IBL BANCORP
DEF 14A, 1999-03-19
SAVINGS INSTITUTIONS, NOT FEDERALLY CHARTERED
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                            SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
                    Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a)
                     of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

[ X ] Filed by the registrant

[   ] Filed by a party other than the registrant      


Check the appropriate box:

[   ] Preliminary Proxy Statement

[   ] Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only
      (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))

[ X ] Definitive Proxy Statement

[   ] Definitive Additional Materials

[   ] Soliciting Material Pursuant to ss. 240.14a-11(c) or ss. 240.14a-12


                                IBL BANCORP, INC.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                (Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
<PAGE> 
                                IBL BANCORP, INC.
                              23910 Railroad Avenue
                           Plaquemine, Louisiana 70764
                                 (504) 687-6337

                    NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
                          To Be Held on April 28, 1999

         NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Annual Meeting of Stockholders ("Annual
Meeting") of IBL Bancorp,  Inc.  (the  "Company")  will be held at the Company's
office  located  at  23910  Railroad  Avenue,  Plaquemine,  Louisiana  70764  on
Wednesday,  April  28,  1999 at 10:00  a.m.,  Central  Time,  for the  following
purposes,  all of which are more completely set forth in the accompanying  Proxy
Statement:

         (1)      To elect two directors for terms of three years or until their
                  successors have been elected and qualified;

         (2)      To ratify the  appointment of L.A.  Champagne & Co., L.L.P. as
                  the  Company's   independent  auditors  for  the  year  ending
                  December 31, 1999; and

         (3)      To transact  such other  business as may properly  come before
                  the meeting or any adjournment thereof. Except with respect to
                  procedural  matters  incident to the  conduct of the  meeting,
                  management is not aware of any other such business.

         Stockholders  of record of the  Company as of the close of  business on
March 3, 1999 are entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting or any
adjournment thereof.

                                           BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS   
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                           /s/G. Lloyd Bouchereau, Jr.,         
                                           ---------------------------          
                                           G. Lloyd Bouchereau, Jr.             
                                           President and Chief Executive Officer
                                             

Plaquemine, Louisiana
March 19, 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.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
                                IBL BANCORP, INC.


                                 PROXY STATEMENT


                         ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

                                 April 28, 1999


       This Proxy  Statement is being  furnished to the holders of common stock,
par value $.01 per share ("Common Stock"), of IBL Bancorp, Inc. (the "Company"),
which  acquired  all of the  common  stock of The  Iberville  Building  and Loan
Association (the "Association")  issued in connection with the conversion of the
Association from a Louisiana-chartered  mutual savings and loan association to a
Louisiana-chartered  stock savings and loan  association  in September 1998 (the
"Conversion").

       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 Company's  office located at 23910 Railroad  Avenue,  Plaquemine,
Louisiana 70764 on Wednesday, April 28, 1999 at 10:00 a.m., Central Time, and at
any  adjournment  thereof  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 19, 1999.

       Each 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 each of the matters  described herein 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 (Gary K. Pruitt,  Secretary,  IBL Bancorp,  Inc.,  23910 Railroad
Avenue,  Plaquemine,  Louisiana  70764);  (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 AND REQUIRED VOTES

       Only  stockholders  of record at the close of  business  on March 3, 1999
(the "Voting Record Date"") will be entitled to vote at the Annual  Meeting.  On
the Voting  Record Date,  there were  210,870  shares of Common Stock issued and
outstanding,   and  the  Company  had  no  other  class  of  equity   securities
outstanding.  Each share of Common Stock  outstanding is entitled to one vote at
the Annual Meeting on each matter properly presented at the Annual Meeting.


                                        1

<PAGE>
       Directors  are  elected  by a  plurality  of the votes cast with a quorum
present. A quorum consists of stockholders representing,  either in person or by
proxy,  a majority  of the  outstanding  Common  Stock  entitled  to vote at the
meeting.  Abstentions are considered in determining the presence of a quorum but
will not affect the plurality  vote required for the election of directors.  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.   Under  rules  of  the  New  York  Stock   Exchange   applicable   to
broker-dealers,  the election of directors and the  ratification of the auditors
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 and for which there will not be "broker non-votes."


