North Carolina General Statutes 54B-33. Conversion of mutual to stock association
(a) Any mutual association may convert from mutual to the stock form of ownership as provided in this section.
(b) A mutual association may apply to the Commissioner of Banks for permission to convert to a stock association and for certification of appropriate amendments to the association’s certificate of incorporation. Upon receipt of an application to convert from mutual to stock form the Commissioner of Banks shall examine all facts connected with the requested conversion. The expenses and cost of such examination, monitoring and supervision shall be paid by the association applying for permission to convert.
(c) The association shall submit a plan of conversion as a part of the application to the Commissioner of Banks, and he may approve it with or without amendment, if it appears that:
(1) After conversion the association will be in sound financial condition and will be soundly managed;
Terms Used In North Carolina General Statutes 54B-33
- Amendment: A proposal to alter the text of a pending bill or other measure by striking out some of it, by inserting new language, or both. Before an amendment becomes part of the measure, thelegislature must agree to it.
- Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
- Application: means the completed package of the application to organize a State association, establish a branch office or conversion of structure of a savings and loan association which the Commissioner of Banks considers in making his recommendation. See North Carolina General Statutes 54B-4
- Association: includes a State association or a federal association unless limited by use of the words "State" or "federal. See North Carolina General Statutes 54B-4
- Commission: means the State Banking Commission of the Department of Commerce. See North Carolina General Statutes 54B-4
- Commissioner: means the Commissioner of Banks authorized pursuant to Article 2 of Chapter 53C of the N. See North Carolina General Statutes 54B-4
- Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
- following: when used by way of reference to any section of a statute, shall be construed to mean the section next preceding or next following that in which such reference is made; unless when some other section is expressly designated in such reference. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3
- in writing: may be construed to include printing, engraving, lithographing, and any other mode of representing words and letters: Provided, that in all cases where a written signature is required by law, the same shall be in a proper handwriting, or in a proper mark. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3
- Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
- Members: means withdrawable account holders and borrowers in a State mutual association. See North Carolina General Statutes 54B-4
- Mutual association: means all mutual savings and loan associations owned by members of the association, and organized under the provisions of this Chapter or its predecessor for the primary purpose of promoting thrift and home financing. See North Carolina General Statutes 54B-4
- Plan of conversion: means a detailed outline of the procedure of the conversion of an association from one to another regulatory authority or from one to another form of ownership. See North Carolina General Statutes 54B-4
- Rules and regulations: means those regulatory procedures and guidelines issued by the Commissioner of Banks and approved by the Commission. See North Carolina General Statutes 54B-4
- state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, shall be construed to extend to and include the District of Columbia and the several territories, so called; and the words "United States" shall be construed to include the said district and territories and all dependencies. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3
- Stock association: means any corporation or company owned by holders of capital stock and organized under the provisions of this Chapter for the primary purpose of promoting thrift and home financing. See North Carolina General Statutes 54B-4
(2) The conversion will not impair the capital of the association nor adversely affect the association’s operations;
(3) The conversion will be fair and equitable to the members of the association and no person whether member, employee or otherwise, will receive any inequitable gain or advantage by reason of the conversion;
(4) The savings and loan services provided to the public by the association will not be adversely affected by the conversion;
(5) The substance of the plan has been approved by a vote of two thirds of the board of directors of the association;
(6) All shares of stock issued in connection with the conversion are offered first to the members of the association; except that any one or more tax qualified stock benefit plan may first purchase in the aggregate not more than ten percent (10%) of the total offering of shares;
(7) All stock shall be offered to members of the association and others in prescribed amounts and otherwise pursuant to a formula and procedure which is fair and equitable and will be fairly disclosed to all interested persons;
(8) The plan provides a statement as to whether stockholders shall have preemptive rights to acquire additional or treasury shares of the association and any provision limiting or denying said rights; and
(9) The conversion shall not be complete until all stock offered in connection with the conversion has been subscribed.
If the Commissioner of Banks approves the plan, then the plan shall be submitted to the members as provided in subsection (d) of this section. If the Commissioner of Banks refuses to approve the plan, the Commissioner of Banks shall state the objections in writing and give the converting association an opportunity to amend the plan to obviate the objections or to appeal the Commissioner of Banks’ decision to the Commission.
(d) After lawful notice to the members of the association and full and fair disclosure, the substance of the plan must be approved by a majority of the total votes which members of the association are eligible and entitled to cast. Such a vote by the members may be in person or by proxy. Following the vote of the members, the results of the vote certified by an appropriate officer of the association shall be filed with the Commissioner of Banks. The Commissioner of Banks shall then either approve or disapprove the requested conversion. After approval of the conversion, the Commissioner of Banks shall supervise and monitor the conversion process and he shall ensure that the conversion is conducted pursuant to law and the association’s approved plan of conversion.
(e) Upon conversion of a mutual association to the stock form of ownership, the legal existence of the association shall not terminate but the converted stock association shall be a continuation of the mutual association. The conversion shall be deemed a mere change in identity or form of organization. All rights, liabilities, obligations, interest and relations of whatever kind of the mutual association shall continue and remain in the stock-owned association. All actions and legal proceedings to which the association was a party prior to conversion shall be unaffected by the conversion and proceed as if the conversion had not taken place.
(f) The Commissioner of Banks may promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary to govern conversions; provided, however, that such rules and regulations as may be promulgated by the Commissioner of Banks shall be equal to or exceed the requirements for conversion imposed by the rules and regulations governing conversions of federal chartered mutual savings and loan associations.
(g) Repealed by Session Laws 1987, c. 237, s. 3(d). (1981, c. 282, s. 3; 1981 (Reg. Sess., 1982), c. 1238, s. 7; 1983, c. 144, s. 6; 1987, c. 237, s. 3; 1989 (Reg. Sess., 1990), c. 806, s. 2; 1991 (Reg. Sess., 1992), c. 829, s. 3; 2001-193, s. 16.)