Exhibit 3.2
-----------
BYLAWS
of
SEMTECH CORPORATION
a Delaware Corporation
ARTICLE I
OFFICES
-------
Section 1.01 REGISTERED OFFICE. The registered office of Semtech
Corporation (hereinafter called the "Corporation") shall be at such place in the
State of Delaware as shall be designated by the Board of Directors (hereinafter
called the "Board").
Section 1.02 PRINCIPAL OFFICE. The principal office for the transaction of the
business of the Corporation shall be at such location, within or without the
State of Delaware, as shall be designated by the Board.
Section 1.03 OTHER OFFICES. The Corporation may also have an office
or offices at such other place or places, either within or without the State of
Delaware, as the Board may from time to time determine or as the business of the
Corporation may require.
ARTICLE II
MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS
------------------------
Section 2.01 ANNUAL MEETINGS. Annual meetings of the stockholders of
the Corporation for the purpose of electing directors and for the transaction of
such other proper business as may come before such meetings may be held at such
time, date and place as the Board shall determine by resolution.
Section 2.02 SPECIAL MEETINGS. Special meetings of the stockholders of the
Corporation for any purpose or purposes may be called at any time by the Board,
or by a committee of the Board which has been duly designated by the Board and
whose powers and authority, as provided in a resolution of the Board or in the
Bylaws, include the power to call such meetings, but such special meetings may
not be called by any other person or persons; provided, however, that if and to
the extent that any special meeting of stockholders may be called by any other
person or persons specified in any provisions of the Certificate of
Incorporation or any amendment thereto or any certificate filed under Section
151(g) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (or its successor
statute as in effect from time to time hereafter), then such special meeting may
also be called by the person or persons, in the manner, at the time and for the
purposes so specified.
Section 2.03 PLACE OF MEETINGS. All meetings of the stockholders
shall be held at such places, within or without the State of Delaware, as may
from time to time be
-18-
designated by the person or persons calling the respective meetings and
specified in the respective notices or waivers of notice thereof.
Section 2.04 NOTICE OF MEETINGS. Except as otherwise required by
law, notice of each meeting of the stockholders, whether annual or special,
shall be given not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days before the
date of the meeting to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at such
meeting by delivering a typewritten or printed notice thereof to him personally,
or by depositing such notice in the United States mail, in a postage prepaid
envelope, directed to him at his address furnished by him to the Secretary of
the Corporation for such purpose or, if he shall not have furnished to the
Secretary his address for such purpose, then at his address last known to the
Secretary, or by transmitting a notice thereof to him at such address by
telegraph, cable or wireless. Except as otherwise expressly required by law, no
publication of any notice of a meeting of the stockholders shall be required.
Every notice of a meeting of the stockholders shall state the place, date and
hour of the meeting, and, in the case of a special meeting shall also state the
purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called. Except as otherwise
expressly required by law, notice of any adjourned meeting of the stockholders
need not be given if the time and place thereof are announced at the meeting at
which the adjournment is taken.
Whenever notice is required to be given 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 have been taken or held without
notice to such person shall 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.
No notice need be given to any person with whom communication is
unlawful, nor shall there be any duty to apply for any permanent or license to
give notice to any such person.
Section 2.05 QUORUM. Except as provided by law, the holders of
record of a majority in voting interest of the shares of stock of the
Corporation entitled to be voted, present in person or by proxy, shall
constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the
stockholders of the Corporation or any adjournment thereof. The stockholders
present at a duly called or held meeting at which a quorum is present may
continue to do business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of
enough stockholders to leave less than a quorum. In the absence of a quorum at
any meeting or any adjournment thereof, a majority in voting interest of the
stockholders present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote thereat or, in
the absence therefrom of all the stockholders, any officer entitled to preside
at or to act as secretary of such meeting may adjourn such meeting from time to
time. At any such adjourned meeting at which a quorum is present any business
may be transacted which might have been transacted at the meeting as originally
called.
Section 2.06 VOTING.
(a) At each meeting of the stockholders, each stockholder shall be
entitled to vote in person or by proxy each share or fractional share of the
stock of the Corporation which
-19-
has voting rights on the matter in question and which shall have been held by
him and registered in his name on the books of the Corporation:
(i) on the date fixed pursuant to Section 2.10 of these Bylaws
as the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to notice of
and to vote at such meeting, or
(ii) if no such record date shall have been so fixed, then (A)
at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice of
the meeting shall be given or (B) if notice of the meeting shall be waived, at
the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting
shall be held.
