EX-1.1

EX-1.1 2 d478917dex11.htm EX-1.1 EX-1.1

Exhibit 1.1

FIRSTMERIT CORPORATION

(an Ohio corporation)

4,000,000 Depositary Shares

Each Representing 1/40th Interest

in a Share of 5.875% Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series A, without par value

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

January 28, 2013

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith

Incorporated

RBC Capital Markets, LLC

Barclays Capital Inc.

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC

As Representatives of the several Underwriters

c/o	Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith

Incorporated

One Bryant Park

New York, New York 10036

Ladies and Gentlemen:

FirstMerit Corporation, an Ohio corporation (the “Company”), confirms its agreement with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“Merrill Lynch”), RBC Capital Markets, LLC, Barclays Capital Inc., and Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, as representatives (the “Representatives”), for each of the Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (collectively, the “Underwriters,” which term shall also include any underwriter substituted as hereinafter provided in Section 10 hereof), with respect to (i) the sale by the Company and the purchase by the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, the respective number of depositary shares (“Depositary Shares”), each representing 1/40th ownership interest in a share of the Company’s 5.875% Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series A, without par value (the “Preferred Stock”), with a liquidation preference of $1,000 per share ($25 per Depositary Share), set forth in Schedule A hereto, and (ii) the grant by the Company to the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the option described in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any part of 600,000 additional Depositary Shares. The aforesaid 4,000,000 Depositary Shares (the “Initial Securities”) to be purchased by the Underwriters and all or any part of the 600,000 Depositary Shares subject to the option described in Section 2(b) hereof (the “Option Securities”) are referred to herein, collectively, as the “Securities.” The Preferred Stock, when issued, will be deposited against delivery of depositary receipts (the “Depositary Receipts”), which will evidence the Securities that are to be issued by American Stock Transfer & Trust Company (the “Depositary”) under a deposit agreement, to be dated as of February 4, 2013 (the “Deposit Agreement”), among the Company and the Depositary.

The Company understands that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of the Securities as soon as the Representatives deem advisable after this Agreement has been executed and delivered.

The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) an “automatic shelf registration statement,” as defined under Rule 405 (“Rule 405”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively, the “Securities Act”), on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-185132), which contains a base prospectus (the “Base Prospectus”), covering the public offering and sale of certain securities of the Company, including the Securities, under the Securities Act, which automatic shelf registration statement became effective under Rule 462(e) of the Securities Act (“Rule 462(e)”). Such registration statement, as of any time, means such registration statement as amended by any post-effective amendments thereto at such time, including the exhibits and any schedules thereto at such time, the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein at such time pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act and the documents otherwise deemed to be a part thereof as of such time pursuant to Rule 430B of the Securities Act (“Rule 430B”), is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement;” provided, however, that the “Registration Statement” without reference to a time means such registration statement as amended by any post-effective amendments thereto as of the time of the first contract of sale for the Securities, which time shall be considered the “new effective date” of the Registration Statement with respect to the Securities within the meaning of Rule 430B(f)(2), including the exhibits and schedules thereto as of such time, the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein at such time pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act and the documents otherwise deemed to be a part thereof as of such time pursuant to the Rule 430B. Each preliminary prospectus supplement and the Base Prospectus used in connection with the offering of the Securities, including the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act immediately prior to the Applicable Time (as defined below), are collectively referred to herein as the “Preliminary Prospectus.” Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will prepare and file a final prospectus supplement relating to the Securities in accordance with the provisions of Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act (“Rule 424(b)”), which, together with the Base Prospectus, are collectively referred to herein as the “Prospectus.” For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (or any successor system) (“EDGAR”).

As used in this Agreement:

“Applicable Time” means 4:30 P.M., New York City time, on January 28, 2013 or such other time as agreed by the Company and Merrill Lynch.

“Disclosure Package” means each Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus, the Preliminary Prospectus and any other free writing prospectus that the parties hereto shall hereafter expressly agree in writing to treat as part of the Disclosure Package, all considered together.

“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 of the Securities Act (“Rule 433”), including, without limitation, any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405) relating to the Securities that is (i) required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (ii) a “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i), whether or not required to be filed with the Commission, or (iii) exempt from filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Securities or of the offering thereof that does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g).

“Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to investors, as evidenced by its being specified in Schedule B hereto.

“Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not an Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus.

All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which is “contained,” “included” or “stated” (or other references of like import) in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include all such financial statements and schedules and other information incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, prior to the Applicable Time; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include the filing of any document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively, the “Exchange Act”) incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, at or after the Applicable Time.

This Agreement, the Company’s Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation, as amended by the Articles of Amendment with respect to the Preferred Stock (collectively, the “Charter”), the Company’s Second Amended and Restated Code of Regulations (the “Code of Regulations”), the Merger Agreement (as defined in Section 1(a)(xxxviii) below) and the Deposit Agreement are referred to herein, collectively, as the “Operative Documents.”

SECTION 1. Representations and Warranties.

(a) Representations and Warranties by the Company. The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter at the date hereof, the Applicable Time, the Closing Time (as defined below) and any Date of Delivery (as defined below), and agrees with each Underwriter, as follows:

(i) Compliance of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and Incorporated Documents. The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act. The Registration Statement is an automatic shelf registration statement under Rule 405 and the Securities have been and remain eligible for registration by the Company on such automatic shelf registration statement. Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto has become effective under the Securities Act. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the Securities Act, no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) of the Securities Act (“Rule 401(g)(2)”) has been received by the Company, no order preventing or suspending the use of the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information.

Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time of its effectiveness and as of each deemed effective date with respect to the Underwriters pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2), complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act. The Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, at the time each was filed with the Commission, complied and will comply in

all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and are identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, when they became effective or at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and the Exchange Act.

(ii) Accurate Disclosure. Neither the Registration Statement nor any amendment thereto, at its effective time, at the Closing Time or at any Date of Delivery, contained, contains or will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. At the Applicable Time, neither (A) the Disclosure Package nor (B) any individual Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus, when considered together with the Disclosure Package, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Neither the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto, as of its issue date, at the time of any filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), at the Closing Time or at any Date of Delivery, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, at the time the Registration Statement became effective or when such incorporated documents were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, when read together with the other information in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, did not, does not and will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

The statements set forth in the Disclosure Package and Prospectus under the captions, “Description of the Preferred Stock” and “Description of the Depositary Shares,” are accurate and fair summaries of the matters referred to therein in all material respects.

The representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto or the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto (i) made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information so furnished shall be the information concerning selling concessions and discounts contained in the fourth paragraph under the caption “Underwriting,” the information concerning stabilizing activities contained in the ninth and tenth paragraphs under the caption “Underwriting” and the third and fourth sentences contained in the sixteenth paragraph under the caption “Underwriting,” (collectively, the “Underwriter Information”), in each case, contained in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(iii) Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. No Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein, that has not been superseded or modified. Any offer that is a written communication relating to the

Securities made prior to the initial filing of the Registration Statement by the Company or any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this paragraph only, of paragraph (c) of Rule 163 of the Securities Act (“Rule 163”)) has been filed with the Commission in accordance with the exemption provided by Rule 163 and otherwise complied with the requirements of Rule 163, including, without limitation, the legending requirement, to qualify such offer for the exemption from Section 5(c) of the Securities Act provided by Rule 163.

(iv) Well-Known Seasoned Issuer. (A) At the original effectiveness of the Registration Statement, (B) at the time of the most recent amendment thereto for the purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act (whether such amendment was by post-effective amendment, incorporated report filed pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act or form of prospectus), (C) at the time the Company or any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this clause only, of Rule 163(c)) made any offer relating to the Securities in reliance on the exemption of Rule 163 and (D) at the date of this Agreement and (D) at the Applicable Time, the Company was and is a “well-known seasoned issuer,” as defined in Rule 405.

(v) Fixed Income Presentation. The written and oral communications made by the Company in connection with its fixed income investor presentation in January 2013 (the “Fixed Income Presentation”) did not include any material non-public information, did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading, and did not constitute an offering of the Securities.

(vi) Company Not Ineligible Issuer. (A) At the time of filing the Registration Statement, (B) as of the date of this Agreement and (C) at the Applicable Time, the Company was not an Ineligible Issuer (as defined in Rule 405), without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an Ineligible Issuer.

(vii) Independent Accountants. Ernst & Young LLP, who have certified the financial statements and supporting schedules of the Company included in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are independent public accountants with respect to the Company, as required by the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and are an independent registered public accounting firm within the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. To the Company’s knowledge, Ernst & Young LLP, who have certified the financial statements and supporting schedules of Citizens included in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, are independent public accountants with respect to Citizens as required by the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and are an independent registered public accounting firm within the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Public Accounting Oversight Board.

(viii) Financial Statements; Non-GAAP Financial Measures. The financial statements of the Company included in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes, present fairly in all material respects the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries at the dates indicated and the statement of comprehensive income, shareholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries for the periods specified; said financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved except as otherwise noted therein. The financial statements of the business(es) proposed to be acquired by the Company included in the

Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the information set forth therein, have been prepared in conformity with GAAP applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved except as otherwise noted therein and otherwise have been prepared in accordance with the financial statement requirements of Rule 3-05 of Regulation S-X, as applicable. The supporting schedules, if any, present fairly in accordance with GAAP the information required to be stated therein. The selected financial data and the summary financial information, if any, included in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements included therein. The pro forma financial statements and the related notes thereto included in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the information shown therein, have been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines with respect to pro forma financial statements and have been properly compiled on the bases described therein, and the assumptions used in the preparation thereof are reasonable and the adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions and circumstances referred to therein. Except as included therein, no historical or pro forma financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act. All disclosures contained in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, if any, regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply in all material respects with Regulation G under the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, to the extent applicable. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus fairly present the required information and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.

(ix) No Material Adverse Change. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, (A) there has been no material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business (a “Material Adverse Change”), (B) there have been no transactions entered into by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, other than those in the ordinary course of business, which are material with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, and (C) except for regular quarterly dividends on the Company’s common stock in amounts per share that are consistent with past practice, there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class or series of its capital stock.

(x) Incorporation and Good Standing of the Company and its Subsidiaries. Each of the Company and its significant subsidiaries (as defined in Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X, the “Significant Subsidiaries”) (A) has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation or limited liability company, as applicable, in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, (B) in the case of the Company, is duly registered as a bank holding company and is qualified as a financial holding company under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, amended, and (C) has corporate or limited liability company power, as applicable, and authority to own or lease, as the case may be, and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and, in the case of the Company, to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement. Each of the Company and each Significant Subsidiary is duly qualified as a foreign corporation or limited liability company, as applicable, to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such

qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except for such jurisdictions where the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a material adverse effect on the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, management, business, properties, results of operations or prospects, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, of the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one entity (a “Material Adverse Effect”). All of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity interests of each Significant Subsidiary have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and, except as provided in 12 U.S.C. § 55 in the case of FirstMerit Bank, National Association, nonassessable and are owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance or claim.

(xi) Capitalization. The authorized and issued shares of capital stock of the Company as of September 30, 2012 are as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus in the column entitled “Actual” under the caption “Capitalization” (except for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to this Agreement, pursuant to reservations, agreements (including the Merger Agreement and the warrants of Citizens to be assumed by the Company) or employee benefit plans referred to in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or pursuant to the exercise of convertible securities or options or the vesting of any equity awards referred to in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus). The outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable. None of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company were issued in violation of the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company or any other entity. The outstanding capital stock of the Company conforms in all material respects to any description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and such statements conform in all material respects to the rights set forth in the instruments defining the same.

(xii) Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

(xiii) Authorization and Description of the Preferred Stock and the Securities. The Preferred Stock and the Securities have been duly authorized for issuance and sale, and, when the Initial Securities and any Option Securities are issued and delivered by the Company to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement against payment of the consideration set forth herein, the Preferred Stock will be validly issued and fully paid and non-assessable. Upon deposit of the Preferred Stock underlying the Securities with the Depositary pursuant to the Deposit Agreement and the due execution by the Depositary of the Deposit Agreement and the Depositary Receipts, in accordance with the Deposit Agreement, the Securities will represent legal and valid interests in the Preferred Stock. The issuance of the Securities and the Preferred Stock is not subject to the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company or other entity. No holder of the Securities or Preferred Stock will be subject to personal liability by reason of being such a holder. Prior to the Closing Time, the Articles of Amendment for the Preferred Stock will have been duly authorized and executed by the Company and duly filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Ohio. The form of certificate representing the Preferred Stock and the Securities each complies with the requirements of Ohio state law, the Charter, the Code of Regulations and (with respect to the Securities) the rules of The New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”). The Securities and the Preferred Stock conform in all material respects to all statements relating thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and such statements conform to the rights set forth in the instruments defining the same.

(xiv) Authorization of Deposit Agreement. The Deposit Agreement has been duly authorized and when validly executed and delivered by the Company will constitute a legal, valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to (A) applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer and other similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect, and (B) general principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law and an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing; and the Securities are entitled to the benefits of the Deposit Agreement; and such Deposit Agreement will conform in all material respects to the description thereof in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(xv) Registration Rights. There are no persons with registration rights or other similar rights to have any securities of the Company registered for sale pursuant to the Registration Statement or otherwise registered for sale or sold by the Company under the Securities Act pursuant to this Agreement other than any rights that have been disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and have been waived.

