EXHIBIT 3.2
PNK ENTERTAINMENT, INC.
AMENDED AND RESTATED
BYLAWS
AS OF
April 18, 2016
AMENDED AND RESTATED
BYLAWS
OF
PNK ENTERTAINMENT, INC.
(hereinafter referred to as the “Corporation”)
ARTICLE I -STOCKHOLDERS
Section 1. | Place of Meetings. |
Meetings of the stockholders shall be held at such place, either within or without the State of Delaware, as shall be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors. Notwithstanding the above, the Board of Directors may, in its sole discretion, determine that a meeting of the stockholders shall not be held at any place, but may instead be held solely by means of remote communication in the manner authorized by Delaware General Corporation Law.
Section 2. | Annual Meeting. |
(1) An annual meeting of the stockholders, for the election of directors to succeed those whose terms expire and for the transaction of such other business as may properly come before the meeting, shall be held at such place, on such date, and at such time as the Board of Directors shall each year fix.
(2) Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors of the Corporation and the proposal of business to be transacted by the stockholders may be made at an annual meeting of stockholders (a) pursuant to the Corporation’s proxy materials with respect to such meeting, (b) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, or (c) by any stockholder of the Corporation who is a stockholder of record (the “Record Stockholder”) at the time of the giving of the notice required in the following paragraph, who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who has complied with the notice procedures set forth in this Bylaw. For the avoidance of doubt, the foregoing clause (c) shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to make nominations or propose business (other than business included in the Corporation’s proxy materials pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (such act, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, the “Exchange Act”)) at an annual meeting of stockholders.
(3) For nominations or business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a Record Stockholder pursuant to clause (c) of the foregoing paragraph, (a) the Record Stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in writing to the Secretary of the Corporation, (b) any such business must be a proper matter for stockholder action under Delaware law, and (c) the Record Stockholder and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf any such proposal or nomination is made, must have acted in accordance with the representations set forth in the Solicitation Statement required by these Bylaws. To be timely, a Record Stockholder’s notice shall be received by the Secretary at the principal
executive offices of the Corporation not less than 90 or more than 120 days prior to the one-year anniversary (the “Anniversary”) of the preceding year’s annual meeting of stockholders; provided, however, that, subject to the last sentence of this Section 2(3), if the meeting is convened more than 30 days prior to or delayed by more than 60 days after the anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting, or if no annual meeting was held in the preceding year, notice by the Record Stockholder to be timely must be so received not later than the close of business on the later of (i) the 90th day before such annual meeting or (ii) the 10th day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made. Notwithstanding anything in the preceding sentence to the contrary, in the event that the number of directors to be elected to the Board of Directors of the Corporation is increased and there is no public announcement naming all of the nominees for director or specifying the size of the increased Board of Directors made by the Corporation at least 10 days before the last day a Record Stockholder may deliver a notice of nomination in accordance with the preceding sentence, a Record Stockholder’s notice required by this Bylaw shall also be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for any new positions created by such increase, if it shall be received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the 10th day following the day on which such public announcement is first made by the Corporation. In no event shall an adjournment, or postponement of an annual meeting for which notice has been given, or with respect to which there has been a public announcement of the date of the meeting, commence a new time period for the giving of a Record Stockholder’s notice.
(4) Such Record Stockholder’s notice shall set forth:
a. if such notice pertains to the nomination of directors, as to each person whom the Record Stockholder proposes to nominate for election or reelection as a director all information relating to such person as would be required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for the election of such nominees as directors pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act, such person’s written consent to serve as a director if elected, and a statement whether such person, if elected, intends to tender, promptly following such person’s election or reelection, an irrevocable resignation effective upon (i) such person’s failure to receive the required vote for reelection at the next meeting at which such person would face reelection and (ii) the acceptance by the Board of Directors of such resignation in accordance with these Bylaws;
b. as to any business that the Record Stockholder proposes to bring before the meeting, a brief description of such business, the reasons for conducting such business at the meeting and any material interest in such business of such Record Stockholder and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made; and
c. as to (1) the Record Stockholder giving the notice and (2) the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made (each, for purposes of this Section 2, a “party”):
(i) the name and address of each such party;
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(ii) (A) the class, series, and number of shares of the Corporation that are owned, directly or indirectly, beneficially and of record by each such party, (B) any option, warrant, convertible security, stock appreciation right, or similar right with an exercise or conversion privilege or a settlement payment or mechanism at a price related to any class or series of shares of the Corporation or with a value derived in whole or in part from the value of any class or series of shares of the Corporation, whether or not such instrument or right shall be subject to settlement in the underlying class or series of capital stock of the Corporation or otherwise (a “Derivative Instrument”) directly or indirectly owned beneficially by each such party, and any other direct or indirect opportunity to profit or share in any profit derived from any increase or decrease in the value of shares of the Corporation, (C) any proxy, contract, arrangement, understanding, or relationship pursuant to which either party has a right to vote any shares of any security of the Corporation directly or indirectly, (D) any short interest in any security of the Corporation held by each such party (for purposes of this Section (2)(4), a person shall be deemed to have a short interest in a security if such person, directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, has the opportunity to profit or share in any profit derived from any decrease in the value of the subject security), (E) any rights to dividends on the shares of the Corporation owned beneficially, directly or indirectly, by each such party that are separated or separable from the underlying shares of the Corporation, (F) any proportionate interest in shares of the Corporation or Derivative Instruments held, directly or indirectly, by a general or limited partnership in which either party is a general partner or, directly or indirectly, beneficially owns an interest in a general partner and (G) any performance-related fees (other than an asset-based fee) that each such party is entitled to directly or indirectly based on any increase or decrease in the value of shares of the Corporation or Derivative Instruments, if any, as of the date of such notice, including without limitation any such interests held by members of each such party’s immediate family sharing the same household (which information set forth in this paragraph shall be supplemented by such stockholder or such beneficial owner, as the case may be, as of the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting and, if later, as of the date that is ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than five (5) business days after the record date for determining stockholders entitled to vote (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of the record date), and not later than eight (8) business days prior to the date for the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, if practicable (or if not practicable, on the first practicable date prior to the date of such meeting or adjournment or postponement thereof, as applicable) (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof));
(iii) any other information relating to each such party that
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would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for, as applicable, the proposal and/or for the election of directors in a contested election pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act;
(iv) a description of all arrangements or understandings between each such party and any other person or persons (including their names) regarding the nomination or business proposal; and
(v) a statement whether or not each such party will deliver a proxy statement and form of proxy to holders of, in the case of a proposal, at least the percentage of voting power of all of the shares of capital stock of the Corporation required under applicable law to carry the proposal or, in the case of a nomination or nominations, at least the percentage of voting power of all of the shares of capital stock of the Corporation reasonably believed by the Record Stockholder or beneficial holder, as the case may be, to be sufficient to elect the nominee or nominees proposed to be nominated by the Record Stockholder (such statement, a “Solicitation Statement”).
