EX-3.1 2 tm2230212d1_ex3-1.htm EXHIBIT 3.1

 

Exhibit 3.1

 

BYLAWS

OF

TETRA TECH, INC.

(As Amended and Restated on November 7, 2022)

 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Page

 

ARTICLE I  OFFICES 1
   
Section 1.1 Registered Office 1
Section 1.2 Principal Executive Office 1
Section 1.3 Other Offices 1
     
ARTICLE II  STOCKHOLDERS’ MEETINGS 1
   
Section 2.1 Place of Meetings 1
Section 2.2 Annual Meetings 2
Section 2.3 Special Meetings 7
Section 2.4 Notice of Meetings 8
Section 2.5 Adjournments 9
Section 2.6 Quorum and Vote Required 9
Section 2.7 Voting; Proxies 10
Section 2.8 Fixing Date for Determination of Stockholders of Record 11
Section 2.9 List of Stockholders Entitled to Vote 12
Section 2.10 Inspectors of Election 12
Section 2.11 Action Without Meeting 13
Section 2.12 Conduct of Meeting 14
Section 2.13 Proxy Access 15
     
ARTICLE III  BOARD OF DIRECTORS 24
   
Section 3.1 Powers 24
Section 3.2 Number of Directors 24
Section 3.3 Election and Term of Office 25
Section 3.4 Vacancies 25
Section 3.5 Resignation 26
Section 3.6 Removal 26
Section 3.7 Meetings 26
Section 3.9 Quorum; Vote Required for Action 27
Section 3.10 Action by Directors Without a Meeting 27
Section 3.11 Compensation of Directors 27
Section 3.12 Committees 28
Section 3.13 Chairman and Presiding Director 29
Section 3.14 Conduct of Meetings 29

 

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ARTICLE IV  OFFICERS 30
   
Section 4.1 Officers; Appointment 30
Section 4.2 Term of Office and Duties 30
Section 4.3 Delegation Of Authority 31
Section 4.4 Resignations 32
Section 4.5 Removal 32
     
ARTICLE V  EXECUTION OF CORPORATE INSTRUMENTS AND VOTING OF SECURITIES OWNED BY THE CORPORATION 32
   
Section 5.1 Execution of Corporate Instruments 32
Section 5.2 Voting of Securities Owned by the Corporation 33
     
ARTICLE VI  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES AND OTHER CORPORATE AGENTS 33
   
Section 6.1 Actions, Suits or Proceedings Other Than Those by or in the Right of the Corporation 33
Section 6.2 Actions, Suits or Proceedings by or in the Right of the Corporation 34
Section 6.3 Expenses Incurred 34
Section 6.4 Determination of Indemnification 34
Section 6.5 Advance of Expenses 34
Section 6.6 Nonexclusivity of Rights 35
Section 6.7 Insurance 35
Section 6.8 Inclusion of Constituent Corporation 35
Section 6.9 Inclusion of Other Terms 35
Section 6.10 Continuation of Indemnification 36
Section 6.11 Effect of Amendment 36
Section 6.12 Saving Clause 36
     
ARTICLE VII  SHARES OF STOCK 37
   
Section 7.1 Form and Execution of Certificates 37
Section 7.2 Lost Certificates 37
Section 7.3 Transfers 37
     
ARTICLE VIII  OTHER SECURITIES OF THE COPORATION 38
   
Section 8.1 Execution of Other Securities 38
     
ARTICLE IX  DIVIDENDS 38
   
Section 9.1 Declaration of Dividends 38
Section 9.2 Dividend Reserve 39
     
ARTICLE X  MISCELLANEOUS 39
   
Section 10.1 Fiscal Year 39
Section 10.2 Seal 39
Section 10.3 Notices 39
Section 10.4 Interested Directors; Quorum 41
Section 10.5 Form of Records 41
Section 10.6 Amendment of Bylaws 41
Section 10.7 Gender 42
Section 10.8 Facsimile Signatures 42
Section 10.9 Reliance on Books, Reports and Records 42
Section 10.10 Time Periods 42

 

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ARTICLE I

 

OFFICES

 

 

Section 1.1        Registered Office.

 

The registered office of Tetra Tech, Inc. (the “Corporation”) in the State of Delaware shall be in the City of Wilmington, County of New Castle.

 

Section 1.2        Principal Executive Office.

 

The principal executive office of the Corporation shall be at such place inside or outside the State of California as the board of directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors”) may determine from time to time.

 

Section 1.3        Other Offices.

 

The Corporation may also have an office or offices at such other place or places, either within or without the State of California, as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine or as the business of the Corporation may require.

 

ARTICLE II

 

STOCKHOLDERS’ MEETINGS

 

Section 2.1        Place of Meetings.

 

Meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation may be held at such place, either within or without the State of California, as may be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors.  The Board of Directors may, in its sole discretion, determine that the meeting shall not be held at any place, but may instead be held solely by means of remote communication as provided under the Delaware General Corporation Law (“DGCL”).

 

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Section 2.2          Annual Meetings.

 

(a)          The annual meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation, for the purpose of election of directors and for such other business as may lawfully come before it, shall be held on such date and at such time as may be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors.  Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors of the Corporation and the proposal of business to be considered by the stockholders may be made at an annual meeting of stockholders:  (1) pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting of stockholders (with respect to business other than nominations); (2) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors; or (3) by any stockholder of the Corporation who was a stockholder of record at the time of giving the stockholder’s notice provided for in Section 2.2(b), who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who complied with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 2.2.  For the avoidance of doubt, clause (3) above shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to make nominations and submit other business (other than matters properly included in the Corporation's notice of meeting of stockholders and proxy statement under Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “1934 Act”)) before an annual meeting of stockholders.

 

(b)         At an annual meeting of the stockholders, only such business shall be conducted as is a proper matter for stockholder action under the DGCL and as shall have been properly brought before the meeting.

 

(1)       For nominations for the election to the Board of Directors to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder pursuant to clause (3) of Section 2.2(a) of these Bylaws, the stockholder must deliver written notice to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation on a timely basis as set forth in Section 2.2(b)(3) (including any updates and supplements as required under Section 2.2(c)). Such stockholder’s notice shall set forth:  (A) as to each nominee such stockholder proposes to nominate at the meeting: (i) the name, age, business address and residence address of such nominee; (ii) the principal occupation or employment of such nominee; (iii) the class and number of shares of each class of capital stock of the Corporation which are owned of record and beneficially by such nominee; (iv) the date or dates on which such shares were acquired and the investment intent of such acquisition; (v) a statement whether such nominee, if elected, intends to tender, promptly following such person's failure to receive the required vote for election or re-election at the next meeting at which such person would face election or re-election, an irrevocable resignation effective upon acceptance of such resignation by the Board of Directors, in accordance with Section 2.6(c) hereof; (vi) with respect to each nominee for election or re-election to the Board of Directors, include a completed and signed questionnaire, representation and agreement required by Section 2.2(d) of these Bylaws; and (vii) such other information concerning such nominee as would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement soliciting proxies for the election of such nominee as a director in an election contest (even if an election contest is not involved), or that is otherwise required to be disclosed pursuant to Section 14 of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (including such person’s written consent to being named as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected); (B) as to each Proponent (as defined below), as of the date of the notice, the information required by Section 2.2(b)(4) (including any updates and supplements as required under Section 2.2(c)). The Corporation may require any proposed nominee to furnish such other information as it may reasonably require to determine the eligibility of such proposed nominee to serve as an independent director of the Corporation or that could be material to a reasonable stockholder’s understanding of the independence, or lack thereof, of such proposed nominee.

 

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(2)       Other than proposals sought to be included in the Corporation’s proxy materials (as defined below) pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the 1934 Act, for business other than nominations for the election to the Board of Directors to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder pursuant to clause (3) of Section 2.2(a) of these Bylaws, the stockholder must deliver written notice to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation on a timely basis as set forth in Section 2.2(b)(3) (including any updates and supplements as required under Section 2.2(c)).  Such stockholder’s notice shall set forth:  (A) as to each matter such stockholder proposes to bring before the meeting, a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the meeting, the reasons for conducting such business at the meeting, and any material interest (including any anticipated benefit of such business to any  Proponent (as defined below), other than solely as a result of the Proponent’s ownership of the Corporation’s capital stock, that is material to any Proponent individually, or to the Proponents in the aggregate) in such business of any Proponent; and (B) as to each Proponent, as of the date of the notice, the information required by Section 2.2(b)(4) (including any updates and supplements as required under Section 2.2(c)). 

 

(3)       To be timely the written notice required by Section 2.2(b)(1) or 5(b)(2) must be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the ninetieth (90th) day nor earlier than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting; provided, however, that in the event that the date of the annual meeting is advanced more than thirty (30) days prior to or delayed by more than thirty (30) days after the anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so delivered not earlier than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such annual meeting or the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made.  In no event shall the public announcement of an adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.

 

(4)       The written notice required by Sections 2.2(b)(1) or 2.2(b)(2) shall also set forth, as of the date of the notice and as to the stockholder giving the notice and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made (each a “Proponent” and collectively, the “Proponents”): (A) the name and address of each Proponent, as they appear on the Corporation’s books; (B) the class and number of shares of the Corporation that are owned beneficially and of record by each Proponent; (C) a description of any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether oral or in writing) with respect to such nomination or proposal between or among any Proponent and any of the Proponent’s affiliates or associates, and any others (including their names) acting in concert, or otherwise under the agreement, arrangement or understanding, with any of the foregoing as of the date of the notice; (D) a representation that the Proponents are holders of record or beneficial owners, as the case may be, of shares of the Corporation entitled to vote at the meeting and intend to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to nominate the person or persons specified in the notice (with respect to a notice under Section 2.2(b)(1)) or to propose the business that is specified in the notice (with respect to a notice under Section 2.2(b)(2)); (E) a representation as to whether the Proponents intend to deliver a proxy statement and form of proxy to holders of a sufficient number of holders of the Corporation’s voting shares to elect such nominee or nominees (with respect to a notice under Section 2.2(b)(1)) or to carry such proposal (with respect to a notice under Section 2.2(b)(2)); (F), to the extent known by any Proponent, the name and address of any other stockholder supporting the proposal on the date of such stockholder’s notice; and (G) a description of all Derivative Transactions (as defined below) by each Proponent during the previous twelve (12) month period, including the date of the transactions and the class, series and number of securities involved in, and the material economic terms of, such Derivative Transactions.

