AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS
OF
CAMELOT CARE CENTERS, INC.
Camelot Care Centers, Inc. (the "Corporation") shall be a for profit Illinois corporation and shall qualify to do business in all states in which it is required to do so.
ARTICLE I - SHAREHOLDERS
Section 1. Annual Meeting.
An annual meeting of the shareholders, 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, which date shall be within thirteen (13) months of the last annual meeting of shareholders or, if no such meeting has been held, the date of incorporation.
Section 2. Special Meetings.
Special meetings of the shareholders, for any purpose or purposes prescribed in the notice of the meeting, may be called by the Board of Directors, the President, or holders of not less than one-fifth (1/5th) of the outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation, and shall be held at such place, on such date· and at such time as they. or he or she shall fix.
Section 3. Notice of Meetings.
Written notice of the place, date and time (and, in the case of special meetings, the purpose. or purposes) of all meetings of the shareholders shall be given not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days (or, in the case of merger or consolidation, not less than twenty (20) nor more than sixty (60) days) before the date on which the meeting is to be held to each shareholder entitled to vote at such meeting, except as otherwise provided herein or required by law (meaning, here and hereinafter, as required from time to time by the Illinois Business Corporation Act of 1983, as amended (the ''Act") or the Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation).
When a meeting is adjourned to another place, date or time, written notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting if the place, date and time thereof are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken; provided, however,
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that if the date of any adjourned meeting is more than thirty (30) days after the date for which the meeting was originally noticed, or if a new record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, written notice of the place, date and time of the adjourned meeting shall be given in conformity herewith. At any adjourned meeting, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the original meeting.
Section 4. Quorum.
At any meeting of the shareholders, the holders of a majority 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 is required by law. Where a separate vote by a class or classes is required, a majority of the shares of such class or classes present in person or represented by proxy shall constitute a quorum entitled to take action with respect to that vote on that matter.
If a quorum shall fail to attend any meeting, the chairman of the meeting or the holders of a majority of the shares of stock entitled to vote who are present, in person or by proxy, may adjourn the meeting to another place, date or time.
Section 5. Organization.
Such person as the Board of Directors may have designated or, in the absence of such a person, the President of the Corporation or, in his or her absence, such person as may be chosen by the holders of a majority of the shares entitled to vote who are present in person or by proxy, shall call to order any meeting of the shareholders and act as chairman of the meeting. In the absence of the Secretary of the Corporation, the secretary of the meeting shall be such person as the chairman appoints.
Section 6. Conduct of Business.
The chairman of any meeting of the shareholders shall determine the order of business and the procedure at the meeting, including such regulation of the manner of voting and the conduct of discussion as seem to him or her in order. The date and time of the opening and closing of the polls for each matter upon which the shareholders will vote at the meeting shall be announced at the meeting.
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Section 7. Proxies and Voting.
At any meeting of the shareholders, every shareholder 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. Any copy, facsimile telecommunication or other reliable reproduction of the writing or transmission created pursuant to this paragraph may be substituted or used in lieu of the original writing for 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.
All voting, including on the election of directors but excepting where otherwise required by law, may be by a voice vote; provided, however, that, upon demand therefor by a shareholder' entitled to vote or by his or her proxy, a stock vote shall be taken. Every stock vote shall be taken by ballots, each of which shall state the name of the shareholder or proxy voting and such other information as may be required under the procedure established for the meeting. The Corporation may, and to the extent required by law, shall, in advance of any meeting of the shareholders, appoint one or more inspectors to act at the meeting and to 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 shareholders, 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 an inspector or inspectors appointed by the chairman of the meeting. The inspector or inspectors appointed shall ascertain and report the number of shares represented at the meeting based upon their determination of the validity and effect of proxies, count all votes and report the results. Each report of the inspector or inspectors shall be in writing and signed by at least a majority of the inspectors for such meeting. The report of the inspector or inspectors on the number of shares represented at the meeting and the results of the voting shall be prima facie evidence thereof.
