EXHIBIT 3.4
BY-LAWS
OF
GENERAL CHEMICAL CORPORATION
(hereinafter called the 'Corporation')
ARTICLE I
OFFICES
Section 1. Registered Office. The registered office of the Corporation
shall be in the City of Wilmington, County of New Castle, State of Delaware.
Section 2. Other Offices. The Corporation may also have offices at
such other places both within and without the State of Delaware as the Board
of Directors may from time to time determine.
ARTICLE II
MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS
Section 1. Place of Meetings. Meetings of the stockholders for the
election of directors or for any other purpose shall be held at such time and
place, either within or without the State of Delaware as shall be designated
from time to time by the Board of Directors and stated in the notice of the
meeting or in a duly executed waiver of notice thereof.
Section 2. Annual Meetings. The Annual Meetings of Stockholders shall
be held on such date and at such time as shall be designated from time to time
by the Board of Directors and stated in the notice of the meeting, at which
meetings the stockholders shall elect by a plurality vote a Board of Directors,
and transact such other business as may properly be brought before the meeting
unless waived as provided herein, written notice of the Annual Meeting stating
the place, date and hour of the meeting shall be given to each stockholder
entitled to vote at such meeting not less than ten nor more than sixty days
before the date of the meeting.
Section 3. Special Meetings. Unless otherwise prescribed by law or by
the Certificate of Incorporation, Special Meetings of Stockholders, for any
purpose or purposes, may be called by either (i) the Chairman, if there be
one, or (ii) the President, (iii) any Vice President, if there be one, (iv) the
Secretary or (v) any Assistant Secretary, if there be one, and shall be called
by any such officer at the request in writing of a majority of the Board of
Directors or at the request in writing of stockholders owning a majority of the
capital stock of the Corporation issued and outstanding and entitled to vote.
Such request shall state the purpose or purposes
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of the proposed meeting. Written notice of a Special Meeting stating the place,
date and hour of the meeting and the purpose or purposes for which the meeting
is called shall be given not less than ten nor more than sixty days before the
date of the meeting to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting.
Section 4. Quorum. Except as otherwise provided by law or by the
Certificate of Incorporation, the holders of a majority of the capital stock
issued and outstanding and entitled to vote thereat, present in person or
represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum at all meetings of the
stockholders for the transaction of business. If, however, such quorum shall
not be present or represented at any meeting of the stockholders, the
stockholders entitled to vote thereat, present in person or represented by
proxy, shall have power to adjourn the meeting from time to time, without
notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum shall be present
or represented. At such adjourned meeting at which a quorum shall be present
or represented, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted
at the meeting as originally noticed. If the adjournment is more than thirty
days, or if after the adjournment a new record date is fixed for the adjourned
meeting,
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a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder entitled to
vote at the meeting.
Section 5. Voting. Unless otherwise required by law, the Certificate of
Incorporation or these By-Laws, any question brought before any meeting of
stockholders shall be decided by the vote of the holders of a majority of the
stock represented and entitled to vote thereat. Each stockholder represented at
a meeting of stockholders shall be entitled to cast one vote for each share of
the capital stock entitled to vote thereat held by such stockholder. Such votes
may be cast in person or by proxy but no proxy shall be voted on or after three
years from its date, unless such proxy provides for a longer period. The Board
of Directors, in its discretion, or the officer of the Corporation presiding at
a meeting of stockholders, in his discretion, may require that any votes cast at
such meeting shall be cast by written ballot.
Section 6. Consent of Stockholders in Lieu of Meeting. Unless otherwise
provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, any action required or permitted
to be taken at any Annual or Special Meeting of Stockholders of the Corporation,
may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if a
consent in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by the
holders
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of outstanding stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would
be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares
entitled to vote thereon were present and voted. Prompt notice of the taking of
the corporate action without a meeting by less than unanimous written consent
shall be given to those stockholders who have not consented in writing.