(xvi) Absence of Violations, Defaults and Conflicts. Neither the Company nor any of its Significant Subsidiaries is (A) in violation or in default (or, with the giving of notice or lapse of time or both, would be in default) (“Default”) under its Charter, Code of Regulations or similar organizational document, (B) in Default under any indenture, mortgage, loan or credit agreement, deed of trust, note, contract, franchise, lease or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries is subject (each, an “Existing Instrument”) or (C) in violation of any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries or any of its or their respective properties (each, a “Governmental Entity”), as applicable, except, with respect to clauses (B) and (C) only, for such Defaults or violations as would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a (x) Material Adverse Effect or (y) material adverse effect on the ability of the Company to enter into and perform its obligations under, or consummate the transactions contemplated in, the Operative Documents. Neither the Company nor its Significant Subsidiaries has received any written communication from any governmental entity asserting that the Company or any Significant Subsidiary is not in compliance with any statute, law, rule, regulation, decision, directive or order except for such noncompliance as would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a (x) Material Adverse Effect or (y) material adverse effect on the ability of the Company to enter into and perform its obligations under, or consummate the transactions contemplated in, the Operative Documents. The Company’s execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, by the Deposit Agreement, by the Merger Agreement, by the Disclosure Package and by the Prospectus (A) have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and will not result in any Default under the articles of incorporation, charter, by-laws, or code of regulations of the Company or any Significant Subsidiary, (B) will not conflict with or constitute a breach of, or Default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries pursuant to, or require the consent of any other party to, any Existing Instrument, and (C) will not result in any violation of any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree applicable to the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries of any Governmental Entity. No consent, approval, authorization or other order of, or registration or filing with, any court or other governmental or regulatory authority or agency is required for the Company’s execution, delivery or performance of this Agreement or consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, by the Deposit Agreement, by the Merger

Agreement, by the Disclosure Package or by the Prospectus, except such as have been obtained or made by the Company and are in full force and effect under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, applicable state securities or blue sky laws and from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (the “FINRA”).

(xvii) Absence of Labor Dispute. No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its or any subsidiary’s principal suppliers, manufacturers, customers or contractors, which could, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xviii) Absence of Proceedings. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought by any Governmental Entity now pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against the Company or any of its subsidiaries, which could, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, or which might materially and adversely affect their respective properties, assets or operations, or the consummation of the transactions contemplated in the Operative Documents or the performance by the Company of its obligations thereunder. The aggregate of all pending legal or governmental proceedings to which the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries are a party or of which any of their respective properties, assets or operations are the subject which are not described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xix) Accuracy of Exhibits. All descriptions in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus of contracts and other documents to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries are a party are accurate in all material respects. There are no franchises, contracts or documents which are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or the documents incorporated by reference therein or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that have not been so described and filed as required.

(xx) Absence of Further Requirements. No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any Governmental Entity is necessary or required for the performance by the Company of its obligations under the Operative Documents, in connection with the offering, issuance or sale of the Securities or the consummation of the transactions contemplated in the Operative Documents, except (A) as provided in the Merger Agreement with respect to the consummation of the Merger and (B) the filing of the Articles of Amendment for the Preferred Stock with the Secretary of State of the State of Ohio prior to the Closing Time or such as have been already obtained or as may be required under the Securities Act, the rules of the NYSE, the securities laws of any state or non-U.S. jurisdiction or the rules of FINRA.

(xxi) Possession of Licenses and Permits. The Company and its subsidiaries possess such permits, licenses, approvals, consents and other authorizations (collectively, “Governmental Licenses”) issued by the appropriate state, federal or local regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to conduct the business now operated by them, except where the failure to so possess such Governmental Licenses would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all Governmental Licenses, except where the failure so to comply would not, singly or in the

aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. All of the Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, except when the invalidity of such Governmental Licenses or the failure of such Governmental Licenses to be in full force and effect would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any Governmental Licenses which, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, could, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has failed to file with applicable regulatory authorities any statement, report, information or form required by any applicable law, regulation or order, except where the failure to be in compliance would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, all such filings were in material compliance with applicable laws when filed and no material deficiencies have been asserted by any regulatory commission, agency or authority with respect to any such filings or submissions.

(xxii) Title to Property. The Company and its Significant Subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all real property owned by them and good title to all other properties owned by them, in each case, free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests, claims, restrictions or encumbrances of any kind except such as (A) are described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or (B) do not, singly or in the aggregate, materially affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries. All of the leases and subleases material to the business of the Company and its Significant Subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, and under which the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries holds properties described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, are in full force and effect.

(xxiii) Possession of Intellectual Property. The Company and its subsidiaries own or possess, or can acquire, adequate patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks, trade names or other intellectual property (collectively, “Intellectual Property”) necessary to carry on the business now operated by them, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice or is otherwise aware of any infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any Intellectual Property or of any facts or circumstances which would render any Intellectual Property invalid or inadequate to protect the interest of the Company or any of its subsidiaries therein, and which infringement or conflict, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, or invalidity or inadequacy, could, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxiv) Environmental Laws. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (A) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any federal, state, local or foreign law, regulation, order, permit or other requirement relating to pollution or protection of the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including without limitation, laws and regulations relating to emissions, discharges, releases or threatened releases of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, hazardous wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum and petroleum products (collectively, “Materials of Environmental Concern”), or otherwise relating to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of or exposure of humans to Materials of Environment Concern (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), which violation includes, but is not limited to, noncompliance with any permits or other governmental authorizations required for the operation

of the business of the Company or its subsidiaries under applicable Environmental Laws, or noncompliance with the terms and conditions thereof, nor has the Company or any of its subsidiaries received any written communication, whether from a governmental authority, citizens group, employee or otherwise, that alleges that the Company or any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any Environmental Law, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; (B) there is no claim, action or cause of action filed with a court or governmental authority, no investigation with respect to which the Company has received written notice, and no written notice by any person or entity alleging potential liability for investigatory costs, cleanup costs, governmental responses costs, natural resources damages, property damages, personal injuries, attorneys’ fees or penalties arising out of, based on or resulting from the presence, or release into the environment, of any Material of Environmental Concern at any location owned, leased or operated by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, now or in the past (collectively, “Environmental Claims”), pending or, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, threatened against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or, to the Company’s knowledge, any person or entity whose liability for any Environmental Claim the Company or any of its subsidiaries has retained or assumed either contractually or by operation of law, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; (C) to the best of the Company’s knowledge, there is no release, emission, discharge, presence or disposal of any Material of Environmental Concern, that reasonably could result in a violation of any Environmental Law, require expenditures to be incurred pursuant to Environmental Law, or form the basis of a potential Environmental Claim against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or against any person or entity whose liability for any Environmental Claim the Company or any of its subsidiaries has retained or assumed either contractually or by operation of law, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and (D) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is subject to any pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened proceeding under Environmental Law to which a governmental authority is a party and which is reasonably likely to result in monetary sanctions of $100,000 or more.

