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EXHIBIT 3.4
BYLAWS
OF
JTS CORPORATION
(A DELAWARE CORPORATION)
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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ARTICLE I OFFICES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Section 1. Registered Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Section 2. Other Offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
ARTICLE II CORPORATE SEAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Section 3. Corporate Seal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
ARTICLE III STOCKHOLDERS' MEETINGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Section 4. Place of Meetings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Section 5. Annual Meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Section 6. Special Meetings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Section 7. Notice of Meetings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Section 8. Quorum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Section 9. Adjournment and Notice of Adjourned Meetings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Section 10. Voting Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Section 11. Joint Owners of Stock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Section 12. List of Stockholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Section 13. Action Without Meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Section 14. Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
ARTICLE IV DIRECTORS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Section 15. Number and Term of Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Section 16. Powers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Section 17. Election of Directors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Section 18. Vacancies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Section 19. Resignation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Section 20. Removal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Section 21. Meetings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
(a) Annual Meetings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
(b) Regular Meetings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
(c) Special Meetings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
(d) Telephone Meetings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
(e) Notice of Meetings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
(f) Waiver of Notice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Section 22. Quorum and Voting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Section 23. Action Without Meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Section 24. Fees and Compensation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
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Section 25. Committees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
(a) Executive Committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
(b) Other Committees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
(c) Term . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
(d) Meetings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Section 26. Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
ARTICLE V OFFICERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Section 27. Officers Designated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Section 28. Tenure and Duties of Officers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
(a) General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
(b) Duties of Chairman of the Board of Directors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
(c) Duties of President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
(d) Duties of Vice Presidents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
(e) Duties of Secretary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
(f) Duties of Chief Financial Officer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Section 29. Delegation of Authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Section 30. Resignations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Section 31. Removal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
ARTICLE VI EXECUTION OF CORPORATE INSTRUMENTS AND VOTING
OF SECURITIES OWNED BY THE CORPORATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Section 32. Execution of Corporate Instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Section 33. Voting of Securities Owned by the Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
ARTICLE VII SHARES OF STOCK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Section 34. Form and Execution of Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Section 35. Lost Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Section 36. Transfers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Section 37. Fixing Record Dates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Section 38. Registered Stockholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
ARTICLE VIII OTHER SECURITIES OF THE CORPORATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Section 39. Execution of Other Securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
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ARTICLE IX DIVIDENDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Section 40. Declaration of Dividends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Section 41. Dividend Reserve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
ARTICLE X FISCAL YEAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Section 42. Fiscal Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
ARTICLE XI INDEMNIFICATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Section 43. Indemnification of Directors, Executive Officers, Other Officers, Employees and Other Agents 18
(a) Directors and Executive Officers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
(b) Other Officers, Employees and Other Agents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
(c) Expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
(d) Enforcement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
(e) Non-Exclusivity of Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
(f) Survival of Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
(g) Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
(h) Amendments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
(i) Saving Clause . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
(j) Certain Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
ARTICLE XII NOTICES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Section 44. Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
(a) Notice to Stockholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
(b) Notice to directors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
(c) Affidavit of Mailing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
(d) Time Notices Deemed Given . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
(e) Methods of Notice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
(f) Failure to Receive Notice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
(g) Notice to Person with Whom Communication Is Unlawful . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
(h) Notice to Person with Undeliverable Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
ARTICLE XIII AMENDMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Section 45. Amendments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
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ARTICLE XIV LOANS TO OFFICERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Section 46. Loans to Officers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
ARTICLE XV MISCELLANEOUS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Section 47. Annual Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
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BYLAWS
OF
JTS CORPORATION
(A DELAWARE CORPORATION)
ARTICLE I
OFFICES
SECTION 1. REGISTERED OFFICE. The registered office of the
corporation in the State of Delaware shall be in the City of Wilmington, County
of New Castle.
SECTION 2. OTHER OFFICES. The corporation shall also have and
maintain an office or principal place of business at such place as may be fixed
by the Board of Directors, and may also have offices at such other places, both
within and without the State of Delaware as the Board of Directors may from
time to time determine or the business of the corporation may require.
ARTICLE II
CORPORATE SEAL
SECTION 3. CORPORATE SEAL. The corporate seal shall consist of
a die bearing the name of the corporation and the inscription, "Corporate
Seal-Delaware." Said seal may be used by causing it or a facsimile thereof to
be impressed or affixed or reproduced or otherwise.
ARTICLE III
STOCKHOLDERS' MEETINGS
SECTION 4. PLACE OF MEETINGS. Meetings of the stockholders of
the corporation shall be held at such place, either within or without the State
of Delaware, as may be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors,
or, if not so designated, then at the office of the corporation required to be
maintained pursuant to Section 2 hereof.
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SECTION 5. ANNUAL MEETING.
(A) The annual meeting of the stockholders of the
corporation, for the purpose of election of directors and for such other
business as may lawfully come before it, shall be held on such date and at such
time as may be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors.
(B) At an annual meeting of the stockholders, only such
business shall be conducted as shall have been properly brought before the
meeting. To be properly brought before an annual meeting, business must be:
(A) specified in the notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto) given by or
at the direction of the Board of Directors, (B) otherwise properly brought
before the meeting by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, or (C)
otherwise properly brought before the meeting by a stockholder. For business
to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder, the
stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in writing to the Secretary
of the corporation. To be timely, a stockholder's notice must be delivered to
or mailed and received at the principal executive offices of the corporation
not later than the close of business on the sixtieth (60th) day nor earlier
than the close of business on the ninetieth (90th) day prior to the first
anniversary of the preceding year's annual meeting; provided, however, that in
the event that no annual meeting was held in the previous year or the date of
the annual meeting has been changed by more than thirty (30) days from the date
contemplated at the time of the previous year's proxy statement, notice by the
stockholder to be timely must be so received not earlier than the close of
business on the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such annual meeting and not later
than the close of business on the later of the sixtieth (60th) day prior to
such annual meeting or, in the event public announcement of the date of such
annual meeting is first made by the corporation fewer than seventy (70) days
prior to the date of such annual meeting, the close of business on the tenth
(10th) day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such
meeting is first made by the corporation. A stockholder's notice to the
Secretary shall set forth as to each matter the stockholder proposes to bring
before the annual meeting: (i) a brief description of the business desired to
be brought before the annual meeting and the reasons for conducting such
business at the annual meeting, (ii) the name and address, as they appear on
the corporation's books, of the stockholder proposing such business, (iii) the
class and number of shares of the corporation which are beneficially owned by
the stockholder, (iv) any material interest of the stockholder in such business
and (v) any other information that is required to be provided by the
stockholder pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended (the "1934 Act"), in his capacity as a proponent to a
stockholder proposal. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in order to include
information with respect to a stockholder proposal in the proxy statement and
form of proxy for a stockholder's meeting, stockholders must provide notice as
required by the regulations promulgated under the 1934 Act. Notwithstanding
anything in these Bylaws to the contrary, no business shall be conducted at any
annual meeting except in accordance with the procedures set forth in this
paragraph (b). The chairman of the annual meeting shall, if the facts warrant,
determine and declare at the meeting that business was not properly brought
before the meeting and in accordance with the provisions of this paragraph (b),
and, if he
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should so determine, he shall so declare at the meeting that any such business
not properly brought before the meeting shall not be transacted.
