UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)

OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of earliest event reported: August 22, 2017

 

 

COMMERCE UNION BANCSHARES, INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

 

 

 

Tennessee   001-37391   37-1641316

(State or Other Jurisdiction

of Incorporation)

 

(Commission

File Number)

 

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

 

1736 Carothers Parkway, Suite 100

Brentwood, Tennessee

  37027
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)   (Zip Code)

(615) 221-2020

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Not Applicable

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions ( see General Instruction A.2. below):

 

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company  ☒

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  ☐

 

 

 


Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

Agreement and Plan of Merger

On August 22, 2017, Commerce Union Bancshares, Inc. (“ Commerce Union ”) entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “ Merger Agreement ”) with Pioneer Merger Sub, Inc., a Tennessee corporation and wholly owned subsidiary of Commerce Union (“ Merger Sub ”), Reliant Bank, a Tennessee-chartered commercial bank and wholly owned subsidiary of Commerce Union (“ Reliant ”), Community First, Inc., a Tennessee corporation (“ Community First ”), and Community First Bank & Trust, a Tennessee-chartered commercial bank and wholly owned subsidiary of Community First (“ Community First Bank ”). On the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement, Merger Sub will merge with and into Community First (the “ Merger ”), with Community First to be the surviving corporation. As soon as reasonably practicable following the consummation of the Merger and as part of a single integrated transaction, Commerce Union will cause Community First (as the surviving corporation of the Merger) to be merged with and into Commerce Union (the “ Second Step Merger ”), with Commerce Union continuing as the surviving corporation of the Second Step Merger.

Simultaneously with the parties’ execution of, and as contemplated by, the Merger Agreement, Reliant and Community First Bank entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “ Bank Merger Agreement ”) providing for the merger of Community First Bank with and into Reliant (the “ Bank Merger ”) immediately following consummation of the Second Step Merger in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Bank Merger Agreement, with Reliant to be the banking corporation to survive the Bank Merger.

Under and subject to the terms of the Merger Agreement, at the effective time of the Merger, each outstanding share of common stock, no par value, of Community First will be converted into the right to receive 0.481 shares of Commerce Union common stock, par value $1.00 per share. As of August 22, 2017, Community First had 5,025,884 shares of common stock outstanding, including 26,666 shares of restricted stock for which forfeiture restrictions had not lapsed as of that date (all of which will fully vest as of the effective time of the Merger to the extent not already vested).

The Merger Agreement contains customary representations and warranties made by the parties, and each party has agreed to customary covenants, including covenants relating to the conduct of its business during the interim period between the execution of the Merger Agreement and the effective time of the Merger. Community First has agreed to call a meeting of its shareholders for the purpose of its shareholders considering and voting on approval of the Merger Agreement, and, subject to certain customary exceptions, Community First has agreed that its board of directors will recommend that its shareholders vote in favor of approval of the Merger Agreement. Commerce Union has agreed to call a meeting of its shareholders for the purpose of its shareholders considering and voting on approval of Commerce Union’s issuance of the shares of Commerce Union common stock constituting the consideration to be received by Community First’s shareholders in the Merger (the “ Stock Issuance Proposal ”), and, subject to certain customary exceptions, Commerce Union has agreed that its board of directors will recommend that its shareholders vote in favor of approval of the Stock Issuance Proposal. Community First has also agreed to customary non-solicitation covenants relating to alternative acquisition proposals that prohibit Community First from, subject to certain customary exceptions, soliciting proposals relating to certain alternative acquisition proposals or entering into discussions or negotiations or providing confidential information in connection with certain proposals for an alternative acquisition. Notwithstanding any alternative acquisition proposals, the Merger Agreement requires each of Community First and Commerce Union to convene a meeting of its shareholders and submit the required proposals described above to its respective shareholders for approval, unless the Merger Agreement has been terminated.


The Merger Agreement contains customary closing conditions, including (1) the approval of the Merger Agreement by Community First’s shareholders and the approval of the Stock Issuance Proposal by Commerce Union’s shareholders, (2) the receipt of all required regulatory approvals, including approval of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions, in each case without the imposition of a materially burdensome condition, (3) the absence of any order, decree, injunction, or law enjoining, prohibiting, or making illegal the completion of the Merger, the Second Step Merger, or the Bank Merger, (4) the effectiveness of a registration statement on Form S-4 for the shares of common stock to be issued by Commerce Union as consideration to Community First shareholders, and (5) authorization for listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market of the shares to be issued by Commerce Union as consideration to Community First shareholders. Each party’s obligation to complete the Merger is also subject to certain additional customary conditions, including (1) the accuracy, to the extent stated in the Merger Agreement, of the representations and warranties of Commerce Union, Merger Sub, and Reliant (collectively, the “ Commerce Union Parties ”), in the case of Community First and Community First Bank (collectively, the “ Community First Parties ”), and the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Community First Parties, in the case of the Commerce Union Parties, (2) performance in all material respects by the Commerce Union Parties of their obligations under the Merger Agreement, in the case of the Community First Parties, and performance in all material respects by the Community First Parties of their obligations under the Merger Agreement, in the case of the Commerce Union Parties, and (3) receipt by each party of an opinion from its counsel to the effect that the Merger and Second Step Merger, taken together, will qualify as a “reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. The obligations of the Commerce Union Parties to complete the Merger are also subject to holders of not more than 7.5% of the outstanding shares of CFI common stock perfecting their rights to dissent from the Merger and receipt of evidence of written resignations from the member of the boards of directors of Community First and Community First Bank.

The Merger Agreement provides certain termination rights for both the Commerce Union Parties and the Community First Parties and further provides that, upon termination of the Merger Agreement under certain circumstances, including if the other party or its board of directors withdraws or modifies or qualifies in a manner adverse to the other party its recommendation that its shareholders vote in favor of the Merger Agreement, in the case of Community First’s shareholders, or in favor of the Stock Issuance Proposal, in the case of Commerce Union’s shareholders, Commerce Union or Community First, as applicable, will be obligated to pay the other party a termination fee of $2,100,000.

The Merger Agreement additionally provides that, prior to or at the effective time of the Merger, each of Commerce Union and Reliant (and its respective board of directors) will take all action required to set its board of directors at 14 members and to elect or appoint Robert E. Daniel, Louis E. Holloway, and Ruskin A. Vest (each a current member of the boards of directors of Community First and Community First Bank) to its board of directors effective as of or immediately following the effective time of the Merger.

As an inducement for the Commerce Union Parties to enter into the Merger Agreement, certain holders of Community First common stock, including certain of the directors of Community First and Community First Bank and trusts established for the benefit of certain family members of certain directors, as well as other entities, entered into voting agreements with Commerce Union dated as of the date of the Merger Agreement pursuant to which such persons have agreed, among other things and subject to the terms thereof, to vote their shares of Community First common stock in favor of approval of the Merger Agreement and against alternative acquisition proposals. Shareholders signing voting agreements owned approximately 2,026,423 shares of Community First’s common stock as of the date of the Merger Agreement. The voting agreements also place certain restrictions on the transfer by the shareholders party thereto of their shares of Community First common stock prior to the earlier of the approval of the Merger Agreement by Community First’s shareholders and the termination of the Merger Agreement.

In connection with the Merger, Commerce Union will assume $23.0 million in aggregate principal amount of subordinated debentures issued by Community First to trust affiliates of Community First in connection with the issuance of trust preferred securities ($10.0 million of which are owned by a wholly owned subsidiary of Community First).

Commerce Union anticipates entering into an employment agreement with Louis E. Holloway, Chief Executive Officer of Community First and Community First Bank, for Mr. Holloway to serve as the Chief Operating Officer of Commerce Union and Reliant Bank, which will become effective as of the effective time of the Merger and replace his existing employment agreement with Community First and Community First Bank.


The foregoing description of the Merger Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Merger Agreement, which is attached hereto as Exhibit 2.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

The representations, warranties, and covenants of each party set forth in the Merger Agreement have been made for purposes of, and were and are for the benefit of, the parties to the Merger Agreement, may be subject to limitations agreed upon by the contracting parties, including being qualified by confidential disclosures made for purposes of allocating contractual risk between the parties to the Merger Agreement instead of establishing these matters as facts, and may be subject to standards of materiality applicable to the contracting parties that differ from those applicable to investors. In addition, such representations and warranties (1) will not survive consummation of the Merger and (2) were made only as of the date of the Merger Agreement or such other date as is specified in the Merger Agreement. Moreover, information concerning the subject matter of the representations and warranties may change after the date of the Merger Agreement, which subsequent information may or may not be fully reflected in the parties’ public disclosures. Accordingly, the Merger Agreement is included with this filing only to provide investors with information regarding the terms of the Merger Agreement, and not to provide investors with any other factual information regarding the parties, their respective affiliates, or their respective businesses. The Merger Agreement should not be read alone, but should instead be read in conjunction with the other information regarding Commerce Union and Community First and their respective affiliates and businesses, the Merger Agreement, and the Merger that will be contained in, or incorporated by reference into, the registration statement on Form S-4 that will include a joint proxy statement of Commerce Union and Community First and a prospectus of Commerce Union, as well as the Forms 10-K, Forms 10-Q, and other regular filings that Commerce Union and Community First make with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ SEC ”).

Private Placement of Common Stock

On August 22, 2017, Commerce Union also entered into Securities Purchase Agreements (the “ Securities Purchase Agreements ”) with a limited number of institutional and accredited investors (the “ Investors ”) pursuant to which Commerce Union agreed to sell in a private placement (the “ Private Placement ”) an aggregate of 1,137,000 shares of Commerce Union’s common stock (the “ Private Placement Shares ”), at a purchase price of $22.00 per share. The gross proceeds of the sale of the Private Placement Shares are expected to be approximately $25.0 million. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc. served as the sole placement agent for the Private Placement. The Private Placement is expected to close on August 30, 2017, and is not conditioned on the Merger or the Second Step Merger.

Consummation of the Private Placement under the Securities Purchase Agreements is subject to the satisfaction of certain customary closing conditions. The Securities Purchase Agreements also contain representations and warranties, covenants, and indemnification provisions that are customary for private placements of shares of common stock by companies with shares of common stock listed for trading on a national securities exchange.

The estimated net proceeds of approximately $23.5 million from the sale of the Private Placement Shares will be used for general corporate purposes, which may include capital contributions to Reliant.


The Private Placement Shares have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Securities Act ”), in reliance on the exemption from registration in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act and Regulation D of the SEC promulgated under the Securities Act, and, as a result, the Private Placement Shares may not be offered or sold in the United States absent a registration statement or exemption from registration.

Pursuant to the Securities Purchase Agreements, Commerce Union has agreed to file with the SEC a registration statement with respect to the resale of the Private Placement Shares purchased by the Investors under the Securities Purchase Agreements no later than 25 days after the closing of the Private Placement, and to have such registration statement declared effective by the SEC no later than (i) 45 days after the closing of the Private Placement in the event the SEC does not review such registration statement, or, if earlier, five business days after a determination by the SEC that it will not review such registration statement, or (ii) 120 days after the closing of the Private Placement in the event the SEC does review such registration statement, or, if earlier, five business days after the completion of any review by the SEC. In the event that Commerce Union does not file such registration statement or does not cause such registration statement to become effective by the applicable deadline or after such registration statement becomes effective it is suspended or ceases to be effective, then Commerce Union will be required to make certain payments as liquidated damages to the Investors under the Securities Purchase Agreements.

The foregoing summary of the Securities Purchase Agreements does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete text of the Form of Securities Purchase Agreement, which is attached hereto as Exhibit 10.1 and is incorporated herein by this reference.

Item 3.02 Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities.

The information contained in Item 1.01 of this Form 8-K under the heading “ Private Placement of Common Stock ” is incorporated by reference into this Item 3.02.

Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure.

On August 23, 2017, Commerce Union and Community First issued a press release announcing the execution of the Merger Agreement, a copy of which is furnished as Exhibit 99.1. On August 23, 2017, Commerce Union also issued a press release announcing the execution of the Securities Purchase Agreements, a copy which is furnished as Exhibit 99.2.

Commerce Union used the presentation materials furnished herewith to present the Private Placement to Investors. Such materials are furnished as Exhibit 99.3. Commerce Union does not undertake to update these materials after the date of this report, nor will this report be deemed a determination or admission as to the materiality of any information contained herein (including the information in Exhibit 99.3).

The information set forth in this Item 7.01 (including the information in Exhibits 99.1, 99.2, and 99.3 hereto) is being furnished to the SEC and shall not be deemed to be “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “ Exchange Act ”), or otherwise subject to liability under the Exchange Act. Such information shall not be incorporated by reference into any registration statement or other document filed under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.


Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

 

Exhibit
Number

  

Description of Exhibit

  2.1    Agreement and Plan of Merger dated August 22, 2017, by and among Commerce Union Bancshares, Inc., Pioneer Merger Sub, Inc., Reliant Bank, Community First, Inc., and Community First Bank & Trust*
10.1    Form of Securities Purchase Agreement
99.1    Joint Press Release, issued by Commerce Union Bancshares, Inc. and Community First, Inc., dated August 23, 2017
99.2    Press Release, issued by Commerce Union Bancshares, Inc., dated August 23, 2017
99.3    Investor Presentation Materials

 

* The registrant has omitted schedules and similar attachments to the subject agreement pursuant to Item 601(b)(2) of Regulation S-K. The registrant will furnish a copy of any omitted schedule or similar attachment to the SEC upon request.

Forward Looking Statements

All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included in this filing are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words “believe,” “anticipate,” “expect,” “may,” “will,” “assume,” “should,” “predict,” “could,” “would,” “intend,” “targets,” “estimates,” “projects,” “plans,” “potential,” and other similar words and expressions of the future are intended to identify such forward-looking statements, but other statements not based on historical information may also be considered forward-looking, including statements about the benefits to Commerce Union and Community First of the Merger, Commerce Union’s and Community First’s future financial and operating results (including the anticipated impact of the Merger on the combined company’s earnings per share and tangible book value) and Commerce Union’s and Community First’s plans, and intentions.

All forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of Commerce Union and Community First to differ materially from any results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, (1) the risk that the cost savings and any revenue synergies from the Merger may not be realized or take longer than anticipated to be realized, (2) the ability of Commerce Union and Community First to meet expectations regarding the timing and completion and accounting and tax treatment of the Merger, (3) the effect of the announcement of the Merger on employee and customer relationships and operating results (including, without limitation, difficulties in maintaining relationships with employees and customers), (4) the risk that integration of Community First’s operations with those of Commerce Union will be materially delayed or will be more costly or difficult than expected, (5) the occurrence of any event, change, or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the Merger Agreement, (6) the amount of the costs, fees, expenses, and charges related to the Merger, (7) reputational risk and the reaction of the parties’ customers, suppliers, employees, or other business partners to the Merger, (8) the failure of any of the conditions to the closing of the Merger to be satisfied, or any unexpected delay in closing the Merger, (9) the possibility that the Merger may be more expensive to complete than anticipated, including as a result of unexpected factors or events, (10) the dilution caused by Commerce Union’s issuance of additional shares of its common stock in the Merger and the Private Placement, (11) the possibility that the Private


Placement may not be completed on the terms currently contemplated or at all, and (12) general competitive, economic, political, and market conditions. Additional factors which could affect the forward-looking statements can be found in Commerce Union’s annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and current reports on Form 8-K, or Community First’s annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and current reports on Form 8-K, in each case filed with the SEC and available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. Commerce Union and Community First believe the forward-looking statements contained herein are reasonable; however, undue reliance should not be placed on any forward-looking statements, which are based on current expectations and speak only as of the date that they are made. Commerce Union and Community First disclaim any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this filing, which speak only as of the date hereof, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Additional Information About the Merger and Where to Find It

In connection with the Merger, Commerce Union intends to file a registration statement on Form S-4 with the SEC, which will include a joint proxy statement of Commerce Union and Community First and a prospectus of Commerce Union, and each party will file other documents regarding the Merger with the SEC. Before making any voting or investment decision, investors and security holders of Commerce Union and Community First are urged to carefully read the entire registration statement and joint proxy statement/prospectus, when they become available, as well as any amendments or supplements to these documents and any other relevant documents filed with the SEC, because they will contain important information about the Merger. A definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus will be sent to the shareholders of each institution seeking the required shareholder approvals. Investors and security holders will be able to obtain the registration statement and the joint proxy statement/prospectus free of charge from the SEC’s website or from Commerce Union or Community First as described below.

Investors and security holders are urged to carefully review and consider each of Commerce Union’s and Community First’s public filings with the SEC, including but not limited to their annual reports on Form 10-K, their proxy statements, their current reports on Form 8-K, and their quarterly reports on Form 10-Q.

The documents filed by Commerce Union with the SEC may be obtained free of charge at Commerce Union’s website at www.reliantbank.com under the heading “Investor Relations” or at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. These documents may also be obtained free of charge from Commerce Union by requesting them in writing to J. Daniel Dellinger, Chief Financial Officer, at 1736 Carothers Parkway, Suite 100, Brentwood, Tennessee 37027 or by calling (615) 221-2020.

The documents filed by Community First with the SEC may be obtained free of charge at Community First’s website at www.cfbk.com under the “Shareholders” heading or at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. These documents may also be obtained free of charge from Community First by requesting them in writing to Community First, Inc., 501 South James M. Campbell Boulevard, Columbia, Tennessee 38401, Attention: Jon Thompson or Ashlee Pope, or by calling (931) 380-2265.

This filing shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such jurisdiction.


Participants in the Solicitation

Commerce Union, Community First, and certain of their directors and executive officers may be deemed participants in the solicitation of proxies from Commerce Union’s and Community First’s shareholders in connection with the Merger. Information about the directors and executive officers of Commerce Union and their ownership of Commerce Union common stock is set forth in the definitive proxy statement for its 2017 annual meeting of shareholders, which was filed with the SEC on April 19, 2017. Information about the directors and executive officers of Community First and their ownership of Community First common stock is set forth in the definitive proxy statement for Community First’s 2017 annual meeting of shareholders, as previously filed with the SEC on April 3, 2017. Shareholders may obtain additional information regarding the interests of such participants by reading the registration statement and the joint proxy statement/prospectus when they become available. Free copies of these documents may be obtained as described in the paragraphs above.


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

    COMMERCE UNION BANCSHARES, INC.

Date: August 23, 2017

   

/s/ DeVan D. Ard, Jr.

    DeVan D. Ard, Jr.
   

President and Chief Executive Officer


EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit
Number

  

Description of Exhibit

  2.1    Agreement and Plan of Merger dated August 22, 2017, by and among Commerce Union Bancshares, Inc., Pioneer Merger Sub, Inc., Reliant Bank, Community First, Inc., and Community First Bank & Trust*
10.1    Form of Securities Purchase Agreement
99.1    Joint Press Release, issued by Commerce Union Bancshares, Inc. and Community First, Inc., dated August 23, 2017
99.2    Press Release, issued by Commerce Union Bancshares, Inc., dated August 23, 2017
99.3    Investor Presentation Materials

 

* The registrant has omitted schedules and similar attachments to the subject agreement pursuant to Item 601(b)(2) of Regulation S-K. The registrant will furnish a copy of any omitted schedule or similar attachment to the SEC upon request.

Exhibit 2.1

 

 

 

AGREEMENT AND PLAN

OF

MERGER

 

 

 

COMMERCE UNION BANCSHARES, INC.

PIONEER MERGER SUB, INC.

RELIANT BANK

COMMUNITY FIRST, INC.

AND

COMMUNITY FIRST BANK & TRUST

August 22, 2017

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

ARTICLE I  
DEFINITIONS  

Section 1.1

   Certain Definitions      1  

Section 1.2

   Other Definitions      8  
ARTICLE II  
THE MERGERS  

Section 2.1

   The Merger      8  

Section 2.2

   The Second Step Merger      9  

Section 2.3

   Merger Sub Shareholder Approval      10  

Section 2.4

   Closing      10  

Section 2.5

   The Bank Merger      10  
ARTICLE III  
MERGER CONSIDERATION  

Section 3.1

   Conversion of CFI Common Stock      11  

Section 3.2

   Exchange Procedures      11  

Section 3.3

   Rights as CFI Shareholders      13  

Section 3.4

   No Fractional Shares      13  

Section 3.5

   Dissenters’ Rights; Dissenting Shares      13  

Section 3.6

   Excluded Shares      14  

Section 3.7

   Merger Sub Common Stock      14  

Section 3.8

   Commerce Union Stock      14  

Section 3.9

   Adjustments Upon Change in Capitalization      14  

Section 3.10

   CFI Equity Awards      14  

Section 3.11

   Withholding Rights      15  
ARTICLE IV  
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF COMMUNITY FIRST PARTIES  

Section 4.1

   Community First Disclosure Memorandum      15  

Section 4.2

   Representations and Warranties      16  
ARTICLE V  
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF COMMERCE UNION PARTIES  

Section 5.1

   Commerce Union Disclosure Memorandum      39  

Section 5.2

   Representations and Warranties      39  
ARTICLE VI  
CONDUCT PENDING THE MERGER  

Section 6.1

   Community First Party Forbearances      52  

Section 6.2

   Commerce Union Party Forbearances      56  

Section 6.3

   Absence of Control      57  
ARTICLE VII  
COVENANTS  

Section 7.1

   Acquisition Proposals      57  


Section 7.2

   Notice of Certain Matters      58  

Section 7.3

   Access and Information      59  

Section 7.4

   Regulatory Filings; Consents and Approvals      60  

Section 7.5

   Further Assurances      61  

Section 7.6

   Publicity      61  

Section 7.7

   CFI Shareholders Meeting      61  

Section 7.8

   Commerce Union Shareholders Meeting      62  

Section 7.9

   Timing of Shareholders’ Meetings      63  

Section 7.10

   Employee and Benefit Matters      64  

Section 7.11

   Indemnification      66  

Section 7.12

   Registration Statement      67  

Section 7.13

   Nasdaq Listing      69  

Section 7.14

   Appointment of Directors      69  

Section 7.15

   Notice of Dissenters’ Rights Matters      69  

Section 7.16

   Exemption from Section 16(b) Liability      69  

Section 7.17

   Hickman County Property      69  
ARTICLE VIII  
CONDITIONS TO CONSUMMATION OF MERGER  

Section 8.1

   Conditions to Each Party’s Obligation to Consummate the Merger      69  

Section 8.2

   Conditions to Obligations of Community First Parties      70  

Section 8.3

   Conditions to Obligations of Commerce Union Parties      71  
ARTICLE IX  
TERMINATION  

Section 9.1

   Termination      73  

Section 9.2

   Effect of Termination      75  

Section 9.3

   Termination Fee      75  
ARTICLE X  
MISCELLANEOUS  

Section 10.1

   Survival      76  

Section 10.2

   Interpretation      76  

Section 10.3

   Amendment; Waiver      77  

Section 10.4

   Counterparts      77  

Section 10.5

   Governing Law      77  

Section 10.6

   Expenses      77  

Section 10.7

   Notices      77  

Section 10.8

   Entire Agreement; Third Party Beneficiaries      78  

Section 10.9

   Severability      78  

Section 10.10

   Assignment      78  

Section 10.11

   Specific Performance      78  

Section 10.12

   Submission to Jurisdiction      78  

Section 10.13

   Jury Trial Waiver      79  

EXHIBIT A

   FORM OF VOTING AGREEMENT   


AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER

THIS AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER (this “ Agreement ”), dated as of the 22nd day of August, 2017, is made and entered into by and among Commerce Union Bancshares, Inc., a Tennessee corporation (“ Commerce Union ”); Pioneer Merger Sub, Inc., a Tennessee corporation and direct, wholly owned subsidiary of Commerce Union (“ Merger Sub ”); Reliant Bank, a Tennessee-chartered commercial bank and direct, wholly owned subsidiary of Commerce Union (“ Reliant ”); Community First, Inc., a Tennessee corporation (“ CFI ”); and Community First Bank & Trust, a Tennessee-chartered commercial bank and direct, wholly owned subsidiary of CFI (“ Bank ”), under authority of resolutions of their respective boards of directors duly adopted.

R E C I T A L S

A. The board of directors of each of Commerce Union, Merger Sub, Reliant, CFI, and Bank has determined that this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby are advisable and in the best interests of Commerce Union, Merger Sub, Reliant, CFI, and Bank, respectively, and their respective shareholders.

B. As a material inducement for Commerce Union, Merger Sub, and Reliant to enter into this Agreement, certain holders of CFI Common Stock (as defined below) have entered into Voting Agreements dated as of the date hereof and substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit  A pursuant to which such Persons have agreed, among other things, to vote their shares of CFI Common Stock in favor of approval of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby.

C. For United States federal income tax purposes, the Parties (as defined below) intend for the Merger (as defined below) and the Second Step Merger (as defined below) provided for herein to, taken together as part of a single integrated transaction for purposes of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations and formal guidance issued thereunder (the “ Code ”), qualify as a “reorganization” under the provisions of Section 368(a) of the Code, and this Agreement is intended to be and is adopted as a “plan of reorganization” for purposes of Sections 354 and 361 of the Code.

NOW, THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the foregoing, the mutual covenants, representations, warranties, and agreements set forth herein, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties, intending to be legally bound, agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

Section 1.1 Certain Definitions . For purposes of and as used in this Agreement, the terms defined below shall, when capitalized, have the indicated meanings.

Acquisition Proposal ” means, with respect to a Party, any inquiry, indication, proposal, solicitation, or offer, or the filing of any regulatory application, notice, waiver, or request (whether in draft or final form), from or by any Person relating to (i) any direct or indirect sale, acquisition, purchase, lease, exchange, mortgage, pledge, transfer, or other disposition of 20% or more of such Party’s consolidated assets in a single transaction or series of transactions; (ii) any tender offer (including a self-tender) or exchange offer with respect to, or direct or indirect purchase or acquisition of, 20% or more of any class of equity or voting securities of such Party; or (iii) any merger, share exchange, consolidation, business combination, reorganization, recapitalization, or similar transaction involving such Party or any of its Subsidiaries whose assets, individually or in the aggregate, constitute 20% or more of the consolidated assets of CFI, in each case other than the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.


Affiliate ” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with such Person. For this purpose, the terms “controls,” “controlled by,” and “under common control with” shall mean the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract, or otherwise.

Bank Stock ” means the common stock, par value $10.00 per share, of Bank.

Banking Act ” means the Tennessee Banking Act, Tenn. Code Ann. § 45-1-101 et seq.

BHCA ” means the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (12 U.S.C. § 1841 et seq .)

Book-Entry Shares ” means non-certificated shares of CFI Common Stock immediately prior to the Effective Time.

Business Day ” means Monday through Friday of each week, excluding legal holidays recognized as such by the United States government and any day on which banking institutions in the State of Tennessee are authorized or obligated to close.

Certificate ” means a certificate which prior to the Effective Time represents shares of CFI Common Stock.

CFI Common Stock ” means the common stock, no par value, of CFI.

CFI Equity Award ” means a CFI Option or CFI Restricted Share Award.

CFI Equity Plans ” mean, collectively, the Community First, Inc. 2005 Stock Incentive Plan and the Community First, Inc. 2016 Equity Incentive Plan.

CFI  ESPP ” means the Community First, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as amended.

CFI Loan Property ” means any property in which CFI or Bank or a Subsidiary of CFI or Bank holds a security interest, and, where required by the context, includes the owner or operator of such property, but only with respect to such property.

CFI Material Adverse Effect ” means a material and adverse effect on (i) the business, financial condition, operations, or results of operations of CFI and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole or (ii) the ability of CFI or Bank to timely perform its obligations under this Agreement or to timely consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; provided , however , that, with respect to clause (i), the following shall not be deemed to have or contribute to, and shall not be taken into account in determining whether there exists, has been, or would reasonably be expected to be, a CFI Material Adverse Effect: (A) changes after the date hereof in Laws of general applicability that apply to insured depository institutions and/or registered bank holding companies generally, or interpretations thereof by Governmental Entities, (B) changes after the date hereof in GAAP or regulatory accounting requirements applicable to insured depository institutions and/or registered bank holding companies generally, (C) changes in economic conditions, or changes in global, national, or regional political or market conditions

 

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(including changes in prevailing interest or exchange rates), in either case affecting the banking and financial services industry generally, (D) any failure by CFI or Bank to meet any internal or published industry analyst projections, forecasts, or estimates of revenue, earnings, or other financial or operating metrics for any period (it being understood that any facts or circumstances giving rise to or contributing to any such failure that are not otherwise excluded from the definition of CFI Material Adverse Effect may be taken into account in determining whether there exists, has been, or would reasonably be expected to be a CFI Material Adverse Effect), (E) actions or omissions of Commerce Union, Merger Sub, Reliant, CFI, and Bank required under this Agreement or taken or omitted to be taken with the prior written consent of the Commerce Union Parties (in the case of actions or omissions by the Community First Parties) or the Community First Parties (in the case of actions or omissions by the Commerce Union Parties), (F) any outbreak of major hostilities in which the United States is involved or any act of terrorism within the United States or directed against its facilities or citizens wherever located, (G) the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the announcement or consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, or (H) changes in the trading price or trading volume of the CFI Common Stock (it being understood that any facts or circumstances giving rise to or contributing to any such change that are not otherwise excluded from the definition of CFI Material Adverse Effect may be taken into account in determining whether there exists, has been, or would reasonably be expected to be a CFI Material Adverse Effect); provided that the changes and other matters described in clauses (A), (B), and (C) shall not be so excluded to the extent of any materially disproportionate impact they have on CFI and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole as measured relative to similarly situated companies in the banking and financial services industry.

CFI Option ” means an option to purchase or acquire shares of CFI Stock under the CFI Equity Plans.

CFI Participation Facility ” means any facility in which CFI or Bank or a Subsidiary of CFI or Bank participates in the management thereof (including all property held as trustee or in any other fiduciary capacity), and, where required by the context, includes the owner or operator of such property, but only with respect to such property.

CFI Preferred Stock ” means the preferred stock, no par value, of CFI, including without limitation the CFI Series A Preferred Stock and the CFI Series B Preferred Stock.

CFI Series  A Preferred Stock ” means the Fixed Rate Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series A, no par value, of CFI.

CFI Series  B Preferred Stock ” means the Fixed Rate Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series  B, no par value, of CFI.

CFI  SERP ” means the Community First Bank & Trust Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan, as amended.

CFI Stock ” means, collectively, the CFI Common Stock and the CFI Preferred Stock.

Commerce Union Common Stock ” means the common stock, par value $1.00 per share, of Commerce Union.

Commerce Union Material Adverse Effect ” means a material and adverse effect on (i) the business, financial condition, operations, or results of operations of Commerce Union and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole or (ii) the ability of Commerce Union, Merger Sub, or Reliant to timely perform its obligations under this Agreement or to timely consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;  provided ,  however , that, with respect to clause (i), the following shall not be deemed to

 

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have or contribute to, and shall not be taken into account in determining whether there exists, has been, or would reasonably be expected to be, a Commerce Union Material Adverse Effect: (A) changes after the date hereof in Laws of general applicability that apply to insured depository institutions and/or registered bank holding companies generally, or interpretations thereof by Governmental Entities, (B) changes after the date hereof in GAAP or regulatory accounting requirements applicable to insured depository institutions and/or registered bank holding companies generally, (C) changes in economic conditions, or changes in global, national, or regional political or market conditions (including changes in prevailing interest or exchange rates), in either case affecting the banking and financial services industry generally, (D) any failure by Commerce Union or Reliant to meet any internal or published industry analyst projections, forecasts, or estimates of revenue, earnings, or other financial or operating metrics for any period (it being understood that any facts or circumstances giving rise to or contributing to any such failure that are not otherwise excluded from the definition of Commerce Union Material Adverse Effect may be taken into account in determining whether there exists, has been, or would reasonably be expected to be a Commerce Union Material Adverse Effect), (E) actions or omissions of Commerce Union, Merger Sub, Reliant, CFI, and Bank required under this Agreement or taken or omitted to be taken with the prior consent of the Commerce Union Parties (in the case of actions or omissions by the Community First Parties) or the Community First Parties (in the case of actions or omissions by the Commerce Union Parties), (F) any outbreak of major hostilities in which the United States is involved or any act of terrorism within the United States or directed against its facilities or citizens wherever located, (G) the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the announcement or consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, or (H) changes in the trading price or trading volume of the Commerce Union Common Stock (it being understood that any facts or circumstances giving rise to or contributing to any such change that are not otherwise excluded from the definition of Commerce Union Material Adverse Effect may be taken into account in determining whether there exists, has been, or would reasonably be expected to be a Commerce Union Material Adverse Effect); provided that the changes and other matters described in clauses (A), (B), and (C) shall not be so excluded to the extent of any materially disproportionate impact they have on Commerce Union and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole as measured relative to similarly situated companies in the banking and financial services industry.

Commerce Union Option ” means an option to purchase or acquire shares of Commerce Union Common Stock under the Commerce Union Bancshares, Inc. Amended and Restated Stock Option Plan or the Commerce Union Bancshares, Inc. 2015 Equity Incentive Plan.

Commerce Union Parties ” means, collectively, Commerce Union, Merger Sub, and Reliant.

Commerce Union Preferred Stock ” means the preferred stock, par value $1.00 per share, of Commerce Union.

Commerce Union Stock ” means, collectively, the Commerce Union Common Stock and the Commerce Union Preferred Stock.

Community First Parties ” means, collectively, CFI and Bank.

Confidentiality Agreement ” means that certain Mutual Confidentiality Agreement dated April 10, 2017, among Commerce Union, Reliant, CFI, and Bank.

Contract ” means any contract, lease, deed, deed of trust, mortgage, license, instrument, note, commitment, undertaking, indenture, or other agreement, understanding, or legally binding arrangement, whether written or oral.

 

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Corporation Act ” means the Tennessee Business Corporation Act, Tenn. Code Ann. § 48-11-101 et seq .

Disclosure Memoranda ” means, collectively, the Commerce Union Disclosure Memorandum and the Community First Disclosure Memorandum.

Environmental Law ” means any Law relating to (i) pollution, the protection, preservation, or restoration of the indoor or outdoor environment, or natural resources, (ii) the handling, use, storage, recycling, treatment, generation, transportation, processing, production, presence, disposal, release, or threatened release of or exposure to any Hazardous Substance or (iii) any injury or threat of injury to persons or property in connection with any Hazardous Substance. The term Environmental Law includes, without limitation, (i) the following statutes, as amended, any successors thereto, and any regulations promulgated pursuant thereto, and any state or local statutes, ordinances, rules, regulations, and the like addressing similar matters: the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, as amended by the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986, as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 9601 et seq .; the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 6901 et seq .; the Clean Air Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 7401 et seq .; the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended, 33 U.S.C. § 1251 et seq .; the Toxic Substances Control Act, as amended, 15 U.S.C. § 2601 et seq .; the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act, 42 U.S.C. § 1101 et seq .; the Safe Drinking Water Act, 42 U.S.C. § 300f et seq .; and the portions of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, 29 U.S.C. § 651 et seq . relating to Hazardous Substances, and (ii) any common Law that may impose liability (including without limitation strict liability) or obligations for injuries or damages due to the presence of or exposure to any Hazardous Substance.

ERISA ” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.

ERISA Affiliate ” means any Person that is considered one employer with a Party or any of such Party’s Subsidiaries under Section 4001(b)(1) of ERISA or Section 414 of the Code.

Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

Excluded Shares ” means shares of CFI Common Stock that, immediately prior to the Effective Time, are owned or held, other than in a bona fide fiduciary or agency capacity, by Commerce Union, Merger Sub, Reliant, CFI, or Bank, or any Subsidiary of Commerce Union, Merger Sub, Reliant, CFI, or Bank, including shares of CFI Common Stock held by CFI as treasury stock.

FDIC ” means the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

Federal Reserve ” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

GAAP ” means accounting principles generally accepted in the United States.

Governmental Entity ” means any federal, state, provincial, local, or foreign court, agency, arbitrator, mediator, tribunal, commission, governmental or regulatory authority, or other governmental or administrative body, instrumentality, or authority, including without limitation the SEC, the Federal Trade Commission, the United States Department of Justice, the United States Department of Labor, the IRS, the Federal Reserve, the FDIC, and the TDFI.

Hazardous Substance ” means any and all substances (whether solid, liquid, or gas) defined, listed, designated, classified, or otherwise regulated as pollutants, hazardous or toxic wastes, hazardous or toxic substances, hazardous or toxic materials, extremely hazardous or toxic wastes, flammable or explosive materials, radioactive materials, or words of similar meaning or regulatory effect

 

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under any present or future Environmental Law or that may have a negative impact on human health or the environment, including without limitation oil, petroleum and petroleum products, asbestos and asbestos-containing materials, urea formaldehyde foam insulation, polychlorinated biphenyls, lead, radon, radioactive materials, flammables, explosives and mold.

Hickman County Property ” means that certain real property, including all improvements thereon, owned by Bank and located at 400 Rivers Road, Centerville, Hickman County, Tennessee.

Intellectual Property ” means (i) all inventions, whether or not patentable and whether or not reduced to practice, and all improvements thereon, and all patents, patent applications, and patent disclosures, together with all re-issues, continuations, continuations-in-part, divisions, extensions, and re-examinations thereof; (ii) all trademarks, whether registered or unregistered, service marks, logos, domain names, rights in or to Internet web sites, and corporate, fictitious, assumed, and trade names; (iii) all copyrights, whether registered or unregistered, and all applications, registrations, and renewals relative thereto; (iv) all datasets, databases, and related information and documentation; and (v) any and all other intellectual property and proprietary rights.

IRS ” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.

Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus ” means the joint proxy statement prepared by Commerce Union and CFI to solicit the approvals of the shareholders of Commerce Union and CFI necessary for the consummation of the Merger, which will include the prospectus of Commerce Union relating to the issuance by Commerce Union of Commerce Union Common Stock to holders of CFI Common Stock pursuant to and in accordance with Article  III of this Agreement.

Knowledge ” means, with respect to a Party, the actual knowledge of the president, chief executive officer, chief financial officer, chief operating officer, chief lending officer, chief credit officer, chief risk officer, and human resources officer of such Party, and other Persons, regardless of title, performing similar functions for such Party.

Laws ” means any and all federal, state, provincial, local, and foreign laws, constitutions, common law principles, ordinances, codes, statutes, judgments, determinations, injunctions, decrees, orders, rules, and regulations.

Liability ” means any debt, liability, commitment, or obligation of any kind, character, or nature whatsoever (whether accrued, contingent, absolute, known, unknown, or otherwise and whether due or to become due).

Lien ” means any lien, claim, attachment, garnishment, imperfection of title, defect, pledge, mortgage, deed of trust, hypothecation, security interest, charge, option, restriction, easement, reversionary interest, right of refusal, voting trust arrangement, buy-sell agreement, preemptive right, or other adverse claim, encumbrance, or right of any nature whatsoever.

Loan ” means a loan, commitment, lease, advance, credit enhancement, guarantee, or other extension of credit or borrowing arrangement.

Merger Sub Common Stock ” means the common stock, no par value, of Merger Sub.

Mergers ” means, collectively, the Merger and the Second Step Merger.

Nasdaq ” means The Nasdaq Capital Market.

 

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Parties ” means, collectively, Commerce Union, Merger Sub, Reliant, CFI, and Bank.

Permitted Liens ” means (i) liens for Taxes not yet due and payable; (ii) mechanics’, carriers’, workers’, repairers’ and similar statutory liens arising or incurred in the ordinary course of business for amounts which are not delinquent and which are not, either individually or in the aggregate, material; (iii) encroachments, easements or reservations thereof, rights of way, highway and railroad crossings, sewer, electric, and other utility lines, telegraph and telephone lines, zoning and building codes, and other similar restrictions as to the use of the Owned Real Property that, either individually or in the aggregate, do not and would not reasonably be expected to materially impair the occupancy or use of the Owned Real Property; and (iv) imperfections or irregularities of title or other Liens that do not materially affect the value or use of the properties or assets subject thereto or affected thereby or otherwise materially impair business operations at such properties.

Person ” means an individual, a corporation, a limited liability company, a partnership, an association, a trust, and any other entity or organization, whether or not incorporated, including without limitation any Governmental Entity.

Registration Statement ” means the registration statement on Form S-4, or other appropriate form, including any pre-effective or post-effective amendments or supplements thereto, filed by Commerce Union with the SEC under the Securities Act with respect to the shares of Commerce Union Common Stock to be issued by Commerce Union to the holders of CFI Common Stock in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

Reliant Common Stock ” means the common stock, par value $1.00 per share, of Reliant.

Reliant Preferred Stock ” means the preferred stock, par value $1.00 per share, of Reliant.

Reliant Stock ” means, collectively, the Reliant Common Stock and the Reliant Preferred Stock.

Sarbanes-Oxley Act ” means the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended.

SEC ” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

Securities Act ” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Subsidiary ” means any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, or other entity in which Commerce Union, Merger Sub, Reliant, CFI, or Bank, as the case may be, has, directly or indirectly, an equity or ownership interest representing 50% or more of any class of the capital stock thereof or other equity or ownership interests therein.

Superior Proposal ” means any bona fide written Acquisition Proposal which the CFI board of directors determines in good faith, after taking into account all legal, financial, regulatory, and other aspects of the proposal (including without limitation the amount, form, and timing of payment of consideration, the financing thereof, any associated break-up or termination fees, including those provided for in this Agreement, expense reimbursement provisions, and all conditions to consummation) and the Person making the proposal, and after taking into account the advice of CFI’s financial advisor and outside legal counsel and such other factors as the CFI board of directors reasonably considers to be appropriate, is (i) more favorable from a financial point of view to the shareholders of CFI than the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and (ii) is reasonably likely to be consummated on the terms set forth; provided , however , that for purposes of this definition of Superior Proposal, references to “20% or more” in the definition of Acquisition Proposal shall be deemed to be references to “a majority.”

 

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Tax ” or “ Taxes ” means any and all federal, state, provincial, local, and foreign taxes, including without limitation (i) any income, profits, alternative or add-on minimum, gross receipts, sales, use, value-added, ad valorem, transfer, franchise, license, withholding, payroll, employment, unemployment, excise, severance, stamp, occupation, net worth, premium, real property, personal property, vehicle, airplane, boat, vessel, or other title or registration, environmental, or windfall profit tax, custom, or duty, or any other tax, fee, assessment, levy, tariff, or charge of any kind whatsoever, together with any interest or penalty, addition to tax, or other additional amount imposed by any Governmental Entity or other Person responsible for the imposition or collection of any such tax, and (ii) any Liability for the payment of any amounts of the type described in clause (i) above as a result of any express or implied agreement or obligation to indemnify any other Person or any contractual arrangement or agreement.

Tax Return ” means any return (including any amended return), declaration, or other report, including without limitation elections, claims for refunds, schedules, estimates, and information returns and statements, with respect to any Taxes (including estimated Taxes).

TDFI ” means the Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions.

USA PATRIOT Act ” means the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, as amended.

Section 1.2 Other Definitions . Capitalized terms used in this Agreement and not defined in Section 1.1, but otherwise defined in this Agreement, shall have the meanings otherwise ascribed thereto.

ARTICLE II

THE MERGERS

Section 2.1 The Merger .

(a) General . Subject to and upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, at the Effective Time (as defined below), Merger Sub shall be merged with and into CFI in accordance with, and with the effects provided in, this Agreement and applicable provisions of the Corporation Act (the “ Merger ”). At the Effective Time, the separate corporate existence of Merger Sub shall cease and CFI shall continue, as the surviving corporation of the Merger, as a corporation chartered under the laws of the State of Tennessee (CFI in such capacity as the surviving corporation of the Merger is sometimes referred to herein as the “ Interim Surviving Company ”).

(b) Effective Time . Prior to or at the Closing, and in order to effect the Merger, Merger Sub and CFI shall duly execute and deliver articles of merger for filing with the Tennessee Secretary of State (the “ Articles of Merger ”), such Articles of Merger to be in such form and of such substance as is consistent with applicable provisions of the Corporation Act and otherwise mutually agreed upon by Merger Sub and CFI. The Merger shall become effective on such date and at such time as set forth in the Articles of Merger (the date and time the Merger becomes effective being referred to in this Agreement as the “ Effective Time ”).

(c) Effects of the Merger . The Merger shall have the effects set forth in this Agreement and applicable provisions of the Corporation Act. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, and subject thereto, at the Effective Time, all property, rights, interests, privileges, powers, and franchises of Merger Sub shall vest in the Interim Surviving Company, and all debts, liabilities, obligations, restrictions, disabilities, and duties of Merger Sub shall become and be debts, liabilities, obligations, restrictions, disabilities, and duties of the Interim Surviving Company.

 

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(d) Charter, Bylaws, and Name of Interim Surviving Company . The charter and bylaws of CFI as in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time shall at and after the Effective Time be the charter and bylaws of the Interim Surviving Company until such time as the same shall be amended in accordance with applicable Law. The legal name of the Interim Surviving Company shall be “Community First, Inc.”

(e) Directors and Officers of Interim Surviving Company . The directors and officers of Merger Sub as of immediately prior to the Effective Time shall, at and after the Effective Time, be the directors and officers, respectively, of the Interim Surviving Company, such individuals to serve in such capacities until such time as their successors shall have been duly elected or appointed and qualified or until their earlier death, resignation, or removal from office.

Section 2.2 The Second Step Merger.

(a) General . As soon as reasonably practicable following the Effective Time, Commerce Union shall cause the Interim Surviving Company to be, and the Interim Surviving Company shall be, merged with and into Commerce Union in accordance with, and with the effects provided in, this Agreement and applicable provisions of the Corporation Act (the “ Second Step Merger ”). At the Second Step Effective Time (as defined below), the separate corporate existence of the Interim Surviving Company shall cease and Commerce Union shall continue, as the surviving corporation of the Second Step Merger, as a corporation chartered under the laws of the State of Tennessee (Commerce Union in such capacity as the surviving corporation of the Second Step Merger is sometimes referred to herein as the “ Surviving Corporation ”).

(b) Second Step Effective Time . In order to effect the Second Step Merger, Commerce Union and the Interim Surviving Company shall duly execute and deliver articles of merger for filing with the Tennessee Secretary of State (the “ Second Step Articles of Merger ”), such Second Step Articles of Merger to be in such form and of such substance as is consistent with applicable provisions of the Corporation Act and otherwise mutually agreed upon by Commerce Union and the Interim Surviving Company. The Second Step Merger shall become effective on such date and at such time as set forth in the Second Step Articles of Merger (the date and time the Second Step Merger becomes effective being referred to in this Agreement as the “ Second Step Effective Time ”).

(c) Effects of the Second Step Merger . The Second Step Merger shall have the effects set forth in this Agreement and applicable provisions of the Corporation Act. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, and subject thereto, at the Second Step Effective Time, all property, rights, interests, privileges, powers, and franchises of the Interim Surviving Company shall vest in the Surviving Corporation, and all debts, liabilities, obligations, restrictions, disabilities, and duties of the Interim Surviving Company shall become and be debts, liabilities, obligations, restrictions, disabilities, and duties of the Surviving Corporation.

(d) Cancellation of Interim Surviving Company Stock . Each share of common stock, no par value, of the Interim Surviving Company that is issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Second Step Effective Time shall, at the Second Step Effective Time, solely by virtue and as a result of the Second Step Merger and without any action on the part of any holder thereof, automatically be cancelled and retired for no consideration and shall cease to exist.

 

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(e) Commerce Union Stock . The shares of Commerce Union Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Second Step Effective Time shall not be affected by the Second Step Merger, and, accordingly, each share of Commerce Union Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Second Step Effective Time (including, without limitation, shares of Commerce Union Common Stock issued as Merger Consideration) shall, at and after the Second Step Effective Time, remain issued and outstanding.

(f) Charter, Bylaws, and Name of Surviving Corporation . The charter and bylaws of Commerce Union (in each case as amended and/or restated) as in effect immediately prior to the Second Step Effective Time shall at and after the Second Step Effective Time be the charter and bylaws of the Surviving Corporation until such time as the same shall be amended in accordance with applicable Law. The name of the Surviving Corporation shall be “Commerce Union Bancshares, Inc.”

(g) Directors and Officers of Surviving Corporation . The directors and officers of Commerce Union as of immediately prior to the Second Step Effective Time shall, at and after the Second Step Effective Time, continue as the directors and officers, respectively, of the Surviving Corporation, such individuals to serve in such capacities until such time as their successors shall have been duly elected or appointed and qualified or until their earlier death, resignation, or removal from office, subject, however, to Section  7.15 .

Section 2.3 Merger Sub Shareholder Approval . As soon as reasonably practicable following the date of this Agreement, Commerce Union shall approve this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby as the sole shareholder of Merger Sub in accordance with the charter and bylaws of Merger Sub and applicable Law.

Section 2.4 Closing . Subject to the satisfaction or waiver (subject to applicable Law) of the conditions precedent set forth in Article  VIII hereof (other than those conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied at the Closing), the closing of the Merger (the “ Closing ”) shall take place at the offices of Butler Snow LLP, The Pinnacle at Symphony Place, Suite 1600, 150 3rd Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee 37201, at 10:00 a.m. Central Time on such date as shall be designated by Commerce Union, provided that such date shall be not later than the earlier of (a) the date that is the first Business Day of the month immediately following the month during which the last of the conditions precedent set forth in Article  VIII hereof (other than those conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied at the Closing) shall have been satisfied or waived (subject to applicable Law) and (b) the date that is 30 days after the satisfaction or waiver (subject to applicable Law) of all of the conditions precedent set forth in Article  VIII hereof (other than those conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied at the Closing), or at such other place, at such other time, or on such other date as the Parties may otherwise agree. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Parties expressly agree that the Closing may take place by the electronic, facsimile, and/or overnight courier exchange of executed documents. The actual date on which the Closing shall occur is referred to in this Agreement as the “ Closing Date .”

Section 2.5 The Bank Merger . Simultaneously with the Parties’ execution of this Agreement, Reliant and Bank have executed and delivered an agreement and plan of merger dated the date hereof (the “ Bank Merger Agreement ”), which provides for the merger of Bank with and into Reliant immediately following the Second Step Merger in accordance with the terms and conditions of, and with the effects provided by, the Bank Merger Agreement and applicable provisions of the Banking Act and the Corporation Act (the “ Bank Merger ”). Reliant will be the banking corporation to survive the Bank Merger, and at the effective time of the Bank Merger, the separate corporate existence of Bank will cease. As soon as reasonably practicable following the date of this Agreement, Commerce Union shall approve the Bank Merger Agreement as the sole shareholder of Reliant and CFI shall approve the Bank Merger Agreement as the sole shareholder of Bank. Prior to or at the Closing, Reliant and Bank shall execute and deliver such articles of merger and other documents and certificates as are necessary or appropriate to effectuate the Bank Merger (the “ Bank Merger Certificates ”).

 

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ARTICLE III

MERGER CONSIDERATION

Section 3.1 Conversion of CFI  Common Stock . Subject to the other provisions of this Article  III , solely by virtue and as a result of the Merger, each share of CFI Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (other than Excluded Shares and Dissenting Shares (as defined below)) shall at the Effective Time, automatically and without any action on the part of the holder(s) thereof, be converted into and canceled in exchange for the right to receive 0.481 (the “ Exchange Ratio ”) validly issued, fully paid, and non-assessable shares of Commerce Union Common Stock (the “ Merger Consideration ”).

Section 3.2 Exchange Procedures.

