BYLAWS
OF
TRI-COUNTY FINANCIAL CORPORATION
ARTICLE I
HOME OFFICE
The home office of Tri-County Financial Corporation (herein the
"Corporation") shall be at Route 5 in Waldorf.
ARTICLE II
STOCKHOLDERS
SECTION 1. Place of Meetings. All annual and special meetings of
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stockholders shall be held at the home office of the Corporation or at such
other place within or without the State in which the home office of the
Corporation is located as the board of directors may determine and as designated
in the notice of such meeting.
SECTION 2. Annual Meeting. A meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation
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for the election of directors and for the transaction of any other business of
the Corporation shall be held annually at such date and time as the board of
directors may determine.
SECTION 3. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the stockholders for any
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purpose or purposes may be called at any time by the majority of the board of
directors or by a committee of the board of directors in accordance with the
provisions of the Corporation's Articles of Incorporation or a special meeting
may be called by the Secretary of the Corporation upon the written request of
the holders of not less than 25% of all votes entitled to be cast at the
meeting. Such written request shall state the purpose or purposes of the meeting
and the matters proposed to be acted on at the meeting and shall be delivered at
the home office of the Corporation addressed to the chairman of the board, the
president or the secretary. The secretary shall inform the stockholders who make
the request of the reasonably estimated cost of preparing and mailing a notice
of the meeting and upon payment of these costs to the Corporation, the secretary
shall then notify each stockholder entitled to notice of the meeting.
SECTION 4. Conduct of Meetings. Annual and special meetings shall be
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conducted in accordance with the rules and procedures established by the board
of directors. The board of directors shall designate, when present, either the
chairman of the board or president to preside at such meetings.
SECTION 5. Notice of Meeting. Written notice stating the place, day and
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hour of the meeting and the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called
shall be mailed by the secretary or the officer performing his duties, not less
than ten days nor more than ninety days before the meeting to each stockholder
of record entitled to vote at such meeting and to each other stockholder
entitled to notice of the meeting. If mailed, such notice shall be deemed to be
delivered when deposited in the United States mail, addressed to the stockholder
at his address as it appears on the stock transfer books or records of the
Corporation as of the record date prescribed in Section 6 of this Article II,
with postage thereon prepaid. If a stockholder be present at a meeting, or in
writing waives notice thereof before or after the meeting and such waiver is
filed with the records of the stockholders meeting, notice of the meeting to
such stockholder shall be unnecessary. When any stockholders' meeting, either
annual or special, is adjourned for thirty days, notice of the adjourned meeting
shall be given as in the case of an original meeting. It shall not be necessary
to give any notice of the time and place of any meeting adjourned for less than
thirty days or of the business to be transacted at such adjourned meeting, other
than an announcement at the meeting at which such adjournment is taken.
SECTION 6. Fixing of Record Date. For the purpose of determining
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stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders, or
any adjournment thereof, or stockholders entitled to receive payment of any
dividend, or in order to make a determination of stockholders for any other
proper purpose, the board of
directors shall fix in advance a date as the record date for any such
determination of stockholders. Such date in any case shall be not more than
ninety days, and in case of a meeting of stockholders, not less than ten days
prior to the date on which the particular action, requiring such determination
of stockholders is to be taken. When a determination of stockholders entitled to
vote at any meeting of stockholders has been made as provided in this section,
such determination shall apply to any adjournment thereof.
SECTION 7. Voting Lists. The officer or agent having charge of the stock
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transfer books for shares of the Corporation shall make, at least ten days
before each meeting of stockholders, a complete record of the stockholders
entitled to vote at such meeting or any adjournment thereof, arranged in
alphabetical order, with the address of and the number of shares held by each.
The record, for a period of ten days before such meeting, shall be kept on file
at the principal office of the Corporation.
SECTION 8. Quorum. One-third of the outstanding shares of the Corporation
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entitled to vote, represented in person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum
at a meeting of stockholders. If less than one-third of the outstanding shares
are represented at a meeting, a majority of the shares so represented may
adjourn the meeting from time to time without further notice. At such adjourned
meeting at which a quorum shall be present or represented, any business may be
transacted which might have been transacted at the meeting as originally
notified. The stockholders present at a duly organized meeting may continue to
transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough
stockholders to leave less than a quorum.
SECTION 9. Proxies. At all meetings of stockholders, a stockholder may vote
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by proxy executed in writing by the stockholder or by his duly authorized
attorney in fact. Proxies solicited on behalf of the management shall be voted
as directed by the stockholder or, in the absence of such direction, as
determined by a majority of the board of directors. No proxy shall be valid
after eleven months from the date of its execution unless otherwise provided in
the proxy.
