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GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
by and between
FIRST NATIONAL COMMUNITY BANCORP, INC.
and
WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
Dated as of December 14, 2006
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GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
This GUARANTEE AGREEMENT (this "Guarantee"),
dated as of December 14, 2006, is executed and delivered by First
National Community Bancorp, Inc., a Pennsylvania corporation (the
"Guarantor"), and Wilmington Trust Company, a Delaware banking
corporation, as trustee (the "Guarantee Trustee"), for the benefit
of the Holders (as defined herein) from time to time of the Capital
Securities (as defined herein) of First National Community
Statutory Trust I, a Delaware statutory trust (the
"Issuer").
WHEREAS, pursuant to an Amended and Restated
Declaration of Trust (the "Declaration"), dated as of the date
hereof among Wilmington Trust Company, not in its individual
capacity but solely as institutional trustee, the administrators of
the Issuer named therein, the Guarantor, as sponsor, and the
holders from time to time of undivided beneficial interests in the
assets of the Issuer, the Issuer is issuing on the date hereof
those undivided beneficial interests, having an aggregate
liquidation amount of $10,000,000.00 (the "Capital Securities");
and
WHEREAS, as incentive for the Holders to
purchase the Capital Securities, the Guarantor desires irrevocably
and unconditionally to agree, to the extent set forth in this
Guarantee, to pay to the Holders of Capital Securities the
Guarantee Payments (as defined herein) and to make certain other
payments on the terms and conditions set forth herein;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the purchase
by each Holder of the Capital Securities, which purchase the
Guarantor hereby agrees shall benefit the Guarantor, the Guarantor
executes and delivers this Guarantee for the benefit of the
Holders.
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION
Section 1.1.
Definitions
and Interpretation. In this Guarantee, unless
the context otherwise requires:
(a) capitalized
terms used in this Guarantee but not defined in the preamble above
have the respective meanings assigned to them in this Section
1.1;
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(b)
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a term defined anywhere in this
Guarantee has the same meaning throughout;
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(c) all
references to "the Guarantee" or "this Guarantee" are to this
Guarantee as modified, supplemented or amended from time to
time;
(d) all
references in this Guarantee to "Articles" or "Sections" are to
Articles or Sections of this Guarantee, unless otherwise
specified;
(e) terms
defined in the Declaration as at the date of execution of this
Guarantee have the same meanings when used in this Guarantee,
unless otherwise defined in this Guarantee or unless the context
otherwise requires; and
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(f)
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a reference to the singular
includes the plural and vice versa.
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" Affiliate " has the same
meaning as given to that term in Rule 405 of the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended, or any successor rule
thereunder.
" Beneficiaries " means any Person to
whom the Issuer is or hereafter becomes indebted or liable.
" Capital Securities " has the meaning
set forth in the recitals to this Guarantee.
" Common Securities " means the common
securities issued by the Issuer to the Guarantor pursuant to the
Declaration.
" Corporate Trust Office " means the
office of the Guarantee Trustee at which the corporate trust
business of the Guarantee Trustee shall, at any particular time, be
principally administered, which office at the date of execution of
this Guarantee is located at Rodney Square North, 1100 North Market
Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19890-1600, Attention: Corporate Trust
Administration.
" Covered Person " means any Holder of
Capital Securities.
" Debentures " means the debt securities
of the Guarantor designated the Floating Rate Junior Subordinated
Deferrable Interest Debentures due 2036 held by the Institutional
Trustee (as defined in the Declaration) of the Issuer.
" Declaration Event of Default " means an
"Event of Default" as defined in the Declaration.
" Event of Default " has the meaning set
forth in Section 2.4(a).
" Guarantee Payments " means the
following payments or distributions, without duplication, with
respect to the Capital Securities, to the extent not paid or made
by the Issuer: (i) any accrued and unpaid Distributions (as
defined in the Declaration) which are required to be paid on
such Capital Securities to the extent the Issuer shall have funds
available therefor, (ii) the Redemption Price to the extent
the Issuer has funds available therefor, with respect to any
Capital Securities called for redemption by the Issuer,
(iii) the Special Redemption Price to the extent the Issuer
has funds available therefor, with respect to Capital Securities
redeemed upon the occurrence of a Special Event, and (iv) upon
a voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, winding-up or
termination of the Issuer (other than in connection with the
distribution of Debentures to the Holders of the Capital Securities
in exchange therefor as provided in the Declaration), the lesser of
(a) the aggregate of the liquidation amount and all accrued
and unpaid Distributions on the Capital Securities to the date of
payment, to the extent the Issuer shall have funds available
therefor, and (b) the amount of assets of the Issuer remaining
available for distribution to Holders in liquidation of the Issuer
(in either case, the "Liquidation Distribution").
" Guarantee Trustee " means Wilmington
Trust Company, until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been
appointed and has accepted such appointment pursuant to the terms
of this Guarantee and thereafter means each such Successor
Guarantee Trustee.
" Guarantor " means First National
Community Bancorp, Inc. and each of its successors and assigns.
