WASHINGTON MUTUAL INC
8-K, 1997-01-24
SAVINGS INSTITUTIONS, NOT FEDERALLY CHARTERED
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM 8-K

                             Current Report Pursuant
                          to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934


                        Date of Report: January 22, 1997

                             Washington Mutual, Inc.
             (Exact Name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

                                   Washington
                 (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)

           0-25188                                       91-1653725
    (Commission File Number)                          (IRS Identification No.)

   1201 Third Avenue, Seattle, Washington                 98101
   (Address of Principal Executive Office)              (Zip Code)

                                  206-461-2000
               (Registrant's telephone number including area code)


Item 5.  Other Events.

         On January 22, 1997, the Securities  and Exchange  Commission  declared
effective the Company's registration statement on Form S-3 for the sale of up to
15,085,305  shares  of  Company  common  stock by  certain  stockholders  of the
Company.

         Included  herein  at  Exhibit  7(c) are  copies  of the  U.S.  Purchase
Agreement and the International Purchase Agreement, each dated as of January 22,
1997,  setting forth the agreements among the Company,  the underwriters and the
selling stockholders.

Item 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits

         (c)      Exhibits

     1.1.  U.S.  Purchase  Agreement,  dated  January  22,  1997,  by and  among
Washington Mutual, Inc., Merrill Lynch & Co., Merrill,  Lynch, Pierce,  Fenner &
Smith  Incorporated,  Friedman,  Billings,  Ramsey & Co.,  Inc.  and the selling
stockholders listed therein.

     1.2. International Purchase Agreement, dated January 22, 1997, by and among
Washington Mutual, Inc., Merrill Lynch International, Friedman, Billings, Ramsey
& Co., Inc. and the selling stockholders listed therein.


                                       -1-

<PAGE>


                                   SIGNATURES

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

                                               WASHINGTON MUTUAL, INC.



Date:  January 23, 1997                        By: /s/ Marc R. Kittner
                                               Its: Senior Vice President



                                       -2-

<PAGE>

                             WASHINGTON MUTUAL, INC.
                           (a Washington corporation)

                        12,329,649 Shares of Common Stock
                            (No Par Value Per Share)

                             U.S. PURCHASE AGREEMENT

                                                          January 22, 1997

MERRILL LYNCH & CO.
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
Friedman, Billings, Ramsey & Co., Inc.
  as U.S. Representatives of the several U.S. Underwriters
c/o Merrill Lynch & Co.
     Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
                     Incorporated
North Tower
World Financial Center
New York, New York 10281-1209

Ladies and Gentlemen:

                  Washington  Mutual,   Inc.,  a  Washington   corporation  (the
"Company"), and the persons listed in Schedule B hereto (the "Selling Stockholde
s"),  confirm their  respective  agreements  with Merrill  Lynch & Co.,  Merrill
Lynch,  Pierce,  Fenner & Smith  Incorporated  ("Merrill Lynch") and each of the
other U.S.  Underwriters  named in  Schedule A hereto  (collectively,  the "U.S.
Underwriters,"  which term shall also  include any  underwriter  substituted  as
hereinafter provided in Section 10 hereof), for whom Merrill Lynch and Friedman,
Billings, Ramsey & Co., Inc. ("Friedman Billings") are acting as representatives
(in such capacity, the "U.S. Representatives"),  with respect to the sale by the
Selling Stockholders,  acting severally and not jointly, and the purchase by the
U.S. Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of 12,329,649 shares (the
"U.S. Securities") of Common Stock, no par value per share (the "Common Stock"),
of the Company.

                 It is understood that the Company and the Selling Stockholders
are  concurrently  entering  into  an  agreement  dated  the  date  hereof  (the
"International  Purchase  Agreement")  providing for the offering by the Selling
Stockholders  of an  aggregate  of  2,260,000 shares  of  Common  Stock  (the
"International  Securities")  through  arrangements  with  certain  underwriters
outside the United States and Canada


<PAGE>



(the  "International  Managers"),  for which  Merrill  Lynch  International  and
Friedman  Billings  are acting as lead  managers  (the "Lead  Managers").  It is
understood that the Selling Stockholders are not obligated to sell, and the U.S.
Underwriters are not obligated to purchase,  any U.S.  Securities  unless all of
the   International   Securities   are   contemporaneously   purchased   by  the
International Managers.

         The U.S. Underwriters and the International Managers are hereinafter
collectively called the "Underwriters," and the U.S. Securities and the
International Securities are hereinafter collectively called the "Securities."

         The  Underwriters  will  concurrently   enter  into  an  Intersyndicate
Agreement of even date herewith (the "Intersyndicate  Agreement")  providing for
the  coordination  of  certain  transactions  among the  Underwriters  under the
direction  of  Merrill  Lynch  & Co.,  Merrill  Lynch,  Pierce,  Fenner  & Smith
Incorporated (in such capacity, the "Global Coordinator").

                  The Company and the Selling  Stockholders  understand that the
U.S.  Underwriters  propose to make a public offering of the U.S.  Securities as
soon as the U.S.  Representatives  deem advisable  after this Agreement has been
executed and delivered.

                  The  Company  has  filed  with  the  Securities  and  Exchange
Commission  (the  "Commission")  a  registration  statement  on  Form  S-3  (No.
333-17291)  covering the registration of the Securities under the Securities Act
of 1933,  as  amended  (the  "1933  Act"),  including  the  related  preliminary
prospectus  or  prospectuses.  Promptly  after  execution  and  delivery of this
Agreement,  the  Company  will  either  (i)  prepare  and file a  prospectus  in
accordance  with the  provisions  of Rule  430A  ("Rule  430A") of the rules and
regulations  of the Commission  under the 1933 Act (the "1933 Act  Regulations")
and paragraph  (b) of Rule 424 ("Rule  424(b)") of the 1933 Act  Regulations  or
(ii) if the Company  has elected to rely upon Rule 434 ("Rule  434") of the 1933
Act  Regulations,  prepare and file a term sheet (a "Term  Sheet") in accordance
with the provisions of Rule 434 and Rule 424(b).  Two forms of prospectus are to
be used in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities: one relating
to the U.S.  Securities (the "Form of U.S.  Prospectus") and one relating to the
International Securities (the "Form of International  Prospectus").  The Form of
International Prospectus is identical to the Form of U.S. Prospectus, except for
the  front  cover  and  back  cover  page,  page  2A  included  in the  Form  of
International   Prospectus   only  and  the   information   under  the   caption
"Underwriting."  The information  included in any such prospectus or in any such
Term  Sheet,  as the  case may be,  that  was  omitted  from  such  registration
statement at the time it became

                                                  2

<PAGE>



effective  but that is deemed to be part of such  registration  statement at the
time it became  effective (a) pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 430A is referred
to as "Rule 430A  Information"  or (b) pursuant to paragraph  (d) of Rule 434 is
referred to as "Rule 434 Information." Each Form of U.S.  Prospectus and Form of
International   Prospectus  used  before  such  registration   statement  became
effective,  and any  prospectus  that  omitted,  as  applicable,  the Rule  430A
Information or the Rule 434 Information,  that was used after such effectiveness
and prior to the  execution and delivery of this  Agreement,  is herein called a
"preliminary  prospectus." Such registration  statement,  including the exhibits
thereto,  schedules thereto, if any, and the documents incorporated by reference
therein  pursuant  to Item 12 of Form S-3  under  the 1933  Act,  at the time it
became  effective  and  including  the Rule  430A  Information  and the Rule 434
Information,  as applicable,  is herein called the "Registration Statement." Any
registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations
is herein  referred to as the "Rule 462(b)  Registration  Statement,"  and after
such  filing the term  "Registration  Statement"  shall  include the Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement.  The final Form of U.S. Prospectus and the final Form of
International  Prospectus,  including  the documents  incorporated  by reference
therein  pursuant  to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act, in the forms first
furnished to the  Underwriters  for use in  connection  with the offering of the
Securities  are  herein  called  the "U.S.  Prospectus"  and the  "International
Prospectus," respectively,  and collectively, the "Prospectuses." If Rule 434 is
relied on, the terms "U.S.  Prospectus"  and  "International  Prospectus"  shall
refer to the preliminary  U.S.  Prospectus dated January 2, 1997 and preliminary
International Prospectus dated January 2, 1997, respectively, each together with
the  applicable  Term Sheet and all  references in this Agreement to the date of
such Prospectuses shall mean the date of the applicable Term Sheet. For purposes
of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, any preliminary
prospectus,  the U.S. Prospectus, the International Prospectus or any Term Sheet
or any  amendment  or  supplement  to any of the  foregoing  shall be  deemed to
include  the copy filed with the  Commission  pursuant  to its  Electronic  Data
Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system ("ED- GAR").

         All references in this Agreement to financial  statements and schedules
and other  information  which is  "contained,"  "included"  or  "stated"  in the
Registration  Statement,  any preliminary prospectus (including the Form of U.S.
Prospectus and Form of  International  Prospectus) or the Prospectuses (or other
references  of like  import)  shall  be  deemed  to mean  and  include  all such
financial  statements and schedules and other  information which is incorporated
by  reference  in  the  Registration   Statement,   any  preliminary  prospectus
(including the Form of U.S. Prospectus and Form of International  Prospectus) or
the Prospectuses, as the case

                                                  3

<PAGE>



may be; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the
Registration Statement,  any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectuses shall be
deemed to mean and  include  the  filing of any  document  under the  Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (the "1934 Act") which is  incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement, such preliminary prospectus or the Prospectuses,  as the
case may be.

Section 1.  Representations and Warranties.

(a) Representations  and  Warranties  by the  Company.

     The Company  represents and warrants to each U.S.  Underwriter  and Selling
Stockholder  as of the date  hereof and as of the  Closing  Time  referred to in
Section 2(b) hereof, as follows:

     (i)  Compliance with  Registration  Requirements.

     The Company meets the  requirements for use of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act.
Each of the Registration  Statement and any Rule 462(b)  Registration  Statement
has  become  effective  under  the  1933  Act;  no  stop  order  suspending  the
effectiveness  of the  Registration  Statement  or any Rule 462(b)  Registration
Statement has been issued under the 1933 Act and no proceedings for that purpose
have been  instituted  or are pending or, to the  knowledge of the Company,  are
contemplated by the Commission and any request on the part of the Commission for
additional information has been complied with.

                  At the respective times the Registration  Statement,  any Rule
         462(b) Registration Statement and any post-effective amendments thereto
         became effective and at the Closing Time, the  Registration  Statement,
         the  Rule  462(b)   Registration   Statement  and  any  amendments  and
         supplements  thereto complied and will comply in all material  respects
         with the  requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations and
         did not and will not contain an untrue  statement of a material fact or
         omit to  state  a  material  fact  required  to be  stated  therein  or
         necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. Neither of the
         Prospectuses nor any amendments or supplements thereto, at the time any
         such  Prospectus or any such  amendment or supplement  was filed and at
         the Closing  Time,  included or will  include an untrue  statement of a
         material  fact or  omitted  or  will  omit to  state  a  material  fact
         necessary in order to make the statements  therein, in the light of the
         circumstances  under which they were made, not misleading.  If Rule 434
         is used, the Company will comply with the requirements of Rule 434. The
         representations  and warran- ties in this subsection shall not apply to
         statements in or omissions

                                             4

<PAGE>



         from the Registration  Statement,  any post-effective  amendment to the
         Registration  Statement,  the  U.S.  Prospectus  or  any  amendment  or
         supplement  to  the  U.S.  Prospectus  made  in  reliance  upon  and in
         conformity with information  furnished to the Company in writing by any
         U.S.  Underwriter  through the U.S.  Representatives  or by any Selling
         Stockholder expressly for use in the Registration  Statement,  the U.S.
         Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement.

                  Each preliminary prospectus and the prospectuses filed as part
         of the  Registration  Statement as  originally  filed or as part of any
         amendment  thereto,  or filed  pursuant to Rule 424 under the 1933 Act,
         complied  when so filed in all material  respects with the 1933 Act and
         the  1933  Act  Regulations  and each  preliminary  prospectus  and the
         Prospectuses  delivered to the  Underwriters for use in connection with
         this offering was identical to the  electronically  transmitted  copies
         thereof  filed with the  Commission  pursuant  to EDGAR,  except to the
         extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

                  The Company has not distributed, and prior to the Closing Time
         will not  distribute,  any  offering  material in  connection  with the
         offering and sale of the Securities  other than materials  permitted by
         the Act.

     (ii) Incorporated Documents.

     The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectuses,  at the time they were or hereafter
are filed with the Commission, complied and will comply in all material respects
with the  requirements  of the 1934 Act and the  rules  and  regulations  of the
Commission thereunder (the "1934 Act Regulations"), and, when read together with
the  other  information  in the  Prospectuses,  at  the  time  the  Registration
Statement became effective,  at the time the Prospectuses were issued and at the
Closing  Time,  did not and will not contain an untrue  statement  of a material
fact or omit to state a material fact  necessary in order to make the statements
therein,  in light of the  circumstances  under which such statements were made,
not misleading.

     (iii) Independent  Accountants.

     The  accountants  who examined and certified the financial  statements  and
supporting  schedules  included in the  Registration  Statement are  independent
public accountants as required by the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations.


                                                  5

<PAGE>



     (iv) Financial  Statements.

     The  consolidated  statements  of  financial  condition  (supplemental  and
otherwise),  consolidated  statements of income  (supplemental  and  otherwise),
consolidated  statements of changes in stockholders'  equity  (supplemental  and
otherwise)  and  consolidated   statements  of  cash  flows   (supplemental  and
otherwise)  included  or  incorporated  in the  Registration  Statement  and the
Prospectuses,  together  with the related  schedules  and notes (the  "Financial
Statements"),  present  fairly in all  material  respects the  consolidated  (or
supplemental  consolidated,   as  applicable)  financial  position,  results  of
operations,  changes in  stockholders'  equity and cash flows of the Company and
its  consolidated  subsidiaries  at the dates  indicated  and,  for the  periods
specified,  as the case may be, subject in the case of unaudited  balance sheets
and statements to normal year-end audit adjustments;  said Financial  Statements
have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted  accounting  principles
("GAAP") applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods  involved,  except
as may be noted  therein,  subject in the case of unaudited  balance  sheets and
statements to normal  year-end  audit  adjustments  and the limited scope of the
notes thereto,  and comply in all material respects with the requirements of the
1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations.

     (v) No Material  Adverse Change in Business.

     Since  the  respective  dates  as of  which  information  is  given  in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectuses, except as otherwise stated therein,
(A) there has been no  material  adverse  change,  or  development  involving  a
prospective  material adverse change,  in the financial  condition,  properties,
assets,  results of operation,  stockholders' equity or prospects of the Company
and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the
ordinary course of business (a "Material Adverse  Effect"),  (B) there have been
no transactions  entered into by the Company or any of its  subsidiaries,  other
than those in the ordinary  course of business,  which are material with respect
to the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise,  and (C) there
has been no dividend or distribution  of any kind declared,  paid or made by the
Company on any class of its capital stock.

     (vi) Good Standing of the Company.

     The  Company  has  been  duly  organized  and  is  validly  existing  as  a
corporation  under the laws of the State of Washington  and has corporate  power
and  authority  to own,  lease and  operate  its  properties  and to conduct its
business in all material  respects as described in the Prospectuses and to enter
into and perform its obligations under, and execute and deliver,  this Agreement
and the International Purchase Agreement; and the Company is duly qualified as a
foreign  corporation to transact  business and is in good standing in each other
jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the

                                                  6

<PAGE>



ownership  or leasing of property or the conduct of  business,  except where the
failure so to qualify or to be in good  standing  would not result in a Material
Adverse Effect.

     (vii) Good Standing of  Subsidiaries.

     Washington  Mutual  Bank fsb  ("WMBfsb")  has been  duly  organized  and is
validly  existing  as  a  federally  chartered  stock  savings  bank  and  is  a
stockholder  and  customer in good  standing  of the  Federal  Home Loan Bank of
Seattle ("FHLBS"); WMBfsb's deposit accounts are insured up to applicable limits
by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ("FDIC"); and no proceeding for the
termination  or revocation of such  insurance is pending or, to the knowledge of
the Company or WMBfsb, threatened.  Washington Mutual Bank ("WMB") has been duly
organized  and is validly  existing and in good  standing  under the laws of the
State of Washington  and is a  stockholder  and customer in good standing of the
FHLBS;  WMB's deposit accounts are insured up to applicable  limits by the FDIC;
and no proceeding for the termination or revocation of such insurance is pending
or, to the knowledge of the Company or WMB,  threatened.  American Savings Bank,
F.A.  ("ASB")  has been duly  organized  and is validly  existing as a federally
chartered  stock savings  association  and is a stockholder and customer in good
standing of the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco;  ASB's deposit accounts
are  insured up to  applicable  limits by the FDIC;  and no  proceeding  for the
termination  or revocation of such  insurance is pending or, to the knowledge of
the  Company  or  ASB,  threatened.  WMBfsb,  WMB  and  ASB  (collectively,  the
"Subsidiaries") are the only "significant subsidiaries" (as such term is defined
in Rule 1-02 of Regulation  S-X) of the Company (and all of the  subsidiaries of
the Company other than the  Subsidiaries,  if considered in the aggregate as one
subsidiary,  would not  constitute  a  significant  subsidiary)  and each of the
Company's  subsidiaries  has the corporate power and authority to own, lease and
operate its properties  and to conduct its business in all material  respects as
described in the Prospectuses and is duly qualified to transact  business and is
in good standing in each  jurisdiction in which such  qualification is required,
whether by reason of the  ownership  or leasing of  property  or the  conduct of
business, except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would
not result in a Material  Adverse Effect;  except as otherwise  disclosed in the
Registration Statement,  all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of each
of WMBfsb,  WMB and ASB has been duly  authorized and validly  issued,  is fully
paid  and  nonassessable  and is  owned  by the  Company,  directly  or  through
subsidiaries,  free and clear of any security interest,  mortgage, pledge, lien,
encumbrance, claim or equity; none of the outstanding shares of capital stock of
any of  WMBfsb,  WMB or ASB was issued in  violation  of  preemptive  or similar
rights of any securityholder of such subsidiary.


                                                  7

<PAGE>



     (viii) Capitalization.

     The  Company  has  an  authorized   capitalization  as  set  forth  in  the
Prospectuses.  All of the outstanding capital stock of the Company has been duly
authorized  and  validly  issued  and  is  fully  paid  and  nonassessable;  the
authorized capital stock of the Company conforms in all material respects to all
statements  relating thereto in the Prospectuses.  The Securities have been duly
authorized,  validly  issued and are fully paid and  nonassessable;  none of the
outstanding  shares of Common Stock was issued in violation of the preemptive or
other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company.

     (ix) Authorization of Agreement.

     This  Agreement and the  International  Purchase  Agreement  have been duly
authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

     (x) Authorization  and Description of Securities.

     The Common  Stock  conforms to the  description  thereof  under the heading
"Description  of  Capital  Stock"   contained  in  the   Prospectuses  and  such
description,  insofar as it purports to be a summary of the instruments defining
the rights of holders of the Common  Stock,  is accurate,  complete and fair; no
holder of the  Securities  is subject to personal  liability  by reason of being
such a holder.

     (xi) Absence  of  Defaults  and  Conflicts.

     Neither the  Company nor any of its  subsidiaries  is in  violation  of its
charter  or  by-laws  or in default  in the  performance  or  observance  of any
obligation,   agreement,  covenant  or  condition  contained  in  any  contract,
indenture,  mortgage,  deed of trust, loan or credit  agreement,  note, lease or
other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is
a party  or by  which it or any of them  may be  bound,  or to which  any of the
property or assets of the Company or any  subsidiary  is subject  (collectively,
"Agreements and Instruments")  except for such defaults that would not result in
a Material Adverse Effect;  and the execution,  delivery and performance of this
Agreement and the International  Purchase  Agreement and the consummation of the
transactions  contemplated  herein,  therein and in the  Registration  Statement
(including  the sale of the  Securities)  and compliance by the Company with its
obligations  hereunder and under the International  Purchase Agreement have been
duly  authorized  by all  necessary  corporate  action  and do not and will not,
whether  with or  without  the  giving  of notice  or  passage  of time or both,
conflict  with or constitute a breach of,  default under or Repayment  Event (as
defined  below)  under,  or result in the  creation or  imposition  of any lien,
charge  or  encumbrance  upon any  property  or  assets  of the  Company  or any
subsidiary  pursuant  to,  the  Agreements  and  Instruments  (except  for  such
conflicts, breaches or defaults or liens, charges or encumbrances that would not
result  in a  Material  Adverse  Effect),  nor will  such  action  result in any
violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws of the

                                                  8

<PAGE>



Company or any  Subsidiary or any applicable  law,  statute,  rule,  regulation,
judgment, order, writ or decree of any government,  governmental instrumentality
or court,  domestic  or  foreign,  having  jurisdiction  over the Company or any
subsidiary or any of their assets,  properties or operations.  As used herein, a
"Repayment  Event"  means any event or  condition  which gives the holder of any
note,  debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such
holder's behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of
all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any subsidiary.

     (xii) Absence of Labor Dispute.

     No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any subsidiary exists
or, to the knowledge of the Company,  is imminent,  and the Company is not aware
of any existing or imminent labor  disturbance by the employees of any of its or
any subsidiary's principal suppliers,  manufacturers,  customers or contractors,
which,  in either  case,  may  reasonably  be  expected  to result in a Material
Adverse Effect.

     (xiii) Absence  of  Proceedings.

     There is no action,  suit,  proceeding,  inquiry or investigation before or
brought by any court or governmental  agency or body,  domestic or foreign,  now
pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company,  threatened,  against or affecting
the Company or any subsidiary,  which,  individually or in the aggregate for all
such actions, suits, proceedings, inquiries or investigations, is required to be
disclosed in the Registration  Statement (other than as disclosed  therein),  or
which might reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect (other
than as disclosed in the Registration  Statement),  or which might reasonably be
expected to  materially  and  adversely  affect the  properties or assets of the
Company  or  any  Subsidiary  (other  than  as  disclosed  in  the  Registration
Statement)  or  the  consummation  of  the  transactions  contemplated  in  this
Agreement and the  International  Purchase  Agreement or the  performance by the
Company of its obligations hereunder or thereunder; the aggregate of all pending
legal or  governmental  proceedings  to which the Company or any subsidiary is a
party or of which any of their  respective  property  or  assets is the  subject
which  are not  described  in the  Registration  Statement,  including  ordinary
routine  litigation  incidental  to their  business,  could  not  reasonably  be
expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

     (xiv) Exhibits.

     There are no contracts  or documents  which are required to be described in
the Registration  Statement,  the Prospectuses or the documents  incorporated by
reference  therein,  or to be filed as exhibits thereto,  which have not been so
described or filed as required.


                                                  9

<PAGE>



     (xv) Absence of Further  Requirements.

     No filing  with,  or  authorization,  approval,  consent,  license,  order,
registration, qualification or decree of, any court or governmental authority or
agency is  necessary  or  required  for the  performance  by the  Company of its
obligations hereunder, in connection with the offering,  issuance or sale of the
Securities  hereunder or the  consummation of the  transactions  contemplated by
this Agreement and the  International  Purchase  Agreement,  except such as have
been already  obtained or as may be required  under the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act
Regulations or state securities laws.

     (xvi) Possession  of Licenses and Permits.

     The Company and its Subsidiaries possess such permits, licenses, approvals,
consents and other authorizations (collectively, "Governmental Licenses") issued
by the  appropriate  federal,  state,  local or foreign  regulatory  agencies or
bodies necessary to conduct the business now operated by them,  except where the
failure so to comply  would  not,  singly or in the  aggregate,  have a Material
Adverse  Effect;  the Company and its  subsidiaries  are in compliance  with the
terms and conditions of all Governmental  Licenses,  except where the failure so
to comply would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect;
all of the Governmental  Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, except
when  the  invalidity  of such  Governmental  Licenses  or the  failure  of such
Governmental  Licenses to be in full force and effect  would not have a Material
Adverse Effect; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received
any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such
Governmental  Licenses which,  singly or in the aggregate,  if the subject of an
unfavorable  decision,  ruling or finding,  would  result in a Material  Adverse
Effect.

     (xvii) Title to Property.

     The Company and its Subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all real
property reflected in the most recent balance sheet included in the Prospectuses
as  owned by the  Company  and its  Subsidiaries  and  good  title to all  other
properties   reflected  in  the  most  recent  balance  sheet  included  in  the
Prospectuses  as owned by them, in each case,  free and clear of all  mortgages,
pledges, liens, security interests,  claims, restrictions or encumbrances of any
kind except such as (a) are described in the  Prospectuses or (b) do not, singly
or in the aggregate,  materially  interfere with the use made and proposed to be
made of such property by the Company or any of its subsidiaries or, with respect
to any such real  property,  render  title  unmarketable  as to a material  part
thereof;  and all of the leases and  subleases  material to the  business of the
Company and its subsidiaries,  considered as one enterprise, and under which the
Company  or  any  of  its  subsidiaries   holds  properties   described  in  the
Prospectuses,  are in full force and  effect,  and  neither  the Company nor any
subsidiary  has any  notice  of any  material  claim of any  sort  that has been
asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company or any subsidiary

                                                 10

<PAGE>



under  any  of  the  leases  or  subleases  mentioned  above,  or  affecting  or
questioning  the  rights of the  Company  or such  subsidiary  to the  continued
possession of the leased or subleased premises under any such lease or sublease.

     (xviii) Possession of Intellectual  Property.

     The  Company  and  its  Subsidiaries  own or  possess,  or can  acquire  on
reasonable  terms,  adequate  patents,  patent  rights,  licenses,   inventions,
copyrights,  know-how  (including  trade  secrets  and other  unpatented  and/or
unpatentable  proprietary or confidential  information,  systems or procedures),
trademarks,   service  marks,  trade  names  or  other   intellectual   property
(collectively,  "Intellectual  Property") necessary to carry on the business now
operated  by them,  and neither  the  Company  nor any of its  subsidiaries  has
received any notice or is otherwise  aware of any  infringement  or conflict (if
the subject of any  unfavorable  decision,  ruling or finding) or  invalidity or
inadequacy,  that singly or in the aggregate, would result in a Material Adverse
Effect.