(5) A person shall not be eligible for election or re-election as a director at an annual meeting unless (i) the person is nominated by a Record Stockholder in accordance with Section 2(2)(c) or (ii) the person is nominated by or at the direction of the Board of Directors. Only such business shall be conducted at an annual meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting in accordance with the procedures set forth in these Bylaws. The chairperson of the meeting shall have the power and the duty to determine whether a nomination or any business proposed to be brought before the meeting has been made in accordance with the procedures set forth in these Bylaws and, if any proposed nomination or business is not in compliance with these Bylaws, to declare that such defectively proposed nomination or business shall not be presented for stockholder action at the meeting and shall be disregarded.
(6) For purposes of these Bylaws, “public announcement” shall mean disclosure in a press release reported by or issued through the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press, PR Newswire or a comparable national news service or in a document publicly filed by the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.
(7) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 2, a stockholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to matters set forth in this Section 2. Nothing in this Section 2 shall be deemed to affect any rights of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act.
Section 3. | Special Meetings. |
(1) Except as otherwise required by law (meaning, here and hereinafter, as required from time to time by the Delaware General Corporation Law or the Certificate of
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Incorporation of the Corporation), special meetings of the stockholders may be called only by: (a) the Chairperson of the Board, (b) the Board of Directors, or (c) by the Secretary, following his or her receipt of one or more written requests to call a special meeting of stockholders in accordance with this Section 3 from stockholders of record who hold, in the aggregate, a majority of the voting power (the “Required Percentage”) of all of the then outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation who have delivered such requests in accordance with these Bylaws.
(2) A stockholder may not submit a written request to call a special meeting unless such stockholder is a holder of record of voting stock on the record date fixed to determine the stockholders entitled to request the call of a special meeting. Any stockholder seeking to request the call of a special meeting shall, by written notice to the Secretary, request that the Board of Directors fix a record date for determining stockholders entitled to request a special meeting. Such a written request to fix a record date shall include all of the information that must be included in a written request to call a special meeting from a stockholder who is not a Solicited Stockholder, as set forth in paragraph (3) of this Section 3. The Board of Directors may, within 10 days of the Secretary’s receipt of a request to fix a record date, fix a record date to determine the stockholders entitled to request the call of a special meeting, which date shall not precede, and shall not be more than 10 days after, the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted. If a record date is not fixed by the Board of Directors, the record date shall be the date that the first written request to call a special meeting is received by the Secretary with respect to the proposed business to be conducted at a special meeting.
(3) Each written request to call a special meeting shall include the following: (a) the signature of the Record Stockholder signing such request and the date such request was signed, (b) a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the special meeting, the reasons for conducting such business at the meeting and any material interest in such business of the Record Stockholder and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the request is made, (c) for each written request submitted by a person or entity other than a Solicited Stockholder, as to the stockholder signing such request and the beneficial owner (if any) on whose behalf such request is made (each, for purposes of this Section 3, a “party”), the information set forth in Section 2(4)(c) of Article I of these Bylaws (other than Section 2(4)(c)(v)) and (d) a representation that the stockholder signing the request will be a record holder on the date of the special meeting and a representation whether or not any such party or any group of which such party is or will be a member will deliver a proxy statement and form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of voting power of all of the shares of capital stock of the Corporation required under applicable law to carry the proposed business (such representations, a “Special Meeting Solicitation Statement”). For purposes of this bylaw, “Solicited Stockholder” means any stockholder that has provided a request to call a special meeting in response to a solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act by way of a solicitation statement filed on Schedule 14A.
(4) A stockholder may revoke a request to call a special meeting by written revocation delivered to the Secretary at any time prior to the special meeting; provided, however, that if any such revocation(s) are received by the Secretary after the Secretary’s receipt of written requests from the holders of the Required Percentage of voting
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stock, and as a result of such revocation(s), there no longer are unrevoked requests from the Required Percentage of voting stock to call a special meeting, the Board of Directors shall have the discretion to determine whether or not to proceed with the special meeting. A business proposal shall not be presented for stockholder action at any special meeting if (i) any stockholder or beneficial owner who has provided a Special Meeting Solicitation Statement with respect to such proposal does not act in accordance with the representations set forth therein or (ii) the business proposal appeared in a written request submitted by a stockholder who did not properly provide the information required by paragraph (3) of this Section 3 of the Bylaws.
(5) The Secretary shall not accept, and shall consider ineffective, a written request from a stockholder to call a special meeting (i) that does not comply with these Bylaws, (ii) that relates to an item of business that is not a proper subject for stockholder action under applicable law, (iii) if such request is delivered between the time beginning on the 61st day after the earliest date of signature on a written request that has been delivered to the Secretary relating to an identical or substantially similar item, determined in the discretion of the Corporation (such item, a “Similar Item”), and ending on the one-year anniversary of such earliest date, (iv) if a Similar Item will be submitted for stockholder approval at any stockholder meeting to be held on or before the 90th day after the Secretary receives such written request, or (v) if a Similar Item has been presented at any special meeting held within one year prior to receipt by the Secretary of such request to call a special meeting or at the most recent annual meeting.
(6) Either the chairperson of the meeting or the Board of Directors shall determine in good faith whether all other requirements set forth in these Bylaws have been satisfied. Any determination made pursuant to this paragraph shall be binding on the Corporation and its stockholders.
