NATIONAL PENN BANCSHARES INC
8-A12G/A, 1999-08-26
NATIONAL COMMERCIAL BANKS
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                FORM 8-A/A No. 1

                For Registration of Certain Classes of Securities
                     Pursuant to Section 12(b) or (g) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934


                         NATIONAL PENN BANCSHARES, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


         Pennsylvania                               23-2215075
   (State of incorporation                      (I.R.S. Employer
       or organization)                         Identification No.)


Philadelphia and Reading Avenues, Boyertown, PA         19512
   (Address of principal executive offices)           (Zip Code)


Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class                          Name of each exchange on which
to be so registered                          each class is to be registered

      None                                             Not Applicable


Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

                         Preferred Stock Purchase Rights
                                (Title of Class)



<PAGE>
Item 1.  Description of Registrant's Securities to be Registered.

         On August 23, 1989,  National Penn Bancshares,  Inc. (the "Registrant")
and  National  Bank  of  Boyertown,   a  national  banking   association  and  a
wholly-owned  subsidiary  of the  Registrant  (the  "Bank"),  as  Rights  Agent,
executed  a  Rights   Agreement  dated  as  of  August  23,  1989  (the  "Rights
Agreement").  Pursuant  to  the  Rights  Agreement,  holders  of  shares  of the
Registrant's  common  stock also hold  certain  Rights (as defined in the Rights
Agreement)  currently attached thereto. A description of the Rights is contained
in the Registrant's  registration statement on Form 8-A dated September 11, 1989
and  filed  under  Section  12(g)  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934 on
September 21, 1989.

         On August 21, 1999,  the  Registrant  and the Bank (now named  National
Penn Bank), as Rights Agent,  executed an Amendment to Rights Agreement dated as
of August 21, 1999 (the "Amendment").

         The  Amendment  amends the Rights  Agreement  to extend the term of the
Rights (as  defined  in the Rights  Agreement)  to August  22,  2009,  and makes
certain other immaterial changes in the Rights Agreement.

         The  provisions of the Rights  Agreement,  as amended by the Amendment,
are  subject  to  further  amendment  by the  Registrant  and the Bank,  without
limitation, at any time prior to the Distribution Date (as defined in the Rights
Agreement).

         A copy of the Amendment  (including as Exhibit "A" thereto,  the Rights
Agreement)  is filed  herein  as  Exhibit  2.  The  above  description,  and the
description  contained  in the  registration  statement  on Form 8-A as filed on
September 21, 1989,  are qualified in their entirety by reference to the text of
the Amendment and the Rights Agreement.

Item 2.  Exhibits.

  Exhibit Number                                     Description

         2                 Amendment to Rights  Agreement dated as of August 21,
                           1999,  between  National  Penn  Bancshares,  Inc. and
                           National  Penn Bank,  as Rights Agent  (including  as
                           Exhibit "A" thereto, the Rights Agreement dated as of
                           August 23, 1989,  between  National Penn  Bancshares,
                           Inc.  and  National  Bank  of  Boyertown,  as  Rights
                           Agent).


                                        2

<PAGE>



                                    SIGNATURE


         Pursuant to the  requirements of Section 12 of the Securities  Exchange
Act of 1934,  the  registrant  has duly caused this  amendment  to  registration
statement  to  be  signed  on  its  behalf  by  the  undersigned,  thereto  duly
authorized.

                                            NATIONAL PENN BANCSHARES, INC.


                                            By /s/ Lawrence T. Jilk, Jr.
                                                Lawrence T. Jilk, Jr.,
                                                Chairman


Dated:  August 21, 1999

                                        3

<PAGE>



                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit Number                                       Description

         2                 Amendment to Rights  Agreement dated as of August 21,
                           1999,  between  National  Penn  Bancshares,  Inc. and
                           National  Penn Bank,  as Rights Agent  (including  as
                           Exhibit "A" thereto, the Rights Agreement dated as of
                           August 23, 1989,  between  National Penn  Bancshares,
                           Inc.  and  National  Bank  of  Boyertown,  as  Rights
                           Agent).

                                        4


                          AMENDMENT TO RIGHTS AGREEMENT

         AMENDMENT  TO  RIGHTS  AGREEMENT  dated  as of  August  21,  1999  (the
"Amendment"),  between NATIONAL PENN BANCSHARES,  INC., a Pennsylvania  business
corporation (the "Company"),  and NATIONAL PENN BANK,  formerly NATIONAL BANK OF
BOYERTOWN, a national banking association, as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent").

                                   BACKGROUND

         1. The  Company  and the Rights  Agent  entered  into a certain  Rights
Agreement  dated as of August 23, 1989 (the  "Rights  Agreement"),  which Rights
Agreement is attached as Exhibit "A" to this Amendment.

         2. As of the date  hereof,  no  Distribution  Date (as  defined  in the
Rights Agreement) has occurred.

         3. The Company  deems it  advisable  and in the best  interests  of the
Company and its  shareholders to extend the Final Expiration Date (as defined in
the Rights  Agreement) to August 22, 2009,  and to make certain other changes in
the Rights Agreement as set forth herein.

         4. The Company has directed the Rights Agent to execute this Amendment,
and has provided the Rights Agent with an officer's  certificate with respect to
this Amendment, as provided in Section 27 of the Rights Agreement.

                                    AGREEMENT

         NOW,  THEREFORE,  in  consideration  of the premises and  covenants set
forth in this Amendment and in the Rights Agreement, the parties hereby agree as
follows:

         1.  Extension  of Final  Expiration  Date.  Section  7(a) of the Rights
Agreement  is hereby  amended  to delete  "August  22,  1999" and to  substitute
instead "August 22, 2009" as the "Final Expiration Date".

         2.  Revised  Legend on Stock  Certificates.  Section 3(c) of the Rights
Agreement  contains an indented  paragraph setting forth the text of a legend to
be placed on certificates  representing  shares of Common Stock and Rights.  The
first  sentence  of this  legend is hereby  amended to read in its  entirety  as
follows:

         "This  certificate  also  evidences  and entitles the holder  hereof to
         certain Rights as set forth in the Rights  Agreement  between  National
         Penn  Bancshares,  Inc.  (the  "Company")  and National  Penn Bank (the
         "Rights Agent") dated as of August 23, 1989 and amended August 21, 1999
         (as amended, the "Rights Agreement"), the terms of which

                                        1
<PAGE>
         are hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy of
         which is on file at the principal offices of the
         Company."

         3. Optional Notices to  Shareholders.  Clause (c) of the first sentence
of Section 12 of the Rights  Agreement is hereby amended to read in its entirety
as follows:

         "(c) at its option,  mail a brief  summary  thereof to each holder of a
         Rights  Certificate  (or, if prior to the  Distribution  Date,  to each
         holder  of a  certificate  representing  shares  of  Common  Stock)  in
         accordance with Section 26 hereof."

         4. References to Common Stock.  Section 1(g) of the Rights Agreement is
hereby  amended to delete "par value $5.00 per share" and to substitute  instead
"without par value".

         5. References to Rights  Agreement.  On or after the date hereof,  each
reference in the Rights  Agreement  (including each of the Exhibits  thereto) to
"This Agreement,"  "hereunder," "herein," "hereof" or words of like import shall
mean and be a reference to the Rights  Agreement as amended hereby,  and each of
the  Exhibits  to the Rights  Agreement  is and shall be deemed to be amended to
reflect the amendments made hereby.

         6. Effective  Date.  This Amendment shall be effective as of August 21,
1999, and the Rights  Agreement shall remain in full force and effect as amended
by this Amendment.

         7. Capitalized Terms.  Capitalized terms which are used but not defined
herein shall have the meaning given to such terms in the Rights Agreement.

         8. Enforceability.  If any term, provision, covenant, or restriction of
this Amendment is held by a court of competent  jurisdiction  or other authority
to be invalid, void, or unenforceable,  the remainder of the terms,  provisions,
covenants,  and  restrictions  of this Amendment  shall remain in full force and
effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired, or invalidated.

         9. Governing Law. This Amendment  shall be deemed to be a contract made
under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and for all purposes shall be
governed by and construed in  accordance  with the laws of the  Commonwealth  of
Pennsylvania  applicable to contracts made and to be performed  entirely  within
the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

         10.  Counterparts.  This  Amendment  may be  executed  in any number of
counterparts and each of such  counterparts  shall for all purposes be deemed to
be an original,  and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and
the same instrument.

                                        2

<PAGE>



         11. Descriptive Headings.  Descriptive headings of the several sections
of this  Amendment  are inserted for  convenience  only and shall not control or
affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Amendment to be
duly executed, all as of the day and year first above written.

                                    NATIONAL PENN BANCSHARES, INC.


(Corporate Seal)                    By: /s/ Lawrence T. Jilk, Jr.
                                        Name: Lawrence T. Jilk, Jr.
                                        Title: Chairman


                                    Attest: /s/ Sandra L. Spayd
                                        Name: Sandra L. Spayd
                                        Title: Corporate Secretary

                                    NATIONAL PENN BANK
                                    (formerly National
                                    Bank of Boyertown)


(Corporate Seal)                    By: /s/ Lawrence T. Jilk, Jr.
                                        Name: Lawrence T. Jilk, Jr.
                                        Title: Chairman


                                    Attest: /s/ Sandra L. Spayd
                                        Name: Sandra L. Spayd
                                        Title: SVP / Secretary

                                        3

<PAGE>




                                   EXHIBIT A
<PAGE>


                         NATIONAL PENN BANCSHARES, INC.

                                      and

                           NATIONAL BANK OF BOYERTOWN
                                  Rights Agent

                                RIGHTS AGREEMENT
                           Dated as of August 23, 1989


<PAGE>
                               Table of Contents

         Section                                                          PAGE

            1 Certain Definitions..........................................1
            2 Appointment of Rights Agent..................................5
            3 Issue of Rights Certificates.................................6
            4 Form of Rights Certificates..................................8
            5 Countersignature and Registration............................9
            6 Transfer, Split Up, Combination, or
              Exchange of Rights Certificates;
              Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost, or
              Stolen Rights Certificates..................................10
            7 Exercise of Rights; Purchase
              Price; Expiration Date of Rights............................11
            8 Cancellation and Destruction of
              Rights Certificates.........................................13
            9 Reservation and Availability of
              Capital Stock...............................................13
           10 Preferred Stock Record Date.................................15
           11 Adjustment of Purchase Price,
              Number and Kind of Shares or
              Number of Rights............................................16
           12 Certificate of Adjusted Purchase
              Price or Number of Shares ..................................28
           13 Consolidation, Merger, or Sale or
              Transfer of Assets or Earning
              Power ......................................................28
           14 Fractional Rights and Fractional
              Shares .....................................................31
           15 Rights of Action ...........................................32
           16 Agreement of Rights Holders ................................33

                                      (ii)

<PAGE>
       Section                                                           PAGE

           17 Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder .........34
           18 Concerning the Rights Agent ................................34
           19 Merger or Consolidation or Change of
              Name of Rights Agent .......................................35
           20 Duties of Rights Agent......................................35
           21 Change of Rights Agent......................................38
           22 Issuance of New Rights Certificates ........................39
           23 Redemption and Termination..................................39
           24 Exchange ...................................................40
           25 Notice of Certain Events....................................42
           26 Notices ....................................................43
           27 Supplements and Amendments..................................43
           28 Successors .................................................44
           29 Determinations and Actions
              by the Board of Directors...................................44
           30 Benefits of this Agreement..................................44
           31 Severability ...............................................45
           32 Governing Law ..............................................45
           33 Counterparts ...............................................45
           34 Descriptive Headings .......................................45

Exhibit A -- Terms of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock

Exhibit B -- Form of Rights Certificate

Exhibit C -- Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred
Shares


                                      (iii)
<PAGE>
                                RIGHTS AGREEMENT

     RIGHTS AGREEMENT,  dated as of August 23, 1989 (the  "Agreement"),  between
NATIONAL  PENN  BANCSHARES,  INC. , a  Pennsylvania  business  corporation  (the
"Company"),  and NATIONAL BANK OF BOYERTOWN, a national banking association (the
"Rights Agent").

                              W I T N E S S E T H

     WHEREAS,  on August 23, 1989 (the "Rights Dividend  Declaration Date"), the
Board  of  Directors  of  the  Company   authorized   and  declared  a  dividend
distribution  of one Right (as  hereinafter  defined)  for each  share of common
stock,  par  value  $5.00  per  share,  of  the  Company  (the  "Common  Stock")
outstanding at the close of business on September 15, 1989 (the "Record  Date"),
and has authorized the issuance of one Right (as such number may  hereinafter be
adjusted  pursuant to the  provisions of Section 11(p) hereof) for each share of
Common  Stock  issued  between the Record  Date  (whether  originally  issued or
delivered from the Company's  treasury) and the  Distribution  Date,  each Right
initially  representing  the right to purchase one  one-hundredth  of a share of
Series A Junior Participating  Preferred Stock of the Company having the rights,
powers,  and  preferences  herein set forth,  upon the terms and  subject to the
conditions hereinafter set forth (the "Rights");

                                   AGREEMENT:

     NOW, THEREFORE,  in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements
herein set forth,  the parties  hereto,  intending to be legally  bound,  hereby
agree as follows:

     Section  1.  Certain  Definitions.  For  purposes  of this  Agreement,  the
following terms have the meanings indicated:

          (a)  "Acquiring  Person" shall mean any Person who or which,  together
with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner
of (i) 19.9% or more of the  shares of Common  Stock or (ii)  Voting  Securities
that in the aggregate  represent  19.9% or more of the Total Voting  Power,  but
shall not include the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee stock
option plan or other  employee  benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary
of the Company, or any Person or entity organized,  appointed, or established by
the Company for or Pursuant to the terms of any such plan.

          (b) "Adverse  Person" shall mean any Person  declared to be an Adverse
Person by the Board of  Directors  upon a  determination  that the  criteria set
forth in Section 11(a)(ii)(B) apply to such Person.


<PAGE>
          (c)  "Affiliate" and  "Associate"  shall have the respective  meanings
ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations  under
the Exchange Act, as in effect on August 23, 1989.

          (d) A Person shall be deemed the  "Beneficial  Owner" of, and shall be
deemed to "beneficially own," any securities:

          . (i)  which  such  Person  or  any of  such  Person's  Affiliates  or
     Associates,  directly or indirectly, has the right to acquire (whether such
     right  is  exercisable  immediately  or only  after  the  passage  of time)
     pursuant to any agreement, arrangement, or understanding (whether or not in
     writing)  or upon the  exercise  of  conversion  rights,  exchange  rights,
     rights, warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a Person
     shall not be deemed the "Beneficial  Owner" of, or to  "beneficially  own,"
     (A) securities  tendered  pursuant to a tender offer or exchange offer made
     by such Person or any of such Person's  Affiliates or Associates until such
     tendered  securities  are  accepted  for  purchase  or  exchange,   or  (B)
     securities  issuable  upon  exercise  of  Rights  at any time  prior to the
     occurrence of a Triggering Event, or (C) securities  issuable upon exercise
     of Rights from and after the occurrence of a Triggering  Event which Rights
     were  acquired  by  such  Person  or any of  such  Person's  Affiliates  or
     Associates  prior to the  Distribution  Date or pursuant to Section 3(a) or
     Section 22 hereof (the  "Original  Rights")  or  pursuant to Section  11(i)
     hereof in connection  with an adjustment  made with respect to any Original
     Rights;

          (ii)  which  such  Person  or  any  of  such  Person's  Affiliates  or
     Associates,  directly or indirectly, has the right to vote or dispose of or
     has "beneficial  ownership" of (as determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 of the
     General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act),  including  pursuant
     to any agreement, arrangement, or understanding, whether or not in writing;
     provide , however, that a Person shall not be deemed the "Beneficial Owner"
     of, or to "beneficially  own," any security under this subparagraph (ii) as
     a result  of an  agreement,  arrangement,  or  understanding  to vote  such
     security if such agreement, arrangement, or understanding (A) arises solely
     from a  revocable  proxy  given in  response  to a public  proxy or consent
     solicitation  made  pursuant to, and in  accordance  with,  the  applicable
     provisions of the General Rules and Regulations  under the Exchange Act and
     (B) is not also then  reportable  by such Person on Schedule  13D under the
     Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report); or

                                       2

<PAGE>
          (iii) which are  beneficially  owned,  directly or indirectly,  by any
     other Person (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof) with which such Person
     (or any of such  Person's  Affiliates  or  Associates)  has any  agreement,
     arrangement,  or understanding (whether or not in writing), for the purpose
     of acquiring,  holding,  voting  (except  pursuant to a revocable  proxy as
     described in the proviso to  subparagraph  (ii) of this paragraph  (d)), or
     disposing of any Voting Securities; provided, however, that nothing in this
     paragraph (c) shall cause a person engaged in business as an underwriter of
     securities to be the "Beneficial  Owner" of, or to "beneficially  own," any
     securities acquired through such person's  participation in good faith in a
     firm commitment  underwriting  until the expiration of forty days after the
     date of such acquisition.

          (e) "Business  Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday,  Sunday,
or a day on which banking  institutions in the  Commonwealth of Pennsylvania are
authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

          (f) "Close of  business"  on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M.,  New
York time, on such date; provided,  however, that if such date is not a Business
Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York time, on the next succeeding Business Day.

