Exhibit 10.1

                                GREGORY B. LYKINS

                              EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

This Employment  Agreement (this "Agreement") is made and entered into as of the
27th day of December,  2001 (the "Effective  Date"),  by and between MAIN STREET
TRUST,  INC., an Illinois  corporation  ("Main  Street"),  and GREGORY B. LYKINS
("Greg").

                                    RECITALS

A.   Greg is serving as Chairman of the Board of Main Street (the  "Board"),  as
     of the Effective Date.

B.   Main  Street and Greg have made  commitments  to each other on a variety of
     important issues concerning his employment,  including the performance that
     will be expected of him, the  compensation  that he will be paid,  how long
     and under what  circumstances  he will remain  employed,  and the financial
     details relating to any decision that either Greg or Main Street might ever
     make to terminate this Agreement.

C.   Main Street and Greg  believe that the  commitments  they have made to each
     other should be  memorialized  in writing,  and that is the purpose of this
     Agreement.

THEREFORE, Main Street and Greg agree as follows:

                                   AGREEMENTS

1.   Term  and  Automatic  Renewal.  The  term  of  this  Agreement  and  Greg's
     employment  hereunder  shall  commence as of the Effective  Date hereof and
     continue  until  December 31,  2002.  On January 1, 2003 and each January 1
     thereafter this Agreement and the term of Greg's employment  hereunder will
     automatically  renew for one (1) additional  year unless this Agreement and
     Greg's   employment   hereunder  are  terminated  in  accordance  with  the
     provisions of Section 4.

2.   Employment.  Main  Street and Greg each  confirm  that Greg is  employed as
     Chairman of the Board of Main Street as of the Effective Date in accordance
     with the terms of this Agreement.

     (a)  Positions.  Subject to the terms of this  Agreement,  Main Street will
          continue to employ Greg as Chairman of the Board.

     (b)  Duties. Greg's duties,  authority and responsibilities as the Chairman
          of the  Board  include  and  will  continue  to  include  all  duties,
          authority  and  responsibilities  customarily  held by the chairman of
          comparable bank holding  companies,  subject always to the charter and
          bylaw provisions and the policies of Main Street and the directions of
          its board of directors (the "Board"). In addition,  Greg shall provide
          such services to Main Street's  subsidiaries  as may be requested from
          time to time by the Board.

     (c)  Care and Loyalty.  Greg will devote his best efforts,  energy,  skills
          and  attention  to the  business  and  affairs of Main  Street and its
          subsidiaries,  including without limitation BankIllinois (the "Bank"),
          and will  faithfully  and loyally  discharge his duties to Main Street
          and its subsidiaries.  The Board acknowledges and agrees that Greg may
          continue to serve,  and devote  significant  time, as a consultant and
          advisor  to other  entities,  including  without  limitation,  Midwest
          Television,  Inc.  and the August C. Meyer family  entities;  provided
          that such services do not violate Sections 5 and 6 of this Agreement.

3.   Compensation.  Main Street will compensate Greg for his services as follows
     during the term of this Agreement and his employment hereunder:

     (a)  Base  Compensation.  Greg will  receive an annual  base  salary of one
          hundred and forty thousand dollars  ($140,000)  through March 1, 2002.
          Prior to March 1, 2002,  the Board will  review  Greg's base salary to
          determine  whether it should be maintained at its then existing  level
          or increased effective as of March 1, 2002.  Following the adjustment,
          if any,  made as of March 1, 2002,  the Board will review  Greg's base
          salary annually during the term of this Agreement to determine whether
          it should  be  maintained  at its then  existing  level or  increased;
          provided that Greg's annual base salary after any such adjustment will
          not be lower than his base salary for the immediately preceding year.

     (b)  Performance  Bonus.  Main Street will pay Greg a performance  bonus at
          the end of each  year.  Greg and the  Board  will  establish  mutually
          acceptable  performance criteria and will also establish the amount of
          the maximum bonus that Greg will receive for each year if he meets the
          performance criteria. The maximum bonus amount in any year will not be
          less than 30% of Greg's  base  salary for that  year.  Nothing in this
          Agreement  will  preclude the Board from awarding Greg an annual bonus
          in any year that exceeds the maximum bonus amount established for that
          year.
<PAGE>

     (c)  Profit  Sharing  Benefit.  Greg will receive an annual profit  sharing
          benefit that will range  between 8% and 15% of the combined  amount of
          his annual base salary and  performance  bonus.  The Board will decide
          the exact  amount of this  benefit  annually  within that range.  Main
          Street will  contribute  this benefit to Main  Street's  tax-qualified
          retirement  plans and/or its  nontax-qualified  deferred  compensation
          programs for the account of Greg.  All such benefit  payments  will be
          determined  and  governed  by the  terms  of the  particular  plan  or
          program.

