Section 1.Form of Certificate; Uncertificated Shares. The shares of the Corporation shall be represented by certificates, provided that the Board of Directors may provide by resolution or resolutions that some or all of any or all classes or series of its stock may be uncertificated shares. Any such resolution shall not apply to shares represented by a certificate until such certificate is surrendered to the Corporation. Every holder of stock in the Corporation represented by a certificate shall be entitled to have a certificate signed in the name of the Corporation (i) by the Chairman of the Board, if any, the Chief Executive Officer, if any, the President or any Vice President and (ii) by the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer or the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, representing the number of shares registered in certificate form. Except as otherwise provided by law or these By-Laws, the rights and obligations of the holders of uncertificated shares and the rights and obligations of the holders of certificates representing stock of the same class and series shall be identical.
Section 2.Signatures. Any signature required to be on a certificate may be a facsimile. In case any officer, transfer agent or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate shall have ceased to be such officer, transfer agent or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if he were such officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue.
Section 3.Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Certificates. The Board of Directors may direct a new certificate to be issued in place of any certificate theretofore issued by the Corporation alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the person claiming the certificate of stock to be lost, stolen or destroyed. When authorizing such issue of a new certificate, the Board of Directors may, in its discretion and as a condition precedent to the issuance thereof, require the owner of such lost, stolen or destroyed certificate, or his legal representative, to advertise the same in such manner as the Board of Directors shall require and/or to give the Corporation and/or its transfer agent a bond in such sum as it may direct as indemnity against any claim that may be made against the Corporation with respect to the certificate alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed.
Section 4.Transfers. Stock of the Corporation shall be transferable in the manner prescribed by law and in these By-Laws. Transfers of stock shall be made on the books of the Corporation only by the holder of record or by such person’s attorney duly authorized, and upon the surrender of properly endorsed certificates for a like number of shares (or, with respect to uncertificated shares, by delivery of duly executed instructions or in any other manner permitted by applicable law).
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 entitled to express consent to corporate action, 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, the Board of Directors may fix, in advance, a record date, which shall not be more than sixty (60) days nor less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting, nor more than sixty (60) days prior to any other action. 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.Beneficial Owners. The Corporation shall be entitled to recognize the exclusive right of the person registered on its books as the owner of a share to receive dividends and to vote as such owner, and to hold liable for calls and assessments a person registered on its books as the owner of shares, and shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or shares on the part of any other person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by law.
Section 7.Dividends. Subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation or applicable law, dividends upon the capital stock of the Corporation, if any, may be declared by the Board of Directors at any regular or special meeting, and may be paid in cash, in property, or in shares of capital stock. Before payment of any dividend, there may be set aside out of any funds of the Corporation available for dividends such sum or sums as the Board of Directors from time to time, in its absolute discretion, deems proper as a reserve or reserves to meet contingencies, or for equalizing dividends, or for repairing or maintaining any property of the Corporation or for any proper purpose, and the Board of Directors may modify or abolish any such reserve.
Section 8.Common Stock. The voting, dividend and liquidation rights of the holders of shares of Common Stock are subject to, and qualified by, the rights of the holders of the preferred stock, if any, of the Corporation. Each share of Common Stock shall be treated identically as all other shares of Common Stock with respect to dividends, distributions, rights in liquidation and in all other respects.
ARTICLE VII
INDEMNIFICATION
Section 1.Indemnification Respecting Third Party Claims. The Corporation, to the full extent and in a manner permitted by Delaware law as in effect from time to time, shall indemnify, in accordance with the provisions of this Article, any person (including the heirs, executors, administrators or estate of any such person) who was or is made a party to or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding (including any appeal thereof), whether civil, criminal, administrative, or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the Corporation or by any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise of which the Corporation owns, directly or indirectly through one or more other entities, a majority of the voting power or otherwise possesses a similar degree of control), by reason of the fact that such person 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, member, manager, partner, trustee, fiduciary, employee or agent (a “Subsidiary Officer”) of another corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise (any such entity for which a Subsidiary Officer so serves, an “Associated Entity”), against expenses, including attorneys’ fees and disbursements, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if such person acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful;provided, however, that (i) the Corporation shall not be obligated to indemnify a person who is or was a director, officer employee or agent of the Corporation or a Subsidiary Officer of an Associated Entity against expenses incurred in connection with an action, suit, proceeding or investigation to which such person is threatened to be made a party but does not become a party unless the incurring of such expenses was authorized by or under the authority of the Board of Directors and (ii) the Corporation shall not be obligated to indemnify against any amount paid in settlement unless the Board of Directors has consented to such settlement.
