SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED BY-LAWS
OF
METTLER-TOLEDO INTERNATIONAL INC.
ARTICLE I
Stockholders
SECTION 1 Annual Meeting. The annual meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation shall be held on such date, at such time and at such place within or without the State of Delaware as may be designated by the Board of Directors (the “Board”), for the purpose of electing directors (each, a “Director”) and for the transaction of such other business as may be properly brought before the meeting. The Board of Directors may postpone, reschedule or cancel any annual meeting of stockholders previously scheduled by the Board of Directors.
SECTION 2 Special Meetings. Except as otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, a special meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation may be called at any time by the Board of Directors, the Chair of the Board or the President and shall be called by the Chair of the Board, the President or the Secretary at the request in writing of stockholders of record on the date of such request holding together at least fifty percent (50%) of the number of shares of stock outstanding and entitled to vote at such meeting. A request by stockholders holding the requisite number of shares to call a special meeting shall be addressed to the Secretary and signed and dated by each stockholder, or duly authorized representative of any such stockholder, and be delivered to, or mailed and received at, the principal executive offices of the Corporation (the “Special Meeting Request”). The Special Meeting Request should also set forth a brief description of each matter of business desired to be brought before the special meeting and the information required by Section 10(c) of Article I, in the case of election of directors, or Sections 11(c), 11(d) and 11(e) of Article I, in the case of all other matters. The Board of Directors shall set a special meeting date not less than ninety (90) days nor more than one hundred (100) days following the receipt by the Secretary of a Special Meeting Request. Otherwise, any special meeting of the stockholders shall be held on such date, at such time and at such place within or without the State of Delaware as the Board of Directors or the officer calling the meeting may designate. The Chair of the Board, President or the Board of Directors pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the Board of Directors may postpone, reschedule or cancel any special meeting of stockholders previously called by any of them. At a special meeting of the stockholders, no business shall be transacted and no corporate action shall be taken other than that stated in the notice of the meeting unless all of the stockholders are present in person or by proxy, in which case any and all business may be transacted at the meeting even though the meeting is held without notice. Any requesting stockholder may revoke his, her or its request for a special meeting at any time by written revocation delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 2, if the stockholder (or stockholders, as the case may be), or a duly authorized representative thereof, having submitted the Special Meeting Request does not appear at the special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation to present a proposal, such proposal shall be
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disregarded, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received by the Corporation.
SECTION 3 Notice of Meetings. Except as otherwise provided in these amended and restated by-laws of the Corporation (as amended from time to time in accordance with the provisions hereof, these “By-Laws”), a written notice of each meeting of the stockholders shall be given not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days before the date of the meeting to each stockholder of the Corporation entitled to vote at such meeting at such stockholder’s address as it appears on the records of the Corporation. The notice shall state the place, date and hour of the meeting and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called.
SECTION 4 Quorum. At any meeting of the stockholders, the holders of a majority in number of the total outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote at such meeting, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum of the stockholders for all purposes, unless the representation of a larger number of shares shall be required by law, by the Certificate of Incorporation or by these By-Laws, in which case the representation of the number of shares so required shall constitute a quorum; provided that at any meeting of the stockholders at which the holders of any class of stock of the Corporation shall be entitled to vote separately as a class, the holders of a majority in number of the total outstanding shares of such class, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for purposes of such class vote unless the representation of a larger number of shares of such class shall be required by law, by the Certificate of Incorporation or by these By-Laws.
SECTION 5 Adjourned Meetings. Whether or not a quorum shall be present in person or represented at any meeting of the stockholders, the holders of a majority in number of the shares of stock of the Corporation present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote at such meeting may adjourn from time to time; provided, however, that if the holders of any class of stock of the Corporation are entitled to vote separately as a class upon any matter at such meeting, any adjournment of the meeting in respect of action by such class upon such matter shall be determined by the holders of a majority of the shares of such class present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote at such meeting. Regardless of whether there is an absence of a quorum at any meeting or any adjournment thereof, the chair of the meeting, or any officer entitled to preside at or to act as secretary of such meeting, may adjourn or recess such meeting from time to time. If a quorum is present at any meeting of stockholders and such meeting is adjourned to another time or place, notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting (including an adjournment taken to address a technical failure to convene or continue a meeting using remote communication) if the time and place thereof and the means of remote communication, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person or represented by proxy and vote at such adjourned or recessed meeting are (a) announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken, (b) displayed during the time scheduled for the meeting, on the same electronic network used to enable stockholders and proxy holders to participate in the meeting by means of remote communication or (c) set forth in the notice of meeting given in accordance with these By-Laws. At the adjourned meeting the stockholders, or
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the holders of any class of stock entitled to vote separately as a class, as the case may be, may transact any business which might have been transacted by them at the original meeting. If the adjournment is for more than thirty (30) days, or if after the adjournment a new record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting.
SECTION 6 Organization. The Chair of the Board or, in his or her absence, the President shall call all meetings of the stockholders to order, and shall act as chair of such meetings. In the absence of the Chair of the Board and the President, the holders of a majority in number of the shares of stock of the Corporation present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote at such meeting shall elect a chair of the meeting. Except to the extent inconsistent with these By-Laws or such rules, regulations and procedures as adopted by the Board of Directors, the chair of the meeting shall have the power to convene and (for any and no reason) to recess or adjourn the meeting; prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures; and do all such acts as, in the judgment of such chair are necessary, appropriate or convenient for the proper conduct of such meeting.
The Secretary of the Corporation shall act as secretary of all meetings of the stockholders; in the absence of the Secretary, however, the Chair may appoint any person to act as secretary of the meeting. It shall be the duty of the secretary to prepare and make, at least ten (10) days before every meeting of stockholders, a complete list of stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting (provided, however, that if the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote is less than ten (10) days before the meeting date, the list shall reflect the stockholders entitled to vote as of the tenth (10th) day before the meeting date), arranged in alphabetical order and showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder. Nothing in this Section 6 shall require the Corporation to include electronic mail addresses or other electronic contact information on such list. Such list shall be open, either at a place within the city where the meeting is to be held, which place shall be specified in the notice of the meeting or, if not so specified, at the place where the meeting is to be held, for a period of at least ten (10) days ending on the day before the meeting date, for the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting, including on a reasonably accessible electronic network, provided that the information required to gain access to such list is provided with the notice of the meeting, during ordinary business hours and shall be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof and subject to the inspection of any stockholder who may be present.
SECTION 7 Voting.
(a) Except as otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, these By-Laws or by law, each stockholder shall be entitled to one vote for each share of the capital stock of the Corporation registered in the name of such stockholder upon the books of the Corporation. Each stockholder entitled to vote at meeting of stockholders or to express consent or dissent to corporate action in writing without a meeting may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder by proxy, but no such proxy shall be voted or acted upon after three (3) years from its date, unless the proxy provides for a longer period. When directed by the presiding
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officer or upon the demand of any stockholder, the vote upon any matter before a meeting of stockholders shall be by ballot. Except as otherwise provided by law or by the Certificate of Incorporation, whenever any corporate action other than the election of Directors is to be taken, it shall be authorized by a majority of the votes cast at a meeting of stockholders by the stockholders entitled to vote thereon.
