EX-3.1 3 a07-15464_2ex3d1.htm EX-3.1 AMENDED ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION

Exhibit 3.1

ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION

OF

NEW BRADFORD BANCORP, INC.

FIRST: The undersigned, Sean P. Kehoe, whose address is 5101 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C.  20016, being at least eighteen years of age, acting as incorporator, does hereby form a corporation under the General Laws of the State of Maryland.

SECOND: The name of the Corporation (hereinafter “the Corporation”) is:

NEW BRADFORD BANCORP, INC.

THIRD: The present address of the principal office of the Corporation in the State of Maryland is 6910 York Road, Baltimore, Maryland 21212.

FOURTH: The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which a corporation may be organized under the General Laws of the State of Maryland.

FIFTH:

A.  The total number of  shares of stock of all classes of stock which the Corporation has authority to issue is One Hundred and Ten Million (110,000,000) shares, having an aggregate par value of One Million and One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($1,100,000), of which One Hundred Million (100,000,000) are to be shares of common stock with a par value of one cent ($.01) per share, and Ten Million (10,000,000) are to be shares of preferred stock with a par value of one cent ($.01) per share.

B.    A description of each class of stock of the Corporation, including any voting powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, and qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof, is as follows:

1.     Common Stock.  Subject to all of the rights of the preferred stock as expressly provided in these Articles of Incorporation, by law or by the Board of Directors in a resolution(s) pursuant to this Article FIFTH, the common stock of the Corporation shall possess all such rights and privileges as are afforded to capital stock by Maryland law in the absence of any express grant of rights or privileges in the Corporation’s Articles of Incorporation, including but not limited to, the following:

a.  Holders of the common stock shall be entitled to one (1) vote per share on each matter submitted to a vote at a meeting of stockholders; provided, however, that there shall not be any cumulative voting of the common stock.

b.  Dividends may be declared and paid or set aside for payment upon the common stock out of any assets or funds of the Corporation legally available therefor.




c.  Upon the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, its net assets shall be distributed ratably to holders of the common stock.

2.     Preferred Stock.  The Board of Directors is expressly authorized to classify and reclassify any unissued shares of preferred stock, and to divide and classify shares of any class into one or more series of such class, by determining, fixing or altering from time to time before issuance any one or more of the following:

a.  The distinctive designation of such class or series and the number of shares to constitute such class or series; provided that, unless otherwise prohibited by the terms of such or any other class or series, the number of shares of any class or series may be decreased by the Board of Directors in connection with any classification or reclassification of unissued shares and the number of shares of such class or series may be increased by the Board of Directors in connection with any such classification or reclassification, and any shares of any class or series which have been redeemed, purchased, otherwise acquired, or converted into shares of common stock or any other class or series shall remain part of the authorized preferred stock and be subject to classification and reclassification as provided in this Paragraph 2.

b.  Whether or not and, if so, the rates, amounts and times at which, and the conditions under which, dividends shall be payable on shares of such class or series, whether any such dividends shall rank senior or junior to or on a parity with the dividends payable on any other class or series of stock, and the status of any such dividends as cumulative, cumulative to a limited extent or non-cumulative, and as participating or non-participating.

c.  Whether or not shares of such class or series shall have voting rights, in addition to any voting rights provided by law and, if so, the terms of such voting rights.

d.  Whether or not shares of such class or series shall have conversion or exchange privileges and, if so, the terms and conditions thereof, including provision for adjustment of the conversion or exchange rate in such events or at such times as the Board of Directors shall determine.

e.  Whether or not shares of such class or series shall be subject to redemption and, if so, the terms and conditions of such redemption, including the date(s) upon or after which they shall be redeemable and the amount per share payable in case of redemption, which amount may vary under different conditions and at different redemption dates; and whether or not there shall be any sinking fund or purchase account in respect thereof, and if so, the terms thereof.

f.   The rights of the holders of shares of such class or series upon the liquidation, dissolution, or winding up of the affairs of, or upon any distribution of the assets of, the Corporation, which rights may vary depending upon whether such liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is voluntary or involuntary and, if voluntary, may vary at different dates, and whether such rights shall rank senior or junior to or on a parity with such rights of any other class or series of stock.

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g.  Whether or not there shall be any limitations applicable, while shares of such class or series are outstanding, upon the payment of dividends or making of distributions on, or the acquisition of, or the use of monies for the purchase or redemption of, any capital stock of the Corporation, or upon any other action of the Corporation, including action under this Paragraph 2, and, if so, the terms and conditions thereof.

h.  Any other preferences, rights, restrictions, including restrictions on transferability, and qualifications of shares of such class or series, not inconsistent with law and the Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation.

