EXHIBIT 3.2
MEDIQ/PLSS, INC.
BY-LAWS
ARTICLE I - OFFICES
Section 1. The registered office of the corporation in the State of
Delaware shall be at Corporation Trust Center, 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington
(New Castle), Delaware.
The registered agent in charge thereof shall be The Corporation Trust
Company.
Section 2. The corporation may also have offices at such other places as
the Board of Directors may from time to time appoint or the business of the
corporation may require.
ARTICLE II - SEAL
Section 1. The corporate seal shall have inscribed thereon the name of the
corporation, the year of its organization and the words "Corporate Seal,
Delaware".
ARTICLE III - STOCKHOLDERS' MEETINGS
Section 1. Meetings of stockholders shall be held at the registered office
of the corporation in this state or at such place, either within or without this
state, as may be selected from time to time by the Board of Directors.
Section 2. ANNUAL MEETINGS: The annual meeting of the stockholders shall
be held on the 2nd day of January in each year if not a legal holiday, and if a
legal holiday, then on the next secular day following at 10:00 o'clock A.M.,
when they shall
elect a Board of Directors and transact such other business as may properly be
brought before the meeting. If the annual meeting for election of directors is
not held on the date designated therefor, the directors shall cause the meeting
to be held as soon thereafter as convenient.
Section 3. ELECTION OF DIRECTORS: Elections of the directors of the
corporation shall be by written ballot.
Section 4. SPECIAL MEETINGS: Special meetings of the stockholders may be
called at any time by the President, or the Board of Directors, or stockholders
entitled to cast at least one-fifth of the votes which all stockholders are
entitled to cast at the particular meeting. At any time, upon written request of
any person or persons who have duly called a special meeting, it shall be the
duty of the Secretary to fix the date of the meeting, to be held not more than
sixty days after receipt of the request, and to give due notice thereof. If the
Secretary shall neglect or refuse to fix the date of the meeting and give notice
thereof, the person or persons calling the meeting may do so.
Business transacted at all special meetings shall be confined to the
objects stated in the call and matters germane thereto, unless all stockholders
entitled to vote are present and consent.
Written notice of a special meeting of stockholders stating the time and
place and object thereof, shall be given to each stockholder entitled to vote
thereat at least ten days before such meeting, unless a greater period of notice
is required by statute in a particular case.
Section 5. QUORUM: A majority of the outstanding shares of the
corporation entitled to vote, represented in person or by proxy, shall
constitute a quorum at a meeting of stockholders. If less than a majority of the
outstanding shares entitled to vote is represented at a meeting, a majority of
the shares so represented may adjourn the meeting from time to time without
further notice. At such adjourned meeting at which a quorum shall be present or
represented, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at
the meeting as originally noticed. The stockholders present at a duly organized
meeting may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the
withdrawl of enough stockholders to leave less than a quorum.
Section 6. PROXIES: Each stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of
stockholders or to express consent or dissent to corporate action in writing
without a meeting may authorize another person or persons to act for him by
proxy, but no such proxy shall be voted or acted upon after three years from its
date, unless the proxy provides for a longer period.
A duly executed proxy shall be irrevocable if it states that it is
irrevocable and if, and only as long as, it is coupled with an interest
sufficient in law to support an irrevocable power. A proxy may be made
irrevocable regardless of whether the interest with which it is coupled is an
interest in the stock itself or an interest in the corporation generally. All
proxies shall be filed with the Secretary of the meeting before being voted
upon.
Section 7. NOTICE OF MEETINGS: Whenever stockholders are required or
permitted to take any action at a meeting, a written notice of the meeting shall
be given which shall state the place,
date and hour of the meeting, and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose
or purposes for which the meeting is called.
Unless otherwise provided by law, written notice of any meeting 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 8. CONSENT IN LIEU OF MEETINGS: Any action required to be taken at
any annual or special meeting of stockholders of a corporation, or any action
which may be taken at any annual or special meeting of such stockholders, 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 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 9. LIST OF STOCKHOLDERS: The officer 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.