(C) Only persons who are nominated in accordance with the
procedures set forth in this paragraph (c) shall be eligible for election as
directors. Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors of
the corporation may be made at a meeting of stockholders by or at the direction
of the Board of Directors or by any stockholder of the corporation entitled to
vote in the election of directors at the meeting who complies with the notice
procedures set forth in this paragraph (c). Such nominations, other than those
made by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, shall be made pursuant
to timely notice in writing to the Secretary of the corporation in accordance
with the provisions of paragraph (b) of this Section 5. Such stockholder's
notice shall set forth (i) as to each person, if any, whom the stockholder
proposes to nominate for election or re-election as a director: (A) the name,
age, business address and residence address of such person, (B) the principal
occupation or employment of such person, (C) the class and number of shares of
the corporation which are beneficially owned by such person, (D) a description
of all arrangements or understandings between the stockholder and each nominee
and any other person or persons (naming such person or persons) pursuant to
which the nominations are to be made by the stockholder, and (E) any other
information relating to such person that is required to be disclosed in
solicitations of proxies for election of directors, or is otherwise required,
in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A under the 1934 Act (including without
limitation such person's written consent to being named in the proxy statement,
if any, as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected); and (ii) as to
such stockholder giving notice, the information required to be provided
pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section 5. At the request of the Board of
Directors, any person nominated by a stockholder for election as a director
shall furnish to the Secretary of the corporation that information required to
be set forth in the stockholder's notice of nomination which pertains to the
nominee. No person shall be eligible for election as a director of the
corporation unless nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in
this paragraph (c). The chairman of the meeting shall, if the facts warrant,
determine and declare at the meeting that a nomination was not made in
accordance with the procedures prescribed by these Bylaws, and if he should so
determine, he shall so declare at the meeting, and the defective nomination
shall be disregarded.
(D) For purposes of this Section 5, "public announcement"
shall mean disclosure in a press release reported by the Dow Jones News
Service, Associated Press or comparable national news service or in a document
publicly filed by the corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission
pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.
SECTION 6. SPECIAL MEETINGS.
(A) Special meetings of the stockholders of the
corporation may be called, for any purpose or purposes, by (i) the Chairman of
the Board of Directors, (ii) the Chief Executive Officer, or (iii) the Board of
Directors pursuant to a resolution adopted by two (2)
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directors, and shall be held at such place, on such date, and at such time as
the Board of Directors, shall fix.
(B) If a special meeting is called by any person or
persons other than the Board of Directors, the request shall be in writing,
specifying the general nature of the business proposed to be transacted, and
shall be delivered personally or sent by registered mail or by telegraphic or
other facsimile transmission to the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the
Chief Executive Officer, or the Secretary of the corporation. No business may
be transacted at such special meeting otherwise than specified in such notice.
The Board of Directors shall determine the time and place of such special
meeting, which shall be held not less than thirty-five (35) nor more than one
hundred twenty (120) days after the date of the receipt of the request. Upon
determination of the time and place of the meeting, the officer receiving the
request shall cause notice to be given to the stockholders entitled to vote, in
accordance with the provisions of Section 7 of these Bylaws. If the notice is
not given within sixty (60) days after the receipt of the request, the person
or persons requesting the meeting may set the time and place of the meeting and
give the notice. Nothing contained in this paragraph (b) shall be construed as
limiting, fixing, or affecting the time when a meeting of stockholders called
by action of the Board of Directors may be held.
SECTION 7. NOTICE OF MEETINGS. Except as otherwise provided by
law or the Certificate of Incorporation, written notice of each meeting of
stockholders shall be given not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60)
days before the date of the meeting to each stockholder entitled to vote at
such meeting, such notice to specify the place, date and hour and purpose or
purposes of the meeting. Notice of the time, place and purpose of any meeting
of stockholders may be waived in writing, signed by the person entitled to
notice thereof, either before or after such meeting, and will be waived by any
stockholder by his attendance thereat in person or by proxy, except when the
stockholder 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. Any stockholder so waiving notice
of such meeting shall be bound by the proceedings of any such meeting in all
respects as if due notice thereof had been given.
SECTION 8. QUORUM. At all meetings of stockholders, except
where otherwise provided by statute or by the Certificate of Incorporation, or
by these Bylaws, the presence, in person or by proxy duly authorized, of the
holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote shall
constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. In the absence of a
quorum, any meeting of stockholders may be adjourned, from time to time, either
by the chairman of the meeting or by vote of the holders of a majority of the
shares represented thereat, but no other business shall be transacted at such
meeting. The stockholders present at a duly called or convened meeting, at
which a quorum is present, may continue to transact business until adjournment,
notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough stockholders to leave less than a
quorum. Except as otherwise provided by law, the Certificate of Incorporation
or these Bylaws, all action taken by the holders of a majority of the vote
cast, excluding abstentions, at any meeting at which a quorum is present shall
be valid and binding upon the corporation; provided, however, that directors
shall be elected by
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a plurality of the votes of the shares present in person or represented by
proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on the election of directors. Where
a separate vote by a class or classes or series is required, except where
otherwise provided by the statute or by the Certificate of Incorporation or
these Bylaws, a majority of the outstanding shares of such class 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 and, except
where otherwise provided by the statute or by the Certificate of Incorporation
or these Bylaws, the affirmative vote of the majority (plurality, in the case
of the election of directors) of the votes cast, including abstentions, by the
holders of shares of such class or classes or series shall be the act of such
class or classes or series.
SECTION 9. ADJOURNMENT AND NOTICE OF ADJOURNED MEETINGS. Any
meeting of stockholders, whether annual or special, may be adjourned from time
to time either by the chairman of the meeting or by the vote of a majority of
the shares casting votes, excluding abstentions. When a meeting is adjourned
to another time or place, notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting if
the time and place thereof are announced at the meeting at which the
adjournment is taken. At the adjourned meeting, the corporation may transact
any business which might have been transacted at the original meeting. If the
adjournment is for more than thirty (30) days or if after the adjournment a new
record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned
meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the
meeting.
