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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">As filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission on September&nbsp;20, 2005</font></p>

<p align="right" style="margin:0in .5in .0001pt 0in;text-align:right;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Registration No.&nbsp;333-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:18.0pt;font-weight:bold;">UNITED STATES</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:18.0pt;font-weight:bold;">SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">WASHINGTON,
D.C.&#160; 20549</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:18.0pt;font-weight:bold;">FORM&nbsp;S-8</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="3" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold;">REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER<br>
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:18.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Staples,&nbsp;Inc.</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Exact Name of Registrant as
Specified in Its Charter)</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&#160;</font></p>

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Delaware</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">04-2896127</font></b></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(State or
  Other Jurisdiction of</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(I.R.S.
  Employer</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Incorporation
  or Organization)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Identification
  Number)</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">500
  Staples Drive, Framingham, Massachusetts</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">01702</font></b></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Address of
  Principal Executive Offices)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Zip Code)</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
</table>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Amended
and Restated 2004 Stock Incentive Plan</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Full Title of the Plan)</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">John J.
Mahoney</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Executive
Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">and Chief
Financial Officer</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Staples,&nbsp;Inc.</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">500
Staples Drive</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Framingham,
Massachusetts 01702</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Name and Address of Agent for
Service)</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">(508) 253-5000</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Telephone Number, Including
Area Code, of Agent for Service)</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="font-weight:bold;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE</font></b></p>

<p style="font-weight:bold;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:normal;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="25%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:25.88%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Title of Securities<br>
  to be Registered</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.88%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="14%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:14.88%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Amount to be<br>
  Registered(1)</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.56%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="14%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:14.56%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Proposed<br>
  Maximum<br>
  Offering Price<br>
  Per Share</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="3%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:3.62%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="16%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:16.28%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Proposed<br>
  Maximum<br>
  Aggregate Offering<br>
  Price</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="3%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:3.08%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="14%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:14.64%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Amount of<br>
  Registration Fee</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.62%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="25%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:25.88%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Staples
  Common Stock, $0.0006 par value per share</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.88%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="14%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:14.88%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">27,830,000</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.56%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.3%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">$</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="13%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-top:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:13.26%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">21.16</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="3%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in .7pt 0in;width:3.62%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(2)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.3%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">$</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="14%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-top:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:14.98%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">588,882,800</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="3%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in .7pt 0in;width:3.08%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(2)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.3%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">$</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="13%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-top:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:13.36%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">69,312</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.62%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(3)</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr height="0">
  <td width="194" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="14" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="111" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="19" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="10" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="99" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="27" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="10" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="112" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="23" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="10" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="100" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="19" style="border:none;"></td>
 </tr>
</table>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<div style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">

<hr size="1" width="25%" noshade color="black" align="left">

</font></div>

<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt .3in;text-indent:-.3in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(1)</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>In accordance with Rule&nbsp;416
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this registration statement shall
be deemed to cover any additional securities that may from time to time be
offered or issued to prevent dilution resulting from stock splits, stock
dividends or similar transactions.</p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt .3in;text-indent:-.3in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(2)</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>Estimated solely
for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rules&nbsp;457(c)&nbsp;and
457(h)&nbsp;of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and based upon the
average of the high and low prices of the Registrant&#146;s Common Stock as reported
on the NASDAQ National Market on September&nbsp;16, 2005.</p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:-22.5pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt .3in;text-indent:-.3in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(3)</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>We previously paid
an aggregate filing fee of $46,000 in connection with the Registration
Statement on Form&nbsp;S-3 (Registration No.&nbsp;333-101116) initially filed
on November&nbsp;8, 2002, relating to the registration of $500,000,000 of
securities ($273,320,000 of which were never sold or issued and have been
deregistered).&#160; The filing fee related to
those deregistered securities was $25,145.44, of which the remaining balance
available is $24,232.44.&#160; Pursuant to Rule&nbsp;457(p)
of the Securities Act of 1933, we are using such $24,232.44 remainder amount to
offset the filing fee of $69,312 due in connection with the filing of this
Registration Statement. Accordingly, the adjusted registration fee for this Form&nbsp;S-8
is $45,079.56.</p>

