EX-3 4 filename4.htm EX-3.3

Exhibit 3.3

AMENDED AND RESTATED

BY-LAWS

of

HTG MOLECULAR DIAGNOSTICS, INC.

(Effective December 30, 2004)

ARTICLE I

Offices

The registered office of the Corporation shall be in the City of Wilmington, County of New Castle, State of Delaware.

The Corporation may also have offices at such other places, both within and without the State of Delaware, as may from time to time be designated by the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE II

Books

The books and records of the Corporation may be kept (except as otherwise provided by the laws of the State of Delaware) outside of the State of Delaware and at such place or places as may from time to time be designated by the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE III

Stockholders

Section 1. Annual Meetings. The annual meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation for the election of Directors and the transaction of such other business as may properly come before said meeting shall be held at the principal business office of the Corporation or at such other place or places either within or without the State of Delaware as may be designated by the Board of Directors and stated in the notice of the meeting, on such day and at such time as shall be determined by the Board of Directors.

Written notice of the place designated for the annual meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation shall be delivered personally or mailed to each stockholder entitled to vote thereat not less than ten (10) and not more than sixty (60) days prior to said meeting, but at any meeting at which all stockholders shall be present, or of which all stockholders not present have waived notice in writing, the giving of notice as above described may be dispensed with. If mailed, said notice shall be directed to each stockholder at his address as the same appears on the stock ledger of the Corporation unless he shall have filed with the Secretary of the Corporation a written request that notices intended for him be mailed to some other address, in which case it shall be mailed to the address designated in such request.

 

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Section 2. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation shall be held whenever called in the manner required by the laws of the State of Delaware for purposes as to which there are special statutory provisions, and for other purposes whenever called by resolution of the Board of Directors, the President, the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Preferred Stock of the Corporation, or the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation the holders of which are entitled to vote on matters that are to be voted on at such meeting. Any such special meeting of stockholders may be held at the principal business office of the Corporation or at such other place or places, either within or without the State of Delaware, as may be specified in the notice thereof. Business transacted at any special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation shall be limited to the purposes stated in the notice thereof.

Except as otherwise expressly required by the laws of the State of Delaware, written notice of each special meeting, stating the day, hour and place, and in general terms the business to be transacted thereat, shall be delivered personally or mailed to each stockholder entitled to vote thereat not less than ten (10) and not more than sixty (60) days before the meeting. If mailed, said notice shall be directed to each stockholder at his address as the same appears on the stock ledger of the Corporation unless he shall have filed with the Secretary of the Corporation a written request that notices intended for him be mailed to some other address, in which case it shall be mailed to the address designated in said request. At any special meeting at which all stockholders shall be present, or of which all stockholders not present have waived notice in writing, the giving of notice as above described may be dispensed with.

Section 3. List of Stockholders. The officer of the Corporation who shall have charge of the stock ledger of the Corporation shall prepare and make, at least ten (10) days before every meeting of stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at said 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 (10) 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.

Section 4. Quorum. At any meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation, except as otherwise expressly provided by the laws of the State of Delaware, the Corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation, as the same may be amended from time to time (the “Certificate of Incorporation”), or these By-Laws, there must be present, either in person or by proxy, in order to constitute a quorum, stockholders owning a majority of the issued and outstanding shares of the capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote at said meeting. At any meeting of stockholders at which a quorum is not present, the holders of, or proxies for, a majority of the stock which is represented at such meeting, 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 for more than thirty (30) days, or if after the adjournment a new

 

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record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting.

Section 5. Organization. The President, or in his absence any Vice President, shall call to order meetings of the stockholders and shall act as chairman of such meetings. The Board of Directors or the stockholders may appoint any stockholder or any Director or officer of the Corporation to act as chairman of any meeting in the absence of the President and all of the Vice Presidents.

The Secretary of the Corporation shall act as secretary of all meetings of the stockholders, but in the absence of the Secretary the presiding officer may appoint any other person to act as secretary of any meeting.