(b) Except as otherwise provided by law, these By-Laws or by the Certificate of Incorporation, each Director shall be elected by the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast with respect to the Director, provided that if the number of nominees exceeds the number of Directors to be elected, Directors shall be elected by the affirmative vote of a plurality of the votes cast. For purposes of this Section 7(b), votes cast shall include votes for, against or to withhold authority for a Director. An abstention or broker non-vote shall not count as a vote cast with respect to a Director. If an incumbent Director fails to be reelected by a majority vote when such vote is required and offers to resign, and if that resignation is not accepted by the Board of Directors, such Director shall continue to serve until the next annual meeting and until his or her successor is duly elected, or his or her earlier accepted resignation or removal. If a Director’s resignation is accepted by the Board of Directors, or if a nominee for Director is not elected and the nominee is not an incumbent Director, then the Board of Directors, in its sole discretion, may fill any resulting vacancy, or may decrease the size of the Board of Directors, in each case pursuant to the provisions of Sections 1 and 2 of Article II of these By-Laws.
(c) Shares of the capital stock of the Corporation belonging to the Corporation or to another corporation, if a majority of the shares entitled to vote in the election of directors of such other corporation is held, directly or indirectly, by the Corporation, shall neither be entitled to vote nor be counted for quorum purposes.
SECTION 8 Inspectors. When required by law or directed by the presiding officer or upon the demand of any stockholder entitled to vote, but not otherwise, the polls shall be opened and closed, the proxies and ballots shall be received and taken in charge, and all questions touching the qualification of voters, the validity of proxies and the acceptance or rejection of votes shall be decided at any meeting of the stockholders by one or more inspectors who may be appointed by the Board of Directors before the meeting, or, if not so appointed, shall be appointed by the presiding officer at the meeting. If any person so appointed fails to appear or act, the vacancy may be filled by appointment in like manner.
SECTION 9 Consent of Stockholder in Lieu of Meeting. Any action required or permitted to be taken by the Corporation’s stockholders may not be effected by consent in writing.
SECTION 10 Advance Notice Provisions for Election of Directors.
(a) Only persons who are nominated in accordance with the following procedures shall be eligible for election as directors of the Corporation. For the nomination and election of directors to be brought properly before an annual meeting of stockholders, the nomination must be (i) specified in the notice of the annual meeting given by or at the direction of the Board of Directors (or any duly authorized committee thereof), (ii) otherwise brought
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before the annual meeting by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or (iii) brought before the annual meeting by any stockholder of the Corporation who is a stockholder of record on the date of the giving of the written notice provided for in this Section 10 and on the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to vote at such annual meeting, and who is entitled to vote at such meeting and complies with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 10. In the event that the Corporation calls a special meeting of stockholders for the purpose of electing one or more persons to the Board of Directors, any stockholder of record entitled to vote at such meeting may nominate a person or persons (as the case may be), for election to such position(s) as specified in the Corporation’s Notice of Special Meeting (as defined below), if the stockholder’s notice complies with the procedures set forth in this Section 10.
(b) In addition to any other applicable requirements, for a nomination of a director to be made by a stockholder such stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in proper written form to the Secretary of the Corporation. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary must be delivered to, or mailed and received at, the principal executive offices of the Corporation (a) in the case of an annual meeting, not less than ninety (90) days nor more than one hundred twenty (120) days prior to the first anniversary date of the annual meeting for the preceding year; provided, however, that if (and only if) the annual meeting is not scheduled to be held within a period that commences thirty (30) days before such anniversary date and ends sixty (60) days after such anniversary date (an annual meeting date outside such period being referred to herein as an “Other Meeting Date”), notice by the stockholder in order to be timely must be so received by the later of the close of business on (i) the date ninety (90) days prior to such Other Meeting Date or (ii) the tenth (10th) day following the date on which such Other Meeting Date is first publicly announced or disclosed; and (b) in the case of a special meeting of stockholders called by the Corporation for the purpose of electing one or more persons to the Board of Directors, not later than the close of business on the tenth (10th) day following the day on which the date of the special meeting called to elect directors (and, if not all, the number of directors proposed to be elected) is first publicly announced or disclosed (the “Notice of Special Meeting”).
Notwithstanding anything in this Section 10(b) to the contrary, in the event that the number of directors to be elected to the Board of Directors of the Corporation at the next annual meeting is increased and either all of the nominees for director or the size of the increased Board of Directors is not publicly announced or disclosed by the Corporation at least one hundred (100) days prior to the first (1st) anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting, a stockholder’s notice shall also be considered timely hereunder, but only with respect to nominees for any new positions created by such increase, if it shall be delivered to the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the tenth (10th) day following the first date on which all of such nominees or the size of the increased Board of Directors shall have been publicly announced or disclosed.
(c) To be in proper written form, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary must set forth all of the information required by Sections 11(c), 11(d), 11(e) and Section 13(d) of
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Article I, except that no written statement of reasons for making any nomination is required, and as to each person whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election as a director:
(i) the information regarding each nominee required by paragraphs (a), (e) and (f) of Item 401 of Regulation S-K adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (or the corresponding provisions of any successor regulation);
(ii) each nominee’s signed consent to being named as a nominee in the Corporation’s proxy statement and form of proxy for the meeting and serve a full term as a director of the Corporation if elected;
(iii) whether each nominee is eligible for consideration as an independent director under the relevant standards contemplated by Item 407(a) of Regulation S-K (or the corresponding provisions of any successor regulation);
(iv) other information as required by the Corporation, including completion of the Corporation’s directors’ questionnaire, completed by such proposed nominee in the form required by the Corporation (which form such noticing party shall request in writing from the Secretary prior to submitting notice and which the Secretary shall provide to such noticing party within ten (10) days after receiving such request); and
(v) all other information relating to such proposed nominee or such proposed nominee’s associates that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made by such noticing party or any Interested Person in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the election of directors in a contested election or otherwise required pursuant to Section 14 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
(d) For purposes of this Section 10, a matter shall be deemed to have been “publicly announced or disclosed” if such matter is disclosed in a press release or reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press or comparable national news service or disclosed in a document publicly filed by the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
(e) In no event shall the postponement or adjournment of any meeting already publicly noticed, or any announcement of such postponement or adjournment, commence a new period (or extend any time period) for the giving of notice as provided in this Section 10. This Section 10 shall not apply to the election of directors selected by or pursuant to the provisions of Article FOURTH of the Certificate of Incorporation relating to the rights of the holders of any class or series of stock of the Corporation having a preference over the Common Stock as to dividends or upon liquidation to elect directors under specified circumstances.
(f) No person shall be eligible for election as a director of the Corporation at either an annual or a special meeting of stockholders unless nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 10. The number of nominees a stockholder may nominate for election at a meeting may not exceed the number of directors to be elected at such meeting and for the avoidance of doubt, no stockholder shall be entitled to make additional or substitute nominations following the expiration of the time period set forth in Section 10(b) of Article I.
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The person presiding at any meeting of stockholders, in addition to making any other determinations that may be appropriate to the conduct of the meeting, shall have the power and duty to determine whether notice of nominees has been duly given in the manner and at the times provided in this Section 10 and, if not so given, shall direct and declare at the meeting that such nominees are not properly before the meeting and shall not be considered. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 10, if the stockholder, or a duly authorized representative of the stockholder, does not appear at the annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation to present a nomination, such nomination shall be disregarded, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received by the Corporation.
SECTION 11 Advance Notice Provisions for Business to be Transacted at Meetings of Stockholders.
(a) No business may be transacted at a meeting of stockholders, other than business that is (i) specified in the notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the Board of Directors (or any duly authorized committee thereof), (ii) otherwise properly brought before the meeting by or at the direction of the Board of Directors (or any duly authorized committee thereof) or (iii) otherwise properly brought before an annual meeting by any stockholder of the Corporation who is a stockholder of record on the date of the giving of the written notice provided for in this Section 11 and on the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to vote at such annual meeting, and who is entitled to vote at such meeting and complies with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 11.