- 11 -
The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement or conviction or upon a plea ofnolocontendere or its equivalent shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner which such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, that such person had reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the foregoing provisions of this Section 1, a person shall not be entitled, as a matter of right, to indemnification pursuant to this Section 1 against costs or expenses incurred in connection with any action, suit or proceeding commenced by such person against the Corporation or any Associated Entity or any person who is or was a director, officer, fiduciary, employee or agent of the Corporation or a Subsidiary Officer of any Associated Entity (including, without limitation, any action, suit or proceeding commenced by such person to enforce such person’s rights under this Article, unless and only to the extent that such person is successful on the merits of such claim), but such indemnification may be provided by the Corporation in a specific case as permitted by Section 7 below in this Article.
Section 2.Indemnification Respecting Derivative Claims. The Corporation, to the full extent and in a manner permitted by Delaware law as in effect from time to time, shall indemnify, in accordance with the provisions of this Article, any person (including the heirs, executors, administrators or estate of any such person) who was or is made a party to or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit (including any appeal thereof) brought in the right of the Corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that such person 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 Subsidiary Officer of an Associated Entity, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees and disbursements) and costs actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if such person acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the Corporation unless, and only to the extent that, the Delaware Court of Chancery or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses and costs as the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper; provided, however, that the Corporation shall not be obligated to indemnify a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation or a Subsidiary Officer of an Associated Entity against expenses incurred in connection with an action or suit to which such person is threatened to be made a party but does not become a party unless the incurrence of such expenses was authorized by or under the authority of the Board of Directors. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the foregoing provisions of this Section 2, a person shall not be entitled, as a matter of right, to indemnification pursuant to this Section 2 against costs and expenses incurred in connection with any action or suit in the right of the Corporation commenced by such person, but such indemnification may be provided by the Corporation in any specific case as permitted by Section 7 below in this Article.
Section 3.Determination of Entitlement to Indemnification. Any indemnification to be provided under either of Section 1 or 2 above in this Article (unless ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction or advanced as provided in Section 5 of this Article) shall be made by the Corporation only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination that indemnification is proper under the circumstances because the person to be indemnified had met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in such section of this Article. Such determination shall be made, with respect to a person who is a director or officer of the Corporation at the time of such determination, (i) by a majority vote of the directors who are not parties to the action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification is sought, even though less than a quorum, or (ii) by majority vote of the members of a committee composed of at least two directors each of whom is not a party to such action, suit or proceeding, designated by majority vote of directors who are not parties to such action, suit or proceeding, even though less than a quorum, or (iii) if there are no directors who are not parties to such action, suit or proceeding, or if such directors so direct, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, or (iv) by action of the stockholders taken as permitted by law and these By-Laws.
- 12 -
Such determination shall be made, with respect to any other person, by such officer or officers of the Corporation as the Board of Directors or the Executive Committee (if any) of the Board may designate, in accordance with any procedures that the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee or such designated officer or officers may determine, or, if any such officer or officers have not been so designated, by the Chief Legal Officer or the General Counsel of the Corporation. In the event a request for indemnification is made by any person referred to in Section 1 or 2 above in this Article, the Corporation shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause such determination to be made not later than sixty (60) days after such request is made after the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding.
Section 4.Right to Indemnification upon Successful Defense and for Service as a Witness. (a) Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Article, to the extent that a present or former director or officer has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in either of Section 1 or 2 above in this Article, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, such person shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys’ fees and disbursements) and costs actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection therewith.
