Contract
Exhibit
99.4
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Rebuttal
of Rebuttable Determination of Control Under Part 574
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I.
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WHEREAS:
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A.
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COMMUNITY
FIRST FINANCIAL GROUP, INC. ("Acquiror") seeks to
acquire 269,000 shares of common stock, par value $.01 per share ("Common Stock"), of
XXXXXXXXXX WEST FINANCIAL GROUP, INC., 000 Xxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxxx ("Xxxxxxxxxx"), which
shares will represent 4.4% of a class of "voting stock" of Xxxxxxxxxx as
defined under the Acquisition of Control Regulations ("Regulations") of the
Office of Thrift Supervision ("Office"), 12 CFR part
574 ("Voting
Stock").
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B.
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Xx.
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx is the Chairman of the Board of Directors and the
principal shareholder of the Acquiror beneficially owning 1,265,766 shares
of common stock, without par value, of Acquiror, which constitutes 73.7%
of a class of the voting stock of Acquiror.
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C.
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Xx.
Xxxxxxx also owns 1,094,212 shares of Common Stock of Xxxxxxxxxx (some of
which he acquired through Wyandotte Community Corporation of Leavenworth,
Indiana, and the Xxxxxxx Family Trust), or 17.8% of Xxxxxxxxxx'x shares
following the proposed acquisition of 269,000 shares by the
Acquiror. He does not currently intend to purchase any more
shares of Common Stock.
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D.
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Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxx is a director of CFFG and of Wyandotte Community Corporation of
Leavenworth. He owns 131,979 shares of Common Stock, or 2.2% of
Xxxxxxxxxx'x shares following the proposed acquisition of 269,000 shares
by the Acquiror. He does not currently intend to purchase any
more shares of Common Stock.
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E.
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If
Acquiror purchases the Shares, Acquiror, Xx. Xxxxxxx, and Xx. Xxxxxx
(collectively, the "Shareholders")
collectively will own 1,495,191 shares of Common Stock, or 24.4% of
Xxxxxxxxxx'x outstanding shares of Common Stock. While the
Shareholders may purchase additional shares of Common Stock of Xxxxxxxxxx
in the future, the shares owned by them after any such acquisition,
together with the Shares, will not exceed in the aggregate collectively
25% of Xxxxxxxxxx'x outstanding shares of Common Stock.
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X.
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Xxxxxxxxxx
is a "savings and loan holding company, and therefore is included in the
definition of "savings association" within the meaning of the
Regulations.
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G.
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Acquiror
does not seek to acquire the Shares for the purpose or effect of changing
the control of Xxxxxxxxxx or in connection with or as a participant in any
transaction having such purpose or effect.
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H.
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The
Regulations require a company or a person who intends to hold 10 % or more
but not in excess of 25% of any class of Voting Stock of a savings
association or holding company thereof and that also would possess any of
the Control Factors specified in the Regulations, to file and obtain
approval of an application ("Application") under the
Savings and Loan Holding Company Act ("Holding Company Act"),
12 U.S.C. 1467a, or file and obtain clearance of a notice ("Notice") under the
Change in Control Act ("Control Act"), 12 U.S.C.
1817(j), prior to acquiring such amount of stock and a Control Factor
unless the rebuttable determination of control has been
rebutted.
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I.
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Under
the Regulations, Acquiror would be determined to be in control, subject to
rebuttal, of Xxxxxxxxxx upon acquisition of the Shares.
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J.
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Acquiror
has no intention to manage or control, directly or indirectly,
Xxxxxxxxxx.
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K.
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Acquiror
has filed on April 3, 2008, a written statement seeking to rebut the
determination of control, attached hereto and incorporated by reference
herein.
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L.
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In
order to rebut the rebuttable determination of control, Acquiror agrees to
offer this Agreement as evidence that the acquisition of the Shares as
proposed would not constitute an acquisition of control under the
Regulations.
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II.
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The
Office has determined, and hereby agrees, to act favorably on the
Rebuttal, and in consideration of such a determination and agreement by
the Office to act favorably on the Rebuttal, Acquiror and any other
existing, resulting or successor entities of Acquiror agree with the
Office that:
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A.
