EX-2.1 2 d421891dex21.htm AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER Agreement and Plan of Merger

Exhibit 2.1

 

 

AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER

by and between

NBT BANCORP INC.

and

ALLIANCE FINANCIAL CORPORATION

Dated as of October 7, 2012

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

ARTICLE I THE MERGER

     1   
  1.1   

The Merger

     1   
  1.2   

Effective Time

     2   
  1.3   

Effects of the Merger

     2   
  1.4   

Closing

     2   
  1.5   

Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws

     2   
  1.6   

Directors of the Surviving Corporation

     2   
  1.7   

Officers of the Surviving Corporation

     3   
  1.8   

Tax Consequences

     3   
  1.9   

Bank Merger

     3   
  1.10   

Additional Actions

     3   

ARTICLE II MERGER CONSIDERATION; EXCHANGE PROCEDURES

     3   
  2.1   

Merger Consideration

     3   
  2.2   

Rights as Shareholders; Stock Transfers

     4   
  2.3   

Fractional Shares

     4   
  2.4   

Exchange Procedures

     4   
  2.5   

Anti-Dilution Provisions

     6   
  2.6   

Stock-Based Awards

     7   
  2.7   

Deferred Compensation Plans

     7   
  2.8   

Dividend Reinvestment Plan

     7   
  2.9   

Reservation of Right to Revise Structure

     7   

ARTICLE III REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY

     8   
  3.1   

Making of Representations and Warranties

     8   
  3.2   

Organization, Standing and Authority

     8   
  3.3   

Capitalization

     8   
  3.4   

Subsidiaries

     9   
  3.5   

Corporate Power

     10   
  3.6   

Corporate Authority

     10   
  3.7   

Non-Contravention

     10   
  3.8   

Certificate of Incorporation; Bylaws; Corporate Records

     11   
  3.9   

Compliance with Laws.

     11   
  3.10   

Litigation; Regulatory Action

     12   
  3.11   

SEC Documents; Financial Reports and Regulatory Reports

     13   
  3.12   

Absence of Certain Changes or Events

     14   
  3.13   

Taxes and Tax Returns

     14   
  3.14   

Employee Benefit Plans

     17   
  3.15   

Labor Matters

     19   
  3.16   

Insurance

     20   
  3.17   

Environmental Matters

     21   
  3.18   

Intellectual Property

     23   
  3.19   

Material Agreements; Defaults

     24   
  3.20   

Property and Leases

     25   
  3.21   

Inapplicability of Takeover Laws

     26   

 

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  3.22   

Regulatory Capitalization

     26   
  3.23   

Loans; Nonperforming and Classified Assets

     26   
  3.24   

Investment Securities

     27   
  3.25   

Investment Management and Related Activities

     27   
  3.26   

Derivative Transactions

     27   
  3.27   

Repurchase Agreements

     28   
  3.28   

Deposit Insurance

     28   
  3.29   

CRA, Anti-money Laundering and Customer Information Security

     28   
  3.30   

Transactions with Affiliates

     28   
  3.31   

Brokers; Fairness Opinion

     29   

ARTICLE IV REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF BUYER

     29   
  4.1   

Making of Representations and Warranties

     29   
  4.2   

Organization, Standing and Authority

     29   
  4.3   

Capitalization

     30   
  4.4   

Corporate Power

     30   
  4.5   

Corporate Authority

     30   
  4.6   

Non-Contravention

     30   
  4.7   

Certificate of Incorporation; Bylaws

     31   
  4.8   

Compliance with Laws

     31   
  4.9   

Litigation; Regulatory Action

     31   
  4.10   

SEC Documents; Financial Reports; and Regulatory Reports

     32   
  4.11   

Absence of Certain Changes or Events

     33   
  4.12   

Taxes and Tax Returns

     33   
  4.13   

Employee Benefit Plans

     36   
  4.14   

Labor Matters

     37   
  4.15   

Environmental Matters

     38   
  4.16   

Regulatory Capitalization

     39   
  4.17   

Loans; Nonperforming and Classified Assets

     39   
  4.18   

Investment Securities

     40   
  4.19   

CRA, Anti-money Laundering and Customer Information Security

     40   
  4.20   

Brokers

     41   
  4.21   

Deposit Insurance

     41   

ARTICLE V COVENANTS RELATING TO CONDUCT OF BUSINESS

     41   
  5.1   

Company Forbearances

     41   
  5.2   

Buyer Forbearances

     45   

ARTICLE VI ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS

     45   
  6.1   

Shareholder Approval

     45   
  6.2   

Registration Statement

     46   
  6.3   

Press Releases

     47   
  6.4   

Access; Information

     47   
  6.5   

No Solicitation

     48   
  6.6   

Takeover Laws

     51   
  6.7   

Shares Listed

     52   
  6.8   

Regulatory Applications; Filings; Consents

     52   

 

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  6.9   

Indemnification; Directors’ and Officers’ Insurance

     52   
  6.10   

Employees and Benefit Plans

     53   
  6.11   

Notification of Certain Matters

     55   
  6.12   

Financial Statements and Other Current Information

     55   
  6.13   

Confidentiality Agreement

     55   
  6.14   

Certain Tax Matters

     55   
  6.15   

Certain Litigation

     55   
  6.16   

Trust Preferred Redemption

     56   
  6.17   

Section 16 Votes

     56   
  6.18   

Classified Loans

     56   
  6.19   

Charitable Commitments

     56   
  6.20   

Employment Agreement

     56   

ARTICLE VII CONDITIONS TO CONSUMMATION OF THE MERGER

     56   
  7.1   

Conditions to Each Party’s Obligations to Effect the Merger

     56   
  7.2   

Conditions to the Obligations of Buyer

     57   
  7.3   

Conditions to the Obligations of the Company

     58   

ARTICLE VIII TERMINATION

     58   
  8.1   

Termination

     58   
  8.2   

Effect of Termination and Abandonment

     61   

ARTICLE IX MISCELLANEOUS

     62   
  9.1   

Standard

     62   
  9.2   

Survival

     63   
  9.3   

Certain Definitions

     63   
  9.4   

Waiver; Amendment

     71   
  9.5   

Expenses

     71   
  9.6   

Notices

     71   
  9.7   

Understanding; No Third Party Beneficiaries

     72   
  9.8   

Assignability; Binding Effect

     72   
  9.9   

Headings; Interpretation

     72   
  9.10   

Counterparts

     72   
  9.11   

Governing Law

     72   
  9.12   

Specific Performance

     73   
EXHIBITS   
  Exhibit A   

Voting Agreement

  
  Exhibit B   

Form of Settlement Agreement

  
  Exhibit C   

Employment Agreement

  

 

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AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER, dated as of October 7, 2012 (this “Agreement”), by and between NBT Bancorp Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Buyer”), and Alliance Financial Corporation, a New York corporation (f/k/a Cortland First Financial Corporation) (the “Company”).

RECITALS

WHEREAS, the respective Boards of Directors of Buyer and the Company have determined that it is in the best interests of their respective corporations and shareholders to enter into this Agreement and to consummate the strategic business combination provided for herein, pursuant to which, subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Company will merge with and into Buyer, with Buyer being the surviving corporation and continuing its corporate existence under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “Merger”);

WHEREAS, as a condition to the willingness of Buyer to enter into this Agreement, the Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company has entered into a Voting Agreement with Buyer dated as of the date hereof (the “Voting Agreement”), substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A, pursuant to which such shareholder has agreed, among other things, to vote his shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $1.00 per share (the “Company Common Stock”), in favor of the approval of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Voting Agreement;

WHEREAS, after the Effective Time of the Merger, on a date selected by Buyer, Alliance Bank, N.A. (the “Company Bank”) will merge with and into NBT Bank, N.A. (the “Buyer Bank”), with Buyer Bank continuing as the surviving entity;

WHEREAS, the parties intend the Merger to qualify as a “reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and that this Agreement shall constitute a “plan of reorganization” for purposes of Sections 354 and 361 of the Code; and

WHEREAS, the parties desire to make certain representations, warranties and agreements in connection with the Merger and also to prescribe certain conditions to the Merger.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants, representations, warranties and agreements contained herein, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

THE MERGER

1.1 The Merger. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, in accordance with the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”) and the New York Business Corporation Law (the “NYBCL”), and in reliance upon the representations, warranties and covenants set forth herein, at the Effective Time, the Company shall merge with and into Buyer, the separate corporate existence of the Company shall cease and Buyer shall survive and continue its corporate existence under its Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws and the laws of the State of Delaware (Buyer, as the surviving corporation in the Merger, being sometimes referred to herein as the “Surviving Corporation”).


1.2 Effective Time. On the Closing Date, as promptly as practicable after all of the conditions set forth in Article VII shall have been satisfied or, if permissible, waived by the party entitled to the benefit of the same, Buyer and the Company shall (a) execute and file with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware a certificate of merger in a form reasonably satisfactory to Buyer and the Company, in accordance with the DGCL, and (b) execute and file with the Department of State of the State of New York a certificate of merger in a form reasonably satisfactory to Buyer and the Company, in accordance with the NYBCL. The Merger shall become effective on the date of such filings at the time specified therein (the “Effective Time”).

1.3 Effects of the Merger. At the Effective Time, the effect of the Merger shall be as provided herein and as provided in the applicable provisions of the DGCL and the NYBCL.

1.4 Closing. The transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall be consummated at a closing (the “Closing”) that will take place at the offices of Goodwin Procter LLP, Exchange Place, Boston, Massachusetts 02109, (a) on a date to be specified by the parties, which shall be no later than five (5) Business Days after all of the conditions to the Closing set forth in Article VII (other than conditions to be satisfied at the Closing, which shall be satisfied or waived at the Closing) have been satisfied or waived in accordance with the terms hereof (the “Baseline Closing Date”), (b) at the election of Buyer, on the last Business Day of the month in which the Baseline Closing Date occurs or (c) if the Baseline Closing Date occurs in the second half of a fiscal quarter of Buyer, at the election of Buyer, on the last Business Day of such fiscal quarter (such day hereinafter referred to as the “Closing Date”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Closing may take place at such other place, time or date as may be mutually agreed upon in writing by Buyer and the Company.

1.5 Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws. The Certificate of Incorporation of Buyer, as in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time, shall be the Certificate of Incorporation of the Surviving Corporation, until thereafter amended as provided therein and in accordance with applicable law. The Bylaws of Buyer, as in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time, shall be the Bylaws of the Surviving Corporation, until thereafter amended as provided therein and in accordance with applicable law.

1.6 Directors of the Surviving Corporation. The directors of Buyer immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be the directors of the Surviving Corporation, each of whom shall serve in accordance with the Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Surviving Corporation; provided, however, that immediately following the Effective Time, Buyer shall expand the size of its Board of Directors by three (3) seats in connection with the Merger and designate Jack H. Webb and two (2) other members of the Company Board to be named after the date hereof and prior to the Effective Time, each of whom meets the qualifications for directors set forth in the Bylaws of the Surviving Corporation and is mutually agreed upon by Buyer and the Company, to serve on the Board of Directors of the Surviving Corporation (the “Company Director Designees”). The Company Director Designees shall be appointed to the Board of Directors of the Surviving Corporation in a manner such that the classes of the Board of

 

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Directors of the Surviving Corporation shall be as nearly equal in number as possible. The Company Director Designees shall also be appointed to the Board of Directors of the Buyer Bank in accordance with the Bylaws of the Buyer Bank and effective immediately following the Effective Time.

1.7 Officers of the Surviving Corporation. The officers of Buyer immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be the officers of the Surviving Corporation, each to hold office in accordance with the Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Surviving Corporation.

1.8 Tax Consequences. It is intended that the Merger shall qualify as a “reorganization” under Section 368(a) of the Code, and that this Agreement shall constitute a “plan of reorganization” for purposes of Sections 354 and 361 of the Code.

1.9 Bank Merger.

(a) As soon as practicable after consummation of the Merger (or on such later date as Buyer shall specify), the Company Bank shall be merged with and into the Buyer Bank (the “Bank Merger”). The Buyer Bank shall be the surviving entity in the Bank Merger and shall continue its corporate existence.

(b) As soon as practicable after the execution of this Agreement (or on such later date as Buyer shall specify), Buyer shall cause the Buyer Bank, and the Company shall cause the Company Bank, to enter into an Agreement and Plan of Merger providing for the Bank Merger (the “Bank Merger Agreement”). The Bank Merger Agreement shall be in a form to be specified by Buyer and reasonably approved by the Company (such approval not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed).

1.10 Additional Actions. If, at any time after the Effective Time, Buyer shall consider or be advised that any further deeds, documents, assignments or assurances in law or any other acts are necessary or desirable to (a) vest, perfect or confirm, or record or otherwise, in Buyer its right, title or interest in, to or under any of the rights, properties or assets of the Company, or (b) otherwise carry out the purposes of this Agreement, the Company and its officers and directors shall be deemed to have granted to Buyer an irrevocable power of attorney to execute and deliver, in such official corporate capacities, all such deeds, assignments or assurances in law or any other acts as are necessary or desirable to (x) vest, perfect or confirm, of record or otherwise, in Buyer its right, title or interest in, to or under any of the rights, properties or assets of the Company or (y) otherwise carry out the purposes of this Agreement, and the officers and directors of Buyer are authorized in the name of the Company or otherwise to take any and all such action.

ARTICLE II

MERGER CONSIDERATION; EXCHANGE PROCEDURES

2.1 Merger Consideration. Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, at the Effective Time, automatically by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part of Buyer, the Company, any shareholder of the Company or any shareholder of Buyer:

 

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(a) Each share of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of Buyer (“Buyer Common Stock”) that is issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (together with the associated stock purchase rights which are attached to, and trade with, the Buyer Common Stock) shall remain outstanding following the Effective Time and shall be unchanged by the Merger.

(b) Each share of Company Common Stock held as Treasury Stock immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be cancelled and retired at the Effective Time without any conversion thereof, and no payment shall be made with respect thereto.

(c) Each share of Company Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (other than Treasury Stock) shall become and be converted into, as provided in and subject to the limitations set forth in this Agreement, the right to receive 2.1779 shares (the “Exchange Ratio”) of Buyer Common Stock (together with the associated stock purchase rights which are attached to, and trade with, the Buyer Common Stock) (the “Merger Consideration”).

2.2 Rights as Shareholders; Stock Transfers. All shares of Company Common Stock, when converted as provided in Section 2.1(c), shall no longer be outstanding and shall automatically be cancelled and retired and shall cease to exist, and each certificate (a “Certificate”) previously evidencing such shares shall thereafter represent only the right to receive for each such share of Company Common Stock, the Merger Consideration and, if applicable, any cash in lieu of fractional shares of Buyer Common Stock in accordance with Section 2.3. At the Effective Time, holders of Company Common Stock shall cease to be, and shall have no rights as, shareholders of the Company, other than the right to receive the Merger Consideration and cash in lieu of fractional shares of Buyer Common Stock as provided under this Article II. After the Effective Time, there shall be no transfers on the stock transfer books of the Company of shares of Company Common Stock, other than transfers of Company Common Stock that have occurred prior to the Effective Time.

2.3 Fractional Shares. Notwithstanding any other provision hereof, no fractional shares of Buyer Common Stock and no certificates or scrip therefor, or other evidence of ownership thereof, will be issued in the Merger. In lieu thereof, Buyer shall pay to each holder of a fractional share of Buyer Common Stock an amount of cash (without interest) determined by multiplying the fractional share interest to which such holder would otherwise be entitled by the average of the daily closing prices during the regular session of Buyer Common Stock on The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC (“NASDAQ”) (as reported in The Wall Street Journal or, if not reported therein, in another authoritative source) for the five (5) consecutive trading days ending on the third Business Day immediately prior to the Closing Date, rounded to the nearest whole cent.

2.4 Exchange Procedures.

(a) At or before the Effective Time, for the benefit of the holders of Certificates, (i) Buyer shall cause to be delivered to a bank or trust company designated by Buyer and reasonably satisfactory to the Company (the “Exchange Agent”), for exchange in accordance with this Article II, certificates representing the shares of Buyer Common Stock issuable pursuant

 

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to this Article II (“New Certificates”) and (ii) Buyer shall deliver, or shall cause to be delivered, to the Exchange Agent an aggregate amount of cash sufficient to pay the estimated amount of cash to be paid in lieu of fractional shares of Buyer Common Stock (such New Certificates and cash hereinafter referred to as the “Exchange Fund”).

(b) As promptly as practicable following the Effective Time, and provided that the Company has delivered, or caused to be delivered, to the Exchange Agent all information which is necessary for the Exchange Agent to perform its obligations as specified herein, the Exchange Agent shall mail to each holder of record of a Certificate or Certificates a form of letter of transmittal (which shall specify that delivery shall be effected, and risk of loss and title to the Certificates shall pass, only upon delivery of the Certificates to the Exchange Agent) and instructions for use in effecting the surrender of the Certificates in exchange for the Merger Consideration into which the shares of Company Common Stock represented by such Certificate or Certificates shall have been converted pursuant to Section 2.1 and Section 2.3 of this Agreement. Upon proper surrender of a Certificate for exchange and cancellation to the Exchange Agent, together with a properly completed letter of transmittal, duly executed, the holder of such Certificate shall be entitled to receive in exchange therefor, as applicable, (i) a New Certificate representing that number of shares of Buyer Common Stock to which such former holder of Company Common Stock shall have become entitled pursuant to this Agreement and (ii) a check representing the amount of cash (if any) payable in lieu of a fractional share of Buyer Common Stock which such former holder has the right to receive in respect of the Certificate surrendered pursuant to this Agreement, and the Certificate so surrendered shall forthwith be cancelled. Until surrendered as contemplated by this Section 2.4(b), each Certificate (other than Certificates representing Treasury Stock) shall be deemed at any time after the Effective Time to represent only the right to receive upon such surrender the Merger Consideration provided in Section 2.1 and Section 2.3 and any unpaid dividends and distributions thereon as provided in Section 2.4(c). No interest shall be paid or accrued on (x) any cash in lieu of fractional shares or (y) any such unpaid dividends and distributions payable to holders of Certificates.

(c) No dividends or other distributions with a record date after the Effective Time with respect to Buyer Common Stock shall be paid to the holder of any unsurrendered Certificate until the holder thereof shall surrender such Certificate in accordance with this Section 2.4. After the surrender of a Certificate in accordance with this Section 2.4, the record holder thereof shall be entitled to receive any such dividends or other distributions, without any interest thereon, which theretofore had become payable with respect to shares of Buyer Common Stock represented by such Certificate.

(d) The Exchange Agent and Buyer, as the case may be, shall not be obligated to deliver a New Certificate or New Certificates representing shares of Buyer Common Stock (or any cash in lieu of fractional shares) to which a holder of Company Common Stock would otherwise be entitled as a result of the Merger until such holder surrenders the Certificate or Certificates representing the shares of Company Common Stock for exchange as provided in this Section 2.4, or an appropriate affidavit of loss and indemnity agreement and/or a bond in an amount as may be required in each case by Buyer. If any New Certificates evidencing shares of Buyer Common Stock are to be issued in a name other than that in which the Certificate evidencing Company Common Stock surrendered in exchange therefor is registered, it shall be a

 

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condition of the issuance thereof that the Certificate so surrendered shall be properly endorsed or accompanied by an executed form of assignment separate from the Certificate and otherwise in proper form for transfer, and that the Person requesting such exchange pay to the Exchange Agent any transfer or other tax required by reason of the issuance of a New Certificate for shares of Buyer Common Stock in any name other than that of the registered holder of the Certificate surrendered or otherwise establish to the satisfaction of the Exchange Agent that such tax has been paid or is not payable.

(e) Any portion of the Exchange Fund that remains unclaimed by the shareholders of the Company for six (6) months after the Effective Time (as well as any interest or proceeds from any investment thereof) shall be delivered by the Exchange Agent to Buyer. Any shareholders of the Company who have not theretofore complied with Section 2.4(b) shall thereafter look only to the Surviving Corporation for the Merger Consideration deliverable in respect of each share of Company Common Stock such shareholder holds as determined pursuant to this Agreement, in each case without any interest thereon. If outstanding Certificates for shares of Company Common Stock are not surrendered or the payment for them is not claimed prior to the date on which such shares of Buyer Common Stock or cash would otherwise escheat to or become the property of any governmental unit or agency, the unclaimed items shall, to the extent permitted by abandoned property and any other applicable law, become the property of Buyer (and to the extent not in its possession shall be delivered to it), free and clear of all claims or interest of any Person previously entitled to such property. Neither the Exchange Agent nor any party to this Agreement shall be liable to any holder of shares of Company Common Stock represented by any Certificate for any consideration paid to a public official pursuant to applicable abandoned property, escheat or similar laws. Buyer and the Exchange Agent shall be entitled to rely upon the stock transfer books of the Company to establish the identity of those Persons entitled to receive the Merger Consideration specified in this Agreement, which books shall be conclusive with respect thereto. In the event of a dispute with respect to ownership of any shares of Company Common Stock represented by any Certificate, Buyer and the Exchange Agent shall be entitled to deposit any Merger Consideration represented thereby in escrow with an independent third party and thereafter be relieved with respect to any claims thereto.

(f) Buyer (through the Exchange Agent, if applicable) shall be entitled to deduct and withhold from any amounts otherwise payable pursuant to this Agreement to any holder of shares of Company Common Stock such amounts as Buyer is required to deduct and withhold under applicable law. Any amounts so deducted and withheld shall be treated for all purposes of this Agreement as having been paid to the holder of Company Common Stock in respect of which such deduction and withholding was made by Buyer.

2.5 Anti-Dilution Provisions. In the event Buyer or the Company changes (or establishes a record date for changing) the number of, or provides for the exchange of, shares of Buyer Common Stock or Company Common Stock issued and outstanding prior to the Effective Time as a result of a stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization, reclassification, or similar transaction with respect to the outstanding Buyer Common Stock or Company Common Stock and the record date therefor shall be prior to the Effective Time, the Exchange Ratio shall be proportionately and appropriately adjusted; provided, however, that, for the avoidance of doubt, no such adjustment shall be made with regard to the Buyer Common Stock if (a) Buyer issues additional shares of Buyer Common Stock and receives consideration for such shares in a bona

 

6


fide third party transaction, (b) Buyer issues additional shares of Buyer Common Stock under its Employee Stock Purchase Plan, or (c) Buyer issues employee or director stock grants or similar equity awards or shares of Buyer Common Stock upon the exercise or settlement thereof.

2.6 Stock-Based Awards. As of the Effective Time, all restricted shares of Company Common Stock granted under the Company’s 2010 Restricted Stock Plan and 1998 Long Term Incentive Compensation Plan (collectively, the “Restricted Stock Plans”) shall vest in full so as to no longer be subject to any forfeiture or vesting requirements pursuant to the terms of the Restricted Stock Plans, and all such shares of Company Common Stock shall be considered outstanding shares for all purposes of this Agreement, including, without limitation, for purposes of the right to receive the Merger Consideration with respect thereto. The Company Board (or, if appropriate, any committee thereof administering the Restricted Stock Plans) shall adopt such resolutions or take such other actions as may be required to effect the foregoing.

2.7 Deferred Compensation Plans. Prior to the Effective Time, the Company shall take such action as is necessary with respect to any stock-based deferred compensation plans of the Company to provide that, without any action on the part of Buyer, the Company or any participant in such plan, as of the Effective Time, all amounts held in participant accounts and denominated in Company Common Stock (“Company Deferred Stock Units”) shall be converted into rights with respect to a number of shares of Buyer Common Stock that is equal to the number of Company Deferred Stock Units immediately prior to the Effective Time multiplied by the Exchange Ratio (rounded to the nearest whole share). Effective as of the date of this Agreement, the Company shall not issue any shares of Company Common Stock or sell any shares of Company Common Stock held in treasury pursuant to any stock-based deferred compensation plan.

2.8 Dividend Reinvestment Plan. Prior to the Effective Time, the Company shall suspend purchases of Company Common Stock under the Company’s dividend reinvestment plan (the “DRIP”) and take such action as is necessary to terminate the DRIP and distribute all shares of Company Common Stock and the value of all cash held in participant’s plan accounts in accordance with the terms of the DRIP. Prior to the Effective Time, in no event shall the Company issue any shares of Company Common Stock or sell any shares of Company Common Stock held in treasury pursuant to the DRIP.

2.9 Reservation of Right to Revise Structure. Buyer may at any time change the method of effecting the business combination contemplated by this Agreement if and to the extent that it deems such a change to be desirable; provided, however, that no such change shall (a) alter or change the amount of the consideration to be issued to holders of Company Common Stock as merger consideration as currently contemplated in this Agreement, (b) reasonably be expected to materially impede or delay consummation of the Merger, (c) adversely affect the federal income tax treatment of holders of Company Common Stock in connection with the Merger, or (d) require submission to or approval of the Company’s shareholders after the plan of merger set forth in this Agreement has been approved by the Company’s shareholders. In the event that Buyer elects to make such a change, the parties agree to execute appropriate documents to reflect the change.

 

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ARTICLE III

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY

3.1 Making of Representations and Warranties.

(a) As a material inducement to Buyer to enter into this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby, the Company hereby makes to Buyer the representations and warranties contained in this Article III, subject to the standards established by Section 9.1.

(b) On or prior to the date hereof, the Company has delivered to Buyer a schedule (the “Company Disclosure Schedule”) listing, among other things, items the disclosure of which is necessary or appropriate in relation to any or all of the Company’s representations and warranties contained in this Article III; provided, however, that no such item is required to be set forth on the Company Disclosure Schedule as an exception to a representation or warranty if its absence is not reasonably likely to result in the related representation or warranty being untrue or incorrect under the standards established by Section 9.1.

3.2 Organization, Standing and Authority. The Company is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of New York. The Company is duly registered as a bank holding company under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (“BHCA”), and the regulations of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “FRB”) promulgated thereunder. The Company has elected to be a financial holding company under Section 4(l)(C) of the BHCA and meets all of the qualifications for a financial holding company under Section 4(l) of the BHCA and the regulations of the FRB promulgated thereunder. The Company is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing in the jurisdictions where its ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of its business requires it to be so qualified. A complete and accurate list of all such jurisdictions is set forth on Schedule 3.2 of the Company Disclosure Schedule.

3.3 Capitalization.

(a) As of the date hereof, the authorized capital stock of the Company consists solely of (i) 900,000 shares of undesignated preferred stock, par value $1.00 per share, of which no shares are issued and outstanding, (ii) 100,000 shares of Series A junior participating preferred stock, par value $1.00 per share, of which no shares are issued and outstanding, (iii) 10,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $1.00 per share, of which 4,782,185 shares are issued and outstanding, and (iv) 322,312 shares that are held, directly or indirectly, by the Company as Treasury Stock. The outstanding shares of Company Common Stock are validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable with no personal liability attaching to the ownership thereof, and subject to no preemptive or similar rights (and were not issued in violation of any preemptive or similar rights). Except as set forth on Schedule 3.3(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, there are no additional shares of the Company’s capital stock authorized or reserved for issuance, the Company does not have any securities (including units of beneficial ownership interest in any partnership or limited liability company) convertible into or exchangeable for any additional shares of stock, any stock appreciation rights, or any other rights to subscribe for or acquire shares of its capital stock issued and outstanding, and the Company does not have, and is not bound by,

 

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any commitment to authorize, issue or sell any such shares or other rights. There are no agreements to which the Company is a party with respect to the voting, sale or transfer, or registration of any securities of the Company. To the Knowledge of the Company, there are no agreements among other parties, to which the Company is not a party, with respect to the voting or sale or transfer of any securities of the Company. All of the issued and outstanding shares of Company Common Stock were issued in compliance with applicable securities laws. The Company’s Rights Agreement dated October 19, 2001, and the related Preferred Stock Purchase Rights expired in accordance with their terms on October 29, 2011.

(b) There are no outstanding contractual obligations of the Company to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any shares of capital stock of, or other equity interests in, the Company or to provide funds to, or make any investment (in the form of a loan, capital contribution or otherwise) in, any Subsidiary of the Company.

(c) Schedule 3.3(c) of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth, as of the date hereof, for each restricted stock award, the name of the grantee, the date of grant, the plan under which the grant was made, the number of shares of Company Common Stock subject to each award, the vesting schedule of each award, the number of shares of Company Common Stock that are currently vested with respect to such award, and whether the vesting of such award shall accelerate in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby. As of the date hereof, there are no outstanding options to purchase Company Common Stock or other outstanding equity awards to any director, officer, employee or consultant of the Company or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries.

3.4 Subsidiaries.

(a) (i) Schedule 3.4(a)(i) of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth a complete and accurate list of all of the Company’s Subsidiaries, including the jurisdiction of organization of each such Subsidiary, (ii) except as set forth on Schedule 3.4(a)(ii), the Company owns, directly or indirectly, all of the issued and outstanding equity securities of each Subsidiary, (iii) no equity securities of any of the Company’s Subsidiaries are or may become required to be issued (other than to the Company) by reason of any contractual right or otherwise, (iv) there are no contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which any of such Subsidiaries is or may be bound to sell or otherwise transfer any of its equity securities (other than to the Company or a wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company), (v) there are no contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements relating to the Company’s rights to vote or to dispose of such securities and (vi) all of the equity securities of each such Subsidiary held by the Company, directly or indirectly, are validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, not subject to preemptive or similar rights and are owned by the Company free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests, conditional and installment sale agreements, encumbrances, charges or other claims of third parties of any kind (collectively, “Liens”).

(b) Except as set forth on Schedule 3.4(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, the Company does not own (other than in a bona fide fiduciary capacity or in satisfaction of a debt previously contracted) beneficially, directly or indirectly, any equity securities or similar interests of any Person, or any interest in a partnership or joint venture of any kind.

 

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(c) Each of the Company’s Subsidiaries has been duly organized and qualified under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization and is duly qualified to do business and in good standing in the jurisdictions where its ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of its business requires it to be so qualified. A complete and accurate list of all such jurisdictions is set forth on Schedule 3.4(c) of the Company Disclosure Schedule.

3.5 Corporate Power. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has the corporate power and authority to carry on its business as it is now being conducted and to own all of its properties and assets and the Company has the corporate power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement, to perform its obligations under this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby.

3.6 Corporate Authority. This Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, subject to approval by the holders of two-thirds (2/3) of the shares of Company Common Stock outstanding and entitled to vote thereon, have been authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company and the Company Board. The Company Board (a) unanimously approved this Agreement and determined that this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, including the Merger, are advisable and in the best interests of the holders of Company Common Stock and (b) unanimously resolved to recommend that the holders of Company Common Stock vote for the approval of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby at a meeting of the shareholders of the Company. The Company has duly executed and delivered this Agreement and, assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery by Buyer, this Agreement is a legal, valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable in accordance with its terms (except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights or by general principles of equity). The affirmative vote of the holders of two-thirds (2/3) of the outstanding shares of Company Common Stock is the only vote of any class of capital stock of the Company required by the NYBCL, the Certificate of Incorporation of the Company or the Bylaws of the Company to approve this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby. In accordance with the applicable provisions of the NYBCL, the shareholders of the Company are not entitled to appraisal or dissenters’ rights in connection with any of the transactions contemplated hereby.

