IOWA SCHOOLS JOINT INVESTMENT TRUST
PRE 14A, 1997-09-19
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                            SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION

           Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities
                   Exchange Act of 1934 (Ammendment No. ____ )

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
                                             Commission Only (as permitted
                                             by Rule 14a-6 (e) (2))
 [ ] Definitive Proxy Statement
 [ ] Definitive Additional Materials
 [ ] Soliciting Material Pursuant to Rule 14a-11(c) or Rule 14a-12

                       IOWA SCHOOLS JOINT INVESTMENT TRUST
               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
                                2203 Grand Avenue
                           Des Moines, Iowa 50312-5338
               (Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

                              Edgar H. Bittle, Esq.
                           Ahlers, Cooney, Dorweiler,
                          Haynie, Smith & Allbee, P.C.
                                100 Court Avenue
                             Des Moines, Iowa 50309
                     (Name and Address of Agent for Service)

                        Copies of all Communications to:
                               JOHN C. MILES, ESQ.
                  Cline, Williams, Wright, Johnson & Oldfather
                            1900 First Bank Building
                             Lincoln, Nebraska 68508
                                 (402) 474-6900

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)

 [ ] 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.

<PAGE>
                       IOWA SCHOOLS JOINT INVESTMENT TRUST
                                     (ISJIT)


                                  CONSENT FORM


                    SOLICITED BY THE ISJIT BOARD OF TRUSTEES


The enclosed  Information  Statement  describes how ISJIT's Investment  Advisor,
Investors  Management  Group,  will  undergo  a change of  ownership.  Investors
Management Group has served as the Investment Advisor to the ISJIT program since
ISJIT's  inception in 1986.  ISJIT's  Board of Trustees has voted to approve the
New Advisory  Agreement  between ISJIT and Investors  Management  Group which is
substantially identical with the existing agreement.  Certain regulations of the
Securities and Exchange Commission require ISJIT's  participants to also consent
to the New Advisory  Agreement as a result of the change in control.  Each ISJIT
participant is asked to complete and return this Consent Form.


                                    PROPOSAL


THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE IOWA SCHOOLS JOINT  INVESTMENT  TRUST PROPOSES THAT
THE NEW ADVISORY AGREEMENT WITH INVESTORS  MANAGEMENT GROUP, AS DESCRIBED IN THE
INFORMATION  STATEMENT,  BE  APPROVED  TO BECOME  EFFECTIVE  AFTER THE CHANGE OF
OWNERSHIP OF INVESTORS MANAGEMENT GROUP.OME EFFECTIVE AFTER THE CHANGE OF


               CONSENT [ ]                 DO NOT CONSENT [ ] 


You may consent to this Proposal by marking the "Consent" box, signing below and
returning  the Form in the  enclosed  envelope or by FAXing the Form to ISJIT at
1-515-244-2353  by November 17,  1997.  If you sign and return this Consent Form
without marking a preference,  you will be deemed to have consented. If you mark
the "Do Not Consent" box, you will be considered not to have consented. Finally,
if you take no action on this request by November 17, 1997 you will be deemed to
have consented to the Proposal on that date.

This Consent Form must be executed by an Authorized Official,  that is, a person
authorized to execute this Consent Form on behalf of the ISJIT Participant.


Dated:____________________________  ISJIT Participant:_________________________
By:_______________________________  Title:_____________________________________

         Authorized Official

<PAGE>



                       IOWA SCHOOLS JOINT INVESTMENT TRUST
                                2203 GRAND AVENUE
                           DES MOINES, IOWA 50312-5338
                            TELEPHONE (800) 798-1819
                               FAX (515) 244-2353



                       NOTICE OF PARTICIPANT CONSENT VOTE




Notice is hereby  given to the  participants  of Iowa Schools  Joint  Investment
Trust  that a  consent  vote  will be  tabulated  at the  offices  of  Investors
Management Group,  2203 Grand Avenue,  Des Moines,  Iowa 50312-5338,  on Monday,
November  17,  1997,  at 4:30 p.m.  Central  Time to approve the new  Investment
Advisory Agreement, as described in the Information Statement, between the Trust
and  Investors  Management  Group,  to be effective  upon the  completion of the
proposed merger of Investors  Management  Group, and AMCORE Capital  Management,
Inc., the investment subsidiary of AMCORE Financial, Inc.