 

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For purposes of Sections 2.2 and 2.3, “Derivative Transactions” shall mean any agreement, arrangement, interest or understanding entered into by, or on behalf or for the benefit of, any Proponent or any of its affiliates or associates, whether record or beneficial:

 

(i)       the value of which is derived in whole or in part from the value of any class or series of shares or other securities of the Corporation,

 

(ii)       that otherwise provides any direct or indirect opportunity to gain or share in any gain derived from a change in the value of securities of the Corporation,

 

(iii)       the effect or intent of which is to mitigate loss, manage risk or benefit of security value or price changes, or

 

(iv)       that provides the right to vote or increase or decrease the voting power of, such Proponent, or any of its affiliates or associates, with respect to any securities of the Corporation,

 

which agreement, arrangement, interest or understanding may include, without limitation, any option, warrant, debt position, note, bond, convertible security, swap, stock appreciation right, short position, profit interest, hedge, right to dividends, voting agreement, performance-related fee or arrangement to borrow or lend shares (whether or not subject to payment, settlement, exercise or conversion in any such class or series), and any proportionate interest of such Proponent in the securities of the Corporation held by any general or limited partnership, or any limited liability company, of which such Proponent is, directly or indirectly, a general partner or managing member.

 

(c)       A stockholder providing notice of business pursuant to Section 2.2(b)(1) or 2.2(b)(2) shall further update and supplement such stockholder’s notice, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice is true and correct in all material respects as of the record date for the meeting and as of the date that is five (5) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof.  Such update and supplement shall be delivered to or mailed and received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than five (5) 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 three (3) 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 five (5) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof).

 

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(d)       In the event that the number of directors to be elected to the Board of Directors of the Corporation is increased and there is no public announcement naming all of the nominees for director or specifying the size of the increased Board of Directors made by the Corporation at least one hundred (100) days prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting, a stockholder’s notice required by this Section 2.2 and which complies with the requirements in Section 2.2(b)(1), other than the timing requirements in the first sentence of Section 2.2(b)(3), shall also be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for any new positions created by such increase, if it shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the tenth (10th) day following the day on which such public announcement is first made by the Corporation.

 

(e)       To be eligible to be a nominee for election or re-election as a director of the Corporation pursuant to a nomination under clause (a)(3) of this Section 2.2, a person must deliver (in accordance with the time periods prescribed for delivery of notice under Section 2.2(b)(3)) to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation a completed and signed written questionnaire with respect to the background and qualification of such person and the background of any other person or entity on whose behalf the nomination is being made (which questionnaire shall be provided by the Secretary upon written request) and a signed written representation and agreement (in the form provided by the Secretary upon written request) that such person (1) is not and will not become a party to (A) any agreement, arrangement or understanding with, and has not given any commitment or assurance to, any person or entity as to how such person, if elected as a director of the Corporation, will act or vote on any issue or question (a “Voting Commitment”) that has not been disclosed to the Corporation in the questionnaire or (B) any Voting Commitment that could limit or interfere with such person’s ability to comply, if elected as a director of the Corporation, with such person’s fiduciary duties under applicable law; (2) is not and will not become a party to any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity other than the Corporation with respect to any direct or indirect compensation, reimbursement or indemnification in connection with service or action as a director of the Corporation that has not been disclosed therein; and (3) in such person’s individual capacity and on behalf of any person or entity on whose behalf the nomination is being made, would be in compliance, if elected as a director of the Corporation, and will comply with, all applicable publicly disclosed corporate governance, conflict of interest, confidentiality and stock ownership and trading policies and guidelines of the Corporation.

 

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(f)       A person shall not be eligible for election or re-election as a director unless the person is nominated either (1) in accordance with clause (a)(2) of this Section 2.2, by or at the discretion of the Board of Directors or (2) in accordance with clause (a)(3) of this Section 2.2, by any stockholder of the Corporation who was a stockholder of record at the time of giving the stockholder's notice provided for in Section 2.2(b), who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who complied with the notice and other procedures set forth in this Section 2.2.  Only such business shall be conducted at an annual meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 2.2.  Except as otherwise required by law, the chairman of the meeting shall have the power and duty to determine whether a nomination or any business proposed to be brought before the meeting was made, or proposed, as the case may be, in accordance with the procedures set forth in these Bylaws and, if any proposed nomination or business is not in compliance with these Bylaws, to declare that such defective proposal or nomination shall not be presented for stockholder action at the meeting and shall be disregarded. Notwithstanding anything in these Bylaws to the contrary, unless otherwise required by law, if a stockholder intending to make a nomination at a meeting pursuant to Section 2.2(b)(1) or to propose business at a meeting pursuant to Section 2.2(b)(2) does not provide the information in the stockholder’s  notice required under Sections 2.2(b)(1) or 2.2(b)(2), as applicable, within the applicable time periods specified in this Section 2.2 (including any updates and supplements as required under Section 2.2(c)), or the stockholder (or a qualified representative of the stockholder) does not appear at the meeting to make such nomination or to propose such business, or the Proponents shall not have acted in accordance with the representations required under Section 2.2(b)(4)(E), such defective nomination or proposal shall not be presented for stockholder action at the meeting and shall be disregarded, as determined by the chairman of the meeting as described above, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such nominations or such business may have been solicited or received.

 

(g)       Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.2, in order to include information with respect to a stockholder proposal in the proxy statement and form of proxy for a stockholders’ meeting, a stockholder must also comply with all applicable requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to matters set forth in this Section 2.2. Nothing in these Bylaws shall be deemed to affect any rights of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the 1934 Act; provided, however, that any references in these Bylaws to the 1934 Act or the rules and regulations thereunder are not intended to and shall not limit the requirements applicable to proposals and/or nominations to be considered pursuant to Section 2.2(a)(3) of these Bylaws.

 

For purposes of Sections 2.2 and 2.3,

 

(i)       “public announcement” shall mean disclosure in a press release reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press or comparable national news service or in a document publicly filed by the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the 1934 Act; and

 

(ii)       “affiliates” and “associates” shall have the meanings set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”).

 

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Section 2.3        Special Meetings.

 

(a)       Special meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation (1) may be called, for any purpose as is a proper matter for stockholder action under the DGCL, by (A) the Chairman of the Board of Directors, (B) the Chief Executive Officer, (C) the President, or (D) the Board of Directors pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the total number of authorized directors (whether or not there exist any vacancies in previously authorized directorships at the time any such resolution is presented to the Board of Directors for adoption), and (2) shall be called, for any purpose as is a proper matter for stockholder action under the DGCL, by the Secretary of the Corporation upon the written request of stockholders owning twenty percent (20%) in amount of the entire capital stock  of the Corporation issued, outstanding and entitled to vote, provided that such written request is in compliance with the requirements of Section 2.3(b) hereof (“Stockholder-Requested Meeting”).  A request to call a special meeting pursuant to Section 2.3(a)(2) shall not be valid unless made in accordance with the requirements and procedures set forth in this Section 2.3.  Except as may otherwise be required by law, the Board of Directors shall determine, in its sole judgment, the validity of any request under Section 2.3(a)(2), including whether such request was properly made in compliance with these Bylaws.

 

(b)       For a special meeting called pursuant to Section 2.3(a)(1), the Board of Directors shall determine the time and place of such special meeting.  Following determination of the time and place of the meeting, the Secretary shall cause a notice of meeting to be given to the stockholders entitled to vote, in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.4 of these Bylaws.  Nothing contained in this Section 2.3(b) shall be construed as limiting, fixing or affecting the time when a meeting of stockholders called by action of the Board of Directors may be held.  For a Stockholder-Requested Meeting, the request shall (1) be in writing, signed and dated by a stockholder of record, (2) set forth the purpose of calling the special meeting and include the information required by the stockholder’s notice as set forth in Section 2.2(b)(1), including the questionnaire, representations and agreement required by Section 2.2(e) (for nominations for the election to the Board of Directors), and in Section 2.2(b)(2) (for the proposal of business other than nominations), and (3) be delivered personally or sent by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation.  The stockholder shall also update and supplement such information as required under Section 2.2(c).  If the Board of Directors determines that a request pursuant to Section 2.3(a)(2) is valid, the Board shall determine the time and place of a Stockholder-Requested Meeting, which time shall not be less than ninety (90) nor more than one hundred twenty (120) days after the receipt of such request, and shall set a record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting in the manner set forth in Section 2.8 hereof.  Following determination of the time and place of the meeting, the Secretary will cause a notice of meeting to be given to the stockholders entitled to vote, in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.4 of these Bylaws.  No business may be transacted at a special meeting, including a Stockholder-Requested Meeting, otherwise than as specified in the notice of meeting.

 

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(c)       Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors may be made at a special meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected (1) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or (2) by any stockholder of the Corporation who is a stockholder of record at the time of giving notice provided for in this paragraph who shall be entitled to vote at the meeting and who complies with the notice procedures set forth in Section 2.2 of these Bylaws. In the event the Corporation calls a special meeting of stockholders for the purpose of electing one or more directors to the Board of Directors, any such stockholder may nominate a person or persons (as the case may be), for election to such position(s) as specified in the Corporation’s notice of meeting, if the information required by the stockholder’s notice as set forth in Section 2.2(b)(1) of these Bylaws (including the questionnaire, representations and agreement required by Section 2.2(e)) shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the later of the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such meeting or the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public announcement is first made of the date of the special meeting and of the nominees proposed by the Board of Directors to be elected at such meeting.  The stockholder shall also update and supplement such information as required under Section 2.2(c).  In no event shall the public announcement of an adjournment of a special meeting commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.  A person shall not be eligible for election or re-election as a director at a special meeting unless the person is nominated (i) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or (ii) by a stockholder of record in accordance with the requirements and procedures set forth in this Section 2.3.

 

(d)       Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.3, a stockholder must also comply with all applicable requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to matters set forth in this Section 2.3. Nothing in these Bylaws shall be deemed to affect any rights of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the 1934 Act; provided, however, that any references in these Bylaws to the 1934 Act or the rules and regulations thereunder are not intended to and shall not limit the requirements applicable to nominations for the election to the Board of Directors and/or proposals for business other than nominations to be considered pursuant to Section 2.3(a)(2) or Section 2.3(c)(2) of these Bylaws.

 

Section 2.4        Notice of Meetings.

 

Except as otherwise provided by law, notice, given in writing or by electronic transmission (as provided in Section 10.3 below), of each meeting of stockholders shall be given not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days before the date of the meeting to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting, such notice to specify the place, if any, date and hour, in the case of special meetings, the purpose or purposes of the meeting, and the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at any such meeting.  If mailed, notice is given when deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid, directed to the stockholder at such stockholder’s address as it appears on the records of the Corporation.  Notice of the time, place, if any, and purpose of any meeting of stockholders may be waived in writing, signed by the person entitled to notice thereof, or by electronic transmission by such person, either before or after such meeting, and will be waived by any stockholder by his attendance thereat in person, by remote communication, if applicable, or by proxy, except when the stockholder attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened.  Any stockholder so waiving notice of such meeting shall be bound by the proceedings of any such meeting in all respects as if due notice thereof had been given.

 

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Section 2.5        Adjournments.

 

Any meeting of stockholders, whether annual or special, may be adjourned from time to time either by the chairman of the meeting or by the vote of a majority of the shares present in person, by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy at the meeting.  When a meeting is adjourned to another time or place, if any, notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting if the time and place, if any, thereof are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken.  At the adjourned meeting, the Corporation may transact any business which might have been transacted at the original meeting.  If the adjournment is for more than thirty (30) days or if after the adjournment a new record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting.