(b) In addition to any other applicable requirements, including, in the case of the election of directors, the provisions of Section 10 of Article I, for business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder, such stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in proper written form to the Secretary of the Corporation and any proposal must constitute a proper matter for stockholder action under applicable law. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary must be delivered to, or mailed and received at, the principal executive offices of the Corporation not less than ninety (90) days nor more than one hundred twenty (120) days prior to the first anniversary date of the annual meeting for the preceding year; provided, however, that if (and only if) the annual meeting is not scheduled to be held within a period that commences thirty (30) days before such anniversary date and ends sixty (60) days after such anniversary date (an annual meeting date outside such period being referred to herein as an “Other Meeting Date”), notice by the stockholder in order to be timely must be so received by the later of the close of business on (i) the date ninety (90) days prior to such Other Meeting Date or (ii) the tenth (10th) day following the date on which such Other Meeting Date is first publicly announced or disclosed.
(c) To be in proper written form, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary at the address specified above must set forth:
(i) whether the stockholder is providing the notice at the request of a beneficial holder of shares and whether the stockholder, any such beneficial holder or, if applicable, any nominee has any agreement, arrangement or understanding with, or has received
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financial assistance, funding or other consideration from, any other person with respect to the investment by the stockholder or such beneficial holder in the Corporation or the matter the stockholder’s notice relates to, and the details thereof, including the name of such other person (the stockholder, any beneficial holder on whose behalf the notice is being delivered, any nominees listed in the notice and any persons with whom such agreement, arrangement or understanding exists or from whom such assistance has been obtained are hereinafter collectively referred to as “Interested Persons”);
(ii) the name and address of all Interested Persons; and
(iii) a complete description of the record and beneficial ownership positions (including number or amount) of all equity securities and debt instruments, whether held in the form of loans or capital market instruments, of the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries held by all Interested Persons, whether and the extent to which any hedging, derivative or other transaction is in place or has been entered into within the six (6) months preceding the date of delivery of the stockholder’s notice by or for the benefit of any Interested Person with respect to the Corporation or its subsidiaries or any of their respective securities, debt instruments or credit ratings, the effect or intent of which transaction is to give rise to gain or loss as a result of changes in the trading price of such securities or debt instruments or changes in the credit ratings for the Corporation, its subsidiaries or any of their respective securities or debt instruments (or, more generally, changes in the perceived creditworthiness of the Corporation or its subsidiaries), or to increase or decrease the voting power of such Interested Person, and if so, a summary of the material terms thereof, and whether or not such instrument or right shall be subject to settlement in underlying shares of capital stock of the Corporation and without regard to whether such agreement, arrangement or understanding is required to be reported on a Schedule 13D, 13F or 13G in accordance with the Exchange Act (any of the foregoing, a “Derivative Instrument”).
(d) To be in proper written form, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary shall also set forth:
(i) a representation that the noticing party is a holder of record of stock of the Corporation that would be entitled to vote at the meeting and intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to propose the matter set forth in the stockholder’s notice; and
(ii) a representation from such noticing party as to whether such noticing party or any Interested Person intends or is part of a group that intends to (I) solicit proxies in support of the election of any proposed nominee in accordance with Rule 14a-19 under the Exchange Act or (II) engage in a solicitation (within the meaning of Exchange Act Rule 14a-1(l)) with respect to the nomination or other business, as applicable, and, if so, the name of each participant (as defined in Item 4 of Schedule 14A under the Exchange Act) in such solicitation.
(e) In addition to the information required pursuant to the foregoing provisions of Section 10 and this Section 11 of Article I, as applicable:
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(i) the Corporation may require any noticing party to furnish such other information as the Corporation may reasonably require to determine the eligibility or suitability of a proposed nominee to serve as a director of the Corporation or information that could be material to a reasonable stockholder’s understanding of the independence of such proposed nominee or business proposal to be brought before a meeting of stockholders or that could be material to a reasonable stockholder’s understanding of the business proposal, as applicable. If requested by the Corporation, any supplemental information required under this paragraph shall be provided by such noticing party within ten (10) days after it has been requested by the Corporation;
(ii) the Board of Directors may require any proposed nominee to submit to interviews with the Board or any committee thereof, and such proposed nominee shall make himself or herself available for any such interviews within ten (10) days following any reasonable request therefor from the Board or any committee thereof; and
(iii) If (I) any stockholder or any Interested Person of such stockholder provides notice pursuant to Rule 14a-19(b) under the Exchange Act with respect to any proposed nominee and (II) such stockholder or Interested Person subsequently (A) notifies the Corporation that such stockholder or Interested Person of such stockholder no longer intends to solicit proxies in support of the election or reelection of such proposed nominee in accordance with Rule 14a-19(b) under the Exchange Act and the representations made pursuant to Section 11(d)(ii), which notice shall be delivered to the Secretary no later than two (2) business days of such change in intent, or (B) fails to comply with the requirements of Rule 14a-19(a)(2) or Rule 14a-19(a)(3) under the Exchange Act, then the Corporation shall disregard any proxies solicited for such proposed nominee. Upon request by the Corporation, if any stockholder provides notice pursuant to Rule 14a-19(b) under the Exchange Act, such stockholder shall deliver to the Secretary, no later than five (5) business days prior to the applicable meeting date, reasonable evidence that the requirements of Rule 14a-19(a)(3) under the Exchange Act have been satisfied.
(f) As used herein, “beneficially owned” has the meaning provided in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The stockholder’s notice shall include an undertaking that such notice will be updated not later than ten (10) days after the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting to provide any material changes in the foregoing information as of the record date. The stockholder’s notice must also contain (i) the text of the proposal to be presented, including the text of any resolutions to be proposed for consideration by stockholders and (ii) a brief written statement of the reasons why such stockholder favors the proposal.
(g) For purposes of this Section 11, a matter shall be deemed to have been “publicly announced or disclosed” if such matter is disclosed in a press release or reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press or comparable national news service or disclosed in a document publicly filed by the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
(h) In no event shall the postponement or adjournment of an annual meeting already publicly noticed, or any announcement of such postponement or adjournment, commence
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a new period (or extend any time period) for the giving of notice as provided in this Section 11. This Section 11 shall not apply to stockholder proposals made pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act.
(i) No business (other than the election of directors in accordance with Section 10 of Article I) shall be conducted at the annual meeting of stockholders except business brought before the annual meeting in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 11. The person presiding at any meeting of stockholders, in addition to making any other determinations that may be appropriate to the conduct of the meeting, shall have the power and duty to determine whether notice of matters proposed to be brought before a meeting has been duly given in the manner and at the times provided in this Section 11 and, if not so given, shall direct and declare at the meeting that such matters are not properly before the meeting and shall not be considered. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 11, if the stockholder, or a duly authorized representative of the stockholder, does not appear at the annual meeting of stockholders of the Corporation to make a proposal, such proposal shall be disregarded, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received by the Corporation.
SECTION 12 Order of Business. The order of business at all meetings of the stockholders shall be determined by the chair of the meeting.
SECTION 13 Stockholder Nominations Included in the Corporation’s Proxy Materials.