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<p style="border:none;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;padding:0in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

</div>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<div style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">

<hr size="2" width="100%" noshade color="gray" align="left">

</font></div>

</div>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .3in;text-indent:-.3in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .3in;text-indent:-.3in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">PART&nbsp;I.&#160; INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION&nbsp;10(a)&nbsp;PROSPECTUS</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The information and written statement
required by Part&nbsp;I is included in documents sent or given to participants
in the plan covered by this registration statement pursuant to Rule&nbsp;428(b)(1)&nbsp;of
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the &#147;Securities Act&#148;).</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">PART&nbsp;II.&#160; INFORMATION
REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">STATEMENT OF INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">This registration statement incorporates by reference
the contents of the Registration Statement on Form&nbsp;S-8, File<br>
No.&nbsp;333-116644 filed by the Registrant on June&nbsp;18, 2004, relating to
the Registrant&#146;s 2004 Stock Incentive Plan.</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">II-1</font></p>

<div style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">

<hr size="2" width="100%" noshade color="gray" align="left">

</font></div>

</div>
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<br clear="all" style="page-break-before:always;">


<div>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">SIGNATURES</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act,
the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it
meets all of the requirements for filing on Form&nbsp;S-8 and has duly caused
this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned,
thereunto duly authorized, in Framingham, Massachusetts, on September&nbsp;13,
2005.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="51%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:51.42%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="48%" colspan="3" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:48.58%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">STAPLES, INC.</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="51%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:51.42%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="4%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:4.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="44%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:44.44%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="51%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:51.42%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="4%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:4.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="44%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:44.44%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="51%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:51.42%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="4%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:4.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">By:</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="29%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:29.62%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 20.0pt;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ Ronald
  L. Sargent</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="14%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:14.82%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="51%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:51.42%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="4%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:4.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="44%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:44.44%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Ronald L. Sargent</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="51%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:51.42%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="4%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:4.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="44%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:44.44%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Chairman and Chief Executive Officer</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
</table>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">POWER OF
ATTORNEY AND SIGNATURES</font></b></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">We, the undersigned officers and directors of Staples,&nbsp;Inc.,
hereby severally constitute and appoint Ronald L. Sargent, John J. Mahoney,
Jack A. VanWoerkom and Mark G. Borden, and each of them singly, our true and
lawful attorneys with full power to them, and each of them singly, to sign for us
and in our names in the capacities indicated below, the registration statement
on Form&nbsp;S-8 filed herewith and any and all subsequent amendments to said
registration statement, and generally to do all such things in our names and on
our behalf in our capacities as officers and directors to enable Staples,&nbsp;Inc.
to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and
all requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, hereby ratifying
and confirming our signatures as they may be signed by our said attorneys, or
any of them, to said registration statement and any and all amendments thereto.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of
1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in
the capacities and on the dates indicated.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="36%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:36.64%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Signature</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="39%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:39.74%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Title</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.04%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="19%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:19.46%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Date</font></b></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="36%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:36.64%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="39%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:39.74%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.04%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="19%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:19.46%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="24%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:24.58%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ Ronald L. Sargent </font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="12%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.06%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="39%" rowspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:39.74%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
  (Principal executive officer)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.04%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="19%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:19.46%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">September&nbsp;13,
  2005</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="36%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:36.64%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Ronald L. Sargent</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.04%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="19%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:19.46%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="36%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:36.64%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="39%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:39.74%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.04%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="19%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:19.46%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="24%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:24.58%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ John J. Mahoney </font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="12%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.06%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="39%" rowspan="3" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:39.74%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative
  Officer and Chief Financial Officer (Principal financial officer)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.04%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="19%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:19.46%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">September&nbsp;16,
  2005</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="36%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:36.64%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">John J. Mahoney</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.04%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="19%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:19.46%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="36%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:36.64%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.04%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="19%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:19.46%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="36%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:36.64%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="39%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:39.74%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.04%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="19%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:19.46%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="24%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:24.58%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ Christine T. Komola </font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="12%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.06%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="39%" rowspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:39.74%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Senior Vice President and Corporate
  Controller (Principal accounting officer)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.04%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="19%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:19.46%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">September&nbsp;16,
  2005</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="36%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:36.64%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Christine T. Komola</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.04%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="19%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:19.46%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
</table>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">II-2</font></p>