SECTION 10. Voting. At each election for directors every stockholder
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entitled to vote at such election shall be entitled to one vote for each share
of stock held by him. Unless otherwise provided in the Articles of
Incorporation, by statute, or by these Bylaws, a majority of those votes cast by
stockholders at a lawful meeting shall be sufficient to pass on a transaction or
matter.
SECTION 11. Voting of Shares in the Name of Two or More Persons. When
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ownership of stock stands in the name of two or more persons, in the absence of
written directions to the Corporation to the contrary, at any meeting of the
stockholders of the Corporation any one or more of such stockholders may cast,
in person or by proxy, all votes to which such ownership is entitled. In the
event an attempt is made to cast conflicting votes, in person or by proxy, by
the several persons in whose name shares of stock stand, the vote or votes to
which these persons are entitled shall be cast as directed by a majority of
those holding such stock and present in person or by proxy at such meeting, but
no votes shall be cast for such stock if a majority cannot agree.
SECTION 12. Voting of Shares by Certain Holders. Shares standing in the
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name of another corporation may be voted by any officer, agent or proxy as the
bylaws of such corporation may provide, or, in the absence of such provision, as
the board of directors of such corporation may determine. Shares held by an
administrator, executor, guardian or conservator may be voted by him, either in
person or by proxy, without a transfer of such shares into his name. Shares
standing in the name of a trustee may be voted by him, either in person or by
proxy, but no trustee shall be entitled to vote shares held by him without a
transfer of such shares into his name. Shares standing in the name of a receiver
may be voted by such receiver, and shares held by or under the control of a
receiver may be voted by such receiver without the transfer thereof into his
name if authority to do so is contained in an appropriate order of the court or
other public authority by which such receiver was appointed.
A stockholder whose shares are pledged shall be entitled to vote such
shares until the shares have been transferred into the name of the pledgee and
thereafter the pledgee shall be entitled to vote the shares so transferred.
Neither treasury shares of its own stock held by the Corporation, nor
shares held by another corporation, if a majority of the shares entitled to vote
for the election of directors of such other corporation are held by the
Corporation, shall be voted at any meeting or counted in determining the total
number of outstanding shares at any given time for purposes of any meeting.
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SECTION 13. Inspectors of Election. In advance of any meeting of
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stockholders, the board of directors may appoint any persons, other than
nominees for office, as inspectors of election to act at such meeting or any
adjournment thereof. The number of inspectors shall be either one or three. If
the board of directors so appoints either one or three inspectors, that
appointment shall not be altered at the meeting. If inspectors of election are
not so appointed, the chairman of the board or the president may make such
appointment at the meeting. In case any person appointed as inspector fails to
appear or fails or refuses to act, the vacancy may be filled by appointment by
the board of directors in advance of the meeting or at the meeting by the
chairman of the board or the president.
Unless otherwise prescribed by applicable law, the duties of such
inspectors shall include: determining the number of shares of stock and the
voting power of each share, the shares of stock represented at the meeting, the
existence of a quorum, the authenticity, validity and effect of proxies;
receiving votes, ballots or consents; hearing and determining all challenges and
questions in any way arising in connection with the right to vote; counting and
tabulating all votes or consents; determining the result; and such acts as may
be proper to conduct the election or vote with fairness to all stockholders.
SECTION 14. Nominating Committee. The board of directors shall act as a
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nominating committee for selecting the management nominees for election as
directors. Except in the case of a nominee substituted as a result of the death
or other incapacity of a management nominee, the nominating committee shall
deliver written nominations to the secretary at least twenty days prior to the
date of the annual meeting. Provided such committee makes such nominations, no
nominations for directors except those made by the nominating committee shall be
voted upon at the annual meeting unless other nominations by stockholders are
made in writing and delivered to the secretary of the Corporation in accordance
with the provisions of the Corporation's Articles of Incorporation.
Section 15. New Business. Any new business to be taken up at the annual
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meeting shall be stated in writing and filed with the secretary of the
Corporation in accordance with the provisions of the Corporation's Articles of
Incorporation. This provision shall not prevent the consideration and approval
or disapproval at the annual meeting of reports of officers, directors and
committees, but in connection with such reports no new business shall be acted
upon at such annual meeting unless stated and filed as provided in the
Corporation's Articles of Incorporation.
