<PAGE>   1



                                                                     EXHIBIT 4.1

================================================================================








                             FIRST BUSEY CORPORATION



                                       and



                            WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY,
                                   as Trustee



                                    INDENTURE



                     ____% SUBORDINATED DEBENTURES DUE 2031





                            Dated as of June __, 2001






================================================================================




<PAGE>   2



                                TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION                                       HEADING                       PAGE

ARTICLE I             DEFINITIONS.............................................2

       Section 1.1.   Definitions of Terms....................................2

ARTICLE II            ISSUE, DESCRIPTION, TERMS, CONDITIONS, REGISTRATION
                      AND EXCHANGE OF THE DEBENTURE..........................10

       Section 2.1    Designation and Principal Amount.......................10
       Section 2.2.   Maturity...............................................10
       Section 2.3.   Form and Payment.......................................11
       Section 2.4.   [Intentionally Omitted]................................11
       Section 2.5.   Interest...............................................11
       Section 2.6.   Execution and Authentication...........................12
       Section 2.7.   Registration of Transfer and Exchange..................13
       Section 2.8.   Temporary Debentures...................................14
       Section 2.9.   Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Debentures........14
       Section 2.10.  Cancellation...........................................15
       Section 2.11.  Benefit of Indenture...................................15
       Section 2.12.  Authentication Agent...................................15

ARTICLE III           REDEMPTION OF DEBENTURES...............................16

       Section 3.1.   Redemption.............................................16
       Section 3.2.   Special Event Redemption...............................16
       Section 3.3.   Optional Redemption by the Company.....................17
       Section 3.4.   Notice of Redemption...................................17
       Section 3.5.   Payment upon Redemption................................18
       Section 3.6.   No Sinking Fund........................................19

ARTICLE IV            EXTENSION OF INTEREST PAYMENT PERIOD...................19

       Section 4.1.   Extension of Interest Payment Period...................19
       Section 4.2.   Notice of Extension....................................19
       Section 4.3.   Limitation on Transactions.............................20

ARTICLE V             PARTICULAR COVENANTS OF THE COMPTON....................20

       Section 5.1.   Payment of Principal and Interest......................20
       Section 5.2.   Maintenance of Agency..................................21
       Section 5.3.   Paying Agents..........................................21
       Section 5.4.   Appointment to Fill Vacancy in Office of the Trustee...22
       Section 5.5.   Compliance with Consolidation Provisions...............22
       Section 5.6.   Limitation on Transactions.............................22
       Section 5.7.   Covenants as to the Trust..............................23
       Section 5.8.   Covenants as to Purchases..............................23

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       Section 5.9.   Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws................23

ARTICLE VI            THE DEBENTUREHOLDERS' LISTS AND REPORTS BY THE
                      COMPANY AND THE TRUSTEE................................24

       Section 6.1.   The Company to Furnish the Trustee Names and
                          Addresses of the Debentureholders..................24
       Section 6.2.   Preservation of Information Communications with
                          the Debentureholders...............................24
       Section 6.3.   Reports by the Company.................................24
       Section 6.4.   Reports by the Trustee.................................25

ARTICLE VII           REMEDIES OF THE TRUSTEE AND DEBENTUREHOLDERS ON
                      EVENT OF DEFAULT.......................................25

       Section 7.1.   Events of Default......................................25
       Section 7.2.   Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement
                         by the Trustee......................................27
       Section 7.3.   Application of Money Collected.........................28
       Section 7.4.   Limitation on Suits....................................28
       Section 7.5.   Rights and Remedies Cumulative; Delay or Omission
                         not Waiver..........................................29
       Section 7.6.   Control by the Debentureholders........................30
       Section 7.7.   Undertaking to Pay Costs...............................30
       Section 7.8.   Direct Action; Right of Set-Off........................31

ARTICLE VIII          FORM OF THE DEBENTURE AND ORIGINAL ISSUE...............31

       Section 8.1.   Form of Debenture......................................31
       Section 8.2.   Original Issue of the Debentures.......................31

ARTICLE IX            CONCERNING THE TRUSTEE.................................31

       Section 9.1.   Certain Duties and Responsibilities of the Trustee.....31
       Section 9.2.   Notice of Defaults.....................................32
       Section 9.3.   Certain Rights of the Trustee..........................33
       Section 9.4.   The Trustee not Responsible for Recitals, Etc..........34
       Section 9.5.   May Hold the Debentures................................34
       Section 9.6.   Money Held in Trust....................................34
       Section 9.7.   Compensation and Reimbursement.........................35
       Section 9.8.   Reliance on Officers' Certificate......................35
       Section 9.9.   Disqualification; Conflicting Interests................35
       Section 9.10.  Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility................35
       Section 9.11.  Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor......36
       Section 9.12.  Acceptance of Appointment by Successor.................37
       Section 9.13.  Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession
                         to Business.........................................37
       Section 9.14.  Preferential Collection of Claims against the
                         Company.............................................38



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ARTICLE X             CONCERNING THE DEBENTUREHOLDERS........................38

       Section 10.1.  Evidence of Action by the Holders......................38
       Section 10.2.  Proof of Execution by the Debentureholders.............38
       Section 10.3.  Who May be Deemed Owners...............................39
       Section 10.4.  Certain Debentures Owned by Company Disregarded........39
       Section 10.5.  Actions Binding on the Future Debentureholders.........39

ARTICLE XI            SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES................................40

       Section 11.1.  Supplemental Indentures without the Consent of the
                         Debentureholders....................................40
       Section 11.2.  Supplemental Indentures with Consent of the
                         Debentureholders....................................41
       Section 11.3.  Effect of Supplemental Indentures......................41
       Section 11.4.  The Debentures Affected by Supplemental Indentures.....42
       Section 11.5.  Execution of Supplemental Indentures...................42
       Section 11.6.  Preservation of Registered Debentures..................42

ARTICLE XII           SUCCESSOR CORPORATION..................................42

       Section 12.1.  The Company may Consolidate, Etc.......................42
       Section 12.2.  Successor Corporation Substituted......................43
       Section 12.3.  Evidence of Consolidation, Etc. to Trustee.............43

ARTICLE XIII          SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE.............................43

       Section 13.1.  Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture................43
       Section 13.2.  Discharge of Obligations...............................44
       Section 13.3.  Deposited Money to be Held in Trust....................44
       Section 13.4.  Payment of Monies Held by Paying Agents................44
       Section 13.5.  Repayment to the Company...............................45

ARTICLE XIV           IMMUNITY OF INCORPORATORS, STOCKHOLDERS, OFFICERS
                      AND DIRECTOR...........................................45

       Section 14.1.  No Recourse............................................45

ARTICLE XV            MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS...............................45

       Section 15.1.  Effect on Successors and Assigns.......................45
       Section 15.2.  Actions by Successor...................................46
       Section 15.3.  Surrender of the Company Powers........................46
       Section 15.4.  Notices................................................46
       Section 15.5.  Governing Law..........................................46
       Section 15.6.  Treatment of the Debentures as Debt....................46
       Section 15.7.  Compliance Certificates and Opinions...................46
       Section 15.8.  Payments on Business Days..............................47
       Section 15.9.  Conflict with Trust Indenture Act......................47


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<PAGE>   5

       Section 15.10. Counterparts...........................................47
       Section 15.11. Separability...........................................47
       Section 15.12. Assignment.............................................47
       Section 15.13. Acknowledgment of Rights; Right of Setoff..............47

ARTICLE XVI           SUBORDINATION OF THE DEBENTURE.........................48

       Section 16.1.  Agreement to Subordinate...............................48
       Section 16.2.  Default on Senior Indebtedness.........................48
       Section 16.3.  Liquidation; Dissolution; Bankruptcy...................49
       Section 16.4.  Subrogation............................................50
       Section 16.5.  The Trustee to Effectuate Subordination................51
       Section 16.6.  Notice by the Company..................................51
       Section 16.7.  Rights of the Trustee; Holders of the Senior
                         Indebtedness........................................51
       Section 16.8.  Subordination May Not Be Impaired......................52









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                              CROSS-REFERENCE TABLE

SECTION OF
TRUST INDENTURE ACT                                            SECTION OF
OF 1939, AS AMENDED                                             INDENTURE

310(a)................................................................9.10
310(b)...........................................................9.9, 9.11
310(c)......................................................Not Applicable
311(a)................................................................9.14
311(b)................................................................9.14
311(c)......................................................Not Applicable
312(a)........................................................ 6.1, 6.2(a)
312(b)............................................................. 6.2(c)
312(c)............................................................. 6.2(c)
313(a)............................................................. 6.4(a)
313(b)............................................................. 6.4(b)
313(c)......................................................6.4(a), 6.4(b)
313(d)..............................................................6.4(c)
314(a)..............................................................6.3(a)
314(b)......................................................Not Applicable
314(c)................................................................15.7
314(d)......................................................Not Applicable
314(e)................................................................15.7
314(f)......................................................Not Applicable
315(a).........................................................9.1(a), 9.3
315(b).................................................................9.2
315(c)..............................................................9.1(a)
315(d)..............................................................9.1(b)
315(e).................................................................7.7
316(a)............................................................1.1, 7.6
316(b)..............................................................7.4(b)
316(c).............................................................10.1(b)
317(a).................................................................7.2
317(b).................................................................5.3
318(a)................................................................15.9

Note:    This reconciliation and tie sheet shall not, for any purpose, be deemed
         to be a part of the Indenture.





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<PAGE>   7



                                    INDENTURE

         Indenture, dated as of June __, 2001, between FIRST BUSEY CORPORATION,
a Nevada corporation (the "Company") and WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY, a Delaware
banking corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of
Delaware, as trustee (the "Trustee");

                                     RECITAL

         WHEREAS, for its lawful corporate purposes, the Company has duly
authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the
issuance of securities to be known as its ___% Subordinated Debentures due 2031
(hereinafter referred to as the "Debentures"), the form and substance of such
Debentures and the terms, provisions and conditions thereof to be set forth as
provided in this Indenture;

         WHEREAS, First Busey Capital Trust I, a Delaware statutory business
trust (the "Trust"), has offered to the public $70,000,000 aggregate liquidation
amount of its Preferred Securities (as defined herein) ($23,000,000 if the
Underwriters exercise their Option (as defined herein)) and proposes to invest
the proceeds from such offering, together with the proceeds of the issuance and
sale by the Trust to the Company of $618,560 aggregate liquidation amount of its
Common Securities (as defined herein) ($711,340 if the Underwriters exercise
their Option), in $20,618,560 aggregate principal amount of the Debentures
($23,711,340 if the Underwriters exercise their Option);

         WHEREAS, the Company has requested that the Trustee execute and deliver
this Indenture;

         WHEREAS, all requirements necessary to make this Indenture a valid
instrument in accordance with its terms, and to make the Debentures, when
executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee, the
valid obligations of the Company, have been performed, and the execution and
delivery of this Indenture have been duly authorized in all respects;

         WHEREAS, to provide the terms and conditions upon which the Debentures
are to be authenticated, issued and delivered, the Company has duly authorized
the execution of this Indenture; and

         WHEREAS, all things necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement
of the Company, in accordance with its terms, have been done.

         NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the purchase of
the Debentures by the holders thereof, it is mutually covenanted and agreed as
follows for the equal and ratable benefit of the holders of the Debentures:



<PAGE>   8




                                    ARTICLE I

                                   DEFINITIONS

         Section 1.1. Definitions of Terms. The terms defined in this Section
1.1 (except as in this Indenture otherwise expressly provided or unless the
context otherwise requires) for all purposes of this Indenture and of any
indenture supplemental hereto shall have the respective meanings specified in
this Section 1.1 and shall include the plural as well as the singular. All other
terms used in this Indenture that are defined in the Trust Indenture Act, or
that are by reference in the Trust Indenture Act defined in the Securities Act
(except as herein otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise
requires), shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Trust Indenture
Act and in the Securities Act as in force at the date of the execution of this
instrument. All accounting terms used herein and not expressly defined shall
have the meanings assigned to such terms in accordance with Generally Accepted
Accounting Principles.

         "Accelerated Maturity Date" means if the Company elects to accelerate
the Maturity Date in accordance with Section 2.2(b), the date selected by the
Company which is prior to the Scheduled Maturity Date, but is after June __,
2006.

         "Additional Junior Indebtedness" means, without duplication, any
indebtedness, liabilities or obligations of the Company, or any Affiliate of the
Company, (a) pursuant to the issuance of debt securities (or guarantees in
respect of debt securities) initially issued to any trust, or a trustee of a
trust, partnership or other entity affiliated with the Company that is, directly
or indirectly, a financing vehicle of the Company or any Affiliate of the
Company in connection with the issuance by that entity of preferred securities
or other securities that are intended to qualify for Tier 1 capital treatment
(or the then equivalent thereof) for purposes of the capital adequacy guidelines
of the Federal Reserve, as then in effect and applicable to the Company, other
than the Debentures; provided, however, that the inability of the Company to
treat all or any portion of the Additional Junior Indebtedness as Tier 1 capital
shall not disqualify it as Additional Junior Indebtedness if such inability
results from the Company having cumulative preferred stock, minority interests
in consolidated subsidiaries, or any other class of security or interest which
the Federal Reserve now or may hereafter accord Tier 1 capital treatment
(including the Debentures) in excess of the amount which may qualify for
treatment as Tier 1 capital under applicable capital adequacy guidelines of the
Federal Reserve, (b) that is junior or otherwise subordinate in right of payment
to Senior Indebtedness of the Company, and (c) that has a maturity or is
otherwise due and payable by the Company on a date twelve (12) months or more
after its date of original issuance, other than the Debentures.

         "Additional Payments" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
2.5(c).

         "Additional Senior Obligations" means all indebtedness of the Company
whether incurred on or prior to the date of this Indenture or thereafter
incurred, for claims in respect of derivative products such as interest and
foreign exchange rate contracts, commodity contracts and similar arrangements;
provided, however, that Additional Senior Obligations does not include claims in
respect of Senior Debt or Subordinated Debt or obligations which, by their





                                      -2-
<PAGE>   9


terms, are expressly stated to be not superior in right of payment to the
Debentures or to rank pari passu in right of payment with the Debentures. For
purposes of this definition, "claim" shall have the meaning assigned thereto in
Section 101(4) of the United States Bankruptcy Code of 1978, as amended.

         "Administrative Trustees" shall have the meaning set forth in the Trust
Agreement.

         "Affiliate" means, with respect to a specified Person, (a) any Person
directly or indirectly owning, controlling or holding with power to vote 10% or
more of the outstanding voting securities or other ownership interests of the
specified Person; (b) any Person 10% or more of whose outstanding voting
securities or other ownership interests are directly or indirectly owned,
controlled or held with power to vote by the specified Person; (c) any Person
directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with
the specified Person; (d) a partnership in which the specified Person is a
general partner; (e) any officer or director of the specified Person; and (f) if
the specified Person is an individual, any entity of which the specified Person
is an officer, director or general partner.

         "Authenticating Agent" means an authenticating agent with respect to
the Debentures appointed by the Trustee pursuant to Section 2.12.

         "Bankruptcy Law" means Title 11, U.S. Code, or any similar federal or
state law for the relief of debtors.

         "Board of Directors" means the Board of Directors of the Company or any
duly authorized committee of such Board.

         "Board Resolution" means a copy of a resolution certified by the
Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company to have been duly adopted by
the Board of Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of such
certification.

         "Business Day" means, with respect to the Debentures, any day other
than a Saturday or a Sunday or a day on which federal or state banking
institutions in the Borough of Manhattan, the City of New York, are authorized
or required by law, executive order or regulation to close, or a day on which
the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or the Property Trustee is closed for
business.

         "Capital Treatment Event" means the receipt by the Company and the
Trust of an Opinion of Counsel, rendered by a law firm having a recognized bank
regulatory practice within a reasonable period of time after the applicable
occurrence, to the effect that, as a result of any amendment to or change
(including any announced prospective change) in the laws (or any regulations
thereunder) of the United States or any political subdivision thereof or
therein, or as a result of any official or administrative pronouncement, action
or judicial decision interpreting or applying such laws or regulations, which
amendment or change is effective or, which pronouncement, action or judicial
decision is announced on or after the date of issuance of the Preferred
Securities under the Trust Agreement, there is more than an insubstantial risk
of impairment of the Company's ability to treat the aggregate Liquidation Amount
of the Preferred




                                      -3-
<PAGE>   10



Securities (or any substantial portion thereof) as "Tier 1 Capital" (or the then
equivalent thereof) for purposes of the capital adequacy guidelines of the
Federal Reserve, as then in effect and applicable to the Company.

         "Certificate" means a certificate signed by the principal executive
officer, the principal financial officer, the principal accounting officer, the
treasurer or any vice president of the Company. The Certificate need not comply
with the provisions of Section 15.7.

         "Change in 1940 Act Law" shall have the meaning set forth in the
definition of "Investment Company Event."

         "Commission" means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time
to time constituted, created under the Exchange Act, or, if at any time after
the execution of this instrument such Commission is not existing and performing
the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act, then the body
performing such duties at such time.

         "Common Securities" means undivided beneficial interests in the assets
of the Trust which rank pari passu with the Preferred Securities; provided,
however, that upon the occurrence and during the continuation of an Event of
Default, the rights of holders of Common Securities to payment in respect of (a)
distributions, and (b) payments upon liquidation, redemption and otherwise, are
subordinated to the rights of holders of Preferred Securities.

         "Company" means First Busey Corporation, a corporation duly organized
and existing under the laws of the State of Nevada, and, subject to the
provisions of Article XII, shall also include its successors and assigns.

         "Compounded Interest" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.1.

         "Corporate Trust Office" means the office of the Trustee at which, at
any particular time, its corporate trust business shall be principally
administered, which office at the date hereof is located at Rodney Square North,
1100 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19890-0001, Attention: Corporate
Trust Department.

         "Coupon Rate" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.5(a).

         "Custodian" means any receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator, or
similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.

         "Debentures" shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals hereto.

         "Debentureholder," "holder of Debentures," "registered holder," or
other similar term, means the Person or Persons in whose name or names a
particular Debenture shall be registered on the books of the Company or the
Trustee kept for that purpose in accordance with the terms of this Indenture.

         "Debenture Register" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
2.7(b).



                                      -4-
<PAGE>   11

         "Debenture Registrar" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
2.7(b).

         "Debt" means with respect to any Person, whether recourse is to all or
a portion of the assets of such Person and whether or not contingent, (a) every
obligation of such Person for money borrowed; (b) every obligation of such
Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or other similar instruments,
including obligations incurred in connection with the acquisition of property,
assets or businesses; (c) every reimbursement obligation of such Person with
respect to letters of credit, bankers' acceptances or similar facilities issued
for the account of such Person; (d) every obligation of such Person issued or
assumed as the deferred purchase price of property or services (but excluding
trade accounts payable or accrued liabilities arising in the ordinary course of
business); (e) every capital lease obligation of such Person; and (f) and every
obligation of the type referred to in clauses (a) through (e) of another Person
and all dividends of another Person the payment of which, in either case, such
Person has guaranteed or is responsible or liable, directly or indirectly, as
obligor or otherwise.

         "Default" means any event, act or condition that with notice or lapse
of time, or both, would constitute an Event of Default.

