EX-3.1 2 ex3_1.htm EXHIBIT 3.1 ex3_1.htm

Exhibit 3.1
 
AMENDED AND RESTATED
ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
OF
MIDSOUTH BANCORP, INC.
(As Amended through March 15, 2013 and Restated Solely for Purposes of Item 601(b)(3) of Regulation S-K)

ARTICLE I

Name

The name of the Corporation is “MidSouth Bancorp, Inc.”

ARTICLE II

Purpose

The Corporation’s purpose is to engage in any lawful activity for which corporations may be formed under the Business Corporation Law of Louisiana.

ARTICLE III

Capital

A.            Authorized Stock. The Corporation shall have the authority to issue 35,000,000 shares of capital stock, of which 30,000,000 shares shall be Common Stock, $0.10 par value per share, and 5,000,000 shares shall be Preferred Stock, no par value per share.

B.            Preferred Stock. Shares of Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time in one or more series. Authority is hereby vested in the Board of Directors of the Corporation to amend these Articles of Incorporation from time to time to fix the preferences, limitations and relative rights as between the Preferred Stock and the Common Stock and to fix variations in the preferences, limitations and relative rights as between different series of Preferred Stock.

C.            Authorization of Issuance of Common or Preferred Stock. Any issuance of Common or Preferred Stock must be authorized by a majority of Continuing Directors, as defined in these Articles of Incorporation, in addition to a majority of the members of the Board of Directors present at a meeting of directors.

D.            Total Voting Power. For purposes of these Articles of Incorporation, “Total Voting Power” means the total number of votes that shareholders (and holders of any bonds, debentures or other obligations granted voting rights by the Corporation pursuant to La. R.S. 12:75(H)) are entitled to cast with respect to the election of directors or, if such term is used in reference to any other particular matter properly brought before the shareholders for a vote, means the total number of such votes that are entitled to be cast with respect to such matter.

 
 
 

 
 
E.             Designated Preferred Stock.

(1) Designation and Number of Shares.  There is hereby created out of the authorized and unissued shares of preferred stock of the Corporation a series of preferred stock designated as the “Fixed Rate Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series “A” (the “Designated Preferred Stock”).  The authorized number of shares of Designated Preferred Stock shall be 20,000.

(2) Standard Provisions.  The Standard Provisions contained in Annex A that immediately follows this Section E are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety and shall be deemed to be part of this Section E of Article III of the Articles of Incorporation.

(3) Definitions.  The following terms are used in this Section E (including the Standard Provisions in Annex A hereto) and are defined below:

(a) “Common Stock” means the common stock, par value $.10 per share, of the Corporation.

(b) “Dividend Payment Date” means February 15, May 15, August 15 and November 15 of each year.

(c) “Junior Stock” means the Common Stock and any other class or series of stock of the Corporation the terms of which expressly provide that it ranks junior to Designated Preferred Stock as to dividend rights and/or as to rights on liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation.

(d) “Liquidation Amount” means $1,000 per share of Designated Preferred Stock.

(e) “Minimum Amount” means $5,000,000.

(f) “Parity Stock” means any class or series of stock of the Corporation (other than Designated Preferred Stock) the terms of which do not expressly provide that such class or series will rank senior or junior to Designated Preferred Stock as to dividend rights and/or as to rights on liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation (in each case without regard to whether dividends accrue cumulatively or non-cumulatively).

(g) “Signing Date” means the Original Issue Date.

(4) Certain Voting Matters.  Holders of shares of Designated Preferred Stock will be entitled to one vote for each such share on any matter on which holders of Designated Preferred Stock are entitled to vote, including any action by written consent.

ANNEX A TO SECTION E OF ARTICLE III - STANDARD PROVISIONS

Section 1.    General Matters. Each share of Designated Preferred Stock shall be identical in all respects to every other share of Designated Preferred Stock. The Designated Preferred Stock shall be perpetual, subject to the provisions of Section 5 of these Standard Provisions that form a part of Article IIIE of the Articles of Incorporation. The Designated Preferred Stock shall rank equally with Parity Stock and shall rank senior to Junior Stock with respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets in the event of any dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Corporation.

 
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Section 2.    Standard Definitions. As used herein with respect to Designated Preferred Stock:

(a)           “Applicable Dividend Rate” means (i) during the period from the Original Issue Date to, but excluding, the first day of the first Dividend Period commencing on or after the fifth anniversary of the Original Issue Date, 5% per annum and (ii) from and after the first day of the first Dividend Period commencing on or after the fifth anniversary of the Original Issue Date, 9% per annum.

(b)           “Appropriate Federal Banking Agency” means the “appropriate Federal banking agency” with respect to the Corporation as defined in Section 3(q) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. Section 1813(q)), or any successor provision.

(c)           “Business Combination” means a merger, consolidation, statutory share exchange or similar transaction that requires the approval of the Corporation’s stockholders.

(d)           “Business Day” means any day except Saturday, Sunday and any day on which banking institutions in the State of New York generally are authorized or required by law or other governmental actions to close.

(e)           “Bylaws” means the bylaws of the Corporation, as they may be amended from time to time.

(f)           “Certificate of Designations” means the Certificate of Designations or comparable instrument relating to the Designated Preferred Stock, of which these Standard Provisions form a part, as it may be amended from time to time.

(g)           “Charter” means the Corporation’s certificate or articles of incorporation, articles of association, or similar organizational document.

(h)           “Dividend Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(a).

(i)           “Dividend Record Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(a).

(j)           “Liquidation Preference” has the meaning set forth in Section 4(a).

(k)           “Original Issue Date” means the date on which shares of Designated Preferred Stock are first issued.

(l)           “Preferred Director” has the meaning set forth in Section 7(b).
 
 
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(m)           “Preferred Stock” means any and all series of preferred stock of the Corporation, including the Designated Preferred Stock.

(n)           “Qualified Equity Offering” means the sale and issuance for cash by the Corporation to persons other than the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries after the Original Issue Date of shares of perpetual Preferred Stock, Common Stock or any combination of such stock, that, in each case, qualify as and may be included in Tier 1 capital of the Corporation at the time of issuance under the applicable risk-based capital guidelines of the Corporation’s Appropriate Federal Banking Agency (other than any such sales and issuances made pursuant to agreements or arrangements entered into, or pursuant to financing plans which were publicly announced, on or prior to October 13, 2008).

(o)           “Share Dilution Amount” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(b).

(p)           “Standard Provisions” mean these Standard Provisions that form a part of the Certificate of Designations relating to the Designated Preferred Stock.

(q)           “Successor Preferred Stock” has the meaning set forth in Section 5(a).

(r)           “Voting Parity Stock” means, with regard to any matter as to which the holders of Designated Preferred Stock are entitled to vote as specified in Sections 7(a) and 7(b) of these Standard Provisions that form a part of the Certificate of Designations, any and all series of Parity Stock upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable with respect to such matter.

Section 3.   Dividends.

(a) Rate. Holders of Designated Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, on each share of Designated Preferred Stock if, as and when declared by the Board of Directors or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors, but only out of assets legally available therefor, cumulative cash dividends with respect to each Dividend Period (as defined below) at a rate per annum equal to the Applicable Dividend Rate on (i) the Liquidation Amount per share of Designated Preferred Stock and (ii) the amount of accrued and unpaid dividends for any prior Dividend Period on such share of Designated Preferred Stock, if any. Such dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from the Original Issue Date, shall compound on each subsequent Dividend Payment Date (i.e., no dividends shall accrue on other dividends unless and until the first Dividend Payment Date for such other dividends has passed without such other dividends having been paid on such date) and shall be payable quarterly in arrears on each Dividend Payment Date, commencing with the first such Dividend Payment Date to occur at least 20 calendar days after the Original Issue Date. In the event that any Dividend Payment Date would otherwise fall on a day that is not a Business Day, the dividend payment due on that date will be postponed to the next day that is a Business Day and no additional dividends will accrue as a result of that postponement. The period from and including any Dividend Payment Date to, but excluding, the next Dividend Payment Date is a “Dividend Period”, provided that the initial Dividend Period shall be the period from and including the Original Issue Date to, but excluding, the next Dividend Payment Date.

 
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Dividends that are payable on Designated Preferred Stock in respect of any Dividend Period shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months. The amount of dividends payable on Designated Preferred Stock on any date prior to the end of a Dividend Period, and for the initial Dividend Period, shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months, and actual days elapsed over a 30-day month.

Dividends that are payable on Designated Preferred Stock on any Dividend Payment Date will be payable to holders of record of Designated Preferred Stock as they appear on the stock register of the Corporation on the applicable record date, which shall be the 15th calendar day immediately preceding such Dividend Payment Date or such other record date fixed by the Board of Directors or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors that is not more than 60 nor less than 10 days prior to such Dividend Payment Date (each, a “Dividend Record Date”). Any such day that is a Dividend Record Date shall be a Dividend Record Date whether or not such day is a Business Day.

Holders of Designated Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to any dividends, whether payable in cash, securities or other property, other than dividends (if any) declared and payable on Designated Preferred Stock as specified in this Section 3 (subject to the other provisions of the Certificate of Designations).

(b) Priority of Dividends. So long as any share of Designated Preferred Stock remains outstanding, no dividend or distribution shall be declared or paid on the Common Stock or any other shares of Junior Stock (other than dividends payable solely in shares of Common Stock) or Parity Stock, subject to the immediately following paragraph in the case of Parity Stock, and no Common Stock, Junior Stock or Parity Stock shall be, directly or indirectly, purchased, redeemed or otherwise acquired for consideration by the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries unless all accrued and unpaid dividends for all past Dividend Periods, including the latest completed Dividend Period (including, if applicable as provided in Section 3(a) above, dividends on such amount), on all outstanding shares of Designated Preferred Stock have been or are contemporaneously declared and paid in full (or have been declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof has been set aside for the benefit of the holders of shares of Designated Preferred Stock on the applicable record date). The foregoing limitation shall not apply to (i) redemptions, purchases or other acquisitions of shares of Common Stock or other Junior Stock in connection with the administration of any employee benefit plan in the ordinary course of business (including purchases to offset the Share Dilution Amount (as defined below) pursuant to a publicly announced repurchase plan) and consistent with past practice, provided that any purchases to offset the Share Dilution Amount shall in no event exceed the Share Dilution Amount; (ii) purchases or other acquisitions by a broker-dealer subsidiary of the Corporation solely for the purpose of market-making, stabilization or customer facilitation transactions in Junior Stock or Parity Stock in the ordinary course of its business; (iii) purchases by a broker-dealer subsidiary of the Corporation of capital stock of the Corporation for resale pursuant to an offering by the Corporation of such capital stock underwritten by such broker-dealer subsidiary; (iv) any dividends or distributions of rights or Junior Stock in connection with a stockholders’ rights plan or any redemption or repurchase of rights pursuant to any stockholders’ rights plan; (v) the acquisition by the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries of record ownership in Junior Stock or Parity Stock for the beneficial ownership of any other persons (other than the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries), including as trustees or custodians; and (vi) the exchange or conversion of Junior Stock for or into other Junior Stock or of Parity Stock for or into other Parity Stock (with the same or lesser aggregate liquidation amount) or Junior Stock, in each case, solely to the extent required pursuant to binding contractual agreements entered into prior to the Signing Date or any subsequent agreement for the accelerated exercise, settlement or exchange thereof for Common Stock. “Share Dilution Amount” means the increase in the number of diluted shares outstanding (determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, and as measured from the date of the Corporation’s consolidated financial statements most recently filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission prior to the Original Issue Date) resulting from the grant, vesting or exercise of equity-based compensation to employees and equitably adjusted for any stock split, stock dividend, reverse stock split, reclassification or similar transaction.

 
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When dividends are not paid (or declared and a sum sufficient for payment thereof set aside for the benefit of the holders thereof on the applicable record date) on any Dividend Payment Date (or, in the case of Parity Stock having dividend payment dates different from the Dividend Payment Dates, on a dividend payment date falling within a Dividend Period related to such Dividend Payment Date) in full upon Designated Preferred Stock and any shares of Parity Stock, all dividends declared on Designated Preferred Stock and all such Parity Stock and payable on such Dividend Payment Date (or, in the case of Parity Stock having dividend payment dates different from the Dividend Payment Dates, on a dividend payment date falling within the Dividend Period related to such Dividend Payment Date) shall be declared pro rata so that the respective amounts of such dividends declared shall bear the same ratio to each other as all accrued and unpaid dividends per share on the shares of Designated Preferred Stock (including, if applicable as provided in Section 3(a) above, dividends on such amount) and all Parity Stock payable on such Dividend Payment Date (or, in the case of Parity Stock having dividend payment dates different from the Dividend Payment Dates, on a dividend payment date falling within the Dividend Period related to such Dividend Payment Date) (subject to their having been declared by the Board of Directors or a duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors out of legally available funds and including, in the case of Parity Stock that bears cumulative dividends, all accrued but unpaid dividends) bear to each other. If the Board of Directors or a duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors determines not to pay any dividend or a full dividend on a Dividend Payment Date, the Corporation will provide written notice to the holders of Designated Preferred Stock prior to such Dividend Payment Date.

Subject to the foregoing, and not otherwise, such dividends (payable in cash, securities or other property) as may be determined by the Board of Directors or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors may be declared and paid on any securities, including Common Stock and other Junior Stock, from time to time out of any funds legally available for such payment, and holders of Designated Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to participate in any such dividends.
 
 
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Section 4.   Liquidation Rights.
 
(a)  Voluntary or Involuntary Liquidation. In the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary, holders of Designated Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive for each share of Designated Preferred Stock, out of the assets of the Corporation or proceeds thereof (whether capital or surplus) available for distribution to stockholders of the Corporation, subject to the rights of any creditors of the Corporation, before any distribution of such assets or proceeds is made to or set aside for the holders of Common Stock and any other stock of the Corporation ranking junior to Designated Preferred Stock as to such distribution, payment in full in an amount equal to the sum of (i) the Liquidation Amount per share and (ii) the amount of any accrued and unpaid dividends (including, if applicable as provided in Section 3(a) above, dividends on such amount), whether or not declared, to the date of payment (such amounts collectively, the “Liquidation Preference”).

(b)   Partial Payment. If in any distribution described in Section 4(a) above the assets of the Corporation or proceeds thereof are not sufficient to pay in full the amounts payable with respect to all outstanding shares of Designated Preferred Stock and the corresponding amounts payable with respect of any other stock of the Corporation ranking equally with Designated Preferred Stock as to such distribution, holders of Designated Preferred Stock and the holders of such other stock shall share ratably in any such distribution in proportion to the full respective distributions to which they are entitled.

