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<title>Prepared and filed by St Ives Financial</title>
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<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:8pt;text-align:center;'><b><font face="Arial" style='font-size:10 pt'>As
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 2, 2006</font></b></p>


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<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:8pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

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<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font face="Arial" style='font-size:10 pt'>Registration No. 333-______</font></b><font face="Arial" style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;&nbsp;</font></p> </td> </tr></table>
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<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:0pt;text-align:center;'><B><font FACE="ARIAL" STYLE='FONT-SIZE:16 PT'>SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION </font></B></p>

<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:0pt;text-align:center;'><b><font face="Arial" style='font-size:10 pt'>Washington, D.C. 20549 </font></b></p>


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<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:12pt;text-align:center;'><B><font FACE="ARIAL" STYLE='FONT-SIZE:16 PT'>FORM S-8 </font></B></p>

<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:0pt;text-align:center;'><B><font FACE="ARIAL" STYLE='FONT-SIZE:10 PT'>REGISTRATION STATEMENT </font></B></p>

<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:0pt;text-align:center;'><b><font face="Arial" style='font-size:10 pt'>Under</font></b></p>

<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:0pt;text-align:center;'><b><font face="Arial" style='font-size:10 pt'>The Securities Act of 1933</font></b><i><b><font face="Arial" style='font-size:10 pt'> </font></b></i></p>


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<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:8pt;text-align:center;'><B><font FACE="ARIAL" STYLE='FONT-SIZE:18 PT'>STERLING FINANCIAL CORPORATION </font></B></p>

<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:0pt;text-align:center;'><font face="Arial" style='font-size:10 pt'>(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter) </font></p>


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                    <td align=center valign=top width="280"><b><font face="Arial" style='font-size:10 pt'>Pennsylvania</font></b><br>
<font face="Arial" style='font-size:10 pt'>(State or Other Jurisdiction</font><br>
<font face="Arial" style='font-size:10 pt'>of Incorporation or Organization)</font><br></td>
        <td align=center width="280" >&nbsp;</td>
                    <td align=center valign=top width="280"><b><font face="Arial" style='font-size:10 pt'>23-2449551</font></b><br>
<font face="Arial" style='font-size:10 pt'>(I.R.S. Employer</font><br>
<font face="Arial" style='font-size:10 pt'>Identification No.)</font></td>
        <td width="50">&nbsp;</td></tr></table>

<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:12pt;text-align:center;'><b><font face="Arial" style='font-size:10 pt'>101 North Pointe Boulevard </font></b></p>

<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:0pt;text-align:center;'><b><font face="Arial" style='font-size:10 pt'>Lancaster, Pennsylvania 17601 </font></b></p>

<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:0pt;text-align:center;'><font face="Arial" style='font-size:10 pt'>(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code) </font></p>


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<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:12pt;text-align:center;'><b><font face="Arial" style='font-size:10 pt'>Sterling Financial Corporation 2006 Equity Compensation Plan</font></b></p>

<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:0pt;text-align:center;'><font face="Arial" style='font-size:10 pt'>(Full title of the Plan)</font></p>


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<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:0pt;text-align:left;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>


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<p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

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<p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

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<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font face="Arial" style='font-size:10 pt'>Copy To:</font></b></p> </td> </tr>
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<p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font face="Arial" style='font-size:10 pt'>J. Roger Moyer, Jr. </font></b></p> </td>

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<p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

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<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font face="Arial" style='font-size:10 pt'>Jean Svoboda, General Counsel</font></b></p> </td> </tr>
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<p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font face="Arial" style='font-size:10 pt'>President, Chief Executive Officer</font></b></p> </td>

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<p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

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<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font face="Arial" style='font-size:10 pt'>and Secretary</font></b></p> </td> </tr>
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<p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font face="Arial" style='font-size:10 pt'>Sterling Financial Corporation</font></b></p> </td>

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<p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

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<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font face="Arial" style='font-size:10 pt'>Sterling Financial Corporation</font></b></p> </td> </tr>
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<p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font face="Arial" style='font-size:10 pt'>101 North Pointe Boulevard</font></b></p> </td>

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<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font face="Arial" style='font-size:10 pt'>1097 Commercial Avenue</font></b></p> </td> </tr>
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<p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font face="Arial" style='font-size:10 pt'>Lancaster, Pennsylvania 17601-4133</font></b></p> </td>

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<p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

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<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font face="Arial" style='font-size:10 pt'>East Petersburg, Pennsylvania 17520-0038 </font></b></p> </td> </tr>
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<p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font face="Arial" style='font-size:8 pt'>(Name and Address of Agent For Service) </font></b></p> </td>

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<p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

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<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td> </tr>
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<p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

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<p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

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<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td> </tr>
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<p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font face="Arial" style='font-size:10 pt'>(717) 581-6005</font></b></p>

<p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;margin-right:0in;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom: 0in;'><b><font face="Arial" style='font-size:8 pt'>(Telephone Number, including area code, of agent for service)</font></b></p> </td>

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<p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align: center;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

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<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font face="Arial" style='font-size:10 pt'>(717) 735-4908</font></b>  </p> </td> </tr></table>
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<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:12pt;text-align:center;'><B><font style='font-size:10 PT'>CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE </font></B></p>