(b) Shares of its own stock belonging to the Corporation or to
another corporation, if a majority of the shares entitled to vote in the
election of directors in such other corporation is held, directly or indirectly,
by the Corporation, shall neither be entitled to vote nor be counted for quorum
purposes. Persons holding stock of the Corporation in a fiduciary capacity shall
be entitled to vote such stock. Persons whose stock is pledged shall be entitled
to vote, unless in the transfer by the pledgor on the books of the Corporation
he shall have expressly empowered the pledgee to vote thereon, in which case
only the pledgee, or his proxy, may represent such stock and vote thereon. Stock
having voting power standing of record in the names of two or more persons,
whether fiduciaries, members of a partnership, joint tenants, tenants in common,
tenants by the entirety or otherwise, or with respect to which two or more
persons have the same fiduciary relationship, shall be voted in accordance with
the provisions of the General Corporation Law of Delaware.
(c) Any such voting rights may be exercised by the stockholder
entitled thereto in person or by his proxy appointed by an instrument in
writing, subscribed by such stockholder or by his attorney thereunto authorized
and delivered to the secretary of the meeting; provided, however, that no proxy
shall be voted or acted upon after three years from its date unless said proxy
shall provide for a longer period. The attendance at any meeting of a
stockholder who may theretofore have given a proxy shall not have the effect of
revoking the same unless he shall in writing so notify the secretary of the
meeting prior to the voting of the proxy. At any meeting of the stockholders
all matters, except as otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation,
in these Bylaws or by law, shall be decided by the vote of a majority in voting
interest of the stockholders present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote
thereat and thereon. The stockholders present at a duly called or held meeting
at which a quorum is present may continue to do business until adjournment,
notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough stockholders to leave less than a
quorum. The vote at any meeting of the stockholders on any question need not be
by ballot, unless so directed by the chairman of the meeting. On a vote by
ballot, each ballot shall be signed by the stockholder voting, or by his proxy
if there be such proxy, and it shall state the number of shares voted.
Section 2.07 LIST OF STOCKHOLDERS. The Secretary of the Corporation
shall prepare and make, at least ten (10) days before every meeting of
stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at the
meeting, arranged in alphabetical order, and 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 so specified, at the place where the meeting is to be held.
The list shall also be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting
during the entire duration thereof, and may be inspected by any stockholder who
is present.
-20-
Section 2.08 INSPECTOR OF ELECTION. If at any meeting of the
stockholders a vote by written ballot shall be taken on any question, the
chairman of such meeting may appoint an inspector or inspectors of election to
act with respect to such vote. Each inspector so appointed shall first
subscribe an oath faithfully to execute the duties of an inspector at such
meeting with strict impartiality and according to the best of his ability. Such
inspectors shall decide upon the qualification of the voters and shall report
the number of shares represented at the meeting and entitled to vote on such
question, shall conduct and accept the votes, and, when the voting is completed,
shall ascertain and report the number of shares voted respectively for and
against the question. Reports of the inspectors shall be in writing and
subscribed and delivered by them to the Secretary of the Corporation.
Inspectors need not be stockholders of the Corporation, and any officer of the
Corporation may be an inspector on any question other than a vote for or against
a proposal in which he shall have a material interest.
2.09 STOCKHOLDER ACTION WITHOUT MEETINGS. Any action required by the
General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware to be taken at any annual or
special meeting of the stockholders, or any action which may be taken at any
annual or special meeting of the stockholders, may be taken without a meeting,
without prior notice and without a vote, if a consent in writing setting forth
the action so taken shall be signed by the holders of outstanding stock having
not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize
or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon
were present and voted. Prompt notice of the taking of the corporate action
without a meeting by less than unanimous written consent shall be given to those
stockholders who have not consented in writing.
Section 2.10 RECORD DATE. 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, or to express consent to corporate
action in writing without a meeting, or entitled to receive payment of any
dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights, or 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 may fix a record date,
which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing
the record date is adopted by the Board and which record date: (i) in the case
of determination of stockholders entitled to vote at any meeting of stockholders
or adjournment thereof, shall, unless otherwise required by law, not be more
than sixty nor less than ten days before the date of such meeting; (ii) in the
case of determination of stockholders entitled to express consent to corporate
action in writing without a meeting, shall not be more than ten days from the
date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board;
and (iii) in the case of any other action, shall not be more than sixty days
prior to such other action. If no record date is fixed: (i) 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; (ii) the record
date for determining stockholders entitled to express consent to corporate
action in writing without a meeting when no prior action of the Board is
required by law, shall be the first date on which a signed written consent
setting forth the action taken or proposed to be taken is delivered to the
corporation in accordance with applicable law, or, if prior action by the Board
is required by law, shall be at the close of business on the day on which the
Board adopts the resolution taking such prior action; and (iii) the record date
for determining stockholders for any other purpose shall be at the close of
business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution
relating thereto. A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice
of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the
meeting; provided, however, that the Board may fix a new record date for the
adjourned meeting.