          INFORMATION WITH RESPECT TO NOMINEES FOR DIRECTOR, DIRECTORS
                   WHOSE TERMS CONTINUE AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

Election of Directors

       The Bylaws of the Company  presently  provide that the Board of Directors
shall consist of six members,  and the Articles of  Incorporation  and Bylaws of
the Company  presently provide that the Board of Directors shall be divided into
three  classes as nearly equal in number as possible.  The members of each class
are to be  elected  for a term of  three  years or until  their  successors  are
elected and qualified.  One class of directors is to be elected annually.  There
are no  arrangements  or  understandings  between  the  Company  and any  person
pursuant to which such person has been elected or  nominated as a director,  and
no director or nominee for  director is related to any other  director,  nominee
for director or executive officer of the Company by blood, marriage or adoption.

       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 any person named as a nominee  should be unable or unwilling to stand
for election at the time of the Annual  Meeting,  the proxies will  nominate and
vote  for any  replacement  nominee  or  nominees  recommended  by the  Board of
Directors.  At this time,  the Board of Directors  knows of no reason why any of
the nominees listed below may not be able to serve as a director if elected.

                                        2

<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                        Position with the Company and the
                                                      Association and Principal Occupation                 Director
Name                                   Age(1)              During the Past Five Years                     Since(2)
- ----                                   ------              --------------------------                     --------
                                                  Nominees for Term Expiring in 2002

<S>                                      <C>      <C>                                                         <C> 
G. Lloyd Bouchereau, Jr.                 57       Director, President and Chief Executive                     1968
                                                  Officer of the Association since 1978 and of
                                                  the Company since June 1998; employed by
                                                  the Association since 1966

Bobby E. Stanley                         58       Director, self employed public accountant                   1988
</TABLE>

The Board of  Directors  recommends  that you vote FOR the election of the above
nominees for director.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                  Directors Whose Terms Expire in 2000
<S>                                      <C>      <C>                                                         <C> 
Gary K. Pruitt                           57       Director, Secretary-Treasurer of the                        1995
                                                  Association  since 1996 and of
                                                  the  Company  since June 1998;
                                                  retired;   formerly  Executive
                                                  Director of the Greater  Baton
                                                  Rouge Port  Commission in Port
                                                  Allen, Louisiana until
                                                  June 1998

Edward J. Steinmetz                      47       Director, Plant Manager of Ashland Chemical                 1997
                                                  Co.,  a   methanol   plant  in
                                                  Plaquemine,   Louisiana  since
                                                  1995;  prior  thereto,   Plant
                                                  Technical  Manager  at Ashland
                                                  Chemical Co.


                                                  Directors Whose Terms Expire in 2001

John L. Delahaye                         52       Director, Attorney with the law firm of                     1984
                                                  Borron & Delahaye in Plaquemine, Louisiana
                                                  since 1974

Danny M. Strickland                      32       Director, Loan Officer of the Association                   1998
                                                  since 1995 and of the Company since June
                                                  1998; Branch Manager of Transamerica
                                                  Financial Services in Lafayette, Louisiana
                                                  from July 1993 to December 1994; prior
                                                  thereto, Assistant Branch Manager of
                                                  Transamerica Financial Services
</TABLE>
- ----------------
(1)    As of December 31, 1998.
(2)    Includes service as a director of the Association.

                                        3
<PAGE>
Stockholder Nominations

       Article  6.F  of  the  Company's   Articles  of   Incorporation   governs
nominations  for  election  to the  Board of  Directors  and  requires  all such
nominations,  other than  those  made by the  Board,  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
120 days prior to the anniversary date of the initial mailing of proxy materials
by the Company in connection  with the  immediately  preceding  annual  meeting,
except that stockholder nominations with respect to the 1999 Annual Meeting were
required  to be  received by January 15,  1999.  Article 6.F also  requires  the
notice of stockholder nominations to provide certain information.

Board Meetings and Committees

       The Board of  Directors  of the  Company  met five times  during the year
ended  December  31,  1998.  Directors  of the Company  receive no fees from the
Company for attending  Board of Directors  meetings or committee  meetings.  The
Board of  Directors  has an audit  committee as  described  below.  The Board of
Directors of the Company does not have any separate  executive,  compensation or
nominating committees. No director of the Company attended fewer than 75% in the
aggregate  of the  meetings of the Board of  Directors  held during 1998 and the
total number of meetings held by all  committees of the Board on which he served
during the year.

       The Audit Committee  reviews the scope and results of the audit performed
by the  Company's  independent  auditors  and reviews with  management  and such
independent  auditors the Company's  system of internal  control and audit.  The
Audit  Committee  also  reviews  all  examination  and other  reports by federal
banking regulators.  The members of the Audit Committee for both the Company and
the Association are Messrs. Pruitt (Chairman), Delahaye and Steinmetz. The Audit
Committee is the same for the Company and the Association and met once in 1998.