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        <p style=' margin-left:0in;margin-right:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2.75pt;margin-bottom: 2.75pt;'><b><font style='font-size:7.5 pt'>Title
          of Each Class of Securities</font></b><br>
          <b><font style='font-size:7.5 pt'>To Be Registered</font></b></p>
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        <p style=' margin-left:0in;margin-right:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2.75pt;margin-bottom: 2.75pt;'><b><font style='font-size:7.5 pt'>Amount
          To Be</font></b><br>
          <b><font style='font-size:7.5 pt'>Registered (1)</font></b></p>
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        <p style=' margin-left:0in;margin-right:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2.75pt;margin-bottom: 2.75pt;'><b><font style='font-size:7.5 pt'>Proposed</font></b><font style='font-size:7.5 pt'>&nbsp;</font><b><font style='font-size:7.5 pt'>Maximum</font></b><br>
          <b><font style='font-size:7.5 pt'>Offering Price</font></b><br>
          <b><font style='font-size:7.5 pt'>Per Unit (2)</font></b></p>
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        <p style=' margin-left:0in;margin-right:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2.75pt;margin-bottom: 2.75pt;'><b><font style='font-size:7.5 pt'>Proposed</font></b><font style='font-size:7.5 pt'>&nbsp;</font><b><font style='font-size:7.5 pt'>Maximum</font></b><br>
          <b><font style='font-size:7.5 pt'>Aggregate</font></b><font style='font-size:7.5 pt'>&nbsp;</font><b><font style='font-size:7.5 pt'>Offering</font></b><font style='font-size:7.5 pt'>&nbsp;</font><b><font style='font-size:7.5 pt'>Price</font></b></p>
      </td>
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        <p style=' margin-left:0in;margin-right:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2.75pt;margin-bottom: 2.75pt;'><b><font style='font-size:7.5 pt'>Amount
          of</font></b><br>
          <b><font style='font-size:7.5 pt'>Registration</font></b><font style='font-size:7.5 pt'>&nbsp;</font><b><font style='font-size:7.5 pt'>Fee</font></b></p>
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      </td>
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        <p style=' margin-left:0in;margin-right:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2.75pt;margin-bottom:2.75pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Common
          Stock, $5.00 par value per share</font></p>
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        <p style=' margin-left:0in;margin-right:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2.75pt;margin-bottom: 2.75pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>2,500,000</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom style='border-bottom:double black 2.5pt'>
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;margin-right:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2.75pt;margin-bottom: 2.75pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>$22.625</font></p>
      </td>
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        <p style=' margin-left:0in;margin-right:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2.75pt;margin-bottom: 2.75pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>$56,562,500.00</font></p>
      </td>
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        <p style=' margin-left:0in;margin-right:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2.75pt;margin-bottom: 2.75pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>$6,052.19</font></p>
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<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>(1)</font></p> </td>

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<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>This Registration Statement shall also cover any additional shares of Registrant&#146;s common stock in respect of the securities identified in the above table by reason of any stock dividend, stock split, recapitalization or other similar transaction effected without the Registrant&#146;s receipt of consideration which results in an increase in the number of the outstanding shares of Registrant&#146;s common stock.</font></p> </td> </tr></table>
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<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>(2)</font></p> </td>

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<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Calculated solely for the purposes of this offering under Rule 457(h) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, based upon the average of the high and low prices of the Registrant&#146;s common stock as reported on the Nasdaq Stock Market on October 27, 2006.</font></p> </td> </tr></table>
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<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:16pt;text-align:center;'><b><font style='font-size:10 pt'><a name="contents"></a>TABLE OF CONTENTS </font></b></p>

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        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><a href="#p01a"><U><font style='font-size:10 PT'>PART</font><font style='font-size:8 pt'>
          </font><font style='font-size:10 PT'>I</font></U></a></p>
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<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

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<p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>


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        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'><a href="#p01a"><u><font style='font-size:10 pt'>1</font></u></a></font></p>
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<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

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<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

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<p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

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<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td> </tr>
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        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>PART&nbsp;II</font></p>
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<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td> </tr>

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<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

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<p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=bottom style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td> </tr>
    <tr>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:17.25pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><a href="#p02a"><u><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Item&nbsp;3.</font></u></a></p> </td>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><a href="#p02a"><u><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Incorporation of Documents by Reference</font></u></a></p> </td>

        <td valign=bottom >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><a href="#p02a"><u><font style='font-size:10 pt'>2</font></u></a></p> </td> </tr>

    <tr style='height:.05in;'>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=bottom style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td> </tr>
    <tr>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:17.25pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><a href="#p02b"><u><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Item&nbsp;4.</font></u></a></p> </td>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><a href="#p02b"><u><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Description of Securities</font></u></a></p> </td>

        <td valign=bottom >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><a href="#p02b"><u><font style='font-size:10 pt'>2</font></u></a></p> </td> </tr>

    <tr style='height:.05in;'>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'> </font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=bottom style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td> </tr>
    <tr>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:17.25pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><a href="#p02c"><u><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Item&nbsp;5.</font></u></a></p> </td>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><a href="#p02c"><u><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Interests of Named Experts and Counsel</font></u></a></p> </td>

        <td valign=bottom >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><a href="#p02c"><u><font style='font-size:10 pt'>2</font></u></a></p> </td> </tr>

    <tr style='height:.05in;'>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=bottom style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td> </tr>
    <tr>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:17.25pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><a href="#p02d"><u><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Item&nbsp;6.</font></u></a></p> </td>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><a href="#p02d"><u><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Indemnification of Directors and Officers</font></u></a></p> </td>

        <td valign=bottom >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><a href="#p02d"><u><font style='font-size:10 pt'>2</font></u></a></p> </td> </tr>

    <tr style='height:.05in;'>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=bottom style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td> </tr>
    <tr>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:17.25pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><a href="#p03a"><u><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Item&nbsp;7.</font></u></a></p> </td>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><a href="#p03a"><u><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Exemption from Registration Claimed</font></u></a></p> </td>

        <td valign=bottom >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><a href="#p03a"><u><font style='font-size:10 pt'>3</font></u></a></p> </td> </tr>

    <tr style='height:.05in;'>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=bottom style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td> </tr>
    <tr>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:17.25pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><a href="#p03b"><u><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Item&nbsp;8.</font></u></a></p> </td>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><a href="#p03b"><u><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Exhibits</font></u></a></p> </td>

        <td valign=bottom >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><a href="#p03b"><u><font style='font-size:10 pt'>3</font></u></a></p> </td> </tr>

    <tr style='height:.05in;'>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=bottom style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td> </tr>
    <tr>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:17.25pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><a href="#p03c"><u><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Item&nbsp;9.</font></u></a></p> </td>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><a href="#p03c"><u><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Undertakings</font></u></a></p> </td>

        <td valign=bottom >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><a href="#p03c"><u><font style='font-size:10 pt'>3</font></u></a></p> </td> </tr>

    <tr style='height:.05in;'>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=bottom style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td> </tr>
    <tr>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><u><a href="#p05a"><font style='font-size:10 PT'>SIGNATURES</font></a></u><u></u></p> </td>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=bottom >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><a href="#p05a"><u><font style='font-size:10 pt'>5</font></u></a></p> </td> </tr>