     (xix) Environmental Laws.

     Except as described in the  Registration  Statement or except as would not,
singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect: (A) neither the
Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any federal, state, local
or foreign statute, law, rule,  regulation,  ordinance,  code, policy or rule of
common law or any judicial or administrative  interpretation thereof,  including
any judicial or administrative order, consent,  decree or judgment,  relating to
pollution or protection of human health,  the  environment  (including,  without
limitation,  ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface
strata)  or  wildlife,  including,  without  limitation,  laws  and  regulations
relating  to  the  release  or  threatened  release  of  chemicals,  pollutants,
contaminants,  wastes,  toxic  substances,  hazardous  substances,  petroleum or
petroleum products (collectively,  "Hazardous Materials") or to the manufacture,
processing,  distribution,  use,  treatment,  storage,  disposal,  transport  or
handling of Hazardous Materials  (collectively,  "Environmental  Laws"), (B) the
Company and its  subsidiaries  have all permits,  authorizations  and  approvals
required under any applicable Environmental Laws and are each in compliance with
their  requirements,  (C) there are no  pending  or  threatened  administrative,
regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands,  demand letters,  claims, liens,
notices of noncompliance or violation,  investigation or proceedings relating to
any  Environmental  Law against the Company or any of its  subsidiaries  and (D)
there are no events or  circumstances  that might reasonably be expected to form
the  basis of an  order  for  clean-up  or  redemption,  or an  action,  suit or
proceeding  by any  private  party or  governmental  body or agency,  against or
affecting the Company or any of its subsidiaries relating to Hazardous Materials
or any Environmental Laws.


                                                 11

<PAGE>



     (xx) Not an  Investment  Company.

     The Company is not an "investment  company" or a company "controlled by" an
"investment  company" within the meaning of the Investment  Company Act of 1940,
as amended.

     (xxi) Listing.

     The Company has effected  the  inclusion  of the  Securities  in the Nasdaq
National  Market and has filed with the Nasdaq National Market all documents and
notices required by the Nasdaq National Market of companies that have securities
that are  traded in the  over-the-counter  market and  quotations  for which are
reported by the Nasdaq National Market.

     (xxii) Tax Matters.

     The  Company  and  each of its  subsidiaries  have  filed  all tax  returns
required to be filed,  which  returns are complete and correct,  and neither the
Company nor any  subsidiary is in default in the payment of any taxes which were
payable pursuant to said returns or any assessments with respect thereto,  other
than those  taxes  that are being  contested  in good  faith and by  appropriate
proceedings and for which adequate  reserves have been established in accordance
with GAAP.  The  charges,  accruals and reserves on the books of the Company and
its subsidiaries in respect of any income and corporate  franchise tax liability
for any years not finally  determined  are adequate to meet the  assessments  or
re-assessments  for additional  income or corporate  franchise tax for any years
not finally  determined,  except to the extent any  inadequacy  would not have a
Material Adverse Effect.

(b) Representations  and Warranties by the Selling  Stockholders other than
    the FDIC Selling Stockholder.

     Each Selling Stockholder, other than the FDIC in its capacity as manager of
the FSLIC Resolution Fund (the "FDIC Selling Stockholder"), severally represents
and warrants to each U.S.  Underwriter and the Company as of the date hereof and
as of the Closing Time as follows:

     (i) Good and Marketable Title.

     Such Selling  Stockholder has good and valid title to the Securities  being
sold  pursuant  to this  Agreement,  free and clear of all liens,  encumbrances,
security  interests  and claims  whatsoever;  and upon sale and delivery of, and
payment for, such  Securities,  as provided  herein,  at the Closing Time,  such
Selling Stockholder will convey to the U.S. Underwriters good and valid title to
such Securities,  free and clear of all liens, encumbrances,  security interests
and claims whatsoever.

     (ii) Authorization of Agreements.

     Each of this Agreement,  the International Purchase Agreement and the Power
of Attorney  and Custody  Agreement  has been duly  authorized  by such  Selling
Stockholder.

                                                 12

<PAGE>



     (iii) Absence of Violations.

     None of the execution  and delivery of this  Agreement,  the  International
Purchase  Agreement  and the Power of Attorney  and Custody  Agreement  by or on
behalf of such Selling  Stockholder,  the sale of the Securities by such Selling
Stockholder,  the  consummation  of any of the other  transactions  contemplated
herein or in the International  Purchase  Agreement,  and the fulfillment of the
terms hereof or thereof,  has  violated or will violate any  provision of law to
which such Selling Stockholder is subject.

     (iv) Accuracy of Information Regarding Selling Stockholders.

     Such Selling  Stockholder has reviewed the  Registration  Statement and the
Prospectuses,  and such parts of the Registration Statement and the Prospectuses
comprising  information  under the  caption  "The  Selling  Stockholders"  which
specifically  relate  to such  Selling  Stockholder  will  not,  at the date the
Registration  Statement  becomes  effective,  contain any untrue  statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated  therein or
necessary to make the  statements  therein not misleading and at the date of the
Prospectuses  and at the Closing Time will not contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state any material  fact required to be stated  therein
or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under
which they are made, not misleading.

     (v) Absence of Proceedings.

     No actions,  suits or  proceedings  before or by any court or  governmental
agency,  body or authority,  or  arbitrator  are pending or, to the best of such
Selling Stockholder's knowledge, threatened or contemplated,  seeking to prevent
the  sale  of the  Securities  or the  consummation  of  this  Agreement  or the
International Purchase Agreement.

     (vi) Absence of  Manipulation.

     Such  Selling  Stockholder  has not taken and will not  take,  directly  or
indirectly,  any action  designed  to or which has  constituted  or which  might
reasonably  be expected to cause or result under the 1934 Act or  otherwise,  in
stabilization  or  manipulation  of the price of any  security of the Company to
facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

     (vii) Due  Execution  of  Power  of  Attorney  and  Custody  Agreement.

     Such  Selling  Stockholder  has duly  executed and  delivered,  in the form
heretofore  furnished  to the U.S.  Representatives,  the Power of Attorney  and
Custody  Agreement with John K. Hughes of Dewey  Ballantine as  attorney-in-fact
(the "Attorney-in-Fact"); the Attorney-in-Fact is authorized to deliver or cause
to be delivered the Securities to be sold by such Selling Stockholder  hereunder
and under the International  Purchase  Agreement and to accept or direct payment
therefor,  to execute and deliver this Agreement and the International  Purchase
Agreement and the certificate referred to

                                                 13

<PAGE>



in Section  5(f) on behalf of such  Selling  Stockholder),  to sell,  assign and
transfer to the U.S. Underwriters the U.S. Securities to be sold by such Selling
Stockholder  hereunder,  to determine the purchase  price to be paid by the U.S.
Underwriters to such Selling  Stockholder  (upon written  instructions from such
Selling Stockholder) as provided in Section 2(a) hereof, and otherwise to act on
behalf of such Selling  Stockholder  in connection  with this  Agreement and the
International  Purchase  Agreement.  The  representations and warranties of such
Selling  Stockholder in the Power of Attorney and Custody  Agreement are, and at
the Closing  Time will be, true and correct.  The parties  hereto agree that the
Attorney-in-Fact shall have no liability as a result of any inaccuracy or breach
of a representation or warranty by any Selling Stockholder.

     (viii) Certificates Suitable for Transfer.

     Certificates  for  all  of  the  Securities  to be  sold  by  such  Selling
Stockholder  pursuant  to this  Agreement,  in  suitable  form for  transfer  by
delivery or accompanied  by duly executed  instruments of transfer or assignment
in blank  with  signatures  guaranteed,  have been  placed in  custody  with the
Attorney- in-Fact.

     (ix) No Association with NASD.

     Except as disclosed by such Selling Stockholder or on its behalf in writing
to the U.S.  Representatives,  neither such Selling  Stockholder nor any of his,
her  or  its   affiliates   directly,   or   indirectly   through  one  or  more
intermediaries,  controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with,
or has any other  association  with (within the meaning of Article I, (q) of the
Bylaws of the NASD), any member firm of the NASD.

(c)  Representations and Warranties by the FDIC Selling Stockholder.

     The FDIC Selling  Stockholder  represents and warrants (on behalf of itself
and not as to any other Selling Stockholder or person) to each U.S.  Underwriter
and the Company as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Time as follows:

     (i) Good and Marketable Title.

     The FDIC  Selling  Stockholder  has good and valid title to the  Securities
being  sold  pursuant  to  this   Agreement,   free  and  clear  of  all  liens,
encumbrances,  security  interests  and  claims  whatsoever;  and upon  sale and
delivery  of, and payment  for,  such  Securities,  as provided  herein,  at the
Closing Time, the FDIC Selling Stockholder will convey to the U.S.  Underwriters
good  and  valid  title  to  such  Securities,  free  and  clear  of all  liens,
encumbrances, security interests and claims whatsoever.


                                                 14

<PAGE>



     (ii) Authorization  of  Agreements.

     Each of this Agreement and the  International  Purchase  Agreement has been
duly  authorized,   executed  and  delivered  on  behalf  of  the  FDIC  Selling
Stockholder.

     (iii) Absence of Violations.

     None of the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the  International
Purchase Agreement by the FDIC Selling  Stockholder,  the sale of the Securities
by  the  FDIC  Selling  Stockholder,  the  consummation  of  any  of  the  other
transactions contemplated herein or in the International Purchase Agreement, and
the fulfillment of the terms hereof or thereof, has violated or will violate any
provision  of  Federal  law as  administered  by the FDIC or to  which  the FDIC
Selling Stockholder is subject.

     (iv) Accuracy of Information Regarding the FDIC Selling Stockholder.

     The FDIC Selling  Stockholder has reviewed the  Registration  Statement and
the  Prospectuses,  and  such  parts  of  the  Registration  Statement  and  the
Prospectuses comprising information under the caption "The Selling Stockholders"
which specifically relate to the FDIC Selling Stockholder, will not, at the date
the Registration Statement becomes effective,  contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated  therein or
necessary to make the  statements  therein not misleading and at the date of the
Prospectuses  and at the Closing Time will not contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state any material  fact required to be stated  therein
or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under
which they are made, not misleading.

     (v) Authority to Execute  Agreements.

     The FDIC  Selling  Stockholder  has  statutory  authority  to execute  this
Agreement and the  International  Purchase  Agreement  pursuant to 12 U.S.C. ss.
1821a, to sell,  assign,  transfer and deliver the Securities  being sold by the
FDIC Selling Stockholder  hereunder and thereunder in the manner provided herein
and therein, to perform its obligations hereunder and thereunder and to take all
other actions taken by it in connection herewith and therewith.

     (vi) Absence of Proceedings.

     No actions,  suits or  proceedings  before or by any court or  governmental
agency, body or authority, or arbitrator are pending or, to the best of the FDIC
Selling Stockholder's knowledge, threatened or contemplated,  seeking to prevent
the  sale  of the  Securities  or the  consummation  of  this  Agreement  or the
International Purchase Agreement.

     (vii) Absence of Manipulation.

     The FDIC Selling  Stockholder has not taken and will not take,  directly or
indirectly,  any action  designed  to or which has  constituted  or which  might
reasonably be expected to cause or result under the 1934 Act or otherwise, in

                                                 15

<PAGE>



stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to
facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

     (viii) No Association with NASD.

     Except as disclosed by the FDIC Selling  Stockholder in writing to the U.S.
Representatives, neither the FDIC Selling Stockholder nor any of his, her or its
affiliates directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls,
or is  controlled  by,  or is  under  common  control  with,  or has  any  other
association  with  (within  the  meaning  of Article I, (q) of the Bylaws of the
NASD), any member firm of the NASD.

(d)  Officer's Certificates.

     Any  certificate  signed  by  any  officer  of  the  Company  or any of its
subsidiaries delivered to the Global Coordinator, the U.S. Representatives or to
counsel for the U.S.  Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty
by the Company to each U.S.  Underwriter  and to each Selling  Stockholder as to
the matters covered thereby,  without personal liability for the officer signing
such  certificate;  and any  certificate  signed by or on behalf of any  Selling
Stockholder  as  such  and  delivered  to  the  Global  Coordinator,   the  U.S.
Representatives or to counsel for the U.S. Underwriters pursuant to the terms of
this  Agreement  shall be deemed a  representation  and warranty by such Selling
Stockholder  to the  Company  and to the  U.S.  Underwriters  as to the  matters
covered  thereby  without   personal   liability   therefor  except  where  such
certificate  is executed  by or on behalf of such  Selling  Stockholder  in such
Selling  Stockholder's   individual  capacity,   provided,   however,  that  the
Attorney-in-Fact  shall have no liability as to the matters  covered by any such
certificate.

Section 2.  Sale and Delivery to the U.S. Underwriters; Closing.

(a)  Securities.

     On the basis of the  representations  and warranties  herein  contained and
subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, each Selling  Stockholder,
severally  and not jointly,  agrees to sell to each U.S.  Underwriter,  and each
U.S.  Underwriter,  severally  and not  jointly,  agrees to  purchase  from each
Selling  Stockholder,  at the price per  share  set  forth in  Schedule  C, that
proportion of the number of U.S. Securities set forth in Schedule B opposite the
name of such Selling Stockholder,  which the number of U.S. Securities set forth
in Schedule A opposite the name of such U.S.  Underwriter,  plus any  additional
number of  Securities  which  such U.S.  Underwriter  may  become  obligated  to
purchase  pursuant to the  provisions  of Section 10 hereof,  bears to the total
number of U.S.  Securities  subject, in each case, to such adjustments among the
U.S.  Underwriters as the U.S.  Representatives  in their sole discretion  shall
make to eliminate any sales or purchases of fractional securities.

                                                 16

<PAGE>




(b) Payment.

     Payment of the purchase  price for, and delivery of  certificates  for, the
Securities shall be made at the offices of Skadden,  Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
LLP, Los Angeles,  California  90071,  or at such other place as shall be agreed
upon by the Global  Coordinator,  the Company and the Selling  Stockholders,  at
10:00 a.m.  Eastern time on the third (fourth,  if the pricing occurs after 4:30
p.m. (Eastern time) on any given day) business day after the date hereof (unless
postponed in accordance  with the  provisions of Section 10), or such other time
not later than ten business  days after such date as shall be agreed upon by the
Global Coordinator, the Company and the Selling Stockholders (such time and date
of payment and delivery being herein called the "Closing Time").

     At the  Closing  Time,  payment  shall be made by the  Underwriters  to the
Selling  Stockholders  by wire transfer of immediately  available  funds to bank
accounts   designated   by  the   Attorney-in-Fact   pursuant  to  each  Selling
Stockholder's  Power of Attorney and Custody  Agreement  (or, in the case of the
FDIC  Selling  Stockholder,  a  bank  account  designated  by the  FDIC  Selling
Stockholder)  against  delivery to the U.S.  Representatives  for the respective
accounts of the U.S.  Underwriters of certificates for the U.S. Securities to be
purchased by them. It is understood  that each U.S.  Underwriter  has authorized
the U.S.  Representatives,  for its account, to accept delivery of, receipt for,
and make payment of the  purchase  price for,  the U.S.  Securities  that it has
agreed to purchase.  Merrill Lynch,  individually and not as  representatives of
the U.S.  Underwriters,  may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment of the
purchase price for the U.S.  Securities to be purchased by any U.S.  Underwriter
whose funds have not been  received by the Closing Time but such  payment  shall
not relieve such U.S. Underwriter from its obligations hereunder.

(c) Denominations;  Registration.

     Certificates  for the U.S.  Securities shall be in such  denominations  and
registered in such names as the U.S.  Representatives  may request in writing at
least one full business day before the Closing Time.  The  certificates  for the
U.S. Securities will be made available for examination and packaging by the U.S.
Representatives in The City of New York not later than 10:00 a.m. (Eastern time)
on the business day prior to the Closing Time.

Section 3.  Covenants of the Company.

     The  Company  covenants  with  each  U.S.   Underwriter  and  each  Selling
Stockholder as follows:

(a) Compliance with Securities  Regulations  and Commission  Requests.

     The Company,  subject to Section 3(b), will comply with the requirements of
Rule 430A or Rule 434, as applicable, and will notify the Global Coordinator and
each Selling

                                                 17

<PAGE>



Stockholder   promptly,   and  confirm  the  notice  in  writing,   (i)  of  the
effectiveness  of  the  Registration   Statement  and  when  any  post-effective
amendment  to  the  Registration  Statement  shall  become  effective,   or  any
supplement  to the  Prospectuses  or any  amended  Prospectuses  shall have been
filed,  (ii) of the receipt of any comments  from the  Commission,  (iii) of any
request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any
amendment or supplement to the Prospectuses or for additional  information,  and
(iv)  of the  issuance  by the  Commission  of any  stop  order  suspending  the
effectiveness  of the  Registration  Statement  or of any  order  preventing  or
suspending the use of any  preliminary  prospectus,  or of the suspension of the
qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction,  or of
the initiation or threatening of any proceedings  for any of such purposes.  The
Company will promptly effect the filings  necessary  pursuant to Rule 424(b) and
will take such steps as it deems  necessary  to ascertain  promptly  whether the
form of  prospectus  transmitted  for filing  under Rule 424(b) was received for
filing by the  Commission  and, in the event that it was not,  it will  promptly
file such prospectus.  The Company will make every reasonable  effort to prevent
the  issuance of any stop order and, if any stop order is issued,  to obtain the
lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment.

(b) Filing of  Amendments.

     The Company will give the Global  Coordinator and the Selling  Stockholders
notice of its  intention to file or prepare any  amendment  to the  Registration
Statement  (including  any  filing  under  Rule  462(b)),  any Term Sheet or any
amendment,  supplement  or  revision  to either the  prospectus  included in the
Registration  Statement at the time it became effective or to the  Prospectuses,
whether  pursuant to the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act or  otherwise,  will furnish the
Global  Coordinator  and  the  Selling  Stockholders  with  copies  of any  such
documents a reasonable  amount of time prior to such proposed  filing or use, as
the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to which the Selling
Stockholders,  the Global Coordinator or counsel for the U.S. Underwriters shall
object.

(c) Delivery of Registration  Statements.

     The Company has furnished or will deliver to the U.S.  Representatives  and
counsel for the U.S.  Underwriters,  and to the Selling Stockholders and counsel
for the Selling Stockholders,  without charge, signed copies of the Registration
Statement as originally filed and of each amendment thereto (including  exhibits
filed therewith or incorporated by reference therein and documents  incorporated
or deemed to be  incorporated  by reference  therein)  and signed  copies of all
consents  and  certificates  of  experts,  and  will  also  deliver  to the U.S.
Representatives,  without charge, a conformed copy of the Registration Statement
as originally filed and of each amendment thereto (without exhibits) for each of
the U.S. Underwriters. The copies of the Registration Statement and each

                                                 18

<PAGE>



amendment   thereto   furnished  to  the  U.S.   Underwriters  and  the  Selling
Stockholders will be identical to the electronically  transmitted copies thereof
filed with the Commission  pursuant to EDGAR,  except to the extent permitted by
Regulation S-T.

(d) Delivery of Prospectuses.

     The  Company  has  delivered  to each  U.S.  Underwriter  and each  Selling
Stockholder,  without charge,  as many copies of each preliminary  prospectus as
such U.S. Underwriter or such Selling Stockholder reasonably requested,  and the
Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes  permitted by the
1933 Act.  The Company will furnish to each U.S.  Underwriter,  without  charge,
during the period when the U.S. Prospectus is required to be delivered under the
1933 Act or the 1934 Act,  such  number of  copies  of the U.S.  Prospectus  (as
amended or supplemented) as such U.S.  Underwriter may reasonably  request.  The
U.S.  Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the U.S.
Underwriters and the Selling Stockholder will be identical to the electronically
transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission  pursuant to EDGAR,  except
to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

(e) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws.

     The Company will comply with the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act  Regulations and
the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations to the extent  necessary to permit the
completion  of the  distribution  of the  Securities  as  contemplated  in  this
Agreement,  the International Purchase Agreement and in the Prospectuses.  If at
any time  when a  prospectus  is  required  by the 1933 Act to be  delivered  in
connection  with sales of the  Securities,  any event shall  occur or  condition
shall  exist as a result of which it is  necessary,  in the  opinion of the U.S.
Underwriters  or the  Company,  based  upon  advice  of  counsel,  to amend  the
Registration Statement or amend or supplement any Prospectuses in order that the
Prospectuses will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements  therein, in the
light of the  circumstances  under which they were made when such  Prospectus is
delivered,  not misleading,  or if it shall be necessary, in the opinion of such
party,  based  upon  the  advice  of  counsel,  at any such  time to  amend  the
Registration  Statement or amend or supplement any Prospectus in order to comply
with the requirements of the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act  Regulations,  the Company
will  promptly  prepare and file with the  Commission,  subject to Section 3(b),
such  amendment or supplement  as may be necessary to correct such  statement or
omission or to make the Registration  Statement or the Prospectuses  comply with
such  requirements,  and the Company will furnish to the U.S.  Underwriters  and
each Selling  Stockholder  such number of copies of such amendment or supplement
as the U.S. Underwriters may reasonably request.


                                                 19

<PAGE>



(f) Blue Sky  Qualifications.

     The  Company  will  use its  best  efforts,  in  cooperation  with the U.S.
Underwriters,  to  qualify  the  Securities  for  offering  and sale  under  the
applicable  securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions as the Global
Coordinator  may designate and to maintain such  qualifications  in effect for a
period of not less than one year  from the  later of the  effective  date of the
Registration  Statement and any Rule 462(b)  Registration  Statement;  provided,
however,  that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to
service of process  or to  qualify  as a foreign  corporation  or as a dealer in
securities  in any  jurisdiction  in which it is not so  qualified or to subject
itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any  jurisdiction in which it
is not otherwise so subject.  In each  jurisdiction in which the Securities have
been so qualified,  the Company will file such  statements and reports as may be
required by the laws of such  jurisdiction  to continue  such  qualification  in
effect  for a period of not less than one year  from the  effective  date of the
Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement.

(g) Rule 158.

     The Company will timely file such  reports  pursuant to the 1934 Act as are
necessary in order to make generally available to its securityholders as soon as
practicable,  but not later  than 15  months  after  the  effective  date of the
Registration  Statement,  an  earnings  statement  for the  purposes  of, and to
provide the benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the
1933 Act.

(h) Restriction on Sale of  Securities.

     During a period of 60 days from the date of the  Prospectuses,  the Company
will not,  without  the prior  written  consent of the Global  Coordinator,  (i)
directly or indirectly,  offer,  pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option
or  contract to  purchase,  purchase  any option or contract to sell,  grant any
option,  right or warrant to  purchase or  otherwise  transfer or dispose of any
share of Common  Stock or any  securities  convertible  into or  exercisable  or
exchangeable for Common Stock or file any registration  statement under the 1933
Act with  respect  to any of the  foregoing  or (ii)  enter into any swap or any
other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly
or  indirectly,  the economic  consequence  of  ownership  of the Common  Stock,
whether any such swap or transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to
be settled by  delivery  of Common  Stock or such other  securities,  in cash or
otherwise.  The foregoing  sentence  shall not apply to (A) the Securities to be
sold hereunder or under the International Purchase Agreement,  (B) any shares of
Common  Stock issued by the Company upon the exercise of an option or warrant or
the  conversion of a security  outstanding on the date hereof and referred to in
the  Prospectuses,  (C) any shares of Common Stock issued or options to purchase
Common Stock granted pursuant to existing  employee benefit plans of the Company
referred to in the Prospectuses, (D)

                                                 20

<PAGE>



any shares of Common Stock issued  pursuant to any  non-employee  director stock
plan or dividend reinvestment plan or (E) pursuant to acquisitions.

(i) Reporting Requirements.

     The  Company,  during the period when the  Prospectuses  are required to be
delivered  under the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act, will file all documents  required
to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the 1934 Act within the time periods
required by the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations and the Company will cause
its  subsidiaries  to  file  all  documents   required  to  be  filed  with  any
supervisory,   regulatory,   administrative  or  governmental  agency,  body  or
authority,  whether  pursuant  to the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act  Regulations  or
otherwise (except reports to any bank or thrift regulatory  agencies prepared on
a confidential basis),  except when the failure to file such documents could not
reasonably be expected to result, directly or indirectly,  in a Material Adverse
Effect.

Section 4.  Payment of Expenses.

(a)  Expenses.

     The  Company  and the  Selling  Stockholders  covenant  and agree  with one
another and with the  several  Underwriters  that (a) the  Company  will pay the
following expenses incident to this Agreement: (i) the preparation, printing and
filing  of  the  Registration  Statement  (including  financial  statements  and
exhibits)  as  originally  filed  and  of  each  amendment  thereto,   (ii)  the
preparation,   printing  and  delivery  to  the  Underwriters  and  the  Selling
Stockholders of this Agreement,  any Agreement among Underwriters and such other
documents as may be required in connection  with the offering,  purchase,  sale,
issuance or delivery of the  Securities,  (iii) the  preparation,  issuance  and
delivery of the  certificates  for the  Securities to the  Underwriters  and the
transfer  of  the  Securities   from  the  Selling   Stockholders  to  the  U.S.
Underwriters and between the U.S.  Underwriters and the International  Managers,
(iv) the fees and disbursements of the Company's counsel,  accountants and other
advisors,  (v) the  qualification  of the Securities  under  securities  laws in
accordance with the provisions of Section 3(f) hereof, including filing fees and
the  reasonable  fees and  disbursements  of  counsel  for the  Underwriters  in
connection  therewith and in  connection  with the  preparation  of the Blue Sky
Survey  and any  supplement  thereto,  (vi) the  printing  and  delivery  to the
Underwriters  and  the  Selling  Stockholders  of  copies  of  each  preliminary
prospectus,  any Term  Sheets  and of the  Prospectuses  and any  amendments  or
supplements  thereto,  (vii)  the  preparation,  printing  and  delivery  to the
Underwriters  and the Selling  Stockholders of copies of the Blue Sky Survey and
any  supplement  thereto,  (viii) the fees and expenses of any transfer agent or
registrar for the Securities,  (x) the fees and expenses  incurred in connection
with the inclusion of the  Securities in the Nasdaq  National  Market,  (xi) the
fees and disbursements of Dewey

                                                 21

<PAGE>



Ballantine,  special counsel for the Selling  Stockholders  and (xii) the filing
fees incident to, and the reasonable  fees and  disbursements  of counsel to the
Underwriters  in  connection  with,  the review by the National  Association  of
Securities Dealers, Inc. of the terms of the sale of the Securities.

