EXHIBIT 3.(ii)
BYLAWS
OF
NITTANY FINANCIAL CORP.
ARTICLE I. OFFICES
1.1 Registered Office and Registered Agent. The registered office of
Nittany Financial Corp. (the "Company") shall be located in the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania at such place as may be fixed from time to time by the board of
directors of the Company (the "Board" or "Board of Directors") upon filing of
such notices as may be required by law, and the registered agent shall have a
business office identical with such registered office. The initial location will
be 637 Kennard Road, State College, Pennsylvania 16801.
1.2 Other Offices. The Company may have other offices within or outside
the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania at such place or places as the Board of
Directors may from time to time determine.
ARTICLE II. STOCKHOLDERS' MEETING
2.1 Meeting Place. All meetings of the stockholders shall be held at
the principal place of business of the Company, or at such other place within or
without the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as shall be determined by the Board of
Directors and stated in the notice of such meeting.
2.2 Annual Meeting Time. The annual meeting of the stockholders for the
election of directors and for the transaction of such other business as may
properly come before the meeting shall be held each year on such date and time
as may be determined by the Board of Directors and stated in the notice of such
meeting.
2.3 Organization and Conduct. Each meeting of the stockholders shall be
presided over by the Chairman of the Board, or in the Chairman's absence by the
President, or if neither the Chairman nor the President is present, by any Vice
President. The Secretary, or in the Secretary's absence, the assistant
Secretary, or in the assistant Secretary's absence a temporary Secretary, shall
act as secretary of each meeting of the stockholders. In the absence of the
Secretary and any temporary Secretary, the chairman of the meeting may appoint
any person present to act as secretary of the meeting. The chairman of any
meeting of the stockholders, unless prescribed by law or regulation or unless
the Board of Directors has otherwise determined, shall determine the order of
the business and the procedure at the meeting, including such regulation of the
manner of voting and the conduct of discussions as shall be deemed appropriate
by such chairman in the chairman's sole discretion.
2.4 Notice.
(a) Notice of the date, time, and place of, and the general
business to be conducted at, an annual or special meeting of stockholders shall
be given by delivering personally, by facsimile transmission, or by mailing a
written or printed notice of the same, at least ten (10) days prior to the
meeting, to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at such meeting. When
any stockholders' meeting, either annual or special, is adjourned and a new
record date is fixed for an adjourned meeting of stockholders, 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 unless new business is to be transacted thereat or a new record date
is fixed therefor, other than an announcement at the meeting at which such
adjournment is taken.
2.5 Voting Lists. The officer or agent having charge of the transfer
books for shares of the Company shall make a complete list of the shareholders
entitled to vote at any meeting of shareholders, arranged in alphabetical order,
with the address of and the number of shares held by each. The list shall be
produced and kept open at the time and place of the meeting and shall be subject
to inspection of any shareholder during the whole time of the meeting for the
purposes thereof.
2.6 Quorum. Except as otherwise required by law:
(a) A quorum at any annual or special meeting of stockholders
shall consist of stockholders representing, either in person or by proxy, a
majority of the outstanding capital stock of the Company entitled to vote at
such meeting without regard to any shares for which a broker indicates on a
proxy that it does not have discretionary authority as to such shares to vote on
such matter ("Broker Non-votes").
(b) The votes of a majority of those present, without regard
to Broker Non-votes or votes of abstention, at any properly called meeting or
adjourned meeting of stockholders, at which a quorum as defined above is
present, shall be sufficient to transact business, unless such greater vote is
required by these Bylaws, the Articles of Incorporation, or the laws of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
2.7 Voting of Shares.
(a) Except as otherwise provided in these Bylaws or to the
extent that voting rights of the shares of any class or classes are limited or
denied by the Articles of Incorporation, each stockholder, on each matter
submitted to a vote at a meeting of stockholders, shall have one vote for each
share of capital stock registered in such person's name on the books of the
Company.
