Executive Compensation

The Dodd-Frank Act provides for a say on pay for shareholders of all public companies. Under the Dodd-Frank Act, each company must give its shareholders the opportunity to vote on the compensation of its executives at least once every three years. The Dodd-Frank Act also adds disclosure and voting requirements for golden parachute compensation that is payable to named executive officers in connection with sale transactions.

The Dodd-Frank Act requires the SEC to issue rules directing the stock exchanges to prohibit listing classes of equity securities if a company's compensation committee members are not independent. The Dodd-Frank Act also provides that a company's compensation committee may only select a compensation consultant, legal counsel or other advisor after taking into consideration factors to be identified by the SEC that affect the independence of a compensation consultant, legal counsel or other advisor.

The SEC is required under the Dodd-Frank Act to issue rules obligating companies to disclose in proxy materials for annual meetings of shareholders information that shows the relationship between executive compensation actually paid to their named executive officers and their financial performance, taking into account any change in the value of the shares of a company's stock and dividends or distributions.

The Dodd-Frank Act provides that the SEC must issue rules directing the stock exchanges to prohibit listing any security of a company unless the company develops and implements a policy providing for disclosure of the policy of the company on incentive-based compensation that is based on financial information required to be reported under the securities laws and that, in the event the company is required to prepare an accounting restatement due to the material noncompliance of the company with any financial reporting requirement under the securities laws, the company will recover from any current or former executive officer of the company who received incentive-based compensation during the three-year period preceding the date on which the company is required to prepare the restatement based on the erroneous data, any exceptional compensation above what would have been paid under the restatement.

The Dodd-Frank Act requires the SEC, by rule, to require that each company disclose in the proxy materials for its annual meetings whether an employee or board member is permitted to purchase financial instruments designed to hedge or offset decreases in the market value of equity securities granted as compensation or otherwise held by the employee or board member.

Basel III

Internationally, both the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision and the Financial Stability Board (established in April 2009 by the Group of Twenty (“G-20”) Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors to take action to strengthen regulation and supervision of the financial system with greater international consistency, cooperation and transparency) have committed to raise capital standards and liquidity buffers within the banking system (“Basel III”). On September 12, 2010, the Group of Governors and Heads of Supervision agreed to the calibration and phase-in of the Basel III minimum capital requirements (raising the minimum Tier 1 common equity ratio to 4.5% and minimum Tier 1 equity ratio to 6.0%, with full implementation by January 2015) and introducing a capital conservation buffer of common equity of an additional 2.5% with implementation by January 2019. In July 2013, the Federal Reserve Board released final rules regarding implementation of the Basel III regulatory capital rules for U.S. banking organizations. The final rules address a significant number of outstanding issues and questions regarding how certain provisions of Basel III are proposed to be adopted in the United States. Key provisions of the rules include the total phase-out from Tier 1 capital of trust preferred securities with grandfathering for bank holding companies with less than $15 billion in assets, a capital conservation buffer of 2.5% above minimum capital ratios, inclusion of accumulated other comprehensive income in Tier 1 common equity, inclusion in Tier 1 capital of perpetual preferred stock, and an effective minimum Tier 1 common equity ratio of 7.0%.

Bank Regulation

Michigan banks are regulated and supervised by the Commissioner of the Michigan DIFS and as a state non-member the Bank is regulated and supervised by the FDIC. Summarized below are some of the more important regulatory and supervisory laws and regulations applicable to the Bank.

Business Activities . The activities of state banks are governed by state as well as federal law and regulations. These laws and regulations delineate the nature and extent of the investments and activities in which state institutions may engage.

Loans to One Borrower . Michigan law provides that a Michigan commercial bank may not provide loans or extensions of credit to a person in excess of 15% of the capital and surplus of the bank. The limit, however, may be increased to 25% of capital and surplus if approval of two-thirds of the Bank’s board of directors is granted. At December 31, 2014, the Bank’s regulatory limit on loans to one borrower was $15.049 million or $25.082 million for loans approved by two-thirds of the Board of Directors. If the Michigan DIFS determines that the interests of a group of more than one person, co-partnership, association or corporation are so interrelated that they should be considered as a unit for the purpose of extending credit, the total loans and extensions of credit to that group are combined. At December 31, 2014, the Bank did not have any loans with one borrower that exceeded its regulatory limit.