-21-
ARTICLE III
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
------------------
Section 3.01 GENERAL POWERS. The property, business and affairs of
the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board, which
may exercise all of the powers of the Corporation, except such as are by the
Certificate of Incorporation, by these Bylaws or by law conferred upon or
reserved to the stockholders.
Section 3.02 NUMBER AND TERM. The Board shall consist of five
members, until changed from time to time by resolution of the Board. Directors
need not be stockholders of the Corporation. Each director shall hold office
until a successor is elected and qualified or until the director resigns or is
removed.
Section 3.03 ELECTION OF DIRECTORS. The directors shall be elected
by the stockholders of the Corporation, and at each election the persons
receiving the greatest number of votes, up to the number of directors then to be
elected, shall be the persons then elected. The election of directors is
subject to any provisions contained in the Certificate of Incorporation relating
thereto, including any provisions for a classified board.
Section 3.04 RESIGNATION AND REMOVAL. Any director of the
Corporation may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Board or to
the Secretary of the Corporation. Any such resignation shall take effect at the
time specified therein, or, if the time is not specified, it shall take effect
immediately upon its receipt; and, unless otherwise specified therein, the
acceptance of such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.
Except as otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation or by
law, any director or the entire board of directors may be removed, with or
without cause, by the holders of a majority of shares then entitled to vote at
an election of directors.
Section 3.05 VACANCIES. Except as otherwise provided in the
Certificate of Incorporation, any vacancy in the Board, whether because of
death, resignation, disqualification, an increase in the number of directors, or
any other cause, may be filled by vote of the majority of the remaining
directors, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director. Each
director so chosen to fill a vacancy shall hold office until his successor shall
have been elected and shall qualify or until he shall resign or shall have been
removed. No reduction of the authorized number of directors shall have the
effect of removing any director prior to the expiration of his term of office.
Upon the resignation of one or more directors from the Board,
effective at a future date, a majority of the directors then in office,
including those who have so resigned, shall have the 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 as provided hereinabove in the filling of other vacancies.
Section 3.06 PLACE OF MEETING; TELEPHONE CONFERENCE MEETING. The
Board may hold any of its meetings at such place or places within or without the
State of Delaware as the Board may from time to time by resolution designate or
as shall be designated by the person or persons calling the meeting or in the
notice or waiver of notice of any such meeting. Directors may participate in
any regular or special meeting of the Board by means of conference telephone or
similar communications equipment pursuant to which all
-22-
persons participating in the meeting of the Board can hear each other, and such
participation shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.
Section 3.07 FIRST MEETING. The Board shall meet as soon as
practicable after each annual election of directors and notice of such first
meeting shall not be required.
Section 3.08 REGULAR MEETINGS. Regular meetings of the Board may be
held at such times as the Board shall from time to time by resolution determine.
If any day fixed for a meeting shall be a legal holiday at the place where the
meeting is to be held, then the meeting shall be held at the same hour and place
on the next succeeding business day which is not a legal holiday. Except as
provided by law, notice of regular meetings need not be given.
Section 3.09 SPECIAL MEETINGS. Special meetings of the Board may be
called at any time by the Chairman of the Board or the President or by any two
(2) directors, to be held at the principal office of the Corporation, or at such
other place or places, within or without the State of Delaware, as the person or
persons calling the meeting may designate.
Notice of the time and place of special meetings shall be given to
each director either (i) by mailing or otherwise sending to him a written notice
of such meeting, charges prepaid, addressed to him at his address as it is shown
upon the records of the Corporation, or if it is not so shown on such records or
is not readily ascertainable, at the place in which the meetings of the
directors are regularly held, at least seventy-two (72) hours prior to the time
of the holding of such meeting; or (ii) by orally communicating the time and
place of the special meeting to him at least forty-eight (48) hours prior to the
time of the holding of such meeting. Either of the notices as above provided
shall be due, legal and personal notice to such director.
Section 3.10 QUORUM AND ACTION. Except as otherwise provided in
these Bylaws or by law, the presence of a majority of the authorized number of
directors shall be required to constitute a quorum for the transaction of
business at any meeting of the Board, and all matters shall be decided at any
such meeting, a quorum being present, by the affirmative votes of a majority of
the directors present. In the absence of a quorum, a majority of directors
present at any meeting may adjourn the same from time to time until a quorum
shall be present. Notice of any adjourned meeting need not be given. The
directors shall act only as a Board, and the individual directors shall have no
power as such.