SECTION 10. VOTING RIGHTS. For the purpose of determining those
stockholders entitled to vote at any meeting of the stockholders, except as
otherwise provided by law, only persons in whose names shares stand on the
stock records of the corporation on the record date, as provided in Section 12
of these Bylaws, shall be entitled to vote at any meeting of stockholders.
Every person entitled to vote shall have the right to do so either in person or
by an agent or agents authorized by a proxy granted in accordance with Delaware
law. An agent so appointed need not be a stockholder. No proxy shall be voted
after three (3) years from its date of creation unless the proxy provides for a
longer period.
SECTION 11. JOINT OWNERS OF STOCK. If shares or other securities
having voting power stand of record in the names of two (2) or more persons,
whether fiduciaries, members of a partnership, joint tenants, tenants in
common, tenants by the entirety, or otherwise, or if two (2) or more persons
have the same fiduciary relationship respecting the same shares, unless the
Secretary is given written notice to the contrary and is furnished with a copy
of the instrument or order appointing them or creating the relationship wherein
it is so provided, their acts with respect to voting shall have the following
effect: (a) if only one (1) votes, his act binds all; (b) if more than one (1)
votes, the act of the majority so voting binds all; (c) if more than one (1)
votes, but the vote is evenly split on any particular matter, each faction may
vote the securities in question proportionally, or may apply to the Delaware
Court of Chancery for relief as provided in the General Corporation Law of
Delaware, Section 217(b). If the instrument filed with the Secretary shows
that any such tenancy is held in unequal interests, a majority or even-split
for the purpose of subsection (c) shall be a majority or even-split in
interest.
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SECTION 12. LIST OF STOCKHOLDERS. The Secretary shall prepare
and make, at least ten (10) days before every meeting of stockholders, a
complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at said meeting, arranged in
alphabetical order, showing the address of each stockholder and the number of
shares registered in the name of each stockholder. Such list shall be open to
the examination of any stockholder, 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
specified, at the place where the meeting is to be held. The list shall be
produced and kept at the time and place of meeting during the whole time
thereof and may be inspected by any stockholder who is present.
SECTION 13. ACTION WITHOUT MEETING. No action shall be taken by
the stockholders except at an annual or special meeting of stockholders called
in accordance with these Bylaws, and no action shall be taken by the
stockholders by written consent.
SECTION 14. ORGANIZATION.
(A) At every meeting of stockholders, the Chairman of the
Board of Directors, or, if a Chairman has not been appointed or is absent, the
President, or, if the President is absent, a chairman of the meeting chosen by
a majority in interest of the stockholders entitled to vote, present in person
or by proxy, shall act as chairman. The Secretary, or, in his absence, an
Assistant Secretary directed to do so by the President, shall act as secretary
of the meeting.
(B) The Board of Directors of the corporation shall be
entitled to make such rules or regulations for the conduct of meetings of
stockholders as it shall deem necessary, appropriate or convenient. Subject to
such rules and regulations of the Board of Directors, if any, the chairman of
the meeting shall have the right and authority to prescribe such rules,
regulations and procedures and to do all such acts as, in the judgment of such
chairman, are necessary, appropriate or convenient for the proper conduct of
the meeting, including, without limitation, establishing an agenda or order of
business for the meeting, rules and procedures for maintaining order at the
meeting and the safety of those present, limitations on participation in such
meeting to stockholders of record of the corporation and their duly authorized
and constituted proxies and such other persons as the chairman shall permit,
restrictions on entry to the meeting after the time fixed for the commencement
thereof, limitations on the time allotted to questions or comments by
participants and regulation of the opening and closing of the polls for
balloting on matters which are to be voted on by ballot. Unless and to the
extent determined by the Board of Directors or the chairman of the meeting,
meetings of stockholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with
rules of parliamentary procedure.
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ARTICLE IV
DIRECTORS
SECTION 15. NUMBER AND TERM OF OFFICE. The authorized number of
directors of the corporation shall be fixed in accordance with the Certificate
of Incorporation. Directors need not be stockholders unless so required by the
Certificate of Incorporation. If for any cause, the directors shall not have
been elected at an annual meeting, they may be elected as soon thereafter as
convenient at a special meeting of the stockholders called for that purpose in
the manner provided in these Bylaws.
SECTION 16. POWERS. The powers of the corporation shall be
exercised, its business conducted and its property controlled by the Board of
Directors, except as may be otherwise provided by statute or by the Certificate
of Incorporation.
SECTION 17. ELECTION OF DIRECTORS. Subject to the rights of the
holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect additional directors under
specified circumstances, directors shall be elected at each annual meeting of
stockholders for a term of one year. Each director shall serve until his
successor is duly elected and qualified or until his death, resignation or
removal. No decrease in the number of directors constituting the Board of
Directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent director.
SECTION 18. VACANCIES. Unless otherwise provided in the
Certificate of Incorporation, any vacancies on the Board of Directors resulting
from death, resignation, disqualification, removal or other causes and any
newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the number of
directors, shall unless the Board of Directors determines by resolution that
any such vacancies or newly created directorships shall be filled by
stockholders, be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the
directors then in office, even though less than a quorum of the Board of
Directors. Any director elected in accordance with the preceding sentence
shall hold office for the remainder of the full term of the director for which
the vacancy was created or occurred and until such director's successor shall
have been elected and qualified. A vacancy in the Board of Directors shall be
deemed to exist under this Bylaw in the case of the death, removal or
resignation of any director.
SECTION 19. RESIGNATION. Any director may resign at any time by
delivering his written resignation to the Secretary, such resignation to
specify whether it will be effective at a particular time, upon receipt by the
Secretary or at the pleasure of the Board of Directors. If no such
specification is made, it shall be deemed effective at the pleasure of the
Board of Directors. When one or more directors shall resign from the Board of
Directors, effective at a future date, a majority of the directors then in
office, including those who have so resigned, shall have power to fill such
vacancy or vacancies, the vote thereon to take effect when such resignation or
resignations shall become effective, and each Director so chosen shall hold
office for the unexpired portion of the term of the Director whose place shall
be vacated and until his successor shall have been duly elected and qualified.
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SECTION 20. REMOVAL. Subject to the rights of the holders of any
series of Preferred Stock, the Board of Directors or any individual director
may be removed from office at any time (i) with cause by the affirmative vote
of the holders of a majority of the voting power of all the then-outstanding
shares of voting stock of the corporation, entitled to vote at an election of
directors (the "Voting Stock") or (ii) without cause by the affirmative vote of
the holders of at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66 2/3%) of the
voting power of all the then-outstanding shares of the Voting Stock.
SECTION 21. MEETINGS.
(A) ANNUAL MEETINGS. The annual meeting of the Board of
Directors shall be held immediately before or after the annual meeting of
stockholders and at the place where such meeting is held. No notice of an
annual meeting of the Board of Directors shall be necessary and such meeting
shall be held for the purpose of electing officers and transacting such other
business as may lawfully come before it.
