Promissory Note - Bank of Tampa and UTEK Corp.
PROMISSORY NOTE Principal $500,000.00 Loan Date 09-10-2001 Maturity Loan No Call/Coll 3023 Account 121320 Officer 030 Initials ERB References in the shaded areas are for Lender's use only and do not limit the applicability of this document to any particular loan or item. Any item above containing "***" has been omitted due to text length limitations. Borrower: UTEK Corporation Lender: The Bank of Tampa 202 S. Wheeler Street Post Office Box One Plant City, FL 33566 Tampa, FL 33601-0001 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Principal Amount: $500,000.00 Initial Rate: 6.25% Date of Note: September 10, 2001 PROMISE TO PAY. UTEK Corporation ("Borrower") promises to pay The Bank of Tampa ("Lender"), or order, in lawful money of the United States of America, on demand, the principal amount of Five Hundred Thousand & 00/100 Dollars ($500,000.00) or so much as may be outstanding, together with interest on the unpaid outstanding principal balance of each advance. Interest shall be calculated from the date of each advance until repayment of each advance. PAYMENT. Borrower will pay this loan immediately upon Lender's demand. Payment in full is due immediately upon Lender's demand. Borrower will pay regular monthly payments of all accrued unpaid interest due as of each payment date, beginning October 10, 2001, with all subsequent interest payments to be due on the same day of each month after that. Unless otherwise agreed or required by applicable law, payments will be applied first to accrued unpaid interest, then to principal, and any remaining amount to any unpaid collection costs and late charges. The annual interest rate for this Note is computed on a 365/360 basis; that is, by applying the ratio of the annual interest rate over a year of 360 days, multiplied by the outstanding principal balance, multiplied by the actual number of days the principal balance is outstanding. Borrower will pay Lender at Lender's address shown above or at such other place as Lender may designate in writing. VARIABLE INTEREST RATE. The interest rate on this Note is subject to change from time to time based on changes in an independent index which is The prime rate as published daily in the Wall Street Journal, more specifically defined as the base rate on corporate loans posted by at least 75% of the nation's 30 largest banks (the "Index"). The Index is not necessarily the lowest rate charged by Lender on its loans. If the Index becomes unavailable during the term of this loan, Lender may designate a substitute index after notice to Borrower. Lender will tell Borrower the current Index rate upon Borrower's request. The interest rate change will not occur more often than each business day. Borrower understands that Lender may make loans based on other rates as well. The Index currently is 6.500% per annum. The Interest rate to be applied to the unpaid principal balance of this Note will be at a rate of 0.250 percentage points under the Index, resulting in an initial rate of 6.250% per annum. NOTICE: Under no circumstances will the effective rate of interest on this Note be more than the maximum rate allowed by applicable law. PREPAYMENT. Borrower agrees that all loan fees and other prepaid finance charges are earned fully as of the date of the loan and will not be subject to refund upon early payment (whether voluntary or as a result of default), except as otherwise required by law. Except for the foregoing, Borrower may pay without penalty all or a portion of the amount owed earlier than it is due. Early payments will not, unless agreed to by Lender in writing, relieve Borrower of Borrower's obligation to continue to make payments of accrued unpaid interest. <PAGE> Rather, early payments will reduce the principal balance due. Borrower agrees not to send Lender payments marked "paid in full", "without recourse", or similar language. If Borrower sends such a payment, Lender may accept it without losing any of Lender's rights under this Note, and Borrow will remain obligated to pay any further amount owed to Lender. All written communications concerning disputed amounts, including any check or other payment instrument that indicates that the payment constitutes "payment in full" of the amount owed or that is tendered with other conditions or limitations or as full satisfaction of a disputed amount must be mailed or delivered to: The Bank of Tampa, Post Office Box 31319 Tampa, FL 33601-0001. LATE CHARGE. If a regularly scheduled interest payment is 10 days or more late, Borrower will be charged 5.000% of the unpaid portion of the regularly scheduled payment. If Lender demands payment of this loan, and Borrower does not pay the loan in full within 10 days after Lender's demand, Borrower also will be charged 5.000% of the unpaid portion of the sum of the unpaid principal plus accrued unpaid interest. INTEREST AFTER DEFAULT. Upon default, including failure to pay upon final maturity, Lender, at it option, may, if permitted under applicable law, increase the variable interest rate on this Note to 18.000% per annum, if an to the extent that the increase does not cause