C. 1.        Notwithstanding any other provision of these Articles of Incorporation, in no event shall any record owner of any outstanding common stock which is beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by a person who, as of any record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to vote on any matter, beneficially owns shares of common stock in excess of the Limit (as hereinafter defined), be entitled, or permitted to any vote in respect of the shares held in excess of the Limit.  The number of votes which may be cast by any record owner by virtue of the provisions hereof in respect of common stock beneficially owned by such person beneficially owning shares in excess of the Limit shall be a number equal to the total number of votes which a single record owner of all common stock beneficially owned by such person would be entitled to cast (subject to the provisions of this Article FIFTH), multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of such class or series which are both beneficially owned by such person and owned of record by such record owner and the denominator of which is the total number of shares of common stock beneficially owned by such person owning shares in excess of the Limit.  The provisions of Section C of this Article FIFTH shall not be applicable, and any record owner of any outstanding common stock which is beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by a person who, as of any record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to vote on any matter, beneficially owns shares of common stock in excess of the Limit shall have full voting rights with respect to all shares owned of record, if, before the beneficial owner of such shares acquired beneficial ownership of shares in excess of the Limit, the beneficial owner’s ownership of shares in excess of the Limit shall have been approved by a majority of the Unaffiliated Directors (as defined below).

2.     The following definitions shall apply to this Section C:

a.  “Affiliate” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, as in effect on the date of filing of these Articles of Incorporation.

b.  “Beneficial ownership” shall be determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (or any successor rule or statutory provision), or, if said Rule 13d-3 shall be rescinded and there shall be no successor rule or provision thereto, pursuant to said Rule 13d-3

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as in effect on the date of filing of these Articles of Incorporation; provided, however, that a person shall, in any event, also be deemed the “beneficial owner” of any common stock:

(1)          which such person or any of its Affiliates beneficially owns, directly or indirectly; or

(2)          which such person or any of its Affiliates has:  (a) the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time), pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (but shall not be deemed to be the beneficial owner of any voting shares solely by reason of an agreement, contract or other arrangement with the Corporation to effect any transaction which is described in any one or more of Paragraphs 1 through 5 of Section A of Article NINTH of these Articles of Incorporation (“Article NINTH”)), or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, warrants or options or otherwise, or (b) sole or shared voting or investment power with respect thereto pursuant to any agreement, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise (but shall not be deemed to be the beneficial owner of any voting shares solely by reason of a revocable proxy granted for a particular meeting of stockholders, pursuant to a public solicitation of proxies for such meeting, with respect to shares of which neither such person nor any such Affiliate is otherwise deemed the beneficial owner); or

(3)          which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any other person with which such first mentioned person or any of its Affiliates acts as a partnership, limited partnership, syndicate or other group pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting or disposing of any shares of capital stock of the Corporation; and provided further, however, that:  (a) no Director or Officer of the Corporation (or any Affiliate of any such Director or Officer) shall, solely by reason of any or all of such Directors or Officers acting in their capacities as such, be deemed, for any purposes hereof, to beneficially own any common stock beneficially owned by any other such Director or Officer (or any Affiliate thereof); and (b) neither any employee stock ownership or similar plan of the Corporation or any subsidiary of the Corporation, nor any trustee with respect thereto or any Affiliate of such trustee (solely by reason of such capacity of such trustee), shall be deemed, for any purposes hereof, to beneficially own any common stock held under any such plan.  For purposes only of computing the percentage of beneficial ownership of common stock of a person, the outstanding common stock shall include shares deemed owned by such person through application of this Subparagraph b but shall not include any other shares of common stock which may be issuable by the Corporation pursuant to any agreement, or upon exercise of conversion rights, warrants or options, or otherwise.  For all other purposes, the outstanding common stock shall

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include only shares of common stock then outstanding and shall not include any shares of common stock which may be issuable by the Corporation pursuant to any agreement, or upon the exercise of conversion rights, warrants or options, or otherwise.

c.  The “Limit” shall mean 10% of the then-outstanding shares of common stock.

d.  A “person” shall include an individual, a firm, a group acting in concert, a corporation, a partnership, an association, a joint venture, a pool, a joint stock company, a trust, an unincorporated organization or similar company, a syndicate or any other group formed for the purpose of acquiring, holding or disposing of securities or any other entity.

e.  “Unaffiliated Director” means any member of the Board of Directors who is unaffiliated with the person beneficially owning shares in excess of the Limit (the “10% Beneficial Owner”) and was a member of the Board of Directors prior to the time that the 10% Beneficial Owner” became a 10% Beneficial Owner, and any Director who is thereafter chosen to fill any vacancy of the Board of Directors or who is elected and who, in either event, is unaffiliated with the 10% Beneficial Owner and in connection with his or her initial assumption of office is recommended for appointment or election by a majority of the Unaffiliated Directors then on the Board of Directors.

