EX-3.18 17 k12696exv3w18.txt TITAN TIRE CORP OF BRYAN BYLAWS Exhibit 3.18 BYLAWS OF TITAN TIRE CORPORATION OF BRYAN ARTICLE I OFFICES The principal office of the corporation shall be located in Bryan, Ohio. The corporation may have such other offices, either within or without the State of Ohio, as the business of the corporation may require from time to time. The registered office of the corporation required by Ohio Business Corporation Act (the "Act") to be maintained in the State of Ohio may be, but need not be, identical with the principal office in the State of Illinois, and the address of the registered office may be changed from time to time by the board of directors. ARTICLE II SHAREHOLDERS SECTION 1. ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the shareholders shall be held on the fourth Thursday in May in each year, beginning in 2007, at 10:00 a.m., for the purpose of electing directors and for the transaction of such other business as may come before the meeting. If the day fixed for the annual meeting shall be a legal holiday, such meeting shall be held on the first preceding business day. If the election of directors shall not be held on the day designated herein for any annual meeting, or at any adjournment thereof, the board of directors shall cause the election to be held at a meeting of the shareholders as soon thereafter as conveniently may be. SECTION 2. SPECIAL MEETINGS. Special meetings of the shareholders may be called by the president, by the board of directors or by the holders of not less than one-fifth of all the outstanding shares of the corporation entitled to vote. SECTION 3. PLACE OF MEETING. The board of directors may designate any place, either within or without the State of Ohio, as the place of meeting for any annual meeting or for any special meeting called by the board of directors. A waiver of notice signed by all shareholders may designate any place, either within or without the State of Ohio, as the place for the holding of such meeting. If no designation is made, or if a special meeting be otherwise called, the place of meeting shall be the registered office of the corporation in the State of Ohio, except as otherwise provided in Section 5 of this article. SECTION 4. NOTICE OF MEETING. Written or printed notice stating the place, day and hour of the meeting, and in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called, shall be delivered not less than ten nor more than sixty days before the date of the meeting, or in the case of a merger, consolidation, share exchange, dissolution or sale, lease or exchange of assets not less than twenty nor more than sixty days before the meeting, either personally or by mail, by or at the direction of the president, or the secretary, or the officer or persons calling the meeting, to each shareholder of record entitled to vote at such meeting. If mailed, such notice shall be deemed to be delivered when deposited in the United States mail, addressed to the shareholder at his/her address as it appears on the records of the corporation, with postage thereon prepaid. SECTION 5. MEETING OF ALL SHAREHOLDERS. If all the shareholders shall meet at any time and place, either within or without the State of Ohio, and consent to the holding of a meeting at such time and place, such meeting shall be valid without call or notice, and at such meeting any corporate action may be taken. SECTION 6. CLOSING OF TRANSFER BOOKS, OR FIXING OF RECORD DATE. For the purpose of determining shareholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of shareholders, or shareholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend, or in order to make a determination of shareholders of any other proper purpose, the board of directors of the corporation may provide that the stock transfer books shall be closed for a stated period but not to exceed, in any case, sixty days. If the stock transfer books shall be closed for the purpose of determining shareholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of shareholders, such books shall be closed for at least ten days, or in the case of a merger, consolidation, share exchange, dissolution or sale, lease or exchange of assets, at least twenty days, immediately preceding such meeting. In lieu of closing the stock transfer books, the board of directors may fix in advance a date as the record date for any such determination of shareholders, such date in any case to be not more than sixty days and, for a meeting of shareholders, not less than ten days, or in the case of merger, consolidation, share exchange, dissolution or sale, lease ro exchange of assets, not less than twenty days, immediately preceding such meeting. If the stock transfer books are not closed and no record date is fixed for the determination of shareholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of shareholders, or shareholders entitled to receive payment of a dividend, that date on which notice of the meeting is mailed or the date on which the resolution of the board of directors declaring such dividend is adopted, as the case may be, shall be the record date for such determination of shareholders. SECTION 7. VOTING LISTS. The officer or agent having charge of the transfer books for shares of the corporation shall make, within twenty days after the record date for a meeting of shareholders or at least ten days before each meeting of shareholders, whichever is earlier, a complete list of the shareholders entitled to vote at such meeting, arranged in alphabetical order, with the address of and the number of shares held by each, which list, for a period of ten days prior to such meeting, shall be kept on file at the registered office of the corporation and shall be subject to inspection by any shareholder at any time during usual business hours. Such list shall also be produced and kept open at the time and place of the meeting and shall be subject to the inspection of any shareholder during the whole time of the meeting. The original share ledger or transfer book, or a duplicate thereof kept in this State, shall be prima facie evidence as to who are the shareholders entitled to examine such list or share ledger or transfer book or to vote at any meeting of shareholders. SECTION 8. QUORUM. A majority of the outstanding shares of the corporation entitled to vote on a matter, represented in person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of shareholders; provided, that if less than all of the outstanding shares are represented at said meeting, a majority of the shares so represented may adjourn the meeting from time to time without further notice. If a quorum is present, the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares represented at the meeting shall be the act of the shareholders, unless the vote of a greater number of voting by classes is required by the Act, the Articles of Incorporation or these by-laws. SECTION 9. PROXIES. At all meetings of shareholders, a shareholder may vote by proxy executed in writing by the shareholder or by his/her duly authorized attorney-in-fact. Such proxy shall be filed with the secretary of the corporation before or at the time of the meeting. No proxy shall be valid after eleven months from the date of its execution, unless otherwise provided in the proxy. SECTION 10. VOTING OF SHARES. Each outstanding share, regardless of class, shall be entitled to vote upon each matter submitted to vote at a meeting of shareholders. SECTION 11. VOTING OF SHARES BY CERTAIN HOLDERS. Shares standing in the name of another corporation, domestic or foreign, may be voted by such officer, agent or proxy as the by-laws of such corporation may prescribe, or, in the absence of such provision, as the board of directors of such corporation may determine. Shares standing in the name of a deceased person, a minor ward or an incompetent person, may be voted by his/her administrator, executor, court-appointed guardian or conservator, either in person or by proxy without a transfer of such shares into the name of such administrator, executor, court-appointed guardian or conservator. Shares standing in the name of a trustee may be voted by him/her, either in person or by proxy. Shares standing in the name of a receiver may be voted by such receiver, and shares held by or under the control of a receiver may be voted by such receiver without the transfer thereof into his/her name if authority to do so shall be contained in an appropriate order of the court by which such receiver was appointed. A shareholder whose shares are pledged shall be entitled to vote such shares until the shares have been transferred into the name of the pledgee, and thereafter the pledgee shall be entitled to vote the share so transferred. Shares of its own stock belonging to this corporation shall be voted, directly or indirectly, at any meeting and shall not be counted in determining the total number of outstanding shares at any given time, but shares of its own stock held by it in a fiduciary capacity may be voted and shall be counted in determining the total number of outstanding shares at any given time. SECTION 12. INSPECTORS. At any meeting of shareholders, the chairman of the meeting may, or upon the request of any shareholder, shall appoint one or more persons as inspectors for such meeting. Such inspectors shall ascertain and report the number of shares represented at the meeting, based upon their determination of the validity and effect of proxies, count all votes and report the results; and do such other acts as are proper to conduct the election and voting with impartiality and fairness to all the shareholders. Each report of an inspector shall be in writing and signed by him/her or by a majority of them if there be more than one inspector or inspectors on the number of shares represented at the meeting and the results of the voting shall be prima facie evidence thereof. SECTION 13. INFORMAL ACTION BY SHAREHOLDERS. Any action required to be taken at a meeting of the shareholders, or any other action which may be taken at a meeting of the shareholders, may be taken without a meeting and without a vote, if a consent in writing, setting forth the action so taken shall be signed (a) if five days prior to notice of the proposed action is given in writing to all of the shareholders entitled to vote with respect to the subject matter hereof, by the holders of outstanding shares having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voting or (b) by all of the shareholders entitled to vote with respect to the subject matter thereof. Prompt notice of taking of the corporate action without a meeting by less than unanimous written consent shall be given in writing to those shareholders who have not consented in writing. In the event that the action which is consented to is such as would have required the filing or a certificate under any section of the Act if such action had been voted on by the shareholders at a meeting thereof, the certificate filed under such section shall state, in lieu of any statement required by such section concerning any vote of shareholders, that written consent has been given in accordance with the provisions of the Act and that written notice has been given as provided in the Act. SECTION 14. VOTING BY BALLOT. Voting on any question or in any election may be viva vice unless the presiding officer shall order or any shareholder shall demand that voting be by ballot. ARTICLE III DIRECTORS SECTION 1. GENERAL POWERS. The business and affairs of the corporation shall be managed by or under the discretion of its board of directors. SECTION 2. NUMBER, TENURE AND QUALIFICATIONS. The number of directors of the corporation shall be not less than two and no more than seven. Each director shall hold office until the next annual meeting of shareholders or until his/her successor shall have been elected and qualified. Directors need not be residents of Ohio or shareholders of the corporation. SECTION 3. REGULAR MEETINGS. A regular meeting of the board of directors shall be held without notice than this bylaw immediately after, and at the same place as, the annual meeting of shareholders. The board of directors may provide, by resolution the time and place, either within or without the State of Ohio, for holding of additional regular meetings without other notice than such resolution. SECTION 4. SPECIAL MEETINGS. Special meetings of the board of directors may be called by or at the request of the president or any two directors. The person or persons authorized to call special meetings of the board of directors may fix any place, either within or without the State of Ohio, as the place for holding any special meeting of the board of directors called by them. SECTION 5. NOTICE. Notice of any special meeting shall be given at least five days previous thereto by written notice delivered personally or mailed to each director at his/her business address, or by telegram. If mailed, such notice shall be deemed to be delivered when deposited in the United States mail, so addressed, with postage thereon prepaid. If notice be given by telegram, such notice shall be deemed to be delivered when the telegram is delivered to the telegraph company. Any director may waive notice of any meeting. The attendance of a director at any meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except where a director attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any regular or special meeting of the board of directors need be specified in the notice or waiver of notice of such meeting. SECTION 6. QUORUM. A majority of the number of directors fixed by these bylaws shall constitute a quorum for transaction of business at any meeting of the board of directors, provided, that if less than a majority of such number of directors are present at said meeting, a majority of the directors present may adjourn the meeting from time to time without further notice. SECTION 7. MANNER OF ACTING. The act of the majority of the directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the board of directors, unless the act of a greater number is required by statute, these bylaws, or the Articles of Incorporation. SECTION 8. VACANCIES. Any vacancy occurring in the board of directors and any directorship to be filled by reason of an increase in the number of directors, may be filled by election at an annual meeting or at a special meeting of shareholders called for that purpose. A majority of the board of directors may fill any vacancy prior to such annual or special meeting of shareholders. SECTION 9. RESIGNATION OR REMOVAL OF DIRECTORS. A director may resign at any time upon written notice to the board of directors. A director may be removed with or without cause, at a meeting of shareholders by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares then entitled to vote at an election of directors, if the notice of the meeting names the director or directors to be removed at said meeting. SECTION 10. INFORMAL ACTION BY DIRECTORS. Unless specifically prohibited by the Articles of Incorporation or bylaws, any action required to be taken at a meeting of the board of directors, or any other action which may be taken at a meeting of the board of directors or a committee thereof, if any, may be taken without a meeting if a consent in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by all the directors entitled to vote with respect to the subject matter thereof, or by all the members of such committee, as the case may be. Any such consent signed by all the directors or all the members of a committee shall have the same effect as a unanimous vote, and may be stated as such in any document filed with the Secretary of State. SECTION 11. COMPENSATION. The board of directors, by the affirmative vote of a majority of directors in office, and irrespective of any personal interest of any of its members, shall have authority to establish reasonable compensation of all directors for services to the corporation as directors, officers or otherwise notwithstanding any directors conflict of interest. By resolution of the board of directors the directors may be paid their expenses, if any, of attendance at each meeting of the board. SECTION 12. PRESUMPTION OF ASSENT. A director of the corporation who is present at a meeting of the board of directors at which action on any corporate matter is taken shall be conclusively presumed to have assented to the action taken unless his/her dissent shall be entered in the minutes of the meeting or unless he/she shall file a written dissent to such action with the person acting as the secretary of the meeting before the adjournment thereof or shall forward such dissent by registered mail to the secretary of the corporation immediately after the adjournment of the meeting. Such right to dissent shall not apply to a director who voted in favor of such action. SECTION 13. APPOINTMENT OF COMMITTEES. The board of directors, may by resolution passed by the whole board, designate one or more committees, each committee to consist of two or more of the directors of the corporation. The board may designate one or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. Any such committee, to the extent provided in the resolution, shall have and may exercise the powers of the board of directors in the management of the business and affairs of the corporation, and may authorize the seal of the corporation to be affixed to all papers which may require it; provided, however, that in the absence or disqualification of any member of such committee or committees, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not he/she or they constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the board of directors to act at the meeting in the place of any such absent or disqualified member. Such committee or committees shall have such name or names as may be determined from time to time by resolution adopted by the board of directors. ARTICLE IV OFFICERS SECTION 1. NUMBER. The officers of the corporation shall be a chairman, if one has been elected, president, vice president(s), treasurer, secretary, and such assistant treasurer(s), assistant secretary(s) or other offices as may be elected or appointed by the board of directors. Any two or more offices may be held by the same person. SECTION 2. ELECTION AND TERM OF OFFICE. The officers of the corporation shall be elected annually by the board of directors at the first meeting of the board of directors held after each annual meeting of shareholders. If the election of officers shall not be held at such meeting, such election shall be held as soon thereafter as conveniently may be. Vacancies may be filled or new offices filled at any meeting of the board of directors. Each officer shall hold office until his/her successor shall have been duly elected and shall have qualified or until his/her death or until he/she shall resign or shall have been removed in the manner hereinafter provided. Election or appointment of an officer or agent shall not of itself create contract rights. SECTION 3. REMOVAL. Any officer or agent elected or appointed by the board of directors may be removed by the board of directors whenever in its judgment the best interest of the corporation would be served thereby, but such removal shall be without prejudice to the contract rights, if any, of the person so removed. SECTION 4. VACANCIES. A vacancy in any office because of death, resignation, disqualification or otherwise, may be filled by the board of directors for the unexpired portion of the term. SECTION 5. CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD. The chairman of the board, if one has been elected, shall preside at all meetings of the shareholders and the board of directors and shall implement policies and strategies for the conduct of the business of the corporation. SECTION 6. PRESIDENT. The president shall be the principal executive officer of the corporation and shall implement the general policies of the corporation and in general supervise and control all of the business and affairs of the corporation. He/she shall preside at all meetings of the board of directors and of the shareholders of the corporation. He/she may sign, with the secretary or any other proper officer of the corporation thereunto authorized by the board of directors, certificates for shares of the corporation, any deeds, mortgages, bonds, contracts, or other instruments which the board of directors has authorized to be executed, except in cases where the signing and execution thereof shall be expressly delegated by the board of directors or these bylaws to some other officer or agent of the corporation, or shall be required by law to be otherwise signed or executed; and in general shall perform all duties incident to the office of the president and such other duties as may be prescribed by the board of directors from time to time. SECTION 7. THE VICE-PRESIDENT. In the absence of the president or in the event of his/her inability or refusal to act, the vice-president (or in the event there may be more than one vice-president, the vice presidents in the order designated, or in the absence of any designation, then in the order of their election) shall perform the duties of the president, and when so acting, shall have the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the president. Any vice-president may sign, with the secretary or an assistant secretary, certificates for shares of the corporation; and shall perform such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him/her by the chairman of the board, the president or by the board of directors. SECTION 8. THE TREASURER. If required by the board of directors, the treasurer shall give a bond for the faithful discharge of his/her duties in such sum and with such surety or sureties as the board of directors shall determine. He/she shall: (a) have charge and custody of and be responsible for all funds and securities of the corporation; receive and give receipts for monies due and payable to the corporation from any source whatsoever, and deposit all such monies in the name of the corporation in such banks, trust companies or other depositories as shall be selected in accordance with the provisions of Article V of these by-laws; (b) in general perform all the duties incident to the officer of treasurer and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him/her by the president or by the board of directors. SECTION 9. THE SECRETARY. The secretary shall: (a) keep the minutes of the shareholders' and of the board of directors' meetings in one or more books provided for that purpose; (b) see that all notices are duly given in accordance with the provisions of these by-laws or as required by law; (c) be custodian of the corporate records and of the seal of the corporation and see that the seal of the corporation, if one is held, is affixed to all certificates for share prior to the issue thereof and to all documents, the execution of which on behalf of the corporation under its seal is duly authorized in accordance with the provisions of these by-laws; (d) keep a register of the post office address of each shareholder which shall be furnished to the secretary by such shareholder; (e) sign with the president, or a vice-president, certificates for shares of the corporation, the issue of which shall have been authorized by resolution of the board of directors; (f) have general charge of the stock transfer books of the corporation; (g) in general perform all duties incident to the office of secretary and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him/her by the president or by the board of directors. SECTION 10. ASSISTANT TREASURERS AND ASSISTANT SECRETARIES. The assistant treasurers shall respectively, if required, by the board of directors, give bonds for the faithful discharge of their duties in such sums and with such sureties as the board of directors shall determine. The assistant secretaries as thereunto authorized by the board of directors may sign with the president or a vice-president certificates for shares of the corporation, the issue of which shall have been authorized by a resolution of the board of directors. The assistant treasurers and assistant secretaries in general, shall perform such duties as shall be assigned to them by the treasurer or the secretary, respectively, or by the president or the board of directors. SECTION 11. SALARIES. The salaries of the officers shall be fixed from time to time by the board of directors and no officer shall be prevented from receiving such salary by reason of the fact that he/she is also a director of the corporation. ARTICLE V CONTRACTS, LOANS, CHECKS AND DEPOSITS SECTION 1. CONTRACTS. The board of directors may authorize any officer or officers, agents, to enter into any contract or execute and deliver any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the corporation, and such authority may be general or confined to specific instances. SECTION 2. LOANS. No loans shall be contracted on behalf of the corporation and no evidences of indebtedness shall be issued in its name unless authorized by a resolution of the board of directors. Such authority may be general or confined to specific instances. SECTION 3. CHECKS, DRAFTS, ETC. All checks, drafts or other orders for the payment of money, notes or other evidences of indebtedness issued in the name of the corporation, shall be signed by such officer or officers, agent or agents of the corporation and in such manner as shall from time to time be determined by resolution of the board of directors. SECTION 4. DEPOSITS. All funds of the corporation not otherwise employed shall be deposited from time to time to the credit of the corporation in such banks, trust companies or other depositaries as the board of directors may select. ARTICLE VI CERTIFICATES FOR SHARES AND THEIR TRANSFER SECTION 1. CERTIFICATES FOR SHARES. Certificates representing shares of the corporation shall be in such form as may be determined by the board of directors. Such certificates shall be signed by the president or a vice-president and by the secretary or an assistant secretary and may be sealed with the seal of the corporation. All certificates for shares shall be consecutively numbered or otherwise identified. The name of the person to whom the shares represented thereby are issued, with the number of shares and date of issue, shall be entered on the books of the corporation. All certificates surrendered to the corporation for transfer shall be canceled and no new certificates shall be issued until the former certificates for a like number of shares shall have been surrendered and canceled, except that in case of a lost destroyed or mutilated certificate, a new one may be issued therefor upon such terms and indemnity to the corporation as the board of directors may prescribe. SECTION 2. TRANSFERS OF SHARES. Transfer of shares of the corporation shall be made only on the books of the corporation by the holder of record thereof or by his/her legal representative, who shall furnish proper evidence of authority to transfer, or by his/her attorney thereunto authorized by power of attorney duly executed and filed with the secretary of the corporation, and on surrender for cancellation of the certificate for such shares, the person in whose name shares stand on the books of the corporation shall be deemed the owner thereof for all purposes as regards the corporation. ARTICLE VII FISCAL YEAR The fiscal year of the corporation shall be determined by the board of directors. ARTICLE VIII DIVIDENDS The board of directors may from time to time, declare, and the corporation may pay, dividends on its outstanding shares in the manner and upon the terms and conditions provided by law and its Articles of Incorporation. ARTICLE IX SEAL The board of directors may provide a corporate seal which shall be in the form of a circle and shall inscribed thereon the name of the corporation and the words, "Corporate Seal" and "Ohio". ARTICLE X WAIVER OF NOTICE Whenever any notice whatsoever is required to be given under the provisions of these by-laws or under the provisions of the Articles of Incorporation or under the provisions of the Act of the State of Ohio, a waiver thereof in writing, signed by the person or persons entitled to such notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent to the giving of such notice. ARTICLE XI AMENDMENTS Unless the power to make, alter, amend or repeal the by-laws is reserved to the shareholders by the Articles of Incorporation, the by-laws of the corporation may be made, altered, amended or repealed by the shareholders or the board of directors. These by-laws may be amended to provide that no by-laws adopted by the shareholders may be altered, amended or repealed by the board of directors. ARTICLE XII INDEMNIFICATION SECTION 1. PERSONS. The corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party, or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or complete action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that he/she is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or who is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of any corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him/her in connection with such action, suit or proceeding, if he/she acted in good faith and in a manner he/she reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to the best interest of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his/her conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner which he/she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that his/her conduct was unlawful. SECTION 2. DERIVATIVE ACTION. The corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party, or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that he/she is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him/her in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit, if he/she acted in good faith and in a manner he/she reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable for negligence or misconduct in the performance of his/her duty to the corporation, unless, and only to the extent that the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability, but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnify for such expenses as the court shall deem proper. SECTION 3. EXTENT. To the extent that a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation has been successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in Sections 1 and 2 hereof, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, he/she shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him/her in connection therewith. SECTION 4. DETERMINATION OF STANDARD. Any indemnification under Sections 1 and 2 hereof (unless ordered by a court) shall be made by the corporation only as authorized in the specific case, upon a determination that indemnification of the director, officer, employee or agent is proper in the circumstances because he/she has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in Sections 1 and 2 hereof. Such determination shall be made (1) by the board of directors by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of directors who were not parties to such action, suit or proceeding, or (2) if such quorum is not obtainable, or, even if obtainable, a quorum of disinterested directors so directs, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, or (3) by the shareholders. SECTION 5. ADVANCE PAYMENT. Expenses incurred by defending a civil or criminal action, suit or proceeding may be paid by the corporation in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding, as authorized by the board of directors in the specific case, upon receipt of an undertaking or by or on behalf of the director, officer, employee or agent to repay such amount, unless it shall ultimately be determined that he/she is entitled to be indemnified by the corporation as authorized in this Article. SECTION 6. NON-EXCLUSIVE. The indemnification provided by this Article shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking indemnification may be entitled under any by-law, agreement, vote of shareholders or disinterested directors, or otherwise, both as to action in his/her official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office, and shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent, and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person. SECTION 7. INSURANCE. The corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or who is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against any liability asserted or arising out of his/her status as such, whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify him/her against such liability under the provisions of this Article. SECTION 8. SHAREHOLDER NOTICE OF INDEMNIFICATION PAYMENT. If the corporation has indemnified or has advanced expenses to a director, officer, employee or agent, the corporation shall report the indemnification or advance in writing to the shareholders with or before the notice of the next shareholder's meeting. SECTION 9. MERGER. The purposes of this Article, references to "the corporation" shall include, in addition to the surviving corporation, any merging corporation (including any corporation having merged with a merging corporation) absorbed in a merger which, if its separate existence had continued, would have had the power and authority to indemnify its directors, officers, and employee or agents, so that any person who was a director, officer, employee or agent of such merging corporation, or was serving at the request of such merging corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position under the provisions of this Article with respect to the surviving corporation as such person would have with respect to such merging corporation if its separate existence had continued. SECTION 10. EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLAN. For purposes of this Article, references to "other enterprises" shall include employee benefit plans; references to "fines" shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to an employee benefit plan; and reference to "serving at the request of the corporation" shall include any service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation which imposes duties on, or invoices services by such director, officer, employee or agent with respect to any employee benefit plan, its participants, or beneficiaries. A person who acted in good faith and in a manner he/she reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner "not opposed to the best interests of the corporation" as referred to in this Article.