    <tr style='height:.05in;'>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=bottom style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td> </tr>
    <tr>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><u><a href="#p07a"><font style='font-size:10 PT'>EXHIBIT INDEX</font></a></u><u></u></p> </td>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=bottom >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><a href="#p07a"><u><font style='font-size:10 pt'>7</font></u></a></p> </td> </tr>

    <tr style='height:.05in;'>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=bottom style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td> </tr>
    <tr>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 PT'>EXHIBIT 4.1</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Amended Articles of Incorporation</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=bottom >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td> </tr>

    <tr style='height:.05in;'>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=bottom style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td> </tr>
    <tr>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 PT'>EXHIBIT 4.2</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Amended and Restated Bylaws</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=bottom >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td> </tr>

    <tr style='height:.05in;'>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=bottom style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td> </tr>
    <tr>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 PT'>EXHIBIT 5</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Opinion of Counsel</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=bottom >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td> </tr>

    <tr style='height:.05in;'>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=bottom style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td> </tr>
    <tr>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 PT'>EXHIBIT 23.1</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=bottom >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td> </tr>

    <tr style='height:.05in;'>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=bottom style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td> </tr>
    <tr>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 PT'>EXHIBIT 23.2</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Consent of Counsel</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=bottom >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td> </tr>

    <tr style='height:.05in;'>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=bottom style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td> </tr>
    <tr>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 PT'>EXHIBIT 24</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Power of Attorney</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=bottom >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td> </tr>

    <tr style='height:.05in;'>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=bottom style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td> </tr>
    <tr>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 PT'>EXHIBIT 99.1</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Sterling Financial Corporation 2006 Equity Compensation Plan</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=bottom >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td> </tr>

    <tr style='height:.05in;'>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=bottom style=' height:.05in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td> </tr></table>
</div>


<br>

<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:16pt;text-align:center;'><b><font style='font-size:10 pt'><a name="p01a"></a>PART I</font></b></p>

<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:16pt;text-align:center;'><b><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Information Required in the</font></b></p>

<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:0pt;text-align:center;'><b><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Section 10(a) Prospectus</font></b></p>

<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:8pt; text-indent:10%;text-align:left;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>The documents containing the information specified in Part&nbsp;I of Form&nbsp;S-8 (plan information and registrant information and employee plan annual information) will be sent or given to employees as specified by Rule&nbsp;428(b)(1)&nbsp;of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the &#147;Securities Act&#148;). Such documents need not be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission either as part of this Registration Statement or as prospectuses or prospectus supplements pursuant to Rule&nbsp;424 of the Securities Act. These documents and the documents incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement pursuant to Item&nbsp;3 of Form&nbsp;S-8 (Part&nbsp;II hereof), taken together, constitute a prospectus that meets the requirements of Section&nbsp;10(a)&nbsp;of the Securities Act.</font></p
>
<p align="center"><Font size="2" face="serif">1</font></p>

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<p><a href="#contents"><font size="2">Back to Contents</font></a></p>












<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:0pt;text-align:center;'><B><font style='font-size:10 PT'>PART II </font></B></p>

<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:16pt;text-align:center;'><b><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Information Required in the Registration Statement </font></b></p>

<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:12pt;text-align:left;'><b><font style='font-size:10 pt'><a name="p02a"></a>Item 3. </font></b><u><b><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Incorporation of Documents by Reference</font></b></u><b><font style='font-size:10 pt'>. </font></b></p>

<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:8pt; text-indent:5%;text-align:left;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Sterling Financial Corporation (the &#147;Registrant&#148;) hereby incorporates by reference into this Registration Statement the following documents previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the &#147;Commission&#148;): </font></p>


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<table border="0" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style=' border-collapse:collapse;'>
    <tr>

        <td width="5%" valign=top style='padding:6.0pt 0in 0in 0in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:6pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td width="5%" valign=top style='padding:6.0pt 0in 0in 0in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>(a)</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top style='padding:6.0pt 0in 0in 0in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>The Registrant&#146;s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2005 filed with the Commission on March 15, 2006 pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the &#147;Exchange Act&#148;); </font></p> </td> </tr></table>
</div>




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<table border="0" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style=' border-collapse:collapse;'>
    <tr>

        <td width="5%" valign=top style='padding:6.0pt 0in 0in 0in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:6pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td width="5%" valign=top style='padding:6.0pt 0in 0in 0in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>(b)</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top style='padding:6.0pt 0in 0in 0in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>All other reports filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act since the end of the fiscal year covered by the Registrant&#146;s Annual Report referred to in (a) above; and </font></p> </td> </tr></table>
</div>




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<table border="0" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style=' border-collapse:collapse;'>
    <tr>

        <td width="5%" valign=top style='padding:6.0pt 0in 0in 0in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:6pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td width="5%" valign=top style='padding:6.0pt 0in 0in 0in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>(c)</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top style='padding:6.0pt 0in 0in 0in;'>

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>The
    description of the Registrant&#146;s Common Stock contained in the Registrant&#146;s
    Registration Statement on Form S-3 (No. 33-55131) filed with the Commission
    on August 18, 1994, and as amended by Registrant&#146;s Rule 424(b) prospectus,
    filed with the Commission on December 23, 1998, and by Amendment No. 1 filed
    with the Commission on January 16, 2001, and as amended and restated on
    Form S-3/A, filed with the Commission on June 26, 2003, and including any
    other amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating such description. </font></p> </td> </tr></table>
</div>



<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:8pt; text-indent:5%;text-align:left;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>All reports and definitive proxy or information statements filed pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this Registration Statement and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered hereby have been sold or which de-registers all securities then remaining unsold shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing such documents, except as to specific sections of such statements as set forth therein. Unless expressly incorporated into this Registration Statement, a report furnished on Form 8-K prior or subsequent to the date hereof shall not be incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement. Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be
deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained in any subsequently filed document which also is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. </font></p>

<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:12pt;text-align:left;'><b><font style='font-size:10 pt'><a name="p02b"></a>Item 4. </font></b><u><b><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Description of Securities</font></b></u><b><font style='font-size:10 pt'>. </font></b></p>