(7) The Board of Directors shall determine the place, and fix the date and time, of any special meeting. The Board of Directors may submit its own proposal or proposals for consideration at any special meeting. The record date or record dates for a special meeting shall be fixed in accordance with the Delaware General Corporation Law and these Bylaws. Business transacted at any special meeting shall be limited to the purposes stated in the notice of such meeting. The Board of Directors may adjourn, postpone or reschedule any previously scheduled special meeting.
(8) Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors may be made at a special meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected (a) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or (b) by any Record Stockholder at the time of giving of notice provided for in this paragraph, who shall be entitled to vote at the meeting and who delivers a written notice to the Secretary setting forth the information set forth in Section 2(4)(a) and 2(4)(c) of this Article I. Nominations by stockholders of persons for election to the Board of Directors may be made at such a special meeting of stockholders only if such Record Stockholder’s notice required by the preceding sentence shall be received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the later of the 90th day prior to such special meeting or the 10th day following the day on which public announcement is first made of the date of the special meeting and the nominees proposed by the Board of Directors to be elected at such meeting. In addition,
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to be properly brought before a special meeting of stockholders, the Record Stockholder and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf any such nomination is made, must have acted in accordance with the representations set forth in the Solicitation Statement required by Section 2(4)(c) of these Bylaws. In no event shall an adjournment, or postponement of a special meeting for which notice has been given, commence a new time period for the giving of a Record Stockholder’s notice. A person shall not be eligible for election or reelection as a director at a special meeting unless the person is nominated (i) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or (ii) by a Record Stockholder in accordance with the notice procedures set forth in this Article I.
(9) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 3, a stockholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to matters set forth in this Section 3. Nothing in this Section 3 shall be deemed to affect any rights of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act.
Section 4. | Notice of Meetings. |
(1) Notice shall be given for all meetings of the stockholders stating the place, if any, date and time, the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such meeting, the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, if such date is different from the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting, and in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called. Except as otherwise provided herein or required by law, the notice of any meeting shall be given not less than 10 days nor more than 60 days before the date of the meeting to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting as of the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to notice of such meeting. If mailed, notice is given when deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid, directed to the stockholder at such stockholder’s address as it appears on the records of the Corporation. An affidavit of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary or of the transfer agent or other agent of the Corporation that the notice has been given shall, in the absence of fraud, be prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein. Without limiting the manner by which notice otherwise may be given effectively to stockholders, any notice to stockholders may be given by electronic transmission in the manner provided by law (for purposes of these Bylaws, “electronic transmission” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 232(c) of the Delaware General Corporation Law).
(2) When a meeting is adjourned to another place, date or time, notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting if the place, if any, date and time thereof and the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such adjourned meeting are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken; provided, however, that if the adjournment is for more than 30 days, notice of the place, if any, date, and time of the adjourned meeting and the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such adjourned meeting, shall be given in conformity herewith. If after the adjournment a new record date for stockholders entitled to vote is
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fixed for the adjourned meeting, the Board of Directors shall fix a new record date for notice of such adjourned meeting in accordance with the Delaware General Corporation Law and these Bylaws, and shall give notice of the adjourned meeting to each Record Stockholder entitled to vote at such adjourned meeting as of the record date fixed for notice of such adjourned meeting. At any adjourned meeting, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the original meeting.
Section 5. | Quorum. |
At any meeting of the stockholders, the holders of a majority of the voting power of all of the shares of the stock entitled to vote at the meeting, present in person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for all purposes, unless or except to the extent that the presence of a larger number may be required by law or the rules of the principal stock exchange upon which the Corporation’s securities are listed. Where a separate vote by a class or series or classes or series is required, a majority of the voting power of outstanding shares of such class or series or classes or series, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum entitled to take action with respect to that vote on that matter unless or except to the extent that the presence of a larger number may be required by law or the rules of the principal stock exchange upon which the Corporation’s securities are listed.
If a quorum shall fail to attend any meeting, the chairperson of the meeting may adjourn the meeting to another place, if any, date, or time.
Section 6. | Organization. |
Such person as the Board of Directors may have designated or, in the absence of such a person, the Chairperson of the Board or, in his or her absence, the Vice Chairperson of the Board or, in his or her absence, the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation or, in his or her absence, the President of the Corporation or, in his or her absence, such person as may be designated by the Chairperson of the Board, the Vice Chairperson of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the President or, in the absence of such a person, any other officer of the Corporation or, in the absence of such a person, such person as may be chosen by the holders of a majority of the voting power of all shares of stock entitled to vote who are present, in person or by proxy, shall call to order any meeting of the stockholders and act as chairperson of the meeting. In the absence of the Secretary of the Corporation, the secretary of the meeting shall be such person as the person acting as chairperson of the meeting appoints.
Section 7. | Conduct of Business. |
Each of the chairperson of the meeting and the Board shall have the authority to adopt and enforce rules providing for the orderly conduct of the meeting and the safety of those in attendance, including without limitation the authority to: (i) determine when the polls will open and close on items submitted for stockholder action; (ii) fix the time allotted for consideration of each agenda item and for questions and comments by persons in attendance; (iii) adopt rules for determining who may pose questions and comments during the meeting; (iv) adopt rules for determining who may attend the meeting; and (v) adopt procedures (if any) requiring attendees to provide the Corporation advance notice of their
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intent to attend the meeting. The date and time of the opening and closing of the polls for each matter upon which the stockholders will vote at the meeting shall be announced at the meeting.
The chairperson of the meeting shall have the power to recess the meeting or adjourn the meeting to another place, if any, date and time, whether pursuant to Section 5 of this Article I or otherwise, and notice of such adjournment or recess need be given only if required by law.
Section 8. | Proxies and Voting. |
At any meeting of the stockholders, every stockholder entitled to vote may vote in person or by proxy authorized by an instrument in writing or by a transmission permitted by law filed in accordance with the procedure established for the meeting.
Each stockholder shall have one (1) vote for every share of stock entitled to vote which is registered in his or her name on the record date for the meeting, except as otherwise required by law.
Any copy, facsimile telecommunication or other reliable reproduction of the writing or transmission created pursuant to this bylaw may be substituted or used in lieu of the original writing or transmission for any and all purposes for which the original writing or transmission could be used, provided that such copy, facsimile telecommunication or other reproduction shall be a complete reproduction of the entire original writing or transmission.