(B) REGULAR MEETINGS. Except as hereinafter otherwise
provided, regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held in the
office of the corporation required to be maintained pursuant to Section 2
hereof. Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation,
regular meetings of the Board of Directors may also be held at any place within
or without the State of Delaware which has been designated by resolution of the
Board of Directors or the written consent of all directors.
(C) SPECIAL MEETINGS. Unless otherwise restricted by the
Certificate of Incorporation, special meetings of the Board of Directors may be
held at any time and place within or without the State of Delaware whenever
called by the Chairman of the Board, the President or any two of the directors.
(D) TELEPHONE MEETINGS. Any member of the Board of
Directors, or of any committee thereof, may participate in a meeting by means
of conference telephone or similar communications equipment by means of which
all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and participation
in a meeting by such means shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.
(E) NOTICE OF MEETINGS. Notice of the time and place of
all special meetings of the Board of Directors shall be orally or in writing,
by telephone, facsimile, telegraph or telex, during normal business hours, at
least twenty-four (24) hours before the date and time of the meeting, or sent
in writing to each director by first class mail, charges prepaid, at least
three (3) days before the date of the meeting. Notice of any meeting may be
waived in writing at any time before or after the meeting and will be waived by
any director by attendance thereat, except when the director attends the
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.
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(F) WAIVER OF NOTICE. The transaction of all business at
any meeting of the Board of Directors, or any committee thereof, however called
or noticed, or wherever held, shall be as valid as though had at a meeting duly
held after regular call and notice, if a quorum be present and if, either
before or after the meeting, each of the directors not present shall sign a
written waiver of notice. All such waivers shall be filed with the corporate
records or made a part of the minutes of the meeting.
SECTION 22. QUORUM AND VOTING.
(A) Unless the Certificate of Incorporation requires a
greater number and except with respect to indemnification questions arising
under Section 43 hereof, for which a quorum shall be one-third of the exact
number of directors fixed from time to time in accordance with the Certificate
of Incorporation, a quorum of the Board of Directors shall consist of a
majority of the exact number of directors fixed from time to time by the Board
of Directors in accordance with the Certificate of Incorporation; provided,
however, at any meeting whether a quorum be present or otherwise, a majority of
the directors present may adjourn from time to time until the time fixed for
the next regular meeting of the Board of Directors, without notice other than
by announcement at the meeting.
(B) At each meeting of the Board of Directors at which a
quorum is present, all questions and business shall be determined by the
affirmative vote of a majority of the directors present, unless a different
vote be required by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws.
SECTION 23. ACTION WITHOUT MEETING. Unless otherwise restricted
by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, any action required or
permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors or of any
committee thereof may be taken without a meeting, if all members of the Board
of Directors or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing, and
such writing or writings are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board
of Directors or committee.
SECTION 24. FEES AND COMPENSATION. Directors shall be entitled
to such compensation for their services as may be approved by the Board of
Directors, including, if so approved, by resolution of the Board of Directors,
a fixed sum and expenses of attendance, if any, for attendance at each regular
or special meeting of the Board of Directors and at any meeting of a committee
of the Board of Directors. Nothing herein contained shall be construed to
preclude any director from serving the corporation in any other capacity as an
officer, agent, employee, or otherwise and receiving compensation therefor.
SECTION 25. COMMITTEES.
(A) EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. The Board of Directors may by
resolution passed by a majority of the whole Board of Directors appoint an
Executive Committee to consist of one (1) or more members of the Board of
Directors. The Executive Committee, to
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the extent permitted by law and provided in the resolution of the Board of
Directors 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,
including without limitation the power or authority to declare a dividend, to
authorize the issuance of stock and to adopt a certificate of ownership and
merger, and may authorize the seal of the corporation to be affixed to all
papers which may require it; but no such committee shall have the power or
authority in reference to amending the Certificate of Incorporation (except
that a committee may, to the extent authorized in the resolution or resolutions
providing for the issuance of shares of stock adopted by the Board of Directors
fix the designations and any of the preferences or rights of such shares
relating to dividends, redemption, dissolution, any distribution of assets of
the corporation or the conversion into, or the exchange of such shares for,
shares of any other class or classes or any other series of the same or any
other class or classes of stock of the corporation or fix the number of shares
of any series of stock or authorize the increase or decrease of the shares of
any series), adopting an agreement of merger or consolidation, recommending to
the stockholders the sale, lease or exchange of all or substantially all of the
corporation's property and assets, recommending to the stockholders a
dissolution of the corporation or a revocation of a dissolution, or amending
the bylaws of the corporation.
(B) OTHER COMMITTEES. The Board of Directors may, by
resolution passed by a majority of the whole Board of Directors, from time to
time appoint such other committees as may be permitted by law. Such other
committees appointed by the Board of Directors shall consist of one (1) or more
members of the Board of Directors and shall have such powers and perform such
duties as may be prescribed by the resolution or resolutions creating such
committees, but in no event shall such committee have the powers denied to the
Executive Committee in these Bylaws.
(C) TERM. Each member of a committee of the Board of
Directors shall serve a term on the committee coexistent with such member's
term on the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors, subject to the
provisions of subsections (a) or (b) of this Bylaw may at any time increase or
decrease the number of members of a committee or terminate the existence of a
committee. The membership of a committee member shall terminate on the date of
his death or voluntary resignation from the committee or from the Board of
Directors. The Board of Directors may at any time for any reason remove any
individual committee member and the Board of Directors may fill any committee
vacancy created by death, resignation, removal or increase in the number of
members of the committee. The Board of Directors may designate one or more
directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or
disqualified member at any meeting of the committee, and, in addition, in the
absence or disqualification of any member of a committee, the member or members
thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not
he or they constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the
Board of Directors to act at the meeting in the place of any such absent or
disqualified member.
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(D) MEETINGS. Unless the Board of Directors shall
otherwise provide, regular meetings of the Executive Committee or any other
committee appointed pursuant to this Section 25 shall be held at such times and
places as are determined by the Board of Directors, or by any such committee,
and when notice thereof has been given to each member of such committee, no
further notice of such regular meetings need be given thereafter. Special
meetings of any such committee may be held at any place which has been
determined from time to time by such committee, and may be called by any
director who is a member of such committee, upon written notice to the members
of such committee of the time and place of such special meeting given in the
manner provided for the giving of written notice to members of the Board of
Directors of the time and place of special meetings of the Board of Directors.
Notice of any special meeting of any committee may be waived in writing at any
time before or after the meeting and will be waived by any director by
attendance thereat, except when the director attends such special 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. A majority of the authorized number of members of any such committee
shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and the act of a
majority of those present at any meeting at which a quorum is present shall be
the act of such committee.