Section 6. Voting. Except as otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws, each stockholder of record of the Corporation shall, at every meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation, be entitled to one (1) vote for each share of stock standing in his name on the books of the Corporation on any matter on which he is entitled to vote, and such votes may be cast either in person or by proxy, appointed by an instrument in writing, subscribed by such stockholder or by his duly authorized attorney, and filed with the Secretary before being voted on, but no proxy shall be voted after three (3) years from its date, unless said proxy provides for a longer period. If the Certificate of Incorporation provides for more or less than one (1) vote for any share of capital stock of the Corporation, on any matter, then any and every reference in these By-Laws to a majority or other proportion of capital stock shall refer to such majority or other proportion of the votes of such stock.

The vote on all elections of Directors and on any other questions before the meeting need not be by ballot, except upon demand of any stockholder.

When a quorum is present at any meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation, the vote of the holders of a majority of the capital stock entitled to vote at such meeting and present in person or represented by proxy shall decide any question brought before such meeting, unless the question is one upon which, under any provision of the laws of the State of Delaware or of the Certificate of Incorporation, a different vote is required in which case such provision shall govern and control the decision of such question.

Section 7. Consent. Except as otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation, whenever the vote of the stockholders at a meeting thereof is required or permitted to be taken in connection with any corporate action by any provision of the laws of the State of Delaware or of the Certificate of Incorporation, such corporate action 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 capital stock of the Corporation having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which an 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 thereto in writing.

 

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Section 8. Judges. At every meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation at which a vote by ballot is taken, the polls shall be opened and closed, the proxies and ballots shall be received and taken in charge, and all questions touching the qualifications of voters, the validity of proxies and the acceptance or rejection of votes shall be decided by, two (2) judges. Said judges shall be appointed by the Board of Directors before the meeting, or, if no such appointment shall have been made, by the presiding officer of the meeting. If for any reason any of the judges previously appointed shall fail to attend or refuse or be unable to serve, judges in place of any so failing to attend, or refusing or unable to serve, shall be appointed in like manner.

ARTICLE IV

Directors

Section 9. Number, Election and Term of Office. The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by the Board of Directors. The number of Directors which shall constitute the whole Board shall be fixed in accordance with the Certificate of Incorporation. Directors need not be stockholders. Directors shall be elected at the annual meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation, except as provided in Section 10, to serve until the next annual meeting of stockholders and until their respective successors are duly elected and have qualified. In addition to the powers by these By-Laws expressly conferred upon them, the Board may exercise all such powers of the Corporation as are not by the laws of the State of Delaware, the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws required to be exercised or done by the stockholders.

Section 10. Vacancies and Newly Created Directorships. Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation or that certain Investor Rights Agreement dated as of September 16, 2004 by and among the Company and the stockholders named therein, as such agreement may be amended from time to time (the “Investor Rights Agreement”), and subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, any vacancy in the office of a Director occurring for any reason other than the removal of a Director pursuant to Section 11 of this Article, and any newly created Directorship resulting from any increase in the authorized number of Directors, may be filled by a majority of the Directors then in office or by a sole remaining Director. Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation or the Investor Rights Agreement, and subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, in the event that any vacancy in the office of a Director occurs as a result of the removal of a Director pursuant to Section 11 of this Article, or in the event that vacancies occur contemporaneously in the offices of all of the Directors, such vacancy or vacancies shall be filled by the stockholders of the Corporation at a meeting of stockholders called for the purpose. Directors chosen or elected as aforesaid shall hold office until the next annual meeting of stockholders and until their respective successors are duly elected and have qualified.

Section 11. Removals. Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation or the Investor Rights Agreement, and subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, at any meeting of stockholders of the Corporation called for the purpose, the holders of a majority of the shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote at such meeting may remove from office, with or without cause, any or an of the Directors.

 

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Section 12. Regular Meetings. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be held without notice at such time and place, either within or without the State of Delaware, as shall from time to time be determined by resolution of the Board.

Section 13. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the President or any two Directors on notice given to each Director, and such meetings shall be held at the principal business office of the Corporation or at such other place or places, either within or without the State of Delaware, as shall be specified in the notices thereof.

Section 14. Annual Meetings. The first meeting of each newly elected Board of Director shall be held as soon as practicable after each annual election of Directors and on the same day, at the same place at which regular meetings of the Board of Directors are held, or at such other time and place as may be provided by resolution of the Board. Such meeting may be held at any other time or place which shall be specified in a notice given, as hereinafter provided, for special meetings of the Board of Directors.