ARTICLE III
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
SECTION 1. General Powers. The business and affairs of the Corporation
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shall be under the direction of its board of directors. The board of directors
shall annually elect a chairman of the board and a president from among its
members and shall designate, when present, either the chairman of the board or
the president to preside at its meetings.
SECTION 2. Number, Term and Election. The board of directors shall consist
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of seven members and shall be divided into three classes as nearly equal in
number as possible. The members of each class shall be elected for a term of
three years and until their successors are elected or qualified. The board of
directors shall be classified in accordance with the provisions of the
Corporation's Articles of Incorporation.
SECTION 3. Regular Meetings. A regular meeting of the board of directors
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shall be held without other notice than this Bylaw within two weeks after the
annual meeting of stockholders. The board of directors may provide, by
resolution, the time and place for the holding of additional regular meetings
without other notice than such resolution.
SECTION 4. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the board of directors may
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be called by or at the request of the chairman of the board or the president, or
a majority of the directors. The persons authorized to call special meetings of
the board of directors may fix any place as the place for holding any special
meeting of the board of directors called by such persons.
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Members of the board of directors may participate in special meetings by
means of conference telephone or similar communications equipment by which all
persons participating in the meeting can hear each other. Such participation
shall constitute presence in person.
SECTION 5. Notice. Written notice of any special meeting shall be given to
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each director at least two days previous thereto delivered personally or by
telegram or at least seven days previous thereto delivered by mail at the
address at which the director is most likely to be reached. Such notice shall be
deemed to be delivered when deposited in the United States mail so addressed,
with postage thereon prepaid if mailed or when delivered to the telegraph
company if sent by telegram. Any director may waive notice of any meeting by a
writing filed with the secretary. The attendance of a director at a meeting
shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except where a director
attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting 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 meeting of the board of
directors need be specified in the notice or waiver of notice of such meeting.
SECTION 6. Quorum. A majority of the number of directors fixed by Section 2
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of this Article III shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at
any meeting of the board of directors, but if less than such majority is present
at a meeting, a majority of the directors present may adjourn the meeting from
time to time. Notice of any adjourned meeting shall be given in the same manner
as prescribed by Section 5 of this Article III.
SECTION 7. Manner of Acting. The act of the majority of the directors
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present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the board
of directors, unless a greater number is prescribed by these Bylaws, the
Articles of Incorporation, or the General Laws of the State of Maryland.
SECTION 8. Action Without a Meeting. Any action required or permitted to be
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taken by the board of directors at a meeting may be taken without a meeting if a
consent in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by all of
the directors and filed with the minutes of the proceedings of the board.
SECTION 9. Resignation. Any director may resign at any time by sending a
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written notice of such resignation to the home office of the Corporation
addressed to the chairman of the board or the president. Unless otherwise
specified herein such resignation shall take effect upon receipt thereof by the
chairman of the board or the president.
SECTION 10. Vacancies. Any vacancy occurring in the board of directors
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shall be filled in accordance with the provisions of the Corporation's Articles
of Incorporation. Any directorship to be filled by reason of an increase in the
number of directors may be filled by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the
directors then in office. The term of such director shall be in accordance with
the provisions of the Corporation's Articles of Incorporation.
SECTION 11. Removal of Directors. Any director or the entire board of
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directors may be removed only in accordance with the provisions of the
Corporation's Articles of Incorporation.
SECTION 12. Compensation. Directors, as such, may receive a stated salary
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for their services. By resolution of the board of directors, a reasonable fixed
sum, and reasonable expenses of attendance, if any, may be allowed for actual
attendance at each regular or special meeting of the board of directors. Members
of either standing or special committees may be allowed such compensation for
actual attendance at committee meetings as the board of directors may determine.
Nothing herein shall be construed to preclude any director from serving the
Corporation in any other capacity and receiving remuneration therefor.
SECTION 13. Presumption of Assent. A director of the Corporation who is
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present at a meeting of the board of directors at which action on any corporate
matter is taken shall be presumed to have assented to the action taken unless
his dissent or abstention shall be entered in the minutes of the meeting or
unless he shall file his written dissent to such action with the person acting
as the secretary of the meeting before the adjournment thereof or shall forward
such dissent by registered mail to the secretary of the Corporation immediately
after the adjournment of the meeting. Such right to dissent shall not apply to a
director who votes in favor of such action.
SECTION 14. Advisory Directors. The board of directors may by resolution
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appoint advisory directors to the board, who may also serve as directors
emeriti, and shall have such authority and receive such compensation and
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reimbursement as the board of directors shall provide. Advisory directors or
directors emeriti shall not have the authority to participate by vote in the
transaction of business.
