PROFESSIONALLY MANAGED PORTFOLIOS
PRES14A, 1999-11-04
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                            SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
                Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Filed by the Registrant [X]
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant [ ]

Check the appropriate box:
[X]  Preliminary Proxy Statement             [ ]  Confidential, For Use of the
[ ]  Definitive Proxy Statement                   Commission Only (as permitted
[ ]  Definitive Additional Materials              by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
[ ]  Soliciting Material Pursuant to
     Rule 14a-11(c) or Rule 14a-12

                        PROFESSIONALLY MANAGED PORTFOLIOS
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                (Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if Other Than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
[X]  No fee required.
[ ]  Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11.

1)   Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2)   Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3)   Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction  computed  pursuant
     to Exchange  Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which the filing fee is
     calculated and state how it was determined):

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4)   Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:

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5)   Total fee paid:

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[ ] Fee paid previously with preliminary materials:

[ ] Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided  by  Exchange  Act
    Rule  0-11(a)(2)  and identify the filing for which the  offsetting fee was
    paid  previously.  Identify the previous filing by  registration  statement
    number, or the form or schedule and the date of its filing.

    1)   Amount previously paid:
                                ------------------------------------------
    2)   Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:
                                                      --------------------
    3)   Filing Party:
                      ----------------------------------------------------
    4)   Date Filed:
                    ------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
                        Professionally Managed Portfolios
                                Trent Equity Fund
                          3101 N. Elm Street, Suite 150
                        Greensboro, North Carolina 27408


                              LETTER TO SHAREHOLDER

                                    [TO COME]

<PAGE>
                        PROFESSIONALLY MANAGED PORTFOLIOS
                                TRENT EQUITY FUND
                          3101 N. Elm Street, Suite 150
                        Greensboro, North Carolina 27408

                            Notice of Special Meeting

            To the Shareholders of the Trent Equity Fund, a series of
                       Professionally Managed Portfolios:

Notice is hereby given that a Special Meeting (the "Meeting") of shareholders of
the Trent  Equity Fund (the  "Fund"),  a separate  series of the  Professionally
Managed  Portfolios (the "Trust") at ____ a.m.,  Eastern Time, at the offices of
Trent Capital Management,  Inc., 3101 N. Elm Street, Suite 150,  Greensboro,  NC
27408. At the Meeting,  you and the other shareholders of the Fund will be asked
to consider the following Proposals:

(1)  The adoption of a Distribution Plan (the  "Distribution  Plan") pursuant to
     Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940; and

(2)  Any other  business  that may  properly  come  before  the  Meeting  or any
     adjournments thereof.

     Shareholders  of  record  at the  close of  business  on [ DATE ], 1999 are
     entitled  to notice of,  and to vote at, the  Meeting.  Your  attention  is
     called to the accompanying Proxy Statement.  Regardless of whether you plan
     to attend  the  Meeting,  PLEASE  COMPLETE,  SIGN AND RETURN  PROMPTLY  THE
     ENCLOSED  PROXY so that a quorum  will be present  and a maximum  number of
     shares may be voted. If you are present at the Meeting, you may change your
     vote, if desired, at that time.

By order of the Board of Trustees of the Trust.

Robin Berger, Secretary

New York, New York
[ DATE ], 1999
<PAGE>
                                TRENT EQUITY FUND
                          3101 N. ELM STREET, SUITE 150
                        GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA 27408

                                 PROXY STATEMENT

This Proxy  Statement is furnished to the  shareholders of the Trent Equity Fund
(the  "Fund"),  a separate  series of  Professionally  Managed  Portfolios  (the
"Trust"),  on behalf of the Trust's  Board of Trustees  in  connection  with the
solicitation of voting instructions for use at a Special Meeting of Shareholders
of the Fund (the "Meeting") to be held on [ DATE ], 1999, at ____ a.m.,  Eastern
Time,  at the offices of Trent  Capital  Management,  Inc.,  3101 N. Elm Street,
Suite 150,  Greensboro,  North Carolina,  27408 for the purposes set forth below
and in the accompanying Notice of Special Meeting.  The approximate mailing date
of this Proxy  Statement is [ DATE ], 1999. At the Meeting the  shareholders  of
the Fund will be asked to consider the following Proposals:

(1)  The adoption of a Distribution Plan (the  "Distribution  Plan") pursuant to
     Rule  12b-1  under the  Investment  Company  Act of 1940  (the  "Investment
     Company Act"); and

(2)  Any other  business  that may  properly  come  before  the  Meeting  or any
     adjournments thereof.