 

Section 2.6        Quorum and Vote Required.

 

(a)       Quorum. At all meetings of stockholders, except where otherwise provided by statute or by the Certificate of Incorporation, or by these Bylaws, the presence, in person, by remote communication, if applicable, or by proxy duly authorized, of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.  In the absence of a quorum, any meeting of stockholders may be adjourned, from time to time, either by the chairman of the meeting or by vote of the holders of a majority of the shares represented thereat, but no other business shall be transacted at such meeting.  The stockholders present at a duly called or convened meeting, at which a quorum is present, may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough stockholders to leave less than a quorum.

 

(b)       Vote Required Other Than in Election of Directors. Except as otherwise provided by statute or by applicable stock exchange or Nasdaq rules, or by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, in all matters other than the election of directors, the affirmative vote of the majority of shares present in person, by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote generally on the subject matter shall be the act of the stockholders.  Where a separate vote by a class or classes or series is required, except where otherwise provided by the statute or by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, a majority of the outstanding shares of such class or classes or series, present in person, by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy duly authorized, shall constitute a quorum entitled to take action with respect to that vote on that matter.  Except where otherwise provided by statute or by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, the affirmative vote of the majority of shares of such class or classes or series present in person, by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy at the meeting shall be the act of such class or classes or series.

 

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(c)       Majority Vote in Election of Directors.

 

(1)       Notwithstanding the foregoing, each director to be elected by the stockholders shall be elected by the vote of the holders of a majority of the votes cast for the election of directors at any meeting at which a quorum is present; provided, however, that if the number of nominees exceeds the number of directors to be elected, the directors shall be elected by the vote of the holders of a plurality of the votes cast. For purposes of this section, a majority of the votes cast means that the number of votes cast “for” a director must exceed the number of votes cast “against” that director. Votes cast shall exclude abstentions with respect to a director’s election.

 

(2)       If an incumbent director nominated for reelection at a stockholders meeting is not elected by the vote required by Section 2.6(c)(1) above and no successor has been elected at such meeting, that director shall promptly tender his or her resignation to the Board of Directors, which resignation shall be irrevocable until either accepted or rejected by the Board of Directors.  The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee (or any successor committee established by the Board of Directors) shall make a recommendation to the Board of Directors as to whether to accept or reject the tendered resignation, or whether other action should be taken.  The Board of Directors shall act on the tendered resignation, taking into account the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee’s (or successor committee’s) recommendation, and publicly disclose (by a press release, a filing with the Commission or other broadly disseminated means of communication) its decision regarding the tendered resignation and the rationale behind the decision within ninety (90) days from the date of the certification of the election results. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee (or successor committee) in making its recommendation, and the Board of Directors in making its decision, may each consider any factors or other information that it considers appropriate and relevant. The director who tenders his or her resignation shall not participate in the recommendation of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee (or successor committee) or the decision of the Board of Directors with respect to his or her resignation. If such incumbent director’s resignation is not accepted by the Board of Directors, such director shall continue to serve until the next annual meeting and until his or her successor is duly elected, or his or her earlier resignation or removal.  If a director’s resignation is accepted by the Board of Directors pursuant to this Section 2.6(c)(2), or if a nominee for director who is not an incumbent director is not elected by the vote required by Section 2.6(c)(1) above, then the Board of Directors, in its sole discretion, may fill any resulting vacancy pursuant to the provisions of Sections 3.4 and 3.5 hereof or, notwithstanding any other provision hereof, may decrease the size of the Board of Directors pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.2 hereof.

 

Section 2.7        Voting; Proxies.

 

For the purpose of determining those stockholders entitled to vote at any meeting of the stockholders, except as otherwise provided by law, only persons in whose names shares stand on the stock records of the Corporation on the record date, as provided in Section 2.8 of these Bylaws, shall be entitled to vote at any meeting of stockholders.  Every person entitled to vote or execute consents shall have the right to do so either in person, by remote communication, if applicable, or by an agent or agents authorized to act for such stockholder by proxy, such proxy authorized by an instrument in writing or by a transmission permitted by law, including Rule 14a-19 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, filed in accordance with the procedure established for the meeting.  An agent so appointed need not be a stockholder.  No proxy shall be voted after three (3) years from its date unless the proxy provides for a longer period. Unless otherwise provided by law or in the Certificate of Incorporation, each stockholder entitled to vote at any meeting of stockholders shall be entitled to one vote for each share of stock held by him or her that has voting power upon the matter in question.

 

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Any stockholder directly or indirectly soliciting proxies from other stockholders must use a proxy card color other than white, which shall be reserved for the exclusive use by the Board of Directors.

 

Section 2.8        Fixing Date for Determination of Stockholders of Record.

 

(a)       In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, the Board of Directors may fix, in advance, a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors, and which record date shall, subject to applicable law, not be more than sixty (60) nor less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting.  If no record date is fixed by the Board of Directors, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given, or if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held.  A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board of Directors may fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting.

 

(b)       In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, the Board of Directors may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors, and which date shall not be more than ten (10) days after the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors.  Any stockholder of record seeking to have the stockholders authorize or take corporate action by written consent shall, by written notice to the Secretary, request the Board of Directors to fix a record date.  The Board of Directors shall promptly, but in all events within ten (10) days after the date on which such a request is received, adopt a resolution fixing the record date.  If no record date has been fixed by the Board of Directors within ten (10) days of the date on which such a request is received, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, when no prior action by the Board of Directors is required by applicable law, shall be the first date on which a signed written consent setting forth the action taken or proposed to be taken is delivered to the Corporation by delivery to its registered office in the State of Delaware, its principal place of business or an officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of the book in which proceedings of meetings of stockholders are recorded.  Delivery made to the Corporation’s registered office shall be by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested.  If no record date has been fixed by the Board of Directors and prior action by the Board of Directors is required by law, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution taking such prior action.

 

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(c)       In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights or the stockholders entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock, or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board of Directors may fix, in advance, a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted, and which record date shall be not more than sixty (60) days prior to such action.  If no record date is fixed, the record date for determining stockholders for any such purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution relating thereto.

 

Section 2.9        List of Stockholders Entitled to Vote.

 

The Secretary shall prepare and make, at least 10 days before every meeting of stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, arranged in alphabetical order, and showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder. Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder for any purpose germane to the meeting during ordinary business hours for a period of at least 10 days prior to the meeting, either at a place within the city where the meeting is to be held, which place shall be specified in the notice of the meeting, or, if not so specified, at the place where the meeting is to be held. The list shall also be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof and may be inspected by any stockholder who is present.

 

Section 2.10        Inspectors of Election.

 

Before any meeting of stockholders, the Board of Directors may appoint any persons other than nominees for office to act as inspectors of election at the meeting or its adjournment. If no inspectors of election are appointed, the chairman of the meeting may, and at the request of any stockholder or his or her proxy shall, appoint inspectors of election at the meeting. The number of inspectors shall be either one or three. If inspectors are appointed at a meeting on the request of one or more stockholders or proxies, the holders of a majority of shares or proxies present at the meeting shall determine whether one or three inspectors are to be appointed. If any person appointed as inspector fails to appear or fails or refuses to act, the vacancy may be filled by appointment by the Board of Directors before the meeting or by the chairman of the meeting at the meeting.

 

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The duties of these inspectors shall be as follows:

 

(a)       to determine the number of shares outstanding and the voting power of each, the shares represented at the meeting, the existence of a quorum, and the authenticity, validity and effect of proxies;

 

(b)       to receive votes, ballots or consents;

 

(c)       to hear and determine all challenges and questions in any way arising in connection with the right to vote;

 

(d)       to count and tabulate all votes and consents;

 

(e)       to determine the election result; and

 

(f)       to do any other acts that may be proper to conduct the election or vote with fairness to all stockholders.

 

Section 2.11        Action Without Meeting.

 

(a)       Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, and except as specified in the sentence next following, any action required by statute to be taken at any annual or special meeting of the stockholders, or any action which may be taken at any annual or special meeting of the stockholders, may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if a consent in writing, or by electronic transmission setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by the holders of outstanding stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted. Stockholders may, unless the Certificate of Incorporation otherwise provides, act by written consent to elect directors; provided, however, that if such consent is less than unanimous, such action by written consent may be lieu of holding an annual meeting only if all of the directorships to which directors could be elected at an annual meeting held at the effective time of such action are vacant and filled by such action.

 

(b)         Every written consent or electronic transmission shall bear the date of signature of each stockholder who signs the consent, and no written consent or electronic transmission shall be effective to take the corporate action referred to therein unless, within sixty (60) days of the earliest dated consent delivered to the Corporation in the manner herein required, written consents or electronic transmissions signed by a sufficient number of stockholders to take action are delivered to the Corporation by delivery to its registered office in the State of Delaware, its principal place of business or an officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of the book in which proceedings of meetings of stockholders are recorded.  Delivery made to the Corporation’s registered office shall be by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested.

 

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(c)       Prompt notice of the taking of the corporate action without a meeting by less than unanimous written consent shall be given to those stockholders who have not consented in writing or by electronic transmission and who, if the action had been taken at a meeting, would have been entitled to notice of the meeting if the record date for such meeting had been the date that written consents signed by a sufficient number of stockholders to take action were delivered to the Corporation as provided in Section 228(c) of the DGCL.  If the action which is consented to is such as would have required the filing of a certificate under any section of the DGCL if such action had been voted on by stockholders at a meeting thereof, then the certificate filed under such section shall state, in lieu of any statement required by such section concerning any vote of stockholders, that written consent has been given in accordance with Section 228 of the DGCL.

 

(d)       Consent by electronic transmission to an action to be taken and transmitted by a stockholder or proxyholder, or by a person or persons authorized to act for a stockholder or proxyholder, shall be deemed to be written, signed and dated for the purposes of this section, provided that any such electronic transmission sets forth or is delivered with information from which the Corporation can determine (i) that the electronic transmission was transmitted by the stockholder or proxyholder or by a person or persons authorized to act for the stockholder or proxyholder and (ii) the date on which such stockholder or proxyholder or authorized person or persons transmitted such electronic transmission.  The date on which such electronic transmission is transmitted shall be deemed to be the date on which such consent was signed.  No consent given by electronic transmission shall be deemed to have been delivered until such consent is reproduced in paper form and until such paper form shall be delivered to the Corporation by delivery to its registered office in the State of Delaware, its principal place of business or an officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of the book in which proceedings of meetings of stockholders are recorded.  Delivery made to the Corporation’s registered office shall be made by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested.  Notwithstanding the foregoing limitations on delivery, consents given by electronic transmission may be otherwise delivered to the principal place of business of the Corporation or to an officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of the book in which proceedings of meetings of stockholders are recorded if, to the extent and in the manner provided by resolution of the Board of Directors of the Corporation.  Any copy, facsimile or other reliable reproduction of a consent in writing may be substituted or used in lieu of the original writing for any and all purposes for which the original writing could be used, provided that such copy, facsimile or other reproduction shall be a complete reproduction of the entire original in writing.