3.     The Board of Directors shall have the power to construe and apply the provisions of this Section C and to make all determinations necessary or desirable to implement such provisions, including but not limited to matters with respect to:  (a) the number of shares of common stock beneficially owned by any person; (b) whether a person is an Affiliate of another; (c) whether a person has an agreement, arrangement or understanding with another as to the matters referred to in the definition of beneficial ownership; (d) the application of any other definition or operative provision of this Section C to the given facts; or (e) any other matter relating to the applicability or effect of this Section C.

4.     The Board of Directors shall have the right to demand that any person who is reasonably believed to beneficially own shares of common stock in excess of the Limit (or holds of record common stock beneficially owned by any person in excess of the Limit) supply the Corporation with complete information as to:  (a) the record owner(s) of all shares beneficially owned by such person who is reasonably believed to own shares in excess of the Limit; and (b) any other factual matter relating to the applicability or effect of this Section C as may reasonably be requested of such person.

5.     Except as otherwise provided by law or expressly provided in this Section C, the presence, in person or by proxy, of the holders of record of shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitling the holders thereof to cast a majority of the votes (after giving effect, if required, to the provisions of this Section C) entitled to be cast by the holders of shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote shall constitute a quorum at all meetings of the stockholders, and every reference in these Articles of Incorporation to a majority or other

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proportion of capital stock (or the holders thereof) for purposes of determining any quorum requirement or any requirement for stockholder consent or approval shall be deemed to refer to such majority or other proportion of the votes (or the holders thereof) then entitled to be cast in respect of such capital stock.

6.     Any constructions, applications or determinations made by the Board of Directors pursuant to this Section C in good faith and on the basis of such information and assistance as was then reasonably available for such purpose shall be conclusive and binding upon the Corporation and its stockholders.

7.     In the event any provision (or portion thereof) of this Section C shall be found to be invalid, prohibited or unenforceable for any reason, the remaining provisions (or portions thereof) of this Section C shall remain in full force and effect, and shall be construed as if such invalid, prohibited or unenforceable provision had been stricken herefrom or otherwise rendered inapplicable, it being the intent of the Corporation and its stockholders that each such remaining provision (or portion thereof) of this Section C remain, to the fullest extent permitted by law, applicable and enforceable as to all stockholders, including stockholders owning an amount of stock over the Limit, notwithstanding any such finding.

SIXTH: The name and address of the resident agent of the Corporation is CT Corporation, 300 East Lombard Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202.  Said resident agent is a citizen of the state of Maryland who resides in Maryland.

SEVENTH:

A.    Except as may be altered in the manner set forth in the Bylaws, the initial number of directors shall be eight (8).  The Directors shall be divided into three classes, as nearly equal in number as reasonably possible, with the term of office of the first class to expire at the first annual meeting of stockholders, the term of office of the second class to expire at the annual meeting of stockholders one year thereafter and the term of office of the third class to expire at the annual meeting of stockholders two years thereafter with each Director to hold office until his or her successor shall have been duly elected and qualified.  At each annual meeting of stockholders following such initial classification and election, Directors elected to succeed those Directors whose terms expire shall be elected for a term of office to expire at the third succeeding annual meeting of stockholders after their election with each Director to hold office until his or her successor shall have been duly elected and qualified.

B.    Subject to the rights of holders of any series of preferred stock outstanding, the newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of Directors or any vacancies in the Board of Directors resulting from death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or other cause except removal from office, may be filled only by a majority vote of the Directors then in office, though less than a quorum, and Directors so chosen shall hold office for a term expiring at the next annual meeting of stockholders and until their successors are duly elected and qualified.  No decrease in the number of Directors constituting the Board of Directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent Director.

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C.    Any director, or the entire Board of Directors, may be removed from office at any time, but only for cause and then only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 80% of the shares of stock entitled to vote in the election of directors.

D.    The names of the initial directors who will serve until their successors are duly elected and qualified are as follows:

First Class – Term Expiring 2008

G. Scott Barhight

Melvin C. Benhoff, Jr.