(a) Subject to the provisions of this Section 13, if expressly requested in the relevant Nomination Notice (as defined below), the Corporation shall include in its proxy statement for any annual meeting of stockholders:
(i) the names of any person or persons nominated for election to the Board of Directors (each, a “Nominee”), which shall also be included on the Corporation’s form of proxy and ballot, by any Eligible Holder (as defined below) or group of up to twenty (20) Eligible Holders that has (individually and collectively, in the case of a group) satisfied, as determined by the Board of Directors, all applicable conditions and complied with all applicable procedures set forth in this Section 13 (such Eligible Holder or group of Eligible Holders being a “Nominating Stockholder”);
(ii) disclosure about each Nominee and the Nominating Stockholder required under the rules of the SEC or other applicable law to be included in the proxy statement; and
(iii) any statement included by the Nominating Stockholder in the Nomination Notice for inclusion in the proxy statement in support of each Nominee’s election to the Board of Directors (subject, without limitation, to Section 13(e)(ii) of Article I), if such statement does not exceed five hundred (500) words and fully complies with Section 14 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, including Rule 14a- 9 (the “Supporting Statement”).
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The Corporation may include in its proxy statement any other information that the Corporation or the Board of Directors determines, in their discretion, to include in the proxy statement relating to the nomination of each Nominee, including, without limitation, any statement in opposition to the nomination, any of the information provided pursuant to this Section, and any solicitation materials or related information with respect to a Nominee.
For purposes of this Section 13, any determination to be made by the Board of Directors may be made by the Board of Directors, a committee of the Board of Directors, or any officer of the Corporation designated by the Board of Directors or a committee of the Board of Directors, and any such determination shall be final and binding on the Corporation, any Eligible Holder, any Nominating Stockholder, any Nominee, and any other person so long as made in good faith (without any further requirements). The chair of any annual meeting of stockholders, in addition to making any other determinations that may be appropriate to the conduct of the meeting, shall have the power and duty to determine whether a Nominee has been nominated in accordance with the requirements of this Section 13 and, if not so nominated, shall direct and declare at the meeting that such Nominee shall not be considered.
(b) (i) The Corporation shall not be required to include in the proxy statement for an annual meeting of stockholders more Nominees than that number of directors constituting the greater of (x) two (2) or (y) twenty percent (20%) of the total number of directors of the Corporation on the last day on which a Nomination Notice may be submitted pursuant to this Section 13 (rounded down to the nearest whole number) (the “Maximum Number”). The Maximum Number for a particular annual meeting shall be reduced by: (A) Nominees whom the Board of Directors itself decides to nominate for election at such annual meeting; (B) Nominees who cease to satisfy, or Nominees of Nominating Stockholders who cease to satisfy, the eligibility requirements in this Section 13, as determined by the Board of Directors; (C) Nominees whose nomination is withdrawn by the Nominating Stockholder or who become unwilling to serve on the Board of Directors; and (D) the number of incumbent directors who had been Nominees with respect to any of the preceding three (3) annual meetings of stockholders and whose reelection at the upcoming annual meeting is being recommended by the Board of Directors. In the event that one or more vacancies for any reason occurs on the Board of Directors after the deadline for submitting a Nomination Notice as set forth in Section 13(d) of Article I below but before the date of the annual meeting, and the Board of Directors resolves to reduce the size of the Board in connection therewith, the Maximum Number shall be calculated based on the number of directors in office as so reduced.
(ii) If the number of Nominees pursuant to this Section 13 for any annual meeting of stockholders exceeds the Maximum Number, then, promptly upon notice from the Corporation, each Nominating Stockholder will select one Nominee for inclusion in the proxy statement until the Maximum Number is reached, going in order of the amount (largest to smallest) of the ownership position as disclosed in each Nominating Stockholder’s Nomination Notice, with the process repeated if the Maximum Number is not reached after each Nominating Stockholder has selected one Nominee. If, after the deadline for submitting a Nomination Notice as set forth in Section 13(d) of Article I, a Nominating Stockholder or a Nominee ceases to
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satisfy the eligibility requirements outlined in this Section 13, as determined by the Board of Directors, a Nominating Stockholder withdraws its nomination or a Nominee becomes unwilling to serve on the Board of Directors, whether before or after the mailing or other distribution of the definitive proxy statement, then the nomination shall be disregarded, and the Corporation: (A) shall not be required to include in its proxy statement or on any ballot or form of proxy the disregarded Nominee or any successor or replacement nominee proposed by the Nominating Stockholder or by any other Nominating Stockholder and (B) may otherwise communicate to its stockholders, including without limitation by amending or supplementing its proxy statement or ballot or form of proxy, that a Nominee will not be included as a nominee in the proxy statement or on any ballot or form of proxy and will not be voted on at the annual meeting.
(c) (i) An “Eligible Holder” is a person who has either (A) been a stockholder of record of the shares of capital stock used to satisfy the eligibility requirements in this Section 13(c) continuously for the three (3) year period specified in subsection (ii) below or (B) provides to the Secretary of the Corporation, within the time period referred to in Section 13(d) of Article I, evidence of continuous ownership of such shares for such three (3) year period from one or more securities intermediaries in a form that the Board of Directors determines would be deemed acceptable for purposes of a shareholder proposal under Rule 14a-8(b)(2) under the Exchange Act (or any successor rule).
(ii) An Eligible Holder or group of up to twenty (20) Eligible Holders may submit a nomination in accordance with this Section 13 only if the person or group (in the aggregate) has continuously owned at least the Minimum Number (as defined below) of shares of the Corporation’s capital stock throughout the three (3) year period preceding and including the date of submission of the Nomination Notice, and continues to own at least the Minimum Number through the date of the annual meeting. Two (2) or more funds that are (x) under common management and investment control, (y) under common management and funded primarily by a single employer, or (z) a “group of investment companies,” as such term is defined in Section 12(d)(1)(G)(ii) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, shall be treated as one Eligible Holder if such Eligible Holder shall provide, together with the Nomination Notice, documentation reasonably satisfactory to the Corporation that demonstrates that the funds meet the criteria set forth in (x), (y) or (z) hereof. For the avoidance of doubt, in the event of a nomination by a group of Eligible Holders, any and all requirements and obligations for an individual Eligible Holder that are set forth in this Section 13, including the minimum holding period, shall apply to each member of such group; provided, however, that the Minimum Number shall apply to the ownership of the group in the aggregate. Should any stockholder cease to satisfy the eligibility requirements in this Section 13, as determined by the Board of Directors, or withdraw from a group of Eligible Holders at any time prior to the annual meeting of stockholders, the group of Eligible Stockholders shall be deemed to own only the shares held by the remaining members of the group.
(iii) The “Minimum Number” of shares of the Corporation’s capital stock means three (3%) of the number of outstanding shares of capital stock as of the most recent
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date for which such amount is given in any filing by the Corporation with the SEC prior to the submission of the Nomination Notice.