No share of stock upon which any installment is due and unpaid shall be voted at
any meeting. The list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, for
any purpose germane to the meeting, during ordinary busi-
ness 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 who is present.
ARTICLE IV - DIRECTORS
Section 1. The business and affairs of this corporation shall be managed
by its Board of Directors, four in number. The directors need not be residents
of this state or stockholders in the corporation. They shall be elected by the
stockholders at the annual meeting of stockholders of the corporation, and each
director shall be elected for the term of one year, and until his successor
shall be elected and shall qualify or until his earlier resignation or removal.
Section 2. REGULAR MEETINGS: Regular meetings of the Board shall be held
without notice the 2nd day of January in each year at the registered office of
the corporation, or at such other time and place as shall be determined by the
Board.
Section 3. SPECIAL MEETINGS: Special Meetings of the Board may be called
by the President on one days notice to each director, either personally or by
mail or by telegram; special meetings shall be called by the President or
Secretary in like manner and on like notice on the written request of a majority
of the directors in office.
Section 4. QUORUM: A majority of the total number of directors
shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
Section 5. CONSENT IN LIEU OF MEETING: 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 members of the Board 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 or committee. The Board of
Directors may hold its meetings, and have an office or offices, outside of this
state.
Section 6. CONFERENCE TELEPHONE: One or more directors may participate in
a meeting of the Board, of a committee of the Board or of the stockholders, by
means of conference telephone or similar communications equipment by means of
which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other;
participation in this manner shall constitute presence in person at such
meeting.
Section 7. COMPENSATION: Directors as such, shall not receive any stated
salary for their services, but by resolution of the Board, a fixed sum and
expenses of attendance, if any, may be allowed for attendance at each regular or
special meeting of the Board PROVIDED, that nothing herein contained shall be
construed to preclude any director from serving the corporation in any other
capacity and receiving compensation therefor.
Section 8. REMOVAL: Any director or the entire Board of Directors may be
removed, with or without cause, by the holders of a majority of the shares then
entitled to vote at an election of directors, except that when cumulative voting
is permitted, if less than the entire Board is to be removed, no director may be
removed
without cause if the votes cast against his removal would be sufficient to elect
him if then cumulatively voted at an election of the entire Board of Directors,
or, if there be classes of directors, at an election of the class of directors
of which he is a part.
ARTICLE V - OFFICERS
Section 1. The executive officers of the corporation shall be chosen by
the directors and shall be a President, Secretary and Treasurer. The Board of
Directors may also choose a Chairman, one or more Vice Presidents and such other
officers as it shall deem necessary. Any number of offices may be held by the
same person.
Section 2. SALARIES: Salaries of all officers and agents of the
corporation shall be fixed by the Board of Directors.
Section 3. TERM OF OFFICE: The officers of the corporation shall hold
office for one year and until their successors are chosen and have qualified.
Any officer or agent elected or appointed by the Board may be removed by the
Board of Directors whenever in its judgment the best interest of the corporation
will be served thereby.
Section 4. PRESIDENT: The President shall be the chief executive officer
of the corporation; he shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and
directors; he shall have general and active management of the business of the
corporation, shall see that all orders and resolutions of the Board are carried
into effect, subject, however, to the right of the directors to delegate any
specific powers, except such as may be by statute exclusively conferred on the
President, to any other officer or officers of the corporation. He shall execute
bonds, mortgages and other contracts requiring a seal,
under the seal of the corporation. He shall be EX-OFFICIO a member of all
committees, and shall have the general power and duties of supervision and
management usually vested in the office of President of a corporation.