Section 3.11 ACTION BY CONSENT. Any action required or permitted to
be taken at any meeting of the Board or of any committee thereof may be taken
without a meeting if a written consent thereto is signed by all members of the
Board or of such committee, as the case may be, and such written consent is
filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board or such committee. Such
action by written consent shall have the same force and effect as the unanimous
vote of such directors.
Section 3.12 COMPENSATION. No stated salary need be paid to
directors, as such, for their services but, as fixed from time to time by
resolution of the Board, the directors may receive directors' fees, compensation
and reimbursement for expenses for attendance at directors' meetings, for
serving on committees and for discharging their duties; provided that nothing
herein contained shall be construed to preclude any director from serving the
Corporation in any other capacity and receiving compensation therefor.
Section 3.13 COMMITTEES. The Board may, by resolution passed by a
majority of the whole Board, designate one or more committees, each committee to
consist of one or more of the directors of the Corporation. The Board may
designate one or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may
replace any absent or disqualified member at
-23-
any meeting of the committee. In the absence or disqualification of a member of
the 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 place of any such absent or disqualified member. Any such committee,
to the extent permitted by law and provided in the resolution of the Board,
shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board 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.
Unless the Board otherwise provides, each committee designated by the
Board may make, alter and repeal rules for conduct of its business. In the
absence of such rules each committee shall conduct its business in the same
manner as the Board conducts its business pursuant to these Bylaws. Any such
committee shall keep written minutes of its meetings and report the same to the
Board when required.
ARTICLE IV
OFFICERS
--------
Section 4.01 OFFICERS. The officers of the Corporation shall be a
President (who shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation), a
Secretary and a Treasurer. The Corporation may also have, at the discretion of
the Board, a Chairman of the Board, a Vice Chairman of the Board, one or more
Vice Presidents, one or more Assistant Vice Presidents, one or more Assistant
Secretaries, one or more Assistant Treasurers and such other officers as may be
appointed in accordance with the provisions of Section 4.03 of these Bylaws.
One person may hold two or more offices.
Section 4.02 ELECTION AND TERM. The officers of the Corporation,
except such officers as may be appointed in accordance with the provisions of
Section 4.03 or Section 4.05 of these Bylaws, shall be chosen annually by the
Board, and each shall hold his office until he shall resign or shall be removed
or otherwise disqualified to serve, or until his successor shall be elected and
qualified.
Section 4.03 SUBORDINATE OFFICERS. The Board may appoint, or may
authorize the Chief Executive Officer to appoint, such other officers as the
business of the Corporation may require, each of whom shall have such authority
and perform such duties as are provided in these Bylaws or as the Board or the
President from time to time may specify, and shall hold office until he shall
resign or shall be removed or otherwise disqualified to serve.
Section 4.04 REMOVAL AND RESIGNATION. Any officer may be removed,
with or without cause, by a majority of the directors at the time in office, at
any regular or special meeting of the Board, or, except in case of an officer
chosen by the Board, by the Chief Executive Officer upon whom such power of
removal may be conferred by the Board.
Any officer may resign at any time by giving written notice to the
Board, the Chairman of the Board, the President or the Secretary of the
Corporation. Any such resignation shall take effect at the date of the receipt
of such notice or at any later time specified therein; and unless otherwise
specified therein, the acceptance of such resignation shall not be necessary to
make it effective.
-24-
Section 4.05 VACANCIES. A vacancy in any office because of death,
resignation, removal, disqualification or any other cause shall be filled in the
manner prescribed in the Bylaws for the regular appointments to such office.
Section 4.06 CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD. The Chairman of the Board, if
any, shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and the Board and
exercise and perform such other powers and duties with respect to the
administration of the business and affairs of the Corporation as may from time
to time be assigned to him by the Board or as is prescribed by the Bylaws.
Section 4.07 PRESIDENT. The President of the Corporation shall,
subject to the control of the Board, have general supervision, direction and
control of the business and affairs of the Corporation. In the absence of a
Chairman or Vice Chairman of the Board, he shall preside at all meetings of
stockholders and the Board. He shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the
Corporation and shall have the general powers and duties of management usually
vested in the chief executive officer of a corporation, and shall have such
other powers and duties with respect to the administration of the business and
affairs of the Corporation as may from time to time be assigned to him by the
Board or as prescribed by the Bylaws.