(b) Directors are to be elected by a plurality of votes cast
by the shares entitled to vote in the election of directors at a meeting at
which a quorum is present. Stockholders shall not be permitted to cumulate their
votes for the election of directors. If, at any meeting of the stockholders, due
to a vacancy or vacancies or otherwise, directors of more than one class of the
Board of Directors are to be elected, each class of directors to be elected at
the meeting shall be elected in a separate election by a plurality vote.
2.8 Fixing Record Date. The Board of Directors may fix a time prior to
the date of any meeting of shareholders as a record date for the determination
of the shareholders entitled to notice of, or to vote at, the meeting, which
time, except in the case of an adjourned meeting, shall be not more than 90 days
prior to the date of the meeting of shareholders. Only shareholders of record on
the date fixed shall be so entitled notwithstanding any transfer of shares on
the books of the Company after any record date fixed as provided in this
subsection. The Board of Directors may similarly fix a record date for the
determination of shareholders of record for any other purpose. When a
determination of shareholders of record has been made as provided in this
section for purposes of a meeting, the determination shall apply to any
adjournment thereof unless the Board fixes a new record date for the adjourned
meeting.
2.9 Proxies. A stockholder may vote either in person or by proxy
executed in writing by the stockholder, or such person's duly authorized
attorney-in-fact. A telegram, telex, cablegram, datagram, or similar
transmission from a shareholder or attorney-in-fact, or a photographic,
facsimile, or similar
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reproduction of a writing executed by a shareholder or attorney-in-fact may be
treated as properly executed for purposes of this section and shall be so
treated if it sets forth a confidential and unique identification number or
other mark furnished by the Company to the shareholder for the purposes of a
particular meeting or transaction. No proxy shall be valid after three years
from the date of its execution, unless otherwise provided in the proxy.
2.10 Voting of Shares in the Name of Two or More Persons. Where shares
are held jointly or as tenants in common by two or more persons as fiduciaries
or otherwise, if only one or more of such persons is present in person or by
proxy, all of the shares standing in the names of such persons shall be deemed
to be represented for the purpose of determining a quorum and the Company shall
accept as the vote of all such shares the votes cast by such person or a
majority of them and if in any case such persons are equally divided upon the
manner of voting the shares held by them, the vote of such shares shall be
divided equally among such persons, without prejudice to the rights of such
joint owners or the beneficial owners thereof among themselves, except that, if
there shall have been filed with the Secretary of the Company a copy, certified
by an attorney-at-law to be correct, of the relevant portions of the agreements
under which such shares are held or the instrument by which the trust or estate
was created or the decree of court appointing them, or of a decree of court
directing the voting of such shares, the persons specified as having such voting
power in the latest such document so filed, and only such persons, shall be
entitled to vote such shares but only in accordance therewith.
2.11 Voting of Shares by Certain Holders. Shares standing in the name
of another corporation may be voted by an officer, agent, or proxy as the bylaws
of such corporation may prescribe, 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 such person,
either in person or by proxy, without a transfer of such shares into such
person's name. Shares standing in the name of a trustee may be voted by the
trustee, either in person or by proxy. Shares standing in the name of a receiver
may be voted by such receiver without the transfer thereof into the receiver's
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 or nominee, and thereafter the
pledgee or nominee shall be entitled to vote the shares so transferred.
2.12 Judges of Election. For each meeting of stockholders, the Board of
Directors may appoint the judges of election. If for any meeting the judge(s)
appointed by the Board of Directors shall be unable to act or the Board of
Directors shall fail to appoint any judge, one or more judges may be appointed
at the meeting by the chairman thereof. The number of judges shall be one or
three. Except for such duties as may be designated in the Articles of
Incorporation to another person, such judges determine the number of shares
outstanding and the voting power of each, the shares represented at the meeting,
the existence of a quorum, the authenticity, validity, and effect of proxies,
receive votes or ballots, hear and determine all challenges and questions in any
way arising in connection with the right to vote, count and tabulate all votes,
determine the result and do such acts as may be proper to conduct the election
or vote with fairness to all shareholders. If there are three judges, the
decision, act, or certificate of a majority shall be effective in all respects
as the decision, act, or certificate of all. Judges need not be stockholders.
