Any federal savings and loan association, stock or mutual, organized and existing under the laws and regulations of the United States and duly authorized to operate and actually operating in North Carolina may convert into a State savings and loan association operating under the provisions of this Chapter, with the same force and effect as though originally incorporated under the provisions of this Chapter, by complying with the rules and regulations of the federal regulatory authority, and also by following the procedure as set forth in this section:

(1) The federal association shall submit a plan of conversion to the Commissioner of Banks. When such plan, either with or without amendment, has been approved by the Commissioner of Banks, it shall be submitted to the members or stockholders of the association as provided in the next subdivision.

(2) A meeting of the members or stockholders shall be held upon not less than 15 days’ notice to each member or stockholder. Notice can be made either by mailing such to each member or stockholder, postage prepaid, to the last known address or by the board of directors causing 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. It shall be regarded as sufficient notice of the purpose of the meeting if the call contains the following statement: “The purpose of this meeting is to consider the conversion of this federally chartered association to a State-chartered savings and loan association, pursuant to the provisions of the laws of the State of North Carolina.” An appropriate officer of the association shall make proof by affidavit at such meeting of the due service of the notice or call for said meeting.

(3) At the meeting of the members or stockholders of such association, such members or stockholders may by affirmative vote of a majority of votes or shares present, in person or by proxy, resolve to convert said association to a State association. A copy of the minutes of the meeting of the members or stockholders, certified by an appropriate officer of the association, shall be filed with the Commissioner of Banks, accompanied by a conversion fee. The certified copy when so filed shall be prima facie evidence of the holding of and the action taken at the meeting.

(4) Within 30 days after the approval of the proceedings by the Commissioner of Banks, the association shall file with the Commissioner of Banks, the Secretary of State, and the register of deeds of the county where such association intends to operate a copy of the certificate of incorporation of such association, signed by at least seven directors. The certificate of incorporation shall conform to the provisions of the laws of this State. The Secretary of State and the register of deeds of the county where the association has its principal office shall not issue or record the certificate of incorporation until authorized to do so by the Commissioner of Banks. Upon receipt of a copy of the certificate of incorporation the Commissioner of Banks shall cause to be made a careful examination and investigation of the facts connected with the conversion of the association, including an examination of its affairs generally and a determination of its assets and liabilities. The reasonable cost and expenses of the examination and investigation shall be paid by the association. If it appears that the association, if converted, will lawfully be entitled to conduct business as a State association pursuant to the provisions of this Chapter, the Commissioner of Banks shall so certify to the Secretary of State and the register of deeds in the county in which the association is located, who shall thereupon issue and record such certificate of incorporation. Upon issuance and recordation of the certificate of incorporation the association shall file with the appropriate federal regulatory authority a certified copy of same. Upon such filing, the association shall cease to be a federal association and shall be converted to a State association.

(5) Upon conversion, all the property of the federal association, including all its rights, title and interest in and to all property of whatsoever kind whether real, personal or mixed, and things in action, and every right, privilege, interest and asset of any conceivable value or benefit then existing, belonging or pertaining to it, or which would inure to it, shall immediately by act of law and without any conveyance or transfer, and without any further act or deed, be vested in and become the property of the State association, which shall have, hold, and enjoy the same in its own right as fully and to the same extent as if the same was possessed, held or enjoyed by said federal association; and such State association shall be deemed to be a continuation of the entity and the identity of said federal association, operating under and pursuant to the provisions of this Chapter, and all rights, obligations and relations of said federal association to or in respect to any person, estate, or creditor, depositor, trustee or beneficiary of any trust, and to or in respect to any executorship or trusteeship or other trust or fiduciary function, shall remain unimpaired, and the State association, shall by operation of this section succeed to all such rights, obligations, relations and trusts, and the duties and liabilities connected therewith, and shall execute and perform each and every such right, obligation, trust and relation in the same manner as if such State association had itself assumed the trust or relation, including the obligations and liabilities connected therewith. (1981, c. 282, s. 3; 1981 (Reg. Sess., 1982), c. 1238, s. 6; 1985, c. 659, s. 4; 1989, c. 76, s. 7; 2001-193, s. 16.)