CLASSIC BANCSHARES INC
DEF 14A, 1998-06-26
SAVINGS INSTITUTION, FEDERALLY CHARTERED
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                            SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                                (Amendment No. )

Filed by the Registrant |_|
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant |_|

Check the appropriate box:

|_| Preliminary Proxy Statement
|X| Definitive Proxy Statement
|_| Definitive Additional Materials
|_| Soliciting Material Pursuant to Rule 14a-11(c) or Rule 14a-12


                            Classic Bancshares, Inc.
                (Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

________________________________________________________________________________
     (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement if other than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):

|X| No fee required.
|_| $125 per Exchange Act Rule 0-11(c)(1)(ii), 14a-6(i)(1) or 14a-6(j)(2).
|_| Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(4) and 0-11.

1) Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:

   _____________________________________________________________________________

2) Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:

   _____________________________________________________________________________

3) Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed
   pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11:*

   _____________________________________________________________________________

4) Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:

   _____________________________________________________________________________

5)  Total fee paid:
|_| Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by
    Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which
    the offsetting fee was paid previously.  Identify the previous
    filing by registration statement number, or the form or schedule
    and the date of its filing.

    1) Amount previously paid: _________________________________________________

    2) Form, Schedule or Registration No. ______________________________________

    3) Filing party: ___________________________________________________________

    4) Date filed: _____________________________________________________________

___________
*Set forth the amount on which the filing fee is calculated and state how it was
 determined.

(032796DTI)

<PAGE>



                                                   June 26, 1998


Dear Fellow Stockholder:

     On behalf of the Board of Directors and  management of Classic  Bancshares,
Inc., I cordially  invite you to attend the 1998 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.
The meeting  will be held at 3:00 p.m.,  local time,  on July 27,  1998,  at the
corporate  headquarters of RAM Technologies,  Inc., located at 1516 Bath Avenue,
Ashland, Kentucky.

     An  important  aspect of the  meeting  process is the  stockholder  vote on
corporate business items. I urge you to exercise your rights as a stockholder to
vote and participate in this process.  Stockholders  are being asked to consider
and vote upon the election of three  directors,  the  approval of the  Company's
1998  Premium  Price  Stock  Option  Growth  Plan  and the  ratification  of the
appointment  of the  Company's  independent  auditors.  Your Board of  Directors
unanimously  recommends  that you vote  for  each of the  nominees  named in the
enclosed proxy  statement,  for the approval of the Stock Option Growth Plan and
for the appointment of the Company's independent auditors.

     In addition to the annual stockholder vote on corporate business items, the
meeting will include  management's report to you on Classic  Bancshares,  Inc.'s
fiscal 1998 financial and operating performance.

     I encourage you to attend the meeting in person.  Whether or not you attend
the meeting,  please read the enclosed Proxy  Statement and then complete,  sign
and date the enclosed proxy card and return it in the postage  prepaid  envelope
provided.  This  will  save  Classic  Bancshares,  Inc.  additional  expense  in
soliciting proxies and will ensure that your shares are represented. Please note
that you may vote in person at the meeting even if you have previously  returned
the proxy.

     Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

                                           Sincerely,

                                           /s/David B. Barbour

                                           David B. Barbour
                                           President and Chief Executive Officer


<PAGE>



                            CLASSIC BANCSHARES, INC.
                             344 Seventeenth Street
                             Ashland, Kentucky 41101
                                 (606) 325-4789

                    NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
                           To be Held on July 27, 1998


     Notice is  hereby  given  that the  Annual  Meeting  of  Stockholders  (the
"Meeting") of Classic Bancshares, Inc. ("Classic" or the "Company") will be held
at the corporate  headquarters of RAM Technologies,  Inc.,  located at 1516 Bath
Avenue,  Ashland,  Kentucky at 3:00 p.m.,  Ashland,  Kentucky  time, on July 27,
1998.

     A Proxy Card and a Proxy Statement for the Meeting are enclosed.

     The Meeting is for the purpose of considering and acting upon:

     1.   The election of three directors of the Company;

     2.   The approval of the  Company's  1998 Premium Price Stock Option Growth
          Plan;

     3.   The ratification of the appointment of Smith, Goolsby,  Artis & Reams,
          P.S.C. as the auditors of the Company for the fiscal year ending March
          31, 1999;

and  such  other  matters  as may  properly  come  before  the  Meeting,  or any
adjournments or  postponements  thereof.  The Board of Directors is not aware of
any other business to come before the Meeting.

     Any action may be taken on the  foregoing  items at the Meeting on the date
specified  above,  or on any date or dates to which the Meeting may be adjourned
or postponed.  Stockholders  of record at the close of business on June 15, 1998
are the  stockholders  entitled to vote at the Meeting and any  adjournments  or
postponements  thereof. A complete list of stockholders  entitled to vote at the
Meeting will be available for inspection by  stockholders  at the offices of the
Company during its normal  business hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.  during the
ten days prior to the Meeting, as well as at the Meeting.

     You are  requested to complete,  sign and date the enclosed  form of proxy,
which is solicited on behalf of the Board of Directors,  and to mail it promptly
in the enclosed  envelope.  The proxy will not be used if you attend and vote at
the Meeting in person.

                                       BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS


                                       /s/ C. Cyrus Reynolds

                                       C. Cyrus Reynolds
                                       Chairman of the Board





Ashland, Kentucky
June 26, 1998

IMPORTANT:  THE PROMPT  RETURN OF PROXIES  WILL SAVE THE  COMPANY THE EXPENSE OF
FURTHER  REQUESTS  FOR  PROXIES  TO  ENSURE A  QUORUM  AT THE  MEETING.  A SELF-
ADDRESSED  ENVELOPE IS ENCLOSED FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE.  NO POSTAGE IS REQUIRED IF
MAILED WITHIN THE UNITED STATES.


<PAGE>



                                 PROXY STATEMENT

                            CLASSIC BANCSHARES, INC.
                             344 Seventeenth Street
                             Ashland, Kentucky 41101
                                 (606) 325-4789

                         ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
                                  July 27, 1998


     This Proxy  Statement is furnished in connection  with the  solicitation on
behalf of the Board of Directors of Classic  Bancshares,  Inc. ("Classic" or the
"Company"),  the parent  company of Classic Bank and The First  National Bank of
Paintsville  ("Paintsville Bank") of proxies to be used at the Annual Meeting of
Stockholders of the Company (the "Meeting")  which will be held at the corporate
headquarters of RAM Technologies,  Inc.,  located at 1516 Bath Avenue,  Ashland,
Kentucky  on July 27,  1998,  at 3:00  p.m.,  Ashland,  Kentucky  time,  and all
adjournments and postponements of the Meeting. The accompanying Notice of Annual
Meeting and form of proxy and this Proxy  Statement  are first  being  mailed to
stockholders on or about June 26, 1998.

     At the Meeting, stockholders of the Company are being asked to consider and
vote  upon  (i) the  election  of three  directors,  (ii)  the  approval  of the
Company's  1998 Premium Price Stock Option Growth Plan (the "Stock Option Growth
Plan") and (iii) the ratification of the appointment of Smith, Goolsby,  Artis &
Reams,  P.S.C.  as auditors for the Company for the fiscal year ending March 31,
1999.

Vote Required and Proxy Information

     All shares of the  Company's  common  stock,  par value $.01 per share (the
"Common  Stock"),  represented  at the  Meeting  by  properly  executed  proxies
received  prior  to or at the  Meeting,  and not  revoked,  will be voted at the
Meeting in accordance with the  instructions  thereon.  If no  instructions  are
indicated, properly executed proxies will be voted for the director nominees and
the  proposals set forth in this Proxy  Statement.  The Company does not know of
any matters,  other than as described in the Notice of Annual Meeting,  that are
to come before the Meeting.  If any other matters are properly  presented at the
Meeting for action,  the persons  named in the enclosed form of proxy and acting
thereunder  will have the discretion to vote on such matters in accordance  with
their best judgment.

     Directors  shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast.  The approval
of the Stock  Option  Growth Plan and the  ratification  of the  appointment  of
Smith,  Goolsby,  Artis & Reams, P.S.C. as auditors for the Company both require
the  affirmative  vote of a majority  of the votes cast on the  matter.  Proxies
marked to  abstain  with  respect to a  proposal  have the same  effect as votes
against the proposal.  Votes withheld (for the election of directors) and broker
non-votes  have no effect on the vote.  One-third  of the  shares of the  Common
Stock,  present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for
purposes  of the  Meeting.  Abstentions  and broker  non-votes  are  counted for
purposes of determining a quorum.

     A proxy  given  pursuant  to the  solicitation  may be  revoked at any time
before it is voted.  Proxies may be revoked by: (i) filing with the Secretary of
the Company at or before the Meeting a written  notice of  revocation  bearing a
later date than the proxy,  (ii) duly  executing a subsequent  proxy relating to
the same shares and  delivering  it to the Secretary of the Company at or before
the  Meeting or (iii)  attending  the  Meeting  and  voting in person  (although
attendance at the Meeting will not in and of itself  constitute  revocation of a
proxy).  Any written  notice  revoking a proxy should be delivered to Secretary,
Classic Bancshares, Inc., 344 Seventeenth Street, Ashland, Kentucky 41101.

Voting Securities and Certain Holders Thereof

     Stockholders of record as of the close of business on June 15, 1998 will be
entitled to one vote for each share of Common Stock then held.  As of that date,
the Company had  1,299,590  shares of Common Stock issued and  outstanding.  The
following  table sets  forth  information  regarding  share  ownership  of those
persons or  entities  known by  management  to  beneficially  own more than five
percent of the Common  Stock and all  directors  and  executive  officers of the
Company as a group.




                                        1

<PAGE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                          Shares
                                                                       Beneficially     Percent
                                   Beneficial Owner                        Owned       of Class
                                   ----------------                        -----       --------
<S>                                                                       <C>             <C>  
Classic Bancshares, Inc. Employee Stock Ownership Plan                    105,800(1)      8.14%
344 Seventeenth Street                                             
Ashland, Kentucky  41101                                           

Charles B. Yates                                                           80,000(2)      6.16
Craig W. Yates                                                     
Farmers and Mechanics Bank                                         
3 Sunset Road                                                      
Burlington, New Jersey 08016                                       
         and                                                       
AFEC, Incorporated                                                 
3511 Silverside Road, Suite 105                                    
Wilimington, Delaware 19810                                        

Directors and executive officers of the Company as a group                187,935(3)     14.00
(12 persons)                                                       
</TABLE>                                                         

- ----------
(1)  The amount reported  represents shares held by the Employee Stock Ownership
     Plan  ("ESOP"),  22,303  of  which  have  been  allocated  to  accounts  of
     participants.  First Bankers Trust Company,  N.A.,  Quincy,  Illinois,  the
     trustee of the ESOP, may be deemed to  beneficially  own the shares held by
     the ESOP  which  have not  been  allocated  to  accounts  of  participants.
     Participants  in the ESOP are  entitled to  instruct  the trustee as to the
     voting of shares  allocated to their accounts  under the ESOP.  Unallocated
     shares held in the ESOP's suspense account or allocated shares for which no
     voting  instructions  are  received  are voted by the  trustee  in the same
     proportion as allocated shares voted by participants.

