EXHIBIT 4.3
TRUST AGREEMENT
This TRUST AGREEMENT, dated as of April 29, 1997 (this "Trust
Agreement"), among (i) GREATER COMMUNITY BANCORP, a New Jersey 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 "GCB
Capital Trust" 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 $1. 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, 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-2 (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 Nasdaq National Market or any national stock
exchange (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 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 Underwriter 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. Xxxxx and C. Xxxx Xxxxxxxx, 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 do 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 principles.)
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Trust
Agreement to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.
GREATER COMMUNITY BANCORP
as Depositor
By: /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx
----------------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Title: President and Chief Operating
Officer
BANKERS TRUST (DELAWARE),
as Trustee
By: /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
----------------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Title: President
CERTIFICATE OF TRUST
OF
GCB CAPITAL TRUST
This Certificate of Trust is being executed as of April 29,
1997 for the purpose of organizing a business trust pursuant to the Delaware
Business Trust Act, 12 Del. C. Sections 3801 et seq. (the "Act").
The undersigned hereby certifies as follows:
1. Name. The name of the business trust is "GCB Capital
Trust" (the "Trust").
2. Delaware Trustee. The name and business address of
the Delaware resident trustee of the Trust meeting the requirements of Section
3807 of the Act are as follows:
Bankers Trust (Delaware)
0000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
3. Effective. This Certificate of Trust shall be
effective immediately upon filing in the Office of the Secretary of State of
the State of Delaware.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, being all of the
trustees of the Trust, have duly executed this Certificate of Trust as of
the day and year first above written.
BANKERS TRUST (DELAWARE)
as Delaware Trustee
By: /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
----------------------------
Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Title: President