(xxv) Accounting Controls and Disclosure Controls. The Company maintains a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that: (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. The Company maintains a system of internal control over financial reporting (as defined under Rule 13a-15 and Rule 15d-15 of the Exchange Act and, except as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (1) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (2) no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. The Company maintains a system of disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15 and Rule 15d-15 of the Exchange Act) that are designed to ensure that the information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, and is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its principal executive officer or officers and principal financial officer or officers, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding disclosure.

(xxvi) Compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The Company, its subsidiaries and the Company’s Board of Directors is in compliance, and will comply, in all material respects with all applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith, including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.

(xxvii) Payment of Taxes. The Company and its subsidiaries have filed all necessary federal, state, local and foreign income and franchise tax returns in a timely manner and have paid all taxes required to be paid by any of them and, if due and payable, any related or similar assessment, fine or penalty levied against any of them, except for any taxes, assessments, fines or penalties as may be being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings, except where a default to make such filings or payments would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has made appropriate provisions in the applicable financial statements referred to in Section 1(viii) above in respect of all federal, state, local and foreign income and franchise taxes for all current or prior periods as to which the tax liability of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has not been finally determined.

(xxviii) Insurance. The Company and its subsidiaries are insured by recognized, financially sound and reputable institutions with policies in such amounts and with such deductibles and covering such risks as are generally deemed adequate and customary for their businesses including, but not limited to, policies covering real and personal property owned or leased by the Company and its subsidiaries against theft, damage, destruction, acts of vandalism and earthquakes. All policies of insurance insuring the Company or any of its subsidiaries or their respective businesses, assets, employees, officers and directors are in full force and effect; and the Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms of such policies and instruments in all material respects. The Company has no reason to believe that it or any of its subsidiaries will not be able to (A) renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (B) obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that would have a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxix) Investment Company Act. The Company is not, and solely after giving effect to the receipt of payment for the Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as contemplated under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will not be, required to register as an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

(xxx) Absence of Manipulation. Neither the Company nor any subsidiary or, to the knowledge of the Company, any other affiliate of the Company has taken, nor will the Company or any such subsidiary or, to the knowledge of the Company, any other affiliate take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed, or would be expected, to cause or result in, or which constitutes, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities or to result in a violation of Regulation M under the Exchange Act.

(xxxi) Related Party Transactions. There are no business relationships or related-party transactions involving the Company or any subsidiary or any other person required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that have not been described as required.

(xxxii) Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of either (i) the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “FCPA”), including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA or (ii) the U.K. Bribery Act 2010 (the “Bribery Act”) and the Company, its subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the Company, its other affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA and the Bribery Act and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.

(xxxiii) Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any Governmental Entity (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”). No action, suit or proceeding by or before any Governmental Entity involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.

(xxxiv) Sanctions. None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is (i) an individual or entity (“Person”) currently the subject or target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the United States Government, including, without limitation, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”) or (ii) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions. The Company will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the sale of the Securities, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiaries, joint venture partners or other Person, to fund any activities of or business with any Person, or in any country or territory, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of Sanctions or in any other manner that will result in a violation by any Person (including any Person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions.

(xxxv) Lending and Other Relationships. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company (A) does not have any material lending or other relationship with any Underwriter or any bank, lending or other affiliate of any Underwriter and (B) does not intend to use any of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities to repay any outstanding debt owed to the Underwriter or any bank, lending or other affiliate of any Underwriter.

(xxxvi) Statistical and Market-Related Data. Any statistical and market-related data included in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus are based on or

derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable and accurate and, to the extent required, the Company has obtained the written consent to the use of such data from such sources.

(xxxvii) Deposit Insurance. The deposit accounts of the bank subsidiaries of the Company are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) to the legal maximum; such subsidiaries have paid all premiums and assessments required by the FDIC and the regulations thereunder; and no proceeding for the termination or revocation of such insurance is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

(xxxviii) Merger with Citizens Republic Bancorp. The Company has entered into the Agreement and Plan of Merger by and between the Company and Citizens Republic Bancorp, Inc. (“Citizens”), dated as of September 12, 2012 (the “Merger Agreement”). In connection with the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, the Company conducted a “due diligence” review of the business, financial condition, results of operations and business prospects of Citizens. Based upon the Company’s review, with respect to Citizens or the merger, nothing has come to the Company’s attention that caused it to believe that the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The Merger Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and, assuming the Merger Agreement is the valid and binding obligation of Citizens, constitutes a valid and binding agreement of the Company and is enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms subject to (A) applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer and other similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect, and (B) general principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law and an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing except as may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors or by general equitable principles.

(b) Officer’s Certificates. Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries delivered to the Representatives or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.

SECTION 2. Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing.

(a) Initial Securities. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company, at the price per share set forth in Schedule A, the number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter, plus any additional number of Initial Securities which such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to the provisions of Section 10 hereof, subject, in each case, to such adjustments among the Underwriters as Merrill Lynch in its sole discretion shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases of fractional shares.

(b) Option Securities. In addition, on the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company grant(s) an option to the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, to purchase up to an additional 600,000 Option Securities for the purpose of covering any overallotments, at the price per share set forth in Schedule A, less an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Initial Securities but not payable on the Option Securities. The option hereby granted may be exercised for 30 days after the date hereof and may be exercised in whole or in part at any time from time to time upon

notice by the Representatives to the Company setting forth the number of Option Securities as to which the several Underwriters are then exercising the option and the time and date of payment and delivery for such Option Securities. Any such time and date of delivery (a “Date of Delivery”) shall be determined by the Representatives, but shall not be later than seven full business days after the exercise of said option, nor in any event prior to the Closing Time. If the option is exercised as to all or any portion of the Option Securities, each of the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, will purchase that proportion of the total number of Option Securities then being purchased which the number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Initial Securities, subject, in each case, to such adjustments as Merrill Lynch in its sole discretion shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases of fractional shares.

(c) Payment. Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates for, the Initial Securities shall be made at the offices of Squire Sanders (US) LLP, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, New York 10112, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company, at 9:00 A.M. (New York City time) on February 4, 2013 (unless postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 10), or such other time not later than ten business days after such date as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company (such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called “Closing Time”).

In addition, in the event that any or all of the Option Securities are purchased by the Underwriters, payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates for, such Option Securities shall be made at the above-mentioned offices, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company, on each Date of Delivery as specified in the notice from Merrill Lynch to the Company.