(a) Deposit with Exchange Agent . At or prior to the Closing, Commerce Union shall deliver or cause to be delivered to an exchange agent mutually agreed upon by Commerce Union and CFI, which the Parties agree may be Commerce Union’s customary stock transfer agent (the “ Exchange Agent ”), for the benefit of holders of CFI Common Stock (other than holders of Excluded Shares and holders of Dissenting Shares), (i) a certificate or certificates or, at Commerce Union’s election, evidence of shares in book-entry form representing the number of shares of Commerce Union Common Stock issuable or payable to holders of CFI Common Stock (other than holders of Excluded Shares and holders of Dissenting Shares) in the form of Merger Consideration pursuant to this Article  III and (ii) cash in an amount sufficient to make payment in respect of fractional share interests in accordance with Section  3.4 . The Exchange Agent shall not be entitled to vote or exercise any other rights of ownership with respect to the shares of Commerce Union Common Stock held by it from time to time hereunder, provided that the Exchange Agent shall receive and hold all dividends and other distributions payable or distributable with respect to such shares for the account of the Persons entitled thereto.

(b) Letter of Transmittal . As soon as reasonably practicable after the Effective Time (but in no event later than five Business Days after the Effective Time), Commerce Union shall cause the Exchange Agent to mail or deliver to each holder of record of shares of CFI Common Stock immediately prior to the Effective Time (other than holders of Excluded Shares and holders of Dissenting Shares) a letter of transmittal in customary form as reasonably agreed by Commerce Union and CFI and containing such provisions as Commerce Union shall reasonably require (including provisions confirming that delivery of Certificates and Book-Entry Shares shall be effected, and that risk of loss of and title to Certificates and Book-Entry Shares shall pass, only upon proper delivery of the Certificates or Book-Entry Shares to the Exchange Agent) and instructions for use in effecting the surrender of Certificates and Book-Entry Shares in exchange for the Merger Consideration issuable or payable in respect of the shares of CFI Common Stock previously represented by such Certificates or in respect of such Book-Entry Shares, as applicable, and any dividends or other distributions payable or distributable on or with respect thereto, in each case pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement.

(c) Payment of Merger Consideration . Upon proper surrender of a Certificate or Book-Entry Shares to the Exchange Agent for exchange and cancellation, together with a properly completed and duly executed letter of transmittal (or an “agent’s message,” in the case of Book-Entry Shares held in street name) and such other documents as may reasonably be required by the Exchange Agent, (i) the holder of such Certificate or Book-Entry Shares shall be entitled to receive in exchange therefor, and the Exchange Agent shall issue and deliver to such holder, (A) the Merger Consideration to which such holder shall have become entitled pursuant to the provisions of this Article  III , together with such cash, if any, payable to such holder in respect of a fractional share interest in accordance with Section  3.4 , in full satisfaction of all rights pertaining to the shares of CFI Common Stock formerly represented by such Certificate or to such Book-Entry Shares, as applicable, and (B) a check representing

 

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the amount of any dividends or other distributions payable or distributable to such holder in accordance with Section  3.2(d) , and (ii) the Certificate or Book-Entry Shares so surrendered shall be canceled. In the event Merger Consideration or any other amounts issuable or payable under this Agreement to a holder of shares of CFI Common Stock is to be issued in the name of or paid to a Person other than the Person in whose name such shares are registered, it shall be a condition to the issuance or payment of such Merger Consideration or other amounts that the Certificate formerly representing such shares, or, in the case of non-certificated shares, the Book-Entry Shares, be presented to the Exchange Agent, together with evidence of or appropriate documents or instruments for transfer and evidence that any applicable stock transfer or other Taxes have been paid or are not applicable, all in such form as the Exchange Agent shall reasonably require.

(d) Closing of Stock Transfer Books . At the Effective Time, the stock transfer books of CFI shall be closed and there shall thereafter be no further transfers of shares of CFI Stock on the books or records of CFI, and, if any shares of CFI Common Stock are thereafter presented to the Commerce Union Parties or the Exchange Agent for transfer, such shares shall be cancelled against delivery of the Merger Consideration issuable or payable in respect thereof as herein provided. Until duly surrendered to the Exchange Agent in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement, Certificates and Book-Entry Shares shall, at and after the Effective Time, evidence and represent only the right to receive the Merger Consideration issuable or payable in respect thereof (or the CFI Common Stock previously represented thereby), and any dividends or other distributions payable or distributable on or with respect thereto, in each case in accordance with this Agreement. No dividends or other distributions payable or distributable on or with respect to shares of Commerce Union Common Stock that are issued or issuable in connection with the Merger in accordance with this Agreement will be remitted to any Person entitled to receive such shares of Commerce Union Common Stock until such Person surrenders his or her Certificate(s) previously representing the shares of CFI Common Stock converted into such Commerce Union Common Stock, or his or her Book-Entry Shares converted into such Commerce Union Common Stock, as applicable, at which time such dividends and other distributions shall be remitted to such Person, without interest. No interest will be paid or will accrue on any amounts issuable or payable to holders of CFI Common Stock under or in accordance with this Agreement.

(e) Lost, Stolen, or Destroyed Certificates . In the event any Certificate shall have been lost, stolen, or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the Person claiming such Certificate to be lost, stolen, or destroyed and the execution by such Person of an indemnity agreement and/or the posting by such Person of a bond in such form and amount as Commerce Union or the Exchange Agent may reasonably require as indemnity against any claim that may be made against them with respect to such Certificate, the Exchange Agent will deliver in exchange for such lost, stolen, or destroyed Certificate the Merger Consideration deliverable in respect of the shares of CFI Common Stock previously represented thereby, and any dividends or other distributions payable or distributable on or with respect thereto, in each case pursuant to this Agreement.

(f) Unclaimed Merger Consideration . Any Merger Consideration, and any other amounts payable by Commerce Union to holders of shares of CFI Common Stock in accordance with this Agreement, in each case that remain(s) unclaimed by former shareholders of CFI for one year after the Effective Time (as well as any dividends or other distributions payable or distributable in respect thereof) shall be delivered by the Exchange Agent to Commerce Union. Any former shareholder of CFI who has not theretofore complied with the exchange procedures provided for in this Agreement shall thereafter look only to Commerce Union for the Merger Consideration (and any other amounts) issuable or payable in respect of the shares of CFI Common Stock previously held by such shareholder and any dividends or other distributions payable or distributable on or with respect thereto, as determined pursuant to this Agreement, without any interest thereon. If the Merger Consideration or any other amounts issuable or payable under this Agreement in respect of any shares of CFI Common Stock or any shares of Commerce

 

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Union Common Stock issuable as Merger Consideration is not claimed prior to the date on which such Merger Consideration or other amounts would otherwise escheat to any Governmental Entity, such Merger Consideration or other amounts shall, to the extent permitted by abandoned property, escheat, and other applicable Laws, become the property of Commerce Union (and to the extent not in its possession shall be delivered to it), free and clear of all claims or interests of any Person previously entitled to such property. Neither the Exchange Agent nor any Party to this Agreement shall be liable to any holder of CFI Common Stock for any Merger Consideration (or any other amounts) properly paid or delivered to a Governmental Entity pursuant to applicable abandoned property, escheat, or similar Laws. Commerce Union and the Exchange Agent shall be entitled to rely upon the stock transfer books and records of CFI to establish the identity of those Persons entitled to receive the Merger Consideration (and any other amounts) specified in this Agreement, which books and records shall be conclusive with respect thereto. In the event of a dispute regarding the ownership of CFI Common Stock, Commerce Union and the Exchange Agent shall be entitled to deposit any Merger Consideration (or any other amounts) issuable or payable in respect thereof in escrow with an independent third party and thereafter be relieved with respect to any claims thereto.

Section 3.3 Rights as CFI Shareholders . Holders of CFI Common Stock immediately prior to the Effective Time shall, at and after the Effective Time, cease to be shareholders of CFI and have no further rights as shareholders of CFI, other than the right to receive the Merger Consideration and any other amounts issuable or payable in respect of such holders’ CFI Common Stock or shares of Commerce Union Common Stock issuable as Merger Consideration in accordance with this Article  III .

Section 3.4 No Fractional Shares . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement to the contrary, no fraction of a share of Commerce Union Common Stock, and no certificate or scrip therefor, will be issued in connection with the Merger to any holder of shares of CFI Common Stock. Instead, Commerce Union shall pay to each holder of CFI Common Stock who would otherwise be entitled to a fraction of a share of Commerce Union Common Stock (after aggregating and taking into account all Certificates and/or Book-Entry Shares delivered by such holder) cash, without interest, in an amount (rounded to the nearest whole cent) determined by multiplying (a) the fractional share interest (rounded to the nearest thousandth when expressed in decimal form) to which such holder would otherwise be entitled by (b) the volume weighted average closing price per share of Commerce Union Common Stock on Nasdaq (or such other securities market or stock exchange on which the Commerce Union Common Stock then principally trades) for the ten consecutive trading days ending on and including the Business Day immediately preceding the Closing Date (the “ Average Per Share Commerce Union Closing Price ”).

Section 3.5 Dissenters Rights; Dissenting Shares.

(a) Holders of shares of CFI Common Stock shall have such rights to dissent from the Merger and obtain payment of the fair value of their shares as are afforded to such holders by Chapter 23 of the Corporation Act.

(b) Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, but subject to Section  3.5(c) , each issued and outstanding share of CFI Common Stock the holder of which has perfected such holder’s right to dissent from the Merger pursuant to Chapter 23 of the Corporation Act and has not effectively withdrawn or lost such right as of the Effective Time (collectively, the “ Dissenting Shares ”), shall not be converted into and canceled in exchange for, or represent a right to receive, the Merger Consideration hereunder, and the holder thereof shall be entitled only to such rights as are afforded to such holder by the Corporation Act. Commerce Union shall be entitled to retain any Merger Consideration not paid on account of Dissenting Shares, and the shareholders of CFI shall not be entitled to any portion of such retained Merger Consideration. Any payments made in respect of Dissenting Shares shall be made by Commerce Union within the time periods set forth in, and otherwise in accordance with, the Corporation Act.

 

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(c) If any holder of shares of CFI Common Stock who asserts such holder’s right to dissent from the Merger pursuant to Chapter 23 of the Corporation Act shall have effectively withdrawn or lost such holder’s right to dissent (through failure to perfect or otherwise), then, as of the Effective Time or the occurrence of such event, whichever occurs later, the shares of CFI Common Stock held by such holder shall be converted into and canceled in exchange for, on a share by share basis, the right to receive the Merger Consideration issuable or payable in respect thereof, any dividends or other distributions payable or distributable on or with respect thereto, in each case in accordance with the applicable provisions of this Agreement.

Section 3.6 Excluded Shares . At the Effective Time, each Excluded Share shall, for no consideration, be automatically canceled and retired and shall cease to exist, and, for the avoidance of doubt, no exchange or payment shall be made with respect thereto or in respect thereof.

Section 3.7 Merger Sub Common Stock . Each share of Merger Sub Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall at the Effective Time be converted into and become one share of common stock, no par value, of the Interim Surviving Company.

Section 3.8 Commerce Union Stock . The shares of Commerce Union Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall not be affected by the Merger, and, accordingly, each share of Commerce Union Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall, at and after the Effective Time, remain issued and outstanding.

Section 3.9 Adjustments Upon Change in Capitalization . If during the period from the date of this Agreement until immediately prior to the Effective Time the outstanding shares of Commerce Union Common Stock or CFI Common Stock are increased, decreased, or changed into or exchanged for a different number or kind of securities as a result of a reorganization, reclassification, stock dividend, stock split, reverse stock split, or other similar change in capitalization, an equitable and proportionate adjustment shall be made to the Exchange Ratio and, therefore, the Merger Consideration issuable or payable pursuant to this Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, neither the issuance of shares of Commerce Union Common Stock upon the exercise of Commerce Union Options nor the issuance of shares of CFI Common Stock upon the exercise of CFI Options shall cause or result in an adjustment of or to the Exchange Ratio or the Merger Consideration issuable or payable pursuant to this Agreement.

Section 3.10 CFI Equity Awards.

(a) To the extent permitted under the terms of the CFI Equity Plan pursuant to which a CFI Option has been awarded and related option grant agreements, each CFI Option, whether vested or unvested, that is outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall, at the Effective Time and without any action on the part of the holder thereof, be automatically cancelled, and the holder thereof shall have the right to receive a cash payment from Commerce Union in respect of such cancelled CFI Option in an amount, rounded to the nearest whole cent (the “ Option Cash Out Amount ”), equal to the product of (i) the excess, if any, of the Option Consideration Price (as defined below) over the per share exercise price of such CFI Option multiplied by (ii) the number of shares of CFI Common Stock subject to such CFI Option to the extent not previously exercised. After the Effective Time, any such cancelled CFI Option shall no longer be exercisable by the former holder thereof, and shall instead only entitle such holder to the payment of the Option Cash Out Amount, if any, without interest. In the event the per share exercise price of a CFI Option is equal to or greater than the Option Consideration Price, such CFI Option shall be cancelled for no consideration and shall have no further force or effect. For

 

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purposes of this Agreement, the term “ Option Consideration Price ” means the product of (x) the Exchange Ratio multiplied by (y) the Average Per Share Commerce Union Closing Price. At the Effective Time, each award of CFI Common Stock subject to vesting, repurchase, or other lapse restriction (a “ CFI Restricted Share Award ”) granted under the CFI Equity Plans, whether vested or unvested, that is outstanding as of immediately prior to the Effective Time shall become fully vested and shall be cancelled and converted automatically into the right to receive the Merger Consideration in respect of each share of CFI Common Stock underlying such CFI Restricted Share Award.

(b) With respect to any CFI Option outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time that is not canceled in accordance with Section  3.10(a) , at the Effective Time, solely by virtue and as a result of the Merger and without any action on the part of the holder thereof, such CFI Option, whether vested or unvested immediately prior to the Effective Time, shall be assumed by Commerce Union, and each CFI Option so assumed shall at and after the Effective Time be and represent an option to purchase that number of shares of Commerce Union Common Stock equal to the number of shares of CFI Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of such CFI Option immediately prior to the Effective Time multiplied by the Exchange Ratio (rounded to the nearest whole number), and the per share exercise price of the resulting option to purchase shares of Commerce Union Common Stock shall be equal to the per share exercise price of the CFI Option immediately prior to the Effective Time divided by the Exchange Ratio (carried to two decimal places with the second decimal place rounded to the nearest whole number). Any CFI Option that immediately prior to the Effective Time is an incentive stock option (as defined in Section 422 of the Code) shall, at the Effective Time upon assumption by Commerce Union as provided in this Section  3.10(b) , maintain its qualified status as such in accordance and compliance with Sections 422 and 424 of the Code, and, prior to the Effective Time, each of CFI and Commerce Union shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to take all action necessary to provide for the assumption of any such CFI Options by Commerce Union in such manner.

Section 3.11 Withholding Rights . Commerce Union shall be entitled to deduct and withhold, and shall be entitled to cause the Exchange Agent to deduct and withhold, from any consideration issuable, payable, or otherwise deliverable pursuant to this Agreement to any holder or former holder of shares of CFI Common Stock or CFI Options such amounts as are required under or by the Code or any other applicable Law to be deducted or withheld. To the extent any such amounts are so deducted or withheld and remitted on a timely basis to the appropriate Governmental Entities, such amounts shall be treated for all purposes of this Agreement as having been paid to the Person to whom such amounts would otherwise have been paid.

ARTICLE IV

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF COMMUNITY FIRST PARTIES

Section 4.1 Community First Disclosure Memorandum . Prior to or simultaneously with the Parties’ execution and delivery of this Agreement, CFI and Bank have delivered to the Commerce Union Parties a confidential memorandum (the “ Community First Disclosure Memorandum ”) setting forth, among other things, items the disclosure of which is necessary or appropriate either in response to an express disclosure requirement contained in a provision of this Agreement or as an exception to one or more representations or warranties of the Community First Parties contained in this Article  IV or to one or more covenants of the Community First Parties contained in Article  VI , making specific reference in such Community First Disclosure Memorandum to the Section(s) of this Agreement to which such items relate; provided, however , that, notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, (i) no such item is required to be set forth in the Community First Disclosure Memorandum as an exception to a representation or warranty if its absence would not result in the related representation or warranty being deemed untrue or incorrect, (ii) the mere inclusion of an item in the Community First Disclosure Memorandum as an exception to a representation or warranty shall not be deemed an admission by the

 

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Community First Parties that such item represents a material exception or material fact, event or circumstance or that such item has had or would reasonably be expected to have a CFI Material Adverse Effect and (iii) any disclosures made with respect to a section of this Article IV shall be deemed to qualify any other section of this Article IV (A) specifically referenced or cross-referenced and (B) to the extent it is reasonably apparent on its face (notwithstanding the absence of a specific cross reference) from a reading of the disclosure that such disclosure applies to such section).

Section 4.2 Representations and Warranties . Subject to and except as disclosed in the CFI Securities Filings (as defined below) filed prior to the date of this Agreement (but excluding any risk factor disclosures under the heading “Risk Factors,” any forward-looking statement disclosures or disclaimers, and any other disclosures that are cautionary, predictive, or forward-looking in nature), each of CFI and Bank hereby represents and warrants to the Commerce Union Parties as follows:

(a) Organization and Qualification . CFI is a corporation duly organized, validly existing, and in good standing under the laws of the State of Tennessee and is registered as a bank holding company under the BHCA. Bank is a banking corporation duly organized, validly existing, and in good standing under the laws of the State of Tennessee. Each of CFI and Bank has the power and authority to own, lease, and operate its properties and assets and to conduct its respective business as presently conducted, except to the extent that the failure to have such power or authority would not reasonably be expected to have a CFI Material Adverse Effect. Each of CFI and Bank is duly licensed and qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the character of the properties or assets owned or leased by it or the nature of the business conducted by it makes such licensing and qualification necessary, except where the failure to be so licensed, qualified or in good standing would not reasonably be expected to have a CFI Material Adverse Effect. The copies of the charters, bylaws, and other organizational documents of CFI and Bank and their respective Subsidiaries previously provided or made available to the Commerce Union Parties are true, correct, and complete copies of such documents as in effect as of the date of this Agreement. Neither CFI or Bank nor any Subsidiary of CFI or Bank is in material violation of its respective charter, bylaws, or other organizational documents. The minute books of CFI and Bank and their Subsidiaries previously provided or made available to the Commerce Union Parties constitute, in all material respects, a true, complete, and correct record of all meetings of and material corporate actions taken by their respective boards of directors (and each committee thereof), shareholders, and other governing bodies for the periods covered thereby.

(b) Subsidiaries and Other Interests . Set forth on Schedule  4.2(b) of the Community First Disclosure Memorandum is a true, correct, and complete list of all Subsidiaries of CFI (other than Bank) and/or Bank, as well as each such Subsidiary’s jurisdiction of incorporation, organization, or formation and CFI’s and/or Bank’s percentage ownership of each such Subsidiary. Except as set forth on Schedule  4.2(b) of the Community First Disclosure Memorandum, each of CFI and Bank owns beneficially and of record the capital stock or other equity or ownership interest it owns in each of its respective Subsidiaries free and clear of any and all Liens. There are no Contracts relating to the right of CFI or Bank to vote or dispose of any capital stock or other equity or ownership interest of any Subsidiary of CFI or Bank. The ownership interests of CFI and Bank in their respective Subsidiaries are in compliance with all applicable Laws, except where the failure to be in compliance would not reasonably be expected to have a CFI Material Adverse Effect. Each of the Subsidiaries of CFI and/or Bank is a corporation, limited liability company, or other entity duly organized, validly existing, and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation, organization, or formation, has all requisite power and authority to own, lease, and operate its properties and assets and to conduct its business as presently conducted, and is duly licensed and qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the character of the properties or assets owned or leased by it or the nature of the business conducted by it makes such licensing or qualification necessary, except to the extent that the failure to have such power or authority or where the failure to be so licensed, qualified or

 

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in good standing, as applicable, would not reasonably be expected to have a CFI Material Adverse Effect. The outstanding capital stock or other outstanding equity or ownership interests of each Subsidiary of CFI and/or Bank have been validly authorized and are validly issued, fully paid, and non-assessable. No shares of capital stock or other equity or ownership interests of any Subsidiary of CFI and/or Bank are or may be required to be issued by virtue of any options, warrants, or other rights; no securities exist that are convertible into or exchangeable for any shares of capital stock or other equity or ownership interests of any Subsidiary of CFI and/or Bank, or any other debt or equity security of any Subsidiary of CFI and/or Bank; and there are no Contracts for the issuance of any additional capital stock or other equity or ownership interests, or any other debt or equity securities, of any Subsidiary of CFI and/or Bank or any options, warrants, or other rights with respect to such securities. Except (i) as set forth on Schedule  4.2(b) of the Community First Disclosure Memorandum and (ii) for securities and other interests held in a fiduciary capacity and beneficially owned by third parties, neither CFI nor Bank owns, beneficially or of record, directly or indirectly, any equity securities of or any other equity or ownership interest in any Person.

(c) Capitalization .

(i) The authorized capital stock of CFI consists of (i) 10,000,000 shares of CFI Common Stock, of which 5,025,883.8713 shares were issued and outstanding as of the date of this Agreement, and (ii) 2,500,000 shares of CFI Preferred Stock, of which 17,806 shares have been designated as CFI Series A Preferred Stock (of which, as of the date of this Agreement, there were no shares issued and outstanding) and 891 shares have been designated as CFI Series B Preferred Stock (of which, as of the date of this Agreement, there were no shares issued and outstanding). The authorized capital stock of Bank consists of 1,500,000 shares of Bank Stock, of which 572,753 shares were issued and outstanding as of the date of this Agreement and are owned by CFI. There are no other classes or series of authorized, issued, or outstanding capital stock of CFI or Bank. No shares of CFI Stock are held in treasury by CFI or otherwise owned, directly or indirectly, by CFI, and no shares of Bank Stock are held in treasury by Bank or otherwise owned, directly or indirectly, by Bank. All of the issued and outstanding shares of CFI Stock and Bank Stock have been duly and validly authorized and issued in compliance in all material respects with all applicable Laws and are fully paid and non-assessable with no personal liability attaching to the ownership thereof, and none of the issued and outstanding shares of CFI Stock or Bank Stock have been issued in violation of the preemptive or other rights of any Person. Set forth on Schedule  4.2(c)(i) of the Community First Disclosure Memorandum is a true, correct, and complete list, as of the date of this Agreement, of (i) all outstanding CFI Options, including for each CFI Option the name of the optionee, the date of grant, the exercise price, the date(s) of vesting, the date(s) of termination, the number and class or series of shares subject to such CFI Option, and whether such CFI Option is an “incentive stock option” under Section 422 of the Code, and (ii) all issuances or awards by CFI of restricted stock or restricted shares, including for each such issuance or award the name of the recipient, the date of the issuance or award, the date(s) of vesting, and the number and class or series of shares subject to such issuance or award. No bonds, debentures, notes, or other indebtedness having the right to vote on any matters on which shareholders of CFI or Bank may vote are issued or outstanding. Except as set forth on Schedule  4.2(c)(i) of the Community First Disclosure Memorandum, no trust preferred or subordinated debt securities of CFI or any Subsidiary of CFI are issued or outstanding. As of the date of this Agreement, neither CFI nor any Subsidiary of CFI is deferring interest payments with respect to any trust preferred securities or related junior subordinated debt securities issued by it or any of its Affiliates.

(ii) Except as set forth on Schedule  4.2(c)(ii) of the Community First Disclosure Memorandum, (i) there are no outstanding options, warrants, subscriptions, agreements, contracts, rights, calls, or commitments, of any kind or character, that require or obligate or could require or obligate CFI to issue, deliver, or sell, or cause to be issued, delivered, or sold, any additional shares of CFI capital stock, or securities convertible into or exercisable for shares of CFI capital stock, or that

 

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require or obligate or could require or obligate CFI to grant, extend, or enter into any such option, warrant, subscription, agreement, contract, right, call, or commitment, and (ii) there are no outstanding options, warrants, subscriptions, agreements, contracts, rights, calls, or commitments, of any kind or character, that require or obligate or could require or obligate Bank to issue, deliver, or sell, or cause to be issued, delivered, or sold, any additional shares of Bank capital stock, or securities convertible into or exercisable for shares of Bank capital stock, or that require or obligate or could require or obligate Bank to grant, extend, or enter into any such option, warrant, subscription, agreement, contract, right, call, or commitment. Except as set forth on Schedule 4.2(c)(ii) of the Community First Disclosure Memorandum, there are no outstanding obligations of CFI or Bank to issue, repurchase, redeem, or otherwise acquire any shares of its capital stock other than (A) the issuance, repurchase, redemption or acquisition of shares of CFI Common Stock in connection with the exercise, vesting or settlement of CFI Options or CFI Restricted Share Awards that were outstanding on August 22, 2017, in accordance with their terms (without amendment or waiver since August 22, 2017) or (B) the issuance, repurchase, redemption or acquisition of shares of CFI Common Stock under the 401(k) plan sponsored by CFI in accordance with the terms thereof or the administrative practices related thereto (without amendment or waiver since August 22, 2017).

(d) Authority . Each of CFI and Bank has all requisite corporate power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement, and, subject to the consents, approvals, waivers, notices, filings, and registrations referred to in Section  4.2(f) , to perform its obligations hereunder and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. The execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Community First Parties, the performance by the Community First Parties of their obligations hereunder, and the consummation by the Community First Parties of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly and validly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the boards of directors of CFI and Bank, and no other corporate actions or proceedings on the part of CFI or Bank are necessary to authorize the execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement by the Community First Parties and the consummation by the Community First Parties of the transactions contemplated hereby, other than the approval of this Agreement by the shareholders of CFI in accordance with the charter and bylaws of CFI and applicable Law and the approval of the Bank Merger Agreement by CFI as the sole shareholder of Bank in accordance with charter and bylaws of Bank and applicable Law. The board of directors of CFI has determined that this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby are advisable and in the best interests of CFI and its shareholders and has directed that this Agreement be submitted to CFI’s shareholders for approval, and has duly and validly adopted resolutions to the foregoing effect and to recommend that the shareholders of CFI approve this Agreement. This Agreement has been duly and validly executed and delivered by each of CFI and Bank and (assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by Commerce Union, Merger Sub and Reliant) constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of each of CFI and Bank enforceable against each of CFI and Bank in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium, reorganization, and similar Laws affecting creditors’ rights and remedies generally or general principles of equity, whether applied in a court of law or a court of equity (collectively, the “ Enforceability Exceptions ”).

(e) No Violations . Neither the execution, delivery, or performance of this Agreement by CFI or Bank nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will (i) assuming the approval of this Agreement by the shareholders of CFI in accordance with the charter and bylaws of CFI and applicable Law and the approval of the Bank Merger Agreement by CFI as the sole shareholder of Bank in accordance with the charter and bylaws of Bank and applicable Law, violate the charter, bylaws, or other organizational documents of CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries or (ii) assuming that the consents, approvals, waivers, notices, filings, and registrations referred to in Section  4.2(f)  have been obtained and made and all applicable waiting periods have expired, (A) violate any Law, permit, or license to which the Community First Parties or any of their Subsidiaries (or the properties or assets of the Community First Parties or any of their Subsidiaries) are subject or by which

 

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the Community First Parties or any of their Subsidiaries (or the properties or assets of the Community First Parties or any of their Subsidiaries) are bound or (B) constitute a breach or violation of or a default under (or an event which, with notice or lapse of time or both, could constitute a default under), or result in the termination of, accelerate the performance required by, or result in the creation of any Lien upon any of the properties or assets of CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries under, any of the terms, conditions, or provisions of any Contract to which CFI or Bank, or any of their Subsidiaries, is a party or to or by which any of the properties or assets of CFI or Bank, or any of their Subsidiaries, may be subject or bound, except, in the case of clause (ii) above, for breaches, violations, defaults, terminations, accelerations, or liens that would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect.

(f) Consents and Approvals . No consents or approvals of, waivers by, notices to, or filings or registrations with any Governmental Entity or other Person are required to be obtained, given, or made by CFI or Bank, or any of their Subsidiaries, in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Community First Parties or the consummation by the Community First Parties of the Merger, the Second Step Merger, the Bank Merger, or the other transactions contemplated hereby (including without limitation under any Community First Material Contract), except (i) applications, notices, and waiver requests required to be filed with or given or made to and consents, approvals, and waivers required from, and the expiration of related waiting periods imposed by, the Federal Reserve, the TDFI, and the United States Department of Justice (collectively, the “ Regulatory Approvals ”); (ii) the filing of any required applications, filings or notices with any other federal, state or foreign agencies or regulatory authorities and approval or grant of such applications, filings and notices (the “ Other Regulatory Approvals ”); (iii) the filing of the Articles of Merger and Second Step Articles of Merger with the Tennessee Secretary of State and the filing of the Bank Merger Certificates; (iv) the filing with the SEC of the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus in definitive form, and such other filings and reports as are required under the Exchange Act; (v) the approval of this Agreement by the shareholders of CFI and the approval of the Bank Merger Agreement by CFI as the sole shareholder of Bank; (vi) any notice or filings under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (the “ HSR Act ”); (vii) any consents, authorizations, approvals, filings or exemptions in connection with compliance with the applicable provisions of federal and state securities laws relating to the regulation of broker-dealers, investment advisers or transfer agents, and the rules of Nasdaq, or which are required under consumer finance, insurance, mortgage banking and other similar laws; and (viii) as set forth on Schedule  4.2(f) of the Community First Disclosure Memorandum. As of the date of this Agreement, the Community First Parties do not have Knowledge of any reason why any of the consents, approvals, or waivers referred to in this Section  4.2(f) will not be obtained or received without the imposition of any Burdensome Condition (as defined in Section  8.1(b) ).

(g) Reports . CFI and Bank, and each of their Subsidiaries, have timely filed or furnished, as applicable, all reports, notices, applications, schedules, registration and proxy statements, and other filings, documents, and instruments (together with any amendments required to be made with respect thereto) that they have been required to file or furnish since January 1, 2014, with or to the Federal Reserve, the FDIC, the TDFI, or any other Governmental Entity, and have paid all fees and assessments due and payable in connection therewith, except where the failure to file or furnish any such report, notice, application, schedule, registration or proxy statement or other filing, document or instrument or to pay any such fees and assessments would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect. As of their respective dates, such reports, notices, applications, schedules, registration and proxy statements, and other filings, documents, and instruments were complete and accurate in all material respects and complied in all material respects with all applicable Laws.

 

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(h) Securities Filings . CFI has filed with or furnished to the SEC all reports, schedules, registration statements, definitive proxy statements, exhibits, and other filings and materials that CFI has been required to file or furnish under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, since January 1, 2014 (collectively, the “ CFI Securities Filings ”). True, correct, and complete copies of the CFI Securities Filings are publicly available in the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval database of the SEC. As of their respective dates of filing with or furnishing to the SEC (or, if amended or superseded by a filing prior to the date hereof, as of the date of such filing), none of the CFI Securities Filings contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. As of their respective dates of filing with or furnishing to the SEC (or, if amended or superseded by a filing prior to the date hereof, as of the date of such filing), the CFI Securities Filings complied in all material respects with applicable requirements of the Securities Act and/or the Exchange Act, as the case may be, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder applicable to such CFI Securities Filings.

(i) Financial Statements . The consolidated financial statements of CFI and its Subsidiaries included in the CFI Securities Filings (including the related notes, where applicable) (the “ CFI  Financial Statements ”) fairly present in all material respects the financial position, results of operations, and cash flows of CFI and its Subsidiaries as of the respective dates or for the respective fiscal periods therein set forth (subject in the case of unaudited statements to year-end audit adjustments normal in nature and amount). Each of the CFI Financial Statements (including the related notes, where applicable) complies in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements and with the published rules and regulations of the SEC with respect thereto, and each of such CFI Financial Statements (including the related notes, where applicable) has been prepared in all material respects in accordance with GAAP consistently applied during the periods involved, except, in each case, as indicated in such statements or in the notes thereto. The books and records of CFI and its Subsidiaries have since January 1, 2014, been, and are being, maintained in all material respects in accordance with GAAP and any other applicable legal and accounting requirements. Since January 1, 2014, no independent public accounting firm of CFI has resigned (or informed CFI that it intends to resign) or been dismissed as independent public accountants of CFI as a result of or in connection with any disagreements with CFI on a matter of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope or procedure.

(j) Undisclosed Liabilities . Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect, neither CFI nor any of its Subsidiaries has, or has incurred, any Liability, other than (i) Liabilities reflected on or reserved against in the consolidated balance sheet of CFI and its Subsidiaries as of June 30, 2017, included in CFI’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2017 (the “ CFI Balance Sheet ”), (ii) Liabilities incurred since June 30, 2017, in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, (iii) Liabilities incurred in connection with this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby, and (iv) Liabilities set forth on Schedule  4.2(j) of the Community First Disclosure Memorandum.

(k) Absence of Certain Changes or Events .

(i) Since June 30, 2017, there has been no effect, circumstance, occurrence, event, development, or change that, individually or taken together with all other effects, circumstances, occurrences, events, developments, and changes, has had or would reasonably be expected to have a CFI Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(ii) From June 30, 2017 through the date hereof, except in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, CFI and Bank and their Subsidiaries have conducted their respective businesses only in the ordinary and usual course consistent with past practices.

(iii) From June 30, 2017 through the date hereof, neither CFI nor Bank, nor any of their Subsidiaries, has taken or permitted, or entered into any Contract with respect to, or otherwise agreed or committed to do or take, or failed or omitted to take, any action that, if taken, permitted, or omitted after the date hereof, would constitute a breach or violation of any of the covenants set forth in Sections 6.1(b) , (c) , (d) , (e) , (j) , (k) , (l) , (n) , (o) , (q) , (r) , (t) , or (z) (solely as it relates to Sections  6.1(b) , (c) , (d) , (e) , (j) , (k) , (l) , (n) , (o) , (q) , (r) , and (t) ), except as set forth on Schedule 4.2(k)(iii) of the Community First Disclosure Memorandum.

(l) Litigation . Except as set forth on Schedule  4.2(l) of the Community First Disclosure Memorandum, there are no suits, actions, claims, investigations, or legal, administrative, arbitration, or other proceedings pending or, to the Knowledge of the Community First Parties, threatened against CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries or any property, asset, right, or interest of CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries as to which, in any such case, there is a reasonable probability of an adverse determination and which, if adversely determined, would reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect, and, to the Knowledge of the Community First Parties, there are no facts or circumstances that could reasonably be expected to give rise to any such suit, action, claim, investigation, or legal, administrative, arbitration, or other proceeding. Neither CFI or Bank nor any of their Subsidiaries, nor any of the properties or assets of CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries, is a party or subject to or bound by any judgment, decree, injunction, order, or ruling of any Governmental Entity (other than those that apply to similarly situated bank holding companies or banks) that has had or would reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect.

(m) Regulatory Actions . Except as set forth on Schedule  4.2(m) of the Community First Disclosure Memorandum, since January 1, 2014, neither CFI nor Bank, nor any of their Subsidiaries, has been a party to or subject to any cease and desist order, prompt corrective action directive, written agreement, or memorandum of understanding issued by or with, or any commitment letter or similar undertaking to, or has been subject to any action, proceeding, order, or directive by, any Governmental Entity, or has adopted any board resolutions at the request of any Governmental Entity, or has been advised by any Governmental Entity that such Governmental Entity is contemplating issuing or requesting (or is considering the appropriateness of issuing or requesting) any such action, proceeding, order, directive, cease and desist order, prompt correction action directive, written agreement, memorandum of understanding, commitment letter, board resolutions, or similar undertaking. To the Knowledge of the Community First Parties, there are no facts or circumstances which would reasonably be expected to result in any Governmental Entity issuing or requesting any such action, proceeding, order, directive, cease and desist order, prompt correction action directive, written agreement, memorandum of understanding, commitment letter, board resolutions, or similar undertaking. There are no material unresolved violations, criticisms, or exceptions noted by any Governmental Entity in or with respect to any report or statement relating to any examination or inspection of CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries. Since January 1, 2014, there have been no formal or informal inquires by (other than in the ordinary course of routine regulatory examinations and visitations), or disagreements or disputes with, any Governmental Entity with respect to the business, operations, policies, or procedures of CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries that have had or would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(n) Compliance with Laws; Deposit Insurance .

(i) The Community First Parties and their Subsidiaries have at all times since January 1, 2014, complied with, and are currently in compliance with, in all material respects, all applicable Laws, including without limitation Section 23A and Section 23B of the Federal Reserve Act and the regulations promulgated pursuant thereto; the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, as amended; the Fair Housing Act, as amended; the Fair Credit Reporting Act, as amended; the Truth in Lending Act of 1968, as amended; the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977, as amended (the “ CRA ”); the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act of 1975, as amended; the Bank Secrecy Act of 1970, as amended; the USA PATRIOT Act; the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, as amended; all applicable Laws relating to data protection or privacy; and all other applicable anti-money laundering Laws, fair lending Laws, and Laws relating to discriminatory lending, financing, leasing, or business practices or the origination, sale, or servicing of mortgage loans, except where noncompliance with such applicable Laws would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect. Except as has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect, the Community First Parties and their Subsidiaries have, and have at all times since January 1, 2014 had, all permits, licenses, franchises, certificates of authority, orders, authorizations, and approvals, that are required in order to permit them to own, lease, and operate their properties and assets and to carry on their respective businesses as heretofore or presently conducted, and all such permits, licenses, franchises, certificates of authority, orders, authorizations, and approvals are in full force and effect and, to the Knowledge of the Community First Parties, no suspension or cancellation of any of them is threatened.

(ii) Since January 1, 2014, each of the principal executive officer and the principal financial officer of CFI (or each former principal executive officer or each former principal financial officer, as applicable) has made all certifications required by Rules 13a-14 or 15d-14 under the Exchange Act and Sections 302 and 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act with respect to the CFI Securities Filings, and the statements contained in such certifications are true and accurate in all material respects, and CFI has, since January 1, 2014, been in compliance in all respects with all other applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act except for any non-compliance that would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect. For purposes of this Section  4.2(n)(ii) , “principal executive officer” and “principal financial officer” shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

(iii) The deposits of Bank are insured by the FDIC in accordance with the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (the “ FDIA ”) to the full extent permitted by Law, and Bank has paid all premiums and assessments and filed all reports required by the FDIA, except where the failure to pay all such premiums and assessments and file all such reports has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect. No proceeding for the revocation or termination of such deposit insurance is pending or, to the Knowledge of the Community First Parties, threatened.

(o) Taxes .

(i) The Community First Parties and their Subsidiaries have timely filed all material Tax Returns required to be filed by or with respect to them (the “ Community First Returns ”). Neither the Community First Parties nor any of their Subsidiaries currently are the beneficiary of any extension of time within which to file any Community First Returns. All of the Community First Returns are true, correct, and complete in all material respects, and all material Taxes due and payable by the Community First Parties and their Subsidiaries with respect to the periods covered by such Community First Returns have been paid (whether or not shown on any Community First Returns). The accruals and

 

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reserves for Taxes reflected in the CFI Balance Sheet are adequate, in accordance with GAAP, to cover all unpaid Taxes of CFI and its Subsidiaries for periods ending on or prior to the date of the CFI Balance Sheet, and all such accruals and reserves for Taxes, as adjusted for operations and transactions and the passage of time for periods ending on or prior to the Closing Date in accordance with past custom and practice of CFI and its Subsidiaries, will be adequate, in accordance with GAAP, to cover all unpaid Taxes of CFI and its Subsidiaries accruing through the Closing Date. No written claim has been made in the past three years against the Community First Parties or any of their Subsidiaries by an authority in a jurisdiction where CFI or Bank or their Subsidiaries do not file Tax Returns that CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries are or may be subject to taxation in that jurisdiction. No outstanding agreement, arrangement, extension, or waiver of or with respect to the limitation period applicable to any Community First Returns has been agreed to or entered into or granted (by the Community First Parties or any other Person), and no such agreement, arrangement, extension, or waiver has been requested, formally or informally, by or from the Community First Parties or any of their Subsidiaries, and neither the Community First Parties nor any of their Subsidiaries has executed or is bound by any extension or waiver of any statute of limitations on the assessment or collection of any Tax.

(ii) Except as would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (i) all Taxes that the Community First Parties or any of their Subsidiaries are or were required to withhold or collect in connection with any amounts paid or owing to any employee, director, independent contractor, shareholder, nonresident, creditor, or other third party (including amounts paid or owing by or to the Community First Parties or any of their Subsidiaries and any such Taxes due as a result of a plan intended to be a “nonqualified deferred compensation plan” under Section 409A(d)(1) of the Code that has not been operated in good faith compliance with Section 409A of the Code and associated guidance) have been duly withheld or collected and have been paid, to the extent required, to the proper taxing authorities; (ii) the Community First Parties and their Subsidiaries have complied with all information reporting and backup withholding requirements, including the maintenance of required records, with respect to such amounts; and (iii) the Community First Parties and their Subsidiaries have paid all employer contributions and premiums and filed all Tax Returns with respect to any employee income Tax withholding, and social security and unemployment Taxes and premiums, all in compliance with the withholding provisions of the Code and other applicable Laws.

(iii) The Community First Parties have delivered or made available to the Commerce Union Parties true, correct, and complete copies of all audit reports, statements of deficiencies, and similar documents issued by a Governmental Entity relating to the Community First Returns which the Community First Parties have in their possession or control. Set forth on Schedule  4.2(o)(iii) of the Community First Disclosure Memorandum is a true, correct, and complete list of all deficiencies proposed as a result of Governmental Entity audits, all of which have been paid or, as set forth on such schedule, have been settled or are being contested in good faith in appropriate proceedings.

(iv) No audit, investigation, examination, deficiency assessment, refund litigation, or other proceeding is pending or, to the Knowledge of the Community First Parties, threatened against or with respect to the Community First Parties or any of their Subsidiaries in respect of any Taxes or Tax matters. There are no unsatisfied Liabilities for Taxes with respect to any notice of deficiency or similar document received by the Community First Parties or any of their Subsidiaries with respect to any Taxes. There are no Liens for Taxes upon any of the properties or assets of the Community First Parties or any of their Subsidiaries, other than statutory Liens for current Taxes not yet due and payable or which are being contested in good faith for which adequate reserves have been established.

(v) Neither CFI nor Bank, nor any of their Subsidiaries, has granted to any Person a power of attorney with respect to any Taxes or Tax matters that is currently in effect for a period for which the applicable statute of limitations has not expired. Neither CFI nor Bank, nor any of their

 

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Subsidiaries, is subject to any private letter ruling of the IRS or any comparable ruling of any other taxing authority, and no request for any such ruling is pending. No closing agreement pursuant to Section 7121 of the Code (or any predecessor provision), or any similar provision of Law, has been entered into by or with respect to CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries.

(vi) There is no Contract or plan (including without limitation this Agreement and the arrangements contemplated hereby) covering any director, officer, employee, or independent contractor, or any former director, officer, employee, or independent contractor, of CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries that, individually or collectively with any other such Contracts or plans, will, or could reasonably be expected to, give rise, directly or indirectly, to the payment of any amount that would not be deductible pursuant to Section 280G or Section 162 of the Code (as determined without regard to Section 280G(b)(4) of the Code), except those payments that will not be made in the absence of shareholder approval in accordance with the requirements of Section 280G(b)(5)(B) of the Code. Neither CFI nor Bank, nor any of their Subsidiaries, is a party to or bound by any Contract or plan, or has any obligation (current or contingent), to compensate any Person for Tax-related payments, including Taxes paid pursuant to Section 4999 of the Code and Taxes under Section 409A of the Code.

(vii) Except as set forth on Schedule  4.2(o)(vii) of the Community First Disclosure Memorandum, (A) neither CFI nor Bank, nor any of their Subsidiaries, has at any time been a member of a group with which it has filed or been included in a combined, consolidated, or unitary Tax Return (other than a group of which CFI is the common parent); (B) neither CFI nor Bank, nor any of their Subsidiaries, is or has ever been a party to or bound by any Tax indemnity agreement, Tax sharing agreement, Tax allocation agreement, or similar Contract that primary focus of which is Tax matters; and (C) neither CFI nor Bank, nor any of their Subsidiaries, is liable for the Taxes of any other Person, whether as a transferee or successor, by Contract the primary focus of which is Tax matters (including any Tax allocation agreement, Tax sharing agreement, or Tax indemnity agreement), or otherwise.

(viii) The Community First Parties and their Subsidiaries are, and have at all times been, in compliance with the provisions of Section 6011, Section 6111, and Section 6112 of the Code relating to tax shelter disclosure, registration, list maintenance, and record keeping, and with the Treasury Regulations thereunder (including any predecessor or successor Code provisions or Treasury Regulations, as applicable), and neither the Community First Parties nor their Subsidiaries have at any time engaged in or entered into any transaction that would be defined as a “listed transaction” within the meaning of Treasury Regulations Section 1.6011, Section 301.6111, or Section 301.6112.

(ix) Neither the Community First Parties nor any of their Subsidiaries have participated in or cooperated with an international boycott within the meaning of Section 999 of the Code. Neither CFI nor Bank, nor any of their Subsidiaries, has a “permanent establishment” within the meaning of any applicable Tax law in any foreign jurisdiction, nor is CFI or Bank, or any of their Subsidiaries, required to file any Tax Returns in any foreign jurisdiction. No Subsidiary of CFI or Bank which is not a “United States Person” within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code has a permanent establishment within the United States or derives any income effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States.

(x) Set forth on Schedule  4.2(o)(x) of the Community First Disclosure Memorandum is a true, correct, and complete list of all Tax abatement, Tax reduction, Tax credit, and similar agreements or programs to which the Community First Parties or their Subsidiaries are parties or in which the Community First Parties or their Subsidiaries.

(xi) Neither CFI or Bank nor any of their Subsidiaries has ever distributed stock of another Person or had its stock distributed by another Person in a transaction that purported or was intended to be governed in whole or in part by Section 355 or Section 361 of the Code. Neither CFI

 

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or Bank nor any of their Subsidiaries is required to include in income any adjustment pursuant to Section 481 of the Code by reason of a voluntary change in accounting method initiated by the Community First Parties or their Subsidiaries, and the IRS has not proposed any such change in accounting method.

(xii) For purposes of this Section  4.2(o) , (A) references to CFI shall be deemed to include any predecessor to CFI, any Person which merged or was liquidated with or into CFI, any direct or indirect Subsidiary of CFI, and any Person from which CFI has incurred any Liability for Taxes as a result of transferee liability and (B) references to Bank shall be deemed to include any predecessor to Bank, any Person which merged or was liquidated with or into Bank, any direct or indirect Subsidiary of Bank, and any Person from which Bank has incurred any Liability for Taxes as a result of transferee liability.

(p) Material Contracts .

(i) Except as set forth in Schedule 4.2(p)(i) of the Community First Disclosure Memorandum as of the date hereof, neither CFI nor Bank, nor any of their Subsidiaries, is a party to or bound by any Contract (A) which is a “material contract” (as such term is defined in Item 601(b)(10) of Regulation S-K of the SEC), (B) which contains a non-compete or client or customer non-solicit requirement or any other provision that materially restricts the conduct of any line of business by CFI or Bank, or any of their Subsidiaries, or upon consummation of the Merger will materially restrict the ability of the Surviving Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries to engage in such activities, (C) with or to a labor union or guild (including any collective bargaining agreement), (D) that would, solely as a result of consummation of the Merger, the Second Step Merger or the Bank Merger, require any payment by CFI or Bank, the Interim Surviving Company, Commerce Union or the Surviving Corporation or any Subsidiary thereof of amounts in excess of $50,000, individually, or $100,000, in the aggregate, (E) other than extensions of credit, other banking products offered by Bank and its Subsidiaries, derivatives or the Leased Real Property, which creates future payment obligations of CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries in excess of $50,000 per annum and that by its terms does not terminate or is not terminable without penalty upon notice of 60 days or less, or (F) that grants any right of first refusal, right of first offer or similar right with respect to any material assets, rights or properties of CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries, taken as a whole. Each Contract of the type described in this Section  4.2(p)(i) , whether or not set forth in the Community First Disclosure Memorandum, is referred to herein as a “ Community First Material Contract ,” and neither CFI nor Bank, nor any of their Subsidiaries, knows of, or has received written notice of, any default or any violation of the above by any of the other parties thereto which would reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect.

(ii) In each case, except as would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect, (i) each Community First Material Contract is valid and binding on CFI or Bank or one of their Subsidiaries, as applicable, and in full force and effect, (ii) CFI and Bank and their Subsidiaries have in all respects performed all obligations required to be performed by them to date under each Community First Material Contract, (iii) to the Knowledge of the Community First Parties, each third-party counterparty to each Community First Material Contract has in all respects performed all obligations required to be performed by it to date under such Community First Material Contract, and (iv) no event or condition exists which constitutes or, after notice or lapse of time or both, will constitute, a default on the part of CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries under any such Community First Material Contract.

 

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(q) Intellectual Property; Information Technology Systems .

(i) Set forth on Schedule  4.2(q)(i) of the Community First Disclosure Memorandum is a true, correct, and complete list of all of the Intellectual Property owned by CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries and registered or applied for before a Governmental Entity and used by CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries in the conduct of their respective businesses (collectively, the “ Community First Registered Intellectual Property ”). All required filings and fees related to Community First Registered Intellectual Property have been timely filed with and paid to the relevant Governmental Entities and authorized registrars, and all Community First Registered Intellectual Property is in good standing, except where the failure to timely file and pay or to be in good standing has not and would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect.

(ii) Set forth on Schedule  4.2(q)(ii) of the Community First Disclosure Memorandum is a true, correct, and complete list of all Contracts pursuant to which CFI or Bank (i) obtain a license to Intellectual Property owned by a third party (excluding Contracts for commercially available or off-the shelf software or services) and material to the conduct of the business of CFI and Bank and their Subsidiaries as presently conducted; or (ii) grant a license or right to use Intellectual Property owned by CFI or Bank or one of their Subsidiaries (excluding non-exclusive licenses granted in the ordinary course of business). There is no breach or default or alleged breach or default, or to the Knowledge of the Community First Parties any state of facts or circumstances which with notice or lapse of time or both would constitute a breach or default, on the part of any party to any such Contract in the performance of any obligation to be performed, paid, or observed by any party under or pursuant to any such Contract, in each case which would reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect.

(iii) CFI and Bank and their Subsidiaries own or possess all requisite rights to use all of the material Intellectual Property required or necessary for the conduct of the business of CFI and Bank and their Subsidiaries as presently conducted (the “ Community First Intellectual Property ”), to the Knowledge of the Community First Parties, without any conflict with the rights of others or any known use by others which conflicts with the rights of CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries. Except pursuant to the Contracts set forth on Schedule 4.2(q)(ii) , neither CFI nor Bank, nor any of their Subsidiaries, owes any royalties, honoraria, or fees to any Person by reason of the use by CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries of any of the Community First Intellectual Property. Neither CFI nor Bank, nor any of their Subsidiaries, has received notice of, and to the Knowledge of the Community First Parties there is no basis for, any claimed conflict with respect to any of the Community First Intellectual Property or any claim against CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries that their respective operations, activities, products, publications, goods, or services infringe upon any patent, trademark, trade name, copyright, or other intellectual property or proprietary right of a third party, or that CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries is illegally or otherwise impermissibly using any patent, trademark, trade name, copyright, trade secret, or other intellectual property or proprietary right of others, nor has there been any written claim or assertion that any of the Community First Intellectual Property is invalid or defective in any way.