At December 31, 2014, loans that had high loan to value ratios at origination were quantified by management and represented less than 10% of total outstanding loans as of the balance sheet date. Additionally, management quantified all loans (mortgage, consumer and commercial) that required interest only payments as of the balance sheet date and determined that these types of loans were less than 10% of total loans outstanding at December 31, 2014. Based on these facts, management concluded no concentrations of credit risk existed at December 31, 2014.

Dividends . The Corporation’s ability to pay dividends on its common stock depends on its receipt of dividends from the Bank. The Bank is subject to restrictions and limitations in the amount and timing of the dividends it may pay to the Corporation. Dividends may be paid out of a Michigan commercial bank’s net income after deducting all bad debts. A Michigan commercial bank may only pay dividends on its common stock if the bank has a surplus amounting to not less than 20% of its capital after the payment of the dividend. If a bank has a surplus less than the amount of its capital, it may not declare or pay any dividend until an amount equal to at least 10% of net income for the preceding one-half year (in the case of quarterly or semi-annual dividends) or at least 10% of net income of the preceding two consecutive half-year periods (in the case of annual dividends) has been transferred to surplus.

Federal law also affects the ability of a Michigan commercial bank to pay dividends. The FDIC’s prompt corrective action regulations prohibit an insured depository institution from making capital distributions, including dividends, if the institution has a regulatory capital classification of “undercapitalized,” or if it would be undercapitalized after making the distribution. The FDIC may also prohibit the payment of dividends if it deems any such payment to constitute an unsafe and unsound banking practice. Under the terms of its informal regulatory agreement with the FDIC and the Michigan DIFS, the Bank may not pay dividends without the prior approval of the FDIC and Michigan DIFS.

Michigan DIFS Assessments . Michigan commercial banks are required to pay supervisory fees to the Michigan DIFS to fund the operations of the Michigan DIFS. The amount of supervisory fees paid by a bank is based upon a formula involving the bank’s total assets, as reported to the Michigan DIFS.

State Enforcement . Under Michigan law, the Michigan DIFS has broad enforcement authority over state chartered banks and, under certain circumstances, affiliated parties, insiders, and agents. If a Michigan commercial bank does not operate in accordance with the regulations, policies and directives of the Michigan DIFS or is engaging, has engaged or is about to engage in an unsafe or unsound practice in conducting the business of the bank, the Michigan DIFS may issue and serve upon the bank a notice of charges with respect to the practice or violation. The Michigan DIFS enforcement authority includes: cease and desist orders, receivership, conservatorship, removal and suspension of officers and directors, assessment of monetary penalties, emergency closures, liquidation and the power to issue orders and declaratory rulings.

Federal Enforcement . The FDIC has primary federal enforcement responsibility over state non-member banks and has the authority to bring actions against the institution and all institution-affiliated parties, including stockholders, and any attorneys, appraisers and accountants, who knowingly or recklessly participate in wrongful action likely to have an adverse effect on an insured institution. Formal enforcement action may range from the issuance of a capital directive, cease and desist, consent order to removal of officers and/or directors of the institution as well as receivership, conservatorship or termination of deposit insurance. Civil penalties cover a wide range of violations and can amount to $25,000 per day, or even $1 million per day in especially egregious cases. Federal law also establishes criminal penalties for certain violations.

Capital Requirements . Under FDIC regulations, federally-insured state-chartered banks that are not members of the Federal Reserve (“state non-member banks”), such as the Bank, are required to comply with minimum leverage capital requirements. For an institution determined by the FDIC not to be anticipating or experiencing significant growth and to be in general a strong banking organization, rated composite 1 under the Uniform Financial Institutions Ranking System established by the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council, the minimum capital leverage requirement is a ratio of Tier 1 capital to total assets of 3%. For all other institutions, the minimum leverage capital ratio is not less than 4%. Tier 1 capital is principally composed of the sum of common stockholders’ equity, noncumulative perpetual preferred stock (including any related surplus) and minority investments in certain subsidiaries, less intangible assets (except for certain servicing rights and credit card relationships). As of December 31, 2014, the Tier 1 capital to average total assets ratio for the Bank was 9.55%.

