Exhibit 3.2
AMENDED AND RESTATED
SPG REALTY CONSULTANTS, INC.
BY-LAWS
ARTICLE I.
STOCKHOLDERS
SECTION 1.01. ANNUAL MEETING. SPG Realty Consultants, Inc. (the
"Corporation") shall hold an annual meeting of its stockholders to elect
directors and transact any other business within its powers, at such place, on
such date, and at such time as shall be set by the Board of Directors. Except as
the Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation (the "Charter"),
these By-Laws, or statute provides otherwise, any business may be considered at
an annual meeting without the purpose of the meeting having been specified in
the notice. Failure to hold an annual meeting does not invalidate the
Corporation's existence or affect any otherwise valid corporate acts.
SECTION 1.02. SPECIAL MEETING. At any time in the interval between
annual meetings, a special meeting of the stockholders may be called by the
Chairman of the Board, or a Co-Chairman of the Board or the President or by a
majority of the Board of Directors by vote at a meeting or in writing (addressed
to the Secretary of the Corporation) with or without a meeting.
SECTION 1.03. PLACE OF MEETINGS. Meetings of stockholders shall be held
at such place in the United States as is set from time to time by the Board of
Directors.
SECTION 1.04. NOTICE OF MEETINGS; WAIVER OF NOTICE. Not less than ten
nor more than 60 days before each stockholders meeting, the Secretary shall give
written notice of the meeting to each stockholder entitled to vote at the
meeting and each other stockholder entitled to notice of the meeting. The notice
shall state the time and place of the meeting and, if the meeting is a special
meeting or notice of the purpose is required by statute, the purpose of the
meeting. Notice is given to a stockholder when it is personally delivered to
him, left at his residence or usual place of business, or mailed to him at his
address as it appears on the records of the Corporation. Notwithstanding the
foregoing provisions, each person who is entitled to notice waives notice if he
or she before or after the meeting signs a waiver of the notice which is filed
with the records of stockholders'
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meetings, or is present at the meeting in person or by proxy (except as
otherwise provided by Section 229 of the General Corporation Law of the State of
Delaware).
SECTION 1.05. QUORUM; VOTING. Unless any statute or the Charter
provides otherwise, at a meeting of stockholders the presence in person or by
proxy of stockholders entitled to cast a majority of all the votes entitled to
be cast at the meeting constitutes a quorum, and the affirmative vote of a
majority of all the votes cast at a meeting at which a quorum is present is
sufficient to approve any matter which properly comes before the meeting, except
that a plurality of all the votes cast at a meeting at which a quorum is present
is sufficient to elect a director.
SECTION 1.06. ADJOURNMENTS. Whether or not a quorum is present, a
meeting of stockholders convened on the date for which it was called may be
adjourned from time to time by a majority vote of the stockholders present in
person or by proxy entitled to vote without notice other than by announcement at
the meeting. Any business which might have been transacted at the meeting as
originally notified may be deferred and transacted at any such adjourned meeting
at which a quorum shall be present.
SECTION 1.07. GENERAL RIGHT TO VOTE; PROXIES. Unless the Charter
provides otherwise, each outstanding share of stock, regardless of class, is
entitled to one vote on each matter submitted to a vote at a meeting of
stockholders. In all elections for directors, each share of stock entitled to
vote may be voted for as many individuals as there are directors to be elected
and for whose election the share is entitled to be voted. A stockholder may vote
the stock he or she owns of record either in person or by proxy authorized by an
instrument in writing or by a transmission permitted by law. Unless a proxy
provides otherwise, it is not valid more than three years after its date.
SECTION 1.08. LIST OF STOCKHOLDERS. The Secretary shall prepare and
make, at least ten days before every election of directors, a complete list of
the stockholders entitled to vote, arranged in alphabetical order and showing
the address of each stockholder and the number of shares of each stockholder.
Such list shall be open at the place where the election is to be held for said
ten days, to the examination of any stockholder, and shall be produced and kept
at the time and place of election during the whole time thereof, and subject to
the inspection of any stockholder who may be present.
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SECTION 1.09. CONDUCT OF BUSINESS. Nominations of persons for election
to the Board of Directors and the proposal of business to be considered by the
stockholders may be made at an annual meeting of stockholders (a) pursuant to
the Corporation's notice of meeting, (b) by or at the direction of the Board of
Directors or (c) by any stockholder of the Corporation who was a stockholder of
record at the time of giving notice provided for in Section 1.11, who is
entitled to vote at the meeting and who complied with the notice procedures set
forth in Section 1.12. 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 in accordance with the any proposed nomination or business
is not in compliance with this Section and Section 1.12, to declare that such
defective nomination or proposal be disregarded. No person shall be qualified to
serve as a director unless nominated in accordance with this Section 1.09.
