EXHIBIT "3(ii)"
EAST TEXAS FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC.
AMENDED AND RESTATED
AS OF AUGUST 18, 1999
BY-LAWS
ARTICLE I
STOCKHOLDERS
Section 1. Annual Meeting.
An annual meeting of the stockholders, for the election of directors to
succeed those whose terms expire and for the transaction of such other business
as may properly come before the meeting, shall be held at such place, on such
date, and at such time as the Board of Directors shall each year fix.
Section 2. Special Meetings.
Subject to the rights of the holders of any class or series of
preferred stock of the Corporation, special meetings of stockholders of the
Corporation may be called only by the Board of Directors pursuant to a
resolution adopted by a majority of the total number of directors which the
Corporation would have if there were no vacancies on the Board of Directors
(hereinafter the "Whole Board").
Section 3. Notice of Meetings.
Written notice of the place, date, and time of all meetings of the
stockholders shall be given, not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60)
days before the date on which the meeting is to be held, to each stockholder
entitled to vote at such meeting, except as otherwise provided herein or
required by law (meaning, here and hereinafter, as required from time to time by
the Delaware General Corporation Law or the Certificate of Incorporation of the
Corporation).
When a meeting is adjourned to another place, date or time, written
notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting if the place, date and time
thereof are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken;
provided, however, that if the date of any adjourned meeting is more than thirty
(30) days after the date for which the meeting was originally noticed, or if a
new record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, written notice of the place,
date and time of the adjourned meeting shall be given in conformity herewith. At
any adjourned meeting, any business may be transacted which might have been
transacted at the original meeting.
Section 4. Quorum.
At any meeting of the stockholders, the holders of at least one-third
of all of the shares of the stock entitled to vote at the meeting, present in
person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for all purposes, unless or except
to the extent that the presence of a larger number may be required by law. Where
a separate vote by a class or classes is required, a majority of the shares of
such class or classes, present in person or represented by proxy, shall
constitute a quorum entitled to take action with respect to that vote on that
matter.
If a quorum shall fail to attend any meeting, the chairman of the
meeting or the holders of a majority of the shares of stock entitled to vote who
are present, in person or by proxy, may adjourn the meeting to another place,
date or time.
If a notice of any adjourned special meeting of stockholders is sent to
all stockholders entitled to vote thereat, stating that it will be held with
those present constituting a quorum, then except as otherwise required by law,
those present at such adjourned meeting shall constitute a quorum, and all
matters shall be determined by a majority of the votes cast at such meeting.
Section 5. Organization.
Such person as the Board of Directors may have designated or, in the
absence of such a person, the President of the Corporation or, in his or her
absence, such person as may be chosen by the holders of a majority of the shares
entitled to vote who are present, in person or by proxy, shall call to order any
meeting of the stockholders and act as chairman of the meeting. In the absence
of the Secretary of the Corporation, the secretary of the meeting shall be such
person as the chairman appoints.
Section 6. Conduct of Business.
(a) The chairman of any meeting of stockholders shall
determine the order of business and the procedure at the meeting, including such
regulation of the manner of voting and the conduct of discussion as seem to him
or her in order.
(b) At any annual meeting of the stockholders, only such
business shall be conducted as shall have been brought before the meeting (i) by
or at the direction of the Board of Directors or (ii) by any stockholder of the
Corporation who is entitled to vote with respect thereto and who complies with
the notice procedures set forth in this Section 6(b). For business to be
properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder, the stockholder must
have given timely notice thereof in writing to the Secretary of the Corporation.
To be timely, a stockholder's notice must be delivered or mailed to and received
at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not less than 70 days
prior to the anniversary of the preceding year's annual meeting; provided,
however, that in the event that the date of the annual meeting is advanced by
more than 20 days or delayed by more than 60 days from such anniversary date,
notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so delivered by the close of
business on the later of (i) the 70th day prior to such annual meeting or (ii)
the 10th day following the day on which public disclosure (which may be made by
press release, in
a publicly available filing at the United States Securities and Exchange
Commission, through mailed notice or otherwise) of the date of the annual
meeting is first made. A stockholder's notice to the Secretary shall set forth
as to each matter such stockholder proposes to bring before the annual meeting
(i) a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the annual
meeting and the reasons for conducting such business at the annual meeting, (ii)
the name and address, as they appear on the Corporation's books, of the
stockholder who proposed such business, (iii) the class and number of shares of
the Corporation's capital stock that are beneficially owned by such stockholder
and (iv) any material interest of such stockholder in such business.