 

Section 2.12        Conduct of Meeting.

 

(a)       At every meeting of stockholders, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, or, if a Chairman has not been appointed or is absent, the President, or, if the President is absent, a chairman of the meeting chosen by a majority in interest of the stockholders entitled to vote, present in person or by proxy, shall act as chairman.  The Secretary, or, in his or her absence, an Assistant Secretary directed to do so by the President, shall act as secretary of the meeting.

 

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(b)       The Board of Directors of the Corporation shall be entitled to make such rules or regulations for the conduct of meetings of stockholders as it shall deem necessary, appropriate or convenient.  Subject to such rules and regulations of the Board of Directors, if any, the chairman of the meeting shall have the right and authority to prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures and to do all such acts as, in the judgment of such chairman, are necessary, appropriate or convenient for the proper conduct of the meeting, including, without limitation, establishing an agenda or order of business for the meeting, rules and procedures for maintaining order at the meeting and the safety of those present, limitations on participation in such meeting to stockholders of record of the Corporation and their duly authorized and constituted proxies and such other persons as the chairman shall permit, restrictions on entry to the meeting after the time fixed for the commencement thereof, limitations on the time allotted to questions or comments by participants and regulation of the opening and closing of the polls for balloting on matters which are to be voted on by ballot.  The date and time of the opening and closing of the polls for each matter upon which the stockholders will vote at the meeting shall be announced at the meeting.  Unless and to the extent determined by the Board of Directors or the chairman of the meeting, meetings of stockholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with rules of parliamentary procedure.

 

Section 2.13         Proxy Access

 

(a)               Subject to the provisions of this Section 2.13, if any Eligible Stockholder (as defined below) or group of up to 20 Eligible Stockholders submits to the Corporation a Proxy Access Notice (as defined below) that complies with this Section 2.13 and such Eligible Stockholder or group of Eligible Stockholders otherwise satisfies all the terms and conditions of this Section 2.13 (such Eligible Stockholder or group of Eligible Stockholders, a “Nominating Stockholder”), the Corporation shall include in its proxy statement or on its form of proxy and ballot, as applicable (collectively, “proxy materials”), for any annual meeting of stockholders, in addition to any persons nominated for election by the Board of Directors or any committee thereof:

 

(i)                 the name of any person or persons nominated by such Nominating Stockholder for election to the Board of Directors at such annual meeting of stockholders who meets the requirements of this Section 2.13 (a “Nominee”);

 

(ii)              disclosure about the Nominee and the Nominating Stockholder required under the rules of the Commission or other applicable law to be included in the proxy materials;

 

(iii)       subject to the other applicable provisions of this Section 2.13, a written statement, not to exceed 500 words, that is not contrary to any of the Commission’s proxy rules, including Rule 14a-9 under the Exchange Act (a “Supporting Statement”), included by the Nominating Stockholder in the Proxy Access Notice intended for inclusion in the proxy materials in support of the Nominee’s election to the Board of Directors; and

 

(iv)       any other information that the Corporation or the Board of Directors determines, in its discretion, to include in the proxy materials relating to the nomination of the Nominee, including, without limitation, any statement in opposition to the nomination and any of the information provided pursuant to this Section 2.13.

 

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(b)        Maximum Number of Nominees.

 

(i)            The Corporation shall not be required to include in the proxy materials for an annual meeting of stockholders more Nominees than that number of directors constituting 20% of the total number of directors of the Corporation on the last day on which a Proxy Access Notice may be submitted pursuant to this Section 2.13 (rounded down to the nearest whole number, but not less than two) (the “Maximum Number”). The Maximum Number for a particular annual meeting shall be reduced by: (A) the number of Nominees who are subsequently withdrawn or that the Board of Directors itself decides to nominate for election at such annual meeting of stockholders (including, without limitation, any person who is or will be nominated by the Board of Directors pursuant to any agreement or understanding with one or more stockholders to avoid such person being formally proposed as a Nominee), (B) the number of incumbent directors who had been Nominees with respect to any of the preceding two annual meetings of stockholders and whose reelection at the upcoming annual meeting of stockholders is being recommended by the Board of Directors (including, without limitation, any person who was nominated by the Board of Directors pursuant to any agreement or understanding with one or more stockholders to avoid such person being formally proposed as a Nominee), and (C) the number of director candidates for which the Corporation shall have received notice that a stockholder intends to nominate as a candidate for director at the annual meeting of stockholders pursuant to Section 2.2(b) and (c) of these Bylaws. In the event that one or more vacancies for any reason occurs on the Board of Directors after the deadline set forth in Section 2.13(d) but before the date of the annual meeting of stockholders, and the Board of Directors resolves to reduce the size of the Board of Directors in connection therewith, the Maximum Number shall be calculated based on the number of directors as so reduced.

 

(ii)           Any Nominating Stockholder submitting more than one Nominee for inclusion in the Corporation’s proxy materials shall rank such Nominees based on the order that the Nominating Stockholder desires such Nominees to be selected for inclusion in the Corporation’s proxy materials in the event that the total number of Nominees submitted by Nominating Stockholders exceeds the Maximum Number. In the event that the number of Nominees submitted by Nominating Stockholders exceeds the Maximum Number, the highest ranking Nominee from each Nominating Stockholder who meets the requirements of Section 2.13 will be included in the Corporation’s proxy materials until the Maximum Number is reached, going in order from largest to smallest of the number of shares of common stock of the Corporation owned by each Nominating Stockholder as disclosed in each Nominating Stockholder’s Proxy Access Notice. If the Maximum Number is not reached after the highest ranking Nominee of each Nominating Stockholder has been selected, this process will be repeated as many times as necessary until the Maximum Number is reached. If, after the deadline for submitting a Proxy Access Notice as set forth in Section 2.13(d), a Nominating Stockholder ceases to satisfy the requirements of this Section 2.13 or withdraws its nomination or a Nominee ceases to satisfy the requirements of this Section 2.13 or becomes unwilling or unable to serve on the Board of Directors, whether before or after the mailing of definitive proxy materials, then the nomination shall be disregarded, and the Corporation: (A) shall not be required to include in its proxy materials the disregarded Nominee and (B) may otherwise communicate to its stockholders, including without limitation by amending or supplementing its proxy materials, that the Nominee will not be included as a Nominee in the proxy materials and the election of such Nominee will not be voted on at the annual meeting of stockholders.

 

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(c)        Eligibility of Nominating Stockholder.

 

(i)            An “Eligible Stockholder” is a person who has either (A) been a record holder of the shares of common stock used to satisfy the eligibility requirements in this Section 2.13(c) continuously for the three-year period specified in Subsection (ii) below or (B) provides to the Secretary of the Corporation, within the time period referred to in Section 2.13(d), evidence of continuous ownership of such shares for such three-year period from one or more securities intermediaries in a form that satisfies the requirements as established by the Commission for a stockholder proposal under Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) (or any successor rule).

 

(ii)           An Eligible Stockholder or group of up to 20 Eligible Stockholders may submit a nomination in accordance with this Section 2.13 only if the person or each member of the group, as applicable, has continuously owned at least the Minimum Number (as defined below) of shares of the Corporation’s outstanding common stock throughout the three-year period preceding and including the date of submission of the Proxy Access Notice, and continues to own at least the Minimum Number through the date of the annual meeting of stockholders. Two or more funds that are (A) under common management and investment control, (B) under common management, and funded primarily by a single employer or (C) 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, (two or more funds referred to under any of clause (A), (B) or (C), collectively a “Qualifying Fund”) shall be treated as one Eligible Stockholder. For the avoidance of doubt, in the event of a nomination by a group of Eligible Stockholders, any and all requirements and obligations for an individual Eligible Stockholder that are set forth in this Section 2.13, including the minimum holding period, shall apply to each member of such group; provided, however, that the Minimum Number shall apply to the ownership of the group in the aggregate. Should any stockholder withdraw from a group of Eligible Stockholders at any time prior to the annual meeting of stockholders, the group of Eligible Stockholders shall only be deemed to own the shares held by the remaining members of the group.

 

(iii)           The “Minimum Number” of shares of the Corporation’s common stock means three percent (3%) of the number of outstanding shares of common stock as of the most recent date for which such amount is given in any filing by the Corporation with the Commission prior to the submission of the Proxy Access Notice.

 

(iv)          For purposes of this Section 2.13, an Eligible Stockholder “owns” only those outstanding shares of the common stock of the Corporation as to which the Eligible Stockholder 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;

 

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provided, that the number of shares calculated in accordance with clauses (A) and (B) shall not include any shares: (1) sold by such Eligible Stockholder or any of its affiliates in any transaction that has not been settled or closed, (2) borrowed by such Eligible Stockholder or any of its affiliates for any purpose or purchased by such Eligible Stockholder or any of its affiliates pursuant to an agreement to resell, or (3) subject to any option, warrant, forward contract, swap, contract of sale, other derivative or similar agreement entered into by such Eligible Stockholder or any of its affiliates, whether any such instrument or agreement is to be settled with shares, cash or other property based on the notional amount or value of outstanding shares of the Corporation, in any such case which instrument or agreement has, or is intended to have, the purpose or effect of: (w) reducing in any manner, to any extent or at any time in the future, such Eligible Stockholder’s or any of its affiliates’ full right to vote or direct the voting of any such shares, and/or (x) hedging, offsetting, or altering to any degree, gain or loss arising from the full economic ownership of such shares by such Eligible Stockholder or any of its affiliates. An Eligible Stockholder “owns” shares held in the name of a nominee or other intermediary so long as the Eligible Stockholder retains the right to instruct how the shares are voted with respect to the election of directors and possesses the full economic interest in the shares. An Eligible Stockholder’s ownership of shares shall be deemed to continue during any period in which the Eligible Stockholder has delegated any voting power by means of a proxy, power of attorney, or other similar instrument or arrangement that is revocable at any time by the Eligible Stockholder. An Eligible Stockholder’s ownership of shares shall be deemed to continue during any period in which the Eligible Stockholder has loaned such shares; provided that the Eligible Stockholder has the power to recall such loaned shares on no more than three business days’ notice and includes in the Proxy Access Notice an agreement that it will (y) promptly recall such loaned shares upon being notified that any of its Nominees will be included in the Corporation’s proxy materials pursuant to this Section 2.13 and (z) continue to hold such recalled shares (including the right to vote such shares) through the date of the annual meeting of stockholders. The terms “owned,” “owning” and other variations of the word “own” shall have correlative meanings. Each Nominating Stockholder shall furnish any other information that may reasonably be required by the Board of Directors to verify such stockholder’s continuous ownership of at least the Minimum Number during the three-year period referred to above.

 

(v)          No person may be in more than one group constituting a Nominating Stockholder, and if any person appears as a member of more than one group, it shall be deemed to be a member of the group that owns the greatest aggregate number of shares of the Corporation’s common stock as reflected in the Proxy Access Notice, and no shares may be attributed as owned by more than one person constituting a Nominating Stockholder under this Section 2.13.