(c)  Residual Distributions. If the Liquidation Preference has been paid in full to all holders of Designated Preferred Stock and the corresponding amounts payable with respect of any other stock of the Corporation ranking equally with Designated Preferred Stock as to such distribution has been paid in full, the holders of other stock of the Corporation shall be entitled to receive all remaining assets of the Corporation (or proceeds thereof) according to their respective rights and preferences.

(d)  Merger, Consolidation and Sale of Assets Not Liquidation. For purposes of this Section 4, the merger or consolidation of the Corporation with any other corporation or other entity, including a merger or consolidation in which the holders of Designated Preferred Stock receive cash, securities or other property for their shares, or the sale, lease or exchange (for cash, securities or other property) of all or substantially all of the assets of the Corporation, shall not constitute a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation.

Section 5. Redemption.

(a)   Optional Redemption. Except as provided below, the Designated Preferred Stock may not be redeemed prior to the first Dividend Payment Date falling on or after the third anniversary of the Original Issue Date. On or after the first Dividend Payment Date falling on or after the third anniversary of the Original Issue Date, the Corporation, at its option, subject to the approval of the Appropriate Federal Banking Agency, may redeem, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time, out of funds legally available therefor, the shares of Designated Preferred Stock at the time outstanding, upon notice given as provided in Section 5(c) below, at a redemption price equal to the sum of (i) the Liquidation Amount per share and (ii) except as otherwise provided below, any accrued and unpaid dividends (including, if applicable as provided in Section 3(a) above, dividends on such amount) (regardless of whether any dividends are actually declared) to, but excluding, the date fixed for redemption.

 
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Notwithstanding the foregoing, prior to the first Dividend Payment Date falling on or after the third anniversary of the Original Issue Date, the Corporation, at its option, subject to the approval of the Appropriate Federal Banking Agency, may redeem, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time, the shares of Designated Preferred Stock at the time outstanding, upon notice given as provided in Section 5(c) below, at a redemption price equal to the sum of (i) the Liquidation Amount per share and (ii) except as otherwise provided below, any accrued and unpaid dividends (including, if applicable as provided in Section 3(a) above, dividends on such amount) (regardless of whether any dividends are actually declared) to, but excluding, the date fixed for redemption; provided that (x) the Corporation (or any successor by Business Combination) has received aggregate gross proceeds of not less than the Minimum Amount (plus the “Minimum Amount” as defined in the relevant certificate of designations for each other outstanding series of preferred stock of such successor that was originally issued to the United States Department of the Treasury (the “Successor Preferred Stock”) in connection with the Troubled Asset Relief Program Capital Purchase Program) from one or more Qualified Equity Offerings (including Qualified Equity Offerings of such successor), and (y) the aggregate redemption price of the Designated Preferred Stock (and any Successor Preferred Stock) redeemed pursuant to this paragraph may not exceed the aggregate net cash proceeds received by the Corporation (or any successor by Business Combination) from such Qualified Equity Offerings (including Qualified Equity Offerings of such successor).

The redemption price for any shares of Designated Preferred Stock shall be payable on the redemption date to the holder of such shares against surrender of the certificate(s) evidencing such shares to the Corporation or its agent. Any declared but unpaid dividends payable on a redemption date that occurs subsequent to the Dividend Record Date for a Dividend Period shall not be paid to the holder entitled to receive the redemption price on the redemption date, but rather shall be paid to the holder of record of the redeemed shares on such Dividend Record Date relating to the Dividend Payment Date as provided in Section 3 above.

(b)   No Sinking Fund. The Designated Preferred Stock will not be subject to any mandatory redemption, sinking fund or other similar provisions. Holders of Designated Preferred Stock will have no right to require redemption or repurchase of any shares of Designated Preferred Stock.

(c)   Notice of Redemption. Notice of every redemption of shares of Designated Preferred Stock shall be given by first class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to the holders of record of the shares to be redeemed at their respective last addresses appearing on the books of the Corporation. Such mailing shall be at least 30 days and not more than 60 days before the date fixed for redemption. Any notice mailed as provided in this Subsection shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not the holder receives such notice, but failure duly to give such notice by mail, or any defect in such notice or in the mailing thereof, to any holder of shares of Designated Preferred Stock designated for redemption shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other shares of Designated Preferred Stock. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if shares of Designated Preferred Stock are issued in book-entry form through The Depository Trust Corporation or any other similar facility, notice of redemption may be given to the holders of Designated Preferred Stock at such time and in any manner permitted by such facility. Each notice of redemption given to a holder shall state: (1) the redemption date; (2) the number of shares of Designated Preferred Stock to be redeemed and, if less than all the shares held by such holder are to be redeemed, the number of such shares to be redeemed from such holder; (3) the redemption price; and (4) the place or places where certificates for such shares are to be surrendered for payment of the redemption price.

 
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(d)   Partial Redemption. In case of any redemption of part of the shares of Designated Preferred Stock at the time outstanding, the shares to be redeemed shall be selected either pro rata or in such other manner as the Board of Directors or a duly authorized committee thereof may determine to be fair and equitable. Subject to the provisions hereof, the Board of Directors or a duly authorized committee thereof shall have full power and authority to prescribe the terms and conditions upon which shares of Designated Preferred Stock shall be redeemed from time to time. If fewer than all the shares represented by any certificate are redeemed, a new certificate shall be issued representing the unredeemed shares without charge to the holder thereof.

(e)   Effectiveness of Redemption. If notice of redemption has been duly given and if on or before the redemption date specified in the notice all funds necessary for the redemption have been deposited by the Corporation, in trust for the pro rata benefit of the holders of the shares called for redemption, with a bank or trust company doing business in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, and having a capital and surplus of at least $500 million and selected by the Board of Directors, so as to be and continue to be available solely therefor, then, notwithstanding that any certificate for any share so called for redemption has not been surrendered for cancellation, on and after the redemption date dividends shall cease to accrue on all shares so called for redemption, all shares so called for redemption shall no longer be deemed outstanding and all rights with respect to such shares shall forthwith on such redemption date cease and terminate, except only the right of the holders thereof to receive the amount payable on such redemption from such bank or trust company, without interest. Any funds unclaimed at the end of three years from the redemption date shall, to the extent permitted by law, be released to the Corporation, after which time the holders of the shares so called for redemption shall look only to the Corporation for payment of the redemption price of such shares.

(f)   Status of Redeemed Shares. Shares of Designated Preferred Stock that are redeemed, repurchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation shall revert to authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock (provided that any such cancelled shares of Designated Preferred Stock may be reissued only as shares of any series of Preferred Stock other than Designated Preferred Stock).

Section 6.   Conversion. Holders of Designated Preferred Stock shares shall have no right to exchange or convert such shares into any other securities.
 
 
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Section 7.  Voting Rights.
 
(a)   General. The holders of Designated Preferred Stock shall not have any voting rights except as set forth below or as otherwise from time to time required by law.

(b)   Preferred Stock Directors. Whenever, at any time or times, dividends payable on the shares of Designated Preferred Stock have not been paid for an aggregate of six quarterly Dividend Periods or more, whether or not consecutive, the authorized number of directors of the Corporation shall automatically be increased by two and the holders of the Designated Preferred Stock shall have the right, with holders of shares of any one or more other classes or series of Voting Parity Stock outstanding at the time, voting together as a class, to elect two directors (hereinafter the “Preferred Directors” and each a “Preferred Director”) to fill such newly created directorships at the Corporation’s next annual meeting of stockholders (or at a special meeting called for that purpose prior to such next annual meeting) and at each subsequent annual meeting of stockholders until all accrued and unpaid dividends for all past Dividend Periods, including the latest completed Dividend Period (including, if applicable as provided in Section 3(a) above, dividends on such amount), on all outstanding shares of Designated Preferred Stock have been declared and paid in full at which time such right shall terminate with respect to the Designated Preferred Stock, except as herein or by law expressly provided, subject to revesting in the event of each and every subsequent default of the character above mentioned; provided that it shall be a qualification for election for any Preferred Director that the election of such Preferred Director shall not cause the Corporation to violate any corporate governance requirements of any securities exchange or other trading facility on which securities of the Corporation may then be listed or traded that listed or traded companies must have a majority of independent directors. Upon any termination of the right of the holders of shares of Designated Preferred Stock and Voting Parity Stock as a class to vote for directors as provided above, the Preferred Directors shall cease to be qualified as directors, the term of office of all Preferred Directors then in office shall terminate immediately and the authorized number of directors shall be reduced by the number of Preferred Directors elected pursuant hereto. Any Preferred Director may be removed at any time, with or without cause, and any vacancy created thereby may be filled, only by the affirmative vote of the holders a majority of the shares of Designated Preferred Stock at the time outstanding voting separately as a class together with the holders of shares of Voting Parity Stock, to the extent the voting rights of such holders described above are then exercisable. If the office of any Preferred Director becomes vacant for any reason other than removal from office as aforesaid, the remaining Preferred Director may choose a successor who shall hold office for the unexpired term in respect of which such vacancy occurred.

(c)   Class Voting Rights as to Particular Matters. So long as any shares of Designated Preferred Stock are outstanding, in addition to any other vote or consent of stockholders required by law or by the Charter, the vote or consent of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of the shares of Designated Preferred Stock at the time outstanding, voting as a separate class, given in person or by proxy, either in writing without a meeting or by vote at any meeting called for the purpose, shall be necessary for effecting or validating:

(i)  Authorization of Senior Stock. Any amendment or alteration of the Certificate of Designations for the Designated Preferred Stock or the Charter to authorize or create or increase the authorized amount of, or any issuance of, any shares of, or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for shares of, any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation ranking senior to Designated Preferred Stock with respect to either or both the payment of dividends and/or the distribution of assets on any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation;

 
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(ii)  Amendment of Designated Preferred Stock. Any amendment, alteration or repeal of any provision of the Certificate of Designations for the Designated Preferred Stock or the Charter (including, unless no vote on such merger or consolidation is required by Section 7 (c)(iii) below, any amendment, alteration or repeal by means of a merger, consolidation or otherwise) so as to adversely affect the rights, preferences, privileges or voting powers of the Designated Preferred Stock; or (iii) Share Exchanges, Reclassifications, Mergers and Consolidations. Any consummation of a binding share exchange or reclassification involving the Designated Preferred Stock, or of a merger or consolidation of the Corporation with another corporation or other entity, unless in each case (x) the shares of Designated Preferred Stock remain outstanding or, in the case of any such merger or consolidation with respect to which the Corporation is not the surviving or resulting entity, are converted into or exchanged for preference securities of the surviving or resulting entity or its ultimate parent, and (y) such shares remaining outstanding or such preference securities, as the case may be, have such rights, preferences, privileges and voting powers, and limitations and restrictions thereof, taken as a whole, as are not materially less favorable to the holders thereof than the rights, preferences, privileges and voting powers, and limitations and restrictions thereof, of Designated Preferred Stock immediately prior to such consummation, taken as a whole; provided, however, that for all purposes of this Section 7(c), any increase in the amount of the authorized Preferred Stock, including any increase in the authorized amount of Designated Preferred Stock necessary to satisfy preemptive or similar rights granted by the Corporation to other persons prior to the Signing Date, or the creation and issuance, or an increase in the authorized or issued amount, whether pursuant to preemptive or similar rights or otherwise, of any other series of Preferred Stock, or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any other series of Preferred Stock, ranking equally with and/or junior to Designated Preferred Stock with respect to the payment of dividends (whether such dividends are cumulative or non-cumulative) and the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation will not be deemed to adversely affect the rights, preferences, privileges or voting powers, and shall not require the affirmative vote or consent of, the holders of outstanding shares of the Designated Preferred Stock.

(d)   Changes after Provision for Redemption. No vote or consent of the holders of Designated Preferred Stock shall be required pursuant to Section 7(c) above if, at or prior to the time when any such vote or consent would otherwise be required pursuant to such Section, all outstanding shares of the Designated Preferred Stock shall have been redeemed, or shall have been called for redemption upon proper notice and sufficient funds shall have been deposited in trust for such redemption, in each case pursuant to Section 5 above.

(e)   Procedures for Voting and Consents. The rules and procedures for calling and conducting any meeting of the holders of Designated Preferred Stock (including, without limitation, the fixing of a record date in connection therewith), the solicitation and use of proxies at such a meeting, the obtaining of written consents and any other aspect or matter with regard to such a meeting or such consents shall be governed by any rules of the Board of Directors or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors, in its discretion, may adopt from time to time which rules and procedures shall conform to the requirements of the Charter, the Bylaws, and applicable law and the rules of any national securities exchange or other trading facility on which Designated Preferred Stock is listed or traded at the time.

 
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Section 8.  Record Holders. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Corporation and the transfer agent for Designated Preferred Stock may deem and treat the record holder of any share of Designated Preferred Stock as the true and lawful owner thereof for all purposes, and neither the Corporation nor such transfer agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.

Section 9.  Notices. All notices or communications in respect of Designated Preferred Stock shall be sufficiently given if given in writing and delivered in person or by first class mail, postage prepaid, or if given in such other manner as may be permitted in this Certificate of Designations, in the Charter or Bylaws or by applicable law. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if shares of Designated Preferred Stock are issued in book-entry form through The Depository Trust Corporation or any similar facility, such notices may be given to the holders of Designated Preferred Stock in any manner permitted by such facility.

Section 10.  No Preemptive Rights. No share of Designated Preferred Stock shall have any rights of preemption whatsoever as to any securities of the Corporation, or any warrants, rights or options issued or granted with respect thereto, regardless of how such securities, or such warrants, rights or options, may be designated, issued or granted.

Section 11. Replacement Certificates. The Corporation shall replace any mutilated certificate at the holder’s expense upon surrender of that certificate to the Corporation. The Corporation shall replace certificates that become destroyed, stolen or lost at the holder’s expense upon delivery to the Corporation of reasonably satisfactory evidence that the certificate has been destroyed, stolen or lost, together with any indemnity that may be reasonably required by the Corporation.

Section 12.  Other Rights. The shares of Designated Preferred Stock shall not have any rights, preferences, privileges or voting powers or relative, participating, optional or other special rights, or qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, other than as set forth herein or in the Charter or as provided by applicable law.

F.   Designation of Senior Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series B.

Part 1. Designation and Number of Shares. There is hereby created out of the authorized and unissued shares of preferred stock of the Issuer a series of preferred stock designated as the “Senior Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series B” (the “Designated Preferred Stock”). The authorized number of shares of Designated Preferred Stock shall be 32,000.

 
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Part 2.  Standard Provisions. The Standard Provisions contained in Schedule A attached hereto are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety and shall be deemed to be a part of this Section F to the same extent as if such provisions had been set forth in full herein.

Part 3.  Definitions. The following terms are used in this Section F (including the Standard Provisions in Schedule A hereto) as defined below:

(a)       “Common Stock” means the common stock, par value $0.10 per share, of the Issuer.