(iv) For purposes of this Section 13, an Eligible Holder “owns” only those outstanding shares of the Corporation as to which the Eligible Holder possesses both: (A) the full voting and investment rights pertaining to the shares; and (B) the full economic interest in (including the opportunity for profit and risk of loss on) such shares; provided that the number of shares calculated in accordance with clauses (A) and (B) shall not include any shares: (1) purchased or sold by such Eligible Holder or any of its affiliates in any transaction that has not been settled or closed, (2) sold short by such Eligible Holder, (3) borrowed by such Eligible Holder or any of its affiliates for any purpose or purchased by such Eligible Holder or any of its affiliates pursuant to an agreement to resell or subject to any other obligation to resell to another person, or (4) subject to any option, warrant, forward contract, swap, contract of sale, other Derivative Instrument or similar agreement entered into by such Eligible Holder or any of its affiliates, whether any such instrument or agreement is to be settled with shares or with cash based on the notional amount or value of outstanding shares of the Corporation, in any such case which instrument or agreement has, or is intended to have, the purpose or effect of: (x) reducing in any manner, to any extent or at any time in the future, such Eligible Holder’s or any of its affiliates’ full right to vote or direct the voting of any such shares, and/or (y) hedging, offsetting or altering to any degree, gain or loss arising from the full economic ownership of such shares by such Eligible Holder or any of its affiliates. An Eligible Holder “owns” shares held in the name of a nominee or other intermediary so long as the Eligible Holder retains the right to instruct how the shares are voted with respect to the election of directors and possesses the full economic interest in the shares. An Eligible Holder’s ownership of shares shall be deemed to continue during any period in which the Eligible Holder has delegated any voting power by means of a proxy, power of attorney or other similar instrument or arrangement that is revocable at any time by the Eligible Holder. An Eligible Holder’s ownership of shares shall be deemed to continue during any period in which the Eligible Holder has loaned such shares provided that the Eligible Holder has recalled such loaned shares as of the date of the Nomination Notice and continues to hold such shares through the date of the annual meeting. The terms “owned,” “owning” and other variations of the word “own” shall have correlative meanings. Whether outstanding shares of the Corporation are “owned” for these purposes shall be determined by the Board.
(v) No Eligible Holder shall be permitted to be in more than one group constituting a Nominating Stockholder; if any Eligible Holder appears as a member of more than one group, it shall be deemed to be a member of the group that has the largest ownership position as reflected in the Nomination Notice.
(d) To nominate a Nominee, the Nominating Stockholder must, no earlier than one hundred fifty (150) calendar days and no later than one hundred twenty (120) calendar days before the anniversary of the date that the Corporation mailed its proxy statement for the prior year’s annual meeting of stockholders, submit to the Secretary of the Corporation all of the following information and documents (collectively, the “Nomination Notice”); provided, however, that if (and only if) the annual meeting is not scheduled to be held within a period that
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commences thirty (30) days before such anniversary date and ends thirty (30) days after such anniversary date (an annual meeting date outside such period being referred to herein as an “Other Meeting Date”), the Nomination Notice shall be given in the manner provided herein by the later of the close of business on the date that is one hundred eighty (180) days prior to such Other Meeting Date or the tenth (10th) day following the date such Other Meeting Date is first publicly announced or disclosed:
(i) A Schedule 14N (or any successor form) relating to each Nominee, completed and filed with the SEC by the Nominating Stockholder as applicable, in accordance with SEC rules;
(ii) A written notice, in a form deemed satisfactory by the Board of Directors, of the nomination of each Nominee that includes the following additional information, agreements, representations and warranties by the Nominating Stockholder (including each group member): (A) the information required with respect to the nomination of directors pursuant to Section 10 of Article I of these By-Laws; (B) the details of any relationship that existed within the past three (3) years and that would have been described pursuant to Item 6(e) of Schedule 14N (or any successor item) if it existed on the date of submission of the Schedule 14N; (C) a representation and warranty that the Nominating Stockholder acquired the securities of the Corporation in the ordinary course of business and did not acquire, and is not holding, securities of the Corporation for the purpose or with the effect of influencing or changing control of the Corporation; (D) a representation and warranty that each Nominee’s candidacy or, if elected, Board membership would not violate applicable state or federal law or the rules of any stock exchange on which the Corporation’s securities are traded; (E) a representation and warranty that each Nominee: (1) does not have any direct or indirect relationship with the Corporation that would cause the Nominee to be considered not independent pursuant to the Corporation’s Corporate Governance Guidelines as most recently published on its website and otherwise qualifies as independent under the rules of the primary stock exchange on which the Corporation’s shares of capital stock are traded; (2) meets the audit committee and compensation committee independence requirements under the rules of the primary stock exchange on which the Corporation’s shares of capital stock are traded; (3) is a “non-employee director” for the purposes of Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act (or any successor rule); (4) is an “outside director” for the purposes of Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code (or any successor provision); (5) meets the director qualifications set forth in the Corporate Governance Guidelines; and (6) is not and has not been subject to any event specified in Rule 506(d)(1) of Regulation D (or any successor rule) under the Securities Act of 1933 or Item 401(f) of Regulation S-K (or any successor rule) under the Exchange Act, without reference to whether the event is material to an evaluation of the ability or integrity of such Nominee; (F) a representation and warranty that the Nominating Stockholder satisfies the eligibility requirements set forth in Section 13(c) of Article I and has provided evidence of ownership to the extent required thereunder; (G) a representation and warranty that the Nominating Stockholder intends to continue to satisfy the eligibility requirements described in Section 13(c) of Article I through the date of the annual meeting; (H) details of any position of a Nominee as an officer or director of any competitor (that is, any entity that produces products or provides services that compete with
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or are alternatives to the products produced or services provided by the Corporation or its affiliates) of the Corporation, within the three (3) years preceding the submission of the Nomination Notice; (I) a representation and warranty that the Nominating Stockholder will not engage in a “solicitation” within the meaning of Rule 14a-1(l) under the Exchange Act (without reference to the exception in Section 14a-1(l)(2)(iv)) (or any successor rules) with respect to the annual meeting, other than with respect to a Nominee or any nominee of the Board; (J) a representation and warranty that the Nominating Stockholder will not use any proxy card other than the Corporation’s proxy card in soliciting stockholders in connection with the election of a Nominee at the annual meeting; (K) if desired, a Supporting Statement; and (L) in the case of a nomination by a group, the designation by all group members of one group member who is authorized to act on behalf of all group members with respect to matters relating to the nomination, including withdrawal of the nomination;
(iii) An executed agreement, in a form deemed satisfactory by the Board of Directors, pursuant to which the Nominating Stockholder (including each group member) agrees: (A) to comply with all applicable laws, rules and regulations in connection with the nomination, solicitation and election; (B) to file any written solicitation or other communication with the Corporation’s stockholders relating to one or more of the Corporation’s directors or director nominees or any Nominee with the Securities and Exchange Commission, regardless of whether any such filing is required under rule or regulation or whether any exemption from filing is available for such materials under any rule or regulation; (C) to assume all liability stemming from an action, suit or proceeding concerning any actual or alleged legal or regulatory violation arising out of any communication by the Nominating Stockholder or any of its Nominees with the Corporation, its stockholders or any other person in connection with the nomination or election of directors, including, without limitation, the Nomination Notice; (D) to indemnify and hold harmless (jointly with all other group members, in the case of a group member) the Corporation and each of its directors, officers and employees individually against any liability, loss, damages, expenses or other costs (including attorneys’ fees) incurred in connection with any threatened or pending action, suit or proceeding, whether legal, administrative or investigative, against the Corporation or any of its directors, officers or employees arising out of or relating to a failure or alleged failure of the Nominating Stockholder or any of its Nominees to comply with, or any breach or alleged breach of, its or their obligations, agreements or representations under this Section 13; (E) in the event that any information included in the Nomination Notice, or any other communication by the Nominating Stockholder (including with respect to any group member), with the Corporation, its stockholders or any other person in connection with the nomination or election ceases to be true and accurate in all material respects (or omits a material fact necessary to make the statements made not misleading), or that the Nominating Stockholder (including any group member) has failed to continue to satisfy the eligibility requirements described in Section 13(c) of Article I, to promptly (and in any event within forty-eight (48) hours of discovering such misstatement, omission or failure) notify the Corporation and any other recipient of such communication of (1) the misstatement or omission in such previously provided information and the information that is required to correct the misstatement or omission or (2) such failure; and
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(iv) An executed agreement, in a form deemed satisfactory by the Board of Directors, by each Nominee: (A) to provide to the Corporation such other information and certifications, including completion of the Corporation’s director questionnaire, as it may reasonably request; (B) at the reasonable request of the Board of Directors, to meet with the Board of Directors or any of its members to discuss matters relating to the nomination of such Nominee to the Board of Directors, including the information provided by such Nominee to the Corporation in connection with his or her nomination and such Nominee’s eligibility to serve as a member of the Board of Directors; (C) that such Nominee has read and agrees, if elected, to serve as a member of the Board of Directors, to adhere to the Corporation’s Corporate Governance Guidelines, Code of Conduct, Director Confidentiality Policy and any other corporate policies and guidelines applicable to directors; and (D) that such Nominee is not and will not become a party to (1) any compensatory, payment, or other financial agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity in connection with his or her nomination, service or action as a director of the Corporation that has not been disclosed to the Corporation, (2) any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity as to how such Nominee would vote or act on any issue or question as a director (a “Voting Commitment”) that has not been disclosed to the Corporation or (3) any Voting Commitment that could limit or interfere with such Nominee’s ability to comply, if elected as a director of the Corporation, with its fiduciary duties under applicable law.