3.7 Non-Contravention.

(a) Subject to the receipt of the Regulatory Approvals, the Bank Merger Approvals and the required filings under federal and state securities laws, and except as set forth on Schedule 3.7(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby (including, without limitation, the Merger and the Bank Merger) by the Company do not and will not (i) constitute a breach or violation of, or a default under, result in a right of termination or the acceleration of any right or obligation under, any law, rule or regulation or any judgment, decree, order, permit, license, credit agreement, indenture, loan, note, bond, mortgage, reciprocal easement agreement, lease, instrument, concession, franchise or other agreement of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, properties or assets is subject or bound, (ii) constitute a breach or violation of, or a default under, the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws, or (iii) require the consent or approval of any third party

 

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or Governmental Authority under any such law, rule, regulation, judgment, decree, order, permit, license, credit agreement, indenture, loan, note, bond, mortgage, reciprocal easement agreement, lease, instrument, concession, franchise or other agreement.

(b) As of the date hereof, the Company has no Knowledge of any reasons relating to the Company or the Company Bank (including, without limitation, compliance with the Community Reinvestment Act (the “CRA”) or the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001, Public Law 107-56 (the “USA PATRIOT Act”)) (i) why any of the Regulatory Approvals or the Bank Merger Approvals shall not be received in customary time frames from the applicable Governmental Authorities having jurisdiction over the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or (ii) why any Burdensome Condition would be imposed.

3.8 Certificate of Incorporation; Bylaws; Corporate Records. The Company has made available to Buyer a complete and correct copy of its Certificate of Incorporation and the Bylaws or equivalent organizational documents, each as amended to date, of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries. The Company is not in violation of any of the terms of its Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws. The minute books of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries contain complete and accurate records of all meetings held by, and complete and accurate records of all other corporate actions of, their respective shareholders and boards of directors (including committees of their respective boards of directors) or other governing bodies.

3.9 Compliance with Laws.

Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries:

(a) has been and is in compliance with all applicable federal, state, local and foreign statutes, laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, judgments, orders or decrees applicable thereto or to the employees conducting their businesses, including, without limitation, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the Fair Housing Act, the CRA, the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act and all other applicable fair lending laws and other laws relating to discriminatory business practices;

(b) has all permits, licenses, authorizations, orders and approvals of, and has made all filings, applications and registrations with, all Governmental Authorities that are required in order to permit them to own or lease their properties and to conduct their businesses as presently conducted; all such permits, licenses, authorizations, orders and approvals are in full force and effect and, to the Knowledge of the Company, no suspension or cancellation of any of them is threatened;

(c) has received, since January 1, 2009, no notification or communication from any Governmental Authority (i) asserting that the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is not in compliance with any of the statutes, regulations, or ordinances which such Governmental Authority enforces, (ii) threatening to revoke any license, franchise, permit, or governmental authorization, (iii) threatening or contemplating revocation or limitation of, or which would have the effect of revoking or limiting, federal deposit insurance or (iv) failing to approve any proposed acquisition, or stating its intention not to approve acquisitions, proposed to be effected by the Company within a certain time period or indefinitely (nor, to the Knowledge of the Company, do any grounds for any of the foregoing exist); and

 

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(d) has conducted any finance activities (including, without limitation, mortgage banking and mortgage lending activities and consumer finance activities) in compliance with all applicable statutes and regulations regulating the business of consumer lending, including, without limitation, state usury laws, the Truth in Lending Act, the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, the Consumer Credit Protection Act, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Homeowners Ownership and Equity Protection Act, the Fair Debt Collections Act and other federal, state, local and foreign laws regulating lending (“Finance Laws”), and with all applicable origination, servicing and collection practices with respect to any loan or credit extension by such entity. In addition, there is no pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened charge by any Governmental Authority that any of the Company and its Subsidiaries has violated, nor any pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened investigation by any Governmental Authority with respect to possible violations of, any applicable Finance Laws.

3.10 Litigation; Regulatory Action.

(a) Except as set forth on Schedule 3.10(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, no litigation, claim, suit, investigation or other proceeding before any court, governmental agency or arbitrator is pending against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, and, to the Knowledge of the Company, (i) no such litigation, claim, suit, investigation or other proceeding has been threatened and (ii) there are no facts which would reasonably be expected to give rise to such litigation, claim, suit, investigation or other proceeding.

(b) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries nor any of their respective properties is a party to or is subject to any assistance agreement, board resolution, order, decree, supervisory agreement, memorandum of understanding, condition or similar arrangement with, or a commitment letter or similar submission to, any Governmental Authority charged with the supervision or regulation of financial institutions or issuers of securities or engaged in the insurance of deposits (including, without limitation, the FRB, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (“OCC”) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”)) or the supervision or regulation of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has been subject to any order or directive by, or been ordered to pay any civil money penalty by, or has been since January 1, 2009, a recipient of any supervisory letter from, or since January 1, 2009, has adopted any policies, procedures or board resolutions at the request or suggestion of, any Governmental Authority that currently regulates in any material respect the conduct of its business or that in any manner relates to its capital adequacy, its ability to pay dividends, its credit or risk management policies, its management or its business, other than those of general application that apply to similarly-situated bank or financial holding companies or their subsidiaries.

(c) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has been advised by a Governmental Authority that it will issue, or has Knowledge of any facts which would reasonably be expected to give rise to the issuance by any Governmental Authority or has Knowledge that such Governmental Authority is contemplating issuing or requesting (or is considering the appropriateness of issuing or requesting), any such order, decree, agreement, board resolution, memorandum of understanding, supervisory letter, commitment letter, condition or similar submission.

 

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3.11 SEC Documents; Financial Reports and Regulatory Reports.

(a) Except as set forth on Schedule 3.11(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, as amended through the date hereof, for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011 (the “Company 2011 Form 10-K”), and all other reports, registration statements, definitive proxy statements or information statements required to be filed or furnished by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries subsequent to January 1, 2009, under the Securities Act, or under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act (collectively, the “Company SEC Documents”), with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), and all of the Company SEC Documents filed with the SEC after the date hereof, in the form filed or to be filed, (i) complied or will comply as to form with the applicable requirements under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as the case may be, and (ii) did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and each of the balance sheets contained in or incorporated by reference into any such Company SEC Document (including the related notes and schedules thereto) fairly presents and will fairly present the financial position of the entity or entities to which such balance sheet relates as of its date, and each of the statements of income and changes in shareholders’ equity and cash flows or equivalent statements in such Company SEC Documents (including any related notes and schedules thereto) fairly presents and will fairly present the results of operations, changes in shareholders’ equity and changes in cash flows, as the case may be, of the entity or entities to which such statement relates for the periods to which it relates, in each case in accordance with GAAP consistently applied during the periods involved, except in each case as may be noted therein, subject to normal year-end audit adjustments in the case of unaudited statements. Except for those liabilities that are fully reflected or reserved against in the most recent audited consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries contained in the Company 2011 Form 10-K (the “Company Balance Sheet”) and, except for liabilities reflected in Company SEC Documents filed prior to the date hereof or incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices or in connection with this Agreement, since December 31, 2011, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has any liabilities or obligations of any nature (whether accrued, absolute, contingent or otherwise) required by GAAP to be set forth on its consolidated balance sheet or in the notes thereto.

(b) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries, officers and directors are in compliance with, and have complied, with (i) the applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (“Sarbanes-Oxley”) and the related rules and regulations promulgated under such act and the Exchange Act and (ii) the applicable listing and corporate governance rules and regulations of NASDAQ. The Company (x) has established and maintained disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting (as such terms are defined in paragraphs (e) and (f), respectively, of Rule 13a-15 under the Exchange Act) as required by Rule 13a-15 under the Exchange Act, and (y) has disclosed based on its most recent evaluations, to its outside auditors and the audit committee of the Company Board (A) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting (as defined in

 

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Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act) which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial data and (B) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

(c) Since January 1, 2009, the Company and its Subsidiaries have duly filed with the FRB, the FDIC, the OCC and any other applicable Governmental Authority, in correct form, the reports required to be filed under applicable laws and regulations and such reports were complete and accurate and in compliance with the requirements of applicable laws and regulations.

3.12 Absence of Certain Changes or Events. Except as disclosed in the Company SEC Documents filed or furnished prior to the date hereof, or as otherwise expressly permitted or expressly contemplated by this Agreement, since December 31, 2011, there has not been (a) any change or development in the business, operations, assets, liabilities, condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, cash flows or properties of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries which has had, or would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect, (b) any change by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in its accounting methods, principles or practices, other than changes required by applicable law or GAAP or regulatory accounting as concurred in by the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm or (c) any declaration, setting aside or payment of any dividend or distribution in respect of any capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any redemption, purchase or other acquisition of any of its securities, other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice.

3.13 Taxes and Tax Returns. For purposes of this Section 3.13, any reference to the Company or its Subsidiaries shall be deemed to include a reference to the Company’s predecessors or the predecessors of its Subsidiaries, respectively, except where inconsistent with the language of this Section 3.13. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.13 of the Company Disclosure Schedule:

(a) Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has (i) timely filed (or there has been timely filed on its behalf) with the appropriate Governmental Authorities all Tax Returns required to be filed by it (giving effect to all extensions) and such Tax Returns are true, correct and complete; and (ii) timely paid in full (or there has been timely paid in full on its behalf) all Taxes required to have been paid by it.

(b) The unpaid Taxes of the Company and its Subsidiaries (i) did not, as of December 31, 2011, exceed the accrued Tax liability (rather than any deferred income Tax liability established to reflect timing differences between book and Tax income) included in the Company’s audited consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2011, and (ii) will not exceed the accrued Tax liability as adjusted for transactions or operations in the ordinary course of business through the Closing Date in accordance with the past custom and practice of the Company and its Subsidiaries in filing their Tax Returns.

(c) There are no liens for Taxes upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, except for liens for Taxes not yet due or for Taxes which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings (and for which adequate accruals have been established in the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP).

 

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(d) (i) Proper and accurate amounts have been withheld by the Company and each of its Subsidiaries from its respective employees, independent contractors, creditors, stockholders, depositors, and other payees for all periods in compliance with the tax withholding provisions of applicable federal, state, county and local laws; (ii) federal, state, county and local returns that are accurate and complete have been filed by the Company and each of its Subsidiaries for all periods for which returns were due with respect to income tax withholding, Social Security and Medicare and unemployment taxes, and information reporting (including IRS Forms 1098 and 1099) and backup and nonresident withholding; (iii) the amounts shown on such returns to be due and payable have been paid in full or adequate provision therefor has been included by the Company in its consolidated financial statements for the period ended December 31, 2011, or, with respect to returns filed after the date hereof, have been or will be so paid or provided for in the consolidated financial statements of the Company for the period covered by such returns; and (iv) the Company and its Subsidiaries have timely and properly taken such actions in response to and in compliance with notices from the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) in respect of information reporting and backup and nonresident withholding as are required by law, including the notation in its records of any B notices or C notices received with respect to any customers, stockholders, or payees.

(e) As of the date of this Agreement, no federal, state, local or foreign audits or other administrative proceedings or court proceedings are presently pending with regard to any Taxes or Tax Returns of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, and none of the Company or its Subsidiaries has received notice of any pending or proposed claims, audits or proceedings with respect to Taxes.

(f) None of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has granted in writing any power of attorney that is currently in force with respect to any Taxes or Tax Returns.

(g) None of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has requested an extension of time within which to file any Tax Return which has not since been filed, and no currently effective waivers, extensions, or comparable consents regarding the application of the statute of limitations with respect to Taxes or Tax Returns have been given by or on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

(h) None of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party to any agreement providing for the allocation, sharing or indemnification of Taxes.

(i) The federal income Tax Returns of the Company and its Subsidiaries have been examined and any disputes relating thereto have been settled with the IRS (or the applicable statutes of limitation for the assessment of Taxes for such periods have expired) for all periods through and including December 31, 2007.

 

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(j) None of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has been included in any “consolidated,” “unitary” or “combined” Tax Return (other than Tax Returns which include only the Company and its Subsidiaries) provided for under the laws of the United States, any foreign jurisdiction or any state or locality with respect to Taxes for any taxable year. None of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has any liability for the Taxes of any Person (other than the Company or any of its Subsidiaries) under Section 1.1502-6 of the Treasury Regulations (or any similar provision of state, local, or foreign law) as a transferee or successor, by contract, or otherwise.

(k) None of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has distributed stock of another Person, or has had its stock distributed by another Person, in a transaction that was purported or intended to be governed in whole or in part by Sections 355 or 361 of the Code.

(l) Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries currently computes its taxable income exclusively using the accrual method of accounting and has exclusively used the accrual method of accounting to compute its taxable income for all taxable years ending after December 31, 2006. None of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has agreed, or is required, to make any adjustment under Section 481 of the Code affecting any taxable year ending after December 31, 2006, and the IRS has not initiated or proposed any such adjustment. None of the Company or its Subsidiaries will be required to include amounts in income, or to exclude items of deduction, in a taxable period beginning after the Closing Date as a result of a change in method of accounting occurring prior to the Closing Date. The Company is not and has not been a United States real property holding company within the meaning of Section 897(c)(2) of the Code. No property of any of the Company or its Subsidiaries is “tax exempt use property” within the meaning of Section 168(h) of the Code.

(m) No claim has ever been made by any Governmental Authority in a jurisdiction where the Company or any of its Subsidiaries does not file Tax Returns that any such entity is, or may be, subject to taxation by that jurisdiction.

(n) The Company and its Subsidiaries have made available to Buyer correct and complete copies of (i) all of their material Tax Returns filed within the past three (3) years, (ii) all audit reports, letter rulings, technical advice memoranda and similar documents issued by a Governmental Authority within the past five (5) years relating to the federal, state, local or foreign Taxes due from or with respect to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, and (iii) any closing letters or agreements entered into by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with any Governmental Authority within the past five (5) years with respect to Taxes.

(o) None of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has received any notice of deficiency or assessment from any Governmental Authority for any amount of Tax that has not been fully settled or satisfied, and to the Knowledge of the Company, no such deficiency or assessment is proposed.

(p) None of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has ever participated in a “reportable transaction” within the meaning of Section 1.6011-4(b) of the Treasury Regulations (or any predecessor provision), and each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has disclosed on its federal income Tax Returns all positions taken therein that could give rise to a substantial understatement of income tax within the meaning of Section 6662 or Section 6662A of the Code.

 

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(q) None of the Company or its Subsidiaries will be required to include any item of income in, or exclude any item of deduction from, taxable income for any taxable period (or portion thereof) ending after the Closing Date as a result of any: (i) closing agreement as described in Section 7121 of the Code (or any corresponding or similar provision of state, local, or foreign income Tax law) executed on or prior to the Closing Date; (ii) intercompany transactions or any excess loss account described in Treasury Regulations under Section 1502 of the Code (or any corresponding or similar provision of state, local, or foreign income Tax law); (iii) installment sale or open transaction disposition made on or prior to the Closing Date; (iv) prepaid amount received on or prior to the Closing Date; (v) election with respect to income from the discharge of indebtedness under Section 108(i) of the Code; or (vi) any similar election, action, or agreement that would have the effect of deferring any liability for Taxes of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries from any period ending on or before the Closing Date to any period ending after the Closing Date.

(r) As of the date hereof, the Company is aware of no reason why the Merger will fail to qualify as a “reorganization” under Section 368(a) of the Code.

3.14 Employee Benefit Plans.

(a) Schedule 3.14(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth a true, complete and correct list of every Employee Program (as defined below) that is maintained by the Company or any ERISA Affiliate or with respect to which the Company or any ERISA Affiliate has or may have any liability (the “Company Employee Programs”).

(b) True, complete and correct copies of the following documents, with respect to each Company Employee Program, where applicable, have previously been made available to Buyer: (i) all documents embodying or governing such Company Employee Program and any funding medium for the Company Employee Program; (ii) the most recent IRS determination or opinion letter; (iii) the three (3) most recently filed IRS Forms 5500; (iv) the three (3) most recent actuarial valuation reports; (v) the most recent summary plan description (or other descriptions provided to employees) and all modifications thereto; and (vi) all non-routine correspondence to and from any state or federal agency.

(c) Each Company Employee Program that is intended to qualify under Section 401(a) or 501(c)(9) of the Code is so qualified and has received a favorable determination or approval letter from the IRS with respect to such qualification, or may rely on an opinion letter issued by the IRS with respect to a prototype plan adopted in accordance with the requirements for such reliance, or has time remaining for application to the IRS for a determination of the qualified status of such Company Employee Program for any period for which such Company Employee Program would not otherwise be covered by an IRS determination and, to the Knowledge of the Company, no event or omission has occurred that would cause any Company Employee Program to lose such qualification.

(d) Each Company Employee Program is and has been operated in compliance with applicable laws and regulations and is and has been administered in accordance with applicable laws and regulations and with its terms. No litigation or governmental administrative proceeding, audit or other proceeding (other than those relating to routine claims

 

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for benefits) is pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened with respect to any Company Employee Program or any fiduciary or service provider thereof, and, to the Knowledge of the Company, there is no reasonable basis for any such litigation or proceeding. All payments and/or contributions required to have been made with respect to all Company Employee Programs either have been made or have been accrued in accordance with the terms of the applicable Company Employee Program and applicable law.

(e) No Company Employee Program is a single employer pension plan (within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(15) of ERISA) for which the Company or any ERISA Affiliate could incur liability under Section 4063 or 4064 of ERISA or a plan maintained by more than one employer as described in Section 413(c) of the Code.

(f) Except as set forth on Schedule 3.14(f) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, neither the Company nor any current ERISA Affiliate maintains or contributes to, or within the past six (6) years has maintained or contributed to, any Employee Program that is or was subject to Title IV of ERISA, Section 412 of the Code, Section 302 of ERISA or is a Multiemployer Plan and neither the Company nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred any liability under Title IV of ERISA that has not been paid in full.

(g) With respect to any Company Employee Program that is subject to Title IV of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, none of the following has occurred or existed, nor will any of the following occur or exist as a result of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement: (i) a failure to make on a timely basis any contribution (including, without limitation, any installment) required under Section 302 or 303 of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code; (ii) the filing of an application for a waiver described in Section 412(c) of the Code and Section 303 of ERISA; (iii) a “reportable event” within the meaning of ERISA Section 4043, for which the notice requirement is not waived by the regulations thereunder; (iv) an event or condition which presents a material risk of a plan termination or any other event that may cause the Company or any ERISA Affiliate to incur liability or have a lien imposed on its assets under Title IV of ERISA; or (v) “unfunded benefit liabilities” within the meaning of ERISA Section 4001(a)(18).

(h) Except as set forth on Schedule 3.14(h), neither the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the shareholder approval of this Agreement, nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby could (either alone or in conjunction with any other event) (i) result in, or cause the accelerated vesting payment, funding or delivery of, or increase the amount or value of, any payment or benefit to any employee, officer, director or other service provider of the Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates; (ii) limit the right of the Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates to amend, merge, terminate or receive a reversion of assets from any Company Employee Program or related trust; (iii) result in any “parachute payment” as defined in Section 280G(b)(2) of the Code (whether or not such payment is considered to be reasonable compensation for services rendered); or (iv) result in a requirement to pay any tax “gross-up” or similar “make-whole” payments to any employee, director or consultant of the Company or an ERISA Affiliate.

(i) No Company Employee Program, individually or collectively, could give rise to the payment of any amount that would not be deductible pursuant to Section 162(m) of the Code or any other provision of the Code or any similar foreign law, as a result of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement alone or together with any other event.

 

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(j) Except as set forth on Schedule 3.14(j) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, none of the Company Employee Programs provides health care or any other non-pension benefits to any employees after their employment is terminated (other than as required by Part 6 of Subtitle B of Title I of ERISA or similar state law) and the Company has never promised to provide such post-termination benefits.

(k) Each Company Employee Program may be amended, terminated, or otherwise modified by the Company to the greatest extent permitted by applicable law, including the elimination of any and all future benefit accruals thereunder and no employee communications or provision of any Company Employee Program has failed to effectively reserve the right of the Company or the ERISA Affiliate to so amend, terminate or otherwise modify such Company Employee Program. Neither the Company nor any of its ERISA Affiliates has announced its intention to modify or terminate any Company Employee Program or adopt any arrangement or program which, once established, would come within the definition of a Company Employee Program.

(l) Since December 31, 2004 and through December 31, 2008, each Company Employee Program that constitutes in any part a nonqualified deferred compensation plan within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code (each, a “NQDC Plan”) has been operated and maintained in accordance with a good faith, reasonable interpretation of Section 409A of the Code with respect to amounts deferred (within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code) after December 31, 2004. From and after January 1, 2009, each Company NQDC Plan has been operated and maintained in operational and documentary compliance with Section 409A of the Code and applicable guidance thereunder. No payment to be made under any Company Employee Program is, or to the Knowledge of the Company, will be, subject to the penalties of Section 409A(a)(1) of the Code.

(m) No Company Employee Program is subject to the laws of any jurisdiction outside the United States.

3.15 Labor Matters.

(a) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries: (i) has at all times complied with all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations respecting employment, employment practices, terms and conditions of employment and wages and hours, including payment of minimum wages and overtime, orders and awards relevant to terms and conditions of service, health and safety, labor leasing, use of fixed-term contracts, supply of temporary staff, social security filings and payments and paid vacations, in each case, with respect to employees, (ii) has withheld and reported all amounts required by law to be withheld and reported with respect to wages, salaries and other payments to employees, (iii) is not liable for any arrears of wages, taxes or penalties for failure to comply with any of the foregoing, (iv) is not liable for any payment to any trust or other fund governed by or maintained by or on behalf of any Governmental Authority, with respect to unemployment compensation benefits, social security or other benefits or obligations for employees (other than routine payments to be made in the normal

 

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course of business and consistent with past practice), (v) has fully complied with all affirmative action requirements applicable to it under Executive Order 11246 and any applicable state law, and (vi) is not aware that any officer, or that any group of officers, intends to terminate their employment with the Company or Subsidiary, nor does the Company or any Subsidiary have a present intention to terminate the employment of any officer. In addition, except as set forth in Schedule 3.15(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, (x) there are no, and within the last three (3) years there have been no, formal or informal grievances, complaints or charges with respect to employment or labor matters (including, without limitation, allegations of employment discrimination, retaliation or unfair labor practices) pending or threatened against the Company or any Subsidiary in any judicial, regulatory or administrative forum, under any private dispute resolution procedure or internally; (y) none of the employment policies or practices of the Company or any Subsidiary is currently being audited or investigated, or to the Knowledge of the Company, subject to imminent audit or investigation by any Governmental Authority; (z) neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is, or within the last two (2) years has been, subject to any order, decree, injunction or judgment by any Governmental Authority or private settlement contract in respect of any labor or employment matters; (xx) neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has, within the last three (3) years, been audited by any Governmental Authority with respect to affirmative action compliance under the Executive Order 11246 or any applicable state law; and (yy) all employees of the Company and its Subsidiaries are employed at-will. There are no pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened or reasonably anticipated claims or actions against the Company under any workers’ compensation policy or long-term disability policy. At all times in the preceding three (3) years, (1) the Company and each of its Subsidiaries has properly classified as independent contractors all persons whom it has designated to be independent contractors rather than employees and (2) the Company and each of its Subsidiaries has properly classified as exempt employees for overtime pay purposes all persons whom it has designated to be exempt employees rather than non-exempt employees.

(b) No work stoppage, slowdown or labor strike against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened or reasonably anticipated. The Company does not have Knowledge of any activities or proceedings of any labor union to organize any employees of the Company or its Subsidiaries. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has engaged in any unfair labor practices within the meaning of the National Labor Relations Act or other applicable similar laws. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries presently is, nor has it been in the past, a party to, or bound by, any collective bargaining agreement with respect to its employees, and no collective bargaining agreement is being negotiated by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. To the Company’s Knowledge, no event has occurred, and no condition or circumstance exists, that might directly or indirectly give rise to or provide a basis for the commencement of any strike, slowdown, work stoppage, lockout, job action, labor dispute or union organizing activity or any similar activity or dispute.

3.16 Insurance. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries is insured, and during each of the past three (3) calendar years has been insured, for reasonable amounts with financially sound and reputable insurance companies against such risks as companies engaged in a similar business would, in accordance with good business practice customarily be insured, and has maintained all insurance required by applicable laws and regulations. Schedule 3.16 of the Company Disclosure Schedule lists all insurance policies maintained by the Company and each of its Subsidiaries as of the date hereof, including, without limitation, any bank-owned life

 

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insurance policies (“BOLI”). All of the policies and bonds maintained by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries are in full force and effect and all claims thereunder have been filed in a due and timely manner and, to the Knowledge of the Company, no such claim has been denied. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in breach of or default under any insurance policy, and there has not occurred any event that, with the lapse of time or the giving of notice or both, would constitute such a breach or default. The value of the BOLI set forth on Schedule 3.16 of the Company Disclosure Schedule is fairly and accurately reflected on the Company’s balance sheet as of December 31, 2011.

3.17 Environmental Matters.

(a) Except as disclosed on Schedule 3.17(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, each of the Company and its Subsidiaries and each property owned, leased or operated by any of them (the “Company Property”) and, to the Knowledge of the Company, the Loan Properties (as defined below), are, and have been, in compliance with all Environmental Laws (as defined below).

(b) There is no suit, claim, action or proceeding pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened, before any Governmental Authority or other forum in which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has been or, with respect to threatened proceedings, may be, named as a defendant, responsible party or potentially responsible party (i) for alleged noncompliance (including by any predecessor) with any Environmental Law or (ii) relating to the release or presence of any Hazardous Material (as defined below) or Oil (as defined below) at, in, to, on, from or affecting a Company Property, a Loan Property, or any property previously owned, operated or leased by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

(c) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries, nor to the Knowledge of the Company, any Loan Property, has received or been named in any written notice regarding a matter on which a suit, claim, action or proceeding as described in subsection (b) of this Section 3.17 could reasonably be based. No facts or circumstances have come to the Company’s attention which would reasonably cause it to believe that a suit, claim, action or proceeding as described in subsection (b) of this Section 3.17 would reasonably be expected to occur.

(d) During the period of (i) the Company’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ ownership, tenancy or operation of any Company Property or (ii) the Company’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ holding of a security interest in any Loan Property, to the Knowledge of the Company, there has been no release of Hazardous Material or Oil at, in, to, on, from or affecting such Company Property or Loan Property that would reasonably be expected to result in any liabilities or obligations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to any Environmental Law. To the Knowledge of the Company, prior to the period of (i) the Company’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ ownership, tenancy or operation of any Company Property or any property previously owned, operated or leased by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or (ii) the Company’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ holding of a security interest in a Loan Property, there was no release of Hazardous Material or Oil at, in, to, on, from or affecting any such property that would reasonably be expected to result in any liabilities or obligations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to Environmental Law.

 

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(e) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is an “owner” or “operator” (as such terms are defined under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C. Section 9601 et seq. (“CERCLA”)) of any Loan Property and there are no Participation Facilities (as defined below).

(f) The following definitions apply for purposes of this Agreement: (i) “Loan Property” means any property in which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries holds a security interest, and, where required by the context (as a result of foreclosure), said term includes any property owned or operated by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (ii) “Participation Facility” means any facility in which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries participates or has participated in the management of environmental matters; (iii) “Hazardous Material” means any compound, chemical, pollutant, contaminant, toxic substance, hazardous waste, hazardous material, or hazardous substance, as any of the foregoing are defined, identified or regulated under or pursuant to any Environmental Laws, and including without limitation, asbestos, asbestos-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, toxic mold, or fungi, or any other material that poses a threat to the Environment or to human health and safety but excludes substances in kind and amounts typically used or stored for cleaning purposes or other routine maintenance or operation of motor vehicles used by tenants (if applicable) or guests and otherwise in compliance with Environmental Laws; (iv) “Oil” means oil or petroleum of any kind or origin or in any form, as defined in or pursuant to the Federal Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. Section 1251 et seq., or any other Environmental Law; (v) “Environment” means any air, water vapor, surface water, groundwater, drinking water supply, surface soil, subsurface soil, sediment, surface or subsurface strata, plant and animal life, and any other environmental medium or natural resource; and (vi) “Environmental Laws” means any applicable federal, state or local law, statute, ordinance, rule, regulation, code, license, permit, approval, consent, order, judgment, decree, injunction or agreement with any Governmental Authority relating to (A) the protection, preservation or restoration of the Environment, and/or (B) the use, storage, recycling, treatment, generation, transportation, processing, handling, labeling, production, release or disposal of Hazardous Material or Oil. The term Environmental Law includes without limitation (a) CERCLA; the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 6901 et seq.; the Clean Air Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 7401 et seq.; the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended, 33 U.S.C. § 1251 et seq.; the Toxic Substances Control Act, as amended, 15 U.S.C. § 2601 et seq.; the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act, 42 U.S.C. § 11001 et seq.; the Safe Drinking Water Act, 42 U.S.C. § 300f et seq.; and all comparable state and local laws, and (b) any common law (including, without limitation, common law that may impose strict liability) that may impose liability or obligations for injuries or damages due to the presence of or exposure to any Hazardous Material or Oil as in effect on or prior to the date of this Agreement.

(g) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, other than as set forth in Section 3.11 (SEC Documents; Financial Reports and Regulatory Reports), Section 3.12 (Absence of Certain Changes or Events), Section 3.16 (Insurance), and Sections 3.20(a) and (b) (Property and Leases), this Section 3.17 sets forth the Company’s sole and exclusive representations and warranties with respect to Environmental Laws, Hazardous Materials, Oil and other environmental matters.