The Bank must also comply with the FDIC risk-based capital guidelines. Risk-based capital ratios are determined by allocating assets and specified off-balance sheet items to four risk-weighted categories ranging from 0% to 100%, with higher levels of capital being required for the categories perceived as representing greater risk. For example, under the FDIC’s risk-weighting system, cash and securities backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government are given a 0% risk weight, loans fully secured by one-to-four family residential properties generally have a 50% risk weight and commercial loans have a risk weight of 100%.

State non-member banks must maintain a minimum ratio of total capital to risk-weighted assets of at least 8%, of which at least one-half must be Tier 1 capital. Total capital consists of Tier 1 capital plus Tier 2 or supplementary capital items, the principal elements of which include allowances for loan losses in an amount of up to 1.25% of risk-weighted assets, cumulative preferred stock, a portion of the net unrealized gain on equity securities and other capital instruments such as subordinated debt.

The FDIC has adopted a regulation providing that it will take into account the exposure of a bank’s capital and economic value to changes in interest rate risk in assessing a bank’s capital adequacy. For more information about interest rate risk, see “Management’s Discussion and Analysis - Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk.”

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act of 1991 (“FDICIA”) established a system of prompt corrective action to resolve the problems of undercapitalized financial institutions. Under this system, the federal banking regulators have established five capital categories ("well capitalized," "adequately capitalized," "undercapitalized," "significantly undercapitalized" and "critically undercapitalized"), and all institutions are assigned one such category. Federal banking regulators are required to take various mandatory supervisory actions and are authorized to take other discretionary actions with respect to institutions in the three undercapitalized categories. The severity of the action depends upon the capital category in which the institution is placed. At December 31, 2014, the Bank’s regulatory capital classification was “well capitalized.”

For further discussion regarding the Corporation’s regulatory capital requirements, see Note 13 to the 2014 Consolidated Financial Statements. In addition, for a discussion of changes in the regulatory capital requirements which went into effect on January 1, 2015, see the section of this item captioned “Supervision and Regulation – Regulatory Reform – Basel III,” above.

Deposit Insurance Assessments . All of the Bank’s deposits are insured under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act by the FDIC to the fullest extent permitted by law. As an FDIC-insured institution, the Bank is required to pay deposit insurance premium assessments to the FDIC. The FDIC has adopted a risk-based assessment system whereby FDIC-insured depository institutions pay insurance premiums at rates based on their risk classification. An institution’s risk classification is assigned based on its capital levels and the level of supervisory concern the institution poses to the regulators.

The Dodd-Frank Act makes permanent the general $250,000 deposit insurance limit for insured deposits. The Dodd-Frank Act changes the deposit insurance assessment framework, primarily by basing assessments on an institution’s average total consolidated assets less average tangible equity (subject to risk-based adjustments that would further reduce the assessment base for custodial banks) rather than domestic deposits, which is expected to shift a greater portion of the aggregate assessments to large banks, as described in detail below. The Dodd-Frank Act also eliminates the upper limit for the reserve ratio designated by the FDIC each year, increases the minimum designated reserve ratio of the DIF from 1.15% to 1.35% of the estimated amount of total insured deposits by September 30, 2020, and eliminates the requirement that the FDIC pay dividends to depository institutions when the reserve ratio exceeds certain thresholds. On December 20, 2010, the FDIC raised the minimum designated reserve ratio of DIF to 2%. The ratio is higher than the minimum reserve ratio of 1.35% as set by the Dodd-Frank Act. Under the Dodd-Frank Act, the FDIC is required to offset the effect of the higher reserve ratio on small insured depository institutions, defined as those with consolidated assets of less than $10 billion.