the interest rate to exceed the maximum rate permitted by applicable law. DEFAULT. Each of the following shall constitute an event of default ("Event of Default") under this Note: Payment Default. Borrower fails to make any payment when due under this Note. Other Defaults. Borrower fails to comply with or to perform any other term, obligation, covenant or condition contained in this Note or in any of the related documents or to comply with or to perform any term, obligation, covenant or condition contained in any other agreement between Lender and Borrower. Default in Favor of Third Parties. Borrower or any Grantor defaults under any loan, extension of credit, security agreement, purchase or sales agreement, or any other agreement, in favor of any other creditor or person that may materially affect any of Borrower's property or Borrower's ability to repay this Note or perform Borrower's obligation under this Note or any of the related documents. False Statements. Any warranty, representation or statement made or furnished to Lender by Borrower or on Borrower's behalf under this Note or the related documents is false or misleading in any material respect, either now or at the time made or furnished or becomes false or misleading at any time thereafter. Insolvency. The dissolution or termination of Borrower's existence as a going business, the insolvency of Borrower, the appointment of a receiver for any part of Borrower's property, and assignment for the benefit of creditors, any type of creditor workout, or the commencement of any proceeding under any bankruptcy or insolvency laws by or against Borrower. Creditor or Forfeiture Proceedings. Commencement of foreclosure or forfeiture proceedings, whether by judicial proceeding, self-help, repossession or any other method, by any creditor of Borrower or by any governmental agency against any collateral securing the loan. This includes a garnishment of any of Borrower's accounts, including deposit accounts, with Lender. However, this Event of Default shall not apply if there is a good faith dispute by Borrower as to the validity or reasonableness of the claim which is the basis of the creditor or forfeiture proceeding and if Borrower gives Lender written notice of the creditor or forfeiture proceeding and deposits with Lender monies or a surety bond for the creditor or forfeiture proceeding, in an amount determined by Lender, in its sole discretion, as being an adequate reserve or bond for the dispute. Events Affecting Guarantor. Any of the preceding events occurs with respect to any guarantor, endorser, surety, or accommodation party of any of the indebtedness or any guarantor, endorser, surety, or accommodation party dies or become incompetent, or revokes or disputes the validity of, or liability under, any guaranty of the indebtedness evidenced by this Note. <PAGE> Change in Ownership. Any change in ownership of twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the common stock of Borrower. Adverse Change. A material adverse change occurs in Borrower's financial condition, or Lender believes the prospect of payment or performance of this Note is impaired. Insecurity. Lender in good faith believes itself insecure. LENDER'S RIGHTS. Upon default, Lender may declare the entire unpaid principal balance on this Note and all accrued unpaid interest immediately due, and then Borrower will pay that amount. ATTORNEYS' FEES; EXPENSES. Lender may hire or pay someone else to help collect this Note if Borrower does not pay. Borrower will pay Lender the amount of this costs and expenses, which includes, subject to any limits under applicable law, Lender's reasonable attorneys' fees and Lender's legal expenses whether or not there is a lawsuit, including reasonable attorneys' fees and legal expenses for bankruptcy proceedings (including efforts to modify or vacate any automatic stay or injunction), and appeals. If not prohibited by applicable law, Borrower also will pay any court costs, in addition to all other sums provided by law. JURY WAIVER. Lender and Borrower hereby waive the right to any jury trial in any action, proceeding, or counterclaim brought by either Lender of Borrower against the other. GOVERNING LAW. This Note will be governed by, construed and enforced in accordance with federal law and the laws of the State of Florida. This Note has been accepted by Lender in the State of Florida. CHOICE OF VENUE. If there is a lawsuit, Borrower agrees upon Lender's request to submit the jurisdiction of the courts of Hillsborough Count, State of Florida. DISHONORED ITEM FEE. Borrower will pay a fee to Lender of $15.00 if Borrower makes a payment on Borrower's loan and the check or preauthorized charge with which Borrower pays is later dishonored. RIGHT OF SETOFF. To the extent permitted by applicable law, Lender reserves a right of setoff in all Borrower's accounts with Lender (whether checking, savings, or some other account). This includes all accounts Borrower holds jointly with someone else and all accounts Borrower may open in the future. However, this does not include any IRA or Keogh accounts, or any trust accounts for which setoff would be