 

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3.18 Intellectual Property. Schedule 3.18 of the Company Disclosure Schedule contains a complete and accurate list of all Marks (as defined below) and Patents (as defined below) owned or purported to be owned by the Company and its Subsidiaries or used or held for use by the Company and its Subsidiaries in the Business (as defined below). Except as set forth on Schedule 3.18 of the Company Disclosure Schedule:

(a) the Company and its Subsidiaries exclusively own or possess adequate and enforceable rights to use, without payment to a third party, all of the Intellectual Property Assets (as defined below) necessary for the operation of the Business, free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, charges, liens, equities, security interests, or other encumbrances or similar agreements;

(b) all Company Intellectual Property Assets (as defined below) owned or purported to be owned by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries which have been issued by or registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office or in any similar office or agency anywhere in the world have been duly maintained (including the payment of maintenance fees) and are not expired, cancelled or abandoned and are valid and enforceable;

(c) there are no pending, or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened claims against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries alleging that any activity by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any Product (as defined below) infringes on or violates (or in the past infringed on or violated) the rights of others in or to any Intellectual Property Assets (“Third Party Rights”) or that any of the Company Intellectual Property Assets is invalid or unenforceable;

(d) neither any activity of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries nor any Product infringes on or violates (or in the past infringed on or violated) any Third Party Right, other than the rights of any person or entity under any patent, and to the Company’s Knowledge, neither any activity of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries nor any Product infringes on or violates (or in the past infringed on or violated) the rights of any person or entity under any patent;

(e) to the Knowledge of the Company, no third party is violating or infringing any of the Company Intellectual Property Assets; and

(f) the Company and its Subsidiaries have taken reasonable security measures to protect the secrecy, confidentiality and value of all Trade Secrets (as defined below) owned by the Company and its Subsidiaries or used or held for use by the Company and its Subsidiaries in the Business.

(g) For purposes of this Section 3.18, (i) “Business” means the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries as currently conducted; (ii) “Company Intellectual Property Assets” means all Intellectual Property Assets owned or purported to be owned by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or used or held for use by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in the Business; (iii) “Intellectual Property Assets” means, collectively, (A) patents and patent applications (“Patents”); (B) trade names, logos, slogans, Internet domain names, registered and unregistered trademarks and service marks and related registrations and applications for registration (“Marks”); (C) copyrights in both published and unpublished works, including, without limitation, all compilations, databases and computer programs, manuals and other documentation

 

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and all copyright registrations and applications; and (D) rights under applicable US state trade secret laws as are applicable to know-how and confidential information (“Trade Secrets”); and (iv) “Products” means those products and/or services researched, designed, developed, manufactured, marketed, performed, licensed, sold and/or distributed by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

3.19 Material Agreements; Defaults.

(a) Except as set forth on Schedule 3.19(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule or the index of exhibits in the Company 2011 Form 10-K, and except for this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to or is bound by (i) any agreement, arrangement, or commitment that is material to the financial condition, results of operations or business of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (ii) any written (or oral) agreement, arrangement, or commitment relating to the employment, including, without limitation, engagement as a consultant of any Person, or the election or retention in office or severance of any present or former director or officer of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (iii) any contract, agreement, or understanding with any labor union; (iv) any agreement by and among the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, and/or any Affiliate thereof; (v) any contract or agreement or amendment thereto that would be required to be filed as an exhibit to a Form 10-K filed by the Company as of the date hereof that has not been filed as an exhibit to the Company 2011 Form 10-K; (vi) any agreement, arrangement, or commitment (whether written or oral) which, upon the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement would result in any payment (whether of severance pay or otherwise) becoming due from the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to any director, officer or employee thereof; (vii) any agreement, arrangement or commitment (whether written or oral) which is a consulting or other agreement (including agreements entered into in the ordinary course and data processing, software programming and licensing contracts) not terminable on sixty (60) days or less notice involving the payment of in excess of $50,000 per annum individually or $100,000 in the aggregate; (viii) any agreement, arrangement or commitment (whether written or oral) which restricts the conduct of any line of business by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; or (ix) any agreement, arrangement or commitment (whether written or oral) (including any stock option plan, restricted stock plan, stock-based deferred compensation plan or stock purchase plan) any of the benefits of which will be increased, or the vesting of the benefits of which will be accelerated, by the occurrence of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, or the value of any of the benefits of which will be calculated on the basis of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Each contract, arrangement, commitment or understanding of the type described in this Section 3.19(a), whether or not set forth on Schedule 3.19(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, is referred to herein as a “Company Material Contract.” The Company has previously made available to Buyer complete and correct copies of all of the Company Material Contracts, including any and all amendments and modifications thereto.

(b) Each Company Material Contract is legal, valid and binding upon the Company or its Subsidiaries, as the case may be, and, to the Knowledge of the Company, all other parties thereto, and is in full force and effect. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in breach of or default under any Company Material Contract, or any other agreement or instrument to which it is a party, by which its assets, business, or operations may be bound or

 

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affected, or under which it or its respective assets, business, or operations receives benefits, and there has not occurred any event that, with the lapse of time or the giving of notice or both, would constitute such a breach or default. To the Knowledge of the Company, no other party to any Company Material Contract is in breach of or default under such Company Material Contract, and there has not occurred any event that, with the lapse of time or the giving of notice or both, would constitute such a breach or default.

3.20 Property and Leases.

(a) Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has good and marketable title to all the real property and all other property owned by it and included in the Company Balance Sheet, free and clear of all Liens, other than (i) Liens that secure liabilities that are reflected in the Company Balance Sheet or incurred in the ordinary course of business after the date of such balance sheet, (ii) Liens for current taxes and assessments not yet past due or which are being contested in good faith, (iii) inchoate mechanics’ and materialmen’s Liens for construction in progress, (iv) workmen’s, repairmen’s, warehousemen’s and carriers’ Liens arising in the ordinary course of business of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries consistent with past practice, and (v) those items that secure public or statutory obligations or any discount with, borrowing from, or obligations to any FRB or Federal Home Loan Bank, interbank credit facilities, or any transaction by the Company’s Subsidiaries acting in a fiduciary capacity.

(b) Each lease or sublease of real property to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party is listed on Schedule 3.20(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, including all amendments and modifications thereto, and is in full force and effect. There exists no breach or default under any such lease by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, nor any event which with notice or lapse of time or both would constitute a breach or default thereunder by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, and, to the Knowledge of the Company, there exists no default under any such lease or sublease by any other party, nor any event which with notice or lapse of time or both would constitute a breach or default thereunder by such other party. The Company has previously made available to Buyer complete and correct copies of all such leases, including all amendments and modifications thereto.

(c) Schedule 3.20(c) of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth a complete and accurate list of all real property owned by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. No tenant or other party in possession of any of such property has any right to purchase, or holds any right of first refusal to purchase, such properties.

(d) None of the properties required to be listed on Schedule 3.20(c) of the Company Disclosure Schedule and, to the Knowledge of the Company, none of the properties required to be listed on Schedule 3.20(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, or the buildings, structures, facilities, fixtures or other improvements thereon, or the use thereof, contravenes or violates any building, zoning, administrative, occupational safety and health or other applicable statute, law, ordinance, rule or regulation in any respect that would reasonably be expected to require expenditures by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or to result in an impairment in or limitation on the activities presently conducted there. The plants, buildings, structures and equipment located on the properties required to be listed on Schedule 3.20(c) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, and to the Knowledge of the Company, the plants, buildings, structures and

 

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equipment located on the properties required to be listed on Schedule 3.20(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule are in good operating condition and in a state of good maintenance and repair, ordinary wear and tear excepted, are adequate and suitable for the purposes for which they are presently being used and, to the Knowledge of the Company, there are no condemnation or appropriation proceedings pending or threatened against any of such properties or any plants, buildings or other structures thereon.

3.21 Inapplicability of Takeover Laws. The Company has taken all action required to be taken by it in order to exempt this Agreement, the Voting Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby from, and this Agreement, the Voting Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby are exempt from, the requirements of any “moratorium,” “business combination,” “control share,” “fair price” or other takeover defense laws and regulations (collectively, “Takeover Laws”), if any, of the State of New York.

3.22 Regulatory Capitalization. The Company Bank is, and immediately after the Effective Time will be, “well capitalized,” as such term is defined in the rules and regulations promulgated by the OCC, as amended from time to time. The Company is, and immediately prior to the Effective Time will be, “well capitalized” as such term is defined in the rules and regulations promulgated by the FRB, as amended from time to time.

3.23 Loans; Nonperforming and Classified Assets.

(a) Each loan agreement, note or borrowing arrangement, including, without limitation, portions of outstanding lines of credit and loan commitments (collectively, “Loans”), on the Company’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ books and records, was made and has been serviced in accordance with the Company’s lending policies in the ordinary course of business; is evidenced by appropriate and sufficient documentation; to the extent secured, has been secured by valid liens and security interests which have been perfected; and constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the obligor named therein, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance and other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditor’s rights and to general equity principles. The Company has previously made available to Buyer complete and correct copies of its lending policies. The deposit and loan agreements of the Company and its Subsidiaries comply with all applicable laws, rules and regulations. The allowance for loan losses reflected in the Company SEC Documents and the financial statements filed therewith, as of their respective dates, is adequate under GAAP and all regulatory requirements applicable to financial institutions.

(b) Schedule 3.23(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule discloses as of August 31, 2012: (i) any Loan under the terms of which the obligor is sixty (60) or more days delinquent in payment of principal or interest, or to the Knowledge of the Company, in default of any other provision thereof; (ii) each Loan which has been classified as “other loans specially maintained,” “classified,” “criticized,” “substandard,” “doubtful,” “credit risk assets,” “watch list assets,” “loss” or “special mention” (or words of similar import) by the Company, its Subsidiaries or a Governmental Authority (the “Classified Loans”); (iii) a listing of the real estate owned, acquired by foreclosure or by deed-in-lieu thereof, including the book value thereof; and (iv) each Loan with any director, executive officer or five percent (5%) or greater shareholder of the Company, or to the Knowledge of the Company, any Person controlling, controlled by or under

 

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common control with any of the foregoing. All Loans which are classified as “Insider Transactions” by Regulation O of the FRB have been made by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in an arms-length manner made on substantially the same terms, including interest rates and collateral, as those prevailing at the time for comparable transactions with other Persons and do not involve more than normal risk of collectibility or present other unfavorable features.

3.24 Investment Securities. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has good title to all securities owned by it (except those sold under repurchase agreements or held in any fiduciary or agency capacity), free and clear of any Liens, except to the extent such securities are pledged in the ordinary course of business to secure obligations of the Company or its Subsidiaries. Such securities are valued on the books of the Company in accordance with GAAP. The Company and its Subsidiaries and their respective businesses employ investment, securities, risk management and other policies, practices and procedures which the Company believes are prudent and reasonable in the context of such businesses.

3.25 Investment Management and Related Activities. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.25 of the Company Disclosure Schedule, none of the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ directors, officers or employees is required to be registered, licensed or authorized under the laws or regulations issued by any Governmental Authority as an investment adviser, a broker or dealer, an insurance agency or company, a commodity trading adviser, a commodity pool operator, a futures commission merchant, an introducing broker, a registered representative or associated person, investment adviser, representative or solicitor, a counseling officer, an insurance agent, a sales person or in any similar capacity with a Governmental Authority.

3.26 Derivative Transactions. All Derivative Transactions (as defined below) entered into by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries were entered into in accordance with applicable rules, regulations and policies of any Governmental Authority, and in accordance with the investment, securities, commodities, risk management and other policies, practices and procedures employed by the Company and its Subsidiaries, and were entered into with counterparties believed at the time to be financially responsible and able to understand (either alone or in consultation with their advisers) and to bear the risks of such Derivative Transactions. The Company and its Subsidiaries have duly performed all of their obligations under the Derivative Transactions to the extent that such obligations to perform have accrued, and, to the Knowledge of the Company, there are no breaches, violations or defaults or allegations or assertions of such by any party thereunder. The Company and its Subsidiaries have adopted policies and procedures consistent with the publications of Governmental Authorities with respect to their derivatives program. For purposes of this Section 3.26, “Derivative Transactions” shall mean any swap transaction, option, warrant, forward purchase or forward sale transaction, futures transaction, cap transaction, floor transaction or collar transaction relating to one or more currencies, commodities, bonds, equity securities, loans, interest rates, credit-related events or conditions or any indexes, or any other similar transaction or combination of any of these transactions, including collateralized mortgage obligations or other similar instruments or any debt or equity instruments evidencing or embedding any such types of transactions, and any related credit support, collateral or other similar arrangements related to such transactions.

 

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3.27 Repurchase Agreements. With respect to all agreements pursuant to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has purchased securities subject to an agreement to resell, if any, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, as the case may be, has a valid, perfected first lien or security interest in the government securities or other collateral securing the repurchase agreement, and, as of the date hereof, the value of such collateral equals or exceeds the amount of the debt secured thereby.

3.28 Deposit Insurance. The deposits of the Company Bank are insured by the FDIC in accordance with the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (“FDIA”) to the fullest extent permitted by law, and each Subsidiary has paid all premiums and assessments and filed all reports required by the FDIA. No proceedings for the revocation or termination of such deposit insurance are pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened.

3.29 CRA, Anti-money Laundering and Customer Information Security. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to any agreement with any individual or group regarding CRA matters and the Company has no Knowledge of, and none of the Company and its Subsidiaries has been advised of, or has any reason to believe (because of the Company Bank’s Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data for the year ended December 31, 2011, filed with the FDIC, or otherwise) that any facts or circumstances exist, which would cause the Company Bank: (a) to be deemed not to be in satisfactory compliance with the CRA, and the regulations promulgated thereunder, or to be assigned a rating for CRA purposes by federal or state bank regulators of lower than “satisfactory”; (b) to be deemed to be operating in violation of the federal Bank Secrecy Act, as amended, and its implementing regulations (31 C.F.R. Part 103), the USA PATRIOT Act, and the regulations promulgated thereunder, any order issued with respect to anti-money laundering by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, or any other applicable anti-money laundering statute, rule or regulation; or (c) to be deemed not to be in satisfactory compliance with the applicable requirements contained in any federal and state privacy or data security laws and regulations, including, without limitation, in Title V of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999 and regulations promulgated thereunder, as well as the provisions of the information security program adopted by the Company Bank pursuant to 12 C.F.R. Part 30. Furthermore, the Board of Directors of the Company Bank has adopted and the Company Bank has implemented an anti-money laundering program that contains adequate and appropriate customer identification verification procedures that has not been deemed ineffective by any Governmental Authority and that meets the requirements of Sections 352 and 326 and all other applicable provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act and the regulations thereunder.

3.30 Transactions with Affiliates. There are no outstanding amounts payable to or receivable from, or advances by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is otherwise a creditor or debtor to, any shareholder owning five percent (5%) or more of the outstanding Company Common Stock, director, employee or Affiliate of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, other than as part of the normal and customary terms of such persons’ employment or service as a director with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to any transaction or agreement with any of its respective Affiliates, shareholders owning five percent (5%) or more of the outstanding Company Common Stock, directors or executive officers or any material transaction or agreement with any employee other than executive officers. All agreements between the Company and any of its Affiliates comply, to the extent applicable, with Regulation W of the FRB.

 

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3.31 Brokers; Fairness Opinion. No action has been taken by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that would give rise to any valid claim against the Company for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or other like payment with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except in connection with the engagement of Keefe, Bruyette & Woods (the “Financial Advisor”) by the Company. The fee payable to the Financial Advisor in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement is described in an engagement letter between the Company and the Financial Advisor, a complete and correct copy of which has been previously made available to Buyer. The Company has received the opinion of the Financial Advisor, to the effect that, as of the date hereof, the Merger Consideration to be received by the shareholders of the Company pursuant to the Merger is fair from a financial point of view to such shareholders, and such opinion has not been amended or rescinded, and remains in full force and effect. The Company has been authorized by the Financial Advisor to permit the inclusion of such opinion in its entirety in the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus.

ARTICLE IV

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF BUYER

4.1 Making of Representations and Warranties.

(a) As a material inducement to the Company to enter into this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby, Buyer hereby makes to the Company the representations and warranties contained in this Article IV, subject to the standards established by Section 9.1.

(b) On or prior to the date hereof, Buyer has delivered to the Company a schedule (the “Buyer Disclosure Schedule”) listing, among other things, items the disclosure of which is necessary or appropriate in relation to any or all of its representations and warranties; provided, however, that no such item is required to be set forth on the Buyer Disclosure Schedule as an exception to a representation or warranty if its absence is not reasonably likely to result in the related representation or warranty being untrue or incorrect under the standards established by Section 9.1.

4.2 Organization, Standing and Authority. Buyer is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware. Buyer is a bank holding company under the BHCA and the regulations of the FRB promulgated thereunder. Buyer is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing in the jurisdictions where its ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of its business requires it to be so qualified. Each of Buyer’s Subsidiaries has been duly organized and qualified under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization and is duly qualified to do business and in good standing in the jurisdiction where its ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of its business requires such Subsidiary to be so qualified. Buyer owns, directly or indirectly, all of the issued and outstanding equity securities of each of its Subsidiaries.

 

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4.3 Capitalization. As of the date hereof, the authorized capital stock of Buyer consists of 2,500,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share, of which no shares are issued and outstanding, and 100,000,000 shares of Buyer Common Stock, of which 33,742,677 shares are outstanding, and 5,562,454 shares were held, directly or indirectly, by Buyer as treasury stock. The outstanding shares of Buyer’s capital stock are validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable with no personal liability attaching to the ownership thereof, and subject to no preemptive rights or similar rights (and were not issued in violation of any preemptive or similar rights). The shares of Buyer Common Stock to be issued in the Merger have been duly and validly reserved for issuance, and when issued in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free of any preemptive or similar rights.

4.4 Corporate Power. Each of Buyer and its Subsidiaries has the corporate power and authority to carry on its business as it is now being conducted and to own all of its properties and assets; and Buyer has the corporate power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement, to perform its obligations under this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby.

4.5 Corporate Authority. This Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, subject to approval by the holders of a majority of the shares of Buyer Common Stock outstanding and entitled to vote thereon, have been authorized by all necessary corporate action of Buyer and the Board of Directors of Buyer (the “Buyer Board”). Buyer has duly executed and delivered this Agreement and, assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery by the Company, this Agreement is a legal, valid and binding agreement of Buyer, enforceable in accordance with its terms (except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights or by general principles of equity).

4.6 Non-Contravention.

(a) Subject to the receipt of the Regulatory Approvals and the Bank Merger Approvals, and the required filings under federal and state securities laws, the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby (including, without limitation, the Merger and the Bank Merger) by Buyer do not and will not (i) constitute a breach or violation of, or a default under, result in a right of termination, or the acceleration of any right or obligation under, any law, rule or regulation or any judgment, decree, order, permit, license, credit agreement, indenture, loan, note, bond, mortgage, reciprocal easement agreement, lease, instrument, concession, franchise or other agreement of Buyer or of any of its Subsidiaries or to which Buyer or any of its Subsidiaries, properties or assets is subject or bound, (ii) constitute a breach or violation of, or a default under, Buyer’s Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws, or (iii) require the consent or approval of any third party or Governmental Authority under any such law, rule, regulation, judgment, decree, order, permit, license, credit agreement, indenture, loan, note, bond, mortgage, reciprocal easement agreement, lease, instrument, concession, franchise or other agreement.

(b) As of the date hereof, Buyer has no Knowledge of any reasons relating to Buyer or the Buyer Bank (including, without limitation, compliance with the CRA or the USA

 

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PATRIOT Act) why (i) any of the Regulatory Approvals or the Bank Merger Approvals shall not be received from the applicable Governmental Authorities having jurisdiction over the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or (ii) why any Burdensome Condition would be imposed.

4.7 Certificate of Incorporation; Bylaws. Buyer has made available to the Company a complete and correct copy of its Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws, each as amended to date, of Buyer. Buyer is not in violation of any of the terms of its Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws. The minute books of Buyer and each of its Subsidiaries contain complete and accurate records of all meetings held by, and complete and accurate records of all other corporate actions of, their respective shareholders and boards of directors (including committees of their respective boards of directors).

4.8 Compliance with Laws.

Each of Buyer and its Subsidiaries:

(a) has been and is in compliance with all applicable federal, state, local and foreign statutes, laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, judgments, orders or decrees applicable thereto or to the employees conducting their businesses, including, without limitation, all Finance Laws, and all other applicable fair lending laws and other laws relating to discriminatory business practices. In addition, there is no pending or, to the Knowledge of Buyer, threatened charge by any Governmental Authority that any of Buyer and its Subsidiaries has violated, nor any pending or, to the Knowledge of Buyer, threatened investigation by any Governmental Authority with respect to possible violations of, any applicable Finance Laws;

(b) has all permits, licenses, authorizations, orders and approvals of, and has made all filings, applications and registrations with, all Governmental Authorities that are required in order to permit them to own or lease their properties and to conduct their businesses as presently conducted; all such permits, licenses, authorizations, orders and approvals are in full force and effect and, to the Knowledge of Buyer, no suspension or cancellation of any of them is threatened; and

(c) has received, since January 1, 2009, no notification or communication from any Governmental Authority (i) asserting that Buyer or any of its Subsidiaries is not in compliance with any of the statutes, regulations, or ordinances which such Governmental Authority enforces, (ii) threatening to revoke any license, franchise, permit, or governmental authorization, (iii) threatening or contemplating revocation or limitation of, or which would have the effect of revoking or limiting, federal deposit insurance or (iv) failing to approve any proposed acquisition, or stating its intention not to approve acquisitions, proposed to be effected by Buyer within a certain time period or indefinitely (nor, to the Knowledge of Buyer, do any grounds for any of the foregoing exist).

4.9 Litigation; Regulatory Action.

(a) Except as set forth on Schedule 4.9(a) of the Buyer Disclosure Schedule, no litigation, claim, suit, investigation or other proceeding before any court, governmental agency or arbitrator is pending against Buyer or any of its Subsidiaries, and, to the Knowledge of Buyer,

 

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(i) no litigation, claim, suit, investigation or other proceeding has been threatened and (ii) there are no facts which would reasonably be expected to give rise to such litigation, claim, suit, investigation or other proceeding.

(b) Except as set forth on Schedule 4.9(b) of the Buyer Disclosure Schedule, neither Buyer nor any of its Subsidiaries nor any of their respective properties is a party to or is subject to any assistance agreement, board resolution, order, decree, supervisory agreement, memorandum of understanding, condition or similar arrangement with, or a commitment letter or similar submission to, any Governmental Authority charged with the supervision or regulation of financial institutions or issuers of securities or engaged in the insurance of deposits or the supervision or regulation of Buyer or any of its Subsidiaries. Except as set forth on Schedule 4.9 of the Buyer Disclosure Schedule, neither Buyer nor any of its Subsidiaries has been subject to any order or directive by, or been ordered to pay any civil money penalty by, or has been since January 1, 2009, a recipient of any supervisory letter from, or since January 1, 2009, has adopted any board resolutions at the request of, any Governmental Authority that currently regulates in any material respect the conduct of its business or that in any manner relates to its capital adequacy, its ability to pay dividends, its credit or risk management policies, its management or its business, other than those of general application that apply to similarly-situated bank or financial holding companies or their subsidiaries.

(c) Neither Buyer nor any of its Subsidiaries, has been advised by a Governmental Authority that it will issue, or has Knowledge of any facts which would reasonably be expected to give rise to the issuance by any Governmental Authority or has Knowledge that such Governmental Authority is contemplating issuing or requesting (or is considering the appropriateness of issuing or requesting) any such order, decree, agreement, board resolution, memorandum of understanding, supervisory letter, commitment letter, condition or similar submission.

4.10 SEC Documents; Financial Reports; and Regulatory Reports.

(a) Buyer’s Annual Report on Form 10 K, as amended through the date hereof, for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011 (the “Buyer 2011 Form 10-K”), and all other reports, registration statements, definitive proxy statements or information statements required to be filed or furnished by Buyer or any of its Subsidiaries subsequent to January 1, 2009 under the Securities Act, or under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act (collectively, the “Buyer SEC Documents”), with the SEC, and all of the Buyer SEC Documents filed with the SEC after the date hereof, in the form filed or to be filed, (i) complied or will comply as to form with the applicable requirements under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as the case may be, and (ii) did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and each of the balance sheets contained in or incorporated by reference into any such Buyer SEC Document (including the related notes and schedules thereto) fairly presents and will fairly present the financial position of the entity or entities to which such balance sheet relates as of its date, and each of the statements of income and changes in stockholders’ equity and cash flows or equivalent statements in such Buyer SEC Documents (including any related notes and schedules thereto) fairly presents and will fairly present the results of operations, changes in stockholders’ equity and changes in

 

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cash flows, as the case may be, of the entity or entities to which such statement relates for the periods to which it relates, in each case in accordance with GAAP consistently applied during the periods involved, except in each case as may be noted therein, subject to normal year end audit adjustments in the case of unaudited financial statements. Except for those liabilities that are fully reflected or reserved against in the most recent audited consolidated balance sheet of Buyer and its Subsidiaries contained in the Buyer 2011 Form 10-K and, except for liabilities reflected in Buyer SEC Documents filed prior to the date hereof or incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices or in connection with this Agreement, since December 31, 2011, neither Buyer nor any of its Subsidiaries has any liabilities or obligations of any nature (whether accrued, absolute, contingent or otherwise) required by GAAP to be set forth on its consolidated balance sheet or in the notes thereto.

(b) Buyer and each of its Subsidiaries, officers and directors are in compliance with, and have complied, with (1) the applicable provisions of Sarbanes-Oxley and the related rules and regulations promulgated under such act and the Exchange Act and (2) the applicable listing and corporate governance rules and regulations of NASDAQ. Buyer (i) has established and maintained disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting (as such terms are defined in paragraphs (e) and (f), respectively, of Rule 13a-15 under the Exchange Act) as required by Rule 13a-15 under the Exchange Act, and (ii) has disclosed based on its most recent evaluations, to its outside auditors and the audit committee of the Buyer Board (A) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act) which are reasonably likely to adversely affect Buyer’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial data and (B) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in Buyer’s internal control over financial reporting.

(c) Since January 1, 2009, Buyer and its Subsidiaries have duly filed with the FRB, the FDIC, the OCC and any other applicable Governmental Authority, in correct form, the reports required to be filed under applicable laws and regulations and such reports were complete and accurate and in compliance with the requirements of applicable laws and regulations.

4.11 Absence of Certain Changes or Events. Except as disclosed in the Buyer SEC Documents filed or furnished prior to the date hereof, or as otherwise expressly permitted or expressly contemplated by this Agreement, since December 31, 2011, there has been no change or development in the business, operations, assets, liabilities, condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, cash flows or properties of Buyer or any of its Subsidiaries which has had, or would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Buyer Material Adverse Effect.

4.12 Taxes and Tax Returns. For purposes of this Section 4.12, any reference to Buyer or its Subsidiaries shall be deemed to include a reference to Buyer’s predecessors or the predecessors of its Subsidiaries, respectively, except where inconsistent with the language of this Section 4.12.

(a) Each of Buyer and its Subsidiaries has (i) timely filed (or there has been timely filed on its behalf) with the appropriate Governmental Authorities all Tax Returns required to be filed by it (giving effect to all extensions) and such Tax Returns are true, correct and complete; and (ii) timely paid in full (or there has been timely paid in full on its behalf) all Taxes required to have been paid by it.

 

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(b) The unpaid Taxes of Buyer and its Subsidiaries (i) did not, as of December 31, 2011, exceed the accrued Tax liability (rather than any deferred income Tax liability established to reflect timing differences between book and Tax income) included in Buyer’s audited consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2011, and (ii) will not exceed the accrued Tax liability as adjusted for transactions or operations in the ordinary course of business through the Closing Date in accordance with the past custom and practice of Buyer and its Subsidiaries in filing their Tax Returns.

(c) There are no liens for Taxes upon any property or assets of Buyer or any of its Subsidiaries, except for liens for Taxes not yet due or for Taxes which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings (and for which adequate accruals have been established in Buyer’s audited consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP).

(d) (i) Proper and accurate amounts have been withheld by Buyer and each of its Subsidiaries from its respective employees, independent contractors, creditors, stockholders, depositors, and other payees for all periods in compliance with the tax withholding provisions of applicable federal, state, county and local laws; (ii) federal, state, county and local returns that are accurate and complete have been filed by Buyer and each of its Subsidiaries for all periods for which returns were due with respect to income tax withholding, Social Security and Medicare and unemployment taxes, and information reporting (including IRS Forms 1098 and 1099) and backup and nonresident withholding; (iii) the amounts shown on such returns to be due and payable have been paid in full or adequate provision therefor has been included by Buyer in its consolidated financial statements for the period ended December 31, 2011, or, with respect to returns filed after the date hereof, have been or will be so paid or provided for in the consolidated financial statements of Buyer for the period covered by such returns; and (iv) Buyer and its Subsidiaries have timely and properly taken such actions in response to and in compliance with notices from the IRS in respect of information reporting and backup and nonresident withholding as are required by law, including the notation in its records of any B notices or C notices received with respect to any customers, stockholders, or payees.

(e) As of the date of this Agreement, no federal, state, local or foreign audits or other administrative proceedings or court proceedings are presently pending with regard to any Taxes or Tax Returns of Buyer or any of its Subsidiaries, and none of Buyer or its Subsidiaries has received notice of any pending or proposed claims, audits or proceedings with respect to Taxes.

(f) None of Buyer or any of its Subsidiaries has granted in writing any power of attorney that is currently in force with respect to any Taxes or Tax Returns.

(g) None of Buyer or any of its Subsidiaries has requested an extension of time within which to file any Tax Return which has not since been filed, and no currently effective waivers, extensions, or comparable consents regarding the application of the statute of limitations with respect to Taxes or Tax Returns have been given by or on behalf of Buyer or any of its Subsidiaries.

 

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(h) None of Buyer or any of its Subsidiaries is a party to any agreement providing for the allocation, sharing or indemnification of Taxes.

(i) The federal income Tax Returns of Buyer and its Subsidiaries have been examined and any disputes relating thereto have been settled with the IRS (or the applicable statutes of limitation for the assessment of Taxes for such periods have expired) for all periods through and including December 31, 2007.

(j) None of Buyer or any of its Subsidiaries has been included in any “consolidated,” “unitary” or “combined” Tax Return (other than Tax Returns which include only Buyer and its Subsidiaries) provided for under the laws of the United States, any foreign jurisdiction or any state or locality with respect to Taxes for any taxable year. None of Buyer or any of its Subsidiaries has any liability for the Taxes of any Person (other than Buyer or any of its Subsidiaries) under Section 1.1502-6 of the Treasury Regulations (or any similar provision of state, local, or foreign law) as a transferee or successor, by contract, or otherwise.

(k) None of Buyer or any of its Subsidiaries has distributed stock of another Person, or has had its stock distributed by another Person, in a transaction that was purported or intended to be governed in whole or in part by Sections 355 or 361 of the Code.

(l) Each of Buyer and its Subsidiaries currently computes its taxable income exclusively using the accrual method of accounting and has exclusively used the accrual method of accounting to compute its taxable income for all taxable years ending after December 31, 2006. None of Buyer or any of its Subsidiaries has agreed, or is required, to make any adjustment under Section 481 of the Code affecting any taxable year ending after December 31, 2006, and the IRS has not initiated or proposed any such adjustment. None of Buyer or its Subsidiaries will be required to include amounts in income, or to exclude items of deduction, in a taxable period beginning after the Closing Date as a result of a change in method of accounting occurring prior to the Closing Date. Buyer is not and has not been a United States real property holding company within the meaning of Section 897(c)(2) of the Code. No property of any of Buyer or its Subsidiaries is “tax exempt use property” within the meaning of Section 168(h) of the Code.

