EXHIBIT 3.2 Amended November 20, 2007.
AMENDED AND RESTATED
BYLAWS
OF
HERITAGE FINANCIAL GROUP
ARTICLE I
HOME OFFICE
The home office of Heritage Financial Group (the MHC subsidiary
holding company) shall be at 721 N. Westover Blvd. in the City of Albany,
County of Dougherty, in the State of Georgia.
ARTICLE II
SHAREHOLDERS
Section 1. Place of Meetings. All annual and special meetings of
shareholders shall be held at the home office of the MHC subsidiary holding
company or at such other convenient place as the board of directors may
determine.
Section 2. Annual Meeting. A meeting of the shareholders of the MHC
subsidiary holding company for the election of directors and for the transaction
of any other business of the MHC subsidiary holding company shall be held
annually within 150 days after the end of the MHC subsidiary holding company's
fiscal year on the first Tuesday in April if not a legal holiday, and if a legal
holiday, then on the next day following which is not a legal holiday, at 10:00
a.m., or at such other date and time within such 150-day period as the board of
directors may determine.
Section 3. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the shareholders for
any purpose or purposes, unless otherwise prescribed by the regulations of the
Office of Thrift Supervision ("Office"), may be called at any time by the
chairman of the board, the president, or a majority of the board of directors,
and shall be called by the chairman of the board, the president, or the
secretary upon the written request of the holders of not less than one-tenth of
all of the outstanding capital stock of the MHC subsidiary holding company
entitled to vote at the meeting. Such written request shall state the purpose or
purposes of the meeting and shall be delivered to the home office of the MHC
subsidiary holding company addressed to the chairman of the board, the
president, or the secretary.
Section 4. Conduct of Meetings. Annual and special meetings shall be
conducted in accordance with the most current edition of Robert's Rules of Order
unless otherwise prescribed by regulations of the Office or these bylaws or the
board of directors adopts another written procedure for the conduct of meetings.
The board of directors shall designate, when present, either the chairman of the
board or president to preside at such meetings.
Section 5. Notice of Meetings. Written notice stating the place, day,
and hour of the meeting and the purpose(s) for which the meeting is called shall
be delivered not fewer than 20 nor more than 50 days before the date of the
meeting, either personally or by mail, by or at the direction of the chairman of
the board, the president, or the secretary, or the directors calling the
meeting, to each shareholder of record entitled to vote at such meeting. If
mailed, such notice shall be deemed to be delivered when deposited in the mail,
addressed to the shareholder at the address as it appears on the stock transfer
books or records of the MHC subsidiary holding company as of the record date
prescribed in Section 6 of this Article II with postage prepaid. When any
shareholders' meeting, either annual or special, is adjourned for 30 days or
more, 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 for less than 30 days or of the business to be
transacted at the meeting, other than an announcement at the meeting at which
such adjournment is taken. Compliance with the provisions of this Section 5
shall not be applicable for so long as the MHC subsidiary holding company is a
wholly-owned institution.
Section 6. Fixing of Record Date. For the purpose of determining
shareholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of shareholders or
any adjournment, or shareholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend, or
in order to make a determination of shareholders for any other proper purpose,
the board of directors shall fix in advance a date as the record date for any
such determination of shareholders. Such date in any case shall be not more than
60 days and, in case of a meeting of shareholders, not fewer than 10 days prior
to the date on which the particular action, requiring such determination of
shareholders, is to be taken. When a determination of shareholders entitled to
vote at any meeting of shareholders has been made as provided in this section,
such determination shall apply to any adjournment.
Section 7. Voting Lists. At least 20 days before each meeting of the
shareholders, the officer or agent having charge of the stock transfer books for
shares of the MHC subsidiary holding company shall make a complete list of the
shareholders of record entitled to vote at such meeting, or any adjournment
thereof, arranged in alphabetical order, with the address and the number of
shares held by each. This list of shareholders shall be kept on file at the home
office of the MHC subsidiary holding company and shall be subject to inspection
by any shareholder of record or the shareholder's agent at any time during usual
business hours for a period of 20 days prior to such meeting. Such list shall
also be produced and kept open at the time and place of the meeting and shall be
subject to inspection by any shareholder of record or any shareholder's agent
during the entire time of the meeting. The original stock transfer book shall
constitute prima facie evidence of the shareholders entitled to examine such
list or transfer books or to vote at any meeting of shareholders. In lieu of
making the shareholder list available for inspection by shareholders as provided
in this paragraph, the board of directors may elect to follow the procedures
prescribed in ss. 552.6(d) of the Office's regulations as now or hereafter in
effect. Compliance with the provisions of this Section 7 shall not be applicable
for so long as the MHC subsidiary holding company is a wholly-owned institution.
