Filed by Bowne Pure Compliance





Exhibit 4.1




CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS OF




FIXED RATE CUMULATIVE PERPETUAL PREFERRED STOCK, SERIES A




OF




FIRST NIAGARA FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.




FIRST NIAGARA FINANCIAL GROUP, INC., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of
the State of Delaware (the “Corporation”), in accordance with the provisions of Section
151(g) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware thereof, does hereby certify:



The board of directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors”), in accordance
with the certificate of incorporation and bylaws of the Corporation and applicable law, adopted the
following resolution on November 17, 2008 creating a series of 184,011 shares of Preferred Stock of
the Corporation designated as “Fixed Rate Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series A”.



RESOLVED, that pursuant to the provisions of the certificate of incorporation and the bylaws
of the Corporation and applicable law, a series of Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of
the Corporation be and hereby is created, and that the designation and number of shares of such
series, and the voting and other powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other
rights, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof, of the shares of such series,
are as follows:



Part 1. Designation and Number of Shares. There is hereby created out of the
authorized and unissued shares of preferred stock of the Corporation a series of preferred stock
designated as the “Fixed Rate Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series A” (the “Designated
Preferred Stock”). The authorized number of shares of Designated Preferred Stock shall be
184,011.



Part 2. Standard Provisions. The Standard Provisions contained in Annex A attached
hereto are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety and shall be deemed to be a part of
this Certificate of Designations to the same extent as if such provisions had been set forth in
full herein.



Part 3. Definitions. The following terms are used in this Certificate of
Designations (including the Standard Provisions in Annex A hereto) as defined below:



(a) “Common Stock” means the common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the
Corporation.



(b) “Dividend Payment Date” means February 15, May 15, August 15 and November 15
of each year.



(c) “Junior Stock” means the Common Stock, and any other class or series of stock of
the Corporation the terms of which expressly provide that it ranks junior to Designated Preferred
Stock as to dividend rights and/or as to rights on liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation.



UST Sequence No. 9




 


 









 







(d) “Liquidation Amount” means $1,000 per share of Designated Preferred Stock.



(e) “Minimum Amount” means $46,002,750



(f) “Parity Stock” means any class or series of stock of the Corporation (other than
Designated Preferred Stock) the terms of which do not expressly provide that such class or series
will rank senior or junior to Designated Preferred Stock as to dividend rights and/or as to rights
on liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation (in each case without regard to
whether dividends accrue cumulatively or non-cumulatively).



(g) “Signing Date” means November 21, 2008.



Part 4. Certain Voting Matters. Holders of shares of Designated Preferred Stock will
be entitled to one vote for each such share on any matter on which holders of Designated Preferred
Stock are entitled to vote, including any action by written consent.



[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank]



UST Sequence No. 9




 


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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, First Niagara Financial Group, Inc. has caused this Certificate of
Designations to be signed by John R. Koelmel, its President and Chief Executive Officer, this 19th
day of November, 2008.



	 	 	 	 	 
	 	FIRST NIAGARA FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.

 	 
	 	By:  	/s/ John R. Koelmel
 	 
	 	 	Name:  	John R. Koelmel 	 
	 	 	Title:  	President and Chief Executive Officer 	 
	 



UST Sequence No. 9





 


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ANNEX A




STANDARD PROVISIONS




Section 1. General Matters. Each share of Designated Preferred Stock shall be
identical in all respects to every other share of Designated Preferred Stock. The Designated
Preferred Stock shall be perpetual, subject to the provisions of Section 5 of these Standard
Provisions that form a part of the Certificate of Designations. The Designated Preferred Stock
shall rank equally with Parity Stock and shall rank senior to Junior Stock with respect to the
payment of dividends and the distribution of assets in the event of any dissolution, liquidation or
winding up of the Corporation.



Section 2. Standard Definitions. As used herein with respect to Designated
Preferred Stock:



(a) “Applicable Dividend Rate” means (i) during the period from the Original Issue
Date to, but excluding, the first day of the first Dividend Period commencing on or after the fifth
anniversary of the Original Issue Date, 5% per annum and (ii) from and after the first day of the
first Dividend Period commencing on or after the fifth anniversary of the Original Issue Date, 9%
per annum.



(b) “Appropriate Federal Banking Agency” means the “appropriate Federal banking
agency” with respect to the Corporation as defined in Section 3(q) of the Federal Deposit Insurance
Act (12 U.S.C. Section 1813(q)), or any successor provision.



