R&G FINANCIAL CORP
DEF 14A, 1999-04-01
INVESTORS, NEC
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                                  SCHEDULE 14A
                                 (Rule 14a-101)
                     INFORMATION REQUIRED IN PROXY STATEMENT
                            SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
           Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities
                   Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No. _____)

Filed by the Registrant [X] 

Filed by a Party other than the  Registrant [ ]

Check the appropriate box:

[ ]  Preliminary Proxy Statement      [ ]  Confidential, for Use 
                                           of the Commission Only
[X]  Definitive Proxy Statement                           
                                           (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
[ ]  Definitive Additional Materials    

[ ]  Soliciting Material Pursuant to Rule 14a-11(c) or Rule 14a-12

                            R&G Financial Corporation
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                (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.
 
[ ]     Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) 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 (set forth the amount on which
               the filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined):

          (4)  Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:

          (5)  Total fee paid:

               Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.

               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 statement no.:

          (3)  Filing party:

          (4)  Date filed:
<PAGE>
                     [R&G Financial Corporation Letterhead]

                                                                  March 30, 1999

Dear Stockholder,

        You are cordially  invited to attend the Annual Meeting of  Stockholders
of R&G Financial  Corporation (the  "Company").  The meeting will be held at The
Bankers Club of Puerto Rico,  208 Munoz  Rivera  Ave.,  PH Floor,  Hato Rey, San
Juan, Puerto Rico 00918, on Thursday,  April 29, 1999 at 10:00 a.m., local time.
The matters to be considered by stockholders at the Annual Meeting are described
in the accompanying materials.

        It is very  important  that you be  represented  at the  Annual  Meeting
regardless of the number of shares you own or whether you are able to attend the
meeting in person. We urge you to mark, sign, and date your proxy card today and
return  it in the  envelope  provided,  even if you plan to  attend  the  Annual
Meeting.  This will not prevent you from voting in person,  but will ensure that
your vote is counted if you are unable to attend.

        Your continued support of and interest in R&G Financial  Corporation are
sincerely appreciated.


                                            Very truly yours,
            
             
                                            /s/ Victor J. Galan
                                            Victor J. Galan
                                            Chairman of the Board, President
                                            and Chief Executive Officer
<PAGE>
                            R&G FINANCIAL CORPORATION
                                    R-G Plaza
                           280 Jesus T. Pinero Avenue
                      Hato Rey, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00918
                                 (787) 758-2424

                    NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
                          To Be Held On April 29, 1999


        NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Annual  Meeting of  Stockholders  of R&G
Financial  Corporation  (the  "Company"),  will be held at The  Bankers  Club of
Puerto Rico,  208 Munoz Rivera Ave., PH Floor,  Hato Rey, San Juan,  Puerto Rico
00918, on Thursday, April 29, 1999, at 10:00 a.m., local time, for the following
purposes,  all of which are more completely set forth in the accompanying  Proxy
Statement:

        (1)    To elect four (4) directors for a three-year  term or until their
               successors are elected and qualified;

        (2)    To amend the  Certificate  of  Incorporation  of the  Company  to
               increase the authorized  number of shares of Class B Common Stock
               of the Company from 20,000,000 to 30,000,000;

        (3)    To  ratify  the   appointment   by  the  Board  of  Directors  of
               PricewaterhouseCoopers  LLP as the Company's independent auditors
               for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1999; and

        (4)    To transact  such other  business as may properly come before the
               meeting or any  adjournment  thereof.  Management is not aware of
               any other  such  business  which may  properly  come  before  the
               meeting.

        The Board of Directors has fixed April 1, 1999 as the voting record date
for the  determination of stockholders  entitled to notice of and to vote at the
Annual Meeting. Only those stockholders of record as of the close of business on
that date will be entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting.

                              BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

                              /s/ Victor J. Galan
                              Victor J. Galan
                              Chairman of the Board, President
                              and Chief Executive Officer

San Juan, Puerto Rico
March 30, 1999
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
YOU ARE CORDIALLY  INVITED TO ATTEND THE ANNUAL  MEETING.  IT IS IMPORTANT  THAT
YOUR SHARES BE REPRESENTED REGARDLESS OF THE NUMBER YOU OWN. EVEN IF YOU PLAN TO
BE PRESENT, YOU ARE URGED TO COMPLETE,  SIGN, DATE AND RETURN THE ENCLOSED PROXY
PROMPTLY  IN THE  ENVELOPE  PROVIDED.  IF YOU ATTEND THE  MEETING,  YOU MAY VOTE
EITHER IN PERSON OR BY PROXY.  ANY PROXY  GIVEN MAY BE REVOKED BY YOU IN WRITING
OR IN  PERSON  AT  ANY  TIME  PRIOR  TO  THE  EXERCISE  THEREOF.  R&G  FINANCIAL
CORPORATION
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
                           R&G FINANCIAL CORPORATION


                                 PROXY STATEMENT


                         ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

                                 April 29, 1999


        This Proxy Statement is furnished to the holder of Class A common stock,
$0.01 par value per share  ("Class A  Shares"),  and  holders  of Class B common
stock,  $.01 par value per share ("Class B Shares")  (collectively,  the "Common
Stock"), of R&G Financial  Corporation (the "Company"),  the holding company for
R-G Premier Bank of Puerto Rico (the "Bank") and R&G Mortgage  Corporation ("R&G
Mortgage").  Proxies are being  solicited on behalf of the Board of Directors of
the Company to be used at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders  ("Annual Meeting")
to be held at The Bankers Club of Puerto Rico,  208 Munoz Rivera Ave., PH Floor,
Hato Rey,  San Juan,  Puerto Rico 00918,  on  Thursday,  April 29, 1999 at 10:00
a.m.,  local time, for the purposes set forth in the Notice of Annual Meeting of
Stockholders.  This Proxy  Statement is first being mailed to stockholders on or
about March 30, 1999.

        The proxy  solicited  hereby,  if  properly  signed and  returned to the
Company and not revoked prior to its use,  will be voted in accordance  with the
instructions  contained  therein.  If no contrary  instructions are given,  each
proxy received will be voted FOR the nominees for director described herein, FOR
amendment  of  the  Company's   Certificate  of  Incorporation  to  increase  to
30,000,000  the authorized  number of Class B Shares;  FOR  ratification  of the
appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the Bank's independent auditors for
1999 and upon the transaction of such other business as may properly come before
the meeting in  accordance  with the best  judgment of the persons  appointed as
proxies.  Any stockholder  giving a proxy has the power to revoke it at any time
before it is exercised by (i) filing with the  Secretary of the Company  written
notice thereof (Secretary,  R&G Financial  Corporation,  R-G Plaza, 280 Jesus T.
Pinero  Avenue,  Hato Rey,  San Juan,  Puerto Rico  00918);  (ii)  submitting  a
duly-executed  proxy  bearing a later  date;  or (iii)  appearing  at the Annual
Meeting  and  giving the  Secretary  notice of his or her  intention  to vote in
person. Proxies solicited hereby may be exercised only at the Annual Meeting and
any adjournment thereof and will not be used for any other meeting.


                                     VOTING

        Only stockholders of record at the close of business on April 1, 1999
("Voting  Record Date") will be entitled to vote at the Annual  Meeting.  On the
Voting Record Date, there were 18,440,556 Class A Shares outstanding, 10,146,091
Class B Shares outstanding, or collectively, 28,586,647

                                        1
<PAGE>
shares of Common Stock outstanding, and the Company had no other class of equity
securities  outstanding.  The holder of Class A Shares, the Chairman,  President
and Chief Executive  Officer of the Company,  is entitled to two votes per share
and the  holders  of Class B Shares  are  entitled  to one vote per share at the
Annual Meeting on all matters properly presented at the meeting. The Chairman of
the Board,  President and Chief Executive  Officer,  who through his holdings of
Class A Shares controls 64.51% of the  outstanding  Common Stock,  has indicated
his intention to vote his shares "FOR" the election of directors,  the amendment
of the Certificate of  Incorporation as described herein and ratification of the
Board of  Directors'  selection of  PricewaterhouseCoopers  LLP as the Company's
independent  auditor  for  1999.   Accordingly,   the  proposals  presented  for
consideration  by the  stockholders  at this Annual  Meeting are  expected to be
approved as presented.

        Directors  are  elected by a  plurality  of the votes cast with a quorum
present.  The three  persons  who receive  the  greatest  number of votes of the
holders of Common Stock  represented in person or by proxy at the Annual Meeting
will  be  elected  directors  of the  Company.  Abstentions  are  considered  in
determining  the presence of a quorum and will not affect the vote  required for
the election of directors.  The affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of
the total votes  entitled to vote  generally  in the  election of  directors  is
required to amend the Certificate of Incorporation.  The affirmative vote of the
holders  of a  majority  of the  total  votes  present  in person or by proxy is
required to ratify the appointment of the independent auditors. Abstentions will
not be  counted  as votes  cast,  and will have no  effect on the  voting of the
appointment  of the Company's  independent  auditors but will be equivalent to a
"no" vote in connection with the proposal to amend the Company's  Certificate of
Incorporation.  Under rules applicable to  broker-dealers,  all of the proposals
for  consideration  at the Annual Meeting are considered  "discretionary"  items
upon  which  brokerage  firms  may vote in their  discretion  on behalf of their
clients if such clients have not furnished voting instructions. Thus, there will
be no "broker non-votes" at the Annual Meeting.