Notwithstanding anything in these By-laws to the contrary, no business shall be
brought before or conducted at an annual meeting except in accordance with the
provisions of this Section 6(b). The officer of the Corporation or other person
presiding over the annual meeting shall, if the facts so warrant, determine and
declare to the meeting that business was not properly brought before the meeting
in accordance with the provisions of this Section 6(b) and, if he or she should
so determine, he shall so declare to the meeting and any such business so
determined to be not properly brought before the meeting shall not be
transacted.
At any special meeting of the stockholders, only such business shall be
conducted as shall have been brought before the meeting by or at the direction
of the Board of Directors.
(c) Only persons who are nominated in accordance with the
procedures set forth in these By-laws shall be eligible for election as
directors. Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors of the
Corporation may be made at a meeting of stockholders at which directors are to
be elected only (i) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or (ii) by
any stockholder of the Corporation entitled to vote for the election of
directors at the meeting who complies with the notice procedures set forth in
this Section 6(c). Such nominations, other than those made by or at the
direction of the Board of Directors, shall be made by timely notice in writing
to the Secretary of the Corporation. To be timely, a stockholder's notice shall
be delivered or mailed to and received at the principal executive offices of the
Corporation not less than 70 days prior to the date of the meeting; provided,
however, that in the event that less than 80 days' public disclosure of the date
of the meeting is given to stockholders, notice by the stockholder to be timely
must be so received not later than the close of business on the 10th day
following the earlier of (i) the day on which such notice of the date of the
meeting is mailed or (ii) the day on which public disclosure of the date of the
meeting is first made. For the purpose of the prior sentence, the term "public
disclosure" shall include disclosure in a press release, a publicly available
filing with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, a mailed
notice to shareholders or otherwise.
Such stockholder's notice shall set forth (i) as to each person whom
such stockholder proposes to nominate for election or re-election 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 (including such person's written consent to being named in the proxy
statement as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected); and (ii) as to
the stockholder giving the notice: (x) the name and address, as they appear on
the Corporation's books, of such stockholder and (y) the class and number of
shares of the Corporation's capital stock that are beneficially owned by such
stockholder. At the request of the Board of Directors, any person nominated by
the Board of Directors for election as a director shall furnish to the Secretary
of the Corporation that information
required to be set forth in a stockholder's notice of nomination which pertains
to the nominee. No person shall be eligible for election as a director of the
Corporation unless nominated in accordance with the provisions of this Section
6(c). The officer of the Corporation or other person presiding at the meeting
shall, if the facts so warrant, determine that a nomination was not made in
accordance with such provisions and, if he or she should so determine, he or she
shall so declare to the meeting and the defective nomination shall be
disregarded.
Section 7. Proxies and Voting.
At any meeting of the stockholders, every stockholder entitled to vote
may vote in person or by proxy authorized by an instrument in writing (or as
otherwise permitted under applicable law) by the stockholder or his duly
authorized attorney-in-fact filed in accordance with the procedure established
for the meeting. 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 except for a proxy coupled with an
interest.
Each stockholder shall have one (1) vote for every share of stock
entitled to vote which is registered in his or her name on the record date for
the meeting, except as otherwise provided herein or in the Certificate of
Incorporation of the Corporation or as required by law.
All voting, including on the election of directors but excepting where
otherwise required by law, may be by a voice vote; provided, however, that upon
demand therefore by a stockholder entitled to vote or his or her proxy, a stock
vote shall be taken. Every stock vote shall be taken by ballot, each of which
shall state the name of the stockholder or proxy voting and such other
information as may be required under the procedure established for the meeting.
Every vote taken by ballot shall be counted by an inspector or inspectors
appointed by the chairman of the meeting.