     (d)  Car  Allowance.  Main  Street will pay Greg a car  allowance  of seven
          hundred dollars ($700) per month through March 1, 2002.  Commencing as
          of March 1, 2002,  the car allowance  will be subject to annual review
          by the Board and will be  maintained  or  increased as the Board deems
          appropriate.  Main Street will also insure Greg's car at Main Street's
          expense under Main Street's  general  corporate  automobile  insurance
          program.

     (e)  Club  Membership.  Main Street  expects Greg to entertain  clients and
          prospective clients of Main Street and the Bank at the country club to
          which he belongs,  and thus will reimburse Greg's dues for his country
          club  membership  in an amount not to exceed  three  hundred and fifty
          dollars ($350) per month through March 1, 2002. Commencing as of March
          1, 2002,  this allowance will be subject to annual review by the Board
          and may be maintained or increased as the Board deems appropriate.

     (f)  Reimbursement  of Expenses.  Main Street will  reimburse  Greg for all
          travel,   entertainment  and  other  out-of-pocket  expenses  that  he
          reasonably and  necessarily  incurs in the  performance of his duties.
          Greg will document  these  expenses to the extent  necessary to comply
          with all applicable laws and internal policies.

     (g)  Other Benefits.  Greg will be entitled to participate in all plans and
          benefits  that are now or later made  available  by Main Street to its
          senior executives generally.

     (h)  Vacations.  Greg  will  receive  at  least  twenty  (20)  days of paid
          vacation annually, subject to Main Street's general vacation policy.

     (i)  Withholding.  Greg  acknowledges  that Main  Street may  withhold  any
          applicable  federal,  state or local  withholding  or other taxes from
          payments that become due to him.

     (j)  Allocations.  Greg and Main  Street  intend  that  Greg will be a dual
          employee of Main Street and any one or more of its  subsidiaries,  and
          that Greg  will be  devoting  substantial  time and  attention  to the
          affairs of the subsidiaries in his capacity as Main Street's Chairman.
          Main  Street may  allocate  to the Bank or any other of Main  Street's
          subsidiaries  any  portion  of  Greg's  salary,  cash  bonus and other
          compensation  and benefits  that Main Street and the Bank or any other
          of Main  Street's  subsidiaries  deem to be a lawful  and  appropriate
          allocation,  but no such allocation will relieve Main Street of any of
          its obligations to Greg under this Agreement.

4.   Termination.

     (a)  Termination  Without  Cause.  Either Main Street or Greg may terminate
          this  Agreement  and  Greg's  employment  hereunder  for any reason by
          delivering  written  notice of  termination to the other party no less
          than ninety (90) days before the effective date of termination,  which
          date will be specified in the notice of termination.
<PAGE>

     (b)  Termination  for Cause.  Main Street may terminate  this Agreement and
          Greg's employment  hereunder for Cause by delivering written notice of
          termination to Greg no less than thirty (30) days before the effective
          date of termination.  "Cause" for termination  will exist if: (i) Greg
          engages  in one or  more  unsafe  and  unsound  banking  practices  or
          violations of a law,  regulation  or written  policy of Main Street or
          any of its  subsidiaries,  which  individually  or  together  have  or
          threaten  to have a  material  and  adverse  effect  on the  financial
          condition  of Main  Street  taken as a whole;  (ii) Greg  engages in a
          deliberate  act of dishonesty  involving the affairs of Main Street or
          any of its subsidiaries or commits a wilful and material  violation of
          his fiduciary duties to Main Street or any of its subsidiaries;  (iii)
          Greg is removed or suspended from banking  pursuant to Section 8(e) of
          the Federal  Deposit  Insurance Act or any other  applicable  State or
          Federal law; or (iv) Greg commits a material breach of his obligations
          under this  Agreement  and fails to cure the breach within thirty (30)
          days after Main Street gives Greg written  notice of the breach.  Main
          Street  will  specify  the factual and legal basis for its belief that
          Cause for termination exists in the notice of termination.  If Greg so
          requests,  Main Street will provide Greg with a reasonable opportunity
          prior to the effective  date of  termination  to cure any  correctable
          violation  of law,  regulation,  policy or duty that Main  Street  has
          specified in the notice of termination, and to appear before the Board
          and any  applicable  governmental  authority to dispute any facts that
          are alleged to constitute Cause for termination.