(b) To the extent any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation or a Subsidiary Officer of an Associated Entity has served or prepared to serve as a witness in, but is not a party to, any action, suit or proceeding (whether civil, criminal, administrative, regulatory or investigative in nature), including any investigation by any legislative or regulatory body or by any securities or commodities exchange of which the Corporation or an Associated Entity is a member or to the jurisdiction of which it is subject, by reason of his or her services as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or his or her service as a Subsidiary Officer of an Associated Entity (assuming such person is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a Subsidiary Officer of such Associated Entity), the Corporation may indemnify such person against expenses (including attorneys’ fees and disbursements) and out-of-pocket costs actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection therewith and, if the Corporation has determined to so indemnify such person, shall use its reasonable best efforts to provide such indemnity within sixty (60) days after receipt by the Corporation from such person of a statement requesting such indemnification, averring such service and reasonably evidencing such expenses and costs; it being understood, however, that the Corporation shall have no obligation under this Article to compensate such person for such person’s time or efforts so expended.
Section 5.Advance of Expenses. (a) Expenses and costs incurred by any present or former director or officer of the Corporation in defending a civil, criminal, administrative, regulatory or investigative action, suit or proceeding shall, to the extent permitted by law, be paid by the Corporation in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking in writing by or on behalf of such person to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that such person is not entitled to be indemnified in respect of such costs and expenses by the Corporation as authorized by this Article.
(b) Expenses and costs incurred by any other person referred to in Section 1 or 2 above in this Article in defending a civil, criminal, administrative, regulatory or investigative action, suit or proceeding may be paid by the Corporation in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding as authorized by or under the authority of the Board of Directors upon receipt of an undertaking in writing by or on behalf of such person to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that such person is not entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation in respect of such costs and expenses as authorized by this Article and subject to any limitations or qualifications provided by or under the authority of the Board of Directors.
- 13 -
Section 6.Notice of Action; Assumption of the Defense. Promptly after receipt by any person referred to in Section 1, 2 or 5 above in this Article of notice of the commencement of any action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification or advancement of expenses may be sought under any such Section, such person (the “Indemnitee”) shall notify the Corporation thereof. The Corporation shall be entitled to participate in the defense of any such action, suit or proceeding and, to the extent that it may wish, except in the case of a criminal action or proceeding, to assume the defense thereof with counsel chosen by it. If the Corporation shall have notified the Indemnitee of its election so to assume the defense, it shall be a condition of any further obligation of the Corporation under such Sections to indemnify the Indemnitee with respect to such action, suit or proceeding that the Indemnitee shall have provided an undertaking in writing to repay all legal or other costs and expenses subsequently incurred by the Corporation in conducting such defense if it shall ultimately be determined that the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified in respect of the costs and expenses of such action, suit or proceeding by the Corporation as authorized by this Article. Notwithstanding anything in this Article to the contrary, after the Corporation shall have notified the Indemnitee of its election so to assume the defense, the Corporation shall not be liable under such Sections for any legal or other costs or expenses subsequently incurred by the Indemnitee in connection with the defense of such action, suit or proceeding, unless (a) the parties thereto include both (i) the Corporation and the Indemnitee, or (ii) the Indemnitee and other persons who may be entitled to seek indemnification or advancement of expenses under any such Section and with respect to whom the Corporation shall have elected to assume the defense, and (b) the counsel chosen by the Corporation to conduct the defense shall have determined, in their sole discretion, that, under applicable standards of professional conduct, a conflict of interest exists that would prevent them from representing both (i) the Corporation and the Indemnitee, or (ii) the Indemnitee and such other persons, as the case may be, in which case the Indemnitee may retain separate counsel at the expense of the Corporation to the extent provided in such Sections and Section 3 above in this Article.
Section 7.Indemnification Not Exclusive. The provision of indemnification to or the advancement of expenses and costs to any person under this Article, or the entitlement of any person to indemnification or advancement of expenses and costs under this Article, shall not limit or restrict in any way the power of the Corporation to indemnify or advance expenses and costs to such person in any other way permitted by law or be deemed exclusive of, or invalidate, any right to which any person seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses and costs may be entitled under any law, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action in such person’s capacity as an officer, director, employee or agent of the Corporation or a Subsidiary Officer of an Associated Entity and as to action in any other capacity.