Section 8. Quorum. A majority of the outstanding shares of the MHC
subsidiary holding company entitled to vote, represented in person or by proxy,
shall constitute a quorum at a meeting of shareholders. If less than a majority
of the outstanding shares 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 notified. The shareholders present at a duly organized meeting may
continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal
of enough shareholders to constitute less than a quorum. If a quorum is present,
the affirmative vote of the majority of the shares represented at the meeting
and entitled to vote on the subject matter shall be the act of the shareholders,
unless the vote of a greater number of shareholders voting together or voting by
classes is required by law or the charter. Directors, however, are elected by a
plurality of the votes cast at an election of directors.
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Section 9. Proxies. At all meetings of shareholders, a shareholder may
vote by proxy executed in writing by the shareholder or by his or her duly
authorized attorney in fact. Proxies may be given telephonically or
electronically as long as the holder uses a procedure for verifying the identity
of the shareholder. Proxies solicited on behalf of the management shall be voted
as directed by the shareholder or, in the absence of such direction, as
determined by a majority of the board of directors. No proxy shall be valid more
than eleven months from the date of its execution except for a proxy coupled
with an interest.
Section 10. Voting of Shares in the Name of Two or More Persons. When
ownership stands in the name of two or more persons, in the absence of written
directions to the MHC subsidiary holding company to the contrary, at any meeting
of the shareholders of the MHC subsidiary holding company any one or more of
such shareholders may cast, in person or by proxy, all votes to which such
ownership is entitled. In the event an attempt is made to cast conflicting
votes, in person or by proxy, by the several persons in whose names shares of
stock stand, the vote or votes to which those persons are entitled shall be cast
as directed by a majority of those holding such and present in person or by
proxy at such meeting, but no votes shall be cast for such stock if a majority
cannot agree.
Section 11. Voting of Shares by Certain Holders. Shares standing in the
name of another corporation may be voted by any 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 him or her,
either in person or by proxy, without a transfer of such shares into his or her
name. Shares standing in the name of a trustee may be voted by him or her,
either in person or by proxy, but no trustee shall be entitled to vote shares
held by him or her without a transfer of such shares into his or her name.
Shares held in trust in an IRA or Keogh Account, however, may be voted by the
MHC subsidiary holding company if no other instructions are received. Shares
standing in the name of a receiver may be voted by such receiver, and shares
held by or under the control of a receiver may be voted by such receiver without
the transfer into his or her 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 shareholder whose shares are pledged shall be entitled to vote such
shares until the shares have been transferred into the name of the pledgee, and
thereafter the pledgee shall be entitled to vote the shares so transferred.
Neither treasury shares of its own stock held by the MHC subsidiary
holding company nor shares held by another corporation, if a majority of the
shares entitled to vote for the election of directors of such other corporation
are held by the MHC subsidiary holding company, shall be voted at any meeting or
counted in determining the total number of outstanding shares at any given time
for purposes of any meeting.
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Section 12. Inspectors of Election. In advance of any meeting of
shareholders, the board of directors may appoint any person other than nominees
for office as inspectors of election to act at such meeting or any adjournment.
The number of inspectors shall be either one or three. Any such appointment
shall not be altered at the meeting. If inspectors of election are not so
appointed, the chairman of the board or the president may, or on the request of
not fewer than 10 percent of the votes represented at the meeting shall, make
such appointment at the meeting. If appointed at the meeting, the majority of
the votes present shall determine whether one or three inspectors are to be
appointed. In case any person appointed as inspector fails to appear or fails or
refuses to act, the vacancy may be filled by appointment by the board of
directors in advance of the meeting or at the meeting by the chairman of the
board or the president.
Unless otherwise prescribed by regulations of the Office, the duties of
such inspectors shall include: determining the number of shares and the voting
power of each share, the shares represented at the meeting, the existence of a
quorum, and the authenticity, validity and effect of proxies; receiving votes,
ballots, or consents; hearing and determining all challenges and questions in
any way arising in connection with the rights to vote; counting and tabulating
all votes or consents; determining the result; and such acts as may be proper to
conduct the election or vote with fairness to all shareholders.