Section 15. Notice. Notice of any meeting of the Board of Directors requiring notice shall be given to each Director by mailing the same, addressed to him at his residence or usual place of business, at least five (5) days, or shall be sent to him at such place by facsimile transmission, courier, telegraph, cable or wireless, or shall be delivered personally or by telephone, at least twenty-four (24) hours, before the time fixed for the meeting. At any meeting at which every Director shall be present or at which all Directors not present shall waive notice in writing, any and all business may be transacted even though no notice shall have been given.

Section 16. Quorum. At all meetings of the Board of Directors, the presence of the following number of the Directors constituting the Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business: if there is one (1) or two (2) Directors, the presence of all the Directors; and if there are three (3) Directors or more, the presence of at least a majority of the Directors. Except as may be otherwise specifically provided by the laws of the State of Delaware, the Certificate of Incorporation, the Investor Rights Agreement or these By-Laws, the affirmative vote of a majority of the Directors present at the time of such vote shall be the act of the Board of Directors if a quorum is present. 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 17. Consent. Unless otherwise restricted 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 may be taken without a meeting, if all members of the Board consent thereto in writing, and the writing or writings are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board.

Section 18. Telephonic Meetings. Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws, members of the Board of Directors may participate in a meeting of the Board by means of conference telephone or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in such meeting can hear each other, and participation in a meeting pursuant to this Section 18 shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.

 

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Section 19. Compensation of Directors. 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 20. Resignations. Any Director of the Corporation may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Board of Directors or to the President or the Secretary of the Corporation. Any such resignation shall take effect at the time specified therein, or, if the time be not specified, upon receipt thereof; and unless otherwise specified therein, acceptance of such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.

ARTICLE V

Officers

Section 21. Number, Election and Term of Office. The officers of the Corporation shall be a President, one or more Vice Presidents, a Secretary and a Treasurer, and may at the discretion of the Board of Directors include one or more Assistant Treasurers and Assistant Secretaries. The officers of the Corporation shall be elected annually by the Board of Directors at its meeting held immediately after the annual meeting of the stockholders, and shall hold their respective offices until their successors are duly elected and have qualified. Any number of offices may be held by the same person. The Board of Directors may from time to time appoint such other officers and agents as the interest of the Corporation may require and may fix their duties and terms of office.

Section 22. President. The President shall be the chief executive officer of the Corporation and shall have general and active management of the business of the Corporation, and shall see that all orders and resolutions of the Board are carried into effect. He shall ensure that the books, reports, statements, certificates and other records of the Corporation are kept, made or filed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware. He shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors and at all meetings of the stockholders. He shall cause to be called regular and special meetings of the stockholders and of the Board of Directors in accordance with these By-Laws. He may sign, execute and deliver in the name of the Corporation all deeds, mortgages, bonds, contracts or other instruments authorized by the Board of Directors, except in cases where the signing, execution or delivery thereof shall be expressly delegated by the Board of Directors or by these By-Laws to some other officer or agent of the Corporation or where any of them shall be required by law otherwise to be signed, executed or delivered. He may sign, with the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer, or the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, certificates of stock of the Corporation. He shall appoint and remove, employ and discharge, and fix the compensation of all servants, agents, employees and clerks of the Corporation other than the duly elected or appointed officers, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors. In addition to the powers and duties expressly conferred upon him by these By-Laws, he shall, except as otherwise specifically provided by the laws of the State of Delaware, have such other powers and duties as shall from time to time be assigned to him by the Board of Directors.

 

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Section 23. Vice Presidents. The Vice Presidents shall perform such duties as the President or the Board of Directors shall require. Any Vice President shall, during the absence or incapacity of the President, assume and perform his duties.