SECTION 1.10. CONDUCT OF VOTING. At all meetings of stockholders,
unless the voting is conducted by inspectors, the proxies and ballots shall be
received, and all questions touching the qualification of voters and the
validity of proxies, the acceptance or rejection of votes and procedures for the
conduct of business not otherwise specified by these By-Laws, the Charter or
law, shall be decided or determined by the chairman of the meeting. Unless
required by law, no vote need be by ballot and voting need not be conducted by
an inspector. No candidate for election as a director at a meeting shall serve
as an inspector thereat.
SECTION 1.11. STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS. For any stockholder proposal to be
presented in connection with an annual meeting of stockholders of the
Corporation, including any proposal relating to the nomination of a director to
be elected to the Board of Directors of the Corporation, the stockholders must
have given timely notice thereof in writing to the Secretary of the Corporation.
To be timely, a stockholder's notice must be delivered to or mailed and received
at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not less than one hundred
twenty (120) calendar days in advance of the date of the Corporation's proxy
statement released to stockholders in connection with the previous year's annual
meeting of stockholders; provided, however, that in the event that no annual
meeting was held in the previous year or the date of the annual meeting has been
changed by more than thirty (30) days from the date of the previous year's
meeting, to be timely, notice by the stockholder must be received not later than
the close of business on the later of one hundred twenty (120) calendar days in
advance of such annual meeting or ten (10) calendar days following the date on
which public announcement of the date of the meeting is first made. Such
stockholder's notice
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shall set forth (a) as to each person whom the stockholder proposes 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, or is otherwise required, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act")
(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 of 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 and (ii) the class and number
of shares of stock of the Corporation which are owned beneficially and of record
by such stockholders and such beneficial owner. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
in order to include information with respect to a stockholder proposal in the
proxy statement and form of proxy for a stockholder's meeting, stockholders must
provide notice as required by the regulations promulgated under the Exchange
Act.
ARTICLE II.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
SECTION 2.01. FUNCTION OF DIRECTORS. The business and affairs of the
Corporation shall be managed under the direction of its Board of Directors. All
powers of the Corporation may be exercised by or under authority of the Board of
Directors, except as conferred on or reserved to the stockholders by statute or
by the Charter or By-Laws.
SECTION 2.02. NUMBER OF DIRECTORS. The Corporation shall have that
number of directors as provided in paragraph (a) of Article FIFTH of the
Charter.
SECTION 2.03. REMOVAL OF DIRECTOR. Any director or the entire Board of
Directors may be removed only in accordance with the provisions of the Charter
and General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
SECTION 2.04. VACANCY ON BOARD. Subject to the rights of the hold-
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ers of any class of Preferred Stock then outstanding, newly created
directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors
shall be filled by a vote of the stockholders or a majority of the directors in
office on the Board of Directors, and any vacancies on the Board of Directors
resulting from death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal from
office, or other cause shall be filled in accordance with paragraph (b) of
Article FIFTH of the Charter.
SECTION 2.05. REGULAR MEETINGS. After each meeting of stockholders at
which directors shall have been elected, the Board of Directors shall meet as
soon as practicable for the purpose of organization and the transaction of other
business. In the event that no other time and place are specified by resolution
of the Board of Directors, the President, the Chairman of the Board or a
Co-Chairman of the Board, with notice in accordance with Section 2.07, the Board
of Directors shall meet immediately following the close of, and at the place of,
such stockholders' meeting. Any other regular meeting of the Board of Directors
shall be held on such date and at any place as may be designated from time to
time by the Board of Directors.
SECTION 2.06. SPECIAL MEETINGS. Special meetings of the Board of
Directors may be called at any time by the Chairman of the Board, a Co-Chairman
of the Board, or the President or by a majority of the Board of Directors by
vote at a meeting, or in writing with or without a meeting. A special meeting of
the Board of Directors shall be held on such date and at any place as may be
designated from time to time by the Board of Directors. In the absence of
designation such meeting shall be held at such place as may be designated in the
call.