Section 13. Nominating Committee. The board of directors shall act as a
nominating committee for selecting the management nominees for election as
directors. Except in the case of nominee substituted as a result of the death or
other incapacity of a management nominee, the nominating committee shall deliver
written nominations to the secretary at least 20 days prior to the date of the
annual meeting. Upon delivery, such nominations shall be posted in a conspicuous
place in each office of the MHC subsidiary holding company. No nominations for
directors except those made by the nominating committee shall be voted upon at
the annual meeting unless other nominations by shareholders are made in writing
and delivered to the secretary of the MHC subsidiary holding company at least
five days prior to the date of the annual meeting. Upon delivery, such
nominations shall be posted in a conspicuous place in each office of the MHC
subsidiary holding company. Ballots bearing the names of all persons nominated
by the nominating committee and by shareholders shall be provided for use at the
annual meeting. However, if the nominating committee shall fail or refuse to act
at least 20 days prior to the annual meeting, nominations for directors may be
made at the annual meeting by any shareholder entitled to vote and shall be
voted upon.
Section 14. New Business. Any new business to be taken up at the annual
meeting shall be stated in writing and filed with the secretary of the MHC
subsidiary holding company at least five days before the date of the annual
meeting, and all business so stated, proposed, and filed shall be considered at
the annual meeting; but no other proposal shall be acted upon at the annual
meeting. Any shareholder may make any other proposal at the annual meeting and
the same may be discussed and considered, but unless stated in writing and filed
with the secretary at least five days before the meeting, such proposal shall be
laid over for action at an adjourned, special, or annual meeting of the
shareholders taking place 30 days or more thereafter. This provision shall not
prevent the consideration and approval or disapproval at the annual meeting of
reports of officers, directors, and committees; but in connection with such
reports, no new business shall be acted upon at such annual meeting unless
stated and filed as herein provided.
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Section 15. Informal Action by Shareholders. Any action required to be
taken at a meeting of the shareholders, or any other action which may be taken
at a meeting of shareholders, may be taken without a meeting if consent in
writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be given by all of the
shareholders entitled to vote with respect to the subject matter.
ARTICLE III
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 1. General Powers. The business and affairs of the MHC
subsidiary holding company shall be under the direction of its board of
directors. The board of directors shall annually elect a chairman of the board
and a president from among its members and shall designate, when present, either
the chairman of the board or the president to preside at its meetings.
Section 2. Number and Term. The board of directors shall consist of
seven (7) members, and shall be divided into three classes as nearly equal in
number as possible. The members of each class shall be elected for a term of
three years and until their successors are elected and qualified. One class
shall be elected by ballot annually.
Section 3. Regular Meetings. A regular meeting of the board of
directors shall be held without other notice than this bylaw following the
annual meeting of shareholders. The board of directors may provide, by
resolution, the time and place, for the holding of additional regular meetings
without other notice than such resolution. Directors may participate in a
meeting by means of a conference telephone or similar communications device
through which all persons participating can hear each other at the same time.
Participation by such means shall constitute presence in person for all
purposes.
Section 4. Qualification. Each director shall at all times be the
beneficial owner of not less than 100 shares of capital stock of the MHC
subsidiary holding company unless the MHC subsidiary holding company is a wholly
owned subsidiary of a holding company.
Section 5. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the board of directors
may be called by or at the request of the chairman of the board, the president,
or one-third of the directors. The persons authorized to call special meetings
of the board of directors may fix any place, within the MHC subsidiary holding
company's normal business area, as the place for holding any special meeting of
the board of directors called by such persons.
Members of the board of directors may participate in special meetings
by means of conference telephone or similar communications equipment by which
all persons participating in the meeting can hear and speak to each other. Such
participation shall constitute presence in person for all purposes.
Section 6. Notice. Written notice of any special meeting shall be given
to each director at least 24 hours prior thereto when delivered personally or by
telegram or at least five days prior thereto when delivered by mail at the
address at which the director is most likely to be reached. Such notice shall be
deemed to be delivered when deposited in the mail so addressed, with postage
prepaid if mailed, when delivered to the telegraph company if sent by telegram,
or when the MHC subsidiary holding company receives notice of delivery if
electronically transmitted. Any director may waive notice of any meeting by a
writing filed with the secretary. The attendance of a director at a meeting
shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except where a director
attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any
business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Neither the
business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any meeting of the board of
directors need be specified in the notice or waiver of notice of such meeting.