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Unless
Acquiror shall have filed a Notice under the Control Act, or an
Application under the Holding Company Act, as appropriate, and either
shall have obtained approval of the Application or clearance of the Notice
in accordance with the Regulations, Acquiror will not, except as expressly
permitted otherwise herein or pursuant to an amendment to this Rebuttal
Agreement:
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1.
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Seek
or accept representation of more than one member of the board of directors
of Xxxxxxxxxx or its wholly-owned subsidiary Los Padres Bank, FSB, which
is a federal savings bank regulated and supervised by the Office ("Los
Padres");
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2.
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Have
or seek to have any representative serve as the chairman of the board of
directors, or chairman of an executive or similar committee of
Xxxxxxxxxx'x or Los Padres' boards of directors or as president or chief
executive officer of Xxxxxxxxxx or Los Padres;
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3.
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Engage
in any intercompany transaction with Xxxxxxxxxx or Xxxxxxxxxx'x affiliates
(including Los Padres);
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4.
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Propose
a director in opposition to nominees proposed by the management of
Xxxxxxxxxx or Los Padres for the board of directors of Xxxxxxxxxx or Los
Padres other than as permitted in paragraph A-1;
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5.
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Solicit
proxies or participate in any solicitation of proxies with respect to any
matter presented to the stockholders of Xxxxxxxxxx or Los Padres other
than in support of, or in opposition to, a solicitation conducted on
behalf of management of Xxxxxxxxxx or Los Padres;
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6.
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Do
any of the following, except as necessary solely in connection with
Acquiror's performance of duties as a member of Xxxxxxxxxx'x or Los
Padres' boards of directors:
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a.
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Influence
or attempt to influence in any respect the loan and credit decisions or
policies of Xxxxxxxxxx or Los Padres, the pricing of services, any
personnel decisions, the location of any offices, branching, the hours of
operation or similar activities of Xxxxxxxxxx or Los
Padres;
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b.
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Influence
or attempt to influence the dividend policies and practices of Xxxxxxxxxx
or Los Padres or any decisions or policies of Xxxxxxxxxx or Los Padres as
to the offering or exchange of any securities;
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c.
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Seek
to amend, or otherwise take action to change, the bylaws, articles of
incorporation, or charters of Xxxxxxxxxx or Los Padres;
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d.
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Exercise,
or attempt to exercise, directly or indirectly, control or a controlling
influence over the management, policies or business operations of
Xxxxxxxxxx or Los Padres; or
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e.
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Seek
or accept access to any non-public information concerning Xxxxxxxxxx or
Los Padres.
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B.
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C.
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Acquiror
shall not assist, aid or abet any of Xxxxxxxxxx'x affiliates or associates
that are not parties to this Agreement to act, or act in concert with any
person or company, in a manner which is inconsistent with the terms hereof
or which constitutes an attempt to evade the requirements of this
Agreement.
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D.
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Any
amendment to this Agreement shall only be proposed in connection with an
amended rebuttal filed by Acquiror with the Office for its
determination.
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E.
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Prior
to acquisition of any shares of "Voting Stock" of Xxxxxxxxxx as defined in
the Regulations in excess of 25% of a class of voting stock, any required
filing will be made by Acquiror under the Control Act or the Holding
Company Act and either approval of the acquisition under the Holding
Company Act shall be obtained from the Office or any Notice filed under
the Control Act shall be cleared in accordance with the
Regulations.
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F.
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At
any time during which 10% or more of any class of Voting Stock of
Xxxxxxxxxx is owned or controlled by Acquiror, no action which is
inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement shall be taken by
Acquiror until Acquiror files and either obtains from the Office a
favorable determination with respect to either an amended rebuttal,
approval of an Application under the Holding Company Act, or clearance of
a Notice under the Control Act, in accordance with the
Regulations.
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G.