       The full  Board of  Directors  of the  Company  serves as the  Nominating
Committee  and met once  during  1998 in such  capacity.  Although  the Board of
Directors  will  consider  nominees  recommended  by  stockholders,  it has  not
actively solicited recommendations from stockholders of the Company. Article 6.F
of the Company's  Articles of Incorporation  provides  certain  procedures which
stockholders must follow in making director nominations.

       Regular  meetings of the Board of Directors of the  Association  are held
once a month  and  special  meetings  of the  Board of  Directors  are held from
time-to-time as needed.  There were 20 meetings of the Board of Directors of the
Association  held during 1998. No director  attended fewer than 75% of the total
number of meetings of the Board of Directors of the Association  during 1998 and
the total number of meetings  held by all  committees  of the Board on which the
director served during such year.

       The Board of  Directors  of the  Association  does not have any  separate
executive,  compensation or nominating  committees.  The Board has an Investment
Committee, which currently consists of all

                                        4
<PAGE>
the directors of the  Association.  The  investment  Committee met five times in
1998 in conjunction with regular Board meetings.

Directors' Compensation

       Each  director of the  Association  receives $600 for each meeting of the
Board of Directors or a committee of the Board. Directors are paid for up to two
excused absences from meetings per year.

Executive Officers

       The only  executive  officers  of the  Company  and the  Association  are
Messrs. Bouchereau and Strickland, who are also directors of the Company and the
Association.


                      BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF COMMON STOCK
                   BY CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

       The  following  table  includes,  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 ("1934 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) the  directors of the  Company,  and (iii) all
directors and executive officers of the Company and the Association as a group.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                       Common Stock
                                                                  Beneficially Owned as of
                                                                      March 3, 1999(1)
                                                                  ------------------------ 

        Name of Beneficial Owner                                  Amount                %
        ------------------------                                  ------              ----
<S>                                                              <C>                <C>  
IBL Bancorp, Inc.                                                16,869(2)             8.0%
Employee Stock Ownership Plan Trust
23910 Railroad Avenue
Plaquemine, Louisiana 70764

Directors:
       G. Lloyd Bouchereau, Jr.                                  10,167(3)           4.8%
       John L. Delahaye                                           7,500(4)           3.6%
       Gary K. Pruitt                                             7,000(5)           3.3%
       Bobby E. Stanley                                          10,000(6)           4.7%
       Edward J. Steinmetz                                         6000              2.8%
       Danny M. Strickland                                        2,628(7)           1.2%
All directors and executive officers of the
 Company and the Association as a group (six persons)            43,295(2)          20.5%
</TABLE>

                                                        (Footnotes on next page)

                                        5
<PAGE>
- -------------------
(1)    Based upon information  furnished by the respective persons.  Pursuant to
       rules  promulgated under the 1934 Act, a person is deemed to beneficially
       own shares of Common  Stock 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  direct  the  disposition  of the  shares.  Unless
       otherwise indicated, the named beneficial owner has sole voting power and
       sole investment power with respect to the indicated shares.

(2)    The IBL Bancorp,  Inc.  Employee Stock Ownership Plan Trust ("Trust") was
       established  pursuant to the IBL Bancorp,  Inc.  Employee Stock Ownership
       Plan ("ESOP") by an agreement between the Company and Messrs. Bouchereau,
       Stanley and Strickland, who act as trustees of the plan ("Trustees").  As
       of the Voting  Record  Date,  16,447  shares of Common  Stock held in the
       Trust were  unallocated and 422 shares had been allocated to the accounts
       of  participating  employees.  Under the terms of the ESOP,  the Trustees
       will generally  vote the allocated  shares held in the ESOP in accordance
       with the instructions of the  participating  employees and will generally
       vote  unallocated  shares held in the ESOP in the same proportion for and
       against   proposals  to  stockholders  as  the  ESOP   participants   and
       beneficiaries  actually  vote shares of Common  Stock  allocated to their
       individual accounts,  subject in each case to the fiduciary duties of the
       ESOP  trustees  and  applicable  law. Any  allocated  shares which either
       abstain  on  the  proposal  or are  not  voted  will  be  disregarded  in
       determining  the  percentage of stock voted for and against each proposal
       by the  participants  and  beneficiaries.  The  amount  of  Common  Stock
       beneficially  owned  by each  individual  trustee  or all  directors  and
       executive  officers as a group does not include  the  unallocated  shares
       held by the Trust. The total for all directors and executive  officers as
       a group  includes 270 shares  allocated  to the ESOP  accounts of the two
       executive officers.