 

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(d)        To nominate a Nominee, the Nominating Stockholder must, no earlier than one hundred fifty (150) calendar days and no later than one hundred twenty (120) calendar days before the date of the Corporation’s proxy materials released to stockholders in connection with the previous year’s annual meeting of stockholders, submit to the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation all of the following information and documents (collectively, the “Proxy Access Notice”); provided, however, that in the event the date of the annual meeting is more than 30 days before or after such anniversary date, or if no annual meeting was held in the preceding year, to be timely the Stockholder Notice must be so delivered not earlier than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such annual meeting or the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made by the Corporation:

 

(i)            A Schedule 14N (or any successor form) relating to the Nominee, completed and filed with the Commission by the Nominating Stockholder as applicable, in accordance with the Commission’s rules;

 

(ii)           A written notice of the nomination of such Nominee that includes the following additional information, agreements, representations and warranties by the Nominating Stockholder (including each group member):

 

(A)           the information, representations and agreements required with respect to the nomination of directors pursuant to Sections 2.2(b) and (c) of these Bylaws;

 

(B)           the details of any relationship that existed within the past three years and that would have been described pursuant to Item 6(e) of Schedule 14N (or any successor item) if it existed on the date of submission of the Schedule 14N;

 

(C)           a representation and warranty that the Nominating Stockholder did not acquire, and is not holding, securities of the Corporation for the purpose or with the effect of influencing or changing control of the Corporation;

 

(D)          a representation and warranty that the Nominee’s candidacy or, if elected, Board of Directors membership, would not violate the Certificate of Incorporation, these Bylaws, or any applicable state or federal law or the rules of any stock exchange on which the Corporation’s common stock is traded;

 

(E)           a representation and warranty that the Nominee:

 

(1)               does not have any direct or indirect material relationship with the Corporation and otherwise would qualify as an “independent director” under the rules of the primary stock exchange on which the Corporation’s common stock is traded and any applicable rules of the Commission;

 

(2)        would meet the audit committee independence requirements under the rules of the Commission and of the principal stock exchange on which the Corporation’s common stock is traded;

 

(3)        would qualify as a “non-employee director” for the purposes of Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act (or any successor rule);

 

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(4)        would qualify as an “outside director” for the purposes of Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (or any successor provision);

 

(5)        is not and has not been, within the past three years, an officer, director, affiliate or representative of a competitor, as defined under Section 8 of the Clayton Antitrust Act of 1914, as amended, and if the Nominee has held any such position during this period, details thereof;

 

(6)        is not a named subject of a pending criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations and other minor offenses) and has not been convicted in such a criminal proceeding within the past ten years; and

 

(7)        is not and has not been subject to any event specified in Rule 506(d)(1) of Regulation D (or any successor rule) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or Item 401(f) of Regulation S-K (or any successor rule) under the Exchange Act, without reference to whether the event is material to an evaluation of the ability or integrity of the Nominee;

 

(F)           a representation and warranty that the Nominating Stockholder satisfies the eligibility requirements set forth in Section 2.13(c), has provided evidence of ownership to the extent required by Section 2.13(c)(i), and such evidence of ownership is true, complete and correct;

 

(G)           a representation and warranty that the Nominating Stockholder intends to continue to satisfy the eligibility requirements described in Section 2.13(c) through the date of the annual meeting of stockholders;

 

(H)           a statement as to whether or not the Nominating Stockholder intends to continue to hold the Minimum Number of shares for at least one year following the annual meeting of stockholders, which statement may also include a description as to why such Nominating Stockholder is unable to make the foregoing statement;

 

(I)            a representation and warranty that the Nominating Stockholder will not engage in or support, directly or indirectly, a “solicitation” within the meaning of Rule 14a-1(l) (without reference to the exception in Section 14a-1(l)(2)(iv)) (or any successor rules) with respect to the annual meeting of stockholders, other than a solicitation in support of the Nominee or any nominee of the Board of Directors;

 

(J)            a representation and warranty that the Nominating Stockholder will not use any proxy card other than the Corporation’s proxy card in soliciting stockholders in connection with the election of a Nominee at the annual meeting of stockholders;

 

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(K)           if desired by the Nominating Stockholder, a Supporting Statement;

 

(L)           in the case of a nomination by a group, the designation by all group members of one group member that is authorized to act on behalf of all group members with respect to matters relating to the nomination, including withdrawal of the nomination;

 

(M)          in the case of any Eligible Stockholder that is a Qualifying Fund consisting of two or more funds, documentation demonstrating that the funds are eligible to be treated as a Qualifying Fund and that each such fund comprising the Qualifying Fund otherwise meets the requirements set forth in this Section 2.13; and

 

(N)           a representation and warranty that the Nominating Stockholder has not nominated and will not nominate for election any individual as director at the annual meeting of stockholders other than its Nominee(s).

 

(iii)          An executed agreement pursuant to which the Nominating Stockholder (including each group member) agrees:

 

(A)          to comply with all applicable laws, rules and regulations in connection with the nomination, solicitation and election;

 

(B)          to file with the Commission any solicitation or other communication with the Corporation’s stockholders relating to any Nominee or one or more of the Corporation’s directors or director nominees, regardless of whether any such filing is required under any law, rule or regulation or whether any exemption from filing is available for such materials under any law, rule or regulation;

 

(C)          to assume all liability stemming from an action, suit or proceeding concerning any actual or alleged legal or regulatory violation arising out of any communication by the Nominating Stockholder with the Corporation, its stockholders or any other person in connection with the nomination or election of directors, including, without limitation, the Proxy Access Notice;

 

(D)          to indemnify and hold harmless (jointly and severally with all other group members, in the case of a group member) the Corporation and each of its directors, officers and employees individually against any liability, loss, damages, expenses, demands, claims or other costs (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and disbursements of counsel) incurred in connection with any threatened or pending action, suit or proceeding, whether legal, administrative or investigative, against the Corporation or any of its directors, officers or employees arising out of any legal or regulatory violation arising out of the Nominating Stockholder’s communications with the stockholders of the Corporation or out of information the Nominating Stockholder provided to the Corporation;

 

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(E)           in the event that (i) any information included in the Proxy Access Notice, or any other communication by the Nominating Stockholder (including with respect to any group member) with the Corporation, its stockholders or any other person in connection with the nomination or election of directors ceases to be true and accurate in all material respects (or omits a material fact necessary to make the statements made not misleading), or (ii) the Nominating Stockholder (including any group member) fails to continue to satisfy the eligibility requirements described in Section 2.13(c), the Nominating Stockholder shall promptly (and in any event within 48 hours of discovering such misstatement, omission or failure) (x) in the case of clause (i) above, notify the Corporation and any other recipient of such communication of the misstatement or omission in such previously provided information and of the information that is required to correct the misstatement or omission, and (y) in the case of clause (ii) above, notify the Corporation why, and in what regard, the Nominating Stockholder fails to comply with the eligibility requirements described in Section 2.13(c) (it being understood that providing any such notification referenced in clauses (x) and (y) above shall not be deemed to cure any defect or limit the Corporation’s rights to omit a Nominee from its proxy materials as provided in this Section 8); and

 

(iv)          An executed agreement by the Nominee:

 

(A)          to provide to the Corporation a completed copy of the Corporation’s director questionnaire and such other information as the Corporation may reasonably request;

 

(B)           that the Nominee (i) consents to be named in the proxy materials as a nominee and, if elected, to serve on the Board of Directors and (ii) has read and agrees to adhere to the Corporation’s Corporate Governance Policies and any other Corporation policies and guidelines applicable to directors generally; and

 

(C)           that the Nominee is not and will not become a party to (1) any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity other than the Corporation with respect to direct or indirect compensation, reimbursement or indemnification in connection with service or action as a director of the Corporation that has not been disclosed to the Corporation in writing, (2) any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity as to how the Nominee would vote or act on any issue or question as a director (a “Voting Commitment”) that has not been disclosed to the Corporation in writing, or (3) any Voting Commitment that could limit or interfere with the Nominee’s ability to comply, if elected as a director of the Corporation, with its fiduciary duties under applicable law or with the Corporation’s Corporate Governance Policies and any other Corporation policies and guidelines applicable to directors generally.

 

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The information and documents required by this Section 2.13(d) shall be: (x) provided with respect to and executed by each group member, in the case of information applicable to group members; and (y) provided with respect to the persons specified in Instruction 1 to Items 6(c) and (d) of Schedule 14N (or any successor item) if and to the extent applicable to a Nominating Stockholder or group member. The Proxy Access Notice shall be deemed submitted on the date on which all the information and documents referred to in this Section 2.13(d) (other than such information and documents contemplated to be provided after the date the Proxy Access Notice is provided) have been delivered to or, if sent by mail, received by the Secretary of the Corporation. For the avoidance of doubt, in no event shall any adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting of stockholders or the public announcement thereof commence a new time period for the giving of a Proxy Access Notice pursuant to this Section 2.13.

 

(e)           Exceptions and Clarifications.

 

(i)            Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 2.13, (x) the Corporation may omit from its proxy materials any Nominee and any information concerning such Nominee (including a Nominating Stockholder’s Supporting Statement), (y) any nomination shall be disregarded, and (z) no vote on such Nominee will occur (notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received by the Corporation), and the Nominating Stockholder may not, after the last day on which a Proxy Access Notice would be timely, cure in any way any defect preventing the nomination of the Nominee, if:

 

(A)          the Nominating Stockholder or the designated lead group member, as applicable, or any qualified representative thereof, does not appear at the annual meeting of stockholders to present the nomination submitted pursuant to this Section 2.13 or the Nominating Stockholder withdraws its nomination prior to the annual meeting of stockholders;

 

(B)          the Board of Directors determines that such Nominee’s nomination or election to the Board of Directors would result in the Corporation violating or failing to be in compliance with the Certificate of Incorporation, these Bylaws or any applicable law, rule or regulation to which the Corporation is subject, including any rules or regulations of any stock exchange on which the Corporation’s common stock is traded;

 

(C)          the Nominee was nominated for election to the Board of Directors pursuant to this Section 2.13(e) at one of the Corporation’s two preceding annual meetings of stockholders and (i) its nomination was withdrawn, (ii) such Nominee became ineligible to serve as a Nominee or as a Director or (iii) such Nominee received a vote of less than 25% of the shares of common stock entitled to vote for such Nominee; or

 

(D)          (i) the Nominating Stockholder fails to continue to satisfy the eligibility requirements described in Section 2.13(c), (ii) any of the representations and warranties made in the Proxy Access Notice cease to be true, complete and correct in all material respects (or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made therein not misleading), (iii) the Nominee becomes unwilling or unable to serve on the Board of Directors or (iv) the Nominating Stockholder or the Nominee materially violates or breaches any of its agreements, representations or warranties in this Section 2.13;

 

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(ii)           Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 2.13, the Corporation may omit from its proxy materials, or may supplement or correct, any information, including all or any portion of the Supporting Statement included in the Proxy Access Notice, if: (A) such information is not true and correct in all material respects or omits a material statement necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; (B) such information directly or indirectly impugns the character, integrity or personal reputation of, or, without factual foundation, directly or indirectly makes charges concerning improper, illegal or immoral conduct or associations with respect to, any person; or (C) the inclusion of such information in the proxy materials would otherwise violate the Commission’s proxy rules or any other applicable law, rule or regulation. Once submitted with a Proxy Access Notice, a Supporting Statement may not be amended, supplemented or modified by the Nominee or Nominating Stockholder.

