Partnership Agreement
Partnership Agreement
Partnership Agreement
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Execution Copy
PARTNERS AGREEMENT
This PARTNERS AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made as of September 14, 2009 by and among
Grande Investment L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “Partnership”), Grande Manager, LLC, a Delaware limited
liability company (“Grande Manager”), ABRY Partners VI, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (“ABRY VI”), Rio GP, LLC,
a Nevada limited liability company (“Rio”), the other Partners (as defined herein) signatories hereto as of the date hereof and
the Partners who are from time to time joined hereto after the date hereof. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise
defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in Section 1 hereof.
WHEREAS, each Partner holds the number and type of Partner Interests as are set forth on Schedule I
attached hereto; and
WHEREAS, the parties hereto desire to enter into this Agreement for the purposes, among others, of (i)
assuring continuity in the management and ownership of the Partnership and (ii) limiting the manner and terms by which the
Partner Interests may be transferred.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants contained herein and other good and
valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereby agree as follows:
1. Definitions. As used herein, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
“ABB” means Atlantic Broadband Finance, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.
“ABB Advisory Agreement” means the advisory agreement between ABB and Grande Operating, dated as
of the date hereof.
“ABRY-Affiliated Partner” means any Partner who holds ABRY-Affiliated Partner Interests but only with
respect to, and to the extent that such Partner holds, ABRY-Affiliated Partner Interests.
“ABRY-Affiliated Partner Interests” means, subject to Section 3(a), those Partner Interests initially issued to
or subsequently acquired by ABRY VI or its Affiliates.
“ABRY Advisory Agreement” means the advisory agreement between ABRY Partners LLC, a Delaware
limited liability company, and Grande Operating, dated as of the date of this Agreement.
“ABRY VI” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereof.
“Affiliate” shall mean, as to any Person, any other Person which directly or indirectly controls, or is under
common control with, or is controlled by, such Person. As used in this definition, “control” (including, with its correlative
meanings, “controlled by” and “under common control with”) shall mean possession, directly or indirectly, of power to direct
or cause the direction of management or policies (whether through ownership of securities or partnership or other ownership
interests, by contract or otherwise).
“Affiliate Transaction” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 12(a).
“Approved Sale” means the sale of the Partnership, in a single bona fide arm’s length transaction or a series
of related bona fide arm’s length transactions, to a third party (which is not (i) an Affiliate of the Partnership or of ABRY VI,
(ii) a Person that qualifies as a Permitted Transferee of any Affiliate of the Partnership or ABRY VI or (iii) a group consisting
of any of the foregoing), (a) pursuant to which such third party has agreed in writing to acquire a majority of the Common
Units (whether by merger, consolidation, recapitalization, reorganization, purchase of the outstanding Common Units or
otherwise), or all or substantially all of the consolidated assets of the Partnership, (b) which has been approved by the General
Partners, and (c) pursuant to which, upon the consummation of the Approved Sale, each holder of Equity Securities shall
receive the same form of consideration and the same portion of the aggregate net consideration (following the payment of the
reasonable expenses incurred by holders of Equity Securities in connection with such Approved Sale to the extent such
expenses are approved by the General Partners and are not otherwise paid by the Partnership or the acquiring party) as such
holder would have received if such aggregate net consideration had been distributed by the Partnership in complete liquidation
pursuant to the rights and preferences set forth in the Partnership Agreement as in effect immediately prior to the
consummation of the Approved Sale (and, if less than all of the outstanding Equity Securities are being sold in the Approved
Sale, then the form and portions of aggregate consideration shall be determined as if the Equity Securities included in the
Approved Sale were all of the outstanding Equity Securities then outstanding), or, if any holders of any type of Equity
Securities are given an option as to the form and amount of consideration to be received, all holders of Equity Securities of
such type are given the same option.
“Business Day” means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or a statutory or civic holding in the State of
New York or the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
“Class A Common Unit” means the Partnership’s Class A Common Units (as defined in the Partnership
Agreement), as adjusted for any Unit split, Unit dividend or other combination, exchange, conversion, recapitalization, merger,
consolidation or reorganization, or, if the Class A Common Units are hereafter changed or exchanged for different Units,
interests or securities of the Partnership, such other Units, interests or securities, and any other Class A Common Units of the
Partnership hereafter issued.
“Class B Common Unit” means the Partnership’s Class B Common Units (as defined in the Partnership
Agreement), as adjusted for any Unit split, Unit dividend or other combination, exchange, conversion, recapitalization, merger,
consolidation or reorganization, or, if the Class B Common Units are hereafter changed or exchanged for different Units,
interests or securities of the Partnership, such other Units, interests or securities, and any other Class B Common Units of the
Partnership hereafter issued.
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“Common Partner” means any Partner who holds Common Units but only with respect to, and to the extent
that such Partner holds, Common Units.
“Common Units” has the meaning set forth in the Partnership Agreement. The Series A Preferred Units are
not Common Units.
“Confidential Information” means all information (whether technical, marketing, business, financial or
otherwise), in whatever form (whether tangible, orally communicated, physically communicated or disclosed in writing,
electronically or otherwise, including information disclosed by samples or demonstrations of processes, techniques or
equipment) which is disclosed to any Partner subsequent to the date of this Agreement and which relates in any way to the
Partnership or any of its Subsidiaries, their respective technology and their respective businesses, including any information
received by any Partner in connection any other Transaction Document; provided that Confidential Information shall not
include, as to any particular Partner, information that (a) was publicly known at the time it was disclosed to such Partner, (b)
subsequently becomes publicly known through no act or omission by such Partner or any Person acting on its behalf, (c)
otherwise becomes known to such Partner (other than through disclosure by the Partnership or any Subsidiary) from a source
that to the knowledge of such Partner is not subject to a requirement of confidentiality with respect to the Partnership or any
Subsidiary or such information or (d) is related specifically to such Partner’s percentage interest in the Partnership such as type
and number of Equity Securities owned by such Partners, and any description of rights, considerations and obligations of each
Partner under the Transaction Documents.