The information and documents required by this Section 13(d) to be provided by the Nominating Stockholder shall be: (x) provided with respect to and executed by each group member, in the case of information applicable to group members; and (y) provided with respect to the persons specified in Instruction 1 to Items 6(c) and (d) of Schedule 14N (or any successor item) in the case of a Nominating Stockholder or group member that is an entity. The Nomination Notice shall be deemed submitted on the date on which all the information and documents referred to in this Section 13(d) (other than such information and documents contemplated to be provided after the date the Nomination Notice is provided) have been delivered to or, if sent by mail, received by the Secretary of the Corporation.
(e) (i) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 13, the Corporation may omit from its proxy statement any Nominee and any information concerning such Nominee (including a Nominating Stockholder’s Supporting Statement) and no vote on such Nominee will occur (notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received by the Corporation), and the Nominating Stockholder may not, after the last day on which a Nomination Notice would be timely, cure in any way any defect preventing the nomination of such Nominee, if: (A) the Corporation receives a notice pursuant to Section 10 of Article I of these By-Laws that a stockholder intends to nominate a candidate for director at the annual meeting, whether or not such notice is subsequently withdrawn or made the subject of a settlement with the Corporation; (B) the Nominating Stockholder or the designated lead group member, as applicable, or any qualified representative thereof, does not appear at the meeting of stockholders to present the nomination submitted pursuant to this Section 13, the Nominating Stockholder withdraws its nomination or the chair of the annual meeting declares that such nomination was not made in accordance with the procedures prescribed by this Section 13 and
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shall therefore be disregarded; (C) the Board of Directors determines that such Nominee’s nomination or election to the Board of Directors would result in the Corporation violating or failing to be in compliance with these By-Laws or the Corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation or any applicable law, rule or regulation to which the Corporation is subject, including any rules or regulations of the primary stock exchange on which the Corporation’s capital stock is traded; (D) such Nominee was nominated for election to the Board of Directors pursuant to this Section 13 at one of the Corporation’s three (3) preceding annual meetings of stockholders and either withdrew or became ineligible or received a vote of less than twenty-five (25%) of the shares of capital stock entitled to vote for such Nominee; (E) such Nominee has been, within the past three (3) years, an officer or director of a competitor, as defined for purposes of Section 8 of the Clayton Antitrust Act of 1914, as amended; or (F) the Corporation is notified, or the Board of Directors determines, that the Nominating Stockholder or the Nominee has failed to continue to satisfy the eligibility requirements described in Section 13(c) of Article I, any of the representations and warranties made in the Nomination Notice ceases to be true and accurate in all material respects (or omits a material fact necessary to make the statements made not misleading), such Nominee becomes unwilling or unable to serve on the Board of Directors, or any material violation or breach occurs of the obligations, agreements, representations, or warranties of the Nominating Stockholder or such Nominee under this Section 13.
(ii) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 13, the Corporation may omit from its proxy statement, or may supplement or correct, any information, including all or any portion of the Supporting Statement or any other statement in support of a Nominee included in the Nomination Notice, if the Board of Directors determines that: (A) such information is not true in all material respects or omits a material statement necessary to make the statements made not misleading; (B) such information directly or indirectly impugns the character, integrity or personal reputation of, or directly or indirectly makes charges concerning improper, illegal or immoral conduct or associations, without factual foundation, with respect to, any person; or (C) the inclusion of such information in the proxy statement would otherwise violate the SEC proxy rules or any other applicable law, rule or regulation.
The Corporation may solicit against, and include in the proxy statement its own statement relating to, any Nominee.
ARTICLE II
Board of Directors
SECTION 1 Number and Term of Office. The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of not less than five (5) nor more than ten (10) Directors who need not be stockholders of the Corporation, the exact number of Directors to be fixed from time to time within such range by a duly adopted resolution of the Board of Directors. The Directors shall, except as hereinafter otherwise provided for filling vacancies, be elected at the annual meeting of stockholders, and shall hold office until their respective successors are
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elected and qualified or until their earlier resignation or removal. The number of Directors may be altered from time to time by amendment of these By- Laws.
SECTION 2 Removal, Vacancies and Additional Directors. The stockholders may, at any special meeting the notice of which shall state that it is called for that purpose, remove, with or without cause, any Director and fill the vacancy; provided that whenever any Director shall have been elected by the holders of any class of stock of the Corporation voting separately as a class under the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, such Director may be removed and the vacancy filled only by the holders of that class of stock voting separately as a class. Vacancies caused by any such removal and not filled by the stockholders at the meeting at which such removal shall have been made, or any vacancy caused by the death or resignation of any Director or for any other reason, and any newly created directorship resulting from any increase in the authorized number of Directors, may be filled by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Directors then in office, although less than a quorum, and any Director so elected to fill any such vacancy or newly created directorship shall hold office until his or her successor is elected and qualified or until his or her earlier resignation or removal.
When one or more Directors shall resign effective at a future date, a majority of Directors then in office, including those who have so resigned, shall have power to fill such vacancy or vacancies, the vote thereon to take effect when such resignation or resignations shall become effective, and each Director so chosen shall hold office as herein provided in connection with the filling of other vacancies.
SECTION 3 Place of Meeting. The Board of Directors may hold its meetings in such place or places in the State of Delaware or outside the State of Delaware as the Board from time to time shall determine.
SECTION 4 Regular Meetings. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held at such times and places as the Board from time to time by resolution shall determine. No notice shall be required for any regular meeting of the Board of Directors; but a copy of every resolution fixing or changing the time or place of regular meetings shall be mailed to every Director at least five (5) days before the first meeting held in pursuance thereof.
SECTION 5 Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held whenever called by direction of the Chair of the Board, the President or by any two (2) of the Directors then in office.
Notice of the day, hour and place of holding of each special meeting shall be given by mailing the same at least two (2) days before the meeting or by causing the same to be delivered personally or transmitted by telegraph, facsimile or telex or sent by certified, registered or overnight mail at least one (1) day before the meeting to each Director. Unless otherwise indicated in the notice thereof, any and all business other than an amendment of these By-Laws may be transacted at any special meeting, and an amendment of these By-Laws may be acted upon if the notice of the meeting shall have stated that the amendment of these By-Laws is one of the purposes of the meeting. At any meeting at which every Director shall be present, even
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though without any notice, any business may be transacted, including the amendment of these By-Laws.