                                        2
<PAGE>
               INFORMATION WITH RESPECT TO NOMINEES FOR DIRECTOR,
                   CONTINUING DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

Election of Directors

        The Board of  Directors  is divided  into three  classes,  each of which
contains approximately  one-third of the Board. The directors are elected by the
stockholders  of the Company  for  staggered  three year  terms,  or until their
successors  are  elected  and  qualified.  Stockholders  of the  Company are not
permitted to cumulate their votes for the election of directors.

        No director or executive  officer of the Company is related to any other
director or  executive  officer of the Company by blood,  marriage or  adoption,
except for Victor J.  Galan,  the  Chairman  of the Board,  President  and Chief
Executive Officer of the Company,  who is the father of Victor L. Galan, another
director of the Company.  Each of the nominees  currently serve as a director of
the Company.

        Unless  otherwise  directed,  each  proxy  executed  and  returned  by a
stockholder  will be voted for the election of the nominees for director  listed
below.  If the person or persons named as nominee  should be unable or unwilling
to stand for  election  at the time of the  Annual  Meeting,  the  proxies  will
nominate and vote for one or more replacement  nominees recommended by the Board
of Directors.  At this time,  the Board of Directors  knows of no reason why the
nominees listed below may not be able to serve as directors if elected.

        The following  tables  present  information  concerning the nominees for
director of the Company and each  director  whose term  continues. 

           Nominees for Director for Three-Year Term Expiring in 2002


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                 Director
                     Name                               Age(1)                   Since(2)
- --------------------------------------------     ------------------    --------------------------

<S>                                                       <C>                      <C> 
Victor J. Galan                                           65                       1990
Ramon Prats                                               49                       1990
Enrique Umpierre-Suarez                                   57                       1996
Eduardo McCormack                                         70                       1990
</TABLE>


        THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS  RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE FOR THE ELECTION OF THE
ABOVE NOMINEES FOR DIRECTOR.
                                        3
<PAGE>
             MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS CONTINUING IN OFFICE

                      Directors Whose Terms Expire in 2000

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                  Director
                       Name                               Age(1)                  Since(2)
- ------------------------------------------------    -----------------    ------------------------

<S>                                                         <C>                     <C> 
Juan J. Diaz                                                53                      1990
Gilberto Rivera-Arreaga                                     49                      1996
Laureno Carus Abarca                                        69                      1983
Ileana M. Colon-Carlo                                       50                      1998
Roberto Gorbea                                              57                      1998
</TABLE>
                      Directors Whose Terms Expire in 2001

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                  Director
                       Name                               Age(1)                  Since(2)
- ------------------------------------------------    -----------------    ------------------------

<S>                                                         <C>                     <C> 
Ana M. Armendariz                                           66                      1990
Victor L. Galan                                             35                      1995
Benigno Fernandez                                           58                      1996
Pedro L. Ramirez                                            56                      1990
</TABLE>
- ------------------

(1)     As of February 28, 1999.

(2)     Includes service as a director of the Bank or its predecessor.

        Information  concerning  the  principal  occupation  of each nominee for
director of the Company and members of the Board continuing in office during the
past five years is set forth below.

        Victor J. Galan. Mr. Galan is Chairman of the Board, President and Chief
Executive  Officer of the  Company,  positions  he has held since the  Company's
incorporation  in March 1996. Mr. Galan is the founder and Chairman of the Board
of R&G  Mortgage,  a position he has held since 1972.  Mr. Galan served as Chief
Executive  Officer of R&G Mortgage from its inception  until  November 1994. Mr.
Galan is also the Chairman of the Board,  President and Chief Executive  Officer
of the Bank,  a position  he has held since the Bank was first  acquired  by R&G
Mortgage in February 1990, and Chairman of the Board of Champion  Mortgage since
October 1997.
                                        4

<PAGE>
        Ana M. Armendariz.  Ms.  Armendariz has been a director and Treasurer of
the Company since April 1996, Secretary, Senior Vice President and Controller of
R&G  Mortgage  since  January  1984 and  Treasurer,  Senior Vice  President  and
Controller of Champion Mortgage since October 1997.

        Ramon  Prats.  Mr.  Prats  has been the Vice  Chairman  of the  Board of
Directors of the Company  since April 1996 and a director of R&G Mortgage  since
April 1985.  Mr.  Prats has been  Executive  Vice  President of R&G Mortgage and
Champion  Mortgage since February 1980 and October 1997,  respectively,  and has
held the same  position  with the Company  since its  inception.  Mr. Prats also
currently  serves as Vice  Chairman  of the Board of  Directors  of the Bank,  a
position he has held since February 1990, and as a director of Champion Mortgage
since October 1997.

        Juan J. Diaz.  Mr. Diaz has been a director  of the Company  since April
1996,  a director  of R&G  Mortgage  since June 1996 and a director  of Champion
Mortgage  since October 1997. In addition,  Mr. Diaz served as a director of the
Bank from 1990 to March  1998.  Mr.  Diaz has served as Senior  Vice  President,
Servicing Department of R&G Mortgage since April 1984.

        Enrique Umpierre-Suarez.  Mr. Umpierre-Suarez has been a director of the
Company and its Secretary since April 1996, a director of the Bank since January
1996 and a director of Champion Mortgage since October 1997. Mr. Umpierre-Suarez
has also served as  Secretary  of the Bank since April 1996 and as  Secretary of
Champion  Mortgage  since October 1997.  Mr.  Umpierre-Suarez  is an attorney in
private  practice in Hato Rey,  Puerto  Rico and is also  engaged in the private
practice of engineering in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico.

        Victor L. Galan.  Mr.  Galan has been a director  of the  Company  since
April 1996, a director of R&G  Mortgage  since June 1996, a director of the Bank
since 1995 and a director of Champion Mortgage since October 1997. Mr. Galan has
been a Vice President of Champion Mortgage since October 1998.  Previously,  Mr.
Galan was the Vice President of Branch  Administration of R&G Mortgage from June
1997 to October  1998,  and prior  thereto  was the  Marketing  Manager and Vice
President of R&G Mortgage from February 1996 to June 1997. Mr. Galan, the son of
Victor J.  Galan,  the  Chairman  of the Board,  President  and Chief  Executive
Officer of the Company, has been associated with R&G Mortgage since 1982, having
served as Branch  Manager at various  locations  since 1992. Mr. Galan served as
Marketing  Officer in charge of telemarketing  in 1991 and his  responsibilities
prior  thereto  included work in the  Accounting,  Data  Processing  and Closing
Departments.

        Pedro  Ramirez.  Mr.  Ramirez has been a director  of the Company  since
April  1996,  a director of R&G  Mortgage  since June 1996 and a director of the
Bank since 1990. Mr. Ramirez has been President and Chief  Executive  Officer of
Empresas Nativas,  Inc., a real estate development  company, in Hato Rey, Puerto
Rico,  since 1983.  Mr.  Ramirez  also  currently  serves as Vice  President  of
Inverdec,  Inc., a real estate  development  company in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico, a
position  he has held since  April 1992,  and has been the  Managing  Partner of
Ramirez & Co., S.E., a real estate development company located in Hato Rey since
April 1986.  

                                        5
<PAGE>
        Laureno Carus Abarca. Mr. Carus has been a director of the Company since
April  1996,  a director of R&G  Mortgage  since June 1996 and a director of the
Bank (and its  predecessor)  since 1983.  Mr. Carus has been the Chairman of the
Board of Alonso and Carus Iron Works,  Inc.,  in Catano,  Puerto Rico,  which is
engaged  in  the  production  and  fabrication  of  metal  products  and  in the
construction of commercial buildings,  since September 1977 and he has been with
the firm since 1960.  Mr. Carus has also been  President  of Petroleum  Chemical
Corp., a petroleum  processing  corporation in Catano,  Puerto Rico, since April
1994.

        Eduardo  McCormack.  Mr.  McCormack  has been a director  of the Company
since April 1996, a director of R&G  Mortgage  since June 1996 and a director of
the Bank since 1990. Mr. McCormack is recently retired. During 1994 and 1995, he
served as a  consultant  to Bacardi  Corporation,  a rum  manufacturer  based in
Catano,  Puerto Rico.  Prior  thereto,  Mr.  McCormack  was a Vice  President of
Bacardi Corporation from 1981 to 1993.