(b) Expenses of the Selling Stockholders.

     The Underwriters shall not be responsible for, or liable for, any costs and
expenses  of  any of  the  Selling  Stockholders  incident  to  its  obligations
hereunder that are not otherwise  specifically provided for in this Section. The
U.S.  Representatives  agree to pay any state stock transfer tax and each of the
Selling  Stockholders,  severally and not jointly,  agrees to reimburse the U.S.
Representatives  for its pro rata share of associated carrying costs if such tax
payment is not  rebated on the day of  payment  and for any  portion of such tax
payment not rebated. It is understood, however, that, except as provided in this
Section and Sections 6, 7 and 9 hereof,  the Underwriters  will pay all of their
own costs and  expenses,  including  the fees of their  counsel,  stamp  duties,
capital duties and stock transfer taxes, if any, payable on resale of any of the
Securities by them, and any advertising  expenses connected with any offers they
may make.

(c) Termination  of  Agreement.

     If this Agreement is terminated by the U.S. Representa- tives in accordance
with the  provisions  of Section 5,  Section  9(a)(i) or Section 11 hereof,  the
Company  shall  reimburse  the U.S.  Underwriters  for all of  their  reasonable
out-of-pocket  expenses,  including the  reasonable  fees and  disbursements  of
counsel for the U.S. Underwriters.

(d) Effect on  Registration  Rights  Agreement.

     This Section 4 shall not alter the  agreements  between the Company and the
Selling   Stockholders  for  payment  of  expenses  contained  in  that  certain
Registration Rights Agreement (the "Registration Rights Agreement"), dated as of
July 21,  1996,  by and among the FDIC  Selling  Stockholder,  the  Company  and
Keystone Holdings Partners L.P.

Section 5.  Conditions of U.S.  Underwriters'  Obligations.

     The obligations of the several U.S.  Underwriters  hereunder are subject to
the accuracy,  as of the Closing Time, of the  representations and warranties of
the  Company and the Selling  Stockholders  contained  in Section 1 hereof or in
certificates  of any officer of the Company or any  subsidiary of the Company or
on behalf of any  Selling  Stockholders  delivered  pursuant  to the  provisions
hereof, to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations
hereunder to be performed at or prior to the Closing Time,  and to the following
further conditions:


                                                 22

<PAGE>



(a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement.

     The  Registration   Statement,   including  any  Rule  462(b)  Registration
Statement, has become effective and at the Closing Time no stop order suspending
the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued under the
1933 Act or proceedings therefor initiated or threatened by the Commission,  and
any request on the part of the Commission for additional  information shall have
been  complied  with to the  reasonable  satisfaction  of  counsel  to the  U.S.
Underwriters.  A prospectus containing the Rule 430A Information shall have been
filed with the  Commission in accordance  with Rule 424(b) (or a  post-effective
amendment  providing  such  information  shall  have  been  filed  and  declared
effective in accordance  with the  requirements of Rule 430A) or, if the Company
has  elected to rely upon Rule 434, a Term Sheet  shall have been filed with the
Commission in accordance with Rule 424(b).

(b) Opinion of Counsel for Company.

     At Closing  Time,  the U.S.  Representatives  and the Selling  Stockholders
shall have received the favorable opinion,  dated as of Closing Time, of Foster,
Pepper &  Shefelman,  special  counsel for the  Company,  in form and  substance
reasonably  satisfactory  to counsel for the U.S.  Underwriters,  together  with
signed  or  reproduced  copies  of  such  opinion  for  each of the  other  U.S.
Underwriters, to the effect set forth in Exhibit A hereto. Such counsel may also
state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters,  they have relied,
to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of officers of the Company and
its subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.

(c) Opinions of Counsel  for the Selling  Stockholders.

     At Closing Time, the U.S. Representatives shall have received the favorable
opinion,  dated as of Closing  Time,  of (i) Dewey  Ballantine,  counsel for the
Selling Stockholders,  and (ii) the General Counsel or Deputy General Counsel of
the FDIC, in each case in form and substance reasonably  satisfactory to counsel
for the U.S.  Underwriters,  together with signed or  reproduced  copies of such
letters  for each of the other  U.S.  Underwriters,  to the  effect set forth in
Exhibits  B-1 and B-2 hereto,  respectively.  Such  counsel may also state that,
insofar as such  opinions  involve  factual  matters,  they have relied,  to the
extent  they  deem  proper,   upon   certificates  of  the  applicable   Selling
Stockholders.

(d) Opinion  of  Counsel  for the  U.S.  Underwriters.

     At Closing Time, the U.S. Representatives shall have received the favorable
opinion,  dated as of Closing Time, of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP,
counsel for the U.S. Underwriters,  together with signed or reproduced copies of
such letter for each of the other U.S. Underwriters with respect to such matters
as they may reasonably request. In giving such opinion such counsel may rely, as
to all matters governed by the laws of  jurisdictions  other than the law of the
State of New York and the federal law of the

                                                 23

<PAGE>



United   States  upon  the  opinions  of  counsel   satisfactory   to  the  U.S.
Representatives.  Such  counsel  may also state  that,  insofar as such  opinion
involves factual matters, they have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon
certificates of officers of the Company and its subsidiaries and certificates of
public officials.

(e) Officers'  Certificate.

     At Closing Time,  there shall not have been, since the date hereof or since
the respective dates as of which information is given in the  Prospectuses,  any
material adverse change, or development involving a prospective material adverse
change,  in the financial  condition,  results of  operations  or  stockholders'
equity of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether
or not arising in the ordinary course of business, and the U.S.  Representatives
and the Selling  Stockholders  shall have received a  certificate  signed by the
President  or an  Executive  Vice  President  of the  Company  and by the  chief
financial or deputy chief financial officer of the Company,  dated as of Closing
Time,  to the effect that (i) there has been no such  material  adverse  change,
(ii) the  representations  and  warranties  in Section  1(a) hereof are true and
correct  with the same  force and effect as though  expressly  made at and as of
Closing Time,  (iii) the Company has complied with all  agreements and satisfied
all  conditions  on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to Closing
Time, and (iv) no stop order  suspending the  effectiveness  of the Registration
Statement  has been  issued  and no  proceedings  for  that  purpose  have  been
instituted or are pending or are contemplated by the Commission.

(f) Certificate of Selling  Stockholders.

     Each of the  Attorney-in-Fact and the FDIC shall have furnished to the U.S.
Representatives  and the  Company a  certificate,  dated the date of the Closing
Time, to the effect that the  representations and warranties of (i) with respect
to the certificate furnished by the  Attorney-in-Fact,  the Selling Stockholders
other than the FDIC Selling Stockholder and (ii) with respect to the certificate
furnished  by the FDIC,  the FDIC  Selling  Stockholder  and the  FDIC,  in this
Agreement are true and correct in all material respects on and as of the Closing
Time to the same  effect  as if made at the  Closing  Time  and each  applicable
Selling  Stockholder  has complied with all the agreements and satisfied all the
conditions on his or its part to be performed or satisfied  prior to the Closing
Time.

(g) Accountant's Comfort Letter.

     At the time of the execution of this  Agreement,  the U.S.  Representatives
shall have received from each of Deloitte & Touche LLP and KPMG Peat Marwick LLP
letters  dated  such  date,  in form  and  substance  satisfactory  to the  U.S.
Representatives,  together with signed or reproduced  copies of such letters for
each of the other U.S.  Underwriters,  containing  statements and information of
the type ordinarily included in accountants' "comfort letters" to

                                                 24

<PAGE>



underwriters  with respect to the  financial  statements  and certain  financial
information contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectuses.

(h) Bring-down Comfort Letter.

     At Closing Time, the U.S. Representatives shall have received from Deloitte
& Touche LLP and KPMG Peat Marwick LLP letters, dated as of Closing Time, to the
effect that it reaffirms the statements made in the letters  furnished  pursuant
to subsection  (g) of this Section,  except that the specified  date referred to
shall be a date not more than three business days prior to Closing Time.

(i) Approval of Listing.

     At the Closing Time, the Securities  shall have been approved for inclusion
in the Nasdaq National Market.

(j) Additional  Documents.

     At the  Closing  Time,  counsel for the U.S.  Underwriters  shall have been
furnished with such  documents and opinions as they may  reasonably  require for
the  purpose  of  enabling  them to  pass  upon  the  issuance  and  sale of the
Securities as herein  contemplated,  or in order to evidence the accuracy of any
of  the  representations  or  warranties,  or  the  fulfillment  of  any  of the
conditions,  herein contained;  and all proceedings taken by the Company and the
Selling  Stockholders in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities
as herein contemplated shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to
the U.S. Representatives and counsel for the U.S. Underwriters.

(k) Termination of Agreement.

     If any condition  specified in this Section  shall not have been  fulfilled
when and as required to be  fulfilled,  this  Agreement may be terminated by the
U.S.  Representatives  by notice to the Company and the Selling  Stockholders at
any time at or prior to  Closing  Time,  and such  termination  shall be without
liability of any party to any other party,  except as provided in Section 4, and
except that Sections 1, 6, 7 and 8 shall survive any such termination and remain
in full force and effect.

Section 6.  Indemnification.

(a) Indemnification  by the  Company.

     The  Company  agrees  to  indemnify  and hold  harmless  (i)  each  Selling
Stockholder,  each person, if any, who controls such Selling  Stockholder within
the  meaning of  Section  15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act,  and
each of their respective officers,  directors,  and employees in accordance with
the terms of the Registration  Rights  Agreement and (ii) each U.S.  Underwriter
and each person, if any, who controls any U.S. Underwriter within the meaning of
Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, and each of

                                                 25

<PAGE>



their respective officers, directors and employees to the extent and in the
manner as set forth below:

     (1)  against  any  and all  loss,  liability,  claim,  damage  and  expense
whatsoever,  as incurred,  arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material  fact  contained in the  Registration  Statement (or any
amendment  thereto),  including  the  Rule  430A  Information  and the  Rule 434
Information,  if applicable,  or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a
material fact required to be stated  therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading or arising out of any untrue  statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material  fact  contained in any  preliminary  prospectus  or the
Prospectuses  (or any  amendment  or  supplement  thereto),  or the  omission or
alleged  omission  therefrom of a material  fact  necessary in order to make the
statements  therein,  in the light of the  circumstances  under  which they were
made, not misleading;

     (2)  against  any  and all  loss,  liability,  claim,  damage  and  expense
whatsoever,  as  incurred,  to  the  extent  of the  aggregate  amount  paid  in
settlement  of  any  litigation,  or  any  investigation  or  proceeding  by any
governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever
based upon any such untrue  statement  or omission,  or any such alleged  untrue
statement or omission;  provided  that  (subject to Section 6(e) below) any such
settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company; and

     (3) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the fees
and  disbursements of counsel chosen by Merrill Lynch),  reasonably  incurred in
investigating,   preparing  or  defending   against  any   litigation,   or  any
investigation  or proceeding by any  governmental  agency or body,  commenced or
threatened,  or any claim  whatsoever  based upon any such untrue  statement  or
omission,  or any such alleged untrue statement or omission,  to the extent that
any such expense is not paid under (1) or (2) above;

provided,  however,  that  the  indemnity  agreement  provided  in this  Section
6(a)(ii) shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the
extent  arising  out of any untrue  statement  or  omission  or  alleged  untrue
statement  or omission  made in reliance  upon and in  conformity  with  written
information  furnished to the Company (A) by any Selling Stockholder,  or (B) by
any U.S. Underwriter through the U.S. Representatives,  expressly for use in the
Registration  Statement  (or any  amendment  thereto),  including  the Rule 430A
Information  and the Rule 434  Information,  if applicable,  or any  preliminary
prospectus or the U.S. Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto);  and
provided further that the foregoing

                                                 26

<PAGE>



indemnity  with  respect to any  preliminary  prospectus  shall not inure to the
benefit of any U.S.  Underwriter  (or to the  benefit of any person  controlling
such U.S.  Underwriter) from whom the person asserting any such loss, liability,
claim or damage  purchased U.S.  Securities if such untrue statement or omission
or alleged untrue statement or omission made in such  preliminary  prospectus is
eliminated or remedied in the U.S. Prospectus (as amended or supplemented by the
Company if the  Company  shall have  furnished  any  amendments  or  supplements
thereto)  and a copy of the U.S.  Prospectus  (as so amended  or  supplemented),
which at such time had been  provided  to the U.S.  Underwriters  for their use,
shall  not have  been  furnished  to such  person  at or  prior  to the  written
confirmation of sale of such Securities to such person.

(b) Indemnification by the Selling Stockholders.

     Each Selling  Stockholder  severally  agrees to indemnify and hold harmless
(i) the Company, its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration
Statement,  and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning
of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, in accordance  with
the  terms  of the  Registration  Rights  Agreement;  (ii)  each  other  Selling
Stockholder  and each  person,  if any, who  controls  such Selling  Stockholder
within the  meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act and Section 20 of the 1934 Act
and each of the  respective  officers,  directors  and  employees of each of the
foregoing in accordance with the terms of the Registration  Rights Agreement and
(iii) each U.S.  Underwriter  and each  person,  if any,  who  controls any U.S.
Underwriter  within  the  meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of
the 1934 Act against any and all loss,  liability,  claim, damage and expense to
which any U.S.  Underwriter,  or such aforementioned  persons may become subject
under the 1933 Act,  or  otherwise,  insofar  as such  loss,  liability,  claim,
damage,  and expense  arise out of, or is based upon,  any untrue  statement  or
alleged untrue statement of any material fact made in the Registration Statement
(or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information and the Rule 434
Information, if applicable, or any preliminary prospectus or the U.S. Prospectus
(or any amendment or supplement  thereto) or arises out of, or is based upon the
omission  or alleged  omission  to state a material  fact  required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the  statements  therein not  misleading,  and will
reimburse such U.S. Underwriter or such aforementioned  persons for any legal or
other expenses  reasonably  incurred by them in connection with investigating or
defending any such loss,  liability,  claim, damage or expense, in each instance
to the extent,  but only to the extent,  that any such loss,  liability,  claim,
damage,  and expense  arises out of, or is based upon,  an untrue  statement  or
alleged untrue  statement of a material fact or an omission or alleged  omission
to state a material fact in said Registration State-

                                                 27

<PAGE>



ment (or any amendment thereto) including the Rule 430A Information and Rule 434
Information if applicable,  or any preliminary prospectus or U.S. Prospectus (or
any amendment or supplement  thereto) in reliance upon, and in conformity  with,
written  information  furnished  to the Company by or on behalf of such  Selling
Stockholder  specifically  for use  therein;  provided,  however,  that  (x) the
liability  of any Selling  Stockholder  under this  Section  6(b)(iii)  shall be
limited to an amount  equal to the  proceeds of the sale of U.S.  Securities  by
such Selling Stockholder (net of all costs and expenses (including  underwriting
commissions and disbursements)  paid or incurred by such Selling  Stockholder in
connection with the  registration  and sale of the U.S.  Securities) and (y) the
foregoing  indemnity  provided  under  Section  6(b)(iii)  with  respect  to any
preliminary  prospectus  shall not inure to the benefit of any U.S.  Underwriter
(or to the benefit of any person  controlling such U.S.  Underwriter)  from whom
the person  asserting any such loss,  liability,  claim or damage purchased U.S.
Securities if such untrue  statement or omission or alleged untrue  statement or
omission  made in such  preliminary  prospectus is eliminated or remedied in the
U.S.  Prospectus (as amended or supplemented by the Company if the Company shall
have  furnished any  amendments or  supplements  thereto) and a copy of the U.S.
Prospectus (as so amended or supplemented), which at such time had been provided
to the U.S.  Underwriters  for their use,  shall not have been furnished to such
person at or prior to the written  confirmation  of sale of such  Securities  to
such person.
 .

(c) Indemnification by the U.S. Underwriters.

     Each U.S.  Underwriter  severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the
Company,  its  directors,  each of its  officers  who  signed  the  Registration
Statement,  and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning
of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or  Section 20 of the 1934 Act,  and each  Selling
Stockholder  and each  person,  if any, who  controls  such Selling  Stockholder
within the  meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act,
against any and all loss, liability,  claim, damage and expense described in the
indemnity  contained in subsection  (a) of this Section,  as incurred,  but only
with respect to untrue statements or omissions,  or alleged untrue statements or
omissions,  made  in the  Registration  Statement  (or any  amendment  thereto),
including the Rule 430A Information and the Rule 434 Information, if applicable,
or any  preliminary  prospectus  or the U.S.  Prospectus  (or any  amendment  or
supplement  thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with written information
furnished   to  the   Company  by  such  U.S.   Underwriter   through  the  U.S.
Representatives  expressly  for  use  in  the  Registration  Statement  (or  any
amendment thereto) or such preliminary prospectus or the U.S. Prospectus (or any
amendment or supplement thereto);  provided, however, that the liability of each
U.S. Underwriter under this

                                                 28

<PAGE>



Section 6(c) shall be limited to an amount equal to the underwriting commissions
applicable to the U.S. Securities purchased by such U.S. Underwriter hereunder.

(d) Actions against Parties; Notification.

     Each  indemnified  party  shall  give  notice  as  promptly  as  reasonably
practicable to each  indemnifying  party of any action  commenced  against it in
respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder,  but failure to so notify an
indemnifying  party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability
hereunder to the extent it is not materially  prejudiced as a result thereof and
in any event shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise
than on account of this indemnity agreement.  In the case of parties indemnified
pursuant to Section  6(a)(ii) or  6(b)(iii)  above,  counsel to the  indemnified
parties shall be selected by the U.S.  Representatives  (and shall be reasonably
satisfactory to the Company and/or the Selling Stockholders, as applicable), and
in the case of parties  indemnified  pursuant to Section 6(c) above,  counsel to
the  indemnified  parties  shall  be  selected  by the  Company  or the  Selling
Stockholders,  as the case may be (and shall be reasonably  satisfactory  to the
U.S. Representatives).  An indemnifying party may participate at its own expense
in the  defense  of any such  action;  provided,  however,  that  counsel to the
indemnifying  party shall not (except with the consent of the indemnified party)
also be counsel to the  indemnified  party.  In no event shall the  indemnifying
parties be liable for fees and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to
any local counsel)  separate from their own counsel for all indemnified  parties
in connection  with any one action or separate but similar or related actions in
the  same  jurisdiction   arising  out  of  the  same  general   allegations  or
circumstances. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of
the  indemnified  parties,  settle or  compromise or consent to the entry of any
judgment with respect to any litigation,  or any  investigation or proceeding by
any  governmental  agency  or  body,  commenced  or  threatened,  or  any  claim
whatsoever in respect of which  indemnification  or contribution could be sought
under this Section 6 or Section 7 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties
are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement,  compromise or
consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all
liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and
(ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or
a failure  to act by or on  behalf of any  indemnified  party.  Anything  to the
contrary  notwithstanding,  this  Section  6(d) shall apply only with respect to
indemnification  to be  provided  pursuant  to,  and  "indemnifying  party"  and
"indemnified  party" shall mean only such parties who are  indemnifying  parties
and  indemnified  parties,   respectively,   under,  Section  6(a)(ii),  Section
6(b)(iii) and Section 6(c); the  Registration  Rights Agreement shall govern all
matters discussed therein with respect to the parties thereto.


                                                 29

<PAGE>



(e) Other  Agreements.

     The  provisions  of this  Section 6 shall not  affect  any other  agreement
between  the  Company  and  the  Selling  Stockholders,  or  among  the  Selling
Stockholders, with respect to indemnification;  provided, however, that the term
"Registration  Statement" as used in the Registration  Rights Agreement shall be
deemed to include the Rule 430A Information and the Rule 434 Information.

Section 7.  Contribution.

     If the  indemnification  provided for in Section 6 hereof is for any reason
unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party (other than
pursuant to the terms  thereof) in respect of any losses,  liabilities,  claims,
damages or  expenses  referred to therein,  then each  indemnifying  party shall
contribute to the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities,  claims, damages
and  expenses  incurred by such  indemnified  party,  as  incurred,  (i) in such
proportion as is  appropriate to reflect the relative  benefits  received by the
Company and the Selling  Stockholders on the one hand and the U.S.  Underwriters
on the other hand from the  offering  of the U.S.  Securities  pursuant  to this
Agreement or (ii) if the  allocation  provided by clause (i) is not permitted by
applicable  law, in such  proportion as is  appropriate  to reflect not only the
relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of
the  Company  and the  Selling  Stockholder  on the  one  hand  and of the  U.S.
Underwriters  on the other hand in connection  with the  statements or omissions
that resulted in such losses, liabilities,  claims, damages or expenses, as well
as any other relevant equitable considerations.

     The relative benefits received by the Company and the Selling  Stockholders
on the one hand and the U.S.  Underwriters  on the other hand in connection with
the offering of the U.S.  Securities  pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed
to be in the same  respective  proportions  as the total net  proceeds  from the
offering of the U.S.  Securities  pursuant to this Agreement  (before  deducting
expenses)  received  by the  Selling  Stockholders  (which for  purposes of this
Agreement  shall be  treated as a benefit of both the  Company  and the  Selling
Stockholders)  and  the  total  underwriting   discount  received  by  the  U.S.
Underwriters,  in each case as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus,  or, if
Rule 434 is used,  the  corresponding  location  on the Term  Sheet  bear to the
aggregate  initial public offering price of the U.S.  Securities as set forth on
such cover.

     The relative fault of the Company and the Selling  Stockholders  on the one
hand and the  U.S.  Underwriters  on the  other  hand  shall  be  determined  by
reference  to,  among other  things,  whether any such untrue or alleged  untrue
statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material
fact relates to information  supplied by the Company or the Selling Stockholders
or by the

                                                 30

<PAGE>



U.S. Underwriters and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to
information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

     The Company, the Selling Stockholders and the U.S.  Underwriters agree that
it would not be just and  equitable if  contribution  pursuant to this Section 7
were  determined  by pro rata  allocation  (even if the U.S.  Underwriters  were
treated as one entity for such  purpose)  or by any other  method of  allocation
which does not take into account the equitable  considerations referred to above
in this Section 7. The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities,  claims, damages
and  expenses  incurred by an  indemnified  party and  referred to above in this
Section 7 shall be  deemed to  include  any legal or other  expenses  reasonably
incurred by such  indemnified  party in  investigating,  preparing  or defending
against any litigation,  or any  investigation or proceeding by any governmental
agency or body, commenced or threatened,  or any claim whatsoever based upon any
such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.

     Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, no U.S. Underwriter shall
be required to contribute  any amount in excess of the amount by which the total
price at which the U.S.  Securities  underwritten  by it and  distributed to the
public were offered to the public  exceeds the amount of any damages  which such
U.S. Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of any such untrue
or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.

     No person  guilty of  fraudulent  misrepresentation  (within the meaning of
Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person
who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

     For purposes of this  Section 7, each  person,  if any, who controls a U.S.
Underwriter  within  the  meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of
the  1934  Act  shall  have  the  same  rights  to  contribution  as  such  U.S.
Underwriter,  and each director of the Company,  each officer of the Company who
signed the  Registration  Statement,  and each person,  if any, who controls the
Company  within  the  meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the
1934 Act shall have the same  rights to  contribution  as the  Company  and each
director of a Selling  Stockholder,  and each  person,  if any,  who  controls a
Selling  Stockholder within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section
20 of the 1934 Act  shall  have the same  rights  to  contribution  as a Selling
Stockholder.   The  U.S.  Underwriters'  respective  obligations  to  contribute
pursuant  to this  Section 7 are  several  in  proportion  to the number of U.S.
Securities set forth opposite  their  respective  names in Schedule A hereto and
not joint.

                                                 31

<PAGE>




     The  provisions of this Section  shall not affect any  agreement  among the
Company and the Selling Stockholders with respect to contribution.

Section 8.  Representations,   Warranties   and   Agreements
            to  Survive   Delivery.

     All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement,
or in  certificates  of  officers  of the  Company or the  Selling  Stockholders
submitted pursuant hereto,  shall remain operative and in full force and effect,
regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any U.S.  Underwriter or
controlling  person,  or  by  or  on  behalf  of  the  Company  or  the  Selling
Stockholders,  and shall  survive  delivery of the U.S.  Securities  to the U.S.
Underwriters.

Section 9.  Termination of Agreement.

(a) Termination;  General.

     The U.S.  Representatives  may terminate this  Agreement,  by notice to the
Company and the Selling  Stockholders,  at any time at or prior to Closing  Time
(i) if there has been,  since the time of execution  of this  Agreement or since
the respective  dates as of which  information is given in the U.S.  Prospectus,
any material  adverse change,  or development  involving a prospective  material
adverse  change,   in  the  financial   condition,   results  of  operations  or
stockholders'  equity of the  Company  and its  subsidiaries  considered  as one
enterprise,  whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business,  or (ii)
if there has occurred any material  adverse  change in the financial  markets in
the United States,  any outbreak of  hostilities or escalation  thereof or other
calamity or crisis or any change or development  involving a prospective  change
in national or international  political,  financial or economic  conditions,  in
each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the U.S.
Representatives,  impracticable to market the Securities or to enforce contracts
for the sale of the  Securities,  or (iii) if trading in any  securities  of the
Company has been suspended or limited by the  Commission or the Nasdaq  National
Market,  or if trading  generally on the American Stock Exchange or the New York
Stock Exchange or in the Nasdaq  National  Market has been suspended or limited,
or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed,  or maximum ranges for
prices  have been  required,  by any of said  exchanges  or by such system or by
order of the Commission, the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. or
any  other  governmental  authority,  or (iv) if a banking  moratorium  has been
declared by Federal, California, Washington, Oregon or New York authorities.