Section 5. SECRETARY: The Secretary shall attend all sessions of the Board
and all meetings of the stockholders and act as clerk thereof, and record all
the votes of the corporation and the minutes of all its transactions in a book
to be kept for that purpose, and shall perform like duties for all committees of
the Board of Directors when required. He shall give, or cause to be given,
notice of all meetings of the stockholders and of the Board of Directors, and
shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors
or President, and under whose supervision he shall be. He shall keep in safe
custody the corporate seal of the corporation, and when authorized by the Board,
affix the same to any instrument requiring it.
Section 6. TREASURER: The Treasurer shall have 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 keep the moneys
of the corporation in a separate account to the credit of the corporation. He
shall disburse the funds of the corporation as may be ordered by the Board,
taking proper vouchers for such disbursements, and shall render to the President
and directors, at the regular meetings of the Board, or whenever they may
require it, an account of all his transactions as Treasurer and of the financial
condition of the corporation.
ARTICLE VI - VACANCIES
Section 1. Any vacancy occurring in any office of the corporation by
death, resignation, removal or otherwise, shall be filled by the Board of
Directors. Vacancies and newly created directorships resulting from any increase
in the authorized number of directors may be filled by a majority of the
directors then in office, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining
director. If at any time, by reason of death or resignation or other cause, the
corporation should have no directors in office, then any officer or any
stockholder or an executor, administrator, trustee or guardian of a stockholder,
or other fiduciary entrusted with like responsibility for the person or estate
of a stockholder, may call a special meeting of stockholders in accordance with
the provision of these By-Laws.
Section 2. RESIGNATIONS EFFECTIVE AT FUTURE DATE: When one or more
directors shall resign from the Board, effective at a future date, a majority of
the directors then in office, including those who have so resigned, shall have
power to fill such vacancy or vacancies, the vote thereon to take effect when
such resignation or resignations shall become effective.
ARTICLE VII - CORPORATE RECORDS
Section 1. Any stockholder of record, in person or by attorney or other
agent, shall, upon written demand under oath stating the purpose thereof, have
the right during the usual hours for business to inspect for any proper purpose
the corporation's stock ledger, a list of its stockholders, and its other books
and records, and to make copies or extracts therefrom. A proper purpose shall
mean a purpose
reasonably related to such person's interest as a stockholder. In every instance
where an attorney or other agent shall be the person who seeks the right to
inspection, the demand under oath shall be accompanied by a power of attorney or
such other writing which authorizes the attorney or other agent to so act on
behalf of the stockholder. The demand under oath shall be directed to the
corporation at its registered office in this state or at its principal place of
business.
ARTICLE VIII - STOCK CERTIFICATES, DIVIDENDS, ETC.
Section 1. The stock certificates of the corporation shall be numbered and
registered in the share ledger and transfer books of the corporation as they are
issued. They shall bear the corporate seal and shall be signed by the President
or Vice President and Secretary or Assistant Secretary of the Corporation.
Section 2. TRANSFERS: Transfers of shares shall be made on the books of
the corporation upon surrender of the certificates therefor, endorsed by the
person named in the certificate or by attorney, lawfully constituted in writing.
No transfer shall be made which is inconsistent with law.
Section 3. LOST CERTIFICATE: The corporation may issue a new certificate
of stock in the place of any certificate theretofore signed by it, alleged to
have been lost, stolen or destroyed, and the corporation may require the owner
of the lost, stolen or destroyed certificate, or his legal representative to
give the corporation a bond sufficient to indemnify it against any claim that
may be made against it on account of the alleged loss, theft or destruction of
any such certificate or the issuance of such new certificate.
Section 4. RECORD DATE: In order that the corporation may determine the
stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or
any adjournment thereof, or 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 nor less than ten days before the date of
such meeting, nor more than sixty days prior to any other action.
If no record date is fixed:
(a) 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.
(b) The record date for determining stockholders entitled to express
consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, when no prior
action by the Board of Directors is necessary, shall be the day on which
the first written consent is expressed.
(c) The record date for determining stockholders for any other
purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of
Directors adopts the resolution relating thereto.
