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TRUST AGREEMENT
This TRUST AGREEMENT, dated as of May __, 1997 (this "Trust
Agreement"), among (i) STERLING FINANCIAL CORPORATION, a Washington corporation
(the "Depositor"), and (ii) BANKERS TRUST (DELAWARE), a Delaware banking
corporation (the "Trustee"). The Depositor and the Trustee hereby agree as
follows:
1. The trust created hereby (the "Trust") shall be known as "Sterling
Capital Trust I" in which name the Trustee, or the Depositor to the extent
provided herein, may engage in the transactions contemplated hereby, make and
execute contracts, and xxx and be sued.
2. The Depositor hereby assigns, transfers conveys and sets over to the
Trustee the sum of $10. The Trustee hereby acknowledges receipt of such amount
in trust from the Depositor, which amount shall constitute the initial trust
estate. The Trustee hereby declares that it will hold the trust estate in trust
for the Depositor. It is the intention of the parties hereto that the Trust
created hereby constitute a business trust under Chapter 38 of Title 12 of the
Delaware Code, 12 Del. C. Section 3801, et seq. (the "Business Trust Act"), and
that this document constitutes the governing instrument of the Trust. The
Trustee is hereby authorized and directed to execute and file a certificate of
trust with the Delaware Secretary of State in accordance with the provisions of
the Business Trust Act.
3. The Depositor and the Trustee will enter into an amended and
restated Trust Agreement, satisfactory to each such party and substantially in
the form included as an exhibit to the 1933 Act Registration Statement (as
defined below), to provide for the contemplated operation of the Trust created
hereby and the issuance of the Preferred Securities and Common Securities
referred to therein. Prior to the execution and delivery of such amended and
restated Trust Agreement, the Trustee shall not have any duty or obligation
hereunder or with respect to the trust estate, except as otherwise required by
applicable law or as may be necessary to obtain prior to such execution and
delivery of any licenses, consents or approvals required by applicable law or
otherwise.
4. The Depositor and the Trustee hereby authorize and direct the
Depositor, as the sponsor of the Trust, (i) to file with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "Commission") and execute, in each case on behalf of
the Trust, (a) the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the "1933 Act
Registration Statement"), including any pre-effective or post-effective
amendments to the 1933 Act Registration Statement, relating to the registration
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, of the Preferred Securities of the
Trust and possibly certain other securities and (b) a Registration Statement on
Form 8-A (the "1934 Act Registration Statement") (including all pre-effective
and post-effective amendments thereto) relating to the registration of the
Preferred Securities of the Trust under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended; (ii) to file with the New York Stock Exchange or any other national
stock exchange or The Nasdaq National Market (each, an "Exchange") and execute
on behalf of the Trust one or more listing applications and all other
applications, statements, certificates, agreements and other instruments as
shall be necessary or desirable to cause the Preferred Securities to be listed
on any of the Exchanges; (iii) to file and execute on behalf of the Trust such
applications, reports, surety bonds, irrevocable consents, appointments of
attorney for service of process and other papers and documents as shall be
necessary or desirable to register the Preferred Securities under the securities
or blue sky laws
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of such jurisdictions as the Depositor, on behalf of the Trust, may deem
necessary or desirable and (iv) to execute on behalf of the Trust that certain
Underwriting Agreement relating to the Preferred Securities, among the Trust,
the Depositor and the several Underwriters named therein, substantially in the
form included as an exhibit to the 1933 Act Registration Statement. In
connection with the filings referred to above, the Depositor hereby constitutes
and appoints Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx and Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx, and each of them, as its true
and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and
resubstitution, for the Depositor or in the Depositor's name, place and stead,
in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including
post-effective amendments) to the 1933 Act Registration Statement and the 1934
Act Registration Statement and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and
other documents in connection therewith, with the Commission, the Exchange and
administrators of state securities or blue sky laws, granting unto said
attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do and perform each and
every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith,
as fully to all intents and purposes as the Depositor might or could to in
person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and
agents or any of them, or their respective substitute or substitutes, shall do
or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
5. This Trust Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts.
6. The number of Trustees initially shall be one (1) and thereafter the
number of Trustees shall be such number as shall be fixed from time to time by a
written instrument signed by the Depositor which may increase or decrease the
number of Trustees; provided, however, that to the extent required by the
Business Trust Act, one Trustee shall either be a natural person who is a
resident of the State of Delaware or, if not a natural person, an entity which
has its principal place of business in the State of Delaware and otherwise meets
the requirements of applicable Delaware law. Subject to the foregoing, the
Depositor is entitled to appoint or remove without cause any Trustee at any
time. The Trustees may resign upon thirty (30) days' prior notice to the
Depositor.
7. This Trust Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in
accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware (without regard to conflict
of laws of principles).
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Trust Agreement
to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.
STERLING FINANCIAL CORPORATION
as Depositor
By: ________________________________
Name:
Title:
BANKERS TRUST (DELAWARE),
as Trustee
By: ________________________________
Name:
Title:
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