" Holder " means any holder, as
registered on the books and records of the Issuer, of any Capital
Securities; provided , however , that, in determining
whether the Holders of the requisite percentage of Capital
Securities have given any request, notice, consent or waiver
hereunder, "Holder" shall not include the Guarantor or any
Affiliate of the Guarantor.
" Indemnified Person " means the
Guarantee Trustee, any Affiliate of the Guarantee Trustee, or any
officers, directors, shareholders, members, partners, employees,
representatives, nominees, custodians or agents of the Guarantee
Trustee.
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" Indenture " means the Indenture dated
as of the date hereof between the Guarantor and Wilmington Trust
Company, not in its individual capacity but solely as trustee, and
any indenture supplemental thereto pursuant to which the Debentures
are to be issued to the institutional trustee of the Issuer.
" Issuer " has the meaning set forth in
the opening paragraph to this Guarantee.
" Liquidation Distribution " has the
meaning set forth in the definition of "Guarantee Payments"
herein.
" Majority in liquidation amount of the
Capital Securities " means Holder(s) of outstanding Capital
Securities, voting together as a class, but separately from the
holders of Common Securities, of more than 50% of the aggregate
liquidation amount (including the stated amount that would be paid
on redemption, liquidation or otherwise, plus accrued and unpaid
Distributions to the date upon which the voting percentages are
determined) of all Capital Securities then outstanding.
" Obligations " means any costs, expenses
or liabilities (but not including liabilities related to taxes) of
the Issuer other than obligations of the Issuer to pay to holders
of any Trust Securities the amounts due such holders pursuant to
the terms of the Trust Securities.
" Officer’s Certificate " means,
with respect to any Person, a certificate signed by one Authorized
Officer of such Person. Any Officer’s Certificate delivered
with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided
for in this Guarantee shall include:
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(a) a
statement that the officer signing the Officer’s Certificate
has read the covenant or condition and the definitions relating
thereto;
(b) a
brief statement of the nature and scope of the examination or
investigation undertaken by the officer in rendering the
Officer’s Certificate;
(c) a
statement that the officer has made such examination or
investigation as, in such officer’s opinion, is necessary to
enable such officer to express an informed opinion as to whether or
not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and
(d) a
statement as to whether, in the opinion of the officer, such
condition or covenant has been complied with.
" Person " means a legal person,
including any individual, corporation, estate, partnership, joint
venture, association, joint stock company, limited liability
company, trust, unincorporated association, or government or any
agency or political subdivision thereof, or any other entity of
whatever nature.
" Redemption Price " has the meaning set
forth in the Indenture.
" Responsible Officer " means, with
respect to the Guarantee Trustee, any officer within the Corporate
Trust Office of the Guarantee Trustee including any Vice President,
Assistant Vice President, Secretary, Assistant Secretary or any
other officer of the Guarantee Trustee customarily performing
functions similar to those performed by any of the above designated
officers and also, with respect to a particular corporate trust
matter, any other officer to whom such matter is referred because
of that officer’s knowledge of and familiarity with the
particular subject.
" Special Event " has the meaning set
forth in the Indenture.
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" Special Redemption Price " has the
meaning set forth in the Indenture.
" Successor Guarantee Trustee " means a
successor Guarantee Trustee possessing the qualifications to act as
Guarantee Trustee under Section 3.1.
" Trust Securities " means the Common
Securities and the Capital Securities.
ARTICLE II
POWERS, DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF
GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
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Section 2.1.
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Powers and Duties of the
Guarantee Trustee .
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(a) This
Guarantee shall be held by the Guarantee Trustee for the benefit of
the Holders of the Capital Securities, and the Guarantee Trustee
shall not transfer this Guarantee to any Person except a Holder of
Capital Securities exercising his or her rights pursuant to Section
4.4(b) or to a Successor Guarantee Trustee on acceptance by such
Successor Guarantee Trustee of its appointment to act as Successor
Guarantee Trustee. The right, title and interest of the Guarantee
Trustee shall automatically vest in any Successor Guarantee
Trustee, and such vesting and cessation of title shall be effective
whether or not conveyancing documents have been executed and
delivered pursuant to the appointment of such Successor Guarantee
Trustee.
(b) If
an Event of Default actually known to a Responsible Officer of the
Guarantee Trustee has occurred and is continuing, the Guarantee
Trustee shall enforce this Guarantee for the benefit of the Holders
of the Capital Securities.
(c) The
Guarantee Trustee, before the occurrence of any Event of Default
and after curing all Events of Default that may have occurred,
shall undertake to perform only such duties as are specifically set
forth in this Guarantee, and no implied covenants shall be read
into this Guarantee against the Guarantee Trustee. In case an Event
of Default has occurred (that has not been waived pursuant to
Section 2.4) and is actually known to a Responsible Officer of
the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee shall exercise such of
the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee, and use the
same degree of care and skill in its exercise thereof, as a prudent
person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct
of his or her own affairs.