(d) 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 5. DIVIDENDS: The Board of Directors may declare and pay dividends
upon the outstanding shares of the corporation, from time to time and to such
extent as they deem advisable, in the manner and upon the terms and conditions
provided by statute and the Certificate of Incorporation.
Section 6. RESERVES: Before payment of any dividend there may be set aside
out of the net profits of the corporation such sum or sums as the directors,
from time to time, in their absolute discretion, think proper as a reserve fund
to meet contingencies, or for equalizing dividends, or for repairing or
maintaining any property of the corporation, or for such other purpose as the
directors shall think conducive to the interests of the corporation, and the
directors may abolish any such reserve in the manner in which it was created.
ARTICLE IX - MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
Section 1. CHECKS: All checks or demands for money and notes of the
corporation shall be signed by such officer or officers as the Board of
Directors may from time to time designate.
Section 2. FISCAL YEAR: The fiscal year shall begin on the first day of
October in each year.
Section 3. NOTICE: Whenever written notice is required to be given to any
person, it may be given to such person, either personally or by sending a copy
thereof through the mail, or by telegram,
charges prepaid, to his address appearing on the books of the corporation, or
supplied by him to the corporation for the purpose of notice. If the notice is
sent by mail or by telegraph, it shall be deemed to have been given to the
person entitled thereto when deposited in the United States mail or with a
telegraph office for transmission to such person. Such notice shall specify the
place, day and hour of the meeting and, in the case of a special meeting of
stockholders, the general nature of the business to be transacted.
Section 4. WAIVER OF NOTICE: Whenever any written notice is required by
statute, or by the Certificate or the By-Laws of this corporation a waiver
thereof in writing, signed by the person or persons entitled to such notice,
whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent to
the giving of such notice. Except in the case of a special meeting of
stockholders, neither the business to be transacted at nor the purpose of the
meeting need be specified in the waiver of notice of such meeting. Attendance of
a person either in person or by proxy, at any meeting shall constitute a waiver
of notice of such meeting, except where a person attends a meeting for the
express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business because the
meeting was not lawfully called or convened.
Section 5. DISALLOWED COMPENSATION: Any payments made to an officer or
employee of the corporation such as a salary, commission, bonus, interest, rent,
travel or entertainment expense incurred by him, which shall be disallowed in
whole or in part as a deductible expense by the Internal Revenue Service, shall
be reimbursed by such officer or employee to the corporation to the full extent
of such
disallowance. It shall be the duty of the directors, as a Board, to enforce
payment of each such amount disallowed. In lieu of payment by the officer or
employee, subject to the determination of the directors, proportionate amounts
may be withheld from his future compensation payments until the amount owed to
the corporation has been recovered.
Section 6. RESIGNATIONS: Any director or other officer may resign at any
time, such resignation to be in writing and to take effect from the time of its
receipt by the corporation, unless some time be fixed in the resignation and
then from that date. The acceptance of a resignation shall not be required to
make it effective.
ARTICLE X - ANNUAL STATEMENT
Section 1. The President and the Board of Directors shall present at each
annual meeting a full and complete statement of the business and affairs of the
corporation for the preceding year. Such statement shall be prepared and
presented in whatever manner the Board of Directors shall deem advisable and
need not be verified by a Certified Public Accountant.