The Corporation may, and to the extent required by law, shall, in advance of any meeting of stockholders, appoint one or more inspectors to act at the meeting and make a written report thereof. The Corporation may designate one or more persons as alternate inspectors to replace any inspector who fails to act. If no inspector or alternate is able to act at a meeting of stockholders, the person presiding at the meeting may, and to the extent required by law, shall, appoint one or more inspectors to act at the meeting. Each inspector, before entering upon the discharge of his or her duties, shall take and sign an oath faithfully to execute the duties of inspector with strict impartiality and according to the best of his or her ability. Every vote taken by ballots shall be counted by a duly appointed inspector or inspectors.
All elections shall be determined in accordance with Article II, Section 1, and except as otherwise required by law, these Bylaws, or the rules of any exchange upon which the Corporation’s securities are listed, all other matters shall be determined by a majority of the votes cast affirmatively or negatively.
Section 9. | Stock List. |
A complete list of stockholders entitled to vote at any meeting of stockholders, arranged in alphabetical order and showing the address of each such stockholder and the number of shares registered in his or her name, shall be prepared by the officer who has charge of the stock ledger at least 10 days before every meeting of stockholders and shall open to the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting, for a period of at least 10 days prior to the meeting in the manner provided by law. If the record
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date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote is less than 10 days before the meeting date, the list shall reflect the stockholders entitled to vote as of the 10th day before the meeting date. The stock list shall also be open to the examination of any stockholder during the whole time of the meeting as provided by law. The stock ledger shall be the only evidence as to who are the stockholders who are entitled to examine the list or to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of stockholders.
Section 10. | Consent of Stockholders in Lieu of Meeting. |
Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, any action required to be taken at any annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation, or any action which may be taken at any annual or special meeting of such stockholders, may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by the holders of outstanding stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted and shall be delivered to the Corporation by delivery to its registered office in Delaware, its principal place of business, or an officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of the book in which proceedings of meetings of stockholders are recorded. Delivery made to the Corporation’s registered office shall be made by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested.
Every written consent shall bear the date of signature of each stockholder who signs the consent and no written consent shall be effective to take the corporate action referred to therein unless, within 60 days of the date of the earliest dated consent delivered to the Corporation, a written consent or consents signed by a sufficient number of holders to take action are delivered to the Corporation in the manner prescribed in the preceding paragraph.
A telegram, cablegram or other electronic transmission consenting to an action to be taken and transmitted by a stockholder or proxyholder, or by a person or persons authorized to act for a stockholder or proxyholder, shall be deemed to be written, signed and dated for the purposes of this Section 10 to the extent permitted by law. Any such consent shall be delivered in accordance with Section 228(d)(1) of the Delaware General Corporation Law.
Any copy, facsimile or other reliable reproduction of a consent in writing may be substituted or used in lieu of the original writing for any and all purposes for which the original writing could be used, provided that such copy, facsimile or other reproduction shall be a complete reproduction of the entire original writing.
Prompt notice of the taking of the corporate action without a meeting by less than unanimous written consent shall be given to those stockholders who have not consented in writing and who, if the action had been taken at a meeting, would have been entitled to notice of the meeting if the record date for such meeting had been the date that written consents signed by a sufficient number of holders to take the action were delivered to the Corporation in the manner prescribed in the first paragraph of this Section 10.
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ARTICLE II -BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 1. | Number, Election and Term of Directors. |
The Board of Directors shall consist of one (1) or more members. Except as required by law, and subject to the rights of the holders of any series of preferred stock to elect directors under specified circumstances, the number of directors shall be fixed and may be changed from time to time exclusively by the Board of Directors. A nominee for director shall be elected to the Board of Directors if the votes cast for such nominee’s election exceed the votes cast against such nominee’s election; provided, however, that directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast at any meeting of stockholders for which (i) the Secretary of the Corporation receives a notice that a stockholder has nominated a person for election to the Board of Directors in compliance with the advance notice requirements for stockholder nominees for director set forth in Article I, Section 2(3) of these Bylaws and (ii) such nomination has not been withdrawn by such stockholder on or prior to the tenth day preceding the date the Corporation first mails its notice of meeting for such meeting to the stockholders. If directors are to be elected by a plurality of the votes cast, stockholders shall not be permitted to vote against a nominee. Votes cast shall exclude abstentions with respect to a director’s election.
If a nominee fails to receive the required vote and is an incumbent director, the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee (or such other committee as the Board may appoint) shall make a recommendation to the Board as to whether to accept or reject the resignation tendered by such nominee in accordance with the Board of Director’s policy, as stated in the Corporations’ Corporate Governance Guidelines, or whether other action should be taken. The Board shall act on the tendered resignation, taking into account the recommendation of such committee, and make a public announcement of its decision regarding the tendered resignation within ninety days from the date of the certification of the election results. The Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee (or such other committee as the Board may appoint) in making its recommendation, and the Board in making its decision, may each consider any factors or other information that it considers appropriate and relevant, including whether the acceptance of any resignation would cause the Corporation to fail to comply with any requirement of any national securities exchange on which the Corporation’s securities are listed or any rule or regulation promulgated under the Exchange Act. The Board expects the director whose resignation is under consideration to abstain from participating in any decision regarding that resignation. If such incumbent director’s resignation is not accepted by the Board, the director shall continue to serve until the next annual meeting and until his or her successor is duly elected, or his or her earlier resignation or removal. If a director’s resignation is accepted by the Board, then the Board, in its sole discretion, may fill any resulting vacancy or may decrease the size of the Board.
Each director so elected shall hold office until the next annual meeting and until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified, or until his or her earlier resignation or removal. Any director may resign at any time upon notice given in writing or by electronic transmission to the Corporation. Directors need not be stockholders.
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Section 2. | Chairperson of the Board. |
The Board of Directors shall elect a Chairperson of the Board from the members of the Board of Directors; provided however, that neither the current Chief Executive Officer nor any other current employee of the Corporation may be elected as Chairperson of the Board of Directors. The Chairperson of the Board shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors and stockholders at which he or she shall be present and shall have and may exercise such powers as may, from time to time, be assigned to him or her by the Board of Directors, these Bylaws or as may be provided by law.
