the five-year period beginning December 31, 1992, and ending December 31, 1997. The values are based on the assumption that the value of the investment in McM and each comparative index was $100 on December 31, 1992, and that all dividends are reinvested. COMPARISON OF FIVE YEAR CUMULATIVE RETURN AMONG MCM CORPORATION, S&P 500 INDEX AND CRSP INDEX FOR NASDAQ STOCKS (U.S. COMPANIES)
CRSP INDEX FOR NASDAQ MEASUREMENT PERIOD S&P 500 STOCKS (U.S. (FISCAL YEAR COVERED) MCM CORP. INDEX COMPANIES) 12/31/92 100.0 100.0 100.0 12/31/93 137.5 109.8 113.2 12/31/94 250.0 111.3 120.0 12/31/95 525.0 153.1 167.8 12/31/96 530.8 188.8 192.8 12/31/97 328.6 252.0 231.0
I-9 13 COMPENSATION COMMITTEE REPORT ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors, which consists of independent directors who are not employees of the Company or its subsidiaries, has furnished the following report on executive compensation: The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors has developed and implemented executive compensation policies, plans and programs in an effort to enhance the profitability of the Company and thus shareholder value by closely aligning the financial interests of McM's executive officers with those of its shareholders. To accomplish these goals, the Company relies on base salary, incentive compensation and other long term compensation plans to attract and retain key executive officers with outstanding abilities and to motivate them to perform to the full extent of their abilities. The base salaries are fixed at competitive levels paid to senior executives with comparable qualifications, experience and responsibilities as other companies engaged in the same or similar businesses as McM. The Committee reviews with the McM Board of Directors and recommends, and the Board approves, with any modifications it deems appropriate, an annual salary plan for the Company's executive officers (including the Chief Executive Officer). Such salary plan is based on industry, peer group and national surveys and performance judgments as to the past and expected future contributions of the individual senior executives. The incentive compensation for the current year has been closely tied to McM's success in achieving the previous year's financial performance goals of the ongoing property and casualty operations as defined in the McM Corporation Key Executive Compensation Plan. The incentive compensation provided under the plan is dependent upon attaining a percentage of target plan income for each year as defined by the plan. Portions of incentive awards under the plan are held back to be paid only upon the achievement of earnings performance in future years. Mr. King's base salary was not increased during 1997. The decision to forego an increase was made after a careful evaluation by the Compensation Committee of several factors, including current operating results. Portions of incentive awards from prior years that were being held back under the incentive compensation plan were forfeited by Mr. King because required earnings performance was not achieved. However, in March 1997, Mr. King received an incentive award under the incentive compensation plan described above, which award was based upon property and casualty operating results for fiscal year 1996. During each fiscal year, the Committee considers the desirability of granting executive officers' awards under the Company's Employee Incentive Stock Option Plan, which provides for the granting of stock options. The Committee believes that stock option grants afford a long-term compensation method because they closely link the interests of management with shareholder value and directly join the financial interest of executive officers with those of McM shareholders. In determining the grants of stock options to the executive officers, including the Chief Executive Officer, the Committee considers the accountability, strategic and operational goals, anticipated performance requirements and contributions of the executive officers. During 1997, the Committee granted options as to 7,500 shares to each of its executive officers. During 1994, the McM Board of Directors adopted the McM Corporation Phantom Stock Plan as recommended by the Compensation Committee. This plan was specifically developed to provide a strong incentive to accomplish the long term retention of key executives. In determining eligibility of an executive to receive awards under this plan, the Compensation Committee considers the position held by the executive, the value of the executive's services and the profitability of the Company and its subsidiaries. Vesting of any award under the plan is based upon a minimum period of service of five years with full vesting after ten years. Irrespective of this requirement, should a participant in the plan be terminated involuntarily without cause, a minimum of 20% of phantom stock would become vested. Recipients of phantom stock awards are entitled to receive a lump sum cash payment equal to (a) the fair market value per share of McM common stock at the applicable maturity date, including the cumulative amount of dividends per share paid between the award date and the maturity date, as defined by the plan, multiplied by (b) the number of units of phantom stock held by the recipient that have reached maturity under the terms of the plan. No phantom stock was awarded in 1997. I-10 14 The McM Corporation Equity Appreciation Rights Plan (the "EARs Plan") allows awards of equity appreciation rights to key officers of McM. The Compensation Committee determines to whom rights are awarded, the number of rights to be awarded and the terms of such rights. Grantees of rights are entitled to receive the net appreciation between grant date book value of one share of McM common stock and the exercise date book value of one share of McM common stock. Currently, no rights have been awarded under the plan. Respectfully submitted, Compensation Committee Laurence F. Lee III, Acting Chairman Michael A. DiGregorio Laurence F. Lee, Jr. Claude G. Sanchez, Jr. R. Peyton Woodson III COMPENSATION COMMITTEE INTERLOCKS AND INSIDER PARTICIPATION Mr. Laurence F. Lee, Jr. served as President of Peninsular Life Insurance Company from 1959 to 1964 and as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer from 1964 to 1973. He also served as a director of Occidental Life Insurance Company from 1950 until 1972. Both of those McM subsidiaries were sold in 1991. Mr. R. Peyton Woodson III held various executive positions with the McM group of companies throughout his career, including Chairman of the Board of McM from December 1977 to May 1985. I-11
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----