The Fund's investment adviser is Trent Capital Management, Inc. ("TCM"), 3101 N.
Elm  Street,   Suite  150,  Greensboro,   North  Carolina,   27408.  The  Fund's
administrator is Investment Company Administration LLC, 2020 East Financial Way,
Glendora,  California  91741.  The Fund's  principal  underwriter  is First Fund
Distributors, Inc., 4455 East Camelback, Suite 261E, Phoenix, Arizona 85018.

The Trust requests broker-dealer firms, custodians,  nominees and fiduciaries to
forward these proxy materials to the beneficial owners of the shares of the Fund
held of record by such persons.  In addition to the  solicitation  of proxies by
mail, officers and employees of the investment adviser,  the Fund, or the Trust,
without additional compensation,  may solicit proxies in person or by telephone.
The costs  associated  with such  solicitation  and the Meeting will be borne by
TCM.

Shareholders  of the Fund at the  close of  business  on [ DATE ],  1999 will be
entitled  to be present  and vote at the  Meeting.  As of that date,  there were
(QUANTITY) shares of the Fund  outstanding.  The affirmative vote of the holders
of a majority of the  outstanding  shares of the Fund is required to approve the
Distribution Plan.  "Majority" for this purpose under the Investment Company Act
means the lesser of (i) 67% of the  shares  represented  at the  meeting if more
than 50% of such outstanding  shares are  represented,  or (ii) more than 50% of
such outstanding shares.

Abstentions and broker  non-votes will be counted as shares present for purposes
of  determining  whether  a quorum is  present  but will not be  counted  for or
against  any  adjournment  or the  proposal  to  adopt  the  Plan.  Accordingly,
abstentions and broker non-votes  effectively will be a vote against adjournment
and against the Plan.  Broker non-votes are shares held in street name for which
the  broker  indicates  that  instructions  have  not  been  received  from  the
beneficial  owners or other  persons  entitled  to vote and for which the broker
does not have discretionary voting authority.
<PAGE>
As of [ DATE ], 1999 the officers  and  Trustees of the Fund owned,  as a group,
less than 1% of the  shares of the Fund.  As of [ DATE ],  1999,  the  following
persons owned beneficially more than 5% of the outstanding shares of the Fund:

                  XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
                  XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
                  XXXXXXXXXXX, XX 99999 -- x.xx%

                  XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
                  XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
                  XXXXXXXXXXX, XX 99999 -- x.xx%

                  XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
                  XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
                  XXXXXXXXXXX, XX 99999 -- x.xx%

The persons named in the  accompanying  proxy will vote in each case as directed
in the proxy,  but in the  absence of such  direction,  they  intend to vote FOR
Proposal 1 and may vote in their  discretion  with respect to other  matters not
now known to the Board of Trustees that may be presented at the Meeting.

APPROVAL OF THE DISTRIBUTION PLAN

Background Information

On (ADOPTION  DATE),  the  Trustees of the Trust,  including a majority of those
Trustees  who are not  "interested  persons"  of the  Trust (as  defined  in the
Investment Company Act) and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in
the  operation  of  the  Distribution  Plan  or  any  agreement  related  to the
Distribution Plan (the "Independent  Trustees"),  adopted the Distribution Plan.
In  approving  the  Distribution  Plan,  the Trustees  determined  that the fees
payable under the  Distribution  Plan are likely to  facilitate  the sale of the
Fund's  shares,  resulting  in  higher  levels  of sales  and  lower  levels  of
redemptions  than otherwise  would be obtainable.  This in turn should assist in
the goal of achieving  net  positive  cash flow into the Fund and an increase in
Fund asset size. There can be no assurance,  however, that the Fund will achieve
these goals.