Section 3. | Vice Chairperson of the Board. |
The Board of Directors may elect a Vice Chairperson of the Board from the members of the Board of Directors who shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors and stockholders at which he or she shall be present and the Chairperson of the Board is not present and shall have and may exercise such powers as may, from time to time, be assigned to him or her by the Board of Directors, these Bylaws or as may be provided by law.
Section 4. | Newly Created Directorships and Vacancies. |
Except as required by law, and subject to the rights of the holders of any series of preferred stock then outstanding with respect to such series of preferred stock, and unless the Board of Directors otherwise determines, newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors or any vacancies on the Board of Directors resulting from death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal from office or other cause shall be filled only by a majority vote of the directors then in office, though less than a quorum (and not by stockholders), and directors so chosen shall hold office for a term expiring at the next annual meeting of stockholders and until such director’s successor shall have been duly elected and qualified. No decrease in the number of authorized directors constituting the entire Board of Directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent director.
Section 5. | Regular Meetings. |
A regular meeting of the Board of Directors shall be held without other notice than this bylaw, immediately following and at the same place as the annual meeting of stockholders, unless otherwise provided by the Board of Directors. Additional regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held at such place or places, on such date or dates, and at such time or times as shall have been established by the Board of Directors and publicized among all directors. A notice of each regular meeting shall not be required.
Section 6. | Special Meetings. |
Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the Chairperson of the Board, by the Vice Chairperson of the Board, by the Chief Executive Officer or by the President or by a majority of directors then in office and shall be held at such place, on such date, and at such time as they or he or she shall fix. Notice of the place, date, and time of each such special meeting shall be given to each director by whom it is not waived by mailing written notice not less than four (4) days before the meeting or by hand delivery to
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the recipient thereof or by recognized overnight delivery service or by telephone or by telegraphing or telexing or by facsimile transmission or by electronic transmission of the same not less than 24 hours before the meeting. Unless otherwise indicated in the notice thereof, any and all business may be transacted at a special meeting.
Section 7. | Quorum. |
At any meeting of the Board of Directors, a quorum for all purposes shall consist of the greater of (i) a majority of directors then in office or (ii) one-third (l/3) of the total number of directors including vacancies. If a quorum shall fail to attend any meeting, a majority of those present may adjourn the meeting to another place, date, or time, without further notice or waiver thereof.
Section 8. | Participation in Meetings By Conference Telephone. |
Members of the Board of Directors, or of any committee thereof, may participate in a meeting of such Board or committee by means of conference telephone or other 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.
Section 9. | Conduct of Business and Action by Written Consent. |
At any meeting of the Board of Directors, business shall be transacted in such order and manner as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine, and, except as otherwise required by law, all matters shall be determined by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors present at any meeting at which a quorum is present.
Any action required or permitted to be taken at a meeting of the Board of Directors, or any committee thereof, may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board of Directors, or committee thereof, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing, or by electronic transmission and the writing or writings or electronic transmission or transmissions are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board of Directors, or committee. Such filing shall be in paper form if the minutes are maintained in paper form and shall be in electronic form if the minutes are maintained in electronic form.
Section 10. | Compensation of Directors. |
Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation, the Board of Directors shall have the authority to fix the compensation of the directors. The directors may be paid their expenses, if any, of attendance at each meeting of the Board of Directors and may be paid a fixed sum for attendance at each meeting of the Board of Directors or paid a stated salary or paid other compensation as director. No such payment shall preclude any director from serving the Corporation in any other capacity and receiving compensation therefor. Members of special or standing committees may be allowed like compensation for attending committee meetings.
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ARTICLE III -COMMITTEES
Section 1. | Committees of the Board of Directors. |
The Board of Directors may from time to time designate committees of the Board of Directors, each committee to consist of one (1) or more of the directors of the Corporation, with such lawfully delegable powers and duties as it thereby confers, to serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors and shall, for those committees and any others provided for herein, elect a director or directors to serve as the member or members, designating if it desires, other directors as alternate members who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. In the absence or disqualification of any member of any committee and any alternate member in his or her place, the member or members of the committee present at the meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not such member or members constitute a quorum, may by unanimous vote appoint another member of the Board of Directors to act at the meeting in the place of the absent or disqualified member. Any such committee, to the extent provided in the resolution of the Board of Directors or in these Bylaws, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board of Directors in the management of the business and 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 the following matters: (i) approving or adopting, or recommending to the stockholders, any action or matter (other than the election or removal of directors) expressly required by the Delaware General Corporation Law to be submitted to stockholders for approval; or (ii) adopting, amending or repealing any bylaw of the Corporation.
Notice of the place, date, and time of each meeting of any committee shall be given in the same manner as provided in Section 6 of Article II for special meetings of the Board of Directors.
Section 2. | Conduct of Business. |
Each committee may determine the procedural rules for meeting and conducting its business and shall act in accordance therewith, except as otherwise provided herein or required by law. Adequate provision shall be made for notice to members of all meetings; one-third (1/3) of the members shall constitute a quorum unless the committee shall consist of one (1) or two (2) members, in which event one (1) member shall constitute a quorum; and all matters shall be determined by the affirmative vote of a majority of the members present at any meeting at which a quorum is present.
ARTICLE IV -OFFICERS
Section 1. | Generally. |
The officers of the Corporation shall be elected by the Board or in the manner determined by the Board. The officers of the Corporation elected directly by the Board of Directors (“Elected Officers”) may consist of a Chief Executive Officer, a President, one or more Executive Vice Presidents, a Chief Operating Officer, a Chief Financial Officer, a Treasurer, a Secretary, or a General Counsel. The Board of Directors may also elect directly such other officers as the Board of Directors determines and such other officers shall also be
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Elected Officers (unless the Board determines otherwise). The Elected Officers of the Corporation shall be chosen annually by the Board of Directors and each shall hold office until his or her successor is elected and qualified or until his or her earlier resignation or removal.