(2)  As  reported  by Charles  B.  Yates,  Craig W. Yates and AFEC  Incorporated
     ("AFEC") in a statement  as of January 30, 1998 on a Schedule 13D under the
     Exchange Act. Charles Yates reported sole voting and dispositive power over
     26,000 shares,  Craig Yates reported sole voting and dispositive power over
     20,000  shares and AFEC  reported  sole voting and  dispositive  power over
     34,000 shares.  According to the Schedule 13D, there is no shared voting or
     dispositive power with respect to any of the shares listed. Craig Yates and
     Charles  Yates are  brothers.  Craig Yates and Charles  Yates  together own
     AFEC, and serve as its Chairman and President, respectively.

(3)  Amount includes  shares held directly,  as well as shares held jointly with
     family members, shares held in retirement accounts,  5,559 shares allocated
     to the ESOP  accounts  of the group  members,  shares  held in a  fiduciary
     capacity or by certain  family  members,  with  respect to which shares the
     group members may be deemed to have sole or shared voting and/or investment
     power.  The amount  reported  above also includes  17,190 shares awarded as
     restricted  stock under the Company's 1996  Recognition  and Retention Plan
     (the  "RRP")  that have vested or will vest within 60 days of June 15, 1998
     and 42,956 shares  subject to options  currently  exercisable or which will
     become  exercisable  within  60 days of June 15,  1998,  awarded  under the
     Company's 1996 Stock Option and Incentive Plan (the "1996 Option Plan").


                       PROPOSAL I - ELECTION OF DIRECTORS


     The  Company's  Board of Directors  is  presently  composed of ten members.
Directors of the Company are generally elected to serve for a three-year term or
until their  respective  successors  shall have been elected and shall  qualify.
Approximately  one-third of the directors are elected  annually.  Each member of
the Company's Board of Directors has served on the Board since the incorporation
of the  Company in  September  1995,  except for  Directors  Robert L. Bayes and
Jeffrey P. Lopez,  M.D.,  each of whom joined the Board in November 1996, and A.
Bruce Addington, who joined the Board in April 1998.

     The following table sets forth certain information  regarding the Company's
Board of  Directors,  including  their  terms of  office  and the  nominees  for
election as directors.  It is intended  that the proxies  solicited on behalf of
the Board of  Directors  (other than proxies in which the vote is withheld as to
the  nominee)  will be voted at the  Meeting for the  election  of the  nominees
identified in the following table. If any nominee is unable to serve, the shares
represented  by all  such  proxies  will  be  voted  for  the  election  of such
substitute or substitutes as the Board of Directors may recommend. At this time,
the Board of  Directors  knows of no reason why any  nominee  might be unable to
serve,  if elected.  Except as described  herein,  there are no  arrangements or
understandings  between any director or nominee and any other person pursuant to
which such director or nominee was selected.


                                        2

<PAGE>



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                        Shares of Common
                                                                                       Stock Beneficially   Percent
                                                              Director     Term to          Owned at          of
          Name           Age(1)      Position(s) Held         Since (2)    Expire       June 15, 1998(3)     Class
          ----           ------      ----------------         ---------    ------       ----------------     -----
                                                     NOMINEES                         
<S>                        <C>                                  <C>         <C>            <C>               <C>  
C. Cyrus Reynolds          71   Chairman of the Board           1960        2001           14,191(4)         1.10%
David B. Barbour           50   President, Chief Executive      1995        2001           44,871(5)         3.42
                                Officer and Director
Jeffrey P. Lopez, M.D.     39   Director                        1996        2001            1,000            0.08

<CAPTION>
                                           DIRECTORS REMAINING IN OFFICE
<S>                        <C>                                  <C>         <C>               <C>            <C> 
Robert B. Keifer, Jr.      61   Director                        1991        1999              13,166         1.01
David A. Lang              54   Director                        1991        1999              13,166         1.01
Robert L. Bayes            54   Executive Vice President        1996        1999               5,964(6)      0.46
                                 and Director
A. Bruce Addington         44   Director                        1998        1999                 100         0.01
E.B. Gevedon, Jr.          64   Director                        1980        2000              23,166(7)      1.78
Robert A. Moyer, Jr.       52   Director                        1993        2000              13,166         1.01
John W. Clark              56   Director                        1995        2000              21,277         1.63
</TABLE>

- ----------
(1)  At March 31, 1998.

(2)  Prior to December 28, 1995, includes service as a director of Classic Bank.

(3)  Includes  shares  held  directly,  as well  as  shares  held in  retirement
     accounts,  shares  allocated  to the ESOP  accounts of certain of the named
     persons,  held by certain members of the named  individuals'  families,  or
     held by trusts of which the named  individual  is a trustee or  substantial
     beneficiary,  with  respect to which  shares the named  individuals  may be
     deemed to have sole or shared voting and/or  investment  power.  The amount
     also includes 5,290,  400 and 898 shares awarded as restricted  stock under
     the RRP, which have vested or will vest within 60 days of June 15, 1998, to
     Mr.  Barbour,  Mr.  Bayes and to each of  Messrs.  Gevedon,  Moyer,  Clark,
     Reynolds,  Keifer and Lang, respectively,  and 13,224, 2,400, 500 and 2,268
     shares  subject to options which are currently  exercisable  or will become
     exercisable  within 60 days of June 15, 1998, awarded under the 1996 Option
     Plan to Mr.  Barbour,  Mr.  Bayes  and  Mr.  Lopez  and to each of  Messrs.
     Gevedon, Moyer, Clark, Reynolds, Keifer and Lang, respectively.

(4)  Includes 1,025 shares held by Mr. Reynolds' spouse.

(5)  Includes 2,885 shares allocated to Mr. Barbour's account under the ESOP.

(6)  Includes  860 shares  held by Mr.  Bayes'  spouse and 25 shares held by Mr.
     Bayes'  child  living  with him.  (7)  Includes  10,000  shares held by Mr.
     Gevedon's spouse.

     The business  experience  of each  director of the Company for at least the
past five years is set forth below.  All directors have held their  positions at
least five years, except as otherwise  indicated.  Directors Reynolds,  Barbour,
Keifer and Gevedon also serve as directors of Classic Bank.  Directors  Barbour,
Bayes and Gevedon also serve as directors of Paintsville Bank.

     C. Cyrus Reynolds. Mr. Reynolds is Chairman of the Board of the Company and
Classic  Bank,  positions  he has held  since  September  1995  and  July  1990,
respectively.  Mr. Reynolds serves as Property Valuation  Administrator for Boyd
County,  Kentucky,  an elected office he has held since 1977. From 1960 to 1981,
Mr.  Reynolds  was the owner of  Reynolds  Insurance  Agency,  a  general  lines
insurance  agency  located in Ashland,  Kentucky.  Mr.  Reynolds is a member and
former  officer  of the  Ashland  Lions  Club and has  served on  various  state
commissions,  including  18 years of  service  as  Chairman  of the Boyd  County
Democratic  Party.  Mr.  Reynolds  has also served as  Treasurer of the Westwood
Christian Church for 40 years.

     David B. Barbour.  Mr. Barbour is the President and Chief Executive Officer
of the Company and Classic Bank,  positions he has held since September 1995 and
April 1995,  respectively.  Prior to joining  Classic Bank in March of 1995, Mr.
Barbour  served as Senior Vice  President  and Senior  Lending  Officer of First
American  Bank, a commercial  bank located in Ashland,  Kentucky  with assets of
$225 million.  As Senior Vice President and Senior Lending Officer,  Mr. Barbour
was  responsible  for the  bank's  loan  portfolio,  including  the  commercial,
consumer and real estate  lending  divisions.  Mr.  Barbour had been employed by
First  American  Bank  since 1977 and held a variety  of  management  positions,
including  Senior Vice  President and Senior  Lending  Officer  since 1989.  Mr.
Barbour holds the designation of Certified Lender, Business Banking.

     Jeffrey  P.  Lopez,  M.D.  Dr.  Lopez is  President  of  Ashland  Radiation
Oncology, Inc. and owner of Tri-State Regional Cancer Center located in Ashland,
Kentucky.  A native of  Madison,  Indiana,  Dr.  Lopez is a graduate  of Indiana
University,  obtained  his medical  degree from  Indiana  School of Medicine and
served his residency in Radiation

                                        3

<PAGE>


Oncology at the  University of Illinois.  He serves on the Board of Directors of
the Boyd County chapter of the American Cancer  Society,  a position he has held
since 1989.  He is past  President of the Boyd County  Medical  Society,  having
served two terms as President.  He is a member of the Board of Directors for the
Association  of  Free  Standing  Radiation  Oncology  Centers,  of  which  he is
currently  President,  and is Chief of the  Department  of  Specials  at  King's
Daughters' Medical Center in Ashland,  Kentucky.  Dr. Lopez is also President of
Liberty Holding Co., a real estate company in Ashland, Kentucky.

     Robert B. Keifer, Jr. Mr. Keifer is the principal of ESP, an investment
consulting firm based in Ashland, Kentucky, a position he has held since 1992.
From 1992 to 1994, Mr. Keifer also served as a consultant to Equal Opportunity
Finance, a minority small business investment company. Mr. Keifer is a retired
group vice-president of Ashland Petroleum Company, an operating division of
Ashland, Inc., where he was employed from 1966 to 1992. Mr. Keifer also serves
on the Board of Directors of Community Hospice.

     David A. Lang. Mr. Lang is Kentucky Region  Director for American  Electric
Power, a position he has held since January 1996.  Prior to such time, he was an
Electrical Systems Director for Kentucky Power Company, a subsidiary of American
Electric Power  Company,  a position he held from July 1995 to January 1996. Mr.
Lang has been  employed  by  American  Electric  Power since 1965 and has held a
variety of positions,  including Executive Assistant from May 1990 to June 1995.
Mr. Lang is a Registered  Professional Engineer in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
Mr.  Lang is also a director  of the  Chamber of  Commerce  of Boyd and  Greenup
Counties and co-chair of the Conference Board's USA Quality Council V.