                                        2
<PAGE>
DESCRIPTION OF THE DISTRIBUTION PLAN

Under the  Distribution  Plan, the Fund will pay 0.25% on an annualized basis of
the Fund's average daily net assets as distribution  and service fees to TCM for
performing  the  following  kinds of  distribution  services  that are primarily
intended to result in the sale of the Fund's shares,  including, but not limited
to:

     (a) making payments,  including incentive  compensation,  to agents for and
     consultants  to TCM, any affiliate of TCM or the Trust,  including  pension
     administration  firms that provide  distribution  and  shareholder  related
     services and  broker-dealers  that engage in the distribution of the Fund's
     shares;

     (b) making payments to persons who provide  support  services in connection
     with the  distribution  of the Fund's  shares and  servicing  of the Fund's
     shareholders, including, but not limited to, personnel of TCM, office space
     and equipment, telephone facilities,  answering routine inquiries regarding
     the Fund,  processing  shareholder  transactions  and  providing  any other
     shareholder  services not otherwise provided by the Trust's transfer agency
     or other servicing arrangements;

     (c) making payments pursuant to the Distribution Plan;

     (d) formulating  and  implementing  marketing and  promotional  activities,
     including,  but not limited  to,  direct mail  promotions  and  television,
     radio, newspaper, magazine and other mass media advertising;

     (e)  printing  and  distributing  prospectuses,  statements  of  additional
     information  and  reports of the Fund to  prospective  shareholders  of the
     Fund;

     (f) preparing, printing and distributing sales literature pertaining to the
     Fund; and

     (g) obtaining  whatever  information,  analysis and reports with respect to
     marketing and promotional activities that the Trust may, from time to time,
     deem advisable.  Such services and activities shall be deemed to be covered
     by the Distribution  Plan whether  performed  directly by TCM or by a third
     party.

The Distribution  Plan provides that the Board of Trustees will be provided on a
quarterly  basis  with a written  report  specifying  in  reasonable  detail the
amounts  expended  for  distribution  and  service  related  activities  and the
purposes  for which such  expenditures  were made.  The  Distribution  Plan,  if
approved, will remain in effect for one year from the date of such approval, and
thereafter  from year to year so long as it is  approved  by a  majority  of the
Trust's  Board of Trustees,  including a majority of the  Independent  Trustees,
unless  sooner  terminated  according  to its  terms.  In  accordance  with  the
requirements  of Rule 12b-1 under the Investment  Company Act, the selection and
nomination of those Trustees who are not interested persons of the Trust will be
committed  to the  discretion  of the  Independent  Trustees.  The  form  of the
Distribution Plan is attached as Exhibit A.

ADVANTAGES OF THE DISTRIBUTION PLAN

The Distribution Plan is a "compensation" plan. This means that payments will be
made to TCM even if the actual  expenses that are incurred for  distribution  or
service  related  activities are less than the payments.  However,  at any given
time,  the  aggregate  amount of  expenses  incurred by TCM in  connection  with

                                        3
<PAGE>
payments for  distribution  and service related  activities may exceed the total
payments  made by the Fund  pursuant  to the  Distribution  Plan.  The Fund will
accrue and carry forward amounts  attributable to payments or expenses  incurred
in prior years by TCM for distribution and service related  activities in excess
of 0.25% of the Fund's  average daily net assets.  Any such amounts in excess of
this percentage limitation may be paid in future years.

TCM has  contractually  agreed to waive or reimburse the Fund's annual  expenses
for XXX year(s).  In view of this expense waiver,  approval of the  Distribution
Plan will not increase  expenses  incurred by the Fund during the expense waiver
period.

TRUSTEES' EVALUATION

In considering the adoption of the Distribution Plan, the Board of Trustees gave
equal  consideration  to the following:  (i) the potential costs and benefits of
the Distribution Plan to shareholders;  (ii) whether the Distribution Plan could
be  expected to assist in the  marketing  of Fund shares and reduce the level of
share  redemptions;  (iii) the advantages to the Fund and its shareholders  that
might result from growth in the Fund's assets,  including economies of scale and
reduced  expense  ratios;  and (iv) the  competitive  situation  in the industry
involving the use of distribution plans by an increasing number of mutual funds,
making the Distribution Plan a reasonable measure to encourage  additional sales
and  discourage  redemptions.  The  Trustees  determined  that  the  ability  to
compensate broker-dealers, banks and others for distribution and service related
activities  is likely to  result in higher  levels of sales and lower  levels of
redemptions  of Fund  shares  than would  otherwise  occur.  This in turn should
assist the Fund in  achieving  net  positive  cash flows and an  increase in its
asset size.

