GUARDIAN BANCORP
DEF 14A, 1994-04-28
STATE COMMERCIAL BANKS
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<PAGE>
                            SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION

                  Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of
                      the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

    Filed by the Registrant /X/
    Filed by a Party other than the Registrant / /
    Check the appropriate box:
    / /  Preliminary Proxy Statement
    /X/  Definitive Proxy Statement
    / /  Definitive Additional Materials
    / /  Soliciting  Material  Pursuant  to  Section  240.14a-11(c)  or  Section
         240.142-12

                                          GUARDIAN BANCORP
- - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                (Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
                                         JON D. VAN DEUREN
- - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                   (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):

/X/  $125 per Exchange Act Rules 0-11(c)(1)(ii), 14a-6(j)(1), or 14a-6(j)(2)
/ /  $500 per  each party  to  the controversy  pursuant  to Exchange  Act  Rule
     14a-6(i)(3)
/ /  Fee   computed  on   table  below   per  Exchange   Act  Rules  14a-6(i)(4)
     and 0-11
     1) Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:
        ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     2) Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:
        ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     3) Per unit  price  or  other  underlying  value  of  transaction  computed
        pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11:*
        ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     4) Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:
        ------------------------------------------------------------------------
*    Set forth the amount on which the filing fee is calculated and state how it
     was determined.
/ /  Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule
     0-11(a)(2)  and identify the  filing for which the  offsetting fee was paid
     previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement  number,
     or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.
     1) Amount Previously Paid:
        ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     2) Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:
        ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     3) Filing Party:
        ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     4) Date Filed:
        ------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
                                GUARDIAN BANCORP
                           800 SOUTH FIGUEROA STREET
                         LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 90017

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

                    NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
                                  JUNE 1, 1994

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

TO EACH SHAREHOLDER OF GUARDIAN BANCORP:

    You  are  invited  to attend  the  1994  Annual Meeting  of  Shareholders of
Guardian Bancorp, which  will be  held at the  Los Angeles  Biltmore Hotel,  506
South Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, California, on Wednesday, June 1, 1994, at 9:00
o'clock a.m., Pacific time, for the following purposes:

    1.    To elect  nine directors  to serve  until the  next annual  meeting of
       shareholders and until their successors  are duly elected and  qualified.
       The following nine persons are the Board of Directors' nominees:

<TABLE>
<S>                     <C>
Vincent A. Bell         James F. Lewin
Marilyn M. Cohen        Saul Socoloske
Paul M. Harris          Jon D. Van Deuren
Howard C. Fletcher III  Michael J. Welch
Robert D. Frandzel
</TABLE>

    2.   To approve  the Company's new  1994 Long-Term Incentive  Plan which (a)
       provides that the aggregate number  of shares of Common Stock  authorized
       for issuance under such plan shall be 600,000 shares initially plus 2% of
       the  total outstanding shares of the Company determined each year for the
       first five years of the Plan, (b) replaces both the 1984 Stock  Incentive
       Plan, which expired on March 21, 1994, and the 1990 Stock Incentive Plan,
       which has 97,377 remaining shares authorized, and (c) allows the Board to
       grant  nonqualified and incentive stock option grants, stock appreciation
       rights, restricted stock and performance  awards to executives and  other
       key employees of the Company and its subsidiaries.

    3.   To transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting
       or any adjournment thereof.

    Only shareholders of record at  the close of business  on April 4, 1994  are
entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the meeting.

                                          By Order of the Board of Directors,

                                                 /s/ Vincent A. Bell

                                          VINCENT A. BELL
                                          SECRETARY

Los Angeles, California
April 28, 1994

    TO  ENSURE YOUR REPRESENTATION, PLEASE COMPLETE,  SIGN AND DATE THE ENCLOSED
PROXY AS PROMPTLY AS  POSSIBLE AND RETURN  IT IN THE  ENCLOSED ENVELOPE. IF  YOU
ATTEND THE MEETING AND WISH TO VOTE IN PERSON, YOUR PROXY WILL NOT BE USED.
<PAGE>
                                GUARDIAN BANCORP
                           800 SOUTH FIGUEROA STREET
                         LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 90017

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

                                PROXY STATEMENT
                                      FOR
                         ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

                                  JUNE 1, 1994

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

                                    GENERAL

    This  Proxy Statement  is furnished in  connection with  the solicitation of
proxies by the Board of Directors of Guardian Bancorp, a California  corporation
(the  "Company"), for the 1994 Annual Meeting  of Shareholders of the Company to
be held on Wednesday, June 1, 1994,  at 9:00 o'clock a.m., Pacific time, at  the
Los Angeles Biltmore Hotel, 506 South Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, California, and
any  adjournment  thereof (the  "Annual Meeting").  The  purposes of  the Annual
Meeting as set forth in  the Notice of Annual  Meeting of Shareholders to  which
this  Proxy Statement is attached include: (1) the election of nine directors to
serve until the next annual meeting  of shareholders and until their  successors
are  duly elected  and qualified,  (2) the  approval of  the Company's  new 1994
Long-Term  Incentive  Plan,  as  more  fully  described  herein,  and  (3)   the
transaction  of such other business  as may properly come  before the meeting or
adjournment thereof. The Company expects that this Proxy Statement and the  form
of  proxy will first be  mailed to shareholders of record  on or about April 29,
1994.

    The cost of this solicitation will be paid by the Company. The  solicitation
of  proxies will be made primarily by  use of the mails. In addition, directors,
officers and regular employees of the Company may make solicitations  personally
or  by  telephone  or  telegraph.  The  Company  will  request  banks,  brokers,
fiduciaries and other persons holding stock in  their names, or in the names  of
their  nominees, to forward proxies and  proxy materials to their principals and
obtain authorization for the execution and return of such proxies to management.
The Company  will  reimburse  such  banks, brokers  and  fiduciaries  for  their
out-of-pocket  expenses  in  connection  therewith.  The  Company  has  retained
Corporate Investors  Communications,  Inc.  to assist  in  the  solicitation  of
proxies  for a fee  of approximately $3,000.00  plus reimbursement of reasonable
out-of-pocket expenses.

    A proxy for use at  the Annual Meeting is enclosed.  Any proxy given may  be
revoked  by a shareholder at any time before  it is exercised by filing with the
Secretary of the Company a  notice in writing revoking  it or by duly  executing
and  delivering to the  Secretary of the  Company a proxy  bearing a later date.
Proxies may also be revoked by any shareholder present at the Annual Meeting who
expresses a desire to vote such shares in person. Subject to such revocation and
except as otherwise  stated herein or  in the  form of proxy,  all proxies  duly
executed  and received prior to,  or at the time of,  the Annual Meeting will be
voted in accordance with the specifications on the proxies. If no  specification
is  made, proxies will be voted "For" the nominees for election of directors set
forth elsewhere herein  (see "DIRECTORS  AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS  -- Election  of
Directors"),  "For" approval  of the  1994 Long-Term  Incentive Plan  and at the
discretion of  the proxyholders  on all  other matters  that may  properly  come
before the Annual Meeting or any adjournment thereof.

    If  you hold your  shares of Company  common stock in  "street name" and you
fail to instruct your broker or nominee as to how to vote such shares of  common
stock, your broker or nominee may, in its discretion, vote your shares of common
stock "For" the election of the nominees for director set forth herein and "For"
approval of the 1994 Long-Term Incentive Plan.

    In  the election of directors,  if a quorum is  present, the nine candidates
receiving the highest  number of votes  are elected; votes  withheld and  broker
nonvotes have no legal effect but will have the
<PAGE>
practical  effect  of voting  against the  nominees. With  respect to  any other
matter presented at the Annual Meeting, if a quorum is present, the approval  of
such matter would require (i) the affirmative vote of the majority of the shares
represented and voting at the Annual Meeting and (ii) the affirmative vote of at
least  a majority  of the  required quorum.  Abstentions from  voting and broker
nonvotes would have  no effect on  the outcome  with respect to  the first  test
because  they are not deemed  to be shares represented  and voting at the Annual
Meeting and would have the practical effect of a vote against the proposal  with
respect  to the second test  as they would not  constitute affirmative votes for
such matter.

                      OUTSTANDING SHARES AND VOTING RIGHTS

    There were issued and outstanding 12,514,075 shares of the Company's  common
stock,  no par value (the "Common Stock"), on  April 4, 1994, which has been set
as the  record date  for the  purpose of  determining shareholders  entitled  to
notice  of, and  to vote at,  the Annual Meeting.  On any matter  submitted to a
shareholder vote, each holder of Common Stock  will be entitled to one vote,  in
person or by proxy, for each share of Common Stock registered in his or her name
on the books of the Company as of the record date. In the election of directors,
however,  each shareholder  has cumulative voting  rights and is  entitled to as
many votes as shall equal the number of shares held by him or her, multiplied by
the number of directors to be elected, and may cast all of his or her votes  for
a  single  candidate  or may  distribute  such votes  among  any or  all  of the
candidates as he  or she sees  fit. For  a shareholder to  cumulate votes,  such
shareholder  must give notice of his or her intention to cumulate votes prior to
the voting. If any shareholder gives such notice, all shareholders may  cumulate
their  votes. Discretionary authority  to cumulate votes  is hereby solicited by
the Board  of  Directors, and  return  of an  executed  proxy shall  grant  such
authority.  Accordingly, if  cumulative voting  is invoked,  and unless contrary
instructions are given by a shareholder who signs a proxy, all votes represented
by each proxy will be cast in such manner and in accordance with the  discretion
of  the proxyholders as will result  in the election of as  many of the Board of
Directors' nominees as is possible.

                        DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

    The Bylaws of the Company provide that the Board of Directors shall  consist
of  not fewer than seven nor more than  13 directors. The Board of Directors has
fixed the exact number of directors at nine and nominated the persons set  forth
below for election as directors of the Company at the Annual Meeting. All of the
nominees  are currently  serving as directors  of the Company  and the Company's
wholly-owned subsidiary, Guardian Bank (the "Bank"). Each director elected  will
serve  until  the next  annual  meeting of  shareholders  and until  his  or her
successor is elected and qualified.

    According to the Bylaws of the Company, any shareholder may make nominations
for the election of directors if notice of such nominations is delivered to,  or
mailed  and received at, the principal executive office of the Company not fewer
than 30 calendar  days prior to  the date of  the originally scheduled  meeting;
provided,  however, that, if fewer than 40  calendar days notice or prior public
disclosure of the date of the meeting is given or made by the Company, notice of
such nomination must be so received not later than the close of business on  the
tenth  calendar day  following the  earlier of  the day  on which  notice of the
meeting was mailed  or the  day on  which such  public disclosure  was made.  If
nominations  are not so made, only the nominations of the Board of Directors may
be voted upon at the meeting.

    Votes will be cast according to the proxies  in such a way as to effect  the
election  of the Board's nine nominees, or as many of them as is possible, under
applicable voting  rules (see  "OUTSTANDING  SHARES AND  VOTING RIGHTS").  If  a
quorum  is present, the nine nominees receiving the highest number of votes cast
will be elected regardless  of whether any  one of them receives  the vote of  a
majority  of the shares represented at the  meeting. If any nominee is unable to
serve, the proxies will be  voted by the persons named  in the form of proxy  in
their discretion for another person.

                                       2
<PAGE>
    The  following is  a summary  of certain  information regarding  the persons
nominated by the Board of Directors for election as directors.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                DIRECTOR
                           AGE   SINCE                        PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION
                           ---  --------  ------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                        <C>  <C>       <C>
Vincent A. Bell            70      1983   Mr. Bell  has been  Secretary of  the Company  and the  Bank
                                          since  May 1983 and  has recently served the  Bank in a con-
                                          sulting capacity and as Special Advisor to the President  of
                                          the  Bank since July  1993. From January  1993 to June 1993,
                                          Mr. Bell served as Executive Vice President and Chief  Oper-
                                          ating  Officer of the Bank. From  May 1983 to December 1993,
                                          Mr. Bell served as Executive Vice President and Chief Finan-
                                          cial Officer of the Bank. From May 1983 to January 1993, Mr.
                                          Bell served as Executive Vice President and Chief  Financial
                                          Officer  of the Company. Mr. Bell  has served as a member of
                                          the Bank's Board of Directors  since 1983. Mr. Bell holds  a
                                          Bachelor  of Arts Degree  and a LL.B  from the University of
                                          Iowa.
Marilyn M. Cohen           44      1983   Ms. Cohen has held  the position of Managing  Director/Fixed
                                          Income  Securities at the investment advisory  firm of L & S
                                          Advisors, Inc. since  October 1992. Prior  thereto, she  had
                                          been   President  of  Capital  Insight  Brokerage,  Inc.,  a
                                          privately-held securities  brokerage  firm,  since  February
                                          1988.  Ms.  Cohen  holds  a Bachelor  of  Science  degree in
                                          Psychology from the University of California at Los  Angeles
                                          and   a  Master  of   Business  Administration  degree  from
                                          Pepperdine University, Los Angeles, California.
Paul M. Harris             53      1983   Mr. Harris has been Chairman  of the Board and Chief  Execu-
                                          tive Officer of the Company and Chairman of the Board of the
                                          Bank  since  their  incorporation. Until  May  3,  1993, Mr.
                                          Harris had served  as Chief Executive  Officer of the  Bank.
                                          Mr.  Harris holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in accounting
                                          from Woodbury University, Los Angeles, California.
Howard C. Fletcher III     46      1993   Mr. Fletcher has been President of the Company since  August
                                          25,  1993 and has been President and Chief Executive Officer
                                          of the Bank since May 3,  1993 and prior thereto had  served
                                          as  acting President and Chief Executive Officer since March
                                          22, 1993.  Prior  thereto,  Mr.  Fletcher  was  employed  by
                                          Security  Pacific Corporation  ("SPC") and  Security Pacific
                                          Bank ("SPB") between 1974 and  1992 in a variety of  capaci-
                                          ties,  including  President and  Chief Executive  Officer of
                                          Bancwest Mortgage Corporation, a subsidiary of SPC;  General
                                          Auditor of SPB; Senior Vice President and Administrator, SPB
                                          Retail Bank; Senior Vice President and Deputy Administrator,
                                          International  Banking Group;  and as  a director  and Chief
                                          Operating Officer of Bank of Canton, Ltd., a SPB subsidiary.
                                          Mr. Fletcher holds a Bachelor of Science degree in  Business
                                          Administration  and a Master of Business Administration from
                                          the University of Southern California.
</TABLE>

                                       3
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                DIRECTOR
                           AGE   SINCE                        PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION
                           ---  --------  ------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                        <C>  <C>       <C>
Robert D. Frandzel         51      1983   Mr. Frandzel has been  Chairman of the  Board of Frandzel  &
                                          Share, A Law Corporation, specializing in banking law, since
                                          1979. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the Univer-
                                          sity  of  California at  Los Angeles  and a  Juris Doctorate
                                          degree from  the  University  of  Southern  California,  Los
                                          Angeles, California.
James F. Lewin             47      1994   Mr.  Lewin has been President and Chief Executive Officer of
                                          Freedom Surfaces Company, Inc., a manufacturer of table tops
                                          and counter tops since April 1991. Prior thereto, Mr.  Lewin
                                          was  with Security Pacific  National Bank from  1975 to 1990
                                          where he  was a  Senior Vice  President. Mr.  Lewin holds  a
                                          Bachelor  of  Arts  degree  in  Political  Science  from the
                                          University of Cincinnati.
Saul Socoloske             63      1983   Mr. Socoloske has been President of Cass Luis, Inc., a  pri-
                                          vately-held  company, since 1978. Cass  Luis, Inc. is a real
                                          estate  development  and  construction  company  located  in
                                          Woodland  Hills,  California.  Mr. Socoloske  is  a licensed
                                          civil and structural engineer and holds a Master of  Science
                                          degree   in  civil   engineering  from   Lehigh  University,
                                          Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
Jon D. Van Deuren          41      1994   Mr. Van Deuren has been  Executive Vice President and  Chief
                                          Financial  Officer of  the Company  and the  Bank since Sep-
                                          tember 1993.  Prior thereto,  he was  Senior Vice  President
                                          since  1991 and Chief Financial Officer  of the Bank and the
                                          Company since December 1992 and January 1993,  respectively.
                                          Prior to joining the Company, from 1975 to 1991, he was most
                                          recently  a partner in the  certified public accounting firm
                                          of KPMG Peat Marwick. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree,
                                          with distinction, in Business Administration from California
                                          State University, Long Beach.
Michael J. Welch           41      1994   Mr. Welch has been employed  by Mattel Corporation in  vari-
                                          ous  capacities  since 1988,  most  recently as  Director of
                                          Strategic Planning and Acquisitions.  He has also served  as
                                          Assistant Treasurer of Mattel Corporation. Mr. Welch holds a
                                          Bachelor  of Science degree in Business Administration and a
                                          Master of  Business Administration  from the  University  of
                                          Southern California.
</TABLE>

MEETINGS AND COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD

    The  Board of Directors has appointed various standing committees, including
an Executive Committee,  an Audit  and Compliance Committee  and a  Compensation
Committee.  The Company does not have a Nominating Committee, and the procedures
for nominating directors, other than by  the Board of Directors itself, are  set
forth  in  the Company's  Bylaws and  this Proxy  Statement (see  "DIRECTORS AND
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS -- Election of Directors").

    The Executive Committee, between meetings of  the Board and while the  Board
is  not in session, possesses all the powers  and may exercise all the duties of
the Board of Directors in the management of the affairs of the Company which  by
law  may be delegated to  it by the Board  of Directors. The Executive Committee
met seven times during 1993. The Executive Committee is chaired by Marilyn Cohen
and is currently composed of Messrs. Harris, Fletcher, Lewin, and Socoloske.