Payment shall be made to the Company by wire transfer of immediately available funds to a bank account designated by the Company against delivery to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the Underwriters of certificates for the Securities to be purchased by them. It is understood that each Underwriter has authorized the Representatives, for its account, to accept delivery of, receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Initial Securities and the Option Securities, if any, which it has agreed to purchase. Merrill Lynch, individually and not as representative of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment of the purchase price for the Initial Securities or the Option Securities, if any, to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds have not been received by the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, but such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from its obligations hereunder.

SECTION 3. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants with each Underwriter as follows:

(a) Compliance with Commission Requests. The Company, subject to Section 3(b) hereof, will comply with the requirements of Rule 430B, and will promptly notify the Representatives of (i) the effectiveness during the Prospectus Delivery Period (as defined below) of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or the filing of any supplement or amendment to the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, (ii) the receipt of any comments from the Commission during the Prospectus Delivery Period, (iii) any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or for additional information, and (iv) the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any order preventing or suspending the use of the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes. The Company will promptly effect the filings necessary pursuant to Rule 424 and will take such steps as it deems

necessary to ascertain promptly whether the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424 was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such document. The Company will use its reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order and, if any stop order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment.

(b) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. The Company will comply with the Securities Act and the Exchange Act so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Securities as contemplated in this Agreement and in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus during the Prospectus Delivery Period. If at any time during the Prospectus Delivery Period, any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or for the Company, to amend the Registration Statement in order that the Registration Statement will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or to amend or supplement the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order that the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at the Applicable Time or at the time it is delivered or conveyed to a purchaser, not misleading, or if it shall be necessary, in the opinion of either such counsel, at any such time to amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order to comply with the requirements of any law, the Company will (A) notify the Representatives of any such event, development or condition and (B) promptly prepare and file with the Commission such amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus comply with such law, and the Company will furnish to the Underwriters, without charge, such number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriters may reasonably request.

(c) Filing or Use of Amendments or Supplements. During such period beginning on the date of this Agreement and ending on the later of the Closing Time or such time as, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, the Prospectus is no longer required by law to be delivered in connection with sales of the Securities by an Underwriter or dealer, including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 of the Securities Act (the “Prospectus Delivery Period”), the Company will give the Representatives notice of its intention to file or prepare any amendment to the Registration Statement, or any amendment, supplement or revision to the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, whether pursuant to the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, will furnish the Representatives with copies of any such documents a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing or use, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to which the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object; provided, however, that with respect to any proposed amendment or supplement resulting solely from the incorporation by reference of any report to be filed under the Exchange Act, the Representatives shall be deemed to have consented to the filing or use of such report if they do not respond to the Company within 12 hours of being provided such report.

(d) Delivery of Registration Statements. The Company has furnished or will deliver to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith or incorporated by reference therein and documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein) and signed copies of all consents and certificates of experts, and will also deliver to the Representatives, without charge, a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits) for each of the Underwriters. The Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to any electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

(e) Delivery of Prospectuses. The Company will deliver to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of the Preliminary Prospectus as such Underwriter may reasonably request, and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the Securities Act. The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the Prospectus Delivery Period, such number of copies of the Prospectus as such Underwriter may reasonably request. The Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to any electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S T.

(f) Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company shall cooperate with the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters to qualify or register the Securities for sale under (or obtain exemptions from the application of) the state securities or blue sky laws of those jurisdictions designated by the Representatives, shall comply with such laws and shall continue such qualifications, registrations and exemptions in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Securities. The Company shall not be required to qualify to transact business or to take any action that would subject it to general service of process in any such jurisdiction where it is not presently qualified or where it would be subject to taxation as a foreign business. The Company will advise the Representatives promptly of the suspension of the qualification or registration of (or any such exemption relating to) the Securities for offering, sale or trading in any jurisdiction or any initiation or threat of any proceeding for any such purpose, and in the event of the issuance of any order suspending such qualification, registration or exemption, the Company shall use its reasonable efforts to obtain the withdrawal thereof at the earliest possible moment.

(g) Earnings Statements. The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the Exchange Act as are necessary in order to make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable an earnings statement for the purposes of, and to provide to the Underwriters the benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act.

(h) Use of Proceeds. The Company shall apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities sold by it in the manner described under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus.

(i) Listing. The Company will use its best efforts to effect the listing of the Depositary Shares on the NYSE within 30 days after the Closing Time and, upon such listing, will use its best efforts to maintain such listing and satisfy the requirements for such continued listing.

(j) Restriction on Sale of Securities. During a period of 30 days from the date of this Agreement, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of Merrill Lynch, (i) directly or indirectly, offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant for the sale of, or lend or otherwise transfer or dispose of, any Preferred Stock, Depositary Shares or any substantially similar securities, whether owned as of the date hereof or hereafter acquired or with respect to which such person has or hereafter acquires the power of disposition, or file, or cause to be filed, any registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any of the foregoing or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Preferred Stock or Depositary Shares or such other securities, whether any such swap or transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of any Preferred Stock or Depositary Shares or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to the Preferred Stock and Depositary Shares to be sold hereunder, any shares of Common Stock issuable in the Merger and subordinated indebtedness of the Company.

(k) Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required by the Securities Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Securities, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act within the time periods required by, and each such document will meet the requirements of, the Exchange Act.

(l) Final Term Sheet. The Company will prepare a final term sheet containing only a description of the Securities, in a form approved by the Underwriters and attached as Schedule C hereto, and will file such term sheet pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act within the time required by such rule (such term sheet, the “Final Term Sheet”). Any such Final Term Sheet is an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus for purposes of this Agreement.

(m) Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Representatives, it will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” or a portion thereof, required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433; provided that the Representatives will be deemed to have consented to the Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectuses listed on Schedule B hereto and any “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i) that has been reviewed by the Representatives. The Company represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each such free writing prospectus consented to, or deemed consented to, by the Representatives as an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and that it has complied and will comply with the applicable requirements of Rule 433 with respect thereto, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or condition as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Representatives in writing and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.

(n) Eligibility of Automatic Shelf Registration Statement Form. If at any time during the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company receives from the Commission a notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) or otherwise ceases to be eligible to use the automatic shelf registration statement form, the Company will (i) promptly notify the Representatives, (ii) promptly file a new registration statement or post-effective amendment on the proper form relating to the Securities, in a form satisfactory to the Representatives, (iii) use its best efforts to cause such registration statement or post-effective amendment to be declared effective as soon as practicable and (iv) promptly notify the Representatives of such effectiveness. The Company will take all other action necessary or appropriate to permit the public offering and sale of the Securities to continue as contemplated in the registration statement that was the subject of the Rule 401(g)(2) notice or for which the Company has otherwise become ineligible. References herein to the Registration Statement shall include such new registration statement or post-effective amendment, as the case may be.