(m) No claim has ever been made by any Governmental Authority in a jurisdiction where Buyer or any of its Subsidiaries does not file Tax Returns that any such entity is, or may be, subject to taxation by that jurisdiction.

(n) Buyer and its Subsidiaries have made available to the Company correct and complete copies of (i) all of their material Tax Returns filed within the past three (3) years, (ii) all audit reports, letter rulings, technical advice memoranda and similar documents issued by a Governmental Authority within the past five (5) years relating to the federal, state, local or foreign Taxes due from or with respect to Buyer or any of its Subsidiaries, and (iii) any closing letters or agreements entered into by Buyer or any of its Subsidiaries with any Governmental Authority within the past five (5) years with respect to Taxes.

(o) None of Buyer or any of its Subsidiaries has received any notice of deficiency or assessment from any Governmental Authority for any amount of Tax that has not been fully settled or satisfied, and to the Knowledge of Buyer, no such deficiency or assessment is proposed.

 

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(p) None of Buyer or any of its Subsidiaries has ever participated in a “reportable transaction” within the meaning of Section 1.6011-4(b) of the Treasury Regulations (or any predecessor provision), and each of Buyer and its Subsidiaries has disclosed on its federal income Tax Returns all positions taken therein that could give rise to a substantial understatement of income tax within the meaning of Section 6662 or Section 6662A of the Code.

(q) None of Buyer or its Subsidiaries will be required to include any item of income in, or exclude any item of deduction from, taxable income for any taxable period (or portion thereof) ending after the Closing Date as a result of any: (i) closing agreement as described in Section 7121 of the Code (or any corresponding or similar provision of state, local, or foreign income Tax law) executed on or prior to the Closing Date; (ii) intercompany transactions or any excess loss account described in Treasury Regulations under Section 1502 of the Code (or any corresponding or similar provision of state, local, or foreign income Tax law); (iii) installment sale or open transaction disposition made on or prior to the Closing Date; (iv) prepaid amount received on or prior to the Closing Date; (v) election with respect to income from the discharge of indebtedness under Section 108(i) of the Code; or (vi) any similar election, action, or agreement that would have the effect of deferring any liability for Taxes of Buyer or any of its Subsidiaries from any period ending on or before the Closing Date to any period ending after the Closing Date.

(r) As of the date hereof, Buyer is aware of no reason why the Merger will fail to qualify as a “reorganization” under Section 368(a) of the Code.

4.13 Employee Benefit Plans.

(a) Schedule 4.13 of the Buyer Disclosure Schedule sets forth a list of every material Employee Program currently maintained by Buyer or an ERISA Affiliate (“Buyer Employee Program”).

(b) Each Buyer Employee Program that is intended to qualify under Section 401(a) or 501(c)(9) of the Code is so qualified and has received a favorable determination or approval letter from the IRS with respect to such qualification, or may rely on an opinion letter issued by the IRS with respect to a prototype plan adopted in accordance with the requirements for such reliance, or has time remaining for application to the IRS for a determination of the qualified status of such Buyer Employee Program for any period for which such Buyer Employee Program would not otherwise be covered by an IRS determination and, to the Knowledge of Buyer, no event or omission has occurred that would cause any Buyer Employee Program to lose such qualification.

(c) Each Buyer Employee Program is and has been operated in compliance with applicable laws and regulations and is and has been administered in accordance with applicable laws and regulations and with its terms. No litigation or governmental administrative proceeding, audit or other proceeding (other than those relating to routine claims for benefits) is pending or, to the Knowledge of Buyer, threatened with respect to any Buyer Employee Program

 

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or any fiduciary or service provider thereof. All payments and/or contributions required to have been made with respect to all Buyer Employee Programs either have been made or have been accrued in accordance with the terms of the applicable Buyer Employee Program and applicable law.

(d) No Buyer Employee Program is a single employer pension plan (within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(15) of ERISA) for which the Company or any ERISA Affiliate could incur liability under Section 4063 or 4064 of ERISA or a plan maintained by more than one employer as described in Section 413(c) of the Code.

(e) Except as set forth on Schedule 4.13(e) of the Buyer Disclosure Schedule, neither Buyer nor any current ERISA Affiliate maintains or contributes to, or within the past six (6) years has maintained or contributed to, any Employee Program that is or was subject to Title IV of ERISA, Section 412 of the Code, Section 302 of ERISA or is a Multiemployer Plan and neither Buyer nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred any liability under Title IV of ERISA that has not been paid in full.

4.14 Labor Matters.

(a) Buyer and each of its Subsidiaries: (i) has at all times complied with all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations respecting employment, employment practices, terms and conditions of employment and wages and hours, including payment of minimum wages and overtime, orders and awards relevant to terms and conditions of service, health and safety, labor leasing, use of fixed-term contracts, supply of temporary staff, social security filings and payments and paid vacations, in each case, with respect to employees, (ii) has withheld and reported all amounts required by law to be withheld and reported with respect to wages, salaries and other payments to employees, (iii) is not liable for any arrears of wages, taxes or penalties for failure to comply with any of the foregoing, (iv) is not liable for any payment to any trust or other fund governed by or maintained by or on behalf of any Governmental Authority, with respect to unemployment compensation benefits, social security or other benefits or obligations for employees (other than routine payments to be made in the normal course of business and consistent with past practice), (v) has fully complied with all affirmative action requirements applicable to it under Executive Order 11246 and any applicable state law, and (vi) is not aware that any officer, or that any group of officers, intends to terminate their employment with Buyer or Subsidiary, nor does Buyer or any Subsidiary have a present intention to terminate the employment of any officer. In addition, except as set forth in Schedule 4.14 of the Buyer Disclosure Schedule, (x) there are no, and within the last three (3) years there have been no, formal or informal grievances, complaints or charges with respect to employment or labor matters (including, without limitation, allegations of employment discrimination, retaliation or unfair labor practices) pending or threatened against Buyer or any Subsidiary in any judicial, regulatory or administrative forum, under any private dispute resolution procedure or internally; (y) none of the employment policies or practices of Buyer or any Subsidiary is currently being audited or investigated, or to the Knowledge of Buyer, subject to imminent audit or investigation by any Governmental Authority; (z) neither Buyer nor any Subsidiary is, or within the last two (2) years has been, subject to any order, decree, injunction or judgment by any Governmental Authority or private settlement contract in respect of any labor or employment matters; (xx) neither Buyer nor any Subsidiary has, within the last three (3) years, been audited by any Governmental Authority

 

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with respect to affirmative action compliance under the Executive Order 11246 or any applicable state law; and (yy) all employees of Buyer and all Subsidiaries are employed at-will. There are no pending or, to the Knowledge of Buyer, threatened or reasonably anticipated claims or actions against Buyer under any workers’ compensation policy or long-term disability policy. At all times in the preceding three (3) years, (1) Buyer and each of its Subsidiaries has properly classified as independent contractors all persons whom it has designated to be independent contractors rather than employees and (2) Buyer and each of its Subsidiaries has properly classified as exempt employees for overtime pay purposes all persons whom it has designated to be exempt employees rather than non-exempt employees.

(b) No work stoppage, slowdown or labor strike against Buyer or any of its Subsidiaries is pending or, to the Knowledge of Buyer, threatened or reasonably anticipated. Buyer does not have Knowledge of any activities or proceedings of any labor union to organize any employees of Buyer or any of its Subsidiaries. Neither Buyer nor any of its Subsidiaries has engaged in any unfair labor practices within the meaning of the National Labor Relations Act or other applicable similar laws. Neither Buyer nor any of its Subsidiaries presently is, nor has it been in the past, a party to, or bound by, any collective bargaining agreement with respect to employees of Buyer or any of its Subsidiaries, and no collective bargaining agreement is being negotiated by Buyer or any of its Subsidiaries. To Buyer’s Knowledge, no event has occurred, and no condition or circumstance exists, that might directly or indirectly give rise to or provide a basis for the commencement of any strike, slowdown, work stoppage, lockout, job action, labor dispute or union organizing activity or any similar activity or dispute.

4.15 Environmental Matters.

(a) Each of Buyer and its Subsidiaries and each property owned, leased or operated by any of them (the “Buyer Property”) and, to the Knowledge of Buyer, the Buyer Loan Properties (as defined below), are, and have been, in compliance with all Environmental Laws.

(b) There is no suit, claim, action or proceeding pending or, to the Knowledge of Buyer, threatened, before any Governmental Authority or other forum in which Buyer or any of its Subsidiaries has been or, with respect to threatened proceedings, may be, named as a defendant, responsible party or potentially responsible party (i) for alleged noncompliance (including by any predecessor) with any Environmental Law or (ii) relating to the release or presence of any Hazardous Material or Oil at, in, to, on, from or affecting a Buyer Property, a Buyer Loan Property, or any property previously owned, operated or leased by Buyer or any of its Subsidiaries.

(c) Neither Buyer nor any of its Subsidiaries, nor to the Knowledge of Buyer, any Buyer Loan Property, has received or been named in any written notice regarding a matter on which a suit, claim, action or proceeding as described in subsection (b) of this Section 4.15 could reasonably be based. No facts or circumstances have come to Buyer’s attention which would reasonably cause it to believe that a suit, claim, action or proceeding as described in subsection (b) of this Section 4.15 would reasonably be expected to occur.

 

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(d) During the period of (i) Buyer’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ ownership, tenancy or operation of any Buyer Property or (ii) Buyer’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ holding of a security interest in any Buyer Loan Property, to the Knowledge of Buyer, there has been no release of Hazardous Material or Oil at, in, to, on, from or affecting such Buyer Property or Buyer Loan Property, that would reasonably be expected to result in any liabilities or obligations of Buyer or any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to any Environmental Law. To the Knowledge of Buyer, prior to the period of (i) Buyer’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ ownership, tenancy or operation of any Buyer Property or any property previously owned, operated or leased by Buyer or any of its Subsidiaries, or (ii) Buyer’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ holding of a security interest in a Buyer Loan Property, there was no release of Hazardous Material or Oil at, in, to, on, from or affecting any such property that would reasonably be expected to result in any liabilities or obligations of Buyer or any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to Environmental Law.

(e) Neither Buyer nor any of its Subsidiaries is an “owner” or “operator” (as such terms are defined under CERCLA) of any Buyer Loan Property and there are no Buyer Participation Facilities (as defined below).

(f) For purposes of this Section 4.15, (i) “Buyer Loan Property” means any property in which Buyer or any of its Subsidiaries holds a security interest, and, where required by the context (as a result of foreclosure), said term includes any property owned or operated by Buyer or any of its Subsidiaries, and (ii) “Buyer Participation Facility” means any facility in which Buyer or any of its Subsidiaries participates or has participated in the management of environmental matters.

(g) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, other than as set forth in Section 4.10 (SEC Documents; Financial Reports; and Regulatory Reports), Section 4.11 (Absence of Certain Changes or Events) and this Section 4.15 (Environmental Matters) sets forth Buyer’s sole and exclusive representations and warranties with respect to Environmental Laws, Hazardous Materials, Oil and other environmental matters.

4.16 Regulatory Capitalization. The Buyer Bank is, and immediately after the Effective Time will be, “well capitalized,” as such term is defined in the rules and regulations promulgated by the OCC, as amended from time to time. Buyer is, and immediately after the Effective Time will be, “well capitalized” as such term is defined in the rules and regulations promulgated by the FRB, as amended from time to time.

4.17 Loans; Nonperforming and Classified Assets.

(a) Each Loan, on Buyer’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ books and records, was made and has been serviced in accordance with Buyer’s lending standards in the ordinary course of business; is evidenced by appropriate and sufficient documentation; to the extent secured, has been secured by valid liens and security interests which have been perfected; and constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the obligor named therein, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance and other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditor’s rights and to general equity principles. Buyer has previously made available to Company complete and correct copies of its lending policies. The deposit and loan agreements of Buyer and its Subsidiaries comply with all applicable laws, rules and regulations. The allowance for loan losses reflected in the Buyer SEC Documents and the financial statements filed therewith, as of their respective dates, is adequate under GAAP and all regulatory requirements applicable to financial institutions.

 

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(b) Schedule 4.17 of the Buyer Disclosure Schedule discloses as of August 31, 2012: (i) the aggregate amount of all Loans under the terms of which the obligor is sixty (60) or more days delinquent in payment of principal or interest, or to the Knowledge of Buyer, in default of any other provision thereof; (ii) the aggregate amount of all Classified Loans, and a list of each Classified Loan in an amount in excess of $1,000,000, and the aggregate amount thereof; (iii) a listing of the real estate owned, acquired by foreclosure or by deed in lieu thereof, including the book value thereof; and (iv) each Loan with any director, executive officer or five percent (5%) or greater shareholder of Buyer, or to the Knowledge of Buyer, any Person controlling, controlled by or under common control with any of the foregoing. All Loans which are classified as “Insider Transactions” by Regulation O of the FRB have been made by Buyer or any of its Subsidiaries in an arms-length manner made on substantially the same terms, including interest rates and collateral, as those prevailing at the time for comparable transactions with other Persons and do not involve more than normal risk of collectibility or present other unfavorable features.

4.18 Investment Securities. Each of Buyer and its Subsidiaries has good title to all securities owned by it (except those sold under repurchase agreements or held in any fiduciary or agency capacity), free and clear of any Liens, except to the extent such securities are pledged in the ordinary course of business to secure obligations of Buyer or its Subsidiaries. Such securities are valued on the books of Buyer in accordance with GAAP. Buyer and its Subsidiaries and their respective businesses employ investment, securities, risk management and other policies, practices and procedures which Buyer believes are prudent and reasonable in the context of such businesses.

4.19 CRA, Anti-money Laundering and Customer Information Security. Neither Buyer nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to any agreement with any individual or group regarding CRA matters and Buyer has no Knowledge of, and none of Buyer and its Subsidiaries has been advised of, or has any reason to believe (because of the Buyer Bank’s Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data for the year ended December 31, 2011, filed with the FDIC, or otherwise) that any facts or circumstances exist, which would cause the Buyer Bank: (i) to be deemed not to be in satisfactory compliance with the CRA, and the regulations promulgated thereunder, or to be assigned a rating for CRA purposes by federal or state bank regulators of lower than “satisfactory”; (ii) to be deemed to be operating in violation of the USA PATRIOT Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder, any order issued with respect to anti-money laundering by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, or any other applicable anti-money laundering statute, rule or regulation; or (iii) to be deemed not to be in satisfactory compliance with the applicable requirements contained in any federal and state privacy and data security laws and regulations, including, without limitation, in Title V of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999 and regulations promulgated thereunder, as well as the provisions of the information security program adopted by the Buyer Bank pursuant to 12 C.F.R. Part 570. Furthermore, the Board of Directors of the Buyer Bank has adopted and the Buyer Bank has implemented an anti-money laundering program that contains adequate and appropriate customer identification verification procedures that has not been deemed ineffective by any Governmental Authority and that meets the requirements of Sections 352 and 326 and all other applicable provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act and the regulations thereunder.

 

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4.20 Brokers. No action has been taken by Buyer or any of its Subsidiaries that would give rise to any valid claim against Buyer for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or other like payment with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, other than the engagement of Ambassador Financial Group, Inc., whose expenses shall be paid by Buyer.

4.21 Deposit Insurance. The deposits of the Buyer Bank are insured by the FDIC in accordance with the FDIA to the fullest extent permitted by law, and each Buyer Bank has paid all premiums and assessments and filed all reports required by the FDIA. No proceedings for the revocation or termination of such deposit insurance are pending or, to the Knowledge of Buyer, threatened.

ARTICLE V

COVENANTS RELATING TO CONDUCT OF BUSINESS

5.1 Company Forbearances. From the date hereof until the Effective Time, except as set forth on the Company Disclosure Schedule or as expressly contemplated by this Agreement, without the prior written consent of Buyer (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), the Company will not, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries not to:

(a) Ordinary Course. Conduct its business other than in the ordinary and usual course consistent with past practice, or fail to use reasonable best efforts to preserve intact its business organizations and assets and maintain its rights, franchises and existing relations with customers, suppliers, employees and business associates, or take any action that would reasonably be expected to (i) adversely affect the ability of any party to obtain any necessary approval of the Company’s shareholders or any Governmental Authority required for the transactions contemplated hereby (including, without limitation, the Regulatory Approvals and the Bank Merger Approvals) or (ii) adversely affect the Company’s ability to perform any of its material obligations under this Agreement.

(b) Stock. (i) Other than pursuant to stock-based awards outstanding as of the date hereof and listed on the Company Disclosure Schedule, issue, sell or otherwise permit to become outstanding, or authorize the creation of, any additional shares of stock, any securities (including units of beneficial ownership interest in any partnership or limited liability company) convertible into or exchangeable for any additional shares of stock, any stock options or stock appreciation rights, or any other rights to subscribe for or acquire shares of stock, or take any action related to such issuance or sale, (ii) enter into any agreement with respect to the foregoing, (iii) accelerate the vesting of any existing stock-based awards (other than as required by the terms of existing stock-based awards), or (iv) change (or establish a record date for changing) the number of, or provide for the exchange of, shares of its stock, any securities (including units of beneficial ownership interest in any partnership or limited liability company) convertible into or exchangeable for any additional shares of stock, any stock appreciation rights, or any other rights to subscribe for or acquire shares of stock issued and outstanding prior to the Effective Time as a result of a stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization, reclassification, or similar transaction with respect to its outstanding stock or any other such securities.

 

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(c) Dividends, Etc. (i) Make, declare or pay any dividend on or in respect of, or declare or make any distribution on, any shares of stock other than (x) dividends from wholly owned Subsidiaries to the Company or any other wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company, as applicable, or (y) regular quarterly cash dividends on Company Common Stock no greater than the rate paid during the fiscal quarter immediately preceding the date hereof with record and payment dates consistent with past practice (subject to the last sentence of this clause (c)), or (ii) directly or indirectly combine, redeem, reclassify, purchase or otherwise acquire, any shares of its stock. After the date hereof, the Company shall coordinate with Buyer regarding the declaration of any dividends in respect of the Company Common Stock and the record dates and payment dates relating thereto, it being the intention of the parties hereto that holders of the Company Common Stock shall not receive two (2) dividends for any single calendar quarter with respect to their shares of Company Common Stock and any shares of Buyer Common Stock that such holders receive in exchange therefor in the Merger.

(d) Compensation; Employment Agreements; Etc. Enter into or amend any employment, severance or similar agreements or arrangements with any of its directors, officers, employees or consultants, grant any salary or wage increase, increase any employee benefit, or make any incentive or bonus payments, except for (i) normal merit increases in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, not to exceed an aggregate increase of more than three percent (3%) from the aggregate amount paid in 2012, (ii) as may be required by law, (iii) to satisfy contractual obligations existing as of the date hereof and disclosed on Schedule 3.14(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule or the index of exhibits in the Company 2011 Form 10-K or (iv) as set forth on Schedule 5.1(d) or otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement.

(e) Benefit Plans. Except as may be required (i) by applicable law or the express terms of this Agreement or (ii) to satisfy contractual obligations existing as of the date hereof and disclosed on Schedule 3.14(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, enter into, establish, adopt or amend any pension, retirement, stock option, stock purchase, savings, profit sharing, deferred compensation, consulting, group insurance or other employee benefit, incentive or welfare contract, plan or arrangement, or any trust agreement related thereto, in respect of any director, officer or other employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, including, without limitation, taking any action that accelerates the vesting or exercise of any benefits payable thereunder.

(f) Company Employees. Hire or terminate the employment of any officer, member of senior management or other key employee, elect to any office any person who is not a member of the Company’s management team as of the date of this Agreement or elect to the Company Board or the board of directors of the Company Bank any person who is not a member of the Company Board or the board of the Company Bank, respectively, as of the date of this Agreement.

(g) Dispositions. Sell, transfer, mortgage, encumber or otherwise dispose of or discontinue any of its assets, deposits, business or properties except in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and in a transaction that, together with all other such transactions, is not material to the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole.

 

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(h) Governing Documents. Amend its Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws (or equivalent documents).

(i) Acquisitions. Acquire (other than by way of foreclosures or acquisitions of control in a bona fide fiduciary capacity or in satisfaction of debts previously contracted in good faith, in each case in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice) all or any portion of the assets, business, securities, deposits or properties of any other entity.

(j) Capital Expenditures. Make any capital expenditures other than capital expenditures in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice in amounts not exceeding $50,000 individually or $100,000 in the aggregate.

(k) Contracts. Enter into or terminate any Company Material Contract, amend or modify in any material respect any Company Material Contract, or waive any rights under any Company Material Contract.

(l) Claims. Enter into any settlement or similar agreement with respect to any action, suit, proceeding, order or investigation to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party, or waive or release any material rights or claims, or agree or consent to the issuance of any injunction, decree, order or judgment restricting or otherwise affecting its business or operations in any material respect.

(m) Banking Operations. Enter into any new material line of business; change its material lending, investment, underwriting, risk and asset liability management or other material banking and operating policies, except as required by applicable law, regulation or policies imposed by any Governmental Authority; introduce any material new products or services, any material marketing campaigns or any material new sales compensation or incentive programs or arrangements; or file any application or make any contract with respect to branching or site location or branching or site relocation.

(n) Derivative Transactions. Enter into any Derivative Transactions.

(o) Indebtedness. Incur, modify, extend or renegotiate any indebtedness for borrowed money (other than deposits, federal funds purchased, federal home loan bank advances, and securities sold under agreements to repurchase, in each case in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice), prepay any indebtedness or other similar arrangements so as to cause the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to incur any prepayment penalty thereunder, or assume, guarantee, endorse or otherwise as an accommodation become responsible for the obligations of any other Person, other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice.

(p) Investment Securities. Acquire (other than by way of foreclosures or acquisitions in a bona fide fiduciary capacity or in satisfaction of debts previously contracted in good faith, in each case in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice) (i) any debt security or equity investment of a type or in an amount that is not permissible for a national bank or (ii) any other debt security other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, or restructure or materially change its investment securities portfolio or its interest rate risk position, through purchases, sales or otherwise, or in the manner in which the portfolio is classified.

 

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(q) Loans. Except for Loans or commitments for Loans that have been approved prior to the date of this Agreement, (i) make or acquire any new Loan or issue new commitments for any Loan in excess of $2,000,000 or (ii) renegotiate, renew, increase or modify any existing Loan in excess of $5,000,000; provided, however, that no such action shall be taken with respect to any Classified Loans with a balance in excess of $500,000; provided, further, that the Loan thresholds referenced herein shall refer to the amount of all Loans to any one borrower or related borrowers in the aggregate, as defined in the Company’s credit policies.

(r) Investments in Real Estate. Make any investment or commitment to invest in real estate or in any real estate development project (other than by way of foreclosure or acquisitions in a bona fide fiduciary capacity or in satisfaction of a debt previously contracted in good faith, in each case in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice); or foreclose on or take a deed or title to any real estate other than one (1)—four (4) family residential properties without first conducting a Phase I environmental assessment of the property that satisfies the requirements of the all appropriate inquiries standard of CERCLA, or foreclose or take a deed or title to any real estate if such environmental assessment indicates the presence of Hazardous Material.

(s) Accounting Methods. Implement or adopt any change in its accounting principles, practices or methods, other than as may be required by changes in laws or regulations or by GAAP.

(t) Tax Matters. Make or change any Tax election, change an annual accounting period, adopt or change any accounting method, file any amended Tax Return, fail to timely file any Tax Return, enter into any closing agreement, settle or compromise any liability with respect to Taxes, agree to any adjustment of any Tax attribute, surrender any right to claim a refund of Taxes, consent to any extension or waiver of the limitation period applicable to any Tax claim or assessment, or take any other similar action relating to the filing of any Tax Return or the payment of any Tax.

(u) Loan Policies. Change its loan policies or procedures in effect as of the date hereof, except as required by any Governmental Authority.

(v) Adverse Actions. (i) Knowingly take any action that would, or would be reasonably likely to, prevent or impede the Merger from qualifying as a “reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code; or (ii) take any action that is intended or is reasonably likely to result in (x) any of its representations and warranties set forth in this Agreement being or becoming untrue in any material respect at any time prior to the Effective Time, (y) any of the conditions to the Merger set forth in Article VII not being satisfied, or (z) a material violation of any provision of this Agreement.

(w) Agreements. Agree or commit to do anything prohibited by this Section 5.1.

 

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5.2 Buyer Forbearances. From the date hereof until the Effective Time, except as set forth on the Buyer Disclosure Schedule or as expressly contemplated by this Agreement, without the prior written consent of the Company, Buyer will not, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries not to: (a) amend its Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws in a manner that would materially and adversely affect the economic benefit of the Merger to the holders of Company Common Stock; (b) knowingly take any action that would, or would be reasonably likely to, prevent or impede the Merger from qualifying as a “reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code; or (c) take any action that is intended or is reasonably likely to result in any of the conditions to the Merger set forth in Article VII not being satisfied.

ARTICLE VI

ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS

6.1 Shareholder Approval.

(a) Company Shareholder Approval.

(i) Following the execution of this Agreement, the Company shall take, in accordance with applicable law, applicable rules of NASDAQ and its Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws, all action necessary to convene a meeting of its shareholders as promptly as practicable (and in any event within forty-five (45) days following the time when the Registration Statement becomes effective, subject to extension with the consent of Buyer) to consider and vote upon the approval of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby (including the Merger) and any other matter required to be approved by the shareholders of the Company in order to consummate the Merger and the transactions contemplated hereby (including any adjournment or postponement thereof, the “Company Meeting”).

(ii) Subject to Section 6.5 hereof, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to obtain the requisite vote of the Company’s shareholders to consummate the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby, and shall ensure that the Company Meeting is called, noticed, convened, held and conducted, and that all proxies solicited by the Company in connection with the Company Meeting are solicited in compliance with the NYBCL, the Certificate of Incorporation of the Company and the Bylaws of the Company, and all other applicable legal requirements. The Company shall keep Buyer updated with respect to the proxy solicitation results in connection with the Company Meeting as reasonably requested by Buyer.

(iii) Subject to Section 6.5 hereof, (A) the Company Board shall recommend that the Company’s shareholders vote to approve this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby (including the Merger) and any other matters required to be approved by the Company’s shareholders for consummation of the Merger and the transactions contemplated hereby (the “Company Recommendation”), and (B) the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus shall include the Company Recommendation.

 

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(b) Buyer Shareholder Approval.

(i) Following the execution of this Agreement, Buyer shall take, in accordance with applicable law, applicable rules of NASDAQ and its Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws, all action necessary to convene a meeting of its shareholders as promptly as practicable (and in any event within forty-five (45) days following the time when the Registration Statement becomes effective, subject to extension with the consent of the Company) to consider and vote upon the approval of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby (including the Merger) and any other matter required to be approved by the shareholders of Buyer in order to consummate the Merger and the transactions contemplated hereby (including any adjournment or postponement thereof, the “Buyer Meeting”).

(ii) Buyer shall use its reasonable best efforts to obtain the requisite vote of Buyer’s stockholders to consummate the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby, and shall ensure that the Buyer Meeting is called, noticed, convened, held and conducted, and that all proxies solicited by Buyer in connection with the Buyer Meeting are solicited in compliance with the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation of Buyer and Bylaws of Buyer, and all other applicable legal requirements. Buyer shall keep the Company updated with respect to the proxy solicitation results in connection with the Buyer Meeting as reasonably requested by the Company.

(iii) (A) The Buyer Board shall recommend that Buyer’s shareholders vote to approve this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby (including the Merger) and any other matters required to be approved by Buyer’s shareholders for consummation of the Merger and the transactions contemplated hereby (the “Buyer Recommendation”), and (B) the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus shall include the Buyer Recommendation.

6.2 Registration Statement.

(a) Buyer and the Company agree to cooperate in the preparation of a registration statement on Form S-4 (the “Registration Statement”) to be filed by Buyer with the SEC in connection with the issuance of the Buyer Common Stock in the Merger (including the joint proxy statement and prospectus and other proxy solicitation materials of Buyer and the Company relating to the Company Meeting and the Buyer Meeting, as applicable, and constituting a part thereof (the “Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus”) and all related documents). Each of Buyer and the Company agree to use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Registration Statement to be declared effective by the SEC as promptly as reasonably practicable after the filing thereof. The Company agrees to cooperate with Buyer and Buyer’s counsel and accountants in requesting and obtaining appropriate opinions, consents and letters from the Financial Advisor and the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm in connection with the Registration Statement and the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus. After the Registration Statement is declared effective under the Securities Act, (i) the Company, at its expense, shall promptly mail the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus to the Company’s shareholders and (ii) Buyer, at its expense, shall promptly mail the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus to Buyer’s shareholders.

 

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(b) Each of Buyer and the Company agrees, upon request, to furnish the other party with all information concerning itself, its Subsidiaries, directors, officers and shareholders and such other matters as may be reasonably necessary or advisable in connection with the Registration Statement, the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus or any filing, notice or application made by or on behalf of such other party or any of its Subsidiaries to any Governmental Authority in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby. Each of Buyer and the Company agrees, as to itself and its Subsidiaries, that none of the information supplied or to be supplied by it for inclusion or incorporation by reference in (i) the Registration Statement, at the time the Registration Statement and each amendment or supplement thereto, if any, becomes effective under the Securities Act, will contain any 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 under which they are made, not misleading, and (ii) the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, at the date of mailing by or on behalf of the Company or Buyer, as applicable, to shareholders and at the time of the Company Meeting or the Buyer Meeting, as applicable, will contain any 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 under which they are made, not misleading. Each of Buyer and the Company further agrees that if it shall become aware, prior to the Company Meeting or the Buyer Meeting, of any information that would cause any of the statements in the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus to be false or misleading with respect to any material fact, or to omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein not false or misleading, it shall promptly inform the other party thereof and shall take the necessary steps to correct the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus.

(c) Buyer will advise the Company, promptly after Buyer receives notice thereof, of the time when the Registration Statement has become effective or any supplement or amendment has been filed, of the issuance of any stop order or the suspension of the qualification of Buyer Common Stock for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation of any proceeding for any such purpose, or of any request by the SEC for the amendment or supplement of the Registration Statement or for additional information.

6.3 Press Releases. Buyer and the Company will consult with each other before issuing any press release with respect to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby and will not issue any press release or written statement for general circulation relating to the transactions contemplated hereby or make any such public statements or other disclosure regarding this Agreement without the prior consent of the other party, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld; provided, however, that a party may, without the prior consent of the other party (but after consultation with the other party, to the extent practicable), issue such press release or public statements as may be required by applicable law or the rules and regulations of any stock exchange.