Participants  of record at the close of  business on  September  30,  1997,  are
entitled to vote their consent.


                                                     By order of the Trustees,





                                                     Don Williams, Chairperson


October 3, 1997





YOUR  CONSENT IS  IMPORTANT.  PLEASE  SIGN AND RETURN YOUR  CONSENT  FORM IN THE
ENCLOSED POSTAGE-PAID ENVELOPE IMMEDIATELY.


<PAGE>


                       IOWA SCHOOLS JOINT INVESTMENT TRUST
                                2203 GRAND AVENUE
                           DES MOINES, IOWA 50312-5338
                            TELEPHONE (800) 798-1819
                               FAX (515) 244-2353

                              INFORMATION STATEMENT


The  enclosed  Consent  Form,  which was first  mailed on October  3,  1997,  is
solicited by the Trustees of Iowa Schools Joint  Investment Trust ("Iowa Schools
Joint  Investment  Trust" or the "Trust") in connection with the consent vote to
be tabulated at the offices of Investors  Management  Group,  2203 Grand Avenue,
Des Moines, Iowa 50312-5338,  on Monday, November 17, 1997, at 4:30 p.m. Central
Time. Consents may be returned by mail or fax. 

                          SOLICITATION OF CONSENT FORMS

The sole  purpose of this  Information  Statement  and Consent Form is to permit
each   participant  of  the  Trust  to  consider  the  New  Advisory   Agreement
(hereinafter  described)  to  take  effect  following  the  consummation  of the
transactions  contemplated  by an Agreement  and Plan of  Reorganization,  dated
September ___, 1997 (the "Merger  Agreement"),  between AMCORE Financial,  Inc.,
and Investors Management Group, the Trust's investment advisor.  Pursuant to the
Merger Agreement,  the investment  advisor will become a wholly owned subsidiary
of AMCORE Financial, Inc. 

THE TRUST WILL FURNISH,  WITHOUT CHARGE, A COPY OF ITS MOST RECENT ANNUAL REPORT
(AND THE MOST  RECENT  SEMI-ANNUAL  REPORT  SUCCEEDING  THE ANNUAL  REPORT) TO A
PARTICIPANT  UPON  REQUEST.  ANY SUCH  REQUEST  SHOULD BE  DIRECTED  TO THE IOWA
SCHOOLS JOINT  INVESTMENT TRUST BY CALLING  1-800-798-1819  OR BY WRITING TO THE
TRUST AT 2203 GRAND AVENUE, DES MOINES, IOWA 50312-5338.

                                  VOTING RIGHTS

The Board of Trustees has fixed the close of business on September  30, 1997, as
the record date (the "Record Date") for the determination of participants of the
Trust   entitled  to  receive  notice  of  and  to  execute  the  consent  form.
Participants signing and returning the consent form without marking a preference
will be deemed to have consented. Participants who take no action on the consent
form by November  17,  1997,  will be deemed to have  consented.  Consent  forms
returned with "Do Not Consent"  marked will be considered not to have consented.
Participants  who execute  consent forms may revoke them at any time before they
are  counted  by filing  with the Trust a written  notice of  revocation,  or by
delivering a duly executed consent form bearing a later date.

The  Proposal  set forth in the Consent Form will be adopted if more than 50% of
the outstanding  participant units entitled to vote consent to, or are deemed to
consent to, its adoption. 

                             THE INVESTMENT ADVISOR

Investors  Management  Group has served as the  investment  advisor to the Trust
since the Trust commenced  investment  operations in 1986.  Investors Management
Group is a federally  registered  investment  advisor  organized in 1982.  Since
then, its principal business has been providing continuous investment management
to pension and profit  sharing  plans,  insurance  companies,  public  agencies,
banks,  endowments and charitable  institutions,  mutual funds,  individuals and
others. As of August 31, 1997, Investors Management Group had approximately $1.6
billion in equity, fixed income, and money market assets under management.