“Contribution Agreement” means the contribution, assignment and assumption agreement, dated as of the
date hereof, by and between Grande Holdings and Grande Operating.
“Convertible Security” has the meaning set forth in the Partnership Agreement.
“Election Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 6(a) hereof.
“Eligible Purchaser(s)” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(b)(i) hereof.
“Equity Securities” means (i) any capital stock, partnership, membership, joint venture or other ownership or
equity interest, participation or securities (whether voting or non-voting, whether preferred, common or otherwise, and
including any stock appreciation, contingent interest or similar right) of the Partnership or such successor corporation and (ii)
any option, warrant, security or other right (including debt securities) directly or indirectly convertible into or exercisable or
exchangeable for, or otherwise to acquire directly or indirectly, any stock, interest, participation or security described in clause
(i) above.
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“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time.
“Fair Market Value” means, with respect to any asset, the price (after taking into account any liabilities
relating to such assets) which could be negotiated in an arm’s-length free market transaction, for cash, between a willing seller
and a willing and able buyer, neither of which is under any compulsion to complete the transaction, as determined by the
General Partners in good faith.
“General Partner” means Grande Manager or Rio, together, “General Partners”. The General Partners, along
with their number and type of Partnership Interests, are listed on Schedule I attached hereto.
“Governmental Authority” means any Federal, state, local or foreign government, or other entity (including
any governmental or quasi-governmental agency or authority) exercising executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory or
administrative functions of or pertaining to government.
“Grande Holdings” means Grande Communications Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation and any
successor-in-interest thereto, including Rio Holdings, Inc., a Nevada corporation and surviving corporation of a merger with
Grande Communications Holdings, Inc. on or after the date hereof.
“Grande Holdings Director” means the representative of Grande Holdings Partner designated to the Board of
Directors of Grande Manager pursuant to Section 2.
“Grande Holdings Partner” means Rio and any transferee thereof to whom the Partner Interests initially
issued to or subsequently acquired by Rio are transferred in accordance with this Agreement and the Partnership Agreement.
“Grande Manager” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereof.
“Incentive Unit Purchase Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the Partnership Agreement.
“Independent Financial Advisor” means a nationally recognized accounting, appraisal or investment banking
firm or consultant in the United States that is, in the good faith judgment of the Grande Manager Board, independently
qualified to perform the task for which it has been engaged.
“Issuance Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 6(a) hereof.
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“Limited Partner” means any Person now or hereafter admitted as a limited partner in accordance with the
terms of this Agreement. The Limited Partners as of the date hereof are listed on Schedule I attached hereto.
“Management Partner” means any Partner that holds Class B Common Units, but only with respect to, and to
the extent that such Partner holds, Class B Common Units.
“Non-Core Company” has the meaning set forth in the Partnership Agreement.
“Offer Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(b)(ii) hereof.
“Offered Units” has the meaning set forth in Section 6(a) hereof.
“Offered Securities” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(a) hereof.
“Offering Partner” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(b)(i) hereof.
“Other Partners” means, with respect to any Partner, all Partners other than such Partner.
“Participation Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(b)(ii) hereof.
“Partner Interests” means (i) any Unit and (ii) any Equity Securities issued or issuable directly or indirectly
with respect to the securities referred to in clause (i) above by way of distribution or of a combination, exchange, conversion or
division of such securities or in connection with a recapitalization, merger, consolidation or other reorganization. As to any
particular Units or other Equity Securities constituting Partner Interests, such Units or other Equity Securities will cease to be
Partner Interests when they have been sold in a Public Sale, an Approved Sale, or upon the consummation of a Qualified
Public Offering. For purposes of this Agreement, a Person will be deemed to be a holder of Partner Interests whenever such
Person has the right to acquire directly or indirectly such Partner Interests (upon conversion or exercise in connection with a
transfer of securities or otherwise, but disregarding any restrictions or limitations upon the exercise of such right), whether or
not such acquisition has actually been effected.
“Partners” means collectively, the General Partners and the Limited Partners (as listed on Schedule I
attached hereto), and any additional or successor partners of the Partnership admitted to the Partnership pursuant to a joinder
substantially in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto.
“Partnership Agreement” means the Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement of the
Partnership, dated as of the date hereof, by and among the Partnership and the Partners party thereto, as amended, restated or
otherwise modified from time to time.
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“Partnership Loss(es)” has the meaning set forth in Section 4(c) hereof.
“Permitted Transferee(s)” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(c) hereof.
“Preemptive Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 6(a) hereof.
“Public Sale” means any sale of Partner Interests to the public pursuant to an offering registered under the
Securities Act or to the public effected through a broker, dealer or market maker pursuant to the provisions of Rule 144 under
the Securities Act.
“Qualified Public Offering” means any sale, in an underwritten public offering registered under the
Securities Act, of Equity Securities having an aggregate value of at least $50,000,000.
“Recapitalization Agreement” means the Recapitalization Agreement, dated as of August 27, 2009, by and
among ABRY Partners, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, Grande Parent LLC, a Delaware limited liability
company, ABRY VI, Grande Communications Holdings, Inc., the Partnership, and Grande Operating.
“Registration Rights Agreement” means the Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, by
and among the Partnership and the Partners party thereto, as in effect from time to time.
“RULPA” means the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act, as amended from time to time.
“Sale Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(a) hereof.
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time.
“Separation Date” has the meaning set forth in the Partnership Agreement.
“Series A Preferred Units” has the meaning set forth in the Partnership Agreement.
“Specified Securities” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(b)(i) hereof.
“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, any corporation, partnership, limited liability company,
association or other business entity of which (i) if a corporation, a majority of the total voting power of shares of stock entitled
(without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof is at the
time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by that Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that Person or a
combination thereof, or (ii) if a partnership, limited liability company, association or other business entity, a majority of the
partnership or other similar ownership interest thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by any Person
or one or more Subsidiaries of that Person or a combination thereof. For purposes hereof, a Person or Persons shall be deemed
to have a majority ownership interest in a partnership, limited liability company, association or other business entity if such
Person or Persons shall be allocated a majority of partnership, limited liability company, association or other business entity
gains or losses or shall be or control or have the right to appoint, as the case may be, the managing director, manager, board of
advisors, a general partner or other governing body of such partnership, limited liability company, association or other business
entity by means of ownership interest, agreement or otherwise.