         "Deferred Payments" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.1.

         "Direct Action" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.8.

         "Dissolution Event" means that as a result of the occurrence and
continuation of a Special Event, the Trust is to be dissolved in accordance with
the Trust Agreement and the Debentures held by the Property Trustee are to be
distributed to the holders of the Trust Securities issued by the Trust pro rata
in accordance with the Trust Agreement.

         "Distribution" shall have the meaning set forth in the Trust Agreement.

         "Event of Default" shall have the meaning specified in Section 7.1.

         "Exchange Act," means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,
as in effect at the date of execution of this Indenture.

         "Extension Period" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.1.

         "Federal Reserve" means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
System.

         "Generally Accepted Accounting Principles" means such accounting
principles as are generally accepted at the time of any computation required
hereunder.

         "Governmental Obligations" means securities that are (a) direct
obligations of the United States of America for the payment of which its full
faith and credit is pledged; or (b) obligations of a Person controlled or
supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of
America, the payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and
credit obligation by the United States of America that, in either




                                      -5-
<PAGE>   12

case, are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof,
and shall also include a depository receipt issued by a bank (as defined in
Section 3(a)(2) of the Securities Act) as custodian with respect to any such
Governmental Obligation or a specific payment of principal of or interest on
any such Governmental Obligation held by such custodian for the account
of the holder of such depositary receipt; provided, however, that (except as
required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from
the amount payable to the holder of such depositary receipt from any amount
received by the custodian in respect of the Governmental Obligation or the
specific payment of principal of or interest on the Governmental Obligation
evidenced by such depositary receipt.

         "Herein," "hereof," and "hereunder," and other words of similar import,
refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or
other subdivision.

         "Indenture" means this instrument as originally executed or as it may
from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures
supplemental hereto entered into in accordance with the terms hereof.

         "Interest Payment Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
2.5(a).

         "Investment Company Act," means the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended, as in effect at the date of execution of this Indenture.

         "Investment Company Event" means the receipt by the Trust and the
Company of an Opinion of Counsel, rendered by a law firm having a recognized tax
and securities law practice within a reasonable period of time after the
applicable occurrence, to the effect that, as a result of the occurrence of a
change in law or regulation or a change in interpretation or application of law
or regulation by any legislative body, court, governmental agency or regulatory
authority (a "Change in 1940 Act Law"), the Trust is or shall be considered an
"investment company" that is required to be registered under the Investment
Company Act, which Change in 1940 Act Law becomes effective on or after the date
of original issuance of the Preferred Securities under the Trust Agreement.

         "Maturity Date" means the date on which the Debentures mature and on
which the principal shall be due and payable together with all accrued and
unpaid interest thereon including Compounded Interest and Additional Payments,
if any.

         "Ministerial Action" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.2.

         "Officers' Certificate" means a certificate signed by the President or
a Vice President and by the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer or the
Controller or an Assistant Controller or the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary
of the Company that is delivered to the Trustee in accordance with the terms
hereof. Each such certificate shall include the statements provided for in
Section 15.7, if and to the extent required by the provisions thereof.

         "Opinion of Counsel" means an opinion in writing of independent,
outside legal counsel for the Company, that is delivered to the Trustee in
accordance with the terms hereof. Each such


                                      -6-
<PAGE>   13


opinion shall include the statements provided for in Section 15.7, if and to the
extent required by the provisions thereof.

         "Outstanding," when used with reference to the Debentures, means,
subject to the provisions of Section 10.4, as of any particular time, all
Debentures theretofore authenticated and delivered by the Trustee under this
Indenture, except (a) Debentures theretofore canceled by the Trustee or any
Paying Agent, or delivered to the Trustee or any Paying Agent for cancellation
or that have previously been canceled; (b) Debentures or portions thereof for
the payment or redemption of which money or Governmental Obligations in the
necessary amount shall have been deposited in trust with the Trustee or with any
Paying Agent (other than the Company) or shall have been set aside and
segregated in trust by the Company (if the Company shall act as its own Paying
Agent); provided, however, that, if such Debentures or portions of such
Debentures are to be redeemed prior to the maturity thereof, notice of such
redemption shall have been given as in Article III provided, or provision
satisfactory to the Trustee shall have been made for giving such notice; and (c)
Debentures in lieu of or in substitution for which other Debentures shall have
been authenticated and delivered pursuant to the terms of Section 2.7; provided,
however, that in determining whether the holders of the requisite percentage of
Debentures have given any request, notice, consent or waiver hereunder,
Debentures held by the Company or any Affiliate of the Company shall not be
included; provided, further, that the Trustee shall be protected in relying upon
any request, notice, consent or waiver unless a Responsible Officer of the
Trustee shall have actual knowledge that the holder of such Debenture is the
Company or an Affiliate thereof.

         "Paying Agent" means any paying agent or co-paying agent appointed
pursuant to Section 5.3.

         "Person" means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint-venture,
limited liability company, trust, joint-stock company, unincorporated
organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

         "Predecessor Debenture" means every previous Debenture evidencing all
or a portion of the same debt as that evidenced by such particular Debenture;
and, for the purposes of this definition, any Debenture authenticated and
delivered under Section 2.9 in lieu of a lost, destroyed or stolen Debenture
shall be deemed to evidence the same debt as the lost, destroyed or stolen
Debenture.

         "Preferred Securities" means the ___% Cumulative Trust Preferred
Securities representing undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the
Trust which rank pari passu with Common Securities issued by the Trust;
provided, however, that upon the occurrence and during the continuation of an
Event of Default, the rights of holders of Common Securities to payment in
respect of (a) distributions, and (b) payments upon liquidation, redemption and
otherwise, are subordinated to the rights of holders of Preferred Securities.

         "Preferred Securities Guarantee" means any guarantee that the Company
may enter into with the Trustee or other Persons that operates directly or
indirectly for the benefit of holders of Preferred Securities.


                                      -7-
<PAGE>   14


         "Property Trustee" has the meaning set forth in the Trust Agreement.

         "Redemption Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.2.

         "Responsible Officer" when used with respect to the Trustee means any
officer within the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee with direct
responsibility for the administration of this Indenture, including any vice
president, any assistant vice president, any assistant secretary or any other
officer or assistant officer of the Trustee who customarily performs functions
similar to those performed by the Persons who at the time shall be such
officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred
because of his or her knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject.

         "Scheduled Maturity Date" means June __, 2031.

         "Securities Act," means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, as in
effect at the date of execution of this Indenture.

         "Senior Debt" means the principal of (and premium, if any) and
interest, if any (including interest accruing on or after the filing of any
petition in bankruptcy or for reorganization relating to the Company whether or
not such claim for post-petition interest is allowed in such proceeding), on all
Debt, whether incurred on or prior to the date of this Indenture or thereafter
incurred, unless, in the instrument creating or evidencing the same or pursuant
to which the same is outstanding, it is provided that such obligations are not
superior in right of payment to the Debentures or to other Debt which is pari
passu with, or subordinated to, the Debentures; provided, that Senior Debt shall
not be deemed to include (a) any Debt of the Company which when incurred and
without respect to any election under section 1111(b) of the United States
Bankruptcy Code of 1978, as amended, was without recourse to the Company; (b)
any Debt of the Company owed to any of its non-bank subsidiaries; (c) the
Guarantee Agreement; (d) Debt to any employee of the Company; (e) Debt which by
its terms is subordinated to trade accounts payable or accrued liabilities
arising in the ordinary course of business to the extent that payments made to
the holders of such Debt by the holders of the Debentures as a result of the
subordination provisions of this Indenture would be greater than they otherwise
would have been as a result of any obligation of such holders to pay amounts
over to the obligees on such trade accounts payable or accrued liabilities
arising in the ordinary course of business as a result of subordination
provisions to which such Debt is subject; and (f) Debt which constitutes
Subordinated Debt.

         "Senior Indebtedness" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 16.1.

         "Special Event" means a Tax Event, a Capital Treatment Event or an
Investment Company Event.

         "Subordinated Debt" means the principal of (and premium, if any) and
interest, if any (including interest accruing on or after the filing of any
petition in bankruptcy or for reorganization relating to the Company whether or
not such claim for post-petition interest is allowed in such proceeding), on
Debt (other than the Debentures), whether incurred on or prior


                                      -8-
<PAGE>   15

to the date of this Indenture or thereafter incurred, which is by its terms
expressly provided to be junior and subordinate to other Debt of the Company
(other than the Debentures); provided, however, that Subordinated Debt will not
be deemed to include (a) any Debt of the Company which when incurred and without
respect to any election under section 1111(b) of the United States Bankruptcy
Code of 1978, as amended, was without recourse to the Company, (b) any Debt of
the Company owed to any of its subsidiaries, (c) any Debt owed to any employee
of the Company, (d) any Debt which by its terms is subordinated to trade
accounts payable or accrued liabilities arising in the ordinary course of
business to the extent that payments made to the holders of such Debt by the
holders of the Subordinated Debentures as a result of the subordination
provisions of the Indenture would be greater than they otherwise would have been
as a result of any obligation of such holders to pay amounts over to the
obligees on such trade accounts payable or accrued liabilities arising in the
ordinary course of business as a result of subordination provisions to which
such Debt is subject, (e) Debt which constitutes Senior Debt and (f) any Debt of
the Company under debt securities (and guarantees in respect of these debt
securities) initially issued to any trust, or a trustee of a trust, partnership
or other entity affiliated with the Company that is, directly or indirectly, a
financing vehicle of the Company in connection with the issuance by that entity
of preferred securities or other securities which are intended to qualify for
Tier 1 capital treatment.

         "Subsidiary" means, with respect to any Person, (a) any corporation at
least a majority of whose outstanding Voting Stock shall at the time be owned,
directly or indirectly, by such Person or by one or more of its Subsidiaries or
by such Person and one or more of its Subsidiaries; (b) any general partnership,
limited liability company, joint venture, trust or similar entity, at least a
majority of whose outstanding partnership or similar interests shall at the time
be owned by such Person, or by one or more of its Subsidiaries, or by such
Person and one or more of its Subsidiaries; and (c) any limited partnership of
which such Person or any of its Subsidiaries is a general partner.

         "Tax Event" means the receipt by the Company and the Trust of an
Opinion of Counsel, rendered by a law firm having a recognized federal tax and
securities law practice within a reasonable amount of time after the applicable
occurrence, to the effect that, as a result of any amendment to, or change
(including any announced prospective change) in, the laws (or any regulations
thereunder) of the United States or any political subdivision or taxing
authority thereof or therein, or as a result of any official administrative
pronouncement or judicial decision interpreting or applying such laws or
regulations, which amendment or change is effective or which pronouncement or
decision is announced on or after the date of issuance of the Preferred
Securities under the Trust Agreement, there is more than an insubstantial risk
that (a) the Trust is, or shall be within 90 days after the date of such Opinion
of Counsel, subject to United States federal income tax with respect to income
received or accrued on the Debentures; (b) interest payable by the Company on
the Debentures is not, or within 90 days after the date of such Opinion of
Counsel, shall not be, deductible by the Company, in whole or in part, for
United States federal income tax purposes; or (c) the Trust is, or shall be
within 90 days after the date of such Opinion of Counsel, subject to more than a
de minimis amount of other taxes, duties, assessments or other governmental
charges; provided, however, that the Trust or the Company shall have requested
and received such an Opinion of Counsel with regard to such matters within a
reasonable period of time after the Trust or the Company shall have become aware
of the



                                      -9-
<PAGE>   16


occurrence or the possible occurrence of any of the events described in clauses
(a) through (c) above.

         "Trust" means First Busey Capital Trust I, a Delaware statutory
business trust.

         "Trust Agreement" means the Amended and Restated Trust Agreement, dated
as of June __, 2001, of the Trust.

         "Trustee" means Wilmington Trust Company and, subject to the provisions
of Article IX, shall also include its successors and assigns, and, if at any
time there is more than one Person acting in such capacity hereunder, "Trustee"
shall mean each such Person.

         "Trust Indenture Act," means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as
amended, subject to the provisions of Sections 11.1, 11.2, and 12.1, as in
effect at the date of execution of this Indenture.

         "Trust Securities" means the Common Securities and Preferred
Securities, collectively.

         "Voting Stock," as applied to stock of any Person, means shares,
interests, participations or other equivalents in the equity interest (however
designated) in such Person having ordinary voting power for the election of a
majority of the directors (or the equivalent) of such Person, other than shares,
interests, participations or other equivalents having such power only by reason
of the occurrence of a contingency.


                                   ARTICLE II

     ISSUE, DESCRIPTION, TERMS, CONDITIONS, REGISTRATION AND EXCHANGE OF THE
                                   DEBENTURES

         Section 2.1. Designation and Principal Amount. There is hereby
authorized Debentures designated the "____ % Subordinated Debentures due 2031,"
limited in aggregate principal amount up to $23,711,340, which amount - shall be
as set forth in any written order of the Company for the authentication and
delivery of Debentures pursuant to Section 2.6.

         Section 2.2.    Maturity.  (a) The Maturity Date shall be either:

                   (i)     the Scheduled Maturity Date; or

                  (ii)     if the Company elects to accelerate the Maturity Date
         to be a date prior to the Scheduled Maturity Date in accordance with
         Section 2.2(c), the Accelerated Maturity Date.

         (b) The Company may at any time before the day which is 90 days before
the Scheduled Maturity Date and after June __, 2006, elect to shorten the
Maturity Date only once to the Accelerated Maturity Date provided that the
Company has received the prior approval of the



                                      -10-
<PAGE>   17

Federal Reserve if then required under applicable capital guidelines, policies
or regulations of the Federal Reserve.

         (c) If the Company elects to accelerate the Maturity Date in accordance
with Section 2.2(b), the Company shall give notice to the Trustee and the Trust
(unless the Trust is not the holder of the Debentures, in which case the Trustee
will give notice to the holders of the Debentures) of the acceleration of the
Maturity Date and the Accelerated Maturity Date at least 30 days and no more
than 180 days before the Accelerated Maturity Date; provided, however, that
nothing provided in this Section 2.2 shall limit the Company's rights, as
provided in Article III hereof, to redeem all or a portion of the Debentures at
such time or times on or after June __, 2006, as the Company may so determine,
or at any time upon the occurrence of a Special Event.

         Section 2.3. Form and Payment. The Debentures shall be issued in fully
registered certificated form without interest coupons. Principal and interest on
the Debentures issued in certificated form shall be payable, the transfer of
such Debentures shall be registrable and such Debentures shall be exchangeable
for Debentures bearing identical terms and provisions at the office or agency of
the Trustee; provided, however, that payment of interest may be made at the
option of the Company by check mailed to the holder at such address as shall
appear in the Debenture Register or by wire transfer to an account maintained by
the holder as specified in the Debenture Register, provided that the holder
provides proper transfer instructions by the regular record date.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, so long as the holder of any Debentures is the
Property Trustee, the payment of principal of and interest (including Compounded
Interest and Additional Payments, if any) on such Debentures held by the
Property Trustee shall be made at such place and to such account as may be
designated by the Property Trustee.

         Section 2.4. [Intentionally Omitted].

         Section 2.5. Interest. (a) Each Debenture shall bear interest at a rate
of ___% per annum (the "Coupon Rate") from the original date of issuance of the
first Debenture issued under this Indenture until the principal thereof becomes
due and payable, and on any overdue principal and (to the extent that payment of
such interest is enforceable under applicable law) on any overdue installment of
interest at the Coupon Rate, compounded quarterly, payable (subject to the
provisions of Article IV) quarterly in arrears on March 30, June 30, September
30, and December 30 of each year (each, an "Interest Payment Date"), commencing
on September 30, 2001, to the Person in whose name such Debenture or any
Predecessor Debenture is registered, at the close of business on the regular
record date for such interest installment, which shall be the fifteenth day of
the last month of the calendar quarter.

         (b) The amount of interest payable for any period shall be computed on
the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months. The amount of interest
payable for any period shorter than a full quarterly period for which interest
is computed shall be computed on the basis of the number of days elapsed in a
360-day year of twelve 30-day months. In the event that any date on which
interest is payable on the Debentures is not a Business Day, then payment of
interest payable on such date shall be made on the next succeeding day which is
a Business Day (and without any interest or other payment in respect of any such
delay) except that, if such Business Day is in the next succeeding calendar
year, such payment shall be made on the immediately


                                      -11-
<PAGE>   18


preceding Business Day (and without any reduction of interest or any other
payment in respect of any such acceleration), in each case with the same force
and effect as if made on the date such payment was originally payable.

         (c) If, at any time while the Property Trustee is the holder of any
Debentures, the Trust or the Property Trustee is required to pay any taxes,
duties, assessments or governmental charges of whatever nature (other than
withholding taxes) imposed by the United States, or any other taxing authority,
then, in any case, the Company shall pay as additional payments ("Additional
Payments") on the Debentures held by the Property Trustee, such additional
amounts as shall be required so that the net amounts received and retained by
the Trust and the Property Trustee after paying such taxes, duties, assessments
or other governmental charges shall be equal to the amounts the Trust and the
Property Trustee would have received had no such taxes, duties, assessments or
other government charges been imposed.

         Section 2.6. Execution and Authentication. (a) The Debentures shall be
signed on behalf of the Company by its Chief Executive Officer, President or one
of its Vice Presidents, under its corporate seal attested by its Secretary or
one of its Assistant Secretaries. Signatures may be in the form of a manual or
facsimile signature. The Company may use the facsimile signature of any Person
who shall have been a Chief Executive Officer, President or Vice President
thereof, or of any Person who shall have been a Secretary or Assistant Secretary
thereof, notwithstanding the fact that at the time the Debentures shall be
authenticated and delivered or disposed of such Person shall have ceased to be
the Chief Executive Officer, President or a Vice President, or the Secretary or
an Assistant Secretary, of the Company (and any such signature shall be binding
on the Company). The seal of the Company may be in the form of a facsimile of
such seal and may be impressed, affixed, imprinted or otherwise reproduced on
the Debentures. The Debentures may contain such notations, legends or
endorsements required by law, stock exchange rule or usage. Each Debenture shall
be dated the date of its authentication by the Trustee.

         (b) A Debenture shall not be valid until manually authenticated by an
authorized signatory of the Trustee, or by an Authenticating Agent. Such
signature shall be conclusive evidence that the Debenture so authenticated has
been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder and that the holder is entitled
to the benefits of this Indenture.

         (c) At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery
of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Debentures executed by the Company to
the Trustee for authentication, together with a written order of the Company for
the authentication and delivery of such Debentures signed by its Chief Executive
Officer, President or any Vice President and its Treasurer or any Assistant
Treasurer, and the Trustee in accordance with such written order shall
authenticate and deliver such Debentures.

         (d) In authenticating such Debentures and accepting the additional
responsibilities under this Indenture in relation to such Debentures, the
Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to Section 9.1) shall be
fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating that the form and
terms thereof have been established in conformity with the provisions of this
Indenture.



                                      -12-
<PAGE>   19

         (e) The Trustee shall not be required to authenticate such Debentures
if the issue of such Debentures pursuant to this Indenture shall affect the
Trustee's own rights, duties or immunities under the Debentures and this
Indenture or otherwise in a manner that is not reasonably acceptable to the
Trustee.