Section 7. List of Stockholders Entitled to Vote. The officer of the
Corporation who has charge of the stock ledger of the Corporation shall prepare
and make, at least ten days before every meeting of stockholders, a complete
list of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, arranged in
alphabetical order, and showing the address of each stockholder and the number
of shares registered in the name of each stockholder. Such list shall be open to
the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting,
during ordinary business hours, for a period of at least ten days prior to the
meeting, either at a place within the city where the meeting is to be held,
which place shall be specified in the notice of the meeting, or, if not so
specified, at the place where the meeting is to be held. The list shall also be
produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time
thereof, and may be inspected by any stockholder of the Corporation who is
present.
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Section 8. Stock Ledger. The stock ledger of the Corporation shall be
the only evidence as to who are the stockholders entitled to examine the stock
ledger, the list required by Section 7 or this Article II or the books of the
Corporation, or to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of stockholders.
ARTICLE III
DIRECTORS
Section 1. Number and Election of Directors. The Board of Directors
shall consist of not less than one nor more than fifteen members, the exact
number of which shall initially be fixed by the Incorporator and thereafter from
time to time by the Board of Directors. Except as provided in Section 2 of this
Article, directotrs shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast at Annual
Meetings of Stockholders, and each director so elected shall hold office until
the next Annual Meeting and until his successor is duly elected and qualified,
or until his earlier resignation or removal. Any director may resign at any time
upon notice to the Corporation. Directors need not be stockholders.
Section 2. Vacancies. Vacancies and newly created directorships
resulting from any increase in the
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authorized number of directors may be filled by a majority of the directors then
in office, though less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director, and the
directors so chosen shall hold office until the next annual election and until
their successors are duly elected and qualified, or until their earlier
resignation or removal.
Section 3. Duties and Powers. The business of the Corporation shall be
managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors which may exercise
all such powers of the Corporation and do all such lawful acts and things as are
not by statute or by the Certificate of Incorporation or by these By-Laws
directed or required to be exercised or done by the stockholders.
Section 4. Meetings. The Board of Directors of the Corporation may hold
meetings, both regular and special, either within or without the State of
Delaware. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be held without notice
at such time and at such place as may from time to time be determined by the
Board of Directors. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by
the Chairman, if there be one, the President, or a majority of the directors.
Notice thereof stating the place, date and hour of the meeting
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shall be given to each director either by mail not less than forty-eight (48)
hours before the date of the meeting, by telephone or telegram on twenty-four
(24) hours' notice, or on such shorter notice as the person or persons calling
such meeting may deem necessary or appropriate in the circumstances.
Section 5. Quorum. Except as may be otherwise specifically provided by law,
the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws, at all meetings of the Board
of Directors, a majority of the entire Board of Directors shall constitute a
quorum for the transaction of business and the act of a majority of the
directors present at any meeting at which there is a quorum shall be the act
of the Board of Directors. If a quorum shall not be present at any meeting of
the Board of Directors, the directors present thereat may adjourn the meeting
from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until
a quorum shall be present.
Section 6. Actions of Board. Unless otherwise provided by the Certificate
of Incorporation or these By-Laws, any action required or permitted to be taken
at any meeting of the Board of Directors or of any committee thereof may be
taken without a meeting, if all the members of
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the Board of Directors or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in
writing, and the writing or writings are filed with the minutes of proceedings
of the Board of Directors or committee.
Section 7. Meetings by Means of Conference Telephone. Unless otherwise
provided by the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws, members of the
Board of Directors of the Corporation, or any committee designated by the Board
of Directors, may participate in a meeting of the Board of Directors or such
committee by means of a conference telephone or similar communications equipment
by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other,
and participation in a meeting pursuant to this Section 7 shall constitute
presence in person at such meeting.
Section 8. Committees. The Board of Directors may, by resolution passed by
a majority of the entire Board of Directors, designate one or more committees,
each committee to consist of one or more of the directors of the Corporation.