(o) Filing of Articles of Amendment. The Company will use its best efforts to file, prior to the Closing Time, the Articles of Amendment for the Securities with the Secretary of State of the State of Ohio.

(p) DTC. The Company will cooperate with the Underwriters and use its best efforts to permit the Securities to be eligible for clearance, settlement and trading through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”).

SECTION 4. Payment of Expenses.

(a) Expenses. The Company will pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and each amendment thereto, (ii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of each preliminary prospectus, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto and any costs associated with electronic delivery of any of the foregoing by the Underwriters to investors, (iii) the preparation and filing of the Articles of Amendment for the Securities with the Secretary of State of the State of Ohio and the preparation, issuance and delivery of the certificates for the Securities to the Underwriters, including any stock or other transfer taxes and any stamp or other duties payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities to the Underwriters, (iv) the fees and disbursements of the Company’s counsel, accountants and other advisors, (v) the qualification of the Securities under securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(f) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection therewith and in connection with the preparation of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement thereto (provided that the amount for such survey or memorandum shall not exceed $5,000), (vi) the fees and expenses of any transfer agent or registrar for the Securities, (vii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the Securities, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and any such consultants, and the cost of aircraft and other transportation chartered in connection with the road show, (viii) the filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters in connection with, the review by FINRA, if required, of the terms of the sale of the Securities, (ix) any fees payable in connection with the rating of the Securities by the rating agencies, (x) the fees and expenses of making the Securities eligible for clearance, settlement and trading through the facilities of DTC, (xi) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Depositary Shares on the NYSE and (xii) the costs and expenses (including, without limitation, any damages or other amounts payable in connection with legal or contractual liability) associated with the reforming of any contracts for sale of the Depositary Shares made by the Underwriters caused by a breach of the representation contained in the second sentence of Section 1(a)(ii).

(b) Termination of Agreement. If this Agreement is terminated by the Representatives in accordance with the provisions of Section 5 or Section 9(a) hereof, the Company shall reimburse the Underwriters for all of their out of pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters.

SECTION 5. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the several Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein or in certificates of any officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to the following further conditions:

(a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement, etc. The Registration Statement was filed by the Company with the Commission not earlier than three years prior to the date hereof and became effective upon filing in accordance with Rule 462(e). Each preliminary prospectus, each Issuer Free Writing

Prospectus and the Prospectus have been filed as required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)) and Rule 433, as applicable, within the time period prescribed by, and in compliance with, the Securities Act. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the Securities Act, no notice of objection to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) has been received by the Company, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information. The Company shall have paid the required Commission filing fees relating to the Securities within the time period required by Rule 456(b)(1)(i) of the Securities Act without regard to the proviso therein and otherwise in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) of the Securities Act and, if applicable, shall have updated the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in accordance with Rule 456(b)(1)(ii) either in a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or on the cover page of a prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b).

(b) Opinion of Counsel for Company. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion of (i) Jones Day, counsel for the Company, dated as of such Closing Time, and (ii) Carleton E. Langer, Assistant Secretary of the Company, in each case in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters, to the effect set forth in Exhibits A-1 and A-2 hereto and to such further effect as counsel to the Underwriters may reasonably request

(c) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion, dated the Closing Time, of Squire Sanders (US) LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters with respect to the matters requested by the Representatives.

(d) Officers’ Certificate. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received a written certificate executed by the Chief Executive Officer or an Executive Vice President of the Company and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company, dated the Closing Time, to the effect that (i) there has been no Material Adverse Change, (ii) the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the Closing Time, (iii) the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Time, and (iv) the conditions specified in Section 5(a) hereof have been satisfied.

(e) CFO Certificate. At the time of the execution of this Agreement and at the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received a certificate of the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, dated the date of this Agreement and the Closing Time, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, certifying certain financial information of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(f) Ratings Letters. At the time of execution of this Agreement, the Company shall have delivered to the Representatives letters from Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and Moody’s Investors Services, Inc. and Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC assigning a rating to the Securities of [ ] and [ ], respectively.

(g) Accountant’s Comfort Letter. At the time of the execution of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received from Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accountants for the Company and for Citizens, letters regarding each of the Company and Citizens dated such date

hereof addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives with respect to the audited and unaudited financial statements and certain financial information contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus related to each of the Company and Citizens.

(h) Bring-down Comfort Letter. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received from Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accountants for the Company and for Citizens, letters dated as of the Closing Time, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letters furnished by them pursuant to subsection (f) of this Section 5, except that the specified date referred to therein for the carrying out of procedures shall be a date not more than three business days prior to the Closing Time.

(i) Approval of Listing. At the Closing Time, the Company shall have taken all necessary action for listing of the Securities on the NYSE within 30 days after the Closing Time.

(j) No Important Changes. Since the execution of this Agreement, (i) in the judgment of the Representatives, since the date hereof or the respective dates of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, there shall not have occurred any Material Adverse Change (ii) there shall not have been any change or decrease specified in the letter or letters referred to in Section 5 (f) hereof which is, in the sole judgment of the Representatives, so material and adverse as to make it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Securities and (iii) there shall not have been any decrease in or withdrawal of the rating of any securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined for purposes of Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act) or any notice given of any intended or potential decrease in or withdrawal of any such rating or of a possible change in any such rating that does not indicate the direction of the possible change.

(k) Filing of Articles of Amendment. Prior to the Closing Time, the Articles of Amendment for the Preferred Stock shall have been duly filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Ohio and shall be in full force and effect.

(l) Clearance, Settlement and Trading. Prior to the Closing Time, the Company, American Stock Transfer & Trust Co. (or another transfer agent reasonably acceptable to the Underwriters) and DTC shall have executed and delivered the Letter of Representations, dated the Closing Time, and the Securities shall be eligible for clearance, settlement and trading through the facilities of DTC.

(m) Merger Agreement. At the Closing Time, the Merger Agreement shall not have been terminated by the Company and the Company shall not have received notice of termination by Citizens.

(n) Conditions to Purchase of Option Securities. In the event that the Underwriters exercise their option provided in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any portion of the Option Securities, the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein and the statements in any certificates furnished by the Company or any of its subsidiaries hereunder shall be true and correct as of each Date of Delivery, the conditions set forth in Sections 5(g) and (h) hereof shall be satisfied at each Date of Delivery and, at the relevant Date of Delivery, the Representatives shall have received:

(i) Officers’ Certificate. A certificate, dated such Date of Delivery, executed by the Chief Executive Officer, an Executive Vice President or a Senior Vice President of the Company and the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company confirming that the certificate delivered at the Closing Time pursuant to Section 5(d) hereof remains true and correct as of such Date of Delivery.