         Section 2.7. Registration of Transfer and Exchange. (a) Debentures may
be exchanged upon presentation thereof at the office or agency of the Company
designated for such purpose in the Borough of Manhattan, the City of New York,
or at the office of the Debenture Registrar, for other Debentures and for a like
aggregate principal amount in denominations of integral multiples of $10, upon
payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge in
relation thereto, all as provided in this Section 2.7. In respect of any
Debentures so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, the Trustee
shall authenticate and such office or agency shall deliver in exchange therefor
the Debenture or Debentures that the Debentureholder making the exchange shall
be entitled to receive, bearing numbers not contemporaneously outstanding.

         (b) The Company shall keep, or cause to be kept, at its office or
agency designated for such purpose in the Borough of Manhattan, the City of New
York, or at the office of the Debenture Registrar, or such other location
designated by the Company a register or registers (herein referred to as the
"Debenture Register") in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as the
Debenture Registrar (as defined below) may prescribe, the Company shall register
the Debentures and the transfers of Debentures as in this Article II provided
and which at all reasonable times shall be open for inspection by the Trustee.
The registrar for the purpose of registering Debentures and transfer of
Debentures as herein provided shall initially be the Trustee and thereafter as
may be appointed by the Company as authorized by Board Resolution (the
"Debenture Registrar"). Upon surrender for transfer of any Debenture at the
office or agency of the Company designated for such purpose, the Company shall
execute, the Trustee shall authenticate and such office or agency shall deliver
in the name of the transferee or transferees a new Debenture or Debentures for a
like aggregate principal amount. All Debentures presented or surrendered for
exchange or registration of transfer, as provided in this Section 2.7, shall be
accompanied (if so required by the Company or the Debenture Registrar) by a
written instrument or instruments of transfer, in form satisfactory to the
Company or the Debenture Registrar, duly executed by the registered holder or by
such holder's duly authorized attorney in writing.

         (c) No service charge shall be made for any exchange or registration of
transfer of Debentures, or issue of new Debentures in case of partial
redemption, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any
tax or other governmental charge in relation thereto, other than exchanges
pursuant to Section 2.8, Section 3.5(b) and Section 11.4 not involving any
transfer.

         (d) The Company shall not be required (i) to issue, exchange or
register the transfer of any Debentures during a period beginning at the opening
of business 15 days before the day of the mailing of a notice of redemption of
less than all the Outstanding Debentures and ending at the close of business on
the day of such mailing; nor (ii) to register the transfer of or exchange any
Debentures or portions thereof called for redemption.




                                      -13-
<PAGE>   20

         (e) Debentures may only be transferred, in whole or in part, in
accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in this Indenture. Any
transfer or purported transfer of any Debenture not made in accordance with this
Indenture shall be null and void.

         Section 2.8. Temporary Debentures. Pending the preparation of
definitive Debentures, the Company may execute, and the Trustee shall
authenticate and deliver, temporary Debentures (printed, lithographed, or
typewritten). Such temporary Debentures shall be substantially in the form of
the definitive Debentures in lieu of which they are issued, but with such
omissions, insertions and variations as may be appropriate for temporary
Debentures, all as may be determined by the Company. Every temporary Debenture
shall be executed by the Company and be authenticated by the Trustee upon the
same conditions and in substantially the same manner, and with like effect, as
the definitive Debentures. Without unnecessary delay, the Company shall execute
and shall furnish definitive Debentures and thereupon any or all temporary
Debentures may be surrendered in exchange therefor (without charge to the
holders), at the office or agency of the Company designated for the purpose and
the Trustee shall authenticate and such office or agency shall deliver in
exchange for such temporary Debentures an equal aggregate principal amount of
definitive Debentures, unless the Company advises the Trustee to the effect that
definitive Debentures need not be authenticated and furnished until further
notice from the Company. Until so exchanged, the temporary Debentures shall be
entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Debentures
authenticated and delivered hereunder.

         Section 2.9. Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Debentures. (a) In
case any temporary or definitive Debenture shall become mutilated or be
destroyed, lost or stolen, the Company (subject to the next succeeding sentence)
shall execute, and upon the Company's request the Trustee (subject as aforesaid)
shall authenticate and deliver, a new Debenture bearing a number not
contemporaneously outstanding, in exchange and substitution for the mutilated
Debenture, or in lieu of and in substitution for the Debenture so destroyed,
lost, stolen or mutilated. In every case the applicant for a substituted
Debenture shall furnish to the Company and the Trustee such security or
indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them harmless, and, in
every case of destruction, loss or theft, the applicant shall also furnish to
the Company and the Trustee evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction,
loss or theft of the applicant's Debenture and of the ownership thereof. The
Trustee shall authenticate any such substituted Debenture and deliver the same
upon the written request or authorization of the Chief Executive Officer,
President or any Vice President and the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer of
the Company. Upon the issuance of any substituted Debenture, the Company may
require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental
charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including
the fees and expenses of the Trustee) connected therewith. In case any Debenture
that has matured or is about to mature shall become mutilated or be destroyed,
lost or stolen, the Company may, instead of issuing a substitute Debenture, pay
or authorize the payment of the same (without surrender thereof except in the
case of a mutilated Debenture) if the applicant for such payment shall furnish
to the Company and the Trustee such security or indemnity as they may require to
save them harmless, and, in case of destruction, loss or theft, evidence to the
satisfaction of the Company and the Trustee of the destruction, loss or theft of
such Debenture and of the ownership thereof.



                                      -14-
<PAGE>   21

         (b) Every replacement Debenture issued pursuant to the provisions of
this Section 2.9 shall constitute an additional contractual obligation of the
Company whether or not the mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Debenture shall
be found at any time, or be enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all
the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all
other Debentures duly issued hereunder. All Debentures shall be held and owned
upon the express condition that the foregoing provisions are exclusive with
respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen
Debentures, and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) any and all other rights
or remedies, notwithstanding any law or statute existing or hereafter enacted to
the contrary with respect to the replacement or payment of negotiable
instruments or other securities without their surrender.

        Section 2.10. Cancellation. All Debentures surrendered for the purpose
of payment, redemption, exchange or registration of transfer shall, if
surrendered to the Company or any Paying Agent, be delivered to the Trustee for
cancellation, or, if surrendered to the Trustee, shall be canceled by it, and no
Debentures shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly required or
permitted by any of the provisions of this Indenture. On request of the Company
at the time of such surrender, the Trustee shall deliver to the Company canceled
Debentures held by the Trustee. In the absence of such request the Trustee may
dispose of canceled Debentures in accordance with its standard procedures and
deliver a certificate of disposition to the Company. If the Company shall
otherwise acquire any of the Debentures, however, such acquisition shall not
operate as a redemption or satisfaction of the indebtedness represented by such
Debentures unless and until the same are delivered to the Trustee for
cancellation.

        Section 2.11. Benefit of Indenture. Nothing in this Indenture or in the
Debentures, express or implied, shall give or be construed to give to any
Person, other than the parties hereto and the holders of the Debentures (and,
with respect to the provisions of Article XVI, the holders of the Senior
Indebtedness) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect
of this Indenture, or under any covenant, condition or provision herein
contained; all such covenants, conditions and provisions being for the sole
benefit of the parties hereto and of the holders of the Debentures (and, with
respect to the provisions of Article XVI, the holders of the Senior
Indebtedness).

        Section 2.12. Authentication Agent. (a) So long as any of the Debentures
remain Outstanding there may be an Authenticating Agent for any or all such
Debentures, which Authenticating Agent the Trustee shall have the right to
appoint. Said Authenticating Agent shall be authorized to act on behalf of the
Trustee to authenticate Debentures issued upon exchange, transfer or partial
redemption thereof, and Debentures so authenticated shall be entitled to the
benefits of this Indenture and shall be valid and obligatory for all purposes as
if authenticated by the Trustee hereunder. All references in this Indenture to
the authentication of Debentures by the Trustee shall be deemed to include
authentication by an Authenticating Agent. Each Authenticating Agent shall be
acceptable to the Company and shall be a corporation that has a combined capital
and surplus, as most recently reported or determined by it, sufficient under the
laws of any jurisdiction under which it is organized or in which it is doing
business to conduct a trust business, and that is otherwise authorized under
such laws to conduct such business and is subject to supervision or examination
by federal or state authorities. If at


                                      -15-
<PAGE>   22


any time any Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with
these provisions, it shall resign immediately.

         (b) Any Authenticating Agent may at any time resign by giving written
notice of resignation to the Trustee and to the Company. The Trustee may at any
time (and upon request by the Company shall) terminate the agency of any
Authenticating Agent by giving written notice of termination to such
Authenticating Agent and to the Company. Upon resignation, termination or
cessation of eligibility of any Authenticating Agent, the Trustee may appoint an
eligible successor Authenticating Agent acceptable to the Company. Any successor
Authenticating Agent, upon acceptance of its appointment hereunder, shall become
vested with all the rights, powers and duties of its predecessor hereunder as if
originally named as an Authenticating Agent pursuant hereto.


                                   ARTICLE III

                            REDEMPTION OF DEBENTURES

         Section 3.1. Redemption. Subject to the Company having received prior
approval of the Federal Reserve, if then required under the applicable capital
guidelines, policies or regulations of the Federal Reserve, the Company may
redeem the Debentures issued hereunder on and after the dates set forth in and
in accordance with the terms of this Article III.

         Section 3.2. Special Event Redemption. Subject to the Company having
received the prior approval of the Federal Reserve, if then required under the
applicable capital guidelines, policies or regulations of the Federal Reserve,
if a Special Event has occurred and is continuing, then, notwithstanding Section
3.3(a) but subject to Section 3.3(b), the Company shall have the right upon not
less than 30 days' nor more than 60 days' notice to the holders of the
Debentures to redeem the Debentures, in whole but not in part, for cash within
180 days following the occurrence of such Special Event (the "180-Day Period")
at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount to be redeemed plus
any accrued and unpaid interest thereon to the date of such redemption (the
"Redemption Price"), provided that if at the time there is available to the
Company the opportunity to eliminate, within the 180-Day Period, a Tax Event by
taking some ministerial action (a "Ministerial Action"), such as filing a form
or making an election, or pursuing some other similar reasonable measure which
has no adverse effect on the Company, the Trust or the holders of the Trust
Securities issued by the Trust, the Company shall pursue such Ministerial Action
in lieu of redemption, and, provided further, that the Company shall have no
right to redeem the Debentures pursuant to this Section 3.2 while it is pursuing
any Ministerial Action pursuant to its obligations hereunder, and, provided
further, that, if it is determined that the taking of a Ministerial Action would
not eliminate the Tax Event within the 180 Day Period, the Company's right to
redeem the Debentures pursuant to this Section 3.2 shall be restored and it
shall have no further obligations to pursue the Ministerial Action. The
Redemption Price shall be paid prior to 12:00 noon, New York time, on the date
of such redemption or such earlier time as the Company determines, provided that
the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount sufficient to pay the
Redemption Price by 10:00 a.m., New York time, on the date such Redemption Price
is to be paid.


                                      -16-
<PAGE>   23

         Section 3.3. Optional Redemption by the Company. (a) Subject to the
provisions of Section 3.3(c), except as otherwise may be specified in this
Indenture, the Company shall have the right to redeem the Debentures, in whole
or in part, from time to time, on or after June __, 2006, at a Redemption Price
equal to 100% of the principal amount to be redeemed plus any accrued and unpaid
interest thereon to the date of such redemption. Any redemption pursuant to this
Section 3.3(a) shall be made upon not less than 30 days' nor more than 60 days'
notice to the holder of the Debentures, at the Redemption Price. If the
Debentures are only partially redeemed pursuant to this Section 3.3(a), the
Debentures shall be redeemed pro rata or by lot or in such other manner as the
Trustee shall deem appropriate and fair in its discretion. The Redemption Price
shall be paid prior to 12:00 noon, New York time, on the date of such redemption
or at such earlier time as the Company determines provided that the Company
shall deposit with the Trustee an amount sufficient to pay the Redemption Price
by 10:00 a.m., New York time, on the date such Redemption Price is to be paid.

         (b) Subject to the provisions of Section 3.3(c), the Company shall have
the right to redeem Debentures at any time and from time to time in a principal
amount equal to the Liquidation Amount (as defined in the Trust Agreement) of
any Preferred Securities purchased and beneficially owned by the Company, plus
an additional principal amount of Debentures equal to the Liquidation Amount (as
defined in the Trust Agreement) of that number of Common Securities that bears
the same proportion to the total number of Common Securities then outstanding as
the number of Preferred Securities to be redeemed bears to the total number of
Preferred Securities then outstanding. Such Debentures shall be redeemed
pursuant to this Section 3.3(b) only in exchange for and upon surrender by the
Company to the Property Trustee of the Preferred Securities and a proportionate
amount of Common Securities, whereupon the Property Trustee shall cancel the
Preferred Securities and Common Securities so surrendered and a Like Amount (as
defined in the Trust Agreement) of Debentures shall be extinguished by the
Trustee and shall no longer be deemed Outstanding.

         (c) If a partial redemption of the Debentures would result in the
delisting of the Preferred Securities issued by the Trust from the Nasdaq
National Market or any national securities exchange or other organization on
which the Preferred Securities are then listed or quoted, the Company shall not
be permitted to effect such partial redemption and may only redeem the
Debentures in whole.

         Section 3.4. Notice of Redemption. (a) Except in the case of a
redemption pursuant to Section 3.3(b), in case the Company shall desire to
exercise such right to redeem all or, as the case may be, a portion of the
Debentures in accordance with the right reserved so to do, the Company shall, or
shall cause the Trustee to upon receipt of 45 days' written notice from the
Company (which notice shall, in the event of a partial redemption, include a
representation to the effect that such partial redemption will not result in the
delisting of the Preferred Securities as described in Section 3.3(c) above),
give notice of such redemption to holders of the Debentures to be redeemed by
mailing, first class postage prepaid, a notice of such redemption not less than
30 days and not more than 60 days before the date fixed for redemption to such
holders at their last addresses as they shall appear upon the Debenture Register
unless a shorter period is specified in the Debentures to be redeemed. Any
notice that is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively
presumed to have been duly given, whether or not the registered




                                      -17-
<PAGE>   24



holder receives the notice. In any case, failure duly to give such notice to the
holder of any Debenture designated for redemption in whole or in part, or any
defect in the notice, shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the
redemption of any other Debentures. In the case of any redemption of Debentures
prior to the expiration of any restriction on such redemption provided in the
terms of such Debentures or elsewhere in this Indenture, the Company shall
furnish the Trustee with an Officers' Certificate evidencing compliance with any
such restriction. Each such notice of redemption shall specify the date fixed
for redemption and the Redemption Price and shall state that payment of the
Redemption Price shall be made at the office or agency of the Company in the
Borough of Manhattan, the City of New York or at the Corporate Trust Office,
upon presentation and surrender of such Debentures, that interest accrued to the
date fixed for redemption shall be paid as specified in said notice and that
from and after said date interest shall cease to accrue. If less than all the
Debentures are to be redeemed, the notice to the holders of the Debentures shall
specify the particular Debentures to be redeemed. If the Debentures are to be
redeemed in part only, the notice shall state the portion of the principal
amount thereof to be redeemed and shall state that on and after the redemption
date, upon surrender of such Debenture, a new Debenture or Debentures in
principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion thereof shall be issued.

         (b) Except in the case of a redemption pursuant to Section 3.3(b), if
less than all the Debentures are to be redeemed, the Company shall give the
Trustee at least 45 days' written notice in advance of the date fixed for
redemption as to the aggregate principal amount of Debentures to be redeemed,
and thereupon the Trustee shall select, pro rata or by lot or in such other
manner as it shall deem appropriate and fair in its discretion, the portion or
portions (equal to $10 or any integral multiple thereof) of the Debentures to be
redeemed and shall thereafter promptly notify the Company in writing of the
numbers of the Debentures to be redeemed, in whole or in part. The Company may,
if and whenever it shall so elect pursuant to the terms hereof, by delivery of
instructions signed on its behalf by its Chief Executive Officer, President or
any Vice President, instruct the Trustee or any Paying Agent to call all or any
part of the Debentures for redemption and to give notice of redemption in the
manner set forth in this Section 3.4, such notice to be in the name of the
Company or its own name as the Trustee or such Paying Agent may deem advisable.
In any case in which notice of redemption is to be given by the Trustee or any
such Paying Agent, the Company shall deliver or cause to be delivered to, or
permit to remain with, the Trustee or such Paying Agent, as the case may be,
such Debenture Register, transfer books or other records, or suitable copies or
extracts therefrom, sufficient to enable the Trustee or such Paying Agent to
give any notice by mail that may be required under the provisions of this
Section 3.4.

         Section 3.5. Payment upon Redemption. (a) If the giving of notice of
redemption shall have been completed as above provided, the Debentures or
portions of Debentures to be redeemed specified in such notice shall become due
and payable on the date and at the place stated in such notice at the applicable
Redemption Price, and interest on such Debentures or portions of Debentures
shall cease to accrue on and after the date fixed for redemption, unless the
Company shall default in the payment of such Redemption Price with respect to
any such Debenture or portion thereof. On presentation and surrender of such
Debentures on or after the date fixed for redemption at the place of payment
specified in the notice, said Debentures shall be paid and redeemed at the
Redemption Price (but if the date fixed for redemption is an Interest


                                      -18-
<PAGE>   25


Payment Date, the interest installment payable on such date shall be payable to
the registered holder at the close of business on the applicable record date
pursuant to Section 3.3).

         (b) Upon presentation of any Debenture that is to be redeemed in part
only, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and the
office or agency where the Debenture is presented shall deliver to the holder
thereof, at the expense of the Company, a new Debenture of authorized
denomination in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion of the
Debenture so presented.

         Section 3.6. No Sinking Fund. The Debentures are not entitled to the
benefit of any sinking fund.


                                   ARTICLE IV

                      EXTENSION OF INTEREST PAYMENT PERIOD

         Section 4.1. Extension of Interest Payment Period. So long as no Event
of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Company shall have the right, at
any time and from time to time during the term of the Debentures, to defer
payments of interest by extending the interest payment period of such Debentures
for a period not exceeding 20 consecutive quarters (the "Extension Period"),
during which Extension Period no interest shall be due and payable; provided
that no Extension Period may extend beyond the Maturity Date or end on a date
other than an Interest Payment Date. To the extent permitted by applicable law,
interest, the payment of which has been deferred because of the extension of the
interest payment period pursuant to this Section 4.1, shall bear interest
thereon at the Coupon Rate compounded quarterly for each quarter of the
Extension Period ("Compounded Interest"). At the end of the Extension Period,
the Company shall calculate (and deliver such calculation to the Trustee) and
pay all interest accrued and unpaid on the Debentures, including any Additional
Payments and Compounded Interest (together, "Deferred Payments") that shall be
payable to the holders of the Debentures in whose names the Debentures are
registered in the Debenture Register on the first record date after the end of
the Extension Period. Before the termination of any Extension Period, the
Company may further extend such period so long as no Event of Default has
occurred and is continuing, provided that such period together with all such
further extensions thereof shall not exceed 20 consecutive quarters, or extend
beyond the Maturity Date of the Debentures or end on a date other than an
Interest Payment Date. Upon the termination of any Extension Period and upon the
payment of all Deferred Payments then due, the Company may commence a new
Extension Period, subject to the foregoing requirements. No interest shall be
due and payable during an Extension Period, except at the end thereof, but the
Company may prepay at any time all or any portion of the interest accrued during
an Extension Period.