(c) “Business Combination” means a merger, consolidation, statutory share exchange or
similar transaction that requires the approval of the Corporation’s stockholders.



(d) “Business Day” means any day except Saturday, Sunday and any day on which banking
institutions in the State of New York generally are authorized or required by law or other
governmental actions to close.



(e) “Bylaws” means the bylaws of the Corporation, as they may be amended from time to
time.



(f) “Certificate of Designations” means the Certificate of Designations or comparable
instrument relating to the Designated Preferred Stock, of which these Standard Provisions form a
part, as it may be amended from time to time.



(g) “Charter” means the Corporation’s certificate or articles of incorporation,
articles of association, or similar organizational document.



(h) “Dividend Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(a).



(i) “Dividend Record Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(a).



(j) “Liquidation Preference” has the meaning set forth in Section 4(a).


 


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(k) “Original Issue Date” means the date on which shares of Designated Preferred
Stock are first issued.



(1) “Preferred Director” has the meaning set forth in Section 7(b).



(m) “Preferred Stock” means any and all series of preferred stock of the Corporation,
including the Designated Preferred Stock.



(n) “Qualified Equity Offering” means the sale and issuance for cash by the
Corporation to persons other than the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries after the Original
Issue Date of shares of perpetual Preferred Stock, Common Stock or any combination of such stock,
that, in each case, qualify as and may be included in Tier 1 capital of the Corporation at the time
of issuance under the applicable risk-based capital guidelines of the Corporation’s Appropriate
Federal Banking Agency (other than any such sales and issuances made pursuant to agreements or
arrangements entered into, or pursuant to financing plans which were publicly announced, on or
prior to October 13, 2008).



(o) “Share Dilution Amount” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(b).



(p) “Standard Provisions” mean these Standard Provisions that form a part of the
Certificate of Designations relating to the Designated Preferred Stock.



(q) “Successor Preferred Stock” has the meaning set forth in Section 5 (a).



(r) “Voting Parity Stock” means, with regard to any matter as to which the holders of
Designated Preferred Stock are entitled to vote as specified in Sections 7(a) and 7(b) of these
Standard Provisions that form a part of the Certificate of Designations, any and all series of
Parity Stock upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable with respect to
such matter.



Section 3. Dividends.



(a) Rate. Holders of Designated Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, on each
share of Designated Preferred Stock if, as and when declared by the Board of Directors or any duly
authorized committee of the Board of Directors, but only out of assets legally available therefor,
cumulative cash dividends with respect to each Dividend Period (as defined below) at a rate per
annum equal to the Applicable Dividend Rate on (i) the Liquidation Amount per share of Designated
Preferred Stock and (ii) the amount of accrued and unpaid dividends for any prior Dividend Period
on such share of Designated Preferred Stock, if any. Such dividends shall begin to accrue and be
cumulative from the Original Issue Date, shall compound on each subsequent Dividend Payment Date
(i.e., no dividends shall accrue on other dividends unless and until the first Dividend Payment
Date for such other dividends has passed without such other dividends having been paid on such
date) and shall be payable quarterly in arrears on each Dividend Payment Date, commencing with the
first such Dividend Payment Date to occur at least 20 calendar days after the Original Issue Date.
In the event that any Dividend Payment Date would otherwise fall on a day that is not a Business
Day, the dividend payment due on that date will be postponed to the next day that is a Business Day
and no additional dividends will accrue as a result of that postponement. The period from and
including any Dividend Payment Date to, but excluding, the next Dividend Payment Date is a “Dividend Period”, provided that the initial
Dividend Period shall be the period from and including the Original Issue Date to, but excluding,
the next Dividend Payment Date.


 


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Dividends that are payable on Designated Preferred Stock in respect of any Dividend Period
shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months. The amount of
dividends payable on Designated Preferred Stock on any date prior to the end of a Dividend Period,
and for the initial Dividend Period, shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of
twelve 30-day months, and actual days elapsed over a 30-day month.



Dividends that are payable on Designated Preferred Stock on any Dividend Payment Date will be
payable to holders of record of Designated Preferred Stock as they appear on the stock register of
the Corporation on the applicable record date, which shall be the 15th calendar day immediately
preceding such Dividend Payment Date or such other record date fixed by the Board of Directors or
any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors that is not more than 60 nor less than 10
days prior to such Dividend Payment Date (each, a “Dividend Record Date”). Any such day
that is a Dividend Record Date shall be a Dividend Record Date whether or not such day is a
Business Day.