(ii) CFO Certificates. Certificates, dated such Date of Delivery, of the Chief Financial Officer of each of the Company, confirming that the respective certificates delivered at the Closing Time pursuant to Section 5(e) hereof remains true and correct as of such Date of Delivery.

(iii) Opinion of Counsel for Company. The favorable opinion of (A) Jones Day, counsel for the Company, and (B) Carleton E. Langer, Assistant Secretary of the Company, in each case in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(b) hereof.

(iv) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. The favorable opinion of Squire Sanders (US) LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(c) hereof.

(v) Bring-down Comfort Letter. Letters from Ernst & Young LLP, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, dated such Date of Delivery, substantially in the same form and substance as the letters furnished to the Representatives pursuant to Section 5(g) hereof, except that the “specified date” in the letters furnished pursuant to this paragraph shall be a date not more than three business days prior to such Date of Delivery.

(o) Additional Documents. At the Closing Time and at each Date of Delivery (if any), counsel for the Underwriters shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may require for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters.

(p) Termination of Agreement. If any condition specified in this Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement, or, in the case of any condition to the purchase of Option Securities on a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing Time, the obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase the relevant Option Securities, may be terminated by the Representatives by notice to the Company at any time at or prior to Closing Time or such Date of Delivery, as the case may be, and such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 and except that Sections 1, 6, 7, 8, 15 and 16 shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 6. Indemnification.

(a) Indemnification of Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 501(b) of the Securities Act (each, an “Affiliate”)), selling agents, officers and directors and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act as follows:

(i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom

of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included (A) in any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or (B) in the Fixed Income Investor Presentation, or in any materials or information provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Company in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Securities (“Marketing Materials”), including any roadshow or investor presentations made to investors by the Company (whether in person or electronically), or the omission or alleged omission in any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or in the Fixed Income Investor Presentation or in any Marketing Materials of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;

(ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any Governmental Entity, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided that (subject to Section 6(d) hereof) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company;

(iii) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by Merrill Lynch), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any Governmental Entity, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above;

provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, or in the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.

(b) Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers. Each Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in Section 6(a) hereof, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, or in the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.

(c) Actions against Parties; Notification. Each indemnified party shall give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of any action commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity agreement. In the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(a) hereof, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by Merrill Lynch, and, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected

by the Company. An indemnifying party may participate at its own expense in the defense of any such action; provided, however, that counsel to the indemnifying party shall not (except with the prior written consent of the indemnified party) also be counsel to the indemnified party. In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate from their own counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any Governmental Entity, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought under this Section 6 or Section 7 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

(d) Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse. If at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 6(a)(ii) effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.

SECTION 7. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section 6 hereof is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company, on the one hand, and the total underwriting discount received by the Underwriters, on the other hand, in each case as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate initial public offering price of the Securities as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus. The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the

equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 7. The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an indemnified party and referred to above in this Section 7 shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any Governmental Entity, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.

Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting discount received by such Underwriter in connection with the Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public.

No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

For purposes of this Section 7, each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act and each Underwriter’s Affiliates, officers, directors and selling agents shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company. The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to the number of Initial Securities set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule A hereto and not joint.

SECTION 8. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive. All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries submitted pursuant hereto shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or its Affiliates, officers, directors and or selling agents, any person controlling any Underwriter or the Company’s officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and (ii) delivery of and payment for the Securities.

SECTION 9. Termination of Agreement.

(a) Termination. The Representatives may terminate this Agreement, by notice to the Company, at any time at or prior to the Closing Time, (i) if there has been, in the judgment of the Representatives, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, any Material Adverse Change, or (ii) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or the international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representatives, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the completion of the offering of the Securities or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities, or (iii) if trading in any securities of the Company has been suspended or materially limited by the Commission or the NYSE or The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”), or (iv) if trading generally on the NYSE or in the Nasdaq has been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by any of said exchanges or by order of the Commission, FINRA or any other Governmental Entity, or (v) if a material disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States or with respect to Clearstream or Euroclear systems in Europe, or (vi) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either Federal, New York or Ohio authorities.

(b) Liabilities. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section, such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 hereof, and provided further that Sections 1, 6, 7, 8, 15 and 16 shall survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 10. Default by One or More of the Underwriters. If one or more of the Underwriters shall fail at the Closing Time or a Date of Delivery to purchase the Securities which it or they are obligated to purchase under this Agreement (the “Defaulted Securities”), the Representatives shall have the right, within 24 hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more of the non defaulting Underwriters, or any other underwriters, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth; if, however, the Representatives shall not have completed such arrangements within such 24 hour period, then:

(i) if the number of Defaulted Securities does not exceed 10% of the number of Securities to be purchased on such date, each of the non defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated, severally and not jointly, to purchase the full amount thereof in the proportions that their respective underwriting obligations hereunder bear to the underwriting obligations of all non defaulting Underwriters, or

(ii) if the number of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of the number of Securities to be purchased on such date, this Agreement or, with respect to any Date of Delivery which occurs after the Closing Time, the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase, and the Company to sell, the Option Securities to be purchased and sold on such Date of Delivery shall terminate without liability on the part of any non defaulting Underwriter.

No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of its default.

In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination of this Agreement or, in the case of a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing Time, which does not result in a termination of the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase and the Company to sell the relevant Option Securities, as the case may be, either the Representatives or the Company shall have the right to postpone Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, for a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required changes in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements. As used herein, the term “Underwriter” includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this Section 10.

SECTION 11. Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be directed to the Representatives care of Merrill Lynch at 50 Rockefeller Plaza, NY1-050-12-02, New York, New York 10020, attention of High Grade Transaction Management/Legal, fax (646) 855-5958, with a copy to Squire Sanders (US) LLP, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, New York 10112, attention James J. Barresi, Esq., fax (513) 361-1260; and notices to the Company shall be directed to it at FirstMerit Corporation, 111 Cascade Plaza, 7^th Floor, Akron, Ohio 44308 attention of Judith A. Steiner, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, fax (330) 384-7271, with a copy to Jones Day, 901 Lakeside Ave., Cleveland, Ohio 44114, attention Michael J. Solecki, Esq., fax (216) 579-0212.

SECTION 12. No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (a) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the initial public offering price of the Securities and any related discounts and commissions, is an arm’s-

length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the several Underwriters, on the other hand, (b) in connection with the offering of the Securities and the process leading thereto, each Underwriter is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the agent or fiduciary of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or its stockholders, creditors, employees or any other party, (c) no Underwriter has assumed or will assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the offering of the Securities or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company or any of its subsidiaries on other matters) or any other obligation to the Company with respect to the offering of the Securities except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (d) the Underwriters and their respective Affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Company, and (e) the Underwriters have not provided any legal, accounting, financial, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the offering of the Securities and the Company has consulted its own respective legal, accounting, financial, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate.