The Board of Directors may designate one or more directors as alternate members
of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any
meeting of any such committee. In the absence or
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disqualification of a member of a committee, and in the absence of a designation
by the Board of Directors of an alternate member to replace the absent or
disqualified member, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and
not disqualified from voting, whether or not he or they constitute a quorum, may
unanimously appoint another member of the Board of Directors to act at the
meeting in the place of any absent or disqualified member. Any committee, to the
extent allowed by law and provided in the resolution establishing such
committee, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board
of Directors in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation.
Each committee shall keep regular minutes and report to the Board of Directors
when required.
Section 9. Compensation. The directors may be paid their expenses, if any,
of attendance at each meeting of the Board of Directors and may be paid a fixed
sum for attendance at each meeting of the Board of Directors or a stated salary
as director. No such payment shall preclude any director from serving the
Corporation in any other capacity and receiving compensation therefor. Members
of special or standing committees may be allowed like compensation for attending
committee meetings.
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Section 10. Interested Directors. No contract or transaction between the
Corporation and one or more of its directors or officers, or between the
Corporation and any other corporation, partnership, association, or other
organization in which one or more of its directors or officers are directors or
officers, or have a financial interest, shall be void or voidable solely for
this reason, or solely because the director or officer is present at or
participates in the meeting of the Board of Directors or committee thereof which
authorizes the contract or transaction, or solely because his or their votes are
counted for such purpose if (i) the material facts as to his or their
relationship or interest and as to the contract or transaction are disclosed or
are known to the Board of Directors or the committee, and the Board of Directors
or committee in good faith authorizes the contract or transaction by the
affirmative votes of a majority of the disinterested directors, even though the
disinterested directors be less than a quorum, or (ii) the material facts as to
his or their relationship or interest and as to the contract or transaction are
disclosed or are known to the shareholders entitled to vote thereon, and the
contract or transaction is specifically approved in good faith by vote of the
shareholders; or
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(iii) the contract or transaction is fair as the Corporation as of the time it
is authorized, approved or ratified, by the Board of Directors, a committee
thereof or the shareholders. Common or interested directors may be counted in
determining the presence of a quorum at a meeting of the Board of
Directors or of a committee which authorizes the contract or transaction.
ARTICLE IV
OFFICERS
Section 1. General. The officers of the Corporation shall be chosen by the
Board of Directors and shall be a President, a Secretary and a Treasurer. The
Board of Directors, in its discretion, may also choose a Chairman of the Board
of Directors (who must be a director) and one or more Vice-Presidents, Assistant
Secretaries, Assistant Treasurers and other officers. Any number of offices may
be held by the same person, unless otherwise prohibited by law, the Certificate
of Incorporation or these By-Laws. The officers of the Corporation need not be
stockholders of the Corporation nor, except in the case of the Chairman of the
Board of Directors, need such officers be directors of the Corporation.
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Section 2. Election. The Board of Directors at its first meeting held after
each Annual Meeting of Stockholders shall elect the officers of the Corporation
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; and all officers of the Corporation shall hold office until their
successors are chosen and qualified, or until their earlier resignation or
removal. Any officer elected by the Board of Directors may be removed at any
time by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Board of Directors. Any
vacancy occurring in any office of the Corporation shall be filled by the Board
of Directors. The salaries of all officers of the Corporation shall be fixed by
the Board of Directors.
Section 3. Voting Securities Owned by the Corporation. Powers of attorney,
proxies, waivers of notice of meeting, consents and other instruments relating
to securities owned by the Corporation may be executed in the name of and on
behalf of the Corporation by the President or any Vice-President and any such
officer may, in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation, take all such
action as any such officer may deem advisable to vote in person or by proxy at
any meeting of security
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holders of any corporation in which the Corporation may own securities and
at any such meeting shall possess and may exercise any and all rights and
power incident to the ownership of such securities and which, as the owner
thereof, the Corporation might have exercised and possessed if present.
The Board of Directors may, by resolution, from time to time confer like
powers upon any other person or persons.