(b) Liabilities.

     If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section,  such termination
shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as

                                                 32

<PAGE>



provided in Section 4 hereof,  and  provided  further  that  Sections 1, 6 and 7
shall survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.

Section 10.  Default  by One or More of the U.S. Underwriters.

     If one or more of the  U.S.  Underwriters  shall  fail at  Closing  Time to
purchase the  Securities  which it or they are obligated to purchase  under this
Agreement (the "Defaulted Securities"),  the U.S. Representatives shall have the
right,  within 24 hours thereafter,  to make arrangements for one or more of the
non-defaulting U.S.  Underwriters,  or any other underwriters,  to purchase all,
but not less than all, of the  Defaulted  Securities  in such  amounts as may be
agreed  upon and  upon  the  terms  herein  set  forth;  if,  however,  the U.S.
Representatives  shall not have completed such arrangements  within such 24-hour
period,  then: (a) if the number of Defaulted  Securities does not exceed 10% of
the  number  of  U.S.  Securities  to be  purchased  on such  date,  each of the
non-defaulting U.S. Underwriters shall be obligated,  severally and not jointly,
to purchase the full amount  thereof in the  proportions  that their  respective
underwriting  obligations hereunder bear to the underwriting  obligations of all
non-defaulting U.S.  Underwriters,  or (b) if the number of Defaulted Securities
exceeds 10% of the number of U.S.  Securities to be purchased on such date, this
Agreement shall terminate  without  liability on the part of any  non-defaulting
U.S. Underwriter.

     No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve any defaulting  U.S.
Underwriter from liability in respect of its default.

     In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination  of
this  Agreement,  any of the U.S.  Representatives,  the  Company or the Selling
Stockholder  shall have the right to  postpone  Closing  Time,  for a period not
exceeding  seven  days,  in  order  to  effect  any  required   changes  in  the
Registration   Statement  or   Prospectuses   or  in  any  other   documents  or
arrangements.  As used herein, the term "U.S.  Underwriter"  includes any person
substituted for a U.S. Underwriter under this Section 10.

Section 11.  Default by the FDIC Selling  Stockholder.

     If the FDIC  Selling  Stockholder  shall fail at  Closing  Time to sell and
deliver the number of U.S.  Securities  which the FDIC  Selling  Stockholder  is
obligated to sell  hereunder,  and the  remaining  Selling  Stockholders  do not
exercise the right hereby granted to increase, pro rata or otherwise, the number
of U.S.  Securities to be sold by them  hereunder to the total number to be sold
by all Selling  Stockholders  as set forth in  Schedule B hereto,  then the U.S.
Underwriters may, at the option of the U.S. Representatives,  by notice from the
U.S. Representatives to the Company and the Selling Stockholders, terminate this
Agreement without any liability on the fault of any non-defaulting

                                                 33

<PAGE>



party except that the  provisions of Sections 1, 4, 6 and 7 shall remain in full
force and effect.

     No action taken  pursuant to this Section 11 shall  relieve the  defaulting
party from liability, if any, in respect of such default.

Section 12.  Notices.

     All  notices  and other  communications  hereunder  shall be in writing and
shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard
form of telecommunication. Notices to the U.S. Underwriters shall be directed to
the Representatives at Merrill Lynch & Co., 10900 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 900,
Los  Angeles,  California  90024,  attention  of Frank  McMahon,  with a copy to
Skadden,  Arps, Slate,  Meagher & Flom LLP, 300 South Grand Avenue, Los Angeles,
California  90071,  attention of Gregg A. Noel;  notices to the Company shall be
directed to it at 1201 Third Avenue, Seattle, Washington 98101, attention of the
Senior Vice  President  - Corporate  Counsel;  notices to the  non-FDIC  Selling
Stockholders  shall be directed to Dewey Ballantine,  1775 Pennsylvania  Avenue,
N.W.  Washington D.C.  20006-4605,  attention of John Hughes; and notices to the
FDIC  Selling  Stockholder  shall be directed to the Federal  Deposit  Insurance
Corporation,  557 17th Street, N.W.,  Washington,  D.C. 20429,  attention of the
General Counsel, with a copy to David Gearin, Senior Counsel.

Section 13.  Parties.

     This  Agreement  shall inure to the benefit of and be binding  upon each of
the U.S.  Underwriters,  the  Company  and the  Selling  Stockholders  and their
respective  successors and personal  assigns.  Nothing expressed or mentioned in
this  Agreement is intended or shall be  construed  to give any person,  firm or
corporation,  other than the U.S.  Underwriters,  the  Company  and the  Selling
Stockholders  and their  respective  successors  and  personal  assigns  and the
controlling  persons and officers and directors  referred to in Sections 6 and 7
and their heirs and legal representatives,  any legal or equitable right, remedy
or  claim  under  or in  respect  of  this  Agreement  or any  provision  herein
contained.  This Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended
to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the U.S.  Underwriters,  the Company
and  the  Selling  Stockholders  and  their  respective  successors,   and  said
controlling  persons  and  officers  and  directors  and  their  heirs and legal
representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No
purchaser  of  Securities  from any U.S.  Underwriter  shall be  deemed  to be a
successor by reason merely of such  purchase,  and neither the term  "successor"
nor the term  "successors and assigns" as used in this Agreement shall be deemed
to include such a purchaser.


                                                 34

<PAGE>



Section 14.  GOVERNING  LAW AND TIME.

     THIS  AGREEMENT  SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE  WITH THE
LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK  APPLICABLE TO CONTRACTS  MADE AND TO BE PERFORMED
WITHIN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.  EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SET FORTH  HEREIN,  SPECIFIED
TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.

Section 15.  Effect of Headings;  Interpretation.

     The Article and Section  headings  herein and the Table of Contents are for
convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

     The words  "herein,"  "hereinafter,"  and  "hereunder" and words of similar
import used in this  Agreement  shall refer to this Agreement as a whole and not
to any particular  provision of this Agreement.  The term "person" shall mean an
individual,  partnership,  corporation,  limited liability company,  joint stock
company, trust, unincorporated association,  joint venture, government authority
or other entity of whatever nature.  For purposes of this Agreement,  a business
day means any day on which the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading.

Section 16.  Counterparts.

     This  Agreement  may be  executed in  counterparts,  each of which shall be
deemed an original and all of which when taken together shall constitute one and
the same  agreement.  If signed in  counterparts,  this  Agreement  shall become
effective  when at least one  counterpart  hereof  shall have been  executed and
delivered on behalf of each party hereto. The parties agree that they each shall
accept  counterpart  signatures  from the  other  parties  hereto  by  facsimile
transmission.

                                                 35

<PAGE>



     If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement,
please sign and return to the  Company,  the FDIC  Selling  Stockholder  and the
Attorney-in-Fact a counterpart hereof, whereupon this Agreement,  along with all
counterparts,  will become a binding agreement among the U.S. Underwriters,  the
Company and the Selling Stockholders in accordance with its terms.

                                    Very truly yours,


                                    WASHINGTON MUTUAL, INC.


                                    By: /s/ Craig E. Tall
                                        Name: Craig E. Tall
                                        Title: Executive Vice President


                                    FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION,
                                        AS MANAGER OF THE FSLIC RESOLUTION
                                        FUND


                                    By: /s/ John F. Bovenzi
                                        Name: John F. Bovenzi
                                        Title: Director, Division of
                                               Resolutions and Receiverships


                                    JOHN K. HUGHES


                                    /s/ John K. Hughes

                                    As attorney-in-fact on behalf of the
                                    Non-FDIC Selling Stockholders named
                                    in Schedule B hereto




                                                 36

<PAGE>



CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED, as of the date first above written.

MERRILL LYNCH & CO.
MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED
FRIEDMAN, BILLINGS, RAMSEY & CO., INC.

By:  MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED

By: /s/ Alex Sun
    Authorized Signatory

For themselves and as U.S. Representatives of the other U.S. Underwriters named
in Schedule A hereto.

                                                 37

<PAGE>



                                    EXHIBIT A

                    OPINION OF THE COMPANY'S SPECIAL COUNSEL
                    TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(b)

               The  opinions of special  counsel for the Company  referred to in
Section 5(b) collectively shall be substantially to the following effect:

(i)           The  Company  has  been  duly  incorporated  and  is an  existing
               corporation  under  the  laws of the  State  of  Washington.  The
               Company  has the  requisite  corporate  power  and  authority  to
               conduct its business in all material respects as described in the
               Prospectuses.

(ii)           WMBfsb is validly  existing as a federal  savings  bank under the
               Federal  laws of the  United  States.  WMBfsb  has the  requisite
               corporate  power and  authority  to conduct  its  business in all
               material respects as described in the Prospectuses.

(iii)          WMB has been duly incorporated and is an existing  corporation in
               good standing under the laws of the State of Washington.  WMB has
               the  requisite  corporate  power and  authority  to  conduct  its
               business  in  all   material   respects  as   described   in  the
               Prospectuses.

(iv)           ASB is  validly  existing  as a federal  savings  bank  under the
               Federal  laws  of  the  United  States.  ASB  has  the  requisite
               corporate  power and  authority  to conduct  its  business in all
               material respects as described in the Prospectuses.

(v)             All of the issued and outstanding  capital stock of WMBfsb, WMB
               and ASB is directly or indirectly owned by the Company,  free and
               clear of any lien,  encumbrance or security interest,  other than
               as described in the Prospectuses.

(vi)           The shares of Common  Stock of the Company  currently  issued and
               outstanding  have been duly authorized and validly issued and are
               fully  paid and  nonassessable.  The  Securities  have  been duly
               authorized   and   validly   issued   and  are  fully   paid  and
               nonassessable. All of such shares are eligible for trading in the
               over-the-counter market reported by the Nasdaq National Market.


                                                 38

<PAGE>



(vii)         The  statements  set forth  under  the  heading  "Description  of
               Capital Stock" in the  Prospectuses,  insofar as such  statements
               purport  to  summarize   certain   provisions  of  the  Company's
               certificate of  incorporation  and by-laws defining the rights of
               holders  of the  Securities,  provide  a  fair  summary  of  such
               provisions  in  all  material  respects.   The  current  form  of
               certificate  for the common stock, no par value per share, of the
               Company  complies  as  to  form  with  the  requirements  of  the
               Washington Business Corporation Act.

(viii)        All regulatory  consents,  authorizations,  approvals and filings
               required to be obtained or made by the Company  under the Federal
               laws of the United States and the laws of the State of Washington
               for the  issuance,  sale and  delivery of the  Securities  by the
               Company to the Selling Stockholders have been obtained or made.

(ix)           The  issuance  of the  Securities  by the  Company to the Selling
               Stockholders  did not (a) violate the  Company's  certificate  of
               incorporation or by-laws, (b) result in a default under or breach
               of any Agreements and  Instruments or (c) violate any Federal law
               of the United States or law of the State of Washington applicable
               to the Company.

(x)            Each  of  the  U.S.  Purchase  Agreement  and  the  International
               Purchase  Agreement  has  been  duly  authorized,   executed  and
               delivered by the Company.

(xi)          The Registration  Statement has been declared effective under the
               1933 Act; any  required  filing of the  Prospectuses  pursuant to
               Rule  424(b)  has been made in the  manner  and  within  the time
               period  required  by  Rule  424(b);  and,  to  the  best  of  our
               knowledge,  no stop order  suspending  the  effectiveness  of the
               Registration  Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement
               has been issued  under the 1933 Act and no  proceedings  for that
               purpose have been  instituted or are pending or threatened by the
               Commission.

(xii)          The Registration  Statement,  including the Rule 430A Information
               and the Rule 434 Information,  as applicable,  the  Prospectuses,
               excluding the documents  incorporated by reference  therein,  and
               each  amendment or supplement to the  Registration  Statement and
               Prospectuses,  excluding the documents  incorporated by reference
               therein,  as of their respective  effective or issue dates (other
               than the financial statements and supporting

                                                 39

<PAGE>



               schedules included therein or omitted  therefrom,  as to which we
               need to express no opinion)  complied as to form in all  material
               aspects  with the  requirements  of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act
               Regulations.

(xiii)         The  documents  incorporated  by  reference  in the  Prospectuses
               (other than the financial  statements  and  supporting  schedules
               included  therein  or  omitted  therefrom,  as to  which  we need
               express no  opinion),  when they became  effective  or were filed
               with the  Commission,  as the case may be, complied as to form in
               all material  respects with the  requirements  of the 1933 Act or
               the 1934 Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the
               Commission thereunder.

(xiv)          To the best of our knowledge,  there is not pending or threatened
               any action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation,  to which
               the  Company  or any  subsidiary  is a  party,  or to  which  the
               property of the Company or any  subsidiary is subject,  before or
               brought by any court or governmental  agency or body, domestic or
               foreign,  which  might  reasonably  be  expected  to  result in a
               Material Adverse Effect, or which might reasonably be expected to
               materially  and  adversely   affect  the   consummation   of  the
               transactions  contemplated  in  the  Purchase  Agreement  or  the
               performance by the Company of its obligations thereunder.


(xv)           The  information  in  the  Prospectuses   under  "Description  of
               Washington   Mutual  Capital   Stock,"  to  the  extent  that  it
               constitutes  matters of law,  summaries  of legal  matters or the
               Company's  charter  and  bylaws,  has been  reviewed by us and is
               correct in all material respects.

               In addition, such counsel shall state that they have reviewed the
Registration  Statement and the  Prospectuses,  participated in discussions with
the  U.S.  Representatives  and  the  representatives  of the  Company  and  its
accountants  and  that,  on  the  basis  of  the  information   gained  in  such
discussions, the Registration Statement, as of the date it became effective, and
the Prospectuses, as of the date of the Prospectuses,  appeared on their face to
be appropriately  responsive in all material respects to the requirements of the
1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations.  Further, such counsel shall confirm that
nothing that came to their attention in the course of the aforementioned  review
has caused them to believe that the  Registration  Statement,  as of the date it
became  effective,  contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted
to state any material  fact  required to be stated  therein or necessary to make
the statements therein not misleading or that the Prospectuses, as of the date

                                                 40

<PAGE>



of the Prospectuses  and as of the Closing Date,  contained any untrue statement
of a material fact or omitted to state any material  fact  necessary in order to
make the statements  therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading.

               The  limitations  inherent  in the  independent  verification  of
factual matters and the character of determinations involved in the registration
process are such, however, that such counsel shall not be required to assume any
responsibility  for the  accuracy,  completeness  or fairness of the  statements
contained in the  Registration  Statement or the  Prospectuses  except for those
made under the captions "Description of Capital Stock" and "Underwriting" in the
Prospectuses   insofar  as  they  relate  to  provisions  of  documents  therein
described.  Also,  such counsel need not express any opinion or belief as to the
financial  statements  or other  financial  data  contained in the  Registration
Statement or the Prospectuses.


                                                 41

<PAGE>



                                   EXHIBIT B-1

          OPINION OF COUNSEL FOR THE NON-FDIC SELLING STOCKHOLDERS,
                    TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(c)


     The  opinion of  special  counsel  for the  non-FDIC  Selling  Stockholders
referred to in Section 5(c) shall be substantially to the following effect:

     1.  Each of the U.S.  Purchase  Agreement  and the  International  Purchase
Agreement has been duly  authorized (if  applicable),  executed and delivered by
each of the non-FDIC Selling Stockholders.

     2. The  Attorney-in-Fact and Custody Agreement has been duly authorized (if
applicable), executed and delivered by each of the non-FDIC Selling Stockholders
and the Attorney-in-Fact,  and is the legal, valid and binding agreement of each
such person enforceable against such person in accordance with its terms.

     3. Upon delivery by the non-FDIC  Selling  Stockholders to the Underwriters
of the Securities  being sold by the non-FDIC Selling  Stockholders  pursuant to
each of the U.S.  Purchase  Agreement and the International  Purchase  Agreement
against  payment  therefor as provided in the U.S.  Purchase  Agreement  and the
International  Purchase Agreement,  respectively,  the Underwriters will own the
Securities  free and clear of any adverse  claim  (within the meaning of Section
8-302 of the New York  Uniform  Commercial  Code).  In rendering  the  foregoing
opinion we have assumed that each  Underwriter  takes delivery of the Securities
in the State of New York in good faith and without notice of any adverse claim.

     4. Neither the execution and delivery of the U.S. Purchase Agreement or the
International  Purchase Agreement nor the sale of the Securities by any non-FDIC
Selling  Stockholder,  nor the consummation of the transactions  contemplated in
the U.S.  Purchase  Agreement or the  International  Purchase  Agreement nor the
fulfillment  of the terms of the U.S.  Purchase  Agreement or the  International
Purchase  Agreement has violated or will violate any  provisions of law to which
any non-FDIC Selling Stockholder is subject.

     5. To the best of our knowledge, no actions, suits or proceedings before or
by any court or  governmental  agency,  body or  authority,  or  arbitrator  are
pending or  threatened  or  contemplated,  seeking  to  prevent  the sale of the
Securities being sold by any non-FDIC Selling  Stockholder  pursuant to the U.S.
Purchase Agreement or

                                                 42

<PAGE>



the International Purchase Agreement or the consummation of the U.S. Purchase
Agreement or the International Purchase Agreement.

     6. To the best of our knowledge  such parts of the  Registration  Statement
and  the  Prospectuses   comprising   information  under  the  caption  "Selling
Stockholders" which specifically relate to the Selling  Stockholders (i) did not
at the date the  Registration  Statement  became  effective,  contain any untrue
statement of a material  fact or omit to state any material  fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements  therein not misleading,  and
(ii)  did not at the  date of the  Prospectuses  and do not on the  date  hereof
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
necessary to make the statements  therein,  in light of the circumstances  under
which they were made, not misleading.

     In rendering our opinion, we have with your permission relied as to factual
matters  upon  certificates  of the several  Selling  Stockholders  and upon the
representation  of the  several  Selling  Stockholders  contained  in  the  U.S.
Purchase  Agreement,  the  International  Purchase  Agreement  and the  power of
Attorney and Custody Agreement.

     In rendering the opinion set forth in paragraph 1 above,  we have with your
permission   assumed  that  each  of  the  U.S.   Purchase   Agreement  and  the
International  Purchase  Agreement  has  been  duly  authorized,   executed  and
delivered  by each of the  respective  parties  thereto  (other than the Selling
Stockholders).

     In rendering the opinion set forth in paragraph 4 above,  we have with your
permission assumed that:

                  (x) The Registration  Statement has become effective under the
         Act; any required filing of any Prospectus and any supplements  thereto
         pursuant to Rule 424(b) has been made in the manner and within the time
         period  required  by  Rule  424(b);   no  stop  order   suspending  the
         effectiveness of the Registration  Statement or suspending the offering
         of the Securities has been issued and no proceedings  for such purposes
         have been instituted or threatened.

                  (y) At the time the Registration  Statement became  effective,
         the  Registration  Statement and the  Prospectuses  and each supplement
         thereto  complied  as  to  form  in  all  material  respects  with  the
         applicable  requirements  of the  1933  Act  and the  respective  rules
         thereunder;  and (except as  specifically  addressed by the matters set
         forth in paragraph 6 above) the Registration

                                                 43

<PAGE>



         Statement at the date of its  effectiveness  did not contain any untrue
         statement  of a  material  fact or  omit to  state  any  material  fact
         required  to be stated  therein  or  necessary  to make the  statements
         therein not  misleading and the  Prospectuses  at their date and at the
         Closing Date did not contain or do not contain any untrue  statement of
         a material fact or omit to state a material fact  necessary to make the
         statements  therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
         were made, not misleading.

     We  express  no opinion  other  than as to the  Federal  laws of the United
States of America.

     We are furnishing this opinion letter to you solely for your benefit.  This
opinion letter is not to be used,  circulated,  quoted or otherwise  referred to
for any other purpose.

                                               Very truly yours,




                                                 44

<PAGE>



                                   EXHIBIT B-2

               OPINION OF COUNSEL FOR THE FDIC SELLING STOCKHOLDER,
                    TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(c)


     The  opinion of counsel  for the FDIC  Selling  Stockholder  referred to in
Section 5(c) shall be substantially to the following effect:

     1.  Each of the U.S.  Purchase  Agreement  and the  International  Purchase
Agreement has been duly  authorized,  executed and delivered by the FDIC Selling
Stockholder.

     2. The delivery by the FDIC Selling  Stockholder to the Underwriters of the
Securities  being sold by the FDIC Selling  Stockholder  pursuant to each of the
U.S. Purchase Agreement and the International Purchase Agreement against payment
therefor  as  provided  in the U.S.  Purchase  Agreement  and the  International
Purchase  Agreement,  respectively,  will  convey  good and  valid  title to the
Securities  being  sold  to the  Underwriters  free  and  clear  of  all  liens,
encumbrances, security interests, restrictions and claims whatsoever.

     3. Neither the execution and delivery of the U.S. Purchase Agreement or the
International  Purchase  Agreement  nor the sale of the  Securities  by the FDIC
Selling  Stockholder,  nor the consummation of the transactions  contemplated in
the U.S.  Purchase  Agreement or the  International  Purchase  Agreement nor the
fulfillment  of the terms of the U.S.  Purchase  Agreement or the  International
Purchase  Agreement  has  violated  or will  violate  any  provisions  of law as
administered by the FDIC to which the FDIC Selling Stockholder is subject.

     4. The FDIC Selling Stockholder has the statutory authority to execute each
of the U.S. Purchase Agreement and the International Purchase Agreement pursuant
to 12 U.S.C. ss. 1821a, and to sell, assign, transfer and deliver the Securities
being sold by the FDIC Selling Stockholder pursuant to each of the U.S. Purchase
Agreement and the International Purchase Agreement in the manner provided for in
each of the U.S. Purchase Agreement and the International Purchase Agreement, to
perform  its  obligation  under  each of the  U.S.  Purchase  Agreement  and the
International  Purchase  Agreement  and to take all other  actions in connection
therewith.

     5. No actions,  suits or proceedings before or by any court or governmental
agency,  body or  authority,  or  arbitrator  are pending or, to the best of our
knowledge,  threatened  or  contemplated,  seeking  to  prevent  the sale of the
Securities being sold

                                                 45

<PAGE>



by the FDIC Selling Stockholder pursuant to the U.S. Purchase Agreement or the
International Purchase Agreement or the consummation of the U.S. Purchase Agree-
ment or the International Purchase Agreement.

     6. To the best of my knowledge such parts of the Registration Statement and
the Prospectuses comprising information under the caption "Selling Stockholders"
which  specifically  relate to the FDIC Selling  Stockholder  (i) did not at the
date the Registration  Statement became effective,  contain any untrue statement
of a material  fact or omit to state any  material  fact  required  to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and (ii) did
not at the date of the  Prospectuses  and do not on the date hereof  contain any
untrue  statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact  necessary
to make the statements  therein,  in light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading.

     In rendering  the opinion set forth in paragraph 1 above,  I have with your
permission   assumed  that  each  of  the  U.S.   Purchase   Agreement  and  the
International  Purchase  Agreement  has  been  duly  authorized,   executed  and
delivered by each of the respective parties thereto (other than the FDIC Selling
Stockholder).

     In rendering  the opinion set forth in paragraph 4 above,  I have with your
permission assumed that:

                  (x) The Registration  Statement has become effective under the
         Act; any required filing of any Prospectus and any supplements  thereto
         pursuant to Rule 424(b) has been made in the manner and within the time
         period  required  by  Rule  424(b);   no  stop  order   suspending  the
         effectiveness of the Registration  Statement or suspending the offering
         of the Securities has been issued and no proceedings  for such purposes
         have been instituted or threatened.

                  (y) At the time the Registration  Statement became  effective,
         the  Registration  Statement and the  Prospectuses  and each supplement
         thereto  complied  as  to  form  in  all  material  respects  with  the
         applicable  requirements  of the  1933  Act  and the  respective  rules
         thereunder;  and (except as  specifically  addressed by the matters set
         forth in paragraph 6 above) the  Registration  Statement at the date of
         its  effectiveness  did not contain any untrue  statement of a material
         fact or omit to state any material fact  required to be stated  therein
         or  necessary to make the  statements  therein not  misleading  and the
         Prospectuses  at their date and at the Closing  Date did not contain or
         do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state
         a material fact

                                                 46

<PAGE>



         necessary  to  make  the  statements  therein,  in  the  light  of  the
         circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

     I express no opinion other than as to the Federal laws of the United States
of America.

     I am furnishing  this opinion  letter to you solely for your benefit.  This
opinion letter is not to be used,  circulated,  quoted or otherwise  referred to
for any other purpose.