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Section 7. Quorum. A majority of the number of directors fixed by
Section 2 of this Article III shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of
business at any meeting of the board of directors; but if less than such
majority is present at a meeting, a majority of the directors present may
adjourn the meeting from time to time. Notice of any adjourned meeting shall be
given in the same manner as prescribed by Section 6 of this Article III.
Section 8. Manner of Acting. The act of the majority of the directors
present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the board
of directors, unless a greater number is prescribed by regulation of the Office
or by these bylaws.
Section 9. Action Without a Meeting. Any action required or permitted
to be taken by the board of directors at a meeting may be taken without a
meeting if a consent in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be
signed by all of the directors.
Section 10. Resignation. Any director may resign at any time by sending
a written notice of such resignation to the home office of the MHC subsidiary
holding company addressed to the chairman of the board or the president. Unless
otherwise specified, such resignation shall take effect upon receipt by the
chairman of the board or the president. More than three consecutive absences
from regular meetings of the board of directors, unless excused by resolution of
the board of directors, shall automatically constitute a resignation, effective
when such resignation is accepted by the board of directors.
Section 11. Vacancies. Any vacancy occurring on the board of directors
may be filled by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors
although less than a quorum of the board of directors. A director elected to
fill a vacancy shall be elected to serve only until the next election of
directors by the shareholders. Any directorship to be filled by reason of an
increase in the number of directors may be filled by election by the board of
directors for a term of office continuing only until the next election of
directors by the shareholders.
Section 12. Compensation. Directors, as such, may receive a stated
salary for their services. By resolution of the board of directors, a reasonable
fixed sum, and reasonable expenses of attendance, if any, may be allowed for
attendance at each regular or special meeting of the board of directors. Members
of either standing or special committees may be allowed such compensation for
attendance at committee meetings as the board of directors may determine.
Section 13. Presumption of Assent. A director of the MHC subsidiary
holding company who is present at a meeting of the board of directors at which
action on any MHC subsidiary holding company matter is taken shall be presumed
to have assented to the action taken unless his or her dissent or abstention
shall be entered in the minutes of the meeting or unless he or she shall file a
written dissent to such action with the person acting as the secretary of the
meeting before the adjournment thereof or shall forward such dissent by
registered mail to the secretary of the MHC subsidiary holding company within
five days after the date a copy of the minutes of the meeting is received. Such
right to dissent shall not apply to a director who voted in favor of such
action.
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Section 14. Removal of Directors. At a meeting of shareholders called
expressly for that purpose, any director may be removed only for cause by a vote
of the holders of a majority of the shares then entitled to vote at an election
of directors. Whenever the holders of the shares of any class are entitled to
elect one or more directors by the provisions of the charter or supplemental
sections thereto, the provisions of this section shall apply, in respect to the
removal of a director or directors so elected, to the vote of the holders of the
outstanding shares of that class and not to the vote of the outstanding shares
as a whole.
ARTICLE IV
EXECUTIVE AND OTHER COMMITTEES
Section 1. Appointment. The board of directors, by resolution adopted
by a majority of the full board, may designate the chief executive officer and
two or more of the other directors to constitute an executive committee. The
designation of any committee pursuant to this Article IV and the delegation of
authority shall not operate to relieve the board of directors, or any director,
of any responsibility imposed by law or regulation.
Section 2. Authority. The executive committee, when the board of
directors is not in session, shall have and may exercise all of the authority of
the board of directors except to the extent, if any, that such authority shall
be limited by the resolution appointing the executive committee; and except also
that the executive committee shall not have the authority of the board of
directors with reference to: the declaration of dividends; the amendment of the
charter or bylaws of the MHC subsidiary holding company, or recommending to the
shareholders a plan of merger, consolidation, or conversion; the sale, lease, or
other disposition of all or substantially all of the property and assets of the
MHC subsidiary holding company otherwise than in the usual and regular course of
its business; a voluntary dissolution of the MHC subsidiary holding company; a
revocation of any of the foregoing; or the approval of a transaction in which
any member of the executive committee, directly or indirectly, has any material
beneficial interest.