All other officers of the Corporation shall be appointed by the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation or in the manner determined by the Board (“Appointed Officers”) and shall hold such officer titles solely for purposes of identification and business convenience. Appointed Officers shall not be considered Elected Officers. Unless otherwise expressly provided by the Chief Executive Officer or the Board of Directors and except as required by law, Appointed Officers shall not be considered (i) officers for purposes of any federal securities laws and regulations, (ii) officers for purposes of Section 16 of the Exchange Act, or (iii) elected officers for purposes of applicable gaming laws and regulations. Appointed Officers shall have authority to obligate and bind the Corporation only with respect to the ordinary course of their business activities on behalf of the Corporation within the parameters of their authority as specified from time to time by the Board of Directors, or the Chief Executive Officer or his or her designee.
Any number of offices may be held by the same person unless the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws otherwise provide.
Section 2. | Chief Executive Officer. |
Subject to the supervision and control of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer shall be the principal executive officer of the Corporation and shall in general supervise and control all of the business and affairs of the Corporation. The Chief Executive Officer shall have the ultimate responsibility for the management and control of the business and affairs of the Corporation, subject to the supervision and control of the Board of Directors, and shall perform such other duties and have such other powers commonly incident to the office of Chief Executive Officer or which are delegated to him or her by the Board of Directors, these Bylaws or as may be provided by law. In the absence of the Chairperson of the Board and the Vice Chairperson of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and of the Board of Directors and shall see that orders and resolutions of the Board of Directors are carried into effect. The Chief Executive Officer may sign bonds, mortgages, certificates for shares and all other contracts and documents whether or not under the seal of the Corporation except in cases where the signing and execution thereof shall be expressly delegated by law, by the Board of Directors or by these Bylaws to some other officer or agent of the Corporation. The Chief Executive Officer shall have general powers of supervision and shall be the final arbiter of all differences between officers of the Corporation and his or her decision as to any matter affecting the Corporation shall be final and binding between the officers of the Corporation subject only to actions of the Board of Directors. The Chief Executive Officer may also delegate such of his or her duties to the President or such other officers as the Chief Executive Officer from time to time deems appropriate.
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Section 3. | President. |
In the absence of a Chief Executive Officer or in the event of the inability or refusal of any such Chief Executive Officer to act, the President shall perform the duties of the Chief Executive Officer, and when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the Chief Executive Officer. The President may sign bonds, mortgages, certificates for shares and other contracts and documents whether or not under the seal of the Corporation except in cases where the signing and execution thereof shall be expressly delegated by law, by the Board of Directors or by these Bylaws to some other officer or agent of the Corporation. The President shall also perform such other duties as the Chief Executive Officer or the Board of Directors may from time to time prescribe.
Section 4. | Chief Operating Officer. |
The Chief Operating Officer shall be an employee of this Corporation and shall serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors. The Chief Operating Officer shall be reportable to and act under the direction of the Chief Executive Officer and Board of Directors. The Chief Operating Officer shall supervise the daily operations and affairs of the Corporation under the direction of the Chief Executive Officer or such other persons as the Chief Executive Officer may appoint from time to time for that purpose and shall, within the limits specified in this Section, control all of this Corporation’s activities, supervise its employees and personnel, administer this Corporation’s operating policies, and make such daily operating decisions as are reasonably necessary for effective management. The Chief Operating Officer may sign bonds, mortgages and all other contracts and documents whether or not under the seal of the Corporation except in cases where the signing and execution thereof shall be expressly delegated by law, by the Board of Directors or by these Bylaws to some other officer or agent of the Corporation. The Chief Operating Officer shall make such reports to the Board of Directors and to the Chief Executive Officer as may be directed by those entities and shall make a detailed report to the Chief Executive Officer and to the Board of Directors on the results of operations and on the financial affairs of this Corporation no less frequently than monthly.
Section 5. | Executive Vice Presidents. |
In the absence of the Chief Executive Officer and the President or in the event of their inability or refusal to act, the Executive Vice President who has the longest service as an Executive Vice President shall perform the duties of the Chief Executive Officer and the President, and when so acting, shall have all the power of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the Chief Executive Officer and the President. Each Executive Vice President may sign bonds, mortgages, certificates for shares and other contracts and documents whether or not under the seal of the Corporation except in cases where the signing and execution thereof shall be expressly delegated by law, by the Board of Directors or by these Bylaws to some other officer or agent of the Corporation. Each of the Executive Vice Presidents, if one or more shall be elected, shall have such other powers and shall perform such other duties as may be delegated to him or her by the Board of Directors or by the Chief Executive Officer.
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Section 6. | Treasurer. |
The Treasurer shall have the custody of the corporate funds and securities and shall keep full and accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the Corporation and shall deposit all moneys and other valuable effects in the name and to the credit of the Corporation. The Treasurer may sign bonds, mortgages, certificates for shares and other contracts and documents whether or not under the seal of the Corporation except in cases where the signing and execution thereof shall be expressly delegated by law, by the Board of Directors or by these Bylaws to some other officer or agent of the Corporation.
Section 7. | Secretary. |
The Secretary (or Assistant Secretary if appropriately delegated) shall attend all meetings of the Board of Directors and all meetings of the stockholders and record all the proceedings of the meetings of the stockholders and of the Board of Directors in a book for that purpose and shall perform like duties for the standing committees when required. The Secretary shall give, or cause to be given, notice of all meetings of the stockholders and special meetings of the Board of Directors, and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer. The Secretary shall have custody of the corporate seal of the Corporation, and he or she, or an Assistant Secretary, shall have authority to affix the same to any instrument requiring it and when so affixed, it may be attested by his or her signature or such Assistant Secretary. The Chief Executive Officer or the Board of Directors may give general authority to any other officer to affix the seal of the Corporation and to attest the affixing by his or her signature.
Section 8. | Delegation of Authority. |
The Board of Directors may from time to time delegate the powers or duties of any officer to any other officers or agents, notwithstanding any provision hereof.
Section 9. | Removal. |
Any Elected Officer of the Corporation may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by the Board of Directors, and any Appointed Officer may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer, or in the manner determined by the Board of Directors.