SECTION 26. ORGANIZATION. At every meeting of the directors, the
Chairman of the Board of Directors, or, if a Chairman has not been appointed or
is absent, the President, or if the President is absent, the most senior Vice
President, or, in the absence of any such officer, a chairman of the meeting
chosen by a majority of the directors present, shall preside over the meeting.
The Secretary, or in his absence, an Assistant Secretary directed to do so by
the President, shall act as secretary of the meeting.
ARTICLE V
OFFICERS
SECTION 27. OFFICERS DESIGNATED. The officers of the corporation
shall include, if and when designated by the Board of Directors, the Chairman
of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, one or
more Vice Presidents, the Secretary, the Chief Financial Officer, the
Treasurer, the Controller, all of whom shall be elected at the annual
organizational meeting of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may
also appoint one or more Assistant Secretaries, Assistant Treasurers, Assistant
Controllers and such other officers and agents with such powers and duties as
it shall deem necessary. The Board of Directors may assign such additional
titles to one or more of the officers as it shall deem appropriate. Any one
person may hold any number of offices of the corporation at any one time unless
specifically prohibited therefrom by law. The salaries and other compensation
of the officers of the corporation shall be fixed by or in the manner
designated by the Board of Directors.
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SECTION 28. TENURE AND DUTIES OF OFFICERS.
(A) GENERAL. All officers shall hold office at the
pleasure of the Board of Directors and until their successors shall have been
duly elected and qualified, unless sooner removed. Any officer elected or
appointed by the Board of Directors may be removed at any time by the Board of
Directors. If the office of any officer becomes vacant for any reason, the
vacancy may be filled by the Board of Directors.
(B) DUTIES OF CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. The
Chairman of the Board of Directors, when present, shall preside at all meetings
of the stockholders and the Board of Directors. The Chairman of the Board of
Directors shall perform other duties commonly incident to his office and shall
also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of
Directors shall designate from time to time. If there is no President, then
the Chairman of the Board of Directors shall also serve as the Chief Executive
Officer of the corporation and shall have the powers and duties prescribed in
paragraph (c) of this Section 28.
(C) DUTIES OF PRESIDENT. The President shall preside at
all meetings of the stockholders and at all meetings of the Board of Directors,
unless the Chairman of the Board of Directors has been appointed and is
present. Unless some other officer has been elected Chief Executive Officer of
the corporation, the President shall be the chief executive officer of the
corporation and shall, subject to the control of the Board of Directors, have
general supervision, direction and control of the business and officers of the
corporation. The President shall perform other duties commonly incident to his
office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as
the Board of Directors shall designate from time to time.
(D) DUTIES OF VICE PRESIDENTS. The Vice Presidents may
assume and perform the duties of the President in the absence or disability of
the President or whenever the office of President is vacant. The Vice
Presidents shall perform other duties commonly incident to their office and
shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of
Directors or the President shall designate from time to time.
(E) DUTIES OF SECRETARY. The Secretary shall attend all
meetings of the stockholders and of the Board of Directors and shall record all
acts and proceedings thereof in the minute book of the corporation. The
Secretary shall give notice in conformity with these Bylaws of all meetings of
the stockholders and of all meetings of the Board of Directors and any
committee thereof requiring notice. The Secretary shall perform all other
duties given him in these Bylaws and other duties commonly incident to his
office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as
the Board of Directors shall designate from time to time. The President may
direct any Assistant Secretary to assume and perform the duties of the
Secretary in the absence or disability of the Secretary, and each Assistant
Secretary shall perform other duties commonly incident to his office and shall
also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of
Directors or the President shall designate from time to time.
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(F) DUTIES OF CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER. The Chief
Financial Officer shall keep or cause to be kept the books of account of the
corporation in a thorough and proper manner and shall render statements of the
financial affairs of the corporation in such form and as often as required by
the Board of Directors or the President. The Chief Financial Officer, subject
to the order of the Board of Directors, shall have the custody of all funds and
securities of the corporation. The Chief Financial Officer shall perform other
duties commonly incident to his office and shall also perform such other duties
and have such other powers as the Board of Directors or the President shall
designate from time to time. The President may direct the Treasurer or any
Assistant Treasurer, or the Controller or any Assistant Controller to assume
and perform the duties of the Chief Financial Officer in the absence or
disability of the Chief Financial Officer, and each Treasurer and Assistant
Treasurer and each Controller and Assistant Controller shall perform other
duties commonly incident to his office and shall also perform such other duties
and have such other powers as the Board of Directors or the President shall
designate from time to time.
SECTION 29. DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY. The Board of Directors may
from time to time delegate the powers or duties of any officer to any other
officer or agent, notwithstanding any provision hereof.
SECTION 30. RESIGNATIONS. Any officer may resign at any time by
giving written notice to the Board of Directors or to the President or to the
Secretary. Any such resignation shall be effective when received by the person
or persons to whom such notice is given, unless a later time is specified
therein, in which event the resignation shall become effective at such later
time. Unless otherwise specified in such notice, the acceptance of any such
resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective. Any resignation shall
be without prejudice to the rights, if any, of the corporation under any
contract with the resigning officer.
SECTION 31. REMOVAL. Any officer may be removed from office at
any time, either with or without cause, by the affirmative vote of a majority
of the directors in office at the time, or by the unanimous written consent of
the directors in office at the time, or by any committee or superior officers
upon whom such power of removal may have been conferred by the Board of
Directors.
ARTICLE VI
EXECUTION OF CORPORATE INSTRUMENTS AND VOTING
OF SECURITIES OWNED BY THE CORPORATION
SECTION 32. EXECUTION OF CORPORATE INSTRUMENTS. The Board of
Directors may, in its discretion, determine the method and designate the
signatory officer or officers, or other person or persons, to execute on behalf
of the corporation any corporate instrument or document, or to sign on behalf
of the corporation the corporate name without limitation, or
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to enter into contracts on behalf of the corporation, except where otherwise
provided by law or these Bylaws, and such execution or signature shall be
binding upon the corporation.
Unless otherwise specifically determined by the Board of Directors or
otherwise required by law, promissory notes, deeds of trust, mortgages and
other evidences of indebtedness of the corporation, and other corporate
instruments or documents requiring the corporate seal, and certificates of
shares of stock owned by the corporation, shall be executed, signed or endorsed
by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, or the President or any Vice
President, and by the Secretary or Treasurer or any Assistant Secretary or
Assistant Treasurer. All other instruments and documents requiring the
corporate signature, but not requiring the corporate seal, may be executed as
aforesaid or in such other manner as may be directed by the Board of Directors.
All checks and drafts drawn on banks or other depositaries on funds to
the credit of the corporation or in special accounts of the corporation shall
be signed by such person or persons as the Board of Directors shall authorize
so to do.