                                       4
<PAGE>
    The Audit  and  Compliance Committee  is  empowered  to (i)  meet  with  the
independent  auditors of the Company and review the scope of their annual audit,
address any open questions as to the choice of acceptable accounting  principles
to  be applied and all other matters relating to the auditors' relationship with
the Company;  (ii) advise  and  assist the  Board  in evaluating  the  auditors'
performance,  including  the scope  and adequacy  of the  auditors' examination;
(iii) recommend the firm of independent auditors to be employed by the  Company;
(iv)   review  the  Company's  annual  financial  statements  and  discuss  such
statements with the auditors  prior to their release;  (v) receive and  consider
the  auditors' comments  and suggestions  as to  the internal  audit and control
procedures, adequacy  of  staff  and  other matters;  (vi)  perform  such  other
functions  and  undertake  such  investigations relating  to  the  financial and
accounting aspects of  the Company  as the Board  may direct;  (vii) retain  and
consult  with  counsel  or such  other  experts  as the  committee  may consider
necessary or appropriate  in connection with  the discharge of  its duties;  and
(viii)  address the Company's and the Bank's compliance with regulatory matters.
The Audit Committee met eight times during 1993 to address audit related  issues
and thirty-eight times in connection with regulatory compliance matters. In late
1993, due to the number of meetings, overlapping responsibilities with the Audit
Committee  and duplication  of committee  members, the  Compliance Committee was
formally merged with  the Audit  Committee to  become the  Audit and  Compliance
Committee. The practice of merging these committees of the Board of Directors is
consistent  with that of  other financial institutions in  response to a changed
regulatory environment. The Audit and Compliance Committee is currently  chaired
by Mr. Frandzel and includes Mr. Socoloske and Ms. Cohen.

    The Compensation Committee was established during the first quarter of 1993.
This  Committee  was formed  to  (i) prepare  written  annual reviews  of senior
executive officers; (ii) consider the recommendations of outside consultants  as
they  relate to senior executive compensation; and (iii) analyze employee salary
grades within the Bank's peer group. During 1993, the Compensation Committee was
chaired by Ms. Cohen and included Messrs. Harris, Fletcher, Lewin, Socoloske and
Deborah Manning, an officer  of the Bank. The  Compensation Committee met  seven
times  in  1993,  but all  decisions  and analysis  regarding  compensation were
generally made by the  entire Board of Directors,  based upon input provided  by
the  Executive Committee. As  a result of  changes to the  Internal Revenue Code
(the "Code") that were  made in 1993, the  Board of Directors has  reconstituted
the  Compensation  Committee  so  that, as  the  1994  Long-Term  Incentive Plan
requires, all members of the  Compensation Committee are "outside directors"  as
that  term  is  specially defined  in  Section  162(m) of  the  Code.  For these
purposes, an  "outside director"  is an  individual  who is  (a) not  a  current
employee  of the Company or certain affiliates, (b) not a former employee of the
Company or certain affiliates who is receiving currently compensation for  prior
services  (other than benefits  under a tax-qualified  retirement plan), (c) has
never been an officer  of the Company  or certain affiliates,  and (d) does  not
receive remuneration, either directly or indirectly, from the Company or certain
affiliates  in any  capacity (such  as for  goods or  services) other  than as a
director. The Compensation Committee  has adopted and  will administer the  1994
Long-Term  Incentive  Plan.  It  is  intended  that  future  decisions regarding
compensation, including  those related  to  stock options,  will be  subject  to
ratification   by   the  full   Board   of  Directors,   based   upon  approval,
recommendations and analysis performed by the Compensation Committee.

    During 1993, the Board  of Directors held sixteen  meetings. Except for  Mr.
Bohana,  no director attended fewer than 75 percent of the number of meetings of
the Board and  of the  committees on  which he or  she served  during 1993.  Mr.
Bohana  resigned from the Company's and  the Bank's Board of Directors effective
April 26, 1994.

                                       5
<PAGE>
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

    The following is a summary of certain information regarding the persons  who
serve as executive officers of the Company.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                           AGE                          PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION
                           ---  --------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                        <C>  <C>
Paul M. Harris             53   Mr.  Harris  has  been Chairman  of  the Board  and  Chief Executive
                                Officer of the Company  and the Bank  since their incorporation.  On
                                May  3, 1993, Mr. Harris ceased  to serve as Chief Executive Officer
                                of the  Bank. Mr.  Harris  holds a  Bachelor  of Science  Degree  in
                                accounting from Woodbury University, Los Angeles, California.
Howard C. Fletcher III     46   Mr.  Howard C. Fletcher III has  been President of the Company since
                                August 1993, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Bank since
                                May 3, 1993 and had served  as acting President and Chief  Executive
                                Officer  of  the  Bank  since March  22,  1993.  Prior  thereto, Mr.
                                Fletcher was employed by  Security Pacific Corporation between  1974
                                and  1992 in a  variety of capacities  (see "DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE
                                OFFICERS -- Election of Directors"). He holds a Bachelor of  Science
                                degree  in Business Administration and a Master of Business Adminis-
                                tration from the University of Southern California.
Jon D. Van Deuren          41   Mr. Van Deuren has  been Executive Vice  President and Chief  Finan-
                                cial Officer of the Company and the Bank since September 1993. Prior
                                thereto,  he was Senior Vice President since November 1991 and Chief
                                Financial Officer of the  Bank and the  Company since December  1992
                                and  January 1993, respectively. Prior  to joining the Company, from
                                1975 to 1991, he was most recently a partner in the certified public
                                accounting firm of KPMG Peat Marwick. He holds a Bachelor of Science
                                degree, with distinction, in Business Administration from California
                                State University, Long Beach.
Howard A. Shields          56   Mr. Shields has been Executive  Vice President and Chief Credit  Of-
                                ficer  of the Bank since November 1993. Mr. Shields was a consultant
                                to the  Company  from September  1993  through November  1993.  From
                                February  1993  through September  1993,  Mr. Shields  was  a Credit
                                Specialist, at the Federal  Deposit Insurance Corporation,  Division
                                of  Liquidation.  From  February  1992  through  February  1993, Mr.
                                Shields  was  a   temporary  FDIC  employee   in  the  Division   of
                                Liquidation. From February 1992 through August 1992, Mr. Shields was
                                Senior   Vice  President/Manager  of  Problem  Loan  Administration,
                                Independence Bank. From  May 1989 through  August 1992, Mr.  Shields
                                was an independent consultant working with banks and attorneys as an
                                advisor and expert witness.
Kenneth J. Meister         47   Mr.  Meister has been President of  Guardian Trust Company since No-
                                vember 1990. From August 1986 to  October 1990 Mr. Meister was  Vice
                                President  and Manager of  Union Bank of  California's Labor Manage-
                                ment Division. Prior thereto, from  October 1970 to August 1986  Mr.
                                Meister  was  with Crocker  Bank and  served  as Vice  President and
                                Manager of its Southern California Employee Benefit Trust Group.
</TABLE>

                      BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF COMMON STOCK

    The following table sets forth certain information regarding the beneficial
ownership of the Company's Common Stock by each person nominated to serve as a
director of the Company, each person who is currently serving as a director of
the Company, each of the Named Executives and

                                       6
<PAGE>
by all directors and executive officers of the Company as a group as of March
31, 1994. The Company knows of no person who is the beneficial owner of more
than five percent of the Company's Common Stock.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                     COMMON STOCK BENEFICIALLY
                                                                      OWNED AS OF 3/31/94 (1)
                                                                     --------------------------
                                                                       NUMBER OF
NAME OF BENEFICIAL OWNER                                                SHARES       PERCENT (2)
- - -------------------------------------------------------------------  -------------   ----------
<S>                                                                  <C>             <C>
DIRECTORS AND NOMINEES
Vincent A. Bell....................................................     61,325(3)       *   %
Marilyn M. Cohen...................................................    179,438(4)       1.41
Paul M. Harris.....................................................    356,259(5)       2.77
Howard C. Fletcher III.............................................     32,200(6)        *
Robert D. Frandzel.................................................    156,567(7)       1.24
James F. Lewin.....................................................      3,000           *
Saul Socoloske.....................................................     42,243(8)        *
Jon D. Van Deuren..................................................     14,211(9)        *
Michael J. Welch...................................................       --             --
NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
Paul M. Harris.....................................................    356,259(5)       2.77%
Howard C. Fletcher III.............................................     32,200(6)        *
Jon D. Van Deuren..................................................     14,211(9)        *
Kenneth J. Meister.................................................      3,750(10)       --
Howard A. Shields..................................................      2,222           *
Arthur W. Tate.....................................................      2,856(11)       *
Ronald W. Holloway.................................................     19,669(12)       *
All directors and executive officers as a group (10 persons
 including those named above excluding Messrs. Tate and
 Holloway).........................................................    851,215(13)      6.6
<FN>
- - ------------------------
 *   Less than 1%.
</TABLE>

                                       7
<PAGE>

<TABLE>
<S>  <C>
 (1) Unless otherwise stated in the following notes or required by the community
     property laws  of the  State of  California, each  person listed  has  sole
     voting  and dispositive power with  respect to his or  her shares. Does not
     include shares held in  trust for the account  of the named individuals  or
     group under the Guardian Bancorp 1990 Deferred Compensation Plan.
 (2) In  computing the  percentage of shares  beneficially owned,  the number of
     shares which the person or group has a right to acquire within 60 days  are
     deemed  outstanding for the purposes of  computing the percentage of Common
     Stock beneficially  owned by  such  person or  group,  but are  not  deemed
     outstanding   for  the  purpose  of  computing  the  percentage  of  shares
     beneficially owned by any other person.
 (3) Includes 11,111 shares  held by Mr.  Bell's wife and  3,676 shares held  in
     trust under the ESOP and 37,889 shares which may be acquired within 60 days
     through  exercise of outstanding options. Mr. Bell disclaims any beneficial
     interest in the shares held by his wife.
 (4) Includes 61,753 shares  which may be  acquired within 60  days through  the
     exercise of outstanding options.
 (5) Includes  10,690 shares held  in trust under  the Guardian Bancorp Employee
     Stock Ownership  Plan ("ESOP")  and 187,966  shares which  may be  acquired
     within  60 days  through the exercise  of outstanding  options. Mr. Harris'
     address is the same as that of the Company.
 (6) Includes 8,000 shares  which may  be acquired  within 60  days through  the
     exercise of outstanding options.
 (7) Includes  5,858 shares  held in trust  for Mr. Frandzel's  sister and 5,852
     shares held in trust for certain  minors, for which Mr. Frandzel serves  as
     trustee, and 57,233 shares which may be acquired within 60 days through the
     exercise  of  outstanding options.  Mr.  Frandzel disclaims  any beneficial
     interest in the shares held in trust for his sister and certain minors.
 (8) Includes 32,743 shares  which may be  acquired within 60  days through  the
     exercise of outstanding options.
 (9) Includes  2,300 shares  which may  be acquired  within 60  days through the
     exercise of outstanding options.
(10) Includes 3,750 shares  which may  be acquired  within 60  days through  the
     exercise of outstanding options.
(11) Includes 2,856 shares held in trust under the ESOP. On August 23, 1993, Mr.
     Tate ceased to serve as an executive officer of the Company.
(12) Includes 2,831 shares held in trust under the ESOP. On August 23, 1993, Mr.
     Holloway ceased to serve as an executive officer of the Bank.
(13) Includes  20,053 shares  held in  trust under  the ESOP  and 392,434 shares
     which may be acquired by  members of the group  within 60 days through  the
     exercise of outstanding options.
</TABLE>

                                       8
<PAGE>
                COMPENSATION OF EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

SUMMARY OF CASH AND CERTAIN OTHER COMPENSATION

    The  following  table  sets  forth  certain  summary  information concerning
compensation paid or accrued  by the Company  to or on  behalf of the  Company's
Chief  Executive  Officer  and  six  other  executive  officers  of  the Company
(determined as of the end of the  last fiscal year) whose annual salary in  1993
exceeded  $100,000 (the "Named  Executives") for each of  the fiscal years ended
December 31, 1993, 1992 and 1991:

                           SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                           LONG-TERM COMPENSATION
                                                                                         ---------------------------
                                                ANNUAL COMPENSATION                                       PAYOUT
                            -----------------------------------------------------------     AWARDS     -------------
    NAME AND PRINCIPAL                                                   OTHER ANNUAL    ------------      LTIP         ALL OTHER
         POSITION               YEAR          SALARY         BONUS     COMPENSATION (1)    OPTIONS        PAYOUT       COMPENSATION
- - --------------------------  ------------  --------------  -----------  ----------------  ------------  -------------  --------------
<S>                         <C>           <C>             <C>          <C>               <C>           <C>            <C>
Paul M. Harris                   1993(3)  $   239,220     $   --          $    3,000          --       $    --        $     --
  Chief Executive Officer        1992         338,560         --              18,000          --           21,975(2)        --
   of the Company and Bank       1991         294,400         --              28,000                        --
Howard C. Fletcher               1993(4)      113,557(5)      --              --            40,000(7)       --              --
  President of the Company       1992           --            --              --              --            --              --
   and President and Chief       1991           --            --              --              --            --
   Executive Officer of
   the Bank
Jon D. Van Deuren                1993         119,230         --              --             7,500(7)       --              --
  Executive Vice President       1992         110,000         --              --             2,000(7)       --              --
   of the Company and Bank       1991(6)       17,086         --              --              --            --
Howard A. Shields                1993(9)       42,147(10)     --              --            30,000(7)       --              --
  Executive Vice President       1992           --            --              --              --            --              --
   of the Bank                   1991           --            --              --              --            --              --
Kenneth J. Meister               1993         145,547         --              --             8,750(7)       --              --
  President of Guardian          1992         131,800         --              --              --            --              --
   Trust Company                 1991         117,228         --              --              --            --              --
Arthur W. Tate                   1993         213,428         --              12,750          --            --            170,859(8)
  President of the               1992         227,813         --              18,000          --            --              --
   Company                       1991         216,211         --              28,000          --            --
Ronald W. Holloway               1993         132,458         --               7,500          --            --            110,742(8)
  Vice Chairman of the           1992         221,484         --              18,000          --            --              --
   Bank                          1991         200,977         --              28,000          --            --
<FN>
- - ------------------------
 (1) Reflects fees earned as a director.
 (2) Reflects the  exercise  of  7,500  units under  the  Company's  1985  Stock
     Appreciation Rights Plan ("SAR Plan") and the resulting cash payment. Under
     the  SAR Plan, each unit entitled the  holder to receive an amount equal to
     the  difference  between  the  average   market  share  of  the   Company's
</TABLE>

                                       9
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<S>  <C>
     common  stock over the last 20 days  preceding the date of exercise and the
     book value of one share
     of Common Stock as of the  end of the fiscal quarter immediately  preceding
     the  exercise. The SAR Plan and  all remaining unexercised units thereunder
     expired during 1992.
 (3) On May 3, 1993, Mr.  Harris ceased to serve  as Chief Executive Officer  of
     the Bank.
 (4) Employment commenced May 3, 1993.
 (5) Includes  $25,906 of compensation  earned as a consultant  to the Bank from
     March 22, 1993 to May 2, 1993.
 (6) Employment commenced November 7, 1991.
 (7) Represents an  award  of  stock  options under  the  Company's  1984  Stock
     Incentive Plan.
 (8) Employment  ceased August  23, 1993.  Amount represents  severance payments
     made pursuant to terminated employment arrangements.
 (9) Employment commenced November 3, 1993.
(10) Includes $21,455 of compensation  earned as a consultant  to the Bank  from
     September 7, 1993 to November 2, 1993.
</TABLE>

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENTS AND TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT ARRANGEMENTS

    During  1992, the Company and the  Bank entered into an Employment Agreement
with Mr. Harris, which provides for a three year term commencing on October  20,
1992 and sets forth the compensation Mr. Harris will receive for his services as
Chief  Executive Officer of  the Company. This agreement  provides for an annual
salary of  $338,560.  In  the  event the  Company's  profitability  and  overall
financial  condition return to acceptable levels,  as determined by the Board of
Directors, the annual  salary shall  be increased  at the  rate of  12 1/2%  and
thereafter  at the  rate of 12  1/2% per annum  on each anniversary  date of the
agreement. Mr.  Harris'  Employment Agreement  and  the bases  for  compensation
thereunder  are  discussed  in  the  Board  of  Directors'  Report  on Executive
Compensation.

    The agreement provides for additional compensation to be paid to Mr. Harris,
if appropriate,  in the  form of  a Senior  Management Incentive  Program to  be
determined  in  the  sole  discretion  of  the  Board  of  Directors.  No Senior
Management  Incentive  Program  exists.  The  executive  is  also  eligible   to
participate  in any and all other employee  benefits and plans that exist or may
be developed  and  adopted by  the  Company and  the  Bank. The  agreement  also
provides  the  executive with  use of  an automobile,  life insurance  and other
insurance benefits as provided by the group insurance program of the  California
Bankers  Association or equivalent coverage, expense reimbursement, vacation and
other customary employee benefits. The agreement stipulates specific grounds for
its termination by the Company or the Bank and authorizes set severance payments
to the executive, dependent upon the circumstances of the termination. The Board
of Directors  has the  authority  to terminate  Mr. Harris  at  any time  if  it
determines that his continued employment is detrimental to the best interests of
the  shareholders. If this right is exercised  at any time within two years from
the effective date of the agreement, Mr. Harris would be entitled to receive one
year's salary plus a pro rata share of any additional compensation based on  the
actual  time he was  employed during the  year of termination.  If this right is
exercised at any time thereafter, the executive would be entitled to receive the
balance of his salary for the remainder of the third year plus a pro rata  share
of any additional compensation provided for in the agreement based on the actual
time the executive was employed during the year.

