WESTERN BANCORP
8-K, 1999-05-28
STATE COMMERCIAL BANKS
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<PAGE>



                                   UNITED STATES
                         SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                               Washington, D.C. 20549

                                      FORM 8-K

                                   CURRENT REPORT
                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                          Securities Exchange Act of 1934


                                    May 19, 1999
                                    ------------
                  Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported)



                                  WESTERN BANCORP
                                  ---------------
               (Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)



                                     CALIFORNIA
                                     ----------
                   (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)

                0-13551                                  95-3863296
                -------                                  ----------
        (Commission File Number)              (IRS Employer Identification No.)


                           4100 NEWPORT PLACE, SUITE 900
                          NEWPORT BEACH, CALIFORNIA 92660
                          -------------------------------
                 (Address of Principal Executive Offices)(Zip Code)

                                   (949) 863-2444
                                   --------------
                (Registrant's Telephone Number, including Area Code)

<PAGE>

Item 5.   Other Events.

          On May 19, 1999, Western Bancorp (the "Company") announced the
execution of an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the "Merger Agreement")
pursuant to which the Company will merge with and into U.S. Bancorp.  A copy
of the Merger Agreement is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is
incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference.  Concurrent with the
execution of the Merger Agreement, the Company executed a Stock Option
Agreement, dated as of May 19, 1999, by and between U.S. Bancorp and the
Company, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.2 and is
incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference.  A copy of a press
release issued in connection with the announcement of the Merger Agreement is
attached hereto as Exhibit 99.3 and is incorporated herein in its entirety by
this reference.

          In addition, on May 19, 1999, the Company announced that its Board of
Directors had approved the declaration of a quarterly dividend of $0.225 per
share of common stock of the Company payable on June 25, 1999 to shareholders of
record on June 4, 1999.  A copy of a press release issued by the Company in
connection with the announcement is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.4 and is
incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference.

          On May 27, 1999 the Company issued a press release discussing the
timing of its annual meeting of shareholders, a copy of which is attached
hereto as Exhibit 99.5 and is incorporated herein in its entirety by this
reference.

Item 7.   Financial Statements and Exhibits.

          (c)  Exhibits.

          The following exhibits are filed with this Current Report on Form 8-K:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Exhibit
Number                   Description
- ------                   -----------
<S>       <C>
99.1      Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of May 19, 1999, by and between
          Western Bancorp and U.S. Bancorp.
99.2      Stock Option Agreement, dated as of May 19, 1999, by and between U.S.
          Bancorp and Western Bancorp.
99.3      Press Release of U.S. Bancorp and Western Bancorp dated May 19, 1999.
99.4      Press Release of Western Bancorp dated May 19, 1999.
99.5      Press Release of Western Bancorp dated May 27, 1999.
</TABLE>


                                          2
<PAGE>

SIGNATURES

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its
behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

Dated:  May 27, 1999


                                        WESTERN BANCORP


                                        By:     /s/ Arnold C. Hahn
                                             --------------------------------
                                        Name:  Arnold C. Hahn
                                        Title: Executive Vice President
                                               and Chief Financial Officer


                                          3
<PAGE>

                                   EXHIBIT INDEX



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Exhibit
Number                        Description
- ------                        -----------
<S>       <C>
99.1      Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of May 19, 1999, by and between
          Western Bancorp and U.S. Bancorp.
99.2      Stock Option Agreement, dated as of May 19, 1999, by and between U.S.
          Bancorp and Western Bancorp.
99.3      Press Release of U.S. Bancorp and Western Bancorp dated May 19, 1999.
99.4      Press Release of Western Bancorp dated May 19, 1999.
99.5      Press Release of Western Bancorp dated May 27, 1999.
</TABLE>

                                         4

<PAGE>

                                     EXHIBIT 99.1




                            AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER



                              DATED AS OF MAY 19, 1999

                                      BETWEEN

                                    U.S. BANCORP

                                        AND

                                  WESTERN BANCORP

<PAGE>

                                 TABLE OF CONTENTS
<TABLE>
<S>                                                                         <C>
 RECITALS                                                                     1

 ARTICLE I--CERTAIN DEFINITIONS                                               1
 1.01   Certain Definitions                                                   1

 ARTICLE II--THE MERGER                                                       7
 2.01   The Merger                                                            7
 2.02   Effective Date and Effective Time                                     8

 ARTICLE III--MERGER CONSIDERATION; EXCHANGE PROCEDURES                       8
 3.01   Merger Consideration                                                  8
 3.02   Rights as Shareholders; Stock Transfers                               8
 3.03   Fractional Shares                                                     8
 3.04   Exchange Procedures                                                   9
 3.05   Anti-Dilution Provisions                                             10
 3.06   Options and Warrants                                                 11

 ARTICLE IV--ACTIONS PENDING ACQUISITION                                     12
 4.01   Forbearances of Seller                                               12
 4.02   Forbearances of Acquirer                                             15

 ARTICLE V--REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES                                   15
 5.01   Disclosure Schedule                                                  15
 5.02   Standard                                                             15
 5.03   Representations and Warranties of Seller                             16
 5.04   Representations and Warranties of Acquirer                           29

 ARTICLE VI--COVENANTS                                                       33
 6.01   Reasonable Best Efforts                                              33
 6.02   Shareholder Approval                                                 33
 6.03   Registration Statement                                               33
 6.04   Press Releases                                                       34
 6.05   Access; Information                                                  35
 6.06   Acquisition Proposals                                                35
 6.07   Affiliate Agreements                                                 36
 6.08   Stock Exchange Listing                                               36
 6.09   Regulatory Applications                                              36
 6.10   Indemnification; Directors' and Officers' Insurance                  37
 6.11   Takeover Laws; No Right Triggered                                    38
 6.12   Notification of Certain Matters                                      39
 6.13   Certain Loans and Related Matters                                    39
 6.14   Monthly Financial Statements                                         39
 6.15   Accountants' Letters                                                 39
 6.16   Tax Matters                                                          40

                                         i
<PAGE>

 6.17   Establishment of Accruals                                            40
 6.18   Coordination of Dividends                                            40
 6.19   Updated Disclosure Schedule                                          40
 6.20   Benefit Plans                                                        41

 ARTICLE VII--CONDITIONS TO CONSUMMATION OF THE MERGER                       42
 7.01   Conditions to Each Party's Obligation to Effect the Merger           42
 7.02   Conditions to Obligation of Seller                                   43
 7.03   Conditions to Obligation of Acquirer                                 44

 ARTICLE VIII--TERMINATION                                                   45
 8.01   Termination                                                          45
 8.02   Effect of Termination and Abandonment                                48
 8.03   Termination Expenses                                                 48

 ARTICLE IX--MISCELLANEOUS                                                   48
 9.01   Survival                                                             48
 9.02   Waiver; Amendment                                                    49
 9.03   Counterparts                                                         49
 9.04   Governing Law; Waiver of Jury Trial                                  49
 9.05   Expenses                                                             49
 9.06   Notices                                                              49
 9.07   Entire Understanding; No Third Party Beneficiaries                   50
 9.08   Interpretation; Effect                                               50
 9.09   Enforcement of Agreement                                             50

 SIGNATURES                                                                  51

 Exhibit A - Form of Seller Stock Option Agreement                          A-1
 Exhibit B - Form of Affiliate Agreement                                    B-1
</TABLE>


                                         ii
<PAGE>


                            AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER


       AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER, dated as of May 19, 1999 (this
"Agreement"), between U.S. BANCORP  ("Acquirer") and WESTERN BANCORP ("Seller").

                                      RECITALS

       A.     ACQUIRER.  Acquirer is a Delaware corporation, having its
principal place of business in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

       B.     SELLER.  Seller is a California corporation, having its principal
place of business in Newport Beach, California.

       C.     INTENTIONS OF THE PARTIES. Acquirer and Seller intend that the
merger (the "Merger") contemplated by this Agreement shall qualify as a
reorganization under Section 368 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended (the "Code").

       D.     BOARD ACTION.  The respective Boards of Directors of Seller and
Acquirer have determined that it is advisable and in the best interests of their
respective companies and their shareholders to consummate the Merger in
accordance with the terms provided for herein.

       E.     STOCK OPTION. As a condition to, and immediately after the
execution of, this Agreement, Acquirer and Seller are entering into the Stock
Option Agreement (the "Seller Option Agreement") in substantially the form
attached hereto as Exhibit A, pursuant to which Seller will grant Acquirer an
option exercisable upon the occurrence of certain events.

       NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and of the mutual
covenants, representations, warranties and agreements contained herein, the
parties agree as follows:

                                     ARTICLE I

                                CERTAIN DEFINITIONS

       1.01   CERTAIN DEFINITIONS.  The following terms are used in this
Agreement with the meanings set forth below:

       "1999 Bonus Amounts" has the meaning set forth in Section 6.20(b).

       "Acquirer" has the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.

       "Acquirer Average Price" has the meaning set forth in Section 8.01(h)(i).

       "Acquirer Board" means the Board of Directors of Acquirer.

       "Acquirer Common Stock" means the common stock, $1.25 par value per
share, of Acquirer.

       "Acquirer Preferred Stock" has the meaning set forth in Section 5.04(b).

       "Acquirer Regulatory Reports" has the meaning set forth in Section
5.04(i)(i).

       "Agreement" means this Agreement, as amended or modified from time to
time in accordance with Section 9.02.

       "CGCL" means the California General Corporation Law, as amended.

       "Code" has the meaning set forth in the recitals.

       "Compensation and Benefit Plans" has the meaning set forth in Section
5.03(p)(i).

                                          2
<PAGE>

       "Confidentiality Agreement" has the meaning set forth in Section 6.05(b).

       "Continuing Employee" has the meaning set forth in Section 6.20(a).

       "Costs" has the meaning set forth in Section 6.10(a).

       "DFI" means the California Department of Financial Institutions.

       "DGCL" means the Delaware General Corporation Law, as amended.

       "DPC Shares" shall mean shares of Seller Common Stock held as a result of
debts previously contracted in good faith.

       "Disclosure Schedule" has the meaning set forth in Section 5.01.

       "Dissenting Shares" has the meaning set forth in Section 3.04(f).

       "Effective Date" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.02.

       "Effective Time" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.02.

       "Environmental Law" has the meaning set forth in Section 5.03(s).

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

       "ERISA Affiliate" has the meaning set forth in Section 5.03(p)(iv).

       "Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and
the rules and regulations thereunder.

       "Exchange Agent" has the meaning set forth in Section 3.04(a).

       "Exchange Fund" has the meaning set forth in Section 3.04(a).

       "Exchange Ratio" has the meaning set forth in Section 3.01(a).

       "Execution Date Average Price" has the meaning set forth in Section
8.01(h)(i).

       "FDIC" means the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

       "FRB" means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

       "Final Index Price" has the meaning set forth in Section 8.01(h)(ii)(D).

       "Final Price" has the meaning set forth in Section 8.01(h)(ii)(C).

                                          3
<PAGE>

       "GAAP" means United States generally accepted accounting principles,
consistently applied.

       "Governmental Authority" means any court, administrative agency or
commission or other federal, state or local governmental authority or
instrumentality.

       "Hazardous Substance" has the meaning set forth in Section 5.03(s).

       "Indemnified Parties" has the meaning set forth in Section 6.10(a).

       "Index Group" has the meaning set forth in Section 8.01(h)(ii)(A).

       "Initial Index Price" has the meaning set forth in Section
8.01(h)(ii)(B).

       "Injunction" has the meaning set forth in Section 7.01(c).

       "Insurance Amount" has the meaning set forth in Section 6.10(c).

       "Latest Seller Balance Sheet" has the meaning set forth in Section
5.03(i).

       "Leases" has the meaning set forth in Section 5.03(r)(ii).

       "Liabilities" has the meaning set forth in Section 5.03(i).

       "Liens" means any charge, mortgage, pledge, security interest,
restriction, claim, lien or encumbrance other than liens for taxes not yet due
and payable.

       "Loans" has the meaning set forth in Section 5.03(w)(i).

       "Material Adverse Effect" means, with respect to Acquirer or Seller, as
the case may be, any effect that: (i) is material and adverse to the financial
position, results of operations or business of Acquirer and its Subsidiaries,
taken as a whole, or Seller and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or
(ii) would materially impair the ability of either Acquirer or Seller to perform
its obligations under this Agreement or otherwise materially threaten or
materially impede the consummation of the Merger and the other transactions
contemplated by this Agreement; provided, however, that Material Adverse Effect
shall not be deemed to include the impact of  (a) changes in banking and similar
laws of general applicability or interpretations thereof by any court or any
Governmental Authority, (b) changes in GAAP or regulatory accounting
requirements applicable to banks and their holding companies generally, (c) any
expenses incurred by a party hereto in connection with this Agreement or the
transactions contemplated hereby, or (d) any action or omission of Seller or any
of its Subsidiaries or Acquirer or any of its Subsidiaries taken with the prior
written consent of the other party hereto.

       "Merger" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.01(a).

                                          4
<PAGE>

       "Merger Consideration" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.01(a).

       "Millennium Compliant" has the meaning set forth in Section 5.03(aa).

       "Multiemployer Plans" has the meaning set forth in Section 5.03(p)(iii).

       "NYSE" means the New York Stock Exchange.

       "Net Option Value" has the meaning set forth in Section 3.06(a).

       "New Certificates" has the meaning set forth in Section 3.04(a).

       "OCC" means the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

       "Old Certificates" has the meaning set forth in Section 3.04(a).

       "Option Stock Consideration" has the meaning set forth in Section
3.06(a).

       "OREO" means the "other real estate owned."

       "Pension Plan" has the meaning set forth in Section 5.03(p)(iii).

       "Person" means any individual, bank, corporation, partnership,
association, joint-stock company, business trust or other entity or
unincorporated organization.

       "Plans" has the meaning set forth in Section 5.03(p)(iii).

       "Previously Disclosed" by a party shall mean information set forth in its
Disclosure Schedule.

       "Proxy Statement" has the meaning set forth in Section 6.03(a).

       "Registration Statement" has the meaning set forth in Section 6.03(a).

       "Regulatory Authorities" has the meaning set forth in Section 5.03(k)(i).

       "Replacement Warrant" has the meaning set forth in Section 3.06(b).

       "Rights" means, with respect to any Person, securities or obligations
convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or giving any Person any
right to subscribe for or acquire, or any options, calls or commitments relating
to, or any stock appreciation right or other instrument the value of which is
determined in whole or in part by reference to the market price or value of,
shares of capital stock of such Person.

       "SEC" means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
                                          5
<PAGE>

       "SEC Documents" has the meaning set forth in Section 5.03(g).

       "Sections 1300 et seq." has the meaning set forth in Section 3.04(f).

       "Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and rules
and regulations thereunder.

       "Seller" has the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.

       "Seller Articles" means the Articles of Incorporation of Seller as in
effect as of the date hereof.

       "Seller Board" means the Board of Directors of Seller.

       "Seller By-Laws" means the By-Laws of Seller as in effect as of the date
hereof.

       "Seller Common Stock" means the common stock, no par value per share, of
Seller.

       "Seller Meeting" has the meaning set forth in Section 6.02.

       "Seller Option Agreement" has the meaning set forth in the recitals to
this Agreement.

       "Seller Plans" means those plans set forth on Schedule 5.03(p) in the
Disclosure Schedule.

       "Seller Preferred Stock" has the meaning set forth in Section 5.03(b).

       "Seller Regulatory Reports" has the meaning set forth in Section
5.03(k)(iii).

       "Seller Stock Option" has the meaning set forth in Section 3.06(a).

       "Seller Warrant" has the meaning set forth in Section 3.06(b).

       "Subsidiary" and "Significant Subsidiary" have the meanings ascribed to
them in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X of the SEC.

       "Superior Proposal" means a bona fide Takeover Proposal which a majority
of the disinterested members of the Seller Board determines in its reasonable
good faith judgment to be more favorable to the Seller's shareholders than the
Merger (after receiving the written opinion, with only customary qualifications,
of the Seller's independent financial advisor that the financial value of the
consideration provided for in such Takeover Proposal exceeds the financial value
of the Merger Consideration) and for which financing, to the extent required, is
then committed by a third party or which, in the reasonable good faith judgment
of a majority of such disinterested members (after receiving the written advice
of the Seller's independent financial advisor), is highly likely to be financed
by such third party.

                                          6
<PAGE>

       "Surviving Corporation" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.01(a).

       "Takeover Laws" has the meaning set forth in Section 5.03(bb).

       "Takeover Proposal" means, with respect to any Person, any tender or
exchange offer, proposal for a merger, consolidation or other business
combination involving Seller or any of its Significant Subsidiaries, or any
proposal or offer to acquire in any manner a substantial equity interest in, or
a substantial portion of the assets or deposits of, Seller or any of its
Significant Subsidiaries, other than the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement and the Seller Option Agreement.

       "Tax" and "Taxes" means all federal, state, local or foreign taxes,
charges, fees, levies or other assessments, however denominated, including,
without limitation, all net income, gross income, gains, gross receipts, sales,
use, ad valorem, goods and services, capital, production, transfer, franchise,
windfall profits, license, withholding, payroll, employment, disability,
employer health, excise, estimated, severance, stamp, occupation, property,
environmental, unemployment or other taxes, custom duties, fees, assessments or
charges of any kind whatsoever, together with any interest and any penalties,
additions to tax or additional amounts imposed by any taxing authority.

       "Tax Returns" means any return, amended return or other report (including
elections, declarations, disclosures, schedules, estimates and information
returns) required to be filed with respect to any Tax.

       "Treasury Stock" shall mean shares of Seller Common Stock held by Seller
or by Acquirer or any of its Subsidiaries, in each case other than Trust Account
Shares and DPC Shares.

       "Trust Account Shares" shall mean shares of Seller Common Stock held in a
fiduciary (including custodial or agency) capacity.

       "Twenty Day Calculation Period" has the meaning set forth in Section
8.01(h)(ii)(E).

                                     ARTICLE II

                                     THE MERGER

       2.01   THE MERGER.

       (a)    THE SURVIVING CORPORATION.  At the Effective Time, Seller shall
merge with and into Acquirer (the "Merger"), the separate corporate existence of
Seller shall cease and Acquirer shall survive and continue to exist as a
Delaware corporation (Acquirer, as the surviving corporation in the Merger,
sometimes being referred to herein as the "Surviving Corporation"). Acquirer may
at any time prior to the Effective Time change the method of effecting the
combination with Seller (including, without limitation, the provisions of this
Article II) if and to the extent it deems such change to be desirable,
including, without

                                          7
<PAGE>

limitation, to provide for a merger of Seller directly with and into a
wholly-owned subsidiary of Acquirer, in which either Seller or such subsidiary
is the surviving corporation; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that no such change shall (i)
alter or change the amount or kind of consideration to be issued to holders of
Seller Common Stock as provided for in this Agreement (the "Merger
Consideration"), or the relative equity interest in the Surviving Corporation
represented thereby, (ii) adversely affect the tax treatment of Seller's
shareholders, as a result of the Merger, receiving the Merger Consideration, or
(iii) materially impede or delay consummation of the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement.

       (b)    EFFECTIVE DATE OF MERGER; EFFECTS OF MERGER.  Subject to the
satisfaction or waiver of the conditions set forth in Article VII in accordance
with this Agreement, the Merger shall become effective upon the occurrence of
both (i) the filing in the office of the Secretary of State of California of an
agreement of merger in accordance with Section 1103 of the CGCL and (ii) the
filing in the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware of a
certificate of merger in accordance with Section 252 of the DGCL, or such later
date and time as may be set forth in such agreement and certificate.  The Merger
shall have the effects prescribed in the CGCL and the DGCL.

       (c)    CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION AND BY-LAWS.  The certificate of
incorporation and by-laws of the Surviving Corporation immediately after the
Effective Time shall be those of Acquirer as in effect immediately prior to the
Effective Time.

       (d)    DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS OF THE SURVIVING CORPORATION.  The
directors and officers of the Surviving Corporation immediately after the
Effective Time shall be the directors and officers of Acquirer immediately prior
to the Effective Time, until such time as their successors shall be duly elected
and qualified.

       2.02   EFFECTIVE DATE AND EFFECTIVE TIME.  Subject to the satisfaction or
waiver of the conditions as set forth in Article VII in accordance with this
Agreement, the parties shall cause the effective date of the Merger (the
"Effective Date") to occur on (i) the business day on which the last of the
conditions set forth in Sections 7.01, 7.02 and 7.03 shall have been satisfied
or waived in accordance with the terms of this Agreement (or, at the election of
Acquirer, on the last business day of the month in which such day occurs) or
(ii) such other date to which the parties hereto may agree in writing.  The time
on the Effective Date when the Merger shall become effective is referred to as
the "Effective Time."

                                    ARTICLE III

                     MERGER CONSIDERATION; EXCHANGE PROCEDURES

       3.01   MERGER CONSIDERATION.  Subject to the provisions of this
Agreement, at the Effective Time, automatically by virtue of the Merger and
without any action on the part of any Person:

              (a)    OUTSTANDING SELLER COMMON STOCK.  Each share of Seller
Common Stock, excluding Treasury Stock, issued and outstanding immediately prior
to the Effective Time

                                          8
<PAGE>

shall be converted, subject to Section 3.05, into 1.2915 shares of Acquirer
Common Stock (the "Exchange Ratio").

              (b)    OUTSTANDING ACQUIRER COMMON STOCK.  Each share of Acquirer
Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time
shall remain outstanding and unaffected and shall, together with the shares
converted into Acquirer Common Stock pursuant to Section 3.01(a), constitute all
of the then-issued and outstanding shares of common stock of the Surviving
Corporation.

              (c)    TREASURY STOCK.  Each of the shares of Seller Common Stock
held as Treasury Stock immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be canceled
and retired at the Effective Time and no consideration shall be issued in
exchange therefor.

       3.02   RIGHTS AS SHAREHOLDERS; STOCK TRANSFERS.  At the Effective Time,
holders of Seller Common Stock shall cease to be, and shall have no rights as,
shareholders of Seller, other than to receive any dividend or other distribution
with respect to Seller Common Stock with a record date occurring prior to the
Effective Date and the consideration provided under this Article III, including
any dissenter's rights provided in Section 3.04(f). After the Effective Time,
there shall be no transfers on the stock transfer books of Seller or the
Surviving Corporation of shares of Seller Common Stock.

       3.03   FRACTIONAL SHARES.  Notwithstanding any other provision hereof, no
fractional shares of Acquirer Common Stock and no certificates or scrip
therefor, or other evidence of ownership thereof, will be issued in the Merger;
instead, Acquirer shall pay to each holder of Seller Common Stock who would
otherwise be entitled to a fractional share of Acquirer Common Stock (after
taking into account all of the shares of Seller Common Stock represented by all
of the Old Certificates delivered by such holder) an amount in cash (without
interest) determined by multiplying such fraction by the average of the closing
sale prices of Acquirer Common Stock, as reported by the NYSE Composite
Transactions Reporting System (as reported in THE WALL STREET JOURNAL or, if not
reported therein, in another authoritative source), for the five NYSE trading
days immediately preceding the Effective Date.