2.13 Action By Shareholders Without a Meeting. Action required to be
taken or which may be taken at any annual or special meeting of stockholders of
the Company may be taken without a meeting as set forth in the Articles of
Incorporation, which provisions are incorporated herein with the same effect as
if they were set forth herein.
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ARTICLE III. CAPITAL STOCK
3.1 Certificates. Certificates of stock shall be issued in numerical
order, and each stockholder shall be entitled to a certificate signed by the
President or a Vice President, and the Secretary or the Treasurer, and may be
sealed with the seal of the Company or a facsimile thereof. The signatures of
such officers may be facsimiles if the certificate is manually signed on behalf
of a transfer agent, or registered by a registrar, other than the Company itself
or an employee of the Company. If an officer who has signed or whose facsimile
signature has been placed upon such certificate ceases to be an officer of the
Company before the certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Company with
the same effect as if the person were an officer on the date of issue. Each
certificate of stock shall state:
(a) that the Company is incorporated under the laws of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania;
(b) the name of the person to whom issued;
(c) the number and class of shares and the designation of the
series, if any, which such certificate represents;
(d) the par value of each share represented by such
certificate, or a statement that such shares are without par value; and
(e) that the Company will furnish to any shareholder upon
request and without charge, a full statement of the designations, preferences,
limitations, and relative rights of each class authorized to be issued.
3.2 Transfers.
(a) Transfers of stock shall be made only upon the stock
transfer books of the Company, kept at the registered office of the Company or
at its principal place of business, or at the office of its transfer agent or
registrar, and before a new certificate is issued the old certificate shall be
surrendered for cancellation. The Board of Directors may, by resolution, open a
share register in any state of the United States, and may employ an agent or
agents to keep such register, and to record transfers of shares therein.
(b) Shares of stock shall be transferred by delivery of the
certificates therefor, accompanied either by an assignment in writing on the
back of the certificate or an assignment separate from the certificate, or by a
written power of attorney to sell, assign, and transfer the same, signed by the
holder of said certificate. No shares of stock shall be transferred on the books
of the Company until the outstanding certificates therefor have been surrendered
to the Company.
3.3 Registered Owner. Registered stockholders shall be treated by the
Company as the holders in fact of the stock standing in their respective names
and the Company shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to
or interest in any share on the part of any other person, whether or not it
shall have express or other notice thereof, except as expressly provided below
or by the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Board of Directors may
adopt by resolution a procedure whereby a stockholder of the Company may certify
in writing to the Company that all or a portion of the shares registered in the
name of such stockholder are held for the account of a specified person or
persons. The resolution shall set forth:
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(a) The classification of stockholders who may certify;
(b) The purpose or purposes for which the certification may be
made;
(c) The form of certification and information to be contained
therein;
(d) If the certification is with respect to a record date or
closing of the stock transfer books, the date within which the certification
must be received by the Company; and
(e) Such other provisions with respect to the procedure as are
deemed necessary or desirable.
Upon receipt by the Company of a certification complying with a
resolution meeting the above requirements, the persons specified in the
certification shall be deemed, for the purpose or purposes set forth in the
certification, to be the holders of record of the number of shares specified in
place of the stockholder making the certification.
3.4 Mutilated, Lost, or Destroyed Certificates. In case of any
mutilation, loss, or destruction of any certificate of stock, another may be
issued in its place upon receipt of proof of such mutilation, loss, or
destruction. The Board of Directors may impose conditions on such issuance and
may require the giving of a satisfactory bond or indemnity to the Company in
such sum as the Board might determine, or the Board may establish such other
procedures as it deems necessary.