6.4 Access; Information.

(a) Upon reasonable notice and subject to applicable laws relating to the exchange of information, the Company shall, and shall cause its Subsidiaries to, afford Buyer and

 

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its officers, employees, counsel, accountants, advisors and other authorized representatives (collectively, the “Buyer Representatives”), access, during normal business hours throughout the period prior to the Effective Time, to all of its properties, books, contracts, commitments and records (including, without limitation, work papers of independent auditors), and to its officers, employees, accountants, counsel or other representatives, and, during such period, it shall, and shall cause its Subsidiaries to, furnish promptly to Buyer and the Buyer Representatives (i) a copy of each material report, schedule and other document filed with any Governmental Authority (other than reports or documents that the Company or its Subsidiaries, as the case may be, are not permitted to disclose under applicable law), and (ii) all other information concerning the business, properties and personnel of the Company and its Subsidiaries as Buyer or any Buyer Representative may reasonably request. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall be required to provide access to or to disclose information where such access jeopardizes the attorney-client privilege of the institution in possession or control of such information or contravenes any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment or decree. Consistent with the foregoing, the Company agrees to make appropriate substitute disclosure arrangements under the circumstances in which the restrictions of the preceding sentence apply.

(b) Buyer agrees to hold all information and documents obtained pursuant to this Section 6.4 in confidence (as provided in, and subject to the provisions of, the Confidentiality Agreement, as if it were the party receiving the confidential information as described therein). No investigation by Buyer of the business and affairs of the Company shall affect or be deemed to modify or waive any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement in this Agreement, or the conditions to Buyer’s obligation to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

6.5 No Solicitation.

(a) The Company shall not, and shall cause its Subsidiaries and the respective officers, directors, employees, investment bankers, financial advisors, attorneys, accountants, consultants, affiliates and other agents of the Company and its Subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company Representatives”) not to, directly or indirectly, (i) initiate, solicit, induce or knowingly encourage, or take any action to facilitate the making of, any inquiry, offer or proposal which constitutes, or could reasonably be expected to lead to, an Acquisition Proposal; (ii) participate in any discussions or negotiations regarding any Acquisition Proposal or furnish, or otherwise afford access, to any Person (other than Buyer) any information or data with respect to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or otherwise relating to an Acquisition Proposal; (iii) release any Person from, waive any provisions of, or fail to enforce any confidentiality agreement or standstill agreement to which the Company is a party; or (iv) enter into any agreement, agreement in principle or letter of intent with respect to any Acquisition Proposal or approve or resolve to approve any Acquisition Proposal or any agreement, agreement in principle or letter of intent relating to an Acquisition Proposal. Any violation of the foregoing restrictions by any of the Company Representatives, whether or not such Company Representative is so authorized and whether or not such Company Representative is purporting to act on behalf of the Company or otherwise, shall be deemed to be a breach of this Agreement by the Company. The Company and its Subsidiaries shall, and shall cause each of the Company Representatives to, immediately cease and cause to be terminated any and all existing discussions, negotiations, and communications with any Persons with respect to any existing or potential Acquisition Proposal.

 

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For purposes of this Agreement, “Acquisition Proposal” shall mean any inquiry, offer or proposal (other than an inquiry, offer or proposal from Buyer), whether or not in writing, contemplating, relating to, or that could reasonably be expected to lead to, an Acquisition Transaction. For purposes of this Agreement, “Acquisition Transaction” shall mean (A) any transaction or series of transactions involving any merger, consolidation, recapitalization, share exchange, liquidation, dissolution or similar transaction involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (B) any transaction pursuant to which any third party or group acquires or would acquire (whether through sale, lease or other disposition), directly or indirectly, any assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries representing, in the aggregate, 15% or more of the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis; (C) any issuance, sale or other disposition of (including by way of merger, consolidation, share exchange or any similar transaction) securities (or options, rights or warrants to purchase or securities convertible into, such securities) representing 15% or more of the votes attached to the outstanding securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (D) any tender offer or exchange offer that, if consummated, would result in any third party or group beneficially owning 15% or more of any class of equity securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; or (E) any transaction which is similar in form, substance or purpose to any of the foregoing transactions, or any combination of the foregoing.

(b) Notwithstanding Section 6.5(a), prior to the date of the Company Meeting, the Company may take any of the actions described in clause (ii) of Section 6.5(a) if, but only if, (i) the Company has received a bona fide unsolicited written Acquisition Proposal that did not result from a breach of this Section 6.5; (ii) the Company Board determines in good faith, after consultation with and having considered the advice of its outside legal counsel and a nationally recognized, independent financial advisor, that (A) such Acquisition Proposal constitutes or is reasonably likely to lead to a Superior Proposal and (B) it is required to take such actions to comply with its fiduciary duties to the Company’s shareholders under applicable law; (iii) the Company has provided Buyer with at least three (3) Business Days’ prior notice of such determination; and (iv) prior to furnishing or affording access to any information or data with respect to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or otherwise relating to an Acquisition Proposal, the Company receives from such Person a confidentiality agreement with terms no less favorable to the Company than those contained in the Confidentiality Agreement. The Company shall promptly provide to Buyer any non-public information regarding the Company or its Subsidiaries provided to any other Person which was not previously provided to Buyer, such additional information to be provided no later than the date of provision of such information to such other party.

For purposes of this Agreement, “Superior Proposal” shall mean any bona fide written proposal (on its most recently amended or modified terms, if amended or modified) made by a third party to enter into an Acquisition Transaction on terms that the Company Board determines in its good faith judgment, after consultation with and having considered the advice of outside legal counsel and a financial advisor of nationally recognized reputation (x) would, if consummated, result in the acquisition of all, but not less than all, of the issued and outstanding shares of Company Common Stock or all, or substantially all, of the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis; (y) would result in a transaction that (A) involves consideration to the holders of the shares of Company Common Stock that is more favorable, from a financial point of view, than the consideration to be paid to the Company’s shareholders

 

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pursuant to this Agreement, considering, among other things, the nature of the consideration being offered and any material regulatory approvals or other risks associated with the timing of the proposed transaction beyond or in addition to those specifically contemplated hereby, and which proposal is not conditioned upon obtaining financing and (B) is, in light of the other terms of such proposal, more favorable to the Company’s shareholders than the Merger and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; and (z) is reasonably likely to be completed on the terms proposed, in each case taking into account all legal, financial, regulatory and other aspects of the proposal.

(c) The Company shall promptly (and in any event within 24 hours) notify Buyer in writing if any proposals or offers are received by, any information is requested from, or any negotiations or discussions are sought to be initiated or continued with, the Company or the Company Representatives, in each case in connection with any Acquisition Proposal, and such notice shall indicate the name of the Person initiating such discussions or negotiations or making such proposal, offer or information request and the material terms and conditions of any proposals or offers (and, in the case of written materials relating to such proposal, offer, information request, negotiations or discussion, providing copies of such materials (including e-mails or other electronic communications) except to the extent that such materials constitute confidential information of the party making such offer or proposal under an effective confidentiality agreement). The Company agrees that it shall keep Buyer informed, on a reasonably current basis, of the status and terms of any such proposal, offer, information request, negotiations or discussions (including any amendments or modifications to such proposal, offer or request).

(d) Neither the Company Board nor any committee thereof shall (i) withdraw, qualify, amend or modify, or propose to withdraw, qualify, amend or modify, in a manner adverse to Buyer in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including the Merger), the Company Recommendation, fail to reaffirm the Company Recommendation within five (5) Business Days following a request by Buyer, or make any statement, filing or release, in connection with the Company Meeting or otherwise, inconsistent with the Company Recommendation (it being understood that taking a neutral position or no position with respect to an Acquisition Proposal shall be considered an adverse modification of the Company Recommendation); (ii) approve or recommend, or propose to approve or recommend, any Acquisition Proposal; or (iii) enter into (or cause the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to enter into) any letter of intent, agreement in principle, acquisition agreement or other agreement (A) related to any Acquisition Transaction (other than a confidentiality agreement entered into in accordance with the provisions of Section 6.5(b)) or (B) requiring the Company to abandon, terminate or fail to consummate the Merger or any other transaction contemplated by this Agreement.

(e) Notwithstanding Section 6.5(d), prior to the date of the Company Meeting, the Company Board may withdraw, qualify, amend or modify the Company Recommendation (a “Company Subsequent Determination”) after the fifth Business Day following Buyer’s receipt of a notice (the “Notice of Superior Proposal”) from the Company advising Buyer that the Company Board has decided that a bona fide unsolicited written Acquisition Proposal that it received (that did not result from a breach of this Section 6.5) constitutes a Superior Proposal if, but only if, (i) the Company Board has reasonably determined in good faith, after consultation with and having considered the advice of outside legal counsel and a financial advisor of nationally recognized

 

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reputation, that it is required to take such actions to comply with its fiduciary duties to the Company’s shareholders under applicable law, (ii) during the five (5) Business Day period after receipt of the Notice of Superior Proposal by Buyer (the “Notice Period”), the Company and the Company Board shall have cooperated and negotiated in good faith with Buyer to make such adjustments, modifications or amendments to the terms and conditions of this Agreement as would enable the Company to proceed with the Company Recommendation without a Company Subsequent Determination; provided, however, that Buyer shall not have any obligation to propose any adjustments, modifications or amendments to the terms and conditions of this Agreement and (iii) at the end of the Notice Period, after taking into account any such adjusted, modified or amended terms as may have been proposed by Buyer since its receipt of such Notice of Superior Proposal, the Company Board has again in good faith made the determination (A) in clause (i) of this Section 6.5(e) and (B) that such Acquisition Proposal constitutes a Superior Proposal. In the event of any material revisions to the Superior Proposal, the Company shall be required to deliver a new Notice of Superior Proposal to Buyer and again comply with the requirements of this Section 6.5(e), except that the Notice Period shall be reduced to three (3) Business Days.

(f) Notwithstanding any Company Subsequent Determination, this Agreement shall be submitted to the Company’s shareholders at the Company Meeting for the purpose of voting on the approval of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby (including the Merger) and nothing contained herein shall be deemed to relieve the Company of such obligation; provided, however, that if the Company Board shall have made a Company Subsequent Determination, then the Company Board may submit this Agreement to the Company’s shareholders without recommendation (although the resolutions adopting this Agreement as of the date hereof may not be rescinded), in which event the Company Board may communicate the basis for its lack of a recommendation to the Company’s shareholders in the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus or an appropriate amendment or supplement thereto. In addition to the foregoing, the Company shall not submit to the vote of its shareholders any Acquisition Proposal other than the Merger.

(g) Nothing contained in this Section 6.5 shall prohibit the Company or the Company Board from complying with the Company’s obligations required under Rule 14e-2(a) promulgated under the Exchange Act; provided, however, that any such disclosure relating to an Acquisition Proposal (other than a “stop, look and listen” or similar communication of the type contemplated by Rule 14d-9(f) under the Exchange Act) shall be deemed a change in the Company Recommendation unless the Company Board reaffirms the Company Recommendation in such disclosure.

6.6 Takeover Laws. No party shall take any action that would cause the transactions contemplated by this Agreement to be subject to requirements imposed by any Takeover Laws, as applicable, and each party shall take all necessary steps within its control to exempt (or ensure the continued exemption of) the transactions contemplated by this Agreement from, or if necessary challenge the validity or applicability of, any applicable Takeover Laws, as now or hereafter in effect, that purports to apply to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

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6.7 Shares Listed. Prior to the Effective Time, to the extent required by NASDAQ, Buyer shall file a notice of additional listing of shares with NASDAQ with respect to the shares of Buyer Common Stock to be issued to the holders of the Company Common Stock in the Merger.

6.8 Regulatory Applications; Filings; Consents. Buyer and the Company and their respective Subsidiaries shall cooperate and use their respective reasonable best efforts (a) to promptly prepare all documentation, effect all filings and obtain all permits, consents, approvals and authorizations of all third parties and Governmental Authorities, including, without limitation, the Regulatory Approvals and the Bank Merger Approvals, necessary to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including, without limitation, the Merger and the Bank Merger), and (b) to comply with the terms and conditions of such permits, consents, approvals and authorizations; provided, however, that in no event shall Buyer be required to agree to any prohibition, limitation, or other requirement which would prohibit or materially limit the ownership or operation by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or by Buyer or any of its Subsidiaries, of all or any material portion of the business or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Buyer or its Subsidiaries, or compel Buyer or any of its Subsidiaries to dispose of or hold separate all or any material portion of the business or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Buyer or any of its Subsidiaries (together, the “Burdensome Conditions”). Provided that the Company has cooperated as required above, Buyer agrees to file the requisite applications to be filed by it with the FRB, the OCC and, if necessary, any other Governmental Authority including Governmental Authorities of the states in which Buyer, the Company and their respective Subsidiaries operate. Each of Buyer and the Company shall have the right to review in advance, and to the extent practicable each will consult with the other, in each case subject to applicable laws relating to the exchange of information, with respect to, all material written information submitted to any third party or any Governmental Authority in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. In exercising the foregoing right, each of the parties hereto agrees to act reasonably and as promptly as practicable. Each party hereto agrees that it will consult with the other party hereto with respect to the obtaining of all material permits, consents, approvals and authorizations of all third parties and Governmental Authorities necessary or advisable to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and each party will keep the other party reasonably apprised of the status of material matters relating to completion of the transactions contemplated hereby.

6.9 Indemnification; Directors’ and Officers’ Insurance.

(a) Buyer agrees that all rights to indemnification and all limitations of liability existing in favor of any director or officer of the Company or its Subsidiaries (the “Indemnified Parties”) as provided in the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws or in the similar governing documents of the Company’s Subsidiaries as in effect as of the date hereof with respect to matters occurring on or prior to the Effective Time shall survive the Merger and shall continue in full force and effect for a period of six (6) years from the Effective Time; provided, however, that all rights to indemnification in respect of any claim asserted or made within such period shall continue until the final disposition of such claim.

 

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(b) Prior to the Effective Time, the Company shall purchase an extended reporting period endorsement under the Company’s existing directors’ and officers’ liability insurance coverage for the Company’s directors and officers in a form acceptable to the Company which shall provide such directors and officers with coverage for six (6) years following the Effective Time of not less than the existing coverage under, and have other terms not materially less favorable to, the insured persons than the directors’ and officers’ liability insurance coverage presently maintained by the Company, so long as the aggregate cost is less than 200% of the annual premium currently paid by the Company for such insurance (the “Premium Limit”). In the event that the Premium Limit is insufficient for such coverage, the Company may enter into an agreement to spend up to that amount to purchase such lesser coverage as may be obtained with such amount.

(c) In the event Buyer or any of its successors or assigns (i) consolidates with or merges into any other Person and shall not be the continuing or surviving corporation or entity of such consolidation or merger, or (ii) transfers or conveys all or substantially all of its properties and assets to any Person, then, and in each such case, to the extent necessary, proper provision shall be made so that the successors and assigns of Buyer shall assume the obligations set forth in this Section 6.9.

(d) The provisions of this Section 6.9 are intended to be for the benefit of, and to grant third party rights to, and shall be enforceable by, each Indemnified Party and his or her heirs and representatives.

6.10 Employees and Benefit Plans.

(a) As promptly as practicable after the Effective Time as determined in the reasonable discretion of Buyer, Buyer agrees to provide the employees of the Company and any of its Subsidiaries who remain employed after the Effective Time (collectively, the “Company Employees”) with at least the types and levels of employee benefits (including employee contribution levels) comparable in the aggregate to those maintained by Buyer for similarly-situated employees of Buyer. Buyer will treat, and cause its applicable benefit plans to treat, the service of the Company Employees with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries as service rendered to Buyer or any of its Subsidiaries for purposes of eligibility to participate, vesting and for other appropriate benefits including, but not limited to, applicability of minimum waiting periods for participation (but not for benefit accrual) under any defined benefit plan (including minimum pension amount) and not for participation in any retiree health plan or executive supplemental retirement plan of Buyer or any of Buyer’s ERISA Affiliates. Without limiting the foregoing, but subject to the terms and conditions of Buyer’s health and similar plans, Buyer shall not treat any employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries as a “new” employee for purposes of any exclusions under any health or similar plan of Buyer for a pre-existing medical condition to the extent that any such exclusion did not apply under a health or similar plan of the Company or its Subsidiaries immediately prior to the Effective Time, and any deductibles, co-payments or out-of-pocket expenses paid under any of the Company’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ health plans shall be credited towards deductibles, co-payments or out-of-pocket expenses under Buyer’s health plans upon delivery to Buyer of appropriate documentation.

(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, Buyer shall have sole discretion with respect to the determination as to whether or when to terminate, merge or continue any employee benefit plans and programs of the Company; provided, however, that

 

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Buyer shall continue to maintain such plans (other than stock-based or incentive plans or defined benefit plans) until the employees of the Company and its Subsidiaries are permitted to participate in Buyer’s plans in accordance with Section 6.10(a).

(c) From and after the Effective Time, Buyer agrees to cause the Company and its Subsidiaries to honor and continue to be obligated to perform, in accordance with their terms (as in effect as of the Effective Time and as amended to the extent set forth on Schedule 5.1(d) and in this Section 6.10), all contractual rights of current and former employees and directors of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries existing as of the date hereof under the employment, severance, deferred compensation, change in control, supplemental retirement plans and split-dollar agreements of the Company and its Subsidiaries listed in Schedule 6.10(c) of the Company Disclosure Schedule. Without limiting the scope of the foregoing, Buyer agrees that those individuals with employment and/or change of control agreements to which the Company is a party that are set forth on Schedule 6.10(c) shall terminate employment immediately following the Effective Time and be entitled to receive such severance payments as are determined in accordance with a settlement agreement being entered into concurrently herewith and substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B.

(d) If requested by Buyer, the Company shall terminate its 401(k) plan as of the day prior to the Effective Time (but contingent upon the occurrence thereof) and adopt all required compliance amendments pursuant to written resolutions, the form and substance of which shall be reasonably satisfactory to Buyer.

(e) Buyer agrees to honor the severance guidelines attached as Schedule 6.10(e) in connection with the termination of employment of any Company Employee, in such amounts, at such times and upon such conditions as set forth on said Schedule.

(f) Prior to the Effective Time, the parties shall allocate an aggregate amount of $525,000 (the “Employee Retention Amount”) among certain employees of the Company and its Subsidiaries as shall be determined by mutual agreement by Buyer’s Chief Executive Officer and the Company’s Chief Executive Officer (it being understood and agreed that no amounts shall be allocated to any employee with a severance or change in control agreement with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries). Each portion of the Employee Retention Amount that is so allocated will be paid in such amounts, at such times and upon such conditions as shall be set forth in letter agreements with each such Company Employee, in such form as mutually agreed upon by Buyer and the Company.

(g) Prior to the Effective Time, the Company may allocate an aggregate amount of up to $400,000 (the “Discretionary Bonus Amount”) among certain employees of the Company and its Subsidiaries as shall be determined by the Compensation Committee of the Company Board. Each portion of the Discretionary Bonus Amount that is so allocated will be paid by the Company on the Closing Date.

(h) The Company and Buyer shall use reasonable efforts to consult with each other, and will consider in good faith each other’s advice, prior to sending any notices or other communication materials to the employees of the Company and its Subsidiaries regarding this Agreement, the Merger or the effects thereof on the employment, compensation or benefits of such employees and, in any case, any such notice or communication materials shall comply with applicable law.

 

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(i) Notwithstanding anything else contained herein to the contrary, nothing in this Section 6.10 shall be construed to create any third party beneficiary rights in any Person who is not a party to this Agreement.

6.11 Notification of Certain Matters. Each of Buyer and the Company shall give prompt notice to the other of any fact, event or circumstance known to it that (a) is reasonably likely, individually or taken together with all other facts, events and circumstances known to it, to result in any condition set forth in Article VII not being satisfied, or (b) notwithstanding the standards set forth in Section 9.1, would cause or constitute a material breach of any of its representations, warranties, covenants or agreements contained herein. No such notice by Buyer or the Company shall affect or be deemed to modify or waive any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement in this Agreement, or the conditions to Buyer’s or the Company’s obligations to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

6.12 Financial Statements and Other Current Information. As soon as reasonably practicable after they become available, but in no event more than thirty (30) days after the end of each calendar month ending after the date of this Agreement, the Company shall furnish to Buyer (a) consolidated financial statements (including balance sheets, statements of operations and shareholders’ equity) of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries as of and for such month then ended, (b) internal management financial control reports showing actual financial performance against plan and previous period and (c) any reports provided to the Company Board or any committee thereof relating to the financial performance and risk management of the Company and its Subsidiaries. All information furnished by the Company to Buyer pursuant to this Section 6.12 shall be held in confidence to the same extent of Buyer’s obligations under Section 6.4(b).

6.13 Confidentiality Agreement. The Confidentiality Agreement shall remain in full force and effect after the date hereof in accordance with its terms.

6.14 Certain Tax Matters. During the period from the date of this Agreement to the Effective Time, the Company shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to: (a) timely file (taking into account any extensions of time within which to file) all Tax Returns required to be filed by it, and such Tax Returns shall be prepared in a manner reasonably consistent with past practice; (b) timely pay all Taxes shown as due and payable on such Tax Returns that are so filed; (c) establish an accrual in its books and records and financial statements in accordance with past practice for all Taxes payable by it for which a Tax Return is due prior to the Effective Time; and (d) promptly notify Buyer of any suit, claim, action, investigation, proceeding or audit pending against or with respect to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in respect of any Tax matter, including, without limitation, Tax liabilities and refund claims.

6.15 Certain Litigation. The Company shall provide Buyer the opportunity to participate at its own expense in the defense or settlement of any shareholder litigation against the Company and/or its directors relating to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and no such settlement shall be agreed to without Buyer’s prior written consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld).

 

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6.16 Trust Preferred Redemption. If requested by Buyer, the Company shall take any and all actions as may be necessary or advisable under the terms of the Company’s outstanding trust preferred securities (the “Trust Preferred Securities”) to redeem such Trust Preferred Securities on or after the Closing Date; provided, however, that such redemption is permissible pursuant to the terms of the Trust Preferred Securities, will not cause the Company to be less than “well capitalized” or violate Section 3.22 of this Agreement and has received all required regulatory approvals.

6.17 Section 16 Votes. Prior to the Effective Time, the Company shall approve in accordance with the procedures set forth in Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act and the Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP SEC No-Action Letter (January 12, 1999) any disposition of equity securities of the Company (including derivative securities) resulting from the transactions contemplated by this Agreement by each officer and director of the Company who is subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act.

6.18 Classified Loans. The Company shall promptly after the end of each quarter after the date hereof and upon Closing provide Buyer with a complete and accurate list, including the amount, of all Loans subject to each type of classification of the Classified Loans.

6.19 Charitable Commitments. Buyer is committed to supporting charitable activities in the communities which the Company serves consistent with the Company’s past practices and agrees that, for a period of three (3) years following the Effective Time, Buyer will continue the Company’s charitable giving in the region currently served by the Company at an annual level of at least $300,000. Determinations regarding the allocation of these funds shall be made by Buyer in consultation with the Regional President.

6.20 Employment Agreement. Buyer will enter into an agreement with Jack H. Webb, substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit C, which reflects the terms of his continuing employment, with such agreement signed and dated as of the date of this Agreement, subject to the occurrence of the Effective Time.

ARTICLE VII

CONDITIONS TO CONSUMMATION OF THE MERGER

7.1 Conditions to Each Party’s Obligations to Effect the Merger. The obligations of each of the parties to consummate the Merger is conditioned upon the satisfaction at or prior to the Effective Time of each of the following conditions:

(a) Shareholder Vote. This Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall have been approved by the requisite affirmative vote of (i) the shareholders of the Company present and voting at the Company Meeting and (ii) the shareholders of Buyer present and voting at the Buyer Meeting.

 

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(b) Regulatory Approvals; No Burdensome Condition. All Regulatory Approvals shall have been obtained and shall remain in full force and effect and all statutory waiting periods in respect thereof shall have expired. No Regulatory Approval shall impose any term, condition or restriction upon Buyer or any of its Subsidiaries that Buyer reasonably determines is a Burdensome Condition.

(c) No Injunction, Etc. No order, decree or injunction of any court or agency of competent jurisdiction shall be in effect, and no law, statute or regulation shall have been enacted or adopted, that enjoins, prohibits, materially restricts or makes illegal consummation of any of the transactions contemplated hereby (other than the Bank Merger, which is the subject of Section 7.2(c)).

(d) Effective Registration Statement. The Registration Statement shall have become effective and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by the SEC or any other Governmental Authority.

7.2 Conditions to the Obligations of Buyer. The obligation of Buyer to consummate the Merger is also conditioned upon the satisfaction or waiver by Buyer, at or prior to the Effective Time, of each of the following conditions:

(a) Representations, Warranties and Covenants of the Company. (i) Each of the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein shall be true and correct as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date with the same effect as though all such representations and warranties had been made on the Closing Date, except for any such representations and warranties made as of a specified date, which shall be true and correct as of such date, in any case subject to the standard set forth in Section 9.1, and (ii) each and all of the agreements and covenants of the Company to be performed and complied with pursuant to this Agreement on or prior to the Closing Date shall have been duly performed and complied with in all material respects. Buyer shall have received a certificate, dated the Closing Date, signed by the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Company, to the effect that the conditions set forth in this Section 7.2(a) have been satisfied.

(b) Tax Opinion Relating to the Merger. Buyer shall have received an opinion from Goodwin Procter LLP, dated as of the Closing Date, substantially to the effect that, on the basis of the facts, representations and assumptions set forth in such opinion, the Merger will be treated for federal income tax purposes as a “reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code. In rendering its opinion, Goodwin Procter LLP may require and rely upon representations contained in certificates of officers of each of Buyer and the Company.

(c) Bank Merger. All regulatory approvals required to consummate the Bank Merger, including without limitation the approval of the OCC (such approvals, the “Bank Merger Approvals”), shall have been obtained and shall remain in full force and effect and all statutory waiting periods in respect thereof shall have expired. No Bank Merger Approval shall impose any term, condition or restriction upon Buyer or any of its Subsidiaries that Buyer reasonably determines is a Burdensome Condition. No order, decree or injunction of any court or agency of competent jurisdiction shall be in effect, and no law, statute or regulation shall have been enacted or adopted, that enjoins, prohibits, materially restricts or makes illegal consummation of the Bank Merger.

 

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7.3 Conditions to the Obligations of the Company. The obligation of the Company to consummate the Merger is also conditioned upon the satisfaction or waiver by the Company, at or prior to the Effective Time, of each of the following conditions:

(a) Representations, Warranties and Covenants of Buyer. (i) Each of the representations and warranties of Buyer contained herein shall be true and correct as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date with the same effect as though all such representations and warranties had been made on the Closing Date, except for any such representations and warranties made as of a specified date, which shall be true and correct as of such date, in any case subject to the standard set forth in Section 9.1, and (ii) each and all of the agreements and covenants of Buyer to be performed and complied with pursuant to this Agreement on or prior to the Closing Date shall have been duly performed and complied with in all material respects. The Company shall have received a certificate, dated the Closing Date, signed by the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Buyer, to the effect that the conditions set forth in this Section 7.3(a) have been satisfied.

(b) Tax Opinion Relating to the Merger. The Company shall have received an opinion from Hogan Lovells US LLP, dated as of the Closing Date, substantially to the effect that, on the basis of the facts, representations and assumptions set forth in such opinion, the Merger will be treated for federal income tax purposes as a “reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code. In rendering its opinion, Hogan Lovells US LLP may require and rely upon representations contained in certificates of officers of each of Buyer and the Company.

ARTICLE VIII

TERMINATION

8.1 Termination. This Agreement may be terminated, and the Merger and the transactions contemplated hereby may be abandoned:

(a) by the mutual consent of Buyer and the Company in a written instrument;

(b) by Buyer or the Company, in the event that the Merger is not consummated by July 1, 2013 (the “Outside Date”), except to the extent that the failure of the Merger to be consummated shall be due to the failure of the party seeking to terminate this Agreement to perform or observe the covenants and agreements of such party set forth herein;

(c) by Buyer or the Company (provided that the terminating party is not then in material breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or other agreement contained herein), in the event of a breach by the other party of any representation, warranty, covenant or other agreement contained herein, which breach cannot be or has not been cured within thirty (30) days after the giving of written notice to the breaching party of such breach or the Outside Date, if earlier, and such breach would entitle the non-breaching party not to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby under Article VII;

(d) by Buyer or the Company, in the event the approval of any Governmental Authority required for consummation of the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including, solely with respect to Buyer’s right to terminate this Agreement, the Bank Merger) shall have been denied by final nonappealable action of such Governmental

 

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Authority, or any Governmental Authority of competent jurisdiction shall have issued a final nonappealable order, injunction or decree enjoining or otherwise prohibiting the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including, solely with respect to Buyer’s right to terminate this Agreement, the Bank Merger); provided, however, that subject to Section 6.9, the party seeking to terminate this Agreement shall have used its reasonable best efforts to have such order, injunction or decree lifted;

(e) by Buyer or the Company, if the approval of the Company’s shareholders required for the consummation of the Merger shall not have been obtained by reason of the failure to obtain the required vote at a duly held meeting of the Company’s shareholders or at any adjournment or postponement thereof;

(f) by Buyer or the Company, if the approval of Buyer’s shareholders required for the consummation of the Merger shall not have been obtained by reason of the failure to obtain the required vote at a duly held meeting of Buyer’s shareholders or at any adjournment or postponement thereof;

(g) by Buyer, if (i) the Company Board (A) withdraws, qualifies, amends, modifies or withholds the Company Recommendation, or makes any statement, filing or release, in connection with the Company Meeting or otherwise, inconsistent with the Company Recommendation (it being understood that taking a neutral position or no position with respect to an Acquisition Proposal shall be considered an adverse modification of the Company Recommendation), (B) materially breaches its obligation to call, give notice of and commence the Company Meeting under Section 6.1, (C) approves or recommends an Acquisition Proposal, (D) fails to publicly recommend against a publicly announced Acquisition Proposal within five (5) Business Days of being requested to do so by Buyer, (E) fails to publicly reconfirm the Company Recommendation within five (5) Business Days of being requested to do so by Buyer, or (F) resolves or otherwise determines to take, or announces an intention to take, any of the foregoing actions or (ii) there shall have been a material breach of Section 6.5; or

(h) by the Company, if the Company Board so determines by a majority vote of the members of the Company Board, at any time during the five (5) Business Day period commencing on the Determination Date if both of the following conditions are satisfied:

(i) the Buyer Market Value is less than 80% of the Initial Buyer Market Value; and

(ii) the number obtained by dividing the Buyer Market Value by the Initial Buyer Market Value (“Buyer Ratio”) shall be less than the quotient obtained by dividing the Final Index Price by the Initial Index Price, minus 0.2 (the “Index Ratio”).