ARTICLE XI - INDEMNIFICATION AND INSURANCE:
Section 1. (a) RIGHT TO INDEMNIFICATION. Each person who was or is made a
party or is threatened to be made a party or is involved in any action, suit or
proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative
(hereinafter a "proceeding"), by reason of the fact that he or she, or a person
of whom he or she is the legal
representative, is or was a director or officer, of the Corporation or is or was
serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or
agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other
enterprise, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, whether
the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a
director, officer, employee or agent or in any other capacity while serving as a
director, officer, employee or agent, shall be indemnified and held harmless by
the Corporation to the fullest extent authorized by the Delaware General
Corporation Law, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended (but, in the
case of any such amendment, only to the extent that such amendment permits the
Corporation to provide broader indemnification rights than said law permitted
the Corporation to provide prior to such amendment), against all expense,
liability and loss (including attorneys' fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise
taxes or penalties and amounts paid or to be paid in settlement) reasonably
incurred or suffered by such person in connection therewith and such
indemnification shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director,
officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of his or her heirs,
executors and administrators; provided, however, that, except as provided in
paragraph (b) hereof, the Corporation shall indemnify any such person seeking
indemnification in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by
such person only if such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the
Board of Directors of the Corporation. The right to indemnification conferred in
this Section shall be a contract right and shall include the right to be paid by
the Corporation the expenses incurred in defending any
such proceeding in advance of its final disposition: provided, however, that, if
the Delaware General Corporation Law requires, the payment of such expenses
incurred by a director or officer in his or her capacity as a director or
officer (and not in any other capacity in which service was or is rendered by
such person while a director or officer, including, without limitation, service
to an employee benefit plan) in advance of the final disposition of a
proceeding, shall be made only upon delivery to the corporation of an
undertaking, by or on behalf of such director or officer, to repay all amounts
so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that such director or officer
is not entitled to be indemnified under this Section or otherwise. The
Corporation may, by action of its Board of Directors, provide indemnification to
employees and agents of the Corporation with the same scope and effect as the
foregoing indemnification of directors and officers.
(b) RIGHT OF CLAIMANT TO BRING SUIT:
If a claim under paragraph (a) of this Section is not paid in full by the
Corporation within thirty days after a written claim has been received by the
Corporation, the claimant may at any time thereafter bring suit against the
Corporation to recover the unpaid amount of the claim and, if successful in
whole or in part, the claimant shall be entitled to be paid also the expense of
prosecuting such claim. It shall be a defense to any such action (other than an
action brought to enforce a claim for expenses incurred in defending any
proceeding in advance of its final disposition where the required undertaking,
if any is required, has been tendered to the Corporation) that the claimant has
not met the standards of conduct which make it
permissible under the Delaware General Corporation law for the Corporation to
indemnify the claimant for the amount claimed, but the burden of proving such
defense shall be on the Corporation. Neither the failure of the Corporation
(including its Board of Directors, independent legal counsel, or its
stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such
action that indemnification of the claimant is proper in the circumstances
because he or she has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the
Delaware General Corporation Law, nor an actual determination by the Corporation
(including its Board of Directors, independent legal counsel, or its
stockholders) that the claimant has not met such applicable standard or conduct,
shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that the claimant has
not met the applicable standard or conduct.
(c) Notwithstanding any limitation to the contrary contained in
sub-paragraphs (a) and 8 (b) of this section, the corporation shall, to the
fullest extent permitted by Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the
State of Delaware, as the same may be amended and supplemented, indemnify any
and all persons whom it shall have power to indemnify under said section from
and against any and all of the expenses, liabilities or other matters referred
to in or covered by said section, and the indemnification provided for herein
shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those indemnified may
be entitled under any By-law, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested
Directors or otherwise, both as to action in his official capacity and as to
action in another capacity while holding such office, and shall continue as to a
person who has
ceased to be director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit
of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person.
(d) INSURANCE:
The Corporation may maintain insurance, at its expense, to protect itself
and any director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation or another
corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any
such expense, liability or loss, whether or not the Corporation would have the
power to indemnify such person against such expense, liability or loss under the
Delaware General Corporation Law.
ARTICLE XII - AMENDMENTS
Section 1. These By-Laws may be amended or repealed by the vote of
stockholders entitled to cast at least a majority of the votes which all
stockholders are entitled to cast thereon, at any regular or special meeting of
the stockholders, duly convened after notice to the stockholders of that
purpose.