         Section 4.2. Notice of Extension. (a) If the Property Trustee is the
only registered holder of the Debentures at the time the Company selects an
Extension Period, the Company shall give written notice to the Administrative
Trustees, the Property Trustee and the Trustee of its selection of such
Extension Period two Business Days before the earlier of (i) the next succeeding
date on which Distributions on the Trust Securities issued by the Trust are
payable; or (ii) the date the Trust is required to give notice of the record
date, or the date such


                                      -19-
<PAGE>   26
Distributions are payable, to the Nasdaq National Market or other applicable
self-regulatory organization or to holders of the Preferred Securities issued by
the Trust, but in any event at least one Business Day before such record date.

         (b) If the Property Trustee is not the only holder of the Debentures at
the time the Company selects an Extension Period, the Company shall give the
holders of the Debentures and the Trustee written notice of its selection of
such Extension Period at least two Business Days before the earlier of (i) the
next succeeding Interest Payment Date; or (ii) the date the Company is required
to give notice of the record or payment date of such interest payment to the
Nasdaq National Market or other applicable self-regulatory organization
or to holders of the Debentures.

         (c) The quarter in which any notice is given pursuant to paragraphs (a)
or (b) of this Section 4.2 shall be counted as one of the 20 quarters permitted
in the maximum Extension Period permitted under Section 4.1.

         Section 4.3. Limitation on Transactions. If (a) the Company shall
exercise its right to defer payment of interest as provided in Section 4.1; or
(b) there shall have occurred any Event of Default, then (i) neither the Company
nor any of its Subsidiaries shall declare or pay any dividend on, make any
distributions with respect to, or redeem, purchase, acquire or make a
liquidation payment with respect to, any of its capital stock (other than (A)
dividends or distributions in common stock of the Company or such Subsidiary, as
the case may be, or any declaration of a non-cash dividend in connection with
the implementation of a shareholder rights plan, or the issuance of stock under
any such plan in the future, or the redemption or repurchase of any such rights
pursuant thereto, (B) purchases of common stock of the Company related to the
rights under any of the Company's benefit plans for its directors, officers or
employees, (C) as a result of a reclassification of its capital stock for
another class of its capital stock or (D) dividends payable by such Subsidiary
to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries); (ii) the Company shall not make any
payment of interest, principal or premium, if any, or repay, repurchase or
redeem any debt securities issued by the Company which rank pari passu with or
junior to the Debentures or make any guarantee payments with respect to any
guarantee by the Company of the debt securities of any subsidiary of the Company
if such guarantee ranks pari passu with or junior to the Debentures; provided,
however, that notwithstanding the foregoing the Company may make payments
pursuant to its obligations under the Preferred Securities Guarantee; and (iii)
the Company shall not redeem, purchase or acquire less than all of the
Outstanding Debentures or any of the Preferred Securities.


                                    ARTICLE V

                       PARTICULAR COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY

         Section 5.1. Payment of Principal and Interest. The Company shall duly
and punctually pay or cause to be paid the principal of and interest on the
Debentures at the time and place and in the manner provided herein. Each such
payment of the principal of and interest on the Debentures shall relate only to
the Debentures, shall not be combined with any other payment of


                                      -20-
<PAGE>   27




the principal of or interest on any other obligation of the Company, and shall
be clearly and unmistakably identified as pertaining to the Debentures.

         Section 5.2. Maintenance of Agency. So long as any of the Debentures
remain Outstanding, the Company shall maintain, or shall cause to be maintained,
an office or agency in the Borough of Manhattan, the City of New York, and at
such other location or locations as may be designated as provided in this
Section 5.2, where (a) Debentures may be presented for payment; (b) Debentures
may be presented as hereinabove authorized for registration of transfer and
exchange; and (c) notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the
Debentures and this Indenture may be given or served, such designation to
continue with respect to such office or agency until the Company shall, by
written notice signed by its President or a Vice President and delivered to the
Trustee, designate some other office or agency for such purposes or any of them.
If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required office or
agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such
presentations, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust
Office of the Trustee, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent
to receive all such presentations, notices and demands. In addition to any such
office or agency, the Company may from time to time designate one or more
offices or agencies outside of the Borough of Manhattan, the City of New York,
where the Debentures may be presented for registration or transfer and for
exchange in the manner provided herein, and the Company may from time to time
rescind such designation as the Company may deem desirable or expedient;
provided, however, that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner
relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain any such office or agency in
the Borough of Manhattan, the City of New York, for the purposes above
mentioned. The Company shall give the Trustee prompt written notice of any such
designation or rescission thereof.

         Section 5.3. Paying Agents. (a) The Trustee shall be the initial Paying
Agent. If the Company shall appoint one or more Paying Agents for the
Debentures, other than the Trustee, the Company shall cause each such Paying
Agent to execute and deliver to the Trustee an instrument in which such agent
shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section 5.3:

                   (i) that it shall hold all sums held by it as such agent for
         the payment of the principal of or interest on the Debentures (whether
         such sums have been paid to it by the Company or by any other obligor
         of such Debentures) in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled
         thereto;

                  (ii) that it shall give the Trustee notice of any failure by
         the Company (or by any other obligor of such Debentures) to make any
         payment of the principal of or interest on the Debentures when the same
         shall be due and payable;

                 (iii) that it shall, at any time during the continuance of any
         failure referred to in the preceding paragraph (a)(ii) above, upon the
         written request of the Trustee, forthwith pay to the Trustee all sums
         so held in trust by such Paying Agent; and



                                      -21-
<PAGE>   28

                  (iv) that it shall perform all other duties of Paying Agent as
         set forth in this Indenture.

         (b) If the Company shall act as its own Paying Agent with respect to
the Debentures, it shall on or before each due date of the principal of or
interest on such Debentures, set aside, segregate and hold in trust for the
benefit of the Persons entitled thereto a sum sufficient to pay such principal
or interest so becoming due on Debentures until such sums shall be paid to such
Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided and shall promptly notify
the Trustee of such action, or any failure (by it or any other obligor on such
Debentures) to take such action. Whenever the Company shall have one or more
Paying Agents for the Debentures, it shall, prior to each due date of the
principal of or interest on any Debentures, deposit with the Paying Agent a sum
sufficient to pay the principal or interest so becoming due, such sum to be held
in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such principal or interest,
and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Company shall promptly notify
the Trustee of this action or failure so to act.

         (c) Notwithstanding anything in this Section 5.3 to the contrary, (i)
the agreement to hold sums in trust as provided in this Section 5.3 is subject
to the provisions of Section 13.3 and 13.4; and (ii) the Company may at any
time, for the purpose of obtaining the satisfaction and discharge of this
Indenture or for any other purpose, pay, or direct any Paying Agent to pay, to
the Trustee all sums held in trust by the Company or such Paying Agent, such
sums to be held by the Trustee upon the same terms and conditions as those upon
which such sums were held by the Company or such Paying Agent; and, upon such
payment by any Paying Agent to the Trustee, such Paying Agent shall be released
from all further liability with respect to such money.

         Section 5.4. Appointment to Fill Vacancy in Office of the Trustee. The
Company, whenever necessary to avoid or fill a vacancy in the office of Trustee,
shall appoint, in the manner provided in Section 9.11, a Trustee, so that there
shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder.

         Section 5.5. Compliance with Consolidation Provisions. The Company
shall not, while any of the Debentures remain Outstanding, consolidate with, or
merge into, or merge into itself, or sell or convey all or substantially all of
its property to any other company unless the provisions of Article XII hereof
are complied with.

         Section 5.6. Limitation on Transactions. If Debentures are issued to
the Trust or a trustee of the Trust in connection with the issuance of Trust
Securities by the Trust and (a) there shall have occurred an Event of Default;
(b) the Company shall be in default with respect to its payment of any
obligations under the Preferred Securities Guarantee relating to the Trust; or
(c) if the Company shall have given notice of its election to defer payments of
interest on such Debentures by extending the interest payment period as provided
in this Indenture and such Extension Period, or any extension thereof, shall be
continuing, then (i) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall
declare or pay any dividend on, make any distributions with respect to, or
redeem, purchase, acquire or make a liquidation payment with respect to, any of
its capital stock (other than (A) dividends or distributions in common stock of
the Company or such Subsidiary, as the case may be, or any declaration of a
non-cash dividend in connection with the


                                      -22-
<PAGE>   29



implementation of a shareholder rights plan, or the issuance of stock under any
such plan in the future, or the redemption or repurchase of any such rights
pursuant thereto, (B) purchases of common stock of the Company related to the
rights under any of the Company's benefit plans for its directors, officers or
employees, (C) as a result of a reclassification of its capital stock or (D)
dividends payable by such Subsidiary to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries);
(ii) the Company shall not make any payment of principal, interest or premium,
if any, or repay, repurchase or redeem any debt securities issued by the Company
which rank pari passu with or junior in interest to the Debentures; provided,
however, that the Company may make payments pursuant to its obligations under
the Preferred Securities Guarantee; and (iii) the Company shall not redeem,
purchase or acquire less than all of the Outstanding Debentures or any of the
Preferred Securities.

         Section 5.7. Covenants as to the Trust. For so long as the Trust
Securities of the Trust remain outstanding, the Company (a) shall maintain 100%
direct or indirect ownership of the Common Securities of the Trust; provided,
however, that any permitted successor of the Company under this Indenture may
succeed to the Company's ownership of the Common Securities; (b) shall not
voluntarily terminate, wind up or liquidate the Trust, except upon prior
approval of the Federal Reserve if then so required under applicable capital
guidelines, policies or regulations of the Federal Reserve; (c) shall use its
reasonable efforts to cause the Trust (i) to remain a business trust (and to
avoid involuntary termination, winding up or liquidation), except in connection
with a distribution of Debentures, the redemption of all of the Trust Securities
of the Trust or certain mergers, consolidations or amalgamations, each as
permitted by the Trust Agreement; and (ii) to otherwise continue not to be
treated as an association taxable as a corporation or partnership for United
States federal income tax purposes; (d) shall use its reasonable efforts to
cause each holder of Trust Securities to be treated as owning an individual
beneficial interest in the Debentures; and (e) any successor to the Company,
shall use reasonable efforts to maintain the eligibility of the Preferred
Securities for quotation or listing on any national securities exchange or other
organization on which the Preferred Securities are then quoted or listed
(including, if applicable, the Nasdaq National Market) and shall use reasonable
efforts to keep the Preferred Securities so quoted or listed for so long as the
Preferred Securities remain outstanding. In connection with the distribution of
the Debentures to the holders of the Preferred Securities issued by the Trust
upon a Dissolution Event, the Company shall use its best efforts to list such
Debentures on the Nasdaq National Market or on such other exchange as the
Preferred Securities are then listed.

         Section 5.8. Covenants as to Purchases. Except upon the exercise by the
Company of its right to redeem the Debentures pursuant to Section 3.2 upon the
occurrence and continuation of a Special Event, the Company shall not purchase
any Debentures, in whole or in part, from the Trust prior to June __, 2006.

         Section 5.9. Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws. The Company shall
not at any time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take
the benefit or advantage of, any usury, stay or extension law wherever enacted,
now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the
performances of this Indenture, and the Company (to the extent that it may
lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such
law, and covenants that it will not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any
power herein


                                      -23-
<PAGE>   30


granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such
power as though no such law had been enacted.


                                   ARTICLE VI

     THE DEBENTUREHOLDERS' LISTS AND REPORTS BY THE COMPANY AND THE TRUSTEE

         Section 6.1. The Company to Furnish the Trustee Names and Addresses of
the Debentureholders. The Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the
Trustee (a) on a quarterly basis on each regular record date (as described in
Section 2.5) a list, in such form as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the
names and addresses of the holders of the Debentures as of such regular record
date, provided that the Company shall not be obligated to furnish or cause to
furnish such list at any time that the list shall not differ in any respect from
the most recent list furnished to the Trustee by the Company (in the event the
Company fails to provide such list on a quarterly basis, the Trustee shall be
entitled to rely on the most recent list provided by the Company); and (b) at
such other times as the Trustee may request in writing within 30 days after the
receipt by the Company of any such request, a list of similar form and content
as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such list is furnished;
provided, however, that, in either case, no such list need be furnished if the
Trustee shall be the Debenture Registrar.

         Section 6.2. Preservation of Information Communications with the
Debentureholders. (a) The Trustee shall preserve, in as current a form as is
reasonably practicable, all information as to the names and addresses of the
holders of Debentures contained in the most recent list furnished to it as
provided in Section 6.1 and as to the names and addresses of holders of
Debentures received by the Trustee in its capacity as Debenture Registrar for
the Debentures (if acting in such capacity).

         (b) The Trustee may destroy any list furnished to it as provided in
Section 6.1 upon receipt of a new list so furnished.

         (c) Debentureholders may communicate as provided in Section 312(b) of
the Trust Indenture Act with other Debentureholders with respect to their rights
under this Indenture or under the Debentures.

         Section 6.3. Reports by the Company. (a) The Company covenants and
agrees to file with the Trustee, within 15 days after the Company is required to
file the same with the Commission, copies of the annual reports and of the
information, documents and other reports (or copies of such portions of any of
the foregoing as the Commission may from time to time by rules and regulations
prescribe) that the Company may be required to file with the Commission pursuant
to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act; or, if the Company is not
required to file information, documents or reports pursuant to either of such
sections, then to file with the Trustee and the Commission, in accordance with
the rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such
of the supplementary and periodic information, documents and reports that may be
required pursuant to Section 13 of the Exchange Act in respect of a security
listed and registered on a national securities exchange as may be prescribed
from time to time in such rules and regulations.



                                      -24-
<PAGE>   31

         (b) The Company covenants and agrees to file with the Trustee and the
Commission, in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed from time to
time by the Commission, such additional information, documents and reports with
respect to compliance by the Company with the conditions and covenants provided
for in this Indenture as may be required from time to time by such rules and
regulations.

         (c) The Company covenants and agrees to transmit by mail, first class
postage prepaid, or reputable overnight delivery service that provides for
evidence of receipt, to the Debentureholders, as their names and addresses
appear upon the Debenture Register, within 30 days after the filing thereof with
the Trustee, such summaries of any information, documents and reports required
to be filed by the Company pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) of this Section
6.3 as may be required by rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by
the Commission.

         Section 6.4. Reports by the Trustee. (a) On or before [October 15] in
each year in which any of the Debentures are Outstanding, the Trustee shall
transmit by mail, first class postage prepaid, to the Debentureholders, as their
names and addresses appear upon the Debenture Register, a brief report dated as
of the preceding September 30, if and to the extent required under Section
313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act.

         (b) The Trustee shall comply with Section 313(b) and 313(c) of the
Trust Indenture Act.

         (c) A copy of each such report shall, at the time of such transmission
to Debentureholders, be filed by the Trustee with the Company, with each stock
exchange upon which any Debentures are listed (if so listed) and also with the
Commission. The Company agrees to notify the Trustee when any Debentures become
listed on any stock exchange.


                                   ARTICLE VII

        REMEDIES OF THE TRUSTEE AND DEBENTUREHOLDERS ON EVENT OF DEFAULT


         Section 7.1. Events of Default. (a) Whenever used herein with respect
to the Debentures, "Event of Default" means any one or more of the following
events:

                   (i) the Company defaults in the payment of any installment of
         interest upon any of the Debentures, as and when the same shall become
         due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30
         days; provided, however, that a valid extension of an interest payment
         period by the Company in accordance with the terms of this Indenture
         shall not constitute a default in the payment of interest for this
         purpose;

                  (ii) the Company defaults in the payment of the principal on
         the Debentures as and when the same shall become due and payable
         whether at maturity, upon redemption, by declaration or otherwise;



                                      -25-
<PAGE>   32

                 (iii) the Company fails to observe or perform any other of its
         covenants or agreements with respect to the Debentures for a period of
         90 days after the date on which written notice of such failure,
         requiring the same to be remedied and stating that such notice is a
         "Notice of Default" hereunder, shall have been given to the Company by
         the Trustee, by registered or certified mail, or to the Company and the
         Trustee by the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the
         Debentures at the time Outstanding;

                  (iv) the Company pursuant to or within the meaning of any
         Bankruptcy Law (A) commences a voluntary case; (B) consents to the
         entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary case; (C)
         consents to the appointment of a Custodian of it or for all or
         substantially all of its property; or (D) makes a general assignment
         for the benefit of its creditors;

                   (v) a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order under
         any Bankruptcy Law that (A) is for relief against the Company in an
         involuntary case; (B) appoints a Custodian of the Company for all or
         substantially all of its property; or (C) orders the liquidation of the
         Company, and the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for 90
         days; or

                  (vi) the Trust shall have voluntarily or involuntarily
         dissolved, wound-up its business or otherwise terminated its existence
         except in connection with (A) the distribution of Debentures to holders
         of Trust Securities in liquidation of their interests in the Trust; (B)
         the redemption of all of the outstanding Trust Securities of the Trust;
         or (C) certain mergers, consolidations or amalgamations, each as
         permitted by the Trust Agreement.

         (b) In each and every such case referred to in items (i) through (vi)
of Section 7.1(a), unless the principal of all the Debentures shall have already
become due and payable, either the Trustee or the holders of not less than 25%
in aggregate principal amount of the Debentures then Outstanding hereunder, by
notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by such
Debentureholders) may declare the principal of all the Debentures to be due and
payable immediately, and upon any such declaration the same shall become and
shall be immediately due and payable, notwithstanding anything contained in this
Indenture or in the Debentures.

         (c) At any time after the principal of the Debentures shall have been
so declared due and payable, and before any judgment or decree for the payment
of the money due shall have been obtained or entered as hereinafter provided,
the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Debentures then
Outstanding hereunder, by written notice to the Company and the Trustee, may
rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if: (i) the Company has
paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum sufficient to pay all matured
installments of interest upon all the Debentures and the principal of any and
all Debentures that shall have become due otherwise than by acceleration (with
interest upon such principal, and, to the extent that such payment is
enforceable under applicable law, upon overdue installments of interest, at the
rate per annum expressed in the Debentures to the date of such payment or
deposit) and the amount payable to the Trustee under Section 9.7; and (ii) any
and all Events of Default under this Indenture, other than the nonpayment of
principal on Debentures that shall not have become due


                                      -26-
<PAGE>   33


by their terms, shall have been remedied or waived as provided in Section 7.6.
No such rescission and annulment shall extend to or shall affect any subsequent
default or impair any right consequent thereon.

         (d) In case the Trustee shall have proceeded to enforce any right with
respect to Debentures under this Indenture and such proceedings shall have been
discontinued or abandoned because of such rescission or annulment or for any
other reason or shall have been determined adversely to the Trustee, then and in
every such case the Company and the Trustee shall be restored respectively to
their former positions and rights hereunder, and all rights, remedies and powers
of the Company and the Trustee shall continue as though no such proceedings had
been taken.

