Exhibit 3.4
BYLAWS
OF
ADERIS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
(A DELAWARE CORPORATION)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
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 MEETINGS......................................... 1
Section 6. SPECIAL MEETINGS........................................ 3
Section 7. NOTICE OF MEETINGS...................................... 3
Section 8. QUORUM.................................................. 3
Section 9. ADJOURNMENT AND NOTICE OF ADJOURNED MEETINGS............ 3
Section 10. VOTING RIGHTS........................................... 3
Section 11. PROXIES................................................. 4
Section 12. JOINT OWNERS OF STOCK................................... 4
Section 13. LIST OF STOCKHOLDERS.................................... 4
Section 14. NO ACTION WITHOUT MEETING............................... 4
Section 15. ORGANIZATION............................................ 5
ARTICLE IV. DIRECTORS.................................................... 5
Section 16. NUMBER AND TERM OF OFFICE............................... 5
Section 17. POWERS.................................................. 5
Section 18. VACANCIES............................................... 5
Section 19. RESIGNATION............................................. 5
Section 20. REMOVAL................................................. 6
Section 21. MEETINGS................................................ 6
Section 22. QUORUM AND VOTING....................................... 6
Section 23. ACTION WITHOUT MEETING.................................. 7
Section 24. FEES AND COMPENSATION................................... 7
Section 25. COMMITTEES.............................................. 7
Section 26. ORGANIZATION............................................ 8
ARTICLE V. OFFICERS...................................................... 8
Section 27. OFFICERS DESIGNATED..................................... 8
Section 28. TENURE AND DUTIES OF OFFICERS........................... 8
Section 29. DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY................................. 9
Section 30. RESIGNATIONS............................................ 9
Section 31. REMOVAL................................................. 9
ARTICLE VI. EXECUTION OF CORPORATE INSTRUMENTS AND VOTING OF
SECURITIES OWNED BY THE CORPORATION......................... 9
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Section 32. EXECUTION OF CORPORATE INSTRUMENTS...................... 9
Section 33. VOTING OF SECURITIES OWNED BY THE CORPORATION........... 9
ARTICLE VII. SHARES OF STOCK............................................. 10
Section 34. FORM AND EXECUTION OF CERTIFICATES...................... 10
Section 35. LOST CERTIFICATES....................................... 10
Section 36. TRANSFERS............................................... 10
Section 37. FIXING RECORD DATES..................................... 10
Section 38. REGISTERED STOCKHOLDERS................................. 11
ARTICLE VIII. OTHER SECURITIES OF THE CORPORATION........................ 11
Section 39. EXECUTION OF OTHER SECURITIES........................... 11
ARTICLE IX. DIVIDENDS.................................................... 11
Section 40. DECLARATION OF DIVIDENDS................................ 11
Section 41. DIVIDEND RESERVE........................................ 11
ARTICLE X. FISCAL YEAR................................................... 12
Section 42. FISCAL YEAR............................................. 12
ARTICLE XI. INDEMNIFICATION.............................................. 12
Section 43. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE
OFFICERS, OTHER OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES AND OTHER
AGENTS.................................................. 12
ARTICLE XII. NOTICES..................................................... 14
Section 44. NOTICES................................................. 14
ARTICLE XIII. AMENDMENTS................................................. 15
Section 45. AMENDMENTS.............................................. 15
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AMENDED AND RESTATED
BYLAWS
OF
ADERIS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
(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.
Section 5. ANNUAL MEETINGS.
(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.Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors of the
corporation and the proposal of business to be considered by the stockholders
may be made at an annual meeting of stockholders: (i) pursuant to the
corporation's notice of meeting of stockholders; (ii) by or at the direction of
the Board of Directors; or (iii) by any stockholder of the corporation who was a
stockholder of record at the time of giving of notice provided for in the
following paragraph, who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who complied
with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 5.