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“Transaction Documents” means, collectively, (i) this Agreement, (ii) the Partnership Agreement, (iii) the
Registration Rights Agreement, (iv) the Recapitalization Agreement, (v) the Incentive Unit Purchase Agreements, (vi) the
Investors Securities Purchase Agreement, and (vii) the Contribution Agreement dated as of the date hereof, by and among the
Partnership and the Partners that are parties thereto.
“Transfer Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(b)(i) hereof.
“Transferring Partner” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(a) hereof.
“Vested Incentive Units” means Class B Common Units that have vested pursuant to the terms and
conditions of the Incentive Unit Purchase Agreement or other document pursuant to which such Units were acquired by the
holder thereof or any other document governing the vesting of such Units.
(a) ABRY VI hereby represents and warrants to Grande Holdings Partner that it holds all of the
outstanding equity securities of Grande Manager and has the right to designate and elect all the members of the Grande
Manager Board. ABRY VI hereby covenants and agrees that, until the provisions of this Section 2 cease to be effective,
ABRY VI will not transfer its ownership interest in Grande Manager or grant any contract right giving any Person the right to
designate or elect the Grande Manager Board, or cause or permit the interest of Grande Manager in the Partnership to be
transferred, except in each case in accordance with this Agreement and to a transferee or other Person that agrees in writing to
be bound by all the terms of this Section 2 as if it were substituted for ABRY VI hereunder; provided that ABRY VI, in its sole
discretion, shall have the right to elect and to grant others the right to designate or elect other members to the Grande Manager
Board in addition to the Grande Holdings Director.
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(b) Until the provisions of this Section 2 cease to be effective, ABRY VI will take and will cause each
officer and employee of ABRY Partners, LLC to take actions as may be necessary or desirable that are within its or their
control (whether in its or their capacity as a member, manager, Director, member of a committee of the Grande Manager Board
or otherwise, and including attendance at meetings in person or by proxy for purposes of obtaining a quorum and execution of
written consents in lieu of meetings), and Grande Manager shall take all reasonably necessary or desirable actions within its
control (including calling special Grande Manager Board and member meetings), so that:
(i) one or more Directors (the “ABRY Directors”), designated as such by ABRY VI, shall be elected
to the Grande Manager Board;
(ii) one Director (the “Grande Holdings Director”), designated as such by the Grande Holdings
Partner, shall be elected to the Grande Manager Board and the board of directors or similar governing body of each direct and
indirect Subsidiary of the Partnership, so long as the Grande Holdings Partner holds any Class A Common Units;
(iii) any other Directors designated by ABRY VI from time to time shall be elected to the Grande
Manager Board;
(iv) (A) any ABRY Director or Director described in clause (iii) above may be removed as a Director
at the written request of ABRY VI; provided that no ABRY Director or other such Director will be removed from such
position except as provided in this clause (iv)(A), and (B) the Grande Holdings Director may be removed as a Director at the
written request of the Grande Holdings Partner; provided that the Grande Holdings Director will not be removed from such
position except as provided in this clause (iv)(B) so long as the Grande Holdings Partner holds any Class A Common Units;
and
(v) if (A) any ABRY Director or director described in clause (iii) above ceases to serve as a Director,
due to death, resignation removal or otherwise, during his or her term of office, the resulting vacancy on the Grande Manager
Board shall be filled by a representative designated as provided in Section 2(b)(i) or Section 2(b)(iii), as applicable, and (B) the
Grande Holdings Director ceases to serve as a Director, due to death, resignation removal or otherwise, during his or her term
of office, the resulting vacancy on the Grande Manager Board shall be filled by a representative designated as provided in
Section 2(b)(ii) above if the Grande Holdings Partner then holds any Class A Common Units.
The initial ABRY Directors shall be Blake R. Battaglia, Jay M. Grossman and Azra Kanji; the initial Grande Holdings Director
shall be Duncan Butler; and each such Person shall hold office as a Director until his or her respective successor is designated
or until his or her earlier death, resignation or removal.
(c) The Partnership shall pay or reimburse the reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by each
member of the Grande Manager Board in connection with attending the meetings of the Grande Manager Board or any
committees thereof.
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(d) The provisions of this Section 2 shall terminate automatically and be of no further force and effect
upon the consummation of a Qualified Public Offering or an Approved Sale.
3. Restrictions on Transfer of Partner Interests. No holder of Partner Interests shall Transfer (as
defined below) any interest in any Partner Interest except (i)(A) in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Section 3
and Section 9 below, (B) pursuant to an Approved Sale in accordance with Section 4 below or (C) pursuant to a Public Sale
and (ii) in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Partnership Agreement. Except for any Transfer made pursuant to
Section 3(a), Section 3(c) or Section 4 below, no Management Partner may Transfer any Class B Common Units held by such
Management Partner unless such Transfer is approved in writing by the General Partners and otherwise complies with the
terms and conditions of this Section 3, Section 9 below and the Partnership Agreement.