Section 8.Corporate Obligations; Reliance. The provisions of Sections 1, 2, 4(a) and 5(a) above of this Article shall be deemed to create a binding obligation on the part of the Corporation to the directors, officers, employees and agents of the Corporation, and the persons who are serving at the request of the Corporation as Subsidiary Officers of Associated Entities, on the effective date of this Article and persons thereafter elected as directors and officers or retained as employees or agents, or serving at the request of the Corporation as Subsidiary Officers of Associated Entities (including persons who served as directors, officers, employees and agents, or served at the request of the Corporation as Subsidiary Officers of Associated Entities, on or after such date but who are no longer so serving at the time they present claims for advancement of expenses or indemnity), and such persons in acting in their capacities as directors, officers, employees or agents of the Corporation, or serving at the request of the Corporation as Subsidiary Officers of any Associated Entity, shall be entitled to rely on such provisions of this Article.
- 14 -
Section 9.Further Changes. Neither the amendment nor repeal of this Article, nor the adoption of any provision of the Certificate of Incorporation inconsistent with this Article, shall eliminate or reduce the effect of such provisions in respect of any act or omission or any matter occurring prior to such amendment, repeal or adoption of an inconsistent provision regardless of when any cause of action, suit or claim relating to any such matter accrued or matured or was commenced, and such provision shall continue to have effect in respect of such act, omission or matter as if such provision had not been so amended or repealed or if a provision inconsistent therewith had not been so adopted.
Section 10.Successors. The right, if any, of any person who 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 Subsidiary Officer of an Associated Entity, to indemnification or advancement of expenses under Sections 1 through 9 above in this Article shall continue after he shall have ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent or a Subsidiary Officer of an Associated Entity and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, distributees, executors, administrators and other legal representatives of such person.
Section 11.Insurance. The Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who 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 Subsidiary Officer of any Associated Entity, against any liability asserted against such person and incurred by such person in any such capacity, or arising out of such person’s status as such, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such liability under the provisions of this Article or applicable law.
Section 12.Definitions of Certain Terms. For purposes of this Article, references to “fines” shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to any employee benefit plan; references to “serving at the request of the Corporation” shall include any service as a director, officer employee or agent of the Corporation or as a Subsidiary Officer of any Associated Entity which service imposes duties on, or involves services by, such person with respect to any employee benefit plan, its participants, or beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation” as referred to in this Article.
ARTICLE VIII
GENERAL
Section 1.Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be such date as shall be fixed by resolution of the Board of Directors from time to time.
Section 2.Corporate Seal. The corporate seal shall have inscribed thereon the name of the Corporation, the year of its organization and the words “Corporate Seal, Delaware” The seal may be used by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or reproduced or otherwise upon any paper, certificate or document.
Section 3.Disbursements. All checks, drafts or demands for money out of the funds of the Corporation and all notes and other evidences of indebtedness of the Corporation shall be signed by such officer or officers or such other person or persons as the Board of Directors may from time to time designate.
- 15 -
Section 4.Amendments. These By-Laws may be altered, amended or repealed, in whole or in part, or new By-Laws may be adopted by the stockholders or by the Board of Directors at any meeting thereof;provided, however, that notice of such alteration, amendment, repeal or adoption of new By-Laws shall be contained in the notice of such meeting of stockholders or in a notice of such meeting of the Board of Directors, as the case may be. Unless a higher percentage is required by law or by the Certificate of Incorporation as to any matter which is the subject of these By-Laws, all such amendments must be approved by either the affirmative vote of holders of shares of capital stock issued and outstanding entitled to vote thereon representing at least a majority of the votes and entitled to be cast thereon or by a majority of the entire Board of Directors then in office;provided,however, that any amendments to these Bylaws that was approved by the stockholders may not be altered, amended or repealed without the affirmative vote of the holders of shares in capital stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote thereon representing at least a majority of the votes entitled to be cast thereupon.
Section 5.Definitions. As used in this Article and in these By-Laws generally, the term “entire Board of Directors” means the total number of directors which the Corporation would have if there were no vacancies.
- 16 -