(3)    Includes  2,500  shares held by Mr.  Bouchereau's  individual  retirement
       account ("IRA"), 3,000 shares held by his spouse's IRA, 2,000 shares held
       jointly with his spouse,  1,000 shares held by his two children,  and 167
       shares allocated to Mr.  Bouchereau's  ESOP account.  Mr.  Bouchereau has
       shared  voting and  dispositive  power with respect to the shares held by
       his spouse and  children.  Excludes  the  unallocated  shares held by the
       ESOP, of which Mr. Bouchereau is one of three trustees.

(4)    Includes 3,750 shares held by Mr. Delahaye's spouse, with whom voting and
       dispositive power is shared.

(5)    Includes 1,000 shares held by Mr. Pruitt's  spouse,  with whom voting and
       dispositive power is shared.

(6)    Consists of 5,759 shares held by Mr.  Stanley's IRA and 4,241 shares held
       by Mr.  Stanley's  spouse,  with whom  voting  and  dispositive  power is
       shared.  Excludes the  unallocated  shares held by the ESOP, of which Mr.
       Stanley is one of three trustees.

(7)    Includes  103 shares  allocated to Mr.  Strickland's  ESOP account and 25
       shares held jointly by Mr. Strickland's parents. Excludes the unallocated
       shares  held  by the  ESOP,  of  which  Mr.  Strickland  is one of  three
       trustees.

                                        6
<PAGE>
Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance

       Under Section 16(a) of the 1934 Act, the  Company's  directors,  officers
and any persons holding more than 10% of the Common Stock are required to report
their  ownership  of the Common  Stock and any changes in that  ownership to the
Securities and Exchange Commission  ("Commission") and the National  Association
of Securities Dealers, Inc. ("NASD") by specific dates. Based on representations
of its  directors  and  officers  and copies of the reports that they have filed
with the Commission and the NASD, the Company  believes that all of these filing
requirements were satisfied by the Company's  directors and officers in the year
ended December 31, 1998.


                             EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

Summary Compensation Table

       The  Company  has not yet  paid  separate  compensation  directly  to its
officers.  The  following  table sets  forth a summary  of  certain  information
concerning the compensation paid by the Association for services rendered in all
capacities  during the year ended  December 31, 1998 to the  President and Chief
Executive  Officer of the Company and the Association.  No executive  officer of
the Association received total compensation in excess of $100,000 during 1998.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                           Annual Compensation
      Name and Principal                          ---------------------------------------------           All-Other 
           Position                  Year         Salary(1)          Bonus             Other(2)        Compensation(3)
           --------                  ----         ---------          -----             --------        ---------------
<S>                                  <C>          <C>               <C>                 <C>                <C>    
G. Lloyd Bouchereau, Jr.,            1998         $79,200           $8,000              $   --             $12,822
    President and Chief              1997          75,600            6,400                  --              10,680
    Executive Officer                1996          69,600            6,200                  --              10,290

</TABLE>
- -----------------
(1)    Includes directors' fees of $12,000, $10,800 and $7,200 in 1998, 1997 and
       1996, respectively.

(2)    Annual  compensation  does  not  include  amounts  attributable  to other
       miscellaneous  benefits  received  by Mr.  Bouchereau.  The  costs to the
       Association of providing such benefits  during 1998 did not exceed 10% of
       the total  salary and bonus paid to or  accrued  for the  benefit of such
       individual executive officer.

(3)    Consists  of amounts  allocated,  accrued or paid by the  Association  on
       behalf of Mr.  Bouchereau  pursuant to the  Association's  Profit Sharing
       Plan and, in 1998,  $1,542 of Common Stock allocated to Mr.  Bouchereau's
       ESOP account.



                                        7
<PAGE>
Employment Agreements

       In connection with the Conversion,  the Company and the Association  (the
"Employers") entered into employment agreements with each of Messrs.  Bouchereau
and Strickland. The Employers have agreed to employ the executives for a term of
three  years  commencing  September  30,  1998,  in each  case in their  current
respective  positions.  The  agreements  provide  that  Messrs.  Bouchereau  and
Strickland  will  initially be paid their  current  salary levels of $67,200 and
$38,400,  respectively.  The executives' compensation and expenses shall be paid
by the  Company  and the  Association  in the  same  proportion  as the time and
services  actually  expended  by the  executives  on behalf  of each  respective
Employer.  The employment agreements will be reviewed annually,  and the term of
the  executives'  employment  agreements  shall  be  extended  each  year  for a
successive additional one-year period upon the approval of the Employers' Boards
of Directors,  unless  either party  elects,  not less than 30 days prior to the
annual anniversary date, not to extend the employment term.