(a) Tag Along Rights. At least 30 days prior to any direct or indirect sale, transfer, conveyance
assignment, pledge, hypothecation, gift, delivery or other transfer or disposal (a “Transfer”) of all or any portion of Units or
other Equity Securities or any interest therein (the “Offered Securities”) by ABRY-Affiliated Partners (collectively, the
“Transferring Partner”) to a Person other than a Permitted Transferee of such ABRY-Affiliated Partners or Grande Manager or
transfers on or prior to the date that is six (6) months from the date first written above of an aggregate number of Class A
Common Units and/or Series A Preferred Units (so long as the ABRY-Affiliated Partners thereafter continue to own, in the
aggregate, greater than 50% of each of the Class A Common Units and the Series A Preferred Units) to any member of
Atlantic Broadband Group LLC or any Affiliate of any such member (provided that no such transferee shall constitute an
ABRY-Affiliated Partner), Grande Manager shall deliver a written notice (the “Sale Notice”) to the Partnership and to each
Other Partner specifying in reasonable detail the identity of the prospective transferee(s), the terms and conditions of the
Transfer (including the number, type and class of Offered Securities and the purchase price therefor) and the closing date and
location. Each Other Partner may elect to participate in the contemplated Transfer, on the same terms as those set forth in the
Sale Notice except as set forth in this Section 3(a), by delivering written notice to the Transferring Partner within 10 days
following receipt of the Sale Notice; provided that a Management Partner shall have the right to so participate only with
respect to Vested Incentive Units held by such Management Partner at the time of receipt of such Sale Notice. If one or more
Other Partners have elected to participate in such Transfer, the Transferring Partner and such Other Partners shall be entitled to
sell in the contemplated Transfer that number of (i) Common Units (if Common Units are being Transferred by the
Transferring Partner) of any class (subject, in the case of a sale by any Management Partner, to the provisos in the immediately
preceding sentence) as is equal to the percentage of Offered Securities determined by dividing (x) the number of Common
Units owned by such Partner by (y) the sum of (A) the total number of Common Units owned by all such Other Partners
electing to participate in such Transfer and (B) the total number of Common Units owned by the Transferring Partner; and (ii)
Series A Preferred Units (if Series A Preferred Units are being transferred by the Transferring Partner) as is equal to the
percentage of Offered Securities determined by dividing (x) the number of Series A Preferred Units owned by such Partner by
(y) the sum of (A) the total number of Series A Preferred Units owned by all such Other Partners electing to participate in such
Transfer plus (B) the total number of Series A Preferred Units owned by the Transferring Partner; provided, in each case, that
each Partner participating in such Transfer shall receive the same form of consideration and the same portion of the aggregate
net consideration (net of any post-closing adjustments following the payment of the reasonable expenses incurred by the
Partners in connection with such Transfer to the extent such expenses are approved by the Transferring Partner and are not
otherwise paid by the Partnership or the acquiring party) as such holder would have received if such aggregate net
consideration had been distributed by the Partnership in complete liquidation pursuant to the rights and preferences set forth in
the Partnership Agreement as in effect immediately prior to the consummation of the Transfer (assuming that the Units
included in the Transfer were all of the Equity Securities then outstanding); provided, further, that the Transferring Partner
shall not be required to give a Sale Notice to any Other Partner who does not hold Units of the classes and/or series that would
permit such Other Partner to participate in such Transfer in compliance with this proviso prior to any such Transfer by the
Transferring Partner. Each Partner transferring Units pursuant to this Section 3(a) shall be obligated to make customary
representations and warranties as to such Partner and the Units such Partner is transferring and join in any indemnification or
other obligations that the Transferring Partner agrees to provide in connection with such Transfer; provided, that each such
joining Partner’s liability arising under any such indemnification or obligation with respect to such Transfer (i) shall be several
and not joint and limited to its pro rata share (based on the percentage of net cash proceeds received by such Partner pursuant
to such Transfer) of such liability and (ii) shall in no event exceed the aggregate net cash proceeds actually received by such
holder in connection with such Transfer. This Section 3(a) shall not apply to any Transfer pursuant to Section 4 below.
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The Transferring Partner shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the agreement of the prospective
transferee(s) to the participation of the Other Partners in any contemplated Transfer as provided in this Section 3(a), and the
Transferring Partner shall not Transfer any of its Units to the prospective transferee(s) if the prospective transferee(s) declines
to allow the participation of the Other Partners as contemplated by this Section 3(a). The transferee(s) must agree in writing to
be bound by all provisions of this Agreement and the Partnership Agreement and otherwise comply with Section 9 below and
Article XI of the Partnership Agreement.
(i) Subject to Section 3(c) below, prior to any proposed Transfer of Common Units by any Common
Partner (other than (i) a Transfer to a Permitted Transferee of such Common Partner or (ii) a Transfer by an ABRY-Affiliated
Partner), the Partner proposing to make such a Transfer (the “Offering Partner”) shall deliver a written notice (the “Transfer
Notice”) to each Other Partner holding Class A Common Units (the “Eligible Purchasers”) specifying in reasonable detail the
number (and type) of Partner Interests proposed to be Transferred (the “Specified Securities”).
(ii) For a period of 30 days following receipt of a Transfer Notice (the “Offer Period”), the Offering
Partner shall negotiate in good faith for the sale of the Specified Securities with any Eligible Purchaser expressing a good faith
desire to purchase such Specified Securities, and any Eligible Purchaser may elect to offer to purchase all or any portion of the
Specified Securities, for a purchase price, and on the other terms and conditions specified by such Eligible Purchaser, by
delivering a written notice (a “Participation Notice”) of such election to the Offering Partner on or prior to the end of the Offer
Period. The Offering Partner may, in its sole discretion, elect to accept the offer price and other terms and conditions set forth
in any Participation Notice with respect to all or any portion of the Specified Securities.
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(iii) If the Offering Partner receives one or more Participation Notices for the purchase of all of the
Specified Securities, then the Offering Partner may transfer all of the Specified Securities to a third party, at a price and on
terms and conditions no more favorable to the Offering Partner than the terms and conditions contained in the Participation
Notice most favorable to the Offering Partner, during the 180-day period immediately following the expiration of the Offer
Period. Any Partner Interests not transferred within such 180-day period will be once again subject to the provisions of this
Section 3(b) upon subsequent transfer.
(iv) If the Offering Partner does not receive any Participation Notices within the Option Period or does
not receive Participation Notices with respect to all of the Specified Securities in a single Transfer, then the Offering Partner
may transfer all of the Specified Securities to a third party at a price on and on terms determined by such Offering Partner in its
sole discretion, during the 180-day period immediately following the expiration of the Offer Period. Any Partner Interests not
transferred within such 180-day period will be once again subject to the provisions of this Section 3(b) upon subsequent
transfer.