     Robert L. Bayes.  Mr.  Bayes is  currently  President  and Chief  Executive
Officer of Paintsville  Bank and Executive  Vice  President of the Company.  Mr.
Bayes  previously  served as President of Paintsville  Bank beginning in 1983. A
Certified Public Accountant,  Mr. Bayes holds a B.S. in Business  Administration
from Berea College,  attended  graduate school at the University of Kentucky and
holds a graduate  banking  degree  from  Stonier  Graduate  School of Banking at
Rutgers University. Mr. Bayes is a member of the American Institute of CPA's and
Kentucky Society of CPA's, a director of the Paintsville/Johnson  County Chamber
of  Commerce  and  Chairman  of  the  Mayo  State  Vocational-Technical   School
Foundation.  Mr.  Bayes is also a member of the Mayo State  Vocational-Technical
School Advisory Committee.

     A. Bruce  Addington.  Mr. Addington was appointed to the Board of Directors
of the Company in April 1998.  Mr.  Addington  is Vice  President  of  Addington
Enterprises,  Inc., and co-founder and Secretary of Addington Exploration,  Inc.
and part owner of Belize  River  Fruit.  Addington  Enterprises,  Inc. is a coal
mining company  headquartered  in Ashland,  Kentucky with  operations in Eastern
Kentucky and Tennessee.  Addington  Exploration,  Inc. is an oil and gas company
involved in exploration, production and sales.

     Everett B. Gevedon, Jr. Mr. Gevedon has served as real estate consultant to
corporations  and individuals  throughout the eastern United States for the past
16  years.  Prior to such  time,  he was a general  real  estate  appraiser  and
involved in real estate sales.

     Robert A. Moyer,  Jr. Mr. Moyer is Chairman and Chief Executive  Officer of
RAM Technologies,  Inc., an Ashland, Kentucky based multi-faceted communications
and  technology  company.  Mr. Moyer has held this position since he founded the
company in 1976.

     John W. Clark. Mr. Clark has been the President and Chief Executive Officer
of John W. Clark Oil Co.,  a company  engaged  in the  distribution  and sale of
petroleum  products  since its founding in 1970.  In  addition,  he has been the
President of JRB, Inc., a common carrier trucking company,  since 1977;  Clark's
Pump N Stop, a convenience store, since 1978; B.J. Aviation, an airplane leasing
company,  since 1990; and John W. Clark  Enterprises,  a real estate development
and holding company, since 1987.

Board of Directors' Meetings and Committees

     Meetings  of the  Company's  Board of  Directors  are  generally  held on a
monthly basis. The Board of Directors of the Company held 13 meetings during the
fiscal year ended March 31, 1998. No incumbent  director attended fewer than 75%
of the  total  number of  meetings  held by the  Board of  Directors  and by all
committees of the Board of Directors on which he served during the fiscal year.


                                        4

<PAGE>



     The Board of  Directors  of the  Company  has  standing  Executive,  Audit,
Compensation and Nominating Committees.

     The Executive Committee is comprised of Directors Reynolds, Barbour, Keifer
and  Gevedon.  This  committee  meets on an as  needed  basis to act on  matters
arising between Board meetings. This committee did not meet during fiscal 1998.

     The Audit  Committee  reviews audit  reports and related  matters to ensure
effective compliance with regulations and internal policies and procedures. This
committee also acts on the recommendation by management of an accounting firm to
perform the  Company's  annual audit and acts as a liaison  between the auditors
and the  Board.  Directors  Keifer,  Reynolds,  Lang and Lopez  are the  current
members of this committee. The committee met four times during fiscal 1998.

     The Compensation  Committee establishes the Company's compensation policies
and reviews  compensation  matters and  administers  the  Company's  stock-based
plans. The current members of this Committee are Directors Moyer, Lang, Reynolds
and Clark. The committee held four meetings during fiscal 1998.

     The Nominating Committee meets annually in order to nominate candidates for
membership  on the Board of  Directors.  This  committee is comprised of members
selected by the Chairman.  This committee did not meet during fiscal 1998 as its
function  was  performed by the entire  Board of  Directors.  While the Board of
Directors will consider nominees recommended by stockholders,  the Committee has
not actively solicited such nominations.

Director Compensation

     Director Fees. During fiscal 1998, each non-employee  director of the Board
of Directors of the Company received a monthly fee of $200.  During fiscal 1998,
each  non-employee  director of Classic Bank  received a monthly fee of $400 and
the  Chairman of the Board of Classic  Bank  received an  additional  $2,100 per
quarter.  Each  director  of  Paintsville  Bank  who  was  not  an  employee  of
Paintsville  Bank  (including  Mr.  Barbour) also received a monthly fee of $400
during fiscal 1998. Directors did not receive any additional compensation during
fiscal 1998 for committee meetings attended.

         For  fiscal  1999,  the  monthly  fees for  service  on the  Boards  of
Directors of the Company,  Classic Bank and Paintsville  Bank are $600, $250 and
$400, respectively.  For fiscal 1999, directors of Classic Bank also receive $50
for each committee meeting attended.  Directors of the Company who also serve as
directors of Classic Bank do not receive  compensation  for their service on the
Classic  Bank  Board.  Effective  April  1998,  for his service as a director of
Paintsville Bank, Mr. Barbour receives a salary of $668 per month.

     Retirement Plan. Classic Bank maintains a Director  Retirement Plan for the
benefit of Classic  Bank's  outside  directors.  This plan provides a retirement
benefit equal to one-half of the monthly  compensation paid to current directors
for a period not to exceed  the  earlier of the number of months of service as a
director or his death. A director must have served on the Board of Directors for
a minimum of ten years and until age 65 in order to participate in the plan. For
the fiscal year ended March 31, 1998,  Classic Bank's  contribution to this plan
totaled $16,423.


                                        5

<PAGE>


Executive Compensation

         The Company has not paid any  compensation  to its  executive  officers
since its formation.  The following table sets forth information  concerning the
compensation  paid or accrued  by  Classic  Bank for  services  rendered  by the
Company's and Classic Bank's President and Chief Executive Officer. No executive
officer of the Company had aggregate  compensation (salary plus bonus) in excess
of $100,000 during fiscal 1998.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
====================================================================================================================================
                                                     SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE
====================================================================================================================================
                                                                                         Long-Term Compensation
                                                                                     ----------------------------
                                                    Annual Compensation                   Awards         Payouts
                                              ---------------------------------     -------------------  -------
                                                                   Other Annual     Restricted  Options/   LTIP
                                    Fiscal     Salary      Bonus   Compensation       Stock       SARs    Payouts      All Other
    Name and Principal Position      Year       ($)         ($)        ($)           Award($)     (#)       ($)     Compensation($)
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                  <C>       <C>        <C>          <C>                                           <C>          
  David B. Barbour, President and    1998      $98,000    $17,981      (1)               ---      ---       ---      $78,692.00(3)
   Chief Executive Officer and       1997       96,632        ---      (1)         142,995(2)  33,062       ---       63,340.38(3)
   Director                          1996       83,743        ---      (1)               ---      ---       ---       39,564.18(3)
                                                                       
====================================================================================================================================
</TABLE>

- ----------------
(1)  Mr. Barbour has not received any additional  benefits or perquisites which,
     in the  aggregate,  have  exceeded  10% of both  his  salary  and  bonus or
     $50,000.

(2)  Represents  the dollar value of 13,225 shares of  restricted  stock awarded
     under the RRP, based on the $10.8125  closing price per share of the Common
     Stock on the Nasdaq Stock Market on July 29, 1996, the date of grant. Based
     on the $20.00  closing  price per share of the  Common  Stock on the Nasdaq
     Stock Market on March 31, 1998, the aggregate value of the 10,580 shares of
     restricted stock held by Mr. Barbour as of that date was $211,600.

(3)  Includes,  for 1998, 1997 and 1996,  respectively,  country club membership
     fees of $0,  $2,040  and  $2,040  paid by  Classic  Bank on  behalf  of Mr.
     Barbour,   contributions  made  pursuant  to  the  Supplemental   Executive
     Retirement  Agreement  between  Classic  Bank and Mr.  Barbour of  $10,166,
     $11,057 and $17,931,  Classic Bank's  contribution to Mr. Barbour's account
     under the ESOP of 2,885,  3,161 and 1,726 shares of Common Stock based upon
     per share  market  values of $20.00,  $13.375 and $11.13 on March 31, 1998,
     1997 and 1996 and life insurance premiums paid by Classic Bank on behalf of
     Mr.  Barbour of $6,026,  $5,565  and $383.  Amounts  for 1998 and 1997 also
     include  $4,800 and $2,400,  respectively,  in fees received by Mr. Barbour
     for his service as a director of Paintsville Bank.


         The following table provides  information as to stock options exercised
by the President and Chief Executive  Officer during the fiscal year ended March
31, 1998, and the value of the options held by the President and Chief Executive
Officer on March 31, 1998.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
===================================================================================================================
                                     AGGREGATED OPTION EXERCISES IN LAST FISCAL YEAR AND FY-END
                                                            OPTION VALUES
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Number of
                                                            Securities                         Value of
                                                            Underlying                       Unexercised
                                                            Unexercised                      In-the-Money
                                                            Options at                       Options at
                                                             FY-End (#)                       FY-End ($)
                             Shares                  --------------------------------------------------------------
         Name               Acquired       Value
                           on Exercise    Realized   Exercisable    Unexercisable    Exercisable      Unexercisable
                              (#)           ($)          (#)             (#)             ($)              ($)(1)
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                           <C>          <C>          <C>             <C>            <C>               <C>     
David B. Barbour              ---          $ ---        6,612           26,450         $60,748           $243,009

===================================================================================================================
</TABLE>

(1)  Represents  the  aggregate  market value  (market price of the Common Stock
     less the exercise price) of the options held based upon the exercise prices
     of the option  ($10.8125  per share)  and the  closing  price of $20.00 per
     share of the Common  Stock as reported on the Nasdaq  Stock Market on March
     31, 1998.


                                        6

<PAGE>


Employment Agreement

     Classic  Bank has entered into an  employment  agreement  with Mr.  Barbour
providing for an initial term of three years.  The employment  agreement  became
effective upon completion of Classic Bank's conversion from mutual to stock form
and provides for an annual base salary in an amount not less than Mr.  Barbour's
then-current  salary  and  provides  for  an  annual  extension  subject  to the
performance of an annual formal evaluation by disinterested members of the Board
of Directors of Classic Bank. The agreement also provides for  termination  upon
the  employee's  death,  for  cause  or  in  certain  events  specified  by  the
regulations of the Office of Thrift  Supervision.  The  employment  agreement is
also terminable by Mr. Barbour upon 90 days' notice to Classic Bank.

