Exhibit 10.3


 


		
        EJF Capital LLC

        2107 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 410

        Arlington, VA 22201

        Fax 703 875 0566



 


July 25, 2012 (as amended as of May 3, 2013)


 


First Financial Service Corporation


Attn: Mr. Greg Schreacke


President


2323 Ring Road


Elizabethtown, KY 42701


 


Dear Mr. Schreacke:


 


EJF Capital LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, through
one or more of its managed funds or separately managed accounts as set forth on Exhibit A hereto (“EJF”) proposes
to purchase up to 80% of the outstanding shares of the Series A Fixed Rate Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock (the “Securities”)
issued by First Financial Service Corporation, a bank holding company (the “Company”), and held by the U.S.
Department of the Treasury (the “Treasury”) pursuant to the terms described in this letter agreement (the “Transaction”).
In consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements below and for other good and valuable consideration (including EJF’s
performance of due diligence on the Company in relation to the Transaction), the parties agree as follows:


 


		1)	Unless permitted pursuant to the terms hereof, including as contemplated by Paragraph 10, or otherwise in writing by EJF, the
Company agrees that, from the date hereof until 11:59 p.m. on the date that the Treasury determines whether to accept or reject
EJF’s proposal to purchase the Securities (the “Exclusivity Period”), neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries, officers or directors shall, and the Company shall not permit the Company’s or its subsidiaries’ employees,
agents or representatives, including any investment banker, attorney, consultant or accountant, (collectively, “Representatives”)
on its behalf to, initiate, solicit or knowingly encourage any inquiries or the making of any proposal or offer from any person
other than EJF, with respect to any purchase of the Securities from the Treasury.



 


		2)	The Company agrees that it will grant EJF reasonable access to the Company during the Exclusivity Period, including to its
books and records, its employees and its management, in order to facilitate the performance of any additional due diligence requested
by EJF. The parties agree that, at any time prior to the submission of the Proposed Bid described in paragraph 3 below, EJF may
terminate this letter agreement (the “Agreement”) based on such due diligence for any reason whatsoever in its
sole discretion, and have no further obligations pursuant to this Agreement, provided however, that the obligations of the Company
and EJF pursuant to that certain Confidentiality Agreement dated July 18, 2012 between the parties (the “NDA”)
shall continue in accordance with the terms of the NDA.



 


		3)	Pursuant to this Agreement, EJF and the Company agree to propose to the Treasury a purchase price acceptable to EJF and the
Company not to exceed 49.0% of the face value of the Securities (the “Proposed Bid”) and to use their reasonable
best efforts to induce the Treasury to accept such proposal.



 


		4)	In the event that the Treasury does not accept the Proposed Bid, EJF and the Company may mutually agree in writing on a higher
bid (the “Alternate Bid”) to submit to the Treasury. In the event that the Treasury does not accept the Proposed
Bid and EJF and the Company are not able to agree on an Alternate Bid, the Agreement shall terminate and EJF shall not be restricted
from transacting in the Securities in any way, subject at all times to the provisions of the United States securities laws.



 


		5)	If the Treasury accepts the Proposed Bid or an Alternate Bid,



 






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		a)	the Proposed Bid or the Alternate Bid, as applicable,
shall be referred to as the “Accepted Bid,” and



 


		b)	the date of the closing of EJF’s purchase of the
Securities under the Accepted Bid shall be referred to herein as the “Purchase Date.”



 


		6)	Subject to the Company’s compliance with the terms of this Agreement, EJF agrees to purchase the Securities from the
Treasury in the event that the Treasury accepts such proposal to the extent the purchase price does not exceed the Accepted Bid.



 


		7)	If EJF purchases the Securities pursuant to this Agreement, EJF will grant the Company an option to purchase the Securities
from EJF through a period that ends on the 36-month anniversary of the Purchase Date (the “Option Period”).
Subject to paragraph 14 below, EJF agrees that, during the Option Period, EJF will not sell or transfer the Securities to any third
party, other than to the Company or to an affiliate of EJF, provided that, if EJF transfers the Securities to an affiliate of EJF,
such affiliate will agree to be bound by the terms of the Agreement to the same extent that EJF is bound by this Agreement.



 


		8)	The parties agree that the Company will have the right to purchase the Securities from EJF during the Option Period (the “Purchase
Option”) as outlined in the purchase price terms attached hereto in Exhibit B. Following the expiration of the Option Period,
EJF may sell the Securities to any person at a purchase price mutually agreeable to EJF and such purchaser.



 


		9)	If the Company exercises the Purchase Option, the Company agrees to use its reasonable best efforts to undertake any such actions
as may be necessary in order to redeem the Securities from EJF.