SECTION 2.07. NOTICE OF MEETING. Except as provided in Section 2.05,
the Secretary shall give notice to each director of each regular and special
meeting of the Board of Directors. The notice shall state the time and place of
the meeting. Notice is given to a director when it is delivered personally to
him, left at his residence or usual place of business, or sent by telegraph,
facsimile transmission or telephone, at least 24 hours before the time of the
meeting or, in the alternative by mail to his address as it shall appear on the
records of the Corporation, at least 72 hours before the time of the meeting.
Unless the By-Laws or a resolution of the Board of Directors provides otherwise,
the notice need not state the business to be transacted at or the purposes of
any regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors. No notice of any
meeting of the Board of Directors need be given to any director who attends
except where a director attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting
to the transaction of any business because the
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meeting is not lawfully called or convened, or to any director who, in writing
executed and filed with the records of the meeting either before or after the
holding thereof, waives such notice. Any meeting of the Board of Directors,
regular or special, may adjourn from time to time to reconvene at the same or
some other place, and no notice need be given of any such adjourned meeting
other than by announcement.
SECTION 2.08. ACTION BY DIRECTORS. Unless statute or the Charter or
By-Laws requires a greater proportion, the action of a majority of the directors
present at a meeting at which a quorum is present is action of the Board of
Directors. A majority of the entire Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum
for the transaction of business. In the absence of a quorum, the directors
present by majority vote and without notice other than by announcement may
adjourn the meeting from time to time until a quorum shall attend. At any such
adjourned meeting at which a quorum shall be present, any business may be
transacted which might have been transacted at the meeting as originally
notified. Any action required or permitted to be taken at a meeting of the Board
of Directors may be taken without a meeting, if an unanimous written consent
which sets forth the action is signed by each member of the Board and filed with
the minutes of proceedings of the Board.
SECTION 2.09. MEETING BY CONFERENCE TELEPHONE. Members of the Board of
Directors may participate in a meeting by means of a conference telephone or
similar communications equipment if all persons participating in the meeting can
hear each other at the same time. Participation in a meeting by these means
constitutes presence in person at a meeting.
SECTION 2.10. COMPENSATION. By resolution of the Board of Directors a
fixed sum and expenses, if any, for attendance at each regular or special
meeting of the Board of Directors or of committees thereof, and other
compensation for their services as such or on committees of the Board of
Directors, may be paid to directors. Directors who are employees of the
Corporation need not be paid for attendance at meetings of the board or
committees thereof for which fees are paid to other directors. A director who
serves the Corporation in any other capacity also may receive compensation for
such other services, pursuant to a resolution of the directors.
SECTION 2.11. ADVISORY DIRECTORS. The Board of Directors may by
resolution appoint advisory directors to the Board, who may also serve as
directors emeriti, and shall have such authority and receive such compensation
and reim-
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bursement 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 2.12. SURETY BONDS. Unless required by law, no director shall
be obligated to give any bond or surety or other security for the performance of
any of his or her duties.
ARTICLE III.
COMMITTEES
SECTION 3.01. COMMITTEES. In accordance with the Charter, the Board of
Directors may appoint an Executive Committee, an Audit Committee, a Compensation
Committee, a Nominating Committee and other committees composed of one or more
directors and delegate to these committees any of the powers of the Board of
Directors, except the power to declare dividends or other distributions on
stock, elect directors, issue stock other than as provided in the next sentence,
recommend to the stockholders any action which requires stockholder approval,
amend the By-Laws, or approve any merger or share exchange which does not
require stockholder approval. If the Board of Directors has given general
authorization for the issuance of stock, a committee of the Board of Directors,
in accordance with a general formula or method specified by the Board of
Directors by resolution or by adoption of a stock option or other plan, may fix
the terms of stock subject to the terms on which any stock may be issued,
including all terms and conditions required or permitted to be established or
authorized by the Board of Directors.
SECTION 3.02. COMMITTEE PROCEDURE. Each committee may fix rules of
procedure for its business. A majority of the members of a committee shall
constitute a quorum for the transaction of business and the act of a majority of
those present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the
committee. Any action required or permitted to be taken at a meeting of a
committee may be taken without a meeting, if a unanimous written consent which
sets forth the action is signed by each committee member and filed with the
minutes of the committee. The members of a committee may conduct any meeting
thereof by conference telephone in accordance with the provisions of Section
2.10.
ARTICLE IV.