     The  employment  agreement  provides  for  payment to  President  and Chief
Executive  Officer  Barbour of an amount equal to 299% of his five-year  average
base compensation,  where employment involuntarily terminates in connection with
a "change in control" of Classic Bank or within twelve months thereafter. If the
employment  of Mr.  Barbour  had been  terminated  as of March  31,  1998  under
circumstances  entitling him to severance pay as described  above, he would have
been entitled to receive a lump sum cash payment of approximately  $277,000. The
agreement  also  provides  for the  continued  payment of Mr.  Barbour's  health
benefits  for the  remainder  of the  term of his  contract  in the  event he is
involuntarily terminated in the event of change in control.

Supplemental Executive Retirement Agreement

     Classic Bank entered into a non-qualified Supplemental Executive Retirement
Agreement (the "Agreement") with Mr. Barbour which provides for the payment of a
monthly  supplemental  retirement  benefit  equal  to up to 24%  of his  average
monthly  compensation  during  the  three  highest  12-month  periods  prior  to
retirement.  Such benefit shall be payable upon normal  retirement at age 65 or,
under certain  circumstances,  after age 55 if his termination is without cause.
Upon the employee's  death,  50% of the amount payable under the Agreement shall
be payable to his spouse until her death. The amount contributed by Classic Bank
pursuant to the  Agreement  on behalf of Mr.  Barbour is included in the Summary
Compensation Table.

Certain Transactions

     Classic  Bank and  Paintsville  Bank follow  policies of granting  loans to
their  respective  (and the Company's)  directors,  officers and employees.  The
loans by Classic Bank and Paintsville  Bank to executive  officers and directors
are made in the ordinary course of business and on the same terms and conditions
as those of comparable  transactions  prevailing at the time, in accordance with
each institution's  respective  underwriting  guidelines and do not involve more
than the normal risk of collectibility  or present other  unfavorable  features.
Federal law requires that all loans to directors and executive  officers be made
on terms and  conditions  comparable  to those  for  similar  transactions  with
non-affiliates.  Loans by Classic Bank and Paintsville Bank to all of their (and
the Company's) respective directors and executive officers and the associates of
such  directors  and  executive  officers,  including  outstanding  balances and
commitments,  totaled  $4.7  million at March 31,  1998,  which was 23.5% of the
Company's  stockholders'  equity at that date. At March 31, 1998,  there were no
loans by Classic Bank or Paintsville  Bank to any director or executive  officer
(or any  affiliate of such  director or executive  officer) of the Company or of
Classic Bank or Paintsville  Bank, made at preferential  rates or terms which in
the aggregate exceeded $60,000 during the two years ended March 31, 1998.

             SECTION 16(a) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCE

     Section  16(a) of the Exchange Act requires  the  Company's  directors  and
executive  officers,  and persons who own more than 10% of a registered class of
the  Company's  equity  securities,  to file  with the SEC  initial  reports  of
ownership  and reports of changes in  ownership of Common Stock and other equity
securities of the Company. Officers, directors and greater than 10% stockholders
are  required  by SEC  regulations  to furnish  the  Company  with copies of all
Section 16(a) forms they file.

     To the Company's knowledge,  based solely on a review of the copies of such
reports  furnished  to the  Company and  written  representations  that no other
reports were required,  during the fiscal year ended March 31, 1998, all Section
16(a) filing requirements applicable to its officers, directors and greater than
10 percent beneficial owners were met.


                                        7

<PAGE>


              PROPOSAL II--APPROVAL OF THE CLASSIC BANCSHARES, INC.
                   1998 PREMIUM PRICE STOCK OPTION GROWTH PLAN

     The Company's Board of Directors has adopted the Classic  Bancshares,  Inc.
1998 Premium Price Stock Option  Growth Plan (the "Stock  Option Growth  Plan"),
subject to approval by the  Company's  stockholders  at the  Meeting.  Under the
terms of the Stock Option Growth Plan,  the exercise  price of a stock option or
Right (as defined  below) must equal at least 110% of the market value per share
of the Common Stock as of the date of grant of such option or Right.

     The purpose of the Stock  Option  Growth  Plan is to promote the  long-term
interests  of the  Company and its  stockholders  by  providing  a flexible  and
comprehensive means for attracting and retaining directors,  advisory directors,
directors  emeriti,  officers  and  employees  of the Company and its  corporate
affiliates.

     At June 15,  1998,  of the 132,500  shares of Common  Stock  available  for
awards under the Company's 1996 Option Plan, only 5,976 shares remained. Without
approval of the Stock  Option  Growth  Plan,  the Company will soon be unable to
award any additional stock options,  which the Board of Directors believes is an
essential form of  compensation  to attract and retain  directors,  officers and
employees. The Board of Directors further believes that the Company's ability to
acquire  other  companies  may be severely  impaired if the Company is unable to
award stock options to the key executives and employees of such other companies.
Accordingly, the Board of Directors unanimously recommends approval of the Stock
Option Growth Plan by the Company's stockholders.

     The complete text of the Stock Option Growth Plan is attached as Appendix A
to this Proxy Statement.  The principal features of the Stock Option Growth Plan
are summarized below.

General

     The Stock  Option  Growth  Plan  provides  for  awards in the form of stock
options,  stock  appreciation  rights  ("SARs") and limited  stock  appreciation
rights ("Limited SARs" and together with SARs, "Rights"). Each award shall be on
such terms and conditions,  consistent with the Stock Option Growth Plan, as the
committee administering the Stock Option Growth Plan may determine.

     The maximum  number of shares of Common  Stock with respect to which awards
may be made under the Stock  Option  Growth  Plan is 50,000  shares,  subject to
adjustment  as described  below.  See "Effect of Merger and Other  Adjustments."
Shares of Common Stock  subject to an award under the Stock  Option  Growth Plan
may be either  authorized but unissued  shares or reacquired  shares held by the
Company in its  treasury.  Any shares  subject to an award  which  expires or is
terminated  unexercised  will again be available  for  issuance  under the Stock
Option Growth Plan.

Administration

     The  Stock  Option  Growth  Plan  is   administered  by  a  committee  (the
"Committee")  of two or  more  members,  each of  whom  must be a  "Non-Employee
Director" (as defined in the Stock Option Growth Plan). The Committee  generally
has sole and complete  authority and discretion to: (i) select  participants and
grant  awards;  (ii)  determine  the  number of shares to be subject to types of
awards generally, as well as to individual awards granted under the Stock Option
Growth Plan; (iii) determine the terms and conditions upon which awards shall be
granted under the Stock Option Growth Plan; (iv) prescribe the form and terms of
instruments  evidencing  such  grants;  and  (v)  establish  from  time  to time
regulations for the  administration  of the Stock Option Growth Plan,  interpret
the Stock Option Growth Plan, and make all  determinations  deemed  necessary or
advisable for the administration of the Stock Option Growth Plan.

Eligibility

     Any director,  advisory director, director emeritus, officer or employee of
the Company or any corporate affiliate thereof is eligible to participate in the
Stock Option Growth Plan,  which currently  includes  approximately  75 persons.
Participants  will be  selected by the  Committee  based on their  capacity  for
contributing  to the  successful  performance  of the  Company or its  corporate
affiliates.


                                        8

<PAGE>


Award Descriptions

     The  Stock  Option  Growth  Plan  authorizes  the  Committee  to grant  the
following awards:

     Stock Options.  The Committee may grant either "Incentive Stock Options" as
defined under Section 422 of the Internal  Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the
"Code") or stock  options not intended to qualify as such  ("NonQualified  Stock
Options").  Incentive  Stock  Options may be granted  only to  employees  of the
Company and its corporate affiliates.

     The term of a stock option  granted  under the Stock Option Growth Plan may
not  exceed 10 years  from the date of  grant.  The term of an  Incentive  Stock
Option granted to any individual  owning stock  possessing more than ten percent
of the total  combined  voting  power of all classes of stock of the Company and
its corporate affiliates may not exceed five years from the date of grant.

     The exercise price and the manner,  time and rate of exercise of each stock
option are determined by the Committee, provided that the exercise price may not
be less than 110% of the market  value per share of the Common Stock on the date
of grant of the option. The exercise price may be paid in cash, shares of Common
Stock or a combination of both.

     Stock Appreciation  Rights. The Committee is authorized to award SARs, each
of which,  upon exercise  thereof,  will entitle the holder thereof to receive a
number  of  shares  of Common  Stock or cash or a  combination  thereof,  as the
Committee shall  determine,  the aggregate value of which shall equal (as nearly
as possible)  the amount by which the market value per share of the Common Stock
on the date of exercise exceeds the exercise price of the SAR, multiplied by the
number of shares of Common Stock  underlying the SAR. A SAR may be related to an
option or granted independently of an option.

     The term of a SAR may not  exceed  ten years  from the date of  grant.  The
Committee  will  determine the exercise  price and the manner,  time and rate of
exercise of each SAR,  provided that (i) the exercise price may not be less than
110% of the market  value per share of the Common Stock on the date of grant and
(ii) an option related to a SAR which is an Incentive  Stock Option must satisfy
all  requirements  pertaining  to Incentive  Stock  Options.  SARs are generally
exercisable  to the same  extent  and in the same  manner as stock  options,  as
described above.

     Limited SARs. At the time of grant of an option or SAR to any  participant,
the Committee may also grant to such  participant a Limited SAR which is related
to such option or SAR. A Limited SAR will be exercisable  only during the period
beginning on the first day following and ending on the forty-fifth day following
the  expiration  date of any tender or  exchange  offer for shares of the Common
Stock, other than by the Company,  whereby 25% or more of the outstanding shares
are  acquired in that offer or any other offer which  expires  within 60 days of
that offer. The amount paid upon exercise of a Limited SAR will be the excess of
either  (a) the  market  value  per  share  of the  Common  Stock on the date of
exercise,  or (b) the highest  price per share paid  pursuant  to the offer,  as
provided  by the  Committee  in its  discretion  at the time of grant,  over the
exercise  price of the Limited SAR.  Payment upon exercise of a Limited SAR will
be in cash. Upon exercise of a Limited SAR, any related option or SAR will cease
to be  exercisable to the extent of the shares with respect to which the Limited
SAR was exercised.

     As with stock options and SARs, the exercise price of a Limited SAR may not
be less than 110% of the market  value per share of the Common Stock on the date
of grant and the term of a Limited SAR may not exceed ten years from the date of
grant.  An option  related to a Limited SAR which is an  Incentive  Stock Option
must satisfy all requirements pertaining to Incentive Stock Options.