Section 4.08 VICE PRESIDENT. The Vice President(s), if any, shall
exercise and perform such powers and duties with respect to the administration
of the business and affairs of the Corporation as from time to time may be
assigned to each of them by the President, by the Chairman of the Board, if any,
by the Board or as is prescribed by the Bylaws. In the absence or disability of
the President, the Vice Presidents, in order of their rank as fixed by the
Board, or if not ranked, the Vice President designated by the Board, shall
perform all of the duties of the President and when so acting shall have all of
the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the President.
Section 4.09 SECRETARY. The Secretary shall keep, or cause to be
kept, a book of minutes at the principal office for the transaction of the
business of the Corporation, or such other place as the Board may order, of all
meetings of directors and stockholders, with the time and place of holding,
whether regular or special, and if special, how authorized and the notice
thereof given, the names of those present at directors' meetings, the number of
shares present or represented at stockholders' meetings and the proceedings
thereof.
The Secretary shall keep, or cause to be kept, at the principal office
for the transaction of the business of the Corporation or at the office of the
Corporation's transfer agent, a share register, or a duplicate share register,
showing the names of the stockholders and their addresses, the number and
classes of shares held by each, the number and date of certificates issued for
the same, and the number and date of cancellation of every certificate
surrendered for cancellation.
The Secretary shall give, or cause to be given, notice of all the
meetings of the stockholders and of the Board required by these Bylaws or by law
to be given, and he shall keep the seal of the Corporation in safe custody, and
shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as may be prescribed
by the Board or these Bylaws. If for any reason the Secretary shall fail to
give notice of any special meeting of the Board called by one or more of the
persons identified in Section 3.09 of these Bylaws, or if he shall fail to give
notice of any special meeting of the stockholders called by one or more of the
persons identified in Section 2.02 of these Bylaws, then any such person or
persons may give notice of any such special meeting.
Section 4.10 TREASURER. The Treasurer shall keep and maintain or
cause to be kept and maintained, adequate and correct accounts of the properties
and business
-25-
transactions of the Corporation, including accounts of its assets, liabilities,
receipts, disbursements, gains, losses, capital, surplus and shares. Any
surplus, including earned surplus, paid-in surplus and surplus arising from a
reduction of capital, shall be classified according to source and shown in a
separate account. The books of account at all reasonable times shall be open to
inspection by any director.
The Treasurer shall deposit all moneys and other valuables in the name
and to the credit of the Corporation with such depositories as may be designated
by the Board. He shall disburse the funds of the Corporation as may be ordered
by the Board, shall render to the President, to the Chief Executive Officer and
to the directors, whenever they request it, an account of all of his
transactions as Treasurer and of the financial condition of the Corporation, and
shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as may be prescribed
by the Board or these Bylaws.
Section 4.11 COMPENSATION. The compensation of the officers of the
Corporation, if any, shall be fixed from time to time by the Board.
ARTICLE V
CONTRACTS, CHECKS, DRAFTS, BANK ACCOUNTS, ETC.
----------------------------------------------
Section 5.01 EXECUTION OF CONTRACTS. The Board, except as otherwise
provided in these Bylaws, may authorize any officer or officers, agent or
agents, to enter into any contract or execute any instrument in the name and on
behalf of the Corporation, and such authority may be general or confined to
specific instances; and unless so authorized by the Board or by these Bylaws, 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 in any amount.
Section 5.02 CHECKS, DRAFTS, ETC. All checks, drafts or other orders
for payment of money, notes or other evidence of indebtedness, issued in the
name of or payable to the Corporation, shall be signed or endorsed by such
person or persons and in such manner as, from time to time, shall be determined
by resolution of the Board. Each such person shall give such bond, if any, as
the Board may require.
Section 5.03 DEPOSIT. All funds of the Corporation not otherwise
employed shall be deposited from time to time to the credit of the Corporation
in such banks, trust companies or other depositories as the Board may select, or
as may be selected by any officer or officers, assistant or assistants, agent or
agents, attorney or attorneys, of the Corporation to whom such power shall have
been delegated by the Board. For the purpose of deposit and for the purpose of
collection for the account of the Corporation, the President, the Chief
Executive Officer, any Vice President or the Treasurer (or any other officer or
officers, assistant or assistants, agent or agents, or attorney or attorneys of
the Corporation who shall be determined by the Board from time to time) may
endorse, assign and deliver checks, drafts and other orders for the payment of
money which are payable to the order of the Corporation.
Section 5.04 GENERAL AND SPECIAL BANK ACCOUNTS. The Board from time
to time may authorize the opening and keeping of general and special bank
accounts with such banks, trust companies or other depositories as the Board may
select or as may be selected by an officer or officers, assistant or assistants,
agent or agents, or attorney or attorneys of the Corporation to whom such power
shall have been delegated by the Board. The Board
-26-
may make such special rules and regulations with respect to such bank accounts,
not inconsistent with the provisions of these Bylaws, as it may deem expedient.