(b)      “Definitive Agreement” means that certain Securities Purchase Agreement by and between Issuer and Treasury, dated as of the Signing Date.

(c)       “Junior Stock” means the Common Stock and any other class or series of stock of the Issuer the terms of which expressly provide that it ranks junior to Designated Preferred Stock as to dividend and redemption rights and/or as to rights on liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Issuer.

(d)       “Liquidation Amount” means $1,000 per share of Designated Preferred Stock.

(e)       “Minimum Amount” means (i) the amount equal to twenty-five percent (25%) of the aggregate Liquidation Amount of Designated Preferred Stock issued on the Original Issue Date or (ii) all of the outstanding Designated Preferred Stock, if the aggregate liquidation preference of the outstanding Designated Preferred Stock is less than the amount set forth in the preceding clause (i).

(f)       “Parity Stock” means any class or series of stock of the Issuer (other than Designated Preferred Stock) the terms of which do not expressly provide that such class or series will rank senior or junior to Designated Preferred Stock as to dividend rights and/or as to rights on liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Issuer (in each case without regard to whether dividends accrue cumulatively or non-cumulatively).

(g)      “Signing Date” means August 25, 2011.

(h)       “Treasury” means the United States Department of the Treasury and any successor in interest thereto.

Part 4.  Certain Voting Matters. Holders of shares of Designated Preferred Stock will be entitled to one vote for each such share on any matter on which holders of Designated Preferred Stock are entitled to vote, including any action by written consent.

SCHEDULE A TO SECTION F OF ARTICLE III - STANDARD PROVISIONS

Section 1.  General Matters. Each share of Designated Preferred Stock shall be identical in all respects to every other share of Designated Preferred Stock. The Designated Preferred Stock shall be perpetual, subject to the provisions of Section 5 of these Standard Provisions that form a part of the Certificate of Designation. The Designated Preferred Stock shall rank equally with Parity Stock and shall rank senior to Junior Stock with respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets in the event of any dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Issuer, as set forth below.

 
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Section 2.  Standard Definitions. As used herein with respect to Designated Preferred Stock:

(a)   “Acquiror,” in any Holding Company Transaction, means the surviving or resulting entity or its ultimate parent in the case of a merger or consolidation or the transferee in the case of a sale, lease or other transfer in one transaction or a series of related transactions of all or substantially all of the consolidated assets of the Issuer and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(b)   “Affiliate” means, with respect to any person, any person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with, such other person. For purposes of this definition, “control” (including, with correlative meanings, the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”) when used with respect to any person, means the possession, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, of the power to cause the direction of management and/or policies of such person, whether through the ownership of voting securities by contract or otherwise.

(c)   “Applicable Dividend Rate” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(a).

(d)   “Appropriate Federal Banking Agency” means the “appropriate Federal banking agency” with respect to the Issuer as defined in Section 3(q) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. Section 1813(q)), or any successor provision.

(e)   “Bank Holding Company” means a company registered as such with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System pursuant to 12 U.S.C. §1842 and the regulations of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System thereunder.

(f)   “Baseline” means the “Initial Small Business Lending Baseline” set forth on the Initial Supplemental Report (as defined in the Definitive Agreement), subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 3(a).

(g)   “Business Combination” means a merger, consolidation, statutory share exchange or similar transaction that requires the approval of the Issuer’s stockholders.

(h)   “Business Day” means any day except Saturday, Sunday and any day on which banking institutions in the State of New York or the District of Columbia generally are authorized or required by law or other governmental actions to close.

(i)   “Bylaws” means the bylaws of the Issuer, as they may be amended from time to time.
 
 
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(j)    “Call Report” has the meaning set forth in the Definitive Agreement.
 
(k)    “Certificate of Designation” means the Certificate of Designation or comparable instrument relating to the Designated Preferred Stock, of which these Standard Provisions form a part, as it may be amended from time to time.

(l)    “Charge-Offs” means the net amount of loans charged off by the Issuer or, if the Issuer is a Bank Holding Company or a Savings and Loan Holding Company, by the IDI Subsidiary(ies) during quarters that begin on or after the Signing Date, determined as follows:

(i)    if the Issuer or the applicable IDI Subsidiary is a bank, by subtracting (A) the aggregate dollar amount of recoveries reflected on line RIAD4605 of its Call Reports for such quarters from (B) the aggregate dollar amount of charge-offs reflected on line RIAD4635 of its Call Reports for such quarters (without duplication as a result of such dollar amounts being reported on a year-to-date basis); or

(ii)   if the Issuer or the applicable IDI Subsidiary is a thrift, by subtracting (A) the sum of the aggregate dollar amount of recoveries reflected on line VA140 of its Call Reports for such quarters and the aggregate dollar amount of adjustments reflected on line VA150 of its Call Reports for such quarters from (B) the aggregate dollar amount of charge-offs reflected on line VA160 of its Call Reports for such quarters.

(m)   “Charter” means the Issuer’s certificate or articles of incorporation, articles of association, or similar organizational document.

(n)   “CPP Lending Incentive Fee” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(e).

(o)   “Current Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(a)(i)(2).

(p)   “Dividend Payment Date” means January 1, April 1, July 1, and October 1 of each year.

(q)   “Dividend Period” means the period from and including any Dividend Payment Date to, but excluding, the next Dividend Payment Date; provided, however, the initial Dividend Period shall be the period from and including the Original Issue Date to, but excluding, the next Dividend Payment Date (the “Initial Dividend Period”).

(r)    “Dividend Record Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(b).

(s)   “Dividend Reference Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(a)(i)(2).

(t)    “GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States.

(u)   “Holding Company Preferred Stock” has the meaning set forth in Section 7(c)(v).
 
 
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(v)    “Holding Company Transaction” means the occurrence of (a) any transaction (including, without limitation, any acquisition, merger or consolidation) the result of which is that a “person” or “group” within the meaning of Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, (i) becomes the direct or indirect ultimate “beneficial owner,” as defined in Rule 13d-3 under that Act, of common equity of the Issuer representing more than 50% of the voting power of the outstanding Common Stock or (ii) is otherwise required to consolidate the Issuer for purposes of generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, or (b) any consolidation or merger of the Issuer or similar transaction or any sale, lease or other transfer in one transaction or a series of related transactions of all or substantially all of the consolidated assets of the Issuer and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to any Person other than one of the Issuer’s subsidiaries; provided that, in the case of either clause (a) or (b), the Issuer or the Acquiror is or becomes a Bank Holding Company or Savings and Loan Holding Company.

(w)   “IDI Subsidiary” means any Issuer Subsidiary that is an insured depository institution.

(x)    “Increase in QSBL” means:

(i) with respect to the first (1st) Dividend Period, the difference obtained by subtracting (A) the Baseline from (B) QSBL set forth in the Initial Supplemental Report (as defined in the Definitive Agreement); and

(ii) with respect to each subsequent Dividend Period, the difference obtained by subtracting (A) the Baseline from (B) QSBL for the Dividend Reference Period for the Current Period.

(y)    “Initial Dividend Period” has the meaning set forth in the definition of “Dividend Period”.

(z)    “Issuer Subsidiary” means any subsidiary of the Issuer.

(aa)  “Liquidation Preference” has the meaning set forth in Section 4(a).

(bb ) “Non-Qualifying Portion Percentage” means, with respect to any particular Dividend Period, the percentage obtained by subtracting the Qualifying Portion Percentage from one (1).

(cc)  “Original Issue Date” means the date on which shares of Designated Preferred Stock are first issued.

(dd)  “Percentage Change in QSBL” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(a)(ii).

(ee)  “Person” means a legal person, including any individual, corporation, estate, partnership, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, limited liability company or trust.

(ff)   “Preferred Director” has the meaning set forth in Section 7(c).
 
 
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(gg)  “Preferred Stock” means any and all series of preferred stock of the Issuer, including the Designated Preferred Stock.

(hh)  “Previously Acquired Preferred Shares” has the meaning set forth in the Definitive Agreement.

(ii)    “Private Capital” means, if the Issuer is Matching Private Investment Supported (as defined in the Definitive Agreement), the equity capital received by the Issuer or the applicable Affiliate of the Issuer from one or more non-governmental investors in accordance with Section 1.3(m) of the Definitive Agreement.

(jj)    “Publicly-traded” means a company that (i) has a class of securities that is traded on a national securities exchange and (ii) is required to file periodic reports with either the Securities and Exchange Commission or its primary federal bank regulator.

(kk)  “Qualified Small Business Lending” or “QSBL” means, with respect to any particular Dividend Period, the “Quarter-End Adjusted Qualified Small Business Lending” for such Dividend Period set forth in the applicable Supplemental Report.

(ll)    “Qualifying Portion Percentage” means, with respect to any particular Dividend Period, the percentage obtained by dividing (i) the Increase in QSBL for such Dividend Period by (ii) the aggregate Liquidation Amount of then-outstanding Designated Preferred Stock.

(mm) “Savings and Loan Holding Company” means a company registered as such with the Office of Thrift Supervision pursuant to 12 U.S.C. §1467a(b) and the regulations of the Office of Thrift Supervision promulgated thereunder.

(nn) “Share Dilution Amount” means the increase in the number of diluted shares outstanding (determined in accordance with GAAP applied on a consistent basis, and as measured from the date of the Issuer’s most recent consolidated financial statements prior to the Signing Date) resulting from the grant, vesting or exercise of equity-based compensation to employees and equitably adjusted for any stock split, stock dividend, reverse stock split, reclassification or similar transaction.

(oo) “Signing Date Tier 1 Capital Amount” means $110,991,000.

(pp) “Standard Provisions” mean these Standard Provisions that form a part of the Certificate of Designation relating to the Designated Preferred Stock.

(qq) “Supplemental Report” means a Supplemental Report delivered by the Issuer to Treasury pursuant to the Definitive Agreement.

 
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(rr)   “Tier 1 Dividend Threshold” means, as of any particular date, the result of the following formula:
 
  ( ( A + B – C ) * 0.9 ) – D
     
  where:
     
 
A =
Signing Date Tier 1 Capital Amount;
     
 
B =
the aggregate Liquidation Amount of the Designated Preferred Stock issued to Treasury;
 
C =
the aggregate amount of Charge-Offs since the Signing Date; and
     
 
D =
(i) beginning on the first day of the eleventh (11th) Dividend Period, the amount equal to ten percent (10%) of the aggregate Liquidation Amount of the Designated Preferred Stock issued to Treasury as of the Effective Date (without regard to any redemptions of Designated Preferred Stock that may have occurred thereafter) for every one percent (1%) of positive Percentage Change in Qualified Small Business Lending between the ninth (9th) Dividend Period and the Baseline; and
(ii) zero (0) at all other times.

(ss)  “Voting Parity Stock” means, with regard to any matter as to which the holders of Designated Preferred Stock are entitled to vote as specified in Section 7(d) of these Standard Provisions that form a part of the Certificate of Designation, any and all series of Parity Stock upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable with respect to such matter.

Section 3.   Dividends.

(a)   Rate.

(i) The “Applicable Dividend Rate” shall be determined as follows:
 
 
(1)
With respect to the Initial Dividend Period, the Applicable Dividend Rate shall be five percent (5%).
 
 
(2)
With respect to each of the second (2nd) through the tenth (10th) Dividend Periods, inclusive (in each case, the “Current Period”), the Applicable Dividend Rate shall be:

(A)   (x) the applicable rate set forth in column “A” of the table in Section 3(a)(iii), based on the Percentage Change in QSBL between the Dividend Period that was two Dividend Periods prior to the Current Period (the “Dividend Reference Period”) and the Baseline, multiplied by (y) the Qualifying Portion Percentage; plus

(B)    (x) five percent (5%) multiplied by (y) the Non-Qualifying Portion Percentage.
 
 
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In each such case, the Applicable Dividend Rate shall be determined at the time the Issuer delivers a complete and accurate Supplemental Report to Treasury with respect to the Dividend Reference Period.
 
 
(3)
With respect to the eleventh (11th) through the eighteenth (18th) Dividend Periods, inclusive, and that portion of the nineteenth (19th) Dividend Period prior to, but not including, the four and one half (4½) year anniversary of the Original Issue Date, the Applicable Dividend Rate shall be:

(A) (x) the applicable rate set forth in column “B” of the table in Section 3(a)(iii), based on the Percentage Change in QSBL between the ninth (9th) Dividend Period and the Baseline, multiplied by (y) the Qualifying Portion Percentage, calculated as of the last day of the ninth (9th) Dividend Period; plus

(B) (x) five percent (5%) multiplied by (y) the Non-Qualifying Portion Percentage, calculated as of the last day of the ninth (9th) Dividend Period.
In such case, the Applicable Dividend Rate shall be determined at the time the Issuer delivers a complete and accurate Supplemental Report to Treasury with respect to the ninth (9th) Dividend Period.
 
 
(4)
With respect to (A) that portion of the nineteenth (19th) Dividend Period beginning on the four and one half (4½) year anniversary of the Original Issue Date and (B) all Dividend Periods thereafter, the Applicable Dividend Rate shall be nine percent (9%).
 
 
(5)
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if the Issuer fails to submit a Supplemental Report that is due during any of the second (2nd) through tenth (10th)
 
 
Dividend Periods on or before the sixtieth (60th) day of such Dividend Period, the Issuer’s QSBL for the Dividend Period that would have been covered by such Supplemental Report shall be zero (0) for purposes hereof.

 
(6)
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, but subject to Section 3(a)(i)(5) above, if the Issuer fails to submit the Supplemental Report that is due during the tenth (10th) Dividend Period, the Issuer’s QSBL shall be zero (0) for purposes of calculating the Applicable Dividend Rate pursuant to Section 3(a)(i)(3) and (4). The Applicable Dividend Rate shall be re-determined effective as of the first day of the calendar quarter following the date such failure is remedied, provided it is remedied prior to the four and one half (4½) anniversary of the Original Issue Date.
 
 
(7)
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if the Issuer fails to submit any of the certificates required by Sections 3.1(d)(ii) or 3.1(d)(iii) of the Definitive Agreement when and as required thereby, the Issuer’s QSBL shall be zero (0) for purposes of calculating the Applicable Dividend Rate pursuant to Section 3(a)(i)(2) or (3) above until such failure is remedied.
 