On February 7, 2011, the FDIC approved a final rule on Assessments, Dividends, Assessment Base and Large Bank Pricing. The final rule, mandated by the Dodd-Frank Act, changed the deposit insurance assessment system from one that is based on domestic deposits to one that is based on average consolidated total assets minus average tangible equity. Because the assessment base under the Dodd-Frank Act is larger than the previous assessment base, the final rule’s assessment rates are lower than the previous rates, which achieved the FDIC’s goal of not significantly altering the total amount of revenue collected from the industry. In addition, the final rule adopted a “scorecard” assessment scheme for larger banks and suspends dividend payments if the DIF reserve ratio exceeds 1.5% but provides for decreasing assessment rates when the DIF reserve ratio reaches certain thresholds. The final rule also determines how the effect of the higher reserve ratio will be offset for institutions with less than $10 billion of consolidated assets.

The FDIC may terminate a depository institution’s deposit insurance upon a finding that the institution’s financial condition is unsafe or unsound or that the institution has engaged in unsafe or unsound practices or has violated any applicable rule, regulation, order or condition enacted or imposed by the institution’s regulatory agency.

Transactions with Related Parties . The Bank’s authority to engage in transactions with an “affiliate” (generally, any company that controls or is under common control with a depository institution) is limited by federal law. Federal law places quantitative and qualitative restrictions on these transactions and imposes specified collateral requirements for certain transactions. The purchase of low quality assets from affiliates is generally prohibited. Transactions with affiliates must be on terms and under circumstances that are at least as favorable to the institution as those prevailing at the time for comparable transactions with non-affiliated companies.

The Bank’s authority to extend credit to executive officers, directors and 10% shareholders (“insiders”), as well as entities such persons control, is also governed by federal law. Among other restrictions, these loans are generally required to be made on terms substantially the same as those offered to unaffiliated individuals and not involve more than the normal risk of failure to make required repayment. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 generally prohibits the Corporation from extending or maintaining credit, arranging for the extension of credit, or renewing an extension of credit, in the form of a personal loan to or for any director or executive officer (or equivalent thereof), except for extensions of credit made, maintained, arranged or renewed by the Corporation that are subject to the federal law restrictions discussed above.

Standards for Safety and Soundness . The federal banking agencies have adopted Interagency Guidelines prescribing Standards for Safety and Soundness. The guidelines set forth the safety and soundness standards that the federal banking agencies use to identify and address problems at insured depository institutions. The guidelines address internal controls and information systems, the internal audit system, credit underwriting, loan documentation, interest rate risk exposure, asset growth, asset quality, earnings and compensation, and fees and benefits. If the appropriate federal banking agency determines that an institution fails to meet any standard prescribed by the guidelines, the agency may require the institution to submit an acceptable plan to achieve compliance with the standard.

Investment Activities . Since the enactment of the FDIC Improvement Act, all state-chartered FDIC insured banks have generally been limited to activities of the type and in the amount authorized for national banks, notwithstanding state law. The FDIC Improvement Act and the FDIC permit exceptions to these limitations. For example, the FDIC is authorized to permit such institutions to engage in state authorized activities or investments that do not meet this standard (other than direct equity investments) for institutions that meet all applicable capital requirements if it is determined that such activities or investments do not pose a significant risk to the DIF.

Mergers and Acquisitions . The Bank may engage in mergers or consolidations with other depository institutions or their holding companies, subject to review and approval by applicable state and federal banking agencies. When reviewing a proposed merger, the federal banking regulators consider numerous factors, including the effect on competition, the financial and managerial resources and future prospects of existing and proposed institutions, the effectiveness of FDIC-insured institutions involved in the merger in addressing money laundering activities and the convenience and needs of the community to be served, including performance under the Community Reinvestment Act.