Holders of Designated Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to any dividends, whether payable
in cash, securities or other property, other than dividends (if any) declared and payable on
Designated Preferred Stock as specified in this Section 3 (subject to the other provisions of the
Certificate of Designations).



(b) Priority of Dividends. So long as any share of Designated Preferred Stock remains
outstanding, no dividend or distribution shall be declared or paid on the Common Stock or any other
shares of Junior Stock (other than dividends payable solely in shares of Common Stock) or Parity
Stock, subject to the immediately following paragraph in the case of Parity Stock, and no Common
Stock, Junior Stock or Parity Stock shall be, directly or indirectly, purchased, redeemed or
otherwise acquired for consideration by the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries unless all
accrued and unpaid dividends for all past Dividend Periods, including the latest completed Dividend
Period (including, if applicable as provided in Section 3(a) above, dividends on such amount), on
all outstanding shares of Designated Preferred Stock have been or are contemporaneously declared
and paid in full (or have been declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof has been set
aside for the benefit of the holders of shares of Designated Preferred Stock on the applicable
record date). The foregoing limitation shall not apply to (i) redemptions, purchases or other
acquisitions of shares of Common Stock or other Junior Stock in connection with the administration
of any employee benefit plan in the ordinary course of business (including purchases to offset the
Share Dilution Amount (as defined below) pursuant to a publicly announced repurchase plan) and
consistent with past practice, provided that any purchases to offset the Share Dilution Amount
shall in no event exceed the Share Dilution Amount; (ii) purchases or other acquisitions by a
broker-dealer subsidiary of the Corporation solely for the purpose of market-making, stabilization
or customer facilitation transactions in Junior Stock or Parity Stock in the ordinary course of its
business; (iii) purchases by a broker-dealer subsidiary of the Corporation of capital stock of the
Corporation for resale pursuant to an offering by the Corporation of such capital stock
underwritten by such broker-dealer subsidiary; (iv) any dividends or distributions of rights or
Junior Stock in connection with



 


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a stockholders’ rights plan or any redemption or repurchase of rights pursuant to
any stockholders’ rights plan; (v) the acquisition by the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries of
record ownership in Junior Stock or Parity Stock for the beneficial ownership of any other persons
(other than the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries), including as trustees or custodians; and
(vi) the exchange or conversion of Junior Stock for or into other Junior Stock or of Parity Stock
for or into other Parity Stock (with the same or lesser aggregate liquidation amount) or Junior
Stock, in each case, solely to the extent required pursuant to binding contractual agreements
entered into prior to the Signing Date or any subsequent agreement for the accelerated exercise,
settlement or exchange thereof for Common Stock. “Share Dilution Amount” means the increase
in the number of diluted shares outstanding (determined in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles in the United States, and as measured from the date of the Corporation’s
consolidated financial statements most recently filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
prior to the Original Issue Date) resulting from the grant, vesting or exercise of equity-based
compensation to employees and equitably adjusted for any stock split, stock dividend, reverse stock
split, reclassification or similar transaction.



When dividends are not paid (or declared and a sum sufficient for payment thereof set aside
for the benefit of the holders thereof on the applicable record date) on any Dividend Payment Date
(or, in the case of Parity Stock having dividend payment dates different from the Dividend Payment
Dates, on a dividend payment date falling within a Dividend Period related to such Dividend Payment
Date) in full upon Designated Preferred Stock and any shares of Parity Stock, all dividends
declared on Designated Preferred Stock and all such Parity Stock and payable on such Dividend
Payment Date (or, in the case of Parity Stock having dividend payment dates different from the
Dividend Payment Dates, on a dividend payment date falling within the Dividend Period related to
such Dividend Payment Date) shall be declared pro rata so that the respective amounts of such
dividends declared shall bear the same ratio to each other as all accrued and unpaid dividends per
share on the shares of Designated Preferred Stock (including, if applicable as provided in Section
3(a) above, dividends on such amount) and all Parity Stock payable on such Dividend Payment Date
(or, in the case of Parity Stock having dividend payment dates different from the Dividend Payment
Dates, on a dividend payment date falling within the Dividend Period related to such Dividend
Payment Date) (subject to their having been declared by the Board of Directors or a duly authorized
committee of the Board of Directors out of legally available funds and including, in the case of
Parity Stock that bears cumulative dividends, all accrued but unpaid dividends) bear to each other.
If the Board of Directors or a duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors determines not
to pay any dividend or a full dividend on a Dividend Payment Date, the Corporation will provide
written notice to the holders of Designated Preferred Stock prior to such Dividend Payment Date.