(b) At an annual meeting of the stockholders, only such
business shall be conducted as shall have been properly brought before the
meeting. For nominations or other business to be properly brought before an
annual meeting by a stockholder pursuant to clause (iii) of Section 5(a) of
these Bylaws, (i) the stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in
writing to the Secretary of the corporation, (ii) such other business must be a
proper matter for stockholder action under the Delaware General Corporation Law
("DGCL"), (iii) if the stockholder, or the beneficial owner on whose behalf any
such proposal or nomination is made, has provided the corporation with a
Solicitation Notice (as defined in this Section 5(b)), such stockholder or
beneficial owner must, in the case of a proposal, have delivered a proxy
statement and form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the
corporation's voting shares required under applicable law to carry any such
proposal, or, in the case of a nomination or nominations, have delivered a proxy
statement and form of proxy to holders of a percentage
of the corporation's voting shares reasonably believed by such stockholder or
beneficial owner to be sufficient to elect the nominee or nominees proposed to
be nominated by such stockholder, and must, in either case, have included in
such materials the Solicitation Notice, and (iv) if no Solicitation Notice
relating thereto has been timely provided pursuant to this section, the
stockholder or beneficial owner proposing such business or nomination must not
have solicited a number of proxies sufficient to have required the delivery of
such a Solicitation Notice under this Section 5. To be timely, a stockholder's
notice shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of
the Corporation not later than the close of business on the ninetieth (90th) day
nor earlier than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth (120th) day
prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year's annual meeting; provided,
however, that in the event that the date of the annual meeting is advanced more
than thirty (30) days prior to or delayed by more than thirty (30) days after
the anniversary of the preceding year's annual meeting, notice by the
stockholder to be timely must be so delivered not earlier than the close of
business on the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to such annual meeting
and not later than the close of business on the later of the ninetieth (90th)
day prior to such annual meeting or the tenth (10th) day following the day on
which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made. In no event
shall the public announcement of an adjournment of an annual meeting commence a
new time period for the giving of a stockholder's notice as described above.
Such stockholder's notice shall set forth: (A) as to each person whom the
stockholder proposed to nominate for election or reelection as a director all
information relating to such person that is required to be disclosed in
solicitations of proxies for election of directors in an election contest, or is
otherwise required, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934 Act") and Rule 14a-11 thereunder
(including such person's written consent to being named in the proxy statement
as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected); (B) as to any other
business that the stockholder proposes to bring before the meeting, a brief
description of the business desired to be brought before the meeting, the
reasons for conducting such business at the meeting and any material interest in
such business of such stockholder and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose
behalf the proposal is made; and (C) as to the stockholder giving the notice and
the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made
(i) the name and address of such stockholder, as they appear on the
corporation's books, and of such beneficial owner, (ii) the class and number of
shares of the corporation which are owned beneficially and of record by such
stockholder and such beneficial owner, and (iii) whether either such stockholder
or beneficial owner intends to deliver a proxy statement and form of proxy to
holders of, in the case of the proposal, at least the percentage of the
corporation's voting shares required under applicable law to carry the proposal
or, in the case of a nomination or nominations, a sufficient number of holders
of the corporation's voting shares to elect such nominee or nominees (an
affirmative statement of such intent, a "Solicitation Notice").
(c) Notwithstanding anything in the second sentence of
Section 5(b) of these Bylaws to the contrary, in the event that the number of
directors to be elected to the Board of Directors of the Corporation is
increased and there is no public announcement naming all of the nominees for
director or specifying the size of the increased Board of Directors made by the
corporation at least one hundred (100) days prior to the first anniversary of
the preceding year's annual meeting, a stockholder's notice required by this
Section 5 shall also be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for
any new positions created by such increase, if it shall be delivered to the
Secretary at the principal executive offices of the corporation not later than
the close of business on the tenth (10th) day following the day on which such
public announcement is first made by the corporation.
(d) Only such persons who are nominated in accordance
with the procedures set forth in this Section 5 shall be eligible to serve as
directors and only such business shall be conducted at a meeting of stockholders
as shall have been brought before the meeting in accordance with the procedures
set forth in this Section 5. Except as otherwise provided by law, the Chairman
of the meeting shall have the power and duty to determine whether a nomination
or any business proposed to be brought before the meeting was made, or proposed,
as the case may be, in accordance with the procedures set forth in these Bylaws
and, if any proposed nomination or business is not in compliance with these
Bylaws, to declare that such defective proposal or nomination shall not be
presented for stockholder action at the meeting and shall be disregarded.