SECTION 6 Quorum. Subject to the provisions of Section 2 of this Article II, a majority of the members of the Board of Directors in office (but in no case less than one-third (1/3) of the total number of Directors nor less than two (2) Directors) shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business and the vote of the majority of the Directors present at any meeting of the Board of Directors at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board of Directors. If at any meeting of the Board there is less than a quorum present, a majority of those present may adjourn the meeting from time to time.
SECTION 7 Organization. The Chair of the Board or, in his or her absence, the President shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors. In the absence of the Chair of the Board and the President, a Chair shall be elected from the Directors present. The Secretary of the Corporation shall act as Secretary of all meetings of the Directors; in the absence of the Secretary, the Chair may appoint any person to act as secretary of the meeting.
SECTION 8 Committees. The Board of Directors may, by resolution passed by a majority of the whole Board, designate one or more committees, each committee to consist of one or more of the Directors of the Corporation. The Board may designate one or more Directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. In the absence or disqualification of a member of a committee, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not he, she or they constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board of Directors to act at the meeting in the place of any such absent or disqualified member. Any such committee, to the extent provided by resolution passed by a majority of the whole Board, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board of Directors in the management of the business and the affairs of the Corporation, and may authorize the seal of the Corporation to be affixed to all papers which may require it; but no such committee shall have the power or authority in reference to amending the Certificate of Incorporation, adopting an agreement of merger or consolidation, recommending to the stockholders the sale, lease or exchange of all or substantially all of the Corporations property and assets, recommending to the stockholders a dissolution of the Corporation or a revocation of a dissolution, or amending these By-Laws; and unless such resolution, these By-Laws or the Certificate of Incorporation expressly so provide, no such committee shall have the power or authority to declare a dividend or to authorize the issuance of stock.
SECTION 9 Conference Telephone Meetings. Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or by these By-Laws, the members of the Board of Directors or any committee designated by the Board may participate in a meeting of the Board or such committee, as the case may be, by means of conference telephone or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and such participation shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.
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SECTION 10 Consent of Directors or Committee in Lieu of Meeting. Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or by these By-Laws, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors, or of any committee thereof, may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing and the writing or writings are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board or committee, as the case may be.
ARTICLE III
Officers
SECTION 1 Officers. The officers of the Corporation shall be a Chair of the Board, a President, one or more Vice Presidents, a Chief Financial Officer, a Secretary and a Treasurer, and such additional officers, if any, as shall be elected by the Board of Directors pursuant to the provisions of Section 8 of this Article III. The Chair of the Board, the President, one or more Vice Presidents, a Chief Financial Officer, the Secretary and the Treasurer shall be elected by the Board of Directors at its first meeting after each annual meeting of the stockholders. The failure to hold such election shall not of itself terminate the term of office of any officer. All officers shall hold office at the pleasure of the Board of Directors. Any officer may resign at any time upon written notice to the Corporation. Officers may, but need not, be Directors. Any number of offices may be held by the same person.
All officers, agents and employees shall be subject to removal, with or without cause, at any time by the Board of Directors. The removal of an officer without cause shall be without prejudice to his or her contract rights, if any. The election or appointment of an officer shall not of itself create contract rights. All agents and employees other than officers elected by the Board of Directors shall also be subject to removal, with or without cause, at any time by the officers appointing them.
Any vacancy caused by the death of any officer, resignation, removal or otherwise, may be filled by the Board of Directors, and any officer so elected shall hold office at the pleasure of the Board of Directors.
In addition to the powers and duties of the officers of the Corporation as set forth in these By-Laws, the officers shall have such authority and shall perform such duties as from time to time may be determined by the Board of Directors.
SECTION 2 Powers and Duties of the Chair of the Board. The Chair of the Board shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and at all meetings of the Board of Directors and shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as may from time to time be assigned to him or her by these By-Laws or by the Board of Directors.
SECTION 3 Powers and Duties of the President. The President shall be the chief executive officer of the Corporation and, subject to the control of the Board of Directors and the Chair of the Board, shall have general charge and control of all its operations and shall perform all duties incident to the office of President. In the absence of the Chair of the Board, he or she shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and at all meetings of the Board of Directors and
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shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as may from time to time be assigned to him or her by these By-Laws or by the Board of Directors or the Chair of the Board.
SECTION 4 Powers and Duties of the Vice Presidents. Each Vice President shall perform all duties incident to the office of Vice President and shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as may from time to time be assigned to him or her by these By-Laws or by the Board of Directors, the Chair of the Board or the President.
SECTION 5 Powers and Duties of the Chief Financial Officer. The Chief Financial Officer shall be the principal financial officer of the Corporation, and shall be in charge of, and have control over, all financial, accounting and tax matters regarding the Corporation. The Chief Financial Officer shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as may from time to time be assigned to him or her by these By-Laws or by the Board of Directors, the Chair of the Board or the President.
SECTION 6 Powers and Duties of the Secretary. The Secretary shall keep the minutes of all meetings of the Board of Directors and the minutes of all meetings of the stockholders in books provided for that purpose; attend to the giving or serving of all notices of the Corporation; have custody of the corporate seal of the Corporation and shall affix the same to such documents and other papers as the Board of Directors, the Chair of the Board or the President shall authorize and direct; have charge of the stock certificate books, transfer books and stock ledgers and such other books and papers as the Board of Directors, the Chair of the Board or the President shall direct, all of which shall at reasonable times be open to the examination of any Director, upon application, at the office of the Corporation during business hours; and perform duties incident to the office of Secretary and have such other powers and perform such other duties as may from time to time be assigned to him or her by these By-Laws or the Board of Directors, the Chair of the Board or the President.
SECTION 7 Powers and Duties of the Treasurer. The Treasurer shall act at the direction of the Chief Financial Officer. At the direction of the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer shall have custody of, and when proper shall pay out, disburse or otherwise dispose of, all funds and securities of the Corporation which may have come into his or her hands; have authority to endorse on behalf of the Corporation for collection checks, notes and other obligations and shall deposit the same to the credit of the Corporation in such bank or banks or depository or depositories as the Board of Directors may designate; enter or cause to be entered regularly in the books of the Corporation kept for the purpose full and accurate accounts of all moneys received or paid or otherwise disposed of by him or her and whenever required by the Board of Directors, or the President or Chief Financial Officer shall render statements of such accounts; at all reasonable times, exhibit his or her books and accounts to any Director of the Corporation upon application at the office of the Corporation during business hours; and perform all duties incident to the office of Treasurer and have such other powers and perform such other duties as may from time to time be assigned to him or her by these By-Laws or by the Board of Directors, the Chair of the Board, or the President or the Chief Financial Officer.
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SECTION 8 Additional Officers. The Board of Directors may from time to time elect such other officers (who may but need not be Directors), including a Controller, Assistant Treasurers, Assistant Secretaries and Assistant Controllers, as the Board may deem advisable, and such officers shall have such authority and shall perform such duties as may from time to time be assigned to them by the Board of Directors, the Chair of the Board or the President.
The Board of Directors may from time to time by resolution delegate to any Assistant Treasurer or Assistant Treasurers any of the powers or duties herein assigned to the Treasurer; and may similarly delegate to any Assistant Secretary or Assistant Secretaries any of the powers or duties herein assigned to the Secretary.
SECTION 9 Giving of Bond by Officers. All officers of the Corporation, if required to do so by the Board of Directors, shall furnish bonds to the Corporation for the faithful performance of their duties, in such penalties and with such conditions and security as the Board shall require.