Unless authorized or ratified by the Board of Directors or within the
agency power of an officer, no officer, agent or employee shall have any power
or authority to bind the corporation by any contract or engagement or to pledge
its credit or to render it liable for any purpose or for any amount.
SECTION 33. VOTING OF SECURITIES OWNED BY THE CORPORATION. All
stock and other securities of other corporations owned or held by the
corporation for itself, or for other parties in any capacity, shall be voted,
and all proxies with respect thereto shall be executed, by the person
authorized so to do by resolution of the Board of Directors, or, in the absence
of such authorization, by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Chief
Executive Officer, the President, or any Vice President.
ARTICLE VII
SHARES OF STOCK
SECTION 34. FORM AND EXECUTION OF CERTIFICATES. Certificates for
the shares of stock of the corporation shall be in such form as is consistent
with the Certificate of Incorporation and applicable law. Every holder of
stock in the corporation shall be entitled to have a certificate signed by or
in the name of the corporation by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, or
the President or any Vice President and by the Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer
or the Secretary or Assistant Secretary, certifying the number of shares owned
by him in the corporation. Any or all of the signatures on the certificate may
be facsimiles. 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 with the same effect as if he were such
officer, transfer agent, or registrar at the date of issue. Each certificate
shall state upon the
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face or back thereof, in full or in summary, all of the powers, designations,
preferences, and rights, and the limitations or restrictions of the shares
authorized to be issued or shall, except as otherwise required by law, set
forth on the face or back a statement that the corporation will furnish without
charge to each stockholder who so requests the powers, designations,
preferences and relative, participating, optional, or other special rights of
each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or
restrictions of such preferences and/or rights. Within a reasonable time after
the issuance or transfer of uncertificated stock, the corporation shall send to
the registered owner thereof a written notice containing the information
required to be set forth or stated on certificates pursuant to this section or
otherwise required by law or with respect to this section a statement that the
corporation will furnish without charge to each stockholder who so requests the
powers, designations, preferences and relative participating, optional or other
special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications,
limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights. Except as
otherwise expressly provided by law, the rights and obligations of the holders
of certificates representing stock of the same class and series shall be
identical.
SECTION 35. LOST CERTIFICATES. A new certificate or certificates
shall be issued in place of any certificate or certificates theretofore issued
by the corporation alleged to have been lost, stolen, or destroyed, upon the
making of an affidavit of that fact by the person claiming the certificate of
stock to be lost, stolen, or destroyed. The corporation may require, as a
condition precedent to the issuance of a new certificate or certificates, the
owner of such lost, stolen, or destroyed certificate or certificates, or his
legal representative, to advertise the same in such manner as it shall require
or to give the corporation a surety bond in such form and amount as it may
direct as indemnity against any claim that may be made against the corporation
with respect to the certificate alleged to have been lost, stolen, or
destroyed.
SECTION 36. TRANSFERS.
(A) Transfers of record of shares of stock of the
corporation shall be made only upon its books by the holders thereof, in person
or by attorney duly authorized, and upon the surrender of a properly endorsed
certificate or certificates for a like number of shares.
(B) The corporation shall have power to enter into and
perform any agreement with any number of stockholders of any one or more
classes of stock of the corporation to restrict the transfer of shares of stock
of the corporation of any one or more classes owned by such stockholders in any
manner not prohibited by the General Corporation Law of Delaware.
SECTION 37. FIXING RECORD DATES.
(A) In order that the corporation may determine the
stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or
any adjournment thereof, the Board of Directors may fix, in advance, a record
date, which record date shall not precede the date
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upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of
Directors, and which record date shall not be more than sixty (60) nor less
than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting. If no record date is fixed
by the Board of Directors, the record date for determining stockholders
entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be at the
close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given,
or if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the
day on which the meeting is held. A determination of stockholders of record
entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to
any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board of Directors
may fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting.
(B) In order that the corporation may determine the
stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution
or allotment of any rights or the stockholders entitled to exercise any rights
in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock, or for the purpose
of any other lawful action, the Board of Directors may fix, in advance, a
record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the
resolution fixing the record date is adopted, and which record date shall be
not more than sixty (60) days prior to such action. If no record date is
fixed, the record date for determining stockholders for any such purpose shall
be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts
the resolution relating thereto.
SECTION 38. REGISTERED STOCKHOLDERS. The corporation shall be
entitled to recognize the exclusive right of a person registered on its books
as the owner of shares to receive dividends, and to vote as such owner, and
shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in
such share or shares on the part of any other person whether or not it shall
have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by the laws
of Delaware.
ARTICLE VIII
OTHER SECURITIES OF THE CORPORATION
SECTION 39. EXECUTION OF OTHER SECURITIES. All bonds, debentures
and other corporate securities of the corporation, other than stock
certificates (covered in Section 34), may be signed by the Chairman of the
Board of Directors, the President or any Vice President, or such other person
as may be authorized by the Board of Directors, and the corporate seal
impressed thereon or a facsimile of such seal imprinted thereon and attested by
the signature of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, or the Chief
Financial Officer or Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer; provided, however,
that where any such bond, debenture or other corporate security shall be
authenticated by the manual signature, or where permissible facsimile
signature, of a trustee under an indenture pursuant to which such bond,
debenture or other corporate security shall be issued, the signatures of the
persons signing and attesting the corporate seal on such bond, debenture or
other corporate security may be the imprinted facsimile of the signatures of
such persons. Interest coupons appertaining to any such bond, debenture or
other corporate security, authenticated by a trustee as aforesaid,
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shall be signed by the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer of the corporation
or such other person as may be authorized by the Board of Directors, or bear
imprinted thereon the facsimile signature of such person. In case any officer
who shall have signed or attested any bond, debenture or other corporate
security, or whose facsimile signature shall appear thereon or on any such
interest coupon, shall have ceased to be such officer before the bond,
debenture or other corporate security so signed or attested shall have been
delivered, such bond, debenture or other corporate security nevertheless may be
adopted by the corporation and issued and delivered as though the person who
signed the same or whose facsimile signature shall have been used thereon had
not ceased to be such officer of the corporation.
ARTICLE IX
DIVIDENDS
SECTION 40. DECLARATION OF DIVIDENDS. Dividends upon the capital
stock of the corporation, subject to the provisions of the Certificate of
Incorporation, if any, may be declared by the Board of Directors pursuant to
law at any regular or special meeting. Dividends may be paid in cash, in
property, or in shares of the capital stock, subject to the provisions of the
Certificate of Incorporation.