(d) No
provision of this Guarantee shall be construed to relieve the
Guarantee Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its
own negligent failure to act, or its own willful misconduct, except
that:
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to the Guarantee Trustee and conforming to the
requirements of this Guarantee; but in the case of any such
certificates or opinions that by any provision hereof are
specifically required to be furnished to the Guarantee Trustee, the
Guarantee Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to
determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this
Guarantee;
(ii) the
Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment
made in good faith by a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee
Trustee, unless it shall be proved that such Responsible Officer of
the Guarantee Trustee or the Guarantee Trustee was negligent in
ascertaining the pertinent facts upon which such judgment was
made;
(iii) the
Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action
taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with
the written direction of the Holders of not less than a Majority in
liquidation amount of the Capital Securities relating to the time,
method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy
available to the Guarantee Trustee, or relating to the exercise of
any trust or power conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee under this
Guarantee; and
(iv) no
provision of this Guarantee shall require the Guarantee Trustee to
expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur personal financial
liability in the performance of any of its duties or in the
exercise of any of its rights or powers, if the Guarantee Trustee
shall have reasonable grounds for believing that the repayment of
such funds is not reasonably assured to it under the terms of this
Guarantee or security and indemnity, reasonably satisfactory to the
Guarantee Trustee, against such risk or liability is not reasonably
assured to it.
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Section 2.2.
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Certain Rights of Guarantee
Trustee .
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(a)
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Subject to the provisions of
Section 2.1:
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(i) The
Guarantee Trustee may conclusively rely, and shall be fully
protected in acting or refraining from acting upon, any resolution,
certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice,
request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other
evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document believed by it
to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or presented by the
proper party or parties.
(ii) Any
direction or act of the Guarantor contemplated by this Guarantee
shall be sufficiently evidenced by an Officer’s
Certificate.
(iii) Whenever,
in the administration of this Guarantee, the Guarantee Trustee
shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established
before taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the
Guarantee Trustee (unless other evidence is herein specifically
prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, request
and conclusively rely upon an Officer’s Certificate of the
Guarantor which, upon receipt of such request, shall be promptly
delivered by the Guarantor.
(iv) The
Guarantee Trustee shall have no duty to see to any recording,
filing or registration of any instrument (or any re-recording,
refiling or re-registration thereof).
(v) The
Guarantee Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection, and
the advice or opinion of such counsel with respect to legal matters
shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect
of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good
faith and
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in accordance with such advice or opinion. Such
counsel may be counsel to the Guarantor or any of its Affiliates
and may include any of its employees. The Guarantee Trustee shall
have the right at any time to seek instructions concerning the
administration of this Guarantee from any court of competent
jurisdiction.
(vi) The
Guarantee Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of
the rights or powers vested in it by this Guarantee at the request
or direction of any Holder, unless such Holder shall have provided
to the Guarantee Trustee such security and indemnity, reasonably
satisfactory to the Guarantee Trustee, against the costs, expenses
(including attorneys’ fees and expenses and the expenses of
the Guarantee Trustee’s agents, nominees or custodians) and
liabilities that might be incurred by it in complying with such
request or direction, including such reasonable advances as may be
requested by the Guarantee Trustee; provided ,
however , that nothing contained in this Section 2.2(a)(vi)
shall relieve the Guarantee Trustee, upon the occurrence of an
Event of Default, of its obligation to exercise the rights and
powers vested in it by this Guarantee.
(vii) The Guarantee
Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts
or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement,
instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent,
order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or
other paper or document, but the Guarantee Trustee, in its
discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into
such facts or matters as it may see fit.
(viii) The Guarantee
Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or
perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through
agents, nominees, custodians or attorneys, and the Guarantee
Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence
on the part of any agent or attorney appointed with due care by it
hereunder.
(ix) Any
action taken by the Guarantee Trustee or its agents hereunder shall
bind the Holders of the Capital Securities, and the signature of
the Guarantee Trustee or its agents alone shall be sufficient and
effective to perform any such action. No third party shall be
required to inquire as to the authority of the Guarantee Trustee to
so act or as to its compliance with any of the terms and provisions
of this Guarantee, both of which shall be conclusively evidenced by
the Guarantee Trustee’s or its agent’s taking such
action.
(x) Whenever
in the administration of this Guarantee the Guarantee Trustee shall
deem it desirable to receive instructions with respect to enforcing
any remedy or right or taking any other action hereunder, the
Guarantee Trustee (i) may request instructions from the
Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of the Capital
Securities, (ii) may refrain from enforcing such remedy or
right or taking such other action until such instructions are
received, and (iii) shall be protected in conclusively relying
on or acting in accordance with such instructions.
(xi) The
Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken,
suffered, or omitted to be taken by it in good faith, without
negligence, and reasonably believed by it to be authorized or
within the discretion or rights or powers conferred upon it by this
Guarantee.
(b) No
provision of this Guarantee shall be deemed to impose any duty or
obligation on the Guarantee Trustee to perform any act or acts or
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