Interstate Branching . Beginning June 1, 1997, federal law permitted the responsible federal banking agencies to approve merger transactions between banks located in different states, regardless of whether the merger would be prohibited under the law of the two states. The law also permitted a state to “opt in” to the provisions of the Interstate Banking Act before June 1, 1997, and permitted a state to “opt out” of the provisions of the Interstate Banking Act by adopting appropriate legislation before that date. Michigan did not “opt out” of the provisions of the Interstate Banking Act. Accordingly, beginning June 1, 1997, a Michigan commercial bank could acquire an institution by merger in a state other than Michigan unless the other state had opted out. The Interstate Banking Act also authorizes de novo branching into another state, but only if the host state enacts a law expressly permitting out of state banks to establish such branches within its borders. Effective with the enactment of The Dodd-Frank Act, the FDI Act and the National Bank Act have been amended to remove the expressly required “opt-in” concept applicable to de novo interstate branching and now permits national and insured state banks to engage in de novo in interstate branching if, under the laws of the state where the new branch is to be established, as a state bank chartered in that state would be permitted to establish a branch.

Community Reinvestment Act . The Community Reinvestment Act requires that, in connection with examinations of financial institutions within their respective jurisdictions, the Federal Reserve, the FDIC, or the OCC, shall evaluate the record of each financial institution in meeting the credit needs of its local community, including low and moderate-income neighborhoods. These facts are also considered in evaluating mergers, acquisitions, and applications to open a branch or facility. Failure to adequately meet these criteria could impose additional requirements and limitations on the Bank. The Bank received a “satisfactory” rating in its most recent Community Reinvestment Act evaluation by the FDIC. Additionally, we must publicly disclose the terms of various Community Reinvestment Act-related agreements.

Privacy . The FRB, FDIC and other bank regulatory agencies have adopted final guidelines (the "Guidelines) for safeguarding confidential, personal customer information. The Guidelines require each financial institution, under the supervision and ongoing oversight of its Board of Directors or an appropriate committee thereof, to create, implement and maintain a comprehensive written information security program designed to ensure the security and confidentiality of customer information, protect against any anticipated threats or hazards to the security or integrity of such information and protect against unauthorized access to or use of such information that could result in substantial harm or inconvenience to any customer. The Corporation has adopted a customer information security program that has been approved by the Corporation's Board of Directors (the "Board”). The GLBA requires financial institutions to implement policies and procedures regarding the disclosure of nonpublic personal information about consumers to non-affiliated third parties. In general, the statute requires explanations to consumers on policies and procedures regarding the disclosure of such nonpublic personal information, and, except as otherwise required by law, prohibits disclosing such information except as provided in the banking subsidiary's policies and procedures. The Corporation's banking subsidiary has implemented a privacy policy.

Anti-Money Laundering Initiatives and the USA Patriot Act . A major focus of federal governmental policy on financial institutions in recent years has been aimed at combating money laundering and terrorist financing. The USA Patriot Act of 2001 (the “USA Patriot Act”) substantially broadened the scope of United States’ anti-money laundering laws and regulations by imposing significant new compliance and due diligence obligations, creating new crimes and penalties and expanding the extra-territorial jurisdiction of the United States. The U.S. Department of the Treasury has issued a number of implementing regulations which apply to various requirements of the USA Patriot Act to financial institutions such as us. These regulations impose obligations on financial institutions to maintain appropriate policies, procedures and controls to detect, prevent and report money laundering and terrorist financing and to verify the identity of their customers. Failure of a financial institution to maintain and implement adequate programs to combat money laundering and terrorist financing, or to comply with all of the relevant laws or regulations, could have serious legal and reputation consequences for the institution, including the imposition of enforcement actions and civil monetary penalties.

Federal Home Loan Bank . The Bank is a member of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis (“FHLBI”), one of the 12 regional Federal Home Loan Banks. The FHLBI provides a central credit facility primarily for member institutions. The Bank, as a member of the FHLBI, is required to acquire and hold shares of capital stock in the FHLBI in an amount equal to at least 1.0% of the aggregate principal amount of its unpaid residential mortgage loans and similar obligations at the beginning of each year, or 1/20 of its advances (borrowings) from the FHLBI, whichever is greater. The Bank was in compliance with this requirement and its investment in FHLBI stock at December 31, 2014 was $7.5 million. The FHLB Banks function as a central reserve bank by providing credit for financial institutions throughout the United States. Advances are generally secured by eligible assets of a member, which include principally mortgage loans and obligations of, or guaranteed by, the U.S. government or its agencies. Advances can be made to the Bank under several different credit programs of the FHLBI. Each credit program has its own interest rate, range of maturities and limitations on the amount of advances permitted based on the financial condition of the member institution and the adequacy of collateral pledged to secure the credit.