       Each of the employment agreements are terminable with or without cause by
the Employers.  The executives  have no right to  compensation or other benefits
pursuant to the employment agreements for any period after voluntary termination
by the Employers for cause, disability or retirement. The agreements provide for
certain  benefits in the event of the  executive's  death. In the event that (i)
either executive terminates his employment because of failure to comply with any
material  provision of the  employment  agreements or the  Employers  change the
executive's  title or duties or (ii) the  employment  agreement is terminated by
the Employers  other than for cause,  disability,  retirement or death or by the
executive as a result of certain adverse actions which are taken with respect to
the  executive's  employment  following a change in control of the  Company,  as
defined, then the executive will be entitled to a cash severance amount equal to
three times his average annual compensation for the last five calendar years (or
such  shorter  period  that  he has  worked  with  the  Association),  plus  the
continuation  of certain  miscellaneous  fringe  benefits,  subject to reduction
pursuant to Section 280G of the Internal  Revenue Code of 1986,  as amended (the
"Code") as set forth below in the event of a change in control.

       A change in control is generally defined in the employment  agreements to
include any change in control of the Company  required to be reported  under the
federal  securities laws, as well as (i) the acquisition by any person of 20% or
more of the  Company's  outstanding  voting  securities  or (ii) a  change  in a
majority of the directors of the Company  during any  three-year  period without
the  approval of at least  two-thirds  of the persons who were  directors of the
Company at the beginning of such period.

       Each  employment  agreement  provides  that, in the event that any of the
payments to be made  thereunder or otherwise upon  termination of employment are
deemed to constitute  "parachute payments" within the meaning of Section 280G of
the Code, then such payments and benefits  received  thereunder shall be reduced
by the amount  which is the  minimum  necessary  to result in the  payments  not
exceeding  three times the  recipient's  average  annual  compensation  from the
Employers which was includable in the  recipient's  gross income during the most
recent five taxable years (the 

                                        8
<PAGE>
"Section  280G  Limit").  As a result,  none of the  severance  payments will be
subject to a 20%  excise  tax,  and the  Employers  will be able to deduct  such
payments as compensation expense for federal income tax purposes. If a change in
control was to occur in 1999, the Section 280G Limit for Messrs.  Bouchereau and
Strickland would be approximately $207,000 and $116,000, respectively.

       Although the  above-described  employment  agreements  could increase the
cost of any  acquisition  of control of the Company,  management  of the Company
does not believe that the terms thereof  would have a  significant  antitakeover
effect.  The Company and/or the  Association may determine to enter into similar
employment agreements with other officers in the future.

Profit Sharing Plan

       The  Association  maintains an Employee  Profit Sharing Plan (the "Profit
Sharing Plan"),  which is a tax-qualified  defined  contribution plan. Full-time
employees  who have been credited with at least one year of service and who have
attained age 21 are eligible to  participate  in the Profit  Sharing  Plan.  The
Association generally contributes each year an amount to the Profit Sharing Plan
equal to 15% of the gross salaries of eligible employees,  and the contributions
for  1998,  1997 and 1996  were  $28,500,  $31,000  and  $23,000,  respectively.
Employees become vested as to their account balances at the rate of 20% per year
after three  years of service and are 100% vested  after seven years of service.
Benefits are payable upon retirement, death or disability.

Employee Stock Ownership Plan

       The Company has established the ESOP for employees of the Company and the
Association.  Full-time  employees of the Company and the  Association  who have
been credited with at least 1,000 hours of service during a 12-month  period and
who have attained age 21 are eligible to participate in the ESOP.