Subject to the foregoing, and not otherwise, such dividends (payable in cash, securities or
other property) as may be determined by the Board of Directors or any duly authorized committee of
the Board of Directors may be declared and paid on any securities, including Common Stock and other
Junior Stock, from time to time out of any funds legally available for such payment, and holders of
Designated Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to participate in any such dividends.


 


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Section 4. Liquidation Rights.



(a) Voluntary or Involuntary Liquidation. In the event of any liquidation, dissolution
or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary, holders of
Designated Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive for each share of Designated Preferred
Stock, out of the assets of the Corporation or proceeds thereof (whether capital or surplus)
available for distribution to stockholders of the Corporation, subject to the rights of any
creditors of the Corporation, before any distribution of such assets or proceeds is made to or set
aside for the holders of Common Stock and any other stock of the Corporation ranking junior to
Designated Preferred Stock as to such distribution, payment in full in an amount equal to the sum
of (i) the Liquidation Amount per share and (ii) the amount of any accrued and unpaid dividends
(including, if applicable as provided in Section 3(a) above, dividends on such amount), whether or
not declared, to the date of payment (such amounts collectively, the “Liquidation
Preference”).



(b) Partial Payment. If in any distribution described in Section 4(a) above the assets
of the Corporation or proceeds thereof are not sufficient to pay in full the amounts payable with
respect to all outstanding shares of Designated Preferred Stock and the corresponding amounts
payable with respect of any other stock of the Corporation ranking equally with Designated
Preferred Stock as to such distribution, holders of Designated Preferred Stock and the holders of
such other stock shall share ratably in any such distribution in proportion to the full respective
distributions to which they are entitled.



(c) Residual Distributions. If the Liquidation Preference has been paid in full to all
holders of Designated Preferred Stock and the corresponding amounts payable with respect of any
other stock of the Corporation ranking equally with Designated Preferred Stock as to such
distribution has been paid in full, the holders of other stock of the Corporation shall be entitled
to receive all remaining assets of the Corporation (or proceeds thereof) according to their
respective rights and preferences.



(d) Merger, Consolidation and Sale of Assets Not Liquidation. For purposes of this
Section 4, the merger or consolidation of the Corporation with any other corporation or other
entity, including a merger or consolidation in which the holders of Designated Preferred Stock
receive cash, securities or other property for their shares, or the sale, lease or exchange (for
cash, securities or other property) of all or substantially all of the assets of the Corporation,
shall not constitute a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation.



Section 5. Redemption.



(a) Optional Redemption. Except as provided below, the Designated Preferred Stock may
not be redeemed prior to the first Dividend Payment Date falling on or after the third anniversary
of the Original Issue Date. On or after the first Dividend Payment Date falling on or after the
third anniversary of the Original Issue Date, the Corporation, at its option, subject to the
approval of the Appropriate Federal Banking Agency, may redeem, in whole or in part, at any time
and from time to time, out of funds legally available therefor, the shares of Designated Preferred
Stock at the time outstanding, upon notice given as provided in Section 5(c) below, at a redemption price equal to the sum of (i) the Liquidation
Amount per share and (ii) except as otherwise provided below, any accrued and unpaid dividends
(including, if applicable as provided in Section 3 (a) above, dividends on such amount) (regardless
of whether any dividends are actually declared) to, but excluding, the date fixed for redemption.