Section 24. Secretary. The Secretary may sign all certificates of stock of the Corporation. He shall record all the proceedings of the meetings of the Board of Directors and of the stockholders of the Corporation in books to be kept for that purpose. He shall have custody of the seal of the Corporation and may affix the same to any instrument requiring such seal when authorized by the Board of Directors, and when so affixed he may attest the same by his signature. He shall keep the transfer books, in which all transfers of the capital stock of the Corporation shall be registered, and the stock books, which shall contain the names and addresses of all holders of the capital stock of the Corporation and the number of shares held by each; and he shall keep such stock and transfer books open daily during business hours to the inspection of every stockholder and for transfer of stock. He shall notify the Directors and stockholders of their respective meetings as required by law or by these By-Laws, and shall perform such other duties as may be required by law or by these By-Laws, or which may be assigned to him from time to time by the Board of Directors.

Section 25. Assistant Secretaries. The Assistant Secretaries shall, during the absence or incapacity of the Secretary, assume and perform all functions and duties which the Secretary might lawfully do if present and not under any incapacity.

Section 26. Treasurer. The Treasurer shall have charge of the funds and securities of the Corporation. He may sign all certificates of stock. He shall keep full and accurate accounts of all receipts and disbursements of the Corporation in books belonging to the Corporation and shall deposit all monies 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. He shall disburse the funds of the Corporation as may be ordered by the Board, and shall render to the President or the Directors, whenever they may require it, an account of all his transactions as Treasurer and an account of the business and financial position of the Corporation.

Section 27. Assistant Treasurers. The Assistant Treasurers shall, during the absence or incapacity of the Treasurer, assume and perform all functions and duties which the Treasurer might lawfully do if present and not under any incapacity.

Section 28. Treasurer’s Bond. The Treasurer and Assistant Treasurers shall, if required so to do by the Board of Directors, each give a bond (which shall be renewed every six (6) years) in such sum and with such surety or sureties as the Board of Directors may require.

Section 29. Transfer of Duties. The Board of Directors in its absolute discretion may transfer the power and duties, in whole or in part, of any officer to any other officer, or persons, notwithstanding the provisions of these By-Laws, except as otherwise provided by the laws of the State of Delaware.

Section 30. Vacancies. If the office of President, Vice President, Secretary or Treasurer, or of any other officer or agent becomes vacant for any reason, the Board of Directors may choose a successor to hold office for the unexpired term.

 

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Section 31. Removals. At any meeting of the Board of Directors called for the purpose, any officer or agent of the Corporation may be removed from office, with or without cause, by the affirmative vote or a majority of the entire Board of Directors.

Section 32. Compensation of Officers. The officers shall receive such salary or compensation as may be determined by the Board of Directors.

Section 33. Resignations. Any officer or agent of the Corporation may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Board of Directors or to the President or the Secretary of the Corporation. Any such resignation shall take effect at the time specified therein or, if the time be not specified, upon receipt thereof; and unless otherwise specified therein, acceptance of such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.

ARTICLE VI

Contracts, Checks and Notes

Section 34. Contracts. Unless the Board of Directors shall otherwise specifically direct, all contracts of the Corporation shall be executed in the name of the Corporation by the President or a Vice President.

Section 35. Checks and Notes. All checks, drafts, bills of exchange and promissory notes and other negotiable instruments of the Corporation shall be signed by such officers or agents of the Corporation as may be designated by the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE VII

Stock

Section 36. Certificates of Stock. The certificates for shares of the stock of the Corporation shall be in such form, not inconsistent with the Certificate of Incorporation, as shall be prepared or approved by the Board of Directors. Every holder of stock in the Corporation shall be entitled to have a certificate signed by, or in the name of the Corporation by, the President or a Vice President, and by the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer or the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary certifying the number of shares owned by him and the date of issue; and no certificate shall be valid unless so signed. All certificates shall be consecutively numbered and shall be entered in the books of the Corporation as they are issued.

Where a certificate is countersigned (1) by a transfer agent other than the Corporation or its employee, or (2) by a registrar other than the Corporation or its employee, any other signature on the certificate may be 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 with the same effect as if he were such officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue.

All certificates surrendered to the Corporation shall be cancelled and, except in the case of lost or destroyed certificates, no new certificates shall be issued until the former certificates

 

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for the same number of shares of the same class of stock shall have been surrendered and cancelled.