       3.04   EXCHANGE PROCEDURES.

       (a)    DEPOSIT OF EXCHANGE FUND.  At or prior to the Effective Time,
Acquirer shall deposit, or shall cause to be deposited, with such bank or trust
company as Acquirer shall elect (which may be a Subsidiary of Acquirer) (the
"Exchange Agent"), for the benefit of the holders of certificates formerly
representing shares of Seller Common Stock ("Old Certificates"), for exchange in
accordance with this Article III, certificates ("New Certificates") representing
the shares of Acquirer Common Stock and the cash in lieu of fractional shares
(such cash and New Certificates, together with any dividends or distributions
with a record date occurring after the Effective Date with respect thereto
(without any interest on any such cash, dividends or distributions) being
hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange Fund") to be issued and paid pursuant
to this Article III in exchange for the shares of Seller Common Stock
outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time.

                                          9
<PAGE>

       (b)    EXCHANGE OF CERTIFICATES.  As promptly as practicable after the
Effective Date, Acquirer shall send or cause to be sent to each former holder of
record of shares of Seller Common Stock (other than Treasury Stock) immediately
prior to the Effective Time transmittal materials for use in exchanging such
shareholder's Old Certificates for the Merger Consideration set forth in this
Article III.  Acquirer shall cause the New Certificates representing Acquirer
Common Stock into which shares of a shareholder's Seller Common Stock are
converted on the Effective Date and/or any check in respect of fractional share
interests or dividends or distributions which such Person shall be entitled to
receive to be delivered to such shareholder upon delivery to the Exchange Agent
of Old Certificates representing such shares of Seller Common Stock (or
indemnity reasonably satisfactory to Acquirer and the Exchange Agent, if any of
such certificates are lost, stolen or destroyed) owned of record immediately
prior to the Effective Time by such shareholder.  No interest will be paid on
any such cash to be paid in lieu of fractional share interests or dividends or
distributions which any such Person shall be entitled to receive pursuant to
this Article III upon such delivery.

       (c)    UNCLAIMED CERTIFICATES.  If Old Certificates are not surrendered
or the consideration therefor is not claimed prior to the date on which such
consideration would otherwise escheat to or become the property of any
governmental unit or agency, the unclaimed consideration shall, to the extent
permitted by abandoned property and any other applicable law, become the
property of Acquirer (and to the extent not in its possession shall be paid over
to Acquirer), free and clear of all claims or interest of any Person previously
entitled to such claims. Notwithstanding the foregoing, neither the Exchange
Agent nor any party hereto shall be liable to any former holder of Seller Common
Stock for any amount properly delivered to a public official pursuant to
applicable abandoned property, escheat or similar laws.

       (d)    DISTRIBUTIONS IN RESPECT OF UNCLAIMED CERTIFICATES.  No dividends
or other distributions with respect to Acquirer Common Stock with a record date
occurring after the Effective Time shall be paid to the holder of any
unsurrendered Old Certificate representing shares of Seller Common Stock
converted in the Merger into the right to receive shares of such Acquirer Common
Stock until the holder thereof shall be entitled to receive New Certificates in
exchange therefor after having complied with the procedures set forth in this
Section 3.04, and no such shares of Acquirer Common Stock shall be eligible to
vote until the holder of Old Certificates is entitled to receive New
Certificates after having complied with the procedures set forth in this Section
3.04.  After becoming so entitled and after having complied with this Section
3.04, the record holder thereof also shall be entitled to receive any such
dividends or other distributions, without any interest thereon, which
theretofore had otherwise become payable with respect to shares of Acquirer
Common Stock such holder had the right to receive upon surrender of the Old
Certificate.

       (e)    DISPOSITION OF UNCLAIMED EXCHANGE FUND.  Any portion of the
Exchange Fund that remains unclaimed by the shareholders of Seller for six
months after the Effective Time shall be returned by the Exchange Agent to
Acquirer. Any shareholders of Seller who have not theretofore complied with this
Article III shall thereafter look only to Acquirer for payment of the shares of
Acquirer Common Stock, cash in lieu of any fractional shares of Acquirer

                                          10
<PAGE>

Common Stock, and unpaid dividends and distributions on Acquirer Common Stock
deliverable in respect of each share of Seller Common Stock such shareholder
holds immediately prior to the Effective Time, as determined pursuant to this
Agreement, in each case, without any interest thereon.

       (f)    DISSENTING SHARES.  Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to
the contrary, shares of Seller Common Stock which are outstanding immediately
prior to the Effective Time and which constitute "dissenting shares" as defined
in Section 1300 of the CGCL (such shares are referred to herein as "Dissenting
Shares") shall not be converted into shares of Acquirer Common Stock but,
instead, the holders thereof shall be entitled to receive payment of the fair
market value of such Dissenting Shares in accordance with the provisions of
Sections 1300-1312 ("Sections 1300 et seq.") of the CGCL; provided, however,
that (i) if any holder of Dissenting Shares shall subsequently withdraw, with
the consent of the Surviving Corporation, his or her demand for purchase of such
shares, or (ii) if any holder of Dissenting Shares fails to establish or perfect
or otherwise loses his or her entitlement to payment of the fair market value of
such shares as provided in Sections 1300 et seq. such holder or holders (as the
case may be) shall not be entitled to receive payment of the fair market value
of such shares of Seller Common Stock as contemplated by Sections 1300 et seq.,
and each of such shares shall thereupon be deemed to have been converted into
shares of Acquirer Common Stock and cash in lieu of fractional shares, without
any interest thereon, as provided in Article III hereof.

       3.05   ANTI-DILUTION PROVISIONS.  In the event Acquirer changes (or
establishes a record date for changing) the number of shares of Acquirer Common
Stock issued and outstanding prior to the Effective Date as a result of any
stock split, recapitalization, reclassification, combination, exchange of
shares, readjustment or similar transaction with respect to the outstanding
Acquirer Common Stock, or Acquirer declares a stock dividend or extraordinary
cash dividend, and the record date therefor shall be prior to the Effective
Date, the Exchange Ratio shall be proportionately adjusted.

                                          11
<PAGE>

       3.06   OPTIONS AND WARRANTS.

       (a)    OPTIONS. Except as may be otherwise agreed in writing between
Acquirer and the holder of any option, at the Effective Time all outstanding
options to purchase shares of Seller Common Stock outstanding immediately prior
to the Effective Time under any of the Seller Plans (all such options of an
option holder having the same exercise price, a "Seller Stock Option") shall be
converted into the right to receive from Acquirer (i) that number of shares of
Acquirer Common Stock equal to the quotient obtained by dividing the Net Option
Value with respect to such Seller Stock Option (as defined below) by $35.62 plus
(ii) cash in lieu of any fractional shares in accordance with Section 3.03 (the
"Option Stock Consideration"). The "Net Option Value" shall be equal to the
amount obtained by multiplying the difference, if positive, between $46.00 less
the applicable exercise price of such Seller Stock Option times the number of
shares for which such Seller Stock Option is exercisable, such number of shares
and exercise prices as expressly stated in the applicable stock option agreement
relating to such Seller Stock Option.  At or prior to the Effective Time, Seller
shall take all reasonable action as is necessary to fully advise holders of
Seller Stock Options of their rights under this Agreement and the Seller Stock
Options, to facilitate their timely exercise of such rights and to effectuate
the provisions of this Section 3.06(a).  From and after the Effective Time,
other than as expressly set forth in this Section 3.06(a), no holder of a Seller
Stock Option shall have any other rights in respect thereof other than to
receive the consideration for his or her Seller Stock Options in the manner
described above.  The surrender of a Seller Stock Option to Acquirer in exchange
for the Option Stock Consideration shall be deemed a release of any and all
rights the option holder had or may have had in respect of such Seller Stock
Option.

       (b)    WARRANTS.  At the Effective Time, all outstanding warrants to
purchase shares of Seller Common Stock (all such warrants of a warrant holder, a
"Seller Warrant") shall be converted into a warrant to acquire, on the same
terms and conditions as were applicable under such Seller Warrant, that number
of shares of Acquirer Common Stock equal to (a) the number of shares of Seller
Common Stock subject to the Seller Warrant, multiplied by (b) the Exchange Ratio
(such product rounded up to the nearest whole number) (all such new warrants of
a warrant holder, a "Replacement Warrant"), at an exercise price per share
(rounded up or down to the nearest whole cent) equal to (y) the aggregate
exercise price for the shares of Seller Common Stock which were purchasable
pursuant to such Seller Warrant divided by (z) the number of full shares of
Acquirer Common Stock subject to such Replacement Warrant in accordance with the
foregoing.  At or prior to the Effective Time, Seller shall take all reasonable
action, if any, necessary with respect to the applicable warrants or warrant
agreements to permit the replacement of the outstanding Seller Warrants by
Acquirer pursuant to this Section 3.06(b).

       (c)    Prior to the Effective Time, Acquirer shall reserve for issuance
the number of shares of Acquirer Common Stock necessary to satisfy Acquirer's
obligations under this Section 3.06.

                                          12
<PAGE>

                                     ARTICLE IV

                            ACTIONS PENDING ACQUISITION

       4.01   FORBEARANCES OF SELLER.  From the date hereof until the Effective
Time, except as contemplated by this Agreement or the Seller Option Agreement,
without the prior written consent of Acquirer (which consent will not be
unreasonably withheld), Seller will not, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries
not to:

              (a)    ORDINARY COURSE.  Conduct the business of Seller and its
Subsidiaries other than in the ordinary and usual course in accordance in all
material respects with all applicable laws, rules and regulations and past
practice, or, to the extent consistent therewith, fail to use reasonable efforts
to preserve intact in all material respects the business organizations and
assets and maintain in all material respects its rights, franchises and existing
relations with customers, suppliers, employees and business associates.

              (b)    DELAY.  Willfully take any action that Seller knows or
should reasonably know would materially and adversely affect or delay the
ability of Seller or Acquirer to perform any of their respective obligations
under this Agreement.

              (c)    CAPITAL STOCK.  Other than pursuant to the Rights
Previously Disclosed and outstanding on the date hereof, (i) issue, sell or
otherwise permit to become outstanding, or authorize the creation of, any
additional shares of capital stock or any Rights, (ii) enter into any agreement
with respect to the foregoing, or (iii) permit any additional shares of capital
stock to become subject to new grants of employee or director stock options,
other Rights or similar stock-based employee rights.

              (d)    DIVIDENDS, ETC.  (i) Except as Previously Disclosed,
subject to the provisions of Section 6.18, take, declare, pay or set aside for
payment any dividend on or in respect of, or declare or make any distribution
on, any shares of its capital stock, other than normal quarterly dividends not
in excess of $.225 per share of Seller Common Stock with record and payment
dates consistent with past practice, or (ii) directly or indirectly adjust,
split, combine, redeem, reclassify, purchase or otherwise acquire (except for
the acquisition of DPC Shares and Trust Account Shares), any shares of its
capital stock or any Rights with respect to Seller securities.

                                          13
<PAGE>

              (e)    COMPENSATION; EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENTS; ETC.  Except as
expressly contemplated by this Agreement, enter into or amend or renew any
employment, consulting, severance or similar agreements or arrangements with any
director, officer or employee of Seller or any of its Subsidiaries, or grant any
bonus or any salary or wage increase or establish or increase any employee
benefit (including incentive or bonus payments), except (i) for normal
individual increases in compensation and/or benefits to employees in the
ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, (ii) for other
changes that are required by applicable law, (iii) to satisfy Previously
Disclosed contractual obligations existing as of the date hereof, or (iv) for
grants of awards to newly hired employees consistent with past practice.

              (f)    BENEFIT PLANS.  Except as Previously Disclosed or expressly
contemplated by this Agreement, enter into, establish, adopt or amend (except
(i) as may be required by applicable law or (ii) to satisfy Previously Disclosed
contractual obligations existing as of the date hereof) any pension, retirement,
stock option, stock purchase, savings, profit sharing, deferred compensation,
consulting, bonus, group insurance or other employee benefit, incentive or
welfare contract, plan or arrangement, or any trust agreement (or similar
arrangement) related thereto, in respect of any director, officer or employee of
Seller or any of its Subsidiaries, or take any action to accelerate the vesting
or exercisability of stock options, restricted stock or other compensation or
benefits payable thereunder.

              (g)    DISPOSITIONS. Sell, transfer, mortgage, encumber or
otherwise dispose of or discontinue any of the assets, deposits, business or
properties of Seller or any of its Subsidiaries except in the ordinary course of
business; provided, that any such sale, transfer, mortgage, encumbrance or
disposition of any real property, other than OREO, shall not be considered to be
in the ordinary course of business.

              (h)    ACQUISITIONS.  Acquire (other than by way of foreclosures
or acquisitions of control in a bona fide fiduciary capacity or in satisfaction
of debts previously contracted in good faith, in each case in the ordinary and
usual course of business consistent with past practice) all or any portion of
the assets, business, deposits or properties of any other entity except in the
ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and in a transaction
that is not material to Seller and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

              (i)    CAPITAL EXPENDITURES.  Except as Previously Disclosed, make
any capital expenditures other than capital expenditures in the ordinary course
of business consistent with past practice in amounts not exceeding $50,000
individually or $500,000 in the aggregate.

              (j)    GOVERNING DOCUMENTS.  Amend the Seller Articles or Seller
By-Laws.

              (k)    ACCOUNTING METHODS.  Implement or adopt any change in its
financial accounting principles, practices or methods, other than as may be
required by GAAP or regulatory accounting principles.

                                          14
<PAGE>

              (l)    CONTRACTS.  Except as Previously Disclosed and except in
the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, enter into,
terminate or renew any material contract or amend or modify in any material
respect any of its existing material contracts.

              (m)    ADVERSE ACTIONS.

                     (i)    Take any action while knowing that such action
       would, or would be reasonably likely to, prevent or impede the Merger
       from qualifying as a reorganization within the meaning of Section 368 of
       the Code; or

                     (ii)   Knowingly take any action not otherwise specifically
       permitted by this Agreement that is intended or is reasonably likely to
       result in (A) any of its representations and warranties set forth in this
       Agreement being or becoming untrue in any material respect at any time at
       or prior to the Effective Time, (B) any of the conditions to the Merger
       set forth in Article VII not being satisfied, or (C) a material violation
       of any provision of this Agreement except, in each case, as may be
       required by applicable law or regulation; provided, however, that nothing
       contained herein shall limit the ability of Acquirer to exercise its
       rights under the Seller Option Agreement.

              (n)    RISK MANAGEMENT.  Except as required by applicable law or
regulation (a) implement or adopt any material change in its interest rate and
other risk management policies, procedures or practices, (b) fail to follow its
existing policies or practices with respect to managing its exposure to interest
rate risk, or (c) fail to use commercially reasonable means to avoid any
material increase in its aggregate exposure to interest rate risk.

              (o)    INDEBTEDNESS; LIABILITIES.  Except as Previously Disclosed,
incur any indebtedness for borrowed money in an amount exceeding $5,000,000 in
the aggregate or voluntarily incur or become subject to any material liability,
in each case other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past
practice.

              (p)    DISCHARGE.  Discharge or satisfy any material lien or
encumbrance on the properties or assets of Seller or any of its Subsidiaries or
pay or cancel any material debt, liability or claim of Seller or any of its
Subsidiaries or otherwise waive any rights of material value of Seller or any of
its Subsidiaries, except in the ordinary course of business.

              (q)    INSURANCE.  Except as Previously Disclosed, permit the
current insurance policies of Seller or any of its Subsidiaries to be canceled
or terminated or any of the coverage thereunder to lapse, unless simultaneously
with such termination, cancellation or lapse, replacement policies providing
coverages substantially equal to the coverages under the canceled, terminated or
lapsed policies are in full force and effect.

              (r)    SETTLEMENTS.  Except as Previously Disclosed, enter into
any settlement or similar agreement with respect to, or take any other
significant action with respect to the conduct of, any action, suit, proceeding,
order or investigation to which Seller or any of its Subsidiaries becomes a
party after the date of this Agreement, which settlement, agreement or action
involves payment by Seller or its Subsidiaries of  amounts in excess of
$100,000.

                                          15
<PAGE>


              (s)    EXTENSIONS OF CREDIT. Make any agreements or commitments
binding it to extend credit except in a manner consistent with past practice and
in accordance with the lending policies of the bank Subsidiaries of Seller or
make any agreement or commitment binding it to extend credit for any individual
loan in an amount in excess of $5,000,000 without submitting loan package
information to the chief credit officer of Acquirer for review with a right of
comment at least one full business day prior to taking such action.

              (t)    COMMITMENTS.  Agree or commit to do any of the foregoing.

       4.02   FORBEARANCES OF ACQUIRER.  From the date hereof until the
Effective Time, except as expressly contemplated by this Agreement, without the
prior written consent of Seller (which consent will not be unreasonably
withheld), Acquirer will not, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries not to:

              (a)    DELAY.  Willfully take any action Acquirer knows or should
know would materially adversely affect or delay the ability of Seller or
Acquirer to perform any of their respective obligations under this Agreement.

              (b)    ADVERSE ACTIONS.

                     (i)    Take any action while knowing that such action
       would, or would be reasonably likely to, prevent or impede the Merger
       from qualifying as a reorganization within the meaning of Section 368 of
       the Code.

                     (ii)   Knowingly take any action not otherwise specifically
       permitted by this Agreement that is intended or is reasonably likely to
       result in (A) any of its representations and warranties set forth in this
       Agreement being or becoming untrue in any material respect at any time at
       or prior to the Effective Time, (B) any of the conditions to the Merger
       set forth in Article VII not being satisfied, or (C) a material violation
       of any provision of this Agreement except, in each case, as may be
       required by applicable law or regulation.

                                          16
<PAGE>

                                     ARTICLE V

                           REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

       5.01   DISCLOSURE SCHEDULE.  On or prior to the date hereof, Seller has
delivered to Acquirer a schedule (the "Disclosure Schedule") setting forth,
among other things, items the disclosure of which is necessary either in
response to an express disclosure requirement contained in a provision hereof or
as an exception to one or more representations or warranties contained in
Section 5.03; provided, that (a) no such item is required to be set forth in a
Disclosure Schedule as an exception to a representation or warranty if its
absence would not be reasonably likely to result in the related representation
or warranty being deemed untrue or incorrect under the standard established by
Section 5.02, and (b) the mere inclusion of an item in a Disclosure Schedule as
an exception to a representation or warranty shall not be deemed an admission by
a party that such item represents a material exception or fact, event or
circumstance or that such item has had or will have a Material Adverse Effect.

       5.02   STANDARD.  No representation or warranty of Seller or Acquirer
contained in Section 5.03 or 5.04, respectively, shall be deemed untrue or
incorrect for any purpose under this Agreement, and no party hereto shall be
deemed to have breached a representation or warranty, as a consequence of the
existence of any fact, event or circumstance unless such fact, event or
circumstance, individually or taken together with all other facts, events or
circumstances inconsistent with any representation or warranty contained in
Section 5.03 or 5.04 has had or would be reasonably expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect on the party making such representation or warranty.

       5.03   REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF SELLER.  Subject to Sections
5.01 and 5.02 and except as Previously Disclosed, Seller hereby represents and
warrants to Acquirer:

              (a)    ORGANIZATION, STANDING AND AUTHORITY.  Seller is a
corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws
of the State of California.  Seller is duly registered as a bank holding company
under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended.  Seller is duly licensed
and qualified to do business and is in good standing in the states of the United
States and any foreign jurisdictions where its ownership or leasing of property
or assets or the conduct of its business requires it to be so licensed and
qualified. Seller has in effect all federal, state, local, and foreign
governmental authorizations necessary for it to own or lease its properties and
assets and to carry on its business as it is now conducted. The copies of the
Seller Articles and Seller By-Laws which have been provided to Acquirer prior to
the date of this Agreement are correct and complete and reflect all amendments
made thereto through the date hereof.  True and correct copies of the minute
books of Seller have been made available to Acquirer and fairly and accurately
reflect all material corporate action taken by the Seller Board  and the
shareholders of Seller since December 31, 1996.

              (b)    SELLER CAPITAL STOCK.  As of the date of this Agreement,
the authorized capital stock of Seller consists solely of 100,000,000 shares of
Seller Common Stock and

                                          17
<PAGE>

5,000,000 shares of preferred stock (the "Seller Preferred Stock").  As of May
17, 1999, there were 21,110,800 shares of Seller Common Stock and no shares of
Seller Preferred Stock issued and outstanding.  As of the date hereof no shares
of Seller Common Stock were held in treasury by Seller or otherwise owned by
Seller.  As of the date of this Agreement, no shares of Seller Common Stock were
reserved for issuance, except (i) a total of 1,049,444 shares of Seller Common
Stock were reserved for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding stock options
pursuant to the Seller Plans, (ii) a total of 54,987 shares of Seller Common
Stock were reserved for issuance under stock options that may be granted
pursuant to the Seller Plans, (iii) 111,009 shares of Seller Common Stock were
reserved for issuance upon exercise of warrants, and (iv) the shares of Seller
Common Stock reserved for issuance pursuant to the Seller Stock Option.  All of
the issued and outstanding shares of Seller Common Stock have been duly
authorized and validly issued and are fully paid, nonassessable and free of
preemptive rights.  As of the date of this Agreement, except as referred to
above or as Previously Disclosed, Seller does not have any Rights issued or
outstanding with respect to any shares of Seller Common Stock or any other
equity securities of Seller.  Other than as described above, Seller has not
authorized or issued any indebtedness, instrument, contract or other arrangement
that could be treated as equity of the Seller under United States federal income
tax law.  Additionally, Seller has no outstanding stock, indebtedness,
instrument, contract or arrangement that Seller has treated as debt for United
States federal income tax purposes but not debt for other purposes.

              (c)    SUBSIDIARIES; OWNERSHIP OF OTHER SECURITIES.

                     (i)    (A) Seller has Previously Disclosed a list of all of
       its Subsidiaries together with the jurisdiction of incorporation of each
       such Subsidiary, (B) Seller owns, directly or indirectly, all of the
       issued and outstanding capital stock of each of its Subsidiaries, (C) no
       equity securities of any of its Subsidiaries are or may become required
       to be issued (other than to it or its Subsidiaries) by reason of any
       Rights, (D) there are no contracts, commitments, understandings or
       arrangements by which any of such Subsidiaries is or may be bound to sell
       or otherwise transfer any shares of the capital stock of any such
       Subsidiaries (other than to it or its Subsidiaries), (E) there are no
       contracts, commitments, understandings, or arrangements relating to its
       rights to vote or to dispose of such shares (other than to it or its
       Subsidiaries), and (F) all of the shares of capital stock of each such
       Subsidiary held by it or its Subsidiaries are fully paid and (except
       pursuant to 12 U.S.C. Section 55 or equivalent state statutes in the case
       of bank Subsidiaries) non-assessable and are owned by it or its
       Subsidiaries free and clear of any Liens.

                     (ii)   Other than in a bona fide fiduciary capacity or as a
       result of a debt previously contracted, none of Seller or its
       Subsidiaries owns beneficially, directly or indirectly, any equity
       securities or similar interests of any Person, or any interest in a
       partnership or joint venture of any kind, other than (i) its Subsidiaries
       or (ii) securities held pursuant to the asset liability management policy
       of Seller.