All elections shall be determined by a plurality of the votes cast and, except as otherwise required by law, all other matters shall be determined by a majority of the votes cast affirmatively or negatively.
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Section 8. Stock List.
A complete list of shareholders entitled to vote at any meeting of the shareholders, arranged in alphabetical order for each class of stock and showing the address of each such shareholder and the number of shares registered in his or her name, shall be open to the examination of any such shareholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting, during ordinary business hours for a period of at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting, either at a place within the city where the meeting is to be held, which place shall be specified in the notice of the meeting, or, if not so specified, at the place where the meeting is to be held.
The stock list shall also be kept at the place of the meeting during the whole time thereof and shall be open to the examination of any such shareholder who is present. This list shall presumptively determine the identity of the shareholders entitled to vote at the meeting and the number of shares held by each of them.
Section 9. Consent of Shareholders in Lieu of Meeting.
Any action required to be taken at any annual or special meeting of the shareholders of the Corporation, or any action which may be taken at any annual or special meeting of the shareholders, 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 (a) 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 voting, or (b) by all of the shareholders entitled to vote with respect to the subject matter thereof. If such consent is signed by less than all of the shareholders entitled to vote, then such consent shall become effective only if at least five (5) days prior to the execution of the consent a notice in writing is delivered to all the shareholders entitled to vote with respect to the subject matter thereof and, after the effective date of the consent, prompt notice of the action taken without a meeting by less than unanimous written consent shall be delivered in writing to those shareholders who have not consented in writing. Such written consent or consents shall be delivered to the Corporation by delivery to its registered office in Illinois, its principal place of business, or an officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of the book in which proceedings of meetings of shareholders 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 the signature of each shareholder who signs the consent and no written consent shall be effective to take the corporate
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action referred to therein unless, within sixty (60) days after 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 first paragraph of this Section.
Section 10. No Cumulative Voting.
As provided in the Articles of Incorporation, no shareholder shall have cumulative voting rights with respect to any matter upon which shareholders are entitled to vote.
ARTICLE II - BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 1. Number and Term of Office.
The Board shall be constituted of a number of directors which number shall be designated by the Board of Directors from time to time, provided, however, that the number of directors shall be no fewer than three (3) and no more than seven (7). Each director shall be elected for a term of one year and until his or her successor is elected and qualified, except as otherwise provided herein or required by law.
In the event that the authorized number of directors is increased between annual meetings of the shareholders, a majority of the directors then in office shall have the power to elect a director or directors to serve for the balance of the term and until a successor is elected and qualified. Any decrease in the authorized number of directors shall not become effective until the expiration of the term of the directors then in office unless, at the time of such decrease, there shall be vacancies on the board which are being eliminated by the decrease.
Section 2. Vacancies.
If the office of any director becomes vacant by reason of death, resignation, disqualification, removal or other cause, a majority of the directors remaining in office, although less than a quorum, may elect a successor for the unexpired term and until his or her successor is elected and qualified.
Section 3. Regular Meetings.
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 be established by the
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Board of Directors and publicized among all directors. A notice of each regular meeting shall not be required.
Section 4. Special Meetings.
Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by one-third (1/3) of the directors then in office (rounded up to the nearest whole number) or by the President, 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 five (5) days before the meeting or by telegraphing or telexing or facsimile transmission of the same not less than twenty-four (24) hours before the meeting. Unless otherwise indicated in the notice thereof, any and all business may be transacted at a special meeting.
Section 5. Quorum.
At any meeting of the Board of Directors, a majority of the total number of the whole Board shall constitute a quorum for all purposes. 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 6. 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 similar communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other and such participation shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.
Section 7. Conduct of Business.
At any meeting of the Board of Directors, business shall be transacted in such order and manner as the Board may from time to time determine, and all matters shall be determined by the vote of a majority of the directors present, except as otherwise provided herein or required by law. Action may be taken by the Board of Directors without a meeting if all members thereof who are entitled to vote on the subject matter of such action consent thereto in writing, and the writing or writings are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board of Directors.