(c) Permitted Transfers. Subject to the succeeding three sentences of this Section 3(c), the restrictions
contained in this Section 3 shall not apply with respect to any Transfer of Units by any Partner (i) in the case of an individual
Partner, pursuant to applicable laws of descent and distribution or to such Partner’s parent, spouse, descendants or a trust
formed exclusively for the benefit of one or more of the foregoing, or (ii) in the case of any Partner that is an entity, any
Transfer to any of its Affiliates. All transferees of Transfers permitted under this Section 3(c) are collectively referred to
herein as “Permitted Transferees” and such transferred Partner Interests shall remain subject to the terms of this Agreement
and any restrictions on Transfer set forth in the Partnership Agreement. A Permitted Transferee of Units may Transfer such
Units pursuant to this Section 3(c) only to the transferor Partner, as the case may be, or to a Person that is a Permitted
Transferee of such transferor Partner, as the case may be. No Partner shall avoid the provisions of this Agreement by making
one or more Transfers to one or more Permitted Transferees and then disposing of all or any portion of such party’s interest in
any such Permitted Transferee, and any Transfer or attempted Transfer in violation of this covenant shall be null and void ab
initio.
(d) Termination of Restrictions. The restrictions on transfer in this Section 3 with respect to any
Partner Interest shall terminate at the time such Partner Interest is sold in a Public Sale, an Approved Sale or upon a Qualified
Public Offering.
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4. Sale of the Partnership.
(a) In the event of an Approved Sale, each Partner shall (i) consent to the Approved Sale, (ii) waive
and agree not to pursue any dissenter’s rights and other similar rights, and (iii) if the Approved Sale is structured as a sale of
securities, agree to sell its Partner Interests (or applicable portion thereof) on the terms and conditions of the Approved Sale;
provided, that (i) each Partner participating in such Approved Sale shall receive the same form of consideration and the same
portion of the aggregate net consideration (net of any post-closing adjustments and following the payment of the reasonable
expenses that are approved by the General Partners and are not otherwise paid by the Partnership or the acquiring party) as
such holder would have received if such aggregate net consideration had been distributed by the Partnership in complete
liquidation pursuant to the rights and preferences set forth in the Partnership Agreement as in effect immediately prior to the
consummation of the Approved Sale (assuming that the Partner Interests included in the Transfer were all of the Equity
Securities then outstanding); and (ii) notwithstanding the preceding clause (i), the holders of Series A Preferred Units will be
entitled to receive cash consideration even if the consideration to be paid to the holders of Common Units consists in part or in
whole of non-cash consideration, so long as all holders of Common Units receive the same form(s) of non-cash consideration
and the amount of the total net consideration described in the preceding clause (i). Each Partner will take all necessary and
desirable lawful actions as reasonably directed by the General Partners in connection with the consummation of any Approved
Sale, including executing the applicable purchase agreement pursuant to which each holder of Partner Interests will severally
(but not jointly) make representations and warranties concerning solely (i) the beneficial ownership of the Partner Interests (if
any) to be sold by such holder, and (ii) such holder’s ability to execute such sale contract and necessary ancillary documents
and perform the obligations thereunder, and provide indemnities solely in respect of such representations and warranties made
by such holder, provided, that each such joining Partner’s liability arising under any such indemnification or other obligation
with respect to such Approved Sale shall in no event exceed the aggregate net cash proceeds actually received by such Partner
in connection with such Approved Sale. No Partner shall be required to make any representations or warranties with respect to
any other Partner or the Partnership, its Subsidiaries or their respective assets, properties, liabilities, operations or businesses.
(b) If the General Partners enter into any negotiation or transaction for which Rule 506 promulgated
under the Securities Act by the Securities and Exchange Commission may be available with respect to such negotiation or
transaction (including a sale of assets, merger, consolidation or other reorganization), each holder of Partner Interests who is
not an “accredited investor,” as that term is defined in Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act, will, at the election
of the General Partners, either (i) appoint either a purchaser representative (as such term is defined in Rule 501) designated by
the Partnership, in which event the Partnership will pay the fees of such purchaser representative, or another purchaser
representative (reasonably acceptable to the Partnership), in which event such holder will be responsible for the fees of the
purchaser representative so appointed, or (ii) be deemed to have elected to receive cash in an amount equal to the Fair Market
Value of any securities that such holder would otherwise have received in such Approved Sale and that are not registered under
the Securities Act, in lieu of receiving such unregistered securities.
(c) Each holder of Partner Interests agrees that, if the General Partners so request, the agreements
relating to the Approved Sale may provide for indemnity by each holder of Partner Interests in respect of representations and
warranties regarding the Partnership, its Subsidiaries and their respective assets, properties, liabilities, operations and
businesses not made by such holder of Partner Interests, so long as the sole source for payment of any such indemnity (a
“Partnership Loss”) will be funds (the amount of which for each holder shall not exceed the aggregate net cash proceeds that
otherwise would have been received by such holder in connection with such Approved Sale) deposited in escrow for such
purpose or otherwise segregated and withheld from the proceeds otherwise distributed to the selling persons, as the General
Partners may determine, and any Partnership Losses will be borne by the selling persons as described in the first sentence of
Section 4(a) above as if they were post-closing adjustments.
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(d) No consideration or fee shall be paid or provided to the General Partners or any of their Affiliates
or any Persons that would qualify as Permitted Transferees of the General Partners in any manner (including in connection
with a non-compete agreement, consulting agreement or any other agreement, arrangement or understanding) in connection
with an Approved Sale, which would cause the General Partners or any of their Affiliates or any Persons that would qualify as
Permitted Transferees of the General Partners to receive consideration or fees (of any kind, in any form and/or at any time) not
available to all Partners in a manner other than the manner in which such benefit would have been received by such Partner
had such benefit, together with the net consideration of the Approved Sale and any like consideration or fees received by any
other Partner or Affiliate thereof, been distributed by the Partnership in complete liquidation pursuant to the rights and
preferences set forth in the Partnership Agreement as in effect immediately prior to the consummation of the Approved Sale
(assuming that the Partner Interests included in the Transfer were all of the Equity Securities then
outstanding). Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything else to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, the Partners and the
Partnership agree that in connection with such Approved Sale, ABRY VI and /or its Affiliates shall be entitled to be paid the
management fee provided for in the ABRY Advisory Agreement and a fee in connection with any Approved Sale in an
aggregate amount equal to 2% of the enterprise value implied by such Approved Sale and shall not be required to share any
portion of these amounts with the Partnership, any other Partner or any other Person.