<div style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">

<hr size="2" width="100%" noshade color="gray" align="left">

</font></div>

</div>
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<br clear="all" style="page-break-before:always;">


<div>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="24%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:24.58%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ Basil L. Anderson </font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="12%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.06%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="39%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:39.74%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Vice Chairman and Director</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.04%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="19%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:19.46%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">September&nbsp;13,
  2005</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="36%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:36.64%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Basil L. Anderson</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="39%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:39.74%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.04%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="19%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:19.46%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="36%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:36.64%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="39%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:39.74%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.04%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="19%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:19.46%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="24%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:24.58%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ Brenda C. Barnes </font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="12%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.06%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="39%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:39.74%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Director</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.04%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="19%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:19.46%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">September&nbsp;13,
  2005</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="36%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:36.64%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Brenda C. Barnes</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="39%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:39.74%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.04%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="19%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:19.46%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="36%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:36.64%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="39%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:39.74%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.04%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="19%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:19.46%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="24%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:24.58%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ Mary Elizabeth Burton </font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="12%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.06%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="39%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:39.74%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Director</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.04%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="19%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:19.46%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">September&nbsp;13,
  2005</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="36%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:36.64%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Mary Elizabeth Burton</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="39%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:39.74%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.04%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="19%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:19.46%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="36%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:36.64%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="39%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:39.74%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.04%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="19%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:19.46%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="24%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:24.58%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ Gary L. Crittenden </font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="12%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.06%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="39%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:39.74%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Director</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.04%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="19%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:19.46%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">September&nbsp;13,
  2005</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="36%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:36.64%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Gary L. Crittenden</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="39%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:39.74%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.04%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="19%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:19.46%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="36%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:36.64%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="39%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:39.74%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.04%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="19%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:19.46%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="24%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:24.58%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ Richard J. Currie </font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="12%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.06%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="39%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:39.74%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Director</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.04%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="19%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:19.46%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">September&nbsp;13,
  2005</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="36%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:36.64%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Richard J. Currie</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="39%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:39.74%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.04%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="19%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:19.46%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="36%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:36.64%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="39%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:39.74%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.04%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="19%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:19.46%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="24%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:24.58%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ Rowland T. Moriarty </font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="12%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.06%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="39%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:39.74%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Director</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.04%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="19%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:19.46%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">September&nbsp;13,
  2005</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="36%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:36.64%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Rowland T. Moriarty</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="39%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:39.74%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.04%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="19%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:19.46%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="36%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:36.64%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="39%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:39.74%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.04%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="19%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:19.46%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="24%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:24.58%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ Robert C. Nakasone </font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="12%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.06%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="39%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:39.74%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Director</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.04%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="19%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:19.46%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">September&nbsp;13,
  2005</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="36%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:36.64%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Robert C. Nakasone</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="39%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:39.74%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.04%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="19%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:19.46%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="36%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:36.64%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="39%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:39.74%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.04%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="19%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:19.46%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="24%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:24.58%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ Martin Trust </font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="12%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.06%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="39%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:39.74%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Director</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.04%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="19%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:19.46%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">September&nbsp;13,
  2005</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="36%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:36.64%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Martin Trust</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="39%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:39.74%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.04%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="19%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:19.46%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="36%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:36.64%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="39%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:39.74%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.04%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="19%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:19.46%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="24%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:24.58%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ Paul F. Walsh </font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="12%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.06%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="39%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:39.74%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Director</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.04%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="19%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:19.46%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">September&nbsp;13,
  2005</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="36%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:36.64%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Paul F. Walsh</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.12%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="39%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:39.74%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.04%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="19%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:19.46%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
</table>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">II-3</font></p>

<div style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">

<hr size="2" width="100%" noshade color="gray" align="left">

</font></div>

</div>
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<br clear="all" style="page-break-before:always;">