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Section 8. Powers.
The Board of Directors shall have overall responsibility for the Corporation's operation and may, except as otherwise required by law, exercise all such powers and do all such acts and things as may be exercised or done by the Corporation to provide a high level of quality care, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the unqualified power:
(1) To declare dividends from time to time in accordance with law;
(2) To purchase or otherwise acquire any property, rights or privileges on such terms as it shall determine;
(3) To authorize the creation, making and issuance, in such form as it may determine, of written obligations of every kind, negotiable or non-negotiable, secured or unsecured, and to do all things necessary in connection therewith;
(4) To remove any officer of the Corporation with or without cause, and from time to time to devolve the powers and duties of any officer upon any other person for the time being;
(5) To confer upon any officer of the Corporation the power to appoint, remove and suspend subordinate officers, employees and agents;
(6) To adopt from time to time such stock, option, stock purchase, bonus or other compensation plans for directors, officers, employees and agents of the Corporation and its subsidiaries as it may determine;
(7) To adopt from time to time such insurance, retirement and other benefit plans for directors, officers, employees and agents of the Corporation and its subsidiaries as it may determine; and
(8) To adopt from time to time regulations, not inconsistent with these Bylaws, for the management of the Corporation's business and affairs.
Section 9. Compensation of Directors.
Directors, in their capacity as such, may receive, pursuant to resolution of the Board of Directors, fixed fees and other compensation for their services as directors, including, without limitation, compensation for their services as members
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of committees of the Board of Directors and reimbursement for reasonable expenses incurred in the course of their duties as directors.
Section 10. Removal of Directors.
Subject to applicable law, a director may be removed, with or without cause, at a meeting of the shareholders by affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of outstanding shares then entitled to vote at an election of directors (provided that the notice for such meeting must state that a purpose of the meeting is to vote upon the removal of one or more directors who shall be named in the notice).
ARTICLE III - COMMITTEES
Section 1. Committees of the Board of Directors.
The Board of Directors, by a vote of a majority of the whole Board, may from time to time designate committees of the Board, with such lawfully delegable powers and duties as the Board shall confer and, for each committee so designated and for any other committee provided for herein, the Board shall elect two (2) or more directors to serve as its members, and shall designate, if it so desires, other directors as alternate members who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. The members of each committee shall serve at the pleasure of' the Board. 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 he or she or they 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.
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; a majority of the members shall constitute a quorum unless the committee shall consist of two (2) members, in which event two (2) members shall constitute a quorum; and all matters shall be determined by a majority vote of the members present. Action may be taken by any committee without a meeting if all members thereof who are entitled to vote on the subject matter of the action consent thereto in writing, and the writing or writings are filed with the minutes of the proceedings of such committee.
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ARTICLE IV - OFFICERS
Section 1. Generally.
The officers of the Corporation shall consist of a President, one or more Vice Presidents, a Secretary, a Treasurer and such other officers as may from time to time be appointed by the Board of Directors. Officers shall be elected by the Board of Directors at its first meeting after every annual meeting of shareholders. Each officer shall hold office until his or her successor is elected and qualified or until his or her earlier resignation or removal. Any number of offices may be held by the same person.
Section 2. President.
The President shall be the chief executive officer of the Corporation. Subject to the provisions of these Bylaws and to the direction of the Board of Directors, he or she shall have the responsibility for the general management and control of the business and affairs of the Corporation and shall perform all duties and have all powers which are commonly incident to the office of chief executive or which are delegated to him or her by the Board of Directors He or she shall have power to sign all stock certificates, contracts and other instruments of the Corporation which are authorized and shall have general supervision and direction of all of the other officers, employees and agents of the Corporation.
Section 3. Vice President.
Each Vice President shall have such powers and duties as may be delegated to him or her by the Board of Directors. One (1) Vice President shall be designated by the Board to perform the duties and exercise the powers of the President in the event of the President's absence or disability.
Section 4. Treasurer.