       The ESOP borrowed $168,690 from the Company in order to fund the purchase
of 8% of the Common Stock sold in the Conversion. The amount of the loan equaled
100% of the aggregate  purchase  price of the Common Stock acquired by the ESOP.
The loan to the ESOP is being  repaid  principally  from the  Company's  and the
Association's  contributions  to the ESOP  over a period  of 10  years,  and the
collateral for the loan is the Common Stock  purchased by the ESOP. The interest
rate for the ESOP loan is a fixed rate of 8.5%.  The  Company  may,  in any plan
year,  make  additional  discretionary  contributions  for the  benefit  of plan
participants  in either  cash or shares of Common  Stock,  which may be acquired
through the  purchase  of  outstanding  shares in the market or from  individual
stockholders,  upon the original issuance of additional shares by the Company or
upon the sale of treasury shares by the Company. Such purchases,  if made, would
be funded through additional borrowings by the ESOP or additional  contributions
from the Company.  The timing,  amount and manner of future contributions to the
ESOP will be  affected  by  various  factors,  including  prevailing  regulatory
policies,  the  requirements  of  applicable  laws and  regulations  and  market
conditions.


                                        9
<PAGE>
       Shares  purchased by the ESOP with the proceeds of the loan are held in a
suspense  account  and  released  to  participants  on a pro rata  basis as debt
service  payments are made.  Shares released from the ESOP are allocated to each
eligible   participant's   ESOP  account   based  on  the  ratio  of  each  such
participant's  base  compensation to the total base compensation of all eligible
ESOP participants. Forfeitures will be reallocated among remaining participating
employees and may reduce any amount the Company might otherwise have contributed
to the ESOP. Upon the completion of three years of service, the account balances
of participants within the ESOP will become 20% vested and will continue to vest
at the  rate  of 20%  for  each  additional  year of  service  completed  by the
participant, such that a participant will become 100% vested upon the completion
of seven  years of  service.  Credit  is given  for  years of  service  with the
Association prior to adoption of the ESOP. In the case of a "change in control,"
as defined, however,  participants will become immediately fully vested in their
account  balances.  Benefits may be payable upon  retirement or separation  from
service.  The  Company's  contributions  to the ESOP are not fixed,  so benefits
payable under the ESOP cannot be estimated.

       Messrs. Bouchereau, Stanley and Strickland serve as trustees of the ESOP.
Under the ESOP, the trustees must  generally  vote all allocated  shares held in
the ESOP in accordance with the instructions of the participating employees, and
unallocated  shares will  generally  be voted in the same ratio on any matter as
those allocated shares for which instructions are given, in each case subject to
the requirements of applicable law and the fiduciary duties of the trustees.

       Generally  accepted  accounting  principles  require that any third party
borrowing by the ESOP be reflected as a liability on the Company's  statement of
financial condition.  Since the ESOP's loan is from the Company, the loan is not
treated as a  liability,  but rather  the  amount of the loan is  deducted  from
stockholders'  equity.  If the  ESOP  purchases  newly  issued  shares  from the
Company, total stockholders' equity would neither increase nor decrease, but per
share  stockholders'  equity and per share net  earnings  would  decrease as the
newly issued shares are allocated to the ESOP participants.

       The ESOP is subject to the requirements of the Employee Retirement Income
Security Act of 1974, as amended ("ERISA"),  and the regulations of the Internal
Revenue Service and the Department of Labor thereunder.

Certain Transactions

       John L. Delahaye, a director of the Association, is a partner in the firm
of Borron & Delahaye, which serves as general counsel to the Association. During
1998, Borron & Delahaye received a monthly retainer of $400 from the Association
and  approximately  $33,000 of legal fees in  connection  with real  estate loan
closings.  All of the loan closing fees were paid by the  borrowers  rather than
the Association.

       Management believes that the above transactions were on terms at least as
favorable  to the  Association  as could be  obtained  from  unaffiliated  third
parties.

                                       10
<PAGE>
Indebtedness of Management

       In the ordinary course of business, the Association makes loans available
to it directors,  officers and employees.  Such loans are made on the same terms
as comparable  loans to other  borrowers.  It is the belief of  management  that
these loans  neither  involve  more than the normal risk of  collectibility  nor
present other unfavorable features. At December 31, 1998, the Association had 20
loans  outstanding to directors and executives  officers of the Association,  or
members of their immediate families.  These loans totaled approximately $950,000
or 28.1% of the Company's total stockholders' equity at December 31, 1998.