(iv) All information technology and computer systems (including software, information technology and telecommunications hardware, and other equipment) relating to or for the transmission, storage, maintenance, organization, presentation, generation, processing, or analysis of data and information, whether or not in electronic format, necessary for or used in the conduct of the businesses of the Community First Parties and their Subsidiaries (collectively, the “ Community First IT Systems ”) have been properly maintained in accordance with standards in the financial industry to ensure proper operation, monitoring, and use and operate as necessary to conduct business as currently conducted, in each such case, except where the failure to be so maintained or operated has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect. Since January 1, 2014, neither CFI nor Bank, nor any of their Subsidiaries, has experienced any material disruption to, or material interruption in, the conduct of its business attributable to a defect, bug,

 

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breakdown, or other failure or deficiency in or of the performance of the Community First IT Systems to operate as necessary for the conduct of the business as currently conducted. The Community First Parties and their Subsidiaries have taken reasonable measures to provide for the back-up and recovery of the data and information necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses (including such data and information that is stored on magnetic or optical media in the ordinary course) without material disruption to, or material interruption in, the conduct of their respective businesses. Neither CFI nor Bank, nor any of their Subsidiaries, is in breach of or default under any Community First Material Contract relating to any of the Community First IT Systems except where such breach has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect.

(v) The Community First Parties and their Subsidiaries have in place commercially reasonable data protection and privacy policies and procedures designed to protect, safeguard, and maintain the confidentiality, integrity, and security of (A) their information technology systems and software owned or purported to be owned by them and (B) all information, data, and transactions stored or contained therein or transmitted thereby, including personally identifiable information, financial information, and credit card data (as such information or terms are defined and/or regulated under applicable Laws (the “ Community First Data ”), against any unauthorized or improper use, access, transmittal, interruption, modification, or corruption. Except as has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect, the Community First Parties and their Subsidiaries are in compliance with applicable federal and state confidentiality and data security Laws, including without limitation Title V of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999 and regulations promulgated thereunder, as well as the provisions of the information security program adopted by the Community First Parties pursuant to 12 C.F.R. Part 364, and all applicable card association rules and the payment card industry data security standards. Except as has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect, there currently are not any, and since January 1, 2014, there have not been any, pending or, to the Knowledge of the Community First Parties, threatened claims or written complaints with respect to unauthorized access to or breaches of the security of (A) any of the Community First Parties’ or their Subsidiaries’ information technology systems or (B) Community First Data or any other such information collected, maintained, or stored by or on behalf of the Community First Parties or their Subsidiaries (or any unlawful acquisition, use, loss, destruction, compromise, or disclosure thereof).

(r) Labor and Employment Matters .

(i) The Community First Parties and their Subsidiaries are, and since January 1, 2014, have been in compliance with all applicable Laws respecting employment, retention of independent contractors, employment practices, terms and conditions of employment, wages and hours, occupational health and safety, and anti-discrimination, except where the failure to be in compliance has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect. Neither CFI nor Bank, nor any of their Subsidiaries, is or has ever been a party to, or is or has ever been bound by, any collective bargaining agreement or contract or other agreement or understanding with a labor union or labor organization with respect to its employees, nor is CFI or Bank, or any of their Subsidiaries, the subject of any proceeding in which it is asserted that CFI or Bank, or any of their Subsidiaries, has committed an unfair labor practice or seeking to compel CFI or Bank, or any of their Subsidiaries, to bargain with any labor union or labor organization as to wages and conditions of employment, nor, to the Knowledge of the Community First Parties, has any such proceeding been threatened, nor is there any strike, labor dispute, or organizational effort involving CFI or Bank, or any of their Subsidiaries, pending or, to the Knowledge of the Community First Parties, threatened.

 

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(ii) Set forth on Schedule 4.2(r)(ii) of the Community First Disclosure Memorandum is (A) a true, correct, and complete list of all employees (including any leased or temporary employees) of the Community First Parties and their Subsidiaries; (B) each such employee’s current rate of compensation and bonus or incentive compensation arrangements; and (C) each such employee’s date of hire and accrued vacation, sick leave, personal leave, and paid time off, as applicable. Set forth or identified on Schedule 4.2(r)(ii) of the Community First Disclosure Memorandum are the names of any employees of the Community First Parties or any of their Subsidiaries who are absent from work due to a leave of absence (including without limitation in accordance with the requirements of the Family and Medical Leave Act or the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act) or a work-related injury, or who are receiving workers’ compensation or disability compensation.

(iii) To the Knowledge of the Community First Parties, no director, officer, employee, or independent contractor of or to CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries is a party to or otherwise bound by any Contract, including without limitation any confidentiality, non-competition, non-solicitation, or proprietary rights agreement, that would reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect the ability of CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries to conduct its business as currently conducted or the ability of such Person to perform and carry out such Person’s duties or responsibilities.

(iv) Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, neither CFI nor Bank, nor any of their Subsidiaries, has classified any Person as an “independent contractor” or any similar status who, under applicable Law or the provisions of any Community First Benefit Plan (as defined below), should have been classified as an employee. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect, neither CFI nor Bank, nor any of their Subsidiaries, has any Liability for improperly excluding any Person who provides or has provided services to CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries in any capacity from participating in any Community First Benefit Plan.

(v) Except as set forth on Schedule  4.2(r)(v) of the Community First Disclosure Memorandum, to the Knowledge of the Community First Parties as of the date of this Agreement, no officer of CFI or Bank (or any of their Subsidiaries) with a title of vice president or higher has informed CFI or Bank (or any of their Subsidiaries) in writing of his or her intent to terminate his or her employment in writing with CFI or Bank (or any of their Subsidiaries), as applicable.

(vi) There is no pending or, to the Knowledge of the Community First Parties, threatened suit, action, claim, or legal, administrative, arbitration, or other proceeding by or on behalf of any current or former employee of CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries, including without limitation any suit, action, claim, or legal, administrative, arbitration, or other proceeding alleging noncompliance with applicable Laws respecting employment, employment practices, wages and hours, or terms and conditions of employment (but excluding workers’ compensation matters), as to which, in any such case, there is a reasonable probability of an adverse determination and which, if adversely determined, would reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect, and to the Knowledge of the Community First Parties, there are no facts or circumstances that could reasonably be expected to give rise to any such suit, action, claim, or legal, administrative, arbitration, or other proceeding.

(s) Benefit Plans .

(i) Set forth on Schedule  4.2(s)(i) of the Community First Disclosure Memorandum is a true, correct, and complete list of all pension, retirement, salary continuation, stock option, stock purchase, stock ownership, savings, stock appreciation right, profit sharing, deferred compensation, consulting, bonus, group insurance, disability, severance, change of control, change in control, fringe benefit, incentive, cafeteria or Code Section 125, welfare, and other benefit plans, contracts, agreements, and arrangements, including without limitation “employee benefit plans” as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA, incentive and welfare policies, contracts, plans, and arrangements,

 

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including split dollar life insurance arrangements, and all trust agreements and funding arrangements related thereto, which are or have been maintained by, contributed to (or required to be contributed to), or sponsored by CFI or Bank for the benefit of or with respect to any present or former directors, officers, or employees of CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries, or to or under which CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries have any Liability (herein referred to collectively as the “ Community First Benefit Plans ”), including any and all plans or policies offered to employees of CFI or Bank, or any of their Subsidiaries, with respect to which CFI or Bank has claimed or is claiming the safe harbor for “voluntary plans” under ERISA for group and group-type insurance arrangements (“ Community First Voluntary Plans ”). The Community First Parties have previously delivered or made available to the Commerce Union Parties true, correct, and complete copies of all plans, contracts, agreements, arrangements, and other documents required to be set forth in Schedule  4.2(s)(i) of the Community First Disclosure Memorandum, along with, where applicable, copies of the IRS Form 5500 for the most recently completed year. There has been no announcement or commitment by CFI or Bank, or any of their Subsidiaries, to create any additional Community First Benefit Plan, to amend any Community First Benefit Plan (except for amendments required by applicable Law or which do not materially increase the cost of such Community First Benefit Plan), or to terminate any Community First Benefit Plan. Each Community First Benefit Plan that provides for the payment of “deferred compensation,” including any employment, change of control, change in control, stock option, supplemental executive retirement, or salary continuation agreement between CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries and any current or former director, officer, or employee, complies with Section 409A of the Code.

(ii) Other than routine claims for benefits or as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect, there is no pending or, to the Knowledge of the Community First Parties, threatened, litigation, action, administrative action, suit, audit, arbitration, mediation, or other proceeding relating to any Community First Benefit Plan. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect, (i) all of the Community First Benefit Plans comply in all respects with applicable requirements of ERISA and the Code and other applicable Laws (including without limitation the portability, privacy, and security provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, as amended; the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2009, as amended; the coverage continuation requirements of Title X of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as amended; the Family and Medical Leave Act, as amended; the Mental Health Parity Act of 1996, as amended; the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008, as amended; the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, as amended; the Newborns’ and Mothers’ Health Protection Act of 1996, as amended; the Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act, as amended; and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, as amended), and (ii) have been established, maintained, and administered in compliance with all applicable requirements of ERISA and the Code and other applicable Laws and the terms and provisions of all documents, contracts, or agreements establishing the Community First Benefit Plans or pursuant to which they are maintained or administered. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect, there are no existing circumstances and to the Knowledge of the Community First Parties no event has occurred that would reasonably be expected to result in the disqualification of any Community First Benefit Plan intended to be tax-qualified under Section 401 of the Code. No audit of any Community First Benefit Plan by the IRS, the United States Department of Labor, or any other Governmental Entity is ongoing or was ongoing or closed or, to the Knowledge of the Community First Parties, threatened at any time during the past five years. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect, there has occurred no “prohibited transaction” (as defined in Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code) with respect to any Community First Benefit Plan that is likely to result in, or has already resulted in, the imposition of any material penalties or material Taxes upon CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries under Section 502(i) of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code.

 

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(iii) No Liability to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation has been, or is expected by the Community First Parties or their Subsidiaries to be, incurred with respect to any Community First Benefit Plan that is subject to Title IV of ERISA (a “ Community First Pension Plan ”), or with respect to any “single-employer plan” (as defined in Section 4001(a) of ERISA) currently or formerly maintained by CFI or Bank or any ERISA Affiliate. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect, no Community First Pension Plan had an “accumulated funding deficiency” (as defined in Section 302 of ERISA), whether or not waived, as of the last day of the end of the most recent plan year ending prior to the date hereof; the fair market value of the assets of each Community First Pension Plan exceeds the present value of the “benefit liabilities” (as defined in Section 4001(a)(16) of ERISA) under such Community First Pension Plan as of the end of the most recent plan year ending prior to the date hereof, calculated on the basis of the actuarial assumptions used in the most recent actuarial valuation for such Community First Pension Plan as of the date hereof; and no notice of a “reportable event” (as defined in Section 4043 of ERISA) for which the reporting requirement has not been waived has been required to be filed for any Community First Pension Plan within the 12-month period ending on the date of this Agreement. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect, neither CFI nor Bank, nor any of their Subsidiaries, has provided or is required to provide security to any Community First Pension Plan or to any single-employer plan of an ERISA Affiliate pursuant to Section 401(a)(29) of the Code. Neither CFI nor Bank, nor any of their Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate, has contributed to or been obligated to contribute to any “multiemployer plan” as defined in Section 3(37) of ERISA.

(iv) Each Community First Benefit Plan that is an “employee pension benefit plan” (as defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA) and which is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code (a “ Community First Qualified Plan ”) has received a current favorable determination letter from the IRS (or, in the case of an IRS pre-approved plan, the pre-approved plan has a current IRS opinion or advisory letter upon which the Community First Parties are entitled to rely under applicable IRS guidance), and to the Knowledge of the Community First Parties there are no facts or circumstances that would reasonably be expected to result in the revocation of any such favorable determination letter. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect, each Community First Qualified Plan, if any, that is an “employee stock ownership plan” (as defined in Section 4975(e)(7) of the Code) has satisfied all of the applicable requirements of Sections 409 and 4975(e)(7) of the Code and the regulations thereunder in all respects, and any assets of any such Community First Qualified Plan that, as of the end of the most recent plan year, are not allocated to participants’ individual accounts are pledged as security for, and may be applied to satisfy, any securities acquisition indebtedness.

(v) Except as set forth on Schedule  4.2(s)(v) of the Community First Disclosure Memorandum, neither CFI nor Bank, nor any of their Subsidiaries, has any obligations for post-retirement benefits under any Community First Benefit Plan that cannot be amended and/or terminated upon 60 days or less notice without incurring any Liability thereunder, except for coverage required by Part 6 of Title I of ERISA or Section 4980B of the Code or similar state Laws, the cost of which is borne by the electing individuals.

(vi) Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect, all contributions and payments (both employer and employee) required to be made with respect to any Community First Benefit Plan by applicable Law or by any plan document or other contractual undertaking, and all premiums due or payable (both employer and employee) with respect to insurance policies funding any Community First Benefit Plan, have been timely made or paid in full by the applicable due date, with extensions, or to the extent not required to be made or paid on or before the date hereof, have been fully reflected or reserved against in the CFI Balance

 

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Sheet to the extent required by GAAP or regulatory accounting requirements. Each Community First Benefit Plan that is an employee welfare benefit plan under Section 3(1) of ERISA either (A) is funded through an insurance company contract and is not a “welfare benefit fund” within the meaning of Section 419 of the Code or (B) is unfunded.

(vii) Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect, all required reports, notices, disclosures, and descriptions (including without limitation Form 5500 annual reports and required attachments, Forms 1099-R, summary annual reports, Forms PBGC-1, and summary plan descriptions) have been timely filed or distributed in accordance with applicable Law with respect to each Community First Benefit Plan. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect, all required Tax filings with respect to each Community First Benefit Plan have been made, and any Taxes due in connection with such filings have been paid.

(viii) Except as set forth on Schedule  4.2(s)(viii) of the Community First Disclosure Memorandum or as otherwise set forth in this Agreement, neither CFI nor Bank, nor any of their Subsidiaries, is a party to or bound by any Contract (including without limitation any severance, change of control, change in control, salary continuation, or employment agreement) that will, as a result or consequence of the execution or delivery of this Agreement, shareholder approval of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby, or the consummation of the transactions, including the Merger, the Second Step Merger, or the Bank Merger, contemplated hereby, either alone or in connection with any other event, (A) entitle any current or former director, officer, employee, or independent contractor of CFI or Bank, or of any of their Subsidiaries, to severance pay or change of control or other benefits, or any increase in severance pay or other benefits (whether upon termination of employment or termination of such Contract after the date hereof or otherwise), (B) accelerate the time of payment or vesting or trigger any payment or funding (through a grantor trust or otherwise) of compensation or benefits under, increase the amount payable under, or trigger any withdrawal liability under or any other material obligation pursuant to any of the Community First Benefit Plans, (C) result in any breach or violation of, or a default under, any of the Community First Benefit Plans, or (D) result in the payment of any “excess parachute payments” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code, the imposition of any Tax under Section 409A of the Code, or the forgiveness of any indebtedness.

(ix) Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a CFI Material Adverse Effect, each Community First Benefit Plan that is a “nonqualified deferred compensation plan” (as defined in Section 409A(d)(1) of the Code) is in documentary compliance with Section 409A of the Code and has been administered (A) in good faith compliance with Section 409A of the Code during the period beginning October 1, 2004, through December 31, 2008, and (B) in compliance with Section 409A of the Code since January 1, 2009.

(x) No Person is entitled to receive any additional payment (including without limitation any Tax gross-up or similar payment) from CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries as a result of the imposition of any excise Taxes under Section 4999 of the Code or any Taxes required by Section 409A of the Code.

(xi) All of the Community First Benefit Plans are nondiscriminatory with respect to eligibility and benefits to the extent required under applicable provisions of the Code and other applicable Laws. To the extent required by applicable Law, all of the Community First Benefit Plans have been approved by the shareholders of CFI or Bank, as applicable, or the shareholders of corporations CFI or Bank has acquired.

 

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(xii) All Community First Voluntary Plans satisfy the regulatory safe-harbor requirements provided by ERISA in order for such Community First Voluntary Plans to be considered not to be or to have been established, sponsored, or maintained by CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries and not to constitute an “employee benefit plan” subject to ERISA.

(t) Real and Personal Property .

(i) Set forth on Schedule  4.2(t)(i) of the Community First Disclosure Memorandum is a true, correct, and complete list (by street address) as of the date of this Agreement of all real property owned by CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries, including without limitation property carried on the books of Bank as “other real estate owned” (the “ Owned Real Property ”), and all real property leased by CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries (the “ Leased Real Property ,” and together with the Owned Real Property, collectively, the “ Community First Properties ”). Except for the Community First Properties, as of the date of this Agreement, neither CFI nor Bank nor any of their Subsidiaries holds any interest (fee, leasehold, or otherwise) in any real property. CFI and Bank and their Subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all of the Owned Real Property (including any property acquired in a judicial foreclosure proceeding or by way of a deed in lieu of foreclosure or similar transfer), in each case free and clear of any and all Liens, except Permitted Liens. There are no unpaid bills or claims for work performed on or at the Community First Properties other than bills for work that has been performed but which are not yet due and payable. Each lease pursuant to which CFI or Bank or their Subsidiaries lease the Leased Real Property is valid, binding, enforceable (except as enforceability may be limited by the Enforceability Exceptions), and in full force and effect, and neither CFI nor Bank nor any of their Subsidiaries, nor, to the Knowledge of the Community First Parties, any other party to any such lease, is in material breach or default under or in material violation of any provision of any such lease. The Community First Parties have previously delivered or made available to the Commerce Union Parties a true, correct, and complete copy of each such lease, including any amendments thereto. Each of the Community First Properties that is used or held for use by the Community First Parties in connection with the current business or operations of the Community First Parties and their Subsidiaries (the “ CFI Business Properties ”) is in good condition (normal wear and tear excepted) and is reasonably considered by the Community First Parties to be adequate for the current business of the Community First Parties and their Subsidiaries. To the Knowledge of the Community First Parties, none of the buildings, structures, or other improvements located on any of the CFI Business Properties encroaches upon or over any adjoining parcel of real estate or any easement or right-of-way, and none of the buildings, structures, or other improvements located on any parcel adjoining the CFI Business Properties encroaches upon or over any portion of the CFI Business Properties.

(ii) To the Knowledge of the Community First Parties, (i) the Community First Parties and their Subsidiaries are entitled to and have exclusive possession of the Leased Real Property; (ii) except as set forth on Schedule 4.2(t)(ii) of the Community First Disclosure Memorandum, the Community First Properties are not subject to any other legally binding lease, tenancy, or license or any legally binding agreement to grant any such lease, tenancy, or license that materially interferes with the Community First Parties’ or their Subsidiaries’ use of the Community First Properties; (iii) there is no Person in possession or occupation of, or who has any current right to possession or occupation of, the Community First Properties other than the Community First Parties and their Subsidiaries; (iv) and there are no easements of any kind on, in respect of, or affecting the Community First Properties that materially and adversely affect the rights of the Community First Parties and their Subsidiaries to use the Community First Properties for the conduct of their business.

(iii) None of the Community First Business Properties, nor any building, structure, fixture, or improvement thereon, is the subject of, or affected by, any condemnation, taking, eminent domain, or inverse condemnation proceeding currently instituted or pending, and the Community First Parties have no Knowledge that any of the Community First Business Properties, or any such building, structure, fixture, or improvement, will or may be the subject of, or affected by, any such

 

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proceeding. To the Knowledge of the Community First Parties, there are no special, general, or other assessment proceedings affecting the Community First Business Properties which, if as a result of which a special, general, or other assessment were imposed, would materially increase the cost of using and operating the Community First Business Properties as currently used and operated by the Community First Parties and their Subsidiaries.

(iv) To the Knowledge of the Community First Parties, none of the Community First Properties are located in any special flood hazard area or zone on any official flood hazard map published by the United States Federal Emergency Management Agency or in any wetland area as designated by the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, or any applicable state or local agency. The Community First Business Properties are appropriately zoned for each of the purposes for which they are being used by the Community First Parties and their Subsidiaries, except where the failure to be so appropriately zoned would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect.

(v) Neither CFI nor Bank, nor any of their Subsidiaries, has experienced any material restriction in access to or from public roads or any material restriction in access to any utilities, including without limitation water, sewer, drainage, gas, electric, telephone, cable, and internet, used by CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries in the operation of their business as presently conducted which material restriction remains in effect; there is no pending or, to the Knowledge of the Community First Parties, threatened governmental action that could prohibit or materially interfere with such access; and, to the Knowledge of the Community First Parties, no fact or condition exists which, with the passage of time or the giving of notice, or both, may result in the termination of or material reduction or impairment of such access. All existing utilities provided at the Community First Business Properties are adequate in all material respects for the Community First Parties’ and their Subsidiaries’ existing use and operation of the Community First Business Properties.

(vi) CFI and Bank and their Subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them, in each case free and clear of any and all Liens, except for Permitted Liens. Each lease pursuant to which CFI or Bank, or any of their Subsidiaries, leases any item of material personal property is valid, binding, enforceable (except as enforceability may be limited by the Enforceability Exceptions), and in full force and effect, and neither CFI nor Bank, nor any of their Subsidiaries, nor, to the Knowledge of the Community First Parties, any other party to any such lease, is in default under or in breach or violation of any provision of any such lease, except for such defaults, breaches or violations as would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect. The material personal property owned or leased by CFI and Bank and their Subsidiaries is in good condition, normal wear and tear excepted, and is sufficient for the carrying on of the business of CFI and Bank and their Subsidiaries in the ordinary course consistent with past practice.

(u) Environmental Matters .

(i) Except as set forth on Schedule  4.2(u)(i) of the Community First Disclosure Memorandum or has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect, each of the Community First Properties, each of the CFI Participation Facilities, and, to the Knowledge of the Community First Parties, each of the CFI Loan Properties is, and has been during the period of CFI’s or Bank’s or their Subsidiaries’ ownership or operation thereof, in compliance with all Environmental Laws. There is no suit, claim, action, demand, executive or administrative order, directive, investigation, or proceeding pending or, to the Knowledge of the Community First Parties, threatened against CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries, (A) for alleged noncompliance (including by any predecessor) with or Liability under any

 

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Environmental Law or (B) relating to the presence of or release into the environment of any Hazardous Substance, whether or not occurring at or on a site owned, leased, or operated by CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries. To the Knowledge of the Community First Parties, there is no suit, claim, action, demand, executive or administrative order, directive, investigation, or proceeding pending or threatened against or relating to any CFI Loan Property (or CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries in respect of any CFI Loan Property) and (A) relating to alleged noncompliance (including by any predecessor) with or Liability under any Environmental Law or (B) relating to the presence of or release into the environment of any Hazardous Substance, whether or not occurring at or on a CFI Loan Property, which, in any such case, if adversely determined or imposed, would reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect. To the Knowledge of the Community First Parties, neither CFI nor Bank, nor any of their Subsidiaries, has received any notice, demand letter, executive or administrative order, directive, or request for information from any Governmental Entity or other third party indicating that it is or may be in violation of or have any Liability under any Environmental Law.

(ii) To the Knowledge of the Community First Parties, there are no underground storage tanks at or on any of the Community First Properties. Neither CFI nor Bank nor any of their Subsidiaries, nor to the Knowledge of the Community First Parties any other Person, has closed or removed any underground storage tank on or from any of the Community First Properties. None of the Community First Properties is the site of or, to the Knowledge of the Community First Parties, was formerly the site of a dry cleaning facility.

(iii) To the Knowledge of the Community First Parties, during the period of (A) the Community First Parties’ and their Subsidiaries’ ownership or operation of the Community First Properties and (B) the Community First Parties’ or their Subsidiaries’ participation in the management of any CFI Participation Facility, none of the Community First Parties has caused contamination by or release of Hazardous Substances in, on, under, or affecting such properties, except for releases of Hazardous Substances, individually or in the aggregate, in quantities below the level at which they were regulated under any Environmental Law in effect at the time of such release(s). Except as set forth on Schedule  4.2(u)(iii) of the Community First Disclosure Memorandum or has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect, to the Knowledge of the Community First Parties, prior to the period of (A) the Community First Parties’ and their Subsidiaries’ ownership or operation of the Community First Properties or (B) the Community First Parties’ or their Subsidiaries’ participation in the management of any CFI Participation Facility, there was no contamination by or release of Hazardous Substances in, on, under, or affecting such properties, except for releases of Hazardous Substances, individually or in the aggregate, in quantities below the level at which they were regulated under any Environmental Law in effect at the time of such release(s).

(v) Fairness Opinion . Prior to the Parties’ execution of this Agreement, the board of directors of CFI has received from Professional Bank Services, Inc. d/b/a ProBank Austin an opinion (which, if initially rendered verbally, has been or will be confirmed in a written opinion dated the same date) to the effect that, as of the date of such opinion and subject only to customary assumptions and qualifications, the Exchange Ratio is fair from a financial point of view to the holders of CFI Common Stock.

(w) Broker Fees . Except as set forth on Schedule  4.2(w) of the Community First Disclosure Memorandum, neither CFI or Bank nor any of their Subsidiaries, nor any of their respective officers, directors, employees, or agents, has engaged or employed any broker, investment banker, or finder or incurred any Liability for any financial advisory, investment banking, brokerage, or finder’s fees, commissions, or expenses, and no broker, investment banker, or finder has acted directly or indirectly for or on behalf of CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries, in each case in connection with this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

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(x) Loan Matters .

(i) Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect, all Loans made, originated, or held by CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries (collectively, the “ Bank Loans ”) (A) were made or originated for good, valuable, and adequate consideration in the ordinary course of business; (B) were solicited and originated, and are and have been administered and, where applicable, serviced, and the relevant Loan files are being and have been maintained, in accordance with (1) the relevant notes or other credit or security documents, (2) the applicable underwriting and servicing standards of Bank (and, in the case of Loans held for resale to investors, the underwriting standards, if any, of the applicable investors), and (3) all applicable Laws. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect, the notes or other evidences of indebtedness evidencing the Bank Loans and all pledges, mortgages, deeds of trust, and other collateral documents and security agreements related thereto are legal, valid, binding, and enforceable (except as enforceability may be limited by the Enforceability Exceptions).

(ii) Except as set forth on Schedule 4.2(x)(ii) of the Community First Disclosure Memorandum or as would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect, neither the terms of any Loan held, originated, made, administered, or serviced by CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries, any of the documentation for any such Loan, the manner in which any such Loan has been administered or serviced, nor CFI’s or Bank’s or their Subsidiaries’ practices of approving or rejecting Loan applications violate any Law applicable thereto, including without limitation the Truth in Lending Act of 1968, as amended; Regulation B, Regulation O, and Regulation Z of the Federal Reserve; the CRA; the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, as amended; and any applicable federal or state Laws relating to consumer protection, installment sales, or usury.

(iii) The Community First Parties’ allowance for loan and lease losses is, and shall be as of the Effective Time, in compliance in all material respects with their existing methodology for determining the adequacy of their allowance for loan and lease losses as well as the standards established by applicable Governmental Entities and the Financial Accounting Standards Board, and is and shall be adequate under all such standards.

(iv) Except as set forth on Schedule  4.2(x)(iv) of the Community First Disclosure Memorandum, none of the Contracts pursuant to which CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries has sold Loans or pools of Loans, or participations in Loans or pools of Loans, contain any Liability on the part of CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries to repurchase such Loans or interests therein other than in the case where there has been a material breach of a representation or warranty by Bank.

(v) Set forth on Schedule  4.2(x)(v) of the Community First Disclosure Memorandum is a true, correct, and complete listing, as of July 31, 2017, by account of (A) each borrower, customer, or other Person who has notified CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries during the past 12 months of, or has asserted against CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries, any “lender liability” or similar claim; (B) all Loans of CFI and Bank and their Subsidiaries (1) that are contractually past due 90 days or more in the payment of principal and/or interest, (2) that are on non-accrual status, (3) that are classified as “special mention,” “substandard,” “doubtful,” “loss,” or words of similar import, or (4) where the interest rate terms have been reduced and/or the maturity dates have been extended subsequent to the origination of the Loans due to concerns regarding the borrowers’ ability to pay in

 

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accordance with the Loans’ original terms; and (C) all assets classified by CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries as real estate acquired through foreclosure or in lieu of foreclosure, including in-substance foreclosures, and all other assets currently held that were acquired through foreclosure or in lieu of foreclosure, in each case including the book value thereof as of July 31, 2017.

(vi) Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect, each Loan held by CFI or Bank or their Subsidiaries (A) is evidenced by notes, agreements, or other evidences of indebtedness that are true, genuine, and what they purport to be, (B) to the extent secured, has been secured by valid Liens which have been perfected and (C) is a legal, valid, and binding obligation of the obligor named therein, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by the Enforceability Exceptions.

(vii) Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect, (A) there are no material oral modifications or amendments related to any Loans held by CFI or Bank or their Subsidiaries that are not reflected in the written records of the Community First Parties or their Subsidiaries, (B) all Loans held by CFI or Bank or their Subsidiaries are owned by the Community First Parties or their Subsidiaries free and clear of any Liens, except for Liens on Loans granted to the Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati or the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, (C) no claims of defense as to the enforcement of any Loan held by CFI or Bank have been asserted in writing against the Community First Parties or their Subsidiaries for which there is a reasonable possibility of an adverse determination, (D) the Community First Parties have no Knowledge of any acts or omissions which would give rise to any claim or right of rescission, set-off, counterclaim or defense for which there is a possibility of an adverse determination to CFI or Bank, and (E) none of the Loans held by CFI or Bank or their Subsidiaries are presently serviced by third parties, and there is no obligation which could result in any such Loan becoming subject to any third party servicing.

(viii) Neither CFI or Bank is now or has been since January 1, 2014, subject to any material fine, suspension, or settlement or other administrative agreement or sanction by, or any reduction in any loan purchase commitment from, any Governmental Entity relating to the origination, sale, or servicing of mortgage or consumer Loans.

(y) Material Interests of Certain Persons . Except for deposit and loan relationships entered into in the ordinary course of business in compliance with applicable Law and except as otherwise set forth on Schedule  4.2(y) of the Community First Disclosure Memorandum, no current or former officer or director of CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries, or any immediate family member or Affiliate of any such Person, has any material direct or indirect interest in any Contract or property, real or personal, tangible or intangible, of, used in the business of, or owned or leased by CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries.

(z) Insurance . Set forth on Schedule  4.2(z) of the Community First Disclosure Memorandum is a true, correct, and complete list of all policies of insurance currently held or maintained by or providing coverage for CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries, including without limitation bank-owned life insurance (collectively, the “ Community First Insurance Policies ”), including for each such Community First Insurance Policy (i) the name of the insurer, (ii) the named insured(s), (iii) the nature of the coverage, (iv) the policy limits (on a per occurrence and aggregate basis), (v) the annual premiums, and (vi) the expiration date. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect, (A) CFI and Bank and their Subsidiaries are insured with reputable insurers against such risks and in such amounts as the management of CFI reasonably has determined to be prudent and consistent with industry practices, (B) all of the Community First Insurance Policies are in full force and effect, neither CFI or Bank nor any of their Subsidiaries is in default

 

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thereunder, and no event has occurred which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute a default or permit a termination, modification, or acceleration under any of the Community First Insurance Policies, and (C) all premiums due and payable with respect to the Community First Insurance Policies have been timely and fully paid (to the extent due and payable), and all claims thereunder have been filed in a timely fashion. To the Knowledge of the Community First Parties, there is no material claim for coverage by CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries pending under any of the Community First Insurance Policies as to which coverage has been denied or disputed. To the Knowledge of the Community First Parties, neither CFI nor Bank nor any of their Subsidiaries has received written notice of any termination of (actual or threatened), material premium increase with respect to, or material alteration of coverage under any of the Community First Insurance Policies.

(aa) Investment Securities; Derivatives . The Community First Parties and their Subsidiaries have good title to all securities and commodities owned by them in all material respects (except those sold under repurchase agreements), free and clear of any Liens, except to the extent such securities or commodities are pledged in the ordinary course of business to secure obligations of the Community First Parties and their Subsidiaries. Such securities and commodities are valued on the books of the Community First Parties and their Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP in all material respects. The Community First Parties and their Subsidiaries employ investment, securities, commodities, risk management, and other policies, practices, and procedures that are prudent and reasonable in the context of their respective businesses, and prior to the date of this Agreement, the Community First Parties have made available to the Commerce Union Parties the material terms of such policies, practices, and procedures. Except for restrictions that exist for securities that are classified as “held to maturity” and except as would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect, none of the investment securities held by CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries are subject to any restriction (whether contractual, statutory, or otherwise) that could materially impair the ability of the entity holding such investment securities freely to dispose of such investment securities. Except as set forth on Schedule  4.2(aa) of the Community First Disclosure Memorandum, neither CFI nor Bank nor any of their Subsidiaries is a party to or has agreed to enter into any exchange-traded or over-the-counter equity, interest rate, foreign exchange, or other swap, forward, future, option, cap, floor, or collar, or any other Contract that is a derivative contract (including various combinations thereof), or owns securities that (i) are referred to generically as “structured notes,” “high risk mortgage derivatives,” “capped floating rate notes,” or “capped floating rate mortgage derivatives” or (ii) are likely to have changes in value as a result of interest or exchange rate changes that materially exceed normal changes in value attributable to interest or exchange rate changes.

(bb) Transactions with Affiliates . All “covered transactions” between Bank and any “affiliate” within the meaning of Section 23A and Section 23B of the Federal Reserve Act and the regulations promulgated pursuant thereto have been in material compliance with such provisions of Law.

(cc) Fiduciary Accounts . Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect, CFI and Bank and their Subsidiaries have properly administered all accounts, if any, for which they serve or act as a fiduciary, including without limitation accounts for which they serve as trustee, agent, custodian, personal representative, guardian, conservator, or investment advisor, in accordance with the terms of all governing documents and applicable Laws. Neither CFI nor Bank nor any of their Subsidiaries, nor to the Knowledge of the Community First Parties any of their or their Subsidiaries’ respective directors, officers, or employees, have committed any breach of trust with respect to any fiduciary account that would reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect, and the records for each such fiduciary account are true and correct in all material respects and accurately reflect the assets of such fiduciary account.

 

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(dd) Tax Treatment of Mergers . The Community First Parties have no Knowledge of any fact or circumstance that would reasonably be expected to prevent the Mergers, taken together, from qualifying as a “reorganization” under the provisions of Section 368(a) of the Code.

(ee) CRA, Anti-Money Laundering, OFAC, and Customer Information Security . Bank received a rating of “Satisfactory” or better during its most recent examination or interim review with respect to the CRA. The Community First Parties do not have Knowledge of any facts or circumstances that would be expected to cause Bank (i) to be deemed not to be in satisfactory compliance in any material respect with the CRA and the regulations promulgated thereunder, or to be assigned a rating for CRA purposes by federal banking regulators of lower than “Satisfactory”; (ii) to be deemed to be operating in violation in any material respect of the Bank Secrecy Act of 1970, as amended, the USA PATRIOT Act, any order issued with respect to anti-money laundering by the United States Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, or any other applicable anti-money laundering Law; or (iii) to be deemed not to be in satisfactory compliance in any material respect with applicable privacy of customer or consumer information requirements contained in any federal or state privacy Laws, including without limitation in Title V of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999, as amended, and the regulations promulgated thereunder, as well as the provisions of the information security program adopted by Bank. To the Knowledge of the Community First Parties, no non-public customer information has been disclosed to or accessed by an unauthorized third party in a manner which would, or would reasonably be expected to, cause Bank to undertake any significant remedial action. The board of directors of Bank has adopted, and Bank has implemented, an anti-money laundering program that contains adequate and appropriate customer identification verification procedures that comply with Section 326 of the USA PATRIOT Act, and such anti-money laundering program meets the requirements of Section 352 of the USA PATRIOT Act and the regulations thereunder, and Bank has complied in all material respects with any requirements to file reports and other necessary documents as required by the USA PATRIOT Act and the regulations thereunder.

(ff) Internal Controls . The records, systems, controls, data, and information of the Community First Parties and their Subsidiaries are recorded, stored, maintained, and operated under means (including any electronic, mechanical, or photographic process, whether computerized or not) that are under the exclusive ownership and direct control of the Community First Parties or their Subsidiaries or accountants engaged or utilized by the Community First Parties or their Subsidiaries (including all means of access thereto and therefrom), except for any non-exclusive ownership and non-direct control that has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect. CFI (i) has implemented and maintains a system of disclosure controls and procedures and internal controls over financial reporting (as such terms are defined in paragraphs (e) and (f), respectively, of Rule 13a-15 under the Exchange Act) as required by Rule 13a-15 under the Exchange Act and (ii) has disclosed, based on its most recent evaluation prior to the date of this Agreement, to CFI’s outside auditors and the audit committee of CFI’s board of directors (i) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act) which are reasonably likely to adversely affect CFI’s ability to record, process, summarize, and report financial data and (B) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in CFI’s internal control over financial reporting. To the Knowledge of the Community First Parties, as of the date hereof there is no reason to believe that CFI’s outside auditors and its principal executive officer and principal financial officer will not be able to give the certifications and attestations required pursuant to the rules and regulations adopted pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, without qualification, at any time prior to the Closing Date.

(gg) Regulatory Capital . CFI and Bank are “well-capitalized” as such term is defined in 12 C.F.R. 225.2 and 12 C.F.R. 325.103, respectively.

 

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(hh) State Antitakeover Laws . CFI has taken (through its board of directors) all action required to render inapplicable to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby any otherwise applicable state antitakeover Laws, including without limitation any “moratorium,” “control share,” “fair price,” or “interested shareholder” Law.

(ii) No Further Representations . Except for the representations and warranties made by the Community First Parties in this  Article IV (including the related portions of the Community First Disclosure Memorandum), neither CFI nor Bank, nor any other Person, makes or has made any express or implied representation or warranty with respect to CFI or Bank or their respective Subsidiaries or the respective businesses, operations, assets, liabilities, or conditions (financial or otherwise) of the Community First Parties and their Subsidiaries, and the Community First Parties hereby disclaim any such other representations or warranties. In particular, without limiting the foregoing disclaimer, neither CFI nor Bank, nor any other Person, makes or has made any representation or warranty to the Commerce Union Parties or any of their Affiliates or representatives with respect to (i) any financial projection, forecast, estimate, budget, or prospective information relating to the Community First Parties or any of their Subsidiaries or the respective businesses of the Community First Parties and their Subsidiaries or (ii) except for the representations and warranties made by the Community First Parties in this Article IV , any oral or written information presented, delivered, or made available to the Commerce Union Parties or any of their Affiliates or representatives in the course of their due diligence investigation of the Community First Parties or their negotiation of this Agreement or otherwise in the course of the transactions contemplated hereby.

ARTICLE V

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF COMMERCE UNION PARTIES

Section 5.1 Commerce Union Disclosure Memorandum . Prior to or simultaneously with the Parties’ execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Commerce Union Parties have delivered to the Community First Parties a confidential memorandum (the “ Commerce Union Disclosure Memorandum ”) setting forth, among other things, items the disclosure of which is necessary or appropriate either in response to an express disclosure requirement contained in a provision of this Agreement or as an exception to one or more representations or warranties of the Commerce Union Parties contained in this Article  V , making specific reference in such Commerce Union Disclosure Memorandum to the Section(s) of this Agreement to which such items relate; provided, however, that, notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, (i) no such item is required to be set forth in the Commerce Union Disclosure Memorandum as an exception to a representation or warranty if its absence would not result in the related representation or warranty being deemed untrue or incorrect, (ii) the mere inclusion of an item in the Commerce Union Disclosure Memorandum as an exception to a representation or warranty shall not be deemed an admission by the Commerce Union Parties that such item represents a material exception or material fact, event or circumstance or that such item has had or would reasonably be expected to have a Commerce Union Material Adverse Effect and (iii) any disclosures made with respect to a section of this Article V shall be deemed to qualify any other section of this Article V (A) specifically referenced or cross-referenced and (B) to the extent it is reasonably apparent on its face (notwithstanding the absence of a specific cross reference) from a reading of the disclosure that such disclosure applies to such section).

Section 5.2 Representations and Warranties . Subject to and except as disclosed in the Commerce Union Securities Filings (as defined below) filed prior to the date of this Agreement (but excluding any risk factor disclosures under the heading “Risk Factors,” any forward-looking statement disclosures or disclaimers, and any other disclosures that are cautionary, predictive, or forward-looking in nature), each of Commerce Union, Merger Sub, and Reliant hereby represents and warrants to the Community First Parties as follows:

 

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(a) Organization and Qualification . Commerce Union is a corporation duly organized, validly existing, and in good standing under the laws of the State of Tennessee and is registered as a financial holding company under the BHCA. Merger Sub is a corporation duly organized, validly existing, and in good standing under the laws of the State of Tennessee. Reliant is a banking corporation duly organized, validly existing, and in good standing under the laws of the State of Tennessee. Each of Commerce Union, Merger Sub, and Reliant has the corporate power and authority to own, lease, and operate its properties and assets and to conduct its respective business as presently conducted, except to the extent that the failure to have such power or authority would not reasonably be expected to have a Commerce Union Material Adverse Effect. Each of Commerce Union and Reliant is duly licensed and qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the character of the properties or assets owned or leased by it or the nature of the business conducted by it makes such licensing and qualification necessary, except where the failure to be so licensed, qualified, or in good standing would not reasonably be expected to have a Commerce Union Material Adverse Effect. Neither Commerce Union or Reliant nor any Subsidiary of Commerce Union or Reliant is in material violation of its respective charter, bylaws, or other organizational documents.

(b) Subsidiaries and Other Interests . Each Subsidiary of Commerce Union (other than Merger Sub and Reliant) and each Subsidiary of Reliant is a corporation, limited liability company, or other entity duly organized, validly existing, and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation, organization, or formation; has all requisite corporate, limited liability company, or other power and authority to own, lease, and operate its properties and assets and to conduct its business as presently conducted; and is duly licensed and qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the character of the properties or assets owned or leased by it or the nature of the business conducted by it makes such licensing or qualification necessary, except to the extent that the failure to have such power or authority or where the failure to be so licensed, qualified, or in good standing would not reasonably be expected to have a Commerce Union Material Adverse Effect. The ownership interests of Commerce Union and Reliant in their respective Subsidiaries are in compliance with all applicable Laws, except where the failure to be in compliance would not reasonably be expected to have a Commerce Union Material Adverse Effect. The outstanding capital stock or other outstanding equity or ownership interests of each Subsidiary of Commerce Union and/or Reliant have been validly authorized and are validly issued, fully paid, and non-assessable. No shares of capital stock or other equity or ownership interests of any Subsidiary of Commerce Union and/or Reliant are or may be required to be issued by virtue of any options, warrants, or other rights; no securities exist that are convertible into or exchangeable for any shares of capital stock or other equity or ownership interests of any Subsidiary of Commerce Union and/or Reliant, or any other debt or equity security of any Subsidiary of Commerce Union and/or Reliant; and there are no Contracts for the issuance of any additional capital stock or other equity or ownership interests, or any other debt or equity securities, of any Subsidiary of Commerce Union and/or Reliant or any options, warrants, or other rights with respect to such securities. Except (i) as set forth on Schedule 5.2(b) of the Commerce Union Disclosure Memorandum and (ii) for securities and other interests held in a fiduciary capacity and beneficially owned by third parties, neither Commerce Union nor Reliant owns, beneficially or of record, directly or indirectly, any equity securities of or any other equity or ownership interest in any Person. Since January 1, 2014, each of Reliant and any other equity holder of Reliant Mortgage Ventures, LLC has complied in all respects with its obligations under the Operating Agreement of Reliant Mortgage Ventures, LLC, except to the extent that the failure to be in compliance would not reasonably be expected to have a Commerce Union Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(c) Capitalization .

(i) The authorized capital stock of Commerce Union consists of (i) 30,000,000 shares of Commerce Union Common Stock, of which 7,871,382 shares were issued and outstanding as of the date of this Agreement, and (ii) 10,000,000 shares of Commerce Union Preferred Stock, no shares of which were issued and outstanding as of the date of this Agreement. The authorized capital stock of Merger Sub consists of 100 shares of Merger Sub Common Stock, of which 100 shares were issued and outstanding and owned by Commerce Union as of the date of this Agreement. The authorized capital stock of Reliant consists of (i) 10,000,000 shares of Reliant Common Stock, of which 3,062,358 shares were issued and outstanding and owned by Commerce Union as of the date of this Agreement, and (ii) 10,000,000 shares of Reliant Preferred Stock, no shares of which were issued and outstanding as of the date of this Agreement. There are no other classes or series of authorized, issued, or outstanding capital stock of Commerce Union, Merger Sub, or Reliant. All of the issued and outstanding shares of Commerce Union Stock, Merger Sub Common Stock, and Reliant Stock have been duly and validly authorized and issued in compliance in all material respects with all applicable Laws and are fully paid and non-assessable with no personal liability attaching to the ownership thereof, and none of the issued and outstanding shares of Commerce Union Stock or Reliant Stock have been issued in violation of the preemptive or other rights of any Person. No bonds, debentures, notes, or other indebtedness having the right to vote on any matters on which shareholders of Commerce Union may vote were issued and outstanding.

(ii) Except as set forth on Schedule  5.2(c)(ii) of the Commerce Union Disclosure Memorandum, as of the date of this Agreement, (i) there were no outstanding options, warrants, subscriptions, agreements, contracts, rights, calls, or commitments, of any kind or character, that require or obligate or could require or obligate Commerce Union to issue, deliver, or sell, or cause to be issued, delivered, or sold, any additional shares of Commerce Union capital stock, or securities convertible into or exercisable for shares of Commerce Union capital stock, or that require or obligate or could require or obligate Commerce Union to grant, extend, or enter into any such option, warrant, subscription, agreement, contract, right, call, or commitment, and (ii) there were no outstanding options, warrants, subscriptions, agreements, contracts, rights, calls, or commitments, of any kind or character, that require or obligate or could require or obligate Reliant to issue, deliver, or sell, or cause to be issued, delivered, or sold, any additional shares of Reliant capital stock, or securities convertible into or exercisable for shares of Reliant capital stock, or that require or obligate or could require or obligate Reliant to grant, extend, or enter into any such option, warrant, subscription, agreement, contract, right, call, or commitment.

(d) Authority . Each of Commerce Union, Merger Sub, and Reliant has all requisite corporate power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and, subject to the consents, approvals, waivers, notice, filings, and registrations referred to in Section  5.2(f) , to perform its obligations hereunder and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. The execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Commerce Union Parties and the consummation by the Commerce Union Parties of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly and validly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the boards of directors of Commerce Union, Merger Sub, and Reliant, and no other corporate actions or proceedings on the part of Commerce Union, Merger Sub, or Reliant are necessary to authorize the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Commerce Union Parties and the consummation by the Commerce Union Parties of the transactions contemplated hereby, other than (i) the approval of the issuance of the shares of Commerce Union Common Stock constituting the Merger Consideration pursuant to this Agreement by the shareholders of Commerce Union in accordance with the charter and bylaws of Commerce Union and applicable Law (the “ Required Commerce Union Vote ”), (ii) the approval of this Agreement by Commerce Union as the sole shareholder of Merger Sub in accordance with the charter and bylaws of Merger Sub and applicable Law, and (iii) the approval of the Bank Merger Agreement by Commerce Union as the sole shareholder of Reliant in accordance with the charter and bylaws of Reliant and applicable Law. The board of directors of Commerce Union has determined that this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby are advisable and in the best interests of Commerce Union and its shareholders and has directed that the issuance by Commerce Union

 

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of the shares of Commerce Union Common Stock constituting the Merger Consideration pursuant to this Agreement be submitted to Commerce Union’s shareholders for approval, and has duly and validly adopted resolutions to the foregoing effect and to recommend that the shareholders of Commerce Union approve the issuance of such shares of Commerce Union Common Stock. The board of directors of Merger Sub has determined that this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby are advisable and in the best interests of Merger Sub and its sole shareholder and has directed that this Agreement be submitted to Commerce Union, as the sole shareholder of Merger Sub, for approval, and has duly and validly adopted resolutions to the foregoing effect and to recommend that Commerce Union, as the sole shareholder of Merger Sub, approve this Agreement. This Agreement has been duly and validly executed and delivered by each of Commerce Union, Merger Sub, and Reliant and (assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by CFI and Bank) constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of each of Commerce Union, Merger Sub, and Reliant enforceable against each of Commerce Union, Merger Sub, and Reliant in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by the Enforceability Exceptions.

(e) No Violations . Neither the execution, delivery, or performance of this Agreement by Commerce Union, Merger Sub, or Reliant nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will (i) assuming the receipt of the Required Commerce Union Vote, the approval of this Agreement by Commerce Union as the sole shareholder of Merger Sub in accordance with the charter and bylaws of Merger Sub and applicable Law, and the approval of the Bank Merger Agreement by Commerce Union as the sole shareholder of Reliant in accordance with the charter and bylaws of Reliant and applicable Law, violate the charter, bylaws, or other organizational documents of Commerce Union, Merger Sub or Reliant or any of their Subsidiaries or (ii) assuming that the consents, approvals, waivers, notices, filings, and registrations referred to in Section  5.2(f)  have been obtained and made and all applicable waiting periods have expired, (A) violate any Law to which the Commerce Union Parties or any of their Subsidiaries (or the properties or assets of the Commerce Union Parties or any of their Subsidiaries) are subject or by which the Commerce Union Parties or any of their Subsidiaries (or the properties or assets of the Commerce Union Parties or any of their Subsidiaries) are bound or (B) constitute a breach or violation of or a default under (or an event which, with notice or lapse of time or both, could constitute a default under), or result in the termination of, accelerate the performance required by, or result in the creation of any Lien upon any of the properties or assets of Commerce Union, Reliant or Merger Sub or any of their Subsidiaries under, any of the terms, conditions, or provisions of any Contract to which Commerce Union, Reliant or Merger Sub, or any of their Subsidiaries, is a party or to or by which any of the properties or assets of Commerce Union, Reliant or Merger Sub, or any of their Subsidiaries, may be subject or bound, except in the case of clause (ii) above only, for breaches, violations, defaults, terminations, accelerations or Liens that would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Commerce Union Material Adverse Effect.

(f) Consents and Approvals . No consents or approvals of, waivers by, notices to, or filings or registrations with any Governmental Entity are required to be obtained, given, or made by Commerce Union, Merger Sub, or Reliant in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Commerce Union Parties or the consummation by the Commerce Union Parties of the Merger, the Second Step Merger, the Bank Merger, or the other transactions contemplated hereby, except (i) the Regulatory Approvals; (ii) the Other Regulatory Approvals; (iii) the filing of the Articles of Merger and Second Step Articles of Merger with the Tennessee Secretary of State and the filing of the Bank Merger Certificates; (iv) the filing with the SEC of the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus in definitive form and the Registration Statement (in which the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus will be included as a prospectus), and declaration of effectiveness of the Registration Statement by the SEC; (v) such other filings, registrations, consents, declarations, and approvals as are required to be made or obtained under or pursuant to applicable federal and state securities Laws, including without limitation those required to be made or obtained in connection with the issuance by Commerce Union of shares of Commerce Union

 

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Common Stock as the Merger Consideration pursuant to this Agreement; (vi) the approval of the listing on Nasdaq of the shares of Commerce Union Common Stock to be issued as Merger Consideration; (vii) the approval of the issuance of the shares of Commerce Union Common Stock constituting the Merger Consideration pursuant to this Agreement by the shareholders of Commerce Union, the approval of this Agreement by Commerce Union as the sole shareholder of Merger Sub, and the approval of the Bank Merger Agreement by Commerce Union as the sole shareholder of Reliant; (viii) any notice or filings under the HSR Act; (ix) any consents, authorizations, approvals, filings or exemptions in connection with compliance with the applicable provisions of federal and state securities laws relating to the regulation of broker-dealers, investment advisers or transfer agents, and the rules of Nasdaq, or which are required under consumer finance, insurance, mortgage banking and other similar laws; and (x) as set forth on Schedule  5.2(f) of the Commerce Union Disclosure Memorandum. As of the date of this Agreement, the Commerce Union Parties do not have Knowledge of any reason why any of the consents, approvals, or waivers referred to in this  Section  5.2(f)  will not be obtained or received without the imposition of any Burdensome Condition (as defined in  Section  8.1(b) ).