          (g) "Common  Stock" shall mean the common  stock,  par value $5.00 per
share,  of the Company,  except that "Common  Stock" when used with reference to
any Person  other than the Company  shall mean the capital  stock of such Person
with the  greatest  voting  power,  or the  equity  securities  or other  equity
interest having power to control or direct the management, of such Person.

          (h)  "Common  stock  equivalents"  shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.

          (i)  "Continuing  Director"  shall mean (i) any member of the Board of
Directors of the Company, while such Person is a member of the Board, who is not
an  Acquiring  Person,  an Adverse  Person (or a Person with respect to whom the
Continuing  Directors are  considering  making an Adverse  Person  determination
pursuant to Section  11(a)(ii)(B)  hereof),  or an Affiliate or Associate of any
such Person,  or a representative of any such Person,  Affiliate,  or Associate,
and who was a member of the Board prior to the date of this  Agreement,  or (ii)
any Person who subsequently  becomes a member of the Board, while such Person is
a member of the Board, who is not an Acquiring  Person,  an Adverse Person (or a
Person with respect to whom the Continuing  Directors are considering  making an
Adverse Person determination),  or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Person,
or a representative of

                                       3

<PAGE>
any such  Person,  Affiliate  or  Associate,  if such  Person's  nomination  for
election or election  to the Board is  recommended  or approved by a majority of
the Continuing Directors.

          (j) "Current market price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(d)(i) hereof.

          (k)  "Current  Value"  shall  have the  meaning  set forth in  Section
11(a)(iii) hereof.

          (1)  "Distribution  Date"  shall have the meaning set forth in Section
3(a) hereof.

          (m) "Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.

          (n) "Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(a)
hereof.

          (o)  "Final  Expiration  Date"  shall  have the  meaning  set forth in
Section 7(a) hereof.

          (p)   "Person"   shall  mean  any   individual,   firm,   corporation,
partnership, or other entity.

          (q)   "Preferred   Stock"   shall  mean  shares  of  Series  A  Junior
Participating  Preferred Stock,  without par value, of the Company,  and, to the
extent  that  there  are not a  sufficient  number  of shares of Series A Junior
Participating  Preferred  Stock  authorized  to permit the full  exercise of the
Rights,  any other series of preferred stock,  without par value, of the Company
designated for such purpose containing terms substantially  similar to the terms
of the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock

          (r)  "Principal  Party"  shall have the  meaning  set forth in Section
13(b) hereof.

          (s) "Purchase  Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a)
hereof.

          (t)  "Record  Date"  shall have the  meaning  set forth in the WHEREAS
clause in the recital to this Agreement.

          (u)  "Redemption  Price"  shall have the  meaning set forth in Section
23(a) hereof.

          (v) "Rights" shall have the meaning set forth in the WHEREAS clause in
the recital to this Agreement.

          (w) "Rights  Certificates" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
3(a) hereof.

                                       4

<PAGE>
          (x)  "Rights  Dividend  Declaration  Date"  shall have the meaning set
forth in the WHEREAS clause in the recital to this Agreement.

          (y)  "Section  11(a)(ii)  Event"  shall  mean any event  described  in
clauses (A) or (B) of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.

          (z) "Section  11(a)(ii) Trigger Date" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.

          (aa) "Section 13 Event" shall mean any event described in clauses (x),
(y), or (z) of Section 13(a) hereof.

          (bb)  "Securities  Act"  shall  mean the  Securities  Act of 1933,  as
amended.

          (cc) "Spread"  shall have the meaning set forth in Section  11(a)(iii)
hereof.

          (dd)  "Stock  Acquisition  Date"  shall  mean the first date of public
announcement  (which,  for purposes of this definition,  shall include,  without
limitation,  a report filed pursuant to Section 13(d) under the Exchange Act) by
the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such.

          (ee)  "Subsidiary"  shall mean,  with  reference  to any  Person,  any
corporation of which an amount of voting securities sufficient to elect at least
a majority of the directors of such corporation is beneficially owned,  directly
or indirectly, by such Person, or otherwise controlled by such Person.

          (ff) "Substitution Period" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(iii) hereof.

          (gg)  "Total  Voting  Power" on any given  date  shall  mean the total
number of votes  eligible to be cast in a general  election of  directors of the
Company.

          (hh)  "Trading  Day"  shall  have the  meaning  set  forth in  Section
11(d)(i) hereof.

          (ii)  "Triggering  Event"  shall mean any Section  11(a)(ii)  Event or
Section 13 Event.

          (jj)  "Voting  Securities"  shall mean any class or classes of capital
stock of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors.

     Section 2.  Appointment of Rights Agent.  The Company  hereby  appoints the
Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company and the holders of the Rights (who,
in accordance with Section 3

                                       5

<PAGE>
hereof,  shall  prior to the  Distribution  Date also be the  holders  of Common
Stock) in accordance with the terms and conditions  hereof, and the Rights Agent
hereby accepts such appointment.  The Company may from time to time appoint such
Co-Rights Agents as it may deem necessary or desirable.

     Section 3. Issue of Rights Certificates.

          (a)  Until the  earliest  of (i) the  close of  business  on the tenth
Business Day after the Stock Acquisition Date, (ii) the close of business on the
tenth  Business  Day (or such  later date as may be  determined  by the Board of
Directors)  after the date that a tender  offer or exchange  offer by any Person
(other than the  Company,  any  Subsidiary  of the Company,  any employee  stock
option plan or other  employee  benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary
of the Company, or any Person or entity organized,  appointed, or established by
the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) is first published or
sent or given  within the  meaning of Rule  14d-2(a)  of the  General  Rules and
Regulations under the Exchange Act, if, upon consummation  thereof,  such Person
would be the Beneficial Owner of (x) 19.9% or more of the shares of Common Stock
then  outstanding  or (y) Voting  Securities  representing  19.9% or more of the
Total  Voting  Power,  or (iii) the close of business on the tenth  Business Day
after the Board of Directors  determines,  pursuant to the criteria set forth in
Section 11 (a)(ii)(B)  hereof,  that a Person is an Adverse Person (the earliest
of (i), (ii), and (iii) being herein  referred to as the  "Distribution  Date"),
(x) the Rights will be evidenced  (subject to the provisions of paragraph (b) of
this Section 3) by the certificates for the Common Stock registered in the names
of the holders of such Common Stock (which  certificates  for Common Stock shall
be deemed also to be certificates for Rights) and not by separate  certificates,
and (y) the Rights will be transferable  only in connection with the transfer of
the underlying shares of Common Stock (including a transfer to the Company).  As
soon as practicable  after the Distribution  Date, the Rights Agent will send by
first-class,  insured, postage prepaid mail, to each record holder of the Common
Stock as of the close of business on the  Distribution  Date,  at the address of
such  holder  shown  on  the  records  of  the  Company,   one  or  more  rights
certificates,  in  substantially  the  form of  Exhibit  B hereto  (the  "Rights
Certificates"),  evidencing  one Right for each  share of Common  Stock so held,
subject to adjustment as provided herein. In the event that an adjustment in the
number of Rights  per share of Common  Stock has been made  pursuant  to Section
11(p)  hereof,  at the time of  distribution  of the  Rights  Certificates,  the
Company  shall make the  necessary  and  appropriate  rounding  adjustments  (in
accordance with Section 14(a) hereof) so that Rights  Certificates  representing
only whole  numbers of Rights  are  distributed  and cash is paid in lieu of any
fractional Rights. As of and after the

                                       6

<PAGE>
Distribution   Date,  the  Rights  will  be  evidenced  solely  by  such  Rights
Certificates.

          (b) As promptly as practicable  following the Record Date, the Company
will send a copy of a Summary  of Rights,  in  substantially  the form  attached
hereto as Exhibit C (the "Summary of Rights"),  by first-class,  postage prepaid
mail,  to each record  holder of the Common Stock as of the close of business on
the Record  Date,  at the  address of such  holder  shown on the  records of the
Company.  With respect to certificates for shares of Common Stock outstanding as
of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced by
such  certificates  for  shares of Common  Stock and the  registered  holders of
shares of Common Stock shall also be the  registered  holders of the  associated
Rights.  Until the earlier of the Distribution  Date or the Expiration Date, the
transfer of any certificates  representing  shares of Common Stock in respect of
which Rights have been issued shall also  constitute  the transfer of the Rights
associated with such shares of Common Stock.

          (c) Rights  shall be issued in  respect of all shares of Common  Stock
which are issued  (whether  originally  issued or from the  Company's  treasury)
after the Record Date but prior to the earlier of the  Distribution  Date or the
Expiration  Date.  Certificates  representing  such shares of Common Stock shall
also be deemed to be  certificates  for  Rights,  and shall  bear the  following
legend:

               This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to
          certain Rights as set forth in the Rights  Agreement  between National
          Penn  Bancshares,  Inc. (the "Company") and National Bank of Boyertown
          (the  "Rights  Agent")  dated  as of  August  23,  1989  (the  "Rights
          Agreement"),  the terms of which  are  hereby  incorporated  herein by
          reference and a copy of which is on file at the  principal  offices of
          the Company. Under certain  circumstances,  as set forth in the Rights
          Agreement,  such Rights will be evidenced by separate certificates and
          will no longer be  evidenced by this  certificate.  The Company or the
          Rights Agent will mail to the holder of this certificate a copy of the
          Rights Agreement, as in effect on the date of mailing,  without charge
          promptly after receipt of a written  request  therefor.  Under certain
          circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement,  Rights issued to, or
          held by, any Person who is,  was or becomes an  Acquiring  Person,  an
          Adverse Person,  or any Affiliate or Associate  thereof (as such terms
          are defined in the Rights Agreement),  whether currently held by or on
          behalf of such Person or by any subsequent holder, may become null and
          void.

With respect to such  certificates  containing the foregoing  legend,  until the
earlier of (i) the Distribution Date or (ii) the

                                       7

<PAGE>
Expiration Date, the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented by such
certificates  shall be  evidenced  by such  certificates  alone  and  registered
holders of Common Stock shall also be the  registered  holders of the associated
Rights,  and the transfer of any of such certificates  shall also constitute the
transfer of the Rights  associated  with the Common  Stock  represented  by such
certificates.

     Section 4. Form of Rights Certificates.

          (a) The Rights Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase and
of assignment to be printed on the reverse  thereof) shall each be substantially
in the  form  set forth  on  Exhibit  B  hereto  and  may  have  such  marks  of
identification  or  designation  and such legends,  summaries,  or  endorsements
printed thereon as the Company may deem  appropriate and as are not inconsistent
with the provisions of this Agreement,  or as may be required to comply with any
applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant  thereto or with any
rule or  regulation  of any stock  exchange on which the Rights may from time to
time be listed, or to conform to usage.  Subject to the provisions of Section 11
and Section 22 hereof, the Rights Certificates,  whenever distributed,  shall be
dated as of the Record Date and on their face shall entitle the holders  thereof
to purchase such number of one  one-hundredths  of a share of Preferred Stock as
shall be set forth therein at the price set forth therein (such  exercise  price
per one  one-hundredth  of a share, the "Purchase Price, but the amount and type
of securities purchasable upon the exercise of each Right and the Purchase Price
thereof shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.

          (b) Any Rights  Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a) or Section
22 hereof that represents Rights  beneficially owned by: (i) an Acquiring Person
or an Adverse Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring  Person or an
Adverse  Person,  (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring  Person or an Adverse Person
(or of any such  Associate or  Affiliate)  who becomes a  transferee  after such
Acquiring  Person or Adverse  Person  becomes  such, or (iii) a transferee of an
Acquiring  Person or an Adverse  Person (or of any such  Associate or Affiliate)
who becomes a transferee  prior to or concurrently  with the Acquiring Person or
Adverse Person  becoming such and receives such Rights  pursuant to either (A) a
transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person or Adverse
Person to holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or Adverse Person
or to any  Person  with whom such  Acquiring  Person or  Adverse  Person has any
continuing agreement,  arrangement,  or understanding  regarding the transferred
Rights  or (B) a  transfer  that  the  Board of  Directors  of the  Company  has
determined  is part of a plan,  arrangement,  or  understanding  which  has as a
primary  purpose or effect  avoidance  of Section  7(e)  hereof,  and any Rights
Certificate issued pursuant

                                       8

<PAGE>
to Section 6 or Section  11 hereof  upon  transfer,  exchange,  replacement,  or
adjustment of any other Rights Certificate  referred to in this sentence,  shall
contain (to the extent feasible) the following legend:

          The  Rights  represented  by  this  Rights  Certificate  are  or  were
          beneficially owned by a Person who was or became an [Acquiring Person]
          [Adverse  Person] or an Affiliate or Associate  thereof (as such terms
          are  defined  in  the  Rights  Agreement).  Accordingly,  this  Rights
          Certificate  and the Rights  represented  hereby  have become null and
          void in the  circumstances  and with the effect  specified  in Section
          7(e) of such Agreement.

     Section S. Countersignature and Registration.

          (a) The Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company
by its Chairman of the Board,  Chief Executive Officer,  President,  or any Vice
Chairman or Executive Vice President either manually or by facsimile  signature,
and shall have affixed  thereto the Company's seal or a facsimile  thereof which
shall be attested by the  Secretary  or an  Assistant  Secretary of the Company,
either  manually or by facsimile  signature.  The Rights  Certificates  shall be
countersigned  manually  by the  Rights  Agent  and  shall  not be valid for any
purpose  unless so  countersigned.  In case any officer of the Company who shall
have signed any of the Rights Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the
Company before countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by
the Company, such Rights Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the
Rights  Agent and issued and  delivered  by the Company with the same person who
signed  such  Rights  such force and effect as though the  Certificates  had not
ceased to be officer of the Company;  and any Rights  Certificates may be signed
on behalf of the Company by any person who, at the actual date of the  execution
of such  Rights  Certificate,  shall be a proper  officer of the Company to sign
such Rights  Certificate,  although at the date of the  execution of this Rights
Agreement any such person was not such an officer.

          (b) Following  the  Distribution  Date,  the Rights Agent will keep or
cause  to be  kept,  at  its  principal  office  or  offices  designated  as the
appropriate  place  for  surrender  of Rights  Certificates  upon  exercise  or,
transfer,  books for registration and transfer of the Rights Certificates issued
hereunder.  Such books  shall  show the names and  addresses  of the  respective
holders of the Rights  Certificates,  the number of Rights evidenced on its face
by  each  of the  Rights  Certificates  and  the  date  of  each  of the  Rights
Certificates.

                                       9

<PAGE>
     Section  6.  Transfer,  Split  Up,  Combination,   or  Exchange  of  Rights
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost, or Stolen Rights Certificates.

          (a) Subject to the provisions of Section 4(b),  Section 7(e),  Section
14,  and  Section  24 hereof,  at any time  after the close of  business  on the
Distribution  Date,  and at or prior to the close of business on the  Expiration
Date,  any  Rights  Certificate  may be  transferred,  split  up,  combined,  or
exchanged for another  Rights  Certificate  entitling the  registered  holder to
purchase a like number of one  one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or,
following a Triggering Event,  Common Stock,  other  securities,  cash, or other
assets, as the case may be) as the Rights Certificate  surrendered then entitled
such  holder (or  former  holder in the case of a  transfer)  to  purchase.  Any
registered  holder  desiring to  transfer,  split up,  combine,  or exchange any
Rights  Certificate  shall make such request in writing  delivered to the Rights
Agent, and shall surrender the Rights  Certificate to be transferred,  split up,
combined,  or exchanged at the  principal  office or offices of the Rights Agent
designated  for such purpose.  Neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be
obligated to take any action whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any such
surrendered  Rights Certificate until the registered holder shall have completed
and signed the  certificate  contained in the form of  assignment on the reverse
side of such Rights Certificate and shall have provided such additional evidence
of the  identity  of the  Beneficial  Owner  (or  former  Beneficial  Owner)  or
Affiliates  or  Associates  thereof as the  Company  shall  reasonably  request.
Thereupon  the Rights Agent shall,  subject to Section 4(b),  Section 7(e),  and
Section 14 hereof,  countersign  and  deliver to the Person  entitled  thereto a
Rights  Certificate  as so requested.  The Company may require  payment of a sum
sufficient  to cover  any tax or  governmental  charge  that may be  imposed  in
connection  with any  transfer,  split up,  combination,  or  exchange of Rights
Certificates.

          (b) Upon  receipt  by the  Company  and the Rights  Agent of  evidence
reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft,  destruction,  or mutilation
of a  Rights  Certificate,  and,  in case of loss,  theft,  or  destruction,  of
indemnity or security reasonably  satisfactory to them, and reimbursement to the
Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto,  and
upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Rights Certificate if
mutilated, the Company will execute and deliver a new Rights Certificate of like
tenor to the Rights Agent for  countersignature  and delivery to the  registered
owner  in  lieu  of the  Rights  Certificate  so  lost,  stolen,  destroyed,  or
mutilated.

                                       10

<PAGE>
     Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights.

          (a)  Subject to Section  7(e)  hereof,  the  registered  holder of any
Rights  Certificate  may  exercise  the  Rights  evidenced  thereby  (except  as
otherwise  provided herein including,  without  limitation,  the restrictions on
exercisability set forth in Section 9(c), Section 11(a)(iii),  and Section 23(a)
hereof)  in  whole or in part at any  time  after  the  Distribution  Date  upon
surrender of the Rights  Certificate,  with the form of election to purchase and
the  certificate on the reverse side thereof duly executed,  to the Rights Agent
at the  principal  office or  offices of the Rights  Agent  designated  for such
purpose,  together with payment of the aggregate  Purchase Price with respect to
the total number of one one-hundredths of a share (or other securities, cash, or
other assets,  as the case may be) as to which such surrendered  Rights are then
exercisable,  at or prior to the earliest of (i) the close of business on August
22, 1999 (the "Final  Expiration  Date"),  (ii) the time at which the Rights are
redeemed as  provided  in Section 23 hereof  (the  earlier of (i) and (ii) being
herein  referred to as the "Expiration  Date"),  or (iii) the time at which such
Rights are exchanged as provided in Section 24 hereof.

          (b) The  Purchase  Price  for  each  one  one-hundredth  of a share of
Preferred  Stock pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $145.00,
and shall be subject to adjustment  from time to time as provided in Sections 11
and 13(a) hereof and shall be payable in accordance with paragraph (c) below.

          (c) Upon  receipt  of a Rights  Certificate  representing  exercisable
Rights, with the form of election to purchase and the certificate on the reverse
side thereof duly executed,  accompanied by payment,  with respect to each Right
so  exercised,  of the  Purchase  Price  per one  one-hundredth  of a  share  of
Preferred Stock (or other shares, securities, cash, or other assets, as the case
may be) to be purchased as set forth below and an amount equal to any applicable
transfer tax, the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section 20(k) hereof, thereupon
promptly (i) (A) requisition  from any transfer agent of the shares of Preferred
Stock (or make  available,  if the Rights Agent is the  transfer  agent for such
shares)  certificates for the total number of one  one-hundredths  of a share of
Preferred  Stock to be purchased and the Company hereby  irrevocably  authorizes
its transfer agent to comply with all such requests, or (B) if the Company shall
have elected to deposit the total number of shares of Preferred  Stock  issuable
upon exercise of the Rights hereunder with a depositary agent,  requisition from
the  depositary  agent  depositary  receipts  representing  such  number  of one
one-hundredths  of a share of Preferred  Stock as are to be purchased  (in which
case certificates for the shares of Preferred Stock represented by

                                       11

<PAGE>
such  receipts  shall be  deposited by the  transfer  agent with the  depositary
agent) and the  Company  will  direct the  depositary  agent to comply with such
request,  (ii)  requisition  from the Company the amount of cash,  if any, to be
paid in lieu of fractional  shares in accordance  with Section 14 hereof,  (iii)
after receipt of such certificates or depositary receipts,  cause the same to be
delivered  to or  upon  the  order  of the  registered  holder  of  such  Rights
Certificate,  registered  in such  name or  names as may be  designated  by such
holder,  and (iv) after receipt  thereof,  deliver such cash, if any, to or upon
the order of the registered  holder of such Rights  Certificate.  The payment of
the Purchase Price (as such amount may be reduced pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof)  shall be made in cash or by certified  bank check or bank draft payable
to the order of the Company. In the event that the Company is obligated to issue
other  securities  (including  Common  Stock) of the Company,  pay cash,  and/or
distribute  other  property  pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof,  the Company will
make all  arrangements  necessary so that such other  securities,  cash,  and/or
other property are available for  distribution  by the Rights Agent, if and when
appropriate.  The Company  reserves the right to require prior to the occurrence
of a Triggering  Event that, upon any exercise of Rights,  a number of Rights be
exercised so that only whole shares of Preferred Stock would be issued.

          (d) In case the  registered  holder of any  Rights  Certificate  shall
exercise less than all the Rights evidenced  thereby,  a new Rights  Certificate
evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued
by the  Rights  Agent and  delivered  to, or upon the order of,  the  registered
holder of such Rights  Certificate,  registered  in such name or names as may be
designated by such holder, subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof.

          (e) Notwithstanding  anything in this Agreement to the contrary,  from
and  after  the  first  occurrence  of a Section  11(a)(ii)  Event,  any  Rights
beneficially  owned  by  (i) an  Acquiring  Person,  an  Adverse  Person,  or an
Associate  or  Affiliate of an  Acquiring  Person or an Adverse  Person,  (ii) a
direct or indirect transferee of an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person (or of
any such  Associate or Affiliate)  who becomes a transferee  after the Acquiring
Person or Adverse Person becomes such, or (iii) a direct or indirect  transferee
of an  Acquiring  Person  or an  Adverse  Person  (or of any such  Associate  or
Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently  with the Acquiring
Person or Adverse  Person  becoming  such and receives  such Rights  pursuant to
either (A) a transfer  (whether  or not for  consideration)  from the  Acquiring
Person or Adverse Person to holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person
or Adverse  Person or to any Person  with whom the  Acquiring  Person or Adverse
Person has any continuing agreement, arrangement, or understanding regarding the
transferred Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board of Directors of the

                                       12
<PAGE>
Company has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding which has
as a primary purpose or effect the avoidance of this Section 7(e),  shall become
null and void without any further action and no holder of such Rights shall have
any rights  whatsoever with respect to such Rights,  whether under any provision
of this Agreement or otherwise.  The Company shall use all reasonable efforts to
insure that the  provisions  of this  Section  7(e) and Section  4(b) hereof are
complied with, but shall have no liability to any holder of Rights  Certificates
or other  Person  as a result of its  failure  to make any  determinations  with
respect to an Acquiring  Person or an Adverse Person or any of their  respective
Affiliates, Associates, or transferees hereunder

          (f)  Notwithstanding  anything  in  this  Agreement  to the  contrary,
neither the Rights Agent nor the Company  shall be  obligated  to undertake  any
action with respect to a registered  holder upon the occurrence of any purported
exercise as set forth in this Section 7 unless such registered holder shall have
(i)  completed and signed the  certificate  contained in the form of election to
purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Rights Certificate surrendered for
such exercise and (ii) provided such additional  evidence of the identity of the
Beneficial  Owner (or  former  Beneficial  Owner) or  Affiliates  or  Associates
thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.

     Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates.  All Rights
Certificates  surrendered  for the  purpose  of  exercise,  transfer,  split up,
combination,  or exchange  shall,  if  surrendered  to the Company or any of its
agents,  be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in cancelled form,
or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent,  shall be cancelled by it, and no Rights
Certificates  shall be issued in lieu thereof  except as expressly  permitted by
any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Rights
Agent for cancellation and retirement,  and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and
retire,  any other  Rights  Certificate  purchased  or  acquired  by the Company
otherwise  than upon the exercise  thereof.  The Rights Agent shall  deliver all
cancelled Rights  Certificates to the Company,  or shall, at the written request
of the Company,  destroy such cancelled  Rights  Certificates,  and in such case
shall deliver certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.

     Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock.

          (a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be reserved
and kept available out of its authorized and unissued  shares of Preferred Stock
(and,  following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, out of its authorized and
unissued shares of Common Stock and/or other securities or out of its authorized
and issued shares held in its treasury), the number of shares of

                                       13


<PAGE>
Preferred  Stock (and,  following the occurrence of a Triggering  Event,  Common
Stock and/or other  securities)  that, as provided in this Agreement,  including
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof,  will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of
all outstanding Rights.

          (b) So long as the  shares of  Preferred  Stock  (and,  following  the
occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other securities) issuable
and  deliverable  upon the exercise of the Rights may be quoted on any automated
quotation  system of the National  Association  of Securities  Dealers,  Inc. or
listed on any  national  securities  exchange,  the  Company  shall use its best
efforts to cause, from and after such time as the Rights become exercisable, all
shares  reserved  for such  issuance to be so quoted or listed on such  exchange
upon official notice of issuance upon such exercise.

          (c) The  Company  shall use its best  efforts to (i) file,  as soon as
practicable  following the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, or, if
applicable,  as soon as practicable  following the earliest date after the first
occurrence  of a  Section  11(a)(ii)  Event on  which  the  consideration  to be
delivered  by the Company  upon  exercise of the Rights has been  determined  in
accordance  with  Section  11(a)(iii)  hereof,  a  registration  statement on an
appropriate  form under the  Securities  Act,  with  respect  to the  securities
purchasable upon exercise of the Rights, (ii) cause such registration  statement
to become  effective as soon as practicable  after such filing,  and (iii) cause
such registration  statement to remain effective (with a prospectus at all times
meeting the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act) until the earlier of (A) the
date as of which the Rights are no longer  exercisable for such securities,  and
(B) the date of the  expiration  of the Rights.  The Company will also take such
action as may be appropriate under, or to ensure compliance with, the securities
or "blue sky" laws of the various states in connection  with the  exercisability
of the Rights. The Company may temporarily  suspend, for a period of time not to
exceed  ninety  (90) days  after  the date set forth in clause  (i) of the first
sentence of this  Section  9(c),  the  exercisability  of the Rights in order to
prepare and file such registration  statement and permit it to become effective.
Upon any such suspension,  the Company shall issue a public announcement stating
that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as
a public  announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect. In
addition,  if the Company  shall  determine  that a  registration  statement  is
required  following the Distribution  Date, the Company may temporarily  suspend
the exercisability of the Rights until such time as a registration statement has
been declared effective.  Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the
contrary,  the  Rights  shall  not be  exercisable  in any  jurisdiction  if the
requisite qualification in such

                                       14

<PAGE>
jurisdiction  shall not have been  obtained,  the exercise  thereof shall not be
permitted under applicable law, or a registration  statement shall not have been
declared effective.

          (d) The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action
as may be  necessary  to  ensure  that  all one  one-hundredths  of a  share  of
Preferred  Stock (and,  following the occurrence of a Triggering  Event,  Common
Stock and/or other  securities)  delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the
time of delivery of the  certificates for such shares (subject to payment of the
Purchase  Price),  be duly and validly  authorized and issued and fully paid and
nonassessable.

          (e) The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due
and payable any and all federal and state  transfer  taxes and charges which may
be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Rights Certificates and
of any certificates for a number of one  one-hundredths  of a share of Preferred
Stock (or Common  Stock and/or  other  securities,  as the case may be) upon the
exercise  of Rights.  The  Company  shall not,  however,  be required to pay any
transfer  tax which may be payable in respect of any  transfer  or  delivery  of
Rights  Certificates  to a Person  other than,  or the issuance or delivery of a
number of one  one-hundredths  of a share of  Preferred  Stock (or Common  Stock
and/or  other  securities,  as the case may be) in  respect of a name other than
that of, the  registered  holder of the Rights  Certificates  evidencing  Rights
surrendered for exercise or to issue or deliver any certificates for a number of
one  one-hundredths  of a share of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other
securities,  as the case may be) in a name  other  than  that of the  registered
holder upon the  exercise of any Rights until such tax shall have been paid (any
such tax being payable by the holder of such Rights  Certificate  at the time of
surrender) or until it has been established to the Company's  satisfaction  that
no such tax is due.

     Section 10.  Preferred  Stock  Record  Date.  Each person in whose name any
certificate for a number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or
Common  Stock and/or  other  securities,  as the case may be) is issued upon the
exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of
record of such  fractional  shares of  Preferred  Stock (or Common  Stock and/or
other  securities,  as the  case  may  be)  represented  thereby  on,  and  such
certificate  shall  be  dated,  the  date  upon  which  the  Rights  Certificate
evidencing  such Rights was duly  surrendered  and payment of the Purchase Price
(and all applicable transfer taxes) was made; provided however, that if the date
of such  surrender  and  payment  is a date upon which the  Preferred  Stock (or
Common Stock and/or other securities,  as the case may be) transfer books of the
Company are closed, such Person shall be deemed to have become the record holder
of such shares (fractional

                                       15

<PAGE>
or  otherwise)  on, and such  certificate  shall be dated,  the next  succeeding
Business  Day on which  the  Preferred  Stock  (or  Common  Stock  and/or  other
securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the Company are open. Prior to
the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a Rights Certificate
shall not be entitled to any rights of a stockholder of the Company with respect
to  shares  for  which  the  Rights  shall be  exercisable,  including,  without
limitation,  the right to vote, to receive dividends,  or other distributions or
to  exercise  any  preemptive  rights,  and shall not be entitled to receive any
notice of any proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.

     Section  11.  Adjustment  of Purchase  Price,  Number and Kind of Shares or
Number of Rights.  The Purchase Price,  the number and kind of shares covered by
each Right and the number of Rights  outstanding  are subject to adjustment from
time to time as provided in this Section 11.

                    (a) (i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the
          date of this  Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred  Stock
          payable in shares of Preferred  Stock,  (B) subdivide the  outstanding
          Preferred  Stock,  (C) combine the outstanding  Preferred Stock into a
          smaller number of shares, or (D) issue any shares of its capital stock
          in a  reclassification  of the  Preferred  Stock  (including  any such
          reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger in which
          the Company is the  continuing  or surviving  corporation),  except as
          otherwise  provided in this Section 11(a) and Section 7(e) hereof, the
          Purchase  Price  in  effect  at the time of the  record  date for such
          dividend or of the effective date of such subdivision, combination, or
          reclassification, and the number and kind of shares of Preferred Stock
          or capital stock, as the case may be, issuable on such date,  shall be
          proportionately  adjusted  so that the  holder of any Right  exercised
          after such time shall be  entitled  to  receive,  upon  payment of the
          Purchase Price then in effect, the aggregate number and kind of shares
          of Preferred  Stock or capital  stock,  as the case may be, which,  if
          such Right had been exercised  immediately prior to such date and at a
          time when the Preferred Stock transfer books of the Company were open,
          such holder would have owned upon such  exercise and been  entitled to
          receive  by  virtue  of such  dividend,  subdivision,  combination  or
          reclassification.  If an event occurs that would require an adjustment
          under both this Section 11(a)(i) and Section on 11(a)(ii) hereof,  the
          adjustment  provided for in this Section 11(a)(i) shall be in addition
          to, and shall be made prior to, any  adjustment  required  pursuant to
          Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.

                    (ii) Subject to Section 24 of this Agreement, in the event:

                                       16

<PAGE>
                         (A) any  Person  shall at any  time  after  the  Rights
               Dividend Declaration Date become an Acquiring Person,  unless the
               event causing such Person to become an Acquiring  Person (I) is a
               transaction  set forth in  Section  13(a)  hereof,  or (II) is an
               acquisition  of shares of Common Stock and/or  Voting  Securities
               pursuant  to  a  tender  offer  or  an  exchange  offer  for  all
               outstanding  shares of Common Stock and other Voting  Securities,
               if any, at a price and on terms determined by at least a majority
               of  the  Continuing   Directors  who  are  not   representatives,
               nominees,  Affiliates or Associates of an Acquiring Person, after
               receiving advice from one or more investment banking firms, to be
               (x) at a price which is fair to stockholders (taking into account
               all  factors  which  the  Board  of  Directors   deems   relevant
               including,  without limitation,  prices which could reasonably be
               achieved  if the  Company or its  assets  were sold on an orderly
               basis designed to realize maximum value) and (y) otherwise in the
               best interests of the Company and its stockholders; or

                         (B) the Board of Directors of the Company shall declare
               any Person to be an Adverse  Person,  upon a  determination  that
               such  Person,   alone  or  together  with  its   Affiliates   and
               Associates,   has,   at  any  time  after  the  Rights   Dividend
               Declaration   Date,   become  the  beneficial   owner  of  Voting
               Securities  representing  at least 15% of the Total  Voting Power
               and a determination  after reasonable  inquiry and investigation,
               including   consultation  with  such  persons  as  the  Board  of
               Directors shall deem appropriate,  that such beneficial ownership
               by such Person is (1) intended to cause the Company to repurchase
               the Voting  Securities  beneficially  owned by such  Person or to
               cause  pressure  on the  Company  to take  action or enter into a
               transaction  or series of  transactions  intended to provide such
               Person (and not stockholders generally) with short-term financial
               gain under circumstances where the Board of Directors  determines
               that  the  best  long-term  interests  of  the  Company  and  its
               stockholders  would  not be  served  by  taking  such  action  or
               entering into such  transaction or series of transactions at that
               time or (2)  causing  or  reasonably  likely to cause a  material
               adverse  impact  (including,  but not limited to,  impairment  of
               relationships   with  customers,   impairment  of  the  Company's
               business  reputation or  impairment  of the Company's  ability to
               maintain its  competitive  position) on the business or prospects
               of the Company; or

                                       17

<PAGE>
                         (C) any Acquiring  Person or any Associate or Affiliate
               of any  Acquiring  Person,  at any  time  after  the date of this
               Agreement,  directly  or  indirectly,  (1) shall  merge  into the
               Company or  otherwise  combine  with the  Company and the Company
               shall be the  continuing or surviving  corporation of such merger
               or  combination  and the Voting  Securities  of the Company shall
               remain  outstanding and unchanged,  (2) shall, in one transaction
               or a series of  transactions,  other than in connection  with the
               exercise  of  the  Rights  or  the  exercise  or   conversion  of
               securities  exercisable or convertible  into capital stock of the
               Company or any of its  Subsidiaries,  transfer  any assets to the
               Company or to any of its Subsidiaries in exchange (in whole or in
               part) for shares of Voting Securities, for shares of other equity
               securities of the Company,  or for securities  exercisable for or
               convertible  into  shares of  equity  securities  of the  Company
               (Common Stock or otherwise) or otherwise obtain from the Company,
               with or  without  consideration,  any  additional  shares of such
               equity  securities or securities  exercisable  for or convertible
               into shares of such equity  securities  (other than pursuant to a
               pro rata distribution to all holders of Common Stock),  (3) shall
               sell, purchase, lease, exchange,  mortgage,  pledge, transfer, or
               otherwise  acquire or dispose of, in one  transaction or a series
               of  transactions,  to, from, with, or of (as the case may be) the
               Company  or  any  of  its  Subsidiaries,   assets  on  terms  and
               conditions  less  favorable to the Company than the Company would
               be  able  to  obtain   in   arm's-length   negotiation   with  an
               unaffiliated  third party,  other than  pursuant to a transaction
               set  forth  in  Section  13(a)  hereof,  (4)  shall  receive  any
               compensation   from  the   Company   or  any  of  the   Company's
               Subsidiaries  other than  compensation for services as a director
               or for  full-time  employment  as a regular  employee at rates in
               accordance  with  the  Company's  (or  its  Subsidiaries')   past
               practices,  or  (5)  shall  receive  the  benefit,   directly  or
               indirectly (except proportionately as a stockholder and except if
               resulting from a requirement of law or governmental  regulation),
               of any loans, advances,  guarantees,  pledges, or other financial
               assistance or any tax credits or other tax advantage  provided by
               the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; or

