(3) To the extent permitted by law to cause to be organized, merged or consolidated, any corporation, firm or other entity, domestic or foreign.
(4) To the extent permitted by law to render services, assistance, and advice to, and to act as representative or agent in any capacity of, any person, corporation, firm, or other entity, domestic or foreign.
(5) To arrange for, finance, pay or cause to be paid the compensation of the directors, officers or employees of any corporation, firm, or other entity in the business again of which the Corporation shall have any interest and to adopt, alter or amend any plan or plans for additional compensation to such directors, officers or employees.
(6) To purchase, lease, or otherwise acquire, and to own, improve, mortgage or otherwise encumber, real and personal property, or any interest therein wherever situated.
The foregoing purposes shall be construed in furtherance and not in limitation of powers now or hereafter conferred by the laws of the State of New York.
THIRD: The office of the Corporation is to be located in the City of Buffalo, County of Erie, and State of New York.
FOURTH: 1. The aggregate number of shares of stock which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is two hundred seventy million (270,000,000) shares, divided into two classes, namely, preferred shares and common shares. The number of preferred shares authorized is twenty million (20,000,000) shares of the par value of one dollar ($1.00) per share. The number of common shares authorized is two hundred fifty million (250,000,000) shares of the par value of fifty cents ($0.50) per share. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, so long as the Corporation’s Perpetual Fixed-to-Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series E (the “Series E Preferred Stock”), Perpetual Fixed-to-Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series F (the “Series F Preferred Stock”) and Perpetual 5.0% Fixed-Rate Reset Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series G (the “Series G Preferred Stock” and, together with the Series E Preferred Stock and the Series F Preferred Stock, the “Outstanding Preferred Stock”) are outstanding, the Corporation shall not have the authority to authorize or create or to issue any class or series of stock or any securities convertible into any class or series of stock that ranks senior to the Outstanding Preferred Stock in either the payment of dividends or in the distribution of assets on any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation unless approved by the holders of the Outstanding Preferred Stock that is then outstanding at that time in accordance with the terms thereof.
2. Authority is hereby granted to the Board of Directors at any time and from time to time to issue the preferred shares in one or more series and for such consideration, not less than the par value thereof, as may be fixed from time to time by the Board of Directors, and, before the issuance of any shares of a particular series to fix the designation of such series, the number of shares to comprise such series, the dividend rate or rates payable with respect to the shares of such series, the redemption price or prices, the voting rights, and any other relative rights, preferences and limitations pertaining to such series. In lieu of issuing a new series, the Board of Directors may increase the number of shares of a series already outstanding. Before the issue of any shares of a series established by the Board of Directors, the Board shall cause to be delivered to the Department of State the necessary certificate of amendment under the Business Corporation Law of the State of New York as now in effect or hereafter amended.
3. The description of the common shares and of their relative rights and limitations are as follows:
(a) Out of the assets of the Corporation which are by law available for the payment of dividends remaining after all dividends to which any preferred shares then outstanding shall be entitled shall have been declared and paid or set apart for payment for all past dividend periods, dividends may be declared and paid upon the common shares to the exclusion of the holders of preferred shares.
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