3.5 Fractional Shares or Scrip. The Company may (a) issue fractions of
a share which shall entitle the holder a proportional interest to exercise
voting rights, to receive dividends thereon, and to participate in any of the
assets of the Company in the event of liquidation; (b) arrange for the
disposition of fractional interests by those entitled thereto; (c) pay in cash
the fair value of fractions of a share as of the time when those entitled to
receive such shares are determined; or (d) issue scrip in registered or bearer
form which shall entitle to holder to receive a certificate for a full share
upon the surrender of such scrip aggregating a full share.
3.6 Shares of Another Company. Shares owned by the Company in another
corporation, domestic or foreign, may be voted by such officer, agent, or proxy
as the Board of Directors may determine or, in the absence of such
determination, by the President of the Company.
ARTICLE IV. BOARD OF DIRECTORS
4.1 Number and Powers. The management of all the affairs, property, and
interest of the Company shall be vested in a Board of Directors. The Board of
Directors shall be divided into four classes as nearly equal in number as
possible. The initial Board of Directors shall consist of five (5) persons. The
classification and term of the directors shall be as set forth in the Articles
of Incorporation, which provisions are incorporated herein with the same effect
as if they were set forth herein. Directors need not be residents of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and need not be shareholders of the Company. In
addition to the powers, authorities, and duties expressly conferred upon it by
these Bylaws and the Articles of Incorporation, the Board of Directors may
exercise all such powers of the Company and do all such lawful acts and things
as are not by statute or by the Articles of Incorporation or by these Bylaws
directed or required to be exercised or done by the stockholders.
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In discharging the powers and duties of their respective positions, the
Board of Directors, committees of the Board of Directors, and individual
directors may, in considering the best interests of the Company, consider to the
extent they deem appropriate the effects of any action upon any and all groups
affected by such action, including stockholders, employees, suppliers,
customers, and creditors of the Company, and upon the communities in which
offices or other establishments of the Company are located; the short-term and
long-term interests of the Company; the resources, intent, and conduct (past,
stated, and potential) of any person seeking to acquire control of the Company;
and any and all other factors, provided however, the Board of Directors,
committees of the Board of Directors, or any individual director shall not be
required, in considering the best interests of the Company or the effects of any
action, to regard any interest or interests of any particular group affected by
the action as a dominant or controlling interest or factor.
4.2 Change of Number. The number of directors may at any time be
increased or decreased by a vote of two-thirds of the Board of Directors,
provided that no decrease shall have the effect of shortening the term of any
incumbent director except as provided in Sections 4.4 and 4.5 hereunder.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained within these Bylaws, the
number of directors may neither be less than one (1) nor more than twelve (12).
4.3 Resignation. Any director may resign at any time by sending a
written notice of such resignation to the home office of the Company addressed
to the Chairman or the President. Unless otherwise specified therein, such
resignation shall take effect upon receipt thereof by the Chairman or the
President.
4.4 Vacancies. All vacancies in the Board of Directors shall be filled
in the manner provided in the Articles of Incorporation, which provisions are
incorporated herein with the same effect as if they were set forth herein.
4.5 Removal of Directors. Directors may be removed in the manner
provided in the Articles of Incorporation, which provisions are incorporated
herein with the same effect as if they were set forth herein.
4.6 Regular Meetings. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors or any
committee thereof may be held without notice at the principal place of business
of the Company or at such other place or places, either within or without the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, as the Board of Directors or such committee, as
the case may be, may from time to time designate. The annual meeting of the
Board of Directors shall be held without notice immediately after the
adjournment of the annual meeting of stockholders.
4.7 Special Meetings.
(a) Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called
at any time by the Chairman, President, or by a majority of the authorized
number of directors, to be held at the principal place of business of the
Company or at such other place or places as the Board of Directors or the person
or persons calling such meeting may from time to time designate. Notice of all
special meetings of the Board of Directors shall be given to each director at
least five (5) days prior to such meeting by telegram, telex, cablegram,
courier, facsimile, or other similar communication, by letter, or personally.
Such notice need neither specify the business to be transacted at, nor the
purpose of, the meeting.