The Trustees  also  recognized  and  considered  that  possible  benefits  maybe
realized  by TCM as a result of the  adoption  of the Plan.  If Fund assets grow
more rapidly as a result of the  implementation  of the  Distribution  Plan, the
investment  advisory and  administrative  fees payable to TCM by the Fund (which
fees are calculated as a percentage of net assets) will also increase.

Following their consideration, the Trustees, including the Independent Trustees,
concluded  that the  Distribution  Plan is in the best interest of the Fund. The
Distribution  Plan will not become  effective unless approved by shareholders at
the Meeting.

                                        4
<PAGE>
RECOMMENDATION

At the  Meeting,  Shareholders  of the Fund  will  vote on the  adoption  of the
Distribution Plan.

THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES RECOMMENDS THAT SHAREHOLDERS OF THE FUND VOTE FOR PROPOSAL
1.

GENERAL INFORMATION

OTHER MATTERS TO COME BEFORE THE MEETING

The  Fund's  management  does not know of any  matters  to be  presented  at the
Meeting other than those  described in this Proxy  Statement.  If other business
should properly come before the Meeting,  the proxy holders will vote thereon in
accordance with their best judgment.

SHAREHOLDER PROPOSALS

The Meeting is a special meeting of  shareholders.  The Fund is not required to,
nor does it intend to, hold regular annual meetings of its shareholders. If such
a meeting  is  called,  any  shareholder  who  wishes to submit a  proposal  for
consideration at the meeting should submit the proposal promptly to the Trust.

REPORTS TO SHAREHOLDERS

The Fund will furnish,  without charge,  a copy of its most recent Annual Report
to  Shareholders  of the Fund on request.  Requests for such  reports  should be
directed to Trent  Capital  Management,  Inc.,  3101 N. Elm  Street,  Suite 150,
Greensboro, NC 27408,or to (336) 282-9302.

IN ORDER THAT THE  PRESENCE OF A QUORUM AT THE  MEETING  MAY BE ASSURED,  PROMPT
EXECUTION  AND RETURN OF THE ENCLOSED  PROXY IS  REQUESTED.  A SELF-  ADDRESSED,
POSTAGE-PAID ENVELOPE IS ENCLOSED FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE.

Robin Berger, Secretary to the
Professionally Managed Portfolios

New York, New York
[ DATE ], 1999

                                        5
<PAGE>
                                  EXHIBIT LIST

Exhibit A           Form of the Distribution Plan


                                        6
<PAGE>
                                                                       EXHIBIT A

                            FORM OF DISTRIBUTION PLAN

                        PROFESSIONALLY MANAGED PORTFOLIOS

                              SHARE MARKETING PLAN

     This Share  Marketing Plan (the "Plan") is adopted in accordance  with Rule
12b-1 (the "Rule")  under the  Investment  Company Act of 1940,  as amended (the
"Investment Company Act"), by Professionally Managed Portfolios, a Massachusetts
business trust (the "Trust") with respect to the Trent Equity Fund (the "Fund").
The Plan has been  approved  by a majority  of the  Trust's  Board of  Trustees,
including a majority of the Trustees who are not interested persons of the Trust
and who have no direct or indirect  financial  interest in the  operation of the
Plan (the  "Independent  Trustees"),  cast in person at a meeting called for the
purpose of voting on the Plan.  In  reviewing  the Plan,  the Board of  Trustees
considered the proposed range and nature of payments and terms of the Investment
Advisory  Agreement  between  the Trust on behalf of the Fund and Trent  Capital
Management,  Inc., ("TCM") and the nature and amount of other payments, fees and
commissions  that may be paid to TCM,  its  affiliates  and other  agents of the
Trust. The Board of Trustees, including the Independent Trustees, concluded that
the proposed  overall  compensation  of TCM and its  affiliates was fair and not
excessive.

     In  its  considerations,   the  Board  of  Trustees  also  recognized  that
uncertainty  may exist from time to time with respect to whether  payments to be
made by the Fund to TCM, as the "distribution coordinator," or other firms under
agreements  with respect to the Fund may be deemed to  constitute  impermissible
distribution  expenses. As a general rule, an investment company may not finance
any  activity  primarily  intended to result in the sale of its  shares,  except
pursuant to the Rule.  Accordingly,  the Board of Trustees  determined  that the
Plan also should  provide that  payments by the Trust and  expenditures  made by
others out of monies  received  from the Trust which are later  deemed to be for
the financing of any activity  primarily  intended to result in the sale of Fund
shares shall be deemed to have been made pursuant to the Plan.