George K. Mister

Second Class – Term Expiring 2009

Dallas R. Arthur

Gilbert D. Marsiglia, Sr.

Third Class – Term Expiring 2010

Carl W. Brand, III

Lawrence M. Denton

John O. Mitchell, III

EIGHTH:

The following provisions are hereby adopted for the purpose of defining, limiting and regulating the powers of the Corporation, the directors and the stockholders:

A.    The Board of Directors is hereby empowered to authorize the issuance from time to time of shares of its stock of any class and securities convertible into shares of its stock of any class for such consideration as determined by the Board of Directors in accordance with the Maryland General Corporation Law, and without any action by the stockholders.

B.    The Corporation, if authorized by the Board of Directors, may acquire shares of the Corporation’s capital stock.

C.    No holder of any stock or any other securities of the Corporation, whether now or hereafter authorized, shall have any preemptive right to subscribe for or purchase any stock or any other securities of the Corporation other than such, if any, as the Board of Directors, in its sole discretion, may determine and at such price(s) and upon such other terms as the Board of Directors, in its sole discretion, may fix; and any stock or other securities which the Board of Directors may determine to offer for subscription may, as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion shall determine, be offered to the holders of any class, series or type of stock or other securities at the time outstanding to the exclusion of the holders of any or all other classes, series or types of stock or other securities at the time outstanding.

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D.    The Board of Directors shall have the power to create and to issue, whether or not in connection with the issuance and sale of any shares of stock or other securities of the Corporation, rights or options entitling the holders thereof to purchase from the Corporation any shares of its capital stock of any class(es), on such terms and conditions and in such form as the Board of Directors shall set forth in a resolution.

E.     The Board of Directors shall have the power, subject to any limitations or restrictions imposed by law, to classify or reclassify any unissued shares of stock whether now or hereafter authorized, by fixing or altering in any one or more respects before issuance of such shares the voting powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights of such shares and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights.

F.     The Board of Directors shall have the power to adopt, amend or repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation.

G.    The Board of Directors shall have the power to declare and authorize the payment of stock dividends payable in stock of one class of the Corporation’s capital stock to holders of stock of another class(es) of the Corporation’s capital stock.

H.    The Board of Directors shall have authority to exercise without a vote of stockholders all powers of the Corporation, whether conferred by law or by these Articles of Incorporation, to purchase, lease or otherwise acquire the business assets or franchises in whole or in part of other corporations or unincorporated business entities.

I.      The Board of Directors shall have the power to borrow or raise money, from time to time and without limit, and upon any terms, for any corporate purposes, and, subject to the Maryland General Corporation Law, to authorize the creation, issuance, assumption or guaranty of bonds, notes or other evidences of indebtedness for monies so borrowed, to include therein such provisions as to redeemability, convertibility or otherwise as the Board of Directors, in its sole discretion, may determine and to secure the payment of principal, interest or sinking fund in respect thereof by mortgage upon, or the pledge of, or the conveyance or assignment in trust of, the whole or any part of the properties, assets and goodwill of the Corporation then owed or thereafter acquired.

J.     Subject to the provisions of Article NINTH, the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock entitled to vote shall be required to approve the following actions:

1.     The amendment of the Corporation’s Articles of Incorporation, except that (a) any amendment of Section C of Article FIFTH, Sections A and C of Article SEVENTH, Sections F, J and L of Article EIGHTH, and Article NINTH of the Corporation’s Articles of Incorporation shall require the affirmative vote of 80% of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock entitled to vote, and (b) the Board of Directors, with the approval of a majority of the entire Board, and without any action by the stockholders, may amend these Articles of Incorporation to increase or decrease the aggregate number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation or the number of shares of any class of capital stock that the Corporation has the authority to issue.

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2.     To the extent stockholder approval is required under Maryland statutory law for a merger or consolidation, the merger or consolidation of the Corporation with or into any other corporation.

3.     The sale, lease or exchange of all or substantially all of the Corporation’s property and assets.

4.     The dissolution of the Corporation.

K.    To the fullest extent permitted by Maryland statutory or decisional law, as amended or interpreted, no director or officer of the Corporation shall be personally liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages.  No amendment of the Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation or repeal of any of its provisions shall limit or eliminate the benefits provided to directors and officers under this provision with respect to any act or omission which occurred prior to such amendment or repeal.