prohibited by law. Borrower authorized Lender, to the extent permitted by applicable law, to charge or setoff all sum owing on the indebtedness against any and all such accounts. PROMISSORY NOTE (Continued) Page 2 COLLATERAL. Borrower acknowledges this Note is secured by 300,000 shares of Torvec, Inc., a part of Certificate #01368 for 1,068,354 shares in the name of UTEK, Corporation, and held by The Bank of Tampa Trust Department. LINE OF CREDIT. This Note evidences a revolving line of credit. Advances under this Note may be requested either orally or in writing by Borrower or as provided in this paragraph. Lender may, but need not, require that all oral requests be confirmed in writing. All communications, instructions, or directions by telephone or otherwise to Lender are to be directed to Lender's office shown above. The following persons currently are authorized to request advances and authorize payments under the line of credit until Lender receives from Borrower, at Lender's address shown above, written notice of revocation of their authority: Charlie L. Pope, Chief Financial Officer of UTEK Corporation; and Clifford M. Gross, Chief Executive Officer of UTEK Corporation. Borrower agrees to be liable for all sums either: (A) advanced in accordance with the instructions of an authorized person or (B) credited to any of Borrower's accounts with Lender. The unpaid principal balance owing on this Note <PAGE> at any time may be evidenced by endorsements on this Note or by Lender's internal records, including daily computer print-outs. FINANCIAL RECORDS. Borrower agrees to furnish Lender with annual financial records in a form acceptable to Lender within 90 days following each fiscal year end. Said financial information shall consist of a balance sheet and income statement prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, applied on a consistent basis, and certified by an authorized officer of the borrowing entity to be true and correct. Borrower shall also provide to Lender complete, signed, true copies of all Internal Revenue Service tax returns within 60 days of filing. SUCCESSOR INTERESTS. The terms of this Note shall be binding upon Borrower, and upon Borrower's heirs, personal representatives, successors and assigns, and shall inure to the benefit of Lender and its successors and assigns. NOTIFY US OF INACCURATE INFORMATION WE REPORT TO CONSUMER REPORTING AGENCIES. Please notify us if we report any inaccurate information about your account(s) to a consumer reporting agency. Your written notice describing the specific inaccuracy(ies) should be sent to us at the following address: The Bank of Tampa Post Office Box One Tampa, FL 33601-0001. GENERAL PROVISIONS. This Note is payable on demand. The inclusion of specific default provisions or rights of Lender shall not preclude Lender's right to declare payment of this Note on its demand. If any part of this Note cannot be enforced, this fact will not affect the rest of the Note. Borrower does not agree or intend to pay, and Lender does not agree or intend to contract for, charge, collect, take, reserve or receive (collectively referred to herein as "charge or collect"), any amount in the nature of interest or in the nature of a fee for this loan, which would in any way or event (including demand, prepayment, or acceleration) cause Lender to charge or collect more for this loan than the maximum Lender would be permitted to charge or collect by federal law or the law of the State of Florida (as applicable). Any such excess interest or unauthorized fee shall, instead of anything stated to the contrary, be applied first to reduce the principal balance of this loan, and when the principal has been paid in full, be refunded to Borrower. Lender may delay or forgo enforcing any of its rights or remedies under this Note without losing them. Borrower and any other person who signs, guarantees or endorses this Notes, to the extent allowed by law, waive presentment, demand for payment, and notice of dishonor. Upon any change in the terms of this Note, and unless otherwise expressly stated in writing, no party who signs this Note, whether as maker, guarantor, accommodation maker or endorser, shall be released from liability. All such parties agree that Lender may renew or extend (repeatedly and for any length of time) this loan or release any party or guarantor or collateral; or impair, fail to realize upon or perfect Lender's security interest in the collateral; and take any other action deemed necessary by Lender without the consent of or notice to anyone. All such parties also agree that Lender may modify this loan without the consent of or notice to anyone other than the party with whom the modification is made. The obligations under this Note are joint and several PRIOR TO SIGNING THIS NOTE, BORROWER READ AND UNDERSTOOD ALL THE PROVISIONS OF THIS NOTE, INCLUDING THE VARIABLE INTEREST RATE PROVISIONS. BORROWER AGREES TO THE TERMS OF THE NOTE. BORROWER ACKNOWLEDGES RECEIPT OF A COMPLETED COPY OF THIS PROMISSORY NOTE. BORROWER: UTEK CORPORATION By: /s/ Charles L. Pope -------------------- Charlie L. Pope, Chief Financial Officer of UTEK Corporation