Termination of Service

     Unless  the  Committee  provides  otherwise  in the  applicable  instrument
evidencing  the  grant,  in  the  event  of  the  cessation  of a  participant's
"continuous service" (as defined in the Stock Option Growth Plan) to the Company
or an  affiliate  thereof  at a  time  when  the  participant  is  eligible  for
"retirement" (as defined in the Company's  Employee Stock Ownership Plan"),  the
participant  may  exercise  an  option  or  Right  theretofore  granted  to such
participant  within  a  period  of two  years  from  the  date of  cessation  of
continuous  service to the extent  the  option or Right was  exercisable  by the
participant  at the date of such cessation (but in no event after the expiration
date of the award). In the event of the cessation of a participant's  continuous
service due to death or disability, then unless the Committee provides otherwise
in the  applicable  instrument  evidencing  the grant,  all  Rights and  options
theretofore granted to the participant and not

                                        9

<PAGE>


fully exercisable  shall become  exercisable in full upon the occurrence of such
event and shall remain so exercisable  for a period of two years  following such
date (but in the case of the  participant's  death,  in no event  later than ten
years from the date of grant of such option or Right). If the continuous service
of a participant  is terminated  for any reason other than death,  disability or
after  becoming  eligible for  retirement,  all rights under any option or Right
held by such participant will expire immediately upon the effective date of such
termination.

     In the event of the death of a participant while in continuous service with
the Company or any corporate  affiliate  thereof,  or within the two year period
following  cessation  of  continuous  service  due to  disability  or while  the
participant  is  eligible  for  retirement,   an  exercisable  option  or  Right
theretofore  awarded to the participant  will continue to be exercisable for two
years,  to the extent  exercisable by the participant  immediately  prior to his
death, but in no event later than ten years after grant.  Following the death of
any participant,  the Committee may, as an alternative means of settlement of an
option,  elect to pay to the person to whom the option has been  transferred  an
amount  of cash  equal to the  amount by which the  market  value of the  shares
covered by the option on the date of  exercise  exceeds the  aggregate  exercise
price.

Transferability of Awards

     An Incentive Stock Option awarded under the Stock Option Growth Plan may be
transferred  only upon the death of the participant to whom it has been granted,
by will or by the laws of  inheritance.  An award other than an Incentive  Stock
Option may be transferred  upon the death of the participant by will or the laws
of inheritance or during the lifetime of the  participant to whom it was awarded
pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order.

Effect of Merger and Other Adjustments

     Shares as to which  awards may be  granted  under the Stock  Option  Growth
Plan,  and shares then subject to awards,  will be adjusted by the  Committee in
the event of any merger, consolidation, reorganization,  recapitalization, stock
dividend, stock split or other change in the corporate structure of the Company.

     In the case of any merger, consolidation or combination of the Company with
or into another  company or other entity,  whereby either the Company is not the
continuing entity or its outstanding  shares are converted into or exchanged for
different securities,  cash or property, or any combination thereof, pursuant to
a plan or agreement the terms of which are binding upon all  stockholders of the
Company  (except to the extent that dissenting  stockholders  may be entitled to
receive the appraised or fair value of their holdings under applicable law), any
participant to whom a stock option or Right has been granted will have the right
(subject to other  provisions  of the Stock Option Growth Plan) upon exercise of
the option or Right to an amount equal to the excess of the fair market value on
the  date  of  exercise  of  the   consideration   receivable   in  the  merger,
consolidation  or combination in respect of the shares covered or represented by
the  stock  option  or Right  over the  exercise  price of the  option  or Right
multiplied by the number of shares with respect to which the option or Right has
been  exercised.   Such  amount  may  be  payable  in  (i)  cash,  (ii)  in  the
consideration receivable in the merger, consolidation or combination or (iii) in
a combination thereof, all in the discretion of the Committee.

     In  addition,  in the event of a tender  or  exchange  offer for  shares of
Common Stock  (other than an offer made by the Company or an affiliate  thereof)
or if stockholders  of the Company  approve a transaction  pursuant to which the
Company  will cease to be an  independent  publicly-owned  entity or pursuant to
which  substantially  all of its assets will be sold, unless the Committee shall
have otherwise provided in the applicable award agreement, all outstanding stock
options  and SARs not fully  exercisable  will  become  exercisable  in full and
remain  so for a period  of 60 days,  after  which  they  will  revert  to being
exercisable  in  accordance  with their terms.  However,  no stock option or SAR
previously exercised or terminated shall be exercisable.

Amendment and Termination

     The Board of  Directors  of the Company  may at any time amend,  suspend or
terminate  the Stock  Option  Growth  Plan or any  portion  thereof  but may not
(except  for  adjustments  upon  certain  changes in the  capitalization  of the
Company),  without the prior  approval of the Company's  stockholders,  make any
amendment  which would (i)  increase  the  aggregate  number of shares of Common
Stock which may be awarded under the Stock Option Growth Plan,  (ii)  materially
increase the benefits  accruing to  participants;  (iii)  materially  change the
requirements  as to  eligibility  for  participation  in the Stock Option Growth
Plan; or (iv) change the class of persons eligible to participate in the Stock

                                       10

<PAGE>


Option Growth Plan. Unless sooner terminated, the Stock Option Growth Plan shall
continue in effect for a term of ten years,  commencing upon its ratification by
the Company's stockholders.

Federal Income Tax Consequences

     Under present federal income tax laws, awards under the Stock Option Growth
Plan will have the following consequences:

     (1)  The  grant  of an  award  will  neither,  by  itself,  result  in  the
recognition  of taxable income to the  participant  nor entitle the Company to a
deduction at the time of such grant.

     (2) The exercise of a stock option which is an Incentive  Stock Option will
generally  not, by itself,  result in the  recognition  of taxable income to the
participant nor entitle the Company to a deduction at the time of such exercise.
However,  the difference between the exercise price and the fair market value of
the option  shares on the date of  exercise is an item of tax  preference  which
may, in certain situations, trigger the alternative minimum tax. The alternative
minimum tax applies  only when it exceeds the regular  income tax. If the shares
acquired  upon  exercise of an Incentive  Stock Option are not held for at least
one year after transfer of such shares to the participant or two years after the
grant of the Incentive Stock Option,  whichever is later,  the participant  will
recognize  ordinary  income or loss upon  disposition of the shares in an amount
equal to the difference  between the exercise price and the fair market value of
the  shares on the date of  exercise  of the  option.  Upon  such an event,  the
Company will be entitled to a corresponding  deduction in the amount of ordinary
income,  if any,  recognized by the participant,  provided the Company meets its
federal tax  withholding  obligations.  The  participant  will also  recognize a
capital gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference,  if any,  between the
sale price and the fair  market  value of the shares on the date of  exercise of
the Incentive Stock Option;  such capital gain or loss will be  characterized as
long-term  if the  shares  were  held for more  than one year  after the date of
exercise. The Company will not be entitled to a corresponding deduction for such
capital  gain or loss.  If the shares are held by the  participant  for one year
after the Incentive  Stock Option is exercised and two years after the Incentive
Stock Option was granted,  the participant will recognize a capital gain or loss
upon disposition of the shares in an amount equal to the difference  between the
sale  price and the  exercise  price.  The  Company  will not be  entitled  to a
corresponding  deduction for such capital gain or loss.  Long term capital gains
for shares held between one year and 18 months are currently  taxed at a maximum
rate of 28%.  Shares  held for longer  than 18 months are  currently  taxed at a
maximum rate of 20%.

     (3) The  exercise  of a  Non-Qualified  Stock  Option  will  result  in the
recognition of ordinary  income by the participant on the date of exercise in an
amount equal to the  difference  between the exercise  price and the fair market
value  on  the  date  of  exercise  of  the  shares  acquired  pursuant  to  the
Non-Qualified  Stock  Option.  The Company  will be allowed a  deduction  in the
amount of any ordinary income  recognized by the participant  upon exercise of a
NonQualified   Stock  Option,   provided  the  Company  meets  its  federal  tax
withholding  obligations.  Upon sale of the shares  acquired  upon exercise of a
Non-Qualified  Stock Option,  any  appreciation or depreciation in value of such
shares from the time of exercise  will  result in the  recognition  of a capital
gain  or  loss  by the  participant.  The  Company  will  not be  entitled  to a
corresponding deduction for such capital gain or loss. Such capital gain or loss
will be long-term  capital gain or loss if the  participant  held the shares for
more than one year following exercise of the Non-Qualified Stock Option.

     (4) The  exercise  of a Right will  result in the  recognition  of ordinary
income by the  participant on the date of exercise in an amount of cash,  and/or
the fair  market  value on that date of the  shares,  acquired  pursuant  to the
exercise.  Upon such an event,  the Company will be entitled to a  corresponding
deduction  in  the  amount  of  ordinary  income,  if  any,  recognized  by  the
participant, provided the Company meets its federal tax withholding obligations.

Awards Under the Stock Option Growth Plan

         No awards have been made under the Stock Option Growth Plan.

     THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS  RECOMMENDS THAT STOCKHOLDERS VOTE "FOR" APPROVAL OF
THE STOCK OPTION GROWTH PLAN.


                                       11

<PAGE>


             PROPOSAL III - RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT OF AUDITORS


     The Board of Directors of the Company has appointed Smith, Goolsby, Artis &
Reams,  P.S.C.,  independent  accountants,  to be the Company's auditors for the
fiscal year ending March 31, 1999.  Representatives of Smith,  Goolsby,  Artis &
Reams,  P.S.C.  are  expected  to attend the  Meeting to respond to  appropriate
questions and to make a statement if they so desire.

     THE  BOARD  OF  DIRECTORS  RECOMMENDS  THAT  STOCKHOLDERS  VOTE  "FOR"  THE
RATIFICATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF SMITH, GOOLSBY,  ARTIS & REAMS, P.S.C. AS THE
COMPANY'S AUDITORS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING MARCH 31, 1999.

                              STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS

     In order to be eligible for inclusion in the Company's  proxy materials for
the next annual meeting of stockholders, any stockholder proposal to take action
at  such  meeting  must be  received  at the  Company's  office  located  at 344
Seventeenth  Street,  Ashland,  Kentucky 41101, no later than February 26, 1999.
Any such  proposal  shall be  subject  to the  requirements  of the proxy  rules
adopted under the Exchange Act.

                                  OTHER MATTERS

     The Board of  Directors  is not aware of any  business  to come  before the
Meeting  other  than those  matters  described  above in this  Proxy  Statement.
However,  if any other matter  should  properly  come before the Meeting,  it is
intended  that  holders of the proxies  will act in  accordance  with their best
judgment.

     The cost of  solicitation  of  proxies  will be borne by the  Company.  The
Company  will  reimburse  brokerage  firms and other  custodians,  nominees  and
fiduciaries for reasonable  expenses incurred by them in sending proxy materials
to the beneficial  owners of Common Stock.  In addition to solicitation by mail,
directors,  officers  and regular  employees  of the  Company,  Classic  Bank or
Paintsville  Bank may solicit  proxies  personally  or by telegraph or telephone
without additional compensation.  The Company has retained Regan & Associates to
assist in the  solicitation  of  proxies  for a fee of $2,750,  plus  reasonable
out-of-pocket expenses not to exceed $1,250.