5. Public Offering. In the event that the General Partners approve a recapitalization of, or a
transaction which contemplates the recapitalization of, the Partnership or its Subsidiaries, including a public offering and sale
of Equity Securities pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act (a “Public Offering”), including
pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, then the Partnership and all holders of Partner Interests shall take all necessary
or desirable actions in connection with the consummation of such recapitalization as the General Partners may reasonably
request (i) to convert the Partnership to a corporate form or otherwise combine its Subsidiaries with, and/or cause them to be
owned (directly or indirectly) by, a single corporation, in each case, in a tax-free transaction (except to the extent of taxable
income or gain required to be recognized by a Person in an amount that does not exceed the amount of cash received by such
Person upon the consummation of such recapitalization and/or any concurrent transaction), including the approval of a merger
of the Partnership and/or one or more of its Subsidiaries with and into a newly formed “shell” corporation or one of the
Subsidiaries, with the result that each Person shall hold capital stock of such surviving corporation (the “Successor
Corporation”) with rights, preferences and privileges that are equivalent to the Partner Interests held by such Person, and (ii) to
cause the Successor Corporation to assume all of the obligations of the Partnership under the Transaction
Documents. Notwithstanding the foregoing, it is the intent of the parties hereto that any such Public Offering will result in the
parties hereto obtaining common stock of the company whose Equity Securities are so offered in exchange for, and in
proportion to, their interests in the Partnership that are Common Units immediately prior to such recapitalization as if such
common stock (valued at the price at which shares of common stock are sold to the public in such offering) were distributed in
liquidation of the Partnership pursuant to the Partnership Agreement.
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(a) Subject to Section 6(b) below, if the Partnership or any of its Subsidiaries proposes to issue any
Equity Security, the Partnership will (or will cause such Subsidiary to) offer to sell to each Partner holding Common Units a
number of such securities (“Offered Units”) as is equal to such Partner’s pro rata share, based on the ratio of (i) the number
of Common Units owned by such Partner divided by (ii) the total number of Common Units outstanding at such time; provided
that for the purpose of calculating Offered Units with respect to any Management Partner, the “Partner Interests owned by such
Partner” shall mean such Partner’s Vested Incentive Units held by such Partner at the time of such calculation. The
Partnership shall give each Partner at least thirty (30) days prior written notice of any proposed issuance, which notice shall
disclose in reasonable detail the proposed terms and conditions of such issuance (the “Issuance Notice”); provided the issue
price for any Class A Common Units issued as provided in this Section 6 prior to the first anniversary of the date of this
Agreement will the same as the price per Unit at which Class A Common Units are being issued pursuant to the Investor
Securities Purchase Agreement on the date of this Agreement (i.e., $1.00 per Class A Common Unit). Each Partner will be
entitled to purchase such securities at the same price and on the same terms (including, if more than one type of security is
issued, the same proportionate mix of such securities) as the securities are issued by delivery of irrevocable written notice (the
“Election Notice”) to the Partnership of such election within thirty (30) days after receipt of the Issuance Notice (the
“Preemptive Period”). If any Partner has elected to purchase any Offered Units, the sale of such units shall be consummated as
soon as practical (but in any event within twenty (20) days, unless the Company abandons or withdraws its offering of the
Offered Units) after the delivery of the Election Notice to the Partnership. To the extent the Partners do not elect to, or are not
entitled to, purchase all of the Offered Units, then the Partnership or such Subsidiary may issue the remaining Offered Units at
a price and on terms no more favorable to the transferee(s) thereof specified in the Issuance Notice during the 120-day period
following the Preemptive Period. Notwithstanding anything in this Section 6 to the contrary, the Partnership shall not be
deemed to have breached this Section 6 if, within 30 days following the issuance of any Equity Securities in contravention of
this Section 6, the Partnership or the Subsidiary in question (as applicable) offers to sell the same type of such Equity
Securities or the holder of such Equity Securities offers to sell all or the applicable portion of such additional Equity Securities
in each case to each Partner so that, taking into account such previously issued securities and any such additional securities,
each Partner will have had the right to purchase or subscribe for securities in a manner consistent with the allocation provided
in the initial sentence of this Section 6(a); provided that no merger or consolidation or sale of all or substantially all of the
assets of, transfer of Equity Securities or issuance or sale of additional Equity Securities of the Partnership or any Subsidiary
may be approved or effected or any distribution under the Partnership Agreement may be approved or occur prior to the
consummation of such subsequent offer.
(b) The rights contained in this Section 6 shall not apply to (i) the issuance of Common Units
(including any Convertible Security) as a dividend or upon any subdivision or Unit split of outstanding Common Units; (ii) the
issuance of Equity Securities upon conversion of any Convertible Securities issued in compliance herewith; (iii) the issuance of
Equity Securities to officers, directors, managers employees or consultants of the Partnership, its Subsidiaries or Grande
Manager or, for so long as the ABB Advisory Agreement is in effect, of ABB or its Affiliates, approved by, or pursuant to
arrangements approved by, the General Partners or the Grande Manager Board, (iv) the issuance of Common Units pursuant to
any underwritten public offering, (v) the issuance of any Common Unit (including any Convertible Security) as consideration
for the acquisition of any Person or business or unit or division thereof or any other asset or other property to be used in the
operations of the Partnership or any of its Subsidiaries, (vi) any issuance of Class A Common Units pursuant to the
Recapitalization Agreement, or (vii) any issuance of Equity Securities of a Subsidiary of the Partnership to the Partnership or
to any other Subsidiary of the Partnership.
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7. Legend. Each certificate or instrument, if any, evidencing Partner Interests and each certificate or
instrument, if any, issued in exchange for or upon the Transfer of any Partner Interests (if such units remain) shall be stamped
or otherwise imprinted with legends as provided in Section 11.4 of the Partnership Agreement.