                         (D) during such time as there is an  Acquiring  Person,
               there shall be any reclassification of securities  (including any
               reverse stock split), or  recapitalization of the Company, or any
               merger or consolidation of the Company with any of its

                                       18


<PAGE>
               Subsidiaries  or any other  transaction or series of transactions
               involving  the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries,  other than a
               transaction  or  transactions  to which the provisions of Section
               13(a) apply  (whether or not with or into or otherwise  involving
               an  Acquiring   Person)   which  has  the  effect,   directly  or
               indirectly, of increasing by more than 1% the proportionate share
               of the  outstanding  shares of any class of equity  securities of
               the  Company  or any of its  Subsidiaries  which is  directly  or
               indirectly  beneficially  owned by any  Acquiring  Person  or any
               Associate or Affiliate of any Acquiring Person;

then,  promptly  following the first  occurrence of a Section  11(a)(ii)  Event,
proper  provision  shall  be made so that  each  holder  of a Right  (except  as
provided  below and in Section 7(e) hereof) shall  thereafter  have the right to
receive,  upon exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price in accordance
with the terms of this Agreement, in lieu of a number of one one-hundredths of a
share of Preferred  Stock,  such number of shares of Common Stock of the Company
as shall equal the result obtained by (x) multiplying the then current  Purchase
Price by the then number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock for
which a Right was  exercisable  immediately  prior to the first  occurrence of a
Section  11(a)(ii) Event,  and (y) dividing that product (which,  following such
first  occurrence,  shall  thereafter be referred to as the "Purchase Price" for
each Right and for all purposes of this  Agreement) by 50% of the lowest closing
price (as determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof)
per share of Common  Stock on any Trading  Day (as  defined in Section  11(d)(i)
hereof) occurring within the twelve-month period immediately  preceding the date
of such first occurrence (such number of shares, the "Adjustment Shares").


          (iii) In the event that (a) the number of shares of Common Stock which
are authorized by the Company's Articles of Incorporation but not outstanding or
reserved for issuance  for purposes  other than upon  exercise of the Rights are
not  sufficient to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance  with
the foregoing  subparagraph (ii) of this Section 11(a), or (b) the quotient (the
"Quotient")  obtained by dividing the Purchase Price by the number of Adjustment
Shares  issuable  upon  exercise  of a Right is less than the then par value per
share of the  Common  Stock,  the  Company  shall,  to the extent  permitted  by
applicable law and  regulation and subject to such  limitations as are necessary
to prevent a default  under any  agreement to which the Company is a party:  (A)
determine the excess of (1) the value of the Adjustment Shares issuable upon the
exercise of a Right (the

                                       19

<PAGE>
"Current  Value") over (2) the Purchase Price (such excess,  the "Spread"),  and
(B) with respect to each Right,  make adequate  provision to substitute  for the
Adjustment Shares,  upon payment of the applicable Purchase Price, (1) cash, (2)
a reduction in the Purchase Price,  (3) Common Stock or other equity  securities
of the Company  (including,  without limitation,  shares, or units of shares, of
preferred  stock which the Board of  Directors of the Company has deemed to have
the same  value as shares of  Common  Stock  (such  shares of  preferred  stock,
"common stock  equivalents")),  (4) debt  securities  of the Company,  (5) other
assets, or (6) any combination of the foregoing, having an aggregate value equal
to the Current  Value,  where such aggregate  value  has been  determined by the
Board of  Directors  of the  Company  based  upon  the  advice  of a  nationally
recognized  investment  banking  firm  selected by the Board of Directors of the
Company;  provided,  however,  if the  Company  shall  not  have  made  adequate
provision to deliver value pursuant to clause (B) above within 30 days following
the later of (x) the first  occurrence of a Section  11(a)(ii) Event and (y) the
date on which the  Company's  right of  redemption  pursuant  to  Section  23(a)
expires  (the  later of (x) and (y) being  referred  to  herein as the  "Section
11(a)(ii)  Trigger  Date") then the Company  shall be obligated to surrender for
exercise  of a Right  and  payment  of the  Purchase  Price,  shares  of  extent
available)  and then,  if  necessary,  cash,  which  shares  and/or cash have an
aggregate  value equal to the Spread.  If the Board of  Directors of the Company
shall  determine in good faith that it is likely that (a) sufficient  additional
shares of Common Stock could be authorized for issuance upon exercise in full of
the Rights or (b) a reduction  in the par value per share of Common  Stock to an
amount that is equal to or less than the Quotient  could be  authorized,  the 30
day period set forth above may be extended to the extent necessary, but not more
than 90 days after the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date, in order that the Company
may seek stockholder approval for the authorization of such additional shares or
for the reduction of such par value, as the case may be (such period,  as it may
be  extended,  the  "Substitution  Period").  To the  extent  that  the  Company
determines  that some action need be taken  pursuant to the first and/or  second
sentences of this Section 11(a)(iii),  the Company (x) shall provide, subject to
Section 7(e) hereof,  that such action shall apply  uniformly to all outstanding
Rights,  and  (y)  may  suspend  the  exercisability  of the  Rights  until  the
expiration  of the  Substitution  Period in order to seek any  authorization  of
additional  shares or reduction  in par value  and/or to decide the  appropriate
form of distribution to be made pursuant to such first sentence and to determine
the value thereof. In the event of any such

                                       20

<PAGE>
suspension,  the Company  shall  issue a public  announcement  stating  that the
exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public
announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect. For purposes
of this Section  11(a)(iii),  the value of the Common Stock shall be the current
market price (as  determined  pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of the
Common Stock on the Section  11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and the value of any "common
stock  equivalent" shall be deemed to have the same value as the Common Stock on
such date.

               (b) In case the Company  shall fix a record date for the issuance
of rights, options, or warrants to all holders of Preferred Stock entitling them
to subscribe  for or purchase  (for a period  expiring  within 45 calendar  days
after such  record  date)  Preferred  Stock (or shares  having the same  rights,
privileges  and  preferences  as the  shares  of  Preferred  Stock  ("equivalent
preferred stock")) or securities  convertible into Preferred Stock or equivalent
preferred  stock  at a price  per  share  of  Preferred  Stock  or per  share of
equivalent  preferred  stock  (or  having a  conversion  price per  share,  if a
security  convertible  into Preferred Stock or equivalent  preferred stock) less
than the current market price (as  determined  pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof)
per share of Preferred  Stock on such record date,  the Purchase  Price to be in
effect after such record date shall be  determined by  multiplying  the Purchase
Price  in  effect  immediately  prior to such  record  date by a  fraction,  the
numerator of which shall be the number of shares of Preferred Stock  outstanding
on such  record  date,  plus the number of shares of  Preferred  Stock which the
aggregate offering price of the total number of shares of Preferred Stock and/or
equivalent  preferred  stock so to be  offered  (and/or  the  aggregate  initial
conversion price of the convertible  securities so to be offered) would purchase
at such current market price,  and the  denominator of which shall be the number
of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding on such record date, plus the number of
additional  shares of Preferred  Stock and/or  equivalent  preferred stock to be
offered for  subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible  securities
so to be offered are initially convertible). In case such subscription price may
be paid by delivery of consideration part or all of which may be in a form other
than cash, the value of such consideration  shall be as determined in good faith
by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described
in a  statement  filed with the Rights  Agent and shall be binding on the Rights
Agent and the holders of the Rights.  Shares of Preferred Stock owned by or held
for the account of the Company shall not be deemed  outstanding  for the purpose
of any such  computation.  Such adjustment shall be made  successively  whenever
such a record date is fixed,  and in the event that such rights or warrants  are
not so issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted

                                       21

<PAGE>
to be the  Purchase  Price which would then be in effect if such record date had
not been fixed.

          (c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for a distribution  to
all  holders  of  Preferred  Stock  (including  any  such  distribution  made in
connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing
corporation) of evidences of indebtedness,  cash (other than a regular quarterly
cash dividend out of the earnings or retained  earnings of the Company),  assets
(other than a dividend  payable in Preferred  Stock,  but including any dividend
payable in stock other than Preferred Stock) or subscription  rights or warrants
(excluding those referred to in Section 11(b) hereof),  the Purchase Price to be
in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase
Price  in  effect  immediately  prior to such  record  date by a  fraction,  the
numerator of which shall be the current market price (as determined  pursuant to
Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Preferred Stock on such record date, less the
fair market value (as  determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the
Company,  whose  determination  shall be described in a statement filed with the
Rights Agent) of the portion of the cash,  assets,  or evidences of indebtedness
so to be distributed or of such subscription  rights or warrants applicable to a
share of  Preferred  Stock and the  denominator  of which shall be such  current
market  price (as  determined  pursuant  to Section  11(d)  hereof) per share of
Preferred Stock.  Such adjustments  shall be made  successively  whenever such a
record date is fixed,  and in the event that such  distribution  is not so made,
the Purchase  Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase  Price which would have
been in effect if such record date had not been fixed.

                    (d) (i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder,  other
          than  computations  made pursuant to Section  11(a)(iii)  hereof,  the
          "current  market price" per share of Common Stock on any date shall be
          deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per share of such
          Common  Stock  for the 30  consecutive  Trading  Days (as such term is
          hereinafter  defined) immediately prior to such date, and for purposes
          of  computations  made  pursuant  to Section  11(a)(iii)  hereof,  the
          "current  market price" per share of Common Stock on any date shall be
          deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per share of such
          Common Stock for the 10 consecutive Trading Days Immediately following
          such  date;  provided,  however,  that in the event  that the  current
          market  price per share of the  Common  Stock is  determined  during a
          period  following the  announcement by the issuer of such Common Stock
          of (A) a dividend  or  distribution  on such Common  Stock  payable in
          shares of such Common Stock or securities  convertible  into shares of
          such Common  Stock (other than the  Rights),  or (B) any  subdivision,
          combination,  or  reclassification  of  such  Common  Stock,  and  the
          ex-dividend

                                       22


<PAGE>
          date for such  dividend or  distribution,  or the record date for such
          subdivision,  combination or reclassification  shall not have occurred
          prior  to the  commencement  of the  requisite  30  Trading  Day or 10
          Trading Day period,  as set forth above,  then, and in each such case,
          the "current  market  price"  shall be properly  adjusted to take into
          account ex-dividend  trading.  The closing price for each day shall be
          the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place
          on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices,  regular
          way,  in  either  case  as  reported  in  the  principal  consolidated
          transaction  reporting  system with  respect to  securities  listed or
          admitted to trading on the New York Stock  Exchange  or, if the shares
          of Common  Stock are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York
          Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated  transaction
          reporting  system with respect to  securities  listed on the principal
          national  securities  exchange on which the shares of Common Stock are
          listed or admitted  to trading  or, if the shares of Common  Stock are
          not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange,
          the last  quoted  price or, if not so quoted,  the average of the high
          bid and low asked prices in the  over-the-counter  market, as reported
          by the National  Association  of Securities  Dealers,  Inc.  Automated
          Quotation  System  ("NASDAQ") or such other system then in use, or, if
          on any such date the shares of Common Stock are not quoted by any such
          organization,  the  average  of the  closing  bid and asked  prices as
          furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the Common
          Stock  selected by the Board of Directors  of the  Company.  If on any
          such date no market maker is making a market in the Common Stock,  the
          fair value of such shares on such date as  determined in good faith by
          the Board of Directors of the Company shall be used. The term "Trading
          Day"  shall  mean a day on which  the  principal  national  securities
          exchange on which the shares of Common Stock are listed or admitted to
          trading is open for the  transaction  of business or, if the shares of
          Common  Stock are not listed or  admitted  to trading on any  national
          securities  exchange,  a  Business  Day.  If the  Common  Stock is not
          publicly held or not so listed or traded,  "current  market price" per
          share shall mean the fair value per share as  determined in good faith
          by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be
          described  in a  statement  filed with the  Rights  Agent and shall be
          conclusive for all purposes.

               (ii) For the purpose of any computation  hereunder,  the "current
market  price" per share of  Preferred  Stock  shall be  determined  in the same
manner as set forth  above for the Common  Stock in clause  (i) of this  Section
11(d) (other than the last sentence  thereof).  If the current  market price per
share of Preferred Stock cannot be

                                       23


<PAGE>
          determined in the manner  provided above or if the Preferred  Stock is
          not publicly held or listed or traded in a manner  described in clause
          (i) of this Section  11(d),  the "current  market  price" per share of
          Preferred Stock shall be conclusively  deemed to be an amount equal to
          100 (as such number may be  appropriately  adjusted for such events as
          stock splits, stock dividends,  and recapitalizations  with respect to
          the  Common  Stock   occurring  after  the  date  of  this  Agreement)
          multiplied by the current  market price per share of the Common Stock.
          If neither the Common Stock nor the  Preferred  Stock is publicly held
          or so  listed  or  traded,  "current  market  price"  per share of the
          Preferred  Stock shall mean the fair value per share as  determined in
          good  faith  by  the  Board  of  Directors   of  the  Company,   whose
          determination  shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights
          Agent and shall be conclusive  for all  purposes.  For all purposes of
          this Agreement,  the "current market price" of one  one-hundredth of a
          share of Preferred  Stock shall be equal to the "current market price"
          of one share of Preferred Stock divided by 100.

               (e)  Anything   herein  to  the  contrary   notwithstanding,   no
adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment  would
require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in the Purchase Price;  provided,
however,  that any  adjustments  which by reason of this  Section  11(e) are not
required  to be made shall be  carried  forward  and taken  into  account in any
subsequent  adjustment.  All calculations under this Section 11 shall be made to
the nearest cent or to the nearest  ten-thousandth of a share of Common Stock or
other share or  one-millionth of a share of Preferred Stock, as the case may be.
Notwithstanding  the  first  sentence  of this  Section  11(e),  any  adjustment
required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier of (i) three
(3) years from the date of the transaction  which mandates such  adjustment,  or
(ii) the Expiration Date.

               (f) If as a result of an  adjustment  made  pursuant  to  Section
11(a)(ii) or Section 13(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter  exercised
shall  become  entitled  to  receive  any  shares of  capital  stock  other than
Preferred  Stock,  thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon
exercise  of any  Right and the  Purchase  Price  thereof  shall be  subject  to
adjustment  from time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly  equivalent  as
practicable to the provisions  with respect to the Preferred  Stock contained in
Sections  11(a),  (b),  (c),  (e),  (g),  (h),  (i),  (j), (k), and (m), and the
provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13, and 14 hereof with respect to the Preferred
Stock shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.

                                       24


<PAGE>
               (g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any
adjustment  made to the Purchase  Price  hereunder  shall  evidence the right to
purchase,  at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one one-hundredths of a
share of Preferred Stock  purchasable  from time to time hereunder upon exercise
of the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.

               (h) Unless the  Company  shall have  exercised  its  election  as
provided in Section  11(i),  upon each  adjustment  of the  Purchase  Price as a
result  of  the  calculations  made  in  Sections  11(b)  and  (c),  each  Right
outstanding  immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter
evidence the right to purchase,  at the adjusted  Purchase Price, that number of
one  one-hundredths  of a share of Preferred  Stock  (calculated  to the nearest
one-millionth)  obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of one one-hundredths
of a share covered by a Right immediately  prior to this adjustment,  by (y) the
Purchase Price in effect  immediately  prior to such  adjustment of the Purchase
Price, and (ii) dividing the product so obtained by the Purchase Price in effect
immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase Price.

               (i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any  adjustment
of the Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights,  in lieu of any adjustment
in the number of one  one-hundredths  of a share of Preferred Stock  purchasable
upon  the  exercise  of a  Right.  Each  of the  Rights  outstanding  after  the
adjustment  in the number of Rights shall be  exercisable  for the number of one
one-hundredths  of a share of Preferred  Stock for which a Right was exercisable
immediately  prior to such  adjustment.  Each Right held of record prior to such
adjustment  of  the  number  of  Rights  shall  become  that  number  of  Rights
(calculated to the nearest one-ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the Purchase
Price in effect  immediately  prior to adjustment  of the Purchase  Price by the
Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The
Company shall make a public announcement of its election to adjust the number of
Rights,  indicating  the record  date for the  adjustment,  and, if known at the
time, the amount of the adjustment to be made.  This record date may be the date
on which the  Purchase  Price is  adjusted  or any day  thereafter,  but, if the
Rights Certificates have been issued, shall be at least ten (10) days later than
the date of the public  announcement.  If Rights  Certificates have been issued,
upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the
Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of
record  of  Rights   Certificates  on  such  record  date  Rights   Certificates
evidencing,  subject to Section 14 hereof,  the additional  Rights to which such
holders shall be entitled as a result of such  adjustment,  or, at the option of
the  Company,  shall  cause to be  distributed  to such  holders  of  record  in
substitution and replacement for the Rights Certificates held by such holders

                                       25


<PAGE>
prior to the date of adjustment,  and upon surrender thereof, if required by the
Company, new Rights Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders
shall  be  entitled  after  such  adjustment.   Rights  Certificates  so  to  be
distributed shall be issued,  executed, and countersigned in the manner provided
for herein (and may bear,  at the option of the Company,  the adjusted  Purchase
Price) and shall be  registered  in the names of the holders of record of Rights
Certificates on the record date specified in the public announcement.