                     (iii)  Each of Seller's Subsidiaries has been duly
       organized and is validly existing in good standing under the laws of the
       jurisdiction of its incorporation,

                                          18
<PAGE>

       and is duly qualified to do business and in good standing in the
       jurisdictions where its ownership or leasing of property or the conduct
       of its business requires it to be so qualified.  Each of such
       Subsidiaries has in effect all federal, state, local, and foreign
       governmental authorizations necessary for it to own or lease its
       properties and assets and to carry on its business as it is now
       conducted.

              (d)    CORPORATE POWER.  Each of Seller and its Subsidiaries has
the corporate power and authority to carry on its business as it is now being
conducted and to own all of its properties and assets; and Seller has the
corporate power and authority to execute, deliver and perform its obligations
under this Agreement and the Seller Option Agreement and to consummate the
transactions contemplated hereby and thereby.

              (e)    CORPORATE AUTHORITY.  Subject in the case of this Agreement
to receipt of the requisite approval by the holders of a majority of the
outstanding shares of Seller Common Stock entitled to vote thereon (which is the
only shareholder vote required thereon), this Agreement, the Seller Option
Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been
authorized by all necessary corporate action of each of Seller and the Seller
Board on or prior to the date hereof and no other corporate proceedings on the
part of Seller are necessary to authorize this Agreement, the Seller Option
Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby.  Each of this
Agreement and the Seller Option Agreement is a valid and legally binding
obligation of Seller, enforceable in accordance with its respective terms
(except as enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer and similar laws of general
applicability relating to or affecting creditors' rights generally or by general
equity principles). The Seller Board has received the opinion of Credit Suisse
First Boston Corporation to the effect that as of the date hereof the Exchange
Ratio to be received by the holders of Seller Common Stock in the Merger is fair
to the holders of Seller Common Stock from a financial point of view.

              (f)    REGULATORY APPROVALS; NO DEFAULTS.

                     (i)    Except as Previously Disclosed, no consents or
       approvals of, or filings or registrations with, any Governmental
       Authority or any third party are required to be made or obtained by
       Seller in connection with the execution, delivery or performance by
       Seller of this Agreement or the Seller Option Agreement or to consummate
       the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, except for: (A) any
       required filings of applications or notices with the FRB and the DFI; (B)
       filings with the SEC and state securities authorities; (C) the approval
       of this Agreement by the shareholders of Seller; and (D) the filing of
       the agreement of merger and the certificate of merger as contemplated in
       Section 2.01(b).  As of the date hereof, Seller has not been notified to
       the effect that the approvals set forth in Section 7.01(b) will not be
       received.

                                          19
<PAGE>

                     (ii)   Subject to receipt of the regulatory approvals
       referred to in the preceding paragraph, and the expiration of related
       waiting periods, and required filings under federal and state securities
       laws, the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the
       Seller Option Agreement and the consummation of the transactions
       contemplated hereby and thereby do not and will not:

                            (A)    constitute a breach or violation of, or a
              default under, or give rise to any Lien, any acceleration of
              remedies or any right of termination under, any law, rule or
              regulation or any judgment, decree, order, governmental permit or
              license, or agreement, arrangement, understanding, indenture or
              instrument of Seller or any of its Subsidiaries or to which Seller
              or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties
              is subject or bound,

                            (B)    constitute a breach or violation of, or a
              default under, the Seller Articles or the Seller By-Laws or the
              certificate of incorporation or by-laws (or similar governing
              documents) of any of Seller's Subsidiaries, or

                            (C)    require any consent or approval under any
              such law, rule, regulation, judgment, decree, order, governmental
              permit or license, agreement, arrangement, understanding,
              indenture or instrument.

              (g)    FINANCIAL REPORTS AND SEC DOCUMENTS.  The Annual Reports on
Form 10-K for the fiscal years ended December 31, 1998 and 1997, the Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 1999, and all other reports,
registration statements, definitive proxy statements or information statements
filed or to be filed subsequent to December 31, 1998 under the Securities Act or
under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, in the form filed
or to be filed with the SEC (collectively, the "SEC Documents"), of Seller or
any of its Subsidiaries, as of the date filed (A) complied or will comply in all
material respects as to form with the applicable requirements under the
Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as the case may be, and (B) did not and will
not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein,
in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and
each of the balance sheets contained in or incorporated by reference into any
such SEC Document of Seller or any of its Subsidiaries, including the related
notes and schedules thereto, fairly presents and will fairly present the
financial position of the entity or entities to which it relates as of its date,
and each of the statements of income and changes in shareholders' equity and
cash flows or equivalent statements in such SEC Documents of Seller or any of
its Subsidiaries (including any related notes and schedules thereto) fairly
presents and will fairly present the results of operations, changes in
shareholders' equity and changes in cash flows, as the case may be, of the
entity or entities to which it relates for the periods to which they relate, in
each case in accordance with GAAP consistently applied during the periods
involved, except in each case as may be noted therein, subject to normal
year-end audit adjustments in the case of unaudited statements.

                                          20
<PAGE>

              (h)    NO MATERIAL ADVERSE CHANGES.  Except as Previously
Disclosed, since December 31, 1998, no event has occurred or circumstance arisen
that, individually or taken together with all other facts, circumstances and
events (described in any paragraph of this Section 5.03 or otherwise), has had
or would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect with respect
to Seller and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

              (i)    ABSENCE OF UNDISCLOSED LIABILITIES.  All of the obligations
or liabilities (whether accrued, absolute, contingent, unliquidated or
otherwise, whether due or to become due, and regardless of when asserted,
including Taxes with respect to or based upon transactions or events heretofore
occurring ("Liabilities"), required to be reflected in the balance sheets of
Seller and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP have been so reflected.
Seller has no Liabilities except (a) as reflected in the consolidated balance
sheets of Seller and its Subsidiaries as of March 31, 1999 contained in Seller's
SEC Documents (the "Latest Seller Balance Sheet"), (b) Liabilities which have
arisen after the date of the Latest Seller Balance Sheet in the ordinary course
of business (including, without limitation, deposit obligations), none of which
(other than deposit obligations) is a material uninsured liability, and (c) as
otherwise Previously Disclosed.

              (j)    LITIGATION.  No litigation, claim or other proceeding
before any court or Governmental Authority is pending against Seller or any of
its Subsidiaries and, to Seller's knowledge, no such litigation, claim or other
proceeding has been threatened.  None of Seller or its Subsidiaries is subject
to any outstanding order, writ, injunction or decree.

              (k)    REGULATORY MATTERS.

                     (i)    None of Seller or its Subsidiaries is a party to or
       subject to any order, decree, agreement, memorandum of understanding or
       similar arrangement with, or a commitment letter or similar submission
       to, or extraordinary supervisory letter from, any Governmental Authority
       charged with the supervision or regulation of financial institutions or
       issuers of securities or engaged in the insurance of deposits (including,
       without limitation, the DFI, the OCC, the FRB, the FDIC and/or any other
       state regulatory agencies) (collectively, the "Regulatory Authorities").

                     (ii)   None of Seller or its Subsidiaries has been advised
       by any Regulatory Authority that such Regulatory Authority is
       contemplating issuing or requesting (or is considering the
       appropriateness of issuing or requesting) any such order, decree,
       agreement, memorandum of understanding, commitment letter, supervisory
       letter or similar submission.

                                          21
<PAGE>

                     (iii)  Since December 31, 1996, each of Seller and its
       Subsidiaries has filed each report or other filing that it was required
       to file with any federal or state banking or other applicable Regulatory
       Authorities having jurisdiction over it (together with all exhibits
       thereto, the "Seller Regulatory Reports").  Seller has provided or made
       available to Acquirer copies of all of the Seller Regulatory Reports.  As
       of their respective dates or as subsequently amended prior to the date
       hereof, each of the Seller Regulatory Reports was true and correct and
       complied with the requirements of the applicable form for each such
       Seller Regulatory Report.

              (l)    COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS; PERMITS.  Each of Seller and its
Subsidiaries:

                     (i)    is in compliance with all applicable federal, state,
       local and foreign statutes, laws, regulations, ordinances, rules,
       judgments, orders or decrees applicable thereto or to the employees
       conducting such businesses on behalf of Seller and its Subsidiaries,
       including, without limitation, to the extent applicable if at all, the
       Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the Fair Housing Act, the Community
       Reinvestment Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, the
       Federal Deposit Insurance Act, as amended, the Real Estate Settlement
       Procedures Act, the Federal Reserve Act, the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act
       of 1975, the Home Owners Loan Act (each as amended) and all other
       applicable fair lending laws and other laws relating to the business
       practices of Seller's bank Subsidiaries;

                     (ii)   has all permits, licenses, authorizations, orders
       and approvals of, and has made all filings, applications and
       registrations with, all Governmental Authorities that are required in
       order to permit it to own or lease its properties and to conduct its
       businesses as presently conducted; all such permits, licenses,
       certificates of authority, orders and approvals are in full force and
       effect and, to Seller's knowledge, no suspension or cancellation of any
       of them is threatened;

                     (iii)  is in compliance with the provisions of its articles
       of incorporation or association or similar governing document and its
       by-laws; and

                     (iv)   has received, since December 31, 1996, no
       notification or communication from any Governmental Authority (A)
       asserting that Seller or any of its Subsidiaries is not in compliance
       with any of the statutes, regulations or ordinances which such
       Governmental Authority enforces, or (B) threatening to revoke any
       license, franchise, permit or governmental authorization.

              (m)    MATERIAL CONTRACTS; DEFAULTS. Except for those agreements
and other documents filed as exhibits to their respective SEC Documents, none of
Seller or its Subsidiaries is a party to, bound by or subject to any agreement,
contract, arrangement, commitment or understanding (whether written or oral):

                     (i)    that is a "material contract" within the meaning of
       Item 601(b)(10) of the SEC's Regulation S-K, or

                                          22
<PAGE>

                     (ii)   that is a non-competition (or comparable) agreement.

None of Seller or its Subsidiaries is in default and no circumstances exist
under which by notice or passage of time (or both) it would be in default under
any material contract, agreement, commitment, arrangement, lease or other
instrument to which it is a party, by which its assets, business, or operations
may be bound or affected, or under which it or its assets, business, or
operations receives benefits, and there has not occurred any event that, with
the lapse of time or the giving of notice or both, would constitute such a
default.  To Seller's knowledge, there has been no default, cancellation or
breach by any other party to any material contract, agreement, commitment,
arrangement, lease, insurance policy or other instrument to which Seller or any
of its Subsidiaries is a party.

              (n)    NO BROKERS.  No action has been taken by Seller or any of
its Subsidiaries that would give rise to any valid claim against any party
hereto for a brokerage commission, finder's fee or other like payment with
respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, other than the fee
to be paid to Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation and Belle Plaine Partners,
Inc. as Previously Disclosed.

              (o)    EMPLOYEES.  To Seller's knowledge, as of the date of this
Agreement there is no announced or anticipated resignation of any key employee
of Seller or any of its Subsidiaries.  Seller has complied with all laws
relating to the employment of labor, including provisions thereof relating to
wages, hours, equal opportunity, collective bargaining and non-discrimination.
For purposes of this Section 5.03(o):  (i) "key employee" shall mean any
employee of Seller with annual base compensation of $75,000 or more and (ii)
"Seller's knowledge" shall mean the knowledge of Seller's Chief Executive
Officer, Chief Financial Officer, General Counsel and Senior Vice President,
Director of Human Resources.

              (p)    EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS.

                     (i)    Seller's Disclosure Schedule contains a complete
       list of all bonus, vacation, deferred compensation, pension, retirement,
       profit-sharing, thrift, savings, employee stock ownership, stock bonus,
       stock purchase, restricted stock, stock appreciation and stock option
       plans, all employment or severance contracts, all medical, dental,
       disability, severance, health and life plans, all other employee benefit
       and fringe benefit plans, contracts or arrangements and any "change of
       control" or similar provisions in any plan, contract or arrangement
       maintained or contributed to by Seller or any of its Subsidiaries for the
       benefit of officers, former officers, employees, former employees,
       directors, former directors, or the beneficiaries of any of the foregoing
       (collectively, "Compensation and Benefit Plans").  Under the applicable
       terms of the Compensation and Benefit Plans, Seller may amend or
       terminate any such Compensation and Benefit Plans at any time without
       incurring any liability thereunder.

                     (ii)   True and complete copies of the Compensation and
       Benefit Plans, including, but not limited to, any trust instruments
       and/or insurance contracts, if any,

                                          23
<PAGE>

       forming a part thereof, and all amendments thereto have been supplied or
       made available to Acquirer.

                     (iii)  Each of the Compensation and Benefit Plans has been
       administered in accordance with the terms thereof.  All "employee benefit
       plans" within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA, other than
       "multiemployer plans" within the meaning of Section 3(37) of ERISA
       ("Multiemployer Plans"), covering employees or former employees of
       Seller and its Subsidiaries (its "Plans"), to the extent subject to
       ERISA, are in material compliance with ERISA, the Code, the Age
       Discrimination in Employment Act and other applicable laws.  Each
       Compensation and Benefit Plan of Seller or its Subsidiaries which is an
       "employee pension benefit plan" within the meaning of Section 3(2) of
       ERISA (a "Pension Plan") and which is intended to be qualified under
       Section 401(a) of the Code has received a favorable determination letter
       from the Internal Revenue Service, any voluntary employees' beneficiary
       association used to fund Compensation and Benefit Plans has received an
       exemption letter from the Internal Revenue Service, and Seller is not
       aware of any circumstances reasonably likely to result in the revocation
       or denial of any such favorable determination letter.  There is no
       pending or, to its knowledge, threatened litigation or governmental
       audit, examination or investigation relating to the Plans.

                     (iv)   No liability under Title IV of ERISA has been or is
       expected to be incurred by Seller or any of its Subsidiaries with respect
       to any ongoing, frozen or terminated "single-employer plan," within the
       meaning of Section 4001(a)(15) of ERISA, currently or formerly maintained
       by any of them, or the single-employer plan of any entity which is
       considered one employer with it under Section 4001(a)(14) of ERISA or
       Section 414 of the Code (an "ERISA Affiliate").  Neither Seller nor any
       of its present or former Subsidiaries nor any ERISA Affiliate of it or
       any of its Subsidiaries presently contributes to a Multiemployer Plan or
       a multiple employer plan (as described in Section 4064(a) of ERISA), nor
       have they contributed to such a plan within this calendar year and the
       preceding five calendar years.  No notice of a "reportable event," within
       the meaning of Section 4043 of ERISA for which the 30-day reporting
       requirement has not been waived, has been required to be filed for any
       Pension Plan of Seller or any of its Subsidiaries or by any ERISA
       Affiliate within the past 12 months.

                     (v)    All contributions, premiums and payments required to
       have been made under the terms of any Compensation and Benefit Plan of
       Seller or any of its Subsidiaries have been made.  Neither any Pension
       Plan of Seller or any of its Subsidiaries nor any single-employer plan of
       an ERISA Affiliate of Seller or any of its Subsidiaries has an
       "accumulated funding deficiency" (whether or not waived) within the
       meaning of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA.  Neither
       Seller nor any of its Subsidiaries has provided, or is required to
       provide, security to any Pension Plan or to any single-employer plan of
       an ERISA Affiliate pursuant to Section 401(a)(29) of the Code.

                                          24
<PAGE>

                     (vi)   Under each Pension Plan of Seller or any of its
       Subsidiaries which is a single-employer plan, as of the last day of the
       most recent plan year ended prior to the date hereof, the actuarially
       determined present value of all "benefit liabilities", within the meaning
       of Section 4001(a)(16) of ERISA (as determined on the basis of the
       actuarial assumptions contained in the Pension Plan's most recent
       actuarial valuation) did not exceed the then current value of the assets
       of such Pension Plan, and there has been no adverse change in the
       financial condition of such Pension Plan (with respect to either assets
       or benefits) since the last day of the most recent plan year.

                     (vii)  None of Seller or its Subsidiaries has any
       obligations under any Compensation and Benefit Plans to provide benefits,
       including death or medical benefits, with respect to employees of it or
       its Subsidiaries beyond their retirement or other termination of service
       other than (A) coverage mandated by Part 6 of Title I of ERISA or Section
       4980B of the Code, (B) retirement or death benefits under any employee
       pension benefit plan (as defined under Section 3(2) of ERISA), (C)
       disability benefits under any employee welfare plan that have been fully
       provided for by insurance or otherwise, or (D) benefits in the nature of
       severance pay.

                     (viii) Except as set forth in Seller's Disclosure Schedule,
       neither the execution and delivery of this Agreement nor the consummation
       of the transactions contemplated hereby will (A) result in any payment
       (including, without limitation, severance, unemployment compensation,
       golden parachute or otherwise) becoming due to any current or former
       director or employee of it or any of its Subsidiaries under any
       Compensation and Benefit Plan or otherwise from it or any of its
       Subsidiaries, (B) increase any benefits otherwise payable under any
       Compensation and Benefit Plan or (C) result in any acceleration of the
       time of payment or vesting of any such benefit.

                     (ix)   Except as set forth in the Disclosure Schedule, no
       Compensation and Benefit Plan, separately or in the aggregate, requires
       or would result in the payment of any "excess parachute payments" within
       the meaning of Section 280G of the Code, and the consummation of the
       transactions contemplated by this Agreement will not be a factor in
       causing payments to be made by Acquirer or Seller that are not deductible
       (in whole or in part) under Section 280G of the Code.

              (q)    LABOR MATTERS.  None of Seller or its Subsidiaries is a
party to nor bound by any collective bargaining agreement, contract or other
agreement or understanding with a labor union or labor organization, nor is it
the subject of a proceeding asserting that it has committed an unfair labor
practice (within the meaning of the National Labor Relations Act) or seeking to
compel it to bargain with any labor organization as to wages or conditions of
employment, nor is there any strike or other labor dispute involving it or, to
Seller's knowledge, threatened, nor to Seller's knowledge is there any activity
involving any employee of Seller or any of its Subsidiaries seeking to certify a
collective bargaining unit or engaging in other organizational activity.

                                          25
<PAGE>

              (r)    PROPERTIES.

                     (i)    Each of Seller and its Subsidiaries owns good and
       marketable title to all of the real property and all of the personal
       property, fixtures, furniture and equipment owned by it as reflected in
       the Latest Seller Balance Sheet (other than real property reflected in
       the Latest Seller Balance Sheet as OREO), free and clear of all liens and
       encumbrances, except for (A) mortgages on real property as Previously
       Disclosed, (B) encumbrances which do not materially affect the value of,
       or interfere with the past or future use or ability to convey, the
       property subject thereto or affected thereby, (C) liens for current taxes
       and special assessments not yet due and payable, (D) leasehold estates
       with respect to multi-tenant buildings owned by it, (E) mechanic's,
       materialman's and other liens imposed by operation of law, and
       (F) property disposed of since the date of the Latest Seller Balance
       Sheet in the ordinary course of business; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that no
       disposal of any fee interest in real property housing Seller branches,
       loan offices or offices engaged in Seller operations shall be considered
       to be in the ordinary course of business.

                     (ii)   Seller has previously made available to Acquirer
       complete and accurate copies of abstracts of each of the leases, setting
       forth the fundamental terms of each of such leases, of Seller or any of
       its Subsidiaries, including all amendments and modifications thereto
       (such leases, as amended and modified, the "Leases").  As of the date of
       this Agreement, the Leases are in full force and effect, and Seller or
       such Subsidiary, as applicable, has valid and existing leasehold
       interests under the Leases for the terms set forth therein.  With respect
       to the Leases, none of Seller or its Subsidiaries is in default, and, to
       Seller's knowledge, none of the other parties to any of the Leases is in
       default, and, to Seller's knowledge, no circumstances (not in the control
       of Seller) exist which could result in such a default under any of such
       Leases.

                     (iii)  The rent rolls previously made available to Acquirer
       are true and correct in all material respects and describe all
       occupancies and the material terms of each occupancy as of the dates
       thereof.

                     (iv)   All of the buildings, fixtures, furniture and
       equipment necessary for the conduct of the business of Seller and its
       Subsidiaries are in good condition and repair, ordinary wear and tear
       excepted, and are usable in the ordinary course of business.  Each of
       Seller and its Subsidiaries owns, or leases under valid leases, all
       buildings, fixtures, furniture, personal property, land improvements and
       equipment necessary for the conduct of its business as it is presently
       being conducted.

              (s)    ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS.  To Seller's knowledge, neither the
conduct nor operation of Seller or any of its Subsidiaries nor any condition of
any property presently or previously owned, leased or operated by it (including,
without limitation, in a fiduciary or agency capacity), violates or violated
Environmental Laws and to Seller's knowledge, no condition has existed or event
has occurred with respect to it or any such property that, with notice or the
passage of time, or both, is reasonably likely to result in liability under

                                          26
<PAGE>

Environmental Laws.  None of Seller or any of its Subsidiaries has received any
written notice from any Person that it or the operation or condition of any
property ever owned, leased, operated, or held as collateral or in a fiduciary
capacity by it is or was in violation of or otherwise is alleged to have
liability under any Environmental Law, including, but not limited to,
responsibility (or potential responsibility) for the cleanup or other
remediation of any pollutants, contaminants, or hazardous or toxic wastes,
substances or materials at, on, beneath, or originating from, any such property.
To Seller's knowledge, no Hazardous Substances (as defined below) have been
deposited or disposed of in, on or under Seller's or any Subsidiary's owned or
leased properties (including properties owned, managed or controlled by Seller
or any Subsidiary in connection with its lending or fiduciary operations).  As
used herein, the term "Environmental Law" means any federal, state or local law,
regulation, order, decree, permit, authorization, opinion, common law or agency
requirement relating to:

                     (i)    the protection or restoration of the environment,
       health, safety, or natural resources;

                     (ii)   the handling, use, presence, disposal, release or
       threatened release of any Hazardous Substance; or

                     (iii)  noise, odor, wetlands, indoor air, pollution,
       contamination or any injury or threat of injury to persons or property in
       connection with any Hazardous Substance.

As used herein, the term "Hazardous Substance" means any substance in any
concentration that is:

                     (i)    listed, classified or regulated pursuant to any
       Environmental Law;

                     (ii)   any petroleum product or by-product,
       asbestos-containing material, lead-containing paint or plumbing,
       polychlorinated biphenyls, radioactive materials or radon; or

                     (iii)  any other substance which is or may be the subject
       of regulatory action by any Governmental Authority in connection with any
       Environmental Law.