(b) Special meetings of any committee may be called at any
time by such person or persons and with such notice as shall be specified for
such committee by the Board of Directors, or in
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the absence of such specification, in the manner and with the notice required
for special meetings of the Board of Directors.
4.8 Quorum. A majority of the Board of Directors shall be necessary at
all meetings to constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
4.9 Waiver of Notice. Attendance of a director at a meeting shall
constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except where a director attends
for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business because
the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. A waiver of notice signed by the
director or directors, whether before, during, or after the time stated for the
meeting, shall be equivalent to the giving of notice.
4.10 Registering Dissent. A director who is present at a meeting of the
Board of Directors at which action on a corporate matter is taken shall be
presumed to have assented to such action unless such director's dissent is
entered in the minutes of the meeting, or unless the director files a written
dissent to such action with the person acting as the secretary of the meeting
before the adjournment thereof, or unless the director delivers a dissent in
writing to the Secretary of the Company immediately after the adjournment of the
meeting. Such right to dissent shall not apply to a director who voted in favor
of such action.
4.11 Executive, Audit, and Other Committees. Standing or special
committees may be appointed by the Board of Directors from its own number from
time to time, and the Board of Directors may from time to time invest such
committees with such powers as it may see fit, subject to such conditions as may
be prescribed by the Board. An Executive Committee may be appointed by
resolution passed by a majority of the full Board of Directors. It shall have
and exercise all of the authority of the Board of Directors, except in reference
to the submission of any action requiring the approval of stockholders, the
creation or filling of vacancies on the Board of Directors, the adoption,
amendment, or repeal of these Bylaws, the amendment or repeal of any resolution
of the Board which, by its terms, is only amendable or repealable by the entire
Board, or any action on matters committed by these Bylaws or resolution of the
Board to another committee of the Board. An Audit Committee shall be appointed
by resolution passed by a majority of the full Board of Directors, and at least
a majority of the members of the Audit Committee shall be directors who are not
also officers of the Company. The Audit Committee shall review the records and
affairs of the Company to determine its financial condition, shall review the
Company's systems of internal control with management and the Company's
independent auditors, and shall monitor the Company's adherence in accounting
and financial reporting to generally accepted accounting principles, as well as
such other duties as may be assigned to it by the Board of Directors. All
committees appointed by the Board of Directors shall keep regular minutes of the
transactions of their meetings and shall cause them to be recorded in books kept
for that purpose in the office of the Company. The designation of any such
committee, and the delegation of authority thereto, shall not relieve the Board
of Directors, or any member thereof, of any responsibility imposed by law.
4.12 Remuneration. The Board of Directors, by the affirmative vote of a
majority of the directors then in office, and irrespective of any personal
interest of any of its members, shall have the authority to establish reasonable
fee for all directors for services to the Company as directors, officers, or
otherwise, or to delegate such authority to any appropriate committee; provided,
that nothing herein contained shall be construed to preclude any director from
serving the Company in any other capacity and receiving compensation therefor.
Members of standing or special committees may be allowed like compensation for
attending committee meetings.
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4.13 Action by Directors Without a Meeting. Any action which may be
taken at a meeting of the directors, or of a committee thereof, may be taken
without a meeting if a consent in writing, setting forth the action so taken or
to be taken, shall be signed by all of the directors, or all of the members of
the committee, as the case may be. Such consent shall have the same effect as a
unanimous vote.
4.14 Action of Directors by Communications Equipment. Any action which
may be taken at a meeting of directors, or of a committee thereof, may be taken
by means of a conference telephone or similar communications equipment by means
of which persons participating in the meeting can hear each other at the same
time. Participation in a meeting pursuant to this section shall constitute
presence in person at the meeting.