        Gilberto  Rivera-Arreaga.  Mr. Rivera-Arreaga has been a director of the
Company  since April 1996 and a director of R&G Mortgage and the Bank since June
1996.  Mr.  Rivera-Arreaga  has been  Executive  Director and Vice  President of
Administration  of the  National  College of  Business &  Technology,  Inc.,  an
educational  center in Bayamon,  Puerto Rico,  since 1993.  Prior  thereto,  Mr.
Rivera-Arreaga engaged in the private practice of law in Bayamon, Puerto Rico.

        Benigno R. Fernandez.  Mr.  Fernandez has been a director of the Company
since  April 1996 and a director of R&G  Mortgage  and the Bank since June 1996.
Mr. Fernandez is Senior Partner of Fernandez, Perez Villarini & Co., a certified
public  accounting  firm in Hato Rey,  Puerto  Rico.  Mr.  Fernandez  has been a
certified public accountant since 1969.

        Ileana  M.  Colon-Carlo.  Ms.  Colon-Carlo  has been a  director  of the
Company  since  July  1998.  Ms.  Colon-Carlo  has been a member of the Board of
Trustees  of Central  University  of Bayamon,  Puerto  Rico,  and an  Accounting
Professor in the Graduate School of Business  Administration since January 1998.
Prior thereto,  Ms.  Colon-Carlo  served as Comptroller of the  Commonwealth  of
Puerto Rico from 1987 to 1997. Ms. Colon-Carlo is a past President of the Puerto
Rico  Certified  Public  Accountants  State  Society  and  past  member  of  the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico Board of Accountancy.  Additionally, Ms. Colon-Carlo
is a past  member  of the board of  directors  of the  Puerto  Rico  Chamber  of
Commerce.

        Roberto Gorbea. Mr. Gorbea has been a director of the Company since July
1998. Mr. Gorbea has been President,  Chief Executive  Officer and member of the
board of directors of Lord  Electric  Company of Puerto  Rico,  Inc.,  San Juan,
Puerto Rico, since 1984 which constructs industrial,  electrical, and mechanical
systems.
                                        6
<PAGE>
        The  Bank.  Information  concerning  the  principal  occupation  of  the
director  of the Bank (who does not also serve as a director  of the Company and
R&G Mortgage) during the past five years is set forth below.

        Jeanne Ubinas.  Ms. Ubinas, a director of the Bank (and its predecessor)
since 1983,  engages in the private practice of radio therapeutic  medicine with
Radiation  Oncology  Center,  Inc.,  in Hato Rey,  Puerto  Rico,  and has been a
radiation therapist since 1963.

        R&G Mortgage.  Information  concerning  the principal  occupation of the
director of R&G  Mortgage  (who does not also serve as a director of the Company
and the Bank) during the past five years is set forth below.

        Nelida Galan.  Ms. Galan is the wife of Victor J. Galan, the Chairman of
the Board,  President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company.  Ms. Galan has
served as Treasurer of R&G Mortgage since it was organized.

Stockholder Nominations

        Section 4.15 of the Company's Bylaws governs nominations for election to
the Board of Directors and requires all such nominations,  other than those made
by the Board or a  committee  thereof,  to be made at a meeting of  stockholders
called for the election of directors, and only by a stockholder who has complied
with the notice provisions in that section. Stockholder nominations must be made
pursuant to timely  notice in writing to the  Secretary  of the  Company.  To be
timely, a stockholder's  notice must be delivered to, or mailed and received at,
the principal  executive  offices of the Company not later than 90 days prior to
the  anniversary  date of the  mailing  of proxy  materials  by the  Company  in
connection with the immediately  preceding annual meeting of stockholders of the
Company.  Each written  notice of a  stockholder  nomination  is required to set
forth certain  information  specified in the Bylaws. No stockholder  nominations
were received with respect to this Annual Meeting.

Board of Directors Meetings and Committees

        Regular  meetings and special  meetings of the Board of Directors of the
Company are held as  necessary to  adequately  conduct the  Company's  business.
During the fiscal year ended  December 31, 1998,  the Board of Directors  met 14
times. No director attended fewer than 75% of the total number of Board meetings
or committee meetings on which he or she served in fiscal 1998 except Mr. Victor
L. Galan, who attended 8, or 57%, of the meetings of the Board of Directors. The
Company has established an Audit and Compliance Committee,  comprised of Messrs.
Ramirez  (Chairman),  Rivera-Arreaga  and  Fernandez.  The Audit and  Compliance
Committee is responsible for reviewing the reports of the  independent  auditors
and  internal  auditors,  and  generally  overseeing  compliance  with  internal
policies and procedures. The Company also has an Executive Committee, consisting
of Messrs.  Victor J. Galan  (Chairman),  Prats (Vice  Chairman),  McCormack and
Victor L. Galan. Additionally, the Board of Directors acts as its own nominating
committee  with  respect  to  nominating  individuals  to serve on its  Board of
Directors.
                                        7
<PAGE>
        Regular and special  meetings of the Board of  Directors of R&G Mortgage
may be called and held at any time as necessary.  During the year ended December
31, 1998, the Board of Directors of R&G Mortgage held 11 meetings.  No incumbent
director  attended  fewer than 75% of the aggregate of the total number of Board
meetings held during the period he or she served as a director.

        Regular  meetings of the Board of Directors of the Bank are held monthly
and special  meetings  may be called at any time as  necessary.  During the year
ended December 31, 1998, the Board of Directors of the Bank held 18 meetings. No
incumbent  director attended fewer than 75% of the aggregate of the total number
of Board  meetings held during the period he or she served as a director and the
total number of meetings  held by  committees of the Board of Directors on which
he or she served in fiscal 1998, except Ms. Ana Armendariz,  who attended 12, or
67%, of the meetings of the Board of Directors.

Executive Officers Who Are Not Directors

        Set forth  below is  information  concerning  executive  officers of the
Company, the Bank and R&G Mortgage who do not serve on the Board of Directors of
the  Company,  R&G  Mortgage  or the  Bank.  There are no  additional  executive
officers  of R&G  Mortgage  who do not  serve on the Board of the  Company,  R&G
Mortgage  or the  Bank.  Each  executive  officer  is  elected  by the  Board of
Directors  and serves  until  their  successor  is  elected  and  qualified.  No
executive  officer set forth below is related to any director or other executive
officer of the Company, R&G Mortgage or the Bank by blood, marriage or adoption,
and there are no  arrangements  or  understandings  between  a  director  of the
Company,  R&G Mortgage or the Bank and any other  person  pursuant to which such
person was elected an executive officer.

        Joseph R.  Sandoval,  Age 35, joined the Company as its Chief  Financial
Officer in January 1997.  Prior  thereto,  Mr.  Sandoval was an accountant  with
Price Waterhouse LLP (a predecessor firm to  PricewaterhouseCoopers  LLP) in San
Juan, Puerto Rico from August 1987 to January 1997 and had attained the position
of Senior Manager with such firm.

        Jose L.  Ortiz,  Age 43, has been Vice  President  - Finance of the Bank
since September 1990.  Prior thereto,  Mr. Ortiz was Vice President - Accounting
Department of Caguas Federal Savings Bank in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico from May 1985
to September 1990.

        Mario  Ruiz,  Age 36, has been the Senior  Vice  President  -  Secondary
Market  of R&G  Mortgage  since  December  1996 and  director  and  Senior  Vice
President  of Champion  Mortgage  since  October  1997.  Mr. Ruiz served as Vice
President - Secondary Market of R&G Mortgage from 1990 to December 1996.

        Roberto  Cordova,  Age 39, has been the  Senior  Vice  President  - Loan
Production of R&G Mortgage  since June 1997.  Previously,  Mr. Cordova served as
Vice President of Branch Administration and Loan Production of R&G Mortgage. Mr.
Cordova has been with R&G Mortgage since 1987.

                                        8
<PAGE>
                      BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF COMMON STOCK
                   BY CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

        The following  table sets forth,  as of the Voting Record Date,  certain
information  as to the Common  Stock  beneficially  owned by (i) each  person or
entity,  including  any "group" as that term is used in Section  13(d)(3) of the
Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as amended  ("Exchange Act"), who or which was
known to the  Company to be the  beneficial  owner of more than 5% of the issued
and outstanding  Common Stock, (ii) certain directors and executive  officers of
the Company,  R&G Mortgage and the Bank,  and (iii) all  directors and executive
officers of the Company, R&G Mortgage and the Bank as a group.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                            Amount and Nature
                Name of Beneficial                            of Beneficial
                Owner or Number of                           Ownership as of                    Percent of
                 Persons in Group                         February 28, 1999(1)                Common Stock(2)
- ------------------------------------------------     -----------------------------   ------------------------------
<S>                                                         <C>                                    <C>  
Garity & Co. Capital Management                             1,605,722(3)                           5.62%
1414 Banco Popular Center
San Juan, Puerto Rico 00918

Thomson Horstmann & Bryant, Inc.                              775,300(4)                           2.71
Park 80 West, Plaza Two
Saddle Brook, New Jersey  07663

The Company's Directors and Officers
  Victor J. Galan                                          18,440,556(5)(6)                       64.51
  Ana M. Armendariz                                            29,556(7)                              *
  Ramon Prats                                                 286,454(6)(7)                          **
  Juan J. Diaz                                                 25,950(7)                              *
  Victor L. Galan                                               4,356                                 *
  Enrique Umpierre-Suarez                                      32,000                                 *
  Pedro Ramirez                                                38,720                                 *
  Laureno Carus Abarca                                         40,990                                 *
  Eduardo McCormack                                            57,938(8)                              *
  Gilberto Rivera-Arreaga                                       5,106                                 *
  Benigno R. Fernandez                                          4,614                                 *
  Ileana M. Colon-Carlo                                           260                                 *
  Roberto Gorbea                                                  600                                 *
  Joseph R. Sandoval                                           14,400 (7)                             *

Additional R&G Mortgage Officers
  Mario Ruiz                                                    7,200                                 *
  Roberto Cordova                                               7,200(7)                              *

Additional Bank Officer                                        
  Jose Luis Ortiz                                              11,578(7)                              *

All Directors and Officers of the
  Company, R&G Mortgage and
  the Bank as a group (18 persons)                         19,062,830(9)                          66.68%
</TABLE>
- -----------------
*        Represents less than 1% of the outstanding Class B Shares.
**       Represents 2.82% of the outstanding Class B Shares.