 
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(ii)   The “Percentage Change in Qualified Lending” between any given Dividend Period and the Baseline shall be the result of the following formula, expressed as a percentage:

(
( QSBL for the Dividend Period – Baseline )
)
x 100
Baseline
(iii)   The following table shall be used for determining the Applicable Dividend Rate:

 
The Applicable Dividend Rate shall be:
If the Percentage Change in Qualified Lending is:
Column “A”
(each of the
2nd – 10th
Dividend Periods)
Column “B”
(11th – 18th, and the first part of the 19th, Dividend Periods)
0% or less
5%
7%
More than 0%, but less than 2.5%
5%
5%
2.5% or more, but less than 5%
4%
4%
5% or more, but less than 7.5%
3%
3%
7.5% or more, but less than 10%
2%
2%
10% or more
1%
1%

(iv)   If the Issuer consummates a Business Combination, a purchase of loans or a purchase of participations in loans and the Designated Preferred Stock remains outstanding thereafter, then the Baseline shall thereafter be the “Quarter-End Adjusted Small Business Lending Baseline” set forth on the Quarterly Supplemental Report (as defined in the Definitive Agreement).

(b)   Payment. Holders of Designated Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, on each share of Designated Preferred Stock if, as and when declared by the Board of Directors or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors, but only out of assets legally available therefor, non-cumulative cash dividends with respect to:

(i)    each Dividend Period (other than the Initial Dividend Period) at a rate equal to one-fourth (¼) of the Applicable Dividend Rate with respect to each Dividend Period on the Liquidation Amount per share of Designated Preferred Stock, and no more, payable quarterly in arrears on each Dividend Payment Date; and

(ii)    the Initial Dividend Period, on the first such Dividend Payment Date to occur at least twenty (20) calendar days after the Original Issue Date, an amount equal to (A) the Applicable Dividend Rate with respect to the Initial Dividend Period multiplied by (B) the number of days from the Original Issue Date to the last day of the Initial Dividend Period (inclusive) divided by 360.

 
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In the event that any Dividend Payment Date would otherwise fall on a day that is not a Business Day, the dividend payment due on that date will be postponed to the next day that is a Business Day and no additional dividends will accrue as a result of that postponement. For avoidance of doubt, “payable quarterly in arrears” means that, with respect to any particular Dividend Period, dividends begin accruing on the first day of such Dividend Period and are payable on the first day of the next Dividend Period.

The amount of dividends payable on Designated Preferred Stock on any date prior to the end of a Dividend Period, and for the initial Dividend Period, shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of four 90-day quarters, and actual days elapsed over a 90-day quarter.

Dividends that are payable on Designated Preferred Stock on any Dividend Payment Date will be payable to holders of record of Designated Preferred Stock as they appear on the stock register of the Issuer on the applicable record date, which shall be the 15th calendar day immediately preceding such Dividend Payment Date or such other record date fixed by the Board of Directors or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors that is not more than 60 nor less than 10 days prior to such Dividend Payment Date (each, a “Dividend Record Date”). Any such day that is a Dividend Record Date shall be a Dividend Record Date whether or not such day is a Business Day.

Holders of Designated Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to any dividends, whether payable in cash, securities or other property, other than dividends (if any) declared and
payable on Designated Preferred Stock as specified in this Section 3 (subject to the other provisions of the Certificate of Designation).

(c)    Non-Cumulative. Dividends on shares of Designated Preferred Stock shall be non-cumulative. If the Board of Directors or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors does not declare a dividend on the Designated Preferred Stock in respect of any Dividend Period:

(i)    the holders of Designated Preferred Stock shall have no right to receive any dividend for such Dividend Period, and the Issuer shall have no obligation to pay a dividend for such Dividend Period, whether or not dividends are declared for any subsequent Dividend Period with respect to the Designated Preferred Stock; and

(ii)   the Issuer shall, within five (5) calendar days, deliver to the holders of the Designated Preferred Stock a written notice executed by the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of the Issuer stating the Board of Directors’ rationale for not declaring dividends.

(d)    Priority of Dividends; Restrictions on Dividends.

(i)    Subject to Sections 3(d)(ii), (iii) and (v) and any restrictions imposed by the Appropriate Federal Banking Agency or, if applicable, the Issuer’s state bank supervisor (as defined in Section 3(r) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. § 1813(q)), so long as any share of Designated Preferred Stock remains outstanding, the Issuer may declare and pay dividends on the Common Stock, any other shares of Junior Stock, or Parity Stock, in each case only if (A) after giving effect to such dividend the Issuer’s Tier 1 capital would be at least equal to the Tier 1 Dividend Threshold, and (B) full dividends on all outstanding shares of Designated Preferred Stock for the most recently completed Dividend Period have been or are contemporaneously declared and paid.

 
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(ii)   If a dividend is not declared and paid in full on the Designated Preferred Stock in respect of any Dividend Period, then from the last day of such Dividend Period until the last day of the third (3rd) Dividend Period immediately following it, no dividend or distribution shall be declared or paid on the Common Stock or any other shares of Junior Stock (other than dividends payable solely in shares of Common Stock) or Parity Stock; provided, however, that in any such Dividend Period in which a dividend is declared and paid on the Designated Preferred Stock, dividends may be paid on Parity Stock to the extent necessary to avoid any material breach of a covenant by which the Issuer is bound.

(iii)  When dividends have not been declared and paid in full for an aggregate of four (4) Dividend Periods or more, and during such time the Issuer was not subject to a regulatory determination that prohibits the declaration and payment of dividends, the Issuer shall, within five (5) calendar days of each missed payment, deliver to the holders of the Designated Preferred Stock a certificate executed by at least a majority of the Board of Directors stating that the Board of Directors used its best efforts
to declare and pay such dividends in a manner consistent with (A) safe and sound banking practices and (B) the directors’ fiduciary obligations.

(iv)  Subject to the foregoing and Section 3(e) below and not otherwise, such dividends (payable in cash, securities or other property) as may be determined by the Board of Directors or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors may be declared and paid on any securities, including Common Stock and other Junior Stock, from time to time out of any funds legally available for such payment, and holders of Designated Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to participate in any such dividends.

(v)   If the Issuer is not Publicly-Traded, then after the tenth (10th) anniversary of the Signing Date, so long as any share of Designated Preferred Stock remains outstanding, no dividend or distribution shall be declared or paid on the Common Stock or any other shares of Junior Stock (other than dividends payable solely in shares of Common Stock) or Parity Stock.

(e) Special Lending Incentive Fee Related to CPP. If Treasury held Previously Acquired Preferred Shares immediately prior to the Original Issue Date and the Issuer did not apply to Treasury to redeem such Previously Acquired Preferred Shares prior to December 16, 2010, and if the Issuer’s Supplemental Report with respect to the ninth (9th) Dividend Period reflects an amount of Qualified Small Business Lending that is less than or equal to the Baseline (or if the Issuer fails to timely file a Supplemental Report with respect to the ninth (9th) Dividend Period), then beginning on April 1, 2014 and on all Dividend Payment Dates thereafter ending on April 1, 2016, the Issuer shall pay to the Holders of Designated Preferred Stock, on each share of Designated Preferred Stock, but only out of assets legally available therefor, a fee equal to 0.5% of the Liquidation Amount per share of Designated Preferred Stock (“CPP Lending Incentive Fee”). All references in Section 3(d) to “dividends” on the Designated Preferred Stock shall be deemed to include the CPP Lending Incentive Fee.

 
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Section 4.    Liquidation Rights.

(a)    Voluntary or Involuntary Liquidation. In the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Issuer, whether voluntary or involuntary, holders of Designated Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive for each share of Designated Preferred Stock, out of the assets of the Issuer or proceeds thereof (whether capital or surplus) available for distribution to stockholders of the Issuer, subject to the rights of any creditors of the Issuer, before any distribution of such assets or proceeds is made to or set aside for the holders of Common Stock and any other stock of the Issuer ranking junior to Designated Preferred Stock as to such distribution, payment in full in an amount equal to the sum of (i) the Liquidation Amount per share and (ii) the amount of any accrued and unpaid dividends on each such share (such amounts collectively, the “Liquidation Preference”).

(b)    Partial Payment. If in any distribution described in Section 4(a) above the assets of the Issuer or proceeds thereof are not sufficient to pay in full the amounts payable with respect to all outstanding shares of Designated Preferred Stock and the corresponding amounts payable with respect of any other stock of the Issuer ranking equally with Designated Preferred Stock as to such distribution, holders of Designated Preferred Stock and the holders of such other
stock shall share ratably in any such distribution in proportion to the full respective distributions to which they are entitled.

(c)    Residual Distributions. If the Liquidation Preference has been paid in full to all holders of Designated Preferred Stock and the corresponding amounts payable with respect of any other stock of the Issuer ranking equally with Designated Preferred Stock as to such distribution has been paid in full, the holders of other stock of the Issuer shall be entitled to receive all remaining assets of the Issuer (or proceeds thereof) according to their respective rights and preferences.

(d)    Merger, Consolidation and Sale of Assets Is Not Liquidation. For purposes of this Section 4, the merger or consolidation of the Issuer with any other corporation or other entity, including a merger or consolidation in which the holders of Designated Preferred Stock receive cash, securities or other property for their shares, or the sale, lease or exchange (for cash, securities or other property) of all or substantially all of the assets of the Issuer, shall not constitute a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Issuer.

Section 5.    Redemption.

(a)   Optional Redemption.

(i)    Subject to the other provisions of this Section 5:
 
 
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(1)
The Issuer, at its option, subject to the approval of the Appropriate Federal Banking Agency, may redeem, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time, out of funds legally available therefor, the shares of Designated Preferred Stock at the time outstanding; and
 
 
(2)
If, after the Signing Date, there is a change in law that modifies the terms of Treasury’s investment in the Designated Preferred Stock or the terms of Treasury’s Small Business Lending Fund program in a materially adverse respect for the Issuer, the Issuer may, after consultation with the Appropriate Federal Banking Agency, redeem all of the shares of Designated Preferred Stock at the time outstanding.
 
(ii) The per-share redemption price for shares of Designated Preferred Stock shall be equal to the sum of:
 
 
(1)
the Liquidation Amount per share,
 
(2)
the per-share amount of any unpaid dividends for the then current Dividend Period at the Applicable Dividend Rate to, but excluding, the date fixed for redemption (regardless of whether any dividends are actually declared for that Dividend Period; and
 
(3)
the pro rata amount of CPP Lending Incentive Fees for the current Dividend Period.
 
The redemption price for any shares of Designated Preferred Stock shall be payable on the redemption date to the holder of such shares against surrender of the certificate(s) evidencing such shares to the Issuer or its agent. Any declared but unpaid dividends for the then current Dividend Period payable on a redemption date that occurs subsequent to the Dividend Record Date for a Dividend Period shall not be paid to the holder entitled to receive the redemption price on the redemption date, but rather shall be paid to the holder of record of the redeemed shares on such Dividend Record Date relating to the Dividend Payment Date as provided in Section 3 above.

(b)   No Sinking Fund. The Designated Preferred Stock will not be subject to any mandatory redemption, sinking fund or other similar provisions. Holders of Designated Preferred Stock will have no right to require redemption or repurchase of any shares of Designated Preferred Stock.

(c)   Notice of Redemption. Notice of every redemption of shares of Designated Preferred Stock shall be given by first class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to the holders of record of the shares to be redeemed at their respective last addresses appearing on the books of the Issuer. Such mailing shall be at least 30 days and not more than 60 days before the date fixed for redemption. Any notice mailed as provided in this Subsection shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not the holder receives such notice, but failure duly to give such notice by mail, or any defect in such notice or in the mailing thereof, to any holder of shares of Designated Preferred Stock designated for redemption shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other shares of Designated Preferred Stock. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if shares of Designated Preferred Stock are issued in book-entry form through The Depository Trust Company or any other similar facility, notice of redemption may be given to the holders of Designated Preferred Stock at such time and in any manner permitted by such facility. Each notice of redemption given to a holder shall state: (1) the redemption date; (2) the number of shares of Designated Preferred Stock to be redeemed and, if less than all the shares held by such holder are to be redeemed, the number of such shares to be redeemed from such holder; (3) the redemption price; and (4) the place or places where certificates for such shares are to be surrendered for payment of the redemption price.

 
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(d)   Partial Redemption. In case of any redemption of part of the shares of Designated Preferred Stock at the time outstanding, the shares to be redeemed shall be selected either pro rata or in such other manner as the Board of Directors or a duly authorized committee thereof may determine to be fair and equitable, but in any event the shares to be redeemed shall not be less than the Minimum Amount. Subject to the provisions hereof, the Board of Directors or a duly authorized committee thereof shall have full power and authority to prescribe the terms and conditions upon which shares of Designated Preferred Stock shall be redeemed from time to time, subject to the approval of the Appropriate Federal Banking Agency. If fewer than all the shares represented by any certificate are redeemed, a new certificate shall be issued representing the unredeemed shares without charge to the holder thereof.

(e)   Effectiveness of Redemption. If notice of redemption has been duly given and if on or before the redemption date specified in the notice all funds necessary for the redemption have been deposited by the Issuer, in trust for the pro rata benefit of the holders of the shares called for redemption, with a bank or trust company doing business in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, and having a capital and surplus of at least $500 million and selected by the Board of Directors, so as to be and continue to be available solely therefor, then, notwithstanding that any certificate for any share so called for redemption has not been surrendered for cancellation, on and after the redemption date dividends shall cease to accrue on all shares so called for redemption, all shares so called for redemption shall no longer be deemed outstanding and all rights with respect to such shares shall forthwith on such redemption date cease and terminate, except only the right of the holders thereof to receive the amount payable on such redemption from such bank or trust company, without interest. Any funds unclaimed at the end of three years from the redemption date shall, to the extent permitted by law, be released to the Issuer, after which time the holders of the shares so called for redemption shall look only to the Issuer for payment of the redemption price of such shares.

(f) Status of Redeemed Shares. Shares of Designated Preferred Stock that are redeemed, repurchased or otherwise acquired by the Issuer shall revert to authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock (provided that any such cancelled shares of Designated Preferred Stock may be reissued only as shares of any series of Preferred Stock other than Designated Preferred Stock).

Section 6.    Conversion. Holders of Designated Preferred Stock shares shall have no right to exchange or convert such shares into any other securities.

Section 7.    Voting Rights.

(a)    General. The holders of Designated Preferred Stock shall not have any voting rights except as set forth below or as otherwise from time to time required by law.

 
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(b)    Board Observation Rights. Whenever, at any time or times, dividends on the shares of Designated Preferred Stock have not been declared and paid in full within five (5) Business Days after each Dividend Payment Date for an aggregate of five (5) Dividend Periods or more, whether or not consecutive, the Issuer shall invite a representative selected by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Designated Preferred Stock, voting as a single class, to attend all meetings of its Board of Directors in a nonvoting observer capacity and, in this respect, shall give such representative copies of all notices, minutes, consents, and other materials that it provides to its directors in connection with such meetings; provided, that the holders of the Designated Preferred Stock shall not be obligated to select such a representative, nor shall such representative, if selected, be obligated to attend any meeting to which he/she is invited. The rights of the holders of the Designated Preferred Stock set forth in this Section 7(b) shall terminate when full dividends have been timely paid on the Designated Preferred Stock for at least four consecutive Dividend Periods, subject to revesting in the event of each and every subsequent default of the character above mentioned.