 


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Notwithstanding the foregoing, prior to the first Dividend Payment Date falling on or after
the third anniversary of the Original Issue Date, the Corporation, at its option, subject to the
approval of the Appropriate Federal Banking Agency, may redeem, in whole or in part, at any time
and from time to time, the shares of Designated Preferred Stock at the time outstanding, upon
notice given as provided in Section 5(c) below, at a redemption price equal to the sum of (i) the
Liquidation Amount per share and (ii) except as otherwise provided below, any accrued and unpaid
dividends (including, if applicable as provided in Section 3(a) above, dividends on such amount)
(regardless of whether any dividends are actually declared) to, but excluding, the date fixed for
redemption; provided that (x) the Corporation (or any successor by Business Combination) has
received aggregate gross proceeds of not less than the Minimum Amount (plus the “Minimum Amount” as
defined in the relevant certificate of designations for each other outstanding series of preferred
stock of such successor that was originally issued to the United States Department of the Treasury
(the “Successor Preferred Stock”) in connection with the Troubled Asset Relief Program
Capital Purchase Program) from one or more Qualified Equity Offerings (including Qualified Equity
Offerings of such successor), and (y) the aggregate redemption price of the Designated Preferred
Stock (and any Successor Preferred Stock) redeemed pursuant to this paragraph may not exceed the
aggregate net cash proceeds received by the Corporation (or any successor by Business Combination)
from such Qualified Equity Offerings (including Qualified Equity Offerings of such successor).



The redemption price for any shares of Designated Preferred Stock shall be payable on the
redemption date to the holder of such shares against surrender of the certificate(s) evidencing
such shares to the Corporation or its agent. Any declared but unpaid dividends payable on a
redemption date that occurs subsequent to the Dividend Record Date for a Dividend Period shall not
be paid to the holder entitled to receive the redemption price on the redemption date, but rather
shall be paid to the holder of record of the redeemed shares on such Dividend Record Date relating
to the Dividend Payment Date as provided in Section 3 above.



(b) No Sinking Fund. The Designated Preferred Stock will not be subject to any
mandatory redemption, sinking fund or other similar provisions. Holders of Designated Preferred
Stock will have no right to require redemption or repurchase of any shares of Designated Preferred
Stock.



(c) Notice of Redemption. Notice of every redemption of shares of Designated Preferred
Stock shall be given by first class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to the holders of record of
the shares to be redeemed at their respective last addresses appearing on the books of the
Corporation. Such mailing shall be at least 30 days and not more than 60 days before the date fixed
for redemption. Any notice mailed as provided in this Subsection shall be conclusively presumed to
have been duly given, whether or not the holder receives such notice, but failure duly to give such
notice by mail, or any defect in such notice or in the mailing thereof, to any holder of shares of Designated Preferred Stock designated for
redemption shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other shares
of Designated Preferred Stock. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if shares of Designated Preferred
Stock are issued in book-entry form through The Depository Trust Corporation or any other similar
facility, notice of redemption may be given to the holders of Designated Preferred Stock at such
time and in any manner permitted by such facility. Each notice of redemption given to a holder
shall state: (1) the redemption date; (2) the number of shares of Designated Preferred Stock to be
redeemed and, if less than all the shares held by such holder are to be redeemed, the number of
such shares to be redeemed from such holder; (3) the redemption price; and (4) the place or places
where certificates for such shares are to be surrendered for payment of the redemption price.



 


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(d) Partial Redemption. In case of any redemption of part of the shares of Designated
Preferred Stock at the time outstanding, the shares to be redeemed shall be selected either pro
rata or in such other manner as the Board of Directors or a duly authorized committee thereof may
determine to be fair and equitable. Subject to the provisions hereof, the Board of Directors or a
duly authorized committee thereof shall have full power and authority to prescribe the terms and
conditions upon which shares of Designated Preferred Stock shall be redeemed from time to time. If
fewer than all the shares represented by any certificate are redeemed, a new certificate shall be
issued representing the unredeemed shares without charge to the holder thereof.



(e) Effectiveness of Redemption. If notice of redemption has been duly given and if on
or before the redemption date specified in the notice all funds necessary for the redemption have
been deposited by the Corporation, in trust for the pro rata benefit of the holders of the shares
called for redemption, with a bank or trust company doing business in the Borough of Manhattan, The
City of New York, and having a capital and surplus of at least $500 million and selected by the
Board of Directors, so as to be and continue to be available solely therefor, then, notwithstanding
that any certificate for any share so called for redemption has not been surrendered for
cancellation, on and after the redemption date dividends shall cease to accrue on all shares so
called for redemption, all shares so called for redemption shall no longer be deemed outstanding
and all rights with respect to such shares shall forthwith on such redemption date cease and
terminate, except only the right of the holders thereof to receive the amount payable on such
redemption from such bank or trust company, without interest. Any funds unclaimed at the end of
three years from the redemption date shall, to the extent permitted by law, be released to the
Corporation, after which time the holders of the shares so called for redemption shall look only to
the Corporation for payment of the redemption price of such shares.