Federal Reserve Board . The Federal Reserve Board regulations require banks to maintain non-interest-earning reserves against their net transaction accounts, nonpersonal time deposits and Eurocurrency liabilities (collectively referred to as reservable liabilities).

Overdraft Regulation. The Federal Reserve Board amended Regulation E (Electronic Fund Transfers) effective July 1, 2010 to require consumers to opt in, or affirmatively consent, to the institution’s overdraft service for ATM and one-time debit card transactions before overdraft fees may be assessed on the account. Consumers also must be provided a clear disclosure of the fees and terms associated with the institution’s overdraft service.

Other Regulations. Interest and other charges collected or contracted for by the Bank are subject to state usury laws and federal laws concerning interest rates. The Bank's loan operations are also subject to federal laws applicable to credit transactions, such as:

The deposit operations of the Bank are subject to:

Holding Company Regulation

General. The Corporation, as a bank holding company registered under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended, is subject to regulation, supervision, and examination by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. The Corporation is also required to file annually a report of its operations with the Federal Reserve Board. This regulation and oversight is generally intended to ensure that the Corporation limits its activities to those allowed by law and that it operates in a safe and sound manner without endangering the financial health of the Bank.

Under the Bank Holding Company Act, the Corporation must obtain the prior approval of the Federal Reserve Board before it may acquire control of another bank or bank holding company, merge or consolidate with another bank holding company, acquire all or substantially all of the assets of another bank or bank holding company, or acquire direct or indirect ownership or control of any voting shares of any bank or bank holding company if, after such acquisition, the Corporation would directly or indirectly own or control more than 5% of such shares.

Federal statutes impose restrictions on the ability of a bank holding company and its nonbank subsidiaries to obtain extensions of credit from its subsidiary bank, on the subsidiary bank’s investments in the stock or securities of the holding company, and on the subsidiary bank’s taking of the holding company’s stock or securities as collateral for loans to any borrower. A bank holding company and its subsidiaries are also prevented from engaging in certain tie-in arrangements in connection with any extension of credit, lease or sale of property, or furnishing of services by the subsidiary bank.

A bank holding company is required to serve as a source of financial and managerial strength to its subsidiary banks and may not conduct its operations in an unsafe or unsound manner. In addition, it is the Federal Reserve Board policy that a bank holding company should stand ready to use available resources to provide adequate capital to its subsidiary banks during periods of financial stress or adversity and should maintain the financial flexibility and capital-raising capacity to obtain additional resources for assisting its subsidiary banks. A bank holding company’s failure to meet its obligations to serve as a source of strength to its subsidiary banks will generally be considered by the Federal Reserve Board to be an unsafe and unsound banking practice or a violation of the Federal Reserve Board regulations, or both.

Non-Banking Activities. The business activities of the Corporation, as a bank holding company, are restricted by the Bank Holding Company Act. Under the Bank Holding Company Act and the Federal Reserve Board’s bank holding company regulations, the Corporation may only engage in, acquire, or control voting securities or assets of a company engaged in, (1) banking or managing or controlling banks and other subsidiaries authorized under the Bank Holding Company Act and (2) any non-banking activity the Federal Reserve Board has determined to be so closely related to banking or managing or controlling banks to be a proper incident thereto. These include any incidental activities necessary to carry on those activities as well as a lengthy list of activities that the Federal Reserve Board has determined to be so closely related to the business of banking as to be a proper incident thereto.