OFFICERS
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SECTION 4.01. EXECUTIVE AND OTHER OFFICERS. The Corporation shall have
a President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer. The Corporation may also have a
Chairman, or Co-Chairmen, of the Board, a Chief Executive Officer, a Chief
Operating Officer, one or more Vice-Presidents, assistant officers, and
subordinate officers as may be established by the Board of Directors. A person
may hold more than one office in the Corporation except that no person may serve
concurrently as both President and Vice-President of the Corporation. The
Chairman of the Board, or each of the Co-Chairmen of the Board, as the case may
be, shall be a director; the other officers may be directors.
SECTION 4.02. CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD. The Chairman, or Co-Chairmen, of
the Board, if elected, shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors
and of the stockholders at which he or she or they shall be present. In general,
the Chairman of the Board and a Co-Chairman of the Board shall perform all such
duties as are from time to time assigned to him or her by the Board of
Directors.
SECTION 4.03. VICE CHAIRMAN. The Vice Chairman of the Board, if one be
elected by the Board of Directors, shall be an officer of the Corporation. In
general, the Vice Chairman of the Board shall perform all such duties as are
from time to time assigned to him or her by the Board of Directors.
SECTION 4.04. CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER. The Chief Executive Officer
shall be the principal executive officer of the Corporation and, subject to the
control of the Board of Directors and with the President, shall in general
supervise and control all of the business and affairs of the Corporation. In
general, he or she shall perform such other duties usually performed by a chief
executive officer of a corporation and such other duties as are from time to
time assigned to him or her by the Board of Directors of the Corporation. Unless
otherwise provided by resolution of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive
Officer, if one be elected, in the absence of the Chairman of the Board or a
Co-Chairman of the Board, shall preside at all meetings of the Board of
Directors and of the stockholders at which he or she shall be present.
SECTION 4.05. PRESIDENT. Unless otherwise specified by the Board of
Directors, the President shall be the principal operating officer of the
Corporation and perform the duties customarily performed by a principal
operating officer of a corporation. If no Chief Executive Officer is appointed,
he or she shall also serve
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as the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation. The President may sign and
execute, in the name of the Corporation, all authorized deeds, mortgages, bonds,
contracts or other instruments, except in cases in which the signing and
execution thereof shall have been expressly delegated to some other officer or
agent of the Corporation. In general, he or she shall perform such other duties
usually performed by a president of a corporation and such other duties as are
from time to time assigned to him or her by the Board of Directors or the Chief
Executive Officer of the Corporation. Unless otherwise provided by resolution of
the Board of Directors, the President, in the absence of the Chairman of the
Board, a Co-Chairman of the Board and the Chief Executive Officer, shall preside
at all meetings of the Board of Directors and of the stockholders at which he or
she shall be present.
SECTION 4.06. CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER. The Chief Operating Officer, at
the request of the Chief Executive Officer or the President, or in the
President's absence or during his inability to act, shall perform the duties and
exercise the functions of the President, and when so acting shall have the
powers of the President. Unless otherwise specified by the Board of Directors,
he or she shall perform such other duties usually performed by a chief operating
officer of a corporation and such other duties as are from time to time assigned
to him or her by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer or the
President of the Corporation.
SECTION 4.07. VICE-PRESIDENTS. The Vice-President or Vice-Presidents,
at the request of the Chief Executive Officer or the President or the Chief
Operating Officer, or in the Chief Operating Officer's absence or during his
inability to act, shall perform the duties and exercise the functions of the
Chief Operating Officer, and when so acting shall have the powers of the Chief
Operating Officer. If there be more than one Vice-President, the Board of
Directors may determine which one or more of the Vice-Presidents shall perform
any of such duties or exercise any of such functions, or if such determination
is not made by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, or the
President may make such determination; otherwise any of the Vice-Presidents may
perform any of such duties or exercise any of such functions. The Vice-President
or Vice-Presidents shall have such other powers and perform such other duties,
and have such additional descriptive designations in their titles (if any), as
are from time to time assigned to them by the Board of Directors, the Chief
Executive Officer, or the President of the Corporation.
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SECTION 4.08. SECRETARY. The Secretary shall keep the minutes of the
meetings of the stockholders, of the Board of Directors and of any committees,
in books provided for the purpose; he or she shall see that all notices are duly
given in accordance with the provisions of the By-Laws or as required by law; he
or she shall be custodian of the records of the Corporation; he or she may
witness any document on behalf of the Corporation, the execution of which is
duly authorized, see that the corporate seal is affixed where such document is
required or desired to be under its seal, and, when so affixed, may attest the
same; and, in general, the Secretary shall perform all duties incident to the
office of a secretary of a corporation, and such other duties as are from time
to time assigned to him or her by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive
officer, or the President of the Corporation.