<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:8pt; margin-left:5%;text-align:left;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Not applicable. </font></p>

<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:12pt;text-align:left;'><b><font style='font-size:10 pt'><a name="p02c"></a>Item 5. </font></b><u><b><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Interests of Named Experts and Counsel</font></b></u><b><font style='font-size:10 pt'>. </font></b></p>

<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:8pt; text-indent:5%;text-align:left;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Certain legal matters in connection with the Plan have been passed upon for Sterling Financial Corporation by Jean Svoboda, Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel of Sterling Financial Corporation. As of October 31, 2006, Ms.&nbsp;Svoboda owns options to purchase shares of Sterling Financial Corporation&#146;s common stock. </font></p>

<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:12pt;text-align:left;'><b><font style='font-size:10 pt'><a name="p02d"></a>Item 6. </font></b><u><b><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Indemnification of Directors and Officers</font></b></u><b><font style='font-size:10 pt'>. </font></b></p>

<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:8pt; text-indent:5%;text-align:left;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>The general corporate law of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, as applicable to the Registrant, together with the Registrant&#146;s By-laws, provides the Registrant&#146;s officers and directors with a broad range of limitation from liability and indemnification for actions and inactions in connection with the performance of their duties. Aside from matters involving criminal statutes or tax laws, directors are not personally liable for monetary damages for any action or inaction taken unless the director has breached or failed to perform his or her duties of office and such breach or failure constitutes willful misconduct or recklessness. The Registrant&#146;s officers and directors are entitled to be indemnified if they are named as a party or threatened to be named as a party to any type of proceeding as a result of actions or inactions taken while in the course of their
association with the Registrant provided that such action or inaction was in good faith and in a manner reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the Registrant. Officers and directors of the Registrant will be presumed to be entitled to this indemnification absent breaches of fiduciary duty, lack of good faith or self-dealing and will be entitled to be indemnified unless their conduct is determined by a court to have constituted willful misconduct or recklessness.</font></p>
<p align="center"><Font size="2" face="serif">2</font></p>

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<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:8pt; text-indent:5%;text-align:left;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>To
    the extent that a director or officer of the Registrant has been successful
    on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action or proceeding relating
    to third party actions relating to derivative actions or in defense of any,
    claim, issue or matter therein, he or she shall be indemnified against expenses
    (including attorneys&#146; fees) actually and reasonably incurred in connection
    therewith.</font></p>

<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:8pt; text-indent:5%;text-align:left;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, the Registrant acknowledges that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable. </font></p>

<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:12pt;text-align:left;'><b><font style='font-size:10 pt'><a name="p03a"></a>Item 7. </font></b><u><b><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Exemption from Registration Claimed</font></b></u><b><font style='font-size:10 pt'>. </font></b></p>

<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:8pt; text-indent:5%;text-align:left;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Not applicable. </font></p>

<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:12pt;text-align:left;'><b><font style='font-size:10 pt'><a name="p03b"></a>Item 8. </font></b><u><b><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Exhibits</font></b></u><b><font style='font-size:10 pt'>. </font></b></p>

<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:0pt;text-align:left;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>


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  <table border="0" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style=' border-collapse:collapse;' width="100%">
    <tr>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:8 pt'>&nbsp;</font><b><font style='font-size:8 pt'>Exhibit
          </font></b><br>
          <b><font style='font-size:8 pt'>Number</font></b></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td colspan="7" valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font style='font-size:8 pt'>Incorporated
          by Reference</font></b></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font style='font-size:8 pt'>Filed</font></b><br>
          <b><font style='font-size:8 pt'>Herewith</font></b></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td colspan="7" valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'>
        <hr noshade width="100%" color="Gray" size="1">
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font style='font-size:8 pt'>Exhibit
          Description</font></b></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font style='font-size:8 pt'>Form</font></b></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font style='font-size:8 pt'>File</font></b><font style='font-size:8 pt'>&nbsp;</font><b><font style='font-size:8 pt'>No.</font></b></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font style='font-size:8 pt'>Exhibit</font></b></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font style='font-size:8 pt'>Filing
          Date</font></b></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'>
        <hr noshade width="100%" color="Gray" size="1">
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'>
        <hr noshade width="100%" color="Gray" size="1">
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'>
        <hr noshade width="100%" color="Gray" size="1">
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'>
        <hr noshade width="100%" color="Gray" size="1">
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'>
        <hr noshade width="100%" color="Gray" size="1">
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'>
        <hr noshade width="100%" color="Gray" size="1">
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'>
        <hr noshade width="100%" color="Gray" size="1">
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top width="6%" >
        <p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>4.1</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom width="2%" >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Amended
          Articles of Incorporation of Sterling Financial Corporation, as currently
          in effect.</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom width="2%" >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top width="5%" >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>8-K</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top width="2%" >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top width="10%" >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>000-16276</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top width="2%" >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top width="4%" >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>3(i)</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top width="2%" >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top width="12%" >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>April
          30, 2002</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom width="2%" >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom width="6%" >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>4.2</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Amended
          and Restated Bylaws of Sterling Financial Corporation, as currently
          in effect.</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>10-Q</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>000-16276</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>3(ii)</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>May
          10, 2005</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>5</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Opinion
          and Consent of Jean Svoboda, General Counsel</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top align="center" >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font style='font-size:10 PT'>X</font></b></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>23.1</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Consent
          of Ernst &amp; Young LLP</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top align="center" >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font style='font-size:10 PT'>X</font></b></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>23.2</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Consent
          of Jean Svoboda, General Counsel (contained in Exhibit 5)</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top align="center" >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font style='font-size:10 PT'>X</font></b></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>24</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Power
            of Attorney (incorporated by reference to the Signature Page of this
          Registration Statement)</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top align="center" >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font style='font-size:10 PT'>X</font></b></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>99.1</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Sterling
          Financial Corporation 2006 Equity Compensation Plan</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top align="center" >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font style='font-size:10 PT'>X</font></b></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
  </table>
</div>



<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:12pt;text-align:left;'><b><font style='font-size:10 pt'><a name="p03c"></a>Item 9. </font></b><u><b><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Undertakings</font></b></u><b><font style='font-size:10 pt'>. </font></b></p>