All elections shall be determined by a plurality of the votes cast, and
except as otherwise required by law or as provided in the Certificate of
Incorporation, all other matters shall be determined by a majority of the votes
cast.
Section 8. Stock List.
The officer who has charge of the stock transfer books of the
Corporation shall prepare and make, in the time and manner required by
applicable law, a list of stockholders entitled to vote and shall make such list
available for such purposes, at such places, at such times and to such persons
as required by applicable law. The stock transfer books shall be the only
evidence as to the identity of the stockholders entitled to examine the stock
transfer books or to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of stockholders.
Section 9. Consent of Stockholders in Lieu of Meeting.
Subject to the rights of the holders of any class or series of
preferred stock of the Corporation, any action required or permitted to be taken
by the stockholders of the Corporation must be effected at a duly called annual
or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation and may not be effected by
any consent in writing by such stockholders.
Section 10. Inspectors of Election
The Board of Directors shall, in advance of any meeting of
stockholders, appoint one or more persons as inspectors of election, to act at
the meeting or any adjournment thereof and make a written report thereof, in
accordance with applicable law.
ARTICLE II
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 1. General Powers, Number and Term of Office.
The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or
under the direction of the Board of Directors. The number of directors shall be
as provided for in the Certificate of Incorporation. 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.
The directors, other than those who may be elected by the holders of
any class or series of preferred stock, shall be divided into three classes, as
nearly equal in number as reasonably possible, with the term of office of the
first class to expire at the conclusion of the first annual meeting of
stockholders, the term of office of the second class to expire at the conclusion
of the annual meeting of stockholders one year thereafter and the term of office
of the third class to expire at the conclusion of the annual meeting of
stockholders two years thereafter, with each director to hold office until his
or her successor shall have been duly elected and qualified. At each annual
meeting of stockholders, commencing with the first annual meeting, directors
elected to succeed those directors whose terms expire shall be elected for a
term of office to expire at the third succeeding annual meeting of stockholders
after their election, with each director to hold office until his or her
successor shall have been duly elected and qualified.
Section 2. Vacancies and Newly Created Directorships.
Subject to the rights of the holders of any class or series of
preferred stock then outstanding, newly created directorships resulting from any
increase in the authorized number of directors or any vacancies in the Board of
Directors resulting from death, resignation, retirement, disqualification,
removal from office or other cause may be filled only by a majority vote of the
directors then in office, though less than a quorum, and directors so chosen
shall hold office for a term expiring at the annual meeting of stockholders at
which the term of office of the class to which they have been elected expires,
and until such director's successor shall have been duly elected and qualified.
No decrease in the number of authorized directors constituting the Board shall
shorten the term of any incumbent director.
Section 3. Regular Meetings.
Regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held at such place
or places, on such date or dates, and at such time or times as shall have been
established by the Board of Directors and publicized among all directors. A
notice of each regular meeting shall not be required.
Section 4. Special Meetings.
Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by one-third
(1/3) of the directors then in office (rounded up to the nearest whole number)
or by the President and shall be held at such place, on such date, and at such
time as they or he or she shall fix. Notice of the place, date, and time of each
such special meeting shall be given to each director by whom it is not waived by
mailing written notice not less than five (5) days before the meeting or by
telegraphing or telexing or by facsimile transmission of the same not less than
twenty-four (24) hours before the meeting. Unless otherwise indicated in the
notice thereof, any and all business may be transacted at a special meeting.
Section 5. Quorum.
At any meeting of the Board of Directors, a majority of the authorized
number of directors then constituting the Board shall constitute a quorum for
all purposes. If a quorum shall fail to attend any meeting, a majority of those
present may adjourn the meeting to another place, date, or time, without further
notice or waiver thereof.
Section 6. Participation in Meetings By Conference Telephone.
Members of the Board of Directors, or of any committee thereof, may
participate in a meeting of such Board or committee by means of conference
telephone or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons
participating in the meeting can hear each other and such participation shall
constitute presence in person at such meeting.
Section 7. Conduct of Business.