     (c)  Constructive Discharge. If Greg is ever Constructively  Discharged, he
          may  terminate  this   Agreement  and  his  employment   hereunder  by
          delivering  written  notice to Main  Street no later than  thirty (30)
          days  before  the  effective   date  of   termination.   "Constructive
          Discharge"  means the  occurrence of any one or more of the following:
          (i) Greg is not  reelected  to or is removed as Chairman of the Board;
          or (ii) Main  Street  fails to vest Greg with or removes  from him the
          duties,  responsibilities,  authority or resources  that he reasonably
          needs to competently  perform his duties as Chairman of the Board;  or
          (iii) Main Street  notifies  Greg  pursuant to Section 4(a) that it is
          terminating  this  Agreement;  or (iv) Main Street changes the primary
          location of Greg's  employment to a place that is more than fifty (50)
          miles from Champaign, Illinois; or (v) Main Street otherwise commits a
          material breach of its  obligations  under this Agreement and fails to
          cure the breach  within  thirty (30) days after Greg gives Main Street
          written notice of the breach.

     (d)  Termination upon Change of Control.  Greg may terminate this Agreement
          and his employment  hereunder for any reason within one (1) year after
          a Change of Control occurs by delivering written notice of termination
          to Main Street or its  successor  no less than thirty (30) days before
          the effective  date of  termination.  After one (1) year following the
          Change  of  Control,   Greg  may  terminate  this  Agreement  and  his
          employment hereunder only in accordance with Section 4(a) or (c).

          (i)  A "Change of Control"  will be deemed to have occurred if: a) any
               person (as such term is defined in Section  13(d) or 14(d) of the
               Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934,  as amended  (the "1934 Act"))
               acquires  beneficial  ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3
               promulgated  under the 1934  Act) of 33% or more of the  combined
               voting power of the then outstanding voting securities; or b) the
               individuals  who were members of the Board on the Effective  Date
               (the "Current Board  Members") cease for any reason to constitute
               a majority of the Board of Main Street or its successor; however,
               if the  election  or  the  nomination  for  election  of any  new
               director of Main Street or its successor is approved by a vote of
               a majority of the individuals who are Current Board Members, such
               new director shall, for the purposes of this Section 4(d)(i),  be
               considered  a  Current   Board   Member;   or  c)  Main  Street's
               stockholders approve (1) a merger or consolidation of Main Street
               or of the Bank and the  stockholders  of Main Street  immediately
               before such merger or  consolidation  do not, as a result of such
               merger or consolidation,  own, directly or indirectly,  more than
               67% of the combined voting power of the then  outstanding  voting
               securities   of  the  entity   resulting   from  such  merger  or
               consolidation  in  substantially  the  same  proportion  as their
               ownership  of  the  combined  voting  power  of  the  outstanding
               securities  of Main  Street  immediately  before  such  merger or
               consolidation; or (2) a complete liquidation or dissolution or an
               agreement   for  the  sale  or  other   disposition   of  all  or
               substantially all of the assets of Main Street or the Bank.
<PAGE>

          (ii) Notwithstanding  and in lieu of  Section  4(d)(i),  a  Change  of
               Control will not be deemed to have  occurred:  a) solely  because
               33% or more of the combined voting power of the then  outstanding
               voting securities of Main Street are acquired by (1) a trustee or
               other  fiduciary  holding  securities  under one or more employee
               benefit  plans  maintained  for  employees  of Main Street or the
               Bank,  or (2) any  person  pursuant  to the  will or trust of any
               existing  stockholder  of Main Street,  or who is a member of the
               immediate  family  of such  stockholder,  or (3) any  corporation
               which,  immediately prior to such acquisition,  is owned directly
               or indirectly by the stockholders in the same proportion as their
               ownership of stock immediately  prior to such acquisition;  or b)
               if Greg agrees in writing to waive a particular Change of Control
               for the purposes of this Agreement.