              (t)    TAX MATTERS.  Each of Seller and its Subsidiaries and all
members of any consolidated, affiliated, combined or unitary group of which
Seller or any of its Subsidiaries is a member have filed or will file all Tax
Returns required to be filed (taking into account permissible extensions) by
them on or prior to the Effective Time, and have paid (or have accrued or will
accrue, prior to the Effective Time, amounts for the payment of) all Taxes
relating to the time periods covered by such returns and reports.  The accrued
taxes payable accounts for Taxes reflected on the Latest Seller Balance Sheet
(or the notes thereto) are sufficient for the payment of all unpaid Taxes of
Seller and its Subsidiaries accrued for or applicable to all periods ended on or
prior to the date of the Latest Seller Balance Sheet or which may subsequently
be determined to be owing with respect to any such period. None of

                                          27
<PAGE>

Seller or its Subsidiaries has waived any statute of limitations with respect to
Taxes or agreed to any extension of time with respect to an assessment or
deficiency for Taxes.  Each of Seller and its Subsidiaries has paid or will pay
in a timely manner and as required by law all Taxes due and payable by it or
which it is obligated to withhold from amounts owing to any employee or third
party.  All Taxes which will be due and payable, whether now or hereafter, for
any period ending on or prior to the Effective Time, shall have been paid by or
on behalf of Seller and its Subsidiaries or shall be reflected on the books of
Seller and its Subsidiaries as an accrued Tax liability determined in a manner
which is consistent with past practices and the Latest Balance Sheets, without
taking account of the Merger.  There are no unresolved questions, claims or
disputes asserted by any relevant taxing authority concerning the liability for
Taxes of Seller or any of its Subsidiaries.  None of Seller or its Subsidiaries
has made an election under Section 341(f) of the Code for any taxable years not
yet closed for statute of limitations purposes.  In the five years prior to the
date of this Agreement, no demand or claim has been made against Seller or any
of its Subsidiaries with respect to any Taxes arising out of membership or
participation in any consolidated, affiliated, combined or unitary group of
which Seller or any of its Subsidiaries was at any time a member.   As of the
date hereof, Seller has no reason to believe that any conditions exist that
might prevent or impede the Merger from qualifying as a reorganization within
the meaning of Section 368 of the Code.

              (u)    RISK MANAGEMENT INSTRUMENTS.  All interest rate swaps,
caps, floors, option agreements, futures and forward contracts and other similar
risk management arrangements, whether entered into for Seller's or any of its
Subsidiaries' own account, or for the account of one or more of its customers
(all of which are listed on Seller's Disclosure Schedule), if any, were entered
into:

                     (i)    in accordance with prudent business practices and
       all applicable laws, rules, regulations and regulatory policies, and

                     (ii)   with counterparties believed to be financially
       responsible at the time;

and each of them constitutes the valid and legally binding obligation of the
other party thereto enforceable in accordance with its terms (except as
enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer and similar laws of general
applicability relating to or affecting creditors' rights generally or by general
equity principles) and is in full force and effect.  None of Seller or its
Subsidiaries, or to Seller's knowledge, any other party thereto, is in breach of
any of its obligations under any such agreement or arrangement.

              (v)    BOOKS AND RECORDS.  The books and records of each of Seller
and its Subsidiaries prepared on or after December 31, 1996, have been fully,
properly and accurately maintained in all material respects, and there are no
material inaccuracies or discrepancies of any kind contained or reflected
therein.

              (w)    LOAN PORTFOLIO.

                                          28
<PAGE>

                     (i)    None of Seller or its Subsidiaries is a party to any
       written or oral (A) loan agreement, note or borrowing arrangement
       (including, without limitation, leases, credit enhancements, commitments,
       guarantees and interest-bearing assets) reflected as an asset in the
       Seller's audited financial statements for the year ended December 31,
       1998 (collectively, "Loans"), other than Loans the unpaid unguaranteed
       principal balance of which does not exceed $500,000, under the terms of
       which the obligor was, as of December 31, 1998, over 90 days delinquent
       in payment of principal or interest, or (B) Loan with any director,
       executive officer or five percent or greater shareholder of Seller or any
       of its Subsidiaries, or to Seller's knowledge, any Person controlling,
       controlled by or under common control with any of the foregoing.
       Seller's Disclosure Schedule sets forth (x) all of the Loans with
       original unguaranteed principal amounts in excess of $100,000 of Seller
       or any of its Subsidiaries that as of December 31, 1998, were classified
       by any bank examiner (whether regulatory or internal) as "Other Loans
       Specially Mentioned", "Special Mention", "Substandard", "Doubtful",
       "Loss", "Classified", "Criticized", "Credit Risk Assets", "Concerned
       Loans", "Watch List" or words of similar import, together with the
       principal amount of each such Loan and the identity of the borrower
       thereunder, (y) by category of Loan (i.e., commercial, consumer, etc.),
       all of the other Loans of Seller or any of its Subsidiaries that as of
       December 31, 1998, were classified as such, together with the aggregate
       principal amount of such Loans by category and (z) each asset of Seller
       that as of December 31, 1998, was classified as "Other Real Estate Owned"
       and the book value thereof.

                     (ii)   The documentation relating to each Loan and relating
       to all security interests, mortgages and other liens with respect to all
       collateral for each such Loan, taken as a whole, is adequate for the
       enforcement of the material terms of each such Loan and of the related
       security interests, mortgages and other Liens.  The terms of each such
       Loan and of the related security interests, mortgages and other Liens
       comply in all material respects with all applicable laws, rules and
       regulations (including, without limitation, laws, rules and regulations
       relating to the extension of credit).

              (x)    INSURANCE.  Seller's Disclosure Schedule lists each
insurance policy maintained by Seller or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to
its properties and assets.  Prior to the date hereof, Seller has provided or
made available to Acquirer complete and accurate copies of each of the insurance
policies described on Seller's Disclosure Schedule.  All such insurance policies
are in full force and effect, and Seller is not in default with respect to its
obligations under any of such insurance policies.

                                          29
<PAGE>

              (y)    AFFILIATE TRANSACTIONS.  None of Seller or its Subsidiaries
nor any of their respective executive officers or directors, or, to Seller's
knowledge, any member of the immediate family of any such executive officer or
director (which for the purposes hereof shall mean a spouse, minor child or
adult child living at the home of any such executive officer or director), or,
to Seller's knowledge, any entity which any of such persons "controls" (within
the meaning of Regulation O of the FRB), has any agreement with Seller or any of
its Subsidiaries (other than employment arrangements or deposit account
relationships) or any interest in any property, real, personal or mixed,
tangible or intangible, used in or pertaining to the business of Seller or any
of its Subsidiaries.

              (z)    ADMINISTRATION OF FIDUCIARY ACCOUNTS.  Each of Seller and
its Subsidiaries has properly administered, in all respects material and which
could reasonably be expected to be material to the business, operations or
financial condition of Seller and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, all
accounts for which it acts as a fiduciary, including but not limited to accounts
for which it serves as a trustee, agent, custodian, personal representative,
guardian, conservator or investment advisor, in accordance with the terms of the
governing documents and applicable state and federal law and regulation and
common law.  None of Seller or its Subsidiaries nor any of their respective
officers or directors has committed any breach of trust with respect to any such
fiduciary account which is material to or could reasonably be expected to be
material to the business, operations or financial condition of Seller and its
Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, and the accountings for each such fiduciary
account are true and correct in all material respects and accurately reflect the
assets of such fiduciary account in all material respects.

              (aa)   MILLENNIUM COMPLIANCE.  All hardware and software, whether
embedded or otherwise, used or licensed for use in the business of Seller and
its Subsidiaries as presently conducted is Millennium Compliant or will be
Millennium Compliant by a date so that the business, operations or financial
condition of Seller and its Subsidiaries or the Surviving Corporation will not
be adversely affected.  Seller is undertaking all reasonable efforts necessary
to determine whether any third party with whom Seller has a material business
relationship has software that is Millennium Compliant and to replace all such
material business relationships where, in the judgment of Seller, software that
is Millennium Compliant is not present and will not be present in time to avoid
processing failures or errors that would have a detrimental  impact on such
third party that could be detrimental to Seller and its Subsidiaries or the
Surviving Corporation.

              As used in this Agreement, "Millennium Compliant" shall mean that
neither performance nor functionality is affected by data manipulation
concerning dates prior to, during, spanning, or after January 1, 2000, and shall
include, but not be limited to:  (i) accurately processing (including, but not
limited to, calculating, comparing and sequencing) date/time data from, into and
between the twentieth and twenty-first centuries and the years 1999 and 2000 and
leap year calculations; (ii) functioning without error, interruption, or
decreased performance relating to such date/time data; (iii) accurately
processing such date/time data when used in combination with other technology;
(iv) accurate date/time data century recognition; (v) calculations that
accurately use same century and multi-century

                                          30
<PAGE>

formulas and date/time values; (vi) date/time interface values that reflect the
correct century; and (vii) processing, storing, receiving and outputting all
date/time data in a format that accurately indicates the century of the
date/time data.

              (bb)   TAKEOVER LAWS.  Seller has taken all action required to be
taken by it in order to exempt this Agreement and the Seller Option Agreement
and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby from the requirements of
any applicable "moratorium", "control share", "fair price" or other
antitakeover laws and regulations of any state (collectively, "Takeover Laws").

       5.04   REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF ACQUIRER.  Subject to
Section 5.02, Acquirer hereby represents and warrants to Seller as follows:

              (a)    ORGANIZATION, STANDING AND AUTHORITY.  Acquirer is a
corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws
of the State of Delaware.  Acquirer is duly registered as a bank holding company
under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended.  Acquirer and each of
its Significant Subsidiaries is duly licensed and qualified to do business and
is in good standing in the states of the United States and any foreign
jurisdictions where its ownership or leasing of property or assets or the
conduct of its business requires it to be so licensed and qualified.  Acquirer
has in effect all federal, state, local, and foreign governmental authorizations
necessary for it to own or lease its properties and assets and to carry on its
business as it is now conducted.

              (b)    ACQUIRER CAPITAL STOCK.  As of the date of this Agreement,
the authorized capital stock of Acquirer consists solely of 1,500,000,000 shares
of Acquirer Common Stock and 50,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value
$1.00 per share ("Acquirer Preferred Stock").  As of March 31, 1999, there were
744,797,857 shares of Acquirer Common Stock and 56,539 shares of Acquirer
Preferred Stock issued and outstanding.  As of the date hereof, 18,428,964
shares of Acquirer Common Stock were held in treasury by Acquirer or otherwise
owned by Acquirer.  As of the date of this Agreement, no shares of Acquirer
Common Stock or Acquirer Preferred Stock were reserved for issuance, except that
60,090,134 shares of Acquirer Common Stock were reserved for issuance pursuant
to Acquirer's employee and director stock purchase and option plans and dividend
reinvestment plan, 89,108 shares were reserved for issuance under outstanding
warrants to purchase Acquirer Common Stock and 45,000,000 shares were reserved
for issuance upon exercise of the Periodic Stock Purchase Rights and Risk Event
Warrants of Acquirer.  As of March 31, 1999, 12,750 shares of Acquirer Preferred
Stock were reserved for issuance.  All of the issued and outstanding shares of
Acquirer Common Stock have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully
paid, nonassessable and free of preemptive rights, with no personal liability
attaching to the ownership thereof.  As of the date of this Agreement, except as
referred to above, Acquirer does not have any Rights issued or outstanding with
respect to any shares of Acquirer Common Stock or Acquirer Preferred Stock or
any other equity securities of Acquirer.  The shares of Acquirer Common Stock to
be issued pursuant to the Merger will be duly authorized and validly issued and,
at the Effective Time, all such shares will be fully paid, nonassessable and
free of preemptive rights, with no personal liability attaching to the ownership
thereof.

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<PAGE>

              (c)    CORPORATE POWER.  Each of Acquirer and its Subsidiaries has
the corporate power and authority to carry on its business as it is now being
conducted and to own all of its properties and assets; and Acquirer has the
corporate power and authority to execute, deliver and perform its obligations
under this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby.

              (d)    CORPORATE AUTHORITY.  This Agreement and the transactions
contemplated hereby have been authorized by all necessary corporate action of
each of Acquirer and the Acquirer Board on or prior to the date hereof and no
other corporate proceedings on the part of Acquirer are necessary to authorize
this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby.  This Agreement is a
valid and legally binding agreement of Acquirer, enforceable in accordance with
its terms (except as enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer and similar laws of
general applicability relating to or affecting creditors' rights or by general
equity principles).

              (e)    REGULATORY APPROVALS; NO DEFAULTS.

                     (i)    No consents or approvals of, or filings or
       registrations with, any Governmental Authority or any third party are
       required to be made or obtained by Acquirer or any of its Subsidiaries in
       connection with the execution, delivery or performance by Acquirer of
       this Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby
       except for: (A) any required filings of applications or notices with the
       FRB and the DFI; (B) filings with the SEC and state securities
       authorities and the approval of the listing on the NYSE of Acquirer
       Common Stock to be issued in the Merger; and (C) the filing of the
       agreement of merger and the certificate of merger as contemplated in
       Section 2.01(b). As of the date hereof, Acquirer is not aware of any
       reason why the approvals set forth in Section 7.01(b) will not be
       received.

                     (ii)   Subject to receipt of the regulatory approvals
       referred to in the preceding paragraph and the expiration of related
       waiting periods, and required filings under federal and state securities
       laws, the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the
       consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby do not and will not:

                            (A)    constitute a breach or violation of, or a
              default under, or give rise to any Lien, any acceleration of
              remedies or any right of termination under, any law, rule or
              regulation or any judgment, decree, order, governmental permit or
              license, or agreement, indenture or instrument of Acquirer or of
              any of its Subsidiaries or to which Acquirer or any of its
              Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties is subject or
              bound;

                            (B)    constitute a breach or violation of, or a
              default under, the certificate of incorporation or by-laws (or
              similar governing documents) of Acquirer or any of its
              Subsidiaries; or

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<PAGE>

                            (C)    require any consent or approval under any
              such law, rule, regulation, judgment, decree, order, governmental
              permit or license, agreement, indenture or instrument.

              (f)    FINANCIAL REPORTS AND SEC DOCUMENTS.  The SEC Documents of
Acquirer or any of its Subsidiaries, as of the date filed: (A) complied or will
comply in all material respects as to form with the applicable requirements
under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as the case may be, and (B) did
not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not misleading; and each of the balance sheets contained in or incorporated by
reference into any such SEC Document of Acquirer or any of its Subsidiaries,
including the related notes and schedules thereto, fairly presents and will
fairly present the financial position of the entity or entities to which it
relates as of its date, and each of the statements of income and changes in
shareholders' equity and cash flows or equivalent statements in such SEC
Documents of Acquirer or any of its Subsidiaries (including any related notes
and schedules thereto) fairly presents and will fairly present the results of
operations, changes in shareholders' equity and changes in cash flows, as the
case may be, of the entity or entities to which it relates for the periods to
which they relate, in each case in accordance with GAAP consistently applied
during the periods involved, except in each case as may be noted therein,
subject to normal year-end audit adjustments in the case of unaudited
statements.

              (g)    NO MATERIAL ADVERSE CHANGES.  Except as Previously
Disclosed, since December 31, 1998, no event has occurred or circumstance arisen
that, individually or taken together with all other facts, circumstances and
events (described in any paragraph of this Section 5.04 or otherwise), has had
or would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect with respect
to Acquirer and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

              (h)    TAX MATTERS.  As of the date hereof, Acquirer has no reason
to believe that any conditions exist that might prevent or impede the Merger
from qualifying as a reorganization within the meaning of Section 368 of the
Code.

              (i)    REGULATORY MATTERS.

                     (i) Since December 31, 1996, each of Acquirer and its
       Subsidiaries has filed each report or other filing that it was required
       to file with any federal or state banking or other applicable Regulatory
       Authorities having jurisdiction over it (together with all exhibits
       thereto, the "Acquirer Regulatory Reports").  As of their respective
       dates or as subsequently amended prior to the date hereof, each of the
       Acquirer Regulatory Reports was true and correct and complied with the
       requirements of the applicable form for each such Acquirer Regulatory
       Report.

                     (ii)   None of Acquirer or its Subsidiaries or any of their
       properties is a party to or is subject to any order, decree, agreement,
       memorandum of understanding or similar arrangement with, or a commitment
       letter or similar submission to, or extraordinary supervisory letter
       from, any Regulatory Authority.

                                          33
<PAGE>

                     (iii)  None of Acquirer or its Subsidiaries has been
       advised by any Regulatory Authority that such Regulatory Authority is
       contemplating issuing or requesting (or is considering the
       appropriateness of issuing or requesting) any such order, decree,
       agreement, memorandum of understanding, commitment letter, supervisory
       letter or similar submission.

              (j)    LITIGATION.  No litigation, claim or other proceeding
before any court or Governmental Authority is pending against Acquirer or any of
its Subsidiaries and, to Acquirer's knowledge, no such litigation, claim or
other proceeding has been threatened.  None of Acquirer or its Subsidiaries is
subject to any outstanding order, writ, injunction or decree.

              (k)    COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS; PERMITS.  Each of Acquirer and its
Subsidiaries:

                     (i)    is in compliance with all applicable federal, state,
       local and foreign statutes, laws, regulations, ordinances, rules,
       judgments, orders or decrees applicable thereto or to the employees
       conducting such businesses on behalf of Acquirer and its Subsidiaries;

                     (ii)   has all permits, licenses, authorizations, orders
       and approvals of, and has made all filings, applications and
       registrations with, all Governmental Authorities that are required in
       order to permit it to own or lease its properties and to conduct its
       businesses as presently conducted; all such permits, licenses,
       certificates of authority, orders and approvals are in full force and
       effect and, to Acquirer's knowledge, no suspension or cancellation of any
       of them is threatened; and

                     (iii)  is in compliance with the provisions of its articles
       of incorporation or association or similar governing document and its
       by-laws.

              (l)    MILLENNIUM COMPLIANCE.  All hardware and software, whether
embedded or otherwise, used or licensed for use in the business of Acquirer and
its Subsidiaries as presently conducted is Millennium Compliant or will be
Millennium Compliant by a date so that the business, operations or financial
condition of Acquirer and its Subsidiaries will not be adversely affected.
Acquirer is undertaking all reasonable efforts necessary to determine whether
any third party with whom Acquirer has a material business relationship has
software that is Millennium Compliant and to replace all such material business
relationships where, in the judgment of Acquirer, software that is Millennium
Compliant is not present and will not be present in time to avoid processing
failures or errors that would have a detrimental impact on such third party that
could be detrimental to Acquirer and its Subsidiaries.

                                          34
<PAGE>

                                    ARTICLE VI

                                     COVENANTS

       6.01   REASONABLE BEST EFFORTS.  Subject to the terms and conditions of
this Agreement, each of Seller and Acquirer agrees to use its reasonable best
efforts in good faith to take, or cause to be taken, all actions, and to do, or
cause to be done, all things necessary, proper or desirable, or advisable under
applicable laws, so as to permit consummation of the Merger as promptly as
practicable and otherwise to enable consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby and shall cooperate fully with the other party hereto to
that end.

       6.02   SHAREHOLDER APPROVAL.  Seller shall take, in accordance with
applicable law, applicable stock exchange or Nasdaq rules and the Seller
Articles and the Seller By-Laws, all action necessary to convene, an appropriate
meeting of shareholders of Seller to consider and vote upon (i) the approval of
the principal terms of this Agreement and (ii) any other matters required to be
approved by the shareholders of Seller for consummation of the Merger (including
any adjournment or postponement, the "Seller Meeting"), as promptly as
practicable after the Registration Statement is declared effective.  Seller
Board shall recommend such approval, and Seller shall take all reasonable lawful
action to solicit such approval by its shareholders.  The Seller Board may not
withdraw or modify its recommendation except as expressly permitted by Section
6.06(b).
 .
       6.03   REGISTRATION STATEMENT.

       (a)    REGISTRATION STATEMENT.  Acquirer and Seller agree to cooperate in
the preparation of a registration statement on Form S-4 or other applicable form
(the "Registration Statement") to be filed by Acquirer with the SEC in
connection with the issuance of Acquirer Common Stock in the Merger (including
the proxy statement and prospectus and other proxy solicitation materials of
Seller constituting a part thereof (the "Proxy Statement") and all related
documents). Seller agrees to file the Proxy Statement in preliminary form with
the SEC as soon as reasonably practicable, and Acquirer agrees to file the
Registration Statement with the SEC as soon as reasonably practicable after any
SEC comments with respect to the preliminary Proxy Statement are resolved. Each
of Seller and Acquirer agrees to use all reasonable efforts to cause the
Registration Statement to be declared effective under the Securities Act as
promptly as reasonably practicable after filing thereof. Acquirer also agrees to
use all reasonable efforts to obtain all necessary state securities law or "Blue
Sky" permits and approvals required to carry out the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement. Seller agrees to furnish to Acquirer all information
concerning Seller, its officers, directors and shareholders as may be reasonably
requested in connection with the foregoing.

                                          35
<PAGE>

       (b)    QUALITY OF INFORMATION.  Each of Seller and Acquirer agrees that
none of the information supplied or to be supplied by it for inclusion or
incorporation by reference in:

              (i)    the Registration Statement will, at the time the
       Registration Statement and each amendment or supplement thereto, if any,
       becomes effective under the Securities Act, contain any untrue statement
       of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be
       stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
       misleading, and

              (ii)   the Proxy Statement and any amendment or supplement thereto
       will, at the date of mailing to shareholders and at the time of the
       Seller Meeting, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit
       to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
       make the statements therein not misleading or any statement which, in the
       light of the circumstances under which such statement is made, will be
       false or misleading with respect to any material fact, or which will omit
       to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements
       therein not false or misleading or necessary to correct any statement in
       any earlier statement in the Proxy Statement or any amendment or
       supplement thereto.

       Each of Seller and Acquirer further agrees that if it shall become aware
prior to the Effective Date of any information furnished by it that would cause
any of the statements in the Proxy Statement to be false or misleading with
respect to any material fact, or that it has omitted to state any material fact
necessary to make the statements therein not false or misleading, it shall
promptly inform the other party thereof and to take the necessary steps to
correct the Proxy Statement.

       (c)    NOTICES REGARDING REGISTRATION.  Acquirer agrees to advise Seller,
promptly after Acquirer receives notice thereof, of the time when the
Registration Statement has become effective or any supplement or amendment has
been filed, of the issuance of any stop order or the suspension of the
qualification of Acquirer Common Stock for offering or sale in any jurisdiction,
of the initiation or threat of any proceeding for any such purpose, or of any
request by the SEC for the amendment or supplement of the Registration Statement
or for additional information.

       6.04   PRESS RELEASES.  Each of Seller and Acquirer agrees that it will
not, without the prior approval of the other party, issue any press release or
written statement for general circulation relating to the transactions
contemplated hereby, except as otherwise required by applicable law or
regulation or rules of the stock market where its securities are traded
(provided that the issuing party shall nevertheless provide the other party with
notice of, and the opportunity to review, any such press release or written
statement).

                                          36
<PAGE>

       6.05   ACCESS; INFORMATION.

       (a)    ACCESS.  Seller agrees that upon reasonable notice, it shall
afford Acquirer and Acquirer's officers, employees, counsel, accountants and
other authorized representatives, such access during normal business hours
throughout the period prior to the Effective Time to the books, records
(including, without limitation, tax returns and work papers of independent
auditors), properties, personnel and to such other information (including,
without limitation, Seller's or any of its Subsidiaries' Year 2000 contingency
plan) as Acquirer may reasonably request and, during such period, Seller shall
furnish promptly to Acquirer (i) a copy of each material report, schedule and
other document filed by it pursuant to the requirements of federal or state
securities or banking laws, and (ii) all other information concerning the
business, properties and personnel of it as Acquirer may reasonably request.
Seller shall not be required to provide access or to disclose information where
such access or disclosure would violate or prejudice the rights of its
customers, jeopardize any attorney-client privilege or contravene any law, rule,
regulation, order, judgment, decree, fiduciary duty or binding agreement entered
into prior to the date of this Agreement.  The parties hereto will make
appropriate substitute disclosure arrangements under circumstances in which the
restrictions of the preceding sentence apply.