L.     The Board of Directors shall, in connection with the exercise of its business judgment involving any actual or proposed transaction which would or may involve a change in control of the Corporation (whether by purchases of shares of stock or any other securities of the Corporation in the open market or otherwise, tender offer, merger, consolidation, dissolution, liquidation, sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Corporation, proxy solicitation (other than on behalf of the Board of Directors or otherwise), in determining what is in the best interests of the Corporation and its stockholders and in making any recommendation to its stockholders, give due consideration to all relevant factors, including, but not limited to the following:  (1) the economic effect, both immediate and long-term, upon the Corporation’s stockholders, including stockholders, if any, not to participate in the transaction; (2) the social and economic effect on the employees, depositors and customers of, and others dealing with, the Corporation and its subsidiaries and on the communities in which the Corporation and its subsidiaries operate or are located; (3) whether the proposal is acceptable based on the historical and current operating results or financial condition of the Corporation; (4) whether a more favorable price could be obtained for the Corporation’s stock or other securities in the future; (5) the reputation and business practices of the offeror and its management and affiliates as they would affect the employees; (6) the future value of the stock or any other securities of the Corporation; and (7) any antitrust or other legal and regulatory issues that are raised by the proposal.  If the Board of Directors determines that any actual or proposed transaction which would or may involve a change in control of the Corporation should be rejected, it may take any lawful action to accomplish its purpose, including, but not limited to, any and all of the following:  advising stockholders not to accept the proposal; instituting litigation against the party making the proposal; filing complaints with governmental and regulatory authorities; acquiring the stock or any of the securities of the Corporation; selling or otherwise issuing authorized but unissued stock, other securities or treasury stock or granting options with respect thereto; selling any of the assets of the Corporation; acquiring a company to create an antitrust or other regulatory problem for the party making the proposal; and obtaining a more favorable offer from another individual or entity.

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NINTH:

A.    In addition to any affirmative vote required by law or these Articles of Incorporation, and except as otherwise expressly provided in this Article NINTH:

1.     any merger or consolidation of the Corporation or any Subsidiary (as hereinafter defined) with:  (a) any Interested Stockholder (as hereinafter defined); or (b) any other corporation (whether or not itself an Interested Stockholder) which is, or after such merger or consolidation would be, an Affiliate (as hereinafter defined) of an Interested Stockholder; or

2.     any sale, lease, exchange, mortgage, pledge, transfer or other disposition (in one transaction or a series of transactions) to or with any Interested Stockholder, or any Affiliate of any Interested Stockholder, of any assets of the Corporation or any Subsidiary having an aggregate Fair Market Value (as hereinafter defined) equaling or exceeding 25% or more of the combined assets of the Corporation and its Subsidiaries; or

3.     the issuance or transfer by the Corporation or any Subsidiary (in one transaction or a series of transactions) of any securities of the Corporation or any Subsidiary to any Interested Stockholder or any Affiliate of any Interested Stockholder in exchange for cash, securities or other property (or a combination thereof) having an aggregate Fair Market Value equaling or exceeding 25% of the combined Fair Market Value of the outstanding common stock of the Corporation and its Subsidiaries, except for any issuance or transfer pursuant to an employee benefit plan of the Corporation or any Subsidiary thereof; or

4.     the adoption of any plan or proposal for the liquidation or dissolution of the Corporation proposed by or on behalf of an Interested Stockholder or any Affiliate of any Interested Stockholder; or

5.     any reclassification of securities (including any reverse stock split), or recapitalization of the Corporation, or any merger or consolidation of the Corporation with any of its Subsidiaries or any other transaction (whether or not with or into or otherwise involving an Interested Stockholder) which has the effect, directly or indirectly, of increasing the proportionate share of the outstanding shares of any class of equity or convertible securities of the Corporation or any Subsidiary which is directly or indirectly owned by any Interested Stockholder or any Affiliate of any Interested Stockholder; shall require the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 80% of the voting power of the then-outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote in the election of Directors (the “Voting Stock”) (after giving effect to the provisions of Article FIFTH), voting together as a single class.  Such affirmative vote shall be required notwithstanding the fact that no vote may be required, or that a lesser percentage may be specified, by law or by any other provisions of these Articles of Incorporation or in any agreement with any national securities exchange or otherwise.

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The term “Business Combination” as used in this Article NINTH shall mean any transaction which is referred to in any one or more of Paragraphs 1 through 5 of Section A of this Article NINTH.