SECTION 4.09. TREASURER. The Treasurer shall have charge of and be
responsible for all funds, securities, receipts and disbursements of the
Corporation, and shall deposit, or cause to be deposited, in the name of the
Corporation, all moneys or other valuable effects in such banks, trust companies
or other depositories as shall, from time to time, be selected by the Board of
Directors; he or she shall render to the President and to the Board of
Directors, whenever requested, an account of the financial condition of the
Corporation; and, in general, the Treasurer shall perform all the duties
incident to the office of a treasurer of a corporation, and such other duties as
are from time to time assigned to him or her by the Board of Directors, the
Chief Executive officer, or the President of the Corporation.
SECTION 4.10. ASSISTANT AND SUBORDINATE OFFICERS. The assistant and
subordinate officers of the Corporation are all officers below the office of
Vice-President, Secretary, or Treasurer. The assistant or subordinate officers
shall have such duties as are from time to time assigned to them by the Board of
Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, or the President of the Corporation.
SECTION 4.11. ELECTION, TENURE AND REMOVAL OF OFFICERS. The Board of
Directors shall elect the officers. The Board of Directors may from time to time
authorize any committee or officer to appoint assistant and subordinate
officers. Election or appointment of an officer, employee or agent shall not of
itself create contract rights. All officers shall be appointed to hold their
offices, respectively, during the pleasure of the Board. The Board of Directors
(or, as to any assistant or subordinate officer, any committee or officer
authorized by the Board) may remove an officer at any time. The removal of an
officer does not prejudice any of his contract rights. The Board of Directors
(or, as to any assistant or subor-
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dinate officer, any committee or officer authorized by the Board) may fill a
vacancy which occurs in any office for the unexpired portion of the term.
SECTION 4.12. COMPENSATION. The Board of Directors shall have power to
fix the salaries and other compensation and remuneration, of whatever kind, of
all officers of the Corporation. No officer shall be prevented from receiving
such salary by reason of the fact that he or she is also a director of the
Corporation. The Board of Directors may authorize any committee or officer, upon
whom the power of appointing assistant and subordinate officers may have been
conferred, to fix the salaries, compensation and remuneration of such assistant
and subordinate officers.
ARTICLE V.
DIVISIONAL TITLES
SECTION 5.01. CONFERRING DIVISIONAL TITLES. The Board of Directors may
from time to time confer upon any employee of a division of the Corporation the
title of President, Vice President, Treasurer or Controller of such division or
any other title or titles deemed appropriate, or may authorize the Chairman of
the Board, a Co-Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the
President to do so. Any such titles so conferred may be discontinued and
withdrawn at any time by the Board of Directors, or by the Chairman of the
Board, or a Co-Chairman of the Board or the President if so authorized by the
Board of Directors. Any employee of a division designated by such a divisional
title shall have the powers and duties with respect to such division as shall be
prescribed by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board, a Co-Chairman
of the Board, or the President.
SECTION 5.02. EFFECT OF DIVISIONAL TITLES. The conferring of divisional
titles, as described in Section 5.01 hereof, shall not create an office of the
Corporation under Article IV unless specifically designated as such by the Board
of Directors; but any person who is an officer of the Corporation may also have
a divisional title.
ARTICLE VI.
STOCK
SECTION 6.01. CERTIFICATES FOR STOCK. Each stockholder is entitled to
certificates which represent and certify the shares of stock he or she holds
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in the Corporation. Each stock certificate shall include on its face the name of
the Corporation, the name of the stockholder or other person to whom it is
issued, and the class of stock and number of shares it represents. It shall be
in such form, not inconsistent with law or with the Charter, as shall be
approved by the Board of Directors or any officer or officers designated for
such purpose by resolution of the Board of Directors. Each stock certificate
shall be signed by the Chairman of the Board, a Co-Chairman of the Board, the
President, or a Vice-President, and countersigned by the Secretary, an Assistant
Secretary, the Treasurer, or an Assistant Treasurer. Each certificate may be
sealed with the actual corporate seal or a facsimile of it or in any other form
and the signatures may be either manual or facsimile signatures. A certificate
is valid and may be issued whether or not an officer who signed it is still an
officer when it is issued. A certificate may not be issued until the stock
represented by it is fully paid.