Section 4. Chairman of the Board of Directors. The Chairman of the Board of
Directors, if there be one, shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders
and of the Board of Directors. He shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the
Corporation, and except where by law the signature of the President is required,
the Chairman of the Board of Directors shall possess the same power as the
President to sign all contracts, certificates and other instruments of the
Corporation which may be authorized by the Board of Directors. During the
absence or disability of the President, the Chairman of the Board of Directors
shall exercise all the powers and discharge all the duties of the President. The
Chairman of the Board of Directors shall also perform such other duties and may
exercise such other powers as from time to time may be
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assigned to him by these By-Laws or by the Board of Directors.
Section 5. President. The President shall, subject to the control of the
Board of Directors and, if there be one, the Chairman of the Board of Directors,
have general supervision of the business of the Corporation and shall see that
all orders and resolutions of the Board of Directors are carried into effect. He
shall execute all bonds, mortgages, contracts and other instruments of the
Corporation requiring a seal, under the seal of the Corporation, except where
required or permitted by law to be otherwise signed and executed and except that
the other officers of the Corporation may sign and execute documents when so
authorized by these By-Laws, the Board of Directors or the President. In the
absence or disability of the Chairman of the Board of Directors, or if there be
none, the President shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and the
Board of Directors. If there be no Chairman of the Board of Directors, the
President shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation. The President
shall also perform such other duties and may exercise such other powers as from
time to time may be assigned to him by these By-Laws or by the Board of
Directors.
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Section 6. Vice-Presidents. At the request of the President or in his
absence or in the event of his inability or refusal to act (and if there be no
Chairman of the Board of Directors), the Vice-President or the Vice-Presidents
if there is more than one (in the order designated by the Board of Directors)
shall perform the duties of the President, and when so acting, shall have all
the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the President. Each
Vice-President shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as the
Board of Directors from time to time may prescribe. If there be no Chairman of
the Board of Directors and no Vice-President, the Board of Directors shall
designate the officer of the Corporation who, in the absence of the President or
in the event of the inability or refusal of the President to act, shall perform
the duties of the President, and when so acting, shall have all the powers of
and be subject to all the restrictions upon the President.
Section 7. Secretary. The Secretary shall attend all meetings of the Board
of Directors and all meetings of stockholders and record all the proceedings
thereat in a book or books to be kept for that purpose; the Secretary shall also
perform like duties for the
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standing committees when required. The Secretary shall give, or cause to be
given, notice of all meetings of the stockholders and special meetings of the
Board of Directors, and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed
by the Board of Directors or President, under whose supervision he shall be.
If the Secretary shall be unable or shall refuse to cause to be given notice of
all meetings of the stockholders and special meetings of the Board of Directors,
and if there be no Assistant Secretary, then either the Board of Directors or
the President may choose another officer to cause such notice to be given. The
Secretary shall have custody of the seal of the Corporation and the Secretary
or any Assistant Secretary, if there be one, shall have authority to affix the
same to any instrument requiring it and when so affixed, it may be attested by
the signature of the Secretary or by the signature of any such Assistant
Secretary. The Board of Directors may give general authority to any other
officer to affix the seal of the Corporation and to attest the affixing by his
signature. The Secretary shall see that all books, reports, statements,
certificates and other documents and records required by law to be kept or
filed are properly kept or filed, as the case may be.
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Section 8. Treasurer. The Treasurer shall have the custody of the corporate
funds and securities and shall keep full and accurate accounts of receipts and
disbursements in books belonging to the Corporation and shall deposit all moneys
and other valuable effects in the name and to the credit of the Corporation in
such depositories as may be designated by the Board of Directors. The Treasurer
shall disburse the funds of the Corporation as may be ordered by the Board of
Directors, taking proper vouchers for such disbursements, and shall render to
the President and the Board of Directors, at its regular meetings, or when the
Board of Directors so requires, an account of all his transactions as Treasurer
and of the financial condition of the Corporation. If required by the Board of
Directors, the Treasurer shall give the Corporation a bond in such sum and with
such surety or sureties as shall be satisfactory to the Board of Directors for
the faithful performance of the duties of his office and for the restoration to
the Corporation, in case of his death, resignation, retirement or removal from
office, of all books, papers, vouchers, money and other property of whatever
kind in his possession or under his control belonging to the Corporation.
