news release
Zi Corporation and Marty Steinberg, Receiver for the Lancer Funds, Enter into Standstill Agreement
CALGARY, AB, June 22, 2006 - Zi Corporation (TSX:ZIC)(NASDAQ:ZICA), a leading provider of intelligent interface solutions, today announced that it has entered into a mutual agreement with Marty Steinberg, the receiver for the Lancer Funds, that will facilitate discussion towards a possible resolution of each others' concerns.
The Lancer Entities, which have been in receivership since 2003, control approximately 40 percent of Zi's outstanding common shares. These shares represent one of the Lancer Entities' most significant assets. Both Zi and the Receiver initiated legal actions against each other.
The standstill agreement provides for, among other things:
Because the legal proceedings between Zi and the Receiver are in part about whether the Receiver can vote its Zi shares for a different slate of directors at Zi's 2006 Annual General Meeting (AGM), Zi and the Receiver have also agreed that Zi will seek a Court Order allowing it to adjourn the holding of its AGM to no later than February 28, 2007.
- Adjournment and stay of all legal proceedings currently underway for 90 days.
- An agreement that Zi and the Receiver will not start any new legal proceedings against each other for 90 days.
- Dialogue between Zi and the Receiver about the Receiver's concerns regarding the constitution of Zi's board of directors, and the timing and manner of the Receiver's disposition of its Zi shares.
In order to implement the standstill, Zi and the Receiver will have to make several joint applications to the courts and securities commission for adjournments. The standstill is conditional on those applications being granted.
About Zi Corporation
Zi Corporation (www.zicorp.com) is a technology company that delivers intelligent interface solutions to enhance the user experience of wireless and consumer technologies. The company provides device manufacturers and network operators with a full range of intuitive and easy-to-use input solutions, including eZiText® for one-touch predictive text entry, eZiTap for intelligent multi-tap entry, eZiType for keyboard prediction with auto-correction, Decuma® for predictive pen-input handwriting recognition and the Qix service discovery engine to enhance the user experience and drive service usage and adoption. Zi's product portfolio dramatically improves the usability of mobile phones, PDAs, gaming devices and set-top boxes and the applications on them including SMS, MMS, e-mail and Internet browsing. Zi supports its strategic partners and customers from offices in Asia, Europe and North America. A publicly traded company, Zi Corporation is listed on the Nasdaq National Market (ZICA) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (ZIC).
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Zi, Decuma, Qix, eZiTap, eZiText and eZiType are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Zi Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
For more information:
Investor inquires:
Allen & Caron Inc.
Jill Bertotti
(949) 474-4300
jill@allencaron.com
Zi Corporation
Dale Kearns
CFO
(403) 233-8875
investor@zicorp.com
Media inquires:
Allen & Caron Inc.
Len Hall
(949) 474-4300
len@allencaron.com
Hunton & Williams
David Wells, Counsel to the Receiver
Mellon Financial Center
(305) 810-2591
Suite 2500, 1111 Brickell Avenue
Miami, FL 33131