(g) Reports . Commerce Union and Reliant have timely filed or furnished, as applicable, all reports, notices, applications, schedules, registration and proxy statements, and other filings, documents, and instruments (together with any amendments required to be made with respect thereto) that they have been required to file or furnish since January 1, 2014, with or to the Federal Reserve, the FDIC, the TDFI, or any other Governmental Entity, and have paid all fees and assessments due and payable in connection therewith, except where the failure to file or furnish the same or pay such fees and assessments would not reasonably be expected to have , either individually or in the aggregate, a Commerce Union Material Adverse Effect. As of their respective dates, such reports, notices, applications, schedules, registration and proxy statements, and other filings, documents, and instruments were complete and accurate in all material respects and complied in all material respects with all applicable Laws.

(h) Securities Filings . Commerce Union has filed with the SEC all reports, schedules, registration statements, definitive proxy statements, exhibits, and other filings and materials that Commerce Union has been required to file under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, since April 28, 2014 (collectively, the “ Commerce Union Securities Filings ”). True, correct, and complete copies of the Commerce Union Securities Filings are publicly available in the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval database of the SEC. As of their respective dates of filing with the SEC (or, if amended or superseded by a filing prior to the date hereof, as of the date of such filing), none of the Commerce Union Securities Filings contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. As of their respective dates of filing with the SEC (or, if amended or superseded by a filing prior to the date hereof, as of the date of such filing), the Commerce Union Securities Filings complied in all material respects with applicable requirements of the Securities Act and/or the Exchange Act, as the case may be, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder applicable to such Commerce Union Securities Filings.

(i) Financial Statements . The consolidated financial statements of Commerce Union and its Subsidiaries included in the Commerce Union Securities Filings (including the related notes, where applicable) (the “ Commerce Union Financial Statements ”) fairly present in all material respects the financial position, results of operations, and cash flows of Commerce Union and its Subsidiaries as of the respective dates or for the respective fiscal periods therein set forth (subject in the case of unaudited statements to year-end audit adjustments normal in nature and amount). Each of the Commerce Union Financial Statements (including the related notes, where applicable) complies in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements and with the published rules and regulations of

 

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the SEC with respect thereto, and each of such Commerce Union Financial Statements (including the related notes, where applicable) has been prepared in all material respects in accordance with GAAP consistently applied during the periods involved, except, in each case, as indicated in such statements or in the notes thereto. The books and records of Commerce Union and its Subsidiaries have since January 1, 2014, been, and are being, maintained in all material respects in accordance with GAAP and any other applicable legal and accounting requirements. Since January 1, 2014, no independent public accounting firm of Commerce Union has resigned (or informed Commerce Union that it intends to resign) or been dismissed as independent public accountants of Commerce Union as a result of or in connection with any disagreements with Commerce Union on a matter of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope or procedure.

(j) Undisclosed Liabilities . Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Commerce Union Material Adverse Effect, neither Commerce Union nor any of its Subsidiaries has, or has incurred, any Liability, other than (i) Liabilities reflected on or reserved against in the consolidated balance sheet of Commerce Union and its Subsidiaries as of June 30, 2017, included in Commerce Union’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2017, (ii) Liabilities incurred since June 30, 2017, in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, and (iii) Liabilities incurred in connection with this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

(k) Absence of Certain Changes or Events .

(i) Since June 30, 2017, there has been no effect, circumstance, occurrence, event, development, or change that, individually or taken together with all other effects, circumstances, occurrences, events, developments, and changes, has had or would reasonably be expected to have a Commerce Union Material Adverse Effect.

(ii) From June 30, 2017 through the date hereof, except in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, Commerce Union and Reliant and their Subsidiaries have conducted their respective businesses only in the ordinary and usual course consistent with past practices.

(iii) From June 30, 2017 through the date hereof, neither Commerce Union, Merger Sub, nor Reliant, nor any of their Subsidiaries, has taken or permitted, or entered into any Contract with respect to, or otherwise agreed or committed to do or take, or failed or omitted to take, any action that, if taken, permitted, or omitted after the date hereof, would constitute a breach or violation of any of the covenants set forth in Sections 6.2(b) , (c) , (d) , or (g) (solely as it relates to Sections 6.2(b) , (c) , and (d) ), except as set forth on Schedule 5.2(k)(iii) of the Commerce Union Disclosure Memorandum.

(l) Litigation . There are no suits, actions, claims, investigations, or legal, administrative, arbitration, or other proceedings pending or, to the Knowledge of the Commerce Union Parties, threatened against Commerce Union or Reliant or any of their Subsidiaries as to which there is a reasonable probability of an adverse determination and which if adversely determined would reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Commerce Union Material Adverse Effect, and, to the Knowledge of the Commerce Union Parties, there are no facts or circumstances that would reasonably be expected to give rise to any such suit, action, claim, investigation, or legal, administrative, arbitration, or other proceeding. Neither Commerce Union nor Reliant nor any of their Subsidiaries, nor any of the properties or assets of Commerce Union or Reliant or any of their Subsidiaries, is a party or subject to or bound by any judgment, decree, injunction, order, or ruling of any Governmental Entity (other than those that apply to similarly situated bank holding companies or banks) that has had or would reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Commerce Union Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(m) Regulatory Actions . Except as set forth on Schedule  5.2(m) of the Commerce Union Disclosure Memorandum, since January 1, 2014, neither Commerce Union nor Reliant, nor any of their Subsidiaries, has been a party to or subject to any cease and desist order, prompt corrective action directive, written agreement, or memorandum of understanding issued by or with, or any commitment letter or similar undertaking to, or has been subject to any action, proceeding, order, or directive by, any Governmental Entity, or has adopted any board resolutions at the request of any Governmental Entity, or has been advised by any Governmental Entity that such Governmental Entity is contemplating issuing or requesting (or is considering the appropriateness of issuing or requesting) any such action, proceeding, order, directive, cease and desist order, prompt correction action directive, written agreement, memorandum of understanding, commitment letter, board resolutions, or similar undertaking. To the Knowledge of the Commerce Union Parties, there are no facts or circumstances which would reasonably be expected to result in any Governmental Entity issuing or requesting any such action, proceeding, order, directive, cease and desist order, prompt correction action directive, written agreement, memorandum of understanding, commitment letter, board resolutions, or similar undertaking. There are no material unresolved violations, criticisms, or exceptions noted by any Governmental Entity in or with respect to any report or statement relating to any examination or inspection of Commerce Union or Reliant or any of their Subsidiaries. Since January 1, 2014, there have been no formal or informal inquires by (other than in the ordinary course of routine regulatory examinations and visitations), or disagreements or disputes with, any Governmental Entity with respect to the business, operations, policies, or procedures of Commerce Union or Reliant or any of their Subsidiaries that have had or would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Commerce Union Material Adverse Effect.

(n) Compliance with Laws; Deposit Insurance .

(i) The Commerce Union Parties and their Subsidiaries have at all times since January 1, 2014, complied with, and are currently in compliance with, in all material respects, all applicable Laws, including without limitation Section 23A and Section 23B of the Federal Reserve Act and the regulations promulgated pursuant thereto; the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, as amended; the Fair Housing Act, as amended; the Fair Credit Reporting Act, as amended; the Truth in Lending Act of 1968, as amended; the CRA; the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act of 1975, as amended; the Bank Secrecy Act of 1970, as amended; the USA PATRIOT Act; the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, as amended; all applicable Laws relating to data protection or privacy; and all other applicable anti-money laundering Laws, fair lending Laws, and Laws relating to discriminatory lending, financing, leasing, or business practices or the origination, sale, or servicing of mortgage loans, except where noncompliance with such applicable Laws would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Commerce Union Material Adverse Effect. Except in each case as would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Commerce Union Material Adverse Effect, the Commerce Union Parties and their Subsidiaries have, and have at all times since January 1, 2014 had, all permits, licenses, franchises, certificates of authority, orders, authorizations, and approvals, that are required in order to permit them to own, lease, and operate their properties and assets and to carry on their respective businesses as heretofore or presently conducted, and all such permits, licenses, franchises, certificates of authority, orders, authorizations, and approvals are in full force and effect and, to the Knowledge of the Commerce Union Parties, no suspension or cancellation of any of such permits, licenses, franchises, certificates of authority, orders, authorizations and approvals is threatened.

(ii) Since January 1, 2014, each of the principal executive officer and the principal financial officer of Commerce Union (or each former principal executive officer or each former principal financial officer, as applicable) has made all certifications required by Rules 13a-14 or 15d-14 under the Exchange Act and Sections 302 and 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act with respect to the

 

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Commerce Union Securities Filings, and the statements contained in such certifications are true and accurate in all material respects, and Commerce Union has, since April 28, 2014, been in compliance with all other applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, except for any non-compliance that would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Commerce Union Material Adverse Effect. For purposes of this Section  5.2(n)(ii) , “principal executive officer” and “principal financial officer” shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

(iii) The deposits of Reliant are insured by the FDIC in accordance with the FDIA to the full extent permitted by Law, and Reliant has paid all premiums and assessments and filed all reports required by the FDIA, except where the failure to pay all such premiums and assessments and file all such reports has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Commerce Union Material Adverse Effect. No proceeding for the revocation or termination of such deposit insurance is pending or, to the Knowledge of the Commerce Union Parties, threatened.

(o) Taxes .

(i) The Commerce Union Parties have timely filed all material Tax Returns required to be filed by or with respect to them (the “ Commerce Union Returns ”). All of the Commerce Union Returns were, as of their respective dates of filing, true, correct, and complete in all material respects, and all material Taxes due and payable by the Commerce Union Parties and their Subsidiaries with respect to the periods covered by such Commerce Union Returns have been paid (whether or not shown on any Commerce Union Returns). No written claim has been made in the past three years against the Commerce Union Parties or any of their Subsidiaries by an authority in a jurisdiction where Commerce Union or Reliant or their Subsidiaries do not file Tax Returns that Commerce Union or Reliant or any of their Subsidiaries are or may be subject to taxation in that jurisdiction.

(ii) All Taxes that the Commerce Union Parties or any of their Subsidiaries are or were required to withhold or collect in connection with any amounts paid or owing to any employee, director, independent contractor, shareholder, nonresident, creditor, or other third party have been duly withheld or collected and have been paid, to the extent required, to the proper taxing authorities; the Commerce Union Parties and their Subsidiaries have complied with all information reporting and backup withholding requirements, including the maintenance of required records, with respect to such amounts; and the Commerce Union Parties and their Subsidiaries have paid all employer contributions and premiums and filed all Tax Returns with respect to any employee income Tax withholding, and social security and unemployment Taxes and premiums, all in compliance with the withholding provisions of the Code and other applicable Laws, except for failures to withhold, collect, pay, or file and such noncompliance as would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Commerce Union Material Adverse Effect.

(iii) No audit, investigation, examination, deficiency assessment, refund litigation, or other proceeding is pending or, to the Knowledge of the Commerce Union Parties, threatened against or with respect to the Commerce Union Parties or any of their Subsidiaries in respect of any Taxes or Tax matters.

(iv) No Commerce Union Party or any of their Subsidiaries has ever distributed stock of another Person or had its stock distributed by another Person in a transaction that purported or was intended to be governed in whole or in part by Section 355 or Section 361 of the Code. No Commerce Union Party, nor any of their Subsidiaries, has at any time been a member of a group with which it has filed or been included in a combined, consolidated, or unitary Tax Return (other than a group of which Commerce Union is the common parent). No Commerce Union Party, nor any of their Subsidiaries, is or has ever been a party to or bound by any Tax indemnity agreement, Tax sharing

 

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agreement, Tax allocation agreement, or similar Contract the primary focus of which is Tax matters; and (C) no Commerce Union Party, nor any of their Subsidiaries, is liable for the Taxes of any other Person, whether as a transferee or successor, by Contract the primary focus of which is Tax matters (including any Tax allocation agreement, Tax sharing agreement, or Tax indemnity agreement), or otherwise.

(v) The Commerce Union Parties and their Subsidiaries are, and have at all times been, in compliance with the provisions of Section 6011, Section 6111, and Section 6112 of the Code relating to tax shelter disclosure, registration, list maintenance, and record keeping, and with the Treasury Regulations thereunder (including any predecessor or successor Code provisions or Treasury Regulations, as applicable), and neither the Commerce Union Parties nor their Subsidiaries have at any time engaged in or entered into any transaction that would be defined as a “listed transaction” within the meaning of Treasury Regulations Section 1.6011, Section 301.6111, or Section 301.6112.

(p) Labor and Employment Matters .

(i) The Commerce Union Parties are, and since January 1, 2014, have been, in compliance with all applicable Laws respecting employment, retention of independent contractors, employment practices, terms and conditions of employment, wages and hours, occupational health and safety and anti-discrimination, except where the failure to be in compliance has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Commerce Union Material Adverse Effect. There is no pending or, to the Knowledge of the Commerce Union Parties, threatened suit, action, claim, or legal, administrative, arbitration, or other proceeding by or on behalf of any current or former employee of Commerce Union or Reliant or any of their Subsidiaries (including without limitation any suit, action, claim, or legal, administrative, arbitration, or other proceeding alleging noncompliance with applicable Laws respecting employment, employment practices, or terms and conditions of employment, but excluding workers’ compensation matters) as to which there is a reasonable probability of an adverse determination and which if adversely determined would reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Commerce Union Material Adverse Effect, and to the Knowledge of the Commerce Union Parties there are no facts or circumstances that would reasonably be expected to give rise to any such suit, action, claim or legal, administrative, arbitration, or other proceeding.

(ii) Neither Commerce Union nor Reliant, nor any of their Subsidiaries, has classified any Person as an “independent contractor” or any similar status who, under applicable Law or the provisions of any Commerce Union Benefit Plan (as defined below), should have been classified as an employee, except where the failure to so properly classify any Person would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Commerce Union Material Adverse Effect. To the Knowledge of the Commerce Union Parties, neither Commerce Union nor Reliant, nor any of their Subsidiaries, has any material Liability for improperly excluding any Person who provides or has provided services to Commerce Union or Reliant or any of their Subsidiaries in any capacity from participating in any Commerce Union Benefit Plan.

(iii) Except as set forth on Schedule 5.2(p)(iii) of the Commerce Union Disclosure Memorandum, to the Knowledge of the Commerce Union Parties as of the date of this Agreement, no officer of Commerce Union or Reliant (or any of their Subsidiaries) with a title of vice president or higher has informed Commerce Union or Reliant (or any of their Subsidiaries) in writing of his or her intent to terminate his or her employment with Commerce Union or Reliant (or any of their Subsidiaries), as applicable.

 

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(q) Benefit Plans .

(i) As used in this Section  5.2(q) , the term “ Commerce Union Benefit Plan ” means any pension, retirement, salary continuation, stock option, stock purchase, stock ownership, savings, stock appreciation right, profit sharing, deferred compensation, consulting, bonus, group insurance, disability, severance, change of control, change in control, fringe benefit, incentive, cafeteria or Code Section 125, welfare, or other benefit plan, contract, agreement, or arrangement, including without limitation “employee benefit plans” as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA, any incentive or welfare policies, contracts, plans, or arrangements, including split dollar life insurance arrangements, and all trust agreements and funding arrangements related thereto, which are or have been maintained by, contributed to (or required to be contributed to), or sponsored by Commerce Union or Reliant with respect to any present or former directors, officers, or employees of Commerce Union or Reliant or any of their Subsidiaries.

(ii) Other than routine claims for benefits or as would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Commerce Union Material Adverse Effect, there is no pending or, to the Knowledge of the Commerce Union Parties, threatened claim, litigation, action, administrative action, suit, audit, arbitration, mediation, or other proceeding relating to any Commerce Union Benefit Plan. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Commerce Union Material Adverse Effect, all of the Commerce Union Benefit Plans have been established, maintained, and administered in compliance, in all material respects, with all applicable requirements of ERISA and the Code and other applicable Laws and the terms and provisions of all documents, contracts, or agreements establishing the Commerce Union Benefit Plans or pursuant to which they are maintained or administered. No audit of any Commerce Union Benefit Plan by the IRS or the United States Department of Labor is ongoing or, to the Knowledge of the Commerce Union Parties, threatened.

(iii) Each Commerce Union Benefit Plan that is an “employee pension benefit plan” (as defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA) and which is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code (a “ Commerce Union Qualified Plan ”) has received a current favorable determination letter from the IRS (or, in the case of an IRS pre-approved plan, the pre-approved plan has a current IRS opinion or advisory letter upon which the Commerce Union Parties are entitled to rely under applicable IRS guidance), and to the Knowledge of the Commerce Union Parties there are no facts or circumstances that would reasonably be expected to result in the revocation of any such favorable determination letter.

(iv) No Liability to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation has been, or is expected by the Commerce Union Parties or their Subsidiaries to be, incurred with respect to any Commerce Union Benefit Plan that is subject to Title IV of ERISA (a “ Commerce Union Pension Plan ”), or with respect to any “single-employer plan” (as defined in Section 4001(a) of ERISA) currently or formerly maintained by Commerce Union or Reliant or any ERISA Affiliate. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Commerce Union Material Adverse Effect, no Commerce Union Pension Plan had an “accumulated funding deficiency” (as defined in Section 302 of ERISA), whether or not waived, as of the last day of the end of the most recent plan year ending prior to the date hereof; the fair market value of the assets of each Commerce Union Pension Plan exceeds the present value of the “benefit liabilities” (as defined in Section 4001(a)(16) of ERISA) under such Commerce Union Pension Plan as of the end of the most recent plan year ending prior to the date hereof, calculated on the basis of the actuarial assumptions used in the most recent actuarial valuation for such Commerce Union Pension Plan as of the date hereof; and no notice of a “reportable event” (as defined in Section 4043 of ERISA) for which the reporting requirement has not been waived has been required to be filed for any Commerce Union Pension Plan within the 12-month period ending on the date of this Agreement. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the

 

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aggregate, a Commerce Union Material Adverse Effect, neither Commerce Union nor Reliant, nor any of their Subsidiaries, has provided or is required to provide security to any Commerce Union Pension Plan or to any single-employer plan of an ERISA Affiliate pursuant to Section 401(a)(29) of the Code. Neither Commerce Union nor Reliant, nor any of their Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate, has contributed to or been obligated to contribute to any “multiemployer plan” as defined in Section 3(37) of ERISA.

(v) Except as set forth on Schedule  5.2(q)(v) of the Commerce Union Disclosure Memorandum, neither Commerce Union nor Reliant, nor any of their Subsidiaries, has any obligations for post-retirement benefits under any Commerce Union Benefit Plan that cannot be amended and/or terminated upon 60 days or less notice without incurring any Liability thereunder, except for coverage required by Part 6 of Title I of ERISA or Section 4980B of the Code or similar state Laws, the cost of which is borne by the electing individuals.

(r) Information Technology Systems . The Commerce Union Parties and their Subsidiaries have in place commercially reasonable data protection and privacy policies and procedures designed to protect, safeguard, and maintain the confidentiality, integrity, and security of (i) their information technology systems and software owned or purported to be owned by them and (ii) all information, data, and transactions stored or contained therein or transmitted thereby, including personally identifiable information, financial information, and credit card data (as such information or terms are defined and/or regulated under applicable Laws (the “ Commerce Union Data ”), against any unauthorized or improper use, access, transmittal, interruption, modification, or corruption. Except as has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Commerce Union Material Adverse Effect, the Commerce Union Parties and their Subsidiaries are in compliance with applicable federal and state confidentiality and data security Laws, including without limitation Title V of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999 and regulations promulgated thereunder, as well as the provisions of the information security program adopted by the Commerce Union Parties pursuant to 12 C.F.R. Part 364, and all applicable card association rules and the payment card industry data security standards. Except as has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Commerce Union Material Adverse Effect, there currently are not any, and since January 1, 2014, there have not been any, pending or, to the Knowledge of the Commerce Union Parties, threatened claims or written complaints with respect to unauthorized access to or breaches of the security of (A) any of the Commerce Union Parties’ or their Subsidiaries’ information technology systems or (B) Commerce Union Data (or any unlawful acquisition, use, loss, destruction, compromise, or disclosure thereof).

(s) Fairness Opinion . Prior to the Parties’ execution of this Agreement, the board of directors of Commerce Union has received from Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc. an opinion (which, if initially rendered verbally, has been or will be confirmed in a written opinion dated the same date) to the effect that, as of the date of such opinion and subject to customary assumptions and qualifications, the Exchange Ratio is fair from a financial point of view to Commerce Union.

(t) Broker Fees . Except for Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc. and fees and expenses payable thereto, neither the Commerce Union Parties nor any of their officers, directors, employees, or agents has engaged or employed any broker, investment banker, or finder or incurred any Liability for any financial advisory, investment banking, brokerage, or finder’s fees, commissions, or expenses, and no broker, investment banker, or finder has acted directly or indirectly for or on behalf of the Commerce Union Parties, in each case in connection with this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

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(u) Loan Matters .

(i) Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Commerce Union Material Adverse Effect, all Loans made, originated, or held by Commerce Union, Reliant or any of their Subsidiaries (collectively, the “ Reliant Loans ”) (A) were made or originated for good, valuable, and adequate consideration in the ordinary course of business; (B) were solicited and originated, and are and have been administered and, where applicable, serviced, and the relevant Loan files are being and have been maintained, in accordance with (1) the relevant notes or other credit or security documents, (2) the applicable underwriting and servicing standards of Reliant (and, in the case of Loans held for resale to investors, the underwriting standards, if any, of the applicable investors), and (3) all applicable Laws. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Commerce Union Material Adverse Effect, the notes or other evidences of indebtedness evidencing the Reliant Loans and all pledges, mortgages, deeds of trust, and other collateral documents and security agreements related thereto are legal, valid, binding and enforceable (except as enforceability may be limited by the Enforceability Exceptions).

(ii) Except as set forth on Schedule 5.2(u)(ii) of the Commerce Union Disclosure Memorandum or as would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Commerce Union Material Adverse Effect, neither the terms of any Loan held, originated, made, administered, or serviced by Commerce Union or Reliant or any of their Subsidiaries, any of the documentation for any such Loan, the manner in which any such Loan has been administered or serviced, nor Commerce Union’s or Reliant’s or their Subsidiaries’ practices of approving or rejecting Loan applications violate any Law applicable thereto, including without limitation the Truth in Lending Act of 1968, as amended; Regulation B, Regulation O, and Regulation Z of the Federal Reserve; the CRA; the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, as amended; and any applicable federal or state Laws relating to consumer protection, installment sales, or usury.

(iii) Reliant’s allowance for loan and lease losses is, and shall be as of the Effective Time, in compliance in all material respects with Reliant’s existing methodology for determining the adequacy of its allowance for loan and lease losses as well as the standards established by applicable Governmental Entities and the Financial Accounting Standards Board, and is and shall be adequate under all such standards.

(iv) Except as set forth on Schedule 5.2(u)(iv) of the Commerce Union Disclosure Memorandum, none of the Contracts pursuant to which Reliant or any of its Subsidiaries has sold Loans or pools of Loans, or participations in Loans or pools of Loans, contain any Liability on the part of Reliant or any of its Subsidiaries to repurchase such Loans or interests therein solely on account of a payment default by the obligors on such Loans other than in the case where there has been a material breach of a representation or warranty by Reliant.

(v) Set forth on Schedule  5.2(u)(v) of the Commerce Union Disclosure Memorandum is a true, correct, and complete listing, as of July 31, 2017, by account of (A) all Loans of Reliant (1) that are contractually past due 90 days or more in the payment of principal and/or interest, (2) that are on non-accrual status, (3) that are classified as “special mention,” “substandard,” “doubtful,” “loss,” or words of similar import, or (4) where the interest rate terms have been reduced and/or the maturity dates have been extended subsequent to the origination of the Loans due to concerns regarding the borrowers’ ability to pay in accordance with the Loans’ original terms; and (B) all assets classified by Reliant as real estate acquired through foreclosure or in lieu of foreclosure, including in-substance foreclosures, and all other assets currently held that were acquired through foreclosure or in lieu of foreclosure, in each case including the book value thereof as of July 31, 2017.

(vi) Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Commerce Union Material Adverse Effect, each Loan held by Commerce Union, Reliant or their Subsidiaries (A) is evidenced by notes, agreements, or other evidences of indebtedness that are true, genuine, and what they purport to be, (B) to the extent secured, has been secured by valid Liens which have been perfected and (C) is a legal, valid, and binding obligation of the obligor named therein, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by the Enforceability Exceptions.

 

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(vii) The Commerce Union Parties are not, and have not been since January 1, 2014, subject to any material fine, suspension, or settlement or other administrative agreement or sanction by, or any reduction in any loan purchase commitment from, any Governmental Entity relating to the origination, sale, or servicing of mortgage or consumer Loans.

(v) Insurance . Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Commerce Union Material Adverse Effect, (A) the Commerce Union Parties and their Subsidiaries are insured with reputable insurers against such risks and in such amounts as the management of Commerce Union reasonably has determined to be prudent and consistent with industry practices, (B) the policies of insurance currently held or maintained by or providing coverage for the Commerce Union Parties or any of their Subsidiaries are in full force and effect, neither the Commerce Union Parties nor any of their Subsidiaries is in default thereunder, and no event has occurred which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute a default or permit a termination, modification, or acceleration thereunder, and (C) all premiums due and payable in respect of such policies of insurance have been timely and fully paid (to the extent due and payable). To the Knowledge of the Commerce Union Parties, there is no material claim for coverage by the Commerce Union Parties or any of their Subsidiaries pending under any of such policies of insurance as to which coverage has been denied or disputed, and the Commerce Union Parties have not received written notice of any threatened termination of or material alteration of coverage under any of such policies of insurance.

(w) Investment Securities . The Commerce Union Parties have good title to all securities and commodities owned by them in all material respects (except those sold under repurchase agreements), free and clear of any Liens, except to the extent such securities or commodities are pledged in the ordinary course of business to secure obligations of the Commerce Union Parties and their Subsidiaries. Such securities and commodities are valued on the books of the Commerce Union Parties in accordance with GAAP in all material respects. The Commerce Union Parties employ investment, securities, commodities, risk management, and other similar policies, practices, and procedures that are prudent and reasonable in the context of their respective businesses.

(x) Tax Treatment of Mergers . The Commerce Union Parties have no Knowledge of any fact or circumstance that would reasonably be expected to prevent the Mergers, taken together, from qualifying as a “reorganization” under the provisions of Section 368(a) of the Code.

(y) CRA, Anti-Money Laundering, OFAC, and Customer Information Security. Reliant received a rating of “Satisfactory” or better during its most recent examination or interim review with respect to the CRA. The Commerce Union Parties do not have Knowledge of any facts or circumstances that would reasonably be expected to cause Reliant (i) to be deemed not to be in satisfactory compliance in any material respect with the CRA and the regulations promulgated thereunder, or to be assigned a rating for CRA purposes by federal banking regulators of lower than “Satisfactory”; (ii) to be deemed to be operating in violation, in any material respect, of the Bank Secrecy Act of 1970, as amended, the USA PATRIOT Act, any order issued with respect to anti-money laundering by the United States Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, or any other applicable anti-money laundering Law; or (iii) to be deemed not to be in satisfactory compliance in any material respect with applicable privacy of customer or consumer information requirements contained in any federal or state privacy Laws, including without limitation in Title V of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999, as amended, and the regulations promulgated thereunder, as well as the provisions of the information security program adopted by Reliant. To the Knowledge of the Commerce Union Parties, no non-public

 

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customer information has been disclosed to or accessed by an unauthorized third party in a manner which would, or would reasonably be expected to, cause Reliant to undertake any significant remedial action. The board of directors of Reliant has adopted, and Reliant has implemented, an anti-money laundering program that contains customer identification verification procedures that comply with Section 326 of the USA PATRIOT Act, and such anti-money laundering program meets the requirements of Section 352 of the USA PATRIOT Act and the regulations thereunder, and Reliant has complied in all material respects with any requirements to file reports and other necessary documents as required by the USA PATRIOT Act and the regulations thereunder.

(z) Internal Controls . Commerce Union (i) has implemented and maintains a system of disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting (as such terms are defined in paragraphs (e) and (f), respectively, of Rule 13a-15 under the Exchange Act) as required by Rule 13a-15 under the Exchange Act and (ii) has disclosed, based on its most recent evaluation, to Commerce Union’s outside auditors and the audit committee of Commerce Union’s board of directors (A) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act) which are reasonably likely to adversely affect Commerce Union’s ability to record, process, summarize, and report financial data and (B) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in Commerce Union’s internal control over financial reporting. To the Knowledge of the Commerce Union Parties, as of the date hereof there is no reason to believe that Commerce Union’s outside auditors and its principal executive officer and principal financial officer will not be able to give the certifications and attestations required pursuant to the rules and regulations adopted pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, without qualification, at any time prior to the Closing Date.

(aa) Regulatory Capital . Commerce Union and Reliant are “well-capitalized” as such term is defined in 12 C.F.R. 225.2 and 12 C.F.R. 325.103, respectively.

(bb) No Further Representations . Except for the representations and warranties made by the Commerce Union Parties in this  Article V (including the related portions of the Commerce Union Disclosure Memorandum), neither Commerce Union, Merger Sub, nor Reliant, nor any other Person, makes or has made any express or implied representation or warranty with respect to Commerce Union, Merger Sub, or Reliant or their respective Subsidiaries or the respective businesses, operations, assets, liabilities, or conditions (financial or otherwise) of the Commerce Union Parties and their Subsidiaries, and the Commerce Union Parties hereby disclaim any such other representations or warranties. In particular, without limiting the foregoing disclaimer, neither Commerce Union, Merger Sub, nor Reliant, nor any other Person, makes or has made any representation or warranty to the Community First Parties or any of their Affiliates or representatives with respect to (i) any financial projection, forecast, estimate, budget, or prospective information relating to the Commerce Union Parties or any of their Subsidiaries or the respective businesses of the Commerce Union Parties and their Subsidiaries or (ii) except for the representations and warranties made by the Commerce Union Parties in this Article V , any oral or written information presented, delivered, or made available to the Community First Parties or any of their Affiliates or representatives in the course of their due diligence investigation of the Commerce Union Parties or their negotiation of this Agreement or otherwise in the course of the transactions contemplated hereby.

ARTICLE VI

CONDUCT PENDING THE MERGER

Section 6.1 Community First Party Forbearances . Except as expressly contemplated or permitted by this Agreement, as required by applicable Law or at the direction of a Governmental Entity, or with the prior written consent of Commerce Union, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld, from the date of this Agreement until the Effective Time, neither CFI nor Bank shall, and each of CFI and Bank shall cause each of its Subsidiaries not to:

 

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(a) Conduct its business other than in the regular, ordinary, and usual course; fail to use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain and preserve intact its business organizations and customer and other business relationships, and retain the services of its current officers and employees; or take any action that would reasonably be expected to adversely affect or delay, in any material respect, its ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby;

(b) Incur, renew, modify, extend, or renegotiate any indebtedness for borrowed money or, other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, assume, guarantee, endorse, or otherwise as an accommodation become responsible for the obligations of any other Person, other than (i) the creation of deposit liabilities in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, (ii) purchases of federal funds, and (iii) Federal Home Loan Bank advances with a maturity of not more than 12 months; other than as set forth on Schedule 6.1(b) of the Community First Disclosure Memorandum, prepay any indebtedness or other similar arrangements so as to cause CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries to incur any prepayment penalty thereunder; or purchase, accept, or renew any brokered deposits, except in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and with maturities of 24 months or less;

(c) Adjust, split, combine, or reclassify any of its capital stock; make, declare, pay, or set aside for payment any dividend or other distribution on or in respect of its capital stock, other than (i) dividends by Bank to CFI, (ii) dividends by Community First TRUPS Holding Company to CFI, and (iii) required dividends or distributions in respect of subordinated debentures related to trust preferred securities issued by statutory trusts affiliated with CFI; grant any Person any right to acquire any shares of its capital stock or any securities or rights convertible into or exercisable for its capital stock; issue any additional shares of capital stock or any securities or obligations convertible into or exercisable for any shares of its capital stock, except pursuant to the exercise, vesting, or settlement of CFI Equity Awards outstanding as of the date hereof; or directly or indirectly redeem, purchase, repurchase, or otherwise acquire any shares of its capital stock;

(d) Other than in the ordinary course of business, sell, transfer, mortgage, encumber, or otherwise dispose of any of its properties, assets, or business (including without limitation “other real estate owned”), or cancel, release or assign any material indebtedness or claims or waive any rights of substantial value;

(e) Form any new Subsidiary or dissolve, liquidate, or terminate any existing Subsidiary or, except (i) for transactions in the ordinary course of business by way of foreclosure or in satisfaction of debts previously contracted in good faith or (ii) as set forth on Schedule 6.1(e) of the Community First Disclosure Memorandum, make any equity investment, either by purchase of stock or other securities, contributions to capital, property transfers, purchase of any property or assets of any other Person, or otherwise;

(f) Except (i) as contemplated by Section  6.1(g) or (ii) as set forth on Schedule  6.1(f) of the Community First Disclosure Memorandum, enter into, renew, fail to renew, materially amend or modify, cancel, or terminate any new or existing Community First Material Contract;

(g) Make, renew, increase the amount of, extend the term of, or modify any Loan, or commit to make, renew, increase the amount of, extend the term of, or modify any Loan, except (i) in conformity with existing lending practices and where the principal amount of the subject Loan does not exceed $1,000,000 or (ii) Loans as to which the Community First Parties and their Subsidiaries have

 

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binding obligations to make such Loans (including without limitation lines of credit and letters of credit) as of the date of this Agreement and which are disclosed on Schedule  6.1(g) of the Community First Disclosure Memorandum; provided , however , that neither CFI nor Bank, nor any of their Subsidiaries, shall make, renew, increase the amount of, extend the term of, or modify any Loan, or commit to make, renew, increase the amount of, extend the term of, or modify any Loan, to any Person if, when aggregated with all other outstanding Loans and commitments for Loans to such Person and such Person’s family members and Affiliates, the aggregate principal amount of all such Loans and commitments would exceed $3,000,000;

(h) Extend credit to, directly or indirectly, any Person who has a Loan with CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries that is classified by CFI or Bank (or any of their Subsidiaries) or the FDIC or the TDFI as “doubtful,” “substandard,” or “special mention” or that is on non-accrual status (a “ Bank Classified Borrower ”), except in conformity with existing lending practices and regulatory requirements and where all outstanding Loans and commitments for Loans to such Bank Classified Borrower and such Bank Classified Borrower’s family members and Affiliates do not and would not exceed $250,000 in the aggregate;

(i) Renegotiate, renew, increase the amount of, extend the term of, or modify any Loan with or to a Bank Classified Borrower, except (i) in conformity with existing lending practices and regulatory requirements and (ii) where all outstanding Loans and commitments for Loans to such Bank Classified Borrower and such Bank Classified Borrower’s family members and Affiliates do not and would not exceed $250,000 in the aggregate;

(j) Commence any claim, action, suit, or proceeding, other than to enforce an obligation owed to CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business, or, other than the settlement of foreclosure actions and debt workouts in the ordinary course of business, enter into any settlement or similar agreement with respect to any claim, action, suit, or proceeding, which claim, action, suit, proceeding, or settlement or other agreement (i) involves the payment by it of an amount in excess of $50,000, individually, or $100,000, in the aggregate (net of any insurance proceeds or indemnity, contribution, or similar payments actually received by CFI, Bank, or their Subsidiaries in connection therewith), or (ii) would impose any material restriction on its business or operations or the operations of any of its Subsidiaries;

(k) Except as required by any written agreement or CFI Benefit Plan, in each case in effect as of the date hereof, or as permitted by Section  7.10(c) , increase in any manner the salary, wages, bonuses, compensation, or other benefits of, for, or payable to any of its directors, officers, or employees (except for normal employee wage and salary increases in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice not exceeding 3% per year on a per employee basis), or pay any bonus, pension, retirement allowance, or contribution not required by or accrued for under any existing plan, agreement, or arrangement to any such directors, officers, or employees; become a party to, establish, adopt, amend, renew, terminate, extend, or commit to any pension, retirement, profit-sharing, welfare, or other benefit plan, agreement, or arrangement, or any employment, severance, salary continuation, retention, change of control, change in control, consulting, or other Contact, with or for the benefit of any director, officer, or employee, except as required by applicable Law; amend, modify, or revise the terms of any outstanding stock option or voluntarily accelerate the vesting of, or the lapsing of restrictions with respect to, any stock options or other equity-based compensation; elect or appoint to any office with the title of executive vice president or higher any Person who does not hold such office as of the date of this Agreement or elect or appoint, or propose or recommend for election or appointment, to its board of directors any Person who is not a member of its board of directors as of the date of this Agreement; or hire any employee with annualized base compensation (excluding health insurance and retirement plan benefits) in excess of $75,000, except as may be necessary to replace an employee (other than an officer with a title of executive vice president or higher) whose employment is terminated, whether voluntarily or involuntarily;

 

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(l) Amend its charter, bylaws, or other governing documents, or enter into any stock or asset purchase agreement or any plan or agreement of consolidation, merger, share exchange, or reorganization with any Person or any indication of interest, letter of intent, or agreement in principle with respect thereto;

(m) Purchase any debt security, including mortgage-backed and mortgage-related securities, other than United States government and United States government agency securities with final maturities of 24 months or less;

(n) Make any capital expenditures in excess of $35,000, individually, or $100,000, in the aggregate;

(o) Establish or commit to the establishment of any new branch office, loan or deposit production office, or other banking office or facility, or file any application or notice to relocate or close or terminate the operations of any banking office or facility;

(p) Except for interest rate caps and interest rate floors for individual Loans entered into in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, enter into any futures contract, option, swap agreement, interest rate cap, interest rate floor, or interest rate exchange agreement, or take any other action for purposes of hedging the exposure of its interest-earning assets or interest-bearing liabilities to changes in market rates of interest;

(q) Make any material changes in policies or procedures in existence on the date of this Agreement with regard to underwriting, pricing, originating, acquiring, or selling extensions of credit, or the establishment of reserves with respect to possible loss thereon or the charge off of losses incurred thereon, investments, or asset/liability management, or in any other material banking policies or procedures, except as may be required by changes in applicable Law or GAAP or at the direction of a Governmental Entity;

(r) Other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, make or change any material election in respect of Taxes, settle or compromise any material Tax Liability, agree to an extension or waiver of the statute of limitations with respect to the assessment, collection, or determination of any material Taxes, enter into any closing agreement with respect to any material Taxes or surrender any right to claim a material Tax refund, adopt or change any method of accounting with respect to Taxes, or file any amended Tax Return;

(s) Take any action that is intended or could reasonably be expected to result in (i) any of the representations or warranties of the Community First Parties set forth in this Agreement being or becoming untrue in any material respect at any time prior to the Effective Time, (ii) any of the conditions to the Merger set forth in Article  VIII not being satisfied, or (iii) a breach or violation of any provision of this Agreement;

(t) Adopt or implement any change in its accounting principles, practices, or methods, other than as may be required by GAAP, regulatory guidelines, or policies imposed by any Governmental Entity;

(u) Except as set forth on Schedule  6.1(u) of the Community First Disclosure Memorandum, enter into any new line of business, introduce any new products or services, or change the manner in which its investment securities or loan portfolio is classified or reported;

 

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(v) Make any written communications to the officers or employees of the Community First Parties or their Subsidiaries, or any oral communications presented to a significant portion of the officers or employees of the Community First Parties or their Subsidiaries, in each case that are substantially different than or include material information not contained in prior communications, pertaining to compensation or benefit matters that are affected by the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, without first providing the Commerce Union Parties a copy or written description of the intended communication and providing the Commerce Union Parties with a reasonable period of time to review and comment on the communication;

(w) Except for non-structural repairs and maintenance, engage in or conduct any demolition, remodeling, or modifications or alterations to any of its business premises unless required by applicable Law, or fail to use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain its business premises or other assets in substantially the same condition as of the date hereof, ordinary wear and tear excepted;

(x) Subject any of its properties or assets to any Lien (other than Liens existing as of the date of this Agreement and other than in connection with securing advances, repurchase agreements, and other borrowings from the Federal Home Loan Bank and transactions in federal funds);

(y) Take any action or fail to take any action, which action or failure to act would prevent or impede the Mergers, taken together, from qualifying as a “reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code; or

(z) Agree to do, make any commitment to do, or adopt any resolutions of its board of directors (or other governing body) in support of, recommending, or proposing any of the foregoing.

Section 6.2 Commerce Union Party Forbearances . Except as expressly contemplated or permitted by this Agreement, as required by applicable Law or at the direction of a Governmental Entity, or with the prior written consent of CFI, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld, from the date of this Agreement until the Effective Time, neither Commerce Union nor Reliant shall, and each of Commerce Union and Reliant shall cause its Subsidiaries not to:

(a) Fail to use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain and preserve intact its business organizations and customer and other business relationships, or take any action that would adversely affect or delay, in any material respect, its ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby;

(b) Amend its charter or bylaws in a manner that would materially and adversely affect the holders of CFI Common Stock or materially and adversely affect the holders of CFI Common Stock (as prospective holders of Commerce Union Common Stock) relative to other holders of Commerce Union Common Stock, provided that the Parties acknowledge and agree that Commerce Union may amend its charter and bylaws so as to change its name to “Reliant Bancorp, Inc.”;

(c) Make, declare, or pay any dividend on the Commerce Union Common Stock, other than dividends in an amount, on an annualized basis, whether paid annually, biannually, quarterly, or otherwise, consistent with past practice (it being agreed that any increase in the amount of any such divided not in excess of 10% on an annualized basis shall not be deemed to not be consistent with past practice);

(d) Merge or consolidate itself or any of its Subsidiaries with any other Person or engage in any similar business combination transaction (i) where it or its Subsidiary or another of its Subsidiaries, as applicable, is not the surviving Person or (ii) if the merger, consolidation, or transaction would be reasonably likely to cause the Closing to be materially delayed; restructure, reorganize, or completely or partially liquidate or dissolve it or any of its material Subsidiaries; or dispose of any ownership interest in any Subsidiary.

 

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(e) Take any action that is intended or would reasonably be expected to result in (i) any of the representations or warranties of the Commerce Union Parties set forth in this Agreement being or becoming untrue in any material respect at any time prior to the Effective Time, (ii) any of the conditions to the Merger set forth in Article  VIII not being satisfied, or (iii) a breach or violation of any provision of this Agreement;

(f) Take any action or fail to take any action, which action or failure to act would prevent or impede the Mergers, taken together, from qualifying as a “reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code; or

(g) Agree to do, make any commitment to do, or adopt any resolutions of its board of directors (or other governing body) in support of, recommending, or proposing any of the foregoing.

Section 6.3 Absence of Control . It is the mutual intent of the Parties that (a) neither Commerce Union, Merger Sub, nor Reliant shall, by reason of this Agreement, be deemed to control, directly or indirectly, CFI or Bank or to exercise, directly or indirectly, a controlling influence over the management or policies of CFI or Bank and (b) neither CFI nor Bank shall, by reason of this Agreement, be deemed to control, directly or indirectly, Commerce Union or Reliant or to exercise, directly or indirectly, a controlling influence over the management or policies of Commerce Union or Reliant.

ARTICLE VII

COVENANTS

Section 7.1 Acquisition Proposals.

(a) The Community First Parties shall, and shall direct and use their reasonable best efforts to cause their Subsidiaries and their and their Subsidiaries’ Affiliates, directors, officers, employees, agents, and representatives (including without limitation any investment banker, financial advisor, attorney, accountant, or other representative retained by the Community First Parties or any of their Subsidiaries) to, immediately cease and cause to be terminated any existing activities, discussions, or negotiations with any Person other than the Commerce Union Parties with respect to the possibility, consideration, or consummation of any Acquisition Proposal, and will use their reasonable best efforts to enforce, and will direct and use their reasonable best efforts to cause their Subsidiaries to use their reasonable best efforts to enforce, any confidentiality, nondisclosure, or similar agreement relating to any Acquisition Proposal.

(b) From the date of this Agreement until the earlier of the Effective Time or the termination of this Agreement in accordance with its terms, except as otherwise expressly set forth in this Agreement, the Community First Parties shall not, and shall direct and cause their Subsidiaries and their and their Subsidiaries’ Affiliates, directors, officers, employees, agents, and representatives (including without limitation any investment banker, financial advisor, attorney, accountant, or other representative retained by the Community First Parties or any of their Subsidiaries) not to, directly or indirectly through another Person, (i) solicit, initiate, or knowingly encourage (including by way of furnishing information or assistance), or take any other action to knowingly facilitate or that would reasonably be expected to result in, any inquiries or discussions regarding, or the making of any proposal or offer that constitutes or would reasonably be expected to lead to, an Acquisition Proposal; (ii) provide any non-public information or data regarding the Community First Parties or any of their Subsidiaries to any Person other than the Commerce Union Parties relating to or in connection with any Acquisition Proposal or any inquiry or indication of interest that would reasonably be expected to lead to an Acquisition Proposal; (iii) continue

 

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or participate in any discussions or negotiations, or otherwise communicate in any way with any Person other than the Commerce Union Parties, regarding any Acquisition Proposal; (iv) approve, execute, enter into, or consummate, any indication of interest or letter of intent, or similar agreement, relating to any Acquisition Proposal or requiring the Community First Parties to abandon, terminate, or fail to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, or propose to do any of the foregoing; or (v) except in accordance with Section  7.7 in connection with and after making a CFI Change of Recommendation, make or authorize any statement, recommendation, endorsement or solicitation in support of any Acquisition Proposal; provided , however , that prior to the date the shareholders of CFI approve this Agreement, if the CFI board of directors determines in good faith, after consultation with its outside legal and financial advisors, that the failure to do so would be inconsistent with its fiduciary duties under applicable Law, the Community First Parties may, in response to a bona fide , written Acquisition Proposal not solicited in violation of this Section  7.1 that the CFI board of directors determines in good faith constitutes or is reasonably likely to result in a Superior Proposal, and subject to providing 24 hours prior written notice of their decision to take such action to the Commerce Union Parties and identifying the Person making the Superior Proposal and all of the material terms and conditions of such Superior Proposal and compliance with Section  7.1(c) , (A) furnish information with respect to the Community First Parties and their Subsidiaries to any Person making such Superior Proposal pursuant to a confidentiality agreement on terms no more favorable to such Person than the terms contained in the Confidentiality Agreement (which confidentiality agreement shall not provide such Person the exclusive right to negotiate with the Community First Parties) and (B) participate in discussions or negotiations with such Person regarding such Superior Proposal.

(c) In addition to the obligations of the Community First Parties set forth above, the Community First Parties shall promptly (within not more than 24 hours) advise the Commerce Union Parties orally and in writing of their receipt of any Acquisition Proposal, or any request for nonpublic information or inquiry which would reasonably be expected to lead to an Acquisition Proposal, and shall keep the Commerce Union Parties informed, on a prompt basis, of any material changes in the status thereof, including the material terms and conditions thereof and any changes thereto, and shall provide to the Commerce Union Parties any material written materials received by the Community First Parties or any of their Subsidiaries in connection therewith. Additionally, the Community First Parties shall contemporaneously provide or make available to the Commerce Union Parties all material documentation or correspondence provided or made available to any third party pursuant to this Section  7.1 which has not been previously provided or made available to the Commerce Union Parties.

(d) Nothing contained in this Section  7.1 shall prohibit the Community First Parties, their boards of directors, or any of their Subsidiaries from taking and disclosing to their shareholders a position required by, or otherwise complying with, Rule 14e-2(a) or Rule 14d-9 promulgated under the Exchange Act or Item 1012(a) of Regulation M-A; provided, however, that compliance with such rules or regulations shall not in any way limit or modify the effect that any action taken pursuant to such rules or regulations has under any other provision of this Agreement.

(e) Nothing contained in this Section  7.1 shall prevent CFI or Bank or their respective boards of directors from (i) taking the actions permitted by Section  7.7(b) of this Agreement or (ii) informing any Person who submits an unsolicited, bona fide Acquisition Proposal of their obligations pursuant to this Section  7.1 .

Section 7.2 Notice of Certain Matters . Prior to the Effective Time, each Party shall promptly notify the other Parties of any fact, event, occurrence, circumstance, or condition known to it that (a) constitutes or has caused, or could reasonably be expected to cause, a material breach of any of the representations, warranties, covenants, or agreements of such Party set forth in this Agreement, provided , however , that no such notification shall (i) affect the representations, warranties, covenants, or agreements

 

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of the Parties, or the conditions to the obligations of the Parties, contained in this Agreement or (ii) be deemed to amend or supplement the Disclosure Memoranda; (b) has had, or would reasonably be expected to have, either individually or taken together with all other facts, events, occurrences, circumstances, and conditions known to such Party, a CFI Material Adverse Effect (as to any notice required to be given by the Community First Parties) or a Commerce Union Material Adverse Effect (as to any notice required to be given by the Commerce Union Parties); (c) would, or would reasonably be expected to, prohibit or materially impede or materially delay the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Further, each Party shall promptly give written notice to the other Parties of any notice or other communication from any third party alleging that the consent or approval of such third party is or may be required in connection with any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Additionally, upon receiving notice that any officer of CFI or Bank (or any of their Subsidiaries) with a title of executive vice-president or higher intends to terminate his or her employment with CFI or Bank (or any of their Subsidiaries), the Community First Parties shall promptly give the Commerce Union Parties notice of the same. The failure of a Party to comply with this Section  7.2 shall not itself constitute the failure of any condition set forth in Section  8.2 or Section  8.3 to be satisfied unless the underlying fact, event, occurrence, circumstance, or condition would independently result in the failure of a condition set forth in Section  8.2 or Section  8.3 to be satisfied.

Section 7.3 Access and Information.

(a) Prior to the Effective Time, upon reasonable notice and subject to applicable Laws relating to the exchange of information, for the purpose of verifying the representations and warranties of the Community First Parties and compliance by the Community First Parties with their covenants and agreements set forth herein, and preparing for the Mergers and the other matters contemplated by this Agreement (including without limitation for purposes of integration planning), the Community First Parties shall, and shall cause their Subsidiaries to, afford to the Commerce Union Parties and their representatives (including without limitation their directors, officers, and employees and financial advisors, legal counsel, accountants, and other professionals retained by the Commerce Union Parties) reasonable access during normal business hours to the books, records, Contracts, properties, assets, personnel, and information technology systems of the Community First Parties and their Subsidiaries, as well as such other information relating to the Community First Parties or their Subsidiaries as the Commerce Union Parties may reasonably request. Likewise, prior to the Effective Time, upon reasonable notice and subject to applicable Laws relating to the exchange of information, for the purpose of verifying the representations and warranties of the Commerce Union Parties and compliance by the Commerce Union Parties with their covenants and agreements set forth herein, and preparing for the Mergers and the other matters contemplated by this Agreement, the Commerce Union Parties shall, and shall cause their Subsidiaries to, afford to the Community First Parties and their representatives (including without limitation their directors, officers, and employees and financial advisors, legal counsel, accountants, and other professionals retained by the Community First Parties) reasonable access during normal business hours to the books, records, Contracts, properties, assets, personnel, and information technology systems of the Commerce Union Parties and their Subsidiaries, as well as such other information relating to the Commerce Union Parties or their Subsidiaries as the Community First Parties may reasonably request.

