MBL BANK EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

THIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”), between MBL Bank (the “Bank”) (formerly known as Minden Building and Loan Association) and Jack E. Byrd, Jr. (the “Executive”), is hereby effective as of January 1, 2009.

WHEREAS , the Executive is presently an officer and currently employed as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Bank and Minden Bancorp, Inc. (the “Corporation” and together with the Bank, the “Employers”) and

WHEREAS , the Bank desires to assure itself of the continued availability of the Executive’s services as provided in this Agreement; and

WHEREAS , the Executive is willing to serve the Bank on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth; and

WHEREAS , the Agreement is in full compliance with Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”);

NOW THEREFORE , in consideration of the mutual agreements herein contained, and upon the other terms and conditions hereinafter provided, the parties hereby agree as follows:

1.             Definitions.   The following words and terms shall have the meanings set forth below for the purposes of this Agreement:

(a)           Annual Compensation.   The Executive’s “Annual Compensation” for purposes of this Agreement shall be deemed to mean the highest level of aggregate base salary , cash  incentive compensation, and stock and stock option awards paid and granted   to the Executive by the Employers or any subsidiary thereof during the calendar year in which the Date of Termination occurs (determined on an annualized basis) or either of the two calendar years immediately preceding the calendar year in which the Date of Termination occurs.

(b)          Base Salary.   “Base Salary” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(a) hereof.

(c)          Cause. Termination of the Executive’s employment for “Cause” shall mean termination because of personal dishonesty, incompetence, willful misconduct, breach of fiduciary duty involving personal profit, intentional failure to perform stated duties, willful violation of any law, rule or regulation (other than traffic violations or similar offenses) or final cease-and-desist order or material breach of any provision of this Agreement.

(d)          Change in Control.   “Change in Control” shall mean a change in the ownership of the Corporation or the Bank, a change in the effective control of the Corporation or the Bank or a change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of the Corporation or the Bank, in each case as provided under Section 409A of the Code and the regulations thereunder; provided, however, that neither any second-step conversion and reorganization in which Minden Mutual Holding Company (the “MHC”) ceases to exist nor any increase in the ownership of the Corporation by the MHC shall be deemed to constitute a Change in Control.

(e)           Code.   “Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

(f)            Date of Termination.   “Date of Termination” shall mean (i) if the Executive’s employment is terminated for Cause, the date on which the Notice of Termination is given, and (ii) if the Executive’s employment is terminated for any other reason, the date specified in such Notice of Termination.

(g)           Disability. “Disability” shall mean the Executive (i) is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than twelve (12) months, or (ii) is, by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than twelve (12) months, receiving income replacement benefits for a period of not less than three (3) months under an accident and health plan covering employees of the Bank.

(h)           Good Reason.   “Good Reason” means the occurrence of any of the following events:

(i)   any material breach of this Agreement by the Employers, including without limitation any of the following: (A) a material diminution in the Executive’s base compensation, (B) a material diminution in the Executive’s authority, duties or responsibilities as prescribed in Section 2, or (C) any requirement that the Executive report to a corporate officer or employee of the Employers instead of reporting directly to the Boards of Directors of the Employers, or

provided, however, that prior to any termination of employment for Good Reason, the Executive must first provide written notice to the Employers within ninety (90) days of the initial existence of the condition, describing the existence of such condition, and the Employers shall thereafter have the right to remedy the condition within thirty (30) days of the date the Employers received the written notice from the Executive.  If the Employers remedy the condition within such thirty (30) day cure period, then no Good Reason shall be deemed to exist with respect to such condition.  If the Employers do not remedy the condition within such thirty (30) day cure period, then the Executive may deliver a Notice of Termination for Good Reason at any time within sixty (60) days following the expiration of such cure period.

(i)            Notice of Termination.   Any purported termination of the Executive’s employment by the Bank for any reason, including without limitation for Cause, Disability or Retirement, or by the Executive for any reason, including without limitation for Good Reason, shall be communicated by a written “Notice of Termination” to the other party hereto.  For purposes of this Agreement, a “Notice of Termination” shall mean a dated notice which (i) indicates the specific termination provision in this Agreement relied upon, (ii) sets forth in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances claimed to provide a basis for termination of the Executive’s employment under the provision so indicated, (iii) specifies a Date of Termination, which shall be not less than thirty (30) nor more than ninety (90) days after such Notice of Termination is given, except in the case of the Bank’s termination of the Executive’s employment for Cause, which shall be effective immediately; and (iv) is given in the manner specified in Section 11 hereof.

(j)            Retirement.   “Retirement” shall mean voluntary termination by the Executive in accordance with the Employers’ retirement policies, including early retirement, generally applicable to their salaried employees.