SECTION 13. Parties. This Agreement shall each inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other than the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors and the controlling persons, Affiliates, selling agents, officers and directors referred to in Sections 6 and 7 and their heirs and legal representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors, and said controlling persons, Affiliates, selling agents, officers and directors and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.

SECTION 14. Trial by Jury. Each of the Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its stockholders and affiliates) and the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

SECTION 15. Partial Unenforceability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other Section, paragraph or provision hereof. If any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.

SECTION 16. GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT AND ANY CLAIM, CONTROVERSY OR DISPUTE ARISING UNDER OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF, THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO ITS CHOICE OF LAW PROVISIONS.

SECTION 17. Consent to Jurisdiction. Each of the parties hereto agrees that any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby (“Related Proceedings”) shall be instituted in (i) the federal courts of the United States of America located in the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan or (ii) the courts of the State of New York located in the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan (collectively, the “Specified Courts”), and irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction (except for proceedings instituted in regard to the enforcement of a judgment of any Specified Court (a “Related Judgment”), as to which such jurisdiction is non-exclusive) of the Specified Courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail to such party’s address set forth above shall be

effective service of process for any suit, action or proceeding brought in any Specified Court. Each of the parties hereto irrevocably and unconditionally waives any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim in any Specified Court that any such suit, action or proceeding brought in any Specified Court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.

SECTION 18. TIME. TIME SHALL BE OF THE ESSENCE OF THIS AGREEMENT. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SET FORTH HEREIN, SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.

SECTION 19. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same Agreement.

SECTION 20. Effect of Headings. The Section headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to the Company a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement between the Underwriters and the Company in accordance with its terms.


Very truly yours,

FIRSTMERIT CORPORATION

By:	/s/ Terrence E. Bichsel
	Title:	Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer


CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED, as of the date first above written:

MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH
INCORPORATED

By:		/s/ Aaron Packles
		Authorized Signatory

RBC CAPITAL MARKETS, LLC

By:		/s/ Gerald K. Wiant
		Authorized Signatory

BARCLAYS CAPITAL INC.

By:		/s/ Paul Robinson
		Authorized Signatory

CREDIT SUISSE SECURITIES (USA) LLC

By:		/s/ Sharon Harrison
		Authorized Signatory

Each for itself and as Representative of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto.

SCHEDULE A

The initial public offering price per share for the Securities shall be $25.00.

The purchase price per share for the Securities to be paid by the several Underwriters shall be $24.2125, being an amount equal to the initial public offering price set forth above less $0.7875 per share.


Name of Underwriter	Number of Securities
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated		1,600,000
RBC Capital Markets, LLC		1,600,000
Barclays Capital Inc.		300,000
Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC		300,000
Sandler O’Neill & Partners, L.P.		100,000
Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated		100,000

Total		4,000,000

Sch A

SCHEDULE B

Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectuses

Final Term Sheet dated January 28, 2013

SCHEDULE C

Final Term Sheet

January 28, 2013

LOGO

Depositary Shares, Each Representing a 1/40th Interest

in a Share of Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series A, without par value


Issuer:		FirstMerit Corporation

Security:		Depositary shares (the “Depositary Shares”), each representing a 1/40^th interest in a share of Series A Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, without par value (the “Preferred Stock”)

Size:		$100,000,000 (4,000,000 depositary shares)

Underwriters’ Option to Purchase Additional Depositary Shares:		$15,000,000 (600,000 depositary shares)

Maturity:		Perpetual

Liquidation Preference:		$1,000 per share (equivalent to $25 per depositary share)

Dividend Rate (Non-Cumulative):		At a rate per annum equal to 5.875% from the date of issuance

Dividend Payment Date:		4^th day of February, May, August and November of each year, commencing on May 4, 2013

Redemption:		On or after February 4, 2018, the Preferred Stock may be redeemed at our option on any dividend payment date, in whole or in part, from time to time, at a redemption price equal to $1,000 per share (equivalent to $25 per Depositary Share), plus (except as otherwise provided) any declared and unpaid dividends, without regard to any undeclared dividends. The Preferred Stock also may be redeemed at our option on any dividend payment date in whole, but not in part, within 90 days following the occurrence of a “regulatory capital treatment event,” as described in the prospectus supplement, at a redemption price equal to $1,000 per share (equivalent to $25 per Depositary Share), plus any declared and unpaid dividends, without regard to any undeclared dividends. Neither the holders of Preferred Stock nor holders of Depositary Shares will have the right to require us to redeem or repurchase Preferred Stock.

Trade Date:		January 28, 2013


Settlement Date:		February 4, 2013 (T+5) We expect that delivery of the Depositary Shares will be made to investors on or about February 4, 2013, which will be the fifth business day following the date hereof (such settlement being referred to as “T+5”). Under Rule 15c6-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, trades in the secondary market are required to settle in three business days, unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, purchasers who wish to trade the Depositary Shares prior to the delivery of the Depositary Shares hereunder will be required, by virtue of the fact that the Depositary Shares initially settle in T+5, to specify an alternate settlement arrangement at the time of any such trade to prevent a failed settlement. Purchasers of the Depositary Shares who wish to trade the Depositary Shares prior to their date of delivery hereunder should consult their advisors.

Listing:		Application will be made to list the Depositary Shares on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) under the symbol “FMCP.” If approved for listing, trading of the Depositary Shares on the NYSE is expected to commence within a 30-day period after the original issuance date of the Depositary Shares.

Public Offering Price:		$25.00 per Depositary Share

Underwriting Discount:		$3,150,000

Net Proceeds (before expenses) to Issuer:		$96,850,000

Joint Book-Running Managers: Co-Managers:		Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated RBC Capital Markets, LLC Barclays Capital Inc. Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC Sandler O’Neill & Partners, L.P. Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated

CUSIP/ISIN:		337915 300/ US3379153006

*	A securities rating is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities and may be subject to revision or withdrawal at any time.

This communication is intended for the sole use of the person to whom it is provided by us. The issuer has filed a registration statement, including a prospectus, with the SEC for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in that registration statement and other documents the issuer has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the issuer and this offering. You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC Web site at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, the issuer, any underwriter or any dealer participating in the offering will arrange to send you the prospectus if you request it by calling Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated at 1-800-294-1322 or via e-mail at dg.prospectus_requests@baml.com, RBC Capital Markets, LLC at 1-866-375-6829 or via e-mail at RBCNYFixedIncomeProspectus@rbccm.com, Barclays Capital Inc. at 1-888-603-5847 or via e-mail at barclaysprospectus@broadridge.com, or Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC at 1-800-221-1037 or via e-mail at newyork.prospectus@credit-suisse.com.