Section 10. | Resignations. |
Any officer of the Corporation may resign at any time by giving notice in writing or by electronic transmission of his or her resignation to the Board or the Chief Executive Officer or the Secretary. Any such resignation shall take effect at the time specified therein, or if the time when it shall become effective shall not be specified therein, then it shall take effect immediately upon its receipt by the Board or the Chief Executive Officer or Secretary; and unless otherwise specified therein, the acceptance of such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.
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Section 11. | Action with Respect to Securities of Other Corporations. |
Unless otherwise directed by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, the President or any officer of the Corporation authorized by the Chief Executive Officer or the President shall have power to vote and otherwise act on behalf of the Corporation, in person or by proxy, at any meeting of stockholders of or with respect to any action of stockholders of any other entity in which this Corporation may hold securities and otherwise to exercise any and all rights and powers which this Corporation may possess by reason of its ownership of securities in such other entity.
ARTICLE V -STOCK
Section 1. | Certificates of Stock. |
The shares of stock 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 the Corporation’s stock shall 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 represented by certificates shall be entitled to a certificate signed by, or in the name of the Corporation by, the Chairperson of the Board, the Vice Chairperson of the Board, President or a Vice President, and by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, or the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer, certifying the number of shares owned by him or her. Any or all of the signatures on the certificate may be by 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 such person were an officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue.
Section 2. | Transfers of Stock. |
Transfers of stock shall be made only upon the transfer books of the Corporation kept at an office of the Corporation or by transfer agents designated to transfer shares of stock of the Corporation. Except where a certificate is issued in accordance with Section 4 of this Article V, an outstanding certificate for the number of shares involved, if one has been issued, shall be surrendered for cancellation before a new certificate, if any, is issued therefor.
Section 3. | Record Date. |
(1) In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, or to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights or 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, except as otherwise required by law, fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date on which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors and which record date shall not be more than 60 nor less than 10 days before the date of such meeting of stockholders, nor
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more than 60 days prior to the time for such other action as hereinbefore described. If the Board of Directors so fixes a record date, such date shall also be the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting unless the Board of Directors determines, at the time it fixes such record date, that a later date on or before the date of the meeting shall be the date for making such determination. If no record date is fixed by the Board of Directors, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of and 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, and, for determining stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of rights or to exercise any rights of change, conversion or exchange of stock or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the record date 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 determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting, and in such case shall also fix as the record date for stockholders entitled to notice of such adjourned meeting the same or an earlier date as that fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to vote in accordance with the foregoing provisions of this Section 3 at the adjourned meeting.
(2) In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting (including by telegram, or other electronic transmission as permitted by law), the Board of Directors may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors, and which date shall not be more than 10 days after the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors. Any Record Stockholder seeking to have the stockholders authorize or take corporate action by written consent shall, by written notice to the Secretary, request the Board of Directors to fix a record date. The Board of Directors shall promptly, but in all events within 10 days after the date on which such a request is received, adopt a resolution fixing the record date (unless a record date has previously been fixed by the Board of Directors pursuant to the first sentence of this Section 3(2)). If no record date has been fixed by the Board of Directors within 10 days of the date on which such a request is received, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, when no prior action by the Board of Directors is required by applicable law, shall be the first date on which a signed written consent setting forth the action taken or proposed to be taken is delivered to the Corporation in the manner prescribed by law. If no record date has been fixed by the Board of Directors and prior action by the Board of Directors is required by applicable law, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting shall be at the close of business on the date on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution taking such prior action.
Section 4. | Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Certificates. |
In the event of the loss, theft or destruction of any certificate of stock, a new certificate of stock or uncertificated shares may be issued in its place pursuant to such
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regulations as the Board of Directors may establish concerning proof of such loss, theft or destruction and concerning the giving of a satisfactory bond or bonds of indemnity.
Section 5. | Regulations. |
The issue, transfer, conversion and registration of certificates of stock or uncertificated shares shall be governed by such other regulations as the Board of Directors may establish.
ARTICLE VI -NOTICES
Section 1. | Notices. |
If mailed, notice to stockholders shall be deemed given when deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, directed to the stockholder at such stockholder’s address as it appears on the records of the Corporation. Without limiting the manner by which notice otherwise may be given, any notice to any stockholders may be given by electronic transmission in the manner provided in Section 232 of the Delaware General Corporation Law.
Section 2. | Waivers. |
Whenever notice is required to be given by law or these Bylaws, a written waiver of any notice, signed by a stockholder or director or a waiver by electronic transmission by the stockholder or director entitled to notice, whether given before or after the time of the event for which notice is to be given, shall be deemed equivalent to the notice required to be given to such stockholder or director. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any meeting need be specified in such a waiver. Attendance at any meeting shall constitute waiver of notice except where the person attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened.
ARTICLE VII -MISCELLANEOUS
Section 1. | Facsimile Signatures. |
In addition to the provisions for use of facsimile signatures elsewhere specifically authorized in these Bylaws, facsimile signatures of any officer or officers of the Corporation may be used whenever and as authorized by the Board of Directors or a committee thereof.
Section 2. | Corporate Seal. |
The Board of Directors may provide a suitable seal, containing the name of the Corporation, which seal shall be in the charge of the Secretary. If and when so directed by the Board of Directors or a committee thereof, duplicates of the seal may be kept and used by the Treasurer or by an Assistant Secretary or Assistant Treasurer.
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Section 3. | Reliance upon Books, Reports and Records. |
Each director, each member of any committee designated by the Board of Directors, and each officer of the Corporation shall, in the performance of his or her duties, be fully protected in relying in good faith upon the books of account or other records of the Corporation and upon such information, opinions, reports or statements presented to the Corporation by any of its officers or employees, or committees of the Board of Directors so designated, or by any other person as to matters which such director, committee member, or officer reasonably believes are within such other person’s professional or expert competence and who has been selected with reasonable care by or on behalf of the Corporation.
Section 4. | Fiscal Year. |
The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be as fixed by the Board of Directors.
Section 5. | Time Periods. |
In applying any provision of these Bylaws which requires that an act be done or not be done a specified number of days prior to an event or that an act be done during a period of a specified number of days prior to an event, calendar days shall be used, the day of the doing of the act shall be excluded, and the day of the event shall be included.