SECTION 6.02. TRANSFERS. The Board of Directors shall have power and
authority to make such rules and regulations as it may deem expedient concerning
the issue, transfer and registration of certificates of stock; and may appoint
transfer agents and registrars thereof. The duties of transfer agent and
registrar may be combined.
SECTION 6.03. RECORD DATES. The Board of Directors may set a record
date for the purpose of making any proper determination with respect to
stockholders, including which stockholders are entitled to notice of a meeting,
vote at a meeting, receive a dividend, or be allotted other rights. The record
date may not be prior to the close of business on the day the record date is
fixed nor, subject to Section 1.06, more than 60 days before the date on which
the action requiring the determination will be taken; and, in the case of a
meeting of stockholders, the record date shall be at least ten days before the
date of the meeting.
SECTION 6.04. STOCK LEDGER. The Corporation shall maintain a stock
ledger which contains the name and address of each stockholder and the number of
shares of stock of each class which the stockholder holds. The stock ledger may
be in written form or in any other form which can be converted within a
reasonable time into written form for visual inspection. The original or a
duplicate of the stock ledger shall be kept at the offices of a transfer agent
for the particular class of stock, or, if none, at the principal office in the
State of Delaware or the principal executive offices of the Corporation.
SECTION 6.05. LOST STOCK CERTIFICATES. The Board of Directors of
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the Corporation may determine the conditions for issuing a new stock certificate
in place of one which is alleged to have been lost, stolen, or destroyed, or the
Board of Directors may delegate such power to any officer or officers of the
Corporation. In their discretion, the Board of Directors or such officer or
officers may refuse to issue such new certificate save upon the order of some
court having jurisdiction in the premises.
ARTICLE VII.
FINANCE
SECTION 7.01. CHECKS, DRAFTS, ETC. All checks, drafts and orders for
the payment of money, notes and other evidences of indebtedness, issued in the
name of the Corporation, shall, unless otherwise provided by resolution of the
Board of Directors, be signed by the Chief Executive Officer, the President, a
Vice-President or an Assistant Vice-President and countersigned by the
Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary.
SECTION 7.02. FISCAL YEAR. The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be
the twelve calendar months period ending December 31 in each year, unless
otherwise provided by the Board of Directors.
SECTION 7.03. DIVIDENDS. If declared by the Board of Directors at any
meeting thereof, the Corporation may pay dividends on its shares in cash,
property, or in shares of the capital stock of the Corporation, unless such
dividend is contrary to law or to a restriction contained in the Charter.
SECTION 7.04. CONTRACTS. To the extent permitted by applicable law, and
except as otherwise prescribed by the Charter or these By-Laws 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.
ARTICLE VIII.
INDEMNIFICATION
SECTION 8.01. PROCEDURE. Any indemnification, or payment of expenses,
for which mandatory payments must be made under the Charter, in ad-
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vance of the final disposition of any proceeding, shall be made promptly, and in
any event within 60 days, upon the written request of the director or officer
entitled to seek indemnification (the "Indemnified Party"). The right to
indemnification and advances hereunder shall be enforceable by the Indemnified
Party in any court of competent jurisdiction, if (i) the Corporation denies such
request, in whole or in part, or (ii) no disposition thereof is made within 60
days. The Indemnified Party's costs and expenses incurred in connection with
successfully establishing his right to indemnification, in whole or in part, in
any such action shall also be reimbursed by the Corporation. It shall be a
defense to any action for advance for expenses that (a) a determination has been
made that the facts then known to those making the determination would preclude
indemnification or (b) the Corporation has not received both (i) an undertaking
as required by law to repay such advances in the event it shall ultimately be
determined that the standard of conduct has not been met and (ii) a written
affirmation by the Indemnified Party of such Indemnified Party's good faith
belief that the standard of conduct necessary for indemnification by the
Corporation has been met.