                                        9
<PAGE>

(1)  Based upon  filings  made  pursuant  to the  Exchange  Act and  information
     furnished by the  respective  individuals.  Under  regulations  promulgated
     pursuant to the Exchange Act, shares are deemed to be beneficially owned by
     a person if he or she  directly  or  indirectly  has or shares  (i)  voting
     power,  which  includes  the power to vote or to direct  the  voting of the
     shares, or (ii) investment power, which includes the power to dispose or to
     direct the disposition of the shares. Unless otherwise indicated, the named
     beneficial owner has sole voting and dispositive  power with respect to the
     shares.

(2)  As of  February  28,  1999,  there  were  10,146,091  Class  B  Shares  and
     18,440,556  Class A Shares of the  Company  issued and  outstanding  for an
     aggregate of  28,586,647  shares of the  Company's  Common Stock issued and
     outstanding  as of such date. All of the Class A Shares are owned by Victor
     J. Galan, the Chairman of the Board,  President and Chief Executive Officer
     of the Company.  The Class B Shares are  registered  under the Exchange Act
     and are traded on the Nasdaq Stock Market. The Class A Shares have not been
     registered under the Exchange Act but are exchangeable into an equal number
     of Class B Shares.

(3)  Information  obtained from a Schedule 13G dated December 31, 1998. Garity &
     Co. Capital Management ("GCCM") is a registered  investment  adviser.  GCCM
     indicates  that it is the  beneficial  owner  and  has  shared  voting  and
     dispositive power over 1,605,722 or 15.83% of Class B Shares.

(4)  Information obtained from a Schedule 13G filed on January 25, 1999. Thomson
     Horstmann  ("TH")  is a New  York  Corporation  and  registered  investment
     advisor.  TH indicates that it is the beneficial  owner and has sole voting
     and dispositive power over 775,300 or 7.64% of Class B Shares.

(5)  Represents  Class A Shares.  The  holder of Class A Shares,  Mr.  Victor J.
     Galan, the Chairman,  President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company,
     is  entitled  to two votes per share and the  holders of Class B Shares are
     entitled  to one  vote per  share  at the  Annual  Meeting  on all  matters
     properly presented at the meeting.  As a result of such voting entitlement,
     Mr.  Galan holds  78.43% of the voting  power of the  aggregate  issued and
     outstanding shares of the Company's Common Stock as of February 28, 1999.

(6)  The number of shares indicated as beneficially  owned by Mr. Prats includes
     60,000 Class B Shares (as adjusted  for the  Company's  stock split in June
     1998) which may be acquired upon the exercise of stock  options  granted by
     Mr. Victor J. Galan to Mr. Prats that are exercisable within 60 days of the
     Voting  Record Date. On May 8, 1998,  Mr. Victor J. Galan  executed a stock
     option agreement (the "Stock Option Agreement") pursuant to which Mr. Galan
     granted to Mr.  Prats the option to purchase  up to 360,000  Class B Shares
     (as adjusted for the Company's  stock split in June 1998).  Under the terms
     of the Stock Option Agreement,  the options become exercisable ratably over
     six years beginning on the first anniversary of the agreement. The exercise
     price of the options is $4.03 per share (as adjusted for the

                                       10
<PAGE>
     Company's stock split in June 1998),  and both the number of Class B Shares
     underlying the options and the exercise price thereof is subject to certain
     antidilution adjustments.

(7)  Includes  the  following  number of shares  which may be acquired  upon the
     exercise of stock options  exercisable  within 60 days of the Voting Record
     Date:


        Ana M. Armendariz                                       25,200
        Ramon Prats                                            144,000
        Juan J. Diaz                                            21,600
        Joseph R. Sandoval                                      14,400
        Roberto Cordova                                          7,200
        Jose Luis Ortiz                                         10,800

(8)  Includes 50,984 Class B Shares held jointly with Mr. McCormack's wife.

(9)  Includes  18,440,556  Class A Shares  owned by Victor J.  Galan.  All other
     shares are Class B Shares.

             SECTION 16(a) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCE

         Section  16(a) of the Exchange Act  requires  the  Company's  officers,
directors  and persons who own more than 10% of the  Company's  capital stock to
file  reports of  ownership  and changes in ownership  with the  Securities  and
Exchange  Commission and the National  Association of Securities  Dealers,  Inc.
Officers, directors and greater than 10% stockholders are required by regulation
to furnish  the Company  with copies of all forms they file  pursuant to Section
16(a) of the Exchange  Act. The Company  knows of no person who owns 10% or more
of the Company's  capital stock other than Victor J. Galan,  the Chairman of the
Board,  President and Chief Executive  Officer of the Company,  and Garity & Co.
Capital  Management.  See  "Beneficial  Ownership  of  Common  Stock By  Certain
Beneficial Owners and Management."

         Based  solely on review of the  copies of such forms  furnished  to the
Company, or written representations from its officers and directors, the Company
believes that during,  and with respect to, fiscal 1998, the Company's  officers
and  directors  complied  in  all  respects  with  the  reporting   requirements
promulgated under Section 16(a) of the 1934 Act.

                                       11
<PAGE>
                             MANAGEMENT COMPENSATION
Executive Compensation

         Summary  Compensation  Table.  The following table includes  individual
compensation  information  with respect to the Chairman of the Board,  President
and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and the other most highly compensated
executive  officers of the Company and its subsidiaries whose total compensation
exceeded $100,000 for services rendered in all capacities during the fiscal year
ended December 31, 1998.  Except as set forth in the footnotes to the table, the
compensation expense shown below was incurred by the subsidiary (R&G Mortgage or
the Bank) for whom the executive officer is employed.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                          Long-Term          
                                                                                         Compensation         
                                                                                 ---------------------------           
                                                               Annual                              Securities   
                                                            Compensation              Restricted    Underlying   
                                                       -----------------------           Stock        Options/        All Other
Name and Principal Position                    Year     Salary(1)     Bonus            Awards(2)      SARs(3)        Compensation(4)
- -------------------------------------------  ------   ------------  ----------    --------------------------      ----------------
<S>                                            <C>      <C>             <C>              <C>          <C>                <C>     
Victor J. Galan,............................   1998      $  216,759(5) $  200,200(5)        --            --             $2,693  
Chairman, President and Chief                  1997         216,759       200,400           --            --              2,777  
  Executive Officer of the Company;            1996         216,759       200,200           --            --              2,564  
  Chairman, R&G Mortgage; Chairman,                                                                                              
  President and Chief Executive Officer of                                                                                       
  the Bank                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                 
Ramon Prats.................................   1998      $  205,000    $  650,000           --            --             $3,243  
Executive Vice President, R&G Mortgage; Vice   1997         225,494       500,000           --            --              2,934  
Chairman, the Bank (6)                         1996         196,684       350,200        $290,000      360,000            2,377  
                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                 
Juan J. Diaz,...............................   1998      $  161,642    $  200,000           --            --             $1,835  
Senior Vice President, R&G Mortgage            1997         130,854       155,123           --            --              2,812  
                                               1996         104,000       153,000           --          54,000            2,427  
                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                 
Mario Ruiz,.................................   1998      $  158,354    $  120,000           --            --             $1,257  
Senior Vice President, R&G Mortgage            1997         152,000(7)     60,000(7)        --            --              1,012  
                                               1996          79,492        50,000           --          18,000            1,129  
                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                 
Roberto Cordova,............................   1998       $ 119,000     $ 110,000           --            --             $1,791  
Senior Vice President, R&G Mortgage            1997          99,685        60,000           --            --              1,037  
                                               1996          88,494        50,000           --          18,000              493  
</TABLE> 
- ---------------------
(1)  Does not include amounts attributable to miscellaneous benefits received by
     the named officers.  The costs to the Company of providing such benefits to
     the named officers  during the years ended December 31, 1998, 1997 and 1996
     did not exceed  the lesser of $50,000 or 10% of the total of annual  salary
     and bonus reported.
                    (Footnotes continued on following page)
                                     
                                       12
<PAGE>

(2)  Represents the grant of 72,000 restricted Class B Shares to Mr. Prats as of
     the date of the Company's  initial  public  offering based upon the initial
     offering price (as adjusted for the Company's  stock dividends and splits),
     which shares had a fair market value of $1,512,000 at December 31, 1998.