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Section 9. Assistant Secretaries. Except as may be otherwise provided in
these By-Laws, Assistant Secretaries, if there be any, shall perform such duties
and have such powers as from time to time may be assigned to them by the Board
of Directors, the President, any Vice-President, if there be one, or the
Secretary, and in the absence or refusal to act, shall perform the duties of the
Secretary, and when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to
all the restrictions upon the Secretary.
Section 10. Assistant Treasurers. Assistant Treasurers, if there be any,
shall perform such duties and have such powers as from time to time may be
assigned to them by the Board of Directors, the President, any Vice-President,
if there be one, or the Treasurer or in the event of his disability or refusal
to act, shall perform the duties of the Treasurer, and when so acting, shall
have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the
Treasurer. If required by the Board of Directors, an Assistant Treasurer shall
give the Corporation a bond in such sum and with such surety or sureties as
shall be satisfactory to the Board of Directors for the faithful
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performance of the duties of his office and for the restoration to the
Corporation, in case of his death, resignation, retirement or removal from
office, of all books, papers, vouchers, money and other property of whatever
kind in his possession or under his control belonging to the Corporation.
Section 11. Other Officers. Such other officers as the Board of
Directors may choose shall perform such duties and have such powers as from time
to time may be assigned to them by the Board of Directors. The Board of
Directors may delegate to any other officer of the Corporation the power to
choose such other officers and to prescribe their respective duties and powers.
ARTICLE V
STOCK
Section 1. Form of Certificates. Every holder of stock in the
Corporation shall be entitled to have a certificate signed, in the name of the
Corporation (i) by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the President or a
Vice-President and (ii) by the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer, or the
Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Corporation, certifying the number of
shares owned by him in the Corporation.
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Section 2. Signatures. Where a certificate is countersigned by (i) a
transfer agent other than the Corporation or its employee, or (ii) a registrar
other than the Corporation or its employee, any other signature on the
certificate may be a facsimile. In case any officer, transfer agent or registrar
who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate
shall have ceased to be such officer, transfer agent or registrar before such
certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Corporation withe the same effect
as if he were such officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue.
Section 3. Lost Certificates. The Board of Directors may direct a new
certificate to be issued in place of any certificate theretofore issued by the
Corporation alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, upon the making of
an affidavit of that fact by the person claiming the certificates of stock to
be lost, stolen or destroyed. When authorizing such issue of a new certificate,
the Board of Directors may, in its discretion and as a condition precedent to
the issuance thereof, require the owner of such lost, stolen or destroyed
certificate, or his legal representative, to advertise the same in such manner
as the Board of Directors shall re-
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quire and/or to give the Corporation a bond in such sum as it may direct as
indemnity against any claim that may be made against the Corporation with
respect to the certificate alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed.
Section 4. Transfers. Stock or the Corporation shall be transferable in
the manner prescribed by law and in these By-Laws. Transfers of stock shall be
made on the books of the Corporation only by the person named in the certificate
or by his attorney lawfully constituted in writing and upon the surrender of the
certificate therefor, which shall be cancelled before a new certificate shall be
issued.
Section 5. Record Date. In order that this Corporation may determine the
stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or
any adjournment thereof, or entitled to express consent to corporate action in
writing without a meeting, or entitled to receive payment of any dividend or
other distribution or allotment of any rights, or entitled to exercise any
rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock, or for the
purpose of any other lawful action, the Board of Directors may fix, in advance,
a record date, which shall not be more than sixty days nor less than ten days
before the date of such meet-
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ing, nor more than sixty days prior to any other action. 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 6. Beneficial Owners. The Corporation shall be entitled to
recognize the exclusive right of a person registered on its books as the owner
of shares to receive dividends, and to vote as such owner, and to hold liable
for calls and assessments a person registered on its books as the owner of
shares, and shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or
interest in such share or shares on the part of any other person, whether or not
it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by
law.