    Mr.  Harris has voluntarily agreed to a  reduction in his 1994 annual salary
to $175,000 and during 1993 voluntarily  ceased using a Company automobile.  The
Board  of Directors  has the  authority to  restore his  salary to  its original
level, in its sole discretion, based on the Company's profitability.

    During 1992,  the Company  and  the Bank  entered into  separate  employment
agreements with Messrs. Tate and Holloway, formerly President of the Company and
Vice Chairman of the Bank,

                                       10
<PAGE>
respectively.  On August 23, 1993, Messrs. Tate  and Holloway ceased to serve as
executive officers of  the Company. Each  agreement stipulated specific  grounds
for  its termination by  the Company and  the Bank and  authorized set severance
payments to the individual, dependent upon the circumstances of the termination.
Severance payments made in 1993  in connection with these terminated  employment
arrangements aggregated $281,601.

DIRECTOR COMPENSATION

    Each  director  of the  Company currently  receives a  fixed monthly  fee of
$1,500 for serving  on the Company's  Board of Directors.  From January to  July
1993  the monthly fee was  $1,500; from August 1993  to January 1994 the monthly
fee was $750. However, if a director is absent from more than one meeting during
the calendar  year, this  fee is  forfeited  for each  month during  which  such
director  is absent from a meeting. No fees are paid for committee meetings. The
aggregate amount of directors' fees paid in 1993 was $116,250.

                 APPROVAL OF THE 1994 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN

    In March 1984, and  again in February 1990,  the Board of Directors  adopted
and  the stockholders subsequently  approved, the Company's  1984 and 1990 Stock
Incentive Plans (the "Plans"). The 1984  Plan was amended in 1987, resulting  in
an  aggregate  number of  shares  authorized under  the  Plans of  1,001,719 and
187,500 as adjusted for stock splits.

    At December 31, 1993, options (net of canceled or expired options)  covering
an  aggregate of 797,131 shares  of the Company's Common  Stock had been granted
under the Plans, and  127,379 shares remained available  for future grant  under
the  1990 Plan. Approximately  264,700 shares that remained  under the 1984 Plan
were no longer available for issuance under the 1984 Plan as of March 21, 1994.

    The Compensation Committee has  adopted and the Board  has ratified the  new
1994  Long-Term Incentive Plan (the "LTIP" or  "Plan"), as a replacement for the
Plans,  subject  to  stockholder  approval.   The  LTIP  specifies  an   initial
authorization of 674,797 shares of the Company's Common Stock for issuance under
the  LTIP. At  March 31, 1994  the Company's Common  Stock closed at  $1 7/8 per
share. The  number  of  available  shares  shall be  adjusted  in  each  of  the
subsequent  five (5)  years following adoption  of the LTIP  by the Compensation
Committee and ratification by  the Board by reference  to the total  outstanding
shares  of the Company's Common  Stock on January 1 of  that year as provided in
the LTIP. The initial  authorization is an increase  of 674,797 shares over  the
remaining unissued shares of the 1984 and 1990 Plans. The Compensation Committee
adopted and approved and the Board ratified and approved the LTIP to ensure that
the  Company  can  continue to  grant  stock options  and  other incentive-based
compensation to employees at levels  determined appropriate by the  Compensation
Committee and the Board.

    The  Board's  and the  Compensation Committee's  approval  of the  LTIP also
reflects a desire to change the eligibility  and basis by which grants are  made
to  outside Directors who  are on the Compensation  Committee and administer the
Plan.

    Stockholders are requested to approve the 1994 LTIP as summarized below  and
stated in full in the LTIP document which is attached hereto as Appendix A.

              THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE IN FAVOR OF
                 APPROVAL OF THE 1994 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN

    The  essential features  of the 1994  Long-Term Incentive  Plan are outlined
below:

GENERAL

    The  LTIP  provides  for  the  grant  of  both  incentive  and  nonstatutory
(nonqualified) stock options. Incentive stock options granted under the LTIP are
intended  to qualify as "incentive stock  options" within the meaning of Section
422 of the  Code. Nonstatutory  (nonqualified) stock options  granted under  the
LTIP  are intended not to so qualify. The LTIP also provides for the granting of
stock

                                       11
<PAGE>
appreciation rights, restricted stock and performance awards as described below.
See "Federal Income Tax  Information" for a discussion  of the tax treatment  of
incentive stock options, nonstatutory stock options, and other awards.

PURPOSE

    The LTIP was adopted to promote and advance the interests of the Company and
its  shareholders by providing a means  by which selected officers and employees
of  and  nonemployee  Directors  serving  on  behalf  of  the  Company  and  its
subsidiaries  could be given an opportunity to  acquire stock in the Company and
other incentive-based awards, to assist in attracting and retaining the services
of employees  holding key  positions, and  to provide  incentives for  such  key
employees  to exert maximum efforts toward results that are in the best interest
of all stockholders.

ADMINISTRATION

    The LTIP  is administered  by the  Compensation Committee  of the  Board  of
Directors  and subject to final  ratification of the full  Board of Directors of
the Company. The Committee has the power to construe and interpret the LTIP and,
subject to provisions  of the LTIP,  to determine  the persons to  whom and  the
dates  on which options  or awards will be  granted, the number  of shares to be
subject to each option  or award, the  times during the term  of each option  or
award  within which all or  a portion of such option  or award may be exercised,
the exercise price, the type of consideration and other terms and conditions  of
such  option or award. The Committee shall be composed solely of individuals who
are "outside directors" within the meaning of Section 162(m)(4)(C) of the Code.

ELIGIBILITY

    Incentive stock options  may be  granted under  the LTIP  only to  employees
(including  Directors if  they are  also key employees)  of the  Company and its
subsidiaries. Selected  employees  and  nonemployee Directors  are  eligible  to
receive  nonstatutory (nonqualified)  stock options,  stock appreciation rights,
restricted awards, performance awards  and other awards  under the LTIP.  Awards
under  the Plan may be made to directors  of the Company or its subsidiaries, as
well as managerial and  other key employees of  the Company or its  subsidiaries
who  hold  positions of  significant  responsibilities or  whose  performance or
potential contribution,  in the  judgment of  the Compensation  Committee,  will
benefit the future success of the Company. Currently, approximately 30 employees
and Directors will be eligible to receive awards under the LTIP.

    No  option may be granted under  the LTIP to any person  who, at the time of
the grant, owns  (or is deemed  to own) stock  possessing more than  10% of  the
total  combined voting power  of the Company  or any subsidiary  of the Company,
unless the option exercise price  is at least 110% of  the fair market value  of
the  stock subject to the  option on the date  of the grant and  the term of the
option does not  exceed five years  from the  date of the  grant. For  incentive
stock  options  granted  under  the  LTIP,  the  aggregate  fair  market  value,
determined at the time of the grant, of the shares of Common Stock with  respect
to  which such options are exercisable for  the first time by an optionee during
any calendar year (under all such plans of the Company and its subsidiaries) may
not exceed $100,000. As a result of enactment of Section 162(m) of the Code, and
to give the Compensation Committee  flexibility in structuring awards, the  LTIP
states  that in  the case  of stock  options and  stock appreciation  rights, no
person may receive  in any year  a stock  option to purchase  more than  300,000
shares or a stock appreciation right measured by more than 300,000 shares.

COMMON STOCK SUBJECT TO THE LTIP

    Except  in the case of  incentive stock options (for  which each share award
may be used only once), if options or awards granted under the LTIP expire,  are
canceled,  or otherwise terminate without being  exercised, the Common Stock not
purchased pursuant to such option or award again becomes available for  issuance
under the LTIP.

TERMS OF OPTIONS AND AWARDS

    The  following is a  description of the  types of grants  and awards and the
permissible terms under the LTIP. Individual option grants and share awards  may
be more restrictive as to any or all of the permissible terms described below.

                                       12
<PAGE>
    STOCK  OPTIONS may  be granted  as incentive  or nonstatutory (nonqualified)
grants.

    STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS  ("SARS") may  be granted specifying  a period  of
time  for which  increases in  share price shall  be measured,  with the grantee
eligible to receive stock or cash at the end of such period based upon increases
in such share price.

    RESTRICTED  AWARDS  may  be  granted  specifying  a  period  of  time   (the
"Restriction  Period") applicable  to such award,  which shall be  not less than
three (3) years, but may be more than that and may vary at the discretion of the
Committee. Common  Stock awarded  pursuant  to a  restricted stock  award  shall
entitle  the holder to  enjoy all the stockholder  rights during the restriction
period except that certain limitations with respect to disposition of such stock
shall prevail.

    PERFORMANCE AWARDS may be granted specifying a number of performance  shares
to  be credited to an account on behalf of the recipient, each share of which is
deemed to be the equivalent  of one share of Common  Stock of the Company.  Such
awards shall be subject to both time and Company performance objectives that are
specified  at the  time of such  award at  the discretion of  the Committee. The
value of a performance share in a holder's  account at the time of award or  the
time  of payment shall be  the fair market value  at any time of  a share of the
Common Stock of the Company.

    Other awards may be granted  under the Plan that  are not in the  categories
discussed above because the Plan gives the Compensation Committee flexibility in
designing compensation programs.

    EXERCISE PRICE; PAYMENT.  The exercise price of stock options under the LTIP
may  not be less than the  fair market value of the  Common Stock subject to the
option on the date of the option grant and in some cases (see "Eligibility") may
not be less than 110% of  such fair market value. Similarly, stock  appreciation
rights  are based upon the fair  market value of a share  of Common Stock on the
date of the grant compared with the fair  market value of a share at the end  of
the  measuring period. The sole  basis for compensation under  such awards is an
increase in the stock's fair market value.

    Restricted stock  awards  are payable  in  stock upon  satisfaction  of  the
restrictions  imposed with respect to the  award. The Compensation Committee has
the discretion to  pay other awards  in cash, in  shares of Common  Stock, or  a
combination of both.

    PERFORMANCE  GOALS.    The  Plan  is  structured  so  that  the Compensation
Committee may  make  awards  that qualify  as  "performance-based  compensation"
within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code, as such section was enacted in
1993.  However, the Plan is flexible so that the Compensation Committee also has
the discretion to make  awards that are not  described in that section.  Section
162(m)  provides a  limit of $1,000,000  on deductions for  compensation paid to
certain   corporate    executives   on    a   year-by-year    basis.    However,
"performance-based  compensation" is excluded from  that limitation. Whether any
particular award under the Plan will qualify as "performance-based compensation"
will depend  upon the  terms of  the  award and  compliance with  certain  other
procedural  requirements under  Section 162(m). The  Compensation Committee will
take into account  the overall  tax and business  objectives of  the Company  in
structuring awards under the Plan.

    TERM.  The maximum term of the LTIP is ten (10) years, except that the Board
may  terminate the Plan earlier.  The term of each  individual award will depend
upon the written agreement between the Company and the grantee setting forth the
terms of the awards. In certain  circumstances, an award may remain  outstanding
for  a period  that extends beyond  the term  of the Plan  or the  period of the
grantee's employment or directorship.

ADJUSTMENTS

    If there is any change  in the stock subject to  the LTIP or subject to  any
option  grant  or  award made  under  the LTIP  (through  merger, consolidation,
reorganization, recapitalization, stock dividend, dividend in kind, stock split,
liquidating dividend, combination  or exchange  of shares,  change in  corporate
structure  or otherwise),  the LTIP  and shares  outstanding thereunder  will be
appropriately adjusted as to the class and the maximum number of shares  subject
to the Plan and the class, number

                                       13
<PAGE>
of  shares and price per  share of stock subject  to such outstanding options as
determined by  the  Compensation Committee  to  be  fair and  equitable  to  the
holders, the Company and other shareholders.

AMENDMENT

    The  Board may  amend the  LTIP at any  time and  from time  to time without
stockholder approval, except  that such amendment  may not, without  stockholder
approval,  (a) increase the  number of shares authorized  for issuance under the
LTIP except  as  a  result  of  an adjustment,  or  (b)  materially  modify  the
requirements  as to eligibility for participation in the Plan, or (c) materially
increase the benefits accruing to participants under the Plan.

RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER

    Under the LTIP, no option right or  award shall be transferable by a  holder
other  than  by  laws  of  descent  and  distribution.  Option  rights  shall be
exercisable during the holder's lifetime only  by the holder or by his  guardian
or legal representative.

FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES

    The  following discussion is only a  summary of the principal federal income
tax consequences of the compensation awards to be granted under the LTIP, and is
based on existing federal law (including administrative regulations and rulings)
which is subject to change, in some cases retroactively. This discussion is also
qualified by the particular circumstances of individual participants, which  may
substantially  alter  or  modify  the  federal  income  tax  consequences herein
discussed. Because of the wide range of awards that may be made under the  LTIP,
the  following discussion is confined to the  most common forms of awards likely
to be made.

    INCENTIVE STOCK  OPTIONS.   Generally  under  present law,  when  an  option
qualifies  as an incentive  stock option under  Section 422 of  the Code: (i) an
optionee will not realize taxable income  either upon the grant or the  exercise
of the option, (ii) any gain or loss upon a qualifying disposition of the shares
acquired  by the exercise of the option will be treated as capital gain or loss,
and (iii) no deduction will be allowed to  the Company or the Bank (as the  case
may be) for federal income tax purposes in connection with the grant or exercise
of  an  incentive stock  option or  a  qualifying disposition  of the  shares. A
disposition by an optionee of stock acquired upon exercise of an incentive stock
option will constitute a qualifying disposition if it occurs more than two years
after the grant of the option, and one year after the transfer of the shares  to
the optionee. If such stock is disposed of by the optionee before the expiration
of  those time limits,  the transfer would be  a "disqualifying disposition" and
the optionee, in general, will recognize ordinary income equal to the lesser  of
(i)  the aggregate fair  market value of the  shares as of  the date of exercise
less the  option  price,  or  (ii) the  amount  realized  on  the  disqualifying
disposition  less the option price. The Company or the Bank (as the case may be)
would become  entitled to  a  corresponding deduction.  Ordinary income  from  a
disqualifying disposition will constitute ordinary compensation income. Any gain
in  addition to  the amount  reportable as  ordinary income  on a "disqualifying
disposition" generally will be capital gain.

    Upon the exercise of an incentive  stock option, the difference between  the
fair  market  value  of stock  on  the date  of  exercise and  the  option price
generally is treated as an adjustment to taxable income in that taxable year for
alternative minimum tax purposes,  as are a number  of other items specified  by
the  Code. Such adjustments (along with tax preference items) form the basis for
the alternative minimum  tax (presently  at a graduated  rate for  individuals),
which  may apply depending  on the amount  of the computed  "regular tax" of the
employee for that year.  Under certain circumstances  the amount of  alternative
minimum  tax  is  allowed as  a  carryforward  credit against  tax  liability in
subsequent years.

    NON-QUALIFIED STOCK OPTIONS.   In  the case of  stock options  which do  not
qualify  as an incentive  stock option (non-qualified  stock options), no income
generally is recognized by the optionee at the time of the grant of the  option.
Under   present   law   the   optionee   generally   will   recognize   ordinary

                                       14
<PAGE>
income at the  time the  non-qualified stock option  is exercised  equal to  the
aggregate  fair  market value  of  the shares  acquired  less the  option price.
Ordinary income from a non-qualified  stock option will constitute  compensation
for which withholding may be required under federal and state law.

    Subject  to  special rules  applicable when  an optionee  uses stock  of the
Company to exercise an option, shares acquired upon exercise of a  non-qualified
stock  option will  have a  tax basis equal  to their  fair market  value on the
exercise date or other relevant date on which ordinary income is recognized  and
the  holding period for the shares generally  will begin on the date of exercise
or such other  relevant date.  Upon subsequent  disposition of  the shares,  the
optionee  generally will recognize capital gain or loss. Provided the shares are
held by the optionee for more than  one year prior to disposition, such gain  or
loss will be long-term capital gain or loss.

    The Company or the Bank (as the case may be) will generally be entitled to a
deduction  equal to the ordinary income (i.e., compensation) portion of the gain
recognized by the optionee  in connection with the  exercise of a  non-qualified
stock option provided the Company or the Bank (as the case may be) complies with
any withholding requirements of federal and state law.

    OPTIONS  TO NON-EMPLOYEE  DIRECTORS.   These options  would be non-qualified
stock options  for tax  purposes, and  the tax  rules applicable  to them  would
generally  be the  same as the  rules for non-qualified  stock options described
above. However, since the  optionees are not  employees, income tax  withholding
would  not be required  in order for the  Company to qualify  for its income tax
deduction.

    STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS.  A SAR  recipient will be taxed (and the  Company
or  the Bank will receive a corresponding deduction) when the recipient receives
payment under  the SAR.  Income  generated by  such  exercise will  be  ordinary
compensation  income and will be measured by  the amount of cash received or the
then-current fair market  value of the  stock received upon  such event. In  the
case  of a  SAR granted  to an  employee, the  Company or  the Bank  will have a
withholding obligation.

    RESTRICTED STOCK.  The income and deduction events in the case of restricted
stock grants generally are deferred until  the restrictions on the stock  lapse.
At  that time,  the recipient would  report as ordinary  compensation income the
difference between  the then-current  fair market  value of  the stock  and  the
amount  (if any)  paid for  the stock.  Subject to  withholding obligations, the
Company or the Bank is entitled to a corresponding deduction. The recipient  may
elect to report the income with respect to the restricted stock upon its receipt
rather  than at  the time of  the lapse of  the restrictions. In  such case, the
valuation used for income and deduction purposes is the value of the  restricted
stock  at the  time of receipt,  disregarding any restrictions  other than those
that will never lapse.

    RESTRICTED UNITS.  A recipient of a restricted unit grant will be taxed (and
the Company  or  the Bank  will  receive  a corresponding  deduction)  when  the
recipient  receives payment at the time the restrictions lapse. Income generated
by such  lapse and  payment will  be ordinary  compensation income  and will  be
measured by the amount of cash received or the then-current fair market value of
the  stock received upon such event. In the case of a restricted unit granted to
an employee, the Company or the Bank will have a withholding obligation.