(c)    Preferred Stock Directors. Whenever, at any time or times, (i) dividends on the shares of Designated Preferred Stock have not been declared and paid in full within five (5) Business Days after each Dividend Payment Date for an aggregate of six (6) Dividend Periods or more, whether or not consecutive, and (ii) the aggregate liquidation preference of the then-outstanding shares of Designated Preferred Stock is greater than or equal to $25,000,000, the authorized number of directors of the Issuer shall automatically be increased by two and the holders of the Designated Preferred Stock, voting as a single class, shall have the right, but not the obligation, to elect two directors (hereinafter the “Preferred Directors” and each a “Preferred Director”) to fill such newly created directorships at the Issuer’s next annual meeting of stockholders (or, if the next annual meeting is not yet scheduled or is scheduled to occur more than thirty days later, the President of the Company shall promptly call a special meeting for that purpose) and at each subsequent annual meeting of stockholders until full dividends have been timely paid on the Designated Preferred Stock for at least four consecutive Dividend Periods, at which time such right shall terminate with respect to the Designated Preferred Stock, except as herein or by law expressly provided, subject to revesting in the event of each and every subsequent default of the character above mentioned; provided that it shall be a qualification for election for any Preferred Director that the election of such Preferred Director shall not cause the Issuer to violate any corporate governance requirements of any securities exchange or other trading facility on which securities of the Issuer may then be listed or traded that listed or traded companies must have a majority of independent directors. Upon any termination of the right of the holders of shares of Designated Preferred Stock to vote for directors as provided above, the Preferred Directors shall cease to be qualified as directors, the term of office of all Preferred Directors then in office shall terminate immediately and the authorized number of directors shall be reduced by the number of Preferred Directors elected pursuant hereto. Any Preferred Director may be removed at any time, with or without cause, and any vacancy created thereby may be filled, only by the affirmative vote of the holders a majority of the shares of Designated Preferred Stock at the time outstanding voting separately as a class. If the office of any Preferred Director becomes vacant for any reason other than removal from office as aforesaid, the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Designated Preferred Stock, voting as a single class, may choose a successor who shall hold office for the unexpired term in respect of which such vacancy occurred.

 
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(d)   Class Voting Rights as to Particular Matters. So long as any shares of Designated Preferred Stock are outstanding, in addition to any other vote or consent of stockholders required by law or by the Charter, the written consent of (x) Treasury if Treasury holds any shares of Designated Preferred Stock, or (y) the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Designated Preferred Stock, voting as a single class, if Treasury does not hold any shares of Designated Preferred Stock, shall be necessary for effecting or validating:

(i)    Authorization of Senior Stock. Any amendment or alteration of the Certificate of Designation for the Designated Preferred Stock or the Charter to authorize or create or increase the authorized amount of, or any issuance of, any shares of, or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for shares of, any class or series of capital stock of the Issuer ranking senior to Designated Preferred Stock with respect to either or both the payment of dividends and/or the distribution of assets on any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Issuer;

(ii)    Amendment of Designated Preferred Stock. Any amendment, alteration or repeal of any provision of the Certificate of Designation for the Designated Preferred Stock or the Charter (including, unless no vote on such merger or consolidation is required by Section 7(d)(iii) below, any amendment, alteration or repeal by means of a merger, consolidation or otherwise) so as to adversely affect the rights, preferences, privileges or voting powers of the Designated Preferred Stock;

(iii)   Share Exchanges, Reclassifications, Mergers and Consolidations. Subject to Section 7(d)(v) below, any consummation of a binding share exchange or reclassification involving the Designated Preferred Stock, or of a merger or consolidation of the Issuer with another corporation or other entity, unless in each case (x) the shares of Designated Preferred Stock remain outstanding or, in the case of any such merger or consolidation with respect to which the Issuer is not the surviving or resulting entity, are converted into or exchanged for preference securities of the surviving or resulting entity or its ultimate parent, and (y) such shares remaining outstanding or such preference securities, as the case may be, have such rights, preferences, privileges and voting powers, and limitations and restrictions thereof that are the same as the rights, preferences, privileges and voting powers, and limitations and restrictions thereof, of Designated Preferred Stock immediately prior to such consummation, taken as a whole; provided, that in all cases, the obligations of the Issuer are assumed (by operation of law or by express written assumption) by the resulting entity or its ultimate parent;

(iv)  Certain Asset Sales. Any sale of all, substantially all, or any material portion of, the assets of the Company, if the Designated Preferred Stock will not be redeemed in full contemporaneously with the consummation of such sale; and

 
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(v)   Holding Company Transactions. Any consummation of a Holding Company Transaction, unless as a result of the Holding Company Transaction each share of Designated Preferred Stock shall be converted into or exchanged for one share with an equal liquidation preference of preference securities of the Issuer or the Acquiror (the “Holding Company Preferred Stock”). Any such Holding Company Preferred Stock shall entitle holders thereof to dividends from the date of issuance of such Holding Company Preferred Stock on terms that are equivalent to the terms set forth herein, and shall have such other rights, preferences, privileges and voting powers, and limitations and restrictions thereof that are the same as the rights, preferences, privileges and voting powers, and limitations and restrictions thereof, of Designated Preferred Stock immediately prior to such conversion or exchange, taken as a whole; provided, however, that for all purposes of this Section 7(d), any increase in the amount of the authorized Preferred Stock, including any increase in the authorized amount of Designated Preferred Stock necessary to satisfy preemptive or similar rights granted by the Issuer to other persons prior to the Signing Date, or the creation and issuance, or an increase in the authorized or issued amount, whether pursuant to preemptive or similar rights or otherwise, of any other series of Preferred Stock, or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any other series of Preferred Stock, ranking equally with and/or junior to Designated Preferred Stock with respect to the payment of dividends (whether such dividends are cumulative or non-cumulative) and the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Issuer will not be deemed to adversely affect the rights, preferences, privileges or voting powers, and shall not require the affirmative vote or consent of, the holders of outstanding shares of the Designated Preferred Stock.

(e)   Changes after Provision for Redemption. No vote or consent of the holders of Designated Preferred Stock shall be required pursuant to Section 7(d) above if, at or prior to the time when any such vote or consent would otherwise be required pursuant to such Section, all outstanding shares of the Designated Preferred Stock shall have been redeemed, or shall have been called for redemption upon proper notice and sufficient funds shall have been deposited in trust for such redemption, in each case pursuant to Section 5 above.

(f)    Procedures for Voting and Consents. The rules and procedures for calling and conducting any meeting of the holders of Designated Preferred Stock (including, without limitation, the fixing of a record date in connection therewith), the solicitation and use of proxies at such a meeting, the obtaining of written consents and any other aspect or matter with regard to such a meeting or such consents shall be governed by any rules of the Board of Directors or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors, in its discretion, may adopt from time to time, which rules and procedures shall conform to the requirements of the Charter, the Bylaws, and applicable law and the rules of any national securities exchange or other trading facility on which Designated Preferred Stock is listed or traded at the time.

Section 8.      Restriction on Redemptions and Repurchases.

(a)    Subject to Sections 8(b) and (c), so long as any share of Designated Preferred Stock remains outstanding, the Issuer may repurchase or redeem any shares of Capital Stock (as defined below), in each case only if (i) after giving effect to such dividend, repurchase or redemption, the Issuer’s Tier 1 capital would be at least equal to the Tier 1 Dividend Threshold and (ii) dividends on all outstanding shares of Designated Preferred Stock for the most recently completed Dividend Period have been or are contemporaneously declared and paid (or have been declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof has been set aside for the benefit of the holders of shares of Designated Preferred Stock on the applicable record date).
 
 
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(b)    If a dividend is not declared and paid on the Designated Preferred Stock in respect of any Dividend Period, then from the last day of such Dividend Period until the last day of the third (3rd) Dividend Period immediately following it, neither the Issuer nor any Issuer Subsidiary shall, redeem, purchase or acquire any shares of Common Stock, Junior Stock, Parity Stock or other capital stock or other equity securities of any kind of the Issuer or any Issuer Subsidiary, or any trust preferred securities issued by the Issuer or any Affiliate of the Issuer (“Capital Stock”), (other than (i) redemptions, purchases, repurchases or other acquisitions of the Designated Preferred Stock and (ii) repurchases of Junior Stock or Common Stock in connection with the administration of any employee benefit plan in the ordinary course of business (including purchases to offset any Share Dilution Amount pursuant to a publicly announced repurchase plan) and consistent with past practice; provided that any purchases to offset the Share Dilution Amount shall in no event exceed the Share Dilution Amount, (iii) the acquisition by the Issuer or any of the Issuer Subsidiaries of record ownership in Junior Stock or Parity Stock for the beneficial ownership of any other persons (other than the Issuer or any other Issuer Subsidiary), including as trustees or custodians, (iv) the exchange or conversion of Junior Stock for or into other Junior Stock or of Parity Stock or trust preferred securities for or into other Parity Stock (with the same or lesser aggregate liquidation amount) or Junior Stock, in each case set forth in this clause (iv), solely to the extent required pursuant to binding contractual agreements entered into prior to the Signing Date or any subsequent agreement for the accelerated exercise, settlement or exchange thereof for Common Stock, (v) redemptions of securities held by the Issuer or any wholly-owned Issuer Subsidiary or (vi) redemptions, purchases or other acquisitions of capital stock or other equity securities of any kind of any Issuer Subsidiary required pursuant to binding contractual agreements entered into prior to (x) if Treasury held Previously Acquired Preferred Shares immediately prior to the Original Issue Date, the original issue date of such Previously Acquired Preferred Shares, or (y) otherwise, the Signing Date).

(c)    If the Issuer is not Publicly-Traded, then after the tenth (10th) anniversary of the Signing Date, so long as any share of Designated Preferred Stock remains outstanding, no Common Stock, Junior Stock or Parity Stock shall be, directly or indirectly, purchased, redeemed or otherwise acquired for consideration by the Issuer or any of its subsidiaries.

Section 9.      No Preemptive Rights. No share of Designated Preferred Stock shall have any rights of preemption whatsoever as to any securities of the Issuer, or any warrants, rights or options issued or granted with respect thereto, regardless of how such securities, or such warrants, rights or options, may be designated, issued or granted.

Section 10.    References to Line Items of Supplemental Reports. If Treasury modifies the form of Supplemental Report, pursuant to its rights under the Definitive Agreement, and any such modification includes a change to the caption or number of any line item on the Supplemental Report, then any reference herein to such line item shall thereafter be a reference to such re-captioned or re-numbered line item.

Section 11.    Record Holders. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Issuer and the transfer agent for Designated Preferred Stock may deem and treat the record holder of any share of Designated Preferred Stock as the true and lawful owner thereof for all purposes, and neither the Issuer nor such transfer agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.
 
 
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Section 12.    Notices. All notices or communications in respect of Designated Preferred Stock shall be sufficiently given if given in writing and delivered in person or by first class mail, postage prepaid, or if given in such other manner as may be permitted in this Certificate of Designation, in the Charter or Bylaws or by applicable law. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if shares of Designated Preferred Stock are issued in book-entry form through The Depository Trust Company or any similar facility, such notices may be given to the holders of Designated Preferred Stock in any manner permitted by such facility.

Section 13.    Replacement Certificates. The Issuer shall replace any mutilated certificate at the holder’s expense upon surrender of that certificate to the Issuer. The Issuer shall replace certificates that become destroyed, stolen or lost at the holder’s expense upon delivery to the Issuer of reasonably satisfactory evidence that the certificate has been destroyed, stolen or lost, together with any indemnity that may be reasonably required by the Issuer.

Section 14.    Other Rights. The shares of Designated Preferred Stock shall not have any rights, preferences, privileges or voting powers or relative, participating, optional or other special rights, or qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, other than as set forth herein or in the Charter or as provided by applicable law.

G.    Designation of 4.00% Non-Cumulative Perpetual Convertible Preferred Stock, Series C.

Section 1. Designation of Series and Number of Shares. The shares of such series of Preferred Stock shall be designated “4.00% Non-Cumulative Perpetual Convertible Preferred Stock, Series C” (the “Series C Preferred Stock”), and the authorized number of shares that shall constitute such series shall be 100,000 shares and the shares shall have no par value per share. The Corporation may from time-to-time take such appropriate action as may be necessary to reduce the authorized number of shares of Series C Preferred Stock, but not below the number of shares of Series C Preferred Stock then outstanding.

Section 2. Ranking. The Series C Preferred Stock will rank, with respect to the payment of dividends and distributions upon liquidation, dissolution or winding-up, (1) on a parity with the Series B Preferred Stock and each class or series of capital stock the Corporation may issue in the future the terms of which expressly provide that such class or series will not rank senior or junior to the Series C Preferred Stock as to dividend rights and rights on liquidation, winding up or dissolution of the Corporation (collectively, the “Parity Securities”) and (2) senior to Common Stock and each other class or series of capital stock the Corporation may issue in the future the terms of which do not expressly provide that it ranks on a parity with or senior to the Series C Preferred Stock as to dividend rights and rights on liquidation, winding-up or dissolution of the Corporation (the “Junior Securities”).

Section 3. Definitions. As used herein with respect to the Series C Preferred Stock:
 
 
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(a) “Applicable Conversion Rate” at any given time, means for each share of Series C Preferred Stock, the number of shares of Common Stock equal to the Liquidation Preference divided by the Conversion Price in effect at such time.

(b) “Appropriate Federal Banking Agency” means the “appropriate Federal banking agency” with respect to the Corporation as defined in Section 3(q) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. Section 1813(q)), or any successor provision.

(c) “Articles of Incorporation” shall mean the articles of incorporation of the Corporation, as it may be amended from time to time, and shall include this Series C Preferred Stock Designation.

(d) “Board of Directors” means the board of directors of the Corporation or any committee thereof duly authorized to act on behalf of such board of directors.

(e) “Business Day” means any day that is not Saturday or Sunday and that, in Lafayette, Louisiana, is not a day on which banking institutions generally are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to be closed.

(f) “Bylaws” means the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Corporation, as may be amended from time to time.

(g) “Capital Treatment Event” means the receipt by the Corporation of an opinion of counsel experienced in such matters to the effect that, as a result of the occurrence of any amendment to, or change (including any announced prospective change) in, the laws, rules or regulations of the United States or any political subdivision thereof or therein, or as the result of any official or administrative pronouncement or action or decision interpreting or applying such laws, rules or regulations, which amendment or change is effective or which pronouncement, action or decision is announced on or after the Issue Date, there is more than an insubstantial risk that the Corporation will not, within 90 days of the date of such opinion, be entitled to treat an amount equal to the aggregate Liquidation Preference of the Series C Preferred Stock as “Tier 1 Capital” (or its then equivalent) for purposes of the capital adequacy guidelines of the Appropriate Federal Banking Agency, as then in effect and applicable to the Corporation.