       (b)    CONFIDENTIALITY.  All information furnished to Acquirer pursuant
to Section 6.05(a) shall be subject to, and Acquirer shall hold all such
information in confidence in accordance with, the provisions of the
confidentiality agreement dated April 14, 1999 (the "Confidentiality Agreement")
between Acquirer and Seller.  Seller shall have the same obligations to Acquirer
with respect to information furnished to Seller by Acquirer.

       (c)    INVESTIGATION.  No investigation by either party of the business
and affairs of the other party shall affect or be deemed to modify or waive any
representation, warranty, covenant or agreement in this Agreement, or the
conditions to either party's obligation to consummate the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.

       6.06   ACQUISITION PROPOSALS.

       (a)    Seller shall not, and shall cause its Subsidiaries and its and its
Subsidiaries' officers, directors, agents, advisors and affiliates not to,
solicit or encourage inquiries or proposals with respect to, or engage in any
negotiations concerning, or provide any confidential information to, or have any
discussions with, any person relating to, any Takeover Proposal.  Seller shall
immediately cease and cause to be terminated any activities, discussions or
negotiations conducted prior to the date of this Agreement with any parties
other than Acquirer with respect to any of the foregoing.  Seller shall promptly
(within 24 hours) advise Acquirer following the receipt by Seller of any
Takeover Proposal and the substance thereof (including the identity of the
person making such Takeover Proposal), and advise the Acquirer of any
developments with respect to such Takeover Proposal immediately upon the
occurrence thereof.  Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 6.06(a),
in the event that, prior to the date of the Seller Meeting, the Seller Board
determines in good faith and in conformity with the written advice of outside
counsel, after Seller has received an unsolicited Takeover Proposal that

                                          37
<PAGE>

is a Superior Proposal, that the failure to do so would result in a breach of
Seller Board's fiduciary duties to Seller's shareholders, Seller may, in
response to an unsolicited request therefor, furnish information with respect to
the Seller to, and enter into discussions with, the party making the Superior
Proposal pursuant to a customary confidentiality agreement.

       (b)    Except as expressly permitted by this Section 6.06(b), the Seller
Board may not (i) withdraw or modify, or propose publicly to withdraw or modify,
in a manner adverse to Acquirer, the approval or recommendation by the Seller
Board of the Merger or this Agreement, (ii) approve or recommend, or propose
publicly to approve or recommend, any Takeover Proposal, or (iii) cause or
authorize Seller to enter into any letter of intent, agreement in principle,
acquisition agreement or other similar agreement related to any Takeover
Proposal.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that prior to the date of
the Seller Meeting, the Seller Board determines in good faith, after the Seller
has received a Superior Proposal and in conformity with the written advice of
outside counsel, that failure to do so would result in a breach of its fiduciary
duties to the Seller's shareholders under applicable law, the Seller Board may
upon not less than three business days notice to Acquirer of Seller Board's
intention to do so withdraw or modify or propose publicly to withdraw or modify
its approval or recommendation of the Merger or this Agreement.  Such withdrawal
or modification shall not affect the Seller's obligation to convene the Seller
Meeting as required by Section 6.02.

       6.07   AFFILIATE AGREEMENTS.  Seller shall use its reasonable best
efforts to cause each director, executive officer and other Person who as of the
date of the Seller Meeting to Seller's knowledge is reasonably likely to be an
"affiliate" (for purposes of Rule 145 under the Securities Act) of Seller to
execute and deliver to Acquirer on or before the date of mailing of the Proxy
Statement a written agreement in the form of Exhibit B hereto.

       6.08   STOCK EXCHANGE LISTING.  Acquirer agrees to use its reasonable
best efforts to list, prior to the Effective Date, on the NYSE, subject to
official notice of issuance, the shares of Acquirer Common Stock to be issued to
the holders of Seller Common Stock in the Merger.

       6.09   REGULATORY APPLICATIONS.

       (a)    COOPERATION WITH FILINGS.  Seller and Acquirer and their
respective Subsidiaries shall cooperate and use their respective reasonable best
efforts (i) to prepare all documentation, to effect all filings and to obtain
all permits, consents, approvals and authorizations of all. third parties and
Regulatory Authorities necessary to consummate the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement, including, without limitation, any such approvals or
authorizations required by the FRB, the DFI and any other applicable Regulatory
Agencies and (ii) to cause the Merger to be consummated as expeditiously as
reasonably practicable. Provided Seller has cooperated as required above,
Acquirer agrees to file the requisite applications to be filed by it with the
FRB, the DFI and any other applicable Regulatory Agencies, as promptly as
reasonably practicable. Each of Acquirer and Seller shall have the right to
review in advance, and to the extent practicable each will consult with the
other, in each case subject to applicable laws relating to the exchange of
information, with respect to, all material written information submitted to any
third party or any Regulatory Authority in

                                          38
<PAGE>

connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. In exercising
the foregoing right, each of the parties hereto agrees to act reasonably and as
promptly as practicable. Each party hereto agrees that it will consult with the
other party hereto with respect to the obtaining of all material permits,
consents, approvals and authorizations of all third parties and Regulatory
Authorities necessary or advisable to consummate the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement and each party will keep the other party appraised of the
status of material matters relating to completion of the transactions
contemplated hereby.

       (b)    AGREEMENT TO FURNISH INFORMATION.  Each party agrees, upon
request, to furnish the other party with all information concerning itself, its
Subsidiaries, directors, officers and shareholders and such other matters as may
be reasonably necessary or advisable in connection with any filing, notice or
application made by or on behalf of such other party or any of its Subsidiaries
to any third party or Regulatory Authority.  Any such information that is not
ultimately included in any publicly available filing, notice or application
shall be kept confidential in accordance with Section 6.05(b).

       6.10   INDEMNIFICATION; DIRECTORS' AND OFFICERS' INSURANCE.

       (a)    INDEMNIFICATION BY ACQUIRER.  From and after the Effective Time,
Acquirer agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each present and former director
and officer of Seller and its Subsidiaries determined as of the Effective Time
(the "Indemnified Parties"), against any costs or expenses (including reasonable
attorneys' fees), judgments, fines, losses, claims, damages or liabilities
(collectively, "Costs") incurred in connection with any actual or threatened
claim, action, suit, proceeding or investigation, whether civil, criminal,
administrative or investigative, arising out of matters existing or occurring at
or prior to the Effective Time (including with respect to this Agreement or any
of the transactions contemplated hereby) to the fullest extent permitted by law.
Acquirer shall also advance expenses as incurred to the fullest extent permitted
under Delaware law, upon receipt of any undertaking required by applicable law.

       (b)    INDEMNIFICATION PROCEDURE.  Any Indemnified Party wishing to claim
indemnification under Section 6.10(a), upon learning of any such claim, action,
suit, proceeding or investigation, shall as promptly as possible notify Acquirer
thereof, but the failure to so notify shall not relieve Acquirer of any
liability it may have to such Indemnified Party if such failure does not
materially prejudice Acquirer. In the event of any such claim, action, suit,
proceeding or investigation (whether arising before or after the Effective
Time):

              (i)    Acquirer shall have the right to assume the defense thereof
       and Acquirer shall not be liable to such Indemnified Parties for any
       legal expenses of other counsel or any other expenses subsequently
       incurred by such Indemnified Parties in connection with the defense
       thereof, except that if Acquirer elects not to assume such defense or
       counsel for the Indemnified Parties advises in writing that there are
       issues which raise conflicts of interest between Acquirer and the
       Indemnified Parties, the Indemnified Parties may retain counsel
       satisfactory to them, and Acquirer shall pay the reasonable fees and
       expenses of one such counsel for the Indemnified Parties in any
       jurisdiction promptly as statements thereof are received;

                                          39
<PAGE>

              (ii)   the Indemnified Parties will cooperate in the defense of
       any such matter; and

              (iii)  Acquirer shall not be liable for any settlement effected
       without its prior written consent (which consent shall not be
       unreasonably withheld); and provided, further, that Acquirer shall not
       have any obligation hereunder to any Indemnified Party when and if a
       court of competent jurisdiction shall ultimately determine, and such
       determination shall have become final and nonappealable, that the
       indemnification of such Indemnified Party in the manner contemplated
       hereby is not permitted or is prohibited by applicable law.

       (c)    DIRECTORS' AND OFFICERS' LIABILITY INSURANCE.  For a period of six
years after the Effective Date, Acquirer shall use its best efforts to provide
that portion of directors' and officers' liability insurance that serves to
reimburse officers and directors of Seller or any of its Subsidiaries
(determined as of the Effective Time) with respect to claims against such
officers and directors arising from facts or events which occurred on or before
the Effective Time of at least the same coverage and amounts, and containing
terms and conditions no less advantageous, as that coverage currently provided
by Seller; provided, however, that in no event shall Acquirer be required to
expend more than 200% per annum of the current amount expended by Seller (the
"Insurance Amount") to maintain or procure such directors and officers insurance
coverage; provided, further, that if Acquirer is unable to obtain the insurance
called for by this Section 6.10(c), Acquirer shall use its reasonable best
efforts to obtain as much comparable insurance as is available for the Insurance
Amount; and provided, further, that officers and directors of Seller or any of
its Subsidiaries may be required to make application and provide customary
representations and warranties to Acquirer's insurance carrier for the purpose
of obtaining such insurance; and provided, further, that such coverage will have
a single aggregate for such six-year period in an amount not less than the
annual aggregate of such coverage currently provided by Seller.

       (d)    SUCCESSOR LIABILITY.  If Acquirer or any of its successors or
assigns (i) shall consolidate with or merge into any other corporation or entity
and shall not be the continuing or surviving corporation or entity of such
consolidation or merger or (ii) shall transfer all or substantially all of its
properties and assets to any individual, corporation or other entity, then and
in each such case, proper provision shall be made so that the successors and
assigns of Acquirer shall assume the obligations set forth in this Section 6.10.

       6.11   TAKEOVER LAWS; NO RIGHT TRIGGERED.

       (a)    No party shall take any action that would cause the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement and the Seller Option Agreement to be subject to
requirements imposed by any Takeover Law and each of them shall take all
necessary steps within its control to exempt (or ensure the continued exemption
of) the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Seller Option
Agreement from, or if necessary challenge the validity or applicability of, any
applicable Takeover Law, as now or hereafter in effect that purport to apply to
this Agreement, the Seller Option Agreement or the transactions contemplated
hereby or thereby.

                                          40
<PAGE>

       (b)    Seller shall take all reasonable steps necessary to ensure that
the entering into of this Agreement and the Seller Option Agreement, and the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby and any other
action or combination of actions, or any other transactions contemplated hereby
and thereby, do not and will not result in the grant of any rights to any Person
(i) under the Seller Articles or the Seller By-Laws or (ii) under any material
agreement to which it or any of its Subsidiaries is a party (except as expressly
contemplated by (A) the mandatory provisions under the Seller Plans or (B) the
Seller Option Agreement, as applicable).

       6.12   NOTIFICATION OF CERTAIN MATTERS.  Each of Seller and Acquirer
shall give prompt notice to the other of any fact, event or circumstance known
to it that:

              (i)    individually or taken together with all other facts, events
       and circumstances known to it, has had or is reasonably likely to have a
       Material Adverse Effect, or

              (ii)   would cause or constitute a material breach of any of its
       representations, warranties, covenants or agreements contained herein.

       6.13   CERTAIN LOANS AND RELATED MATTERS.  Seller will furnish to
Acquirer a complete and accurate list as of the end of each calendar month after
March 31, 1999, within 15 business days after the end of each such calendar
month, of (a) all of the periodic internal credit quality reports prepared
during such calendar month (which reports will be prepared in a manner
consistent with past practices) of Seller or any of its Subsidiaries, (b) all
loans of Seller or any of its Subsidiaries classified as non-accrual, as
restructured, as 90 days past due, as still accruing and doubtful of collection
or any comparable classification, (c) all OREO, including in-substance
foreclosures and real estate in judgment, (d) any current repurchase obligations
of Seller or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to any loans, loan
participations or state or municipal obligations or revenue bonds and (e) any
standby letters of credit issued by Seller or any of its Subsidiaries.

       6.14   MONTHLY FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.  Seller shall furnish Acquirer with
the balance sheets of Seller and each of its Subsidiaries as of the end of each
calendar month after March 31, 1999 and the related statements of income, within
15 business days after the end of each such calendar month.  Such financial
statements shall be prepared on a basis consistent with the SEC Documents and on
a consistent basis during the periods involved and shall fairly present the
financial positions of Seller and its Subsidiaries as of the dates thereof and
the results of operations of Seller and its Subsidiaries for the periods then
ended.

       6.15   ACCOUNTANTS' LETTERS. Each of Seller and Acquirer shall use its
best efforts to cause to be delivered to the other party, and such other party's
directors and officers who sign the Registration Statement, a letter or letters
from each party's independent auditors as are customarily required,
respectively, dated (i) the date on which the Registration Statement shall
become effective and (ii) a date shortly prior to the Effective Date, and
addressed to such other party, and such directors and officers, in form and
substance customary for "comfort" letters

                                          41
<PAGE>

delivered by independent accountants in accordance with Statement of Accounting
Standards No. 72.

       6.16   TAX MATTERS. Seller shall file (or cause to be filed) at its own
expense, on or prior to the due date, all Tax returns of Seller and its
Subsidiaries, including all Compensation and Benefit Plan returns and reports,
for all Tax periods ending on or before the Effective Time where the due date
for such returns or reports (taking into account valid extensions of the
respective due dates) falls on or before the Effective Time; PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
that Seller shall not file (and shall cause not to be filed) any such Tax
returns, or other returns, elections or information statements with respect to
any liabilities for Taxes (other than federal, state or local sales, use,
withholding or employment tax returns or statements), or consent to any
adjustment or otherwise compromise or settle any matters with respect to Taxes,
without prior consultation with Acquirer; PROVIDED, FURTHER, that Seller shall
not make (and shall cause not to be made) any election or take any other
discretionary position with respect to Taxes, in a manner inconsistent with past
practices, without the prior written approval of Acquirer.

       6.17   ESTABLISHMENT OF ACCRUALS.  If requested by Acquirer, on the
business day immediately prior to the Effective Time, Seller shall, consistent
with GAAP, establish such additional accruals and reserves as may be necessary
to conform its and its Subsidiaries accounting and credit loss reserve practices
and methods to those of Acquirer (as such practices and methods are to be
applied to Seller and its Subsidiaries from and after the Effective Time) and
reflect Acquirer's plans with respect to the conduct of Seller's and its
Subsidiaries' business following the Merger and to provide for the costs and
expenses relating to the consummation by Seller of the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement.  The establishment of such accruals and reserves shall not,
in and of itself, constitute a breach of any representation or warranty of
Seller contained in this Agreement or constitute a material adverse change in
the business, operations or financial condition of Seller and its Subsidiaries,
taken as a whole.

       6.18   COORDINATION OF DIVIDENDS.  Until the Effective Time, Seller shall
coordinate with Acquirer the declaration of any dividends or other distributions
with respect to the Seller Common Stock and the record dates and payment dates
relating thereto, it being the intention of the parties that holders of shares
of Seller Common Stock shall not receive more than one dividend, or fail to
receive one dividend, for any single calendar quarter on their shares of Seller
Common Stock (including any shares of Acquirer Common Stock received in exchange
therefor in the Merger).

       6.19   UPDATED DISCLOSURE SCHEDULE.  On a date 15 business days prior to
the Effective Date and on the Effective Date, Acquirer and Seller shall modify
their respective Disclosure Schedules to this Agreement for the purpose of
making the representations and warranties to which any such Disclosure Schedule
relates true and correct in all material respects as of such date, whether to
correct any misstatement or omission in any Schedule or to reflect any
additional information obtained by Acquirer or Seller subsequent to the date any
Disclosure Schedule was previously delivered.  Notwithstanding the foregoing,
the updated Disclosure Schedule shall not have the effect of making any
representation or warranty contained in this

                                          42
<PAGE>

Agreement true and correct in all material respects for purposes of
Sections 7.02(a) and 7.03(a) hereof.

       6.20   BENEFIT PLANS.

       (a)    Acquirer shall, for two years after the Effective Time, provide
former employees of Seller and its Subsidiaries who remain as employees of
Acquirer or the Surviving Corporation ("Continuing Employee") with compensation
and employee benefit plans no less favorable in the aggregate than those
provided to similarly situated employees of Acquirer.  From time to time after
the Effective Time, Acquirer may, at its sole discretion, discontinue all or any
Compensation and Benefit Plans maintained by Seller and its Subsidiaries for the
benefit of employees of the Seller and its Subsidiaries so long as it replaces
them with compensation and employee benefit plans of Acquirer as offered to
similarly situated employees of Acquirer and its Subsidiaries. If any employee
of Seller or its Subsidiaries becomes a participant in any employee benefit
plan, practice or policy of Acquirer or the Surviving Corporation, such employee
shall be given credit under such plan, practice or policy for all service with
Seller or its Subsidiaries from the employee's most recent date of hire by
Seller or its Subsidiaries (as provided by Seller to Acquirer prior to the
Effective Date) and prior to the Effective Time for purposes of eligibility and
vesting, but not for the purposes of determining benefit accruals or the rate of
benefit accruals, for which such service is taken into account or recognized,
provided that there be no duplication of such benefits as are provided under any
employee benefit plans, practices, or policies of Seller or any of its
Subsidiaries that continue in effect following the Effective Time.

       (b)    Acquirer shall pay to Continuing Employees the amounts payable
under Seller's incentive plans as Previously Disclosed for the year ended
December 31, 1999 in accordance with the terms thereof ("1999 Bonus Amounts").
Prior to the Effective Date, the Chief Executive Officer of Seller, after prior
consultation with Acquirer, shall determine the 1999 Bonus Amounts payable
pursuant to the terms of the applicable incentive plans of Seller.  Acquirer
shall also pay to employees of Seller and its Subsidiaries whose employment is
terminated by Acquirer or its Subsidiaries (other than by reason of such
employee's misconduct, nonperformance of duties or violations of other rules and
policies of Acquirer or its Subsidiaries, including confidentiality obligations)
after the Effective Time and prior to the date such 1999 Bonus Amounts have been
paid an amount equal to the 1999 Bonus Amount to which they would otherwise have
been entitled.  Such 1999 Bonus Amounts shall be paid upon such termination.

       (c)    Employees covered under Seller's Employee Severance Plan as of the
Effective  Date who are terminated by the Acquirer within 12 months after the
Effective Time shall be eligible for severance, if any, under the terms of
Seller's Employee Severance Plan except that the required release shall be in
the form and manner required by the Acquirer.  During such 12 month period, such
employees shall be excluded from coverage from Acquirer's severance plans or
programs but shall not be excluded from coverage under Acquirer's Change In
Control Severance Pay Programs provided such employees meet the coverage
requirements set forth in such Change In Control Severance Pay Programs.  If a
change in control of Acquirer occurs during such 12 month period said employees
will cease to be eligible for severance under

                                          43
<PAGE>

Seller's Employee Severance Plan if they are covered employees under Acquirer's
Change In Control Severance Pay Programs.

       (d)       Employees eligible for severance payments under Seller's
Executive Severance Plan shall be excluded from coverage from Acquirer's
severance plans or programs including Acquirer's Change In Control Severance Pay
Plan or Programs so long as such employee is covered by Seller's Executive
Severance Plan.  Acquirer further agrees that the "target bonus" for purposes of
the Executive Severance Plan shall mean the maximum target bonus payable under
the applicable incentive plan in the event that the applicable "target bonus" is
expressed as a range.  Schedule 6.20(d) sets forth the employees currently
covered by Seller's Executive Severance Plan.  Seller shall provide Acquirer
with an updated schedule of employees covered under Seller's Executive Severance
Plan prior to the Effective Date.

       (e)    This Section 6.20 is an agreement solely between Seller and
Acquirer.  Nothing in this Section 6.20, whether express or implied, shall be
considered to be a contract between Seller or Acquirer or any other person or
shall confer upon any employee of Seller or Acquirer or any other person, any
rights or remedies that such person did not already have including, but not
limited to (i) any right to employment or recall, (ii) any right to continued
employment of any specified person or (iii) any right to claim any particular
compensation, benefit or aggregation of benefits of any kind or nature
whatsoever.

                                    ARTICLE VII

                      CONDITIONS TO CONSUMMATION OF THE MERGER

       7.01   CONDITIONS TO EACH PARTY'S OBLIGATION TO EFFECT THE MERGER.  The
respective obligation of each of Acquirer and Seller to consummate the Merger is
subject to the fulfillment or written waiver by Acquirer and Seller prior to the
Effective Time of each of the following conditions:

              (a)    SHAREHOLDER APPROVAL.  The principal terms of this
Agreement and the Merger shall have been duly adopted by the requisite vote of
the shareholders of Seller.

              (b)    REGULATORY APPROVALS.  All regulatory approvals required to
consummate the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby shall have
been obtained and shall remain in full force and effect and all statutory
waiting periods in respect thereof shall have expired.

              (c)    NO INJUNCTION.  No Governmental Authority of competent
jurisdiction shall have enacted, issued, promulgated, enforced or entered any
statute, rule or regulation, or any judgment, decree, injunction or other order
(whether temporary, preliminary or permanent) (an "Injunction") which is in
effect and prohibits consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.

              (d)    REGISTRATION STATEMENT; NYSE.  The Registration Statement
shall have become effective under the Securities Act and no stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the

                                          44
<PAGE>

Registration Statement shall have been issued and no proceedings for that
purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by the SEC.  The Acquirer Common
Stock to be issued in the Merger shall have been approved for listing on the
NYSE, subject to official notice of issuance.

              (e)    BLUE SKY APPROVALS.  All permits and other authorizations
under state securities laws necessary to consummate the transactions
contemplated hereby and to issue the shares of Acquirer Common Stock to be
issued in the Merger shall have been received and be in full force and effect.

              (f)    NO PENDING GOVERNMENTAL ACTIONS.  No proceeding initiated
by any Governmental Authority seeking an Injunction shall be pending.

       7.02   CONDITIONS TO OBLIGATION OF SELLER.  The obligation of Seller to
consummate the Merger is also subject to the fulfillment or written waiver by
Seller prior to the Effective Time of each of the following conditions:

              (a)    REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES.  (i) Subject to
Section 5.02, the representations and warranties of Acquirer set forth in this
Agreement shall be true and correct as of the date of this Agreement and as of
the Effective Date as though made on and as of the Effective Date (except that
representations and warranties that by their terms speak only as of the date of
this Agreement or some other date shall be true and correct as of such date);
and (ii) Seller shall have received a certificate, dated the Effective Date,
signed on behalf of Acquirer by the Chief Financial Officer of Acquirer to such
effect.

              (b)    PERFORMANCE OF OBLIGATIONS OF ACQUIRER.  Acquirer shall
have performed in all material respects all obligations required to be performed
by it under this Agreement at or prior to the Effective Time, and Seller shall
have received a certificate, dated the Effective Date, signed on behalf of
Acquirer by the Chief Financial Officer of Acquirer to such effect.

