Exhibit C
Form of Bank Merger Agreement
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER
INDEPENDENT BANK
with and into
SOUTHSTATE BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
under the charter of
SOUTHSTATE BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
under the title of
“SOUTHSTATE BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION”
THIS AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER (this “Agreement”) is made as of May 17, 2024, by and between Independent Bank (d/b/a Independent Financial), a Texas state chartered bank, with its main office located at 7777 Henneman Way, McKinney, Texas 75070 (“Independent Bank”), and SouthState Bank, National Association, a national banking association, with its main office located at 1101 First Street South, Winter Haven, Florida 33880 (“SouthState Bank” or the “Resulting Bank”). Collectively, Independent Bank and SouthState Bank are referred to as the “Banks”.
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of Independent Bank approved, by the unanimous vote of directors present, this Agreement and authorized its execution pursuant to the authority given by and in accordance with the laws of the State of Texas;
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of SouthState Bank approved, by the unanimous vote of directors present, this Agreement and authorized its execution pursuant to the authority given by and in accordance with the provisions of The National Bank Act (the “Act”);
WHEREAS, Independent Bank Group, Inc. (“Independent”), which owns all of the outstanding shares of Independent Bank, and SouthState Corporation (“SouthState”), which owns all of the outstanding shares of SouthState Bank, have entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of May 17, 2024 (the “Holding Company Agreement”), which, among other things, provides for the merger of Independent with and into SouthState, all subject to the terms and conditions of such Holding Company Agreement (the “HC Merger”);
WHEREAS, Independent, as the sole shareholder of Independent Bank, and SouthState, as the sole shareholder of SouthState Bank, have approved this Agreement; and
WHEREAS, each of the Banks is entering into this Agreement to provide for the merger of Independent Bank with and into SouthState Bank, with SouthState Bank being the surviving bank charter of such merger transaction (the “Bank Merger”) under the name of SouthState Bank, National Association, subject to, and immediately following, the closing of the HC Merger.
WHEREAS, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, it is intended that the Bank Merger shall qualify as a “reorganization” within the meaning of section 368(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and this Agreement is intended to be and is adopted as a plan of reorganization for purposes of sections 354 and 361 of the Code.
NOW, THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the premises and the mutual promises and agreements herein contained, the parties hereto agree as follows: