UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 OR 15(d)
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| Item 5.02 | Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers. |
Retirement of Karl G. Glassman
On February 21, 2023, Karl G. Glassman, the Company’s Executive Chairman, notified the Company of his decision to retire as an executive officer of the Company, effective as of the Company’s 2023 annual meeting of shareholders which is expected to be held on May 4, 2023.
If re-elected to the Board at the annual shareholder meeting, Mr. Glassman is expected to serve as Chairman. He will be compensated at that time based on our standard director compensation package, which includes an annual cash retainer (paid quarterly) and an annual equity grant (either in restricted stock or restricted stock units). Attached and incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit 10.1 is the Company’s updated Summary Sheet of Director Compensation.
Approval of 2023 Base Salaries for Named Executive Officers
On February 22, 2023, the Human Resources and Compensation Committee (“HRC Committee”) approved the bi-weekly rate for the 2023 base salaries for our principal executive officer, principal financial officer, and other named executive officers.
| Named Executive Officers |
2022 Annual Base Salary Rate |
2023 Annual Base Salary Rate |
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| J. Mitchell Dolloff, President & CEO |
$ | 1,120,000 | $ | 1,120,000 | ||||
| Karl G. Glassman1, Executive Chairman |
$ | 750,000 | $ | 750,000 | ||||
| Jeffrey L. Tate, EVP & CFO |
$ | 618,000 | $ | 627,000 | ||||
| J. Tyson Hagale2, EVP, President – Bedding Products |
$ | 525,000 | $ | 560,000 | ||||
| Steven K. Henderson, EVP, President – Specialized Products and Furniture, Flooring & Textile Products |
$ | 552,000 | $ | 560,000 | ||||
| Scott S. Douglas, SVP – General Counsel & Secretary |
$ | 494,400 | $ | 502,000 | ||||
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| 1 | Mr. Glassman will receive a base salary through his anticipated retirement date of May 4, 2023. |
| 2 | Mr. Hagale is included within this report because he is expected to be a named executive officer in the Company’s 2023 Proxy Statement. |
Setting of 2023 Target Percentages under the Key Officers Incentive Plan for Named Executive Officers
The named executive officers will be eligible to receive an annual cash incentive under the 2020 Key Officers Incentive Plan (“KOIP”), which was filed February 19, 2020 as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K. Each executive’s cash award is to be calculated by multiplying his annual base salary at the end of the KOIP plan year by a percentage set by the HRC Committee (“Target Percentage”), then applying the award formula adopted by the HRC Committee for that year. The award formula for 2022 established two performance criteria: (i) Return on Capital Employed (60% Relative Weight), and (ii) Cash Flow, or the alternative of Free Cash Flow (“FCF”) for Mr. Hagale and Mr. Henderson (40% Relative Weight). The HRC Committee has not yet adopted the award formula for 2023 under the KOIP. However, the Target Percentages for 2022 and the Target Percentages for 2023 (adopted by the HRC Committee on February 22, 2023) for the principal executive officer, principal financial officer, and other named executive officers are shown in the following table.
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| Named Executive Officers |
2022 KOIP Target Percentage |
2023 KOIP Target Percentage | ||
| J. Mitchell Dolloff, President & CEO |
125% | 125% | ||
| Karl G. Glassman1, Executive Chairman |
100% | 100% | ||
| Jeffrey L. Tate, EVP & CFO |
80% | 80% | ||
| J. Tyson Hagale, EVP, President – Bedding Products |
80% | 80% | ||
| Steven K. Henderson, EVP, President – Specialized Products and Furniture, Flooring & Textile Products |
80% | 80% | ||
| Scott S. Douglas, SVP – General Counsel & Secretary |
70% | 70% | ||
| 1 Mr. Glassman will be eligible to receive an incentive payment under the KOIP prorated through his anticipated retirement date of May 4, 2023. | ||||
Attached and incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit 10.2 is the Company’s updated Summary Sheet of Executive Cash Compensation.
Setting of Long-Term Incentive Award Multiples for Named Executive Officers
Each year equity-based long-term incentive (“LTI”) awards are granted to our named executive officers and other executives of the Company. Each named executive officer has an LTI award multiple (approved by the HRC Committee), which, except as noted below, is expected to be allocated between performance stock units (“PSUs”) and restricted stock units (“RSUs”). The number of PSUs and RSUs to be granted to each executive is expected to be determined by multiplying the executive’s 2023 annual base salary by the executive’s respective LTI award multiple and dividing this amount by the average closing price of the Company’s common stock for the 10 trading days following the 2022 fourth quarter earnings release. Below are the 2022 LTI award multiples, and the 2023 LTI award multiples set by the HRC Committee on February 22, 2023 for our named executive officers:
| Named Executive Officers |
2022 LTI Multiple |
2023 LTI Multiple | ||
| J. Mitchell Dolloff, President & CEO |
400% | 460% | ||
| Karl G. Glassman1, Executive Chairman |
200% | 84% | ||
| Jeffrey L. Tate, EVP & CFO |
250% | 250% | ||
| J. Tyson Hagale, EVP, President – Bedding Products |
200% | 200% | ||
| Steven K. Henderson2, EVP, President – Specialized Products and Furniture, Flooring & Textile Products |
200% | 200% | ||
| Scott S. Douglas, SVP – General Counsel & Secretary |
175% | 175% | ||
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| 1 | Mr. Glassman’s 2022 LTI award consisted of 100% RSUs. His 2023 LTI award multiple was prorated in anticipation of his May 4, 2023 retirement date. His 2023 LTI award is expected to consist of 100% RSUs. |
| 2 | In addition to the RSUs awarded pursuant to the LTI award multiples disclosed above, Mr. Henderson receives 4,000 RSUs annually in connection with his Agreement with the Company, dated November 4, 2019, which was filed February 24, 2021 as Exhibit 10.4 to the Company’s Form 8-K. |
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Entry into Severance Benefit Agreement
On February 22, 2023, the Company entered into a Severance Benefit Agreement with J. Tyson Hagale (the “Severance Agreement”). Upon a Change in Control of the Company, the Severance Agreement provides for severance payments and benefits during a “Protected Period” following the Change in Control. The Protected Period is 24 months.
In general, a Change in Control is deemed to occur when (i) a shareholder becomes the beneficial owner of 40% or more of our common stock, (ii) the current directors, as of the date of the agreement, or their successors no longer constitute a majority of the Board of Directors, (iii) after a merger or consolidation with another corporation, less than 65% of the voting securities of the surviving corporation are owned by our former shareholders, (iv) the Company liquidates, sells or otherwise transfers substantially all of its assets to an unrelated third party, or (v) the Company enters into an agreement, including a letter of intent, which contemplates a Change in Control (as described above), or the Company or a person makes a public announcement of an intention to take actions which, if consummated, would result in a Change in Control (as described above).
The payments and benefits under the Severance Agreement are subject to a “double trigger”; that is, they become due only after both (i) a Change in Control of the Company and (ii) the executive officer’s employment is terminated by the Company (except for “cause” or upon disability) or the executive officer terminates his employment for “good reason.”
In general, the executive officer would have “good reason” to terminate his employment if he were required to relocate or experienced a reduction in job responsibilities, title, compensation or benefits, or if the successor company did not assume the obligations of the Severance Agreement. The Company may cure the “good reason” for termination within 30 days of receiving notice from the executive.
Events considered grounds for termination by the Company for “cause” under the Severance Agreement generally include the executive’s (i) conviction of a felony or any crime involving property of the Company, (ii) willful breach of the Company’s Code of Business Conduct or Financial Code of Ethics that causes significant injury to the Company, (iii) willful act or omission involving fraud, misappropriation or dishonesty that causes significant injury to the Company or results in material enrichment to the executive at the Company’s expense, (iv) willful violation of specific written directions of the Board following notice of such violation, or (v) continued, repeated, or willful failure to substantially perform required duties after written notice from the Board.
The Severance Agreement has no fixed termination period but continues as long as the executive is employed by the Company or any successor. However, the Company or the executive has the right to unilaterally terminate the Severance Agreement upon one-year written notice to the other party, so long as the Protected Period is not in effect.
Upon termination of employment by the Company (except for “cause” or upon disability) or by the executive for “good reason” during the Protected Period, the Company will provide the following payments and benefits:
| Severance Benefit |
Timing and/or Amount of Payment | |
| Base Salary | Through the date of termination | |
| Cash Bonus under KOIP | Pro-rata incentive award for the year of termination based upon the results achieved under the KOIP for the year | |
| Severance Payments | 200% of Base Salary (Base Salary is currently $560,000) plus 200% of target bonus amount (currently 80% of Base Salary under the KOIP), each paid in bi-weekly installments over 24 months | |
| Continued Benefits | Continued health insurance and fringe benefits for 24 months, as permitted by the Internal Revenue Code, or bi-weekly cash payments of equal value | |
| Additional Retirement Benefit | Lump sum additional retirement benefit based on the actuarial equivalent of an additional 24 months of continuous service |
All amounts received by the executive as health insurance or fringe benefits from a new, full-time job will reduce the benefits under the Severance Agreement. However, the executive is not required to mitigate the amount of any termination payment or benefit provided under the agreement. The Severance Agreement contains a non-competition covenant for two years after the termination date. If violated,
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the Company’s sole remedy is to cease payment of any further benefits.
The disclosure above is only a brief description of the Severance Agreement and is qualified in its entirety by such agreement with Mr. Hagale, which is attached as Exhibit 10.5, and incorporated herein by reference.
| Item 5.03 | Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year. |
On February 22, 2023, the Board of Directors of the Company, on recommendation of the Nominating, Governance and Sustainability Committee, approved an amendment to, and restatement of, the Company’s Bylaws, to be effective the same day. The Bylaw amendments added new requirements:
| (i) | to disclose in any shareholder notice provided for the purpose of properly bringing business before an annual meeting of shareholders, any interest of the shareholder, any beneficial owner (on whose behalf the proposal is being made), and their affiliates or associates (or others acting in concert with them) in the outcome of any threatened or pending litigation or regulatory proceeding involving the Company; |
| (ii) | to require a shareholder who directly or indirectly solicits proxies from other shareholders to use a proxy card color other than white, which shall be reserved for exclusive use by the Company’s Board of Directors; |
| (iii) | to disclose in any shareholder notice provided for the purpose of nominating individuals for election to the Board, |
| (a) | all information that would be required to be included in Schedule 13D filed with the SEC by the shareholder, a beneficial owner (on whose behalf any nomination is being made), and their affiliates or associates (or others acting in concert with them); and |
| (b) | a representation that the shareholder or beneficial owner intends to deliver a proxy statement and form of proxy to shareholders of at least 67% of the Company’s common stock; and |
| (iv) | to require that any shareholder giving notice to nominate individuals for election to the Board must deliver to the Company, no later than 5 business days prior to the shareholder meeting, reasonable evidence that the shareholder has complied with Rule 14a-19 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. |
The amendments also clarified that a shareholder may vote at a shareholder meeting by written proxy executed by the shareholder or by the shareholder’s duly authorized attorney-in-fact.
The preceding summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Bylaws, as amended through February 22, 2023. The Bylaws, as amended, and a copy of the Bylaws marked to show changes from the prior provisions, are included as Exhibit 3.2.1 and Exhibit 3.2.2, respectively, to this Form 8-K and are incorporated herein by reference.
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| Item 9.01 | Financial Statements and Exhibits. |
(d) Exhibits.
* Denotes filed herewith.
** Denotes management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| LEGGETT & PLATT, INCORPORATED | ||||||
| Date: February 23, 2023 |
By: | /s/ SCOTT S. DOUGLAS | ||||
| Scott S. Douglas | ||||||
| Senior Vice President – | ||||||
| General Counsel & Secretary | ||||||
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Exhibit 3.2.1
LEGGETT & PLATT, INCORPORATED
BYLAWS
as amended through February 22, 2023
ARTICLE 1. MEETINGS OF SHAREHOLDERS
Section 1.1 Annual Meeting – Date, Place and Time. The annual meeting of the shareholders for the election of Directors and for the transaction of such other business as may properly come before the meeting shall be held on such date, at such time and at such place, within or without the State of Missouri, or by means of remote communication, or by both in person meeting and by remote communication, as shall be determined by the Board of Directors.
Section 1.2 Business at Annual Meetings.
(a) The business at each annual meeting of the shareholders shall include the election of Directors and only such other business as has been properly brought before the meeting by being (i) specified in the notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto) given by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, (ii) brought before the meeting by or at the direction of a majority of the Board of Directors, or (iii) brought before the meeting by a shareholder in accordance with Section 1.2(b).
(b) For any business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a shareholder:
(1) The shareholder must be a shareholder of record both at the time of giving of notice required in this Section 1.2(b) and at the time of the meeting.
(2) The Secretary must receive, at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, a written notice from the shareholder not less than 90 days nor more than 120 days prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting; provided, however, that if (i) no annual meeting was held in the previous year or (ii) the date of the annual meeting is advanced or delayed by more than 30 days from such anniversary date, notice by the shareholder must be received not later than the later of the 90th day prior to such annual meeting or the tenth day following the public announcement of such meeting. Neither an adjournment nor a postponement of an annual meeting (or an announcement thereof) shall begin a new time period for delivering a shareholder’s notice.
(3) The shareholder’s notice shall set forth:
(i) a brief description of the business proposed to be brought before the meeting, the text of the proposal or business (including any proposed resolutions proposed for consideration and, in the event that such proposal or business includes a proposal to amend these Bylaws, the text of the proposed amendment), the reasons for proposing to conduct such business
at the meeting and any material interest of such shareholder (and of the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made) in such business;
(ii) a description of all agreements, arrangements and understandings between such shareholder and beneficial owner, if any, and any other person or persons (including their names) in connection with the proposal of such business by such shareholder; and
(iii) as to the shareholder giving the notice and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made, (a) the name and address of such shareholder and beneficial owner, as they appear on the Corporation’s books and of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith, (b) (1) the class and number of shares of stock of the Corporation which are, directly or indirectly, owned beneficially and of record by such shareholder and beneficial owner, and of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith, (2) any option, warrant, convertible security, stock appreciation right, or similar right with an exercise or conversion privilege or a settlement payment or mechanism at a price related to any class or series of shares of the Corporation or with a value derived in whole or in part from the value of any class or series of shares of the Corporation, or any derivative or synthetic arrangement having the characteristics of a long position in any class or series of shares of the Corporation, or any contract, derivative, swap or other transaction or series of transactions designed to produce economic benefits and risks that correspond substantially to the ownership of any class or series of shares of the Corporation, including due to the fact that the value of such contract, derivative, swap or other transaction or series of transactions is determined by reference to the price, value or volatility of any class or series of shares of the Corporation, whether or not such instrument, contract or right shall be subject to settlement in the underlying class or series of shares of the Corporation, through the delivery of cash or other property, or otherwise, and without regard to whether the shareholder of record, the beneficial owner, if any, or any affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith, may have entered into transactions that hedge or mitigate the economic effect of such instrument, contract or right, or any other direct or indirect opportunity to profit or share in any profit derived from any increase or decrease in the value of shares of the Corporation (any of the foregoing, a “Derivative Instrument”) directly or indirectly owned beneficially by such shareholder, such beneficial owner or any of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith and any other direct or indirect opportunity to profit or share in any profit derived from any increase or decrease in the value of shares of the Corporation, (3) any proxy, contract, arrangement, understanding, or
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relationship pursuant to which such shareholder, such beneficial owner or any of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith has a right to vote any shares of any security of the Corporation, (4) any agreement, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, including any repurchase or similar so-called “stock borrowing” agreement or arrangement, involving such shareholder, such beneficial owner or any of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith, directly or indirectly, the purpose or effect of which is to mitigate loss to, reduce the economic risk (of ownership or otherwise) of any class or series of the shares of the Corporation by, manage the risk of share price changes for, or increase or decrease the voting power of, such shareholder, such beneficial owner or any of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith with respect to any class or series of the shares of the Corporation, or which provides, directly or indirectly, the opportunity to profit or share in any profit derived from any decrease in the price or value of any class or series of the shares of the Corporation (any of the foregoing, a “Short Interest”), (5) any rights to dividends on the shares of the Corporation owned beneficially by such shareholder, such beneficial owner or any of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith that are separated or separable from the underlying shares of the Corporation, (6) any proportionate interest in shares of the Corporation or Derivative Instruments held, directly or indirectly, by a general or limited partnership in which such shareholder, such beneficial owner or any of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith is a general partner or, directly or indirectly, beneficially owns an interest in a general partner, (7) any performance-related fees (other than an asset-based fee) that such shareholder, such beneficial owner or any of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith is entitled to based on any increase or decrease in the value of shares of the Corporation or Derivative Instruments, (8) any significant equity interests or any Derivative Instruments or Short Interests in any principal competitor of the Corporation held by such shareholder, such beneficial owner or any of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith, and (9) any direct or indirect interest of such shareholder, such beneficial owner and their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith in any contract with the Corporation, any affiliate of the Corporation, any principal competitor of the Corporation (including, in any such case, any employment agreement, collective bargaining agreement or consulting agreement), or in the outcome of any threatened or pending litigation or regulatory proceeding involving the Corporation (the foregoing items (1) through (9), individually or collectively, the “Disclosable Interests”), if any, as of the date of such notice, including without limitation any Disclosable Interests held by members of such shareholder’s immediate family sharing the same
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household (which information shall be supplemented by such shareholder and beneficial owner, if any, not later than 10 days after the record date for the meeting to disclose such ownership as of the record date), (c) a representation that the shareholder intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to propose such business, (d) any other information that would be required to be provided by the shareholder or beneficial owner in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for the proposal pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), in such person’s capacity as a proponent of a shareholder proposal, (e) all information that would be required to be set forth in a Schedule 13D filed pursuant to Rule 13d-1(a) or an amendment pursuant to Rule 13d-2(a) if such a statement were required to be filed under the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder by such shareholder, such beneficial owner and their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith, if any, and (f) a representation as to whether the shareholder or the beneficial owner, if any, intends or is part of a group which intends (i) to deliver a proxy statement and/or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the Corporation’s outstanding capital stock required to approve or adopt the proposal or (ii) to otherwise solicit proxies from shareholders in support of such proposal.
In addition, to be considered timely, a shareholder’s notice to the Secretary shall further be updated and supplemented, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice shall be true and correct as of the record date for the meeting and as of the date that is 10 business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and the Secretary must receive, at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, such update and supplement not later than five business days after the record date for the meeting in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of the record date, and not later than eight business days prior to the date for the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of 10 business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof. The obligation to update and supplement as set forth in this paragraph or any other Section of these Bylaws (including without limitation Section 2.2) shall not limit the Corporation’s rights or remedies with respect to any deficiencies in any notice provided by a shareholder (or be deemed to cure any such defects), extend any applicable deadlines hereunder or under any other provision of the Bylaws, or enable or be deemed to permit a shareholder who has previously submitted notice hereunder or under any other provision of the Bylaws to amend or update any proposal or to submit any new proposal, including by changing or adding nominees, matters,
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business and or resolutions proposed to be brought before a meeting of the shareholders.
(4) The proposed business must not be an improper subject for shareholder action under applicable law, and the shareholder must comply with state law, the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in this Section 1.2.
(5) The shareholder (or a qualified representative of the shareholder) must appear at the meeting of shareholders to propose such business and another shareholder must second the proposal.
(c) The meeting’s presiding officer shall determine whether any proposal to bring business before the meeting was made in accordance with this Section 1.2 and, if any proposed business is not in compliance with this Section 1.2, to declare that such defective proposal be disregarded. The presiding officer shall have sole authority to decide questions of compliance with the foregoing procedures, and his or her ruling shall be final.
(d) Nothing in this Section 1.2 shall be deemed to affect any rights of shareholders to request inclusion of proposals in, or the Corporation’s right to omit proposals from, the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act or any successor provision. The provisions of this Section 1.2 shall also govern what constitutes timely notice for purposes of Rule 14a-4(c) under the Exchange Act.
Section 1.3 Special Meetings.
(a) Special meetings of the shareholders may be called only by the Board Chair, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, or a majority of the Board of Directors. In addition, shareholders holding not less than two-thirds of all issued and outstanding shares which are entitled to vote for the election of Directors may call a special meeting of shareholders by providing a notice to the Secretary signed by the requisite number of shareholders and setting forth the information required by and complying with all applicable requirements under Section 1.2(b)(3).
(b) Each special meeting shall be held on such date, at such time and at such place, within or without the State of Missouri, or by means of remote communication, or by both in person meeting and by remote communication, as shall be determined by the Board of Directors; provided, however, the Secretary shall call a special meeting called by the shareholders not later than ninety (90) days after receipt of the shareholder notice.
(c) Business transacted at any special meeting shall be confined to the purposes stated in the notice thereof.
Section 1.4 Quorum.
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(a) The holders of a majority of the shares entitled to vote at any meeting of the shareholders, present in person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum, and, except as otherwise required by law, the Restated Articles of Incorporation or these Bylaws, the act of the majority of such quorum shall be deemed the act of the shareholders. The shareholders present at a meeting at which a quorum is present may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of such number of shareholders as to reduce the remaining shareholders to less than a quorum.
(b) Whether or not a quorum is present, the presiding officer shall have the power, except as otherwise provided by law, successively to adjourn the meeting to another place, date or time not longer than 90 days after each such adjournment, and no notice of any such adjournment need be given to shareholders if the place, date and time of the adjourned meeting are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken. 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.
Section 1.5 Qualification of Voters. The Board of Directors may fix a record day prior to the day of holding any meeting of the shareholders as the time as of which the shareholders are deemed shareholders of record. Only those persons who are shareholders of record shall be entitled to notice of, to attend and to vote, in person or by proxy, at such meeting; provided, however, no proxy shall be voted after 11 months from the date of its execution unless otherwise provided in the proxy.
Section 1.6 No Cumulative Voting. Shareholders do not have the right to cumulate their votes in any manner in connection with the election of Directors.
Section 1.7 Procedure. The Board Chair, or in his or her absence the Lead Director, or in his or her absence the Chief Executive Officer, or in his or her absence the President, or in his or her absence the Secretary, shall preside at an annual or special meeting of the shareholders. In the absence of all of the above named officers, the Board of Directors shall select the person to preside at any meeting of the shareholders. It shall be the duty of such presiding officer to preserve order and ensure that the meeting is conducted in a businesslike and proper manner. The presiding officer shall have sole, complete and absolute authority to fully carry out his or her duties, including, without limitation, the power to postpone or adjourn the meeting from time to time if in his or her discretion such action is necessary or advisable to ensure order, to seek and receive advice of counsel, or to ensure fair and complete voting. The ruling of the presiding officer on any matter shall be final and conclusive. The presiding officer shall establish the order of business and such rules and procedures for the conduct of the meeting as in his or her sole, complete and absolute discretion he or she determines appropriate under the circumstances, including, without limitation, establishing (i) rules and procedures for maintaining order at the meeting and the safety of those present, (ii) limitations on participation in such meeting to shareholders of record, their duly authorized and constituted proxies and such other persons as the presiding officer shall permit, (iii) restrictions on entry to the meeting after the time fixed for the commencement thereof, (iv) limitations on the time allotted to questions or comments by
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participants, (v) regulation of the voting or balloting, as applicable, and (vi) determination of matters which are to be voted on by ballot, if any. Unless and to the extent determined by the Board of Directors or the presiding officer, meetings of shareholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with rules of parliamentary procedure.
Section 1.8 Certification of Votes. If the object of a shareholders’ meeting be to elect Directors or to take a vote of the shareholders on any proposition, then the presiding officer shall appoint not less than two persons, who are not Directors, inspectors to receive and canvass the votes given at such meeting and certify the result to him or her. The inspectors may appoint or retain other persons or entities to assist the inspectors in the performance of their duties. Any report or certificate made by the inspectors shall be prima facie evidence on the facts stated therein.
Section 1.9 Transmittal of Notices.
(a) Notices to shareholders regarding the annual meeting or special meetings shall be in writing, shall provide the place, date and hour set, and means of remote communication, if any, for the meeting, shall be given no less than ten nor more than 70 days before the date of the meeting, by or at the direction of the Secretary, to each shareholder of record entitled to vote at such meeting.
(b) Notices to shareholders may be delivered in any reasonable manner including, but not limited to, U.S. mail, private courier, hand delivery or electronic transmission. An electronic transmission means any process of communication not directly involving the physical transfer of paper that is suitable for the retention, retrieval and reproduction of information by the recipient, including, but not limited to, facsimile transmission, telex, telegram and communication utilizing the internet. Notice by U.S. mail or private courier shall be deemed given when deposited with the postal service or courier. Notice by electronic transmission shall be deemed given when transmitted.
Section 1.10 Action by Consent. Any action which may be taken at a meeting of the shareholders may be taken without a meeting if consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by all of the shareholders entitled to vote with respect to the subject matter thereof.
Section 1.11 Proxies. At all meetings of shareholders, a shareholder may vote by proxy executed in writing (or in such manner prescribed by The Missouri General and Business Corporation Law) by the shareholder, or by such shareholder’s duly authorized attorney in fact. Any shareholder directly or indirectly soliciting proxies from other shareholders must use a proxy card color other than white, which shall be reserved for exclusive use by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE 2. DIRECTORS
Section 2.1 Number, Election, Removal and Vacancies. The whole Board of Directors shall consist of not less than three nor more than 15 members, the exact number to be set from time to time by the Board of Directors. No decrease in the number of Directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent Director. The Directors shall be elected at the annual meeting of the shareholders,
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except as provided below, and each Director elected shall hold office until his or her successor is elected and qualified. Directors may be removed during their term only for cause and then only by the holders of a majority of the shares entitled to vote at an election of Directors, represented in person or by proxy at any duly constituted meeting of the shareholders called for the purpose of removing any such Directors. Vacancies on the Board of Directors and newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the 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, until the next election of Directors by the shareholders.
Section 2.2 Advance Notice of Nominations.
(a) Nominations of individuals for election to the Board of Directors may be made at an annual meeting of shareholders (i) pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting, (ii) by or at the direction of a majority of the Board of Directors, or (iii) by any shareholder in accordance with Section 2.2(b).
(b) For any nomination to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a shareholder:
(1) The shareholder must be a shareholder of record both at the time of giving of notice required in this Section 2.2(b) and at the time of the meeting.
(2) The Secretary must receive, at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, a written notice from the shareholder not less than 90 days nor more than 120 days prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting; provided, however, that if (i) no annual meeting was held in the previous year or (ii) the date of the annual meeting is advanced or delayed by more than 30 days from such anniversary date, notice by the shareholder must be received not later than the later of the 90th day prior to such annual meeting or the tenth day following the public announcement of such meeting. Neither an adjournment nor a postponement of an annual meeting (or an announcement thereof) shall begin a new time period for delivering a shareholder’s notice.
(3) The shareholder’s notice shall set forth:
(i) as to each proposed nominee (a) the name, age, business and residential addresses, and principal occupation or employment of each proposed nominee, (b) the nominee’s Disclosable Interests, if any, as of the date of such notice, including without limitation any Disclosable Interests held by members of such nominee’s immediate family sharing the same household (which information shall be supplemented by such nominee, if any, not later than 10 days after the record date for the meeting to disclose such ownership as of the record date), (c) a description of all direct and indirect compensation and other material monetary agreements, arrangements and understandings during the past three years, and any other material
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relationships between or among such shareholder and beneficial owner, if any, and their respective affiliates or others acting in concert therewith (on the one hand) and each proposed nominee and his or her affiliates or others acting in concert therewith (on the other hand), including without limitation all information that would be required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404 promulgated under Regulation S-K if the shareholder making the nomination and any beneficial owner on whose behalf the nomination is made, if any, or any affiliate or person acting in concert therewith, were the “registrant” for purposes of such rule and the nominee were a director or executive officer of such registrant, (d) a completed and signed questionnaire, representation and agreement required by Section 2.2(e), (e) all other information relating to such person that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for election of Directors in a contested election, or is otherwise required pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act, and (f) the written consent of each proposed nominee to being named as a nominee in any proxy statement and to serve as a Director of the Corporation if so elected; and
(ii) as to the shareholder giving the notice and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination is made, (a) the name and address of such shareholder and beneficial owner, as they appear on the Corporation’s books, (b) the shareholder’s and beneficial owner’s Disclosable Interests, if any, as of the date of such notice, including without limitation any Disclosable Interests held by members of such shareholder’s immediate family sharing the same household (which information shall be supplemented by such shareholder and beneficial owner, if any, not later than 10 days after the record date for the meeting to disclose such ownership as of the record date), (c) a representation that the shareholder intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to nominate the person or persons specified in the notice, (d) any other information that would be required to be provided by the shareholder or beneficial owner in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for the proposal pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act in such person’s capacity as a proponent of a shareholder proposal, (e) all information that would be required to be set forth in a Schedule 13D filed pursuant to Rule 13d-1(a) or an amendment pursuant to Rule 13d-2(a) if such a statement were required to be filed under the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder by such shareholder, such beneficial owner and their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith, if any, (f) a representation as to whether the shareholder or the beneficial owner, if any, intends or is part of a group which intends (i) to deliver a proxy statement and/or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the Corporation’s
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outstanding capital stock required to elect the nominee, or (ii) otherwise solicit proxies from shareholders in support of such nominee, and (g) a representation that such shareholder or beneficial owner intends to deliver a proxy statement and form of proxy to holders of at least sixty-seven percent (67%) of the Corporation’s outstanding capital stock.
In addition, to be considered timely, a shareholder’s notice to the Secretary shall further be updated and supplemented, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice shall be true and correct as of the record date for the meeting and as of the date that is 10 business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and the Secretary must receive, at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, such update and supplement not later than five business days after the record date for the meeting in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of the record date, and not later than eight business days prior to the date for the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of 10 business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof. The shareholder giving the notice shall also deliver to the Corporation no later than five (5) business days prior to the date of the meeting or, if practicable, any adjournment, recess, rescheduling or postponement thereof (or, if not practicable, on the first practicable date prior to the date to which the meeting has been adjourned, recessed, rescheduled, or postponed) reasonable evidence that it has complied with the requirements of Rule 14a-19 of the Exchange Act.
(4) Any proposed nominee shall furnish any information, in addition to that required above, to the Corporation as it may reasonably require to determine the eligibility of the proposed nominee to serve as an independent Director or that could be material to a reasonable shareholder’s understanding of the independence, or lack thereof, of such nominee.
(c) Nominations of individuals for election to the Board of Directors may be made at a special meeting of shareholders at which Directors are to be elected (i) pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting, (ii) by or at the direction of a majority of the Board of Directors, or (iii) provided that the Board of Directors has determined that Directors shall be elected at such special meeting, by any shareholder in accordance with Section 2.2(d).
(d) For any nomination to be properly brought before a special meeting by a shareholder:
(1) The shareholder must be a shareholder of record both at the time of giving of notice provided for in this Section 2.2(d) and at the time of the meeting.
(2) The Secretary must receive, at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, a written notice from the shareholder not later than the later of the 90th day prior
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to such special meeting or the tenth day following the public announcement of such special meeting. Such notice must contain the same information and comply with all applicable requirements as required under Section 2.2(b)(3). Neither an adjournment nor a postponement of a special meeting (or an announcement thereof) shall begin a new time period for delivering a shareholder’s notice.
(3) No other proposals of business by a shareholder, other than the nomination of persons for election to the Board of Directors requested by a shareholder, may be considered at the special meeting.
(4) Any proposed nominee shall furnish any information, in addition to that required above, to the Corporation as it may reasonably require to determine the eligibility of the proposed nominee to serve as an independent Director or that could be material to a reasonable shareholder’s understanding of the independence, or lack thereof, of such nominee.
(e) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in these Bylaws, the Corporation shall include in its proxy statement for annual meetings of shareholders after the 2017 annual meeting the name, together with the Required Information (as defined below), of qualifying persons nominated for election (the “Shareholder Nominee”) to the Board of Directors by a shareholder or group of shareholders that satisfy the requirements of this Section 2.2(e), including without limitation qualifying as an Eligible Shareholder (as defined below) and that expressly elects at the time of providing the written notice required by this Section 2.2(e) (a “Proxy Access Notice”) to have its nominee included in the Corporation’s proxy materials pursuant to this Section 2.2(e).
(1) For the purposes of this Section 2.2(e):
(i) “Voting Stock” shall mean outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally for the election of Directors;
(ii) “Constituent Holder” shall mean any shareholder, investment fund included within a Qualifying Fund (as defined below) or beneficial holder whose stock ownership is counted for the purposes of qualifying as holding the Proxy Access Request Required Shares (as defined below) or qualifying as an Eligible Shareholder (as defined below);
(iii) “affiliate” and “associate” shall have the meanings ascribed thereto in Rule 405 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”); provided, however, that the term “partner” as used in the definition of “associate” shall not include any limited partner that is not involved in the management of the relevant partnership; and
(iv) a shareholder (including any Constituent Holder) shall be deemed to own only those outstanding shares of Voting Stock as to which the
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shareholder itself (or such Constituent Holder itself) possesses both (a) the full voting and investment rights pertaining to the shares and (b) the full economic interest in (including the opportunity for profit and risk of loss on) such shares. The number of shares calculated in accordance with the foregoing clauses (a) and (b) shall be deemed not to include (and to the extent any of the following arrangements have been entered into by affiliates of the shareholder (or of any Constituent Holder), shall be reduced by) any shares (x) sold by such shareholder or Constituent Holder (or any of either’s affiliates) in any transaction that has not been settled or closed, including any short sale, (y) borrowed by such shareholder or Constituent Holder (or any of either’s affiliates) for any purposes or purchased by such shareholder or Constituent Holder (or any of either’s affiliates) pursuant to an agreement to resell, or (z) subject to any option, warrant, forward contract, swap, contract of sale, other derivative or similar agreement entered into by such shareholder or Constituent Holder (or any of either’s affiliates), whether any such instrument or agreement is to be settled with shares, cash or other consideration, in any such case which instrument or agreement has, or is intended to have, or if exercised by either party thereto would have, the purpose or effect of (i) reducing in any manner, to any extent or at any time in the future, such shareholder’s or Constituent Holder’s (or either’s affiliate’s) full right to vote or direct the voting of any such shares, and/or (ii) hedging, offsetting or altering to any degree gain or loss arising from the full economic ownership of such shares by such shareholder or Constituent Holder (or either’s affiliate). A shareholder (including any Constituent Holder) shall be deemed to own shares held in the name of a nominee or other intermediary so long as the shareholder itself (or such Constituent Holder itself) retains the right to instruct how the shares are voted with respect to the election of Directors and the right to direct the disposition thereof and possesses the full economic interest in the shares. For purposes of this Section 2.2(e), a shareholder’s (including any Constituent Holder’s) ownership of shares shall be deemed to continue during any period in which the shareholder has loaned such shares so long as such shareholder retains the power to recall such shares on no greater than five business days’ notice or has delegated any voting power over such shares by means of a proxy, power of attorney or other instrument or arrangement so long as such delegation is revocable at any time by the shareholder.
(2) For purposes of this Section 2.2(e), the “Required Information” that the Corporation will include in its proxy statement is (i) the information concerning the Shareholder Nominee and the Eligible Shareholder that the Corporation determines is required to be disclosed in the Corporation’s proxy statement by the regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act; and (ii) if the Eligible Shareholder so elects, a Statement (as defined below). The Corporation shall also include the name of the
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Shareholder Nominee in its proxy card. Any other provision of these Bylaws notwithstanding, the Corporation may in its sole discretion solicit against, and include in the proxy statement its own statement(s) or other information relating to, any Eligible Shareholder and/or Shareholder Nominee, including any information provided to the Corporation with respect to the foregoing.
(3) To be timely, a shareholder’s Proxy Access Notice must be received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation within the time periods applicable to shareholder notices of nominations pursuant to Section 2.2(b). Neither an adjournment nor a postponement of an annual meeting (or an announcement thereof) shall begin a new time period for delivering a Proxy Access Notice.
(4) The maximum number of Shareholder Nominees (including Shareholder Nominees that were submitted by an Eligible Shareholder for inclusion in the Corporation’s proxy materials pursuant to this Section 2.2(e) but are either subsequently withdrawn or that the Board of Directors decides to nominate as Board of Directors’ nominees or otherwise appoint to the Board) appearing in the Corporation’s proxy materials pursuant to this Section 2.2(e) with respect to an annual meeting of shareholders shall not exceed the greater of (x) two Directors or (y) the largest whole number that does not exceed 20% of the number of Directors in office as of the last day on which a Proxy Access Notice may be delivered in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 2.2(e) (such greater number, the “Permitted Number”); provided, however, that the Permitted Number shall be reduced by:
(i) the number of Directors in office or director candidates for whom access to the Corporation’s proxy materials was previously provided (or requested) pursuant to this Section 2.2(e), other than (a) any such director referred to in this clause (i) whose term of office will expire at such annual meeting and who is not seeking (or agreeing) to be nominated at such meeting for another term of office and (b) any such director who at the time of such annual meeting will have served as a director continuously as a nominee of the Board of Directors for at least two successive annual terms;
(ii) the number of such director candidates for which the Corporation shall have received one or more shareholder notices nominating director candidates pursuant to Section 2.2(b); and
(iii) the number of Directors in office or director candidates that in either case were elected or appointed to the Board of Directors or will be included in the Corporation’s proxy materials with respect to such annual meeting as an unopposed (by the Corporation) nominee, pursuant to an agreement, arrangement or other understanding with a shareholder or group of shareholders (other than any such agreement, arrangement or understanding entered into in connection with an acquisition of Voting
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Stock, by such shareholder or group of shareholders, from the Corporation), other than any such director referred to in this clause (iii) whose term of office will expire at such annual meeting and who is not seeking (or agreeing) to be nominated at such meeting for another term of office; provided that this clause (iii) shall only apply to the annual meeting which follows such agreement, arrangement or understanding;
provided, further, in the event the Board of Directors resolves to reduce the size of the Board of Directors effective on or prior to the date of the annual meeting, the Permitted Number shall be calculated based on the number of Directors in office as so reduced. An Eligible Shareholder submitting more than one Shareholder Nominee for inclusion in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to this Section 2.2(e) shall rank such Shareholder Nominees based on the order that the Eligible Shareholder desires such Shareholder Nominees to be selected for inclusion in the Corporation’s proxy statement and include such specified rank in its Proxy Access Notice. If the number of Shareholder Nominees pursuant to this Section 2.2(e) for an annual meeting of shareholders exceeds the Permitted Number, then the highest ranking qualifying Shareholder Nominee from each Eligible Shareholder will be selected by the Corporation for inclusion in the proxy statement until the Permitted Number is reached, going in order of the amount (largest to smallest) of the ownership position as disclosed in each Eligible Shareholder’s Proxy Access Notice. If the Permitted Number is not reached after the highest ranking Shareholder Nominee from each Eligible Shareholder has been selected, this selection process will continue as many times as necessary, following the same order each time, until the Permitted Number is reached.
(5) An “Eligible Shareholder” is one or more shareholders of record who own and have owned, or are acting on behalf of one or more beneficial owners who own and have owned (in each case as defined above), in each case continuously for at least three years as of both the date that the Proxy Access Notice is received by the Corporation pursuant to this Section 2.2(e), and as of the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to notice and to vote at the annual meeting, at least three percent of the aggregate voting power of the Voting Stock (the “Proxy Access Request Required Shares”), and who continue to own the Proxy Access Request Required Shares at all times between the date such Proxy Access Notice is received by the Corporation and the date of the applicable annual meeting, provided that the aggregate number of shareholders, and, if and to the extent that a shareholder is acting on behalf of one or more beneficial owners, of such beneficial owners, whose stock ownership is counted for the purpose of satisfying the foregoing ownership requirement shall not exceed 20. Two or more investment funds that are part of same family of funds by virtue of being under common management and investment control, under common management and sponsored primarily by the same employer or a “group of investment companies” (as such term is defined in
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Section 12(d)(1)(G)(ii) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended) (a “Qualifying Fund”) shall be treated as one shareholder for the purpose of determining the aggregate number of shareholders in this subsection (5), provided that each fund included within a Qualifying Fund otherwise meets the requirements set forth in this Section 2.2(e). No shares may be attributed to more than one group constituting an Eligible Shareholder under this Section 2.2(e), and no shareholder may be a member of more than one group constituting an Eligible Shareholder. A record holder acting on behalf of one or more beneficial owners will not be counted separately as a shareholder with respect to the shares owned by beneficial owners on whose behalf such record holder has been directed in writing to act, but each such beneficial owner will be counted separately, subject to the other provisions of this subsection (5), for purposes of determining the number of shareholders whose holdings may be considered as part of an Eligible Shareholder’s holdings. Proxy Access Request Required Shares will qualify as such if and only if the beneficial owner of such shares as of the date of the Proxy Access Notice has itself individually beneficially owned such shares continuously for the three-year period ending on that date and through the other applicable dates referred to above (in addition to the other applicable requirements being met).
(6) No later than the final date when a Proxy Access Notice pursuant to this Section 2.2(e) may be timely delivered to the Secretary, an Eligible Shareholder (including each Constituent Holder) must provide the information required by Section 2.2(b)(3) of this Article II to the Secretary of the Corporation and also provide the following information in writing to the Secretary:
(i) with respect to each Constituent Holder, the name and address of, and number of shares of Voting Stock owned by, such person;
(ii) one or more written statements from the record holder of the shares (and from each intermediary through which the shares are or have been held during the requisite three-year holding period) verifying that, as of a date within seven calendar days prior to the date the Proxy Access Notice is delivered to the Corporation, such person owns, and has owned continuously for the preceding three years, the Proxy Access Request Required Shares, and such person’s agreement to provide:
(a) within 10 days after the record date for the annual meeting, written statements from the record holder and intermediaries verifying such person’s continuous ownership of the Proxy Access Request Required Shares through the record date, together with any additional information reasonably requested to verify such person’s ownership of the Proxy Access Request Required Shares; and
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(b) immediate notice if the Eligible Shareholder ceases to own any of the Proxy Access Request Required Shares prior to the date of the applicable annual meeting of shareholders;
(iii) a representation that such person:
(a) acquired the Proxy Access Request Required Shares in the ordinary course of business and not with the intent to change or influence control of the Corporation, and does not presently have any such intent;
(b) has not nominated and will not nominate for election to the Board of Directors at the annual meeting any person other than the Shareholder Nominee(s) being nominated pursuant to this Section 2.2(e);
(c) has not engaged and will not engage in, and has not and will not be a “participant” in another person’s, “solicitation” within the meaning of Rule 14a-1(l) under the Exchange Act with respect to the Corporation in support of the election of any individual as a director at the annual meeting other than its Shareholder Nominee(s) or a nominee of the Board of Directors;
(d) will not distribute to any shareholder of the Corporation any form of proxy for the annual meeting other than the form distributed by the Corporation; and
(e) will provide facts, statements and other information in all communications with the Corporation and its shareholders that are and will be true and correct in all material respects and do not and will not omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and will otherwise comply with all applicable laws, rules and regulations in connection with any actions taken pursuant to this Section 2.2(e);
(iv) in the case of a nomination by a group of shareholders that together is such an Eligible Shareholder, the designation by all group members of one group member that is authorized to act on behalf of all members of the nominating shareholder group with respect to the nomination and matters related thereto, including withdrawal of the nomination; and
(v) an undertaking that such person agrees to:
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(a) assume all liability stemming from, and indemnify and hold harmless the Corporation and its affiliates and each of its and their directors, officers, and employees individually against any liability, loss or damages in connection with any threatened or pending action, suit or proceeding, whether legal, administrative or investigative, against the Corporation or its affiliates or any of its or their directors, officers or employees arising out of any legal or regulatory violation arising out of the Eligible Shareholder’s communications with the shareholders of the Corporation or out of the information that the Eligible Shareholder provided to the Corporation in connection with the nomination of the Shareholder Nominee(s) or its efforts to elect such person(s) to the Board;
(b) promptly provide to the Corporation such other information as the Corporation may reasonably request; and
(c) file with the Securities and Exchange Commission any solicitation by the Eligible Shareholder of shareholders of the Corporation relating to the annual meeting at which the Shareholder Nominee will be nominated.
In addition, no later than the final date when a Proxy Access Notice pursuant to this Section 2.2(e) may be timely delivered to the Secretary, a Qualifying Fund whose stock ownership is counted for purposes of qualifying as an Eligible Shareholder must provide to the Secretary of the Corporation documentation reasonably satisfactory to the Board of Directors that demonstrates that the funds included within the Qualifying Fund satisfy the definition thereof. In order to be considered timely, any information required by this Section 2.2(e) to be provided to the Corporation must be further updated and supplemented (through receipt by the Secretary) if necessary so that the information shall be true and correct as of the record date for the meeting and as of the date that is 10 business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and the Secretary must receive, at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, such update and supplement not later than five business days after the record date for the meeting in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of the record date, and not later than eight business days prior to the date for the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of 10 business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof.
(7) The Eligible Shareholder may provide to the Secretary, at the time the information required by this Section 2.2(e) is originally provided, a single written
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statement for inclusion in the Corporation’s proxy statement for the annual meeting, not to exceed 500 words, in support of the candidacy of each such Eligible Shareholder’s Shareholder Nominee(s) (the “Statement”). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 2.2(e), the Corporation may omit from its proxy materials any information or Statement that it, in good faith, believes is materially false or misleading, omits to state any material fact, directly or indirectly without factual foundation impugns the character, integrity or personal reputation of or makes charges concerning improper, illegal or immoral conduct or associations with respect to any person or would violate any applicable law or regulation.
(8) No later than the final date when a Proxy Access Notice pursuant to this Section 2.2(e) may be timely delivered to the Secretary, each Shareholder Nominee must provide to the Secretary the information required by Section 2.2(b), a completed and executed questionnaire, with respect to the background and qualification of such individual and the background of any other person or entity on whose behalf, directly or indirectly, the nomination is being made (which questionnaire shall be provided by the Secretary upon written request), and the representation and agreement as required by Section 2.2(e) and also:
(i) provide an executed agreement, in a form deemed satisfactory by the Board of Directors or its designee (which form shall be provided by the Corporation reasonably promptly upon written request of a shareholder), that such Shareholder Nominee consents to being named in the Corporation’s proxy statement and form of proxy card (and will not agree to be named in any other person’s proxy statement or form of proxy card with respect to the Corporation) as a nominee and to serving as a director of the Corporation if elected and that such Shareholder Nominee will promptly provide to the Corporation such other information as the Corporation may reasonably request; and
(ii) provide such additional information as necessary to permit the Board of Directors to determine if any of the matters referred to in subsection (10) below apply and to determine if such Shareholder Nominee has any direct or indirect relationship with the Corporation other than those relationships that have been deemed categorically immaterial pursuant to the Corporation’s Corporate Governance Guidelines or is or has been subject to any event specified in Item 401(f) of Regulation S-K (or successor rule) of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
In the event that any information or communications provided by the Eligible Shareholder (or any Constituent Holder) or the Shareholder Nominee to the Corporation or its shareholders ceases to be true and correct in all material respects or omits a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, each
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Eligible Shareholder or Shareholder Nominee, as the case may be, shall promptly notify the Secretary of any defect in such previously provided information and of the information that is required to correct any such defect; it being understood for the avoidance of doubt that providing any such notification shall not be deemed to cure any such defect or limit the remedies (including without limitation under these Bylaws) available to the Corporation relating to any such defect.
Any proposed Shareholder Nominee shall also furnish any information, in addition to that required above, to the Corporation as it may reasonably require to determine the eligibility of the proposed nominee to serve as an independent Director or that could be material to a reasonable shareholder’s understanding of the independence, or lack thereof, of such nominee.
(9) Any Shareholder Nominee who is included in the Corporation’s proxy statement for a particular annual meeting of shareholders, but subsequently is determined not to satisfy the eligibility requirements of this Section 2.2(e) or any other provision of these Bylaws, the Restated Articles of Incorporation or other applicable regulation any time before the annual meeting of shareholders, will not be eligible for election at the relevant annual meeting of shareholders.
(10) The Corporation shall not be required to include, pursuant to this Section 2.2(e), a Shareholder Nominee in its proxy materials for any annual meeting of shareholders, or, if the proxy statement already has been filed, to allow the nomination of (or vote with respect to) a Shareholder Nominee (and may declare such nomination ineligible), notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received by the Corporation:
(i) who is not independent under the listing standards of the principal U.S. exchange upon which the common stock of the Corporation is listed, any applicable rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission and any publicly disclosed standards used by the Board of Directors in determining and disclosing independence of the Corporation’s Directors (including without limitation the Corporation’s Director Qualification Standards) or who is not a “non-employee director” for the purposes of Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act (or any successor rule) or who is not an “outside director” for the purposes of Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (or any successor provision), in each case as determined by the Board of Directors;
(ii) whose service as a member of the Board of Directors would violate or cause the Corporation to be in violation of these Bylaws, the Restated Articles of Incorporation, the rules and listing standards of the principal U.S. exchange upon which the common stock of the Corporation is traded, or any applicable law, rule or regulation;
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(iii) who is or has been, within the past three (3) years, an officer or director of a competitor, as defined in Section 8 of the Clayton Antitrust Act of 1914, as amended, or who is a subject of a pending criminal proceeding (other than in connection with traffic violations and other similar minor offenses), has been convicted in a criminal proceeding within the past 10 years or is subject to an order of the type specified in Rule 506(d) of Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act;
(iv) if the Eligible Shareholder (or any Constituent Holder) or applicable Shareholder Nominee otherwise breaches or fails to comply in any material respect with its obligations pursuant to this Section 2.2(e) or any agreement, representation or undertaking required by this Section 2.2(e); or
(v) if the Eligible Shareholder ceases to be an Eligible Shareholder for any reason, including but not limited to not owning the Proxy Access Request Required Shares through the date of the applicable annual meeting.
Any proposed Shareholder Nominee shall furnish any information, in addition to that required above, to the Corporation as it may reasonably require to determine the eligibility of the proposed nominee to serve as an independent Director or that could be material to a reasonable shareholder’s understanding of the independence, or lack thereof, of such nominee.
(f) Only such persons who are nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 2.2 shall be eligible to serve as Directors. The presiding officer shall determine whether a nomination was made in accordance with this Section 2.2 and, if any proposed nomination is not in compliance with this Section 2.2, to declare that such defective nomination be disregarded. The presiding officer shall have sole authority to decide questions of compliance with the foregoing procedures, and his or her ruling shall be final.
(g) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 2.2, (i) unless the shareholder (or a qualified representative of the shareholder) appears at the applicable meeting of shareholders to present the nomination and another shareholder seconds the shareholder’s motion, such nomination shall be disregarded, and (ii) a shareholder shall also comply with state law and the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in this Section 2.2.
Section 2.3 Qualification. No person shall be eligible to be elected and to hold office as a Director if such person is determined by a majority of the whole Board of Directors to have acted contrary to the best interests of the Corporation, including, but not limited to, (i) violation of either State or Federal law, (ii) maintenance of interests not properly authorized and in conflict with the interests of the Corporation, or (iii) breach of any agreement between such Director and the Corporation relating to such Director’s services as a Director, employee or agent of the Corporation.
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Section 2.4 Regular and Special Directors’ Meetings.
(a) Regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be held at such time and at such place, within or without the State of Missouri, as shall from time to time be determined by the Board of Directors. No notice of regular meetings of the Board of Directors need be given.
(b) Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the Board Chair, the Lead Director, Chief Executive Officer or the President, and shall be called by the Secretary on the written request of three or more Directors. Notice of any special meeting shall be given to each Director at such Director’s last known address by telephone, electronic transmission or other means not later than the day preceding the date of the meeting. Attendance of a Director at any meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of the meeting, except where a Director attends a meeting for the sole and express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened.
(c) A majority of members of the Board of Directors in office shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the Board of Directors, but a lesser number may adjourn a meeting to another time or day if a quorum is not present. 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 the act of a greater number is required by the Restated Articles of Incorporation, by these Bylaws or by law.
(d) Members of the Board of Directors or of any committee designated by the Board of Directors may participate in a meeting of the Board of Directors or committee by means of conference telephone or similar communications equipment whereby all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and participation in a meeting in this manner shall constitute presence in person at the meeting.
Section 2.5 Action by Consent. Any action which is required to be or may be taken at a meeting of the Directors may be taken without a meeting if consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, are signed by all the Directors. Any action which is required to be or may be taken at a meeting of a committee of Directors may be taken without a meeting if consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, are signed by all the members of the committee.
Section 2.6 Committees.
(a) The Board of Directors shall have three standing committees—the Audit Committee, the Human Resources and Compensation Committee and the Nominating, Governance and Sustainability Committee—and may designate other committees in its discretion. Each committee shall consist of not less than two Directors and shall have such powers and duties as shall be delegated to it by the Board of Directors.
(b) Each member of such committee shall hold office at the pleasure of the Directors and may be removed by the Board of Directors at any time with or without cause. Vacancies
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occurring in any committee may be filled by the Board of Directors. During any vacancy on a committee, the remaining members shall have full power to act as the committee.
(c) Each committee may prescribe its own rules for calling and holding meetings and its method of procedure, subject, however, to any rules prescribed by the Board of Directors, and, if no such rules shall have been prescribed, the rules applicable to calling and holding of a meeting of the Board of Directors shall apply to the committee meetings.
(d) A quorum for any meeting of a committee shall consist of not less than a majority of the members in office at the time. A Director who may be disqualified, by reason of personal interest, from voting on any particular matter before a meeting of a committee may nevertheless be counted for the purpose of constituting a quorum of the committee. At each meeting of the committee at which a quorum is present, all questions and business shall be determined by the affirmative vote of not less than a majority of the members present.
(e) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 2.6, no committee shall be empowered to elect Directors to fill vacancies among the Directors or on any committee of the Directors.
(f) Persons dealing with the Corporation shall be entitled to rely upon any action of a committee with the same force and effect as though such action had been taken by the Directors. Subject to the rights of third persons, any action of a committee shall be subject to revision or alteration by the Directors.
Section 2.7 Compensation of Directors. Directors and members of any committee of the Board of Directors shall be entitled to such reasonable compensation and fees for their services as such as shall be fixed from time to time by resolution of the Board of Directors and shall also be entitled to reimbursement for any reasonable expenses incurred in attending meetings of the Board of Directors and any committee thereof; 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 2.8 Honorary Directors. In addition to the Directors, there may be as many Honorary or Advisory Directors and Directors Emeritus as the Board of Directors may appoint. Honorary or Advisory Directors and Directors Emeritus (i) shall have no liability after they become such for the actions of the Board of Directors, (ii) shall be notified of all meetings of the Board of Directors in the same manner as the Directors, but shall not be required to attend any meeting of the Board of Directors, and (iii) shall not have the right to vote on matters before such meetings.
ARTICLE 3. OFFICERS
Section 3.1 Officers. The officers of the Corporation may include the Board Chair, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Operating Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the President, one or more Vice Presidents, the Secretary, the Treasurer, and such other officers, assistant or deputy
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officers as may be appointed from time to time. Any two or more offices may be held by the same person. The officers of the Corporation shall have such authority and shall perform such duties as are customarily incident to their respective offices or as shall be specified from time to time by the Board of Directors or the Board Chair, regardless of whether such authority and duties are customarily incident to such office.
Section 3.2 Appointment. The officers of the Corporation shall be appointed by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may delegate its authority to appoint one or more officers to the Chief Executive Officer; provided, however, that the authority to appoint the Board Chair, the Chief Executive Officer, the President and the Secretary shall not be delegated. Each officer shall hold office until his or her death, resignation, retirement or removal or until such officer’s successor is appointed.
Section 3.3 Removal. Any officer may be removed by the Board of Directors at any time, with or without cause, but such removal shall be without prejudice to the contract rights, if any, of the person so removed. In addition, any officer which the Chief Executive Officer has the authority to appoint may be removed by the Chief Executive Officer at any time, with or without cause. Election or appointment of an officer shall not of itself create contract rights.
ARTICLE 4. CERTIFICATES FOR SHARES
Section 4.1 Issuance of Certificates. The shares of the Corporation shall be represented by certificates, provided, however, that the Board of Directors may provide by resolution that some or all of any classes or series of the Corporation’s stock shall be uncertificated shares. Any such resolution shall not apply to shares represented by a certificate until such certificate is surrendered to the Corporation. Notwithstanding the adoption of such a resolution by the Board of Directors, every holder of stock represented by certificates and, upon request, every holder of uncertificated shares, shall be entitled to have a certificate, in any form approved by the Board of Directors, certifying the number and class of shares owned by the shareholder in the Corporation, signed by (i) the Board Chair, the Chief Executive Officer, the President or a Vice President, and (ii) the Secretary or Treasurer or an Assistant Secretary or an Assistant Treasurer of the Corporation, and sealed with the seal of the Corporation which may be a facsimile engraved or printed. Each certificate representing shares shall state upon the face thereof that the Corporation is organized under the laws of the State of Missouri, the name of the person to whom issued, the number and class and the designation of the series, if any, which such certificate represents, and the par value of each share represented by such certificate or a statement that the shares are without par value.
If the certificate is countersigned by a transfer agent other than the Corporation or its employee, or by a registrar other than the Corporation or its employee, any other signature on the certificate may be a facsimile signature, or may be engraved or printed. In case any officer, transfer agent or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed on the certificate shall have ceased to be an officer, transfer agent or registrar before the certificate is issued, the certificate may nevertheless be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if such person were an officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue.
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Section 4.2 Lost, Stolen, Destroyed or Mutilated Certificate. The holder of any shares of stock of the Corporation shall immediately notify the Corporation and its transfer agents and registrars, if any, of any loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of the certificates representing the same. The Corporation, acting through any of its duly authorized officers or other duly authorized employees, may direct a new certificate or certificates or uncertificated shares to be issued in place of any certificate or certificates previously issued by the Corporation alleged to have been lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated, upon the filing of an affidavit of that fact by the person claiming the certificate to be lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated. When authorizing such issue of a new certificate or certificates or uncertificated shares, the Corporation may, in its discretion and as a condition precedent to the issuance thereof, require the owner of such lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated certificate or certificates, or the owner’s legal representative, to advertise the same in such manner as the Corporation shall require and/or to give the Corporation a bond in such sum and in such form as the Corporation may direct, and with a surety or sureties which the Corporation finds satisfactory, as indemnity against any claim or liability that may be made against or incurred by the Corporation and its transfer agents and registrars, if any, with respect to the certificate alleged to have been lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Section 4.3 Transfer of Stock; Certificate Cancellation. The shares of stock of the Corporation shall be transferable only upon its books by the holders thereof in person or by their duly authorized attorneys or legal representatives. Upon transfer of certificated shares, the old certificates shall be surrendered to the Corporation by the delivery thereof to the person in charge of the stock and transfer books and ledgers or to such other persons as the Board of Directors may designate, by whom they shall be cancelled and new certificates shall thereupon be issued. In the case of uncertificated shares, transfer shall be made only upon receipt of transfer documentation reasonably acceptable to the Corporation.
Section 4.4 Registered Owner. The Corporation shall be entitled to recognize the exclusive rights of a person registered on its books as the owner of shares to receive dividends, and to vote as such owner, and shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or shares on the part of any other person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by the laws of the State of Missouri.
Section 4.5 Transfer Agents and Registrars. The Board of Directors may appoint one or more transfer agents or transfer clerks and one or more registrars which may be banks, trust companies or other financial institutions located within or without the State of Missouri; may define the authority of such transfer agents and registrars of transfers; may require all stock certificates to bear the signature of a transfer agent or registrar of transfers, or both; may impose such rules, regulations or procedures regarding uncertificated shares as it deems appropriate; and may change or remove any such transfer agent or registrar of transfers.
Section 4.6 Closing of Transfer Books and Fixing of Record Date. The Board of Directors shall have the power to close the transfer books of the Corporation for a period not exceeding 70 days prior to the date of any meeting of shareholders, or the date for payment of any dividend, or the date for all allotment of rights, or the date when any change or conversion or exchange of shares
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shall go into effect. In lieu of so closing the transfer books, the Board of Directors may fix in advance a record date for the determination of the shareholders entitled to notice of and to vote at any meeting and any adjournment or postponement thereof, or entitled to receive payment of any dividend or any allotment of rights, or entitled to exercise the rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of shares, up to 70 days prior to the date of any meeting of shareholders, or the date for the payment of any dividend, or the date for the allotment of rights, or the date when any change or conversion or exchange of shares shall go into effect. In such case only the shareholders who are shareholders of record on the date of closing the share transfer books, or on the record date so fixed, shall be entitled to receive notice of and to vote at such meeting and any adjournment or postponement thereof, or to receive payment of such dividend, or to receive such allotment of rights, or to exercise such rights, as the case may be, notwithstanding any transfer of any shares on the books of the Corporation after the date of closing of the transfer books or the record date. If the Board of Directors does not close the transfer books or set a record date for the determination of the shareholders entitled to notice of and to vote at any meeting of shareholders, only the shareholders who are shareholders of record at the close of business on the 20th day preceding the date of the meeting shall be entitled to notice of and to vote at the meeting and upon any adjournment or postponement of the meetings, except that if prior to the meeting written waivers of notice of the meeting are signed and delivered to the Corporation by all of the shareholders of record at the time the meeting is convened, only the shareholders who are shareholders of record at the time the meeting is convened shall be entitled to vote at the meeting and any adjournment or postponement of the meeting.
ARTICLE 5. INDEMNIFICATION
Section 5.1 Right of Directors and Officers to Indemnification. Each person who was or is a Director or officer of the Corporation shall be indemnified by the Corporation as a matter of right to the fullest extent permitted or authorized by applicable law and as otherwise provided in Article VIII of the Corporation’s Restated Articles of Incorporation.
The indemnification described in the preceding paragraph of this Article 5 shall pertain to all expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person who was or is a party to or who was or is involved in any proceeding by reason of acts or omissions:
(a) in such person’s capacity as or arising out of such person’s status as (i) a Director or officer of the Corporation; or (ii) a Director, officer, employee or agent of another Corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise when so serving at the request of the Corporation; or
(b) in any other capacity while holding the office of either Director or officer of the Corporation.
Section 5.2 Indemnification of Employees, Agents, Etc. Each person who was or is an employee or agent of the Corporation, or who was or is serving at the request of the Corporation as a
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Director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise (including the heirs, executors, administrators or estate of each such person) may, at the discretion of the Board of Directors, be indemnified by the Corporation to the same extent as provided herein with respect to any person who was or is a Director or officer of the Corporation.
Section 5.3 Right of Directors and Officers to Advance of Expenses. Expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by any person who was or is a Director or officer of the Corporation in defending any proceeding (including those by or in the right of the Corporation) shall be promptly advanced by the Corporation when so requested by such person at any time and from time to time, but only if the requesting person delivers to the Corporation an undertaking to repay to the Corporation all amounts so advanced if it should ultimately be determined that the requesting person is not entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation under the “indemnification sources” as defined below, agreement, vote of shareholders or disinterested Directors or otherwise.
Section 5.4 Right of Claimant to Bring Suit. If a claim for indemnification under Section 5.1 or 5.3, respectively, is not paid in full by the Corporation within 90 or 15 days, respectively, after a written claim has been received by the Corporation, the claimant may bring suit against the Corporation to recover the unpaid amount of the claim. If the claimant is successful in whole or in part in such suit, the claimant shall also be paid the expense of prosecuting such claim.
It shall be a defense to any suit seeking indemnification under Section 5.1 of these Bylaws that the claimant has not met the standards of conduct which make it permissible (under indemnification sources, agreement, vote of shareholders or disinterested Directors or otherwise) for the Corporation to indemnify the claimant. The failure of the Corporation (through its Directors, independent legal counsel or shareholders) to make a determination before the commencement of such suit that indemnification of the claimant is proper under the circumstances (because the claimant has met the applicable standard of conduct) shall not be a defense to the claimant’s action or create a presumption that the claimant has not met the applicable standard of conduct. Similarly, an actual determination by the Corporation that the claimant has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall not be a defense to the claimant’s action nor create a presumption that the claimant has not met the applicable standard of conduct.
Section 5.5 Definitions. In this Article the following terms have the following meanings:
(a) The term “applicable law” means (i) Section 351.355 of The Missouri General and Business Corporation Law (other than Subsection 6 thereof and any other Subsection comparable in purpose to Subsection 6) as in effect on May 7, 1986 and as thereafter amended (but in the case of any such amendment, only to the extent such amendment permits the Corporation to provide broader indemnification rights than The Missouri General and Business Corporation Law permitted the Corporation to provide immediately prior to such amendment) and (ii) any other statutory indemnification provisions adopted after May 7, 1986.
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(b) The term “Directors” or “officers” of the Corporation shall include the heirs, executors, administrators and estate of each such person who was a Director or officer, which heirs, executors, administrators and estate shall succeed to all of the indemnification and other rights of such Director or officer.
(c) The term “proceedings” shall mean any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or other proceeding (including those by or in the right of the Corporation) whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative.
(d) The term “fines” shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to any employee benefit plan.
(e) The term “indemnification sources” shall refer jointly and severally to applicable law as defined above, this Article 5 and Article VIII of the Corporation’s Restated Articles of Incorporation.
(f) The term “other enterprise” shall include employee benefit plans.
(g) The term “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 any employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries.
Section 5.6 Rights Not Exclusive. The indemnification and other rights provided by this Article and the other indemnification sources shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which a Director or officer may be entitled under any agreement, vote of shareholders or disinterested Directors or otherwise, both as to action in such person’s official capacity and as to action in any other capacity while holding the office of Director or officer, and the Corporation may, at its discretion, provide such indemnification and other rights by any agreements, vote of shareholders or disinterested Directors or otherwise.
Section 5.7 Insurance. The Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who was or is a Director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or was or is serving at the request of the Corporation as a Director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any liability asserted against or incurred by such person in any such capacity, or arising out of his or her status as such, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such liability under these Bylaws, other indemnification sources, agreement, vote of shareholders or disinterested Directors or otherwise.
Section 5.8 Enforceability; Amendment. Each person who was or is a Director or officer of the Corporation is a third party beneficiary of this Article 5 and shall be entitled to enforce against the Corporation all indemnification and other rights provided or contemplated by this Article 5.
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This Article 5 may be hereafter amended or repealed; provided, however, no such amendment or repeal shall reduce, terminate or otherwise adversely affect the right of any person who was or is a Director or officer (i) to obtain indemnification or an advance of expenses with respect to a proceeding that pertains to or arises out of actions or omissions that occurred prior to the “Deadline Indemnification Date” as defined in the next paragraph of this Section, or (ii) to bring suit with respect to the foregoing under Section 5.4 hereof.
The term “Deadline Indemnification Date” means the later of (a) the effective date of any amendment or repeal of this Article 5 which reduces, terminates or otherwise adversely affects the rights hereunder of any person who was or is a Director or officer; (b) the expiration date of such person’s then current term of office with, or service for, the Corporation (provided such person has a stated term of office or service and completes such term); or (c) the effective date such person resigns his or her office or terminates his or her service (provided such person has a stated term of office or service but resigns prior to the expiration of such term).
ARTICLE 6. GENERAL PROVISIONS
Section 6.1 Dividends. The Board of Directors may declare and the Corporation may pay dividends on its outstanding shares in cash, property, or its own shares pursuant to law and subject to the provisions of its Restated Articles of Incorporation.
Section 6.2 Reserves. The Board of Directors may by resolution create a reserve or reserves out of earned surplus for any purpose or purposes, and may abolish any such reserve in the same manner.
Section 6.3 Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be fixed by resolution of the Board of Directors. In the absence of such resolution, the fiscal year of the Corporation shall be the calendar year.
Section 6.4 Corporate Seal. The corporate seal shall have inscribed thereon the name of the Corporation and may be used by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or in any manner reproduced.
Section 6.5 Examination of Books. Any shareholder of record desiring to examine the books and records of the Corporation may do so during regular business hours at the office of the Corporation where such books and records are normally kept. No such shareholder, however, may remove any such books and records from such premises, and no such shareholder shall make alterations to such books or records, and in each instance of examination by such shareholder of such books or records, an officer or employee designated by an officer of the Corporation shall be present at all times during such examination, and the regular wage or salary of such officer or employee for the period of time spent in such examination shall be paid to the Corporation by such shareholder or shareholders making such examination. Notwithstanding any provision hereinabove to the contrary, no shareholder shall have the right to examine the books or the records of the Corporation if any officer of the Corporation determines, in his or her discretion,
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that such examination may be to the detriment or competitive disadvantage of the Corporation or if the purpose of such examination is improper.
Section 6.6 Amendments. These Bylaws may be altered, amended, or repealed, to the extent not prohibited by law or the Restated Articles of Incorporation, by the Board of Directors.
Section 6.7 Provisions Additional to Provisions of Law. All restrictions, limitations, requirements and other provisions of these Bylaws shall be construed, insofar as possible, as supplemental and additional to all provisions of law applicable to the subject matter thereof and shall be fully complied with in addition to the said provisions of law unless such compliance shall be illegal.
Section 6.8 Provisions Contrary to Provisions of Law. Any portion of these Bylaws which, upon being construed in the manner provided in Section 6.7 hereof, shall be contrary to or inconsistent with any applicable provisions of law, shall not apply so long as said provisions of law remain in effect, but such result shall not affect the validity or applicability of any other portion of these Bylaws, it being hereby declared that these Bylaws and each portion thereof would have been adopted, irrespective of the fact that any portion is illegal.
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PROTECTED BYLAWS
The following bylaws have been designated by the Corporation’s Board of Directors as Protected Bylaws in accordance with Article IX, Section 2 of the Corporation’s Restated Articles of Incorporation:
ARTICLE 1
Section 1.1 — Annual Meeting – Date, Place and Time
Section 1.2 — Business at Annual Meetings
Section 1.3 — Special Meetings
Section 1.4 — Quorum
Section 1.6 — No Cumulative Voting
Section 1.7 — Procedure
ARTICLE 2
Section 2.1 — Number, Election, Removal and Vacancies
Section 2.2 — Advance Notice of Nominations
Section 2.3 — Qualification
Section 2.4 — Regular and Special Directors’ Meetings
Section 2.6 — Committees
ARTICLE 5
All Sections
ARTICLE 6
Section 6.6 — Amendments
Last Reviewed: February 22, 2023
Last Revised: February 22, 2023
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Exhibit 3.2.2
LEGGETT & PLATT, INCORPORATED
BYLAWS
as amended through
November 9, 2021 February 22, 2023
ARTICLE 1. MEETINGS OF SHAREHOLDERS
Section 1.1 Annual Meeting – Date, Place and Time. The annual meeting of the shareholders for the election of Directors and for the transaction of such other business as may properly come before the meeting shall be held on such date, at such time and at such place, within or without the State of Missouri, or by means of remote communication, or by both in person meeting and by remote communication, as shall be determined by the Board of Directors.
Section 1.2 Business at Annual Meetings.
(a) The business at each annual meeting of the shareholders shall include the election of Directors and only such other business as has been properly brought before the meeting by being (i) specified in the notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto) given by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, (ii) brought before the meeting by or at the direction of a majority of the Board of Directors, or (iii) brought before the meeting by a shareholder in accordance with Section 1.2(b).
(b) For any business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a shareholder:
(1) The shareholder must be a shareholder of record both at the time of giving of notice required in this Section 1.2(b) and at the time of the meeting.
(2) The Secretary must receive, at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, a written notice from the shareholder not less than 90 days nor more than 120 days prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting; provided, however, that if (i) no annual meeting was held in the previous year or (ii) the date of the annual meeting is advanced or delayed by more than 30 days from such anniversary date, notice by the shareholder must be received not later than the later of the 90th day prior to such annual meeting or the tenth day following the public announcement of such meeting. Neither an adjournment nor a postponement of an annual meeting (or an announcement thereof) shall begin a new time period for delivering a shareholder’s notice.
(3) The shareholder’s notice shall set forth:
(i) a brief description of the business proposed to be brought before the meeting, the text of the proposal or business (including any proposed resolutions proposed for consideration and, in the event that such proposal or business includes a proposal to amend these Bylaws, the text of the proposed amendment), the reasons for proposing to conduct such business
at the meeting and any material interest of such shareholder (and of the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made) in such business;
(ii) a description of all agreements, arrangements and understandings between such shareholder and beneficial owner, if any, and any other person or persons (including their names) in connection with the proposal of such business by such shareholder; and
(iii) as to the shareholder giving the notice and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made, (a) the name and address of such shareholder and beneficial owner, as they appear on the Corporation’s books and of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith, (b) (1) the class and number of shares of stock of the Corporation which are, directly or indirectly, owned beneficially and of record by such shareholder and beneficial owner, and of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith, (2) any option, warrant, convertible security, stock appreciation right, or similar right with an exercise or conversion privilege or a settlement payment or mechanism at a price related to any class or series of shares of the Corporation or with a value derived in whole or in part from the value of any class or series of shares of the Corporation, or any derivative or synthetic arrangement having the characteristics of a long position in any class or series of shares of the Corporation, or any contract, derivative, swap or other transaction or series of transactions designed to produce economic benefits and risks that correspond substantially to the ownership of any class or series of shares of the Corporation, including due to the fact that the value of such contract, derivative, swap or other transaction or series of transactions is determined by reference to the price, value or volatility of any class or series of shares of the Corporation, whether or not such instrument, contract or right shall be subject to settlement in the underlying class or series of shares of the Corporation, through the delivery of cash or other property, or otherwise, and without regard to whether the shareholder of record, the beneficial owner, if any, or any affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith, may have entered into transactions that hedge or mitigate the economic effect of such instrument, contract or right, or any other direct or indirect opportunity to profit or share in any profit derived from any increase or decrease in the value of shares of the Corporation (any of the foregoing, a “Derivative Instrument”) directly or indirectly owned beneficially by such shareholder, such beneficial owner or any of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith and any other direct or indirect opportunity to profit or share in any profit derived from any increase or decrease in the value of shares of the Corporation, (3) any proxy, contract, arrangement, understanding, or
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relationship pursuant to which such shareholder, such beneficial owner or any of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith has a right to vote any shares of
any security of the Corporation, (4) any agreement, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, including any repurchase or similar so-called “stock borrowing” agreement or
arrangement, involving such shareholder, such beneficial owner or any of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith, directly or indirectly, the purpose or effect of which is to mitigate loss to, reduce the
economic risk (of ownership or otherwise) of any class or series of the shares of the Corporation by, manage the risk of share price changes for, or increase or decrease the voting power of, such shareholder, such beneficial owner or any of their
respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith with respect to any class or series of the shares of the Corporation, or which provides, directly or indirectly, the opportunity to profit or share in any profit derived from
any decrease in the price or value of any class or series of the shares of the Corporation (any of the foregoing, a “Short Interest”), (5) any rights to dividends on the shares of the Corporation owned beneficially by such shareholder,
such beneficial owner or any of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith that are separated or separable from the underlying shares of the Corporation, (6) any proportionate interest in shares of the
Corporation or Derivative Instruments held, directly or indirectly, by a general or limited partnership in which such shareholder, such beneficial owner or any of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith is a
general partner or, directly or indirectly, beneficially owns an interest in a general partner, (7) any performance-related fees (other than an asset-based fee) that such shareholder, such beneficial owner or any of their respective affiliates
or associates or others acting in concert therewith is entitled to based on any increase or decrease in the value of shares of the Corporation or Derivative Instruments, (8) any significant equity interests or any Derivative Instruments or
Short Interests in any principal competitor of the Corporation held by such shareholder, such beneficial owner or any of their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith, and (9) any direct or indirect interest of
such shareholder, such beneficial owner and their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith in any contract with the Corporation, any affiliate of the Corporation
or, any principal competitor of the Corporation (including, in any such case, any employment agreement, collective bargaining agreement or consulting agreement), or in the outcome of any threatened
or pending litigation or regulatory proceeding involving the Corporation (the foregoing items (1) through (9), individually or collectively, the “Disclosable Interests”), if any, as of the date of such notice, including
without limitation any Disclosable Interests held by
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members of such shareholder’s immediate family sharing the same household (which information shall be supplemented by such shareholder and beneficial owner, if any, not later than 10 days after the record date for the meeting to disclose such ownership as of the record date), (c) a representation that the shareholder intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to propose such business, (d) any other information that would be required to be provided by the shareholder or beneficial owner in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for the proposal pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), in such person’s capacity as a proponent of a shareholder proposal, (e) all information that would be required to be set forth in a Schedule 13D filed pursuant to Rule 13d-1(a) or an amendment pursuant to Rule 13d-2(a) if such a statement were required to be filed under the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder by such shareholder, such beneficial owner and their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith, if any, and (f) a representation as to whether the shareholder or the beneficial owner, if any, intends or is part of a group which intends (i) to deliver a proxy statement and/or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the Corporation’s outstanding capital stock required to approve or adopt the proposal or (ii) to otherwise solicit proxies from shareholders in support of such proposal.
In addition, to be considered timely, a shareholder’s notice to the Secretary shall further be updated and supplemented, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice shall be true and correct as of the record date for the meeting and as of the date that is 10 business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and the Secretary must receive, at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, such update and supplement not later than five business days after the record date for the meeting in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of the record date, and not later than eight business days prior to the date for the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of 10 business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof. The obligation to update and supplement as set forth in this paragraph or any other Section of these Bylaws (including without limitation Section 2.2) shall not limit the Corporation’s rights or remedies with respect to any deficiencies in any notice provided by a shareholder (or be deemed to cure any such defects), extend any applicable deadlines hereunder or under any other provision of the Bylaws, or enable or be deemed to permit a shareholder who has previously submitted notice hereunder or under any other provision of the Bylaws to amend or update any proposal or to submit any new proposal,
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including by changing or adding nominees, matters, business and or resolutions proposed to be brought before a meeting of the shareholders.
(4) The proposed business must not be an improper subject for shareholder action under applicable law, and the shareholder must comply with state law, the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in this Section 1.2.
(5) The shareholder (or a qualified representative of the shareholder) must appear at the meeting of shareholders to propose such business and another shareholder must second the proposal.
(c) The meeting’s presiding officer shall determine whether any proposal to bring business before the meeting was made in accordance with this Section 1.2 and, if any proposed business is not in compliance with this Section 1.2, to declare that such defective proposal be disregarded. The presiding officer shall have sole authority to decide questions of compliance with the foregoing procedures, and his or her ruling shall be final.
(d) Nothing in this Section 1.2 shall be deemed to affect any rights of shareholders to request inclusion of proposals in, or the Corporation’s right to omit proposals from, the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act or any successor provision. The provisions of this Section 1.2 shall also govern what constitutes timely notice for purposes of Rule 14a-4(c) under the Exchange Act.
Section 1.3 Special Meetings.
(a) Special meetings of the shareholders may be called only by the Board Chair, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, or a majority of the Board of Directors. In addition, shareholders holding not less than two-thirds of all issued and outstanding shares which are entitled to vote for the election of Directors may call a special meeting of shareholders by providing a notice to the Secretary signed by the requisite number of shareholders and setting forth the information required by and complying with all applicable requirements under Section 1.2(b)(3).
(b) Each special meeting shall be held on such date, at such time and at such place, within or without the State of Missouri, or by means of remote communication, or by both in person meeting and by remote communication, as shall be determined by the Board of Directors; provided, however, the Secretary shall call a special meeting called by the shareholders not later than ninety (90) days after receipt of the shareholder notice.
(c) Business transacted at any special meeting shall be confined to the purposes stated in the notice thereof.
Section 1.4 Quorum.
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(a) The holders of a majority of the shares entitled to vote at any meeting of the shareholders, present in person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum, and, except as otherwise required by law, the Restated Articles of Incorporation or these Bylaws, the act of the majority of such quorum shall be deemed the act of the shareholders. The shareholders present at a meeting at which a quorum is present may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of such number of shareholders as to reduce the remaining shareholders to less than a quorum.
(b) Whether or not a quorum is present, the presiding officer shall have the power, except as otherwise provided by law, successively to adjourn the meeting to another place, date or time not longer than 90 days after each such adjournment, and no notice of any such adjournment need be given to shareholders if the place, date and time of the adjourned meeting are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken. 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.
Section 1.5 Qualification of Voters. The Board of Directors may fix a record day prior to the day of holding any meeting of the shareholders as the time as of which the shareholders are deemed shareholders of record. Only those persons who are shareholders of record shall be entitled to notice of, to attend and to vote, in person or by proxy, at such meeting; provided, however, no proxy shall be voted after 11 months from the date of its execution unless otherwise provided in the proxy.
Section 1.6 No Cumulative Voting. Shareholders do not have the right to cumulate their votes in any manner in connection with the election of Directors.
Section 1.7 Procedure. The Board Chair, or in his or her absence the Lead Director, or in his or her absence the Chief Executive Officer, or in his or her absence the President, or in his or her absence the Secretary, shall preside at an annual or special meeting of the shareholders. In the absence of all of the above named officers, the Board of Directors shall select the person to preside at any meeting of the shareholders. It shall be the duty of such presiding officer to preserve order and ensure that the meeting is conducted in a businesslike and proper manner. The presiding officer shall have sole, complete and absolute authority to fully carry out his or her duties, including, without limitation, the power to postpone or adjourn the meeting from time to time if in his or her discretion such action is necessary or advisable to ensure order, to seek and receive advice of counsel, or to ensure fair and complete voting. The ruling of the presiding officer on any matter shall be final and conclusive. The presiding officer shall establish the order of business and such rules and procedures for the conduct of the meeting as in his or her sole, complete and absolute discretion he or she determines appropriate under the circumstances, including, without limitation, establishing (i) rules and procedures for maintaining order at the meeting and the safety of those present, (ii) limitations on participation in such meeting to shareholders of record, their duly authorized and constituted proxies and such other persons as the presiding officer shall permit, (iii) restrictions on entry to the meeting after the time fixed for the commencement thereof, (iv) limitations on the time allotted to questions or comments by
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participants, (v) regulation of the voting or balloting, as applicable, and (vi) determination of matters which are to be voted on by ballot, if any. Unless and to the extent determined by the Board of Directors or the presiding officer, meetings of shareholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with rules of parliamentary procedure.
Section 1.8 Certification of Votes. If the object of a shareholders’ meeting be to elect Directors or to take a vote of the shareholders on any proposition, then the presiding officer shall appoint not less than two persons, who are not Directors, inspectors to receive and canvass the votes given at such meeting and certify the result to him or her. The inspectors may appoint or retain other persons or entities to assist the inspectors in the performance of their duties. Any report or certificate made by the inspectors shall be prima facie evidence on the facts stated therein.
Section 1.9 Transmittal of Notices.
(a) Notices to shareholders regarding the annual meeting or special meetings shall be in writing, shall provide the place, date and hour set, and means of remote communication, if any, for the meeting, shall be given no less than ten nor more than 70 days before the date of the meeting, by or at the direction of the Secretary, to each shareholder of record entitled to vote at such meeting.
(b) Notices to shareholders may be delivered in any reasonable manner including, but not limited to, U.S. mail, private courier, hand delivery or electronic transmission. An electronic transmission means any process of communication not directly involving the physical transfer of paper that is suitable for the retention, retrieval and reproduction of information by the recipient, including, but not limited to, facsimile transmission, telex, telegram and communication utilizing the internet. Notice by U.S. mail or private courier shall be deemed given when deposited with the postal service or courier. Notice by electronic transmission shall be deemed given when transmitted.
Section 1.10 Action by Consent. Any action which may be taken at a meeting of the shareholders may be taken without a meeting if consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by all of the shareholders entitled to vote with respect to the subject matter thereof.
Section 1.11 Proxies. At all meetings of shareholders, a shareholder may vote by proxy executed in writing (or in such manner prescribed by The Missouri General and Business Corporation Law) by the shareholder, or by such shareholder’s duly authorized attorney in fact. Any shareholder directly or indirectly soliciting proxies from other shareholders must use a proxy card color other than white, which shall be reserved for exclusive use by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE 2. DIRECTORS
Section 2.1 Number, Election, Removal and Vacancies. The whole Board of Directors shall consist of not less than three nor more than 15 members, the exact number to be set from time to time by the Board of Directors. No decrease in the number of Directors shall shorten the term of any
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incumbent Director. The Directors shall be elected at the annual meeting of the shareholders, except as provided below, and each Director elected shall hold office until his or her successor is elected and qualified. Directors may be removed during their term only for cause and then only by the holders of a majority of the shares entitled to vote at an election of Directors, represented in person or by proxy at any duly constituted meeting of the shareholders called for the purpose of removing any such Directors. Vacancies on the Board of Directors and newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the 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, until the next election of Directors by the shareholders.
Section 2.2 Advance Notice of Nominations.
(a) Nominations of individuals for election to the Board of Directors may be made at an annual meeting of shareholders (i) pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting, (ii) by or at the direction of a majority of the Board of Directors, or (iii) by any shareholder in accordance with Section 2.2(b).
(b) For any nomination to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a shareholder:
(1) The shareholder must be a shareholder of record both at the time of giving of notice required in this Section 2.2(b) and at the time of the meeting.
(2) The Secretary must receive, at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, a written notice from the shareholder not less than 90 days nor more than 120 days prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting; provided, however, that if (i) no annual meeting was held in the previous year or (ii) the date of the annual meeting is advanced or delayed by more than 30 days from such anniversary date, notice by the shareholder must be received not later than the later of the 90th day prior to such annual meeting or the tenth day following the public announcement of such meeting. Neither an adjournment nor a postponement of an annual meeting (or an announcement thereof) shall begin a new time period for delivering a shareholder’s notice.
(3) The shareholder’s notice shall set forth:
(i) as to each proposed nominee (a) the name, age, business and residential addresses, and principal occupation or employment of each proposed nominee, (b) the nominee’s Disclosable Interests, if any, as of the date of such notice, including without limitation any Disclosable Interests held by members of such nominee’s immediate family sharing the same household (which information shall be supplemented by such nominee, if any, not later than 10 days after the record date for the meeting to disclose such ownership as of the record date), (c) a description of all direct and indirect compensation and other material monetary agreements, arrangements and
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understandings during the past three years, and any other material relationships between or among such shareholder and beneficial owner, if any, and their respective affiliates or others acting
in concert therewith (on the one hand) and each proposed nominee and his or her affiliates or others acting in concert therewith (on the other hand), including without limitation all information that would be required to be disclosed pursuant to
Item 404 promulgated under Regulation S-K if the shareholder making the nomination and any beneficial owner on whose behalf the nomination is made, if any, or any affiliate or person acting in concert
therewith, were the “registrant” for purposes of such rule and the nominee were a director or executive officer of such registrant, (d) a completed and signed questionnaire, representation and agreement required by
Section 2.2(e), (e) all other information relating to such person that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for election of Directors in a
contested election, or is otherwise required pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act, and (f) the written consent of each proposed nominee to being named as a nominee in theany proxy statement and to
serve as a Director of the Corporation if so elected; and
(ii) as to the shareholder giving the notice and the beneficial owner,
if any, on whose behalf the nomination is made, (a) the name and address of such shareholder and beneficial owner, as they appear on the Corporation’s books, (b) the shareholder’s and beneficial owner’s Disclosable
Interests, if any, as of the date of such notice, including without limitation any Disclosable Interests held by members of such shareholder’s immediate family sharing the same household (which information shall be supplemented by such
shareholder and beneficial owner, if any, not later than 10 days after the record date for the meeting to disclose such ownership as of the record date), (c) a representation that the shareholder intends to appear in person or by proxy at the
meeting to nominate the person or persons specified in the notice, (d) any other information that would be required to be provided by the shareholder or beneficial owner in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection
with solicitations of proxies for the proposal pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act in such person’s capacity as a proponent of a shareholder proposal, and(e) all information that would be required to be set
forth in a Schedule 13D filed pursuant to Rule 13d-1(a) or an amendment pursuant to Rule 13d-2(a) if such a statement were required to be filed under the Exchange Act
and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder by such shareholder, such beneficial owner and their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith, if any, (ef) a representation
as to whether the shareholder or the beneficial owner, if any, intends or is part of a group which intends (i) to deliver a proxy
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statement and/or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the Corporation’s outstanding capital stock required to elect the nominee, or (ii) otherwise solicit proxies from shareholders in support of such nominee, and (g) a representation that such shareholder or beneficial owner intends to deliver a proxy statement and form of proxy to holders of at least sixty-seven percent (67%) of the Corporation’s outstanding capital stock.
In addition, to be considered timely, a shareholder’s notice to the Secretary shall further be updated and supplemented, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice shall be true and correct as of the record date for the meeting and as of the date that is 10 business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and the Secretary must receive, at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, such update and supplement not later than five business days after the record date for the meeting in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of the record date, and not later than eight business days prior to the date for the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of 10 business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof. The shareholder giving the notice shall also deliver to the Corporation no later than five (5) business days prior to the date of the meeting or, if practicable, any adjournment, recess, rescheduling or postponement thereof (or, if not practicable, on the first practicable date prior to the date to which the meeting has been adjourned, recessed, rescheduled, or postponed) reasonable evidence that it has complied with the requirements of Rule 14a-19 of the Exchange Act.
(4) Any proposed nominee shall furnish any information, in addition to that required above, to the Corporation as it may reasonably require to determine the eligibility of the proposed nominee to serve as an independent Director or that could be material to a reasonable shareholder’s understanding of the independence, or lack thereof, of such nominee.
(c) Nominations of individuals for election to the Board of Directors may be made at a special meeting of shareholders at which Directors are to be elected (i) pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting, (ii) by or at the direction of a majority of the Board of Directors, or (iii) provided that the Board of Directors has determined that Directors shall be elected at such special meeting, by any shareholder in accordance with Section 2.2(d).
(d) For any nomination to be properly brought before a special meeting by a shareholder:
(1) The shareholder must be a shareholder of record both at the time of giving of notice provided for in this Section 2.2(d) and at the time of the meeting.
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(2) The Secretary must receive, at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, a written notice from the shareholder not later than the later of the 90th day prior to such special meeting or the tenth day following the public announcement of such special meeting. Such notice must contain the same information and comply with all applicable requirements as required under Section 2.2(b)(3). Neither an adjournment nor a postponement of a special meeting (or an announcement thereof) shall begin a new time period for delivering a shareholder’s notice.
(3) No other proposals of business by a shareholder, other than the nomination of persons for election to the Board of Directors requested by a shareholder, may be considered at the special meeting.
(4) Any proposed nominee shall furnish any information, in addition to that required above, to the Corporation as it may reasonably require to determine the eligibility of the proposed nominee to serve as an independent Director or that could be material to a reasonable shareholder’s understanding of the independence, or lack thereof, of such nominee.
(e) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in these Bylaws, the Corporation shall include in its proxy statement for annual meetings of shareholders after the 2017 annual meeting the name, together with the Required Information (as defined below), of qualifying persons nominated for election (the “Shareholder Nominee”) to the Board of Directors by a shareholder or group of shareholders that satisfy the requirements of this Section 2.2(e), including without limitation qualifying as an Eligible Shareholder (as defined below) and that expressly elects at the time of providing the written notice required by this Section 2.2(e) (a “Proxy Access Notice”) to have its nominee included in the Corporation’s proxy materials pursuant to this Section 2.2(e).
(1) For the purposes of this Section 2.2(e):
(i) “Voting Stock” shall mean outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally for the election of Directors;
(ii) “Constituent Holder” shall mean any shareholder, investment fund included within a Qualifying Fund (as defined below) or beneficial holder whose stock ownership is counted for the purposes of qualifying as holding the Proxy Access Request Required Shares (as defined below) or qualifying as an Eligible Shareholder (as defined below);
(iii) “affiliate” and “associate” shall have the meanings ascribed thereto in Rule 405 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”); provided, however, that the term “partner” as used in the definition of “associate” shall not include any limited partner that is not involved in the management of the relevant partnership; and
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(iv) a shareholder (including any Constituent Holder) shall be deemed to own only those outstanding shares of Voting Stock as to which the shareholder itself (or such Constituent Holder itself) possesses both (a) the full voting and investment rights pertaining to the shares and (b) the full economic interest in (including the opportunity for profit and risk of loss on) such shares. The number of shares calculated in accordance with the foregoing clauses (a) and (b) shall be deemed not to include (and to the extent any of the following arrangements have been entered into by affiliates of the shareholder (or of any Constituent Holder), shall be reduced by) any shares (x) sold by such shareholder or Constituent Holder (or any of either’s affiliates) in any transaction that has not been settled or closed, including any short sale, (y) borrowed by such shareholder or Constituent Holder (or any of either’s affiliates) for any purposes or purchased by such shareholder or Constituent Holder (or any of either’s affiliates) pursuant to an agreement to resell, or (z) subject to any option, warrant, forward contract, swap, contract of sale, other derivative or similar agreement entered into by such shareholder or Constituent Holder (or any of either’s affiliates), whether any such instrument or agreement is to be settled with shares, cash or other consideration, in any such case which instrument or agreement has, or is intended to have, or if exercised by either party thereto would have, the purpose or effect of (i) reducing in any manner, to any extent or at any time in the future, such shareholder’s or Constituent Holder’s (or either’s affiliate’s) full right to vote or direct the voting of any such shares, and/or (ii) hedging, offsetting or altering to any degree gain or loss arising from the full economic ownership of such shares by such shareholder or Constituent Holder (or either’s affiliate). A shareholder (including any Constituent Holder) shall be deemed to own shares held in the name of a nominee or other intermediary so long as the shareholder itself (or such Constituent Holder itself) retains the right to instruct how the shares are voted with respect to the election of Directors and the right to direct the disposition thereof and possesses the full economic interest in the shares. For purposes of this Section 2.2(e), a shareholder’s (including any Constituent Holder’s) ownership of shares shall be deemed to continue during any period in which the shareholder has loaned such shares so long as such shareholder retains the power to recall such shares on no greater than five business days’ notice or has delegated any voting power over such shares by means of a proxy, power of attorney or other instrument or arrangement so long as such delegation is revocable at any time by the shareholder.
(2) For purposes of this Section 2.2(e), the “Required Information” that the Corporation will include in its proxy statement is (i) the information concerning the Shareholder Nominee and the Eligible Shareholder that the Corporation determines is required to be disclosed in the Corporation’s proxy statement by the regulations
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promulgated under the Exchange Act; and (ii) if the Eligible Shareholder so elects, a Statement (as defined below). The Corporation shall also include the name of the Shareholder Nominee in its proxy card. Any other provision of these Bylaws notwithstanding, the Corporation may in its sole discretion solicit against, and include in the proxy statement its own statement(s) or other information relating to, any Eligible Shareholder and/or Shareholder Nominee, including any information provided to the Corporation with respect to the foregoing.
(3) To be timely, a shareholder’s Proxy Access Notice must be received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation within the time periods applicable to shareholder notices of nominations pursuant to Section 2.2(b). Neither an adjournment nor a postponement of an annual meeting (or an announcement thereof) shall begin a new time period for delivering a Proxy Access Notice.
(4) The maximum number of Shareholder Nominees (including Shareholder Nominees that were submitted by an Eligible Shareholder for inclusion in the Corporation’s proxy materials pursuant to this Section 2.2(e) but are either subsequently withdrawn or that the Board of Directors decides to nominate as Board of Directors’ nominees or otherwise appoint to the Board) appearing in the Corporation’s proxy materials pursuant to this Section 2.2(e) with respect to an annual meeting of shareholders shall not exceed the greater of (x) two Directors or (y) the largest whole number that does not exceed 20% of the number of Directors in office as of the last day on which a Proxy Access Notice may be delivered in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 2.2(e) (such greater number, the “Permitted Number”); provided, however, that the Permitted Number shall be reduced by:
(i) the number of Directors in office or director candidates for whom access to the Corporation’s proxy materials was previously provided (or requested) pursuant to this Section 2.2(e), other than (a) any such director referred to in this clause (i) whose term of office will expire at such annual meeting and who is not seeking (or agreeing) to be nominated at such meeting for another term of office and (b) any such director who at the time of such annual meeting will have served as a director continuously as a nominee of the Board of Directors for at least two successive annual terms;
(ii) the number of such director candidates for which the Corporation shall have received one or more shareholder notices nominating director candidates pursuant to Section 2.2(b); and
(iii) the number of Directors in office or director candidates that in either case were elected or appointed to the Board of Directors or will be included in the Corporation’s proxy materials with respect to such annual meeting as an unopposed (by the Corporation) nominee, pursuant to an agreement, arrangement or other understanding with a shareholder or group of
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shareholders (other than any such agreement, arrangement or understanding entered into in connection with an acquisition of Voting Stock, by such shareholder or group of shareholders, from the Corporation), other than any such director referred to in this clause (iii) whose term of office will expire at such annual meeting and who is not seeking (or agreeing) to be nominated at such meeting for another term of office; provided that this clause (iii) shall only apply to the annual meeting which follows such agreement, arrangement or understanding;
provided, further, in the event the Board of Directors resolves to reduce the size of the Board of Directors effective on or prior to the date of the annual meeting, the Permitted Number shall be calculated based on the number of Directors in office as so reduced. An Eligible Shareholder submitting more than one Shareholder Nominee for inclusion in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to this Section 2.2(e) shall rank such Shareholder Nominees based on the order that the Eligible Shareholder desires such Shareholder Nominees to be selected for inclusion in the Corporation’s proxy statement and include such specified rank in its Proxy Access Notice. If the number of Shareholder Nominees pursuant to this Section 2.2(e) for an annual meeting of shareholders exceeds the Permitted Number, then the highest ranking qualifying Shareholder Nominee from each Eligible Shareholder will be selected by the Corporation for inclusion in the proxy statement until the Permitted Number is reached, going in order of the amount (largest to smallest) of the ownership position as disclosed in each Eligible Shareholder’s Proxy Access Notice. If the Permitted Number is not reached after the highest ranking Shareholder Nominee from each Eligible Shareholder has been selected, this selection process will continue as many times as necessary, following the same order each time, until the Permitted Number is reached.
(5) An “Eligible Shareholder” is one or more shareholders of record who own and have owned, or are acting on behalf of one or more beneficial owners who own and have owned (in each case as defined above), in each case continuously for at least three years as of both the date that the Proxy Access Notice is received by the Corporation pursuant to this Section 2.2(e), and as of the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to notice and to vote at the annual meeting, at least three percent of the aggregate voting power of the Voting Stock (the “Proxy Access Request Required Shares”), and who continue to own the Proxy Access Request Required Shares at all times between the date such Proxy Access Notice is received by the Corporation and the date of the applicable annual meeting, provided that the aggregate number of shareholders, and, if and to the extent that a shareholder is acting on behalf of one or more beneficial owners, of such beneficial owners, whose stock ownership is counted for the purpose of satisfying the foregoing ownership requirement shall not exceed 20. Two or more investment funds that are
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part of same family of funds by virtue of being under common management and investment control, under common management and sponsored primarily by the same employer or a “group of investment companies” (as such term is defined in Section 12(d)(1)(G)(ii) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended) (a “Qualifying Fund”) shall be treated as one shareholder for the purpose of determining the aggregate number of shareholders in this subsection (5), provided that each fund included within a Qualifying Fund otherwise meets the requirements set forth in this Section 2.2(e). No shares may be attributed to more than one group constituting an Eligible Shareholder under this Section 2.2(e), and no shareholder may be a member of more than one group constituting an Eligible Shareholder. A record holder acting on behalf of one or more beneficial owners will not be counted separately as a shareholder with respect to the shares owned by beneficial owners on whose behalf such record holder has been directed in writing to act, but each such beneficial owner will be counted separately, subject to the other provisions of this subsection (5), for purposes of determining the number of shareholders whose holdings may be considered as part of an Eligible Shareholder’s holdings. Proxy Access Request Required Shares will qualify as such if and only if the beneficial owner of such shares as of the date of the Proxy Access Notice has itself individually beneficially owned such shares continuously for the three-year period ending on that date and through the other applicable dates referred to above (in addition to the other applicable requirements being met).
(6) No later than the final date when a Proxy Access Notice pursuant to this Section 2.2(e) may be timely delivered to the Secretary, an Eligible Shareholder (including each Constituent Holder) must provide the information required by Section 2.2(b)(3) of this Article II to the Secretary of the Corporation and also provide the following information in writing to the Secretary:
(i) with respect to each Constituent Holder, the name and address of, and number of shares of Voting Stock owned by, such person;
(ii) one or more written statements from the record holder of the shares (and from each intermediary through which the shares are or have been held during the requisite three-year holding period) verifying that, as of a date within seven calendar days prior to the date the Proxy Access Notice is delivered to the Corporation, such person owns, and has owned continuously for the preceding three years, the Proxy Access Request Required Shares, and such person’s agreement to provide:
(a) within 10 days after the record date for the annual meeting, written statements from the record holder and intermediaries verifying such person’s continuous ownership of the Proxy Access Request Required Shares through the record date, together with any additional information reasonably requested
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to verify such person’s ownership of the Proxy Access Request Required Shares; and
(b) immediate notice if the Eligible Shareholder ceases to own any of the Proxy Access Request Required Shares prior to the date of the applicable annual meeting of shareholders;
(iii) a representation that such person:
(a) acquired the Proxy Access Request Required Shares in the ordinary course of business and not with the intent to change or influence control of the Corporation, and does not presently have any such intent;
(b) has not nominated and will not nominate for election to the Board of Directors at the annual meeting any person other than the Shareholder Nominee(s) being nominated pursuant to this Section 2.2(e);
(c) has not engaged and will not engage in, and has not and will not be a “participant” in another person’s, “solicitation” within the meaning of Rule 14a-1(l) under the Exchange Act with respect to the Corporation in support of the election of any individual as a director at the annual meeting other than its Shareholder Nominee(s) or a nominee of the Board of Directors;
(d) will not distribute to any shareholder of the Corporation any form of proxy for the annual meeting other than the form distributed by the Corporation; and
(e) will provide facts, statements and other information in all communications with the Corporation and its shareholders that are and will be true and correct in all material respects and do not and will not omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and will otherwise comply with all applicable laws, rules and regulations in connection with any actions taken pursuant to this Section 2.2(e);
(iv) in the case of a nomination by a group of shareholders that together is such an Eligible Shareholder, the designation by all group members of one group member that is authorized to act on behalf of all members of the
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nominating shareholder group with respect to the nomination and matters related thereto, including withdrawal of the nomination; and
(v) an undertaking that such person agrees to:
(a) assume all liability stemming from, and indemnify and hold harmless the Corporation and its affiliates and each of its and their directors, officers, and employees individually against any liability, loss or damages in connection with any threatened or pending action, suit or proceeding, whether legal, administrative or investigative, against the Corporation or its affiliates or any of its or their directors, officers or employees arising out of any legal or regulatory violation arising out of the Eligible Shareholder’s communications with the shareholders of the Corporation or out of the information that the Eligible Shareholder provided to the Corporation in connection with the nomination of the Shareholder Nominee(s) or its efforts to elect such person(s) to the Board;
(b) promptly provide to the Corporation such other information as the Corporation may reasonably request; and
(c) file with the Securities and Exchange Commission any solicitation by the Eligible Shareholder of shareholders of the Corporation relating to the annual meeting at which the Shareholder Nominee will be nominated.
In addition, no later than the final date when a Proxy Access Notice pursuant to this Section 2.2(e) may be timely delivered to the Secretary, a Qualifying Fund whose stock ownership is counted for purposes of qualifying as an Eligible Shareholder must provide to the Secretary of the Corporation documentation reasonably satisfactory to the Board of Directors that demonstrates that the funds included within the Qualifying Fund satisfy the definition thereof. In order to be considered timely, any information required by this Section 2.2(e) to be provided to the Corporation must be further updated and supplemented (through receipt by the Secretary) if necessary so that the information shall be true and correct as of the record date for the meeting and as of the date that is 10 business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and the Secretary must receive, at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, such update and supplement not later than five business days after the record date for the meeting in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of the record date, and not later than eight business days prior to the date for the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof in the case of the update and
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supplement required to be made as of 10 business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof.
(7) The Eligible Shareholder may provide to the Secretary, at the time the information required by this Section 2.2(e) is originally provided, a single written statement for inclusion in the Corporation’s proxy statement for the annual meeting, not to exceed 500 words, in support of the candidacy of each such Eligible Shareholder’s Shareholder Nominee(s) (the “Statement”). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 2.2(e), the Corporation may omit from its proxy materials any information or Statement that it, in good faith, believes is materially false or misleading, omits to state any material fact, directly or indirectly without factual foundation impugns the character, integrity or personal reputation of or makes charges concerning improper, illegal or immoral conduct or associations with respect to any person or would violate any applicable law or regulation.
(8) No later than the final date when a Proxy Access Notice pursuant to this Section 2.2(e) may be timely delivered to the Secretary, each Shareholder Nominee must provide to the Secretary the information required by Section 2.2(b), a completed and executed questionnaire, with respect to the background and qualification of such individual and the background of any other person or entity on whose behalf, directly or indirectly, the nomination is being made (which questionnaire shall be provided by the Secretary upon written request), and the representation and agreement as required by Section 2.2(e) and also:
(i) provide an executed agreement, in a form deemed satisfactory by the Board of Directors or its designee (which form shall be provided by the Corporation reasonably promptly upon written request of a shareholder), that such Shareholder Nominee consents to being named in the Corporation’s proxy statement and form of proxy card (and will not agree to be named in any other person’s proxy statement or form of proxy card with respect to the Corporation) as a nominee and to serving as a director of the Corporation if elected and that such Shareholder Nominee will promptly provide to the Corporation such other information as the Corporation may reasonably request; and
(ii) provide such additional information as necessary to permit the Board of Directors to determine if any of the matters referred to in subsection (10) below apply and to determine if such Shareholder Nominee has any direct or indirect relationship with the Corporation other than those relationships that have been deemed categorically immaterial pursuant to the Corporation’s Corporate Governance Guidelines or is or has been subject to any event specified in Item 401(f) of Regulation S-K (or successor rule) of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
18
In the event that any information or communications provided by the Eligible Shareholder (or any Constituent Holder) or the Shareholder Nominee to the Corporation or its shareholders ceases to be true and correct in all material respects or omits a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, each Eligible Shareholder or Shareholder Nominee, as the case may be, shall promptly notify the Secretary of any defect in such previously provided information and of the information that is required to correct any such defect; it being understood for the avoidance of doubt that providing any such notification shall not be deemed to cure any such defect or limit the remedies (including without limitation under these Bylaws) available to the Corporation relating to any such defect.
Any proposed Shareholder Nominee shall also furnish any information, in addition to that required above, to the Corporation as it may reasonably require to determine the eligibility of the proposed nominee to serve as an independent Director or that could be material to a reasonable shareholder’s understanding of the independence, or lack thereof, of such nominee.
(9) Any Shareholder Nominee who is included in the Corporation’s proxy statement for a particular annual meeting of shareholders, but subsequently is determined not to satisfy the eligibility requirements of this Section 2.2(e) or any other provision of these Bylaws, the Restated Articles of Incorporation or other applicable regulation any time before the annual meeting of shareholders, will not be eligible for election at the relevant annual meeting of shareholders.
(10) The Corporation shall not be required to include, pursuant to this Section 2.2(e), a Shareholder Nominee in its proxy materials for any annual meeting of shareholders, or, if the proxy statement already has been filed, to allow the nomination of (or vote with respect to) a Shareholder Nominee (and may declare such nomination ineligible), notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received by the Corporation:
(i) who is not independent under the listing standards of the principal U.S. exchange upon which the common stock of the Corporation is listed, any applicable rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission and any publicly disclosed standards used by the Board of Directors in determining and disclosing independence of the Corporation’s Directors (including without limitation the Corporation’s Director Qualification Standards) or who is not a “non-employee director” for the purposes of Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act (or any successor rule) or who is not an “outside director” for the purposes of Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (or any successor provision), in each case as determined by the Board of Directors;
19
(ii) whose service as a member of the Board of Directors would violate or cause the Corporation to be in violation of these Bylaws, the Restated Articles of Incorporation, the rules and listing standards of the principal U.S. exchange upon which the common stock of the Corporation is traded, or any applicable law, rule or regulation;
(iii) who is or has been, within the past three (3) years, an officer or director of a competitor, as defined in Section 8 of the Clayton Antitrust Act of 1914, as amended, or who is a subject of a pending criminal proceeding (other than in connection with traffic violations and other similar minor offenses), has been convicted in a criminal proceeding within the past 10 years or is subject to an order of the type specified in Rule 506(d) of Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act;
(iv) if the Eligible Shareholder (or any Constituent Holder) or applicable Shareholder Nominee otherwise breaches or fails to comply in any material respect with its obligations pursuant to this Section 2.2(e) or any agreement, representation or undertaking required by this Section 2.2(e); or
(v) if the Eligible Shareholder ceases to be an Eligible Shareholder for any reason, including but not limited to not owning the Proxy Access Request Required Shares through the date of the applicable annual meeting.
Any proposed Shareholder Nominee shall furnish any information, in addition to that required above, to the Corporation as it may reasonably require to determine the eligibility of the proposed nominee to serve as an independent Director or that could be material to a reasonable shareholder’s understanding of the independence, or lack thereof, of such nominee.
(f) Only such persons who are nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 2.2 shall be eligible to serve as Directors. The presiding officer shall determine whether a nomination was made in accordance with this Section 2.2 and, if any proposed nomination is not in compliance with this Section 2.2, to declare that such defective nomination be disregarded. The presiding officer shall have sole authority to decide questions of compliance with the foregoing procedures, and his or her ruling shall be final.
(g) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 2.2, (i) unless the shareholder (or a qualified representative of the shareholder) appears at the applicable meeting of shareholders to present the nomination and another shareholder seconds the shareholder’s motion, such nomination shall be disregarded, and (ii) a shareholder shall also comply with state law and the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in this Section 2.2.
Section 2.3 Qualification. No person shall be eligible to be elected and to hold office as a Director if such person is determined by a majority of the whole Board of Directors to have acted contrary
20
to the best interests of the Corporation, including, but not limited to, (i) violation of either State or Federal law, (ii) maintenance of interests not properly authorized and in conflict with the interests of the Corporation, or (iii) breach of any agreement between such Director and the Corporation relating to such Director’s services as a Director, employee or agent of the Corporation.
Section 2.4 Regular and Special Directors’ Meetings.
(a) Regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be held at such time and at such place, within or without the State of Missouri, as shall from time to time be determined by the Board of Directors. No notice of regular meetings of the Board of Directors need be given.
(b) Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the Board Chair, the Lead Director, Chief Executive Officer or the President, and shall be called by the Secretary on the written request of three or more Directors. Notice of any special meeting shall be given to each Director at such Director’s last known address by telephone, electronic transmission or other means not later than the day preceding the date of the meeting. Attendance of a Director at any meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of the meeting, except where a Director attends a meeting for the sole and express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened.
(c) A majority of members of the Board of Directors in office shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the Board of Directors, but a lesser number may adjourn a meeting to another time or day if a quorum is not present. 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 the act of a greater number is required by the Restated Articles of Incorporation, by these Bylaws or by law.
(d) Members of the Board of Directors or of any committee designated by the Board of Directors may participate in a meeting of the Board of Directors or committee by means of conference telephone or similar communications equipment whereby all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and participation in a meeting in this manner shall constitute presence in person at the meeting.
Section 2.5 Action by Consent. Any action which is required to be or may be taken at a meeting of the Directors may be taken without a meeting if consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, are signed by all the Directors. Any action which is required to be or may be taken at a meeting of a committee of Directors may be taken without a meeting if consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, are signed by all the members of the committee.
Section 2.6 Committees.
(a) The Board of Directors shall have three standing committees—the Audit Committee, the Human Resources and Compensation Committee and the Nominating, Governance and Sustainability Committee—and may designate other committees in its discretion. Each
21
committee shall consist of not less than two Directors and shall have such powers and duties as shall be delegated to it by the Board of Directors.
(b) Each member of such committee shall hold office at the pleasure of the Directors and may be removed by the Board of Directors at any time with or without cause. Vacancies occurring in any committee may be filled by the Board of Directors. During any vacancy on a committee, the remaining members shall have full power to act as the committee.
(c) Each committee may prescribe its own rules for calling and holding meetings and its method of procedure, subject, however, to any rules prescribed by the Board of Directors, and, if no such rules shall have been prescribed, the rules applicable to calling and holding of a meeting of the Board of Directors shall apply to the committee meetings.
(d) A quorum for any meeting of a committee shall consist of not less than a majority of the members in office at the time. A Director who may be disqualified, by reason of personal interest, from voting on any particular matter before a meeting of a committee may nevertheless be counted for the purpose of constituting a quorum of the committee. At each meeting of the committee at which a quorum is present, all questions and business shall be determined by the affirmative vote of not less than a majority of the members present.
(e) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 2.6, no committee shall be empowered to elect Directors to fill vacancies among the Directors or on any committee of the Directors.
(f) Persons dealing with the Corporation shall be entitled to rely upon any action of a committee with the same force and effect as though such action had been taken by the Directors. Subject to the rights of third persons, any action of a committee shall be subject to revision or alteration by the Directors.
Section 2.7 Compensation of Directors. Directors and members of any committee of the Board of Directors shall be entitled to such reasonable compensation and fees for their services as such as shall be fixed from time to time by resolution of the Board of Directors and shall also be entitled to reimbursement for any reasonable expenses incurred in attending meetings of the Board of Directors and any committee thereof; 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 2.8 Honorary Directors. In addition to the Directors, there may be as many Honorary or Advisory Directors and Directors Emeritus as the Board of Directors may appoint. Honorary or Advisory Directors and Directors Emeritus (i) shall have no liability after they become such for the actions of the Board of Directors, (ii) shall be notified of all meetings of the Board of Directors in the same manner as the Directors, but shall not be required to attend any meeting of the Board of Directors, and (iii) shall not have the right to vote on matters before such meetings.
22
ARTICLE 3. OFFICERS
Section 3.1 Officers. The officers of the Corporation may include the Board Chair, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Operating Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the President, one or more Vice Presidents, the Secretary, the Treasurer, and such other officers, assistant or deputy officers as may be appointed from time to time. Any two or more offices may be held by the same person. The officers of the Corporation shall have such authority and shall perform such duties as are customarily incident to their respective offices or as shall be specified from time to time by the Board of Directors or the Board Chair, regardless of whether such authority and duties are customarily incident to such office.
Section 3.2 Appointment. The officers of the Corporation shall be appointed by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may delegate its authority to appoint one or more officers to the Chief Executive Officer; provided, however, that the authority to appoint the Board Chair, the Chief Executive Officer, the President and the Secretary shall not be delegated. Each officer shall hold office until his or her death, resignation, retirement or removal or until such officer’s successor is appointed.
Section 3.3 Removal. Any officer may be removed by the Board of Directors at any time, with or without cause, but such removal shall be without prejudice to the contract rights, if any, of the person so removed. In addition, any officer which the Chief Executive Officer has the authority to appoint may be removed by the Chief Executive Officer at any time, with or without cause. Election or appointment of an officer shall not of itself create contract rights.
ARTICLE 4. CERTIFICATES FOR SHARES
Section 4.1 Issuance of Certificates. The shares of the Corporation shall be represented by certificates, provided, however, that the Board of Directors may provide by resolution that some or all of any classes or series of the Corporation’s stock shall be uncertificated shares. Any such resolution shall not apply to shares represented by a certificate until such certificate is surrendered to the Corporation. Notwithstanding the adoption of such a resolution by the Board of Directors, every holder of stock represented by certificates and, upon request, every holder of uncertificated shares, shall be entitled to have a certificate, in any form approved by the Board of Directors, certifying the number and class of shares owned by the shareholder in the Corporation, signed by (i) the Board Chair, the Chief Executive Officer, the President or a Vice President, and (ii) the Secretary or Treasurer or an Assistant Secretary or an Assistant Treasurer of the Corporation, and sealed with the seal of the Corporation which may be a facsimile engraved or printed. Each certificate representing shares shall state upon the face thereof that the Corporation is organized under the laws of the State of Missouri, the name of the person to whom issued, the number and class and the designation of the series, if any, which such certificate represents, and the par value of each share represented by such certificate or a statement that the shares are without par value.
If the certificate is countersigned by a transfer agent other than the Corporation or its employee, or by a registrar other than the Corporation or its employee, any other signature on the certificate
23
may be a facsimile signature, or may be engraved or printed. In case any officer, transfer agent or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed on the certificate shall have ceased to be an officer, transfer agent or registrar before the certificate is issued, the certificate may nevertheless be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if such person were an officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue.
Section 4.2 Lost, Stolen, Destroyed or Mutilated Certificate. The holder of any shares of stock of the Corporation shall immediately notify the Corporation and its transfer agents and registrars, if any, of any loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of the certificates representing the same. The Corporation, acting through any of its duly authorized officers or other duly authorized employees, may direct a new certificate or certificates or uncertificated shares to be issued in place of any certificate or certificates previously issued by the Corporation alleged to have been lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated, upon the filing of an affidavit of that fact by the person claiming the certificate to be lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated. When authorizing such issue of a new certificate or certificates or uncertificated shares, the Corporation may, in its discretion and as a condition precedent to the issuance thereof, require the owner of such lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated certificate or certificates, or the owner’s legal representative, to advertise the same in such manner as the Corporation shall require and/or to give the Corporation a bond in such sum and in such form as the Corporation may direct, and with a surety or sureties which the Corporation finds satisfactory, as indemnity against any claim or liability that may be made against or incurred by the Corporation and its transfer agents and registrars, if any, with respect to the certificate alleged to have been lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Section 4.3 Transfer of Stock; Certificate Cancellation. The shares of stock of the Corporation shall be transferable only upon its books by the holders thereof in person or by their duly authorized attorneys or legal representatives. Upon transfer of certificated shares, the old certificates shall be surrendered to the Corporation by the delivery thereof to the person in charge of the stock and transfer books and ledgers or to such other persons as the Board of Directors may designate, by whom they shall be cancelled and new certificates shall thereupon be issued. In the case of uncertificated shares, transfer shall be made only upon receipt of transfer documentation reasonably acceptable to the Corporation.
Section 4.4 Registered Owner. The Corporation shall be entitled to recognize the exclusive rights of a person registered on its books as the owner of shares to receive dividends, and to vote as such owner, and shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or shares on the part of any other person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by the laws of the State of Missouri.
Section 4.5 Transfer Agents and Registrars. The Board of Directors may appoint one or more transfer agents or transfer clerks and one or more registrars which may be banks, trust companies or other financial institutions located within or without the State of Missouri; may define the authority of such transfer agents and registrars of transfers; may require all stock certificates to bear the signature of a transfer agent or registrar of transfers, or both; may impose
24
such rules, regulations or procedures regarding uncertificated shares as it deems appropriate; and may change or remove any such transfer agent or registrar of transfers.
Section 4.6 Closing of Transfer Books and Fixing of Record Date. The Board of Directors shall have the power to close the transfer books of the Corporation for a period not exceeding 70 days prior to the date of any meeting of shareholders, or the date for payment of any dividend, or the date for all allotment of rights, or the date when any change or conversion or exchange of shares shall go into effect. In lieu of so closing the transfer books, the Board of Directors may fix in advance a record date for the determination of the shareholders entitled to notice of and to vote at any meeting and any adjournment or postponement thereof, or entitled to receive payment of any dividend or any allotment of rights, or entitled to exercise the rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of shares, up to 70 days prior to the date of any meeting of shareholders, or the date for the payment of any dividend, or the date for the allotment of rights, or the date when any change or conversion or exchange of shares shall go into effect. In such case only the shareholders who are shareholders of record on the date of closing the share transfer books, or on the record date so fixed, shall be entitled to receive notice of and to vote at such meeting and any adjournment or postponement thereof, or to receive payment of such dividend, or to receive such allotment of rights, or to exercise such rights, as the case may be, notwithstanding any transfer of any shares on the books of the Corporation after the date of closing of the transfer books or the record date. If the Board of Directors does not close the transfer books or set a record date for the determination of the shareholders entitled to notice of and to vote at any meeting of shareholders, only the shareholders who are shareholders of record at the close of business on the 20th day preceding the date of the meeting shall be entitled to notice of and to vote at the meeting and upon any adjournment or postponement of the meetings, except that if prior to the meeting written waivers of notice of the meeting are signed and delivered to the Corporation by all of the shareholders of record at the time the meeting is convened, only the shareholders who are shareholders of record at the time the meeting is convened shall be entitled to vote at the meeting and any adjournment or postponement of the meeting.
ARTICLE 5. INDEMNIFICATION
Section 5.1 Right of Directors and Officers to Indemnification. Each person who was or is a Director or officer of the Corporation shall be indemnified by the Corporation as a matter of right to the fullest extent permitted or authorized by applicable law and as otherwise provided in Article VIII of the Corporation’s Restated Articles of Incorporation.
The indemnification described in the preceding paragraph of this Article 5 shall pertain to all expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person who was or is a party to or who was or is involved in any proceeding by reason of acts or omissions:
(a) in such person’s capacity as or arising out of such person’s status as (i) a Director or officer of the Corporation; or (ii) a Director, officer, employee or agent of another
25
Corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise when so serving at the request of the Corporation; or
(b) in any other capacity while holding the office of either Director or officer of the Corporation.
Section 5.2 Indemnification of Employees, Agents, Etc. Each person who was or is an employee or agent of the Corporation, or who was or is serving at the request of the Corporation as a Director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise (including the heirs, executors, administrators or estate of each such person) may, at the discretion of the Board of Directors, be indemnified by the Corporation to the same extent as provided herein with respect to any person who was or is a Director or officer of the Corporation.
