Article 5.

Corporate Administration.

§ 54B‑100.  Membership of a mutual association.

The membership of a mutual association organized or operated under the provisions of this Chapter shall consist of:

(1) Those who hold withdrawable accounts in an association; and

(2) Those who borrow funds and those who become obligated on a loan from the association, for such time as the loan remains unpaid and the borrower remains liable to the association for the payment thereof.

Any person in his own right, or in a trust or other fiduciary capacity, or any partnership, association, corporation, political subdivision or public or governmental unit or entity may become a member of a mutual association. Members shall be possessed of such voting rights and such other rights as are provided by an association's certificate of incorporation and bylaws as approved by the Commissioner of Banks. Members are the owners of a mutual association. (1981, c. 282, s. 3; 2001‑193, s. 16.)

 

§ 54B‑101.  Directors.

(a) The directors of a mutual association shall be elected by the members at an annual meeting, held pursuant to the terms of G.S. 54B‑106, for such terms as the bylaws of the association may provide.  Directors' terms may be classified in the certificate of incorporation.  Voting for directors by withdrawable account holders shall be weighted according to the total amount of withdrawable accounts held by such members, subject to any maximum number of votes per member which an association may choose to prescribe in the bylaws of the association.  Such requirements shall be fully prescribed in a detailed manner in the bylaws of the association.

(b) The directors of a stock association shall be elected by the stockholders at an annual meeting, held pursuant to the terms of G.S. 54B‑106, for such terms as the bylaws of the association may provide.  Directors' terms may be classified in the certificate of incorporation.

(c)  Every State association shall have no less than five directors. (1981, c. 282, s. 3; 1983, c. 144, s. 17; 1991, c. 707, s. 4.)

 

§ 54B‑102.  Employment policies.

Employment policies appropriate for the transaction of the business of a State association may be set forth in the bylaws or established by resolution of the board of directors. (1981, c. 282, s. 3; 1981 (Reg. Sess., 1982), c. 1238, s. 22.)

 

§ 54B‑103.  Duties and liabilities of officers and directors to their associations.

Officers and directors of a State association shall act in a fiduciary capacity towards the association and its members or stockholders. They shall discharge duties of their respective positions in good faith, and with that diligence and care which ordinarily prudent men would exercise under similar circumstances in like positions. (1981, c. 282, s. 3.)

 

§ 54B‑104.  Conflicts of interest.

Each director, officer and employee of a State association has a fundamental duty to avoid placing himself in a position which creates, or which leads to or could lead to a conflict of interest or appearance of a conflict of interest having adverse effects on the interests of members, customers or stockholders of the association, the soundness of the association, and the provision of economical home financing for this State. (1981, c. 282, s. 3.)

 

§ 54B‑105.  Voting rights.

Voting rights in the affairs of a State association may be exercised by members and stockholders by voting either in person or by proxy. The Commissioner of Banks shall promulgate rules and regulations governing forms of proxies, holders of proxies and proxy solicitation. (1981, c. 282, s. 3; 2001‑193, s. 16.)

 

§ 54B‑106.  Annual meetings; notice required.

(a) Each association shall hold an annual meeting of its members or stockholders. The annual meeting shall be held at a time and place as shall be provided in the bylaws or determined by the board of directors.

(b) The board of directors of a mutual association shall cause to be published once a week for two weeks preceding such meeting, in a newspaper of general circulation published in the county where such association has its principal office, a notice of the meeting, signed by the association's secretary, and stating the time and place where it is to be held. In addition to the foregoing notice, each association shall disseminate additional notice of any annual meeting by notice made available to all members entering the premises of any office or branch of the association in the regular course of business by posting therein, in full view of the public and such members, one or more conspicuous signs or placards announcing the pending meeting, the time, date and place of the meeting and the availability of additional information. Printed matter shall be freely available to said members containing any information as may be prescribed in rules and regulations issued by the Commissioner of Banks. Such additional notice shall be given at any time within the period of 60 days prior to and 14 days prior to the meeting and shall continue through the time of the meeting.

(c) The board of directors of a stock association shall cause a written or printed notice signed by the association's secretary, and stating the time and place of the annual meeting to be delivered not less than 10 days nor more than 50 days before the date of the meeting, either personally or by mail to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting. If mailed, such notice shall be deemed to be delivered when deposited in the United States postal service addressed to the stockholder at his address as it appears on the record of stockholders of the corporation, with postage thereon prepaid. (1981, c. 282, s. 3; 2001‑193, s. 16.)

 

§ 54B‑107.  Special meetings; notice required.

(a) Special meetings of members or stockholders of an association may be called by the president or the board of directors or by such other officers or persons as may be provided for in the charter or bylaws of the association.

(b) Notice of any special meeting of members or stockholders shall  be given in the same manner as provided for annual meetings under G.S. 54B‑106. (1981, c. 282, s. 3.)

 

§ 54B‑108.  Quorum.

Unless otherwise provided in the association's charter or bylaws, 50 holders of withdrawable accounts in a mutual association or 50 stockholders or a majority of shares eligible to vote in a stock association, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum at any annual or special meeting. (1981, c. 282, s. 3.)

 

§ 54B‑109.  Indemnification.

(a) An association shall maintain a blanket indemnity bond of at least a minimum amount as prescribed by the Commissioner of Banks.

(b) An association which employs collection agents, who for any reason are not covered by the bond as hereinabove required, shall provide for the bonding of each such agent in an amount equal to at least twice the average monthly collections of such agent. Such agents shall be required to make settlement with the association at least once monthly. No such coverage by bond will be required of any agent which is a federally insured depository institution. The amount and form of such bonds and the sufficiency of the surety thereon shall be approved by the board of directors and the Commissioner of Banks before such is valid. All such bonds shall provide that a cancellation thereof either by the surety or by the insured shall not become effective unless and until 30 days' notice in writing shall have been given to the Commissioner of Banks.

(c) The Commissioner of Banks may require every member of the board of directors, officer or employee of an association who shall knowingly make, approve, participate in, or assent to, or who knowingly shall permit any of the officers or agents of the association to make investments not authorized by this Chapter, to deposit with the association an indemnity bond, insurance or collateral of a kind and amount sufficient to indemnify the association against damage which the association or its members or stockholders sustain in consequence of such unauthorized investment.

(d) The amount considered sufficient to indemnify the association shall, in the case of an unauthorized loan, be the difference between the book value of the loan and the amount that could legally have been made under the provisions of this Chapter. The amount considered sufficient to indemnify the association shall, in the case of an unauthorized other investment, be the difference between the book value and the market value of the investment at the time when the Commissioner of Banks makes his determination that such investment is unauthorized. Whenever an unauthorized investment has been sold or disposed of without recourse, the Commissioner of Banks shall release such part of the indemnity as remains after deducting any loss, which amount shall be retained by the association. Whenever the balance of an unauthorized loan has been reduced to an amount which would permit such loan to be made in compliance with the provisions of this Chapter, the indemnity shall be released. The Commissioner of Banks, in making such determination may require an independent appraisal of the security.

(e) The Commissioner of Banks shall cause to be examined annually all such bonds and pass on their sufficiency and either the board of directors or the Commissioner of Banks may require new or additional bonds at any time.

(f) The Commissioner of Banks is empowered to promulgate rules and regulations with respect to litigation expenses and other indemnity matters. (1981, c. 282, s. 3; 1989 (Reg. Sess., 1990), c. 806, s. 8; 2001‑193, s. 16.)

 

§ 54B‑110.  Days and hours of operation.

Any association may operate on such days and during such hours, and may observe such holidays, as the association's board of directors shall designate. (1987, c. 853, s. 3; 1995 (Reg. Sess., 1996), c. 556, s. 3.)

 

§§ 54B‑111 through 54B‑120.  Reserved for future codification purposes.