SECTION 15. Age Limitation. No person shall be eligible for election,
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reelection, appointment, or reappointment to the board of directors if such
person is seventy-two (72) or more years of age. No director (other than a
director who was seventy-two (72) or more years of age on the effective date of
this Article III, Section 15) shall serve beyond the annual meeting of the
Corporation immediately following his attainment of age seventy-two (72). The
foregoing limitations shall not apply to a person serving as an advisory
director of the Corporation.
ARTICLE IV
COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The board of directors may, by resolution passed by a majority of the whole
board, designate one or more committees, as they may determine to be necessary
or appropriate for the conduct of the business of the Corporation, and may
prescribe the duties, constitution and procedures thereof. Each committee shall
consist of one or more 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 any meeting of the committee.
The board of directors shall have power, by the affirmative vote of a
majority of the authorized number of directors, at any time to change the
members of, to fill vacancies in, and to discharge any committee of the board.
Any member of any such committee may resign at any time by giving notice to the
Corporation; provided, however, that notice to the board, the chairman of the
board, the chief executive officer, the chairman of such committee, or the
secretary shall be deemed to constitute notice to the Corporation. Such
resignation shall take effect upon receipt of such notice or at any later time
specified therein; and, unless otherwise specified therein, acceptance of such
resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective. Any member of any such
committee may be removed at any time, either with or without cause, by the
affirmative vote of a majority of the authorized number of directors at any
meeting of the board called for that purpose.
ARTICLE V
OFFICERS
SECTION 1. Positions. The officers of the Corporation shall be a chairman,
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a president, one or more vice presidents, a secretary and a treasurer, each of
whom shall be elected by the board of directors. The chairman shall be the chief
executive officer, unless the board of directors designates another person as
the chief executive officer. The offices of the secretary and treasurer may be
held by the same person and a vice president may also be either the secretary or
the treasurer. The board of directors may designate one or more vice presidents
as executive vice president or senior vice president. The board of directors may
also elect or authorize the appointment of such other officers as the business
of the Corporation may require. The officers shall have such authority and
perform such duties as the board of directors may from time to time authorize or
determine. In the absence of action by the board of directors, the officers
shall have such powers and duties as generally pertain to their respective
offices.
SECTION 2. Election and Term of Office. The officers of the Corporation
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shall be elected annually by the board of directors at the first meeting of the
board of directors held after each annual meeting of the shareholders. If the
election of officers is not held at such meeting, such election shall be held as
soon thereafter as possible. Each officer shall hold office until his successor
shall have been duly elected and qualified or until his death or until he shall
resign or shall have been removed in the manner hereinafter provided. Election
or appointment of an officer, employee or agent shall not of itself create
contract rights. The board of directors may authorize the Corporation to enter
into an employment contract with any officer in accordance with state law; but
no such contract shall impair the right of the board of directors to remove any
officer at any time in accordance with Section 3 of this Article V.
SECTION 3. Removal. Any officer may be removed by vote of two-thirds of the
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board of directors whenever, in its judgment, the best interests of the
Corporation will be served thereby, but such removal, other than for cause,
shall be without prejudice to the contract rights, if any, of the person so
removed.
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SECTION 4. Vacancies. A vacancy in any office because of death,
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resignation, removal, disqualification or otherwise, may be filled by the board
of directors for the unexpired portion of the term.
SECTION 5. Remuneration. The remuneration of the officers shall be fixed
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from time to time by the board of directors and no officer shall be prevented
from receiving such salary by reason of the fact that he is also a director of
the Corporation.
ARTICLE VI
CONTRACTS, LOANS, CHECKS AND DEPOSITS
SECTION 1. Contracts. To the extent permitted by applicable law, and except
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as otherwise prescribed by the Corporation's Articles of Incorporation or these
Bylaws with respect to certificates for shares, the board of directors may
authorize any officer, employee, or agent of the Corporation to enter into any
contract or execute and deliver any instrument in the name of and on behalf of
the Corporation. Such authority may be general or confined to specific
instances.
SECTION 2. Loans. No loans shall be contracted on behalf of the Corporation
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and no evidence of indebtedness shall be issued in its name unless authorized by
the board of directors. Such authority may be general or confined to specific
instances.
SECTION 3. Checks, Drafts, Etc. All checks, drafts or other orders for the
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payment of money, notes or other evidences of indebtedness issued in the name of
the Corporation shall be signed by one or more officers, employees or agents of
the Corporation in such manner as shall from time to time be determined by
resolution of the board of directors.