Section 3. Tenure. Subject to the provisions of Section 8 of this
Article IV, each member of the executive committee shall hold office until the
next regular annual meeting of the board of directors following his or her
designation and until a successor is designated as a member of the executive
committee.
Section 4. Meetings. Regular meetings of the executive committee may be
held without notice at such times and places as the executive committee may fix
from time to time by resolution. Special meetings of the executive committee may
be called by any member thereof upon not less than one day's notice stating the
place, date, and hour of the meeting, which notice may be written or oral. Any
member of the executive committee may waive notice of any meeting and no notice
of any meeting need be given to any member thereof who attends in person. The
notice of a meeting of the executive committee need not state the business
proposed to be transacted at the meeting.
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Section 5. Quorum. A majority of the members of the executive committee
shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting
thereof, and action of the executive committee must be authorized by the
affirmative vote of a majority of the members present at a meeting at which a
quorum is present.
Section 6. Action Without a Meeting. Any action required or permitted
to be taken by the executive committee at a meeting may be taken without a
meeting if a consent in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be
signed by all of the members of the executive committee.
Section 7. Vacancies. Any vacancy in the executive committee may be
filled by a resolution adopted by a majority of the full board of directors.
Section 8. Resignations and Removal. Any member of the executive
committee may be removed at any time with or without cause by resolution adopted
by a majority of the full board of directors. Any member of the executive
committee may resign from the executive committee at any time by giving written
notice to the president or secretary of the MHC subsidiary holding company.
Unless otherwise specified, such resignation shall take effect upon its receipt;
the acceptance of such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.
Section 9. Procedure. The executive committee shall elect a presiding
officer from its members and may fix its own rules of procedure which shall not
be inconsistent with these bylaws. It shall keep regular minutes of its
proceedings and report the same to the board of directors for its information at
the meeting held next after the proceedings shall have occurred.
Section 10. Other Committees. The board of directors may by resolution
establish an audit, loan or other committee composed of directors as they may
determine to be necessary or appropriate for the conduct of the business of the
MHC subsidiary holding company and may prescribe the duties, constitution and
procedures thereof.
ARTICLE V
OFFICERS
Section 1. Positions. The officers of the MHC subsidiary holding
company shall be a president, one or more vice presidents, a secretary, and a
treasurer or comptroller, each of whom shall be elected by the board of
directors. The board of directors may also designate the chairman of the board
as an officer. The offices of the secretary and treasurer or comptroller may be
held by the same person and a vice president may also be either the secretary or
the treasurer or comptroller. The board of directors may designate one or more
vice presidents as executive vice president or senior vice president. The board
of directors may also elect or authorize the appointment of such other officers
as the business of the MHC subsidiary holding company may require. The officers
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.
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Section 2. Election and Term of Office. The officers of the MHC
subsidiary holding company shall be elected annually at the first meeting of the
board of directors held after each annual meeting of the shareholders. If the
election of officers is not held at such meeting, such election shall be held as
soon thereafter as possible. Each officer shall hold office until a successor
has been duly elected and qualified or until the officer's death, resignation,
or removal in the manner hereinafter provided. Election or appointment of an
officer, employee or agent shall not of itself create contractual rights. The
board of directors may authorize the MHC subsidiary holding company to enter
into an employment contract with any officer in accordance with regulations of
the Office; but no such contract shall impair the right of the board of
directors to remove any officer at any time in accordance with Section 3 of this
Article V.
Section 3. Removal. Any officer may be removed by the board of
directors whenever in its judgment the best interests of the MHC subsidiary
holding company will be served thereby, but such removal, other than for cause,
shall be without prejudice to the contractual rights, if any, of the person so
removed.
Section 4. Vacancies. A vacancy in any office because of death,
resignation, removal, disqualification, or otherwise may be filled by the board
of directors for the unexpired portion of the term.
Section 5. Remuneration. The remuneration of the officers shall be
fixed from time to time by the board of directors.
ARTICLE VI
CONTRACTS, LOANS, CHECKS AND DEPOSITS
Section 1. Contracts. To the extent permitted by regulations of the
Office, and except as otherwise prescribed by these bylaws with respect to
certificates for shares, the board of directors may authorize any officer,
employee, or agent of the MHC subsidiary holding company to enter into any
contract or execute and deliver any instrument in the name of and on behalf of
the MHC subsidiary holding company. Such authority may be general or confined to
specific instances.
