CONSULTANT AGREEMENT


          This Agreement, dated as of the 1st day of January,
1998, by and between STANLEY J. LESNIK, residing at 24 Springhill
Drive, in the Township of West Orange, County of Essex, and State
of New Jersey (herein referred to as "Lesnik") and BROAD NATIONAL
BANCORPORATION, a corporation organized under the laws of New
Jersey (herein referred to as "Bancorporation"), with principal
offices at 905 Broad Street, in the City of Newark, County of
Essex, and State of New Jersey.

          WITNESSETH:

          WHEREAS, Bancorporation is the owner of all of the
outstanding shares of Broad National Bank, a national banking
association organized under the laws of the United States of
America (the "Employing Subsidiary" or the "Bank"); and

          WHEREAS, Lesnik has served as the Chairman of the Board
of Directors and the Chief Executive Officer of the Employing
Subsidiary and of Bancorporation; and

          WHEREAS, the leadership and productivity of Lesnik have
significantly contributed to the growth and financial security of
Bancorporation and the Employing Subsidiary; and

          WHEREAS, Bancorporation and the Employing Subsidiary
desire that Lesnik continue his activities on behalf of the
Employing Subsidiary as a consultant, officer and, if elected,
director, and Lesnik has agreed to continue to service
Bancorporation and the Employing Subsidiary pursuant to the terms
and conditions of this Employment Agreement.

          NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of mutual covenants
hereinafter set forth, the parties agree as follows:

          1.   Employment, Term and Compensation.  Bancorporation
agrees to employ Lesnik and Lesnik hereby accepts and agrees to
be a consultant for Bancorporation and the Subsidiary for the
term, in the capacities, at the compensation and in accordance
with the terms and conditions of this and the following
paragraphs of this Agreement:

               A.   The term hereunder shall be a period of
     three (3) years commencing January 1, 1998 and ending
     December 31, 2000.  In the event of a sale of all or
     substantially all of the assets of Bancorporation or
     the merger or consolidation of Bancorporation with any
     other institution during the term of this Agreement,
     following which the holders of a majority of the voting
     stock in the surviving entity shall be persons other
     than those who owned a majority of the voting stock of
     Bancorporation immediately prior to such transaction,
     then <PAGE> the term of this Agreement shall be extended to a
     date ending three (3) years from the effective date of
     any such sale or merger.  Any such transaction is
     referred to herein as a "Control Change".

               B.   Lesnik shall serve as a Special
     Consultant to Bancorporation and the Employing
     Subsidiary and shall be reasonably available to
     management to provide to their respective officers and
     key personnel the benefit of his experience and
     judgment and to establish, produce and continue
     important customer banking relationships.

               C.   Bancorporation or the Employing
     Subsidiary shall compensate Lesnik for his services as
     a Special Consultant to Bancorporation and the
     Employing Subsidiary at the rate of One Hundred Ten
     Thousand Dollars ($110,000) a year, payable monthly in
     arrears during the initial term and any extended term
     hereof.

               D.   Lesnik, if elected, shall serve as a
     member of the Board of Directors and of the Executive
     Committee of Bancorporation and the Employing
     Subsidiary at no additional compensation.

               E.   In addition to all other compensation
     payable to Lesnik during the term of this Agreement,
     Bancorporation or the Employing Subsidiary shall pay to
     Lesnik, or provide for his benefit such medical and
     dental insurance benefits as Bancorporation and the
     Employing Subsidiary provide to any other personnel of
     Bancorporation or the Subsidiary.

               F.   The provisions of the Consultant
     Agreement between Lesnik and Bancorporation dated as of
     November 16, 1995 shall be superseded by this Agreement
     as of January 1, 1998.

          2.   Termination of Employment.  This Agreement shall
be terminated prior to the expiration of its term upon the date
of the first to occur of the following events:

               A.   A determination by Lesnik's physician
     and by a physician designated by Bancorporation or the
     Subsidiary that Lesnik shall not be able to
     substantially perform the services required for his
     consultantship as set forth in subparagraph B of
     paragraph 1 because of a physical or mental illness or
     injury and such disability prevents Lesnik from
     substantially performing the services required for his
     employment for a period of six consecutive months.  If
     the two physicians cannot agree, they shall select a
     third physician and the determination of the majority
     of them shall prevail.  If the two physicians shall not
     agree on the selection of a third physician within
     thirty (30) days of their disagreement, the third
     physician shall be such physician as shall be selected
     by the Essex <PAGE> County Medical Society or by the Chief of
     Medicine of the New Jersey College of Medicine and
     Dentistry, in that order.