Section 37. Transfer of Stock. Upon surrender to the Corporation or the transfer agent of the Corporation of a certificate for shares duly endorsed or accompanied by proper evidence of succession, assignment or authority to transfer, it shall be the duty of the Corporation to issue a new certificate to the person entitled thereto, cancel the old certificate and record the transaction upon its books.

ARTICLE VIII

Registered Stockholders

The Corporation shall be entitled to treat the holder of record of any share or shares of stock as the holder in fact thereof and, accordingly, 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, save as expressly provided by the laws of the State of Delaware.

ARTICLE IX

Lost Certificates

Any person claiming a certificate of stock to be lost or destroyed, shall make an affidavit or affirmation of the fact and advertise the same in such manner as the Board of Directors may require, and the Board of Directors may, in its discretion, require the owner of the lost or destroyed certificate, or his legal representative, to give the Corporation a bond in a sum sufficient, in the opinion of the Board of Directors, to indemnify the Corporation against any claim that may be made against it on account of the alleged loss of any such certificate. A new certificate of the same tenor and for the same number of shares as the one alleged to be lost or destroyed may be issued without requiring any bond when, in the judgment of the Directors, it is proper so to do.

ARTICLE X

Fixing of 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 to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights, or to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board of Directors may fix, in advance, a record date, which shall not be more than sixty (60) nor less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting, nor more than sixty (60) 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.

 

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ARTICLE XI

Dividends

Subject to the relevant provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, dividends upon the capital stock of the Corporation may be declared by the Board of Directors at any regular or special meeting, pursuant to law. Dividends may be paid in cash, in property, or in shares of the capital stock of the Corporation, subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation.

Before payment of any dividend, there may be set aside out of any funds of the Corporation available for dividends such sums as the Directors from time to time, in their absolute discretion, think proper as a reserve or reserves 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 interest of the Corporation, and the Directors may modify or abolish any such reserve in the manner in which it was created.

ARTICLE XII

Indemnification

Section 38. Indemnification of Directors, Executive Officers, Other Officers, Employees and Other Agents.

(a) Directors and Executive Officers. The corporation shall indemnify its directors and executive officers (for the purposes of this Article XI, “executive officers” shall have the meaning defined in Rule 3b-7 promulgated under the 1934 Act) to the fullest extent not prohibited by the DGCL or any other applicable law; provided, however, that the corporation may modify the extent of such indemnification by individual contracts with its directors and executive officers; and, provided, further, that the corporation shall not be required to indemnify any director or executive officer in connection with any proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person unless (i) such indemnification is expressly required to be made by law, (ii) the proceeding was authorized by the Board of Directors of the corporation, (iii) such indemnification is provided by the corporation, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the corporation under the Delaware General Corporation Law or any other applicable law or (iv) such indemnification is required to be made under subsection (d).

(b) Other Officers, Employees and Other Agents. The corporation shall have power to indemnify its other officers, employees and other agents as set forth in the DGCL or any other applicable law. The Board of Directors shall have the power to delegate the determination of whether indemnification shall be given to any such person to such officers or other persons as the Board of Directors shall determine.

(c) Expenses. The corporation shall advance to any person who was 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, by reason of the fact that he is or was a director or executive officer, of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director or executive officer of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, prior to the final disposition of the proceeding, promptly

 

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following request therefor, all expenses incurred by any director or executive officer in connection with such proceeding, provided, however, that, if the DGCL requires, an advancement of 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 indemnitee, including, without limitation, service to an employee benefit plan) shall be made only upon delivery to the corporation of an undertaking, by or on behalf of such indemnitee, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined by final judicial decision from which there is no further right to appeal that such indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified for such expenses under this Section 43 or otherwise.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, unless otherwise determined pursuant to paragraph (e) of this By-Law, no advance shall be made by the corporation to an executive officer of the corporation (except by reason of the fact that such executive officer is or was a director of the corporation, in which event this paragraph shall not apply) in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, if a determination is reasonably and promptly made (i) by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of directors who were not parties to the proceeding, even if not a quorum, or (ii) by a committee of such directors designated by a majority of such directors, even though less than a quorum, or (iii) if there are no such directors, or such directors so direct, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, that the facts known to the decision-making party at the time such determination is made demonstrate clearly and convincingly that such person acted in bad faith or in a manner that such person did not believe to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation.