<div style="font-family:Times New Roman;">

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">EXHIBIT&nbsp;INDEX</font></b></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="11%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:11.98%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Number</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.96%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="85%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:85.06%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Description</font></b></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="11%" valign="top" style="border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:11.98%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.96%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="85%" valign="top" style="border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:85.06%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="11%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:11.98%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">4.1(1)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.96%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="85%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:85.06%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Second Restated Certificate of
  Incorporation of the Registrant</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="11%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:11.98%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.96%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="85%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:85.06%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="11%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:11.98%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">4.2(2)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.96%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="85%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:85.06%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Amended and Restated By-Laws of the
  Registrant</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="11%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:11.98%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.96%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="85%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:85.06%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="11%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:11.98%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">5</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.96%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="85%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:85.06%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Opinion of Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and
  Dorr LLP, counsel to the Registrant</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="11%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:11.98%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.96%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="85%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:85.06%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="11%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:11.98%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">23.1</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.96%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="85%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:85.06%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Consent of Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and
  Dorr LLP (included in Exhibit&nbsp;5)</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="11%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:11.98%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.96%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="85%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:85.06%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="11%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:11.98%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">23.2</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.96%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="85%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:85.06%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Consent of Independent Registered Public
  Accounting Firm</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="11%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:11.98%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.96%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="85%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:85.06%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="11%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:11.98%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">24</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.96%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="85%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:85.06%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Power of attorney (included on the
  signature pages&nbsp;of this registration statement)</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
</table>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<div style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">

<hr size="1" width="25%" noshade color="black" align="left">

</font></div>

<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(1)</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>Previously
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an Exhibit&nbsp;to the
Registrant&#146;s Annual Report on Form&nbsp;10-K for the fiscal year ended February&nbsp;1,
2003 (File No.&nbsp;0-17586).</p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(2)</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>Previously
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an Exhibit&nbsp;to the
Registrant&#146;s Annual Report on Form&nbsp;10-K for the fiscal year ended February&nbsp;3,
2001 (File No.&nbsp;0-17586).</p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<div style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">