(iii) If the Company elects to exercise its termination right pursuant to this Section 8.1(h), it shall give prompt written notice thereof to Buyer. During the five (5) Business Day period commencing with its receipt of such notice, Buyer shall have the option to increase the Exchange Ratio, at its sole discretion, to (x) a quotient, the numerator of which is equal to the product of the Initial

 

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Buyer Market Value, the Exchange Ratio (as then in effect) and the Index Ratio, and the denominator of which is equal to the Buyer Market Value, or (y) the quotient determined by dividing the Initial Buyer Market Value by the Buyer Market Value, and multiplying the quotient by the product of the Exchange Ratio (as then in effect) and 0.8. If Buyer so elects, it shall give, within such five (5) Business Day period, written notice to the Company of such election and the revised Exchange Ratio, whereupon no termination shall be deemed to have occurred pursuant to this Section 8.1(h) and this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect in accordance with its terms, except as the Exchange Ratio shall have been so modified.

(iv) For purposes of this Section 8.1(h), the following terms shall have the meanings indicated below:

(A) “Buyer Market Value” shall be the average of the daily closing sales prices of a share of Buyer Common Stock as reported on NASDAQ for the ten (10) consecutive trading days immediately preceding the Determination Date.

(B) “Determination Date” shall mean the latest of the date on which (i) all Regulatory Approvals (and waivers, if applicable) have been received (disregarding any waiting period), (ii) all Bank Merger Approvals (and waivers, if applicable) have been received (disregarding any waiting period) (unless the condition in Section 7.2(c) is waived by Buyer), (iii) the approval of this Agreement, the Merger and any other matter required to be approved by the shareholders of the Company in order to consummate the Merger and the transactions contemplated herein is obtained and (iv) the approval of this Agreement, the Merger and any other matter required to be approved by the shareholders of Buyer in order to consummate the Merger and the transactions contemplated herein is obtained.

(C) “Final Index Price” means the average of the closing price of the Index on each of ten (10) consecutive trading days immediately preceding the Determination Date.

(D) “Index” means the NASDAQ Bank Index; provided, however, that if the NASDAQ Bank Index is not available for any reason, “Index” shall mean the KBW Bank Index.

(E) “Initial Buyer Market Value” means the average of the daily closing sales prices of a share of Buyer Common Stock, as reported on NASDAQ, for the ten (10) consecutive trading days immediately preceding the date of this Agreement.

 

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(F) “Initial Index Price” means the average of the closing prices of the Index for the ten (10) consecutive trading days immediately preceding the date of this Agreement.

(v) If Buyer or any company belonging to the Index declares or effects a stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization, reclassification, or similar transaction with respect to the outstanding common stock, and the record date therefor shall be after the date of this Agreement and prior to the Determination Date, the prices for the common stock of such company shall be proportionately and appropriately adjusted for the purpose of applying this Section 8.1(h).

8.2 Effect of Termination and Abandonment.

(a) In the event of termination of this Agreement by either Buyer or the Company as provided in Section 8.1, this Agreement shall forthwith become void and have no effect, and none of Buyer, the Company, any of their respective Subsidiaries or any of the officers or directors of any of them shall have any liability of any nature whatsoever hereunder, or in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, except that Sections 6.3 (Press Releases), 6.13 (Confidentiality Agreement) and 9.5 (Expenses) and this Section 8.2 and all other obligations of the parties specifically intended to be performed after the termination of this Agreement shall survive any termination of this Agreement; provided, however, that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, neither Buyer nor the Company shall be relieved or released from any liabilities or damages arising out of its willful breach of any provision of this Agreement.

(b) In the event this Agreement is terminated by Buyer pursuant to Section 8.1(g), the Company shall pay to Buyer an amount equal to $9,335,100 (the “Termination Fee”).

(c) In the event that this Agreement is terminated by Buyer or the Company pursuant to Section 8.1(e) or Section 8.1(b) due to the failure to obtain the approval of the Company’s shareholders required for the consummation of the Merger, and (i) an Acquisition Proposal with respect to the Company shall have been publicly announced, disclosed or otherwise communicated to the Company Board or senior management of the Company prior to the Company Meeting or prior to the date specified in Section 8.1(b), as applicable, and (ii) within 12 months of such termination, the Company shall have (x) recommended to its shareholders or consummated a transaction qualifying as an Acquisition Transaction or (y) entered into a definitive agreement with respect to an Acquisition Transaction, then the Company shall pay to Buyer an amount equal to the Termination Fee. For purposes of this Section 8.2(c), all references in the definition of Acquisition Transaction to “15%” shall instead refer to “50%.”

(d) In the event that this Agreement is terminated by Buyer pursuant to Section 8.1(c) and (i) an Acquisition Proposal with respect to the Company shall have been publicly announced, disclosed or otherwise communicated to the Company Board or senior management of the Company prior to any breach by the Company of any representation, warranty, covenant or other agreement giving rise to such termination by Buyer or during the cure period therefor provided in Section 8.1(c) and (ii) within 12 months of such termination, the

 

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Company shall have (x) recommended to its shareholders or consummated a transaction qualifying as an Acquisition Transaction or (y) entered into a definitive agreement with respect to an Acquisition Transaction, then the Company shall pay to Buyer an amount equal to the Termination Fee. For purposes of this Section 8.2(d), all references in the definition of Acquisition Transaction to “15%” shall instead refer to “50%.”

(e) Any payment of the Termination Fee required to be made pursuant to this Section 8.2 shall be made not more than two (2) Business Days after the date of the event giving rise to the obligation to make such payment. All payments under this Section 8.2 shall be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account designated by Buyer.

(f) Buyer and the Company acknowledge that the agreements contained in this Section 8.2 are an integral part of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and that, without these agreements, Buyer would not have entered into this Agreement. Accordingly, if the Company fails promptly to pay any amount due pursuant to this Section 8.2 and, in order to obtain such payment, Buyer commences a suit which results in a judgment against the Company for the amount set forth in this Section 8.2, the Company shall pay to Buyer its costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses) in connection with such suit, together with interest on the amount of the Termination Fee at the prime rate (as reported in The Wall Street Journal or, if not reported therein, in another authoritative source) on the date such payment was required to be made.

ARTICLE IX

MISCELLANEOUS

9.1 Standard. No representation or warranty of the Company contained in Article III or of Buyer contained in Article IV shall be deemed untrue or incorrect for any purpose under this Agreement, and no party hereto shall be deemed to have breached a representation or warranty for any purpose under this Agreement, in any case as a consequence of the existence or absence of any fact, circumstance or event unless such fact, circumstance or event, individually or when taken together with all other facts, circumstances or events inconsistent with any representations or warranties contained in Article III, in the case of the Company, or Article IV, in the case of Buyer, has had or would be reasonably likely to have a Company Material Adverse Effect or a Buyer Material Adverse Effect, respectively (disregarding for purposes of this Section 9.1 any materiality or Material Adverse Effect qualification contained in any representations or warranties other than in Section 3.12(a) and Section 4.11). Notwithstanding the immediately preceding sentence, the representations and warranties contained in (x) Sections 3.3(a) and 3.3(b) shall be deemed untrue and incorrect if not true and correct except to a de minimis extent, (y) Sections 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7(a)(ii), 3.14(h), 3.21, 3.31 and the first three sentences of Section 3.2, in the case of the Company, and Sections 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6(a)(ii), 4.20 and the first two sentences of Section 4.2, in the case of Buyer, shall be deemed untrue and incorrect if not true and correct in all material respects and (z) Section 3.12(a), in the case of the Company, and Section 4.11, in the case of Buyer, shall be deemed untrue and incorrect if not true and correct in all respects.

 

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9.2 Survival. No representations, warranties, agreements and covenants contained in this Agreement shall survive the Effective Time, except for those agreements and covenants that expressly apply or are to be performed in whole or in part after the Effective Time.

9.3 Certain Definitions.

(a) As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

Affiliate” shall mean, with respect to any Person, any other Person controlling, controlled by or under common control with such Person. As used in this definition, “control” (including, with its correlative meanings, “controlled by” and “under common control with”) means the possession, directly or indirectly, of power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

Business Day” shall mean Monday through Friday of each week, except any legal holiday recognized as such by the U.S. Government or any day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or obligated to close.

Buyer Board” shall mean the Board of Directors of Buyer.

Buyer Material Adverse Effect” shall mean any fact, change, event, development, effect or circumstance that, individually or in the aggregate, (a) are, or would reasonably be expected to be, materially adverse to the business, operations, assets, liabilities, condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, cash flows or properties of Buyer and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (b) would reasonably be expected to prevent Buyer from performing its obligations under this Agreement or consummating the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; provided, however, that notwithstanding the foregoing, the term Buyer Material Adverse Effect shall not include (i) any fact, change, event, development, effect or circumstance arising after the date hereof affecting banks or their holding companies generally or arising from changes in general business or economic conditions (and not specifically relating to or having the effect of specifically relating to or having a materially disproportionate effect on Buyer and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole); (ii) any fact, change, event, development, effect or circumstance resulting from any change in law, GAAP or regulatory accounting after the date hereof, which affects generally entities such as Buyer and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole (and not specifically relating to or having the effect of specifically relating to or having a materially disproportionate effect on Buyer and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole); (iii) actions and omissions of Buyer and its Subsidiaries taken with the prior written consent of the Company in furtherance of the transactions contemplated hereby or otherwise permitted to be taken by Buyer under this Agreement; (iv) any fact, change, event, development, effect or circumstance resulting from the announcement or pendency of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; (v) any failure by Buyer to meet any internal or published industry analyst projections or forecasts or estimates of revenues or earnings for any period (it being understood and agreed that the facts and circumstances giving rise to such failure that are not otherwise excluded from the definition of Buyer Material Adverse Effect may be taken into account in determining whether there has been a Buyer Material Adverse Effect); and (vi) changes in the trading price or trading volume of Buyer Common Stock.

 

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Company Board” shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.

Company Material Adverse Effect” shall mean any fact, change, event, development, effect or circumstance that, individually or in the aggregate, (a) are, or would reasonably be expected to be, materially adverse to the business, operations, assets, liabilities, condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, cash flows or properties of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (b) would reasonably be expected to prevent the Company from performing its obligations under this Agreement or consummating the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; provided, however, that notwithstanding the foregoing, the term Company Material Adverse Effect shall not include (i) any fact, change, event, development, effect or circumstance arising after the date hereof affecting banks or their holding companies generally or arising from changes in general business or economic conditions (and not specifically relating to or having the effect of specifically relating to or having a materially disproportionate effect on the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole); (ii) any fact, change, event, development, effect or circumstance resulting from any change in law, GAAP or regulatory accounting after the date hereof, which affects generally entities such as the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole (and not specifically relating to or having the effect of specifically relating to or having a materially disproportionate effect on the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole); (iii) actions and omissions of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken with the prior written consent of Buyer in furtherance of the transactions contemplated hereby or otherwise permitted to be taken by the Company under this Agreement; (iv) any fact, change, event, development, effect or circumstance resulting from the announcement or pendency of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; and (v) any failure by the Company to meet any internal projections or forecasts or estimates of revenues or earnings for any period (it being understood and agreed that the facts and circumstances giving rise to such failure that are not otherwise excluded from the definition of Company Material Adverse Effect may be taken into account in determining whether there has been a Company Material Adverse Effect).

Confidentiality Agreement” shall mean the Confidentiality Agreement, dated as of September 11, 2012, by and between Buyer and the Company.

Employee Program” shall mean (i) an employee benefit plan within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA whether or not subject to ERISA; (ii) stock option plans, stock purchase plans, bonus or incentive award plans, severance pay plans, programs or arrangements, deferred compensation arrangements or agreements, employment agreements, executive compensation plans, programs, agreements or arrangements, change in control plans, programs, agreements or arrangements, supplemental income arrangements, vacation plans, and all other employee benefit plans, agreements, and arrangements, not described in (i) above; and (iii) plans or arrangements providing compensation to employee and non-employee directors. In the case of an Employee Program funded through a trust described in Section 401(a) of the Code or an organization described in Section 501(c)(9) of the Code, or any other funding vehicle, each reference to such Employee Program shall include a reference to such trust, organization or other vehicle. An entity “maintains” an Employee Program if such entity sponsors, contributes to, or provides

 

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benefits under or through such Employee Program, or has any obligation to contribute to or provide benefits under or through such Employee Program, or if such Employee Program provides benefits to or otherwise covers any current or former employee, officer or director of such entity (or their spouses, dependents, or beneficiaries).

ERISA” shall mean the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.

ERISA Affiliate” of a Person means an entity if it would have ever been considered a single employer with such Person under Section 4001(b) of ERISA or part of the same “controlled group” as such Person for purposes of Section 302(d)(3) of ERISA.

Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder.

GAAP” shall mean generally accepted accounting principles in the United States.

Governmental Authority” shall mean any U.S. or foreign federal, state or local governmental commission, board, body, bureau or other regulatory authority or agency, including, without limitation, courts and other judicial bodies, bank regulators, insurance regulators, applicable state securities authorities, the SEC, the IRS or any self-regulatory body or authority, including any instrumentality or entity designed to act for or on behalf of the foregoing.

Knowledge” shall mean, with respect to any fact, event or occurrence, the actual knowledge after reasonable inquiry of one or more of (i) in the case of the Company, the individuals listed on Schedule 9.3(a)(i), or (ii) in the case of Buyer, the individuals listed on Schedule 9.3(a)(ii), provided, however, that in no event shall “reasonable inquiry” require environmental sampling or testing of any kind.

Multiemployer Plan” shall mean an employee pension or welfare benefit plan to which more than one unaffiliated employer contributes and which is maintained pursuant to one or more collective bargaining agreements.

Person” or “person” shall mean any individual, bank, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, association, joint-stock company, business trust or unincorporated organization.

Regulatory Approvals” shall mean any consent, approval, authorization or non-objection from any Governmental Authority necessary to consummate the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement (other than the Bank Merger Approvals), including, without limitation, the approval of the FRB.

Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder.

 

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Subsidiary” shall mean, when used with reference to a party, any corporation or organization, whether incorporated or unincorporated, of which such party or any other Subsidiary of such party is a general partner or serves in a similar capacity, or with respect to such corporation or other organization, at least 50% of the securities or other interests having by their terms ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors or others performing similar functions is directly or indirectly owned or controlled by such party or by any one or more of its Subsidiaries, or by such party and one or more of its Subsidiaries.

Tax Returns” shall mean any return, declaration, report, claim for refund, or information return or statement relating to Taxes, including any schedule or attachment thereto, and including any amendment thereof.

Tax” or “Taxes” shall mean (i) all taxes, charges, fees, levies or other assessments, including, without limitation, all net income, gross income, gross receipts, sales, use, ad valorem, goods and services, capital, transfer, franchise, profits, license, withholding, payroll, employment, employer health, excise, estimated, severance, stamp, occupation, property or other taxes, custom duties, fees, assessments or charges of any kind whatsoever, together with any interest and any penalties, additions to tax or additional amounts imposed by any taxing authority, whether disputed or not; and (ii) any liability for the payment of amounts with respect to payments of a type described in clause (i) as a result of being a member of an affiliated, consolidated, combined or unitary group, or as a result of any obligation under any tax sharing arrangement or tax indemnity agreement.

Treasury Regulations” shall mean the Treasury regulations promulgated under the Code.

Treasury Stock” shall mean shares of Company Common Stock held (i) in the Company’s treasury or (ii) by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or by Buyer or any of its Subsidiaries, in each case other than in a fiduciary capacity (including custodial or agency).

(b) The following terms are defined elsewhere in this Agreement, as indicated below:

Acquisition Proposal” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.5(a).

Acquisition Transaction” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.5(a).

Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.

Bank Merger” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1.9(a).

Bank Merger Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1.9(b).

Bank Merger Approvals” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.2(c).

Baseline Closing Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1.4.

BHCA” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.2.

BOLI” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.16.

 

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Burdensome Conditions” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.8.

Business” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.18(g).

Buyer” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.

Buyer 2011 Form 10-K” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.10(a).

Buyer Bank” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

Buyer Common Stock” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a).

Buyer Disclosure Schedule” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.1(b).

Buyer Loan Property” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.15(f).

Buyer Market Value” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8.1(h)(iv)(A).

Buyer Meeting” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.1(b).

Buyer Participation Facility” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.15(f).

Buyer Property” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.15(a).

Buyer Ratio” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8.1(h)(ii).

Buyer Recommendation” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.1(b)(iii).

Buyer Representatives” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.4(a).

Buyer SEC Documents” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.10(a).

CERCLA” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.17(e).

Certificate” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.2.

Classified Loans” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.23(b).

Closing” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1.4.

Closing Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1.4.

Code” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

Company” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.

Company 2011 Form 10-K” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.11(a)

Company Balance Sheet” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.11(a).

 

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Company Bank” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

Company Common Stock” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

Company Deferred Stock Units” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.7.

Company Director Designee” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1.6.

Company Disclosure Schedule” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.1(b).

Company Employees” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.10(a).

Company Employee Programs” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.14(a).

Company Intellectual Property Assets” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.18(g).

Company Material Contract” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.19(a).

Company Meeting” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.1(a).

Company Property” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.17(a).

Company Recommendation” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.1(a)(iii).

Company Representatives” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.5(a).

Company SEC Documents” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.11(a).

Company Subsequent Determination” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.5(e).

CRA” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.7(b).

Derivative Transactions” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.26.

Determination Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8.1(h).

DGCL” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1.1.

Discretionary Bonus Amount” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.10(g).

DRIP” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.8.

Effective Time” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1.2.

Employee Retention Amount” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.10(f).

Environment” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.17(f).

 

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Environmental Laws” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.17(f).

Exchange Agent” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.4(a).

Exchange Fund” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.4(a).

Exchange Ratio” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(c).

FDIA” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.28.

FDIC” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.10(b).

Final Index Price” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8.1(h)(iv)(C).

Finance Laws” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.9(d).

Financial Advisor” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.31.

FRB” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.2.

Hazardous Material” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.17(f).

Indemnified Parties” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.9(a).

Index” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8.1(h)(iv)(D).

Index Ratio” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8.1(h)(ii).

Initial Buyer Market Value” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8.1(h)(iv)(E).

Initial Index Price” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8.1(h)(iv)(F).

Intellectual Property Assets” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.18(g).

IRS” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.13(d).

Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.2(a).

Liens” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.4(a).

Loan Property” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.17(f).

Loans” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.23(a).

Marks” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.18(g).

Merger” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

Merger Consideration” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(c).

 

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NASDAQ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.3.

New Certificates” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.4(a).

Notice of Superior Proposal” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.5(e).

Notice Period” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.5(e).

NQDC Plan” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.14(l).

NYBCL” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1.1.

OCC” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.10(b).

Oil” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.17(f).

Outside Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8.1(b).

Participation Facility” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.17(f).

Patents” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.18(g).

Premium Limit” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.9(b).

Products” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.18(g).

Registration Statement” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.2(a).

Restricted Stock Plans” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.6.

Sarbanes-Oxley” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.11(b).

SEC” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.11(a).

Superior Proposal” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.5(b).

Surviving Corporation” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1.1.

Takeover Laws” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.21.

Termination Fee” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8.2(b).

Third Party Rights” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.18(c).

Trade Secrets” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.18(g).

Trust Preferred Securities” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.16.

USA PATRIOT Act” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.7(b).

 

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Voting Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

9.4 Waiver; Amendment. Subject to compliance with applicable law, prior to the Effective Time, any provision of this Agreement may be (a) waived by the party intended to benefit by the provision, or (b) amended or modified at any time, by an agreement in writing between the parties hereto approved by their respective Boards of Directors and executed in the same manner as this Agreement; provided, however, that after any approval of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement by the shareholders of the Company, no amendment of this Agreement shall be made which by law requires further approval of the shareholders of the Company without obtaining such approval.

9.5 Expenses. Each party hereto will bear all expenses incurred by it in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, except that printing expenses and SEC filing and registration fees shall be shared equally between Buyer and the Company.

9.6 Notices. All notices, requests and other communications hereunder to a party shall be in writing and shall be deemed given if personally delivered, telecopied (with confirmation) or mailed by registered or certified mail (return receipt requested) to such party at its address set forth below or such other address as such party may specify by notice to the other party hereto.

If to Buyer:

NBT Bancorp Inc.

52 South Broad Street

Norwich, New York 13815

  Attention: Chief Executive Officer
  Facsimile: (607) 336-7538

With a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):

Goodwin Procter LLP

Exchange Place

Boston, Massachusetts 02109

  Attention: William P. Mayer, Esq.
       Lisa R. Haddad, Esq.
  Facsimile: (617) 523-1231

If to the Company, to:

Alliance Financial Corporation

120 Madison Street, 18th Floor

Syracuse, New York 13202

  Attention: Chief Executive Officer
  Facsimile: (315) 475-4421

 

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With a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):

Hogan Lovells US LLP

Columbia Square

555 Thirteenth Street, NW

Washington, DC 20004

  Attention: Richard A. Schaberg, Esq.
  Facsimile: (202) 637-5910

9.7 Understanding; No Third Party Beneficiaries. Except for the Confidentiality Agreement, which shall remain in effect, this Agreement represents the entire understanding of the parties hereto with reference to the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby and supersedes any and all other oral or written agreements heretofore made. Except for Section 6.9 (Indemnification; Directors’ and Officers’ Insurance), nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, is intended to confer upon any person, other than the parties hereto or their respective successors, any rights, remedies, obligations or liabilities under or by reason of this Agreement.

9.8 Assignability; Binding Effect. Prior to the Closing, this Agreement may not be assigned by Buyer without the written consent of the Company and no such assignment shall release Buyer of its obligations hereunder. After the Closing, Buyer’s rights and obligations hereunder shall be freely assignable. This Agreement may not be assigned by the Company without the prior written consent of Buyer. This Agreement shall be binding upon and enforceable by, and shall inure to the benefit of, the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns.

9.9 Headings; Interpretation. The headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and are not part of this Agreement. The word “including” and words of similar import when used in this Agreement shall mean “including, without limitation,” unless the context otherwise requires or unless otherwise specified. Words of number may be read as singular or plural, as required by context.

9.10 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to constitute an original.

9.11 Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by, and interpreted in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to the conflict of law principles thereof (except to the extent that mandatory provisions of the NYBCL are applicable). Each of the parties hereto (a) consents to submit itself to the personal jurisdiction of the Delaware Court of Chancery, New Castle County, or if that court does not have jurisdiction, a federal court sitting in the State of Delaware in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, (b) agrees that all claims in respect of such action or proceeding may be heard and determined in any such court, and (c) agrees that it will not attempt to deny or defeat such personal jurisdiction by motion or other request for leave from any such court. Each of the parties hereto waives any defense of inconvenient forum to the maintenance of any action or proceeding so brought and waives any bond, surety or other security that might be required of any other party with respect thereto. To the extent permitted by applicable law, any party hereto may make service on another party by

 

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sending or delivering a copy of the process to the party to be served at the address and in the manner provided for the giving of notices in Section 9.6. Nothing in this Section 9.11, however, shall affect the right of any party to serve legal process in any other manner permitted by law. EACH OF BUYER AND THE COMPANY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ALL RIGHTS TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING OR COUNTERCLAIM (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE) ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

9.12 Specific Performance. The parties agree that irreparable damage would occur in the event that any of the provisions of this Agreement were not performed in accordance with its specific terms or were otherwise breached. Each party agrees that, in the event of any breach or threatened breach by any other party of any covenant or obligation contained in this Agreement, the non-breaching party shall be entitled to seek (a) a decree or order of specific performance to enforce the observance and performance of such covenant or obligation, and (b) an injunction restraining such breach or threatened breach.

[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement and Plan of Merger to be executed in counterparts by their duly authorized officers, all as of the day and year first above written.

 

NBT BANCORP INC.
By:   /s/ Martin A. Dietrich
  Name: Martin A. Dietrich
  Title: Chief Executive Officer

 

ALLIANCE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
By:   /s/ Jack H. Webb
  Name: Jack H. Webb
  Title: Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer


EXHIBIT A

VOTING AGREEMENT

VOTING AGREEMENT (“Agreement”), dated as of October 7, 2012, by and between NBT Bancorp Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Buyer”), and the undersigned holder (“Shareholder”) of common stock, par value $1.00 per share (“Common Stock”), of Alliance Financial Corporation, a New York corporation (the “Company”).

WHEREAS, concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, Buyer and the Company have entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (as such agreement may be subsequently amended or modified, the “Merger Agreement”), providing for the merger of the Company with and into Buyer (the “Merger”);

WHEREAS, the Shareholder beneficially owns (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)) and has sole voting power with respect to the number of shares of Common Stock, and holds other rights to acquire the number of shares of Common Stock, indicated opposite the Shareholder’s name on Schedule 1 attached hereto (as used herein, the term “Shares” means all shares of Common Stock, whether such shares of Common Stock are held by the Shareholder on the date of this Agreement or are subsequently acquired prior to the Expiration Date (as defined in Section 2)); provided that in no event shall the “Shares” include any shares of Common Stock if inclusion of such shares of Common Stock hereunder would result in Buyer beneficially owning 3% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock;

WHEREAS, it is a condition to the willingness of Buyer to enter into the Merger Agreement that the Shareholder execute and deliver this Agreement; and

WHEREAS, all capitalized terms used in this Agreement without definition herein shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Merger Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing recitals, the mutual covenants and agreements contained herein, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the Shareholder and Buyer agree as follows:

1. Agreement to Vote Shares. The Shareholder agrees that, prior to the Expiration Date, at any meeting of the shareholders of the Company, or any adjournment or postponement thereof, or in connection with any written consent of the shareholders of the Company, with respect to the Merger Agreement or any of the transactions contemplated thereby (including the Merger) or any Acquisition Proposal, the Shareholder shall:

 

  (a) appear at such meeting or otherwise cause the Shares to be counted as present thereat for purposes of calculating a quorum; and

 

  (b)

vote (or cause to be voted), or deliver a written consent (or cause a consent to be delivered) covering, all of the Shares that such Shareholder shall be entitled to so vote (i) in favor of adoption and approval of the Merger


  Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby, including the Merger; (ii) against any action or agreement that would result in a breach in any material respect of any covenant, representation or warranty, or any other obligation or agreement of the Company contained in the Merger Agreement or of the Shareholder contained in this Agreement, or that would preclude fulfillment of a condition under the Merger Agreement to the Company’s and Buyer’s respective obligations to consummate the Merger; and (iii) against any Acquisition Proposal, or any agreement or transaction that is intended, or could reasonably be expected, to impede, interfere with, delay, postpone, discourage or adversely affect the consummation of the Merger or any of the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement.

Any such vote shall be cast or consent shall be given in accordance with such procedures relating thereto so as to ensure that it is duly counted for purposes of determining that a quorum is present and for purposes of recording the results of such vote or consent.

2. Expiration Date. As used in this Agreement, the term “Expiration Date” shall mean the earliest to occur of (a) the Effective Time, (b) such date and time as the Merger Agreement shall be terminated pursuant to Article VIII thereof, or (c) upon mutual written agreement of the parties hereto to terminate this Agreement. Upon termination or expiration of this Agreement, no party shall have any further obligations or liabilities under this Agreement; provided, however, that such termination or expiration shall not relieve any party from liability for any willful breach of this Agreement prior to the termination or expiration hereof.

3. Agreement to Retain Shares. The Shareholder shall not, except as contemplated by this Agreement or the Merger Agreement, directly or indirectly, (a) sell, assign, transfer, or otherwise dispose of (including, without limitation, by the creation of a Lien (as defined in Section 4(c)), any Shares, (b) enter into any contract, option, commitment or other arrangement or understanding with respect to the sale, transfer, assignment or other disposition of, any Shares, (c) deposit any Shares in a voting trust or enter into a voting agreement or similar agreement with respect to any Shares or grant any proxy or power of attorney with respect thereto, or (d) take any action that would make any representation or warranty of the Shareholder contained herein untrue or incorrect or have the effect of preventing or disabling the Shareholder from performing the Shareholder’s obligations under this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Shareholder may make (x) transfers of Shares by will or by operation of law, in which case this Agreement shall bind the transferee, (y) transfers of Shares in connection with estate and charitable planning purposes, including transfers to relatives, trusts and charitable organizations, subject to the transferee agreeing in writing to be bound by the terms of, and perform the obligations of the Shareholder under, this Agreement, and (z) as Buyer may otherwise agree in writing in its sole discretion.

4. Representations and Warranties of Shareholder. Except as disclosed on Schedule 1 hereto, the Shareholder hereby represents and warrants to Buyer as follows:

 

  (a) the Shareholder has the full power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and to perform the Shareholder’s obligations hereunder;

 

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  (b) this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Shareholder and (assuming this Agreement constitutes a valid and binding agreement of Buyer) is a valid and legally binding agreement with respect to the Shareholder, enforceable in accordance with its terms (except as enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights or by general equity principles);

 

  (c) the Shareholder beneficially owns the number of Shares indicated opposite such Shareholder’s name on Schedule 1, free and clear of any liens, claims, charges or other encumbrances or restrictions of any kind whatsoever (“Liens”), and has sole, and otherwise unrestricted, voting and investment power with respect to such Shares, and none of the Shares are subject to any voting trust or other agreement, arrangement or restriction with respect to the voting of the Shares, except as contemplated by this Agreement (the Shareholder agrees to promptly notify Buyer in writing of the nature and amount of any Shares acquired after the date hereof, and such Shares shall be subject to the foregoing representations and warranties);

 

  (d) the Shareholder understands that, at the Effective Time, each outstanding Share listed on Schedule 1 (including any restricted shares of Common Stock the vesting of which accelerates at or prior to the Effective Time) shall be converted into, as provided in and subject to the limitations set forth in the Merger Agreement, the right to receive 2.1779 shares of Buyer Common Stock, plus cash for any fractional shares in accordance with Section 2.3 of the Merger Agreement;

 

  (e) the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Shareholder does not, and the performance by the Shareholder of his obligations hereunder and the consummation by the Shareholder of the transactions contemplated hereby will not, violate or conflict with, or constitute a default under, any agreement, instrument, contract or other obligation or any order, arbitration award, judgment or decree to which the Shareholder is a party or by which the Shareholder is bound, or any statute, rule or regulation to which the Shareholder is subject or, in the event that the Shareholder is a corporation, partnership, trust or other entity, any bylaw or other organizational document of the Shareholder; and

 

  (f) the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Shareholder does not, and the performance of this Agreement by the Shareholder does not and will not, require any consent, approval, authorization or permit of, or filing with or notification to, any Governmental Authority by the Shareholder except for applicable requirements, if any, of the Exchange Act, and except where the failure to obtain such consents, approvals, authorizations or permits, or to make such filings or notifications, would not prevent or delay the performance by the Shareholder of his obligations under this Agreement in any material respect.