ARTICLE VI
NOTICES
Section 1. Notices. Whenever written notice is required by law, the
Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws, to be given to any director,
member of a committee or stockholder, such notice may be given by mail,
addressed to such director, member of a committee or stockholder, at his
address as it appears on the re-
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cords of the Corporation, with postage thereon prepaid, and such notice shall
be deemed to be given at the time when the same shall be deposited in the
United States mail. Written notice may also be given personally or by telegram,
telex or cable.
Section 2. Waivers of Notice. Whenever any notice is required by law, the
Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws, to be given to any director,
member of a committee or stockholder, a waiver thereof in writing, signed, by
the person or persons entitled to said notice, whether before or after the time
stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent thereto.
ARICLE VII
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Section 1. Dividends. Dividends upon the capital stock of the Corporation,
subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, if any, may be
declared by the Board of Directors at any regular or special meeting, and may be
paid in cash, in property, or in shares of the capital stock. Before payment of
any dividend, there may be set aside out of any funds of the Corporation
available for dividends such sum or sums as the Board of Directors from time to
time, in its absolute discretion, deems proper as a reserve or reserves to meet
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contingencies, or for equalizing dividends, or for repairing or maintaining any
property of the Corporation, or for any proper purpose, and the Board of
Directors may modify or abolish any such reserve.
Section 2. Disbursements. All checks or demands for money and notes of the
Corporation shall be signed by such officer or officers or such other person or
persons as the Board of Directors may from time to time designate.
Section 3. Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be fixed
by resolution of the Board of Directors.
Section 4. Corporate Seal. The corporate seal shall have inscribed thereon
the name of the Corporation, the year of its organization and the words
'Corporate Seal, Delaware'. The seal may be used by causing it or a facsimile
thereof to be impressed or affixed or reproduced or otherwise.
ARTICLE VIII
INDEMNIFICATION
Section 1. Power to Indemnify in Actions, Suits or Proceedings other Than
Those by or in the Right of the Corporation. Subject to Section 3 of this
Article VIII, the Corporation shall indemnify any person who was
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or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or
completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or
investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the Corporation) by
reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of
the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a
director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint
venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys'
fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably
incurred by him in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if he acted
in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to
the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action
or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful. The
termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement,
conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of
itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a
manner which he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best
interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or
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proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful.
Section 2. Power to Indemnify in Actions, Suits or Proceedings by or in the
Right of the Corporation. Subject to Section 3 of this Article VIII, the
Corporation shall indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to
be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in
the right of the Corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the
fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the
Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a
director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint
venture, trust or other enterprise against expenses (including attorneys' fees)
actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with the defense or
settlement of such action or suit if he acted in good faith and in a manner he
reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the
Corporation; except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any
claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be
liable for negligence or misconduct in the performance of his duty to the
Corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of
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Chancery or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine
upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all
the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to
indemnify for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court
shall deem proper.
Section 3. Authorization of Indemnification. Any indemnification under this
Article VIII (unless ordered by a court) shall be made by the Corporation only
as authorized in the specific case upon a determination that indemnification of
the director, officer, employee or agent is proper in the circumstances because
he has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in Section 1 or
Section 2 of this Article VIII, as the case may be. Such determination shall be
made (i) by the Board of Directors by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of
directors who were not parties to such action, suit or proceeding, or (ii) if
such a quorum is not obtainable, or, even if obtainable a quorum of
disinterested directors so directs, by independent legal counsel in a written
opinion, or (iii) by the stockholders. To the extent, however, that a director,
officer, employee or agent of the Corporation has been successful on the mer-
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its or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding described above,
or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, he shall be indemnified
against expenses (including attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably incurred
by him in connection therewith, without the necessity of authorization in the
specific case.