Ashland, Kentucky
June 26, 1998

                                       12

<PAGE>


                                                                      APPENDIX A

                            CLASSIC BANCSHARES, INC.

                   1998 PREMIUM PRICE STOCK OPTION GROWTH PLAN


     1. Plan  Purpose.  The  purpose  of the Plan is to  promote  the  long-term
interests  of the  Corporation  and its  stockholders  by  providing a means for
attracting  and retaining  directors,  advisory  directors,  directors  emeriti,
officers and employees of the  Corporation  and its  Affiliates.  It is intended
that  designated  Options  granted  pursuant to the  provisions  of this Plan to
persons  employed by the Corporation or its Affiliates will qualify as Incentive
Stock  Options.  Options  granted  to  persons  who  are not  employees  will be
Non-Qualified Stock Options.

     2. Definitions. The following definitions are applicable to the Plan:

     "Affiliate" - means any "parent corporation" or "subsidiary corporation" of
the  Corporation,  as  such  terms  are  defined  in  Section  424(e)  and  (f),
respectively, of the Code.

     "Award" - means the grant of an Incentive  Stock  Option,  a  Non-Qualified
Stock Option, a Stock Appreciation  Right, a Limited Stock Appreciation Right or
any combination thereof, as provided in the Plan.

     "Code" - means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

     "Committee" - means the Committee referred to in Section 3 hereof.

     "Continuous Service" - means the absence of any interruption or termination
of service as a  director,  advisory  director,  director  emeritus,  officer or
employee of the Corporation or an Affiliate,  except that when used with respect
to any  Options  or Rights  which at the time of  exercise  are  intended  to be
Incentive   Stock  Options,   Continuous   Service  means  the  absence  of  any
interruption  or termination of service as an employee of the  Corporation or an
Affiliate.  Service  shall  not be  considered  interrupted  in the case of sick
leave,  military leave or any other leave of absence approved by the Corporation
or in the case of transfers  between  payroll  locations of the  Corporation  or
between the Corporation,  its parent,  its  subsidiaries or its successor.  With
respect to any advisory director or director emeritus,  Continuous Service shall
mean availability to perform such functions as may be required of such persons.

     "Corporation" - means Classic Bancshares, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

     "Employee" - means any person,  including  an officer or  director,  who is
employed by the Corporation or any Affiliate.

     "ERISA" - means the Employee  Retirement  Income  Security Act of 1974,  as
amended.

     "Exercise Price" - means (i) in the case of an Option,  the price per Share
at which the Shares  subject to such Option may be  purchased  upon  exercise of
such Option and (ii) in the case of a


<PAGE>


Right, the price per Share (other than the Market Value per Share on the date of
exercise  and the Offer Price per Share as defined in Section 10 hereof)  which,
upon grant,  the  Committee  determines  shall be utilized  in  calculating  the
aggregate  value which a  Participant  shall be entitled to receive  pursuant to
Sections 9, 10 or 12 hereof  upon  exercise  of such  Right.  In all cases,  the
Exercise  Price of an Option or Right  shall  equal at least  110% of the Market
Value  of the  Shares  subject  to such  Option  or  Right  on the date of grant
thereof.

     "Incentive  Stock Option" - means an option to purchase  Shares  granted by
the Committee  pursuant to Section 6 hereof which is subject to the  limitations
and  restrictions  of Section 8 hereof and is intended to qualify  under Section
422(b) of the Code.

     "Limited Stock Appreciation  Right" - means a stock appreciation right with
respect to Shares granted by the Committee pursuant to Sections 6 and 10 hereof.

     "Market  Value" - means the average of the high and low quoted  sales price
on the date in question  (or, if there is no reported  sale on such date, on the
last  preceding  date on which any  reported  sale  occurred)  of a Share on the
Composite  Tape for the New York Stock  Exchange-Listed  Stocks,  or, if on such
date the  Shares  are not quoted on the  Composite  Tape,  on the New York Stock
Exchange,  or, if the  Shares  are not  listed or  admitted  to  trading on such
Exchange,  on the principal United States securities  exchange  registered under
the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934 on which the Shares are listed or admitted
to trading,  or, if the Shares are not listed or admitted to trading on any such
exchange,  the mean between the closing high bid and low asked  quotations  with
respect to a Share on such date on the NASDAQ System, or any similar system then
in use, or, if no such  quotations are available,  the fair market value on such
date of a Share as the Committee shall determine.

     "Non-Employee  Director"  - means a  director  who a) is not  currently  an
officer or  employee  of the  Corporation;  b) is not a former  employee  of the
Corporation  who receives  compensation  for prior  services  (other than from a
tax-qualified  retirement  plan); c) has not been an officer of the Corporation;
d) does not receive remuneration from the Corporation in any capacity other than
as a  director,  except  "De  Minimis  Remuneration"  as  defined  in the  rules
promulgated  pursuant to Section  162(m) of the Code; and e) does not possess an
interest in any other transactions or is not engaged in a business  relationship
for which  disclosure  would be required  under Item 404(a) or (b) of Regulation
S-K.

     "Non-Qualified  Stock Option" - means an option to purchase  Shares granted
by the  Committee  pursuant to Section 6 hereof which is not intended to qualify
under Section 422(b) of the Code.

     "Option" - means an Incentive Stock Option or a Non-Qualified Stock Option.

     "Participant" - means any director,  advisory director,  director emeritus,
officer or employee of the  Corporation  or any Affiliate who is selected by the
Committee to receive an Award.

     "Plan" - means the 1998  Premium  Price  Stock  Option  Growth  Plan of the
Corporation.


                                      A-2

<PAGE>


     "Related"  - means (i) in the case of a Right,  a Right which is granted in
connection with, and to the extent exercisable, in whole or in part, in lieu of,
an Option or  another  Right and (ii) in the case of an Option,  an Option  with
respect to which and to the extent a Right is exercisable,  in whole or in part,
in lieu thereof has been granted.

     "Right" - means a Limited Stock  Appreciation Right or a Stock Appreciation
Right.

     "Shares" - means the shares of common stock of the Corporation.

     "Stock  Appreciation Right" - means a stock appreciation right with respect
to Shares granted by the Committee pursuant to Sections 6 and 9 hereof.

     3. Administration. The Plan shall be administered by a Committee consisting
of two or more  members,  each of whom  shall be a  Non-Employee  Director.  The
members of the  Committee  shall be  appointed  by the Board of Directors of the
Corporation.  Except as  limited  by the  express  provisions  of the Plan,  the
Committee shall have sole and complete  authority and discretion,  to (i) select
Participants and grant Awards; (ii) determine the number of Shares to be subject
to types of Awards generally,  as well as to individual Awards granted under the
Plan;  (iii)  determine  the terms and  conditions  upon which  Awards  shall be
granted  under  the  Plan;  (iv)  prescribe  the form and  terms of  instruments
evidencing such grants;  and (v) establish from time to time regulations for the
administration  of the Plan,  interpret  the Plan,  and make all  determinations
deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan.

     A majority of the Committee  shall  constitute a quorum,  and the acts of a
majority of the members present at any meeting at which a quorum is present,  or
acts approved in writing by a majority of the Committee without a meeting, shall
be acts of the Committee.

     4. Participation in Committee Awards. The Committee may select from time to
time Participants in the Plan from those directors (including advisory directors
and  directors  emeriti),  officers and  employees,  of the  Corporation  or its
Affiliates  who,  in the  opinion  of  the  Committee,  have  the  capacity  for
contributing to the successful performance of the Corporation or its Affiliates.

     5.  Shares  Subject to Plan.  Subject to  adjustment  by the  operation  of
Section 11 hereof, the maximum number of Shares with respect to which Awards may
be made under the Plan is 50,000 Shares. The Shares with respect to which Awards
may be made  under  the Plan may be either  authorized  and  unissued  shares or
issued shares  heretofore or hereafter  reacquired and held as treasury  shares.
Shares which are subject to Related Rights and Related  Options shall be counted
only once in  determining  whether the maximum  number of Shares with respect to
which Awards may be granted under the Plan has been exceeded. An Award shall not
be  considered  to have been made  under the Plan with  respect to any Option or
Right  which  terminates,  and new  Awards  may be  granted  under the Plan with
respect to the number of Shares as to which such termination has occurred.


                                      A-3

<PAGE>


     6. General Terms and Conditions of Options and Rights.  The Committee shall
have full and complete authority and discretion,  except as expressly limited by
the Plan, to grant Options and/or Rights and to provide the terms and conditions
(which need not be identical among  Participants)  thereof.  In particular,  the
Committee shall  prescribe the following terms and conditions:  (i) the Exercise
Price of any  Option or Right,  which  shall not be less than 110% of the Market
Value per Share at the date of grant of such Option or Right, (ii) the number of
Shares  subject  to, and the  expiration  date of,  any  Option or Right,  which
expiration  date shall not  exceed  ten years from the date of grant,  (iii) the
manner,  time and rate  (cumulative  or otherwise) of exercise of such Option or
Right, and (iv) the restrictions, if any, to be placed upon such Option or Right
or upon Shares  which may be issued upon  exercise of such Option or Right.  The
Committee  may, as a condition of granting  any Option or Right,  require that a
Participant  agree not to  thereafter  exercise  one or more  Options  or Rights
previously granted to such Participant.

     Furthermore,  at the time of any Award, the Participant shall enter into an
agreement with the Corporation in a form specified by the Committee, agreeing to
the terms and  conditions of the Award and such other matters as the  Committee,
in its sole discretion, shall determine (the "Option Agreement").

     7. Exercise of Options or Rights.

(a)  Except as provided herein,  an Option or Right granted under the Plan shall
     be exercisable  during the lifetime of the  Participant to whom such Option
     or Right was granted only by such  Participant  and,  except as provided in
     paragraphs  (c) and (d) of this  Section 7, no such  Option or Right may be
     exercised  unless at the time such  Participant  exercises  such  Option or
     Right, such Participant has maintained Continuous Service since the date of
     grant of such Option or Right. In no event shall an Option or Right granted
     under the Plan be exercisable after its expiration date.

(b)  To exercise an Option or Right under the Plan, the Participant to whom such
     Option or Right was granted shall give written notice to the Corporation in
     form  satisfactory  to the Committee  (and, if partial  exercises have been
     permitted by the Committee, by specifying the number of Shares with respect
     to which such Participant elects to exercise such Option or Right) together
     with full payment of the Exercise Price, if any and to the extent required.
     The date of exercise  shall be the date on which such notice is received by
     the Corporation.  Payment, if any is required,  shall be made either (i) in
     cash (including check, bank draft or money order) or (ii) by delivering (A)
     Shares  already  owned by the  Participant  and having a fair market  value
     equal to the  applicable  exercise  price,  such  fair  market  value to be
     determined in such  appropriate  manner as may be provided by the Committee
     or as may be required in order to comply with or to conform to requirements
     of any  applicable  laws or  regulations,  or (B) a combination of cash and
     such Shares.