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Where
any amended rebuttal filed by Acquiror is denied or disapproved, Acquiror
shall take no action which is inconsistent with the terms of this
Agreement, except after either (1) reducing the amount of shares of Voting
Stock of Xxxxxxxxxx owned or controlled by Acquiror to an amount under 10%
of a class of Voting Stock, or immediately ceasing any other actions that
give rise to a conclusive or rebuttable determination of control under the
Regulations; or (2) filing a Notice under the Control Act, or an
Application under the Holding Company Act, as appropriate, and either
obtaining approval of the Application or clearance of the Notice, in
accordance with the Regulations.
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H.
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Where
any Application or Notice filed by Acquiror is disapproved, Acquiror shall
take no action which is inconsistent with the terms of this Agreement,
except after reducing the amount of shares of Voting Stock of Xxxxxxxxxx
owned or controlled by Acquiror to an amount under 10% of any class of
Voting Stock, or immediately ceasing any other actions that give rise to a
conclusive or rebuttable determination of control under the
Regulations.
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I.
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Should
circumstances beyond Acquiror's control result in Acquiror being placed in
a position to direct the management or policies of Xxxxxxxxxx, then
Acquiror shall either (1) promptly file an Application under the Holding
Company Act or a Notice under the Control Act, as appropriate, and take no
affirmative steps to enlarge that control pending either a final
determination with respect to the Application or Notice, or (2) promptly
reduce the amount of shares of Xxxxxxxxxx Voting Stock owned or controlled
by Acquiror to an amount under 10% of any class of Voting Stock or
immediately cease any actions that give rise to a conclusive or rebuttable
determination of control under the Regulations.
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J.
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By
entering into this Agreement and by offering it for reliance in reaching a
decision on the request to rebut the presumption of control under the
Regulations, as long as 10 % or more of any class of Voting Stock of
Xxxxxxxxxx is owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by Acquiror,
and Acquiror possesses any Control Factor as defined in the Regulations,
Acquiror will submit to the jurisdiction of the Regulations, including (1)
the filing of an amended rebuttal or Application or Notice for any
proposed action which is prohibited by this Agreement, and (2) the
provisions relating to a penalty for any person who willfully violates or
with reckless disregard for the safety or soundness of a savings
association participates in a violation of the Holding Company Act and the
Regulations thereunder, and any regulation or order issued by the
Office.
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K.
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Any
violation of this Agreement shall be deemed to be a violation of the
Holding Company Act and the Regulations, and shall be subject to such
remedies and procedures as are provided in the Holding Company Act and the
Regulations for a violation thereunder and in addition shall be subject to
any such additional remedies and procedures as are provided under any
other applicable statutes or regulations for a violation, willful or
otherwise, of any agreement entered into with the
Office.
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III.
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This
Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall
be deemed an original but all of which counterparts collectively shall
constitute one instrument representing the Agreement among the parties
thereto. It shall not be necessary that any one counterpart be signed by
all of the parties hereto as long as 1each of the parties has signed at
least one counterpart.
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IV.
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This
Agreement shall be interpreted in a manner consistent with the provisions
of the Rules and Regulations of the Office.
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V.
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This
Agreement shall terminate upon (i) the approval by the Office of
Acquiror's Application under the Holding Company Act or clearance by the
Office of Acquiror's Notice under the Control Act to acquire Xxxxxxxxxx,
and consummation of the transaction as described in such Application or
Notice, (ii) in the disposition by Acquiror of a sufficient number of
shares of Xxxxxxxxxx, or (iii) the taking of such other action that
thereafter Acquiror is not in control and would not be determined to be in
control of Xxxxxxxxxx under the Control Act, the Holding Company Act or
the Regulations of the Office as in effect at that
time.
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IN
WITNESS THEREOF, the parties thereto have executed this Agreement by their
duly authorized officer.
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COMMUNITY
FIRST FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.
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By:
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/s/
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
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Print:
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Xxxxxx
X. Xxxxxx
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Its:
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Chief
Executive Officer
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OFFICE
OF THRIFT SUPERVISION
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By:
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/s/
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxx
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Print:
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Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxx
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Its:
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Assistant
Director
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April
16, 2008
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