In re Diversified Industries, Inc.

166 B.R. 141, 1993 Bankr. LEXIS 2150, 1993 WL 642888
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Missouri
DecidedNovember 19, 1993
DocketBankruptcy No. 93-41173-293; Motion No. 270
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 166 B.R. 141 (In re Diversified Industries, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Missouri primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Diversified Industries, Inc., 166 B.R. 141, 1993 Bankr. LEXIS 2150, 1993 WL 642888 (E.D. Mo. 1993).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

DAVID P. McDONALD, Bankruptcy Judge.

JURISDICTION

This Court has jurisdiction over the parties and subject matter of this proceeding pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1334, 151, and 157 and Local Rule 29 of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. This is a “core proceeding” pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(2)(A), which the Court may hear and determine.

PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

On August 4, 1993, the Debtor filed its Motion For Authorization To Terminate Diversified Industries, Inc. Retirement Income Plan, wherein it alleged:

“5. Debtor believes that it is in its best interest that it seek the termination of the Diversified Plan because unless the Plan is terminated, Debtor and its subsidiaries will be unable to pay their debts when due and Debtor will be unable to continue in business outside the Chapter 11 reorganization process. Debtor further believes that there is no creditor support for funding the Diversified Plan on an ongoing basis in any plan of reorganization.”

The Debtor sought an entry of an order authorizing it to submit appropriate documentation to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) to terminate the Diversified Industries, Inc. Retirement Income Plan (the Diversified Plan). Notice of Hearing was sent to all parties of interest, which set a time for filing written objections or exceptions to the relief sought. On August 9, 1993 Ben Fixman filed Preliminary Objections of Ben Fixman To Debtor’s Motion For Authorization To Terminate The Diversified Industries, Inc. Retirement Income Plan. Thereafter Mr. Fixman filed supplemental objections on August 13, 1993.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

As of March 4,1993 the Debtor maintained five separate defined retirement benefit plans subject to Title IV of ERISA, including the Diversified Plan. All of the Debtor’s plans are under-funded. The total unpaid minimum contributions for all of these plans as of December 31, 1992 were $2,841,000 of which the minimum contribution due for the Plan was $501,000. Darrell Steckland, Debt- or’s Vice President of Finance,1 described in [143]*143detail how he determined the extent of the unfunded liability connected with the pension plans, which is reflected in the company’s Analysis Of Pension Accrual & Contribution Requirements. He estimated that, assuming a 7% discount rate, the total under-funding for all of the Debtor’s plans as of October 31, 1992 was $9,283,679 for which the Diversified Plan, in which Mr. Fixman is a participant, represented an under-funding of $2,761,897. He also explained that as the discount rate decreases the liability increases and as of the date of the hearing he testified that the discount rate was less than the 7% discount rate.

The required minimum contributions for the Diversified Plan were estimated at $710,-000 for 1993, $403,000 to $587,000 for 1994, $155,000 to $489,000 for 1995, from zero to $462,000 for 1996 and from zero to $44,000 for 1997. These minimum contribution estimates were estimated based upon the assumption that the Internal Revenue Service would grant a waiver for the 1992 plan year. If the IRS granted waivers of the minimum funding obligations for the years 1993 and 1994 there still would be substantial minimum funding payments owing for each of those years. The company’s total funding obligation for those years could range from $962,000 to $2,534,000 depending on the performance of the Plan’s investment.2

The Debtor gave notice of its intent to seek termination of all pension plans. Mr. Fixman was the only individual who filed an objection. Since there was no objection to the termination of four of these plans, this Court granted authorization and the Debtor has initiated the process with PBGC to terminate those four. The Debtor believes that the benefits for all the participants in these four plans are fully guaranteed by PBGC.

The primary difference between the remaining plan and the other four plans is that this last plan provides Mr. Fixman and certain other present and former members of the Debtor’s senior management team substantial pension benefits, a large portion of these are not guaranteed by the PBGC. The parties generally agree that if the senior management pension plans are terminated, Mr. Fixman will lose a greater sum than any other employee. Mr. Fixman’s pension plan provides him with an annual payment of approximately $136,000. If his plan is terminated, his annual pension will drop to approximately $27,000, the maximum payment that PBGC insures.

The Court further finds that the Debtor has elected to seek authorization from the PBGC to terminate the Diversified Plan pursuant to ERISA’s distress termination procedure. The Debtor, in the reasonable exercise of its business judgment, has determined that it is in the best interests of itself and its creditors to seek approval from the PBGC to terminate the Plan as:

(1) the Debtor does not believe that it can formulate a reorganization plan based upon the continuation of the Plan; and

(2) it would not have the ability to successfully continue the operations of its United Refining & Smelting Co. subsidiary if it did not terminate the Diversified Plan.

DISCUSSION

The parties agree that ERISA governs the termination of pension plans. The exclusive means of plan termination is set forth in 29 U.S.C. § 1341(a)(1):

“Except in the case of a termination for which proceedings are otherwise instituted by the corporation [PBGC] as provided in section 1342 of this title, a single employer plan may be terminated only in a standard termination under subsection (b) of this section or a distress termination under subsection (c) of this section.”

Since the Plan is not solvent, the only method of termination is by means of a distress termination pursuant to 29 U.S.C. § 1341(c), which requires the plan administrator to provide 60 days advance notice of intent to terminate the affected parties; submit to PBGC various information as required by § 1341(c)(2)(A); and for PBGC to determine that the requirements of § 1341(c)(2)(B) have been met. Section 1341(e)(2)(B) provides:

[144]*144“(B) Determination of corporation [PBGC] of necessary distress criteria

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Bluebook (online)
166 B.R. 141, 1993 Bankr. LEXIS 2150, 1993 WL 642888, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-diversified-industries-inc-moed-1993.