Section 5.3 Right of Directors and Officers to Advance of Expenses. Expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by any person who was or is a Director or officer of the Corporation in defending any proceeding (including those by or in the right of the Corporation) shall be promptly advanced by the Corporation when so requested by such person at any time and from time to time, but only if the requesting person delivers to the Corporation an undertaking to repay to the Corporation all amounts so advanced if it should ultimately be determined that the requesting person is not entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation under the “indemnification sources” as defined below, agreement, vote of shareholders or disinterested Directors or otherwise.
Section 5.4 Right of Claimant to Bring Suit. If a claim for indemnification under Section 5.1 or 5.3, respectively, is not paid in full by the Corporation within 90 or 15 days, respectively, after a written claim has been received by the Corporation, the claimant may bring suit against the Corporation to recover the unpaid amount of the claim. If the claimant is successful in whole or in part in such suit, the claimant shall also be paid the expense of prosecuting such claim.
It shall be a defense to any suit seeking indemnification under Section 5.1 of these Bylaws that the claimant has not met the standards of conduct which make it permissible (under indemnification sources, agreement, vote of shareholders or disinterested Directors or otherwise) for the Corporation to indemnify the claimant. The failure of the Corporation (through its Directors, independent legal counsel or shareholders) to make a determination before the commencement of such suit that indemnification of the claimant is proper under the circumstances (because the claimant has met the applicable standard of conduct) shall not be a defense to the claimant’s action or create a presumption that the claimant has not met the applicable standard of conduct. Similarly, an actual determination by the Corporation that the claimant has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall not be a defense to the claimant’s action nor create a presumption that the claimant has not met the applicable standard of conduct.
Section 5.5 Definitions. In this Article the following terms have the following meanings:
26
(a) The term “applicable law” means (i) Section 351.355 of The Missouri General and Business Corporation Law (other than Subsection 6 thereof and any other Subsection comparable in purpose to Subsection 6) as in effect on May 7, 1986 and as thereafter amended (but in the case of any such amendment, only to the extent such amendment permits the Corporation to provide broader indemnification rights than The Missouri General and Business Corporation Law permitted the Corporation to provide immediately prior to such amendment) and (ii) any other statutory indemnification provisions adopted after May 7, 1986.
(b) The term “Directors” or “officers” of the Corporation shall include the heirs, executors, administrators and estate of each such person who was a Director or officer, which heirs, executors, administrators and estate shall succeed to all of the indemnification and other rights of such Director or officer.
(c) The term “proceedings” shall mean any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or other proceeding (including those by or in the right of the Corporation) whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative.
(d) The term “fines” shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to any employee benefit plan.
(e) The term “indemnification sources” shall refer jointly and severally to applicable law as defined above, this Article 5 and Article VIII of the Corporation’s Restated Articles of Incorporation.
(f) The term “other enterprise” shall include employee benefit plans.
(g) The term “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 any employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries.
Section 5.6 Rights Not Exclusive. The indemnification and other rights provided by this Article and the other indemnification sources shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which a Director or officer may be entitled under any agreement, vote of shareholders or disinterested Directors or otherwise, both as to action in such person’s official capacity and as to action in any other capacity while holding the office of Director or officer, and the Corporation may, at its discretion, provide such indemnification and other rights by any agreements, vote of shareholders or disinterested Directors or otherwise.
Section 5.7 Insurance. The Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who was or is a Director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or was or is serving at the request of the Corporation as a Director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any liability asserted against or incurred by such person in any such capacity, or arising out of his or her status as such,
27
whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such liability under these Bylaws, other indemnification sources, agreement, vote of shareholders or disinterested Directors or otherwise.
Section 5.8 Enforceability; Amendment. Each person who was or is a Director or officer of the Corporation is a third party beneficiary of this Article 5 and shall be entitled to enforce against the Corporation all indemnification and other rights provided or contemplated by this Article 5.
This Article 5 may be hereafter amended or repealed; provided, however, no such amendment or repeal shall reduce, terminate or otherwise adversely affect the right of any person who was or is a Director or officer (i) to obtain indemnification or an advance of expenses with respect to a proceeding that pertains to or arises out of actions or omissions that occurred prior to the “Deadline Indemnification Date” as defined in the next paragraph of this Section, or (ii) to bring suit with respect to the foregoing under Section 5.4 hereof.
The term “Deadline Indemnification Date” means the later of (a) the effective date of any amendment or repeal of this Article 5 which reduces, terminates or otherwise adversely affects the rights hereunder of any person who was or is a Director or officer; (b) the expiration date of such person’s then current term of office with, or service for, the Corporation (provided such person has a stated term of office or service and completes such term); or (c) the effective date such person resigns his or her office or terminates his or her service (provided such person has a stated term of office or service but resigns prior to the expiration of such term).
ARTICLE 6. GENERAL PROVISIONS
Section 6.1 Dividends. The Board of Directors may declare and the Corporation may pay dividends on its outstanding shares in cash, property, or its own shares pursuant to law and subject to the provisions of its Restated Articles of Incorporation.
Section 6.2 Reserves. The Board of Directors may by resolution create a reserve or reserves out of earned surplus for any purpose or purposes, and may abolish any such reserve in the same manner.
Section 6.3 Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be fixed by resolution of the Board of Directors. In the absence of such resolution, the fiscal year of the Corporation shall be the calendar year.
Section 6.4 Corporate Seal. The corporate seal shall have inscribed thereon the name of the Corporation and may be used by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or in any manner reproduced.
Section 6.5 Examination of Books. Any shareholder of record desiring to examine the books and records of the Corporation may do so during regular business hours at the office of the Corporation where such books and records are normally kept. No such shareholder, however, may remove any such books and records from such premises, and no such shareholder shall make
28
alterations to such books or records, and in each instance of examination by such shareholder of such books or records, an officer or employee designated by an officer of the Corporation shall be present at all times during such examination, and the regular wage or salary of such officer or employee for the period of time spent in such examination shall be paid to the Corporation by such shareholder or shareholders making such examination. Notwithstanding any provision hereinabove to the contrary, no shareholder shall have the right to examine the books or the records of the Corporation if any officer of the Corporation determines, in his or her discretion, that such examination may be to the detriment or competitive disadvantage of the Corporation or if the purpose of such examination is improper.
Section 6.6 Amendments. These Bylaws may be altered, amended, or repealed, to the extent not prohibited by law or the Restated Articles of Incorporation, by the Board of Directors.
Section 6.7 Provisions Additional to Provisions of Law. All restrictions, limitations, requirements and other provisions of these Bylaws shall be construed, insofar as possible, as supplemental and additional to all provisions of law applicable to the subject matter thereof and shall be fully complied with in addition to the said provisions of law unless such compliance shall be illegal.
Section 6.8 Provisions Contrary to Provisions of Law. Any portion of these Bylaws which, upon being construed in the manner provided in Section 6.7 hereof, shall be contrary to or inconsistent with any applicable provisions of law, shall not apply so long as said provisions of law remain in effect, but such result shall not affect the validity or applicability of any other portion of these Bylaws, it being hereby declared that these Bylaws and each portion thereof would have been adopted, irrespective of the fact that any portion is illegal.
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PROTECTED BYLAWS
The following bylaws have been designated by the Corporation’s Board of Directors as Protected Bylaws in accordance with Article IX, Section 2 of the Corporation’s Restated Articles of Incorporation:
| ARTICLE 1 |
| Section 1.1 — Annual Meeting – Date, Place and Time |
| Section 1.2 — Business at Annual Meetings |
| Section 1.3 — Special Meetings |
| Section 1.4 — Quorum |
| Section 1.6 — No Cumulative Voting |
| Section 1.7 — Procedure |
| ARTICLE 2 |
| Section 2.1 — Number, Election, Removal and Vacancies |
| Section 2.2 — Advance Notice of Nominations |
| Section 2.3 — Qualification |
| Section 2.4 — Regular and Special Directors’ Meetings |
| Section 2.6 — Committees |
| ARTICLE 5 |
| All Sections |
| ARTICLE 6 |
| Section 6.6 — Amendments |
Last Reviewed: November 9, 2021
February 22, 2023
Last Revised: November 9, 2021
February 22, 2023
30
Exhibit 10.1
SUMMARY SHEET OF DIRECTOR COMPENSATION
The following summary sets forth annual rates of cash and equity compensation for non-management directors, as adopted at the May 25, 2021 and November 17, 2022 Board meetings.
| Compensation Item
|
Annual Compensation Rates Approved May 25, 2021
|
Annual Compensation Rates Approved November 17, 2022
|
||||||
|
Cash Compensation
|
||||||||
|
Board Retainer |
$ |
90,000 |
|
$ |
100,000 |
| ||
|
Audit Committee |
||||||||
|
Chair Retainer |
$ |
25,000 |
|
$ |
25,000 |
| ||
|
Member Retainer |
$ |
10,000 |
|
$ |
10,000 |
| ||
|
Human Resources & Compensation Committee |
||||||||
|
Chair Retainer |
$ |
20,000 |
|
$ |
20,000 |
| ||
|
Member Retainer |
$ |
8,000 |
|
$ |
8,000 |
| ||
|
Nominating, Governance & Sustainability Committee |
||||||||
|
Chair Retainer |
$ |
15,000 |
|
$ |
15,000 |
| ||
|
Member Retainer |
$ |
7,000 |
|
$ |
7,000 |
| ||
| Equity Compensation—Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units | ||||||||
|
Director Retainer |
$ |
150,000 |
|
$ |
160,000 |
| ||
|
Lead Director, Additional Retainer1 |
$ |
125,000 |
|
$ |
TBD |
| ||
|
Chairman of the Board, Additional Retainer1
|
$
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n/a
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TBD
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| 1 | The Lead Director and Chairman of the Board additional equity retainers are expected to be determined at the May 2023 Board Meeting. |
Directors may defer their cash compensation by participating in the Company’s Deferred Compensation Program, effective November 6, 2017 (filed November 9, 2017 as Exhibit 10.6 to the Company’s Form 8-K).
Directors may receive the equity component of their compensation in restricted stock or restricted stock units (“RSUs”). In either case, the awards generally vest on the day preceding the following year’s annual meeting of shareholders. Vesting accelerates in the event of death, disability or, if the director’s service is terminated upon a change in control of the Company. Historically, the number of shares or units awarded has been calculated by dividing the dollar value of the award by the closing price of the Company’s stock on the grant date. For the 2021 grant on May 25, 2021, the Board determined the number of shares or units granted by dividing the dollar value of the award by the closing price of the Company’s stock on the grant date. For the 2022 and 2023 grants, respectively, the Board determined the number of shares by dividing the dollar value by the average closing price per share of the Company’s stock for the 10 trading days following the prior year fourth quarter earnings release.
RSUs are settled in shares of common stock and earn dividend equivalents at a 20% discount to the market price of Company stock on the dividend payment date. Directors may elect to defer settlement of the RSU award for 2 to 10 years after the grant date.
The Company pays for travel expenses incurred by the directors to attend Board meetings. Our management directors do not receive compensation for their Board service.
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Exhibit 10.2
SUMMARY SHEET OF EXECUTIVE CASH COMPENSATION
This Summary Sheet contains (i) the 2022 annual base salary rates and target percentages under the Key Officers Incentive Plan (“KOIP”) for J. Mitchell Dolloff and Karl G. Glassman adopted on November 9, 2021; (ii) the 2022 annual base salary rates and target percentages under the KOIP for the named executive officers other than Mr. Dolloff and Mr. Glassman adopted on February 21, 2022; and (iii) the 2023 annual base salary rates and target percentages under the KOIP for our named executive officers adopted on February 22, 2023.
| Named Executive Officers |
2022 Annual Base Salary Rate |
2023 Annual Base Salary Rate |
||||||
| J. Mitchell Dolloff, President & CEO |
$ | 1,120,000 | $ | 1,120,000 | ||||
| Karl G. Glassman1, Executive Chairman |
$ | 750,000 | $ | 750,000 | ||||
| Jeffrey L. Tate, EVP & CFO |
$ | 618,000 | $ | 627,000 | ||||
| J. Tyson Hagale, EVP, President – Bedding Products |
$ | 525,000 | $ | 560,000 | ||||
| Steven K. Henderson, EVP, President – Specialized Products |
$ | 552,000 | $ | 560,000 | ||||
| Scott S. Douglas, SVP- General Counsel & Secretary |
$ | 494,400 | $ | 502,000 | ||||
1Mr. Glassman will receive a base salary through his anticipated retirement date of May 4, 2023.
The named executive officers were eligible to receive an annual cash incentive for 2022, and will be eligible to receive an annual cash incentive for 2023 under the 2020 KOIP (filed February 19, 2020 as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K) in accordance with the KOIP Award Formulas adopted for each respective year. The 2022 KOIP Award Formula is attached as Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed February 24, 2022. The 2023 KOIP Award Formula has not yet been adopted. The cash award for 2022 was calculated by multiplying the executive’s annual base salary at the end of the KOIP plan year by a percentage set by the Committee (the “Target Percentage”), then applying the award formula adopted by the Human Resources and Compensation Committee for that year. The Award Formula in 2022 established two performance criteria: (i) Return on Capital Employed (60% Relative Weight) and (ii) Cash Flow, or Free Cash Flow for Mr. Hagale and Mr. Henderson (40% Relative Weight).
The Target Percentages for 2022 and 2023 for our named executive officers are shown in the following table.
| Named Executive Officers |
2022 KOIP Target Percentage |
2023 KOIP Target Percentage |
||||||
| J. Mitchell Dolloff, President & CEO |
125% | 125% | ||||||
| Karl G. Glassman1, Executive Chairman |
100% | 100% | ||||||
| Jeffrey L. Tate, EVP & CFO |
80% | 80% | ||||||
| J. Tyson Hagale, EVP, President – Bedding Products |
80% | 80% | ||||||
| Steven K. Henderson, EVP, President – Specialized Products and Furniture, Flooring & Textile Products |
80% | 80% | ||||||
| Scott S. Douglas, SVP – General Counsel & Secretary |
70% | 70% | ||||||
1Mr. Glassman will be eligible to receive an incentive payment under the KOIP prorated through
his anticipated retirement date of May 4, 2023.
The Company changed its vehicle policy resulting in the loss of use of a Company vehicle by each of the named executive officers. As part of this change, the Company approved cash payments of $800 per month for a 12-month period in lieu of use of the vehicles (beginning in the month the executive returned the vehicle to the Company, which was no later than September 30, 2022).
Exhibit 10.5
SEVERANCE BENEFIT AGREEMENT
This Severance Benefit Agreement (the “Agreement”) is made as of February 22, 2023 between Leggett & Platt, Incorporated, 1 Leggett Road, Carthage, Missouri 64836 (the “Company”) and J. Tyson Hagale (the “Executive”), residing at [ ].
RECITALS
The Executive functions as Executive Vice President, President – Bedding Products of the Company on the date hereof and is one of the key employees of the Company.
The Company considers the maintenance of sound and vital management essential to protecting and enhancing the best interests of the Company and its shareholders. In this connection, the Company recognizes that in today’s business environment the possibility of a change in control of the Company may exist in the future. The Company further recognizes that such possibility, and the uncertainty which it may raise among key executives, could result in the departure or distraction of key executives to the detriment of the Company and its shareholders.
Accordingly, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) has determined that appropriate steps should be taken (i) to further induce the Executive to remain with the Company and (ii) to reinforce and encourage the continued attention and dedication of the Executive to his assigned duties without distraction in the face of potentially disturbing circumstances arising from the possibility of a change in control of the Company.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and the Executive agree as follows:
| 1. | Change in Control. |
1.1 Change in Control. The Company shall be required to provide certain benefits to the Executive to the extent required under the terms of this Agreement following each and every “Change in Control” of the Company.
1.2 Definition. A “Change in Control” of the Company shall be deemed to have occurred if:
(a) There is any change in control as contemplated by (i) Item 6(e) of Schedule 14A, Regulation 14A, promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) or (ii) Item 5.01 of Form 8-K promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Exchange Act; or
(b) Any “person” (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act) is or becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of 40% or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding voting securities; or
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(c) Those persons serving as directors of the Company on the date of this Agreement (the “Original Directors”) and/or their Successors do not constitute a majority of the whole Board of Directors of the Company (the term “Successors” shall mean those directors whose election or nomination for election by the Company’s shareholders has been approved by the vote of at least two-thirds of the Original Directors and previously qualified Successors serving as directors of the Company at the time of such election or nomination for election); or
(d) The Company shall be a party to a merger or consolidation with another corporation and as a result of such merger or consolidation, less than 65% of the outstanding voting securities of the surviving or resulting corporation shall be owned in the aggregate by the former shareholders of the Company as the same shall have existed immediately prior to such merger or consolidation; or
(e) The Company liquidates, sells, or otherwise transfers all or substantially all of its assets to a person not controlled by the Company both immediately prior to and immediately after such sale; or
(f) The Company (i) enters into an agreement, including a letter of intent, which contemplates the occurrence of a Change of Control (as described in Subsections 1.2(a)-(e)) or (ii) the Company or any person publicly announces an intention to take actions which, if consummated, would result in a Change in Control (as described in Subsections 1.2(a)-(e)). A Change in Control under this Subsection 1.2(f) will no longer be in effect once the Board adopts a resolution making a good faith determination that a Change in Control under this Subsection 1.2(f) is no longer pending (except that such a resolution shall not be effective against a termination by the Executive under Section 2.4 prior to the Board adopting the resolution).
| 2. | Termination of Employment Following a Change in Control |
2.1 General. During the 24 month period immediately following each and every Change in Control (the “Protected Period”), the Executive and the Company shall comply with all provisions of this Section 2 regarding termination of the Executive’s employment. This Agreement shall have no application to any termination of the Executive’s employment outside the Protected Period.
2.2 Termination for Total Disability. The Company may terminate the Executive’s employment during the Protected Period due to the Executive’s Total Disability. “Total Disability” means the Executive’s inability to perform substantially all of his material duties with the Company for a continuous period of six or more months due to illness or injury. During any period prior to his termination of employment that the Executive is unable to substantially perform his duties with the Company as a result of illness or injury, the Company shall continue to pay the Executive his full base salary at the rate then in effect and any bonuses earned by the Executive under Company bonus plans until such time as the Executive’s employment is terminated by the Company for Total Disability. In no event, however, shall such period of continued pay and bonus
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exceed 29 consecutive months. Following termination of employment under this Section 2.2, the Executive’s benefits shall be determined in accordance with the Company’s long term disability program as in effect on the date hereof, or any successor program then in effect.
2.3 Termination by Company for Cause. The Company may terminate the Executive’s employment during the Protected Period for “Cause,” which shall be limited to the following:
(a) The Executive’s conviction of any crime involving money or other property of the Company or any of its affiliates (including entering any plea bargain admitting criminal guilt), or a conviction of any other crime (whether or not involving the Company or any of its affiliates) that constitutes a felony in the jurisdiction involved; or
(b) The Executive’s willful breach of the Company’s Code of Business Conduct (or any successor policy) which causes significant injury to the Company; or
(c) The Executive’s willful breach of the Company’s Financial Code of Ethics (or any successor policy) which causes significant injury to the Company; or
(d) The Executive’s willful act or omission involving fraud, misappropriation, or dishonesty that (i) causes significant injury to the Company or (ii) results in a material personal enrichment to the Executive at the expense of the Company; or
(e) The Executive’s willful violation of specific written directions of the Board provided that such directions are consistent with this Agreement and the Executive’s duties and do not constitute Company Action as defined in Section 2.4, and provided that such violation continues following the Executive’s receipt of written notice by the Board specifying the specific acts or omissions alleged to constitute such violation and such violation continues after affording the Executive reasonable opportunity to remedy such failure after receipt of such notice; or
(f) The Executive’s continued, repeated, willful failure to substantially perform his duties; provided, however, that no discharge shall be deemed for Cause under this subsection (f) unless the Executive first receives written notice from the Board advising the Executive of specific acts or omissions alleged to constitute a failure to perform his duties, and such failure continues after the Executive has had a reasonable opportunity to correct the acts or omissions so complained of.
No act or failure to act on the Executive’s part shall be considered “willful” unless done, or omitted to be done, by the Executive without reasonable belief that his action or omission was in the best interest of the Company. Moreover, the Executive’s employment shall not be terminated for Cause unless and until there shall have been delivered to the Executive a Notice of Termination duly adopted by the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the directors of the Board at a meeting of the Board (after reasonable notice to the Executive and an opportunity for the Executive, together with his counsel, to be heard before the Board), finding that in the good faith opinion of the Board the Executive was in violation of Section 2.3(a), (b), (c), (d), (e) or (f) and specifying the particulars thereof in detail.