    PERFORMANCE SHARES  AND PERFORMANCE  UNITS.   A recipient  of a  performance
share  or  performance unit  will be  taxed (and  the Company  or the  Bank will
receive a corresponding deduction) when the recipient receives payout at the end
of the performance period. The recipient will have ordinary compensation  income
measured  by the cash received and/or the  then-current fair market value of the
stock received  upon  such  event.  In  the  case  of  a  performance  share  or
performance  unit granted to  an employee, the  Company or the  Bank will have a
withholding obligation.

    OTHER AWARDS.    The LTIP  grants  the Compensation  Committee  considerable
flexibility  to design  incentive-based compensation programs  for employees and
directors. The tax consequences  of such programs cannot  be determined at  this
time  because  the  characteristics  of  such  awards  will  depend  upon future
decisions by the Compensation Committee.

                                       15
<PAGE>
    RESTRICTION  ON  DEDUCTIONS.   Not  every  amount paid  as  compensation for
services is  currently  deductible. For  example,  depending upon  the  services
rendered,  some compensation payments must be  capitalized or added to inventory
costs. Two other restrictions potentially applicable to deductions for executive
compensation payments  are the  restriction on  deduction of  so-called  "excess
parachute  payments" and the deduction limit  of $1,000,000 per year for certain
executive compensation. Whether  any such  restrictions will  apply to  specific
payments of compensation by the Company cannot be predicted at this time.

    The  LTIP provides a limitation on benefits when compensation under the LTIP
(alone or  in  conjunction  with  other  payments)  would  result  in  deduction
disallowance  or  the  imposition  of  the  golden  parachute  excise  tax.  The
Compensation Committee has the discretion to reduce or eliminate payments  under
the  LTIP if it  determines that such  reduction or elimination  is necessary to
avoid deduction disallowance or imposition of the excise tax.

    The LTIP  has been  designed  with the  intent  of giving  the  Compensation
Committee  flexibility to structure awards  that either do or  do not qualify as
"performance-based  compensation"   under  Section   162(m).  The   Compensation
Committee  will exercise this discretion by  taking into account the overall tax
and business objectives of the Company.

    One requirement  for qualification  as "performance-based  compensation"  is
that the arrangement must be disclosed to the shareholders and approved by them.
At  the annual meeting, the shareholders of the Company will be asked to vote to
approve the LTIP and the material terms under which awards of stock options  and
stock appreciation rights will be made under the LTIP.

    The material terms of the stock options and stock appreciation rights are as
follows:

        (a)  Eligible individual recipients are directors  of the Company or its
    subsidiaries, as well as managerial and  other key employees of the  Company
    or its subsidiaries.

        (b)  The  business criterion  on which  performance  goals are  based is
    increases in value of the Company's  stock because all options will have  an
    exercise  price equal to the stock's fair  market value on the date of grant
    and all stock appreciation rights will require increases in the value of the
    Company's stock (based  upon its value  at the  date of grant  of the  stock
    appreciation right) in order for there to be payment under the right.

        (c)  The formula for determining  compensation equals the shares covered
    by the  option or  SAR (up  to  the maximum  number of  shares for  which  a
    recipient  may receive an option grant or stock appreciation right grant per
    calendar year in this case, 300,000 shares) times the price per share on the
    date of option  exercise or payout  under an appreciation  right, minus  the
    fair market value of a share on the date of the award.

                                       16
<PAGE>
STOCK OPTION GRANTS

    Stock options were granted during the fiscal year ended December 31, 1993 to
the Named Executives, as follows:

                             OPTION GRANTS IN 1993

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                           POTENTIAL
                                                                                           REALIZABLE
                                                                                        VALUE AT ASSUMED
                                                                                        ANNUAL RATES OF
                                                                                          STOCK PRICE
                                                                                          APPRECIATION
                                           % OF TOTAL OPTIONS                          FOR OPTION TERM(1)
                               OPTIONS     GRANTED TO EMPLOYEE   EXERCISE  EXPIRATION  ------------------
            NAME              GRANTED(2)     IN FISCAL YEAR       PRICE       DATE        5%       10%
- - ----------------------------  ----------   -------------------   --------  ----------  --------  --------
<S>                           <C>          <C>                   <C>       <C>         <C>       <C>
Paul M. Harris                  --                 --            $  --         --      $  --     $  --
Howard C. Fletcher III         40,000(3)         24.2%             4.875    5-03-2003   122,634   310,780
Jon D. Van Deuren               7,500(4)          4.5              6.00     4-16-2003    28,300    71,718
Kenneth J. Meister              8,750(5)          5.3              2.875     10-26-03    15,820    40,093
Howard A. Shields              30,000(6)         18.1              2.875     11-23-03    54,242   137,460
Arthur W. Tate                  --                 --               --         --         --        --
Ronald W. Holloway              --                 --               --         --         --        --
<FN>
- - ------------------------
 (1)  The  Potential  Realizable  Value is  the  product of  (a)  the difference
      between (i) the product of the closing market price per share at the grant
      date and the sum of (A) 1 plus (B) the assumed rate of appreciation of the
      Common Stock compounded annually over the term of the option and (ii)  the
      per  share exercise price  of the option  and (b) the  number of shares of
      Common Stock underlying  the option  at December 31,  1993. These  amounts
      represent  certain assumed  rates of  appreciation only.  Actual gains, if
      any, on stock  option exercises  are dependent  on a  variety of  factors,
      including market conditions and the price performance of the Common Stock.
      There can be no assurances that the rate of appreciation presented in this
      table will be achieved.
 (2)  The  option was granted under the  Company's 1984 Stock Incentive Plan and
      has a per share exercise price that  is equal to Fair Market Value of  the
      Common Stock on the date of the grant.
 (3)  The  option vests in 20%  increments on May 3,  1994, 1995, 1996, 1997 and
      1998.
 (4)  The option vests in 20% increments on April 16, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997 and
      1998.
 (5)  The option vests in 20% increments  on October 26, 1994, 1995, 1996,  1997
      and 1998.
 (6)  The  option vests in 20% increments on November 23, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997
      and 1998.
</TABLE>

STOCK OPTION EXERCISES AND HOLDINGS

    The  following  table  provides  information  with  respect  to  the   Named
Executives  concerning  the exercise  of options  during  the fiscal  year ended
December 31, 1993  and unexercised options  held by the  Named Executives as  of
December 31, 1993.

                AGGREGATED OPTION EXERCISES IN FISCAL YEAR 1993
                            AND FY-END OPTION VALUES

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                            VALUE OF UNEXERCISED
                                                               NUMBER OF UNEXERCISED            IN-THE-MONEY
                                       SHARES                   OPTIONS AT 12/31/93         OPTIONS AT 12/31/93
                                     ACQUIRED ON    VALUE    --------------------------  --------------------------
               NAME                   EXERCISE    REALIZED   EXERCISABLE  UNEXERCISABLE  EXERCISABLE  UNEXERCISABLE
- - -----------------------------------  -----------  ---------  -----------  -------------  -----------  -------------
<S>                                  <C>          <C>        <C>          <C>            <C>          <C>
Paul M. Harris                           --       $  --          187,966       --        $   --        $   --
Howard C. Fletcher III                   --          --          --            40,000        --            --
Jon D. Van Deuren                        --          --            1,600        9,900        --            --
Kenneth J. Meister                       --          --            3,750       11,250        --            --
Howard A. Shields                        --          --          --            30,000        --            --
Arthur W. Tate                           --          --          --            --            --            --
Ronald W. Holloway                       --          --          --            --            --            --
</TABLE>

                                       17
<PAGE>
BOARD OF DIRECTORS' REPORT ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

    THE  REPORT OF THE  BOARD OF DIRECTORS  SHALL NOT BE  DEEMED INCORPORATED BY
REFERENCE BY  ANY  GENERAL  STATEMENT  INCORPORATING  BY  REFERENCE  THIS  PROXY
STATEMENT  INTO  ANY  FILING UNDER  THE  SECURITIES  ACT OF  1933  OR  UNDER THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE  ACT  OF  1934,  EXCEPT  TO  THE  EXTENT  THAT  THE  COMPANY
SPECIFICALLY  INCORPORATES THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE REPORT BY REFERENCE,
AND SHALL NOT OTHERWISE BE DEEMED FILED UNDER SUCH ACTS.

    Although the Compensation Committee was formed in the first quarter of 1993,
decisions on the compensation  of the Company's  executives have generally  been
made  by  the  entire Board  of  Directors,  based upon  input  provided  by the
Executive Committee whose members  currently include Marilyn  M. Cohen, Paul  M.
Harris,  Howard C. Fletcher  III, James F.  Lewin and Saul  Socoloske. It is the
Company's intention  that  future decisions  regarding  executive  compensation,
including  those related to the LTIP, will be made by the Compensation Committee
subject to ratification by the full Board of Directors.

    The Company  maintains the  philosophy  that executive  compensation  levels
should  be competitive  and consistent with  that provided to  others within the
financial services industry to  assist the Company  in attracting and  retaining
qualified executives critical to the Company's long-term success.

    The  Company's general approach to compensating executive officers is to pay
cash salaries which are  competitive with salaries paid  to executives of  other
companies  in the Company's industry based  upon the individual's experience and
past and  potential contribution  to the  Company. In  determining  compensation
levels,  the Company obtains  information regarding executive  salary levels for
comparable companies  through various  sources, including  compensation  surveys
conducted  by banking industry associations. In addition, the Board of Directors
commissioned a compensation review by  an independent consulting firm in  fourth
quarter  1992 in  order to  evaluate employment agreements  in effect  as of the
fourth quarter of 1992 and the level of compensation paid to executive  officers
and directors during calendar years 1991 and 1992. As Chief Executive Officer of
the  Company, Mr. Harris' base salary for 1992 was based on his rights under his
three year Employment  Agreement with the  Company dated October  20, 1989  (the
"Old  Employment Agreement"). In light of the previous decisions of the Board of
Directors, the Old  Employment Agreement  established Mr.  Harris' minimum  base
salary  at $338,560 for 1992. During 1992,  the Company entered into a new three
year Employment Agreement with Mr. Harris  that commenced October 20, 1992  (the
"Employment Agreement"). This Employment Agreement provides for an annual salary
of  $338,560, which Mr. Harris has agreed  to reduce to $175,000 until such time
as the Company's profitability  and overall condition  returns to levels  deemed
acceptable  by  the Board  of  Directors. However,  in  the event  the Company's
profitability and overall  financial condition return  to acceptable levels,  as
determined  by the Board of Directors, pursuant to the Employment Agreement, Mr.
Harris' annual salary shall be increased at a rate of 12 1/2% and thereafter  at
the  rate of 12  1/2% per annum on  each anniversary date  of the agreement. The
level of Mr. Harris'  salary and the fixed  but discretionary increases  reflect
the  Board's decision to  provide compensation that  it believes to  be not only
competitive with that offered  by comparable institutions but  also tied to  the
financial performance of the Company.

    Since  1990, none of the Company's executive officers, including Mr. Harris,
received a  bonus in  addition to  salary due  to the  Company's  profitability.
Should  the Board of Directors pay bonus compensation to its executive officers,
Mr. Harris would  be eligible to  participate in such  compensation at the  sole
discretion of the Board of Directors.

    The  executive officers are permitted to  participate in the Company's other
employee benefits and  plans, including the  Company's Employee Stock  Ownership
Plan  ("ESOP") and the Company's 401(k)  Savings Plan; however, Named Executives
are not eligible under the ESOP for matching contributions by the Company.

    In addition, the  Company believes  that stock ownership  by key  employees,
including  the Named Executives,  provides valuable incentives  for such persons
who will benefit as the stock  price increases and that stock-based  performance
compensation    arrangements    are    beneficial    in    aligning   employees'

                                       18
<PAGE>
and stockholders' interests.  To facilitate  these objectives,  the Company  has
granted  stock  options to  key employees  through its  stock option  plans. The
Company had  in the  past granted  unit awards  under the  Company's 1987  Stock
Appreciation  Rights Plan that  the Company believed  built further ties between
the employees  long-term interests  and those  of the  Company. All  outstanding
units under the SAR Plan expired in 1992.

    As  a general  matter, the  Company endorses  the philosophy  that executive
compensation should reflect Company performance. Except for the Company's  stock
option  plans, the Company's executive compensation programs are not directly or
indirectly tied  to  the  Company's  performance.  During  1994,  the  Board  of
Directors   may  consider  alternative   compensation  arrangements  for  senior
executives,  whereby  compensation  would  be  linked  to  the  maximization  of
shareholder value.

Dated: April 28, 1994.

                                          THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
                                          VINCENT A. BELL
                                          MARILYN M. COHEN
                                          HOWARD C. FLETCHER III
                                          ROBERT D. FRANDZEL
                                          PAUL M. HARRIS
                                          JAMES F. LEWIN
                                          SAUL SOCOLOSKE
                                          JON D. VAN DEUREN
                                          MICHAEL J. WELCH

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE INTERLOCKS AND INSIDER PARTICIPATION

    Although  the Compensation Committee  met seven times  in 1993, during 1993,
the  Executive  Committee  and  the  full  Board  of  Directors  performed   all
compensation  functions.  The Executive  Committee is  currently chaired  by Ms.
Cohen with Messrs.  Harris, Fletcher,  Lewin and Socoloske  serving as  members.
With  the exceptions of Mr. Harris, Chief  Executive Officer of the Company, Mr.
Fletcher, President of the Company and President and Chief Executive Officer  of
the  Bank and Mr. Vincent A. Bell who  served as Executive Vice President of the
Company and the Bank in 1993, none of  the persons who served as members of  the
Executive  Committee or the Board  of Directors during the  1993 fiscal year has
ever been  an officer  or employee  of the  Company or  its subsidiary.  Deborah
Manning, an officer of the Company, participated in meetings of the Compensation
Committee,  but did not participate in deliberations regarding executive officer
compensation.

PERFORMANCE GRAPH

    The following graph compares, for the period from December 31, 1988  through
December  31,  1993,  the  yearly  percentage  change  in  the  cumulative total
shareholder return on the Common Stock  with (i) the cumulative total return  of
the AMEX market index and (ii) the cumulative total return of an index comprised
of  banks and  bank holding companies  headquartered in  Southern California and
selected by Montgomery Securities.  The graph assumes  an initial investment  of
$100  and reinvestment of dividends. The  graph is not necessarily indicative of
future price performance.

                                       19
<PAGE>
    THE GRAPH  SHALL NOT  BE DEEMED  INCORPORATED BY  REFERENCE BY  ANY  GENERAL
STATEMENT  INCORPORATING BY REFERENCE THIS PROXY STATEMENT INTO ANY FILING UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 OR UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934,  EXCEPT
TO  THE EXTENT  THAT THE COMPANY  SPECIFICALLY INCORPORATES  THIS INFORMATION BY
REFERENCE, AND SHALL NOT OTHERWISE BE DEEMED FILED UNDER SUCH ACTS.

                COMPARISON OF FIVE YEAR CUMULATIVE TOTAL RETURN
         AMONG GUARDIAN BANCORP, AMEX MARKET INDEX AND PEER GROUP INDEX

                                   [GRAPHIC]
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                  DECEMBER 31,
                                                        ----------------------------------------------------------------
                                                          1988       1989       1990       1991       1992       1993
                                                        ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
<S>                                                     <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>
Guardian Bancorp......................................        100     130.01     107.96      87.51      54.55      20.46
AMEX Market Index.....................................        100     123.53     100.69     129.10     130.46     155.93
Peer Group Index*.....................................        100     134.71     106.73      99.79      91.84     100.61
<FN>
- - ------------------------
* Source: Montgomery Securities "WESTERN BANK MONITOR", Southern California
proxy
</TABLE>

TRANSACTIONS WITH MANAGEMENT

    Certain executive officers  and directors  of the Company  and the  entities
with  which they are associated  are customers of the  Bank and have had banking
transactions with the Bank in the  ordinary course of its business during  1993.
At  December 31, 1993, the  outstanding balance of all  loans to all persons who
served as directors  and executive officers  of the Company  at any time  during
1993  and  the  entities  with  which  they  are  associated  was  approximately
$6,175,000, or 29%, of the Company's shareholders' equity at that date. Although
the Bank may  have banking  transactions with such  persons in  the future,  the
Board of Directors of the Bank adopted a policy during the first quarter of 1992
to  limit such transactions  to the fulfillment of  existing commitments and the
renewal or  extension  of  outstanding  credits.  Except  as  described  in  the
subsequent  paragraphs, all extensions  of credit included  in such transactions
were made  in compliance  with applicable  laws and  on substantially  the  same
terms,  including  interest  rates,  collateral and  repayment  terms,  as those
prevailing at

                                       20
<PAGE>
the  time   for  comparable   transactions  with   other  persons   of   similar
creditworthiness  and, in the opinion of the Board of Directors of the Bank, did
not involve more than a normal risk of collectability or default or present  any
other unfavorable features.

    Management  has  identified  certain  loans  to  three  former  directors or
entities with  which  they are  associated  that  are nonaccrual,  past  due  or
potential  problem  loans.  Such  loans were  outstanding  during  1993  and, in
management's opinion, involve  more than  a normal  risk of  default or  present
other  unfavorable features, principally  as a result  of deteriorating economic
conditions in Southern California.