Investors Management Group is also the investment advisor of Liquid Assets Fund,
Municipal  Assets Fund, IMG Mutual Funds,  Inc.,  Iowa Public Agency  Investment
Trust, and sub-advisor of Capital Value Fund, Inc., and engages in certain other
activities unrelated to investment companies.

David W. Miles is President,  Treasurer,  and  Director,  and Mark A. McClurg is
Vice President,  Secretary and Director of Investors Management Group. Each owns
in excess of 20  percent  of the  outstanding  voting  securities  of  Investors
Management Group.  Senior Managing  Directors of Investors  Management Group and
its wholly-owned  subsidiary,  IMG Financial Services,  Inc., are David W. Miles
and Mark A. McClurg.  They intend to devote  substantially all their time to the
operation of Investors Management Group. Their address is 2203 Grand Avenue, Des
Moines, Iowa 50312-5338.

                                   THE MERGER

Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, Investors Management Group will be merged (the
"Merger")  with  and into  AMCORE  Capital  Management,  Inc.,  a  wholly  owned
subsidiary of AMCORE Investment Group,  N.A., which is a wholly owned subsidiary
of AMCORE Financial, Inc., a publicly traded company. Investors Management Group
will be the surviving  organization and will continue to be headquartered in the
historic  Crawford  Mansion located in Des Moines,  Iowa.  Following the Merger,
Investors  Management  Group  will  be  a  wholly  owned  subsidiary  of  AMCORE
Investment Group, N.A.

AMCORE Capital  Management,  Inc., is primarily known for its equity  management
and is the advisor  and  manager of the  nationally  recognized  AMCORE  Vintage
Mutual  Funds,  a family of seven  funds  investing  in stocks and bonds to meet
various  investor  objectives.  The AMCORE Vintage Funds have received  national
rankings  from  Morningstar,  Nelson's,  Investors  Daily  and  Fortune.  AMCORE
Financial,  Inc., is a northern Illinois financial services holding company with
assets exceeding $3 billion.

Under the terms of the Merger Agreement,  each of Investors  Management  Group's
common  shares will be converted  into _____ shares of AMCORE  Financial,  Inc.,
common stock.  The Merger is expected to be consummated on or about December 15,
1997, and is subject to certain closing conditions, including certain regulatory
approvals and the approval of the shareholders of Investors Management Group.

Investors  Management  Group does not anticipate any reduction in the quality of
services  now  provided to the Trust.  In  connection  with the Merger,  certain
officers of Investors  Management Group have entered into employment  agreements
with AMCORE Financial, Inc., which will are intended to assure that the services
of such  officers are available to Investors  Management  Group (and thus to the
Trust) after the Merger.

As a result of the Merger, Mr. Miles will become Chief Operating Officer and Mr.
McClurg  will  become  Managing  Director  for  Client  Development  for  AMCORE
Investment  Group,  N.A., in addition to retaining their  responsibilities  with
Investors  Management  Group. Jay Evans,  presently Chief Investment  Officer of
AMCORE Capital Management,  Inc., will assume that role at Investors  Management
Group.

                             THE ADVISORY AGREEMENT

The  Trustees  of the  Trust  are  proposing  that  participants  approve  a new
investment  advisory agreement (the "New Advisory  Agreement") between the Trust
and Investors  Management Group to be effective upon consummation of the Merger.
In  anticipation  of the  Merger,  a majority of the  Trustees  (all of whom are
considered to be "Disinterested  Trustees")  approved the New Advisory Agreement
on September ___, 1997. The participants of the Trust are being asked to approve
the New Advisory Agreement.

THE CURRENT ADVISORY  AGREEMENT.  The existing Advisor  Agreement ( the "Current
Advisory  Agreement")  was last  approved  by a  majority  of the  Disinterested
Trustees, voting in person at a meeting called for that purpose on May 14, 1996.
The Current Advisory  Agreement provides that the Advisor will supply investment
research and portfolio  management,  including  adequate personnel to market and
supervise  continuously the investment programs of the Trust, the administration
of the investment programs, and the composition of the portfolios.