 

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5. Irrevocable Proxy. Subject to the last sentence of this Section 5, by execution of this Agreement, the Shareholder does hereby appoint Buyer with full power of substitution to any Affiliate of Buyer, as the Shareholder’s true and lawful attorney and irrevocable proxy, to the full extent of the Shareholder’s rights with respect to the Shares, to vote, if the Shareholder is unable to perform his obligations under this Agreement, each of such Shares that the Shareholder shall be entitled to so vote with respect to the matters set forth in Section 1 hereof at any meeting of the shareholders of the Company, and at any adjournment or postponement thereof, and in connection with any action of the shareholders of the Company taken by written consent. The Shareholder intends this proxy to be irrevocable and coupled with an interest hereafter until the Expiration Date and hereby revokes any proxy previously granted by the Shareholder with respect to the Shares. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, this irrevocable proxy shall automatically terminate upon the Expiration Date of this Agreement.

6. No Solicitation. From and after the date hereof until the Expiration Date, the Shareholder, in his capacity as a shareholder of the Company, shall not, nor shall such Shareholder authorize any advisor or representative of, such Shareholder or any of his Affiliates, other than the Company in accordance with the terms of the Merger Agreement, to (and, to the extent applicable to the Shareholder, such Shareholder shall use reasonable best efforts to prevent any of his advisors or representatives or Affiliates, other than the Company in accordance with the terms of the Merger Agreement, to) (a) initiate, solicit, induce or knowingly encourage, or take any action to facilitate the making of, any inquiry, offer or proposal which constitutes, or could reasonably be expected to lead to, an Acquisition Proposal, (b) participate in any discussions or negotiations regarding any Acquisition Proposal, or furnish, or otherwise afford access, to any person (other than Buyer) any information or data with respect to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or otherwise relating to an Acquisition Proposal, (c) enter into any agreement, agreement in principle or letter of intent with respect to an Acquisition Proposal, (d) solicit proxies or become a “participant” in a “solicitation” (as such terms are defined in Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act) with respect to an Acquisition Proposal (other than the Merger Agreement) or otherwise encourage or assist any party in taking or planning any action that would compete with, restrain or otherwise serve to interfere with or inhibit the timely consummation of the Merger in accordance with the terms of the Merger Agreement, (e) initiate a shareholders’ vote or action by consent of the Company’s shareholders with respect to an Acquisition Proposal, or (f) except by reason of this Agreement, become a member of a “group” (as such term is used in Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act) with respect to any voting securities of the Company that takes any action in support of an Acquisition Proposal.

7. Specific Enforcement. The parties hereto agree that irreparable damage would occur in the event any provision of this Agreement was not performed in accordance with the terms hereof or was otherwise breached. It is accordingly agreed that the parties shall be entitled to specific relief hereunder, including, without limitation, an injunction or injunctions to prevent and enjoin breaches of the provisions of this Agreement and to enforce specifically the terms and provisions hereof, in any state or federal court in any competent jurisdiction, in addition to any other remedy to which they may be entitled at law or in equity. Any requirements for the securing or posting of any bond with respect to any such remedy are hereby waived.

 

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8. No Waivers. No waivers of any breach of this Agreement extended by Buyer to the Shareholder shall be construed as a waiver of any rights or remedies of Buyer with respect to any other shareholder of the Company who has executed an agreement substantially in the form of this Agreement with respect to Shares beneficially owned by such shareholder or with respect to any subsequent breach of the Shareholder or any other such shareholder of the Company. No waiver of any provisions hereof by either party shall be deemed a waiver of any other provisions hereof by any such party, nor shall any such waiver be deemed a continuing waiver of any provision hereof by such party.

9. Capacity as Shareholder. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the covenants and agreements set forth herein shall not prevent the Shareholder (a) from exercising his duties and obligations as a director of the Company or otherwise taking any action, subject to the applicable provisions of the Merger Agreement, while acting in such capacity as a director of the Company, or (b) if the Shareholder is serving as a trustee or fiduciary of any ERISA plan or trust, from exercising his duties and obligations as a trustee or fiduciary of such ERISA plan or trust. The Shareholder is executing this Agreement solely in his capacity as a shareholder of the Company.

10. Entire Agreement; Amendments. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements, written or oral, among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and contains the entire agreement among the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement may not be amended, supplemented or modified, and no provisions hereof may be modified or waived, except by an instrument in writing signed by each party hereto.

11. Further Assurances. From time to time and without additional consideration, the Shareholder shall execute and deliver, or cause to be executed and delivered, such additional transfers, assignments, endorsements, proxies, consents and other instruments, and shall take such further actions, as Buyer may reasonably request for the purpose of carrying out and furthering the intent of this Agreement.

12. Severability. If any term or other provision of this Agreement is determined to be invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced by any rule of law or public policy, all other conditions and provisions of this Agreement shall nevertheless remain in full force and effect so long as the economic or legal substance of the transactions contemplated hereby is not affected in any manner materially adverse to any party. Upon such determination that any term or other provision is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced, the parties hereto shall negotiate in good faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the parties as closely as possible in an acceptable manner to the end that the transactions contemplated hereby are fulfilled to the extent possible.

13. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which will be deemed an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

14. Effect of Headings. The section headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction or interpretation of this Agreement.

 

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15. Public Disclosure. The Shareholder shall not issue or cause the publication of any press release or other public announcement (to the extent not previously issued or made in accordance with the Merger Agreement) with respect to this Agreement, the Merger Agreement or the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, including the Merger, without the prior consent of Buyer. The Shareholder hereby permits Buyer to publish and disclose in any document and/or schedule filed by Buyer with the Securities and Exchange Commission such Shareholder’s identity and ownership of Shares and the nature of such Shareholder’s commitments and obligations pursuant to this Agreement.

16. Assignment. This Agreement may not be assigned by any party hereto without the prior written consent of the other party hereto; provided, however, that, notwithstanding the foregoing, Buyer may assign its rights and obligations under this Agreement to any Subsidiary wholly owned by it. All of the covenants and agreements contained in this Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of, the respective parties and their permitted successors, assigns, heirs, executors, administrators and other legal representatives, as the case may be.

17. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to the principles of conflicts of laws thereof (except to the extent that mandatory provisions of the New York Business Corporation Law are applicable). The parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally consent to and submit to the jurisdiction of the Delaware Court of Chancery, New Castle County, or if that court does not have jurisdiction, a federal court sitting in the State of Delaware (the “Delaware Courts”) for any litigation arising out of or relating to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, waive any objection to the laying of venue of any such litigation in the Delaware Courts and agree not to plead or claim in any Delaware Court that such litigation brought therein has been brought in any inconvenient forum.

18. Waiver of Jury Trial. The parties hereto hereby waive any right to trial by jury with respect to any action or proceeding related to or arising out of this Agreement, any document executed in connection herewith and the matters contemplated hereby and thereby.

19. No Agreement Until Executed. Irrespective of negotiations among the parties or the exchanging of drafts of this Agreement, this Agreement shall not constitute or be deemed to evidence a contract, agreement, arrangement or understanding between the parties hereto unless and until (a) the Board of Directors of the Company has approved, for purposes of any applicable anti-takeover laws and regulations, and any applicable provision of the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation, the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement and this Agreement, (b) the Merger Agreement is executed by all parties thereto, and (c) this Agreement is executed by all parties hereto.

[Signature Page Follows]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date first set forth above.

 

NBT BANCORP INC.
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:
SHAREHOLDER:

 

Name: Jack H. Webb


SCHEDULE 1

 

Shares

  

Type

44,544.325

   Direct

11,773

   Indirect – 401(k)

100

   Indirect – Wife

200

   Indirect – Daughter


EXHIBIT B

SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT

This Settlement Agreement (the “Agreement”) is entered into as of October 7, 2012 by and among [            ] (the “Executive”), NBT Bancorp Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Buyer”), Alliance Financial Corporation, a New York corporation (“Seller”), and Alliance Bank, N.A., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Seller (“Seller Bank”).

WITNESSETH:

WHEREAS, concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, Buyer and Seller are entering into an Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of October 7, 2012 (the “Merger Agreement”), and all capitalized terms not defined herein shall have the meaning set forth in the Merger Agreement; and

WHEREAS, Buyer, Seller, Seller Bank and the Executive desire to enter into this Agreement, which shall supersede, except as set forth in Section 4 hereof, the Employment Agreement by and among Seller, Seller Bank and the Executive dated January 26, 2010 (the “Employment Agreement”), effective immediately prior to the Effective Time of the Merger, and in lieu of any rights and payments under the Employment Agreement, the Executive shall be entitled to the rights and payments set forth herein (which for the avoidance of doubt the parties agree shall be the rights and payments to which the Executive is entitled in the event of a “Termination” in anticipation of, or within 24 months after, a “Change in Control” (as such terms are defined in the Employment Agreement) as contemplated by Section 4(a) of the Employment Agreement).

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and other good and valuable consideration the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the Executive, Buyer, Seller, and Seller Bank agree as follows:

1. Severance Amounts.

1.1 Employment Agreement Amount. On the eighth day following the Closing Date, provided the Executive has not revoked the releases contained and referenced in Section 2 hereof and that the Executive remained employed with the Seller and Seller Bank to an including the Closing Date, Buyer shall, or shall cause an affiliate to, pay to the Executive in a lump-sum an amount equal to the total of $[            ], in full satisfaction of the payment obligations of Seller and Seller Bank under Section 4(a)(i) and (ii) of the Employment Agreement, less applicable tax withholdings (the total of such sum, the “Employment Agreement Amount”), and subject to the limitations set forth in Section 4(b) of the Employment Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the eighth day following the Closing Date is not a business day, such payment shall be due on the next following business day. In addition, Seller Bank shall transfer to the Executive the legal title to the automobile owned by Seller Bank and used by the Executive immediately prior to the Closing Date at no cost to the Executive (but subject to applicable withholding taxes) with such transfer to be effective as of the Closing Date.

The parties hereby agree that the Employment Agreement Amount as determined in the manner provided under this Section 1.1 is final and binding on all parties and shall not be subject to further adjustment, and that notwithstanding anything above to the


contrary, the Employment Agreement Amount shall not be paid until the waiting period described in Section 1.2 below has passed if such waiting period is required by applicable law. In consideration of the payment of the Employment Agreement Amount and the other provisions of this Agreement, the Executive, Buyer, Seller and Seller Bank hereby agree that effective immediately following the Effective Time of the Merger, the Executive agrees that the full payment of the Employment Agreement Amount, together with satisfaction by Buyer of the other obligations set forth in this Agreement, shall be in complete satisfaction of all rights to payments or benefits due to Executive under the Employment Agreement or any other severance program.

1.2 409A Compliance. The Executive and Buyer acknowledge that the Executive’s employment with Seller and/or Seller Bank will be terminated in connection with the Merger, effective immediately upon the Effective Time of the Merger, and that such termination will be a “separation from service” (within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code and the regulations thereunder) as an employee of Seller and Seller Bank. Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, if at the time of the Executive’s “separation from service,” Buyer determines that the Executive is a “specified employee” within the meaning of Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, then to the extent the Employment Agreement Amount would be considered deferred compensation otherwise subject to the 20 percent additional tax imposed pursuant to Section 409A(a) of the Code as a result of the application of Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, such payment shall not be payable until the date that is the earlier of (A) six months and one day after the Executive’s separation from service, or (B) the Executive’s death. The intent of the parties is that payments and benefits under this Agreement either be exempt from or comply with Code Section 409A and the regulations and guidance promulgated thereunder and, accordingly, to the maximum extent permitted, this Agreement shall be interpreted to be in compliance therewith. In no event whatsoever shall Buyer or its affiliates be liable for any additional tax, interest or penalty that may be imposed on Executive by Section 409A of the Code or damages for failing to comply with Section 409A of the Code. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement to the contrary, in no event shall any payment under this Agreement that constitutes “deferred compensation” for purposes of Section 409A of the Code be subject to offset, counterclaim or recoupment by any other amount payable to Executive unless otherwise permitted by Code Section 409A. Buyer, Seller and Seller Bank make no representation or warranty and shall have no liability to the Executive or any other person if any provisions of this Agreement are determined to constitute deferred compensation subject to Section 409A of the Code but do not satisfy an exemption from, or the conditions of, such Section.

2. Releases.

2.1 Release Upon Execution. In consideration of Buyer’s agreement to pay (or to cause to be paid) to the Executive the Employment Agreement Amount and, subject to the payment of the foregoing specified dollar amounts, all as provided under this Agreement, and other good and valuable consideration, the sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged by the Executive, the Executive, for himself and for his heirs, successors and assigns, does hereby release completely and forever discharge Buyer, Seller and Seller Bank, their respective affiliates, successors, predecessors, subsidiaries, related entities or assigns, and their respective current and former directors, officers, employees, agents, benefit plans, benefit plan

 

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administrators and trustees, attorneys, insurers, representatives, successors and assigns (any and all of which are referred to below as the “Releasees”), from any and all obligations, claims, actions, causes of action, demands, liabilities, expenses or damages of any kind (including attorneys’ fees and costs actually incurred), regardless of whether known or unknown, that the Executive now has, owns or holds, or claims to have, own, or hold, or that he at any time had, owned, or held, or claimed to have had, owned, or held against any Releasee. This general release of claims includes, without implication of limitation, the release of all claims:

 

   

relating to the Executive’s employment by Seller and Seller Bank and the determination not to continue the Executive’s employment by Seller and Seller Bank beyond the Closing Date;

   

relating to the Employment Agreement and all employee benefit plans of Seller or Seller Bank;

   

of wrongful discharge;

   

of breach of contract;

   

of retaliation or discrimination under federal, state or local law (including, without limitation, claims of age discrimination or retaliation under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, claims of disability discrimination or retaliation under the Americans with Disabilities Act, claims of discrimination or retaliation under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and claims of discrimination or retaliation under state law);

   

under any other federal or state statute, to the fullest extent that claims may be released;

   

relating to any employment decisions communicated by Buyer to the Executive;

   

of defamation or other torts;

   

of violation of public policy;

   

for salary, bonuses, vacation pay or any other compensation or benefits; and

   

for damages or other remedies of any sort, including, without limitation, compensatory damages, punitive damages, injunctive relief and attorney’s fees.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement shall not release Buyer, Seller or Seller Bank, as applicable, from any of the following: (a) obligations to pay to the Executive accrued but unpaid wages, and make payments for accrued but unused vacation, earned up to the Effective Time of the Merger to the extent required by applicable law; (b) the payment of any of the Executive’s vested benefits under the tax-qualified plans of Seller or Seller Bank; (c) obligations regarding accelerated vesting of equity awards, if any, under any equity awards granted by Seller or Seller Bank to the Executive and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time; (d) the payment of the Merger Consideration with respect to the Executive’s common stock of Seller as contemplated by Section 2.1 of the Merger Agreement (including, for the avoidance of doubt, payments of Merger Consideration for restricted stock which has had its vesting schedule accelerated); (e) rights due to the obligations of Buyer under Section 6.9 of the Merger Agreement; (f) rights to payments of amounts owed under the Seller Bank Executive Incentive Retirement Plan; or (g) rights to indemnification under applicable corporate law or the organizational documents of Seller or Seller Bank or as an insured under any director’s and officer’s liability insurance policy new or previously in force. The Executive acknowledges that the consideration given for this Agreement is in addition to anything of value to which the Executive is already entitled. The Executive hereby represents and warrants that he has not filed any action, complaint, charge, grievance, arbitration or similar proceeding against any of the Releasees. The Executive agrees that he shall not accept any award, damages, recovery or settlement from any proceeding brought by him or on his behalf pertaining to the claims released herein.

 

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2.2 Release Upon Closing. Upon the Closing Date, the Executive shall be considered to have been tendered a release of claims in the form attached to this Agreement as Exhibit A. No later than the Closing Date, the Executive shall execute and deliver to Buyer such release of claims in the form attached to this Agreement as Exhibit A.

3. Time for Consideration; Right to Revoke. The Executive acknowledges that he has been given the opportunity to consider this Agreement for the period of forty-five (45) days from the date of its delivery to him. In the event the Executive executed this Agreement within less than forty-five (45) days after such date, he acknowledges that such decision was entirely voluntary and that he had the opportunity to consider this Agreement until the end of the forty-five (45) day period. The Executive further acknowledges that: (i) he has seven (7) days following his execution of this Agreement to revoke this Agreement (the “Revocation Period”) in a writing delivered to NBT Bancorp Inc., 52 South Broad Street, Norwich, New York 13815, by certified mail, by hand or courier service (signature of receipt required); and (ii) this Agreement shall not be effective, and no payment shall be due, owing or paid, until the Revocation Period has expired without the Executive revoking the Agreement and otherwise in accordance with the Agreement.

4. Surviving Terms. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, Sections 2(h), 5, 6 and 9-16 of the Employment Agreement shall survive termination of the Employment Agreement.

5. General.

(a) Heirs, Successors and Assigns. The terms of this Agreement shall be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective heirs, successors and assigns.

(b) Final Agreement. This Agreement represents the entire understanding of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior understandings, written or oral, except as set forth in Section 4 hereof. The terms of this Agreement may be changed, modified or discharged only by an instrument in writing signed by each of the parties hereto.

(c) Withholdings. Seller, Seller Bank and Buyer may withhold from any amounts payable under this Agreement such federal, state, or local taxes as may be required to be withheld pursuant to applicable law or regulation.

(d) Governing Law. This Agreement shall be construed, enforced and interpreted in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of New York, without reference to its principles of conflicts of law, except to the extent that federal law shall be deemed to preempt such state laws.

(e) Voluntary Action and Waiver. The Executive acknowledges that by his free and voluntary act of signing below, the Executive agrees to all of the terms of this Agreement and intends to be legally bound thereby. The Executive acknowledges that he has been advised to consult with an attorney prior to executing this Agreement.

 

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(f) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

6. Effectiveness. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, this Agreement shall be subject to consummation of the Merger in accordance with the terms of the Merger Agreement, as the same may be amended by the parties thereto in accordance with its terms. In the event the Merger Agreement is terminated for any reason or the Merger does not occur, this Agreement shall be deemed null and void with respect to all actions not yet taken pursuant to this Agreement.

[Signature page follows]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Buyer, Seller and Seller Bank have each caused this Agreement to be executed by their duly authorized officers, and the Executive has signed this Agreement, effective as of the date first above written.

 

EXECUTIVE:
 
Name:
NBT BANCORP INC.
By:

Name:

Title:

ALLIANCE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
By:

Name:

Title:

ALLIANCE BANK, N.A.
By:

Name:

Title:

[Settlement Agreement Signature Page]

 

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Exhibit A

Release of Claims

As required under that certain Settlement Agreement (the “Agreement”) entered into as of October 7, 2012 by and among [            ] (the “Executive”), NBT Bancorp Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Buyer”), and Alliance Financial Corporation, a New York corporation (“Seller”), and Alliance Bank, N.A., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Seller (“Seller Bank”) (all capitalized terms used in this Release of Claims but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning contained in such Agreement):

In consideration of Buyer’s payment to the Executive the Employment Agreement Amount in the specified dollar amounts set forth in the Agreement, all as provided under the Agreement, and other good and valuable consideration, the sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged by the Executive, the Executive, for himself and for his heirs, successors and assigns, does hereby release completely and forever discharge Buyer, Seller and Seller Bank, their respective affiliates , successors, predecessors, subsidiaries, related entities or assigns, and their respective current and former directors, officers, employees, agents, benefit plans, benefit plan administrators and trustees, attorneys, insurers, representatives, successors and assigns (any and all of which are referred to below as the “Releasees”), from any and all obligations, claims, actions, causes of action, demands, liabilities, expenses or damages of any kind (including attorneys’ fees and costs actually incurred), regardless of whether known or unknown, that the Executive now has, owns or holds, or claims to have, own, or hold, or that he at any time had, owned, or held, or claimed to have had, owned, or held against any Releasee. This general release of claims includes, without implication of limitation, the release of all claims:

 

   

relating to the Executive’s employment by Seller and Seller Bank and the determination not to continue the Executive’s employment by Seller and Seller Bank beyond the Closing Date;

   

relating to the Employment Agreement and all employee benefit plans of Seller or Seller Bank;

   

of wrongful discharge;

   

of breach of contract;

   

of retaliation or discrimination under federal, state or local law (including, without limitation, claims of age discrimination or retaliation under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, claims of disability discrimination or retaliation under the Americans with Disabilities Act, claims of discrimination or retaliation under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and claims of discrimination or retaliation under state law);

   

under any other federal or state statute, to the fullest extent that claims may be released;

   

relating to any employment decisions communicated by Buyer to the Executive;

   

of defamation or other torts;

   

of violation of public policy;

   

for salary, bonuses, vacation pay or any other compensation or benefits; and

   

for damages or other remedies of any sort, including, without limitation, compensatory damages, punitive damages, injunctive relief and attorney’s fees.

 

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Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement shall not release Buyer, Seller or Seller Bank, as applicable, from any of the following: (a) obligations to pay to the Executive accrued but unpaid wages, and make payments for accrued but unused vacation, earned up to the Effective Time of the Merger to the extent required by applicable law; (b) the payment of any of the Executive’s vested benefits under the tax-qualified plans of Seller or Seller Bank; (c) obligations regarding accelerated vesting of equity awards, if any, under any equity awards granted by Seller or Seller Bank to the Executive and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time; (d) the payment of the Merger Consideration with respect to the Executive’s common stock of Seller as contemplated by Section 2.1 of the Merger Agreement (including, for the avoidance of doubt, payments of Merger Consideration for restricted stock which has had its vesting schedule accelerated); (e) rights due to the obligations of Buyer under Section 6.9 of the Merger Agreement; (f) rights to payments of amounts owed under the Seller Bank Executive Incentive Retirement Plan; or (g) the rights to indemnification under applicable corporate law or the organizational documents of Seller or Seller Bank or as an insured under any director’s and officer’s liability insurance policy new or previously in force. The Executive acknowledges that the consideration given for this Release of Claims is in addition to anything of value to which the Executive is already entitled. The Executive hereby represents and warrants that he has not filed any action, complaint, charge, grievance, arbitration or similar proceeding against any of the Releasees. The Executive agrees that he shall not accept any award, damages, recovery or settlement from any proceeding brought by him or on his behalf pertaining to the claims released herein.

The Executive acknowledges that this Release of Claims is considered to have been tendered to him on the Closing Date and that he has been given the opportunity to consider this Release of Claims for the period of forty-five (45) days from the Closing Date. In the event the Executive executed this Release of Claims within less than forty-five (45) days after such date, he acknowledges that such decision was entirely voluntary and that he had the opportunity to consider this Release of Claims until the end of the forty-five (45) day period. The Executive further acknowledges that: (i) he has seven (7) days following his execution of this Release of Claims to revoke this Release of Claims (the “Revocation Period”) in a writing delivered to NBT Bancorp Inc., 52 South Broad Street, Norwich, New York 13815, by certified mail, by hand or courier service (signature of receipt required); and (ii) this Release of Claims shall not be effective, and no payment shall be due, owing or paid, until the Revocation Period has expired without the Executive revoking this Release of Claims and otherwise in accordance with the Agreement.

The Executive acknowledges that by his free and voluntary act of signing below, the Executive agrees to all of the terms of this Release of Claims and intends to be legally bound thereby. The Executive acknowledges that he has been advised to consult with an attorney prior to executing this Release of Claims.

Executed this      day of             ,          by:

 

Executive:    
          
Name:    

 

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EXHIBIT C

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

This EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”) made and entered into as of the 7th day of October 2012, by and between Jack H. Webb (“Executive”) and NBT Bancorp Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Corporation”).

W I T N E S S E T H  T H A T :

WHEREAS, the Corporation intends to enter into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) with Alliance Financial Corporation, a New York corporation (“Seller”), providing for the merger of Seller with and into the Corporation, with the Corporation surviving the merger (the “Merger”);

WHEREAS, Executive is currently employed by Seller pursuant to that certain Employment Agreement by and among Executive, Seller and Alliance Bank, N.A. (the “Seller Bank”), dated as of January 26, 2010 (the “Prior Agreement”); and

WHEREAS, in connection with and conditioned upon consummation of the Merger, the parties desire to terminate the Prior Agreement, and the Corporation desires to employ Executive and Executive desires to be employed by the Corporation beginning at the Effective Time (as defined in the Merger Agreement) (the “Commencement Date”) on the terms contained herein.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and mutual covenants and agreements hereinafter set forth, and intending to be legally bound, the parties agree as follows:

1. Employment; Responsibilities and Duties.

(a) The Corporation hereby agrees to employ Executive, and Executive hereby agrees to serve as Executive Vice President, Strategic Support of the Corporation, and of any successor to the Corporation, during the Term of Employment (as defined in Section 2(b) below). Executive shall have such executive duties, responsibilities, and authority as shall be set forth in the bylaws of the Corporation for such position or as may otherwise be determined by the Corporation. During the Term of Employment, Executive shall report directly to the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation.

(b) Executive shall devote his full working time and best efforts to the performance of his responsibilities and duties hereunder. During the Term of Employment, Executive shall not, without the prior written consent of the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation, render services in any capacity, whether as an employee, independent contractor, or otherwise, whether or not compensated, to any person or entity other than the Corporation or its affiliates; provided that Executive may, where involvement in such activities does not individually or in the aggregate significantly interfere with the performance by Executive of his duties or violate the provisions of Section 4 hereof, (i) render services to charitable organizations, (ii) manage his personal investments in compliance with any limits or policies of the Corporation, and (iii) with the prior permission of the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation, hold such other directorships or part-time academic appointments or have such other business affiliations as would otherwise be prohibited under this Section 1.


(c) As promptly as practicable following the Commencement Date and subject to Executive meeting the qualifications for directors set forth in the Corporation’s bylaws, Executive shall be elected by the Board of Directors of the Corporation to serve as a member of such Board. Executive shall be elected to the eligible class of directors that has the longest remaining term as of the time of such election. Executive shall also be appointed to the Board of Directors of NBT Bank, N.A. in accordance with the bylaws of such bank and effective as promptly as practicable following the Commencement Date. Executive will be compensated for his service on such Boards of Directors in accordance with the applicable director compensation programs in effect from time to time, which Executive acknowledges currently provide that employee directors do not receive any board fees for service.

2. Termination of Prior Agreement; Term of Employment.

(a) As of the Commencement Date, the Prior Agreement shall terminate and be of no further force and effect except for Sections 2(h), 6 and 10-16 thereof or as otherwise expressly set forth below; provided, however, that this Agreement shall be null and void if the Commencement Date does not occur. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in consideration for Executive’s willingness to enter into this Agreement and subject to the execution of a release of claims in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit A, within seven (7) business days following the Commencement Date, the Corporation shall pay to Executive in a lump sum an amount equal to one million nine hundred eleven thousand six hundred thirty-one dollars ($1,911,631.00) representing the aggregate amount which Executive would have been entitled to receive in the event of a “Termination” of Executive’s Employment following a “Change of Control” (as such terms are defined in the Prior Agreement) pursuant to Section 4(a)(i) and (ii) of the Prior Agreement (such payment shall be subject to the provisions of Section 4(b) of the Prior Agreement).

(b) The term of this Agreement (“Term of Employment”) shall be the period commencing on the Commencement Date and continuing until the Termination Date, which shall mean the earliest to occur of:

(i) the first anniversary of the Commencement Date;

(ii) the death of Executive;

(iii) Executive’s inability to perform his duties hereunder, by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than twelve (12) months;

(iv) the discharge of Executive by the Corporation “for cause,” which shall mean one or more of the following:

(A) any willful or gross misconduct by Executive with respect to the business and affairs of the Corporation or any subsidiary bank of the Corporation, or with respect to any of its affiliates for which Executive is assigned material responsibilities or duties;

 

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(B) the conviction of Executive of a felony (after the earlier of the expiration of any applicable appeal period without perfection of an appeal by Executive or the denial of any appeal as to which no further appeal or review is available to Executive) whether or not committed in the course of his employment by the Corporation;

(C) Executive’s willful neglect, failure, or refusal to carry out his duties hereunder in a reasonable manner (other than any such failure resulting from disability or death or from termination by Executive for Good Reason, as hereinafter defined) after a written demand for substantial performance is delivered to Executive that specifically identifies the manner in which the Corporation believes that Executive has not substantially performed his duties and Executive has not resumed substantial performance of his duties on a continuous basis within thirty (30) days of receiving such demand; or

(D) the breach by Executive of any representation or warranty in Section 5(a) hereof or of any agreement contained in Section 1, 4, or 5(b) hereof, which breach is material and adverse to the Corporation or any of its affiliates for which Executive is assigned material responsibilities or duties;

(v) Executive’s resignation from his position as Executive Vice President, Strategic Support of the Corporation other than for “Good Reason,” as hereinafter defined;

(vi) the termination of Executive’s employment by the Corporation “without cause,” which shall be for any reason other than those set forth in subsections (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), or (v) of this Section 2(a), at any time, upon the thirtieth day following notice to Executive; or

(vii) Executive’s resignation for “Good Reason.”

“Good Reason” shall mean, without Executive’s express written consent, a material reduction in Executive’s position or title or the assignment to Executive of duties that are materially inconsistent with those of an Executive Vice President position other than for “Cause,” or a material decrease in the amount or level of Executive’s salary or benefits from the amount or level established in Section 3 hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if there exists (without regard to this sentence) an event or condition that constitutes Good Reason, the Corporation shall have thirty (30) days from the date on which Executive gives the written notice thereof to cure such event or condition (such notice to be given from Executive within ninety (90) days from the date the event or condition first occurs) and, if the Corporation does so, such event or condition shall not constitute Good Reason hereunder. Further, an event or condition shall cease to constitute Good Reason thirty (30) days after the end of the cure period.

 

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A Termination Date shall not be deemed to have occurred for purposes of any provision of this Agreement providing for the payment of any amounts or benefits upon or following a termination of employment unless such termination is also a “separation from service” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) and, for purposes of any such provision of this Agreement, any references to a “termination,” “termination of employment” or like terms shall mean a “separation from service.”

(c) In the event that the Term of Employment shall be terminated for any reason other than that set forth in Section 2(a)(vi) or 2(a)(vii) hereof, Executive shall, in consideration for Executive’s covenant not to compete and other post-termination obligations, be entitled to receive, upon the occurrence of any such event:

(i) any salary payable pursuant to Section 3(a)(i) hereof which shall have accrued as of the Termination Date; and

(ii) such rights as Executive shall have accrued as of the Termination Date under the terms of any plans or arrangements in which he participates pursuant to Section 3(b) hereof, any right to reimbursement for expenses accrued as of the Termination Date payable pursuant to Section 3(j) hereof, the right to receive legal title to his automobile under Section 3(g) hereof, and the right to receive the cash equivalent of paid annual leave accrued as of the Termination Date pursuant to Section 3(f) hereof.