    In July 1987, the Bank originated a $275,000 loan to Mr. Donald J. Bohana, a
former director  of  the  Company and  the  Bank,  to pay  off  and  consolidate
previously  existing obligations  at an unaffiliated  financial institution. The
loan is secured by a first trust deed on residential real estate, various junior
deeds of  trust on  real estate  and certain  personal property  and matured  in
November  1993. The highest principal amount outstanding on the loan during 1993
was $240,000, and  it had a  principal balance  of $233,200 at  March 31,  1994,
which  represents  approximately 28%  of the  current market  value of  the real
estate collateral. In October 1988, the  Bank originated a $115,000 loan to  Mr.
Bohana  to pay off a previously existing obligation at an unaffiliated financial
institution. This  loan is  secured by  a first  deed of  trust on  a  developed
residential  lot  and pledged  cash and  matured in  November 1993.  The highest
principal amount  outstanding on  this loan  during 1993  was $46,000,  and  the
principal  balance at March 31, 1994 was $44,800, which represents approximately
32% of the current market value of the real estate collateral. These loans  have
a  stated interest  rate based  on the  Bank's prime  plus 2%,  were extended or
renewed several times  since origination  and both  loans are  on nonaccrual  at
March 31, 1994.

    In October 1991, the Bank originated a $395,000 loan to an entity affiliated
with  John Gullesserian. Mr. Gullesserian resigned  as a director of the Company
and the Bank during the second quarter of 1993. That loan has a stated  interest
rate  at the Bank's prime plus 1.5% and has a maturity date of October 15, 1995.
The purpose  of the  loan was  to  finance tenant  improvements and  to  provide
working  capital  for  the  entity's  general  business  needs.  The  credit  is
collateralized by a security interest in all of the entity's business assets,  a
junior  lien on certain real estate and  further is guaranteed personally by Mr.
Gullesserian and  other  principals affiliated  with  that entity.  The  highest
principal amount outstanding during 1993 was $369,524, and the principal balance
outstanding  at March 31, 1994 was $332,494. At  March 31, 1994, the loan was on
nonaccrual.

    In August 1991, the Bank originated a $295,000 loan to an entity  affiliated
with  Mr. Gullesserian, and  on March 19,  1992 the Bank  advanced an additional
$200,000, for  a  total  of  $495,000,  for  the  purpose  of  financing  tenant
improvements  and providing that entity working capital for its general business
needs. The loan is collateralized by a security interest in all of the  entity's
business  assets, a junior  lien on certain  real estate, has  a stated interest
rate at  the Bank's  prime  rate plus  1.5%, matured  February  5, 1994  and  is
guaranteed  personally by Mr. Gullesserian  and other principals affiliated with
the entity. The highest principal amount  outstanding in 1993 was $441,000,  the
principal  balance outstanding  at March 31,  1994 was $406,425  and such amount
outstanding was on nonaccrual.

    On May  22, 1992,  the Bank  originated  a $250,000  unsecured loan  to  Mr.
Gullesserian  and  other individuals  to fund  that  group's business  cash flow
needs. The loan has been renewed once, has a stated interest rate at the  Bank's
prime  rate plus  1.5% and  matures on  August 15,  1995. The  highest principal
amount outstanding during 1993  and the principal  balance outstanding at  March
31,  1994 were $234,000 and $202,000, respectively. At March 31, 1994, this loan
was on nonaccrual.

    In August 1988, the Bank funded a $225,000 loan and in June 1990 advanced an
additional $320,000, for  a total  of $545,000,  to Mr.  Gullesserian and  other
individuals  for the purpose of  purchasing a 16 acre  residential parcel of raw
land. The loan has been renewed twice, has a stated interest rate at the  Bank's
prime  rate plus 1% and  matures on March 5,  1995. The highest principal amount
outstanding during 1993  was $401,973, and  the principal balance  at March  31,
1994 was $259,723.

                                       21
<PAGE>
Based  upon a recent  appraisal on the  property, the Bank's  overall advance on
this loan is approximately 65%  of the current market  value of the real  estate
collateral. This loan was on nonaccrual at March 31, 1994.

    In  October 1983, the Bank began providing a line of credit, the most recent
in the amount of $800,000, to  any entity affiliated with Mr. Gullesserian.  The
purpose  of the credit line was to  finance the purchase of automobiles that are
subsequently leased by the entity. In turn, the leases are assigned to the  Bank
as  collateral for the  Bank's loan. Amounts  outstanding under the  line have a
stated interest rate at the Bank's prime rate plus 1%. The line matured in March
1993 and  was  not renewed.  The  highest  amount outstanding  during  1993  was
approximately  $619,405.  Amounts  outstanding  at  March  31,  1994  aggregated
$388,985 and were on nonaccrual.

    In April 1991, the Bank originated  a $300,000 loan to an entity  affiliated
with Mr. Gullesserian to assist in the purchase of a commercial building used to
house  the entity's business  operations. The loan is  collateralized by a first
trust deed on the property, has a stated interest rate at the Bank's prime  rate
plus 1.5% and matures on April 5, 1996. The highest principal amount outstanding
during  1993 was  $297,340, and the  principal balance outstanding  at March 31,
1994 was $291,534, which represents approximately 78% of the appraised value  of
the collateral. At March 31, 1994, this loan was on nonaccrual.

    In  March 1987, the Bank originated a  $200,000 loan to an entity affiliated
with Mr. Gullesserian to provide  funds for long-term, limited partnership  real
estate  investments. The  loan is  collateralized by  a junior  trust deed  on a
single family residence,  has a stated  interest rate at  the Bank's prime  plus
1.75%  and matures on  April 15, 1994. The  highest principal amount outstanding
during 1993 was $138,660, and the principal balance outstanding at March 3, 1994
was $134,317,  which  when  combined  with  existing  senior  liens,  represents
approximately  46% of the  estimated market value of  the underlying real estate
collateral. At March 31, 1994, this loan was on nonaccrual.

    In  March  1993,  the  Bank  extended  an  $87,000  unsecured  loan  to  Mr.
Gullesserian  to consolidate two  previously existing loans  which, in turn, had
been made to assist in the purchase  of real estate investments. The loan has  a
stated  interest rate at the  Bank's prime rate plus 1%  and matures on March 5,
1995. The  highest principal  amount outstanding  during 1993  was $87,000,  the
principal  balance outstanding on  March 31, 1994 was  $74,000 and the principal
balance was subsequently reduced to $53,300. At March 31, 1994, this loan was on
nonaccrual.

    In June 1989, the Bank  originated a loan in the  amount of $185,000 to  Mr.
Gullesserian to assist in the purchase of a multifamily residential project. The
loan  is collateralized by a  first trust deed on  a 16 unit apartment building,
has a stated interest rate at the Bank's prime rate plus 1% and matures on  June
5,  1995. The highest principal amount  outstanding during 1993 was $180,530 and
the principal  balance  outstanding  at  March  31,  1994  was  $178,000,  which
approximates  66% of  the estimated market  value of the  underlying real estate
collateral. At March 31, 1994, this loan was on nonaccrual.

    In February 1990, the Bank  originated a loan in  the amount of $206,500  to
Mr.  Gullesserian to assist in the purchase  of a secondary residence. This loan
was collateralized by a  first trust deed  on the property,  bore interest at  a
fixed  rate  of 9%  and was  paid  off in  full on  April  1, 1994.  The highest
principal amount outstanding  during 1993  was $202,961,  the principal  balance
outstanding  at March 31, 1994  was $193,147 and the  loan was subsequently paid
off in full.

    In June  1988,  the  Bank  originated a  $500,000  unsecured  loan  to  John
Sullivan,  who resigned  as a director  of the  Company and the  Bank during the
first quarter of 1994,  to assist in  the purchase of  real estate for  eventual
development  and syndication.  The loan  has been  renewed several  times, has a
stated interest rate at  the Bank's prime  rate plus 1% and  matured on July  5,
1993. The highest principal amount outstanding during 1993 was $440,000, and the
principal balance outstanding at March 31, 1994 was $420,000. At March 31, 1994,
this loan was on nonaccrual.

                                       22
<PAGE>
    In  May 1989, the Bank originated a  $2,200,000 loan to Mr. Sullivan to fund
the purchase of a 5.9  acre parcel of industrial zoned  land. The loan has  been
renewed  several times, has a stated interest rate at the Bank's prime rate plus
1% and matured on July 5, 1993. The highest principal amount outstanding  during
1993 was $2,185,000, and the principal balance outstanding at March 31, 1994 was
$2,183,681. At March 31, 1994, this loan was on nonaccrual. This loan is secured
by  a first trust deed on the aforementioned  real estate and an assignment of a
general partner's beneficial  interest in  an unrelated  entity whose  principal
asset  is real estate.  Based upon currently  available appraisal information on
both parcels, the Bank's  loan represents approximately 74%  of such value.  Mr.
Sullivan  is actively pursuing a change in  the zoning applicable to the primary
collateral from industrial to retail, which should enhance its salability.

    During 1993, Frandzel & Share, a  Law Corporation, of which Mr. Frandzel,  a
director of the Company and the Bank, is Chairman of the Board, provided various
legal  services to the Company  and the Bank. Management  is of the opinion that
the fees paid to Mr. Frandzel's law  firm in 1993 were comparable to those  fees
that  would have  been paid for  comparable legal  services from a  law firm not
affiliated with the Company.

                               REGULATORY MATTERS

    In October 1992, each  of the Company  and the Bank  entered into a  written
agreement  with the  Federal Reserve  Bank. Among  other things,  the agreements
require the Company and the  Bank to: a) maintain  an allowance for loan  losses
that  is  equal to  or greater  than 1.7%  of the  Bank's outstanding  loans; b)
develop formalized strategic, operating and  capital plans, including a plan  to
maintain  adequate capital;  c) develop  a plan  and take  steps to  monitor and
decrease its level of nonperforming or otherwise classified assets; d) establish
policies  designed  to  monitor   the  type,  growth   and  amounts  of   credit
concentration;  e) refrain from incurring any  debt at the Company level without
prior FRB approval, other than in the ordinary course of business; f) develop or
update, as necessary, various operating policies and procedures; and g)  refrain
from  declaring or paying any cash  dividends without prior Federal Reserve Bank
approval.

      COMPLIANCE WITH SECTION 16(A) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

    Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 requires the  Company's
executive  officers  and directors,  and  persons who  own  more than  10%  of a
registered class  of  the  Company's  equity  securities,  to  file  reports  of
ownership  and changes in ownership with  the Securities Exchange Commission and
the American Stock Exchange. Executive officers, directors and greater than  10%
shareholders  are required by  regulation to furnish the  Company with copies of
all Section 16(a) forms they file.

    Based solely on review of the copies of such forms furnished to the Company,
or written representation that no Form 5 was required, the Company believes that
during the year ended  December 31, 1993 all  Section 16(a) filing  requirements
applicable  to its executive officers, directors and greater than 10% beneficial
owners were complied with by such reporting persons.

                         INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS

    The Board of  Directors has  appointed KPMG  Peat Marwick  as the  Company's
independent  public accountants for the year  ended December 31, 1994. KPMG Peat
Marwick served as the Company's independent certified public accountants for the
year ended December 31, 1993. A representative of KPMG Peat Marwick is  expected
to  be present  at the  Annual Meeting and  will have  an opportunity  to make a
statement and to respond to appropriate questions.

                                       23
<PAGE>
                                 ANNUAL REPORT

    Guardian Bancorp's  annual  report for  the  year ended  December  31,  1993
accompanies  this  proxy  statement.  The  annual  report  contains consolidated
financial statements of the Company and its subsidiary and the report thereon of
KPMG Peat Marwick, the Company's independent public accountants.

    UPON WRITTEN  REQUEST  OF  ANY  PERSON ENTITLED  TO  VOTE  AT  THE  MEETING,
ADDRESSED  TO HARRIET A. YANAGISAKO, ASSISTANT  SECRETARY OF THE COMPANY, AT 800
SOUTH FIGUEROA STREET, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 90017, THE COMPANY WILL  PROVIDE,
WITHOUT CHARGE, A COPY OF ITS ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K FOR 1993, INCLUDING THE
FINANCIAL  STATEMENTS  AND  SCHEDULES  THERETO, FILED  WITH  THE  SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION PURSUANT TO THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934.

                SHAREHOLDERS' PROPOSALS FOR 1995 ANNUAL MEETING

    Any shareholder  who  intends  to  present a  proposal  for  action  at  the
Company's  1995 Annual Meeting  of Shareholders and to  have the Company include
such proposal in its proxy soliciting materials pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the
Securities Exchange Act  of 1934  must deliver  a copy  of the  proposal to  the
Company not later than December 30, 1994 in a form that complies with applicable
rules.

                                 OTHER MATTERS

    Management knows of no other matters to be voted upon at the Annual Meeting.
If  any  other  matter properly  comes  before  the Annual  Meeting,  it  is the
intention of the persons named in the form of proxy to vote in their  discretion
upon such matters in accordance with their judgment.

    You  are urged to sign,  date and return the  enclosed proxy in the envelope
provided. No  postage is  required if  the envelope  is mailed  from within  the
United  States. If you subsequently decide to attend the Annual Meeting and wish
to vote your shares in  person, you may do so.  Your cooperation in giving  this
matter your prompt attention is appreciated.

                                          By Order of the Board of Directors,

                                            /s/ Vincent A. Bell

                                          Vincent A. Bell
                                          SECRETARY
Los Angeles, California
April 28, 1994

                                       24
<PAGE>
                                                                      APPENDIX A

                                GUARDIAN BANCORP
                         1994 LONG TERM INCENTIVE PLAN

    Guardian  Bancorp, a  California corporation  (the "Company"),  by action of
both its Compensation  Committee and  its Board as  a whole,  hereby adopts  the
Guardian  Bancorp 1994 Long Term Incentive  Plan (the "Plan") with the following
provisions:

    1.   PURPOSE.   The  purpose of  the  Plan is  to  promote and  advance  the
interests  of the Company and  its shareholders by enabling  the Company and its
Subsidiaries to attract, retain  and reward managerial  and other key  employees
and   directors  (including  non-employee  directors),  and  to  strengthen  the
mutuality of interests between  such employees and  directors and the  Company's
shareholders.   The  Plan   is  designed  to   meet  this   intent  by  offering
performance-based stock  and cash  incentives and  other equity-based  incentive
awards,  thereby  providing a  proprietary  interest in  pursuing  the long-term
growth, profitability and financial success of the Company.

    2.  DEFINITIONS.  For purposes of this Plan, the following terms shall  have
the meanings set forth below:

        (a)  "Award" or "Awards" means  an award or grant  made to a Participant
    under Sections 6 through 10, inclusive, of the Plan.

        (b) "Board" means the Board of Directors of the Company.

        (c) "Code" means the  Internal Revenue Code of  1986, as in effect  from
    time  to time or any successor thereto, together with rules, regulations and
    authoritative interpretations promulgated thereunder.

        (d) "Committee" means the  Compensation Committee of  the Board that  is
    provided for in Section 3 of the Plan.

        (e)  "Common Stock"  means the Common  Stock, without par  value, of the
    Company or any security of the  Company issued in substitution, exchange  or
    lieu thereof.

        (f)  "Company"  means  Guardian Bancorp,  a  California  corporation, or
    Subsidiary or successor corporation.

        (g) "Date of Grant" means the date  the Committee (or the Board, as  the
    case  may  be)  takes formal  action  designating that  a  Participant shall
    receive an  Award,  notwithstanding the  date  the Participant  accepts  the
    Award,  the  date  the Company  and  the  Participant enter  into  a written
    agreement with respect to the Award, or any other date.

        (h) "Disability" means permanent and  total disability as determined  by
    the Committee in accordance with the standards under Section 22(e)(3) of the
    Code.

        (i)  "Effective Date" means the date the Plan is approved by the holders
    of a  majority of  the shares  of Common  Stock represented  and voting  and
    entitled  to vote  at a  meeting of  the shareholders  of the  Company or by
    written consent of  a majority of  the outstanding shares  of Common  Stock,
    provided  such approval  of the  shareholders of  the Company  occurs within
    twelve (12) months before  or after the Committee  and the Board both  adopt
    the  Plan. Awards may  be granted prior  to the Effective  Date, but payment
    under such Awards is contingent upon shareholder approval as provided  above
    in  this definition.  In the event  the Company does  not obtain shareholder
    approval of  the Plan,  any Awards  granted pursuant  to the  Plan shall  be
    rescinded automatically.

         (j)  "Exchange  Act"  means the  Securities  Exchange Act  of  1934, as
    amended and in effect from time to time, or any successor statute.

                                      A-1
<PAGE>
        (k) "Fair Market Value" means on  any given date, the closing price  for
    the  Common Stock on  such date, or, if  the Common Stock  was not traded on
    such date, on the next preceding day  on which the Common Stock was  traded,
    determined in accordance with the following rules.

           (i)  If  the Common  Stock is  admitted  to trading  or listing  on a
       national securities  exchange  registered  under the  Exchange  Act,  the
       closing  price for any day shall be  the last reported sale price regular
       way, or in the case no such  reported sale takes place on such date,  the
       average  of the last reported  bid and ask prices  regular way, in either
       case on the principal  national securities exchange  on which the  Common
       Stock is admitted to trading or listed, or

           (ii)  If not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities
       exchange, the  last  sale price  of  the  Common Stock  on  the  National
       Association  of  Securities Dealers  Automated Quotation  National Market
       System ("NMS") or, in case no such reported sale takes place, the average
       of the closing bid and ask prices on such date, or

          (iii) If not quoted on the NMS, the average of the closing bid and ask
       prices of  the Common  Stock on  the National  Association of  Securities
       Dealers  Automated Quotation System ("NASDAQ")  or any comparable system,
       or

          (iv) If the  Common Stock is  not listed on  NASDAQ or any  comparable
       system,  the closing bid and ask prices as furnished by any member of the
       National Association of Securities Dealers,  Inc., selected from time  to
       time by the Company for that purpose.

        (l)  "Incentive Stock Option" means any Stock Option granted pursuant to
    the provisions  of Section  6 of  the Plan  that is  intended to  be and  is
    specifically designated as an "incentive stock option" within the meaning of
    Section 422 of the Code.