(3)  Represents  the  grant  of  options  to  purchase  Class  B  Shares  to the
     respective  employee,  as adjusted for the  Company's  stock  dividends and
     splits. See "- Stock Option Plan."

(4)  Represents  the  employers'  contribution  on behalf of the employee to the
     Profit Sharing Plan. See "- Profit Sharing Plan."

(5)  Mr. Galan was paid a salary of $41,759 and  $175,000  from R&G Mortgage and
     the Bank, respectively,  and a bonus of $200,000 and $200 from R&G Mortgage
     and the Bank, respectively, in fiscal 1998.

(6)  Mr.  Prats'  day to day  services  are  conducted  on behalf  of, and he is
     compensated by, R&G Mortgage.

(7)  Mr.  Ruiz was paid a salary  of  $146,354  and a bonus of  $120,000  by R&G
     Mortgage and was paid $12,000 by the Bank as  consulting  fees for services
     to the Bank's trust department.

        Bonuses are paid by R&G Mortgage and the Bank based upon  determinations
by senior management of each company, which determinations are influenced by the
profitability  of the  enterprise  for the  year in  question.  The  bonuses  of
managers  of the R&G  Mortgage  branches  are  based in part on loan  production
levels,  while the  bonuses for Bank  branch  managers  are based in part on the
level of  deposits,  loan  production  and new  accounts.  The  bonuses  of Vice
Presidents and Department Managers are based in part on the final results of the
entity's  operations  and  business  generated  during  the  year.  The Board of
Directors of R&G Mortgage  determine the bonuses for the President and Executive
Vice President, which are based on profitability of that company's operations.

Stock Options

         The  Company  did not grant any stock  options to any of the  executive
officers  named in the Summary  Compensation  Table  during 1998.  However,  Mr.
Victor J. Galan issued to Mr. Ramon Prats an option to purchase  360,000 Class B
Shares (as adjusted for the Company's  stock split in June 1998).  See Note 6 to
the table found  under the  heading  "Beneficial  Ownership  of Common  Stock by
Certain Beneficial Owners and Management."

                                       13
<PAGE>
Aggregate Option Exercises in Last Fiscal Year and Fiscal Year-End Option Values

         The following table sets forth, with respect to the executive  officers
named  in the  Summary  Compensation  Table,  information  with  respect  to the
aggregate  amount of options  exercised  during the last fiscal year,  any value
realized  thereon,  the number of  unexercised  options at the end of the fiscal
year (exercisable and unexercisable) and the value with respect thereto.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                Value of Unexercised
                                                       Number of Securities Underlying              In-The-Money
                          Shares                         Unexercised Options/SARs at                 Options/SARs
                         Acquired                             Fiscal Year End (1)               at Fiscal Year End(2)
                            on           Value        ---------------------------------   --------------------------------
        Name             Exercise      Realized        Exercisable       Unexercisable      Exercisable     Unexercisable
- ------------------    -------------    ------------   ------------      ---------------   ---------------- ---------------
<S>                      <C>           <C>               <C>               <C>            <C>              <C>    
Victor Galan                --                  --            --                --                --               --
Ramon Prats                 --                  --       144,000           216,000        $2,444,000       $3,666,000
Juan J. Diaz                --                  --        21,600            32,400           366,600          549,900
Mario Ruiz               7,200            $122,200(3)         --            10,800                --          183,300
Roberto Cordova             --                  --         7,200            10,800           122,200          183,300
</TABLE>                              
- ---------------                

(1)  Share  amounts have been  adjusted for the  Company's  stock  dividends and
     stock splits.

(2)  Based upon a closing market price for the Class B Shares as of December 31,
     1998 of $21.00.

(3)  On January  28,  1999,  Mr.  Mario Ruiz  exercised  stock  options  for the
     purchase of 7,200 Class B Shares of common  stock at $4.028 per share under
     the Company's  Stock Option Plan.  Based upon the per share closing  market
     price for the Class B Shares as of December  31,  1998 of $21.00,  Mr. Ruiz
     realized $122,200 in value upon the exercise of such stock options.

Compensation of Directors

         Members of the Board of  Directors  of the Company and R&G Mortgage who
are not also executive officers of such companies receive fees of $350 per Board
meeting attended and $300 per committee meeting attended.  Executive officers of
the Company and R&G Mortgage  who also serve on the Board of  Directors  are not
compensated for serving on the Board of Directors or committees thereof.

         During  fiscal  1998,  members  of the Board of  Directors  of the Bank
received fees of $350 per meeting attended.  Executive  officers of the Bank who
also serve on the Board of Directors are not  compensated  for their services on
the Board of Directors or committees  thereof.  Non-officer members of the Board
of Directors of the Bank serving on committees received additional  compensation
in the amount of $300 per committee  meeting attended in fiscal 1998, except for
members of the  Internal  Loan  Review  Committee,  who each  received  $350 per
committee meeting attended in fiscal 1998.

                                       14
<PAGE>
Benefits

         Stock Option Plan. The Company  maintains a Stock Option Plan which was
adopted by the Company's  stockholder prior to the 1996 initial public offering.
The Stock Option Plan is designed to attract and retain  qualified  personnel in
key positions, provide officers and key employees with a proprietary interest in
the  Company as an  incentive  to  contribute  to the success of the Company and
reward key employees for outstanding  performance and the attainment of targeted
goals. An amount of Common Stock equal to 10% of the aggregate number of Class B
Shares  sold in the  Company's  initial  public  offering  (869,400  shares,  as
adjusted for the Company's stock dividends and splits) were authorized under the
Stock  Option  Plan,  which may be filled by  authorized  but  unissued  shares,
treasury  shares or shares  purchased  by the Company on the open market or from
private  sources.  The Stock Option Plan provides for the grant of stock options
and stock appreciation rights (collectively "Awards").  Awards are available for
grant to key employees of the Company and any  subsidiaries.  In connection with
the Company's  initial public offering,  the Company awarded options for 720,000
shares to 28 employees of R&G Mortgage and the Bank, including stock options for
360,000 and 54,000 shares to Ramon Prats and Juan J. Diaz, respectively, in each
case as adjusted for the Company's stock dividends and splits.

         Profit  Sharing Plan.  Effective  January 1, 1993, R-G Mortgage and the
Bank adopted the R&G Mortgage  Corporation  and R-G Federal  Savings Bank Profit
Sharing Plan (the "Plan"), which is intended to comply with the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"),  the Employee  Retirement Income Security
Act of 1974,  and the Puerto Rico Income Tax Act of 1954.  All  employees of R&G
Mortgage and the Bank are  eligible to  participate  in the Plan  except,  among
others, for those employees who are non-resident aliens.  Eligible employees may
enter the Plan on January 1, April 1, July 1, and October 1 following  attaining
age 21 and completing one year of service. Under the Plan, a separate account is
established  for each  participating  employee and R&G Mortgage and the Bank may
make  discretionary  contributions to the Plan which are allocated to employees'
accounts.  Employees may also contribute to the Plan by making salary reductions
up to 10% of annual  compensation  for the year.  Such  contributions  defer the
employee's  earning up to a maximum of $7,000 in each plan  year.  In 1998,  R&G
Mortgage and the Bank each matched an employee's  contribution to the Plan up to
62.5% of the first 5% of an employee's  compensation  as follows:  12.5% when an
employee has 0 to 5 years of service,  25% when an employee has 6 to 10 years of
service,  39.5%  when an  employee  has 11 to 15 years of  service,  50% when an
employee  has 16 to 20 years of service,  and 62.5% when an  employee  has 21 or
more years of  service.  Employees'  contributions  to the Plan are  immediately
vested,  and  employees  become 100% vested in employer  contributions  upon the
completion of 5 years of service.  All funds contributed to the Plan are held in
a trust fund.  R&G Mortgage and the Bank direct the  investment  of matching and
discretionary  contributions  and  employees  direct the  investment of elective
contributions  and rollover  contributions.  Contributions  may be directed into
four  separate  funds:  a fixed  income  fund  investing  in  insurance  annuity
contracts,  the Fidelity Growth Fund, the Fidelity Growth & Income Fund, and the
Fidelity  S & P 500  Index  Fund.  Distributions  from the  Plan  are made  upon
termination  of  service,  death,  or  disability  in a lump sum or  installment
payments. The normal retirement age under the Plan is age 65.