(f) Status of Redeemed Shares. Shares of Designated Preferred Stock that are redeemed,
repurchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation shall revert to authorized but unissued shares
of Preferred Stock (provided that any such cancelled shares of Designated Preferred Stock may be
reissued only as shares of any series of Preferred Stock other than Designated Preferred Stock).



Section 6. Conversion. Holders of Designated Preferred Stock shares shall have no
right to exchange or convert such shares into any other securities.


 


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Section 7. Voting Rights.



(a) General. The holders of Designated Preferred Stock shall not have any voting
rights except as set forth below or as otherwise from time to time required by law.



(b) Preferred Stock Directors. Whenever, at any time or times, dividends payable on
the shares of Designated Preferred Stock have not been paid for an aggregate of six quarterly
Dividend Periods or more, whether or not consecutive, the authorized number of directors of the
Corporation shall automatically be increased by two and the holders of the Designated Preferred
Stock shall have the right, with holders of shares of any one or more other classes or series of
Voting Parity Stock outstanding at the time, voting together as a class, to elect two directors
(hereinafter the “Preferred Directors” and each a “Preferred Director”) to fill
such newly created directorships at the Corporation’s next annual meeting of stockholders (or at a
special meeting called for that purpose prior to such next annual meeting) and at each subsequent
annual meeting of stockholders until all accrued and unpaid dividends for all past Dividend
Periods, including the latest completed Dividend Period (including, if applicable as provided in
Section 3(a) above, dividends on such amount), on all outstanding shares of Designated Preferred
Stock have been declared and paid in full at which time such right shall terminate with respect to
the Designated Preferred Stock, except as herein or by law expressly provided, subject to revesting
in the event of each and every subsequent default of the character above mentioned; provided that
it shall be a qualification for election for any Preferred Director that the election of such
Preferred Director shall not cause the Corporation to violate any corporate governance requirements
of any securities exchange or other trading facility on which securities of the Corporation may
then be listed or traded that listed or traded companies must have a majority of independent
directors. Upon any termination of the right of the holders of shares of Designated Preferred Stock
and Voting Parity Stock as a class to vote for directors as provided above, the Preferred Directors
shall cease to be qualified as directors, the term of office of all Preferred Directors then in
office shall terminate immediately and the authorized number of directors shall be reduced by the
number of Preferred Directors elected pursuant hereto. Any Preferred Director may be removed at any
time, with or without cause, and any vacancy created thereby may be filled, only by the affirmative
vote of the holders a majority of the shares of Designated Preferred Stock at the time outstanding
voting separately as a class together with the holders of shares of Voting Parity Stock, to the
extent the voting rights of such holders described above are then exercisable. If the office of any
Preferred Director becomes vacant for any reason other than removal from office as aforesaid, the
remaining Preferred Director may choose a successor who shall hold office for the unexpired term in
respect of which such vacancy occurred.



(c) Class Voting Rights as to Particular Matters. So long as any shares of Designated
Preferred Stock are outstanding, in addition to any other vote or consent of stockholders required
by law or by the Charter, the vote or consent of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of the shares of
Designated Preferred Stock at the time outstanding, voting as a separate class, given in person or
by proxy, either in writing without a meeting or by vote at any meeting called for the purpose,
shall be necessary for effecting or validating:




(i) Authorization of Senior Stock. Any amendment or alteration of the
Certificate of Designations for the Designated Preferred Stock or the Charter to


authorize or create or increase the authorized amount of, or any issuance of, any shares
of, or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for shares of, any
class or series of capital stock of the Corporation ranking senior to Designated Preferred
Stock with respect to either or both the payment of dividends and/or the distribution of
assets on any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation;




 


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(ii) Amendment of Designated Preferred Stock. Any amendment, alteration or
repeal of any provision of the Certificate of Designations for the Designated Preferred Stock
or the Charter (including, unless no vote on such merger or consolidation is required by
Section 7(c)(iii) below, any amendment, alteration or repeal by means of a merger,
consolidation or otherwise) so as to adversely affect the rights, preferences, privileges or
voting powers of the Designated Preferred Stock; or