 


		10)	To the extent permitted by the Federal Reserve Bank (“FRB”) to do so without creating an association for purposes
of the BHC Act among EJF, directors and officers of the Company, and certain third parties identified by the Company (the “Third
Parties”), EJF shall provide to officers and directors of the Company and the Third Parties the option to bid alongside EJF
and purchase up to 20% of the Securities directly from the Treasury at the Accepted Bid price.



 


		11)	In the event that the Company experiences a Change of Control (as defined below) during the Option Period and such Change of
Control becomes effective during the 24 months following the Purchase Date, if the Company exercises Purchase Option, the Company
shall do so at the price set forth on Exhibit B (the “Change of Control Price”). For purposes of this Agreement,
“Change of Control” shall mean (i) the direct or indirect sale, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of all or
substantially all of the Company’s assets, stock or properties, or (ii) the completion of any transaction (including a merger
or consolidation of the Company with or into another entity or any other corporate reorganization) if the Company is not the surviving
entity of such transaction.



 


		12)	This Agreement constitutes the sole and entire agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter contained herein,
and supersedes all prior and contemporaneous understandings and agreements, both written and oral, with respect to such subject
matter. Notwithstanding the forgoing, the parties recognize that their obligations pursuant to the NDA are not affected by this
Agreement and that the NDA shall remain effective until terminated in accordance with its terms. This Agreement may only be amended,
modified or supplemented by an agreement in writing signed by each party hereto.



 


		13)	This Agreement may be terminated and will have no further force and effect (a) upon the written consent of both parties, (b)
pursuant to paragraph 2, or (c) if the Treasury does not accept the Proposed Bid or an Alternative Bid.



 






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		14)	In the event EJF’s ownership of the Securities would cause EJF to: (a) violate the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956,
as amended, and the rules, regulations, guidance and interpretations thereunder (the “BHC Act”); (b) be required
to register as a bank holding company under the BHC Act, or (c) violate any other applicable federal or state banking laws, including
the Change in Bank Control Act, as amended, to the extent permitted by law, EJF will use its best efforts to avoid such
an outcome by (i) offering the Company the opportunity to immediately redeem at the price prescribed in Exhibit B a portion of
the Securities as will reduce EJF’s ownership to a level below that prescribed by the BHC Act for purposes of registration
as a bank holding company (the “Threshold Portion”); (ii) selling the Threshold Portion to a third party,(iii) terminating
paragraphs 6, 7 and 8 of this Agreement, which paragraphs will have no further force and effect, or (iv) executing and delivering
standard "passivity commitments" designed to avoid a determination of control of the Company by EJF.



 


		15)	If the Company defers any payment of dividends on the Securities prior to the Purchase Date, then, to the extent permitted
by law, EJF may either (i) renounce the voting rights including, specifically, the board representation rights of the Securities
(the “Voting Rights”), or (ii) agree with the Company to have the Voting Rights removed or amended on the Purchase
Date and to take any other action necessary for the Securities to be considered nonvoting shares that are not voting securities
under the BHC Act or the Federal Reserve Board’s implementing Regulation Y.



 


		16)	[Deleted by amendment]



 


		17)	Each Party hereto shall be responsible for its own expenses relating to any aspect of this Agreement.



 


		18)	This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York without giving
effect to any choice or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of New York or any other jurisdiction) that would
cause the application of laws of any jurisdiction other than those of the State of New York. Any legal suit, action or proceeding
arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby may be instituted in the federal courts of
the United States of America or the courts of the State of New York in each case located in the county of New York, and each party
irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of such courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. Each party acknowledges
and agrees that any controversy which may arise under this Agreement is likely to involve complicated and difficult issues and,
therefore, each such party irrevocably and unconditionally waives any right it may have to a trial by jury in respect of any legal
action arising out of or relating to this letter agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.



 


If the foregoing is acceptable to the Company, please countersign
in the space provided below and return a fully executed copy hereof to EJF. Upon such countersignature, this letter agreement shall
take effect as of the date first above written.


 


	 	Very truly yours,
	 	EJF Capital LLC
	 	 	 
	 	By:	/s/ Emanuel J. Friedman 
	 	 	Emanuel J. Friedman
	 	 	Chief Executive Officer 


 


	Accepted and agreed:	 
	First Financial Service Corporation 	 
	 	 	 
	By:	/s/ Gregory S. Schreacke	 
	 	Gregory S. Schreacke	 
	 	President 	 


 




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EXHIBIT A


EJF PARTICIPATING FUNDS


 


	 	 	Series A Shares
	 	 	 
	1. EJF TARP Holdings LLC	 	13,801 Shares
	 	 	 
	2. EJF Sidecar Fund, Series LLC – Series D	 	990 Shares
	 	 	 
	TOTAL	 	14,791 Shares


 


 




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