                                       15
<PAGE>
Transactions With Certain Related Persons

         The  operations  of R&G  Mortgage and the Bank are linked to a material
extent  by a  series  of  ancillary  agreements  which  govern  the  significant
affiliated  transactions between the two companies (the "Affiliated  Transaction
Agreements"). These agreements have been prepared with a view to compliance with
Sections 23A and 23B of the Federal  Reserve Act,  which  require that the terms
and conditions of transactions between a financial  institution and an affiliate
be on terms which are  substantially  the same,  or at least as favorable to the
financial institution,  as those prevailing for comparable  transactions with or
involving other non-affiliated companies.

         The  Affiliated  Transaction  Agreements  include  a  Master  Purchase,
Servicing and Collections Agreement (the "Master Purchase Agreement"),  a Master
Custodian Agreement, a Master Production Agreement,  a Securitization  Agreement
and  a  Data  Processing   Computer  Service  Agreement  (the  "Data  Processing
Agreement").  In  accordance  with  applicable  regulations,  the terms of these
agreements  were  negotiated  at  arm's  length  on  the  basis  that  they  are
substantially  the  same,  or at  least  as  favorable  to the  Bank,  as  those
prevailing for comparable  transactions with, or involving,  other nonaffiliated
companies.

         Pursuant to the Master  Production  Agreement,  the Bank,  on a monthly
basis,  determines its loan production  targets and goals (the "Loan  Production
Goals") and R&G Mortgage assists the Bank to reach its Loan Production Goals by,
among other  things:  (i)  advertising,  promoting  and marketing to the general
public; (ii) interviewing  prospective  borrowers and initial processing of loan
applications,  consistent  with  the  Bank's  underwriting  guidelines  and Loan
Production  Goals  previously  established;  and (iii)  providing  personnel and
facilities  with respect to the execution of any loan agreement  approved by the
Bank.  In  exchange  for  these  services,  the Bank  remits to R&G  Mortgage  a
percentage of the processing or originating  fees charged to the borrowers under
loan agreements, as set forth in the agreements.

         The Master Purchase  Agreement provides for the sale by the Bank to R&G
Mortgage of the servicing  rights to all first and second mortgage loans secured
by residential  properties  which become part of the Bank's loan portfolio.  The
Master Purchase  Agreement  further  provides that R&G Mortgage will service all
other  loans  held  in  the  Bank's  loan  portfolio  (including   single-family
residential  loans  retained  by the Bank and  certain  commercial  real  estate
loans),  although R&G Mortgage does not actually acquire such servicing  rights.
The Master Purchase  Agreement  further  provides that R&G Mortgage  exclusively
will service  such loans and that the Bank will process  payments of such loans,
all according to a fee schedule.

         Under the Securitization Agreement, R&G Mortgage renders securitization
services with respect to the pooling of some of the Bank's  mortgage  loans into
mortgage-backed  securities.  With respect to securitization  services rendered,
the Bank pays a  securitization  fee of 25 basis  points.  The Master  Custodian
Agreement  provides that the Bank shall be the custodial  agent for R&G Mortgage
of certain  documentation  related to the issuance by R&G Mortgage of Government
National Mortgage  Association  ("GNMA"),  Federal National Mortgage Association
("FNMA") or Federal
                                       16
<PAGE>
Home  Loan  Mortgage  Corporation  ("FHLMC")  mortgage-backed  certificates.  In
consideration of these services,  the Bank receives a fee for each mortgage note
included  in a  mortgage-backed  certificate  per  year  for  which  it  acts as
custodian, as set forth in the agreement.

         In  addition  to  the  affiliated  transactions  described  above,  R&G
Mortgage and the Bank are also subject to a Data Processing Agreement,  pursuant
to which the Bank provides data processing services to R&G Mortgage with respect
to the loan origination and loan administration of its servicing portfolio.  The
Bank charges R&G Mortgage a monthly fee for each R&G Mortgage  computer  that is
linked to the Bank's  main  frame  computer.  R&G  Mortgage  assumed  all of the
expenses  associated with modifying the Bank's existing computer  programs,  the
design of the mortgage loan processing  system and for installation of telephone
lines, communications hardware and additional equipment.

         R&G Mortgage  presently  subleases space at eight branch offices of the
Bank where it operates mortgage  centers.  The activities of the mortgage center
include interviewing  prospective borrowers for loans secured by first mortgages
or second mortgages on residential real estate and home equity loans, processing
the initial application for such loans,  referring such loan applications to R&G
Mortgage  and/or  the Bank,  and  accepting  and  processing  the  documentation
necessary  to  underwrite  such  mortgage  loans.  No other  lending  or banking
activity is conducted by R&G Mortgage on the premises of the Bank.  R&G Mortgage
pays the Bank a monthly rental payment,  which is based on a pro rata portion of
the main lease obligation.

         During the year ended  December 31, 1998,  VIG Leasing,  S.E., a Puerto
Rico real  estate  partnership  which is 95.8%  owned by the family of Victor J.
Galan,  the  Company's  Chairman  of the Board,  President  and Chief  Executive
Officer,  received  lease  payments from R&G Mortgage and the Bank on properties
owned of $874,560 and $691,195,  respectively. R&G Mortgage and the Bank believe
that the lease  terms are on terms  substantially  the same as they  would  have
negotiated with a non-affiliated party.

         Under  applicable  federal  law,  loans  or  extensions  of  credit  to
executive  officers and directors must be made on substantially  the same terms,
including  interest rates and  collateral,  as those  prevailing at the time for
comparable  transactions  with the general public and must not involve more than
the normal risk of repayment or present other unfavorable features.

         The Bank's policy provides that all loans made by the Bank to directors
and  officers of the Company are made in the  ordinary  course of  business,  on
substantially the same terms, including interest rates and collateral,  as those
prevailing  at the time for  comparable  transactions  with other  persons.  The
Bank's policy provides that such loans may not involve more than the normal risk
of  collectibility  or present other  unfavorable  features.  As of December 31,
1998,  mortgage and consumer  loans to directors and  executive  officers of the
Company in excess of $60,000 aggregated  approximately  $534,000 or 0.24% of the
Company's consolidated stockholders' equity as of such date. All such loans were
made by the Bank in accordance with the aforementioned policy.

                                       17
<PAGE>
        In July 1995, R&G Mortgage made a $900,000  construction loan to a real
estate  development  company owned by Pedro Ramirez,  a director of the Company,
R&G  Mortgage  and the Bank.  The subject  real estate  development  project was
scheduled  to be completed  in phases.  At December  31,  1998,  the loan had an
outstanding  balance of $249,064 at an interest  rate of 2% over the prime rate.
The  outstanding  balance  of the loan is  related  to the  second  phase of the
construction  project. The portion of the loan related to the first phase of the
project was repaid in January 1998.

         During the year ended  December 31, 1998,  Enrique  Umpierre-Suarez,  a
director and Secretary of each of the Company and the Bank,  each provided legal
services  to  borrowers  of the Bank and R&G  Mortgage  in  connection  with the
closing of consumer and  commercial  loans.  During the year ended  December 31,
1998, Mr. Umpierre-Suarez received $768,328 in fees for such legal services, all
of which were paid for by customers  of the Bank and R&G Mortgage in  connection
with loan closings.

         During  the  year  ended  December  31,  1998,  R&G  Mortgage  referred
customers   requiring   hazard  insurance  in  connection  with  their  mortgage
transactions to Home & Property  Insurance  Company,  an insurance company which
was previously  owned by the wife of Pedro  Ramirez,  a director of the Company,
R&G  Mortgage  and the Bank.  Each  customer  has the ability to seek  insurance
coverage  required  from an  alternative  acceptable  insurance  company  of his
choice.  During the year ended  December  31,  1998,  Home & Property  Insurance
Company received $966,972 in premiums for writing hazard insurance  policies for
R&G Mortgage's  customers.  In 1997, Mrs. Ramirez sold her 100% equity in Home &
Property Insurance Company, but remains as the President of the Agency until the
purchase price is paid in full.

         R&G Mortgage  originates  first mortgage loans secured by single-family
residential   properties  which  are  either  insured  by  the  Federal  Housing
Administration ("FHA") or guaranteed by the Veterans' Administration ("VA"). R&G
Mortgage  pools such  FHA/VA  loans into  mortgage-backed  securities  which are
guaranteed by the GNMA, which  securities are sold to securities  broker dealers
and other investors.  During the year ended December 31, 1998, R&G Mortgage sold
approximately  $200,000 of such GNMA securities to Victor J. Galan, the Chairman
of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company,  Chairman of
the  Board of R&G  Mortgage  and  Chairman  of the  Board,  President  and Chief
Executive Officer of the Bank,  approximately  $750,000 GNMA securities to Ramon
Prats,  the Vice  Chairman  of the Board and  Executive  Vice  President  of the
Company, director and Executive Vice President of R&G Mortgage and Vice Chairman
of the Board of Directors of the Bank, approximately $293,720 of GNMA securities
to Juan J. Diaz,  a director  of the Company  and R&G  Mortgage  and Senior Vice
President of Loan Administration of R&G Mortgage,  approximately $50,000 of GNMA
securities  to Jose Luis Ortiz,  the Vice  President  of Finance of the Bank and
approximately $675,000 of GNMA securities to Enrique Umpierre-Suarez, a director
and Secretary of each of the Company and the Bank.
                                       18
<PAGE>
Executive Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

        The Executive  Committee of the Company's Board of Directors reviews the
compensation  and benefits for the  Company's  employees  and  recommends to the
Board adjustments in such  compensation.  During fiscal 1998, the members of the
Executive  Committee  were  Messrs.  Victor J.  Galan  (Chairman),  Prats  (Vice
Chairman),  McCormack,  and  Victor  L.  Galan.  Mr.  Victor J.  Galan  does not
participate in the Committee's consideration of his own compensation.