ARTICLE VI
SHARES AND THEIR TRANSFER
-------------------------
Section 6.01 CERTIFICATES FOR STOCK. Every owner of stock of the
Corporation shall be entitled to have a certificate or certificates, in such
form as the Board shall prescribe, certifying the number and class of shares of
the stock of the Corporation owned by him. The certificates representing shares
of such stock shall be numbered in the order in which they shall be issued and
shall be signed in the name of the Corporation by the Chairman of the Board, the
President or a Vice President and by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary or
by the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer. Any or all of the signatures on the
certificates may be a facsimile. In case any officer, transfer agent or
registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon any
such certificate shall thereafter have ceased to be such officer, transfer agent
or registrar before such certificate is issued, such certificate may
nevertheless be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as though the
person who signed such certificate, or whose facsimile signature shall have been
placed thereupon, were such officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of
issue. A record shall be kept of the respective names of the persons, firms or
corporations owning the stock represented by such certificates, the number and
class of shares represented by such certificates, respectively, and the
respective dates thereof, and in case of cancellation, the respective dates of
cancellation. Every certificate surrendered to the Corporation for exchange or
transfer shall be cancelled, and no new certificate or certificates shall be
issued in exchange for any existing certificate until such existing certificate
shall have been so cancelled, except in cases provided for in Section 6.04 of
these Bylaws.
Section 6.02 TRANSFER OF STOCK. Transfer of shares of stock of the
Corporation shall be made only on the books of the Corporation by the registered
holder thereof, or by his attorney thereunto authorized by power of attorney
duly executed and filed with the Secretary, or with a transfer clerk or a
transfer agent appointed as provided in Section 6.03 of these Bylaws, and upon
surrender of the certificate or certificates for such shares properly endorsed
and the payment of all taxes thereon. The person in whose name shares of stock
stand on the books of the Corporation shall be deemed the owner thereof for all
purposes as regards the Corporation. Whenever any transfer of shares shall be
made for collateral security, and not absolutely, such fact shall be stated
expressly in the entry of transfer if, when the certificate or certificates
shall be presented to the Corporation for transfer, both the transferor and the
transferee request the Corporation to do so.
Section 6.03 REGULATIONS. The Board may make such rules and
regulations as it may deem expedient, not inconsistent with these Bylaws,
concerning the issue, transfer and registration of certificates for shares of
the stock of the Corporation. The Board may appoint, or authorize any officer
or officers to appoint, one or more transfer clerks or one or more transfer
agents and one or more registrars, and may require all certificates for stock to
bear the signature or signatures of any of them.
Section 6.04 LOST, STOLEN, DESTROYED AND MUTILATED CERTIFICATES. In
any case of loss, theft, destruction, or mutilation of any certificate of stock,
another may be issued in its place upon proof of such loss, theft, destruction,
or mutilation and upon the giving of a bond of indemnity to the Corporation in
such form and in such sums as the Board may direct; provided, however, that a
new certificate may be issued without requiring any bond when, in the judgment
of the Board, it is proper to do so.
-27-
Section 6.05 REPRESENTATION OF SHARES OF OTHER CORPORATIONS. The
President or any Vice President and the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of
this Corporation are authorized to vote, represent and exercise on behalf of
this Corporation all rights incident to all shares of any other corporation or
corporations standing in the name of this Corporation. The authority herein
granted to said officers to vote or represent on behalf of this Corporation any
and all shares held by this Corporation in any other corporation or corporations
may be exercised either by such officers in person or by any person authorized
so to do by proxy or power of attorney duly executed by said officers.
ARTICLE VII
INDEMNIFICATION
---------------
Section 7.01 ACTIONS OTHER THAN BY OR IN THE RIGHT OF THE
CORPORATION. The Corporation shall indemnify any person who was or is a party
or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed
action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or
investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the Corporation) by
reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of
the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a
director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint
venture, trust or other enterprise or as a member of any committee or similar
body, against expenses (including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines and amounts
paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with
such action, suit or proceeding if he acted in good faith and in a manner he
reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the
Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no
reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful. The termination of any
action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a
plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a
presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner which he
reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the
Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, that he had
reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful.
