§ 263.204 - Order to dismiss a director or senior executive officer.

§ 263.204 Order to dismiss a director or senior executive officer.

(a) Service of notice. When the Board issues and serves a directive on a state member bank pursuant to § 263.202 requiring the bank to dismiss from office any director or senior executive officer under section 38(f) (2) (F) (ii) of the FDI Act, the Board shall also serve a copy of the directive, or the relevant portions of the directive where appropriate, upon the person to be dismissed.

(b) Response to directive -

(1) Request for reinstatement. A director or senior executive officer who has been served with a directive under paragraph (a) of this section (Respondent) may file a written request for reinstatement. The request for reinstatement shall be filed within 10 calendar days of the receipt of the directive by the Respondent, unless further time is allowed by the Board at the request of the Respondent.

(2) Contents of request; informal hearing. The request for reinstatement shall include reasons why the Respondent should be reinstated, and may include a request for an informal hearing before the Board or its designee under this section. If the Respondent desires to present oral testimony or witnesses at the hearing, the Respondent shall include a request to do so with the request for an informal hearing. The request to present oral testimony or witnesses shall specify the names of the witnesses and the general nature of their expected testimony. Failure to request a hearing shall constitute a waiver of any right to a hearing and failure to request the opportunity to present oral testimony or witnesses shall constitute a waiver of any right or opportunity to present oral testimony or witnesses.

(3) Effective date. Unless otherwise ordered by the Board, the dismissal shall remain in effect while a request for reinstatement is pending.

(c) Order for informal hearing. Upon receipt of a timely written request from a Respondent for an informal hearing on the portion of a directive requiring a bank to dismiss from office any director or senior executive officer, the Board shall issue an order directing an informal hearing to commence no later than 30 days after receipt of the request, unless the Respondent requests a later date. The hearing shall be held in Washington, DC, or at such other place as may be designated by the Board, before a presiding officer(s) designated by the Board to conduct the hearing.

(d) Hearing procedures.

(1) A Respondent may appear at the hearing personally or through counsel. A Respondent shall have the right to introduce relevant written materials and to present oral argument. A Respondent may introduce oral testimony and present witnesses only if expressly authorized by the Board or the presiding officer(s). Neither the provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act governing adjudications required by statute to be determined on the record nor the Uniform Rules of Practice and Procedure in subpart A of this part apply to an informal hearing under this section unless the Board orders that such procedures shall apply.

(2) The informal hearing shall be recorded, and a transcript shall be furnished to the Respondent upon request and payment of the cost thereof. Witnesses need not be sworn, unless specifically requested by a party or the presiding officer(s). The presiding officer(s) may ask questions of any witness.

(3) The presiding officer(s) may order that the hearing be continued for a reasonable period (normally five business days) following completion of oral testimony or argument to allow additional written submissions to the hearing record.

(e) Standard for review. A Respondent shall bear the burden of demonstrating that his or her continued employment by or service with the bank would materially strengthen the bank's ability:

(1) To become adequately capitalized, to the extent that the directive was issued as a result of the bank's capital level or failure to submit or implement a capital restoration plan; and

(2) To correct the unsafe or unsound condition or unsafe or unsound practice, to the extent that the directive was issued as a result of classification of the bank based on supervisory criteria other than capital, pursuant to section 38(g) of the FDI Act.

(f) Recommendation of presiding officers. Within 20 calendar days following the date the hearing and the record on the proceeding are closed, the presiding officer(s) shall make a recommendation to the Board concerning the Respondent's request for reinstatement with the bank.

(g) Time for decision. Not later than 60 calendar days after the date the record is closed or the date of the response in a case where no hearing was requested, the Board shall grant or deny the request for reinstatement and notify the Respondent of the Board's decision. If the Board denies the request for reinstatement, the Board shall set forth in the notification the reasons for the Board's action.