At any meeting of the Board of Directors, business shall be transacted
in such order and manner as the Board may from time to time determine, and all
matters shall be determined by the vote of a majority of the directors present,
except as otherwise provided herein or required by law. Action may be taken by
the Board of Directors without a meeting if all members thereof consent thereto
in writing, and the writing or writings are filed with the minutes of
proceedings of the Board of Directors.
Section 8. Powers.
The Board of Directors may, except as otherwise required by law,
exercise all such powers and do all such acts and things as may be exercised or
done by the Corporation, including, without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, the unqualified power:
(1) To declare dividends from time to time in accordance with
law;
(2) To purchase or otherwise acquire any property, rights or
privileges on such terms as it shall determine;
(3) To authorize the creation, making and issuance, in such
form as it may determine, of written obligations of every kind, negotiable or
non-negotiable, secured or unsecured, and to do all things necessary in
connection therewith;
(4) To remove any officer of the Corporation with or without
cause, and from time to time to devolve the powers and duties of any officer
upon any other person for the time being;
(5) To confer upon any officer of the Corporation the power to
appoint, remove and suspend subordinate officers, employees and agents;
(6) To adopt from time to time such stock, option, stock
purchase, bonus or other compensation plans for directors, officers, employees
and agents of the Corporation and its subsidiaries as it may determine;
(7) To adopt from time to time such insurance, retirement, and
other benefit plans for directors, officers, employees and agents of the
Corporation and its subsidiaries as it may determine; and,
(8) To adopt from time to time regulations, not inconsistent
with these By-laws, for the management of the Corporation's business and
affairs.
Section 9. Compensation of Directors.
Directors, as such, may receive, pursuant to resolution of the Board of
Directors, fixed fees and other compensation for their services as directors,
including, without limitation, their services as members of committees of the
Board of Directors.
Section 10. Qualifications.
Any member of the Board of Directors shall, in order to qualify as
such, be domiciled in or have his or her primary place of business located in
any county in which the Company's subsidiary thrift institution has an office.
ARTICLE III
COMMITTEES
Section 1. Committees of the Board of Directors.
The Board of Directors, by a vote of a majority of the Board of
Directors, may from time to time designate committees of the Board, with such
lawfully delegable powers and duties as it thereby confers, to serve at the
pleasure of the Board and shall, for those committees and any others provided
for herein, elect a director or directors to serve as the member or members,
designating, if it desires, other directors as alternate members who may replace
any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. Any committee
so designated may exercise the power and authority of the Board of Directors to
declare a dividend, to authorize the issuance of stock or to adopt a certificate
of ownership and merger pursuant to Section 253 of the Delaware General
Corporation Law if the resolution which designated the committee or a
supplemental resolution of the Board of Directors shall so provide. In the
absence or disqualification of any member of any committee and any alternate
member in his or her place, the member or members of the committee present at
the meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not he or she or they
constitute a quorum, may by unanimous vote appoint another member of the Board
of Directors to act at the meeting in the place of the absent or disqualified
member.
Section 2. Conduct of Business.
Each committee may determine the procedural rules for meeting and
conducting its business and shall act in accordance therewith, except as
otherwise provided herein or required by law. Adequate provision shall be made
for notice to members of all meetings; one-third (1/3) of the members shall
constitute a quorum unless the committee shall consist of one (1) or two (2)
members, in which event one (1) member shall constitute a quorum; and all
matters shall be determined by a majority vote of the members present. Action
may be taken by any committee without a meeting if all members thereof consent
thereto in writing, and the writing or writings are filed with the minutes of
the proceedings of such committee.
Section 3. Nominating Committee.
The Board of Directors shall appoint a Nominating Committee of the
Board, consisting of three (3) members, one of which shall be the President if,
and only so long as, the President remains in office as a member of the Board of
Directors. The Nominating Committee shall have authority (a) to review any
nominations for election to the Board of Directors made by a stockholder of the
Corporation pursuant to Section 6(c)(ii) of Article I of these By-laws in order
to determine compliance with such By-law and (b) to recommend to the Whole Board
nominees for election to the Board of Directors to replace those directors whose
terms expire at the annual meeting of stockholders next ensuing.
ARTICLE IV
OFFICERS
Section 1. Generally.