<hr size="2" width="100%" noshade color="gray" align="left">

</font></div>

</div>
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{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "STAPLES INC", "cik": "0000791519", "assigned-sic": "5940", "irs-number": "042896127", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "0127"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-128449", "film-number": "051094094"}, "business-address": {"street1": "500 STAPLES DRIVE", "street2": "P O BOX 9328", "city": "FRAMINGHAM", "state": "MA", "zip": "01702", "phone": "5082535000"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "500 STAPLES DR", "city": "FRAMINGHAM", "state": "MA", "zip": "01702"}}
As filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission on September 20, 2005
Registration No. 333-
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
WASHINGTON,
D.C.  20549
FORM S-8
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
Staples, Inc.
(Exact Name of Registrant as
Specified in Its Charter)
Delaware
04-2896127
(State or
  Other Jurisdiction of
(I.R.S.
  Employer
Incorporation
  or Organization)
Identification
  Number)
500
  Staples Drive, Framingham, Massachusetts
01702
(Address of
  Principal Executive Offices)
(Zip Code)
Amended
and Restated 2004 Stock Incentive Plan
(Full Title of the Plan)
John J.
Mahoney
Executive
Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer
and Chief
Financial Officer
Staples, Inc.
500
Staples Drive
Framingham,
Massachusetts 01702
(Name and Address of Agent for
Service)
(508) 253-5000
(Telephone Number, Including
Area Code, of Agent for Service)
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
Title of Securities
to be Registered
Amount to be
Registered(1)
Proposed
Maximum
Offering Price
Per Share
Proposed
Maximum
Aggregate Offering
Price
Amount of
Registration Fee
Staples
  Common Stock, $0.0006 par value per share
27,830,000
$
21.16
(2)
$
588,882,800
(2)
$
69,312
(3)
(1)
In accordance with Rule 416
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this registration statement shall
be deemed to cover any additional securities that may from time to time be
offered or issued to prevent dilution resulting from stock splits, stock
dividends or similar transactions.
(2)
Estimated solely
for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rules 457(c) and
457(h) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and based upon the
average of the high and low prices of the Registrant's Common Stock as reported
on the NASDAQ National Market on September 16, 2005.
(3)
We previously paid
an aggregate filing fee of $46,000 in connection with the Registration
Statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-101116) initially filed
on November 8, 2002, relating to the registration of $500,000,000 of
securities ($273,320,000 of which were never sold or issued and have been
deregistered).  The filing fee related to
those deregistered securities was $25,145.44, of which the remaining balance
available is $24,232.44.  Pursuant to Rule 457(p)
of the Securities Act of 1933, we are using such $24,232.44 remainder amount to
offset the filing fee of $69,312 due in connection with the filing of this
Registration Statement. Accordingly, the adjusted registration fee for this Form S-8
is $45,079.56.
PART I.  INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS
The information and written statement
required by Part I is included in documents sent or given to participants
in the plan covered by this registration statement pursuant to Rule 428(b)(1) of
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act").
PART II.  INFORMATION
REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
STATEMENT OF INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
This registration statement incorporates by reference
the contents of the Registration Statement on Form S-8, File
No. 333-116644 filed by the Registrant on June 18, 2004, relating to
the Registrant's 2004 Stock Incentive Plan.
II-1
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act,
the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it
meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused
this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned,
thereunto duly authorized, in Framingham, Massachusetts, on September 13,
2005.
STAPLES, INC.
By:
/s/ Ronald
  L. Sargent
Ronald L. Sargent
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
POWER OF
ATTORNEY AND SIGNATURES
We, the undersigned officers and directors of Staples, Inc.,
hereby severally constitute and appoint Ronald L. Sargent, John J. Mahoney,
Jack A. VanWoerkom and Mark G. Borden, and each of them singly, our true and
lawful attorneys with full power to them, and each of them singly, to sign for us
and in our names in the capacities indicated below, the registration statement
on Form S-8 filed herewith and any and all subsequent amendments to said
registration statement, and generally to do all such things in our names and on
our behalf in our capacities as officers and directors to enable Staples, Inc.
to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and
all requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, hereby ratifying
and confirming our signatures as they may be signed by our said attorneys, or
any of them, to said registration statement and any and all amendments thereto.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of
1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in
the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Signature
Title
Date
/s/ Ronald L. Sargent
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
  (Principal executive officer)
September 13,
  2005
Ronald L. Sargent
/s/ John J. Mahoney
Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative
  Officer and Chief Financial Officer (Principal financial officer)
September 16,
  2005
John J. Mahoney
/s/ Christine T. Komola
Senior Vice President and Corporate
  Controller (Principal accounting officer)
September 16,
  2005
Christine T. Komola
II-2
/s/ Basil L. Anderson
Vice Chairman and Director
September 13,
  2005
Basil L. Anderson
/s/ Brenda C. Barnes
Director
September 13,
  2005
Brenda C. Barnes
/s/ Mary Elizabeth Burton
Director
September 13,
  2005
Mary Elizabeth Burton
/s/ Gary L. Crittenden
Director
September 13,
  2005
Gary L. Crittenden
/s/ Richard J. Currie
Director
September 13,
  2005
Richard J. Currie
/s/ Rowland T. Moriarty
Director
September 13,
  2005
Rowland T. Moriarty
/s/ Robert C. Nakasone
Director
September 13,
  2005
Robert C. Nakasone
/s/ Martin Trust
Director
September 13,
  2005
Martin Trust
/s/ Paul F. Walsh
Director
September 13,
  2005
Paul F. Walsh
II-3
EXHIBIT INDEX
Number
Description
4.1(1)
Second Restated Certificate of
  Incorporation of the Registrant
4.2(2)
Amended and Restated By-Laws of the
  Registrant
5
Opinion of Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and
  Dorr LLP, counsel to the Registrant
23.1
Consent of Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and
  Dorr LLP (included in Exhibit 5)
23.2
Consent of Independent Registered Public
  Accounting Firm
24
Power of attorney (included on the
  signature pages of this registration statement)
(1)
Previously
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to the
Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended February 1,
2003 (File No. 0-17586).
(2)
Previously
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to the
Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended February 3,
2001 (File No. 0-17586).