                                               Very truly yours,



                                                 47

<PAGE>



                                   SCHEDULE A

                                                        Number of U.S.
Name of U.S. Underwriter                         Securities to be Purchased

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
                Incorporated...................................3,462,325
Friedman, Billings, Ramsey & Co., Inc..........................3,462,324
Bear, Stearns & Co., Inc.......................................  230,000
Alex, Brown & Sons Incorporated................................  230,000
Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation.........................  230,000
Dean Witter Reynolds Inc.......................................  230,000
A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc.......................................  230,000
Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc...................................  230,000
Lehman Brothers Inc............................................  230,000
Montgomery Securities..........................................  230,000
J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.....................................  230,000
Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated..............................  230,000
PaineWebber Incorporated.......................................  230,000
Ragen MacKenzie Incorporated...................................  230,000
Smith Barney Inc...............................................  230,000
UBS Securities LLC ............................................  230,000
Wasserstein Perella Securities, Inc............................  230,000
Sanford C. Bernstein & Co., Inc................................  115,000
Dain Bosworth Incorporated.....................................  115,000
D. A. Davidson & Co............................................  115,000
Fox-Pitt, Kelton Inc...........................................  115,000
Hoefer & Arnett Incorporated...................................  115,000
Jensen Securities C............................................  115,000
Legg Mason Wood Walker, Incorporated...........................  115,000
Ormes Capital Markets, Inc.....................................  115,000
Pacific Crest Securities.......................................  115,000
Piper Jaffray Inc..............................................  115,000
Rodman & Renshaw, Inc..........................................  115,000
Ryan, Beck & Co................................................  115,000
Sandler O'Neill & Parnters L.P.................................  115,000
The Seidler Companies Incorporated.............................  115,000
Southeast Research Partners, Inc...............................  115,000
Sutro & Co. Incorporated.......................................  115,000
Utendahl Capital Partners, L.P.................................  115,000

Total.........................................................12,329,649


                                                    Sch A-1

<PAGE>




                                   SCHEDULE B




                                                         Number of U.S.
Selling Stockholder                                  Securities to be Sold

FDIC Selling Stockholder
                                                      
FSLIC Resolution Fund                                    11,831,339

Non-FDIC Selling Stockholders


     President and Fellows of Harvard College               271,055

     William E. Oberndorf                                    84,510

     Barry R. Jackson                                        63,382

     William P. Hallman, Jr.                                 32,770

     KHI Associates, L.P.                                    30,612

     26 Savings Associates, L.P.                             15,981
                                                    --------------------

                           Total                         12,329,649




                                     Sch B-1

<PAGE>


                                   SCHEDULE C

                             WASHINGTON MUTUAL, INC.
                      12,329,649 Shares of Common Stock
                            (No Par Value Per Share)



                  1.       The initial public offering price per share for the
U.S. Securities, determined as provided in Section 2 of the U.S. Purchase
Agreement, shall be $47.50.

                  2.       The purchase price per share for the U.S. Securities
to be paid by the several U.S. Underwriters shall be $46.55, being an amount
equal to the initial public offering price set forth above less an amount of
$0.95 per share, representing the underwriting discount set forth on page 1 of
the U.S. Prospectus.



                                     Sch C-1

<PAGE>

                             WASHINGTON MUTUAL, INC.
                           (a Washington corporation)

                        2,260,000 Shares of Common Stock
                            (No Par Value Per Share)

                        INTERNATIONAL PURCHASE AGREEMENT

                                                               January 22, 1997

MERRILL LYNCH INTERNATIONAL
Friedman, Billings, Ramsey & Co., Inc.
  as Lead Managers of the several International Managers
c/o Merrill Lynch International

Ropemaker Place
25 Ropemaker Street
London EC2Y 9LY
England


Ladies and Gentlemen:

     Washington Mutual, Inc., a Washington corporation (the "Company"),  and the
persons listed in Schedule B hereto (the "Selling Stockholders"),  confirm their
respective  agreements with Merrill Lynch  International  ("Merrill  Lynch") and
each  of  the  other   International   Managers   named  in  Schedule  A  hereto
(collectively,  the "International  Managers," which term shall also include any
underwriter  substituted as hereinafter provided in Section 10 hereof), for whom
Merrill Lynch and Friedman,  Billings,  Ramsey & Co., Inc. ("Friedman Billings")
are acting as  representatives  (in such capacity,  the "Lead  Managers"),  with
respect  to the  sale by the  Selling  Stockholders,  acting  severally  and not
jointly,  and the purchase by the International  Managers,  acting severally and
not jointly,  of 2,260,000  shares (the  "International  Securities")  of Common
Stock, no par value per share (the "Common Stock"), of the Company.

     It is  understood  that  the  Company  and  the  Selling  Stockholders  are
concurrently  entering  into an  agreement  dated  the date  hereof  (the  "U.S.
Purchase  Agreement")  providing for the offering by the Selling Stockholders of
an  aggregate  of  12,329,649 shares of Common  Stock (the  "U.S.  Securities")
through  arrangements with certain  underwriters in the United States and Canada
(the "U.S. Underwriters"), for which Merrill Lynch & Co., Merrill Lynch, Pierce,
Fenner &

<PAGE>



 Smith Incorporated and Friedman Billings are acting as representatives (the
"U.S. Representatives").  It is understood that the Selling Stockholders are not
obligated to sell, and the International Managers are not obligated to purchase,
any  Interna-  tional  Securities   unless  all  of  the  U.S.   Securities  are
contemporaneously purchased by the U.S. Underwriters.

     The  International  Managers  and the  U.S.  Underwriters  are  hereinafter
collectively called the "Underwriters," and the International Securities and the
U.S. Securities are hereinafter collectively called the "Securities."

     The Underwriters will concurrently  enter into an Intersyndicate  Agreement
of  even  date  herewith  (the  "Intersyndicate  Agreement")  providing  for the
coordination of certain  transactions among the Underwriters under the direction
of Merrill Lynch & Co., Merrill Lynch,  Pierce,  Fenner & Smith Incorporated (in
such capacity, the "Global Coordinator").

     The Company and the Selling Stockholders  understand that the International
Managers  propose to make a public offering of the  International  Securities as
soon as the Lead Managers deem advisable  after this Agreement has been executed
and delivered.

                  The  Company  has  filed  with  the  Securities  and  Exchange
Commission  (the  "Commission")  a  registration  statement  on  Form  S-3  (No.
333-17291)  covering the registration of the Securities under the Securities Act
of 1933,  as  amended  (the  "1933  Act"),  including  the  related  preliminary
prospectus  or  prospectuses.  Promptly  after  execution  and  delivery of this
Agreement,  the  Company  will  either  (i)  prepare  and file a  prospectus  in
accordance  with the  provisions  of Rule  430A  ("Rule  430A") of the rules and
regulations  of the Commission  under the 1933 Act (the "1933 Act  Regulations")
and paragraph  (b) of Rule 424 ("Rule  424(b)") of the 1933 Act  Regulations  or
(ii) if the Company  has elected to rely upon Rule 434 ("Rule  434") of the 1933
Act  Regulations,  prepare and file a term sheet (a "Term  Sheet") in accordance
with the provisions of Rule 434 and Rule 424(b).  Two forms of prospectus are to
be used in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities: one relating
to the International Securities (the "Form of International Prospectus") and one
relating to the U.S.  Securities  (the "Form of U.S.  Prospectus").  The Form of
International Prospectus is identical to the Form of U.S. Prospectus, except for
the  front  cover  and  back  cover  page,  page  2A  included  in the  Form  of
International   Prospectus   only  and  the   information   under  the   caption
"Underwriting."  The information  included in any such prospectus or in any such
Term  Sheet,  as the  case may be,  that  was  omitted  from  such  registration
statement at the time it became

                                                  2

<PAGE>



effective  but that is deemed to be part of such  registration  statement at the
time it became  effective (a) pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 430A is referred
to as "Rule 430A  Information"  or (b) pursuant to paragraph  (d) of Rule 434 is
referred to as "Rule 434 Information." Each Form of International Prospectus and
Form  of  U.S.  Prospectus  used  before  such  registration   statement  became
effective,  and any  prospectus  that  omitted,  as  applicable,  the Rule  430A
Information or the Rule 434 Information,  that was used after such effectiveness
and prior to the  execution and delivery of this  Agreement,  is herein called a
"preliminary  prospectus." Such registration  statement,  including the exhibits
thereto,  schedules thereto, if any, and the documents incorporated by reference
therein  pursuant  to Item 12 of Form S-3  under  the 1933  Act,  at the time it
became  effective  and  including  the Rule  430A  Information  and the Rule 434
Information,  as applicable,  is herein called the "Registration Statement." Any
registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations
is herein  referred to as the "Rule 462(b)  Registration  Statement,"  and after
such  filing the term  "Registration  Statement"  shall  include the Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement. The final Form of International Prospectus and the final
Form of U.S.  Prospectus,  including  the  documents  incorporated  by reference
therein  pursuant  to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act, in the forms first
furnished to the  Underwriters  for use in  connection  with the offering of the
Securities  are  herein  called  the  "International  Prospectus"  and the "U.S.
Prospectus," respectively,  and collectively, the "Prospectuses." If Rule 434 is
relied on, the terms  "International  Prospectus"  and "U.S.  Prospectus"  shall
refer to the  preliminary  International  Prospectus  dated  January 2, 1997 and
preliminary U.S. Prospectus dated January 2, 1997,  respectively,  each together
with the applicable  Term Sheet and all references in this Agreement to the date
of such  Prospectuses  shall mean the date of the  applicable  Term  Sheet.  For
purposes of this Agreement,  all references to the Registration  Statement,  any
preliminary prospectus, the International Prospectus, the U.S. Prospectus or any
Term Sheet or any  amendment  or  supplement  to any of the  foregoing  shall be
deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission  pursuant to its Electronic
Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system ("EDGAR").

         All references in this Agreement to financial  statements and schedules
and other  information  which is  "contained,"  "included"  or  "stated"  in the
Registration  Statement,  any  preliminary  prospectus  (including  the  Form of
International  Prospectus and Form of U.S.  Prospectus) or the  Prospectuses (or
other  references  of like import)  shall be deemed to mean and include all such
financial  statements and schedules and other  information which is incorporated
by  reference  in  the  Registration   Statement,   any  preliminary  prospectus
(including the Form of International  Prospectus and Form of U.S. Prospectus) or
the Prospectuses, as the

                                                  3

<PAGE>



case may be; and all  references in this  Agreement to amendments or supplements
to the Registration  Statement,  any preliminary  prospectus or the Prospectuses
shall be  deemed  to mean and  include  the  filing  of any  document  under the
Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934 (the  "1934  Act")  which is  incorporated  by
reference in the  Registration  Statement,  such  preliminary  prospectus or the
Prospectuses, as the case may be.

Section 1.  Representations and Warranties.

(a) Representations  and  Warranties  by the  Company.

     The  Company  represents  and  warrants to each  International  Manager and
Selling Stockholder as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Time referred to
in Section 2(b) hereof, as follows:

     (i) Compliance with  Registration  Requirements.

     The Company meets the  requirements for use of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act.
Each of the Registration  Statement and any Rule 462(b)  Registration  Statement
has  become  effective  under  the  1933  Act;  no  stop  order  suspending  the
effectiveness  of the  Registration  Statement  or any Rule 462(b)  Registration
Statement has been issued under the 1933 Act and no proceedings for that purpose
have been  instituted  or are pending or, to the  knowledge of the Company,  are
contemplated by the Commission and any request on the part of the Commission for
additional information has been complied with.

     At the  respective  times  the  Registration  Statement,  any  Rule  462(b)
Registration   Statement  and  any  post-effective   amendments  thereto  became
effective and at the Closing Time, the Registration  Statement,  the Rule 462(b)
Registration  Statement and any amendments and supplements  thereto complied and
will comply in all material  respects with the  requirements of the 1933 Act and
the 1933 Act Regulations and did not and will not contain an untrue statement of
a material fact or omit to state a material  fact required to be stated  therein
or  necessary  to make the  statements  therein not  misleading.  Neither of the
Prospectuses  nor any  amendments or supplements  thereto,  at the time any such
Prospectus  or any such  amendment  or  supplement  was filed and at the Closing
Time, included or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted
or will omit to state a material fact  necessary in order to make the statements
therein,  in the light of the  circumstances  under  which they were  made,  not
misleading.  If Rule 434 is used, the Company will comply with the  requirements
of Rule 434. The  representations  and warran- ties in this subsection shall not
apply to statements in or omissions

                                             4

<PAGE>



from  the  Registration  Statement,  any  post-effective  amendment  to the
Registration  Statement,  the  International  Prospectus  or  any  amendment  or
supplement  to  the  International  Prospectus  made  in  reliance  upon  and in
conformity  with  information  furnished  to  the  Company  in  writing  by  any
International  Manager  through the Lead Managers or by any Selling  Stockholder
expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the International Prospectus or
any such amendment or supplement.

     Each  preliminary  prospectus  and the  prospectuses  filed  as part of the
Registration  Statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment thereto,
or filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the 1933 Act,  complied when so filed in all
material  respects  with the 1933  Act and the  1933  Act  Regulations  and each
preliminary  prospectus and the  Prospectuses  delivered to the Underwriters for
use in  connection  with  this  offering  was  identical  to the  electronically
transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission  pursuant to EDGAR,  except
to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

     The Company  has not  distributed,  and prior to the Closing  Time will not
distribute,  any offering  material in connection  with the offering and sale of
the Securities other than materials permitted by the Act.

     (ii) Incorporated Documents.

     The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectuses,  at the time they were or hereafter
are filed with the Commission, complied and will comply in all material respects
with the  requirements  of the 1934 Act and the  rules  and  regulations  of the
Commission thereunder (the "1934 Act Regulations"), and, when read together with
the  other  information  in the  Prospectuses,  at  the  time  the  Registration
Statement became effective,  at the time the Prospectuses were issued and at the
Closing  Time,  did not and will not contain an untrue  statement  of a material
fact or omit to state a material fact  necessary in order to make the statements
therein,  in light of the  circumstances  under which such statements were made,
not misleading.

     (iii) Independent  Accountants.

     The  accountants  who examined and certified the financial  statements  and
supporting  schedules  included in the  Registration  Statement are  independent
public accountants as required by the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations.


                                                  5

<PAGE>



     (iv) Financial  Statements.

     The  consolidated  statements  of  financial  condition  (supplemental  and
otherwise),  consolidated  statements of income  (supplemental  and  otherwise),
consolidated  statements of changes in stockholders'  equity  (supplemental  and
otherwise)  and  consolidated   statements  of  cash  flows   (supplemental  and
otherwise)  included  or  incorporated  in the  Registration  Statement  and the
Prospectuses,  together  with the related  schedules  and notes (the  "Financial
Statements"),  present  fairly in all  material  respects the  consolidated  (or
supplemental  consolidated,   as  applicable)  financial  position,  results  of
operations,  changes in  stockholders'  equity and cash flows of the Company and
its  consolidated  subsidiaries  at the dates  indicated  and,  for the  periods
specified,  as the case may be, subject in the case of unaudited  balance sheets
and statements to normal year-end audit adjustments;  said Financial  Statements
have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted  accounting  principles
("GAAP") applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods  involved,  except
as may be noted  therein,  subject in the case of unaudited  balance  sheets and
statements to normal  year-end  audit  adjustments  and the limited scope of the
notes thereto,  and comply in all material respects with the requirements of the
1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations.

     (v) No Material  Adverse Change in Business.

     Since  the  respective  dates  as of  which  information  is  given  in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectuses, except as otherwise stated therein,
(A) there has been no  material  adverse  change,  or  development  involving  a
prospective  material adverse change,  in the financial  condition,  properties,
assets,  results of operation,  stockholders' equity or prospects of the Company
and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the
ordinary course of business (a "Material Adverse  Effect"),  (B) there have been
no transactions  entered into by the Company or any of its  subsidiaries,  other
than those in the ordinary  course of business,  which are material with respect
to the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise,  and (C) there
has been no dividend or distribution  of any kind declared,  paid or made by the
Company on any class of its capital stock.

     (vi) Good Standing of the Company.

     The  Company  has  been  duly  organized  and  is  validly  existing  as  a
corporation  under the laws of the State of Washington  and has corporate  power
and  authority  to own,  lease and  operate  its  properties  and to conduct its
business in all material  respects as described in the Prospectuses and to enter
into and perform its obligations under, and execute and deliver,  this Agreement
and the U.S. Purchase Agreement;  and the Company is duly qualified as a foreign
corporation  to  transact  business  and  is in  good  standing  in  each  other
jurisdiction in which such  qualification is required,  whether by reason of the
ownership or leasing

                                                  6

<PAGE>



of property or the conduct of  business,  except where the failure so to qualify
or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.

     (vii) Good Standing of  Subsidiaries.

     Washington  Mutual  Bank fsb  ("WMBfsb")  has been  duly  organized  and is
validly  existing  as  a  federally  chartered  stock  savings  bank  and  is  a
stockholder  and  customer in good  standing  of the  Federal  Home Loan Bank of
Seattle ("FHLBS"); WMBfsb's deposit accounts are insured up to applicable limits
by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ("FDIC"); and no proceeding for the
termination  or revocation of such  insurance is pending or, to the knowledge of
the Company or WMBfsb, threatened.  Washington Mutual Bank ("WMB") has been duly
organized  and is validly  existing and in good  standing  under the laws of the
State of Washington  and is a  stockholder  and customer in good standing of the
FHLBS;  WMB's deposit accounts are insured up to applicable  limits by the FDIC;
and no proceeding for the termination or revocation of such insurance is pending
or, to the knowledge of the Company or WMB,  threatened.  American Savings Bank,
F.A.  ("ASB")  has been duly  organized  and is validly  existing as a federally
chartered  stock savings  association  and is a stockholder and customer in good
standing of the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco;  ASB's deposit accounts
are  insured up to  applicable  limits by the FDIC;  and no  proceeding  for the
termination  or revocation of such  insurance is pending or, to the knowledge of
the  Company  or  ASB,  threatened.  WMBfsb,  WMB  and  ASB  (collectively,  the
"Subsidiaries") are the only "significant subsidiaries" (as such term is defined
in Rule 1-02 of Regulation  S-X) of the Company (and all of the  subsidiaries of
the Company other than the  Subsidiaries,  if considered in the aggregate as one
subsidiary,  would not  constitute  a  significant  subsidiary)  and each of the
Company's  subsidiaries  has the corporate power and authority to own, lease and
operate its properties  and to conduct its business in all material  respects as
described in the Prospectuses and is duly qualified to transact  business and is
in good standing in each  jurisdiction in which such  qualification is required,
whether by reason of the  ownership  or leasing of  property  or the  conduct of
business, except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would
not result in a Material  Adverse Effect;  except as otherwise  disclosed in the
Registration Statement,  all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of each
of WMBfsb,  WMB and ASB has been duly  authorized and validly  issued,  is fully
paid  and  nonassessable  and is  owned  by the  Company,  directly  or  through
subsidiaries,  free and clear of any security interest,  mortgage, pledge, lien,
encumbrance, claim or equity; none of the outstanding shares of capital stock of
any of  WMBfsb,  WMB or ASB was issued in  violation  of  preemptive  or similar
rights of any securityholder of such subsidiary.


                                                  7

<PAGE>



     (viii) Capitalization.

     The  Company  has  an  authorized   capitalization  as  set  forth  in  the
Prospectuses.  All of the outstanding capital stock of the Company has been duly
authorized  and  validly  issued  and  is  fully  paid  and  nonassessable;  the
authorized capital stock of the Company conforms in all material respects to all
statements  relating thereto in the Prospectuses.  The Securities have been duly
authorized,  validly  issued and are fully paid and  nonassessable;  none of the
outstanding  shares of Common Stock was issued in violation of the preemptive or
other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company.

     (ix) Authorization of Agreement.

     This Agreement and the U.S.  Purchase  Agreement have been duly authorized,
executed and delivered by the Company.

     (x) Authorization  and Description of Securities.

     The Common  Stock  conforms to the  description  thereof  under the heading
"Description  of  Capital  Stock"   contained  in  the   Prospectuses  and  such
description,  insofar as it purports to be a summary of the instruments defining
the rights of holders of the Common  Stock,  is accurate,  complete and fair; no
holder of the  Securities  is subject to personal  liability  by reason of being
such a holder.

     (xi) Absence  of  Defaults  and  Conflicts.

     Neither the  Company nor any of its  subsidiaries  is in  violation  of its
charter  or  by-laws  or in default  in the  performance  or  observance  of any
obligation,   agreement,  covenant  or  condition  contained  in  any  contract,
indenture,  mortgage,  deed of trust, loan or credit  agreement,  note, lease or
other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is
a party  or by  which it or any of them  may be  bound,  or to which  any of the
property or assets of the Company or any  subsidiary  is subject  (collectively,
"Agreements and Instruments")  except for such defaults that would not result in
a Material Adverse Effect;  and the execution,  delivery and performance of this
Agreement  and  the  U.S.  Purchase   Agreement  and  the  consummation  of  the
transactions  contemplated  herein,  therein and in the  Registration  Statement
(including  the sale of the  Securities)  and compliance by the Company with its
obligations  hereunder  and under  the U.S.  Purchase  Agreement  have been duly
authorized by all necessary  corporate  action and do not and will not,  whether
with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both,  conflict  with
or constitute a breach of,  default under or Repayment  Event (as defined below)
under,  or  result  in the  creation  or  imposition  of  any  lien,  charge  or
encumbrance  upon any  property  or  assets  of the  Company  or any  subsidiary
pursuant to, the Agreements and Instruments (except for such conflicts, breaches
or  defaults  or liens,  charges  or  encumbrances  that  would not  result in a
Material  Adverse  Effect),  nor will such action result in any violation of the
provisions of the charter or by-laws of the Company or any Subsidiary or any

                                                  8

<PAGE>



applicable law, statute,  rule, regulation,  judgment,  order, writ or decree of
any  government,  governmental  instrumentality  or court,  domestic or foreign,
having  jurisdiction  over the Company or any subsidiary or any of their assets,
properties or operations. As used herein, a "Repayment Event" means any event or
condition  which gives the holder of any note,  debenture  or other  evidence of
indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder's behalf) the right to require
the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness
by the Company or any subsidiary.

     (xii) Absence of Labor Dispute.

     No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any subsidiary exists
or, to the knowledge of the Company,  is imminent,  and the Company is not aware
of any existing or imminent labor  disturbance by the employees of any of its or
any subsidiary's principal suppliers,  manufacturers,  customers or contractors,
which,  in either  case,  may  reasonably  be  expected  to result in a Material
Adverse Effect.

     (xiii) Absence  of  Proceedings.

     There is no action,  suit,  proceeding,  inquiry or investigation before or
brought by any court or governmental  agency or body,  domestic or foreign,  now
pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company,  threatened,  against or affecting
the Company or any subsidiary,  which,  individually or in the aggregate for all
such actions, suits, proceedings, inquiries or investigations, is required to be
disclosed in the Registration  Statement (other than as disclosed  therein),  or
which might reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect (other
than as disclosed in the Registration  Statement),  or which might reasonably be
expected to  materially  and  adversely  affect the  properties or assets of the
Company  or  any  Subsidiary  (other  than  as  disclosed  in  the  Registration
Statement)  or  the  consummation  of  the  transactions  contemplated  in  this
Agreement and the U.S.  Purchase  Agreement or the performance by the Company of
its obligations  hereunder or thereunder;  the aggregate of all pending legal or
governmental proceedings to which the Company or any subsidiary is a party or of
which any of their  respective  property or assets is the subject  which are not
described in the Registration  Statement,  including ordinary routine litigation
incidental to their  business,  could not  reasonably be expected to result in a
Material Adverse Effect.

     (xiv) Exhibits.

     There are no contracts  or documents  which are required to be described in
the Registration  Statement,  the Prospectuses or the documents  incorporated by
reference  therein,  or to be filed as exhibits thereto,  which have not been so
described or filed as required.


                                                  9

<PAGE>



     (xv) Absence of Further  Requirements.

     No filing  with,  or  authorization,  approval,  consent,  license,  order,
registration, qualification or decree of, any court or governmental authority or
agency is  necessary  or  required  for the  performance  by the  Company of its
obligations hereunder, in connection with the offering,  issuance or sale of the
Securities  hereunder or the  consummation of the  transactions  contemplated by
this Agreement and the U.S. Purchase Agreement, except such as have been already
obtained or as may be required under the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations or
state securities laws.

     (xvi) Possession  of Licenses and Permits.

     The Company and its Subsidiaries possess such permits, licenses, approvals,
consents and other authorizations (collectively, "Governmental Licenses") issued
by the  appropriate  federal,  state,  local or foreign  regulatory  agencies or
bodies necessary to conduct the business now operated by them,  except where the
failure so to comply  would  not,  singly or in the  aggregate,  have a Material
Adverse  Effect;  the Company and its  subsidiaries  are in compliance  with the
terms and conditions of all Governmental  Licenses,  except where the failure so
to comply would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect;
all of the Governmental  Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, except
when  the  invalidity  of such  Governmental  Licenses  or the  failure  of such
Governmental  Licenses to be in full force and effect  would not have a Material
Adverse Effect; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received
any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such
Governmental  Licenses which,  singly or in the aggregate,  if the subject of an
unfavorable  decision,  ruling or finding,  would  result in a Material  Adverse
Effect.

     (xvii) Title to Property.

     The Company and its Subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all real
property reflected in the most recent balance sheet included in the Prospectuses
as  owned by the  Company  and its  Subsidiaries  and  good  title to all  other
properties   reflected  in  the  most  recent  balance  sheet  included  in  the
Prospectuses  as owned by them, in each case,  free and clear of all  mortgages,
pledges, liens, security interests,  claims, restrictions or encumbrances of any
kind except such as (a) are described in the  Prospectuses or (b) do not, singly
or in the aggregate,  materially  interfere with the use made and proposed to be
made of such property by the Company or any of its subsidiaries or, with respect
to any such real  property,  render  title  unmarketable  as to a material  part
thereof;  and all of the leases and  subleases  material to the  business of the
Company and its subsidiaries,  considered as one enterprise, and under which the
Company  or  any  of  its  subsidiaries   holds  properties   described  in  the
Prospectuses,  are in full force and  effect,  and  neither  the Company nor any
subsidiary  has any  notice  of any  material  claim of any  sort  that has been
asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company or any subsidiary

                                                 10

<PAGE>



under  any  of  the  leases  or  subleases  mentioned  above,  or  affecting  or
questioning  the  rights of the  Company  or such  subsidiary  to the  continued
possession of the leased or subleased premises under any such lease or sublease.

     (xviii) Possession of Intellectual  Property.