SECTION 8.02. EXCLUSIVITY, ETC. The indemnification and advance of
expenses provided by the Charter and these By-Laws shall not be deemed exclusive
of any other rights to which a person seeking indemnification or advance of
expenses may be entitled under any law (common or statutory), or any agreement,
vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or other provision that is
consistent with law, both as to action in his official capacity and as to action
in another capacity while holding office or while employed by or acting as agent
for the Corporation, shall continue in respect of all events occurring while a
person was a director or officer after such person has ceased to be a director
or officer, and shall inure to the benefit of the estate, heirs, executors and
administrators of such person. All rights to indemnification and advance of
expenses under the Charter of the Corporation and hereunder shall be deemed to
be a contract between the Corporation and each director or officer of the
Corporation who serves or served in such capacity at any time while this By-Law
is in effect. Nothing herein shall prevent the amendment of this By-Law,
provided that no such amendment shall diminish the rights of any person
hereunder with respect to events occurring or claims made before its adoption or
as to claims made after its adoption in respect of events occurring before its
adoption. Any repeal or modification of this By-Law shall not in any way
diminish any rights to indemnification or advance of expenses of such director
or officer or the obligations of the Corporation arising hereunder with respect
to events occurring, or claims made, while this By-Law or any provision hereof
is in force.
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SECTION 8.03. SEVERABILITY; DEFINITIONS. The invalidity or
unenforceability of any provision of this Article VIII shall not affect the
validity or enforceability of any other provision hereof. The phrase "this
By-Law" in this Article VIII means this Article VIII in its entirety.
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ARTICLE IX.
SUNDRY PROVISIONS
SECTION 9.01. BOOKS AND RECORDS. The Corporation shall keep correct and
complete books and records of its accounts and transactions and minutes of the
proceedings of its stockholders and Board of Directors and of any executive or
other committee when exercising any of the powers of the Board of Directors. The
books and records of a Corporation may be in written form or in any other form
which can be converted within a reasonable time into written form for visual
inspection. Minutes shall be recorded in written form but may be maintained in
the form of a reproduction. The original or a certified copy of the By-Laws
shall be kept at the principal office of the Corporation.
SECTION 9.02. CORPORATE SEAL. The Board of Directors shall provide a
suitable seal, bearing the name of the Corporation, which shall be in the charge
of the Secretary. The Board of Directors may authorize one or more duplicate
seals and provide for the custody thereof. If the Corporation is required to
place its corporate seal to a document, it is sufficient to meet the requirement
of any law, rule, or regulation relating to a corporate seal to place the word
"Seal" adjacent to the signature of the person authorized to sign the document
on behalf of the Corporation.
SECTION 9.03. BONDS. The Board of Directors may require any officer,
agent or employee of the Corporation to give a bond to the Corporation,
conditioned upon the faithful discharge of his duties, with one or more sureties
and in such amount as may be satisfactory to the Board of Directors.
SECTION 9.04. VOTING UPON SHARES IN OTHER CORPORATIONS. Stock of other
corporations or associations, registered in the name of the Corporation, may be
voted by the President, a Vice-President, or a proxy appointed by either of
them. The Board of Directors, however, may by resolution appoint some other
person to vote such shares, in which case such person shall be entitled to vote
such shares upon the production of a certified copy of such resolution.
SECTION 9.05. MAIL. Any notice or other document which is required by
these By-Laws to be mailed shall be deposited in the United States mails,
postage prepaid.
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SECTION 9.06. EXECUTION OF DOCUMENTS. A person who holds more than one
office in the Corporation may not act in more than one capacity to execute,
acknowledge, or verify an instrument required by law to be executed,
acknowledged, or verified by more than one officer.
SECTION 9.07. RELIANCE. Each director, officer, employee and agent of
the Corporation shall, in the performance of his or her duties with respect to
the Corporation, be fully justified and protected with regard to any act or
failure to act in reliance in good faith upon the books of account or other
records of the Corporation, upon an opinion of counsel or upon reports made to
the Corporation by any of its officers or employees or by the adviser,
accountants, appraisers or other experts or consultants selected by the Board of
Directors or officers of the Corporation, regardless of whether such counsel or
expert may also be a director.
SECTION 9.08. CERTAIN RIGHTS OF DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES AND
AGENTS. The directors shall have no responsibility to devote their full time to
the affairs of the Corporation. Any director or officer, employee or agent of
the Corporation, in his or her personal capacity or in a capacity as an
affiliate, employee, or agent of any other person, or otherwise, may have
business interests and engage in business activities similar to or in addition
to those of or relating to the Corporation.
SECTION 9.09. AMENDMENTS. In accordance with the Charter, these By-Laws
may be repealed, altered, amended or rescinded by the stockholders of the
Corporation (considered for this purpose as one class) by the affirmative vote
of not less than 80% of all the votes entitled to be cast generally in the
election of directors which are cast on the matter at any 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).
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