Ehlers-Mann & Associates, Inc. v. Madison American Guaranty Insurance

135 N.W.2d 815, 28 Wis. 2d 12, 1965 Wisc. LEXIS 806
CourtWisconsin Supreme Court
DecidedJune 25, 1965
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 135 N.W.2d 815 (Ehlers-Mann & Associates, Inc. v. Madison American Guaranty Insurance) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Wisconsin Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Ehlers-Mann & Associates, Inc. v. Madison American Guaranty Insurance, 135 N.W.2d 815, 28 Wis. 2d 12, 1965 Wisc. LEXIS 806 (Wis. 1965).

Opinion

Hallows, J.

The appellants attack the sufficiency of the credible evidence to support the finding the plaintiff entered into a contract with the management corporation. It is not seriously contended a contract was not entered into on behalf of the defendant insurance corporation. So far as it is material to this appeal, it is sufficient to state the insurance corporation was organized to engage in the business of insurance [15]*15with the authorized capital stock of one million shares of the par value of $1 per share. It was proposed that 650,000 shares of stock would be sold to the public at $1.50 per share and until a minimum of 200,000 shares were sold the proceeds would be impounded in accordance with an agreement with the department of securities. The management corporation was organized for the purpose of managing the business operation of the insurance corporation, but there is testimony it was to assist in and promote the sale of stock of the insurance corporation. The officers and directors were basically the same for both corporations.

The directors and those interested in promoting the insurance and the management corporations were not experienced insurance executives nor skilled in the sale of insurance stock. Early in October, 1961, Harry Walsh, president of the insurance corporation, contacted Zane Mann, the plaintiffs vice-president with the view of securing the plaintiff's services in the promotion and sale of the stock. After conferences between Mann and the board of directors a general understanding was arrived at which was later confirmed by letter. The agreed remuneration for the plaintiff acting as a financial consultant and adviser was $20,000 contingent upon the successful selling of the public issue.

During the plaintiffs employment a sales organization was set up for the insurance corporation, and it started to sell its stock in January of 1962. By July, 1962, only some $300,000 of stock had been sold, but the insurance company was then entitled to engage in business. About that time new officers had obtained control of the insurance and management corporations. They were dissatisfied with the plaintiffs services and terminated the contract by the discharge of Mann. The sale of the 650,000 shares of stock was completed by the insurance corporation in November of 1963.

The evidence is in conflict whether the management corporation as well as the insurance corporation entered into the [16]*16agreement with the plaintiff. In this period of the history of the two corporations very little distinction was made between them in the dealings with the plaintiff. Such is often the case with promoters when corporations have interlocking boards and officers. There is evidence the then president of the corporations and also their treasurer and assistant secretary understood the agreement with the plaintiff was on behalf of both corporations. The letter discharging the plaintiff was signed on behalf of both corporations. It was apparent from the record Zane Mann and those representing the insurance corporation and management corporation thought the oral contract was entered into by both of the defendants. Viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the verdict, which we must do on appeal, there is sufficient credible evidence which under a reasonable view supports the jury finding and, therefore, it will not be disturbed. Rodenkirch v. Johnson (1960), 9 Wis. (2d) 245, 101 N. W. (2d) 83; Springen v. Ager Plumbing & Heating, Inc. (1963), 19 Wis. (2d) 487, 120 N. W. (2d) 692; Webb v. Wisconsin Southern Gas Co., Inc. (1965), 27 Wis. (2d) 343, 134 N. W. (2d) 407.

Defendants contend that in any event the judgment against the insurance corporation must be limited to $40.47 because of the application of sec. 201.10, Stats. Although this law in one form or another has been in existence over fifty years, it has not been interpreted by this court. This section1 prohibits any person in promoting an insurance corporation or the sale of its stock from selling such stock unless the contract of sale contain a provision stating, among other [17]*17things, that no sum shall be used for commissions, promotion and organization expenses in excess of a certain percent but in no event in excess of 15 percent of the amount actually paid for the stock and the remainder of the payments shall be held or invested and used only in the conduct of the business of insurance. The purpose of such provision is to give some assurance that at least 85 percent of the funds paid in shall not be appropriated by the promoters but held for the benefit of the business. 44 C. J. S., Insurance, p. 632, sec. 99; see 9 Op. Atty. Gen. (1920), 238. The remedies provided for violation of the section are a criminal penalty (sub. (7) ) [18]*18against the violator, normally the promoter, and the right (sub. (8) ) of the subscribers to void their subscription. Subscriptions, however, are valid and enforceable by the subscribers.

It is contended by the defendants that since the stock subscriptions amounted to $975,000, the promotional expenses could not exceed 15 percent thereof, or $146,250, and since during the years 1962 and 1963 a total of $146,209.53 was expended, only $40.47 was available for the plaintiff. This contention would add to the express sanctions of the section a third, that of the unenforceability of a contract or that part of a contract which exceeds the 15 percent prohibition. We do not read the statute as voiding or rendering unenforceable contracts which taken together with other contracts and expenses of promotion exceed 15 percent of the proceeds of the sale of stock. If the contracts for such expenditures were void or unenforceable, it would be impossible for promoters to violate the statute and they could thus immunize themselves from the criminal penalties of the section while securing the benefits of their acts. We think the remedies granted by the statute in creating the prohibition against the promoters are exclusive and the statute is not a defense to an otherwise enforceable contract which constitutes an expense of promoting or organizing the corporation or the sale of its stock. See Burke v. Madison (1962), 17 Wis. (2d) 623, 117 N. W. (2d) 580, 118 N. W. (2d) 898; Waisbren v. Blink (1932), 207 Wis. 619, 242 N. W. 169; Clancy v. Fire and Police Comm. (1912), 150 Wis. 630, 138 N. W. 109. Generally persons dealing with the promoters have no way to control the promoters or see that they comply with the statute. The statute is aimed at promoters, not the voiding of contracts with innocent persons.

No doubt the Wisconsin department of securities can suspend registration of securities upon discovery that a company is violating this section and its counterpart, the rule of the [19]*19department set forth in 6 Wis. Adm. Code, SEC 1.10; but, that question is not before us.

We have found only three cases construing somewhat similar statutes. In Colorado Life Co. v. Madden (1923), 73 Colo. 504, 216 Pac. 551, suit was brought for a 20 percent commission on the sale of stock. The statute prohibited the use of more than 20 percent of the proceeds for organizational expenses. It was held the plaintiff could not be charged with knowledge of other organizational expenses and recovery was allowed. However, in Anchor Life & Accident Ins. Co. v. Taylor (1928), 29 Ohio App. 428, 163 N. E. 631, which was a suit in quantum meruit

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Bluebook (online)
135 N.W.2d 815, 28 Wis. 2d 12, 1965 Wisc. LEXIS 806, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ehlers-mann-associates-inc-v-madison-american-guaranty-insurance-wis-1965.