     The approval of the Board of Trustees included a determination  that in the
exercise of the  Trustees'  reasonable  business  judgment and in light of their
fiduciary  duties,  there is a reasonable  likelihood that the Plan will benefit
the Trust, the Fund to which the Plan applies and the shareholders.

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                          Page 1
<PAGE>
                                                                       EXHIBIT A

The provisions of the Plan are:

     1. ANNUAL FEE. The Fund will pay to TCM, as the  distribution  coordinator,
     an annual fee for TCM's  services  in  connection  with the  promotion  and
     distribution of the Fund's shares and related  shareholder  servicing.  The
     annual  fee paid to TCM under the Plan  will be  calculated  daily and paid
     monthly  by the Fund on the first day of each  month  based on the  average
     daily net assets of the shares of the Fund,  as follows:  an annual rate of
     up to 0.25%.  This fee is not tied  exclusively to actual  distribution and
     service expenses, and the fee may exceed the expenses actually incurred.

     2. SERVICES  COVERED BY THE PLAN.  The fee paid under Section 1 of the Plan
     is  intended  to  compensate  TCM for  performing  the  following  kinds of
     services  that are  primarily  intended to result in the sale of the Fund's
     shares,  including,  but not  limited  to: (a) making  payments,  including
     incentive compensation, to agents for and consultants to TCM, any affiliate
     of TCM or the Trust,  including pension  administration  firms that provide
     distribution  and  shareholder  related  services and  broker-dealers  that
     engage in the  distribution  of the Fund's shares;  (b) making  payments to
     persons who provide support services in connection with the distribution of
     a Fund's shares and servicing of the Fund's  shareholders,  including,  but
     not limited to,  personnel of TCM,  office space and  equipment,  telephone
     facilities,  answering  routine  inquiries  regarding the Fund,  processing
     shareholder  transactions and providing any other shareholder  services not
     otherwise  provided  by the  Trust's  transfer  agent  or  other  servicing
     arrangements;  (c) making  payments  pursuant  to the form of  Distribution
     Agreement  attached hereto as an exhibit;  (d) formulating and implementing
     marketing and promotional activities, including, but not limited to, direct
     mail promotions and television,  radio, newspaper,  magazine and other mass
     media advertising;  (e) printing and distributing prospectuses,  statements
     of  additional   information   and  reports  of  the  Fund  to  prospective
     shareholders of the Fund; (f) preparing,  printing and  distributing  sales
     literature  pertaining to the Fund; and (g) obtaining whatever information,
     analysis and reports with respect to marketing and  promotional  activities
     whether  performed  directly  by the  Advisor or by a third  party that the
     Trust may, from time to time, deem advisable.

     3.  WRITTEN  REPORTS.  TCM shall  furnish to the Board of  Trustees  of the
     Trust, for its review, on a quarterly basis, a written report of the monies
     paid to it under the Plan with respect to the Fund,  and shall  furnish the
     Board of Trustees of the Trust with such other  information as the Board of
     Trustees may reasonably  request in connection with the payments made under
     the Plan in order to  enable  the  Board of  Trustees  to make an  informed
     determination of whether the Plan should be continued as to a Fund.

     4.  TERMINATION.  The  Plan  may be  terminated  as to a Fund at any  time,
     without penalty, by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                          Page 2
<PAGE>
                                                                       EXHIBIT A

     of the Fund, and any Distribution  Agreement under the Plan may be likewise
     terminated  on  not  more  than  sixty  (60)  days'  written  notice.  Once
     terminated,   no   further   payments   shall  be  made   under   the  Plan
     notwithstanding  the  existence  of any  unreimbursed  current  or  carried
     forward Distribution Expenses.

     5. AMENDMENTS.  The Plan and any Distribution  Agreement may not be amended
     to  increase  materially  the  amount  to be  spent  for  distribution  and
     servicing of a Fund's  shares  pursuant to Section 1 without  approval by a
     majority of the  outstanding  voting  securities of the Fund.  All material
     amendments  to the Plan and any  Distribution  Agreement  entered into with
     third parties shall be approved by the Independent  Trustees cast in person
     at a meeting  called for the purpose of voting on any such  amendment.  TCM
     may assign its  responsibilities  and liabilities under the Plan to another
     party who agrees to act as  "distribution  coordinator"  for the Trust with
     the consent of a majority of the Independent Trustees.