     (e)  Termination  upon  Disability.  Main  Street will not  terminate  this
          Agreement  and Greg's  employment  hereunder if Greg becomes  disabled
          within the meaning of Main Street's then current  employee  disability
          program or, at Main  Street's  election,  as determined by a physician
          selected by Main Street,  unless as a result of such disability,  Greg
          is unable to perform his duties with the requisite  level of skill and
          competence  for a period of six (6)  consecutive  months.  Thereafter,
          Main Street may terminate  this  Agreement in accordance  with Section
          4(a).

     (f)  Termination  upon Death.  This  Agreement  will terminate if Greg dies
          during the term of this Agreement, effective on the date of his death.
          Any payments that are owing to Greg under this  Agreement or otherwise
          at the time of his death will be made to whomever  Greg may  designate
          in writing as his  beneficiary,  or absent such a designation,  to the
          executor or administrator of his estate.

     (g)  Severance Benefits. Main Street will pay severance benefits to Greg as
          follows:

          (i)  If this Agreement and Greg's employment  hereunder are terminated
               by Main Street  without  Cause  pursuant to Section  4(a),  or by
               reason of Greg's Constructive Discharge pursuant to Section 4(c),
               or due to Greg's  disability or death pursuant to Section 4(e) or
               4(f), Main Street will pay Greg an amount equal to the sum of his
               then applicable  annual base salary,  plus the amount of the most
               recent  performance  bonus  that  Main  Street  awarded  to  Greg
               pursuant to Section 3(b) (collectively, the "Severance Payment").
               If the effective date of  termination  occurs before the last day
               of the then current term, the Severance Payment will also include
               the value of the contributions  that would have been made to Greg
               or for his  benefit  under all  applicable  retirement  and other
               employee  benefit plans had he remained in Main  Street's  employ
               through the last day of the then current  term.  Main Street will
               also continue to provide Greg and his dependents,  at the expense
               of Main Street, with continuing coverage under all existing life,
               health  and  disability  programs  for a  period  of one (1) year
               following the effective date of termination. In addition, if Greg
               is  terminated  without  Cause  pursuant to Section  4(a),  or by
               reason of Greg's Constructive Discharge pursuant to Section 4(e),
               or due to Greg's  disability or death pursuant to Section 4(e) or
               4(f), within the eighteen (18) month period immediately preceding
               a Change of Control, then upon the Change of Control, Main Street
               or its successor will pay Greg the difference  between the amount
               paid pursuant to this Section  4(g)(i) and the amount which would
               have been paid pursuant to Section 4(g)(ii) had Greg's employment
               not earlier terminated.

          (ii) If within  one (1) year  after a Change of  Control  occurs  this
               Agreement and Greg's employment  hereunder are terminated by Greg
               pursuant  to Section  4(a),  (c) or (d),  or this  Agreement  and
               Greg's employment  hereunder are terminated by Main Street or its
               successor  pursuant  to  Section  4(a) or (b)  either  within the
               eighteen  (18) month  period  immediately  preceding  a Change of
               Control  or at any time after a Change of  Control  occurs,  then
               Main Street or its successor will pay Greg an amount equal to the
               greater of nine hundred thousand dollars  ($900,000) or three (3)
               times the Severance  Payment.  In this event,  Main Street or its
               successor will also continue to provide Greg and his  dependents,
               at the expense of Main Street or its successor,  with  continuing
               coverage under all existing life, health and disability  programs
               for a period of three (3) years  following the effective  date of
               termination.
<PAGE>

          (iii)All  payments  that  become due to Greg under this  Section  4(g)
               will be made in equal  monthly  installments  unless  Main Street
               elects to make those  payments  in one (1) lump sum.  Main Street
               will be obligated  to make all  payments  that become due to Greg
               under  this  Section  4(g)  whether  or  not  he  obtains   other
               employment  following  termination or takes steps to mitigate any
               damages  that  he  claims  to  have  sustained  as  a  result  of
               termination. The payments and other benefits provided for in this
               Section 4(g) are intended to supplement any compensation or other
               benefits  that have accrued or vested with respect to Greg or his
               account as of the effective date of termination.

