32.32.025 - Definitions.

Definitions.

As used in this chapter, the following definitions apply, unless the context otherwise requires:

     (1) Except as provided in RCW 32.32.230, an "affiliate" of, or a person "affiliated" with, a specified person, is a person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, the person specified.

     (2) The term "amount", when used in regard to securities, means the principal amount if relating to evidences of indebtedness, the number of shares if relating to shares, and the number of units if relating to any other kind of security.

     (3) An "applicant" is a mutual savings bank which has applied to convert pursuant to this chapter.

     (4) The term "associate", when used to indicate a relationship with any person, means (a) any corporation or organization (other than the applicant or a majority-owned subsidiary of the applicant) of which the person is an officer or partner or is, directly or indirectly, the beneficial owner of ten percent or more of any class of equity securities, (b) any trust or other estate in which the person has a substantial beneficial interest or as to which the person serves as trustee or in a similar fiduciary capacity, and (c) any relative who would be a "class A beneficiary" if the person were a decedent.

     (5) The term "broker" means any person engaged in the business of effecting transactions in securities for the account of others.

     (6) The term "capital stock" includes permanent stock, guaranty stock, permanent reserve stock, any similar certificate evidencing nonwithdrawable capital, or preferred stock, of a savings bank converted under this chapter or of a subsidiary institution or holding company.

     (7) The term "charter" includes articles of incorporation, articles of reincorporation, and certificates of incorporation, as amended, effecting (either with or without filing with any governmental agency) the organization or creation of an incorporated person.

     (8) Except as provided in RCW 32.32.230, the term "control" (including the terms "controlling", "controlled by", and "under common control with") means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract, or otherwise.

     (9) The term "dealer" means any person who engages either for all or part of his or her time, directly or indirectly, as agent, broker, or principal, in the business of offering, buying, selling, or otherwise dealing or trading in securities issued by another person.

     (10) The term "deposits" refers to the deposits of a savings bank that is converting under this chapter, and may refer in addition to the deposits or share accounts of any other financial institution that is converting to the stock form in connection with a merger with and into a savings bank.

     (11) The term "director" means any director of a corporation, any trustee of a mutual savings bank, or any person performing similar functions with respect to any organization whether incorporated or unincorporated.

     (12) The term "eligibility record date" means the record date for determining eligible account holders of a converting mutual savings bank.

     (13) The term "eligible account holder" means any person holding a qualifying deposit as determined in accordance with RCW 32.32.180.

     (14) The term "employee" does not include a director or officer.

     (15) The term "equity security" means any stock or similar security; or any security convertible, with or without consideration, into such a security, or carrying any warrant or right to subscribe to or purchase such a security; or any such warrant or right.

     (16) The term "market maker" means a dealer who, with respect to a particular security, (a) regularly publishes bona fide, competitive bid and offer quotations in a recognized interdealer quotation system; or (b) furnishes bona fide competitive bid and offer quotations on request; and (c) is ready, willing, and able to effect transaction in reasonable quantities at his or her quoted prices with other brokers or dealers.

     (17) The term "material", when used to qualify a requirement for the furnishing of information as to any subject, limits the information required to those matters as to which an average prudent investor ought reasonably to be informed before purchasing an equity security of the applicant.

     (18) The term "mutual savings bank" means a mutual savings bank organized and operating under Title 32 RCW.

     (19) Except as provided in RCW 32.32.435, the term "offer", "offer to sell", or "offer of sale" shall include every attempt or offer to dispose of, or solicitation of an offer to buy, a security or interest in a security, for value. These terms shall not include preliminary negotiations or agreements between an applicant and any underwriter or among underwriters who are or are to be in privity of contract with an applicant.

     (20) The term "officer", for purposes of the purchase of stock in a conversion under this chapter or the sale of this stock, means the chairman of the board, president, vice president, secretary, treasurer or principal financial officer, comptroller or principal accounting officer, and any other person performing similar functions with respect to any organization whether incorporated or unincorporated.

     (21) Except as provided in RCW 32.32.435, the term "person" means an individual, a corporation, a partnership, an association, a joint-stock company, a trust, any unincorporated organization, or a government or political subdivision thereof.

     (22) The term "proxy" includes every form of authorization by which a person is or may be deemed to be designated to act for a stockholder in the exercise of his or her voting rights in the affairs of an institution. Such an authorization may take the form of failure to dissent or object.

     (23) The terms "purchase" and "buy" include every contract to purchase, buy, or otherwise acquire a security or interest in a security for value.

     (24) The terms "sale" and "sell" include every contract to sell or otherwise dispose of a security or interest in a security for value; but these terms do not include an exchange of securities in connection with a merger or acquisition approved by the director.

     (25) The term "savings account" means deposits established in a mutual savings bank and includes certificates of deposit.

     (26) Except as provided in RCW 32.32.435, the term "security" includes any note, stock, treasury stock, bond, debenture, transferable share, investment contract, voting-trust certificate, or in general, any instrument commonly known as a "security"; or any certificate of interest or participation in, temporary or interim certificate for, receipt for, or warrant or right to subscribe to or purchase any of the foregoing.

     (27) The term "series of preferred stock" refers to a subdivision, within a class of preferred stock, each share of which has preferences, limitations, and relative rights identical with those of other shares of the same series.

     (28) The term "subscription offering" refers to the offering of shares of capital stock, through nontransferable subscription rights issued to: (a) Eligible account holders as required by RCW 32.32.045; (b) supplemental eligible account holders as required by RCW 32.32.055; (c) directors, officers, and employees, as permitted by RCW 32.32.140; and (d) eligible account holders and supplemental eligible account holders as permitted by RCW 32.32.145.

     (29) A "subsidiary" of a specified person is an affiliate controlled by the person, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries.

     (30) The term "supplemental eligibility record date" means the supplemental record date for determining supplemental eligible account holders of a converting savings bank required by RCW 32.32.055. The date shall be the last day of the calendar quarter preceding director approval of the application for conversion.

     (31) The term "supplemental eligible account holder" means any person holding a qualifying deposit, except officers, directors, and their associates, as of the supplemental eligibility record date.

     (32) The term "underwriter" means any person who has purchased from an applicant with a view to, or offers or sells for an applicant in connection with, the distribution of any security, or participates or has a direct or indirect participation in the direct or indirect underwriting of any such undertaking; but the term does not include a person whose interest is limited to a commission from an underwriter or dealer not in excess of the usual and customary distributors' or sellers commission. The term "principal underwriter" means an underwriter in privity of contract with the applicant or other issuer of securities as to which that person is the underwriter.

     Terms defined in other chapters of this title, when used in this chapter, shall have the meanings given in those definitions, to the extent those definitions are not inconsistent with the definitions contained in this chapter unless the context otherwise requires.

[1995 c 134 § 7. Prior: 1994 c 256 § 105; 1994 c 92 § 352; 1985 c 56 § 16; 1981 c 85 § 4.]

Notes: Findings -- Construction -- 1994 c 256: See RCW 43.320.007.