(h) “Closing Price” of the Common Stock on any determination date means the closing sale price or, if no closing sale price is reported, the last reported sale price of the shares of the Common Stock on the NYSE MKT on such date. If the Common Stock is not traded on the NYSE MKT on any determination date, the Closing Price of the Common Stock on such determination date means the closing sale price as reported in the composite transactions for the principal U.S. national or regional securities exchange on which the Common Stock is so listed or quoted, or, if no closing sale price is reported, the last reported sale price on the principal U.S. national or regional securities exchange on which the Common Stock is so listed or quoted, or if the Common Stock is not so listed or quoted on a U.S. national or regional securities exchange, the last quoted bid price for the Common Stock in the over-the-counter market as reported by Pink Sheets LLC or a similar organization, or, if that bid price is not available, the market price of the Common Stock on that date as determined by a nationally recognized independent investment banking firm retained by the Corporation for this purpose.

 
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For purposes of this Series C Preferred Stock Designation, all references herein to the “Closing Price” and “last reported sale price” of the Common Stock on the NYSE MKT shall be such closing sale price and last reported sale price as reflected on the website of the NYSE MKT (http://www.nyse.com) or any successor thereto and as reported by Bloomberg Professional Service or any successor thereto; provided that in the event that there is a discrepancy between the closing sale price or last reported sale price as reflected on the website of the NYSE MKT and as reported by Bloomberg Professional Service or any successor thereto, the closing sale price and last reported sale price on the website of the NYSE MKT shall govern. If a Reorganization Event has occurred and (1) the Exchange Property consists only of shares of common stock, the “Closing Price” shall be based on the closing price per share of such common stock; (2) the Exchange Property consists only of cash, the “Closing Price” shall be the cash amount paid per share; and (3) the Exchange Property consists of securities, cash and/or other property, the “Closing Price” shall be based on the sum, as applicable, of (x) the closing price of such common stock, (y) the cash amount paid per share and (z) the value (as determined by the Board of Directors from time-to-time) of any other securities or property paid to the holders of the Common Stock connection with the Reorganization Event.

(i) “Common Stock” means the common stock, $0.10 value per share, of the Corporation.

(j) “Corporation” means MidSouth Bancorp, Inc., a Louisiana corporation.

(k) “Conversion Agent” shall mean the Transfer Agent acting in its capacity as conversion agent for the Series C Preferred Stock, and its successors and assigns.

(l) “Conversion Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 9(e)(ii).

(m) “Conversion Price” means for each share of Series C Preferred Stock, $18.00 (subject to adjustment or limitation as provided herein).

(n) “Depositary” means DTC or its nominee or any successor depositary appointed by the Corporation.

(o) “Dividend Payment Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 4(b).

(p) “Dividend Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 4(b).

(q) “DTC” means The Depository Trust Company and its successors or assigns.

(r) “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

(s) “Exchange Property” has the meaning set forth in Section 12(a).
 
 
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(t) “Holder” means the Person in whose name the shares of the Series C Preferred Stock are registered, which may be treated by the Corporation, Transfer Agent, Registrar, paying agent and Conversion Agent as the absolute owner of the shares of Series C Preferred Stock for the purpose of making payment and settling the related conversions and for all other purposes.

(u) “Issue Date” means the date on which shares of the Series C Preferred Stock are first issued.

(v) “Junior Securities” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.

(w) “Liquidation Preference” means, as to the Series C Preferred Stock, $100.00 per share.

(x) “Mandatory Conversion Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 10(a).

(y) “Notice of Mandatory Conversion” has the meaning set forth in Section 10(b).

(z) “Parity Securities” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.

(aa) “Person” means a legal person, including any individual, corporation, estate, partnership, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, limited liability company or trust.

(bb) “Preferred Stock” means any and all series of preferred stock of the Corporation, including the Series B Preferred Stock and the Series C Preferred Stock.

(cc) “Record Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 4(b).

(dd) “Registrar” shall mean the Transfer Agent acting in its capacity as registrar for the Series C Preferred Stock, and its successors and assigns or any other registrar duly appointed by the Corporation.

(ee) “Reorganization Event” has the meaning set forth in Section 12(a).

(ff) “Series B Preferred Stock” means the Senior Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series B, of the Corporation.

(gg) “Series C Preferred Stock Designation” means this Articles of Amendment relating to the Series C Preferred Stock, as it may be amended from time to time

(hh) “Trading Day” means a day on which the shares of Common Stock:

(i) are not suspended from trading on any national or regional securities exchange or association or over-the-counter market at the close of business; and

 
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(ii) have traded at least once on the national or regional securities exchange or association or over-the-counter market that is the primary market for the trading of the Common Stock.

(ii) “Transfer Agent” means Computershare Shareowner Services LLC acting as Transfer Agent, Registrar, paying agent and Conversion Agent for the Series C Preferred Stock, and its successors and assigns, including any successor transfer agent appointed by the Corporation.

Section 4. Dividends.

(a)  From and after the Issue Date, Holders shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if authorized by the Board of Directors and declared by the Corporation, out of legally available funds, on a non-cumulative basis, cash dividends in the amount determined as set forth in Section 4(c), and no more.

(b) Subject to Section 4(a), dividends shall be payable quarterly in arrears on January 15, April 15, July 15 and October 15 of each year (each, a “Dividend Payment Date”) commencing on April 15, 2013. Each dividend will be payable to Holders of record as they appear in the stock register of the Corporation at the close of business on the first day of the month, whether or not a Business Day, in which the relevant Dividend Payment Date occurs (each, a “Record Date”). Each period from and including a Dividend Payment Date (or the date of the issuance of the Series C Preferred Stock) to but excluding the following Dividend Payment Date is herein referred to as a “Dividend Period.”

(c)  Dividends, if, when and as authorized and declared by the Board of Directors, will be payable, for each outstanding share of Series C Preferred Stock, at an annual rate of 4.00% on the per share Liquidation Preference. Dividends payable for a Dividend Period will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months. If a scheduled Dividend Payment Date falls on a day that is not a Business Day, the dividend will be paid on the next Business Day as if it were paid on the scheduled Dividend Payment Date, and no interest or other amount will accrue on the dividend so payable for the period from and after that Dividend Payment Date to the date the dividend is paid. No interest or sum of money in lieu of interest will be paid on any dividend payment on shares of Series C Preferred Stock paid later than the scheduled Dividend Payment Date.

(d)  Dividends on the Series C Preferred Stock are non-cumulative. If the Board of Directors does not authorize and declare a dividend on the Series C Preferred Stock or if the Board of Directors authorizes and declares less than a full dividend in respect of any Dividend Period, the Holders will have no right to receive any dividend or a full dividend, as the case may be, for the Dividend Period, and the Corporation will have no obligation to pay a dividend or to pay full dividends for that Dividend Period, whether or not dividends are authorized, declared and paid for any future Dividend Period with respect to the Series C Preferred Stock or the Common Stock or any other class or series of Preferred Stock.

 
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To the extent the Corporation declares dividends on the Series C Preferred Stock and on any Parity Securities but does not make full payment of such declared dividends, the Corporation shall allocate the dividend payments on a pro rata basis among the Holders of the shares of Series C Preferred Stock and the holders of any Parity Securities then outstanding. For purposes of calculating the pro rata allocation of partial dividend payments, the Corporation shall allocate those payments so that the respective amounts of those payments bear the same ratio to each other as all accrued and unpaid dividends per share on the Series C Preferred Stock and all Parity Securities bear to each other.

The Corporation is not obligated to pay Holders of the Series C Preferred Stock any dividend in excess of the dividends on the Series C Preferred Stock that are payable as described herein. Subject to the foregoing, and not otherwise, such dividends (payable in cash, stock or otherwise) as may be determined by the Board of Directors or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors may be declared and paid on any Junior Securities from time to time out of any assets legally available therefor, and the shares of Series C Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to participate in any such dividend.

(f)   Payments of cash for dividends will be delivered to the Holder or, in the case of global certificates, through a book-entry transfer through DTC or any successor Depositary.

(g)  If a Conversion Date on which a Holder elects to convert Series C Preferred Stock or the Mandatory Conversion Date is on or prior to the Record Date for any declared dividend for the Dividend Period, such Holder will not have the right to receive any declared dividends for that Dividend Period. If a Conversion Date on which a Holder elects to convert Series C Preferred Stock or the Mandatory Conversion Date is after the Record Date for any declared dividend and prior to the corresponding Dividend Payment Date, such Holder shall receive that dividend on the relevant Dividend Payment Date if such Holder was the Holder of record on the Record Date for that dividend. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, whether or not such Holder was the Holder of record on the Record Date, if such Holder elects to convert Series C Preferred Stock after the Record Date for any declared dividend and prior to the corresponding Dividend Payment Date, such Holder must pay to the Conversion Agent upon conversion of the shares of Series C Preferred Stock an amount in cash equal to the full dividend actually paid on such Dividend Payment Date on the shares being converted, unless the shares of Series C Preferred Stock are converted pursuant to Section 10.

(h) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, payment of dividends on the Series C Preferred Stock may be limited by the terms and conditions of other series of Preferred Stock that rank senior to the Series C Preferred Stock or that are Parity Securities, including without limitation, the Series B Preferred Stock.

Section 5. Liquidation.

(a) In the event the Corporation voluntarily or involuntarily liquidates, dissolves or winds up, the Holders at the time shall be entitled to receive liquidating distributions in the amount of per share Liquidation Preference, plus an amount equal to any authorized and declared but unpaid dividends thereon to and including the date of such liquidation, out of assets legally available for distribution to the Corporation’s shareholders, before any distribution of assets is made to the holders of the Common Stock or any other Junior Securities. After payment of the full amount of such liquidating distributions, the Holders will not be entitled to any further participation in any distribution of assets by, and shall have no right or claim to any remaining assets of, the Corporation.
 
 
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(b) In the event the assets of the Corporation available for distribution to shareholders upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the affairs of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary, shall be insufficient to pay in full the amounts payable with respect to all outstanding shares of the Series C Preferred Stock and the corresponding amounts payable on any Parity Securities, Holders and the holders of such Parity Securities shall share ratably in any distribution of assets of the Corporation in proportion to the full respective liquidating distributions to which they would otherwise be respectively entitled.

(c) The Corporation’s consolidation or merger with or into any other entity, the consolidation or merger of any other entity with or into the Corporation, or the sale of all or substantially all of the Corporation’s property or business will not constitute its liquidation, dissolution or winding up.

Section 6. Maturity. The Series C Preferred Stock shall be perpetual unless converted or redeemed in accordance with this Series C Preferred Stock Designation.

Section 7. Redemptions.

(a) Optional Redemption.

(i) Subject to the other provisions of this Section 7:

(1) The Corporation on or after the fifth anniversary of the Issue Date, at its option, subject to the approval of the Appropriate Federal Banking Agency, may redeem, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time, out of funds legally available therefor, the shares of Series C Preferred Stock at the time outstanding; and

(2) If, after the Issue Date, there is a Capital Treatment Event, the Corporation may at anytime, subject to the approval of the Appropriate Federal Banking Agency, redeem all of the shares of Series C Preferred Stock at the time outstanding.

(ii) The per-share redemption price for shares of Series C Preferred Stock shall be equal to the sum of:

(1) the Liquidation Preference per share; and

(2) the per-share amount of any declared but unpaid dividends, without accumulation of any undeclared dividends, for the then current Dividend Period to the date fixed for redemption.
 
 
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The redemption price for any shares of Series C Preferred Stock shall be payable on the redemption date to the Holder of such shares against surrender of the certificate(s) evidencing such shares to the Corporation or its agent. Any declared but unpaid dividends for the then current Dividend Period payable on a redemption date that occurs subsequent to the Record Date for a Dividend Period shall not be paid to the Holder entitled to receive the redemption price on the redemption date, but rather shall be paid to the Holder of record of the redeemed shares on such Record Date relating to the Dividend Payment Date as provided in Section 4 above.

(b)  No Sinking Fund. The Series C Preferred Stock will not be subject to any mandatory redemption, sinking fund or other similar provisions. Holders of Series C Preferred Stock will have no right to require redemption or repurchase of any shares of Series C Preferred Stock.

(c)  Notice of Redemption. Notice of every redemption of shares of Series C Preferred Stock shall be given by first class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to the Holders of record of the shares to be redeemed at their respective last addresses appearing on the books of the Corporation. Such mailing shall be at least 30 days and not more than 60 days before the date fixed for redemption. Any notice mailed as provided in this Subsection shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not the Holder receives such notice, but failure duly to give such notice by mail, or any defect in such notice or in the mailing thereof, to any Holder of shares of Series C Preferred Stock designated for redemption shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other shares of Series C Preferred Stock. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if shares of Series C Preferred Stock are issued in book-entry form through the Depository, notice of redemption may be given to the Holders of Series C Preferred Stock at such time and in any manner permitted by such Depository. Each notice of redemption given to a Holder shall state: (1) the redemption date; (2) the number of shares of Series C Preferred Stock to be redeemed and, if less than all the shares held by such Holder are to be redeemed, the number of such shares to be redeemed from such Holder; (3) the redemption price; and (4) the place or places where certificates for such shares are to be surrendered for payment of the redemption price.

(d)  Partial Redemption. In case of any redemption of part of the shares of Series C Preferred Stock at the time outstanding, the shares to be redeemed shall be selected either pro rata or in such other manner as the Board of Directors or a duly authorized committee thereof may determine to be fair and equitable. Subject to the provisions hereof, the Board of Directors or a duly authorized committee thereof shall have full power and authority to prescribe the terms and conditions upon which shares of Series C Preferred Stock shall be redeemed from time to time, subject to the approval of the Appropriate Federal Banking Agency. If fewer than all the shares represented by any certificate are redeemed, a new certificate shall be issued representing the unredeemed shares without charge to the Holder thereof.

(e)  Effectiveness of Redemption. If notice of redemption has been duly given and if on or before the redemption date specified in the notice all funds necessary for the redemption have been deposited by the Corporation, in trust for the pro rata benefit of the Holders of the shares called for redemption, with a bank or trust company selected by the Board of Directors, so as to be and continue to be available solely therefor, then, notwithstanding that any certificate for any share so called for redemption has not been surrendered for cancellation, on and after the redemption date dividends shall cease to accrue on all shares so called for redemption, all shares so called for redemption shall no longer be deemed outstanding and all rights with respect to such shares shall forthwith on such redemption date cease and terminate, except only the right of the holders thereof to receive the amount payable on such redemption from such bank or trust company, without interest. Any funds unclaimed at the end of three years from the redemption date shall, to the extent permitted by law, be released to the Corporation, after which time the Holders of the shares so called for redemption shall look only to the Corporation for payment of the redemption price of such shares.
 
 
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(f)  Status of Redeemed Shares. Shares of Series C Preferred Stock that are redeemed, repurchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation shall revert to authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock, undesignated as to series and available for future issuance.

Section 8. Right to Convert. Each Holder shall have the right, at such Holder’s option, to convert all or any portion of such Holder’s Series C Preferred Stock into shares of Common Stock at the Applicable Conversion Rate per share of Series C Preferred Stock (subject to the conversion procedures of Section 9) plus cash in lieu of fractional shares, subject to the provisions set forth in Section 16.

Section 9. Conversion Procedures.

(a)  Effective immediately prior to the close of business on the Mandatory Conversion Date or any applicable Conversion Date, dividends shall no longer be authorized and declared on any converted shares of Series C Preferred Stock and such shares of Series C Preferred Stock shall cease to be outstanding, in each case, subject to the right of Holders to receive any authorized, declared and unpaid dividends on such shares and any other payments to which they are otherwise entitled pursuant to Section 8, Section 10, Section 12 or Section 14, as applicable.

(b) No allowance or adjustment, except pursuant to Section 11, shall be made in respect of dividends payable to holders of the Common Stock of record as of any date prior to the close of business on the Mandatory Conversion Date or any applicable Conversion Date. Prior to the close of business on the Mandatory Conversion Date or any applicable Conversion Date, shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of, or other securities issuable upon conversion of, any shares of Series C Preferred Stock shall not be deemed outstanding for any purpose, and Holders shall have no rights with respect to the Common Stock or other securities issuable upon conversion (including voting rights, rights to respond to tender offers for the Common Stock or other securities issuable upon conversion and rights to receive any dividends or other distributions on the Common Stock or other securities issuable upon conversion) by virtue of holding shares of Series C Preferred Stock.

(c) Shares of Series C Preferred Stock duly converted in accordance with this Series C Preferred Stock Designation will resume the status of authorized but unissued Preferred Stock, undesignated as to series and available for future issuance.
 
 
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(d) The Person or Persons entitled to receive the Common Stock and/or cash, securities or other property issuable upon conversion of Series C Preferred Stock shall be treated for all purposes as the record holder(s) of such shares of Common Stock and/or securities as of the close of business on the Mandatory Conversion Date or any applicable Conversion Date. In the event that a Holder shall not by written notice designate the name in which shares of Common Stock and/or cash, securities or other property (including payments of cash in lieu of fractional shares) to be issued or paid upon conversion of shares of Series C Preferred Stock should be registered or paid or the manner in which such shares should be delivered, the Corporation shall be entitled to register and deliver such shares, and make such payment, in the name of the Holder and in the manner shown on the records of the Corporation or, in the case of global certificates or uncertificated shares, through book-entry transfer through the Depositary.

(e) conversion into shares of Common Stock will occur on the Mandatory Conversion Date or any applicable Conversion Date as follows:

(i) On the Mandatory Conversion Date, shares of Common Stock shall be issued to Holders or their designee upon presentation and surrender of the certificate evidencing the Series C Preferred Stock to the Conversion Agent, if shares of the Series C Preferred Stock are held in certificated form, and, if required, the furnishing of appropriate endorsements and transfer documents and the payment of all transfer and similar taxes. If a Holder’s interest is a beneficial interest in a global certificate representing Series C Preferred Stock, a book-entry transfer through the Depositary will be made by the Conversion Agent upon compliance with the Depositary’s procedures for converting a beneficial interest in a global security.

(ii) On the date of any conversion at the option of a Holder pursuant to Section 8, if a Holder’s interest is in certificated form, a Holder must do each of the following in order to convert:

(A) complete and manually sign the conversion notice provided by the Conversion Agent, or a facsimile of the conversion notice, and deliver this irrevocable notice to the Conversion Agent;

(B) surrender the shares of Series C Preferred Stock to the Conversion Agent;

(C) if required, furnish appropriate endorsements and transfer documents;

(D) if required, pay all transfer or similar taxes; and

(E) if required, pay funds equal to any authorized, declared and unpaid dividend payable on the next Dividend Payment Date to which such Holder is entitled.
 
 
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If a Holder’s interest is a beneficial interest in a global certificate representing Series C Preferred Stock, in order to convert, such Holder must comply with paragraphs (C) through (E) of this clause (ii) and comply with the Depositary’s procedures for converting a beneficial interest in a global security. The date on which a Holder complies with the procedures in this clause (ii) is the “Conversion Date.

(iii) The Conversion Agent shall, on a Holder’s behalf, convert the Series C Preferred Stock into shares of Common Stock, in accordance with the terms of the notice delivered by such Holder described in Section 9(e)(ii).

Section 10. Mandatory Conversion at the Corporation’s Option.

(a)  On or after the fifth anniversary of the Issue Date, the Corporation shall have the right, at its option, at any time or from time to time to cause some or all of the Series C Preferred Stock to be converted into shares of Common Stock at the then Applicable Conversion Rate if, for 20 Trading Days within any period of 30 consecutive Trading Days (including the last Trading Day of such period), ending on the Trading Day preceding the date the Corporation delivers a Notice of Mandatory Conversion, the Closing Price of the Common Stock exceeds 130% of the Conversion Price of the Series C Preferred Stock. The Conversion Date shall be a date selected by the Corporation (the “Mandatory Conversion Date”).

(b)  Notice of Mandatory Conversion. Notice of every mandatory conversion of shares of Series C Preferred Stock (such notice, a “Notice of Mandatory Conversion”) shall be given by first class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to the Holders of record of the shares subject to the mandatory conversion at their respective last addresses appearing on the books of the Corporation. Such mailing shall be at least 30 days and not more than 60 days before the Mandatory Conversion Date. Any notice mailed as provided in this Subsection shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not the Holder receives such notice, but failure duly to give such notice by mail, or any defect in such notice or in the mailing thereof, to any Holder of shares of Series C Preferred Stock designated for mandatory conversion shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the mandatory conversion of any other shares of Series C Preferred Stock. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if shares of Series C Preferred Stock are issued in book-entry form through the Depository, notice of mandatory conversion may be given to the Holders of Series C Preferred Stock at such time and in any manner permitted by such Depository. Each Notice of Mandatory Conversion given to a Holder shall state: (1) the Mandatory Conversion Date; (2) the number of shares of Series C Preferred Stock to be converted and, if less than all the shares held by such Holder are to be converted, the number of such shares to be converted from such Holder; (3) the number of shares of Common Stock to be issued upon conversion of each share of Series C Preferred Stock; and (4) the place or places where certificates for such shares are to be surrendered for conversion.

(c)  Partial Mandatory Conversion. In case of any mandatory conversion of part of the shares of Series C Preferred Stock at the time outstanding, the shares to be converted shall be selected either pro rata or in such other manner as the Board of Directors or a duly authorized committee thereof may determine to be fair and equitable. Subject to the provisions hereof, the Board of Directors or a duly authorized committee thereof shall have full power and authority to prescribe the terms and conditions upon which shares of Series C Preferred Stock shall be mandatorily converted from time to time, subject to the approval of the Appropriate Federal Banking Agency, if applicable. If fewer than all the shares represented by any certificate are converted, a new certificate shall be issued representing the unconverted shares without charge to the Holder thereof.
 
 
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Section 11. Anti-Dilution Adjustments. If the Corporation at any time after the Issue Date subdivides (by any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization or otherwise) its outstanding shares of Common Stock into a greater number of shares, the Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to such subdivision will be proportionately reduced and the number of shares of Common Stock obtainable upon conversion of the Series C Preferred Stock will be proportionately increased. If the Corporation at any time after the Issue Date combines (by combination, reverse stock split or otherwise) its outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, the Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to such combination will be proportionately increased and the number of shares of Common Stock obtainable upon conversion of the Series C Preferred Stock will be proportionately decreased.

Section 12. Reorganization Events.

(a) In the event of:

(i) any consolidation or merger of the Corporation with or into another Person, in each case pursuant to which the Common Stock will be converted into cash, securities or other property of the Corporation or another Person;

(ii) any sale, transfer, lease or conveyance to another Person of all or substantially all of the property and assets of the Corporation, in each case pursuant to which the Common Stock will receive a distribution of cash, securities or other property of the Corporation or another Person;

(iii) any reclassification of the Common Stock into securities including securities other than the Common Stock; or

(iv) any statutory exchange of the Corporation’s securities with another Person (other than in connection with a merger or acquisition);

(each of the foregoing events, a “Reorganization Event”), each share of Series C Preferred Stock outstanding immediately prior to such Reorganization Event will, without the consent of Holders, become convertible into the kind and amount of securities, cash, and other property or assets that a Holder (that was not the counterparty to the Reorganization Event or an affiliate of such other party) of a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the Applicable Conversion Rate per share of Series C Preferred Stock prior to such Reorganization Event would have owned or been entitled to receive upon such Reorganization Event (such securities, cash, and other property or assets, the “Exchange Property”).

(b) In the event that holders of the shares of Common Stock have the opportunity to elect the form of consideration to be received in such transaction, the consideration that the Holders are entitled to receive shall be deemed to be the types and amounts of consideration received by the majority of the holders of the shares of Common Stock that affirmatively make an election. The amount of Exchange Property receivable upon conversion of any Series C Preferred Stock in accordance with Section 8 or Section 10 shall be determined based upon the Applicable Conversion Rate in effect on such Conversion Date.
 
 
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(c) The above provisions of this Section 12 shall similarly apply to successive Reorganization Events and the provisions of Section 11 shall apply to any shares of capital stock of the Corporation (or any successor) received by the holders of the Common Stock in any such Reorganization Event.

(d) The Corporation (or any successor) shall, within 20 days of the occurrence of any Reorganization Event, provide written notice to the Holders of such occurrence of such event and of the kind and amount of the cash, securities or other property or assets that constitutes the Exchange Property. Failure to deliver such notice shall not affect the operation of this Section 12.

Section 13. Voting Rights. The holders of Series C Preferred Stock will not have any voting rights except voting rights, if any, required by law.

Section 14. Fractional Shares.

(a) No fractional shares of Common Stock will be issued as a result of any conversion of shares of Series C Preferred Stock.

(b) In lieu of any fractional share of Common Stock otherwise issuable in respect of any mandatory conversion pursuant to Section 10 or any conversion at the option of the Holder pursuant to Section 8, the Holder shall be entitled to receive an amount in cash (computed to the nearest cent) equal to the same fraction of the Closing Price of the Common Stock determined as of the second Trading Day immediately preceding the effective date of conversion.

(c) If more than one share of the Series C Preferred Stock is surrendered for conversion at one time by or for the same Holder, the number of full shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion thereof shall be computed on the basis of the aggregate number of shares of the Series C Preferred Stock so surrendered.

Section 15. Reservation of Common Stock.

(a) The Corporation shall at all times reserve and keep available out of its authorized and unissued Common Stock, solely for issuance upon the conversion of shares of Series C Preferred Stock as provided in this Series C Preferred Stock Designation, free from any preemptive or other similar rights, such number of shares of Common Stock as shall from time to time be issuable upon the conversion of all the shares of Series C Preferred Stock then outstanding, assuming that the Conversion Price equaled the Base Price. For purposes of this Section 15(a), the number of shares of Common Stock that shall be deliverable upon the conversion of all outstanding shares of Series C Preferred Stock shall be computed as if at the time of computation all such outstanding shares were held by a single Holder.
 
 
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(b) All shares of Common Stock delivered upon conversion of the Series C Preferred Stock shall be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

Section 16. Limitations on Beneficial Ownership. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, no holder of Series C Preferred Stock will be entitled to receive shares of Common Stock upon conversion pursuant to Section 8 or Section 10 to the extent (but only to the extent) that such receipt would cause such converting holder to become, directly or indirectly, a “beneficial owner” (within the meaning of Section 11(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder) of more than 9.9% of the shares of Common Stock outstanding at such time. Any purported delivery of shares of Common Stock upon conversion of Series C Preferred Stock shall be void and have no effect to the extent (but only to the extent) that such delivery would result in the converting holder becoming the beneficial owner of more than 9.9% of the shares of Common Stock outstanding at such time. If any delivery of shares of Common Stock owed to a holder upon conversion of Series C Preferred Stock is not made, in whole or in part, as a result of this limitation, the Corporation’s obligation to make such delivery shall not be extinguished and the Corporation shall deliver such shares as promptly as practicable after any such converting holder gives notice to the Corporation that such delivery would not result in it being the beneficial owner of more than 9.9% of the shares of Common Stock outstanding at such time. For the avoidance of doubt (i) (x) any converting holder shall have no right to cast any vote with respect to any shares of Common Stock that are not delivered to such converting holder due to the restrictions set forth in this Section 16 and (y) any dividends payable otherwise by the Corporation with respect to any shares of Common Stock that are not delivered to such converting holder due to the restrictions set forth in this Section 16 shall not be payable to such converting holder prior to the delivery of such shares of Common Stock to such converting holder, and (ii) these limitations on beneficial ownership provided for in this Section 16 shall not limit the number of shares of Series C Preferred Stock the Corporation may cause to be converted, or otherwise constrain in any way the Corporation’s ability to exercise its right to cause Series C Preferred Stock to be converted, pursuant to Section 10.

Section 17. Transfer Agent, Registrar, Paying Agent and Conversion Agent. The duly appointed Transfer Agent, Registrar, paying agent and Conversion Agent for the Series C Preferred Stock shall initially be Computershare Shareowner Services LLC. The Corporation may, in its sole discretion, remove the Transfer Agent; provided that the Corporation shall appoint a successor transfer agent who shall accept such appointment prior to the effectiveness of such removal.

Section 18. Replacement Certificates.

(a) The Corporation shall replace any mutilated certificate at the Holder’s expense upon surrender of that certificate to the Registrar. The Corporation shall replace certificates that become destroyed, stolen or lost at the Holder’s expense upon delivery to the Corporation and the Registrar of satisfactory evidence that the certificate has been destroyed, stolen or lost, together with any indemnity that may be required by the Registrar and the Corporation.
 
 
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(b) The Corporation shall not be required to issue any certificates representing the Series C Preferred Stock on or after any applicable Conversion Date or Mandatory Conversion Date. In place of the delivery of a replacement certificate following any applicable Conversion Date or Mandatory Conversion Date, the Registrar, upon delivery of the evidence and indemnity described in Section 18(a), shall deliver the shares of Common Stock pursuant to the terms of the Series C Preferred Stock formerly evidenced by the certificate.