          (iv) This subsection  (iv) shall become  effective as of the date Greg
               exercises at least one hundred  thousand  (100,000) stock options
               to  purchase  shares  of  Main  Street  Common  Stock.  If  it is
               determined,   in  the  opinion  of  Main   Street's   independent
               accountants,  in consultation,  if necessary,  with Main Street's
               independent legal counsel, that any payment under this Agreement,
               either  separately  or in  conjunction  with any other  payments,
               benefits and entitlements received by Greg hereunder or under any
               other plan or agreement under which Greg participates or to which
               he is a party,  would  constitute an "Excess  Parachute  Payment"
               within the meaning of Section 280G of the  Internal  Revenue Code
               of 1986, as amended (the  "Code"),  and thereby be subject to the
               excise  tax  imposed  by  Section  4999 of the Code (the  "Excise
               Tax"),  then in such  event Main  Street,  or its  successor,  as
               applicable, shall pay to Greg a "grossing-up" amount equal to the
               amount of such Excise Tax,  plus all federal and state  income or
               other  taxes with  respect  to the  payment of the amount of such
               Excise  Tax,  including  all such taxes with  respect to any such
               grossing-up  amount.  If, at a later date,  the Internal  Revenue
               Service  assesses a  deficiency  against  Greg for the Excise Tax
               which is greater than that which was  determined at the time such
               amounts were paid,  then Main Street shall pay to Greg the amount
               of such unreimbursed Excise Tax plus any interest,  penalties and
               reasonable  professional  fees or expenses  incurred by Greg as a
               result of such assessment,  including all such taxes with respect
               to any such  additional  amount.  The highest  marginal  tax rate
               applicable  to  individuals  at the time of the  payment  of such
               amounts will be used for purposes of determining  the federal and
               state  income and other taxes with respect  thereto.  Main Street
               shall  withhold  from any amounts paid under this  Agreement  the
               amount of any Excise Tax or other  federal,  state or local taxes
               then required to be withheld.  Computations  of the amount of any
               grossing-up    supplemental    compensation   paid   under   this
               subparagraph   shall  be  conclusively   made  by  Main  Street's
               independent accountants, in consultation,  if necessary, with the
               Employer's independent legal counsel. If, after Greg receives any
               gross-up  payments or other amount pursuant to this  subparagraph
               (iv),  Greg  receives  any refund with respect to the Excise Tax,
               Greg shall  promptly  pay Main  Street the amount of such  refund
               within ten (10) days of receipt by Greg.

          (v)  Main Street may elect to defer any  payments  that may become due
               to Greg  under  this  Section  4(g) if, at the time the  payments
               become  due,   Main  Street  is  not  in   compliance   with  any
               regulatory-mandated minimum capital requirements or if making the
               payments  would  cause Main  Street's  capital to fall below such
               minimum  capital  requirements.  In this event,  Main Street will
               resume  making  the  payments  as  soon  as it can do so  without
               violating such minimum capital requirements.

5.   Confidentiality.  Greg  acknowledges that the nature of his employment will
     require that he produce and have access to records, data, trade secrets and
     information  that are not available to the public regarding Main Street and
     its subsidiaries  and affiliates  ("Confidential  Information").  Greg will
     hold in confidence and not directly or indirectly disclose any Confidential
     Information to third parties unless disclosure becomes reasonably necessary
     in  connection  with Greg's  performance  of his duties  hereunder,  or the
     Confidential  Information  lawfully  becomes  available  to the public from
     other  sources,  or he is  authorized in writing by Main Street to disclose
     it,  or he is  required  to make  disclosure  by a law or  pursuant  to the
     authority of any  administrative  agency or judicial body. All Confidential
     Information and all other records,  files, documents and other materials or
     copies  thereof  relating to Main  Street's  business that Greg prepares or
     uses will always be the sole  property of Main Street.  Greg will  promptly
     return all originals and copies of such Confidential  Information and other
     records,  files,  documents  and  other  materials  to Main  Street  if his
     employment with Main Street is terminated for any reason.
<PAGE>

6.   Non-Competition Covenant.

     (a)  Restrictive  Covenant.  Main Street and Greg have jointly reviewed the
          customer  lists and  operations  of Main  Street  and agree  that Main
          Street's  primary service area for its lending and deposit  activities
          encompasses  a fifty (50) mile radius from Main  Street's main office.
          Greg agrees that,  for a period of one (1) year after the  termination
          of this  Agreement,  he will not,  without Main Street's prior written
          consent,  directly or  indirectly  Compete with Main  Street.  For the
          purposes of Section 6(a):

          (i)  "Compete"   means  directly  or  indirectly   owning,   managing,
               operating or controlling a Competitor,  or directly or indirectly
               serving as an employee, officer or director of or a consultant to
               a Competitor,  or soliciting or inducing any employee or agent of
               Main Street to terminate  employment  with Main Street and become
               employed by a Competitor.