              (c)    OPINION OF SELLER'S COUNSEL.  Seller shall have received an
opinion from Irell & Manella LLP, counsel to Seller, dated as of the Effective
Time, substantially to the effect that, on the basis of the facts,
representations and assumptions set forth in such opinion which are consistent
with the state of facts existing at the Effective Time, the Merger will be
treated for Federal income tax purposes as a reorganization within the meaning
of Section 368(a) of the Code and that accordingly:

                     (i)    No gain or loss will be recognized by Acquirer or
       Seller as a result of the Merger;

                                          45
<PAGE>

                     (ii)   No gain or loss will be recognized by the
       shareholders of Seller who exchange their Seller Common Stock for
       Acquirer Common Stock pursuant to the Merger (except with respect to cash
       received in lieu of a fractional share interest in Acquirer Common
       Stock);

                     (iii)  The tax basis of the Acquirer Common Stock received
       by the shareholders who exchange all of their Seller Common Stock in the
       Merger will be the same as the tax basis of the Seller Common Stock
       surrendered in exchange therefor; and

                     (iv)   The holding period of the Acquirer Common Stock
       received by a shareholder of Seller pursuant to the Merger will include
       the period during which the Seller Common Stock surrendered therefor was
       held, provided the Seller Common Stock is a capital asset in the hands of
       the shareholder of Seller at the time of the Merger.

       In rendering such opinion, such counsel may require and rely upon
representations and covenants including those contained in certificates of
officers of Acquirer, Seller and others.

              (d)    MATERIAL ADVERSE CHANGE.  Since the date of this Agreement,
there shall have been no material adverse change in, and no event, occurrence or
development in the business of Acquirer or any of its Subsidiaries that, taken
together with other events, occurrences and developments with respect to such
business, would have or would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect with respect to Acquirer and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

       7.03   CONDITIONS TO OBLIGATION OF ACQUIRER.  The obligation of Acquirer
to consummate the Merger is also subject to the fulfillment or written waiver by
Acquirer prior to the Effective Time of each of the following conditions:

              (a)    REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES.  (i) Subject to
Section 5.02, the representations and warranties of Seller set forth in this
Agreement shall be true and correct as of the date of this Agreement and as of
the Effective Date as though made on and as of the Effective Date (except that
representations and warranties that by their terms speak only as of the date of
this Agreement or some other date  shall be true and correct as of such date);
and (ii) Acquirer shall have received a certificate, dated the Effective Date,
signed on behalf of Seller by the Chief Financial Officer of Seller to such
effect.

              (b)    PERFORMANCE OF OBLIGATIONS OF SELLER.  Seller shall have
performed in all material respects all obligations required to be performed by
it under this Agreement at or prior to the Effective Time; provided that Seller
shall have performed its agreements contained in Sections 4.01(c) and (d) in all
respects; and Acquirer shall have received a certificate, dated the Effective
Date, signed on behalf of Seller by the Chief Financial Officer of Seller to
such effect.

                                          46
<PAGE>

              (c)    OPINION OF ACQUIRER'S COUNSEL.  Acquirer shall have
received an opinion from Dorsey & Whitney LLP, Minneapolis, Minnesota, counsel
to Acquirer, dated as of the Effective Time, substantially to the effect that,
on the basis of the facts, representations and assumptions set forth in such
opinion which are consistent with the state of facts existing at the Effective
Time, the Merger will be treated for Federal income tax purposes as a
reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code and that
accordingly:

                     (i)    No gain or loss will be recognized by Acquirer or
       Seller as a result of the Merger;
                     (ii)   No gain or loss will be recognized by the
       shareholders of Seller who exchange their Seller Common Stock for
       Acquirer Common Stock pursuant to the Merger (except with respect to cash
       received in lieu of a fractional share interest in Acquirer Common
       Stock);

                     (iii)  The tax basis of the Acquirer Common Stock received
       by the shareholders of Seller who exchange all of their Seller Common
       Stock in the Merger will be the same as the tax basis of the Seller
       Common Stock surrendered in exchange therefor; and

                     (iv)   The holding period of the Acquirer Common Stock
       received by a shareholder of Seller pursuant to the Merger will include
       the period during which the Seller Common Stock surrendered therefor was
       held, provided the Seller Common Stock is a capital asset in the hands of
       the shareholder of Seller at the time of the Merger.

       In rendering such opinion, such counsel may require and rely upon
representations and covenants including those contained in certificates of
officers of Acquirer, Seller, and others.

              (d)    MATERIAL ADVERSE CHANGE.  Since the date of this Agreement,
there shall have been no material adverse change in, and no event, occurrence or
development in the business of Seller or any of its Subsidiaries that, taken
together with other events, occurrences and developments with respect to such
business, would have or would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect with respect to Seller and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

                                    ARTICLE VIII

                                    TERMINATION

       8.01   TERMINATION.  This Agreement may be terminated, and the Merger may
be abandoned, whether before or after approval of the matters presented in
connection with the Merger by the shareholders of Seller.

                                          47
<PAGE>

              (a)    MUTUAL CONSENT.  At any time prior to the Effective Time,
by the mutual consent of Acquirer and Seller.

              (b)    BREACH.  At any time prior to the Effective Time, by
Acquirer or Seller, upon written notice to the other party, in the event of
either:

                     (i)    a breach by the other party of any representation or
       warranty contained herein (subject to the standard set forth in Section
       5.02), which breach cannot be or has not been cured within 30 days after
       the giving of written notice to the breaching party of such breach, or

                     (ii)   a breach by the other party of any of the covenants
       or agreements contained herein, which breach cannot be or has not been
       cured within 30 days after the giving of written notice to the breaching
       party of such breach, provided that such breach (whether under (i) or
       (ii)) individually or in the aggregate with other breaches, has had or is
       reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the breaching
       party.

              (c)    DELAY.  At any time prior to the Effective Time, by
Acquirer or Seller, in the event that the Merger is not consummated by December
31, 1999, except to the extent that the failure of the Merger then to be
consummated arises out of or results from the failure of the party seeking to
terminate pursuant to this Section 8.01(c) to perform or observe the covenants
and agreements of such party set forth herein.

              (d)    NO APPROVAL.  By Seller or Acquirer, in the event:

                     (i)    the approval of any Governmental Authority required
       for consummation of the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by
       this Agreement shall have been denied by final nonappealable action of
       such Governmental Authority, or

                     (ii)   the shareholder approval required by Section 7.01(a)
       herein is not obtained at the Seller Meeting.

              (e)    FAILURE TO RECOMMEND, ETC.  At any time prior to the Seller
Meeting, by Acquirer if the Seller Board shall have failed to make its
recommendation referred to in Section 6.02, withdrawn such recommendation or
modified or changed such recommendation in a manner adverse in any respect to
the interests of Acquirer.

              (f)    FAILURE OF CONDITION. By either Acquirer or Seller, if any
of the conditions to such party's obligation to consummate the transactions
contemplated in this Agreement shall have become impossible to satisfy.

                                          48
<PAGE>

              (g)    SELLER OPTION AGREEMENT.  By Acquirer, at any time after
6:00 a.m. New York City time on May 20, 1999, if the Seller Option Agreement
shall not have been executed and delivered by Seller to Acquirer prior to such
termination.

              (h)    ACQUIRER SIGNIFICANT STOCK DECLINE.  By Seller, on either
of the two trading days immediately after the Twenty Day Calculation Period (as
defined below), if both of the following conditions are satisfied:

                     (i)    the average of the daily closing prices of a share
       of Acquirer Common Stock as reported on the consolidated tape of the NYSE
       during the Twenty Day Calculation Period (the "Acquirer Average Price")
       is less than $28.38; and

                     (ii)   the number obtained by dividing the Acquirer Average
       Price by $35.4792 is less than the number obtained by dividing the Final
       Index Price (as defined below) by the Initial Index Price (as defined
       below) and subtracting .20 from such quotient;

PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that Seller shall not be permitted to terminate this
Agreement pursuant to the provisions of this Section 8.01(h) if Acquirer agrees
to adjust the Exchange Ratio in such a manner as to provide the shareholders of
Seller with Merger Consideration per share of Seller Common Stock with a value
(using the Acquirer Average Price) greater than or equal to $36.80. For purposes
of this Section 8.01(h):

                            (a)    The "Index Group" shall mean all of those
              companies listed on Schedule 8.01(h), the common stock of which is
              publicly traded and as to which there is no pending publicly
              announced proposal at any time during the Twenty Day Calculation
              Period for such company to be acquired.  In the event that any
              such company or companies are so removed from the Index Group, the
              weights attributed to the remaining companies shall be adjusted
              proportionately.

                            (b)    The "Initial Index Price" shall mean the
              weighted average (weighted in accordance with the factors listed
              on Schedule 8.01(h)) of the closing prices for the period from and
              including May 6, 1999 to and including May 18, 1999 of the
              companies comprising the Index Group.

                            (c)    The "Final Price" of any company belonging to
              the Index Group shall mean the average of the daily closing sale
              prices of a share of common stock of such company, as reported on
              the consolidated transaction reporting system for the market or
              exchange on which such common stock is principally traded, during
              the Twenty Day Calculation Period.

                            (d)    The "Final Index Price" shall mean the
              weighted average (weighted in accordance with the factors listed
              on Schedule 8.01(h)) of the Final Prices for all of the companies
              comprising the Index Group.

                                          49
<PAGE>

                            (e)    The "Twenty Day Calculation Period" shall
              mean the 20 consecutive trading days ending at the end of the
              third business day prior to the Effective Date.

                            (f)    If Acquirer or any company belonging to the
              Index Group declares a stock dividend or effects a
              reclassification, recapitalization, split-up, combination,
              exchange of shares or similar transaction between the date of this
              Agreement and the date  three days prior to the Effective Date,
              the closing prices for the common stock of such company shall be
              appropriately adjusted for the purposes of the definitions above
              so as to be comparable to the price on the date of this Agreement.

       8.02   EFFECT OF TERMINATION AND ABANDONMENT.  In the event of
termination of this Agreement and the abandonment of the Merger pursuant to this
Article VIII, no party to this Agreement shall have any liability or further
obligation to any other party hereunder except (i) as set forth in Sections 8.03
and 9.01, and (ii) that termination will not relieve a breaching party from
liability for any willful breach of this Agreement giving rise to such
termination; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that any termination shall not affect the Seller
Option Agreement.

       8.03   TERMINATION EXPENSES.

       (a)    In the event of termination of this Agreement and the abandonment
of the Merger at any time (a) by Acquirer pursuant to Sections 8.01(b), 8.01(e)
or 8.01(g) or (b) by Acquirer or Seller pursuant to Section 8.01(d)(ii) as a
result of the failure to receive the shareholder approval at the Seller Meeting
contemplated by Section 6.02 (but only in the event that it shall have been
publicly announced that any Person (other than Acquirer) shall have made, or
disclosed an intention to make, a Takeover Proposal) and in order to compensate
Acquirer for the expenses associated with the negotiation of this Agreement and
the other matters contemplated hereby, Seller shall, within one business day
following such termination, pay Acquirer a fee of $5,000,000 in immediately
available funds.  Acquirer's right to receive such fee, and ability to enforce
the provisions of this Section 8.03(a), shall not be subject to approval by the
shareholders of Seller.  Upon and after payment of such fee to Acquirer, Seller
shall not have any liability to Acquirer for any breach (including a willful
breach) by Seller specified in Section 8.01(b).

       (b)    In the event of termination of this Agreement and the abandonment
of the Merger at any time by Seller pursuant to Section 8.01(b) and in order to
compensate Seller for the expenses associated with the negotiation of this
Agreement and the other matters contemplated hereby, Acquirer shall, within one
business day following such termination, pay Seller a fee of $5,000,000 in
immediately available funds.  Seller's right to receive such fee, and ability to
enforce the provisions of this Section 8.03(b), shall not be subject to approval
by the shareholders of Acquirer.  Upon and after payment of such fee to Seller,
Acquirer shall not have any liability to Seller for any breach (other than a
willful breach) by Acquirer specified in Section 8.01(b).

                                          50
<PAGE>

                                     ARTICLE IX

                                   MISCELLANEOUS

       9.01   SURVIVAL.  No representations, warranties, agreements and
covenants contained in this Agreement shall survive the Effective Time (other
than those covenants and agreements which by their terms apply in whole or in
part after the Effective Time, and this Article IX which shall survive the
Effective Time) or the termination of this Agreement (other than Sections
6.05(b), 8.02 and 8.03, and this Article IX, each of which shall survive such
termination).

       9.02   WAIVER; AMENDMENT.

       (a)    At any time prior to the Effective Time, each of the parties
hereto, by action taken or authorized by its Board of Directors, may, to the
extent legally allowed, (i) extend the time for the performance of any of the
obligations or other acts of the other party hereto, (ii) waive any inaccuracies
in the representations and warranties of the other party contained herein or in
any document delivered pursuant hereto and (iii) waive compliance with any of
the agreements or conditions of the other party contained herein.  Any agreement
on the part of a party hereto to any such extension or waiver shall be valid
only if set forth in a written instrument signed on behalf of such party, but
such extension or waiver or failure to insist on strict compliance with an
obligation, covenant, agreement or condition shall not operate as a waiver of,
or estoppel with respect to, any subsequent or other failure.

       (b)    Prior to the Effective Time, any provision of this Agreement may
be amended or modified at any time, by an agreement in writing between the
parties hereto executed in the same manner as this Agreement, except that after
the Seller Meeting, this Agreement may not be amended if it would violate the
CGCL or reduce the amount or change the form of the consideration to be received
by Seller shareholders in the Merger.

       9.03   COUNTERPARTS.  This Agreement may be executed in one or more
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to constitute an original.

       9.04   GOVERNING LAW; WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL.  This Agreement shall be
governed by, and interpreted in accordance with, the laws of the State of
Delaware applicable to contracts made and to be performed entirely within such
State (except to the extent that mandatory provisions of Federal law apply).
Each of the parties hereto irrevocably waives any and all right to trial by jury
in any legal proceeding arising out of or related to this Agreement or the
transactions contemplated thereby.

       9.05   EXPENSES.  Except as otherwise provided in Section 8.03 hereof,
each party hereto will bear all expenses incurred by it in connection with this
Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby.

                                          51
<PAGE>

       9.06   NOTICES.  All notices, requests and other communications hereunder
to a party shall be in writing and shall be deemed given if personally
delivered, telecopied (with confirmation) or mailed by registered or certified
mail (return receipt requested) to such party at its address set forth below or
such other address as such party may specify by notice to the parties hereto.

       If to Seller, to:                         Western Bancorp
                                   4100 Newport Place
                                   Suite 900
                                   Newport Beach, California 92660
                                   Attention:  Julius G. Christensen, Esq.
                                   Facsimile:  (949) 757-5844
       With a copy to:             Irell & Manella LLP
                                   333 South Hope Street, Suite 3300
                                   Los Angeles, California  90071-3042
                                   Attention:  Ken Ikari, Esq.
                                   Facsimile:  (213) 229-0515

       If to Acquirer, to:         U.S. Bancorp
                                   U.S. Bank Place
                                   601 Second Avenue South
                                   Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402
                                   Attention: Lee R. Mitau, Esq.
                                   Facsimile:  (612) 973-4333

       With a copy to:             Dorsey & Whitney LLP
                                   Pillsbury Center South
                                   220 South Sixth Street
                                   Minneapolis, Minnesota  55402-1498
                                   Attention:   Jay L. Swanson, Esq.
                                   Elizabeth C. Hinck, Esq.
                                   Facsimile:  (612) 340-8738

       9.07   ENTIRE UNDERSTANDING; NO THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARIES.  This
Agreement represents the entire understanding of the parties hereto with
reference to the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby and this Agreement
supersedes any and all other oral or written agreements heretofore made, in each
case other than the Seller Option Agreement and the Confidentiality Agreement.
Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, nothing in this Agreement is
intended to confer upon any Person, other than the parties hereto or their
respective successors, any rights, remedies, obligations or liabilities under or
by reason of this Agreement.

                                          52
<PAGE>

       9.08   INTERPRETATION; EFFECT.  When a reference is made in this
Agreement to Sections, Exhibits or Schedules, such reference shall be to a
Section of, or Exhibit or Schedule to, this Agreement unless otherwise
indicated. The table of contents and headings contained in this Agreement are
for reference purposes only and are not part of this Agreement. Whenever the
words "include," "includes" or "including" are used in this Agreement, they
shall be deemed to be followed by the words "without limitation."  The phrases
"the date of this Agreement", "the date hereof" and terms of similar import,
unless the context otherwise requires, shall be deemed to refer to May 19, 1999.

       9.09   ENFORCEMENT OF AGREEMENT.  The parties hereto agree that
irreparable damage would occur in the event that the provisions contained in
Section 6.05(b) of this Agreement were not performed in accordance with their
respective specific terms or were otherwise breached.  It is accordingly agreed
that the parties shall be entitled to an injunction or injunctions to prevent
breaches of Section 6.05(b) of this Agreement and to enforce specifically the
terms and provisions thereof in any court of the United States or any state
having jurisdiction, this being in addition to any other remedy to which they
are entitled at law or in equity.
       IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
executed in counterparts by their duly authorized officers, all as of the day
and year first above written.

                                        WESTERN BANCORP



                                        By       /s/  Matthew P. Wagner
                                             ----------------------------------

                                        Name:  Matthew P. Wagner

                                        Title:  President and Chief Executive
                                                Officer


                                        U.S. BANCORP



                                        By   /s/  Susan E. Lester
                                             ----------------------------------

                                        Name:  Susan E. Lester

                                        Title:  Executive Vice President and
                                                Chief Financial Officer

                                          53


<PAGE>

                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.2

                               STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT


    STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT, dated as of May 19, 1999, between U.S. BANCORP,  a
Delaware corporation ("Grantee"), and WESTERN BANCORP, a California corporation
("Issuer").

                                    WITNESSETH:

       WHEREAS, Grantee and Issuer have entered into an Agreement and Plan of
Merger (the "Merger Agreement") immediately prior to the execution and delivery
hereof;

       WHEREAS, as a condition and inducement to Grantee's execution of the
Merger Agreement and pursuit of the transactions contemplated thereby and in
consideration therefor, Issuer has agreed to grant Grantee the Option (as
hereinafter defined); and

       WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of Issuer has approved the grant of the
Option and the Merger Agreement on or prior to the date hereof:

       NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual
covenants and agreements set forth herein and in the Merger Agreement, the
parties hereto agree as follows:

       1.     (a)    Issuer hereby grants to Grantee an unconditional,
irrevocable option (the "Option") to purchase, subject to the terms hereof, up
to an aggregate of 4,201,049 fully paid and non-assessable shares of the common
stock, no par value, of Issuer ("Common Stock") at a price per share equal to
the last reported sale price per share of Common Stock as reported on the Nasdaq
National Market System on May 17, 1999; provided, however, that in the event
Issuer issues or agrees to issue any shares of Common Stock at a price less than
such last reported sale price per share (as adjusted pursuant to subsection (b)
of Section 5) other than as permitted by the Merger Agreement, such price shall
be equal to such lesser price (such price, as adjusted if applicable, the
"Option Price"); provided, further, however, that in no event shall the number
of shares for which this Option is exercisable exceed 19.9% of the issued and
outstanding shares of Common Stock.  The number of shares of Common Stock that
may be received upon the exercise of the Option and the Option Price are subject
to adjustment as herein set forth.

              (b)    In the event that any additional shares of Common Stock are
issued or otherwise become outstanding after the date of this Agreement (other
than pursuant to this Agreement and other than pursuant to an event described in
Section 5(a)), the number of shares of Common Stock subject to the Option shall
be increased so that, after such issuance, such number together with any shares
of Common Stock previously issued pursuant hereto, equals 19.9% of the number of
shares of Common Stock then issued and outstanding without giving effect to any
shares subject or issued pursuant to the Option.  Nothing contained in this
Section 1(b) or elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed to authorize Issuer
or Grantee to breach any provision of the Merger Agreement.

       2.     (a)    The Holder (as hereinafter defined) may exercise the
Option, in whole or part, if, but only if, both an Initial Triggering Event (as
hereinafter defined) and a Subsequent Triggering Event (as hereinafter defined)
shall have occurred prior to the occurrence of an Exercise Termination Event (as
hereinafter defined), provided that the Holder shall have sent the written
notice of such exercise (as provided in subsection (e) of this Section 2) within
six months following the occurrence of the Subsequent Triggering Event (or such
later period as provided in Section 10).  Each of the following shall be an
Exercise Termination Event:  (i) the Effective Time of the Merger; (ii)
termination of the Merger Agreement in accordance with the provisions thereof if
such termination occurs prior to the occurrence of an Initial Triggering Event
except a termination by Grantee pursuant to Section 8.01(b) of the Merger
Agreement (unless the breach by Issuer giving rise to such right of termination
is non-volitional); or (iii) the

                                          1
<PAGE>

passage of 18 months (or such longer period as provided in Section 10) after
termination of the Merger Agreement if such termination is concurrent with or
follows the occurrence of an Initial Triggering Event or is a termination by
Grantee pursuant to Section 8.01(b) of the Merger Agreement (unless the breach
by Issuer giving rise to such right of termination is non-volitional).  The term
"Holder" shall mean the holder or holders of the Option.  Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained herein, (i) the Option may not be exercised
at any time when Grantee shall be in material breach of any of its covenants or
agreements contained in the Merger Agreement such that Issuer shall be entitled
to terminate the Merger Agreement pursuant to Section 8.01(b) thereof and (ii)
this Agreement shall automatically terminate upon the termination of the Merger
Agreement by Issuer pursuant to Section 8.01(b) thereof as a result of the
breach by Grantee of its covenants or agreements contained in the Merger
Agreement.