<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:8pt; text-indent:5%;text-align:left;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>(a) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes: (1) to file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement: (i) to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act; (ii) to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of this Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in this Registration Statement - notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the
Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the &#147;Calculation of Registration Fee&#148; table in the effective Registration Statement; and (iii) to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or any material change to such information in the Registration Statement; provided, however, that clauses (1)(i) and (1)(ii) shall not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those clauses is contained in periodic reports filed by the Registrant pursuant to  Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement; (2) that for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof; and (3) to remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering. </font></p>
<p align="center"><Font size="2" face="serif">3</font></p>

<hr noshade align="center" width="100%" size="2">

<div style="page-break-before:always"></div><page>
<p><a href="#contents"><font size="2">Back to Contents</font></a></p>


<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:8pt; text-indent:5%;text-align:left;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>(b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Registrant&#146;s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that is incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. </font></p>

<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:8pt; text-indent:5%;text-align:left;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>(h) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the indemnification provisions summarized in Item 6 or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that, in the opinion of the Commission, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer, or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been
settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue. </font></p>
<p align="center"><Font size="2" face="serif">4</font></p>

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<p><a href="#contents"><font size="2">Back to Contents</font></a></p>










<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:0pt;text-align:center;'><b><font style='font-size:10 pt'><a name="p05a"></a>SIGNATURES </font></b></p>

<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:8pt; text-indent:5%;text-align:left;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, 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 the City Lancaster, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, on October 24, 2006. </font></p>

<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:0pt;text-align:left;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>


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        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
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        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
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<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Sterling Financial Corporation</font></b></p> </td> </tr>
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        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'>  </p> </td>


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        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>


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        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>By:&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>


      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><br>
          <font style='font-size:10 pt'>/s/ J. Roger Moyer, Jr.</font></p>
      </td> </tr>
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<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

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<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

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<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

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<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

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<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>J. Roger Moyer, Jr.</font><br> <font style='font-size:10 pt'>President and Chief Executive Officer</font></p> </td> </tr></table>
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<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:16pt;text-align:center;'><B><font style='font-size:10 PT'>POWER OF ATTORNEY </font></B></p>

<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:8pt; text-indent:5%;text-align:left;'><B><font style='font-size:10 PT'>KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS</font></B><font style='font-size:10 pt'>, that the undersigned officers and directors of Sterling Financial Corporation, a Pennsylvania corporation, do hereby constitute and appoint J. Roger Moyer, Jr. and Jean Svoboda and each of them, the lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents with full power and authority to do any and all acts and things and to execute any and all instruments which said attorneys and agents, and any one of them, determine may be necessary or advisable or required to enable said corporation to comply with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any rules or regulations or requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with this Registration Statement. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing power and authority, the powers granted include the power and authority to sign the names of the
undersigned officers and directors in the capacities indicated below to this Registration Statement, to any and all amendments, both pre-effective and post-effective, and supplements to this Registration Statement, and to any and all instruments or documents filed as part of or in conjunction with this Registration Statement or amendments or supplements thereof, and each of the undersigned hereby ratifies and confirms that all said attorneys and agents, or any one of them, shall do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. This Power of Attorney may be signed in several counterparts. </font></p>

<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:8pt; text-indent:5%;text-align:left;'><B><font style='font-size:10 PT'>IN WITNESS WHEREOF</font></B><font style='font-size:10 pt'>, each of the undersigned has executed this Power of Attorney as of the date indicated. </font></p>

<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:8pt; text-indent:5%;text-align:left;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons on behalf of the Registrant in the capacities and on the dates indicated. </font></p>

<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:0pt;text-align:left;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>


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        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font style='font-size:8 pt'>Signature</font></b></p>
      </td>


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        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>

        <td width="38%" valign=bottom >

        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font style='font-size:8 pt'>Title</font></b></p>
      </td>

        <td width="2%" valign=bottom >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td width="19%" valign=bottom >

        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font style='font-size:8 pt'>Date</font></b></p>
      </td> </tr>
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<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>


      <td valign=top >

        <hr noshade width="100%" color="Gray" size="1">
      </td> </tr>
    <tr>


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        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'><br>
          /s/ Glenn R. Walz</font></p>
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        <td rowspan=3 valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>


      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'><br>
          Chairman of the Board</font></p>
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<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>


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        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'><br>
          October 24, 2006</font></p>
      </td> </tr>
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<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Glenn R. Walz</font></p> </td> </tr>
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<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

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<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

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<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td> </tr>
    <tr>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>/s/ W. Garth Sprecher</font></p> </td>

        <td rowspan=3 valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td rowspan=3 valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Vice Chairman of the Board</font></p> </td>

        <td rowspan=3 valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td rowspan=3 valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>October 24, 2006</font></p> </td> </tr>
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<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'>
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<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>W. Garth Sprecher</font></p> </td> </tr>
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<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

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<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td> </tr>
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        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>/s/ J. Roger Moyer, Jr.</font></p> </td>

        <td rowspan=3 valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td rowspan=3 valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>President, Chief Executive Officer</font><br> <font style='font-size:10 pt'>and Director</font></p> </td>

        <td rowspan=3 valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p> </td>

        <td rowspan=3 valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>October 24, 2006</font></p> </td> </tr>
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<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'>
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        <td valign=top >

<p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>J. Roger Moyer, Jr.</font></p> </td> </tr></table>
</div>

<p align="center"><Font size="2" face="serif">5</font></p>

<hr noshade align="center" width="100%" size="2">

<div style="page-break-before:always"></div>
<font size="3"><page> </font>
<p><font size="3"><a href="#contents">Back to Contents</a></font></p>