SECTION 41. DIVIDEND RESERVE. Before payment of any dividend,
there may be set aside out of any funds of the corporation available for
dividends such sum or sums as the Board of Directors from time to time, in
their absolute discretion, think proper as a reserve or reserves to meet
contingencies, or for equalizing dividends, or for repairing or maintaining any
property of the corporation, or for such other purpose as the Board of
Directors shall think conducive to the interests of the corporation, and the
Board of Directors may modify or abolish any such reserve in the manner in
which it was created.
ARTICLE X
FISCAL YEAR
SECTION 42. FISCAL YEAR. The fiscal year of the corporation
shall be fixed by resolution of the Board of Directors.
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ARTICLE XI
INDEMNIFICATION
SECTION 43. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS,
OTHER OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES AND OTHER AGENTS.
(A) DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS. The corporation
shall indemnify its directors and executive officers (for the purposes of this
Article XI, "executive officers shall have the meaning defined in Rule 3b-7
promulgated under the 1934 Act) to the fullest extent not prohibited by the
Delaware General Corporation Law; provided, however, that the corporation may
modify the extent of such indemnification by individual contracts with its
directors and executive officers; and, provided, further, that the corporation
shall not be required to indemnify any director or executive officer in
connection with any proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person
unless (i) such indemnification is expressly required to be made by law, (ii)
the proceeding was authorized by the Board of Directors of the corporation,
(iii) such indemnification is provided by the corporation, in its sole
discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the corporation under the Delaware
General Corporation Law or (iv) such indemnification is required to be made
under subsection (d).
(B) OTHER OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES AND OTHER AGENTS. The
corporation shall have power to indemnify its other officers, employees and
other agents as set forth in the Delaware General Corporation Law.
(C) EXPENSES. The corporation shall advance to 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, by reason of the fact that he is or
was a director or executive officer, of the corporation, or is or was serving
at the request of the corporation as a director or executive officer of another
corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, prior to
the final disposition of the proceeding, promptly following request therefor,
all expenses incurred by any director or executive officer in connection with
such proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such person
to repay said amounts if it should be determined ultimately that such person is
not entitled to be indemnified under this Bylaw or otherwise.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, unless otherwise determined pursuant to
paragraph (e) of this Bylaw, no advance shall be made by the corporation to an
executive officer of the corporation (except by reason of the fact that such
executive officer is or was a director of the corporation in which event this
paragraph shall not apply) in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil,
criminal, administrative or investigative, if a determination is reasonably and
promptly made (i) by the Board of Directors by a majority vote of a quorum
consisting of directors who were not parties to the proceeding, or (ii) if such
quorum is not obtainable, or, even if obtainable, a quorum of disinterested
directors so directs, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, that
the facts known to the decision-making party at the time such determination is
made demonstrate clearly and convincingly that such
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person acted in bad faith or in a manner that such person did not believe to be
in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation.
(D) ENFORCEMENT. Without the necessity of entering into
an express contract, all rights to indemnification and advances to directors
and executive officers under this Bylaw shall be deemed to be contractual
rights and be effective to the same extent and as if provided for in a contract
between the corporation and the director or executive officer. Any right to
indemnification or advances granted by this Bylaw to a director or executive
officer shall be enforceable by or on behalf of the person holding such right
in any court of competent jurisdiction if (i) the claim for indemnification or
advances is denied, in whole or in part, or (ii) no disposition of such claim
is made within ninety (90) days of request therefor. The claimant in such
enforcement action, if successful in whole or in part, shall be entitled to be
paid also the expense of prosecuting his claim. In connection with any claim
for indemnification, the corporation shall be entitled to raise as a defense to
any such action that the claimant has not met the standards of conduct that
make it permissible under the Delaware General Corporation Law for the
corporation to indemnify the claimant for the amount claimed. In connection
with any claim by an executive officer of the corporation (except in any
action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or
investigative, by reason of the fact that such executive officer is or was a
director of the corporation) for advances, the corporation shall be entitled to
raise a defense as to any such action clear and convincing evidence that such
person acted in bad faith or in a manner that such person did not believe to be
in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, or with respect to
any criminal action or proceeding that such person acted without reasonable
cause to believe that his conduct was lawful. Neither the failure of the
corporation (including its Board of Directors, independent legal counsel or its
stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such
action that indemnification of the claimant is proper in the circumstances
because he has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the Delaware
General Corporation Law, nor an actual determination by the corporation
(including its Board of Directors, independent legal counsel or its
stockholders) that the claimant has not met such applicable standard of
conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that claimant
has not met the applicable standard of conduct. In any suit brought by a
director or executive officer to enforce a right to indemnification or to an
advancement of expenses hereunder, the burden of proving that the director or
executive officer is not entitled to be indemnified, or to such advancement of
expenses, under this Article XI or otherwise shall be on the corporation.
(E) NON-EXCLUSIVITY OF RIGHTS. The rights conferred on
any person by this Bylaw shall not be exclusive of any other right which such
person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of the
Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders or
disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action in his official
capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding office. The
corporation is specifically authorized to enter into individual contracts with
any or all of its directors, officers, employees or agents respecting
indemnification and advances, to the fullest extent not prohibited by the
Delaware General Corporation Law.
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(f) SURVIVAL OF RIGHTS. The rights conferred on any
person by this Bylaw shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a
director, officer, employee or other agent and shall inure to the benefit of
the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person.
(g) INSURANCE. To the fullest extent permitted by the
Delaware General Corporation Law, the corporation, upon approval by the Board
of Directors, may purchase insurance on behalf of any person required or
permitted to be indemnified pursuant to this Bylaw.
(h) AMENDMENTS. Any repeal or modification of this Bylaw
shall only be prospective and shall not affect the rights under this Bylaw in
effect at the time of the alleged occurrence of any action or omission to act
that is the cause of any proceeding against any agent of the corporation.
(i) SAVING CLAUSE. If this Bylaw or any portion hereof
shall be invalidated on any ground by any court of competent jurisdiction, then
the corporation shall nevertheless indemnify each director and executive
officer to the full extent not prohibited by any applicable portion of this
Bylaw that shall not have been invalidated, or by any other applicable law.
(j) CERTAIN DEFINITIONS. For the purposes of this Bylaw,
the following definitions shall apply:
(i) The term "proceeding" shall be broadly
construed and shall include, without limitation, the investigation,
preparation, prosecution, defense, settlement, arbitration and appeal
of, and the giving of testimony in, any threatened, pending or
completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal,
administrative or investigative.
(ii) The term "expenses" shall be broadly
construed and shall include, without limitation, court costs,
attorneys' fees, witness fees, fines, amounts paid in settlement or
judgment and any other costs and expenses of any nature or kind
incurred in connection with any proceeding.