(e) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this
Section 5, in order to include information with respect to a stockholder
proposal in the proxy statement and form of proxy for a stockholders' meeting,
stockholders must provide notice as required by the regulations promulgated
under the 1934 Act. Nothing in these Bylaws shall be deemed to affect any rights
of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the corporation proxy
statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the 1934 Act.
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(f) 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 1934 Act.
Section 6. SPECIAL MEETINGS. 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 a majority of the total number
of authorized directors (whether or not there exist any vacancies in previously
authorized directorships at the time any such resolution is presented to the
Board of Directors for adoption).
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 statute, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws,
in all matters other than the election of directors, the affirmative vote of the
majority of shares present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and
entitled to vote on the subject matter shall be the act of the stockholders.
Except as otherwise provided by statute, the Certificate of Incorporation or
these Bylaws, directors shall be elected by 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
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. 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 13 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
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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. Proxies. Each stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of
stockholders may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder
by proxy, but no such proxy shall be voted or acted upon after three years from
its date, unless the proxy provides for a longer period. The following shall
constitute a valid means by which a stockholder may grant such authority: (i) a
stockholder may execute a writing authorizing another person or persons to act
for such stockholder as proxy (which execution may be accomplished by the
stockholder or such stockholder's authorized officer, director, employee or
agent signing such writing or causing such person's signature to be affixed to
such writing by any reasonable means including, but not limited to, by facsimile
signature); and (ii) a stockholder may authorize another person or persons to
act for such stockholder as proxy by transmitting or authorizing the
transmission of a telegram, cablegram, or other means of electronic transmission
to the person who will be the holder of the proxy or to a proxy solicitation
firm, proxy support service organization or like agent duly authorized by the
person who will be the holder of the proxy to receive such transmission,
provided that any such telegram, cablegram or other means of electronic
transmission must either set forth or be submitted with information from which
it can be determined that the telegram, cable gram or other electronic
transmission was authorized by the stockholder. If it is determined that such
telegrams, cablegrams or other electronic transmissions are valid, the
inspectors or, if there are no inspectors, such other persons making that
determination shall specify the information upon which they relied. Any copy,
facsimile telecommunication or other reliable reproduction of the writing or
transmission created pursuant to (i) and (ii) of this section may be substituted
or used in lieu of the original writing or transmission for any and all purposes
for which the original writing or transmission could be used, provided that such
copy, facsimile telecommunication or other reproduction shall be a complete
reproduction of the entire original writing or transmission. A duly executed
proxy shall be irrevocable if it states that it is irrevocable and if, and only
as long as, it is coupled with an interest sufficient in law to support an
irrevocable power. A proxy may be made irrevocable regardless of whether the
interest with which it is coupled is an interest in the stock itself or an
interest in the corporation generally. All proxies must be filed with the
Secretary of the corporation at the beginning of each meeting in order to be
counted in any vote at the meeting.
Section 12. 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 DGCL, 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.
Section 13. 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 14. NO ACTION WITHOUT MEETING. Any action required or permitted
to be taken at any annual or special meeting of the stockholders may be taken
only upon the vote of the stockholders at any annual or special meeting duly
called and may not be taken by written consent of the stockholders.
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Section 15. 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.
ARTICLE IV.
DIRECTORS
Section 16. 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 17. 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 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 Section 18 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.
(a) Neither the Board of Directors nor any individual
director may be removed without cause.
(b) Subject to any limitation imposed by law, any
individual director or directors may be removed with cause by the affirmative
vote of a majority of the voting power of the Corporation entitled to vote at an
election of directors.
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. Unless otherwise restricted by the
Certificate of Incorporation, regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be
held at any time or date and at any place within or without the State of
Delaware which has been designated by the Board of Directors and publicized
among all directors. No formal notice shall be required for regular meetings of
the Board of 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 Chief Executive Officer or a majority
of the directors then in office.