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  <table border="0" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style=' border-collapse:collapse;'>
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      <td width="36%" valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font style='font-size:8 pt'>Signature</font></b></p>
      </td>
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        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td width="38%" valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font style='font-size:8 pt'>Title</font></b></p>
      </td>
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        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
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        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font style='font-size:8 pt'>Date</font></b></p>
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        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
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        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'><br>
          /s/ Tito L. Lima</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'><br>
          Chief Financial Officer</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'><br>
          October 24, 2006</font></p>
      </td>
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        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Tito
          L. Lima</font></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
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      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
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        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>/s/
          Dorothy R. Gallagher</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Principal
          Accounting Officer</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>October
          24, 2006</font></p>
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        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'>
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      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Dorothy
          R. Gallagher</font></p>
      </td>
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        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
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        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
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        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>/s/
          Richard H. Albright, Jr.</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Director</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>October
          24, 2006</font></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'>
        <hr noshade width="100%" color="Gray" size="1">
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Richard
          H. Albright, Jr.</font></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Director</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>October
          __, 2006</font></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'>
        <hr noshade width="100%" color="Gray" size="1">
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Michael
          A. Carenzo</font></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>/s/
          Anthony D. Chivinski</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Director</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>October
          24, 2006</font></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'>
        <hr noshade width="100%" color="Gray" size="1">
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Anthony
          D. Chivinski</font></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>/s/
          Bertram F. Elsner</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Director</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>October
          24, 2006</font></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'>
        <hr noshade width="100%" color="Gray" size="1">
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Bertram
          F. Elsner</font></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>/s/
          Howard E. Groff, Jr.</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Director</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>October
          24, 2006</font></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'>
        <hr noshade width="100%" color="Gray" size="1">
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Howard
          E. Groff, Jr.</font></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>/s/
          Joan R. Henderson</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Director</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>October
          24, 2006</font></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'>
        <hr noshade width="100%" color="Gray" size="1">
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Joan
          R. Henderson</font></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>/s/
          Terrence L. Hormel</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Director</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>October
          24, 2006</font></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'>
        <hr noshade width="100%" color="Gray" size="1">
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Terrence
          L. Hormel</font></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>/s/
          David E. Hosler</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Director</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>October
          24, 2006</font></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'>
        <hr noshade width="100%" color="Gray" size="1">
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>David
          E. Hosler</font></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>/s/
          William E. Miller, Jr.</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Director</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>October
          24, 2006</font></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'>
        <hr noshade width="100%" color="Gray" size="1">
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>William
          E. Miller, Jr.</font></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>/s/
          John E. Stefan</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Director</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td rowspan=3 valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>October
          24, 2006</font></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'>
        <hr noshade width="100%" color="Gray" size="1">
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>John
          E. Stefan</font></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
  </table>
</div>


<p align="center"><Font size="2" face="serif">6</font></p>

<hr noshade align="center" width="100%" size="2">

<div style="page-break-before:always"></div>
<font size="3"><page> </font>
<p><font size="3"><a href="#contents">Back to Contents</a></font></p>




<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:16pt;text-align:center;'><B><font style='font-size:10 PT'><a name="p07a"></a>EXHIBIT
  INDEX </font></B></p>

<p style=' margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:0pt;text-align:left;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>


<div align=left>


  <table border="0" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" >
    <tr>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td colspan="7" valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font style='font-size:8 pt'>Incorporated
          by Reference</font></b></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td colspan="7" valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'>
        <hr noshade width="100%" color="Gray" size="1">
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font style='font-size:8 pt'>Exhibit</font></b><br>
          <b><font style='font-size:8 pt'>Number</font></b></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font style='font-size:8 pt'>Exhibit
          Description </font></b></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font style='font-size:8 pt'>Form
          </font></b></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font style='font-size:8 pt'>File</font></b><font style='font-size:8 pt'>&nbsp;</font><b><font style='font-size:8 pt'>No.
          </font></b></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font style='font-size:8 pt'>Exhibit
          </font></b></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font style='font-size:8 pt'>Filing
          Date </font></b></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=bottom >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font style='font-size:8 pt'>Filed</font></b><br>
          <b><font style='font-size:8 pt'>Herewith </font></b></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'>
        <hr noshade width="100%" color="Gray" size="1">
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'>
        <hr noshade width="100%" color="Gray" size="1">
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'>
        <hr noshade width="100%" color="Gray" size="1">
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'>
        <hr noshade width="100%" color="Gray" size="1">
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'>
        <hr noshade width="100%" color="Gray" size="1">
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'>
        <hr noshade width="100%" color="Gray" size="1">
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top >
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-bottom:0pt;'>
        <hr noshade width="100%" color="Gray" size="1">
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top  width="6%">
        <p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>4.1</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top width="2%">
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Amended
             Articles of Incorporation of Sterling Financial Corporation, as
            currently
          in effect.</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top width="2%">
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top width="5%">
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;' align="right"><font style='font-size:10 pt'>8-K</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top width="2%">
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;' align="right"><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top width="10%">
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;' align="right"><font style='font-size:10 pt'>000-16276</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top width="2%">
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;' align="right"><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top width="4%">
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;' align="right"><font style='font-size:10 pt'>3(i)</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top width="2%">
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;' align="right"><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top width="12%">
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;' align="right"><font style='font-size:10 pt'>April
          30, 2002</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top width="2%">
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top width="6%">
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>4.2</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Amended
             and Restated Bylaws of Sterling Financial Corporation, as currently

          in effect.</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;' align="right"><font style='font-size:10 pt'>10-Q</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;' align="right"><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;' align="right"><font style='font-size:10 pt'>000-16276</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;' align="right"><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;' align="right"><font style='font-size:10 pt'>3(ii)</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;' align="right"><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:right;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;' align="right"><font style='font-size:10 pt'>May
          10, 2005</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>5</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Opinion
          and Consent of Jean Svoboda, General Counsel</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font style='font-size:10 PT'>X</font></b></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>23.1</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Consent
          of Ernst &amp; Young LLP</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font style='font-size:10 PT'>X</font></b></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>23.2</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Consent
          of Jean Svoboda, General Counsel (contained in Exhibit 5)</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font style='font-size:10 PT'>X</font></b></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>24</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Power
            of Attorney (incorporated by reference to the Signature Page of this
          Registration Statement)</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font style='font-size:10 PT'>X</font></b></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:8.65pt;text-indent:-8.65pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>99.1</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>Sterling
          Financial Corporation 2006 Equity Compensation Plan</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>
          </font><font face="Arial" style='font-size:10 pt'> </font><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font style='font-size:10 pt'>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0in;text-indent:0pt;text-align:left;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><font size=1>&nbsp;</font></p>
      </td>
      <td valign=top>
        <p style=' margin-left:0pt;text-indent:0pt;text-align:center;margin-top:2pt;margin-bottom:0pt;'><b><font style='font-size:10 PT'>X</font></b></p>
      </td>
    </tr>
  </table>
</div>