2.           Term of Employment.

(a)         The Bank hereby employs the Executive as President and Chief Executive Officer, and the Executive hereby accepts said employment and agrees to render such services to the Bank on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.  The term of this Agreement shall be a period of three years commencing as of January 1, 2009 (the “Commencement Date”), subject to earlier termination as provided herein.  Beginning on the day which is one year subsequent to the Commencement Date, and on each annual anniversary thereafter, the term of this Agreement shall be automatically   extended for a period of one year in addition to the then-remaining term, unless and except the Bank and/or the Executive gives notice in  writing to the other party at least sixty (60) days prior to such day that the term of the Agreement shall not be extended for the extra one year period. Reference herein to the term of this Agreement shall refer to both such initial term and such extended terms.  The Board of Directors of the Bank shall review on a periodic basis (and no less frequently than annually) whether to permit further extensions of the term of this Agreement.  As part of such review, the Board of Directors shall consider all relevant factors, including the Executive’s performance hereunder, and shall either expressly approve further extensions of the time of this Agreement or decide to provide notice to the contrary.

(b)         During the term of this Agreement, the Executive shall manage the operations of the Bank and oversee the officers that report to him.  The Executive shall also oversee the implementation of the policies adopted by the Board of Directors of the Bank and shall report directly to the Board of Directors.  In addition, the Executive shall perform such executive services for the Bank as may be consistent with his titles and from time to time assigned to him by the Bank’s Board of Directors.

3.           Compensation and Benefits.

(a)         The Bank shall compensate and pay the Executive for his services during the term of this Agreement at a minimum base salary of $150,000 per year (“Base Salary”), which may be increased from time to time in such amounts as may be determined by the Board of Directors of the Bank and may not be decreased without the Executive’s express written consent.  In addition to his Base Salary, the Executive shall be entitled to receive during the term of this Agreement such bonus payments and stock and stock option awards as may be determined by the Board of Directors of the Bank.

(b)         During the term of this Agreement, the Executive shall be entitled to participate in and receive the benefits of any pension or other retirement benefit plan, profit sharing, stock option, employee stock ownership, or other plans, benefits and privileges given to employees and executives of the Employers, to the extent commensurate with his then duties and responsibilities, as fixed by the Boards of Directors of the Employers.  The Employers shall not make any changes in such plans, benefits or privileges which would adversely affect the Executive’s rights or benefits thereunder, unless such change occurs pursuant to a program applicable to all executive officers of the  Employers and does not result in a proportionately greater adverse change in the rights of or benefits to the Executive as compared with any other executive officer of the Employers.  Nothing paid to the Executive under any plan or arrangement presently in effect or made available in the future shall be deemed to be in lieu of the salary payable to the Executive pursuant to Section 3(a) hereof.

(c)         During the term of this Agreement, the Executive shall be entitled to paid annual vacation in accordance with the policies as established from time to time by the Board of Directors of the Bank.  The Executive shall not be entitled to receive any additional compensation from the  Bank for failure to take a vacation, nor shall the Executive be able to accumulate unused vacation time from one year to the next, except to the extent authorized by the Board of Directors of the Bank.  During the term of this Agreement, the Employers shall provide the Executive with an automobile allowance of not less than $750 per month or an automobile for the Executive’s use. In the event an automobile is provided, it shall be comparable to that which is currently being driven by the Executive.

(d)         In the event the Executive’s employment is terminated due to Disability or Retirement, the Bank shall provide continued life, medical, dental and disability coverage substantially identical to the coverage maintained by the  Employers for the Executive and his spouse immediately prior to his termination; provided that any insurance premiums payable by the Employer or any successors pursuant to this Section 3(d) shall be payable at such times and in such amounts as if the Executive was still an employee of the Bank, subject to any increases in such amounts imposed by the insurance company or COBRA, and the amount of insurance premiums required to be paid by the Bank in any taxable year shall not affect the amount of insurance premiums required to be paid by the Bank in any other taxable year; and provided further that if the Executive’s participation in any group insurance plan is barred, the Bank shall either arrange to provide the Executive and his spouse with insurance benefits substantially similar to those which the Executive and his spouse were entitled to receive under such group insurance plan or, if such coverage cannot be obtained, pay a lump sum cash equivalency amount within thirty (30) days following the Date of Termination based on the annualized rate of premiums being paid by the Bank as of the Date of Termination.  Such coverage shall cease upon the expiration of the remaining term of this Agreement.

4.              Expenses.   The Bank shall reimburse the Executive or otherwise provide for or pay for all reasonable expenses incurred by the Executive in furtherance of or in connection with the business of the Bank, including, but not by way of limitation, automobile expenses and other traveling expenses, and all reasonable entertainment expenses (whether incurred at the Executive’s residence, while traveling or otherwise), subject to such reasonable documentation and other limitations as may be established by the Board of Dire