       (m)  "Non-Qualified Stock Option" means any Stock Option granted pursuant
    to the provisions of Section  6 of the Plan that  is not an Incentive  Stock
    Option.

        (n)  "Participant" means a key employee or  director of the Company or a
    Subsidiary who is granted an Award under the Plan. All salaried employees of
    the Company or a Subsidiary are included in the class of key employees.

        (o)  "Performance  Award"  means  an  Award  granted  pursuant  to   the
    provisions  of Section 9 of the Plan,  the vesting of which is contingent on
    the attainment of specified performance criteria.

        (p) "Performance  Share  Grant" means  an  Award of  units  representing
    shares  of Common Stock granted  pursuant to the provisions  of Section 9 of
    the Plan.

        (q) "Performance Unit Grant"  means an Award  of monetary units  granted
    pursuant to the provisions of Section 9 of the Plan.

        (r) "Plan" means this Guardian Bancorp 1994 Long Term Incentive Plan, as
    set  forth herein and as it may be hereafter amendedand from time to time in
    effect.

        (s) "Restricted Award" means an Award granted pursuant to the provisions
    of Section 8 of the Plan.

        (t) "Restricted Stock Grant"  means an Award of  shares of Common  Stock
    granted pursuant to the provisions of Section 8 of the Plan.

        (u)  "Restricted Unit Grant" means an Award of units representing shares
    of Common Stock granted pursuant to the provisions of Section 8 of the Plan.

        (v) "Retirement"  means  retirement  from  active  employment  with  the
    Company  and  its  Subsidiaries  on  or  after  the  normal  retirement date
    specified in the Company's retirement  plan or such earlier retirement  date
    as approved by the Committee for purposes of this Plan.

        (w)  "Stock  Appreciation  Right" means  an  Award to  benefit  from the
    appreciation of Common Stock granted pursuant to the provisions of Section 7
    of the Plan.

                                      A-2
<PAGE>
        (x) "Stock Option"  means an Award  to purchase shares  of Common  Stock
    granted pursuant to the provisions of Section 6 of the Plan.

        (y)  "Subsidiary" means any corporation or  entity which is a subsidiary
    of the  Company  within  the meaning  of  Section  424(f) of  the  Code  (or
    successor sections).

        (z) "Ten Percent Shareholder" means a person who owns (after taking into
    account  the constructive ownership  rules of Section 424(d)  of the Code or
    successor sections) more than ten percent (10%) of the stock of the Company.

    3.  ADMINISTRATION.

        (a) The  Plan is  being established  and shall  be administered  by  the
    Compensation  Committee to be appointed from time  to time by the Board. The
    Committee shall be  comprised solely of  not less than  two persons who  are
    "outside  directors" within the meaning of  Section 162(m)(4)(C) of the Code
    and not  less than  the minimum  number (if  any) of  members of  the  Board
    required  by Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act (or any successor rule). Members
    of the Committee shall serve at the pleasure of the Board and the Board  may
    from  time to time remove members from, or add members to, the Committee. No
    person who  is not  an  "outside director"  within  the meaning  of  Section
    162(m)(4)(C)  of the  Code may  serve on  the Committee.  Appointment to the
    Committee of any person who is not an "outside director" shall automatically
    be null  and void,  and any  person on  the Committee  who ceases  to be  an
    "outside  director" for purposes of Section  162(m)(4) (C) of the Code shall
    automatically and  without  further action  cease  to  be a  member  of  the
    Committee.

        (b) A majority of the members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum
    for the transaction of business. Action approved in writing by a majority of
    the  members of the Committee  then serving shall be  as effective as if the
    action had been taken by unanimous vote  at a meeting duly called and  held.
    Two   Committee  members  have  signed  the  original  Plan  document  below
    signifying that the Committee, as well as the Board as a whole, has  adopted
    and established this Plan.

        (c)  The Committee is authorized to  construe and interpret the Plan, to
    promulgate,  amend,  and  rescind  rules  and  procedures  relating  to  the
    implementation  of the Plan, and to  make all other determinations necessary
    or  advisable  for  the  administration  of  the  Plan.  Any  determination,
    decision,  or action of  the Committee in  connection with the construction,
    interpretation, administration, or application of the Plan shall be  binding
    upon  all  Participants  and  any  person  claiming  under  or  through  any
    Participant. Although the  Committee is anticipated  to make certain  Awards
    that  constitute  "performance-based  compensation"  within  the  meaning of
    Section 162(m)(4)(C) of the Code, the Committee is also expressly authorized
    to make  Awards  that  do not  constitute  "performance-based  compensation"
    within  the meaning of that provision. By way  of example, and not by way of
    limitation, the Committee, in its sole and absolute discretion, may issue an
    Award that is not based  on a performance goal, as  set forth in (g)  below,
    but is based solely on continued service to the Company.

        (d) The Committee may employ or retain persons other than members of the
    Committee  to assist the  Committee to carry  out its responsibilities under
    such conditions  and  limitations  as  it may  prescribe,  except  that  the
    Committee  may  not  delegate its  authority  with regard  to  selection for
    participation of and the granting of Awards to persons subject to Section 16
    of the Exchange Act  or with regard  to any of the  duties of the  Committee
    under  Section 162(m) of  the Code necessary  for awards under  this Plan to
    qualify  as  "performance-based  compensation"   for  purposes  of   Section
    162(m)(4) (C) of the Code.

        (e)  The Committee is expressly authorized to make such modifications to
    the Plan as are necessary to effectuate  the intent of the Plan as a  result
    of  any changes in the income  tax, accounting, or securities laws treatment
    of Participants and the Plan.

                                      A-3
<PAGE>
        (f) The Company shall  effect the granting of  Awards under the Plan  in
    accordance  with the determinations  made by the  Committee, by execution of
    instruments in writing in such form as approved by the Committee.

        (g) The Committee, in the case of each Award, shall establish in writing
    at the time of making the Award the business criterion or criteria (if  any)
    that  must be  satisfied for  payment pursuant to  the Award  and the amount
    payable upon  satisfaction  of those  standards.  Those standards  are  also
    referred to herein as performance goals. Such criterion or criteria (if any)
    shall  be established  prior to  the Participant  rendering the  services to
    which they  relate and  while  the outcome  is substantially  uncertain.  In
    carrying  out  these  duties,  the  Committee  shall  use  objective written
    standards for  establishing both  the  performance goal  and the  amount  of
    compensation  such that a  third party with knowledge  of the relevant facts
    would be able  to determine whether  and to  what extent the  goal has  been
    satisfied  and  the  amount  of compensation  payable.  The  Committee shall
    provide a copy of the document setting forth such standards to the  affected
    Participant  and shall retain  such written material  in its permanent books
    and records.

        (h) The Committee may  not increase an Award  once granted, although  it
    may  grant  additional Awards  to the  same  Participant. The  Committee may
    reduce an award once  granted if the Committee  determines, in its sole  and
    absolute  discretion, that a Participant who has received such Award has not
    contributed to the success of the Company as contemplated by the Award  even
    though the stated performance goals were otherwise achieved.

        (i)  The Committee shall keep  the Board informed as  to its actions and
    make available to the Board its books and records. Although the Compensation
    Committee has the authority to establish and administer the Plan, the  Board
    reserves  the right at any time to  abolish the Committee and administer the
    Plan itself.

         (j) In  the  case  of  remuneration that  is  intended  to  qualify  as
    performance-based  compensation for purposes of  Code Section 162(m)(4) (C),
    the Committee  and the  Board  shall disclose  to  the shareholders  of  the
    Company the material terms under which such remuneration is to be paid under
    the  Plan, and shall seek approval of the shareholders by a majority vote in
    a separate shareholder vote before  payment of such remuneration. For  these
    purposes,   the  material  terms  include   the  individuals  (or  class  of
    individuals) eligible to  receive such  compensation, a  description of  the
    business  criterion  or criteria  on which  the  performance goal  is based,
    either the maximum amount of the  compensation to be paid thereunder or  the
    formula used to calculate the amount of compensation if the performance goal
    is   attained,  and  such  other  terms   as  required  under  Code  Section
    162(m)(4)(C) and the Treasury Regulations thereunder determined from time to
    time. The foregoing actions shall be undertaken in conformity with the rules
    of Code Section 162(m)(4)(C)(ii) and Treasury Regulations promulgated  there
    under. Such remuneration shall not be payable under this Plan in the absence
    of  such an approving shareholder vote. In  the case of remuneration that is
    not intended to qualify as performance-based compensation under Code Section
    162(m)(4) (C), the Committee  and the Board shall  make such disclosures  to
    and  seek  such  approval  from  the shareholders  of  the  Company  as they
    reasonably determine are required by law.

        (k) To the extent required under Code Section 162(m)(4) (C), before  any
    payment  of  remuneration under  this Plan,  the  Committee must  certify in
    writing that the performance goals and any other material terms of the Award
    were in fact satisfied. Such certification shall be kept with the  permanent
    books  and records  of the  Committee, and  the Committee  shall provide the
    affected Participant with a copy of such certification.

        (l) The Committee shall use its  good faith best efforts to comply  with
    the  requirements of  Section 162(m)(4)(C) of  the Code for  Awards that are
    intended to qualify under that section as "performance-based  compensation,"
    but shall have no liability to the Company or any recipient in the event one
    or more Awards do not so qualify.

                                      A-4
<PAGE>
    4.  DURATION OF AND COMMON STOCK SUBJECT TO THE PLAN.

        (a)  TERM. The  Plan shall terminate  automatically on  the tenth (10th)
    anniversary date of the date of adoption  of the Plan by the Committee,  the
    date  of adoption of the Plan by  the Board, or the tenth (10th) anniversary
    date of the date of shareholder  approval of the Plan, whichever is  earlier
    (subject to earlier termination by action of the Board), except with respect
    to Awards then outstanding.

        (b)  SHARES OF COMMON STOCK  SUBJECT TO THE PLAN.  The maximum number of
    shares of Common Stock with respect to which Awards may be granted under the
    Plan shall be  six hundred  thousand (600,000). However,  commencing on  the
    date  of  the adoption  of this  Plan by  the Committee  and the  Board, and
    continuing until the fifth  (5th) anniversary date of  the adoption of  this
    Plan  by the  Committee and  the Board,  there shall  be added  to the fixed
    number of shares  for which Awards  may be  granted each year  an amount  of
    shares  equal to two percent (2%) of the total issued and outstanding shares
    of the Common Stock  of the Company  on the preceding January  1. By way  of
    example, if the Committee and the Board approve the Plan during the calendar
    year  1994, until the 1995 anniversary date  of such action by the Committee
    and the Board there shall  be a number of  shares of Common Stock  available
    for  Awards in an amount equal to six hundred thousand (600,000) shares plus
    two percent (2%) of  the shares of  Common Stock of  the Company issued  and
    outstanding  on January 1, 1994. On the 1995 anniversary date, the amount of
    shares available shall be six hundred thousand (600,000) shares, plus 2%  of
    the  shares  of Common  Stock  issued and  outstanding  on January  1, 1995.
    Similar additions to (or subtractions  from) the number of shares  available
    for Awards are to be computed on each such anniversary date to and including
    the 1999 anniversary date.

           (i)  Notwithstanding  the  percentage increases  in  available shares
       provided for above, except as provided  in Section 16, in no event  shall
       more  than  five hundred  thousand (500,000)  shares  of Common  Stock be
       available for Awards of Incentive Stock Options under the Plan.

           (ii) All of the amounts stated  in this Paragraph (b) are subject  to
       adjustment as provided in Section 16 below.

          (iii)  For  the purpose  of computing  the total  number of  shares of
       Common Stock available for Awards under the Plan, there shall be  counted
       against  the foregoing limitations  the number of  shares of Common Stock
       subject to issuance upon exercise,  payment, or settlement of Awards  and
       the  number of shares of Common Stock which equal the value of Restricted
       Unit Grants and  Performance Share Grants  and other Stock-Based  Awards,
       determined as at the dates on which such Awards are granted. For purposes
       of  administering  the foregoing  sentence,  shares subject  to Incentive
       Stock Options shall  reduce the  maximum number of  shares available  for
       Incentive Stock Options on a share for share basis, but shares subject to
       other  types of  Awards shall first  reduce the maximum  number of shares
       without affecting the  Incentive Stock  Option portion  until the  amount
       available  for Awards  other than Incentive  Stock Options  is reduced to
       zero, and only then shall reduce the amount reserved for Incentive  Stock
       Options.

          (iv)  Except in the case of  Incentive Stock Options granted under the
       Plan (for which each share  Award may be used  only once), if any  Awards
       are forfeited, terminated, expire unexercised, settled or paid in cash in
       lieu  of stock or exchanged for other  Awards, the shares of Common Stock
       which were theretofore subject  to such Awards  shall again be  available
       for  Awards under the Plan to the extent of such forfeiture or expiration
       of such Awards.

           (v) Except in  the case  of shares  acquired through  exercise of  an
       Incentive Stock Option granted under the Plan, any shares of Common Stock
       which are used as full or partial payment to the Company by a Participant
       of the purchase price of shares of Common Stock

                                      A-5
<PAGE>
       upon exercise of a Stock Option shall again be available for Awards under
       the  Plan, as shall any shares covered by Stock Appreciation Rights which
       are not issued as payment upon exercise.

        (c) SOURCE OF COMMON STOCK. Common  Stock which may be issued under  the
    plan  may be  either authorized and  unissued shares or  issued shares which
    have been reacquired by  the Company. No fractional  shares of Common  Stock
    shall be issued under the Plan.

    5.   ELIGIBILITY.  Persons eligible for  Awards under the Plan shall consist
of directors of the Company or its Subsidiaries, as well as managerial and other
key employees  of  the  Company  or  its  Subsidiaries  who  hold  positions  of
significant  responsibilities or whose performance or potential contribution, in
the judgement of the Committee, will benefit the future success of the Company.

    6.  STOCK OPTIONS.  Stock Options granted under the Plan may be in the  form
of Incentive Stock Options or Non-Qualified Stock Options (collectively referred
to  as  "Stock  Options"). Stock  Options  shall  be subject  to  the  terms and
conditions set forth below.  Each written Stock  Option agreement shall  contain
such  additional  terms  and  conditions,  not  inconsistent  with  the  express
provisions of the Plan, as the Committee shall deem desirable.

        (a) GRANT. Stock Options shall be  granted under the Plan on such  terms
    and conditions not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan and pursuant
    to  written agreements with the  optionee in such form  as the Committee may
    from time to time approve in its sole and absolute discretion. The terms  of
    individual  Stock  Option  agreements  need not  be  identical.  Each option
    agreement shall state specifically whether it is intended to be an Incentive
    Stock Option or a Non-Qualified Stock  Option. Stock Options may be  granted
    alone  or  in addition  to  other Awards  under  the Plan.  Only  common law
    employees may receive grants  of Incentive Stock Options.  No person may  be
    granted  (in any calendar year) options  to purchase more than three hundred
    thousand (300,000 ) shares of  Common Stock (subject to adjustment  pursuant
    to Section 16). The foregoing sentence is an annual limitation on grants and
    not  a cumulative limitation. Any Stock Options repriced during a year shall
    count against this annual limitation.

        (b) STOCK OPTION  PRICE. The exercise  price per share  of Common  Stock
    purchasable under a Stock Option shall be determined by the Committee at the
    time  of grant. In  no event shall the  exercise price of  a Stock Option be
    less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of the  Common
    Stock  on the date of the  grant of such Stock Option.  In the case of a Ten
    Percent Shareholder, the exercise price shall  be not less than one  hundred
    ten  percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the date
    of its grant.

        (c) OPTION TERM. The  term of each  Stock Option shall  be fixed by  the
    Committee.  However, the term of any Stock  Option shall not exceed ten (10)
    years after the date such Stock Option is granted. Furthermore, the term  of
    an  Incentive Stock  Option granted to  a Ten Percent  Shareholder shall not
    exceed five (5) years after the date of its grant.

        (d) EXERCISABILITY. A Stock Option shall be exercisable at such time  or
    times and subject to such terms and conditions as shall be determined by the
    Committee  at the date  of grant and  set forth in  the written Stock Option
    agreement. However, no Stock  Option shall be  exercisable during the  first
    six  (6) months after the date such Stock Option is granted. A written Stock
    Option agreement may, if permitted pursuant to its terms, become exercisable
    in full upon  the occurrence of  events selected by  the Committee that  are
    beyond  the control  of the  Participant (including,  but not  limited to, a
    Change in Control of the  Company asset forth in  Section 17 below). In  the
    case  of a person  who is both a  common law employee and  a director of the
    Company or  its subsidiaries  on the  date of  grant of  an Incentive  Stock
    Option  to such person, if  such person continues service  as a director but
    ceases service as  a common  law employee,  such Stock  Option shall  remain
    exercisable according to its terms, but as a Non-Qualified Stock Option.

        (e)  METHOD OF EXERCISE. A Stock Option may be exercised, in whole or in
    part, by giving  written notice of  exercise to the  Company specifying  the
    number of shares to be purchased. Such

                                      A-6
<PAGE>
    notice  shall be accompanied by payment in full of the purchase price (i) in
    cash or  (ii) if  acceptable to  the Committee,  in shares  of Common  Stock
    already   owned  by   the  Participant.   The  Committee   may  also  permit
    Participants, either on  a selective or  aggregate basis, to  simultaneously
    exercise  Options  and sell  the shares  of  Common Stock  thereby acquired,
    pursuant to a brokerage or similar  arrangement, approved in advance by  the
    Committee,  and use the proceeds from such sale as payment of part or all of
    the purchase price of such shares.