     The  Company  and  its  Subsidiaries  own or  possess,  or can  acquire  on
reasonable  terms,  adequate  patents,  patent  rights,  licenses,   inventions,
copyrights,  know-how  (including  trade  secrets  and other  unpatented  and/or
unpatentable  proprietary or confidential  information,  systems or procedures),
trademarks,   service  marks,  trade  names  or  other   intellectual   property
(collectively,  "Intellectual  Property") necessary to carry on the business now
operated  by them,  and neither  the  Company  nor any of its  subsidiaries  has
received any notice or is otherwise  aware of any  infringement  or conflict (if
the subject of any  unfavorable  decision,  ruling or finding) or  invalidity or
inadequacy,  that singly or in the aggregate, would result in a Material Adverse
Effect.

     (xix) Environmental Laws.

     Except as described in the  Registration  Statement or except as would not,
singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect: (A) neither the
Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any federal, state, local
or foreign statute, law, rule,  regulation,  ordinance,  code, policy or rule of
common law or any judicial or administrative  interpretation thereof,  including
any judicial or administrative order, consent,  decree or judgment,  relating to
pollution or protection of human health,  the  environment  (including,  without
limitation,  ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface
strata)  or  wildlife,  including,  without  limitation,  laws  and  regulations
relating  to  the  release  or  threatened  release  of  chemicals,  pollutants,
contaminants,  wastes,  toxic  substances,  hazardous  substances,  petroleum or
petroleum products (collectively,  "Hazardous Materials") or to the manufacture,
processing,  distribution,  use,  treatment,  storage,  disposal,  transport  or
handling of Hazardous Materials  (collectively,  "Environmental  Laws"), (B) the
Company and its  subsidiaries  have all permits,  authorizations  and  approvals
required under any applicable Environmental Laws and are each in compliance with
their  requirements,  (C) there are no  pending  or  threatened  administrative,
regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands,  demand letters,  claims, liens,
notices of noncompliance or violation,  investigation or proceedings relating to
any  Environmental  Law against the Company or any of its  subsidiaries  and (D)
there are no events or  circumstances  that might reasonably be expected to form
the  basis of an  order  for  clean-up  or  redemption,  or an  action,  suit or
proceeding  by any  private  party or  governmental  body or agency,  against or
affecting the Company or any of its subsidiaries relating to Hazardous Materials
or any Environmental Laws.


                                                 11

<PAGE>



     (xx) Not an  Investment  Company.

     The Company is not an "investment  company" or a company "controlled by" an
"investment  company" within the meaning of the Investment  Company Act of 1940,
as amended.

     (xxi) Listing.

     The Company has effected  the  inclusion  of the  Securities  in the Nasdaq
National  Market and has filed with the Nasdaq National Market all documents and
notices required by the Nasdaq National Market of companies that have securities
that are  traded in the  over-the-counter  market and  quotations  for which are
reported by the Nasdaq National Market.

     (xxii) Tax Matters.

     The  Company  and  each of its  subsidiaries  have  filed  all tax  returns
required to be filed,  which  returns are complete and correct,  and neither the
Company nor any  subsidiary is in default in the payment of any taxes which were
payable pursuant to said returns or any assessments with respect thereto,  other
than those  taxes  that are being  contested  in good  faith and by  appropriate
proceedings and for which adequate  reserves have been established in accordance
with GAAP.  The  charges,  accruals and reserves on the books of the Company and
its subsidiaries in respect of any income and corporate  franchise tax liability
for any years not finally  determined  are adequate to meet the  assessments  or
re-assessments  for additional  income or corporate  franchise tax for any years
not finally  determined,  except to the extent any  inadequacy  would not have a
Material Adverse Effect.

(b) Representations and Warranties by the Selling Stockholders other than
    the FDIC Selling  Stockholder.

     Each Selling Stockholder, other than the FDIC in its capacity as manager of
the FSLIC Resolution Fund (the "FDIC Selling Stockholder"), severally represents
and warrants to each International Manager and the Company as of the date hereof
and as of the Closing Time as follows:

     (i) Good and Marketable Title.

     Such Selling  Stockholder has good and valid title to the Securities  being
sold  pursuant  to this  Agreement,  free and clear of all liens,  encumbrances,
security  interests  and claims  whatsoever;  and upon sale and delivery of, and
payment for, such  Securities,  as provided  herein,  at the Closing Time,  such
Selling  Stockholder  will convey to the  International  Managers good and valid
title to such Securities,  free and clear of all liens,  encumbrances,  security
interests and claims whatsoever.

     (ii) Authorization of Agreements.

     Each of this  Agreement,  the  U.S.  Purchase  Agreement  and the  Power of
Attorney  and  Custody  Agreement  has  been  duly  authorized  by such  Selling
Stockholder.

                                                 12

<PAGE>



     (iii) Absence of Violations.

     None of the execution  and delivery of this  Agreement,  the U.S.  Purchase
Agreement  and the Power of Attorney  and Custody  Agreement  by or on behalf of
such  Selling   Stockholder,   the  sale  of  the  Securities  by  such  Selling
Stockholder,  the  consummation  of any of the other  transactions  contemplated
herein  or in the U.S.  Purchase  Agreement,  and the  fulfillment  of the terms
hereof or thereof,  has violated or will  violate any  provision of law to which
such Selling Stockholder is subject.

     (iv) Accuracy of Information Regarding Selling Stockholders.

     Such Selling  Stockholder has reviewed the  Registration  Statement and the
Prospectuses,  and such parts of the Registration Statement and the Prospectuses
comprising  information  under the  caption  "The  Selling  Stockholders"  which
specifically  relate  to such  Selling  Stockholder  will  not,  at the date the
Registration  Statement  becomes  effective,  contain any untrue  statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated  therein or
necessary to make the  statements  therein not misleading and at the date of the
Prospectuses  and at the Closing Time will not contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state any material  fact required to be stated  therein
or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under
which they are made, not misleading.

     (v) Absence of Proceedings.

     No actions,  suits or  proceedings  before or by any court or  governmental
agency,  body or authority,  or  arbitrator  are pending or, to the best of such
Selling Stockholder's knowledge, threatened or contemplated,  seeking to prevent
the sale of the  Securities or the  consummation  of this  Agreement or the U.S.
Purchase Agreement.

     (vi) Absence of  Manipulation.

     Such  Selling  Stockholder  has not taken and will not  take,  directly  or
indirectly,  any action  designed  to or which has  constituted  or which  might
reasonably  be expected to cause or result under the 1934 Act or  otherwise,  in
stabilization  or  manipulation  of the price of any  security of the Company to
facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

     (vii) Due  Execution  of Power of Attorney  and Custody  Agreement.

     Such  Selling  Stockholder  has duly  executed and  delivered,  in the form
heretofore  furnished  to the Lead  Managers,  the Power of Attorney and Custody
Agreement  with John K.  Hughes of Dewey  Ballantine  as  attorney-in-fact  (the
"Attorney-in-Fact");  the  Attorney-in-Fact is authorized to deliver or cause to
be delivered the Securities to be sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder and
under the U.S. Purchase Agreement- and to accept or direct payment therefor,  to
execute and deliver  this  Agreement  and the U.S.  Purchase  Agreement  and the
certificate referred to in Section 5(f) on behalf
                                                 13

<PAGE>



of such Selling Stockholder),  to sell, assign and transfer to the International
Managers the  International  Securities  to be sold by such Selling  Stockholder
hereunder,  to  determine  the  purchase  price to be paid by the  International
Managers  to such  Selling  Stockholder  (upon  written  instructions  from such
Selling Stockholder) as provided in Section 2(a) hereof, and otherwise to act on
behalf of such Selling  Stockholder  in connection  with this  Agreement and the
U.S.  Purchase  Agreement.  The  representations  and warranties of such Selling
Stockholder  in the Power of Attorney  and  Custody  Agreement  are,  and at the
Closing  Time will be,  true and  correct.  The  parties  hereto  agree that the
Attorney-in-Fact shall have no liability as a result of any inaccuracy or breach
of a representation or warranty by any Selling Stockholder.

     (viii) Certificates Suitable for Transfer.

     Certificates  for  all  of  the  Securities  to be  sold  by  such  Selling
Stockholder  pursuant  to this  Agreement,  in  suitable  form for  transfer  by
delivery or accompanied  by duly executed  instruments of transfer or assignment
in blank  with  signatures  guaranteed,  have been  placed in  custody  with the
Attorney- in-Fact.

     (ix) No Association with NASD.

     Except as disclosed by such Selling Stockholder or on its behalf in writing
to the Lead Managers,  neither such Selling  Stockholder  nor any of his, her or
its  affiliates  directly,  or  indirectly  through one or more  intermediaries,
controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, or has any other
association  with  (within  the  meaning  of Article I, (q) of the Bylaws of the
NASD), any member firm of the NASD.

(c) Representations and Warranties by the FDIC Selling Stockholder.

     The FDIC Selling  Stockholder  represents and warrants (on behalf of itself
and not as to any other  Selling  Stockholder  or person) to each  International
Manager  and the  Company as of the date  hereof and as of the  Closing  Time as
follows:

     (i) Good and Marketable Title.

     The FDIC  Selling  Stockholder  has good and valid title to the  Securities
being  sold  pursuant  to  this   Agreement,   free  and  clear  of  all  liens,
encumbrances,  security  interests  and  claims  whatsoever;  and upon  sale and
delivery  of, and payment  for,  such  Securities,  as provided  herein,  at the
Closing  Time,  the FDIC Selling  Stockholder  will convey to the  International
Managers good and valid title to such  Securities,  free and clear of all liens,
encumbrances, security interests and claims whatsoever.


                                                 14

<PAGE>



     (ii) Authorization of Agreements.

     Each of this  Agreement  and the U.S.  Purchase  Agreement  has  been  duly
authorized, executed and delivered on behalf of the FDIC Selling Stockholder.

     (iii) Absence of Violations.

     None of the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the U.S.  Purchase
Agreement by the FDIC Selling  Stockholder,  the sale of the  Securities  by the
FDIC Selling  Stockholder,  the  consummation  of any of the other  transactions
contemplated  herein or in the U.S. Purchase  Agreement,  and the fulfillment of
the terms  hereof or thereof,  has  violated or will  violate any  provision  of
Federal law as administered by the FDIC or to which the FDIC Selling Stockholder
is subject.

     (iv) Accuracy of Information Regarding the FDIC Selling Stockholder.

     The FDIC Selling  Stockholder has reviewed the  Registration  Statement and
the  Prospectuses,  and  such  parts  of  the  Registration  Statement  and  the
Prospectuses comprising information under the caption "The Selling Stockholders"
which specifically relate to the FDIC Selling Stockholder, will not, at the date
the Registration Statement becomes effective,  contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated  therein or
necessary to make the  statements  therein not misleading and at the date of the
Prospectuses  and at the Closing Time will not contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state any material  fact required to be stated  therein
or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under
which they are made, not misleading.

     (v) Authority to Execute  Agreements.

     The FDIC  Selling  Stockholder  has  statutory  authority  to execute  this
Agreement and the U.S.  Purchase  Agreement  pursuant to 12 U.S.C. ss. 1821a, to
sell, assign, transfer and deliver the Securities being sold by the FDIC Selling
Stockholder  hereunder and thereunder in the manner provided herein and therein,
to  perform  its  obligations  hereunder  and  thereunder  and to take all other
actions taken by it in connection herewith and therewith.

     (vi) Absence of Proceedings.

     No actions,  suits or  proceedings  before or by any court or  governmental
agency, body or authority, or arbitrator are pending or, to the best of the FDIC
Selling Stockholder's knowledge, threatened or contemplated,  seeking to prevent
the sale of the  Securities or the  consummation  of this  Agreement or the U.S.
Purchase Agreement.

     (vii) Absence of Manipulation.

     The FDIC Selling  Stockholder has not taken and will not take,  directly or
indirectly,  any action  designed  to or which has  constituted  or which  might
reasonably be expected to cause or result under the 1934 Act or otherwise, in

                                                 15

<PAGE>



stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to
facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

     (viii) No Association with NASD.

     Except as disclosed by the FDIC Selling  Stockholder in writing to the Lead
Managers,  neither  the  FDIC  Selling  Stockholder  nor any of his,  her or its
affiliates directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls,
or is  controlled  by,  or is  under  common  control  with,  or has  any  other
association  with  (within  the  meaning  of Article I, (q) of the Bylaws of the
NASD), any member firm of the NASD.

(d) Officer's Certificates.

     Any  certificate  signed  by  any  officer  of  the  Company  or any of its
subsidiaries  delivered  to the  Global  Coordinator,  the Lead  Managers  or to
counsel for the  International  Managers  shall be deemed a  representation  and
warranty  by the  Company  to each  International  Manager  and to each  Selling
Stockholder as to the matters covered thereby,  without  personal  liability for
the officer signing such certificate; and any certificate signed by or on behalf
of any Selling Stockholder as such and delivered to the Global Coordinator,  the
Lead Managers or to counsel for the International Managers pursuant to the terms
of this Agreement shall be deemed a representation  and warranty by such Selling
Stockholder to the Company and to the  International  Managers as to the matters
covered  thereby  without   personal   liability   therefor  except  where  such
certificate  is executed  by or on behalf of such  Selling  Stockholder  in such
Selling  Stockholder's   individual  capacity,   provided,   however,  that  the
Attorney-in-Fact  shall have no liability as to the matters  covered by any such
certificate.

Section 2.  Sale and Delivery to the International Managers; Closing.

(a) Securities.

     On the basis of the  representations  and warranties  herein  contained and
subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, each Selling  Stockholder,
severally and not jointly,  agrees to sell to each  International  Manager,  and
each International Manager,  severally and not jointly,  agrees to purchase from
each Selling  Stockholder,  at the price per share set forth in Schedule C, that
proportion  of the number of  International  Securities  set forth in Schedule B
opposite the name of such Selling Stockholder, which the number of International
Securities  set forth in  Schedule  A  opposite  the name of such  International
Manager,  plus any  additional  number of  Securities  which such  International
Manager may become  obligated to purchase  pursuant to the provisions of Section
10 hereof,  bears to the total number of International  Securities  subject,  in
each case,  to such  adjustments  among the  International  Managers as the Lead
Managers in their sole discretion shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases
of fractional securities.

                                                 16

<PAGE>




(b) Payment.

     Payment of the purchase  price for, and delivery of  certificates  for, the
Securities shall be made at the offices of Skadden,  Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
LLP, Los Angeles,  California  90071,  or at such other place as shall be agreed
upon by the Global  Coordinator,  the Company and the Selling  Stockholders,  at
10:00 a.m.  Eastern time on the third (fourth,  if the pricing occurs after 4:30
p.m. (Eastern time) on any given day) business day after the date hereof (unless
postponed in accordance  with the  provisions of Section 10), or such other time
not later than ten business  days after such date as shall be agreed upon by the
Global Coordinator, the Company and the Selling Stockholders (such time and date
of payment and delivery being herein called the "Closing Time").

     At the  Closing  Time,  payment  shall be made by the  Underwriters  to the
Selling  Stockholders  by wire transfer of immediately  available  funds to bank
accounts   designated   by  the   Attorney-in-Fact   pursuant  to  each  Selling
Stockholder's  Power of Attorney and Custody  Agreement  (or, in the case of the
FDIC  Selling  Stockholder,  a  bank  account  designated  by the  FDIC  Selling
Stockholder)  against delivery to the Lead Managers for the respective  accounts
of the International  Managers of certificates for the International  Securities
to be purchased by them. It is understood  that each  International  Manager has
authorized the Lead Managers,  for its account,  to accept  delivery of, receipt
for, and make payment of the purchase  price for, the  International  Securities
that  it  has  agreed  to  purchase.  Merrill  Lynch,  individually  and  not as
representatives of the International  Managers,  may (but shall not be obligated
to) make payment of the purchase  price for the  International  Securities to be
purchased by any International Manager whose funds have not been received by the
Closing Time but such payment shall not relieve such International  Manager from
its obligations hereunder.

(c) Denominations; Registration.

     Certificates   for  the   International   Securities   shall   be  in  such
denominations  and  registered in such names as the Lead Managers may request in
writing at least one full business day before the Closing Time. The certificates
for the  International  Securities  will be made available for  examination  and
packaging by the Lead Managers in The City of New York not later than 10:00 a.m.
(Eastern time) on the business day prior to the Closing Time.

Section 3.  Covenants of the Company.

     The Company  covenants  with each  International  Manager and each  Selling
Stockholder as follows:

(a) Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests.

     The Company,  subject to Section 3(b), will comply with the requirements of
Rule 430A or Rule 434, as applicable, and will notify the Global Coordinator and
each Selling

                                                 17

<PAGE>



Stockholder   promptly,   and  confirm  the  notice  in  writing,   (i)  of  the
effectiveness  of  the  Registration   Statement  and  when  any  post-effective
amendment  to  the  Registration  Statement  shall  become  effective,   or  any
supplement  to the  Prospectuses  or any  amended  Prospectuses  shall have been
filed,  (ii) of the receipt of any comments  from the  Commission,  (iii) of any
request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any
amendment or supplement to the Prospectuses or for additional  information,  and
(iv)  of the  issuance  by the  Commission  of any  stop  order  suspending  the
effectiveness  of the  Registration  Statement  or of any  order  preventing  or
suspending the use of any  preliminary  prospectus,  or of the suspension of the
qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction,  or of
the initiation or threatening of any proceedings  for any of such purposes.  The
Company will promptly effect the filings  necessary  pursuant to Rule 424(b) and
will take such steps as it deems  necessary  to ascertain  promptly  whether the
form of  prospectus  transmitted  for filing  under Rule 424(b) was received for
filing by the  Commission  and, in the event that it was not,  it will  promptly
file such prospectus.  The Company will make every reasonable  effort to prevent
the  issuance of any stop order and, if any stop order is issued,  to obtain the
lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment.

(b) Filing of  Amendments.

     The Company will give the Global  Coordinator and the Selling  Stockholders
notice of its  intention to file or prepare any  amendment  to the  Registration
Statement  (including  any  filing  under  Rule  462(b)),  any Term Sheet or any
amendment,  supplement  or  revision  to either the  prospectus  included in the
Registration  Statement at the time it became effective or to the  Prospectuses,
whether  pursuant to the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act or  otherwise,  will furnish the
Global  Coordinator  and  the  Selling  Stockholders  with  copies  of any  such
documents a reasonable  amount of time prior to such proposed  filing or use, as
the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to which the Selling
Stockholders,  the Global Coordinator or counsel for the International  Managers
shall object.

(c) Delivery of Registration  Statements.

     The Company has  furnished or will deliver to the Lead Managers and counsel
for the International  Managers, and to the Selling Stockholders and counsel for
the Selling  Stockholders,  without  charge,  signed copies of the  Registration
Statement as originally filed and of each amendment thereto (including  exhibits
filed therewith or incorporated by reference therein and documents  incorporated
or deemed to be  incorporated  by reference  therein)  and signed  copies of all
consents  and  certificates  of  experts,  and  will  also  deliver  to the Lead
Managers,  without  charge,  a conformed copy of the  Registration  Statement as
originally filed and of each amendment  thereto  (without  exhibits) for each of
the International Managers. The copies of the Registration Statement and each

                                                 18

<PAGE>



amendment  thereto  furnished  to the  International  Managers  and the  Selling
Stockholders will be identical to the electronically  transmitted copies thereof
filed with the Commission  pursuant to EDGAR,  except to the extent permitted by
Regulation S-T.

(d) Delivery  of  Prospectuses.

     The Company has  delivered to each  International  Manager and each Selling
Stockholder,  without charge,  as many copies of each preliminary  prospectus as
such International Manager or such Selling Stockholder reasonably requested, and
the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes  permitted by
the 1933 Act. The Company will furnish to each  International  Manager,  without
charge,  during the period when the  International  Prospectus is required to be
delivered  under  the 1933 Act or the 1934  Act,  such  number  of copies of the
International  Prospectus  (as amended or  supplemented)  as such  International
Manager may reasonably request. The International  Prospectus and any amendments
or supplements  thereto furnished to the International  Managers and the Selling
Stockholder will be identical to the  electronically  transmitted copies thereof
filed with the Commission  pursuant to EDGAR,  except to the extent permitted by
Regulation S-T.

(e) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws.

     The Company will comply with the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act  Regulations and
the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations to the extent  necessary to permit the
completion  of the  distribution  of the  Securities  as  contemplated  in  this
Agreement,  the U.S. Purchase Agreement and in the Prospectuses.  If at any time
when a prospectus is required by the 1933 Act to be delivered in connection with
sales of the  Securities,  any event shall occur or  condition  shall exist as a
result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of the International Managers or
the Company,  based upon advice of counsel, to amend the Registration  Statement
or amend or supplement any Prospectuses in order that the Prospectuses  will not
include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
necessary  in  order  to  make  the  statements  therein,  in the  light  of the
circumstances under which they were made when such Prospectus is delivered,  not
misleading,  or if it shall be  necessary,  in the opinion of such party,  based
upon the advice of counsel, at any such time to amend the Registration Statement
or amend or supplement any  Prospectus in order to comply with the  requirements
of the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act  Regulations,  the Company will promptly prepare
and file with the  Commission,  subject  to  Section  3(b),  such  amendment  or
supplement as may be necessary to correct such  statement or omission or to make
the Registration  Statement or the Prospectuses  comply with such  requirements,
and the Company  will  furnish to the  International  Managers  and each Selling
Stockholder such number of

                                                 19

<PAGE>



copies of such amendment or supplement as the International Managers may
reasonably request.

(f) Blue Sky  Qualifications.


     The  Company  will  use  its  best  efforts,   in   cooperation   with  the
International  Managers,  to qualify the  Securities for offering and sale under
the applicable  securities  laws of such states and other  jurisdictions  as the
Global  Coordinator may designate and to maintain such  qualifications in effect
for a period of not less than one year from the later of the  effective  date of
the Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement; provided,
however,  that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to
service of process  or to  qualify  as a foreign  corporation  or as a dealer in
securities  in any  jurisdiction  in which it is not so  qualified or to subject
itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any  jurisdiction in which it
is not otherwise so subject.  In each  jurisdiction in which the Securities have
been so qualified,  the Company will file such  statements and reports as may be
required by the laws of such  jurisdiction  to continue  such  qualification  in
effect  for a period of not less than one year  from the  effective  date of the
Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement.

(g) Rule 158.

     The Company will timely file such  reports  pursuant to the 1934 Act as are
necessary in order to make generally available to its securityholders as soon as
practicable,  but not later  than 15  months  after  the  effective  date of the
Registration  Statement,  an  earnings  statement  for the  purposes  of, and to
provide the benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the
1933 Act.

(h) Restriction on Sale of Securities.

     During a period of 60 days from the date of the  Prospectuses,  the Company
will not,  without  the prior  written  consent of the Global  Coordinator,  (i)
directly or indirectly,  offer,  pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option
or  contract to  purchase,  purchase  any option or contract to sell,  grant any
option,  right or warrant to  purchase or  otherwise  transfer or dispose of any
share of Common  Stock or any  securities  convertible  into or  exercisable  or
exchangeable for Common Stock or file any registration  statement under the 1933
Act with  respect  to any of the  foregoing  or (ii)  enter into any swap or any
other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly
or  indirectly,  the economic  consequence  of  ownership  of the Common  Stock,
whether any such swap or transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to
be settled by  delivery  of Common  Stock or such other  securities,  in cash or
otherwise.  The foregoing  sentence  shall not apply to (A) the Securities to be
sold hereunder or under the U.S.  Purchase  Agreement,  (B) any shares of Common
Stock  issued by the  Company  upon the  exercise of an option or warrant or the
conversion of a security  outstanding  on the date hereof and referred to in the
Prospectuses, (C) any shares of Common Stock

                                                 20

<PAGE>



issued or options to purchase Common Stock granted pursuant to existing employee
benefit plans of the Company referred to in the Prospectuses,  (D) any shares of
Common Stock issued pursuant to any non-employee director stock plan or dividend
reinvestment plan or (E) pursuant to acquisitions.

(i) Reporting Requirements.

     The  Company,  during the period when the  Prospectuses  are required to be
delivered  under the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act, will file all documents  required
to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the 1934 Act within the time periods
required by the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations and the Company will cause
its  subsidiaries  to  file  all  documents   required  to  be  filed  with  any
supervisory,   regulatory,   administrative  or  governmental  agency,  body  or
authority,  whether  pursuant  to the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act  Regulations  or
otherwise (except reports to any bank or thrift regulatory  agencies prepared on
a confidential basis),  except when the failure to file such documents could not
reasonably be expected to result, directly or indirectly,  in a Material Adverse
Effect.

Section 4.  Payment of Expenses.

(a)  Expenses.

     The  Company  and the  Selling  Stockholders  covenant  and agree  with one
another and with the  several  Underwriters  that (a) the  Company  will pay the
following expenses incident to this Agreement: (i) the preparation, printing and
filing  of  the  Registration  Statement  (including  financial  statements  and
exhibits)  as  originally  filed  and  of  each  amendment  thereto,   (ii)  the
preparation,   printing  and  delivery  to  the  Underwriters  and  the  Selling
Stockholders of this Agreement,  any Agreement among Underwriters and such other
documents as may be required in connection  with the offering,  purchase,  sale,
issuance or delivery of the  Securities,  (iii) the  preparation,  issuance  and
delivery of the  certificates  for the  Securities to the  Underwriters  and the
transfer of the Securities from the Selling  Stockholders  to the  International
Managers and between the International Managers and the U.S. Underwriters,  (iv)
the fees and  disbursements  of the  Company's  counsel,  accountants  and other
advisors,  (v) the  qualification  of the Securities  under  securities  laws in
accordance with the provisions of Section 3(f) hereof, including filing fees and
the  reasonable  fees and  disbursements  of  counsel  for the  Underwriters  in
connection  therewith and in  connection  with the  preparation  of the Blue Sky
Survey  and any  supplement  thereto,  (vi) the  printing  and  delivery  to the
Underwriters  and  the  Selling  Stockholders  of  copies  of  each  preliminary
prospectus,  any Term  Sheets  and of the  Prospectuses  and any  amendments  or
supplements  thereto,  (vii)  the  preparation,  printing  and  delivery  to the
Underwriters  and the Selling  Stockholders of copies of the Blue Sky Survey and
any  supplement  thereto,  (viii) the fees and expenses of any transfer agent or
registrar for the

                                                 21

<PAGE>



Securities,  (x) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the inclusion
of the Securities in the Nasdaq National Market, (xi) the fees and disbursements
of Dewey Ballantine,  special counsel for the Selling Stockholders and (xii) the
filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to
the Underwriters in connection  with, the review by the National  Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. of the terms of the sale of the Securities.