 

(iii)          For the avoidance of doubt, the Corporation may solicit against, and include in the proxy materials its own statement relating to, any Nominee.

 

(iv)          This Section 2.13 provides the exclusive method for a stockholder to include nominees for election to the Board of Directors in the Corporation’s proxy materials (including, without limitation, any proxy card or written ballot).

 

(v)          The interpretation of, compliance with, and promptly resolving disputes related to, any provision of this Section 2.13, including the representations, warranties and covenants contained herein, shall be determined by the Board of Directors or, in the discretion of the Board of Directors, one or more of its designees, in each case acting in good faith.

 

ARTICLE III

 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

Section 3.1        Powers.

 

The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors, except as may be otherwise provided by law or in the Certificate of Incorporation.

 

Section 3.2        Number of Directors.

 

The Board of Directors shall consist of no less than five (5) and no more than ten (10) members, as shall be determined from time to time within such range by resolution of the Board of Directors. Directors need not be stockholders unless required by the Certificate of Incorporation. If, for any cause, the directors shall not have been elected at any annual meeting, they may be elected as soon thereafter as convenient at a special meeting of the stockholders called for that purpose in the manner provided in these Bylaws.

 

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Section 3.3        Election and Term of Office.

 

Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect additional directors under specified circumstances, Directors shall be elected at each annual meeting of stockholders for a term of one year. Each director shall serve until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified, or until his or her death, resignation or removal. No decrease in the authorized number of directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent director.

 

Section 3.4        Vacancies.

 

Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, and subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, any vacancies on the Board of Directors resulting from death, resignation, disqualification, removal or other causes and any newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the number of directors shall, unless the Board of Directors determines by resolution that any such vacancies or newly created directorships shall be filled by stockholders, be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors then in office, even though less than a quorum of the Board of Directors, or by a sole remaining director; provided, however, that whenever the holders of any class or classes of stock or series thereof are entitled to elect one or more directors by the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, vacancies and newly created directorships of such class or classes or series shall, unless the Board of Directors determines by resolution that any such vacancies or newly created directorships shall be filled by stockholders, be filled by a majority of the directors elected by such class or classes or series thereof then in office, or by a sole remaining director so elected.  If, at the time of filling any vacancy or any newly created directorship, the directors then in office shall constitute less than a majority of the whole Board (as constituted immediately prior to any such increase), the Court of Chancery may, upon application of any stockholder or stockholders holding at least ten (10) percent of the total number of the shares at the time outstanding having the right to vote for such directors, summarily order an election to be held to fill any such vacancies or newly created directorships, or to replace the directors chosen by the directors then in office.  Any director elected in accordance with this Section 3.4 shall hold office for the remainder of the full term of the director for which the vacancy was created or occurred and until such director’s successor shall have been elected and qualified.  A vacancy in the Board of Directors shall be deemed to exist under this Bylaw in the case of the death, removal or resignation of any director.

 

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Section 3.5        Resignation.

 

Any director may resign at any time by delivering his or her notice in writing or by electronic transmission to the Secretary, such resignation to specify whether it will be effective at a particular time, upon receipt by the Secretary or at the pleasure of the Board of Directors.  If no such specification is made, it shall be deemed effective at the pleasure of the Board of Directors. When one or more directors shall resign from the Board of Directors, effective at a future date, a majority of the directors then in office, including those who have so resigned, shall have power to fill such vacancy or vacancies, the vote thereon to take effect when such resignation or resignations shall become effective, and each Director so chosen shall hold office for the unexpired portion of the term of the Director whose place shall be vacated and until his successor shall have been duly elected and qualified.

 

Section 3.6        Removal.

 

Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock that have rights to elect directors pursuant to the Certificate of Incorporation, any directors, or the entire Board of Directors, may be removed from office at any time, with or without cause, but only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class.

 

Section 3.7        Meetings.

 

(a)       Regular Meetings. Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation, regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be held at such places within or without the State of California on such dates and at such times as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine, and publicized among all directors, either orally or in writing, by telephone, including a voice messaging system or other system designed to record and communicate messages, facsimile, electronic mail or other electronic means. No further notice shall be required for regular meetings of the Board of Directors.

 

(b)       Special Meetings. Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation, special meetings of the Board of Directors may be held at any time or place within or without the State of California whenever called by the Chairman of the Board, if any, by the Chief Executive Officer, or by a majority of the directors then in office (rounded up to the nearest whole number).

 

(c)       Meetings by Electronic Communications Equipment. Any member of the Board of Directors, or of any committee thereof, may participate in a meeting by means of conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and participation in a meeting by such means shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.

 

(d)       Notice of Special Meetings. Notice of the time and place of all special meetings of the Board of Directors shall be orally or in writing, by telephone, including a voice messaging system or other system or technology designed to record and communicate messages, facsimile, or by electronic mail or other electronic means, during normal business hours, at least twenty-four (24) hours before the date and time of the meeting. If notice is sent by U.S. mail, it shall be sent by first class mail, charges prepaid, at least three (3) days before the date of the meeting.  Notice of any meeting may be waived in writing, or by electronic transmission, at any time before or after the meeting and will be waived by any director by attendance thereat, except when the director attends the meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened.

 

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(e)         Waiver of Notice. The transaction of all business at any meeting of the Board of Directors, or any committee thereof, however called or noticed, or wherever held, shall be as valid as though had at a meeting duly held after regular call and notice, if a quorum be present and if, either before or after the meeting, each of the directors not present who did not receive notice shall sign a written waiver of notice or shall waive notice by electronic transmission. All such waivers shall be filed with the corporate records or made a part of the minutes of the meeting.

 

Section 3.9          Quorum; Vote Required for Action.

 

(a)        Unless the Certificate of Incorporation requires a greater number, and except with respect to questions related to indemnification arising under Article VI for which a quorum shall be one-third of the exact number of directors fixed from time to time, a quorum of the Board of Directors shall consist of a majority of the exact number of directors fixed from time to time by the Board of Directors in accordance with the Certificate of Incorporation; provided, however, at any meeting whether a quorum be present or otherwise, a majority of the directors present may adjourn from time to time until the time fixed for the next regular meeting of the Board of Directors, without notice other than by announcement at the meeting.

 

(b)        At each meeting of the Board of Directors at which a quorum is present, all questions and business shall be determined by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors present, unless a different vote be required by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws.

 

Section 3.10        Action by Directors Without a Meeting.

 

Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors or of any committee thereof may be taken without a meeting, if all members of the Board of Directors or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission, and such writing or writings or transmission or transmissions are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board of Directors or committee.  Such filing shall be in paper form if the minutes are maintained in paper form and shall be in electronic form if the minutes are maintained in electronic form.

 

Section 3.11         Compensation of Directors.

 

Directors shall be entitled to such compensation for their services as may be approved by the Board of Directors, including, if so approved, by resolution of the Board of Directors, a fixed sum and expenses of attendance, if any, for attendance at each regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors and at any meeting of a committee of the Board of Directors.  Nothing herein contained shall be construed to preclude any director from serving the Corporation in any other capacity as an officer, agent, employee, or otherwise and receiving compensation therefor.

 

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Section 3.12        Committees.

 

(a)       Board Committees. The Board of Directors may, from time to time, appoint such committees as may be permitted by law, including but not limited to, an Audit Committee, a Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, a Compensation Committee and a Strategic Planning Committee.  Such committees appointed by the Board of Directors shall consist of one (1) or more members of the Board of Directors and shall have such powers and perform such duties as may be prescribed by the resolution or resolutions creating such committees.

 

(b)       Term. The Board of Directors, subject to any requirements of any outstanding series of Preferred Stock and the provisions of subsections (a) or (b) of this Section 3.12, may at any time increase or decrease the number of members of a committee or terminate the existence of a committee.  The membership of a committee member shall terminate on the date of his death or voluntary resignation from the committee or from the Board of Directors.  The Board of Directors may at any time for any reason remove any individual committee member and the Board of Directors may fill any committee vacancy created by death, resignation, removal or increase in the number of members of the committee.  The Board of Directors 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, and, in addition, in the absence or disqualification of any member of a committee, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not he 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.

 

(c)       Meetings.  Unless the Board of Directors shall otherwise provide, any committee appointed pursuant to this Section 3.12 shall be held at such times and places as are determined by the Board of Directors, or by any such committee, and when notice thereof has been given to each member of such committee, no further notice of such regular meetings need be given thereafter.  Special meetings of any such committee may be held at any place which has been determined from time to time by such committee, and may be called by any director who is a member of such committee, upon notice to the members of such committee of the time and place of such special meeting given in the manner provided for the giving of notice to members of the Board of Directors of the time and place of special meetings of the Board of Directors.  Notice of any special meeting of any committee may be waived in writing at any time before or after the meeting and will be waived by any director by attendance thereat, except when the director attends such special meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened.  Unless otherwise provided by the Board of Directors in the resolutions authorizing the creation of the committee, a majority of the authorized number of members of any such committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and the act of a majority of those present at any meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of such committee.

 

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Section 3.13        Chairman and Presiding Director.

 

(a)       Duties of the Chairman of the Board of Directors. The Chairman of the Board of Directors, when present, shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and the Board of Directors.  The Chairman of the Board of Directors shall perform other duties commonly incident to the office, and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors shall designate from time to time.

 

(b)       Duties of the Presiding Director. The Chairman of the Board of Directors, or if the Chairman is not an independent director, one of the independent directors, may be designated by the Board of Directors as presiding director to serve until replaced by the Board of Directors (“Presiding Director”).  The Presiding Director will serve as chairman of Board of Directors meetings in the absence of the Chairman of the Board of Directors; establish the agenda for meetings of the independent directors; preside over meetings of the independent directors; preside over any portions of meetings of the Board of Directors at which the evaluation or compensation of the Chief Executive Officer is presented or discussed; preside over any portions of meetings of the Board of Directors at which the performance of the Board of Directors is presented or discussed; and coordinate the activities of the other independent directors and  perform such other duties as may be established or delegated by the Chairman of the Board of Directors.

 

Section 3.14        Conduct of Meetings.

 

At every meeting of the directors, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, or, if a Chairman has not been appointed or is absent, the Presiding Director, or if the Presiding Director is absent, the Chief Executive Officer (if a director), or, if the Chief Executive Officer is absent, the President (if a director), or if the President is absent, the most senior Vice President (if a director), or, in the absence of any such person, a chairman of the meeting chosen by a majority of the directors present, shall preside over the meeting.  The Secretary, or in his or her absence, any Assistant Secretary or other officer or director directed to do so by the President, shall act as secretary of the meeting.