        (f) SPECIAL RULE FOR INCENTIVE STOCK OPTIONS. With respect to  Incentive
    Stock  Options  granted  under the  Plan,  the aggregate  Fair  Market Value
    (determined as of  the date the  Incentive Stock Option  is granted) of  the
    number  of  shares  with  respect  to  which  Incentive  Stock  Options  are
    exercisable for the  first time by  a Participant during  any calendar  year
    (under  this Plan and all other incentive stock option plans of this Company
    or  its  Subsidiaries)  shall  not  exceed  one  hundred  thousand   dollars
    ($100,000) or such other limit as may be required by the Code.

    7.  STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS.  The grant of Stock Appreciation Rights under
the  Plan shall be  subject to the following  terms and conditions. Furthermore,
the  Stock  Appreciation  Rights  shall   contain  such  additional  terms   and
conditions,  not  inconsistent  with  the  express terms  of  the  Plan,  as the
Committee shall  deem desirable.  The  terms of  each Stock  Appreciation  Right
granted  shall be set forth  in a written agreement  between the Company and the
Participant receiving  such grant.  The terms  of such  agreements need  not  be
identical.

        (a)  STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS.  A Stock Appreciation  Right is an Award
    determined by the  Committee entitling  a Participant to  receive an  amount
    equal to the excess of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on a
    fixed date, which shall be the date concluding a measuring period set by the
    Committee  upon granting the Stock Appreciation  Right, over the Fair Market
    Value of  a  share of  Common  Stock  on the  date  of grant  of  the  Stock
    Appreciation  Right,  multiplied by  the number  of  shares of  Common Stock
    subject to  the  Stock  Appreciation Right.  No  Stock  Appreciation  Rights
    granted  in any year may be measured by  an amount of shares of Common Stock
    in excess of three hundred thousand (300,000) shares, subject to  adjustment
    under Section 16 below.

        (b)  GRANT. A Stock Appreciation Right may  be granted in addition to or
    completely independent of a Stock Option or any other Award under the  Plan.
    Upon  grant of  a Stock Appreciation  Right, the Committee  shall select and
    inform the  Participant  regarding the  number  of shares  of  Common  Stock
    subject  to the Stock  Appreciation Right and the  date that constitutes the
    close of the measuring period.

        (c) MEASURING PERIOD. A Stock  Appreciation Right shall accrue in  value
    from  the date  of grant  over a time  period established  by the Committee,
    except that in no event shall  a Stock Appreciation Right be payable  within
    the  first six  (6) months  after the  date of  grant. In  the written Stock
    Appreciation Right agreement,  the Committee  may also provide  (but is  not
    required  to provide) that a Stock Appreciation Right shall be automatically
    payable on  one or  more specified  dates prior  to the  normal end  of  the
    measuring  period upon  the occurrence of  events selected  by the Committee
    (including, but not limited to,  a Change in Control  of the Company as  set
    forth  in Section 17 below) that are  beyond the control of the Participant.
    The Committee may  provide (but  is not required  to provide)  in the  Stock
    Appreciation  Right  agreement  that in  the  case  of a  cash  payment such
    acceleration in payment shall also be subject to discounting of the  payment
    to  reasonably reflect the time value of money using any reasonable discount
    rate selected by the Committee in accordance with Treasury Regulations under
    Code Section 162(m).

        (d) FORM OF PAYMENT. Payment pursuant to a Stock Appreciation Right  may
    be  made  (i)  in  cash,  (ii)  in shares  of  Common  Stock,  or  (iii) any
    combination of the above, as the  Committee shall determine in its sole  and
    absolute  discretion.  The Committee  may elect  to make  this determination
    either at the time the Stock Appreciation  Right is granted, at the time  of
    payment   or  at  any  time  in  between  such  dates.  However,  any  Stock
    Appreciation Right paid upon or subsequent to the occurrence of a Change  in
    Control (as defined in Section 17) shall be paid in cash.

                                      A-7
<PAGE>
        (e)  CERTAIN LIMITATIONS. Payment pursuant to a Stock Appreciation Right
    may not exceed two hundred  percent (200%) of the  Fair Market Value of  the
    Common  Stock subject to the Stock Appreciation  Right as of the date of the
    grant of such Stock  Appreciation Right. In addition  to the restriction  in
    (a)  above regarding numbers of shares, no single Participant under the Plan
    may receive, pursuant to one or more Stock Appreciation Rights granted under
    the Plan,  compensation under  such Stock  Appreciation Rights  measured  by
    shares  representing more than thirty percent  (30%) of the shares of Common
    Stock subject to the  Plan (as of the  date of adoption of  the Plan by  the
    Board, and as adjusted pursuant to Section 16). The limitations in this Plan
    on  benefits under Stock Appreciation Rights  are integral parts of the Plan
    and are absolute; no  Participant shall be  entitled to receive  alternative
    payments from the Company or its Subsidiaries in the event the Participant's
    benefits  under such Stock Appreciation Rights  are limited pursuant to this
    Plan.

    8.  RESTRICTED AWARDS.  Restricted Awards  granted under the Plan may be  in
the form of either Restricted Stock Grants or Restricted Unit Grants. Restricted
Awards  shall be subject to the following terms and conditions. Furthermore, the
Restricted Awards shall be pursuant to a written agreement executed both by  the
Company and the Participant, which agreement shall contain such additional terms
and conditions, not inconsistent with the express provisions of the Plan, as the
Committee shall deem desirable in its sole and absolute discretion. The terms of
such written agreements need not be identical.

        (a)  RESTRICTED STOCK  GRANTS. A Restricted  Stock Grant is  an Award of
    shares of Common Stock  transferred to a Participant  subject to such  terms
    and conditions as the Committee deems appropriate, as set forth in Paragraph
    (d) below.

        (b) RESTRICTED UNIT GRANTS. A Restricted Unit Grant is an Award of units
    (with  each unit  having a  value equivalent to  one share  of Common Stock)
    granted to  a  Participant subject  to  such  terms and  conditions  as  the
    Committee  deems appropriate, including, without limitation, the requirement
    that the Participant forfeit all or a portion of such units upon termination
    of employment for specified reasons within  a specified period of time,  and
    restrictions  on the sale, assignment, transfer or other disposition of such
    units.

        (c) GRANTS OF AWARDS. Restricted Awards may be granted under the Plan in
    such form and on such terms and conditions as the Committee may from time to
    time approve. Restricted Awards may be granted alone or in addition to other
    Awards under the Plan. Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Committee shall
    determine the number of Restricted Awards to be granted to a Participant and
    the  Committee  may  impose   different  terms  and  conditions   (including
    performance   goals)  on  any  particular   Restricted  Award  made  to  any
    Participant. Each Participant  receiving a Restricted  Stock Grant shall  be
    issued  a stock certificate in respect of  such shares of Common Stock. Such
    certificate shall be registered  in the name of  such Participant, shall  be
    accompanied  by a stock  power duly executed by  such Participant, and shall
    bear  an  appropriate  legend  referring   to  the  terms,  conditions   and
    restrictions applicable to such Award. The certificate evidencing the shares
    shall  be  held in  custody by  the Company  until the  restrictions imposed
    thereon shall have lapsed or been removed.

        (d) RESTRICTION PERIOD.  Restricted Awards shall  provide that in  order
    for  a Participant to vest in such Awards, the Participant must continuously
    provide services to the Company or  its Subsidiaries, subject to relief  for
    specified  reasons, for a period of not less than three (3) years commencing
    on the date of the Award and ending on such later date or dates, subject  to
    the  three (3) year minimum,  as the Committee may  designate at the time of
    the Award  ("Restriction  Period"). If  the  Committee so  provides  in  the
    written  agreement  with the  Participant, a  Restricted  Award may  also be
    subject to satisfaction of such performance  goals as are set forth in  such
    agreement.  During  the  Restriction  Period, a  Participant  may  not sell,
    assign, transfer, pledge, encumber, or otherwise dispose of shares of Common
    Stock received under a  Restricted Stock Grant. The  Committee, in its  sole
    discretion, may provide for the lapse of restrictions

                                      A-8
<PAGE>
    during  the Restriction Period upon the occurrence of events selected by the
    Committee that are beyond the control of the Participant (including, but not
    limited to,  a Change  in Control  of  the Company  under Section  17).  The
    Committee  may  provide (but  is  not required  to  provide) in  the written
    agreement with  the  recipient that  in  the case  of  a cash  payment  such
    acceleration  in payment shall also be subject to discounting of the payment
    to reasonably reflect the time value of money using any reasonable  discount
    rate selected by the Committee in accordance with Treasury Regulations under
    Code  Section 162(m). Upon  expiration of the  applicable Restriction Period
    (or  lapse  of  restrictions  during   the  Restriction  Period  where   the
    restrictions  lapse  in installments  or by  action  of the  Committee), the
    Participant shall be  entitled to  receive his  or her  Restricted Award  or
    portion thereof, as the case may be.

        (e)  PAYMENT OF  AWARDS. A Participant  who receives  a Restricted Stock
    Grant shall  be paid  solely by  release  of the  restricted shares  at  the
    termination   of  the  Restriction  Period   (whether  in  one  payment,  in
    installments or  otherwise).  A Participant  shall  be entitled  to  receive
    payment  for a Restricted Unit Grant (or portion thereof) in an amount equal
    to the aggregate Fair Market Value of the shares of Common Stock covered  by
    such Award upon the expiration of the applicable Restriction Period. Payment
    in  settlement  of  a  Restricted  Unit  Grant  shall  be  made  as  soon as
    practicable following the conclusion of the specified Restriction Period (i)
    in cash, (ii) in shares of Common Stock equal to the number of units granted
    under the Restricted Unit Grant with respect to which such payment is  made,
    or  (iii) in any combination of the  above, as the Committee shall determine
    in its sole and  absolute discretion. The Committee  may elect to make  this
    determination  either  at the  time the  Award  is granted,  at the  time of
    payment or at any time in between such dates.

        (f) RIGHTS AS A SHAREHOLDER. A  Participant shall have, with respect  to
    the  shares of Common Stock received under  a Restricted Stock Grant, all of
    the rights of a shareholder of the Company, including the right to vote  the
    shares,  and the right to receive any cash dividends. Stock dividends issued
    with respect to the shares covered by a Restricted Grant shall be treated as
    additional shares under  the Restricted Grant  and shall be  subject to  the
    same  restrictions and other terms and conditions that apply to shares under
    the Restricted Grant with respect to which the dividends are issued.

    9.  PERFORMANCE AWARDS.  Performance Awards granted under the Plan may be in
the form  of  either  Performance  Share  Grants  or  Performance  Unit  Grants.
Performance Awards shall be subject to the terms and conditions set forth below.
Furthermore, the Performance Awards shall be subject to written agreements which
shall  contain such additional  terms and conditions,  not inconsistent with the
express provisions of  the Plan, as  the Committee shall  deem desirable in  its
sole and absolute discretion. Such agreements need not be identical.

        (a)  PERFORMANCE SHARE GRANTS. A Performance  Share Grant is an Award of
    units (with each  unit equivalent  in value to  one share  of Common  Stock)
    granted  to  a  Participant subject  to  such  terms and  conditions  as the
    Committee deems appropriate, including, without limitation, the  requirement
    that  the Participant forfeit such units (or a portion of such units) in the
    event certain performance criteria are not met within a designated period of
    time.

        (b) PERFORMANCE UNIT  GRANTS. A Performance  Unit Grant is  an Award  of
    units (with each unit representing such monetary amount as designated by the
    Committee)  granted to a Participant subject to such terms and conditions as
    the  Committee  deems  appropriate,   including,  without  limitation,   the
    requirement  that the Participant  forfeit such units (or  a portion of such
    units) in  the event  certain  performance criteria  are  not met  within  a
    designated period of time.

        (c) GRANTS OF AWARDS. Performance Awards shall be granted under the Plan
    pursuant  to written  agreements with  the Participant  in such  form as the
    Committee may from time to time  approve. Performance Awards may be  granted
    alone or in addition to other Awards under the

                                      A-9
<PAGE>
    Plan.  Subject to the terms  of the Plan, the  Committee shall determine the
    number of  Performance  Awards  to  be granted  to  a  Participant  and  the
    Committee  may  impose  different  terms and  conditions  on  any particular
    Performance Award made to any Participant.

        (d) PERFORMANCE GOALS AND PERFORMANCE PERIODS. Performance Awards  shall
    provide that, in order for a Participant to vest in such Awards, the Company
    must   achieve  certain  performance  goals  ("Performance  Goals")  over  a
    designated  performance  period  ("Performance  Period")  having  a  minimum
    duration of two years. The Performance Goals and Performance Period shall be
    established  by  the Committee,  in its  sole  and absolute  discretion. The
    Committee shall  establish Performance  Goals  for each  Performance  Period
    before  the commencement of the Performance  Period and while the outcome is
    substantially uncertain. The  Committee shall also  establish a schedule  or
    schedules  for  such Performance  Period setting  forth  the portion  of the
    Performance Award which will be earned  or forfeited based on the degree  of
    achievement  of  the Performance  Goals  actually achieved  or  exceeded. In
    setting Performance Goals, the Committee may use such measures as return  on
    equity,  earnings growth, revenue growth,  comparisons to peer companies, or
    such other measure  or measures of  performance in such  manner as it  deems
    appropriate .

        (e)  PAYMENT OF AWARDS.  In the case  of a Performance  Share Grant, the
    Participant shall be entitled to receive payment for each unit earned in  an
    amount  equal to  the aggregate  Fair Market Value  of the  shares of Common
    Stock covered by such Award as of the end of the Performance Period. In  the
    case  of  a Performance  Unit Grant,  the Participant  shall be  entitled to
    receive payment for each unit earned in an amount equal to the dollar  value
    of  each unit times the  number of units earned.  The Committee, pursuant to
    the written agreement with the Participant, may make such Performance Awards
    payable in whole or in  part upon the occurrence  of events selected by  the
    Committee that are beyond the control of the Participant (including, but not
    limited  to, a Change in  Control of the Company as  set forth in Section 17
    below). The Committee may  provide (but is not  required to provide) in  the
    written  agreement with  the recipient  that in the  case of  a cash payment
    acceleration in payment  of a  Performance Award  shall also  be subject  to
    discounting  to  reasonably  reflect  the  time  value  of  money  using any
    reasonable discount  rate  selected  by the  Committee  in  accordance  with
    Treasury  Regulations under Code Section 162(m).  Payment in settlement of a
    Performance Award  shall  be  made  as soon  as  practicable  following  the
    conclusion  of the Performance Period (i) in  cash, (ii) in shares of Common
    Stock, or  (iii) in  any combination  of  the above,  as the  Committee  may
    determine  in its sole  and absolute discretion. The  Committee may elect to
    make this determination either at the time the Award is granted, at the time
    of payment, or at any time in between such dates.

    10.  OTHER STOCK-BASED AND COMBINATION AWARDS.

        (a) The Committee  may grant  other Awards  under the  Plan pursuant  to
    which  Common  Stock  is  or  may  in  the  future  be  acquired,  or Awards
    denominated in stock units, including ones valued using measures other  than
    market  value. Such Other Stock-Based Grants  may be granted either alone or
    in addition to any other type of Award granted under the Plan.

        (b) The Committee may  also grant Awards under  the Plan in  combination
    with  other Awards or  in exchange of  Awards, or in  combination with or as
    alternatives to  grants or  rights  under any  other  employee plan  of  the
    Company, including the plan of any acquired entity.

        (c)  Subject to  the provisions  of the  Plan, the  Committee shall have
    authority to determine  the individuals  to whom and  the time  or times  at
    which  the Awards shall be made, the number  of shares of Common Stock to be
    granted or covered pursuant to such Awards, and any and all other conditions
    and/or terms of the Awards.

    11.  NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTORS.  Directors of the Company who are not employees
of the  Company  ("Non-Employee  Directors")  may  receive  Non-Qualified  Stock
Options  as set forth in this  Section 11 as a result  of action by the Board of
Directors or by the Committee (as the case may be). Such Stock Options shall  be
awarded in the sole and absolute discretion of the Board or the Committee.

                                      A-10
<PAGE>
        (a)  Each  Non-Qualified  Stock Option  granted  hereunder  shall become
    exercisable as to 25% of the shares of Common Stock subject to the Option on
    the first, second, third, and fourth anniversary dates of the grant.

        (b) Each Non-Qualified Stock Option granted under this Section 11  shall
    expire upon the earliest of the following events:

           (i) Ten (10) years from the date the Option was granted;

           (ii) The termination of the Plan;

          (iii) Three (3) months after the date on which the person ceases to be
       a  Non-Employee Director,  except that if  the cessation  of services was
       caused by the person's death or becoming disabled (within the meaning  of
       Section  22(e)(3) of the Code), the expiration  of one (1) year after the
       cessation of such services.

        (c) The exercise price of the Non-Qualified Stock Options granted  under
    this Section 11 shall be one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value
    of the Common Stock on the date of the Grant.

    12.  DEFERRAL ELECTIONS.  The Committee may permit a Participant to elect to
defer  his or her  receipt of the payment  of cash or the  delivery of shares of
Common Stock that would otherwise  be due to such  Participant by virtue of  the
exercise,  earn out  or vesting  of an Award  made under  the Plan.  If any such
election is permitted, the  Committee shall establish  rules and procedures  for
such  payment  deferrals, including  the possible  (a)  payment or  crediting of
reasonable interest  on such  deferred amounts  credited in  cash, and  (b)  the
payment or crediting of dividend equivalents in respect of deferrals credited in
units of Common Stock. The Company and the Committee shall not be responsible to
any person in the event that the payment deferral does not result in deferral of
income for tax purposes.