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A termination shall not be deemed for Cause if, for example, the termination results from the Company’s determination that the Executive’s position is redundant or unnecessary or that the Executive’s performance is unsatisfactory or if the termination stems from the Executive’s refusal to agree to or accept any Company Action described in Section 2.4.
2.4 Termination by Executive for Good Reason. The Executive may terminate his employment during the Protected Period for “Good Reason” by giving notice of termination to the Company following (i) any Company Action or (ii) receipt of notice from the Company of the Company’s intention to take any such Company Action.
“Company Actions” which may lead to a termination of employment for Good Reason (collectively and severally) are as follows:
(a) A reduction by the Company in the Executive’s base salary as in effect immediately prior to the Change in Control; or
(b) A change in the Executive’s reporting responsibilities, titles or offices as in effect immediately prior to a Change in Control that results in a material diminution within the Company of title, authority or responsibility; or
(c) The assignment to the Executive of any duties or responsibilities that, in any material aspect, are inconsistent with the Executive’s duties and responsibilities with the Company immediately prior to the Change in Control; or
(d) A material reduction in target annual incentive opportunity as in effect immediately prior to the Change in Control, expressed as a percentage of base salary; or
(e) A requirement by the Company that the Executive be based or perform his duties more than 50 miles from his principal work location immediately prior to the Change in Control, except for required travel on the Company’s business to an extent substantially consistent with the Executive’s business travel obligations immediately prior to the Change in Control or, if the Executive consents in writing to any relocation, the failure by the Company to pay (or reimburse the Executive for) all reasonable expenses incurred by him relating to a change of his principal residence in connection with such relocation; or
(f) A material reduction in annual target value of long-term incentive awards as in effect immediately prior to the Change in Control (with the value determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting standards); or
(g) A failure by the Company to obtain the assumption agreement to perform this Agreement by any successor as contemplated by Section 6 of this Agreement; or
(i) Any purported termination of the Executive’s employment by the Company for Total Disability or for Cause that is not carried out (i) pursuant to a Notice of Termination which satisfies the requirements of Section 2.5 and (ii) in accordance with
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Section 2.3, if applicable; and for purposes of this Agreement, no such purported termination shall be effective.
2.5 Notice of Termination. Any purported termination by the Company of the Executive’s employment during the Protected Period shall be communicated by a written “Notice of Termination” delivered to the other party.
(a) A Notice of Termination by the Company under Section 2.2 (Total Disability) or 2.3 (for Cause) shall set forth, in reasonable detail, the facts and circumstances claimed to provide a basis for termination of employment under the applicable Section.
(b) A Notice of Termination by the Executive under Section 2.4 (Good Reason) shall be delivered no later than 90 days from the date of the Company Actions upon which the termination is based and shall set forth, in reasonable detail, the facts and circumstances claimed to provide a basis for termination of employment.
2.6 Date of Termination. The date the Executive’s employment is terminated under Section 2 of this Agreement is the “Date of Termination.” In cases of Total Disability, the Date of Termination shall be 30 days after Notice of Termination is delivered (provided that the Executive shall not have returned to the performance of his duties on a full-time basis during such 30 day period). If the Executive’s employment is terminated for Cause, the Date of Termination shall be the date specified in the Notice of Termination. If the Executive’s employment is terminated for Good Reason, the Date of Termination shall be the date specified in the Notice of Termination, which shall be between 30 and 60 days following delivery of the Notice of Termination; provided, if, within 30 days of receipt of such notice, the Company takes such appropriate actions as are necessary to correct, reverse or cure the Company Actions that the Executive identifies as causing Good Reason, then no Good Reason shall have occurred and the Notice of Termination shall be deemed withdrawn. For any other termination by the Company or the Executive, the Date of Termination shall be 30 days after the Notice of Termination is delivered.
Any dispute by a party hereto regarding a Notice of Termination delivered to such party must be conveyed to the other party within 30 days after the Notice of Termination is given. If the particulars of the dispute are not conveyed within the 30 day period, then the disputing party’s claims regarding the Notice of Termination shall be forever deemed waived.
| 3. | Benefits upon Termination of Employment |
3.1 General. If, during the Protected Period following each Change in Control, the Executive’s employment is terminated either (i) by the Company (other than for Total Disability or Cause) or (ii) by the Executive for Good Reason, then the Executive shall be entitled to the benefits provided in this Section 3 (collectively and severally “Termination Benefits”). The Company’s obligation to pay the Termination Benefits are subject to Executive’s compliance with Section 5 (Non-Competition) and Section 7.9 (Release).
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3.2 Base Salary Through Date of Termination. The Company shall pay the Executive his full base salary through the Date of Termination under the Company’s regular payroll procedures and at the rate in effect at the time notice of termination is given. The Company shall give the Executive credit for any vacation earned but not taken and pay such amount at the time that any bonus is paid under Section 3.3.
3.3 Pro Rata Bonus for Year of Termination. The Company shall pay the Executive a bonus under the Company’s Key Officers Incentive Plan (together with any successor plans, the “Bonus Plan”) for the year in which his employment terminates, which bonus shall be (i) based upon the results achieved for the Company or applicable profit centers under the Bonus Plan for the year and (ii) prorated for the number of days during the year prior to the Date of Termination. Such amount shall be paid when bonuses are required to be paid under the Bonus Plan but not before 6 months after the Executive’s termination of employment, if and to the extent required to avoid a tax under Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the “Code”).
3.4 Severance Payments. The Company shall pay the Executive:
(a) aggregate severance payments equal to 200% of his annual base salary in effect at the time of the Change in Control, plus
(b) additional aggregate severance payments equal to 200% of the Executive’s target bonus amount (which is expressed as a percentage of his annual base salary and is currently 80%) in effect at the time of the Change in Control under the Bonus Plan.
The severance payments in subsection (a) and subsection (b) shall each be made in equal, consecutive bi-weekly installments over the course of 24 months following the Date of Termination.
3.5 Welfare Plans and Fringe Benefits.
(a) For purposes of this Section 3.5, welfare plans and fringe benefit programs include health, disability, life, salary continuance prior to disability, automobile usage, and any other fringe benefit or welfare plan arrangement in which the Executive was entitled to participate immediately prior to the Date of Termination.
(b) The Company shall maintain in full force, for the continued benefit of the Executive for 24 months after the Date of Termination, at the same cost to the Executive as is charged to similarly situated active employees, all welfare plans and fringe benefit programs (including health plan, disability insurance, and life insurance, including any applicable spouse and eligible dependent coverage) that the Company is able to provide under the terms of its plans, programs, and applicable policies and that may be provided to the Executive as a former employee on a tax-free basis under the Code and without the Company incurring a tax under Code Section 4980D; provided, however, that the Company may require the Executive to elect coverage pursuant to COBRA as condition to continuing medical plan coverage, if and to the extent the Executive is eligible for COBRA.
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(c) To the extent that any welfare plan or fringe benefit program cannot be maintained under Section 3.5(b) on a tax-free basis to the Executive under the applicable provisions of the Code, the Company shall maintain such benefits that the Company is able to provide under the terms of its plans, programs, and applicable policies without the Company incurring a tax under Code Section 4980D, at the same cost to the Executive as is charged to similarly situated active employees, for the period, if any, that is recognized under Code Section 409A as not resulting in a deferral of compensation, but in no event beyond 24 months.
(d) To the extent any welfare plan or fringe benefit program cannot be provided for 24 months from the Date of Termination under Sections 3.5(b) and (c), the Executive shall be entitled to bi-weekly cash payments that equal (i) the Company’s cost of coverage in the case of welfare plans and (ii) the premiums, if any, in the case of fringe benefit programs, and (iii) the value of any other benefits that would have been provided during such period. At the close of the 24 month period, any assignable insurance policy owned by the Company and relating solely to the Executive shall be assigned to the Executive.
3.6 Retirement Plans.
(a) The Company shall pay the Executive an “Additional Retirement Benefit” equal to the additional benefit the Executive would have been entitled to under the Company’s Retirement Plans in effect immediately prior to a Change in Control had the Executive accumulated 24 additional months of continuous service (following the Date of Termination) under such Retirement Plans both for purposes of determining eligibility for benefits and for purposes of calculating the Additional Retirement Benefit. If any Retirement Plan requires contributions by participants, the Additional Retirement Benefit shall be reduced to reflect the absence of contributions by the Executive and any matching contribution that would be contingent upon the Executive’s contributions shall be calculated as if the Executive made the maximum contribution allowable under the terms of such Retirement Plan. Where the Executive’s contribution for a given Retirement Plan is calculated by reference to salary and/or bonus, the Additional Retirement Benefit shall be calculated by reference to the Executive’s annual salary in effect on the Date of Termination and the bonus payout percentage achieved for the year of service preceding the Date of Termination, without adjustment for any future year increases that may have occurred absent the termination.
(b) For purposes of this Section 3.6, “Retirement Plans” are (i) any savings or retirement plan sponsored by the Company that is intended to be tax-qualified under Code section 401(a), and any arrangements that make up benefits that are not provided under such tax-qualified plans because of compensation or benefit limits under the terms of such plans or the Code, (ii) the Executive Stock Unit Program, and (iii) any deferred compensation program in which the Executive participates that is adopted after the effective date of this agreement that is intended to provide for retirement savings. For any Retirement Plan that is a defined benefit pension plan, the Additional Retirement Benefit shall be determined using the same interest rate and mortality factor that apply for determining actuarial equivalence in the applicable plans.
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3.7 Termination Which Does Not Require Payment of Termination Benefits. No Termination Benefits shall be provided by the Company to the Executive under this Section 3 if the Executive’s employment is terminated:
(a) By his death; or
(b) By the Executive other than for Good Reason; or
(c) By the Company for Total Disability or for Cause under this Agreement.
3.8 Modified Cutback. If the Executive is entitled to Termination Benefits under this Agreement and other payments and/or benefits in connection with a change of ownership or effective control of the Company covered by §280G of the Code, as amended (collectively the “Company Payments”), and if such Company Payments would otherwise equal or exceed 300% of the Executive’s base amount as defined in §280G(b)(3) of the Code (the “Threshold Amount”), then the amount of the Company Payments will be reduced to an amount that is less than such Threshold Amount, but only if and to the extent such reduction will also result in, after taking into account all taxes, including any income taxes (together with any interest or penalties thereon) and any excise tax pursuant to Code §4999, a greater after-tax benefit to the Executive than the after-tax benefit to the Executive of the Company Payments computed without regard to any such reduction. If Company Payments must be reduced, the order of reduction shall be in accordance with Code Section 409A and unless otherwise required to satisfy Code Section 409A, (a) the amount of severance payable to the Executive under Section 3.4 of this Agreement shall be subject to reduction first, followed by payments under Section 3.5 of this Agreement, followed by cash payments under Section 3.6 of this Agreement, followed by any other cash payments that are not attributable to accelerated vesting or payment of Company stock, stock units or stock options, followed by payments under this Agreement that are not subject to Section 409A, followed by payments that are attributable to accelerated vesting or payment of Company stock, stock units or stock options, and (b) subject to the order of reductions specified in Subsection (a), the payments that would otherwise be made latest in time shall be reduced first and payments that would be otherwise be made at the same time shall be reduced pro rata.
To the extent requested by the Executive, the Company shall cooperate with the Executive in valuing services provided by the Executive (including, without limitation, the Executive refraining from performing services pursuant to a covenant not compete) before, on or after a change in ownership or control of the Company (within the meaning of §280G of the Code), such that payments in respect of such services may be considered reasonable compensation and/or exempt from the definition of “parachute payment” within §280G of the Code.
| 4. | No Obligation to Mitigate |
The Termination Benefits provided under Section 3 shall not be treated as damages, but rather shall be treated as severance compensation to which the Executive is entitled. The Executive shall not be required to mitigate the amount of any Termination Benefit provided under Section 3 by seeking other employment or otherwise; provided, however, any health welfare and fringe
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benefits that the Executive may receive from full time employment by a third person shall be applied against and reduce any such benefits thereafter to be made available to the Executive under Section 3.5.
| 5. | Non-Competition |
For two years after the Termination Date, the Executive shall not directly or indirectly (i) engage in any Competitive Activity, (ii) solicit orders from or seek or propose to do business with any customer of the Company or its subsidiaries or affiliates (collectively, the “Companies”) relating to any Competitive Activity, or (iii) influence or attempt to influence any employee, representative or advisor of the Companies to terminate his or her employment or relationship with the Companies. “Competitive Activity” means any manufacture, sale, distribution, engineering, design, promotion or other activity that competes with any business of the Companies in which the Executive was involved as an employee, consultant or agent.
If the Executive violates the preceding paragraph, then the Company’s sole remedy shall be to cease payment of any further Termination Benefits after the date of such violation. If any restriction in this Section is deemed unenforceable, then the parties contemplate that the appropriate court will reduce the scope or other provisions and enforce the restrictions set out in this section in their reduced form.
The restrictive covenants in this Section are in addition to any other restrictive covenants of the Executive, and are not in lieu of or modifications to such other restrictive covenants.
| 6. | Timing of Payments |
The taxable payments and taxable benefits in Sections 3.4 and 3.5 shall commence 6 months after the Date of Termination, at which date he shall receive a lump sum of installments and benefits which accrued from the Date of Termination through the date of such lump sum payment. Additional Retirement Benefits under Section 3.6 shall be paid in a lump sum 6 months after the Date of Termination; provided, however, that in the case of a Retirement Plan that is not a tax-qualified plan, payment shall be made at such later date or event that is specified in such plan if the payment time or event is one described in Code Section 409A(a)(2)(A). Any coverage and benefits pursuant to Section 3.5 that are not taxable to the Executive shall commence within 60 days following the Date of Termination and the coverage or benefits shall be retroactive to the Date of Termination.
| 7. | Successor; Binding Agreement |
The Company will require any successor (whether direct or indirect, by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company to expressly assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform it if no such succession had taken place. The assumption shall be by agreement in form and substance satisfactory to the Executive. Failure of the Company to obtain such agreement prior to the effectiveness of any such succession shall entitle the Executive to terminate his employment for Good Reason as provided in Section 2.4(h).
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As used in the Agreement “Company” means the Company as previously defined and any successor to its business and/or assets which executes and delivers the agreement provided for in this Section 7 or which otherwise becomes bound by all the terms and provisions of this Agreement by operation of law.
This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the Executive’s personal or legal representatives, executors, administrators, successors, heirs, distributes, devisees and legatees, but the Executive may not assign this Agreement. If the Executive should die while any amount would still be payable to him hereunder if he had continued to live, all such amounts, unless otherwise provided herein, shall be paid in accordance with the terms of this Agreement to his devisee, legatee or other designee or, if there be no such designee, to his estate.
| 8. | Miscellaneous |
8.1 Notice. All notices, elections, waivers and all other communications provided for in this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given when delivered or mailed by United States certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed to the respective addresses set forth on the first page of this Agreement, or to such other address as either party may have furnished to the other in writing in accordance herewith, except that notices of change of address shall be effective only upon receipt.
8.2 No Waiver. No provisions of this Agreement may be modified, waived or discharged unless such waiver, modification or discharge is agreed to in writing, signed by the Executive and an officer of the Company. No waiver by either party at any time of any breach by the other party of, or compliance with, any condition or provision of this Agreement to be performed by such other party shall be deemed a waiver of similar or dissimilar provisions or conditions at the same or at any prior or subsequent time. No agreements or representations, oral or otherwise, express or implied, with respect to the subject matter hereof have been made by either party which are not set forth expressly in this Agreement.
8.3 Enforceability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provisions of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision of this Agreement, which shall remain in full force and effect.
8.4 Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Missouri.
8.5 Disputes. Any dispute or controversy arising under or in connection with this Agreement shall be settled by arbitration in accordance with the Commercial Arbitration Rules procedures of the American Arbitration Association. If, at any time after 90 days from the Date of Termination, the Executive and the Company have not resolved any dispute or controversy arising under or in connection with this Agreement, either the Executive or the Company may notify the other of an intent to seek arbitration. Arbitration shall occur before a single arbitrator in the State of Missouri; provided, however, that if the parties cannot agree on the selection of such arbitrator within 30 days after the matter is referred to arbitration, each party shall select one arbitrator and those arbitrators shall jointly designate a third arbitrator to comprise a panel of three arbitrators.
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The decision of the arbitrator shall be rendered in writing, shall be final, and may be entered as a judgment in any court in the State of Missouri. The Company and the Executive each irrevocably consent to the jurisdiction of the federal and state courts located in the State of Missouri for this purpose. The Company shall pay, within 30 days of receipt of the arbitrator’s decision, all costs and expenses in connection with any arbitration under this Section 8.5, including without limitation all reasonable legal fees incurred by Executive in connection with such arbitration; provided, however, the Company shall not be obligated to pay unless the Executive prevails on the majority of the dollar amount at issue in the dispute.
8.6 Sections; Captions. All references in this Agreement to Sections refer to the applicable Sections of this Agreement. References in this Agreement to a given Section (e.g., Section 3) shall, unless the context requires otherwise, refer to all parts of such Section. The captions have been placed in this Agreement for ease of reference only. They shall not be used in the interpretation of this Agreement.
8.7 Term of Agreement. This Agreement shall continue in force so long as the Executive remains employed by the Company or any successor and shall apply to any Change in Control that occurs while the Executive remains so employed; provided, however, (i) the Agreement may be modified by the mutual agreement of the parties from time to time, including modifications to take into account changes in law, and (ii) the Company or the Executive shall have the right to unilaterally terminate this Agreement upon 1 year written notice to the other party, so long as a Protected Period is not in effect.
8.8 Limited Right of Offset. Effective upon a Change in Control, the Company waives, and will not assert, any right to set off the amount of any claims, liabilities, damages or losses the Company may have against the Executive under this Agreement or otherwise if (i) the Executive’s employment is terminated by the Company without Cause, or (ii) the Executive terminates his employment for Good Reason.
8.9. Release. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Executive shall receive payments and benefits under this Agreement only if the Executive timely executes, returns to the Company, and does not revoke a release and covenant not to sue agreement, in a form reasonably acceptable to the Executive and the Company’s legal counsel. The Company shall provide such agreement to the Executive in sufficient time so that if the Executive executes and returns the agreement to the Company within the time period permitted by the Company, the revocation period provided in the agreement will expire before the payments and benefits under this Agreement are required to commence pursuant to Section 6.
8.10 Successive Changes in Control. A separate Change in Control shall be deemed to have occurred with each occurrence of any event described in subsections (a) through (f) of Section 1.2. This Agreement pertains to each and every Change in Control, including successive Changes in Control involving the same controlling person(s).
8.11 Interpretation of Agreement and Application of Code Section 409A. This Agreement is intended to conform to the requirements of Code Section 409A and shall be interpreted accordingly. For such purposes, any stream of payments due under this Agreement
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shall be treated as a series of separate payments. The Executive shall be deemed to have terminated employment for purposes of this Agreement only if he has incurred a termination of employment that constitutes a “separation for service” within the meaning of Code Section 409A.
8.12 Withholding. The Company may withhold all federal, state, and local income and employment taxes relating to Termination Benefits as required under applicable laws and regulations.
8.13 Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Agreement has been signed as of the day and year first above written.
| EXECUTIVE: |
LEGGETT & PLATT, INCORPORATED | |||||
| /s/ J. Tyson Hagale |
By: |
/s/J. Mitchell Dolloff | ||||
| J. Tyson Hagale |
J. Mitchell Dolloff President & CEO | |||||
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Document and Entity Information |
Feb. 21, 2023 |
|---|---|
| Cover [Abstract] | |
| Entity Registrant Name | LEGGETT & PLATT INC |
| Amendment Flag | false |
| Entity Central Index Key | 0000058492 |
| Current Fiscal Year End Date | --12-31 |
| Document Type | 8-K |
| Document Period End Date | Feb. 21, 2023 |
| Entity Incorporation State Country Code | MO |
| Entity File Number | 001-07845 |
| Entity Tax Identification Number | 44-0324630 |
| Entity Address, Address Line One | No. 1 Leggett Road |
| Entity Address, City or Town | Carthage |
| Entity Address, State or Province | MO |
| Entity Address, Postal Zip Code | 64836 |
| City Area Code | 417 |
| Local Phone Number | 358-8131 |
| Written Communications | false |
| Soliciting Material | false |
| Pre Commencement Tender Offer | false |
| Pre Commencement Issuer Tender Offer | false |
| Security 12b Title | Common Stock, $.01 par value |
| Trading Symbol | LEG |
| Security Exchange Name | NYSE |
| Entity Emerging Growth Company | false |
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