               (j)  Irrespective  of any  adjustment  or change in the  Purchase
Price or the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable
upon the  exercise  of the  Rights,  the  Rights  Certificates  theretofore  and
thereafter   issued  may  continue  to  express  the  Purchase   Price  per  one
one-hundredth of a share and the number of one  one-hundredths  of a share which
were expressed in the initial Rights Certificates issued hereunder.

               (k)  Before  taking any action  that  would  cause an  adjustment
reducing the Purchase  Price below the then stated value,  if any, of the number
of one  one-hundredths  of a share of Preferred  Stock issuable upon exercise of
the  Rights,  the  Company  shall take any  corporate  action  which may, in the
opinion of its  counsel,  be necessary in order that the Company may validly and
legally issue fully paid and nonassessable  such number of one one-hundredths of
a share of Preferred Stock at such adjusted Purchase Price.

               (1) In any case in which this  Section 11 shall  require  that an
adjustment  in the  Purchase  Price be made  effective as of a record date for a
specified  event,  the Company may elect to defer until the  occurrence  of such
event the issuance to the holder of any Right  exercised  after such record date
the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock and other capital
stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and
above the number of one  one-hundredths  of a share of Preferred Stock and other
capital stock or securities of the Company,  if any, issuable upon such exercise
on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided,
however,  that the  Company  shall  deliver  to such  holder a due bill or other
appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such additional
shares  (fractional or otherwise) or securities upon the occurrence of the event
requiring such adjustment.

               (m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary  notwithstanding,
the Company shall be entitled to make such  reductions in the Purchase Price, in
addition to those adjustments  expressly  required by this Section 11, as and to
the extent  that in their  good faith  judgment  the Board of  Directors  of the
Company shall determine to be advisable in order that any

                                       26


<PAGE>
(i)  consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred  Stock,  (ii) issuance wholly
for cash of any shares of Preferred Stock At less than the current market price,
(iii) issuance wholly for cash of shares of Preferred Stock or securities  which
by their terms are  convertible  into or  exchangeable  for shares of  Preferred
Stock,  (iv) stock dividends,  or (v) issuance of rights,  options,  or warrants
referred to in this Section 11,  hereafter made by the Company to holders of its
Preferred Stock shall not be taxable to such stockholders.

               (n) The  Company  covenants  and agrees that it shall not, at any
time after the  Distribution  Date, (i) consolidate with any other Person (other
than a Subsidiary  of the Company in a transaction  which  complies with Section
11(o) hereof), (ii) merge with or into any other Person (other than a Subsidiary
of the Company in a transaction  which complies with Section 11(o)  hereof),  or
(iii) sell or transfer (or permit any  Subsidiary to sell or  transfer),  in one
transaction,  or a series  of  related  transactions,  assets or  earning  power
aggregating  more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its
Subsidiaries  (taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons  (other than the
Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof),  if (x) at the time of or immediately after
such consolidation,  merger, or sale there are any rights,  warrants,  or, other
instruments  or  securities  outstanding  or  agreements  in effect  which would
substantially  diminish  or  otherwise  eliminate  the  benefits  intended to be
afforded  by the Rights or (y) prior to,  simultaneously  with,  or  immediately
after such  consolidation,  merger,  or sale, the stockholders of the Person who
constitutes,  or would constitute, the "Principal Party" for purposes of Section
13(a) hereof shall have received a distribution  of Rights  previously  owned by
such Person or any of, its Affiliates and Associates.

               (o) The Company covenants and agrees that, after the Distribution
Date, it will not, except as permitted by Section 27 hereof, take (or permit any
Subsidiary  to take)  any  action  if at the  time  such  action  is taken it is
reasonably foreseeable that such action will diminish substantially or otherwise
eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.

               (p) Anything in this  Agreement to the contrary  notwithstanding,
in the  event  that the  Company  shall at any time  after the  Rights  Dividend
Declaration  Date and prior to the  Distribution  Date (i) declare a dividend on
the outstanding  shares of Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock,  (ii)
subdivide  the  outstanding  shares  of  Common  Stock,  or  (iii)  combine  the
outstanding  shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares,  the number
of Rights associated with each share of Common

                                       27


<PAGE>
Stock  then  outstanding,  or issued or  delivered  thereafter  but prior to the
Distribution  Date,  shall be  proportionately  adjusted  so that the  number of
Rights thereafter  associated with each share of Common Stock following any such
event  shall  equal the  result  obtained  by multiplying  the  number of Rights
associated with each share of Common Stock  immediately prior to such event by a
fraction  the  numerator  of which shall be the total number of shares of Common
Stock  outstanding  immediately  prior to the  occurrence  of the  event and the
denominator  of which  shall be the total  number  of  shares  of  Common  Stock
outstanding immediately following the occurrence of such event.

               (q) The failure by the Board of  Directors to declare a Person to
be an Adverse  Person  following such Person  becoming the  Beneficial  Owner of
Voting Securities  representing 4.9% or more of the Total Voting Power shall not
imply that such Person is not an Adverse Person or limit the Board of Directors'
right at any time in the future to declare such Person to be an Adverse Person.

     Section 12.  Certificate  of Adjusted  Purchase  Price or Number of Shares.
Whenever an  adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 and Section 13 hereof,
the  Company  shall  (a)  promptly  prepare a  certificate  setting  forth  such
adjustment and a brief  statement of the facts  accounting for such  adjustment,
(b) promptly  file with the Rights Agent,  and with each transfer  agent for the
Preferred Stock and the Common Stock, a copy of such certificate, and (c) mail a
brief summary  thereof to each holder of a Rights  Certificate  (or, if prior to
the Distribution  Date, to each holder of a certificate  representing  shares of
Common  Stock) in accordance  with Section 26 hereof.  The Rights Agent shall be
fully protected in relying on any such certificate and on any adjustment therein
contained.

     Section  13.  Consolidation,  Merger,  or Sale or  Transfer  of  Assets or
Earning Power

          (a) In the event that,  following the Stock Acquisition Date, directly
or indirectly,  (x) the Company shall  consolidate with, or merge with and into,
any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction  which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof), and the Company shall not be the continuing
or surviving  corporation of such consolidation or merger, (y) any Person (other
than a Subsidiary  of the Company in a transaction  which  complies with Section
11(o) hereof) shall  consolidate  with, or merge with or into, the Company,  and
the  Company  shall  be  the   continuing  or  surviving   corporation  of  such
consolidation  or merger and, in connection with such  consolidation  or merger,
all or part of the outstanding shares of Voting Securities shall be changed into
or exchanged  for stock or other  securities  of any other Person or cash or any
other property, or

                                       28

<PAGE>
(z)  the  Company  shall  sell  or  otherwise  transfer  (or  one or more of its
Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise  transfer),  in one transaction or a series
of related  transactions,  assets or earning power  aggregating more than 50% of
the assets or earning  power of the  Company  and its  Subsidiaries  (taken as a
whole) to any Person or Persons (other than the Company or any Subsidiary of the
Company in one or more  transactions  each of which  complies with Section 11(o)
hereof);  then, and in each such case (except as may be  contemplated by Section
13(d)  hereof),  proper  provision  shall be made so that:  (i) each holder of a
Right,  except as provided in Section 7(e)  hereof,  shall  thereafter  have the
right to receive,  upon the exercise  thereof at the then current Purchase Price
in  accordance  with  the  terms  of this  Agreement,  such  number  of  validly
authorized and issued, fully paid, nonassessable, and freely tradeable shares of
Common Stock of the Principal Party (as such term is hereinafter  defined),  not
subject to any liens,  encumbrances,  rights of first refusal,  or other adverse
claims,  as shall be equal to the result  obtained by (1)  multiplying  the then
current  Purchase  Price  by the  number  of one  one-hundredths  of a share  of
Preferred Stock for which a Right is exercisable  immediately prior to the first
occurrence of a Section 13 Event (or, if a Section  11(a)(ii) Event has occurred
prior to the first  occurrence of a Section 13 Event,  multiplying the number of
such one one-hundredths of a share for which a Right was exercisable immediately
prior to the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event by the Purchase Price
in effect immediately prior to such first occurrence), and dividing that product
(which,  following the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event, shall be referred
to as the  "Purchase  Price"  for  each  Right  and  for  all  purposes  of this
Agreement)  by (2) 50% of the  current  market  price  (determined  pursuant  to
Section  11(d)(i)  hereof) per share of the Common Stock of such Principal Party
on the date of consummation of such Section 13 Event;  (ii) such Principal Party
shall  thereafter be liable for, and shall assume,  by virtue of such Section 13
Event, all the obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement;
(iii) the term "Company"  shall  thereafter be deemed to refer to such Principal
Party, it being  specifically  intended that the provisions of Section 11 hereof
shall apply only to such  Principal  Party  following the first  occurrence of a
Section 13 Event;  (iv) such Principal  Party shall take such steps  (including,
but not  limited to, the  reservation  of a  sufficient  number of shares of its
Common Stock) in connection with the consummation of any such transaction as may
be  necessary  to  assure  that  the  provisions   hereof  shall  thereafter  be
applicable,  as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to its shares of Common
Stock  thereafter  deliverable  upon the  exercise  of the  Rights;  and (v) the
provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall be of no effect following the first
occurrence of any Section 13 Event.

          (b)  "Principal  party" shall mean (i) in the case of any  transaction
described in clause (x) or (y) of the first

                                       29


<PAGE>
sentence of Section 13 (a), the Person that is the issuer of any securities into
which  shares of Common  Stock of the  Company are  converted  in such merger or
consolidation  and if no securities are so issued,  the Person that is the other
party to such merger or  consolidation  and (ii) in the case of any  transaction
described in clause (z) of the first sentence of Section 13(a),  the Person that
is the party  receiving  the  greatest  portion of the  assets or earning  power
transferred  pursuant to such  transaction or transactions;  provided,  however,
that in any such  case,  (1) if the Common  Stock of such  Person is not at such
time and has not been continuously over the preceding 12 month period registered
under  Section 12 of the  Exchange  Act, and such Person is a direct or indirect
Subsidiary  of  another  Person  the  Common  Stock  of which is and has been so
registered,  "Principal Party" shall refer to such other Person; and (2) in case
such Person is a Subsidiary,  directly or  indirectly,  of more than one Person,
the  Common  Stock of two or more of  which  are and  have  been so  registered,
"Principal  Party" shall refer to whichever of such Persons is the issuer of the
Common Stock having the greatest aggregate market value.

          (C) The Company shall not consummate any such  consolidation,  merger,
sale, or transfer unless the Principal  Party shall have a sufficient  number of
authorized shares of its Common Stock which have not been issued or reserved for
issuance to permit the  exercise in full of the Rights in  accordance  with this
Section 13 and unless prior thereto the Company and such  Principal  Party shall
have  executed  and  delivered  to the  Rights  Agent a  supplemental  agreement
providing for the terms set forth in  paragraphs  (a) and (b) of this Section 13
and  further  providing  that,  as soon as  practicable  after  the  date of any
consolidation,  merger  or sale of assets  mentioned  in  paragraph  (a) of this
Section 13, the Principal Party will

                    (i)  prepare  and file a  registration  statement  under the
          Securities  Act,  with  respect  to  the  Rights  and  the  securities
          purchasable  upon exercise of the Rights on an  appropriate  form, and
          will use its best efforts to cause such registration  statement to (A)
          become  effective  as soon as  practicable  after such  filing and (B)
          remain   effective  (with  a  prospectus  at  all  times  meeting  the
          requirements of the Act) until the Expiration Date; and

                    (ii)  will  deliver  to  holders  of the  Rights  historical
          financial   statements  for  the  Principal  Party  and  each  of  its
          Affiliates  which comply in all  respects  with the  requirements  for
          registration on Form 10 under the Exchange Act.

The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers or
consolidations or sales or other transfers.

                                       30

<PAGE>
In the  event  that a  Section  13  Event  shall  occur at any  time  after  the
occurrence of a Section  11(a)(ii)  Event, the Rights Which have not theretofore
been exercised shall  thereafter  become  exercisable in the manner described in
Section 13(a).

          (d)  Notwithstanding  anything  in  this  Agreement  to the  contrary,
Section 13 shall not be applicable to a transaction  described in  subparagraphs
(x) and (y) of  Section  13(a) if (i) such  transaction  is  consummated  with a
Person or Persons (or a  wholly-owned  subsidiary of any such Person or Persons)
who acquired shares of Common Stock pursuant to a tender offer or exchange offer
for all outstanding shares of Common Stock at a price and on terms determined to
be in accordance with Section  11(a)(ii)(A)  hereof, (ii) the price per share of
Common Stock offered in such transaction is not less than the price per share of
Common  Stock paid to all holders of shares Of Common  Stock  whose  shares were
purchased pursuant to such tender offer or exchange offer, and (iii) the form of
consideration  being offered to the remaining  holders of shares of Common Stock
pursuant  to such  transaction  is the  same as the form of  consideration  paid
pursuant to such tender offer or exchange offer.  Upon  consummation of any such
transaction  contemplated  by this Section  13(d),  all Rights  hereunder  shall
expire.

     Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.

          (a) The  Company  shall not be required  to issue  fractional  Rights,
except prior to the Distribution Date as provided in Section 11(p) hereof, or to
distribute Rights  Certificates that evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such
fractional  Rights,  there shall be paid to the registered holders of the Rights
Certificates  with regard to which such  fractional  Rights  would  otherwise be
issuable,  an amount in cash equal to the same  fraction of the  current  market
value of a whole Right.  For purposes of this Section 14(a),  the current market
value of a whole Right shall be the closing  price of the Rights for the Trading
Day  immediately  prior to the date on which such  fractional  Rights would have
been  otherwise  issuable.  The closing price of the Rights for any day shall be
the last sale price,  regular  way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such
day,  the average of the closing bid and asked  prices,  regular  way, in either
case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with
respect  to  securities  listed or  admitted  to  trading  on the New York Stock
Exchange or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York
Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated  transaction reporting
system with respect to securities  listed on the principal  national  securities
exchange on which the Rights are listed or admitted to trading, or if the Rights
are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities  exchange,  the
last  quoted  price or, if not so  quoted,  the  average of the high bid and low
asked prices in the

                                       31

<PAGE>
over-the-counter  market, as reported by NASDAQ or such other system then in use
or, if on any such date the Rights are not quoted by any such organization,  the
average of the  closing  bid and asked  prices as  furnished  by a  professional
market maker making a market in the Rights selected by the Board of Directors of
the Company.  If on any such date no such market maker is making a market in the
Rights the fair value of the Rights on such date as  determined in good faith by
the Board of Directors of the Company shall be used.

          (b) The Company  shall not be required to issue  fractional  shares of
Preferred  Stock  (other than  fractions  which are  integral  multiples  of one
one-hundredth  of a share of Preferred  Stock) upon exercise of the Rights or to
distribute  certificates  which evidence  fractional  shares of Preferred  Stock
(other than fractions  which are integral  multiples of one  one-hundredth  of a
share of Preferred  Stock). In lieu of fractional shares of Preferred Stock that
are not integral  multiples of one  one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock,
the Company may pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time
such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same
fraction  of the  current  market  value  of one  one-hundredth  of a  share  of
Preferred Stock. For purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market value of
one  one-hundredth  of a share of Preferred Stock shall be one  one-hundredth of
the  closing  price of a share of  Preferred  Stock (as  determined  pursuant to
Section  11(d)(ii)  hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of
such exercise.

          (c) Following the occurrence of a Triggering  Event, the Company shall
not be required to issue fractional  shares of Common Stock upon exercise of the
Rights or to distribute  certificates that evidence  fractional shares of Common
Stock. In lieu of fractional  shares of Common Stock, the Company may pay to the
registered holders of Rights  Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised
as herein  provided an amount in cash equal to the same  fraction of the current
market value of one share of Common Stock.  For purposes of this Section  14(c),
the current market value of one share of Common Stock shall be the closing price
of one share of Common Stock (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof)
for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise.

          (d) The holder of a Right by the  acceptance  of the Rights  expressly
waives his right to receive any fractional  Rights or any fractional shares upon
exercise of a Right, except as permitted by this Section 14.

     Section  15.  Rights of  Action.  All  rights of action in  respect of this
Agreement  are  vested  in the  respective  registered  holders  of  the  Rights
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution

                                       32


<PAGE>
Date, the registered  holders of the Common Stock); and any registered holder of
any  Rights  Certificate  (or,  prior to the  Distribution  Date,  of the Common
Stock),  without the  consent of the Rights  Agent or of the holder of any other
Rights  Certificate (or, prior to the  Distribution  Date, of the Common Stock),
may, in his own behalf and for his own benefit,  enforce,  and may institute and
maintain any suit,  action,  or  proceeding  against the Company to enforce,  or
otherwise act in respect of, his right to exercise the Rights  evidenced by such
Rights Certificate in the manner provided in such Rights Certificate and in this
Agreement.  Without  limiting the  foregoing  or any  remedies  available to the
holders of Rights,  it is specifically  acknowledged  that the holders of Rights
would not have an adequate  remedy at law for any breach of this  Agreement  and
shall be entitled to  specific  performance  of the  obligations  hereunder  and
injunctive  relief  against actual or threatened  violations of the  obligations
hereunder of any Person subject to this Agreement.

     Section  16.  Agreement  of  Rights  Holders.  Every  holder  of a Right by
accepting the same consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent and
with every other holder of a Right that:

          (a) prior to the  Distribution  Date, the Rights will be  transferable
only in connection with the transfer of Common Stock;

          (b)  after  the  Distribution   Date,  the  Rights   Certificates  are
transferable  only on the registry  books of the Rights Agent if  surrendered at
the  principal  office  or  offices  of the  Rights  Agent  designated  for such
purposes,  duly endorsed or accompanied  by a proper  instrument of transfer and
with the appropriate forms and certificates fully executed;

          (c) subject to Section 6(a) and Section  7(f) hereof,  the Company and
the  Rights  Agent  may  deem  and  treat  the  person  in  whose  name a Rights
Certificate  (or, prior to the  Distribution  Date, the associated  Common Stock
certificate)  is  registered  as the  absolute  owner  thereof and of the Rights
evidenced thereby  (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the
Rights  Certificates or the associated  Common Stock  certificate made by anyone
other than the Company or the Rights  Agent) for all  purposes  whatsoever,  and
neither  the  Company  nor the Rights  Agent,  subject to the last  sentence  of
Section  7(e)  hereof,  shall be  required  to be  affected by any notice to the
contrary; and

          (d)  notwithstanding  anything  in  this  Agreement  to the  contrary,
neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any  liability to any holder
of a Right or other  Person as a result of its  inability  to perform any of its
obligations under this

                                       33


<PAGE>
Agreement by reason of any  preliminary or permanent  injunction or other order,
decree,  or  ruling  issued  by  a  court  of  competent  jurisdiction  or  by a
governmental,  regulatory,  or  administrative  agency  or  commission,  or  any
statute,  rule,  regulation,  or executive  order  promulgated or enacted by any
governmental authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining performance of such
obligation; provided, however, the Company must use its best efforts to have any
such  order,  decree,  or  ruling  lifted  or  otherwise  overturned  as soon as
possible.

     Section 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder.  No holder,
as such of any Rights  Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive dividends,
or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the number of one one-hundredths of a
share of Preferred Stock or any other securities of the Company which may at any
time be issuable upon the exercise of the Rights represented  thereby, nor shall
anything  contained  herein or in any Rights  Certificate be construed to confer
upon the  holder of any  Rights  Certificate,  as such,  any of the  rights of a
stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or
upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof,  or to give or
withhold  consent to any corporate  action,  or to receive notice of meetings or
other actions affecting  stockholders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof),
or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or
Rights  evidenced  by such  Rights  Certificate  shall  have been  exercised  in
accordance with the provisions hereof.

     Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent.

          (a)  The  Company  agrees  to  pay  to  the  Rights  Agent  reasonable
compensation  for all services  rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time,
on demand of the Rights  Agent,  its  reasonable  expenses  and counsel fees and
disbursements  and  other  disbursements  incurred  in  the  administration  and
execution  of this  Agreement  and the exercise  and  performance  of its duties
hereunder.  The Company  also agrees to  indemnify  the Rights Agent for, and to
hold it harmless  against,  any loss,  liability,  or expense,  incurred without
negligence,  bad faith,  or willful  misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent,
for  anything  done or  omitted  by the  Rights  Agent  in  connection  with the
acceptance  and  administration  of this  Agreement,  including  the  costs  and
expenses of defending against any claim of liability in the premises.

          (b) The Rights Agent shall be  protected  and shall incur no liability
for or in respect of any action taken,  suffered, or omitted by it in connection
with  its   administration  of  this  Agreement  in  reliance  upon  any  Rights
Certificate  or  Certificate  for Common  Stock or for other  securities  of the
Company,  instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney,  endorsement,
affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent,

                                       34


<PAGE>
certificate,  statement, or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine
and to be signed,  executed and, where necessary,  verified or acknowledged,  by
the proper Person or Persons.

     Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent.

          (a) Any  corporation  into  which the  Rights  Agent or any  successor
Rights  Agent  may be  merged  or  with  which  it may be  consolidated,  or any
corporation resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent
or any successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to
the corporate trust business of the Rights Agent or any successor  Rights Agent,
shall be the  successor  to the Rights  Agent under this  Agreement  without the
execution  or filing of any paper or any  further  act on the part of any of the
parties hereto;  provided,  however, that such corporation would be eligible for
appointment  as a  successor  Rights  Agent under the  provisions  of Section 21
hereof.  In case at the time such  successor  Rights Agent shall  succeed to the
agency created by this Agreement, any of the Rights Certificates shall have been
countersigned  but not delivered,  any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the
countersignature   of  a  predecessor  Rights  Agent  and  deliver  such  Rights
Certificates  so  countersigned;  and in  case at that  time  any of the  Rights
Certificates shall not have been  countersigned,  any successor Rights Agent may
countersign such Rights Certificates either in the name of the predecessor or in
the name of the  successor  Rights  Agent;  and in all such  cases  such  Rights
Certificates  shall have the full force provided in the Rights  Certificates and
in this Agreement.

          (b) In case at any time the name of the Rights  Agent shall be changed
and at such time any of the Rights  Certificates  shall have been  countersigned
but not  delivered,  the Rights Agent may adopt the  countersignature  under its
prior name and deliver Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that
time any of the  Rights  Certificates  shall  not have been  countersigned,  the
Rights Agent may countersign such Rights  Certificates  either in its prior name
or in its changed  name;  and in all such cases such Rights  Certificates  shall
have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and in this Agreement.

     Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent.  The Rights Agent undertakes the duties
and  obligations  imposed  by  this  Agreement  upon  the  following  terms  and
conditions,  by all of which the Company and the holders of Rights Certificates,
by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:

          (a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal  counsel (who may be legal
counsel  for the  Company),  and the opinion of such  counsel  shall be full and
complete authorization

                                       35


<PAGE>
and  protection  to the Rights  Agent as to any action taken or omitted by it in
good faith and in accordance with such opinion.

          (b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the
Rights  Agent  shall  deem it  necessary  or  desirable  that any fact or matter
(including,  without limitation, the identity of any Acquiring Person or Adverse
Person and the determination of "current market price") be proved or established
by the Company prior to taking or suffering any action  hereunder,  such fact or
matter  (unless  other  evidence  in  respect  thereof  be  herein  specifically
prescribed)  may be  deemed  to be  conclusively  proved  and  established  by a
certificate  signed  by  the Chairman  of the  Board,  the  President,  any Vice
Chairman or  Executive  Vice  President,  the Chief  Financial  Officer,  or the
Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate
shall be full authorization to the Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered
in good faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such
certificate.

          (c) The Rights Agent shall be liable  hereunder only for its own gross
negligence, bad faith, or willful misconduct.

          (d) The  Rights  Agent  shall not be liable for or by reason of any of
the statements of fact or recitals  contained in this Agreement or in the Rights
Certificates   or  be   required   to  verify   the  same   (except  as  to  its
countersignature  on such  Rights  Certificates),  but all such  statements  and
recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only.

          (e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any  responsibility in respect
of the validity of this  Agreement or the execution and delivery  hereof (except
the due execution and delivery  hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the
validity or execution  of any Rights  Certificate  (except its  countersignature
thereof);  nor shall it be  responsible  for any  breach by the  Company  of any
covenant or condition  contained in this Agreement or in any Rights Certificate;
nor shall it be responsible for any adjustment  required under the provisions of
Section 11 or Section 13 hereof or responsible for the manner,  method or amount
of any such adjustment or the  ascertaining of the existence of facts that would
require any such  adjustment  (except  with  respect to the exercise of Rights s
evidenced by Rights  Certificates  after actual notice of any such  adjustment);
nor  shall it by any act  hereunder  be  deemed  to make any  representation  or
warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any shares of Common Stock or
Preferred  Stock  to  be  issued  pursuant  to  this  Agreement  or  any  Rights
Certificate or as to whether any shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock will,
when so issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

                                       36


<PAGE>
          (f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge, and
deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged, and delivered all such
further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required
by the Rights Agent for the carrying  out or  performing  by the Rights Agent of
the provisions of this Agreement.

          (g) The  Rights  Agent is hereby  authorized  and  directed  to accept
instructions  with respect to the  performance of its duties  hereunder from the
Chairman  of the Board,  the  President,  any Vice  Chairman or  Executive  Vice
President,  the Chief Financial Officer, or the Secretary of the Company, and to
apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its duties,
and it shall not be liable for any action taken or suffered to be taken by it in
good faith in accordance with instructions of any such officer.

          (h) The  Rights  Agent  and any  stockholder,  director,  officer,  or
employee  of the  Rights  Agent may buy,  sell,  or deal in any of the Rights or
other  securities  of  the  Company  or  become  pecuniarily  interested  in any
transaction  in which the Company may be  interested,  or contract  with or lend
money to the Company or otherwise  act as fully and freely as though it were not
Rights Agent under this  Agreement.  Nothing  herein  shall  preclude the Rights
Agent from acting in any other  capacity  for the Company or for any other legal
entity.

          (i) The Rights  Agent may  execute and  exercise  any of the rights or
powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder  either itself or by or
through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or
accountable for any act, default,  neglect,  or misconduct of any such attorneys
or agents or for any loss to the Company  resulting from any such act,  default,
neglect, or misconduct;  provided, however, reasonable care was exercised in the
selection and continued employment thereof.

          (j) No provision of this  Agreement  shall require the Rights Agent to
expend or risk its own funds or otherwise  incur any financial  liability in the
performance  of any of its duties  hereunder or in the exercise of its rights if
there shall be reasonable  grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or
adequate  indemnification  against  such  risk or  liability  is not  reasonably
assured to it.

          (k) If with  respect  to any  Rights  Certificate  surrendered  to the
Rights Agent for exercise or transfer,  the certificate  attached to the form of
assignment  or form of election to purchase,  as the case may be, has either not
been  completed  or  indicates  an  affirmative  response  to  clause 1 and/or 2
thereof, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to

                                       37

<PAGE>
such requested exercise or transfer without first consulting with the Company.

     Section  21.  Change of Rights  Agent.  The Rights  Agent or any  successor
Rights Agent may resign and be discharged  from its duties under this  Agreement
upon 30 days'  notice in writing  mailed to the  Company,  and to each  transfer
agent of the Common Stock and Preferred  Stock, by registered or certified mail,
and to the holders,  if any, of the Rights Certificates by first-class mail. The
Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor  Rights Agent upon 10 days'
notice in writing,  mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the
case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Stock and Preferred Stock,
by registered or certified  mail, and to the holders of the Rights  Certificates
by  first-class  mail.  If the Rights  Agent shall resign or be removed or shall
otherwise become  incapable of acting,  the Company shall appoint a successor to
the Rights Agent.  If the Company shall fail to make such  appointment  within a
period of 10 days after giving notice of such removal,  or within a period of 30
days after it has been notified in writing of such  resignation or incapacity by
the  resigning  or  incapacitated  Rights  Agent  or by the  holder  of a Rights
Certificate  (who shall,  with such notice,  submit his Rights  Certificate  for
inspection by the Company),  as the case may be, then any  registered  holder of
any Rights Certificate may apply to any court of competent  jurisdiction for the
appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed
by the Company or by such a court,  shall be a  corporation  organized and doing
business  under the laws of the  United  States  or of any  state of the  United
States so long as such  corporation  is  authorized  under such laws to exercise
corporate  trust powers and is subject to  supervision or examination by federal
or state  authority and which has at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent
a combined  capital and surplus of at least  $50,000,000  or the  performance of
which is guaranteed by a corporation  with a combined  capital and surplus of at
least $50,000,000. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be vested
with the same powers,  rights,  duties, and  responsibilities  as if it had been
originally  named  as  Rights  Agent  without  further  act  or  deed;  but  the
predecessor  Rights  Agent shall  deliver and transfer to the  successor  Rights
Agent property at any the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any
further assurance,  conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later
than the effective date of any such  appointment,  the Company shall file notice
thereof in writing with the predecessor  Rights Agent and each transfer agent of
the Common Stock and the Preferred  Stock,  and mail a notice thereof in writing
to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates. Failure to give any notice
provided  for in this  Section 21,  however,  or any defect  therein,  shall not
affect the  legality or validity  of the  resignation  or removal of, the Rights
Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.



                                       38


<PAGE>
     Section 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates.

Notwithstanding  any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the
contrary,  the  Company  may,  at its  option,  issue  new  Rights  Certificates
evidencing  Rights in such form as may be approved by its Board of  Directors to
reflect any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price and the number,  kind, or
class of shares or other  securities  or property  purchasable  under the Rights
Certificates  made in  accordance  with the  provisions  of this  Agreement.  In
addition,  in  connection  with the  issuance or sale of shares of Common  Stock
following the Distribution Date and prior to the redemption or expiration of the
Rights,  the Company (a) shall, with respect to shares of Common Stock so issued
or sold  pursuant to the exercise of stock options or under any employee plan or
arrangement,  granted or awarded on or prior to the  Distribution  Date, or upon
the exercise,  conversion,  or exchange of securities  hereinafter issued by the
Company,  and (b) may, in any other case, if deemed  necessary or appropriate by
the Board of Directors of the Company,  issue Rights  Certificates  representing
the  appropriate  number of Rights in  connection  with such  issuance  or sale;
provided however, that (i) no such Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to
the extent  that,  the Company  shall be advised by counsel  that such  issuance
would create a  significant  risk of material  adverse tax  consequences  to the
Company or the Person to whom such Rights  Certificate would be issued, and (ii)
no  such  Rights  Certificate  shall  be  issued  if,  and to the  extent  that,
appropriate  adjustment  shall  otherwise have been made in lieu of the issuance
thereof.

     Section 23. Redemption and Termination.

          (a) The Board of Directors  of the Company may, at its option,  at any
time prior to the earlier of (i) the close of business on the tenth Business Day
following the Stock Acquisition Date (or such later date as may be determined by
a majority of the Continuing Directors;  provided, however, that such date shall
not be extended at such time as the Rights are not then redeemable), or (ii) the
Final  Expiration  Date,  redeem all but not less than all the then  outstanding
Rights  at a  redemption  price  of  $.001  per  Right,  as such  amount  may be
appropriately  adjusted to reflect any stock split,  stock dividend,  or similar
transaction  occurring  after  the date  hereof  (such  redemption  price  being
hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption Price"); provided,  however, that if,
following  the  occurrence  of the  Stock  Acquisition  Date and  following  the
expiration  of the right of  redemption  hereunder  but prior to any  Triggering
Event,  (i) a Person  who is an  Acquiring  Person  shall  have  transferred  or
otherwise  disposed of a number of shares of Common Stock in one  transaction or
series of transactions,  not directly or indirectly involving the Company or any
of its  Subsidiaries,  such that such Person is thereafter a Beneficial Owner of
10% or less of the  outstanding  shares  of Common  Stock or  Voting  Securities
representing 10% or less of

                                       39


<PAGE>
Total Voting Power, and (ii) there are no other Persons,  immediately  following
the occurrence of the event described in clause (i), who are Acquiring  Persons,
then the right of redemption  shall be reinstated  and  thereafter be subject to
the provisions of this Section 23.  Notwithstanding the foregoing,  the Board of
Directors  may not redeem any  Rights  following  a  determination  pursuant  to
Section  11(a)(ii)(B)  that any  Person is an  Adverse  Person.  Notwithstanding
anything  contained in this  Agreement to the contrary,  the Rights shall not be
exercisable  after the first occurrence of a Section  11(a)(ii) Event until such
time as the  Company's  right of redemption  hereunder has expired.  The Company
may, at its option,  pay the  Redemption  Price in cash,  shares of Common Stock
(based on the "current market price",  as defined in Section 11(d)(i) hereof, of
the Common Stock at the time of redemption),  or any other form of consideration
deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors.

          (b)  Immediately  upon the  action  of the Board of  Directors  of the
Company  ordering the  redemption of the Rights,  and without any further action
and without any notice,  the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the
only  right  thereafter  of the  holders  of  Rights  shall  be to  receive  the
Redemption  Price for each Right so held. The Company shall promptly give public
notice of such redemption and notice to the Rights Agent; provided, however, the
failure to give, or any defect in, any such notice shall not affect the validity
of such  redemption.  Within 10 days after such action of the Board of Directors
ordering the  redemption  of the Rights,  the Company shall mail a notice to all
holders  of the then  outstanding  Rights at each  holder's  last  address as it
appears  upon  the  registry  books  of  the  Rights  Agent  or,  prior  to  the
Distribution  Date, on the registry  books of the transfer  agent for the Common
Stock.  Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed
given,  whether or not the  holder  receives  the  notice.  Each such  notice of
redemption  will state the method by which the payment of the  Redemption  Price
will be made.

     Section 24. Exchange.