              (b)    The term "Initial Triggering Event" shall mean any of the
following events or transactions occurring on or after the date hereof:

                     (i)    Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries (as hereinafter
       defined) (each an "Issuer Subsidiary"), without having received Grantee's
       prior written consent, shall have entered into an agreement to engage in
       an Acquisition Transaction (as hereinafter defined) with any person (the
       term "person" for purposes of this Agreement having the meaning assigned
       thereto in Sections 3(a)(9) and 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act
       of 1934, as amended (the "1934 Act"), and the rules and regulations
       thereunder) other than Grantee or any of its Subsidiaries (each a
       "Grantee Subsidiary") or the Board of Directors of Issuer (the "Issuer
       Board") shall have recommended that the shareholders of Issuer approve or
       accept any Acquisition Transaction other than as contemplated by the
       Merger Agreement or this Agreement.  For purposes of this Agreement, (a)
       "Acquisition Transaction" shall mean (x) a merger or consolidation, or
       any similar transaction, involving Issuer or any Significant Subsidiary
       (as defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X promulgated by the Securities
       and Exchange Commission (the "SEC")) of Issuer (other than mergers,
       consolidations or similar transactions involving solely Issuer and/or one
       or more wholly owned Issuer Subsidiaries, provided, that any such
       transaction is not entered into in violation of the terms of the Merger
       Agreement), (y) a purchase, lease or other acquisition of all or
       substantially all of the assets or deposits of Issuer or any Significant
       Subsidiary of Issuer, or (z) a purchase or other acquisition (including
       by way of merger, consolidation, share exchange or otherwise) of
       securities representing 10% or more of the voting power of Issuer or any
       Significant Subsidiary of Issuer and (b) "Subsidiary" shall have the
       meaning set forth in Rule 12b-2 under the 1934 Act;

                     (ii)   Any person other than Grantee or any Grantee
       Subsidiary shall have acquired beneficial ownership or the right to
       acquire beneficial ownership of 10% or more of the outstanding shares of
       Common Stock (the term "beneficial ownership" for purposes of this
       Agreement having the meaning assigned thereto in Section 13(d) of the
       1934 Act, and the rules and regulations thereunder);

                                          2
<PAGE>

                     (iii)  The shareholders of Issuer shall have voted and
       failed to approve the Merger Agreement and the Merger at a meeting which
       has been held for that purpose or any adjournment or postponement
       thereof, or such meeting shall not have been held in violation of the
       Merger Agreement or shall have been cancelled prior to termination of the
       Merger Agreement if, in each such case, prior to such meeting (or if such
       meeting shall not have been held or shall have been cancelled, prior to
       such termination), it shall have been publicly announced that any person
       (other than Grantee or any of its Subsidiaries) shall have made, or
       disclosed an intention to make, a proposal to engage in an Acquisition
       Transaction;

                     (iv)   The Issuer Board shall have withdrawn or modified
       (or publicly announced its intention to withdraw or modify) in any manner
       adverse to Grantee its recommendation that the shareholders of Issuer
       approve the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, or Issuer
       or any Issuer Subsidiary, without having received Grantee's prior written
       consent, shall have authorized, recommended, proposed (or publicly
       announced its intention to authorize, recommend or propose) an agreement
       to engage in an Acquisition Transaction with any person other than
       Grantee or a Grantee Subsidiary;

                     (v)    Any person other than Grantee or any Grantee
       Subsidiary shall have made a non-frivolous proposal to Issuer or its
       shareholders to engage in an Acquisition Transaction and such proposal
       shall have been publicly announced;

                     (vi)   Any person other than Grantee or any Grantee
       Subsidiary shall have filed with the SEC a registration statement with
       respect to a potential exchange offer that would constitute an
       Acquisition Transaction (or filed a preliminary proxy statement with the
       SEC with respect to a potential vote by its shareholders to approve the
       issuance of shares to be offered in such an exchange offer);

                     (vii)  Issuer shall have breached any covenant or
       obligation contained in the Merger Agreement in anticipation of engaging
       in an Acquisition Transaction, and following such breach Grantee would be
       entitled to terminate the Merger Agreement (whether immediately or after
       the giving of notice or passage of time or both); or

                     (viii) Any person other than Grantee or any Grantee
       Subsidiary, other than in connection with a transaction to which Grantee
       has given its prior written consent, shall have filed an application or
       notice with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the
       "Federal Reserve Board") or other federal or state bank regulatory or
       antitrust authority, which application or notice has been accepted for
       processing, for approval to engage in an Acquisition Transaction.

              (c)    The term "Subsequent Triggering Event" shall mean any of
the following events or transactions occurring after the date hereof:

                     (i)    The acquisition by any person (other than Grantee or
       any Grantee Subsidiary) of beneficial ownership of 25% or more of the
       then outstanding Common Stock; or

                     (ii)   The occurrence of the Initial Triggering Event
       described in clause (i) of subsection (b) of this Section 2, except that
       the percentage referred to in clause (z) of the second sentence thereof
       shall be 25%.

              (d)    Issuer shall notify Grantee promptly in writing of the
occurrence of any Initial Triggering Event or Subsequent Triggering Event
(together, a "Triggering Event"), it being understood that the giving of such
notice by Issuer shall not be a condition to the right of the Holder to exercise
the Option.

                                          3
<PAGE>

              (e)    In the event the Holder is entitled to and wishes to
exercise the Option (or any portion thereof), it shall send to Issuer a written
notice (the date of which being herein referred to as the "Notice Date")
specifying (i) the total number of shares it will purchase pursuant to such
exercise and (ii) a place and date not earlier than three business days nor
later than 60 business days from the Notice Date for the closing of such
purchase (the "Closing Date"); provided, however, that if prior notification to
or approval of the Federal Reserve Board or any other regulatory or antitrust
agency is required in connection with such purchase, the Holder shall promptly
file the required notice or application for approval, shall promptly notify
Issuer of such filing, and shall expeditiously process the same and the period
of time that otherwise would run pursuant to this sentence shall run instead
from the date on which any required notification periods have expired or been
terminated or such approvals have been obtained and any requisite waiting period
or periods shall have passed.  Any exercise of the Option shall be deemed to
occur on the Notice Date relating thereto.

              (f)    At the closing referred to in subsection (e) of this
Section 2, the Holder shall (i) pay to Issuer the aggregate purchase price for
the shares of Common Stock purchased pursuant to the exercise of the Option in
immediately available funds by wire transfer to a bank account designated by
Issuer, provided that failure or refusal of Issuer to designate such a bank
account shall not preclude the Holder from exercising the Option and (ii)
present and surrender this Agreement to Issuer at its principal executive
offices.

              (g)    At such closing, simultaneously with the delivery of
immediately available funds as provided in subsection (f) of this Section 2,
Issuer shall deliver to the Holder a certificate or certificates representing
the number of shares of Common Stock purchased by the Holder and, if the Option
should be exercised in part only, a new Stock Option Agreement evidencing the
rights of the Holder thereof to purchase the balance of the shares purchasable
hereunder.

              (h)    Certificates for Common Stock delivered at a closing
hereunder may be endorsed with a restrictive legend that shall read
substantially as follows:

              "The transfer of the shares represented by this certificate is
       subject to certain provisions of an agreement between the registered
       holder hereof and Issuer and to resale restrictions arising under the
       Securities Act of 1933, as amended.  A copy of such agreement is on file
       at the principal office of Issuer and will be provided to the holder
       hereof without charge upon receipt by Issuer of a written request
       therefor."

It is understood and agreed that:  (i) the reference to the resale restrictions
of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), in the above legend
shall be removed by delivery of substitute certificate(s) without such reference
if the Holder shall have delivered to Issuer a copy of a letter from the staff
of the SEC, or an opinion of counsel, in form and substance reasonably
satisfactory to Issuer, to the effect that such legend is not required for
purposes of the 1933 Act; (ii) the reference to the provisions of this Agreement
in the above legend shall be removed by delivery of substitute certificate(s)
without such reference if the shares have been sold or transferred in compliance
with the provisions of this Agreement and under circumstances that do not
require the retention of such reference in the opinion of counsel to the Holder;
and (iii) the legend shall be removed in its entirety if the conditions in the
preceding clauses (i) and (ii) are both satisfied.  In addition, such
certificates shall bear any other legend as may be required by law.

              (i)    Upon the giving by the Holder to Issuer of the written
notice of exercise of the Option provided for under subsection (e) of this
Section 2 and the tender of the applicable purchase price in immediately
available funds, the Holder shall be deemed to be the holder of record of the
shares of Common Stock issuable upon such exercise, notwithstanding that the
stock transfer books of Issuer shall then be closed or that certificates
representing such shares of Common Stock shall not then be actually delivered to
the Holder. Issuer shall pay all

                                          4
<PAGE>

expenses, and any and all United States federal, state and local taxes and other
charges that may be payable in connection with the preparation, issue and
delivery of stock certificates under this Section 2 in the name of the Holder or
As assignee, transferee or designee.

       3.     Issuer agrees:  (i) that it shall at all times maintain, free from
preemptive rights, sufficient authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock so
that the Option may be exercised without additional authorization of Common
Stock after giving effect to all other options, warrants, convertible securities
and other rights to purchase Common Stock; (ii) that it will not, by charter
amendment or through reorganization, consolidation, merger, dissolution or sale
of assets, or by any other voluntary act, avoid or seek to avoid the observance
or performance of any of the covenants, stipulations or conditions to be
observed or performed hereunder by Issuer; (iii) promptly to take all action as
may from time to time be required (including (x) complying with all applicable
premerger notification, reporting and waiting period requirements specified in
15 U.S.C. Section 18a and regulations promulgated thereunder and (y) in the
event, under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the "BHCA"), or
any state or other federal banking law, prior approval of or notice to the
Federal Reserve Board or to any state or other federal regulatory authority is
necessary before the Option may be exercised, cooperating fully with the Holder
in preparing such applications or notices and providing such information to the
Federal Reserve Board or such state or other federal regulatory authority as
they may require) in order to permit the Holder to exercise the Option and
Issuer duly and effectively to issue shares of Common Stock pursuant hereto; and
(iv) promptly to take all action provided herein to protect the rights of the
Holder against dilution.

       4.     This Agreement (and the Option granted hereby) is exchangeable,
without expense, at the option of the Holder, upon presentation and surrender of
this Agreement at the principal office of Issuer, for other Agreements providing
for Options of different denominations entitling the holder thereof to purchase,
on the same terms and subject to the same conditions as are set forth herein, in
the aggregate the same number of shares of Common Stock purchasable hereunder.
The terms "Agreement" and "Option" as used herein include any Agreements and
related Options for which this Agreement (and the Option granted hereby) may be
exchanged.  Upon receipt by Issuer of evidence reasonably satisfactory to it of
the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Agreement, and (in the case
of loss, theft or destruction) of reasonably satisfactory indemnification, and
upon surrender and cancellation of this Agreement, if mutilated, Issuer will
execute and deliver a new Agreement of like tenor and date.  Any such new
Agreement executed and delivered shall constitute an additional contractual
obligation on the part of Issuer, whether or not the Agreement so lost, stolen,
destroyed or mutilated shall at any time be enforceable by anyone.

       5.     In addition to the adjustment in the number of shares of Common
Stock that are purchasable upon exercise of the Option pursuant to Section 1 of
this Agreement, the number of shares of Common Stock purchasable upon the
exercise of the Option and the Option Price shall be subject to adjustment from
time to time as provided in this Section 5.

              (a)    In the event of any change in, or distributions in respect
of, the Common Stock by reason of stock dividends, split-ups, mergers,
recapitalizations, combinations, subdivisions, conversions, exchanges of shares
or the like, the type and number of shares of Common Stock purchasable upon
exercise hereof shall be appropriately adjusted and proper provision shall be
made so that, in the event that any additional shares of Common Stock are to be
issued or otherwise become outstanding as a result of any such change (other
than pursuant to an exercise of the Option), the number of shares of Common
Stock that remain subject to the Option shall be increased so that, after such
issuance and together with shares of Common Stock previously issued pursuant to
the exercise of the Option (as adjusted on account of any of the foregoing
changes in the Common Stock), it equals 19.9% of the number of shares of Common
Stock then issued and outstanding without giving effect to any shares subject or
issued pursuant to the Option.

                                          5
<PAGE>

              (b)    Whenever the number of shares of Common Stock purchasable
upon exercise hereof is adjusted as provided in this Section 5, the Option Price
shall be adjusted by multiplying the Option Price by a fraction, the numerator
of which shall be equal to the number of shares of Common Stock purchasable
prior to the adjustment and the denominator of which shall be equal to the
number of shares of Common Stock purchasable after the adjustment.

       6.     Upon the occurrence of a Subsequent Triggering Event that occurs
prior to an Exercise Termination Event, Issuer shall, at the request of Grantee
delivered within 12 months (or such later period as provided in Section 10) of
such Subsequent Triggering Event (whether on its own behalf or on behalf of any
subsequent holder of this Option (or part thereof) or any of the shares of
Common Stock issued pursuant hereto), promptly prepare, file and keep current a
registration statement under the 1933 Act covering any shares issued and
issuable pursuant to this Option and shall use its reasonable best efforts to
cause such registration statement to become effective and remain effective in
order to permit the sale or other disposition of any shares of Common Stock
issued upon total or partial exercise of this Option ("Option Shares") in
accordance with any plan of disposition requested by Grantee.  Issuer will use
its reasonable best efforts to cause such registration statement promptly to
become effective and then to remain effective for such period not in excess of
180 days from the day such registration statement first becomes effective or
such shorter time as may be reasonably necessary to effect such sales or other
dispositions.  Grantee shall have the right to demand two such registrations.
Issuer shall bear the costs of such registrations (including, but not limited
to, Issuer's attorneys' fees, printing costs and filing fees, except for
underwriting discounts or commissions, brokers' fees and the fees and
disbursements of Grantee's counsel related thereto).  The foregoing
notwithstanding, if, at the time of any request by Grantee for registration of
Option Shares as provided above, Issuer is in registration with respect to an
underwritten public offering by Issuer of shares of Common Stock, and if in the
good faith judgment of the managing underwriter or managing underwriters, or, if
none, the sole underwriter or underwriters, of such offering the sale of the
Option Shares would interfere with the successful marketing of the shares of
Common Stock offered by Issuer, Grantee agrees to delay the sale of such Option
Shares for such period as may be reasonably requested by such managing or sole
underwriter(s); provided, however, that if such a delay occurs, then Issuer
shall maintain the effectiveness of the registration statement or file a new
registration statement as promptly as practicable thereafter covering such
Option Shares as to which no further delay  pursuant to this Section 6 shall be
permitted or occur and the Holder shall thereafter be entitled to one additional
registration and the 12 month period referred to in the first sentence of this
section shall be increased to 24 months.  Each such Holder shall provide all
information reasonably requested by Issuer for inclusion in any registration
statement to be filed hereunder.  If requested by any such Holder in connection
with such registration, Issuer shall become a party to any underwriting
agreement relating to the sale of such shares, but only to the extent of
obligating itself in respect of representations, warranties, indemnities and
other agreements customarily included in such underwriting agreements for
Issuer.  Upon receiving any request under this Section 6 from any Holder, Issuer
agrees to send a copy thereof to any other person known to Issuer to be entitled
to registration rights under this Section 6, in each case by promptly mailing
the same, postage prepaid, to the address of record of the persons entitled to
receive such copies.  Notwithstanding anything to the conrary contained herein,
in no event shall the number of registrations that Issuer is obligated to effect
be more than two registrations pursuant to this Section 8 by reason of the fact
that there shall be more than one Holder as a result of any assignment or
division of this Agreement.

       7.     (a)    At any time after the occurrence of a Repurchase Event (as
defined below) (i) at the request of the Holder, delivered prior to an Exercise
Termination Event (or such later period as provided in Section 10), Issuer (or
any successor thereto) shall repurchase the Option from the Holder at a price
(the AOption Repurchase Price') equal to the amount by which (A) the
market/offer price (as defined below) exceeds (B) the Option Price, multiplied
by the number of shares for which this Option may then be exercised and (ii) at
the request of the owner of Option Shares from time to time (the "Owner"),
delivered prior to an Exercise Termination Event (or such later period as
provided in Section 10), Issuer (or any successor

                                          6
<PAGE>

thereto) shall repurchase such number of the Option Shares from the Owner as the
Owner shall designate at a price (the "Option Share Repurchase Price") equal to
the market/offer price multiplied by the number of Option Shares so designated.
The term "market/offer price" shall mean the highest of (i) the price per share
of Common Stock at which a tender or exchange offer therefor has been made, (ii)
the price per share of Common Stock to be paid by any third party pursuant to an
agreement with Issuer, (iii) the highest last sale for shares of Common Stock
within the six-month period immediately preceding the date the Holder gives
notice of the required repurchase of this Option or the Owner gives notice of
the required repurchase of Option Shares, as the case may be, or (iv) in the
event of a sale of all or substantially all of Issuer's assets or deposits, the
sum of the net price paid in such sale for such assets or deposits and the
current market value of the remaining net assets of Issuer as determined by a
nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by the Holder or the
Owner, as the case may be, and reasonably acceptable to Issuer, divided by the
number of shares of Common Stock of Issuer outstanding at the time of such sale.
In determining the market/offer price, the value of consideration other than
cash shall be determined by a nationally recognized investment banking firm
selected by the Holder or Owner, as the case may be, and reasonably acceptable
to Issuer.

              (b)    The Holder and the Owner, as the case may be, may exercise
its right to require Issuer to repurchase the Option and any Option Shares
pursuant to this Section 7 by surrendering for such purpose to Issuer, at its
principal office, a copy of this Agreement or certificates for Option Shares, as
applicable, accompanied by a written notice or notices stating that the Holder
or the Owner, as the case may be, elects to require Issuer to repurchase this
Option and/or the Option Shares in accordance with the provisions of this
Section 7.  As promptly as practicable, and in any event within ten business
days after the surrender of the Option and/or certificates representing Option
Shares and the receipt of such notice or notices relating thereto, Issuer shall
deliver or cause to be delivered to the Holder the Option Repurchase Price
and/or to the Owner the Option Share Repurchase Price therefor or the portion
thereof that Issuer is not then prohibited under applicable law and regulation
from so delivering.

              (c)    To the extent that Issuer is prohibited under applicable
law or regulation, or as a consequence of administrative policy, from
repurchasing the Option and/or the Option Shares in full, Issuer shall
immediately so notify the Holder and/or the Owner and thereafter deliver or
cause to be delivered, from time to time, to the Holder and/or the Owner, as
appropriate, the portion of the Option Repurchase Price and the Option Share
Repurchase Price, respectively, that it is no longer prohibited from delivering,
within five business days after the date on which Issuer is no longer so
prohibited; provided, however, that if Issuer at any time after delivery of a
notice of repurchase pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section 7 is prohibited
under applicable law or regulation, or as a consequence of administrative
policy, from delivering to the Holder and/or the Owner, as appropriate, the
Option Repurchase Price and the Option Share Repurchase Price, respectively, in
full (and Issuer hereby undertakes to use its reasonable best efforts to obtain
all required regulatory and legal approvals and to file any required notices as
promptly as practicable in order to accomplish such repurchase), the Holder or
Owner may revoke its notice of repurchase of the Option and/or the Option Shares
whether in whole or to the extent of the prohibition, whereupon, in the latter
case, Issuer shall promptly (i) deliver to the Holder and/or the Owner, as
appropriate, that portion of the Option Repurchase Price and/or the Option Share
Repurchase Price that Issuer is not prohibited from delivering; and (ii)
deliver, as appropriate, either (A) to the Holder, a new Agreement evidencing
the right of the Holder to purchase that number of shares of Common Stock
obtained by multiplying the number of shares of Common Stock for which the
surrendered Agreement was exercisable at the time of delivery of the notice of
repurchase by a fraction, the numerator of which is the Option Repurchase Price
less the portion thereof theretofore delivered to the Holder and he denominator
of which is the Option Repurchase Price, and/or (B) to the Owner, a certificate
for the Option Shares it is then so prohibited from repurchasing.  If an
Exercise Termination Event shall have occurred prior to the date of the notice
by Issuer described in the first sentence of this subsection (c), or shall be
scheduled to occur at any time before the

                                          7
<PAGE>

expiration of a period ending on the thirtieth day after such date, the Holder
shall nonetheless have the right to exercise the Option until the expiration of
such 30-day period.

              (d)    For purposes of this Section 7, a "Repurchase Event" shall
be deemed to have occurred upon the occurrence of any of the following events or
transactions after the date hereof:

                     (i)    the acquisition by any person (other than Grantee or
       any Grantee Subsidiary) of beneficial ownership of 50% or more of the
       then outstanding Common Stock; or

                     (ii)   the consummation of any Acquisition Transaction
       described in Section 2(b)(i) hereof, except that the percentage referred
       to in clause (z) shall be 50%.

       8.     (a)    In the event that prior to an Exercise Termination Event,
Issuer shall enter into an agreement (i) to consolidate with or merge into any
person, other than Grantee or a Grantee Subsidiary, or engage in a plan of
exchange with any person, other than Grantee or a Grantee Subsidiary and Issuer
shall not be the continuing or surviving corporation of such consolidation or
merger or the acquiror in such plan of exchange, (ii) to permit any person,
other than Grantee or a Grantee Subsidiary, to merge into Issuer or be acquired
by Issuer in a plan of exchange and Issuer shall be the continuing or surviving
or acquiring corporation, but, in connection with such merger or plan of
exchange, the then outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be changed into or
exchanged for stock or other securities of any other person or cash or any other
property, or the then outstanding shares of Common Stock shall after such merger
or plan of exchange represent less than 50% of the outstanding shares and share
equivalents of the merged or acquiring company, or (iii) to sell or otherwise
transfer all or substantially all of its or any Significant Subsidiary's assets
or deposits to any person, other than Grantee or a Grantee Subsidiary, then, and
in each such case, the agreement governing such transaction shall make proper
provision so that the Option shall, upon the consummation of any such
transaction and upon the terms and conditions set forth herein, be converted
into, or exchanged for, an option (the "Substitute Option"), at the election of
the Holder, of either (x) the Acquiring Corporation (as hereinafter defined) or
(y) any person that controls the Acquiring Corporation.

              (b)    The following terms have the meanings indicated:

                     (i)    "Acquiring Corporation" shall mean (i) the
       continuing or surviving person of a consolidation or merger with Issuer
       (if other than Issuer), (ii) the acquiring person in a plan of exchange
       in which Issuer is acquired, (iii) Issuer in a merger or plan of exchange
       in which Issuer is the continuing or surviving or acquiring person, and
       (iv) the transferee of all or substantially all of Issuer's assets or
       deposits (or the assets or deposits of a Significant Subsidiary of
       Issuer).

                     (ii)   "Substitute Common Stock" shall mean the common
       stock issued by the issuer of the Substitute Option upon exercise of the
       Substitute Option.

                     (iii)  "Assigned Value" shall mean the market/offer price,
       as defined in Section 7.

                     (iv)   "Average Price" shall mean the average closing price
       of a share of the Substitute Common Stock for one year immediately
       preceding the consolidation, merger or sale in question, but in no event
       higher than the closing price of the shares of Substitute Common Stock on
       the day preceding such consolidation, merger or sale; provided that if
       Issuer is the issuer of the Substitute Option, the Average Price shall be
       computed with respect to a share of common stock issued by the person
       merging into Issuer or by any company which controls or is controlled by
       such person, as the Holder may elect.

                                          8
<PAGE>

              (c)    The Substitute Option shall have the same terms as the
Option, provided that if the terms of the Substitute Option cannot, for legal
reasons, be the same as the Option, such terms shall be as similar as possible
and in no event less advantageous to the Holder.  The issuer of the Substitute
Option shall also enter into an agreement with the then Holder or Holders of the
Substitute Option in substantially the same form as this Agreement (after giving
effect for such purpose to the provisions of Section 9), which agreement shall
be applicable to the Substitute Option.

              (d)    The Substitute Option shall be exercisable for such number
of shares of Substitute Common Stock as is equal to the Assigned Value
multiplied by the number of shares of Common Stock for which the Option was
exercisable immediately prior to the event described in the first sentence of
Section 8(a), divided by the Average Price.  The exercise price of the
Substitute Option per share of Substitute Common Stock shall then be equal to
the Option Price multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the
number of shares of Common Stock for which the Option was exercisable
immediately prior to the event described in the first sentence of Section 8(a)
and the denominator of which shall be the number of shares of Substitute Common
Stock for which the Substitute Option is exercisable.

              (e)    In no event, pursuant to any of the foregoing paragraphs,
shall the Substitute Option be exercisable for more than 19.9% of the shares of
Substitute Common Stock outstanding prior to exercise of the Substitute Option.
In the event that the Substitute Option would be exercisable for more than 19.9%
of the shares of Substitute Common Stock outstanding prior to exercise but for
this clause (e), the issuer of the Substitute Option (the "Substitute Option
Issuer") shall make a cash payment to Holder equal to the excess of (i) the
value of the Substitute Option without giving effect to the limitation in this
clause (e) over (ii) the value of the Substitute Option after giving effect to
the limitation in this clause (e).  This difference in value shall be determined
by a nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by the Holder and
reasonably acceptable to the Substitute Option Holder.