Section 7.02 ACTIONS BY OR IN THE RIGHT OF THE CORPORATION. The
Corporation shall indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to
be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in
the right of the Corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the
fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the
Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a
director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint
venture, trust or other enterprise, or as a member of any committee or similar
body, against expenses (including attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably
incurred by him in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or
suit if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in,
or not opposed to, the best interests of the Corporation, except that no
indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to
which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the Corporation
unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the court in which
such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite
the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case,
such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses
which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.
Section 7.03 DETERMINATION OF RIGHT OF INDEMNIFICATION. Any
indemnification under Section 7.01 or 7.02 of these Bylaws (unless ordered by a
court) shall be made by the Corporation only as authorized in the specific case
upon a determination that indemnification of the director, officer, employee or
agent is proper in the circumstances
-28-
because he has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in Sections 7.01
and 7.02 of these Bylaws. Such determination shall be made (i) by the Board by a
majority vote of a quorum consisting of directors who were not parties to such
action, suit or proceeding, or (ii) if such a quorum is not obtainable, or, even
if obtainable, a quorum of disinterested directors so directs, by independent
legal counsel in a written opinion, or (iii) by the stockholders.
Section 7.04 INDEMNIFICATION AGAINST EXPENSES OF SUCCESSFUL PARTY.
Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Article VII, to the extent that a
director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation has been successful on
the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to
in Section 7.01 or 7.02 of these Bylaws, or in defense of any claim, issue or
matter therein, he shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys'
fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection therewith.
Section 7.05 ADVANCE OF EXPENSES. Expenses incurred by an officer or
director in defending a civil or criminal action, suit or proceeding may be paid
by the Corporation in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or
proceeding as authorized by the Board upon receipt of an undertaking by or on
behalf of the director or officer, to repay such amount if it shall ultimately
be determined that he is not entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation as
authorized in this Article VII. Such expenses incurred by other employees and
agents may be so paid upon such terms and conditions, if any, as the Board deems
appropriate.
Section 7.06 OTHER RIGHTS AND REMEDIES. The indemnification and
advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, the other Sections
of this Article VII shall not be deemed exclusive and are declared expressly to
be nonexclusive of any other rights to which those seeking indemnification or
advancements of expenses may be entitled under any bylaw, 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 such
office.
Section 7.07 INSURANCE. Upon resolution passed by the Board, the
Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is
or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was
serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or
agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other
enterprise or as a member of any committee or similar body against any liability
asserted against him and incurred by him in any such capacity, or arising out of
his status as such, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to
indemnify him against such liability under the provisions of this Article VII.
Section 7.08 CONSTITUENT CORPORATIONS. For the purposes of this
Article VII, references to "the Corporation" 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 or as a member of any committee or similar body shall
stand in the same position under the provisions of this Article VII with respect
to the resulting or surviving corporation as he would have with respect to such
constituent corporation if its separate existence had continued.
Section 7.09 EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS. For the purposes of this
Article VII, references to "other enterprises" shall include employee benefit
plans; references to "fines" shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person
with respect to any employee benefit plan;
-29-
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 Article
VII.
Section 7.10. BROADEST LAWFUL INDEMNIFICATION. In addition to the
foregoing, the Corporation shall, to the broadest and maximum extent permitted
by Delaware law, as the same exists from time to time (but, in case of any
amendment to or change in Delaware law, only to the extent that such amendment
or change permits the Corporation to provide broader rights of indemnification
than is permitted to the Corporation prior to such amendment or change),
indemnify each 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 officer of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the
request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another
corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against
expenses (including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in
settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with such
action, suit or proceeding. In addition, the Corporation shall, to the broadest
and maximum extent permitted by Delaware law, as the same may exist from time to
time (but, in case of any amendment to or change in Delaware law, only to the
extent that such amendment or change permits the Corporation to provide broader
rights of payment of expenses incurred in advance of the final disposition of an
action, suit or proceeding than is permitted to the Corporation prior to such
amendment or change), pay to such person any and all expenses (including
attorneys' fees) incurred in defending or settling any such action, suit or
proceeding in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or
proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the director or
officer, to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined by a final
judgment or other final adjudication that he is not entitled to be indemnified
by the Corporation as authorized in this Section 7.10. The first sentence of
this Section 7.10 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Corporation shall not
indemnify any such person with respect to any of the following matters: (i)
remuneration paid to such person if it shall be determined by a final judgment
or other final adjudication that such remuneration was in violation of law; or
(ii) any accounting of profits made from the purchase or sale by such person of
the Corporation's securities within the meaning of Section 16(b) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and amendments thereto or similar provisions of
any federal, state or local statutory law; or (iii) actions brought about or
contributed to by the dishonesty of such person, if a final judgment or other
final adjudication adverse to such person establishes that acts of active and
deliberate dishonesty were committed or attempted by such person with actual
dishonest purpose and intent and were material to the adjudication; or (iv)
actions based on or attributable to such person having gained any personal
profit or advantage to which he was not entitled, in the event that a final
judgment or other final adjudication adverse to such person establishes that
such person in fact gained such personal profit or other advantage to which he
was not entitled; or (v) any matter in respect of which a final decision by a
court with competent jurisdiction shall determine that indemnification is
unlawful; provided, however, that the Corporation shall perform its obligations
under the second sentence of this Section 7.10 on behalf of such person until
such time as it shall be ultimately determined by a final judgment or other
final adjudication that he is not entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation
as authorized by the first sentence of this Section 7.10 by virtue of any of the
preceding clauses (i), (ii), (iii), (iv) or (v).