          (a) The Board of Directors  of the Company may, at its option,  at any
time and from time to time  after the first  occurrence  of a Section  11(a)(ii)
Event,  exchange  all or part of the then  outstanding  and  exercisable  Rights
(which shall not include Rights that have become void pursuant to the provisions
of Section 7(e)  hereof) for shares of Common Stock or common stock  equivalents
(as defined in Section 11(a)(iii)  hereof),  or any combination  thereof,  at an
exchange  ratio of one share of Common  Stock,  or such  number of common  stock
equivalents or units  representing  fractions thereof as would be deemed to have
the same value as one share of Common Stock, per Right,  appropriately  adjusted
to reflect any stock split, stock dividend, or similar

                                       40

<PAGE>
transaction   occurring  after  the  date  hereof  (such  exchange  ratio  being
hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange Ratio").

          (b)  Immediately  upon the  action  of the Board of  Directors  of the
Company  ordering the exchange of any Rights  pursuant to subsection (a) of this
Section 24 and without any further  action and without any notice,  the right to
exercise such Rights shall  terminate and the only right  thereafter of a holder
of such Rights  shall be to receive that number of shares of Common Stock and/or
common stock  equivalents equal to the number of such Rights held by such holder
multiplied by the Exchange Ratio.  The Company shall promptly give public notice
of any such  exchange;  provided,  however,  that the  failure  to give,  or any
defect in, such  notice  shall not affect the  validity  of such  exchange.  The
Company  promptly shall mail a notice of any such exchange to all of the holders
of such Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of
the Rights Agent. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall
be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice
of exchange  will state the method by which the exchange of the shares of Common
Stock and/or  common stock  equivalents  for Rights will be effected and, in the
event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights which will be exchanged. Any
partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number of Rights (other
than Rights which have become void  pursuant to the  provisions  of Section 7(e)
hereof) held by each holder of Rights.

          (c) In the event that the number of shares of Common  Stock  which are
authorized by the Company's  Articles of  Incorporation  but not  outstanding or
reserved for issuance  for purposes  other than upon  exercise of the Rights are
not  sufficient  to permit an exchange of Rights as  contemplated  in accordance
with this  Section 24, the Company  may, at its option,  take all such action as
may be  necessary to  authorize  additional  shares of Common Stock for issuance
upon exchange of the Rights.

          (d) The Company  shall not be required to issue  fractional  shares of
Common Stock or to distribute  certificates which evidence  fractional shares of
Common Stock.  In lieu of such  fractional  shares of Common Stock,  the Company
shall  pay to the  registered  holders  of  Rights  with  regard  to which  such
fractional  shares of Common Stock would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash
equal to the same  fraction of the value of a whole share of Common  Stock.  For
purposes of this Section 24, the value of a whole share of Common Stock shall be
the closing  price (as  determined  pursuant  to the second  sentence of Section
11(d)(i)  hereof) for the Trading Day immediately  prior to the date of exchange
pursuant to this Section 24, and the value of any common stock  equivalent shall
be deemed to have the same value as the Common Stock on such date.

                                       41


<PAGE>
     Section 25. Notice of Certain Events.

          (a) In  case  the  Company  shall  propose,  at  any  time  after  the
Distribution  Date, (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the
holders of Preferred  Stock or to make any other  distribution to the holders of
Preferred Stock (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend out of earnings or
retained earnings of the Company),  or (ii) to offer to the holders of Preferred
Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any  additional  shares
of  Preferred  Stock or shares  of stock of any  class or any other  securities,
rights or  options,  or (iii) to effect any  reclassification  of its  Preferred
Stock  (other  than  a  reclassification   involving  only  the  subdivision  of
outstanding  shares of Preferred  Stock), or (iv) to effect any consolidation or
merger into or with any other Person  (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in
a transaction  which complies with Section 11(o) hereof),  or to effect any sale
or other  transfer (or to permit one or more of its  Subsidiaries  to effect any
sale or other transfer),  in one transaction or a series of related transactions
of  more  than  50% of the  assets  or  earning  power  of the  Company  and its
Subsidiaries  (taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons  (other than the
Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of which
complies  with  Section  11(o)  hereof),  or  (v)  to  effect  the  liquidation,
dissolution,  or winding up of the Company, then, in each such case, the Company
shall give to each holder of a Rights Certificate, to the extent feasible and in
accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which shall
specify the record date for the purposes of such stock dividend, distribution of
rights or warrants, or the date on which such  reclassification,  consolidation,
merger, sale, transfer, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place
and the date of participation  therein by the holders of the shares of Preferred
Stock, if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the
case of any action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least 20 days prior to
the record date for  determining  holders of the shares of  Preferred  Stock for
purposes of such action,  and in the case of any such other action,  at least 20
days  prior to the date of the  taking  of such  proposed  action or the date of
participation  therein by the holders of the shares of Preferred Stock whichever
shall be the earlier.

          (b) In case any Section  11(a)(ii)  Event shall occur,  then,  (i) the
Company shall as soon as practicable  thereafter give to each holder of a Rights
Certificate,  to the extent feasible and in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a
notice of the  occurrence  of such event,  which shall specify the event and the
consequences of the event to holders of Rights under Section  11(a)(ii)  hereof,
and (ii) all references in the preceding  paragraph to Preferred  Stock shall be
deemed  thereafter  to refer to  Common  Stock  and/or,  if  appropriate,  other
securities.

                                       42


<PAGE>
     Section 26. Notices.  Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be
given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Rights  Certificate to
or on the Company  shall be  sufficiently  given or made if sent by  first-class
mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with
the Rights Agent) as follows:

                        National Penn Bancshares, Inc.
                        Philadelphia and Reading Avenues
                        Boyertown, PA 19512

                        Attention:           Sandra L. Spayd,
                                             Corporate Secretary

Subject to the provisions of Section 21, any notice or demand authorized by this
Agreement  to be given or made by the  Company  or by the  holder of any  Rights
Certificate  to or on the Rights  Agent shall be  sufficiently  given or made if
sent by first-class mail,  postage prepaid,  addressed (until another address is
filed in writing with the Company) as follows:

                        National Bank of Boyertown
                        Philadelphia and Reading Avenues
                        Boyertown, PA 19512

                        Attention:           Wayne R. Weidner,
                                             President

     Notices or demands  authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights  Agent to the holder of any  Rights  Certificate  (or,  if
prior to the  Distribution  Date,  to the  holder of  certificates  representing
shares  of  Common  Stock)  shall  be  sufficiently  given  or  made  if sent by
first-class  mail,  postage prepaid,  addressed to such holder at the address of
such holder as shown on the registry books of the Company.

     Section 27. Supplements and Amendments.  Prior to the Distribution Date and
subject to the  penultimate  sentence  of this  Section  27, the Company and the
Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or amend any provision
of  this  Agreement   without  the  approval  of  any  holders  of  certificates
representing  shares of Common Stock.  From and after the Distribution  Date and
subject to the  penultimate  sentence  of this  Section  27, the Company and the
Rights  Agent  shall,  if the  Company  so  directs,  supplement  or amend  this
Agreement  without the approval of any holders of Rights  Certificates  in order
(i) to cure any ambiguity, (ii) to correct or supplement any provision contained
herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions  herein,
or (iii) to change or supplement  the  provisions  hereunder in any manner which
the Company may deem necessary or desirable and which shall not adversely affect
the interests of the holders of Rights

                                       43


<PAGE>
Certificates.  Upon the delivery of a certificate from an appropriate officer of
the Company  which  states  that the  proposed  supplement  or  amendment  is in
compliance  with the terms of this  Section 27, the Rights  Agent shall  execute
such supplement or amendment.

     Section 28. Successors.  All the covenants and provisions of this Agreement
by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind and inure to
the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.

     Section 29.  Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors.  For all
purposes of this  Agreement,  any  calculation of the number of shares of Voting
Securities  outstanding  at any  particular  time,  including  for  purposes  of
determining  the  particular  percentage  of such  outstanding  shares of Voting
Securities  of  which  any  Person  is the  Beneficial  Owner,  shall be made in
accordance  with the last sentence of Rule  l3d-3(d)(1)(i)  of the General Rules
and  Regulations  under the Exchange  Act as in effect on the date  hereof.  The
Board of Directors of the Company (with, where specifically provided for herein,
the concurrence of the Continuing  Directors) shall have the exclusive power and
authority to administer  this  Agreement.  and to exercise all rights and powers
specifically granted to the Board (with, where specifically provided for herein,
the  concurrence  of the Continuing  Directors) or to the Company,  or as may be
necessary or  advisable  in the  administration  of this  Agreement,  including,
without limitation,  the right and power to (i) interpret the provisions of this
Agreement,  and (ii) make all  determinations  deemed necessary or advisable for
the  administration  of this Agreement  (including (i) a determination as to the
identity of the Affiliates and Associates of any person, (ii) a determination as
to  the  extent  of  the  Beneficial  Ownership  of  any  Person,  and  (iii)  a
determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights or to amend the Agreement). All
such actions, calculations,  interpretations, and determinations (including, for
purposes of clause (y) below, all omissions with respect to the foregoing) which
are done or made by the Board (with, where specifically provided for herein, the
concurrence  of the  Continuing  Directors)  in good faith,  shall (x) be final,
conclusive  and binding on the  Company,  the Rights  Agent,  the holders of the
Rights and all other  parties,  and (y) not subject the Board (or the Continuing
Directors) to any liability to the holders of the Rights.

     Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement.  Nothing in this Agreement shall be
construed to give to any Person other than the Company,  the Rights  Agent,  and
the  registered   holders  of  the  Rights   Certificates  (and,  prior  to  the
Distribution  Date,  registered  holders  of the  Common  Stock)  any  legal  or
equitable right, remedy, or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall
be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the

                                       44


<PAGE>
Rights Agent, and the registered holders of the Rights  Certificates (and, prior
to the Distribution Date, registered holders of the Common Stock).

     Section 31. Severability. If any term, provision,  covenant, or restriction
of this  Agreement  is  held  by a court  of  competent  jurisdiction  or  other
authority to be invalid,  void,  or  unenforceable,  the remainder of the terms,
provisions,  covenants,  and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full
force and  effect and shall in no way be  affected,  impaired,  or  invalidated;
provided,  however,  that  notwithstanding  anything  in this  Agreement  to the
contrary, if any such term, provision,  covenant, or restriction is held by such
court or  authority  to be  invalid,  void,  or  unenforceable  and the Board of
Directors of the Company determines in its good faith judgment that severing the
invalid  language  from this  Agreement  would  adversely  affect the purpose or
effect of this Agreement, the right of redemption set forth in Section 23 hereof
shall be  reinstated  and shall not expire  until the close of  business  on the
tenth day  following the date of such  determination  by the Board of Directors.
Without limiting the foregoing,  if any provision requiring that a determination
be made  by less  than  the  entire  Board  is  held  by a  court  of  competent
jurisdiction  or other  authority to be invalid,  void, or  unenforceable,  such
determination shall then be made by the entire Board.

     Section  32.  Governing  Law.  This  Agreement,  each Right and each Rights
Certificate  issued  hereunder  shall be deemed to be a contract  made under the
laws of the  Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and for all purposes shall be governed
by and construed in accordance with the laws of the  Commonwealth  applicable to
contracts made and to be performed entirely within the Commonwealth.

     Section 33.  Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts and each of such  counterparts  shall for all purposes be deemed to
be an original,  and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and
the same instrument.

     Section  34.  Descriptive  Headings.  Descriptive  headings  of the several
Sections of this  Agreement  are  inserted  for  convenience  only and shall not
control, or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.

     IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the parties  hereto have caused this  Agreement to be
duly executed and their respective corporate seals

                                       45


<PAGE>
to be  hereunto  affixed  and  attested,  all as of the day and year first above
written.

                                       NATIONAL PENN BANCSHARES, INC.

                                       By /s/ James K. Boyer
                                          -------------------------------------
                                            James K. Boyer, Chairman
                                            and Chief Executive Officer

                                  Attest: /s/ Sandra L. Spayd
                                          -------------------------------------
                                            Sandra L. Spayd, Secretary

                                       NATIONAL BANK OF BOYERTOWN

                                       By /s/ Wayne R. Weidner
                                          -------------------------------------
                                          Wayne R. Weidner, President

                                  Attest: /s/ Sandra L. Spayd
                                          -------------------------------------
                                            Sandra L. Spayd, Secretary


                                       46

<PAGE>
                                                                      Exhibit A

                                    TERMS OF

                 SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK

                                       OF

                         NATIONAL PENN BANCSHARES, INC.

     RESOLVED that,  pursuant to the authority  vested in the Board of Directors
of the Corporation by the Articles of Incorporation, the Board of Directors does
hereby provide for the issue of a series of Preferred Stock,  without par value,
of the Corporation,  to be designated "Series A Junior  Participating  Preferred
Stock"  (hereinafter  referred  to as the  "Series A  Preferred  Stock" or "this
Series"),  initially  consisting  of 35,000  shares,  and to the extent that the
designations,  powers, preferences and relative and other special rights and the
qualifications, limitations and restrictions of the Series A Preferred Stock are
not stated and expressed in the Articles of  Incorporation,  does hereby fix and
herein state and express such designations, powers, preferences and relative and
other  special  rights  and the  qualifications,  limitations  and  restrictions
thereof,  as follows (all terms used herein which are defined in the Articles of
Incorporation shall be deemed to have the meanings provided therein):

     1. Designation and Amount. The designation of the series of Preferred Stock
created by this  resolution  shall be 'Series A Junior  Participating  Preferred
Stock' and the number of shares constituting such Series is Thirty-Five Thousand
(35,000).  Such number of shares may be increased or decreased by  resolution of
the Board of Directors;  provided , that no decrease  shall reduce the number of
shares of Series A  Preferred  Stock to a number  less than the number of shares
then  outstanding  plus the  number of shares  reserved  for  issuance  upon the
exercise of  outstanding  options,  rights or warrants or upon the conversion of
any outstanding  securities of the Corporation  convertible  into shares of this
Series.

     2. Dividends.

          (A)  Subject to the prior and  superior  rights of the  holders of any
     shares of any series of Preferred  Stock  ranking prior and superior to the
     shares of this Series with respect to  dividends,  the holders of shares of
     this Series shall be entitled to receive, when and as declared by the Board
     of Directors  out of funds  legally  available  for the purpose,  quarterly
     dividends  payable in cash on April 1, July 1,  October 1, and January 1 of
     each year (each such date


<PAGE>
     being  referred  to  herein  as  a  "Quarterly   Dividend  Payment  Date"),
     commencing  on the first  Quarterly  Dividend  Payment Date after the first
     issuance of a share or fraction of a share of this Series, in an amount per
     share  (rounded to the nearest  cent) equal to the greater of (a) $10.00 or
     (b) subject to the  provision for  adjustment  hereinafter  set forth,  100
     times the aggregate per share amount of all cash  dividends,  and 100 times
     the aggregate per share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash  dividends
     or other  distributions other than a dividend payable in Common Shares or a
     subdivision  of the  outstanding  Common  Shares  (by  reclassification  or
     otherwise),  declared on the Common Shares since the immediately  preceding
     Quarterly  Dividend  Payment Date, or, with respect to the first  Quarterly
     Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or fraction of
     a share of this  Series.  In the event the Company  shall at any time after
     August 23, 1989 (the "Rights Declaration Date") declare any dividend on the
     Common Shares payable in Common Shares,  subdivide the  outstanding  Common
     Shares,  or combine the outstanding  Common Shares into a smaller number of
     shares,  then in each such case the  amount to which  holders  of shares of
     this Series were entitled immediately prior to such event under clause. (b)
     of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a
     fraction the numerator of which is the number of Common Shares  outstanding
     immediately  after such event and the denominator of which is the number of
     Common Shares that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

          (B) The Company shall declare a dividend or distribution on the Series
     A Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (A) of this Section  immediately
     after it declares a dividend or  distribution  on the Common  Shares (other
     than a dividend  payable in Common Shares);  provided that, in the event no
     dividend or  distribution  shall have been  declared  on the Common  Shares
     during the period between any Quarterly  Dividend Payment Date and the next
     subsequent  Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of $10.00 per share
     on  Series  A  Preferred  Stock  shall  nevertheless  be  payable  on  such
     subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.

          (C) Dividends  shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on  outstanding
     shares of Series A Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date
     next preceding the date of issue of such shares of this Series,  unless the
     date of issue of such  shares  is prior to the  record  date for the  first
     Quarterly  Dividend  Payment  Date in which case  dividends  on such shares
     shall begin to accrue from the date of issue of such shares,  or unless the
     date of issue is a Quarterly  Dividend  Payment Date or is a date after the
     record date for the determination of holders of shares of this Series

                                      A-2


<PAGE>
     entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and before such Quarterly Dividend
     Payment  Date,  in either of which  events  such  dividends  shall begin to
     accrue and be cumulative from such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Accrued
     but unpaid dividends shall not bear interest.  Dividends paid on the shares
     of this Series in an amount less than the total amount of such dividends at
     the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be allocated  pro rata on
     a share-by-share  basis among all such shares at the time outstanding.  The
     Board of Directors may fix a record date for the  determination  of holders
     of shares of this  Series  entitled  to receive  payment  of a dividend  or
     distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be no more than days
     prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.

     3. Voting Rights.  The holders of shares of Series A Preferred  Stock shall
have the following voting rights:

          (A) Subject to the provision  for  adjustment  hereinafter  set forth,
     each share of Series A Preferred  Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to
     100 votes on all matters  submitted  to a vote of the  shareholders  of the
     Corporation.  In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay
     any dividend on the Common  Shares  payable in Common  Shares,  or effect a
     subdivision or  combination  or  consolidation  of the  outstanding  Common
     Shares (by  reclassification  or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in
     Common  Shares) into a greater or lesser number of Common  Shares,  then in
     each such case the number of votes per share to which  holders of shares of
     Series A  Preferred  Stock were  entitled  immediately  prior to such event
     shall be adjusted by multiplying  such number by a fraction,  the numerator
     of which is the number of Common Shares outstanding  immediately after such
     event and the denominator of which is the number of Common Shares that were
     outstanding immediately prior to such event.