       The following table sets forth certain  information  with respect to each
current director or executive  officer of the  Association,  or members of their
immediate  families,  whose aggregate  indebtedness  exceeded $60,000 during the
period indicated.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                               Highest
                                                                               Principal
                                                                Year         Balance from      Principal           Interest
                                     Nature of                  Loan          1/1/98 to        Balance at         Rate as of
Name and Position                  Indebtedness                 Made          12/31/98         12/31/98            12/31/98
- -----------------                  ------------                 ----          --------         --------            -------- 
<S>                             <C>                             <C>           <C>              <C>                    <C>  
G. Lloyd Bouchereau, Jr.,       Residential mortgage            1995          $ 79,874         $ 67,623               7.31%(1)
President and Chief             Automobile loan                 1998            21,000            3,000               7.50
Executive Officer               Residential
                                  mortgage(2)                   1978            29,468           27,755               8.50
                                Second mortgage(2)              1998            37,000           34,152               8.00
                                Residential
                                  mortgage(2)                   1996            11,039           10,050               8.50
                                Residential
                                  mortgage(2)                   1992            60,781           58,448               7.54(1)
                                Second mortgage(2)              1994            24,975           24,967              10.00
                                Share loan(2)                   1990            20,000           20,000               7.25
                                Automobile loan(2)              1996            17,583           12,158               8.50
                                Second mortgage(2)              1997            51,566           49,734               8.50
                                Residential
                                  mortgage(2)                   1977            24,472           22,317               8.50
                                Share loan(2)                   1997               801              596               7.50

</TABLE>

                                                        (Continued on next page)



                                       11
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                               Highest
                                                                               Principal
                                                                Year         Balance from      Principal           Interest
                                     Nature of                  Loan          1/1/98 to        Balance at         Rate as of
Name and Position                  Indebtedness                 Made          12/31/98         12/31/98            12/31/98
- -----------------                  ------------                 ----          --------         --------            -------- 
<S>                             <C>                             <C>           <C>              <C>                    <C>  
Bobby E. Stanley,               Residential mortgage            1986          $ 62,246         $ 56,598           7.15%(1)
   Director                     Residential mortgage            1995            23,499           21,245            8.31(1)
                                Commercial real
                                   estate                       1994           219,415          213,385            8.23(1)
                                Commercial real
                                   estate                       1995             4,869              974              10.00
                                Commercial real
                                   estate                       1997            37,696           36,179            7.32(1)
                                Residential
                                   mortgage(2)                  1997           122,690          119,052            7.13(1)
                                Commercial real
                                   estate(2)                    1997           123,878          121,732            7.31(1)
</TABLE>
- ------------------

(1) The interest rate adjusts annually.

(2) Represents a loan to an immediate family member.


                     RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT OF AUDITORS

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

       The Company has been advised by L.A. Champagne & Co., L.L.P. 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. L.A. Champagne & Co., L.L.P. 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 L.A. Champagne & Co., L.L.P. as independent  auditors for the
year ending December 31, 1999.



                                       12
<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 is  scheduled to be held in April 2000,  must be received at
the  principal  executive  offices  of  the  Company,   23910  Railroad  Avenue,
Plaquemine, Louisiana 70764, Attention: Gary K. Pruitt, Secretary, no later than
November  22,  1999.  If  such  proposal  is  in  compliance  with  all  of  the
requirements  of Rule 14a-8 under the 1934 Act, it will be included in the proxy
statement  and set forth on the form of proxy issued for such annual  meeting of
stockholders.  It is urged that any such  proposals be sent by  certified  mail,
return receipt requested.

       Stockholder  proposals  which  are not  submitted  for  inclusion  in the
Company's  proxy  materials  pursuant  to Rule  14a-8  under the 1934 Act may be
brought before an annual  meeting  provided that the  requirements  set forth in
Article 9.D of the Company's Articles of Incorporation are satisfied in a timely
manner. To be timely, a stockholder's notice must be delivered to, or mailed and
received at, the  principal  executive  offices of the Company not less than 120
days prior to the anniversary  date of the initial mailing of proxy materials by
the  Company in  connection  with the  Company's  immediately  preceding  annual
stockholders'  meeting,  except that  stockholder  proposals with respect to the
1999 Annual Meeting were required to be received by January 15, 1999.


                                 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-KSB
FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1998 AND A LIST OF THE EXHIBITS THERETO REQUIRED
TO BE FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION UNDER THE 1934 ACT. SUCH
WRITTEN REQUEST SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO DANNY M. STRICKLAND,  VICE PRESIDENT,  IBL
BANCORP,  INC.,  23910 RAILROAD  AVENUE,  PLAQUEMINE,  LOUISIANA 70764. THE FORM
10-KSB IS NOT PART OF THE PROXY SOLICITATION MATERIALS.