         Section 7.2. Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by
the Trustee. (a) The Company covenants that (i) in case it shall default in the
payment of any installment of interest on any of the Debentures, and such
default shall have continued for a period of 30 days; or (ii) in case it shall
default in the payment of the principal of any of the Debentures when the same
shall have become due and payable, whether upon maturity of the Debentures or
upon redemption or upon declaration or otherwise, then, upon demand of the
Trustee, the Company shall pay to the Trustee, for the benefit of the holders of
the Debentures, the whole amount that then shall have become due and payable on
all such Debentures for principal or interest, or both, as the case may be, with
interest upon the overdue principal; and (to the extent that payment of such
interest is enforceable under applicable law and, if the Debentures are held by
the Trust or a trustee of the Trust, without duplication of any other amounts
paid by the Trust or trustee in respect thereof) upon overdue installments of
interest at the rate per annum expressed in the Debentures; and, in addition
thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and
expenses of collection, and the amount payable to the Trustee under Section 9.7.

         (b) If the Company shall fail to pay such amounts set forth in Section
7.2(a) forthwith upon such demand, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee
of an express trust, shall be entitled and empowered to institute any action or
proceedings at law or in equity for the collection of the sums so due and
unpaid, and may prosecute any such action or proceeding to judgment or final
decree, and may enforce any such judgment or final decree against the Company or
other obligor upon the Debentures and collect the money adjudged or decreed to
be payable in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Company or
other obligor upon the Debentures, wherever situated.

         (c) In case of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy,
reorganization, readjustment, arrangement, composition or judicial proceedings
affecting the Company, the Trust, or the creditors or property of either, the
Trustee shall have power to intervene in such proceedings and take any action
therein that may be permitted by the court and shall (except as may be otherwise
provided by law) be entitled to file such proofs of claim and other papers and
documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the
Trustee and of the holders of the Debentures allowed for the entire amount due
and payable by the Company under this Indenture at the date of institution of
such proceedings and for any additional amount that may become due and payable
by the Company after such date, and to collect and receive any money or other
property payable or deliverable on any such claim, and to distribute the same


                                      -27-
<PAGE>   34


after the deduction of the amount payable to the Trustee under Section 9.7; and
any receiver, assignee or trustee in bankruptcy or reorganization is hereby
authorized by each of the holders of the Debentures to make such payments to the
Trustee, and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such
payments directly to such Debentureholders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due
it under Section 9.7.

         (d) All rights of action and of asserting claims under this Indenture,
or under any of the terms established with respect to the Debentures, may be
enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of such Debentures, or the
production thereof at any trial or other proceeding relative thereto, and any
such suit or proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own
name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery of judgment shall, after
provision for payment to the Trustee of any amounts due under Section 9.7, be
for the ratable benefit of the holders of the Debentures. In case of an Event of
Default hereunder which is continuing, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed
to protect and enforce the rights vested in it by this Indenture by such
appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem most effectual to
protect and enforce any of such rights, either at law or in equity or in
bankruptcy or otherwise, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or
agreement contained in this Indenture or in aid of the exercise of any power
granted in this Indenture, or to enforce any other legal or equitable right
vested in the Trustee by this Indenture or by law. Nothing contained herein
shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or
adopt on behalf of any Debentureholder any plan of reorganization, arrangement,
adjustment or composition affecting the Debentures or the rights of any holder
thereof or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any
Debentureholder in any such proceeding.

         Section 7.3. Application of Money Collected. Any money or other assets
collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article VII with respect to the
Debentures shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed
by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such money or other assets on
account of principal or interest, upon presentation of the Debentures, and
notation thereon of the payment, if only partially paid, and upon surrender
thereof if fully paid:

                  FIRST: To the payment of costs and expenses of collection and
         of all amounts payable to the Trustee under Section 9.7;

                  SECTION: To the payment of all Senior Indebtedness if and to
         the extent required by Article XVI; and

                  THIRD: To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid upon
         the Debentures for principal and interest, in respect of which or for
         the benefit of which such money has been collected, ratably, without
         preference or priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and
         payable on such Debentures for principal and interest, respectively.

         Section 7.4. Limitation on Suits. (a) Except as set forth in this
Indenture, no holder of any Debenture shall have any right by virtue or by
availing of any provision of this Indenture to institute any suit, action or
proceeding in equity or at law upon or under or with respect to this Indenture
or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy
hereunder,


                                      -28-
<PAGE>   35


unless (i) such holder previously shall have given to the Trustee written notice
of an Event of Default and of the continuance thereof with respect to the
Debentures specifying such Event of Default, as hereinbefore provided; (ii) the
holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Debentures
then Outstanding shall have made written request upon the Trustee to institute
such action, suit or proceeding in its own name as trustee hereunder; (iii) such
holder or holders shall have offered to the Trustee such reasonable indemnity as
it may require against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred
therein or thereby; and (iv) the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such
notice, request and offer of indemnity shall have failed to institute any such
action, suit or proceeding and during such 60 day period, the holders of a
majority in principal amount of the Debentures do not give the Trustee a
direction inconsistent with the request.

         (b) Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary or any
other provisions of this Indenture, the right of any holder of the Debentures to
receive payment of the principal of and interest on the Debentures, as therein
provided, on or after the respective due dates expressed in such Debenture (or
in the case of redemption, on the redemption date), or to institute suit for the
enforcement of any such payment on or after such respective dates or redemption
date, shall not be impaired or affected without the consent of such holder and
by accepting a Debenture hereunder it is expressly understood, intended and
covenanted by the taker and holder of every Debenture with every other such
taker and holder and the Trustee that no one or more holders of the Debentures
shall have any right in any manner whatsoever by virtue or by availing of any
provision of this Indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of the
holders of any other of such Debentures, or to obtain or seek to obtain priority
over or preference to any other such holder, or to enforce any right under this
Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal, ratable and
common benefit of all holders of the Debentures. For the protection and
enforcement of the provisions of this Section 7.4, each and every
Debentureholder and the Trustee shall be entitled to such relief as can be given
either at law or in equity.

         Section 7.5. Rights and Remedies Cumulative; Delay or Omission not
Waiver. (a) Except as otherwise provided in Section 2.9(b), all powers and
remedies given by this Article VII to the Trustee or to the Debentureholders
shall, to the extent permitted by law, be deemed cumulative and not exclusive of
any other powers and remedies available to the Trustee or the holders of the
Debentures, by judicial proceedings or otherwise, to enforce the performance or
observance of the covenants and agreements contained in this Indenture or
otherwise established with respect to such Debentures.

         (b) No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any holder of any of the
Debentures to exercise any right or power accruing upon any Event of Default
occurring and continuing as aforesaid shall impair any such right or power, or
shall be construed to be a waiver of any such default or an acquiescence
therein; and, subject to the provisions of Section 7.4, every power and remedy
given by this Article VII or by law to the Trustee or the Debentureholders may
be exercised from time to time, and as often as shall be deemed expedient, by
the Trustee or by the Debentureholders.



                                      -29-
<PAGE>   36

         Section 7.6. Control by the Debentureholders. The holders of a majority
in aggregate principal amount of the Debentures at the time Outstanding,
determined in accordance with Section 10.4, shall have the right to direct the
time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to
the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee;
provided, however, that such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of
law or with this Indenture. Subject to the provisions of Section 9.1, the
Trustee shall have the right to decline to follow any such direction if the
Trustee in good faith shall, by a Responsible Officer or Officers of the
Trustee, determine that the proceeding so directed would involve the Trustee in
personal liability. The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of
the Debentures at the time Outstanding affected thereby, determined in
accordance with Section 10.4, may on behalf of the holders of all of the
Debentures waive any past default in the performance of any of the covenants
contained herein and its consequences, except (i) a default in the payment of
the principal of or interest on any of the Debentures as and when the same shall
become due by the terms of such Debentures otherwise than by acceleration
(unless such default has been cured and a sum sufficient to pay all matured
installments of principal and interest has been deposited with the Trustee (in
accordance with Section 7.1(c)); (ii) a default in the covenants contained in
Section 5.7; or (iii) in respect of a covenant or provision hereof which cannot
be modified or amended without the consent of the holder of each Outstanding
Debenture affected; provided, however, that if the Debentures are held by the
Trust or a trustee of the Trust, such waiver or modification to such waiver
shall not be effective until the holders of a majority in liquidation preference
of Trust Securities of the Trust shall have consented to such waiver or
modification to such waiver; provided further, that if the Debentures are held
by the Trust or a trustee of the Trust, and if the consent of the holder of each
Outstanding Debenture is required, such waiver shall not be effective until each
holder of the Trust Securities of the Trust shall have consented to such waiver.
Upon any such waiver, the default covered thereby shall be deemed to be cured
for all purposes of this Indenture and the Company, the Trustee and the holders
of the Debentures shall be restored to their former positions and rights
hereunder, respectively; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or
other default or impair any right consequent thereon.

         Section 7.7. Undertaking to Pay Costs. All parties to this Indenture
agree, and each holder of any Debentures by such holder's acceptance thereof
shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in
any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in
any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as the
Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of an undertaking to pay
the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess
reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys' fees, against any party
litigant in such suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the
claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this
Section 7.7 shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit
instituted by any Debentureholder, or group of the Debentureholders holding more
than 10% in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Debentures, or to any
suit instituted by any Debentureholder for the enforcement of the payment of the
principal of or interest on the Debentures, on or after the respective due dates
expressed in such Debenture or established pursuant to this Indenture.



                                      -30-
<PAGE>   37

         Section 7.8. Direct Action; Right of Set-Off. In the event that an
Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and such event is attributable
to the failure of the Company to pay interest on or principal of the Debentures
on an Interest Payment Date or Maturity Date, as applicable, then a holder of
Preferred Securities may institute a legal proceeding directly against the
Company for enforcement of payment to such holder of the principal of or
interest on such Debentures having a principal amount equal to the aggregate
Liquidation Amount of the Preferred Securities of such holders (a "Direct
Action"). In connection with such Direct Action, the Company will have a right
of set-off under this Indenture to the extent of any payment actually made by
the Company to such holder of the Preferred Securities with respect to such
Direct Action.


                                  ARTICLE VIII

                    FORM OF THE DEBENTURE AND ORIGINAL ISSUE

         Section 8.1. Form of Debenture. The Debenture and the Trustee's
Certificate of Authentication to be endorsed thereon are to be substantially in
the forms contained as Exhibit A to this Indenture, attached hereto and
incorporated herein by reference.

         Section 8.2. Original Issue of the Debentures. Debentures in the
aggregate principal amount of $20,618,560 may, upon execution of this Indenture,
be executed by the Company and delivered to the Trustee for authentication. If
the Underwriters exercise their Option and there is an Option Closing Date (as
such terms are defined in the Underwriting Agreement, dated June __, 2001, by
and among the Company, the Trust and Howe Barnes Investments, Inc. and Stephens
Inc., as representatives of the several Underwriters named therein, then, on
such Option Closing Date, Debentures in the additional aggregate amount of up to
$3,092,780 may be executed by the Company and delivered to the Trustee for
authentication. The Trustee shall thereupon authenticate and deliver said
Debentures to or upon the written order of the Company, signed by its Chief
Executive Officer, its President, or any Vice President and its Treasurer or an
Assistant Treasurer, without any further action by the Company.


                                   ARTICLE IX

                             CONCERNING THE TRUSTEE

         Section 9.1. Certain Duties and Responsibilities of the Trustee. (a)
The Trustee, prior to the occurrence of an Event of Default and after the curing
of all Events of Default that may have occurred, shall undertake to perform with
respect to the Debentures such duties and only such duties as are specifically
set forth in this Indenture, and no implied covenants shall be read into this
Indenture against the Trustee. In case an Event of Default has occurred that has
not been cured or waived, the Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and
powers vested in it by this Indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill
in its exercise, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the
circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs.


                                      -31-
<PAGE>   38


         (b) No provision of this Indenture shall be construed to relieve the
Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure
to act, or its own willful misconduct, except that:

                   (i) prior to the occurrence of an Event of Default and after
         the curing or waiving of all such Events of Default that may have
         occurred:

                            (A) the duties and obligations of the Trustee shall
                  with respect to the Debentures be determined solely by the
                  express provisions of this Indenture, and the Trustee shall
                  not be liable with respect to the Debentures except for the
                  performance of such duties and obligations as are specifically
                  set forth in this Indenture, and no implied covenants or
                  obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the
                  Trustee; and

                            (B) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the
                  Trustee, the Trustee may with respect to the Debentures
                  conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the
                  correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any
                  certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee and
                  conforming to the requirements of this Indenture; but in the
                  case of any such certificates or opinions that by any
                  provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to
                  the Trustee, the Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the
                  same to determine whether or not they conform to the
                  requirements of this Indenture;

                  (ii) the Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment
         made in good faith by a Responsible Officer or Responsible Officers of
         the Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Trustee was negligent
         in ascertaining the pertinent facts;

                 (iii) the Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any
         action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance
         with the direction of the holders of not less than a majority in
         principal amount of the Debentures at the time Outstanding relating to
         the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy
         available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred
         upon the Trustee under this Indenture with respect to the Debentures;
         and

                  (iv) none of the provisions contained in this Indenture shall
         require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur
         personal financial liability in the performance of any of its duties or
         in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if there is reasonable
         ground for believing that the repayment of such funds or liability is
         not reasonably assured to it under the terms of this Indenture or
         adequate indemnity against such risk is not reasonably assured to it.

         Section 9.2. Notice of Defaults. Within 90 days after actual knowledge
by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee of the occurrence of any Default
hereunder with respect to the Debentures, the Trustee shall transmit by mail to
all holders of the Debentures, as their names and addresses appear in the
Debenture Register, notice of such Default, unless such Default shall have been
cured or waived; provided, however, that, except in the case of a Default


                                      -32-
<PAGE>   39


in the payment of the principal or interest (including any Additional Payments)
on any Debenture, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if
and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust
committee of the directors and/or Responsible Officers of the Trustee determines
in good faith that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of the
holders of such Debentures; and provided, further, that in the case of any
Default of the character specified in section 7.1(a)(iii), no such notice to
holders of Debentures need be sent until at least 30 days after the occurrence
thereof.

         Section 9.3. Certain Rights of the Trustee. Except as otherwise
provided in Section 9.1:

                   (a) The Trustee may rely and shall be protected in acting or
         refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement,
         instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, consent, order, approval,
         bond, security or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine
         and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties;

                   (b) Any request, direction, order or demand of the Company
         mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution
         or an instrument signed in the name of the Company by its President or
         any Vice President and by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary or
         the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer thereof (unless other evidence
         in respect thereof is specifically prescribed herein);

                   (c) The Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of a
         Default or an Event of Default, other than an Event of Default
         specified in Section 7.1(a)(i) or (ii), unless and until it receives
         written notification of such Event of Default from the Company or by
         holders of at least 25% of the aggregate principal amount of the
         Debentures at the time Outstanding;

                   (d) The Trustee may consult with counsel and the written
         advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and
         complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken or
         suffered or omitted hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon;

                   (e) The Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any
         of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request,
         order or direction of any of the Debentureholders, pursuant to the
         provisions of this Indenture, unless such Debentureholders shall have
         offered to the Trustee reasonable security or indemnity against the
         costs, expenses and liabilities that may be incurred therein or
         thereby; nothing contained herein shall, however, relieve the Trustee
         of the obligation, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default (that is
         continuing and has not been cured or waived) to exercise with respect
         to the Debentures such of the rights and powers vested in it by this
         Indenture, and to use the same degree of care and skill in its
         exercise, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the
         circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs;



                                      -33-
<PAGE>   40

                   (f) The Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken or
         omitted to be taken by it in good faith and believed by it to be
         authorized or within the discretion or rights or powers conferred upon
         it by this Indenture;

                   (g) The Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation
         into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate,
         statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, consent,
         order, approval, bond, security, or other papers or documents, unless
         requested in writing so to do by the holders of not less than a
         majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Debentures (determined
         as provided in Section 10.4); provided, however, that if the payment
         within a reasonable time to the Trustee of the costs, expenses or
         liabilities likely to be incurred by it in the making of such
         investigation is, in the opinion of the Trustee, not reasonably assured
         to the Trustee by the security afforded to it by the terms of this
         Indenture, the Trustee may require reasonable indemnity against such
         costs, expenses or liabilities as a condition to so proceeding, and the
         reasonable expense of every such examination shall be paid by the
         Company or, if paid by the Trustee, shall be repaid by the Company upon
         demand; and

                   (h) The Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers
         hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or
         through agents or attorneys and the Trustee shall not be responsible
         for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent or attorney
         appointed with due care by it hereunder.

         Section 9.4. The Trustee not Responsible for Recitals, Etc. (a) The
Recitals contained herein and in the Debentures shall be taken as the statements
of the Company, and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for the correctness of
the same.

         (b) The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or
sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Debentures.

         (c) The Trustee shall not be accountable for the use or application by
the Company of any of the Debentures or of the proceeds of such Debentures, or
for the use or application of any money paid over by the Trustee in accordance
with any provision of this Indenture, or for the use or application of any money
received by any Paying Agent other than the Trustee.

         Section 9.5. May Hold the Debentures. The Trustee or any Paying Agent
or Debenture Registrar for the Debentures, in its individual or any other
capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of the Debentures with the same rights
it would have if it were not Trustee, Paying Agent or Debenture Registrar.

         Section 9.6. Money Held in Trust. Subject to the provisions of Section
13.5, all money received by the Trustee shall, until used or applied as herein
provided, be held in trust for the purposes for which they were received, but
need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.
The Trustee shall be under no liability for interest on any money received by it
hereunder except such as it may agree with the Company to pay thereon.


                                      -34-
<PAGE>   41

         Section 9.7. Compensation and Reimbursement. (a) The Company covenants
and agrees to pay to the Trustee, and the Trustee shall be entitled to, such
reasonable compensation (which shall not be limited by any provision of law in
regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust), as the Company and
the Trustee may from time to time agree in writing, for all services rendered by
it in the execution of the trusts hereby created and in the exercise and
performance of any of the powers and duties hereunder of the Trustee, and,
except as otherwise expressly provided herein, the Company shall pay or
reimburse the Trustee upon its request for all reasonable expenses,
disbursements and advances incurred or made by the Trustee in accordance with
any of the provisions of this Indenture (including the reasonable compensation
and the expenses and disbursements of its counsel and of all Persons not
regularly in its employ) except any such expense, disbursement or advance as may
arise from its negligence or bad faith. The Company also covenants to indemnify
the Trustee (and its officers, agents, directors and employees) for, and to hold
it harmless against, any loss, liability or expense incurred without negligence
or bad faith on the part of the Trustee and arising out of or in connection with
the acceptance or administration of this Indenture, including the costs and
expenses of defending itself against any claim of liability in the premises.

         (b) The obligations of the Company under this Section 9.7 to compensate
and indemnify the Trustee and to pay or reimburse the Trustee for expenses,
disbursements and advances shall constitute additional indebtedness hereunder.
Such additional indebtedness shall be secured by a lien prior to that of the
Debentures upon all property and funds held or collected by the Trustee as such,
except funds held in trust for the benefit of the holders of particular
Debentures.