Section 2. Loans. No loans shall be contracted on behalf of the MHC
subsidiary holding company and no evidence of indebtedness shall be issued in
its name unless authorized by the board of directors. Such authority may be
general or confined to specific instances.
Section 3. Checks, Drafts, Etc. All checks, drafts or other orders for
the payment of money, notes or other evidences of indebtedness issued in the
name of the MHC subsidiary holding company shall be signed by one or more
officers, employees or agents of the MHC subsidiary holding company in such
manner as shall from time to time be determined by the board of directors.
Section 4. Deposits. All funds of the MHC subsidiary holding company
not otherwise employed shall be deposited from time to time to the credit of the
MHC subsidiary holding company in any duly authorized depositories as the board
of directors may select.
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ARTICLE VII
CERTIFICATES FOR SHARES AND THEIR TRANSFER
Section 1. Certificates for Shares. The board of directors may
determine to issue certificated or uncertificated shares of capital stock of the
MHC subsidiary holding company. Certificates representing shares of capital
stock of the MHC subsidiary holding company shall be in such form as shall be
determined by the board of directors and approved by the Office. Such
certificates shall be signed by the chief executive officer or by any other
officer of the MHC subsidiary holding company authorized by the board of
directors, attested by the secretary or an assistant secretary, and sealed with
the corporate seal or a facsimile thereof. The signatures of such officers upon
a certificate may be facsimiles if the certificate is manually signed on behalf
of a transfer agent or a registrar other than the MHC subsidiary holding company
itself or one of its employees. Each certificate for shares of capital stock
shall be consecutively numbered or otherwise identified. The name and address of
the person to whom the shares are issued, with the number of shares and date of
issue, shall be entered on the stock transfer books of the MHC subsidiary
holding company. All certificates surrendered to the MHC subsidiary holding
company for transfer shall be cancelled and no new certificate shall be issued
until the former certificate for a like number of shares has been surrendered
and cancelled, except that in the case of a lost or destroyed certificate, a new
certificate may be issued upon such terms and indemnity to the MHC subsidiary
holding company as the board of directors may prescribe.
Section 2. Transfer of Shares. Transfer of shares of capital stock of
the MHC subsidiary holding company shall be made only on its stock transfer
books. Authority for such transfer shall be given only by the holder of record
or by his or her legal representative, who shall furnish proper evidence of such
authority, or by his or her attorney authorized by a duly executed power of
attorney and filed with the MHC subsidiary holding company. Such transfer shall
be made only on surrender for cancellation of the certificate for such shares,
if such shares are held in certificated form, or the receipt of proper transfer
instructions from the holder of record or his or her legal representative, if
such shares are held in uncertificated form. The person in whose name shares of
capital stock stand on the books of the MHC subsidiary holding company shall be
deemed by the MHC subsidiary holding company to be the owner for all purposes.
ARTICLE VIII
FISCAL YEAR; APPOINTMENT OF ACCOUNTANTS
The fiscal year of the MHC subsidiary holding company shall end on
December 31 of each year. The appointment of accountants shall be subject to
annual ratification by the shareholders.
ARTICLE IX
DIVIDENDS
Subject to the terms of the MHC subsidiary holding company's charter
and the regulations and orders of the Office, the board of directors may, from
time to time, declare, and the MHC subsidiary holding company may pay, dividends
on its outstanding shares of capital stock.
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ARTICLE X
CORPORATE SEAL
The board of directors shall provide a corporate seal which shall be
two concentric circles between which shall be the name of the MHC subsidiary
holding company. The year of incorporation or an emblem may appear in the
center.
ARTICLE XI
AMENDMENTS
These bylaws may be amended in a manner consistent with regulations of
the Office and shall be effective after: (i) approval of the amendment by a
majority vote of the authorized board of directors, or by a majority vote of the
votes cast by the shareholders of the MHC subsidiary holding company at any
legal meeting, and (ii) receipt of any applicable regulatory approval. When the
MHC subsidiary holding company fails to meet its quorum requirements, solely due
to vacancies on the board, then the affirmative vote of a majority of the
sitting board will be required to amend the bylaws.
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