(d) In the event that the Term of Employment shall be terminated for the reason set forth in Section 2(a)(vi) or 2(a)(vii) hereof, Executive shall be entitled to receive the following:

(i) any salary payable pursuant to Section 3(a)(i) hereof which shall have accrued as of the Termination Date, and, promptly after the execution and effective date of a release of claims and separation agreement in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit B, for the period commencing on the date immediately following the Termination Date and ending upon and including the first anniversary of the Commencement Date, salary payable at the rate established pursuant to Section 3(a)(i) hereof, on a monthly basis; and

(ii) such rights as Executive may have accrued as of the Termination Date under the terms of any plans or arrangements in which he participates pursuant to Section 3(b) hereof, any right to reimbursement for expenses accrued as of the Termination Date payable pursuant to Section 3(j) hereof, the right to receive legal title to his automobile under Section 3(g) hereof, and the right to receive the cash equivalent of paid annual leave accrued as of the Termination Date pursuant to Section 3(f) hereof.

(e) Notwithstanding any other provision in this Agreement, the Corporation may terminate or suspend the employment of Executive hereunder, as if such termination were for Cause, to the extent required by any applicable federal or state statute related to banking, deposit insurance or bank or savings institution holding companies or by regulations or orders issued by the Office of the Controller of the Currency, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other state or federal banking regulatory agency having jurisdiction over the Corporation or any subsidiary bank of the Corporation, and no payment shall be required to be made to or for the benefit of Executive under this Agreement to the extent such payment is prohibited by applicable law, regulation or order issued by a banking agency or a court of competent jurisdiction; provided that it shall be the Corporation’s burden to prove that any such action was so required.

 

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(f) Notwithstanding any other payment schedule provided herein to the contrary for amounts payable and/or benefits owed pursuant to Section 2(d) hereof, if Executive is deemed on the Termination Date a “specified employee” within the meaning of that term under Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B), then each of the following shall apply:

(i) With regard to any payment that is considered deferred compensation under Code Section 409A payable on account of a “separation from service,” such payment shall be made on the date which is the earlier of (A) the expiration of the six (6)-month period measured from the date of Executive’s “separation from service”, and (B) the date of Executive’s death (the “Delay Period”) to the extent required under Code Section 409A. Upon the expiration of the Delay Period, all payments delayed pursuant to this Section (whether they would have otherwise been payable in a single sum or in installments in the absence of such delay) shall be paid to Executive in a lump sum, and all remaining payments due under this Agreement shall be paid or provided in accordance with the normal payment dates specified for them herein; and

(ii) To the extent that any benefits to be provided during the Delay Period is considered deferred compensation under Code Section 409A provided on account of a “separation from service,” and such benefits are not otherwise exempt from Code Section 409A, Executive shall pay the cost of such benefits during the Delay Period, and the Corporation shall reimburse Executive, to the extent that such costs would otherwise have been paid by the Corporation or to the extent that such benefits would otherwise have been provided by the Corporation at no cost to Executive, the Corporation’s share of the cost of such benefits upon expiration of the Delay Period, and any remaining benefits shall be reimbursed or provided by the Corporation in accordance with the procedures specified herein.

(g) If any portion of the amounts payable to, or the value to be received by, Executive under this Agreement constitutes an “excess parachute payment” within the meaning of Code Sections 280G and 4999, then such amounts payable to or to be received by Executive pursuant to this Agreement shall be reduced to the extent necessary to eliminate the application of Code Sections 280G and 4999.

(h) To the extent that severance payments or benefits pursuant to this Agreement are conditioned upon the execution and delivery by Executive of a release of claims, Executive shall forfeit all rights to such payments and benefits unless such release is signed and delivered (and no longer subject to revocation, if applicable) within sixty (60) days following the date of Executive’s Termination Date. If the foregoing release is executed and delivered and no longer subject to revocation as provided in the preceding sentence, payments or benefits shall commence upon the first scheduled payment date immediately after the date the release is executed and no longer subject to revocation (the “Release Effective Date”). The first such cash payment shall include payment of all amounts that otherwise would have been due prior to the Release Effective Date under the terms of this Agreement applied as though such payments commenced immediately upon Executive’s Termination Date, and any payments made thereafter shall continue as provided herein. The delayed benefits shall in any event expire at the time such benefits would have expired had such benefits commenced immediately following Executive’s Termination Date.

 

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(i) For purposes of Code Section 409A, Executive’s right to receive any installment payment pursuant to this Agreement shall be treated as a right to receive a series of separate and distinct payments.

3. Compensation. For the services to be performed by Executive for the Corporation and its affiliates under this Agreement, Executive shall be compensated in the following manner:

(a) Salary. During the Term of Employment:

(i) The Corporation shall pay Executive a salary, which, on an annualized basis, shall be at the rate of three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000) commencing on the Commencement Date. Salary shall be payable in accordance with the normal payroll practices of the Corporation with respect to executive personnel as presently in effect or as they may be modified by the Corporation from time to time.

(ii) Executive shall be eligible to receive a performance bonus for calendar year 2013, which such bonus shall be based upon the target amount and the performance targets set forth on the attached Schedule I; provided that the minimum amount of such bonus for calendar year 2013 shall be $180,000. The Compensation Committee of the Corporation’s Board of Directors shall determine whether the performance targets have been achieved and the actual amount of such bonus payable to Executive, which determination shall be final and conclusive. To earn the bonus, Executive must be employed by the Corporation on December 31, 2013. Such bonus shall be paid in January 2014 in accordance with the Corporation’s customary practices.

(b) Employee Benefit Plans or Arrangements. During the Term of Employment, Executive shall be entitled to participate in all employee benefit plans of the Corporation, as presently in effect as of the Commencement Date or as they may be modified by the Corporation from time to time, under such terms as may be applicable to officers of Executive’s rank employed by the Corporation or its affiliates and subject to the eligibility requirements set forth therein, including, without limitation, plans providing retirement benefits, medical insurance, disability insurance, and accidental death or dismemberment insurance (but excluding any life insurance or any defined benefit plans); provided that there be no duplication of such benefits as are provided under any other provision of this Agreement or the SERP or the Split Dollar Agreement (each as defined below); and provided further that, in lieu of participating in the plans of the Corporation and at the election of the Corporation, Executive may participate in the health and welfare plans of Seller and/or its subsidiaries in accordance with their terms to the extent such plans continue to be in effect after the Commencement Date. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Corporation’s health and welfare plans, the Corporation shall not treat Executive as a “new” employee for purposes of any exclusions under any such plan of the Corporation for a pre-existing medical condition to the extent that any such exclusion did not apply under a health or similar plan of Seller and its subsidiaries immediately prior to the Commencement Date, and any deductibles, co-payments or out-of-pocket expenses paid by

 

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Executive under any of Seller’s or any of its subsidiaries’ health plans shall be credited towards deductibles, co-payments or out-of-pocket expenses under the Corporation’s health plans upon delivery to the Corporation of appropriate documentation.

(c) SERP Benefit. Reference is made to the Amended and Restated Supplemental Retirement Agreement, dated November 28, 2006, by and among Executive, Seller and the Seller Bank, as amended (the “SERP”), which the parties agree will remain in full force and effect following the Commencement Date. In accordance with the terms of the SERP, Executive will continue to accrue a benefit under the SERP during the Term of Employment. The parties agree to amend the SERP to provide that “Final Average Compensation” for purposes of the SERP shall mean the annualized average of Executive’s monthly base salary actually paid by his employer over the thirty-six (36) consecutive month period ending on the Commencement Date.

(d) Split Dollar Agreement. Reference is made to the Split Dollar Agreement, dated January 27, 2009, by and between Executive and the Seller Bank (the “Split Dollar Agreement”), which the parties agree will remain in full force and effect following the Commencement Date. The parties agree to amend the Split Dollar Agreement to provide that Executive’s employment with the Corporation shall constitute continued employment for purposes of the Split Dollar Agreement and shall not trigger a “Termination of Employment” as defined therein.

(e) Equity Awards. Executive will be entitled to receive a restricted stock unit award of 5,000 shares of the Corporation’s common stock under the Corporation’s Omnibus Incentive Plan, with a vesting schedule that takes into account his expected term of employment. Such award shall be made to Executive no later than December 31, 2013 in accordance with the Corporation’s customary practices, but subject to Executive’s continued employment with the Corporation as of the date of grant.

(f) Vacation and Sick Leave. During the Term of Employment, Executive shall be entitled to paid annual vacation periods and sick leave in accordance with the policies of the Corporation applicable to officers of Executive’s rank employed by the Corporation or its affiliates and as in effect as of the Commencement Date or as may be modified by the Corporation from time to time and as may be applicable to officers of Executive’s rank employed by the Corporation or its affiliates.

(g) Automobile. During the Term of Employment, Executive shall be entitled to the use of the automobile owned by Seller and used by Executive immediately prior to the Commencement Date. Executive shall be responsible for all expenses of ownership and use of any such automobile (other than insurance and costs for any major repairs to such automobile, which will be paid by the Corporation through the Termination Date), subject to reimbursement of expenses for business use in accordance with Section 3(j). Upon the Termination Date, the Corporation shall transfer to Executive the legal title to such Seller-owned automobile at no cost (but subject to any applicable withholding taxes).

(h) Club Dues. During the Term of Employment, Executive shall be reimbursed for dues and assessments incurred in relation to Executive’s memberships at Onondaga Golf and Country Club and the Century Club of Syracuse. Executive shall be responsible for any income taxes associated with the personal use of such club memberships.

 

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(i) Withholding. All compensation to be paid to Executive hereunder shall be subject to applicable federal, state, and local taxes and all and other required withholdings. Executive hereby acknowledges and agrees that he is responsible for all taxes in connection with any benefits, fringe benefits, or perquisites provided under this Agreement and he is not entitled to any tax “gross up” payments.

(j) Expenses. During the Term of Employment, Executive shall be reimbursed for reasonable travel and other expenses incurred or paid by Executive in connection with the performance of his services under this Agreement, upon presentation of expense statements or vouchers or such other supporting information as may from time to time be requested by the Corporation, in accordance with such policies of the Corporation as are in effect as of the Commencement Date and as may be modified by the Corporation from time to time, under such terms as may be applicable to officers of Executive’s rank employed by the Corporation or its affiliates. All expenses or other reimbursements under this Agreement shall be made on or prior to the last day of the taxable year following the taxable year in which such expenses were incurred by Executive (provided that if any such reimbursements constitute taxable income to Executive, such reimbursements shall be paid no later than March 15th of the calendar year following the calendar year in which the expenses to be reimbursed were incurred), and no such reimbursement or expenses eligible for reimbursement in any taxable year shall in any way affect the expenses eligible for reimbursement in any other taxable year.

4. Confidential Business Information; Non-Competition.

(a) Executive acknowledges that certain business methods, creative techniques, and technical data of the Corporation and its affiliates and the like are deemed by the Corporation to be and are in fact confidential business information of the Corporation, its subsidiary banks or any of their affiliates or are entrusted to third parties. Such confidential information includes but is not limited to procedures, methods, sales relationships developed while in the service of the Corporation or its affiliates, knowledge of customers and their requirements, marketing plans, marketing information, studies, forecasts, and surveys, competitive analyses, mailing and marketing lists, new business proposals, lists of vendors, consultants, and other persons who render service or provide material to the Corporation or its subsidiary banks or their affiliates, and compositions, ideas, plans, and methods belonging to or related to the affairs of the Corporation or its subsidiary banks or their affiliates (collectively, “Confidential Information”). In this regard, the Corporation asserts proprietary rights in all of its Confidential Information and that of its affiliates, except for such information as is clearly in the public domain. Notwithstanding the foregoing, information that would be generally known or available to persons skilled in Executive’s fields shall be considered to be “clearly in the public domain” for the purposes of the preceding sentence. Executive acknowledges that in connection with his employment with the Corporation, Executive has had or may have access to such Confidential Information, and he agrees that he will not disclose or divulge to any third party, except as may be required by his duties hereunder, by law, regulation, or order of a court or government authority, or as directed by the Corporation, nor shall he use to the detriment of the Corporation or its affiliates or use in any business or on behalf of any business competitive with or substantially similar to any business of the Corporation or its subsidiary banks or their affiliates,

 

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any Confidential Information obtained during the course of his employment by the Corporation. In the event that disclosure is required by law, regulation, or order of a court or government authority, Executive agrees that as soon as practical and in any event no later than thirty (30) days after receiving notice that Executive is required to make such disclosure, Executive will provide notice to the Corporation of such requirement by law, regulation, order of a court or government authority. This Section 4(a) shall not be construed as restricting Executive from disclosing such information to the employees of the Corporation or its subsidiary banks or their affiliates. On or before the Termination Date, Executive shall promptly deliver to the Corporation any and all Confidential Information in his possession, whether tangible, electronic or intangible in form.

(b) Executive acknowledges that in the course of employment with the Corporation (including Seller and Seller Bank prior to the Merger), Executive has had access to and gained knowledge of the trade secrets and other Confidential Information of the Corporation, its subsidiary banks, or their affiliates; has had substantial relationships with the customers of the Corporation, its subsidiary banks, or their affiliates; and has performed services of special, unique, and extraordinary value to the Corporation, its subsidiary banks, or their affiliates. Therefore, Executive agrees that notwithstanding the termination of his employment pursuant to this Agreement for any reason, from the Commencement Date until the second anniversary of the date of termination of Executive’s service relationship with the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries (whether as an officer, employee, consultant or director) (the “Termination from Service”), Executive shall not, directly or indirectly, on behalf of himself or any other person or entity, without the written consent of the Corporation:

(i) become an officer, employee, consultant, director, or trustee of any savings bank, savings and loan association, savings and loan holding company, bank or bank holding company, where such position entails providing services to such company in any city, town, or county in which the Corporation or its subsidiary banks or their affiliates has an office, determined as of the date of Termination from Service, where Executive’s position or service for such business is competitive with or otherwise similar to any of Executive’s positions or services for the Corporation or its subsidiary banks;

(ii) induce or solicit any customer, supplier, or agent of the Corporation, its subsidiary banks, or their affiliates about whom Executive has gained Confidential Information or with whom Executive, by virtue of his employment with the Corporation, has established a relationship or had frequent contact, to terminate or curtail an existing business or commercial relationship with the Corporation, its subsidiary banks, or their affiliates;

(iii) induce or solicit any customer or supplier of the Corporation, its subsidiary banks, or their affiliates about whom Executive has gained Confidential Information or with whom Executive, by virtue of his employment with the Corporation, has established a relationship or had frequent contact, to provide or purchase goods or services similar to the goods or services provided by it to or purchased by it from the Corporation, its subsidiary banks, or their affiliates; provided, however, that the provisions of this clause (iii) only apply to those persons or entities who are customers or suppliers of the Corporation, its subsidiary banks, or

 

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their affiliates as of the date of Termination from Service or who were customers of the Corporation, its subsidiary banks, or their affiliates during the one-year period prior to the date of Termination from Service; or

(iv) solicit, induce, recruit, offer employment to, hire, or take any other action intended, or that a reasonable person acting in like circumstances would expect, to have the effect of causing any officer or employee of the Corporation, its subsidiary banks, or their affiliates, to terminate his or her employment.

(c) Executive acknowledges and agrees that irreparable injury will result to the Corporation in the event of a breach of any of the provisions of this Section 4 (the “Designated Provisions”) and that the Corporation will have no adequate remedy at law with respect thereto. Accordingly, in the event of a material breach of any Designated Provision, and in addition to any other legal or equitable remedy the Corporation may have, the Corporation shall be entitled to the entry of a preliminary and permanent injunction (including, without limitation, specific performance) by a court of competent jurisdiction in Chenango County, New York, or elsewhere, to restrain the violation or breach thereof by Executive, and Executive submits to the jurisdiction of such court in any such action.

(d) It is the desire and intent of the parties that the provisions of this Section 4 shall be enforced to the fullest extent permissible under the laws and public policies applied in each jurisdiction in which enforcement is sought. Accordingly, if any particular provision of this Section 4 shall be adjudicated to be invalid or unenforceable, such provision shall be deemed amended to delete therefrom the portion thus adjudicated to be invalid or unenforceable, such deletion to apply only with respect to the operation of such provision in the particular jurisdiction in which such adjudication is made. In addition, should any court determine that the provisions of this Section 4 shall be unenforceable with respect to scope, duration, or geographic area, such court shall be empowered to substitute, to the extent enforceable, provisions similar hereto or other provisions so as to provide to the Corporation, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the benefits intended by this Section 4.

5. Representations and Warranties.

(a) Executive represents and warrants to the Corporation that his execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement will not result in or constitute a breach of or conflict with any term, covenant, condition, or provision of any commitment, contract, or other agreement or instrument, including, without limitation, any other employment agreement, to which Executive is or has been a party.

(b) Executive shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Corporation for, from, and against any and all losses, claims, suits, damages, expenses, or liabilities, including court costs and counsel fees, which the Corporation has incurred or to which the Corporation may become subject, insofar as such losses, claims, suits, damages, expenses, liabilities, costs, or fees arise out of or are based upon any failure of any representation or warranty of Executive in Section 5(a) hereof to be true and correct when made.

 

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6. Notices. All notices, consents, waivers, or other communications which are required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing and deemed to have been duly given if delivered personally or by messenger, transmitted by telex or telegram, by express courier, or sent by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid. All communications shall be addressed to the appropriate address of each party as follows:

If to the Corporation:

NBT Bancorp Inc.

52 South Broad Street

Norwich, New York 13815

Attention: Chief Executive Officer

Facsimile: (607) 336-7538

Attention: Chief Executive Officer

If to Executive:

 

 

        

 

        

 

        

All such notices shall be deemed to have been given on the date delivered, transmitted, or mailed in the manner provided above.

7. Assignment. Neither party may assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder without the consent of the other party.

8. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by, construed, and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to the principles of conflict of law thereof. The parties hereby designate Chenango County, New York to be the proper jurisdiction and venue for any suit or action arising out of this Agreement. Each of the parties consents to personal jurisdiction in such venue for such a proceeding and agrees that it may be served with process in any action with respect to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated thereby by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, or to its registered agent for service of process in the State of New York. Each of the parties irrevocably and unconditionally waives and agrees, to the fullest extent permitted by law, not to plead any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue or the convenience of the forum of any action or claim with respect to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated thereby brought in the courts aforesaid.

9. Entire Agreement. This Agreement and any other agreements expressly incorporated by reference herein constitute the entire understanding between the Corporation and Executive relating to the subject matter hereof; provided that the parties agree that the Prior Agreement shall terminate and be of no further force and effect as of the Commencement Date, except for Sections 2(h), 6 and 10-16 thereof and with respect to the Corporation’s payment obligations under Section 2(a) of this Agreement. Any previous agreements or understandings

 

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between the parties hereto or between Executive and the Corporation or any of its affiliates regarding the subject matter hereof, including without limitation the terms and conditions of employment, compensation, benefits, retirement, competition following employment, and the like, are merged into and superseded by this Agreement, except for the SERP and the Split Dollar Agreement. Neither this Agreement nor any provisions hereof can be modified, changed, discharged, or terminated except by an instrument in writing signed by the party against whom any waiver, change, discharge, or termination is sought.

10. Illegality; Severability.

(a) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, this Agreement is not intended and shall not be construed to require any payment to Executive which would violate any federal or state statute or regulation, including without limitation the “golden parachute payment regulations” of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation codified to Part 359 of title 12, Code of Federal Regulations.

(b) If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever:

(i) the validity, legality, and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby; and

(ii) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any section of this Agreement containing any such provisions held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested by the provision held invalid, illegal, or unenforceable.

11. 409A Compliance. The intent of the parties is that payments and benefits under this Agreement either be exempt from or comply with Code Section 409A and the regulations and guidance promulgated thereunder and, accordingly, to the maximum extent permitted, this Agreement shall be interpreted to be in compliance therewith. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement to the contrary, in no event shall any payment under this Agreement that constitutes “deferred compensation” for purposes of Code Section 409A be subject to offset, counterclaim or recoupment by any other amount payable to Executive unless otherwise permitted by Code Section 409A.

12. Arbitration. Subject to the right of each party to seek specific performance (which right shall not be subject to arbitration), including without limitation an action pursuant to Section 4(c), if a dispute arises out of or is in any way related to this Agreement, or the asserted breach thereof, such dispute shall be referred to arbitration before the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”) pursuant to the AAA’s Employment Arbitration Rules and Mediation Procedures (the “Arbitration Rules”). A dispute subject to the provisions of this section will exist if either party notifies the other party in writing that a dispute subject to arbitration exists and states, with reasonable specificity, the issue subject to arbitration (the “Arbitration Notice”).

 

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The parties agree that, after the issuance of the Arbitration Notice, the parties will try in good faith between the date of the issuance of the Arbitration Notice and the date the dispute is set for arbitration to resolve the dispute by mediation in accordance with the Arbitration Rules. If the dispute is not resolved by the date set for arbitration, then any controversy or claim arising out of this Agreement or the asserted breach hereof shall be resolved by binding arbitration and judgment upon any award rendered by arbitrator(s) may be entered in a court having jurisdiction. The arbitrator shall have the same power to compel the attendance of witnesses and to order the production of documents or other materials and to enforce discovery as could be exercised by a United States District Court judge sitting in Chenango County, New York. In the event of any arbitration, each party shall have a reasonable right to conduct discovery to the same extent permitted by the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, provided that discovery shall be concluded within ninety (90) days after the date the matter is set for arbitration. The arbitrator or arbitrators shall have the power to award reasonable attorneys’ fees to the prevailing party. Any provisions in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, this section shall be governed by the Federal Arbitration Act and the parties have entered into this Agreement pursuant to such Act.

13. Costs of Litigation. In the event litigation is commenced to enforce any of the provisions hereof, or to obtain declaratory relief in connection with any of the provisions hereof, the prevailing party shall be entitled to recover reasonable attorney’s fees. In the event this Agreement is asserted in any litigation as a defense to any liability, claim, demand, action, cause of action, or right asserted in such litigation, the party prevailing on the issue of that defense shall be entitled to recovery of reasonable attorney’s fees.

14. Affiliation. A company will be deemed to be “affiliated” with the Corporation or its subsidiary banks according to the definition of “Affiliate” set forth in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

15. Headings. The section and subsection headings herein have been inserted for convenience of reference only and shall in no way modify or restrict any of the terms or provisions hereof.

16. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to constitute an original.

[Signature Page Follows]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto executed or caused this Agreement to be executed as of the day and year first above written.

 

NBT BANCORP INC.
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:
EXECUTIVE:

 

Name:

Acknowledged and Agreed for

purposes of Sections 2(a), 3(c), 3(d)

and 9 hereof by Seller Bank:

ALLIANCE BANK, N.A.

 

By:

 

 

Name:

Title:

 

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Exhibit A

Form of Release

I. In consideration of receipt and acceptance of the payments described in Section 2(a) of the Employment Agreement between the NBT Bancorp Inc. and Jack H. Webb, dated October 7, 2012 (the “Employment Agreement”), into which this Release (“Release”) is incorporated by reference (capitalized terms used herein and not defined have the meanings set forth in the Employment Agreement), Executive, on behalf of himself and his agents, heirs, executors, administrators, successors, and assigns, unconditionally and generally releases the Corporation, Seller and their respective subsidiary banks, their respective current and former owners, officers, directors, parents, affiliates, subsidiaries, related entities, agents and employees, and the heirs, executors, administrators, predecessors, successors and assigns of all of the foregoing (collectively, “Releasee”), from or in connection with, and Executive hereby waives and/or settles, with prejudice, any and all complaints, causes of action, suits, controversies, or any liability, claims, demands, or damages, known or unknown and of any nature whatsoever and which Executive ever had or now has, including, without limitation, those arising directly or indirectly pursuant to or out of any aspect of Executive’s employment with Seller, the Seller Bank or any other Releasee.

II. Specifically, without limitation of the foregoing, the release and waiver of claims under this Release shall include and apply to any rights and/or claims (i) arising under any contract or employment arrangement, express or implied, written or oral, including, without limitation, the Prior Agreement; (ii) for wrongful dismissal or termination of employment; (iii) arising under any applicable federal, state, local or other statutes, laws, ordinances, regulations or the like, or case law, that relate to employment or employment practices and/or specifically, that prohibit discrimination based upon age, race, religion, sex, national origin, disability or any other unlawful bases, including without limitation, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act, the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Equal Pay Act of 1963, the Family Medical Leave Act of 1993, the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, Executive Order 11246, the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, all as amended, and any other statutes, orders, laws, ordinances, regulations applicable to Employee’s employment, of any state or city in which any Releasee is subject to jurisdiction, and/or any political subdivision thereof; (iv) based upon any other federal, state or local statutes, orders, laws, ordinances, regulations, case law, public policy, or common law or the like; (v) concerning recruitment, hiring, discharge, promotions, transfers, employment status, right to reemployment, wages, bonus or incentive pay, severance pay, stock or stock options, employment benefits (including, without limitation, sick or other leave, medical, disability, life, or any other insurance, 401(k), pension, other retirement plans or benefits, or any other fringe benefits), workers’ compensation, intentional or negligent misrepresentation and/or infliction of emotional distress, interference with contract, fraud, libel, slander, defamation, invasion of privacy or loss of consortium, together with any and all tort, contract, or other claims which have been or might have been asserted by Executive or on his behalf in any suit, charge of discrimination, or claim against the Releasee; and (vi) for damages, including without limitation,

 

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punitive or compensatory damages, or for attorneys’ fees, expenses, costs, wages, injunctive or equitable relief. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this Release is intended to limit Executive’s (i) vested rights under any Section 401(k) plan and any nonqualified account balance plan in which Executive participates, (ii) rights under the SERP or the Split Dollar Agreement, (iii) rights to indemnification under applicable corporate law or the organizational documents of Seller or the Seller Bank or as an insured under any director’s and officer’s liability insurance policy now or previously in force, (iv) rights due to the obligations of the Corporation under the provisions of Section 6.9 of the Merger Agreement or (v) rights as a shareholder and holder of restricted stock of Seller to receive the consideration payable under the Merger Agreement.

III. Executive acknowledges that he has been advised to discuss all aspects of this Release with his attorney, that he has carefully read and fully understands all of the provisions of this Release and that he is voluntarily entering into this Release.

 

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Exhibit B

Form of Separation Agreement and Release

I. In consideration of receipt and acceptance of certain separation payments described in Section 2(d)(i) of the Employment Agreement and listed on Appendix A between NBT Bancorp Inc. and Jack H. Webb, dated October 7, 2012 (the “Employment Agreement”), into which this Separation Agreement and Release (“Separation Agreement”) is incorporated by reference (capitalized terms used herein and not defined have the meanings set forth in the Employment Agreement), Executive, on behalf of himself and his agents, heirs, executors, administrators, successors, and assigns, unconditionally and generally releases the Corporation and its subsidiary banks, their respective current and former owners, officers, directors, parents, affiliates, subsidiaries, related entities, agents and employees, and the heirs, executors, administrators, predecessors, successors and assigns of all of the foregoing (collectively, “Releasee”), from or in connection with, and Executive hereby waives and/or settles, with prejudice, any and all complaints, causes of action, suits, controversies, or any liability, claims, demands, or damages, known or unknown and of any nature whatsoever and which Executive ever had or now has, including without limitation, those arising directly or indirectly pursuant to or out of any aspect of Executive’s employment or termination from employment with the Corporation, its subsidiary banks or any other Releasee.

II. Specifically, without limitation of the foregoing, the release and waiver of claims under this Separation Agreement shall include and apply to any rights and/or claims (i) arising under any contract or employment arrangement, express or implied, written or oral; (ii) for wrongful dismissal or termination of employment; (iii) arising under any applicable federal, state, local or other statutes, laws, ordinances, regulations or the like, or case law, that relate to employment or employment practices and/or specifically, that prohibit discrimination based upon age, race, religion, sex, national origin, disability or any other unlawful bases, including without limitation, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act, the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Equal Pay Act of 1963, the Family Medical Leave Act of 1993, the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, Executive Order 11246, the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, all as amended, and any other statutes, orders, laws, ordinances, regulations applicable to Employee’s employment, of any state or city in which any Releasee is subject to jurisdiction, and/or any political subdivision thereof; (iv) based upon any other federal, state or local statutes, orders, laws, ordinances, regulations, case law, public policy, or common law or the like; (v) concerning recruitment, hiring, discharge, promotions, transfers, employment status, right to reemployment, wages, bonus or incentive pay, severance pay, stock or stock options, employment benefits (including, without limitation, sick or other leave, medical, disability, life, or any other insurance, 401(k), pension, other retirement plans or benefits, or any other fringe benefits), workers’ compensation, intentional or negligent misrepresentation and/or infliction of emotional distress, interference with contract, fraud, libel, slander, defamation, invasion of privacy or loss of consortium, together with any and all tort, contract, or other claims which have been or might have been asserted by Executive or on his behalf in any suit, charge of discrimination, or claim against the Releasee; and (vi) for damages, including without limitation, punitive or compensatory damages, or for attorneys’ fees, expenses, costs, wages, injunctive or equitable relief. Notwithstanding the

 

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foregoing, nothing in this Separation Agreement is intended to limit Executive’s (i) vested rights under any Section 401(k) plan and any nonqualified account balance plan in which Executive participates, (ii) rights under the SERP, (iii) rights to indemnification under applicable corporate law or the organizational documents of the Corporation, Seller or any subsidiary bank or as an insured under any director’s and officer’s liability insurance policy now or previously in force, or (iv) rights due to the obligations of the Corporation under the provisions of Section 6.9 of the Merger Agreement.

III. Executive acknowledges that he has been given the opportunity to consider this Separation Agreement for a period ending twenty-one (21) days after its delivery to him. In the event Executive executed this Separation Agreement within less than twenty-one (21) days from such date, he acknowledges that such decision was entirely voluntary and that he had the opportunity to consider this Separation Agreement until the end of the twenty-one (21) day period. To accept this Separation Agreement, Executive shall deliver a signed Separation Agreement to the Corporation’s General Counsel within such twenty-one (21) day period. For a period of seven (7) days from the date when Executive executes this Separation Agreement (the “Revocation Period”), he shall retain the right to revoke this Separation Agreement by written notice that is received by the Corporation’s General Counsel on or before the last day of the Revocation Period. This Separation Agreement shall take effect only if it is executed within the twenty-one (21) day period as set forth above and if it is not revoked pursuant to the preceding sentence. If those conditions are satisfied, this Separation Agreement shall become effective and enforceable on the date immediately following the last day of the Revocation Period.

IV. Executive acknowledges that he has been advised to discuss all aspects of this Separation Agreement with his attorney, that he has carefully read and fully understands all of the provisions of this Separation Agreement and that he is voluntarily entering into this Separation Agreement.

 

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Schedule I

Performance Bonus

2013 Incentive Plan

Pay-out Matrix

 

  EPS Levels

            Webb

  Threshold

     Level 1       N/A
       Level 2       N/A

  Base Line

     Level 3       $180,000 minimum
       Level 4       $200,000
       Level 5       $220,000

 

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