The Treasurer shall have the responsibility for maintaining the financial records of the Corporation. He or she shall make such disbursements of the funds of the Corporation as are authorized and shall render from time to time an account of all such transactions and of the financial condition of the Corporation. The Treasurer shall also perform such other duties as the Board of Directors may from time to time prescribe.
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Section 5. Secretary.
The Secretary shall issue all authorized notices for, and shall keep minutes of, all meetings of the shareholders and the Board of Directors. He or she shall have charge of the corporate books and shall perform such other duties as the Board of Directors may from time to time prescribe.
Section 6. 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 7. Removal.
Any officer of the Corporation may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by the Board of Directors.
Section 8. Action with Respect to Securities of Other Corporations.
Unless otherwise directed by the Board of Directors, the President, or any officer of the Corporation authorized by the President, shall have the power to vote and otherwise act on behalf of the Corporation, in person or by proxy, at any meeting of the shareholders of, or with respect to any action of the shareholders of any other corporation 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 corporation.
ARTICLE V - STOCK
Section 1. Certificates of Stock.
Each shareholder shall be entitled to a certificate signed by, or in the name of the Corporation by, the 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. Each certificate representing shares of Class B non-voting common stock shall bear a legend on its front or back which describes the voting restrictions applicable to such shares.
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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 the stock of the Corporation. Except where a certificate is issued in accordance with Section 4 of Article V of these Bylaws, an outstanding certificate for the number of shares involved shall be surrendered for cancellation before a new certificate is issued therefor.
Section 3. Record Date.
In order that the Corporation may determine the shareholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of the shareholders, 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 fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date on which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted and which record date shall not be more than sixty (60) nor less than ten (10) (or in the case of a merger or consolidation, not less than twenty (20)) days before the date of any meeting of the shareholders, nor more than sixty (60) days prior to the time for such other action as herein before described; provided, however, that if no record date has been set for the purpose of determining the shareholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of the shareholders, such record date shall be as of the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given or, if notice is waived, as of the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held; and if no record date has been set for the purpose of determining the shareholders 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 any other purpose, such record date shall be as of the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts a resolution relating thereto.
A determination of the shareholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of the shareholders 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.
In order that the Corporation may determine the shareholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, the Board of Directors may fix a record date, which shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors, and which record date
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shall not be more than ten (10) days after the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted. If no record date has been fixed by the Board of Directors and no prior action by the Board of Directors is required by the Act, the record date 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 Article I, Section 9 hereof. If no record date has been fixed by the Board of Directors and prior action by the Board of Directors is required by the Act with respect to the proposed action by written consent of the shareholders, the record date for determining shareholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing shall be as of the close of business on the day 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, another may be issued in its place pursuant to such 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 shall be governed by such other regulations as the Board of Directors may establish.
ARTICLE VI - NOTICES
Section 1. Notices.
Except as otherwise specifically provided herein or required by law, all notices required to be given to any shareholder, director, officer, employee or agent shall be in writing and may in every instance be effectively given by hand delivery to the recipient thereof, or by depositing such notice in the mails, postage paid. Any such notice shall be addressed to such shareholder, director, office, employee or agent at his or her last known address as the same appears on the books of the Corporation. The time when such notice is received, if hand delivered, or dispatched, if delivered through the mails or by telegram or mailgram, shall be the time of the giving of the notice.
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Section 2. Waivers.
A written waiver of any notice, signed by a shareholder, director, officer, employee or agent, whether 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 shareholder, director, officer, employee or agent. Neither the business nor the purpose of any meeting need be specified in such a waiver.
ARTICLE VII - MISCELLANEOUS
Section l. 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.
Section 3. Reliance upon Books, Reports and Records.
To the extent permitted by applicable law, 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 or committee member 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.