(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 or any meeting of the Executive
Committee or any other committee of the Board of Directors shall be orally or in
writing, by telephone, including a voice messaging system or other system or
technology designed to record and communicate messages, facsimile, telegraph or
telex, or by electronic mail or other electronic means, 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 (including by electronic means) 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.
(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
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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 or by electronic
transmission, and such writing or writings or electronic transmission or
electronic transmissions are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board
of Directors or committee. Such filing shall be in paper form if the minutes are
maintained in paper form and shall be in electronic form if the minutes are
maintained in electronic form.
Section 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
appoint an Executive Committee to consist of one (1) or more members of the
Board of Directors. The Executive Committee, to 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, 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 (i) approving or
adopting, or recommending to the stockholders, any action or matter expressly
required by the DGCL to be submitted to stockholders for approval, or (ii)
adopting, amending or repealing any bylaw of the corporation.
(b) OTHER COMMITTEES. The Board of Directors may, 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 any 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 any requirements
of any outstanding series of Preferred Stock and 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.
(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
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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 (if a director), or, if the President is absent, the
most senior Vice President (if a director), or, in the absence of any such
person, a chairman of the meeting chosen by a majority of the directors present,
shall preside over the meeting. The Secretary, or in his absence, any 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 and the Secretary, 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,
Controllers, 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.
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
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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.
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 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.
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.
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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 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 agree to indemnify the corporation 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 DGCL.
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 upon which the resolution
fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors, and which record
date shall, subject to applicable law, 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
10
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 35), 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; 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, 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 and applicable law, 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 and applicable law.
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.
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ARTICLE X.
FISCAL YEAR
Section 42. FISCAL YEAR. The fiscal year of the corporation shall be
fixed by resolution of the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE XI.
INDEMNIFICATION
Section 43. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS, OTHER
OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES AND OTHER AGENTS.
(a) DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS. The corporation shall
indemnify its directors and officers to the fullest extent not prohibited by the
DGCL or any other applicable law; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the corporation may
modify the extent of such indemnification by individual contracts with its
directors and officers; and, PROVIDED, FURTHER, that the corporation shall not
be required to indemnify any director or 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 DGCL or any other applicable
law or (iv) such indemnification is required to be made under paragraph (d) of
this Section 43.
(b) OTHER EMPLOYEES AND OTHER AGENTS. The corporation
shall have power to indemnify its other employees and other agents as set forth
in the DGCL or any other applicable law. The Board of Directors shall have the
power to delegate the determination of whether indemnification shall be given to
any such person to such officers or other persons as the Board of Directors
shall determine.
(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 therefore, 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 Section 43 or otherwise.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, unless otherwise determined pursuant to
paragraph (e) of this Section 43, no advance shall be made by the corporation to
an officer of the corporation (except by reason of the fact that such 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 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 Section 43 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 therefore. 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
12
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 DGCL or any other applicable 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 DGCL or
any other applicable 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 Section 43 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 applicable 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, or by any other applicable law.
(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
DGCL or any other applicable 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 Section 43.
(h) AMENDMENTS. Any repeal or modification of this
Section 43 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 Section 43
that shall not have been invalidated, or by any other applicable law. If this
Section 43 shall be invalid due to the application of the indemnification
provisions of another jurisdiction, then the corporation shall indemnify each
director and executive officer to the full extent under any other applicable
law.
(j) CERTAIN DEFINITIONS. For the purposes of this Bylaw,
the following definitions shall apply:
(1) 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.
13
(2) 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.
(3) 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 Section 43 with respect to the resulting or surviving
corporation as he would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its
separate existence had continued.
(4) 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.
(5) 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 Section
43.
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 any method stated in Section 21(e) hereof.
(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.
(d) TIME NOTICES DEEMED GIVEN. All notices given by mail
or by overnight delivery service, 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.
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(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 DGCL, 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 DGCL, 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 of the
corporation entitled to vote. The Board of Directors shall also have the power
to adopt, amend, or repeal Bylaws.
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