(c)  If a  Participant  to whom an Option or Right was  granted  shall  cease to
     maintain  Continuous  Service as a result of termination of employment at a
     time when the Participant is eligible for  Aretirement,@  as defined in the
     Corporation=s employee stock ownership plan, such Participant may, but only
     within the period of two years  immediately  succeeding  such  cessation of


                                      A-4

<PAGE>


     Continuous Service and in no event after the expiration date of such Option
     or Right, exercise such Option or Right to the extent that such Participant
     was  entitled  to  exercise  such  Option  or  Right  at the  date  of such
     cessation;  provided,  however, that such right of exercise after cessation
     of  Continuous  Service  shall not be  available  to a  Participant  if the
     Committee otherwise determines and so provides in the applicable instrument
     or  instruments  evidencing  the  grant  of  such  Option  or  Right.  If a
     Participant  to whom an Option or Right was granted shall cease to maintain
     Continuous  Service  by  reason of death or  disability  then,  unless  the
     Committee  shall have otherwise  provided in the instrument  evidencing the
     grant of an Option or Right,  all Options and Rights  granted and not fully
     exercisable  shall become  exercisable  in full upon the  happening of such
     event and shall  remain  so  exercisable  (i) in the event of death for the
     period  described in paragraph  (d) of this Section 7 and (ii) in the event
     of  disability  for a period  of two  years  following  such  date.  If the
     Continuous  Service of a Participant to whom an Option or Right was granted
     by the  Corporation  is terminated for any reason other than death or after
     becoming  eligible for Aretirement,@ as defined above, all rights under any
     Option  or Right of such  Participant  shall  expire  immediately  upon the
     effective date of such termination.

(d)  In the event of the death of a Participant while in the Continuous  Service
     of the  Corporation or an Affiliate or within the two-year  period referred
     to in  paragraph  (c) of this  Section  7, the person to whom any Option or
     Right held by the  Participant  at the time of his death is  transferred by
     will or the laws of descent  and  distribution,  or in the case of an Award
     other than an  Incentive  Stock  Option,  pursuant to a qualified  domestic
     relations  order,  as  defined in the Code or Title I of ERISA or the rules
     thereunder,  may, but only to the extent such  Participant  was entitled to
     exercise  such Option or Right upon his death as provided in paragraph  (c)
     above,  exercise  such  Option or Right at any time  within a period of two
     years  succeeding  the date of death of such  Participant,  but in no event
     later  than ten  years  from the date of  grant of such  Option  or  Right.
     Following the death of any  Participant to whom an Option was granted under
     the Plan,  irrespective of whether any Related Right shall have theretofore
     been granted to the  Participant or whether the person entitled to exercise
     such Related Right desires to do so, the Committee  may, as an  alternative
     means of settlement of such Option, elect to pay to the person to whom such
     Option is transferred  by will or by the laws of descent and  distribution,
     or in the case of an Option other than an Incentive Stock Option,  pursuant
     to a qualified  domestic relations order, as defined in the Code or Title I
     of ERISA or the rules thereunder,  the amount by which the Market Value per
     Share on the date of  exercise  of such Option  shall  exceed the  Exercise
     Price of such  Option,  multiplied  by the number of Shares with respect to
     which such Option is properly  exercised.  Any such settlement of an Option
     shall be  considered  an exercise  of such  Option for all  purposes of the
     Plan.

(e)  Notwithstanding  the  provisions of  subparagraphs  (c) and (d) above,  the
     Committee  may,  in its sole  discretion,  establish  different  terms  and
     conditions  pertaining to the effect of termination to the extent permitted
     by applicable federal and state law.


     8. Incentive Stock Options.  Incentive Stock Options may be granted only to
Participants  who are  Employees.  Any  provision  of the  Plan to the  contrary
notwithstanding, (i) no Incentive Stock


                                       A-5

<PAGE>

Option shall be granted more than ten years from the date the Plan is adopted by
the Board of Directors of the Corporation and no Incentive Stock Option shall be
exercisable  more than ten years from the date such  Incentive  Stock  Option is
granted, (ii) the Exercise Price of any Incentive Stock Option shall not be less
than 110% of the Market Value per Share on the date such Incentive  Stock Option
is granted,  (iii) any Incentive  Stock Option shall not be  transferable by the
Participant to whom such Incentive Stock Option is granted other than by will or
the laws of descent  and  distribution,  and shall be  exercisable  during  such
Participant's lifetime only by such Participant,  (iv) no Incentive Stock Option
shall be granted to any individual  who, at the time such Incentive Stock Option
is granted,  owns stock  possessing  more than ten percent of the total combined
voting power of all classes of stock of the Corporation or any Affiliate  unless
the Exercise Price of such Incentive Stock Option is at least 110% of the Market
Value  per  Share at the date of grant and such  Incentive  Stock  Option is not
exercisable  after the  expiration  of five years  from the date such  Incentive
Stock Option is granted,  and (v) the aggregate  Market Value  (determined as of
the time any  Incentive  Stock  Option is granted) of the Shares with respect to
which  Incentive  Stock  Options  are  exercisable  for  the  first  time  by  a
Participant in any calendar year shall not exceed $100,000.

     9. Stock  Appreciation  Rights. A Stock  Appreciation Right shall, upon its
exercise,  entitle the  Participant  to whom such Stock  Appreciation  Right was
granted to  receive a number of Shares or cash or  combination  thereof,  as the
Committee in its discretion shall determine, the aggregate value of which (i.e.,
the sum of the  amount of cash  and/or  Market  Value of such  Shares on date of
exercise)  shall  equal (as nearly as  possible,  it being  understood  that the
Corporation  shall not  issue any  fractional  shares)  the  amount by which the
Market  Value per Share on the date of such  exercise  shall exceed the Exercise
Price of such Stock Appreciation Right,  multiplied by the number of Shares with
respect of which such Stock  Appreciation  Right  shall have been  exercised.  A
Stock  Appreciation  Right  may be  Related  to an  Option  or  may  be  granted
independently  of any  Option as the  Committee  shall from time to time in each
case determine.  At the time of grant of an Option the Committee shall determine
whether and to what extent a Related Stock  Appreciation  Right shall be granted
with respect thereto, provided, however, and notwithstanding any other provision
of the Plan,  that if the  Related  Option is an  Incentive  Stock  Option,  the
Related  Stock  Appreciation  Right  shall  satisfy  all  the  restrictions  and
limitations of Section 8 hereof as if such Related Stock Appreciation Right were
an Incentive  Stock Option and as if other rights which are Related to Incentive
Stock Options were  Incentive  Stock Options.  In the case of a Related  Option,
such Related  Option shall cease to be  exercisable  to the extent of the Shares
with respect to which the Related Stock Appreciation  Right was exercised.  Upon
the exercise or termination of a Related Option,  any Related Stock Appreciation
Right  shall  terminate  to the extent of the Shares  with  respect to which the
Related Option was exercised or terminated.

     10. Limited Stock Appreciation Rights. At the time of grant of an Option or
Stock Appreciation  Right to any Participant,  the Committee shall have full and
complete  authority and  discretion to also grant to such  Participant a Limited
Stock  Appreciation  Right which is Related to such Option or Stock Appreciation
Right,  provided,  however and  notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan,
that if the Related  Option is an Incentive  Stock Option,  the Related  Limited
Stock  Appreciation  Right shall satisfy all the restrictions and limitations of
Section 8 hereof as if such Related  Limited  Stock  Appreciation  Right were an
Incentive Stock Option and as if all other


                                      A-6

<PAGE>


Rights  which are  Related to  Incentive  Stock  Options  were  Incentive  Stock
Options. A Limited Stock Appreciation Right shall be exercisable only during the
period  beginning  on the  first day  following  the date of  expiration  of any
"offer" (as such term is hereinafter  defined) and ending on the forty-fifth day
following such date.

     A Limited Stock  Appreciation  Right shall, upon its exercise,  entitle the
Participant to whom such Limited Stock Appreciation Right was granted to receive
an amount of cash equal to the  amount by which the "Offer  Price per Share" (as
such  term is  hereinafter  defined)  or the  Market  Value  on the date of such
exercise,  as shall have been provided by the Committee in its discretion at the
time  of  grant,   shall  exceed  the  Exercise  Price  of  such  Limited  Stock
Appreciation  Right,  multiplied  by the number of Shares with  respect to which
such  Limited  Stock  Appreciation  Right  shall have been  exercised.  Upon the
exercise  of a Limited  Stock  Appreciation  Right,  any Related  Option  and/or
Related Stock  Appreciation Right shall cease to be exercisable to the extent of
the Shares  with  respect to which such  Limited  Stock  Appreciation  Right was
exercised. Upon the exercise or termination of a Related Option or Related Stock
Appreciation Right, any Related Limited Stock Appreciation Right shall terminate
to the extent of the Shares with respect to which such Related Option or Related
Stock Appreciation Right was exercised or terminated.

     For the purposes of this Section 10, the term "Offer" shall mean any tender
offer or  exchange  offer for  Shares  other  than one made by the  Corporation,
provided that the corporation,  person or other entity making the offer acquires
pursuant  to such offer  either (i) 25% of the  Shares  outstanding  immediately
prior  to the  commencement  of such  offer or (ii) a number  of  Shares  which,
together  with all other Shares  acquired in any tender offer or exchange  offer
(other than one made by the Corporation)  which expired within sixty days of the
expiration date of the offer in question,  equals 25% of the Shares  outstanding
immediately prior to the commencement of the offer in question.  The term "Offer
Price per Share" as used in this  Section 10 shall  mean the  highest  price per
Share  paid in any Offer  which  Offer is in effect  any time  during the period
beginning  on the  sixtieth  day  prior  to the date on  which a  Limited  Stock
Appreciation  Right is  exercised  and ending on the date on which such  Limited
Stock Appreciation Right is exercised. Any securities or property which are part
or all of the  consideration  paid for  Shares in the  Offer  shall be valued in
determining the Offer Price per Share at the higher of (A) the valuation  placed
on such securities or property by the corporation, person or other entity making
such Offer or (B) the  valuation  placed on such  securities  or property by the
Committee.