          (B) Except as  otherwise  provided  herein,  in any other  resolutions
     creating a series of Preferred  Stock or any similar stock,  or by law, the
     holders  of shares of Series A  Preferred  Stock and the  holders of Common
     Shares and any other capital stock of the Corporation having general voting
     rights shall vote together as one class on all matters  submitted to a vote
     of stockholder's of the Corporation.

          (C)  Except as set forth  herein,  or as  otherwise  provided  by law,
     holders of Series A Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights and
     their consent shall not be required (except to the extent they are entitled
     to vote with holders of Common  Shares as set forth  herein) for taking any
     corporate action.

                                      A-3

<PAGE>
     4. Certain Restrictions.

          (A) Whenever  quarterly  dividends or other dividends or distributions
     payable on the Series A  Preferred  Stock as  provided  in Section 2 are in
     arrears,  thereafter  and  until  all  accrued  and  unpaid  dividends  and
     distributions,  whether or not  declared,  on shares of Series A  Preferred
     Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full, the Corporation shall not:

               (i) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on
          any shares of stock  ranking  junior  (either as to  dividends or upon
          liquidation,  dissolution  or winding  up) to the  Series A  Preferred
          Stock;

               (ii) declare or pay dividends,  or make any other  distributions,
          on any shares of stock ranking on a parity  (either as to dividends or
          upon  liquidation,  dissolution  or  winding  up)  with  the  Series A
          Preferred  Stock,  except  dividends  paid  ratably  on the  Series  A
          Preferred  Stock  and all such  parity  stock on which  dividends  are
          payable or in arrears in  proportion to the total amounts to which the
          holders of all such shares are then entitled;

               (iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise  acquire for  consideration
          shares of any stock  ranking  junior  (either as to  dividends or upon
          liquidation,  dissolution  or winding  up) to the  Series A  Preferred
          Stock, provided that the Corporation may at any time redeem,  purchase
          or otherwise  acquire  shares of any such junior stock in exchange for
          shares of any stock of the  Corporation  ranking  junior (either as to
          dividends  or upon  dissolution,  liquidation  or  winding  up) to the
          Series A Preferred Stock; or

               (iv) redeem or purchase or  otherwise  acquire for  consideration
          any shares of Series A Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock ranking
          on a parity with the Series A Preferred  Stock,  except in  accordance
          with a purchase offer made in writing or by publication (as determined
          by the Board of  Directors) to  all  holders of such  shares upon such
          terms as the Board of Directors, after consideration of the respective
          annual dividend rates and other relative rights and preferences of the
          respective  series and  classes,  shall  determine  in good faith will
          result in fair and equitable  treatment among the respective series or
          classes.

          (B) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the Corporation
     to purchase or otherwise acquire for

                                      A-4


<PAGE>
     consideration any shares of stock of the Corporation unless the Corporation
     could, under paragraph (A) of this Section 4, purchase or otherwise acquire
     such shares at such time and in such manner.

     5. Reacquired  Shares.  Any shares of Series A Preferred Stock purchased or
otherwise  acquired by the Corporation in any manner whatsoever shall be retired
and cancelled promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such shares shall upon
their cancellation  become authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock and
may be  reissued  as part of a new  series of  Preferred  Stock  subject  to the
conditions  and  restrictions  on issuance set forth herein,  in the Articles of
Incorporation,  or in any other resolutions creating a series of Preferred Stock
or any similar stock or as otherwise required by law.

     6.   Liquidation,   Dissolution  or  Winding  Up.  Upon  any   liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the Corporation,  no distribution shall be made (A)
to the holders of shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation,  dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock unless,
prior  thereto,  the  holders of shares of Series A  Preferred  Stock shall have
received $100.00 per share, plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends
and distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to the date of such payment,
provided  that the  holders  of  shares  of Series A  Preferred  Stock  shall be
entitled to receive an aggregate amount per share,  subject to the provision for
adjustment  hereinafter set forth, equal to 100 times the aggregate amount to be
distributed  per share to holders  of Common  Shares,  or (B) to the  holders of
shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
dissolution  or  winding  up)  with  the  Series  A  Preferred   Stock,   except
distributions  made ratably on the Series A Preferred  Stock and all such parity
stock in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all such shares
are entitled upon such liquidation,  dissolution or winding up. In the event the
Corporation  shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common  Shares
payable  in  Common   Shares,   or  effect  a  subdivision   or  combination  or
consolidation of the outstanding Common Shares (by reclassification or otherwise
than by payment of a dividend in Common  Shares) into a greater or lesser number
of Common Shares,  then in each such case the aggregate  amount to which holders
of shares of Series A Preferred  Stock were entitled  immediately  prior to such
event  under  the  proviso  in clause  (A) of the  preceding  sentence  shall be
adjusted by multiplying  such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the
number  of  Common  Shares  outstanding  immediately  after  such  event and the
denominator  of which is the  number of  Common  Shares  that  were  outstanding
immediately prior to such event.

                                      A-5


<PAGE>
     7. Consolidation, Merger, Etc. In case the Corporation shall enter into any
consolidation,  merger,  combination  or other  transaction  in which the Common
Shares are exchanged for or changed into other stock or securities,  cash and/or
any other property, then in any such case each share of Series A Preferred Stock
shall at the same time be  similarly  exchanged  or  changed  into an amount per
share,  subject to the provision for adjustment  hereinafter set forth, equal to
100 times the  aggregate  amount of stock,  securities,  cash  and/or  any other
property  (payable  in kind),  as the case may be,  into which or for which each
Common Share is changed or exchanged.  In the event the Corporation shall at any
time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Shares  payable in Common Shares,
or effect a subdivision  or  combination  or  consolidation  of the  outstanding
Common Shares (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in
Common  Shares) into a greater or lesser number of Common  Shares,  then in each
such case the amount set forth in the  preceding  sentence  with  respect to the
exchange  or change of shares of Series A  Preferred  Stock shall be adjusted by
multiplying  such amount by a fraction,  the numerator of which is the number of
Common Shares  outstanding  immediately  after such event and the denominator of
which is the number of Common Shares that were outstanding  immediately prior to
such event.

     8. No  Redemption.  The  shares of Series A  Preferred  Stock  shall not be
redeemable.

     9. Rank.  The Series A  Preferred  Stock shall  rank,  with  respect to the
payment of dividends and the distribution of assets, junior to all series of any
other class of the Corporation's Preferred Stock.

     10.  Amendment.  The Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation shall not
be amended in any manner  which  would  materially  alter or change the  powers,
preferences  or special  rights of the Series A Preferred  Stock so as to affect
them  adversely  without  the  affirmative  vote  of  the  holders  of at  least
two-thirds  of the  outstanding  shares  of  Series A  Preferred  Stock,  voting
together as a single class.

                                      A-6


<PAGE>
                                                                      Exhibit B

                          (Form of Rights Certificate]

Certificate No. R-                                             __________Rights

NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER__________19__,  OR EARLIER IF REDEEMED OR EXCHANGED BY THE
COMPANY. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION,  AT THE OPTION OF THE COMPANY, AT
$.001 PER RIGHT ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS  AGREEMENT.  UNDER  CERTAIN
CIRCUMSTANCES,  RIGHTS  BENEFICIALLY  OWNED BY AN  ACQUIRING  PERSON OR  ADVERSE
PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS  AGREEMENT)  AND ANY  SUBSEQUENT
HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID. [THE RIGHTS  REPRESENTED BY THIS
RIGHTS  CERTIFICATE ARE OR WERE BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY A PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME
AN (ACQUIRING)  (ADVERSE)  PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE OF AN (ACQUIRING)
(ADVERSE)  PERSON  (AS  SUCH  TERMS  ARE  DEFINED  IN  THE  RIGHTS   AGREEMENT).
ACCORDINGLY,  THIS  RIGHTS  CERTIFICATE  AND THE RIGHTS  REPRESENTED  HEREBY MAY
BECOME NULL AND VOID UNDER THE  CIRCUMSTANCES  SPECIFIED IN SECTION 7(e) OF SUCH
AGREEMENT.](1)

                               Rights Certificate

                         NATIONAL PENN BANCSHARES, INC.

     This certifies  that__________,  or registered  assigns,  is the registered
owner of the number of Rights set forth above,  each of which entitles the owner
thereof,  subject  to  the  terms,  provisions  and  conditions  of  the  Rights
Agreement, dated as of August 23, 1989 (the "Rights Agreement") between National
Penn Bancshares,  Inc. a Pennsylvania corporation (the "Company"),  and National
Bank of  Boyertown,  a national  banking  association  (the "Rights  Agent ), to
purchase from the Company at any time prior to 5:00 P.M. (New York City time) on
August 22,  1999,  at the office or offices of the Rights Agent  designated  for
such purpose,  or its successors as Rights Agent,  one  one-hundredth of a fully
paid,  nonassessable share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock (the
"Preferred  Stock")  of the  Company,  at a purchase  price of  $145.00  per one
one-hundredth of a share (the "Purchase Price"), upon presentation and surrender
of this Rights  Certificate  with the Form of  Election to Purchase  and related
Certificate  duly  executed.  The  number of  Rights  evidenced  by this  Rights
Certificate  (and the  number of shares  which may be  purchased  upon  exercise
thereof) set forth above,  and the Purchase Price per share set forth above, are
the number and

___________
(1)  The portion of the legend in brackets  shall be inserted only if applicable
     and shall replace the preceding sentence.

                                      B-1


<PAGE>
Purchase  Price  as of  September  15,  1989,  based on the  Preferred  Stock as
constituted at such date. The Company reserves the right to require prior to the
occurrence  of a Triggering  Event (as defined in the Rights  Agreement)  that a
number of Rights be exercised so that only whole shares of Preferred  Stock will
be issued.

     Upon the occurrence of a Section  11(a)(ii) Event (as defined in the Rights
Agreement),  if the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are beneficially
owned  by (i) an  Acquiring  Person,  an  Adverse  Person,  or an  Affiliate  or
Associate  of any  such  Person  (as  such  terms  are  defined  in  the  Rights
Agreement),  (ii) a transferee of any such  Acquiring  Person,  Adverse  Person,
Associate,  or Affiliate,  or (iii) under certain circumstances specified in the
Rights Agreement,  a transferee of a person who, after such transfer,  became an
Acquiring  Person,  an Adverse Person,  or an Affiliate or Associate of any such
Person,  such Rights shall become null and void and no holder  hereof shall have
any right with  respect to such  Rights  from and after the  occurrence  of such
Section 11(a)(ii) Event.

     As provided in the Rights Agreement,  the Purchase Price and the number and
kind of shares of  Preferred  Stock or other  securities  which may be purchased
upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are subject
to modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events, including a
Triggering Event.

     This Rights  Certificate  is subject to all of the terms,  provisions,  and
conditions of the Rights Agreement,  which terms, provisions, and conditions are
hereby  incorporated  herein by  reference  and made a part  hereof and to which
Rights Agreement  reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights,
limitations of rights,  obligations,  duties,  and  immunities  hereunder of the
Rights Agent,  the Company,  and the holders of the Rights  Certificates,  which
limitations of rights include the temporary  suspension of the exercisability of
such Rights under the specific  circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement.
Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the above-mentioned  office of the
Rights Agent and are also available upon written request to the Rights Agent.

     This Rights Certificate,  with or without other Rights  Certificates,  upon
surrender at the principal  office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for
such  purpose,  may be  exchanged  for  another  Rights  Certificate  or  Rights
Certificates  of like tenor and date evidencing  Rights  entitling the holder to
purchase a like aggregate number of one  one-hundredths  of a share of Preferred
Stock as the Rights evidenced by the Rights  Certificate or Rights  Certificates
surrendered  shall  have  entitled  such  holder  to  purchase.  If this  Rights
Certificate shall be exercised in part,

                                      B-2


<PAGE>
the holder shall be entitled to receive upon  surrender  hereof  another  Rights
Certificate or Rights Certificates for the number of whole Rights not exercised.

     Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement,  the Rights evidenced by
this  Certificate  (i) may  (unless  the Board of  Directors  shall  have made a
determination  pursuant to Section  11(a)(ii)(B) of the Rights  Agreement that a
Person is an  Adverse  Person)  be  redeemed  by the  Company at its option at a
redemption  price of $.001 per  Right at any time  prior to the  earlier  of the
close of business on (a) the tenth business day following the Stock  Acquisition
Date (as such time period may be extended pursuant to the Rights Agreement), and
(b) the Final Expiration Date.

     No fractional shares of Preferred Stock will be issued upon the exercise of
any Right or Rights  evidenced  hereby (other than fractions  which are integral
multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock,  which may, at the
election of the  Company,  be  evidenced by  depositary  receipts),  but in lieu
thereof a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.

     No holder of this Rights  Certificate  shall be entitled to vote or receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of shares of  Preferred  Stock
or of any other  securities  of the Company which may at any time be issuable on
the exercise  hereof,  nor shall anything  contained in the Rights  Agreement or
herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights
of a  shareholder  of the  Company  or any  right  to vote for the  election  of
directors or upon any matter  submitted to shareholders at any meeting  thereof,
or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or, to receive notice of
meetings  or other  actions  affecting  shareholders  (except as provided in the
Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise,
until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Rights  Certificate  shall have been
exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.

     This Rights  Certificate  shall not be valid or obligatory  for any purpose
until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.

     WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers


                                      B-3


<PAGE>
of the Company and its corporate seal.
Dated as of__________,19__
                                       NATIONAL PENN BANCSHARES, INC.

                                       By
                                          -------------------------------------
                                            Title:

                                  Attest:
                                          -------------------------------------
                                            Secretary

Countersigned:

NATIONAL BANK OF BOYERTOWN

By
    -------------------------------------
    Authorized Signature

                                      B-4
<PAGE>
                  [Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate]

                               FORM OF ASSIGNMENT

             (To be executed by the registered holder if such holder
                  desires to transfer the Rights Certificate.)

FOR VALUE RECEIVED______________________________________________________________
hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
                 (Please print name and address of transferee)
________________________________________________________________________________
this Rights  Certificate,  together with all right, title -and interest therein,
and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint______________________________
Attorney,  to  transfer  the  within  Rights  Certificate  on the  books  of the
within-named Company, with full power of substitution.

Dated:_________________,19____

                                      _____________________________________
                                       Signature
Signature Guaranteed: _____________________________________

     Signatures  must be  guaranteed  by a member firm of a registered  national
securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc., or a commercial bank or trust company having an office or correspondent in
the United States.

                                      B-5

<PAGE>
                                  Certificate

     The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:

     (1) this  Rights  Certificate  [ ] is [ ] is not being sold,  assigned  and
transferred  by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring  Person,  an
Adverse  Person,  or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Person (as such terms
are defined pursuant to the Rights Agreement);

     (2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned,  it [ ]
did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from any
Person  who is,  was or  subsequently  became an  Acquiring  Person,  an Adverse
Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Person.

Dated:__________,19__                  _______________
                                       Signature
Signature Guaranteed:

                                     NOTICE

     The signature to the foregoing  Assignment and Certificate  must correspond
to the  name as  written  upon  the  face of this  Rights  Certificate  in every
particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.


                                      B-6
<PAGE>
                          FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE

              (To be executed if holder desires to exercise Rights
                    represented by the Rights Certificate.)

To:      NATIONAL PENN BANCSHARES, INC.

     The undersigned  hereby  irrevocably  elects to exercise  __________ Rights
represented by this Rights Certificate to purchase the shares of Preferred Stock
issuable  upon the  exercise  of the  Rights (or such  other  securities  of the
Company or of any other  person  which may be issuable  upon the exercise of the
Rights) and requests that  certificates for such shares be issued in the name of
and delivered to:

Please insert social security or other identifying number

________________________________________________________________________________
                        (Please print name and address)

     If such  number of Rights  shall not be all the  Rights  evidenced  by this
Rights  Certificate,  a new Rights  Certificate  for the  balance of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:

Please insert social security or other identifying number

________________________________________________________________________________
                        (Please print name and address)

Dated:_____________,19__
                                       ________________
                                       Signature
Signature Guaranteed:___________________________

     Signatures  must be  guaranteed  by a member firm of a registered  national
securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc., or a commercial bank or

                                      B-7

<PAGE>
trust company having an office or correspondent in the United States.

                                      B-8

<PAGE>
                                  Certificate

     The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:

     (1) the Rights  evidenced by this Rights  Certificate [ ] are are not being
exercised  by or on behalf of a Person  who is or was an  Acquiring  Person,  an
Adverse  Person or an  Affiliate  or Associate of any such Person (as such terms
are defined pursuant to the Rights Agreement);

     (2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned,  it [ ]
did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from any
Person  who is,  was or became an  Acquiring  Person,  an  Adverse  Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of any such Person.

Dated:__________,19__                  _______________________
                                       Signature
Signature Guaranteed:

                                     NOTICE

     The signature to the foregoing  Election to Purchase and  Certificate  must
correspond  to the name as written upon the face of this Rights  Certificate  in
every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.

                                      B-9



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