Section 7.11. TERM. The indemnification and advancement of expenses
provided by, or granted pursuant to, this Article VII shall, unless otherwise
provided when
-30-
authorized or ratified, continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director,
officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs,
executors and administrators of such a person.
Section 7.12 SEVERABILITY. If any part of this Article VII shall be
found, in any action, suit or proceeding or appeal therefrom or in any other
circumstances or as to any particular officer, director, employee or agent to be
unenforceable, ineffective or invalid for any reason, the enforceability, effect
and validity of the remaining parts or of such parts in other circumstances
shall not be affected, except as otherwise required by applicable law.
Section 7.13 AMENDMENTS. The foregoing provisions of this Article
VII shall be deemed to constitute an agreement between the Corporation and each
of the persons entitled to indemnification hereunder, for as long as such
provisions remain in effect. Any amendment to the foregoing provisions of this
Article VII which limits or otherwise adversely affects the scope of
indemnification or rights of any such persons hereunder shall, as to such
persons, apply only to claims arising, or causes of action based on actions or
events occurring, after such amendment and delivery of notice of such amendment
is given to the person or persons so affected. Until notice of such amendment
is given to the person or persons whose rights hereunder are adversely affected,
such amendment shall have no effect on such rights of such persons hereunder.
Any person entitled to indemnification under the foregoing provisions of this
Article VII shall, as to any act or omission occurring prior to the date of
receipt of such notice, be entitled to indemnification to the same extent as had
such provisions continued as Bylaws of the Corporation without such amendment.
ARTICLE VIII
MISCELLANEOUS
-------------
Section 8.01 SEAL. The Board shall provide a corporate seal, which
shall be in the form of a circle and shall bear the name of the Corporation and
words and figures showing that the Corporation was incorporated in the State of
Delaware and showing the year of incorporation.
Section 8.02 WAIVER OF NOTICES. Whenever notice is required to be
given under any provision of these bylaws, the Certificate of Incorporation or
by law, a written waiver, signed by the person entitled to notice, whether
before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent to notice.
Attendance of a person at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such
meeting, except when a person attends a meeting for the express purpose of
objecting at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business
because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Neither the business to
be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any regular or special meeting of the
stockholders, directors, or members of a committee of directors need be
specified in any written waiver of notice unless required by the Certificate of
Incorporation.
Section 8.03 LOANS AND GUARANTIES. The Corporation may lend money
to, or guarantee any obligation of, and otherwise assist any officer or other
employee of the Corporation or of its subsidiaries, including any officer who is
a director, whenever, in the judgment of the Board, such loan, guaranty or
assistance may reasonably be expected to benefit the Corporation. The loan,
guaranty, or other assistance may be with or without interest, and may be
unsecured or secured in such manner as the Board shall approve, including,
without limitation, a pledge of shares of stock of the Corporation.
-31-
Section 8.04 GENDER. All personal pronouns used in these Bylaws
shall include the other genders, whether used in the masculine, feminine or
neuter gender, and the singular shall include the plural, and vice versa,
whenever and as often as may be appropriate.
Section 8.05 AMENDMENTS. These Bylaws, or any of them, may be
rescinded, altered, amended or repealed, and new Bylaws may be made (i) by the
Board, by vote of a majority of the number of directors then in office as
directors, acting at any meeting of the Board or (ii) by the stockholders, by
the vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of voting stock of the
Corporation, at an annual meeting of stockholders, without previous notice, or
at any special meeting of stockholders, provided that notice of such proposed
amendment, modification, repeal or adoption is given in the notice of special
meeting; provided, however, that Section 2.02 of these Bylaws can only be
amended if that Section as amended would not conflict with the Corporation's
Certificate of Incorporation. Any Bylaw made or altered by the stockholders may
be altered or repealed by the Board or may be altered or repealed by the
stockholders.
-32-