ARTICLE V. OFFICERS
5.1 Designations. The officers of the Company may include the Chairman
of the Board, a President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer, as well as such Vice
Presidents (including Executive and Senior Vice Presidents), Assistant
Secretaries, and Assistant Treasurers as the Board may designate, who shall be
elected for one year by the directors at their first meeting after the annual
meeting of stockholders, and who shall hold office until their successors are
elected and qualify. Any two or more offices may be held by the same person,
except that the offices of President and Secretary and President and Treasurer
may not be held by the same person. The President and Chairman of the Board
shall be members of the Board.
5.2 Powers and Duties. The officers of the Company 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.
5.3 Delegation. In the case of absence or inability to act of any
officer of the Company and of any person herein authorized to act in such
officer's place, the Board of Directors may from time to time delegate the
powers or duties of such officer to any other officer or any director or other
person whom it may select.
5.4 Vacancies. Vacancies in any office arising from any cause may be
filled by the Board of Directors at any regular or special meeting of the Board.
5.5 Other Officers. The Board may appoint such other officers and
agents as it shall deem necessary or expedient, who shall hold their offices for
such terms and shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as shall be
determined from time to time by the Board of Directors.
5.7 Term - Removal. The officers of the Company shall hold office until
their successors are chosen and qualified. Any officer or agent elected or
appointed by the Board of Directors may be removed at any time, with or without
cause, by the affirmative vote of a majority of the whole Board of Directors,
but such removal shall be without prejudice to the contractual rights, if any,
of the person so removed. The election or appointment of an officer or agent
shall not in itself create contractual rights.
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ARTICLE VI. FISCAL YEAR; ANNUAL AUDIT
The fiscal year of the Company shall end on the 31st day of December of
each year. The Company 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. The appointment of such accountants shall be subject to
annual ratification by the stockholders.
ARTICLE VII. DIVIDENDS AND FINANCE
7.1 Dividends. Dividends may be declared by the Board of Directors and
paid by the Company out of retained earnings of the Company subject to the
conditions and limitations imposed by the laws of the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania.
7.2. Reserves. Before making any distribution of earned surplus, there
may be set aside out of the earned surplus of the Company such sum or sums as
the directors from time to time in their absolute discretion deem expedient as a
reserve fund to meet contingencies, or for equalizing dividends, or for
maintaining any property of the Company, or for any other purpose. Any earned
surplus of any year not distributed as dividends shall be deemed to have thus
been set apart until otherwise disposed of by the Board of Directors.
7.3 Depositories. The monies of the Company shall be deposited in the
name of the Company in such bank or banks or trust company or trust companies as
the Board of Directors shall designate, and shall be drawn out only by check or
other order for payment of money signed by such persons and in such manner as
may be determined by resolution of the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE VIII. NOTICES
Except as may otherwise be required by law, any notice to any
stockholder or director may be delivered personally, by mail, by telegram,
telex, or TWX (with answerback received), or by courier service or facsimile
transmission. If sent by mail, telegraph, or courier service, the notice shall
be deemed to have been given to the person when deposited in the United States
mail or with a telegraph or courier service for delivery to that person or, in
the case of telex or TWX, when dispatched to the address of the addressee at
such persons last known address (or to such persons telex, TWX, or facsimile
number) in the records of the Company, with postage or courier or other charges
thereon prepaid.
ARTICLE IX. SEAL
The corporate seal of the Company shall be in such form and bear such
inscription as may be adopted by resolution of the Board of Directors, or by
usage of the officers on behalf of the Company.
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ARTICLE X. BOOKS AND RECORDS
The Company shall keep correct and complete books and records of
account and shall keep minutes and proceedings of meetings of its stockholders
and Board of Directors; and it shall keep at its registered office or principal
place of business, or at the office of its transfer agent or registrar, a record
of its stockholders, giving the names and addresses of all stockholders and the
number and class of the shares held by each. Any books, records, and minutes may
be in written form or any other form capable of being converted into written
form within a reasonable time.
ARTICLE XI. AMENDMENTS
These Bylaws may be altered, amended or repealed only as set forth in
the Articles of Incorporation, which provisions are incorporated herein with the
same effect as if they were set forth herein.
Adopted on March 4, 1998.
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