     6. SELECTION OF INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES. So long as the Plan is in effect, the
     selection  and  nomination  of the Trust's  Independent  Trustees  shall be
     committed to the discretion of the existing Independent Trustees.

     7.  EFFECTIVE  DATE OF PLAN.  The Plan shall take effect at such time as it
     has received  requisite  Trustee  approval and,  unless sooner  terminated,
     shall  continue  in effect for a period of more than one year from the date
     of its execution only so long as such continuance is specifically  approved
     at least  annually  by the Board of Trustees  of the Trust,  including  the
     Independent Trustees, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of
     voting on such continuance.

     8.  PRESERVATION OF MATERIALS.  The Trust will preserve copies of the Plan,
     any  Distribution  Agreements  relating  to the  Plan and any  report  made
     pursuant  to Section 5 above,  for a period of not less than six years (the
     first two years in an easily  accessible  place) from the date of the Plan,
     agreement or report.

     9. MEANINGS OF CERTAIN TERMS.  As used in the Plan,  the terms  "interested
     person" and "majority of the outstanding  voting securities" will be deemed
     to have the same meaning that those terms have under the Investment Company
     Act and the rules and regulations under the Investment Company Act, subject
     to any  exemption  that may be  granted to the Trust  under the  Investment
     Company Act by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                          Page 3
<PAGE>
                                                                       EXHIBIT A


                             DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT

                       EXHIBIT TO THE SHARE MARKETING PLAN


- -----------------------------

- -----------------------------

- -----------------------------

- -----------------------------

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     This  Distribution  Agreement has been adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under
the Investment  Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Investment  Company Act"),
by  Professionally  Managed  Portfolios,  a  Massachusetts  business  trust (the
"Trust"), on behalf of various series of the Trust (the "Fund" or, collectively,
the "Funds"),  as governed by the terms of the Share Marketing Plan (the "Plan")
adopted by the Fund's shareholders.

     The  Plan has been  approved  by a  majority  of the  Trustees  who are not
interested  persons of the Trust or the Funds and who have no direct or indirect
financial  interest in the operation of the Plan (the  "Independent  Trustees"),
cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such Plan.  Such
approval  included  a  determination  that  in the  exercise  of the  reasonable
business  judgment  of the  Board of  Trustees  and in  light  of the  Trustees'
fiduciary  duties,  there is a reasonable  likelihood that the Plan will benefit
the Funds and shareholders.

     1. To the extent you  provide  eligible  shareholder  services  of the type
     identified  in the Plan to the Funds  identified  in the attached  Schedule
     (the  "Schedule"),  we shall pay you a monthly fee based on the average net
     asset  value of Fund  shares  during any month  which are  attributable  to
     customers of your firm, at the rate set forth on the Schedule.

     2. In no event may the  aggregate  annual fee paid to you  pursuant  to the
     Schedule  exceed  0.25  percent  of the value of the net assets of the Fund
     held in your customers' accounts which are eligible for payment pursuant to
     this Distribution Agreement (determined in the same manner as the Fund uses
     to compute its net assets as set forth in its then  effective  Prospectus),
     without approval by a majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund.

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                          Page 4
<PAGE>
                                                                       EXHIBIT A

     3. You shall  furnish  us and the  Trust  with  such  information  as shall
     reasonably  be requested by the Trust's  Board of Trustees  with respect to
     the  services  performed  by you and the fees paid to you  pursuant  to the
     Schedule.

     4. We shall furnish to the Board of Trustees of the Trust,  for its review,
     on a quarterly  basis, a written  report of the amounts  expended under the
     Plan by us with  respect  to the  Fund  and the  purposes  for  which  such
     expenditures were made.

     5.  You  agree  to make  shares  of the  Fund  available  only  (a) to your
     customers  or  entities  that you  service at the net asset value per share
     next determined after receipt of the relevant  purchase  instruction or (b)
     to each Fund itself at the redemption price for shares, as described in the
     Fund's Prospectus.

