| Item 6. | Indemnification of Directors and Officers. |
Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, or the DGCL (“Section 145”), provides that a Delaware corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of such corporation) by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or enterprise. The indemnification may include expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding, provided such person acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the corporation’s best interests and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful. Section 145 also provides that a Delaware corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of such corporation, under the same conditions, except that such indemnification is limited to expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person, and except that no indemnification is permitted without judicial approval if such person is adjudged to be liable to such corporation. Where an officer or director of a corporation is successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to above, or any claim, issue or matter therein, the corporation must indemnify that person against the expenses (including attorneys’ fees) which such officer or director actually and reasonably incurred in connection therewith.
Section 145 further authorizes a corporation to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or enterprise, against any liability asserted against such person and incurred by such person in any such capacity, or arising out of such person’s status as such, whether or not the corporation would otherwise have the power to indemnify such person against such liability under Section 145.
The Registrant’s certificate of incorporation and bylaws provide that the Registrant will indemnify to the fullest extent permitted by law any person made or threatened to be made a party to an action or proceeding, whether criminal, civil, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that he, his testator or intestate is or was a director, officer or employee of the Registrant or any predecessor of the Registrant, or serves or served at any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trustor other enterprise as a director, officer, employee or agent at the request of the Registrant or any predecessor of the Registrant.
The Registrant’s bylaws provide for mandatory indemnification to the fullest extent permitted by DGCL against all expenses (including attorney’s fees), judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties and amounts paid in settlements.
The Registrant’s certificate of incorporation eliminates the liability of a director of the Registrant to the fullest extent under applicable law. Pursuant to Section 102(b)(7)of the DGCL, a corporation may eliminate the personal liability of a director to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liabilities arising (i) from any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders, (ii) from acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) under Section 174 of the DGCL, or (iv) from any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.
These provisions may be held not to be enforceable for certain violations of the federal securities laws of the United States.
The Registrant’s directors and executive officers are covered by insurance maintained by the Registrant against specified liabilities for actions taken in their capacities as such, including liabilities under the Securities Act. In addition, the Registrant has entered into contracts with its directors and executive officers providing indemnification of such directors and executive officers by the Registrant to the fullest extent permitted by law, subject to certain limited exceptions.
| Item 7. | Exemption from Registration Claimed. |
Not applicable.
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