(b) From the date of this Agreement until the Effective Time, each of the Parties shall reasonably promptly furnish to the other Parties (i) a copy of any report, application, notice, schedule, or other document or instrument filed with or received from any Governmental Entity (other than any such materials which such Party is not permitted to disclose under applicable Law) and (ii) such other information regarding its and its Subsidiaries’ business, properties, assets, or personnel as the other Parties may reasonably request.

 

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(c) Any investigation by a Party or its representatives pursuant to this Section  7.3 shall be conducted in a manner that does not unreasonably interfere with the business operations of the party being investigated. No investigation by the Parties or their representatives pursuant to this Section  7.3 shall affect or be deemed to modify any of the representations, warranties, covenants, or agreements of the Parties set forth in this Agreement. Neither the Community First Parties or the Commerce Union Parties nor their respective Subsidiaries shall be required to provide access to or to disclose information pursuant to this Section  7.3 where such access or disclosure would violate or prejudice the rights of the Community First Parties’ or the Commerce Union Parties’, as the case may be, customers, jeopardize the attorney-client privilege of the Party in possession or control of such information (after giving due consideration to the existence of any common interest, joint defense, or similar agreement between the Parties), or contravene any Law, fiduciary duty, or binding Contract entered into prior to the date of this Agreement. The Parties agree to make appropriate substitute disclosure arrangements under circumstances in which the restrictions of the preceding sentence apply.

(d) The Confidentiality Agreement, to the extent the same is not inconsistent with any provision of this Agreement, will remain in full force and effect following the date of this Agreement, whether or not the Merger occurs, in accordance with its terms, and each of CFI and Bank, on the one hand, and Commerce Union and Reliant, on the other hand, shall hold all information furnished by or on behalf of the other Party or any of such Party’s Subsidiaries or representatives pursuant to this Agreement in confidence to the extent required by, and in accordance with, the provisions of the Confidentiality Agreement.

Section 7.4 Regulatory Filings; Consents and Approvals.

(a) The Parties shall cooperate with each other and use their respective reasonable best efforts to prepare all documentation, to make all filings, and to obtain all permits, consents, approvals, waivers, and authorizations of all Governmental Entities and other third parties, including the Regulatory Approvals, necessary or advisable to consummate the Mergers and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement and to comply with the terms and conditions of all such permits, consents, approvals, waivers and authorizations of all such Governmental Entities and third parties. The Commerce Union Parties shall use their reasonable best efforts to make any initial application, notice, and waiver filings required by the Federal Reserve or the TDFI in connection with the Mergers on or before October 16, 2017. Each Party shall have the right to review in advance, and to the extent practicable each Party shall consult with the other Parties with respect to, in each case subject to applicable Laws relating to the exchange of information, all written applications, notices, and waiver requests, and any other written information, submitted to any Governmental Entity or other third party in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, provided that the Commerce Union Parties shall not be required to provide or make available to the Community First Parties the confidential portions of any filing made with a Governmental Entity that contain confidential supervisory information or other information filed under a claim of confidentiality. In exercising the foregoing rights, each Party agrees to act reasonably and as promptly as practicable. Each Party agrees that it shall consult with the other Parties with respect to the obtaining of all permits, consents, approvals, waivers, and authorizations of all Governmental Entities and other third parties, including the Regulatory Approvals, necessary or advisable to consummate the Mergers, and consider in good faith the views of the other Parties in connection with any proposed written communication with any Governmental Entity related to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and each Party shall keep the other Parties reasonably apprised of the status of material matters relating to the consummation of such transactions, and other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and each Party shall keep the other Parties reasonably apprised of the status of material matters relating to the consummation of such transactions.

 

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(b) Each Party agrees to, upon request, furnish the other Parties with all information concerning itself, its Subsidiaries, and its and its Subsidiaries’ directors, officers, and shareholders, as well as any other matters, as may be necessary or advisable in connection with any filing, notice, or application made or given by or on behalf of such other Parties or any of their Subsidiaries with or to any Governmental Entity or other third party.

(c) In furtherance and not in limitation of the foregoing, each of Commerce Union and Reliant, on the one hand, and CFI and Bank, on the other hand, shall, and shall cause its Subsidiaries to, use its reasonable best efforts to avoid the entry of, or to have vacated, lifted, reversed, or overturned, any decree, judgment, injunction, or other order, whether temporary, preliminary, or permanent, that would prevent or materially delay the Closing; provided that neither Commerce Union nor Reliant shall be required to agree or consent to, or enter into, any consent decree, hold separate orders, or otherwise, or agree to or effect any sale, divestiture, or disposition of any portion of the business of CFI, Bank, Commerce Union, or Reliant in order to avoid the entry of, and the commencement of litigation seeking the entry of, or to effect the dissolution of, any injunction, temporary restraining order, or other order in any suit or proceeding, which would otherwise have the effect of materially delaying or preventing the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.

Section 7.5 Further Assurances . Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, each of the Parties agrees to use its reasonable best efforts to promptly take, or cause to be promptly taken, all actions, and to promptly do, or cause to be promptly done, all things, necessary, proper, or advisable under applicable Laws to consummate and make effective the transactions contemplated by this Agreement as expeditiously as reasonably possible, including using its reasonable best efforts to obtain all necessary actions or non-actions, extensions, waivers, consents, and approvals from Governmental Entities, effecting all necessary registrations, applications, and filings (including without limitation filings under any applicable federal or state securities Laws), and obtaining any required contractual consents and regulatory approvals.

Section 7.6 Publicity . The Parties shall consult with each other before issuing any press release or making any public statements or disclosures (including without limitation written communications to shareholders) with respect to this Agreement or the transactions, including the Mergers, contemplated hereby and shall not issue any such press release or make any such public statements or disclosures without the prior consent of the other Parties, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld; provided , however , that nothing contained in this Section 7.6  shall be deemed to prohibit a Party from making any disclosure that legal counsel to such Party advises such Party in writing is necessary in order to satisfy such Party’s disclosure obligations under applicable Law.

Section 7.7 CFI Shareholders Meeting.

(a) CFI and its board of directors shall take, in accordance with applicable Law and CFI’s charter and bylaws, all action necessary to call, give notice of, convene, and hold, as promptly as reasonably practicable after the date on which the Registration Statement becomes effective under the Securities Act, a meeting of CFI’s shareholders (including any adjournment or postponement thereof, the “ CFI Meeting ”) for the purpose of CFI’s shareholders considering and voting on approval of this Agreement and any other matters required to be approved by CFI’s shareholders in order to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and, if mutually agreed upon by the Parties, any other matters of the type customarily brought before a meeting of shareholders to approve an agreement such as this Agreement. Except with the prior approval of the Commerce Union Parties (which will not be unreasonably withheld), no other matters shall be submitted for consideration by or the approval of CFI’s shareholders at the CFI Meeting. Subject to Section  7.7(b) , (i) CFI and its board of directors shall at all times prior to and during the CFI Meeting recommend to CFI’s shareholders the approval of this

 

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Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby and shall take all reasonable and lawful action to solicit and obtain such approval and (ii) the CFI board of directors shall not withdraw, modify, or qualify in any manner adverse to the Commerce Union Parties its recommendation that CFI’s shareholders approve this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, or take any other action or make any other public statement inconsistent with such recommendation (the actions prohibited by this clause (ii) being referred to as a “ CFI  Change of Recommendation ”). Notwithstanding any CFI Change of Recommendation, unless this Agreement has been terminated, this Agreement shall be submitted to the shareholders of CFI at the CFI Meeting for the purpose of CFI’s shareholders considering and voting on approval of this Agreement and any other matters required to be approved by CFI’s shareholders in order to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Additionally, unless this Agreement has been terminated, neither CFI nor Bank shall submit to or for a vote of its shareholder(s) any Acquisition Proposal.

(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the CFI board of directors may make a CFI Change of Recommendation if, but only if:

(i) The CFI board of directors determines in good faith (after consultation with and receiving and considering the advice of outside legal counsel and its financial advisors) that its failure to do so would be inconsistent with its fiduciary duties under applicable Law; and

(ii) In the event the CFI Change of Recommendation stems from or is a result of, or relates in any manner to, an Acquisition Proposal, (A) the Community First Parties have complied in all material respects with Section  7.1 ; (B) the CFI board of directors has determined in good faith, after giving effect to all of the adjustments which may be offered by the Commerce Union Parties pursuant to clause (D) below, that such Acquisition Proposal constitutes a Superior Proposal, (C) CFI notifies the Commerce Union Parties at least five Business Days in advance of its intention to effect a CFI Change of Recommendation in response to such Superior Proposal, and furnishes to the Commerce Union Parties the identity of the Person making such Superior Proposal, a copy of the proposed transaction agreements and all other documents relating to such Superior Proposal, and a reasonable description of the event or circumstances giving rise to its determination to take such action, and (D) prior to effecting the CFI Change of Recommendation, the Community First Parties shall, and shall cause their financial, legal, and other advisors to, for a period of five Business Days following CFI’s delivery of the notice referred to in clause (C) above, negotiate in good faith with the Commerce Union Parties (to the extent the Commerce Union Parties desire to so negotiate) to make such adjustments in the terms and conditions of this Agreement so that such Acquisition Proposal ceases to constitute a Superior Proposal.

(c) CFI shall adjourn or postpone the CFI Meeting if (i) as of the date of the CFI Meeting there are insufficient shares of CFI Common Stock represented (either in person or by proxy) to constitute the quorum necessary to conduct the business of the CFI Meeting or (ii) as of the date of the CFI Meeting CFI has not received proxies representing a sufficient number of shares necessary for the approval of this Agreement by the shareholders of CFI in accordance with CFI’s charter and bylaws and applicable Law; provided that CFI shall not be required to adjourn or postpone the CFI Meeting more than two times.

Section 7.8 Commerce Union Shareholders Meeting.

(a) Commerce Union and its board of directors shall take, in accordance with applicable Law and Commerce Union’s charter and bylaws, all action necessary to call, give notice of, convene, and hold, as promptly as reasonably practicable after the date on which the Registration Statement becomes effective under the Securities Act, a meeting of Commerce Union’s shareholders (including any adjournment or postponement thereof, the “ Commerce Union Meeting ”) for the purpose of

 

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Commerce Union’s shareholders considering and voting on approval of the issuance by Commerce Union of the shares of Commerce Union Common Stock constituting the Merger Consideration pursuant to this Agreement (the “ Stock Issuance Proposal ”) and any other matters required to be approved by Commerce Union’s shareholders in order to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and, if mutually agreed upon by the Parties, any other matters of the type customarily brought before a meeting of shareholders to approve matters such as the Stock Issuance Proposal. Subject to Section  7.8(b) , (i) Commerce Union and its board of directors shall at all times prior to and during the Commerce Union Meeting recommend to Commerce Union’s shareholders the approval of the Stock Issuance Proposal and shall take all reasonable and lawful action to solicit and obtain such approval and (ii) the Commerce Union board of directors shall not withdraw, modify, or qualify in any manner adverse to the Community First Parties its recommendation that Commerce Union’s shareholders approve the Stock Issuance Proposal, or take any other action or make any other public statement inconsistent with such recommendation (the actions prohibited by this clause (ii) being referred to as a “ Commerce Union Change of Recommendation ”).

(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Commerce Union board of directors may make a Commerce Union Change of Recommendation if, but only if, the Commerce Union board of directors determines in good faith (after consultation with and receiving and considering the advice of outside legal counsel) that its failure to do so would be inconsistent with its fiduciary duties under applicable Law; provided that the board of directors of Commerce Union shall not make a Commerce Union Change of Recommendation under this Section  7.8(b) unless (i) Commerce Union gives CFI at least five Business Days’ prior written notice of the board of directors’ intention to take such action and a reasonable description of the events or circumstances giving rise to its determination to take such action and (ii) at the end of such notice period, the board of directors of Commerce Union takes into account any reasonable amendment or modification to this Agreement proposed by CFI and, after receiving the advice of its outside legal counsel and its financial advisor, determines in good faith that it would nevertheless be inconsistent with its fiduciary duties under applicable Law to continue to recommend that Commerce Union’s shareholders approve the Stock Issuance Proposal.

(c) Commerce Union shall adjourn or postpone the Commerce Union Meeting if (i) as of the date of the Commerce Union Meeting there are insufficient shares of Commerce Union Common Stock represented (either in person or by proxy) to constitute a quorum necessary to conduct the business of the Commerce Union Meeting, or (ii) as of the date of the Commerce Union Meeting, Commerce Union has not received proxies representing a sufficient number of shares of Commerce Union Common Stock necessary for the approval of the Stock Issuance Proposal; provided , that Commerce Union shall not be required to adjourn or postpone the Commerce Union Meeting more than one (1) time. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, unless this Agreement has been terminated, the Commerce Union Meeting shall be convened and this Agreement shall be submitted to the shareholders of Commerce Union at the Commerce Union Meeting for the purpose of Commerce Union’s shareholders considering and voting on the approval of the Stock Issuance Proposal and any other matters required to be approved by Commerce Union’s shareholders in order to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

Section 7.9 Timing of Shareholders Meetings . Commerce Union and CFI shall use their respective reasonable best efforts to hold the Commerce Union Meeting and the CFI Meeting on the same date.

 

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Section 7.10 Employee and Benefit Matters.

(a) Subject to applicable Law and the terms of the Commerce Union Parties’ employee benefit plans, Commerce Union or Reliant will, as soon as reasonably practicable after the Effective Time, provide employees of Bank who become employees of Commerce Union or Reliant at or immediately following the Effective Time (the “ Continuing Employees ”) with benefits that are no less favorable, in the aggregate, than that provided to similarly situated employees of the Commerce Union Parties as of the Closing Date. With respect to any “employee benefit plan” (as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA) maintained by Commerce Union or Reliant, excluding both any retiree health care plans or programs maintained by Commerce Union or Reliant and any equity compensation or deferred compensation plans or arrangements maintained by Commerce Union or Reliant (collectively, “ Employee  Plans ”), in which any Continuing Employees will participate effective as of or after the Effective Time, Commerce Union or Reliant, as appropriate, will recognize all years of service of Continuing Employees with the Community First Parties (and any predecessor entities to, or entities which previously have merged or consolidated with or into, any of the Community First Parties) for vesting and eligibility purposes (but not for benefit accrual purposes or purposes of early retirement subsidies under any Employee Plan that is a defined benefit pension plan) in any Employee Plan in which such Continuing Employees may be eligible to participate at or after the Effective Time; provided that such service shall not be recognized to the extent that (i) such recognition of service would result in a duplication of benefits or (ii) such service was not recognized under a corresponding Community First Benefit Plan. With respect to Employee Plans providing health care, dental, or vision coverage, the Commerce Union Parties will use commercially reasonable efforts to cause any pre-existing condition, eligibility waiting period, or other limitations or exclusions otherwise applicable under such plans to new employees not to apply to the Continuing Employees or their eligible spouses and eligible dependents who were covered under a similar Community First Benefit Plan immediately prior to the Effective Time. Further, if Continuing Employees experience a transition in health care, dental, or vision coverage during the middle of a plan year, the Commerce Union Parties will use commercially reasonable efforts to cause any successor Employee Plan providing health care, dental, or vision coverage for Continuing Employees to give credit towards satisfaction of any annual deductible limitation and out-of-pocket maximum applied under such successor plan for any deductible, co-payment, or other cost-sharing amounts previously paid by Continuing Employees in respect of their participation in the corresponding Community First Benefit Plan during the plan year of the successor Employee Plan prior to the transition effective date. The Parties acknowledge and agree that, to the extent permitted by applicable Law and the terms of any pertinent plan documents, the Commerce Union Parties may after the Effective Time maintain multiple benefit plans providing health care, dental, or vision coverage and/or multiple retirement savings plans.

(b) To the extent permitted by applicable Law, at the request of the Commerce Union Parties, the Community First Parties shall take, and shall cause their Subsidiaries to take, prior to the Effective Time, all actions reasonably requested by the Commerce Union Parties that are necessary or appropriate to (i) cause one or more of the Community First Benefits Plans (including without limitation the Community First Bank & Trust 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan, but excluding the CFI SERP and the related participation agreements thereunder) to terminate or be frozen as of or immediately prior to the Effective Time, (ii) cause benefit accruals and entitlements under any Community First Benefit Plan to cease as of or immediately prior to the Effective Time, (iii) cause the continuation at and after the Effective Time of any Contract or insurance policy relating to any Community First Benefit Plan for such period as may be requested by the Commerce Union Parties, or (iv) facilitate the merger of any Community First Benefit Plan into any employee benefit plan maintained by the Commerce Union Parties or their Subsidiaries. All resolutions, notices, or other documents adopted, issued, or executed in connection with the implementation of this Section  7.10(b) shall be subject to the Commerce Union Parties’ prior review and approval, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld. Without limiting the foregoing, CFI shall take all such action as is necessary to suspend the CFI ESPP effective as of the date of this Agreement and to terminate the CFI ESPP effective as of immediately prior to the Effective Time.

 

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(c) The Parties shall establish a cash-based retention program in the aggregate amount, and subject to such terms, conditions, and restrictions, set forth on Schedule  7.10(c) of the Commerce Union Disclosure Memorandum, to promote employee retention and to incentivize employee efforts to consummate the Mergers (the “ Retention Program ”). Subject to the terms, conditions, and restrictions set forth on Schedule  7.10(c) of the Commerce Union Disclosure Memorandum, amounts available under the Retention Program shall be allocated among the employees of Bank and its Subsidiaries identified, and in the amounts and on the other terms determined, by mutual reasonable agreement of the Chief Executive Officers of Reliant and Bank (or their designees).

(d) The Commerce Union Parties will provide to (i) employees of Bank immediately prior to the Effective Time who are not offered continued employment with Commerce Union or Reliant and (ii) Continuing Employees whose employment is involuntarily terminated by the Commerce Union Parties without cause during the six-month period immediately following the Effective Time (collectively, “ Severed Employees ”), and who are not otherwise entitled to contractual or other severance or change in control benefits, severance benefits in the amounts set forth on Schedule  7.10(c) of the Commerce Union Disclosure Memorandum taking into account the number of years of service of the Severed Employees with the Community First Parties prior to the Effective Time and the Commerce Union Parties thereafter; provided that it shall be a condition to payment of any such severance benefits that the Severed Employee executes a release of claims, which release shall be in a form that complies with Section 409A of the Code and is reasonably acceptable to the Commerce Union Parties. Any such payments of severance benefits (including the timing of the same) shall be in compliance with Section 409A of the Code. For purposes of this Section  7.10(c) , “cause” shall have the same meaning as provided in any written employment agreement between any Severed Employee and Commerce Union and/or Reliant on the date such Severed Employee’s employment is terminated, or if no such definition or employment agreement exists, “cause” shall mean conduct amounting to (i) fraud or dishonesty against or to the Commerce Union Parties or their Subsidiaries, (ii) the Severed Employee’s willful misconduct, repeated refusal to follow the reasonable directions of his or her superiors, or knowing violation of Law in the course or scope of performance of services to or for the Commerce Union Parties or their Subsidiaries; (iii) repeated absences from work without a reasonable excuse; (iv) repeated intoxication with alcohol or drugs while on the premises of the Commerce Union Parties or their Subsidiaries during regular business hours; (v) a conviction or plea of guilty or nolo contendere to a felony or a crime involving dishonesty; or (vi) a breach or violation of the terms of any agreement to which the Severed Employee and the Commerce Union Parties or their Subsidiaries are parties.

(e) From and after the Effective Time, Commerce Union and/or Reliant, as applicable, shall assume and honor in accordance with their terms all written employment, severance, and change in control agreements between the Community First Parties or their Subsidiaries and any of their respective employees which are not terminated prior to or in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement and are in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time.

(f) Prior to the Effective Time, the Community First Parties shall use their reasonable best efforts to cause to be canceled those CFI Options set forth on Schedule  7.10(f) of the Community First Disclosure Memorandum on such terms as set forth on Schedule  7.10(f) of the Community First Disclosure Memorandum; provided, however , that cancellation of such CFI Options shall not be a condition to Commerce Union’s or Reliant’s obligations to close the Mergers.

(g) This Section  7.10 shall be binding upon and inure solely to the benefit of the Parties, and nothing in this Section  7.10 , express or implied, shall confer upon any other Person any rights or remedies of any nature whatsoever under or by reason of this Section  7.10 . Nothing contained in this Section  7.10 , express or implied, (i) shall be construed to establish, amend, or modify any benefit plan, program, agreement, or arrangement or (ii) shall alter or limit the ability of the Surviving Corporation,

 

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Commerce Union, or Reliant, or any of their Subsidiaries or Affiliates, to amend, modify, or terminate any benefit plan, program, agreement, or arrangement at any time assumed, established, sponsored, or maintained by any of them. The Parties acknowledge and agree that the provisions of this Section  7.10 shall not create any right in any employee of CFI or Bank or any of their Subsidiaries, or any other Person, to continued employment with the Surviving Corporation, Commerce Union, or Reliant, or any of their Subsidiaries or Affiliates (and shall not limit the right of the Surviving Corporation, Commerce Union, or Reliant, or any of their Subsidiaries or Affiliates, to terminate the employment of any employee), or any compensation or benefits of any nature or kind whatsoever.

Section 7.11 Indemnification.

(a) For a period of six years immediately following the Effective Time, the Surviving Corporation shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless each of the current and former directors, officers and employees of CFI and Bank, determined as of immediately prior to the Effective Time (each, an “ Indemnified Party ”), against any and all costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses), judgments, fines, losses, claims, damages, and liabilities incurred in connection with any claim, action, suit, proceeding, or investigation, whether civil, criminal, administrative, or investigative, arising out of matters existing or occurring prior to the Effective Time, whether asserted or claimed prior to, at, or after the Effective Time, and based on or pertaining to the fact that he or she was a director or officer of CFI or Bank or was serving at the request of CFI or Bank as a director, officer, employee, agent, trustee, or partner of another corporation, partnership, trust, joint venture, employee benefit plan, or other entity, to the fullest extent such Indemnified Party would have been entitled to be so indemnified, defended, and held harmless, subject to applicable Law, under the charters and bylaws of CFI and Bank as in effect as of the date of this Agreement (including the provisions thereof, if any, relating to the advancement of expenses).

(b) Any Indemnified Party wishing to claim indemnification under this Section  7.11 , upon learning of any such claim, action, suit, proceeding, or investigation, shall promptly notify the Surviving Corporation of the same; provided that the failure of the Indemnified Party to so notify the Surviving Corporation shall not relieve the Surviving Corporation of any liability it may have to such Indemnified Party if such failure does not actually and materially prejudice the Surviving Corporation. In the event of any such claim, action, suit, proceeding, or investigation (whether arising before or after the Effective Time), (i) the Surviving Corporation shall have the right to assume the defense thereof and the Surviving Corporation shall not be liable to the Indemnified Party for any legal expenses of other counsel or any other expenses subsequently incurred by such Indemnified Party in connection with the defense thereof, except that, (A) if the Surviving Corporation elects not to assume such defense or (B) if counsel for the Indemnified Party advises the Surviving Corporation that there are legal defenses available to the Indemnified Party that are different from or in addition to those available to the Surviving Corporation or that there are issues which raise conflicts of interest between the Surviving Corporation and the Indemnified Party that make joint representation inappropriate, the Indemnified Party may retain its own legal counsel and the Surviving Corporation shall pay, as statements therefor are received, the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel for the Indemnified Party (which may not exceed one firm in any jurisdiction unless there are multiple Indemnified Parties who have conflicts of interest), (ii) the Indemnified Party will cooperate in the defense thereof, (iii) the Surviving Corporation shall not be liable for any settlement effected without its prior written consent, which consent may be withheld or granted by the Surviving Corporation in its sole discretion, and (iv) the Surviving Corporation shall have no obligation hereunder in the event a federal or state banking agency or authority or a court of competent jurisdiction shall determine that indemnification of an Indemnified Party in the manner contemplated hereby is prohibited by applicable Law.

 

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(c) Subject to the second sentence of this Section  7.11(c) , for a period of six years immediately following the Effective Time, Commerce Union shall cause to be maintained in effect the current policies of directors’ and officers’ and, if applicable, fiduciary liability insurance maintained by CFI ( provided that Commerce Union may substitute therefor policies with a comparable insurer of at least the same coverage and amounts containing terms and conditions which are no less advantageous to the insureds) with respect to claims against those individuals who are covered by CFI’s current policies of directors’ and officers’ and, if applicable, fiduciary liability insurance arising from facts or events which occurred at or before the Effective Time (including the transactions contemplated by this Agreement); provided, however , that Commerce Union shall not be obligated to expend for such insurance, on an annual basis, an amount in excess of 110% of the most recent annual premium paid by the Community First Parties for their existing policies of directors’ and officers’ and, if applicable, fiduciary liability insurance (the “ Premium Cap ”), and, if such premiums for such insurance would exceed the Premium Cap, then Commerce Union shall cause to be maintained policies of insurance which provide the maximum coverage available for an amount equal to the Premium Cap. In lieu of the foregoing, CFI, in consultation with Commerce Union, may (and, at the request of Commerce Union, CFI shall use its reasonable best efforts to) obtain at or prior to the Effective Time, at Commerce Union’s expense, a six-year “tail” policy under CFI’s existing directors’ and officers’ and, if applicable, fiduciary liability insurance policy, providing equivalent coverage to that described in the preceding sentence, if and to the extent that the same may be obtained for an amount that, in the aggregate, does not exceed 250% of the most recent annual premium paid by the Community First Parties for their existing policies of directors’ and officers’ and, if applicable, fiduciary liability insurance (or such other amount as may be mutually agreed upon by the Parties).

(d) In the event the Surviving Corporation or any of its successors or assigns shall consolidate with or merge with or into any other Person and shall not be the continuing or surviving entity of such consolidation or merger, or shall transfer all or substantially all of its properties and assets to any other Person, then, and in each such case, the Surviving Corporation or its successors or assigns, as applicable, shall make proper provision so that the successors or assigns of the Surviving Corporation assume the obligations of the Surviving Corporation set forth in this Section  7.11 .

(e) Any indemnification payments made pursuant to this Section  7.11  are subject to and conditioned upon their compliance with Section 18(k) of the FDIA (12 U.S.C. § 1828(k)) and the regulations promulgated thereunder by the FDIC (12 C.F.R. Part 359).

Section 7.12 Registration Statement.

(a) As soon as reasonably practicable after the date of this Agreement, but in no event later than 40 Business Days following the date hereof, Commerce Union and CFI will prepare and file with the SEC the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus and Commerce Union will prepare and file with the SEC the Registration Statement (in which the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus will be included as a prospectus), which in each case shall comply with all of the requirements of the Exchange Act and the Securities Act (and the rules and regulations thereunder) applicable thereto. Each of Commerce Union and CFI shall its reasonable best efforts to have the Registration Statement declared effective under the Securities Act as soon as practicable after the filing thereof. Commerce Union shall also use its reasonable best efforts to register or exempt from registration the Commerce Union Common Stock to be issued to holders of CFI Common Stock as Merger Consideration under the state securities or “blue sky” Laws of all applicable jurisdictions, and to keep the Registration Statement and such state securities Laws or “blue sky” registrations or exemptions current and in effect for so long as is necessary to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and the Community First Parties shall furnish all information concerning the Community First Parties and their shareholders as may be reasonably requested by Commerce Union in connection with the same. Commerce Union shall have primary

 

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responsibility for preparing and filing the Registration Statement, provided that Commerce Union shall to the extent practicable afford the Community First Parties and their legal, financial, and accounting advisors a reasonable opportunity to review and provide comments on (i) the Registration Statement before it is filed with the SEC and (ii) all amendments and supplements to the Registration Statement and all responses to requests for additional information and replies to comments relating to the Registration Statement before the same are filed with or submitted to the SEC. Each Party, to the extent permitted by Law, shall deliver to the other Parties copies of all material filings, correspondence, orders, and documents with, to, or from Governmental Entities, and shall promptly relay to the other Parties the substance of any material oral communications with, to, or from Governmental Entities, in each case pertaining or relating to the Registration Statement or any documents or materials related thereto.

(b) The Parties shall cooperate in the preparation of the Registration Statement and the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus for the purpose of submitting this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby to the shareholders of CFI for approval and submitting the Stock Issuance Proposal to the shareholders of Commerce Union for approval. Each Party will as promptly as reasonably practicable after the date of this Agreement furnish all data and information relating to it and its Subsidiaries, and its and its Subsidiaries’ directors, officers, and shareholders, as the other Parties may reasonably request for the purpose of including such data and information in the Registration Statement and/or the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus. The Community First Parties expressly agree to cooperate with Commerce Union and its legal and accounting advisors in requesting and obtaining appropriate opinions, consents, and letters from its financial advisor(s) and independent auditor(s), and in taking such other actions as may be reasonably requested by Commerce Union, in connection with the Registration Statement or the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus. Each Party covenants and agrees that none of the information supplied or to be supplied by such Party for inclusion or incorporation by reference in (i) the Registration Statement will, at the time the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto becomes effective under the Securities Act, 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 light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, (ii) the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto will, on the date the same is first mailed to shareholders of the Parties or at the time of the Commerce Union Meeting or the CFI Meeting, 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 light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or (iii) any other document filed with any Governmental Entity in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will, at the time such document is filed, fail to comply as to form, in all material respects, with the provisions of applicable Law. The Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus will comply as to form, in all material respects, with all applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, except that no representation or warranty is made by any Party with respect to statements made or incorporated by reference therein based on information supplied by any other Party for inclusion or incorporation by reference in the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus. Each Party covenants and agrees that, in the event such Party becomes aware of any information furnished by it that would cause any of the statements in the Registration Statement or the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus, or any other document filed with any Governmental Entity in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, to be false or misleading with respect to any material fact, or to omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein not false or misleading, such Party will promptly inform the other Parties thereof in writing and take all necessary steps to correct the Registration Statement or Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus, or other document, as applicable.

 

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Section 7.13 Nasdaq Listing . Commerce Union shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the shares of Commerce Union Common Stock to be issued as Merger Consideration in accordance with this Agreement to be authorized for listing on Nasdaq (subject to official notice of issuance) prior to the Effective Time.

Section 7.14 Appointment of Directors . Prior to or at the Effective Time, each of Commerce Union and Reliant and its respective boards of directors shall take all action required to set its board of directors at 14 members and to elect or appoint to the board of directors of Commerce Union and the board of directors of Reliant, respectively, effective as of or immediately following the Effective Time, Robert E. (Brown) Daniel, Louis E. Holloway, and Rusty Vest, or, if any of them is unwilling or unable to serve, another member of CFI’s or Bank’s board of directors as of the date hereof mutually agreed upon by Commerce Union and CFI who continues to serve as a member of CFI’s or Bank’s, as applicable, board of directors until immediately prior to the Effective Time.

Section 7.15 Notice of Dissenters Rights Matters . The Community First Parties shall give the Commerce Union Parties prompt written notice of their receipt of any notice, demand, or other instrument or communication relating to dissenters’ rights (including any notice of intent to demand payment or any withdrawal of any such notice) provided by or behalf of any shareholder of CFI pursuant to Chapter 23 of the Corporation Act.

Section 7.16 Exemption from Section  16(b) Liability . Commerce Union acknowledges that, in order to most effectively compensate and retain those officers and directors of the Community First Parties that will become officers or directors of Commerce Union subject to the reporting requirements of Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act in connection with or as a result of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (the “ CFI Insiders ”), it is desirable that the CFI Insiders not be subject to a risk of liability under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law in connection with the conversion or exchange of shares of CFI Common Stock in the Merger, and for that compensatory and retentive purpose agrees to the provisions of this Section 7.17 . The board of directors of Commerce Union, or a committee of non-employee directors thereof (as such term is defined for purposes of Rule 16b-3(d) under the Exchange Act), shall prior to the Effective Time take all such action as may be reasonably required to cause any acquisitions of Commerce Union Common Stock by any CFI Insiders to be exempt from liability pursuant to Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law.

Section 7.17 Hickman County Property . Prior to the Effective Time, the Community First Parties shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to enter the Hickman County Property into the State of Tennessee’s Voluntary Cleanup, Oversight, and Assistance Program, to execute a Brownfield Voluntary Agreement with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation covering the Hickman County Property, and to obtain formal regulatory closure with respect to the Hickman County Property as demonstrated by the Community First Parties’ receipt of a no further action letter from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation pursuant to such Brownfield Voluntary Agreement; provided, however , that the Parties hereto acknowledge and agree that it shall not be a condition to the Parties’ obligation to close the transactions contemplated by this Agreement that such a Brownfield Agreement shall have been executed or formal regulatory closure (including the receipt of a no further action letter from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation) shall have been obtained.

ARTICLE VIII

CONDITIONS TO CONSUMMATION OF MERGER

Section 8.1 Conditions to Each Party s Obligation to Consummate the Merger . The respective obligation of each Party to consummate the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement is subject to the satisfaction or, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, written waiver by such Party prior to the Closing of each of the following conditions (other than those conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied at the Closing, but subject to the fulfillment or waiver of those conditions):

 

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(a) Shareholder Approvals . This Agreement shall have been duly approved by the shareholders of CFI in accordance with CFI’s charter and bylaws and applicable Law, and the Stock Issuance Proposal shall have been duly approved by the shareholders of Commerce Union in accordance with the charter and bylaws of Commerce Union and applicable Law.

(b) Governmental Approvals . All approvals, consents, and waivers of or from Governmental Entities (including without limitation the Regulatory Approvals) required to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including without limitation the Merger, the Second Step Merger, and the Bank Merger) shall have been obtained and shall be in full force and effect, and all statutory waiting periods in respect thereof shall have expired, and no such approval, consent, or waiver shall contain any condition, restriction, or requirement that would, individually or in the aggregate with one or more other such conditions, restrictions, or requirements, that would be so material and adverse with respect to the economic benefits to Commerce Union or its Affiliates of the operation of the Surviving Corporation and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole that a purchaser acting reasonably in the circumstances and in good faith would not have entered into this Agreement had such purchaser known and reasonably assessed that such condition(s), restriction(s), or requirement(s) would be imposed (any such condition, restriction, or requirement, a “ Burdensome Condition ”); provided , however , that (i) any condition, restriction, or requirement imposed by a Governmental Entity which is customarily imposed in published orders or approvals for transactions such as the Merger, the Second Step Merger, or the Bank Merger shall not be deemed to be a Burdensome Condition and (ii) prior to declaring a Burdensome Condition and electing not to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby as a result thereof, Commerce Union shall use commercially reasonable efforts to negotiate with the relevant Governmental Entity a modification to the condition, restriction, or requirement to reduce the burdensome nature thereof such that the condition, restriction, or requirement no longer constitutes a Burdensome Condition.

(c) No Injunction; Illegality . There shall not be in effect any order, decree, or injunction of any Governmental Entity that enjoins or prohibits the consummation of the Merger, the Second Step Merger, or the Bank Merger, and no Governmental Entity shall have instituted any action, suit, or proceeding for the purpose of enjoining or prohibiting the consummation of the Merger, the Second Step Merger, or the Bank Merger. No Law shall have been enacted, entered, promulgated, or enforced by any Governmental Entity which prohibits or makes illegal the consummation of the Merger, the Second Step Merger, or the Bank Merger.

(d) Registration Statement . The Registration Statement shall have become effective under the Securities Act and no stop order suspending such effectiveness shall be in effect, and no action, suit, proceeding, or investigation by the SEC to suspend the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been initiated, continuing, or threatened and unresolved.

(e) Nasdaq Listing . The shares of Commerce Union Common Stock that will be issued to holders of CFI Common Stock as Merger Consideration in the Merger pursuant to this Agreement shall have been authorized for listing on Nasdaq, subject to official notice of issuance.

Section 8.2 Conditions to Obligations of Community First Parties . The obligation of each of CFI and Bank to consummate the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement is also subject to the satisfaction or, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, written waiver by CFI and Bank prior to the Closing of each of the following conditions (other than those conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied at the Closing, but subject to the fulfillment or waiver of those conditions):

 

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(a) Representations and Warranties of Commerce Union Parties . The representations and warranties of the Commerce Union Parties contained in Section  5.2(c) ( Capitalization ), Section  5.2(k)(i) ( Absence of Certain Changes or Events ), and Section  5.2(t) ( Broker Fees ) shall be true and correct in all respects (other than, in the case of Section  5.2(c) only, inaccuracies which, individually and in the aggregate, are de minimis in both amount and impact) as of the date of this Agreement and as of the Closing Date as though made on and as of the Closing Date (except that representations and warranties that by their terms speak specifically as of the date of this Agreement or another date shall be true and correct only as of such date). The representations and warranties of the Commerce Union Parties contained in Section  5.2(a) ( Organization and Qualification ) and Section  5.2(d) ( Authority ) shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the date of this Agreement and as of the Closing Date as though made on and as of the Closing Date (except that representations and warranties that by their terms speak specifically as of the date of this Agreement or another date shall be true and correct only as of such date). All other representations and warranties of the Commerce Union Parties contained in this Agreement shall be true and correct in all respects as of the date of this Agreement and as of the Closing Date as though made on and as of the Closing Date (except that representations and warranties that by their terms speak specifically as of the date of this Agreement or another date shall be true and correct only as of such date), except where the failure of such representations and warranties to be so true and correct has not had or resulted in, and would not reasonably be expected to have or result in, individually or in the aggregate, a Commerce Union Material Adverse Effect; provided that, for purposes of this sentence only, those representations and warranties containing or subject to a materiality or Commerce Union Material Adverse Effect qualifier shall be read without, and shall be deemed not to include or be subject to, any such qualifier.

(b) Performance of Obligations of Commerce Union Parties . The Commerce Union Parties shall have performed and complied with, in all material respects, all obligations and covenants required to be performed and complied with by them under this Agreement prior to or at the Effective Time.

(c) Officers’ Certificate . The Community First Parties shall have received a certificate, dated as of the Closing Date, signed by the chief executive officer and the chief financial officer of each of Commerce Union and Reliant, and otherwise in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Community First Parties, to the effect that the conditions set forth in  Section 8.2(a) and Section  8.2(b) have been satisfied.

(d) Tax Opinion . CFI shall have received an opinion from Bass, Berry & Sims PLC, legal counsel to CFI, dated as of the Closing Date and in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to CFI, to the effect that, on the basis of facts, representations, and assumptions set forth or referred to in such opinion, the Mergers, taken together, will qualify as a “reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code. In rendering its opinion, such counsel may require and rely upon representations contained in certificates of officers of the Community First Parties and the Commerce Union Parties, reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to such counsel.

Section 8.3 Conditions to Obligations of Commerce Union Parties . The obligation of each of Commerce Union, Merger Sub, and Reliant to consummate the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement is also subject to the satisfaction or, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, written waiver by Commerce Union, Merger Sub, and Reliant prior to the Closing of each of the following conditions (other than those conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied at the Closing, but subject to the fulfillment or waiver of those conditions):

 

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(a) Representations and Warranties of Community First Parties . The representations and warranties of the Community First Parties contained in Section  4.2(c) ( Capitalization ), Section  4.2(k)(i) ( Absence of Certain Changes or Events ), and Section  4.2(w) ( Broker Fees ) shall be true and correct in all respects (other than, in the case of Section  4.2(c) only, inaccuracies which, individually and in the aggregate, are de minimis in both amount and impact) as of the date of this Agreement and as of the Closing Date as though made on and as of the Closing Date (except that representations and warranties that by their terms speak specifically as of the date of this Agreement or another date shall be true and correct only as of such date). The representations and warranties of the Community First Parties contained in Section  4.2(a) ( Organization and Qualification ) and Section  4.2(d) ( Authority ) shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the date of this Agreement and as of the Closing Date as though made on and as of the Closing Date (except that representations and warranties that by their terms speak specifically as of the date of this Agreement or another date shall be true and correct only as of such date). All other representations and warranties of the Community First Parties contained in this Agreement shall be true and correct in all respects as of the date of this Agreement and as of the Closing Date as though made on and as of the Closing Date (except that representations and warranties that by their terms speak specifically as of the date of this Agreement or another date shall be true and correct only as of such date), except where the failure of such representations and warranties to be so true and correct has not had or resulted in, and would not reasonably be expected to have or result in, individually or in the aggregate, a CFI Material Adverse Effect; provided that, for purposes of this sentence only, those representations and warranties containing or subject to a materiality or CFI Material Adverse Effect qualifier shall be read without, and shall be deemed not to include or be subject to, any such qualifier.

(b) Performance of Obligations of Community First Parties . The Community First Parties shall have performed and complied with, in all material respects, all obligations and covenants required to be performed and complied with by them under this Agreement prior to or at the Effective Time.

(c) Officers’ Certificate . The Commerce Union Parties shall have received a certificate, dated as of the Closing Date, signed by the chief executive officer and the chief financial officer of each of CFI and Bank, and otherwise in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Commerce Union Parties, to the effect that the conditions set forth in  Section  8.3(a) and Section  8.3(b) have been satisfied.

(d) Tax Opinion . Commerce Union shall have received an opinion from Butler Snow LLP, legal counsel to Commerce Union, dated as of the Closing Date and in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Commerce Union, to the effect that, on the basis of facts, representations, and assumptions set forth or referred to in such opinion, the Mergers, taken together, will qualify as a “reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code. In rendering its opinion, such counsel may require and rely upon representations contained in certificates of officers of the Community First Parties and the Commerce Union Parties, reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to such counsel.

(e) Director Resignations . Each member of the board of directors of CFI and each member of the board of directors of Bank shall have delivered to CFI and Bank, respectively, written resignations whereby such individuals resign from the CFI and Bank boards of directors effective as of the Effective Time, and the Community First Parties shall have delivered to the Commerce Union Parties such evidence of the same as the Commerce Union Parties shall reasonably request.

(f) Dissenting Shareholders . The holders of not more than 7.5% of the outstanding shares of CFI Common Stock shall have perfected and not effectively withdrawn or lost their rights to dissent from the Merger pursuant to Chapter 23 of the Corporation Act.

 

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ARTICLE IX

TERMINATION

Section 9.1 Termination . This Agreement may be terminated, and the transactions contemplated hereby may be abandoned, at any time prior to the Effective Time or as otherwise indicated:

(a) By mutual written agreement of Commerce Union, Merger Sub, Reliant, CFI, and Bank.

(b) By the Commerce Union Parties (provided that neither Commerce Union, Merger Sub, nor Reliant is then in material breach of any representation, warranty, covenant, or agreement contained herein), in the event of a breach by CFI or Bank of any representation, warranty, covenant, or agreement contained in this Agreement, or by the Community First Parties (provided that neither CFI nor Bank is then in material breach of any representation, warranty, covenant, or agreement contained herein), in the event of a breach by Commerce Union, Merger Sub, or Reliant of any representation, warranty, covenant, or agreement contained in this Agreement, in either case which breach (i) individually or in the aggregate with all other such breaches would, if occurring or continuing on the Closing Date, result in the failure of any of the conditions set forth in Article  VIII and (ii) has not been cured by the earlier of August 31, 2018, and 30 days after written notice to the breaching Party of such breach.

(c) By either the Commerce Union Parties or the Community First Parties, (i) in the event the shareholders of CFI fail to approve, by the requisite vote, this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby at the CFI Meeting, provided that the Community First Parties shall only be entitled to exercise their right of termination under this Section  9.1(c)(i) if the Community First Parties have complied in all material respects with, and there has been no material breach or violation by the Community First Parties of, their obligations and covenants set forth in Section  7.7 , or (ii) in the event the shareholders of Commerce Union fail to approve, by the requisite vote, the Stock Issuance Proposal at the Commerce Union Meeting, provided that the Commerce Union Parties shall only be entitled to exercise their right of termination under this Section  9.1(c)(ii) if the Commerce Union Parties have complied in all material respects with, and there has been no material breach or violation by the Commerce Union Parties of, their obligations and covenants set forth in Section  7.8 .

(d) By either the Commerce Union Parties or the Community First Parties, in the event any of the Regulatory Approvals shall have been denied by final and non-appealable action of a Governmental Entity or any application therefor shall have been permanently withdrawn at the direction of a Governmental Entity; provided , however , that the Commerce Union Parties shall not be entitled to exercise their right of termination under this Section  9.1(d) if such denial or withdrawal shall be due to the failure of Commerce Union, Merger Sub, or Reliant to perform or observe its obligations and covenants set forth in this Agreement, and that the Community First Parties shall not be entitled to exercise their right of termination under this Section  9.1(d) if such denial or withdrawal shall be due to the failure of CFI or Bank to perform or observe its obligations and covenants set forth in this Agreement.

(e) By either the Commerce Union Parties or the Community First Parties, in the event any court or other Governmental Entity of competent jurisdiction shall have issued a final, non-appealable order enjoining or otherwise prohibiting the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; provided , however , that the Commerce Union Parties shall not be entitled to exercise their right of termination under this Section  9.1(e) if such action of such court or other Governmental Entity shall be due to the failure of Commerce Union, Merger Sub, or Reliant to perform or observe its obligations and covenants set forth in this Agreement, and that the Community First Parties shall not be entitled to exercise their right of termination under this Section  9.1(e) if such action of such court or other Governmental Entity shall be due to the failure of CFI or Bank to perform or observe its obligations and covenants set forth in this Agreement.

 

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(f) By either the Commerce Union Parties or the Community First Parties, in the event the Merger is not consummated by August 31, 2018, unless (i) in the event of termination by the Commerce Union Parties, the failure to consummate the Merger by such date shall be due to the failure of Commerce Union, Merger Sub, or Reliant to perform or observe its obligations and covenants set forth in this Agreement, and (ii) in the event of termination by the Community First Parties, the failure to consummate the Merger by such date shall be due to the failure of CFI or Bank to perform or observe its obligations and covenants set forth in this Agreement.

(g) By the Commerce Union Parties, in the event that, prior to the approval of this Agreement by the shareholders of CFI in accordance with CFI’s charter and bylaws and applicable Law, (i) CFI or Bank materially breaches Section  7.1 or Section  7.7 or (ii) the board of directors of CFI does not publicly recommend in the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus the approval of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby by the shareholders of CFI or, after having made such recommendation, subsequently makes a CFI Change of Recommendation.

(h) By the Commerce Union Parties, in the event a tender offer or exchange offer for 20% or more of any class or series of outstanding shares of CFI Stock is commenced (other than by the Commerce Union Parties) and the CFI board of directors recommends that the shareholders of CFI tender their shares in such tender offer or exchange offer or otherwise fails to recommend that such shareholders reject such tender offer or exchange offer within the ten day business day period specified in Rule 14e-2(a) under the Exchange Act.

(i) By the Community First Parties, at any time prior to the approval of this Agreement by the shareholders of CFI in accordance with CFI’s charter and bylaws and applicable Law, for the purpose of entering into an agreement with respect to a Superior Proposal, provided that there has been no material breach by CFI or Bank of Section  7.1 or Section  7.7 .

(j) By the Community First Parties, in the event that, prior to the approval of the Stock Issuance Proposal by the shareholders of Commerce Union in accordance with the charter and bylaws of Commerce Union and applicable Law, the Commerce Union board of directors (i) submits the Stock Issuance Proposal to the shareholders of Commerce Union without a recommendation for approval or makes a Commerce Union Change of Recommendation or (ii) materially breaches Section  7.8 .

(k) By the Community First Parties, if both (i) the Average Closing Price (as defined below) is less than $19.52 and (ii) (A) the number obtained by dividing the Average Closing Price by the average closing price per share of Commerce Union Common Stock on Nasdaq for the 15 consecutive trading days ending on (and including) the date of this Agreement, rounded to four decimal places, is less than (B) the difference between (1) the number obtained by dividing the Index Value (as defined below) on the Determination Date (as defined below) by the Index Value on the Starting Date (as defined below), rounded to four decimal places, minus (2) 0.20. For purposes of this Section  9.1(k) , the term “ Average Closing Price ” means the average closing price per share of Commerce Union Common Stock as reported on Nasdaq (or such other exchange or market as such shares shall then trade) for the 15 consecutive trading days ending on (and including) the Determination Date; the term “ Determination Date ” means that certain date which is the fifth Business Day prior to the Closing Date; the term “ Index Value ,” on a given date, means the closing index value for the SNL U.S. Bank Index as reported by Bloomberg, L.P.; and the term “ Starting Date ” means the date of this Agreement, or if the date of this Agreement is not a date on which the Index Value is available (an “ Index Availability Date ”) the Index Availability Date that is closest to, but prior to, the date of this Agreement.

 

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Section 9.2 Effect of Termination . In the event of the termination of this Agreement in accordance with this Article  IX , this Agreement shall, subject to Section  9.3 , become null and void and have no further force or effect and the Parties shall have no further or continuing liability or obligations under this Agreement, except that (a)  Section 7.3(d) , Section  7.6 , this Section  9.2 , Section  9.3 , and Article  X of this Agreement shall survive any termination of this Agreement and (b) notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, no Party shall be relieved of or released from any liability or damages arising out of such Party’s fraud or willful or intentional breach of any provision of this Agreement.

Section 9.3 Termination Fee.

(a) In the event (i) this Agreement is terminated by the Commerce Union Parties pursuant to Section  9.1(b) and (ii) at any time after the date of this Agreement and at or before the CFI Meeting (including at or before any adjournment or postponement thereof) a bona fide Acquisition Proposal shall have been received by the Community First Parties, which has not been withdrawn prior to the date of the termination of this Agreement, and within 12 months of the date of such termination of this Agreement CFI enters into a definitive agreement with respect to, or consummates, any Acquisition Proposal (whether or not the same Acquisition Proposal as that referred to above), then CFI shall pay to the Commerce Union Parties a termination fee of $2,100,000 (the “ Termination Fee ”) on the earlier of the date of CFI’s execution of such definitive agreement or consummation of such Acquisition Proposal; provided that, for purposes of this Section  9.3(a) , all references in the definition of Acquisition Proposal to “20%” shall instead be deemed to be references to “50%.”

(b) In the event this Agreement is terminated by the Commerce Union Parties pursuant to Section  9.1(g) or Section  9.1(h) , the Community First Parties shall pay to the Commerce Union Parties the Termination Fee not later than two Business Days after the date of termination of this Agreement.

(c) In the event this Agreement is terminated by the Community First Parties pursuant to Section  9.1(i) , the Community First Parties shall pay to the Commerce Union Parties the Termination Fee not later than two Business Days after the date of termination of this Agreement.

(d) In the event this Agreement is terminated by the Community First Parties pursuant to Section  9.1(j) , the Commerce Union Parties shall pay to the Community First Parties the Termination Fee not later than two Business Days after the date of termination of this Agreement.