8. Transfers in Violation of Agreement. Any Transfer or attempted Transfer of any Partner Interests
in violation of any provision of this Agreement or of the Partnership Agreement shall be null and void, and the Partnership
shall not record such Transfer on its books or treat any purported transferee of such Partner Interests as the owner of such units
for any purpose.
(a) In connection with the Transfer of any Partner Interests other than a Transfer pursuant to a Public
Sale, the holder thereof shall deliver written notice to the Partnership describing in reasonable detail the Transfer or proposed
Transfer, together with an opinion of counsel reasonably acceptable to the Partnership (which such opinion requirement may
be waived by the Partnership in its sole discretion) to the effect that such Transfer of Partner Interests may be effected without
registration of such Partner Interests under the Securities Act. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement or any other
Transaction Document to the contrary, no Partner shall Transfer any Common Unit if, as a result of and after giving effect to
such Transfer, an obligation would arise under the Exchange Act to register any Common Unit.
(b) No Transfer or issuance of any Partner Interests (other than pursuant to a Public Sale) shall be
permitted unless and until the prospective transferee agrees to become a party to this Agreement and be bound by all the terms
and conditions hereof to the same extent as the transferring party by executing and delivering to the Partnership a joinder to
this Agreement in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit A.
(a) So long as any Grande Holdings Partner or any Non-Management Partner continues to hold any
Partner Interest, the Partnership shall deliver, or cause to be delivered to such Grande Holdings Partner and/or such Non-
Management Partner:
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(i) as soon as available, but in any event within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the
Partnership beginning with the fiscal year ending after December 31, 2009, a copy of the consolidated balance sheet of Grande
Operating, as at the end of such fiscal year and the related consolidated statements of operations, members’ equity and cash
flows for such fiscal year, setting forth in comparative form the figures (if any) for the previous year and, if obtained by
Grande Operating, accompanied by a report thereon, without qualification as to the scope of the audit, of independent certified
public accountants of nationally recognized standing, stating that such financial statements fairly present, in all material
respects, the consolidated financial position of the Grande Operating and its Subsidiaries as at the dates indicated and the
results of their operations and their cash flows for the periods indicated in conformity with GAAP applied on a basis consistent
with prior years (except as otherwise disclosed in such financial statements) and that the examination by such accountants in
connection with such consolidated financial statements has been made in accordance with generally accepted auditing
standards;
(ii) following the Separation Date and as soon as available, but in any event within 120 days after the
end of each fiscal year of the Partnership, a copy of the consolidated balance sheet of each Non-Core Company as at the end of
such fiscal year and the related consolidated statements of operations, members’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year,
setting forth in comparative form the figures (if any) for the previous year and, if obtained by such Non-Core Company,
accompanied by a report thereon, without qualification as to the scope of the audit, of independent certified public accountants
of nationally recognized standing, stating that such financial statements fairly present, in all material respects, the consolidated
financial position of such Non-Core Company and its Subsidiaries as at the dates indicated and the results of their operations
and their cash flows for the periods indicated in conformity with GAAP applied on a basis consistent with prior years (except
as otherwise disclosed in such financial statements) and that the examination by such accountants in connection with such
consolidated financial statements has been made in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards; and
(iii) as soon as available, but in any event not later than 45 days after the end of each of the first three
fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Partnership (other than any quarterly period ending prior to the date hereof), the
unaudited consolidated balance sheet of each of Grande Operating and each Non-Core Company, in each case with its
Subsidiaries (if any), in each case, as at the end of each such quarter and the related unaudited consolidated and consolidating
statements of operations, owners’ equity and cash flows for such quarterly period and the portion of the fiscal year of such
entity through such date.
11. Certain Approval Rights of the Grande Holdings Partner. Without the prior written consent of the
Grande Holdings Partner or the Grande Holdings Director, the Partnership will not, and the General Partners shall cause the
Partnership not to:
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(a) directly or indirectly issue any Class B Common Units or other incentive-based Equity Securities
to any ABRY VI officers, directors, employees or consultants; or
(b) during the period of 18 months from the date of this Agreement, (i) directly or indirectly issue
incentive-based Equity Securities other than Class B-1 Common Units, Class B-2 Common Units or Class B-3 Common Units
to any of the officers, directors, employees or consultants of the Partnership, (ii) issue any Class B-1 Common Units, Class B-2
Common Units or Class B-3 Common Units if, after giving effect to such issuance, the Class B Common Units of such series
would represent greater than 5% of the then-outstanding Common Units, or (iii) decrease the Non-Distribution Amount of
Class B-1 Common Units, Class B-2 Common Units or Class B-3 Common Units.
13. Confidentiality. Each Partner agrees (as to itself) that it will maintain the confidentiality of all
Confidential Information in accordance with procedures adopted by such Partner in good faith to protect confidential
information of third parties delivered to it and will not use any Confidential Information other than for a purpose reasonably
related to such Partner’s investment in the Partnership; provided that each Partner may deliver or disclose Confidential
Information to (i) such Partner’s stockholders, directors, officers, employees, agents, attorneys, affiliates and financial and
professional advisors (in each case, to the extent such disclosure reasonably relates to the ownership, disposition or
administration of the investment represented by the Partner Interests held by such Partner) who agree to hold confidential and
refrain from using the Confidential Information substantially in accordance with the terms of this Section 13; provided that a
stockholder of Grande Holdings will not be required to agree to maintain confidentiality of information such stockholder
receives from or through the Grande Holdings Partner so long as the information such stockholder receives is of the type
customarily provided by privately held corporations to stockholders, taking into account the identity of such shareholder, who
are not subject to confidentiality obligations, (ii) any other holder of any Partnership Interest that is bound by this Section 13 to
the same extent as such Partner, (iii) any Person to which such Partner may sell or offer to sell any Partnership Interest or any
part thereof or any participation therein (if such Person has agreed in writing prior to its receipt of such Confidential
Information to be bound by the provisions of this Section 13 to the same extent as such Partner), (iv) any Person from which
such Partner may offer to purchase any security of the Partnership (if such Person has agreed in writing prior to its receipt of
such Confidential Information to be bound by the provisions of this Section 13 to the same extent as such Partner), (v) any
federal or state regulatory authority having jurisdiction over the Partner, or (vi) any other Person to which such delivery or
disclosure may be necessary or appropriate (w) to effect compliance with any applicable law, rule, regulation or order,
including any filings with or disclosures to the Securities and Exchange Commission required to be made by such Partner
under the Exchange Act and any other filings with or notices to any Governmental Authorities in accordance with the
Recapitalization Agreement or otherwise required under applicable law, (x) in response to any subpoena or other legal process
or (y) in connection with any litigation.