(a) The Board of Directors as soon as may be practicable after
the annual meeting of stockholders shall choose a President, a Secretary and a
Treasurer and from time to time may choose such other officers as it may deem
proper. The President shall be chosen from among the directors. Any number of
offices may be held by the same person.
(b) The term of office of all officers shall be until the next
annual election of officers and until their respective successors are chosen,
but any officer may be removed from office at any time by the affirmative vote
of a majority of the authorized number of directors then constituting the Board
of Directors.
(c) All officers chosen by the Board of Directors shall each
have such powers and duties as generally pertain to their respective offices,
subject to the specific provisions of this Article IV. Such officers shall also
have such powers and duties as from time to time may be conferred by the Board
of Directors or by any committee thereof.
Section 2. President.
The President shall be the chief executive officer and, subject to the
control of the Board of Directors, shall have general power over the management
and oversight of the administration and operation of the Corporation's business
and general supervisory power and authority over its policies and affairs. He
shall see that all orders and resolutions of the Board of Directors and of any
committee thereof are carried into effect.
Each meeting of the stockholders and of the Board of Directors shall be
presided over by such officer as has been designated by the Board of Directors
or, in his absence, by such officer or other person as is chosen at the meeting.
The Secretary or, in his absence, the General Counsel of the Corporation or such
officer as has been designated by the Board of Directors or, in his absence,
such officer or other person as is chosen by the person presiding, shall act as
secretary of each such meeting.
Section 3. Vice President.
The Vice President or Vice Presidents, if any, shall perform the duties
of the President in his absence or during his disability to act. In addition,
the Vice Presidents shall perform the duties and exercise the powers usually
incident to their respective offices and/or such other duties and powers as may
be properly assigned to them from time to time by the Board of Directors, the
Chairman of the Board or the President.
Section 4. Secretary.
The Secretary or an Assistant Secretary shall issue notices of
meetings, shall keep their minutes, shall have charge of the seal and the
corporate books, shall perform such other duties and exercise such other powers
as are usually incident to such offices and/or such other duties and powers as
are properly assigned thereto by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the
Board or the President.
Section 5. Treasurer.
The Treasurer shall have charge of all monies and securities of the
Corporation, other than monies and securities of any division of the Corporation
which has a treasurer or financial officer appointed by the Board of Directors,
and shall keep regular books of account. The funds of the Corporation shall be
deposited in the name of the Corporation by the Treasurer with such banks or
trust companies or other entities as the Board of Directors from time to time
shall designate. He shall sign or countersign such instruments as require his
signature, shall perform all such duties and have all such powers as are usually
incident to such office and/or such other duties and powers as are properly
assigned to him by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board or the
President, and may be required to give bond, payable by the Corporation, for the
faithful performance of his duties in such sum and with such surety as may be
required by the Board of Directors.
Section 6. Assistant Secretaries and Other Officers.
The Board of Directors may appoint one or more assistant secretaries
and one or more assistants to the Treasurer, or one appointee to both such
positions, which officers shall have such powers and shall perform such duties
as are provided in these By-laws or as may be assigned to them by the Board of
Directors, the Chairman of the Board or the President.
Section 7. Action with Respect to Securities of Other Corporations
Unless otherwise directed by the Board of Directors, the President or
any officer of the Corporation authorized by the President shall have power to
vote and otherwise act on behalf of the Corporation, in person or by proxy, at
any meeting of stockholders of or with respect to any action of stockholders of
any other corporation in which this Corporation may hold securities and
otherwise to exercise any and all rights and powers which this Corporation may
possess by reason of its ownership of securities in such other Corporation.
ARTICLE V
STOCK
Section 1. Certificates of Stock.
Each stockholder shall be entitled to a certificate signed by, or in
the name of the Corporation by, the President or a Vice President, and by the
Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, or the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer,
certifying the number of shares owned by him or her. Any or all of the
signatures on the certificate may be by facsimile.
Section 2. Transfers of Stock.
Transfers of stock shall be made only upon the transfer books of the
Corporation kept at an office of the Corporation or by transfer agents
designated to transfer shares of the stock of the Corporation. Except where a
certificate is issued in accordance with Section 4 of Article V of these
By-laws, an outstanding certificate for the number of shares involved shall be
surrendered for cancellation before a new certificate is issued therefore.