              (f)    Issuer shall not enter into any transaction described in
subsection (a) of this Section 8 unless the Acquiring Corporation and any person
that controls the Acquiring Corporation assume in writing all the obligations of
Issuer hereunder.

       9.     (a)    At the request of the holder of the Substitute Option (the
"Substitute Option Holder"), the Substitute Option Issuer shall repurchase the
Substitute Option from the Substitute Option Holder at a price (the "Substitute
Option Repurchase Price") equal to the amount by which (i) the Highest Closing
Price (as hereinafter defined) exceeds (ii) the exercise price of the Substitute
Option, multiplied by the number of shares of Substitute Common Stock for which
the Substitute Option may then be exercised, and at the request of the owner
(the "Substitute Share Owner") of shares of Substitute Common Stock (the
"Substitute Shares"), the Substitute Option Issuer shall repurchase such number
of the Substitute Shares as the Substitute Share Owner shall designate at a
price (the "Substitute Share Repurchase Price") equal to (x) the Highest Closing
Price multiplied by the number of Substitute Shares so designated plus
(y) Grantee's Out-of-Pocket Expense.  The term "Highest Closing Price" shall
mean the highest closing price for shares of Substitute Common Stock within the
six-month period immediately preceding the date the Substitute Option Holder
gives notice of the required repurchase of the Substitute Option or the
Substitute Share Owner gives notice of the required repurchase of the Substitute
Shares, as applicable.

              (b)    The Substitute Option Holder and the Substitute Share
Owner, as the case may be, may exercise its respective rights to require the
Substitute Option Issuer to repurchase the Substitute Option and the Substitute
Shares pursuant to this Section 9 by surrendering for such purpose to the
Substitute Option Issuer, at its principal office, the agreement for such
Substitute Option (or, in the absence of such an agreement, a copy of this
Agreement) and/or certificates for Substitute Shares accompanied by a written
notice or notices stating that the Substitute Option Holder or the Substitute
Share Owner, as the case

                                          9
<PAGE>

may be, elects to require the Substitute Option Issuer to repurchase the
Substitute Option and/or the Substitute Shares in accordance with the provisions
of this Section 9.  As promptly as practicable and in any event within ten
business days after the surrender of the Substitute Option and/or certificates
representing Substitute Shares and the receipt of such notice or notices
relating thereto, the Substitute Option Issuer shall deliver or cause to be
delivered to the Substitute Option Holder the Substitute Option Repurchase Price
and/or to the Substitute Share Owner the Substitute Share Repurchase Price
therefor or the portion thereof which the Substitute Option Issuer is not then
prohibited under applicable law and regulation from so delivering.

              (c)    To the extent that the Substitute Option Issuer is
prohibited under applicable law or regulation, or as a consequence of
administrative policy, from repurchasing the Substitute Option and/or the
Substitute Shares in part or in full, the Substitute Option Issuer shall
immediately so notify the Substitute Option Holder and/or the Substitute Share
Owner and thereafter deliver or cause to be delivered, from time to time, to the
Substitute Option Holder and/or the Substitute Share Owner, as appropriate, the
portion of the Substitute Option Repurchase Price and/or the Substitute Share
Repurchase Price, respectively, which it is no longer prohibited from
delivering, within five (5) business days after the date on which the Substitute
Option Issuer is no longer so prohibited; provided, however, that if the
Substitute Option Issuer is at any time after delivery of a notice of repurchase
pursuant to subsection (b) of this Section 9 prohibited under applicable law or
regulation, or as a consequence of administrative policy, from delivering to the
Substitute Option Holder and/or the Substitute Share Owner, as appropriate, the
Substitute Option Repurchase Price and the Substitute Share Repurchase Price,
respectively, in full (and the Substitute Option Issuer shall use its reasonable
best efforts to receive all required regulatory and legal approvals as promptly
as practicable in order to accomplish such repurchase), the Substitute Option
Holder and/or Substitute Share Owner may revoke its notice of repurchase of the
Substitute Option or the Substitute Shares either in whole or to the extent of
prohibition, whereupon, in the latter case, the Substitute Option Issuer shall
promptly (i) deliver to the Substitute Option Holder or Substitute Share Owner,
as appropriate, that portion of the Substitute Option Repurchase Price or the
Substitute Share Repurchase Price that the Substitute Option Issuer is not
prohibited from delivering; and (ii) deliver, as appropriate, either (A) to the
Substitute Option Holder, a new Substitute Optio evidencing the right of the
Substitute Option Holder to purchase that number of shares of the Substitute
Common Stock obtained by multiplying the number of shares of the Substitute
Common Stock for which the surrendered Substitute Option was exercisable at the
time of delivery of the notice of repurchase by a fraction, the numerator of
which is the Substitute Option Repurchase Price less the portion thereof
theretofore delivered to the Substitute Option Holder and the denominator of
which is the Substitute Option Repurchase Price, and/or (B) to the Substitute
Share Owner, a certificate for the Substitute Option Shares it is then so
prohibited from repurchasing.  If an Exercise Termination Event shall have
occurred prior to the date of the notice by the Substitute Option Issuer
described in the first sentence of this subsection (c) or shall be scheduled to
occur at any time before the expiration of a period ending on the thirtieth day
after such date, the Substitute Option Holder it shall nevertheless have the
right to exercise the Substitute Option until the expiration of such 30-day
period.

       10.    The 30-day, 6-month, 12-month, 18-month or 24-month periods for
exercise of certain rights under Sections 2, 6, 7, 9, 12 and 14 shall be
extended:  (i) to the extent necessary to obtain all regulatory approvals for
the exercise of such rights (for so long as the Holder, Owner, Substitute Option
Holder or Substitute Share Owner, as the case may be, is using reasonable best
efforts to obtain such regulatory approvals), and for the expiration of all
statutory waiting periods; and (ii) to the extent necessary to avoid liability
under Section 16(b) of the 1934 Act by reason of such exercise.

       11.    Issuer represents and warrants to Grantee as follows:

                                          10
<PAGE>

              (a)    Issuer has full corporate power and authority to execute
and deliver this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated
hereby.  The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of
the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly and validly authorized by
the Issuer Board prior to the date hereof and no other corporate proceedings on
the part of Issuer are necessary to authorize this Agreement or to consummate
the transactions so contemplated.  This Agreement has been duly and validly
executed and delivered by Issuer.

              (b)    Issuer has taken all necessary corporate action to
authorize and reserve and to permit it to issue, and at all times from the date
hereof through the termination of this Agreement in accordance with its terms
will have reserved for issuance upon the exercise of the Option, that number of
shares of Common Stock equal to the maximum number of shares of Common Stock at
any time and from time to time issuable hereunder, and all such shares, upon
issuance pursuant thereto, will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid,
and non-assessable, and will be delivered free and clear of all claims, liens,
encumbrance and security interests and not subject to any preemptive rights.

       12.    Neither of the parties hereto may assign any of its rights or
obligations under this Agreement or the Option created hereunder to any other
person, without the express written consent of the other party, except that in
the event a Subsequent Triggering Event shall have occurred prior to an Exercise
Termination Event, Grantee, subject to the express provisions hereof, may assign
in whole or in part its rights and obligations hereunder within 12 months
following such Subsequent Triggering Event (or such later period as provided in
Section 10); provided, however, that until the date 15 days following the date
on which the Federal Reserve Board has approved an application by Grantee to
acquire the shares of Common Stock subject to the Option, Grantee may not assign
its rights under the Option except in (i) a widely dispersed public
distribution, (ii) a private placement in which no one party acquires the right
to purchase in excess of 2% of the voting shares of Issuer, (iii) an assignment
to a single party (E.G., a broker or investment banker) for the purpose of
conducting a widely dispersed public distribution on Grantee's behalf or (iv)
any other manner approved by the Federal Reserve Board.

                                          11
<PAGE>

       13.    Each of Grantee and Issuer will use its best efforts to make all
filings with, and to obtain consents of, all third parties and governmental
authorities necessary to the consummation of the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement, including, without limitation, applying to the Federal Reserve
Board under the BHCA for approval to acquire the shares issuable hereunder, but
Grantee shall not be obligated to apply to state banking authorities for
approval to acquire the shares of Common Stock issuable hereunder until such
time, if ever, as it deems appropriate to do so.

       14.    (a)    Grantee may, at any time following a Repurchase Event and
prior to the occurrence of an Exercise Termination Event (or such later period
as provided in Section 10), relinquish the Option (together with any Option
Shares issued to and then owned by Grantee) to Issuer in exchange for a cash fee
equal to the Surrender Price; provided, however, that Grantee may not exercise
its rights pursuant to this Section 14 if Issuer has repurchased the Option (or
any portion thereof) or any Option Shares pursuant to Section 7.  The "Surrender
Price" shall be equal to $35,000,000 (i) plus, if applicable, Grantee's purchase
price with respect to any Option Shares then held by it and (ii) minus, if
applicable, the excess of (A) the net cash amounts, if any, received by Grantee
pursuant to any sale of Option Shares (or any other securities into which such
Option Shares were converted or exchanged) to any party, over (B) Grantee's
purchase price of such Option Shares.

              (b)    Grantee may exercise its right to relinquish the Option and
any Option Shares pursuant to this Section 14 by surrendering to Issuer, at its
principal office, a copy of this Agreement together with certificates for Option
Shares, if any, accompanied by a written notice stating (i) that Grantee elects
to relinquish the Option and Option Shares, if any, in accordance with the
provisions of this Section 14 and (ii) the Surrender Price.  The Surrender Price
shall be payable in immediately available funds on or before the fifth business
day following receipt of such notice by Issuer.

              (c)    To the extent that Issuer is prohibited under applicable
law or regulation, or as a consequence of administrative policy, from paying the
Surrender Price to Grantee in full, Issuer shall immediately so notify Grantee
and thereafter deliver or cause to be delivered, from time to time, to Grantee,
the portion of the Surrender Price that it is no longer prohibited from paying,
within five business days after the date on which Issuer is no longer so
prohibited; provided, however, that if Issuer at any time after delivery of a
notice of surrender pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section 14 is prohibited
under applicable law or regulation, or as a consequence of administrative
policy, from paying to Grantee the Surrender Price in full, (i) Issuer shall (A)
use its reasonable best efforts to obtain all required regulatory and legal
approvals and to file any required notices as promptly as practicable in order
to make such payments, (B) within five days of the submission or receipt of any
documents relating to any such regulatory and legal approvals, provide Grantee
with copies of the same, and (c) keep Grantee advised of both the status of any
such request for regulatory and legal approvals, as well as any discussions with
any relevant regulatory or other third party reasonably related to the same and
(ii) Grantee may revoke such notice of surrender by delivery of a notice of
revocation to Issuer and, upon delivery of such notice of revocation, the
Exercise Termination Date shall be extended to a date six months from the date
on which the Exercise Termination Date would have occurred if not for the
provisions of this Section 14(c) (during which period Grantee may exercise any
of its rights hereunder, including any and all rights pursuant to this Section
14).

                                          12
<PAGE>

              (d)    Grantee shall have rights substantially identical to those
set forth in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of this Section 14 with respect to the
Substitute Option and the Substitute Option Issuer during any period in which
the Substitute Option Issuer would be required to repurchase the Substitute
Option pursuant to Section 9.

       15.    The parties hereto acknowledge that damages would be an inadequate
remedy for a breach of this Agreement by either party hereto and that the
obligations of the parties hereto shall be enforceable by either party hereto
through injunctive or other equitable relief.

       16.    If any term, provision, covenant or restriction contained in this
Agreement is held by a court or a federal or state regulatory agency of
competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of
the terms, provisions and covenants and restrictions contained in this Agreement
shall remain in full force and effect, and shall in no way be affected, impaired
or invalidated.  If for any reason such court or regulatory agency determines
that the Holder is not permitted to acquire, or Issuer is not permitted to
repurchase pursuant to Section 7, the full number of shares of Common Stock
provided in Section 1(a) hereof (as adjusted pursuant to Section 1(b) or Section
5 hereof), it is the express intention of Issuer to allow the Holder to acquire
or to require Issuer to repurchase such lesser number of shares as may be
permissible, without any amendment or modification hereof.

       17.    All notices, requests, claims, demands and other communications
hereunder shall be deemed to have been duly given when delivered in person, by
fax, telecopy, or by registered or certified mail (postage prepaid, return
receipt requested) at the respective addresses of the parties set forth in the
Merger Agreement.

       18.    This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance
with the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to the conflict of law
principles thereof.

       19.    This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each
of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which shall constitute
one and the same agreement.

       20.    Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, each of the parties
hereto shall bear and pay all costs and expenses incurred by it or on its behalf
in connection with the transactions contemplated hereunder, including fees and
expenses of its own financial consultants, investment bankers, accountants and
counsel.

       21.    Except as otherwise expressly provided herein or in the Merger
Agreement, this Agreement contains the entire agreement between the parties with
respect to the transactions contemplated hereunder and supersedes all prior
arrangements or understandings with respect thereof, written or oral.  The terms
and conditions of this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding
upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assignees.
Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, is intended to confer upon any
party, other than the parties hereto, and their respective successors except as
assignees, any rights, remedies, obligations or liabilities under or by reason
of this Agreement, except as expressly provided herein.

       22.    Capitalized terms used in this Agreement and not defined herein
shall have the meanings assigned thereto in the Merger Agreement.

                                          13
<PAGE>

       IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties has caused this Agreement to be
executed on its behalf by its officers thereunto duly authorized, all as of the
date first above written.


                                        U.S. BANCORP


                                        By      /s/ Susan E. Lester
                                             ----------------------------------

                                        Name: Susan E. Lester

                                        Title:  Executive Vice President and
                                                Chief Financial Officer




                                        WESTERN BANCORP



                                        By   /s/ Matthew P. Wagner
                                             ----------------------------------

                                        Name: Matthew P. Wagner

                                        Title:  President and Chief Executive
                                                Officer

                                          14

<PAGE>

                                    EXHIBIT 99.3


<TABLE>
<S>                                <C>                      <C>                      <C>
Contact:  Judy Murphy              John Danielson           Wendy Raway              Matt Wagner
          Investor Relations       Investor Relations       Media Relations          President & CEO
          U.S. Bancorp             U.S. Bancorp             U.S. Bancorp             Western Bancorp
          612-973-2264             612-973-2261             612-973-2429             310-477-2402
</TABLE>


U.S. BANCORP TO ACQUIRE WESTERN BANCORP; BANKS HAVE 31 BRANCHES AND $2.5 BILLION
IN ASSETS


MINNEAPOLIS, May 19, 1999 - U.S. Bancorp (NYSE: USB) and Western Bancorp
(NASDAQ: WEBC) today announced that they have signed a definitive agreement for
U.S. Bancorp to acquire Newport Beach-based Western Bancorp.  With $2.5 billion
in assets at March 31, 1999, Western Bancorp has 31 branches in southern
California in Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties.  Western Bancorp owns
Santa Monica Bank and Southern California Bank.

     Under terms of the agreement, Western Bancorp shareholders will receive in
a tax-free exchange, 1.2915 shares of U.S. Bancorp common stock for each share
of Western Bancorp common stock.  Based on U.S. Bancorp's closing stock price on
May 18, 1999 ($34 3/8) this exchange ratio represents a price of $44.40 for each
Western Bancorp share, resulting in a purchase price of approximately $958
million.

     "Western Bancorp is located in demographically attractive markets that
benefit from a vibrant economy and strong population growth," said John F.
Grundhofer, U.S. Bancorp chairman, president and chief executive officer.
Grundhofer had 30 years of banking experience in southern California prior to
joining U.S. Bancorp (then First Bank System) in 1990. "Western Bancorp's
locations and business mix compliment our current position in California and
will give us a great opportunity to offer our extensive array of commercial and
retail banking services, as well as investment banking and brokerage services.
For consumers, our investment products, annuities, mutual funds, home equity
products and on line banking capabilities will expand upon Western Bancorp's
current offerings.  Our private banking and personal trust services will be a
significant opportunity for us in serving these markets as well."

"U.S. Bancorp is a quality organization with a great future," said Matt Wagner,
President And Chief Executive Officer Of Western Bancorp.  "They are extremely
effective in serving customers, not only in terms of innovative products and
services but in community development and involvement as well."

     "The management team and employees of Western Bancorp have created, through
growth and acquisitions, a well run, sound banking institution.  U.S. Bancorp
will provide increased opportunities for employees and additional financial
solutions for businesses and consumers," Grundhofer said.

                                          1
<PAGE>

     David I. Rainer, who currently serves as president and chief executive
officer of Santa Monica Bank, will serve as president of the southern California
market for U.S. Bancorp.  Rainer has more than 20 years experience in commercial
banking and previously held positions with Pacific Century Bank, Security
Pacific and Wells Fargo.  "Dave worked with me at Wells Fargo," Grundhofer
explained. "I couldn't be happier to have him working on our team."

    "We'll also benefit from the experience and contacts that other U.S. Bancorp
people have in southern California," Grundhofer noted.  "Daniel Yohannes, who
oversees our retail banking operations in Colorado, California, Nevada and
Nebraska, held a variety of executive positions in retail banking at Security
Pacific (now Bank of America) for 15 years.  Our executive in charge of Private
Financial Services, Shelley Thompson, joined us in 1997 after ten years in
southern California in private banking with Wells Fargo and three years in
personal trust at Citibank's California offices."

     U.S. Bancorp currently operates 88 branches in northern California as well
as corporate trust and leasing offices in Los Angeles and San Francisco. U.S.
Bancorp's corporate trust business is the largest provider of tax exempt
issuances in California.  The company's California presence also includes six
offices of its U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray brokerage subsidiary and U.S. Bancorp
Libra, an investment bank headquartered in Los Angeles. U.S. Bancorp's
previously announced acquisition of Bank of Commerce, with 10 branches in San
Diego and Orange counties and $638 million in assets, is currently pending
regulatory approval.

     U.S. Bancorp will use purchase accounting for the transaction.  The
acquisition is pending regulatory and Western Bancorp shareholder approvals and
is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 1999.

     Western Bancorp has two wholly-owned subsidiaries: Southern California Bank
and Santa Monica Bank.  Southern California Bank serves southern Los Angeles,
Orange and San Diego counties with fifteen branches and with its specialized
escrow services and asset based lending.  In addition, PNB Mortgage, a division
of Southern California Bank, is a residential mortgage origination business with
offices in Irvine, Santa Ana, Dublin and San Diego, in California and offices in
Arizona, Washington and Hawaii.  PNB Mortgage sells substantially all of its
mortgage loans in the secondary market with servicing released and therefore
does not have servicing assets.  Santa Monica Bank serves its clients in Santa
Monica, Westwood, Malibu, Marina del Rey, Beverly Hills, Century City, Encino,
Culver City, West Hollywood, and Glendale with sixteen branches and its
specialized trust and investment management services.

     Minneapolis-based U.S. Bancorp, with $76 billion in assets, is the 13th
largest bank holding company in the nation and operates approximately 1,000
banking offices in 17 Midwestern and Western states.  The company provides
commercial and retail banking, investment banking, trust, investment, and
payment systems products to consumers, businesses and institutions.  It operates
a network of 5,300 ATMs and provides 24-hour, seven-days-a-week telephone
customer service.  The company offers full service brokerage services at
approximately 100 offices through U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray, the 11th largest
brokerage in the nation.  The company is the largest provider of Visa corporate
and purchasing cards in the world, and is one of the largest providers of
corporate trust services in the nation.

                                          2
<PAGE>

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements that involve inherent
risks and uncertainties.  U.S. Bancorp cautions readers that a number of
important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those in
the forward-looking statements.  These factors include economic conditions and
competition in the geographic and business areas in which the company operates,
inflation, fluctuations in interest rates, legislation and governmental
regulation, and Year 2000 issues.



                                          3

<PAGE>

                                    EXHIBIT 99.4

                                     [GRAPHIC]

                                  WESTERN BANCORP

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PRESS RELEASE
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Western Bancorp  (NASDAQ: WEBC)
4100 Newport Place, Suite 900
Newport Beach, California 92660
Contacts:      Matthew P. Wagner                  Arnold C. Hahn
               President and                      Chief Financial Officer
               Chief Executive Officer
Phone:         310/477-2402   X 134               949/863-2351
FAX:           310/231-0321                       949/757-5844

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE . . . WESTERN BANCORP ANNOUNCES DECLARATION OF ITS REGULAR
QUARTERLY DIVIDEND

May 19, 1999

Newport Beach, California . . . Western Bancorp ("Western") today announced
that the Board of Directors has approved the declaration of a quarterly
dividend of $0.225 per common share payable on June 25, 1999 to shareholders
of record on June 4, 1999.  This is the sixth quarterly dividend for Western.

As of March 31, 1999, Western had approximately $2.5 billion in assets in its
two wholly-owned banking subsidiaries: Southern California Bank and Santa Monica
Bank.  Southern California Bank serves southern Los Angeles, Orange and San
Diego Counties with fifteen branches and with its specialized escrow services
and asset based lending. In addition, Southern California Bank, through its PNB
Mortgage division has a residential mortgage origination business with offices
in Irvine, Santa Ana, Dublin and San Diego, California, and offices in
Washington and Arizona.  Santa Monica Bank serves its clients in Santa Monica,
Westwood, Malibu, Marina del Rey, Beverly Hills, Century City, Encino, Culver
City, West Hollywood, and Glendale with sixteen branches and its specialized
trust and investment management services.

                                          1
<PAGE>

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements that involve inherent
risks and uncertainties.  Western Bancorp cautions readers that a number of
important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those in
the forward-looking statements. These factors include economic conditions and
competition in the geographic and business areas in which Western Bancorp and
its subsidiaries operate, inflation or deflation, fluctuations in interest
rates, legislation and governmental regulation and the progress of integrating
Santa Monica Bank, Western Bank, Southern California Bank, the Bank of Los
Angeles and Pacific National Bank.



                                          2

<PAGE>

                                    EXHIBIT 99.5

                                       [LOGO]

                                  WESTERN BANCORP

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PRESS RELEASE
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Western Bancorp (NASDAQ: WEBC)
4100 Newport Place, Suite 900
Newport Beach, California 92660
Contacts: Matthew P. Wagner
          President and Chief Executive Officer
Phone:    310-477-2402 (ext. 134)
Fax:      310-231-0321

                               FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                WESTERN BANCORP DISCUSSES TIMING OF ITS ANNUAL MEETING

May 27, 1999

     Western Bancorp ("Western") today announced that it will schedule its
annual meeting for a date later this year so that it can include for
consideration by its shareholders at the meeting the principal terms of the
pending merger of Western with and into U.S. Bancorp.  Western anticipates that
the annual meeting will be held in the third quarter of 1999.  Western will
promptly announce the exact date, time and location of the annual meeting once
they have been established.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements that involve inherent
risks and uncertainties. Western Bancorp cautions readers that a number of
important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those in
the forward-looking statements. These factors include, among other things,
Western's ability to obtain all requisite approvals and otherwise consummate the
merger with and into U.S. Bancorp.



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