Financial Modernization. The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, which became effective in March 2000, permits greater affiliation among banks, securities firms, insurance companies, and other companies under a new type of financial services company known as a “financial holding company.” A financial holding company essentially is a bank holding company with significantly expanded powers. Financial holding companies are authorized by statute to engage in a number of financial activities previously impermissible for bank holding companies, including securities underwriting, dealing and market making; sponsoring mutual funds and investment companies; insurance underwriting and agency; and merchant banking activities. The Act also permits the Federal Reserve Board and the Treasury Department to authorize additional activities for financial holding companies if they are “financial in nature” or “incidental” to financial activities. A bank holding company may become a financial holding company if each of its subsidiary banks is well capitalized, well managed, and has at least a “satisfactory” CRA rating. A financial holding company must provide notice to the Federal Reserve Board within 30 days after commencing activities previously determined by statute or by the Federal Reserve Board and Department of the Treasury to be permissible. The Corporation has not submitted notice to the Federal Reserve Board of our intent to be deemed a financial holding company.

Regulatory Capital Requirements. The Federal Reserve Board has adopted capital adequacy guidelines under which it assesses the adequacy of capital in examining and supervising a bank holding company and in analyzing applications to it under the Bank Holding Company Act. The Federal Reserve Board’s capital adequacy guidelines are similar to those imposed on the Bank by the FDIC.

Restrictions on Dividends. The Corporation relies on dividends from the Bank to pay dividends to shareholders. The Michigan Banking Code of 1999 states, in part, that bank dividends may be declared and paid only out of accumulated net earnings and may not be declared or paid unless surplus (retained earnings) is at least equal to contributed capital. The Bank has not declared or paid any dividends that have caused its retained earnings to be reduced below the amount required. Finally, dividends may not be declared or paid if the Bank is in default in payment of any assessment due the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

The Federal Reserve Board has issued a policy statement on the payment of cash dividends by bank holding companies, which expresses the Federal Reserve Board’s view that a bank holding company should pay cash dividends only to the extent that the holding company’s net income for the past year is sufficient to cover both the cash dividends and a rate of earnings retention that is consistent with the holding company’s capital needs, asset quality and overall financial condition. The Federal Reserve Board also indicated that it would be inappropriate for a company experiencing serious financial problems to borrow funds to pay dividends. Furthermore, under the federal prompt corrective action regulations, the Federal Reserve Board may prohibit a bank holding company from paying any dividends if the holding company’s bank subsidiary is classified as “undercapitalized.”

Employees

MBT Financial Corp. has no employees other than its three officers, each of whom is also an employee and officer of Monroe Bank & Trust and who serve in their capacity as officers of MBT Financial Corp. without compensation. As of December 31, 2014, Monroe Bank & Trust had 357 full-time employees and 15 part-time employees. Monroe Bank & Trust provides a number of benefits for its full-time employees, including health and life insurance, workers' compensation, social security, paid vacations, numerous bank services, and a 401(k) plan.

There is no family relationship between any of the Directors or Executive Officers of the registrant and there is no arrangement or understandings between any of the Directors or Executive Officers and any other person pursuant to which he was selected a Director or Executive Officer nor with any respect to the term which each will serve in the capacities stated previously.

The Executive Officers of the Bank are elected to serve for a term of one year at the Board of Directors Annual Organizational Meeting, held in May.

H. Douglas Chaffin was President & Chief Executive Officer in each of the last five years. Donald M. Lieto was Executive Vice President, Senior Administration Manager in each of the last five years. Scott E. McKelvey was Executive Vice President, Senior Wealth Management Officer in 2010-2013 and became Executive Vice President, Regional President Wayne County in 2013. Audrey Mistor was Senior Vice President, Community President in 2010-2013 and became Executive Vice President, Wealth Management Group Manager in 2013. Thomas G. Myers was Executive Vice President & Chief Lending Manager in each of the last five years. John L. Skibski was Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer in each of the last five years.

Available Information

MBT Financial Corp. makes its annual report on Form 10-K, its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, its current reports on Form 8-K, and all amendments to those reports available on its website as soon as reasonably practicable after they are filed with or furnished to the SEC, free of charge. The website address is www.mbandt.com.