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(a) Subject to Section 14(b) below, no modification, amendment or waiver of any provision of this
Agreement (whether by merger, consolidation or otherwise) shall be effective against the Partnership and the Partners unless
such modification, amendment or waiver is approved in writing by, respectively, the Partnership and the holders of a majority
of the Common Units on a fully diluted as if converted basis; provided that: (i) no such modification, amendment or waiver
will adversely affect the rights hereunder of any of the parties hereto when compared with its effect on the other similarly
situated parties hereto without the prior written approval of a majority-in-interest of such adversely-affected parties, and (ii) no
such modification, amendment or waiver of Section 11 or Section 12 above, or that eliminates the right of the Grande Holdings
Partner to designate, remove or replace the Grande Holdings Director, or to participate in transfers pursuant to Section 3(a)
above or issuances pursuant to Section 6 above or to receive financial statements or other information pursuant to Section 10
above, will be effective unless the same has been approved in writing by the Grande Holdings Partner or the Grande Holdings
Director. A joinder to this Agreement by any other Person as a “Partner” hereunder shall not be deemed to adversely affect the
rights of any other Partner hereunder or to be a modification, amendment or waiver of this Agreement for purposes of this
Section 14. The failure of any party to enforce any of the provisions of this Agreement shall in no way be construed as a
waiver of such provisions and shall not affect the right of such party thereafter to enforce each and every provision of this
Agreement in accordance with its terms.
(b) Notwithstanding anything in this Section 14 to the contrary, a modification, amendment or waiver
made to reflect (A) the terms and conditions of any new class or series of Equity Securities (with respect to such Equity
Securities) and any restrictions, rights, preferences and privileges associated therewith or (B) the restrictions on or rights of any
Person who purchases Equity Securities of the Partnership after the date hereof (with respect to such Equity Securities) shall,
in each case, require only the approval of the Partnership and the Partners holding a majority of the Class A Common Units;
provided that (i) no such modification, amendment or waiver will adversely affect the rights hereunder of any of the parties
hereto when compared with its effect on the other similarly situated parties hereto without the prior written approval of a
majority-in-interest of such adversely-affected parties and (ii) no such modification, amendment or waiver that eliminates the
right of the Grande Holdings Partner thereof to designate, remove or replace the Grande Holdings Director, or to participate in
transfers pursuant to Section 3(a) above or issuances pursuant to Section 6 above will be effective unless the same has been
approved in writing by the Grande Holdings Partner or the Grande Holdings Director.
15. Severability. Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement shall be interpreted in such
manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement is held to be prohibited by or
invalid under applicable law, such provision shall be ineffective only to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity, without
invalidating the remainder of this Agreement.
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16. Entire Agreement. This document and the other Transaction Documents embody the complete
agreement and understanding among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede and preempt any
prior understandings, agreements or representations by or among the parties, written or oral, which may have related to the
subject matter hereof in any way.
17. Termination. This Agreement will automatically terminate and be of no further force or effect
immediately after the earlier of the consummation of (i) an Approved Sale or (ii) a Qualified Public Offering.
18. Successors and Assigns. Except as otherwise provided herein, this Agreement shall bind and
inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the Partnership and its successors and assigns and the Partners and any subsequent
holders of their respective Partner Interests and the respective successors and assigns of each of them, so long as they hold
Partner Interests; provided that, during the period of 18 months from the date of this Agreement, none of the rights, interests or
obligations of Grande Holdings Partner pursuant to any of Sections 10(b) through 10(d) or Section 11 or 12 shall be assigned
without the prior written consent of the Partnership.
19. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in separate counterparts each of which shall be an
original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
20. Remedies. The parties hereto shall be entitled to enforce their rights under this Agreement
specifically to recover damages by reason of any breach of any provision of this Agreement and to exercise all other rights
existing in their favor. The parties hereto agree and acknowledge that money damages may not be an adequate remedy for any
breach of the provisions of this Agreement and that the Partnership and any Partner may in his, hers, or its sole discretion apply
to any court of law or equity of competent jurisdiction for specific performance and/or injunctive relief (without posting a bond
or other security) in order to enforce or prevent any violation of the provisions of this Agreement.
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with a copy (which will not constitute notice to the Partnership), to:
or to such other address or to the attention of such other person as the recipient party shall have specified by prior written
notice to the sending party.
23. Other Partner Agreements. Each of ABRY VI and the Partnership agrees that it will not enter into
any agreement with respect to any of the matters contained in this Partners Agreement with terms and conditions that are more
favorable to any party or Partner than the rights and obligations of Grande Holdings Partner hereunder.
25. No Strict Construction. The parties to this Agreement have participated jointly in the negotiation
and drafting of this Agreement. In the event an ambiguity or question of intent or interpretation arises, this Agreement shall be
construed as if drafted jointly by the parties to this Agreement, 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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26. Parties in Interest. Nothing herein shall be construed to be to the benefit of or enforceable by any
Person that is not a party hereto including any creditor of the Partnership.
28. Descriptive Headings. The descriptive headings of this Agreement are inserted for convenience
only and do not constitute a part of this Agreement.
* * * * *
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Execution Copy
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have duly executed this Agreement as of the day and year first above
written.
By: Grande Manager, LLC,
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ABRY INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP, L.P.
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GRANDE COMMUNICATIONS HOLDINGS, INC.
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