ARTICLE VIII -INDEMNIFICATION
Section 1. | Right to Indemnification. |
Each person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is otherwise involved in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (hereinafter a “proceeding”), by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director or an officer of the Corporation or such director or officer of the Corporation is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, manager, employee, agent or trustee of another corporation or of a partnership, limited liability company joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to an employee benefit plan (hereinafter an “indemnitee”), whether the basis of such proceeding is an alleged action in an official capacity as a director, officer, manager, employee, agent, trustee or in any other capacity while serving as a director, officer, manager, employee, agent or trustee shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Corporation to the fullest extent authorized by the Delaware General Corporation Law, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended (but, in the case of any such amendment, only to the extent that such amendment permits the Corporation to provide broader indemnification rights than such law permitted the Corporation to provide prior to such amendment), against all expense, liability and loss (including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties and amounts paid in settlement) reasonably incurred or suffered by such indemnitee in connection therewith; provided, however, that, except as provided in Section 3 of this Article VIII with respect to proceedings to enforce rights to indemnification, the Corporation shall indemnify any such indemnitee in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such indemnitee only if such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the Board of Directors of the Corporation.
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Section 2. | Right to Advancement of Expenses. |
In addition to the right to indemnification conferred in Section 1 of this Article VIII, an indemnitee shall also have the right to be paid by the Corporation the expenses (including attorney’s fees) incurred in defending any such proceeding in advance of its final disposition (hereinafter an “advancement of expenses”); provided, however, that, if the Delaware General Corporation Law requires, an advancement of expenses incurred by an indemnitee in his or her capacity as a director or officer (and not in any other capacity in which service was or is rendered by such indemnitee, including, without limitation, service to an employee benefit plan) shall be made only upon delivery to the Corporation of an undertaking (hereinafter an “undertaking”), by or on behalf of such indemnitee, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined by final judicial decision from which there is no further right to appeal (hereinafter a “final adjudication”) that such indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified for such expenses under this Section 2 or otherwise.
Section 3. | Right of Indemnitee to Bring Suit. |
If a claim under Section 1 or 2 of this Article VIII is not paid in full by the Corporation within 60 days after a written claim has been received by the Corporation, except in the case of a claim for an advancement of expenses, in which case the applicable period shall be 20 days, the indemnitee may at any time thereafter bring suit against the Corporation to recover the unpaid amount of the claim. To the fullest extent permitted by law, if successful in whole or in part in any such suit, or in a suit brought by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the indemnitee shall also be entitled to be paid the expense of prosecuting or defending such suit. In (i) any suit brought by the indemnitee to enforce a right to indemnification hereunder (but not in a suit brought by the indemnitee to enforce a right to an advancement of expenses) it shall be a defense that, and (ii) in any suit brought by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the Corporation shall be entitled to recover such expenses upon a final adjudication that, the indemnitee has not met any applicable standard for indemnification set forth in the Delaware General Corporation Law. Neither the failure of the Corporation (including its directors who are not parties to such action, a committee of such directors, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such suit that indemnification of the indemnitee is proper in the circumstances because the indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the Delaware General Corporation Law, nor an actual determination by the Corporation (including its directors who are not parties to such action, a committee of such directors, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) that the indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall create a presumption that the indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct or, in the case of such a suit brought by the indemnitee, be a defense to such suit. In any suit brought by the indemnitee to enforce a right to indemnification or to an advancement of expenses hereunder, or brought by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the burden of proving that the indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified, or to such advancement of expenses, under this Article VIII or otherwise shall be on the Corporation.
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Section 4. | Non-Exclusivity of Rights. |
The rights to indemnification and to the advancement of expenses conferred in this Article VIII shall not be exclusive of any other right which any person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, the Corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws, any agreement, or by vote of the Corporation’s stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.
Section 5. | Insurance. |
The Corporation may maintain insurance, at its expense, to protect itself and any director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation or another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any expense, liability or loss, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such expense, liability or loss under the Delaware General Corporation Law.
Section 6. | Indemnification of Persons other than Officers or Directors of the Corporation. |
The Corporation may, to the extent authorized from time to time by the Board of Directors, grant rights to indemnification and to the advancement of expenses to any employee or agent of the Corporation or any person (other than a person who is entitled to indemnification under Section 1 of this Article VIII) who was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, manager, employee, agent or trustee of another corporation or of a partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to an employee benefit plan, to the fullest extent of the provisions of this Article VIII with respect to the indemnification and advancement of expenses of directors and officers of the Corporation.
Section 7. | Nature of Rights. |
The rights conferred upon indemnitees in this Article VIII shall be contract rights and such rights shall continue as to an indemnitee who has ceased to be a director, officer, manager, employee, agent or trustee and shall inure to the benefit of the indemnitee’s heirs, executors and administrators. Any amendment, alteration or repeal of this Article VIII that adversely affects any right of an indemnitee or its successors shall be prospective only and shall not limit or eliminate any such right with respect to any proceeding involving any occurrence or alleged occurrence of any action or omission to act that took place prior to such amendment or repeal.
ARTICLE IX -AMENDMENTS
In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by law, the Board of Directors is expressly authorized to adopt, amend and repeal these Bylaws. Notwithstanding any other provision of these Bylaws or any provision of law which might otherwise permit a lesser vote or no vote, but in addition to any affirmative vote of the holders of any particular class or series of the capital stock of the Corporation required by law or these Bylaws, these Bylaws may also be amended, repealed or adopted by the affirmative vote of the holders of a
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majority of the voting power of the capital stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class.
ARTICLE X -FORUM SELECTION
Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, to the fullest extent permitted by law, all Internal Corporate Claims shall be brought solely and exclusively in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, if such court does not have jurisdiction, the Superior Court of the State of Delaware, or, if such other court does not have jurisdiction, the United States District Court for the District of Delaware). “Internal Corporate Claims” means claims, including claims in the right of the Corporation, brought by a current or former stockholder (including a beneficial owner) (i) that are based upon a violation of a duty by a current or former director or officer or stockholder in such capacity or (ii) as to which the DGCL confers jurisdiction upon the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware.
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