(iii) The term the "corporation" shall include, in
addition to the resulting corporation, any constituent corporation
(including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a
consolidation or merger which, if its separate existence had
continued, would have had power and authority to indemnify its
directors, officers, and employees or agents, so that any person who
is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such constituent
corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent
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 Bylaw
with respect to the resulting or
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surviving corporation as he would have with respect to such constituent
corporation if its separate existence had continued.
(iv) References to a "director," "executive
officer," "officer," "employee," or "agent" of the corporation shall
include, without limitation, situations where such person is serving
at the request of the corporation as, respectively, a director,
executive officer, officer, employee, trustee or agent of another
corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise.
(v) 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 which imposes duties on, or
involves services by, such director, officer, employee, or agent with
respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants, or
beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner he
reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and
beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have
acted in a manner "not opposed to the best interests of the
corporation" as referred to in this Bylaw.
ARTICLE XII
NOTICES
SECTION 44. NOTICES.
(a) NOTICE TO STOCKHOLDERS. Whenever, under any
provisions of these Bylaws, notice is required to be given to any stockholder,
it shall be given in writing, timely and duly deposited in the United States
mail, postage prepaid, and addressed to his last known post office address as
shown by the stock record of the corporation or its transfer agent.
(b) NOTICE TO DIRECTORS. Any notice required to be given
to any director may be given by the method stated in subsection (a), or by
facsimile, telex or telegram, except that such notice other than one which is
delivered personally shall be sent to such address as such director shall have
filed in writing with the Secretary, or, in the absence of such filing, to the
last known post office address of such director.
(c) AFFIDAVIT OF MAILING. An affidavit of mailing,
executed by a duly authorized and competent employee of the corporation or its
transfer agent appointed with respect to the class of stock affected,
specifying the name and address or the names and addresses of the stockholder
or stockholders, or director or directors, to whom any such notice or notices
was or were given, and the time and method of giving the same, shall in the
absence of fraud, be prima facie evidence of the facts therein contained.
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(d) TIME NOTICES DEEMED GIVEN. All notices given by
mail, as above provided, shall be deemed to have been given as at the time of
mailing, and all notices given by facsimile, telex or telegram shall be deemed
to have been given as of the sending time recorded at time of transmission.
(e) METHODS OF NOTICE. It shall not be necessary that
the same method of giving notice be employed in respect of all directors, but
one permissible method may be employed in respect of any one or more, and any
other permissible method or methods may be employed in respect of any other or
others.
(f) FAILURE TO RECEIVE NOTICE. The period or limitation
of time within which any stockholder may exercise any option or right, or enjoy
any privilege or benefit, or be required to act, or within which any director
may exercise any power or right, or enjoy any privilege, pursuant to any notice
sent him in the manner above provided, shall not be affected or extended in any
manner by the failure of such stockholder or such director to receive such
notice.
(g) NOTICE TO PERSON WITH WHOM COMMUNICATION IS UNLAWFUL.
Whenever notice is required to be given, under any provision of law or of the
Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws of the corporation, to any person with
whom communication is unlawful, the giving of such notice to such person shall
not be required and there shall be no duty to apply to any governmental
authority or agency for a license or permit to give such notice to such person.
Any action or meeting which shall be taken or held without notice to any such
person with whom communication is unlawful shall have the same force and effect
as if such notice had been duly given. In the event that the action taken by
the corporation is such as to require the filing of a certificate under any
provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law, the certificate shall state,
if such is the fact and if notice is required, that notice was given to all
persons entitled to receive notice except such persons with whom communication
is unlawful.
(h) NOTICE TO PERSON WITH UNDELIVERABLE ADDRESS.
Whenever notice is required to be given, under any provision of law or the
Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws of the corporation, to any stockholder
to whom (i) notice of two consecutive annual meetings, and all notices of
meetings or of the taking of action by written consent without a meeting to
such person during the period between such two consecutive annual meetings, or
(ii) all, and at least two, payments (if sent by first class mail) of dividends
or interest on securities during a twelve-month period, have been mailed
addressed to such person at his address as shown on the records of the
corporation and have been returned undeliverable, the giving of such notice to
such person shall not be required. Any action or meeting which shall be taken
or held without notice to such person shall have the same force and effect as
if such notice had been duly given. If any such person shall deliver to the
corporation a written notice setting forth his then current address, the
requirement that notice be given to such person shall be reinstated. In the
event that the action taken by the corporation is such as to require the filing
of a certificate under any provision of the Delaware General
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Corporation Law, the certificate need not state that notice was not given to
persons to whom notice was not required to be given pursuant to this paragraph.
ARTICLE XIII
AMENDMENTS
SECTION 45. AMENDMENTS. Subject to paragraph (h) of Section 43
of the Bylaws, the Bylaws may be altered or amended or new Bylaws adopted by
the affirmative vote of at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66-2/3%) of
the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of the Voting Stock.
The Board of Directors shall also have the power to adopt, amend, or repeal
Bylaws.
ARTICLE XIV
LOANS TO OFFICERS
SECTION 46. LOANS TO OFFICERS. The corporation may lend money
to, or guarantee any obligation of, or otherwise assist any officer or other
employee of the corporation or of its subsidiaries, including any officer or
employee who is a Director of the corporation or its subsidiaries, whenever, in
the judgment of the Board of Directors, such loan, guarantee or assistance may
reasonably be expected to benefit the corporation. The loan, guarantee or
other assistance may be with or without interest and may be unsecured, or
secured in such manner as the Board of Directors shall approve, including,
without limitation, a pledge of shares of stock of the corporation. Nothing in
these Bylaws shall be deemed to deny, limit or restrict the powers of guaranty
or warranty of the corporation at common law or under any statute.
ARTICLE XV
Miscellaneous
Section 47. Annual Report.
(a) Subject to the provisions of paragraph (b) of this Bylaw, the Board
of Directors shall cause an annual report to be sent to each stockholder of the
corporation not later than one hundred twenty (120) days after the close of the
corporation's fiscal year. Such report shall include a balance sheet as of the
end of such fiscal year and an income statement and statement of changes in
financial position for such fiscal year, accompanied by any report thereon of
independent accounts or, if there is no such report, the certificate of an
authorized officer of the corporation that such statements were prepared
without audit from the books and records of the corporation. When there are
more than 100 stockholders of record of the corporation's shares, as determined
by Section 605 of the California Corporations Code, additional information as
required by Section 1501(b) of the California Corporations Code shall also be
contained in such report, provided that if the corporation has a class of
securities registered under Section 12 of the 1934 Act, that Act shall take
precedence. Such report shall be sent to stockholders at least fifteen (15)
days prior to the next annual meeting of stockholders after the end of the
fiscal year to which it relates.
(b) If and so long as there are fewer than 100 holders of record of the
corporation's shares, the requirement of sending of an annual report to the
stockholders of the corporation is hereby expressly waived.
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