B.    The provisions of Section A of this Article NINTH shall not be applicable to any particular Business Combination, and such Business Combination shall require only the affirmative vote of the majority of the outstanding shares of capital stock entitled to vote after giving effect to the provisions of Article FIFTH, or such vote (if any), as is required by law or by these Articles of Incorporation, if, in the case of any Business Combination that does not involve any cash or other consideration being received by the stockholders of the Corporation solely in their capacity as stockholders of the Corporation, the condition specified in the following Paragraph 1 is met or, in the case of any other Business Combination, all of the conditions specified in either of the following Paragraphs 1 or 2 are met:

1.     The Business Combination shall have been approved by a majority of the Disinterested Directors (as hereinafter defined).

2.     All of the following conditions shall have been met:

a.  The aggregate amount of the cash and the Fair Market Value as of the date of the consummation of the Business Combination of consideration other than cash to be received per share by the holders of common stock in such Business Combination shall at least be equal to the higher of the following:

(1)          (if applicable) the Highest Per Share Price (as hereinafter defined), including any brokerage commissions, transfer taxes and soliciting dealers’ fees, paid by the Interested Stockholder or any of its Affiliates for any shares of common stock acquired by it:  (a) within the two-year period immediately prior to the first public announcement of the proposal of the Business Combination (the “Announcement Date”); or (b) in the transaction in which it became an Interested Stockholder, whichever is higher; or

(2)          the Fair Market Value per share of common stock on the Announcement Date or on the date on which the Interested Stockholder became an Interested Stockholder (such latter date is referred to in this Article Ninth as the “Determination Date”), whichever is higher.

b.  The aggregate amount of the cash and the Fair Market Value as of the date of the consummation of the Business Combination of consideration other than cash to be received per share by holders of shares of any class of outstanding Voting Stock other than common stock shall be at least equal to the highest of the following (it being intended that the requirements of this Subparagraph b shall be required to be met with respect to every such class of outstanding Voting Stock, whether or not the Interested Stockholder has previously acquired any shares of a particular class of Voting Stock):

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(1)          (if applicable) the Highest Per Share Price (as hereinafter defined), including any brokerage commissions, transfer taxes and soliciting dealers’ fees, paid by the Interested Stockholder for any shares of such class of Voting Stock acquired by it:  (a) within the two-year period immediately prior to the Announcement Date; or (b) in the transaction in which it became an Interested Stockholder, whichever is higher; or

(2)          (if applicable) the highest preferential amount per share to which the holders of shares of such class of Voting Stock are entitled in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation; or

(3)          the Fair Market Value per share of such class of Voting Stock on the Announcement Date or on the Determination Date, whichever is higher.

c.  The consideration to be received by holders of a particular class of outstanding Voting Stock (including common stock) shall be in cash or in the same form as the Interested Stockholder has previously paid for shares of such class of Voting Stock.  If the Interested Stockholder has paid for shares of any class of Voting Stock with varying forms of consideration, the form of consideration to be received per share by holders of shares of such class of Voting Stock shall be either cash or the form used to acquire the largest number of shares of such class of Voting Stock previously acquired by the Interested Stockholder.  The price determined in accordance with this Paragraph 2 shall be subject to appropriate adjustment in the event of any stock dividend, stock split, combination of shares or similar event.

d.  After such Interested Stockholder has become an Interested Stockholder and prior to the consummation of such Business Combination:  (1) except as approved by a majority of the Disinterested Directors (as hereinafter defined), there shall have been no failure to declare and pay at the regular date therefor any full quarterly dividends (whether or not cumulative) on any outstanding stock having preference over the common stock as to dividends or liquidation; (2) there shall have been:  (a) no reduction in the annual rate of dividends paid on the common stock (except as necessary to reflect any subdivision of the common stock), except as approved by a majority of the Disinterested Directors, and (b) an increase in such annual rate of dividends as necessary to reflect any reclassification (including any reverse stock split), recapitalization, reorganization or any similar transaction which has the effect of reducing the number of outstanding shares of the common stock, unless the failure to so increase such annual rate is approved by a majority of the Disinterested Directors; and (3) neither such Interested Stockholder nor any of its Affiliates shall have become the beneficial owner of any additional shares of Voting Stock except as part of the transaction which results in such Interested Stockholder becoming an Interested Stockholder.

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e.  After such Interested Stockholder has become an Interested Stockholder, such Interested Stockholder shall not have received the benefit, directly or indirectly (except proportionately as a stockholder), of any loans, advances, guarantees, pledges or other financial assistance or any tax credits or other tax advantages provided, directly or indirectly, by the Corporation, whether in anticipation of or in connection with such Business Combination or otherwise.

f.   A proxy or information statement describing the proposed Business Combination and complying with the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (or any subsequent provisions replacing such Act, and the rules or regulations thereunder) shall be mailed to stockholders of the Corporation at least thirty (30) days prior to the consummation of such Business Combination (whether or not such proxy or information statement is required to be mailed pursuant to such Act or subsequent provisions).