 

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ARTICLE IV

 

OFFICERS

 

Section 4.1        Officers; Appointment.

 

The officers of the Corporation shall include, if and when designated by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, one or more Vice Presidents, the Secretary, the Chief Financial Officer and the Treasurer. The Board of Directors may also appoint one or more Assistant Secretaries and Assistant Treasurers and such other officers and agents with such powers and duties as it shall deem necessary.  The Board of Directors may assign such additional titles to one or more of the officers as it shall deem appropriate. Any one person may hold any number of offices of the Corporation at any one time unless specifically prohibited therefrom by law. The salaries and other compensation of the officers of the Corporation shall be fixed by or in the manner designated by the Board of Directors.

 

Section 4.2        Term of Office and Duties.

 

(a)       General. All officers shall hold office at the pleasure of the Board of Directors and until their successors shall have been duly elected and qualified, unless sooner removed.  Any officer elected or appointed by the Board of Directors may be removed at any time by the Board of Directors.  If the office of any officer becomes vacant for any reason, the vacancy may be filled by the Board of Directors.

 

(b)       Duties of Chief Executive Officer. The Chief Executive Officer shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and at all meetings of the Board of Directors, unless the Chairman of the Board of Directors has been appointed and is present or the Presiding Director is present.  Unless another officer has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation, the President shall be the chief executive officer of the Corporation and shall, subject to the control of the Board of Directors, have general supervision, direction and control of the business and officers of the Corporation. To the extent that a Chief Executive Officer has been appointed, all references in these Bylaws to the President shall be deemed references to the Chief Executive Officer.   The Chief Executive Officer shall perform other duties commonly incident to the office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers, as the Board of Directors shall designate from time to time.

 

(c)       Duties of President. The President shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and at all meetings of the Board of Directors, unless the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Presiding Director or the Chief Executive Officer has been appointed and is present.  Unless another officer has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation, the President shall be the chief executive officer of the Corporation and shall, subject to the control of the Board of Directors, have general supervision, direction and control of the business and officers of the Corporation.   The President shall perform other duties commonly incident to the office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers, as the Board of Directors shall designate from time to time.

 

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(d)        Duties of Vice Presidents.   The Vice Presidents may assume and perform the duties of the President in the absence or disability of the President or whenever the office of President is vacant.  The Vice Presidents shall perform other duties commonly incident to their office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer, or, if the Chief Executive Officer has not been appointed or is absent, the President shall designate from time to time.

 

(e)       Duties of Secretary. The Secretary shall attend all meetings of the stockholders and of the Board of Directors and shall record all acts and proceedings thereof in the minute book of the Corporation.  The Secretary shall give notice in conformity with these Bylaws of all meetings of the stockholders and of all meetings of the Board of Directors and any committee thereof requiring notice.  The Secretary shall perform all other duties provided for in these Bylaws and other duties commonly incident to the office, and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors shall designate from time to time.  The President may direct any Assistant Secretary or other officer to assume and perform the duties of the Secretary in the absence or disability of the Secretary, and each Assistant Secretary shall perform other duties commonly incident to the office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors or the President shall designate from time to time.

 

(f)       Duties of Chief Financial Officer. The Chief Financial Officer shall keep or cause to be kept the books of account of the Corporation in a thorough and proper manner and shall render statements of the financial affairs of the Corporation in such form and as often as required by the Board of Directors or the President.  The Chief Financial Officer, subject to the order of the Board of Directors, shall have the custody of all funds and securities of the Corporation.  The Chief Financial Officer shall perform other duties commonly incident to the office, and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors or the President shall designate from time to time.  The President may direct the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer, or the Controller or any Assistant Controller, to assume and perform the duties of the Chief Financial Officer in the absence or disability of the Chief Financial Officer, and each Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer and each Controller and Assistant Controller shall perform other duties commonly incident to the office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors or the President shall designate from time to time.  

 

Section 4.3        Delegation Of Authority.

 

The Board of Directors may from time to time delegate the powers or duties of any officer to any other officer or agent, notwithstanding any provision hereof.

 

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Section 4.4        Resignations.

 

Any officer may resign at any time by giving notice in writing or by electronic transmission to the Board of Directors or to the President or to the Secretary.  Any such resignation shall be effective when received by the person or persons to whom such notice is given, unless a later time is specified therein, in which event the resignation shall become effective at such later time.  Unless otherwise specified in such notice, the acceptance of any such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.  Any resignation shall be without prejudice to the rights, if any, of the Corporation under any contract with the resigning officer.

 

Section 4.5        Removal.

 

Any officer may be removed from office at any time, either with or without cause, by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors in office at the time, or by the unanimous written consent of the directors in office at the time, or by any committee or by the Chief Executive Officer or by other superior officers upon whom such power of removal may have been conferred by the Board of Directors.

 

ARTICLE V

 

EXECUTION OF CORPORATE INSTRUMENTS AND VOTING OF SECURITIES OWNED BY THE CORPORATION

 

Section 5.1        Execution of Corporate Instruments.

 

(a)        The Board of Directors may, in its discretion, determine the method and designate the signatory officer or officers, or other person or persons, to execute on behalf of the Corporation any corporate instrument or document, or to sign on behalf of the Corporation the corporate name without limitation, or to enter into contracts on behalf of the Corporation, except where otherwise provided by law or these Bylaws, and such execution or signature shall be binding upon the Corporation.

 

(b)        All checks and drafts drawn on banks or other depositaries on funds to the credit of the Corporation or in special accounts of the Corporation shall be signed by such person or persons as the Board of Directors shall authorize so to do.

 

(c)        Unless authorized or ratified by the Board of Directors or within the agency power of an officer, no officer, agent or employee shall have any power or authority to bind the Corporation by any contract or engagement, or to pledge its credit or to render it liable for any purpose or for any amount.

 

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Section 5.2        Voting of Securities Owned by the Corporation.

 

All stock and other securities of other corporations owned or held by the Corporation for itself, or for other parties in any capacity, shall be voted, and all proxies with respect thereto shall be executed, by the person authorized so to do by resolution of the Board of Directors, or, in the absence of such authorization, by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, or any Vice President.  

 

ARTICLE VI

 

INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES AND OTHER CORPORATE AGENTS

 

Section 6.1        Actions, Suits or Proceedings Other Than Those by or in the Right of the Corporation.

 

The Corporation shall indemnify, in the manner and to the full extent permitted by law, any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the Corporation) by reason of the fact that he or 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), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if he or she acted in good faith and in a manner he or 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 no reasonable cause to believe his or 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 or 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, that he or she had reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful.

 

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Section 6.2        Actions, Suits or Proceedings by or in the Right of the Corporation.

 

The Corporation shall 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 or she is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving or has agreed to serve at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise or by reason of any action alleged to have been taken or omitted in such capacity against costs, charges and expenses (including attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him or her or in his or her behalf in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit and any appeal therefrom if he or she acted in good faith and in a manner he or 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 to the Corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite adjudication of liability but in view or all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or such other court shall deem proper.

 

Section 6.3        Expenses Incurred.

 

To the extent that a present or former director or officer of the Corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in Sections 6.1 and 6.2 above, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, he or she may be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection therewith.

 

Section 6.4        Determination of Indemnification.

 

Any indemnification provided under Sections 6.1 and 6.2 above (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 present or former director, officer, employee or agent is proper in the circumstances because he or she has met the applicable standard of conduct in Sections 6.1 and 6.2 above. Such determination shall be made with respect to a person who is a director or officer at the time of such determination (1) by a majority vote of the directors who were not parties to such action, suit or proceeding, even though less than a quorum or (2) by a committee of such directors designated by majority vote of such directors, even though less than a quorum, (3) if there are no such directors, or if such directors so direct, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, or (4) by the stockholders of the Corporation.

 

Section 6.5        Advance of Expenses.

 

Expenses (including attorneys' fees) incurred by a director or officer in defending any civil, criminal, administrative or investigative action, suit, or proceeding may be paid by the Corporation in advance of the final disposition of such matter, if such director, officer undertakes in writing to repay any such advances in the event that it is ultimately determined that he or she is not entitled to indemnification. Such expenses incurred by former directors and officers or other employees and agents may be so paid upon such terms and conditions, if any, as the Corporation deems appropriate.

 

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Section 6.6        Nonexclusivity of Rights.

 

The right of indemnity and advancement of expenses provided herein shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which any person seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses from the Corporation may be entitled under any agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action in his or her official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office. Any agreement for indemnification of or advancement of expenses to any director, officer, employee or agent or other person may provide rights of indemnification or advancement of expenses which are broader or otherwise different from those set forth herein.

 

Section 6.7        Insurance.

 

The Corporation shall purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who 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 or as a member of any committee or similar body against any liability asserted against him or her and incurred by him or her 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 him or her against such liability under the provisions of this Article or applicable law.

 

Section 6.8        Inclusion of Constituent Corporation.

 

For purposes of this Article VI, references to “the Corporation” shall include, in addition to the resulting corporation, any constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger which, if its separate existence had continued, would have had power and authority to indemnify its directors, officers, employees, or agents, so that any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such constituent corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a director, officer, employee, or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position under the provisions of this Article VI with respect to the resulting or, surviving corporation as he would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its separate existence had continued.

 

Section 6.9        Inclusion of Other Terms.

 

For purposes of this Article VI:

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Section 6.10        Continuation of Indemnification.

 

The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, this Article VI shall, unless otherwise provided when authorized or ratified, 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 6.11        Effect of Amendment.

 

Any amendment, repeal or modification of any provision of this Article VI by the stockholders and the directors of the Corporation shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a director or other officer of the Corporation existing at the time of such amendment, repeal or modification.

 

Section 6.12        Saving Clause.

 

If this Bylaw or any portion hereof shall be invalidated on any ground by any court of competent jurisdiction, then the Corporation shall nevertheless indemnify each director, officer, employee and agent to the full extent not prohibited by any applicable portion of this Article VI that shall not have been invalidated, or by any other applicable law. If this Article VI shall be invalid due to the application of the indemnification provisions of another jurisdiction, then the Corporation shall indemnify each director, officer, employee and agent to the full extent under any other applicable law.

 

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ARTICLE VII

 

SHARES OF STOCK

 

Section 7.1        Form and Execution of Certificates.

 

The shares of the Corporation shall be represented by certificates, or shall be uncertificated.  Certificates for the shares of stock, if any, shall be in such form as is consistent with the Certificate of Incorporation and applicable law.  Every holder of stock represented by a certificate in the Corporation shall be entitled to have a certificate signed by or in the name of the Corporation by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, or the President or any Vice President and by the Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer or the Secretary or Assistant Secretary, certifying the number of shares owned by him in the Corporation.  Any or all of the signatures on the certificate may be facsimiles. In case any officer, transfer agent or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate shall have ceased to be such officer, transfer agent or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued with the same effect as if he were such officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue.