The Current Advisory Agreement provides that the Advisor shall not be liable for
any  error of  judgment  or of law,  or for any loss  suffered  by the  Trust in
connection  with any matters to which the Current  Advisory  Agreement  relates,
except a loss resulting from willful misfeasance,  bad faith or gross negligence
on the part of the Advisor in the performance of its obligations and duties,  or
by reason of its reckless  disregard of  obligations or duties under the Current
Advisory Agreement. The Current Advisory Agreement may be terminated at any time
by either party without the payment of any penalty upon ninety (90) days written
notice, and automatically terminates in the event of its assignment.

For the fiscal year ended June 30, 1997, the Trust's  Diversified  Portfolio and
Direct Government Obligation Portfolio paid $384,299 and $38,004,  respectively,
for services provided, under the Current Advisory Agreement.

The Trust pays all other expenses incurred in its operation  including,  but not
limited to,  direct  charges  relating to the purchase and sale of its portfolio
securities, interest charges, fees and expenses of legal counsel and independent
auditors,  taxes and governmental fees, expenses of regular and special meetings
of the trustees,  fees and  disbursements  of  custodians,  insurance  premiums,
indemnification  and other  expenses not  expressly  provided for in the Current
Advisory Agreement and any extraordinary expenses of a nonrecurring nature.

THE NEW  ADVISORY  AGREEMENT.  The Board of Trustees  approved  the proposed New
Advisory Agreement between the Trust and Investors Management Group on September
___,  1997.  The form of the proposed New  Advisory  Agreement is  substantially
similar to the Current Advisory  Agreement  between the Trust and its respective
Advisor.  There  are  no  material  differences  between  the  Current  Advisory
Agreement and the New Advisory Agreement.

The investment advisory fee as a percent of net assets payable by the Trust will
be the same  under the New  Advisory  Agreement  as under the  Current  Advisory
Agreement.  That is, 0.15 percent of average daily net assets up to $150 million
and 0.125 percent of average daily net assets exceeding $150 million,  plus 0.10
percent of average  daily net assets of the Trust's  Diversified  Portfolio  for
program  support fees. If the New Advisory  Agreement had been in effect for the
Trust's most recently completed fiscal year,  contractual  advisory fees payable
to the Advisor by the Trust would have been identical to those payable under the
Current Advisory Agreement.

In connection  with  approving the New Advisory  Agreement,  the Trustees held a
special meeting on September ___, 1997. At this meeting, the Trustees considered
the possible effects of the Merger upon the Trust and Investors Management Group
and its ability to provide  investment  advisory  services  with  respect to the
Trust. In evaluating the New Advisory Agreement,  the Trustees took into account
that the Trust's  Current  Advisory  Agreement  and the New Advisory  Agreement,
including  the terms  relating to the services to be provided  thereunder by the
Advisor  and the fees and  expenses  payable  by the  Trust are  identical.  The
Trustees  considered  the  skills  and  capabilities  of  the  Advisor  and  the
representation  that no material change was planned in the current management or
facilities of the Advisor as a result of the Merger. The Trustees considered the
continued  employment of members of senior management of the Advisor pursuant to
future employment contracts to be important to help assure the continuity of the
personnel  primarily  responsible  for  maintaining  the  quality of  investment
advisory and other  services for the Trust.  The Trusts  considered the possible
benefits the Advisor may receive as a result of the Merger.

The Trustees,  all of whom are  Disinterested  Trustees,  concluded  that if the
Merger occurs,  entry by the Trust into a New Advisory Agreement would be in the
best  interest  of the Trust and the  participants  of the  Trust.  The Board of
Trustees  unanimously  approved  the New  Advisory  Agreement  for the Trust and
recommended  such agreement for approval by the  participants of the Trust.  The
New  Advisory  Agreement  will  take  effect  upon the later to occur of (i) the
obtaining  of  participant  consent or (ii) the closing of the  Merger.  The New
Advisory  Agreement will continue in effect until  September 1999 and thereafter
for  successive  annual  periods  as long as such  continuance  is  approved  in
accordance with the 1940 Act. In the event that participants of the Trust do not
approve the New Advisory  Agreement and the Merger is consummated,  the Board of
Trustees  would be forced to seek  investment  advisory  services  from  another
advisory organization.  In the event the Merger is not consummated,  the Advisor
would continue to serve as investment advisor of the Trust pursuant to the terms
of the Current Advisory Agreement.
<PAGE>


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