Any Termination Fee and other amounts payable in accordance with this Section  9.3 shall be paid by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account designated by the Commerce Union Parties or the Community First Parties, as applicable. The Parties acknowledge that the agreements contained in this Section  9.3 are an integral part of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and that absent such agreements the Parties would not have entered into this Agreement. In the event a Party fails to timely make payment of any amounts due and payable by such Party under this Section  9.3 , the Party failing to make such payment shall pay or reimburse the Party or Parties entitled to receive such payment all costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses and court costs) incurred by such Party or Parties in connection with any action, including the filing of any lawsuit, taken to collect payment of such amounts, together with interest on the amount of any such amounts unpaid at the prime lending rate prevailing during such period as published in  The Wall Street Journal , calculated on a daily basis from the date such amounts were required to be paid until the date of actual payment. The Termination Fees and other amounts payable by the Parties pursuant to this Section  9.3 constitute liquidated damages and not a penalty and, except in the case of fraud or willful or intentional breach of this Agreement, shall be the sole monetary remedy of the Parties in the event this Agreement is terminated under the circumstances described in Sections  9.3(a) - (d) .

 

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ARTICLE X

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 10.1 Survival . None of the representations, warranties, covenants, or agreements contained in this Agreement shall survive the Effective Time (other than those covenants and agreements contained herein that by their express terms are to be observed or performed after the Effective Time) or the termination of this Agreement (other than Section  7.3(d) , Section  7.6 , Section  9.2 , Section  9.3 , and this Article  X , each of which shall survive any such termination). Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything else in this Agreement to the contrary, none of the representations, warranties, covenants, or agreements contained in this Agreement shall be deemed to be terminated or extinguished so as to deprive any Party hereto or any of its Affiliates of any defense, at law or in equity, which otherwise would be available against the claims of any Person, including without limitation any shareholder or former shareholder.

Section 10.2 Interpretation . When reference is made in this Agreement to an Article, Section, Exhibit, or Schedule, such reference shall be to an Article or Section of or Exhibit or Schedule to this Agreement, unless otherwise indicated. The headings appearing in this Agreement have been inserted for purposes of convenience of reference only and shall not affect the meaning of, or be given any force or effect in the construction or interpretation of, this Agreement. Whenever the words “include,” “includes,” and “including” are used in this Agreement, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation,” whether or not actually followed by such words. Any singular term used in this Agreement shall be deemed to include the plural, and any plural term the singular. Any gender reference in this Agreement shall be deemed to include all genders. All references in this Agreement to a specific statute shall be deemed to refer to all regulations and authoritative guidance issued thereunder, and all references in this Agreement to a statute, regulation, or other guidance shall also be deemed to refer to any superseding statute, regulation or guidance. Any document or item will be deemed “delivered,” “provided,” or “made available” to a Party within the meaning of this Agreement if such document or item is (a) made available to such Party specifically for review in person by another Party or its representatives, (b) contained and accessible to such Party for a continuous period of at least 48 hours immediately prior to the Parties’ execution of this Agreement (if to be delivered, provided, or made available prior to the date hereof) or the Closing Date (if to be delivered, provided, or made available prior to Closing) in the electronic data room hosted by Firmex established by the Community First Parties in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby (to which the Commerce Union Parties and their designated representatives had access rights during such period) or the electronic data room hosted by Firmex established by the Commerce Union Parties in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby (to which the Community First Parties and their designated representatives had access rights during such period), or (c) filed by a party with the SEC and publicly available in the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval database of the SEC at least 48 hours immediately prior to the execution of this Agreement (if to be delivered, provided, or made available prior to the date hereof) or the Closing Date (if to be delivered, provided or made available prior to Closing). All references to “dollars” or “$” in this Agreement are to United States dollars. Whenever the words “as of the date hereof” are used in this Agreement, such date shall be deemed the date of this Agreement. The Parties have participated jointly in the negotiation and drafting of this Agreement, and, in the event an ambiguity or question of intent or interpretation arises, this Agreement shall be construed as if drafted jointly by the Parties and no presumption or burden of proof shall arise favoring or disfavoring any Party by virtue of the authorship of any of the provisions of this Agreement.

 

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Section 10.3 Amendment; Waiver . This Agreement may be amended, modified, or supplemented at any time, either before or after approval of this Agreement by any Party’s shareholders, by, but only by, a written instrument executed by each of the Parties; provided , however , that, after the approval of this Agreement by a Party’s shareholders, there may not be, without further approval of such shareholders, any amendment, modification, or supplement of or to this Agreement that requires further approval of or by such shareholders under applicable Law. Prior to the Effective Time, any provision of this Agreement may be waived by the Party or Parties entitled to the benefits thereof, provided that any such waiver shall be in writing and executed by the Party or Parties granting such waiver.

Section 10.4 Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in multiple counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to constitute an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. A facsimile or other electronic copy of a signature page to this Agreement shall be deemed to be, and shall have the same force and effect as, an original signature page.

Section 10.5 Governing Law . This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed, interpreted, and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of Tennessee, without regard to conflict of laws principles.

Section 10.6 Expenses . Except as expressly otherwise provided in this Agreement, each Party shall be responsible for and pay all costs and expenses incurred by it in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, except that the costs and expenses of printing and mailing the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus and all filing and other fees paid to the SEC in connection with the transactions contemplated herein shall be borne equally by the Commerce Union Parties, on the one hand, and the Community First Parties, on the other hand.

Section 10.7 Notices . All notices, requests, consents, and other communications required or permitted under or related to this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed given, delivered, and effective (i) when delivered, if delivered personally, (ii) on the third Business Day after mailing, if mailed by first class United States Mail, postage prepaid and return receipt requested, or (iii) on the first Business Day after mailing, if sent by a nationally recognized overnight delivery service, in each case to the Parties at the following addresses (or such other addresses as the Parties may designate from time to time by notice given in accordance with this Section  10.7 ):

 

If to Commerce Union,

  

Merger Sub, or Reliant :

  

with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to :

Commerce Union Bancshares, Inc.

  

Butler Snow LLP

Pioneer Merger Sub, Inc.

  

Attention: Adam G. Smith

Reliant Bank

  

150 3rd Avenue South, Suite 1600

Attention: DeVan D. Ard, Jr.

  

Nashville, Tennessee 37201

1736 Carothers Parkway, Suite 100

  

Brentwood, Tennessee 37027

  

If to CFI or Bank :

  

with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to :

Community First, Inc.

  

Bass, Berry & Sims PLC

Community First Bank & Trust

  

Attention: D. Scott Holley

Attention: Louis E. Holloway

  

150 3rd Avenue South, Suite 2800

501 S. James M. Campbell Boulevard

  

Nashville, Tennessee 37201

Columbia, Tennessee 38401

  

 

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Section 10.8 Entire Agreement; Third Party Beneficiaries . This Agreement, including and together with the Exhibits and Schedules hereto and the Disclosure Memoranda, and the Confidentiality Agreement (but only to the extent the Confidentiality Agreement is not inconsistent with any provision of this Agreement) represent the entire understanding of the Parties with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby and supersede any and all prior agreements, understandings, and arrangements, whether written or oral, between or among the Parties with respect to such subject matter. This Agreement is made solely for the benefit of the Parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns, and no other Person shall acquire or have any rights under or by virtue of this Agreement, except that the Indemnified Parties (and their heirs and legal and personal representatives) are intended third-party beneficiaries of this Agreement to the extent, but only to the extent, provided in Section  7.11 and except for the rights, from and after the Effective Time, but only if the Effective Time shall occur, of holders of CFI Common Stock to receive the Merger Consideration in accordance with Article  III and of the holders of CFI Equity Awards under Section  3.10 .

Section 10.9 Severability . In the event any term or provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable for any reason or in any respect, (a) such invalidity, illegality, or unenforceability shall in no event affect, prejudice, or disturb the validity, legality, or enforceability of the remainder of this Agreement, which shall be and remain in full force and effect enforceable in accordance with its terms, and (b) the Parties shall use their reasonable best efforts to substitute for such invalid, illegal, or unenforceable term or provision an alternative term or provision which, insofar as practicable, implements the original purposes and intent of this Agreement.

Section 10.10 Assignment . No Party may assign or delegate this Agreement or any of its rights, interests, duties, or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each of the other Parties. Subject to the preceding sentence, this Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the Parties and their respective successors and permitted assigns.

Section 10.11 Specific Performance . The Parties agree that irreparable damage would occur in the event that any of the provisions of this Agreement were not performed in accordance with their specific terms or were otherwise breached. Accordingly, the Parties shall be entitled to specific performance of the terms of this Agreement, including an injunction or injunctions to prevent breaches of this Agreement and to enforce specifically the terms and provisions hereof in any action or proceeding brought in accordance with Section  10.12 , this being in addition to any other remedy to which they are entitled at law or in equity. Each Party hereby further waives any defense in any action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate and any requirement under any Law to post security or a bond as a prerequisite to obtaining equitable relief.

Section 10.12 Submission to Jurisdiction . EACH PARTY KNOWINGLY AND VOLUNTARILY HEREBY (A) IRREVOCABLY SUBMITS TO THE SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE STATE COURTS OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE LOCATED IN NASHVILLE, DAVIDSON COUNTY, TENNESSEE, OR IN THE EVENT (BUT ONLY IN THE EVENT) THAT NO SUCH STATE COURT HAS JURISDICTION, THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF TENNESSEE, NASHVILLE DIVISION (THE “TENNESSEE COURTS”), IN RESPECT OF ANY CLAIM, ACTION, SUIT, OR PROCEEDING UNDER, ARISING OUT OF, OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY, (B) IRREVOCABLY WAIVES AND AGREES NOT TO ASSERT AS A DEFENSE IN OR TO ANY SUCH CLAIM, ACTION, SUIT, OR PROCEEDING THAT SUCH PARTY IS NOT SUBJECT TO THE JURISDICTION OF THE TENNESSEE COURTS, THAT SUCH CLAIM, ACTION, SUIT, OR PROCEEDING MAY NOT BE BROUGHT OR IS NOT MAINTAINABLE IN THE TENNESSEE COURTS OR THAT THE VENUE THEREOF MAY NOT BE APPROPRIATE, OR THAT THIS AGREEMENT MAY NOT BE CONSTRUED, INTERPRETED,

 

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OR ENFORCED IN OR BY THE TENNESSEE COURTS, AND (C) IRREVOCABLY AGREES THAT ALL CLAIMS A PART OF OR WITH RESPECT TO ANY SUCH CLAIM, ACTION, SUIT, OR PROCEEDING SHALL BE HEARD AND DETERMINED BY THE TENNESSEE COURTS. THE PARTIES HEREBY GRANT THE TENNESSEE COURTS JURISDICTION OVER THE PERSONS OF THE PARTIES AND, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, OVER THE SUBJECT MATTER OF ANY SUCH CLAIM, ACTION, SUIT, OR PROCEEDING.

Section 10.13 Jury Trial Waiver . EACH PARTY HEREBY KNOWINGLY, VOLUNTARILY, INTENTIONALLY, AND IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY AND ALL RIGHTS SUCH PARTY MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT OF ANY CLAIM, ACTION, SUIT, OR PROCEEDING UNDER, ARISING OUT OF, OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

( Signature Page Follows )

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have caused this Agreement and Plan of Merger to be executed by their duly authorized officers as of the date first above written.

 

COMMERCE UNION BANCSHARES, INC.
By:  

/s/ DeVan D. Ard, Jr.

  DeVan D. Ard, Jr.
  President and Chief Executive Officer
PIONEER MERGER SUB, INC.
By:  

/s/ DeVan D. Ard, Jr.

  DeVan D. Ard, Jr.
  President
RELIANT BANK
By:  

/s/ DeVan D. Ard, Jr.

  DeVan D. Ard, Jr.
  President and Chief Executive Officer
COMMUNITY FIRST, INC.
By:  

/s/ Louis E. Holloway

  Louis E. Holloway
  Chief Executive Officer
COMMUNITY FIRST BANK & TRUST
By:  

/s/ Louis E. Holloway

  Louis E. Holloway
  Chief Executive Officer

( Signature Page to Agreement and Plan of Merger )

 

Exhibit 10.1

SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT

This S ECURITIES P URCHASE A GREEMENT (this “Agreement” ), dated as of August 22, 2017, is made by and among Commerce Union Bancshares, Inc., a Tennessee corporation (the “Company” ), and the Purchasers listed on Exhibit  A hereto, together with their permitted transferees (each, a “Purchaser” and collectively, the “Purchasers” ).

RECITALS:

A. The Company and the Purchasers are executing and delivering this Agreement in reliance upon the exemption from securities registration afforded by Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act and Rule 506 of Regulation D promulgated thereunder.

B. The Purchasers desire to purchase and the Company desires to sell, upon the terms and conditions stated in this Agreement, 1,137,000 shares of Common Stock.

C. The capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined have the meanings given them in Article 7.

AGREEMENT

In consideration of the premises and the mutual covenants contained herein and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and the Purchasers (severally and not jointly) hereby agree as follows:

ARTICLE 1

PURCHASE AND SALE OF SECURITIES

1.1      Purchase and Sale of Securities. At the Closing, the Company will issue and sell to each Purchaser, and each Purchaser will, severally and not jointly, purchase from the Company, the number of shares of Common Stock (the “ Shares ”) set forth opposite such Purchaser’s name on Exhibit A hereto. The purchase price for each Share shall be $22.00 (the “ Purchase Price ”).

1.2      Payment. At the Closing, each Purchaser will pay the Purchase Price set forth opposite its name on Exhibit A hereto by wire transfer of immediately available funds in accordance with wire instructions provided by the Company to the Purchasers not later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the second Business Day immediately preceding the Closing Date. The Company will instruct its transfer agent to credit each Purchaser (in the name of such Purchaser or its nominees in accordance with its delivery instructions) the number of Shares set forth on Exhibit A (and, upon request, will deliver stock certificates to the Purchasers representing the Shares) against delivery of the Purchase Price on the Closing Date.

1.3      Closing Date. The closing of the transaction contemplated by this Agreement will take place on August 30, 2017 (the “Closing Date” ) and the closing (the “Closing” ) will be held at the offices of Butler Snow LLP, 150 3rd Avenue South, Suite 1600, Nashville, TN 37201 or at such other time and place as shall be agreed upon by the Company and the Purchasers of a majority in interest of the aggregate Shares.

 

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ARTICLE 2

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY

Except as specifically contemplated by this Agreement, the Company hereby represents and warrants to each Purchaser and the Placement Agent as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date that:

2.1    Organization and Qualification.

(a)     The Company is duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Tennessee, with full corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and conduct its business as currently conducted as disclosed in the SEC Documents. The Company is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which the nature of the business conducted by it or property owned by it makes such qualification necessary, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing, as the case may be, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(b)     Each Subsidiary of the Company is duly incorporated (or organized) and is validly existing as a corporation or other organization (or, in the case of Reliant Bank (the “ Bank ”), as a state bank) in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation (or organization), with power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and conduct its business as disclosed in the SEC Documents. Each Subsidiary is duly qualified as a foreign corporation (or other organization) to do business and is in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which the nature of the business conducted by it or property owned or leased by it makes such qualification necessary, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing, as the case may be, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company does not own, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than the Subsidiaries listed in Exhibit 21.1 to the Company’s most recent Annual Report filed on Form 10-K.

2.2      Authorization; Enforcement. The Company has all requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and to perform its obligations under this Agreement, to consummate the Transactions and to issue the Shares in accordance with the terms hereof. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company and the consummation by it of the Transactions have been duly authorized by the Company’s Board of Directors (or a duly appointed and authorized committee thereof) and no further consent or authorization of the Company, its Board of Directors, or its shareholders is required in connection with the same. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, or moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ and contracting parties’ rights generally and except as enforceability may be subject to general principles of equity and except as rights to indemnity and contribution may be limited by state or federal securities laws or public policy underlying such laws.

2.3      Capitalization. The authorized capital stock of the Company, as of August 21, 2017, consisted of 30,000,000 shares of Common Stock, $1.00 par value per share, of which 7,871,382 shares were issued and outstanding as of August 21, 2017, and 10,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, $1.00 par value per share, none of which is outstanding. All of the issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock have been duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid, and nonassessable and have been issued and sold in compliance with all federal and state securities laws. None of the outstanding shares of Common Stock were issued and sold in violation of any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities of the Company. There are no authorized or outstanding options, warrants, preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other rights to purchase, or equity or debt securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for, any capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries other than those described in the SEC Documents. The descriptions of the Company’s equity incentive plans, and the equity awards granted thereunder, set forth in the SEC Documents accurately and fairly present the information required to be shown with respect to such plans and awards under applicable law. The Company’s Amended and Restated Charter, as amended (the “Charter” ), as in effect on the date hereof, and the Company’s Amended and Restated Bylaws (the “Bylaws” ) as in effect on the date hereof, are each filed as exhibits to the SEC Documents and, except as disclosed in or contemplated by the SEC Documents, no amendment or modification of either the Charter or the Bylaws has been approved by, or has been presented to, the shareholders or the Board of Directors of the Company. Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, there are no securities or instruments issued by or to which the Company is a party containing anti-dilution or similar provisions that will be triggered by the issuance of the Shares.

2.4      Issuance of Securities. The offer and sale of the Shares have been duly and validly authorized and, upon issuance and sale to the Purchasers in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Shares will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and will not be subject to preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company or any other Person.

 

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2.5      Compliance with Laws .

(a)     The Company and each Subsidiary of the Company has been and is in compliance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations (including, without limitation, all applicable regulations and orders of, or agreements with, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “ Federal Reserve ”), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“ FDIC ”), the Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the Fair Housing Act, the Community Reinvestment Act (“ CRA ”), the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, all other applicable fair lending laws or other laws relating to discrimination, Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (the “ USA PATRIOT Act ”), the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act, and the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency or body), except where failure to be so in compliance would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(b)     The Company and the Bank have no knowledge of any facts and circumstances, and have no reason to believe that any facts or circumstances exist, that could cause the Bank (i) to be deemed not to be in satisfactory compliance with the CRA and the regulations promulgated thereunder or to be assigned a CRA rating by federal or state banking regulators of lower than “satisfactory”, or (ii) to be deemed to be operating in violation, in any material respect, of the Bank Secrecy Act of 1970 (or otherwise known as the “ Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act ”), the USA PATRIOT Act, or any order issued with respect to the Money Laundering Laws.

(c)     Since December 31, 2013, the Company, the Bank and each of their respective Subsidiaries have filed all material reports, registrations and statements, together with any required amendments thereto, that they were required to file with the Federal Reserve, the FDIC, and any other applicable federal or state securities or banking authorities. All such reports and statements filed with any such regulatory body or authority are collectively referred to herein as the “ Company Reports .” As of their respective dates, the Company Reports complied in all material respects with all the rules and regulations promulgated by the Federal Reserve, the FDIC, and any other applicable federal or state securities or banking authorities, as the case may be.

(d)     As of June 30, 2017, each of the Company and the Bank met or exceeded the standards necessary to be considered “well capitalized” under the Federal Reserve’s definition and under the FDIC’s regulatory framework for prompt corrective action, respectively.

(e)     None of the Company, the Bank or any of their respective Subsidiaries is a party or subject to any formal or informal agreement, memorandum of understanding, consent decree, cease-and-desist order, order of prohibition or suspension, written commitment, supervisory agreement or other written statement as described under 12 U.S.C. 1818(u) with, or order issued by, or has adopted any board resolutions at the request of, the Federal Reserve, the FDIC, or any other bank regulatory authority that imposes any restrictions or requirements not generally applicable to bank holding companies or commercial banks, nor has the Company, the Bank or any of their respective Subsidiaries been advised by any bank regulatory authority that it is considering issuing, initiating, ordering, or requesting any such agreement, memorandum of understanding, consent decree, cease-and-desist order, order of prohibition or suspension, written commitment, supervisory agreement or other written statement.

(f)     Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, the Bank and each of its Subsidiaries has properly administered all accounts for which it acts as a fiduciary, including accounts for which it serves as a trustee, agent, custodian, personal representative, guardian, conservator or investment advisor, in accordance with the terms of the governing documents, applicable federal and state law and regulation and common law. Neither the Bank nor any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective directors, officers or employees has committed any breach of trust or fiduciary duty with respect to any such fiduciary account that could reasonably be expected to result in, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. Except as would not reasonably be expected to result in, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, the accountings for each such fiduciary account are true and correct and accurately reflect the assets of such fiduciary account.

 

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(g)     The deposit accounts of the Bank are insured by the FDIC up to the legal maximum, the Bank has paid all premiums and assessments required by the FDIC and its regulations and no proceeding for the termination or revocation of such insurance is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

2.6    No Conflicts; Government Consents; No Defaults and Permits.

(a)     The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company and the consummation by the Company of the Transactions will not (i) conflict with or result in a violation of any provision of its Charter or Bylaws or the organizational documents of any of its Subsidiaries or require the approval of the Company’s shareholders, (ii) violate or conflict with, or result in a breach of any provision of, or constitute a default under, any agreement, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other instrument to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is subject, or (iii) result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment or decree (including, without limitation, United States federal and state securities laws and regulations and regulations of any self-regulatory organizations to which the Company or its securities are subject, including, without limitation, the rules and regulations of Nasdaq) applicable to the Company, except in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) only, for such conflicts, breaches, defaults, and violations as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(b)     The Company is not required to obtain any consent, approval, authorization or order of, or make any filing or registration with, any court or governmental agency or any regulatory or self regulatory agency in order for it to execute, deliver or perform any of its obligations under this Agreement in accordance with the terms hereof, or to issue and sell the Shares in accordance with the terms hereof, other than such as have been made or obtained, and except for the registration of the resale of the Shares under the Securities Act pursuant to Section 6 hereof, any filings required to be made under federal or state securities laws, and any required filings or notifications regarding the issuance or listing of additional shares with Nasdaq, which filings and/or notifications will be made prior to Closing or if permitted by such laws in the prescribed period after Closing.

(c)     Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is (i) in violation of its Charter, Bylaws, or other organizational documents, (ii) in violation of any statute, law, rule, regulation, order, or decree of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, or (iii) in default in the performance of any obligation, agreement or condition contained in any bond, debenture, note or any other evidence of indebtedness or in any agreement, indenture, lease or other instrument to which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is a party or by which any of them or any of their respective properties may be bound, except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), where any such violation or default, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(d)     The Company and each of its Subsidiaries has all franchises, permits, licenses, and any similar authority (collectively, “ Permits ”) necessary for the conduct of its business as now being conducted by it and as currently proposed to be conducted as disclosed in the SEC Documents, except for any such franchise, permit, license or similar authority, the lack of which would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and each Subsidiary is in compliance in all material respects with the terms and conditions of all such Permits and all such Permits are valid and in full force and effect. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any written notice of any proceeding relating to revocation or modification of any such franchise, permit, license, or similar authority except where such revocation or modification would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

2.7      SEC Documents; Financial Statements. The Company has timely filed all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents required to be filed by it with the SEC since January 1, 2016, pursuant to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act (all of the foregoing filed prior to the date hereof and all exhibits included therein and financial statements and schedules thereto and documents (other than exhibits) incorporated by reference therein, being hereinafter referred to herein as the “SEC Documents” ), except as specifically noted and described in the Company’s proxy statement filed with the SEC on April 19, 2017. The Company is eligible to register its Common Stock for resale using Form S-3 promulgated under the Securities Act. True and complete copies of the SEC Documents are available through the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. As of their respective dates (or if amended or superseded by a filing prior to the date hereof, as of

 

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the date of such filing), the SEC Documents complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act or the Securities Act, as the case may be, and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder applicable to the SEC Documents, and none of the SEC Documents, at the time they were filed with the SEC (or if amended or superseded by a filing prior to the date hereof, as of the date of such filing), contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. As of their respective dates, the Financial Statements and the related notes complied as to form in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements and the published rules and regulations of the SEC with respect thereto. The Financial Statements and the related notes have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, consistently applied, during the periods involved (except (i) as may be otherwise indicated in the Financial Statements or the notes thereto, or (ii) in the case of unaudited interim statements, to the extent they may not include footnotes, may be condensed or summary statements or may conform to the SEC’s rules and instructions for Reports on Form 10-Q) and fairly present in all material respects the consolidated financial position of the Company as of the dates thereof and the consolidated results of its operations and cash flows for the periods then ended (subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal and recurring year-end audit adjustments). All disclosures contained in the SEC Documents that constitute non-GAAP financial measures (as defined under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act) comply in all material respects with Regulation G and Item 10(e) of Regulation S-K, as applicable. To the Company’s knowledge, no person who has been suspended or barred from being associated with a registered public accounting firm, or who has failed to comply with any sanction pursuant to Rule 5300 promulgated by the PCAOB, has participated in or otherwise aided the preparation of, or audited, the financial statements, supporting schedules or other financial data filed with the SEC as a part of the SEC Documents. All material agreements that were required to be filed as exhibits to the SEC Documents under Item 601 of Regulation S-K (collectively, the “Material Agreements” ) to which the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company is a party, or the property or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company are subject, have been filed as exhibits to the SEC Documents (other than the proposed definitive merger agreement with respect to the acquisition by the Company of Community First, Inc. and its Subsidiaries (the “ Community First Acquisition ”), and the final and executed version of which will be filed by the Company with the SEC prior to the Closing). All Material Agreements are valid and enforceable against the Company and/or a Subsidiary of the Company, as applicable, in accordance with their respective terms, except (i) as enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, or moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ and contracting parties’ rights generally, and (ii) as enforceability may be subject to general principles of equity and except as rights to indemnity and contribution may be limited by state or federal securities laws or public policy underlying such laws. The Company is not in breach of or default under any of the Material Agreements, and to the Company’s knowledge, no other party to a Material Agreement is in breach of or default under such Material Agreement, except in each case, for such breaches or defaults as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, the Company has not received a notice of termination nor is the Company otherwise aware of any threat to terminate any of the Material Agreements.

2.8      Disclosure Controls and Procedures. Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, the Company has established and maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) that are effective in all material respects to ensure that material information relating to the Company, including any of its consolidated Subsidiaries, is made known to its chief executive officer and chief financial officer by others within those entities. The Company’s certifying officers have evaluated the effectiveness of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the period covered by the most recently filed quarterly or annual periodic report under the Exchange Act (such date, the “Evaluation Date” ). The Company presented in its most recently filed quarterly or annual periodic report under the Exchange Act the conclusions of the certifying officers about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures based on their evaluations as of the Evaluation Date. Since the Evaluation Date, (i) there have been no significant changes in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) or, to the Company’s knowledge, in other factors that could significantly affect the Company’s internal control over financial reporting or (ii) the Company has not been advised of any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the internal controls of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries.

 

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2.9      Accounting Controls. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries has made and keeps books, records and accounts, which, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries. Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, the Company maintains a system of internal accounting controls designed to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles as applied in the United States and to maintain accountability for assets, (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.

2.10      Absence of Litigation. As of the date hereof, other than as disclosed in the SEC Documents, there is no action, suit, proceeding or investigation before or by any court, public board, government agency, or self-regulatory organization or body pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that if determined adversely to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, nor any director or officer thereof, is or has been the subject of any action involving a claim of violation of or liability under federal or state securities laws or a claim of breach of fiduciary duty relating to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries other than as disclosed in the SEC Documents. There has not been, and to the knowledge of the Company, there is not pending or contemplated, any investigation by the SEC of the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any current or former director or officer of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries relating to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any stop order or other order suspending the effectiveness of any registration statement filed by the Company under the Exchange Act or the Securities Act and, to the Company’s knowledge, the SEC has not issued any such order.

2.11      Intellectual Property Rights. Except as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect, (i) the Company and its Subsidiaries own or possess adequate rights to use all patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, copyrights, licenses and know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures) necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses as currently conducted, (ii) the conduct of their respective businesses will not conflict in any respect with any such rights of others, and (iii) the Company and its Subsidiaries have not received any notice of any claim of infringement, misappropriation or conflict with any such rights of others in connection with its patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights and know-how.

2.12      Placement Agent. The Company has taken no action that would give rise to any claim by any Person for brokerage commissions, placement agent’s fees or similar payments relating to this Agreement or the Transactions, except for dealings with the Placement Agent, whose commissions and fees will be paid by the Company.

2.13      Investment Company. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares, will not be an “investment company” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act” ). The Company shall conduct its business in a manner so that it will not become subject to the Investment Company Act.

2.14      No Material Adverse Change. Since June 30, 2017, other than as disclosed in the Investor Presentation (as defined herein) with respect to the Community First Acquisition, and except as described or referred to in the SEC Documents and except for cash expenditures in the ordinary course of business, there has not been any change in the assets, business, properties, financial condition or results of operations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Since June 30, 2017 and except as described or referred to in the SEC Documents, (i) there has not been any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, set aside for payment, paid or made by the Company on any class of capital stock, (ii) the Company has not sustained any material loss or interference with the Company’s business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor disturbance or dispute or any action, order or decree of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, and (iii) other than as disclosed in the Investor Presentation with respect to the Community First Acquisition, there have been no transactions entered into by, and no obligations or liabilities, contingent or otherwise, incurred by the Company or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries, whether or not in the ordinary course of business, which are material to the Company and the Company’s Subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise.

 

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2.15      Nasdaq Capital Market. The Common Stock is listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market (“ Nasdaq ”), and, to the Company’s knowledge, there are no proceedings to revoke or suspend such listing or the listing of the Shares. The Company is in compliance in all material respects with the requirements of Nasdaq for continued listing of the Common Stock thereon and any other Nasdaq listing and maintenance requirements.

2.16      Acknowledgment Regarding Purchasers’ Purchase of Securities. The Company acknowledges and agrees that each of the Purchasers is acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length purchaser with respect to this Agreement and the Transactions. The Company further acknowledges that no Purchaser is acting as a financial advisor or fiduciary of the Company (or in any similar capacity with respect to the Company) with respect to this Agreement and the Transactions and any advice given by any Purchaser or any of its respective representatives or agents to the Company in connection with this Agreement and the Transactions is merely incidental to such Purchaser’s purchase of the Shares. The Company further represents to each Purchaser that the Company’s decision to enter into this Agreement has been based on the independent evaluation of the Transactions by the Company and its representatives.

2.17      Accountants. Maggart & Associates, P.C., who will have expressed or will express, as the case may be, their opinion with respect to the audited financial statements and schedules to be included as a part of any Registration Statement prior to the filing of any such Registration Statement, are (i) independent accountants as required by the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the rules of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“ PCAOB ”) and (ii) in compliance with the applicable requirements relating to the qualification of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X under the Securities Act. Maggart & Associates, P.C. is and at the time it audited and reviewed such financial statements was a registered public accounting firm as defined by the PCAOB whose registration has not been suspended or revoked and who has not requested such registration to be withdrawn.

2.18      Insurance. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries is insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as the Company believes are prudent and customary for a company (i) in the businesses and location in which the Company or such Subsidiary is engaged, (ii) with the resources of the Company or such Subsidiary, and (iii) at a similar stage of development as the Company or such Subsidiary. Neither the Company nor any such Subsidiary has received any written notice that the Company or such Subsidiary will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires. The Company believes it and each of its Subsidiaries will be able to obtain similar coverage at reasonable cost from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business.

2.19      Labor Disputes . No material labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries exists, or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent. The Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its or any such Subsidiary’s principal suppliers, manufacturers, customers or contractors, which, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

2.20      Foreign Corrupt Practices. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries, nor to the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee or other Person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has, in the course of its actions for, or on behalf of, the Company or any such Subsidiary (i) used any corporate funds of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to give, agree, offer or promise to give any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expenses relating to political activity; (ii) directly or indirectly given, agreed, offered or promised to give any unlawful gift, contribution, payment, rebate, payoff, influence payment, bribe or kickback to any foreign or domestic government official or employee from corporate funds; (iii) violated or is in violation of in any material respect any provision of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 (the “ FCPA ”), as amended, the UK Bribery Act 2010, laws enacted to comply with the UN Convention Against Corruption and the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention, or any other anti-corruption or anti-bribery law or requirement applicable to the Company and each of its Subsidiaries; (iv) directly, or indirectly through a third party, made, offered, paid, authorized, facilitated, or promised any payment, contribution, gift, entertainment, bribe, rebate, kickback, financial or other advantage, or anything else of value, regardless of form or amount, for the purpose of

 

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securing an improper advantage for the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (v) established or maintained any unlawful fund of monies or other assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (vi) made any fraudulent entry on the books and records of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (vii) been under administrative, civil, or criminal investigation, indictment, suspension, debarment, or audit (other than a routine contract audit) by any party, in connection with alleged or possible violations of any law that prohibits bribery, corruption, fraud or other improper payments; or (viii) violated or is in violation of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act, the USA PATRIOT Act, the money laundering laws of any jurisdiction and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental or regulatory authority (collectively, the “ Money Laundering Laws ”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any governmental or regulatory authority or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries and Affiliates have conducted their respective businesses in compliance with the FCPA and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.

2.21      Private Placement. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates, nor any Person acting on its or their behalf, has, directly or indirectly, made any offers or sales of any security or solicited any offers to buy any security, under any circumstances that would require registration of the offer and sale of the Shares under the Securities Act. Assuming the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Purchasers contained in Article 3 hereof, the issuance of the Shares is exempt from registration under the Securities Act.

2.22      No Registration Rights. No Person has the right to (i) prohibit the Company from filing a Registration Statement or (ii) other than as disclosed in the SEC Documents, require the Company to register any securities for sale under the Securities Act by reason of the filing of a Registration Statement except in the case of clause (ii) for rights which have been properly waived. The granting and performance of the registration rights under this Agreement will not violate or conflict with, or result in a breach of any provision of, or constitute a default under, any agreement, indenture, or instrument to which the Company is a party.

2.23      Taxes. The Company and its Subsidiaries have paid all federal, state, local and foreign taxes and filed all tax returns required to be paid or filed through the date hereof, except with respect to any taxes that are currently being contested in good faith and with respect to which appropriate reserves have been made in accordance with GAAP or as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect; the Company and its Subsidiaries have set aside on their books provisions reasonably adequate for the payment of all taxes for periods subsequent to the periods to which the above referenced returns apply; and except as otherwise disclosed in the SEC Documents, there is no tax deficiency that has been, or could reasonably be expected to be, asserted against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties or assets, except for tax deficiencies that could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

2.24      Real and Personal Property. The Company has good and indefeasible title to, or has valid rights to lease or otherwise use, all material items of real and personal property owned or used by it, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, claims and defects and imperfections of title except those that do not materially interfere with the use or proposed use of such property by the Company. Any real property and buildings held under lease by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries are held under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not material and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company or any such Subsidiary.

2.25      Application of Takeover Protections. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the Transactions will not impose any restriction on any Purchaser, or create in any party (including any current shareholder of the Company) any rights, under any share acquisition, business combination, poison pill (including any distribution under a rights agreement), or other similar anti-takeover provisions under the Company’s Charter or the laws of its state of incorporation (other than those state antitakeover laws described in the Company’s registration statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-216660) under the heading “Description of Common Stock”).

 

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2.26      No Manipulation of Stock. The Company has not taken, nor will it take, directly or indirectly any action designed to stabilize or manipulate the price of the Common Stock or any other security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of any of the Shares.

2.27      Related Party Transactions. Except with respect to transactions (i) that are not required to be disclosed and (ii) contemplated hereby to the extent an Affiliate of any director purchases Shares hereunder, all transactions that have occurred between or among the Company, on the one hand, and any of its officers or directors, or any Affiliate or Affiliates of any such officer or director, on the other hand, prior to the date hereof required to be disclosed by applicable SEC rules and regulations have been disclosed in the SEC Documents.

2.28      Use of Proceeds. The Company shall use the net proceeds of the sale of the Shares hereunder for general corporate purposes, including contributing capital to the Bank.

2.29      FINRA . All of the information provided to the Placement Agent or to counsel for the Placement Agent by the Company, its counsel, its officers and directors and the holders of any securities (debt or equity) or options to acquire any securities of the Company in connection with the offering of the Shares is true, complete, correct and compliant with FINRA’s rules, and any letters, filings or other supplemental information, if any, provided by or on behalf of the Company to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“ FINRA ”) pursuant to FINRA rules is true, complete and correct.

2.30      Environmental Laws . Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of any statute or any rule, regulation, decision or order of any governmental agency or body or any court, domestic or foreign, relating to the use, production, disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or relating to the protection or restoration of the environment or human exposure to hazardous or toxic substances (collectively, “ Environmental Laws ”), owns or operates any real property contaminated with any substance that is subject to any Environmental Laws, is liable for any off-site disposal or contamination pursuant to any Environmental Laws, or is subject to any claim relating to any Environmental Laws, which violation, contamination, liability or claim, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and the Company is not aware of any pending investigation which might lead to such a claim.

2.31      ERISA . Each employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ ERISA ”), for which the Company would reasonably be expected to have any liability (each, a “ Plan ”) has been maintained in compliance with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including but not limited to, ERISA and the Code, except for noncompliance that would not reasonably be expected to result in material liability to the Company or its Subsidiaries; (i) no prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred with respect to any Plan excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption that could reasonably be expected to result in a material liability to the Company or its Subsidiaries; (ii) no “reportable event” (within the meaning of Section 4043(c) of ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur that either has resulted, or could reasonably be expected to result, in material liability to the Company or its Subsidiaries; (iii) neither the Company nor any ERISA Affiliate (as defined below) has incurred, nor reasonably expects to incur, any liability under Title IV of ERISA (other than contributions to an employee benefit plan or premiums to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, in the ordinary course and without default) in respect of an employee benefit plan subject to Title IV of ERISA (including a “multiemployer plan”, within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA); and (iv) there is no pending audit or investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Department of Labor, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation or any other governmental agency or any foreign regulatory agency with respect to any Plan that could reasonably be expected to result in material liability to the Company or its Subsidiaries. “ ERISA Affiliate ” means, with respect to the Company, any member of any group of organizations described in Section 414 of the Code of which the Company is a member.

2.32      Anti-Money Laundering Laws . The operations of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries are, and have been conducted since April 1, 2015, in material compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of all Money Laundering Laws and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

 

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2.33      Sanctions . None of the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any officer or director of either the Company or any such Subsidiary, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, after due inquiry, any agent, employee, Affiliate or any Person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is or has been (i) engaged in any services (including financial services), transfers of goods, software, or technology, or any other business activity related to (A) Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Syria or the Crimea region of Ukraine claimed by Russia (“ Sanctioned Countries ”), (B) the government of any Sanctioned Country, (C) any person, entity or organization located in, resident in, formed under the laws of, or owned or controlled by the government of, any Sanctioned Country, or (D) any person, entity or organization made subject of any sanctions administered or enforced by the United States Government, including, without limitation, the list of Specially Designated Nationals of the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“ OFAC ”), or by the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “ Sanctions ”) and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of this offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any of its Subsidiaries, or any joint venture partner or other Person, for the purpose of financing the activities of or business with any Person, or in any country or territory, that currently is subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC or in any other manner that will result in a violation by any Person (including any Person participating in the transaction whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC; (ii) engaged in any transfers of goods, technologies or services (including financial services) that may assist the governments of Sanctioned Countries or facilitate money laundering or other activities proscribed by United States law; (iii) is a Person currently the subject of any Sanctions; or (iv) located, organized or resident in any Sanctioned Country.

2.34      Bank Holding Company Act . The Company is duly registered as a financial holding company under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended, and meets in all material respects the applicable requirements for qualification as such. The activities of the Subsidiaries of the Company are permitted of subsidiaries of a financial holding company under applicable law and the rules and regulations of the Federal Reserve set forth in Title 12 of the Code of Federal Regulations. The Bank holds the requisite authority to do business as a state-chartered bank with banking powers under the laws of the State of Tennessee. The Bank has been duly chartered and is validly existing as a Tennessee-chartered commercial bank. The Bank is the only depository institution that is a Subsidiary of the Company and the Bank is a member in good standing of the Federal Home Loan Bank System. The activities of the Bank are permitted under the laws and regulations of its jurisdiction of organization.

2.35      Investor Presentation . The investor presentation dated August 2017 (the “ Investor Presentation ”) provided to the Purchaser pertaining to the proposed financial terms of Community First Acquisition does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements contained therein not misleading in light of the circumstances in which they are made, subject to the forward-looking statements disclaimer and risks described therein.

2.36      Shell Company Status . The Company is not, and has never been, an issuer identified in Rule 144(i)(1).

2.37      No Additional Agreements . Except for the Community First Acquisition and as described in the SEC Documents filed prior to the date of this Agreement, the Company has no agreements or understandings (including, without limitation, side letters) with any Purchaser or other Person to purchase shares of Common Stock on terms more favorable to such Person than as set forth herein.

ARTICLE 3

PURCHASER’S REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

Each Purchaser represents and warrants to the Company and the Placement Agent, severally and not jointly, with respect to itself and its purchase hereunder, as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date that:

3.1      Investment Purpose. The Purchaser is purchasing the number of Shares set forth opposite such Purchaser’s name on Exhibit A attached hereto for its own account and not with a present view toward the public sale or distribution thereof and has no intention of selling or distributing any of such Shares or any arrangement or understanding

 

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with any other Persons regarding the sale or distribution of such Shares except in accordance with the provisions of Article 6 or except as would not result in a violation of the Securities Act. The Purchaser will not, directly or indirectly, offer, sell, pledge, transfer or otherwise dispose of (or solicit any offers to buy, purchase or otherwise acquire or take a pledge of) any of the Shares except in accordance with the provisions of Article 6 or pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act.

3.2      Information. The Purchaser has been furnished with all materials that have been requested by the Purchaser and the Purchaser has had the opportunity to review the SEC Documents. The Purchaser has been afforded the opportunity to ask questions of, and request information from, management of the Company. Neither such inquiries nor any other investigation conducted by or on behalf of such Purchaser or its representatives or counsel shall modify, amend or affect such Purchaser’s right to rely on the truth, accuracy and completeness of the SEC Documents and the Company’s representations and warranties contained in the Agreement.

3.3    Acknowledgement of Risk.

(a)     The Purchaser acknowledges and understands that its investment in the Shares involves a significant degree of risk, including, without limitation, (i) an investment in the Company is speculative, and only Purchasers who can afford the loss of their entire investment should consider investing in the Company and the Shares; (ii) the Purchaser may not be able to liquidate its investment; (iii) transferability of the Shares is extremely limited; and (iv) in the event of a disposition of the Shares, the Purchaser could sustain the loss of its entire investment. Such risks are more fully set forth in the SEC Documents;

(b)     The Purchaser is able to bear the economic risk of holding the Shares for an indefinite period, and has knowledge and experience in financial and business matters such that it is capable of evaluating the risks of the investment in the Shares;

(c)     The Purchaser has, in connection with the Purchaser’s decision to purchase Shares, not relied upon any representations or other information (whether oral or written) other than as set forth in the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein, the Investor Presentation, and the information disclosed in the SEC Documents, and the Purchaser has, with respect to all matters relating to this Agreement and the offer and sale of the Shares, relied solely upon the advice of such Purchaser’s own counsel and, except as explicitly provided for herein, has not relied upon or consulted any counsel to the Placement Agent or counsel to the Company; and

(d)     In addition to the foregoing, the Purchaser hereby acknowledges and understands that (i) the offering of the Shares pursuant hereto is not conditioned on the closing of the Community First Acquisition and that the closing of the Community First Acquisition remains subject to the satisfaction of numerous closing conditions, including without limitation, receipt of all required regulatory approvals from the Federal Reserve and the Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions; and (ii) the Company will have broad discretion in the use of proceeds from the sale of the Shares pursuant hereto and, if the Community First Acquisition is not consummated, the Company shall have no obligation to return the aggregate Purchase Price for the Shares to the Purchasers.

3.4      Governmental Review. The Purchaser understands that no United States federal or state agency or any other government or governmental agency has passed upon or made any recommendation or endorsement of the Shares or an investment therein.

3.5      Transfer or Resale. The Purchaser understands that:

(a)     the Shares have not been and are not being registered under the Securities Act (other than as contemplated in Article 6) or any applicable state securities laws and, consequently, the Purchaser may have to bear the risk of owning the Shares for an indefinite period of time because the Shares may not be transferred unless (i) the resale of the Shares is registered pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, as contemplated in Article 6; (ii) the Purchaser has delivered to the Company an opinion of counsel (in form, substance and scope customary for opinions of counsel in comparable transactions) to the effect that the Shares to be sold or transferred may be sold or transferred pursuant

 

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to an exemption from such registration; (iii) the Shares are sold or transferred pursuant to Rule 144; or (iv) the Shares are transferred to an Affiliate of the Purchaser and such Affiliate agrees to the same representations, warranties, covenants and other restrictions set forth herein;

(b)     any sale of the Shares made in reliance on Rule 144 may be made only in accordance with the terms of Rule 144 and, if Rule 144 is not applicable, any resale of the Shares under circumstances in which the seller (or the Person through whom the sale is made) may be deemed to be an underwriter (as that term is defined in the Securities Act) may require compliance with some other exemption under the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder; and

(c)     except as set forth in Article 6, neither the Company nor any other Person is under any obligation to register the resale of the Shares under the Securities Act or any state securities laws or to comply with the terms and conditions of any exemption thereunder.

3.6    Legends.

(a)     The Purchaser understands the certificates representing the Shares will bear a restrictive legend in substantially the following form (and a stop-transfer order may be placed against transfer of the certificates for such Shares):

THE SHARES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES. THE SHARES MAY NOT BE SOLD, OFFERED FOR SALE, PLEDGED, HYPOTHECATED, TRANSFERRED OR ASSIGNED IN THE ABSENCE OF AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT FOR THE SHARES UNDER APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS, UNLESS OFFERED, SOLD, PLEDGED, HYPOTHECATED OR TRANSFERRED PURSUANT TO AN AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THOSE LAWS. THE COMPANY SHALL BE ENTITLED TO REQUIRE AN OPINION OF COUNSEL SATISFACTORY TO THE COMPANY THAT SUCH REGISTRATION IS NOT REQUIRED TO THE EXTENT THAT SUCH OPINION IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO THAT CERTAIN SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT UNDER WHICH THE SHARES WERE ISSUED.

(b)     To the extent the resale of the Shares is registered under the Securities Act pursuant to an effective Registration Statement, the Company agrees to promptly (i) authorize the removal of the legend set forth in Section 3.6(a) and any other legend not required by applicable law from such Shares and (ii) cause its transfer agent to issue such Shares without such legends to the holders thereof by electronic delivery at the applicable balance account at the Depository Trust Company upon surrender of any stock certificates evidencing such Shares. With respect to any Shares for which restrictive legends are removed pursuant to this Section 3.6(b), the holder thereof agrees to only sell such Shares when and as permitted by the effective Registration Statement covering such resale and in accordance with applicable securities laws and regulations. Any fees (with respect to the Company’s transfer agent, counsel or otherwise) associated with the removal of such legend(s) shall be borne by the Company.

(c)     The Purchaser may request that the Company remove, and the Company agrees to authorize the removal of any legend from the Shares (i) following any sale of such Shares pursuant to Rule 144, or (ii) if such Shares are eligible for sale under Rule 144 following the expiration of the six-month holding requirement under subparagraphs (b)(1)(i) and (d) thereof. Following the time a legend is no longer required for the Shares under this Section 3.6(c), the Company will, no later than three Business Days following the delivery by a Purchaser to the Company or the Company’s transfer agent of a legended certificate representing such Shares, deliver or cause to be delivered to such Purchaser a certificate representing such Shares that is free from all restrictive and other legends.

3.7      Authorization; Enforcement. The Purchaser has the requisite power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to consummate the Transactions. The Purchaser has taken all necessary action to authorize the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement. Upon the execution and delivery of this Agreement, this Agreement shall constitute a valid and binding obligation of the Purchaser enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability

 

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may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ and contracting parties’ rights generally and except as enforceability may be subject to general principles of equity and except as rights to indemnity and contribution may be limited by state or federal securities laws or public policy underlying such laws.

3.8      Residency. Unless the Purchaser has otherwise notified the Company in writing, the Purchaser is a resident of, or organized under the laws of, the jurisdiction set forth immediately below such Purchaser’s name on the signature pages hereto.

3.9    Acknowledgements Regarding Placement Agent.

(a)     The Purchaser acknowledges that the Placement Agent is acting as placement agent on a “best efforts” basis for the Shares being offered hereby and will be compensated by the Company for acting in such capacity. The Purchaser represents that (i) the Purchaser was contacted regarding the sale of the Shares by the Placement Agent or the Company (or an authorized agent or representative thereof) with whom the Purchaser entered into a verbal or written confidentiality agreement and (ii) no Shares were offered or sold to it by means of any form of general solicitation or general advertising as such terms are used in Regulation D of the Securities Act.

(b)     The Purchaser represents that it is making this investment based on the results of its own due diligence investigation of the Company, and has not relied on any information or advice furnished by or on behalf of the Placement Agent in connection with the Transactions. The Purchaser acknowledges that the Placement Agent has not made, and will not make, any representations and warranties with respect to the Company or the Transactions, and the Purchaser will not rely on any statements made by the Placement Agent, orally or in writing, to the contrary.

3.10      Accredited Investor . Purchaser is and will be on the Closing Date an institutional “accredited investor” as such term is defined in Rule 501(a) of Regulation D and as contemplated by subsections (1), (2), (3) and (7) of Rule 501(a) of Regulation D, and has no less than $5,000,000 in total assets.

3.11      No Regulatory Consents or Approvals . No consent, approval, order or authorization of, or registration, declaration or filing with, any bank regulatory authority or other third party is required on the part of the Purchaser in connection with (i) the execution, delivery or performance by Purchaser of this Agreement or (ii) the consummation by Purchaser of the transactions contemplated hereby.

ARTICLE 4

COVENANTS

4.1      Reporting Status. The Company’s Common Stock is registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act. From the date hereof to the end of the Registration Period, the Company will timely file all documents required to be filed under the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with the SEC, and the Company will not terminate its status as an issuer required to file reports under the Exchange Act even if the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations thereunder would permit such termination.

4.2      Expenses. The Company and each Purchaser is liable for, and will pay, its own expenses incurred in connection with the negotiation, preparation, execution and delivery of this Agreement, including, without limitation, attorneys’ and consultants’ fees and expenses.

4.3      Financial Information. The financial statements of the Company to be included in any documents filed with the SEC will be prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, consistently applied (except (i) as may be otherwise indicated in such financial statements or the notes thereto, or (ii) in the case of unaudited interim statements, to the extent they may not include footnotes, may be condensed or summary statements or may conform to the SEC’s rules and instructions for Reports on Form 10-Q), and will fairly present in all material respects the consolidated financial position of the Company and consolidated results of its operations and cash flows as of, and for the periods covered by, such financial statements (subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal and recurring year-end audit adjustments).

 

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4.4      Securities Laws Disclosure; Publicity. On or before 9:30 a.m., New York local time, on August 23, 2017, the Company shall issue a press release or a Current Report on Form 8-K announcing the signing of this Agreement and describing the terms of the Transactions and any other material, non-public information that the Company may have provided any Purchaser at any time prior to the filing of such press release or Form 8-K, including, without limitation, information regarding the Community First Acquisition. From and after the issuance of the press release or Form 8-K, no Purchaser shall be in possession of any material, non-public information received from the Company or any of its officers, directors, employees or agents, that is not disclosed in the press release or Form 8-K, including without limitation, information regarding the Community First Acquisition. The Company shall not publicly disclose the name of any Purchaser or its investment adviser, or include the name of any Purchaser or its investment adviser in any filing with the SEC (other than in a Registration Statement and any exhibits to filings made in respect of this transaction or, subject to review, and the consent of each Purchaser named herein (which shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed) in accordance with periodic filing requirements under the Exchange Act) or any regulatory agency, without the prior written consent of such Purchaser, except to the extent such disclosure is required by law or regulations, in which case the Company shall provide the Purchasers with prior notice of such disclosure.