<p align="center"><Font size="2" face="serif">7</font></p>

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[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "filename": "b415496_s8.htm", "description": "FORM S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 154987}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "STERLING FINANCIAL CORP /PA/", "cik": "0000811671", "assigned-sic": "6021", "irs-number": "232449551", "state-of-incorporation": "PA", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-138382", "film-number": "061182575"}, "business-address": {"street1": "NORTH POINTE BANKING CORP", "street2": "101 NORTH POINTE BLVD", "city": "LANCASTER", "state": "PA", "zip": "17601-4133", "phone": "7175816030"}}
Prepared and filed by St Ives Financial
As
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 2, 2006
Registration No. 333-______
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM S-8
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
Under
The Securities Act of 1933
STERLING FINANCIAL CORPORATION
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
Pennsylvania
(State or Other Jurisdiction
of Incorporation or Organization)
23-2449551
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)
101 North Pointe Boulevard
Lancaster, Pennsylvania 17601
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
Sterling Financial Corporation 2006 Equity Compensation Plan
(Full title of the Plan)
Copy To:
J. Roger Moyer, Jr.
Jean Svoboda, General Counsel
President, Chief Executive Officer
and Secretary
Sterling Financial Corporation
Sterling Financial Corporation
101 North Pointe Boulevard
1097 Commercial Avenue
Lancaster, Pennsylvania 17601-4133
East Petersburg, Pennsylvania 17520-0038
(Name and Address of Agent For Service)
(717) 581-6005
(Telephone Number, including area code, of agent for service)
(717) 735-4908
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
Title
          of Each Class of Securities
To Be Registered
Amount
          To Be
Registered (1)
Proposed
Maximum
Offering Price
Per Unit (2)
Proposed
Maximum
Aggregate
Offering
Price
Amount
          of
Registration
Fee
Common
          Stock, $5.00 par value per share
2,500,000
$22.625
$56,562,500.00
$6,052.19
(1)
This Registration Statement shall also cover any additional shares of Registrant's common stock in respect of the securities identified in the above table by reason of any stock dividend, stock split, recapitalization or other similar transaction effected without the Registrant's receipt of consideration which results in an increase in the number of the outstanding shares of Registrant's common stock.
(2)
Calculated solely for the purposes of this offering under Rule 457(h) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, based upon the average of the high and low prices of the Registrant's common stock as reported on the Nasdaq Stock Market on October 27, 2006.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART
I
1
PART II
Item 3.
Incorporation of Documents by Reference
2
Item 4.
Description of Securities
2
Item 5.
Interests of Named Experts and Counsel
2
Item 6.
Indemnification of Directors and Officers
2
Item 7.
Exemption from Registration Claimed
3
Item 8.
Exhibits
3
Item 9.
Undertakings
3
SIGNATURES
5
EXHIBIT INDEX
7
EXHIBIT 4.1
Amended Articles of Incorporation
EXHIBIT 4.2
Amended and Restated Bylaws
EXHIBIT 5
Opinion of Counsel
EXHIBIT 23.1
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
EXHIBIT 23.2
Consent of Counsel
EXHIBIT 24
Power of Attorney
EXHIBIT 99.1
Sterling Financial Corporation 2006 Equity Compensation Plan
PART I
Information Required in the
Section 10(a) Prospectus
The documents containing the information specified in Part I of Form S-8 (plan information and registrant information and employee plan annual information) will be sent or given to employees as specified by Rule 428(b)(1) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"). Such documents need not be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission either as part of this Registration Statement or as prospectuses or prospectus supplements pursuant to Rule 424 of the Securities Act. These documents and the documents incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement pursuant to Item 3 of Form S-8 (Part II hereof), taken together, constitute a prospectus that meets the requirements of Section 10(a) of the Securities Act.
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PART II
Information Required in the Registration Statement
Item 3.
Incorporation of Documents by Reference
.
Sterling Financial Corporation (the "Registrant") hereby incorporates by reference into this Registration Statement the following documents previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission"):
(a)
The Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2005 filed with the Commission on March 15, 2006 pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act");
(b)
All other reports filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act since the end of the fiscal year covered by the Registrant's Annual Report referred to in (a) above; and
(c)
The
    description of the Registrant's Common Stock contained in the Registrant's
    Registration Statement on Form S-3 (No. 33-55131) filed with the Commission
    on August 18, 1994, and as amended by Registrant's Rule 424(b) prospectus,
    filed with the Commission on December 23, 1998, and by Amendment No. 1 filed
    with the Commission on January 16, 2001, and as amended and restated on
    Form S-3/A, filed with the Commission on June 26, 2003, and including any
    other amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating such description.
All reports and definitive proxy or information statements filed pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this Registration Statement and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered hereby have been sold or which de-registers all securities then remaining unsold shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing such documents, except as to specific sections of such statements as set forth therein. Unless expressly incorporated into this Registration Statement, a report furnished on Form 8-K prior or subsequent to the date hereof shall not be incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement. Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be
deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained in any subsequently filed document which also is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement.
Item 4.
Description of Securities
.
Not applicable.
Item 5.
Interests of Named Experts and Counsel
.
Certain legal matters in connection with the Plan have been passed upon for Sterling Financial Corporation by Jean Svoboda, Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel of Sterling Financial Corporation. As of October 31, 2006, Ms. Svoboda owns options to purchase shares of Sterling Financial Corporation's common stock.
Item 6.
Indemnification of Directors and Officers
.
The general corporate law of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, as applicable to the Registrant, together with the Registrant's By-laws, provides the Registrant's officers and directors with a broad range of limitation from liability and indemnification for actions and inactions in connection with the performance of their duties. Aside from matters involving criminal statutes or tax laws, directors are not personally liable for monetary damages for any action or inaction taken unless the director has breached or failed to perform his or her duties of office and such breach or failure constitutes willful misconduct or recklessness. The Registrant's officers and directors are entitled to be indemnified if they are named as a party or threatened to be named as a party to any type of proceeding as a result of actions or inactions taken while in the course of their