               B.   The death of Lesnik.

          3.   Compensation After Termination of Agreement.

               A.   If this Agreement shall be terminated
     because of Lesnik's disability as determined in
     accordance with subparagraph A of paragraph 2, or if
     Lesnik shall determine to retire from his position as a
     consultant, Bancorporation or the Subsidiary shall pay
     to Lesnik, or to his legal representative, fifty
     percent (50%) of the compensation as would otherwise be
     payable to Lesnik for the remainder of the term of this
     Agreement in accordance with subparagraph C of
     paragraph 1, provided that the amount of such payment
     shall be reduced by an amount equal to any insurance
     benefits actually paid under any disability policy
     maintained and paid for by Bancorporation or the
     Subsidiary and provided, further, that if Lesnik shall
     retire or become disabled following a Control Change,
     then, in lieu of fifty percent (50%) of the
     compensation which would otherwise be payable during
     the remainder of the term hereof, he shall be entitled
     to eighty-five (85%) of such compensation. If any
     disability insurance payments actually made to Lesnik
     exceed the amount of compensation provided herein, such
     excess may be retained by Lesnik.  Any retirement
     payments made hereunder shall be paid during the
     remainder of the term hereof, or until ninety (90) days
     following Lesnik's death, whichever shall first occur.

               B.   If services of Lesnik shall terminate
     prior to the expiration of the term hereof, because of
     his death, Bancorporation or the Subsidiary shall pay
     to his surviving widow, but if she is not surviving,
     then to his legal representative, compensation at the
     applicable rate set forth in subparagraph C of
     paragraph 1 for a period of ninety (90) days after his
     death.

               C.   So long as Lesnik shall be receiving
     payments hereunder, Bancorporation shall continue to
     provide medical insurance for Lesnik and his wife at
     Bancorporation's cost in such amounts and on such terms
     as are provided for other employees.  Thereafter, if
     under the terms of Bancorporation's or the Bank's
     health insurance plan Lesnik and/or his wife are
     eligible for inclusion, such insurance shall be made
     available to them at their cost.

          4.   Additional Benefits.  Bancorporation and the
Subsidiary recognize that it is essential to the satisfactory
performance by Lesnik of his duties and responsibilities that
Bancorporation and the Subsidiary, at their cost, provide him
with certain facilities and the <PAGE> Subsidiary or Bancorporation
incur certain expenses during the period of his employment as
follows:

               A.   An office commensurate with his
     position, and a secretary, as he may require.

               B.   Use of a Bank vehicle.

               C.   Reimbursement for reasonable expenses
     incurred by him for business travel and entertainment
     any and other expenses relating to Bancorporation's or
     the Subsidiary's businesses, as may be incurred by him.

          5.   Termination of Employment and/or Payments Without
Benefits.

               A.   In the event that during the term
     hereof, Lesnik shall fail on a continuing basis to
     perform consulting services hereunder substantially as
     such services were performed during the two years prior
     to the date hereof, the Board of Directors of
     Bancorporation may notify Lesnik of such failure,
     stating those areas in which the Board shall have
     determined that Lesnik's performance shall have been
     deficient.  If within 60 days thereafter Lesnik shall
     not have corrected the deficiency, the Board may place
     Lesnik on retirement and he shall thereafter receive
     only the amount provided herein for such retirement.

               B.   If at any time during the period that
     Lesnik shall be receiving payments (including
     retirement payments) under this Agreement he shall
     engage in competition against the Bank and shall fail
     to discontinue such competition within thirty (30) days
     after written notice of demand by the Bank to
     discontinue such competition, then Bancorporation shall
     not be required to make any further payments under this
     Agreement.

          6.   Automatic Extension.  This Agreement shall be
extended automatically for one additional year on each December
31 during the term hereof or any extended term unless on or
before December 1 of any year during the term hereof or any
extended term, Bancorporation shall notify Lesnik that it has
elected not to extend such term or Lesnik shall have notify
Bancorporation that he desires that such term not be extended.

          7.   Entire Agreement.  This writing shall constitute
the entire Agreement of the parties as to the employment and
compensation of Lesnik by Bancorporation and the Employing
Subsidiary and shall supersede any and all prior agreements and
understandings, whether they be oral or in writing.



<PAGE>



          8.   Severability.  If any provision hereof shall be
determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be
unenforceable, such determination shall not affect the validity
or enforceability of the remaining provisions hereof.

          9.   Governing Law.  This Agreement shall be binding
upon the parties hereto, and all persons who succeed to their
rights and obligations such as their successors and permitted
assigns, and it shall be construed in accordance with the laws of
and in the Courts of New Jersey.

          IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Bancorporation has caused this
Agreement to be signed and sealed by its duly authorized officers
and Lesnik has signed and sealed this Agreement.

ATTEST:                       BROAD NATIONAL BANCORPORATION


/s/ Fred S. Campo             By:   /s/ Donald M. Karp
Fred S. Campo                      Donald M. Karp, Chairman
Secretary                          and Chief Executive Officer

WITNESS:

                                   /s/ Stanley J. Lesnik
______________________        Stanley J. Lesnik