Section 19. Miscellaneous. All notices referred to herein shall be in writing, and, unless otherwise specified herein, all notices hereunder shall be deemed to have been given upon the earlier of receipt thereof or three Business Days after the mailing thereof if sent by registered or certified mail (unless first-class mail shall be specifically permitted for such notice under the terms of this Series C Preferred Stock Designation) with postage prepaid, addressed: (i) if to the Corporation, to the principal executive office of the Corporation or to the Transfer Agent at its principal office in the United States of America, or other agent of the Corporation designated as permitted by this Series C Preferred Stock Designation, or (ii) if to any Holder or holder of shares of Common Stock, as the case may be, to such Holder at the address of such Holder as listed in the stock record books of the Corporation (which may include the records of any transfer agent for the Series C Preferred Stock or the Common Stock, as the case may be), or (iii) to such other address as the Corporation or any such Holder, as the case may be, shall have designated by notice similarly given.

ARTICLE IV

Directors

A.           Number of Directors. The Board of Directors shall consist of such number of persons as shall be designated from time to time in the By-laws of the Corporation, provided that no decrease in the number of directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent director.

B.           Classification. The Board of Directors shall be divided, with respect to the time during which they shall hold office, into three classes as nearly equal in number as possible, with the initial term of office of the Class I directors expiring at the annual meeting of shareholders to be held in 1994, of the Class II directors expiring at the next succeeding annual meeting of shareholders, and of the Class III directors expiring at the second succeeding annual meeting, with all such directors to hold office until their successors are elected and qualified. Any increase or decrease in the number of directors shall be apportioned by the Board of Directors so that all classes of directors shall be as nearly equal in number as possible. At each annual meeting of shareholders, directors chosen to succeed those whose terms then expire shall be elected to hold office for a term expiring at the annual meeting of shareholders held in the third year following the year of their election and until their successors are duly elected and qualified.

C.           Definition of Continuing Directors. “Continuing Directors” shall mean the persons who (1) are members of the Board of Directors of the Corporation on March 3, 1993 or (2) become members of the Board of Directors after March 3, 1993 upon the nomination of the Board of Directors at a time when a majority of the members are Continuing Directors.

 
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D.           Vacancies. Any vacancy on the Board of Directors (including any vacancy resulting from an increase in the authorized number of directors, from the removal of a director or from a failure of the shareholders to elect the full number of authorized directors) may, notwithstanding any resulting absence of a quorum of directors, be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of all of the Continuing Directors remaining in office, provided that the shareholders shall have the right to fill the vacancy at any special meeting called for such purpose prior to any such action by the Board of Directors. A director elected pursuant to this section shall serve until the next shareholders’ meeting held for the election of directors of the class to which he or she shall have been appointed and until his or her successor is elected and qualified.

E.           Removal. Any director may be removed at any time, but only for cause, at a special meeting of shareholders called for such purpose, by the affirmative vote of the holders of not less than 80% of the Total Voting Power. At the same meeting at which the shareholders remove one or more directors, a successor or successors may be elected for the unexpired term of the director or directors removed. Except as set forth in this Article IV(E), directors shall not be subject to removal.

F.           Removed and Reserved.

G.           Tender Offers and Other Extraordinary Transactions. The Board of Directors, when evaluating a tender offer or an offer to make a tender or exchange offer or to effect a merger, consolidation or share exchange may, in exercising its judgment in determining what is in the best interests of the Corporation and its shareholders, consider the following factors and any other factors that it deems relevant: (1) not only the consideration being offered in the proposed transaction, in relation to the then current market price for the outstanding capital stock of the Corporation, but also the market price for the capital stock of the Corporation over a period of years, the estimated price that might be achieved in a negotiated sale of the Corporation as a whole or in part or through orderly liquidation, the premiums over market price for the securities of other corporations in similar transactions, current political, economic and other factors bearing on securities prices and the Corporation’s financial condition and future prospects; (2) the social and economic effects of such transaction on the Corporation, its subsidiaries, or their employees, customers, creditors and the communities in which the Corporation and its subsidiaries do business; (3) the business and financial condition and earnings prospects of the acquiring party or parties, including, but not limited to, debt service and other existing or likely financial obligations of the acquiring party or parties, and the possible effect of such condition upon the Corporation and its subsidiaries and the communities in which the Corporation and its subsidiaries do business; and (4) the competence, experience, and integrity of the acquiring party or parties and its or their management. Notwithstanding any provision of this Article IV(G), this Article is not intended to confer any rights on any subsidiary of the Corporation, or on any of the Corporation’s or its subsidiaries’ employees, customers, creditors or other members of the communities in which it or they do business.
 
 
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H.           Board Nominations. Unless otherwise permitted by applicable law, only persons who are nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Article IV(H) shall be eligible for election as directors.  Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors of the Corporation may be made at a meeting of shareholders by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or by any shareholder of the Corporation entitled to vote at such meeting for the election of directors who meets the eligibility requirements and has complied with the procedures set forth in this Article IV(H).  The following requirements must be satisfied in order for a shareholder or shareholder group to be entitled to nominate a person for election to the Board of Directors of the Corporation:

(1) The nominating shareholder individually, or the nominating shareholder group in the aggregate, must hold at least 3% of the total voting power of the Corporation’s securities that are entitled to be voted on the election of directors at the annual (or a special meeting in lieu of the annual) meeting of shareholders or on a written consent in lieu of such meeting, on the date the nominating shareholder or nominating shareholder group provides the Corporation with notice of such nomination;

(2) The nominating shareholder or each member of the nominating shareholder group must have held the amount of securities that are used for purposes of satisfying the minimum ownership requirement of paragraph (1) above continuously for at least three years as of the date the notice of such nomination is transmitted to the Corporation and must continue to hold that amount of securities through the date of the subject election of directors;

(3) The nominating shareholder or each member of the nominating shareholder group must provide proof of ownership of the amount of securities that are used for purposes of satisfying the ownership and holding period requirements of paragraphs (1) and (2) of above.  If the nominating shareholder or each member of the nominating shareholder group is not the registered holder of the securities, the nominating shareholder or each member of the nominating shareholder group must provide proof of ownership in the form of one or more written statements from the registered holder of the nominating shareholder’s securities (or the brokers or banks through which those securities are held) verifying that, as of a date within seven calendar days prior to transmitting the notice of such nomination to the Corporation, the nominating shareholder or each member of the nominating shareholder group, continuously held the amount of securities being used to satisfy the ownership threshold for a period of at least three years;

(4) The nominating shareholder or each member of the nominating shareholder group must provide a statement, on the date the notice of such nomination is transmitted to the Corporation, that the nominating shareholder or each member of the nominating shareholder group intends to continue to hold the amount of securities that are used for purposes of satisfying the minimum ownership requirement of paragraph (1) above through the date of the meeting;

(5) The nominating shareholder or each member of the nominating shareholder group must provide a statement, on the date the notice of such nomination is transmitted to the Corporation, regarding the nominating shareholder’s or group’s intent with respect to continued ownership of the registrant’s securities after the election;
 
 
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(6) The nominating shareholder (or where there is a nominating shareholder group, each member of the nominating shareholder group) must not be holding any of the Corporation’s securities with the purpose, or with the effect, of changing control of the Corporation;

(7) There must not be an agreement with the Corporation regarding the nomination of the nominee with the nominee or the nominating shareholder (or where there is a nominating shareholder group, any member of the nominating shareholder group);

(8) The nominee’s candidacy or, if elected, board membership would not violate controlling federal law, state law, foreign law, or rules of a national securities exchange or national securities association (other than rules regarding director independence) or, in the case that the nominee’s candidacy or, if elected, board membership would violate such laws or rules, such violation could not be cured within 14 calendar days of the date of notice of such potential violation delivered by the Corporation to the nominating shareholder or shareholder group;

(9) The nominee must meet the objective criteria for “independence” of the national securities exchange or national securities association rules applicable to the Corporation, if any;

(10) The nominating shareholder or nominating shareholder group must provide its nomination to the Corporation no earlier than 150 calendar days, and no later than 120 calendar days, before the anniversary of the date that the Corporation mailed its proxy materials for the prior year’s annual meeting, except that, if the Corporation did not hold an annual meeting during the prior year, or if the date of the meeting has changed by more than 30 calendar days from the prior year, or if the registrant is holding a special meeting or conducting an election of directors by written consent, then the nominating shareholder or nominating shareholder group must transmit the nomination to the Corporation a reasonable time before the Corporation mails its proxy materials; and

(11) The nominating shareholder or nominating shareholder group provides the following information and certifications on the date the notice of such nomination is transmitted to the Corporation: (a) the name of the shareholder making such nomination, or if a group, the name of each shareholder in such nominating group; (b) the business address, or if none, residence of the nominating shareholder or members of a nominating group; (c) a statement that the nominee, if elected, consents to serve on the Board of Directors; (d) the disclosures regarding the nominee that would be required with respect to a director nominee required by Schedule 14A under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or any successor schedule thereto; (e) a description of any agreements, arrangements or relationships between the nominating shareholder or nominating group giving the notice and the nominee; (f) a statement regarding whether the nominating shareholder or any member of the nominating group has been involved in any litigation adverse to the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries within the past ten years and, if so, a description of such litigation; and (g) a statement that, to the best of the nominating shareholder’s or nominating group’s knowledge, such nominee meets the Corporation’s director qualification standards then in effect.
 
 
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I.           Directors Elected by Preferred Shareholders. Notwithstanding anything in these Articles of Incorporation to the contrary, whenever the holders of Preferred Stock, or any series thereof, shall have the right, voting separately as a class, to elect one or more directors of the Corporation, the provisions of these Articles of Incorporation (as they may be duly amended from time to time) fixing the rights and preferences of such Preferred Stock shall govern with respect to the nomination, election, term, removal, vacancies or other related matters with respect to such directors.

ARTICLE V

Limitation of Liability and Indemnification

A.           Limitation of Liability. No director or officer of the Corporation shall be liable to the Corporation or to its shareholders for monetary damages for breach of his or her fiduciary duty as a director or officer, provided that the foregoing provision shall not eliminate or limit the liability of a director or officer for (1) any breach of the director’s or officer’s duty of loyalty to the Corporation or its shareholders; (2) acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law; (3) liability for unlawful distributions of the Corporation’s assets to, or redemption or repurchase of the Corporation’s shares from, shareholders of the Corporation, under and to the extent provided in La.R.S. 12:92(D); or (4) any transaction from which the director or officer derived an improper personal benefit.

B.           Authorization of Further Actions. The Board of Directors may (1) cause the Corporation to enter into contracts with its directors and officers providing for the limitation of liability set forth in this Article to the full extent permitted by law, (2) adopt By-laws or resolutions, or cause the Corporation to enter into contracts, providing for indemnification of directors and officers of the Corporation and other persons (including but not limited to directors and officers of the Corporation’s direct and indirect subsidiaries) to the full extent permitted by law, and (3) cause the Corporation to exercise the powers set forth in La. R.S. 12:83(F), notwithstanding that some or all of the members of the Board of Directors acting with respect to the foregoing may be parties to such contracts or beneficiaries of such By-laws or resolutions or the exercise of such powers.

C.           Subsidiaries. The Board of Directors may cause the Corporation to approve for its direct and indirect subsidiaries limitation of liability and indemnification provisions comparable to the foregoing, notwithstanding that some or all of the directors of the Corporation are also directors or officers of such subsidiaries.

D.           Amendment of Article V. Any amendment or repeal of this Article shall not adversely affect any elimination or limitation of liability or right to indemnification under this Article with respect to any action or inaction occurring prior to the time of such amendment or repeal.
 
 
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ARTICLE VI

Special Meetings of Shareholders

Special meetings of shareholders, for any purpose or purposes, may be called by directors or officers of the Corporation in any manner set forth in the By-laws. In addition, at any time, upon the written request of any shareholder or group of shareholders holding in the aggregate at least 80% of the Total Voting Power, the Secretary of the Corporation shall call a special meeting of shareholders to be held at the registered office of the Corporation at such time as the Secretary may fix, not less than 15 nor more than 60 days after the receipt of said request, and if the Secretary shall neglect or refuse to fix such time or to give notice of the meeting, the shareholder or shareholders making the request may do so. Such requests must state the specific purpose or purposes of the proposed special meeting, and the business to be conducted thereat shall be limited to such purpose or purposes. Except as set forth in this Article VI, shareholders of the Corporation shall not have the right to call or have called special meetings of the shareholders.

ARTICLE VII

Reversion

Cash, property or share dividends, shares issuable to shareholders in connection with a reclassification of stock, and the redemption price of redeemed shares, that are not claimed by the shareholders entitled thereto within one year after the dividend or redemption price became payable or the shares became issuable, despite reasonable efforts by the Corporation to pay the dividend or redemption price or deliver the certificates for the shares to such shareholders within such time, shall, at the expiration of such time, revert in full ownership to the Corporation, and the Corporation’s obligation to pay such dividend or redemption price or issue such shares, as the case may be, shall thereupon cease; provided, however, that the Board of Directors may, at any time, for any reason satisfactory to it, but need not, authorize (1) payment of the amount of any cash or property dividend or redemption price or (2) issuance of any shares, ownership of which has reverted to the Corporation pursuant to this Article, to the person or entity who or which would be entitled thereto had such reversion not occurred.

ARTICLE VIII

By-laws

A.           Adoption, Amendment and Repeal. By-laws of the Corporation may be adopted only by a majority vote of all of the Continuing Directors. By-laws may be amended or repealed only by a majority vote of all of the Continuing Directors or by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 80% of the Total Voting Power at any annual or special meeting of shareholders, the notice of which expressly states that the proposed amendment or repeal is to be considered at the meeting.
 
 
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B.           New Matters. Any purported amendment to the By-laws which would add thereto a matter not covered in the By-laws prior to such purported amendment shall be deemed to constitute the adoption of a By-law provision and not an amendment to the By-laws.

ARTICLE IX

Vote on Certain Transactions and Amendments to
Articles of Incorporation

A.           Vote Required for Shareholder Action. If the Board of Directors has recommended any proposal presented to the shareholders, including but not limited to a proposal to approve a merger, consolidation, share exchange, disposition of all or substantially all of the Corporation’s assets, dissolution or an amendment to these Articles of Incorporation, by the affirmative vote of a majority of all of the Continuing Directors, then the affirmative vote of holders of a majority of the voting power present shall be required to approve a merger, consolidation, share exchange, disposition of all or substantially all of the Corporation’s assets, dissolution or an amendment to these Articles of Incorporation and the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast shall be required to approve any other proposal. Otherwise, the affirmative vote of 80% of the Total Voting Power shall be required to constitute shareholder approval of any matter presented to the shareholders.

B.           Business Combinations and Control Share Acquisitions. The provisions of La. R.S. 12:132 et seq. and La. R.S. 12:135 et seq. shall apply in addition to any action required by these Articles of Incorporation.
 
 
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