 

Section 7.2        Lost Certificates.

 

A new certificate or certificates or uncertificated shares may be issued in place of any certificate or certificates theretofore issued by the Corporation alleged to have been lost, stolen, or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the person claiming the certificate of stock to be lost, stolen, or destroyed.  The Corporation may require, as a condition precedent to the issuance of a new certificate or certificates or uncertificated shares, the owner of such lost, stolen or destroyed certificate or certificates, or the owner’s legal representative, to agree to indemnify the Corporation in such manner as it shall require or to give the Corporation a surety bond in such form and amount as it may direct as indemnity against any claim that may be made against the Corporation with respect to the certificate alleged to have been lost, stolen, or destroyed.

 

Section 7.3        Transfers.

 

(a)        Transfers of record of shares of stock of the Corporation shall be made only upon its books by the holders thereof, in person or by attorney duly authorized in writing, and, in the case of stock represented by certificate, upon the surrender of a properly endorsed certificate or certificates for a like number of shares or accompanied by proper evidence of succession, assignment or authority to transfer, and, in the case of uncertificated shares of stock, upon receipt by the Corporation or the transfer agent of the Corporation of proper transfer instructions from the registered holder of the shares or by such person's attorney duly authorized  in writing or accompanied by proper evidence of succession, assignment or authority to transfer, and upon compliance with any other appropriate procedures for transferring shares in uncertificated form.

 

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(b)        The Corporation shall have power to enter into and perform any agreement with any number of stockholders of any one or more classes of stock of the Corporation to restrict the transfer of shares of stock of the Corporation of any one or more classes owned by such stockholders in any manner not prohibited by the DGCL.

 

ARTICLE VIII

 

OTHER SECURITIES OF THE COPORATION

 

Section 8.1        Execution of Other Securities.

 

All bonds, debentures and other corporate securities of the Corporation, other than stock certificates (covered in Section 7.1), may be signed by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the President or any Vice President, or such other person as may be authorized by the Board of Directors, and the corporate seal impressed thereon or a facsimile of such seal imprinted thereon and attested by the signature of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, or the Chief Financial Officer or Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer; provided, however, that where any such bond, debenture or other corporate security shall be authenticated by the manual signature, or where permissible facsimile signature, of a trustee under an indenture pursuant to which such bond, debenture or other corporate security shall be issued, the signatures of the persons signing and attesting the corporate seal on such bond, debenture or other corporate security may be the imprinted facsimile of the signatures of such persons.  Interest coupons appertaining to any such bond, debenture or other corporate security, authenticated by a trustee as aforesaid, shall be signed by the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer of the Corporation or such other person as may be authorized by the Board of Directors, or bear imprinted thereon the facsimile signature of such person.  In case any officer who shall have signed or attested any bond, debenture or other corporate security, or whose facsimile signature shall appear thereon or on any such interest coupon, shall have ceased to be such officer before the bond, debenture or other corporate security so signed or attested shall have been delivered, such bond, debenture or other corporate security nevertheless may be adopted by the Corporation and issued and delivered as though the person who signed the same or whose facsimile signature shall have been used thereon had not ceased to be such officer of the Corporation.

 

ARTICLE IX

 

DIVIDENDS

 

Section 9.1        Declaration of Dividends.

 

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

 

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Section 9.2        Dividend Reserve.

 

Before payment of any dividend, there may be set aside out of any funds of the Corporation available for dividends such sum or sums as the Board of Directors from time to time, in its absolute discretion, think proper as a reserve or reserves to meet contingencies, or for equalizing dividends, or for repairing or maintaining any property of the Corporation, or for such other purpose as the Board of Directors shall think conducive to the interests of the Corporation, and the Board of Directors may modify or abolish any such reserve in the manner in which it was created.  

 

ARTICLE X

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

Section 10.1        Fiscal Year.

 

The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be determined by the Board of Directors.

 

Section 10.2        Seal.

 

The Corporation may have a corporate seal which shall have the name of the Corporation inscribed thereon and shall be in such form as may be approved from time to time by the Board of Directors. The corporate seal may be used by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or in any other manner reproduced.

 

Section 10.3        Notices.

 

(a)        Notice to Stockholders. Written notice to stockholders of stockholder meetings shall be given as provided in Section 2.4 herein.  Without limiting the manner by which notice may otherwise be given effectively to stockholders under any agreement or contract with such stockholder, and except as otherwise required by law, written notice to stockholders for purposes other than stockholder meetings may be sent by U.S. mail or nationally recognized overnight courier or by facsimile. In addition any notice to stockholders given by the Corporation shall be effective if given by a form of electronic transmission consented to by the stockholder to whom notice is given. Any such consent shall be revocable by the stockholder by written notice to the Corporation. Any such consent shall be deemed revoked if (1) the Corporation is unable to deliver by electronic transmission two (2) consecutive notices given by the Corporation in accordance with such consent and (2) such inability becomes known to the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Corporation or to the transfer agent or other person responsible for the giving of notice; provided, however the inadvertent failure to treat such inability as a revocation shall not invalidate any meeting or other action. Notice given pursuant to this subsection (a) shall be deemed given: (1) if by facsimile telecommunication when directed to a number at which the stockholder has consented to receive notice; (2) if by electronic mail, when directed to an electronic mail address at which the stockholder has consented to receive notice; (3) if by posting on an electronic network together with separate notice to the stockholder of such specific posting, upon the later of (A) such posting and (B) the giving of separate notice; and (4) if by any other form of electronic transmission, when directed to the stockholder. An affidavit of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary or of the transfer agent or other agent of the Corporation that the notice has been given by a form of electronic transmission shall, in the absence of fraud, be prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein.

 

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(b)       Notice to Directors. Any notice required to be given to any director may be given by the method stated in subsection (a), as otherwise provided in these Bylaws, except that such notice other than one which is delivered personally shall be sent to such address as such director shall have filed in writing with the Secretary, or, in the absence of such filing, to the last known post office address of such director.

 

(c)       Affidavit of Mailing. An affidavit of mailing, executed by a duly authorized and competent employee of the Corporation or its transfer agent appointed with respect to the class of stock affected, or other agent, specifying the name and address or the names and addresses of the stockholder or stockholders, or director or directors, to whom any such notice or notices was or were given, and the time and method of giving the same, shall in the absence of fraud, be prima facie evidence of the facts therein contained.

 

(d)       Methods of Notice. It shall not be necessary that the same method of giving notice be employed in respect of all recipients of notice, but one permissible method may be employed in respect of any one or more, and any other permissible method or methods may be employed in respect of any other or others.

 

(e)       Notice to Person With Whom Communication is Unlawful. Whenever notice is required to be given, under any provision of law or of the Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws of the Corporation, to any person with whom communication is unlawful, the giving of such notice to such person shall not be required and there shall be no duty to apply to any governmental authority or agency for a license or permit to give such notice to such person.  Any action or meeting which shall be taken or held without notice to any such person with whom communication is unlawful shall have the same force and effect as if such notice had been duly given.  In the event that the action taken by the Corporation is such as to require the filing of a certificate under any provision of the DGCL, the certificate shall state, if such is the fact and if notice is required, that notice was given to all persons entitled to receive notice except such persons with whom communication is unlawful.

 

(f)       Notice to Stockholders Sharing an Address. Except as otherwise prohibited under DGCL, any notice given under the provisions of DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws shall be effective if given by a single written notice to stockholders who share an address if consented to by the stockholders at that address to whom such notice is given.  Such consent shall have been deemed to have been given if such stockholder fails to object in writing to the Corporation within sixty (60) days of having been given notice by the Corporation of its intention to send the single notice.  Any consent shall be revocable by the stockholder by written notice to the Corporation.

 

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Section 10.4        Interested Directors; Quorum.

 

No contract or transaction between the Corporation and one or more of its directors or officers, or between the Corporation and any other corporation, partnership, association or other organization in which one or more of its directors or officers are directors or officers or have a financial interest, shall be void or voidable solely for this reason, or solely because the director or officer is present at or participates in the meeting of the Board of Directors or committee thereof which authorizes the contract or transaction, or solely because his or her, or their, votes are counted for such purpose, if: (1) the material facts as to his or her relationship or interest and as to the contract or transaction are disclosed or are known to the Board of Directors or the committee, and the Board of Directors or committee in good faith authorizes the contract or transaction by the affirmative vote of a majority of the disinterested directors, even though the disinterested directors be less than a quorum, (2) the material facts as to his or her relationship or interest and as to the contract or transaction are disclosed or are known to the stockholders entitled to vote thereon, and the contract or transaction is specifically approved in good faith by vote of the stockholders, or (3) the contract or transaction is fair as to the Corporation as of the time it is authorized, approved or ratified, by the Board of Directors, a committee thereof or the stockholders. Common or interested directors may be counted in determining the presence of a quorum at a meeting of the Board of Directors or of a committee which authorizes the contract or transaction.

 

Section 10.5        Form of Records.

 

Any records maintained by the Corporation in the regular course of its business, including its stock ledger, books of account and minute books, may be kept on, or be in the form of any information storage device, provided that the records so kept can be converted into clearly legible form within a reasonable time. The Corporation shall so convert any records so kept upon the request of any person entitled to inspect the same.

 

Section 10.6        Amendment of Bylaws.

 

Subject to the limitations set forth in Article VI of these Bylaws or the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, the Board is Directors is expressly empowered to adopt, amend or repeal Bylaws of the Corporation. Any adoption, amendment or repeal of Bylaws of the Corporation by the Board of Directors shall require the approval of a majority of the total number of authorized directors (whether or not there exist any vacancies in previously authorized directorships at the time any resolution providing for adoption, amendment or repeal is presented to the Board). The stockholders shall also have power to adopt, amend or repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation. In addition to any vote of the holders of any class or series of stock of this Corporation required by law or these Bylaws, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66 2/3%) of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of the capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting as a single class, shall be required to adopt, amend or repeal any provisions of the Bylaws of the Corporation.

 

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Section 10.7        Gender.

 

Any reference to the masculine or neuter gender in these Bylaws shall be construed to mean the feminine, masculine or neuter gender, as the situation may demand.

 

Section 10.8        Facsimile Signatures.

 

In addition to the provisions for use of facsimile signatures elsewhere specifically authorized in these Bylaws, facsimile signatures of any officer or officers of the Corporation may be used whenever and as authorized by the Board of Directors or a committee thereof.

 

Section 10.9        Reliance on Books, Reports and Records.

 

Each director, each member of any committee designated by the Board of Directors, and each officer of the Corporation, shall, in the performance of his or her duties, be fully protected in relying in good faith upon the books of account or other records of the Corporation, including reports made to the Corporation by any of its officers, by an independent certified public accountant, or by an appraiser selected with reasonable care.

 

Section 10.10        Time Periods.

 

In applying any provision of these Bylaws which require that an act be done or not done in a specified number of days prior to an event or that an act be done during a period of a specified number of days prior to an event, calendar days shall be used, the day of the doing of the act shall be excluded, and the day of the event shall be included.

 

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