4.5      Sales by Purchasers. Each Purchaser will sell any Shares held by it in compliance with applicable prospectus delivery requirements, if any, or otherwise in compliance with the requirements for an exemption from registration under the Securities Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. No Purchaser will make any sale, transfer or other disposition of the Shares in violation of federal or state securities laws.

4.6      Listing. The Company shall, as promptly as possible following the issuance of the Shares, take such actions as are necessary (if any) under the rules and regulations of Nasdaq or such other securities exchange on which the Common Stock is listed to ensure that the Shares are authorized for trading on Nasdaq or such other securities exchange.

ARTICLE 5

CONDITIONS TO CLOSING

5.1      Conditions to Obligations of the Company. The Company’s obligation to complete the purchase and sale of the Shares and deliver stock certificate(s) to each Purchaser is subject to the waiver by the Company or fulfillment as of the Closing Date of the following conditions:

(a)      Receipt of Funds . The Company shall have received immediately available funds in the full amount of the Purchase Price for the Shares being purchased hereunder as set forth opposite such Purchaser’s name on Exhibit A hereto.

(b)      Representations and Warranties . The representations and warranties made by such Purchaser in Article 3 shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the Closing Date, except to the extent that such representations and warranties are qualified by the term “material,” or contain terms such as “Material Adverse Effect” in which case such representations and warranties (as so written, including the term “material” or “Material Adverse Effect”) shall be true and correct in all respects as of the Closing Date.

(c)      Covenants . All covenants, agreements and conditions contained in this Agreement to be performed by the Purchasers on or prior to the Closing Date shall have been performed or complied with in all material respects.

(d)      Absence of Litigation . No proceeding challenging this Agreement or the Transactions, or seeking to prohibit, alter, prevent or materially delay the Closing, shall have been instituted or be pending before any court, arbitrator, governmental body, agency or official.

 

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(e)      No Governmental Prohibition . The sale of the Shares by the Company shall not be prohibited by any law or governmental order or regulation.

5.2      Conditions to Purchasers’ Obligations at the Closing. Each Purchaser’s obligation to complete the purchase and sale of the Shares is subject to the waiver by such Purchaser or fulfillment as of the Closing Date of the following conditions:

(a)      Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties made by the Company in Article 2 shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the Closing Date, except to the extent that such representations and warranties are qualified by the term “material,” or contain terms such as “Material Adverse Effect” in which case such representations and warranties (as so written, including the term “material” or “Material Adverse Effect”) shall be true and correct in all respects as of the Closing Date.

(b)      Covenants . All covenants, agreements and conditions contained in this Agreement to be performed by the Company on or prior to the Closing Date shall have been performed or complied with in all material respects.

(c)      Compliance Certificate . The Chief Executive Officer of the Company shall deliver to the Purchasers a certificate, dated as of the Closing Date, certifying that the conditions specified in Sections 5.2(a) and 5.2(b) have been fulfilled.

(d)      Blue Sky . The Company shall have obtained all necessary blue sky law permits and qualifications, or secured exemptions therefrom, required by any state or foreign or other jurisdiction for the offer and sale of the Shares.

(e)      Legal Opinion . The Company shall have delivered to such Purchaser an opinion, dated as of the Closing Date, from Butler Snow LLP, counsel to the Company, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit B hereto.

(f)      Transfer Agent Instructions . If such Purchaser’s Shares are certificated, the Company shall have delivered to its transfer agent irrevocable instructions to issue to such Purchaser or in such nominee name(s) as designated by such Purchaser in writing one or more certificates representing such Shares, set forth opposite such Purchaser’s name on Exhibit A hereto. If such Shares are not certificated, such Purchaser shall have received a statement from the Company’s transfer agent evidencing the issuance of such Shares to such Purchaser on and as of the Closing Date.

(g)      Absence of Litigation . No proceeding challenging this Agreement or the Transactions, or seeking to prohibit, alter, prevent or materially delay the Closing, shall have been instituted or be pending before any court, arbitrator, governmental body, agency or official.

(h)      No Governmental Prohibition . The sale of the Shares by the Company shall not be prohibited by any law or governmental order or regulation.

ARTICLE 6

REGISTRATION RIGHTS

6.1     As soon as reasonably practicable, but in no event later than 25 days after the Closing Date (the “Filing Date” ), the Company shall file a registration statement covering the resale of the Registrable Securities with the SEC for an offering to be made on a continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415, or if Rule 415 is not available for offers and sales of the Registrable Securities, by such other means of distribution of Registrable Securities as the Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities may reasonably specify (the “Initial Registration Statement” ). The Initial Registration Statement shall be on Form S-3 and the Company shall effect the registration, qualifications or compliances (including, without limitation, the execution of any required undertaking to file post-effective amendments, appropriate qualifications or exemptions under applicable blue sky or other state securities laws and appropriate compliance with applicable securities laws, requirements or

 

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regulations) as promptly as possible after the filing thereof, but in any event prior to the date which is 45 days after the Closing Date in the event of no review by the SEC, or if earlier, five business days after a determination by the SEC that it will not review the Initial Registration Statement, or 120 days after the Closing Date in the event of a review by the SEC, or, if earlier, five business days following completion of any review by the SEC (such applicable deadline, the “ Effectiveness Deadline ”). For purposes of clarification, any failure by the Company to file the Initial Registration Statement by the Filing Date or to have such Registration Statement declared effective by the applicable Effectiveness Deadline, shall not otherwise relieve the Company of its obligations to file or effect the Initial Registration Statement as set forth above in this Section 6.1. In the event the SEC informs the Company that all of the Registrable Securities cannot, as a result of the application of Rule 415, be registered for resale on a single registration statement, the Company agrees to promptly (i) inform each of the Holders thereof, (ii) use its reasonable efforts to file amendments to the Initial Registration Statement as required by the SEC and/or (iii) withdraw the Initial Registration Statement and file a new registration statement (a “New Registration Statement” ), in either case covering the maximum number of Registrable Securities permitted to be registered by the SEC, on Form S-3 or, if the Company is ineligible to register for resale the Registrable Securities on Form S-3, such other form available to register for resale the Registrable Securities as a secondary offering; provided, that prior to filing such amendment or New Registration Statement, the Company shall be obligated to use its reasonable efforts to advocate with the SEC for the registration of all of the Registrable Securities. In the event the Company amends the Initial Registration Statement or files a New Registration Statement, as the case may be, under clauses (ii) or (iii) above, the Company will use its reasonable efforts to file with the SEC, as promptly as allowed by the SEC, one or more registration statements on Form S-3 or, if the Company is ineligible to register for resale the Registrable Securities on Form S-3, such other form available to register for resale those Registrable Securities that were not registered for resale on the Initial Registration Statement, as amended, or the New Registration Statement (the “Remainder Registration Statements” ). Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement and subject to the payment of damages in Section 6.3, if the SEC limits the number of Registrable Securities permitted to be registered on a particular Registration Statement (and notwithstanding that the Company used diligent efforts to advocate with the SEC for the registration of all or a greater number of Registrable Securities), any required cutback of Registrable Securities shall be applied to the Purchasers pro rata in accordance with the number of such Registrable Securities sought to be included in such Registration Statement by reference to the amount of Registrable Securities set forth opposite such Purchaser’s name on Exhibit A (and in the case of a subsequent transfer, the initial Purchaser’s transferee) relative to the aggregate amount of all Registrable Securities. Not less than three Business Days prior to the filing of any Registration Statement, the Company shall provide, in accordance with Section 8.6, each Holder of Registrable Securities named therein a draft of such Registration Statement for such Holder’s review and comment, and shall not file such Registration Statement without the consent of such Holder, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed; provided, that if such Holder unreasonably withholds or delays its consent to filing of the Registration Statement, the Company may file the Registration Statement and not include such Holder’s Shares in the Registration Statement and the Company shall not be deemed to be in a Registration Default with respect to such Holder. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, if the Filing Date or Effectiveness Deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday or other day that the SEC is closed for business, the Filing Date or Effectiveness Deadline, as applicable, shall be extended to the next Business Day on which the SEC is open for business.

6.2     All Registration Expenses incurred in connection with any registration, qualification, exemption or compliance pursuant to Section 6.1 shall be borne by the Company. All Selling Expenses relating to the sale of securities registered by or on behalf of Holders shall be borne by such Holders pro rata on the basis of the number of securities so registered.

6.3     The Company further agrees that, in the event that (i) the Initial Registration Statement has not been filed with the SEC by the Filing Date, (ii) the Initial Registration Statement or the New Registration Statement, as applicable, has not been declared effective by the SEC by the applicable Effectiveness Deadline, (iii) after such Registration Statement is declared effective by the SEC, (A) such Registration Statement is suspended by the Company or ceases to remain continuously effective as to all Registrable Securities for which it is required to be effective or (B) the Holders are not permitted to utilize the prospectus therein to resell such Registrable Securities, other than, in each case, within the time period(s) permitted by Section 6.7(b) or (iv) after the date six months following the Closing Date, and only in the event a Registration Statement is not effective or available to sell all Registrable Securities, the Company fails to file with the SEC any required reports under Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act such that it is not in compliance with Rule 144(c)(1), as a

 

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result of which the Holders who are not affiliates are unable to sell Registrable Securities without restriction under Rule 144 (each such event referred to in clauses (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv), (a “Registration Default , and the date on which such Registration Default occurs being referred to as a “ Default Date ”)), for all or part of any 30-day period (each a “Penalty Period” ) during which the Registration Default remains uncured (which initial 30-day period shall commence on the fifth Business Day after the Default Date if such Registration Default has not been cured by such date and a new Penalty Period shall commence on the first day following the expiration of a Penalty Period if the Registration Default has not been cured), the Company shall pay to each Purchaser (and in the case of a subsequent transfer, the initial Purchaser’s transferee) an amount in cash, as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, 0.5% of such Purchaser’s Purchase Price of his or her unregistered Shares for each Penalty Period during which the Registration Default remains uncured; provided, that in no event shall the Company be required hereunder to pay to any Purchaser pursuant to this Agreement more than 0.5% of such Purchaser’s Purchase Price of his or her securities in any Penalty Period and in no event shall the Company be required hereunder to pay to any Purchaser pursuant to this Agreement an aggregate amount that exceeds 5.0% of the Purchase Price paid by such Purchaser for such Purchaser’s Shares. The Company shall deliver said cash payment to the Holder by the fifth Business Day after the end of such Penalty Period. If the Company fails to pay said cash payment to the Holders in full by the fifth Business Day after the end of such Penalty Period, the Company will pay interest thereon at a rate of 10% per annum (or such lesser maximum amount that is permitted to be paid by applicable law) to the Holders, accruing daily from the date such liquidated damages are due until such amounts, plus all such interest thereon, are paid in full. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event a Registration Default occurs pursuant to clause (iii) hereof, the 0.5% of liquidated damages referred to above for any Penalty Period shall be reduced to equal the percentage determined by multiplying 0.5% by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement that is suspended by the Company or ceases to remain continuously effective as to all Registrable Securities for which it is required to be effective which are still Registrable Securities at such time and for which there is not otherwise an effective Registration Statement at such time and the denominator of which shall be the number of Registrable Securities at such time. With respect to each Holder, the Filing Date and the Effectiveness Deadline for a Registration Statement shall be extended without default or payment of the penalties set forth in this Section 6.3 in the event that the Company’s failure to file and/or obtain the effectiveness of the Registration Statement on a timely basis results from the failure of a Holder to timely provide the Company with information requested by the Company and necessary to complete the Registration Statement in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act (in which case the Filing Date and the Effectiveness Deadline, as applicable, would be extended for such Holder only until five Business Days following the date of receipt by the Company of such requested information).

6.4     In the case of the registration, qualification, exemption or compliance effected by the Company pursuant to this Agreement, the Company shall, upon reasonable request, inform each Holder as to the status of such registration, qualification, exemption and compliance. At its expense the Company shall:

(a)     except for such times as the Company is permitted hereunder to suspend the use of the prospectus forming part of a Registration Statement, use its commercially reasonable efforts to keep such registration, and any qualification, exemption or compliance under state securities laws which the Company determines to obtain, continuously effective with respect to a Holder, and to keep the applicable Registration Statement free of any material misstatements or omissions, until the earlier of the following: (i) the third anniversary of the Closing Date or (ii) the date all Shares held by such Holder may be sold under Rule 144 without being subject to any volume, manner of sale or publicly available information requirements. The period of time during which the Company is required hereunder to keep a Registration Statement effective is referred to herein as the “Registration Period .

(b)     advise the Holders within five Business Days (which notification shall not contain any material non-public information regarding the Company):

(i)     when a Registration Statement or any amendment thereto has been filed with the SEC and when such Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has become effective;

(ii)     of any request by the SEC for amendments or supplements to any Registration Statement or the prospectus included therein or for additional information;

 

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(iii)     of the issuance by the SEC of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of any Registration Statement or the initiation of any proceedings for such purpose;

(iv)      of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Registrable Securities included therein for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; and

(v)     of the occurrence of any event that requires the making of any changes in any Registration Statement or prospectus so that, as of such date, the statements therein are not misleading and do not omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of a prospectus, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading;

(c)     use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the withdrawal of any order suspending the effectiveness of any Registration Statement as soon as reasonably practicable;

(d)     if a Holder so requests in writing, promptly furnish to each such Holder, without charge, at least one copy of each Registration Statement and each post-effective amendment thereto, including financial statements and schedules, and, if explicitly requested, all exhibits in the form filed with the SEC;

(e)     during the Registration Period, promptly deliver to each such Holder, without charge, as many copies of each prospectus included in a Registration Statement and any amendment or supplement thereto as such Holder may reasonably request in writing; and the Company consents to the use, consistent with the provisions hereof, of the prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto by each of the selling Holders of Registrable Securities in connection with the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities covered by a prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto;

(f)     during the Registration Period, if a Holder so requests in writing, deliver to each Holder, without charge, (i) one copy of the following documents, other than those documents available via EDGAR: (A) its annual report to its shareholders, if any (which annual report shall contain financial statements audited in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America by a firm of certified public accountants of recognized standing), (B) if not included in substance in its annual report to shareholders, its annual report on Form 10-K (or similar form), (C) its definitive proxy statement with respect to its annual meeting of shareholders, (D) each of its quarterly reports to its shareholders, and, if not included in substance in its quarterly reports to shareholders, its quarterly report on Form 10-Q (or similar form), and (E) a copy of each full Registration Statement (the foregoing, in each case, excluding exhibits); and (ii) if explicitly requested, all exhibits excluded by the parenthetical to the immediately preceding clause (E);

(g)     prior to any public offering of Registrable Securities pursuant to any Registration Statement, promptly take such actions as may be necessary to register or qualify or obtain an exemption for offer and sale under the securities or blue sky laws of such United States jurisdictions as any such Holders reasonably request in writing, provided that the Company shall not for any such purpose be required to qualify generally to transact business as a foreign corporation in any jurisdiction where it is not so qualified or to consent to general service of process in any such jurisdiction, and do any and all other acts or things reasonably necessary or advisable to enable the offer and sale in such jurisdictions of the Registrable Securities covered by any such Registration Statement;

(h)     upon the occurrence of any event contemplated by Section 6.4(b)(v) above, except for such times as the Company is permitted hereunder to suspend the use of a prospectus forming part of a Registration Statement, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to as soon as reasonably practicable prepare a post-effective amendment to such Registration Statement or a supplement to the related prospectus, or file any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered to purchasers of the Registrable Securities included therein, such prospectus will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;

 

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(i)     otherwise use its commercially reasonable efforts to comply in all material respects with all applicable rules and regulations of the SEC which could affect the sale of the Registrable Securities;

(j)     use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause all Registrable Securities to be listed on each securities exchange or market, if any, on which equity securities issued by the Company have been listed;

(k)     use its commercially reasonable efforts to take all other steps necessary to effect the registration of the Registrable Securities contemplated hereby and to enable the Holders to sell Registrable Securities under Rule 144; and

(l)     provide to each Holder and its representatives, if requested, the opportunity to conduct a reasonable inquiry of the Company’s financial and other records during normal business hours and make available its officers, directors and employees for questions regarding information which such Holder may reasonably request in order to fulfill any due diligence obligation on its part;

provided, that, in the case of clause (l) above, the Company shall not be required (A) to delay the filing of any Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto as a result of any ongoing diligence inquiry by or on behalf of a Holder or to incorporate any comments to any Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto by or on behalf of a Holder if such inquiry or comments would require a delay in the filing of such Registration Statement, amendment or supplement, as the case may be, or (B) to provide, and shall not provide, any Holder or its representatives with material, non-public information unless such Holder agrees to receive such information and enters into a written confidentiality agreement with the Company in a form reasonably acceptable to the Company.

6.5     The Holders shall have no right to take any action to restrain, enjoin or otherwise delay any registration pursuant to Section 6.1 hereof as a result of any controversy that may arise with respect to the interpretation or implementation of this Agreement.

6.6      (a) To the extent permitted by law, the Company shall indemnify each Holder, each of its directors, officers, partners, members, managers and investment advisers and each Person controlling such Holder within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act, with respect to which any registration that has been effected pursuant to this Agreement, against all claims, losses, damages and liabilities (or action in respect thereof), including any of the foregoing incurred in settlement of any litigation, commenced or threatened (subject to Section 6.6(c) below), arising out of or based on any untrue statement (or alleged untrue statement) of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement, prospectus, any amendment or supplement thereof, or other document incident to any such registration, qualification or compliance or based on any omission (or alleged omission) to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in light of the circumstances in which they were made, or any violation by the Company of any rule or regulation promulgated by the Securities Act applicable to the Company and relating to any action or inaction required of the Company in connection with any such registration, qualification or compliance, and will reimburse each Holder and each Person controlling such Holder, for reasonable legal and other out-of-pocket expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigating or defending any such claim, loss, damage, liability or action as incurred; provided, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any untrue statement or omission or allegation thereof is made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such Holder expressly for use in preparation of any Registration Statement, prospectus, amendment or supplement; provided further, that the Company will not be liable in any such case where the claim, loss, damage or liability arises out of or is related to the failure of such Holder to comply with its covenants and agreements contained in this Agreement respecting sales of Registrable Securities, and except that the foregoing indemnity agreement is subject to the condition that, insofar as it relates to any such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in any preliminary prospectus but eliminated or remedied in the amended prospectus on file with the SEC at the time any Registration Statement becomes effective or in an amended prospectus filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) which meets the requirements of Section 10(a) of the Securities Act (each, a “Final Prospectus” ), such indemnity shall not inure to the benefit of any such Holder or any such controlling Person, if a copy of a Final Prospectus furnished by the Company to the Holder for delivery was not furnished to the Person asserting the loss, liability, claim or damage at or prior to the time such furnishing is required by the Securities Act and a Final Prospectus would have cured the defect giving rise to such loss, liability, claim or damage.

 

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(b)     Each Holder will severally, and not jointly, indemnify the Company, each of its directors and officers, and each Person who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act, against all claims, losses, damages and liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), including any of the foregoing incurred in settlement of any litigation, commenced or threatened (subject to Section 6.6(c) below), arising out of or based on any untrue statement (or alleged untrue statement) of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement, prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereof, incident to any such registration, or based on any omission (or alleged omission) to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in light of the circumstances in which they were made, and will reimburse the Company, such directors and officers, and each Person controlling the Company for reasonable legal and any other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigating or defending any such claim, loss, damage, liability or action as incurred, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or omission or allegation thereof is made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of the Holder expressly for use in preparation of any Registration Statement, prospectus, amendment or supplement; provided that the indemnity shall not apply to the extent that such claim, loss, damage or liability results from the fact that a current copy of a prospectus was not made available to the Person asserting the loss, liability, claim or damage at or prior to the time such furnishing is required by the Securities Act and a Final Prospectus would have cured the defect giving rise to such loss, claim, damage or liability. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Holder’s aggregate liability pursuant to this subsection (b) and subsection (d) shall be limited to the net amount received by the Holder from the sale of the Registrable Securities.

(c)     Each party entitled to indemnification under this Section 6.6 (the “Indemnified Party” ) shall give notice to the party required to provide indemnification (the “Indemnifying Party” ) promptly after such Indemnified Party has actual knowledge of any claim as to which indemnity may be sought, and shall permit the Indemnifying Party (at its expense) to assume the defense of any such claim or any litigation resulting therefrom, provided that counsel for the Indemnifying Party, who shall conduct the defense of such claim or litigation, shall be approved by the Indemnified Party (whose approval shall not unreasonably be withheld), and the Indemnified Party may participate in such defense at such Indemnified Party’s expense, and provided further that the failure of any Indemnified Party to give notice as provided herein shall not relieve the Indemnifying Party of its obligations under this Agreement, unless such failure is materially prejudicial to the Indemnifying Party in defending such claim or litigation. An Indemnifying Party shall not be liable for any settlement of an action or claim effected without its written consent (which consent will not be unreasonably withheld). No Indemnifying Party, in its defense of any such claim or litigation, shall, except with the consent of each Indemnified Party, consent to entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement which does not include as an unconditional term thereof the giving by the claimant or plaintiff to such Indemnified Party of a release from all liability in respect to such claim or litigation.

(d)     If the indemnification provided for in this Section 6.6 is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unavailable to an Indemnified Party with respect to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense referred to therein, then the Indemnifying Party, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Party thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party as a result of such loss, liability, claim, damage or expense in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Indemnifying Party on the one hand and of the Indemnified Party on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such loss, liability, claim, damage or expense as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of the Indemnifying Party and of the Indemnified Party shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Indemnifying Party or by the Indemnified Party and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

6.7      (a) Each Holder agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company of the happening of any event requiring the preparation of a supplement or amendment to a prospectus relating to Registrable Securities so that, as thereafter delivered to the Holders, such prospectus shall not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, each Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement and prospectus contemplated by Section 6.1 until its receipt of copies of the supplemented or amended prospectus from the Company and, if so directed by the Company, each Holder shall deliver to the Company all copies, other than permanent file copies then in such Holder’s possession, of the prospectus covering such Registrable Securities current at the time of receipt of such notice.

 

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(b)     Each Holder shall suspend, upon request of the Company, any disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to any Registration Statement and prospectus contemplated by Section 6.1 during no more than two periods of no more than 30 calendar days each during any 12-month period to the extent that the Board of Directors of the Company determines in good faith that the sale of Registrable Securities under any such Registration Statement would be reasonably likely to cause a violation of the Securities Act or Exchange Act.

(c)     As a condition to the inclusion of its Registrable Securities, each Holder shall furnish to the Company such information regarding such Holder and the distribution proposed by such Holder as the Company may reasonably request in writing, including completing a Registration Statement Questionnaire in the form provided by the Company, or as shall be required in connection with any registration referred to in this Article 6. If any Holder fails to timely furnish the information required by the preceding sentence, the Company may file the Registration Statement and not include such Holder’s Shares in the Registration Statement and the Company shall not be deemed to be in a Registration Default with respect to such Holder. No Holder shall be named as an “underwriter” in any Registration Statement without such Holder’s prior written consent.

(d)     Each Holder hereby covenants with the Company (i) not to make any sale of the Registrable Securities pursuant to any Registration Statement without effectively causing the prospectus delivery requirements under the Securities Act to be satisfied, and (ii) if such Registrable Securities are to be sold by any method or in any transaction other than on a national securities exchange or in the over-the-counter market, in privately negotiated transactions, or in a combination of such methods, to notify the Company at least five Business Days prior to the date on which the Holder first offers to sell any such Registrable Securities.

(e)     At the end of the Registration Period the Holders shall discontinue sales of shares pursuant to any Registration Statement upon receipt of notice from the Company of its intention to remove from registration the shares covered by any such Registration Statement which remain unsold, and such Holders shall notify the Company of the number of shares registered which remain unsold immediately upon receipt of such notice from the Company.

(f)     Each Holder agrees not to take any action with respect to any distribution deemed to be made pursuant to a Registration Statement which would constitute a violation of Regulation M under the Exchange Act or any other applicable rule, regulation or law.

6.8     With a view to making available to the Holders the benefits of certain rules and regulations of the SEC which at any time permit the sale of the Registrable Securities to the public without registration, so long as the Holders still own Registrable Securities, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to:

(a)     make and keep adequate, current public information available, as those terms are understood and defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act, at all times;

(b)     file with the SEC in a timely manner all reports and other documents required of the Company under the Exchange Act; and

(c)     so long as a Holder owns any Registrable Securities, furnish to such Holder, upon any reasonable request, a written statement by the Company as to its compliance with Rule 144 under the Securities Act, and of the Exchange Act, a copy of the most recent annual or quarterly report of the Company, and such other reports and documents of the Company as such Holder may reasonably request in availing itself of any rule or regulation of the SEC allowing a Holder to sell any such securities without registration.

 

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6.9     The rights to cause the Company to register Registrable Securities granted to the Holders by the Company under Section 6.1 may be assigned by a Holder in connection with a transfer by such Holder of all or a portion of its Registrable Securities; provided, that such transfer must be made at least ten days prior to the Filing Date and that (i) such transfer may otherwise be effected in accordance with applicable securities laws; (ii) such Holder gives prior written notice to the Company at least ten days prior to the Filing Date; and (iii) such transferee agrees to comply with the terms and provisions of this Agreement, and such transfer is otherwise in compliance with this Agreement. Except as specifically permitted by this Section 6.9, the rights of a Holder with respect to Registrable Securities as set out herein shall not be transferable to any other Person, and any attempted transfer shall cause all rights of such Holder therein to be forfeited.

6.10     Prior to the time that Registration Statement(s) covering the resale of all Registrable Securities have been declared effective by the SEC, the Company shall not file with the SEC a registration statement under the Securities Act of any of its equity securities other than a registration statement required to be filed pursuant to this Agreement, a registration statement on Form S-8 or, in connection with an acquisition, an amendment to a previously-filed registration statement, or a registration statement on Form S-4; provided, that the foregoing restrictions in this Section 6.10 shall terminate upon such time as all of the Registrable Securities (i) have been publicly sold by the Holders or (ii) may be sold under Rule 144 during any 90-day period.

6.11     The rights of any Holder under any provision of this Article 6 may be waived (either generally or in a particular instance, either retroactively or prospectively and either for a specified period of time or indefinitely) or amended by an instrument in writing signed by such Holder.

ARTICLE 7

DEFINITIONS

7.1      “Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

7.2      “Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person (as defined below), any other Person controlling, controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such Person (for the purposes of this definition “control , when used with respect to any specified Person, shall mean the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “controlling” and  “controlled” shall have meanings correlative to the foregoing).

7.3     “ Bank ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(b).

7.4      “Business Day” means a day Monday through Friday on which banks are generally open for business in New York City.

7.5      “Bylaws” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.3.

7.6      “Charter” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.3.

7.7      “Closing” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.3.

7.8      “Closing Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.3.

7.9      “Common Stock” means the common stock, par value $1.00 per share, of the Company.

7.10      “Community First Acquisition” has the meaning set forth in Section  2.7.

7.11      “Company” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

7.12      “Company Reports” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.5(c).

 

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7.13      “CRA” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.5(a).

7.14      “Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.5(b).

7.15      “Environmental Laws” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.30.

7.16      “ERISA” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.31.

7.17      “Evaluation Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.8.

7.18      “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

7.19      “FDIC” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.5(a).

7.20      “Federal Reserve” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.5(a).

7.21      “Filing Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.1.

7.22      “Final Prospectus” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.6(a).

7.23      “Financial Statements” means the financial statements of the Company included in the SEC Documents.

7.24      “FINRA” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.29.

7.25      “Holders” means any Person holding Registrable Securities or any Person to whom the rights under Article 6 have been transferred in accordance with Section 6.9 hereof.

7.26      “Indemnified Party” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.6(c).

7.27      “Indemnifying Party” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.6(c).

7.28      “Initial Registration Statement” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.1.

7.29      “Intellectual Property” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.11.

7.30      “Investment Company Act” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.13.

7.31     “ Investor Presentation ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.35.

7.32      “Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on (a) the business, operations, assets, results of operations or financial condition of the Company, taken as a whole, or (b) the ability of the Company to perform its obligations pursuant to the Transactions.

7.33      “Material Agreements” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.7.

7.34      “Money Laundering Laws” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.20.

7.35     “ Nasdaq ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.15.

7.36      “New Registration Statement” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.1.

7.37      “OFAC” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.33.

 

23


7.38      “Offering” means the private placement of the Company’s Shares contemplated by this Agreement.

7.39      “PCAOB” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.17.

7.40      “Penalty Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.3.

7.41      “Permits” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.6(d).

7.42      “Person” means any person, individual, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, trust or other nongovernmental entity or any governmental agency, court, authority or other body (whether foreign, federal, state, local or otherwise).

7.43      “Placement Agent” means Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc.

7.44      “Purchase Price” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.1.

7.45      “Purchasers” mean the Purchasers whose names are set forth on the signature pages of this Agreement, and their permitted transferees.

7.46     The terms “register,” “registered” and “registration” refer to the registration effected by preparing and filing a registration statement in compliance with the Securities Act, and the declaration or ordering of the effectiveness of such registration statement.

7.47      “Registrable Securities” means the Shares; provided, that securities shall only be treated as Registrable Securities if and only for so long as they (i) have not been disposed of pursuant to a registration statement declared effective by the SEC, (ii) have not been sold in a transaction exempt from the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act so that all transfer restrictions and restrictive legends with respect thereto are removed upon the consummation of such sale and (iii) are held by a Holder or a permitted transferee pursuant to Section 6.9.

7.48      “Registration Default” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.3.

7.49      “Registration Expenses” means all expenses incurred by the Company in complying with Section 6.1 hereof, including, without limitation, all registration, qualification and filing fees, printing expenses, escrow fees, fees and expenses of counsel for the Company, blue sky fees and expenses and the expense of any special audits incident to or required by any such registration (but excluding the fees of legal counsel for any Holder).

7.50      “Registration Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.4(a).

7.51      “Registration Statement” means any one or more registration statements of the Company filed under the Securities Act that covers the resale of any of the Registrable Securities pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement (including without limitation the Initial Registration Statement, the New Registration Statement, and any Remainder Registration Statements) and amendments and supplements to such Registration Statements, including post-effective amendments.

7.52      “Remainder Registration Statement” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.1.

7.53      “Rule 144” means Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act, or any successor rule.

7.54      Rule 415 means Rule 415 promulgated under the Securities Act, or any successor rule.

7.55      “Sanctioned Countries” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.33.

 

24


7.56      “SEC” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

7.57      “SEC Documents” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.7.

7.58      “Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder, or any similar successor statute.

7.59      “Selling Expenses” means all selling commissions applicable to the sale of Registrable Securities and all fees and expenses of legal counsel for any Holder.

7.60      “Shares” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.1.

7.61      “Subsidiary” of any Person shall mean any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture or other legal entity of which such Person (either alone or through or together with any other subsidiary) owns, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of the stock or other equity interests the holders of which are generally entitled to vote for the election of the board of directors or other governing body of such corporation or other legal entity.

7.62      “Transactions ” shall mean the transactions contemplated hereby (including the issuance and sale of the Shares) and shall not include the Community First Acquisition or any other transactions contemplated by the agreements entered into in connection with the Community First Acquisition

7.63      “USA PATRIOT Act” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.5(a).

ARTICLE 8

GOVERNING LAW; MISCELLANEOUS

8.1      Governing Law; Jurisdiction. This Agreement will be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of New York without regard to the principles of conflict of laws.

8.2      Counterparts; Signatures by Facsimile. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, all of which are considered one and the same agreement and will become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to the other parties. This Agreement, once executed by a party, may be delivered to the other parties hereto by facsimile or e-mail transmission of a copy of this Agreement bearing the signature of the party so delivering this Agreement.

8.3      Headings. The headings of this Agreement are for convenience of reference only, are not part of this Agreement and do not affect its interpretation.

8.4      Severability. If any provision of this Agreement is invalid or unenforceable under any applicable statute or rule of law, then such provision will be deemed modified in order to conform with such statute or rule of law. Any provision hereof that may prove invalid or unenforceable under any law will not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision hereof.

8.5      Entire Agreement; Amendments. This Agreement (including all schedules and exhibits hereto) constitutes the entire agreement among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof. There are no restrictions, promises, warranties or undertakings, other than those set forth or referred to herein or therein. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof. No provision of this Agreement may be waived or amended other than by an instrument in writing signed by the party to be charged with enforcement. Any amendment or waiver by a party effected in accordance with this Section 8.5 shall be binding

 

25


upon such party, including with respect to any Shares purchased under this Agreement at the time outstanding and held by such party (including securities into which such Shares are convertible and for which such Shares are exercisable) and each future holder of all such securities.

8.6      Notices. All notices required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed effectively given: (a) upon personal delivery to the party to be notified, (b) when sent by confirmed email, telex or facsimile if sent during normal business hours of the recipient, if not, then on the next Business Day, (c) five days after having been sent by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, or (d) one Business Day after deposit with a nationally recognized overnight courier, specifying next day delivery, with written verification of receipt. The addresses for such communications are:

 

If to the Company:

  

Commerce Union Bancshares, Inc.

  

1736 Carothers Parkway

  

Suite 1100

  

Brentwood, Tennessee 37027

  

Attn: President/CEO

With a copy to (which copy shall not constitute notice):

  

Butler Snow LLP

  

150 3rd Avenue South

  

Suite 1600

  

Nashville, TN 37201

  

Attn: Beth Sims

     

Adam Smith

     

beth.sims@butlersnow.com

     

adam.smith@butlersnow.com

If to a Purchaser: To the address set forth immediately below such Purchaser’s name on the signature pages hereto. Each party will provide ten days’ advance written notice to the other parties of any change in its address.

8.7      Successors and Assigns. This Agreement is binding upon and inures to the benefit of the parties and their successors and assigns. The Company will not assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Purchasers, and no Purchaser may assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Company, except as permitted in accordance with Section 6.9 hereof.

8.8      Third Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement is intended for the benefit of the parties hereto, their respective permitted successors and assigns and the Placement Agent, and is not for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any other Person.

8.9      Further Assurances. Each party will do and perform, or cause to be done and performed, all such further acts and things, and will execute and deliver all other agreements, certificates, instruments and documents, as another party may reasonably request in order to carry out the intent and accomplish the purposes of this Agreement and the consummation of the Transactions.

8.10      No Strict Construction. The language used in this Agreement is deemed to be the language chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent, and no rules of strict construction will be applied against any party.

8.11      Equitable Relief. The Company recognizes that, if it fails to perform or discharge any of its obligations under this Agreement, any remedy at law may prove to be inadequate relief to the Purchasers. The Company therefore agrees that the Purchasers are entitled to seek temporary and permanent injunctive relief in any such case. Each Purchaser also recognizes that, if it fails to perform or discharge any of its obligations under this Agreement, any remedy at law may prove to be inadequate relief to the Company. Each Purchaser therefore agrees that the Company is entitled to seek temporary and permanent injunctive relief in any such case.

 

26


8.12      Survival of Representations and Warranties. Notwithstanding any investigation made by any party to this Agreement, all representations and warranties made by the Company and the Purchasers shall survive for a period of one year following the date hereof.

8.13      Independent Nature of Purchasers’ Obligations and Rights. The obligations of each Purchaser under this Agreement are several and not joint with the obligations of any other Purchaser, and no Purchaser shall be responsible in any way for the performance of the obligations of any other Purchaser under this Agreement. The decision of each Purchaser to purchase Shares pursuant to this Agreement has been made by such Purchaser independently of any other Purchaser and independently of any information, materials, statements or opinions as to the business, affairs, operations, assets, properties, liabilities, results of operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries which may have been made or given by any other Purchaser or by any agent or employee of any other Purchaser, and no Purchaser and none of its agents or employees shall have any liability to any other Purchaser (or any other Person) relating to or arising from any such information, materials, statements or opinions. Nothing contained herein and no action taken by any Purchaser pursuant thereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Purchasers as a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity, or create a presumption that the Purchasers are in any way acting in concert or as a group, or are deemed affiliates with respect to such obligations or the Transactions. Each Purchaser acknowledges that no other Purchaser has acted as agent for such Purchaser in connection with making its investment hereunder and that no Purchaser will be acting as agent of such Purchaser in connection with monitoring its investment in the Shares or enforcing its rights under this Agreement. Each Purchaser shall be entitled to independently protect and enforce its rights, including without limitation the rights arising out of this Agreement, and it shall not be necessary for any other Purchaser to be joined as an additional party in any proceeding for such purpose. It is expressly understood and agreed that each provision contained in this Agreement is between the Company and a Purchaser, solely, and not between the Company and the Purchasers collectively and not between and among the Purchasers.

8.14      Termination . This Agreement shall terminate without any further action by any party hereto if the Closing does not occur on or prior to October 15, 2017.

[Signature Page Follows]

 

27


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Securities Purchase Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first above written.

 

Commerce Union Bancshares, Inc.
By:  

 

Name:   DeVan D. Ard, Jr.
Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer and Chairman

 

[Signature Page to Securities Purchase Agreement]


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Securities Purchase Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first above written.

 

P URCHASER :  

 

 

By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

 

Address:  

 

 

 

 

 

Facsimile:  

 

 

[Signature Page to Securities Purchase Agreement]


EXHIBIT A

SCHEDULE OF PURCHASERS

 

Purchaser

   Shares      Purchase Price  

[                     ]

     [                    $ [            

[                     ]

     [                    $ [            

[                     ]

     [                    $ [            

[                     ]

     [                    $ [            

[                     ]

     [                    $ [            

Total

     [                    $ [            

Exhibit 99.1

 

LOGO

 

LOGO

Commerce Union Bancshares, Inc. and Reliant Bank to Merge With

Community First, Inc. and Community First Bank & Trust

 

 

Creates 4 th Largest Community Bank Headquartered in Nashville MSA with $1.5 Billion in Assets

Brentwood and Columbia, Tenn. – (August 23, 2017) – Commerce Union Bancshares, Inc. (“Commerce Union”) (Nasdaq: CUBN), the parent company for Reliant Bank, announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to merge with Community First, Inc. (“Community First”), the parent company for Community First Bank & Trust located in Columbia, Tennessee, in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $59.0 million based on the closing price of Commerce Union’s common stock on August 22, 2017. The proposed transaction has received approval from the Board of Directors of each company.

The proposed transaction will create the fourth largest community bank by assets headquartered in the Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, TN Metropolitan Statistical Area (“Nashville MSA”), based upon financial data as of June 30, 2017. On a pro forma basis as of June 30, 2017, the combined company would have assets of $1.5 billion, deposits of $1.3 billion, and gross loans of $1.1 billion, and would operate 15 branches, two loan production offices, and two mortgage services locations throughout Middle Tennessee and Chattanooga. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2018, subject to regulatory approval, approval of the shareholders of both Commerce Union and Community First, as well as other customary closing conditions. At closing, Commerce Union will merge Community First Bank & Trust with and into Reliant Bank, and the combined subsidiary banks will operate under the name Reliant Bank. At closing and subject to Commerce Union shareholder approval, Commerce Union plans to change its name to Reliant Bancorp, Inc.

DeVan D. Ard, Jr., Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Commerce Union Bancshares, Inc., commented, “We are very excited about the proposed merger with Community First. Our companies share similar values and cultures, and this combination will create the foundation for an extraordinary financial services company in Middle Tennessee. Together, we will continue to grow lasting relationships with our customers and work as a team to deliver valuable banking solutions. We welcome the opportunity to expand into Maury and Hickman Counties and are committed to ensuring a seamless transition for customers and employees alike.”

“We believe Reliant Bank is an excellent fit for our customers, employees, and shareholders,” said Louis Holloway, Chief Executive Officer of Community First. “This transaction will allow us to leverage our collective financial strength to further expand product offerings and technology solutions, while remaining actively involved in our communities. We are proud to partner with the exceptional team at Reliant Bank, as this will provide us the opportunity to bolster our franchise.”

Under the terms of the definitive agreement, shareholders of Community First will receive 0.481 shares of Commerce Union common stock for each share of Community First common stock, which equates to a value of $11.74 per share, or approximately $59.0 million in the aggregate, based on Commerce Union’s closing price of $24.40 as of August 22, 2017. Louis Holloway is expected to join the Commerce Union executive management team as Chief Operating Officer, Jim Bratton is expected to assume the role of Maury County market executive, and Mr. Holloway and two other current Community First board members are expected to join the Commerce Union and Reliant Bank boards of directors.

 

-MORE-


Commerce Union Bancshares, Inc. and Reliant Bank to Merge With

Community First, Inc. and Community First Bank & Trust

Page 2

August 23, 2017

 

Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc. served as financial advisor and Butler Snow LLP served as legal counsel to Commerce Union Bancshares, Inc. ProBank Austin served as financial advisor and Bass, Berry & Sims PLC served as legal counsel to Community First, Inc.

Contacts:

DeVan Ard, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Commerce Union Bancshares, Inc. (615.221.2020)

About Commerce Union and Reliant Bank

Commerce Union Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ: CUBN) is a Brentwood, Tennessee-based bank holding company which operates banking centers in Davidson, Robertson, Sumner and Williamson counties, Tennessee along with a loan and deposit production office in Rutherford County, Tennessee and a recently opened loan and deposit production office in Chattanooga, Tennessee, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Reliant Bank. Reliant Bank is a full-service commercial bank that offers a variety of deposit, lending and mortgage products and services to business and consumer customers. As of June 30, 2017, Commerce Union had approximately $1 billion in total assets, approximately $719 million in loans and approximately $840 million in deposits. For additional information, locations and hours of operation, please visit their website at www.reliantbank.com.

About Community First and Community First Bank & Trust

Community First, Inc. is headquartered in Columbia, Tennessee, with approximately $479 million in total assets, approximately $308 million in loans and approximately $426 million in deposits as of June 30, 2017. In addition to its three branches in Columbia, Community First also operates branch locations in Mt. Pleasant, Thompson’s Station, Centerville and Lyles, Tennessee. For additional information about Community First, Inc. and Community First Bank & Trust, please visit their website at www.cfbk.com.

Forward Looking Statements

All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included in this release are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words “believe,” “anticipate,” “expect,” “may,” “will,” “assume,” “should,” “predict,” “could,” “would,” “intend,” “targets,” “estimates,” “projects,” “plans,” “potential” and other similar words and expressions of the future are intended to identify such forward-looking statements, but other statements not based on historical information may also be considered forward-looking, including statements about the benefits to Commerce Union and Community First of the proposed transaction, Commerce Union’s and Community First’s future financial and operating results (including the anticipated impact of the proposed transaction on the combined company’s earnings per share and tangible book value) and Commerce Union’s and Community First’s plans, objectives and intentions.

All forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Commerce Union and Community First to differ materially from any results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, (1) the risk that the cost savings and any revenue synergies from the proposed transaction may not be realized or take longer than anticipated to be realized, (2) the ability of Commerce Union and Community First to meet expectations regarding the timing and completion and accounting and tax treatment of the proposed transaction, (3) the effect of the announcement of the proposed transaction on employee and customer relationships and operating results (including, without limitation, difficulties in maintaining relationships with employees and customers), (4) the risk that integration of Community First’s operations with those of Commerce Union will be materially delayed or will be more costly or difficult than expected, (5) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the definitive agreement, (6) the amount of the costs, fees, expenses, and charges related to the proposed transaction, (7) reputational risk and the reaction of the parties’ customers, suppliers, employees or other business partners to the proposed transaction, (8) the failure of any of the conditions to the closing of the transaction to be satisfied, or any unexpected delay in closing the proposed transaction, (9) the possibility that the proposed transaction may be more expensive to complete than anticipated, including as a result of unexpected factors or events, (10) the dilution caused by Commerce Union’s issuance of additional shares of its common stock

 

-MORE-


Commerce Union Bancshares, Inc. and Reliant Bank to Merge With

Community First, Inc. and Community First Bank & Trust

Page 3

August 23, 2017

 

in the proposed transaction, and (11) general competitive, economic, political and market conditions. Additional factors which could affect the forward-looking statements can be found in Commerce Union’s annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and current reports on Form 8-K, or Community First’s annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and current reports on Form 8-K, in each case filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ SEC ”) and available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. Commerce Union and Community First believe the forward-looking statements contained herein are reasonable; however, undue reliance should not be placed on any forward-looking statements, which are based on current expectations and speak only as of the date that they are made. Commerce Union and Community First disclaim any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this release, which speak only as of the date hereof, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Additional Information about the Proposed Transaction and Where to Find It

In connection with the proposed transaction, Commerce Union intends to file a registration statement on Form S-4 with the SEC, which will include a joint proxy statement of Commerce Union and Community First and a prospectus of Commerce Union, and each party will file other documents regarding the proposed transaction with the SEC. Before making any voting or investment decision, investors and security holders of Commerce Union and Community First are urged to carefully read the entire registration statement and joint proxy statement/prospectus, when they become available, as well as any amendments or supplements to these documents and any other relevant documents filed with the SEC, because they will contain important information about the proposed transaction. A definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus will be sent to the shareholders of each institution seeking the required shareholder approvals. Investors and security holders will be able to obtain the registration statement and the joint proxy statement/prospectus free of charge from the SEC’s website or from Commerce Union or Community First as described below.

Investors and security holders are urged to carefully review and consider each of Commerce Union’s and Community First’s public filings with the SEC, including but not limited to their annual reports on Form 10-K, their proxy statements, their current reports on Form 8-K and their quarterly reports on Form 10-Q.

The documents filed by Commerce Union with the SEC may be obtained free of charge at Commerce Union’s website at www.reliantbank.com under the heading “Investor Relations” or at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. These documents may also be obtained free of charge from Commerce Union by requesting them in writing to J. Daniel Dellinger, Chief Financial Officer, at 1736 Carothers Parkway, Suite 100, Brentwood, Tennessee 37027 or by calling (615) 221-2020.

The documents filed by Community First with the SEC may be obtained free of charge at Community First’s website at www.cfbk.com under the “Shareholders” heading or at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. These documents may also be obtained free of charge from Community First by requesting them in writing to Community First, Inc., 501 South James M. Campbell Boulevard, Columbia, Tennessee 38401, Attention: Jon Thompson or Ashlee Pope, or by calling (931) 380-2265.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such jurisdiction.

Participants in the Solicitation

Commerce Union, Community First, and certain of their directors and executive officers may be deemed participants in the solicitation of proxies from Commerce Union’s and Community First’s shareholders in connection with the proposed transaction. Information about the directors and executive officers of Commerce Union and their ownership of Commerce Union common stock is set forth in the definitive proxy statement for its 2017 annual meeting of shareholders, which was filed with the SEC on April 19, 2017. Information about the directors and executive officers of Community First and their ownership of Community First common stock is set forth in the definitive proxy statement for Community First’s 2017 annual meeting of shareholders, as previously filed with the SEC on April 3, 2017. Shareholders may obtain additional information regarding the interests of such participants by reading the registration statement and the joint proxy statement/prospectus when they become available. Free copies of these documents may be obtained as described in the paragraphs above.

 

-END-

Exhibit 99.2

 

LOGO

Commerce Union Bancshares, Inc. Announces

Private Placement of Common Stock

Brentwood, Tenn. – (August 23, 2017) – Commerce Union Bancshares, Inc. (Nasdaq: CUBN), the parent company for Reliant Bank, announced today that it has entered into definitive securities purchase agreements with certain institutional and accredited investors to sell a total of 1,137,000 shares of common stock at a price of $22.00 per share, for estimated gross proceeds of $25.0 million. The proceeds will be used for general corporate purposes, which may include capital contributions to Reliant Bank. The offering is expected to close on August 30, 2017, subject to customary closing conditions.

The common stock to be offered and sold by Commerce Union has not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), or applicable state securities laws and may not be reoffered or resold in the United States except pursuant to an effective registration statement or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. As part of the transaction, Commerce Union has agreed to file a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission for purposes of registering the resale of the common stock purchased by the investors as part of this offering within 25 days of closing. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc. acted as sole placement agent in the private placement.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the securities, nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any state in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such state. Any offering of the securities under the resale registration statement will only be by means of a prospectus.

Contacts:

DeVan Ard, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Commerce Union Bancshares, Inc.

(615.221.2020)

About Commerce Union and Reliant Bank

Commerce Union Bancshares, Inc. (Nasdaq: CUBN) is a Brentwood, Tennessee-based bank holding company which operates banking centers in Davidson, Robertson, Sumner and Williamson counties, Tennessee along with a loan and deposit production office in Rutherford County, Tennessee and a recently opened loan and deposit production office in Chattanooga, Tennessee, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Reliant Bank. Reliant Bank is a full-service commercial bank that offers a variety of deposit, lending and mortgage products and services to business and consumer customers. As of June 30, 2017, Commerce Union had approximately $1 billion in total assets, approximately $719 million in loans and approximately $840 million in deposits. For additional information, locations and hours of operation, please visit their website at www.reliantbank.com.