(b) Expenses  of  the  Selling  Stockholders.

     The Underwriters shall not be responsible for, or liable for, any costs and
expenses  of  any of  the  Selling  Stockholders  incident  to  its  obligations
hereunder that are not otherwise  specifically provided for in this Section. The
Lead Managers  agree to pay any state stock transfer tax and each of the Selling
Stockholders,  severally and not jointly,  agrees to reimburse the Lead Managers
for its pro rata share of associated  carrying  costs if such tax payment is not
rebated  on the day of  payment  and for any  portion  of such tax  payment  not
rebated. It is understood, however, that, except as provided in this Section and
Sections 6, 7 and 9 hereof, the Underwriters will pay all of their own costs and
expenses,  including the fees of their counsel, stamp duties, capital duties and
stock  transfer  taxes,  if any,  payable on resale of any of the  Securities by
them, and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make.

(c) Termination  of Agreement.

     If this Agreement is terminated by the Lead Managers in accordance with the
provisions of Section 5, Section 9(a)(i) or Section 11 hereof, the Company shall
reimburse the International  Managers for all of their reasonable  out-of-pocket
expenses,  including the reasonable  fees and  disbursements  of counsel for the
International Managers.

(d) Effect on  Registration  Rights  Agreement.

     This Section 4 shall not alter the  agreements  between the Company and the
Selling   Stockholders  for  payment  of  expenses  contained  in  that  certain
Registration Rights Agreement (the "Registration Rights Agreement"), dated as of
July 21,  1996,  by and among the FDIC  Selling  Stockholder,  the  Company  and
Keystone Holdings Partners L.P.

Section 5.  Conditions  of  International  Managers'  Obligations.

     The obligations of the several International Managers hereunder are subject
to the accuracy,  as of the Closing Time, of the  representations and warranties
of the Company and the Selling Stockholders  contained in Section 1 hereof or in
certificates  of any officer of the Company or any  subsidiary of the Company or
on behalf of any  Selling  Stockholders  delivered  pursuant  to the  provisions
hereof, to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations
hereunder to be performed at or prior to the Closing Time,  and to the following
further conditions:

                                                 22

<PAGE>




(a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement.

     The  Registration   Statement,   including  any  Rule  462(b)  Registration
Statement, has become effective and at the Closing Time no stop order suspending
the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued under the
1933 Act or proceedings therefor initiated or threatened by the Commission,  and
any request on the part of the Commission for additional  information shall have
been  complied  with  to  the   reasonable   satisfaction   of  counsel  to  the
International  Managers. A prospectus containing the Rule 430A Information shall
have been  filed  with the  Commission  in  accordance  with Rule  424(b)  (or a
post-effective  amendment  providing such information  shall have been filed and
declared  effective in accordance with the requirements of Rule 430A) or, if the
Company  has  elected to rely upon Rule 434, a Term Sheet  shall have been filed
with the Commission in accordance with Rule 424(b).

(b) Opinion of Counsel for  Company.

     At Closing Time, the Lead Managers and the Selling  Stockholders shall have
received the favorable  opinion,  dated as of Closing Time, of Foster,  Pepper &
Shefelman,  special  counsel for the Company,  in form and substance  reasonably
satisfactory to counsel for the International Managers,  together with signed or
reproduced copies of such opinion for each of the other International  Managers,
to the effect set forth in Exhibit A hereto.  Such  counsel may also state that,
insofar as such opinion  involves  factual  matters,  they have  relied,  to the
extent they deem proper,  upon  certificates  of officers of the Company and its
subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.

(c) Opinions of Counsel for the Selling Stockholders.

     At Closing  Time,  the Lead  Managers-  shall have  received the  favorable
opinion,  dated as of Closing  Time,  of (i) Dewey  Ballantine,  counsel for the
Selling Stockholders,  and (ii) the General Counsel or Deputy General Counsel of
the FDIC, in each case in form and substance reasonably  satisfactory to counsel
for the  International  Managers,  together with signed or reproduced  copies of
such  letters for each of the other  International  Managers,  to the effect set
forth in Exhibits B-1 and B-2 hereto, respectively.  Such counsel may also state
that, insofar as such opinions involve factual matters, they have relied, to the
extent  they  deem  proper,   upon   certificates  of  the  applicable   Selling
Stockholders.

(d) Opinion of Counsel for the  International  Managers.

     At Closing  Time,  the Lead  Managers-  shall have  received the  favorable
opinion,  dated as of Closing Time, of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP,
counsel for the  International  Managers,  together  with  signed or  reproduced
copies of such letter for each of the other International  Managers with respect
to such  matters as they may  reasonably  request.  In giving such  opinion such
counsel may rely, as to all matters governed by the laws of jurisdictions  other
than the law of the State of New York and the federal law of the
                                                 23

<PAGE>



United States upon the opinions of counsel  satisfactory  to the Lead  Managers.
Such  counsel  may also state that,  insofar as such  opinion  involves  factual
matters,  they have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of
officers  of the  Company  and  its  subsidiaries  and  certificates  of  public
officials.

(e) Officers'  Certificate.

     At Closing Time,  there shall not have been, since the date hereof or since
the respective dates as of which information is given in the  Prospectuses,  any
material adverse change, or development involving a prospective material adverse
change,  in the financial  condition,  results of  operations  or  stockholders'
equity of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether
or not arising in the ordinary course of business, and the Lead Managers and the
Selling  Stockholders  shall have received a certificate signed by the President
or an  Executive  Vice  President  of the Company and by the chief  financial or
deputy chief financial officer of the Company,  dated as of Closing Time, to the
effect  that  (i)  there  has been no such  material  adverse  change,  (ii) the
representations  and warranties in Section 1(a) hereof are true and correct with
the same force and effect as though  expressly  made at and as of Closing  Time,
(iii) the Company has complied with all  agreements and satisfied all conditions
on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to Closing  Time,  and (iv)
no stop order suspending the  effectiveness  of the  Registration  Statement has
been issued and no  proceedings  for that  purpose have been  instituted  or are
pending or are contemplated by the Commission.

(f) Certificate of Selling  Stockholders.

     Each of the  Attorney-in-Fact and the FDIC shall have furnished to the Lead
Managers and the Company a  certificate,  dated the date of the Closing Time, to
the effect that the  representations  and  warranties of (i) with respect to the
certificate  furnished by the  Attorney-in-Fact,  the Selling Stockholders other
than the FDIC  Selling  Stockholder  and (ii) with  respect  to the  certificate
furnished  by the FDIC,  the FDIC  Selling  Stockholder  and the  FDIC,  in this
Agreement are true and correct in all material respects on and as of the Closing
Time to the same  effect  as if made at the  Closing  Time  and each  applicable
Selling  Stockholder  has complied with all the agreements and satisfied all the
conditions on his or its part to be performed or satisfied  prior to the Closing
Time.

(g) Accountant's Comfort Letter.

     At the time of the execution of this  Agreement,  the Lead  Managers  shall
have  received  from each of  Deloitte  & Touche LLP and KPMG Peat  Marwick  LLP
letters  dated  such  date,  in form  and  substance  satisfactory  to the  Lead
Managers,  together with signed or reproduced copies of such letters for each of
the other International  Managers,  containing statements and information of the
type ordinarily included in accountants' "comfort letters" to underwriters with

                                                 24

<PAGE>



respect to the financial statements and certain financial  information contained
in the Registration Statement and the Prospectuses.

(h) Bring-down  Comfort  Letter.

     At Closing  Time,  the Lead  Managers  shall have  received from Deloitte &
Touche LLP and KPMG Peat Marwick LLP letters,  dated as of Closing  Time, to the
effect that it reaffirms the statements made in the letters  furnished  pursuant
to subsection  (g) of this Section,  except that the specified  date referred to
shall be a date not more than three business days prior to Closing Time.

(i) Approval of Listing.

     At the Closing Time, the Securities  shall have been approved for inclusion
in the Nasdaq National Market.

(j) Additional  Documents.

     At the Closing Time, counsel for the International Managers shall have been
furnished with such  documents and opinions as they may  reasonably  require for
the  purpose  of  enabling  them to  pass  upon  the  issuance  and  sale of the
Securities as herein  contemplated,  or in order to evidence the accuracy of any
of  the  representations  or  warranties,  or  the  fulfillment  of  any  of the
conditions,  herein contained;  and all proceedings taken by the Company and the
Selling  Stockholders in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities
as herein contemplated shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to
the Lead Managers and counsel for the International Managers.

(k) Termination of Agreement.

     If any condition  specified in this Section  shall not have been  fulfilled
when and as required to be  fulfilled,  this  Agreement may be terminated by the
Lead Managers by notice to the Company and the Selling  Stockholders at any time
at or prior to Closing Time, and such termination  shall be without liability of
any party to any other  party,  except as provided in Section 4, and except that
Sections  1, 6, 7 and 8 shall  survive any such  termination  and remain in full
force and effect.

Section 6.  Indemnification.

(a) Indemnification  by the  Company.

     The  Company  agrees  to  indemnify  and hold  harmless  (i)  each  Selling
Stockholder,  each person, if any, who controls such Selling  Stockholder within
the  meaning of  Section  15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act,  and
each of their respective officers,  directors,  and employees in accordance with
the terms of the  Registration  Rights  Agreement  and (ii)  each  International
Manager and each person, if any, who controls any  International  Manager within
the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934

                                                 25

<PAGE>



Act,  and each of their  respective  officers,  directors  and  employees to the
extent and in the manner as set forth below:

     (1)  against  any  and all  loss,  liability,  claim,  damage  and  expense
whatsoever,  as incurred,  arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material  fact  contained in the  Registration  Statement (or any
amendment  thereto),  including  the  Rule  430A  Information  and the  Rule 434
Information,  if applicable,  or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a
material fact required to be stated  therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading or arising out of any untrue  statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material  fact  contained in any  preliminary  prospectus  or the
Prospectuses  (or any  amendment  or  supplement  thereto),  or the  omission or
alleged  omission  therefrom of a material  fact  necessary in order to make the
statements  therein,  in the light of the  circumstances  under  which they were
made, not misleading;

     (2)  against  any  and all  loss,  liability,  claim,  damage  and  expense
whatsoever,  as  incurred,  to  the  extent  of the  aggregate  amount  paid  in
settlement  of  any  litigation,  or  any  investigation  or  proceeding  by any
governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever
based upon any such untrue  statement  or omission,  or any such alleged  untrue
statement or omission;  provided  that  (subject to Section 6(e) below) any such
settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company; and

     (3) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the fees
and  disbursements of counsel chosen by Merrill Lynch),  reasonably  incurred in
investigating,   preparing  or  defending   against  any   litigation,   or  any
investigation  or proceeding by any  governmental  agency or body,  commenced or
threatened,  or any claim  whatsoever  based upon any such untrue  statement  or
omission,  or any such alleged untrue statement or omission,  to the extent that
any such expense is not paid under (1) or (2) above;

provided,  however,  that  the  indemnity  agreement  provided  in this  Section
6(a)(ii) shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the
extent  arising  out of any untrue  statement  or  omission  or  alleged  untrue
statement  or omission  made in reliance  upon and in  conformity  with  written
information  furnished to the Company (A) by any Selling Stockholder,  or (B) by
any  International  Manager through the Lead Managers,  expressly for use in the
Registration  Statement  (or any  amendment  thereto),  including  the Rule 430A
Information  and the Rule 434  Information,  if applicable,  or any  preliminary
prospectus  or the  International  Prospectus  (or any  amendment or  supplement
thereto); and provided further that the

                                                 26

<PAGE>



foregoing  indemnity with respect to any preliminary  prospectus shall not inure
to the  benefit of any  International  Manager  (or to the benefit of any person
controlling such International  Manager) from whom the person asserting any such
loss,  liability,  claim or damage  purchased  International  Securities if such
untrue  statement or omission or alleged  untrue  statement or omission  made in
such  preliminary  prospectus  is  eliminated  or remedied in the  International
Prospectus (as amended or  supplemented by the Company if the Company shall have
furnished any amendments or supplements thereto) and a copy of the International
Prospectus (as so amended or supplemented), which at such time had been provided
to the  International  Managers for their use,  shall not have been furnished to
such person at or prior to the written  confirmation  of sale of such Securities
to such person.

(b) Indemnification by the Selling Stockholders.

     Each Selling  Stockholder  severally  agrees to indemnify and hold harmless
(i) the Company, its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration
Statement,  and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning
of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, in accordance  with
the  terms  of the  Registration  Rights  Agreement,  (ii)  each  other  Selling
Stockholder  and each  person,  if any, who  controls  such Selling  Stockholder
within the  meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act and Section 20 of the 1934 Act
and each of the  respective  officers,  directors  and  employees of each of the
foregoing in accordance with the terms of the Registration  Rights Agreement and
(iii) each  International  Manager and each  person,  if any,  who  controls any
International  Manager  within  the  meaning  of  Section  15 of the 1933 Act or
Section 20 of the 1934 Act against any and all loss,  liability,  claim,  damage
and expense to which any International  Manager, or such aforementioned  persons
may  become  subject  under the 1933 Act,  or  otherwise,  insofar as such loss,
liability, claim, damage, and expense arise out of, or is based upon, any untrue
statement  or  alleged  untrue  statement  of  any  material  fact  made  in the
Registration  Statement  (or any  amendment  thereto),  including  the Rule 430A
Information  and the Rule 434  Information,  if applicable,  or any  preliminary
prospectus  or the  International  Prospectus  (or any  amendment or  supplement
thereto) or arises out of, or is based upon the omission or alleged  omission to
state a material  fact  required to be stated  therein or  necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading, and will reimburse such International Manager
or such  aforementioned  persons  for any  legal  or other  expenses  reasonably
incurred by them in connection  with  investigating  or defending any such loss,
liability, claim, damage or expense, in each instance to the extent, but only to
the extent, that any such loss, liability, claim, damage, and expense arises out
of, or is based upon,  an untrue  statement  or alleged  untrue  statement  of a
material fact or an omission or alleged omission to state a material fact in

                                                 27

<PAGE>



said Registration  Statement (or any amendment  thereto) including the Rule 430A
Information  and  Rule  434  Information  if  applicable,   or  any  preliminary
prospectus or International  Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto)
in reliance upon, and in conformity with, written  information  furnished to the
Company  by or on  behalf  of  such  Selling  Stockholder  specifically  for use
therein;  provided,  however,  that (x) the liability of any Selling Stockholder
under this Section 6(b)(iii) shall be limited to an amount equal to the proceeds
of the sale of International  Securities by such Selling Stockholder (net of all
costs and expenses (including  underwriting  commissions and disbursements) paid
or incurred by such Selling  Stockholder in connection with the registration and
sale of the International  Securities) and (y) the foregoing  indemnity provided
under Section  6(b)(iii) with respect to any  preliminary  prospectus  shall not
inure to the  benefit of any  International  Manager  (or to the  benefit of any
person  controlling such  International  Manager) from whom the person asserting
any such loss, liability,  claim or damage purchased International Securities if
such untrue  statement or omission or alleged untrue  statement or omission made
in such  preliminary  prospectus is eliminated or remedied in the  International
Prospectus (as amended or  supplemented by the Company if the Company shall have
furnished any amendments or supplements thereto) and a copy of the International
Prospectus (as so amended or supplemented), which at such time had been provided
to the  International  Managers for their use,  shall not have been furnished to
such person at or prior to the written  confirmation  of sale of such Securities
to such person.

(c) Indemnification  by  the  International  Managers.

     Each International  Manager severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless
the Company,  its  directors,  each of its officers who signed the  Registration
Statement,  and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning
of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or  Section 20 of the 1934 Act,  and each  Selling
Stockholder  and each  person,  if any, who  controls  such Selling  Stockholder
within the  meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act,
against any and all loss, liability,  claim, damage and expense described in the
indemnity  contained in subsection  (a) of this Section,  as incurred,  but only
with respect to untrue statements or omissions,  or alleged untrue statements or
omissions,  made  in the  Registration  Statement  (or any  amendment  thereto),
including the Rule 430A Information and the Rule 434 Information, if applicable,
or any preliminary prospectus or the International  Prospectus (or any amendment
or  supplement  thereto)  in  reliance  upon  and  in  conformity  with  written
information  furnished to the Company by such International  Manager through the
Lead Managers expressly for use in the Registration  Statement (or any amendment
thereto) or such preliminary prospectus or the International Prospectus (or any

                                                 28

<PAGE>



amendment or supplement thereto);  provided, however, that the liability of each
International  Manager  under  this  Section  6(c) shall be limited to an amount
equal to the underwriting commissions applicable to the International Securities
purchased by such International Manager hereunder.

(d) Actions against Parties; Notification.

     Each  indemnified  party  shall  give  notice  as  promptly  as  reasonably
practicable to each  indemnifying  party of any action  commenced  against it in
respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder,  but failure to so notify an
indemnifying  party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability
hereunder to the extent it is not materially  prejudiced as a result thereof and
in any event shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise
than on account of this indemnity agreement.  In the case of parties indemnified
pursuant to Section  6(a)(ii) or  6(b)(iii)  above,  counsel to the  indemnified
parties  shall  be  selected  by the Lead  Managers  (and  shall  be  reasonably
satisfactory to the Company and/or the Selling Stockholders, as applicable), and
in the case of parties  indemnified  pursuant to Section 6(c) above,  counsel to
the  indemnified  parties  shall  be  selected  by the  Company  or the  Selling
Stockholders,  as the case may be (and shall be reasonably  satisfactory  to the
Lead Managers).  An indemnifying party may participate at its own expense in the
defense of any such action; provided,  however, that counsel to the indemnifying
party  shall not  (except  with the  consent of the  indemnified  party) also be
counsel to the indemnified party. In no event shall the indemnifying  parties be
liable for fees and  expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any local
counsel)  separate  from  their  own  counsel  for all  indemnified  parties  in
connection with any one action or separate but similar or related actions in the
same jurisdiction  arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances.
No  indemnifying  party  shall,   without  the  prior  written  consent  of  the
indemnified  parties,  settle  or  compromise  or  consent  to the  entry of any
judgment with respect to any litigation,  or any  investigation or proceeding by
any  governmental  agency  or  body,  commenced  or  threatened,  or  any  claim
whatsoever in respect of which  indemnification  or contribution could be sought
under this Section 6 or Section 7 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties
are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement,  compromise or
consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all
liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and
(ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or
a failure  to act by or on  behalf of any  indemnified  party.  Anything  to the
contrary  notwithstanding,  this  Section  6(d) shall apply only with respect to
indemnification  to be  provided  pursuant  to,  and  "indemnifying  party"  and
"indemnified  party" shall mean only such parties who are  indemnifying  parties
and  indemnified  parties,   respectively,   under,  Section  6(a)(ii),  Section
6(b)(iii) and

                                                 29

<PAGE>



Section  6(c);  the  Registration  Rights  Agreement  shall  govern all  matters
discussed therein with respect to the parties thereto.

(e) Other  Agreements.

     The  provisions  of this  Section 6 shall not  affect  any other  agreement
between  the  Company  and  the  Selling  Stockholders,  or  among  the  Selling
Stockholders, with respect to indemnification;  provided, however, that the term
"Registration  Statement" as used in the Registration  Rights Agreement shall be
deemed to include the Rule 430A Information and the Rule 434 Information.

Section 7.  Contribution.

     If the  indemnification  provided for in Section 6 hereof is for any reason
unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party (other than
pursuant to the terms  thereof) in respect of any losses,  liabilities,  claims,
damages or  expenses  referred to therein,  then each  indemnifying  party shall
contribute to the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities,  claims, damages
and  expenses  incurred by such  indemnified  party,  as  incurred,  (i) in such
proportion as is  appropriate to reflect the relative  benefits  received by the
Company  and the  Selling  Stockholders  on the one hand  and the  International
Managers  on the other hand from the  offering of the  International  Securities
pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the  allocation  provided by clause (i) is
not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect
not only the  relative  benefits  referred  to in clause  (i) above but also the
relative fault of the Company and the Selling Stockholder on the one hand and of
the  International  Managers on the other hand in connection with the statements
or omissions  that  resulted in such  losses,  liabilities,  claims,  damages or
expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.

     The relative benefits received by the Company and the Selling  Stockholders
on the one hand and the  International  Managers on the other hand in connection
with the offering of the  International  Securities  pursuant to this  Agreement
shall be  deemed  to be in the same  respective  proportions  as the  total  net
proceeds  from the  offering of the  International  Securities  pursuant to this
Agreement  (before  deducting  expenses)  received by the  Selling  Stockholders
(which for purposes of this Agreement  shall be treated as a benefit of both the
Company  and the  Selling  Stockholders)  and the  total  underwriting  discount
received by the International  Managers,  in each case as set forth on the cover
of the Prospectus,  or, if Rule 434 is used, the  corresponding  location on the
Term  Sheet  bear  to  the  aggregate  initial  public  offering  price  of  the
International Securities as set forth on such cover.

     The relative fault of the Company and the Selling  Stockholders  on the one
hand and the  International  Managers on the other hand shall be  determined  by
reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue

                                                 30

<PAGE>



statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material
fact relates to information  supplied by the Company or the Selling Stockholders
or by the International  Managers and the parties'  relative intent,  knowledge,
access to  information  and  opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or
omission.

     The Company, the Selling Stockholders and the International  Managers agree
that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section
7 were determined by pro rata  allocation  (even if the  International  Managers
were  treated  as one  entity  for  such  purpose)  or by any  other  method  of
allocation  which  does not  take  into  account  the  equitable  considerations
referred  to  above  in  this  Section  7.  The  aggregate   amount  of  losses,
liabilities,  claims,  damages and expenses incurred by an indemnified party and
referred  to above in this  Section 7 shall be deemed  to  include  any legal or
other expenses  reasonably  incurred by such indemnified party in investigating,
preparing  or  defending  against  any  litigation,   or  any  investigation  or
proceeding by any governmental agency or body,  commenced or threatened,  or any
claim  whatsoever  based upon any such  untrue or alleged  untrue  statement  or
omission or alleged omission.

     Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, no International  Manager
shall be required to contribute  any amount in excess of the amount by which the
total  price  at  which  the  International  Securities  underwritten  by it and
distributed  to the public were offered to the public  exceeds the amount of any
damages which such  International  Manager has otherwise been required to pay by
reason of any such  untrue or alleged  untrue  statement  or omission or alleged
omission.

     No person  guilty of  fraudulent  misrepresentation  (within the meaning of
Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person
who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

     For  purposes  of this  Section  7, each  person,  if any,  who  controls a
International  Manager  within  the  meaning  of  Section  15 of the 1933 Act or
Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same  rights to  contribution  as such
International  Manager,  and each  director of the Company,  each officer of the
Company who signed the  Registration  Statement,  and each  person,  if any, who
controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section
20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company and
each director of a Selling Stockholder,  and each person, if any, who controls a
Selling  Stockholder within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section
20 of the 1934 Act  shall  have the same  rights  to  contribution  as a Selling
Stockholder. The
                                                 31

<PAGE>



International  Managers'  respective  obligations to contribute pursuant to this
Section 7 are several in  proportion to the number of  International  Securities
set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule A hereto and not joint.

     The  provisions of this Section  shall not affect any  agreement  among the
Company and the Selling Stockholders with respect to contribution.

Section 8.  Representations, Warranties and Agreements   to  Survive Delivery.

     All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement,
or in  certificates  of  officers  of the  Company or the  Selling  Stockholders
submitted pursuant hereto,  shall remain operative and in full force and effect,
regardless  of any  investigation  made  by or on  behalf  of any  International
Manager or controlling  person, or by or on behalf of the Company or the Selling
Stockholders,  and shall survive delivery of the International Securities to the
International Managers.

Section 9.  Termination of Agreement.

(a) Termination;  General.

     The Lead Managers may terminate  this  Agreement,  by notice to the Company
and the  Selling  Stockholders,  at any time at or prior to Closing  Time (i) if
there  has been,  since the time of  execution  of this  Agreement  or since the
respective  dates  as  of  which  information  is  given  in  the  International
Prospectus,  any material adverse change, or development involving a prospective
material adverse change,  in the financial  condition,  results of operations or
stockholders'  equity of the  Company  and its  subsidiaries  considered  as one
enterprise,  whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business,  or (ii)
if there has occurred any material  adverse  change in the financial  markets in
the United States,  any outbreak of  hostilities or escalation  thereof or other
calamity or crisis or any change or development  involving a prospective  change
in national or international  political,  financial or economic  conditions,  in
each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Lead
Managers, impracticable to market the Securities or to enforce contracts for the
sale of the Securities, or (iii) if trading in any securities of the Company has
been suspended or limited by the Commission or the Nasdaq National Market, or if
trading  generally on the American Stock Exchange or the New York Stock Exchange
or in the Nasdaq  National  Market has been suspended or limited,  or minimum or
maximum  prices for trading have been fixed,  or maximum  ranges for prices have
been  required,  by any of said  exchanges  or by such system or by order of the
Commission,  the National  Association of Securities Dealers,  Inc. or any other
governmental  authority,  or (iv) if a banking  moratorium  has been declared by
Federal, California, Washington, Oregon or New York authorities.


                                                 32

<PAGE>



(b) Liabilities.