association with the Registrant provided that such action or inaction was in good faith and in a manner reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the Registrant. Officers and directors of the Registrant will be presumed to be entitled to this indemnification absent breaches of fiduciary duty, lack of good faith or self-dealing and will be entitled to be indemnified unless their conduct is determined by a court to have constituted willful misconduct or recklessness.
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To
    the extent that a director or officer of the Registrant has been successful
    on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action or proceeding relating
    to third party actions relating to derivative actions or in defense of any,
    claim, issue or matter therein, he or she shall be indemnified against expenses
    (including attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably incurred in connection
    therewith.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, the Registrant acknowledges that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.
Item 7.
Exemption from Registration Claimed
.
Not applicable.
Item 8.
Exhibits
.
Exhibit
Number
Incorporated
          by Reference
Filed
Herewith
Exhibit
          Description
Form
File
No.
Exhibit
Filing
          Date
4.1
Amended
          Articles of Incorporation of Sterling Financial Corporation, as currently
          in effect.
8-K
000-16276
3(i)
April
          30, 2002
4.2
Amended
          and Restated Bylaws of Sterling Financial Corporation, as currently
          in effect.
10-Q
000-16276
3(ii)
May
          10, 2005
5
Opinion
          and Consent of Jean Svoboda, General Counsel
X
23.1
Consent
          of Ernst & Young LLP
X
23.2
Consent
          of Jean Svoboda, General Counsel (contained in Exhibit 5)
X
24
Power
            of Attorney (incorporated by reference to the Signature Page of this
          Registration Statement)
X
99.1
Sterling
          Financial Corporation 2006 Equity Compensation Plan
X
Item 9.
Undertakings
.
(a) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes: (1) to file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement: (i) to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act; (ii) to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of this Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in this Registration Statement - notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the
Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the "Calculation of Registration Fee" table in the effective Registration Statement; and (iii) to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or any material change to such information in the Registration Statement; provided, however, that clauses (1)(i) and (1)(ii) shall not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those clauses is contained in periodic reports filed by the Registrant pursuant to  Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement; (2) that for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof; and (3) to remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.
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(b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that is incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(h) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the indemnification provisions summarized in Item 6 or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that, in the opinion of the Commission, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer, or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been
settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, 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 the City Lancaster, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, on October 24, 2006.
Sterling Financial Corporation
By:
/s/ J. Roger Moyer, Jr.
J. Roger Moyer, Jr.
President and Chief Executive Officer
POWER OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS
, that the undersigned officers and directors of Sterling Financial Corporation, a Pennsylvania corporation, do hereby constitute and appoint J. Roger Moyer, Jr. and Jean Svoboda and each of them, the lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents with full power and authority to do any and all acts and things and to execute any and all instruments which said attorneys and agents, and any one of them, determine may be necessary or advisable or required to enable said corporation to comply with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any rules or regulations or requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with this Registration Statement. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing power and authority, the powers granted include the power and authority to sign the names of the
undersigned officers and directors in the capacities indicated below to this Registration Statement, to any and all amendments, both pre-effective and post-effective, and supplements to this Registration Statement, and to any and all instruments or documents filed as part of or in conjunction with this Registration Statement or amendments or supplements thereof, and each of the undersigned hereby ratifies and confirms that all said attorneys and agents, or any one of them, shall do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. This Power of Attorney may be signed in several counterparts.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF
, each of the undersigned has executed this Power of Attorney as of the date indicated.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons on behalf of the Registrant in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Signature
Title
Date
/s/ Glenn R. Walz
Chairman of the Board
October 24, 2006
Glenn R. Walz
/s/ W. Garth Sprecher
Vice Chairman of the Board
October 24, 2006
W. Garth Sprecher
/s/ J. Roger Moyer, Jr.
President, Chief Executive Officer
and Director
October 24, 2006
J. Roger Moyer, Jr.
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Signature
Title
Date
/s/ Tito L. Lima
Chief Financial Officer
October 24, 2006
Tito
          L. Lima
/s/
          Dorothy R. Gallagher
Principal
          Accounting Officer
October
          24, 2006
Dorothy
          R. Gallagher
/s/
          Richard H. Albright, Jr.
Director
October
          24, 2006
Richard
          H. Albright, Jr.
Director
October
          __, 2006
Michael
          A. Carenzo
/s/
          Anthony D. Chivinski
Director
October
          24, 2006
Anthony
          D. Chivinski
/s/
          Bertram F. Elsner
Director
October
          24, 2006
Bertram
          F. Elsner
/s/
          Howard E. Groff, Jr.
Director
October
          24, 2006
Howard
          E. Groff, Jr.
/s/
          Joan R. Henderson
Director
October
          24, 2006
Joan
          R. Henderson
/s/
          Terrence L. Hormel
Director
October
          24, 2006
Terrence
          L. Hormel
/s/
          David E. Hosler
Director
October
          24, 2006
David
          E. Hosler
/s/
          William E. Miller, Jr.
Director
October
          24, 2006
William
          E. Miller, Jr.
/s/
          John E. Stefan
Director
October
          24, 2006
John
          E. Stefan
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EXHIBIT
  INDEX
Incorporated
          by Reference
Exhibit
Number
Exhibit
          Description
Form
File
No.
Exhibit
Filing
          Date
Filed
Herewith
4.1
Amended
             Articles of Incorporation of Sterling Financial Corporation, as
            currently
          in effect.
8-K
000-16276
3(i)
April
          30, 2002
4.2
Amended
             and Restated Bylaws of Sterling Financial Corporation, as currently

          in effect.
10-Q
000-16276
3(ii)
May
          10, 2005
5
Opinion
          and Consent of Jean Svoboda, General Counsel
X
23.1
Consent
          of Ernst & Young LLP
X
23.2
Consent
          of Jean Svoboda, General Counsel (contained in Exhibit 5)
X
24
Power
            of Attorney (incorporated by reference to the Signature Page of this
          Registration Statement)
X
99.1
Sterling
          Financial Corporation 2006 Equity Compensation Plan
X
7