C.    For the purposes of this Article NINTH:

1.     A “Person” shall include an individual, a firm, a group acting in concert, a corporation, a partnership, an association, a joint venture, a pool, a joint stock company, a trust, an unincorporated organization or similar company, a syndicate or any other group formed for the purpose of acquiring, holding or disposing of securities or any other entity.

2.     “Interested Stockholder” shall mean any person (other than the Corporation or Subsidiary thereof) who or which:

a.  is the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of more than 10% of the voting power of the outstanding Voting Stock; or

b.  is an Affiliate of the Corporation and at any time within the two-year period immediately prior to the date in question was the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of 10% or more of the voting power of the then-outstanding Voting Stock; or

c.  is an assignee of or has otherwise succeeded to any shares of Voting Stock which were at any time within the two-year period immediately prior to the date in question beneficially owned by any Interested Stockholder, if such assignment or succession shall have occurred in the course of a transaction or series of transactions not involving a public offering within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

3.     For purposes of this Article NINTH, “beneficial ownership” shall be determined in the manner provided in Section C of Article FIFTH hereof.

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4.     “Affiliate” and “Associate” shall have the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, as in effect on the date of filing of these Articles of Incorporation.

5.     “Subsidiary” means any corporation of which a majority of any class of equity security is owned, directly or indirectly, by the Corporation; provided, however, that for the purposes of the definition of Interested Stockholder set forth in Paragraph 2 of this Section C, the term “Subsidiary” shall mean only a corporation of which a majority of each class of equity security is owned, directly or indirectly, by the Corporation.

6.     “Disinterested Director” means any member of the Board of Directors who is unaffiliated with the Interested Stockholder and was a member of the Board of Directors prior to the time that the Interested Stockholder became an Interested Stockholder, and any Director who is thereafter chosen to fill any vacancy of the Board of Directors or who is elected and who, in either event, is unaffiliated with the Interested Stockholder and in connection with his or her initial assumption of office is recommended for appointment or election by a majority of Disinterested Directors then on the Board of Directors.

7.     “Fair Market Value” means:

a.  in the case of stock, the highest closing sales price of the stock during the 30-day period immediately preceding the date in question of a share of such stock on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System or any system then in use, or, if such stock is admitted to trading on a principal United States securities exchange registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, Fair Market Value shall be the highest sale price reported during the 30-day period preceding the date in question, or, if no such quotations are available, the Fair Market Value on the date in question of a share of such stock as determined by the Board of Directors in good faith, in each case with respect to any class of stock, appropriately adjusted for any dividend or distribution in shares of such stock or any stock split or reclassification of outstanding shares of such stock into a greater number of shares of such stock or any combination or reclassification of outstanding shares of such stock into a smaller number of shares of such stock; and

b.  in the case of property other than cash or stock, the Fair Market Value of such property on the date in question as determined by the Board of Directors in good faith.

8.     Reference to “Highest Per Share Price” shall in each case with respect to any class of stock reflect an appropriate adjustment for any dividend or distribution in shares of such stock or any stock split or reclassification of outstanding shares of such stock into a greater number of shares of such stock or any combination or reclassification of outstanding shares of such stock into a smaller number of shares of such stock.

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9.     In the event of any Business Combination in which the Corporation survives, the phrase “consideration other than cash to be received” as used in Subparagraphs a and b of Paragraph 2 of Section B of this Article NINTH shall include the shares of common stock and/or the shares of any other class of outstanding Voting Stock retained by the holders of such shares.

D.    A majority of the Disinterested Directors of the Corporation shall have the power and duty to determine for the purposes of this Article NINTH, on the basis of information known to them after reasonable inquiry:  (1) whether a person is an Interested Stockholder; (2) the number of shares of Voting Stock beneficially owned by any person; (3) whether a person is an Affiliate or Associate of another; and (4) whether the assets which are the subject of any Business Combination have, or the consideration to be received for the issuance or transfer of securities by the Corporation or any Subsidiary in any Business Combination has an aggregate Fair Market Value equaling or exceeding 25% of the combined Fair Market Value of the common stock of the Corporation and its Subsidiaries.  A majority of the Disinterested Directors shall have the further power to interpret all of the terms and provisions of this Article NINTH.