     If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section,  such termination
shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in
Section 4 hereof,  and provided  further that  Sections 1, 6 and 7 shall survive
such termination and remain in full force and effect.

Section 10.  Default  by One or More of the International Managers.

     If one or more of the International  Managers shall fail at Closing Time to
purchase the  Securities  which it or they are obligated to purchase  under this
Agreement (the "Defaulted Securities"),  the Lead Managers shall have the right,
within  24  hours  thereafter,  to  make  arrangements  for  one or  more of the
non-defaulting  International  Managers, or any other underwriters,  to purchase
all, but not less than all, of the  Defaulted  Securities in such amounts as may
be agreed  upon and upon the terms  herein  set  forth;  if,  however,  the Lead
Managers shall not have completed such arrangements  within such 24-hour period,
then:  (a) if the  number of  Defaulted  Securities  does not  exceed 10% of the
number of  International  Securities  to be purchased on such date,  each of the
non-defaulting  International  Managers  shall be  obligated,  severally and not
jointly,  to purchase  the full  amount  thereof in the  proportions  that their
respective   underwriting   obligations   hereunder  bear  to  the  underwriting
obligations of all non-defaulting  International  Managers, or (b) if the number
of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of the number of International Securities to
be purchased on such date, this Agreement shall terminate  without  liability on
the part of any non-defaulting International Manager.

     No action  taken  pursuant to this  Section  shall  relieve any  defaulting
International Manager from liability in respect of its default.

     In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination  of
this Agreement, any of the Lead Managers, the Company or the Selling Stockholder
shall have the right to postpone  Closing Time, for a period not exceeding seven
days, in order to effect any required changes in the  Registration  Statement or
Prospectuses or in any other documents or arrangements. As used herein, the term
"International  Manager"  includes any person  substituted  for a  International
Manager under this Section 10.

Section 11. Default by the FDIC Selling Stockholder.

     If the FDIC  Selling  Stockholder  shall fail at  Closing  Time to sell and
deliver  the  number  of   International   Securities  which  the  FDIC  Selling
Stockholder  is  obligated  to  sell  hereunder,   and  the  remaining   Selling
Stockholders  do not exercise the right hereby granted to increase,  pro rata or
otherwise,  the number of International  Securities to be sold by them hereunder
to the  total  number  to be sold by all  Selling  Stockholders  as set forth in
Schedule B hereto,

                                                 33

<PAGE>



then the  International  Managers  may, at the option of the Lead  Managers,  by
notice from the Lead  Managers  to the  Company  and the  Selling  Stockholders,
terminate   this   Agreement   without  any   liability  on  the  fault  of  any
non-defaulting  party except that the provisions of Sections 1, 4, 6 and 7 shall
remain in full force and effect.

     No action taken  pursuant to this Section 11 shall  relieve the  defaulting
party from liability, if any, in respect of such default.

Section 12. Notices.

     All  notices  and other  communications  hereunder  shall be in writing and
shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard
form of  telecommunication.  Notices  to the  International  Managers  shall  be
directed to the Lead Managers at Merrill Lynch & Co., 10900 Wilshire  Boulevard,
Suite 900, Los Angeles,  California  90024,  attention of Frank McMahon,  with a
copy to Skadden,  Arps, Slate,  Meagher & Flom LLP, 300 South Grand Avenue,  Los
Angeles,  California 90071,  attention of Gregg A. Noel;  notices to the Company
shall  be  directed  to it at 1201  Third  Avenue,  Seattle,  Washington  98101,
attention  of the Senior  Vice  President -  Corporate  Counsel;  notices to the
non-FDIC  Selling  Stockholders  shall be  directed  to Dewey  Ballantine,  1775
Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington D.C. 20006-4605,  attention of John Hughes;
and  notices to the FDIC  Selling  Stockholder  shall be directed to the Federal
Deposit Insurance Corporation,  557 17th Street, N.W.,  Washington,  D.C. 20429,
attention of the General Counsel, with a copy to David Gearin, Senior Counsel.

Section 13. Parties.

     This  Agreement  shall inure to the benefit of and be binding  upon each of
the International  Managers,  the Company and the Selling Stockholders and their
respective  successors and personal  assigns.  Nothing expressed or mentioned in
this  Agreement is intended or shall be  construed  to give any person,  firm or
corporation,  other than the International Managers, the Company and the Selling
Stockholders  and their  respective  successors  and  personal  assigns  and the
controlling  persons and officers and directors  referred to in Sections 6 and 7
and their heirs and legal representatives,  any legal or equitable right, remedy
or  claim  under  or in  respect  of  this  Agreement  or any  provision  herein
contained.  This Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended
to be for the sole and  exclusive  benefit of the  International  Managers,  the
Company and the Selling Stockholders and their respective  successors,  and said
controlling  persons  and  officers  and  directors  and  their  heirs and legal
representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No
purchaser of Securities from any  International  Manager shall be deemed to be a
successor by reason merely of such  purchase,  and neither the term  "successor"
nor the term  "successors and assigns" as used in this Agreement shall be deemed
to include such a purchaser.

                                                 34

<PAGE>




Section 14.  GOVERNING LAW AND TIME.

     THIS  AGREEMENT  SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE  WITH THE
LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK  APPLICABLE TO CONTRACTS  MADE AND TO BE PERFORMED
WITHIN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.  EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SET FORTH  HEREIN,  SPECIFIED
TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.

Section 15.  Effect of Headings;  Interpretation.

     The Article and Section  headings  herein and the Table of Contents are for
convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

     The words  "herein,"  "hereinafter,"  and  "hereunder" and words of similar
import used in this  Agreement  shall refer to this Agreement as a whole and not
to any particular  provision of this Agreement.  The term "person" shall mean an
individual,  partnership,  corporation,  limited liability company,  joint stock
company, trust, unincorporated association,  joint venture, government authority
or other entity of whatever nature.  For purposes of this Agreement,  a business
day means any day on which the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading.

Section 16.  Counterparts.

     This  Agreement  may be  executed in  counterparts,  each of which shall be
deemed an original and all of which when taken together shall constitute one and
the same  agreement.  If signed in  counterparts,  this  Agreement  shall become
effective  when at least one  counterpart  hereof  shall have been  executed and
delivered on behalf of each party hereto. The parties agree that they each shall
accept  counterpart  signatures  from the  other  parties  hereto  by  facsimile
transmission.

                                                 35

<PAGE>



     If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement,
please sign and return to the  Company,  the FDIC  Selling  Stockholder  and the
Attorney-in-Fact a counterpart hereof, whereupon this Agreement,  along with all
counterparts,  will become a binding agreement among the International Managers,
the Company and the Selling Stockholders in accordance with its terms.

                                    Very truly yours,


                                    WASHINGTON MUTUAL, INC.


                                    By: /s/ Craig E. Tall
                                        Name: Craig E. Tall
                                        Title: Executive Vice President


                                    FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION,
                                        AS MANAGER OF THE FSLIC RESOLUTION
                                        FUND


                                    By: /s/ John F. Bovenzi
                                        Name: John F. Bovenzi
                                        Title: Director, Division of
                                               Resolutions and Receiverships


                                    JOHN K. HUGHES


                                    /s/ John K. Hughes

                                    As attorney-in-fact on behalf of the
                                    Non-FDIC Selling Stockholders named
                                    in Schedule B hereto




                                                 36

<PAGE>



CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED, as of the date first above written.

MERRILL LYNCH INTERNATIONAL
FRIEDMAN, BILLINGS, RAMSEY & CO., INC.

By:  MERRILL LYNCH INTERNATIONAL


By: /s/ Alex Sun
   Authorized Signatory

For themselves and as Lead Managers of the other International Managers named in
Schedule A hereto.

                                                 37

<PAGE>



                                    EXHIBIT A

                    OPINION OF THE COMPANY'S SPECIAL COUNSEL
                    TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(b)

               The  opinions of special  counsel for the Company  referred to in
Section 5(b) collectively shall be substantially to the following effect:

(i)            The  Company  has  been  duly  incorporated  and  is an  existing
               corporation  under  the  laws of the  State  of  Washington.  The
               Company  has the  requisite  corporate  power  and  authority  to
               conduct its business in all material respects as described in the
               Prospectuses.

(ii)           WMBfsb is validly  existing as a federal  savings  bank under the
               Federal  laws of the  United  States.  WMBfsb  has the  requisite
               corporate  power and  authority  to conduct  its  business in all
               material respects as described in the Prospectuses.

(iii)          WMB has been duly incorporated and is an existing  corporation in
               good standing under the laws of the State of Washington.  WMB has
               the  requisite  corporate  power and  authority  to  conduct  its
               business  in  all   material   respects  as   described   in  the
               Prospectuses.

(iv)           ASB is  validly  existing  as a federal  savings  bank  under the
               Federal  laws  of  the  United  States.  ASB  has  the  requisite
               corporate  power and  authority  to conduct  its  business in all
               material respects as described in the Prospectuses.

(v)             All of the issued and outstanding  capital stock of WMBfsb, WMB
               and ASB is directly or indirectly owned by the Company,  free and
               clear of any lien,  encumbrance or security interest,  other than
               as described in the Prospectuses.

(vi)           The shares of Common  Stock of the Company  currently  issued and
               outstanding  have been duly authorized and validly issued and are
               fully  paid and  nonassessable.  The  Securities  have  been duly
               authorized   and   validly   issued   and  are  fully   paid  and
               nonassessable. All of such shares are eligible for trading in the
               over-the-counter market reported by the Nasdaq National Market.


                                                 38

<PAGE>



(vii)         The  statements  set forth  under  the  heading  "Description  of
               Capital Stock" in the  Prospectuses,  insofar as such  statements
               purport  to  summarize   certain   provisions  of  the  Company's
               certificate of  incorporation  and by-laws defining the rights of
               holders  of the  Securities,  provide  a  fair  summary  of  such
               provisions  in  all  material  respects.   The  current  form  of
               certificate  for the common stock, no par value per share, of the
               Company  complies  as  to  form  with  the  requirements  of  the
               Washington Business Corporation Act.

(viii)         All regulatory  consents,  authorizations,  approvals and filings
               required to be obtained or made by the Company  under the Federal
               laws of the United States and the laws of the State of Washington
               for the  issuance,  sale and  delivery of the  Securities  by the
               Company to the Selling Stockholders have been obtained or made.

(ix)           The  issuance  of the  Securities  by the  Company to the Selling
               Stockholders  did not (a) violate the  Company's  certificate  of
               incorporation or by-laws, (b) result in a default under or breach
               of any Agreements and  Instruments or (c) violate any Federal law
               of the United States or law of the State of Washington applicable
               to the Company.

(x)            Each  of  the  International  Purchase  Agreement  and  the  U.S.
               Purchase  Agreement  has  been  duly  authorized,   executed  and
               delivered by the Company.

(xi)           The Registration  Statement has been declared effective under the
               1933 Act; any  required  filing of the  Prospectuses  pursuant to
               Rule  424(b)  has been made in the  manner  and  within  the time
               period  required  by  Rule  424(b);  and,  to  the  best  of  our
               knowledge,  no stop order  suspending  the  effectiveness  of the
               Registration  Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement
               has been issued  under the 1933 Act and no  proceedings  for that
               purpose have been  instituted or are pending or threatened by the
               Commission.

(xii)          The Registration  Statement,  including the Rule 430A Information
               and the Rule 434 Information,  as applicable,  the  Prospectuses,
               excluding the documents  incorporated by reference  therein,  and
               each  amendment or supplement to the  Registration  Statement and
               Prospectuses,  excluding the documents  incorporated by reference
               therein,  as of their respective  effective or issue dates (other
               than the financial statements and supporting

                                                 39

<PAGE>



               schedules included therein or omitted  therefrom,  as to which we
               need to express no opinion)  complied as to form in all  material
               aspects  with the  requirements  of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act
               Regulations.

(xiii)         The  documents  incorporated  by  reference  in the  Prospectuses
               (other than the financial  statements  and  supporting  schedules
               included  therein  or  omitted  therefrom,  as to  which  we need
               express no  opinion),  when they became  effective  or were filed
               with the  Commission,  as the case may be, complied as to form in
               all material  respects with the  requirements  of the 1933 Act or
               the 1934 Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the
               Commission thereunder.

(xiv)          To the best of our knowledge,  there is not pending or threatened
               any action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation,  to which
               the  Company  or any  subsidiary  is a  party,  or to  which  the
               property of the Company or any  subsidiary is subject,  before or
               brought by any court or governmental  agency or body, domestic or
               foreign,  which  might  reasonably  be  expected  to  result in a
               Material Adverse Effect, or which might reasonably be expected to
               materially  and  adversely   affect  the   consummation   of  the
               transactions  contemplated  in  the  Purchase  Agreement  or  the
               performance by the Company of its obligations thereunder.


(xv)           The  information  in  the  Prospectuses   under  "Description  of
               Washington   Mutual  Capital   Stock,"  to  the  extent  that  it
               constitutes  matters of law,  summaries  of legal  matters or the
               Company's  charter  and  bylaws,  has been  reviewed by us and is
               correct in all material respects.

     In  addition,  such  counsel  shall  state  that  they  have  reviewed  the
Registration  Statement and the  Prospectuses,  participated in discussions with
the Lead Managers and the representatives of the Company and its accountants and
that,  on  the  basis  of  the  information  gained  in  such  discussions,  the
Registration   Statement,   as  of  the  date  it  became  effective,   and  the
Prospectuses,  as of the date of the Prospectuses,  appeared on their face to be
appropriately  responsive in all material  respects to the  requirements  of the
1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations.  Further, such counsel shall confirm that
nothing that came to their attention in the course of the aforementioned  review
has caused them to believe that the  Registration  Statement,  as of the date it
became  effective,  contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted
to state any material  fact  required to be stated  therein or necessary to make
the statements  therein not misleading or that the Prospectuses,  as of the date
of the

                                                 40

<PAGE>



Prospectuses  and as of the Closing Date,  contained  any untrue  statement of a
material fact or omitted to state any material  fact  necessary in order to make
the statements  therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading.

     The limitations inherent in the independent verification of factual matters
and the character of  determinations  involved in the  registration  process are
such,  however,   that  such  counsel  shall  not  be  required  to  assume  any
responsibility  for the  accuracy,  completeness  or fairness of the  statements
contained in the  Registration  Statement or the  Prospectuses  except for those
made under the captions "Description of Capital Stock" and "Underwriting" in the
Prospectuses   insofar  as  they  relate  to  provisions  of  documents  therein
described.  Also,  such counsel need not express any opinion or belief as to the
financial  statements  or other  financial  data  contained in the  Registration
Statement or the Prospectuses.


                                                 41

<PAGE>



                                   EXHIBIT B-1

         OPINION OF COUNSEL FOR THE NON-FDIC SELLING STOCKHOLDERS,
                    TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(c)


     The  opinion of  special  counsel  for the  non-FDIC  Selling  Stockholders
referred to in Section 5(c) shall be substantially to the following effect:

     1.  Each of the  International  Purchase  Agreement  and the U.S.  Purchase
Agreement has been duly  authorized (if  applicable),  executed and delivered by
each of the non-FDIC Selling Stockholders.

     2. The  Attorney-in-Fact and Custody Agreement has been duly authorized (if
applicable), executed and delivered by each of the non-FDIC Selling Stockholders
and the Attorney-in-Fact,  and is the legal, valid and binding agreement of each
such person enforceable against such person in accordance with its terms.

     3. Upon delivery by the non-FDIC  Selling  Stockholders to the Underwriters
of the Securities  being sold by the non-FDIC Selling  Stockholders  pursuant to
each of the International  Purchase  Agreement and the U.S.  Purchase  Agreement
against payment therefor as provided in the International Purchase Agreement and
the  U.S.  Purchase  Agreement,  respectively,  the  Underwriters  will  own the
Securities  free and clear of any adverse  claim  (within the meaning of Section
8-302 of the New York  Uniform  Commercial  Code).  In rendering  the  foregoing
opinion we have assumed that each  Underwriter  takes delivery of the Securities
in the State of New York in good faith and without notice of any adverse claim.

     4.  Neither  the  execution  and  delivery  of the  International  Purchase
Agreement or the U.S.  Purchase  Agreement nor the sale of the Securities by any
non-FDIC  Selling   Stockholder,   nor  the  consummation  of  the  transactions
contemplated  in the  International  Purchase  Agreement  or the  U.S.  Purchase
Agreement  nor  the  fulfillment  of the  terms  of the  International  Purchase
Agreement  or the U.S.  Purchase  Agreement  has  violated  or will  violate any
provisions of law to which any non-FDIC Selling Stockholder is subject.

     5. To the best of our knowledge, no actions, suits or proceedings before or
by any court or  governmental  agency,  body or  authority,  or  arbitrator  are
pending or  threatened  or  contemplated,  seeking  to  prevent  the sale of the
Securities  being  sold by any  non-FDIC  Selling  Stockholder  pursuant  to the
International Purchase

                                                 42

<PAGE>



Agreement or the U.S. Purchase Agreement or the consummation of the
International Purchase Agreement or the U.S. Purchase Agreement.

     6. To the best of our knowledge  such parts of the  Registration  Statement
and  the  Prospectuses   comprising   information  under  the  caption  "Selling
Stockholders" which specifically relate to the Selling  Stockholders (i) did not
at the date the  Registration  Statement  became  effective,  contain any untrue
statement of a material  fact or omit to state any material  fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements  therein not misleading,  and
(ii)  did not at the  date of the  Prospectuses  and do not on the  date  hereof
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
necessary to make the statements  therein,  in light of the circumstances  under
which they were made, not misleading.

     In rendering  our  opinion,  we have with your  permission  relied as to
factual matters upon  certificates of the several Selling  Stockholders and upon
the  representation  of  the  several  Selling  Stockholders  contained  in  the
International  Purchase Agreement,  the U.S. Purchase Agreement and the power of
Attorney and Custody Agreement.

     In rendering the opinion set forth in paragraph 1 above,  we have with your
permission  assumed that each of the  International  Purchase  Agreement and the
U.S. Purchase Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each
of the respective parties thereto (other than the Selling Stockholders).

     In rendering the opinion set forth in paragraph 4 above,  we have with your
permission assumed that:

                  (x) The Registration  Statement has become effective under the
         Act; any required filing of any Prospectus and any supplements  thereto
         pursuant to Rule 424(b) has been made in the manner and within the time
         period  required  by  Rule  424(b);   no  stop  order   suspending  the
         effectiveness of the Registration  Statement or suspending the offering
         of the Securities has been issued and no proceedings  for such purposes
         have been instituted or threatened.

                  (y) At the time the Registration  Statement became  effective,
         the  Registration  Statement and the  Prospectuses  and each supplement
         thereto  complied  as  to  form  in  all  material  respects  with  the
         applicable  requirements  of the  1933  Act  and the  respective  rules
         thereunder;  and (except as  specifically  addressed by the matters set
         forth in paragraph 6 above) the Registration

                                                 43

<PAGE>



         Statement at the date of its  effectiveness  did not contain any untrue
         statement  of a  material  fact or  omit to  state  any  material  fact
         required  to be stated  therein  or  necessary  to make the  statements
         therein not  misleading and the  Prospectuses  at their date and at the
         Closing Date did not contain or do not contain any untrue  statement of
         a material fact or omit to state a material fact  necessary to make the
         statements  therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
         were made, not misleading.

     We  express  no opinion  other  than as to the  Federal  laws of the United
States of America.

     We are furnishing this opinion letter to you solely for your benefit.  This
opinion letter is not to be used,  circulated,  quoted or otherwise  referred to
for any other purpose.

                                      Very truly yours,




                                                 44

<PAGE>



                                   EXHIBIT B-2

            OPINION OF COUNSEL FOR THE FDIC SELLING STOCKHOLDER,
                    TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(c)


     The  opinion of counsel  for the FDIC  Selling  Stockholder  referred to in
Section 5(c) shall be substantially to the following effect:

     1.  Each of the  International  Purchase  Agreement  and the U.S.  Purchase
Agreement has been duly  authorized,  executed and delivered by the FDIC Selling
Stockholder.

     2. The delivery by the FDIC Selling  Stockholder to the Underwriters of the
Securities  being sold by the FDIC Selling  Stockholder  pursuant to each of the
International Purchase Agreement and the U.S. Purchase Agreement against payment
therefor  as  provided  in the  International  Purchase  Agreement  and the U.S.
Purchase  Agreement,  respectively,  will  convey  good and  valid  title to the
Securities  being  sold  to the  Underwriters  free  and  clear  of  all  liens,
encumbrances, security interests, restrictions and claims whatsoever.

     3.  Neither  the  execution  and  delivery  of the  International  Purchase
Agreement or the U.S.  Purchase  Agreement nor the sale of the Securities by the
FDIC Selling Stockholder,  nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated
in the International  Purchase  Agreement or the U.S. Purchase Agreement nor the
fulfillment  of the terms of the  International  Purchase  Agreement or the U.S.
Purchase  Agreement  has  violated  or will  violate  any  provisions  of law as
administered by the FDIC to which the FDIC Selling Stockholder is subject.

     4. The FDIC Selling Stockholder has the statutory authority to execute each
of the International Purchase Agreement and the U.S. Purchase Agreement pursuant
to 12 U.S.C. ss. 1821a, and to sell, assign, transfer and deliver the Securities
being sold by the FDIC Selling Stockholder pursuant to each of the International
Purchase Agreement and the U.S. Purchase Agreement in the manner provided for in
each of the International Purchase Agreement and the U.S. Purchase Agreement, to
perform its obligation under each of the  International  Purchase  Agreement and
the  U.S.  Purchase  Agreement  and to take  all  other  actions  in  connection
therewith.

     5. No actions,  suits or proceedings before or by any court or governmental
agency,  body or  authority,  or  arbitrator  are pending or, to the best of our
knowledge,  threatened  or  contemplated,  seeking  to  prevent  the sale of the
Securities being sold

                                                 45

<PAGE>



by the FDIC Selling Stockholder pursuant to the International Purchase Agreement
or the U.S. Purchase Agreement or the consummation of the International Purchase
Agreement or the U.S. Purchase Agreement.

     6. To the best of my knowledge such parts of the Registration Statement and
the Prospectuses comprising information under the caption "Selling Stockholders"
which  specifically  relate to the FDIC Selling  Stockholder  (i) did not at the
date the Registration  Statement became effective,  contain any untrue statement
of a material  fact or omit to state any  material  fact  required  to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and (ii) did
not at the date of the  Prospectuses  and do not on the date hereof  contain any
untrue  statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact  necessary
to make the statements  therein,  in light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading.

     In rendering  the opinion set forth in paragraph 1 above,  I have with your
permission  assumed that each of the  International  Purchase  Agreement and the
U.S. Purchase Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each
of the respective parties thereto (other than the FDIC Selling Stockholder).

     In rendering  the opinion set forth in paragraph 4 above,  I have with your
permission assumed that:

                  (x) The Registration  Statement has become effective under the
         Act; any required filing of any Prospectus and any supplements  thereto
         pursuant to Rule 424(b) has been made in the manner and within the time
         period  required  by  Rule  424(b);   no  stop  order   suspending  the
         effectiveness of the Registration  Statement or suspending the offering
         of the Securities has been issued and no proceedings  for such purposes
         have been instituted or threatened.

                  (y) At the time the Registration  Statement became  effective,
         the  Registration  Statement and the  Prospectuses  and each supplement
         thereto  complied  as  to  form  in  all  material  respects  with  the
         applicable  requirements  of the  1933  Act  and the  respective  rules
         thereunder;  and (except as  specifically  addressed by the matters set
         forth in paragraph 6 above) the  Registration  Statement at the date of
         its  effectiveness  did not contain any untrue  statement of a material
         fact or omit to state any material fact  required to be stated  therein
         or  necessary to make the  statements  therein not  misleading  and the
         Prospectuses  at their date and at the Closing  Date did not contain or
         do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state
         a material fact

                                                 46

<PAGE>



         necessary  to  make  the  statements  therein,  in  the  light  of  the
         circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

     I express no opinion other than as to the Federal laws of the United States
of America.

     I am furnishing  this opinion  letter to you solely for your benefit.  This
opinion letter is not to be used,  circulated,  quoted or otherwise  referred to
for any other purpose.

                                         Very truly yours,



                                                 47

<PAGE>



                                   SCHEDULE A

                                                  Number of International
Name of International Manager                    Securities to be Purchased



Merrill Lynch International...........................1,017,500
Friedman, Billings, Ramsey & Co., Inc.................1,017,500
Bayerische Landesbank Girozentrale.......................75,000
Fox-Pitt, Kelton N.V.....................................75,000
Union Bancaire Privee....................................75,000

Total ................................................2,260,000

                                     Sch A-1

<PAGE>



                                   SCHEDULE B




                                                     Number of International
Selling Stockholder                                  Securities to be Sold

FDIC Selling Stockholder

     FSLIC Resolution Fund                               2,168,661

Non-FDIC Selling Stockholders

     President and Fellows of Harvard College               49,684

     William E. Oberndorf                                   15,490

     Barry R. Jackson                                       11,618

     William P. Hallman, Jr.                                 6,007

     KHI Associates, L.P.                                    5,611

     26 Savings Associates, L.P.                             2,929
                                                   ------------------

                           Total                         2,260,000




                                     Sch B-1

<PAGE>


                                   SCHEDULE C

                             WASHINGTON MUTUAL, INC.
                      2,260,000 Shares of Common Stock
                            (No Par Value Per Share)



                  1.  The  initial  public  offering  price  per  share  for the
International   Securities,   determined   as  provided  in  Section  2  of  the
International Purchase Agreement, shall be $47.50.

                  2.  The  purchase  price  per  share  for  the   International
Securities to be paid by the several  International  Managers  shall be $46.55
being an amount equal to the initial public  offering price set forth above less
an amount of $0.95 per share, representing the underwriting discount set forth
on page 1 of the International Prospectus.


                                     Sch C-1

<PAGE>


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