(d) Enforcement. Without the necessity of entering into an express contract, all rights to indemnification and advances to directors and executive officers under this By-Law shall be deemed to be contractual rights and be effective to the same extent and as if provided for in a contract between the corporation and the director or executive officer. Any right to indemnification or advances granted by this By-Law to a director or executive officer shall be enforceable by or on behalf of the person holding such right in any court of competent jurisdiction if (i) the claim for indemnification or advances is denied, in whole or in part, or (ii) no disposition of such claim is made within ninety (90) days of request therefor. The claimant in such enforcement action, if successful in whole or in part, shall be entitled to be paid also the expense of prosecuting the claim. In connection with any claim for indemnification, the corporation shall be entitled to raise as a defense to any such action that the claimant has not met the standards of conduct that make it permissible under the DGCL or any other applicable law for the corporation to indemnify the claimant for the amount claimed. 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 has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the DGCL or any other applicable 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 of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that claimant has not met the applicable standard of conduct.

(e) Non-Exclusivity of Rights. The rights conferred on any person by this By-Law shall not be exclusive of any other right which such person may have or hereafter acquire under any applicable statute, provision of the Certificate of Incorporation, By-Laws,

 

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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 office. The corporation is specifically authorized to enter into individual contracts with any or all of its directors, officers, employees or agents respecting indemnification and advances, to the fullest extent not prohibited by the DGCL or any other applicable law.

(f) Survival of Rights. The rights conferred on any person by this By-Law shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or other agent and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person.

(g) Insurance. To the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, or any other applicable law, the corporation, upon approval by the Board of Directors, may purchase insurance on behalf of any person required or permitted to be indemnified pursuant to this By-Law.

(h) Amendments. Any repeal or modification of this By-Law shall only be prospective and shall not affect the rights under this By-Law in effect at the time of the alleged occurrence of any action or omission to act that is the cause of any proceeding against any agent of the corporation.

(i) Saving Clause. If this By-Law or any portion hereof shall be invalidated on any ground by any court of competent jurisdiction, then the corporation shall nevertheless indemnify each director and executive officer to the full extent not prohibited by any applicable portion of this By-Law that shall not have been invalidated, or by any other applicable law. If this Section 43 shall be invalid due to the application of the indemnification provisions of another jurisdiction, then the corporation shall indemnify each director and executive officer to the full extent under applicable law.

(j) Certain Definitions. For the purposes of this By-Law, the following definitions shall apply:

(i) The term “proceeding” shall be broadly construed and shall include, without limitation, the investigation, preparation, prosecution, defense, settlement, arbitration and appeal of, and the giving of testimony in, any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative.

(ii) The term “expenses” shall be broadly construed and shall include, without limitation, court costs, attorneys’ fees, witness fees, fines, amounts paid in settlement or judgment and any other costs and expenses of any nature or kind incurred in connection with any proceeding.

(iii) The term 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

 

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the same position under the provisions of this By-Law with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as he would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its separate existence had continued.

(iv) References to a “director,” “executive officer,” “officer,” “employee,” or “agent” of the corporation shall include, without limitation, situations where such person is serving at the request of the corporation as, respectively, a director, executive officer, officer, employee, trustee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise.

(v) References to “other enterprises” shall include employee benefit plans; references to “fines” shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to an employee benefit plan; and references to “serving at the request of the corporation” shall include any service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, employee, or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants, or beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interests of the corporation” as referred to in this By-Law.

ARTICLE XIII

Waiver of Notice

Whenever any notice whatever is required to be given by statute or under the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws, 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 equivalent thereto.

ARTICLE XIV

Seal

The corporate seal of the Corporation shall have inscribed thereon the name of the Corporation, the year of its organization and the words “Corporate Seal, Delaware.”

ARTICLE XV

Amendments

Subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, these By-Laws may be altered, amended or repealed or new By-Laws may be adopted by the stockholders or by the Board of Directors, at any regular meeting of the stockholders or of the Board of Directors or at any special meeting of the stockholders or of the Board of Directors if notice of such alteration, amendment or repeal of the By-Laws or of adoption of new By-Laws be contained in the notice of such special meeting.

 

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