Section 3. Record Date.
In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled
to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders, or to receive payment of
any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights or to exercise any
rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock or for the
purpose of any other lawful action, the Board of Directors may fix a record
date, which record date shall not precede the date on which the resolution
fixing the record date is adopted and which record date shall not be more than
sixty (60) nor less than ten (10) days before the date of any meeting of
stockholders, nor more than sixty (60) days prior to the time for such other
action as hereinbefore described; provided, however, that if no record date is
fixed by the Board of Directors, the record date for determining stockholders
entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be at the
close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given or,
if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day
on which the meeting is held, and, for determining stockholders entitled to
receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of rights or
to exercise any rights of change, conversion or
exchange of stock or for any other purpose, the record date shall be at the
close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts a 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 of Directors may fix a new record date for the
adjourned meeting.
Section 4. Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Certificates.
In the event of the loss, theft or destruction of any certificate of
stock, another may be issued in its place pursuant to such regulations as the
Board of Directors may establish concerning proof of such loss, theft or
destruction and concerning the giving of a satisfactory bond or bonds of
indemnity.
Section 5. Regulations.
The issue, transfer, conversion and registration of certificates of
stock shall be governed by such other regulations as the Board of Directors may
establish.
ARTICLE VI
NOTICES
Section 1. Notices.
Except as otherwise specifically provided herein or required by law,
all notices required to be given to any stockholder, director, officer, employee
or agent shall be in writing and may in every instance be effectively given by
hand delivery to the recipient thereof, by depositing such notice in the mail,
postage paid, by sending such notice by prepaid telegram or mailgram or by
sending such notice by facsimile machine or other electronic transmission. Any
such notice shall be addressed to such stockholder, director, officer, employee
or agent at his or her last known address as the same appears on the books of
the Corporation. The time when such notice is received, if hand delivered, or
dispatched, if delivered through the mail, by telegram or mailgram or by
facsimile machine or other electronic transmission, shall be the time of the
giving of the notice.
Section 2. Waivers.
A written waiver of any notice, signed by a stockholder, director,
officer, employee or agent, whether before or after the time of the event for
which notice is to be given, shall be deemed equivalent to the notice required
to be given to such stockholder, director, officer, employee or agent. Neither
the business nor the purpose of any meeting need be specified in such a waiver.
ARTICLE VII
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 1. Facsimile Signatures.
In addition to the provisions for use of facsimile signatures elsewhere
specifically authorized in these By-laws, facsimile signatures of any officer or
officers of the Corporation may be used whenever and as authorized by the Board
of Directors or a committee thereof.
Section 2. Corporate Seal.
The Board of Directors may provide a suitable seal, containing the name
of the Corporation, which seal shall be in the charge of the Secretary. If and
when so directed by the Board of Directors or a committee thereof, duplicates of
the seal may be kept and used by the Treasurer or by an Assistant Secretary or
Assistant Treasurer.
Section 3. Reliance upon Books, Reports and Records.
Each director, each member of any committee designated by the Board of
Directors, and each officer of the Corporation shall, in the performance of his
or her duties, be fully protected in relying in good faith upon the books of
account or other records of the Corporation and upon such information, opinions,
reports or statements presented to the Corporation by any of its officers or
employees, or committees of the Board of Directors so designated, or by any
other person as to matters which such director or committee member reasonably
believes are within such other person's professional or expert competence and
who has been selected with reasonable care by or on behalf of the Corporation.
Section 4. Fiscal Year.
The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be as fixed by the Board of
Directors.
Section 5. Time Periods.
In applying any provision of these By-laws which requires that an act
be done or not be done a specified number of days prior to an event or that an
act be done during a period of a specified number of days prior to an event,
calendar days shall be used, the day of the doing of the act shall be excluded
and the day of the event shall be included.
ARTICLE VIII
AMENDMENTS
The By-laws of the Corporation may be adopted, amended or repealed as
provided in Article SEVENTH of the Certificate of Incorporation of the
Corporation.