SECTION 4. Deposits. All funds of the Corporation not otherwise employed
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shall be deposited from time to time to the credit of the Corporation in any of
its duly authorized depositories as the board of directors may select.
ARTICLE VII
CERTIFICATES FOR SHARES AND THEIR TRANSFER
SECTION 1. Certificates for Shares. The shares of the Corporation shall be
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represented by certificates signed by the chairman or vice chairman of the board
of directors or by the president or a vice president and by the treasurer or an
assistant treasurer or by the secretary or an assistant secretary of the
Corporation, and may be sealed with the seal of the Corporation or a facsimile
thereof. Any or all of the signatures upon a certificate may be facsimiles if
the certificate is countersigned by a transfer agent, or registered by a
registrar, other than the Corporation itself or an employee of the Corporation.
If any officer who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon
such certificate shall have ceased to be such officer before the certificate is
issued, it may be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if he were
such officer at the date of its issue.
SECTION 2. Form of Share Certificates. All certificates representing shares
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issued by the Corporation shall set forth upon the face or back that the
Corporation will furnish to any stockholder upon request and without charge a
full statement of the designations, preferences, limitations, and relative
rights of the shares of each class authorized to be issued, the variations in
the relative rights and preferences between the shares of each such series so
far as the same have been fixed and determined, and the authority of the board
of directors to fix and determine the relative rights and preferences of
subsequent series.
Each certificate representing shares shall state upon the face thereof:
that the Corporation is organized under the laws of the State of Maryland; the
name of the person to whom issued; the number and class of shares; the date of
issue; the designation of the series, if any, which such certificate represents;
the par value of each share represented by such certificate, or a statement that
the shares are without par value. Other matters in regard to the form of the
certificates shall be determined by the board of directors.
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SECTION 3. Payment for Shares. No certificate shall be issued for any
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shares until such share is fully paid.
SECTION 4. Form of Payment for Shares. The consideration for the issuance
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of shares shall be paid in accordance with the provisions of the Corporation's
Articles of Incorporation.
SECTION 5. Transfer of Shares. Transfer of shares of capital stock of the
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Corporation shall be made only on its stock transfer books. Authority for such
transfer shall be given only by the holder of record thereof or by his legal
representative, who shall furnish proper evidence of such authority, or by his
attorney thereunto authorized by power of attorney duly executed and filed with
the Corporation. Such transfer shall be made only on surrender for cancellation
of the certificate for such shares. The person in whose name shares of capital
stock stand on the books of the Corporation shall be deemed by the Corporation
to be the owner thereof for all purposes.
SECTION 6. Stock Ledger. The stock ledger of the Corporation shall be the
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only evidence as to who are the stockholders entitled to examine the stock
ledger, the list required by Section 7 of Article II or the books of the
Corporation, or to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of stockholders.
SECTION 7. Lost Certificates. The board of directors may direct a new
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certificate to be issued in place of any certificate 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. When authorizing such issue of a new certificate,
the board of directors may, in its discretion and as a condition precedent to
the issuance thereof, require the owner of such lost, stolen, or destroyed
certificate, or his legal representative, to give the Corporation a bond in such
sum 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 8. Beneficial Owners. The Corporation shall be entitled to
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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 shares on
the part of any other person, whether or not the Corporation shall have express
or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by law.
ARTICLE VIII
FISCAL YEAR; ANNUAL AUDIT
The fiscal year of the Corporation shall end on the 31st day of December of
each year. The Corporation shall be subject to an annual audit as of the end of
its fiscal year by independent public accountants appointed by and responsible
to the board of directors.
ARTICLE IX
DIVIDENDS
Subject to the provisions of the Articles of Incorporation and applicable
law, the board of directors may, at any regular or special meeting, declare
dividends on the Corporation's outstanding capital stock. Dividends may be paid
in cash, in property or in the Corporation's own stock.
ARTICLE X
CORPORATE SEAL
The corporate seal of the Corporation shall be in such form as the board of
directors shall prescribe.
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ARTICLE XI
AMENDMENTS
In accordance with the Corporation's Articles of Incorporation, these
Bylaws may be repealed, altered, amended or rescinded by the stockholders of the
Corporation only by vote of not less than 80% of the outstanding shares of
capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of
directors (considered for this purpose as one class) cast at a meeting of the
stockholders called for that purpose (provided that notice of such proposed
repeal, alteration, amendment or rescission is included in the notice of such
meeting). In addition, the board of directors may repeal, alter, amend or
rescind these Bylaws by vote of two-thirds of the board of directors at a legal
meeting held in accordance with the provisions of these Bylaws.