Section 4. Good Faith Defined. For purposes of any determination under
Section 3 of this Article VIII, a person shall be deemed to have acted in good
faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best
interests of the Corporation, or, with respect to any criminal action or
proceeding, to have had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful,
if his action is based on the records or books of account of the Corporation or
another enterprise, or on information supplied to him by the officers of the
Corporation or another enterprise in the course of their duties, or on the
advice of legal counsel for the Corporation or another enterprise or on
information or records given or reports made to the Corporation or another
enterprise by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser or
other expert selected with reasonable care by the Corporation or another
enterprise. The term 'another enterprise' as used in this Section 4 shall mean
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any other corporation or any partnership, joint venture, trust or other
enterprise of which such person is or was serving at the request of the
Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent. The provisions of this
Section 4 shall not be deemed to be exclusive or to limit in any way the
circumstances in which a person may be deemed to have met the applicable
standard of conduct set forth in Sections 1 or 2 of this Article VIII, as the
case may be.
Section 5. Indemnification by a Court. Notwithstanding any contrary
determination in the specific case under Section 3 of this Article VIII, and
notwithstanding the absence of any determination thereunder, any director,
officer, employee or agent may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction in
the State of Delaware for indemnification to the extent otherwise permissible
under Sections 1 and 2 of this Article VIII. The basis of such indemnification
by a court shall be a determination by such court that indemnification of the
director, officer, employee or agent is proper in the circumstances because he
has met the applicable standards of conduct set forth in Sections 1 or 2 of this
Article VIII, as the case may be. Notice of any application for indemnification
pursuant to this Section 5 shall be given
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to the Corporation promptly upon the filing of such application.
Section 6. Expenses Payable in Advance. Expenses incurred in defending or
investigating a threatened or pending action, suit or proceeding may be paid by
the Corporation in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or
proceeding as authorized by the Board of Directors in the specific case upon
receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the director, officer, employee or
agent to repay such amount unless it shall ultimately be determined that he is
entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation as authorized in this Article
VIII.
Section 7. Non-exclusivity and Survival of Indemnification. The
indemnification provided by this Article VIII shall not be deemed exclusive of
any other rights to which those seeking indemnification may be entitled under
any By-Law, agreement, contract, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors
or pursuant to the direction (howsoever embodied) of any court of competent
jurisdiction or otherwise, both as to action in his official capacity and as to
action in another capacity while holding such office, it being the policy of the
Corporation that indemnification of the persons specified
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in Sections 1 and 2 of this Article VIII shall be made to the fullest extent
permitted by law. The provisions of this Article VIII shall not be deemed to
preclude the indemnification of any person who is not specified in Sections 1
or 2 of this Article VIII but whom the Corporation has the power or obligation
to indemnify under the provisions of the General Corporation Law of the State
of Delaware, or otherwise. The indemnification provided by this Article VIII
shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer,
employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and
administrators of such person.
Section 8. Insurance. The Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance
on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of
the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a
director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint
venture, trust or other enterprise against any liability asserted against him
and incurred by him in any such capacity, or arising out of his status as such,
whether or not the Corporation would have the power or the obligation to
indemnify him against such liability under the provisions of this Article VIII.
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Section 9. Meaning of 'Corporation' for Purposes of Article VIII. For
purposes of this Article VIII, references to 'the Corporation' shall include, in
addition to the resulting corporation, any constituent corporation (including
any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger which,
if its separate existence had continued, would have had power and authority to
indemnify its directors, officers, and employees or agents, so that any person
who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such constituent
corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent corporation
as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership,
joint venture, trust or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position under
the provisions of this Article VIII with respect to the resulting or surviving
corporation as he would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its
separate existence had continued.
ARTICLE IX
AMENDMENTS
Section 1. These By-Laws may be altered, amended or repealed, in whole or
in part, or new By-Laws may be adopted by the stockholders or by the majority
vote or consent of the Board of Directors, provided, however, that notice of
such alteration, amendment, repeal or adoption of
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new By-Laws be contained in the notice of such meeting of stockholders or
Board of Directors as the case may be. All such amendments must be approved by
either the holders of a majority of the outstanding capital stock entitled to
vote thereon or by a majority of the entire Board of Directors then in office.
Section 2. Entire Board of Directors. As used in this Article IX and in
these By-Laws generally, the term 'entire Board of Directors' means the total
number of directors which the Corporation would have if there were no vacancies.
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