          (ii) "Competitor" means any person,  firm,  partnership,  corporation,
               trust or other entity that owns,  controls or is a bank,  savings
               and  loan   association,   credit  union  or  similar   financial
               institution  (a  "Financial   Institution")  that  is  physically
               located and  conducts  substantial  lending  and  deposit  taking
               activities  within a fifty (50) mile radius of Main Street's main
               office.

     (b)  Successors.  In the event that a successor to Main Street  succeeds to
          or assumes Main Street's rights and obligations  under this Agreement,
          Section  6(a) will  apply  only to the  primary  service  area of Main
          Street as it existed  immediately  before the succession or assumption
          occurred and will not apply to any of the successor's other offices.

     (c)  Investment  Exception.  Section  6(a)  will  not  prohibit  Greg  from
          directly  or  indirectly  owning or  acquiring  any  capital  stock or
          similar securities that are listed on a securities  exchange or quoted
          on the National  Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation
          System and do not represent  more than 5% of the  outstanding  capital
          stock of any Financial Institution.

     (d)  Injunctive  Relief.  Greg agrees that a  violation  of this  Section 6
          would result in direct, immediate and irreparable harm to Main Street,
          and in such event,  agrees that Main Street,  in addition to its other
          right and remedies,  would be entitled to injunctive  relief enforcing
          the terms and provisions of this Section 6.

7.   Indemnity; Other Protections.

     (a)  Indemnification. Main Street will indemnify Greg (and, upon his death,
          his  heirs,  executors  and  administrators)  to  the  fullest  extent
          permitted by law against all expenses, including reasonable attorneys'
          fees, court and investigative costs, judgments, fines and amounts paid
          in settlement (collectively, "Expenses") reasonably incurred by him in
          connection with or arising out of any pending, threatened or completed
          action,  suit or proceeding in which he may become  involved by reason
          of his having been an officer or director of Main Street or any of its
          subsidiaries.  The indemnification  rights provided for herein are not
          exclusive and will supplement any rights to indemnification  that Greg
          may have  under any  applicable  bylaw or  charter  provision  of Main
          Street or any of its subsidiaries, or any resolution of Main Street or
          any of its subsidiaries, or any applicable statute.

     (b)  Advancement of Expenses. In the event that Greg becomes a party, or is
          threatened to be made a party, to any pending, threatened or completed
          action,  suit  or  proceeding  for  which  Main  Street  or any of its
          subsidiaries  is  permitted  or required to  indemnify  him under this
          Agreement, any applicable bylaw or charter provision of Main Street or
          any of its  subsidiaries,  any resolution of Main Street or any of its
          subsidiaries,  or any  applicable  statute,  Main Street will,  to the
          fullest extent permitted by law, advance all Expenses incurred by Greg
          in connection with the investigation,  defense,  settlement, or appeal
          of any threatened,  pending or completed  action,  suit or proceeding,
          subject to receipt by Main Street of a written  undertaking  from Greg
          to reimburse Main Street for all Expenses actually paid by Main Street
          to or on behalf of Greg in the event it shall be ultimately determined
          that Main Street or any of its subsidiaries  cannot lawfully indemnify
          Greg for such  Expenses,  and to assign to Main  Street  all rights of
          Greg to  indemnification  under any policy of directors' and officers'
          liability  insurance to the extent of the amount of Expenses  actually
          paid by Main Street to or on behalf of Greg.
<PAGE>

     (c)  Litigation.  Unless  precluded by an actual or  potential  conflict of
          interest, Main Street will have the right to recommend counsel to Greg
          to represent him in connection  with any claim covered by this Section
          7.  Further,  Greg's  choice of  counsel,  his  decision to contest or
          settle any such claim,  and the terms and amount of the  settlement of
          any  such  claim  will be  subject  to  Main  Street's  prior  written
          approval.