SECTION 10 Voting Upon Stocks. Unless otherwise ordered by the Board of Directors, the Chair of the Board, the President or any Vice President shall have full power and authority on behalf of the Corporation to attend and to act and to vote, or in the name of the Corporation to execute proxies to vote, at any meetings of stockholders of any corporation in which the Corporation may hold stock, and at any such meetings shall possess and may exercise, in person or by proxy, any and all rights, powers and privileges incident to the ownership of such stock. The Board of Directors may from time to time, by resolution, confer like powers upon any other person or persons.
SECTION 11 Compensation of Officers. The officers of the Corporation shall be entitled to receive such compensation for their services as shall from time to time be determined by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE IV
Stock-Seal-Fiscal Year
SECTION 1 Certificates For Shares of Stock. The certificates for shares of stock of the Corporation shall be in such form, not inconsistent with the Certificate of Incorporation, as shall be approved by the Board of Directors. All certificates shall be signed by the Chair of the Board, the President or a Vice President and by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary or the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer, and shall not be valid unless so signed.
In case any officer or officers who shall have signed any such certificate or certificates shall cease to be such officer or officers of the Corporation, whether because of death, resignation or otherwise, before such certificate or certificates shall have been delivered by the Corporation, such certificate or certificates may nevertheless be issued and delivered as though the person or persons who signed such certificate or certificates had not ceased to be such officer or officers of the Corporation.
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All certificates for shares of stock shall be consecutively numbered as the same are issued. The name of the person owning the shares represented thereby with the number of such shares and the date of issue thereof shall be entered on the books of the Corporation.
Except as hereinafter provided, all certificates surrendered to the Corporation for transfer shall be canceled, and no new certificates shall be issued until former certificates for the same number of shares have been surrendered and canceled.
SECTION 2 Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Certificates. Whenever a person owning a certificate for shares of stock of the Corporation alleges that it has been lost stolen or destroyed, he or she shall submit to the office of the Corporation an affidavit setting forth, to the best of his or her knowledge and belief, the time, place and circumstances of the loss, theft or destruction, and, if required by the Board of Directors, a bond of indemnity or other indemnification sufficient in the opinion of the Board of Directors to indemnify the Corporation and its agents against any claim that may be made against it or them on account of the alleged loss, theft or destruction of any such certificate or the issuance of a new certificate in replacement therefor. Thereupon the Corporation may cause to be issued to such person a new certificate in replacement for the certificate alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed. Upon the stub of every new certificate so issued shall be noted the fact of such issue and the number, date and the name of the registered owner of the lost, stolen or destroyed certificate in lieu of which the new certificate is issued.
SECTION 3 Transfer of Shares. Shares of stock of the Corporation shall be transferred on the books of the Corporation by the holder thereof, in person or by his or her attorney duly authorized in writing, upon surrender and cancellation of certificates for the number of shares of stock to be transferred, except as provided in the preceding Section 2 of this Article IV.
SECTION 4 Regulations. The Board of Directors shall have power and authority to make such rules and regulations as it may deem expedient concerning the issue, transfer and registration of certificates for shares of stock of the Corporation.
SECTION 5 Record Date. In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, or to express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting or entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights, or entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock, or for the purpose of any other lawful action, as the case may be, the Board of Directors may fix, in advance, a record date, which shall not be more than sixty (60) nor less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting, nor more than sixty (60) days prior to any other action.
If no record date is fixed, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given, or, if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held; the record date for determining stockholders entitled to express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, when no prior action by the Board of Directors is necessary, shall be the day on which the first written
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consent is expressed; and the record date for determining stockholders for any other purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution relating thereto. A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board of Directors may fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting.
SECTION 6 Dividends. Subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, the Board of Directors shall have power to declare and pay dividends upon shares of stock of the Corporation, but only out of funds available for the payment of dividends as provided by law.
Subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, any dividends declared upon the stock of the Corporation shall be payable on such date or dates as the Board of Directors shall determine. If the date fixed for the payment of any dividend shall in any year fall upon a legal holiday, then the dividend payable on such date shall be paid on the next day that is not a legal holiday.
SECTION 7 Corporate Seal. The Board of Directors shall provide a suitable seal, containing the name of the Corporation, which seal shall be kept in the custody of the Secretary. A duplicate of the seal may be kept and be used by any officer of the Corporation designated by the Board of Directors, the Chair of the Board or the President.
SECTION 8 Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be such fiscal year as the Board of Directors from time to time by resolution shall determine.
ARTICLE V
Miscellaneous Provisions
SECTION 1 Checks, Notes, Etc. All checks, drafts, bills of exchange, acceptances, notes or other obligations or orders for the payment of money shall be signed and, if so required by the Board of Directors, countersigned by such officers of the Corporation and/or other persons as the Board of Directors from time to time shall designate.
Checks, drafts, bills of exchange, acceptances, notes, obligations and orders for the payment of money made payable to the Corporation may be endorsed for deposit to the credit of the Corporation with a duly authorized depository by the Treasurer, or otherwise as the Board of Directors may from time to time, by resolution, determine.
SECTION 2 Loans. No loans and no renewals of any loans shall be contracted on behalf of the Corporation except as authorized by the Board of Directors. When authorized so to do, any officer or agent of the Corporation may effect loans and advances for the Corporation from any bank, trust company or other institution or from any firm, corporation or individual, and for such loans and advances may make, execute and deliver promissory notes, bonds or other evidences of indebtedness of the Corporation. When authorized so to do, any officer or agent of the Corporation may pledge, hypothecate or transfer, as security for the payment of any and all loans, advances, indebtedness and liabilities of the Corporation, any and all stocks, securities and
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other personal property at any time held by the Corporation, and to that end may endorse, assign and deliver the same. Such authority may be general or confined to specific instances.
SECTION 3 Waivers of Notice. Whenever any notice whatever is required to be given by law, by the Certificate of Incorporation or by these By-Laws to any person or persons, a waiver thereof in writing, signed by the person or persons entitled to the notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent thereto.
SECTION 4 Offices Outside of Delaware. Except as otherwise required by the laws of the State of Delaware, the Corporation may have an office or offices and keep its books, documents and papers outside of the State of Delaware at such place or places as from time to time may be determined by the Board of Directors, the Chair of the Board or the President.
SECTION 5 Indemnification of Directors Officers and Employees. The Corporation shall indemnify to the full extent authorized by law any person made or threatened to be made a party to an action, suit or proceeding, whether criminal, civil, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that such person or their testator or intestate is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation or is or was serving, at the request of the Corporation, as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise.
SECTION 6 Exclusive Forum. Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any Director or officer or other employee of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation’s stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation or any Director or officer or other employee of the Corporation arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law or the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws (in each case, as they may be amended from time to time), or (iv) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation or any Director or officer or other employee of the Corporation governed by the internal affairs doctrine shall be a state court located within the State of Delaware (or, if no state court located within the State of Delaware has jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware).
ARTICLE VI
Amendments
These By-Laws and any amendment thereof may be altered, amended or repealed, or new By-Laws may be adopted, by the Board of Directors at any regular or special meeting by the affirmative vote of a majority of all of the members of the Board, provided, in the case of any special meeting at which all of the members of the Board are not present, that the notice of such meeting shall have stated that the amendment of these By-Laws was one of the purposes of the meeting; but these By-Laws and any amendment thereof, including the By-Laws adopted by the Board of Directors, may be altered, amended or repealed and other By-Laws may be adopted by the holders of a majority of the total outstanding stock of the Corporation entitled to vote at any
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annual meeting or at any special meeting, provided, in the case of any special meeting, that notice of such proposed alteration, amendment, repeal or adoption is included in the notice of the meeting.
[Adopted by the Board of Directors on November 3, 2022]
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