         The report of the Executive  Committee with respect to compensation for
the President and Chief Executive  Officer and all other executive  officers for
the fiscal year ended December 31, 1998 is set forth below:

Report of the Executive Committee on Executive Compensation

         The purpose of the Committee is to assist the Board of Directors of the
Company and its  subsidiaries in attracting and retaining  qualified,  competent
management;  motivating  executives  to  achieve  a range of  performance  goals
consistent  with a  business  plan  approved  by the Board of  Directors  of the
Company;   and  insuring  that  the  financial  costs  of  current  or  proposed
compensation  and benefit  programs are reasonable and consistent  with industry
standards, management performance and shareholders' interest.

         The Committee  considered the following criteria in recommending to the
Board the compensation of the Chief Executive Officer as well as the approval of
compensation of other executive officers of the Company and its subsidiaries:

         1.       The overall financial,  market and competitive  performance of
                  the Company and its subsidiaries  during the fiscal year under
                  consideration   after   adjusting   for  economic   conditions
                  occurring during the year.

         2.       The level of and/or  increases  in return on assets and return
                  on equity without encouraging short-term profitability through
                  unreasonable risk-taking or a deterioration of long-term asset
                  quality.

         3.       Consideration  of individual  as well as combined  measures of
                  progress  of the Company and its  subsidiaries  including  the
                  quality  of the loan  portfolio,  the level of the  changes in
                  capital  ratios,  the  overall  growth  of the  Bank  and  R&G
                  Mortgage,  the improvement in market share, the improvement in
                  book value per share,  the  improvement in earnings per share,
                  the  level of  non-performing  loans  and real  estate  owned,
                  efficiency  ratio  levels as compared to peer groups and other
                  objectives as may be  established by the Board of Directors of
                  the Company.

         4.       The  individual  commitment  of the  Chief  Executive  Officer
                  relative  to  overall  management  efficiency,   inspirational
                  leadership, professional involvement, civic

                                       19
<PAGE>
                  activities and the maintenance of corporate  stature enhancing
                  the image of the Company and it  subsidiaries  in their market
                  place.

         5.       The compensation and benefit levels of comparable positions to
                  peer  group   institutions   within  the  financial   services
                  industry, and similar asset and operating characteristics with
                  a  concentration  on those  institutions  operating  in Puerto
                  Rico.

         The  compensation  arrangements  and  recommendations  of the Committee
include a base salary and a bonus  component if the  Executive's  performance is
judged to warrant such a bonus.

         The base compensation of Victor J. Galan, President and Chief Executive
Officer of the Company and the Bank,  was  established at $216,759 on January 1,
1998. Mr. Galan's  compensation  level,  determined  consistent  with the before
mentioned  criteria,  was based on an examination of four peer group comparisons
relative to salary and bonus  compensation  for Chief  Executive  Officers.  Mr.
Galan's performance is measured by the profit,  capital position,  asset quality
and the low  ratio  of  operating  expenses  of the  Company,  the  Bank and R&G
Mortgage,  as well as the other measures of executive  compensation  so noted in
determining his specific  compensation.  Mr. Galan was given a bonus of $200,200
for his service during 1998 based on his overall performance including his added
effort and time expended in managing the institution  during its first full year
as a public company as well as other  activities  which ensued during the course
of the year.

         With  respect to the other  executive  officers  of the Company and its
subsidiaries, the Committee considered salary and bonus recommendations prepared
by the Chief  Executive  Officer  to  establish  1998  compensation.  The salary
adjustment   recommendation  and  bonus  was  based  on  the  Company's  overall
performance in the past year as well as an analysis of competitive  compensation
levels necessary to maintain and attract quality personnel.

        Following  extensive  review and approval by the  Committee,  all issues
pertaining  to  executive  compensation  were  submitted  to the  full  Board of
Directors for their  approval.  Mr. Victor J. Galan does not  participate in the
review of his compensation.

                                           EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE


                                           Victor J. Galan, Chairman
                                           Ramon Prats, Vice Chairman
                                           Eduardo McCormack
                                           Victor L. Galan

                                       20
<PAGE>
Performance Graph

         The following graph compares the cumulative total return on the Class B
Shares over a measurement  period since the  Company's  offering and issuance of
Class B Shares in August 1996 with (i) the cumulative total return on the stocks
included in the National  Association  of  Securities  Dealers,  Inc.  Automated
Quotation  ("Nasdaq") Total Return Index (for United States  companies) and (ii)
the  cumulative  total return on the stocks  included in the Nasdaq Total Return
Index for  Financial  Stocks (for United States and foreign  companies).  All of
these cumulative  returns are computed assuming the reinvestment of dividends at
the frequency with which dividends were paid during the period.




                 [GRAPHIC-GRAPH PLOTTED TO POINTS LISTED BELOW]


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                    FISCAL YEAR ENDING
INDEX                          8/22/96   12/31/96   6/30/97   12/31/97   6/30/98    12/31/98
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                             <C>        <C>       <C>        <C>       <C>         <C>   
R&G Financial Corporationnn     100.00     164.85    182.77     245.76    486.53      539.56
NASDAQ Total U.S.               100.00     112.94    126.40     138.59    194.38      182.39
NASDAQ  - Financial Companies   100.00     116.09    141.02     178.16    182.72      171.45
 
</TABLE>

         The above  graph  represents  $100  invested in the  Company's  initial
public  offering of the Class B Shares on August 22, 1996 at $4.03 per share (as
adjusted for the 1997 80% stock dividend and the two-for-one stock split paid in
1998). The Class B Shares commenced trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market on August
22, 1996.

                                       21
<PAGE>
              PROPOSAL TO AMEND THE CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION TO
                    INCREASE THE NUMBER OF AUTHORIZED SHARES
                             OF CLASS B COMMON STOCK

        At the  Annual  Meeting,  stockholders  will be  asked to  consider  and
approve a  proposal  to amend the  Company's  Certificate  of  Incorporation  to
increase  the  number of Class B Shares  from  20,000,000  shares to  30,000,000
shares. Such amendment was unanimously approved by the Board of Directors of the
Company on March 25, 1999.

Discussion of the Proposed Amendment

         The  Company's   Certificate  of  Incorporation   currently  authorizes
70,000,000  shares of capital stock,  consisting of 60,000,000  shares of Common
Stock  and  10,000,000  shares of  preferred  stock,  par  value  $.01 per share
("Preferred  Stock").  Of the  60,000,000  shares of  authorized  Common  Stock,
40,000,000  shares are  designated as Class A Shares and  20,000,000  shares are
designated  as Class B Shares.  The  proposed  amendment to the  Certificate  of
Incorporation would increase the number of shares of authorized capital stock by
10,000,000 shares,  from 70,000,000 shares to 80,000,000 shares, with the number
of shares of Common Stock  designated as Class A Shares  remaining  unchanged at
40,000,000 and the number of shares designated as Class B Shares from 20,000,000
to  30,000,000.  If the  amendment  is  authorized,  the first two  sentences of
Article Four of the Company's  Certificate of Incorporation  would be amended to
read as follows:

                  The  total   number  of  shares  of  all  classes   which  the
         Corporation  shall  have  the  authority  to issue  is  EIGHTY  MILLION
         (80,000,000) shares, consisting of FORTY MILLION (40,000,000) shares of
         Class A Common Stock, par value $.01 per share (hereinafter  called the
         "Class A Common Stock),  THIRTY MILLION  (30,000,000) shares of Class B
         Common Stock, par value $.01 per share (hereinafter called the "Class B
         Common Stock") and TEN MILLION  (10,000,000) shares of Preferred Stock,
         par value $.01 per share (hereinafter called the "Preferred Stock"). As
         used herein the terms "Common Stock" shall include Class A Common Stock
         and Class B Common Stock.

         All of the Class A Shares are  currently  held by Victor J. Galan,  the
Chairman,  President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company.  The holders of
Class A Shares  are  generally  entitled  to two  votes  per  share  at  matters
presented  to a vote of the  stockholders  compared  to one vote per  share  for
holders of the Class B Shares.  There are  currently  18,440,556  Class A Shares
outstanding.  As a result of the two-for-one  stock dividend paid by the Company
on the Common Stock in 1998, there are currently  10,146,091 shares Common Stock
designated as Class B Shares outstanding. Thus, there are only 9,853,909 Class B
Shares authorized for future issuance.