     11. Adjustments Upon Changes in Capitalization.  In the event of any change
in the outstanding Shares subsequent to the effective date of the Plan by reason
of  any   reorganization,   recapitalization,   stock  split,   stock  dividend,
combination or exchange of shares,  merger,  consolidation  or any change in the
corporate  structure or Shares of the Corporation,  the maximum aggregate number
and class of shares as to which  Awards  may be  granted  under the Plan and the
number,  class  and  exercise  price of  shares  with  respect  to which  Awards
theretofore have been granted under the Plan shall be appropriately  adjusted by
the Committee, whose determination shall be conclusive.

     12.  Effect  of  Merger.  In the  event  of any  merger,  consolidation  or
combination  of  the  Corporation   (other  than  a  merger,   consolidation  or
combination in which the Corporation is the


                                      A-7

<PAGE>


continuing  entity  and which does not result in the  outstanding  Shares  being
converted into or exchanged for different securities, cash or other property, or
any combination  thereof) pursuant to a plan or agreement the terms of which are
binding  upon all  stockholders  of the  Corporation  (except to the extent that
dissenting   stockholders  may  be  entitled,   under  statutory  provisions  or
provisions contained in the certificate or articles of incorporation, to receive
the  appraised  or fair value of their  holdings),  any  Participant  to whom an
Option or Right has been granted shall have the right (subject to the provisions
of the Plan and any  limitation or vesting  period  applicable to such Option or
Right),  thereafter and during the term of each such Option or Right, to receive
upon  exercise of any such Option or Right an amount  equal to the excess of the
fair market value on the date of such exercise of the securities,  cash or other
property, or combination thereof, receivable upon such merger,  consolidation or
combination  in  respect  of a Share  over the  Exercise  Price of such Right or
Option,  multiplied by the number of Shares with respect to which such Option or
Right shall have been exercised. Such amount may be payable fully in cash, fully
in one or  more  of the  kind or  kinds  of  property  payable  in such  merger,
consolidation  or  combination,  or partly in cash and  partly in one or more of
such kind or kinds of property, all in the discretion of the Committee.

     13.  Effect of Change in Control.  If a tender offer or exchange  offer for
Shares  (other  than  such an  offer  by the  Corporation  or an  Affiliate)  is
commenced,  or if the stockholders of the Corporation shall approve an agreement
providing  either for a transaction in which the Corporation will cease to be an
independent  publicly owned entity or for a sale or other  disposition of all or
substantially  all the assets of the  Corporation  or an  Affiliate,  unless the
Committee shall have otherwise  provided in the instrument  evidencing the grant
of an Option or Stock  Appreciation  Right,  all Options and Stock  Appreciation
Rights granted and not fully exercisable  shall become  exercisable in full upon
the  happening  of such event and shall  remain so  exercisable  for a period of
sixty  days  following  such  date,  after  which  they  shall  revert  to being
exercisable in accordance with their terms; provided, however, that no Option or
Stock  Appreciation  Right which has  previously  been  exercised  or  otherwise
terminated shall become exercisable;  provided further, that the acceleration of
exercisability  of an Award under this Section 13 shall not be  applicable if it
is  intended  that the  transaction  constituting  such  Change  in  Control  be
accounted  for as a pooling  of  interests  under  Accounting  Principles  Board
Opinion No. 16 (or any  successor  thereto),  and  operation  of this Section 13
would otherwise violate Paragraph 47(c) thereof.

     14.  Assignments  and  Transfers.  No Award nor any right or  interest of a
Participant under the Plan in any instrument evidencing any Award under the Plan
may be assigned,  encumbered or transferred except, in the event of the death of
a Participant, by will or the laws of descent and distribution or in the case of
Awards  other than  Incentive  Stock  Options  pursuant to a qualified  domestic
relations  order,  as  defined  in the Code or  Title I of  ERISA  or the  rules
thereunder.

     15. Employee Rights Under the Plan. No director,  officer or employee shall
have a right to be selected as a Participant nor, having been so selected, to be
selected  again as a  Participant  and no director,  officer,  employee or other
person  shall have any claim or right to be  granted an Award  under the Plan or
under any other  incentive or similar plan of the  Corporation or any Affiliate.
Neither the Plan nor any action  taken  thereunder  shall be construed as giving
any  employee any right to be retained in the employ of the  Corporation  or any
Affiliate.


                                      A-8

<PAGE>


     16. Delivery and  Registration of Stock.  The  Corporation's  obligation to
deliver Shares with respect to an Award shall, if the Committee so requests,  be
conditioned upon the receipt of a representation as to the investment  intention
of the Participant to whom such Shares are to be delivered,  in such form as the
Committee  shall  determine  to be  necessary  or  advisable  to comply with the
provisions of the Securities  Act of 1933 or any other  Federal,  state or local
securities legislation or regulation. It may be provided that any representation
requirement shall become  inoperative upon a registration of the Shares or other
action  eliminating the necessity of such  representation  under such Securities
Act or other securities  legislation.  The Corporation  shall not be required to
deliver any Shares  under the Plan prior to (i) the  admission of such shares to
listing  on any  stock  exchange  or other  system on which  Shares  may then be
listed,  and (ii) the completion of such registration or other  qualification of
such Shares under any state or Federal law, rule or regulation, as the Committee
shall determine to be necessary or advisable.

     17.  Withholding  Tax. The Corporation  shall have the right to deduct from
all amounts  paid in cash with respect to the exercise of a Right under the Plan
any taxes  required by law to be withheld  with  respect to such cash  payments.
Where a Participant  or other person is entitled to receive  Shares  pursuant to
the exercise of an Option or Right pursuant to the Plan, the  Corporation  shall
have the  right to  require  the  Participant  or such  other  person to pay the
Corporation  the  amount  of any taxes  which the  Corporation  is  required  to
withhold with respect to such Shares, and may, in its sole discretion,  withhold
sufficient Shares to cover the amount of taxes which the Corporation is required
to withhold.

     18. Amendment or Termination. The Board of Directors of the Corporation may
amend,  suspend or terminate  the Plan or any portion  thereof at any time,  but
(except as provided  in Section 11 hereof) no  amendment  shall be made  without
approval of the  stockholders  of the  Corporation  which shall (i) increase the
aggregate  number of Shares with  respect to which  Awards may be made under the
Plan,  (ii) materially  increase the benefits  accruing to  Participants,  (iii)
materially  change the  requirements as to eligibility for  participation in the
Plan or (iv) change the class of persons  eligible to  participate  in the Plan;
provided,  however,  that no such  amendment,  suspension or  termination  shall
impair  the  rights  of any  Participant,  without  his  consent,  in any  Award
theretofore made pursuant to the Plan.

     19.  Effective Date and Term of Plan. The Plan shall become  effective upon
its ratification by stockholders of the Corporation. It shall continue in effect
for a term of ten years unless sooner terminated under Section 18 hereof.


                                      A-9


<PAGE>


REVOCABLE PROXY                                                  REVOCABLE PROXY
                            CLASSIC BANCSHARES, INC.
                         ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDER
                                  July 27, 1998


     The  undersigned   hereby  appoints  the  Board  of  Directors  of  Classic
Bancshares,  Inc. (the "Company"),  with full powers of substitution,  to act as
attorneys and proxies for the undersigned to vote all shares of capital stock of
the Company which the  undersigned  is entitled to vote at the Company's  Annual
Meeting  of   Stockholders   (the  "Meeting")  to   be  held  at  the  corporate
headquarters of RAM Technologies,  Inc.,  located at 1516 Bath Avenue,  Ashland,
Kentucky,  on July 27, 1998 at 3:00 p.m. Ashland,  Kentucky time, and at any and
all adjournments and postponements thereof.

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Board of  Directors  recommends  a vote "FOR" the  election of all  nominees
listed in Item I below and "FOR" the proposals listed in Items II and III below.

<TABLE>
<S>                                               <C>           <C>                      <C>   
I  -  The   election   as   directors  of  all    
      nominees  listed below (except as marked
      to the contrary)                            FOR - |_|     VOTE WITHHELD - |_|
      C. CYRUS REYNOLDS,  DAVID B. BARBOUR AND
      JEFFREY P. LOPEZ, M.D.
    
            (To withhold authority to vote for any individual nominee
                         strike out that nominee's name)

II -  The approval of the  Classic Bancshares,
      Inc. 1998  Premium  Price  Stock  Option
      Growth Plan                                  FOR - |_|     AGAINST - |_|            ABSTAIN - |_|

III - The  ratification of the appointment of 
      Smith, Goolsby, Artis & Reems, P.S.C. as
      auditors for the  Company for the fiscal 
      year ending March 31, 1998.                  FOR - |_|     AGAINST - |_|            ABSTAIN - |_|
</TABLE>

     In their  discretion,  the  proxies  are  authorized  to vote on any  other
     business  that may properly come before the Meeting or any  adjournment  or
     postponement thereof.

     THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED AS DIRECTED,  BUT IF NO INSTRUCTION ARE SPECIFIED,
THIS  PROXY  WILL BE VOTED FOR EACH OF THE  NOMINEES  AND THE  PROPOSALS  LISTED
ABOVE.  IF ANY OTHER  BUSINESS IS PRESENTED  AT THE MEETING,  THIS PROXY WILL BE
VOTED BY THOSE NAMED IN THIS PROXY IN THEIR BEST  JUDGMENT AT THE PRESENT  TIME,
THE  BOARD OF  DIRECTORS  KNOWS  OF NO OTHER  BUSINESS  TO BE  PRESENTED  AT THE
MEETING.

                  (Continued and to be SIGNED on Reverse Side)

<PAGE>

          THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This Proxy may be revoked at any time  before it is voted by (i) filing with the
Secretary of the Company at or before the Meeting a written notice of revocation
bearing a later date than this Proxy,  (ii) duly  executing a  subsequent  proxy
relating to the same shares and delivering it to the Secretary of the Company at
or before the  Meeting,  or (iii)  attending  the  Meeting  and voting in person
(although  attendance  at the  meeting  will  not in  and of  itself  constitute
revocation of this Proxy) if this Proxy is properly  revoked as described above,
then the power of such  attorneys and proxies shall be deemed  terminated and of
no further force and effect.

                    The undersigned acknowledges receipt from the Company, prior
                    to the execution of this proxy, of Notice of the Meeting,  a
                    Proxy Statement and an Annual Report to Stockholders for the
                    fiscal year ended March 31, 1998.

                    Dated ________________________________________________, 1998

                    ____________________________________________________________
                    Signature of Stockholder

                    ____________________________________________________________
                    Signature of Stockholder

                    Please sign  exactly as yor name(s)  appear(s)  to the left.
                    When signing as attorney, executor,  administrator,  trustee
                    or guardian,  please give your full title. If shares ae held
                    jointly, each holder should sign.

                PLEASE COMPLETE, DATE, SIGN AND MAIL THIS PROXY
                 PROMPTLY IN THE ENCLOSED POSTAGE-PAID ENVELOPE



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