8.   General Provisions.

     (a)  Successors;  Assignment. This Agreement will be binding upon and inure
          to the benefit of Greg and his personal  representatives  in the event
          of his death and Main Street and its successors  and assigns.  For the
          purposes of this  Agreement,  any  successor  or assign of Main Street
          shall be deemed to be "Main  Street,"  and any  successor or assign of
          the Bank shall be deemed to be the "Bank."  Main  Street will  require
          any  successor  or assign of Main  Street  or any  direct or  indirect
          purchaser  or acquiror of all or  substantially  all of the  business,
          assets or liabilities of Main Street or the Bank, whether by transfer,
          purchase,  merger,  consolidation,  stock acquisition or otherwise, to
          assume  and  agree in  writing  to  perform  this  Agreement  and Main
          Street's  obligations  hereunder  in the same  manner  and to the same
          extent as Main Street  would have been  required to perform them if no
          such transaction had occurred.

     (b)  Entire  Agreement;  Survival.  This Agreement  constitutes  the entire
          agreement  between Greg and Main Street  concerning the subject matter
          hereof,   and   supersedes  all  prior   negotiations,   undertakings,
          agreements and arrangements  with respect thereto,  whether written or
          oral.  The  provisions of this Agreement will be regarded as divisible
          and  separate;   if  any   provision  is  ever  declared   invalid  or
          unenforceable,  the  validity  and  enforceability  of  the  remaining
          provisions will not be affected.  This Agreement may not be amended or
          modified  except by a  writing  signed  by Greg and Main  Street,  and
          except  for the  employment  obligations  set forth in  Section 2, all
          rights and obligations of Greg and Main Street hereunder shall survive
          the termination of this Agreement.

     (c)  Governing Law and  Enforcement.  This  Agreement will be construed and
          the legal  relations  of the parties  hereto  shall be  determined  in
          accordance with the laws of the State of Illinois without reference to
          the law regarding conflicts of law. With regard to each and every term
          and  condition  of this  Agreement  and any  and  all  agreements  and
          instruments subject to the terms hereof, the parties to this Agreement
          understand  and  agree  that  the  same  have  and has  been  mutually
          negotiated,  prepared and drafted, and that if at any time the parties
          hereto  desire or are  required to interpret or construe any such term
          or  condition  or any  agreement  or  instrument  subject  hereto,  no
          consideration  shall  be given  to the  issue  of which  party to this
          Agreement  actually  prepared,   drafted  or  requested  any  term  or
          condition of this  Agreement or any  agreement or  instrument  subject
          hereto.

     (d)  Arbitration. Any dispute or controversy arising under or in connection
          with  this  Agreement  shall be  settled  exclusively  by  arbitration
          conducted at a location  selected by Greg within fifty (50) miles from
          Champaign,  Illinois,  in  accordance  with the rules of the  American
          Arbitration Association.

     (e)  Legal Fees. All  reasonable  legal fees paid or incurred in connection
          with any  dispute  or  question  of  interpretation  relating  to this
          Agreement  shall be paid to the party who is  successful on the merits
          by the other party.

     (f)  Waiver.  No waiver by  either  party at any time of any  breach by the
          other party of, or compliance with, any condition or provision of this
          Agreement to be performed by the other party, shall be deemed a waiver
          of any similar or dissimilar provisions or conditions at the same time
          or any prior or subsequent time.
<PAGE>

     (g)  Notices.  Notices  pursuant to this Agreement  shall be in writing and
          shall be deemed given when received;  and, if mailed,  shall be mailed
          by  United  States   registered  or  certified  mail,  return  receipt
          requested,  postage prepaid;  and if to Main Street,  addressed to the
          principal headquarters of Main Street,  attention:  Roy V. VanBuskirk,
          with a copy  sent to each  member  of the  Board at  his/her  business
          address;  or,  if to Greg,  to the  address  set  forth  below  Greg's
          signature on this Agreement,  or to such other address as the party to
          be notified shall have given to the other.

IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the parties have  executed  this  Agreement as of the date
first above written.

MAIN STREET TRUST, INC.                              GREGORY B. LYKINS

By: /s/ Van A. Dukeman                                /s/ Gregory B. Lykins
------------------------------                       ---------------------------
Van A. Dukeman                                       Gregory B. Lykins