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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 OF OFFICERS,
DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES AND AGENTS
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 threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (hereinafter a "proceeding") (other, than an action by or in the right of the Corporation), by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, 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 alleged action in an official capacity as a director, officer, employee or agent or in any other capacity while serving as a director, officer, employee or agent, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Corporation to the fullest extent authorized by the Act, 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) actually and reasonably incurred or suffered by such indemnitee in connection therewith if such person acted in good faith and in a manner he or she 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 or her conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order settlement, conviction or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, by itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in
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good faith and in a manner which he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation or, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, that the person had reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful; provided, however, that, except as provided in Section 2 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.
Each person who was or is a party, or is threatened to be made a party to any proceeding by or 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 director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Corporation to the fullest extent authorized by the Act, 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) actually and reasonably incurred or suffered by such indemnitee in connection therewith if such person acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, provided that no indemnification shall be made with respect to any claim, issue or matter as to which such person has been adjudged to have been liable to the Corporation, unless and only to the extent that the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application 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 as the court shall deem proper.
To the extent that a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation has been successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in the two preceding paragraphs of this Section, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, such person shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys, fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection therewith.
Any indemnification under the first two paragraphs of this Section (unless ordered by a court) shall be made by the Corporation only as authorized in the specific case, upon a determination that indemnification of the director, officer,
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employee or agent is proper in the circumstances because he or she has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in such two paragraphs. Such determination shall be made (1) by the board of directors by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of directors who were not parties to such action, suit or proceeding, or (2) if such a quorum is not obtainable, or, even if obtainable, if a quorum of disinterested directors so directs, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, or (3) by the shareholders.
Expenses incurred in defending a civil or criminal action, suit or proceeding shall be paid by the Corporation in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the director, officer, employee or agent to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that he or she is not entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation as authorized in this Section.
If the Corporation has paid indemnity or has advanced expenses to a director, officer, employee or agent, the Corporation shall report the indemnification or advance in writing to the shareholders with or before the notice of the next shareholders meeting.
For purposes of this Section, references to "the Corporation'' shall include, in addition to the surviving corporation, any merging corporation (including any corporation having merged with a merging corporation) absorbed in a merger involving the Corporation which, if its separate existence had continued, would have had the power and authority to indemnify its directors, officers, employees or agents, so that any person who was a director, officer, employee or agent of such merging corporation, or was serving at the request of such merging corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture trust or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position under the provisions of this Section with respect to the surviving corporation as such person would have with respect to such merging corporation if its separate existence had continued.
For purposes of this Section, references to "other enterprises'' shall include employee benefit plans; references to "fines" shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to an employee benefit plan; and references to "serving at the request of the Corporation" shall include any service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation upon which the Corporation imposes duties, or any service by such director, officer, employee or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan or its participants or beneficiaries. A person who acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in the best interests
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of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner "not opposed to the best interest of the Corporation" as referred to in this Section.
The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by or granted under this Section shall, unless otherwise provided when authorized or ratified, continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of that person.
Section 2. Right of Indemnitee to Bring Suit.
If a claim under Section 1 of this ARTICLE VIII is not paid in full by the Corporation within sixty (60) days, or in the case of an advancement of expenses within twenty (20) days, after a written claim has been received by the Corporation, the indemnitee may at any time thereafter bring suit against the Corporation to recover the unpaid amount of the claim. If an indemnitee is 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, such indemnitee shall also be entitled to reimbursement for the expenses 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 Act. Neither the failure of the Corporation (including its Board of Directors, independent legal counsel or shareholders) 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 Act, nor an actual determination by the Corporation (including its Board of Directors, independent legal counsel or shareholders) 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 3. Non-Exclusivity of Rights.
The rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses conferred in this ARTICLE VIII shall not be exclusive of any other rights which any person seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses may have or may hereafter acquire under the corporation's Articles of Incorporation or these Bylaws, or any statute, agreement, vote of shareholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action taken in his or her official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office.
Section 4. Insurance.
The Corporation shall purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or who is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against any liability asserted against such person and incurred by such person in any such capacity, or arising out of his or her 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 VII.
ARTICLE IX - AMENDMENTS
These Bylaws may be amended or repealed by the Board of Directors at any meeting or by the shareholders at any meeting.
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