         Section 9.8. Reliance on Officers' Certificate. Except as otherwise
provided in Section 9.1, whenever in the administration of the provisions of
this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it necessary or desirable that a matter be
proved or established prior to taking or suffering or omitting to take any
action hereunder, such matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be
herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of negligence or bad faith
on the part of the Trustee, be deemed to be conclusively proved and established
by an Officers' Certificate delivered to the Trustee and such certificate, in
the absence of negligence or bad faith on the part of the Trustee, shall be full
warrant to the Trustee for any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by
it under the provisions of this Indenture upon the faith thereof.

         Section 9.9. Disqualification; Conflicting Interests. If the Trustee
has or shall acquire any "conflicting interest" within the meaning of Section
310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee and the Company shall in all
respects comply with the provisions of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture
Act.

        Section 9.10. Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility. There shall at
all times be a Trustee with respect to the Debentures issued hereunder which
shall at all times be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws
of the United States or any state or territory thereof or of the District of
Columbia, or a corporation or other Person permitted to act as trustee by the
Commission, authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers,
having a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000, and subject to
supervision or examination by federal, state, territorial, or District of
Columbia authority. If such corporation publishes reports of


                                      -35-
<PAGE>   42



condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of the
aforesaid supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this
Section 9.10, the combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be
deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent
report of condition so published. The Company may not, nor may any Person
directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with
the Company, serve as Trustee. In case at any time the Trustee shall cease to be
eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section 9.10, the Trustee
shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect specified in Section
9.11.

        Section 9.11. Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor. (a) The
Trustee or any successor hereafter appointed, may at any time resign by giving
written notice thereof to the Company and by transmitting notice of resignation
by mail, first class postage prepaid, to the Debentureholders, as their names
and addresses appear upon the Debenture Register. Upon receiving such notice of
resignation, the Company shall promptly appoint a successor trustee with respect
to Debentures by written instrument, in duplicate, executed by order of the
Board of Directors, one copy of which instrument shall be delivered to the
resigning Trustee and one copy to the successor trustee. If no successor trustee
shall have been so appointed and have accepted appointment within 30 days after
the mailing of such notice of resignation, the resigning Trustee may petition
any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor trustee
with respect to Debentures, or any Debentureholder who has been a bona fide
holder of a Debenture or Debentures for at least six months may, subject to the
provisions of Sections 9.9 and 9.10, on behalf of himself or herself and all
others similarly situated, petition any such court for the appointment of a
successor trustee. Such court may thereupon after such notice, if any, as it may
deem proper and prescribe, appoint a successor trustee.

         (b)    In case at any time any one of the following shall occur:

                   (i) the Trustee shall fail to comply with the provisions of
         Section 9.9 after written request therefor by the Company or by any
         Debentureholder who has been a bona fide holder of a Debenture or
         Debentures for at least six months; or

                  (ii) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with
         the provisions of Section 9.10 and shall fail to resign after written
         request therefor by the Company or by any such Debentureholder; or

                 (iii) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting, or shall be
         adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent, or commence a voluntary bankruptcy
         proceeding, or a receiver of the Trustee or of its property shall be
         appointed or consented to, or any public officer shall take charge or
         control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of
         rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation;

then, in any such case, the Company may remove the Trustee with respect to all
Debentures and appoint a successor trustee by written instrument, in duplicate,
executed by order of the Board of Directors, one copy of which instrument shall
be delivered to the Trustee so removed and one copy to the successor trustee,
or, subject to the provisions of Section 9.10, unless the Trustee's duty to
resign is stayed as provided herein, any Debentureholder who has been a bona
fide


                                      -36-
<PAGE>   43

holder of a Debenture or Debentures for at least six months may, on behalf
of that holder and all others similarly situated, petition any court of
competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee and the appointment of a
successor trustee. Such court may thereupon after such notice, if any, as it may
deem proper and prescribe, remove the Trustee and appoint a successor trustee.

         (c)    The holders of the Debentures may not remove the Trustee.

         (d) Any resignation or removal of the Trustee and appointment of a
successor trustee with respect to the Debentures pursuant to any of the
provisions of this Section 9.11 shall become effective upon acceptance of
appointment by the successor trustee as provided in Section 9.12.

         (e) Any successor trustee appointed pursuant to this Section 9.11 may
be appointed with respect to the Debentures, and at any time there shall be only
one Trustee with respect to the Debentures.

        Section 9.12. Acceptance of Appointment by Successor. (a) In case of the
appointment hereunder of a successor trustee with respect to the Debentures,
every successor trustee so appointed shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to
the Company and to the retiring Trustee an instrument accepting such
appointment, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee
shall become effective and such successor trustee, without any further act, deed
or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and
duties of the retiring Trustee; but, on the request of the Company or the
successor trustee, such retiring Trustee shall, upon payment of its charges,
execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor trustee all the
rights, powers, and trusts of the retiring Trustee and shall duly assign,
transfer and deliver to such successor trustee all property and money held by
such retiring Trustee hereunder.

         (b) Upon request of any successor trustee, the Company shall execute
any and all instruments for more fully and certainly vesting in and confirming
to such successor trustee all such rights, powers and trusts referred to in
paragraph (a) of this Section 9.12.

         (c) No successor trustee shall accept its appointment unless at the
time of such acceptance such successor trustee shall be qualified and eligible
under this Article IX.

         (d) Upon acceptance of appointment by a successor trustee as provided
in this Section 9.12, the Company shall transmit notice of the succession of
such trustee hereunder by mail, first class postage prepaid, to the
Debentureholders, as their names and addresses appear upon the Debenture
Register. If the Company fails to transmit such notice within ten days after
acceptance of appointment by the successor trustee, the successor trustee shall
cause such notice to be transmitted at the expense of the Company.

        Section 9.13. Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to
Business. Any corporation into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or
with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger,
conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any
corporation succeeding to the corporate trust business of the Trustee, shall be
the successor of the Trustee hereunder, provided that such corporation


                                      -37-
<PAGE>   44


shall be qualified under the provisions of Section 9.9 and eligible under the
provisions of Section 9.10, without the execution or filing of any paper or any
further act on the part of any of the parties hereto, anything herein to the
contrary notwithstanding. In case any Debentures shall have been authenticated,
but not delivered, by the Trustee then in office, any successor by merger,
conversion or consolidation to such authenticating Trustee may adopt such
authentication and deliver the Debentures so authenticated with the same effect
as if such successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Debentures.

        Section 9.14. Preferential Collection of Claims against the Company. The
Trustee shall comply with Section 311(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, excluding
any creditor relationship described in Section 311(b) of the Trust Indenture
Act. A Trustee who has resigned or been removed shall be subject to Section
311(a) of the Trust Indenture Act to the extent included therein.


                                    ARTICLE X

                         CONCERNING THE DEBENTUREHOLDERS

        Section 10.1. Evidence of Action by the Holders. (a) Whenever in this
Indenture it is provided that the holders of a majority or specified percentage
in aggregate principal amount of the Debentures may take any action (including
the making of any demand or request, the giving of any notice, consent or waiver
or the taking of any other action), the fact that at the time of taking any such
action the holders of such majority or specified percentage have joined therein
may be evidenced by any instrument or any number of instruments of similar tenor
executed by such holders of Debentures in person or by agent or proxy appointed
in writing.

         (b) If the Company shall solicit from the Debentureholders any request,
demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action, the
Company may, at its option, as evidenced by an Officers' Certificate, fix in
advance a record date for the determination of Debentureholders entitled to give
such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other
action, but the Company shall have no obligation to do so. If such a record date
is fixed, such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent,
waiver or other action may be given before or after the record date, but only
the Debentureholders of record at the close of business on the record date shall
be deemed to be Debentureholders for the purposes of determining whether
Debentureholders of the requisite proportion of Outstanding Debentures have
authorized or agreed or consented to such request, demand, authorization,
direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action, and for that purpose the
Outstanding Debentures shall be computed as of the record date; provided,
however, that no such authorization, agreement or consent by such
Debentureholders on the record date shall be deemed effective unless it shall
become effective pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture not later than six
(6) months after the record date.

        Section 10.2. Proof of Execution by the Debentureholders. Subject to the
provisions of Section 9.1, proof of the execution of any instrument by a
Debentureholder (such proof shall not


                                      -38-
<PAGE>   45

require notarization) or such Debentureholder's agent or proxy and proof of the
holding by any Person of any of the Debentures shall be sufficient if made in
the following manner:

                   (a) The fact and date of the execution by any such Person of
         any instrument may be proved in any reasonable manner acceptable to the
         Trustee.

                   (b) The ownership of Debentures shall be proved by the
         Debenture Register of such Debentures or by a certificate of the
         Debenture Registrar thereof.

                   (c) The Trustee may require such additional proof of any
         matter referred to in this Section 10.2 as it shall deem necessary.

        Section 10.3. Who May be Deemed Owners. Prior to the due presentment for
registration of transfer of any Debenture, the Company, the Trustee, any Paying
Agent, any Authenticating Agent and any Debenture Registrar may deem and treat
the Person in whose name such Debenture shall be registered upon the books of
the Company as the absolute owner of such Debenture (whether or not such
Debenture shall be overdue and notwithstanding any notice of ownership or
writing thereon made by anyone other than the Debenture Registrar) for the
purpose of receiving payment of or on account of the principal of and interest
on such Debenture (subject to Section 2.3) and for all other purposes; and
neither the Company nor the Trustee nor any Paying Agent nor any Authenticating
Agent nor any Debenture Registrar shall be affected by any notice to the
contrary.

        Section 10.4. Certain Debentures Owned by Company Disregarded. In
determining whether the holders of the requisite aggregate principal amount of
the Debentures have concurred in any direction, consent or waiver under this
Indenture, the Debentures that are owned by the Company or any other obligor on
the Debentures or by any Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled
by or under common control with the Company or any other obligor on the
Debentures shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding for the purpose
of any such determination, except that (a) for the purpose of determining
whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying on any such direction, consent
or waiver, only Debentures that the Trustee actually knows are so owned shall be
so disregarded; and (b) for purposes of this Section 10.4, the Trust shall be
deemed not to be controlled by the Company. The Debentures so owned that have
been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding for the purposes of
this Section 10.4, if the pledgee shall establish to the satisfaction of the
Trustee the pledgee's right so to act with respect to such Debentures and that
the pledgee is not a Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by
or under direct or indirect common control with the Company or any such other
obligor. In case of a dispute as to such right, any decision by the Trustee
taken upon the advice of counsel shall be full protection to the Trustee.

        Section 10.5. Actions Binding on the Future Debentureholders. At any
time prior to (but not after) the evidencing to the Trustee, as provided in
Section 10.1, of the taking of any action by the holders of the majority or
percentage in aggregate principal amount of the Debentures specified in this
Indenture in connection with such action, any holder of a Debenture that is
shown by the evidence to be included in the Debentures the holders of which have
consented to such action may, by filing written notice with the Trustee, and
upon proof of holding as


                                      -39-
<PAGE>   46


provided in Section 10.2, revoke such action so far as concerns such Debenture.
Except as aforesaid, any such action taken by the holder of any Debenture shall
be conclusive and binding upon such holder and upon all future holders and
owners of such Debenture, and of any Debenture issued in exchange therefor, on
registration of transfer thereof or in place thereof, irrespective of whether or
not any notation in regard thereto is made upon such Debenture. Any action taken
by the holders of the majority or percentage in aggregate principal amount of
the Debentures specified in this Indenture in connection with such action shall
be conclusively binding upon the Company, the Trustee and the holders of all the
Debentures.


                                   ARTICLE XI

                             SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

        Section 11.1. Supplemental Indentures without the Consent of the
Debentureholders. In addition to any supplemental indenture otherwise authorized
by this Indenture, the Company and the Trustee may from time to time and at any
time enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto (which shall
conform to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect), without
the consent of the Debentureholders, for one or more of the following purposes:

                   (a) to cure any ambiguity, defect, or inconsistency herein,
         or in the Debentures;

                   (b) to comply with Article X;

                   (c) to provide for uncertificated Debentures in addition to
         or in place of certificated Debentures;

                   (d) to add to the covenants of the Company for the benefit of
         the holders of all or any of the Debentures or to surrender any right
         or power herein conferred upon the Company;

                   (e) to add to, delete from, or revise the conditions,
         limitations and restrictions on the authorized amount, terms or
         purposes of issue, authentication and delivery of Debentures, as herein
         set forth;

                   (f) to make any change that does not adversely affect the
         rights of any Debentureholder in any material respect;

                   (g) to provide for the issuance of and establish the form and
         terms and conditions of the Debentures, to establish the form of any
         certifications required to be furnished pursuant to the terms of this
         Indenture or of the Debentures, or to add to the rights of the holders
         of the Debentures;

                   (h) to qualify or maintain the qualification of this
         Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act; or



                                      -40-
<PAGE>   47

                   (i) to evidence a consolidation or merger involving the
         Company as permitted under Section 12.1.

         The Trustee is hereby authorized to join with the Company in the
execution of any such supplemental indenture, and to make any further
appropriate agreements and stipulations that may be therein contained, but the
Trustee shall not be obligated to enter into any such supplemental indenture
that affects the Trustee's own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture
or otherwise. Any supplemental indenture authorized by the provisions of this
Section 11.1 may be executed by the Company and the Trustee without the consent
of the holders of any of the Debentures at the time Outstanding, notwithstanding
any of the provisions of Section 11.2.

        Section 11.2. Supplemental Indentures with Consent of the
Debentureholders. With the consent (evidenced as provided in Section 10.1) of
the holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the
Debentures at the time Outstanding, the Company, when authorized by Board
Resolutions, and the Trustee may from time to time and at any time enter into an
indenture or indentures supplemental hereto (which shall conform to the
provisions of the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect) for the purpose of
adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the
provisions of this Indenture or of any supplemental indenture or of modifying in
any manner not covered by Section 11.1 the rights of the holders of the
Debentures under this Indenture; provided, however, that no such supplemental
indenture shall without the consent of the holders of each Debenture then
Outstanding and affected thereby, (a) extend the fixed maturity of any
Debentures, reduce the principal amount thereof, or reduce the rate or extend
the time of payment of interest thereon; or (b) reduce the aforesaid percentage
of Debentures, the holders of which are required to consent to any such
supplemental indenture; provided further, that if the Debentures are held by the
Trust or a trustee of the Trust, such supplemental indenture shall not be
effective until the holders of a majority in liquidation preference of Trust
Securities of the Trust shall have consented to such supplemental indenture;
provided further, that if the Debentures are held by the Trust or a trustee of
the Trust and if the consent of the holder of each Outstanding Debenture is
required, such supplemental indenture shall not be effective until each holder
of the Trust Securities of the Trust shall have consented to such supplemental
indenture. It shall not be necessary for the consent of the Debentureholders
affected thereby under this Section 11.2 to approve the particular form of any
proposed supplemental indenture, but it shall be sufficient if such consent
shall approve the substance thereof.

        Section 11.3. Effect of Supplemental Indentures. Upon the execution of
any supplemental indenture pursuant to the provisions of this Article XI, this
Indenture shall be and be deemed to be modified and amended in accordance
therewith and the respective rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties
and immunities under this Indenture of the Trustee, the Company and the holders
of Debentures shall thereafter be determined, exercised and enforced hereunder
subject in all respects to such modifications and amendments, and all the terms
and conditions of any such supplemental indenture shall be and be deemed to be
part of the terms and conditions of this Indenture for any and all purposes.



                                      -41-
<PAGE>   48

        Section 11.4. The Debentures Affected by Supplemental Indentures. The
Debentures affected by a supplemental indenture, authenticated and delivered
after the execution of such supplemental indenture pursuant to the provisions of
this Article XI, may bear a notation in form approved by the Company, provided
such form meets the requirements of any exchanges or automated quotation system
upon which the Debentures may be listed or quoted, as to any matter provided for
in such supplemental indenture. If the Company shall so determine, new
Debentures so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Board of Directors
of the Company, to any modification of this Indenture contained in any such
supplemental indenture may be prepared by the Company, authenticated by the
Trustee and delivered in exchange for the Debentures then Outstanding.

        Section 11.5. Execution of Supplemental Indentures. (a) Upon the request
of the Company, accompanied by its Board Resolutions authorizing the execution
of any such supplemental indenture, and upon the filing with the Trustee of
evidence of the consent of the Debentureholders required to consent thereto as
aforesaid, the Trustee shall join with the Company in the execution of such
supplemental indenture unless such supplemental indenture affects the Trustee's
own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise, in which
case the Trustee may in its discretion, but shall not be obligated, to enter
into such supplemental indenture. The Trustee, subject to the provisions of
Sections 9.1, may receive an Opinion of Counsel as conclusive evidence that any
supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article XI is authorized or
permitted by, and conforms to, the terms of this Article XI and that it is
proper for the Trustee under the provisions of this Article XI to join in the
execution thereof.

         (b) Promptly after the execution by the Company and the Trustee of any
supplemental indenture pursuant to the provisions of this Section 11.5, the
Trustee shall transmit by mail, first class postage prepaid, a notice, setting
forth in general terms the substance of such supplemental indenture, to the
Debentureholders as their names and addresses appear upon the Debenture
Register. Any failure of the Trustee to mail such notice, or any defect therein,
shall not, however, in any way impair or affect the validity of any such
supplemental indenture.

        Section 11.6. Preservation of Registered Debentures. No supplemental
indenture shall be entered into which alters the form of Debentures from
registered to coupon form without an Opinion of Counsel stating that such
alteration will not result in adverse federal income tax consequences to the
Company.


                                   ARTICLE XII

                              SUCCESSOR CORPORATION

        Section 12.1. The Company may Consolidate, Etc. Nothing contained in
this Indenture or in any of the Debentures shall prevent any consolidation or
merger of the Company with or into any other corporation or corporations
(whether or not affiliated with the Company, as the case may be), or successive
consolidations or mergers in which the Company, as the case may be, or its
successor or successors shall be a party or parties, or shall prevent any sale,
conveyance, transfer or other disposition of the property of the Company, as the
case may be, or its successor


                                      -42-
<PAGE>   49




or successors as an entirety, or substantially as an entirety, to any other
corporation (whether or not affiliated with the Company, as the case may be, or
its successor or successors) authorized to acquire and operate the same;
provided, however, that the Company hereby covenants and agrees that (a) upon
any such consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance, transfer or other disposition,
the due and punctual payment, in the case of the Company, of the principal of
and interest on all of the Debentures, according to their tenor and the due and
punctual performance and observance of all the covenants and conditions of this
Indenture to be kept or performed by the Company, as the case may be, shall be
expressly assumed, by supplemental indenture (which shall conform to the
provisions of the Trust Indenture Act, as then in effect) satisfactory in form
to the Trustee executed and delivered to the Trustee by the entity formed by
such consolidation, or into which the Company, as the case may be, shall have
been merged, or by the entity which shall have acquired such property; (b) in
case the Company consolidates with or merges into another Person or conveys or
transfers its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any Person,
the successor Person is organized under the laws of the United States or any
state or the District of Columbia; and (c) immediately after giving effect
thereto, an Event of Default, and no event which, after notice or lapse of time
or both, would become an Event of Default, shall have occurred and be
continuing.