                                  OTHER MATTERS

       Each proxy solicited hereby also confers  discretionary  authority on the
Board of Directors of the Company to vote the proxy with respect to the approval
of the minutes of the last meeting of  stockholders,  the election of any person
as a director if the nominee is unable to serve or for good

                                       13

<PAGE>
cause will not serve,  matters incident to the conduct of the meeting,  and upon
such other matters as may properly come before the Annual Meeting. Management is
not aware of any business that may properly come before the Annual Meeting other
than those matters  described  above in this Proxy  Statement.  However,  if any
other matters  should  properly come before the Annual  Meeting,  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  Company  may  solicit  proxies  by mail,  advertisement,  telephone,
facsimile, telegraph and personal solicitation. Directors and executive officers
of the  Company  and  the  Association  may  solicit  proxies  personally  or by
telephone  without  additional  compensation.  The Company will reimburse banks,
brokerage  firms and other  custodians,  nominees and fiduciaries for reasonable
expenses  incurred  by them  in  sending  proxy  solicitation  materials  to the
beneficial owners of the Company's Common Stock.


      YOUR VOTE IS  IMPORTANT!  WE URGE YOU TO SIGN AND DATE THE ENCLOSED  PROXY
CARD AND RETURN IT TODAY IN THE ENCLOSED POSTAGE- PAID ENVELOPE.


                                       14

<PAGE>
                                 REVOCABLE PROXY
                                IBL BANCORP, INC.

        [ X ] PLEASE MARK VOTES AS IN THIS EXAMPLE

  THIS PROXY IS  SOLICITED  ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF  DIRECTORS OF IBL BANCORP,
INC. FOR USE ONLY AT THE ANNUAL MEETING OF  STOCKHOLDERS TO BE HELD ON APRIL 28,
1999 AND AT ANY ADJOURNMENT THEREOF.

  The undersigned hereby appoints the Board of Directors of the Company,  or any
successors  thereto, as proxies,  with full powers of substitution,  to vote the
shares of the  undersigned at the Annual Meeting of  Stockholders of the Company
to be held at the Company's office located at 23910 Railroad Avenue, Plaquemine,
Louisiana  70764,  on April 28, 1999,  at 10:00 a.m.,  Central  Time,  or at any
adjournment  thereof,  with all the powers that the undersigned would possess if
personally present, as follows:

1. Election of Directors
   Nominees for three-year term:


   G. Lloyd Bouchereau, Jr. and Bobby E. Stanley

                [   ] FOR      [   ] WITHHOLD      [   ] EXCEPT


INSTRUCTION: To withhold authority to vote for any individual nominee, mark "For
All Except" and write that nominee's name in the space provided below.


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



2. Proposal to ratify the  appointment of L.A.  Champagne & Co.,  L.L.P.  as the
Company's independent auditors for the year ending December 31, 1999.

                [   ] FOR      [   ] AGAINST      [   ] ABSTAIN



  In their  discretion,  the  proxies  are  authorized  to vote with  respect to
approval of the minutes of the last meeting of stockholders, the election of any
person as a  director  if the  nominee is unable to serve or for good cause will
not serve,  matters incident to the conduct of the meeting,  and upon such other
matters as may properly come before the meeting.

  The Board of Directors  recommends  that you vote FOR the Board of  Directors'
nominees  listed above and FOR Proposal 2. Shares of common stock of the Company
will be voted as specified.  If no specification  is made,  shares will be voted
for the election of the Board of Directors'  nominees to the Board of Directors,
for Proposal 2, and otherwise at the  discretion of the proxies.  This proxy may
not be voted for any person who is not a nominee  of the Board of  Directors  of
the Company. This proxy may be revoked at any time before it is exercised.
<PAGE>

                         Please be sure to sign and date
                          this Proxy in the box below.

                    _________________________________________
                                      Date
 
                   _________________________________________
                             Stockholder sign above
 
                   _________________________________________
                         Co-holder (if any) sign above

    Detach above card, sign, date and mail in postage paid envelope provided.

                                IBL BANCORP, INC.

  The above  signed  acknowledges  receipt  of the  Notice of Annual  Meeting of
Stockholders  of IBL Bancorp,  Inc. called for April 28, 1999, a Proxy Statement
for the Annual Meeting and the 1998 Annual Report to Stockholders.

  Please sign exactly as your name(s)  appear on this Proxy.  Only one signature
is required in the case of a joint  account.  When  signing in a  representative
capacity, please give title.


                   PLEASE MARK, SIGN, DATE AND PROMPTLY RETURN
                  THIS PROXY CARD USING THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE.




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