Forward Looking Statements

All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included in this press release are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words “believe,” “anticipate,” “expect,” “may,” “will,” “assume,” “should,” “predict,” “could,” “would,” “intend,” “targets,” “estimates,” “projects,” “plans,” “potential,” and other similar words and expressions of the future are intended to identify such forward-looking statements, but other statements not based on historical information may also be considered forward-looking. All forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of Commerce Union to differ materially from any results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, (1) the dilution caused by Commerce Union’s issuance of additional shares of its common stock in the private placement, (2) the possibility that the private placement may not be completed on the terms currently contemplated or at all, and (3) general competitive, economic, political, and market conditions. Additional factors which could affect the forward-looking statements can be found in Commerce Union’s annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and current reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC and available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. Commerce Union believes the forward-looking statements contained herein are reasonable; however, undue reliance should not be placed on any forward-looking statements, which are based on current expectations and speak only as of the date that they are made. Commerce Union disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this press release, which speak only as of the date hereof, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

 

-END-

Exhibit 99.3

 

LOGO

Investor Presentation
August 2017


LOGO

Safe Harbor Statements
FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included in this presentation are statements of “forward-looking statements” by Commerce Union Bancshares, Inc. (“Commerce Union”) within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words “believe,” “anticipate,” “expect,” “may,” “will,” “assume,” “should,” “predict,” “could,” “would,” “intend,” “targets,” “estimates,” “projects,” “plans,” “potential” and other similar words and expressions of the future are intended to identify such forward-looking statements, but other statements not based on historical information may also be considered forward-looking, including statements about the benefits to Commerce Union of the proposed merger of
Commerce Union and Community First, Inc. (“Community First”), Commerce Union’s future financial and operating results (including the anticipated impact of the proposed merger of Commerce Union and Community First on the combined company’s earnings per share and tangible book value) and Commerce Union’s plans, objectives and intentions.
All forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Commerce Union and Community First to differ materially from any results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, these specifically described in Item 1A of Part I of Commerce Union’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, as well as the following: (1) the risk that Commerce Union may not enter into the proposed merger with Community First, (2) the risk that the cost savings and any revenue synergies from the proposed merger of Commerce Union and Community First (if it is consummated) may not be realized or take longer than anticipated to be realized, (3) the ability of Commerce Union and Community First to meet expectations regarding the timing and completion and accounting and tax treatment of the proposed merger, (4) the effect of the announcement of the proposed merger on employee and customer relationships and operating results (including, without limitation, difficulties in maintaining relationships with employees and customers), (5) the risk that integration of Community First’s operations with those of Commerce Union will be materially delayed or will be more costly or difficult than expected, (6) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the merger agreement, (7) the amount of the costs, fees, expenses, and charges related to the proposed merger, (8) reputational risk and the reaction of the parties’ customers, suppliers, employees or other business partners to the proposed merger, (9) the failure of the closing conditions to be satisfied, or any unexpected delay in closing the proposed merger, (10) the possibility that the proposed merger may be more expensive to complete than anticipated, including as a result of unexpected factors or events, (11) the dilution caused by Commerce Union’s issuance of additional shares of its common stock in the proposed merger and the private placement, (12) the possibility that our asset quality will decline or that we experience greater loan losses than anticipated, (13) the potential for increased levels of other real estate, primarily as a result of foreclosures, (14) the impact of liquidity needs on our results of operations and financial condition, (15) competition from financial institutions and other financial service providers, (16) economic conditions in the local markets where we operate, (17) our ability to retain the services of key personnel, (18) our ability to adapt to technological changes, (19) the risks that our cost of funding could increase, (20) negative developments in our mortgage banking services, including declines in our mortgage originations or profitability due to rising interest rates and increased competition and regulation, our or third parties’ failure to satisfy mortgage servicing obligations, and the possibility that we are required to repurchase mortgage loans or indemnify buyers of mortgage loans, (21) our ability to monitor the performance of third party service providers that provide material services to our business, (22) system failures, data security breaches, including as a result of cyber-attacks, or failures to prevent breaches of our network security, (23) fluctuations in the securities markets and their impact on the securities held in our securities portfolio, and (24) general competitive, economic, political and market conditions. Additional factors which could affect the forward-looking statements can be found in Commerce Union’s annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and current reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC and available on the
SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. Commerce Union believes the forward-looking statements contained herein are reasonable; however, undue reliance should not be placed on any forward-looking statements, which are based on current expectations and speak only as of the date that they are made. Commerce Union disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this presentation, which speak only as of the date hereof, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
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Safe Harbor Statements
NOTICE TO PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS
The information contained herein is a summary and it is not complete. It has been prepared for use only in connection with a private placement (the
“Placement”) of securities (the “Securities”) of Commerce Union. The Securities have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), in a private placement exempt from registration under the Securities Act and other applicable securities laws, and may not be reoffered or re-sold absent registration or an applicable exemptions from the registration requirements. The Securities are not a deposit or an account that is insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency.
The information contained herein is being furnished solely for the purpose of enabling prospective investors to determine whether they wish to proceed with further investigation of Commerce Union and the Placement. As it is a summary, such information is not intended to and does not contain all the information that you will require to form the basis of any investment decision. The information contained herein speaks as of the date hereof. Neither the delivery of this information or any eventual sale of the Securities shall, under any circumstances, imply that the information contained herein is correct as of any future date or that there has been no change in Commerce Union’s business affairs described herein after the date hereof. Nothing contained herein is, or should be relied upon as, a promise or representation as to future performance. Neither Commerce Union nor any of its affiliates undertakes any obligation to update or revise this presentation. Commerce Union anticipates providing you with the opportunity to ask questions, receive answers, obtain additional information, and complete your own due diligence review concerning Commerce Union and the Placement prior to entering into any agreement to purchase Securities. By accepting delivery of the information contained herein, you agree to undertake and rely on your own independent investigation and analysis and consult with your own attorneys, accountants, and other professional advisors regarding Commerce Union and the merits and risks of an investment in the Securities, including all related legal, investment, tax, and other matters.
Commerce Union shall not have any liability for any information included herein or otherwise made available in connection with the Placement, except for liabilities expressly assumed by Commerce Union in the securities purchase agreement and the related documentation for each purchase of Securities. The information contained herein does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to purchase the Securities described herein nor shall there be any sale of such Securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such an offer or solicitation is not permitted or would be unlawful. Each investor must comply with all legal requirements in each jurisdiction in which it purchases, offers, or sells the Securities, and must obtain any consent, approval, or permission required by it in connection with the Securities or the Placement. Commerce Union does not make any representation or warranty regarding, and has no responsibility for, the legality of an investment in the Securities under any investment, securities, or similar laws.
THE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION (“SEC”), THE FDIC,
OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCY, NOR HAS THE SEC, THE FDIC, OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCY PASSED ON THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS PRESENTATION. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS UNLAWFUL.
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Safe Harbor Statements
NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
This investor presentation contains certain financial measures that are not measures recognized under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles
(GAAP) and, therefore, are considered non-GAAP financial measures. Commerce Union’s and Community First’s management use these non-GAAP financial measures in their analysis of the performance, financial condition, and efficiency of operations of their respective entities. Management of Commerce Union believes that these non-GAAP financial measures provide a greater understanding of ongoing operations, enhance comparability of results with prior periods, and demonstrate the effects of significant gains and charges in the current period. Management also believes that investors find these non-GAAP financial measures useful as they assist investors in understanding underlying operating performance and the analysis of ongoing operating trends. However, the non-GAAP financial measures discussed herein should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the most directly comparable or other financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP. Moreover, the manner in which the non-GAAP financial measures discussed herein are calculated may differ from that of other companies reporting measures with similar names. You should understand how such other banking organizations calculate their financial measures similar to, or with names similar to, the non-GAAP financial measures we have discussed herein when comparing such non-GAAP financial measures.
This presentation contains certain non-GAAP financial measures, including, without limitation, tangible assets, tangible book value, tangible common equity, return on average tangible common equity, tangible common equity to assets, efficiency ratio, core income return on average assets, and core income return on average equity. A reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures are provided in
the appendix to this presentation.
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Offering Summary
Issuer     Commerce Union Bancshares, Inc. (“CUBN”, “Commerce Union”, or “Company”)
Exchange / Ticker     Nasdaq / CUBN
Offering Type     Private Placement of Common Stock
Offering Structure     100% Primary
Offering Size     $25 million
CUBN will file a registration statement to register the resale of the shares within 25 days of
Registration     closing
Lock-Up     90 days for certain officers and directors
Use of Proceeds     General corporate purposes, including contribution to our subsidiary, Reliant Bank
Placement Agent     Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc.
Expected Pricing     Week of August 21, 2017
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Company Overview
August 2017


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Company Timeline    
8/14/2006    4/28/2014 7/7/20153/6/2017
Commerce    CUBN and CUBN stock beginsOpens Green Hills
Union Bank    Reliant announce trading on Nasdaqbranch in
established    merger Davidson County


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Reliant Bank Franchise Overview
Key Franchise Highlights
Commercially oriented bank headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee
Focused on fast growing Middle Tennessee markets coupled with recent expansion into Chattanooga, Tennessee
14th largest bank by deposits in the Nashville MSA(1) and 6th largest community bank(2) by deposits headquartered in the Nashville MSA Concentrated on building banking relationships; 80% of top 50 loan relationships have related deposits at the bank Experienced management team with extensive local market knowledge 12.5% insider ownership amongst management and the board of directors
Source: SNL Financial    
Financial data as of or for the three months ended 6/30/17; ownership data as of 7/31/17; pricing data as of 8/15/17    
Note: CUBN reserves / loans excludes mortgage loans held for sale    
(1)    The Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin Metropolitan Statistical Area (the “Nashville MSA”)
(2)    Community bank defined as institutions with total assets less than $10 billion 8
(3)    Refer to appendix for “Reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures”


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Experienced Management Team
DeVan D. Ard, Jr.     Former Area Executive in Middle Tennessee at AmSouth Bank
Chairman, President &     Founder of Reliant Bank in 2006
CEO    35 years of banking experience / 12 years at CUBN* / 18 years in Middle TN
James Daniel Dellinger
CFO & Head of Investor Relations
Gene Whittle
Executive VP, CCO
Eddie Gammon
Executive VP, Director of Operations
Alan Mims
Executive VP, CRO
John R. Wilson
Executive VP, CLO
Kim York
Executive VP, CSO
Former Chief Financial Officer at Premier Bank of Brentwood
Former Chief Financial Officer at Erwin National Bank
25 years of banking experience / 12 years at CUBN* / 20 years in Middle TN
Executive Vice President – Chief Credit Officer since 2010
Former Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer at Avenue Bank
40 years of banking experience / 7 years at CUBN* / 37 years in Middle TN
Executive Vice President – Director of Operations since March 2016
Former Senior Vice President of Operations at IBERIABANK
Former Senior Vice President – Director of Deposit Operations at Avenue Bank
32 years of banking experience / 1 year at CUBN* / 2 years in Middle TN
Executive Vice President – Chief Risk Officer since April 2017
Former Senior Examiner and Case Manger for the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta
28 years of banking experience / 1 year at CUBN* / 1 year in Middle TN
Executive Vice President – Chief Loan Officer
Former Spring Hill Market President for Cumberland Bank
28 years of banking experience / 11 years at CUBN* / 28 years in Middle TN
Executive Vice President – Chief Strategy Office since March 2017
Former Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Ascend Federal Credit Union
22 years of banking experience / 1 year at CUBN* / 22 years in Middle TN
Source: SNL Financial 9 * Denotes years at CUBN or Reliant Bank


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Brand Standards Critical to Our Success
Integrity
Trust
Responsiveness
Dependability
Individual Service
Progressiveness
Community
10


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Nashville Deposit Market Share    
Top 25 Deposit Market Share     Comparable Nashville Only Public Institutions
Community     DepositsMarketLimited universe of public institutions with materially all of their
Rank    Bank Rank (1) Institution($mm)Sharefranchise in the Nashville MSA
TickerFSBCUBNCSTR
1    — Bank of America Corp.$8,42016.1%
Market Information
2    — Regions Financial Corp.7,24513.9
Market Cap. ($mm)$444$193$189
3    — Pinnacle Financial Partners Inc.6,16711.8
Price / Tang. Book (2)157%192%154%
4    — SunTrust Banks Inc.5,96511.4Price / ‘18 EPS10.6x—15.6x
5    — First Horizon National Corp.3,9917.7Price / ‘19 EPS10.1—14.2
6    1 Franklin Financial Network Inc.2,3654.5Balance Sheet ($mm)
7    — U.S. Bancorp1,8383.5Total Assets$3,444$1,004$1,372
8    2 Wilson Bank Holding Co.1,7243.3Total Gross Loans2,0247321,070
9    — Fifth Third Bancorp1,5182.9Deposits2,7548401,121
10    — Wells Fargo & Co.1,4592.8Loans / Deposits73%87%95%
11    3 CapStar Financial Holdings Inc.1,1432.2MRQ Profitability
12    4 First Farmers and Merchants Corp.8421.6Core ROAA (2) (3)1.03%0.92%(0.96) %
13    5 FB Financial Corp.8251.6NIM (4)3.074.013.15
14    6 Commerce Union Bancshares Inc.6481.2Efficiency Ratio (2)51.167.162.2
15    7 First Farmers Bancshares Inc.4800.9Asset Quality
16    — Renasant Corp.4790.9NPAs / Loans + OREO0.26%0.98%0.42%
17    8 Volunteer State Bancshares Inc.4240.8Reserves / Loans0.921.301.16
18    9 Community First Inc.4220.8Capital Ratios
19    — Synovus Financial Corp.4170.8TCE / TA (3)8.23%10.07%8.99%
20    10 Truxton Corp.3180.6Leverage Ratio8.2110.479.77
21    — BB&T Corp.3140.6CET1 Ratio11.5412.289.86
22    11 Citizens Bancorp Investment Inc.3110.6Tier 1 Capital Ratio11.5412.2810.54
23    — Simmons First National Corp.3060.6Total Capital Rato14.6913.4311.51
24    12 Southeastern Bancorp Inc.2980.6Loan Concentration
25    13 Citizens Bank2930.6C&D Loans / Total Bank Capital143%105%49%
CRE Loans / Total Bank Capital248257219
Totals (1-25) $48,21392.4%
Totals (25-60) 3,9857.6Demographic Information
Projected 2022 Household Income ($)$101,384$89,140$60,248
Dollars in millions
Source: SNL Financial, FactSet Research Systems, Inc., Company documents    
Deposit market share data as of 6/30/16; financial data as of or for the three months ended 6/30/17; pricing data as of 8/15/17    
Note: CUBN reserves / loans excludes mortgage loans held for sale    
(1)    Community bank defined as an institution with less than $10 billion in total assets
(2)    Refer to appendix for “Reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures”; CUBN efficiency ratio bank only excluding mortgage segment
(3)    Core Income excludes extraordinary items, non-recurring items and gains / (losses) on sale of securities and non-controlling interest and includes amortization of
intangibles and goodwill impairment    
(4)    Net interest margin for CUBN is defined as net interest income calculated on a tax-equivalent basis divided by average earning assets
(5)    Projected household income deposit weighted by county 11


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Nashville MSA Demographics
Nashville Market Highlights ‘17    ’22 Projected Population Growth (%)
Scale 10.0%
7.9%
The Nashville MSA is expected to surpass the current size of Austin, Charlotte, Portland, and Denver regions by 2035, with a population of 2.6 million
The Nashville MSA is the 8th largest Southeast metropolitan area with a population exceeding 1.8 million as of July 2016
Population grew approximately 11.6% from 2010 through 2016 at 1.85% annually
Unemployment rate of 2.9% is below the national average of 4.1% as of April 2017
Median household income growth of 16.5% from 2000-2012
Strong Business Environment    $50,000
â’    Ranked 4th in “The Best Big Cities for Jobs 2016”
â’    4th on Forbes’ list of top cities for technology jobs $25,000
and white collar job growth (2016)    
â’    Ranked 1st on Brookings Institution’s list for city $0(1)
and state job growth in advanced industries (2016)     CUBNNashville MSASoutheastUS
â’    Historic success in landing major brand-name ‘17 – ‘22 Projected HHI Growth (%)
corporate relocations including Nissan North    10.0%
America, Dell Computer, Caterpillar Financial, and     8.1 %7.8 %
Ford Motor Credit    7.5% 6.5 %7.3 %
Passionate Sports Fan Base    
–    Nashville Predators 5.0%
–    Tennessee Titans 2.5%
0.0%
(1)
CUBN Nashville MSA Southeast US
Source: SNL Financial, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce
(1) CUBN deposit data weighted by county 12


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Lending Platform
% of Loans by Market (1)
Gross Loans Portfolio Composition
Other TN    Loan Portfolio Amount% of Total
3%    1-4 Family Construction $49.66.8%
Other C&D 63.68.7
Agricultural Related Loans 39.25.4
Outside of    HELOCs 63.28.6
TN    1-4 Family—First Lien 118.116.1
6%    1-4 Family—Junior Lien 3.80.5
Nashville     Multifamily4.10.6
MSA     Owner-Occupied CRE89.212.2
Non Owner-Occupied CRE 156.321.4
91%     C&I114.915.7
State & Political 11.51.6
Consumer & Other 18.52.5
Gross Loans & Leases $732.0100.0%
Mortgage Loans Held for Sale $12.0
Loans Held for Investment $719.9
Dollars in millions    Yield on Total Loans: 4.73%
Source: SNL Financial, Company documents    
Data as of or for the three months ended 6/30/17    
Note: Loan portfolio composition utilizes call report categories based on collateral type    
(1)    Based upon borrower address 13


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Diversified C&D and CRE Loan Portfolios
Commercial Real Estate Portfolio
(1)
Self
Storage
< 1%
Other
2%
Churches /
Religious
< 1%
Gas Station / C-Store 3%
Data as of 6/30/17    
Percentages shown on pie charts total 100% and are based upon book balances as of 6/30/17    
(1)    Based upon non-owner occupied CRE portfolio as of 6/30/17 14


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Data as of or for the three months ended each respective quarter    
(1)    Data has been annualized 15


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Deposit Portfolio
Non-Interest Bearing Deposit Growth
$    160
$140
$135 $135$136$137
$    135


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Historical Profitability Trends
Source: SNL Financial
Data as of or for the three months ended each respective quarter
Core Income excludes extraordinary items, non-recurring items and gains / (losses) on sale of securities and non-controlling interest and includes amortization of intangibles and goodwill impairment; refer to appendix for “Reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures”
(2)    Net interest margin is defined as net interest income calculated on a tax-equivalent basis divided by average earning assets 17
(3)    Per segment reporting; excludes impact of mortgage joint venture; refer to appendix for “Reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures”


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Capital & Liquidity Position
Gross Loans / Deposits (%)
Source: SNL Financial    
Data as of or for the three months ended each respective quarter    18
(1)    Refer to appendix for “Reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures”


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Merger of Commerce Union Bancshares, Inc. & Community First, Inc.
August 2017


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Transaction Rationale
Both parties view the merger as strategically compelling
Creates the 4th largest bank headquartered in the Nashville MSA(1)
Both management teams to have roles in combined franchise
Operate as one bank with one brand as Reliant Bank
Leverage strengths of both companies
Improved financial position of combined company
Expansion of funding platform and improved liquidity position
Stronger profitability levels and lower efficiency ratio
Immediately accretive to EPS, with no tangible book value dilution, inclusive of this capital raise
Reduces C&D and CRE loan concentration ratios, inclusive of this capital raise
Risk mitigants
In-Market acquisition with like-minded community bank
Pro forma capital ratios exceed “well capitalized” and loan concentrations below regulatory guidelines
Extensive due diligence and conservative credit mark
Acquisition experience
Source: SNL Financial    
Deposit data as of 6/30/16    
(1)    Based upon deposit market share; the Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin Metropolitan Statistical Area (the “Nashville MSA”) 20


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Overview of Transaction Terms
Proposed Holding Company Name (1)     Reliant Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: RBNC)
Consideration Mix     100% stock
Exchange Ratio     0.481 shares of CUBN stock per Community First common share
Implied Deal Value per Share (2)     $11.77
Implied Aggregate Deal Value (2) (3)     $59.1 million
Price / Tangible Book Value (%)     186%
Community First Management     Community First’s CEO, Louis E. Holloway, to be named Chief Operating Officer
of combined company
3 directors from Community First to join the combined company board of
Board Seats     directors, including Louis E. Holloway
Pro Forma Ownership (3) (4) (5)     CUBN 76.5% / Community First 23.5%
Required Approvals     Customary regulatory approvals and shareholder approvals from both CUBN &
Community First
Expected Closing     First quarter of 2018
(1)    At closing and pending CUBN shareholder approval, holding company name will be changed to Reliant Bancorp, Inc.
(2)    Based on CUBN’s closing price of $24.47 as of 8/15/17
(3)    Assumes 5,025,199 common shares of Community First outstanding as of 6/30/17
(4)    Assumes 7,839,562 common shares of CUBN outstanding as of 6/30/17
(5)    Excludes impact of capital raise 21


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Overview of Community First, Inc.
Financial Highlights    
Balance Sheet ($mm)    
Total Assets    $480
Total Loans    308
Deposits    426
Loans / Deposits    72.3 %
% Core Deposits    95.5
Profitability    
Core ROAA (1)    0.63 %
Yield on Loans    4.89
Cost of Deposits    0.57
Net Interest Margin    3.47
Noninterest Income / Avg. Assets    0.22
Efficiency Ratio (1)    72.3
Asset Quality    
NPAs / Assets    1.27 %
Reserves / NPLs    1.12 x
Reserves / Loans    1.20
Capital Ratios    
Tang. Com. Equity / Assets (1)    6.66 %
Bank Leverage Ratio    9.15
Bank CET1 Ratio    13.25
Bank Tier 1 Capital Ratio    13.25
Bank Total Capital Ratio    14.39
Loan Concentration    
C&D Loans / Total Bank Capital    67 %
CRE Loans / Total Bank Capital    208


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Improvement in Community First’s Loan Portfolio December 31, 2007 June 30, 2017 Consumer & Consumer & 1-4 Family Other Other Construction C&I Non Ow ner- C&I 5% 2% 4% 10% Occupied 6% Other C&D 1-4 Family Non Ow ner- CRE 6% Construction Occupied 18% Agricultural 11% CRE Related 12% Loans 3% Ow ner- HELOCs Occupied 3% CRE Other C&D Ow ner- Portfolio 11% 20% Occupied CRE Multifamily 21% < 1% 1-4 Family -Loan Agricultural First Lien 1-4 Family -Related 34% Junior Lien HELOCs Loans < 1% Multifamily 1-4 Family -1-4 Family - 8% 2% < 1% Junior Lien First Lien < 1% 18% Total Loans: $448 million Total Loans: $308 million Consistent Reduction in Problem Credits Since 2011 $74 $80 $65 $54 mm) $60 $46 $ $39 ( $40 $30 $18 $13 $20 $11 $6 $5 NPAs $0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Q1 ‘17 Q2 ‘17 $15 $13 $10 $11 mm) $10 $7 $ $5 $3 $2 $2 ( $0 $0 $0 NCOs ($5) ($1) ($0) 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Q1 ‘17 Q2 ‘17 Source: SNL Financial Data as of or for the twelve months ended for each respective year; Q1 ‘17 and Q2 ‘17 data as of the three months ended 3/31/17 and 6/30/17, respectively 23 Note: NPAs defined as nonaccrual loans and leases, renegotiated loans and leases and other real estate owned


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Creating Nashville’s Local Bank    
Nashville, TN MSA     Nashville, TN MSA Deposit Market Share
Deposits Market
ROBERTSON     RankInstitution($mm)ShareBranches
#5    SUMNER 1Bank of America Corp.$8,42016.13%32
MONTGOMERY    
#10 2Regions Financial Corp.7,24513.8867
3Pinnacle Financial Partners Inc.6,16711.8131
4SunTrust Banks Inc.5,96511.4347
CHEATHAM     5First Horizon National Corp.3,4006.5141
6Franklin Financial Network Inc.2,3654.5314
7U.S. Bancorp1,8383.5255
DAVIDSON     8Wilson Bank Holding Co.1,7243.3022
9Fifth Third Bancorp1,5182.9133
DICKSON    #26 WILSON10Wells Fargo & Co.1,4592.8012
11CapStar Financial Holdings Inc.1,1432.195
Pro Forma1,0702.0515
12First Farmers and Merchants Corp.8421.6115
13FB Financial Corp8251.5814
WILLIAMSON     14Commerce Union Bancshares Inc.6481.247
15Capital Bank Financial Corp.5911.1319
HICKMAN    #7 RUTHERFORD19Community First Inc.4220.818
Source: SNL Financial    24
Deposit data as of 6/30/16    


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Superior Franchise Demographics    
~76% of our combined     Deposit InformationPopulation & Population Growth Information
franchise is projected to have     Pro Forma% of2017’10—‘17’17—‘22 Projected
Deposits FranchisePopulationPop. GrowthPop. Growth
population growth greater than    County ($mm)(%)(000s)(%)(%)
Williamson    $406 38%22120.5%9.4%
the Nashville MSA    Maury 279269011.87.4
Sumner    129 1218112.57.1
~89% of our combined    Hickman 1141124(1.2)1.2
Robertson    106 10694.74.1
franchise is projected to have    Davidson 36369410.76.3
Total    $1,070 100%1,28013.1 (1) %7.1 (1) %
population growth greater than    
Nashville MSA    $1,070 100%1,88212.6%7.0%
the entire state of Tennessee    State of Tennessee 5.23.9
and the United States    Southeast (2) 6.64.6
Nationwide     5.33.8


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Extensive Due Diligence Conducted
Close coordination with Community First’s management team in all aspects of strategy and operations
Risk management analysis done by Commerce Union’s senior management, including CEO,
President, CFO, CCO, Director of Operations, CRO, CLO, and CSO
Comprehensive credit review of Community First’s loan portfolio, utilizing both internal and external resources
All performing loans with exposure greater than $1,000,000
Internally classified loans (Special Mention or worse) with exposure greater than or equal to $500,000
Loans deemed impaired by Community First with exposure equal to or greater than $100,000 but less than $1,000,000
In total, 57% of the loan portfolio by total loan amounts was reviewed
All OREO properties individually evaluated for impairment Known material environmental issues are being addressed Thorough balance sheet and liquidity analysis
3rd party accounting firm completed thorough analysis on Community First’s $9.8 million net deferred tax asset
Expect no impairment of Community First’s deferred tax asset under Section 382
Expect $2 million DTA impairment related to state net operating losses due to loss of target’s charter


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Community First’s Core Earnings Capacity
Net Income    Less: AT Gain on Less: AT GainAdjusted Net27.5% ATAdjusted Net
Acquisition of    on Securities IncomeExpense Saves (1)Income
Sub Debt    
Source: SNL Financial    
Data for the twelve months ended 6/30/17    
Note: After tax (“AT”), based upon a 35% federal corporate tax rate    
(1)    Based on Community First’s reported LTM non-interest expense of $14.0 million (normalized to exclude OREO expenses), 27
inclusive of 100% realization for illustrative purposes    


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Key Transaction Assumptions
Transaction Expenses     Estimated one-time transaction expenses of $4.5 million (after-tax)
Loan Mark     Gross loan mark of $7.1 million (2.25% of gross loans)
$4.5 million write up to trust preferred securities
Other Marks    
$1.1 million mark on OREO (~38%)
CDI     Core deposit intangible of 1.50% of transaction accounts; amortized straight-line over 10 years


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Static Pro Forma Balance Sheet    
BALANCE SHEET    
CUBN     Community FirstNet MergerCapitalPro
(Dollars in millions)    6/30/2017 6/30/2017AdjustmentsRaiseForma
Assets    
Cash and Equivalents     $27$63($5)(1)$23(9)$108
Total Investment Securities     18573-258
Gross Loans     732308(7)(2)1,033
Loan Loss Reserves     94(4)9
Net Loans     7233041,024
OREO     -3(1)(3)2
Goodwill     11-27(4)38
Other Intangibles     113(5)6
Net Deferred Tax Asset     210(3)(6)9
Other Assets     5427-81
Total Assets     $1,004$480$18$23$1,525
-  
Liabilities     -
Deposits     $840$426$0$1,266
Trust Preferred     -13(4)(7)9
Total Borrowings     454-62
Other Liabilities     64010
Total Liabilities     $891$447($4)$0$1,334
Equity    

Common Equity     $113$33$23(8)$23(9)$191
Total Equity     $113$33$23$23$191
-  
Total Liabilities and Equity    $1,004 $480$18$23$1,525
Capital Ratios    
TCE / TA     10.1%9.9%
Leverage Ratio     10.511.2
CET1 Ratio     12.313.1
Tier 1 Capital Ratio     12.314.2
Total Risk Based Capital Ratio    13.4 15.0
Liquidity Ratio    
Loan / Deposit Ratio     87%72%82%
(1)    Includes deal charges
(2)    Includes loan mark
(3)    Includes OREO credit mark

(4)    Includes goodwill created in transaction
(5)    Includes core deposit intangible created in transaction less target’s other intangible assets
(6)    Includes deferred tax asset / (liability) created or eliminated in the merger
(7)    Inclues trust preferred securities mark
(8)    Includes value of stock issued less target’s equity and buyer deal charges
(9)    Includes net proceeds from capital raise 29


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Estimated Pro Forma Financial Metrics
Key Transaction Impacts to CUBN (1)
Scenarios: M&A M&A + Capital
2018 & 2019 EPS Impact Low Double-Digit Accretion Low Single-Digit Accretion
IRR Exceeds Internal Thresholds Exceeds Internal Thresholds
Initial Tangible Book Value Impact Mid Single-Digit Dilution Slight Accretion
Tangible Book Value Earnback Period < 3.5 years None
Pro Forma at Close (1)
Scenarios: M&A M&A + Capital
Capital Ratios
TCE / TA 8.6% 10.0%
Leverage Ratio 9.1% 10.5%
Common Equity Tier 1 Ratio 10.8% 12.7%
Tier 1 Ratio 11.5% 13.4%
Total Risk-Based Ratio 12.3% 14.2%
Loan Concentration (2)
C&D / Total Capital 102% 88%
CRE / Total Capital 265% 229%
(1) Estimated financial impact is presented solely for illustrative purposes. Includes purchase accounting marks, deal related
expenses and capital raise
(2) Bank level total capital 30


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Combined Company Overview
Pro Forma Footprint Pro Forma at Close
Balance Sheet (1)
ROBERTSON
Clarksville Total Assets $1.5 Billion MONTGOMERY 24 Springfield Gross Loans 1.1 SUMNER Deposits 1.3
Gallatin
CHEATHAM Tang. Com. Equity 129.6 Million DAVIDSON Loans / Deposits 81.6 %
Ashland
Lebanon
City shville Capital
DICKSON 40 WILSON Tang. Com. Equity / Assets 10.0 % Dickson Leverage Ratio 10.5 CET1 Ratio 12.7
Brentwood
WILLIAMSON Franklin Murfreesboro Tier 1 Capital Ratio 13.4 HICKMAN Total Capital Ratio 14.2
Loan Concentration
65 RUTHERFORD
C&D Concentration 88 %
MAURY
Columbia CRE Concentration 229
HAMILTON
CUBN Branches (8) Chattanooga Community First Branches (7) CUBN Mortgage LPO (1) CUBN LPO (2)
(1) Estimated financial impact is presented solely for illustrative purposes. Includes purchase accounting marks, deal related expenses and capital raise 31


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Summary
Ideal combination of strategic and financial attractiveness to all parties
Will create long-term value for both Commerce Union & Community First shareholders
Creates an incredibly valuable Tennessee bank
Concentration in one of the most attractive metropolitan markets of Nashville
Increasing exposure into the Chattanooga market
Experienced management team and dedicated board of directors with ties to the local
community
Pro forma organization combines individuals from both Commerce Union & Community First
Combined company offers enhanced growth and profitability outlook Lower risk, given in-market acquisition and significant due diligence Positions company well for the future


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Appendix
August 2017


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Pro Forma Loan Portfolio (GAAP) CUBN Community First Pro Forma (1) State & Consumer & Consumer & Other Consumer & 1-4 Family State & Other Political 2% Other Construction Political 2% 1-4 Family C&I C&I 1-4 Family C&I 2% Non Ow ner- 2% 4% 1% Construction 6% 13% Construction 16% Occupied Other C&D 7% 6% CRE 6% Other C&D Other C&D 18% Agricultural 8% 9% Related Non Ow ner- Loans Agricultural Occupied Agricultural 3% Related CRE Non Ow ner- Related HELOCs Loans 20% Occupied Loans 3% 5% CRE 5% HELOCs 21% Ow ner-7% HELOCs Occupied 9% CRE 21% 1-4 Family - Ow ner- 1-4 Family - 1-4 Family -Ow ner- First Lien Occupied First Lien First Lien Occupied 34% CRE 16% 21% CRE 1-4 Family - 1-4 Family - 15% 1-4 Family -Multifamily Multifamily Multifamily 12% Junior Lien Junior Lien Junior Lien < 1% < 1% < 1% < 1% < 1% < 1% Loan Portfolio Amount % of Total Loan Portfolio Amount % of Total Loan Portfolio Amount % of Total 1-4 Family Construction $49.6 6.8 % 1-4 Family Construction $12.0 3.9 % 1-4 Family Construction $61.6 5.9 % Other C&D 63.6 8.7 Other C&D 19.5 6.3 Other C&D 83.1 8.0 Agricultural Related Loans 39.2 5.4 Agricultural Related Loans 8.6 2.8 Agricultural Related Loans 47.8 4.6 HELOCs 63.2 8.6 HELOCs 10.0 3.3 HELOCs 73.2 7.0 1-4 Family - First Lien 118.1 16.1 1-4 Family - First Lien 103.9 33.7 1-4 Family - First Lien 221.9 21.3 1-4 Family - Junior Lien 3.8 0.5 1-4 Family - Junior Lien 1.9 0.6 1-4 Family - Junior Lien 5.6 0.5 Multifamily 4.1 0.6 Multifamily 8.2 2.7 Multifamily 12.3 1.2 Owner-Occupied CRE 89.2 12.2 Owner-Occupied CRE 65.3 21.2 Owner-Occupied CRE 154.5 14.9 Non Owner-Occupied CRE 156.3 21.4 Non Owner-Occupied CRE 55.0 17.8 Non Owner-Occupied CRE 211.3 20.3 C&I 114.9 15.7 C&I 17.5 5.7 C&I 132.4 12.7 State & Political 11.5 1.6 State & Political 0.0 0.0 State & Political 11.5 1.1 Consumer & Other 18.5 2.5 Consumer & Other 6.4 2.1 Consumer & Other 24.9 2.4 Gross Loans & Leases $732.0 100.0 % Gross Loans & Leases $308.3 100.0 % Gross Loans & Leases $1,040.2 100.0 % Yield on Total Loans: 4.73% Yield on Total Loans: 4.89% Dollars in millions Source: SNL Financial Data bank level as of or for the three months ended 6/30/17 (1) Excludes purchase accounting adjustments 34


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Pro Forma Deposit Portfolio (GAAP)
CUBN
Demand
Deposits
16%
NOW
Time    Accounts
Deposits    10%
49%    
Money
Market &
Savings
25%
Deposit Composition    Amount % of Total
Demand Deposits    $136.5 16.2%
NOW Accounts     84.610.1
Money Market & Savings     210.625.1
Time Deposits     408.348.6
Total Deposits    $840.0 100.0%
Cost of Total Deposits: 0.53%
Cost of Total Deposits: 0.57%
Dollars in millions    

Source: SNL Financial and Call Report    
Data as of or for the three months ended 6/30/17    35


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Reliant Bank’s Mortgage Banking Business
In 2011, Reliant Bank established a joint venture under the name Reliant Mortgage Ventures, LLC in which the following agreements hold:
Reliant Bank maintains 51% governance rights of the mortgage company
The minority owner receives 70% of the total profits from the mortgage company, while Reliant receives 30% of the profits; Reliant receives no profits until the minority owner recovers all losses incurred
No mortgage banking income recognized for the three months ended 6/30/16 and 6/30/17 is a result of the joint venture
Current cumulative total losses equal $4.2 million
The minority owner is responsible for 100% of the mortgage venture’s operational and credit losses
Governance Rights (%)
Profit Distribution Pre-Breakeven
Profit Distribution Post-Breakeven
Retail and Mortgage Banking Segment Reporting    
6/30/16 6/30/17
Retail    Mortgage ConsolidatedRetailMortgageEliminations Consolidated
Net Interest Income    $8,545 $147$8,692$8,405$98—$8,503
Provision for Loan Losses    450 04502450—245
Noninterest Income    728 1,7822,510594676(39)1,231
Noninterest Expense    5,859 2,1688,0276,1151,153—7,268
Income Tax Expense    604 (16)588452(25)—427
Consolidated Net Income (Loss)    2,360 (223)2,1372,187(354)(39)1,794
Noncontrollng Interest in Net Income of Subsidiary    0 223223035439393
Net Income Attributable to Common Shareholders    $2,360 $0$2,360$2,187$0—$2,187
Dollars in thousands    
Data for three months ended the date indicated    36
Source: SNL Financial, Company Documents    


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Historical Financials    
Commerce Union Bancshares, Inc.Community First, Inc.
Three monthsThree months
For the Year Ended,     ended,For the Year Ended,ended,
2015     2016Q1 ‘17Q2 ‘1720152016Q1 ‘17Q2 ‘17
Balance Sheet Data:    
Total Assets    $876,404 $911,984$962,465$1,003,950$469,940$474,511$477,602$479,637
Total Gross Loans    671,663 678,615707,430731,865264,625316,044311,440308,279
Deposits    640,008 764,834826,183840,014416,714423,407425,772426,278
Tangible Common Equity    83,409 93,93396,69899,78110,11929,44030,44931,874
Income Statement Data:    
Interest Income    $29,888 $36,015$8,973$9,704$17,176$17,372$4,425$4,411
Interest Expense    2,718 3,3631,0021,2012,7972,766657685
Net Interest Income    27,170 32,6527,9718,50314,37914,6063,7683,726
Provision for Loan Losses    (270) 968410245(2,257)(632)2035
Net Interest Income After Provision    27,440 31,6847,5618,25816,63615,2383,7483,691
Noninterest Income    12,382 88,0001,1391,2312,5145,360597617
Noninterest Expense    31,569 30,3746,8697,26814,43814,2593,5813,179
Income Before Income Taxes    8,253 10,1101,8312,2214,7126,3397641,129
State Income Tax Expense    2,271 2,213272427(12,695)2,347263402
Consolidated Net income (loss)    5,982 7,8971,5591,79417,4073,992501727
Noncontrolling Interest in net (income) loss of subsidiary    (407) 1,039499393————
Net Income Attributable to Common Shareholders    5,575 8,9362,0582,18717,4073,992501727
Selected Operating Ratios:    
Core ROAA (1)    0.90 %1.04%0.90%0.92%3.84%0.49%0.44%0.63%
Core ROAE (1)    8.20 8.837.848.14142.258.116.749.53
ROATCE (1)    8.05 10.079.029.28NM33.826.929.76
Net Interest Margin (2)    4.00 4.154.014.013.423.383.533.47
Adjusted Net Interest Margin (1)    3.87 3.913.963.96NANANANA
Efficiency Ratio (1)    69.3 64.166.867.179.580.675.372.3
Per Share Data:    
Diluted Earnings    $0.86 $1.16$0.26$0.28$5.20$1.97$0.10$0.15
Book Value    13.29 13.7514.0014.363.386.056.216.49
Tangible Book Value (1)    11.46 12.0812.3612.733.095.896.066.34
Asset Quality:    
Nonperforming Assets / Total Assets    0.78 %0.87%0.71%0.72%3.18%1.48%1.06%1.27%
Reserves / Gross Loans    1.27 1.361.301.301.621.191.211.20
Reserves / Nonperforming loans    114.3 113.8132.4130.360.2161.1188.0111.6
NPAs / Loans + OREO    0.70 1.180.970.985.482.191.611.96%
Net Charge Offs (Recoveries) / Average Loans    (0.14) (0.05)0.24(0.03)(0.52)(0.04)0.000.03
Texas Ratio    7.5 7.76.56.8103.721.214.817.2
Capital Ratios:    
Tang Common Equity / Tang Assets (1)    9.66 %10.45%10.18%10.07%2.16%6.21%6.39%6.66%
Leverage Ratio    9.92 10.8610.8110.474.825.906.276.50
Common Equity Tier 1 Capital Ratio    12.02 13.0012.6512.280.738.338.929.38
Tier 1 Capital Ratio    12.02 13.0012.6512.287.098.338.929.38
Total Capital Ratio    13.13 14.2213.8113.4311.9114.5215.2115.56
Source: SNL Financial, Company documents    
Dollars in thousands except per share data    
(1)    Refer to “Reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures” 37
(2)    CUBN net interest margin is defined as net interest income calculated on a tax-equivalent basis divided by average earning assets


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Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
Commerce Union Bancshares, Inc. Core Return on Average Assets    
Three months ended,
Year ended,     June 30,September 30,December 31,March 31,June 30,
(Dollars in thousands)    2015 201620162016201620172017
Net Income Before Extraordinary Items    $5,982 $7,897$2,137$1,763$1,439$1,559$1,794
Non-Core Items:    
Less Net income or (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest    407 (1,039)(223)(605)(532)(499)(393)
Less: Realized gain / (loss) on securities (1)    (252) 2339192(208)2315
Less: Non-recurring Items (1)    (552) (53)(14)(9)(5)——
Add: Amortization of intangibles & goodwill impairment (1)    195 2315858585858
Core Net Income    $6,574 $9,197$2,393$2,243$2,242$2,093$2,230
Average Assets    $733,651 $885,074$880,657$885,127$902,547$926,282$972,112
Core Return on Average Assets    0.90% 1.04%1.09%1.01%0.99%0.90%0.92%


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Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures (cont.)
Commerce Union Bancshares, Inc. Core Return on Average Equity    
Three months ended,
Year ended,    June 30,
(Dollars in thousands)    2015 20162017
Net Income Before Extraordinary Items    $5,982 $7,897$1,794
Non-Core Items:    
Less Net income or (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest    407 (1,039)(393)
Less: Realized gain / (loss) on securities (1)    (252) 2315
Less: Non-recurring Items (1)    (552) (53)—
Add: Amortization of intangibles & goodwill impairment (1)    195 23158
Core Net Income    $6,574 $9,197$2,230
Average Equity    $80,123 $104,216$109,637
Core Return on Average Equity    8.20% 8.83%8.14%
Commerce Union Bancshares, Inc. Return on Average Tangible Common Equity    
Three months ended,
Year ended,    June 30,
(Dollars in thousands)    2015 20162017
Net Income Available to Common    $5,575 $8,936$2,187
Adjustments:    
Add: Amortization of intangibles & goodwill impairment (1)    195 23158
Adjusted Net Income    $5,770 $9,167$2,245
Average Common Equity    $80,123 $104,216$109,637
Less: Average intangible assets    $8,406 $13,16412,853
Average Tangible Common Equity    $71,717 $91,052$96,784
Return on Average Tangible Common Equity    8.05% 10.07%9.28%


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Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures (cont.)
Community First, Inc. Core Return on Average Assets    
Threemonths ended,
Year ended,     June 30,
(Dollars in thousands)    2015 20162017
Net Income Before Extraordinary Items    $17,407 $3,992$727
Non-Core Items:    
Less Net income or (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest    — ——
Less: Realized gain / (loss) on securities (1)    7 147—
Less: Non-recurring Items (1)    — 1625—
Add: Amortization of intangibles & goodwill impairment (1)    89 8923
Core Net Income    $17,490 $2,309$750
Average Assets    $454,953 $473,741$476,783
Core Return on Average Assets    3.84% 0.49%0.63%


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Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures (cont.)
Community First, Inc. Core Return on Average Equity    
Threemonths ended,
Year ended,     June 30,
(Dollars in thousands)    2015 20162017
Net Income Before Extraordinary Items    $17,407 $3,992$727
Non-Core Items:    
Less Net income or (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest    — ——
Less: Realized gain / (loss) on securities (1)    7 147—
Less: Non-recurring Items (1)    — 1,625—
Add: Amortization of intangibles & goodwill impairment (1)    89 8923
Core Net Income    $17,490 $2,309$750
Average Equity    $12,295 $28,481$31,478
Core Return on Average Equity    142.25% 8.11%9.53%
Community First, Inc. Return on Average Tangible Common Equity    
Threemonths ended,
Year ended,     June 30,
(Dollars in thousands)    2015 20162017
Net Income Available to Common    $17,022 $8,160$727
Adjustments:    
Add: Amortization of intangibles & goodwill impairment (1)    89 8923
Adjusted Net Income    $17,111 $8,249$750
Average Common Equity    ($4,268) $25,265$31,478
Less: Average intangible assets    $1,009 $871751
Average Tangible Common Equity    ($5,277) $24,394$30,728
Return on Average Tangible Common Equity    (324.26%) 33.82%9.76%


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Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures (cont.)
Commerce Union Bancshares, Inc. Tangible Common Equity to Tangible Assets and Tangible Book Value per Share    
Three months ended,
Year ended,     June 30,September 30,December 31,March 31,June 30,
(Dollars in thousands)    2015 201620162016201620172017
Tangible Assets    
Total assets    $876,404 $911,984$883,204$920,020$911,984$962,465$1,003,950
Less: Goodwill    11,404 11,40411,40411,40411,40411,40411,404
Less: Core deposit intangibles    1,938 1,5821,7601,6711,5821,4931,404
Tangible Assets    $863,062 $898,998$870,040$906,945$898,998$949,568$991,142
Tangible Common Equity    
Total shareholders’ equity    $96,751 $106,919$106,024$109,232$106,919$109,595$112,589
Less: Total preferred equity    — ——————
Total Common equity    $96,751 $106,919$106,024$109,232$106,919$109,595$112,589
Less: Goodwill    11,404 11,40411,40411,40411,40411,40411,404
Less: Core deposit intangibles    1,938 1,5821,7601,6711,5821,4931,404
Tangible Common Equity    $83,409 $93,933$92,860$96,157$93,933$96,698$99,781
Common Shares Outstanding    7,279,620 7,778,3097,627,7777,763,3517,778,3097,826,4507,839,562
Tangible Book Value per Share    $11.46 $12.08$12.17$12.39$12.08$12.36$12.73
Tangible Common Equity / Tangible Assets    9.66% 10.45%10.67%10.60%10.45%10.18%10.07%


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Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures (cont.)
Community First, Inc. Tangible Common Equity to Tangible Assets and Tangible Book Value per Share Three months ended, Year ended, June 30,
(Dollars in thousands)    2015 20162017
Tangible Assets    
Total assets    $469,940 $474,511$479,637
Less: Goodwill    — ——
Less: Core deposit intangibles    941 804733
Tangible assets    $468,999 $473,707$478,904
Tangible Common Equity    
Total shareholders’ equity    $22,965 $30,244$32,607
Less: Total preferred equity    11,905 ——
Total common equity    $11,060 $30,244$32,607
Less: Goodwill    — ——
Less: Core deposit intangibles    941 804733
Tangible Common Equity    $10,119 $29,440$31,874

Common Shares Outstanding    3,275,900 4,998,7885,025,199
Tangible Book Value per Share    $3.09 $5.89$6.34
Tangible Common Equity / Tangible Assets    2.16% 6.21%6.66%


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Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures (cont.)
Commerce Union Bancshares, Inc. Adjusted Net Interest Margin    
Three months ended,
Year ended,     June 30,September 30,December 31,March 31,June 30,
(Dollars in thousands)    2015 201620162016201620172017
Net Interest Income Before Extraordinary Items    $27,170 $36,015$8,692$7,835$8,043$7,971$8,503
Adjustments:    
Less: Purchase accounting adjustments    884 1,414442368162118125
Less: Interest income recognized on payoff of purchased credit impaired loan    — 619619————
Adjusted Net Interest Income    $26,286 $33,982$7,631$7,467$7,881$7,853$8,378
Average Earning Assets    $694,135 $835,337$830,501$836,487$851,652$870,386$919,463
Net Interest Margin    4.00% 4.15%4.33%3.98%4.03%4.01%4.01%
Adjusted Net Interest Margin    3.87% 3.91%3.82%3.80%3.95%3.96%3.96%


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Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures (cont.)
Commerce Union Bancshares, Inc. Retail Banking Profitability    
Three months ended,
June 30,    September 30, December 31,March 31,June 30,
(Dollars in thousands)    2016 2016201620172017
Retail Banking Non-Interest Income (1)    $728 $1,024$228$594$594
Retail Banking Non-Interest Expense (1)    $5,859 $5,600$5,526$5,719$6,115
Average Assets    $880,657 $885,127$902,547$926,282$972,112
Retail Banking Non-Interest Income / Average Assets    0.33% 0.46%0.10%0.26%0.24%
Retail Banking Non-Interest Expense / Average Assets    2.66% 2.53%2.45%2.47%2.52%


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Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures (cont.)
Commerce Union Bancshares, Inc. Retail Banking Efficiency Ratio    
Year ended Three months ended,
December 31, December 31,June 30,
(Dollars in thousands)    2015 20162017
Operating Expense    
Total noninterest expense    $19,590 $22,327$6,115
Less: Other real estate owned expense    110 70—
Less: Amortization of intangible assets    300 35689
Operating Expense    $19,180 $21,901$6,026
Operating Revenue    
Net interest income    $25,931 $32,035$8,405
Total noninterest income    1,383 2,481594
Less: Gains on sale of securities available for sale    (388) 3623
Less:    Gain on sale of other real estate owned 63011
Less:    Gain on acquisition of subordinate debentures ———
Total noninterest income    1,765 2,144570
Operating Revenue    $27,696 $34,179$8,975
Efficiency Ratio    69.3% 64.1%67.1%


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Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures (cont.)
Community First, Inc. Efficiency Ratio    
Year ended    Three months ended,
December 31,    December 31, June 30,
(Dollars in thousands)    2015 20162017
Operating Expense    
Total noninterest expense    $14,438 $14,259$3,179
Less: Other real estate owned expense    871 2226
Less: Amortization of intangible assets    137 13735
Operating Expense    $13,430 $13,900$3,138
Operating Revenue    
Net interest income    $14,379 $14,606$3,726
Total noninterest income    2,514 5,360617
Less: Gains on sale of securities available for sale    10 226—
Less: Gain on acquisition of subordinate debentures    — 2,500—
Total noninterest income    2,504 2,634617
Operating Revenue    $16,883 $17,240$4,343
Efficiency Ratio    79.5% 80.6%72.3%


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Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures (cont.)
CapStar Financial Holdings, Inc. Tangible Common Equity to Tangible Assets    CapStar Financial Holdings, Inc. Efficiency Ratio
Three months ended,     Three months ended,
June 30,     June 30,
(Dollars in thousands)    2017 (Dollars in thousands)2017
Tangible Assets     Operating Expense
Total assets    $1,371,626 Total noninterest expense$8,217
Less: Goodwill    6,219 Less: Other real estate owned expense—
Less: Core deposit intangibles    44 Less: Amortization of intangible assets13
Tangible Assets    $1,365,363 Operating Expense$8,204
Tangible Common Equity    
Total shareholders’ equity    $138,030 Operating Revenue
Less: Total preferred equity    9,000 Net interest income$10,571

Total common equity    129,030 Total noninterest income2,626
Less: Goodwill    6,219 Less: Gains on sale of securities available for sale0
Less: Core deposit intangibles    44 Less: Gain on acquisition of subordinate debentures—
Tangible Common Equity    $122,767 Total noninterest income2,626
Tangible Common Equity / Tangible Assets    8.99% Operating Revenue$13,197
Common Shares Outstanding    11,235,255 Efficiency Ratio62.2%
Tangible Book Value per Share    $10.93
CapStar Financial Holdings, Inc. Core Return on Average Assets    
Three    months ended,
June 30,
(Dollars in thousands)    2017
Net Income (Loss) Before Extraordinary Items    ($3,342)
Non-Core Items:    
Less Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest     —
Less: Realized gain / (loss) on securities (1)     26
Less: Non-recurring Items (1)     0
Add: Amortization of intangibles & goodwill impairment (1)     8
Core Net Income (Loss)    ($3,360)
Average Assets    $1,393,330
Core Return on Average Assets     -0.96%
Source: SEC Filings    
(1)    Assumes a 35% tax rate 48


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Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures (cont.)
Franklin Financial Network, Inc. Tangible Common Equity to Tangible Assets     Franklin Financial Network, Inc. Efficiency Ratio
Three months ended,     Three months ended,
June 30,     June 30,
(Dollars in thousands)    2017 (Dollars in thousands)2017
Tangible Assets     Operating Expense
Total assets    $3,443,593 Total noninterest expense$15,280
Less: Goodwill    9,124 Less: Other real estate owned expense—
Less: Core deposit intangibles    1,223 Less: Amortization of intangible assets121
Tangible Assets    $3,433,246 Operating Expense$15,159
Tangible Common Equity    
Total shareholders’ equity    $292,918 Operating Revenue
Less: Total preferred equity    — Net interest income$25,923

Total common equity    292,918 Total noninterest income3,757
Less: Goodwill    9,124 Less: Gains on sale of securities available for sale—
Less: Core deposit intangibles    1,223 Less:Gain on acquisition of subordinate debentures—
Tangible Common Equity    $282,571 Less:Net gain on sale of foreclosed assets0
Tangible Common Equity / Tangible Assets    8.23% Total noninterest income3,757
Operating Revenue $29,680
Common Shares Outstanding    13,181,501
Tangible Book Value per Share    $21.44 Efficiency Ratio51.1%
Franklin Financial Network, Inc. Core Return on Average Assets    
Three    months ended,
June 30,
(Dollars in thousands)    2017
Net Income Before Extraordinary Items    $8,874
Non-Core Items:    
Less Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest    8
Less: Realized gain / (loss) on securities (1)    78
Less: Non-recurring Items (1)    —
Add: Amortization of intangibles & goodwill impairment (1)    79
Core Net Income    $8,867
Average Assets    $3,455,667
Core Return on Average Assets    1.03%
Source: SEC Filings    
(1)    Assumes a 35% tax rate 49