(iii) Share Exchanges, Reclassifications, Mergers and Consolidations. Any
consummation of a binding share exchange or reclassification involving the Designated
Preferred Stock, or of a merger or consolidation of the Corporation with another corporation
or other entity, unless in each case (x) the shares of Designated Preferred Stock remain
outstanding or, in the case of any such merger or consolidation with respect to which the
Corporation is not the surviving or resulting entity, are converted into or exchanged for
preference securities of the surviving or resulting entity or its ultimate parent, and (y)
such shares remaining outstanding or such preference securities, as the case may be, have
such rights, preferences, privileges and voting powers, and limitations and restrictions
thereof, taken as a whole, as are not materially less favorable to the holders thereof than
the rights, preferences, privileges and voting powers, and limitations and restrictions
thereof, of Designated Preferred Stock immediately prior to such consummation, taken as a
whole;


provided, however, that for all purposes of this Section 7(c), any increase in the amount of the
authorized Preferred Stock, including any increase in the authorized amount of Designated Preferred
Stock necessary to satisfy preemptive or similar rights granted by the Corporation to other persons
prior to the Signing Date, or the creation and issuance, or an increase in the authorized or issued
amount, whether pursuant to preemptive or similar rights or otherwise, of any other series of
Preferred Stock, or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any other
series of Preferred Stock, ranking equally with and/or junior to Designated Preferred Stock with
respect to the payment of dividends (whether such dividends are cumulative or non-cumulative) and
the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation will not
be deemed to adversely affect the rights, preferences, privileges or voting powers, and shall not
require the affirmative vote or consent of, the holders of outstanding shares of the Designated
Preferred Stock.




(d) Changes after Provision for Redemption. No vote or consent of the holders of
Designated Preferred Stock shall be required pursuant to Section 7(c) above if, at or prior to the
time when any such vote or consent would otherwise be required pursuant to such Section, all
outstanding shares of the Designated Preferred Stock shall have been redeemed, or shall have been
called for redemption upon proper notice and sufficient funds shall have been deposited in trust
for such redemption, in each case pursuant to Section 5 above.


 


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(e) Procedures for Voting and Consents. The rules and procedures for calling and
conducting any meeting of the holders of Designated Preferred Stock (including, without limitation,
the fixing of a record date in connection therewith), the solicitation and use of proxies at such a
meeting, the obtaining of written consents and any other aspect or matter with regard to such a
meeting or such consents shall be governed by any rules of the Board of Directors or any duly
authorized committee of the Board of Directors, in its discretion, may adopt from time to time,
which rules and procedures shall conform to the requirements of the Charter, the Bylaws, and
applicable law and the rules of any national securities exchange or other trading facility on which
Designated Preferred Stock is listed or traded at the time.



Section 8. Record Holders. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the
Corporation and the transfer agent for Designated Preferred Stock may deem and treat the record
holder of any share of Designated Preferred Stock as the true and lawful owner thereof for all
purposes, and neither the Corporation nor such transfer agent shall be affected by any notice to
the contrary.



Section 9. Notices. All notices or communications in respect of Designated Preferred
Stock shall be sufficiently given if given in writing and delivered in person or by first class
mail, postage prepaid, or if given in such other manner as may be permitted in this Certificate of
Designations, in the Charter or Bylaws or by applicable law. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if
shares of Designated Preferred Stock are issued in book-entry form through The Depository Trust
Corporation or any similar facility, such notices may be given to the holders of Designated
Preferred Stock in any manner permitted by such facility.



Section 10. No Preemptive Rights. No share of Designated Preferred Stock shall have
any rights of preemption whatsoever as to any securities of the Corporation, or any warrants,
rights or options issued or granted with respect thereto, regardless of how such securities, or
such warrants, rights or options, may be designated, issued or granted.



Section 11. Replacement Certificates. The Corporation shall replace any mutilated
certificate at the holder’s expense upon surrender of that certificate to the Corporation. The
Corporation shall replace certificates that become destroyed, stolen or lost at the holder’s
expense upon delivery to the Corporation of reasonably satisfactory evidence that the certificate
has been destroyed, stolen or lost, together with any indemnity that may be reasonably required by
the Corporation.



Section 12. Other Rights. The shares of Designated Preferred Stock shall not have any
rights, preferences, privileges or voting powers or relative, participating, optional or other
special rights, or qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, other than as set forth
herein or in the Charter or as provided by applicable law.




 


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