        Section 12.2. Successor Corporation Substituted. (a) In case of any such
consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance, transfer or other disposition and upon
the assumption by the successor corporation, by supplemental indenture, executed
and delivered to the Trustee and satisfactory in form to the Trustee, of, in the
case of the Company, the due and punctual payment of the principal of and
interest on all of the Debentures Outstanding and the due and punctual
performance of all of the covenants and conditions of this Indenture to be
performed by the Company, as the case may be, such successor corporation shall
succeed to and be substituted for the Company, with the same effect as if it had
been named as the Company herein.

         (b) In case of any such consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance,
transfer or other disposition, such changes in phraseology and form (but not in
substance) may be made in the Debentures thereafter to be issued as may be
appropriate.

         (c) Nothing contained in this Indenture or in any of the Debentures
shall prevent the Company from merging into itself or acquiring by purchase or
otherwise, all or any part of, the property of any other Person (whether or not
affiliated with the Company).

         Section 12.3. Evidence of Consolidation, etc. to Trustee. The Trustee,
subject to the provisions of Section 9.1, may receive an Opinion of Counsel as
conclusive evidence that any such consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance,
transfer or other disposition, and any such assumption, comply with the
provisions of this Article XII.



                                  ARTICLE XIII

                           SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

        Section 13.1. Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture. If at any time:
(a) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee for cancellation all
Debentures theretofore authenticated


                                      -43-
<PAGE>   50


(other than any Debentures that shall have been destroyed, lost or stolen and
that shall have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 2.9) and all
Debentures for whose payment money or Governmental Obligations have theretofore
been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Company (and
thereupon repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust, as provided in
Section 13.5); or (b) all such Debentures not theretofore delivered to the
Trustee for cancellation shall have become due and payable, or are by their
terms to become due and payable within one year or are to be called for
redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for
the giving of notice of redemption, and the Company shall deposit or cause to be
deposited with the Trustee as trust funds the entire amount in money or
Governmental Obligations sufficient, or a combination thereof sufficient, in the
opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants
expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay at
maturity or upon redemption all Debentures not theretofore delivered to the
Trustee for cancellation, including principal and interest due or to become due
to such date of maturity or date fixed for redemption, as the case may be, and
if the Company shall also pay or cause to be paid all other sums payable
hereunder by the Company; then this Indenture shall thereupon cease to be of
further effect except for the provisions of Sections 2.3, 2.7, 2.9, 5.1, 5.2,
5.3, 9.7 and 9.10, that shall survive until the date of maturity or redemption
date, as the case may be, and Sections 9.7 and 13.5, that shall survive to such
date and thereafter, and the Trustee, on demand of the Company and at the cost
and expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging
satisfaction of and discharging this Indenture.

        Section 13.2. Discharge of Obligations. If at any time all Debentures
not heretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation or that have not become
due and payable as described in Section 13.1 shall have been paid by the Company
by depositing irrevocably with the Trustee as trust funds money or an amount of
Governmental Obligations sufficient in the opinion of a nationally recognized
certified public accounting firm to pay at maturity or upon redemption all
Debentures not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, including
principal and interest due or to become due to such date of maturity or date
fixed for redemption, as the case may be, and if the Company shall also pay or
cause to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company, then after the
date such money or Governmental Obligations, as the case may be, are deposited
with the Trustee, the obligations of the Company under this Indenture shall
cease to be of further effect except for the provisions of Sections 2.3, 2.7,
2.9, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 9.6, 9.7 and 13.5, that shall survive until such Debentures
shall mature and be paid. Thereafter, Sections 9.7 and 13.5 shall survive.

        Section 13.3. Deposited Money to be Held in Trust. All money or
Governmental Obligations deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Sections 13.1 or
13.2 shall be held in trust and shall be available for payment as due, either
directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own
Paying Agent), to the holders of the Debentures for the payment or redemption of
which such money or Governmental Obligations have been deposited with the
Trustee.

        Section 13.4. Payment of Money Held by Paying Agents. In connection with
the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, all money or Governmental
Obligations then held by any Paying Agent under the provisions of this Indenture
shall, upon demand of the Company, be


                                      -44-
<PAGE>   51


paid to the Trustee and thereupon such Paying Agent shall be released from all
further liability with respect to such money or Governmental Obligations.

        Section 13.5. Repayment to the Company. Any money or Governmental
Obligations deposited with any Paying Agent or the Trustee, or then held by the
Company in trust, for payment of principal of or interest on the Debentures that
are not applied but remain unclaimed by the holders of such Debentures for at
least two years after the date upon which the principal of or interest on such
Debentures shall have respectively become due and payable, shall be repaid to
the Company, as the case may be, on June 30 of each year or (if then held by the
Company) shall be discharged from such trust; and thereupon the Paying Agent and
the Trustee shall be released from all further liability with respect to such
money or Governmental Obligations, and the holder of any of the Debentures
entitled to receive such payment shall thereafter, as an unsecured general
creditor, look only to the Company for the payment thereof.


                                   ARTICLE XIV

         IMMUNITY OF INCORPORATORS, STOCKHOLDERS, OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

        Section 14.1. No Recourse. No recourse under or upon any obligation,
covenant or agreement of this Indenture, or of the Debentures, or for any claim
based thereon or otherwise in respect thereof, shall be had against any
incorporator, stockholder, officer or director, past, present or future, as
such, of the Company or of any predecessor or successor corporation, either
directly or through the Company or any such predecessor or successor
corporation, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law, or
by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise; it being expressly
understood that this Indenture and the obligations issued hereunder are solely
corporate obligations, and that no such personal liability whatever, shall
attach to, or is or shall be incurred by, the incorporators, stockholders,
officers or directors as such, of the Company or of any predecessor or successor
corporation, or any of them, because of the creation of the indebtedness hereby
authorized, or under or by reason of the obligations, covenants or agreements
contained in this Indenture or in any of the Debentures or implied therefrom;
and that any and all such personal liability of every name and nature, either at
common law or in equity or by constitution or statute, and any and all such
rights and claims against, every such incorporator, stockholder, officer or
director as such, because of the creation of the indebtedness hereby authorized,
or under or by reason of the obligations, covenants or agreements contained in
this Indenture or in any of the Debentures or implied therefrom, are hereby
expressly waived and released as a condition of, and as a consideration for, the
execution of this Indenture and the issuance of such Debentures.


                                   ARTICLE XV

                            MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

         Section 15.1. Effect on Successors and Assigns. All the covenants,
stipulations, promises and agreements in this Indenture contained by or on
behalf of the Company shall bind its respective successors and assigns, whether
so expressed or not.



                                      -45-
<PAGE>   52

        Section 15.2. Actions by Successor. Any act or proceeding by any
provision of this Indenture authorized or required to be done or performed by
any board, committee or officer of the Company shall and may be done and
performed with like force and effect by the corresponding board, committee or
officer of any corporation that shall at the time be the lawful sole successor
of the Company.

        Section 15.3. Surrender of the Company Powers. The Company by instrument
in writing executed by appropriate authority of its Board of Directors and
delivered to the Trustee may surrender any of the powers reserved to the
Company, and thereupon such power so surrendered shall terminate both as to the
Company, as the case may be, and as to any successor corporation.

        Section 15.4. Notices. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein any
notice or demand that by any provision of this Indenture is required or
permitted to be given or served by the Trustee or by the holders of Debentures
to or on the Company may be given or served by being deposited first class
postage prepaid in a post-office letterbox addressed (until another address is
filed in writing by the Company with the Trustee), as follows: c/o First Busey
Corporation, 201 W. Main Street, Urbana, Illinois 61801, Attention: Chief
Executive Officer. Any notice, election, request or demand by the Company or any
Debentureholder to or upon the Trustee shall be deemed to have been sufficiently
given or made, for all purposes, if given or made in writing at the Corporate
Trust Office of the Trustee.

         Section 15.5. Governing Law. This Indenture and each Debenture shall be
deemed to be a contract made under the internal laws of the State of Illinois
and for all purposes shall be construed in accordance with the laws of said
State.

        Section 15.6. Treatment of the Debentures as Debt. It is intended that
the Debentures shall be treated as indebtedness and not as equity for federal
income tax purposes. The provisions of this Indenture shall be interpreted to
further this intention. The Company (with respect to its separate books and
records), the Trustee and, by acceptance of a Debenture, each holder of a
Debenture, agree to treat the Debentures as indebtedness of the Company and not
as equity for all tax (including without limitation, federal income tax) and
financial accounting purposes.

        Section 15.7. Compliance Certificates and Opinions. (a) Upon any
application or demand by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under any
of the provisions of this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee an
Officers' Certificate stating that all conditions precedent provided for in this
Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with and an Opinion
of Counsel stating that in the opinion of such counsel all such conditions
precedent have been complied with, except that in the case of any such
application or demand as to which the furnishing of such documents is
specifically required by any provision of this Indenture relating to such
particular application or demand, no additional certificate or opinion need be
furnished.

         (b) Each certificate or opinion of the Company provided for in this
Indenture and delivered to the Trustee with respect to compliance with a
condition or covenant in this Indenture shall include (i) a statement that the
Person making such certificate or opinion has read


                                      -46-
<PAGE>   53


such covenant or condition; (ii) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of
the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained
in such certificate or opinion are based; (iii) a statement that, in the opinion
of such Person, he or she has made such examination or investigation as, in the
opinion of such Person, is necessary to enable him or her to express an informed
opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with;
and (iv) a statement as to whether or not, in the opinion of such Person, such
condition or covenant has been complied with; provided, however, that each such
certificate shall comply with the provisions of Section 314 of the Trust
Indenture Act.

        Section 15.8. Payments on Business Days. In any case where the date of
maturity of interest or principal of any Debenture or the date of redemption of
any Debenture shall not be a Business Day, then payment of interest or principal
may (subject to Section 2.5(b)) be made on the next succeeding Business Day with
the same force and effect as if made on the nominal date of maturity or
redemption, and no interest shall accrue for the period after such nominal date.

         Section 15.9. Conflict with Trust Indenture Act. If and to the extent
that any provision of this Indenture limits, qualifies or conflicts with the
duties imposed by Sections 310 to 317, inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act,
such imposed duties shall control.

         Section 15.10. Counterparts. This Indenture may be executed in any
number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, but such
counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.

         Section 15.11. Separability. In case any one or more of the provisions
contained in this Indenture or in the Debentures shall for any reason be held to
be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, such invalidity, illegality
or unenforceability shall not affect any other provisions of this Indenture or
of the Debentures, but this Indenture and the Debentures shall be construed as
if such invalid or illegal or unenforceable provision had never been contained
herein or therein.

       Section 15.12. Assignment. The Company shall have the right at all times
to assign any of its respective rights or obligations under this Indenture to a
direct or indirect wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company, provided that, in the
event of any such assignment, the Company shall remain liable for all such
obligations. Subject to the foregoing, this Indenture is binding upon and inures
to the benefit of the parties thereto and their respective successors and
assigns. This Indenture may not otherwise be assigned by the parties thereto.

       Section 15.13. Acknowledgment of Rights; Right of Setoff. (a) The Company
acknowledges that, with respect to any Debentures held by the Trust or a trustee
of the Trust, if the Property Trustee fails to enforce its rights under this
Indenture as the holder of the Debentures held as the assets of the Trust, any
holder of Preferred Securities may institute legal proceedings directly against
the Company to enforce such Property Trustee's rights under this Indenture
without first instituting any legal proceedings against such Property Trustee or
any other person or entity. Notwithstanding the foregoing, and notwithstanding
the provisions of Section 7.4(a) hereof, if an Event of Default has occurred and
is continuing and such event is attributable to the failure of the Company to
pay principal or interest on the Debentures on the date such principal or
interest


                                      -47-
<PAGE>   54


is otherwise payable (or in the case of redemption, on the redemption date),
the Company acknowledges that a holder of Preferred Securities may directly
institute a proceeding for enforcement of payment to such holder of the
principal of or interest on the Debentures having a principal amount equal to
the aggregate liquidation amount of the Preferred Securities of such holder on
or after the respective due date specified in the Debentures.

         (b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this
Indenture, the Company shall have the right to setoff any payment it is
otherwise required to make hereunder in respect of any Trust Securities to the
extent that the Company has previously made, or is concurrently making, a
payment to the holder of such Trust Securities under the Preferred Securities
Guarantee or in connection with a proceeding for enforcement of payment of the
principal of or interest on the Debentures directly brought by holders of any
Trust Securities.


                                   ARTICLE XVI

                         SUBORDINATION OF THE DEBENTURES

        Section 16.1. Agreement to Subordinate. The Company covenants and
agrees, and each holder of the Debentures issued hereunder by such holder's
acceptance thereof likewise covenants and agrees, that all the Debentures shall
be issued subject to the provisions of this Article XVI; and each holder of a
Debenture, whether upon original issue or upon transfer or assignment thereof,
accepts and agrees to be bound by such provisions. The payment by the Company of
the principal of and interest on all the Debentures issued hereunder shall, to
the extent and in the manner hereinafter set forth, be subordinated and junior
in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all Senior Debt,
Subordinated Debt and Additional Senior Obligations of the Company
(collectively, "Senior Indebtedness") to the extent provided herein, whether
outstanding at the date of this Indenture or thereafter incurred. No provision
of this Article XVI shall prevent the occurrence of any default or Event of
Default hereunder. In no event shall the Debentures be subordinate to the
Company's: (i) trade accounts payable, (ii) accrued liabilities arising in the
ordinary course of business, or (iii) debt to any employee of the Company.

        Section 16.2. Default on Senior Indebtedness. In the event and during
the continuation of any default by the Company in the payment of principal,
premium, interest or any other payment due on any Senior Indebtedness, or in the
event that the maturity of any Senior Indebtedness has been accelerated because
of a default, then, in either case, no payment shall be made by the Company with
respect to the principal (including redemption payments) of or interest on the
Debentures. In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any payment shall
be received by the Trustee when such payment is prohibited by the preceding
sentence of this Section 16.2, such payment shall be held in trust for the
benefit of, and shall be paid over or delivered to, the holders of Senior
Indebtedness or their respective representatives, or to the trustee or trustees
under any indenture pursuant to which any of such Senior Indebtedness may have
been issued, as their respective interests may appear, but only to the extent
that the holders of the Senior Indebtedness (or their representative or
representatives or a trustee) notify the Trustee in writing within 90 days of
such payment of the amounts then due and owing on the Senior Indebtedness


                                      -48-
<PAGE>   55

and only the amounts specified in such notice to the Trustee shall be paid to
the holders of the Senior Indebtedness.

        Section 16.3. Liquidation; Dissolution; Bankruptcy. (a) Upon any payment
by the Company or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or
character, whether in cash, property or securities, to creditors upon any
dissolution or winding-up or liquidation or reorganization of the Company,
whether voluntary or involuntary or in bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or
other proceedings, all amounts due upon all Senior Indebtedness shall first be
paid in full, or payment thereof provided for in money in accordance with its
terms, before any payment is made by the Company on account of the principal or
interest on the Debentures; and upon any such dissolution or winding-up or
liquidation or reorganization, any payment by the Company, or distribution of
assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or
securities, to which the holders of the Debentures or the Trustee would be
entitled to receive from the Company, except for the provisions of this Article
XVI, shall be paid by the Company or by any receiver, trustee in bankruptcy,
liquidating trustee, agent or other Person making such payment or distribution,
or by the holders of the Debentures or by the Trustee under this Indenture if
received by them or it, directly to the holders of Senior Indebtedness (pro rata
to such holders on the basis of the respective amounts of Senior Indebtedness
held by such holders, as calculated by the Company) or their representative or
representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to
which any instruments evidencing such Senior Indebtedness may have been issued,
as their respective interests may appear, to the extent necessary to pay such
Senior Indebtedness in full, in money or money's worth, after giving effect to
any concurrent payment or distribution to or for the holders of such Senior
Indebtedness, before any payment or distribution is made to the holders of the
Debentures or to the Trustee.

         (b) In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any payment or
distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash,
property or securities, prohibited by the foregoing, shall be received by the
Trustee before all Senior Indebtedness is paid in full, or provision is made for
such payment in money in accordance with its terms, such payment or distribution
shall be held in trust for the benefit of and shall be paid over or delivered to
the holders of such Senior Indebtedness or their representative or
representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to
which any instruments evidencing such Senior Indebtedness may have been issued,
as their respective interests may appear, as calculated by the Company, for
application to the payment of all Senior Indebtedness, as the case may be,
remaining unpaid to the extent necessary to pay such Senior Indebtedness in full
in money in accordance with its terms, after giving effect to any concurrent
payment or distribution to or for the benefit of the holders of such Senior
Indebtedness.

         (c) For purposes of this Article XVI, the words "cash, property or
securities" shall not be deemed to include shares of stock of the Company as
reorganized or readjusted, or securities of the Company or any other corporation
provided for by a plan of reorganization or readjustment, the payment of which
is subordinated at least to the extent provided in this Article XVI with respect
to the Debentures to the payment of all Senior Indebtedness, as the case may be,
that may at the time be outstanding, provided that (i) such Senior Indebtedness
is assumed by the new corporation, if any, resulting from any such
reorganization or readjustment;


                                      -49-
<PAGE>   56



and (ii) the rights of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness are not, without
the consent of such holders, altered by such reorganization or readjustment. The
consolidation of the Company with, or the merger of the Company into, another
corporation or the liquidation or dissolution of the Company following the
conveyance or transfer of its property as an entirety, or substantially as an
entirety, to another corporation upon the terms and conditions provided for in
Article XII shall not be deemed a dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or
reorganization for the purposes of this Section 16.3 if such other corporation
shall, as a part of such consolidation, merger, conveyance or transfer, comply
with the conditions stated in Article XII. Nothing in Section 16.2 or in this
Section 16.3 shall apply to claims of, or payments to, the Trustee under or
pursuant to Section 9.7.

        Section 16.4. Subrogation. (a) Subject to the payment in full of all
Senior Indebtedness, the rights of the holders of the Debentures shall be
subrogated to the rights of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness to receive
payments or distributions of cash, property or securities of the Company, as the
case may be, applicable to such Senior Indebtedness until the principal of and
interest on the Debentures shall be paid in full; and, for the purposes of such
subrogation, no payments or distributions to the holders of such Senior
Indebtedness of any cash, property or securities to which the holders of the
Debentures or the Trustee would be entitled except for the provisions of this
Article XVI, and no payment over pursuant to the provisions of this Article XVI
to or for the benefit of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness by holders of
the Debentures or the Trustee, shall, as between the Company, its creditors
(other than holders of Senior Indebtedness of the Company), and the holders of
the Debentures, be deemed to be a payment by the Company to or on account of
such Senior Indebtedness. It is understood that the provisions of this Article
XVI are and are intended solely for the purposes of defining the relative rights
of the holders of the Debentures, on the one hand, and the holders of such
Senior Indebtedness on the other hand.