     6. No person is authorized to make any representations  concerning the Fund
     or shares of the Fund except those  contained in the Fund's  Prospectus  or
     Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") and any such information as may
     be released by the Fund as information  supplemental  to such Prospectus or
     SAI.

     7.  Additional  copies  of each  such  Prospectus  or SAI  and any  printed
     information  issued as  supplemental to each such Prospectus or SAI will be
     supplied by the Fund to you in reasonable quantities upon request.

     8. In no transaction shall you have any authority  whatever to act as agent
     of the Fund and nothing in this Distribution Agreement shall constitute you
     or the Fund the agent of the  other.  You are not  authorized  to act as an
     underwriter of shares of the Fund or as a dealer in shares of the Fund.

     9.  All  communications  to the  Fund  shall  be  sent  to:  Trent  Capital
     Management, Inc., 3101 N. Elm Street, Suite 150, Greensboro, NC 27408 . Any
     notice to you shall be duly given if mailed or  telegraphed  to you at your
     address as indicated in this Distribution Agreement.

     10. This  Distribution  Agreement may be terminated by us or by you, by the
     vote of a  majority  of the  Trustees  of the  Trust  who  are  Independent
     Trustees, or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund,
     on sixty (60) days' written notice, all without payment of any penalty.  It
     shall also be terminated automatically by any act that terminates the Plan.

     11. The  provisions  of the Plan between the Trust and us,  insofar as they
     relate to you, are incorporated herein by reference.

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                          Page 5
<PAGE>
                                                                       EXHIBIT A

     This Distribution  Agreement shall take effect on the date indicated below,
and the terms and provisions  thereof are hereby accepted and agreed to by us as
evidenced by our execution hereof.


                                        TRENT CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, INC.
                                        As Distribution Coordinator


                                        By:
                                            ------------------------------------
                                            Authorized Officer

                                        Dated:
                                               ---------------------------------

Agreed and Accepted:

- ---------------------------------
(Name)

By:
    -----------------------------
    (Authorized Officer)

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                          Page 6
<PAGE>
                                                                       EXHIBIT A

                       SCHEDULE TO DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT

                         BETWEEN _____________________.
                                       AND
                         TRENT CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, INC.
                           AS DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR

     Pursuant to the provisions of the Distribution  Agreement between the above
parties  with  respect  to  Trent  Capital  Management,   Inc.  as  Distribution
Coordinator,  shall  pay a monthly  fee to the  above-named  party  based on the
average net asset value of shares of the Fund during the previous calendar month
the sales of which are attributable to the above-named party, as follows:


         FUND                                         FEE
         ----                                        -----
         Trent Equity Fund                           0.25%

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                          Page 7
<PAGE>
Please mark, date and return this Proxy by [DATE]

     PROXY  SOLICITED  ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF  TRUSTEES  OF THE TRUST FOR THE
SPECIAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS TO BE HELD ON

                                    [ DATE ]

THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES  UNANIMOUSLY  RECOMMENDS  THAT  SHAREHOLDERS  VOTE FOR THE
ADOPTION OF THE PROPOSAL

                                TRENT EQUITY FUND

The undersigned hereby appoints [NAME] and [NAME] and each of them, his/her true
and  lawful  agents  and  proxies  with full  power of  substitution  in each to
represent the  undersigned at the Special  Meeting of Shareholders to he held on
[DATE]  at the  offices  of the  Advisor  to the  Fund  and at any  adjournments
thereof, on all matters coming before said meeting.


(1)  Adoption  of the Fund's  Distribution  Plan  pursuant  to Rule 12b-1 of the
     Investment Company Act of 1940.

     [ ] FOR                       [ ] AGAINST                  [ ] ABSTAIN

THIS PROXY WHEN PROPERLY EXECUTED WILL BE VOTED IN THE MANNER DIRECTED HEREIN BY
THE  UNDERSIGNED  SHAREHOLDER.  IF NO DECISION IS MADE, THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED
FOR PROPOSAL 1.

Please sign exactly as name or names  appear  hereon.  Joint owners  should both
sign.  Corporate and partnership accounts should be signed in the full corporate
or partnership name by an authorized officer or partner. Fiduciaries should give
full titles as such.


- ------------------------------
Signature


- ------------------------------
Signature


PLEASE INDICATE IF YOU PLAN TO ATTEND THE MEETING [ ]


Dated ______________, 1999


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