         The Board of Directors of the Company has determined that the number of
authorized  Class B Shares  should be  increased to provide the Company with the
flexibility to conduct the Company's future operations,  including the issuance,
distribution or exchange of shares of Common Stock for

                                       22
<PAGE>
stock  dividends,  acquisitions,  financings  and employee  stock benefit plans.
Specifically, additional Class B Shares are needed in the event that the Company
declares  additional  stock dividends or stock splits on the Common Stock, or to
pursue merger or acquisition opportunities. The Board of Directors currently has
no  specific  plans to  declare a stock  dividend  or stock  split on the Common
Stock,  to issue  additional  shares of Common  Stock and is not  engaged in any
merger or acquisition discussions.

         Holders of Common Stock do not have  preemptive  rights to subscribe to
additional  securities  that may be  issued by the  Company,  which  means  that
current Class B stockholders do not have a prior right to purchase any new issue
of  capital  stock  of the  Company  in order to  maintain  their  proportionate
ownership. Stockholders who desire to maintain their interests may be able to do
so through normal market purchases, however.

         The Board of  Directors  of the  Company  unanimously  recommends  that
stockholders  of the Company vote "FOR"  approval of adoption of the proposal to
amend the  Certificate  of  Incorporation  to increase the number of  authorized
shares of Common Stock.

                     RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT OF AUDITORS

         The   Board   of    Directors    of   the   Company    has    appointed
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent certified public accountants, to perform
the audit of the Company's financial statements for the year ending December 31,
1999,  and further  directed  that the  selection of auditors be  submitted  for
ratification by the stockholders at the Annual Meeting.

         The Company has been advised by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP that neither
that firm nor any of its associates has any relationship with the Company or its
subsidiaries other than the usual  relationship that exists between  independent
certified public accountants and clients. Price  waterhouseCoopers LLP will have
one or more  representatives  at the Annual Meeting who will have an opportunity
to make a statement,  if they so desire, and who will be available to respond to
appropriate questions.

         The Board of Directors  recommends that you vote "FOR" the ratification
of the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as independent auditors for the
fiscal year ending December 31, 1999.

                                       23
<PAGE>
                              STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS

         Any proposal  which a stockholder  wishes to have included in the proxy
materials of the Company  relating to the next annual meeting of stockholders of
the Company,  which  currently  is  scheduled to be held in April 2000,  must be
received at the principal executive offices of the Company, R-G Plaza, 280 Jesus
T. Pinero  Avenue,  Hato Rey, San Juan,  Puerto Rico 00918,  Attention:  Enrique
Umpierre-Suarez, Secretary, no later than December 1, 1999.

         Stockholder  proposals  which are not  submitted  for  inclusion in the
Company's proxy  materials  pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act may be
brought  before an annual  meeting  pursuant to Article II, Section 2.14. of the
Company's  Bylaws,  which  provides  that  business  at  an  annual  meeting  of
stockholders  must be (a)  properly  brought  before  the  meeting  by or at the
direction of the Board of Directors,  or (b) otherwise  properly  brought before
the meeting by a  stockholder.  For  business to be properly  brought  before an
annual meeting by a stockholder,  the stockholder  must have given timely notice
thereof  in  writing  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Company.   To  be  timely,  a
stockholder's  notice  must be  delivered  to, or mailed  and  received  at, the
principal  executive  offices of the Company not later than 90 days prior to the
anniversary date of the immediately  preceding annual meeting of stockholders of
the Company.  No such  proposals  were received.  Such  stockholder's  notice is
required to set forth  certain  information  specified  in the  Articles.  To be
timely  with  respect to the next  annual  meeting to be held in April  2000,  a
stockholder's  notice must be received by the  Secretary of the Company no later
than January 30, 2000.

                                 ANNUAL REPORTS

         A copy of the  Company's  Annual  Report to  Stockholders  for the year
ended December 31, 1998 accompanies this Proxy Statement.  Such annual report is
not part of the proxy solicitation materials.

         Upon  receipt of a written  request,  the Company  will  furnish to any
stockholder  without  charge a copy of the Company's  Annual Report on Form 10-K
for fiscal 1998  required  to be filed  under the  Exchange  Act.  Such  written
requests should be directed to Secretary, R&G Financial Corporation,  R-G Plaza,
280 Jesus T. Pinero Avenue, Hato Rey, San Juan, Puerto Rico 99018. The Form 10-K
is not part of the proxy solicitation materials.

                                       24
<PAGE>
                                  OTHER MATTERS

        Management  is not  aware of any  business  to come  before  the  Annual
Meeting other than the matters described above in this Proxy Statement. However,
if any matters  should  properly  come before the meeting other than those which
are described in this Proxy Statement, it is intended that the proxies solicited
hereby will be voted with respect to those other matters in accordance  with the
judgment of the persons voting the proxies.

         The cost of the  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  the proxy
materials to the beneficial owners of the Company's Common Stock. In addition to
solicitations  by mail,  directors,  officers  and  employees of the Company may
solicit proxies personally or by telephone without additional compensation.


                                    By Order of the Board of Directors



                                    /s/ Victor J. Galan
                                    Victor J. Galan
                                     Chairman of the Board, President
                                        and Chief Executive Officer

                                       25
<PAGE>
                                   (FORM OF)
                                REVOCABLE PROXY                                 
  
                            R&G FINANCIAL CORPORATION

THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF R&G FINANCIAL
CORPORATION ("COMPANY") FOR USE AT THE ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS TO BE 
HELD ON APRIL 29, 1999 AND AT ANY ADJOURNMENT THEREOF.


The undersigned  being a stockholder of the Company as of April 1, 1999,  hereby

authorizes  the Board of Directors of the Company or any  successors  thereto as

proxies, to represent the undersigned at the Annual Meeting Stockholders of the

Company to be held at The Bankers Club of Puerto Rico, 208 Munoz Rivera Ave., PH

Floor, Hato Rey, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00918,  on  Thursday,   April 29, 1999 at

10:00 a.m., and at any  adjournments  of said  meeting,  and thereat to act with

respect to all votes that the  undersigned  would be entitled  to cast,  if then

personally present, as follows:

                 (continued and to be signed on reverse side.)
<PAGE>
                   Please Detach and Mail in the Envelope Provided

[ X ] Please mark your
      votes as in this
      example

                                 WITHHOLD                                       
                       FOR       AUTHORITY
1. ELECTION OF        [   ]        [   ]       Nominees: For a three year term: 
   DIRECTORS                                             Victor J. Galan
                                                         Ramon Prats          
   NOTE:  To withhold  authority to vote for             Enrique Umpierre-Suarez
   an  individual  nominee,  strike  a line              Eduardo McCormack  
   through  that  nominee's  name.   Unless
   authority  to vote for all the  foregoing
   nominees is withheld, this Proxy will be
   deemed to confer  authority  to vote for
   each nominee whose name is not struck.  

                                               FOR       AGAINST     ABSTAIN  
2. Proposal  to amend  the  Certificate  of   [   ]       [   ]       [   ]     
   Incorporation of the Company to increase            
   the authorized number of shares of Class
   B  Common  Stock  of  the  Company  from
   20,000,000 to 30,000,000.

3. Proposal  to ratify the  appointment  by   [   ]       [   ]       [   ]     
   the     Board    of     Directors     of
   PricewaterhouseCoopers    LLP   as   the
   Company's  independent  auditors for the
   fiscal year ending December 31, 1999.
   
4. In their  discretion,  the  proxies are  authorized  to vote upon such other
   business as may properly come before the meeting.

   SHARES OF THE COMPANY'S COMMON STOCK WILL BE VOTED AS SPECIFIED.  IF RETURNED
BUT NOT  OTHERWISE  SPECIFIED,  THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED FOR THE ELECTION OF THE
BOARD OF  DIRECTORS'  NOMINEES TO THE BOARD OF  DIRECTORS,  FOR THE  PROPOSAL TO
AMEND THE CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF SHARES OF CLASS
B COMMON  STOCK,  FOR  RATIFICATION  OF THE COMPANY'S  INDEPENDENT  AUDITORS AND
OTHERWISE AT THE  DISCRETION  OF THE  PROXIES.  YOU MAY REVOKE THIS PROXY AT ANY
TIME PRIOR TO THE TIME IT IS VOTED AT THE ANNUAL MEETING.
                                                                     
PLEASE  MARK,  DATE AND  RETURN  THE PROXY  CARD  PROMPTLY  USING  THE  ENCLOSED
ENVELOPE.

Signature of Shareholder         Signature of Shareholder           Dated


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

NOTE: Please  sign the exactly as your  name(s)  appear(s)  on this proxy.  When
      signing in a representative capacity,  please give full title. When shares
      are held jointly, only one holder need sign.


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