         (b) Nothing contained in this Article XVI or elsewhere in this
Indenture or in the Debentures is intended to or shall impair, as between the
Company, its creditors (other than the holders of Senior Indebtedness), and the
holders of the Debentures, the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and
unconditional, to pay to the holders of the Debentures the principal of and
interest on the Debentures as and when the same shall become due and payable in
accordance with their terms, or is intended to or shall affect the relative
rights of the holders of the Debentures and creditors of the Company, as the
case may be, other than the holders of Senior Indebtedness, as the case may be,
nor shall anything herein or therein prevent the Trustee or the holder of any
Debenture from exercising all remedies otherwise permitted by applicable law
upon default under this Indenture, subject to the rights, if any, under this
Article XVI of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness in respect of cash,
property or securities of the Company, as the case may be, received upon the
exercise of any such remedy.

         (c) Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Company referred
to in this Article XVI, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Article IX,
and the holders of the Debentures shall be entitled to conclusively rely upon
any order or decree made by any court of competent jurisdiction in which such
dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization proceedings are pending,
or a certificate of the receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, liquidation trustee,
agent or other Person making such payment or distribution, delivered to the
Trustee or to


                                      -50-
<PAGE>   57


the holders of the Debentures, for the purposes of ascertaining the Persons
entitled to participate in such distribution, the holders of Senior Indebtedness
and other indebtedness of the Company, as the case may be, the amount thereof or
payable thereon, the amount or amounts paid or distributed thereon and all other
facts pertinent thereto or to this Article XVI.

        Section 16.5. The Trustee to Effectuate Subordination. Each holder of
Debentures by such holder's acceptance thereof authorizes and directs the
Trustee on such holder's behalf to take such action as may be necessary or
appropriate to effectuate the subordination provided in this Article XVI and
appoints the Trustee such holder's attorney-in-fact for any and all such
purposes.

        Section 16.6. Notice by the Company. (a) The Company shall give prompt
written notice to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee of any fact known to the
Company that would prohibit the making of any payment of money to or by the
Trustee in respect of the Debentures pursuant to the provisions of this Article
XVI. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Article XVI or any other provision
of this Indenture, the Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of the
existence of any facts that would prohibit the making of any payment of money to
or by the Trustee in respect of the Debentures pursuant to the provisions of
this Article XVI, unless and until a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall
have received written notice thereof from the Company or a holder or holders of
Senior Indebtedness or from any trustee therefor; and before the receipt of any
such written notice, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Section 9.1,
shall be entitled in all respects to assume that no such facts exist; provided,
however, that if the Trustee shall not have received the notice provided for in
this Section 16.6 at least two Business Days prior to the date upon which by the
terms hereof any money may become payable for any purpose (including, without
limitation, the payment of the principal of or interest on any Debenture), then,
anything herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall
have full power and authority to receive such money and to apply the same to the
purposes for which they were received, and shall not be affected by any notice
to the contrary that may be received by it within two Business Days prior to
such date.

         (b) The Trustee, subject to the provisions of Section 9.1, shall be
entitled to conclusively rely on the delivery to it of a written notice by a
Person representing himself or herself to be a holder of Senior Indebtedness (or
a trustee on behalf of such holder) to establish that such notice has been given
by a holder of such Senior Indebtedness or a trustee on behalf of any such
holder or holders. In the event that the Trustee determines in good faith that
further evidence is required with respect to the right of any Person as a holder
of such Senior Indebtedness to participate in any payment or distribution
pursuant to this Article XVI, the Trustee may request such Person to furnish
evidence to the reasonable satisfaction of the Trustee as to the amount of such
Senior Indebtedness held by such Person, the extent to which such Person is
entitled to participate in such payment or distribution and any other facts
pertinent to the rights of such Person under this Article XVI, and, if such
evidence is not furnished, the Trustee may defer any payment to such Person
pending judicial determination as to the right of such Person to receive such
payment.

        Section 16.7. Rights of the Trustee; Holders of the Senior Indebtedness.
(a) The Trustee in its individual capacity shall be entitled to all the rights
set forth in this Article XVI in respect


                                      -51-
<PAGE>   58


of any Senior Indebtedness at any time held by it, to the same extent as any
other holder of Senior Indebtedness, and nothing in this Indenture shall deprive
the Trustee of any of its rights as such holder. The Trustee's right to
compensation and reimbursement of expenses as set forth in Section 9.7 shall not
be subject to the subordination provisions of Article XVI.

         (b) With respect to the holders of the Senior Indebtedness, the Trustee
undertakes to perform or to observe only such of its covenants and obligations
as are specifically set forth in this Article XVI, and no implied covenants or
obligations with respect to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness shall be
read into this Indenture against the Trustee. The Trustee shall not be deemed to
owe any fiduciary duty to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness and, subject
to the provisions of Section 9.1, the Trustee shall not be liable to any holder
of such Senior Indebtedness if it shall pay over or deliver to holders of
Debentures, the Company or any other Person money or assets to which any holder
of such Senior Indebtedness shall be entitled by virtue of this Article XVI or
otherwise.

        Section 16.8. Subordination May Not Be Impaired. (a) No right of any
present or future holder of any Senior Indebtedness to enforce subordination as
herein provided shall at any time in any way be prejudiced or impaired by any
act or failure to act on the part of the Company or by any act or failure to
act, in good faith, by any such holder, or by any noncompliance by the Company
with the terms, provisions and covenants of this Indenture, regardless of any
knowledge thereof that any such holder may have or otherwise be charged with.

         (b) Without in any way limiting the generality of the foregoing
paragraph, the holders of Senior Indebtedness may, at any time and from time to
time, without the consent of or notice to the Trustee or the holders of the
Debentures, without incurring responsibility to the holders of the Debentures
and without impairing or releasing the subordination provided in this Article
XVI or the obligations hereunder of the holders of the Debentures to the holders
of such Senior Indebtedness, do any one or more of the following: (i) change the
manner, place or terms of payment or extend the time of payment of, or renew or
alter, such Senior Indebtedness, or otherwise amend or supplement in any manner
such Senior Indebtedness or any instrument evidencing the same or any agreement
under which such Senior Indebtedness is outstanding; (ii) sell, exchange,
release or otherwise deal with any property pledged, mortgaged or otherwise
securing such Senior Indebtedness; (iii) release any Person liable in any manner
for the collection of such Senior Indebtedness; and (iv) exercise or refrain
from exercising any rights against the Company and any other Person.





                                      -52-
<PAGE>   59



         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be
duly executed all as of the day and year first above written.

                                       FIRST BUSEY CORPORATION


                                       By: _____________________________________
                                           Name:  Douglas C. Mills
                                           Title: Chief Executive Officer and
                                                  Chairman of the Board

ATTEST:


_______________________________


                                       WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY, as trustee


                                       By: _____________________________________


                                           Name:  ______________________________


                                           Title: ______________________________

ATTEST:


_______________________________



                                      -53-
<PAGE>   60




STATE OF ILLINOIS                )
                                 ) SS
COUNTY OF CHAMPAIGN              )

         On this _____ day of ___________, 2001, before me appeared
____________________, to me personally known, who, being by me duly sworn, did
say that he is the ___________________ of First Busey Corporation, and that the
seal affixed to said instrument is the corporate seal of said corporation, and
that said instrument was signed and sealed in behalf of said corporation by
authority of its Board of Directors and said _____________ acknowledged said
instrument to be the free act and deed of said corporation.

         In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my
official seal at my office in said county and state the day and year last above
written.
                                    ____________________________________________
                                    Notary Public

                                    My term expires:____________________________


STATE OF DELAWARE                )
                                 ) SS
COUNTY OF __________             )

         On this ____ day of _____________, 2001, before me appeared
___________________, to me personally known, who, being by me duly sworn, did
say that he is the _____________________ of Wilmington Trust Company, and that
the seal affixed to said instrument is the corporate seal of said corporation,
and that said instrument was signed and sealed in behalf of said corporation by
authority of its Board of Directors and said _____________________________,
acknowledged said instrument to be the free act and deed of said corporation.

         In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my
official seal at my office in said county and commonwealth the day and year last
above written.

                                    ____________________________________________
                                    Notary Public

                                    My term expires:____________________________




                                      -54-
<PAGE>   61
                                    EXHIBIT A

                           (Form of Face of Debenture)

No. __________                                                     $____________

CUSIP No. _________



                             FIRST BUSEY CORPORATION

                      ____% SUBORDINATED DEBENTURE DUE 2031


         First Busey Corporation, a Nevada corporation (the "Company," which
term includes any successor corporation under the Indenture hereinafter referred
to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to Wilmington Trust Company, as
Property Trustee for First Busey Capital Trust I, or registered assigns, the
principal sum of ________________________ ($__________) on June __, 2031 (the
"Stated Maturity"), and to pay interest on said principal sum from June __,
2001, or from the most recent interest payment date (each such date, an
"Interest Payment Date") to which interest has been paid or duly provided for,
quarterly (subject to deferral as set forth herein) in arrears on March 30, June
30, September 30 and December 30 of each year commencing September 30, 2001, at
the rate of ___% per annum until the principal hereof shall have become due and
payable, and on any overdue principal and (without duplication and to the extent
that payment of such interest is enforceable under applicable law) on any
overdue installment of interest at the same rate per annum compounded quarterly.
The amount of interest payable on any Interest Payment Date shall be computed on
the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months. The amount of interest for
any partial period shall be computed on the basis of the number of days elapsed
in a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months. In the event that any date on which
interest is payable on this Debenture is not a business day, then payment of
interest payable on such date shall be made on the next succeeding day that is a
business day (and without any interest or other payment in respect of any such
delay) except that, if such business day is in the next succeeding calendar
year, payment of such interest will be made on the immediately preceding
business day, in each case, with the same force and effect as if made on such
date. The interest installment so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided
for, on any Interest Payment Date shall, as provided in the Indenture, be paid
to the person in whose name this Debenture (or one or more Predecessor
Debentures, as defined in said Indenture) is registered at the close of business
on the regular record date for such interest installment, which shall be the
close of business on the business day next preceding such Interest Payment Date
unless otherwise provided in the Indenture. Any such interest installment not
punctually paid or duly provided for shall forthwith cease to be payable to the
registered holders on such regular record date and may be paid to the Person in
whose name this Debenture (or one or more Predecessor Debentures) is registered
at the close of business on a special record date to be fixed by the Trustee for
the payment of such defaulted interest, notice thereof shall be fixed by the
Trustee for the payment of such defaulted interest, notice thereof shall be
given to the registered holders of the Debentures not less than 10 days



<PAGE>   62


prior to such special record date, or may be paid at any time in any other
lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange
or quotation system on or in which the Debentures may be listed or quoted, and
upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, all as more fully provided
in the Indenture. The principal of and the interest on this Debenture shall be
payable at the office or agency of the Trustee maintained for that purpose in
any coin or currency of the United States of America that at the time of payment
is legal tender for payment of public and private debts; provided, however, that
payment of interest may be made at the option of the Company by check mailed to
the registered holder at such address as shall appear in the Debenture Register.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, so long as the holder of this Debenture is the
Property Trustee, the payment of the principal of and interest on this Debenture
shall be made at such place and to such account as may be designated by the
Trustee.

         The Stated Maturity may be shortened at any time by the Company to any
date not earlier than June __, 2006, subject to the Company having received
prior approval of the Federal Reserve if then required under applicable capital
guidelines, policies or regulations of the Federal Reserve.

         The indebtedness evidenced by this Debenture is, to the extent provided
in the Indenture, subordinate and junior in right of payment to the prior
payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness (as defined in the Indenture). This
Debenture is issued subject to the provisions of the Indenture with respect
thereto. Each holder of this Debenture, by accepting the same, (a) agrees to and
shall be bound by such provisions; (b) authorizes and directs the Trustee on his
or her behalf to take such action as may be necessary or appropriate to
acknowledge or effectuate the subordination so provided; and (c) appoints the
Trustee his or her attorney-in-fact for any and all such purposes. Each holder
hereof, by his or her acceptance hereof, hereby waives all notice of the
acceptance of the subordination provisions contained herein and in the Indenture
by each holder of Senior Indebtedness, whether now outstanding or hereafter
incurred, and waives reliance by each such holder upon said provisions.

         This Debenture shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture
hereinafter referred to, be valid or become obligatory for any purpose until the
Certificate of Authentication hereon shall have been signed by or on behalf of
the Trustee.

         The provisions of this Debenture are continued on the reverse side
hereof and such continued provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect
as though fully set forth at this place.





                                      -2-
<PAGE>   63



         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be
executed.

Dated: ________________, 2001

                                       FIRST BUSEY CORPORATION


                                       By: _____________________________________
                                           Name:  Douglas C. Mills
                                           Title: Chief Executive Officer and
                                                  Chairman of the Board

ATTEST:


By:_______________________________


   Name: _________________________


   Title: ________________________



                                      -3-

<PAGE>   64


                     [Form of Certificate of Authentication]



                          CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

         This is one of the Debentures described in the within-mentioned
Indenture.


Dated:  ___________, 2001

                                            WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY,
                                            as Trustee or Authenticating Agent


By: _______________________________         By: ________________________________
         Authorized Signatory                         Authorized Signatory




                                      -4-

<PAGE>   65


                         [Form of Reverse of Debenture]

                      ___% SUBORDINATED DEBENTURE DUE 2031
                                   (continued)

         This Debenture is one of the subordinated debentures of the Company
(herein sometimes referred to as the "Debentures"), all issued or to be issued
under and pursuant to an Indenture dated as of June __, 2001 (the "Indenture")
duly executed and delivered between the Company and Wilmington Trust Company, as
Trustee (the "Trustee"), to which Indenture reference is hereby made for a
description of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and
immunities thereunder of the Trustee, the Company and the holders of the
Debentures. The Debentures are limited in aggregate principal amount as
specified in the Indenture.

         Because of the occurrence and continuation of a Special Event (as
defined in the Indenture), in certain circumstances, this Debenture may become
due and payable at the principal amount together with any interest accrued
thereon (the "Redemption Price"). The Redemption Price shall be paid prior to
12:00 noon. Eastern Standard Time, on the date of such redemption or at such
earlier time as the Company determines. The Company shall have the right as set
forth in the Indenture to redeem this Debenture at the option of the Company,
without premium or penalty, in whole or in part at any time on or after June __,
2006 (an "Optional Redemption"), or at any time in certain circumstances upon
the occurrence of a Special Event, at a Redemption Price equal to 100% of the
principal amount hereof plus any accrued but unpaid interest hereon, to the date
of such redemption. Any redemption pursuant to this paragraph shall be made upon
not less than 30 days' nor more than 60 days' notice, at the Redemption Price.
The Redemption Price shall be paid at the time and in the manner provided
therefor in the Indenture. If the Debentures are only partially redeemed by the
Company pursuant to an Optional Redemption, the Debentures shall be redeemed pro
rata or by lot or by any other method utilized by the Trustee as described in
the Indenture. In the event of an Optional Redemption of this Debenture in part
only, a new Debenture or Debentures for the unredeemed portion hereof shall be
issued in the name of the holder hereof upon the cancellation hereof.

         In case an Event of Default (as defined in the Indenture) shall have
occurred and be continuing, the principal of all of the Debentures may be
declared, and upon such declaration shall become, due and payable, in the
manner, with the effect and subject to the conditions provided in the Indenture.

         The Indenture contains provisions permitting the Company and the
Trustee, with the consent of the holders of not less than a majority in
aggregate principal amount of the Debentures at the time Outstanding (as defined
in the Indenture), to execute supplemental indentures for the purpose of adding
any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions
of the Indenture or of any supplemental indenture or of modifying in any manner
the rights of the holders of the Debentures; provided, however, that no such
supplemental indenture shall, except as provided in the Indenture, (i) extend
the fixed maturity of the Debentures, reduce the principal amount thereof, or
reduce the rate or extend the time of


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<PAGE>   66



payment of interest thereon without the consent of the holder of each Debenture
so affected thereby; or (ii) reduce the aforesaid percentage of the Debentures,
the holders of which are required to consent to any such supplemental indenture,
without the consent of the holder of each Debenture then Outstanding and so
affected thereby. The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the holders
of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Debentures at the time
Outstanding, on behalf of all of the holders of the Debentures, to waive any
past default in the performance of any of the covenants contained in the
Indenture, or established pursuant to the Indenture, and its consequences,
except a default in the payment of the principal of or interest on any of the
Debentures. Any such consent or waiver by the registered holder of this
Debenture (unless revoked as provided in the Indenture) shall be conclusive and
binding upon such holder and upon all future holders and owners of this
Debenture and of any Debenture issued in exchange herefor or in place hereof
(whether by registration of transfer or otherwise), irrespective of whether or
not any notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Debenture.

         No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Debenture
or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which
is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal and interest on this
Debenture at the time and place and at the rate and in the money herein
prescribed.

         The Company, as further described in the Indenture, shall have the
right at any time during the term of the Debentures and from time to time to
defer payments of interest by extending the interest payment period of such
Debentures for up to 20 consecutive quarters (each, an "Extension Period"), at
the end of which period the Company shall pay all interest then accrued
(together with interest thereon at the rate specified for the Debentures to the
extent that payment of such interest is enforceable under applicable law).
Before the termination of any such Extension Period, so long as no Event of
Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Company may further extend
such Extension Period, provided that such Extension Period together with all
such further extensions thereof shall not exceed 20 consecutive quarters, extend
beyond June __, 2031, or end on a date other than an Interest Payment Date. At
the termination of any such Extension Period and upon the payment of all
Deferred Payments then due and subject to the foregoing conditions, the Company
may commence a new Extension Period.

         As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein
set forth, this Debenture is transferable by the registered holder hereof on the
Debenture Register (as defined in the Indenture) of the Company, upon surrender
of this Debenture for registration of transfer at the office or agency of the
Trustee accompanied by a written instrument or instruments of transfer in form
satisfactory to the Company or the Trustee duly executed by the registered
holder hereof or his or her attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon
one or more new Debentures of authorized denominations and for the same
aggregate principal amount shall be issued to the designated transferee or
transferees. No service charge shall be made for any such transfer, but the
Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other
governmental charge payable in relation thereto.



                                       -6-
<PAGE>   67



         Prior to due presentment for registration of transfer of this
Debenture, the Company, the Trustee, any Paying Agent (as defined in the
Indenture) and the Debenture Registrar may deem and treat the registered holder
hereof as the absolute owner hereof (whether or not this Debenture shall be
overdue and notwithstanding any notice of ownership or writing hereon made by
anyone other than the Debenture Registrar) for the purpose of receiving payment
of or on account of the principal hereof and interest due hereon and for all
other purposes, and neither the Company nor the Trustee nor any Paying Agent nor
any Debenture Registrar shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.

         No recourse shall be had for the payment of the principal of or the
interest on this Debenture, or for any claim based hereon, or otherwise in
respect hereof, or based on or in respect of the Indenture, against any
incorporator, stockholder, officer or director, past, present or future, as
such, of the Company or of any predecessor or successor corporation, whether by
virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any
assessment or penalty or otherwise, all such liability being, by the acceptance
hereof and as part of the consideration for the issuance hereof, expressly
waived and released.

         The Debentures are issuable only in registered form without coupons in
denominations of $10 and any integral multiple thereof (or such other
denominations and any integral multiple thereof as may be deemed necessary by
the Company for the purpose of maintaining the eligibility of the Debentures for
listing on the Nasdaq National Market or any successor thereto).

         All terms used in this Debenture that are defined in the Indenture
shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.





                                      -7-