E.     Nothing contained in this Article NINTH shall be construed to relieve any Interested Stockholder from any fiduciary obligation imposed by law.

F.     Notwithstanding any other provisions of these Articles of Incorporation or any provision of law which might otherwise permit a lesser vote or no vote, but in addition to any affirmative vote of the holders of any particular class or series of the Voting Stock required by law, these Articles of Incorporation, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 80% of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of the Voting Stock (after giving effect to the provisions of Article FIFTH), voting together as a single class, shall be required to alter, amend or repeal this Article NINTH.

TENTH: The Corporation shall indemnify (A) its directors and officers, whether serving the Corporation or at its request any other entity, to the fullest extent required or permitted by the general laws of the State of Maryland now or hereafter in force, including the advance of expenses under the procedures required, and (B) other employees and agents to such extent as shall be authorized by the Board of Directors or the Corporation’s Bylaws and be permitted by law.  The foregoing rights of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any rights to which those seeking indemnification may be entitled.  The Board of Directors may take such action as is necessary to carry out these indemnification provisions and is expressly empowered to adopt, approve and amend from time to time such Bylaws, resolutions or contracts implementing such provisions or such further indemnification arrangements as may be permitted by law.  No amendment of the Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation shall limit or eliminate the right to indemnification provided hereunder with respect to acts or omissions occurring prior to such amendment or repeal.

[SIGNATURES ON FOLLOWING PAGE]

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have signed these Articles of Incorporation, acknowledging the same to be my act as of this 13th day of March, 2007.

 

 

 

By:

 

/s/ Sean P. Kehoe

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sean P. Kehoe

 

 

 

 

 

 

Incorporator

 

16




ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT

TO THE

ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION

OF

NEW BRADFORD BANCORP, INC.

New Bradford Bancorp, Inc. (the “Corporation”), a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Maryland (“MGCL”), hereby certifies to the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland that:

I.                                         The Corporation’s Articles of Incorporation are hereby amended by amending Articles SECOND to read in its entirety as follows:

SECOND:  The name of the Corporation (hereinafter “the Corporation”) is:

BRADFORD BANCORP, INC.

II.                                     The foregoing amendment to the Corporation’s Articles of Incorporation was approved by a majority of the entire Board of Directors of the Corporation and is limited to a change expressly authorized by Section 2-605 of the MGCL to be made without action by the Corporation’s stockholders.

On behalf of New Bradford Bancorp, Inc., the undersigned acknowledges this to be an act of the Corporation and swears under penalties of perjury that the matters and facts set forth herein are true and correct.

Date: April 25, 2007

 

 

 

/s/ Dallas R. Arthur

 

 

 

 

Dallas R. Arthur

 

 

 

 

President and Chief Executive Officer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ATTEST:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Kimberly Ruckle

 

 

 

 

Kimberly Ruckle

 

 

 

 

Corporate Secretary

 

 

 

 

 




ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT
TO THE
ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
OF
BRADFORD BANCORP, INC.

Bradford Bancorp, Inc. (the “Corporation”), a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Maryland (“MGCL”), hereby certifies to the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland that:

I.                    The Corporation’s Articles of Incorporation are hereby amended by amending Section F of Article EIGHTH to read in its entirety as follows:

F.  The Board of Directors is expressly authorized to adopt, repeal, alter, amend and rescind the Bylaws of the Corporation by the affirmative  vote of a majority of the full Board of Directors.  Notwithstanding any other provision of these Articles of Incorporation or the Bylaws of the Corporation (and notwithstanding the fact that some lesser percentage may be specified by law), the Bylaws shall not be adopted, repealed, altered, amended or rescinded by the stockholders of the Corporation except by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 80% of the Voting Stock (after giving effect to the provisions of Article FIFTH), voting together as a single class.

II.                The foregoing amendment to the Corporation’s Articles of Incorporation was approved by a majority of the entire Board of Directors of the Corporation and is authorized by Section 2-603 of the MGCL.  The Corporation has no stock outstanding or subscribed for.

On behalf of Bradford Bancorp, Inc., the undersigned acknowledges this to be an act of the Corporation and swears under penalties of perjury that the matters and facts set forth herein are true and correct.

 

Date: July 18, 2007

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Dallas R. Arthur

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dallas R. Arthur

 

 

 

 

 

 

President and Chief Executive Officer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ATTEST:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Kimberly Ruckle

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kimberly Ruckle

 

 

 

 

 

 

Corporate Secretary