    13.   DIVIDEND  EQUIVALENTS.   Awards of  Stock Options,  Stock Appreciation
Rights, Restricted Unit Grants, Performance Share Grants, and other  Stock-Based
Awards  may, in the sole and absolute discretion of the Committee, earn dividend
equivalents. In respect  of any such  Award which is  outstanding on a  dividend
record  date for Common  Stock, the Participant  may be credited  with an amount
equal to the amount of cash or stock dividends that would have been paid on  the
shares  of Common Stock  covered by such  Award had such  shares been issued and
outstanding on such  dividend record  date. The Committee  shall establish  such
rules  and procedures governing the crediting of dividend equivalents, including
the timing,  form  of  payment,  and  payment  contingencies  of  such  dividend
equivalents, as it deems appropriate or necessary.

    14.   TERMINATION OF  EMPLOYMENT.  The  terms and conditions  under which an
Award may be exercised after a Participant's termination of employment shall  be
determined  by the  Committee and  reflected in  the written  agreement with the
Participant concerning  the Award,  except  that in  the event  a  Participant's
employment with the Company or a Subsidiary terminates for any reason within six
(6)  months of the date of grant of any Award held by the Participant, the Award
shall expire  as  of  the  date  of  such  termination  of  employment  and  the
Participant  and  the Participant's  legal  representative or  beneficiary shall
forfeit any and all rights pertaining to such Award.

    15.  NON-TRANSFERABILITY OF AWARDS.  No Award under the Plan, and no  rights
or interest therein, shall be assignable or transferable by a Participant except
by  will  or the  laws of  descent and  distribution. During  the lifetime  of a
Participant, Awards  are exercisable  only  by, and  payments in  settlement  of
Awards   will  be  payable  only  to,  the  Participant  or  his  or  her  legal
representative.

    16.  ADJUSTMENTS UPON CHANGES IN CAPITALIZATION, ETC.

        (a) The existence of the Plan and the Awards granted hereunder shall not
    affect or  restrict in  any way  the  right or  power of  the Board  or  the
    shareholders   of  the  Company   to  make  or   authorize  any  adjustment,
    recapitalization,  reorganization   or  other   change  in   the   Company's

                                      A-11
<PAGE>
    capital  structure  or  its business,  any  merger or  consolidation  of the
    Company, any  issue  of bonds,  debentures,  preferred or  prior  preference
    stocks  ahead  of or  affecting  the Company's  Common  Stock or  the rights
    thereof, the  dissolution or  liquidation of  the Company,  or any  sale  or
    transfer  of  all  or any  part  of its  assets  or business,  or  any other
    corporate act or proceeding.

        (b) In the event  of any change in  capitalization affecting the  Common
    Stock  of the Company  after the Effective  Date, such as  a stock dividend,
    stock split, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, split-up, combination,
    exchange of  shares,  other form  of  reorganization, or  any  other  change
    affecting  the Common Stock, such proportionate  adjustments, if any, as the
    Board in its discretion may deem appropriate to reflect such change shall be
    made with respect to (i) the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock  for
    which  Awards in  respect thereof  may be granted  under the  Plan, (ii) the
    maximum number of shares of Common Stock which may be sold or awarded to any
    Participant, (iii) the  number of  shares of  Common Stock  covered by  each
    outstanding  Award, and (iv)  the price per share  in respect of outstanding
    Awards.

        (c) The Committee may also make such adjustments in the number of shares
    covered by, and the price  or other value of  any outstanding Awards in  the
    event of a spin-off or other distribution (other than normal cash dividends)
    of  Company assets to shareholders. In the event that another corporation or
    business entity is being acquired by the Company, and the Company agrees  to
    assume  outstanding employee stock options  and/or stock appreciation rights
    and/or the  obligation  to  make  future grants  of  options  or  rights  to
    employees  of the acquired entity, the  aggregate number of shares of Common
    Stock available for  Awards under  Section 4 of  the Plan  may be  increased
    accordingly,  except that no change  shall be made to  the maximum number of
    shares eligible  for Incentive  Stock Options  under Section  4(b)(i)  based
    solely upon such an event.

    17.  CHANGE IN CONTROL.

        (a)  In the event  of a Change  in Control (as  defined in Paragraph (b)
    below) of the Company, and except as otherwise provided in Award agreements:

           (i) All Stock Options or  Stock Appreciation Rights then  outstanding
       shall become fully exercisable as of the date of the Change in Control;

           (ii)  All restrictions and conditions  of all Restricted Stock Grants
       and Restricted Unit Grants then outstanding shall be deemed satisfied  as
       of the date of the Change in Control; and

          (iii)  All Performance Share Grants  and Performance Unit Grants shall
       be deemed to  have been  fully earned  as of the  date of  the Change  in
       Control;  subject  to  the  limitation  that  any  Award  which  has been
       outstanding less than six (6) months on the date of the Change in Control
       shall not be afforded such treatment.

        (b) A "Change  in Control"  shall be deemed  to have  occurred upon  the
    occurrence of any one (or more) of the following events:

           (i)  Any person, including a group  as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of
       the Exchange Act, becomes the beneficial  owner of shares of the  Company
       with  respect to which 20%  or more of the total  number of votes for the
       election of the Board may be cast;

           (ii) As a result  of, or in connection  with, any cash tender  offer,
       exchange  offer, merger or other business  combination, sale of assets or
       contested election, or  combination of  the foregoing,  persons who  were
       directors  of  the  Company  just  prior to  such  event  shall  cease to
       constitute a majority of the Board;

          (iii) The  stockholders  of the  Company  shall approve  an  agreement
       providing  either for a transaction in which the Company will cease to be
       an independent  publicly  owned  corporation  or  for  a  sale  or  other
       disposition of all or substantially all the assets of the Company; or

                                      A-12
<PAGE>
          (iv)  A  tender offer  or exchange  offer  is made  for shares  of the
       Company's Common Stock (other than one made by the Company) and shares of
       Common Stock are acquired thereunder ("Offer"). However, the acceleration
       of the exercisability of  outstanding options upon  the occurrence of  an
       Offer shall be within the discretion of the Committee.

        (c)  In  the  event  that  any payment  under  this  Plan  (alone  or in
    conjunction with  other  payments)  would otherwise  constitute  an  "excess
    parachute  payment" under Section 280G of the  Code (in the sole judgment of
    the Company), such payment shall be reduced or eliminated to the extent  the
    Company  determines necessary to avoid  deduction disallowance under Section
    280G of the Code or the imposition  of excise tax under Section 4999 of  the
    Code.  The Company may consult with  a Participant regarding the application
    of Section  280G and/or  Section  4999 to  payments  otherwise due  to  such
    Participant  under  the  Plan,  but  the  judgment  of  the  Company  as  to
    applicability of those  provisions, the degree  to which a  payment must  be
    reduced  to avoid  those provisions, and  which Awards shall  be reduced, is
    final. The Compensation  Committee shall  act on  behalf of  the Company  in
    interpreting and administering this limitation.

    18.     AMENDMENT  AND  TERMINATION.     Without  further  approval  of  the
stockholders, the Board may at any time terminate the Plan, or may amend it from
time to time  in such respects  as the  Board may deem  advisable. However,  the
Board  may not, without  approval of the shareholders,  make any amendment which
would (a) increase the aggregate number of  shares of Common Stock which may  be
issued  under the  Plan (except  for adjustments pursuant  to Section  16 of the
Plan),  (b)  materially   modify  the   requirements  as   to  eligibility   for
participation  in the Plan, or (c)  materially increase the benefits accruing to
Participants under the Plan. Notwithstanding the above, the Board may amend  the
Plan  to take into account changes  in applicable securities, federal income tax
laws and other applicable laws. Further, should the provisions of Rule 16b-3, or
any successor rule, under the Exchange Act  be amended, the Board may amend  the
Plan  in accordance  with any  modifications to that  rule without  the need for
shareholder approval. Notwithstanding the  foregoing, the provisions of  Section
11  may not be amended more than once every six months other than to comply with
the changes in the Code or the  Employee Retirement Income Security Act of  1974
("ERISA").

    19.  MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS.

        (a) TAX WITHHOLDING. The Company shall have the right to deduct from any
    payment,  including the delivery of shares, made under the Plan any federal,
    state, or  local taxes  of any  kind required  by law  to be  withheld  with
    respect to such payments or to take such other action as may be necessary in
    the opinion of the Company to satisfy all obligation for the payment of such
    taxes.  If Common Stock is used to satisfy tax withholding, such stock shall
    be valued  based  on the  Fair  Market Value  when  the tax  withholding  is
    required to be made.

        (b)  NO RIGHT TO EMPLOYMENT OR DIRECTORSHIP. Neither the adoption of the
    Plan nor  the  granting of  any  Award shall  confer  upon any  employee  or
    director  of the Company or any Subsidiary any right to continued employment
    or directorship with the Company or any Subsidiary, as the case may be,  nor
    shall  it interfere in any way with the right of the Company or a Subsidiary
    to terminate the employment of any  of its employees or the directorship  of
    any director at any time, with or without cause.

        (c)  UNFUNDED PLAN. The Plan shall be unfunded and the Company shall not
    be required to segregate any assets that  may at any time be represented  by
    Awards  under the  Plan. Any  liability of  the Company  to any  person with
    respect to any Award under the Plan  shall be based solely upon any  written
    contractual  obligations that may be effected  pursuant to the Plan. No such
    obligation of the Company shall be deemed to be secured by any pledge of, or
    other encumbrance on, any property of the Company.

        (d) ANNULMENT OF AWARDS. The grant  of any Award under the Plan  payable
    in  cash is provisional until cash is  paid in settlement thereof. The grant
    of any Award payable  in Common Stock is  provisional until the  Participant
    becomes    entitled    to   the    certificate   in    settlement   thereof.

                                      A-13
<PAGE>
    Payment under any Awards granted pursuant  to the Plan is wholly  contingent
    upon  shareholder approval of  the Plan. Where approval  for an award sought
    pursuant to  Section  162(m)(4)(C)(ii)  is  not  granted  by  the  Company's
    shareholders,  the Award shall  be annulled automatically.  In the event the
    employment of a Participant is terminated for cause (as defined below),  any
    Award  which  is  provisional shall  be  annulled  as of  the  date  of such
    termination for  cause. For  the purpose  of this  Section 19(d),  the  term
    "terminated for cause" means any discharge for violation of the policies and
    procedures  of the Company or for other  job performance or conduct which is
    detrimental to the best interests of the Company.

        (e) OTHER COMPANY BENEFIT AND COMPENSATION PROGRAMS. Payments and  other
    benefits  received by a Participant under an Award made pursuant to the Plan
    shall  not  be  deemed  a   part  of  a  Participant's  regular,   recurring
    compensation  for purposes of the termination indemnity or severance pay law
    of any state. Furthermore, such benefits shall not be included in, nor  have
    any  effect  on,  the determination  of  benefits under  any  other employee
    benefit plan or similar arrangement provided by the Company or a  Subsidiary
    unless  expressly so provided  by such other plan  or arrangement, or except
    where the  Committee expressly  determines  that inclusion  of an  Award  or
    portion of an Award should be included. Awards under the Plan may be made in
    combination with or in addition to, or as alternatives to, grants, awards or
    payments  under any  other Company or  Subsidiary plans. The  Company or any
    Subsidiary  may  adopt  such  other  compensation  programs  and  additional
    compensation  arrangements (in addition to this  Plan) as it deems necessary
    to attract, retain, and reward employees for their service with the  Company
    and its Subsidiaries.

        (f)  SECURITIES LAW  RESTRICTIONS. No  shares of  Common Stock  shall be
    issued under the Plan unless counsel for the Company shall be satisfied that
    such issuance  will  be in  compliance  with applicable  federal  and  state
    securities laws. Certificates for shares of Common Stock delivered under the
    Plan  may be subject to such stock-transfer orders and other restrictions as
    the Committee may  deem advisable  under the rules,  regulations, and  other
    requirements  of the Securities and  Exchange Commission, any stock exchange
    upon which the Common  Stock is then listed,  and any applicable federal  or
    state  securities law. The Committee may cause a legend or legends to be put
    on any such certificates to make appropriate reference to such restrictions.

        (g) AWARD AGREEMENT. Each Participant receiving an Award under the  Plan
    shall  enter into an agreement  with the Company in  a form specified by the
    Committee agreeing to the terms and conditions of the Award and such related
    matters as  the  Committee  shall,  in its  sole  and  absolute  discretion,
    determine.

        (h)  COSTS OF  PLAN. The  costs and  expenses of  administering the Plan
    shall be borne by the Company.

        (i) GOVERNING LAW. The  Plan and all actions  taken thereunder shall  be
    governed  by  and construed  in accordance  with  the laws  of the  State of
    California.

                                          GUARDIAN BANCORP,
                                          A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION

Date: ---------------------             By: -------------------------------
                                        Chairman, Board of Directors

                                      A-14
<PAGE>
                     CERTIFICATE OF COMPENSATION COMMITTEE

    The undersigned two persons, being members of the Compensation Committee and
"outside directors"  within  the  meaning  of  Section  162(m)(4)(C)(i)  of  the
Internal  Revenue  Code  of 1986,  hereby  certify that  the  foregoing Guardian
Bancorp 1994  Long  Term Incentive  Plan  was  adopted and  established  by  the
Compensation Committee on April   , 1994.

Date: ---------------------             --------------------------------
                                        Compensation Committee Member
Date: ---------------------
                                        --------------------------------
                                        Compensation Committee Member

                            CERTIFICATE OF SECRETARY

    The  undersigned,  being  the  Corporate Secretary  of  Guardian  Bancorp, a
California corporation,  hereby certifies  that the  foregoing Guardian  Bancorp
1994  Long Term Incentive Plan  was, pursuant to the  Articles and Bylaws of the
Corporation, duly adopted by the Compensation Committee  on April   , 1994,  and
by  the Board of  Directors as a  whole on April    , 1994,  and approved by the
shareholders of the Corporation on             , 1994.

Date: ---------------------             --------------------------------
                                        Corporate Secretary

                           [Seal of Guardian Bancorp]

                                      A-15
<PAGE>
PROXY                           GUARDIAN BANCORP                           PROXY
                800 SOUTH FIGUEROA STREET, LOS ANGELES, CA 90017

          THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

    The  undersigned hereby nominates,  constitutes and appoints  Paul M. Harris
and Robert D. Frandzel, and each of  them, the attorneys, agents and proxies  of
the undersigned, with full powers of substitution to each, and hereby authorizes
them  to represent, and to vote as  designated below, all shares of Common Stock
of Guardian Bancorp held of record by  the undersigned at the close of  business
on  April 4, 1994  at the Annual Meeting  of Shareholders to be  held on June 1,
1994 or any adjournment thereof.

<TABLE>
<S>                           <C>                                           <C>
1.  ELECTION OF DIRECTORS     FOR all nominees listed below                 WITHHOLD AUTHORITY
                              (EXCEPT AS MARKED TO THE CONTRARY BELOW).     TO VOTE FOR ALL NOMINEES LISTED BELOW. / /
                              DISCRETIONARY AUTHORITY TO CUMULATE VOTES
                              IS GRANTED. / /
</TABLE>

 Paul M. Harris, Marilyn M. Cohen, Howard C. Fletcher III, Robert D. Frandzel,
  Saul Socoloske, Vincent A. Bell, James F. Lewin, Jon Van Deuren, Michael J.
                                     Welch.

 (INSTRUCTION: TO WITHHOLD AUTHORITY TO VOTE FOR ANY INDIVIDUAL NOMINEE, WRITE
               THAT NOMINEE'S NAME IN THE SPACE PROVIDED BELOW.)

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

<TABLE>
<S>                                         <C>                                         <C>
2.  APPROVAL OF 1994 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE    FOR the approval of the 1994 Long-Term      WITHHOLD AUTHORITY
    PLAN                                    Incentive Plan. / /                         to approve the 1994 Long-Term Incentive
                                                                                        Plan. / /
</TABLE>

3.  In  their discretion, the  proxies are  authorized to vote  upon such  other
business as may properly come before the meeting.

    THE  BOARD OF  DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A  VOTE "FOR" THE  ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
NOMINATED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND "FOR" THE APPROVAL OF THE 1994 LONG-TERM
INCENTIVE PLAN. THIS PROXY  WHEN PROPERLY EXECUTED WILL  BE VOTED IN THE  MANNER
DIRECTED HEREIN BY THE UNDERSIGNED SHAREHOLDER, UNLESS ANY SHAREHOLDER ELECTS TO
CUMULATE  VOTES. IF  NO DIRECTION IS  MADE, THIS  PROXY WILL BE  VOTED "FOR" THE
ELECTION OF DIRECTORS NOMINATED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND, IN THE CASE OF  A
CUMULATIVE  VOTING ELECTION,  IN THE MANNER  SELECTED BY THE  PROXY HOLDERS, AND
"FOR" THE APPROVAL OF THE 1994 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN.

                     (PLEASE SIGN AND DATE ON REVERSE SIDE)
<PAGE>
                          (CONTINUED FROM OTHER SIDE)

    The undersigned hereby  ratifies and  confirms all that  said attorneys  and
proxies,  or any of them, or their substitutes, shall lawfully do or cause to be
done by virtue hereof and hereby revokes any and all proxies heretofore given by
the undersigned to vote at said meeting. The undersigned acknowledges receipt of
notice  of  the  Annual  Meeting   of  Shareholders  and  the  Proxy   Statement
accompanying the notice.
                                         Dated: _________________________ , 1994
                                         _______________________________________
                                                       (Signature)
                                         _______________________________________
                                                       (Signature)

                                         Please   sign  exactly  as  your  names
                                         appear on  this card.  When shares  are
                                         held  by  joint  tenants,  both  should
                                         sign.   When   signing   as   attorney,
                                         executor,   administrator,  trustee  or
                                         guardian, please  give full  titles  as
                                         such.  If a corporation, please sign in
                                         full corporate  name  by  President  or
                                         other    authorized   officer.   If   a
                                         partnership, please sign in partnership
                                         name by authorized person.

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


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